#also like my dog I require attention and comfort frequently

[ganonfan1995]

DSAU: Companion

Turmali was the largest coastal city and the westernmost settlement of Gerudo. Originally built as a port, it served as a gateway for countries that lay far beyond the sea. The kingdoms of Ikana and Labrynna were the most frequent visitors, bringing with them pottery, gold, wines, and oil. Along with these goods, they also brought cats—not through intentional means, but as incidental passengers. The cats had been highly valued aboard the large ships for pest control and cherished for their companionship during the long voyages. It wasn’t long before one or more of those cats found their way off the ships and into the homes of Turmali locals. Eventually, few became many, and many became lots. Before anyone even noticed, the cats became a novelty of the docks.

Gan adored the cats, dedicating a large portion of his time to caring for them—feeding them, performing health checks on a select few that required extra attention, and ensuring their overall well-being. The cats, in turn, adored Gan, gathering in small groups around his feet the moment they spotted him.

But one cat, in particular, held a special place in his heart: a small ticked tabby the color of amber and rust. Her coat was long but thin, and she had two wide eyes greener than all the rest.

“This—” Gan had said, scooping the cat into his arms. “—is Kotta.” Kotta nuzzled against Gan’s chin, purring loudly and playfully tugging at his robe with delighted little claws. “My mother is sensitive to her hair, so Kotta isn’t usually allowed in the villa. But sometimes, when she’s not home, I sneak her into my room for the night.” He leaned forward to introduce the little cat to Zelda.

Zelda’s eyes widened as she cautiously reached out a hand, and Kotta responded with enthusiastic head-butting against her palm.

“She’s so soft!” Zelda exclaimed, her gentle, unpracticed hands petting Kotta affectionately between the ears.

“She’s the friendliest one out of them all,” Gan said, a smile lighting up his face. His tone held a warmth that Zelda found comforting. “I raised her from a kitten, so she likes me more than the other cats. She’s the only one who lets me pick her up.”

Zelda tilted her head curiously. “Oh, do cats not like to be held very much?”

“Some do, if they live in homes. Most that live by the docks prefer to stay on the ground. But since Kotta knows me, she feels safe being held and handled.”

Kotta melted against Gan’s chest, purring and nuzzling against him, clearly content in her role as his companion.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever pet a cat before…”

“Really?”

“My father preferred hounds, and they didn’t always get along with cats.”

Gan raised an eyebrow. “Really? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hound and a cat that didn’t get along before.” He motioned to a corner of the docks with a tilt of his chin. There, basking in the sun, lay a slender dog—more leg than anything else—stretched out and soaking up every ray of warmth. In its shadow, a cluster of kittens snuggled against its back. Zelda’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“They’re friends!” she exclaimed, delight lighting up her face.

“If they grow up together, they’ll form close bonds,” Gan explained. “Most of the dogs here work alongside the cats, sharing their lives and meals, which helps them become friends.”

Gan smiled softly as he gently passed the drooling, purring Kotta to Zelda. “Here, she’ll let you hold her if you’d like. She’s a really big suck.”

“Oh! Ah—sure!” Zelda cradled her arms as if receiving a newborn, and Kotta nestled comfortably between them. The small cat with the big green eyes looked up at Zelda, blinking softly as her paws kneaded the air.

“She likes you!” Gan observed, scritching Kotta under her chin.

“Really?”

“Yeah, when they close their eyes like that, it means they trust you.”

“I like you too, Kotta!” Zelda said, matching Gan’s softness in her voice and blinking slowly in return.

[yandereaffections]

Agapito Adolfo (YA’s Oc) Masterlist

Stereotypical bad boy Agapito Adolfo

Character Description

Finding him beat up in the alley

S/o that people usually harass

Bringing him a homemade meal during work

Asthmatic S/o

Somone picking a fight with S/o who looks intimidating

S/os passion requiring them to be outside

The Purge

Starving Succubus S/o to the point of cheating  

Yandere Letter

Torture

Vampire Agapito w/ a tasty S/o

Musical S/o playing Spooky Scary Skeletons

Zombie Apocalypse

Crime Boss S/o

Starving Succubus S/o to the point of Fainting

Virgin S/o

Artistic + Baker S/o

Wearing Agapitos Clothes

Torturing a very cute S/o

Sensitive S/o

Chubby, Short S/o

Calling him “Daddy” in public

S/o running off to punch someone

Snuggly S/o sleeps nude

S/o loves spicy foods

S/os never been given a gift

Sweet Toothed S/o

S/os the head of a motorcycle gang

No Weed smell in the house Rule

S/o eats to much Edible the first time

Squeeze Agapitos ass

S/o loves Pokemon

Sweet Darlings also a assassin

S/o forgets to take care of themselves frequently

Affectionate yet Flustered by PBA S/o

Sexually Harassed S/o TW

S/os kidnapped by a rival gang

Aggressive Male S/o trying to fight Agapito

Neko Darling

Putting work first

Sick s/o not taking care of themselves

Accident prone s/o

Touch starved s/o who draws unwanted attention to themselves

Hyperactive S/o

S/o crying cause he came home bleeding

S/o being ok with their kidnapping

Soft HC

OCD S/o

S/o has no self control and eats what their allergic to

S/o splitting their tongue

Thinking his S/o ran away

S/o cleaning everything cause of COVID

Nia VS Agaptio piece

Figuring out his S/os pregnant

S/o has night terrors

Pushing Agapito to cry

S/o who calms down when their hair is played with

S/os sleep schedule is out of wack

S/o getting hurt when saving a kid from being abused

S/o dressed up in lolita fashion

S/o getting addicted to his drug stash

Goth S/o and him making a intimidating couple

Forced to cuddle him and loving it

Kidnapped S/o playing tag/hide and seek

S/o who is immune to poison

S/o who loves affection but is stubborn

Sick S/o

Yandere S/o whos a ex assassin killing a rival that hurt him

Ignoring your boyfriend Challenge

Crush has a big dog

S/o whos a politician (male reader)

taking care of his S/o who got in a street fight

Asexual/Aromantic S/o

Pranking him for April fools

Romantically inexperienced S/o

telling him I Love You

Going to the park with icecream as a date

Sleepy S/o who can kick ass

Sadistic HC

S/o getting kidnapped in the middle of the night

Celebrating his angels birthday

S/o with spiderman like powers

S/o who got over a drug addiction not wanting to be around him

Celebrating Halloween

Werewolf Agapito

Drider Agapito Hunted down

Werewolf S/o who looks just like a dog

S/o who has never experienced halloween

Platonic Yandere father

S/o FTM

Artist S/o

Caregiver S/o

Soft Headcannons

Rejecting Agapito

S/o who flinches at sudden movements

Charming the reader

His controlling behavior

Extremely quiet S/o

Autistic Darling

S/o who overworks themselves

Arguing HC

Idol S/o

Darling with Top Energy

S/o refusing to date after losing their ex

Wholesome misunderstanding

Cop s/o trying to get him arrested

Darling likes to feel him up when shirtless

Teaching S/o Spanish curse words

Darling whos scared to fall asleep due to truama from their ex

Falling for a single mother

getting high with Agapito TW

Dependent S/o

Small soft and romantic things

S/o saying “i wish i could crawl under your skin”

S/o saying “i wish we were seahorses so i could give you my 1000 babies”

Brave S/o whos afraid of bugs

Detective S/o that can incriminate other rival gangs of Agapitos

Panicking over S/o getting stabbed

Yandere Alphabet: A,B,D,F,H,L,M,T,Z

S/o who cant fall alseep without him

Finding his S/o injured after a fight

S/o who can see through his manipulation

Comforting Autistic S/o through a meltdown

Darling going through a breakdown due to school work

S/o whos upset cause all their friends seem to leave them

Darlings love language is bite

Finding out crush is dating his brother

Agapitos first love trys to kill the two of you

S/o with financial anxiety

Darling who actually loves his yandere behavior

S/o whos a child of a Mafia Family

Kissing headcannons

S/o who is convinced they don't deserve to be well because of their parents abuse

Angel can escape through sleep walking unknowingly

Terrible cook s/o tries making him a meal

Psycho analyzing and calling him out for his behavior

Almost shooting his S/o

Assassin S/o who must complete a final mission to retire

Seeing Angels cutting scars for the first time TW

S/o w/ Histrionic personality disorder

Finding out S/o is pregnant with quintuplets

Preparation toward kidnapping S/o

Cannibal S/o

S/o whose unbelievably quiet  

Darling loving how their attacker said “Knife, to meet you” before stabbing them

Making pregnancy/family life ads pop up on his phone in attempt to convince him to start a family

Replicating Shojo Manga moments with S/o

Short angry male S/o whose only affectionate towards him

Flirting with Agapito the first time you meet him

Keeping notes on S/o pre-kidnapping

Finding unsent love letters from S/o

S/o suddenly showing they can speak spanish

S/o whos old fashioned when it comes to romance

Darling who is a professional dancer

S/o singing Lo Que Siento by CUCO

Reaction to His Workers being attracted to his S/o

Group of women talking bad about his S/o

Running into each other when planning on kidnapped each other

Circumstance/reason agapito would drop his job

Blind S/o making a clay sculpture of his face

Kidnapped S/o who doesnt fight just cries themselves to sleep

Caregiver S/o prt 2

Male S/o that willingly went to prison

S/o loving him but their wariness keeping them away

Letting S/o have a position at his job

Punishment for a escaped S/o

Platonic yandere HC

Neighbors hearing kidnapped s/o and calling the police on him

S/o asking weird questions cause your planning a birthday party for him

S/o loving his possessive nature prt 2

Shy angel works at a restaurant

His cuddle libido & what he wears to sleep

Angels friend is obsessed with them and doesnt like agapito

Sending a friend to reject him for you

Just kidnapped his darling HC

S/o that randomly disappears in the house

Finding out you write fanfics of him

Finding out angles been hiding a boyfriend from him

Helping S/o during a heat stroke

Finding out about his career and ghosting him

napping on him in sketchy situations

How would his ex’s describe him as a boyfriend

“I love you, and I know you love me too. Even if you refuse to admit it.”

“I’m sorry, I know it hurts.”

“You went out yesterday. Stay here, I’m still tired.”

How Agapito would pace your relationship together

His future goals with his S/o

“Alpha male” trying to steal his S/o

Agapito finding out his S/O is pregnant but they dont force him to listen

Angel coming out as Demipansexual

Letting his Angel tag along during work only for his workers to ask for their number

More sadistic agapito HC

Angel whos always stressed/drained from work

how he would edge his way into a college darling’s life

Irritated Agapito asking S/o where he stands in the relationship

Hunted down

Werewolf agapito prt 2

Werecat agapito

Watching Netflixs YOU w/ Agaptio

Ghost S/o

Vampire Agapito prt 2

Fluff HC of Agapito with: Cuddles, agressive affection, Kissing and being possessive/ protective

Haunted House w/ scaredy cat S/o

Finding out Angel has stayed up 24 hours

Celebrating the fall with his holiday-crazed angel

What costumes he would wear for halloween growing up

Scary movies

Real haunted house

Werewolf agapito during The Purge

Comforting his S/o HC

Friends with benefits

S/os bestfriend is evicting them

Walking in on yandere s/o taking care of a body

Aro S/o giving a yellow rose for valentines

Randomly placing underware in his hands for valentines

Finding out S/o actively daydreams about another character

Kidnapped S/o finding out he plays violin

Finding former delinquent S/os yearbook

Angel whos dedicated on spoiling him

Walking into yandere s/o with a body at their feet

S/os always getting hurt

Going on a hotel getaway w/ agapito

Skittish kidnapped S/o asking for a massage 

S/o making gifts whenever their hyper fixated on a craft

Forcing his stubborn S/o to the ER

Autistic S/o feeling safe unmasking around him

Having Easter dinner w/ S/os family

Kidnapped S/o being a master at hiding around the house

Agapitos work HC

Wearing agapitos jacket

Celebrating angel passing all their exams

Kidnapping S/o only to find their allergic to something in the house

Angel going on a hunger strike

Sugar daddy HC

S/o has a secret side gig as a bodyguard

Stubborn S/o refusing to let him help cook

Possessive HC

Pinning after a detective S/o on his case (comission)

S/os a member of a rival gang that kidnaps him, though is nice to him despite that

S/o being possessive of Agapito

Kidnapped S/o taking a vow of silence in protest

S/o who has extreme social anxiety

Small romantic things in a relationship

S/o wants to adopt a dog

Courting a newbie in his drug ring

Yandere Alphabet C,E,H,K,S,V,Q,X

Yandere Alphabet B,D,I,Y

Moving his angel in HC

S/o sneaking out to go dancing

Demon agapito stalking HC

Zombie Agapito

Captured siren S/o

Werecat S/o

The Purge HC

Platonic S/o came back from the dead as half ghost

Life threatening situation w/ Werewolf S/o

Demon S/o

Zombie Apocalypse 

Teasing him at home 

Somnophila w/ male s/o 

Topping Agapito 

Daddy Kink 

Catching him jerking off to a picture of you 

S/o who gets horny when high 

Naga Agapito Breeding kink 

Incubus Agapito feeding off of you and helping with your siblings 

Male S/o wearing a Bunny Outfit 

Cockwarming HC 

BJ at the workplace 

Licking a popsicle seductively 

Male s/o whos been teasing him all day 

Knife & Blood Kink TW

Sitting on his face 

Favorite Position w/ Male S/o 

Lactation & Body Worship 

Kinks Headcannons 

Riding Male S/o

Incubus Agapito stealing his angels underwear

Non-con HC TW

Werewolf Agaptio/Darling Noncon TW

[ruthlesslistener]

It's really crazy how high maintenance dogs can be. I grew up with cats and got a puppy a few months ago. The only reason I could have a puppy while working full time is because I live with my parents and they take care of him while I'm at work. And I'm not exaggerating when I say he takes up almost ALL our time. Even at almost a year old he is still so high maintenance. I even had to take time off work to stay home with him while my parents went away for Black Friday. And he's a little pomeranian! Just because a dog is small doesn't mean it needs less care than big dogs. Sometimes they need MORE care (such as grooming, diet or stimulation). They really require so much dedication it isn't even funny. I'm so glad I have my folks because I would never be able to handle taking care of him and working at the same time. I'd have a breakdown for sure!

Yeah, small dogs require the same amount of care, respect, and training as large dogs, and while I understand that they make amazing ESA animals and are pretty much the only animal that can be trained to be an autism service dog (which I personally would really love honestly), they really are way too much work for what I can handle right now. I personally would love to keep and care for a dog- animal keeping and care is one of my special interests and honestly a big part of why I enjoy them- but I'm a singular college student in an apartment. And even if I found out a way to make it work, I would argue that it's unfair to the dog, because they are social animals that require a lot of stimulation that generally do best in a pack setting, and I'm unable to offer that. I love them, I'd love to keep one someday, but now is not the time, sadly, especially since I have a cockatiel and a snake.

That's also why I said that in terms of mammalian pets, a rabbit or a cat would be the best, with the cat being ruled out simply bc of the pets I already have (as I let Ollie out whenever I'm around to supervise). Cats and rabbits can generally keep themselves busy as long as they are provided with the proper enrichment, and with rabbits especially, their crepuscular nature means that I'm home whenever they're awake. Plus you can get a pair of rabbits to keep each other company, and they can coexist in an apartment and do their runs and binkies without being cramped, especially if they're a pair of dwarf breeds.

