#an unstoppable force that will happen over and over no matter what tries to stop it

[srslyblvck]

destined heart, five hargreeves [requested]

pairing: five hargreeves x gn!reader

synopsis: You and Five hated each other, everyone knew that. You both bickered like children. So what happens when he’s injured?

genre: fluff

warnings: blood, injuries

word count: 1.7k

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ YOU ALWAYS THOUGHT FIVE was an insufferable jerk. From the moment you met him at the Commission, he got under your skin like no one else. He was arrogant, always had a sharp retort, and acted like he was the only one who knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, he often did. But that didn’t make him any less intolerable. The two of you bickered constantly, throwing insults like daggers, yet when it came to missions, you were unstoppable. The IT duo, they called you. A title that, though you would never admit it, you wore with some twisted pride.

But outside of work? It was a different story. Every moment spent together was a clash of wills, a battle of egos that never seemed to end. You were convinced you hated him, and you were sure he felt the same.

But no matter how much you bickered, you both knew how to get the job done. And that’s what mattered—until it didn’t.

This mission should’ve been routine—track down Cha Cha, take her out, and get back to HQ. But it went horribly wrong. She had the upper hand from the start, and before you knew it, the mission turned into a fight for survival.

You were panting, trying to catch your breath as you glanced around to make sure Cha-Cha was truly gone. A smirk tugged at your lips as you turned to Five, ready to throw out a snarky comment about his reckless fighting style. “Honestly, Five, if you keep fighting like that, I might—"

Your words died in your throat when you saw him. He was hunched over, one hand pressed to his stomach, blood seeping through his fingers. His face was pale, a sheen of sweat on his brow, and his usual sharp eyes were dulled with pain.

“Dammit, Five!” you cursed, rushing to his side. You dropped to your knees beside him, ignoring the way he tried to push you away.

“I’m fine,” he muttered through gritted teeth, his voice tight with pain. “It’s nothing. I can deal with it when I get home.”

“Shut up,” you snapped, swatting his hand away from the wound to assess the damage. He winced as you touched the area, and you could feel him trembling. “You’re barely able to stand, Five. Stop being an idiot.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but you didn’t give him the chance. “I said, shut up,” you repeated, your tone leaving no room for discussion. You weren’t about to let him die on you just because of his stubborn pride.

With no time to waste, you slipped your arm around his waist, helping him up. He was heavier than you expected, and you could feel the strain as you supported his weight. His breathing was labored, and you could tell he was barely holding on.

Your place was the closest, so you half-carried, half-dragged him there, praying you’d make it in time. By the time you reached your door, Five was barely conscious, his body leaning heavily against yours. You managed to get him inside, laying him down on your bed as gently as possible.

“I’ll be right back,” you murmured, rushing to grab your first aid kit. When you returned, Five’s eyes were half-closed, his breathing shallow. Panic tightened your chest, but you forced yourself to focus. You couldn’t lose him—not like this.

You carefully unbuttoned his shirt, trying not to cause him more pain. As you worked, you heard a faint voice from him, barely more than a whisper. “We haven’t even kissed yet, and you’re already undressing me.”

A blush crept up your cheeks, but you didn’t let it distract you. “Shut up,” you said softly, refusing to look him in the eyes. You couldn’t afford to get distracted now.

The wound was deep, just missing his ribcage. You cleaned it as best as you could, working quickly to stop the bleeding and bandage him up. Every few seconds, you glanced at his face, his sickly pale complexion making your stomach twist with fear. Five was never this quiet, never this still. It scared you more than you wanted to admit.

Finally, the wound was bandaged, and you breathed a small sigh of relief. But you knew he wasn’t out of the woods yet. You needed to keep him warm, to make sure he didn’t go into shock. You remembered the sweater he had left at your place—one you had planned to burn out of spite.

You found it quickly, bringing it back to him. With careful hands, you slipped it over his head, guiding his arms into the sleeves as gently as you could. He didn’t complain, didn’t make any snarky comments, and that scared you even more.

Once he was settled, you sat beside him, checking his pulse to make sure he was still alive. It was faint, but it was there. You stared at his face, so pale and unlike the Five you knew. The urge to protect him, to keep him safe, overwhelmed you.

Your mind wandered to Cha-Cha, the one who had done this to him. Rage bubbled up inside you, cold and fierce. You were going to make her pay for what she’d done. No one hurt Five and got away with it. No one.

You stayed by Five’s side until his breathing evened out, and his face regained a bit of color. The bleeding had stopped, and his pulse, though weak, was steady. Relief washed over you, but it was tinged with something darker—an insatiable need for vengeance. Cha-Cha had crossed a line, and you weren’t about to let that slide.

Gently, you slipped a glass of water onto the side table beside him, making sure he had everything he needed before you stood. He was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. For a moment, you allowed yourself to pause, your eyes tracing the sharp angles of his face—the stubborn line of his jaw, the curve of his lips. It was strange seeing him like this, so vulnerable and quiet, without that usual sarcastic edge that made you want to throttle him.

Without thinking, your hand reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. The soft contact made your chest tighten, a feeling you weren’t prepared for.

You quickly pulled your hand back, your brow furrowing as reality crashed down on you. What the hell were you doing? This was Five Hargreeves, your so-called enemy, the person who drove you insane with every word that came out of his mouth. You were supposed to hate him.

Shaking the unsettling feeling off, you straightened up, steeling yourself. There was no time for this, no room for confusion. You had a job to do, and you needed to focus. With one last glance at him, you turned away and left, determination hardening in your chest. It was time to finish this.

The streets were dark as you moved through the shadows, your steps silent but purposeful. You knew where Cha-Cha was hiding; she wouldn’t have gone far, confident in her victory. That confidence would be her downfall.

You found her in an abandoned warehouse, just like you expected. She was cleaning her weapons, humming a tune to herself as if she hadn’t just tried to kill you both. Rage flared in your chest, but you kept it in check, focusing on the task at hand.

“You should’ve stayed down,” Cha-Cha’s voice echoed in the empty space as she noticed you. She didn’t seem surprised, just mildly annoyed. “But I guess I’ll have to finish the job.”

“Not if I finish you first,” you shot back, your voice cold as ice.

She lunged at you, and the fight began. It was brutal and unrelenting, both of you pushing each other to the limit. You dodged her blows with practiced ease, your movements sharp and precise. But she was strong, stronger than you remembered, and every hit she landed sent shockwaves of pain through your body.

You fought through it, every ounce of your being focused on one goal: making her pay. The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the air as you parried her attacks, your heart pounding in your chest. She was relentless, but so were you.

The fight dragged on, your body aching with exhaustion, but you refused to give in. Cha-Cha was grinning now, enjoying the challenge, but you could see the cracks forming in her facade. She was tiring too, her movements slowing just a fraction.

That was all you needed.

With a burst of speed, you managed to disarm her, sending her weapon clattering to the ground. Her eyes widened in surprise, but you didn’t hesitate. You slammed your fist into her face, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone beneath your knuckles. She staggered back, blood pouring from her nose, but she didn’t fall.

“You’re tougher than I thought,” she gasped, wiping the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. “But it won’t be enough.”

She reached for a hidden knife, but you were faster. You closed the distance between you, grabbing the knife from her hand and driving it into her side. Cha-Cha let out a choked gasp, her eyes wide with shock as she stumbled backward.

“This is for Five,” you hissed, twisting the knife.

Cha-Cha crumpled to the ground, her blood pooling around her as her breaths became shallow. You stood over her, your chest heaving with exertion, but you didn’t feel victorious—just cold. You watched as the life drained from her eyes, the fight leaving her body until she was nothing more than a lifeless corpse.

It was over.

You pulled the knife from her body, wiping the blood on her jacket before sheathing it. You were covered in blood, your clothes stained with it, but you didn’t care. You had done what needed to be done.

As you walked back home, the adrenaline began to wear off, leaving you with a bone-deep exhaustion. You barely registered the stares of those you passed on the street, too focused on putting one foot in front of the other. By the time you reached your door, you were practically on autopilot.

The apartment was quiet when you entered, the only sound the faint rustling of the curtains as a breeze blew through the open window. You made your way to your room, where Five was now awake, sitting up in bed and drinking the glass of water you had left for him.

He froze when he saw you, the glass halfway to his lips. His eyes widened, taking in the sight of you—your face speckled with blood, your clothes drenched in it. “What the hell happened?” he demanded, his voice sharp with concern.

You met his gaze, your expression unreadable. “It’s not mine,” you replied nonchalantly, brushing past him to set the bloody knife on the table.

Five’s eyes narrowed, his concern deepening. “Then whose is it?” he asked, his tone more cautious now.

You waved him off, not wanting to talk about it. “It’s nothing,” you muttered, heading for the bathroom. “I’m going to take a bath.”

Five watched you go, clearly bewildered, but too tired to press further.

When you emerged from the bathroom, your hair damp and a towel draped over your shoulders, you found Five trying—and failing—to stand up. He was clearly still weak, but the stubborn idiot was determined to move around on his own.

You scoffed, knowing how futile his efforts were going to be. “Seriously, Five? You’re not going to make it two steps.”

As if to prove your point, you saw him lose his balance out of the corner of your eye. Without thinking, you sped over to him, catching him just before he could fall. Your arms wrapped around him, holding him steady, and you couldn’t help the exasperation in your voice as you snapped, “You’re such an idiot, you know that?”

Five grumbled something under his breath, but you cut him off with a glare. “No, shut up. You’re not moving until you’re better. I’m not dragging your sorry ass around the house.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re not my mother.”

“And, thank God for that,” you shot back, crossing your arms. “If I were, I’d have kicked your ass a long time ago.”

Five smirked, despite his obvious discomfort. “And I’d have run away ages ago.”

“Well, aren’t you the rebellious type,” you muttered sarcastically, settling back down beside him.

Five glared at you, though it lacked his usual bite. “I’m not some invalid. I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, right,” you shot back, settling him down. “Because you were doing such a great job of it earlier, huh?”

His eyes flashed with annoyance, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest, stubborn as always. “I don’t need your help.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” you retorted, rolling your eyes. “You can barely stand, Five. Just… stay put, okay?”

He huffed, turning his head away from you. “You’re infuriating, you know that?”

“Oh, trust me, I know,” you replied with a smirk, leaning back against the wall. “But I’m also right, and you hate that.”

Five shot you a sideways glance, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth despite his obvious discomfort. “You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re a pain in the ass,” you countered, crossing your arms. “But at least I’m not the one who got himself stabbed.”

Five rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in them now. “You really don’t know when to shut up, do you?”

“Not when I’m right, no,” you shot back, your voice lighter now, the tension easing between you both.

For a moment, there was silence, the usual bickering replaced by something softer, more familiar. You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, making sure he was comfortable. He was still pale, but there was color returning to his cheeks, and the fact that he was able to argue with you was a good sign.

“You’re lucky I’m here to save your ass,” you said, breaking the silence with a teasing grin.

Five scoffed, but the smirk on his face was unmistakable. “I guess I am. Not that I’d ever admit it.”

“Too late,” you quipped, settling into a more relaxed position beside him. “You just did.”

He rolled his eyes again, but there was no real annoyance behind it. “Whatever.”

“Whatever,” you echoed, a small smile playing on your lips.

The room fell into a comfortable silence, the tension from earlier dissipating. After a moment, Five spoke again, his voice softer this time. “Thank you.”

You looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. For a moment, you just stared at each other, the usual animosity between you replaced by something more genuine.

A small smile tugged at your lips, and you nodded. “Don’t expect me to save you every time.”

Five let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

That was a lie, of course. You would save him every time, without hesitation. You would fight anyone, take on any danger, to protect this infuriating, arrogant boy. You’d bring him back from the dead if you had to. Hell, you’d fight the devil himself for Five Hargreeves. Because, as much as you hated to admit it, you cared about this idiot, this arrogant, infuriating boy. And you always would.

[yallmakemyassitch]

Scratch Task

Summary: Tabi had gotten sick of Agoti slick and slimy ways of sneakily tickling him, so it was about time he retained some comeuppance and taught the poor boy a lesson~! ^⁠_⁠^

Word count: 5133

Character count: 29277

Tobi talks: Well hello again to all you lovely fellas, I'm here with something special for you lot! As you know, I'm on hiatus due to school and personal life stuff and that won't change for the foreseeable future. I had this cute idea to redraw one of Sensey's art pieces as I think the position they're in and how Tabi is pinning Agoti is downright hilarious and downright devious! But I wouldn't be doing it any justice without writing something about it, after all, you just gotta appreciate her creativity (⁠●⁠♡⁠∀⁠♡⁠)

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55564837

Enjoy the story, gooday you lovely people and have a great day y’all! 🩷(⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

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“T-Tabi! C-c’mon man, I’m serious!” Agoti shrieked, his feet propelling him as fast as they could away from his pursuing friend, who was quickly gaining on him. Tabi lunged at him again, but the digidevil managed to dodge just in the nick of time. He stumbled and fell hard onto the ground, giving his friend an extra jumpstart in the chase.

“Agoti! Get back here!” The goat-man yelled after him, quickly getting up and running after him, a fresh dose of adrenaline pumping in his veins. The digidevil’s heart raced and his thundering footsteps quickened.

Fear was an understatement to what he was feeling, with his teeth gritted and eyebrows knitted into a panicked visage, one would think he had encountered death himself.

He might as well have anyway. Agoti had pushed Tabi too far and as a consequence, turned the Russian man into an unstoppable force of nature. No matter how much or how far he ran, Tabi was always right around the corner.

In this moment of reflection, the digidevil realized he couldn’t hear Tabi’s footsteps anymore and slowed down before eventually stopping. His labored lungs were on fire and burned with every breath he tried to reclaim.

Agoti grasped his knees and hunched over, feeling his forehead drip with sweat onto the pavement. Agoti swallowed a spitball. “Oh god…” He gasped. How long had he been running? 10, maybe 15 minutes of just sprinting? He signed and stood up straight, stretching his back and his arms.

He didn’t feel safe in the area they were in, Tabi was known to be an excellent ambusher, so it would be best if he moved somewhere he couldn’t find him.

Just as he was going to head off, he heard a strange sound. The digidevil turned back around, now even more nervous, and just as he was about to whip around to run away, he heard Tabi’s dreaded voice coming from right behind him.

“Found you,” Tabi whispered in his ear.

Then his world flipped upside down, feeling a swift and strong force sweep his ankles from underneath him. Agoti couldn’t even comprehend what had happened until he landed hard on his chest. Panic soon set in when he felt someone heavy sit on his back and grab his wrist.

“Tabi! Please no!” The demon shrieked with terror, realizing the extent of his situation. “Too late for excuses, Agoti.” The Russian man hummed calmly above him.

Agoti was fast and agile, but Tabi was stronger and heavier than him, so pinning the digidevil was an easy feat. Tabi twisted his dominant arm behind his back and pinned it on the center of his back with the firm grip of his hand and pushed all his weight into the grip.

As expected, Agoti began to thrash and squirm, attempting to forcefully dismount the man off his back. A horrifying revelation came when he realized Tabi was sitting rather close to his rear, which made the prospect of slithering his tail out to defend himself impossible.

The Russian man watched as the digidevil fruitlessly kicked his legs and waved around his other arm, hell, his kicks would land on his back sometimes, but Tabi was stocky enough to handle it.

The digidevil tuckered out, realizing that his method of escape wasn’t working, and relaxed his muscles.

“Are you done?” The invisible man asked with an arch of his eyebrow.

“Y-yeah…” Agoti grumbled begrudgingly.

“Good, now then…” Tabi, with his free hand, pinched his friend’s right side. “Let's talk.”

The demon flinched and quietly squeaked. Oh god. Oh god no.

Tabi couldn’t see his face at his angle but could tell the digidevil was very nervous. He couldn’t help but grin and chuckle to himself. “Oh Agoti, Agoti…” He shook his head.

Agoti tensed when he felt his bony finger slowly trace up and down his side. “I have to ask you something,” Tabi exclaimed, his voice now much more casual and amused than before.

“Y-yeah?” God damn, he almost giggled a bit.

Tabi leaned over to where his bony snout would be right next to his ear. “Are you ticklish?” This time, his tone was dripping with mischief. His index finger began to quickly wiggle into his side, traveling up and down the sensitive area.

Tabi watched Agoti’s reaction carefully, his lower jaw appearing to complete his already menacing expression.

“N-noho…” Agoti hissed through clenched teeth, contradicted by a wild, silly smile beginning to spread across his lips.

The Russian huffed. “Well that’s good, otherwise what I’m about to do would really suck.”

“Huh- wait, ta-TAHahaHAhABI!” Agoti squealed. He resumed his squirming, his side’s nerves stimulated and sending all kinds of ticklish shocks up his torso. The hand that was previously tweaking his side was energetically digging into the tender flesh.

“Hmph. Liar.” Tabi quietly huffed, beginning to knead into the flesh with his fingertips, causing Agoti to attempt to twist his free arm around to grab his wrist, but the awkward angle he was pinned at made it difficult.

Tabi easily brushed him off and continued with the torture. “PLEHEHEASE, I- I caHAHAN’T!”

“Oh, yes you can. We haven’t even made it to your worst spot yet.” The entire sentence he just uttered not only sent chills down his spine but he managed to switch his tone from casual and dismissive to downright despicable.

The digidevil screamed when he felt Tabi’s hand begin to jump around his torso. The goat-man knew the digidevil was ticklish as hell, so putting him in stitches wasn’t difficult. Agoti thrashed from left to right, feeling his hand grab his hip, digging his four fingers into the front while the thumb made devious circles in the back, leaving him cackling like a madman.

This only increased when the Russian’s fingers burrowed into the sweet spot between his side and tummy, which got a hearty wheeze out of Agoti.

“Heh.” He heard Tabi chuckle, his golden eyes sparkling with amusement. He quickly crawled up his side and drilled his bony fingers into the very crevice of his underarm.

“N-NOHO!” Agoti cried, his arm shooting down to cover the sensitive spot. He foolishly trapped his hand but was glad to feel the hand leave once Tabi realized tickling wasn’t possible with his arm that tight against his side.

“Hm. Suit yourself then, I’ll just have to go to the other one.” Tabi exclaimed, oddly calm.

Tabi then began to pull up Agoti’s pinned arm, keeping it in its bent position, but steadily exposing his other armpit. “DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE!” Agoti yelled, nervous giggles tumbling out of him at record speed. He resisted, pulling down as much he could as a counter to Tabi’s tugging.

He just grinned and in one swift motion, pulled the arm at the desired 45-degree angle. Agoti’s stomach dropped, seems the Russian man was holding out on the poor boy. Man, he really had to hit the weights after this.

The digidevil’s train of thought was interrupted when a single finger began to circle slowly around his pit. Agoti hid his face in the floor again, there was a large, stupid grin on his face that he couldn’t bear to expose to the rest of the world.

“Tickle, tickle, Agoti…” Tabi’s voice cooed lowly above him, making sure to purr out each syllable in the most taunting tone he could muster. This wasn’t difficult, his Russian accent left a lot of room for letters to roll off his tongue with delicious deviousness.

He still couldn’t see his face but could see Agoti was red, the blush even managing to spill onto the side of his head.

“N-noHohoHo Tahahabi, that’s sohOho meheheAn…” The demon whined, his tendrils curling with embarassment.

“Oh trust me, I can get a lot meaner~” The invisible man laughed. Then the tracing began to ascend, keeping its gentle touch until his fingers were dancing along his bicep. Agoti groaned, giggles flowing freely out of him, he knew what Tabi was getting at.

“This familiar, Agoti?” Tabi asked with an amused snort, digging into his bicep with fervor. The demon squealed, and now his giggles were much louder, mixed in with hiccups and snorts, he sounded ridiculous. The sensation was annoying, a touch he couldn’t get away from, and Tabi made sure he felt the same pain Agoti put him through.

That being instead of his underarms, the rapper had trapped his friend underneath him and tormented his knees until he screamed uncle. Tabi looked back on it with a grimace, but with the same man at his mercy, he felt a sense of relief taking out his pent-up frustration on the bastard.

“Fuhuhuck, okay! I’m s-SOohoHhorRy!” He cried, his free arm lightly slamming the floor several times. He never knew his arms were so sensitive but he guessed Tabi learned a thing or two before finally initiating his revenge.

“No excuses~” Tabi purred, lightly digging just right above where his armpit would be. Agoti cried out and knocked his forehead on the floor a few times, the sensations were going to make him go mad. “UHuHaAHAHA!” He kept this up for a while, giving his friend much-needed treatment after all the bullshit he put him through.

Well, it reached the finale and it was about time he’d given him what he was anticipating.

“Oh Agoti, I’m going to get your little armpit~” The Russian cooed, his index finger starting to slowly travel down his elbow, then his bicep, and then the little spot that would make his friend sing to the rooftops. Agoti about screamed when he announced himself and began to struggle again. “Tahahahabi seheheriously, I’m sorry! I- AHA!” Agoti whined again, squawking when he felt fingers tweak his neck.

“I don’t believe you.” The Russian man posed his hand into a claw shape right above his right underarm and kept it there. The digidevil was laughing and squirming wildly, the laughter bubbling out of him like a faucet was akin to a hyena. Tabi snorted, as much as a punishment this was, he had to admit, his digidevil friend had a cute laugh.

He snapped himself out of his trance when he realized Agoti had lied still, in wait for his friend to put him in stitches.

And that he did. Tabi touched down and scribbled furiously into the underarm. His reaction was an understatement when described as “explosive”, the man immediately burst out into raucous cackles and squeals that would be the previously mentioned hyena to shame.

Agoti had ticklish armpits, but the spot wasn’t too bad on its own. His friend’s teasing had turned into a giddy ball of nerves, which may or may not have been purposeful. He was losing it, his chest shaking with unrelenting howls of laughter.

“PLEHEHEASE, STOHOHAHAP! MEHEHERCY!” Agoti’s legs were limp on the ground, slightly twitching in contrast to his seizing torso. Tabi made sure to dig deep and as ferociously as possible into the very center, smug as a bug witnessing his friend cry for mercy.

“And why should I? You didn’t give me any mercy when you were tickling me?” His friend couldn’t answer. This continued for a while, sometimes randomly scribbling up his arm to tease the bicep until Tabi heard a wheezy cough come out of Agoti, that’s when he stopped and removed his hand.

Tabi pinned his arm back down to back and it moreover collapsed, as the digidevil was too tired to fight back at this point. Agoti panted, teary-eyed and blushing hard. The invisible man let Agoti rest his throat, after all, the true finale wouldn’t be complete if his victim wasn’t rejuvenated.

“O-oh gahad…” Agoti panted, the ghost of the tickles still lingered on his body. His shoulders rose and fell with each passing second as he gradually regained his breath.

“How was that?” Tabi asked, playfully punching his friend’s shoulder blade.

“Awful,” The rapper said with a roll of his eyes. “Now, can you get off of me? You got your revenge.” Agoti craned his neck to meet Tabi’s gaze but was confused, then horrified to be met with initial nonchalance to the spread of his grin and the speechless shake of his skull.

“Tabi, you’ve got to be shitting me!” Agoti hissed quickly, his tendrils springing into action in a series of coiling and terrified phalanges. “Nope, sorry, Agoti.” Tabi hissed right back, sarcasm oozing from his tone. Agoti was scared but realized something, he had energy! He could finally fight back.

The digidevil swung his other arm around to hopefully grab the man’s wrist and pull it off of him. He rejoiced when he felt the Russian’s grip come loose, which freed his slightly numb, right hand.

Agoi placed both hands on the floor and was going to flip himself over, taking Tabi with him. He gravely miscalculated his move, his repositioned arms exposed his most sensitive spot; his ribcage.

The goat-man acted quickly and with both hands, grabbed the sides of his ribcage and squeezed. Agoti screamed and collapsed, and Tabi took this as an opportunity to put the demon back in position. The demon moaned sadly on the floor he stuffed his face into.

“Sorry but, I’m not done here,” Tabi said, making sure his arm was firmly stuck in place with no place to move. The digidevil didn’t even say anything, seeming to have accepted his fate. That would make the job easier for Tabi, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was done asking questions. The first question was just a coverup for what he was really wondering.

Tabi gently grasped the right side of Agoti’s ribcage, not even grabbing it, just wrapping his hand around the spot, mimicking the curve of his ribs. Since Agoti’s right arm was out of commission, it was the perfect place to begin the real torture.

“This will be my second and final question, so you better listen up!” The Russian declared angrily.

The digidevil said nothing and the man pining him down took it as a sign he was listening.

Tabi sighed deeply. “Agoti, why do you keep tickling me?” All the irritation in his tone vanished, he sounded solemn and quiet. Agoti craned his neck to look at him and their gazes met instantly, as Tabi was already staring deeply into him. His eyebrows were furrowed and his golden eyes were brimming with patience. He wasn’t mad in the slightest.

Agoti’s face fell, now looking quite solemn himself. “Vell?” Tabi said, leaning a bit closer and sounded amused when his accent slipped a bit but still patiently awaiting his response.

His chest fluttered, he knew the answer to his question. Could he tell him? Could he tell Tabi that he thought he wasn’t tickling him out of mischief but because he thought his laughter was not only really cute but handsome? That being this close to him at the moment made his heart beat a mile a minute?

Tickling was his method of ‘flirting’ with Tabi. It was too embarrassing and too early, knowing him, Tabi wasn’t too interested in love after what he’s been through. Agoti could be a selfish asshole at times, but he wanted to savor his feelings when the timing was right. Tabi had taken his heart by storm the moment he had met him and the Russian man was none the wiser.

Oh who was he kidding, Agoti was just too pussy to admit he had fallen for him.

He conjured up the most bullshit answer his panicking mind could formulate. Agoti sighed and began to speak in his ‘sincerest tone’...

“It’s cuz you’re sad all the time.”

“What?” Tabi said quietly.

“Dude you’re seriously a Debbie downer, you’re constantly frowning and my jokes hardly even get to you. I wanna see you have fun, not just mopey and sad.” Agoti mumbled, avoiding the gaze now staring over his head onto him, casting a shadow. Tabi blinked at him and sighed.

“Agoti, Agoti…” Tabi started.

He stiffened when he felt something pinch his ribs. “You’ve always been a terrible liar.” He huffed, half-amused half-dissapointed.

Then the kneading began, Tabi had his hand shaped into a pincer and was thoroughly pinching and kneading in between each rib bone, along with the bone itself, and descended one rib when he figured that one had enough.

Agoti loudly snorted and bit the hell out of his lower lip, scratching at the floor with his sharp claws. He was doing a lot better than he imagined, despite his mind screaming for the sensations to stop.

Tabi realized what he was doing and coughed out a dry laugh, the mischief still left over from earlier allowed him to make such a sound.

Tabi took his hand and kneaded into the entire side of the ribcage instead, making sure his fingertips were vibrating in between the tender gaps of the bones. The Russian could feel the dam collapse immediately as Agoti breathed in…

And nothing came out. He could feel his chest shaking and saw his hand dig and curl deeply into the ground before a loud shriek could be heard. It was louder than what he heard today. Tabi winced, the sound long, shrill, and painful, before quickly descending into a cacophony of hysteria.

The kicking started back up and Agoti was back to his usual ways of thrashing and squirming. His laughter, now much more girlish, almost made Tabi smile a bit, but he kept his lips pursed and serious. “NoHOHOhOHOAHAH- hic NOTHAHOT THAHAT!”

“That’s strike one, Agoti. Do it again or I’ll go to the other side.” Tabi replied calmly, slowing his pace to gentle jabs all over his right side. Agoti was hysterical, twitching and spasming every time Tabi hit a sweet spot, much to his chagrin.

“FUhUhUCK TAHAahABi! Thihihis ihihis sohohoho BAHAHAD!” He squealed at the end when he felt pinching around his upper ribcage, dancing fingertips poking at the sensitive bone.

“I know, that’s why I asked your dad about it,” Tabi replied casually.

Wait what? “H-HuHuhuh?” Agoti giggled profusely before the former musician stopped tormenting his side.

“Yup, I asked your dad if you were ticklish. He spilled, surprisingly.” His face was knitted into a reminiscing expression, which quickly turned into unapologetic mirth as he laughed for a while, seeing from the corner of Agoti’s face that he had turned white before shifting into a deep crimson.

“D-dad told you?!” Agoti asked, exasperated.

“Yep.” Tabi repeated, popping the ‘p’, “I was expecting him to start interrogating me, to be honest, but I guess he likes me now cuz he was pretty upfront with me. A pretty standup guy if I’m being honest.” He shrugged.

.

.

.

“His ribs are his worst spot, especially the ones on the bottom, they get him the worst.” Solazar hummed, readjusting his glasses.

“Ah, I see,” Tabi said, rubbing his bony chin.

“May I ask what for?” The Solarisapien questioned, eyes gentle but burning with skepticism. An improvement from his initial scowling and shooting glares when he first met the young man.

His shoulders shook as he laughed. “Nothing important, Mr. Solazar,”

Solazar could tell he had no nefarious intentions based on his eyes, which brightened with unmistakable playfulness and mischief. He could tell where this was going, he saw that gaze all too often in his boys in their youth.

“Oh alright,” The former warrior sighed, straightening his back.

.

.

.

The digidevil was mortified beyond belief, his father sold him out?! Agoti had no time to react when he felt his pincers move again to latch onto his bony figure and wiggle in every groove possible, but Tabi made sure to avoid the bottom ones, to save the best for last, of course.

“N-nonono- T-TAHAHBI! AHaaAH NOhaHAHAHA!” He resumed his previous moments, this time, much more flustered at the bombshell that just dropped on him and squirmier than before. Even Tabi was a little disheveled at how much he was squirming.

Surely, it couldn’t feel that bad? Then he thought of that one time Agoti blasted his neck with raspberries and mentally kicked himself.

“Now then, let’s try that again. I’ll know when you’re lying, so don’t even try it.” Tabi slowed down his tickling to simply drumming across his ribs, keeping the demon back on his toes, in between cloud 9 and hysteria.

Agoti was back to senseless laughter, what would have normally been hearty giggles were hiccupy cackles. His already ablaze nerves made it hard to calm down after the vicious ribbing he was going through. Tears were nearly about to fall out of his eyes and his face hurt from smiling so much.

“Again, Agoti, why do you keep tickling me?” His serious tone when he asked initially was gone and was swapped for a more, demanding but playful tone. This time, he was scribbling his fingertips not only across his ribs but all over his side. He momentarily danced them across his back, which got some funny squeaks out of him.

The digidevil buried his face in his arm and unleashed a flurry of uncontrollable mirth, stuck in-between giggling when he felt fingers wiggle against his shoulderblades to cackles when Tabi dug his rough fingers into the divots of his ribs and hips.

The Russian man was much more impatient than before as Tabi quickened his kneading into downright drilling. He made sure it didn’t hurt, but he made damn sure Agoti knew this wasn’t as bad as it was going to get. And he couldn’t handle that.

“Well?!” Tabi yelled angrily, causing the digidevil to flinch when he heard his bark above his hysterical cackling.

“OKaHAhAHAY- AHAHA! I’LL TEHEHLL YOU! I’LL TELL!”

“Vell, go on then, I’m getting impatient.” At least he had the grace to tell him. A few seconds later Agoti managed to regain his bearings, still a bit fatigued but not completely losing it anymore.

“It’s because I- EEK!” Agoti squealed when he felt a pinch on his lower ribs. A warning for what was to come.

“Hm?”

“Because I wanted to mess with you, damn!”

His lip twitched.

“Tabi, you know that I like to mess with my friends. You’re one of them, you see how I treat people close to me, man! It’s just my way of affection and if you didn’t like it, well that’s not my fucking proBLEM-! FUCK! GAHAHAHAHAH!”

“No, you’re lying to me again,” Tabi said calmly, his face as cool and collected as he could be.

“NAHAHOHO I’M NOHOHOHOT!” The digidevil retorted, contorting his body in never before positions as his friend dug into his lower ribcage.

“Yes, you are~” He singsonged, chuckling as his fingertips kneaded into his lower rib bones. Agoti screeched when Tabi began to dig and pinch into the very last bones of his ribcage, methodical in his method to keep his friend in a state of hysterical paralysis.

Agoti went limp under him, but his chest still gyrated with cackles and hiccups. His laughter went silent when Tabi focused on the very bottom rib, teasingly circling his thumb in the tender spot until he stopped.

Agoti squeaked when he felt something touch his left side. As promised, Tabi would get him if he caught him slacking. “AH! WAIT! NOHOHO! FUCK FUCK FUHUHUCK!” That side of his body had been entirely vulnerable for the entirety he had been kept stuck under Tabi. His choosing to exploit it now was a despicable decision.

He acted quickly and shot his arm down to protect it. Tabi hadn’t exited this time, rather, it gave him a much better opportunity to knead into the crevices of his ribs. Tabi wiggled to and fro, feeling Agoti absolutely spaz and lose it as he squirm and thrash uncontrollably, his legs now reignited in a fit of kicks.

“Told you what would happen.”

The former musician began to crawl up over the entirety of his left side, up his ribs, and even managed to graze his underarm a little. He smirked as Agoti squeaked, squirmed, and howled without fail. His ribs were just that ticklish and he was going to take advantage of that fact.

This went on for eternity, at least to the digidevil. Even Aldryx was more merciful than him and he was his brother! Agoti hadn’t even realized Tabi had stopped, he was just about to tap out.

“Last chance.” Tabi hummed, looking over to his friend’s face. He looked fucked up, his face was beyond red, now in a maroonish color, eyes teary and wet from the onslaught of tickling. He panted and panted, barely processing his friend's words.

Tabi stayed silent, quietly waiting for Agoti to speak up. He waited much longer than he had before, allowing the digidevil to regain his breath and recover. But when Agoti finally did, he said nothing, nothing at all. Tabi waited another minute longer and shook his head at the revelation that he wouldn’t be getting an answer.

“Awww, well that’s too bad~” The Russian cooed, beginning to slowly tweak his sides again. “What, did you want to be tickled that bad, Goti?” He chuckled when he heard Agoti groan, he hated being called that.

“S-shuhut uhuhup…” He said, exhaustion clearly in his voice.

“Naahh, you deserve it after wasting my time like this.”

“Go fuck yourself.” Agoti bluntly mumbled.

Tabi just chuckled, releasing his arm from his hold, allowing it to flop uselessly on the floor. He didn’t get off his back however, only readjusting his position to side sideways, no longer straddling him and allowing him to plop his feet on the ground.

The seconds ticked by, the two quietly enjoying one another’s presence. It was like this for a while, with Agoti being oddly complicate with being sat on and the Russian not saying a word, however, the silence was broken when he spoke up.

“So am I ever gonna get an answer?”

Agoti said nothing.

Tabi just sighed and went back to staring off into space.

“It’s cuz I like you.” He heard him mumble.

“Mhm…” His nodded his head and went back- wait, what?! What was melancholy turned into alarm, his eyes widened, and he turned his head to look at Agoti. His entire face was hidden by his tendrils, making it impossible to tell what expression he was making.

“Agoti…” Tabi whispered.

“Hehe yeah, it’s dumb. I get it if you don’t feel the same.” Agoti chuckled dryly, void of any amusement. Hell, he sounded a bit nervous. So much for ‘too early’...

The goatman was quiet and the digidevil expected him to get up before spitting out a blunt rejection. What he didn’t expect was the graze of bone grazing his head before brushing away some of his limp tendrils, allowing him to see the side of his face. His cheeks were bright and lips pulled into a tight frown.

“What, that’s it? You only just liked me?”

“Yeah…”

The former musician's chest shook as those deep, rich chuckles rang out of him. Agoti’s heart did a flip when he heard them but didn’t make it known. Tabi cupped the side of his face and turned it, forcing the digidevil to look at him.

His white scleras widened, his golden eyes were soft, and the fondness that glimmered from them was overwhelmingly tender.

“I like you too, Agoti.” He purred softly, maintaining eye contact with the young man, who by this point had completely melted, he could feel the blood pump to his cheeks as the man above him smirked. Damn, he was hot at this angle.

Tabi dismounted Agoti and sat beside his lying body. The digidevil, now able to sit up, did the same. He avoided eye contact like a bitch, he could tell he was staring right at him.

The silence was loud, with the man of his dreams staring at him like he was a million bucks. It gave him the ego boost, but he didn’t expect it so soon and certainly wasn’t ready.

