#and before anyone comes in here no we're not doing the head shrinking thing from beetlejuice

[shinygemstone]

Tumblr dotcom you guys tend to have ideas that the rest of the internet does not have so here we go

I'm writing a thing with a few friends and we're making curses! They're each based on a word and they're very much supposed to be a combination of body and psychological horror. For example, one person got "replace" and their character turned into someone completely different while their friends and family could only watch.

My word is "reduce" and I'm having trouble coming up with a good curse. Got any suggestions?

[gyuzgrl]

too sweet //lsm//

summary- when Jeonghan brings up BDSM at dinner, your boyfriend is keen on trying it out for himself. you laugh it off, telling him he doesn't have the stomach for it, and he decides to show you just how capable he is in bed.

Crystal-chandeliered ceilings, a live cello performance, a bottle of Domaine de la Romanee- 1945; you're in the lap of luxury. After a particularly long week, your boyfriend decided to organize a 'little' get-together to get your mind off work. Something small, he said. Just a little dinner with Jeonghan and Hoshi- nothing much.

That's how you find yourself here- seated in one of the best restaurants in Seoul, surrounded by friends, donned in a dress so stunning it would've killed a small Victorian child.

Earlier on in the relationship, you used to get awkward in places like this, wondering how much it cost, trying to order the cheapest thing on the menu, but now? Now you've grown accustomed to Dokyeom's treats. It's how he shows his love for you- among many other ways- so who are you to say no?

"and yeah- we fucked." Hoshi states, mouth full of food as Dokyeom's eyes widen to the size of saucers.

Jeonghan giggles, turning around to see if anyone heard, and shakes his head.

"and?"

"and-" Hoshi continues, prodding a bit of beef with his fork, "and it was like painfully vanilla,"

You watch as Jeonghan's face contorts into a disapproving frown, and sip at your wine, praying to whoever's listening that your sweet, baby boy doesn't open his mouth to ask any questions.

But of course, you've never had much luck with the universe, have you?

"like ice cream?"

Aghast, the older man turns to Dokyeom.

"dude..."

When the inquisitive, wide-eyed stare doesn't leave his face, you cut in, clearing your throat.

"c'mon don't be like that- you know how he is Han"

Your boyfriend shifts his gaze to you, now wondering how you of all people know what his hyungs are talking about.

A sheepish, watery smile paints your face as you reach for your glass, taking another sip.

The air stills for a minute, awkward pauses flooding the space while Hoshi and Jeonghan share knowing glances.

They turn to you, flashing you those up-to-no-good grins, before fixing their attention to your poor boyfriend.

"alright buddy," Jeonghan starts, reaching out to grasp Dokyeom's shoulder, "lemme teach you about sex."

Immediately, you see the tips of his ears burn red. Poor thing.

"why are we uh, why're we talking about sex?"

"cause you still think we're talkin' about ice cream" Hoshi sneers. You shoot him a glare, and his shrinks back.

Ever the explorer, Dokyeom chimes in again, turning to you this time.

"we're not talking about ice cream? what are we-"

"sex." Jeonghan whispers, voice taking on a mock-sultry tone. He turns to you,

"what's he like in bed?"

"hey!-"

"he seems vanilla now, so I'm guessing it's basic shit" he continues, eyes narrowing in on you.

Suddenly you feel conscious of your surroundings. A nice evening out has somehow turned into a free-for-all analysis of your sex life, and your most intimate moments with Dokyeom have come under the looking glass.

"y-yeah, we're vanilla"

"oh you poor thing," Hoshi fakes a sob, bringing his hand to his chest as if your house caught on fire.

"don't be like that- some people prefer vanilla y'know?"

Some people, sure.

Not you, though.

As much as you love how Dokyeom makes you feel, you have to admit, he's a little, well... basic. It's the same old scene, classic p-in-v sex, sometimes he goes down on you, sometimes you do him, nothing apart from that.

Not that it doesn't feel good- it feels amazing- but you've always wanted something more. Something you're sure he won't be able to pull off.

"uhuh, I'm sure they do," Jeonghan muses, seeing right through you.

"what are we even talking abou-"

"sex!" all three of you whisper-shout in unison, starling Dokyeom.

"but- vanilla?"

"it's classic, like your basic animal-planet kinda sex" Jeonghan's voice turns serious, brows set in a firm line. "there's more than that, though"

Hoshi watches intently, moving a bit of bread to his mouth in slow motion, as the scene unravels before him. You find yourself equally invested, eyes fixed on Dokyeom's wonderstruck expression.

"there's more?" he gasps.

"oh you bet- d'you know what BDSM is?"

Your mouth goes bone dry.

"I think so? it's the stuff with the knives and leather and like latex-"

Jeonghan shoots you a quick glance, mouthing 'you're welcome', before moving back to the man next to him.

"that's not- it's not all intense and gory... there's layers to it, kay?"

Dokyeom nods, eyes shimmering.

"BDSM as a concept is deeper than just leather and blood. B and D stands for bondage and discipline, D and S stands for dominance and submission, and S and M stands for sadism and masochism-"

"so that's what Rhianna was talking about-" he cuts in, jaw falling slack as he listens further.

"each of these can come out in different ways- bondage could include cuffs, rope, shibari, or y'know whatever material you have on hand. discipline is meant in its literal sense- you do things to teach your partner the quote-unquote rules of sex, which could include spanking, using gags for punishment or doing things they like for reward. Sadism and masochism basically play on pain. Sadists like to cause it, masochists like to feel it- again, many ways to do this."

Hoshi stares in awe as Jeonghan concludes, putting his fork down to clap.

"wait- what about dominance?"

A sly smile quirks up Jeonghan's lips.

"oh that."

You swallow at the lump settling at the back of your throat, unable to tear your gaze away from your boyfriend's face- so eager, so fascinated by what he's heard.

"it's the premise of what all this is; discipline, sadism, bondage, it's all built on power play. One of you is in control and the other follows, letting themselves be controlled, it-"

"what about consent?"

Oh sweet, sweet boy.

"that's where safe words come into play. I use the traffic light system, so if my partner says green it means they're feeling good, if they say yellow, they're still okay but I need to slow down, and if they say red, they want me to stop"

"huh."

Dokyeom sits still for a minute, eyes glued to the plate sitting in front of him, and you can practically hear his brain churning to process all that he's learnt.

As the night goes on, he seems quieter than usual, staring at you, absorbing information, listening to what's being spoken about around him. Every time you turn to the side you meet his gaze- intense, preoccupied.

Dinner comes to a close with him shoving his shiny black credit card into the waiter's hands before anyone else beat him to it, and soon, you find yourselves saying your goodbyes, heading to the car.

Dokyeom opens your door, making sure you're seated, and moves over to the driver's seat.

"you don't- do you like how things are now?" Out of nowhere, his voice sounds in your ears, catching you off guard.

You look at him, surprise etched in the rise of your brow, and shake your head furiously.

"of course I do! baby, I love how things are with us, I love you"

He sighs, turning on the ignition, and begins to drive.

"not like that, honey, I meant physically,"

The blank look on your face has his cheeks burning as he works up the courage to say it.

"sex, y/n" he says, a little louder than before, "do you like the way we do things now?"

Oh.

You hadn't expected the conversation from earlier to stick with him, but evidently, it has. A shiver runs through you when he says it- sex. He's never brought it up so unambiguously before. It feels dirty, somehow, even though you've laid with him multiple times.

"I-"

"be honest, honey, okay?"

The earnest, gentle tone of his voice has your heart softening. He really is too pure for this world.

"I mean, I love the way we are now," you mutter, eyes focused on your lap as you pick at your nails, "you make me feel good"

Technically you aren't lying to him- you're just choosing to keep some things hidden. Dokyeom doesn't need to know that you've spent your nights thinking about his fingers buried deep inside you, forcing you to cum again and again until you're sobbing and shaking. He doesn't need to know you've been fantasizing about his arms, wondering how they'd feel pushing you down, leaving you helpless, completely at his mercy.

He's a nice guy, after all. They don't usually like stuff like that. And even if they think they like stuff like that, they don't have the stomach for it.

One stray teardrop and Dokyeom will be on his knees, apologizing profusely, crying along with you as he chastises himself.

"I'm not convinced," he sighs, shoulders slouching against his leather seats. "if this is about protecting my feelings-"

"no! no- not at all baby,"

"so tell me- I know you, I know when you've got something hidden away in that pretty head of yours"

Caught between a rock and a hard place, you find yourself in a bit of a dilemma. Should you be honest with him and take your chances? Or should you pacify him and convince him that plain old vanilla lovin' is all you need?

"I-"

"baby," he soothes, voice gentle, "I just wanna make sure I'm doing the best I can for you,"

A car passes you by, blaring loud pop music, and he breaks into a sheepish smile.

"there's a lot I didn't know before today- stuff that you knew about... so I just- I'm checking. If there's something you'd like me to do, someone you'd like me to be, I wanna try"

"oh,"

You stay silent for a bit, thinking over what to say. Sure, telling him that you're actually a submissive and you hate taking charge is simple, but the execution part leaves you tongue-tied. Someone as sweet and innocent as Dokyeom wouldn't be able to handle taking control.

Nothing against him, it's just that he's so cute and naive- there's no way he'd be able to restrain you and make you cry.

"there's one thing..." you mutter, voice so meek you're barely audible.

His ears perk up.

"y'know the dom-sub thing Hannie spoke about?"

"uhuh, one of us is in control and the other one listens,"

"yeah, I kinda, uh- I tend to lean towards being controlled rather than being in control"

"oh, we can do that if you like, baby" he chirps, twisting the steering wheel as he pulls into your apartment, "we can try whatever you want,"

There's a smile on his face- that same shining, star-studded gaze, eyes crinkling, teeth on full display- and you feel your heart sink.

You'll just have to make do with vanilla for the rest of your days.

The lift ride up is tense. You chew on your lower lip, tapping your heel impatiently against the ground as you move higher and higher, finally reaching your house.

Dokyeom keys in the passcode, unlocking the door, and you stumble inside, rushing to the bathroom for a bit of space.

Locking the door behind you, you stare at yourself in the mirror, worry etched in the crease of your forehead. Your face is beet red, pupils blown wide, and your throat feels dry.

All that talk about the bedroom has you feeling a little jumpier than usual and you can't help the way your brain automatically shifts to its usual Dokyeom fantasy- tied up helplessly in bed as he eats you out over and over, saying the filthiest things known to man.

God, the things you'd let him do to you...

His nose is built just right, bumping into your clit perfectly as he eats you out, tongue lapping up your arousal from your past orgasms. Those long, slim fingers would be splayed across your thighs, forcing your legs open, even when your body spasms, begging for an intermission.

'snap out of it- Christ' you tell yourself, shooing away any wandering thoughts as you unlock the door and head into your bedroom.

"everything okay, honey?"

You curse the universe when your eyes are greeted by his broad frame, standing by your dresser as he clicks his watch open, shaking it off his wrist in a few crisp motions.

"y-yeah I'm-" you cut yourself off when he begins to fold his shirtsleeves up, dragging the white fabric up around his elbow, putting his forearms on display. The way his veins frame the shape of his arms so perfectly, peeking out just enough, has you growing restless with desire, and you feel your face grow hot.

"baby?"

When you stay silent, he eyes you through the mirror, making sure you're still listening, and continues-

"I was thinking about what you said in the car, and I think we should give it a try"

Before you can stop it from happening, your lips part, letting a taunting laugh slip past them. Dokyeom halts his actions.

"why's that funny?"

"it's not! I just uh-" you nibble at your lower lip, trying desperately to conceal the smile perking up the corners of your lips, "I appreciate you saying that, but we really don't have to do things you won't be comfortable with,"

"how d'you know I won't be comfortable?"

You sigh, walking over to him.

"Kyeommie, you're a really great guy- you're sweet, you're kind, you're funny- and I love those things about you,"

"uhuh"

"it's just that you're too sweet, y'know? You won't be able to handle the stuff I'm into, baby"

His brows furrow, and he opens his mouth to speak, but you cut in, sugarcoating your words as much as you can.

"being nice isn't a bad thing at all, okay- don't get me wrong. I love you exactly as you are, so there's no need to make yourself uncomforta-"

"you think I can't do it, don't you?"

His voice is low, dripping with a kind of venom you've never heard from him before. You reach out, moving your hand to soothe over his shoulder, but he catches your wrist, pulling you into him.

"Dok-"

"I may be slow, I may not understand the things you do as easily" he sneers, his grip tightening, "but I know my way around your body-"

"I know I can make you feel good."

He inches closer, nose bumping against yours, and you let out a shaky sigh. Your heart thuds rapidly against your chest, banging against the confines of your ribs so noisily you're sure Dokyeom can hear it.

You've never heard him speak like this before, never seen his eyes flood with such darkness. The once glittering light in his pupils has now dimmed to a darker, lust-filled ocean, void of mercy.

The expanse of his broad shoulders shield you from the front, and a hand slides down your arm, resting at the curve of your back, trapping you in his hold.

"what is it that you want from me, hm?" he mumbles, angling your chin up towards his face, "want me to take control- be a little aggressive?"

Your breath catches, and you stare up at him, eyes wide. Never in your wildest dreams did you think you'd hear him talk this way, with his voice all low and mean. The way he holds you too, it's different from before. There's no gentle embrace, no tentative grip- no, he's sure right now. There's a certainty with which he holds you, a forcefulness he would've once been afraid of.

"tell me," he whispers as he walks you backward, heading for the bed, "tell me what you want and I'll make you feel good,"

With each step forward he takes in your direction, you take one back, staring up at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. Is this really the same guy from two hours ago?

His gaze pierces through you, challenging you as if to say- 'try me, I dare you.' It's simultaneously intimidating, yet somehow exciting, and you feel a familiar heat spread in your lower belly.

Like some sort of predator, dead set on catching its prey, Dokyeom stalks toward you, moving further and further, until your calves make contact with the bed.

He smirks.

You've been caught.

"what's wrong, honey?" a faux pout graces his lips, "you were saying so much a minute ago-"

You gasp as he closes in, leaving no room for anything but your body and his. The hand on your face leaves your chin, and he traces a finger down your throat, stopping just below the divot of your collarbones, lingering over the hem of your dress.

There's an evil glint in his eye and you watch, waiting patiently to see what he does next.

"strip."

Certain you heard him wrong, you stay still, staring up at him dumbly.

"oh, we don't feel like listening today?" he quirks a brow at you, loosening his grip on your waist as he lets his hand travel up your back, "either you do it- or I'll do my fucking self."

On beat, he thumbs the zipper of your dress and tugs it down in one sharp motion, leaving you stunned. The fabric falls slack against your body, loosening at your neckline just enough to give Dokyeom a peek of what lies underneath.

He trails his finger down your clavicle, pushing your dress down to reveal the lacey surface of your bra- the fabric flimsy and transparent, letting your nipples poke through.

"someone's excited," he bites his lips, smirking down at your hardened nipples. "you wanna take this off for me, baby?"

His voice is raspy, taunting almost, and your body obeys, arms hastily undoing your bra as you shimmy out of your dress. You should feel embarrassed, getting naked so desperately like some sex-hungry nympho, but you don't.

The arousal pooling in between your legs is far too distracting to leave any room for humility or shame.

Dressed pooled at your ankles, bra tossed aside, you stand bare before him.

Teasingly, Dokyeom lets the pad of his extended finger trace down your chest as he leans in, lips ghosting over yours. Your eyes flutter closed and your lips part- ever so slightly- bracing for impact. You feel his breath fanning across your face as his presence nears, skin almost touching yours, before he sends a sharp tweak to your nipple, pulling away with a devilish grin.

Jolting at the sudden stimulation, you gasp, eyes opening wide. There's a current running down your body, stemming from the spot he abused seconds ago, and you feel it land in your clit.

You want to argue, to call him an idiot and tell him to kiss you proper- to quit teasing- but you know you like this. The way he's got you all figured out, the way he so effortlessly gets you to bend to his will, god this is what you've been waiting for.

"get on the bed."

The firmness of his voice tells you to bite your tongue and acquiesce, but there's something deep inside of you that wants to see how far you can push him.

"don't wanna"

He pauses for a second, looking into your eyes-

"do you actually want to stop or are you just being difficult?"

"the latter," you singsong, staring up at him with a challenge dancing behind your eyes.

There's a moment of silence as he prods his cheek with the tip of his tongue, taking in what you've just said. His blood boils at the mockery in your voice, eyes hardening to a cold brown.

"brat." he spits, clenching his jaw.

In one forceful motion, Dokyeom yanks you towards himself, lifting you up by the thighs before tossing you onto the mattress behind.

"baby-!" You can't help but squeal as he manhandles you effortlessly, showing you just how strong he really is. Your body lands with a dull thump on the bed, sinking deep into your duvet as he stares daggers into your sprawled out frame.

"sit still."

Dokyeom steps back, standing before you at the foot of the bed, and keeps his eyes on yours. A sly hand creeps up his neck, fingers weaving into the intricate knot of his tie, and he pulls it loose, tossing the silk fabric near your feet.

Undoing the top buttons of his shirt, his hand travels down to his belt, clicking the buckle open with ease. The metal comes apart in his hand, loosening with a single flick of his wrist, and you feel your mouth begin to water.

He looked sinful. With his sleeves rolled up- biceps straining through the fabric, the way his chest peeked out tauntingly through his shirt, how his eyes bore into yours, not breaking contact for an instant- it made you want to scream.

The sound of metal clanking pulls you from your thoughts, and you realise that he's shucked off his trousers, leaving himself in his CK black boxers and a partially unbuttoned shirt.

"Kyeommie," you pout, reaching an arm out towards him, "c'mere"

It takes every bit of his strength to keep himself from crumbling instantly, but he manages it with a firm shake of his head.

"thought I told you to stay still, hm?"

You frown, your pout still evident, and turn away with a huff.

"I'm taking this off, y'know," he teases, plucking open the buttons of his shirt, and you feel your attitude fade to dust as you turn back to him in an instant.

Who wouldn't? After all, he does have the body of a God.

As he undoes his last button, you're greeted by his sculpted torso, tanned to perfection.

Dokyeom smirks, ego inflating at your star-struck reaction as if you haven't seen him like before.

"every single time," he mutters, shaking his head in amusement.

Before long, the shirt is discarded to some remote corner of the room, and he stands before you, nearly bare.

"where were we..."

Grabbing your ankles, he tugs you down till your hips reach the foot of the bed. A startled gasp escapes you at his actions and he can't help but smirk.

"if tossing you around was all it took, you should've just asked, sweetheart"

Your cheeks burn red. Never once has he spoken to you like this- so direct, without scaffolding.

"makes me wonder what else you might like,"

Dokyeom brushes his fingertips up your legs, kneeling down to face your clothed cunt.

"I learned a lot today," he bites his lip, eyes fixed on the damp spot growing under your panties. "will you tell me which of all those you like or should I find out for myself?"

His gaze shifts to you, eyeing the flush on your cheeks, the scandalized widening of your eyes.

"I- I want-" you trail off, voice so small it makes him melt.

"I'm listening, honey, tell me what you want,"

That soft, silverish quality of his voice resurfaces, and you feel your body relax. He rubs slow circles into your thighs, trying his best to coax the words out of you, but you remain hesitant.

Embarrassed, rather.

You've never told anyone what you want from them so plainly, with nowhere to hide. You feel exposed in front of him for the first time in a while and the feeling excites you.

"don't stop." you murmur, unable to meet his gaze. "don't stop after just one... y'know-"

His eyes darken.

"oh I'm going to like this"

Deft fingers slide up your inner thighs, hooking under the last of your lingerie and pulling it apart, tearing the lace off of your body to reveal what Dokyeom wants most.

The most intimate part of you lies spread out all for him, glistening with arousal, and he has to suck in a breath to calm himself.

"don't- don't do that,"

"do what?" he asks, backing away slightly just in case you've changed your mind.

"try to control yourself like that- just don't hold back"

You breathe shakily before continuing- "I want to see how far you go-"

Something snaps within him, that final band of restraint finally tears apart, and he yanks you down onto his tongue, licking fervently at your cunt like this is the last time he gets to taste you.

Your lips part, letting breathy, helpless cries slip past, and Dokyeom knows he's doing well.

Despite the gusto with which he devours you, his movements are precise, practiced. It's exactly as he said earlier- he knows how to make you feel good. He knows your body.

He works his tongue against you, lapping at your clit without any care of hypersensitivity or overstimulation, pressing harder and harder into you as your legs spasm around him.

"wai- oh my god-" you moan, back arching up, hips lifting off the bed for a second, before Dokyeom pushes you back down firmly with his hand splayed across your lower belly.

Squirming helplessly under the force of his arm, your body tries to move away, to get just a little respite, but all in vain. He doesn't let you. The weight of one hand holds you secure, while the other cups the underside of your thighs- pushing your leg up as far as it can go.

With your legs spread out further, his assault on your clit feels even more direct, with each firm motion of his tongue sending shockwaves across your body, and you feel your muscles tighten, building up for release.

Dokyeom seems to have noticed too, and his lips curl up at the corners into a deeply satisfied smirk. You feel it against your skin.

"already?" he abashes, eyeing your tensed frame, "after all you said?"

"m'sorry- please, please can I-"

"can you?" he echoes.

"can I cum ple-please"

You've done this before- asked for permission before- but not with him. Never with him. Dokyeom's smirk only widens when he realises the power he now holds over you. To be able to deny one their right to pleasure is... exciting, to say the least. He certainly seems to enjoy it, considering the bulge growing in his boxers.

"mm, I didn't quite hear that honey, come again?" His voice is patronizing, mocking.

"please Kyeommie please let me cum"

Dokyeom's never thought of himself as a man who likes to abuse his power, but right now with the way you're begging? He wants to see just how much you can take before the seams begin to rip.

"no."

Your eyes fly open, jaw agape as your clit throbs under his tongue.

"w-what"

"you asked, I said no."

Now he knows he isn't being fair, he knows. But the tears welling up in your eyes have him entranced. There's this urge he has deep inside to see them all spill out and stain those pretty cheeks of yours.

"but-"

"are you gonna act up? 'cause that's not how you're getting what you want sweetheart"

Dokyeom's voice sends a chill down your spine. With the way his tongue abuses your clit, you're certain you won't be able to hold yourself back, not when your high is almost near.

