#and calling everyone in the fort sons of bitches

[thethronezone]

High Consort Pt. 3

Like mentioned in previous parts, you have a Custodi bodyguard. But you also have a whole guard of Custodes assigned to guard you, on orders of the Emperor of course. Your Custodi bodyguard just so happens to be the captain of this guard and the one that's always directly by your side. Because of this, you are quite close. So what if they work for your husband? So does every other bitch in the Imperium!

Whenever the Emperor leaves for the Great Crusade, it's up to you and Malcador to hold down the fort and make sure that everyone stay in line, both on Terra and beyond. You especially are seen as an extension of the Emperor and his will. This means a lot of public appearances on your part, with you flanked by your personal guard. Your presence reminds people that while the Emperor may be off planet and busy elsewhere, he is still aware of everything that's going on.

Because of this, you rarely leave Terra, or at least the star system. You might visit Luna or Mars every now and then but it's very rare that you venture to another part of the galaxy. You are needed where you are, providing a sense of stability in the heart of the Imperium.

Some people (mostly nobles) believe that, just cause you're not an incredibly buff, 4 meter tall, armored super-psyker that you are for some reason easier deal with, easier to push around. WRONG. You are both equally as terrible, sorry not sorry. The Emperor is unapproachable and straight up railroads every conversation while you just don't give a shit. You are older than most noble's bloodlines, at some point their rules just stop applying to you. The one big difference between you and Big E is that you at least try to act like a normal person, he doesn't, so people just find it easier to approach you.

There's also a belief that since you are HIGH Consort, that the Emperor is open to getting more consorts/concubines. At first this assumption was funny, the two of you had a good laugh about it. Then people kept trying to marry off their family members to him, accosting him at events, sending letters and some downright begging on their knees for him to accept one of their sons of daughters. Then only you were laughing. And Malcador, of course. He also found it all very funny.

Sometimes, when people want something from the Emperor or want to meet him, they try to get through you first. Butter you up so that you will put in a few good words for them to your husband. You might humor them for a short while, pretending to be as shallow as they appear to think you are, but the moment they no longer amuse you or step out of line you'll give your Custodi bodyguard a look that they know well. It means "I am tired of their chatter, remove them from my presence and if they ever try to approach me again, don't let them." You might be immortal but you won't waste your time on people you don't like.

A family can be a super-human psyker, his consort, their unmarried friend, their 10 000 strong personal army, their 20 18 super-human children and their respective super-soldier legions.

Half the Primarchs look at your and the Emperor's marriage and go "aww, so that's what true love looks like" and the other half goes "why haven't you DIVORCED this man yet?" Mortarion, Angron, and Perturabo full on believe you have Stockholm Syndrome or something.

Meanwhile, Lorgar, Horus and Lion think this is the perfect marriage, like, this is what everyone should strive for. Lorgar has written sermons about it and called it the "most divine and holy union in the galaxy". Would threaten to crucify himself if you and the Emperor ever separated. His legion would join him in solidarity. This is a hostage situation.

[j-graysonlibrary]

Fort Heaven Chapter 16

Title: Fort Heaven

Author: Jay Grayson

Word Count: 69K

Genres: Suspense, investigative, drama, LGBT+

Available on: Kobo and my website

Synopsis: Some call it a hoax. Others claim it’s a cult. But, to Evon and his friend Yasmine, two online journalists, Fort Heaven is the subject of their latest story. Along for the assignment is cameraman and not-so-secret crush of Evon’s: Russet. With a drunken, murky night in their recent history, things are especially tense between them but, of course, personal matters take a backseat when the interviews start. The trio speaks to ex-members of Fort Heaven and, while some of the accounts are shocking, the job remains just that: A job. That is until one of the women they interviewed, along with her daughter, goes missing. It soon becomes clear that not only is Fort Heaven a real threat but Evon and his friends are being watched. And what started as a simple cash-grab article is now a matter of life and death.

Full Chapter 16 under the cut

Chapter 16

The third set of courses was starting to slow Willow’s progress down but she was determined to go farther. She furiously took notes as the teacher spoke and she focused on them as much as possible. It hurt her brain but, thankfully, the information wasn’t difficult to digest—there was just a lot of it.

So far, she’d become something of an honor student or she would be if they had grades. Her competency scores were the best in every course she’d done and according to everyone she’d spoken to, she had great promise. She’d just smile and nod, thinking to herself that the reason she was trying to hard was to sabotage them. And, on good days, she felt like an amazing spy.

Other days, she simply went through the motions and almost forgot why she was there. Much of the customs and all the faces she saw on a daily basis were becoming so normal that she was getting used to it.

Willow was determined not to become too complacent.

She had to move forward. The higher up she was, the more freedom she’d be given, then the more likely it would be that she would find Nichole.

“Hey, Willow,” a classmate of hers called out to her after their class had ended. He was a teenager and had been there for a couple of months longer than her.

She smiled a little and tried not to let her irritation at being inconvenienced show. “Hi Collin.”

“So, ummm,” he grumbled as he looked to the side. “I’ve been having some trouble with the current lesson…and I—well everyone has—noticed that you’re really smart. I was just wondering if you could tutor me…?”

Willow shook her head. “Sorry but I don’t think I’m qualified. You should talk to the teacher; I’m sure she’d be happy to help.”

“But I--” Collin rebutted and took a step toward her. “I’d be too embarrassed to do that.”

“I still don’t have anything I can do for you,” she said again. “I don’t think my roommate would appreciate you coming over either.”

He frowned and pouted, looking truly upset. “It’ll just be a few afternoons!”

Willow took a step back and watched as he followed her. Her instincts kicked in but she didn’t want to show him that she was aware of what he was doing.

“I realize that…but I’m not sure helping other students is part of my awakening. There are some things you have to do on your own.”

Collin clenched his fists at his sides. “Why won’t you just help? Why are you being such a bitch?”

“Excuse me?” All ideas of playing it cool were thrown out the window when he called her that. She was okay with maneuvering through vague threats but direct threats were a different story.

“I said you’re a bitch!” he spat.

“That’s not going to convince me to hang out with you, you know.” Willow narrowed her eyes and firmly planted her feet. “You can’t insult someone every time they don’t do exactly what you want and you’d better learn that before becoming an adult.”

“Well you don’t have to act all high and mighty—all holier than thou,” he snapped back.

“Perhaps she is holier than you, son,” A voice came from behind Willow and judging by the look on Collin’s face, it was someone high up in rank.

She looked back to see a large man, wide with a mixture of muscle and fat—a rather intimidating appearance especially from her angle. He wore a dark blue suit that, while being the same color as all the uniforms, was clearly specially made for him. His face was square, full, and his eyes were slightly narrowed even in a relaxed position. He had a full head of hair that was slicked to the side and he smelled faintly of some indistinguishable cologne.

“S-sir…I mean, my Lord…” Collin fumbled his words before bowing and looking straight at the ground.

Willow took a moment to put together the man’s appearance and the kid’s reaction. He had to be Simon.

This was a huge opportunity. She could move up far faster if she took proper advantage of the situation.

“Thank you for the help, my Lord,” she said with a small smile.

The man looked down at her and smiled back. “I simply can’t stand those who believe they’re entitled to have their feelings respected more than others. It’s that kind of selfish behavior that keeps you from attaining Godliness.”

Willow nodded. “I’ll do my best not to fall into the ego trap as well.”

“I don’t have any worries about you,” he responded and winked. “I’ve heard stories.”

Before she could ask, he left. She just watched him go and debated whether she should run after him or not. As he disappeared, she decided that running after him would appear too desperate and could hurt her rather than help her.

She hurried back to her room after that. Luckily, Collin didn’t follow her.

“There you are,” Angelica greeted her. “I was beginning to think you’d gotten lost or something.”

“Oh…no.” Willow sighed and sat on her bed across from the older woman who was putting on the final touches of makeup. She was dressing up rather nice and for a second Willow considered asking but decided not to. “A classmate talked to me for a bit. Had to shake them.”

Angelica laughed and put her small makeup bag away. “Well, you need to get ready in whatever formal clothes you got.”

That took her by surprise. “What? What for?”

“You didn’t hear?” the woman asked and when she received a shake of the head, she explained, “Simon, the usurper of evil and his son Seth are visiting this building. They weren’t supposed to come until next month but they decided to show up early.”

“Oh…umm…” Willow covered her mouth for a second. It was odd that she ran into who was potentially Simon when the building was mostly used for everyday, mundane things. It started to truly sink in that the man in the hallway was almost certainly Simon and she felt a little excited but also a little nauseated.

“They’re holding a conference for us. We’re all required to go.”

Willow nodded. “Alright. I’ll get ready real quick then.”

She found a formal uniform that she had been given and had yet to wear. It was nice and was definitely the most flattering thing she had in the closet at the moment. She slipped it on and slapped a bit of makeup on her face before tying her hair into a bun.

“Would you…like some help?” Angelica asked with a small laugh.

“What?” Willow looked over at her, confused.

“Let me do your hair,” the woman insisted.

“Oh…okay.”

Angelica sat her down in one of the chairs and stood behind her. She let her hair out of the bun and started to comb through it with long, gentle strokes.

“You have such beautiful hair. I almost want to have you wear it down.”

“It’s too thin,” Willow argued. Keeping her hair in a bun or ponytail always helped it look fuller or, at the very least, it made it hard for people to tell she was hiding thin, flat hair.

“Alright, alright,” Angelica huffed and started to pull and tug against her head. A couple of times it was a little painful but it didn’t take too long.

She turned her toward a mirror so she could take a look. It was still technically a bun but there was a French braid on each side of her head leading into the bun. The sides were impressively even too.

“Wow, good work. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” the woman answered with a warm smile. “Say…you’re not blind without your glasses, are you?”

It took Willow a second to understand what she was saying but it dawned on her before she had to ask. “Oh! Um…technically no.”

“No contacts?”

“No. I hate them.”

“Can I suggest that you leave the glasses here? You’ll look absolutely stunning without them in the way.” Angelica said as she took the glasses off of her face regardless of what she had to say.

Willow looked between her and her own reflection. She wondered if she would really need video of the event she was about to attend. For the sake of not appearing suspicious, she nodded.

“Alright, I’ll leave them. As long as nobody tries to get my attention from across a room I should be fine,” she said with a laugh.

Angelica set the glasses on the nearest table. “Alright. I guess we should go unless there’s something else you need to do.”

“Nope.”

They walked to one of the hotel’s conference rooms together and, much like most of the areas in the building, it was impressively large. Some people were already there, territorially hogging certain areas of seating. Angelica took her toward the east wing and they sat side by side.

It was another half hour or so before the room was full and a few men who were—very obviously—body guards walked in. Then two men in nice suits entered and Willow recognized one of them immediately. It was the same man who had saved her from Collin in the hallway.

The other man was just as tall but more slender and, even from the slight distance, Willow could tell he was older. He too had an intimidating air about him but it felt vastly different than the other man.

“Hello my companions,” the older man spoke and the room went completely silent as everyone gave him their undivided attention. “I know this visit from Seth and I is rather…unexpected…but do not worry. It is nothing negative. We simply needed to meet with a senior staff member in the area and decided to stop by and see our beloved soul mates.”

Willow gulped. The man she met was Seth—Simon’s son. Her heart beat harder for the rest of the speech. Simon talked about a lot of things Willow regularly heard in her courses and reinstated everyone’s beliefs almost like a mantra. She wasn’t listening much because she was focused on Seth.

He had his hands folded behind his back and stood a few feet back behind his father and hardly moved. When he did move, his actions were disciplined and short. It was either that he really didn’t want to be there or he was afraid of drawing attention to himself and, from what Willow had seen already, it seemed likely that it was the first option.

As the thoughts rolled around in her mind, she stared directly forward. She looked at nothing, mostly, until she realized there were eyes on her. At first she was worried that someone had realized she wasn’t paying attention but, when she glanced around, she met Seth’s gaze.

There was no mistake that he was staring right at her either—he held eye contact for far too long for it to have been a coincidence. Then, just as she started to feel uncomfortable, the man smirked and looked away.

“As always, if anyone has a burden or sin to share with me, I’ll be in this room for the next few hours and I would love to help each and every one of you.” Simon ended his speech and, shortly after, the audience began to move about.

Few people left immediately and most waited around in an unorganized line around Simon either vying for attention or for help. Willow stood up but she didn’t move from her spot. If Simon said he would be there for hours to come then she could wait for the excitement to die down. She had nothing else to do all day other than study.

She looked back to the crowd and noticed that Seth was missing from his father’s side. He must be speaking to people by himself, she thought, but when she scoured the crowd she still couldn’t find him. It seemed then that he too had left early.

“I didn’t get your name,” his voice at her side startled her, causing her to almost fall back into a chair and crash. Thankfully, her shoes were slip resistant and she only jolted and slightly yelled. Seth stood there with a smile and laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you…”

“Oh, it’s my fault. I was kind of zoning out,” Willow explained and took a few deep, slow breaths.