Even then though, mammals like rabbits require a lot more attention to their care and more frequent vet visits than reptiles (bc they're prone to GI stasis), which would require a car that I don't have in case of emergency. And since I'm living alone, I simply wouldn't feel comfortable with keeping them just in case something came up. I'd have to get a little more settled in first or find some people I trust to look after them. So again, while I really really want a mammalian pet, I'm not going to do so until I can fully make sure that I can care for them correctly

I'm responsible and sad ajsdhfbg

[codyrussell43]

Enhance Your Outdoors with Lita Artificial Grass

Introduction: Transform Your Yard with Lita Artificial Grass

Imagine stepping out into a lush, green lawn that requires no mowing, watering, or weeding. At Lita Artificial Grass, we specialize in creating vibrant, low-maintenance lawns that elevate your outdoor experience. Whether you're tired of battling weeds or looking for a safe, durable surface for your pets, our artificial grass solutions are the perfect fit. As your trusted local artificial grass company, we’re here to help you achieve the lawn of your dreams with minimal upkeep.

Why Choose Lita Artificial Grass?

The Benefits of Artificial Grass

Artificial grass offers numerous advantages over natural turf. It stays green and pristine throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions. With no need for watering, mowing, or applying fertilizers, it’s an environmentally friendly and cost-effective choice. Moreover, our products are designed to withstand heavy use, making them ideal for families with children and pets.

Perfect for Pet Owners

One of the standout features of Lita Artificial Grass is its suitability for pet owners. If you have dogs, you'll appreciate the durability and cleanliness of our fake grass for dogs. Unlike natural grass, our artificial turf doesn’t develop brown spots from pet urine, nor does it turn muddy in the rain. It’s easy to clean and maintain, providing a safe and comfortable surface for your furry friends to play on.

Installation and Maintenance

Hassle-Free Installation

Our professional installation process ensures that your new lawn is laid perfectly, with attention to detail at every step. We start by preparing the ground, installing a sturdy base, and then laying the artificial grass. We also ensure proper drainage to prevent water buildup. The result is a smooth, even surface that looks and feels like real grass.

Minimal Maintenance

One of the biggest advantages of artificial grass is its low maintenance requirements. Unlike natural grass, you won’t need to spend weekends mowing or watering. Our lawns are designed to resist weeds, but for additional protection, consider installing a garden weed barrier. This extra layer helps prevent weed growth, ensuring your lawn stays immaculate with minimal effort.

Enhancing Your Outdoor Space

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Lita Artificial Grass is not just for lawns. Our products are versatile and can be used in various outdoor settings, from playgrounds and sports fields to rooftops and patios. Whether you want to create a relaxing garden oasis or a lively play area for your kids, our artificial grass provides a beautiful and functional solution.

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Choosing artificial grass contributes to environmental sustainability. By eliminating the need for water, pesticides, and fertilizers, you reduce your ecological footprint. Our synthetic lawns also help conserve water, an increasingly important consideration in many regions facing water shortages.

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Conclusion: Enjoy a Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Lawn

Lita Artificial Grass offers the perfect solution for homeowners seeking a beautiful, low-maintenance lawn. Our high-quality artificial grass products provide a realistic, green lawn that stays pristine year-round. Ideal for families, pet owners, and anyone looking to simplify their outdoor maintenance, our artificial turf is a smart and sustainable choice.

Transform your outdoor space with Lita Artificial Grass. Say goodbye to the hassles of natural grass and hello to a vibrant, evergreen lawn that enhances your home's curb appeal and functionality. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services, and take the first step towards a hassle-free, beautiful lawn.

[businesspikuk]

Ensuring a Stress-Free Experience: Tips for Preparing Your Dog for Boarding

Introduction to Dog Boarding Kennels

Dog boarding kennels provide a safe and comfortable environment for your furry friend when you need to be away from home. However, preparing your dog for their stay is essential to ensure they have a stress-free experience. In this guide, we'll explore helpful tips for getting your dog ready for boarding.

Understanding Your Dog's Needs

Before choosing a boarding kennel, consider your dog's individual needs and temperament. Some dogs may thrive in a bustling environment with lots of social interaction, while others may prefer a quieter setting. Additionally, dogs with special dietary or medical needs require extra attention and care during their stay.

Choosing the Right Boarding Kennel

When selecting a boarding kennel, research different facilities in your area and visit them in person if possible. Look for clean and spacious accommodations, knowledgeable staff, and a safe environment. Reading reviews from other pet owners can also provide valuable insight into the quality of care provided.

Introducing Your Dog to the Kennel Environment

Before your dog's boarding stay, schedule a few trial visits to the kennel to familiarize them with the environment. This will help alleviate any anxiety they may feel during their stay. Bring along their favorite toys or bedding to make them feel more comfortable and at home.

Preparing Your Dog for Boarding

In the days leading up to your dog's boarding stay, ensure they are up-to-date on vaccinations and medications. Pack enough food for their stay, along with any necessary medications and written instructions for the staff. Provide the kennel with emergency contact information in case they need to reach you during your absence.

Addressing Separation Anxiety

For dogs prone to separation anxiety, it's essential to take steps to ease their stress before boarding. Practice leaving them alone for short periods leading up to their stay and gradually increase the duration. Leave them with familiar items like their favorite toys or blankets to provide comfort in your absence.

Communicating with Kennel Staff

Before dropping off your dog, communicate any special instructions or concerns with the kennel staff. This includes dietary restrictions, medication schedules, and behavioural quirks. Providing clear and detailed information ensures your dog receives the best possible care during their stay.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How far in advance should I book my dog's boarding stay?

What vaccinations are required for boarding?

Can I visit the kennel before booking my dog's stay?

What should I pack for my dog's boarding stay?

How can I help my dog adjust to boarding?

What happens if my dog has a medical emergency during their stay?

Are there any age restrictions for boarding?

Can I bring my dog's own food and treats?

Do kennels provide grooming services?

How often will my dog be exercised during their stay?

Conclusion

Preparing your dog for boarding is essential to ensure they have a stress-free and enjoyable experience. By understanding your dog's needs, choosing the right boarding kennel service facility , and taking steps to address any anxiety, you can help make their stay a positive one. Effective communication with kennel staff and careful preparation will ensure your dog receives the best possible care while you're away.

[petsdogworld]

As all dog owners know, your canine companion rarely stays clean for an extended period. Dogs have an uncontrollable drive to roll in things they shouldn't and, more frustratingly, a fondness for muddy puddles. It's nearly hard to keep your dog clean 24 hours a day, so in this article we examine the age-old question: How often should I wash my dog ? When Should A Dog Be Bathed? To begin, when should you bathe your dog? While there is no exact science that applies to every dog, it is generally recommended that you wash your dog at least once every three months. However, it is not uncommon to wash your dog as frequently as once a week, provided you use a soft shampoo and avoid over-cleaning your dog. As with humans, excessive cleaning can be just as detrimental as little cleaning. For example, much like humans, dogs require a certain amount of natural oils in their hair and skin to stay healthy. Just like you should avoid shampooing your hair every time you shower, your dog probably does not require a wash the moment they pick up a speck of dirt on their coat. While they have a natural inclination to maintain a basic level of hygiene, their definition of clean is quite different from ours! Before committing to a regular washing plan for your dog, there are a few factors to consider, including the following: how active has your dog been? While you should exercise your dog regularly, some dogs enjoy digging in the mud and rolling around, while others prefer a calm stroll. One of these activities will produce more filth than the other. Similarly, you should evaluate the length of your dog's hair; is it long enough to trap dirt and other muck, or are they short-haired with a coat that is less likely to grow dirty? Additionally, do they suffer from any skin condition? Your veterinarian will explain this to you, but if your dog suffers from an allergy, they may require more or less frequent washing than other dogs. Always consult your veterinarian if you suspect your dog may have a skin disease. Also Read : How Often Should I Wash My Puppy Why Is It Important To Bathe Your Dog? Why is it necessary to bathe our pets so frequently? It is not solely to maintain cleanliness and eradicate offensive odors. Instead, bathing our pets allows us to perform a quick check-up to ensure no suspicious lumps or fleas. Of course, your dog should continue to receive routine veterinary care, but washing provides an excellent opportunity for a self-scan. What Is The Proper Way To Bathe A Dog? Therefore, how do you clean your dog? It's not the same as washing a car unless your automobile enjoys leaping out of the driveway as you're washing it. To begin, ensure that your dog can stand in your bath on a plastic bath mat or in a plastic tub if you're doing it outside — this will guarantee that your dog feels comfortable and isn't sliding around. Following that, you must ensure that you use the proper dog shampoo. Baby shampoo should be avoided at all costs, as dogs' skin is extremely fragile, and even mild shampoo can cause irritation. As a result, we urge that you use only dog shampoos to keep your dog as safe and comfortable as possible. Once your dog is completely submerged in water at a decent temperature, thoroughly apply the shampoo, taking care to avoid the eyes and mouth and paying special attention to their hindquarters. Rinse and repeat, then thoroughly dry your dog with an old towel. Thus, while bath time can be a hardship for both you and your dog, it is ultimately in their best interests, so make it as relaxing or enjoyable as possible for them, and you should have no problems bathing your dog. Also Read : How To Keep Dog Bed Smelling Fresh Selecting The Proper Dog Shampoo Again, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all dog shampoo. For most typical dogs, we recommend a gentle dog shampoo or baby shampoo. Natural dog shampoos are readily available at most pet stores and are extremely gentle

on your dog's coat and skin, as well as on their eyes if they get a splash to the face accidentally. If your dog is a particularly oily breed, you may need a harsher shampoo. Flea and tick washes are an effective way to rid your dog of unwanted bugs but should be used sparingly due to their abrasive nature. Certain breeds of dogs have extremely sensitive skin and may benefit from being cleaned and towel-dried to eliminate extra dirt and oil. Also Read : How To Wash Dog Bed With Stuffing How Frequently Should A Dog Be Bathed? Varying breeds have vastly different bathing requirements, so ensure that you bathe your dog appropriately. Dachshunds, German Shorthaired Pointers, and other dogs with comparable short coats can go an extended period between baths. As a result, their coats naturally shed excess dirt and oil, and they rarely smell. Breeds with higher oil content, such as basset hounds, may require bathing up to once a week. Additionally, their natural oils may protect their skin from becoming too dry. Retrievers and other dogs with water-resistant coats should be brushed regularly, and excessive bathing should be avoided to preserve their coat's natural oils. Similar procedures should be followed for double-coated breeds such as the Akita, Chow Chow, and the smaller American Eskimo. Brushing also aids in the distribution of their natural oils and promotes healthy skin. As a general rule, you can bathe your dog around once a month unless they appear smelly/dirty or their skin becomes very dry. Hope this article has given you proper insight on How Often Should I Wash My Dog. If you have any suggestions , do let us know so that we may improve the way we help pet parents. Also Read : How To Test Dog Blood Sugar At Home https://petsdogworld.com/how-often-should-i-wash-my-dog/?feed_id=880&_unique_id=653035f9a8449 #dogbath #dogwashing #pets #petsdogworld #share

[kimabutch]

People say that GMing is like herding cats but honestly when I’m GMing I often feel like my dog, parading around her favourite pull toy so that we’ll be goaded into playing with her, except here the pull toy is just parts of the PCs’ backstories.

(And my players, god bless em, are like my dad, who can’t resist playing with the dog, even if he’s in the middle of an important work conference call.)

[spencers-renaissance]

I fear I will be ripped open and found unsightly

Summary: After Spencer fails his firearm recertification, the FBI believes some hand-to-hand combat and self-defence training is in order, and who better to administer it than the BAU's very own, Derek Morgan? Everything goes swimmingly until Derek decides to simulate an attack from above, and Spencer's thrust into the throes of a horrific flashback.

Tags: hurt/comfort, past abuse, platonic cuddling, angst with a happy ending, friendship or pre-slash, crying, panic attacks, flashbacks, episode: s01e06 LDSK, protectiveness TW: !!Discussions of Underage Rape/Non-Con including Molestation and Incestuous Sexual Abuse!!

Pairing: Derek Morgan & Spencer Reid (Platonic or Pre-Slash)

Word Count: 4.3k

Masterlist // Read on AO3 // Bad Things Happen Bingo

It’s a dreary day in late October when he fails his recertification test. Later, he’ll look back on this moment with a strange mixture of thankfulness and stone-cold dread, but in the moment all he can feel is the burning of his cheeks and the festering humiliation sat heavy in his chest.

Hotch is kind about it, because Hotch is kind about everything.

“Do you know what happened, Reid?” he asks with a complete absence of judgement, and it’s clear from everything about his body language and tone that he isn’t angry and he isn’t being critical, but Spencer feels his defences rising regardless.

He shakes his head and shrinks back in his seat, avoiding Hotch’s eyes.

“Did anyone do anything to make you feel uncomfortable?”

His eyes snap up to meet Hotch’s and he shifts to sit a bit more upright as he shakes his head with more vehemence this time. Sure, he didn’t particularly like the evaluator, but only because he seemed unimpressed with Spencer from the moment he laid eyes on him, acting as though evaluating someone who was doomed to fail was a waste of time.

Spencer can’t exactly blame him.

Hotch sighs. “Listen, Spencer,” he says gently, “I know you can handle yourself in the field and I know you can handle a gun just fine, but you know how many requirements were overlooked for you to join the unit in the first place, and you also know that your position in the BAU has been controversial with a few of the higher-ups. So, here’s the plan. I’m going to be your evaluator for your next recertification in two weeks, and in the meantime, I want you to do some hand-to-hand training with Derek to improve and consolidate your field and self-defence skills.”

Realistically, he knows that this is the best he could’ve hoped for, and he knows how hard Hotch and Gideon fight his corner when he’s questioned by everyone from witnesses to local PDs to the director of the bureau himself.

That does not mean he has to be happy about this.

He acquiesces because he has to. “Okay,” he says quietly, hoping he doesn’t sound as defeated as he feels.

“Reid,” Hotch says, redirecting his attention from the spot on the carpet he’s staring at. He waits for Spencer to look at him before smiling slightly and looking at him with a raw kind of earnest he knows is privileged to witness. “You know I’m proud of you, right?”

It’s Spencer’s turn to smile, brightening up from his miserable disposition slightly. “I do.”

⭑⭑⭑

“Hey, pretty boy,” Derek says cheerfully, slamming his locker closed just as Spencer enters the FBI gym. “I was beginning to think you weren’t gonna show.”

Spencer sighs, opening the locker next to Derek’s and putting his messenger bag inside before opening the grocery bag he’d brought his gym clothes in. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he says drily as he pulls out his clothes and heads towards one of the two private changing cubicles.

He hears Derek chuckle to himself before he calls back to him as he opens the door to the gym. “I’m gonna set up, you come through when you’re ready.”

Spencer procrastinates for as long as he can, making sure his shoes are tied perfectly and the bows are even sizes, folding all his work clothes as neatly as possible and placing them carefully back into the grocery bag, but before long, there’s nothing more he can do and he has to face the music. He inhales deeply, steeling himself for the next hour, before putting his bag in his locker (closing it with much less force than Derek did earlier) and walking into the gym.

It’s a fairly big hall that’s usually used for academy recruits, large scale demonstrations, and the various sports teams that have cropped up in different divisions of the FBI. Spencer knows that Derek currently plays basketball for the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime team, the department that the BAU is part of.