You want to be good for him, you really do- but is this even fair? As he laps into you, nudging your sensitive nerves just right, your head tips back into the pillows and you moan out a string of profanities, getting completely lost in the pleasure he gives you.

He isn't happy.

"if you wanna cum that bad- I should give you more, hm? who am I to deny?"

You know very well from the tone of his voice what he's got planned.

Grabbing the tie- now dangling precariously off the bed- Dokyeom crawls over your spent frame, balancing his weight on his knees.

"gimme your hands."

Tentatively, you hold out your arms, pushing your wrists together.

"what are you do-"

"you know what I'm doing, sweetheart"

You do.

He pulls the fabric of his tie taut, looping it at your wrists before tying a firm knot to keep you from moving. The black silk, although soft to the touch, presses into your skin, and you hiss when he gives the fabric a sharp tug.

Dokyeom's eyes draw back to yours, and he grabs your wrists, pushing them up above your head.

"keep these here," he murmurs, gulping slightly when he notices how close your faces are.

Your eyes burn holes into each other's, and he sees something in your gaze that he hasn't before-

Hunger.

"Dokyeom," you breathe, chest rising shakily,

"kiss me"

Waiting no longer, he pushes his lips to yours, capturing the plush crimson in a slow, hard kiss. The way your lips mold so perfectly together, fitting into each other like pieces of a puzzle, makes this moment that much more meaningful.

When he touches you, when he kisses you, you know deep inside that this man is your forever. No one has or ever will make you feel so alive.

Dokyeom swallows your whimpers, your cries, as he slips his tongue into your mouth. It's sloppy and messy and desperate- but you love the way it feels, the way he feels.

Leaving your wrist, his hand comes down to cup your jaw, tilting your head back so he can kiss you harder, deeper.

"wa-wait-" you pant, feeling your lungs burn.

As you try to pull away, a deep growl emanates from within his throat, and he tugs you closer, unwilling to let go.

A surprised 'mm!' escapes your occupied lips, muffled by his own, and your body lights up- embers of red-hot desire scattering across your skin.

Dokyeom's own lungs beg him to move away, to breathe, but he holds still, stubborn as ever. You feel far too good. If this is how he dies, he'll go gladly.

The airy whimpers and gasps from you, however, finally get him to let go.

Your chest heaves as you gulp in precious breaths to soothe your lungs, as does his own. Staring up at him in shock, you manage to stutter out-

"where has that been all this time-"

He lets out an airy laugh, pressing a tender kiss to your jaw, trailing down your torso until he reaches your gushing sex.

"the hands stay up there- got that?"

You nod eagerly, holding your wrists up to show him, but you're quickly cut off by his tongue, pressing back into your clit.

"oh-"

Tracing slow figure eights into you, Dokyeom works his tongue deftly while his fingers prod at your entrance. With ease, he slips two long digits inside, pushing deep till your arousal trickles down his knuckles.

"Dok- oh fuck oh my god"

Each knuckle of his fingers adds further stimulation as he begins to pump in and out of you. Every time he draws back, you stretch to accommodate the balls of his joints and it feels divine.

You've always loved his hands. Those slender, long fingers were perfect for you, and the fact that his knuckles jut out at each joint only makes it all better.

The kinks in his fingers have your legs quivering, and his tongue- god his tongue- nudges your clit with the perfect amount of pressure.

Feeling your orgasm build at record speed, you moan, completely defenseless as Dokyeom slurps noisily at your sex while his fingers push up against that one particularly soft spot inside you.

"Kyeo-Kyeommie m'gonna-"

"that's it, sweetheart- just let go for Kyeommie"

With a sob, you feel your orgasm burn through you, twice as intense as the previous one, and your thighs quiver.

You're spent. You're spent and he's only made you cum twice.

Watching the way your muscles twitch from the weight of your orgasm, Dokyeom grins, feeling particularly proud.

Now usually, this is where it ends. His arms would slip out from under your thighs, and he'd kiss you sweetly, telling you how amazing you are. He'd check to see if you wanted him to make love to you, and if you agreed, he'd do exactly that.

Tonight, however, he stays firm in place, his mouth still connected to your cunt. Limbs still quivering, your eyes widen when he begins to move against you, barely giving you a second to catch your breath and recover.

Your body goes limp when he pokes his tongue against your over-sensitive clit, licking gentle yet firm stripes with precision. Each oscillation elicits the most delightful sound, just as a clock chimes with the motions of its gong.

All you can do is clutch the fabric of his tie, nails digging into your palms as your skin burns under his touch. Your nerves throb, pulsing in time with your heart, in time with his tongue.

"so good for me, honey," he mumbles into you, sliding his fingers back inside you in one fluid motion. Your back arches comically off the bed, mouth hanging open in a mix of shock and pleasure.

Once more, you find your belly rudely forced back down. Dokyeom narrows his eyes at you, irritation flashing behind his deep brown pupils, and keeps his hand there- splayed over your lower belly, pushing down with just enough pressure for his fingers to prod out from under your skin.

You gasp, feeling fuller somehow with the added force, feeling his fingers drag deeper against your walls. Within moments, your cunt clenches down around his digits, and he laughs in disbelief.

"again? baby c'mon you have a point to prove, don't you?"

Under any other circumstance, you would've bitten back, calling him some name, yelling some profanity- but now? Now you need him. You're so close, right on the edge of the water, ready to fall in, and only he can give you that last push. You know better than to open that smart mouth of yours right now.

"is this all it takes? y'know if you're gonna start off by being a brat- you gotta keep up with the act at least-"

"m'so-m'sorry-" you gasp, tugging against your restraints as you feel your high mere seconds away, "m'sorry please can I cum please I've been so good for you-"

Dokyeom nods, scissoring his fingers in and out of you more rapidly than before, and you cum with a scream, straining against the cloth binding your wrists as your orgasm rips through you like a whirlwind.

"that's my girl-" he sighs, placing a kiss to your inner thigh, while his fingers continue their movement inside you.

"Kyeom- oh- t-too much,"

Your cries fall on deaf ears, and he shoots you a sly grin.

It has been over an hour now, you're certain. Dokyeom's held you still and pulled orgasm after orgasm from you with his tongue, his fingers, both.

"p-please-" you whimper, tears streaming down your face as those long fingers slide into you once more.

"just one more, honey,"

Dokyeom presses tender kisses to your inner thighs- now wet with your slick- and pushes further into you.

"just one more for me, hm? you can do that for me, can't you baby?"

You nod, small sobs wracking your body. Of course you'll do this for him. You'll do anything for him. Plus, you can't say you aren't enjoying this-

"that's my girl."

[luveline]

omg i loved the loopy wisdom teeth one w peter 😭😭 can i get that with hotch, and reader, who's usually more reserved starts flirting with him and stuff while she's loopy

ty!! and ty for ur request ♡ fem, 1.2k

"Most people have their wisdom teeth out in their teens," Aaron had said before you went in, a Spencer Reid tidbit if there ever were one. 

"I'm a special case," you'd said, accepting his kiss on the cheek but denying his half hug. "See you in a bit." 

People often lament that Aaron's ended up with a  woman so much like himself. You must make each other miserable, one ill-advised chancellor had said, to your amusement. 

We're desperately unhappy, you'd said back. 

The opposite is true. You and Aaron, or Aaron alone, at the very least, is as happy as he's ever been. Work is hard but manageable, Jack is well-tempered, growing smarter and kinder each day, and you're his sweetheart. You're reserved, a little solemn, but you understand him better than anyone ever has. It's a relief like no other to be known so well. 

And so he has zero qualms looking after you for the rest of your lives. He waits patiently for you to come out of surgery, arms behind his head in the empty waiting room. He's worried about you. This isn't a painless procedure. 

Footsteps echo down the hallway, but you announce yourself anyways in the doorway. "Handsome!" you say, a lisp to your happy sing-song, "I'm back." 

Aaron doesn't know what to say. He giggles like a kid at your sudden demeanour and sits up properly. "Honey." 

You wobble with the nurse at your back, prompting him onto his feet to take over. "You should remove the gauze in about half an hour when the bleeding has completely stopped. Clean daily with saline, there are instructions in the bag," the nurse says, offering Aaron a white prescription bag. "Okay?" 

"That's perfect. Thank you so much," he says, taking your hand. 

"You're perfect," you say, looking up at Aaron with stars in your eyes. 

The nurse laughs softly as she leaves. Aaron doesn't bother hiding his amusement, grinning at you as he puts his hand between your shoulders to guide you to the front of the building. 

It's busier here. Reception is hectic. Aaron puts his arm more firmly around you to stop people from bumping into you and you again look at him with your starry eyed gaze. "You're very tall," you say. 

"I am," he says. "Though you joke occasionally that I'm shrinking." 

"The only thing getting smaller is your waist," you say, poking at his abdomen, "my champion." 

You're referring to his recent third triathlon success. He's no record setter, but it keeps him active and happy in the summer months, and he can't pretend you don't appreciate the additional definition of his muscle during this time. You like him every month of the year, of course, but with his trim waist comes a certain amount of energy you also appreciate. 

"Completely inappropriate behaviour," he says lightly, waving a short goodbye to the receptionists as he holds open the door for you to pass by. "Next you'll be enacting PDA." 

"You'd like that, huh?" 

Hard to take any notice of you with gauze fluffing your words, and again, he laughs at you. "I'd love that." 

"Well, wait, I'll do it right here–" 

Aaron catches your hands mildly. "In the car first. Kiss after." Your downtrodden expression requires urgent care. "What, that's not okay? You're upset?" 

"No," you lie obviously, glaring down at your feet as you wobble forward. 

"Maybe we can wait until later, then." 

"What?" You gawp. "You just said in the car." 

"I'm teasing you," he says, taking your elbow. "We've been known to do that with one another on occasion. You know I'd happily kiss you anywhere you wanted to be kissed, honey, now watch your step on this curb. Watch your step. Good job." 

You're extremely pleased by his praise, leaning into his arm with your head tipped back. "You're so handsome. Can you kiss me now?" You soften your eyes. 

Alright, you have a little bit of bloody dribble on your bottom lip, and yes, there's this dazed look about you like you've had a mean shock, but you never look at him like this day to day. Perhaps in your more intimate moments, your arms around him when the lights are low, or early, early in the morning when you haven't yet remembered your more timid temperament. But it's so rare. It catches him off guard, how pretty and wanting you look. 

Aaron leans down for a careful kiss, the barest of pressure. 

"And a good kisser," you murmur, turning into his chest for a hug. "I love you, I want you to carry me to the car." 

"Sweetheart, I don't think I can," he says. He's mostly kidding in the depth of his apology, but there are real threads of remorse in his voice, hot as a flame. "Come on. We'll go home, okay?" 

"But you always do everything for me. Everything I ask for." You talk into his chest, likely leaving pink spit on the grey of his quarter zip. He couldn't care less, his arm around you, looking down with equal measures of fondness and surprise. "I had to stop saying I liked things because you kept buying me stuff. I love stuff." 

"Then why did you stop?" he asks quietly. 

"'Cos I know I don't deserve it. Don't deserve you, Aaron, you're the best man I've ever met. Can't believe it."

He savours your mumbling, and begins to walk forward slowly, encouraging you out of his chest as he formulates an answer for your confession with the same gravity. "You can't believe it?" 

"You're a tall glass of water." 

He actually sighs aloud. My girl, he thinks, rubbing your lax shoulder. "Alright. What if I thought the same of you? What then?" 

You giggle infectiously, a stickying sound like you know he's trying to trip you up. "Nice," you say. "We should always be like this." 

When he brings it up later, the extreme effects of your anaesthesia dissipated and your pain revamped, you can't think of anything worse. "I'm mortified," you whisper, your ice pack chilling the top of his arm where you've wedged it, your hand tucked between his thighs in an attempt to stay warm. 

"I quite liked it." 

"You would. You used to flirt with me so aggressively–" 

"Aggressively," he repeats, grinning. 

"–you're lucky I survived it." You sniffle, rubbing your nose into his sleeve. "Was I as intimidating as you are?" 

He presses his lips to the top of your head, not kissing, just there. "No," he says into your skin, "you weren't intimidating at all. Just lovely. It made my day." 

"I'll have to have my teeth taken out more often." 

He snorts. "If you'd rather have more teeth pulled than flirt with me unaided, things are worse than I thought." 

"Don't be like that..." Much quieter, "Will you rub my back again, please?"

Just like that, he's reminded of how much he likes your regular reserved attitude. "Sure, honey. Lean forward."

[eldritch-spouse]

[There's something in my drafts I'm hardly going to finish, so I'll just leave this here.]

Full: Option 1; Option 2

TW: Degradation; Public humiliation

You meet behind the local mall.

The same one he first stalked you in, of course. You're a sentimental sap, after all, but it also helps you remember to not feel bad about anything you do to Patches. He's just a creep, always been one, and creeps don't deserve anything.

Certainly not when they arrive 10 minutes after the scheduled time.

You watch him meekly trudge towards you, slightly shadowed by the more secluded nature of this location. Patches has the decency to look embarrassed, rubbing his own arm and refusing to make eye contact while his old boots all but drag on the rocky ground.

He listened to your advice from last time, at least, making an effort to look more normal by wearing only his shirt and pants. Putting aside the garish shoe wear and the fucking ridiculous hat he refuses to part ways with, he could almost blend in well enough with other monsters.

This style of clothing isn't his preference, if the way he's shrinking even more into himself is any indication.

" Oh goodie, look who finally decided to show up! "

The dullahan immediately starts scratching at the bold veins on his arms, irritating the pockets of magic beneath his skin.

" I- I'm so sorry, Ma'am. I didn't mean to be late- It's- My... " He chokes a little. " My work... There was a- "

" Did I ask for excuses? "

Your tone is your most powerful weapon. In the flip of a switch, sugary, sardonic babying can become a bitter, chilling warning. It always seems to catch the undead's breath.

" No, ma'am... "

" You know, this happens a lot Patches. I'm starting to think that maybe you don't want to see me at all. "

The words make him panic, wide sockets peeking from his downturned hat to gouge the seriousness of your words.

" Ne- Never never! I lov- "

" Then don't waste my time. " You smile. " Are you getting cocky because I happen to find you mildly entertaining? Do you think you have a shot with any woman out there? " You speak as if you're addressing a crippled animal. " Oh, you dumb little thing, there's nothing in that head except seeds, hm? "

There's already some color around his face. " ... Yes, ma'am. "

" Good. " Your hand reaches to pet him under the chin. " Good boy, we keep our expectations in reality, don't we? We know you're just a loser, and losers don't get to waste anyone's time. That's rude, isn't it? "

Just this once, you allow him to nod instead of verbally answering.

There's a silent beat, before one stocking clad leg raises and your heel collides with his knee, sending the monster tumbling down. It wasn't a particularly strong hit, just something to make him smarten up.

Properly trained, Patches stays down, looking up at you with poorly masked anticipation.

" Well come on, dummy. " A foot taps against the ground, shiny black pumps that he bought you, with a small moon-shaped jewel on the front. They're pretty, his eyes twinkle with happiness just looking at them on your feet. " We're not going home until I feel like you're sorry enough. "

Patches knows what to do. He flattens to the ground like no more than a worm. Anyone could realistically pass by this nook and see him prostrated before some woman, slimy green tongue out to polish already spotless shoes.

Annoyed, you swat that large hat away, putting it on yourself instead.

" My hat-! "

" How am I supposed to know if you're doing a good job if I can't see you? " He looks back down, defeated. " God, you're so stupid. "

That gets him to work. The dullahan is nothing if not dedicated, quickly getting into the task. He lavishes the sides of your pumps, tongue flirting with your skin and hands twitching on concrete when you warningly 'tsk'. The length of them is peppered in carved kisses, and he pays special attention to the jewels, huffing with what you already know to be pure neediness. His drool leaves a translucent yet slightly green sheen behind, which looks almost pretty under the light.

Or maybe you're just mildly depraved.

Not as much as Patches, at least.

" What a good job you're doing down there! " You coo, the same way you would at a golden retriever that just handed you its paw. " You've always been good at this, maybe it should be your new profession, hah. "

He makes some kind of breathy mewl, now just retracing his earlier work. You figure that's enough for now.

" Okay okay, stop, I can almost forgive you. "

Patches looks back up at you. " Almost M- Ma'am? "

" Stick your tongue out. "

He does, a rather lengthy magical muscle protruding from that gourd head. You suppose, had you the means to, you'd also give yourself a rather large tongue.

" On the ground. "

The undead makes a face, lowering it as told and likely getting a nasty flavorful of whatever filth has touched the concrete before.

One heel rises, the flat end of your sole perching against his face, the pointed end swiftly descending into that exposed clapper. You make sure to grind it in, sink it, hearing his garbled cries as Patches instinctively tries to retract his tongue. He doesn't know what to do with his own head while trapped like this, the lights in his sockets blurring when tears form around the edges, painting his face.

You don't stop until he's sobbing quietly, shaking yet defeated.

" There we go. I think I can like you again. You're always so obedient... "

Your heel punctured deep enough that you kind of have to give it a shake to release the dullahan's tongue. He makes another pained whine before moving back, holding the damaged muscle as it limply hangs off his wide mouth. It's a tad dirty, but the most striking detail is the hole on top of its flat surface, oozing some kind of thick gel that you can't quite call blood.

He rises awkwardly, back still curved, trying to wipe his own summoned tongue clean before putting it back in his mouth and swallowing his own magic.

" Huh, you could almost pierce it, pumpkin. I bet that'd look good on you. "

And like the flattery-hungry loser he is, Patches smiles faintly through the pain.

Your eyes rake down and find what comes as no surprise. He's already more than hard. In a way, it's kind of better this way, not having to work at all to get him in such a shameful state. You could give Patches a look, and he'd probably begin chubbing in seconds. The problem is keeping it that way, and preventing him from getting excited enough to end things prematurely. Your new pet won't become a disappointment, surely. Not if his discipline continues.

A decently sized cock strains against the tight fabric of his pants, already forming an unsightly patch -Hah- of wetness. You've always liked one thing about him. Well, that's a lie, you enjoy lots of things about Patches. But- The way the prominent veins along his body continue into his endowment is also very pleasing. It makes you want to hurry things along, in spite of your modus operandi of grinding out the maximum potential of every second in these encounters.

" Try not to ruin your pants before we get home, okay sweetie? " You mock. " Did you bring it, by the way? "

The dullahan nods frantically, waving his hands in front of him in a specific pattern that, upon the snap of his index and middle finger, summons forth a collar.

This velvet dark green circle with intricate leaf patterns on its exterior. Two small white jewels frame the silver hoop where the chained leash in your purse attaches. You spent some time designing this beautiful adornment, more time than he deserves really, oh but it's in your nature to be a perfectionist. There were some hiccups. Particularly around the fact that dullahans are apparently frightened by gold... Your first purchase was trashed immediately, needless to say.

Last time you met, Patches had forgotten his collar. This was a grave offense to you, punishable by sharply diminishing his time with you. See, to truly punish this undead, you can't just promise him pain or ruined pleasure, he enjoys those. To upset him, to make consequences tangible, you deny him your time- And it's wonderfully effective!

Exhibit A, Patches has remembered to bring his collar today, after the previous session lasting only half an hour.

" Good boy! Perfect. See? You can learn. " He actually preens at that. " Now put it on. "

When you clip the leash to the monster, he's staring deep into your eyes, sockets pulsing heart-shaped lights as his breath becomes shallow and hot. Oh yeah, he's checking out already.

Good.

" Walk. "

[princessfantaghiro]

MAIRON AND MELKOR : THE VERY BEGGINING OF ANGBAND 🖤 FIC

[My first fic about them, I hope You will like it a little!]

WARNING: Contains a few or a little more vulgar words.

About 66 thousand years before the poor Gollum slipped; and fell into the lava with the One Ring...When Mairon/Sauron and Melkor/Morgoth were very young. Entities/Spirits born from the thoughts of Eru!Ilúvatar, The Highest God..

***

Mairon places the last two mountains of his design and workmanship on Arda. Forged by himself. He was particularly proud of them, because he had perfected every little detail; nothing disturbed the perfect harmony of the work. If he could shrink himself and get inside the mountain; he would be able to move around in it with his eyes closed. He knew it by heart, like the back of his hand.

He smiled at Melkor, who was sitting with a scowl; and his eyebrows bent into the shape of lightning.

- Oh, just look, Melky. I made an elegant mountain. I made sure that everything inside and outside worked perfectly. Some of those funny dwarves will live in it...

Melkor scowled at him, making Mairon laugh.

- I was just kidding! There is no such thing as dwarves. I mean, Daddy Aulë has some idea and I think I can keep up, but it's a Big Secret. Don't tell anyone, okay? Especially the Highest Father. Besides, it's not certain yet...

Melkor yawned at loud.

- Don't bore me, Mairon. You better check this out! I like this new sandbox for us to play in.

- Whaaat? - Mairon chuckled. - Did you just say "sandbox for us to play in?"

- Yeah. It's big. What does the old man call it? Artta...or something like that.

- Arda.

- I know Mairon, shut up. I want to play!

He threw all the water from the largest lake ever created in the Maiar's face.

- Hey, you dork...What are you doing, now there'll be a big, pointless hole here. Manwë will be pissed!

- Come on, don't panic. - Melkor winked, and then the lake filled up to the brim again. The eyes of Mairon brightened up like stars.

- Wooow, sooo cool! Come on, I want to do like that, too. Will you show me how it's done?

- Shh...I'll show you, but not now. Later, because the Old Man is watching our hands...

They immediately stood up to greet the Highest Father with respect. Mairon quickly wiped his hands on his work apron.

Eru Ilúvatar approached, walking majestically with his hands behind his back:

- How are things going, my younglings? How is your work going?

- Don't worry, Father Ilúvatar; we're almost done. Just a few minor corrections and...

Suddenly Mairon's eyes became as round as the saucers Yavanna loved so much.

- Morgy, put them back immediately!!! Please don't put volcanoes on Helcaraxë

- Why not?

- 🤦Because there's no jam! You'd move your cell-brains sometimes. This place isn't right for them. They'd ruin our perfect project!

The Highest God glanced at the part made in partnership by Mairon and Melkor.