“You want a kiss, big baby?” Tabi teased.

The question made the digidevil freeze and blush even more. He managed to turn to Tabi, who was much closer than he remembered. Agoti didn’t remember him looking this handsome, especially since his snout was a whisper away from his face.

His breath hitched when the goatman grasped his shoulders and pulled him in. It didn’t take long for their lips to touch, although his snout made it a little awkward, Tabi turned his way at such an angle that Agoti was surprised to feel thin yet firm lips touch his own.

Soon they melted into each other’s arms, with Tabi delicately kissing him and the digidevil being unable to think, his stomach exploding into butterflies.

When Tabi pulled away, Agoti collapsed into his chest. Tabi laughed in surprise but kept the man in his arms, playing with his hair as his other arm wrapped around his back.

His fingertips gently scrubbed through his scalp, sending chills down his spine. His tendrils were also ticklish, but of course, he couldn’t tell him that, otherwise, he’d never live it down.

“Oh, Agoti~” He cooed, taking full advantage of his accent. Hearing his name belted out in such a way made Agoti puddy in his bony palms. His chin was tugged upwards by Tabi’s hand and placed his chin directly in the center of his torso, allowing the two to make direct eye contact.

The Russian admired him for a second longer before pressing a small kiss to his forehead. “So cute~ Can I kiss you again?”

As if he could refuse. Agoti lightly nodded and thus the process repeated, the two gently kissing one another, with Tabi blurting out the occasional praise and compliment, somehow always catching the digidevil offguard. In the midst of their makeup session, Tabi had gotten a little mischievous and squeezed the side of Agoti’s ribcage, which made him shriek.

He chuckled evilly, as Agoti began to squirm, collapsing his back into his torso, only allowing Tabi to wrap his arms around his torso and attack his sides that way. He was hysterical, his cheeks now red with how much he was laughing.

“Aw, look at you~” Tabi cooed, pressing a quick kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek. Boyfriend? Yes, boyfriend! He slowed down the tickles to soft wiggling, leaving the man softly tittering.

“B-bahahahbe c-cmohohohon!”

“Nope, that’s what you get for not being honest with me, Goti’!”

“God I fuhuhucking hahahate yohohou!” The digidevil spat, leaning his head against his boyfriend’s chest, uselessly grasping the wrists currently tickling the sides of his ribcage. Tabi just rolled his eyes, knowing that it was far from the truth, and focused on peppering his neck and cheeks with quick kisses, while tweaking his ribs.

What a day to be alive, I suppose.

✿

✿

✿

✿

Fin~

Thanks for reading btw and being so patient with my inactive ass :333 💀

[resident-idiot-simp]

So I have been reading your x men Pokemon au and I am like,this is so cute but imagine a scenario where the x men and the students didn't know that Logan had a pokemon that was the supposed ancestor of all Pokemon? Like everyone had their own pokemon but nobody saw Logan with his own,let alone there's some weird psychic energy around him?

Bonus is Mewtwo is part of it as Logan's pokemon too!

Love this.

(okay prepare for heavy projection time and I'll elaborate exactly what I mean at the end)

I can't imagine Logan catching pokémon at least not in this au (I made him a team already lol). Logan would see them as friends or just animals. To be treated with kindness and be revered in death. He on principle would refuse to catch them and tie them to him.

He could never take them away from their home like he had been. That isn't to say that pokémon didn't try to get caught by him they absolutely do. He however refuses to catch them he has no qualms with them following him from place to place coming and going as they please, but he will never catch them.

(He doesn't dislike or look down upon anyone who does It's just a personal choice of his.)

Mew is even more a point of this rule because who is he to catch and tie such a creature to him. This is an entity unto its own something powerful and ancient that he would never touch because he respects it too much. Mew of course respects this maybe even admires it because God knows how many have tried to catch it before.

This however would make Logan even more terrifying because people absolutely believe he could catch Mew or any legendary for that matter. I mean it's the Wolverine an unstoppable force of nature. However to know that he never caught it and that it just chooses to follow him that it loves him that much? It makes it all the more terrifying.

The X-Men rightfully assume that Logan just doesn't have pokémon. He never corrects it of course because they're technically right.

The X-Men do notice weird things that seem to happen around him some unseen force always....there. However no one pays any mind I mean why would they?

It all comes to a head one day when the mansion gets attacked and Logan ends up fighting to protect everyone. Everyone sees as psychic forces seem to stop attackers in their place before anyone gets hurt. No one knows what's doing it but they are extremely thankful.

At the end of the attack it is revealed as right before Logan gets shot a forcefield surrounds him. Everyone freezes and that's what gets the man who took the shot impaled in Logan's claws.

"Thanks bub." Logan calls and then Mew floats around a corner making happy noises. It flies up next to Logan doing circles around the man checking him over. Logan chuckles and scratches the mythical's chin with a smile.

From somewhere behind you just hear

"IS THAT FUCKING MEW?!'

Mewtwo i could see making an appearance probably only to help a particularly fucked situation or just as a drop-in visit. Mewtwo coming to check out what Mew has been up to only to see it curled around some dude who doesn't even blink at Mewtwo's appears. He just asks if if wants anything to eat (Mewtwo says yes and now makes regular visits to get food and good company)

Imagine as soon as he moves in with Wade Mewtwo visits and Wade nearly dies (Is it a heart attack or did Mewtwo try to kill him? Who knows)

Mewtwo however is absolutely besties with Laura.

So my thoughts explanation as previously promised.

I am a huge fan of the native american way of viewing the wilderness and animals. I believe you take only what you need be thankful for it's sacrifice and waste non of it. Logan I believe would see it the same way. He would want to disturb anything or place and so on principle would refuse to catch pokémon ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[ltghosty]

If only you would have trusted me (Simon "Ghost" Riley ﾒ Female "Cobra" Sergeant)

A/N: MW 3 broke me, don't talk to me

Summary: Makarov blackmailed you into joining his army and Task Force 141 thinks you betrayed them without hesitation. Once Ghost and Soap find Milena and you, Ghost finally confronts you about letting him down.

Warnings: curse, angst, guilt, fight, betrayal,

Wordcount: 4.7k

”I thought I was someone whom you could trust because you can be sure as hell that I still trust you with my life. Whether you like it or not."

You knew this moment was coming once Laswell had let you know that Makarov escaped the gulag and was on the move.

You didn’t want it to happen but your job wasn’t famous for making guarantees. Especially with crazy terrorists who wouldn’t stop until the world fell to its knees in front of them.

And Makarov was just like that.

Ruthless, smart, cruel and unpredictable.

While running from location to location, you started to feel getting lost. There were too many dead ends while Makarov was playing with Task Force 141 as he’d wished.

Ghost noticed how much you’d changed since Makarov broke out and wasted no time in getting his hands dirty.

You’d heard stories of him before Price and Soap managed to capture him once 4 years ago which ended in agony and cost a lot of innocent lives. You’d dealt with all kinds of criminals who wanted to build their throne out of corpses but Makarov was by far the worst and most dangerous one.

 With each mission you’d went to with the others, the less your voice could be heard. You were silent and kept checking every corner while wondering how could you finally make a step forward.

There were times when you were seated with Ghost and his favorite sniper to watch the others’ back, and while laying on the ground for hours, the lieutenant tried to get you to talk but you weren’t too bulged.

You hadn’t noticed because you were too focused on your task but Ghost always kept an eye on you when you were in his sight. He’d seen this kind of dedication before, so he understood where your change of heart had come from but he didn’t want you to completely forget who you truly were before.

He’d hated to admit but he would have done anything to bring you back to the surface. It’s been too long since he had heard your laugh or seen your beautiful smile. Hell, he even started to miss those moments when you’d happily join Soap and push his buttons while making fun of Brits.

Ghost couldn’t stand your silence, he liked listening to your voice even while you were only making small chats with him through the coms.

What Ghost had never expected – or anyone else for that matter – was you suddenly disappearing without a word and hearing from a source that you’ve been seen on Makarov’s side.

At first, he was confused and kept denying it but when Price told him that it wasn’t some sort of plan for you to get involved with the Russians, Ghost felt like someone punched him in the chest.

You’d left willingly without a word, and the next thing he knew, you were working under the hands of the enemy.

He was overwhelmed with your betrayal, he was sad, furious, and desperate to find an explanation for your treachery.

What Ghost and the others didn’t know was that Makarov had his eye on you since he escaped from the gulag. Firmly, because you knew Milena from before, and she knew that you were an unstoppable sergeant.

Makarov wanted to break Task Force 141 from the inside before he would grab a gun to put a bullet into everyone’s head, so he ordered his men to do their research on you.

It didn’t take them too long to find your family, even though you tried your best over the years to make it seem like you didn’t have them. You’d never once talked to anyone about your sister and mother who always waited for you to go home, who were always worried about you whenever you departed and had been gone for months while fighting terrorists.

For the first time in your life you didn’t know what to do, you wanted to tell Price and the others that Makarov had captured your family and gave you no choice but the Russian’s intentions were crystal clear. If you’d told anyone about this, he’d kill your family and would blame it all on Task Force 141.

You even thought about telling Ghost that Makarov had found you and backed you in the corner but you knew if the lieutenant would have found out about any of this, he’d never let you go.

Ever since you joined Makarov, the guilt has been eating you from inside, especially whenever your friends’ name was thrown around as Makarov was planning his next move.

Makarov has been calling you ’Rynda’ ever since you gave yourself up to him which you absolutely despised. Since you were his only living connection to Task Force 141, he’d given you the task of always letting him know what the special forces’s next move might be.

”Like the bell ringing when danger is around the corner,” Makarov had said back then with a wicked smile on his lips. ”I don’t want you to disappoint me, Rynda.”

”I won’t.”

Your words might have caused satisfaction in the man but your tongue was burning with the forced promise you’d had to make to him. Your skin was crawling each time he touched you and his voice crept through your ears like venom.

You hated being Milena’s present. Makarov didn’t want any women on the battlefield but he admired your strength and skills, so he ordered you to always stick to Milena and watch her back. Without his financial support, he would have had some problems getting into this whole capture-or-kill scenario.

Milena always made a sound of her whines about how she hated that you were practically babysitting her. Don’t worry, I hate it too, you’d thought.

Whenever you were alone you missed the guys, missed Price being a father figure to you, missed Gaz making fun of your looks after a horribly executed plan, missed Soap teaching you Scottish, and missed Ghost for… for being himself and keeping you under his wing.

”I admire your dedication, really,” Milena called from the other side of the room.

”Do you?”

Milena glanced up from her papers and searched your face.

”Yes, I’m surprised you betrayed your people right away and did everything Vladimir ordered you to.”

”He didn’t give me much of a choice, did he?” you asked and crossed your arms. You hated that she was able to think that you betrayed your second family easily while in reality, it was wearing you down in every way possible.

You were sure you’d never be able to look into their eyes if you saw them again.

”He knows how to win people over.”

You cleared your throat and narrowed your eyes.

”Or to force them to do something that would benefit him.”

Milena was one delusional woman, you were sure of that. You hated how spineless she was and how easily she could get under your skin within seconds.

If Makarov wasn’t so intimidating then you would have already punched her whenever she said a bad word to you. You would have enjoyed it for sure.

Gunshots and shouting emerged from the other side of the building which made you tense right away.

”What the hell?” Milena asked as she stood up and walked to the wall where the security cameras were shown.

You took a few steps, examining the figures that appeared, and felt the color drain from your face.

You wished you would have mistook them for someone else but after serving with them for years, there was no way you wouldn’t recognize them.

It was Soap and Ghost.

Your heart was hammering in your chest, and your stomach turned when you saw Soap getting closer and closer to the door that stood behind you.

With trembling hands, you grabbed your gun and spun on your heel just when the Scots opened the door.

”Special forces, show your hands!”

Raising your guns at the same time, you faced your best friend whose eyes softened the second they found you.

”Cobra…”

It’s been so long since anyone called you that, you almost dropped your gun.

Then you forced yourself to remember your family whose life was on you and how you act now, so you tightened your grip on the cold metal.

”I’d advise you to turn around and leave, Soap.”

Soap lowered his gun while his face dropped in sadness. Your voice was cold and distant, something you’d never used toward him before. You’d only given this treatment to your enemies.

”That’s not going to happen, you know it.”

”I’ll shoot you,” you said, trying to hide your nervousness as he kept your stare.

”You won’t.”

Gritting your teeth, you took a step forward, keeping the gun at him as Milena looked at you in fury.

”What are you waiting for? Shoot him for fuck’s sake!”

No matter how hard you tried, your finger couldn’t touch the trigger. Your heart didn’t let that happen.

Memories flooded and invaded your mind as you looked at John MacTavish who was your favorite partner in crime. Moments of him making you laugh and calming you down after losing a battle made your hands shake in defeat.

You didn’t want to do any of this but you had no choice.

When Soap realized you were not going to shoot him, he let out a small sigh, grabbed one of the chairs, and pushed it forward, his eyes finding Milena.

”Sit.”

You didn’t want to admit but you missed the way Soap could talk coldly to those who were on the other side.

”Fuck you.” Milena spat in hatred.

Soap kept his gaze and gun firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.

”Sit down, Milena.”

Milena gave you a deadly glare before dropping her hands and taking a seat. You couldn’t say a word, it seemed like your voice ceased to exist.

”Where is your boss?” Soap asked sharply.

”I don’t have a boss. No one tells me what to do.” Milena said and you almost scoffed. Only if her words were true.

Soap glared at her for a while before turning around when heavy footsteps broke the silence. You lowered your hands, sweat appearing on your skin as you noticed a familiar tall figure moving in the shadows.

Soap turned around when Ghost walked through the door with a laptop in his hand.

”She’s not talking.”

As Ghost’s familiar dark eyes met yours, he stopped walking and you felt your heart skip a beat. Just like every other time he’d looked at you, you felt exposed and small.

Ghost’s eyes never left you as you tried to catch your breath. His eyes held many emotions, such as surprise, melancholy, and distance.

You hated the way he was looking at you like you were someone else. Like you weren’t someone who was close to him like you weren’t the sergeant who was never afraid to be honest and open with him.

Before you could realize that there was nowhere to run from him, he blinked and walked over to the table.

”She’s about to,” he grunted and put the laptop down on the table, and walked to the other side of the room.

Not wanting to look into his eyes again, you focused on Soap who opened the white laptop and extended his hand to Milena who was sitting still like a rock.

”Give me your hand.”

”Why? Or else you’ll cut it off?” Milena asked.

”Your friend over there knows that it’s true when I say to you that it’s not my style,” Soap said glancing at you from the corner of his eyes. Then tilted his head in Ghost’s direction. ”He might.”

Milena seemed to lose her patience with each second that passed by.

”Why the mask?” she snapped.

You almost rolled your eyes at the question you seemed to hear a million times.

”To hide my face.” Ghost answered with cold eyes.

You were surprised he answered even though it was an obvious and useless response.

You felt Ghost’s eyes finding you again, making your skin burn as you dropped your gaze. You were intimidated by his presence and not because you were afraid of him but because you knew for sure that you hurt his feelings when you left.

You wished you weren’t here to live through this unwanted confrontation. A part of you was happy to see them but your heart was aching by the disappointed and hurtful looks you received from them.

”Cobra.” Ghost called after you as you turned your head away. His voice reached your bones immediately and you hated how much you missed your callsign falling off his lips.

”Don’t call me that,” you said dryly, turning back to him.

Ghost gave you a challenging look as he pushed himself away from the wall and closed the distance between you two. With each step he took, you felt your chest tighten with anticipation and guilt. You wanted to look somewhere else but he firmly held your gaze.

He always did and that hasn’t changed.

”How about we give these two birds a few minutes to find a way to cooperate with each other?” Ghost asked and you felt your eyes widen.

”I’m not leaving Milena.”

Ghost gave you a meaningful look and took the gun from your hand with such ease that wasn’t surprising to either of you.

”Yes, you are.”

Remembering that you weren’t supposed to leave Milena’s sight for even a second, you felt panic and annoyance wash over you.

”You can’t just order me around. Not anymore.” You said in a cold tone that made Ghost shift in his place.

Without saying a word, he grabbed your elbow and pulled you with him as he made his way to the other door that led to another empty room.

”Hey! Get your fucking hand off of me!” You shouted in frustration and tried to free yourself from his grasp but Ghost easily dragged you with him through the door and kicked it shut with his foot.

You let out a desperate groan as you grabbed his wrist, trying to pry it off of your arm which seemed tiny compared to his.

You bit into your lower lip as you tried your best to move his fingers but he wasn’t moving an inch.

”Cobra…” his voice was calmer and more thoughtful now that you were alone with him.

You didn’t look at him, only let out a defeated sigh and stopped fighting, your skin slightly aching.

”This hurts.”

Ghost glanced down at his hand still holding onto you and let go of you the second you’d admitted your physical pain. Hurting you was something he never intended to do.

Hissing, you brought your arm to your chest and touched it with your other hand, and turned away from him. You didn’t trust yourself when he was alone with you.

”What are you doing, Cobra?” Ghost asked from behind you and you closed your eyes. Hearing confusion and disappointment hiding in his voice made you feel guiltier than before.

”That’s none of your concern anymore, Ghost.” You replied still facing the wall.

Taking deep breaths you tried your best to collect your thoughts as you heard him walk closer to you, dropping your gun to the table standing next to you.

”It is.”

His voice circled around you like clouds darkening the sky before the storm.

”Why did you leave?”

You pressed your lips against each other and turned around. You got used to his menacing presence coming firstly from his height. You felt small and weak because you knew he could see right through you.

”People change, Lieutenant. You better get used to it.”

”People change that’s for sure. But don’t betray and stab others in the back just like that. A decision like this never comes from a single thought.”

You hated how much he tried to get into your mind, still trying to find answers to his questions that have probably been burning in him since the day you left.

”I refuse to believe that after everything that happened, you’d willingly just switch sides, I know you. And I know how much you despise traitors,” his eyes never left you as he was speaking.

You didn’t say a word, not when you were on the edge of breaking down.

”Talk to me, Cobra.” Ghost said, his voice quiet.

”I can’t,” you shook your head. ”Why don’t you just do your job and get out of here?”

”I’m not leaving until you say something to me.”

”There is nothing for me to say, especially to you.”

Ghost felt his chest tighten at your coldness. He would have never expected you to speak to him this way. Not after how long it took for you two to finally let your guard down around each other.

”Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

”I do, Ghost. Believe it or not, I’m not part of the special forces anymore, so either shoot me or get out of my face.”

”You really think I’d hurt you?” he asked, his voice low and sad.

”You eliminate targets and now I’m one too,” you crossed your arms, trying to look confident.

”I know why you’re pushing me,” he narrowed his eyes. ”And I know for sure that you didn’t betray us because you felt like you could. I know there is something behind all of this that you refuse to tell me.”

You didn’t answer and that was more than enough for him to confirm his theory about you.

”What happened, Cobra?”

”I left and now I’m one of Makarov’s people, that’s what happened!”

You were desperate to try to get him out of here because your heart was breaking with each word that was exchanged between you two.

”No, don’t even say that. I know who you are.”

”You don’t, Simon. Just get over it and let me go,” you snapped and his gaze dropped for a brief second. You didn’t even realize at first that you called him by his real name until you saw the change in his eyes.

It seemed like your words had made a final straw in Simon’s heart. You hated yourself for talking to him like that and you wished you could go back to them, to him, and forget about this nightmare you’d fallen into.

”I thought I was someone whom you could trust because you can be sure as hell that I still trust you with my life. Whether you like it or not."

His words made more impact on you than they should have. They meant the world to you and knowing that even after turning your back on him, he still trusted you and wanted you to go back.

”I trusted you.”

Trusted you. Past tense which didn’t go unnoticed by him.

”You didn’t if you could leave me like I was nothing to you.” Ghost confronted you with raw honesty, not even hiding the fact of how much your decision had pained him.

”It wasn’t easy,” you admitted, hugging your stomach and your eyes filling with unwanted tears. You hated if someone saw the vulnerable side of you, you hated being vulnerable but around Ghost, you knew he wouldn’t use your pain against you. Never.

Ghost stepped closer to you, making it impossible to look at anything else but him. When he heard your voice tremble and saw your eyes become glossy, he knew he meant something to you after all.

Lifting his hand, he put his index finger under your jaw and made you look at him. His eyes mirrored his emotions as he watched you slowly letting go of the invisible mask you’d hidden behind.

”You don’t need to keep anything from me, Cobra. Have I ever broken your trust and let you down?”

You swallowed the lump in your throat as a lonely tear escaped and rolled down on your hot skin.

When you slowly shook your head, he dipped his to your level.

”Then tell me. Please.”

Swallowing your doubts, you took a shaky breath, his hand still on you.

”He’ll kill me.”

”I won’t let that happen,” Ghost promised it without a second thought.

The words were on the tip of your tongue, almost jumping down. You hated to keep secrets from anyone, especially from Simon who had proven himself worthy of your trust more than once.

”Cobra, I can’t help if you don’t let me,” he continued with sad eyes and wiped your face.

It surprised you how a tall giant like him who had a name for his ruthless methods and interrogation scenes, could act so soft and careful with you.

It was hard to believe that the hand that was confronting you and wiping away your tears had killed so many people before.

With your lower lip quivering, you felt your fear taking over you, making your knees shake. Ghost watched you with worried eyes as you let out a sob you couldn’t hold back anymore and jumped into his arms, hiding your face into his neck.

As you wrapped your arms around his broad shoulders, you felt the heat coming off of his body, his tenseness slowly fading away once he’d realized what you were doing.

Ghost embraced your hug, his big arms wrapping around you like a shield, silently promising to keep you safe. He felt your scent filling his nose and his heart slowing down as your bodies pressed against each other’s.

”He has my family, Simon. He’ll kill them if I don’t obey his orders,” you sobbed in pure panic, your small hands holding onto him.

Ghost exhaled and tightened his grip around you, his head dropping onto yours with ease.

”Shh… I’m here,” he scooted you as you let your tears fall onto his gear.

”I couldn’t tell anyone and he made me swear to leave you or else…”

Ghost didn’t say it was okay or that it would be all right. Because he wasn’t sure if he could keep his promise if he’d told you something you wanted to hear at the moment.

So, he just kept you in his arms and rubbed your back while his heart came to peace now that he knew the real reason why you left them.

”I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

”Hey, hey…” Ghost pulled you away slightly so that he could look into your eyes.

When you glanced up at him, his eyes didn’t make you feel anxious like a few minutes ago, they made you realize you weren’t alone and that he wasn’t blaming you for anything.

”Don’t be sorry, family comes first.” Ghost answered. ”You did what you have to, I understand.”

”But you’re also my family,” you whispered in a defeated tone and his eyes softened.

”It’s okay, Cobra. I’m not mad, I could never be mad at you,” he admitted and pulled you into his chest, his hand caressing your hair.

You sniffed and hid your face in his chest, wishing you could wake up from this nightmare.

But unfortunately, you were awake. You have been this whole time and there was no turning back from now.

”I wish you would have told me without running away,” he said quietly. ”I understand why you did it, I just wish you would have told me.”

”I wanted to,” you admitted, your voice small and vulnerable.

”Why didn’t you then?” he asked, still holding you against his chest.

You sighed and wiped your flushed face, your other hand still around his waist.

”I was afraid you wouldn’t have let me leave.”

”You’re fucking right I wouldn’t have let you do that,” he agreed immediately, causing you to giggle.

Ghost felt warmness fill his chest at your almost laugh, making it easier for him to breathe now that you were in his arms and let yourself smile.

He missed you, a lot.

”I trust you, Simon. You know, I do.”

He hummed as he let his fingertips dance on your skin a little.

”It was hard to believe otherwise when I woke up to you missing one day.”

The familiar feeling of guilt made your expression drop and your brows furrow. You really wished things would have been different.

You hated yourself for making Ghost feel like he didn’t mean anything to you. You hated yourself for making him almost lose his faith in you.

”I’d tell you that you’re coming back with us but something tells me you won’t.”

You stepped away from him, letting go of his torso with defeated eyes.

”He’ll kill them, I can’t go with you,” you said sadly. You’d never felt so lost and desperate before and Simon could see that in your eyes.

”So, what…” his voice trailed off. ”You’re just going to stay by his side and do whatever the fuck he wants you to?”

”It’s not like I want to work for him, Simon. But I have no choice.”

”We’ll figure something out,” he replied.

You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair in frustration.

”You can’t, you know it.”

Ghost shook his head. ”No, there has to be a way… We have to do something before he kills you.”

”I appreciate your concern but there’s nothing you can do for me,” you whispered in a hoarse voice.

Ghost stared at you while hundreds of thoughts had run through his mind, wondering if there was a way he could help you. Hoping he could say or do something that would make you feel better.

”I have to do something… I can’t lose you again, I won’t.”

His words made your heart almost jump out of your chest while he massaged the back of his neck. You felt physically weak at the plea of his voice while he was trying to find a solution.

But there was none.

Not when Makarov had his chains on you like on a dog.

”I’ll be fine, just go.”

Ghost looked at you with hesitation.

”I can’t, Cobra. What if I won’t see you again?”

Wiping your eyes, you took a shaky breath. Him trying to get you out of this just made the whole situation more unbearable.

”We knew what we were signing up for when we joined the special forces, Lt.”

Ghost felt his heart starting to ache in sadness as he took your defeated and exhausted sight in. You weren’t the woman who once made a race with him about getting more kills on a mission or not.

You were only a shadow of yourself and he hated to see you this way.

He would have done anything to be able to take you back with him to the base and never let you go.

It terrified him how lost he’d felt when you left the team, he could still remember how he’d stare at the ceiling of his room, wondering if he’d ever see you again.

”Don’t talk like that, Cobra.” Ghost scolded you. ”Now is not the time.”

”You know I might end up getting killed after all.”

”Don’t.” Ghost said in a stern voice, his body tensing at your words. ”Nobody is dying. Not on my watch and I’m going to keep my word.”

It made you feel better to know that Ghost didn’t hold anything against you. Your soul found peace now that he knew the why behind your decisions and betrayal. It killed you that you couldn’t go home with him and Soap.

Ghost stepped closer to you and waited for you to look into his dark eyes that led you directly to his soul.

”I’m going to get you out of this, Cobra. I promise. I’m not leaving anyone behind, especially you.”

His promise made you forget the danger that was around the corner and just for a brief second you were happy to let yourself believe what Ghost was saying.

”You better not to, lieutenant.”

Ghost huffed and touched the side of your face, his thumb softly caressing your skin. Closing your eyes, you leaned into his touch and forgot how to breathe for a moment.

Simon Riley was famous for a lot of things and keeping his promise was one of them. That was the only thing that helped you come to peace with the things you were forced to do in order to protect your family.

[glikeriya-narkevich]

I think people (and I first of all) wanted to see Bi-Han's redemption arc because it's interesting from an artistic standpoint. There is a conflict in it, something that you can't have an interesting plot without. In my personal opinion, what happens to Bi-Han in the DLC is boring and uninteresting, but I'm glad for those who were satisfied because they got positive emotions, not negative ones, which I had enough of.

Bi-Han in the DLC became exactly the villain, not the gray morality character he was before. There would be a conflict in Bi-Han's story if, for example, Bi-Han was reaching for the light and Sektor was pulling him back to darkness. Or, conversely, Sektor would have tried to reason with Bi-Han and direct him to the light, and he would have actively resisted her. This is not in the story, Sektor and Bi-Han agree with each other on his fate as Noob Saibot. We are strong, we are dangerous, Lin Kuei will rule, we will be unstoppable... Uh. Is it interesting? Personally, no. A character with a gray morality is someone who can do both good deeds and evil deeds, and such a character is always guided solely by inner beliefs. Later, such characters may begin to regret that they didn't listen to someone, or, on the contrary, rejoice that they remained deaf to the words of others. Bi-Han in the DLC has absolutely no doubts and reflection, only stubbornness. He's like a high-speed train without a driver. Yes, I know, maybe I want too much from a fighting game.

The fact that Bi-Han eventually defeated Titan Havik is a credit to Liu Kang, because it was he who healed Bi-Han's mind. Until that moment of healing Bi-Han's mind, Noob Saibot was Titan Havik's slave. Sektor said, „We fight to save our lives.“ A common enemy unites the forces of those who are at war with each other. Personally, I'd be more interested in seeing Bi-Han fight not under compulsion because that's the situation, but out of the call of his heart because something in his mind turned over. Only someone who feels guilty can atone for his guilt. Bi-Han does not feel any guilt, so it cannot be said that he atoned for any guilt by defeating the Titan Havik.

The fact that Bi-Han was allegedly imprisoned and forgotten in the Temple of Elements is Sektor's personal perceptions exclusively. Liu Kang is more reasonable than she is in this matter. Bi-Han being in the Temple of Elements in what I assume is a coma-like state is for his own good. Sektor's desire to get Bi-Han out of there is driven by her ego. Her concern for Bi-Han is not healthy. The impatience that Noob Saibot talked about in the intro dialogues is what drives Sektor and Bi-Han. Their personal impatience doesn't mean that Liu Kang forgot about Bi-Han or wasn't going to treat him.

Mileena is the daughter of the Empress, she rules the Outworld by right of inheritance of the throne. Bi-Han is not the son of the Emperor of the Earthrealm to rule it. So his thirst for freedom is a good thing, but his thirst to rule the entire Earthrealm (or only part of it) is a matter of forcibly seizing power, not power by right of inheritance. If Bi-Han had stopped at gaining freedom from Liu Kang's shackles, then there would have been no questions for Bi-Han. He had the right to freedom. But freedom alone didn't suit him, Bi-Han wants to rule the Earthrealm/part of the Earthrealm, not just the Lin Kuei clan as their Grandmaster. He not only wants to be free, he wants the fullness of power that he was never born into. I'm not saying there shouldn't be "villainous villains" in the story. I'm just very upset and, yes, I'm very angry that they made Bi-Han such a villain, who wasn't such a villain even in the first part of MK1, let alone the old canon. Yes, I would like respect from the writers of the new MK for the old canon.

In Noob Saibot's ending, we see what he truly cares about: his power in battle, not his soul. Personally, this is a very boring choice for me. Bi-Han calls power perfection. Power has become a priority thing for him, but not the purification of his soul. It's not just uninteresting to watch, it's painful and sad, because Bi-Han is my favorite character in MK since the distant Sega days. Yes, I'd like to see an upward spiral of his path, not a downward one. I'd be glad if he didn't at least fall further into his gloomy state.

I always thought that when Bi-Han says in his ending in the first part of Mortal Kombat 1 "We", he means Lin Kuei, not „Me and Sektor“. "We" is the Lin Kuei clan. „We were now masters of our destiny and could take our place among Earthrealm's greatest nations.“ Here he is referring to the Clan, not Sektor.

Liu Kang is the voice of reason trying to sober up Sektor. Liu Kang sees that Bi-Han's soul is sick, infected, and he wishes for him to be healed. He doesn't manipulate Sektor's loving emotions, but offers her reasonable things to do because she's acting unreasonably. Because, yes, indeed, if one loves another person, she wishes him to be healed, not to remain in sickness. Sektor doesn't wish for Bi-Han to be healed in the end and suspects Liu Kang of abandoning Bi-Han. Where is the logic in this?

The intro dialogues didn't convince me personally in any way, and I still see Sektor more as Bi-Han's tool to achieve Lin Kuei's goals. Of course he needs her, because she is effective and ready to accept his vision of Lin Kuei which he shares with her, but Bi-Han has Lin Kuei in the first place, the clan is his main priority, not Sektor. She talks a lot about him in the intro dialogues, and he talks about Lin Kuei. I have no doubts about her attitude towards him, but there is no benefit from her love. They're like a very very very lite version of Joker and Harley now. Yes, that's not what I wished for my favorite character. Each of us has the right to be happy and accept a new story, as well as reject it and be unhappy, as happened in my case. I would be glad to see the warm side of Bi-Han, to see how love changes his soul. The DLC doesn't have that, sadly.

[animeyanderelover]

I was so excited that I stayed up for this.

May I request hcs of ryuken (I have a slight obession of this man.) with a judge darling who over works themself to the point of passing out. Like they go to work earlier and come home later than him. And they leave the hospital going against medical orders and say to the nurse " Tell doctor Ishida that I am leaving since I have a hearing in 2 hours, if he wants to see me he can see me at home. " Thank you

Tw: Yandere themes, toxic relationship, possessive behavior, obsession, paranoia, controlling behavior

Judge darling who overworks themselves

◻️It truly is the definition of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Truly, if you wouldn't push yourself so much Ryuken could admire this all a bit more. After all he appreciates your hard work and your respectable job. After all both of you have jobs where you essentially hold control over someone else's life and Ryuken wants to admire that. But he just can't do that with the way you constantly go against the medical orders he places upon you. Your partner has a tendency to be a bit more controlling, especially since he is a doctor and the director of the hospital in this town. So of course he would react very sensitive when he finds out that you overwork yourself to the point where you skip sleep and faint due to exhaustion and a lack of proper nutritions. You can protest and claim to know the limits of your body all you want but you aren't the medic in this relationship. He is and so he knows best.

◻️This topic is sure to spark a lot of discussions and arguments between the two of you. You are extremely stubborn and refuse to listen to Ryuken whilst he just ends up belittling you for your attitude. You're acting like a little child in his eyes right now, one that doesn't know when to stop. He thought that you would know better than that but apparently he was wrong. Those arguments never end in a shouting match though because both of you think that you're above screaming at each other from the top of your lungs. Instead there are sharp glares thrown at each other, words dripping with sarcasm fired at each other and constant belittlements directed at each other. Ryuken would rather not spend so much time arguing and destroying the domestic bliss but you give him no choice. He won't back down and watch you ruin your health.

◻️He tries to approach this all logically for a while in hopes of reasoning with you. So he explains to you that if you were one day to seriously suffer from the constant days and nights of overworking yourself, you wouldn't be able to help all your clients and bring justice upon the court. Can't you see that your reckless behavior is also harming other people? If you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for your clients who need you in your best condition. Or do it for him, your husband who is very worried about your health. Even as he tells you this argument, he can't hide the sharp edge in his voice completely. He considers himself a patient man but even he is slowly losing his patience here because both of you have been quarreling like this for way too long now. And you still refuse to listen to the his advice. The advice of your husband and an actual doctor.

◻️Ryuken finally reaches a limit when he finds out that you constantly leave the hospital and go against medical orders despite having fainted prior to being brought there. He will absolutely not tolerate such neglectful behavior for one's own health. Fine. If you refuse to properly take care of yourself, he will have to take some measurements then. He starts meddling with your job as he talks to people you work with to bring them on his side and convince you to take a few steps back and relax from your constant work. He starts taking this matter more to the public and even if he dislikes sharing what is privately happening between you two normally, this is for your own good. He plans to make people aware of what you're doing and uses his influence as an actual doctor to strengthen their belief to trust his words that you need to slow down or else you might suffer serious consequences later on in your life.

◻️You hear words from your concerned colleagues soon after and storm angrily to Ryuken who calmly stands there and listens to your furious rant. He rebukes you for your accusations though as he explains to you that he only informed people about this because apparents his own words as your lover and doctor weren't enough. You really are too reckless for your own good but he won't allow anything to happen to you just because you are too stubborn to just sit down and rest for a while. You are worse than he is and that is already an achievement in itself. He additionally scolds you for leaving the hospital despite the medical orders for you to just spend a day or two there and rest. Are you even aware of the risks? Next time you will head the advice he gives you as your doctor.

◻️Ryuken is definitely persistent and you feel his influence in the people around you who try to encourage you to work less and take more breaks. This only adds gasoline to the flames and obviously you try to work even more as a protest. Only that you soon find out that Ryuken has stepped his own game up. He stays longer awake himself to catch you before you can leave for work again and when you scold him for getting too little sleep he quickly points out the sheer hypocrisy in your words as you have been doing the very same thing even longer than he has and even locks the door to the bedroom to prevent you from leaving. He uses the same strategy whenever you end up once again in the hospital as he makes sure to lock the door that would allow you to leave the room and tries to take as much time to stay with you in the same room to ensure that you take proper rest. As soon as you start an argument with him, you just receive this cold glare from him. You got yourself in this situation. If you would have just listened to him, none of this would have to happen. But he'll keep on playing this game you try to play until you learn your lesson.