Right now, though, Derek has them set up in a tucked-away corner, both hard and soft mats laid out on the ground surrounded by various equipment Spencer couldn’t hope to identify correctly.

“You took your time,” Derek says when Spencer approaches him, eyebrows raised and an obvious note of amusement in his voice. “But now you’re here, let’s get started.”

They begin with a short conditioning exercise that Derek says is supposed to ‘get the blood pumping’ but in actuality has Spencer panting like a dog and soaked with sweat within minutes. Maybe those higher-ups have something of a point. He knew he was unfit, but this is just embarrassing.

“Okay, now with the warm-up out of the way—”

“That was a warm-up?”

Derek doubles over with his laughter and Spencer can’t help but join in, despite how out of breath and red in the face he might be.

“It’s supposed to be, Spence, but maybe I over-estimated things a little,” he concedes once their giggles have died out. “Alright, alright, let’s move on to some basic self-defence moves. I know you probably already know most of these, but this is supposed to be a refresher, yeah? And to remind you that you can hold your own in the field, whether you pass your recertification or not.”

Spencer winces. “I don’t know, Derek, I mean I did fail every single physical aspect of the academy examination.”

“See, that’s what I mean, pretty boy,” Derek says, standing up from the mat and helping Spencer up, too. “You’re in your own head, and when you’re out in the field, you have enough enemies without making your own mind one as well. You know this stuff, Spence, I’m just here to remind you of that.”

“Alright,” he nods, holding in his sigh. He doesn’t mean to be negative, he just can’t help the way he’s feeling. The last week has been rough.

“Okay, so let’s go through front-facing attacks first,” Derek says. “What’s the first move you can do to protect yourself in that situation?”

“Elbow shield,” Spencer replies, holding out his arm and blocking Derek from coming any closer with his forearm acting as a barrier that Derek presses his chest against.

“Exactly, and what can you do to inflict damage in that position?”

Spencer responds by sliding his forearm up to Derek’s neck and applying light pressure, not wanting to actually hurt him.

“You got it. Okay, now what if I manage to grab you and pull you closer, what’s your move?”

He keeps his forearm locked to keep Derek from advancing too close, but this time he grabs his bicep with both hands and uses his core to bring him closer before he raises his shin and mimes kicking him in the groin.

“See, you know this stuff,” Derek says brightly. “The only note I have is to just remember to keep your thumbs in line with the rest of your fingers, not wrapping under my arm.”

“Oh yeah, that makes sense. The thumb is easily broken, although the most common injury associated with a broken thumb is actually damage to the larger bone of your hand, the metacarpal.”

Derek chuckles. “Exactly.”

Funnily enough, Spencer actually finds himself having fun as they walk through some other basic defensive movements as well as the best way to use tactical punches to overpower or debilitate an unsub or attacker. They frequently burst into peals of laughter, as can be expected when two close individuals find themselves having to do semi-serious work together, and before he knows it, forty-five minutes have flown by.

“Okay, I want to end with some more up close and personal attacks and the best way to stave them off, alright?” Derek says as he puts away the boxing gloves and pads.

Immediately, Spencer feels a small glimmer of nerves and anticipation for how this might make him feel, but he brushes it off. He knows he’s safe with Derek, and the whole point of the exercise is to defend himself. Nothing’s going to happen.

“Let’s start with an attacker coming at you from behind,” Derek decides, coming up behind him. “I’m going to cover your mouth, and you’re going to use your skills and knowledge to remove me, alright?”

Spencer nods, hoping Derek doesn’t read the hesitancy in it, and he supposes that he doesn’t because soon enough a large palm is tightly covering the lower half of his face.

For a brief moment, he isn’t a twenty-five-year-old agent training with one of his closest friends in the gym in the basement of the FBI Headquarters, but a scared and lonely ten-year-old in his childhood bedroom, trying to fight the persistent, evil man on top of him, wondering why his dad would do this to him—

He snaps himself out of it by opening his eyes and forcing himself to take in the surroundings, and before long instinct takes over and he’s gripping at Derek’s wrist and using his core and bodyweight to bend forward and free himself from the restrictive hold.

“Good job, Reid!” Derek says encouragingly, and there’s no evidence on his face when he turns around that he noticed any sort of hesitation or deliberation, so he suspects that his flashback really was only for a second, no matter how everlasting and all-consuming it felt in the moment.

He manages a shaky smile, and invites his next method of torture. “What’s next?”

“Okay, what if I was to grab your t-shirt and immediately start punching you?” Derek asks, immediately miming doing exactly like that.

Fighting the instinct to go into protective mode, he instead turns around elbow first and uses his other hand to mime punching Derek while his knee goes up to attack his groin.

“Perfect! That’s the spirit, kid. No unsub’s ever gonna get the best of you.”

Spencer blushes a little at the praise, ducking his head so he doesn’t have to meet his eye, but inside he’s beyond pleased, both with the encouragement from Derek and his own self-confidence he can feel flooding back. Maybe he really does have a handle on the more physical side of things. Maybe he isn’t just good for his brain.

“Alright, let’s finish off with some on the ground stuff, okay?” Derek says, sitting down on the mat and inviting Spencer to join him with a pat on the space beside him.

He hesitates a little, and this time Derek notices, his face softening.

“Listen, I know this one is a bit more uncomfortable than the others, but we’re almost done, right? Let’s just get a few moves consolidated and then you can go and have a shower and head home to relax.”

Spencer nods finally and joins him, laying on his back as Derek instructs. The vulnerability of the position has him feeling deeply uncomfortable, no matter how many times he tells himself that he’s safe with Derek, but he forces himself to lie still. If nothing else, he doesn’t want to reveal this very personal and private detail of his childhood to his best friend. He just needs to keep reminding himself that he’s safe.

“Right, let’s practice the pinned wrist escape, okay?”

Before he knows what’s happening, before he can process the words and prepare him for what’s about to happen, Derek’s straddling him and resting his full weight over his hips and his wrists are wrapped in a tight grip, pinned to the mat above his head.

It’s so sudden and the sensations so overwhelming that he can’t help the immediate fear response that’s triggered, because he’s not in the FBI gym with Derek anymore, he’s somewhere else entirely.

“No, please,” he begs, voice strangled by a sudden, all-consuming dry sob that heaves his chest, “please don’t, I’m sorry. I’ll be good, please, dad, don’t—”

His sobs suddenly overtake his words and he’s left crying pathetically on the floor, too trapped in the memory to notice that the pressure’s been removed from his hips and he’s free to move his arms, too consumed by the physical and emotional anguish that came with the abuse to hear Derek’s desperate, heart-broken pleas from beside him, begging him to come back to himself.

“Spencer!”

A voice finally manages to break through the fog of panic, and he slowly regains consciousness, the white hot glaze of fear and crippling memory fading incrementally until he can see the high beams of the gym ceiling, until he can hear Derek’s gentle, soothing words beside him.

“It’s alright, pretty boy, I’m here, you’re safe,” Derek tells him gently, although Spencer can hear the urgency in his voice, even in his scared and overwhelmed state.

He covers his face with his hands as his desperate, heaving sobs transform into wet, humiliated cries.

“Hey, hey, Spence,” Derek murmurs beside him, “is it alright if I touch you?”

He considers shaking his head, but really, he wants some comfort right now, no matter how much he’ll hate himself for embarrassing himself further later. He’s glad he does though because Derek very carefully and very slowly lifts him up until he’s wrapped up in a comforting hug, his face buried in a strong chest. He’s not sure he’s ever felt safer than in this exact moment.

“You’re alright, pretty boy, I got you.”

Spencer continues to cry, the overwhelm of having a flashback that intense still wracking his body, but eventually, he starts to calm down, the tension slowly bleeding from his muscles as he collapses, boneless against Derek’s body.

“Here, why don’t you have this granola bar and some water,” Derek suggests gently when his tears have dried up, reaching over to the edge of the mat where he was clearly hiding some post-exercise rewards.

Spencer accepts them tiredly, not moving from his position slumped against Derek’s chest.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Derek asks him once he’s sipped his way through half the bottle and the granola bar is gone.

As much as he’d like to get things off his chest, as much as he trusts Derek, he just— can’t. So he shakes his head and pulls himself into a sitting upright position, although he still doesn’t meet Derek’s eyes.

“Okay,” Derek says softly. “I’m gonna drive you home. Come on.”

Spencer numbly walks through the locker room and the halls of the FBI with Derek guiding him until they reach his car, and the motion of climbing in brings a little bit more awareness back to him.

“Thanks,” he whispers as Derek starts the engine and drives them out of the parking garage.

“Don’t be ridiculous, pretty boy. No thanks needed.”

They don’t speak on the journey home, and Spencer contents himself with looking out the window at the passing scenery until they enter the city and trees transform into tower blocks. His mind drifts, but he’s just grateful that it doesn’t keep circling back to the flashback, having somewhat successfully resealed those memories like he always does, pushing them down and smothering them with as much good as he can collect in people and memories and things.

The silence between them prevails until Derek steps into his apartment behind him, closing the front door and helping Spencer out of his jacket before hanging his own coat up on a hook and steering Spencer towards the sofa. “You are going to sit here,” he orders, picking up one of Penelope’s hand-knitted blankets from its position neatly folded over the arm of the sofa, “while I get some tea and something to eat. Fancy anything in particular?”

Spencer remembers the satsumas and macaroons Penelope brought over the other day and tells Derek as such, following the other man with his eyes until he disappears into the kitchen and he’s left alone with his hazy thoughts for a couple of minutes.

They pass in a blur, though, and before he can blink, Derek is pressing a mug of warm chamomile tea into his hands and placing a small plate of a satsuma and a couple of macaroons on the coffee table.

The weight of Derek sitting down on the sofa next to him, and the grounding feeling of his palm wrapped around his ankle, has his hazy mind clearing until he’s in a much more present and aware headspace, enough so that Derek clearly notices it.

“You feeling a bit more like yourself?”

Spencer nods, and offers a small smile, trying to ignore the curls of humiliation and self-loathing working their way up his throat. Thoughts he hasn’t had in years are bursting at the seams Spencer had sewn tightly around them, brought up by physical memory alone, and he’s trying to hold them back, but somewhere in the back of his head, there’s his dad again, whispering dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, di—

“Hey, Spence,” he hears, and he snaps his head up, his dad’s voice shutting up and making room for Derek’s — Derek’s soft and gentle reassurances, his promises that he’s here and he’s safe and everything will be okay. “You got a bit lost in your head again there, kid. You alright?”

Spencer sighs tiredly, and a tear runs down his face unbidden. He’s not crying exactly, just— leaking. Leaking in the way a tap that hasn’t been turned on for years does when it finally experiences a much overdue release of pressure. Leaking in the way Spencer Reid does when he has a flashback to the sexual abuse he experienced as a child for the first time in two and a half years.

“Spencer,” Derek says, and something in his voice catches his attention, something serious, something earnest. He looks over at him. “Spencer, I know what you’re going through.”

His cheeks pale and he can hear the blood rushing in his ears because those words, that means— surely not, right? How could Derek— how could he—

“It happened to me, too.”

And there’s the confirmation. There are the five words that have him breaking down again, tears splashing into hot chamomile tea and onto cold, cold hands, sobs wracking his sore and tired shoulders. No one should have to go through what he did, no one. Especially not— God, especially not—

“Hey, Spencer, listen to me,” Derek says urgently scooting closer on the sofa until he can lift Spencer’s chin up with his hands and raise his head until their eyes are locked on one another and he can bear witness to the pain and the openness and the concern swimming in his dark brown irises. “I’m okay. You’re okay. We’re here, aren’t we? We’re safe. Don’t cry, pretty boy, everything’s gonna be just fine, I promise.”

He pauses to give Spencer a little time to catch his breath, but after a couple of minutes he speaks up again. “Would you like me to tell you about it?”

Spencer knows it will break his heart to hear. He doesn’t want to listen to a story in which Derek Morgan was the victim and not the hero, not his hero, but part of him knows that he needs to hear it; needs to know that he wasn’t and isn’t alone. And he can’t help but wonder whether maybe Derek needs to say it. Whether he also needs to tell someone what happened and have them empathise completely, have them say “I understand, I know what you’re going through” and have them mean it.

So he nods.

“His name was Carl Buford,” Derek says, resting the hand not clutching Spencer’s ankle on his knee, “and he was my football coach. A hero of the community. After my dad died, I got in a little trouble on the streets, right, and as a result, I got a record. Eventually, that record was expunged, and I learned that Buford had done it. I was confused, obviously, but he told me I had potential, that I was special, that I was going places and he was gonna help me get there.

“And so we started spending more time together. At first, it was just one-on-one football training and some run of the mill mentoring, and I finally felt like I had a real father figure again, someone who I could look up to and talk to and trust. Until one day when he took me up to his cabin. He gave me Helgeson wine to intoxicate me, and then convinced me to go skinny-dipping in a lake with him but when we came back to the cabin, he started— he started rubbing up against me. It eventually spiralled into… molestation and rape. He used to say "You better man up, boy, look up to the sky" when I would cry out for him to stop, or later — when some shameful part of me had accepted it — when I would wince in pain or he could sense I didn’t want to be there.

“And that went on for years until I guess I outgrew his preference and he— I mean— I guess, I guess he must have moved on.”

Spencer wants to be sick, and he’s pretty sure Derek feels the same, so all he can do is lean forward and wrap Derek in the tightest hug he can manage while they cry together.

“Did you ever tell anyone?” Spencer asks after a little time has passed.

Derek nods. “When it started affecting my football career in college, I started seeing a therapist, and I’ve really gotten to a place now where I’ve come to terms with it. As much as I’m ever going to be able to anyway. Half of that therapy was me grieving for the childhood I lost, expressing the anger I felt towards Buford in a healthy way, and then accepting that there isn’t anything I can do to undo the pain except work my ass off at the BAU putting guys like him behind bars since I lost my chance with him.”

Spencer nods. “I’m sorry he isn’t in prison.”

Derek shrugs his shoulders a little, pulling out of the hug. “I keep tabs on him. If I ever so much as catch a whiff of him hurting one of the boys at the centre I’ll be on him in no time. Just… waiting for the evidence, I guess.”

Spencer takes the hand resting on top of his knee and squeezes it, a show of solidarity his tongue can’t manage.

They sit in silence for long, comfortable minutes before Spencer finally feels like sharing. He knows that Derek isn’t expecting anything: if he never wanted to explain, he knows Derek would understand completely, but something about knowing he’ll understand like no one else can, that he can share and feel safe in doing so has his own story rolling off his tongue like it never has before.

“It was my dad,” Spencer says quietly, a confession he’s always been too ashamed to make. “The first time it happened was the night of my sixth birthday. He said that the day was his own celebration, because he’d waited so long and he was finally going to get his prize. He raped me. It wasn’t like that every time, sometimes he’d stop at… touching or— or fellatio, sometimes he’d come into my room and stand over me, getting off on how scared I was anticipating the act that never came.

“He left when I was ten, not far away from my eleventh birthday, and a big part of me always wondered whether the main reason he left was that I wasn’t in his preferential age group anymore. But when I was thirteen, I bumped into him in a hotel in California of all places, and even though I was bigger and stronger and nowhere near as vulnerable, he still got the best of me, he still weaseled his way into my room and took advantage of me again. After that time I carried pepper spray everywhere I went until the FBI issued me a gun. I swore I’d never let it happen again.”