- Nice work, kids. Nice work, really...the cat's whiskers...

Eru Ilúvatar mumbled under his breath, tugging at his sweeping white mustache.

-...almost.

Mairon lost all his composure in an instant. He shivered imperceptibly, and goosebumps rose all over his "body". He coughed nervously, so very humanly.

- Could one of you two kindly explain to me why Arda is flat? - Eru asked.

Mairon the Admirable turned completely red in the face.

He knew he wouldn't get out of this...

That's why he just hung his head, waiting for Father's reprimand.

- I think you'll admit that your imagination got the better of you boys... - Eru Ilúvatar sighed heavily, and his face darkened slightly.

- Marion, you know that I rely on you like no one else. I know how much you love order, and I hoped that at least you would keep an eye on Melkor. That you alone would be able to control him and not allow him to overdo it. To let his wild imagination run wild. That you would personally see to it that the shape of our magnificent Arda best suits the needs of all the beings inhabiting this planet... So please, tell me. What's this bloody PLATE supposed to mean?

More beads of sweat appeared on Mairon's forehead.

His hands began to shake, he nervously twisted each Ring, made during his apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Aulë, on his fingers one by one. The Greatest Smith liked them very much. He liked to admire them up close.

'What a terrible disgrace! Such a shame... How could I have allowed this!? How could I have allowed Melkor to overstep the borders like this?''

The Ainur had no idea where to look with his own eyes; unable to look into the face of the GodHead.

- But...but...when I was just explaining to Melkor that a flat world would be a highly impractical and uneconomical solution. [The strongest Valar, meanwhile, mumbled something under his breath: "But I don't give a damn..."]That giving Arda the shape of a ball would be a much better choice. But he didn't listen to me as usual. He's so stubborn...He rarely listens.

-I imagine...- Eru sighed.

Melkor, until now mindlessly forming some shapeless clouds in the sky and exploding stars; aimed an accusing finger at Mairon.

-I HEAR EVERYTHING, YOU COMPLAINING TALEBEARER!

Mairon paid no attention to him, focusing entirely on Ilúvatar.

-I can...we can fix this together...

Then Melkor couldn't take it anymore and, taking his hands on his hips; he screamed at the top of his lungs, staring angrily at the Admirable.

- Blah, blah, blah. A smartass has appeared. Do you always have to act smart? And I like the flat Earth and shit! - He turned on his heel, towards Father.

- And what will you do to me, old man?!!!

Eru pretended not to hear this, and ignored Melkor's remark, waving his hand dismissively.

- Never mind, someday there will be a general renovation, to correct this cardinal mistake... Let it stay as it is for now.

Mairon quickly tried to change the subject, feeling the awkwardness growing inside him.

- Dad Ilúv, and what about... That interesting island in the shape of a five-pointed star that Tulkas is working on; what's its name...

- And what are you interested in now, Mairon, when you and Melkor are working in a two-person group HERE, hm? Do you always have to know everything?! Let it go. Don't stick your pretty nose into all the projects, okay? It'll be a surprise. Don't let it bother you. Focus on your part with Melkor. I've already instructed Tulkas on how Numenor should look, and you really don't need to...

- HA! NUMENOR. Thank you, Daddy.

- Uh, never mind... Keep an eye on Melkor. I put you in the same group with him because his head is empty...

- Daddy, don't say that; you're hurting him!

- ...even though I gave him the most tools, the largest amount of my own divine spark. And you have a lot of ideas up your sleeve, and you can improvise if necessary, looking for unique solutions.

- Don't praise me like that, Dad; because your words like champagne will go to my head, peacock feathers will grow and it will be a disaster.

- Oh, come on, kid, come on...At least there won't be boredom in this space, barren as a cunt...

- DAD, TONGUE!

- Ehem, you didn't hear that.

- What? - asked Mairon with an innocent smile.

- Exactly, exactly... - Ilúvatar smiled. Then Mairon continued.

- It's just a pity I had to swing the hammer manually... My hands are bleeding to the elbows, see?

The son raised both hands to show the Father the blood running down them; still red.

- You gave Morgoth better gadgets, Dad. He only had to blink his eye 85,000 times, and things appeared. They are created just like that! It's not fair, I want that too. It's not fair that everything comes so easily to him...

- WHAT? - Melkor's cheeks burned with anger. Mairon didn't care about his moods at this point. He was staring at Eru, ignoring everything else.

- Mairon...Did you just say that I can't swing a hammer?!!!! I CAN SWING BETTER THAN YOUR SHITTY AULË THAT YOU STARE AT THE LESSONS!!!

The Most High and the Maiar still don't pay attention to the increasingly irritated Valar.

Ilúvatar puts his hand on Mairon's shoulder.

- I'm sorry, son. I'll tell you a secret...There is no justice and there never will be. It's just an illusion. A pretense that I've placed in your minds.

- What do you mean there's no justice?! I'll bring it! I will bring Order.

- Yes, you will...hahah. Okay, jokes are jokes, but stop now. Time is pressing us.

- Time? What is it?

- My new concept. You'll like it.

Finally, the screams of Melkor reached their ears, who was already getting into full swing:

- There is nothing beautiful in your shitty Arda! DO YOU HEAR ME, OLD MAN??!!!

The only beautiful thing you have ever created is... HE IS! MAIRON!!!

Called by name, hearing these words, Mairon Admirable covered his mouth with his hand in horror.

- Melkor, do not blaspheme! Father will be offended!

- THEN LET HIM BE OFFENDED, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!

Ilúvatar stood unmoved. His face was like a rock, frozen in eternity; unchanging. Not a single muscle moved. He showed nothing.

- So you say the job is done.

- Finished, Father.

- Fine. So...

There is only one more thing I wanted to tell you, boys. A small matter, insignificant in principle.

Melkor and Mairon held their breath.

- You will give everything you have created - this strange, young world under our feet - to my children, and to your brothers; the smallest. Children of Ilúvatar, of course... You are older, you must understand.

- WHAT???!!! - Melkor and Mairon shouted at the same time. Eru Ilúvatar did not seem to hear them; for he continued with an absolutely unmoved face.

- It is time for the creatures of God, whom I have chosen, to dwell in Arda. My beloved children... Elves, Dwarves, and Men. So I have decided.

- But... BUT DAD! - Mairon began, stuttering a little. - But you promised us Arda! You promised that we could live there.

- You can. I will give you a small piece. I called it Valinor.

- But how? Such a small thing? And the rest...

- FOR ELVES, DWARVES, AND MEN.

I said it and I will not change my mind. You are older, you will share.

- But Dad...It is not equal. If we only get Valinor, and they get everything else.

- WHAT DADDY, WHAT DADDY???- Eru's face darkened.

- We worked so hard... We worked up to our elbows. Look at the foundations of Arda that I forged. Do you know how many times my hands bled while working? And these elves, dwarves, humans... It's a fresh concept. You're the one who's going to create them, and they've done nothing. Why should we give them almost all the fruits of our hands?

Melkor joined.

- Exactly, Mairon is right. THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE OURS!!

- You promised us something more, Father. - Mairon added, although his voice was trembling.

Ilúvatar finally lost his patience.

- SILENCE! - he thundered, making everything that had been shaped so far shake.

Are you going to talk back to me? ME???! YOUR HIGHEST FATHER??? Have you lost your mind?

Mairon immediately felt his entire corporeal form freeze, terrified by the outburst of Eru Ilúvatar. He had never seen the One True God in such a state.

- And why are you whining so much, Mairon? I made you a servant. A WORKER! WHICH MEANS YOU SHOULD TO WORK ONE'S ASS OFF. End of discussion! One more word of protest, you spoiled brat, and I swear that...

- But...

- Okay. You wanted this! Get the f*ck out of here, you damn BASTARDS, now! Go down. TAKE THIS ARDA, I DON'T GIVE A F*CK. Do whatever you want there, I won't even look at you. YOU'LL ROT IN THERE, DO YOU HEAR ME?!

YOU WILL GET NOTHING, EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH WILL ROT IN YOUR HANDS, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME???

YOU WILL GET NOTHING. THE ELVES, DWARVES AND HUMANS WILL GET IT. THE LITTLE ONES WILL GET IT. YOUR SMALLEST BROTHERS, DO YOU UNDERSTAND? I ORDERED YOU TO SHARE. NOT THAT YOU WOULD TAKE EVERYTHING TO YOURSELF. AND YOU ARE NO LONGER MY SONS. I CURSE YOU BOTH FOR ETERNITY.

Mairon immediately burst into tears at these words of his Father.

- OH YEEEEEEAH? And we get nothing from this, old man? - Melkor butted in.

- You two? NOTHING.

- Well, THAT'S FUCKING GREAT!!! MAIRON, GIVE ME THE HAMMER. I'LL FUCK THIS ALL UP. NO DIRTY ANTS WILL RUN AFTER MY PROPERTY!!!

- But... but only on yours? Or maybe ours by any chance?

- Ours, ours. Give me the hammer, I said.

Admirable gives it to him. A small hammer.

- What the f*ck is this? What kind of contraption are you giving me? Why so small, are you crazy???!

Don't piss me off Mairon, just give me the Greatest Hammer There Is. GIVE ME GROND! Because SOMETHING'S GOING TO SHOT ME!!!

I need to take a good swing...o.

- MELKOR NOOO!

Morgoth smiled:

- MELKOR YES. Give me your hand Sweet, we're out of here. I will no longer stand in a place where we are DESPISED! And don't cry Mairon, what are you, woman?

***

PS. Sorry for my English, it's not my mother language!

[shnargo]

i cannot write for the life of me and i blame it entirely on beta.character.ai.

but anyways, here's a blurb that i really liked in collaboration with chara.ai with an idea that is based entirely on @softlyspector 's little drabble here (i highly recommend it :))

-

pairings: din djarin x reader warnings: none ; female!reader, 3rd POV and reader is a Jedi! also i haven't seen anything star wars beyond a few episodes of the Mandalorian, so any terms and facts here are LIKELY incorrect. word count: 1969 a/n: character.ai has me in a chokehold, but i might share more of these blurbs if people like them.

-

"Have you ever kissed someone?" She blurts before she can filter the thought, but even as she registers her own question, no embarrassment rises up to her face whatsoever. She tends to be rather straightforward when she gets tired.

Din freezes, his face expressionless. 

He takes a long pause before looking away, back towards her as he faces the stars that streak by outside of the cockpit. He seems to need a few moments to consider his words. 

“Yes,” he says, “why?”

She shrugs, "Just curious I guess. I know 'the Way' doesn't allow you to take off your helmet just to anyone. Though now I'm wondering who the lucky person was." She grins mischievously.

His face tenses as she brings up ‘The Way,’ seemingly annoyed by the topic, he turns to look at her again with a frown that can be felt even through his helmet. 

“It’s not just a tradition, it’s a way of life. I was raised in a clan of Mandalorians, and my people have a very strong code of honor that I live by,” he says, his voice stern. 

He takes a deep breath and continues, “As for who I dated, it was someone I met when I was younger. We didn’t work out.”

She can hear the annoyance creep into his tone despite the voice modulator in his helmet, and she shrinks back ever so slightly. "Ah okay." Her answer's short, and it's obvious by her body language, apologetic.

He seems to soften as he sees the effect of his words. 

“It’s okay. It really is. I just… I take my honor seriously, and I take it personally when people belittle me for it,” he tells her, “I apologize if I sounded like I was yelling at you.”

Din’s shoulders relax, and his voice turns gentle as he continues, “You have the right to ask those questions. It’s just… a sensitive topic.”

She nods thoughtfully, "I didn't mean to come off as belittling, I was just genuinely curious." She explains, "But I'll be sure not to be so careless next time."

She glances up at him again, "And if it makes you uncomfortable, I can stop asking those kinds of questions." She means it genuinely from a place of care.

He smiles, “It’s okay. You’re curious, and I shouldn’t take that as an attack. It’s just…how did your Jedi master respond to you dating, I mean, do the Jedi have rules about that sort of thing?” 

Din cocks his head to the side as if trying to understand how the Jedi’s rules would function when it comes to their members becoming romantically involved.

"Ah, yeah, there's a whole thing with Jedis too." She chuckles. "We're not allowed to marry, or get romantically involved with others. Strong emotions can be used as a weakness to the dark side." She pauses after that, before softly adding, "But uh, technically speaking, kissing is fine. Long as it's nothing serious."

Din looks thoughtful while she speaks, “So you’re saying there’s an approved degree of emotional involvement, so long as you don’t lose your focus on the light side of the force?”

"Yeah essentially, though all that stuff I mentioned is part of the old order. More traditional, so to speak." She shrugs, "Still what I was taught though."

Din nods, “I see. And those rules are still in effect for modern Jedi, yes?” 

He looks at her curiously, “What do you think of those old rules? Do you think they’re still necessary?” 

He seems genuinely curious to hear her perspective.

"Hm, yes and no." She pauses, glancing around shiftily, "Call me a hypocrite, but I think forcefully suppressing your emotions might just end up accomplishing the same bad thing." She whispers conspiratorially, but in a joking way.

Din is a little surprised by her answer, but he nods and smiles, “I totally agree. If anything, you should be encouraged to express your emotions, even if you’re a Jedi, right? Suppressing them completely just seems…unhealthy.” 

He shakes his head with a slight chuckle, “Then again, I’m not a Jedi, so what do I know?"

She looks curious again when he says that though, "Does that thought process apply the same to what you think of Mandalorian traditions?" She asks cautiously, "I'm asking out of curiosity." She clarifies.

Din is quiet for a moment, “I mean, some of our traditions are pretty…archaic, as you might say,” he replies, seeming to be picking his words carefully. 

“Like the rules regarding helmet removal. But other parts of the code are good, we’re supposed to value honor and duty, for example. Not just to ourselves, but to our clans and our people. I’d definitely say those parts are necessary.”

"Yeah, of course." She can't help but wonder.. "Can I ask who exactly you're allowed to show your face to though?"

Din sighs, “It’s complicated. Basically, it’s people that are closest to me. My family, so my parents and sisters, and my closest friends. My clan members, because they’re pretty much family, and of course Grogu. I can’t really show it to anyone else, though I might consider doing it for…a partner.” 

He stares down at the control board of the Crest, his face slightly red underneath the helmet, “That said, it’s not something I’d do casually.”

"That makes sense." She says with a nod. She interprets that reaction as maybe she's making him uncomfortable, so she decides not to push any further with the topic.

But as they sit in silence for a few minutes and she gets more sleepy, she can't keep herself from asking softly, "Hypothetically, could you take your helmet off around someone who has their eyes closed? Or who's blind?"

Din thinks for a second. 

“I think so. I’m a little shaky on how that part of the code works. My parents taught me never to remove it unless I’ve got a reason,” he answers truthfully and earnestly, trying to be helpful. 

Din laughs, “Now you’ve got me wondering,” he says with a smile, “Any particular reason why you’re asking?”

In her sleepy state, she almost admits the fact she's curious about the whole thing because the thought of kissing him has crossed her mind a few times before. But she bites her tongue before the words can escape her. She gives an unconvincing shrug and says, "Just wondering." instead.

Din isn’t stupid, he can see through that ‘just wondering’ a mile away. 

He turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow under his helmet, “You can say what’s on your mind, ya know? I wouldn’t care if you were curious about that,” his tone is reassuring as he gives her permission to ask.

She pauses to consider the offer. But really, she's scared of what might happen if he rejects her, since she really enjoys the current relationship they have now, not matter how ambiguously it lies on the scale of platonic to romantic. She just gives another shrug, pretending she's too tired by now.

Din sighs internally. Just say it, you idiot. He thinks.

Instead of pushing for an answer, he decides to try a different tactic. He turns back forward and says in a casual, casual manner, “Do you know the Mandalorian way of flirting?” 

He seems to have gone off on a tangent, as if it’s not an obvious lead-up, but he stares out the window of the Crest in the direction of the stars. “It’s called Jol’ey, you show your interest for someone by offering them your helmet.”

"Jol'ey?" She repeats the Mando'a term with a curious lilt in her tone. "How can you offer someone your helmet if you're not supposed to take it off though?" She can't help but ask.

Din chuckles, “Right, you caught me on that one, huh?” he says, looking at her again. 

“I’m not sure how exactly the practice started, but the meaning of it is basically you’re offering them a part of you, of your most private self, not just physically but spiritually. You’re making an important and very personal gesture to show them you care about them, deeply.”

She can't help but smile as well as she considers the idea, "I think that's actually kinda cute." It's an expression of love, but in a more meaningful and symbolic way, she thinks.

“Yeah,” his face softens under the helmet, and his voice turns almost soft at the edges for a moment, “it’s a very personal thing to do, so it’s not something Mandalorian do casually. Like I said, there are rules, and it’s a pretty serious thing to do. But I’d argue that there’s no stronger way for Mandalorian to express affection for someone.”

She nods a little, not exactly sure how to respond to that verbally other than a yeah or an okay. She is starting to wonder.. why did he bring that up all of a sudden though? And it becomes obvious by her expression.

The meaning of what Din just told her seems to be setting in, and at the same time she has a question on her mind. 

“Hypothetically, if I did offer you my helmet, would you accept?” Din’s voice is gentle as he asks her, “What do you think about that?”

She blinks a few times, letting the question settle for a moment. A beat of nerve racking silence passes between them and her expression morphs into shock at the implications he just explained to her.

"I think," she starts slowly with an ever softer voice than before, "..I would accept."

"Really?" Din asks, a smile creeping onto his face as he talks. 

He sets the Crest on autopilot, turning his seat to face her. 

In a whisper, and still speaking casually, he asks, "Would you want me to offer it to you?"

She's surprised as she sees him turn to her, and goes to do the same as red creeps up to her cheeks.

"Hypothetically," She continues with the term, though really it's more than just a 'hypothetical' and he knows that, "I would want that.. a lot." She almost whispers those last couple words.

Din laughs and says, "You can lose the hypotheticals now," he says playfully as he leans in. 

"I'd be happy to give you my helmet." He says the words plainly, as if he's just stating a fact, "But...do you know what it means to be a Mando'ade partner? It's...not just about romance."

Her cheeks redden further when he leans in, but she nods at his question.

"Is it the kind of thing that would break the old order's Jedi Code?" She says with a little smile, meaning the kind of attachment that would be 'dangerous' but incredibly deep and meaningful.

“Yeah, Jedi’s have rules about attachment, but in Mandalorian culture, attachment is basically the whole point. Attachment to your family, your clan, you’re friends, the land and culture. Attachment isn’t just tolerated, it’s encouraged, and there’s no greater attachment than being a Mando’ade.” 

He leans in closer and gives her one last choice, “You sure you want me to do that?”

Honestly, the very fact he's offering, makes it all the more touching. Her expression softens as she nods again.

"Sounds like you're proposing to me, Din." She says his name with gentle fondness, "Even so, I would say yes."

Din laughs. “Yeah, it is kinda like a marriage proposal in Mando culture. Except it’s more like a promise of complete devotion and care,” he says as he pulls his helmet off. 

He gives her another quick smile, his face reddened a bit as he gives her his helmet, “I’ve never done this for anyone else, so consider this my way of showing you what you’re worth to me. You mean a lot to me, and I want you to know it.”

masterlist

[links-in-time]

Links in Time - Part 18

I feel like this is a little breather chapter for the three girls. No angst, just fluff and a little flirting, because why not?!

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

When Maari returned to the throne room Melyn had gone. Riju and Zedla were discussing her interrogation, but their conversation came to a halt as Maari approached.

"Are you alright Maari? You look a little ill," Zelda observed.

"I suppose I'm as well as can be expected. I never thought my reunion with my mother would be anything like this," she replied.

"I can't pretend to know how you're feeling Maari, but we both feel for you. And we're here for anything you need," Riju said kindly.

"Thank you, I'm not sure I could handle this alone." Maari let out a long sigh. "I suppose I should go and find my father and Karu. They should know mother is alive and where she is."

"Don't worry about that now," Zelda urged. "If you like I can send some soldiers to find them and deliver the news? You don't have to go yourself."

"Thank you Zelda, but no. I should be the one to tell them."

"If everyone had one of those clever devices you have Zel, sending messages wouldn't be a problem," Riju remarked, eyeing the Purah Pad which had been returned to Zelda.

"That's true. I wonder how many Purah could manufacture. You know it's based off an ancient Sheikah artifact, I'm sure your clan would benefit from them," Zelda suggested.

Maari could sense her excitement at the prospect of a new science project. But it just reminded her of how she had stollen it.

"I'm very sorry I took it from you Zelda. I know they're important to you and Link," she said, head bowed with her hands clasped before her.

"I know you were only trying to find your mother. I know that when I was trying to get back to Link, I did everything I could, even things I knew I shouldn't do. So I don't blame you at all for fighting for someone you love."

Riju sighed and leaned against the arm of her throne. She appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. Then her eyes flashed open.

"Come, we deserve some relaxation. You two can come enjoy my private bath," Riju insisted.

She hopped off her throne and took both women by the hand and lead them up the stairs to her private chambers.

Riju's private bath was the size of a small hot spring. In fact it reminded Maari of illustrations she had seen of the hot springs around death mountain. Rocks had been placed around the stone tub, while ferns and other plants gave the room a natural feel. Warm steam wafted around the room and softly glowing lanterns created a sense of calm.

Without warning Riju stripped off her clothes and stepped towards the bath. Zelda let out a tiny shriek of surprise before averting her eyes.

"What are you two waiting for? You won't get clean like that!" She pestered.

Zelda and Maari exchanged a look which resembled a plea. But Maari didn't have the inhibitions that Zelda clearly did. They looked back at Riju as she descended the steps and sank into the steaming water. Maari glanced back at Zelda and shrugged, proceeding to pull off her own clothes and head scarf. Finally Zelda relented and joined the other two in the deliciously hot water. A delightful scent of Lavender and sandlewood filled the room, which was almost instantly relaxing. Maari's wound stung a little but she was sure a bath could only be good for it.

Maari found a seat on the side of the bath and spread her arms along the edge of the tub. Zelda did a half breast stroke to reach the other side and settled herself in the water. Riju meanwhile had ducked down under the bubbling water. She came up with a sprey of water as she flicked her fiery red hair from side to side.