Seth shook his head. “How long have you been here?”

She blinked with a vacant expression as she tried to count the days. “About a…month?”

“Wow, that’s impressive. I’ve heard rumors about a beautiful red-head whizzing through the courses. I’m guessing they meant you.”

“Really? I mean, I’m a serious studier and everything but…” she laughed nervously.

“So, what’s your name?” Seth raised his brow in interest.

Willow struggled to speak for a moment. Her tone was so casual—too casual—but Seth was doing nothing to create a more formal atmosphere. It was far more awkward than the man probably realized.

“It’s Willow, my Lord.”

“Willow…” he repeated softly. “I like it.”

[ieroween1031]

My Thoughts in Real Time as I Watched Episode 10 of Love in the Air That Absolutely Nobody Asked For (Spoiler Alert!):

Oh my god, Pai just called Sky his boyfriend, I’m gonna snap my computer in half.

Pai’s face when Sky is crying and begging for him not to let go, I’m already emotionally weak

What does Prapai even do for work? Like, what kind of business does his family run?

“Do you know how hard it was to hold back?” You mean how hard it was to not assault a half-conscious person when they’re sick? I love you, but come on, Pai.

Peat’s an amazing actor. Sky, not so much.

I’m not proud of the noise I made at the close-up shot of them holding hands in bed. I literally squealed.

I literally will never get over how fucking gorgeous Fort is. Like he’s seriously so pretty, it makes me sick.

Sky’s clothes are changing but Pai’s aren’t, and I feel like that’s kinda gross. How long have you been wearing those clothes, my guy?

I JUST FUCKING SQUEALED AGAIN AT SKY TOUCHING PAI’S HAIR

GODDAMN IT, SKY, JUST LET HIM LOVE YOU AND LET YOURSELF LOVE HIM!

I don’t know why, but I’m obsessed with the difference in their skin tones.

You tell him, Pai. Let’s get some decent communication going, please!

PRAPAI’S FACE WHEN SKY KISSES HIS CHEEK IS THE CUTEST FUCKING THING I’VE EVER SEEN.

Fort in these racing jackets should be one of the modern wonders of the world

GOD MOTHERFUCKING DAMN IT YOU SON OF A BITCH I’M SO FUCKING ANGRY RIGHT NOW WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING HERE JUST SEEING HIM MAKES ME LIVID YOU TRASH EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING

Tag yourself: I’m one of the three people all chastising Sky at the same time

I am completely here for everyone telling Sky how important he is as how much they appreciate his hard work. My baby deserves all the love he can get.

THAT STUPID CHICKEN SONG IS STUCK IN MY HEAD FUCK YOU

More communication, we stan.

Okay, I’m not mad about seeing that shitbird Gun anymore, because I’ve been waiting for this scene with Prapai and Payu helping with the freshmen

DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY

I’m older than both of them, but I would still call Boss and Fort ‘Daddy’ and not feel the least bit guilty about it.

OH MY GOD NATSU I’M SQUEALING AGAIN

Joy, you fucking gossip.

That x-acto knife, I’m fucking cackling. 😂😂😂

“Did I sleep with a psycho?” Yeah, well, it wouldn’t be the first time, sweetheart.

Was that too soon? I feel like that was too soon.

This is all entirely too happy. How are they planning to rip my heart out in the last ten minutes? Because I have a feeling something is coming that’s gonna make me want to cry.

Yes, please introduce Sky to your family. They’ll absolutely love him and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; my sweet baby just deserves all the love he can get.

KISS HIM KISS HIM KISS HIM KISS HIM

GODDAMN IT FUCK!!!

I’d like to apologize for my outburst earlier; this is the the best episode so far. We got the Phis helping the Nongs with the freshman, the writing on the hands, and now I get the scene with Prapai on the floor and sweet, precious little Sky just a-grinning away on the bed. My heart hurts.

Prapai googling how to take care of a sick person is a mood

He called his mom? My sweet child is a clueless idiot and I would kill or die for him.

Is he keeping a log of all the things he’s learning about Pai? I can’t breathe, that’s too fucking adorable.

Huh. I was wrong about something devastating happening in the last ten minutes. I’ve never been so happy to be wrong before.

The preview for the next episode has me flailing. I can’t tell you how excited I am for Sky for finally admit that he’s completely gone for Pai, because fucking same, bro.

Are we getting another NC scene next episode? Probably not, because Me Mind Y are teases, but I don’t care. just that was enough to drive me insane.

My heart literally hurts knowing that this is all gonna come crumbling down around us sometime in the next three episodes.

WE’VE ONLY GOT THREE EPISODES LEFT I’M GONNA THROW UP

[oumaheroes]

Sealand and England headcanons?

I have more thoughts than I probably should about Sealand and England and I am overjoyed to have recieved these asks

I'm going to start off by mentioning that I don't follow the popular fandom canon that Sealand is or has been with the Nordics in anyway shape or form. For me, he's been with England the entire time which makes more sense, both for Sealand's history and the fact that England is a grabby son of a bitch and I can't see him giving anything up, especially not a child (lack of resources or not).

The Start

Sealand was unexpected, to say the least. To have a new nation randomly pop up in the middle of the North Sea from an old sea fort turned pirate radio, of all things, is not something England could have seen coming, even with his long long life.

In his experience, nations are born from war, bloodshed, and hope; a community of enough people growing strong and large and stable enough to shout with a distinct voice from those around them. One random guy on an old pirate fort doth not usually a nation make and Sealand's arrival caused quite a bit of confusion.

Aside too from his strange appearance and continued existence, England had considered himself done raising children. By the time Sealand popped up in 1967, all of his other children were grown up and gaining independence and the dismantling of the Empire, which had previously produced new nations in its growth, meant that England very much did not foresee another small child appearing.

But appear Sealand did

Their Relationship

By this point in time, England was well experienced in child raising. He's been there, done that, and was and is a lot better equipped emotionally and mentally to care for a child.

But one of the biggest factors in their relationship is time.

England is always a busy man. But nowadays, his busy-ness is somewhat mitigated by modern lifestyle and technology. He works long hours still but these days, it's often within his own lands. He still travels a lot but he can call instantly now, or facetime. His work might call him away at a moment's notice or keep him occupied longer than planned but that's alright, he can drive home in a few hours or fly back in a few days. Unlike the rest of his older siblings, if Sealand wants England he can get hold of him almost instantly. Even in the 60's there were planes and trains and cars and Sealand doesn't have the experience of being left along for years on end in the company of only a rotation of human staff.

England can be more of a hands on parent because he's there to be one and although nations don't require as much hands on parenting, he can be as involved with Sealand so much more than his other children even without trying.

The consequence of this is that Sealand has grown up expecting England to be there when he's needed or wanted him. Maybe he will go a few months without seeing him, like if he stays on his fort and England on the mainland, but England is always ever only a phone call away. This is such a huge change from any one else aside from North, who all had England sporadically and never for very long. This was made worse for everyone else because, depending on the decade, England could wary in his parenting or personality and it was difficult to predict and learn how to be around him in the way that he wanted (for example, before the American revolution and after. Before WWI and after. Before the Victorian era, and after, etc.). By the time Sealand came around, England is stable, settled and a lot more mature and Sealand's upbringing and relationship with England is a lot healthier because of it.

Another huge factor in their relationship is that Sealand, despite being the creature he is and despite not being human, lacks something that very much would have affected the way England, or any other nation, reacted to and treated him- resources.

Sealand has nothing.

He is a metal lump in the sea. There are no trees, no food. No oil, no gold or diamonds. He cannot give England manpower, cannot help in produce or maintain. Sealand cannot rise up and declare war on him, and nor will anyone else wage war to get control of him. He is nothing but himself and this is probably what makes his and England's relationship the healthiest. England's opinion of him cannot be changed by his worth because, in strictly selfish, political nation terms, he's worthless. He has nothing that can benefit England and so England, Arthur, can see him for himself- Peter. A young boy.

Sealand is stripped of all that makes him a nation in a majority of ways and England's behaviour with him, opinion of him, and future plans with him do not include politics. Together they can be as 'normal' and as human as any of their kind can get.

Because of these two main factors, England and Sealand are very close. Not close in that they have a warm, loving relationship in a 'we get along great' way, but close in that Sealand can cross a lot of boundaries and act in ways which no one else can. He doesn't have any hang-ups around England and feels perfectly comfortable flopping on or against him on the sofa to watch TV or wind his arms around England's stomach for a hug. He's perfectly fine to whinge at England to let him get something that he wants or misbehave for minor, trivial things. He pushes buttons more readily, answers back more than most, and gives and receives more physical affection from England than anyone else.

England still takes no nonsense and is just as strict with him as he ever has been but Sealand and England's relationship is definitely easier and more natural than with anyone else. (In a balanced way, of course. Sealand might be allowed to speak in public and act more childish but he's not given cocaine for a cough and nor was he allowed to aimlessly wander about by himself when really young- different time period  different levels of 'acceptable' child rearing)

Even Canada, whose relationship with England is arguably very good, still feels a sense of duty and loyalty, either as an elder brother/ child but also as England's right hand in so many spheres: political, military, or financial. Canada is a son but he is also useful and feels responsible, even if there's currently nothing for him to feel responsible for. Part of this is his position in the family as the second son cleaning up after the eldest did a hit and run, but also how England has raised him. Sealand, as the baby and as a nation without anything to give, is nothing more than Peter and is thus not expected to be or do anything else.

This comes with negatives, of course.

As much as Sealand's lack of resources means that England can relax, it does cause problems because as much as Sealand is more 'human' than the rest of them, he's not- he's a nation. A nation with an oddly finite lifespan because the entities or souls he's tied to is minimal but a nation nonetheless. He has as much yearning and aspiration as any of them and England's constant dismissal of him in this way, even though grounded in logic, hurts. It drives a wedge between them because Sealand wants to be taken seriously and be given responsibilities and respect like his siblings but he never can because he cannot be an asset or a help in that way. He struggles with feeling guilty, stuck, rejected and useless and also incredibly bitter about it, at times.

Logically, Sealand may know that it's not England's fault but England is the one actively preventing this by refusing to entertain any other idea and it's easy to direct anger at him. Children aren't stupid, nation children even less so, and Sealand knows that he's treated differently from everyone else, as much as he also takes advantage of this fact.

Lastly, another factor that influences their relationship is lifespan.

Sealand isn't here forever and England knows this.  He is both stricter and more lenient with Sealand because of this and was something he really let affect their relationship at the beginning- don't get too close. This child will die.

Sealand is the only child who England cannot promise will live to adulthood. He cannot protect Sealand like he could his other fledgling colonies because no matter how much time or money or resources he could put in, Sealand's land and population is unusual and limited and largely based off England's own. Sealand's fate is almost entirely outside of England's control. As there is no way that England would give up some of his own land for him to become another country within his borders, Sealand's death will, inevitably, somewhat be caused by him.

Nations are selfish. Their longevity and survival comes at a personal cost and a nation parent cannot be the same as a human parent. Arthur might love Peter dearly, but England would never act in ways that would be at the cost of himself if there was no benefit.

It was hard for England at the start to let himself open up to the idea of Sealand and see him as his son. It was easier to not think about it, stay emotionally distant, and let nature take its course without doing too much damage to himself along the way. But, as much as England cannot stand the idea of losing a child, he cannot not love children. For all of his grumpy, shitty personality he really does adore small children and, in this modern age and his recent maturing and self awareness, knows that this aloof mindset isn't fair on Sealand. He didn't ask for this, he has no other choice, and so England has decided to treat him as he would any of his other children whilst trying very much not to focus on the inevitable end.

[pourcap]

thoughts: pg chapter 17

'Your Highness,’ he said. ‘You address me as your Prince?’ said Laurent. if i were enguerran i'd fear for my life

Laurent said, ‘I remember. You don’t like him. And, of course, he out-captained you on the field. I imagine you like that even less.' yes <3 damen is the coolest <3

so aimeric's alive. great.

'To get inside Ravenel? My dear Enguerran, I’m afraid you are quite mistaken.' Laurent’s gaze travelled over Enguerran again, his blue eyes cold. ‘I don’t need you,’ said Laurent. ‘I just need your clothes.' he's such a bitch i love him

Damen was repelled by the disguise. He had argued against it. The deception was wrong, the pretence of friendship. (...) he's probably always been that way but i feel like now, after kastor's betrayal, damen hates deception even more than before

His father, Damen knew, would not recognise today’s escapade as a military action, but would scorn it as dishonourable, unworthy of his son. His father would never have thought of taking Ravenel like this. Disguised. Without bloodshed. Before midday the next day. damen has his very own kind of trauma to work through, huh? i wonder what his father was like bc from what i've read, i can't imagine theomedes was very affectionate. i do think he loved damen, but maybe more so because damen is athletic and skilled and strong-willed, and theomedes was proud to be his father for those very reasons. idk if i'm managing to really express my thoughts about their relationship but yeah. i think a huge part of their relationship was damen trying to be the son his father wanted, and that's resulted in him now constantly worrying if he's someone his father would be proud of.