Derek looks desperately sad when he finally meets his eyes again, and before he knows it he’s being wrapped in another hug, and they’re both in pieces again. However painful these memories are, though, the release of them is more cathartic than anything Spencer’s ever experienced; crying together with another survivor over everything they lost, the people that stole their childhoods and abused them for years on end, their younger, scared selves, desperate for someone to save them.

It hurts Spencer’s heart, but he also doesn’t think he’s ever felt safer than right in this moment.

“Is this the first time you’ve talked about this, Spence?” Derek asks eventually, with his cheek resting on the top of Spencer’s head.

“Yes,” he admits, another tear dripping onto the hands curled anxiously in his lap.

Derek pulls away and looks him in the eye, cupping his face gently and brushing a tear away with his thumb. “I’m proud of you.”

As broken and unseemly and ripped open and torn apart as he feels right now, as exposed as this entire ordeal has made him feel, for the first time, he thinks he agrees with Derek.

His trust was destroyed by the person supposed to protect him, and he’s carried the trauma of being sexually abused as a young child around with him for the last two decades, and still, he’s here. He’s brave enough to share himself with Derek, and he’s strong enough to cry and grieve and ache for the scared six-year-old boy he wishes he could go back in time and save.

Right now, in the early evening light of the flat and the safe and supportive arms of his best friend, he’s proud of himself, too. And that feels really damn good to finally say.

Please practice self-care after reading this, especially if you are also a survivor. RAINN Rape Crisis UK International Help for Survivors

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[sourwormsaresour]

Headcanons on the type of pets La Squadra would own?

Holy shit this was too fun to make, especially with giving the pets names.

Sorbet and Gelato have their own Crusty-White-Dog™ that's a Maltese Terrier named Armani. The dog hates and barks nonstop at everything deemed threatening (aka, everyone and particularly the rest of La Squadra) and yet those two will claim she's the sweetest thing in the world. True to her name, they deck her with Armani branded clothes, either specially made dog fashion or they had a DIY done to make it look like an Armani outfit- down to the bright pink leash she wears dripping in the Armani logo. She eats the finest dry kibble and only drinks Ferrarelle Sparkling water; she will know the difference if you switch it up. She's the epitome of "I demand pets but only do so with your eyes" to everyone. Despite loving Sorbet and Gelato the most, she demands all their attention on her and she will cockblock those two if she catches them being affectionate to each other instead. Despite having a nice bed, she always sleeps between the two of them and will whimper if they kick her out of the bedroom so they can get intimate. Those tear-stained eyes always look like they've seen everything, despite being constantly babied by her owners. If Armani could, she would kill everyone.

Risotto, the biggest man in Vento Aureo, has a little Syrian hamster he called Ace. He thought that a pet with a shorter lifespan would allow him the perfect balance of having a pet but not being very attached to it compared to pets that live longer- he was wrong. If you ever come into Risotto's office as he worked, either you are greeted with Ace running around in his green hamster ball, walking around Risotto's desk as he worked, or running in the hamster wheel behind the desk. Ace's tank is an old Aquarium tank Pesci gave to Risotto that is now full of soft bedding, toys, and Risotto frequently cleans it. There are days where Risotto just spends hours watching his hamster walk around the room, eating little treats, and staring at Risotto with its beady eyes. It's gotten to the point where you can't walk into Risotto's office without noticing a lone sunflower seed or piece of bedding on the ground that Risotto didn't notice until you pointed it out. Every time Ace passes from old age, Risotto buys a new Syrian hamster and calls that one Ace. He hasn't kept track of how many hamsters that came and went so far, but treated every one of them as if they were the first Ace. He takes pictures of Ace doing the most relatively boring things and will share them with his members.

Illuso got a Sulphur-crested cockatoo named Scapino as a joke. He thought they didn’t require much attention but later felt bad when he found out that they need specific proper care. He proceeds to care for it as if it was his child. Illuso taught his bird how to speak and swear at people, specifically swearing at Formaggio and occasionally at Ghiaccio. This man will shower his bird with the best treats (expensive nuts, dried fruit, chicken bones) and has a special bar for it to perch on when they're in the shower together. This bird has free reign all over Illuso's place and wears a little anklet thing to verify that it has an owner should it escape. The two of them have spa days together and it’s one of the most wholesome things in the world to witness. Scapino will actually join Illuso on missions too, staying in the mirror world the whole time, and it provides him some comfort from his social anxiety. Sometimes Scapino sits on his shoulder as he walks. Illuso trained it to stay and hide in the mirror world so that it wouldn’t fly away or blow his cover when he’s working. But the bird will fly around in there and will watch anyone that’s getting murked in front of him with no remorse and commenting on it too. Imagine you’re dying in the mirror world and your last moment is this fucking bird looming over you going “night night, motherfucker”. JESUS CHRIST. 

Prosciutto used to be on the whole “pets are unnecessary” train but he had considered looking at breeders for the best quality dog. And then one rainy day he found an abandoned Portuguese Water Dog puppy in an alleyway and at Pesci’s insistence took it in. Turns out the puppy was bought by a rich family for their kid but then abandoned when the kid wasn't interested in it anymore. Prosciutto insisted that the dog was going to stay for one night and then sent to the pound first thing in the morning. It's been years now and the little dog is now a big fluffy good boy named Pon Pon. The second biggest chunk of Prosciutto's paycheck is for this dog; I'm talking grooming services with paw-ticures, an all-organic raw diet, the nicest beds that even a human would wish they can sleep on. Pon Pon is properly trained with all the basics and tricks, because Prosciutto doesn't want to deal with a misbehaving dog, but it will use puppy eyes against the old man now and then. He give you the best smiles if you call him a good boy and if you glance at the right time you can see Prosciutto smile for a brief moment. Had he lived longer, he would have made Pon Pon famous on Facebook like Boo the Dog. Prosciutto will also not admit that this dog has helped him get laid a few times, because every person he did bring home always got a kick out of Pon Pon.

Ghiaccio has a pet snake- an albino ball python named Bianco. Ghiaccio was also on the “pets are unnecessary” train too but mainly because he can't stand loud pets (i.e. Illuso and Sorbet and Gelato’s pets). When Risotto suggested he get a snake, Ghiaccio looked into it, researching and meticulously setting up the proper enclosure  and found himself going to a local reptile expo to find Bianco for sale. He’s fascinated by his snake to say the least, and would use leftover containers or Tupperware for Bianco to spend more money on proper equipment or food. Ghiaccio is really involved in online reptile forums and frequently debates with people on topics such as the best substrates to use, whether live rodents are better than frozen, ethics of breeding certain species, etc. He often gets worried when Bianco becomes picky and Ghiaccio would spend sleepless nights trying to get his baby to eat. Ghiaccio would walk around with his ball python wrapped around his neck or lets him slither around in his room under supervision but he mostly leaves him alone in the enclosure. There are times where he would claim he has the best, smartest pet and everyone just rolls their eyes like “yes the white fettuccine that got stuck in a toilet paper roll an hour ago is so smart”. But they let him rant about it. It’s kind of cute to say the least.

Pesci is the definition of people whose entire LIVELIHOOD is making his room into an aquarium. His room is full of strictly maintained, cleaned, and decorated tanks full of various types of aquatic animals. I’m talking Dwarf Puffers (Antonio, Portia, Jessica, Bassiano, and Solanio), Albino Gold Axolotls (Moe, Larry, and Curly), Red Ear Sliders (Franco and Ciccio), Clown Fishes (Browser, Mario, Toadstool, and Koopa), Brazilian Sea Horses (Tom and Jerry), a Blue Betta Fish named Valentina in a 30+ gallon aquaponics tank that grows a variety of plants each season- to name a few. He rebuilt his entire room to keep everything running and even had Melone help him set up timers for lighting and temperature control. Pesci will cry if you somehow made the pH level off by 1 or did not care for his animals properly when he’s away. He’ll even lecture you about bad tank setup. He's a prominent member of the aquarium  community in Italy and will regularly redecorate each tank to suit the year and mood. This is where he’s spending his cut on the 20 million lira job: caring for his mini aquarium room. He occasionally gives away his pets’ offsprings for extra money (he doesn’t breed but sometimes he ends up having a ton of baby animals he can’t take care of) and would have been a YouTuber for his fish content. Now that I think about it, Pesci reminds me of my mutual @nexter2nd. Please go follow them.

Melone has a Holland Lop bunny and you cannot change my mind. He actually had a pet bunny growing up, another Holland Lop named Echo and Grep, and his current one is named Sudo; all three are named after UNIX commands. He has a large dog crate he diy-ed to be a roomy enclosure in his room for her that he cleans frequently but also allows Sudo free reign of the room when she wants to go out. Because of his job, he makes sure all his wires are covered so his bunny isn't tempted to chew them and watches his bunny diligently whenever she roams around. Easter time is when the denim jacket, pastel bows, and flower crowns come out and Melone makes sure to take a lot of photos. He also housetrained his bunny and taught her a few tricks, similar to how he trained Echo and Grep years ago. Sudo is spoiled in terms of getting a lot of pets, new toys, and feasts on the finest veggies and delicious hay. Melone also makes sure the first thing he teaches his Juniors is to not harm the bunny. Surprisingly, he's against breeding Sudo and has her neutered. This is mainly because he doesn't have the time to breed and raise more bunnies but also he hates the idea of selling the grown bunnies off afterward. 

You know that Formaggio has a cat: the little Russian Blue cat named Sweetie Baby. Sweetie Baby was a kitten that he found outside his home. The little thing was the sole survivor of its litter and nearly starving to death, so he took her in thinking he will bring her to the shelter when she recovers; that cat now lets him live in HER apartment rent-free. Despite feeding her cheap dry food and constantly shoving her into bottles, he treats her like a queen otherwise. He will dress her up in little outfits (much to her annoyance) and often would be too aggressively affectionate towards her. Still, there are moments where she would cuddle with him during the later nights and allow him to put on one iced-out bow he just spent a quarter of his paycheck on. Walking to his apartment and even the backdoor of La Squadra’s HQ means carefully walking through the stray cats mewling at your feet, because Formaggio will feed any cat he sees. Initially, Risotto wanted the cats gone, but then he finds out the cats doubled as security when he watched some robber attempting to break in but getting their eyes scratched off instead.

[ask-feederjin]

Hi Jin! What are you favorite things to do with each of the boys separately and what's your favorite thing to do with everyone together?

Jin logged onto his Lavender Love-Handles from his desktop computer. Might as well have it running in the background as he gets back to some higher ups.

Ping!

Oh, another comment! Jin clicks on the link.

“Hi Jin! What are you favorite things to do with each of the boys separately and what's your favorite thing to do with everyone together?”

That’s a fun one to think about, let’s see…

-

That’s a really great question!

When it comes to non-kink related activities, one thing we all have in common is our love of music and movies! It’s a great hobby to share now that we’ve decided on fattening them up, cause you don’t have to move around much to enjoy it. Jungkook is really the movie buff, so he tends to pick those out, but since we all have such different tastes in music we’ll have what we call a ‘jukebox night’. We all sit down together and take turns introducing each other to new music. It’s actually super relaxing and it’s one of our favorite things to do post-stuffing.

Individually… Hmmm, let’s see.

With Yoongi, he likes to do his own thing for the most part. He claims that he’s a lazy fatass, but he’s actually a total workaholic! I have to sometimes drag his ass out of his office for dinner cause he lost track of time. It’s a miracle he’s gained any weight at all with how often he would skip meals! Really, it’s only thanks to his completely sedentary lifestyle combined with constant snacking that he’s packed on any pounds.

Since he doesn’t come out of his office often, we like to spend time together while he works. We don’t talk a lot, but’s a comfortable quiet that we can just exist in. The younger boys can be pretty rambunctious sometimes, but with Yoongi there’s no expectations of doing things, you know? Sometimes he even asks for my advice on a track he's working on.

Kink wise, I like to make sure he’s always topped up on snacks. Yoongi doesn’t like feeling too full, at least not to the point of nausea, so we’ve decided to just make sure he’s never hungry and see how that goes. I will come into his studio while he’s engrossed with a project and feel his tummy. If I think it’s getting too soft, I'll feed him a few snacks while he works. It’s so cute how he absentmindedly takes them from my fingers, chewing slowly. I only leave once his belly his nice and tight again.

Namjoon and I enjoy going out together. There’s a park next to a nearby river that’s always beautiful this time of year, so we like to have picnics together there. Sometimes the other boy’s come too, but it can be a little too much of a walk for them now. Joonie is the only one who’s maintained the majority of his muscle mass so far (it used to be him and Jungkook, but Kookie is actively trying to lose mobility so he doesn’t like to leave the house much).

We talk about books we’ve read recently, our favorite cafes and watch the ducks toddle around.

I’ll tease him about how soon he’ll be the one waddling like that. It’s so funny seeing him try not to get flustered in public when I say those things.

When we feel a little friskier, we’ll go out with him dressed in his smallest clothes. The lower curve of his belly is always on display, sometime with a little of his butt crack if the pants slip down. He’s gained over thirty pounds of fat since we started and it seems like it’s only really gone to his waist, so no double chin yet :’(

Those are the days I’ll pack a massive lunch. He’s required to eat all of it while we’re out, and by the time we’re done he’s so stuffed his shirt often rides up over his belly entirely!

It’s so hot, as he gets fuller, seeing him slowly stop caring about strangers watching. He goes from embarrassedly tugging down his shirt and wiping his mouth to belching openly, belt buckle undone.

-

Jin had to take a short break from writing to slap his red cheeks. Oh man, this was so weird talking about these moments. The time he spends with his boy’s has always been very intimate, especially their kinkier interactions. Seeing it written down like this made Jin feel like an old man that just saw a slip of ankle from across the street.

-

Joonie usually needs help standing after one of those outings. We take a cab back home too, so no worries about him getting any cramps!

Hoseok is interesting. Before he started gaining, he was actually one of the most active people I knew! He would frequently attend dance lessons and even wanted to start his own studio at some point. He actually confessed to me once that although he does love dancing, a lot of his commitment to it was an attempt to suppress his desire to let himself go.

He still likes to dance, just not for hours every day like he used to. I’ve got two left feet myself, but Hobi never makes me feel bad about my abilities, or lack there of. We will turn on some of his favorite music and totally let loose. I used to be the only one that would get out of breath, but now it’s the both of us. He turns bright red when I mention this, haha! He totally likes it though, he’s one of the ones that gets off on teasing.

Lately, he’s really been enjoying dancing due to feeling his new fat jiggle. He’s gained the least out of all the boys, no thanks to his hobby, so there’s not a lot of pudge to feel.

He swears up and down that he can feel his upper arms and belly shake slightly though. I believe him. It’s only a matter of time anyway before it’ll be visible to others though, so we’re looking forward to that.

Jimin is a people pleaser. He likes being helpful, and what a sweetheart he is! I cook a lot for the boys, and now that their caloric intake has practically doubled, I have a lot of food to make!

Jimin enjoys playing sous chef for me. He’s a great assistant, grabbing the spices I need and chopping up the more tedious ingredients. We chat about our days while we cook. Jimin likes knowing that people are interested in and listening to what he’s saying, it’s his way of feeling acknowledged and appreciated.

He’ll try to sneak bites of food while I’m not looking, and most of the time I’ll let him. He’s also my little taste tester! So by the time food is ready to be served he’ll already have a half-full tummy.