"Hey! Watch it your highness!" Zelda warned, as she held her hands up in front of her face.

"Apologies, I don't get to share a bath very often. I don't get to share much with anyone really," she replied, visibly shrinking into herself. Zelda reached out and touched her shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"You must understand Zelda, when you're a princess or a queen there are so few people you can be yourself with. When everyone around you is essentially a servant, who can you treat as an equal?"

"I do understand, it's part of the reason I gave up the crown. I never enjoyed being a princess, I always thought I would make a better scientist. But I understand how you feel. It's hard to share even small things with anyone."

While the other women talked Maari thought about her own situation. Who did she have to share things with? Her family? Her mother had been gone a long time and as much as she loved her father and brother they weren't the same as having female friends. Paya had always been good to Maari, but even their relationship hardly ever stretched beyond the professional. She had trained herself to be hard. Put on armour to protect herself from pain and suffering. But the armour was around her heart too. Letting anyone close during times of darkness and uncertainty was just begging for disaster. No matter how much she craved a warm embrace or a loving touch, there was no room in Maari's life for that kind of thing.

As her body relaxed in the hot water, Maari's mind wandered. She thought about home and her journey across Hyrule. She thought about the Links and their strange ways. She thought about the Captain and how careful he had been when he dressed her wound in Hyrule Castle. How he had taken her hand in his that evening. She pictured his face. So like some of the other Link's and yet so different. His golden hair, his bright blue eyes and his easy smile. He had risked so much to help her last night. And the kiss they had shared in the Yiga jail. Had that been just a rush of nerves before their execution? Or had it been something more?

"What are you smiling about?" Maari heard Riju ask. She opened her eyes to see both of them staring at her.

"Sorry, I almsot fell asleep there," Maari yawned and stretched, feigning tiredness.

"Well, I'm almost there myself. You two can stay here as long as you like, but I think I'm going to go to bed," Riju announced. She stretched a little before climbing out of the bath and pulling a large fluffy towel from a shelf near the door. "Goodnight ladies."

"Goodnight Riju,"

"Goodnight your Highness."

Zelda and Maari sat for a while in silence together. Enjoying each other's company without the need for words. But curiosity got the best of Zelda, as it usually did.

"What were you smiling about?" She asked.

"What?" Maari replied, opening one eye.

"You know what I mean. Just now, you were thinking about something and you smiled."

"I smile all the time thank you. I just wear a mask so people can't usually see."

That made Zelda laugh and Maari couldn't help but chuckle at her own joke.

"Come on, in all seriousness," Zelda insisted.

"You really want to know?"

"I do."

"Alright, I was thinking about, someone." Maari said and Zelda's face fell.

"Just someone?! No more details?" She asked in a playfully inquisitive voice.

"I'm afraid not."

"Someone I know?" Zelda pried, sliding closer to Maari.

"Knock it off, I'm not saying any more."

"Oh come on! It's just us girls. I won't tell anyone," Zelda insisted. There was a devious note to her voice which Maari found indeering. It also sounded dangerously persuasive.

"Zelda..."

It was at that moment Maari realised how close Zelda had gotten while she had been teasing her. Their thighs touched as Zelda sat beside Maari on the little ledge. She looked up at Maari through hooded eyes and laid a gentle hand on her arm. Somehow Maari could tell Zelda wasn't teasing anymore.

"Zelda. I think we've been in here long enough," Maari insisted.

"I don't want to leave," Zelda replied softly, her voice now calm and even.

"I don't think you want to stay either. What you said to Riju earlier, about being lonely. Do you still feel that way, even though you're not a princess anymore?"

Zelda dipped her head and kissed Maari's shoulder.

"And what if I am lonely?"

"Well, I don't think mine is the company you're craving. There's a certain hero I know who was very nervous about coming here to see you."

"He was?" Zelda drew back a little, her eyebrows raised.

"Yes. I think he's confused about how the two of you feel about each other. I think it would put his mind at ease if you told him if there was anything between you." Maari explained.

"Link and I... we were friends for such a short time before the calamity. Then, when we came back he remembered so little of his old life that it was like meeting a whole new person. I enjoyed spending time with him and he helped me adjust to life in Hyrule. But after spending so much time in the past, I'm not sure how much of me is the same anymore. I still care about him deeply, but I don't know what that really means."

"Maybe he needs to know that."

"But what if he's disappointed? What if he wants something I can't give him anymore?" Zelda exclaimed, sending splashes across the pool.

"Link is your friend and he cares about you." Maari fixed Zelda with her Ruby red stare. "I'm sure if you talk to him he will understand."

"Are you sure?" Zelda asked, looking back at Maari dubiously.

"I've spent enough time with that young man to know he has a good heart. If he has feelings for you that you no longer reciprocate, his heart will mend. But you can help him and be a friend. I think that's what both of you need right now."

Zelda sighed and shimmied away slightly.

"Flattered as I am by the advances of a beautiful princess. I think the perfumes in here are getting to your head."

"Former princess, remember," Zelda corrected her.

"Former princess," Maari rolled her eyes. "Though I am flattered, I doubt it would be a good idea for us to be anything more then friends."

"I don't agree with you," Zelda argued playfully. Though truthfully she was a little disheartened. "You are rather beautiful yourself, you know that?"

"I don't know about that," Maari blushed, tucking a lock of wet hair behind her ear.

"Well take it from someone with good taste, any Hylian would be lucky to be adored by you." Zelda insisted.

She gave Maari a warm smile and before she had a chance to reply, Zelda turned and swam to the other side of the pool. As Zelda walked up the steps Maari allowed herself a moment to appreciate the former princess. She smiled contently as the water fell from her body and felt a slight pang of regret as Zelda wrapped herself in a towel and vanished from the room.

Maari rested her head against the rock and soaked for a while. Without the other women around to offer distractions, her mind kept shifting between two dominant thoughts. How she felt about her mother returning to her life. What that might mean and how things would change because of her sudden reappearance. And secondly, how she felt about Link.

< Part 17 :

[popotobun]

WIP Wednesday

I have GOT to stop revising sections of this so I can get to the point I want to be to post.... but I keep wanting to adjust bits and it just means I take even longer lolol

Once more, it's Tangled!AU SVSSS. I'm still working out this middle bit, obviously, but we're getting somewhere? I decided to say "Fuck canon ages, it's an AU anyway!" and threw in some familiar faces instead of making up new NPCs.

I'm still squinting at all of this with a wrinkled nose trying to poke it to where I actually like it, but I'm not going to let that stop me from posting it.

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

Across the street from him were two handsome men, dressed in matching attire. Though not ostentatious, it stood out from the more mundane-looking attire of the villagers. 

He couldn’t tell if they were guards, or perhaps hunters like Qingge, but they watched everyone that passed by, occasionally coming together to talk. If they were looking for someone, they sure were being obvious about it. They’d get noticed way too easily!

He did his best not to pay attention to them, but they were right there and every time they moved to talk, he found himself watching them instead of continuing along the path his thoughts were taking. Though, he was fond of mulling over the same thing, letting his mind wander in the most circuitous of ways, so that might have been for the better… 

He played with the end of his braid. The two men had dark hair, like most everyone seemed to. No one’s was as long as his either. The taller of the pair had curly hair and part of him wondered if it was as soft and fluffy as it looked. He wasn’t sure where the thought sprung from, but he couldn’t help but wonder if Qingge’s hair was soft and felt his cheeks warm. Not that Qingge would let him touch it randomly… but maybe he could offer to do his hair sometime?

The passing of a child hand in hand with their mother gave him an easy thing to focus on that was not the sudden warm thoughts of his intruder’s sparse smiles and barely there laugh. The child chattered animatedly, causing the mother to laugh, and A-Yuan found himself pulled into a sudden wave of barely there memories. A soft laugh, ‘A-Yuan!’, a small hand in his own, another patting his head, ‘didi’… He abruptly felt like a child himself, lost and fighting against the urge to cry.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” He jumped, attention refocusing only to see the fluffy-haired guard in front of him. When had he moved?! A-Yuan did his best to not shrink back, since he’d already been caught off guard, and blinked away any gathering tears. Please don’t notice. The last thing he needed was someone else to have seen him cry. 

“Are you alright?” The question was softly asked, the man’s dark eyes full of sincerity. He wasn’t, but he wasn’t sure if he should answer.

Don’t talk to anyone, Qingge had said, so after a moment he just smiled and nodded. Even if it was probably noticeably faked, he didn’t care. He glanced to the door for reassurance. Qingge was just inside there, and if he made noise, his intruder would come.

The thought was a bigger comfort than he expected.

“Here for the festival?” Though the man was polite and he felt bad about it, A-Yuan didn’t reply. He let the braid fall back behind him, his gaze still on the door instead of the one talking. If the man would take a moment to focus on more than just his face, maybe he’d get the hint… “You look familiar. Gongyi, doesn’t he remind you of someone?”

“Very much so, Binghe.” The second guard was no longer across the street, but standing a short distance from his friend with only the width of the door separating them.

A-Yuan looked between them both, letting his honest suspicion show now. The one called Gongyi lowered his voice, going for a more soothing, almost coaxing tone, “You’re Shen Yuan, aren’t you? You should come with us. We can get you home.”

He froze up, he couldn’t help it. He barely recognized his own voice, replying before his mind could catch up and stop him, “Wh-what?”

“I’d know that face anywhere!” Binghe said, sounding far too pleased with himself for A-Yuan to want to go anywhere with him, “Gongyi is right, though, we can get you home safe and sound.”

They… didn’t actually seem threatening, but that didn’t mean anything. And what did they mean, home? Was he Shen Yuan? Was that his whole name? Did they know him somehow?

He didn’t trust their kind smiles at all. He preferred the blunt attitude of Qingge. Forcing himself to stay steady, he shook his head, “I can find my own way, thank you.”

It was shaky and not all that convincing.

He slowly got to his feet, pulling the makeshift pack to his chest and stepping closer to the door. The pair seemed content blocking his path away from the building, but he had no plans to go that way. Before he could reach for it, the door opened and there was Liu Qingge. 

It took only a moment of looking between the three people for his intruder to scowl  at the two men and to shake his head at A-Yuan, “I leave you alone for five minutes and look what happens… Back off, he’s mine.”

[chriscrosswallflower-blog]

we're not brave, we're not soldier - chapter 5

Chapter 4

DOA part 2

(TW for panic attacks and PTSD)

Even with five powerful demigods it still took nearly an hour to slay the monsters that had invaded the camp. Percy breathed heavily, shaking monster dust out of his hair as he made his way to Annabeth.

“Did they get to the girl in time?” Annabeth could only shrug.

“I’m not sure, I saw Will and Kayla carry her off the field.”

“Well, if anyone could save her it would be Will.” Percy said quietly, leaning into Annabeth as she snaked her arm around his waist and gently led him to the infirmary. She could feel the tension and worry radiating off of her boyfriend. They had both seen the girl briefly and Annabeth was surprised she was even alive when Will got to her. It looked like the poor thing had nearly been torn in half. It was enough to make even the strongest of warriors feel queasy and she wasn’t sure that any of them could handle another death right now.

The first thing that she noticed when she entered the infirmary was that it looked like the floor was painted red. Kayla stood in the middle of it all, furiously scrubbing down a gurney with a pink cloth. There were shell shocked demi-gods throughout the med bay - sitting on their cots in silence, whispering to friends, or loudly sobbing.

“Percy, Annabeth!” Kayla cried as she saw the pair walk in. She rushed to meet them, reaching for a hug before she realized her scrubs were soaked in blood.

“Have you seen Will?” She asked in a rush, voice trembling.

“He’s not here?” Percy asked, a wave of anxiety crashing into him when frustrated tears began to make their way down Kayla’s face.

“I don’t know! After the girl…after I called time of death Austin and I tried to calm everyone down and start cleaning up but by the time we realized that Will wasn’t with us we couldn’t find him! Austin’s doing rounds now but he still hasn’t found him and it’s been like 20 minutes! And I wanted to go find him but I have to disinfect the med bay and…”

“Kayla, it’s okay! We’ll go and make sure everything is alright.” Annabeth said, cutting the girl off with a squeeze to the shoulder. Kayla took a deep breath and nodded.

“Thanks. Can you just…let me know when you find him? Everything has been really hard lately and he took the girl’s death really hard. I’m just…worried.��� Percy nodded, feeling like his heart may crack in two as he watched the powerful archer shrink in on herself, looking every bit of eleven years old.

The couple made their way through the infirmary, checking every nook and cranny but couldn’t find the head healer. That was until Percy remembered a conversation that the two had after that night in the woods and led them to a supply closet in the very back of the building. He put his ear to the door and sure enough, he heard soft cries coming from inside. He looked to Annabeth, relief flooding him as she immediately understood, nodding before she headed off to find Kayla.

Despite his own anxiety, he felt a warm rush of affection for the girl who knew him as well as he knew himself. He’d never understand how he got so lucky.

Percy steeled himself before cracking the door open, worried that he didn’t have the tools to deal with this but knowing he had to try. He slipped in through the crack, closing the door softly behind him so no one had the chance to snoop.

“Will?” He whispered, his eyes scanning the closet. He could still hear those soft muffled cries but didn’t immediately see the boy. Eventually he found him, curled up in a tight ball and squished between the wall and a large filing cabinet. They met eyes for just a moment before Will hid his face in embarrassment, but what he saw took his breath away.

Will’s yellow scrubs and hands were covered in sticky blood, which he had spread to his face and hair. His face was far too pale except his flushed cheeks, which blazed from exertion as he struggled to breathe, his chest rising and falling quickly but constricted by how tightly he had balled himself up in the corner. Percy’s heart ached as he sank down to his knees, reaching out in an attempt to comfort the boy but Will quickly flinched away.

“No, please, please don’t touch me! I’m disgusting, I can’t do anything right…I can’t…I couldn’t save anyone!” He cried, sobs racking his frame violently as he hid his face in his knees, his hands pulling desperately at his hair.

“Hey, no that’s not true! It wasn’t your fault.” Percy whispered, but it seemed like his words weren’t reaching his friend as he continued to mutter vile things about himself. He felt his stomach turn as he had to physically sit on his hands to prevent himself from reaching out to try to provide some kind of comfort.

He might have known it was only a matter of time before the head healer crashed as he tried to be everything for everyone, but seeing the extent of the boy’s anguish was unnerving. Will was usually the one providing comfort but now that the tables had turned, and Percy found himself at a loss. His head spun as he tried to think of something, anything he could do to help but nothing came to him.

He had never felt so useless in his life.

“Will, hey, you know I'm not very good at this and I'm not sure what to do here but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.Just…just try to breathe with me, okay?” He said, remembering the exaggerated breathing exercises that Will had taken him through just a few weeks ago. He couldn’t remember the exact numbers or anything so he just tried to breathe loud and slow.

It took a while, but eventually Will let go of his hair, his head lolling toward the wall as his strength rapidly depleted. His breaths still came hard and fast, but they had evened out and he was slowly coming back to reality. He felt like he was underwater, everything he heard and saw distorted by waves of dizziness. He squinted at the figure in front of him, finally making out sea blue eyes and olive skin.

“Percy…wha…you shouldn’t be here…” He slurred, his stomach clenching painfully as he realized the boy had been watching him fall apart. He reached out to softly push him away but the other boy just caught his hand and held it tightly.

“Yeah, no, there’s no way i’m leaving you like this.” Percy said, narrowing his eyes as Will tried to shyly convince him that he was fine even in the midst of one of the worst panic attacks he’d ever seen. Percy knew what it meant to be the strong one, to take care of others but feel like a massive inconvenience and failure when it all became too much. It’s part of what led to his own panic attack in the woods and eventually breaking down in Annabeth’s arms a few days later.

“Hey, can you look at me?” He asked, squeezing the boy’s hand tightly. It seemed to take ages but eventually Will met his eyes, the shame practically pouring off of him.

“If you really want me to go, I will. But you don’t deserve to deal with this alone. If I leave you like this I…I don’t know that I could ever forgive myself. So please, please let me help?” Percy whispered, watching as the boy’s walls tumbled down and he was left with this raw, painful vulnerability. Will made a small, desperate sound in the back of his throat, unable to get anything else out. Percy chose to take it as an agreement.

“Come on, you can’t be able to breathe well like that and you look like you’re about to pass out. Let’s lay down here.” Percy said, gently coaxing Will out of his corner and getting him to lay down, softly encouraging him to unlock his muscles until he was laying flat on his back.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, moving to lay beside him. Will shook his head desperately, his sobs coming a bit quicker at the thought of reliving everything.

“Okay, okay that’s no problem. Umm, is it okay if I put your hand on my chest?” Percy asked, feeling unsure and overwhelmed that he might do something wrong. After a few minutes, Will nodded and he put their clasped hands on his chest, breathing slowly and deeply.

They stayed like that for nearly half an hour, Will’s sobs eventually slowing to sniffles and his breathing evening out. Eventually, Percy heard the boy’s breaths slow drastically, letting him know he was sleeping. He sat up, watching his face for a few minutes to make sure he was really asleep, but even though his face was flushed and covered with tear tracks and smears of dried blood, he looked nearly peaceful. Percy felt a huge weight lift off of his own shoulders, thankful that he hadn’t screwed up too badly.

Percy slowly carried Will back to the healer’s break room, trying not to wake him. When he nudged the door open with his foot, he found Kayla, Austin, and Annabeth all waiting anxiously. Kayla began to rush to them but Percy shook his head, nodding to her sleeping brother. Her eyes got impossibly soft as she went to get a blanket, draping it over him as Percy laid him down on their lumpy couch.

All four kept vigil for the four hours that Will slept, Kayla and Austin only leaving briefly to do their rounds. When he woke, the five would talk. Somehow even more tears would be shed and Chiron would make his way in, doing his best to treat their survivors' guilt - something that was long overdue. But for now, they just sat in silence, thankful for the brief moment of peace.

Chapter 6

[darcyxpalmer]

Darcy's eye shot up in the matter of a second when Lokni clarified that he did get his knife back. So that splash she heard... "Wait, did you actually jump into the water? From that height we've been in? You're-- Are you okay? You didn't get any injuries or anything, right?"

Okay, so maybe it was a bit of an overreaction, he was clearly okay, standing in front of her, having a chat like there was nothing wrong, but still, even thought Lokni was right there and it was all way too late, Darcy couldn't help the worry that rose up inside of her. And then the guilt that she oh so quickly moved on and didn't even try to help Lokni. "I am so sorry, I didn't realize. I should have come back down and helped you. Did you get back to the ship after or swam out to the shores?"

It seemed they were surprising each other left and right, cause at Darcy's suggestion of going up to the mountain, it was Lokni's turn this time to be surprised. "Yeah, technically we don't know, but I think we'd be seeing some kind of smoke at least if it was active. Granted, my geography knowledge on stuff like this isn't really... up to date or good." And frankly, she hasn't even really thought about whether or not it was active, she just assumed it was dormant automatically.

"But now that you mention it, we should figure out if it's dormant or not for no other reason than whether or not we should be worried about a Pompeii 2.0 situation happening. Because if that comes to be... no matter what kind of homes we were given, I'm pretty sure they are not vulcano debris and lava proofed."

She nodded along as Lokni spoke, putting their situation and the fact that everyone would be dealing with it differently a lot more eloquently that she did. "I know that in theory, but it's sometimes hard to remember in the middle of a discussion, or even when your opinions are different." What sounded even more interesting, though, was the little tidbits Lokni revealed about himself and his own past.

"It's kind of hard to imagine you getting heated with anyone, you just seem-- like the calm center of a storm, if I am being honest," Darcy noted. Even during their adventure on the ship, Lokni was calm through it all, ready to jump into whatever they needed to do and seemingly unshakable. Granted, they also didn't talk about anything outrageous, they were just sharing stories, getting to know each other. "That sounds like a rough childhood, though, I'm sorry you had to go through that. Your mother sounds like a lovely woman, though - have the two of you been close?"

She let out a small chuckle and ducked her head at his comment about how she's been handling everything that's been happening here. "Things do get me down too, Lokni. And I know it might look weird that I am not-- I don't know, more stressed, like the others, but I just-- I do believe that we're here for a reason and that everything will be okay. Whatever tests we're going to be facing and have to go through, it'll make us stronger of it and it'll all make sense in the end. And if you think about it, we have shelter, we have food, we have medical supplies, we have all the necessary things to actually survive around here. Maybe not live the kind of lives we did before we arrived here and there will be challenges, but it'll be worth it, in the end."

She looked over at him as she paused, and then her voice turned a bit more excited. "And really, have you seen the kind of things that been happening with people? That they have been doing? Selin shrinked down so small, I almost stepped on her. I kind of teleported a short distance without really realizing it until it was done. These kinds of things-- I just can't imagine not getting excited over something like this. I guess that is also the kind of strange things that I meant too. Something that you've been thinking would be impossible so far."

The wind at their backs was gentle, Miss Palmer's was gently tousled around the sides of her face. This beach was strange. Calming, silent, an area of solace, but not one of safety. Lokni sensed that much. "I did get my knife back- had to dive for it, which honestly isn't my strong suit. Turns out jeans are hard to swim in, who'da thought?" Lokni laughed, picking up a smooth flat stone from the shore and with a flick of his wrist, sent it skidding over the water before a wave broke its trajectory. Miss Palmer mentioned going to the top of the volcano, and Lokni could not hold back the wide-eyed expression that overcame his features. "I don't know if that's such a great idea- I mean we don't even know if it's dormant or not." he blurted out, surprised by her suggestion. At the mention of getting along with the others, Miss Palmer's face took on a... troubled expression. She wasn't wrong, the situation was truly stressful, the type that would push most to extremes, even acting out. Regardless of that, Lokni couldn't say that he wasn't curious. "Everyone's lives have been uprooted, maybe some just take it better than others. I think not having a reaction would be strange." Even as Lokni said it, he realized that when he had first met Miss Palmer, she hadn't seemed too phased by their situation. Maybe she had already gotten her initial feelings out before their encounter. "You can't get along with everyone," Lokni replied, or you'll end up like me, not really knowing who you are he mentally added. "It's just not realistic. If we got along with everyone and agreed on everything, would we really be human?” She meant well, Lokni knew that much, "I get heated with folk plenty enough, Miss Palmer, I just don't usually waste the energy on it. After a while, you just gotta' let things go or it eats you up. Trust me, it aint' exactly easy being a little Miwok kid thrown into the public school system. Then again, I'm lucky that I didn't get shipped off to a residential school- my mother made sure of that." He shivered at the thought- he had heard plenty of stories of indigenous kids like himself getting taken from their parents and put into those 'correctional' schools. Culture didn't need 'correction.' "You sure seem to be taking all of this in stride. Does anything ever get you down, Miss Palmer?” Enough strange things had occurred in the last couple of days to last an entire lifetime. Miss Palmer was a jokester, that was for sure. "If you're talking about getting nabbed and thrown onto an island where everyone is extremely attractive and confused- yeah strange things have been happening. What about you, Miss Palmer, strange things happenin' to you?"