Damen heard himself call in a ringing voice: ‘Lord Touars is defeated at Hellay. Ravenel is under the protection of the Crown Prince.' that was easy (but probably the most difficult conquest for damen)

(...) Laurent was developing quite a collection of sons. i WISH nicaise was one of those (i mean, truthfully he kind of is, but it bothers me that he's still in vere)

Then Laurent turned and saw him, and the pressure in his chest grew like pain as Laurent greeted him, half-stripped and bright-eyed. ‘How do you like my fort?' it makes me so happy whenever laurent is in a good mood <3 also, the way laurent looks and damen's feelings at the sight of him are described, you just know laurent looks unreal and damen is about to drool again

'I like it. I wouldn’t mind seeing you with a few more,’ said Damen. ‘To the north.' i loooove this. i also love damen clarifying that the south is not vere's to have lol

(...) Laurent swept him with a long, gleaming look. 'If you didn’t fit Enguerran’s shoulderpiece, I was going to suggest you try the panoply off his horse.' 1) laurent is such a nuisance. 2) laurent checked him out!!!! he looked at damen, once again considered his muscles, and cracked a joke. i can't do this :')

'Do things always work out as you plan?’ ‘This time they did. This time everything did. You know, we just took an impregnable fort.’ They were gazing at one another. i'm trying very hard not to start sobbing. there are pink hearts floating above my head. nothing is wrong in the world

'All right,’ said Laurent. ‘You see? I’m learning to take your advice.’ He spoke with an unselfconscious little smile that was wholly new. damen is going to fall in love with him SO HARD

they're getting so soft for each other

(...) The Prince was a young hero, coined in gold; look at those eyelashes, look at that profile. (...) imagine the power laurent would have if the regent hadn't manipulated his entire court (fuck the regent)

will damen ever get over his hatred for veretian clothing??

'What messenger?’ said Torveld. once again i am very confused. also, i can't believe laurent asked for torveld's help back in arles. he really is like 538 steps ahead of everyone else :')

ok i'm going to be honest now: erasmus freaks me out. it's not that i dislike him but he is so strange that it makes me wonder just how slaves are being treated in akielos. it's almost like erasmus is not a 'real' person, but it's good to know he seems to be getting there

Damen repressed another instinct to tell him to stand up. It was odd that the usual manners of his homeland should feel so strange to him. (...) or maybe he's just beginning to understand that akielos isn't as perfect as he used to think

A picture of cool, difficult distance confronted him. Laurent sat in brief conversation, wrist balanced on the edge of the great table, fingertips resting on the base of a goblet. From the severe, straight-backed posture to the impersonal grace of his cupped yellow head; from his detached blue eyes to the arrogance of his cheekbones, Laurent was complicated and contradictory, and Damen could look nowhere else. sorry about quoting this entire paragraph but laurent is so hot and i LOVE his and damen's dynamic so much

(...) His voice was pitched for the space between them, private and unhurried. this is such a small detail but imagine how this scene must look to an outsider; their unattainable, aloof, cruel prince being all quiet and friendly in damen's presence :')))

Damen said, ‘Men, sometimes.’ ‘In the absence of women?' 'When I want them.' i am speechless. genuinely speechless.

'If I’d known that, I might have felt a frisson of danger, lying next to you.’ ‘You did know that,’ said Damen. There as a pause. (...) i LOVE flirty damen. i love him calling laurent out on knowing exactly how attracted damen is to him. i love laurent not knowing what to do. i love them. i am so happy. my smile is so big.

'Torveld tells me that in Akielos, it’s the slave who feeds the master.' (...) Laurent’s gaze was steady, with no demure lowering of his eyes. He was nothing like a slave, even when Damen allowed himself to imagine it. (...) what is going on!!! laurent is really going for it, hm?? <3

pretty sure damen is getting horny again

He stayed where he was. It was not the role of a master to strain after food held at arm’s length. Golden brows arched slightly. Laurent shifted in, and brought the meat to Damen’s lips. they're truly a good match, huh.

(...) It felt like he was on the edge of understanding, as though Laurent was coming into view for the first time. i love this so much i could probably just quote this entire part of the chapter.

also: damen is the ultimate simp

they're just sitting there, super close, staring at each other?????

damen did not just ask for that song lmao

this is like the weeknd for ancient greeks (or, like, a fantasy people inspired by ancient greece/rome lol)

Damen’s attention was on Laurent’s ivory and gold colouring, the overfine skin, the last traces of bruising from where he’d been tied up and hit. Damen’s gaze travelled, inch by inch, taking in the proud lift of his chin, the uncooperative eyes, the arch of his cheekbone, and dropping back down to his mouth. His sweet, vicious mouth. honestly, i get it. laurent sounds like the most attractive, beautiful man to ever walk this earth <3

Distance should have made it easier, but the ache only increased, and he found himself on the thick walls of the battlements, dismissing the soldiers who were manning that section, bracing his arms against the stone and waiting for the feeling to subside. i feel like dating damen would be the biggest ego boost

His life in Vere, the man he was here, he could put all of it behind him. ohh. the wistfulness is back. :(

(...) Laurent fitted himself next to him, a comfortable, unobtrusive presence that took up room in Damen’s chest. They stood on the edge of the fort they had won together. JUST KISS.

'You know, the slaves you gifted to Torveld are worth almost the same as the men that he’s given you.’ ‘I would say exactly that much.’ ‘I thought you helped them out of compassion.’ ‘No, you didn’t,’ said Laurent. i loooove them. love them. love them so much. the way they've come to understand each other??? amazing. groundbreaking. i believe in true love now

(...) He knew his father’s nature, his beliefs. He knew exactly the reaction that Laurent would have provoked, if he’d ever stood before Theomedes at Ios. If Damen had argued for him, had tried to make him see Laurent as . . . he would not have understood. this is really sad ofc but the fact that damen thinks he would have argued with his father to be with laurent??

'I never questioned the way my father saw the world. It was enough for me to be the kind of son he was proud of. I could never bring shame to his memory, but for the first time I realise I don’t want to be . . .’ His kind of King. there is so much character growth for damen in this chapter <3 i know acknowledging these things is very difficult for him and he feels really lost but i'm so happy laurent and damen are both slowly getting over their prejudice and hatred

Father, I can beat him, he’d said, and he’d ridden out and returned to a hero’s welcome, to have his armour stripped by servants, to have his father greet him with pride. (...) He had not thought about the way it had played out on the other side of the field. :( everything about this makes me so sad

'An end to fighting.' damen, out of all people, is the first person to ever understand laurent. i do not want to find out what'll happen once laurent knows who damen really is :( it's going to break my heart.

'Friends,’ said Laurent. ‘Is that what we are?' LAURENT.

oh my god

are they going to kiss ??????

He was aware of the shallowness of Laurent’s breath, it matched his own; they were breathing each other’s air. He reached out, watching for any hesitation in Laurent’s eyes. The touch he offered was accepted as it had not been last time, fingers gentle on Laurent’s jaw, thumb passing over his cheekbone, soft. (...) damen is so fucking sweet with him i am going to cry

(...) Damen’s palm slid over Laurent’s warm nape; slowly, very slowly, making his height an offering, not a threat, Damen leaned in and kissed Laurent on the mouth. oh my god

i am now thinking about damen's big hand resting on laurent's neck

but also: MAKING HIS HEIGHT AN OFFERING, NOT A THREAT. what a line. i am a little bit in love with damen as well

(...) He felt remade with the desire to give Laurent this: to give him all he would allow, and to ask for nothing, this careful threshold something to be savoured because it was all Laurent would let himself have. damen is so gone for him oh my god

jord???

fuck lol

okay

i will reread this last part a few more times <3

minus jord's interruption ofc bc that gives me anxiety

their soft kisses!!!!!

'BARELY A SUGGESTION OF ITSELF'

whyyyy did jord have to show up

[reallyexists]

Another beautiful day in the dwarven fortress Bowloar, another goblin attack repelled. These guys tangle with a kobold thief and some weapon traps before limping away, less one hand between them.

Total fortress kill count is two giants, a kobold and one goblin(’s left hand). Yessir, things are looking up!

 Holy fucking shit.

I mentioned this little lady in the tags of that first giant post, and here she is again. There’s a downside to popularity, to be sure. She’s doubled in age since her last visit.

The werelizard child Usu Ramulabba infiltrated the fortress and just transformed outside our shiny refurbished temple. Our full ten-unit squad of mixed dwarves and humans is training in the barracks downstairs, directly next to the indicated stairwell. One of our glassmakers is a lot closer.

The glassmaker gets attacked and seems to be holding his own. It probably helps that the horrible night-beast attacking him is two years old.

A nearby tanner briefly joins the fray.

A dog valiantly attacks the werelizard child, and gets mauled in return.

The militia have made contact.

The dog dies on top of the temple altar, as the militia dogpiles the werelizard child and start to do some real damage.

The werelizard child is struck down by our courageous militia, its body and severed leg added to the invader corpse stockpile. Most civilians are horrified at the corpse of a human child, but the effect is somewhat ruined by the buggy sprite. I think the leg turned back correctly, though.

Now, the real fun begins. Who got bitten?

After combing the combat report, I find that two out of the three injured dwarves received bites that broke the skin. Nobody was killed in the attack, but these citizens are now incurably cursed, and will turn into werelizards at the next full moon. Presumably non-child ones. As much as it pains me, they’ll have to be exiled as soon as their wounds are treated.

The third patient, a wrestler, was being viciously grappled by the werelizard child right as it died. That must’ve been very humiliating for her, bested at her own game like that. But it’s over now, and she can get some much-deserved rest.

Son of a fucking bitch, man.

So I missed a bite in the combat report. It could happen to anyone.

The chief medical dwarf is in the tavern for this friendly fracas, and has the closest possible call. Literally the only dwarf in the fort with any medical skills.

At least our poor cursed wrestler goes down easily. Transforming in the middle of a packed tavern will do that. I comb over this combat report fucking meticulously. There’s no way I’m gonna miss another one of these fuckers. Sorry, tragically accursed fuckers. Everyone who got bitten gets the boot before they even make it to a hospital bed.

The tomb is filling up pretty quickly, although we’re reticent to bury all those dead visitors for whatever reason. The dead dwarf, Îton, is buried across from the dog that the child lizard killed. Looking in the coffin confirms that reverted werelizards just look like that.

We went ahead and made a statue of Îton, as well. Unfortunately the most notable things they did in life were moving to Bowloar last year and becoming a werelizard, and we are not commemorating that. Now hopefully we can get back to converting that outdoor pasture into a giant pit/drowning trap.

Fucking of course. In my defense, there were about 15 human poets in that room, and the combat report made zero distinction between them. Werelizard #3 doesn’t do anything but unsuccessfully attempt to shove, and is quickly beaten to death by a bunch of civilians including the high priest and a child.

What the hell is up with all our infectees having beast forms so much weaker than that human two-year-old? I guess that’s not really something to complain about.

Just a single casualty this time, who I’ve made damn sure didn’t get cursed. We’ll know how sure “damn sure” is in a few weeks.

Oh, we’re big enough for nobles now. Suddenly the werebeast problem doesn’t seem so bad.

[peaxhcringe]

Blanket Forts and Teasing

pairing: Kuroo x Fem! Reader

genre: Fluff with some added spice 

warnings:  very spicy, slight NSFW 

word count: 1.8K

summary: Y/n begs her boyfriend Kuroo to build a blanket fort only for things to get a little complicated.

A/N: I’m not sure if I really wrote his character well enough, but I tried my best. I feel unsure of posting this one as I think it isn’t very good, but everyone I had beta read it said it was good, so here it is. Enjoy! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Please?” You beg, as you clasp your hands together, staring up at your boyfriend, his dark eyes staring down at you

You were currently on your knees on the carpeted floor of your bedroom, your head tilted up to look at the man that sat on the bed in front of you. The faint sound of the TV playing a random movie sounded in the background as you both looked at eachother. 

“Please Kuroo? Just this one time I swear” You beg, a large pout resting on your face as you looked up at him

You watched closely as his cat-like eyes scan your face, a smirk etched onto his face. Leaning down a bit, his face comes closer to yours, your breath hitching in your throat as his face becomes only inches from yours. His warmth breath fanning over your face as his eyes meet yours, his smirk somehow growing. 

“You know” Kuroo begins, moving his arms from the bed to now rest on his knees “I could get used to you begging on your knees” He finishes, your e/c eyes widening, a blush rushing over your face 

“K-Kuroo!” You yell, lightly slapping his arm, earning a loud laugh from him as he leans back onto the bed 

You watch as his arm covers his stomach as he continues to laugh

 “Y-You should’ve se-seen your face!” He manages to say, a few tears running down his cheeks as he continues to laugh 

You look at him with a dead expression, waiting for him to stop laughing as you stand up in front of the bed.  