So far he seems fine getting around the kitchen, although, with the way that he’s growing, I may have to do a little rearranging! Minnie’s getting pretty bottom-heavy, so I worry that his larger hips might bump into something and knock it over. We’ll need to remodel in the future anyway, so I can take care of that then.

Taehyung likes to be babied. He’s not our youngest (that would be Jungkook), but he sure acts like it most of the time. He’s very interested in fashion and loves to sit down with me to explain the newest trends and upcoming designers. Now that he’s a little pudgier (and often very stuffed), he can’t fit into some of the clothes that he buys so he uses me as a model. I try to make him laugh with funny poses and exaggerated runway walks which makes him all whiney. I see him trying to keep a straight face though!

Although we get most of his wardrobe online, one activity we like to do is go out to the mall and shop there. I like to dress up all the boy’s before we leave the house to accentuate their new bodies, so I make Tae wear button ups that don’t button all the way anymore, and slacks that visibly cut into his hips.

He lives for the embarrassment of looking fat and sloppy in public.

We’ll go to a store and have him pick out things to try on that are too small for him. He’ll go to the dressing room and call out quietly for help. I act like I don’t know what’s wrong, so he has to explain it to me, and I scold him for growing too fat. Oh man, he absolutely loves that.

-

Jin stopped writing briefly to remember that moment. When he had walked into the dressing room, his eyes were greeted with a titillating sight. Taehyung was sweating and red from embarrassment, the store’s black skinny jeans only pulled up to the boy’s upper thighs before having gotten stuck. The white button-up dress-shirt was completely unbuttoned, sleeves tight around his upper arms.

Oh, Jin teased him so much that day. About how soon he’ll be spilling out of his largest pair of sweatpants, how everyone sees how much of a little fatty he’s become. Even the store’s cashier made a couple lighthearted comments that went straight to Taehyung’s libido.

Jin shook his head. There was no way he could write that down! Going into full detail of the erotic event would be so TMI!

He should probably move on...

-

Jungkook and I like to watch movies together. He’s a massive Marvel fan, but up until we all started dating, I’d never seen a single one of them. He was soooo upset with me, haha! He sat me down and we started getting caught up. Once a month about, we cuddle up and watch a Marvel movie together. I think we’re on Infinity War right now. I’ve… definitely heard spoilers at this point, but that doesn’t detract from the experience at all. Jungkook is so fun to snuggle. He’s a little taller than me, so I like to sit on his lap and lean into his front while we watch. Sometimes when there’s a really exciting part, I can feel his heart race.

Of course, we have snacks too. Lots of popcorn and soda, hot dogs and soft pretzels. We buy bulk movie theater candy online, so we’ve got all his favorites. Jungkook usually starts eating by himself, but once the movie really gets going he slows down. I take over then so that he doesn’t have to split his attention.

Eventually I can feel his belly pressing further into me, hear it gurgle as it grows tighter and tighter. His breathing gets really heavy near the climax of the movies, and every few bites lets out the smallest moan. Jungkook loves getting stuffed past his limit, so we go all out.

-

Jin wonders if he should leave that part in. Would people find it too personal? Whatever, it’s not too weird. He’ll leave it as is.

-

I like to give him belly rubs while we wait for the end credit scenes. He lets out a little built up gas from all the carbonation which I tease him about. Sometimes he’s too stuffed to move so we pull out the couch a bit so he can just lie down and sleep right there.

So… yeah! I guess that answers your question. Sorry for the essay, I just love talking about them.

[mythicamagic]

Because I’m absolute SessKag trash, spots to kiss #3 - a kiss on the forehead.

@shastuhh

3: a kiss on the forehead.   (a continuation of this prompt - link)

Kagome gazed up at him, lashes lowering to direct her attention to the claws gripping her wrist. She took a breath; "I'm sorry I was gone so long. I needed to figure some things out. Stuff like...what I want to do now, and who I am without any expectations put on me. The future isn't where I belong, I know that much. So I've decided to become a travelling priestess, to utilise everything I've learned so far and help people. But that's not what I came here to talk about," she touched her sword- the hilt purple. "The only reason I can stand before you and say what I'm gonna say so clearly is because of everything you've done for me," Kagome murmured in a rush.

"Even if it was just sex to you, or indulgence- it doesn't change the fact that you still comforted and listened to me. Improving my confidence and boosting my ego helped me so much, so thank you for that."

She smiled genuinely. "Really, I'm truly grateful for our time spent together, Sesshoumaru."

He looked as though he'd been carved from stone; he did not move an inch. Dark brows pulled together and she hurriedly slipped a hand into her pocket, bringing out a certain earring he'd given her at the start of their midnight trysts.

Kagome lifted the demon's stiff hand from her wrist and turned it palm up, placing it within. "I'm returning this back to you," she said softly, raising her gaze. "Our agreement isn't going to work long term, therefore I'm terminating it now."

An intake of breath- sharp like a hiss of steam rushed through parted lips. Sesshoumaru's fingers closed around the earring and he withdrew from her, stepping back. Winter frost laced his gaze like a barrier. "I see," he said in a practised, collected tone.

Kagome raised a hand with alarm, "wait-"

"This one bids you farewell, miko. There is no need to drag this out-"

"I said, wait!"

He stopped at the crackle of energy that raced over her skin like a thunderclap. Kagome took a breath, hands tightening into fists. He always looked smaller without armour, like someone more approachable. He only usually took it off around her, as a sign of vulnerability. None of that was conveyed in his guarded eyes now. "I know I can't reach you because you're a youkai. That's what you said, right? You can't be wounded emotionally- but that's crap. Your feelings can get hurt too!" she grit out. "Or maybe I've just been projecting all this time- I don't know. I'm so tired of worrying about if a guy likes me or not. That's why we have to break this off, I won't have you become another Inuyasha. I- I can't do casual. I realised that while I was away. So...this...doesn't have to be the end, if you don't want it to be…"

"You just said the agreement is terminated."

"I did," the miko nodded. "Because I don't want to be someone's fuckbuddy forever. So I'm- I'm extending a new offer; a relationship. With...me."

Golden eyes widened. Panicking, Kagome hurriedly continued on. "T-the uh...terms would be pretty simple; you can't treat me as 'the exception' of humans. What I mean is that; while I'd never expect you to become a human cheerleader, if you want to be with me, you can't say stuff about hating them or thinking they're weak. I refuse to be seen as 'one of the good ones.' If you say that stuff, you're disrespecting me too. That's just how it is."

He arched a brow but remained where he stood, which encouraged her to blab on. "Second; you'll take me to your home. I don't exactly want to be paraded around but I also don't want to be an illicit secret like Izayoi was to your father."

Sesshoumaru shifted his weight to face her properly. "Anything else?"

She faltered at his stoic expression, before swallowing and soldiering on. This wasn't easy. The part of herself that he'd coaxed out and tenderly made love to until she felt whole and unshakable started to give underneath worry of rejection. But no- Kagome shook herself. She'd be fine. If he told her 'no' she could carry on and look to the future. She wasn't uncertain anymore. "I guess...without being too presumptuous- I wouldn't want to mate right away. That's kinda a marriage thing, right? I'd like to date first. Um, your turn?"

Sesshoumaru tilted his head and took a step closer. "I require pups from you."

"You require?"

He grunted and sighed, rolling his jaw slightly as though finding new words. "This Sesshoumaru would like to have pups with you."

Kagome's face flamed red, voice becoming squeaky. "Oh. How many?" her lips twitched, heart thundering.

"Hn, about half a dozen."

"T-that's a bit much to think about right now. How about two to start with?"

He gave a long-suffering sigh, "very well. At some point; I desire you to become my mate and mother to my children. Those are my terms."

Kagome tapped her chin, humming seriously. "I guess that's acceptable to this Kagome, but I'm the one who extended the offer of a relationship first, so this all hinges on you; If you're not averse to it, then accept."

His eyes had darkened and there was lean, ravenous shift in his expression. A large, elegant hand slid into the fall of her hair, curling around the back of her neck. "I accept your terms," came out as a hushed rush between them.

Kagome's expression cracked and welled up with emotion, relief flooding into her scent like a tidal wave. She suddenly threw herself against him, no longer able to pretend that every fibre of her being wasn't crying out for him. Sesshoumaru caught her about the waist and held her close, shoving his nose into the fall of dark hair and inhaling.

Trembling in his hold, she stubbornly held tears at bay. Happy noises slipped past her teeth. He felt so warm and safe despite the claws running down her back and power radiating off him; all was familiar and welcome.

Sesshoumaru pulled away slightly to lift his head and press a long, reverent kiss to her forehead.

Kagome stiffened, breath rushing out of her. It was a youkai expression, specific to dog demons. He'd lazily mentioned it while they'd been twined together once.

When he shifted back, Kagome immediately pushed up on tip-toe and shoved her mouth to his, wrapping both arms tight around his neck. The kiss grew heated, mouths parting and tongues seeking, bodies naturally rocking and brushing, want stirring. Blushing, the miko pecked his lips and directed her attention to their cave.

"We could use it once more, for all old times sake."

Sesshoumaru smiled, huffing. "Let us not pretend that we won't frequent this cave often whenever we visit your friends."

"You have a point. It's pretty convenient," her giggle was lost- muffled beneath another stifling kiss, which she eagerly returned. The unlikely pair then stumbled their way to their old haunt, collapsing together with a rush of quiet laughter and breathy, content noises.

[ronsenburg]

Since you mentioned you were looking for drabble requests, if you haven't moved on from AA already, could I request something where Apollo or Klavier is struggling against pride/feeling that his problem isn't a big deal/some kind of internal roadblock to seek comfort from the other? Maybe they lost a case they don't think they should have lost, or it's the anniversary of something sad, or they just feel crappy physically or emotionally. Any reason is fine. Thanks for considering my request ^^

vorher:

It’s nearly six pm by the time Franziska finds him, tucked into a chair in the corner of some pretentious and probably ephemeral bar downtown.

It isn’t one of his usual haunts, but the staff seem to know who he is well enough, anyway. Though he is just barely twenty-three and his tab has been approaching the four figure mark for the past hour and a half, no one has bothered to card him or attempt cutting him off yet. Of course, that may have had more to do with the sizable tips slid to whatever staff member is closest in proximity rather than his rather notorious celebrity status, but Klavier’s ego has been rapidly ceasing to care about such things in recent months. What matters to him at this very moment is less the thrill of universal adoration and more the ability to nurse his wounded pride in pseudo-solitude with a vastly overpriced drink.

That solitude is shattered, however, by the arrival of Prosecutor Franziska Von Karma. The sound of her heels clicking firmly against the highly lacquered floors crescendos over whatever smooth jazz cover they’re piping through the hidden speakers as she makes her way directly over to him.

“Are you finished with your tantrum yet?” she asks, removing her dark sunglasses and placing them onto the surface of the bar beside him without any sort of invitation.

It takes a moment for the words to process; Klavier has spent so long playing the role of the ostentatious expat that his alcohol muddled brain can barely grasp the crisp and nearly foreign sounding syllables of her German.

By then, she has already removed her long leather gloves and cape, handing them off to an employee that floats near her elbow like a well trained dog on a leash. When she slides into the chair beside him and signals for the bartender, the scotch she orders for herself is nearly as expensive as Klavier’s own. If he weren’t so chagrined by her sudden interruption, he would likely be impressed.

“Since when is enjoying a drink after work considered a tantrum?” Klavier returns, finally, and also in German. He attempts to fire off one of his charming smiles as he speaks, but the words feel so clumsy and out of practice on his lips that the gesture falls short and sounds far more like the kind of sulk that directly proves the point she has made.

Franziska raises a perfectly arched eyebrow in reaction, though whether it is a response meant specifically for his faltering pronunciations or juvenile tone, Klavier can’t be at all sure. “Since someone recently made a complete fool of himself in a court of law.”

The words strike out like the lash of a whip; Klavier winces despite himself. Franziska is only two years older than him, but when she glances away with an air of disinterested disdain to take a sip from the tumbler placed in front of her, the gap seems far wider.

“You heard?”

“I saw,” she replies, glancing over to him again just long enough to offer a small, disparaging smirk. “It was quite the performance. Do people actually pay you money to see such foolishness on stage?”

The shame he’d been attempting to shove away for the past five hours flares up just below the surface of his thoughts then, hot and bright enough that he suddenly feels sick to his stomach.

“You are just as charming as they say, Fraulein,” Klavier smiles; the sarcasm tastes false and bitter on his tongue.

In truth, he had made a fool of himself.

Klavier has always prided himself on being meticulous in his pursuit of the truth, in perfectly balancing the demands of both his prosecutorial career and his life as a musician. And, most of the time, he’d succeeded so brilliantly that it had blinded him to the subtly advancing and yet still discreet signs that he might have been slipping.

There had been issues with the band’s latest album.

With the ink long since dried on the studio’s contract and their chosen title already heavily marketed, the pressure to produce something of value had been mounting. Every song he’d written since then had seemed increasingly vapid, words that fit a theme but lacked any sort of meaning, chords that sounded deliberately catchy but were devoid of anything new and surprising. They were going through the motions, but those motions were long since stale. There was nothing of the artistic fire that had skyrocketed them to success in their early years and that alone drained any last bit of excitement he might have derived from the process.

It was driving a neat wedge through the center of the band; Daryan called him a diva, so used to having things his own way that he fell to pieces at the idea of ever being told what to do. Take the money, release an album that was shallow but on brand. They could always switch it up next time when time was on their side. You’re the lawyer, he'd mocked, you should know exactly how much of our asses are on the line here.

Their arguments on the subject had become more and more frequent as the days passed, spilling from band practice to crime scenes and, finally, to the kitchen of Klavier’s apartment. This time, it was Daryan who had packed what few belongings he’d scattered throughout Klavier’s various shelves and drawers into an old duffle bag and left, slamming the door shut behind him with finality as he’d gone.

As Klavier’s luck would dictate, Daryan had been the lead detective on this last case. While they were both professional enough not to ignore each other completely during the proceedings, the type of communication necessary for a successful indictment had been… difficult, to say the least.

And so he’d been distracted in his investigation, enough that he’d overlooked a piece of evidence so decisive in the opposition’s favor that when it had been presented, he’d been left gaping in uncharacteristic surprise from his place at the bench.

Yes, he’d been slipping, unable to see the progression of his descent until he had been standing firmly at the bottom of a tall slope.

He was only lucky, he supposed, that this was not a murder trial.

Back at the bar, Klavier rolls his eyes softly, more an aversion of his gaze than a gesture for dramatic display. Franziska doesn’t seem to be paying him enough attention to notice such things, anyway.

“Well, you can consider me scolded. Your work is done.”

“And yet, that’s not why I’m here,” Franziska returns. Ignoring the eyebrow he raises toward her in obvious question, she instead tilts the tumbler back, swallowing the last centimeter of the amber drink. “I would not waste my time and energy searching the city to scold a fool who seems to be doing an admirable job of berating himself. No, despite your recent failures, there are people in this city who seem to care about your well being. It would be a shame if you were to drown in a pool of your own vomit.”

He cannot help his rather obvious flinch at her words, no matter how quickly he endeavors to mask it. “How very touching, ja? I was expecting more anger.”

Franziska pauses in the midst of extracting a matte black card from the small handbag she carries. When her steel grey eyes meet his, Klavier suddenly understands the fear the von Karma name had once inspired in courtrooms across the world.

“Oh, I am angry,” she smiles, wagging her finger in such a way that it is clear she is mocking him. “You allowed a criminal to walk free today. But he is guilty, I am certain of that. And now he will be cocky.”