[probablygoat]

Riko lore part 3 of ??????

Riko clumsily wobbled through the resplendent halls of the Wizard's Guild, attempting to transport an unfixed column of books. The gently swaying tower blocked their immediate sight, forcing them to periodically lean aside so they could confirm what was in front of them. As they approached a corner and prepared to turn, they were greeted by an abrupt collision with another student. The small feline was consequently knocked off-balance as their possessions fell through their loosened grip.

"Ow," Riko quietly muttered as they hit the floor with a lenient thud. They hurriedly looked up and saw the person they’d unintentionally struck. “Oh! Sorry about that, I couldn’t really see over my…”

The other party offered Riko a flat, uninterested expression and simply walked past them, not bothering to listen to their apology.

They silently watched for a moment as the standoffish individual brushed past them and left.

“Okay. Well. That was kinda rude,” they faintly remarked, circling their head around to survey the scattered collection of wizardly tomes. “They could have at least offered to help,” they grumbled while patiently recompiling them.

They stood up with a huff and resumed toward their destination, arriving with no further impediments.

“Moon, I’m back!” Riko called out as they carefully sidled through the doorway of their tutor’s study. “Sorry I’m a little later than usual, I dropped my stuff on the way here.” They angled their head around the stack of books and scanned the room, not immediately noticing anyone’s presence. “Moon? Are you there?”

Moon poked his head out of the closet, extending a casual wave upon seeing his apprentice. “It’s alright,” he assured, “you can set your things down anywhere, we’ll get started as soon as I’m done moving things around in here.”

“What's in there?” Riko inquired, dropping their mountainous stockpile of textbooks next to Moon’s desk.

“Things. Stuff,” he flatly replied, shrinking back into the closet.

"My favorite: vague things and even vaguer stuff," they playfully retorted, effortfully falling into an open seat.

"I don't know why you insist on bringing every book you have, we're still only learning the basics," Moon called out into the room.

Riko threw their arms in the air. "I wanna learn all the spells I can!"

"You've only been here a few months, you should know by now that you have to take things slower than that. Magic is a delicate, powerful, and potentially dangerous thing to wield. That's why we must teach our pupils to heal before anything else, it's the most important." Moon poked their head out once more, "Imagine if we taught every person that sauntered in here the most destructive things we could perform right from the start. They would either end up hurting themselves out of inexperience or potentially others if they were vile enough to do so.”

Riko was gently swinging their legs in place as Moon spoke. “I knoooow,” they said in a tired, understanding tone. “You probably tell me that once a week.”

“It’s a fundamental thing that up-and-coming wizards must understand,” he said firmly. “Speaking of magic,” he began while slipping back out of sight, “are you making progress on learning any healing spells?”

“No,” Riko replied in a dispirited tone.

“All the more reason to leave those other books in your room,” Moon quietly chuckled. “That’s okay though, it takes time. You’ll get there.”

“I wanna learn how to do more than change the color of my uniform. It changes back to blue after a few minutes anyway, I don’t see the point!” they complained.

“It’s a neat party trick,” Moon teased as he fully emerged from the closet, closing the door and sitting down across from his pupil.

A brief silence passed as Riko appeared to be thinking to themselves.

“Hey, Moon," they gingerly prompted, "can I ask you something?"

“Hmm? What is it?” he adjured.

Riko was looking down at their hands and fretfully rubbing them together. “How come you decided to take me in a few months ago?”

Moon looked up at the rim of their hat in thought for a few moments. “I almost didn’t, to be honest,” he answered plainly as he lowered his eyes. “I saw what happened back at your home and took you for a reckless kid looking for trouble, but the more you spoke to me and the more I prodded, I sensed a certain kindness emanating from you. It seemed like you simply and honestly wanted to help others. That was when I started to think you’d be a good fit for a wizard. Stay true to your righteous ideals, Riko, and I think you will change many hearts down the line.”

Moon's kind intimations embarrassed Riko, rendering them flushed and completely unassertive. They briefly regretted asking in the first place, despite their genuine curiosity.

“You look like a tomato, is that a spell you've learned as well?" he commented with a sly inclination.

Riko momentarily sank into their shirt upon hearing that, springing up shortly after and countering with, "I don't know how to respond when you're saying stuff like that!"

Moon's only response was a lighthearted chuckle from underneath his scarf.

"But still, I . . . really appreciate it. Both you saying that and teaching me," they expressed through their abashment.

"Think nothing of it," came Moon's passing reply.

Riko paused for another moment. "Do you think I'll be able to start working with other students soon?" they asked with a benign, anxious kick of their legs.

"I'm not sure, it would be hard to properly enroll you when your entrance into the Guild was so… spontaneous," he answered ambivalently.

"Would working with other people help me learn quicker?" Riko lightly proposed.

Moon once again looked upwards at his hat, staring at the rim. "Maybe," he returned after a brief reticence.

"You're back to being vague again," they said with a sigh.

He appeared to think about it momentarily. "Perhaps we could give it a try. I think I may have someone in mind."

"Really?" inquired Riko with a tilt of their head.

He nodded. "It'll have to be tomorrow though, I'll need to notify them ahead of time. If you come back then, I'll have someone here that may be able to help you out."

"Fiiine," they groaned, throwing their head slightly backwards. "I just wanna meet someone new."

A rolled parchment precipitously took shape on Moon's desk. He seemed unmoved by the strange occurrence as he simply reached out, unfurled it, and scanned it with his eyes.

"Woah!" Riko exclaimed, not being thoroughly acquainted with the sight of inanimate objects materializing out of thin air.

"Looks like someone's eager to meet you as well.” Moon lowered the paper and looked over it at his apprentice.

Riko leaned over the desk inquisitively, heedfully eyeing the strange note. "What do you mean?"

"It's a summon from the archelder. It's for you specifically," he advised, holding forth the curled message. "You should take it with you."

Riko promptly stood from their chair and grabbed it, scrutinizing its contents with squinted eyes. "What's all this about? Should I go now?"

"I'm not sure, but I would advise that you meet with her soon," he replied.

"What about my books?"

"You can leave them here from now on, we wouldn't want you dropping them again," he facetiously jabbed. "The archelder is on the top floor, best not make her wait."

"Okay, I won't!" Riko nodded their head, expeditiously setting off toward the Guild's uppermost story.

It took some time as well as some asking around, but their trek eventually led them to a bare hallway, home only to a distinct stone door seated at its conclusion. The further they ventured into the hushed corridor, the more abated the commotion from the lower floors became, eventually dying out completely. Riko's footsteps were now palpably audible as they gingerly approached the entrance to the archelder's study and opened it. Riko discreetly entered and allowed the door to close behind them.

"Hello? Miss Archelder?" they feebly called out, attentively observing their surroundings.

A tinkering old woman looked up from her desk. "Tell me why you're here," she said unprompted.

Riko was immediately puzzled. "I was called up here by the archelder, wasn't I?" they answered quizzically.

"No, no, all wrong." The woman shook her head impatiently. "Tell me why you're here, at this school."

Riko began to feel a bit rattled by the sudden questioning. "I haven't been doing something wrong, have I? Don't be mad at Moon if I am, I asked him to teach me stuff and–"

"Wrong!" she belted. "Everyone's here to learn, that's exactly the point of a school. You came here for another reason. What was it?"

Riko pondered for a moment, carefully considering their answer. "I want to learn how to help people and be a hero," they confidently concluded.

"Why?" the woman questioned indelicately.

They once again paused before speaking. "Because of the people who've always been there for me. I want to repay them by showing others that same kindness, I don’t want to let that cycle of virtue end with just me!” they firmly submitted.

After listening to Riko's answer the woman straightened her posture and showed them a welcoming smile. "Good. Very good. It seems Elder Moon was correct about you,” she surmised. “You may call me Archelder Miria.” She held out her hand expectantly, retaining her tender expression.

Riko breathed a sigh of relief and unclenched the summon, dropping it into her hand. “I was afraid I’d broken some wizard law or something,” they weakly admitted. “It’s nice to meet you, I’d tell you my name but I get the feeling you already know it.”

“I do. It’s nice to finally speak to you in person, Riko. I’ve been aware of your presence in my school from the day you first arrived,” she apprised, neatly slipping the flattened parchment into a nearby drawer.

“You have?” they inquired with a curious tilt of their head.

“I was the one who allowed you to enter the Guild to begin with,” Miria explained. “Normally our school is rendered imperceptible to wandering eyes, but I made an exception. I’d been carefully observing your journey from home, you see. I sensed no ill-intent when you appeared at the foot of our little academy, so you could say I partially arranged the meeting between yourself and Elder Moon.”

Riko’s eyes widened a bit. “You were watching me? How?”

“Please, leave an old woman her secrets,” she playfully requested.

After a short, silent intermission, Riko asked, “Why did you need me to bring the summon back to you? That part confused me.”

Miria laughed for a moment. “I didn’t,” she clarified, “I simply find that people are much quicker to appear when they have a written notice to do so.”

“That’s really smart,” they remarked. “Maybe even a little devious.”

Miria swiftly clasped both of her hands together. “Those things often go hand-in-hand, like heroism and destiny,” she wisely elucidated.

Riko’s face fell into a slight frown upon hearing her say that.

“Is something the matter?” she prodded, tilting her head down marginally to better match the youthful wizard's stature.

Riko looked down at the floor speculatively for a moment. “It’s just that I’ve never liked the idea of heroes being tied to some greater destiny. Doesn’t it kind of discredit normal people trying to rise up and do the right thing? Can they not be heroes too? What would the point be if they're not ‘destined’ for something greater?”

Miria held up her finger judicially. “Ah, you see, that’s what everyone gets wrong about the concept of destiny,” she corrected. “Destiny isn’t a straight path that you follow, it’s something you forge on your own. It was your destiny that you come all this way and meet with Elder Moon, but only because showed up to begin with. If you would have stayed home, your destiny would have been changed as a result.”

Riko perked up a bit during her explanation. “That… makes sense, actually,” they uttered, a smile replacing their former expression. "Kind of, anyway."

“I can’t know for sure, but I believe you are destined for great things, Riko. It's up to you to make them happen. No pressure, of course," she lightly jabbed.

Riko involuntarily voiced a shy giggle. "You remind me a lot of Moon," they pointed out.

Miria flashed a bright grin. "That only makes sense, I taught Elder Moon everything he currently knows."

"Woah, really!?"

"Indeed. He was much younger than you when he first approached me begging that I teach him to hone magic. It was quite similar to your first encounter with him." Miria's countenance shifted as her face began to tell a wordless, reminiscent story. "I believe he's fit to take my place as archelder someday."

"You two must be very close," Riko audibly speculated.

She closed her eyes and gave a cheery nod in response. "But I think those stories can be saved for another day. I believe you'd best rest up for tomorrow, it seems I've interrupted your studies for the day."

Riko shook their head and wore a bright grin. "Don't worry about it, I had fun talking to you!" they assured her.

"As did I. Would you like me to escort you back to your room? It seems you still aren't quite accustomed to the layout of this place," she offered.

“Sure!” chirped Riko with a cheerful nod.

Miria jostled in place and lifted her hand enigmatically. “Very well.” She gave Riko a quick wink and clicked her fingers, vanishing from sight entirely.

Riko felt themselves abruptly fall back onto a soft, springy surface. They shook their head in bemusement and checked their surroundings, concluding they were inexplicably back in their dorm room.

“Woah,” they inaudibly uttered to themselves, consciously feeling the fabric of their bed underneath them.

They shambled over to the edge of the mattress and dangled their legs off of it, looking up at the ceiling in recollection for a few moments. They suddenly remembered Moon’s promise to bring someone to collaborate with the next day.

“I wonder what kind of person that’ll be,” they thought. “I hope they’re nice, at least.”

Riko kicked off their boots and ponderously threw themselves back, relaxing into the bed’s bracing cloth. They silently stared at the room's ceiling for a few moments before encountering a passing thought.

“I hope Grandma’s doing okay.”

They closed their eyes with that final notion, slipping into a relaxed sleep not too long after.

The next day arrived after an uneventful, noiseless night. Students began to flow from their rooms, waning away their morning fatigue with lively conversation. Before long the halls were teeming with commotion.

Riko deliberately sprang from their room later into the morning, routinely commencing towards Moon's study. They were eager to meet another student after months of studying exclusively under Moon’s tutelage. As they approached the room their anxious speculation swelled, culminating in a vividly felt yet curbed excitement.

“Hello!” they cheerfully greeted, swinging the door ajar and wandering inside.

Moon was already planted at his desk in anticipation. “Good afternoon, Riko. How was your meeting with the archelder?”

“Good! Did you get to talk with that person you wanted to bring in today?” they inquired as they lazily slumped into their usual seat.

He nodded in confirmation. “He should be here at any moment, then we'll discuss today's agenda.”

The door could be heard faintly opening as if on cue, prompting Riko’s attention. They spun around in place and looked toward the sound's source, only to be met with the sight of the aloof character they’d mistakenly bumped into the day prior.

“Speaking of which, hello Vi. Make yourself comfortable,” Moon warmly invocated.

Riko’s eyes involuntarily widened as they belted out, “Hey, it’s you!”

The stranger unambiguously ignored them, refusing to meet their gaze and seating himself a distance away.

The unapproachable behavior made Riko feel uneasy.

“Have you two been acquainted already?” Moon questioned in an earnest tone, his eyes alternating between both students.

“No,” came a featureless response from the brooding wizard.

“Well, kind of,” Riko added diffidently.

Moon looked toward them for an explanation. “How so?”

They shuffled nervously in place before giving an answer. “I accidentally ran into him with my stuff yesterday, that’s why I dropped it on the way here.”

“I see,” Moon replied softly. "Those sorts of mishaps occur all the time around here. Did it agitate you, Vi?"

The only reply Vi offered was an inhospitable glance and the repetitive, impatient tapping of his foot.

Riko looked at him with sincere eyes. “I didn’t mean to run into you when I did, I'm sorry if it upset you. I was just carrying too much stuff and–"

The detached magician inaudibly growled, interrupting with a cold, “I don’t care.”

Riko cast a displeased glare at him.

“You’ll have to forgive him,” Moon quickly interjected. “Vi may be impersonal, but he’s also one of our highest performing students. Specifically in the field of magic, not so much in attendance or grades or friendliness. That’s why I requested his help today.”

“It was less like a request and more like extortion,” Vi snarled.

“It’s no one’s doing but your own that you're facing expulsion,” Moon sternly riposted.

His pointed statement was met only with an annoyed grumble.

Riko awkwardly wriggled in place for a moment before speaking. “So… does that mean you can help me learn how to use healing magic?”

Vi petulantly crossed his arms and squeezed his eyes shut. “That depends on you. It’s not my fault if you're slow on the uptake. I’ll try, but that’s all I can do. They shouldn’t have let some kid in here to begin with.”

Riko started to feel blatantly annoyed by his unwarranted comments.

“That’s enough,” Moon bluntly demanded. “I need the two of you to get along so we can–”

The conversation was cut short by a familiar sight; yet another rolled letter had abruptly taken shape and fallen onto Moon’s desk.

“Is that from the archelder?” Riko inquired, curiously leaning towards it.

“Great, what’s that old hag want now?” Vi commented brazenly.

Moon scooped the note from his desk and silently read its contents. “Change of plans, you’re both heading west.”

“What!?” the two students blurted in unison.

“It seems there’s a small camp of travelers from the Adventurer’s Guild west from the school,” he explained. “They've requested a delivery of medicinal elixirs. The archelder is suggesting that I send the two of you.”

Vi grabbed his face in irritation. “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he lamented.

“I’m not exactly thrilled about it either,” Riko affirmed. “No offense but you’re really rude.”

“Full offense, but you’re really annoying,” he retorted.

“Hey!” shouted Riko in return.

Moon impatiently slammed his hand on the table and once again recited, “That’s enough.”

Both parties sustained themselves for the time being.

“This is directly from Archelder Miria. I don’t know what she has in mind for the two of you, but I trust her word. I insist you both go,” Moon lightly pleaded. “Vi, do this and I will keep my promise not to expel you.”

“Fine,” he replied with an agitated sigh.

Moon nodded at the two. “Thank you. A couple of other students have already arranged the elixirs for delivery, you two will only need to pick them up from the front of the school and take them to their destination. It’s about an hour or so west, as mentioned before.”

“An hour there and an hour back… that’s not so bad actually,” Riko concluded, putting on an airy grin. “Maybe it’ll be fun!”

Vi looked like he had something to say about that statement, but refrained from doing so.

Moon confidently rolled his shoulders and smirked beneath his scarf. “The two of you'd better go soon.” Moon dramatically raised his hand and said in an animated tone, “Allow me to escort you out.”

With a hearty snap of his fingers, the scenery around the two young magicians suddenly shifted; they found themselves outside of the school, looking directly at an enclosed wooden crate adorned with makeshift leather straps.

Riko spun around in place to confirm the new setting. “I have absolutely no idea how they do that,” they flatly pronounced.

Vi was already wandering off, having apparently been doing so since they arrived.

Riko let out an exasperated groan and hurriedly threw the box’s straps around their shoulders. “Wait up a second!” they begged, running after him impetuously.

“I would really prefer you stay back there,” Vi protested.

Riko shook their head disapprovingly, now walking adjacent to him. “Don’t you think we should at least try to get along? If we’re gonna be doing this for the next two hours, the least we could do is enjoy each other's company.”

Vi aggressively shooed them away. “I’m not babysitting you, forget about it.”

“Okay, no.” Riko’s voice abruptly flared in volume. “Stop treating me like a kid, you’re probably not even much older than I am!” they shouted with a flustered quality.

Vi stopped for a moment as his eyes scanned the diminutive feline. “Okay. I’ll bite then, how old are you supposed to be?”

They threw their hands into the air and barked, “I’m seventeen!”

“What?” Vi seemed to be genuinely awestruck.

“It’s true!” they insisted.

“Sorry, it’s just… hard for me to believe you’re only a year younger than me," he admitted passively.

“Why?” they huffed, seemingly having gotten the yelling out of their system.

“I mean… you’re so… short.”

Riko said nothing. At first they appeared to take offense to the remark, but their face was soon overtaken by involuntary snickering.

“What? What’s so funny?”

Riko stifled another laugh before answering, “I mean, it just occurred to me that this is the closest we’ve been to actually getting along. It’s funny.”

Vi looked down at them in pure contempt. “We’re keeping it that way, stop talking to me.”

“Come on,” they prodded through a fading chuckle, “why are you so against talking? It would be a good way to pass the time.”

“Shut up!” he snapped in return. “You don't get it, do you? This isn’t some lighthearted romp where everything will suddenly be okay and we’ll end up best friends, I’m doing this for my sake and my sake only. I don’t need you to be here, I can handle myself. I don’t need anyone, especially not that stupid school.”

Riko attempted to speak, but was cut off by another venomous rant.

“And let me make one thing perfectly clear: I only practice magic so I can be powerful. That’s the one and only thing in this world that actually matters. Helping people? I’ve heard about enough of that garbage from the elders at the Guild, I’m sick of it. It’s a cruel world, you either survive or you don’t. No one's gonna help you, so you've gotta help yourself."

Riko looked up at them, dejection visible on their face. “If any of that’s true,” they began in a hushed tone, “then why are you trying so hard to stay at the school?”

A tense silence was held between the two for a few moments.

Vi refused to provide an answer and rejected any further contact with Riko, bitterly pushing them aside and gaining distance from them.

Riko watched for a moment, allowing him the space before trailing behind. They felt a prominent despondence from the interaction.

The two said nothing more to one other after the spite-filled quarrel, maintaining ample length between themselves. They eventually happened upon what appeared to be the camp they were set out to find, accompanied by an odd stillness. They both took note of this.

Riko caught a glimpse of a figure laying motionless in the grass outside of one of the few raised tents. They cautiously approached, and as they did so the figure incrementally began to resemble a person lying face down.

“Oh no,” they audibly exclaimed, sprinting over to the person in question.

They promptly flipped the unconscious body onto their back and hurriedly listened for a heartbeat. Riko confirmed they were, indeed, alive, albeit noticeably battered. They quickly took notice of more motionless outlines protruding from the foliage around the camp.

“Vi!” they cried out, “we’ve gotta help these guys! You know how to use healing magic, right?”

Vi’s hand swiftly shot out, commanding Riko to stop. “Don’t be stupid, whatever did this could still be close by.”

“What does it matter?!” Riko impulsively threw the elixirs down next to one of the victims, preparing to start administering them.

“Forget about them! Are you trying to draw attention to us!?” Vi quietly snapped, frantically circling his head to survey any potential danger.

“They need help, I’m not just leaving them here!” they protested.

A resounding roar split the air without warning, prompting the attention of both students.

“Fantastic,” Vi declared in a sardonic tone.

Riko expeditiously sprang to their feet, reaching into their uniform and clutching their dagger for protection. “What was that?”

“No idea,” he answered calmly, “but I get the feeling we should leave.”

“What? These people still need help,” they argued.

Vi’s head snapped in Riko’s direction. “It was our job to deliver the potions. They’re delivered. We’re leaving.”

“We’re staying until we help these people!” Riko argued, firmly standing their ground.

“No, you’re staying. You can get yourself killed if you want, but I’m leaving right now.” 

Riko readied another argument, but stopped halfway through as they caught a glimpse of something large moving near the makeshift shelters near Vi. They quickly hushed themselves and looked back at him with their eyes agape.

“Vi,” they began in as muted a tone as they were able to, “I think you should come over here.”