“Kuroo” You whine, moving to get onto the bed next to him

The bed creaks lightly underneath you as you shift your weight to sit on Kuroo. Your legs sitting on either side of his hips, trapping him, as your hands placed themselves on his chest. You look down at him, his laughs finally quieting as he looks up at you, another smirk growing on his face. 

“Can we please make a blanket fort?” You ask for the millionth time today, your eyes pleading 

You watch as his eyes roll, before meeting yours.

 “And if I don’t?” He ask raising an eyebrow 

“I won’t let you leave the bed” You say, lifting your hands off his chest and crossing your arms, trying your best to look intimidating 

“Oh really?” Kuroo says, yet another smirk crossing his face again as he stares up at you

You watch as he lifts himself up a bit, making you slide down, your ass grinding down against him. Before you had a chance to react you felt his strong hands grip yours, your back now being pressed against the mattress. Your eyes widen as you now look up at him, his eyes dark as he smiles at you. 

“What was that about not letting you leave the bed?” He questions with a chuckles, his hands placing themselves next to your head 

Your breath hitches in your throat as you watch his eyes scan down your body, stopping right above your pajama shorts, before slowly coming back up to meet yours.

“Kuroo” You begin, squirming in his grasp a bit 

“Ah ah ah kitten” He tuts, leaning down, his face now resting only inches above yours “I believe you need to be punished” He whispers, his lips just barely grazing your soft ones

“Kuroo” You murmur, your hands moving to his biceps, giving them a light squeeze 

A soft chuckle feels your ears as his head moves down to your shoulders, peppering light kisses along your jaw down to your collarbone. His hot breath sending a wave of warmth through you as it blows along your cool skin, your eyes fluttering close as his lips come in contact with your shoulders. Kuroo’s calloused hands move slowly down your body, outlining every curve that you had. A strong chill shoots through your body as the warmth of his hands meet the coolness of your thighs, his fingers resting just below your shorts. Your heart pounds in your chest as his lips kiss along your skin, his breath blowing against you. 

“You know” Kuroo begins, as he starts to suck on the soft skin of your neck 

A small gasp leaves your mouth as his teeth graze along your skin, your hand instinctively tightening your grip on his arms. Your breathing becomes heavy as you feel the hickey that Kuroo is going to leave behind growing on your skin. Kuroo’s hands grip your thighs tightly, a moan leaving your lips as your head leans back further against the plush mattress. A whine leaves your lips as his leaves your skin, his face appearing in front of yours once more. 

“I think that blanket for sounds pretty good right about now” He finally says, a smile stretching along his face

You look up at him in disbelief as he leaves a quick kiss onto your lips before pulling away, and standing up. His hands leave your thighs as he turns around, his back facing you, as he makes his way to the bedroom door. Leaning up onto your arms you stare at him in shock, your heart still pounding from his touch. 

“Well are you coming?” Kuroo ask, looking over his shoulder at you, an eyebrow raised 

You open your mouth to respond, but nothing comes out as he stares at you, a huge smile on his face. 

“You son of a bitch” You mumbled, watching as he turns back around and leaves the room

Once you finally compose yourself, you make your way out of your bedroom, fixing your bunched up shorts.

“Kuroo?” You ask, looking around trying to find your boyfriend

Walking into the living room you notice a huge pile of blankets, and pillows resting on the beige carpet. Stepping up to the blankets, your eyes widening, not really noticing how many blankets you both really had. 

“Kuroo?” You call out again, as you pick up a couple of the pillows and place them on the couch to get them out of the way 

“Right here babe” You hear his deep voice answer, soft steps filling your ears as he comes up behind you, warmth radiating off of him 

You turn around to face him to see him holding a couple more pillows in his arms. Letting out a small laugh, you pull them out of his hands, and throwing them onto the couch. 

“Let’s hurry up and get this fort made” You say, patting his chest lightly before turning back around and sorting out the blankets from the rest of the pillows 

What should have taken a couple minutes ended up taking hours, and this was only because of Kuroo and how he just had to comment on your ass every time you bent down. You love him, you do, but sometimes that man can be too much. 

“Kuroo, don’t forget the cookies!” You shout from your spot underneath the now made fort 

The fort was quite large and roomy due to how many blankets you had, giving you enough room to fully lay down on the mattress-like ground. The only light within the fort coming  from the small laptop that sat in front of you, the Netflix home screen shining brightly. 

“Here you go” Kuroo’s voice says, before a package of chocolate chips cookies were thrown at you, almost hitting you in the head 

Your eyes shoot up to look at him, watching as he pushes aside the white blankets and joins you in the fort. You sit up as he “gently” throws down an arm full of random snacks, before sitting down next to you. You stare up at him, watching as he reaches one of his long arms out to pick up the package of cookies he threw at you and opens them, before pulling out a cookie and placing one in his mouth. 

Although you both have been dating well over a couple of years every time you managed to really get a good look at him you seem to almost fall in love all over again. The dim lighting of the fort gave his already well built jawline and even more featured look, his messy hair somehow adding to the look. 

“What?” He mumbles, biting off a piece as his face turns towards you “Did you want one?” He questions, sticking his hand that held the cookie out towards you

You roll your eyes at him, before pulling the cookie out of his hand and placing it in your mouth, biting off a rather large chunk. Your eyes follow his hand as he pulls it down to the laptop and begins to play a random movie, before he turns to you again. 

“Yes?” You  ask, as you eat the rest of the  cookie, an eyebrow raising 

Kuroo lets out a small chuckle, before his arms reach out, wrapping around your waist and pulling you closer allowing your back to press against his chest. Kuroo’s hands place themselves on your waist as you lean further into him, your head resting lightly against his shoulder, his breath blowing lightly against the top of your ear. 

As the movie continues, your eyes tend to move up to the side of Kuroo’s face, watching as he focuses on the chessy scenes that played out on the screen. A smirk grows against your face as you think back to earlier, and how he teased you, a plan growing in your mind. 

“Kuroo?” You ask innocently, shifting against him, tilting your head towards him 

“Yes?” Kuroo questions, his eyes not moving from the screen

A pout grows on your lips as you watch him not make an effort to move his gaze from the screen. Letting out a small sigh, you turn around, now facing him, your hands resting against his shoulders as your eyes now stare down into his. Kuroo’s hands move to your waist, holding you steady against him. 

“Kuroo…” You whine, as you place your legs on either side of his thighs, your fingers lightly playing with his shirt 

You lightly grind against him, earning a small groan from him, his eyes immediately shooting up to meet yours. The grip he held on your waist tightened as you grind yourself down once again, hearing his breath hitch in his throat. 

“Kitten” Kuroo begins, his eyes looking up and down your body before staring back up at you “What do you think you’re doing?” He continues, a smirk on his face, a groan releasing from him as you grind down a little harder 

You shrug, tilting your head to side, smiling at him as you move your hands down to his chest. His heart beats against your palms, as you give a soft press to his shirt, grinding down harder, a soft moan leaving your lips. You lean your face down towards him, your mouth pressing soft kisses against his exposed skin, as you make you way up to his ear. Your hands slowly begin to move down his chest, the tips of your fingers resting against the hem of his shorts, pulling lightly against the fabric as you give a soft bite to his ear lobe.

“Not much.” You murmur against his skin as you grind down against the tint rising in his shorts, the grip he held against you tightening, a soft moan leaving your lips once again 

“Just a little payback” You whisper into his ear, lightly pushing him down against the blanketed floor of the fort.

[pan-fangirl-345]

I'm Coming For All His Monsters

Summary: Shinso Hitoshi is determined not to make friends, but you and your friends have different plans, though Mineta seems hellbent on being the worst person in the world.

TW: panic attacks, abuse, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination, Mineta being involved in the last three, Mineta is a general trigger warning because I think the fandom collectively hates him, and I think that's it, but if I missed anything please contact me! I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable or regret clicking on one of my posts by accident!

A/N: Please for the love of all things holy, read the trigger warnings! Sorry I've been so inactive lately, I've been busier than I thought I was going to be! I'll start posting more in the following weeks hopefully!

Mineta was despised by everyone on the U.A. campus. It was a simple fact that was known by anyone who met the short perverted grape rat.

He made the girls feel like objects, and like they had to look over their shoulders every time he walked into a room.

The guys hated him for his disgusting personality and- for most of the boys in 1-A- his homophobic comments.

Mineta was the embodiment of what everyone hated in the world.

"Mineta," you warned, feeling his eyes on you as you strolled into the common room, "if you touch me, I will break your arms, do you understand me?"

Nobody was spared, whether they were female or not.

If it had boobs, Mineta was groping them, even if they were already in a relationship with someone.

Sero and Iida, along with Tokoyami and Shoji, took the brunt of the homophobic slurs (since Mineta had said something to Katsuki, who put him into the hands of Recovery Girl when he said something during training and Shouto had left him frozen for four hours in the woods after Mineta made Izuku cry).

Kaminari was spared some comments, because he played along with Mineta sometimes, and had yet to come out to that one student about being trans (everyone in 1-A had assured Denki that he didn't owe the grape rat anything, and he only had to tell the people he felt comfortable telling).

The newest victim of Mineta, was Shinso Hitoshi, the newest addition to class 1-B (and hopeful Mineta replacement).

Not only was Mineta a perv, homophobic, and transphobic, he was also a huge quirkest.

Hitoshi, after making friends with Denki and Izuku, had been spending a lot of time in the dorms.

You had been fast friends with him also, being an honorary member of the Bakusquad on account of being Eijirou's twin sister and Denki's best female friend.

For the first week or two that you had known Hitoshi, you had been worried that you made him uncomfortable.

Every time you walked into a room, he disappeared, and every time you tried to talk to him, he had avoided eye contact and bolted as soon as he could.

Until one night, when you had gone down to the common room after a nightmare, you had found him on the couch, staring a hole in the wall like it had personally offended him.

"Hey Shinso-san," you murmured, trying to announce your presence to him, but also trying not to wake anyone else up.

You saw no reaction, and called his name again, moving into his line of vision.

He tensed, and winced, at your arrival, and it made you frown.

"Why are you up?" you asked softly.

"Haven't you heard?" he replied playfully. "I'm an insomniac."

"Not after the training we had today you shouldn't be," you told him. "Everyone was so exhausted, short of the building collapsing, I don't think anyone's waking up for a while."

"You're up," he pointed out.

"I guess I'm just built different," you mused, and he chuckled, which made you smile.

"You spend too much time with Kaminari," he said.

You shrugged, sipping your water before you said, "I'm sorry. If I've made you uncomfortable, that was never my intention. I just wanted to be your friend."

Shinso tensed, glancing away from you before he pulled his legs up onto the couch, burying his face in them for a few moments before he reappeared.

"I'm sorry for making you think that you made me uncomfortable. You aren't doing that," he informed you. "I'm just . . . not used to a girl that gives me physical affection so easily. You aren't afraid of me, it's just taking some getting used to."

"Huh?" you asked, sitting on the far end of the couch, just to make sure that he had enough space. You had started to notice that he flinched when you got too close. You had an inkling about why, but you didn't want to assume anything and be wrong about it.

"I . . . I don't know how much Kaminari has told you about how I grew up-"

"Nothing," you interrupted. "Denki doesn't talk about stuff like that, especially if you've asked him not to. He might be dumb sometimes, but he's loyal."

Shinso nodded, stewing for a few quiet minutes before he said, "I wasn't raised in the most . . . stable household ever."

So you were right about your hunch then.

"Did they . . . you don't have to answer this if it makes you uncomfortable, but did they hurt you?" you asked softly.

"I don't remember much about my life before my quirk appeared- just flashes here and there- but they weren't the best parents in the world."

"So that's why you flinch whenever I touch you," you murmured. "I'm so sorry. I should've stopped sooner. I figured that might be the case, but I wasn't sure."

"You don't have to apologize," he said, glancing at you. "I don't mind- when you touch me I mean- it just jumps me when it happens unexpectedly. Especially when people come up behind me."

You nodded, scooting a little closer, turning to face him completely.

"Still, I'm sorry. I know Denki and I are tactile people, and sometimes we do it without thinking, since most of our friends and classmates respond well to it. I should have noticed when you didn't."

"I don't mind when you or Kaminari touch me," he said. "I flinch because it's a natural reaction for me. I really don't mind you or Kaminari touching me. It's pretty much everyone else that's the problem."

"And yet you still kick ass in combat training," you praised, trying to lighten the mood.

Shinso had given you a small smile and a breathy laugh, and you had smiled back at him.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to make you feel like you made me uncomfortable, it's just that girls aren't really my forte. Not like Kaminari anyway."

"Kaminari can dish it out, but he can't take it. And besides, this might be just me, but that kind of flirting doesn't work. Too overused. And the way he says it, well-" you made a face and Shinso laughed. "Thank you for telling me, by the way, about your family. It means a lot to me that you trust me enough to tell me."

Shinso nodded, glancing at you.