[ctrnewrites]

long live (eddie munson)

a/n: this is heavily based on the taylor swift song. i am indeed a swiftie and i thought the song fit the vibe. (and castles crumbling but it makes me wanna scream and cry) def not excessively proofread. pls enjoy though i tried a different direction than typical songfics :) (also i might start using gifs more so the post isn't bald, gif isn't mine btw i use google image search o7)

summary: eddie's gf plays the prom venue with an original that makes him fall even more in love with her. (probably ooc but its cute so i'll die on my hill of soft content)

wc: 3.1k (woah)

Prom season, April 1986. Prom season was perhaps one of the most important seasons of a teenage girl’s life. Every junior and senior in Hawkins, Indiana was scrambling to find the perfect date, the perfect flowers, and the perfect dress. And every seller of any trade was making sure to get into the prom market to make that profit.

Eddie wasn’t someone too concerned about the idea of prom. Sure, it happened and there was usually some hot gossip that hit the school the weeks before and after the event, but it wasn’t on the top of the priority list. After all, this is his second senior year. He never had an urge to go to the ones before and didn’t have the urge to go to this one now. He’d much rather spend his Saturday evening playing tabletop with his club, practicing with his band, or hanging out with his girlfriend.

His girlfriend, God he loved his girlfriend. Eddie swore that whatever higher force was out there made her special for him. They were so similar yet any difference they had was even more complimentary. They both supported each other non-stop and made time for each other during the busy senior year. Shit, thanks to (Y/n) he was accelerating his path to officially graduating. But that time was quickly approaching and although he couldn’t go immediately into college, (Y/n) swore up and down that she would be there for him no matter what.

Of course, Eddie’s perspective on prom immediately changed when (Y/n) came barreling into the trailer with a letter in hand and the largest smile he’s seen on her in ages. He loved her smile.

“Eddie, you won’t believe what I got in the mail!” (Y/n) exclaimed with excitement, almost colliding with his chest. She was an unstoppable force, and him, an immovable object.

“Mmm, you got accepted into Harvard?” Eddie asks with a chuckle. “I’m teasing you sweetheart, what is the news that you are so excited to share that you have to break my ribs in the process?”

“SO! The prom committee reached out to me and my band, right?” She started, the joy never once faltering from her voice. “They want us to play at prom! We get in free of charge and our dates get fifty percent off!”

Eddie made a sound of bewilderment and excitement for his girlfriend, immediately going to wrap his arms around her to hug, lift, and spin her all in one fluid movement. “Incredible! I expect nothing less from my dearest, my one and only star.” He smiled and gave her forehead a gentle kiss.

Once (Y/n) was let go by Eddie’s embrace, she started her little victory lap around the trailer. Her unbridled joy filled the entire living room and pierced Eddie right in the heart. The way her eyes lit up as she celebrated.

Although a small earwig in his head tried to feed him jealous thoughts, ones of anger for not being selected as part of the Hawkins High School entertainment, he shook them away. No jealousy nor anger would ever come out of someone else’s happiness. Now the real challenge was finding whatever formal wear he had left and making sure it was appropriate to make his girls’ dream come true.

--------------------------------------------------

When (Y/n) got the letter from the Hawkins High School Prom Committee, she was over the moon excited. Letting her other members that they were so on for the occasion and to get prepared. Of course, at the next practice, they were learning more mainstream covers to appeal to the greater audience, but that wasn’t going to stop them from sneaking in an original. The committee was only allowed to give them an hour-long slot due to budgeting and because they knew those students wanted to enjoy the night too.

“I have a quick question.” (Y/n) spoke up during a break during their practice session, “How do you guys feel about Long Live?” she asked somewhat nervously. That song was one of her passion projects, something she really poured her heart and soul into.

“I think it's phenomenal.” Kat smiled as she answered honestly. “I can tell you worked hard on it, and you know where you want to go with it. And you’re also not a total bitch to either me or Bianca when it doesn’t sound like you expected.”

“You just want to perform it for your man.” Bianca giggled and teased (Y/n), tapping her gently yet playfully on the arm. “It’s beautiful.”

“I hope I tell both of you how much I appreciate you.” (Y/n) smiled brightly, pulling the two in for a one-armed hug for each. All 3 girls agreed that if they had even the smallest hint of an original song, they would share it and attempt to work on it. “There are still some missing pieces, but we have time. It’s almost done.”

Kat stood up and looked her dead in the eye, a stern yet loving look on her face. “You better not doubt yourself, because good god you are one of the most talented songwriters I have ever met.”

(Y/n) beamed with appreciation and pride. She was told before that she was a good writer, by her bandmates, mother, and Eddie. But sometimes that feeling hits different when it comes after achieving something huge. It was settled, (Y/n)’s hard worked love ballad was to be played on the night of prom.

--------------------------------------------------

At the next Hellfire meeting, (Y/n) sat in her corner with her notebook. She never played the tabletop game herself, but it doesn’t mean she enjoyed the chatter of the boys at the table.

“Oh, go screw yourself! I totally had a good window to roll for stealth!” Dustin exclaimed to Mike.

“You take forever to decide what to do, and Eddie was already counting down before the hobgoblin would kill us all!” Mike retorted in defense.

“So immediately charging him straight on would’ve been the best tactic?” Jeff defends Dustin from Eddie’s left side.

The boys continued bickering until Eddie put a stop to it, continuing with part seven of their multi-part campaign. Although it was noisy, (Y/n) didn’t mind. It was a heartwarming kind of noise. A noise of joy, regardless of who rolled what. She stayed in her little corner, occasionally piping up with a joke towards whoever was the victim. Her thoughts, however, were focused on her notebook. The book she used to write down lyrics and ideas.

“You’re really enamored with that little book there, sweetheart.” Eddie teased her lightly, smiling at her.

“None of your business, dearest.” She responded with a chuckle. (Y/n) took her pen and jotted down a quick 'a band of thieves in ripped up jeans' and her eyes met Eddie’s gaze. “I’m serious. Let me plot and scheme in peace.”

“There shall be no peace for you as long as I live and breathe as your boyfriend.” Eddie quickly retorted, going back to the campaign that he worked tirelessly on.

“Evidently.” She giggled, also going back to the notebook she paid most of her attention to.

Nobody really complained about (Y/n)’s presence in the corner of the club room. Although it was at first off putting to have someone just watching them the entire time, they were soon warmed up after the first few weeks of her bringing snacks. Sometimes she’d even help them with how to proceed. She wasn’t a player at all, but at least she was familiar and respected their time and when they would go over. Essentially adopting a motherly role to the younger kids and being a damn good influence and person to the rest of them.

--------------------------------------------------

The countdown to prom officially hit its 14-day mark. In 2 weeks time, every junior and senior would be lining up to get inside a stuffy gym to dance and try to spike some punch. (Y/n) already had her dress picked out. Something she could maneuver in. A sparkling purple ensemble that hugged her chest yet flowed out in a subtle manner. She never told Eddie what the dress looked like, only that he should get a purple tie to match. Lighter colors weren’t really his thing, neither was prom, yet he still searched the shops far and wide for the perfect color.

(Y/n) sat in a corner of Eddie’s bedroom on the floor, toying with chords on her guitar, humming the melody to her hardworking self-written song. She had sort of a blank stare on her face as she kept playing the same chord progression repeatedly.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Eddie pipes up and sits across from her on the same floor.

She shook out of her trance and looked at her boyfriend. Sighing softly, she sets the guitar against the wall. “I feel like I’m stuck.” Her voice came out soft against the din of the air conditioning.

Eddie crawled over to her, his pocket chains jingling together. His arms enveloped her on the floor as he held her tightly in an embrace, her side to his chest as he moved his legs to either side of her body. His body slowly started rocking out of habit, allowing the two to sway subtly yet soothingly. “You know, babe, you are the most amazing, fantastic girl in the world. Beautiful, strong, a fuckin’ genius.” He whispered his compliment after he planted a kiss on the shell of her ear.

The kiss sent a quick shiver down her spine. “Well right now I feel dumb.” She huffed, “This stupid prom thing is stressing me out.”

“Screw the prom right now. You need to rest. Stress is just going to make you feel worse about it.” He spoke as he cradled her head to his chest, moving backwards to lay down. “I want you to be proud of where you are, and I want you to actually enjoy the night.”

The two of them laid on the floor, (Y/n) stared at the ceiling as Eddie stared right at her. This position allowed her to relieve the tension that she was holding in her body. “Why do you have to be right?” She spoke sarcastically.

“I want the very best for my very best.” His lips placed another peck on her head.

A comfortable silence reached the couple. The only noise ever heard within the room being the echo of the air conditioning. At some point, (Y/n)’s eyes closed as she fell into a light slumber. Once this was noticed by Eddie, he gently picked her up and set her in the bed while lying next to her. Covering the two with blankets, he shut his eyes and fell into his own rhythm of sleep.

--------------------------------------------------

 “It’s a meeting day and the yearbook crew needs photos for the yearbook soon.” (Y/n) told the entirety of Hellfire before they started. “It’s why I had Eddie get you guys here early.”

“And because she is way more organized and actually has a camera to take the pictures with.” Eddie chuckled and wrapped an arm around her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

The boys nodded in understanding. Since they were already in their Hellfire “team” shirts, it wasn’t too hard to plan. The setup was simple, a white backdrop pinned to the wall while they stood in front of it with various poses. Several group pictures and several individual headshots for the boys. Headshots including a smile and a smolder from each member. Some of the photos included were also some staged “action” shots of Eddie standing at the head of the table with the boys surrounded to stand over as if they were planning an attack.

Eventually, the roll of film was getting noticeably used up. (Y/n) wanted to keep some for natural shots within the club during the meeting, hoping that she wouldn’t be too obvious but honestly, it wasn’t an exceptionally big deal. Being able to capture a moment of genuine pleasure on the faces of the group she cared so much about was more important.

Later that week, (Y/n) and Eddie stood in the red room of the schools’ yearbook committee. The freshly developed photos hung on a string to dry. Both smiled at the multiple photos of the club just being themselves.

“It’s not fair how they treat you.” (Y/n) spoke bitterly. They were the same as everybody else, just more confident in what they enjoy compared to those same people.

“It is what is it, sweetheart.” Eddie sighed in response, but he agreed. “Not much we can do but hold our heads high.”

“At least you’re confident and passionate about what you love! That’s what makes you different. Something that makes you also incredibly admirable too.” She hummed and gave a peck to his cheek. “Still gives them no excuse for what they do.”

Eddie smiled small at his girlfriend, turning her to face him. “That’s good. I’m pretty confident that I’m in love with you.”

(Y/n) blinked at him, his infectious smile spreading to her. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she brought him into a kiss. Only breaking after a moment for air. “I am so very in love with you as well.”

--------------------------------------------------

Here it was, the night of the Hawkin’s High Prom of 1986. The stage was already set up for the live act of the night but in the meantime, a large mix of tapes was selected to play over the sound system in the gym. The event had only started 45 minutes ago.

Eddie strolled in with other members of the Hellfire Club, fashionably late of course. For a bunch of presumed delinquents, they cleaned up real nice. Mike, Dustin, and Lucas were lucky to be there as underclassmen due to being invited by the other upperclassmen members of the club.

“So, when is (Y/n) gonna perform?” Dustin asks the group, sitting down at a table on the outskirts of the gym.

Eddie shrugged. “Not sure, was only told it was about an hour block.” He looked around the room for any sight of his girlfriend.

On the other side of the stage, (Y/n) was peeking behind a door to watch the Hellfire members sat at the table. They were late, it scared her. What scared her even more was that they were on within 15 minutes. Kat and Bianca were behind her and staring out of the same window on the door.

“What the hell is their problem? 45 minutes late?” Kat exclaimed pessimistically. “They would’ve been dead if it were up to me.”

“Hey, it’s not that bad. At least they missed Jason and his dumb ass entrance.” Bianca shrugged. “I did not need to see all that movement from him of all people.” She giggled. This made Kat snort with laughter and her hand quickly shot up to cover her nose. Which then forced all three girls into laughter behind the door.

Soon enough, it was time for them to start their set. The crowd was excited enough to watch the girls enter and play a few starting notes of a Tears for Fears song. Knowing the newer, more popular songs really paid off for the excitement of the crowd. While she sang, (Y/n) spotted the club dancing and slowly moving towards the front. Seeing the people she loved having a great time only made her want to perform even better. Just so she could see that happy expression shared through the group.

It was nearing the end of their set, just so they could also enjoy time at the prom. (Y/n), Kat, and Bianca all nodded toward each other. The drummer and guitarist paused as (Y/n) took the mic to start speaking to the gym.

“I just wanna start out and say, I hope everybody is having an amazing time. Everybody looks amazing, you all deserve to feel the same way too.” She started, earning a cheer from the student body. “But I did want to preface this next song by saying it’s an original!” Her somewhat nervous chuckle didn’t hinder her in the slightest. “I wrote it thinking about the people I really love. Especially the one who was the biggest help, even if he didn’t know it. This is Long Live.” (Y/n) finished her miniature speech, then gestured for Kat and Bianca to start the beginning chords and beat of the song as students were cheering, the cheering of the Hellfire Club being the loudest in the room.

The beginning was a hopeful melody, arousing feelings of happiness and celebration. The moment (Y/n) started singing the opening verse to her song, Eddie felt nothing but love and adoration for his girlfriend. With every lyric there was a mention of something they’ve done or said. At the first celebratory sung cheer of “long live”, followed by mystical references, he could tell the remnants of earlier campaigns littered her lyrics.

“You traded your baseball cap for a crown,” (Y/n) sang with a smile, pointing her finger at Dustin who was absolutely enamored with the song, cheering and dancing with Mike and Lucas as if nobody was around. The maternal love she felt towards those boys would never dwindle.

The one phrase that perfectly described the group and how they felt was simple, yet so unbelievably powerful. None of them would ever forget it, they are the band of thieves in ripped-up jeans.

After a moment, the song approached its final chorus. Finally closing with “we will be remembered” and taking their final bow of the night. All judgement seemed to cease with the song, students of all different cliques cheering and applauding for the girl group as they made their way off the stage and back into the crowd.

(Y/n) wasted no time in finding Eddie, running into a hug where he spun her around off the ground. He showered her with compliments and pecks all around her face then pulled her into a lasting embrace. Enjoying the moment he was able to feel and share with her. “You are the most amazing, beautiful, talented woman I know.” He said with a grin.

“Thank you, my love. But you are my inspiration.” She giggled and kissed him, bringing him out to the floor to dance with her.

“I’ve got to get you to write for Corroded Coffin more. With your genius we could sell out stadiums.” He chuckled, spinning her lightly.

(Y/n) held his hand tightly as he spun her, returning “Sounds like a plan,” when she was finally chest to chest with him. The couple continued to sway and dance with the pre-taped music over the loudspeaker. Right now, nothing else mattered but the two of them together. It may not be a kingdom, but the gymnasium lights really shined for them as they danced the night away.

[tenebraevesper]

Shatter Me, Entry 4: LOVE or HATE?

''For example, if I let my hair sway a little, will the voice I hear be LOVE or HATE? Do whatever you like, no matter what they say, I won't stop walking. Unstoppable news, they'll forget it tomorrow. Today is better than yesterday, believing leads to a big victory. Sync with the rhythm, I want to be swaying, but the outsiders are noisy, noise canceling. For example, if I trace my finger a little, will your choice be LOVE or HATE? Do whatever you like, make your cheeks turn red and spitting, boy. Differences in hobbies, differences in peace of mind, even if I confuse you my path is shaped by just LOVE or HATE.''

– LOVE or HATE? by Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord

xXxXxXx

''Keep up, Faker! I know you can do better!''

Shadow narrowed his eyes, keeping a close eye on the Blue Blur before him as both skated past the greenery, determined not to lose to his rival. Unlike all the other times, where he was fine acknowledging Sonic's speed and strength, this was a battle he couldn't afford to lose. He was determined to win, no matter the methods he would use. He needed to win this, for his own sake.

''Don't underestimate me!''

A cheerful laugh echoed in Shadow's ears echoed as he and Sonic weaved through this area of Green Hill. Shadow couldn't help but smile, well aware that Sonic was probably having the time of his life being in a chase like this.

''If I wanted to underestimate you, I wouldn't be avoiding you like this,'' Sonic said, leaping on a platform to get to higher ground, only to get startled when Shadow suddenly warped right in front of him. ''I guess I should focus more on the fight rather than the talk.''

''I'm glad that you recall what I had told you,'' Shadow responded, arms folded across his chest in the typical manner, although his lips were graced by a small smirk. Surprisingly, instead of just grabbing Sonic then and there, he decided to stay where he was, although it helped that he was about three steps away from reaching his rival. Sonic grinned playfully, his eye-lids lowered as he took a step back, his hands on his back.

''It helps that you made sure to remind me of it over and over again, but I don't think that'll stop me from quipping,'' Sonic said.

''If you ever stopped making quips, it would be a sign that something is really wrong with you,'' Shadow replied, taking a step forward.

''Heh, you know me too well, Shads,'' Sonic replied, only to leap from the platform backwards, curling into a ball and bouncing down, before resuming the chase.

Sonic was fully aware that, no matter how fast he was, Shadow would be able to catch up to him at some point. He didn't mind losing though, as he already knew what might happen after he loses the race, but that didn't mean that he was going to make it easy for Shadow. Speaking of which, his rival had warped right behind him, followed by another warp right in front of Sonic, forcing the azure hedgehog to dodge. Sonic gritted his teeth when Shadow suddenly appeared behind him, a smirk on his expression and the green Chaos Emerald in his hand. Sonic leapt away, but took only a few steps before Shadow appeared again, forcing Sonic to turn the other way, but Shadow was ahead of him once again.

''What's the matter, Sonic? It seems that you cannot escape me,'' Shadow teased him. Sonic turned around to punch him, but Shadow caught his hands, with the two ending up in a grappling hold.

''To make it clear, this does not count as you having caught me,'' Sonic stated, his eyes narrowed as he tried to push Shadow way while keeping a tight grip on his hands, but they remained locked in position. ''You'd have to do better than this!''

''I'm not going to argue with that, since you can still fight back,'' Shadow said, a devious smirk gracing his lips. ''Therefore, I'd have to go out of my way and follow your brand of unpredictability.''

''Wha-?'' Before Sonic could even get a question out, Shadow suddenly pulled his hands downwards, causing Sonic to stumble forward, with Shadow letting go of him just to wrap his arms around Sonic's torso and pulling him closer. Sonic's fawn muzzle turned crimson red when he suddenly found himself in Shadow's embrace, his own hands resting on Shadow's fluffy chest fur. His own heart was racing, feeling as if it was going to break through his ribcage.

''So, how's that for being unpredictable?'' Shadow asked, his gaze soft, yet showing a clear sense of smugness Sonic was all too familiar with. It was obvious that he enjoyed seeing Sonic being so flustered, especially since he knew that he was the cause of it. However, Sonic was quick to bounce back.

''Fine, I'll admit that you caught me off guard,'' he said, narrowing his eyes, not trying to show that he actually felt quite comfortable held like this. Even though Shadow had technically caught him, it seemed that there was an unspoken agreement between them to continue, as Shadow let go of him a moment later, allowing Sonic to step back and create some distance. Sonic then stretched his hands above his head, intertwining his fingers, and taking a moment to figure out his next move. He then saw a gleam in Shadow's crimson eyes, alerting him to his rival's next move.

Suddenly, Shadow lunged at him, but Sonic managed to leap back, dodging Shadow, with the chase then resuming. Sonic sped off between the palms, finding himself back at Hedgehog's Pass and leaping onto the platform above. He didn't even have to turn around to know Shadow was right behind him, his ears flicking at the sound of his rival's air shoes as he got closer and closer. Sonic took a turn, hoping that he could shake Shadow off at the Loop-de-Loop, followed by running around the other platforms as if he was on a roller-coaster. Up, down, all around… Sonic felt the adrenaline pumping through his body as he sprinted towards a clearing, only to hear a familiar sound and dodging a spin-dash from Shadow at the last second, with both skidding to a halt as they faced each other.

''Nice try, Shads, but you'll have to step up- agh!'' Sonic suddenly found himself flying when Shadow used Chaos Control to warp closer and rammed into him, knocking him down on the ground. Shadow walked up to him with a smirk on his expression.

''You're losing focus-''

However, before he could even finish, Sonic got up faster than expected, spin-dashing into Shadow and knocking him back into a palm tree. The ebony hedgehog was more stunned than hurt, staring back at his azure rival, who just gave him a teasing smile.

''What was that about losing focus? Seriously, Shads, don't you know that you should pay attention to your opponent during a battle?'' Sonic lectured him, hands placed on his hips. Shadow snorted in amusement, having to admit that Sonic was right. He did underestimate his rival, having thought that he finally managed to knock Sonic out, but he should've known better. Still, he felt as if it wasn't a big deal. This wasn't one of their usual battles where they would argue about the best way to save the world. This was something they were doing for themselves, dishing out hits and taking them as they went on, feeling genuinely relaxed about this whole ordeal.

Nevertheless, Shadow wasn't going to let Sonic win this battle.

Sonic's eyes widened as he saw Shadow showing off the Chaos Emerald, realizing that his rival was about to use Chaos Control again. He wasn't sure whether Shadow was trying to warp closer to him or whether he had planned to use Chaos Control to actually stop time, noting to himself that the latter would be kinda cheating, since Sonic obviously wouldn't be able to make a move if that's what happened. Therefore, he didn't even wait to learn what Shadow's intentions were, running off again.

Shadow narrowed his eyes as Sonic disappeared once again, kicking up dirt and smoke, but he already anticipated that move. He quickly followed him up a hill, knowing that this would be his opportunity, using Chaos Control once again to warp closer. Sonic seemed to have anticipated that move, as he turned back, ready to continue the fight.

It's now or never!

Sonic gasped in surprise, having not expected for Shadow to suddenly tackle him from the side, causing both of them to tumble and roll down the hill, all the while still fighting over who'd land on the top. Unfortunately for Sonic, he was the one who lost, with Shadow finally pinning him down, keeping a tight grip on his arms and straddling his waist. Both were breathing heavily, their chests visbly heaving as they tried to catch their breath. Sonic tried to lift his limbs, but it was clear that Shadow wasn't letting him go this time.

''I win,'' the ebony hedgehog said, a triumphant smirk on his lips. Sonic's mind was racing, still trying to find a way out of this situation, but the voice in his head told him to just give up. It was over. Nevertheless, Sonic remained defiant.

''You must be really enjoying your victory,'' he quipped in a deadpan tone.

''Hmph, I do,'' Shadow replied in a matter-of-fact tone, with Sonic knowing that his rival was holding himself back from ribbing Sonic about it. Both were surprisingly silent, the only sound being that of them breathing as they tried to recover from the ordeal.

Sonic gazed into Shadow's eyes, emerald locking with crimson, and he knew that the same question was on his rival's mind – what would be their next move? Admittedly, both of them knew what was coming, but there was some uncharacteristic hesitance on both sides, as this was still new territory for both of them to explore. Sonic could feel a wave of warmth spreading through his body, sparking like electricity, only for a strange weight to settle down in the pit of his stomach as as he parted his lips when Shadow leaned closer, their noses almost touching.

''So, what now?'' Shadow's breath ghosted Sonic's lips, leaving his rival trembling with anticipation. The ebony hedgehog knew well what Sonic's answer would be, but he wanted to enjoy this moment just a little bit longer. Not only that, but he also wanted to absolutely make sure that Sonic agreed to it. He knew that neither of them were good at communicating their feelings, so asking him a question like this was important. Fortunately for him, the look Sonic gave him was that of impatience and slight irritation.

''I believe that this the moment where you claim your prize, Faker,'' Sonic told him in a deadpan tone.

Shadow let out a soft laugh, well aware that Sonic wasn't the most patient person either, and probably just wanted to get this over with. He leaned closer, whispering, ''Your call, Faker…''

''I will crush you once and for all, Hedgehog!''

Both Sonic and Shadow audibly groaned, rolling their eyes as they heard a familiar voice shouting in the distance and snapping them out of their moment.

''You gotta be kidding me!'' Sonic groaned, glancing back at Shadow, his annoyed expression mirroring Shadow's.

''The Doctor had picked the worst of moments for attacking us,'' Shadow growled in irritation. He and Sonic then got up, turning to the small army of Badniks approaching them, with Dr. Eggman sitting in his Eggmobile.

''Well, look at this on the positive side. At least we don't have to deal with five of him this time,'' Sonic replied.

''Fair point,'' Shadow responded. Both then turned their attention towards Dr. Eggman and his Badniks.

''Yo, Egghead! What are you up to this time?'' Sonic shouted, with Shadow deciding to let him take over this conversation. Knowing the dynamic between his rival and the Doctor, he was certain that their enemy would eventually reveal his plans, giving Sonic and Shadow enough information to stop him. ''Let me guess! You have found another magical gem! Oh, or even better! You decided to awaken an ancient eldritch abomination and lost control of it!'' Sonic then tilted his head. ''Or, is it both?''

''Unfortunately for you, rodent, it's neither. Instead, I decided to go back to the basics!'' Dr. Eggman replied, only for a blue blur to suddenly appear out of nowhere. Shadow was alert enough to dodge it, but Sonic wasn't that lucky, being dragged into the foliage by a familiar foe.

''Metal?!'' Sonic was shocked to see Metal Sonic appear to battle him, as he hadn't seen him in quite a while. ''I though you were out of commission or something like that.'' Metal responded by throwing him on the ground, followed by a punch that managed to crack the ground below. Fortunately, Sonic rolled over, dodging the attack and quickly getting on his feet. ''Oh, right, you don't talk unless you're Neo Metal Sonic.'' Sonic dodged a kick. ''Y'know, after dealing with Chaos Sonic, I really appreciate your silence.'' Metal Sonic suddenly fired an energy blast from his chest cavity, forcing Sonic to dive down to dodge it, with the explosion leaving the foliage behind him charred. ''Phew, I'm glad that the Chaos Council did make a Chaos Sonic with your weapons. That guy was already hard to beat as he was, and ten times as annoying.''

Metal Sonic started to charge up once again, with Sonic taking off running. The azure hedgehog smirked, being glad to go back to the familiar dynamic he had with his robotic rival, and already forming a plan in regards to how to defeat him.

Meanwhile, Shadow was left dealing with the Badniks and listening to Dr. Eggman's gloating. The dark hedgehog was dodging attacks from Buzz Bombers and smashing through a Caterkiller and a Motobug with a well-aimed spin-dash. Admittedly, while he was a bit concerned about Sonic, he knew his rival well enough to know that he could handle Metal Sonic on his own, leaving Shadow to deal with the rest.

''Chaos Spear!'' Shadow snapped his fingers, summoning a green bolt of energy and throwing it directly into the Badniks, obliterating them. He could hear Dr. Eggman growl in frustration, feeling quite satisfied to hear that. Nevertheless, it seemed that the Doctor wasn't going to give up so easily.

''How about this, Shadow? If you tell me the location of the Paradox Prism, I'll make sure that some remains of you are left,'' Dr. Eggman proposed just as Shadow found himself getting cornered by the Badniks. Shadow just rolled his eyes in response.

''You are the third person who asked me about the Paradox Prism, Doctor, and the answer is still the same,'' Shadow replied in a firm tone, summoning another Chaos Spear. ''No.''

With that said, he weaved between the Badniks, using the bolt of energy as a weapon to pierce through them, freeing the Flickies that were trapped inside them. In the corner of his eye, he could see Sonic fighting Metal Sonic, exchanging blows and spin-dashing into his robotic counterpart, only to end up hitting Metal Sonic's Black Shield. Shadow narrowed his eyes, glancing back at the rest of the Badniks, with a smirk forming on his lips. He held up the green Chaos Emerald.

''Chaos Control!''

Shadow could feel the energy of the Chaos Emerald coursing through his body and spreading into the environment, with time around him stopping. Using this to his advantage, Shadow quickly spin-dashed into the remaining Badniks, destroying all of them, and allowing time to continue once more.

''Wh-huh?'' Dr. Eggman was baffled to see all of his Badniks destroyed, with Shadow skating towards Sonic. He then frowned, having taken note of Shadow's Chaos Emerald and realizing what had just happened, growling in annoyance. ''That does it!''

Back on the battlefield, Sonic went for the offensive, with Metal Sonic blocking his attacks, only to get a kick to the head from Shadow, causing him to hit the dirt. Sonic then grinned at Shadow. ''Wanna try a combo and send Metal flying?''

Shadow just nodded, and the moment Metal Sonic got up, he found himself being surrounded by two hedgehogs, who curled up into balls and started spinning around him, creating a blue and orange tornado that crackled with energy, damaging Metal Sonic and sending him flying straight at the Dr. Eggman, landing in the Eggmobile, defeated.

''This is not the last you see of me!'' Dr. Eggman growled, flying the Eggmobile away.

''See you next time, Eggy!'' Sonic shouted after him, leaving Dr. Eggman grumble furiously. Sonic chuckled, well aware that his adversary would soon come up with another plan to ruin his day. He then playfully elbowed Shadow. ''Wanna bet he's going to be back by next Tuesday?''

''Probably even earlier if he is properly motivated,'' Shadow replied, with Sonic nodding in agreement.

''Sonic!''

Sonic and Shadow then turned around to see Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Rouge joining them, clearly on edge and alert, only to stop at the sight of scrapped Badniks. Knuckles rose an eyebrow, turning to the two hedgehogs. ''What happened here?''

''You guys just missed a fight with Eggman, but don't worry-'' Sonic started, only to pull Shadow into a side-hug, placing his hand around the latter's waist. Shadow, in turn, was startled by this move, but didn't push Sonic away, figuring that he might as well get used to it. This wasn't the first time Sonic did that, nor will it be the last time. ''Shadow had helped me deal with him, so everything's fine now.''

''I guess that's a relief,'' Amy said, letting her Piko Piko Hammer disappear, with her and the rest of the group approaching the two.

''I mean, after taking on the Chaos Council and Chaos Sonic, fighting Eggman and Metal Sonic feels like a piece of cake,'' Sonic continued, only to earn a bunch of confused looks from his friends.

''Chaos Council?'' Tails repeated, furrowing a brow. ''What are you talking about?''

Shadow glanced at Sonic, who seemed to have just realized that he said a bit too much. ''You haven't told them anything?''

''I was about to, but I keep getting distracted,'' Sonic replied, slightly miffed, only to earn a ''Then get to it!'' look from Shadow.

''Blue, what happened?'' Rouge asked. Sonic rubbed the back of his head nervously, trying to figure out how to explain this whole thing.

''Well, it's quite a long story…'' Sonic glanced at Shadow, who nodded in assurance. He then took a deep breath and gave his friends a determined look. ''The truth is, I broke the Paradox Prism and shattered our universe.''

''YOU WHAT?!''

Sonic flinched, having already expected the shocked reaction, but hearing it like this didn't make him feel any better. He gave them a nervous smile. ''Yeah, so that happened… But, you don't have to worry, everything is fine now and the universe is restored to how it was supposed to be.''

''Sonic, we want details,'' Knuckles said in a firm tone, folding his arms across his chest and shooting him a glare. Sonic sighed, glancing once again at Shadow for support. To his surprise and joy, Shadow placed his hand on Sonic's shoulder.

''I'll fill in any blanks in your story in case you forget something,'' he said. Sonic smiled back, thankful for the support, and then turned back to his friends, who were still waiting for an answer.

''I promise, I'll tell you everything, but I think we should find a place to sit down first, because this might just knock you off your feet,'' Sonic told them.

xXx

''…and then Nine restored all of the Shatterspaces with the Paradox Prism, only for it to disappear back to Green Hill. After I said my goodbyes to everyone, the Roses used one of the Chaos Council's ships to transport me and Shadow through the Void, with Shadow carrying me the rest of the way. The next thing I remember was waking up back at the cave with the Paradox Prism just before it got shattered,'' Sonic finished his tale.

''You're lucky I was there, else you wouldn't have made it,'' Shadow added in a grim tone, but Sonic just smiled in response, rubbing his nose.

''Yeah, I really was lucky. Thanks for saving my life, Shads!'' he replied in a nonchalant tone, before turning back to his friends who all had a shocked look on their expression. ''Uh, guys? Guys?''

The group was currently at the beach, having decided to let Sonic tell them everything without any interruptions. Even Big and Froggy were there, sitting on the nearby pier and fishing, although judging by Big's reactions, he too was listening to Sonic's story, being just as stunned as everyone else.

Now, they knew that Sonic had shattered the Paradox Prism, creating the Shatterverse and landing in New Yoke City, where he met Nine who gave him his tech that allowed him to regulate the Paradox Prism Energy inside him, the Chaos Council and Rusty Rose who ruled over New Yoke City, as well as the Resistance led by Rebel Rouge and Renegade Knucks, followed by the battle and race for the Prism Shard. Unable to touch the Shard, he was thrown straight into Boscage Maze, meeting the Scavengers and Thorn Rose and helping the two sides reconcile while also fighting Thorn over the Prism Shard. He managed to return back to New Yoke City, learning of Nine's betrayal and his desire to make The Grim his new home, with Sonic insisting on helping the Resistance, and the unfortunate capture of Nine and the Prism Shard at the Chaos Council's hands, while Sonic ended up in No Place. There, he met Captain Dread and his crew, engaging into a battle with Rusty Rose over the Prism Shard and while he helped Captain Dread to get it, he ended up flying out of No Place and into The Void, where he met Shadow.

This was where Shadow interrupted, explaining the group how he had used the Chaos Emerald to avoid being shattered and emerged in The Void. Unfortunately for him, he discovered that he was unable to enter any of the Shatterspaces Sonic had visited the hard way, causing him to lose the Chaos Emerald to The Void and having to observe Sonic as he was trying to get things back on track, until he finally confronted his rival over what had happened. While Sonic's friends didn't approve of Shadow going straight for beating Sonic up to get him to listen, they did agree that the dark hedgehog had a point, his part of the story resulting in the revelation of Ghost Hill, leaving Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Rouge and Big shuddering at the thought of being just remnants of themselves -  ghosts, as Shadow had put it. What followed was the battle between Sonic and Shadow over Sonic's tech due to Shadow's mistaken belief that he could use it to travel between the Shatterverses, only to be proven wrong and almost ending up being lost in The Void if it weren't for Sonic.

''I totally saved your life!'' Sonic told him cheekily as he got to that point.

''I had also saved your life. We're even now,'' Shadow remarked.

The story continued with Shadow realizing that it's Sonic, and not the tech, who is able to travel through the Shatterverse, with both agreeing (reluctantly on Shadow's part and excitingly on Sonic's part) to work together. Sonic then added how he followed the Chaos Council into Boscage Maze, where he met up with the Scavengers and Thorn, as well as got into contact with Nine. While the battle resulted into a loss of the Prism Shard, Sonic was determined to continue, being knocked into No Place by Shadow, where he ended up in a battle not only against the Chaos Council, but also against Captain Dread's crew, who had been joined by Rusty Rose. Shadow also added how he had been stalling the Chaos Council's mothership, but unfortunately, they lost another Prism Shard, taking the battle to New Yoke City. There, Sonic joined the Resistance once again, getting them up to speed with the situation and tried to save both Nine and the Prism Shards, only to end up fighting Chaos Sonic, a robotic and more annoying version of himself.

After defeating, as Sonic put it, ''Metal Sonic's more annoying cousin'', he and Nine grabbed the Prism Shards and went on a mad chase through the Shatterverse before meeting up with Shadow and going to Ghost Hill to fix the Paradox Prism. Unfortunately, they were followed by the Chaos Council, with Sonic and Shadow teaming up to defend Ghost Hill.

''It was awesome, guys! I wish you could've seen it…'' Sonic trailed off suddenly as he realized what he had just said. He then quickly collected himself, continuing the story.

Unfortunately for the two hedgehogs and Nine, the Chaos Council's forces managed to breach into the cave, even summoning the Prismatic Titan, ''…who for some reason looked like a Kaiju Eggman, I don't even know what was up with that!'', and Sonic having to use the Prismatic Energy to fight back, ''…again, I was totally awesome!'', ending the battle in a solid victory and hope for everything to be restored to the way it was. However, Sonic's enthusiasm quickly vanished when he remembered what happened next, and he fell silent, much to the surprise of his friends.