“What?” he tactlessly blurted out.

At that moment, Vi heard the sound of heavy shuffling directly behind him. He dared not to speak another word, let alone move his body.

Riko slipped their dagger out of its sheath and held it close for protection. They cautiously motioned for Vi to approach them.

As he took his first step toward Riko, an immeasurable mass crashed through the traveler's tents. The explosive entrance necessitated the heed of both wizards. A bear-like creature stood on its hind legs, dwarfing the two by a considerable amount.

"That must be what did all of this," Riko worriedly speculated, readying their weapon by holding it outward.

Vi defensively raised his palms to the threat. "It's a rathok."

"Am I supposed to know what that is?" Riko sneered.

"How stupid can you be?! They're one of the most dangerous monsters you could ever encounter. They're not even supposed to be on this side of the country, but we're looking at one, so I guess that doesn't matter now."

The rathok's feral gaze shifted between them periodically. It let out a low, hostile growl and slowly dragged itself toward the duo on all fours.

Both of them stared the enormous creature down, neither of them being bold enough to provoke it any further.

Vi's hands began to radiate a crimson gleam as the monster approached. The beast precipitously charged towards him with a bloodthirsty conviction.

"Vi, watch out!” Riko shouted.

He instinctively swiped one of his open hands and circled it inward, his palms flashing in response. He tensed his body, braced himself, and dug his feet firmly into the ground. With a frantic breath, he summoned all of his stamina and fervently pushed his arms forward into the empty air. He emitted a wordless bellow as his hands erupted with flame, a pillar of fire whirled from Vi’s grasp. It knocked the brutish animal back with such force that it hit the earth upturned.

The rathok yelped as it punitively crashed into the ground, floundering about for a bit before haphazardly rolling back onto its feet and leaving in a hurry.

The light died down from Vi's trembling hands. His breathing was noticeably ragged.

Riko carefully moved towards him. "Vi," they said in a subdued voice, "are you okay?"

Rather than a direct response he began to quietly laugh to himself, incrementally increasing in volume.

“Okay. He’s laughing. I can’t tell if that’s a red flag,” Riko commented to himself timorously.

Vi’s outburst was now incorrigible. “That was amazing!” he belted to no one in particular. “I just took down a rathok, even the elders have a hard time doing that. But it was easy for me.” He turned to Riko and displayed an overexcited countenance. “Did you see?”

“I saw,” Riko begrudgingly affirmed, “can we help these injured people now?”

“Forget those weaklings, don’t you understand what this means?” he prodded further.

“It means we’re not going to be eaten alive,” they halfheartedly countered.

Vi shook his head and replied in a menacing tone, “No. It means I was right. Being powerful is the only thing that matters. These beaten up morons don’t deserve help, they’re pathetic.”

Riko threw their arms down at their side in frustration. “We don’t have time for you to sit here and be impressed with yourself!” they furiously admonished.

“I’m stronger than you, too. I’m probably stronger than that annoying hag back at the school, too. I’m most definitely stronger than that pretentious bastard, Moon. Who’s gonna stop me from finding out?”

Riko tensed their body, beginning to feel a threatening aura as Vi spoke. “I’m not fighting you,” they rigidly declared. “I refuse to be your enemy.”

Vi assumed the same stance he’d taken against the rathok. “I don’t care.”

With an effortful pump of his fist, Vi launched an intense inferno directly at Riko. It ferociously spiraled towards them, giving only moments to move away from the destructive spell.

They quickly whirled their body in place and jumped back. “Stop it!” they vehemently demanded as the flames narrowly missed their body.

Vi swiped both of his hands upward, summoning an overwhelming tower of fire directly beneath Riko.

They reacted immediately, diving through the air and narrowly avoiding being singed by the attack. They were acting purely on instinct as they hit the ground and rolled back onto their feet, adopting a defensive stance once more.

“What is wrong with you, Vi?!” Riko lashed out.

“Nothing, this is how the world works,” he replied coldly, staring at his palms and conjuring fiery globes.

Riko readied themselves for another assault, clutching their dagger for comfort.

Vi twisted his body and reeled back as far as he could before hurling one at Riko.

It sped towards them too hastily to dodge. Riko instinctively swiped their weapon and unexpectedly dispelled the attack. They looked at the blade in shock, but didn’t have time to question it.

This seemed to aggravate Vi further as he began to recklessly cast more fireballs, doing so with increased intensity.

Riko sharply inhaled through their teeth, rallying their energy once more as they swiped the knife at each meteor that neared them. The dagger harmlessly banished each attack it connected with, rendering them fully able to fend off the vicious storm unscathed. As it finally stopped, Riko attempted to control their tattered breathing.

“You continue to be the most annoying person I’ve ever met,” Vi said tonelessly.

Riko continued to focus on their breathing, momentarily closing their eyes. They readied a response only to be interrupted by a familiar sound: another beastly roar tearing through the atmosphere. It shattered their established tension and replaced it entirely.

“That was… much louder than the last one,” Riko muttered worriedly, turning their head in the direction it came from.

“Who cares, I can handle another overgrown bear,” Vi dismissively answered.

Riko froze in place. “No, I don’t think you can.”

A colossal rathok was sprinting toward the camp on all fours. It vastly eclipsed the first one in size. Every footstep was weighty and thunderous, drowning out even the sound of the wind. It seemed to be charging at Vi specifically.

He immediately turned his head. “That must be the mother,” he arrogantly guessed.

The beast's charge substantially picked up in speed upon making eye contact with him. It began moving faster than either student thought possible for a creature of this size.

Vi tensed up, fully aware running away wasn't possible at this point. He unsystematically fell into a defensive stance and desperately fired the most prominent blaze he could muster in such short notice.

His attack landed unceremoniously against the monster’s chest, quicking fading into nothingness.

The rathok collided with Vi using its full weight, propelling him backwards and leaving him airborne. His momentum was abruptly cut short when he crashed into a nearby tree. He would have shouted in pain if the harsh contact hadn't rendered him breathless. As he hit the ground he could vaguely recognize the sound of Riko's voice calling after him, but the ringing in his ears and blurred vision made it difficult to discern anything other than the brutish monster slowly making its way towards him.

Vi attempted to stand despite the heavy blow he'd endured, but his legs simply gave out. He propped his weakened body up against the now dented tree, but that was the most he could do. He took a deep breath and looked up once more. The rathok was much closer.

Vi's labored breathing became erratic as fear rendered his body entirely frozen. He began to wonder if this was punishment for his previous actions.

His vision started to fade more as the insurmountable beast drew near. It was a few paces away when Riko stepped between the two, arms defensively outstretched, dagger still in hand.

"What…?" Vi weakly called out in confusion. "What are you doing? Get out of here."

The rathok produced an ear shattering bellow, standing atop its hind legs and towering over them with colossal prestige.

"Get away, you moron!" Vi exclaimed in an enfeebled tone.

"Can you just shut up?!" Riko uncharacteristically snapped at him. "I'm not leaving you here to get yourself killed, so just shut up!"

Vi didn't have the energy to argue back. He could only tensely grip the grass beneath him and grit his teeth before slipping out of consciousness.

Riko looked up at the monstrous force as it raised one of its arms, telegraphing an inevitable blow.

Riko clasped their dagger in both hands, with it being their only means of defense. In that moment they noticed an ethereal green light protruding from the blade's edge, elongating it into the shape of a sword. They had no recollection of when or how this happened, but in their desperation they slashed at their foe with the ghostly blade.

The light appeared to shatter as it hit the beast's body, dispersing until it vanished completely. It then returned to his base form as an ordinary dagger.

Riko, completely bewildered, assumed that nothing had resulted from the strange occurrence before an overwhelming gust of wind formed suddenly around them. The bear-like monster was sent violently inverse, smashing against ground a fair distance away. The commanding flurry seemed to have traveled around Riko, rendering them unaffected by it.

The rathok fixed its glare on Riko from across the field for a tense moment, only to quietly retreat into the woods rather than continue its violent pursuit.

Riko looked down at their knife in bemusement, carefully inspecting it to confirm it was still the same gift they'd received from their grandmother. After a few moments of measured contemplation they sheathed it and decided to find out later, wanting to tend to Vi's injuries.

They rotated in place and found him unconscious, but alive.

A few hours passed by before Vi awakened, finding himself in a provisional bed inside one of the traveler's tents.

Riko poked their head in shortly after. "You're awake," they greeted unobtrusively.

"Yeah," Vi replied in a dispirited tone, sitting up but refusing to make eye contact.

"You're not hurt?"

"No. You used one of those elixirs on me, didn't you?"

Riho shook their head. "There wasn't enough to go around. It seems like I can somehow use healing magic now."

"Then why use it on me? After how I treated you? After what I did?" Vi only looked at Riko out of the corners of their eyes. "Why did you bother protecting me at all?"

"You were in trouble and needed help, that's all."

They were silent amongst themselves for a while.

"I was wrong," Vi faint-heartedly admitted.

"It's okay," Riko gently comforted.

Vi's eyes began to swell with tears. "No, I mean I've been  wrong all my life. I was abandoned by the people I trusted when I was way too young to know how to handle it. I was alone for so long after that. I thought that if I shut everyone else out and relied on only my strength, I'd never be hurt again. But I was wrong." He turned to Riko, a few tears now visibly streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry for how I treated you, Riko. I'm sorry for what I did. I never should have taken it that far, I should've never even thought about it."

Riko stepped a bit further into the room. "I'm not exactly sure what you've had to go through, but it sounds like you've had it rough for a long time. I promise, it's okay."

Vi sniffled and once again broke eye contact. "Something funny just occurred to me," he said after a brief pause.

"What's that?"

"This is officially the closest we've been to getting along."

"Maybe it doesn't have to be."

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-valves]

So....we're gonna get a story about that playboy outfit right? Because I've been saying for the longest that sub Luisa does not get the recognition she deserves

The lesbians have infiltrated my inbox like raccoons- I shall feed you all while I pspsps in a dark alley.

(Also they're referring to THIS adorable post;

Opening the Encanto was a change for everyone. Not only did it bring new people, new cultures, it also brought new concepts. Like money. Until the Encanto opened to the world, money wasn't a thing. You just had something, and you needed it. It wasn't a thing that affected the town too much-unless you wanted to buy from foreign merchants. Which is what Luisa was trying to do. Her dad's birthday was next month, and she saw just the most stunning metronome in the merchant's quare. But, she had no money.

Thankfully, she WAS offered a job. A job that required a...uniform.

"Luisa honey, you almost done?"

Her new 'boss' was a friend of the merchant, and bought the gift for her, letting her pay it back by working at her club. Luisa struggled in the changing room, the outfit a bit...much.

"Just one second! I've uh. Never worn something like this before."

"Well just don't take too long, everyone is so excited to meet you!"

She groaned as she looked at herself in the mirror. A leather one piece that BARELY covered her chest, black boots that almost reached her knees, and a set of floppy bunny ears. She felt ridiculous. But she wasn't above work, especially to give her Pa a good gift. She walked out, and the woman looked overjoyed, touching her arm in admiration. Luisa didn't mind it, especially since she was such a sweet lady.

"So it uh. Doesn't look bad?"

"Absolutely not! You look wonderful honey! Come on now, we're running a little behind!"

Luisa wasn't looking forward to this. The idea of men ogling her and catcalling her while she served them drinks- sounded gross. Least, that's what she thought the club was, until she walked in. There wasn't a man in sight. It was all women. Very...physically affectionate women. The light's were dim, she could smell shitty bar food and slight wisps of smoke. She felt eyes on her in a heartbeat, and she found herself shrinking.

"I uh. You sure I can't just carry stuff or-"

"Honey, you'll be fine! They're like that with new fish. Once you get comfortable, this'll be like your second home. Let's show you around!"

She walked Luisa to the bar, trying to ignore the gazes. She wasn't sure what those looks were, just that there wasn't a lack of them. She motioned to the woman behind the counter, a younger woman with dark hair, dolled up in a suit. She looked sharp. She looked Luisa up and down, gently whistling.

"Oh. You weren't kidding when you said she was an eye catcher."

"Right? Luisa, this is Martha, she's going to take good care of you. Now, I'm going to head to my office, paperwork to do. You come find me if anyone gives you problems."

With a pat to her bicep, the bubbly older woman left, leaving her with the firm faced woman. Martha held a gloved hand to her, shaking her hand.

"It's nice to meet you. Been working here long?"

"Since the place opened, yes. She's a friend of my family, so I offered. She tell you what your job is?"

"Uh yeah. I serve people, right?"

Martha nodded at another bunny in the corner. She was in the lap of another woman, showering her in attention as she drank her wine.

"And entertainment, upon request."

"She...didn't mention that part."

"She was worried it'd spook you. You're new, so you'll get a few of them. Don't worry though, they can keep their hands to themselves. For the most part. Now, let's get started."

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

Luisa thought she'd hate it here. Thought maybe she'd even be bad at this. Maybe it was just because it was her first week here, but it turns out, she was REALLY good at this. The woman were all different, but they all were friendly to her. Luisa was on her way back to the bar, about to pick up some drinks, when yet again, someone called out to her.

"Hey, Lulu! Do the thing again, my friend missed it!"

She sighed. She was hoping she'd get the next round of drinks before this, but oh well. Make them happy. She put the tray down, lifted her arms up, and flexed. The way they all squealed in delight got to her head, just a bit. She had been cheered for her strength before, by men and women alike. But this was so different. This was adoration, this was the sound of MANY women swooning for her. When they seemed satisfied, at least for now, she picked up her tray, making it back to the bar. Martha chuckled, putting the drinks on her tray for her.

"You're on fire tonight, Luisa."

"Yeah, you're stealing all our tables, cottontail."

A fellow server, Amy, stuck her tongue out at her playfully. Turns out, she got along VERY well with her coworkers too. Luisa shrugged.

"Sorry. If it helps, I don't get it either, you're WAY prettier than me."

Amy scoffed, as if she was offended. Then Satsuma followed suit, then Aubrey, then the rest of the servers seemed to huddle around her.

"Girl no, you say that again, imma get so pissed."

"Did someone say you weren't? Give me a table, I'll spit in their food."

"You're SO pretty, Luisa!"

Luisa couldn't lie, being pampered by so many women who quickly became her friends was honestly...nice. She found herself getting red in the face as she nervously hugged her arm.

"Aw, guys...really, that's sweet."

"Hate to interrupt this Luisa fest, which I love, good support girls,"

Her boss, Babs, immediately broke into the Luisa love circle, taking a hold of her hand.

"But I need to borrow her. Girls, handle her tables for her, she's going to be with me for the rest of the day."

They took care of Luisa's work, without hesitation. Luisa looked at her boss as she escorted her to a room in the back.

"Do you guys need help in the kitchen again? I'm telling you, losing stuff behind the stove that often isn't normal-"

"No no. I need you to entertain this reserved party for me. You have a fridge full of everything you need in there, just serve them and look pretty."

"You're panicking- they important?"

"Very. Very important clients, who are as rich as they are gay. They've critiqued EVERYTHING in here, even the size of the fucking ice. People like you, so this is a job just for you."

Babs held both her hands as they stopped in front of the door.

"If you make them all happy, you can consider your debt paid. Genuinely, I need this to go perfectly. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

"That's my girl. Now go on!"

Luisa was always a yes gal. Never really finding a way to say no to people, even if she wanted to. She took a deep breath, and walked right in. There were so many women in here, each one just. Oh so pretty. She felt herself clam up for a second, especially under their judgemental gaze. She licked her lips, before forcing herself to speak.

"Uh. Hello, ladies. I'm Luisa, I'm here to serve you all."

She felt like a lamb in a lions den. So many predatory eyes, so many sets of licked lips. One of them (a rather tall, long haired woman. The room seemed to focus on her, giving off the vibe that she was the leader), looked at her, a grin over her glossy lips.

"Oh, so YOU'RE Lulu. We've heard SO much about you."

"Think she's the only interesting thing about this place, Sonya."

She nodded in agreement. She motioned for the girls to scoot over a bit, before gesturing for Luisa to approach.

"She's right. Sit down for a moment, won't you? Humor us for a while."

"Yes ma'am."

She sat down, as she was told, and she immediately felt the girls swarm her like bees. Sonya let one of her nails drag down her bicep, humming in approval.

"You're a big girl, aren't you? I bet your girlfriend likes these muscles of yours."

"She does. Is what I'd say if I had one."

The girls muttered amongst themselves, as if in disbelief.

"What? No way! But you're so pretty!"

One woman felt at her other bicep, giving it a bit of a squeeze.

"And so strong!"

"And so big! Look at these broad shoulders, I'm SWOONING!"

"L-ladies, please..."

She was feeling a little embarrassed. So many sets of soft hands, smells of pretty and expensive perfumes overwhelmed her nostrils. Hands on her arms, her shoulders, and a few even trailed up her legs.

"Such NICE legs too!"

"Okay but like, look at this pretty hair! It's done up so beautifully! Oh I WISHED my hair looked this nice!"

The hand fiddling with a strand of her hair made her chuckle. All these pretty ladies thought SHE was pretty? It was a lot at once.

"Thanks. My dad did it for me."

The room flooded with 'awww's, all in pure adoration.

"Awww! She's a daddy's girl!"

"She's so cute!"

"Oh I could just eat you up!!"

"Sonya, you've been quiet!"

Sonya had been doing nothing but playing with her bicep while everyone else voiced praises for her. Sonya reached up to grab her face, letting her thumb caress her bottom lip.

"You have such nice lips. You must get girls wanting to kiss you often, don't they?"

"If uh...if they do, I dunno anything about it."

"Well. You will now, won't you?"

She pulled Luisa to her, pressing her lips against hers. It was a simple kiss, nothing crazy, but it still left her head spinning. The taste if black cherries clung to her lips once she pulled away.

"I...I uh..."

"Hey! I want a turn!"

Before Luisa could stop it, another set of lips were on hers. Then another. And another. She found herself losing track at how many women were kissing her, especially given the way the other hands moved. They were greedy now, squeezing and rubbing and searching. Heat singed her face once one of the hands drifted to right between her legs. The woman who was kissing her stopped as another spoke, pushing her attire aside in order to look at her embarrassingly wet pussy.

"Sonya, she's wet! And so CUTE! Can we play with her, please please please?!"

Sonya held one of her hands, decorating her skin with kisses and leaving purple smudges across her skin.

"Only if she asks. Do you want us to keep going, sweetheart?"

She hesitated. Even as the woman continued to smear different colored lipstick against her skin, even as they kept massaging and muttering praises over her body, she wondered if she should truly let herself be at their mercy. She was tempted to say no, when one woman's nails tickled against the back of her neck. Something about the way her shuddering made them giggle, just drove her crazy.

"Yes ma'am. P-please."

"Aw, daddy raised her with such manners! My turn!"

Said woman pressed her lips against hers, surprising her by sneaking her tongue right into her mouth. Other girls continued to savor her, tongues and lips against whatever part they could get their hands on. She jumped a bit upon feeling fingers graze against her wetness. Sonya cupped her cheek in her hand, hishing her in comfort.

"Calmase, my little pet. We're gentle with our toys. Just relax. Look at me with those pretty eyes of yours. You understand mommy?"

Luisa nodded, feeling her toes curl upon feeling a finger slowly push inside of her. The only fingers that had ever been inside of her were her own, so having a strangers inside was so...different. Luisa wanted to lean in to kiss Sonya again, only to have her pull away, wagging a finger in front of her face. Like a good girl, Luisa immediately knew what to do.

"I understand, mommy, r-really I do."

"Such a good girl."

Luisa lost herself in the hand touches and kisses. She practically melted into all their holds as the woman continued to finger her. One finger turned into two, two into three, before she seemed to grow bored of it, and just use her mouth. Luisa fought the urge to jump upon the feeling of a small, wet tongue lapping at her wet folds. She wanted to hold her head, in order to push against her cute face, but her hands were clearly busy, being buried in kisses upon kisses. That is, until that wasn't good enough.

Then they started to use her hands for more filthy ways. They used her fingers to rub at their own pussies, to grab at their tits, to shove in their mouths, to shove in other's mouths. Luisa wasn't even trying to do anything, she was just being touched and groped to their satisfaction. The one eating her pussy chuckled, getting a big head over the fluids dripping down her chin.

"I think someone's getting close! Hasn't anyone eaten you out before?"

Luisa tried to stop the drool from running down her chin, but she was failing.

"Uh...n-no. I don't uh, usually have time for this sorta thing. Or uh...girls don't look at me like that."

The room was in an uproar, even as everyone continued their actions.

"That's so dumb! Honey bunny, I'll be your girlfriend!"

"What if I want dibs!?"

"Nu uh, she's too pretty to share!"

Sonya held a hand up to silence everyone, before pinching Luisa's cheek.

"There's more than enough of her to share, girls."

"We can ALL be her girlfriend! Oh that's perfect!"

Luisa gave a weak nod. The one at her pussy hadn't stopped at all, grabbing her legs tightly, and forcing Luisa to smother her with her thighs. She'd tell them the sky was red if it meant keeping her from stopping. Her nose pushed against her clit, her lips and tongue slurped her up- it was killing her. Sonya held her face, letting herself lips bury themselves in the crook of her neck.

"Why don't you cum for us, honey? You're so pretty and precious. We'd love to see a big girl like you cum."

"Yeah, cum all over her face, Luisa!"

"She's going to look so cute! I bet she bites her bottom lip!"

"I bet she curls her cute little toes!"

"I bet her body gets all tense!"

It turns out, Luisa did all three. She only lasted a few more seconds before cumming right into that girl's mouth, swearing under her breath, before biting her bottom lip, hard enough to make it hurt. The woman ate her out the whole way through, only showing mercy when Luisa started to whine. She pulled away, and Luisa was about to say thank you, when another woman took her place, kneeling in front of her, and enveloping her pussy in her mouth. Luisa didn't know how long they'd keep her. But she'd be patient.

She was a good little bunny.

[ca-8]

Yakko x Reader Scenario: When You First Meet

'This is it. The beginning of the end.' 

Gripping on the straps of her backpack, (Y/n) exited the bus and stared up at the water tower that displayed the famous Warner Bros. logo. As expected, it emitted a smug aura onto the entire area; however, surprisingly, there was a slight twinge of mystery to it as well. But she didn't have time to ponder about it, so she only gave it an uneasy look and headed straight for the entrance.