You couldn't tell in the dark, but you were pretty sure he was blushing.

"So, Shinso-san, what do you say?" you asked, slowly reaching out a hand to him in what you hoped was a non-threatening way. "Wanna be friends?"

He nodded, taking the hand that you held out to him.

That had been the start of your friendship with Hitoshi, but as the months passed, you had realized that you feelings for the insomniac weren't entirely platonic.

But you weren't sure how Shinso felt about dating, and you sure as hell weren't sure how he felt about dating you, so you ignored them as best you could for the time being.

But then Mineta made a dumb move.

It was an unspoken rule that when one of the squads, either the Bakusquad or the Izucrew, was having movie night or a hangout in the common room, Mineta stayed in his room.

But he had come down to the kitchen to get something just in time to see you hug Shinso in welcome.

"Ugh, it's bad enough that he's interacting with us," Mineta groused, drawing attention. "But you guys have to make it worse by letting him into our dorms?"

"Shut up Mineta," you growled. "I would choose Hitoshi to hang out with 100 times out of 10 instead of you. Go be an ass in your room or better yet, throw yourself out the window."

"At least put this on him," Mineta said, tossing something to Shinso.

He frowned as he tried to figure out what the item is.

You saw him tense as he realized that it was a gag.

You saw red, zeroing in on Mineta as Shinso tensed behind you.

"You slimy son of a bitch," you whispered, hands clenching so hard your fingernails bit into your skin.

Mineta tensed, clearly sensing your rage, and he tensed even further as you slowly raised your hand and pointed it at him.

He goes pale as your quirk takes affect.

Sweat beads on his forehead, and then he started to scream.

Everyone had agreed, silently of course so that Katsuki didn't get offended, that your quirk was the most terrifying.

Being able to dig through someone's mind and implant something close to their greatest fear was something the others had been wary of before they had met you.

You usually hated using your quirk on people, but Mineta was an exception.

Ignoring the sounds of Mineta screaming, you turned your attention back to Hitoshi, who is still staring down at the gag, his hands shaking slightly.

"Hitoshi," you murmured, moving so that he can see you.

You take the gag from his hands, careful not to touch him, handing it to Katsuki, who lights it up like a dry piece of paper.

"Hitoshi," you murmured again. "I need you to blink if you can hear me."

He blinked hard, and he turned his gaze onto you, though it was glassy and terrified.

"Hitoshi, blink if you can talk," you suggested, keeping your voice level, ignoring how Mineta goes quiet in the background.

Hitoshi blinks again.

"What do you need from me?" you asked softly.

The others were clearing out, giving you space, though Denki lingered, ready to jump in too.

"Talk to me," he gasped.

"What do you want me to talk about?" you asked. "I can tell you about my day, or I can tell you about the plot of the last book I read."

"Just talk to me," he gasped.

"Alright Hitoshi," you murmured, releasing your hold on Mineta.

Denki picked the grape rat up by the color of his shirt, leaving the room once he was certain that you had the situation under control.

"Can I touch you?"

Hitoshi thought for a moment before nodding, and you slowly reached out to take his hands, linking your fingers together.

"Okay, you know how I get when I read, so you can imagine how pissed I was when my favorite character was killed off. I mean, I cried, obviously, but I was so pissed! I wanted him to live! So far he's the only good male character! He actually reminds me of you. He's got that 'too cool for you' attitude, but he really is such a sweetheart. I love him, he's such a good character too. Seriously, if he managed to fall into our world and asked me out, I would totally say yes."

Hitoshi laughed tensely, and you ran your thumbs over his knuckles in soothing circles, settling him down on the couch, turning to face him, your hands still holding his.

You attempt to pull them away once, but he tightens his grip and you adjust your grip on his hands.

"Anyway," you continued, spewing about your latest reading spree, holding Hitoshi's hands in yours, sometimes pausing to make sure that he was still okay.

Eventually his shoulders relax and he tips forward into your lap.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, turning his face away from you.

"It's okay Hitoshi," you told him, laying a hand on his shoulder, taking your hand back. "The only person who should be apologizing is Mineta. I can't believe he did that. I knew he was a bastard, but this is a whole new level."

"I never wanted you to see that side of me," he whispered.

"Hitoshi," you said, you tone making him turn to look up at you. "I don't think any less of you because of this. I don't understand everything that you went through, and I don't know your exact experience, but I do understand the feeling. If something ever triggers you like that again I need you to tell me or one of our friends, maybe find a way to remove yourself, alright?"

He nodded, looking a little relieved.

"Hitoshi, do you need to talk about it? You don't have to," you assured him, "but . . . I just want to make sure that you're okay. I have a hunch, but I'm really hoping I'm wrong."

"You probably aren't," he murmured. "My father used to gag me whenever I tried to use my quirk to stop him from hitting me."

"Oh Hitoshi," you whispered, reaching out to touch his face before you remembered and pulled back.

He sat up again, took your hands, and placed them on his face, leaning into them, a small smile spreading across his lips as your thumb caressed across his cheeks.

"You don't have to pity me," he whispered.

"Hitoshi, this isn't pity," you told him, feeling your throat close at the torrent of horrors that flashed through your mind when you thought about what he had gone through. "Yes, I'm sorry that you went through that, and I'm sorry that you didn't have the family that you deserved until later in life, but I know that it helped shape who you are. And I love who you are, okay? If I could go back in time, I would become friends with you sooner so that I could give you all the hugs and safety you needed and deserved, but unfortunately, that's not my quirk. For now, I can try to make up for all the affection that you missed out on as a younger child, and be one of the people that you can count on, even when it's three A.M. and we should both be sleeping."

You leaned your forehead against his, content to just exist in the same space as he was, breathing the same air, hoping that he understood what you were trying to say.

He shuddered under your hands as your words sunk in, but you could tell that this wasn't a bad shudder, and you pressed your hands into his cheeks a little harder so that he knew you weren't going anywhere, but not enough to hurt.

"Are you okay?" you asked softly, opening your eyes to see him already looking at you with those beautiful eyes of his that were too old for the age of his body.

"I think so," he murmured. "Thank you, for sticking up for me."

"Always," you told him fiercely. "No one does something like that to my family. Ever. Especially not him. Do you want me to do anything else? I will break his arms."

Hitoshi shook his head, holding your hands against his face, leaning into their warmth, making your heart melt.

"Will you stay with me?" he asked softly, like he was scared of making you uncomfortable.

"Always, for as long as you need me to," you promised vehemently, kissing the tip of his nose.

As Hitoshi slept on your chest that night, your hands threaded through his hair as you ran your hands through it, you made a promise to yourself.

I'm coming for all the monsters that ever touched him. I'm coming for all the ones who twisted his stars and light into shadows. They tried to turn him into a nightmare, so I am going to be theirs.

[katsuflossy]

(anon who requested the sleepover hc) i wanted it to be separate. i forgot to clarify when i asked, i’m sorry. 😭💕

Sleepover hc with their S/o

Original ask: hey boo! can you please do a sleepover hc with bakugou, shoto & shinsou? thank you so much! 💕

Pairings: Bakugo Katsuki x reader, Todoroki Shoto x reader, Hitoshi Shinso x reader

TW: obscenities, a lil drug talkin

A/n: Heyyy~~ I really had fun making this hc so thank you for giving me this ask💖 hope ya like it!

Taglist: @sunset-novice-writer @goatsenpaiultimate

💥 Expect gourmet snacks

💥 Tf Bakugo looks like eating those high-calorie, sugar filled shits with msg.

💥 He made Oreos...that are better than the actual Oreos.

💥 But you’re not gonna eat them all in one sitting because he’s watching you like a hawk.

💥 “That’s it! I’m hiding the snacks because you ate 6 Oreos in under fifteen minutes!”

💥 “But Bakugo they taste so good~”

💥 Allowed you to eat more because you kept complimenting on how his creations were amazing.

💥 Sometimes stroking the ego gives you privileges.

💥 Y’all watching a movie? It ain’t no chick flick...except Mean Girls or Bring It On!

💥 Only the two with Gabrielle Union and Solange tho.

💥 You had to force him to sit down because he was getting mad at the whole racism and shit.

💥”Did she just call the squad pathetic?! They’re insects, why don’t they squash them!”

💥 “Because unlike you, you can get arrested for hitting someone, Bakugo.”

💥 Gauges your reaction every time, he wants to see your laughs, smiles and anger because he believes you can’t make an ugly face.

💥 He’s just obsessed with you man.

💥 Just don’t incite a pillow fight with him.

💥 You throw a pillow at him he’ll boomerang it right back with force x2.

💥 Your vision will go back and all you’ll hear is a thud on the ground then Bakugo’s ugly ass laugh. And he will not apologise.

💥 However, he’ll rub your sore tailbone as he wraps his arms around your figure, pressing your body to him as close as possible.

💥 The best part of the night is not Bakugo’s overly cuddly nature but the interactions of a spying Mitsuki and her son.

💥 At times she’ll walk in, first using the “Did you forget a blanket?” excuse to the “helping clean up” excuse.

💥 She knocks on the door, about to ask you if you need anything before Bakugo shouts “Shitty woman! She doesn’t want anything from you, go brush your shitty dentures!”

💥”You little shit, I wasn’t talking to you!”

💥 Masaru simply comes into the door frame, under his wife’s arm begging. “Dear, please just come to bed.”

💥 The rest of the night was you and Bakugo just enjoying the movies as he rubbed whatever flesh on your body he could find.

🧊 We’re making this clear; there’s no sleepover at the Todoroki's residency. He gonna be one shady, miserable mf because of everyone interrupting y’all time. From the sweet Fuyumi asking if you’d like some food to Enji busting the door open, inappropriately asking who you are and what are your affiliations with his son.

🧊 At your house the sleepover turns into a mukbang, you have Todoroki trying out every childhood snack and new snacks that are quite popular too. Thanks to you he’s obsessed with ring pops.

🧊 Mukbang + trying out tiktok dances and transitions

🧊 Shoto’s got some rhythm, the rest needs extra hard fine-tuning.

🧊 “No Shoto, do it like this. It’s like crossing your two arms in your face and then reversing it as you hit the middle.” You demonstrated for the umpteenth time doing the woah so you can carry on with the rest of the dance.

🧊 “So like this?” His right arm horizontally aligned, making an actual cross, before they returned back to their original position. You took the biggest inhale to avoid groaning out loud.

🧊 “...We’ll just work with it.”

🧊 (Introduce him to alt tiktok...I’ve said this before just do it please)

🧊 The rest of the night consisted of watching reruns of old Disney shows like That’s So Raven, eating more nostalgic food and ignoring the big burly fire man’s calls.

🧊 Shoto wants to turn off his phone but how could he when he wants to take a bunch of horrible beautiful pictures of you and posts them to Snapchat.

🧊 He’s touch starved so every pic is close up and his hand or leg can be seen draped over apart of your body. Plus, he can’t take a good picture for shit.

🧊 You both catch the Itis and fall asleep with you curled in his chest, leg crossed on his stomach and his hand caressing your thigh.

🧊 He says “I love you” however you were far too sleepy to even register the confession.

🧊 You better say it back in the morning, bitch.

🔮 Party at his house woohoo~.

🔮 Denki will try to crash your sleepover but was tricked by Shinsou to walk his ass back home.

🔮Thus your night begins

🔮 The best host even though he’s embarrassed by the compliment.

🔮 Got a bunch of snacks you like, a couple new movies he bought to watch.

🔮He made a pillow fort 👀.

🔮If you don’t like horror movies then you’ll watch some action.

🔮May even put on Little Rocky Horror Picture Show because he’s into old horror, comedy and musicals.

🔮 He will laugh a little at you if you scream at the little jumpscares.

🔮 Just when the shadow popped up on the screen then disappears, he sees you in the corner of his eye twitch away from the screen. He chuckles at your reaction causing you to face him.

🔮 “You thought that was funny?” He raises a thin eyebrow at your confrontation.

🔮 “No, I thought it was hilarious.”

🔮 “I wished I had your quirk so I could’ve made you dunk your head in the popcorn.” The smirk on his face stretches wider as he wraps in arms around your frame and draws your frame closer to his chest. You could hear heart beating faster than normal.

🔮 “Don’t worry, it scared me a little too.”

🔮He would really like to wind down and be chill so if you allow it, he’ll smoke that banyan. But if you don’t like it, he’ll just take it easy.

🔮 Regardless, if you start a pillow fight, he’s going ham.

🔮 Turns into a fortnight battle and the throw pillows are used as ammunition.

🔮 He wins because HE CHEATED you somehow knocked down your fort and claimed defeat.

🔮 The night ends with you guys climbing on the roof, admiring the stars and trying to find different constellations and planets.

🔮 His head lays in your lap as you stroke his purple strands. His consciousness losing control by your soft movements, ready to fall asleep on the roof then and there.

🔮 You persuade his sleepy body back inside where he could actually get decent rest in the warmth of your lap.