''Sonic, what's wrong? What happened then?'' Tails asked, giving his big brother a look of concern.

''I… Nine… He…'' Sonic tried to respond, but couldn't get a word out, being still hurt by what had happened between them.

''Nine betrayed us and took the Prism Shards, leaving Ghost Hill to be destroyed,'' Shadow continued in a grim tone, much to the shock of everyone.

Sonic nodded, his tone just as serious as Shadow's, ''We managed to escape to The Void, but I… I thought that it was over. We lost Ghost Hill and the Prism Shards, and we were completely defeated, and I was on the verge of giving up.'' He then smiled fondly, glancing at Shadow. ''But a certain someone had told me that there was always a way, and I realized that we still had a chance to fix this.'' Shadow in turn, just gave him the familiar ''Don't push it look'', with Sonic figuring that some things never change.

The story then continued, with Sonic revealing how Nine used the Paradox Prism to build a fortress within The Grim, as well as robotic versions of Sonic, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge and Birdie, forcing Sonic and Shadow to fight him. However, the moment Shadow had realized that Nine was after the Paradox Prism Energy that was within Sonic, Shadow abandoned their initial plan, forcing Sonic to escape The Grim and go back to New Yoke City for support. With the Shatterverse around them decaying, all of the Shatterverse Variants and the Chaos Council agreed to become temporary allies to defend themselves against Nine. When Nine held the No Place pirates as hostages, Sonic insisted on saving them, much to the displeasure of his allies, with him stubbornly heading out to get them back.

''I don't want to lose anyone else… We already lost so much…'' Sonic admitted, feeling the guilt from back them eating its way into his heart. ''I tried to tell myself that it's what I do, that I'm the hero, but when I offered myself to Nine so he could fix the Shatterverse from decaying, he confronted me with the truth. Deep down, after what I did, destroying my own home, it's the only way I can ever live with myself, even if that means I won't live at all.''

''Sonic…''

Sonic's friends, and even Shadow, were quite disturbed by that reveal. Tails especially was hit hard by this, since he always admired Sonic for his heroics, even if his big brother could be a lot to deal with, so to hear that Sonic was told this cruel truth by someone who was like himself was quite difficult to listen to.

''But then, the cavalry arrived, and when I say cavalry, I mean everyone,'' Sonic continued.

The story continued, with Sonic describing how the alliance of the Resistance, the Scavengers, the Pirates and the Chaos Council arrived to aid him in the battle against Nine, with Sonic, who had finally learned to think things through instead of charging recklessly into a battle, handing the leadership over to Rebel, who had figured out a plan to counter Nine (with Rouge showing a look of pride for her Shatterverse Variant). Shadow then interfered, explaining how Nine had kept him busy by sending his own robots and after he saved Sonic, the two managed to escape, witnessing the alliance defeating Grim Big, albeit at the loss of the Chaos Council's mothership. Things escalated quickly, with Nine pushing them back and Rebel's plan failing. This were going from bad to worse, when Sonic suddenly came up with a plan that assured a victory for them.

''Wait, that happened?'' Knuckles asked in disbelief, while Sonic just frowned in response.

''I was also surprised that it worked,'' Shadow added, much to Sonic's chagrin. He did not need both of his rivals to team up against him.

''Hey, I can come up with a solid plan from time to time,'' Sonic protested.

''The only question is whether you can follow through with it,'' Shadow teased him.

''I prefer to think on my feet,'' Sonic replied, moving on with the story.

The plan in question was to pretend to be defeated by Nine's forces while Sonic confronted him directly, forcing Nine to divert the Prism Energy away from his robots and allowing for Sonic's allies to defeat the Grim Alphas and put an end to this whole battle, leading up to a fight between a fight between Sonic, Renegade Knucks and Shadow versus Nine, who was still powered up by the Paradox Prism and was losing control over himself. Realizing that if they didn't stop the fight right then and there, everything would be destroyed, Sonic knocked Nine into his lair, where he protected him from the alliance and made everyone realize just how dire the situation was, as nothing was left of any of their worlds.

''All Nine wanted was to be left alone in peace, and he realized that he had gone too far in trying to accomplish his goal,'' Sonic explained. ''He agreed to help us to atone for what he had done, revealing that he would need to extract the Prism Energy inside me to fully fix the Paradox Prism, but…''

''There was a possibility that you wouldn't survive it,'' Shadow finished the sentence for him. Sonic nodded.

''Well, I had to take my chance. I shattered our reality and drove Nine away by not listening to what he wanted, and it was up to me to make up for my mistake,'' he said in a firm tone. ''Fortunately, I managed to survive the extraction, but only barely. I was basically turning into a Ghost myself.''

The story then ended with Sonic and Shadow describing how the Chaos Council attempted to betray them, only to get defeated, and Nine restoring the Shatterverses, ending in a mad race where the Roses and Shadow tried to get back to Green Hill to save Sonic from ceasing to exist, the result being that both of them somehow found themselves back at just before the Paradox Prism got shattered, with Sonic stopping himself from breaking it again and Shadow warping the Paradox Prism away to safety.

''…and that's how we restored everything to its prime,'' Sonic concluded the story.

There was a moment of heavy silence as his friends just processed what they had just been told. Sonic smiled nervously, wondering what the reaction would be and hoping that his friends wouldn't chew him out for this, even if he deserved it. To his surprise, what ended up happening was a collective sigh of exasperation.

''Well, that at least explains why you acted so weird when we protected the Paradox Prism from Eggman,'' Amy said. ''It is nice to know that you learned a thing or two about teamwork.''

''Heh, yeah,'' Sonic replied, feeling quite relieved that this was their reaction. Knuckles just shook his head.

''It is also very like you to get roped into an adventure without us knowing anything,'' he said.

''I guess we should also be thankful that Shadow was with you to keep you focused on the mission,'' Rouge added, glancing at the dark hedgehog, who was a bit surprised by the compliment, but nevertheless appreciated it, nodding in response. Sonic agreed with that assessment, turning towards Tails.

''Buddy, if you ever get angry at me… Like, 'I'm going to cause an apocalypse' angry, please promise me that we will talk it out,'' he said, the guilt clearly visible on his expression.

Tails just chuckled. ''Yeah, I promise. Although, I wonder if I should also make myself seven mechanical tails. It sounds like it would be quite handy in helping me with my inventions or as weapons.'' When he saw Sonic's alarmed look, he quickly added, ''Hey, I'm just joking, but you really should see your face now.''

''So, what happened to the Shatterverse Variants?'' Amy suddenly asked. ''Do you two know anything?''

Shadow and Sonic exchanged glances, only to shake their heads, with Sonic adding, ''We don't know, but I really hope that everything is fine and that they can live their life in peace.''

Sonic's chest heaved and he lowered his head slightly, something Shadow took note of. It was clear to him that, despite their (mis)adventure in the Shatterverse being finally over, there was still one more conversation they needed to have.

''I suppose all is well that ends well. At least we know what the Paradox Prism can do and to not approach it anymore,'' Rouge said, shrugging nonchalantly, even though she did sound a bit regretful, clearly a bit annoyed that she couldn't get her hands on it. She then gave Sonic and Shadow a smug look. ''Speaking of which, it also explains why two are suddenly so close. An adventure like that would result in some revelations and you two clearly spent a lot of time together. So, are you two official now?''

''Oh, right! I almost forgot!'' Amy clasped her hands together in glee.

''I'd also like to know that,'' Tails added, a wide grin on his expression.

''W-Wait, official? What are you guys talking?'' Knuckles asked, clearly being out of the loop with the most recent events.

''Well, as it turns out, Sonic and Shadow have a huge crush on each other,'' Rouge answered his question, turning to the two hedgehogs who did their best to not look too flustered by being confronted like this. ''All we want is a simple confirmation – are you two official or not?''

''No, we're not official,'' Shadow replied in a blunt tone, arms folded across his chest. This raised some eyebrows, with Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Rouge turning to Sonic for an answer. He just snorted in amusement, well aware that Shadow was technically saying the truth, but still decided to add his own part to the conversation.

''Well, technically, the answer is 'No, we're not official, yet','' Sonic explained. ''We kinda were getting to that part, but we got interrupted by Eggman.''

''Okay, that makes sense,'' Amy said, the rest of the group nodding in agreement. ''But, this should be a foregone conclusion, right?''

Sonic and Shadow exchanged glances, then nodded firmly.

''Yeah.''

''Yes.''

xXx

Sonic took a deep breath, flopping over on his back as he sighed in relief, feeling that he could finally put this whole adventure in the Shatterverse behind himself. He stared at the red and orange sky, having found a cliff just above the ocean that gave him a great view of the sunset. After all the excitement today, he just needed a moment to himself. Still, there was something that was bothering him, and after the conversation he had with his friends, that feeling returned back with full force. A shadow fell over his expression as he thought about it, only for his ears to flick when he heard footsteps, causing him to get up.

''I thought I was the brooding one.''

''Hey, Shadow!'' Sonic turned to his companion, glad to see him. He grinned. ''Nice to see that you have a sense of humor.''

''I was merely making a statement,'' Shadow said in a matter-of-fact tone, albeit glad to see that his comment managed to cheer Sonic up. ''How are you holding up?''

''Well, you know me. There is nothing that I can't bounce back from,'' Sonic said in a chipper tone. ''I was just watching the sunset. Do you want to join me?''

Shadow nodded, with him sitting down next to Sonic on the cliff, gazing ahead at the sunset. He suddenly felt Sonic placing his palm over his hand, briefly glancing towards his rival, who took notice of it and just smiled in return, looking quite content. Shadow let a small smile form on his lips and turn his attention back to the sunset, twisting his palm so he and Sonic intertwined fingers, now holding hands.

''I know you have been thinking about the Shatterverse and about Nine,'' Shadow started, suddenly drawing Sonic's attention. Both turned to each other, with Shadow's expression showing mild curiosity and resolve to have this conversation. ''What was going through your mind?''

Sonic lowered his head, staring ahead at the ocean. ''I know that I said how I'm hoping that Nine and everyone else is doing fine, but… I think I've been lying to myself.''

''Sonic…'' Shadow started, only for Sonic to interrupt him.

''We went back to the moment just before I had shattered the Paradox Prism. If the Prism never got shattered, that would mean that the Shatteverse would never come into existence, which means…'' Sonic didn't want to finish the thought, his voice heavy with sorrow and guilt. Shadow knew that, even if Sonic didn't ask for it, he wanted some kind of answer, either comfort or assurance, but was torn between whether he would want to keep his hopes up or the truth.

''What you said makes sense,'' Shadow started, aware that Sonic needed to hear the truth. ''If the Paradox Prism never got shattered, then it's impossible for the Shatterverse to exist. Our actions had undone all of the events.''

''I figured that would be the case…''

Sonic sighed, leaning against Shadow's shoulder. He remained silent, with Shadow wrapping his arms around his waist to pull him closer and allowing him to feel more comfortable. Both sat like that in silence, observing the sunset before them and listening to the rush of waves crashing against the rocks below them. Shadow could feel Sonic's breath slowing down as he relaxed, simply taking in the moment.

Neither were sure how much time had passed, but it wasn't too long, as Sonic spoke up again, ''So, we're together now, right?''

''That seems to be the case,'' Shadow said, glancing at Sonic and meeting his tired gaze. Suddenly, Sonic leaned closer, leaving a peck on his cheek and giving Shadow a mischievous look.

''Heh, finally managed to kiss you,'' he said, feeling quite proud of himself.

''Tch, you call that a kiss?'' Shadow replied, trying to act dismissive despite the tone of fondness in his voice. Sonic rolled his eyes, despite knowing that Shadow was just messing with him, and decided to play along with his aloof nature.

''If you think you know better, then why don't you show me?'' Sonic goaded him. If he ever had any reservations about this relationship, they were all gone now. It was clear that he wanted this, allowing Shadow to make the final move. Shadow understood the message, a smirk forming on his lips.

''With pleasure,'' he said, placing his hand under Sonic's chin and lifting it up, tilting his head before sealing their lips into a kiss. Sonic's eyes widened for a moment, his whole body trembling in anticipation, and then he relaxed, leaning in closer and losing himself in the warmth of the moment.

Unlike their battles, which were way more fast-paced and passionate, this moment was slow and soft, and both felt as if time had just suddenly stopped, being enveloped in the tenderness of their first kiss. It was filled with sincerity and sweetness, and it felt like a tiny embers sparking and bursting into a great flame. It was all new, yet it had the familiarity both were craving. Neither wanted to change what they had together, but even with their own feelings being now in the open, neither felt as if any change had happened. It was pure bliss, simple and to the point… and unfortunately, it lasted way too short.

''Woah,'' Sonic breathed, feeling stunned as his heart raced a mile a minute. He had experienced a lot of things, but this was something else. It felt as if he just ran several times all across the world and back, leaving with a sense of exhilaration.

''Hmph,'' Shadow breathed, taking a moment to recover from this experience, as he was almost overwhelmed by the sense of elation, followed by disappointment because the moment couldn't last longer. Nevertheless, Sonic was still in his arms, so they could stay like this as long as they wanted. He gave his rival a curious look. ''So, have I managed to convince you?''

Sonic hummed in response, giving Shadow a teasing smile. ''Maybe? I think I need a bit more convincing.''

Shadow smirked, and Sonic took note of Shadow's sharp fangs, with a sudden image of them piercing his own skin his rival and lover claimed him came to his mind, only for Sonic to quickly shake it off, deciding that this was something not something he wanted to think about… yet. For now, he was satisfied with taking it a bit slow, for once.

''You know, we could incorporate moments like this into our sparring matches,'' Sonic suddenly said, a sly smirk on his lips.

''What do you mean by that?'' Shadow asked, having a fleeting feeling of that Sonic was up to. ''Are you implying it should be a reward or-?''

Shadow was cut off when Sonic suddenly pressed his lips against his own. He leaned into it, wishing to capture the moment pleasure, only to feel a sense of pain in his lower lip due to Sonic biting him. Unlike Shadow's own fangs, Sonic's weren't as sharp, so they didn't pierce the skin, but his actions still caught Shadow off guard. Both pulled back, feeling a familiar rush of excitement as they exchanged glances. Both smirked, understanding what the other was up to, because when Sonic suddenly got up to start another race-battle, he was grabbed by his arm by Shadow, who reacted just as fast, pulling Sonic back towards him, holding him in place, with the other hand wrapped around his torso, so Sonic's back was facing Shadow.

Sonic gasped in pain and pleasure as he felt Shadow's sharp fangs sink into his shoulder, a scent of copper filling the air as the dark hedgehog drew blood. This was followed by Shadow dragging his tongue over the bite mark, causing Sonic to shiver and squirm as the former lapped up the blood, eventually releasing his rival. Sonic turned on his heel towards Shadow, placing his fingers on the bite on his shoulder, while Shadow gave him a taunting look, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

''Your turn, Sonic.''

Shadow then turned around, skating away, with Sonic quickly chasing after his rival, a look of playful resolve on his expression. So much for going slow. Well, that's not my style, so it doesn't matter. Shadow is going to pay for this.

Neither of them really cared the fact that they would have to explain why their bodies were peppered in red bite marks to the rest of the team, nor how long it would take for the marks to disappear. All that mattered was that they could explore their rivalry in new ways, finding a challenge in every interaction they had.

Both knew that this was the kind of relationship they wanted, and they were determined to make it last.

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[deadrlngers]

kinktober day 8 (better late than never): temperature play pair: enver gortash x tav rating: explicit words: 2.9k

“Ready for the next one?” Violante’s fingers barely ghosted over his shoulder, brushing air rather than skin like she was caressing the keys of a piano.

The click of the boots paused behind his back and the silence that followed made his body tense up – the instinct of a prey cornered by the hunter. Gortash could not escape nor attack, he could only wait for the strike of the arrow that would declare the conclusion of the hunt. Such suspense made him restless, terribly aware of his surroundings, of the towering presence he could not turn to look at and the hard stone under his knees. Even his own breathing became unbearable, pointing with precision every second going by.

The hunter was pleased instead, to drink from the cup of the prey’s misery. Violante watched how the muscles contracted at the mere idea that something, anything could happen at any given moment. Out of control or prediction, Gortash was prisoner to the anticipation of the unknown. Even the minor shift, be it a sigh or the rustling of fabric, made his senses fire to attention.

She took one step closer to his kneeled form and his spine went straighter like under a spell, bracing itself for what would surely come. It was a simple matter of when. Gortash expected sparks to prick his flesh again, like needles and pins nipping on his body–a sensation that sat on the tipping edge between pleasure and pain–so Violante, fiendish as a devil, chose to play a different game.

When the fingertips stroked the back of his neck, Gortash waited for the electrifying touch to set his nerves aflame again, instead it was cold that reached him. Freezing cold, frigid and crisp, worse than ice or snow on feverish skin, icy as death and then some. It was unnatural, mystic, and it sprung free from her hand and spread through his body like a disease. A surprised whimper escaped his lips, one that he immediately regretted. Violante drew a path that glided down and stopped right in the middle of his shoulder blades. His back arched in an instinctive attempt to escape her touch but in vain, and then he shivered.

“You’re pathetic.” She taunted with a devious sneer, reveling in the spectacle granted by her sly work.

Gortash hesitated, biting his tongue and allowing just a scowl to speak for him. He struggled against the ropes forcing his arms to his back, tying them till the forearms, and kept grimly quiet.

The sound of steps echoed on the stone again, slow and calculated, and finally the half-elf reappeared in front of him, imposingly tall and dangerously close. He kept his head straight, denying her favorite poison: attention.

His scalp felt warm as Violante raked her fingers through his locks. The bite of ice was still sinking its fangs in his back, so he leaned into the only source of relief almost too eagerly. His eyelids fluttered as the fingernails caressed his skull, a delightful tingly sensation soothing his senses. 

Then, the yank. A rough, cruel pull forced Gortash to look up and meet that gaze he was avoiding out of spite. A golden ocean, he’d call it. Strong gilded waves that crushed relentlessly against the shoreline, intense and unstoppable, set on making even the most expert sailor drown for the violence it could unleash. And behind that strength hid melancholy. Barely visible to the uncaring eye, ever so mysterious, never explained. An enigma he never quite resolved in years of tries.

“Do you wish to say something?” Violante quipped “Use your words instead of squirming like a worm against a few ropes.”

The corner of his lips rose to a smug smirk and he pushed his chin higher than what was forced on him. “Peculiar use of the gifts an eldritch entity granted you. Pitiful, to waste power on such trivialities.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And I wonder what your lord Bane would think of his chosen bent down to his knees.”

“Power plays among soon-to-be rulers?” Gortash chuckled confidently, a sound that carved holes into Violante’s pride “I’m certain it is quite the entertaining sight.”

Irritating, to say the least, like only Gortash could be at times. Violante swallowed down her irritation like a wine that turned to vinegar, she should know better than pay any mind to the Lord’s affronts. A hard twist on his locks and his mouth fell agape with a huff. That was the most reprisal she could allow to not appear bothered, she had no intention of crowning him victorious at the game of pissing her off.

“All bark and no bite, aren’t you?” She said, her jaw clenched.

The cold made its return, like winter after a long summer, this time it prickled his lips as Violante’s thumb ran across the supple bottom and then followed the stretched cupid’s bow. Gortash indulged, teasing her finger with the tip of his tongue and the scratch of teeth, a silent invite in. Warmth spread to his nape like a caress while his lips trembled under the brisk brush–it could be a beautiful spring, he thought.

Violante didn’t turn down the solicitation and slipped her thumb in his mouth, pressing on his tongue and letting it coat with saliva. In return, Gortash wrapped his lips around it. An exhale, held back to let it go unnoticed; the blaze in her eyes and the gentle stroke to his hairline spoke loud enough. There was nothing Violante could love more than obedience.

If only it could last.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, when teeth sunk so deep into the flesh she swore they were gripping the bone. A pained hiss, thus came anger–not red and hot but shocking and punitive. Her fingernails dug deep into his jaw, a few sparks flashed in the air like bright stars; Gortash’s body reacted to its own accord, springing upright on the knees, twisting the ropes as he searched for any kind of outlet to unwind the electric buzz that flowed through his muscles. The pulsating wave faded to a tingle and left only a quiver to his spine as he sat back on his heels.

“You never learn.” Violante shook her head, she was surprisingly calm as she inspected the teeth marks on her thumb. Anger appeared to dissipate from her features, as if it was nothing more than a passing black cloud. When her gaze found her little traitor, as she’d call him, he pressed his lips into a thin line. Unpredictable as ever, that was her worst trait–Gortash detested it.

She used her boots to tap the inner sides of his knees, right then left, and gave nothing more than a command: “Spread them, Gortash.”

Gortash she said, never his first name, never Enver. Lord Gortash at times, when she needed to make it clear that a space divided them, an incurable separation. Or to taunt him, of course. Since their ‘reunion’ she did not dare to give him the honor of such intimacy so he tried his best to reciprocate the distance, and perhaps that was for the better. Names such as theirs left a certain weight of the past on the tongue.

He followed the order, unquestionably. Violante joined him on the floor, knees brushing his own, stooping down at his sorry level, showing mercy if he had any luck. 

A striking presence she was, taller than Gortash even in such a position. His black eyes rose up to meet hers: Gortash could almost taste her scent–iris, heliotrope, juniper berry and the most exciting of them all, the belladonna. He wondered if that one habit of hers was still an occurrence, the poisoning. He searched for her lips and, instinctively, wet his own. A kiss deadly as the perfume she ingested, one kiss away from dangling by the thin thread between life and death. He couldn’t help but fantasize.

Gortash was pulled away from his thoughts when Violante ventured forth: she went for his neck now, fingers gliding and melting like ice against the warm skin. A feather-like caress, almost too good to believe. It made Gortash sigh, his shoulders slacking and head faintly falling to the side awaiting for more. The tip of her nose followed the traced path down to his collarbones, earning the delicious sound of a hum rising from his throat.

Violante went lower with tortuous slowness. The cold blazed into warmth again as she placed her palm in the middle of his chest, fingers dancing and knuckles brushing across the wide expanse. The sensation was akin to the soothing heat of a crackling fire in the hearth and it engulfed Gortash’s senses. It was rewarding, which meant suspicious.

He used his teeth again, this time to nibble at the sensitive pointy end of her ear. Violante gave a low chuckle as she squirmed away. A beautiful sound, a song he sadly forgot the notes of.

Delight doesn’t last long, he should know. The gentle heat became an abnormal fever, her index and middle finger delved in the flesh harder like they were trying to reach for his rib cage. The pain reached, screamed at Gortash before his wit told him what she was doing.

When the distressed groan reached her ears, Violante stopped to admire the rapid rising and falling of his chest, the gritted teeth, and the surprised indignation pooling in his gaze. A swollen red patch of dry skin was now adorning Gortash’s body.

“Oh don’t get all angry at me now,” she mocked as a beautiful, charming smile curled her lips but failed to reach her eyes “I’m certain the Archduke is not short on healers.”

“You–” The words turned into ash in his mouth, burning under the hot fires of his resentment before they could even take shape in his thoughts–a fair reaction, so why was his body shaking with excitement? “You should learn reverence by the snap of a whip.” He growled, hurt, humiliated, with his tired knees, the bared teeth and the torpor of his arms. She laughed, made fun of him.

Violante placed a finger to her lips and made a show of an admonishing shh!. “Be good now, I’ll reward you for your patience.” She cooed, placing both her hands on his chest.

It licks at her ego, the way he caves in. Open, hurt, like a bleeding wound exposed to the air. He knows all she can offer is cauterizing salt and he does not falter. If only they had found any other means for coexistence, they would’ve used it. Something simpler than Violante’s maddening devotion that ravaged both the devotee and the deity, than Gortash’s need for something that goes over, ahead of a limit they teached–forced–him to not cross, that lust for more. It wasn’t perfect, but it was indeed coexistence. Tearing each other apart was preferable to distance, absence.

Pleasure followed to pain without fail, Gortash knew, so all he offered her was a cautious look–don’t do that again. A tacit agreement between the two: I’ll indulge less.

The small burn was tedious but her cool digits offered a little respite, sadly not for the itchiness. All Violante could yet give was a way to take his mind off her cruel mark. She moved her attention to his breasts, circling with large strokes the darker areola, slowly and intentionally avoiding any direct contact with the hardening nipples. She carried on, skimming her icy fingers down to his lower stomach, tracing bumps and marks in the descent. 

Stopping just above the line of his breeches, she could feel the tensing up in his abdomen. Their eyes locked and a silent warning flashed in Gortash’s black ones. He was stern and assertive, yet he made no attempt to hide the way his adam’s apple bobbed up and back down as she pulled on the fastenings.

This time Violante had no intention to play. She loved to see him bleed, that was certain, but she loved it more when he needed her. The answer to his caution laid in the dreamy fluttering of her lashes: I’ll be fair, I’ll be kind.

Her hand dipped down, touching the coarse hair there. “Is it lower?” She brazenly whispered in a breath.

“If it’s begging you wish to hear, let’s cut to the chase.” He replied, a thin note of annoyance in his voice.

“It is not.” Violante moved to straddle his thigh between her own and let her other hand roam into his hair once more “Tell me I want you and I’ll do it.”

Ah! Want, of all things.

Something deep inside him turned from hunger to starvation, far worse than any want, any need. “I do. I want you.” He murmured almost to himself.

A certain sorrow, or misery even, took over her gaze for the briefest of the moments and disappeared as quickly as it came. He took notice, but did not speak of it.

She pulled his cock out of his clothes, a constraintment that felt like an endless torture by now. Gortash groaned at the contact, his eyes drifting down between their bodies. Violante followed suit. Her fingers ran teasingly along the skin with a faint lukewarm heat, her thumb sliding over the slit, gathering the precum there and wiping it on the underside.

Gortash shuddered, arching into the touch, muscles flexing in protest against the ropes. Oh, how she loved to see him struggle. She began pumping him, wickedly slow as to hear more of those pants and the groans that made his chest rumble. Most of all, Violante wished to see those dark eyes of his dip into an impossible night, watch as every light would leave them, take note of how languidly they would gaze back at hers.

A faint tug on his hair and immediately his chin rose up. His lips parted and a gasp left his throat as Violante teased the head of his cock with her palm. The warmth of his breath on her skin made her heart beat a little faster, and the husky sounds filling her ears enchanted her like the songs of a siren. Before she knew her hips ground down on his thigh as if they had a mind of their own. Breath caught in her throat and a faint bliss made Gortash grin.

Suddenly Violante was made aware of how badly her arousal had mounted, impetuous for the neglect and avid for any kind of stimulation. No matter how badly she ached to dive, drown even, into the needs her body was loudly asking for, she had to endure. Such a prize would be sweeter in the face of all that struggle.

She withdrew her hand briefly, earning a grunt from the man beneath her. She coated her fingers with her own spit, making a show of giving them special attention with her tongue before sliding them on his length again. Gortash chuckled darkly, a word or two hanging on his lips, threatening to spill and tease, but he kept them safely locked away, simply tormenting his thoughts.

The room was filled with the slick sound of skin and panting, then a series of breathy pleas rushing out with the fury of a waterfall. Neither registered any of the invocations, a messy mingling of yes, faster and curses all wrapped in a headily mix as their lips barely brushed and never met. It was intoxicating, breathing in each other’s air, and dizzying. Fading into the little moans and gasps and yet never sharing more of that intimacy.

She would never kiss him, no matter how the occasional thrust of her hips asked her to succumb to her desires, and he’d never kiss her, no matter how badly he craved it, how easy it could be. In the attempt to avoid giving it any meaning, the resistance was creating far worse implications. But it did not matter, neither would ever admit defeat.

Violante lazily rested her forehead against his, admiring how the pair of eyes in front of her struggled to stay open, threatening to roll back, moans echoing in the room with unashamed generosity. He was close, it was undoubtedly clear.

“I…” he began, swallowing a lump in his throat “I’m almost–”

Her lips pressed together. “I know.” She confidently agreed.

Then came the twitching, the need to dig his knees deeper into the stone, his orgasm creeped on him until it didn’t. Violante tightened her grip around the base of his cock, squeezing him so that the taste of his climax could stay just as that. A mere aroma lingering on his tongue, coating his lips with sweet nectar but never falling down his throat, never reaching his end.

Gortash cursed, loud and unbecoming for a Lord – she noted with amusement. He writhed and squirmed, his hips thrusting forward desperate to find something, that last one push he needed to reach bliss. Twice foolish he was, for falling in the ploy of Violante’s mercy.

“That was it, right?” She boasted, just a few inches away from him and yet so unreachable “Of course it was, you were so preciously loud just now.” She pressed her palm on his thigh and wiped clean her palm on the expensive fabric. Then she stood up swiftly, abandoning Gortash to his solitary, powerless frustration, to the bitter aftertaste in his mouth.“It’s never that easy, you should know.” Violante tilted her head, hands resting on her hips in an excessive show of superiority “Now, should I take you flat on your back or you would prefer to be cheeks flush against the floor?”

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Danger Force Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 1

Episode 9: Mika In The Middle

Season 1 Masterlist

Click for vibes

Word count : 20k (eek)

~The Man's Nest~

To say Ray was furious was an understatement. 

Ray was unstoppable. No matter how hard (y/n) and Schwoz tried to calm him, he was like a volcano ready to erupt, muttering and grumbling under his breath because of a minuscule incident. 

Well, maybe not minuscule, not when he had happily snuggled with his sweet girl in their bedroom. Everything was right in the world; no crimes were being committed, nothing was in danger, and for once, the couple could enjoy a quiet night in. Or at least, they were until a little news report came in. 

He leapt from the bed, ignoring his wife and the TV playing in the background, in favour of running from the room, leaving (y/n) speechless and confused. Sure, she knew it meant a great deal to him, but did he have to stop rubbing her feet?

"Sweet cheese, doofus, will you just calm down?" The woman asked her husband as she chased after him through the halls, barely keeping up with his long strides. 

Ray wouldn't stop for anybody or anything, not even when the fuzzy-haired genius tagged along from out of nowhere - curious about the noise. He nearly mowed Schwoz down, knocking his little body over like a bowling pin, not that he cared. All he wanted was to get to the main Man's Nest room as fast as possible, with his downtime with his pretty girl a long-forgotten memory. 

"I won't calm down, sweet girl," answered the hero, giving her a sharp glare, although it was more directed at his newfound problem than anything she'd done. If anything, he appreciated how she chased after him, practically jogging to keep up as her little hands clutched his meaty bicep like an anchor. 

"You saw what happened, and I can bet who did it!"

"You don't know for sure, though!" Argued Schwoz, skipping along as they reached the tube pad. They stepped on it, waiting to be sucked upward, but the sudden blast-off didn't spare the genius from a scathing look. 

"I don't care," said Ray, a deep frown etched into his handsome features, which made his darling wife pout, given how content they were not ten minutes ago. "When I find out what happened, Schwoz, I swear to God, I'm gonna take that weapon you tell me never to touch, and I'm gonna--"

"You will do no such thing, Raymond!" (y/n) exclaimed, tugging on his doofy arm to try and get the man-child to chill out, but it was useless. "Just take some deep breaths!"

He was lucky he was so handsome in that brightly patterned shirt, and she winced when he yelled over her. Taking a deep breath, Ray threw back his head and bellowed, practically shaking the earth with his screeches as his friends covered their ears. 

"Danger Force! ASSEMBLE!!" One deafening roar later, the four awkward-looking children hovered around Ray. Not because they ran to his every call and beckon but because they'd already convened in the room, having suffered a little accident. 

"Hi," said Chapa innocently, spooking her boss since he didn't notice their presence. 

She, Bose, and Miles stood huddled in the corner near the lockers, looking like the perfect picture of innocence. On the other hand, Mika was alone by the doors, practically shaking in her sneakers as she avoided eye contact.

"Hey, guys..." (y/n) smiled at them and gave a little wave, much to her doofus' irritation. Firstly, he didn't like the attention she gave them, not when it was his huge, muscly arm she was squeezing, and secondly...he knew what those little miscreants did. 

"They don't deserve your pretty smiles, sweet girl..." he growled, clutching his PearPhone and showing it to the expressionless kids with a pointed stare. "I don't suppose any of you know how my Man Truck ended up at the bottom of the Jandy River?!"

It was unfortunate. The woman and Schwoz had to bite their lips to smother their grins when they saw the photo because it hadn't happened to them. It was funny to see that broken, piece-of-garbage rust bucket half submerged in the river. For Ray, though, it was a travesty; the Man Truck was his baby—the first car he ever got, and now, it was ruined. 

God knows how he would salvage it--or explain to the cops how it got there, but he knew who did it without a doubt. If only he knew four irresponsible pre-teens who had access to his garage...

"No..."

"Mind your business," Miles and Chapa replied as Bose and Mika stayed silent. The hero didn't buy any of it, knowing they'd lie through their teeth before admitting what they'd done, but he'd find out. He was too angry not to find out. 

"Okay... Where have you guys been all day?" He asked, only to receive the same vague answers. 

"Church."

"Mind your business."

"I honestly don't know," the kids replied, and they all sounded genuine. To be fair, Miles, Chapa, and Bose were credible liars, meeting the man's eye with no hint of fear or anxiety, while Mika just hoped the ground swallowed her up. 

"All right, I'll start with you," said Ray, gesturing to Miles, who had no problem stepping up to the plate first. He looked calm and composed under scrutiny, glancing at (y/n) as she loitered behind her doofus, softly stroking his muscular back. "You went to church, huh?"

"Yep."

"Which one?"

"Went to three." His replies came quickly and coolly, his face so straight and honest that you wouldn't guess he was lying. Miles didn't even flinch, and (y/n) had to hand it to him when her doofus doubled down. 

"Little church-hoppin'..."

"Lotta church-hoppin'..."

"You sing?" Asked Ray, looking for details since he surely couldn't pull it out of thin air without thinking about it. 

"Couple times."

"Which hymns?"

"Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, and a Kanye song," answered Miles, impressing his friends at how speedy he could be. Ray took a moment to ponder his answers, looking as pensively as possible at the kid before relaxing. How could he interrogate past that?

"Okay..." he said before allowing Miles to walk off. Next, he looked at Chapa, unfazed by her signature grumpy frown, as she folded her arms and smiled sarcastically. "How about you?"

"Mind your business," replied the moody girl, and her biting tone was enough to make anyone back off, even the great Captain Man.

"Okay." And just like that, he moved on, not even wanting to attempt to push through that frosty exterior. As Chapa slunk away, Bose gazed cheerfully at his teachers, appearing so densely childlike that it was almost adorable. 

"How about you, Dimples? Know anything about my truck being at the bottom of the river?"

"I don't know anything about anything..." said Bose, a hazy film descending on his blueish eyes as he stared off into nothingness - presumably thinking about puppies or rainbows or something. 

"Honestly, doof, that checks out," whispered (y/n) as she leaned up to her husband's ear, making him shudder at her proximity. 

An arm curled around her waist, keeping her close as the boy ran off with a free-spirited smile. She snuggled up to him, missing the warmth they shared while just channel-surfing in bed, wrapped up in one another. 

Still, despite Detective Ray having interrogated his suspects, he frowned and put a hand on his hip, not missing the desperate girl squirming by the front door. 

"Well, I believe you all..." he said slowly, his arm still slung around his pretty girl as the kids glanced at him and his weirdly cheery attitude. "And now simply to take my incredibly hot wife and leave the room..."

"Doofus, what are you up to?" (y/n) asked quietly, confused as to why he'd marched them upstairs, interrupting an incredible foot massage on her part, only to leave five minutes later. 

Still, the hero kept her walking toward the metal door, merely chuckling in her ear and pressing a kiss to her temple as Danger Force momentarily relaxed. 

"Whatever do you mean, sweet girl?" The hero fluttered his eyelashes at her innocently, which (y/n) didn't buy for a minute. 

"You know what I mean, Raymond," she replied, nudging his ribs as he only pulled her closer. 

"Well, there is one more thing..." But it was long enough for the kids to let their guards down, thinking for a split-second that he'd leave the issue alone, just for him to swiftly turn on his heel - as was his cunning plan all along.