Klavier is so stunned by her words that he barely registers that she has slid her card across the surface of the wooden bar, let alone has the presence of mind to argue.

“There will be more evidence to find and new charges to file,” she continues, unperturbed by his gaping. “I will assume that next time you will have your priorities in the correct order.”

With that, she stands and turns to the attendant who is still waiting nearby, ready to help her back into the dark, cashmere folds of her cloak. When the complex ritual of donning her long gloves and sunglasses is complete, she turns once again to face him.

“I will be driving you home. You may choose, now, whether you would like to accompany me willingly or if you will require Detective Gumshoe’s escort. You have until I reach the door to decide.”

It feels as though a whirlwind has swept through the room, appearing out of nowhere to disrupt his wallowing completely before disappearing as suddenly as she had come. Klavier is not stupid enough to doubt Franziska’s words, despite the fact that he is twenty-three and more than a bit inebriated. He wavers only slightly as he finds his own feet and follows her out onto the sun soaked sidewalk beyond the bar.

If she is smiling when she looks back towards him, it is the small, private smirk of victory. Klavier finds that he is too preoccupied with the act of placing one foot in front of the other along the uneven slabs of concrete to care. He stumbles gracelessly into the backseat of the car Franziska indicates, through a door held open by a man that Klavier can only assume is the Detective she had mentioned inside.

“Huh,” he comments before closing the door. “Somehow I thought you’d be taller, pal.”

A sharp stab of pain somewhere behind his left temple resonates brightly in response.

This is something he will certainly regret tomorrow.

nachher:

“Okay, spill,” Apollo demands, crossing his arms in a visible display of stubborn obstination that, at any other time, Klavier might find endlessly adorable.

Tonight, however, he has reached a new level of exhaustion, one that leaves him blinking back at Apollo in baffled surprise as he attempts to pivot his thoughts from their previous trajectory in order to make sense of the other’s sudden words. “Spill was?”

As his words indicate, the intended course adjustment doesn’t go very well at all.

“Whatever’s going on with you,” Apollo replies, huffing out a sigh of what sounds nearly like frustration. “You’ve been working late, you don’t eat, you haven’t been sleeping. Something’s up; I think you should tell me what it is.”

Though Apollo’s words and posture are combative, it is all for show. There is an uncertainty in his eyes and concern exposed in the way he bites at the inside of his lip in silence, waiting for Klavier to speak. The fact that Klavier has learned to recognize this expression through repeatedly causing it is a painful enough thing to shoulder; to admit to the reason behind his behavior when it will only bring them both all the more strife, however, would be far worse. Not because he doubts the limits of Apollo’s strength; it is his own resilience that is threatened by the thought of divulging the extent of his insecurities.

Klavier runs a hand through the strands of hair that have escaped the hasty braid he had tied earlier that evening and attempts an apologetic smile. “Ach, Liebling, there is nothing to tell. It is just work.”

“You’re lying.”

It is stated as a fact, nothing more. But while there is nothing accusatory in Apollo’s tone and his face is perfectly even as he says it, Klavier still feels the words as though they are the sting of an attack.

“Ja?” he responds. “And you promised there would be no bracelet inside the house, did you not?”

What he intends is for the words to sound facetious, a nod to the same kind of fond banter they had indulged in long before the intimacy of a romantic relationship. But Klavier is lying; it is not an offense often committed between them and certainly not one he has reveled in or perpetuated out of malice, now. Still, to be seen through so shifted his smile without meaning to. Klavier can feel it teetering on the edge of a sneer that feels both unfamiliar and familiar all at once.

What follows, then, is a long pause.

A lifted arm, a proffered bare wrist, is Apollo’s only response.

That gesture feels more devastating than the aftermath of an actual, physical fight. Klavier can feel the air exit his lungs in a sharp hiss of remorse, his posture on the plush sofa of their study crumbling as he leans forward to place his head into his waiting hands.

“That was uncalled for,” Klavier begins, though his voice is muffled by the skin of his palms pressed firmly against his speaking mouth. “I am sorry, Schatz, I—“

But his words are interrupted by the sudden creak of sofa springs, the cushions on either side of Klavier dipping under the newly applied weight of Apollo’s knees. There is the feeling of Apollo’s warm fingers wrapping around the skin of his wrists, gently pulling his hands away from his face.

“I know you, Klavier,” Apollo says softly; his voice is so uncharacteristically gentle that the words sound less like a statement and more the sweetest declaration of love. Maybe they are. After all, Klavier has been loved before. But being actually, truly known? He glances up into Apollo’s brown eyes, warm with determination and affection. “I don’t need the bracelet to see when you’re upset. If you don’t want to talk about it right now, I understand, but you don’t have to go around pretending everything is okay when it isn’t.”

“Bold words for someone who insists upon always being fine, ja?” Klavier murmurs, another half hearted attempt at humor that falls flat in what little space exists between them. 

Apollo still lifts the edge of his lips in a small, humored smile of concession. “In court, maybe. But not with you. We all need to be vulnerable, sometimes.”

The breath that Klavier exhales wavers under the strain of unspoken emotions, his eyes fluttering closed just as Apollo leans forward to place a featherlight kiss against the center of his forehead, against his cheekbone, against the corner of his downturned mouth. 

“You can trust me, Klavier,” he concludes. “I’ll always be here, whenever you’re ready, okay?” 

Klavier finds he does not have the words to respond, then, even as the sound of fabric rustling against fabric fills the air and the hands holding Klavier’s wrists retreat. Their absence is felt immediately in the lack of warmth as Apollo slides back off the couch and onto his feet. 

“Apollo?”

Apollo’s footsteps stall halfway through the door.

Klavier still finds he needs to clear his throat before he can continue to speak, swallowing back the sentiments that have collected there that he is otherwise unable to express. “Could you stay? Bitte. Just for a moment.”

This is a weakness Klavier should not afford himself. It is selfish to ask Apollo to comfort him when Klavier cannot even bring himself to explain precisely why he requires it. But Apollo’s eyes are soft when they find Klavier’s gaze once again, inexplicably fully of acceptance and, beyond that, what Klavier knows is love.

“Yeah,” he nods, “of course.”

Apollo stays far longer than a moment, his fingers combing through the strands of Klavier’s loose hair under the fading light that filters in though the slightly open window. They don’t speak, but the steady rhythm of Apollo’s breath in the otherwise silent room, the gentle pressure of his fingers, is enough to distract him from the tumultuous cascade of his own thoughts.

[3rdgymbros]

𝓑𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

Name: Rosamond Khan

Nicknames: None

Name meaning: Derived from the Germanic elements hros "horse" and mund "protection".

Gender: Female

Birthday: 20 February

Star Sign: Pisces

Height: 152 cm

Weight: 45 kg

Age: 16

Eye Colour: Green

Hair Colour: Black

Homeland: The Land of Flowers

Family: Mother, father

Quote: “They told me that I was not made for war; so now, I will have to find my own path.”

𝓝𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓡𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓒𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓰𝓮 𝓢𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓵 𝓕𝓲𝓵𝓮

Dorm: Khan Zhao ( a fandorm created by @conquer-the-raven​ )

School Year: First

Class: 1-D, Student 12

Occupation: Student

Club: Horseback Riding Club

Best Subject: PE

𝓕𝓾𝓷 𝓕𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓼

Inspired by: Khan from Mulan

Dominant hand: Right

Favourite Colours: Blue, green

Favourite Food: Fruits, vegetables

Least Favourite Food: Meat

Likes: Flowers, brewing tea, cold things on hot days and hot things on cold days, baths, early mornings, birdsong, comfortable silences, romance (movies and novels)

Dislikes: Loud noises (she startles easily when she hears them), butterflies, fireworks, sudden movements

Hobbies and Talents: Pressing flowers, baking, horse riding, hiking, camping, exploring, gardening, swimming, making flower crowns

Special Skills: Flower arranging, flower languages, running, archery, knife-throwing, hand to hand combat

𝓟𝓱𝔂𝓼𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 𝓕𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮𝓼

Appearance: Rosamond has long black hair, parted to the left. Her hair is wavy, and falls to the small of her back. Parts of her hair are pulled back, away from her face, and are held back in place by a bright red hair ribbon. Her eyes are bright green, and she has a very slender physique, with a modest bust.

Style: She has a very formal and girlish style of dressing, and her clothes are normally in muted shades. Examples of her outfits can be found here and here.

Makeup: Very light eye makeup. Usually seen with red lip tint.

𝓥𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓼

Voice actress: Kudou Haruka

𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪

Personality: A serious and fussy girl, Rosamond rarely diverts from a stern expression. Far too serious for her own good, she often seems somewhat cold and intimidating because of her stoic nature, in which she displays a strict emotion most of the time. She tends to stubbornly deny liking or being fond of certain things, and also denies smiling or laughing, if she’s caught making such gestures. She also has a blunt side to her personality and can come across as cold or condescending.

Rosamond is fairly stiff and sharp, and is highly stubborn when trying to do what she believes is best for others. She is polite and very formal, and addresses upperclassmen as “senpai”, and her peers by their last names. She does not look kindly upon nicknames, but tolerates them when given by people she is close to. She is prone to making snide or rude remarks when annoyed and angered, or if she feels that people are not performing up to their standards.

She can be kind and caring as well, but doesn’t flaunt that side of her, nor does she draw attention to it. Kind acts are done by Rosamond in secret and usually without being asked, such as by turning on the lights when someone is reading, or setting a plate of fresh-cut fruits down for them after they’ve been studying for a while.

Alignment: Neutral Good

Strengths: Persistent, loyal, caring, reserved, self-reliant, independent, solemn, diligent, level-headed

Flaws: Haughty, prim, stubborn, overly-serious, feisty, prideful, distant, sharp-tongued, a perfectionist

𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓽

The Khan family have been soldiers and warriors guarding the Land of Flowers for generations, and to the Khan family, being called to serve is the highest honour. Rosamond was expected to follow in their footsteps as well, and she would train diligently, determined to make her family proud. However, no matter how hard she trained, she would never be able to meet the high standards and expectations imposed by her father, a fact which still pains her, as she wants nothing more than to be acknowledged by her family. Her inferiority and lack of self-confidence would further be emphasised when her magic developed, further proving that she was not made for war, as her father had told her, his words cruelly ringing out in her head.

Rosamond would later enroll in Night Raven College, and would be surprised, and a tad upset when the mirror placed her in Khan Zhao, as the atmosphere reminded her a little too much of home. At first, she is reluctant to interact with her dorm mates, and is even more reluctant to ask for their help, but slowly, after getting to know them, Rosamond tries to act more kindly to her dorm mates and tries to get to know them more.

𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓼

Rosamond’s magic is plant and flower-based and is suited more for support and recovery. Her current goal is training until she can master attack spells. She views her magic as being a source of shame to her family, and rarely uses it if she can avoid it.

Healing Cradle, Balm of Gilead: The user summons a plant called the balm of gilead, and uses them to form a spherical cradle around the user or another target. The user is able to generate multiple cradles to heal multiple people at once. However, each cradle can only contain a single person. One of the disadvantages of the spell is the requirement of the user or anyone to stay within the cradle for a period of time until the injuries are healed. During this time, they are defenceless against any attacks. The spell has been proven to be quite powerful as it can heal someone from dying of a critical injury in a short time.

Healing Shower of Apple Blossoms: The user grows a tree, and by standing under the falling blossoms, the user and the targets are able to be healed of their injuries. However, the spell takes a considerable amount of time to heal injuries and is unsuitable to be used for critical and life-threatening injuries.

Cherry Blossom Blizzard: The user generates a large amount of cherry blossoms that can obscure the vision of enemies on the battlefield.

Thorns of The Briar Rose: The user conjures vines with thorned roses, forming a barrier that can protect or confine people.

Unique Magic: The Dark Side of The Moon. Invoking her unique magic casts a shadow around the target, and whoever steps into the shadow will have their five senses (sight, taste, hearing, feeling and smell) cut off.

𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓪

- Rosamond prefers tea to coffee, but has to add at least three cubes of sugar into her tea. She also enjoys drinking bubble tea, and frequently tries new flavours.

- She wears combat boots, and keeps knives tucked away in them, just in case.

- Rosamond has a pet dog, but had to leave him at home.

- Rosamond is a skilled rider, who loves to ride. Her riding is the one thing that her father could not find fault with.

- She wakes up at five every morning to train.

- Rosamond gets cold easily, and suffers most during winter. She rarely leaves the dorm without being bundled up in a heavy jacket.

- Although her best subject is PE, she maintains A grades in her other subjects as well.

- Her favourite fruits are apples.

- Her favourite dessert is tanghulu.

[kieraswriting]

Showing Thomas

More Than The Sum Of Our Parts

Previous  Next

Masterpost

“I’ll only agree on two conditions,” Virgil said. “I get to test the waters first, and if I say no, we don’t do it.”

“But, kiddo, it’s Thomas. It’s not like he’s going to be mad at us or anything.” Patton insisted. 

Roman found himself agreeing with Virgil. Even though it had been his own idea in the first place, and even though Virgil was essentially taking the position of knight in shining armor for the rest of them, which normally Roman would have fought tooth and nail for, he was still nervous. 

“I still don’t see why this is necessary,” Logan said. “It doesn’t benefit Thomas in any way, and we have no needs that would be met by showing him.”

“He wants to learn more about himself,” Deceit said tentatively, still unused to being allowed to join in the arguments. 

“He does!” Patton said. “He wants to learn more about himself. This is something he doesn’t know about yet, except maybe he has a good guess about Deceit.”

“I think,” Roman said slowly. “That it opened us up to each other. It’s certainly dangerous, since we don’t know how he’ll react-“

Virgil smirked. “Careful, Princey, you’re sounding more like me every day.”

Roman continued, “but he does want to be open with himself, and this would be a way to do that.”

••^*^••

And that was why Virgil was hiding underneath the couch late at night. He was in his cat form, and by the sniffing above him, probably Thomas was having allergy issues. 

He had suggested, insisted, on doing this, but he was currently unable to show himself, nearly paralyzed with fear. And without showing himself, Thomas wouldn’t know why he was having issues and he wouldn’t take the medicine. He had to come out. He had to. Even if just for Thomas.  

Or maybe… 

After several more minutes of anxious indecision, Virgil let out a tiny meow. 

The couch creaked as Thomas got up. Soon his face was looking down on Virgil. 

“I do not own a cat.” Thomas chuckled at the meme reference. “Hey, little guy, where did you come from?”

Virgil slowly walked forward. 

Thomas cooed at him and scooped him up. “How did you even get in here?”

Virgil meowed again. 

Thomas seemed happy, but of course he would be. He likes cats. The problem will be when Virgil reveals that it’s him. 

“Come on this way,” Thomas said, although he was carrying Virgil. “I probably ought to take some allergy medicine, because you are going to stay here tonight at least. In the morning we’ll find out who you belong to and take you back.”

Thomas day down with his on the couch and kept watching his movie, alternating scratching and stroking. Virgil purred, determined to take every bit of comfort he could get before it was ruined. Thomas seemed pleased, which was good. 

The episode ended and Thomas shut off the tv, seemingly intent on playing with Virgil. He dangled stray objects in front of his face, and Virgil pawed at them as if he really was just a cat. 

“Oh! I bet Joan has a laser pointer!” Thomas suddenly burst out, reaching for his phone. 