[ray-jaykub]

Heyyy :) I was wondering if you could maybe do head canons of having a kid with the boys (from Bayverse I was thinking?) Like them finding out and what kind of dad they'd be? If you don't want to, I totally understand! :D Thank you so much xx

I honestly want a raphael husband being the father of my daughters and sons. Literally the only way someone could ever get me to have a child is if it with that man and i stand by that. Fuck yeah turtle dads, LETS GO!! ((Gonna do a part 2 in a bit but i had to cut this short)

Leonardo:

•When Lee figured out the biggest thing he remembers feeling is pride and major fucking anxiety

•Nearly cried that night and the first person he told was his father, who he had always wanted to share this experience with so you can imagine the whirl of emotions he's going through

•He made father-hood his bitch ngl, fucking slayed and then some

•Leo is the stern daddy who helps with the homework and playtime while being percautious all at the same time

•First time your oldest son scraped his knee Leo held him for a solid four minutes wishing he would never have to hear those sad sobs again

•When his kids get in trouble Lee is the parent who gives the really long and boring lecture and then the punishment. Yes he did take the role of bad cop but damnit he hates it being called that

•Everyone will refuse to eat if they wake up and see dad at the table. Even when he tried to feed them baby food it was like they just wouldn't take it from him and he gets so petty when you manage

•The best with lullabyes. He can't tell a story but no matter how old his kids get they will ask for dad to sing

Raphael:

•Had a panic attack when you told him, took a 3 hour nap, remembered, told dad and Leo first, then never took his eyes or hands off of you because you were the most beautiful thing to him in that moment

•The dad your friends like when they come over because he makes the best dinner and is the secind best pillow fort maker. Anything his kids ask he will probably do because bro they're only kids once right?

•Definitley the one who, against your protest, let his kid take a sip of his cold brew. Fucking bust a gut laughin when they spat it all over his lap, he told them it was nasty

•When they get in trouble he has to take a minute to calm down because he knows if it makes him angry enough that Raph will be torn into pieces for yellin at his kid. Hates doin that, so he takes a differemt approach.

•"I'm not mad, just dissapointed" pulled the sad parent card because his dad did it all the time, why wouldn't it work?

•Definitley builds a relationship with each of his kids. From playin cowboys with one and princess with the other or maybe one of his lids got a thing for art. No, he can't draw but danggit he'll try

•Does not matter if he had the worst night on patrol or got his ass kicked fightin baddies. Raphael will hold his arms out for the tykes when they run to greet him and gives a hello kiss for each pretty head ready for whatever questions they have for him abput his night

[writers-worst-nightmare]

hi congrats on your milestone!! could I request matsukawa and prompt "it'll be our little secret" thank you!

When He Loves Me (I feel like I am floating)

Pairing(s): Matsukawa x reader

Warning(s): cussing, 18+ themes, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, pregnancy, cheating, stripper things

A/N: thank you babes! I love Haikyuu it is one of my comfort anime’s :)

Request always open!

100+ followed event

Pronouns: gn but reader gets pregnant and is a stripper so…

Issei and you have been together since High School of freshman year. You two where deemed cutest couple, everything that people wanted. However, there was always one problem throat clung to you like thick vines wrapping around your body and dragging you in thick and sticky water that you couldn’t see the bottom of. It was as simple as Issei and you where never dating each other. I mean sure you have been “together” but that has only been a few night-stands or drunk night calls. The two of you lived a life separate from each other and yet everyone thinks that the two of you are dating and asking when the wedding is. He has a wife but everyone thinks she is just one of those friends that you fort with a lot and you where quiet happy being single. Of course Issei and you had been friends since High School and everyone refused to believe that was possible for some unknown reason. It was finally what your high school called “throw back Thursday” where they dropped everyone off at a bar and said to get along. Half the people there ended up with babies by the end of the night. Since you where a stripper all of the men where all over you. You never really complained though, it was always paying great money and you some people where decent with sex. But you never seemed satisfied when somebody asked for a private show. Everyone except for Issei, it had been a running joke that if you became a striper Issei would come to every show on the weekend. And he kept his promise (somehow). Now being how he had a wife and kids the private shows for him always kept the steady flow of adrenaline going through your veins as he went down on you. He liked to live life on the edge and was amazing at keeping it both casual and tough during sex. It was dangerous, it was scandalous, and you loved it.

”Hey I am going on stage two!” You announced loudly as cast a narrowed gaze behind your shoulder.

“Is your boyfriend going to be there?” Kenma teased, his eyes glinting with mischievous meaning as he pulled his outfit over him.

“For the last time Kenma he is not my boyfriend!” You hissed, poking at Kenna’s chest. Kenma rolled his cat-like eyes.

”Whatever you say, can I join you on stage two? I think I saw some top girls looking for a Femboy,” Kenma inquired, you hummed thoughtfully before nodding your head in agreement.

You and Kenma went down to stage two and sure enough there where definitely some top girls looking for a femboy to fuck. Unluckily for Kenma they didn’t seem like his type. They all seemed fake and dull of personality. But, from what you heard, it was those types of girls that serves the best sex. You looked around the crowd before seeing  Issei and waving to him before getting on a pole. Kenma happily joined you as the two you synced the dancing, the crowd was wild me sweaty as it was late in the night and everybody's last shift before new people came in. Slowly you got off the pole and went to Issei and straddled his hips. You bit back a fit of laughter as Issei jokingly scrunched up his nose in disgust.

“Why don’t we get the fuck out of here before Kenma starts teasing me…” You giggled, Issei nodded his head and followed you into another room. Issei sat on the bed with his legs sprawled out. You pulled out some drinks and looked at Issei.

“Do you want something to drink?” You prompted, while taking a sip of some wine.

“Whiskey.” Issei answered plainly, you giggled at the black-haired males request of drink.

”Something happen with the Wife?”

”That son of a bitch keeps saying that I am being ‘too distant’ can you believe it?!”

You scoffed at the man’s words, they seemed to burn holes into the wife that he oh-so-loved.

“Why don’t you just divorce her again?”

”Don’t have a good reason to divorce her yet, and you have to admit to picks up the fun in sex!”

He was right, you both liked the thrill that sex brought up when the image of getting caught where basically embedded in both of your brains. But besides that. The sex was the same, it was the thrill that made it different and made you crave more.

Issei

He is so fucking addictive

***

Before you knew it you where flipped from the table and brought up with your ass in the air and Issei with his cock buried deep within you. He kept snapping his hips back and forth and back and forth. The sound of skin slapping echoed throughout the bedroom. Your tongue looked to the side and eyes rolled back. Behind you was Issei, he was hovering over your fragile body, hair sticking to the sides of his head. Both of you lost in wonderland as he kept going harder and harder. Hips slamming again and again and again. Closing your eyes you hid your face into a pillow as Issei slammed his cock in just the right spot where you see stars. You opened your mouth and moaned loudly into the pillow (thank goodness not out of the pillow or the crew would have more to talk about then you having a few hickey’s by the end of Issei’s session).

*few months later*

You opened your eyes and saw the third pregnancy test turn into positive, with a groan and a stumped Issei beside you you looked to the male for comfort. “It can be our little secret…” Issei muttered as he went on his knees and kissed your stomach.

[suckjasmins]

The love story Part 1

A/n soo im rewriting this story lol i just felt like i could do better so yeah and sorry for being gone for so long (if anyone noticed) i didnt and still dont have wifi, I only have it when my sister is home and she works lol so it will take time for me to post

edit: guess who has wifi bitches!!?? this bitch right here!!

Pairings: Bakugou x Reader

Word count: 2069 (nice) words

Warnings: none lol

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Only the sound of the rain and the thunder was the only thing anyone heard. It was one of the few days where it rained and usually would be celebrated. Living in the desert like place, only heat and blinding sun was regular. A rainy day was like a blue moon, and everyone, celebrated it. The kids would play in it, the young adults would party in it, the elders would simply stand in it and converse with one another. Music and laughter would be the only thing anyone heard. This day was the opposite however, and the reason for it? More than half of the village was gone, they were on a hunting trip that should only lasted for a few weeks. It had been a few months now, and everyone was beginning to lose their hope of the hunting group returning. The only ones left were, children and elders and a few adults that had stayed for different reasons.

You were one of the adults that stayed, your reason was that you fell sick right before leaving. It was then decided that it was too dangerous for you to leave the village. It took all of your friends to convince you to stay. And let's say you were furious that you had stayed, especially now that the group were now gone. But you were not the only one who's heart were filled with rage and sorrow.

The warriors and the dragons had left to hunt the orcs who had dangerously been inching in close to the village. The whole village thought that if they could get rid of the orcs now. All would be safer, and the orcs didn't have the recourses to go to war now, so why wait until the orcs can?

You sat on the floor at the opening of the tent. Watching the puddle, you thought about how hot it still was when it was raining. You thought about your friends, and what you would be doing if they were here. You probably would be dancing and partying in the rain. And nobody would be able to hear the siren over the music, unlike right now when it was going off. The siren that only was used to important things, to signal when a new season started or when someone returned home-

When someone was returning home after war or after a long time...

You looked up, towards the mountains and right there, in the middle of the mountains. A group of people were walking towards the village. They were too far away to be able to see who they were, but everyone knew. It was them.. Getting up, you started to run towards to the group of people, standing and watching them. You pushed your way to the front and your vision started to blur from tears. Even though it was still raining, even though it was still dark from all the clouds. It felt like the sun was shining, like the rain now was a sweet reminder of the parties that usually held place here.

The group were closer now, and you could clearly see how hurt they all were. The few dragons by the humans was transformed to their human shapes. Almost everyone were limping, and helping each. other to walk. Finally you could not hold yourself back and you broke out of the crowd. A few kids following you, you made you way to the group. The first person you saw were Mina, your long time best friend. And by her side were Eijiro, one of his wings were bandaged.

"Mina! Eijiro!" you screamed out as you neared them. You stopped a step from them and you went to hug them when you realized that that wouldn't be the best.

"Are you guys ok..? Is it ok if I hug you or..?" you fidgeted around, only you three stood there, everyone walking around you.

Mina chuckled and leaned forward, hugging you. You hugged back, squeezing her hard until she slightly winced. It felt like you hugged each other for hours, rambling about different things. Like how much you missed each other.

"Hey.. when is it my turn for a hug?" Eijiro whined behind Mina, crossing his arms and playfully pouted.

"Now's your turn" you let go of Mina and turned to him. "Come here big guy" you squeezed him just like Mina. You two also stood forever and rambled about things. Just like when you were younger, he always felt like home. You also would stand there forever if Mina hadn't interrupted the two of you.

"The Bakugous is about to start their speech, let's get over there, then can you two continue your hugging party." she nodded towards the scene where Mitsuki Bakugou, the village leader, or queen, was about to start her speech. Walking towards her, you blended into the crowd already there. Mitsuki Bakugou stood in the middle of the scene, her husband, Masaru Bakugou stood slightly behind her, a supporting hand on her shoulder. On her other side stood Katsuki Bakugou with his usual scowl on his face. Mitsuki exchanged a few words with Masaru before turning her attention forward.

"Everyone... We'er finally back from the hunting trip that were only supposed to last a few weeks. It was hard but I'm glad to tell you the exiting news. When we arrived to the last sighting of orcs, we saw that there were a few who had made camp there. We fought them off our land and got information on where the main camp was. When we arrived, we were shocked to say the at least. There were a lot more than we thought there were going to be. We had to make camp and discuss our new battle plans. But then we were ready, and we fought. And... even though it was a big possibility that we would lose a few soldiers... WE LOST NONE!" a big cheer broke out and people started to almost party right there and then. Mitsuki with only her hand silenced and calmed down the crowd. "We fought bravely, many of us were hurt and are going to be treated shortly after this speech. We have now gotten rid of the orcs that harmed and threatened our land. And luckily... the mating season has not started yet. It will begin in a 2 short weeks along with spring. I feel like this year is extra special, and we will treat it like it. Now just a few words from my husband and from my soon then you can continue to reunite with your close and loved ones" she finished her speech and stepped to the side. Her husband and her switching their places. He cleared his throat and started with his speech.

"Even though my wife has said almost everything there is to say, I have a few words. I want to say thank you, for every brave soul that followed us to fight the evil. It is only with their help that we could defeat the enemy without losing one of our own. And for anyone wondering... the harvest has been good this year. And along with the animals we hunted on our way back. We have more than enough food to relax without the need to hunt. We will celebrate the beginning of spring with a feast so big it will last for days!" he laughed and the crowd cheered again. The thought of being able to properly relax and the thought of food, making everyone happy. Mitsuki then pushed her son, Katsuki, to the front. It was then you noticed his arm were wrapped and hung around his neck. It was clearly broken, you looked around and noticed a lot of people had broken something. But thankfully Mina or Eijiro hadn't broken anything. Eijiro was only bleeding from his wing but otherwise was okay.