"Mika!" Exclaimed Ray, whipping around to stare at the girl, who'd quietly kept herself beside the door. His suspecting stare made the poor girl want to disappear into the wall, pressing herself into the cool stone as the man-child crept closer. 

"I don't suppose you know anything about how my truck ended up at the bottom of the river, do you?"

Mika said nothing, holding her nerve as her friend willed her to shut her mouth. She closed her eyes tightly, praying Ray would go away. Still, the doofus persisted, squatting onto her level and peering into her nervous face, even as his darling wife rolled her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. 

"Ray..."

"Mika?" He said, not hearing the heroine as she put her hands on her hips in exasperation. "I love that truck...nearly as much as I love (y/n)--much more than I love Schwoz!"

"Ouch!" Said the genius, looking up from his soldering to pout at the hero, who broke his heart without even knowing it. But that was the adorable idiot all over. 

"And now, it's all wet!" The girl glanced at the PearPhone in Ray's hand, her resolve slipping when she saw the news photo showing the half-submerged truck. 

She couldn't help but feel an overwhelming guilt, keenly aware that lying was not the right thing. But when she looked at the others... Chapa mouthed 'don't' and shook her head, Miles and Bose appearing equally tense, as Mika bit her lip, trying to bottle everything up until she just couldn't. 

"It was us!" Shouted the girl. She tried but caved, much to her friends' frustration and anger. 

"Oh, come on!"

"I knew it!" Ray sneered as he glared at the troubled girl, who paced back and forth from the steps as the truth poured out of her like a waterfall. 

"Mika..." said (y/n), shaking her head at not just her but the other kids. She was disappointed, not because of the truck; as far as she was concerned, that thing could sink, and she wouldn't miss it, but because they straight-up lied. And what was the point if she wasn't going to at least make it believable?

"How on earth did you ditch the truck in the Jandy River?"

"Okay, so you know how fast food always tastes better in a car?" Asked the girl with a slight sniffle, utterly distraught after being caught. 

"Of course," answered Ray as he came down the few steps to join his wife, grabbing her by the hip and pulling her close. 

"So, we ordered some Nacho Ball from the close one, not the nice one, and we brought it back, but it didn't taste right," explained Mika, who slowly descended into a mad rant as she spilt the truth. 

"So, we decided to teleport inside the Man Truck, but it still didn't taste right, so we blasted some music, and that seemed to do the trick."

"Good call," muttered Ray as he thoughtfully patted his wife's butt, absorbing the lurid tale. They glanced at each other, with (y/n) resting her head against her husband's shoulder as she wondered where Mika was going with this. 

"And the food was so good, and then this song, Proud Mary, came on..."

"A classic," noted (y/n) with a slight shrug.

"The song talks about rolling on a river, and then, we looked up who Tina Turner is, and we found out she moved to France and passed away recently, and then, Miles said, NO!, and we all teleported into the river!"

She finished by thrusting her arm into the air - just like her brother did to activate his superpower - and it all became clear. Mika looked defeated as she panted after her rambling speech, not wanting to look at the others since they were undoubtedly glaring - and Ray as bad enough. 

"Well, I am very disappointed..." he said solemnly, placing his hands on his trim waist as Miles groaned. The kids braced themselves for a telling-off, only...it never came. 

"...in Mika."

"What?!" The girl gasped as Miles, Chapa, and Bose grinned, celebrating because, shockingly, they weren't in trouble. On the other hand, she was furious--at least hoping her honesty would lessen the punishment. 

"I told you the truth!"

"True, you did, which is a good thing." (y/n) nodded, looking at the hulking man beside her with a perplexed expression. "What gives, doof?"

"She also snitched, sweet girl, and that's bad," replied Ray, giving his young sidekick a telling stare as if his reasoning was sane or fair. 

"That makes no sense!" Said Mika, who glanced at the woman he kept close by his side, hoping she could help her case. She didn't mind the punishment, but it could be doled out equally. "(y/n), please, tell him!"

"Well, technically, lying is an essential part of being a superhero," said the woman sheepishly, wringing her hands together and twisting the rings on her fingers while trying to placate her upset protégé. 

"We lie to protect who we are and what we do."

"Exactly. That's why half the moms in this town think Ray Manchester is a fighter pilot," said Ray in a dramatic voice, smirking as if he was proud of himself, but it just made his pretty girl roll her eyes and pout. 

"That just sounds like lying to impress women," answered Miles, who gave his friend a sympathetic smile, not that (y/n) let it bother her too much. 

She elbowed her doofus and smiled sweetly, knowing deep down that he wouldn't dare date anyone else - not that Ray really wanted to. 

"Eh..." The heroine shrugged, giggling at Ray's gulp when he recognised that look. As if he could ever hurt someone so lovely... "They're not so impressed when I tell them he flies for the Swellview Kite Fighting Society."

"Sweet girl..." Ray pouted, having wondered why so many women gave him stares like he was a weirdo - but apparently, they thought he was. Still, he didn't care when he got to call her his beloved wife, who knew he was much more than a stupid fighter pilot. 

"We need to be able to trust that you can lie," said (y/n), bringing their main point back, which only made Mika moan and hunch over like she had a tummy ache. 

"Give her a letter!" Exclaimed Chapa - perhaps a little too excitedly since her friend was in trouble, but she'd always been a little sadistic. 

"No!"

"To the Snitch Board!" Ray declared, clapping his hands as the kids - all except Mika - cheered. 

It was one of his sillier ideas, born with the theory that it would motivate the children to hone their lying abilities, but Mika couldn't. She was too morally pure, with the need to be honest built into her DNA, so she had a vast disadvantage compared to Chapa. That girl told lies so filthy, black, and dark that she was on par with a politician. 

"Way ahead of you," said Schwoz from his little workstation as he pressed a button on his remote control. He activated the holographic screen, showing the Snitch Board, as Ray named it. 

It showed Miles and Chapa safely in the lead, whilst Bose was slightly behind, with one S out of six letters, which wasn't bad. Mika was sinking, having accumulated four letters already, spelling S-N-I-T on the screen, so it was only a matter of time before her line was complete. 

"Why do we even do this, doofus?" Asked (y/n) with a small sigh as she observed the board, although judging by the excitement in the man's movements, she already knew the answer. 

"'Cause it's fun, sweet girl! Watch!" Replied Ray, rubbing his hands together wickedly as he turned to Mika, almost evilly loving her disgruntled pout. "According to this, you've snitched one, two, three, four times already!"

"The ketchup stain I made on the couch..." said Miles, recounting how his sister couldn't wait to tell (y/n/n) about the mishap - a scourge on her beautifully clean furniture. And nothing the girl said would fix that broken trust. 

"But--"

"The raccoon fight club I was running in the basement!" Added Chapa, her soulless glare telling of her inner fury more than anything else. And she was making so much money with that fight club.

"That was horrible!"

"Yeah, but, in fairness, Mika... The first rule about fight club is you don't talk about fight club," said (y/n), who tried to hide her smile because it wasn't helping the girl's case, especially when the snitching incidents kept coming. 

"That I import illegal hair products from China to maintain my luscious locks."

"And I do the same thing," said Ray, agreeing with Bose that their hair was beautiful—so fluffy and shiny. However, with the doofus, it was more about staying young, fit, and fabulous, while with the kid, it was just his routine. 

"Those were both literally crimes!" Mika argued with a disbelieving scoff, hating how everyone seemed to gang up on her when she was just a sweet, truth-telling girl. Still, none of those qualities would protect her from a would-be villain, which spurred Ray into action, even if he loved it anyway. 

"Mika!" He exclaimed, but not before turning to his beloved wife with a slight, puzzled frown. "Last name..."

"Macklin, you big doofus..." answered (y/n), who rolled her eyes at how he didn't remember - months into knowing the children. 

"Mika Macklin!" Finally, he said it correctly, and at that point, the poor girl just accepted her fate, even if she had to bite her tongue until it almost bled to do so. "For snitching for a fifth time, you receive...another letter!"

"Ha!" Her twin cackled, pointing at the screen like a disparaging child when a C was added to her ever-filling row. She was so close to spelling SNITCH, a nerve-wracking thing for her, but for the others? 

"You hate to see it!" They didn't care. 

"Ooh, one more snitch, and you get an E!" Ray taunted her, putting his large hands on his trim waist with sheer confidence, only to get a weird look from his sweet girl. 

"H, doof..." She corrected him quietly, pretending she was merely hanging onto his beefy arm for the sake of it when she was fixing his poor literacy skills. Well, and perhaps she wanted to squish his arms...

"And then..."

"The shoes of shame!" Said Chapa, a mischievous smirk growing on her features after being promoted by the boss. 

She leaned over from where she'd been sitting on the back of the couch, jeering at her stricken friend as Mika finally crumbled. She felt physically sick at the thought, but they insisted the punishment fit the crime. 

"You have to wear the ugliest shoes known to man for an entire week!" Schwoz added impishly, creeping over from where he'd been soldering because he couldn't help but join in the teasing. 

Miles was the one who fetched them, dramatically cracking open a shoebox to reveal possibly the whitest, plainest, most boring sneakers his sister had ever seen - and she'd seen some shockers. The mere sight of them gave her a jumpscare, and for a second, she swore a little bit of vomit leapt into her mouth. 

"No! Those are hideous! They're so plain and white!" She whimpered, feeling her hands shake as the ugly shoes were passed from Miles to Schwoz, who tossed them to (y/n), who dropped them like a hot potato into her doofus' hands. Yeah, no, she wouldn't be caught dead in them, either. 

"Yeah, then don't snitch!" Said the superhero as he waved the pair in front of her face like a piece of rotten trash he'd found on the side of the road, making the girl recoil instantly. 

"Okay!" She huffed, folding her arms once the sneakers were discarded. 

She didn't know why they all made a big deal out of it - and (y/n) just seemed to let her husband run riot - but at least she'd noticed their surroundings amongst the chaos. Or, instead, she'd noticed someone lingering on the doorstep. 

"Well, I don't want to be a snitch or anything, but there's a kid looking at us through the glass doors!"

"Where'd he come from?" Asked (y/n) with a confused frown. 

She could swear she recognised the little boy, but she couldn't put her finger on it, not when her heart hurt when he stood out in the cold, shivering his little butt off. Typically, any visitors to the Man's Nest were held in contempt - no one was supposed to be able to approach without clearance - but she saw no harm from a child. Ray, though, did not get the memo. 

"I don't know, sweet girl, but let's punch first and ask questions later!" The man growled, clenching his fists at the thought of invaders--those stupid enough to challenge him in his own home, and he didn't care if they used innocent kids as decoys. 

"Exactly!" Chapa agreed wholeheartedly as sparks flew from her fingertips, and she joined him in storming toward the door...only for Schwoz to get there first. 

"No, no, no, no!" He exclaimed, raising a hand to stop them from attacking what he knew to be a friendly face. "It's my nephew, Zed!"

"Oh, I remember him now..." muttered the heroine as the genius hurried to pull his relative into the warm indoors. "But he's definitely grown..."

She recalled meeting him several times when Schwoz's kooky relatives invaded the Man Cave. Still, there was something different about him now, and it wasn't the Hawaiian shirt in near-sub-zero temperatures. 

"What are you doing here?! You could catch a cold out there--you don't have your baby beard anymore!"

"Baby beard?" Asked Chapa, looking at her teachers as they observed from afar, totally unfazed since they were used to this shit by now. 

"Schwoz's family..."

"Total freaks..." Ray and (y/n) replied dryly, knowing the arrival of the small man's nephew only meant some little familial issue that the hero could not be bothered with. Instead, he would much rather spend time with his precious wife, curling an arm around her waist as she pressed against his side, loving how his bicep felt around her. 

"He brought me a message can from Mama!" Said Schwoz after muttering a few words with Zed, and he showed them the small tin he'd received. Obviously, cell phones had yet to reach Schwoz Land. "This is either really good news or really bad!"

"Ten bucks says it's bad..." mumbled (y/n) to her doofus as everyone gathered around the genius, wanting to hear the so-called message can. She was never one to speak poorly about others, knowing it wasn't very nice, but Schwoz's mother? She was an interesting woman, to say the least.

Ray couldn't help but agree, feeling his gut tense with butterflies as his handyman cracked the can open with a satisfying sizzle. Then, it all came pouring out like the worst sob story of all. 

"It's really bad!" An accented voice wailed as it came from the can, sounding much like Schowz's, save with a female tone. His brows furrowed upon hearing the familiar sound of his mother, and that's when Zed quickly made his exit, knowing what was coming next. 

"Schwoz, it's Mama!" The wailing continued, with Ray scoffing under his breath upon hearing that god-awful screeching right when he had to give ten dollars to his wife. She would buy them smoothies or ice cream later. "I don't want you to worry for me..."

"Sick turn coming..." muttered Ray to (y/n) and Chapa, who knew it was terrible when the lovey-dovey doofus preferred to fold his arms rather than hang off his lover's body. 

Instead, the heroine comforted him, lovingly squeezing his forearm because she knew this would only put him in a foul mood - much worse than when he found out about the truck. 

"But I'm sick!"

"Told ya..." Ray rolled his eyes and leaned some weight on his wife, glad for her support because he knew that devil woman would return eventually. She always did - as regular as a German clock - and it was always the same, conniving trick in one way or another. 

"My doctor says I have melty bones!" Mrs Schwoz explained in a woe-is-me tone, pulling a dismissive scoff from the doofy hero. Luckily, it was drowned out by the loud gasps from Schwoz and the children, who would have lynched him for being so callous if they had heard. 

"Melty bones runs in my family!" Schwoz said, clamping a hand over his mouth in shock at the awful news of a disease known only in his homeland. 

"Yes, you should get checked..." his mother told him, which was slightly strange since the message could only allow recordings, but she'd always been a tricky one—like a witch, as Ray would say. 

"Please, come home to Mama! I need you!" Her final wails deepened Schwoz's torment, keenly aware that he could not abandon his mother in her hour of need, but he knew Ray and how much he hated goodbyes. "Okay...how do I hang this thing up? It's probably this big button that says hang up!"

It was a conundrum, and unfortunately, the man-child saw how seriously his friend was considering doing as Mama Schwoz said. Deep down, he would hate to watch him go, knowing how much the place needed him, yet it didn't help how infuriating that woman was. 

"Ugh, how did I miss it?--" Ray had heard enough. 

Not wanting to listen to another second of her aggravating voice, he snatched the message can from Schwoz's hands, tossed it onto the floor, and stamped on it--several times until it was very, very flat. Just to make sure she wouldn't come back. 

"Okay, doofus, let's calm down now..." said (y/n) soothingly. She hooked him by the bicep and pulled him back to her like a wandering, tantrum-throwing child. She gave him something to focus on, encouraging him to wrap her up in a bear hug and nuzzle her neck, allowing the sweet scent of her shampoo to numb his fury. 

"Schwoz, I'm so sorry..." said Mika sympathetically, a hand on her heart since she couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the genius to go through that. 

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too, pal..." Ray added, and for a brief, shining moment, his darling wife actually thought he was being sincere and thoughtful toward Schwoz for once. She should have known better. 

"...That you can't go visit her."

"What?" The kids shrieked at him, aghast at how heartless he was, as he simply scooped the crushed can up from the floor to put in the trash can. Sure, they knew the guy was emotionally constipated, but even for him, it seemed so harsh...

They looked to (y/n) for help, knowing she was the only one he ever expressed genuine feelings for - very openly - but even she seemed taken aback. And that was saying something; she knew Mama as well as he did and possibly disliked her just as much, but he could have used a little more tact. 

"Raymond, that's not very nice!" The heroine told him sternly, remembering how they'd discussed that not last week. If he wanted to have friends, he had to be friendly, which meant being gracious, even when things didn't go his way. "We talked about this!"

"Yeah, darlin', and we also talked about how he's already used up all his vacation days when he just had to get his appendix out! Couldn't wait until Thanksgiving!" The man argued, giving her a grumpy frown because, deep down, he knew he would lose the fight. 

Ray was not as heartless as he had pretended to be, and she saw the vulnerability underneath; if only he had been as honest with everyone else as she was with her...

"Doofus, that's the trash..." said the woman coolly as she watched him throw the can into the everyday wastebasket--when the recycling was irritatingly close beside it. 

"So?" He muttered petulantly, stomping away from the bins with no intention of making it right. 

"You and me are gonna fall out, doofus..." answered (y/n) warningly, lightly slapping his muscly arm just to make him watch his tone. Still, she couldn't blame him too much, also feeling sinking in her tummy at the thought of Schwoz's Mama and all the trouble she usually brought. 

"But it's his mom!" Mika exclaimed insistently, unafraid to confront her moody boss since she felt bad for the little fella. "And she's got melty bones!"

"Oh, she always does this!" Ray scoffed in response, throwing his hands up in frustration because they were unbelievably naive. 

What? They thought they could hang out in the Man's' Nest for two seconds and suddenly know more than he did? He'd known Schwoz for many years, and issues with his mother started not a month after they began their work together. 

"She always calls him home because she's sick, and when he gets there, she comes up with fifty reasons why he can't leave! Tell them, sweet girl!"

"I mean, technically, it's true," said (y/n) with a slight shrug, although she would have preferred to stay out of it. Ray would always want her on his side, though. "She is quite high maintenance."

"Exactly, and then, I've got no Schwoz for, like, two, maybe, one whole day!"

"I'm the most heartless one here..." replied Chapa, raising her hand in confession, and no one would argue with her on that one, even as the hero proved his inexplicable harshness. "But that's pretty cold, my dude."

Taking a moment to think about what the girl said and noticing his wife's firm glance, Ray put his palms together in a prayer-like pose and pressed his fingertips to his lips in thought. Perhaps it was cruel, but they couldn't know how much he was hurting, so he turned to Schwoz with a flat expression. 

"Okay...you can either go home now or for her tasteful memorial service. Your choice."

"You married this man?" Miles muttered to (y/n), and she was a little bashful to see his judgy, bombastic side-eye. 

"Yes?" she answered, sounding slightly unsure since it was hard to guess what the boy wanted to hear. For all his silly tantrums, she knew and loved him more than anyone. "He's actually a sweetheart underneath all the...that."

"Hard to believe..." muttered Chapa, although her glare didn't phase the hero. He rebuffed her moody words, rolled his eyes at Mika's blatant disgust, and unfolded his arms. 

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go dry my truck out!" Screeched the doofus, who glowered at the kids one last time before stomping away through the metal door. "You comin', sweet girl?"

"Yeah, I'll be right there, doof!" The heroine called after him, although she deemed it wise to let him go ahead and cool off. It left her with the children and Schwoz, with the latter feeling a little bit broken by his boss' response. 

"That dude really gives no hecks!" said Bose as the genius dramatically fell to his knees, releasing a long, loud wail—similar to his mother's whining. 

His face turned red as he screwed it up, the sobs wracking his body, and immediately, Mika and (y/n) rushed to comfort him. 

"Schwoz?" The girl asked quietly, barely audible above the noise of the man's heartache. Still, when Mika was talking to him, Schwoz recovered mighty quickly. 

"Yeah, Snitch?" He answered, looking up at her with bright, clear eyes - the very opposite of seconds prior when he was crying his eyes out. It took everything Mika had in her not to give him something to really cry about. 

"I was just going to say we will do anything to help you see your mama..." the girl said kindly, and she crouched beside him to squeeze him tight. 

A stern glance at her friends brought the others over, too. They professed their love for him as they piled up into one big bundle of friendship. They agreed to do whatever they could, knowing that if Ray wasn't going to help, someone had to--and it might as well be them. 

(y/n) thought it was unbelievably sweet, holding her precious babies in her snuggly hug until loud, plodding footsteps approached...

"Sweet girl! You said you were coming!" A whiny voice shouted for her, sounding distinctly like her beloved husband, who'd grown needier with every second they'd been apart. 

Having wandered to the garage alone, Ray waited two seconds and decided it was too long to go without the love of his life, so he retraced his steps to the main room. Skipping up to the metal door, eager to see his sweet girl again, he poked his head through--only to see his loathsome handyman hogging her sweetness to himself. 

"Schwoz! Quit hugging The Snitch and my wife, and come help me!" He barked, spooking the group into untangling themselves. 

"Okay, okay, doof, we're coming!" (y/n) yelled back as she rose from the group hug, rolling her eyes at her lover's neediness - albeit with a lovestruck smile. 

"Sorry, guys. We'll have to think about this later. You comin', Schwozie?"

Schwoz scuttled after her, wisely choosing to hide behind her back since it meant Ray wouldn't bother with him, not with his pretty girl around. He could quietly deal with the truck while they did the smoochy-smoochy in the corner, but if it saved him from a telling-off, he'd keep his vomit to himself. 

The kids, however, knew they'd have to meddle, even if it went against their mentor and boss. It was the right thing to do - what true superheroes would choose - but it meant they'd have to be sneaky. 

A little trickery and espionage would be required.

~The next day~

Ray and (y/n) didn't see the kids after that. 

They assumed they went home since there were no emergencies, and nothing in the Man's Nest needed doing that Miss Danger couldn't handle, so she and Ray went to bed. 

What was new there?

It wasn't until the next day - a perfectly ordinary, regular day in Swellview - that they did the rounds with Schwoz, doing whatever Ray ordered. And like usual, Ray didn't actually do anything useful; it was (y/n) who did the laundry, meal-prepped, helped the fuzzy coconut man tinker with some machines, and vacuumed the long, winding corridors.

Her doofus just stood there, looking all cute and handsome. That was his job. His job was doof. 

At last, though, they were finished, and, in a little group, they headed up to the main room of The Nest, taking the tube as Ray rabbitted on about this, that, and everything insane. And, of course, his handyman and the sweet girl just listened, knowing he'd find something to entertain himself soon - if a call didn't come in first. 

"I need you to take my toenail clippings and scatter them so my enemies can't use them to curse me," Ray rambled on, spouting some superstitious mumbo-jumbo as he walked hand-in-hand with his beloved wife. 

"You really believe that, doofus?" Asked (y/n), smiling up at him with affection gleaming in her eyes since he was too cute for his own good. Stupid, but undeniably cute. 

"Of course, darlin'!" He replied brightly, squeezing her hand tighter as they walked down the steps from the tube. "But make sure you save one in case I ever turn--"

"MAMA?!" A sudden shout from Schwoz had Ray shutting his mouth, and when the genius left his side with a cry of glee and a silly little run, his heart dropped to his stomach. 

All his nightmares seemed to materialise in the middle of the room, culminating in his dumb child sidekicks, with shit-eating grins on their faces, sitting on a wacky bed piled high with all manner of furs and blankets. Beside them, a hideously ugly and bizarre woman with wrinkly, baggy skin and long, grey hair piled up on her head in a ridiculous up-do - plus a little sprig of something green and leafy. 

She, the woman, smiled at Schwoz and smirked at Ray, whose jaw clenched and hand tightened further around his sweet girl's upon it, recognising the bitch instantly. And she was a bitch. She was the stuff of his darkest dreams. 

"Schwozie!" she exclaimed, welcoming Schwoz into her arms as he leapt onto the bed like a little boy—but not before doing a weird hand motion thing. And why wouldn't he? She was, after all, his mother, whom he hadn't seen in many a month. 

As they had their weird, little reunion, petting and patting each other most strangely, Ray snapped his fingers at Danger Force, his stern stare ordering them to his side so they could explain themselves. 

"Oh, this isn't good..." muttered (y/n), rubbing her hand against her temple as the children waddled over, seemingly proud of themselves for letting that woman in despite everything they had said. 

"Who's responsible for this?! Huh?!" Ray frowned, practically pinning the kids with his frosty glare, but they didn't back down; Miles was as calm as ever, Chapa was her usual grumpy self, Mika buzzed nervously beside her brother and Bose...he was just vacant.

"Mika? You feelin' a little snitchy?"

"Oh, I think you know that I am!" Hissed the girl in reply, hating how he knew her weakness, but she and her friends had discussed this during their devious little plan. She wouldn't break and snitch - at least not at first.

"I'll tell you who brought her here--me! Miles Macklin!" The boy said proudly, placing his hands on his hips and smiling off into the distance. 

"Ooh! Ooh! He snitched on himself! Give him an S!"

"S!" Bose shouted, kicking his leg into the air to contort himself into a shape that looked nothing like an S, but Mika's excitement was short-lived. 

"Doesn't count if you snitch on yourself," answered (y/n) dryly, knowing that the principle was the integrity side of everything - it was one thing to tell the truth about yourself, but to rat on a friend? That was something that Ray didn't want in his Man's Nest, much to the girl's disappointment and frustration. 

"Who makes up these rules?!"

"Duh, Ray..." said the woman with a silly grin, and she wrapped her arms around her doofus' bicep to squeeze it like a teddy bear. He was not happy, frowning and pouting as he glanced over his shoulder to check on Schwoz and their uninvited guest, glowering when he saw how weirdly they snuggled.

"Look..." said Miles, seeing how angry his boss was. 

Even (y/n), with her kind heart and fair judgement, didn't seem very pleased about the woman currently occupying her home with that enormous, hideous bed. "After a number of unsuccessful attempts to teleport to Schwoz's home country..."

"Eighty-three," said Chapa sarcastically, her monotone honesty making the boy throw a quick glare at her for interrupting and shaming him. 

"Not important. I made it there and brought her and her melty bones back here so she could see her son because we love Schwoz! And yeah, she screamed a lot when I grabbed her, and yeah, she tried to scratch me with one of her little melty arms, and--where was I going with this?"

"To Crazy Jail for kidnapping, judging by that rant," answered (y/n), folding her arms upon hearing the way they went behind her and Ray's back, concocting such an elaborate plan to bring Schwoz's mother to The Nest, not knowing what a pain in the ass she could be. 

Of course, like many children, they were deluded by their assumption of how nice the world appeared to be, having hardly had a go at life. So Chapa stepped forward and snapped at them, too. 

"She's a normal, sweet mom who just wants to see her son!" She argued although Ray begged to differ. 

"She is rubbing his belly like a dog," replied the superhero, jabbing his thumb toward the mother-and-son duo, who were certainly doing just that. She tickled his tummy, and Schwoz loved it. He stuck his tongue out and panted like a puppy, the weirdest thing any of them had seen in a while. 

"Yeah, that's a little weird..." Said Miles, frowning at the bizarre exchange, particularly when Schwoz shook his leg and barked lowly and gruffly, but he was not one to judge. Ray, on the other hand...

"It's a lot of weird! I can't stand that lady!" He told them, suddenly looking a little distraught as he recalled all the unfortunate times he'd met Mrs Schwoz's Mom, and there had been a lot over the years. "She's always trying to find ways to body-shame me, or throw food at me, or break me and (y/n) up!"

"Raaaaaaaaaaay!" But before he could elaborate and give examples, of which there were dozens, a shrill, accented voice called out to him from behind. 

It seemed so lovely, coated in saccharine to make it seem friendly. Still, he knew it was anything but, taking his wife's hand for moral support and turning around with an even faker smile. 

"Mama Schwozzzzzz!" Said Ray, turning around with (y/n), wearing the brightest, tightest smiles they could muster as they faced the dragon of a woman. God, she thought of herself like a queen, sitting on that pile of fur and silk with her stupid, poofy hair, and her arrogance really pissed him off. 

"Oh, have you gained weight?" And those snide, backhanded comments, too. So damn bitchy, but that was her all over. 

"I've gained muscle! And, actually, that weighs more than fat, so..." Ray replied as (y/n) protectively curled her arms around his trim waist and hugged her precious doofus. She didn't care what size he was, but Captain Man was the fittest, hottest man she'd ever met; Mama Schwoz was just mean. 

"Maybe..." The woman shrugged before turning her crinkled gaze toward the girl at his side, liking her more than that idiot for whom her son worked. Still, she thought lovely (y/n) could do much better than him, thinking Ray Manchester punched ten leagues above himself when he pulled a girl like her. 

"(y/n)!"

"Hello, Mama Schwoz..." said the heroine shyly. Her husband gently took her hand this time, allowing her to feel his wedding band. 

He was braced for it, but it still stung when that judgemental stare came their way, eyeing their matching rings and huffing. It made the man feel a little insecure, knowing someone, even if she was insulting, thought he wasn't good enough, and all he ever wanted was the best for his sweet girl. 

"Still hanging out with him?"

"Well, he's still the love of my life." But Ray didn't need to worry about a thing, not when (y/n) turned to him with sparkling eyes, the biggest, lovesick smile, and hearts in her eyes. She stepped a little closer to him, allowing his muscly - not fat - arm to wrap itself around her shoulders as he looked down at her, equally head over heels. 

"And we've been married for four months now. I think we're a little past the hanging-out stage."

"Well, there's still time..." muttered Mama Schwoz, her snake-like gaze sliding to her folded hands as Ray coughed out a choked chuckle, knowing if he didn't hold his tongue, he'd end up saying something unforgivable. 

"Well, this has all been terribly fun, but I'm having a bad time, and these kids have a lot of work to do down at superhero school, so... Mama Schwoz, if you don't mind..."

"I don't mind!" She grinned sourly, deliberately ignoring Ray's not-so-subtle hint for her to just fuck off already, keenly aware that he hated her as much as she despised him. Instead, ignoring his comment, she reached out and stroked Schwoz's belly again, making him pant and shake his leg like a dog. 

The kids just wandered off, happy to leave the genius and his mom alone for some quality time together, but Ray just stood there. His teeth ground together, and his fists clenched, utterly disgusted to see the woman's hold over his handyman. 

The fact that she had the nerve to infiltrate his Man's Nest and start smarting him made it worse, almost to the point where he didn't hear his sweet girl whispering soft words behind him. 

"Doofus? Oh, doooooofus?..." (y/n) called to him, tugging on his arm enough for the hero to tear his eyes away from the revolting sight for a second. 

"What, darlin'?"

"You're gonna burst a blood vessel if you don't chill out," said his wife as she stroked his beefy arm and smiled up at him, fluttering her eyelashes to enchant him as only she knew. 

"Can't help it," muttered Ray, who softened for a minute before returning to glaring at Mama Schwoz. If looks could kill, his brooding, grumpy stare would have her six feet under, much to (y/n)'s amusement.

"You know how much that woman pisses me off."

"Come with me, Ray." A gentle tug on his hand had Ray stumbling toward the metal door before he caught himself, wondering what his sweet girl was up to. She looked at him happily and lovingly, eyes full of innocence and good intentions, but his feet didn't want to move. 

That would mean leaving Schwoz's mother alone to have free run of The Nest, and the thought made him sick to his stomach. And the kids needed schooling; why else would he entertain having them in his life, causing chaos and inviting weird, old women into his home?

So, his mouth moved automatically, and he looked at his pretty girl with a blank stare—as if he didn't know what her dragging him off meant. 

"What?"

"You're stressed out to hell," said (y/n) with a giggle, and this time, a glimpse of mischief crossed her face. She tugged him toward the door again, and Ray followed, tripping over his feet as she smirked and whispered the words that would usually make him run to her. 

"Come with me."

~

"It's not like I don't want Schwoz to see his mom. I do."

Ray muttered as he lay on his bed, propped up against the headboard and a mountain of pillows, blissfully in absolute heaven. He'd been ranting for a solid twenty minutes, his motor mouth never ceasing since his sweet girl dragged him away from Mama Schwoz and her golden boy of a son. His handyman. 

The idea was for him to relax - get all cosy and comfy in a safe environment where they could lock the doors and decompress together. At least, that was (y/n)'s plan. So far, it wasn't going so well. 

"I know, doofus." Her reply was soft and short, more bothered about resting against his bare chest than paying attention to whatever grievance her husband had. She didn't mind hearing him venting but for twenty minutes? About the same old crap? No one could relax with that racket. 

"She's just so annoying. Did you hear what she said to you about us?" said the doofus, hissing through his teeth as he recalled how rude that wrinkly hag had been, daring to imply that his beloved wife might disappear one day. The very thought made his heart hurt, and his lips quiver. 

"There's still time--huh! I'll show her!"

"I know, doof. I was there," (y/n) replied, nuzzling into her neck as she melted into his lap, knees on either side of his hips. Ray's large hands loosely gripped her waist, moving only to gesture wildly to nothing and no one since no one else would entertain his rant. 

Only her, and she was barely listening, anyway. 

"I'll kick her ass, you see if I don't!" He spat, scrunching his nose and wriggling slightly, unintentionally disturbing the precious girl above him. Really, he should've been at total peace, content to just lay there with his wife and admire her beautiful form - given that she was utterly and perfectly naked. 

So was he, having ripped off his tight shirt and jeans and discarded them in a rumpled pile the minute she gave him the order to strip. Usually, he would've had a one-track mind, but Ray couldn't shake the anger instilled in him by Mrs Schwoz's Stupid Mom. 

"Maybe that'll teach her to stop saying mean things about me, too..."

"Uh-huh..."

"Did you see her face when you told her we got married, though?" And he kept going. He would only stop when he'd tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear or rake his fingers down her back, making his sweet girl purr. 

The sound was music to his ears and enough to stroke his ego, remembering how his wife told that bitch about their wedding. The happiest day of his life. 

"I just wanted to shout in her face, that's right, Mama Schwoz! I made this incredibly hot woman my wife, so you can suck it! Yeah!"

"You and I both know you'd never do that, Raymond," (y/n) replied quietly, her words slightly slurred since her cheek was smushed into his chest. 

But she knew Ray, and for all his big talk and dumb ideas, he wasn't actually very good at confrontation. She'd learnt that the first time she met the woman. 

"You're too scared of her."

"I'm not scared, sweet girl!" he argued, pouting petulantly as his arms squeezed her tighter. His nose wrinkled at the thought because Captain Man did not get scared—even if he was allowed to. 

That woman just knew how to needle his insecurities, picking on his looks and most profound, most sacred feelings and making all his emotional progress unravel. His eyes found himself in the mirror across the room, seeing how the beauty laid on his chest like a goddess...and there was him, lurking beneath. 

"And I'm not fat, either..."

"No, you're not." This time, (y/n) perked up. 

While she wasn't interested in discussing Mama Schwoz anymore, the unsure edge in her husband's voice instantly made her sit straighter. It wasn't like him to lack confidence. When she looked into his eyes, palms braced on his impeccable pecs, a flash of insecurity appeared in the crystalline blue. 

"Would you still love me, even if I was?" Ray asked in a heartbreakingly small voice, holding her waist as his gaze broke off to the side. 

"Are you serious right now, Raymond?" His wife asked sharply, an ugly frown appearing on her pretty face, making the hero regret his silly question. 

He disliked anything that made her unhappy, and his insecurities were inconsequential and unnecessary. He was Captain Man. Anything less than perfection was not in his description. 

But then, her frown turned strangely sad as (y/n) felt a stab of offence in her gut. Did people think she was that shallow? 

She cupped his face, bringing his beautiful eyes back to hers and silently swore that if she heard that woman insult him again, Mama Schwoz or not, she would have her head, preferably on a platter. 

"You really think that matters to me?"

"Well..." Ray gulped, knowing his chiselled body and not-so-bad face were ninety per cent of him. Maybe he was brave and strong, but apart from that, he didn't see what else made him special. 

"Well, nothing. I married a sweet, kind, funny, adorably dumb doofus, and I don't care if he's chubby, skinny, or anything in between. I love you for you, Ray, not what you look like."

The smile slowly grew on his face, in tandem with the pinkish blush that spoke of his affection. A soft, fuzzy warmth spread through his belly, travelling lower, higher, and to his heart, turning that frown into a lovestruck gaze. 

"...But it doesn't hurt that you're easy on the eye," whispered (y/n) with a little giggle as she admired his perfectly sculpted face. 

His arms came around her frame, pulling her close - if that were even possible - and they laughed, brushing their lips together until Ray pulled away with a cheeky grin. 

"You're crushin' on me, aren't you?" He said jokingly, fingers brushingly ticklishly up her ribs, making the heroine shriek and scold him. 

"Shut up, you big doofus!"

"Nah, I'm serious, darlin'!" He laughed heartily, leaning forward to smooch up her throat and jawline before looking up at his beloved wife with those big, blue eyes - he looked like such an adorable doofus. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

"So pretty," replied (y/n) with a slight nod. She felt slightly breathless at the handsome man staring up at her, his hands exploring her curves. It was somewhat daunting to have his full attention fixed on her, but it was also exhilarating. Like her tummy was full of butterflies. 