No! The whole point of this would be ruined if Joan came. Virgil knew he wouldn’t be able to scrape together enough to try again. Panic raced through him, and he must have let some get through to Thomas because his expression changed, he dropped the phone, and Virgil felt the summons even before Thomas said his name. 

Virgil reverted to human form, still on the floor beside Thomas. Thomas jumped, but that was nothing compared to the shaking Virgil could just tell his body was doing. 

“What’s—?” Thomas looked around. “What’s going on, Virgil? Wait, hey, breathe a minute.”

Virgil sucked in a trembling breath. He had no idea why this was hitting him so hard. Normally he could control himself better than this. He closed his eyes and followed the 4 7 8 breathing until he was a bit more in control. 

“Alright,” Thomas put a hand on Virgil’s shoulder, and suddenly Virgil knew why it was so hard. It was the shock and difference from just a few seconds ago. He shouldn’t have let Thomas pet him. 

“What’s the matter, Virgil?”

“Icanturnintoacat.” Virgil mumbled quickly. 

“You can turn into a cat? The cat that’s been here this evening?”

Virgil was impressed that Thomas had understood him. He had barely been able to understand himself. He nodded, still not looking up. 

“Well, it’s not too surprising, you all can shapeshift. Why are you so worried about it this time?”

“Because…” Virgil swallowed. His throat was suddenly so dry, and hurt. “We all have a… I guess it’s like a spirit animal? No, that’s not a good—“

“And yours is a cat?” Thomas guessed. 

Virgil nodded. 

“Then what is it you were scared of? I love cats.”

“We wanted to show you, but we were worried that you might be upset, or scared, or mad or something.”

“I’m not. I’m not entirely sure why you thought I would be.”

“Well, with Deceit, you never liked his scales, and we thought that it would extend to us too if we showed you.”

“It’s not, it’s not that I dislike Deceit’s scales. He gives off an entirely creepy appearance, like you used to.”

Virgil cringed slightly, and Thomas spoke again. 

“I’m not mad, or upset. I’d be happy if you all would trust me enough to show me this, especially since it’s clearly a sensitive matter for you.”

Virgil looked up at Thomas, searching his eyes as if he could detect any lies. 

“Thank you.”

Thomas pulled him into a hug. 

••^*^••

“So do we, do anything different?” Roman asked. 

“Nope!” Patton said cheerily. “I’ve explained it all to Thomas and we’re going to have Animal Day just like normal, and he’s going to be the designated human. Also, I think you should all go ahead and shift, then I’ll get him and bring him, and then I’ll shift after.”

Virgil nodded, and so did Logan. Deceit still looked sceptical, but Remus was as… animated as always. 

••^*^••

Thomas blinked. Patton had just transformed into a dog, and was wagging his tail excitedly. Everyone else, though, was staring at him, the anticipation filling the air and making it hard to breathe. Though that might have been the anxiety talking. It was too much all at once. He couldn’t reassure all of them at once. He wanted to, though! He wanted it so much. It hurt a bit that they were so scared of what he might think. 

He had to focus. Had to pick just one. Movement caught his eye. Deceit was rather pointedly not looking at him, but his tongue flickered in and out. Thomas knelt next to him and stretched out an arm. Deceit shifted quickly to face him, drawing up in a way that would be threatening in any other snake, but Thomas knew that Deceit would never bite him. 

Deceit was not a large snake, but he wasn’t tiny. He was probably three or four feet long, and almost as thick as Thomas’s wrist at the thickest part. His scales were a bright yellow, verging on gold, with small black patterns here and there. 

Deceit slid his head forward, and Thomas rubbed at the top of it. He wasn’t positive that snakes liked being petted, but Deceit wasn’t pulling away. He reached his hand down to lift up on one of Deceit’s coils. Deceit took the hint and slithered up his arm, settling himself on Thomas’s shoulders. He poked his head out just under Thomas’s chin. Thomas reached up and rubbed at the top of his head again. Deceit flickered his tongue out. 

Thomas shifted from kneeling to sitting. He looked up to see what the others were doing. Logan and Virgil were still staring at him, not having moved much since he had arrived. Patton was off playing with the twins a little ways away. 

“Logan,” Thomas said, kind of hating that he had to be the one to call Logan over. “Can I see your wings?”

“Of course,” Logan said, coming and sitting down with his back to Thomas. 

The wings really were beautiful. 

“Can I touch them?” Thomas asked. 

Logan nodded. 

As Thomas ran his fingers over the softest feathers he could even imagine, he could see Logan begin to relax. 

“So what do you normally do during days like this?” Thomas asked. 

“I am frequently the designated human, since I can fulfill all the requirements of the office while still having my wings out, but occasionally Remus wishes to play a hunting game, and I will join him.”

“Oh? What’s that like?” 

“Mostly Remus will run away or try to attack one of the others, and I dive in to grab him from the air.”

“And you guys have fun like that?”

“It is… stimulating.”

Deceit let out a small hiss and bumped his head up into Thomas’s chin. 

“Are you… lying?” Thomas asked, hesitantly, because he didn’t want to ruin the little bit of comfort he had managed to give. 

Logan turned around. “No.” He frowned slightly. “Ah, I believe Deceit is trying to express affection.”

Thomas awwed, and Deceit hissed at Logan. 

Virgil, who was in Logan’s lap, butted his head up into Logan’s palm, and Logan turned back to how he had been and resumed petting Virgil. 

Soon after, Patton bounded over, clearly wanting Logan to do something with him. Once they left, Deceit slithered away to watch Remus. Virgil climbed into Thomas’s lap and seemed to fall asleep. 

A small sound to the side of him drew Thomas’s attention. It was Roman. Thomas had been surprised at how easy it was to tell Roman and Remus apart, even though they were the same animal. Mostly because Remus consistently had matted, dirty fur, and looked as if he might well have rabies. 

Thomas held out a hand to Roman. Roman put both of his hands on top of it. Thomas smiled. It was so cute! He wasn’t going to say it out loud, in case it embarrassed any of them, but honestly they were all so precious. Roman came closer, and let Thomas pet him. 

Now Thomas had a lap full of fluff. And in the mindscape, Virgil didn’t even bother his allergies, so he had nothing to worry about. It was bliss. 

Most of the sides shifted back to human form to eat lunch, and afterwards Thomas played more active games with Patton and Remus. 

“So,” Thomas said, when the day was over, “I really enjoyed myself today, and I’m really happy that you all would share this with me. Can I come back next time?”

“No,” Logan said immediately. 

Thomas’s face fell. 

“You have a prior engagement that day,” Logan continued. 

“We can move it!” Patton insisted, swatting at Logan’s arm. “Of course you’re invited back, Thomas.”

Thomas brightened, and looked to Roman. 

Roman smiled and posed. “I’d be proud to have you back, Thomas.”

“Me too,” Virgil chimed in. 

“You certainly aren’t welcome in your own mind,” Deceit said. 

Remus of course said something that appalled everyone there, but the gist was that he’d be glad to have Thomas visit them more frequently. 

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

20. Sink

Word Count: 3989 Trigger warnings for religion and mentions of child pornography

Previous

Lord, if it’s you,” (Simon) Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then (Simon) Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Matthew 14:28-30

Simon had never been very religious. Scratch that… Simon had never been very mystical about religion. Whenever he was younger, his family went to church and he was quite studious and learned a lot in that time period. His father still believed in God and country or whatever and his grandmother, he imagined was praying over his mom every single day. But, he had never really known what it felt like to have that kind of faith in anyone or anything… until he was given Grace. It wasn’t lost on him the religious implications of being a boy named Simon (like Simon Peter, aka The Apostle Peter - huge name in the Bible world) being granted a savior, being blessed with Grace after a terrible sin, whether intentional or not, of killing Hope… His mind was in a daze right now. 

It was the fourth religious dream he had since that interview, and in this one, he was Simon Peter, calling to his Savior in the storm. Grace was just across the water. All he had to do was get to her and she would rescue him from all of this, just like she always used to. But, he looked at the impending storm, instead. He had Grace, but he was focused on the storm, and he sank… He jumped up from his sleep and literally felt like he had been drowning. Ugh. 10 years of church and 4 years of private school could definitely mess with one’s mind. Then again, so could 6 years of Grace and 5 years without it… her… 

He had begun to try to stop rationalizing that she wasn’t human. Unfortunately for him, before he considered her the void, she hadn’t been human for him either, then. She had been a deity. He worshipped her. She had been a vessel to save him, to help him, to comfort him. She had been what he built his faith system upon, his religion, his Apex, his lifestyle… Then, she was gone and he tried to continue without her. He tried to rebuild in his own image, in his own name. He tried to walk on water, as he had seen her do, now all he was doing was sinking…

In the aftermath of the interview, Simon noted that his faithful followers went on one of their ravenous attacks in Shana’s comment sections. She could even just post a photo of herself in the newsroom at Spelman as an inspirational post and they appeared in her comments to berate her for speaking about inspiration when she would attack an abuse survivor and have his abuser on her show, trying to make her sympathetic. Shana seemed entertained for some of the comments, replying things like a simple “K” or “Lol” and never addressing the person again, even if they supplied a melee of character attacks at her.

But, on the video link, whenever people started also attacking Grace’s fakeness and the fact that she still gets to abuse Simon indirectly by doing things like this, Shana had enough. She let them know that she had no regrets about the interview with Grace, no regrets about anything that she said about Simon, and none about all of her opinions of him. “Even if he’s a different person today, considering that he never got any backlash for the sex tape from high school, which i firmly STILL believe that he should be held accountable for, which I am convinced that he leaked, and I think that if he’s truly changed, he would have wanted to make that right at some point and free Grace from the uninvited attacks for that CRIME AGAINST HER, committed by him.”

There was an explosion of mixed reactions. Everything from, “This is the first that I’m hearing of this” to “Simon would never have done anything like that to Grace” to “WHERE CAN I FIND A SEX TAPE OF SIMON AND GRACE???” Many people were blocked. Many people were rocked, as Shana went live to address the massive amount of comments coming from her spilling that tea.

She made mention of the facts that while the statute of limitations of revenge porn had been exceeded, they didn’t exist for child porn. “And in case anybody is confused, yes, I am including links to inform you about how what he did is in fact child pornography creation, possession, and distribution, AND what the law says concerning them.” After replying to many of the comments, mostly in an amused fashion, she got bored. 

“Listen, I’m getting ready to go chill with my lady and get ready for class tomorrow, but I’ll just say this one more thing, “I’m not taking my foot off of Simon Laurent’s neck. As long as Grace has had to suffer in silence, because she’s no longer the vengeful type or whatever, she’s on right now in her journey, the journalist in me and the enraged victim in me will always come for Simon and the way he used the privilege that he did have - not to say that he didn’t lack in certain areas like money and common decency, but the ones he DID have - his race, his gender, his orientation, his proximity to education, etc, in order to vilify and humble this girl with false accusations of crimes, and get away with unconfessed crimes. Yeah, this IS about my Sassy Strawberry keychain, Simon you bitch! I know you watching. To those of you who can’t be bothered to use your Googles, I don’t know what to tell you, kinfolk. Shady Shana has said all that she needs to say for now. Tata, from the perfect place for shade.”

Then her accusations, the search for the information of said accusations and the buzz from back then resurfacing went even more viral than the things that he had said about Grace whenever he reached notoriety from the stories. Now that the Internet and social media were even bigger and just kept growing with time, Grace still being a huge public persona, despite the few short years that she wasn’t online and the time she had been inside, she made an explosive comeback at least as an Internet personality, and Simon was never as frequent online as he was a short time in the eye of the public to get himself established, but several professors had used his story for various seminars and lectures, his books did pretty well, and he was a very established young mind in his academic circles… So, he was a big deal in his world, but on the grand scale becoming infamous for this new attention. 

Shana and Grace’s worlds were very large, and both of those were combining to infiltrate his world with these not necessarily new pieces of information, but things that he thought would have been forgotten or left alone. He had not even considered that Shana would ever… Like… why was SHE so damn upset? Because of a small scuffle? Because of somebody else’s alleged injustice? Somebody that she didn’t even LIKE for most of her life? “Journalist” she was a shit-stirrer! All of her muckraking was making things complicated for simple Simon. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like dreaming about Grace as his savior. He didn’t like the idea of reaching out to her to get her to grab her dog. He didn’t like that he was suffering from nights more sleepless than usual and beginning to become counterproductive in his work.

Worrying about ramifications of the words “child pornography” and “sexual predator” being tossed about in conversations with his name led to nightmares, paranoia, guilt, intrusive thoughts, and mistakes in class and at work. One of them turned out big…

Amelia came up to him in her lab, with her arms folded and her face stern, “Is there anything you think we should discuss, Mr. Laurent?” He frowned and glanced her way, still working on the formula for the next tests in the prosthetics serum they were spending time discussing as one of his potential next big things. She raised her eyebrows and asked, “Not even an acknowledgment of what I’m speaking of?”

“I know what you’re speaking of and I decided that no, we don’t need to discuss it. It’s a personal matter.”

“A personal matter? Simon, you are supposed to be seeing a counsellor once a week, and now I find out that not only did he recommend that you see him twice a week, but that you haven’t seen him in several weeks! It is part of your ability to stay here, and I don’t appreciate that you’ve ducked out on this requirement, especially considering the personal matter you’re referring to.” 

He furrowed his eyebrows and set down his supplies. “This is about the shrink? I haven’t been able to see the guy, because I’ve been working on the new formula nonstop. I need a breakthrough, and if I can get the formula right for enhancing the prosthetics, I’ll be famous for that. I’ll be closer to the goal of enriching artificial organs, maybe even organic ones!”

“I know what this work would mean if successful. That isn’t the point. The point is that you are not allowed to be here without the help that you need and you agreed to. I’m going to have to speak to the committee, now that I know you haven’t been…” She turned and he caught her wrist really hard. The woman jerked away. She was stronger than he thought.

“Amelia… Please. I need this. People are out to get me. Out to destroy everything that I’ve built for myself, without parents, without love, without an inheritance. I got here on my own merit, my own mind! I can’t have it be the thing that gets me sent away.”

“You needed to consider that after we gave you another chance! We can’t keep going back and forth with you while you refuse to take the help that you need in order to get to your next rung!” She was loud. He felt like she was yelling at him. He didn’t like people yelling at him, especially women, especially older ones… It made him extremely angry and he yelled right back at her, only to find that she either hadn’t been yelling or she had an even louder yelling setting.

“I’M DOING MY GODDAMN BEST!”

“MAYBE YOUR BEST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH!”

And in addition to the yelling, the thing yelled was extremely hurtful. But, Simon was an angry hurt type. So, he was hurt, but it manifested in anger, “LIKE YOURS WASN’T! YOU HATE ME BECAUSE I CAN BE A BETTER YOU!” She laughed. That made him even angrier. “ADMIT IT! YOU’RE SO HARD ON ME BECAUSE I AM BETTER THAN YOU!”

“Simon, you’re a child. A foolish, often incorrect child. There are many things that I credit as better than me. You aren’t one of them.” He was breathing hard and clenching his fists. “I advise you to immediately set an appointment with your therapist and I demand that you leave the lab at once. At the very least, you need to take a break. At worse… you broke our agreement, Simon.” She began to touch his research, to put everything away, as he stormed out, trying not to let her see him cry and trying not to explode in the lab and further mess things up for himself. He didn’t get far before there was a different explosion in there. Not an extremely loud one, but loud enough that he turned around as others rushed in. 