Her heart stopped. She knew the place was going to be busy, but it was like an entire New York City packed in one section! So many writers, producers, actors, large men carrying heavy sets, every type of person working in film was scattered all over the place. It was like an ocean, with the people as marine life doing what they're designed to do, and (Y/n) being the puppy that was abandoned at sea.

The moment it all settled in, an involuntary realization invaded her thoughts. 'I don't belong here.'

The young girl reminded herself to breathe and rushed over to a vacant wall, then pulled out her phone. She had already sent her mother about a thousand messages telling her she was here, but since she hasn't responded, a few more shouldn't hurt. Fingers rapidly typing away, she bit her lower lip, already wishing she had stayed on that bus. 

"Oh, you're just gonna love it!" Her mother's squealing voice had already filled her skull. "You're so talented, I know you're gonna fit right in."

'Yeah, standing around all day with a bunch of people I don't know while doing something I suck at is exactly how I wanna spend my summer.' She let out a soft sigh. 'It's fine. Just shut up and make her happy, (Y/n).'

Several attempts of calling and texting later, no response. (Y/n) sighed again, and her eyes wandered over to the bustling crowd. 'No way. Absolutely no way.' But if she wanted to get the day over with, absolutely yes way.

First, she walked up to a lady looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "Um, excuse me," (Y/n) said. 

The lady's head snatched up. "KYLE!" she yelled, her eyes now ablaze with fury, "YOU IDIOT! THAT GOES IN THE WAREHOUSE ACROSS THE STUDIO!" And like there was nothing but a breeze behind her, the lady stomped off to the poor soul that had to face her wrath.

The breeze took a step back and ran around the corner. 'Maybe I'll find someone else instead…!' (Y/n) stopped and spotted a man sitting on the steps that lead to the entrance of a small building. She swallowed whatever was left in her mouth and reluctantly approached him. 

"E-Excuse me, sir?" she stuttered, hoping her voice was louder than the last time. As she got closer, (Y/n) noticed he was chuckling, and his gaze was glued onto a small piece of paper. 

"I...I did it…!" he said. She yelped and shrinked back when he suddenly jumped to his feet. "I FINALLY DID IT! WE'LL SEE WHO'S REGRETTING THE DIVORCE NOW, MARGARET!" And with a manic laugh, the man dashed into the building. 

'...Or maybe I'll just find it myself.'

It wasn't too long before (Y/n) got herself lost. Despite the help of maps that were stuck to some of the buildings, all of them seemed exactly the same. It was like a maze, and with each passing minute, she was more and more convinced that there was no finish line. Even worse, her mother was too busy to respond to anything she sent her. 

'Oh, what should I do?' (Y/n) thought for the thousandth time. No matter how hard she pinched or held them, her arms refused to stop trembling. Not too long ago, the outside of the studio became deserted and she'd hate to walk in a warehouse and possibly interrupt something important, so asking for help again was out of the question.

...Or, perhaps it wasn't. 

A tiny, hopeful smile crossed (Y/n)'s face when she heard the sounds of frustrated grunts around the corner. It was the first time she was so relieved to see a stranger. 

And thank god that stranger was a security guard. Though she wondered why he had a giant net in his hand, she shoved the curiosity as far in the back of her mind as she could and reached up to gently tap his shoulder. 

"Um, excuse me sir?" she asked as loud as she could. 

His head whipped around, revealing angry eyes and a scowl that said he was ready to kill. But right as his gaze landed on her, it changed within an instant. 

"Oh, hello!" he said with a bright smile. 

(Y/n) blinked, cocking her head. ‘What was this guy up to?’

"I'm sorry to bother you, but do you know where (M/n) (L/n) is filming? I'm her daughter, (Y/n), and I'm trying to look for her. She's not answering her phone either."

His joyful expression slowly melted into a confused one. "Uuhhh…(M/n) (L/n)?”

“Yes. She’s a part of Animal Kingdom? Do you know where that’s being filmed?”

“Oh! I know there’s a zoo around here called Animal Kingdom! I don’t think you’ll find it in a film studio, though.”

(Y/n) frowned. “...No, I mean the show. Aren’t they filming in a warehouse today? Do you know where that is?”

“Who’s ‘they’?”

Her eye twitched, and she was just about ready to drown the entire studio in the nearest ocean. “N-Nevermind, I’ll just-”

As if the universe wasn’t satisfied with tormenting her enough, the security guard suddenly launched up into the air and flew into the sky. Right before her eyes, the heavens were coated with explosives of every color that ever existed. 

“Oh my god!” (Y/n) yelled. ‘Who strapped fireworks on that guy?!’

“Oh, I knew you’d love it!”

Her eyes were ripped from the loud fireworks show as she was immediately smothered in a hug. “It’s so nice that another girl’s here! All the other ones here are either too busy or just keep shouting about a restraining order for some reason. I dunno, but anyway, I just know you're gonna love it here! Anyway, my name’s Princess Angelina Louisa Cantessa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the third! But since we're friends now, you can just call me Dot.”

This confirmed it. This was a trap set up by her mother to deliberately drive her insane, because how else can someone explain the nut jobs and talking dogs in pink dresses? 

A combination of those two things happened to be clutching her head and digging her face into hers. “...Huh?” (Y/n) mumbled.

‘Dot’ jumped off of her and smiled widely. “Sorry about Ralph by the way. I figured out you were coming at the last second and I really needed someone for your welcoming gift.” she said.

(Y/n) glanced up at the sky where the fireworks were slowly dying down. “Um...Is he gonna be okay?” she asked.  

“Of course he will!” her backpack said.

The teen screamed and threw her bag on the ground. A hand popped out and unzipped it with impossible ease, then a taller boy version of Dot jumped out, pulling up his long brown pants and flashing a grin. 

“H-...H-H-How did you…?!” (Y/n) stuttered, pointing at him. 

“What? Never heard of cartoon logic?” he said, approaching her. “And Ralph’ll be fine. His skull’s so thick, concrete’s the last thing that can kill him.”

“What-?”

“Anyhow,” he walked over to Dot and put an arm over her shoulder, “The name’s Yakko, this here’s my beloved baby sister Dot, and this is-” He stopped, staring at the empty space to his left. He leaned into Dot, whispering, “Say, uh, you don't mind looking for Wakko, do ya sis?”

Dot glanced at (Y/n) for an uncomfortable moment and suddenly shot her brother a glare. "I've got eyes all over this studio, Yakko," she warned, slowly stepping away.

Now (Y/n) certainly knew she didn't see pairs of eyes appear around every inch of her sight. 'Oh god, I didn't breath in drugs on the way here, did I? Actually, that would explain whatever the heck's going on.'

Yakko smiled as he watched his sister leave and turned to (Y/n). He walked closer to her, and she realized that his half-lidded eyes had a strange glint in them. “Sooo, your name’s (Y/n), right? A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

(Y/n)’s face heated up. ‘First I get lost, then see a guy get blown up, and now some other guy’s flirting with me? ...To be honest, this is still better than what Mom had planned for today.’

“So what brings ya’ here?” he asked.

“O-Oh, well, my Mom was supposed to give me a tour of the studio, but I’ve been giving that to myself all day. I tried finding her, but I’m pretty sure I’m nowhere near it by now.” Her eyes wandered over to the ground, but a realization made them perk back up and over to Yakko. “Hey, do you happen to know this place by any chance?”

“Know it? Please, my sibs and I live here, we know this place by heart and soul!” He mumbled something else, along the lines of “Basically made our hearts and souls”. 

Her heart jumped; finally, a piece of good news. “Really?” she said, a smile spreading across her face.

He nodded. “So where do ya’ need to go?” Before she could answer, he pulled out a piece of folded paper and moved in so close, their shoulders were smooshed together. Yakko unfolded it, and it turned out to be the biggest map (Y/n) has ever seen. “Well, from here, you’re gonna need to take a right and continue straight until you get to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts exhibit. But be careful, I heard some of them escaped, and if anyone asks if you’ve seen any of them, don’t tell them I gave one to Dot as a late birthday gift. Anyway, you take a left from there, then a right where you’ll see the lot where they used to shoot Game of Thrones. Now this is only a rumour I’ve heard, but I think some of the producers are still on that set. If you happen to see them, do not, I repeat, DO NOT mention season eight, or maybe just don’t mention the show at all. Actually, don’t even look at them. As a matter of fact, you probably shouldn’t even go there at all, just keep heading straight until you get to the D.C. Universe lot. Then you just take left there, then a sharp right over over, then you keep going straight until you get to here, turn up over there, turn right there, and then you’re there. Did ya’ follow all that?”

(Y/n) stared at his face, which was practically radiating with enthusiasm, and she felt her eye twitch again. “...No,” she said, shaking her head.

His smile dimmed, but it became just as bright as the sun again a split-second later. “Ah well, maps are gettin' old anyways,” he said, throwing the map over his shoulder. “WAKKO!!”

And, low and behold, another anthropomorphic dog popped out of nowhere, and (Y/n) was starting to question if there was an army of them hidden somewhere. But she had to admit, it was pretty cute how this one was dressed in an oversized blue sweater and red hat. 

“Tablet, please,” Yakko said politely, holding out his hand. 

‘You're not gonna walk me there-?'

Wakko suddenly held his head back with his cheeks puffed out, then leaned into Yakko’s hand as he forced out a small object from his mouth. After an incredibly uneasy moment, a tablet glazed in spit was in Yakko's grasp. While he praised the little guy, (Y/n) forced back the urge to vomit.

“E-Ehhhh…?” She couldn’t say anything else while her gaze frantically went back and forth from Wakko and the regurgitated tablet. 

“Oh! Where are my manners?” Yakko said. “(Y/n), this is my dear little brother, Wakko. Wakko, this here’s our new special friend, (Y/n).” 

“Hello!” Wakko greeted, who was suddenly in her arms. “You’re really pretty!”

“Ehh? Thank you? I guess??” she said apprehensively, and finally managed to make eye contact. Despite his...quirks, he's actually a little adorable... She let herself grin a little.

The moment of semi-peace was ruined when she took notice of Yakko’s narrowed eyes. “ALrighty, (Y/n)!” he said loudly, grabbing his little brother by the collar and gently setting him on the ground. “Animal Kingdom, right? Let’s get ya’ right over there.” He moved right beside her and taped the screen a couple times. 

“Um, what’re you doing exactly?” she asked.

“Doing what every person does to get somewhere nowadays.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, and (Y/n) flinched from his touch. “Please keep your arms, legs, and personal items inside the tablet at all times.”

Just when she was about to question him for the hundredth time, he pressed the screen again, and her vision became nothing but white. Her body felt like it was launched into a tornado; a strong force of wind thrusted her back, and somehow, the boy’s arm kept her from flying off from his side. A second later, her feet were back on the ground, the sky was where it needed to be, and reality was back in place. 

Except for (Y/n)’s mentality. 

She stumbled around, trying to find her balance as the world unbearably whirled around her. Finally, she shook her head, and quickly turned back towards Yakko, whose face tried to tell her whatever happened was perfectly fine and normal. 

“What was THAT?” she yelled, staggering towards him and gripping his shoulders.

And he still had the audacity to have that 'why-are-you-freaking-out-so-much-we-do-this-every-Friday' smile. “Thank you for attending Warner’s Travel Tours! I would say my Agent Ralph’ll take your bags, but I left him alone with my sibs, so he’s probably in the middle of the Pacific Ocean by now.”

(Y/n) could only stare at him. Her mind was twisting and turning, trying so hard to make any sense of what happened but only making her headache grow larger and larger. And then, her thoughts just went blank.

She smirked. Then giggled. And a few seconds later, she had burst out laughing whilst holding her stomach. (Y/n) looked back up at Yakko, wiping a tear from her eye. “Th-Thank you…” she said, catching her breath. 

His smile had grown and she thought his white cheeks were red for a moment. Yakko had opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by a net suddenly covering his entire body. Ralph was behind him, his skin and clothes burnt and ears practically smoking. “You’re coming with me, Warner!” he said.

And yet, Yakko only grinned. Like physics was his enemy, he disappeared from inside the net and appeared sprouting from the security guard’s back, cheerfully waving at (Y/n). “I’ll see ya’ around, yeah?” he said, then ran around the corner with Ralph sprinting right after him.

(Y/n) giggled and reached for the straps around her back. But when she only felt the (f/c) fabric of her shirt, her smile dropped, and a deep sigh escaped her lips. “Great…” she whispered.

“(Y/N)!” 

She gasped as a pair of arms squeezed the life out of her. Her mother spun her around to face her gleaming smile, which was immediately replaced by an apologetic frown. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get your texts! That scene took forever, but I’m glad you found your way here! You’re so smart! Anyway, I know we don’t get as much time now, but there’s still so much we’ll be able to see!...”

She rambled on and on and on and on. Her daughter’s shoulders slumped and she followed her to where she wanted her to go, but the frown on her face didn’t last long when she remembered the fun she had just a few seconds ago. ‘Maybe this summer won’t be that bad.’

[erzaguin]

Huntmira Week 2021 Day 4: Human AU

“Hey you’re the new transfer student right? My name is Amity and as your class rep I’ll be giving you a tour of the school. Follow me and don’t fall behind. We have a schedule to keep and we are already running late.” said the cotton candy haired girl as she started walking briskly away. “Come on I wasn’t kidding I will leave you behind if you don’t hurry.” 

“Alright so you already know where the office is. If you get in any trouble this is where they’ll bring you. Down that hallway over there is the school library which you have access to at any time during school hours. Come on, we're already running behind schedule so we don’t have time to see it.” she stated as she continued walking forward at a fast pace.

“Now the school is essentially divided into four parts each of which is assigned to a different grade level. Essentially it is meant to give students more time in between classes so they can get whatever materials they need from their lockers. Speaking of which, this one is yours.” she noted as she came to a sudden stop. “The number and the combination are on the welcome packet you received at the front desk. As you may have assumed already this is the freshman hallway apart from electives all of your other classes will  be here. Any questions? No? Good. Let’s keep moving.” without so much as a pause she turned on her heels and started moving at the same brisk pace.

“The hallway to your left leads to the juniors hall and the sophomore hall was the first hallway to your left when you entered the school. As for the senior hall that would be the separate building at the back of the school. The cafeteria is right at the center of the school and it also doubles as a social area. And this is the gym.” she stated as they reached a large oval shaped building separated from the rest of the school. “Hopefully nobody notices we are late” grumbled Amity under her breath as she opened the door. 

As soon as the door opened a roar of cheers washed over the pair as they entered the building. The gymnasium was filled with the entirety of the student body who appeared to be completely enthralled by whatever the captain of the girl’s basketball team was saying. She along with the rest of the basketball team were standing at the center of the gym with the school principal standing a few feet to the side beaming with pride. 

Amity ignored them completely as she tried to make out where her friends were in the stands. Without saying a word she tugged on the transfer student’s sleeve to get them to follow her. 

“Hey Amity, you made it. Oh is this the new transfer student” whispered Willow as Amity took the empty seat behind her. “Yeah sorry we’re late I had to give them a quick tour before coming here.” grumbled Amity as she thought about how late they were. 

“Oh don’t mind Amity she can be a bit grumpy in the mornings . . . and afternoons. I’m Willow by the way” she said in a cheery voice. “I’m Gus! Your family just moved to Gravesfield right? said the young man sitting next to Willow. “You’re going to need someone to give you a run down of what you need to know abouts Gravesfield. But never fear Gus is here.” Boasted the youth before proceeding to give the transfer student a rundown. 

“The first thing to know is that Gravesfield athletes are mini celebrities in town. If there is one thing Gravesfield High is known for it would be our sports teams. And because there is only one high school everyone in town gets pretty into it.” explained Gus with excitement but before he could continue the school principal called for everyone's attention the gymnasium became quiet.

“Now that we have heard from our athletes who will be representing our school out in the field it is time to hear from our student council.”exclaimed principal Bump as a small group of students made their way to the center of the gymnasium. 

Rather than applauding the student body stayed quiet as the youths continued to make their way to the center. There were only three of them but their presence  alone commanded the attention of every individual in the gymnasium. 

“Oh boy” mumbled Amity too herself as she saw her two siblings take center stage along with their best friend hunter. 

The three stood in a line facing the other students with Hunter in the middle with Edrick to his left and Emira to his right. The tension in the gymnasium had started to increase when without raising his voice Edric said “Hey” giving the students a sly smile. Without any warning the entire gym burst into a cacophony of cheers. Which only intensified when Emira gave them a wink.

“They really are popular aren’t days,” noted Willow as she looked at Amity who was trying to shrink into herself from embarrassment. 

“This must be really weird for you to see huh?” shouted Gus  over the crowd to the transfer student. “ Yeah, if the athletes are celebrities then the members of the student council are royalty.” said Gus before pausing for dramatic effect.

“The twins are Edric and Emira Blight. Edric is the treasurer and Emira is the vice president. They are on the top of their class, always the leads in any school play, and probably the most charismatic people you’ll ever meet. Also if that name sounds familiar it’s because more than likely your parents bought your new home from their mom Odalia Blight. She is the most well known real estate agent in the area. Not only that but their family also owns a security company.You might have seen some homes with a sign that says “protected by Blight security." 

"Some? Don't you mean all? Every building in Gravesfield uses Blight security. And aren't you forgetting one very important Blight?" Added Willow as she nudged her head towards Amity.

"Oh right Amity is also a Blight and she has the top spot in the freshman class she's als…"  

"That's ok no need for my resume " Interrupted Amity with a face that shows equal amounts of annoyance and embarrassment. 

"Suit yourself " shrugged Gus. "Anyway the blond guy between the twins is the school president Hunter Wittebane. If he looks familiar it's because he's on all the promotional posters with his uncle Mayor Belos. He is the most influential man in Gravesfield and Hunter will definitely follow in his uncle's footsteps. He is the captain of all the boys sports teams as well as the debate club, book club, and history club. Honestly he’s a very intimidating guy if you think about it.” mused Gus. 

“You know there’s a lot of rumors of how he became school president during his freshman year. They don’t normally allow freshmen to run.” puzzled Willow not asking anyone in particular but was loud enough for other students to hear and joined in the conversation. 

“I heard his uncle threaten the school” said a girl sitting in the row under theirs. 

“I heard the twins charmed the school principal to let him run,” said the girl next to her. 

“I heard a rumor that people added his name to the ballot when they heard he was dating one of the twins.” said a boy from somewhere above them. 

“I heard he was dating both” shouted someone else from a distance. 

“Silence,” a commanding voice rang through the gymnasium as all the students fell quiet. Hunter had stepped up to the mic and was now scowling the students in front of him. 

“Thank you,” he said in an almost gloating tone with a smug smile on his face. 

“It's good to see that everyone is so excited about school.” whispered Emira giving Hunter a sly smile causing him to roll his eyes. 

“As you all know we are the current members of the student council. We are here to let you know elections will be coming up soon and we encourage anyone interested to go run for a position in the student council. Just know that we will also be running to keep our positions. Now if you excuse us we have work to do.” boasted Hunter before turning on his heels and making his way out of the gym.

The twins waved goodbye to the crowd causing the gymnasium to erupt into a fit of cheers which could be heard even after they had left the gymnasium. 

"Do you two always have to be so extra?" Mumbled Hunter as he walked down the hallway. 

"Oh don’t be like that Hunny" said Edric as he put an arm around Hunter and gave him a flirtatious smile.

"Yeah it's not our fault that the crowd loves us." chimed in Emira as she clinged to Hunter’s arm.

“Yeah right and don’t call me Hunny” scoffed Hunter who by now should be used to the twins' shenanigans but they always found new ways to annoy him. 

Both twins let go of Hunter at the same time and let out a gasp as they feigned being shocked. “But you used to love us calling you Hunny” Groaned Edric while pretending to cover some tears. 

“Our little Hunny is growing up. He's embarrassed of us now.” said Emira as she mimiqued her brother’s reaction.  

Hunter let out a long sigh as he looked at his best friends pretending to cry. Even knowing there were no tears there he just could not bear the thought of upsetting them. These two had been his best friends, his only real friends since pre school. Because his uncle was such a powerful and influential man many people tried approaching Hunter as a means of getting close to his uncle. He understood that the twins felt the same because of how often people approached them for their families business connections and wealth. Then there were those who were too scared to approach any of them because they found them intimidating or just out of reach. 

They had never cared about who his uncle was just as he did not care about their families business.  He just couldn’t imagine what his life would be like if they hadn't approached him on their first day of pre-school.

The twins had stopped pretending to cry once they saw the expression on Hunter’s face. “Hey you ok?” asked Emira, genuinely concerned as she approached Hunter.

“If it bothers you that much we’ll stop” sniffled Edric as real tears were threatening to break through. 

Hunter looked at the pair and could not help himself from smiling appone seeing their grief stricken faces. These were his favorite people in the world just as they were the most annoying.

 “I hate you guys.” said Hunter with a smirk. 

To this both twins lit up and latched on to either one of his arms as they continued walking down the hallway before saying in  unison “Aww we love you too Hunny.”  

“Stop calling me that” demanded Hunter as he let himself be pulled away by the two.

[marchioness-caprina]

You Like Me Not?

{ Final Part }

Pairings : Takami Keigo ( Hawks) x Reader

Writing Style : 3rd Person

Warning : Cussing, Stalker Tendencies, Toxic Tendencies.

Word Count : 2947

Read; { Part 1 } , { Part 2 }

3rd Person's POV

A month has Passed. Yes a whole Month has passed and y/n was surprisingly doing well; in the surface at least.

Inside. Not so well but at least she's coping up a lot better than a few weeks ago where she'd often cry herself to sleep, even in the showers. The lingering pain was still haunting her like there's no tomorrow but now she's getting used to it.

After all, First love is usually the greatest and the most painful experience.

Instead of moping around and sulking, she began investing her time and effort into being a Hero. And the effort paid off greatly; her performance was improving and she's proud to say that she's on par with the top three of the class which mainly consists of Izuku, Todoroki and Bakugou.

She was finally getting the attention that she deserved, plus it takes her mind off of Keigo and his jerkass.

However, at the end of the day she felt so empty and devoid of something---someone she longs for. And she will never accept that it was Keigo she was looking for.