"That's good 'cause I think you're pretty, too," Ray answered softly, gaze drifting down her body and its finer features. 

Her delicate collarbones, then her soft stomach, and south toward the apex of her thighs, which met his. And between them was the greatest gift he could ever receive - his hard, leaking cock pressed deep inside her warm walls, so safe and snug all this time. 

"My pretty girl, with her beautiful face, and gorgeous eyes...and her perfect pussy."

"You know how to flatter a girl, doof." A sigh left (y/n)'s smiling lips, which only grew when Ray cupped her cheeks, settling into the plush pillows just as she had instructed. 

It was all part of her plan to make him forget about all his troubles, and it was working. Mama Schwoz still pissed him off, but how could any man be upset when he had an angel on top of him, ripping her clothes off and straddling him with learned experience? 

Ray certainly couldn't, practically putty in her hands as he smiled like an idiot and focused on the gentle, pleasant sensation of her pussy trembling around him. 

"S'true. Here I am, calm as fuck, even with that wrinkly poodle of a woman in my Man's Nest, and it's all because my perfect fuckin' wife's got her pussy wrapped around me."

"Easiest way to get you to relax, Ray," answered (y/n), adjusting her position, making her walls drag against his length a little. Her nails raked down his chest, causing goosebumps to ripple across his skin, and the hero practically purred. "I'm not having you and her nearly cause World War Three again, not when I've just waxed the floors."

"That was seven years ago, sweet girl," Ray argued as he leaned up to nuzzle further against her neck. His voice turned sharper as he remembered all the tricks and chaos that woman caused - rage simmering with pleasure in the background.

"And she was the one who started it."

"I'll finish it." (y/n) left no room for arguments. 

A roll of her hips - a minuscule movement - had her lover groaning and hissing, grabbing her hips tighter. With his eyes screwed shut, the doofus groaned--almost whining--much to his wife's mischievous smirk when all comments about Mama Schwoz disappeared. 

"F-Fuck, you play dirty," stammered Ray, his gaze rolling to the back of his head when she slowly began to move. 

With expert rolling and undulations, the heroine set an agonisingly slow pace to warm them up. He begged to differ, thinking twenty minutes of cockwarming with her hot cunt twitching around him was enough to make any man feral. 

But he had to lay there and take it, moaning lowly in the back of his throat as (y/n) set the speed she liked, riding him lazily with her hands braced on his toned abs. 

"You like it, though."

"Yeah, I fuckin' do. Got these tits in my face and my girl bouncin' on my cock," he spat, reaching up to tweak her hard nipple, tugging it just to hear her mewl. "Most guys would kill to have this, but you're all mine, right, sweet girl?"

"All yours, doofus!" She panted, already feeling her legs jitter from both the position and the long wait. 

He stretched her out so good when she first slid onto her, engulfing that long, thick cock in her drenched, gummy walls, and it was like torture having to hold off until he shut up. But it was worth it to have him like this; under her, drenched in sweat, so deep in her pussy that it felt like he was in her stomach, and moaning to the rhythm of her rutting against his lap. 

"Pretty pussy..." Ray muttered lazily, a weak spank hitting her ass when the pace increased, and he could feel it coming. His sweet girl was barely paying attention, lost in her own little world as she chased the first of her highs, and it wasn't far off. 

She swallowed his cock too easily, the sound of skin hitting skin and wet slaps filling the room as she bounced and writhed and squirmed, looking to hit the sweetest point just right. 

"She just sucks me in, needs a cock to keep her all happy and wet. Does she want to cum?"

"Uh-huh--wanna cum, doof." Her breathy, whimpering moans had him more whipped than he already was, hands wandering her clammy skin as his hips bucked up, too. The jolt made her tits heave - the prettiest sight that had the hero's eyes turning to slits and drool pooling on his tongue, wanting those perky tips in his mouth. 

"S'pose I should play with your pretty, lil' clit, too, then? She needs attention, too..."

"Ray..." His name fell from her lips, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes as she stopped bouncing, preferring to grind against his public bone when a fat thumb pad suddenly assaulted her clit. 

Their skin stuck together, melded by sweat, but neither cared nor noticed, not when he had his pretty girl exactly where he wanted her, rubbing her slick clit in hot, tight circles. 

"You only get this whiny when you want to cum, sweet girl," Ray said, grinning ferally as he took a hand from his torso, bringing it to his mouth and pulling a finger between his lips. 

He sucked it down to the knuckle before pulling away with a pop, leaving a gentle kiss against her palm when their eyes met again. "Gets me so hard, hearing you say my name like that."

"R-Ray!"

"Fuck, come on. You want me to relax? Then, soak me, sweet girl." His words were the final push to send (y/n) tumbling, crying out as her cunt clamped around his cock and sent fire running through her veins. 

Candied whimpers left her lips as Ray groaned, never stopping the touch against her clit as he let her ride out the high. The nerve and energy it took him not to follow was insurmountable, his head thumping against the wall as he panted through gritted teeth. 

"S-So good, doofus," said (y/n) once the ripples faded out, leaving her jelly-like and feeling too damn good. She slumped down against him, pressing his cock further inside her, nudging her innermost walls, and as she caught her breath, Ray found himself staring at where their bodies met. 

A sheen of shiny slick coated his lower lap from where she'd gushed all around him, creating a sticky mess that made his mouth water. Just the thought of crawling between her legs and cleaning it up had him straining in her pussy, but he'd refrain. 

He wasn't quite finished yet. 

"Yeah? Felt so hot when you came around me." He stroked her soft tummy, finally relenting on her clit and brushing the strands of hair away from her drenched forehead. "You always do."

"Are you relaxed?" (y/n) asked innocently, noting how he fully sunk into the pillows, his large, bulky frame taking up most of the bed. With his muscles and tall stature spreading across the mattress, he looked like a king--surely, that made her a queen if she got to sit atop him. 

"Not quite..." But, in the blink of an eye, the world shifted. 

Ray was relentless in his thirst for his beloved wife, seizing her waist and throwing her onto the mattress, rolling himself on top. In the commotion, his cock fell from her slicked cunt, causing a little gasp to leave their lips as he bobbed between her legs, which swiftly parted to accommodate her big doofus. 

"That's my good girl," whispered the hero as he settled himself in his favourite place in the world, taking himself in his palm and guiding his flared tip back to where it belonged. "Let me fuck my favourite pussy--take my mind off things."

He slipped in effortlessly, aided by the endless sheen coating her lips and thighs, and they groaned in unison. The change in position created a new stretch--a new yet familiar burn--that had (y/n) turning her head to the side, crying into the sheets as Ray began thrusting deeply. 

His lips found her neck, kissing and panting hard at how well she always took him, and if he looked at her pleasure-strewn face now, he knew he'd spill early. So, he kept his movements controlled, bucking into her at a leisurely pace - not too hard, not too fast - as if that would soothe the ache in them. 

"Sh-shit, doof--" she choked out, voice trembling from the force of his body rocking hers, but he was holding back. She could tell. And it was the only thing that would keep her sane if he fucked her gushy cunt hard and strong. 

"Can go harder if you want."

"Really? Think you can handle it?" Ray asked with a shit-eating smirk that masqueraded his lack of self-restraint as cocksure confidence. The tips of his ears burned from the effort of not holding his sweet girl down and ploughing into her, wanting to be buried in all the crannies and crevices that her scorching pussy had to offer. 

"I'm not made of glass..." But the soft, fucked-out smile she gave him was enough to melt his cockiness, and instead, he felt the urge to bury himself inside grow tenfold. 

She looked too cute for this world, his perfect pillow princess, as she laid back and took his cock, even when he doubled down and really fucked her. 

"I fuckin' love you," he whispered hotly against her lips, meeting them in a filthy clash of teeth and tongues before he settled simply touching foreheads together. 

"Love--love you, too," she replied shakily, arms curled around his back as she pressed her face into the side of his head, whimpering and moaning right against his ear. "You fuck me so good, Ray."

"Tell me..." Ray muttered lowly, loving how he could still hear the seat slapslapslap of her sloppy pussy, even above himself and her moans.

When she didn't reply immediately, a pathetic cry fell from her lips, and a hard spank to her outer thigh made her shout, nails digging into his shoulders as he growled into her hair. 

"Tell me how good I am at fucking this pretty, little cunt."

"So fucking good! I love it--love you!" She cried, choked and desperate at his relentless pace and how his heavy frame seemed to pin hers down. "So goof for me, Ray."

"M'so deep... Can you feel me in here? Feel my cock in your tummy, darlin'..." An even heavier hand suddenly rested on her stomach and pushed. All the sensations around her body intensified, making it feel like his cock was punching up into her throat, nudging against his fingertips every time. 

"Don't..." (y/n) whined, tears on her lashes again when her cunt squeezed at the fuller feeling. "Make me cum again..."

"But what if that's what I want?" Ray asked in a saccharine tone, licking a hot strip up her neck, tasting salt and something sweeter - just like his sweet girl. 

Nothing sounded better, wanting to feel the safety and reassuring familiar yet of her walls strangling his cock when he came deep inside her - and it was creeping up on him. 

"Cum around me again, sweet girl, and I can cum for you, too. You want that?"

"Mm-hmm." 

She nodded lazily, feeling the same dull but steadily rising pleasure return to her gut, and this time, it was so much more intense, sending waves of slickness around his length. A ring of creamy whiteness gathered at his base, sucking him deeper as she moaned in the back of her throat and closed her eyes. 

"Fucked so good, you can't even talk..." The man laughed, nosing her soft cheek and sucking a few fleeting bruises into her skin, marking her up as his in his head. 

"S'okay, pretty girl. I got you." Two fingers returned to her clit, snaking between searingly hot, sweaty bodies to circle figures of eight around the drenched nub. More pathetic moans left her precious lips, and Ray felt how close she was, sensing every twitch and tremble from her inner walls. 

"So close..." She gasped, muscles pulling taut and face scrunching as her cunt began to convulse, pulling Ray along for the ride. 

"Me, too--where'd you want me?" He asked, a strained edge creeping into his voice as he got closer and closer, but he had to ask, even as her gushy pussy slowly drained his sanity. 

"Should I paint your walls, or your perfect tits, or your beautiful face?"

"Inside! Make me yours--inside!" Her reply was instantaneous, screeching as the knot in her stomach began to unravel, and his fingers quickened against her clit. 

"My wife knows what I--I like best." Ray chuckled, only for it to get stuck in his throat. He gasped and groaned, feeling his heavy balls tighten and beg to spill, and what better place than deep inside her--where he belonged?

"I'm gonna cum, (y/n)..."

"Do it, Ray. I'm right here..." She pressed her lips to his skin in the final moment, freezing against the bed when he moaned and pressed himself as deeply as he could against her cunt. 

With her legs spread wide around him, he spilt into her spasming pussy, mumbling praises and Iloveyous as rope after rope coated her walls. She milked him dry, whining in the back of her throat as it washed over her like a warm, gentle wave. 

"Fuck..." Ray could barely move, sagging against her soft body as he rumbled like a grizzly bear after too much honey. 

Shivers ran down his spine as her fingers found the hair at the nape of his neck. She scratched his scalp soothingly as he curled into her body and breathed. The room was silent, save for their panting, and for a glorious moment of post-fuck bliss, he barely remembered the woman he dreaded. 

"Better?" (y/n) asked after a few minutes, pressing a soft kiss against his temple that had Ray smiling into the cleft between her breasts. 

"Yeah..." he mumbled, still feeling woozy and warm. He had yet to pull out, and he didn't plan on doing so because it all felt so comfy--like the room was golden and she was an angel. "God, I feel so much better."

"Good. That was the plan."

"Have I ever told you I think your pussy has magic powers?" He asked, and (y/n) knew he genuinely meant it. It was such a Ray thing to ask, and she laughed with a shake of her head, swatting his shoulder. 

"Oddly enough, doof, I don't think so."

"Well, it does," answered the doofus before a loud yawn left him, muttering tiredly. Then he slumped against her body, trapping his precious girl under his heavy, six-foot-something frame. 

"I could just fall asleep right here, and you'll be here when I wake up, right, darlin'? Then, I'll eat you out and clean up the mess I made."

The way he said it, mumbling into her boob like a worn-out little boy, made her coo, heart clenching at how adorable he was. 

Deep down, Ray loved the praise from acts of service—Captain Man and everything—but while she would have loved to spread her legs and let him get on with his favourite pastime like a good boy, there was a slight problem. 

"You know, we have a classroom full of kids to teach in about an hour," said (y/n) quietly, not wishing to ruin the peace and quiet, but the children would. Inevitably. They only had their lunch hour before it was back to work, and then, they'd come in. Kicking. Screaming. Rioting. 

But that didn't bother Ray. Nothing or no one would prise him from his sweet, sweet wife. 

"Let them wait," he said firmly, adjusting his position to spoon her rather than squash her. He nuzzled closer and sighed, closing his eyes for a quick nap, content to stay wrapped in her warmth for however long she would allow. 

"It's their fault we have the bride of Chucky staying in our guest suite."

~

Lunch flew by. 

Seriously, Ray was thinking about increasing it to two hours when his phone suddenly rang, and Mika appeared on the screen. Of course, it was that miscreant. 

An hour in bed with his wife was simply not long enough, and he whined when (y/n) told him to shift his butt and get showered - ten minutes later than they should have done. It was hard to resist the big doofus, who whined when he didn't get his way of wanting another round or at least a taste of what he'd begged for. 

But his sweet girl refused, throwing him some boxer shorts and a clean white tee as she waddled to the bathroom, hoping to make herself at least a little presentable. At least Ray could be proud of that, noting the slight wobble in her legs that would disappear in the hour, but he'd know. 

And no one else would. 

It spurred him to quickly change into his favourite red tracksuit since the Captain Man curriculum for today specified self-defence classes. God only knew how poorly Danger Force fought without their superpowers, so this was a must. 

He just had to teach the class and send the kids home so they could resume their alone time. If only. The hag made any chance of staying relaxed and positive impossible. 

Of course, Mama Schwoz didn't leave; she waited in SWAG's classroom, where her son had moved her bed—just so she could watch and make unwanted comments, like how she knew a charming boy whom she could introduce to (y/n)—as if Ray wasn't in the room. 

Give him strength. 

"And then, when the villain says, which arm? You say, dis-arm!" Shouted Ray as he demonstrated one of his more questionable, sneaky techniques to the kids. 

His method involved having Chapa stand there, pointing a blaster at him like a villain wouldn't just shoot first and ask questions later, but he insisted it would work. So, after saying his very clever quip, he yanked the gun from her hands and pushed the poor girl to the floor, where (y/n) had thankfully left a crash mat. 

"Oh, Chapa, are you okay?" asked the heroine, offering a hand to help the girl up. Her cheeks warmed at the kind offer, and she scowled at the niceness, but even she couldn't refuse (y/n/n). 

"Yeah... Thanks (y/n)." She scrambled to her feet, glaring at the smirking hero as he twirled the gun around his finger by the trigger guard. 

It was only when Mama Schwoz squinted and hummed in disapproval that his eyes narrowed. He wondered what she possibly wanted to complain about now. 

"Ehhhhhh...."

"What's that, ehhhhhhh?" Asked the hero, his lips twisting into a snarl as he scowled at the woman. 

Schwoz stood at her side, barely leaving her alone since she wanted to be waited on, hand and foot, which included being fed drops of medicine from a pipette like a queen and her servant. 

"Well, it's not how I would disarm someone, but..." Mama Schwoz said with a slight shrug. Knowing how difficult she was being, seeing the hero so mad just made it fun. 

"Okay..." Ray gritted his teeth, remembering his happy place not an hour ago when he was safe and warm with his sweet girl, but the bitch just made it so damn hard not to rip her head off. "Why don't you come on up here and show us how it's done?"

"Can't. Bones are melting..." whimpered the woman as she stuck out her bottom lip and batted her lashes slowly. 

"Pretty well established at this point, sir," said Bose from his chair, but Ray just rolled his eye. Neither he nor (y/n) believed it for a second. 

"But..." She didn't shut up for a single second for someone so sick and desperate, and he had plenty of other reasons to loathe her existence. "If they weren't, I would just kick you in the zipper."

"Yeah, I would say noooooo...." muttered (y/n) as she folded her arms and frowned. Her doofus was indestructible, but any damage in that department couldn't be good for her future plans, and she didn't want to see him writhing on the floor. 

"Pffftt! Don't worry, darlin'. That's never gonna--"

"Zipper kick!" Ray spoke too soon. The minute someone put the idea in her head, Chapa just had to try it; she deemed it revenge for how the hero tossed her on the mat like a rag doll. 

In one mean, swift kick, she booted Ray in the crotch, making the poor man groan and double over, holding his tenders as they throbbed. The others winced and yelled in shock, covering their mouths in sympathy as (y/n) cried out for her doofus, hoping he was okay 'cause that looked painful. 

Mama Schwoz, of course, didn't care, clapping her hands at the sight of the great hero on the ground--writhing in pain. 

"My turn! My turn!" The kids shouted, leaping from their seats at the chance to grievously hurt their boss, who wouldn't let anyone else - save for his beloved wife - within three feet of him. 

"No one's kicking me in the zipper!" Ray exclaimed, warding the children off by pointing the blaster at anyone who got too close. 

Bose, Miles, Mika, and Chapa thankfully backed off. Still, they couldn't help but smirk, watching as Ray clutched his hurting area with a quivering expression. 

"And from now on, I would thank you if you stay out of my business!"

"Yeah, I want children, thank you very much!" Said (y/n) as she rushed over to tenderly stroke her doofus' back, telling him it would all be okay in a few seconds--once the pain faded away. The children grimaced at the thought but didn't relent from the teasing. 

"No! Let her teach us more stuff!" said Chapa, and the others readily agreed, wanting to inflict more severe pain. Then an alarm blared, and a red light flashed, bathing the room in scarlet - such perfect timing. 

"Oh, no!"

"Oh, thank God, there's a crime!" Ray sighed, pressing his palms together in a grateful prayer since, for now, they'd have to put a pin in ruining his chances of being a father.

Literally, he was saved by the bell, and the team begrudgingly plodded over to their chairs, looking ever so childish with their pouty faces. 

"All right, we'll see you guys upstairs!" (y/n) cheerfully told them, skipping off to the back room where the stairs were, followed by her husband and Schwoz. 

"Mostly everybody! Mostly!" Ray couldn't help but add, glancing over at his shoulder at Mama Schwoz, who fortunately had to stay behind in the Man's Nest because of her melty bones. 

There were some small mercies, and whilst the hero didn't like the idea of leaving her in his home, at least he'd have thirty minutes of freedom. A hand reached for his shoulder, peeling him away from the door so they could get moving, and it was all too easy to get the doofus to follow his sweet girl. 

"Come on, doofus."

"She's so annoying!" The hero groaned as his wife guided him toward the staircase, knowing he'd happily go back there and strangle Mama Schwoz if she made one more rude comment. 

Luckily, Ray calmed down quickly, given the much better view he had whilst tailing his sweet girl, who just knew where he had his eyes glued to--and it wasn't her new sneakers. 

"I know, I know..." said (y/n), glancing over her shoulder to see her husband smiling dorkily to himself, looking like a lovesick idiot. "How's your, um...?"

"Can you kiss it better?" He asked instantly, a hopeful grin spreading across his face at the cheeky thought. (y/n) felt her ears superheat, and Schwoz's, who'd been jogging up the stairs in front of them, turned around with an expression of abject horror. 

"Ew, gross!" He frowned, his stomach twisting at the grossness of imagining his pure, sweet, innocent friend lowering herself, and--ew, ew, ew!

"Keep walkin', Schwoz!" Ray snapped, glaring at the fuzzy weirdo for daring to interrupt. 

Schwoz didn't need to be told twice; he scrambled up the stairs as fast as his little legs could carry him, leaving the handsy hero alone with his precious wife. He couldn't help but grasp her waist and come up close behind her. 

"Be a good boy and finish this mission," (y/n) told him, giggling and squirming as he palmed her ass. She told him to stop, smiling when she told him not to play on the stairs, but how could he when she promised such temptation. "Then, I'll think about it."

"Where did I put my damn gum?!" The man patted down his pockets, spinning in circles as they reached the Man's Nest. With clumsy fingers, he plucked it from his pocket, drawing funny looks from the kids who'd arrived in the room before them. 

They couldn't imagine why the idiot rushed to get going so quickly, stuffing it in his mouth like a starving man. He held the tube tightly--almost breaking the glass as he waited to pop a gumball, itching to get to work. 

But he managed to control himself, even if he buzzed on the spot as (y/n) followed suit, albeit at a normal, not weird, pace, and walked into the room whilst searching for her gum. 

"You look so handsome today, doofus," said (y/n) with a bright, affectionate smile once she saw him in the daylight, thinking that tracksuit sculpted his muscles perfectly. 

She sidled up to him and looped her arms around his neck, pulling a very willing Ray into a quick kiss. 

"Do you guys ever get bored of each other?" Chapa asked sarcastically, wrinkling her nose as she watched the two canoodle - so openly. 

"Nope!" they answered together, pulling away and looking at her with twin, love-struck grins. They held hands and everything, like two peas in a pod that had the girl rolling her eyes again, feeling somewhat nauseous. 

Neither Ray nor (y/n) cared as the man pulled his wife in for another, smiling against her lips until the heroine noticed something strange. 

She counted the kids milling around the room in the corner of her eye and swore they were one down. In such a bustling household, she never missed one of her beloved babies, and even Ray noted how quiet the place seemed to be with one less yapper in his ear. 

"Hang on...where's Mika?"

"Oh, she forgot her gum downstairs. Went to get it," Miles explained with a simple shrug, not wanting to look in their direction since his phone was so exciting and their kissing was not. 

Ray did not look happy to learn about this dissent in the ranks, hoping they could go out, kick some butt, and get his sweet reward. But they couldn't leave without ShoutOut, so he did the only thing he could think of. 

"Ugh...children!" He rolled his eyes before throwing his head back, signalling for the lady beside him to clamp her hands over her ears and brace herself. "MIKA!"

"Doofus! No shouting--let's just go get her!" (y/n) scolded him, wincing when the loudness penetrated her poor ears, and the superhero couldn't help but feel bad. 

Still, they went back down the stairs, with Ray grumbling all the way about how he shouldn't send a kid to do Captain Man's job. As her brother said, Mika was downstairs in SWAG, standing in the middle of the room, staring at Mama Schwoz with a ghastly, almost sickened expression. 

"MIKA! What's going on?!" Asked Ray sharply, bursting into the room with his wife behind him, looking befuddled as to why she'd want to stay in the room with that. 

"I...forgot my gum," the girl answered, but something in her voice made (y/n) frown. 

She sounded unsure like she was holding something back, but this was Mika. Mika never lied. That's what made her so snitchy.

"What's with the music?" (y/n) asked, looking at the speakers on the ceiling as she refrained from interrogating the girl - for now. 

"I'm so sick!" Across the room, Mama Schwoz whined and coughed weakly. She was still spread across her bed, although she'd managed to kick her melty legs out from underneath her many blankets. 

Her outfit was beyond wacky, consisting of a long, frumpy, hippie-like blouse and baggy yoga pants, and it just made Ray hate her even more. And he had zero sympathy for her, no matter how much she whimpered. "I'm so definitely, actually sick!"

"I..." Mika stammered, her gaze meeting the woman's challenging one, but she couldn't reveal her secret. She just couldn't. Not when she resented being called the S-word. So, for the first time, Mika Macklin lied to her teachers' faces, even if it cracked her golden heart. 

"I was just getting pumped up! You know, a little pre-crime dancing! Drop low, and bring it high."

"That's stupid," said Ray dryly, giving her an unimpressed stare. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his PearPhone—the one connected to the speaker system. "This is a much better pump-up song!"

"Oh, sweet cheese, Raymond. No..." (y/n) groaned, knowing what he would play simply by his words, but it was too late by then. 

Suddenly, a country tune, full of banjos and hillbilly magic, filled the room, and, much to Mika's disgust, the hero began to move his hips in time to the beat. He gestured the brow of a cowboy hat, grinning at the girls as they stood side by side and utterly confused by the sight he made. 

"Shuffle to your left! Flex your muscles to the right!" Ray's voice with a country accent began singing, reminding (y/n) of the terrible time he thought he'd be the next big thing, straight from Swellview. 

Her doofus wasn't a bad singer, not at all, but just watching how he roped Mika into dancing with him, bootin', scootin', and boogieing on down to the music made her cringe. 

The girl looked like she wanted to die, limply moving her arms and legs with Ray's instructions, noticing how Mama Schwoz smirked when the doofus faked a lasso above his head. 

"Do the Captain Man. You gotta blow bubbles! You gotta fight crime!"

Now Mika knew why Ray didn't want Schwoz's mother in the Man's' Nest. The woman was a lowdown, perfectly healthy liar.

~Later that day~

The mission went without a hitch, and Ray got his cuddle in bed afterwards. Well, sort of.

It wasn't long before the emergencies started coming thick and fast. He and his sweet girl didn't get much time to themselves, what with pandering to Mama Schwoz's every need. She was relentless, making demands and using Danger Force for her every little need as if Schwoz wasn't there for her little need. 

A little later in the day, Ray found something worthwhile for his irritating sidekicks to do for him. Perhaps it would give him the space to drag his wife off for more relaxation, but first, he needed to find them. 

With (y/n) tagging along, the hero tubed up to the Man's Nest, a video rental clasped in his tight fist as he jogged down the steps. 

She was still in the room - the dragon of all mothers since she preferred the height Captain Man's headquarters gave her. SWAG was too far down the mountain, and Mama Schwoz was too used to being the queen of the hill. 

"Gross..." Ray muttered as he stood in the middle of the room, eyeing the disgusting sight of his handyman brushing his smirking mother's hair. 

"Just ignore her..." (y/n) told him softly, trying to forget the image of Mama Schwoz shoving massive spoonfuls of yoghurt into her mouth. She fought a constant battle to try and keep the peace, hoping if her doofus just focused on his dumb task, he wouldn't start a fight. 

"Okay, sweet girl..." Ray smiled at her brightly before his face turned serious, and (y/n) couldn't put her hands over her ears quickly enough when he threw his head back. 

"Danger Force! ASSEMBLE!" Only to say how loud he shouted and how typically speedy his sidekicks were; no one came. All Ray got was a couple of funny looks from Schwoz and his mom, who laughed at him cruelly. 

"I said, DangerForceAssemble!"

"They're not here, stupid," said Mama Schwoz snidely, pausing her yoghurt slurping, but her son never stopped brushing her frizzy hair. Ray and (y/n) frowned at the news, wondering where the four could've gone since, technically, they were still at school/work. 

"Where are they?" Asked the heroine as she placed a hand on her doofus' chest to keep him back. 

"Mama sent them on a mission!" Schwoz replied happily, only briefly looking up from his crucial task of detangling those grey tendrils. 

"Mama doesn't get to send them on missions! Only me or (y/n) get to send them on missions, and I have a very important mission that I need to send them on right now!" Said Ray angrily, glaring at the infernal woman still perched on her hideous bed, not that she cared. 

"I'm so sorry. What is your important mission?" Schwoz genuinely sounded remorseful, and Ray looked at the ground. 

He could feel everyone's eyes on him, thinking it was a murder, or a burglary, or some grand disaster, but his sweet girl knew better. She gave him a raised eyebrow, already predicting a smart comment when he brandished the rental in his hand. 

"I need them to return this copy of Addams Family Values. (y/n) and I watched it when we were dating, and now it's absurdly overdue."

"Well, I did tell you to take it back, doofus," (y/n) muttered, shaking her head at her silly doofus as she remembered that cosy night in--well, before she ever dreamed that she'd get to marry her adorable doofus. "Three years ago..."

"They'll be back soon..." Mama Schwoz told her coly, smirking over her little dish. 

"Where are they?"

"I just needed them to pick up a few...elderly items," she said, which was a little bit too much information for the hero to deal with, and he wrinkled his nose. "I would've gone myself, but, y'know...melty bones."

"Look..." said Ray through gritted teeth; if he heard the words "melty bones" one last time, he might just yeet her off the side of Mount Swellview. "I'm very honoured that you chose to come here to our Man's Nest to melt all over everything--"

But before he could give her a stern talking-to, hoping to put the woman in her place, Mama Schwoz dipped her spoon into the yoghurt and hurled a little blob at the hero's face. It smeared across his face and dripped onto his uniform, making (y/n) gasp and choke on a giggle. 

"Oh, doofus..." she muttered, watching regretfully as her husband wiped the goopy mixture off his chin - at least it was strawberry-flavoured. 

"Oops..." Mama Schwoz said slowly, although the delighted smirk growing on her face said she was anything but sorry. "'Ghurted you..."

If it wasn't for his pretty girl holding him back, Ray would've jumped her. He'd had quite enough of her stupid face, smirk, and false niceties. It didn't help that Schwoz thought his mother was amazing. She could do no wrong in his eyes, laughing like it was a big joke. 

They needed to pray that the yoghurt would wash out. 

"Listen here, you--"

"Raymond! You will not dignify that with a response!" (y/n) told her doofus, feet sliding against the tiled floor since she was practically trying to restrain a human mountain. She could hear Mama Schwoz taunting him behind her back, laughing cruelly as the hero tried to grab her by the hair. 

Just how long was she planning on staying?

~The next day~

Oh, she wouldn't leave, turning days into what felt like weeks. 

Much to Ray's frustration, Mama Schwoz refused to go home. 

By the dawn of the second day of her stay, he'd practically resigned himself to thinking she would become part of their lives. She sat in his home in that ugly bed, ordering the kids around like she was the boss. 

Mika, Miles, Bose, and Chapa jumped to everything she said, even menial things like teleporting around the world for the slightest thing. And when Schwoz was too busy, they stepped in to care for her—brushing her hair, massaging her paw-like feet, and painting her crusty toenails. 

The hero couldn't believe it, watching in disgust with his beloved wife by his side as Bose fanned the woman with a palm frond. As he did, Miles had the rotten luck of giving those hooves a pedicure. Schwoz acted as a loving companion, holding her smoothie, and Chapa hovered in the background. 

"Miles, thank you for teleporting to that gator pond and getting me this palm frond," said Mama Schwoz creepily, smiling over her mound of furs and blankets at the poor boy. 

He'd suffered these last few days, evident from the bandage that (y/n) had carefully wrapped around his hand when he returned with a nasty wound.

"Did you know that alligators can climb up palm trees?" Miles asked in a strained voice as he clutched his injured arm. "'Cause I did not!'

"I don't know how she can just sit there", said (y/n) moodily, resting her head against Ray's beefy arm as they sat on the steps near the doors, accompanied by Mika. 

The kids had visited Hip Hop Purée and brought back delightfully fruity smoothies. Still, of course, she only wanted sips from Ray's cup. It tasted better since it was his, and it helped that he looked extra hot in his tight, long-sleeved shirt. 

"Miles got hurt, and she doesn't even care!"

"You know, darlin', if she weren't all melty, I'd pick up that ol' bag by the hair on her feet and toss her on outta' here..." the hero spat as he curled an arm around her shoulders, sneering at the sight of Mama Schwoz's hairy toes. 

Mika listened to them carefully, but there was something strange about the girl. The typically chatty girl barely answered anything, sticking to yes and no only. Apart from that, she kept herself to herself—most un-Mika-ish. 

"But there's no point in wishing. She's obviously melting away..."

"Obviously!" Mika agreed, but she drew a confused yet concerned glance from (y/n) at how weird she sounded, digging her nails into her palms as she battled to keep herself quiet. 

"I mean, it's not like she's lying or anything."

"You okay there, Mika?" The heroine asked when a pained moan fell from the girl's lips, sounding like she'd taken a knife to the heart. 

Still, Mika smiled through the pain, wishing to tell her friend what she saw, but that would be snitching. So, her lips were sealed. 

"I am perfectly fine and well."

"Okay...if you say so," (y/n) muttered, giving her a puzzled, suspecting side-eye, but she didn't press it, not when Schwoz padded over with a distraction. 

The genius carried a clear, plastic straw - at least ten feet long. It stretched from Mama Schwoz's bed right over to the steps where they sat. Ray watched in horror as he directed the tip into his smoothie from Hip Hop Purée - the one (y/n) held in her hands after a quick sip. 

"Mama Schwoz would like a liiiiiiitle sip of your purée!" He said brightly, ignoring or not seeing his boss's dark expression or how offended his wife looked when she watched him dip the enormous straw into the orange, mango-pumpkin-flavoured drink. 

(y/n) couldn't help but pout; she was the only one who stole drinks in these parts. 

"Of course, she would." Ray glowered, watching his purée disappear from the mason jar glass, zipping through the straw across the room and into his enemy's mouth. But she didn't just take a sip like Schwoz said she would - that would be too easy. 

Mama Schwoz sucked and sucked with all her might, lips smacking and squelching around the straw until she had drained all the juice from his glass. She didn't even leave them a drop to moisten their tongues. 

"Aw... There's none left," said (y/n) sadly, and seeing her quivering bottom lip was a step too far for Ray. 

"All right! That's enough!" Exclaimed the hero as he smacked the straw away and dramatically stood up. 

"Raymond..." (y/n) said warningly, grasping his bicep to pull him down onto an office chair with her when she saw everyone's shocked faces. Mama Schwoz smirked but thankfully relented, ditching the straw since she'd had her fill, and at least the doofus could return to his wife to sulk. 

"Ugh... I thought we were going to listen to your dang horse race," mumbled the hero as he clutched his thumping temple. 

The last thing he wanted was to listen to some stupid commentator rambling about horses, but whatever Mama Schwoz wanted, she got... All Ray could do was put his arm back around his precious girl and think happy thoughts. 

"Ooh, it starts right now!" Schwoz exclaimed happily and bounded over to his mother's bed, where he quickly turned the radio on over the speaker system. Her eyes lit up upon hearing the familiar buzz of the wireless, and shockingly, everyone gathered around to see if she had made a winning bet. 

"Here, in the fourth race at Swellview Downs, where everyone's talking about Three-Legged Dreamer!"

"Oh! Three-Legged Dreamer! That's my boy!" Said Mama Schwoz with a beaming grin as she clutched all the receipts she'd received from the bookies, detailing all the money - and there was a lot - that she'd placed on her favourite horse. 

"I thought I was your boy..." Schwoz replied sadly, but his mother was not as lovely as she seemed. To say she cherished her son, she did not flinch when she pushed him off the bed, more interested in the radio and her winnings than her own flesh and blood. 

"And they're off!"

"Kill me now..." muttered (y/n), and she rested against Ray's chest after sitting on his knee in the chair, closing her eyes to drown out the infernal babbling of the commentator. 

She wasn't one for gambling or anything Mama might have liked, and her husband was too comfy to focus on anything else. He pulled her in close, rocking her like a baby and pressing a kiss to her forehead that had her smiling softly, which made the hero happy. 

Mika, on the other hand, was not so content. As the horse race commenced, she was in a world of her own, pondering about her predicament. 

The angel on her shoulder said lying was wrong, even if she technically didn't say anything. Withholding the truth was still dishonest, but the devil within said that wasn't such a bad thing. If she grassed on Mama Schwoz, it would be a social disgrace, and her reputation would be in tatters...

It was like a war was waging in her mind, making her grit her teeth and wriggle on the spot until she couldn't take it anymore. She tried to bite her tongue—she really did—but it all just came tumbling out. 

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" She yelled, storming past Ray and (y/n), who broke out of the nap/cuddle-fest with deeply disturbed looks. 

All eyes were on the girl as she plodded over to the bed and turned off the radio, glaring at Mama Schwoz because she would no longer keep her dirty secret. She had messed with the wrong snitch. 

"Hey, what did you do that for?!" Her friends asked angrily, having been on the edge of their metaphorical seats since they might have made a few bets themselves...which (y/n) definitely couldn't know about. 

"I'm sorry!" Mika told them sharply before her gaze returned to the old woman on the bed. She squirmed nervously, wondering if she would actually tell them what she saw that day. "But you guys need to know something about Mama Schwoz!"

The woman looked at her angrily, clicking her tongue soothingly as if Mika were another of her beloved horses. She even reached out, pretending to stroke her, whispering calming words that did nothing to quell the girl's rising fury. "Easy now..."