"I would like to say... It was brave of everyone to follow on this trip, to risk their life for each other. And now we can celebrate it" his words were short and you could hear how he didn't mean any of that. Or maybe he did but was too tired to say it. Everyone clapped and Mitsuki clapped Katsukis shoulder. She whispered something to him and he scowled. The Bakugou family left the stage and almost the whole crowd turned to the direction of the medical tent. You walked with Mina, Eijiro had left to find Katsuki Bakugou, his dear friend.

"So Mina, are you excited about the mating season?" you asked her, as you walked together.

"Ah... I don't know actually... I mean Eijiro competed for me last year and well, I don't know if he's going to do it again" she answered, she stared ahead at nothing. You got a brilliant idea, almost like a lightbulb went off in your head.

"Why don't you compete for him? I mean it's tradition that couples compete every year and imagine how happy he would be!" your eyes shined as you awaited for her answer.

"Omg... Y/n I love you!" she grabbed your shoulders and shook you back and fort before hugging you. "And it can be a surprise too!" you laughed along with her.

"I'm really happy for you, you know? I don't think your or Eijiro could fins a better match" you smiled warmly while Mina gave you a cute pout.

"That's so sweet... I have to do something for you now!" she gasped and pulled you with her. "What if... I help you find someone to compete for you or someone for you to compete for?!"

"Ah... Mina, there isn't really anyone I'm interested in.." you sighed, you never really thought about dating or anything like that. But it wasn't the first time someone told you to get a date.

"I know I know... but if there's someone who would be a great match for you? It would be Bakugou!" she almost yelled out, which resulted in you covering her mouth with your hand.

"Shush! You can't just yell that!" you shushed her, she only giggled in response. "And.. Bakugou..?" you slightly blushed.

"Yes yes! I was with him a lot during this trip and you'er perfect for each other!"

"But I don't really know him? Like at all?" that was a lie, you did know Bakugou. Or at least you knew him when you were younger. You and Bakugou were thick as thieves when you were children.

It was only after he started to really bully Midoryia that you had told him to stop. Before that you would also tease Midoryia, call him Deku and laugh along with Bakugou. When you became 5 you got close with Midoryia, and started to be his friend too. And at the same time Bakugou only bothered Midroyia more. You would try to protect Midoryia but would always run after Bakugou, laughing and playing with him. Until you stayed, and told Bakugou to stop. It was the first time you were deadly serious and Bakugou only let out a tch before leaving. After that day Bakugou started to ignore you, and would bully Midoryia as much as you could.

But now, you had grown up and you pretended that you didn't know Bakugou. Like you never talked to him at all. A lot of the elders knew of your friendship, but never discussed it. The people your age didn't know, mostly because they weren't there when you were younger. It was like your friendship with Bakugou was in an another life time.

When you and Mina arrived at the tent, you saw a long line of people waiting. You let out a sigh and turned to her. You scanned her up and down and tilted your head. She wasn't really hurt, only scrapes and dirt on her skin. She didn't limp or act like anything hurt.

"Mina, are you hurt? Or why are we here?" you asked, not knowing what her answer would be.

"Oh not really... But I have a nasty cut on my back that need to be cleaned" she shrugged, and turned to stand in line. You lit up.

"That's great!" you exclaimed, before wincing. "I don't mean it's great you have a cut but I have stuff at my place. I could patch you up there!" you smiled.

"Oh really? Great! Let's go" she turned swiftly around, already heading to your tent.

[hotchley]

I'm so tired please give me soft Hotch and protective Morgan content ♥️

Aww it’s okay to be tired and take a break and if you ever want to talk, my asks are still on, and I feel like I’m getting to this really late because I was probably sleeping when this was sent?

Anyways, this is just a little image I’ve had floating around my head. I’ll cross-post it to my ao3.... later because at it’s 5:41am and I want to go to sleep.

I may have missed the mark with this?? I don’t know, we have protective Morgan showering Hotch with compliments and Hotch being himself about the whole thing so I feel like it counts.... also the ending will make sense at the end

This is set during Gabby, but that’s not that relevant because I barely remember what actually happened in that episode, just that Hotch got punched by Sue.

Warnings: canon-typical violence (Hotch gets punched but it’s not graphic, just an event, and something referenced)

fifty-two minutes

Hotch knew he was going too far as he insulted Sue's abilities to parent Gabby, but he also knew there were certain things that had to be done for cases. He needed to know. Everyone needed to know whether or not she was capable of doing the unspeakable. If she was the one responsible for Gabby's disappearance. And the only way he could do that was by pushing. By pushing until she snapped and reacted.

He had just assumed her breaking point would lead to some form of verbal retaliation. Something about the lack of wedding ring, even though there was still a tan line because on the days where he missed Haley so much it was all-consuming, he would put it on, just for a few moments to remember the version of her that had been everything to him. He assumed she would make her own biting comment about how he wasn't with his own son. There was only one reason behind the glitter on his shirt. Derek had found his horror at being informed about its existence hilarious, but that was besides the point.

He hadn't thought she would punch him, square in the jaw, with all the rage of a scorned woman. He hadn't expected it to hurt as much as it did, or that it would immobilise him as much as it did. As he stumbled back, he was vaguely aware of the guard entering, but it hurt like a bitch. It took everything in him to remember how to de-escalate the situation without causing anyone further harm, but he did it, and then him and Dave left the interrogation room, armed with new knowledge.

"So how do you know this?" Derek asked casually.

Hotch didn't quite meet his eyes, staring at his eyebrows instead. He loved the way Derek treated him like he was the most precious and valuable person on the planet, and he loved that with him, he could be Aaron- the soft man that enjoyed theatre and was willing to get glitter all over his work clothes for his son.

But there was a time and a place for that, and it wasn't here, no matter how much he wanted to feel Derek's arms around him, grounding him to the moment and convincing him everything was going to be fine.

"She... reacted to my comment about motherhood," Hotch said, acting very much like the Southern-born gentleman talking about something unsavoury that he was. As if on cue, his jaw seemed to ache once more, and he was reminded of the need to actually deal with injuries instead of hiding them.

"Reacting? Aar- Hotch, what did she do?"

Hotch loved the way Derek would say his first name, sometimes exasperated, sometimes through a fit of uncontrollable laughter,  occasionally with annoyance, but always with love and affection sprinkled in. He also loved the way Derek called him Hotch. Like there was a secret joke between them, and in some ways there were.

Dave liked to think he was the only one on the team to consistently call him Aaron, but he wasn't. Not anymore.

"She may have responded with physical violence," Aaron said, voice quieter than usual. He started shuffling the files around. Alex tapped the table, and Spencer smiled at her, leaving to go and get a coffee refill. JJ was already out with the sheriff, so there was nobody left to distract from the situation.

"Physical violence?" Derek sounded worried.

"Sue punched Hotch in the jaw," Dave filled in.

Aaron spun around to face him, looking betrayed. "Dave!"

"He was always going to find out. And your jaw is starting to bruise," Dave said, smirk on his face.

"She punched- Aaron you can't just not- Dave can you cold the fort down for a few minutes?" Derek asked, already going round the table. Aaron looked down, knowing that if he saw Derek's eyes, he would start smiling like an idiot.

"Take as long as you need," Dave said, winking.

Aaron flushed, Derek rolled his eyes but smiled, and then grabbed his boyfriend's arm and dragged him to the bathroom.

"Der- Derek what are you doing?" Aaron stuttered. He hated that he stuttered whenever he got anxious, but he didn't want people spreading rumours. Or making assumptions, because yes they were together, but that didn't mean they were sneaking away to do that.

Luckily, Derek dragged him right past the bathroom and into an empty and unused conference room, which in some ways was almost worse. He pulled out a chair and forced Aaron to sit. Not that he needed to force him to do anything. For Derek, Aaron would do anything. Apart from admit that he enjoyed wearing his shirts because they smelt like home. That would be his pretend secret.

"I'm treating the injury you tried to hide from me!" Derek said.

Aaron scoffed. "I didn't hide it! I just didn't tell you the moment I saw you that the information we got came at the price of a punch! And it's not that bad, my jaw just aches. It's nothing new- get your mind out of the gutter you know my hearing messes with my jaw!" he said, voice rising in pitch when Derek smirked.

"But honey, I didn't say anything," Derek said, grining. "And is that really your best argument? Some prosecutor." It was teasing though, and Aaron smiled, because even as he'd said it, it had sounded stupid.

Derek left, closing the door behind him, and without case files to distract him, the pain in his jaw- which was worse than he had been willing to admit- became more prominent and he decided that Derek was the best thing to ever happen to him. And then he started wondering when he'd become such a sap.

"I got the first aid kit, and some ice. I reckon that's all we can do, but just before that, can I just check that it's not dislocated?" Derek said as he returned. And Hotch accepted that he'd always been a sap, it was just amplified by Derek's love.

"She didn't punch me that hard," Aaron whispered, still wincing when Derek pressed two fingers to the spot that was bruising.

"Mhm. Whatever makes you feel better. But seriously, does anything feel wrong?"

Aaron shook his head. He closed his eyes as Derek poked and prodded him more, the touch still comforting even though there was some necessary force behind it. He had never felt better than he did in the soft and silent moments like this, when they could just exist and not feel the need to fill the silence with unncessary words, because the silence said more than sentences ever could.

He let out a yelp as the ice packet was pressed to the skin that was definitely bruising. "Derek!"

"Yes honey?"

Aaron blushed at the pet name, looking down at his boyfriend. He hadn't even realised that Derek had been kneeling by his side, staring at him with such adoration and love in his eyes that it physically hurt Aaron's chest to see just how capable of good things people were.

"Warn me next time," he said, pouting slightly.

Derek smiled. "Of course sweetie." He didn't let go of the ice pack, even though Aaron was fully capable of holding it himself. It was nice though, if a bit of a strange image. One man in a chair, looking down as his partner knelt on the floor holding the ice pack with a suprising amount of genteless. He took Aaron's hand in his own, drawing circles over the knuckles the same way Aaron would.

Aaron looked down, mesmerised by how well Derek knew him. By the fact that he got to call such a good man his everything.

"Okay, it's been a decent amount of time, the pain and swelling should go down. It's still going to bruise, so I'll take Jack to soccer practice when we get back, otherwise all the other parents are going to be drooling instead of watching and we can't have that, can we?" Derek said after both sides of the ice had gone warm.

"Derek," Aaron warned.

"Aaron," Derek mimicked. "Seriously though, they're all going to be back now."

"I know," he sighed.

Derek stood up, letting out a slight wince. Aaron couldn't help but smile. Derek was always teasing him about his back pain and the fact that he was getting older with every passing day, but the same could also be said of him.

"I love you," he whispered as Derek took his hand to help him stand up, even though he could have done it himself. The words had never come easy to him, not with Haley, not with Jack, but he was getting better. And when Derek said them, he never expected a verbal response, knowing Aaron said them in every other possible way.

"I love you too," Derek said, pressing a kiss to Aaron's hair. Aaron let his eyes flutter closed as Derek pulled him closer for one final hug. He inhaled deeply, the smell of Derek's shower gel and deodorant the most comforting thing, alongside the laundry detergent he used because Haley had.

When they re-entered the conference room they had set up base in, Alex wordlessly asked if everything was okay. Aaron nodded at her, gratefully accepting the coffee she held out to him.

"Fifty-two minutes is not a few," Dave said, but there was no malice behind them.

"What can I say? I cannot resist beautiful men," Derek said.

Aaron hit his arm, cheeks warm with embarrassment but heart warm with love.

[sammystep]

No One Lives Forever- CH6

(AO3 link)

Stardust Crusader Wolf Pack AU

[From the beginning- CH1]

<Previous Chapter    Next Chapter>

Jotaro is woken up by the gentle rays of the sun shining through the only window of the room, feeling not necessarily more well rested than usual but calmer. Contented. You are still asleep when he turns to face you. Neither of you had moved much during the night but he’s surprised your hands are still linked together on top of the blankets. He takes a second to decide if he really wants to be awake right now, he’s not used to feeling happy to wake up next to someone else. But ultimately, he’s not tired enough to fall back to sleep and it feels creepy to just stare at someone while they sleep. So, he carefully separates his hand from yours and gets ready for the day.

Exiting the attached bathroom after finishing his morning routine he sees that you’ve also woken up. Well maybe ‘awake’ isn’t the right word. You’re sitting up in the bed but he can’t see if your eyes are even open with how low your head is hanging, your hair obscuring your face. You seem to sense him getting closer and lift your head, only one eye open and squinting at him. Jotaro can’t help the chuckle that slips past his lips, it seems you are not much of a morning person.

“It’s still early. Go back to sleep.”

You have no arguments to this. With a sigh and a flop, you move yourself to the center of the bed and curl all the blankets and sheets around you. Jotaro catches a mumbled “OK. Thanks,” as he picks up his half-torn hat from the night stand and leaves the room.