Simon got on the phone, calling the last counselor that he had spoken to as everyone else scurried about trying to get help and rushing in various directions. “She was just arguing with Laurent, he rushed out and then this happened,” he heard someone say and he watched the three students who had been talking stop and look right at him.  “Are you calling 911?” One of them asked. He shook his head, because he hadn’t been. Once again, it wasn’t his first thought when he witnessed an emergency. One of them grabbed their phone out, presumably to do so and he… left. He probably should have stayed, but he couldn’t breathe and needed some space and needed to rage.

.

It didn’t take others long to start whispering. Simon had found a dumpster to kick for a while before returning to the scene and seeing them rushing Amelia into an ambulance. Police were there and wanted to talk with him. He knew that people would talk. They had been talking. He also knew that sometimes he imagined that people were talking more than they actually were and he hoped that perhaps, this would be one of those times that he imagined the criticism. It was not.

On top of the internet’s allegations of child pornography, learning that the state of California might be investigating these allegations, for the Monroe Estate, and being questioned about his chemical engineering “mistake” with the formula that became unstable as Professor Hughes attempted to put it away… 

Simon was whatever the opposite of numb was. He felt all things, everything, anything, all at once and at a peak. He hadn’t felt this way in a really long time and the only times he had, he had Grace to think of and settle him. After that, he had his own greatness to reflect upon… but that was slipping away from him and Grace had slipped away… No… He had shoved her away, and he needed her so much right now. Because he didn’t know if he could pull himself up from sinking. “Lord save me!” He heard himself yelling from the water in the storm… But Grace couldn’t hear him. She was too far away, and she wasn’t his savior anymore. He looked up for something to latch onto, but all there was, was the Void.

Its big black, form, with an aura of fluid black smoke, and hovered over him and charged at him, its face stopping just short of his own and he looked up to see it. It was nothing but a pale mask, much like one of the ones that Grace used to wear. Maybe… Maybe she was still inside of the void somewhere. Maybe she would rescue him after all. “Grace?” he called, “Is that you?” It had nothing in it’s face. No feeling, no warmth. There was no way that Grace was there. It had no reply. He blinked it away and looked at the police. They had just released him… so… something had saved him… for now. Probably just dumb luck, or lack of evidence. There had to be a lack of evidence, because he knew that he had done nothing wrong.

Despite having done nothing wrong, he had apparently made some type of mistake with the formula, but he figured it was more likely that Amelia had made some mistake in putting it away. It was too soon to voice that opinion. Students were upset, like she was some lovable figure. She was a bitch. He didn’t feel bad at all that she was hurt and he hoped that nobody expected him to act like he did. But, they were talking again. He felt like whenever he was a freshman at the academy and the staff and students didn’t appreciate him because they hadn’t seen his value yet… but these people knew him. He was important! He was significant now! He had done everything to become valuable and honored, including giving up Grace when she was holding him back! 

“Simon, it sounds like you’re just blaming everyone else for your problems again.”

“I’m only saying what happened. I matter, and they treat me like I don’t. They look at me like I’m a criminal. They’re handling me like I haven’t done great things! Like they haven’t heard of me or something! Who do they think they are?”

“To not value you? Maybe they’re just strangers, Simon. You’ve spoken to me a few times, and I don’t know you, either. That doesn’t take away from anything that you might have done, but it doesn’t give me the insight that you have of yourself. The same can be said about any of the people here,” the counsellor said. Simon resumed his meetings, but it was too little too late, as he was called back to the committee.

.

Grace was really just trying to enjoy her life. She only did the interview with Shana because Shana had REALLY come through in finding Hazel for her. She explained to the people keeping Hazel how she knew her and how she found her (not mentioning Shana’s name, but that she “hired an investigator”) mainly because she just wanted to see how Hazel was doing. The short answer was “not great,” but the long answer was Grace hated the fact that everyone that she talked to about Hazel didn’t seem to really know her or how to deal with her. That made her afraid that Hazel would continue to get bounced around, and eventually be lost to her again. After being approved as someone who could visit and spend time with Hazel (a longer process than she would have liked, and one that she knew could have been shortened if she just went crawling back to her parents), but one that was worth the work, because not only was she able to see Hazel and talk to her, but she also got her a phone, in case they were separated again and Hazel needed to reach out to her. 

The last thing that Grace wanted to do was be dragged into Simon’s situation. So, whenever people asked her about him, sent her messages, intruded into her comments, @ her in posts… she declined from responding. She made a statement on her linked social media accounts, reminding everyone that 1. She doesn’t speak about Simon. 2. She said everything that she intended to say to people outside of the situation to Shana in the interview. 3. She is not responsible for Shana’s feelings about the incident in question (the recording and sharing of the recording) 4. She has never spoken to anyone but Simon about the incident in question and doesn’t plan on going much more in depth with anybody about it any time soon. 

Whenever asked about the recording, since she did say in the statement that she had spoken with Simon about it, and it was presumed that meant that maybe they had made it together and it got leaked, as those things tend to do, she confirmed that she didn’t know anything about the recording until after everyone else had seen it, that she doesn’t like to think about it or that time in her life because it was one of her most embarrassing and painful experiences and she doesn’t want to have to relive it simply because people are curious about these details that don’t affect them one way or another…

People were relentless and dedicated to being in other people’s business. What about Simon? It affects Simon! Why aren’t you helping clear Simon’s name? Why are you still hurting Simon? What about affecting Simon? She’d punch every last one of these people in the mouth, just like she did Simon when she found out, if they were in front of her. Even, now, being  someone trying very hard to be peaceful and patient… “Simon already knows everything about that time that I would be able to say, so telling anyone else anything wouldn’t help him or me. If I was silent about it whenever it might have actually changed my trajectory in a favorable way, I’m certainly not going to begin going off about it now that I’ve been given another chance at a positive life, despite the things that caused me pain. Simon knows more than I do and more than you. Perhaps you should ask him, if you want someone who doesn’t seem to mind speaking about these subjects.”

That was what did it. Simon watched in a panic as former Apex members, arose to defend Grace and admit that during the time, Simon was open with certain people about having orchestrated the recording and using it to oust Grace from her throne. “We were mean kids, and I don’t know if we thought far ahead enough to really see what something like that could do to somebody. We all found it either funny or scary and weren’t brave enough to stand up for her back then, but Grace did nothing wrong and people should let her live her life instead of bringing this back up and hurting her again.” They basically all said some variation of that.

He became immediately notorious as #GraceDidNothingWrong began trending and multiple Apex members, former nonessentials, declared nulls, and actual victims of some of Simon’s direct attacks come forward, opening up about their experiences with Simon’s Apex, the Apex in general, including anecdotes, quotes, confessions, etc to further prove Simon’s guilt. To top it off Simon was put on academic probation as everything unfolded including the way he had been handling his psychiatric deal with the committee being unmet and the negligence that led to Professor Hughes’ accident. When he began losing various deals, gets major backlash for the accident, on top of the allegations of child pornography being investigated, he began to spiral as he considered possible charges from CA to MA. He deleted all of his social media accounts and shadow cyberstalked Grace, only to see that she really wasn’t participating in all of this.

He was SO CLOSE to his first Master’s degree. He couldn’t let all of this throw away his future! He was young and stupid and maybe he was wrong, but he wasn’t going to say that and he definitely didn’t feel like he deserved to be punished for it right now! 

He had been trying not to think about that interview, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more he obsessed over it - over her wondering how he was doing, over the potential for her to actually still care. It was so stupid. It was foolish. There was no way that she really felt like that, but all of his distraction had caused him to possibly make some type of stupid mistake. The police were investigating, but he was the main one working in the lab, so whatever happened was most likely due to some type of misstep on his part. He certainly had not rigged anything to explode in Professor Hughes’ face, like some seemed to be trying to suggest! 

The fact that they did not get along wasn’t very helpful to him. The argument right before it happened made it even more suspicious, and where they should have been able to speak with his psychiatrist to ensure that he was doing fine… he hadn’t been consistent with any long enough for them to know that he was doing fine… which brought attention back on him from the committee, which he guessed felt like he was jumping through loopholes in their deal. He saw the Void again, it's voice like a chorus of succubi singing, “I’ve come to take everything from you. It’s what you deserve.”

He rushed to the airport. He didn’t even have a place to stay. He rushed to the Monroe’s, snuck into their gate and beat on the door. It was 2 am, but he couldn’t wait. The Void was after him, and he NEEDED his Grace.

Next

[ghost-of-jupiter]

Not My Name (Part 1)

Summary: soulmate au with Jason Todd. People have their soulmate’s name on them from birth. When the reader meets Jason Todd, they recognize his name as the one sprawled across their inner thigh. However, the reader has been going by a pseudonym. How long will it be until they give in to the urge to outs themselves and potentially be put at risk?

Warnings: cursing. Some angst and thriller.

The burner phone wedged between your ear and shoulder rang as you waited for your friend to pick up. Acrid odors greeted your nostrils as you stepped off the subway, piss most likely. You were still surprised that cell phone coverage had extended even this far down. Gotham just didn’t seem to be the type of place to have tech in their subway stations. At all.

Paranoia slowly sunk it’s claws into you as you glanced around. You pulled the bill of your cap down further. You tried to seem as grounded and not, well,  scared as you were. Stay invisible.

“Hey,” the gentle voice of your friend greeted as he picked up, pushing your anxieties aside just a bit. “I take it you just got off the subway?”

“Yeah... at 14th,” you responded quietly.

“Okay, head south,” he paused. “You still have the address?” You responded affirmatively. “Good, keys under the mat. Shitty hiding spot I know but it’s only been there like an hour.” He attempted to lighten the mood and you appreciated it, a small smile lighting face.

“Remember to avoid cameras! ATMs have them so I had the bank send a second credit card to the apartment. They’ll think I’m on a business trip to Gotham so no problems there.”

“I’ll pay you back I-“

He scoffed. “None of that. I’m a fucking lawyer working for the biggest firm in America. I think I can take on some financial burden to protect my best friend.” The emphasis on the word ‘burden’ made your lips twitched into a small smile. Sarcastic bastard. A beat of silence passed as you ascended the stairs. It had been so long since you had been to this city and you paused to look around. The promise of impending fall lingered in the air as you noted a slight chill go through your body. Good, you thought, more layers would be easier to hid in.

“I-” you cut yourself off with a sigh, knowing how stubborn he could be. “Thank you, Tom.”

You could tell from his chuckle that he was pleased. “Security at the building knows you’re staying in my apartment and won’t bother you. Be warned, there are cameras in the lobby but try not to seem suspicious, alright?”

“Did you give them my fake name?”

“Yeah...” you could hear him shuffling around a bit, his dog barking in the distance. “Make sure to check in frequently. Nick and I will look into our next options, alright?” You agreed. “Alright, gotta go. Love you, call me soon!”

“Love you too,” you mumbled while hanging up.

As you moved through the dreary city, you kept your head down and simply dodged any oncoming people. The dark towering buildings of Gotham caged you in but at the same time, gave you a little hope that you would be hidden within it’s shadows. The walk was short and easy, but unnerving. The hair on the back of your neck stood on end, it felt like eyes were on you at all times. You didn’t breath easily until you were in the comfort of Tom’s apartment.

Even though you were happy to be away from people, you still did a sweep of the apartment, making sure nothing was out of place and nothing was suspicious. You knew it was unlikely that anyone knew you were here or that it had been bugged, it helped easy your nerves just a little bit. The second thing you did was unpack your large duffle bag. Beyond clothing and necessities, all it really had was your official papers (id, passport, etc), a phone charger, and a pistol. You let out an uneven breath as you placed the weapon on the table. This is the safety lock. Be careful there is recoil with it. Arms like this, yeah. Nick’s words rang in your head, this was real. You were shocked by how heavy it was and still couldn’t see yourself using it even in self defense.

“Credit card,” you mumbled to yourself, breaking the spell of the glinting metal. You needed food and food required money so unfortunately that meant braving the world one more time. “Fuck.” With a sigh, you rubbed your hand over your face, tired and drained.

You grabbed the hat one more time, a common Gotham Knights baseball cap and fixed it to cover your face. The plain, baggy navy hoodie worked to obscure your figure. One more look over confirmed that you looked like an everyday Gothamite. Deep breaths.

You avoided the elevator, less chance of being on camera, bonus: less people. The card was in the mail, just like promised and you headed once more out to the streets.

About an hour later you were a block away from the apartment building, arms laden with bags. It was going fine, no one paid you attention (though the burning feeling of eyes on you persisted). A sharp hit to your shoulder sent your bags flying, eliciting curses from you, directed at the man that bumped you. He looked at you, surprised as though you had materialized out of nowhere.

“Seriously dude?”

“Shit, sorry,” his voice was rough. He shoved a hand through his black hair a shock of white in the front, looking flustered. You gave him a roll of your eyes but mumbled something along the lines of ‘yeah it’s fine.’

He awkwardly helped you gather the strewn groceries. Had your anxieties not been going haywire, you would have noted that he was attractive with blue eyes, and a tall, muscular body. When you had all your bags back, you walked away, ignoring the fact that he looked like he wanted to say something else.

Back in the apartment you kept yourself together long enough to put away the groceries. By then you were too tired to cook and the anxiety had left you with no hunger.

You paced in the living room, which was an open concept with the kitchen, giving you a direct eye line to the daunting gun on the table. By the time your feet were tired, you were able to at least sit down and realize pacing solved nothing. Unfortunately. You decided another sweep of the apartment may help though, so thats what you did.

After debating it for far too long, you took the gun into the bedroom and placed it in the nightstand. The bedroom was typical with white walls and nice furniture. The comfortable looking sky blue duvet was no surprise. Suddenly you were appreciative of Tom’s taste for the finer things. The apartment overall was very nice and you couldn’t fault it. Thankfully he was also concerned with security, you mused. Your nightly routine was short and you quickly got into bed before you could get yourself stuck in another loop of bad coping mechanisms. Maybe something else would help you relax, the tense muscles of your shoulders beginning to ache.

You picked up the book on the opposite nightstand and began to read. The words ran together and you couldn’t untangle them, causing you to re-read the same paragraph over and over. Then you attempted to meditate. All you saw was red and yellow and orange. You glanced to the nightstand where his white noise machine sat. When in Rome... Almost immediately you regretted that decision as the noise simply overwhelmed you.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, the room dark, your eyes felt heavy, but your anxieties spiked. You tried to sleep anyway. Eventually, the world faded away and you slept. It was not restful.

You hummed as you stirred the ingredients in a bowl. A song played that you kind of knew - not enough to sing but enough to sway your hips. Your apartment was cozy and exactly how you wanted it. Intense eyes stared at you from the window of your apartment, you could feel his fiery gaze.

Burning. Burning. Burning.

The bowl slipped from your hands, flames rose from the stove, the oven roared to life.

“Mine.” His voice melded with the sound of the flames. “You are mine. Do not run from me.”

As the flames spread around you and your apartment fell away, he rose before you. Intimidating figure cut from stone, eyes of fire, hair of gold. The god he thought himself to be, brought to life.

Breathe.

The roar and crackle of the fire intensified until it was so loud you had to clamp your hands over your ears. The god’s lips move, smiling as he does. The words his lips formed repeated. Over and over. Over and over.

Slowly, you removed your hands to be met by not a roar but deafening silence. You couldn’t hear the god. Now, you could read his lips, “I will find you. Do not worry. I am coming. I love you.”

Breathe, fucking breathe.