"Mama Schwoz is not sick! She's faking!" But Mika did not care. Gasps echoed around the room at her accusation. Mama Schwoz squeaked when pairs of shocked, furious eyes turned on her - the not-so-innocent liar. 

"Don't listen to her!" she begged her new friends—or servants—and even her son looked disgusted, not wanting to believe the truth. 

"What are you talking about?!" Asked Chapa, watching Ray and (y/n) jump up from the office chair. The man's face was like thunder, eyes burning holes into Mama Schwoz because he had finally discovered some dirt on her. 

"Her bones aren't melting! I caught her dancing yesterday!" Said Mika, and suddenly, everything made sense. 

(y/n) realised why she had been acting so weirdly, keeping such a big secret to herself just to protect that woman's dignity--maybe she even blackmailed her. And that just made her hate Mama Schwoz even more. 

She's getting everyone to do her errands, and you know what? I don't care if you call me a snitch--she's faking!"

"Mama?" Schwoz asked timidly as his mother clapped slowly, her formally cheery face now a sour frown. 

"She's slow-clapping!" Miles gasped, pointing at the woman on the bed, who wasn't so friendly now that they'd discovered her dirty lie. 

"That means...Mika is right!"

"She's faking!" Bose agreed with the boy and Chapa, looking more pensive than usual. If anyone looked close enough, they'd possibly see steam coming from his ears. "I think..."

"Mama?" Schwoz asked again, desperate to hear the truth from his mom's mouth as she hadn't said anything in her defence yet. But Mama Schwoz still didn't reply; instead, she slammed her betting slips onto the bed, peeled back the sheets, and, to everyone's surprise, slipped out of bed. 

"Okay, fine...I don't have melty bones," she conceded, using strong arms to step onto sturdy legs that didn't crumble or shatter when she stood on them.

"I'm as healthy as a three-legged horse!"

"Three...legged?" (y/n) muttered, trying to understand, but it was Schwozish logic. 

"I knew it!" Ray seethed, pointing a stern finger at the unimpressed Mama Schwoz. 

"No, you didn't!" She argued, knowing the idiot was too stupid to see through her deception and he had been too busy tripping over his wife's heels like some lovesick moron. The poor girl. 

"Yeah, I know..."

"And I would've gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for this meddling snitch!" She hissed, shaking her fist at Mika, not that the girl cared. Or rather, she did, but only because she'd done nothing wrong. 

"Don't make this about me! You were lying the whole time!"

"Well, I had to!" Mama Schwoz cried, suddenly looking distraught as her teary gaze turned to Ray. "He never lets my boy come see me!"

"I give him one vacation day every ten years!" The hero argued, which didn't really help. (y/n) gave him a look that said to stop being childish. Still, her doofus felt emotional and protective and abandoned - too many childhood problems to go into now. 

"Doofus, we've talked about this..."

"That's it! I'm going home!" Mama Schwoz muttered, ignoring anything the man or his wife had to say because she knew he would never change. Instead, she hurried over to her son, gesturing for her to follow him since Ray would never fully appreciate him—and she'd seen how he treated him. 

"Schwoz, you're coming with me!"

"He's not going anywhere!" Said Ray angrily, and as Mama took one arm, the hero took the other. They played Schwoz In The Middle, tugging the poor genius back and forth, and his heart did not know where to go, feeling loyalty for both sides. 

"You don't even appreciate him!" His mother cried, infuriating Ray and all his childlike emotions. Just because he didn't show it didn't mean he didn't love Schwoz...in a weird sort of way. 

"I don't appreci--I don't appreciate him?!" The hero gasped, and he managed to wrench his handyman away from the woman and over to his side of the room. "Schwoz, cover your ears!"

Ever loyal, the fuzzy coconut slowly did as he was told, and just for good measure, Ray clamped his hands on top of his to ensure he couldn't hear a thing. Schwoz was unsure what was happening - no one did, not even (y/n) - but Ray looked desperate, and Mama Schwoz was not the only one in the room crying. 

"I love this man with the last part of my heart that doesn't love my sweet girl!" He sniffed, making (y/n) put her hand over her chest, feeling all warm and gooey inside. 

"And there's a reason I don't give him any days off work! 'Cause I can't live a day without him! He is my second rock! He is my second shoulder to cry on! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have married the girl of my dreams!"

"Schwoz has seen us through a lot..." his wife said, and she felt the same. 

For all his quirks, Schwoz's presence and dependability were a constant part of their lives; even Mama Schwoz couldn't dispute that, and (y/n) knew she wouldn't have stayed with Ray if he hadn't steered them into a relationship. 

"But if I tell him that, I'm afraid he might gain the self-confidence to leave me for somebody who might treat him the way he deserves to be treated—you know, like a human."

"Ray...you are a complicated man," Miles said, slightly disturbed at the man's confession, which sounded like Schwoz was more a pet than a friend. 

"You're straight up toxic, m'dude..." Chapa added as she folded her arms and observed the man-child, whose wife frowned upon hearing that. 

"No, he's not..." argued (y/n), coming to stand protectively beside her deflating doofus and placing her hand on his bicep. 

"Okay, maybe he's a little emotionally constipated, and he has daddy issues up to his ears, but he's actually very caring in his own way."

"Why are you talking about daddies, (y/n/n)?" An innocent voice cut through the awkwardness, and the heroine looked at the genius with warm cheeks when she realised that he'd shaken away the hands over his ears. 

"Uh..."

"Forget about that, Schwoz! I said you're staying here..." Ray quickly covered for his sweet girl, his hand grabbing hers and squeezing it like a lifeline. "And if anything, I overpay you!"

"Why don't you just be honest with him, doof?" Asked (y/n) gently as Ray turned away from the group, not wanting to see his friend's disappointed countenance or his sidekicks' shameful gazes. 

"Let him know how much you care."

"And what good would that do, sweet girl? He has to stay--everyone else has left!" (y/n) didn't quite understand what he meant by that, squinting in confusion when Mama Schwoz swaggered behind them, practically snarling after overhearing every, little, intimate word. 

"If you want my Schwozie to stay, you have to fight me for him!" The old woman decreed, and in a fit of unmelty heroics, she did a series of cartwheels and flips across the room to where the couple stood. 

Ray, who turned his back on her, did not take the threat seriously. He wondered what a short, elderly pensioner could do to him—a superhero. He scoffed at the idea of an attack, but when he and (y/n) faced her, he got a nasty surprise. 

A zipper kick, straight between the legs. 

"Raymond!" Miss Danger gasped as her husband sank to the ground, hand braced on his...area, howling in pain. Yet Mama Schwoz wasn't finished, and (y/n) couldn't do anything but dodge out of the way when she used the hero's back like a vaulting horse, spinning around for another run-up. 

"Doofus, look ou--" Another kick landed on the middle of his spine, sending the boneless hero to the floor, groaning at his sidekick's feet. "Out..."

"Did you know your mother was like this?" (y/n) quietly asked Schwoz as they observed the twirling woman, who didn't even throw a hip out as she did all her acrobatics. She was surprisingly flexible. 

"Oh, yah. It's very common amongst my people..." answered the genius, who smiled proudly at his mom, even if she did look like a wild, snarling animal. 

"All right, Granny Devito..." Ray hissed after getting to his feet. Fortunately, thanks to his indestructibility, he could shake off the pain as quickly as she hurt him. The others watched as he flexed his muscles and fists, readying himself for a proper attack. "It's on!"

He charged at Mama Schwoz, throwing a fist that could have stunned even the most brutal of villains, but it was like the woman had trained with the best. She blocked every attack, ducking and weaving so the hero swung at thin air.

"Dude, they're fighting over you!" Bose whispered excitedly to Schwoz, whose face was cheery and rosy from such flattery; he wasn't used to it. 

"I know!"

"If I had any money left, I'd bet on your mom," said Chapa, earning a grumpy glance from (y/n). 

She had faith in her doofus, knowing he was the greatest fighter in Swellview, even if he was currently getting his ass handed to him by a freakishly strong old woman. 

"Should we stop them?" Asked Mika, wincing as her boss received another harsh kick to his stomach.

"Ehhhh...not yet."

"Schwoz!" (y/n) exclaimed, watching as the woman left her husband a panting, sweating, aching mess, crumple in half as agony rippled through his abs. It faded, of course, but she still hated seeing him struggle, and it didn't help how Schwoz was enjoying it. "She's wiping the floor with him!"

"Don't worry, sweet girl. I can handle anything!" Ray replied when he overheard her hissed words, giving his beloved wife a wobbly grin. Yet, strangely, he had a few seconds of respite, allowing his body to recover from the onslaught. 

"...Where did she go?"

He shouldn't have asked. 

A hiss from above made them look up at the ceiling, a sheer rock face carved from the mountain to accommodate the Man's Nest. Mama Schwoz had managed to scale the vertical wall like a bat or supernatural creature.

"How'd she get up there?" Ray wondered, observing how her claw-like hands and ape-like feet gripped a craggy overhang, allowing her to hover above them all. 

"That is terrifying." Miles took the words out of everyone's mouths, a terrified glint shining in his eyes at how unnatural the woman was - almost troglodytic. 

It was worse when she dropped from the great height, knocking Ray to the floor. Another panicked gasp left (y/n) as the kids groaned sympathetically, but that was before she started punching the doofus across the face. 

"Okay, okay! I can't take this anymore!" (y/n) said furiously, and she dashed over to her husband to prise the bitch from atop his limp frame by her hair. "No one punches my doofus' beautiful face!"

The kids helped, peeling Mama Schwoz away from Ray, but not before (y/n) managed to rip a few silver strands from her fuzzy head. It was ridiculous to separate grown adults from a fight, yelling and grappling to keep the heroine under control when she slipped past Ray and head-butted the one who hurt her husband. 

"(y/n/n)! That behaviour is beneath you!"

"She started it!" She argued, pointing an accusatory finger at Mama Schwoz, who would secretly admit that she preferred Miss Danger as a worthy opponent. 

Still, the children pushed the girl and her beloved doofus together, allowing the woozy idiot to lean against her for support. "I would have happily talked it out, but she threw the first punch!"

"(y/n)...Ray...I love both of you," Schwoz told them, smiling when his old friends glared at him and his quick-fisted Mama.

"Yes! We win, sweet girl!" Ray yelled, hugging his wife tightly and sneering at the old woman victoriously. "Bye-bye! Bye-bye now!"

"But I think it's time for me to go home." 

"HA!"

They probably would've heard the hero's heart break if the room was silent. They couldn't since it was Mama Schwoz's turn to taunt him, but all smiles and laughter left the couple's faces, bewildered by Schwoz's admission. 

"What? You're just gonna...you're just gonna leave us?" Ray asked incredulously, feeling the tears pooling on his lashes.

"It's time. I need to go home and be with Mama," answered the genius, much to his mother's delight. She wasn't graceful in victory, however; she hated Ray far too much for that. Instead, she laughed in his face, cruelly elated to see the genuine sorrow on his face. 

"Ha! Go Mama, go Mama, go Mama!"

"All right, we get it!" (y/n) snapped at her while rubbing soft circles on her doofus' back, knowing he would take it harder than her. The loss of Schwoz made her want to cry, seeing as she hated goodbyes. "You get to take him home, so you don't have to rub it in!"

"No, no, darlin'. It's great!" Ray sniffed, an ugly sob leaving his lips as his face twisted into a melancholy frown. "Jasper, Charlotte, Henry, and now, Schwoz, too! It's fine!"

"Oh, Raymond..." his wife muttered gently, but it was too late. Ray slipped from her embrace and walked over to the empty bed, flopping onto the mattress for a little weep. It was the story of his life; everyone he grew to love left eventually, and he would be all alone. 

"Schwoz, is this really goodbye? After all these years?" She asked her favourite fuzzy coconut, but something about the sadness in his eyes that mirrored her own told her the answer. 

"Yes. Like I always say, family first," he replied, wrapping an arm around his mother, who, like always, spat her vitriol in their direction, no matter if she was flanked by the kids. 

"Get wrecked, suckers!" Mama Schwoz said spitefully, but they tried to not let it spoil their final moments together. 

"We're gonna miss you, Schwoz," said Miles, and his friends agreed. Compared to their teachers, they'd barely known him at all, but they grew to love the bald, little weirdo. Him and all his quirks. 

"Bye..."

"Adiós..." Bose and Chapa sadly waved him goodbye, and Schwoz did the same. 

He wished Ray would come over so they could part ways on good terms, but the hero was too busy trying to hide his trembling shoulders and wet cheeks. So, (y/n) settled it for them, stepping forward and pulling the genius into her warmest, cosiest squeezes. 

"Last hug..." The heroine whispered, feeling those little arms wrapping around her body for the final time. 

A tear slipped down her face, and she held him tightly for a few seconds. She tried to ignore the idea that this would be the last time she saw him—possibly forever. Schwoz, the guy who watched her fall in love and get engaged—the guy who officiated her wedding, for God's sake—wouldn't be there for anything else. 

"Schwoz!" The moment was ruined when a rough hand pulled him away, back into the cold, bony arms of Mama Schwoz. Oh, she was loving this. "How are we getting home?"

"We'll take the helicopter to my rocket to my spaceport..." he replied, opening the door for his mom as she happily skipped away, never looking back at the Man's Nest now that she had her boy right where she wanted him. "Then, over to La Cienega, where it hits the junior high..."

And just like that, Schwoz was gone. 

"Doofus, are you okay?" (y/n) asked her lover quietly. She walked over to the bed and sat beside him. Wet streaks ran down the man's cheeks, and the minute she was close enough, he pulled her into a painfully tight embrace. 

"Don't leave me, sweet girl..." Ray begged, and the mournful expression on his face made the woman's heart ache for him. 

She wrapped him up in her arms, pressing smoochy kisses to his temple, and not even the kids had it in them to mock the man for it. They watched as he cried into his wife's shoulder, terrified that, one day, she would decide to leave, too. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Ray, remember?" (y/n) promised, flashing her wedding rings, allowing them to rest coolly against his hot skin. That seemed to calm him down slightly, enough to stop the sobs, but the hero glanced up at his four sidekicks, looking like a kicked, snotty puppy. 

"Do any of you know how to make science devices?" He asked woefully. 

"I can learn if (y/n/n) teaches me," Mika replied hesitantly, although the woman didn't look too sure. She could solder and make some cool weapons. Still, compared to Schwoz and his science-defying creations, she was a mechanical idiot. 

"Looks like I'm gonna have to get the old textbooks on quantum mechanics out again..."

"Do any of you guys know how to scratch my back just the way I like it for when my sweet girl isn't around to do it?" The doofus asked again, his voice becoming strained and thick with emotion the more he recalled his beloved handyman. 

Deep down, he adored that fuzzy weirdo, knowing he was like the second crutch that kept the hot mess that was Captain Man upright, and now, he was gone. 

As Ray pressed his hands to his eyes, hoping to stem another flow of tears, (y/n) hugged him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder lest he set her off, too. She couldn't see a thing, not even the looks on her babies' faces, when an overall-wearing, bald-headed, coconut-like, tiny man wandered over the bed. 

"You mean like this?" An accented voice asked, tiptoeing over to the melancholy couple like a stealthy cat. His nails raked down the hero's back, making his hair stand on end, his leg shake and tingles run down his spine. 

"Oh, that's perfect, actually..." Ray groaned, stretching his spine and shuddering from the shooting pleasure. "Thanks, sweet girl."

"That wasn't me, you big doofus..." (y/n) replied breathlessly. 

If she hadn't been stunned, she would've been offended that he thought that was her voice after thirteen years together. But she could hardly breathe, staring at the cheeky, grinning figure looming over her doofus.

Ray frowned at her words, but then he noticed how her hands were neatly folded in her lap, which begged the question - who was scratching his back? His head snapped toward the scratcher, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he saw Schwoz standing over him. 

Looking as Schwozish as ever. Very much real. Not a hallucination. 

"Schwoz?!" 

"We thought you were leaving with your mom!" Mika exclaimed, and like everyone else, she was thoroughly confused at his apparent magic trick. 

"I did!"

"But you're here!" Chapa said, wondering how he could stand there so calmly when they bordered on grief and elation. Ray, for once in his life, was speechless, holding his wife's hand to prove that he wasn't suffering from some misery-induced dream. 

"I know!"

"I'm so confused!" Miles muttered, although his smile really told of his pleasure at seeing the genius again. 

"I just figured it out!" Bose announced, words that had never left his mouth before and probably never would again, given that his deductions were almost always wrong. 

"The real Schwoz has been inside of us the whole time!"

"That is a disgusting thought..." (y/n) said dryly, hating to think where the small man would be if he was... She didn't even want to think about it.

"No, the Schwoz who just left with my Mama was my clone!" 

"That makes more sense..." said Bose, who stared blankly at Schwoz, accepting his answer. Everyone else was still just as lost. 

"You had a clone?" Asked Mika confusingly. 

"I used to..."

"Wait, wait, wait..." Ray butted in once he finally kicked his brain into function again. "You mean...you picked us over your own Mama?"

"Like I always say..." Schwoz smiled softly at him and (y/n), looking both happy and sad since he loved his mother, but those lovesick idiots couldn't even confess without his help. "Family second."

"Oh, Schwoz... You're going to make me cry!" The heroine exclaimed, fanning her teary eyes as she skipped forward and pulled the genius in for a hug—and she was glad to say it wouldn't be the last. 

The kids cooed, watching the little man snuggle further into her cosiness. Just for once, Ray allowed someone else to enjoy his wife's warmth, silently relieved that their small unit would remain unchanged, just as it had done for over a decade. 

But, when Danger Force decided to get in on the action... Well, that was a step too far. 

"Not so fast!" He said, holding the children away from the hug and making his handyman and wife separate, too. They looked at him in confusion, wondering why he'd want to ruin the tender moment, but Ray looked mischievous. "We still have one little thing to take care of first."

"What are you talking about, doof?" (y/n) frowned in confusion, only for Ray to curl an arm around her waist and smirk. 

"Schwoz..." he said, grinning from ear to ear since it was just like old times. "Pull up the Snitch Board."

"WHAT?!" Mika gasped as her surrounding friends cheered, loving how he had not forgotten. Ray was a doofus, but when it came to tomfoolery and grudges, he had the memory of an elephant.

"Ya' snitched," he told the outraged girl, even as his pretty girl shook her head and rolled her eyes. 

"Because she was taking advantage of my friends! I snitched for you guys!" Mika argued, looking around at Chapa and her twin, but they offered no support. If anything, they were looking forward to seeing her humiliated - all in good, clean fun. 

"And we appreciate that." Ray smiled as Schwoz turned the holographic monitor on, reminding the girl of how she teetered on the edge of punishment. 

And there they were. The genius held the shoebox of disgrace, and she shivered when she remembered the disgusting things lurking inside. The thing that would soon be upon her feet...

"But the rules is the rules. You snitch. You wear the Shoes of Shame." 

"Those are so hideous..." (y/n) remarked as her doofus opened the box and plucked the plain, greyish-white sneakers. He held them like they had cooties, keeping them as far away from his body as Mika stepped forward to reluctantly take them. 

"Fine!" She snapped, glaring at her friends, who all jumped away when the shoes got closer. They watched as she sat on Schwoz's toolbox-on-wheels and removed her cute sneakers, ready to wear the not-so-cute ones. "I don't care what you guys think! I did the right thing!"

"You tell 'em, Mika!" (y/n) chirped, knowing she'd throw the shoes in the incinerator once her doofus wasn't looking. 

She'd also congratulate the girl for standing up for herself - a brave thing to do when it meant going against her friends. Still, for now, she had to wear the disgusting pumps and tolerate their mockery. 

"Shoes of Shame! Shoes of Shame! Shoes of Shame! Shoes of Shame!" 

When Ray started the chant, everyone else couldn't help but join in. They gradually got louder as the girl tied her laces, hating how annoyingly comfortable the sneakers were - well, for something that ugly, there had to be a benefit somewhere. 

"Y'know what? These shoes aren't that bad!" She told them, trying to block out the chanting as she stomped around in the fresh, plain memory foam. "I love how white they are!"

"Shoes of Shame! Shoes of Shame! Shoes of Shame! Shoes of Shame!"

"Yeah, Mika. I know some super cool dads who wear those exact shoes..." (y/n) joked, unable to stop giggling when she heard the girl muttering--anything to kid herself into thinking they looked decent. 

"Just who are these dads, sweet girl?" Ray mumbled into her hair as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, his tone hinting at jealousy and pettiness. 

"Oh, you know, doof..." replied his pretty girl, whispering under the shouting as she leaned back against his chest. "Just some unattractive, undoofy dads that I have no interest in whatsoever, so stop pouting."

"Oh, well... That's okay, then." 

Schwoz watched as his boss broke out into a lovestruck smile, loudly kissing the woman on her neck, which the children did not hear, thankfully. They were too preoccupied with teasing Mika, who had dramatically taken to lying on the floor and stamping her feet like a child in protest of the Shoes of Shame. 

It was strange, but the fuzzy weirdo liked it. He laughed at the silly sight they made and didn't even mind how Ray smothered the poor girl. 

To him, it was familiar and expected. It felt like home - like precisely where he belonged, with a man-child who openly adored his wife and no one else, that wife who adored everyone else anyway, and enough kids to cause no end of chaos.

[princelylove]

Interesting headcanon for yandere Jotaro and yandere Noriaki, I also agree that both of them are very competitive, I think they will even use stand to "fight" each other behind your back or just simple using it to gain attention from you. I see Noriaki might use Hierophant Green to trip you so he can be the one help you stand up and take care of you. For Jotaro, I have this headcanon for him, he actually a good artist, do you remember how great his drawing about the fly in Egypt. I think he will use Star Platinum to help capture your beauty in his art and he will give you the best art to show how he adore and love you (after so many drawings, I headcanon he has a sketchbook full of art about you).

I know you said it's not high chance they will corporate together but I think if they do it, they will be unstoppable. The protective side of Jotaro and the manipulate side of Noriaki combine perfectly together. Do you think they will corporate if some special situation happen, for example another person also interested in you and try to steal you from them?

P/s: I enjoy talking to you very much, looking forward your answer >v<

How adorable, anon. 

Really, the only thing stopping them from being an unstoppable force together is their differing views on what to do with you. If they weren’t so firm on their position, you’d be sitting between them every day for lunch listening to Noriaki like he’s a podcast. 

You’re so right about Noriaki tripping you so he can play prince charming. He might even grab you with hierophant green to move you as he sees fit. Too handsy with someone else? Hands are suddenly kept to yourself at your sides. You can’t see stands, he thinks, so it’s harmless. It must be a little muscle tick or something. Are you feeling well? He doesn’t mind giving you some extra attention and care. 

That’s a cute headcannon for Jotaro, actually. He probably taught himself how to draw alone in his room. I don’t really think Jotaro was into videogames or sports in his youth, canonically he knows how to play neither of them, so he spends his free time drawing and listening to music or watching movies. He probably learned how to draw from those books about airplanes and ships he reads, he sketches like an engineer would. When he meets you, his sketchbook slowly goes from ships and fish to teaching himself how to draw humans, with you as his main model. It’s entirely from memory, so your nose might be a bit off, or maybe the length of your nails, but he’ll get it eventually. Suppose it doesn’t matter, since he hides his sketchbook in all of his school things so his mother doesn’t find it and fuss over her baby finally having a crush.

Noriaki hates that. He hates it so much that he’s adamant on actually showing you his own “sketches.” (Completed pieces with thirty hours put into them.) Look, he got every detail about you perfect. Isn’t it lovely? He loves painting stills of you doing what you love. This way, if Jotaro ever does show you his little drawings, it’s like he’s copying Noriaki’s hobbies at a beginner's level. He's happy to give Jotaro some tips if he asks!

They absolutely would work together if someone else tried making a move on you, undeniably. Noriaki only lets Jotaro have his little fantasy of playing hero and protecting you because he’s useful for keeping lowlifes away. Jotaro allows Noriaki’s crush because he thinks Noriaki isn’t bold enough to really tell you how he feels. It’s like a “enemy of my enemy is my friend” kind of situation, to them. Their friendship was going very well before you came into their life, they bonded enough to respect each other, but you’re certainly a stressor on whatever sense of friendship they had. 

Noriaki is fairly happy to let Jotaro do the dirty work and claim to be nothing like him. Jotaro scares off any potential suitors with his presence, his body language is practically screaming “Fuck off.” If someone’s stupid enough to persist after Jotaro’s initial warnings, then they’re in for a beating. If they STILL persist after that, Noriaki will step in. 

Since controlling outside elements isn’t working, it’s time to work from the inside out. He’ll make passive aggressive comments to you about the person, but mask it as just regular social shaming. You can’t blame him for talking badly, he doesn’t mean to be rude, it’s just.. Have you seen the way they talk to our teachers? They don’t participate in classroom cleaning at all, either. 

If that still doesn’t work, and their darling doesn’t pick up on their “hints”... Well, they suppose they can make a deal of some kind.

[heckinconfusedparade]

You asked. You shall receive:

Since I haven't really seen this ever, what about Knuckles finally allowing himself to feel and to cry over something. He tries to hide it, thinking the rest of them will be ashamed of him or look down on him......but instead, the rest of the Wachowskis work together to just be there for him and show him they're not ashamed of him or disappointed in him, and it's okay to feel and to cry, they love him and they always will, and nothing will change that. Ever.

Grief Sucks

It never mattered how many years have passed, or if Knuckles has a new family who loves and takes care of him. Grief always finds a way to come swinging when you least expect it.

Knuckles loves his new family dearly, but.. he still misses his tribe. His father. He misses playing with the teenage Echidnas and training to become the strongest he can be.

If it weren’t for Maddie making it clear in the beginning that Knuckles is allowed to miss the family he had before, he would feel even more terrible longing for that life he had before. He still feels guilty. He has all he could want now, why does he feel like he needs more?

Knuckles knows it isn’t his fault, and Sonic knows it isn’t his fault what happened that fateful day where they lost everything. They’ve stopped blaming each other.

But still.. now Knuckles finds himself in his room in his basement clutching the small leafy headpiece his father had given him before leaving for war. It no longer fits him, and it hasn’t for years. Knuckles sniffles and holds it to his chest. He hates to cry. He’s supposed to be the strong warrior who never falters. An unmoving unstoppable force of extraterrestrial nature. Unfortunately his feelings are not something he can stop. Knuckles softly begins to cry. He doesn’t dare let out his inner pain and turmoil, because he doesn’t want to risk his brothers hearing him.

Turns out, it’s not his brothers he had to worry about. He hears scratching at the door on the top of the stairs. He hears the door open and Tom yelling that Ozzy is coming down. Ozzy charges down the steps to Knuckles. He jumps up onto his bed and lays down, putting his head in Knuckles’ lap. Ozzy looks at him and let’s out a sigh. Knuckles smiles a little and pets the dog “..you’d never judge me, Oz.” Knuckles and Ozzy have formed a really good bond. Ozzy suddenly lifts his head and starts giving Knuckles some puppy kisses, licking away his tears.

The sweetness of the gesture makes him cry a little more. Then he hears some shuffling beside him. He turns his head and Tails is there. “Knuckles..?” Tails has never seen his big brother cry before. Tails’ ears and tails droop. Knuckles quickly wipes away his tears “hello, Tails.” Tails hops up onto the bed next to Knuckles “are you crying?” He asks. Knuckles shakes his head and hides his face because his emotions are betraying him. Tails thinks for a moment and leaves.

Knuckles sighs. Tails is about to become a tattle tails. The entire family shows up and they’re all immediately showing concern.

Maddie sits next to Knuckles and puts her arm around him, pulling him close “what’s wrong, baby..?” Knuckles mumbles in response. Sonic now understands “…you miss them, don’t you…?” Knuckles nods slowly.

Knuckles looks at his parents “I am sorry you have to see me like this.” Tom gives him a confused look “why are you sorry? Knuckles.. it’s ok to cry. It’s always ok.”

Knuckles’ vision gets cloudy again as his eyes fill with tears “but.. but I’m supposed to be strong. I have to carry on the legacy of my tribe, and make my father proud. I know what you told me.. but it still feels wrong.”

Maddie leans her cheek on her boys head “Knuckles, it isn’t wrong. You had a family before us. They were taken away unfairly. You’re allowed to mourn them. Being strong isn’t about keeping everything in. Being strong is facing these challenges with honesty and not bottling it up. And you don’t have to be strong alone anymore.”

Knuckles takes her words in. He clings to her and let’s everything out. His family gathers around him to hug him, Ozzy included.

Everyone cries with him, even Sonic.

“Sonic, I have a question.” Knuckles gives his brother a serious look.

“What’s up?” Sonic asks.

“How did you ever stop hurting?” Knuckles asks, taking Sonic off guard. Sonic looks at him shocked. He smiles and shrugs “I never stopped hurting.”

“Then how come I’ve never seen you cry?” Knuckles asks.

Sonic crosses his arms “I’m not a very emotional guy. I don’t cry a lot.”

Tails pipes up “you cry in your sleep sometimes.” Sonic has a moment of realization “wait, is that why I sometimes wake up to you in my bed??” Tails nods. Sonic laughs “I though I was slick!”

Tom and Maddie take the time to remind them that they don’t have to cry alone. But if they want privacy, that’s ok. “We love you boys no matter what, and we will continue to love you until the end of time. Got that?” Tom asks. The boys nod.

The trio feels so lucky. They won the orphan lottery!

Knuckles and Sonic plan to go back to their home planet to visit where they grew up. They’re gonna start healing together.

[ateriblewriter]

warning: does contain alcohol and mentions of being drunk

There are seven levels of alcohol intoxication. They are as follows:

1. Sobriety. That one should be self explanatory. You are sober. Your friend invited you over and you meet his friends. It’s all fun and games. Sure you drink something but you don’t really feel anything or exhibit any signs of being intoxicated, but something is starting to build. 

2. Euphoria. During this stage you start to feel really good about yourself. As the drinks start flowing your confidence, talkativeness, and sociality begin to increase. You need to start being careful though. At this point although it maybe fun, your words will start to sound a little funny, your memory of future events will be fuzzy, you will most likely come away with bruises you have no knowledge of getting. 

3. Excitement. It should glaringly evident to everyone around that you are drunk, but due to that fact that they are highly drunk as well it may go unnoticed. What they do notice is your large mood swings from happy to mean to sad all within a matter moments. You somehow obtain even more bruises now. You can't form words and you vision is blurry. You are starting to get sick. You need something to drink and are met with more shot which you gladly down without any hesitancy. Liquid is liquid right?

4. Confusion. You have officially blacked out. You're confused why some told you no more. You disregard them anyways by stealing the bottle sitting on the edge of the counter. Your pain tolerance is out of this world and your auto pilot switch has been turned on, making you feel like an unstoppable force.

5. Stupor. You are a zombie like creature, unable to walk, or breathe. The uncontrollable vomiting burns your throat, eventually you start to choke on the stuff coming up. Your irregular heart beat and seizure will lead to some unconciousness.

Please also note that at this stage you will need medical attention, you are close to the final stages there may be life threatening consequences that will not only affect you.

6. Coma. Everyone thinks you're in a deep sleep because no amount of stimuli will wake you. Someone has the decency to bring you up to your room where you can sleep in off and be fine the next day. In their drunken stupor they are sorely mistaken.

7. Death. This one like sobriety is pretty self explanatory. You stop breathing, your heart stops beating and your lips may turn a cool blue color. This is the end of the line for you.

~

Quinn was supposed to be in charge. He was burdened with being the oldest person in home at the time of the incident. He was probably going to be taking the brunt of the blame for what happened to her. There was an underage kid in a house filled with booze and a dead person. He should have known better. 

Jack invited her. She was his friend first back in New Jersey. He had invited her for the summer with the intention of getting to know her than he already and maybe starting something with her. Out of everyone he felt the most guilty. If it weren’t for him she would have never been there.

Cole wasn’t even supposed to be there. He just happened to be passing through and figured it would fun to catch up with his friends. He like many of the others didn’t know his new friend but he was still there and felt like maybe he could have done more.

Trevor kept giving her drinks. He bought most of the stuff they consumed that night. He was the one playing bartender creating drinks and shots that would have destroyed anyones liver at first glance, but she enjoyed them so he kept them going. Behind Jack he fully believed it he was the one most at fault.

Matt tried to get her to stop drinking earlier in that night. Even in his own drunken state he could tell it was getting out of control for her, and tried to tell her no more. He didn't see when she went behind his back and swiped another bottle of something blue full of liquor. He was the who eventually brought her bed and covered her with a blanket when he felt she was a bit cool to the touch.

Luke found her. He was worried when it was well past the middle of the day and she wasn’t up yet. He shut down when he couldn’t wake her, finding she didn’t have a pulse. He had a very hard time finding telling Quinn what that she needed help. He gave his oldest brother a look that conveyed everything they needed to know, sending everyone running towards her room.

~

“So we’re all in agreement that this isn’t our fault?” Quinn looked at the groups of hockey players surrounding him, most of them nodding in agreement.

“They’re going to find someone to blame.” Luke finally broke his silence that he had been holding for awhile now. “We were all here we are all getting in trouble for this.”

“We’re never going to play in the show again are we?” Cole piped up, sounding quite insensitive at the moment. “They aren’t going to want us anymore.”

“Seriously? That’s all you care about right now? Y/N is dead. We are most likely going to jail. Who fucking cares about hockey now. It’s not important anymore.” A few tears escaped Jacks eyes. 

If you have any suggestions or comments I'd love to hear them! I really want to know your thoughts on this one. Please? I could possibly write a full story.

[helen-with-an-a]

You Hate Me

Hiiiii - so I thought I'd have a little break between requests and so I wrote this. It's angsty and I probably won't have a part 2 cos I like the way it ended and I'm not even sure where I would take it to be honest. Anyways, I hope you like it <3<3<3

Lucy Bronze x sister!Reader

Description: Lucy has always hated R and she just wants to know why

Word count: 7.2k

Part 1 : Part 2

You felt like an outsider in your family your whole life. You were the youngest sibling by quite some way. Lucy was 12 when you were born. She didn’t really want another younger sister. She was happy with the way things were. She was the middle child - crazy and reckless with a passion for sport that would take her all over the globe.

Her parents already struggled with money. She and Jorge already had to do jobs around the neighbourhood to help out wherever possible. Sophie was thinking about what she could do when she moved up to secondary school. They couldn’t handle a baby. They couldn’t handle the extra costs you would bring. Would she have to give up football? She knew it was selfish to think of that, but football was her life. She couldn’t … wouldn’t … give it up without a fight.

For Lucy, football wasn't just a pastime; it was her escape, her freedom, and the one thing in her chaotic life that she had complete control over. On the field, she could be anyone she wanted – strong, fast, unstoppable. The thought of losing that terrified her. It wasn't just about the sport itself; it was about the future she had envisioned. Scouts had already begun to take notice of her, murmurs of potential scholarships floated in the air, and dreams of playing professionally, of leaving this small, suffocating town behind, had started to take shape.

But now, with a new baby on the way, everything seemed uncertain. The baby meant more bills, more attention diverted away from her, and likely, more sacrifices to be made. The prospect gnawed at her, a constant weight in the back of her mind. She didn’t want to be angry at you – after all, it wasn’t your fault – but the resentment was there, simmering beneath the surface. Every time she laced up her boots, the fear that it could be for the last time haunted her.

The pressure at home only seemed to increase. Her parents were stretched thin, their arguments about money becoming more frequent and more intense. The once-occasional requests for her and Jorge to contribute had now turned into expectations. It was no longer about just helping out; it was about survival. Lucy found herself picking up extra shifts at the local café, babysitting for the neighbours, and doing whatever odd jobs she could find, all while trying to keep up with her schoolwork and football practice. She was exhausted, but she refused to let it show.

At night, when the house was quiet and the weight of the day settled heavily on her shoulders, she would lay awake, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. She couldn't stop thinking about what might happen if she was forced to give up football. It wasn’t just a game to her – it was her way out, her shot at something better. Without it, she feared she would be stuck in this life forever, trapped by the same financial struggles that had plagued her parents.

As your arrival grew closer, the tension in the house became palpable. Her parents tried to reassure her that things would be okay, that they would find a way to make it work, but their words felt hollow. Lucy could see the worry in their eyes, the strain in their voices. They were trying their best, but their best might not be enough. And that terrified her.