But she needs to stay strong and let go of those people who can't even appreciate the little things she does; she won't let them bring her down. No, not when she's finally seeing something big for her up ahead.

Unfortunate as the saying goes ; All good things will come to an end. And for y/n, that is today.

Their class was split in groups for an Activity. Y/n along with Kirishima and Mina and Izuku were paired up to patrol the busy part of the city where crimes are mostly committed.

And guess who their Hero guide is? Yup one of them is Hawks and the other one is Enchanting.

Y/n who had a smile on her face seemed calm on first approach but inside she was cussing her heart out for the terrible luck she's got.

It had to be two of her worst nightmare. How charming.

" You Kids doing fine back there? " Keigo asked, his eyes never leading the road and beside him was a bored looking enchantress.

The two were their Hero guides for today and everyone was ecstatic. Except for y/n.

" Yeah we're good! " Kirishima answered for everyone and y/n was thankful that she didn't have to exchange a few unnecessary words with Hawks.

Her attention was now caught by the Broccoli boy right next to her who was vigorously writing notes down on his notebook.

" Oh my gosh it's the Pro Hero Hawks " Izuku was becoming a mumbling mess as He continued to scribble. His pace was a beyond anyone y/n had ever seen and she was very much intrigued by Izuku's unwavering determination.

" You know Midoriya-san, you're actually really handsome up close" Y/n muttered and izuku froze on the spot; heat rising up his cheeks as he tensed. Slowly he turned to see the h/c haired girl who was smiling at him tenderly.

" I-I-I... Umm... T-Thank you Y/n-san... A-and... You're really handsome too.... W-wait I mean n-not handsome because you aren't a g-guy w-what I meant to say was... P-pretty.... You're really pretty" Izuku gushed out and as much as y/n tried to contain her laughter she couldn't keep a straight face and began laughing at Izuku's Adorable antics.

Izuku was going red due to his rising embarrassment as he began to stutter out another list of explanation why he accidentally said it.

But their little conversation didn't go unnoticed by Keigo and Enchanting.

" Wow, she moves Fast. Better try Harder Birdy. As far as I see it; she's sick of you and look she's a boy magnet. You're gonna lose if you keep this up " Enchantress casually gave her comment and Hawks gave her a narrowed look.

" Shut up miss ' I'm a hundred years old' you better hope she'll be mine by the end of the day, I've pulled a lot of strings to get her here and it ain't easy " Hawks kept a calm expression; his lips tugging up into a smirk as he continued " This was your fault to begin with. If I can't win her over today.... Well you're gonna get wrinkles starting tomorrow. I'm not a very forgiving fellow"

" We'll see Hawks... We'll see "

" Oh, we Will "

" Hey! You two lovebirds better stop flirting and Tell Kirishima here that Cats are better than Dogs! " Mina exclaimed and with how loud her voice was; she caught everyone's attention within her first attempt.

" I told you Mina, Dogs are Manly. And they earned the title of Man's Best friend. They're dedicated and Loyal but I wanna know who you guys will vote for" Kirishima replied as he glanced back at the still very flustered Izuku and A Smiling y/n.

" W-well.... I think I prefer Dogs than Cats... Sorry Mina " Izuku gave Mina an apologetic smile as Mina pouted before turning to y/n.

" Come on y/n you gotta be on my side on this one " Mina pleaded and Kirishima pulled her away.

" That's cheating Mina, don't pull the pity card on Y/n. That's so not Manly... But.. Well which do you prefer y/n? "

" Hmm... Well... I----"

" I vote for Birds. I heard Birds are very reliable companions miss y/n. I assume that you feel the same way? " Enchantress piped in and y/n gave her a raised brow but she managed to catch on to what enchantress was saying.

" Oh? Well I understand the reason why you Like Birds Enchantress; I do too... Well I used to anyways but to answer your question I prefer Dogs... Sorry Mina. I like how a Dog will be loyal to you till the very end"

" Hmm? So you're saying Birds aren't Loyal? " Enchantress chimed and y/n's chuckle made Kirishima, Mina and Izuku shudder.

Her laugh was cold and forced; her eyes landed on Enchantress and a teasing smirk was now displayed on her face.

" Well Enchantress, Upon Personal experiences... Then my Answer is No. Birds aren't Loyal at All" Everyone shivered at her response simply because y/n had took the risk of jumping straight onto a landmine. Because Hawks had a bird based Quirk.

The temperature dropped to negative and even enchantress seemed to be affected by the sudden change of the atmosphere.

" Really Now? You wound me Baby Bird " Keigo's smile was passive aggressive and y/n didn't hesitate to return it.

" Don't call me That Hawks. And stop acting like you know me"

" I'm very Hurt by your words... Especially about your opinion on Birds. I for one am very Loyal "

" Nah, I Love dogs but I also like Bunnies... Take izuku for example. He's cute, shy and smart like a Bunny. Not Cunning, Manipulative and Sly Like a... Hawk" Y/n countered as she placed her Hand on top of Izuku's Head petting him gently.

Her action made a growl rip itself from Keigo's Throat and everyone froze at his aggressive reaction.

" Sure, I may be Cunning, Manipulative and Sly... But you forgot one thing Baby Bird "

" And what is it Hawks? "

" Hawks are Birds of Prey... And They are Very Possessive " Keigo answered, his Fetagers began to Bristow and sharpen; eyes trained on y/n's figure as he slightly lowered his stance.

" Huh? Why would I need to know tha------ahhhhh! " A scream was heard as y/n disappeared from her place as well as Hawks.

Unfortunately she was brisked away by the said Hero at A speed far top fast for the human eyes to follow.

" What the!? " Kirishima , Izuku and Mina who were knocked down on the ground after the Aerial impact of the winged hero were stunned as they frantically looked around for their Female Classmate who had vanished into thin air.

" Let them Be kids " Enchantress muttered as she gestured for the teens to follow her.

" B-but--!".

" Let. Them. Be..... Seriously I don't want to have any wrinkles because of that damn Cocky Hawks .... So let them be or else "

________________

" Hawks! Put me Down! " Y/n demanded, she was brisked away and slung onto his shoulders like a bag of potatoes and now Hawks was flying away and note that they are far from the ground.

" As you wish"

Y/n could practically feel the smirk in his voice and her heart dropped along with her body as she screamed for bloody murder because Hawks was being a Jerk and dropped her in Mid-air.

" Keiiiiigooooo! " Her scream was more of a threat and after 15 seconds of falling in Mid-air she was once again brisked away by the winged Hero who was smirking at her.

" God... I missed it so much when you used to call me by my name and not ' Hawks ' or ' Takami' " Keigo chuckled as he faced the girl who was holding onto him for dear life.

" Ah... Shit I almost died" Y/n hissed as she began shifting in her position, her legs were tightly wrapped around Keigo's Torso, her arms had snaked themselves around his neck and don't even get him started on how hard she was pushing her body against his.

" Easy baby Bird. Don't. Be too feisty with me... I might lose control " Keigo whispered bit he was met with a scowl.

" What is wrong with you? Can't you just leave me alone? If you think this is funny well it's not. I don't want to see or even hear you" Y/n spat out as her heart began pounding in her ribcage from both the adrenaline and embarrassment .

Hawks didn't answer and just gave her an intimidating glare that almost had her shrinking and burying her face on his chest.... Almost.

" Sure you don't want to see me... But really? Leeching yourself on every single boy who comes near you? You're driving me crazy Little Bird. I almost became a serial murderer because of you... Picture this... Pro hero Hawks; the first Hero to Murder a student because of Jealousy " Keigo bitterly laughed .

" Keigo... What the fuck are you saying? ---"

" I'm not done venting!, you think it's fun to mess with my head? Where the fuck were you over the past few weeks?! Seeing another man? While I stayed in my office drinking a huge load of bullshit? Driving myself crazy in that room anticipating when you'd show up again!? And now....now you have the guts to flirt with another man right in front of me " Keigo was pouring out all of his frustration right in front of her and he was far from being finished.

" For a moment there I almost considered the possibility of becoming a murderer... Just because he touched my Girl... He stole your attention away from me... I fucking waited and I resisted the urge to fucking drag you to the nearest alleyway y/n----"

" Cut to the fucking chase Keigo! "

" I Love you y/n! That's what I was trying to say Baby Bird. I Fucking Love you! " Keigo panted out and Y/n was more than speechless.

She didn't know what to feel, she didn't know how to react. After all that? And the effort she made to move on... Now... Now he's being so difficult and telling her he love her?!.

" Keigo, if you think a bullshit excuse like that is enough then you're wrong! Have you had any idea how hard and painful it was for me? How much I had to endure became I loved you? Damn well you don't and you don't have the right to slap this shit right in front of me you bastard! I cried myself to sleep and... And... You... ---" She couldn't finish her sentence when tears began to flood her eyes and was now cascading down her flushed cheeks.

She began sobbing and hitting Keigo's chest which has done absolutely zero no no damage at all.

Keigo's only response was to hold her in place and tighten his arms around her waist; letting her vent.

Of course he was awful to her. He was one hell of a fucking idiot to do this to the woman he loves.

He told her everything, it was true. He barely had any decent sleep and worked his ass off while waiting for her return. He didn't want to carry that habit of being an obsessive stalker. Of course he didn't tell her about how he had stalked her multiple times, he didn't want to scare her. But all of it was true. Including the jealousy part.

" I'm sorry Y/n....i really am--"

" Sorry ain't cutting shit you Jerk! Just when I'm moving on you stomp your way back in! "

" No y/n....don't ever move on. Stay here with me... I know this may sound toxic and shitty as fuck but hear me out... I know it hurts but bare with me... Don't move on.. Stay even if it hurts.. Don't leave me and give me every thing of who you are... No matter how painful it is "

" You selfish prick! Do you realize how greedy you sound! You fucking maniac! "

" I know! I know... But all my life I've been deprived of everything I actually wanted.. I was told to be this and not that... I never had the chance to actually have what I want so please y/n....allow me to be selfish when it comes to you... Let me be greedy and give me You. I don't care if I'm selfish because I'm only selfish when it comes to you.... So please. Beat me up, hit me, stab me... I don't care but just don't Leave me" Keigo growled; angry at his words and his selfish desires bit he couldn't help it.

Y/n who was still sobbing her heart out was listening to every word he had uttered. She fought back the idea of actually giving him a chance. She knew Keigo was sick to the bone but she's even worst knowing that this type of guy had attracted her and lured her to love him.

How... Why is she so soft when it comes to him? Is this how love really is? Because if it is... Then she doesn't give a shit. She wants him too. But she isn't going to make it any easier for him. If he wants her then he better earn her, No more miss nice y/n.

And He wanted her... He needed her and he isn't just about to let her go. He'll hunt her down even in hell.

" Keigo... You.... Ugh... I... Shit... "

" Is it working y/n...am I winning you over? "

" Only because I loved you Keigo you prick "

" Correction You still Love me...so be my girlfriend?"

" Whatever. Just so you know, I'm not saying yes to your proposal. You gotta earn me you fucking retard and it isn't going to be easy"

" I knew you were going to say something like that. And yes I'm ready to make those sacrifices for you, Just... No boys " Keigo smirked as he cradled the girl in his arms.

She still had her arms wrapped around his neck as he landed on one of the very few skyscrapers in the city.

" No can do Keigo... Your Baby Bird here is a Boy Magnet---" Upon seeing how fast Keigo's demeanor had shifted to something more gruesome she shut up immediately and nodded her head.

" You too Chicken wings... No girls for you"

" No can do, your Bird man here is a lady magnet " Keigo smirked returning her words at her.

Y/n rolled her eyes and reached her hand up to paw on his blonde hair; giving them a harsh yank but before she pulled him down, her lips meeting his in a rough and demanding kiss to avoid any form of kinky retort from Hawks.

Keigo immediately responded and took full control of dominance as his lips moved in sync with hers. Rough and passionate, but unfortunately Keigo was getting a little bit handsy; his hands made its way towards her thigh giving it a harsh squeeze but before he could do anything else she pulled away covering his mouth with her hands when he tried to catch her lips again.

" Nuh uh Keigo. We're Going slow "

" Ugh... Nice job being a Kill Joy Kid...tsk.."

" Fuck you Keigo"

" Why don't you do it yourself you Coward "

" Oh I will Keigo "

" Really? I don't mind breeding you right here if you wan---"

" Eww Keigo shut up. I was kidding. I want to be a Hero before becoming a Mom"

" Yeah, Good luck with that because I think you're gonna be a momma anytime soon because you said Yes to Me"

" I didn't say jack shit like that Keigo" Y/n snapped as she began squirming in his hold with Keigo chuckling and laughing at her poor attempt.

" Relax. I was Kidding-- "

" Thank Goodness for a moment there I actually thought you we---"

" Maybe "

" Keigo! "

End~? ♡...............

[tatttletale]

Roulette!AU | Steven Universe

AU: Basically, Rose is still Pink Diamond, but this time around, due to her life on Homeworld she's more skittish and soft-spoken, and because of her gentle treatment with her new Pearl, that's allowed her to become more confident, and in this AU Pearl is the leader of the rebellion and Rose is more in the role of "terrifying renegade Quartz". Garnet stays the same as a fusion, and so does Bismuth, but her love interest has changed on account of the personality changes.

Let's start at the beginning. The very beginning.

○○○

"I— I can't believe it," Pink Diamond murmured, voice soft, disbelieving. ". . . My own colony!"

        "Isn't it exciting?" Pearl agreed. "And it looks so beautiful! What should we name it?"

        Pink smiled at Pearl's boldness. If any other Pearl had suggested their owner's colony was just as much theirs, they would undoubtedly be reprimanded. It was safe to say, as well, that Pearl wasn't really hers anymore—she was her own Gem, and if anything, Pink found herself more Pearl's than the other way around.

        "What about. . . Earth?" she gave a soft laugh. "It feels good to finally say it. . . I've been saving that name for so long."

        "I love it," Pearl grinned.

        "Have you already organised the Lapis Lazuli schedules for us?"

        "Of course! The terraforming should only take a few weeks, and then we'll be making our own Gems!"

        "I can't wait," Pink sighed, wistfully.

○○○

Pearl sighed, reaching out to the control panel from her seat on Pink Diamond's lap.

        For now, the moon base was as close as they could get to their new colony, but it quickly grew dull. The Earth hung in front of them like a giant blue marble, teasing them through the communication room's full-wall window.

        "The Kindergarten was injected years ago! Shouldn't they be emerging by now?"

        Pearl squirmed a little on the restless Diamond's lap and placed a hand on the panel, electricity buzzing up through her arm and into her head. Graphs appeared before her eyes.

        "The terraforming is going as scheduled. Lapises are already terraforming the Beta Kindergarten in the northern-western hemisphere. Bismuths have constructed strategic warp panels across the Earth and Peridot technician stations are planned to be developed in the Kindergartens soon. The first—" With a gasp, she lit up, quite literally. "Pink, the first Quartz soldiers are scheduled to emerge soon!"

        "Finally, something exciting!" Pink agreed.

        In a rush, they bustled down to the viewing orb and Pearl turned it on. The walls lit up with a holographic vision of the Prime Kindergarten.

        Pink gasped, gazing around in awe, and Pearl threw an arm out, pointing. "Pink, look!"

        On the far rocky wall, what appeared to be a Gem-shaped hole was glowing pink. A beat later and a grinning Amethyst burst from the rock and landed on the floor. The gem set against her upper arm was clean-cut and pristine.

        Pink felt excitement flare up within her. "We're creating life from. . . nothing!"

        "Welcome to Earth!" Pearl cried to the hologram, and then her face fell as it walked right through her and into the arms of a pair of newly-emerged soldiers.

        Pearl sighed, face resigned. "I wish we could be there."

        Pink said nothing, dreading the inevitable.

        As she'd anticipated, Pearl's features suddenly lit up. "Wait— of course we can be there! We can warp into the Prime Kindergarten!"

        "Wh-What? Pearl, no—" Pink Diamond found herself cringing. "If we went down to the kindergarten—if we were caught—I would never hear the end of it from Yellow and Blue." She let her eyes drop. "Blue would throw me in the Tower."

        The room was silent for a moment, and then Pearl padded over and reached up, lifting her face a little. She could just reach her this way, as she was kneeling on the floor.

        "Pink. . ." Pearl's voice was soft. "You can't let them control you like this."

        Pink only shook her head. "I can't do anything about it—they're my family. If. . ." Her voice petered out. She didn't like the idea herself, but if it would make Pearl happy. . . "—If you want, you can go by yourself. I'll stay here and wait for you."

        "What? No!" Pearl sounded scandalised. "I'm not doing that! We'll both go, together."

        Pink tried to ignore the fluttering feeling her words brought about in her stomach. ". . . How?"

        "What if. . . you shapeshifted? To look like another Quartz?"

        Pink raised her head. "You think so. . .?"

        "Yes!" Suddenly, Pearl was completely onboard with the idea. Gem aglow, she projected a model of her Diamond into the air before them, saturated in a holographic blue. "If you shrink down in height, widen your build, grow out your hair. . . no one would know the difference!" The model complied, shrinking down into a soldier with tight ringlets.

        "I. . . I can try," Pink said, if only to appease her. She took a good look at the hologram and then closed her eyes, imagining the form in her mind's eye, withdrawing the excess of her light projection back into her gem.

        She heard Pearl gasp, and she opened her eyes.

        "You look amazing!" Pearl cried, and brushed a hand over her chest. She shivered. "You even remembered the Court symbol!"

        Pink smiled down at her in relief, and she could have sworn Pearl flushed before she stepped back and cleared her throat, shooting her a mischievous smile. "Are you ready to go?"

○○○

The Kindergarten warp pad chimed, shooting a beam of light into the sky. When the light cleared, it left a Pearl and a pink Quartz soldier standing together, gazing in awe around at the enormous canyon.

        "Pearl. . . look!" Pink-Diamond-as-Quartz leaned over the warp pad ledge, pointing at a band of marching Amethysts. Pearl's grin was luminous.

        "This is incredible!" Her wide eyes sparkled in excitement, and she grabbed ahold of Pink's hand. "Take us down there, quick!"

        Taking her under an arm, Pink-as-Quartz obligingly leaped from the warp pad and into the air. Even as they drifted down to the Kindergarten floor, chunks of rock burst from the walls as dozens of Amethysts emerged and jumped down.

        "Pink," Pearl breathed as they touched down. "This is. . ."

        "Out of my way!" a newly emerged Amethyst cried, and shoved them apart as she ran past. Pink-as-Quartz fell to the ground with a surprised ugh!.

        "Oh, dear!" Pearl cried, a small smile on her face, and padded over to help her up. "Are you alright?"

        "Of course," Pink returned, taking her hand. "But this is. . . so different."

        "Isn't it?" Pearl agreed with enthusiasm. "You're fitting right in! No one's saluting you now!"

        Pink-as-Quartz gasped lightly. "You're. . . You're right!"

        "This is so fun," her companion gushed. "Thank you so much for doing this for me. I couldn't have done this on my own!"

        The words warmed Pink, and she smiled before taking her hand. "What about those Amethysts?"

        "Yes!" Pearl cried, and hauled her over to the gathered soldiers nearby. When they pulled up in front of them, Pearl gave Pink a sly nudge.

        "Uh, hello. . . fellow Amethyst guards!" Pink-as-Quartz called. "What. . . are we all up to?"

        "There's two more from our unit that haven't emerged yet so we're gonna wait for 'em," one replied, eyes half-hidden beneath a neat fringe. At that moment, a section of the rock wall lit up and burst apart. The new Gem tumbled to the ground before them wth a groan. ". . . Here comes one of 'em!"

        Delighted, Pearl stepped forward. "Oh, my stars, look at you!"

        "Welcome to Earth!" Pink beamed from behind her.

        "That is the first and. . . nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," the Quartz smiled back, soft eyes flicking between them.

        "What's going on here?" Another light-haired Amethyst ran up to the group, hands on hips. "Our orders were to move out as soon as you emerged!"

        "But. . . 8XM hasn't emerged yet," a different Amethyst replied.

        "She can catch up with us later! Go! Go! Go!"

        Pink began to move after them, but was quickly stopped in her tracks by Pearl. "We can come back here later. Wouldn't you like to explore some of Earth's other features?"

        Pink-as-Quartz gasped. "Pearl! Yes, let's go!"

        They emerged unhurried from the Kindergarten, transitioning from barren dirt to lush green grass. A light chirping filled the air. "So. . . this. . . is Earth," Pink breathed.

        Vast green fields, carpeted with pink organics, and rising on the horizon, majestic purple landforms, framed by a clear blue sky.

        "Isn't it beautiful?" Pearl beamed, and took her by the hand. "We have to see it all."

○○○

The day sped by. They laid together on the grass and gazed at the clouds; they gathered flowers, throwing petals into the air where it fell as pink rain; they explored the mass of tall trees, glimpsed organics in the patches of dappled light; and at one point Pink-as-Quartz made a grab at a fluttery-looking organic, which escaped her fingers and instead flew around them in circles.

        They came across a flowing body of water, through which they watched slippery organics swim, and Pearl bent down to trail her fingers through the water. Then, across the banks, Pink noticed a set of figures. As she watched, the small one gathered water and walked back to the two taller shadows, disappearing again into the trees as Pearl stood up. She thought she could feel Pearl's elation falter.

        They made their way back to the Kindergarten in growing shadows. There was a rumbling somewhere nearby—it seemed to come from the grey sky. As soon as they crossed from green grass to brown Kindergarten dirt, Pink stopped.

        "We can't go through with this invasion," she said, voice soft.

        Pearl sighed, and took her hands into her own. "I know. I didn't realise that. . . that all this life, growing wild on Earth. . . that it's going to be destroyed."

        "We're not creating life from nothing," Pink murmured.

        Pearl's eyes mirrored her own sadness when she answered. "We're taking life, and leaving nothing behind."

        There was a flash from the sky, and water began to fall in droplets from the grey overhead, pattering onto the bare rock walls of the Kindergarten, washing the dirt away in a brown wet mess.

        A newly-realised Pearl and her Diamond stood, hand-in-hand, gazing out at the endless green, wondering how much longer it would last.

(Chapter 1/13)

Check out the rest of this story on: - Wattpad - FanFiction - Archive Of Our Own