Lucy made a silent vow to herself: no matter what happened, she would find a way to keep playing. Even if it meant waking up before dawn to practice on her own, even if it meant working twice as hard to make up for the lost time, she wouldn't let go of her dream. Football was more than just a sport to her; it was her lifeline, her hope for a future that didn’t involve the same struggles her parents faced.

She knew it would be a battle, but Lucy had never been one to back down from a fight. If keeping her dream alive meant fighting harder than she ever had before, then so be it. She was ready for whatever came her way, even if that meant taking on the world with the weight of her family’s struggles on her shoulders.

There were complications. Mum had felt something was wrong. You were born too early. That’s what her dad had said one Thursday afternoon when they got home from school. Lucy could see the strain on her parents' faces as they tried to stay positive, but the cracks were beginning to show. The early birth meant more than just an unexpected arrival – it meant weeks, maybe even months, of additional stress. There would be doctors' appointments, hospital visits, and possibly medical bills that they wouldn't be able to afford. Mum and Dad would need to take more time off work, and that meant even less money coming into the house. They were already stretched thin, barely making ends meet, and this was another blow they couldn’t afford.

For Lucy, it felt like the family was being pulled even further apart. She knew what more time off work for her mum meant – less money for groceries, fewer new things, and more unpaid bills piling up on the kitchen table. The thought of how this would affect them all was overwhelming. Dad’s tired eyes and Mum’s forced smiles told her everything she needed to know – they were worried, really worried.

And as much as Lucy tried to focus on her own life – school, football, friends – she couldn’t shake the growing sense of responsibility she felt. She saw how hard her parents were working, how much they were sacrificing, and it made her want to do more, to somehow lessen the burden that had fallen on their shoulders. She picked up extra shifts at her part-time job and offered to help more around the house, even though she was already stretched thin. She stopped asking for new things, for trips, for anything that might add to the growing financial strain.

But no matter how much she tried to help, the reality was inescapable. The early birth meant more than just financial strain – it meant that your health would be a constant concern, at least for a while. The house became quieter, the usual buzz of activity replaced by a tension that Lucy couldn’t ignore. Conversations were hushed, and there was a heaviness in the air, a kind of unspoken worry that everyone carried with them.

She remembered how, before all this, her parents would talk about the future with cautious optimism – how they would make it work, how they would find a way to manage. But now, the future seemed uncertain, clouded by the reality of hospital visits and medical expenses. The joy that had once been associated with your arrival was overshadowed by the fear of what might come next.

You had turned out fine. You were discharged from the NICU six weeks later. You were a little small, a little underdeveloped, but you were fine. The doctors’ visits still happened regularly until you were about three years old, but then you were declared fit as a fiddle. A perfectly normal, healthy child.

Except you weren’t, or at least you didn’t feel like it. From an early age, you could sense that something was off. You couldn’t quite understand it back then, but you felt it in the way Lucy would close her bedroom door just as you toddled over, eager to join in whatever she was doing. You felt it in the way she would snatch things out of your hands, things you just wanted to look at, things she was showing Sophie and Jorge without a second thought. The sting of rejection was something you became all too familiar with, even before you could fully comprehend what it meant to be unwanted.

You didn’t understand why Lucy seemed to dislike you so much. You were just a child, desperate for her attention, for her approval. But no matter how hard you tried, you could never seem to break through the wall she had built between you. You remember watching her from a distance, her laughter and excitement as she talked about football with Sophie and Jorge. You wished you could be a part of that world, but it always felt like there was an invisible barrier keeping you out.

Your parents, older than those of your friends, were tired. You could see it in their eyes, in the way they moved through the day with a sort of weary determination. They did their best, you knew that. But their best often wasn’t enough. They were stretched thin – between work, bills, and keeping up with the demands of raising four children, there wasn’t much left over for you. The attention you craved, the affection you needed, was often redirected elsewhere – toward Lucy’s burgeoning football career, Jorge’s new hobbies, Sophie’s interests.

You lived in hand-me-downs – clothes that didn’t quite fit right, toys that had lost their newness long before they reached you. You quickly learned to ask for little, to keep your wants and needs to yourself. Birthdays became a delicate dance of low expectations. You remember the time you asked for that big Barbie dollhouse when you were five. You had seen it in a catalog and had imagined how much fun it would be, but when you shyly mentioned it, the reaction was swift and harsh. Lucy shouted at you, her voice filled with anger and frustration. “Are you kidding? We can’t afford that! Stop being so selfish!” The words hit you like a slap, and you learned that day to make your wishes smaller, quieter, more manageable.

It wasn’t just the material things, though. It was the sense that you were always in the way, that your presence was more of a burden than a joy. The more you tried to blend in, the more you felt invisible. Your parents were simply too tired, too overwhelmed to notice the small things – like the way your face lit up when you finally mastered riding your bike, or how proud you were when you brought home a picture you had drawn at school. There was no one to share those victories with, no one to tell you that you were doing well.

Lucy’s disdain only seemed to grow as you got older. She was focused, driven, her eyes set on her future in football. Every spare penny went toward her training, her gear, her travel expenses for matches. And you, you were just there, existing in the shadow of her ambition. It wasn’t that she went out of her way to be cruel; it was more that she simply didn’t have the space in her life for you. You were the uninvited guest, the afterthought.

You remember the looks – the ones she would give you when you tried to talk to her, or when you reached out for some connection. They were cold, distant, as if you were a stranger in your own home. It made you feel small, insignificant, like you didn’t belong. You tried to be helpful, to stay out of her way, but nothing you did seemed to change how she felt about you.

It was confusing, the way you were treated differently. Sophie and Jorge seemed to get along just fine with Lucy. They had their own interests, their own ways of bonding with her, and you were always the odd one out. It hurt, more than you could put into words. You wanted to be close to them, to be part of the sibling camaraderie you saw in other families, but it always felt just out of reach.

As the years went by, you withdrew into yourself. You learned to entertain yourself, to find comfort in solitude, because trying to fit into their world was too painful. The isolation was lonely, but it was safer than risking the rejection that had become all too familiar. You built your own little world, where you didn’t have to worry about whether or not you were wanted, where you could be yourself without fear of being turned away.

You were thirteen when you were gifted something that changed your life. It came at a time when the house had finally quieted down, the once chaotic energy of your siblings replaced by an unfamiliar stillness. All three of them – Lucy, Sophie, and Jorge – had moved out, each one carving out their own path, their own life away from the confines of your childhood home. Lucy was about to move to Lyon, Sophie had landed her dream job in a bustling city, and Jorge was travelling, always chasing the next big adventure. They were all living their best lives, while you were left behind, navigating the echoes of their absence.

With them gone, the purse strings had loosened a little. The financial pressures that had always weighed so heavily on your parents seemed to ease with each sibling's departure. There were fewer mouths to feed, fewer expenses to cover. For the first time, there was a little breathing room – a bit of space for something more than just the basics. And in that space, something unexpected happened.

On your thirteenth birthday, your parents handed you a small, neatly wrapped box. The excitement you had long suppressed bubbled up cautiously, a mix of anticipation and doubt. You had learned to keep your expectations low, to shield yourself from disappointment, but this time, something felt different. As you carefully peeled away the wrapping paper, your heart skipped a beat. Inside was a camera – an old, second-hand one, but to you, it was a treasure beyond measure.

Your parents had saved up for it, they explained, seeing how much time you spent doodling and drawing, how your eyes would light up whenever you saw something beautiful. They wanted to give you something that was just yours, something that could help you express yourself, to capture the world as you saw it.

The camera became your constant companion. You took it everywhere, eager to capture the beauty you saw in even the smallest things – the way the light filtered through the leaves of the trees in your backyard, the subtle smile on your mother’s face when she thought no one was looking, the old, weathered buildings in town that seemed to whisper stories of a time long past. Through the lens, you began to see the world differently, noticing details and moments that had always slipped by unnoticed.

But more than that, the camera gave you a voice. It allowed you to tell your own stories, to frame your own experiences in a way that was meaningful to you. It was your way of processing the complicated emotions that had built up over the years – the loneliness, the longing, the sense of not quite fitting in. With each click of the shutter, you were able to capture a piece of yourself, to express feelings that had always been too difficult to put into words.

And as you delved deeper into photography, something else began to happen. You started to see yourself differently. The shy, withdrawn girl who had always felt like an outsider was slowly transforming into someone with a purpose, with a passion. The camera gave you confidence, a sense of control over your own narrative that you had never felt before. It didn’t matter that you had grown up in the shadow of your siblings, or that you had often felt neglected and overlooked. With your camera, you were finally able to step out of that shadow and into your own light.

Your parents noticed the change in you. They saw how the camera brought you out of your shell, how it gave you something to look forward to, something to be proud of. They encouraged you, in their own quiet way, to keep going, to explore this new passion. For the first time, they seemed to truly see you – not just as their youngest child, but as an individual with your own dreams, your own talents.

At fifteen, you were asked to participate in the local exhibition. You had won a competition for the local paper, and this was the prize. ‘Alnwick by the Locals’ – it was to be put on display up at the castle. You had asked Lucy if she could make the trip over from France.

Lucy had been away for so long that you weren't sure if she'd even come. Her life in France was a whirlwind of training and matches, and the little requests you made felt insignificant against the backdrop of her bustling career. Still, you hoped – hoped that this time, she might see things differently.

When the day of the exhibition arrived, you could hardly contain your excitement. The castle was adorned with your photographs, each framed image capturing slices of life in your small town. You stood by your display, anxiously scanning the crowd for any sign of Lucy. Your heart raced with a blend of nerves and anticipation.

As the afternoon wore on, there was still no sign of her. You tried to push the disappointment aside, focusing instead on the visitors who stopped by to admire your work. They complimented your eye for detail and the way you had managed to capture the essence of Alnwick. Each positive comment felt like a small victory, a validation of the passion and effort you had poured into your photography.

You were losing hope fast. She wasn’t coming. Of course she wouldn’t come. She hadn’t responded to your text message asking her to come and giving her a date. She hadn’t responded to the email you had sent with her ticket attached. All she had to do was book the flights. It had been luck that it landed on a free weekend for her. You wouldn’t have asked otherwise.

As the afternoon stretched on, your excitement began to wane, replaced by a creeping sense of disappointment. Each passing minute seemed to amplify the absence of the one person you had hoped would be there to witness your moment of triumph. You forced yourself to stay positive, engaging with the visitors who complimented your work, but the empty space where Lucy should have been felt like a physical ache.

You wandered through the exhibition, making small talk with guests and answering their questions about your photographs. The praise for your work was a small comfort, but it couldn’t fully compensate for the gap left by Lucy’s absence. The castle, once a place of eager anticipation, now felt like a grand but empty stage, highlighting the solitude you felt.

By the time the exhibition was winding down, the weight of Lucy’s no-show had settled heavily on your shoulders. You packed up your things with a mix of resignation and sadness, feeling the sting of what could have been. Your parents, who had come to support you, tried to lift your spirits with kind words and encouragement, but their efforts fell short of erasing the feeling of emptiness. Your other siblings had turned up. Your sister-in-law had appeared, holding a bunch of flowers and looking around the space in wonder. Why couldn’t she have been your actual sister?

In the quiet of the car ride home, you tried to focus on the positive aspects of the day – the success of the exhibition, the connections you had made with people who appreciated your work. But it was hard not to remember that Lucy hadn’t turned up.

Back at home, you retreated to your room, muttering something about being tired and disappearing upstairs before anyone could stop you. Your room was covered in photographs. You didn’t have many of you as a child – a downside of being the youngest of four to very tired parents you supposed. There was one that you kept pinned above your bed. It was the day you were brought home from the hospital. You were in Jorge’s arms as Lucy and Sophie stood either side of him, all of them beaming brightly. You were fairly sure it was the only photo you had of Lucy smiling at you. The rest of the photographs were taken by you. Jorge and your father. Sophie and your mother. Your parents in the stands waiting for Lucy to play. Narla chasing a ball. Your grandparents looking out to sea.

You knew opening social media wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but you couldn’t help yourself. It was the third picture you saw. Lucy, sitting next to Keira and Georgia – wide smiles and happy faces. She was in Manchester. She had made the trip over to England after all. Just not to see you. The image was a punch to the gut. Lucy, in a casual outfit, her hair pulled back, was surrounded by her friends, their joy on full display. You could almost hear their laughter through the screen, see the ease and comfort of their togetherness. The pain in your chest grew even more.

You hadn’t been told she was moving back to Manchester. Mum had mentioned it in passing, commenting that she was so excited to finally be able to see her daughter play with comparative ease. You had lied when she asked you why you looked confused – making up something about homework you had remembered you needed to complete. The pain was something you were so used to by now, that you were surprised it still hurt. The last time you saw her at home was Christmas. She had missed your birthday completely – again. But that was fine. You could play happy families for a few weeks whilst she was back. You had been to a few football matches for hers – only the big ones. The Champions League finals mainly. The rest of the time you made up excuses. Homework was a reliable one. You were just too busy. Exams were around the corner, you couldn’t afford to take the time off, even for just one weekend.

You had become adept at masking your feelings, but the truth was, each time you saw Lucy’s life in the media, each time you heard about her successes and adventures, it reinforced the distance between you. It was as if she existed in a different world, a world where you didn’t quite belong. Even when she was physically present, her mind seemed to be elsewhere, her focus entirely on her career and her own life.

You hadn’t been told that Lucy would be moving to Barcelona either. Another thing she failed to mention. You knew that Lucy and your parents met up in Manchester regularly – it was easier for them to make the trip to watch her games that it was for her to travel to you. But you would have thought she would’ve mentioned it at the Euros. The night after they won was the longest you had spent in her presence since you were about twelve. She had willingly drawn you into a side hug as your parents snapped a photo of all their children. Looking back, it was clearly the alcohol in her system, and the adrenaline high she was still running on.

You had been dragged over to Australia too. Not that you let your parents know about your distaste in going. You couldn’t do that to them. They knew that Lucy and you had a strained relationship, but not how deep the cuts ran. You would not be the one to tell them that either.  It would break their hearts to find out that their favourite daughter, and their youngest child barely co-existed together. No, you were more than happy to put up a front for them. They had given you everything, it was the least you could do.

“Hi, I’m Ona, it’s nice to meet you.” She smiled amicably, a bit nervous perhaps, but she seemed nice enough.

“Hola, Soy la hermana de Lucy … o la llamas Lucía?” She blinked, startled by your Spanish.

“Tú hablas español?” she asked impressed.

“Un poco, hice español A-level en la escuela. Pensé que sería una buena manera-” You joked, ignoring the strange looks from Lucy.

“Ona, c’mon, I think your parents want you.” Lucy’s voice cut through yours, effectively cutting you off.

You had been so hopeful, so eager to make a connection, but the moment had been abruptly cut short by Lucy’s interference. At the time, you had shrugged it off, thinking it was just Lucy’s usual impatience. Now, however, it seemed like yet another piece in the puzzle of Lucy’s world that you never fully understood.

The news of not-quite-breakup with Keira, and her new relationship with Ona reached you indirectly, through snippets of social media posts and the occasional mention by your parents. They were often caught up in their own busy lives, struggling to balance the constant demands of work and home. Conversations about Lucy's new life was interspersed with discussions about their own challenges, leaving little room for deeper insights or personal connection.

Ona, who you had briefly met in the whirlwind of the World Cup, was now a fixture in Lucy’s life. The contrast between their lives and yours felt even starker. While Lucy was jet-setting across Europe and building a new chapter in Barcelona, you were back in your small town, navigating the complexities of your own world through the lens of your camera.

It was the biggest day of your young life. You had been asked to put up ten photographs on display in London. Your photographs were going to be seen in London. By paying members of the public. The significance of the event was almost overwhelming. You had worked tirelessly to curate the best of your collection, selecting pieces that told a story, captured emotions, and showcased your unique perspective.

The morning of the exhibition, you arrived at the gallery with a mixture of nerves and excitement. The building was impressive – an elegant space with high ceilings and large windows that let in natural light, perfect for showcasing art. You were greeted by the curator, who showed you to your designated space and helped you set up your work. It was surreal to see your photographs hanging on the walls, each one carefully framed and lit to perfection.

You had only met Ona a few times, when she had been brought to England to meet your family. She was kind and sweet. Maybe it was because you were relatively close in age, but you couldn’t shift the familiar sting. Why couldn’t she have been your sister instead? It was the summer, the Olympics in full swing, so you knew it was too much to ask for her to be there. But you couldn’t help the small bubble of hope that Lucy would turn up.

You had it on good authority from Keira, Leah and Georgia that she had agreed to go. Ona’s game was due to finish at 4 pm the day before opening night. The journey would probably be tiring for Lucy, but she had promised her friends she would be their. If not for you then to see them before pre-season started up again.

The day of the exhibition arrived, and you were enveloped in the excitement of seeing your work displayed in such a prestigious venue. The gallery buzzed with activity as people streamed in, their voices a mix of appreciation and curiosity. The atmosphere was electric, and you tried to focus on enjoying the moment, even though the small, nagging hope that Lucy would show up lingered at the back of your mind.

Hours passed, and as the evening drew closer, you began to accept that she might not make it. The crowd was engaged and appreciative, and the positive feedback was reassuring, but the absence of your sister was a constant ache. You tried to push it away, concentrating instead on the connections you were making and the compliments you were receiving.

Your parents had come, and their pride was evident in their smiles and the way they spoke about your work. They marvelled at how far you had come and how talented you were. Their support and encouragement were the best comfort you could have asked for, and you felt a sense of accomplishment in sharing this achievement with them.

Just as the event was winding down, you were approached by Keira, Leah, and Georgia, who were all beaming with excitement. They had come to show their support and to catch up with you after the event. Why couldn’t Lucy do the same thing? Did she really hate you so much that she couldn’t even fake it for a few hours for the sake of her sister?

“We told Lucy about the exhibition,” Leah said, her eyes twinkling with excitement as she looked around the space.

“She said she would come back for it.” Keira added, her tone warm but carrying a hint of concern.

Keira had always been the one who was more in tune with the undercurrents of relationships, and she knew how complicated things were between you and Lucy. She was the only one who truly understood the depth of the tension that simmered beneath the surface. She had offered to take you and Lucy out for lunch – letting your parents rest after the long day of travel.

During that lunch, Lucy’s walls were visibly up, and her responses were curt and distant. The conversation often felt forced, with long pauses and polite but empty exchanges. It was strange Keira had watched with a mix of frustration and disbelief as Lucy struggled to engage, offering only grunts and monosyllabic words in response. She had never seen Lucy like that. She was usually great with kids. She usually revelled in making them laugh and enjoy their time with her. She had watched you sink further and further into yourself, until she was the only one speaking, a far cry from how dinners with Lucy’s family normally looked.

When the subject of family came up in conversation, Keira’s knowledge of the strained dynamics between you and your sister was never far from her mind. Keira’s attempt to mend the gaps had been a sincere effort, but it usually just ended in a fight between Lucy and her girlfriend. You often wondered why you couldn’t have had Keira as a sister instead.

“But … we haven’t heard anything from her today.” Georgia confessed; her voice tinged with concern.

Keira, ever the perceptive one, gave Georgia a sharp nudge, a silent reminder to tread carefully. She glanced over at you, who had been trying to mask your disappointment with a forced smile, though the tightness around your eyes betrayed your emotions.

“I’m sure she’s just caught up with something,” Keira said, trying to sound reassuring. “She’ll be here soon, I promise.” Her words were meant to comfort, but Keira couldn’t shake the worry that Lucy’s absence might be more than just an oversight. You knew otherwise, Lucy wouldn’t be coming.

Leah, sensing the shift in mood, quickly changed the subject. “Your photos are absolutely stunning,” she said, her enthusiasm genuine.

“Thanks, Le,” you smiled back at her. “Did you see the one of you guys?”

“What? I’m … we’re in here?” She clearly hadn’t made her way to the back of the room yet.

“Yeh, it was after the Euros.”

Leah and Keira were standing together on the makeshift dancefloor, a vibrant space that had been hastily set up for the occasion. Their laughter and the rhythm of the music filled the air as they danced with uninhibited joy. Wrapped around their shoulders were colourful flags, their bright hues fluttering with every movement. The flags added an extra splash of festivity to their energetic performance.

Amidst the swirl of movement, Georgia bounded up to them with infectious enthusiasm. She launched herself into the scene, her head playfully peeking out from between Leah and Keira. Her excitement was palpable, adding a new dimension of liveliness to the group. The trio's shared joy and friendship were evident in their spontaneous and carefree expressions.

“Wow,” Leah breathed. She was in genuine awe. She remembered that day like it was yesterday, she remembered the moment she saw the camera being aimed at her, a quiet but smiling you behind it.

Keira joined her, leaning in to get a closer look. “You really captured the energy of that moment. It’s like I can hear the music just looking at it.”

You smiled at their reactions, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over you. “I’m glad you like it. That was one of those moments where everything just felt perfect, you know? The music, the people, the atmosphere. It was one of those nights that you just want to hold on to forever.”

Georgia nodded, her smile widening. “And you’ve done just that. It’s not just a photograph; it’s a piece of that night.”

Keira looked around at the rest of the exhibition. “Seriously, all of your work is amazing. You’ve got such a unique perspective. It’s like each photo has its own story.”

“Thank you, Kei. Coming from you … that means a lot.” Keira was the closest thing you had to a sister that cared. Not that Sophie didn’t care, but she had a similar indifference that Lucy had. It wasn’t as bad, but you only really saw her on the holidays and if she ever came home for a weekend.  

As the night came to an end, you couldn’t shake off the lingering disappointment. The exhibition had been a success, but the empty space left by Lucy’s absence felt like a heavy shadow. Another milestone in your life had come and gone, and once again, you hadn’t been important enough for her to show up. You couldn’t fathom why she hated you so much. She showed up to Sophie’s things, and Jorge’s. Why not yours?

The weight of this realisation grew heavier with each passing moment. As you the taxi took you back to your hotel, the quiet of the car only seemed to amplify your sadness. By the time you arrived, you were in no mood to face the evening alone with your thoughts. Maybe ordering a bottle of the strongest thing they had from the hotel bar wasn’t your best idea. But you were alone and sad after what should’ve been the best day of your life.

The hotel room was big and expensive – your one treat to yourself in congratulations. A luxury suite in a five-star hotel in London. The alcohol burned your throat, but you didn’t care. You didn’t want to sit with your emotions any longer. You wanted to stop feeling. Anything to numb the pain that had been a constant your whole life.

You weren’t sure when the idea came to you. One minute you were on the hotel balcony, wallowing in your sadness with the bottle in your hands, the next you were pulling out your phone. You weren’t expecting her to answer. You weren’t even sure she had your number saved.

When her voicemail finally picked up, the sound of her voice – a cheerful and upbeat recording informing you she couldn’t make it to the phone and to leave a message for her – felt like a final slap in the face.

“Luce … Lucy … Lucia Roberta. It’s me,” you giggled, the alcohol making you feel oddly detached from the situation. “By me, I mean your sister. Not Sophie, your other sister. Y/N … you’re probably not even going to listen to this, so I can probably say what I want to.”

You took a deep breath, struggling to keep your words coherent. “I don’t know why you couldn’t make it tonight. Actually, no that’s a lie. I do know why you didn’t come tonight. You hate me. That’s why.”

Your voice wavered, and you wiped a stray tear from your cheek. “Remember that time you said you’d come to my year 6 school play? You didn’t make it. And the Alnwick Castle exhibition thingy? And my GCSE results meal? And my A-level party? And my uni send-off? I know you didn’t want another sister. I don’t think I even appear on your Wikipedia page. I know ‘cos I use it to keep updated on your life. You never tell me anything so.” You took another shuddering breath and a swig from the bottle.

“What was it this time? Did Ona need you? I know you’re at the Olympics for her. I like Ona. She’s really nice. And funny. And pretty. I wish she was my sister instead of you. Or Keira… Keira was good… is good. She actually cares about me. She showed up today.” A bitter chuckle escaped your lips, and you shook your head, trying to push away the tears.

“I don’t know what I ever did to you, Lucy.” You stared at the dark hotel room around you. “I don’t know why I even bother sometimes. Maybe I should just stop pretending that you’re ever going to be there for me. Maybe I should just stop hoping for something that’s never going to happen.”

Your voice softened, the lump in your throat making it hard to speak. “I’ve tried to be understanding, to see things from your side. I know you’re busy, and I get that life doesn’t always align. But it’s like I’m always on the outside of your world, never really part of it. It’s exhausting, waiting for something that never comes.”

A long silence followed as you struggled to gather your thoughts. “Anyway, I don’t expect you to call back. I don’t expect you to make any grand gestures or anything like that. I really need to stop expecting anything from you. I just needed to say it. I needed to get it off my chest, even if it’s to your voicemail.”

You let out a long sigh, feeling a strange mix of relief and sadness. “Take care, Lucy. I hope things are going well with you, even if I’m not a part of it and you hate me for the rest of your life. I really do.”

It was another hot day in France. The sun beat down on Lyon, the heatwaves fogging the horizon. The cobblestone streets shimmered in the intense light, and the usually bustling markets were quieter than usual, with vendors seeking refuge in the shade of their awnings. The air was thick with the scent of fresh baguettes and ripe fruit, but even these familiar aromas seemed to waver in the oppressive heat.

Outside, the rhythmic clatter of a bicycle's wheels on the pavement was one of the few sounds cutting through the heat. The cyclist, a young woman with a wide-brimmed hat, pedalled slowly, her face glistening with perspiration. She was on a mission to find a place where the heat was more bearable, perhaps a hidden garden or a cool courtyard where she could rest and escape the relentless sun.

Ona looked back towards Lucy, who was still in bed, her dark hair splayed out over the pillow like a cascade of midnight. The room was filled with a soft morning light that filtered through the thin curtains, casting a warm glow on the walls. Ona smiled, feeling a sense of contentment that she hadn’t experienced in weeks.

Last night had been exactly what they needed. The weight of the Olympics had finally lifted, if only temporarily. She had underestimated how exhausting the Games could be – Lucy had been right when she described it as a marathon. The endless competition and pressure to perform had taken their toll, and last night’s reprieve from it all felt like a much-needed breath of fresh air.

She leaned over and gently brushed a strand of hair from Lucy’s face. Lucy stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open. She gave Ona a sleepy, contented smile, her hand reaching out to rest on Ona’s.

“Morning,” Lucy murmured, her voice thick with sleep but warm with affection.

“Bon dia,” Ona replied softly, her heart swelling with the simple joy of being beside Lucy.

Ona let her fingers dance across Lucy's face, across her brow and down her nose before delicately tracing the outline of her lips. The soft morning light filtering through the curtains painted a serene glow across the room. Everything felt calm and intimate, a stark contrast to the intensity of the past weeks.

Just as Ona leaned in to place a tender kiss on Lucy’s forehead, the piercing ring of her phone shattered the quiet. Ona’s eyes fluttered open, and she sighed, glancing at the screen with a frown. The phone buzzed insistently on the bedside table.

“Mmmm, who, who is it?” Lucy grumbled sleepily.

“No n'estic segur,” Ona muttered back.

“Too early for Catalan,” the Brit groaned, twisting away to pick up the phone

“Oh,” her demeanour changed abruptly.

“Who is it?” Ona asked, her voice laced with curiosity and concern as she reached over to peek at the phone.

“Just a voicemail,” Lucy said, her voice distant and troubled. She rolled over in bed, clearly unsettled by the message.

“From who?” Ona persisted, her brow furrowing. She was trying to understand the sudden shift in Lucy’s mood.

“My sister,” Lucy replied, her voice flat and weary. The mention of her sister’s name seemed to weigh heavily on her.

Ona’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why would Sophie be phoning you now? It’s only 6 am in England.”

“It’s not Sophie,” Lucy clarified, her tone tinged with a mixture of frustration and resignation. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes as if trying to wake herself from a troubling dream. “It’s Y/N.”

Ona’s expression softened with empathy. She was aware of the strained relationship between you, though the reasons behind it had always eluded her. She had heard bits and pieces about their complicated dynamic but had never been given a full explanation. She wasn’t even sure Lucy had a definite answer for her.

“Maybe you should listen to it?” Ona suggested gently, her voice filled with concern. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on Lucy’s shoulder.

“No,” Lucy’s answer was abrupt and to the point. She seemed almost angry with herself for letting the voicemail disturb her morning. She threw the covers aside and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her movements sharp and restless.

The movement managed to throw Lucy’s phone off the bed as well. She must not have locked it properly. Before they could react, your voice filled the room.

The voicemail had begun to play on speakerphone, and Lucy’s heart sank as your words echoed around them. “Luce … Lucy … Lucia Roberta. It’s me,” your voice slurred slightly, you were clearly drunk. “By me, I mean your sister. Not Sophie, your other sister. Y/N … you’re probably not even going to listen to this, so I can probably say what I want to.”

Ona’s eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at Lucy, whose face had gone pale. The voicemail continued, your words growing more emotional and raw. “I don’t know why you couldn’t make it tonight. Actually, no, that’s a lie. I do know why you didn’t come tonight. You hate me. That’s why.”

I hope you enjoyed it <3<3<3

[naughtygirl286]

So yeah we finally went to see Godzilla Minus One I was a little upset in the beginning being this was a somewhat limited release at the start and being I'm a huge Godzilla fan for pretty much all of my life (thanks to my Uncle because he is a fan of the Kaiju movies) I couldn't see it because it wasn't playing here so like I said I was a bit upset and was going to wait until it came out on disk like I did with Shin Godzilla but thanks to Godzilla Minus One's exploding popularity and it becoming a box office hit so to speak they started screening it here so I was of course super happy about that and we had to go see it!

As for the movie itself I thought it was excellent it is a somewhat re imagining of the original Godzilla from 1954 and it works so well as it bring Godzilla back to its very beginning where he is once again an unstoppable force of nature in post world war II Japan.

The story basically revolves around this guy who is a failed Kamikaze pilot who returns home to the ruins of his town after experiencing a strange encounter with some type of giant monster on an island at the end of World War II As he returns home he suffers survivor guilt and even possible PTSD as he tries to build his life back after what happened and ends up with a somewhat make shift family and friends and then the unthinkable happens and the strange creature from the island shows up know as Godzilla and begins wreaking havoc on an all ready crippled Japan and it becomes a bit of a man vs nature type of thing as they ban together to find a way to stop this seemingly unstoppable force.

Now the movie was I felt very serious in its tone there where a few moments that that gave me a bit of a giggle and a couple that felt like it was over acted but it does go Back to Godzilla being an allegory/metaphor for nuclear weapons

other then that the acting was very good everything was pretty much perfect in this movie the production design, camera work, directing, writing and even the music is perfect and especially the visuals will capture you in awe and brilliance.

Every time Godzilla was on screen it gave me chills of excitement! from his first appearance on the island to him tearing apart Japanese cities and finally the final battle in the ocean. I loved his look it was a blend of both classic and modern and how his I guess you would say "powers" work was excellent the I guess you would say the somewhat "Jaws" scene where the bomb explodes in his mouth and you see his regenerative healing factor in action and I also like how they did his atomic breath/Heat Ray where it has this amazing build up where crawls up his back spines but in his each spine pops out a bit and before he uses it he takes a big deep breath and you can see it almost sparkle around his mouth as he inhales like the air is electronically charged around him I feel this build up makes it more devastating on screen and it shows it. its almost like a nuclear exposition leveling everything in its path.

but in the end the movie is amazing! and any Godzilla fan should see it and will probably love it like I did. but surprisingly there was one person who didn't when we were leaving after the movie there was one woman who was complaining rather aggressively that the movie was in Japanese and had subtitles you should have known that going in what did she expect? anyway I loved it and the person I went with like it as well so that is all that mattered to me.

[mothgenes]

hope you don't mind an addition onto this!! i've been thinking about that point a lot, articulating my thoughts on it clearly is bit hard but i want to try

for the majority of the story Polle has no dialogue, in the game "dialogue" is in text boxes with names and "noise" doesn't have a dialogue box but might be picked up in the in-game subtitles, like the cartoons dialogues are "noise". For most of the game Polle only makes "noise" but in that last scene Polle has a dialogue box- and the text is blue. Just like Anya's text is. I think this could be interpreted that way. Maybe not directly- i don't think Anya specifically is represented by a horse? but i think it's emblematic of how Jimmy doesn't see her as a full person.

Jimmy has a hostile relationship to Polle and Pony Express throughout the game, but in every way that matters he doesn't have any control over how Pony Express effects him, and the way it effects him importantly ruins his relationship, opportunities and future as Curly's partner (which is his most concrete goal, staying with Curly). By firing them, Jimmy will have to leave the situation where he and Curly get to spend lots of time together, and are obligated to be together for over a year at a time. He's very literally at Curly's left hand, his co-pilot. He is impotent in how he hates Polle- in the game we never even see him break one of the mascot statues that spits phrases. He sees Pony Express as sort of an impossible force of nature or higher power that creates obstacles in his life to spite him somehow.

I think he sees Anya in a really similar way- he doesn't see what he did to Anya as subjectively bad, or something he should feel guilty about, even if he may understand objectively, morally and legally that it was a crime and serious transgression against her in every way. But what he does feel about Anya is that she's useless, that she's in the way, creates obstacles for him- whether its by giving him tasks he doesn't want to complete, is the "source" of his possible life-ruining conviction or punishment (presuming they reached their destination). Given more than a day or two to process the situation, there's also a chance Curly could have done something more active to take Anya's side, especially seeing how it affects her as she gets closer to her due date, and he would consider her, and the baby responsible for that ruining their relationship. I don't know for a fact that's what would happen, but Jimmy specifically prevents a reality where he could be feasibly punished for his actions or separated from Curly.

The unblinking eyes of the Polle figurine are the same eyes as Anya's to him, because her presence reminds him of the consequences of his actions and he feels judged, and in a fucked up way, like she has some kind of power over HIM because she is pregnant- that SHE could ruin HIS life for something he doesn't seem to process as his own responsibility or fault. Just a staring reminder of his circumstances, and the way he feels like he's being fucked over by his surroundings and everyone in his life- "poor him, caged and misunderstood!" and so on. Anya sees him for what he is and that reminder makes him feel less-than or on some level, in danger, because he's deeply messed up and doesn't see the reality of their power dynamic because he's always both the victim and the hero.

The baby, initially represented by the horse which he tries to destroy, is also something that is a threat to him, a reminder of the consequences of his actions, and endangers his status quo. Even if they weren't fired, there's even a sliver of a chance he'd receive some penalty for his actions, and that could ruin the situation where "[they're] in control here." In some ways, Anya and Pony Express to him both represent the idea that the consequences for his actions are these unstoppable, uncontrollable forces like entropy and that he didn't cause them and cannot stop them, even though he did. He crashed the ship, he assaulted Anya, he got Daisuke killed, he shot Swansea. He takes responsibility only in the way that he confiscates responsibility from other people and abuses it.

I almost think the horse sequence in the basement with the black-light is also about the baby, but maybe moreso consequences for his actions as a whole. It's a blind beast he cannot run from- No matter what he does, the baby won't stop existing, the ship won't become un-crashed, he won't be un-fired. He can only see it with the black light and its invisible to the naked eye- Anya isn't showing yet, but the fact that she is pregnant is still a threat in Jimmy's eyes because of how he could face consequences in any way? He also can't run from the responsibility for his actions, because even if he won't take it, he is responsible for his criminal behavior. Anya in his mind is equivalent to the representation of Pony Express in how they're objects that judge and torment him, do not value him, do not respect him, and have the capacity in any way to "punish" him in a way that isn't just violent retribution- i doubt he sees Anya as capable of violence against him at all, and neither is the literally inanimate object.

this is LONG and kind of scattered but i think it gets the idea across? hope this addition is okay <X]

more mouthwashing spoilers yapping but i KNOW the reason why anya doesnt get to be a big blatant (human) direct part of jimmy's storytelling is bc he doesnt respect her as a human being, being the unreliable narrator he is, but i just saw someone say polle at the end was perhaps another way to represent anya all along (along with being the womb/horse centipede. its horses all the way down), and fuuuuuck. yeah actually that makes perfect sense. ok tiny bit of catharsis she got to snap at him for the first time during his mental breakdown yippee. bro stop apologizing to curly say sorry to HER 🪓