He’s not surprised to see that Avdol and Kakyoin are already awake and enjoying the start of their day in peace and quiet, counting down the moments till Polnareff and Joseph wake up. Hmm, he should have warned them to be quiet before he went to bed last night. Then again, he didn’t really stick around after dinner to talk things out with his pack. The blood rushes to his cheeks and he tilts his head down so the brim of his hat can shield him. Good grief, they must think he’s some love-struck pup. One girl shows up and he drops all responsibilities to follow after her…

“Ah! Jotaro!” Joseph doesn’t exactly shout at him, but it’s close as the older man walks down the hall, Polnareff following behind him. “Good to see you’re up! You disappeared on us last night.”

“Well can you blame him? Who wants to hang out with us when there is a pretty girl in your bed?”

Jotaro growls a bit at Polnareff, “Don’t be perverted. Both of you knock it off.”

“Easy son, we’re just kidding. Right Pol?” Joseph elbows the platinum blond hard in the stomach. It was one thing for him to tease his grandson, but Pol had a habit of taking things too far. Better to nip this in the bud before they get into a real fight over it. Pol wheezes out a half-hearted apology and Joseph turns back to Jotaro with a more serious look in his eye.

“All joking aside, we do need to discuss this. As a pack.”

Jotaro nods and gestures for the other two men to make their way to the lounge. Once everyone is seated Joseph begins, “So. As exciting as yesterday was, we need to do some damage control and planning. We need to figure out if this was just a rogue group or if they had purpose for being this far out away from towns.”

“Avdol said (y/n)’s wounds were from small shot, and not a killing blow.” Kakyoin added, “But the pellets were silver. Someone was hunting wolves specifically. And planning on taking them captive.”

“We need more information. I’ll lead Polnareff and Gramps back to where I left the hunters. We can see if there are any more clues to who they were.” Jotaro stands as he announces the plan, “Kakyoin, Avdol. Hold down the fort here. I’m trusting you two with…”

“Ah, I see how it is. You don’t want me around for my amazing tracking skills- non! You just don’t want two, what did you call us? Perverts? Around the little lady.”

With a sigh, Joseph starts forcibly pushing Polnareff out the front door. “We’ll be outside Jotaro. Someone needs a lesson on what is appropriate to joke about so early in the morning.” The front door closes with a slam and a muffled smack is heard soon after.

Jotaro shakes his head and exhales loudly out his nose. “Well, he’s half right. Except I do need his tracking skills for this.” He catches the smirks from the remaining two men. “We won’t be too far out I don’t think. Howl if anything goes wrong, we’ll keep an ear out.”

“Same to you. Good luck finding what you need.” Avdol bids him farewell and Kakyoin gives a small wave farewell as Jotaro joins the other two outside.

Polnareff is holding the back of his head and looking more downcast than when he was inside, the older alpha must have dished out some discipline to the younger man. “Hey, Jotaro. No hard feelings, right? I was only joking.”

“It’s fine. This whole situation just has me on edge. Just… don’t.”

“Ah, no worries mon amie! I promise I won’t make anymore jokes about our new packmate.”

“New packmate? Hmm. We’ll need to discuss that later. First things first.” Jotaro motioned with a nod to the forest in front of them. “I’ll take lead getting us there. I left them by the lake but think we need to bring some shovels just in case. That ecosystem can’t handle all of the bodies at once.”

Gathering up some shovels and rope the three men made their way into the forest, backtracking the smell of blood past an outcropping of rocks then turning sharply to the south. The trip took about a half hour on foot, covering up the blood trail as they went to prevent any nosy hikers or forestry department personnel from following it. Finally, they reached their destination, not far from the clearing where you first saw Jotaro in his beastly form.

The remains from the four werewolf hunters were scattered over the forest floor, and although Jotaro had been fast at dispatching them, he was also brutal. Savage bites and claw marks indicated that all four were assuredly dead before Jotaro left them, none of them had bled out. Small scavengers had already made a meal out of the easy pickings, by the scent of the trail it must have been a few coyotes.

Polnareff goes up to the nearest body and starts rummaging in the pockets, Jotaro and Joseph follow his lead. Gathering wallets, extra ammo, and gear they bring what they find to a clear spot not to far away, making sure to keep the belongings separated according to which body they were found on as per Polnareff’s instructions.

As Jotaro searches through the pockets of the last hunter, something seems off to him about this body. None of the others had smelled like anything supernatural, the opposite; they had smelled just of silver and wolfbane. “Gramps, Pol. Come take a look at this one. Or a smell I should say.” The other two meet him at the side of the corpse. “You guys ever smell something like that? It’s not coming from him, more like he touched something and it stuck to him.”

“Hmm, that is weird. He doesn’t have any gear that is giving off that smell, does he?” Joseph crouches down to get a better look at the man. “Pol? Hey Pol, snap out of it!”

Polnareff seems to be in shock from the scent that is clinging to the dead hunter, “I… I know that smell. I had hoped to never catch a whiff of him again!”

“You know it? Well spit it out man!” Joseph shouts, impatient with the younger man’s stalling.

“I met him years before I joined this pack. He called himself DIO!” Polnareff exclaims before grabbing Joseph by the shoulders, “That man; he’s pure evil. I’ve never met another creature like him before or since!”

“You said DIO? That can’t be! How would he have…” Joseph’s eyes go wide as he shouts back in Polnareff’s face, “OH MY GOD! That slimy son of a bitch! After all these years! All these centuries!”

“Old man, what are you talking about?” Jotaro basically pries Polnareff’s hands from his grandpa, both men so distracted that they don’t notice. “Who the hell is DIO?”

“I… I don’t know where to begin! Polnareff is right, he’s the living incarnation of evil! My grandfather, Jonathan, was killed by that bastard! And my father as well by his devoted followers!” Joseph clenches his fists and grits his teeth, “He is the enemy of all Joestars!”

“Hold on old man, you are saying that this guy, DIO, killed your grandpa? How do you even know he’s talking about the same guy? It’d be impossible for it to be him,” Jotaro looks between Polnareff and Joseph, “look, we will talk about this more at the cabin. For right now we need to focus. Besides the weird smell that may- or may not- be this mythical DIO guy, what else do we have to go on?”

Joseph takes a deep breath and collects himself, Polnareff however remains on edge as the cloying stink of magic remains in the air.  “You’re right son, you’re right. Ok, the guy over there had his wallet on him. Just his ID, some credit cards and some cash.” Joseph pulls out the items one by one from the wallet, replacing the cards and cash and keeping the ID out to look at.

Polnareff regains his focus and takes a closer look at the ID. Pulling out the wallets and IDs from the other hunters he studies each one. “The addresses, they are all from the boroughs around the city. Except smelly guy here, he’s from Jersey.”

“Gramps, hold onto those. We can do some research when we get back. Anything else?” Joseph nods to Jotaro and holds out some of the ammo collected from the hunter’s gear.

“Found extra shot on them, its all silver by the smell.”

“And I found this on the other guy over there.” Polnareff holds out a thin strap, made of some kind of flexible plastic with a large protruding box fitted to it. “It looks like it has a clasp. I’m going to see if I can get it working.” As Polnareff clicks together the clasp the box device beeps loudly in the stillness of the forest. A puff of air is released right before a static shock emits from the prongs hidden on the inside of the box. Quickly, Polnareff drops it to avoid being shocked and steps back. “Uggh. I think I’m gonna be sick. Smells like… concentrated wolfsbane.”

Once the initial shock is discharged Jotaro quickly unclasps the collar and deactivates the device. “We’ll take this stuff back with us, let Avdol and Kakyoin have a look. See if (y/n) recognizes any of them from their ID’s.” Surveying the area quickly Jotaro makes a decision, “We’re further from the lake than I thought. We’ll have to bury them all.”

The men make quick work of digging the shallow graves, barely an hour goes by before they are dumping the last body into a ditch. Polnareff makes sure to rip a piece of the fabric from the odd smelling man for further investigation. As they finish their grim work Jotaro picks up on his grandfathers’ pensive mood and unusual silence. “What are you thinking about, gramps?”

“Hmm. It’s that man, DIO. I know you don’t believe that the DIO Polnareff mentioned could be the same as the one who killed our ancestor, but the coincidence… That he’s another evil man named DIO that is now entangled in the Joestar bloodline? And the whole reason we’re here, at the cabin at all…”

“I agree with Mr. Joestar, the coincidence is too unlikely to not be fate. Non, there is something at work here.”

“You think the appearance of this DIO guy and the city getting more dangerous for wolves is connected somehow?” Jotaro pinches the bridge of his nose as he closes his eyes, “Polnareff, you said you met him years before you joined us. That would put the timing right around when wolves started going missing in the city.”

Joseph nods sagely at this connection made, “I’ll give Caesar a ring when we get back, let him and Suzie know we’re cutting this trip short.” He crosses his arms and snorts, “Even if this has nothing to do with DIO, these hunters were here to capture a wolf alive. They didn’t know we were here, which is more concerning cause it means their operation has escaped my notice! I’m Joseph Joestar! And they’ve been abducting wolves outside of MY CITY? Under MY NOSE?” The bristly hair on Josephs arms and face stand on end as he nearly triggers a shift in his anger.

Polnareff is not doing much better to contain himself, the memories of meeting the evil man replaying in his head. Combined with the knowledge of what the hunters were set out to do. “(y/n) said they drove her off the road yesterday. I’m going to take a walk and see if I can find the cars and more clues.” There is a deep growl permeating Polnareff’s words and Jotaro can tell he’s going to take the walk in his wolf form. “I’ll meet you back when I’m done.”

“Take the time you need to cool off Pol.” Jotaro nods at the blond in understanding, the gravity of the situation sitting heavily on everyone’s shoulders. “We’ll see if (y/n) knows anything else about these guys or what they were doing. She’s our only living link to this right now.” Polnareff sighs and nods back, already starting his shift into a massive white werewolf. He quickly picks up the trail the hunters left and sets out on his own.

Jotaro and Joseph follow the trail back to the cabin in silence.

The smell of bacon and eggs hits them as they walk through the front door. A quick look in the kitchen reveals its Kakyoin taking his turn to prepare the meal, you and Avdol are in the dining room setting the table for brunch. Avdol is the first to greet them, “Welcome back. Find anything of interest?” His eyebrows furrow, “Where is Polnareff? Did he not come back with you?”

“No, he went on ahead to check out the cars for clues.” Jotaro says, shaking his head. “We found some things… Lets talk about this after we eat.” Avdol just nods and makes his way to the kitchen to help Kakyoin. Jotaro turns to you and you feel his eyes sweep over you quickly. You’re still dressed in his borrowed night clothes as you have nothing to change into. “Your leg doing better today?”

“Yeah, much better. Just a little stiff, and Mr. Avdol helped me change the bandage already. I should be good as new in a few days.”

“Good. That’s good.” Jotaro sticks his hands in his pockets and leans back. “Like I said, you can stay as long as you need. We… well we’ll discuss it after breakfast, but there was some concerning stuff we found out there. And, I’d… We’d feel better if you stuck with us for a while.”

You frown a bit as the seriousness of the situation weighs on your shoulders, “That makes sense. Honestly, I’m not in a hurry to go wandering off on my own again. Its… nice. Being with other wolves again.” You smile at him and you swear there’s a hint of a smile on his face too before both of your attention snaps to the doorway where Kakyoin is carrying in a serving plate of food. Avdol and Joseph follow him in with the rest of the meal and drinks and you all sit down at the table. “Should we wait for Mr. Polnareff?” You ask looking around at the other men.

Jotaro shakes his head, “No. We don’t know how long he’s going to be gone. We’ll set him aside a plate and some leftovers.” Joseph nods in agreement before starting to pass around the food. The meal is eaten in near silence, Joseph and Jotaro’s tense mood spreading to the others. Once the meal is finished and leftovers put away the pack reconvenes at the dining room table.

Joseph lays the items they took off the hunter’s bodies in the center of the table, “This is the stuff we found on them. As you can see,” he gestures to the rounds of ammunition and the collar device they found, “they came prepared.”

“(y/n), can you tell us if you recognize any of these men?” Jotaro passes the IDs to you as Kakyoin and Avdol examine the other items more closely.

You study the faces and names closely but nothing seems familiar to you. Their photos are almost disturbingly normal looking, they look like average guys but they were capable of such violence? “No, I’ve never met them at all. At least not before yesterday.”

“That’s part of what has us so on edge actually.” Joseph lifts his chin to nod at the collection of gear on the table. “They were professional hunters then. You weren’t targeted for personal reasons. Just the nature of what you are.”

“What is the other concerning part then?” Kakyoin questions the alpha.

“We believe you were right when you deduced that they intended to take (y/n) with them alive. We found this,” Jotaro taps the band of the collar device with his index finger, “on one of the hunters. When the clasp is latched it releases concentrated wolfsbane and an electric shock.” You go pale as you wrap your arms around yourself for comfort. The rest of the pack looks pale and shaken as well, hard stares looking at the cursed device and glancing to you occasionally. “(y/n). We need you to tell us exactly what happened. Starting with where you came in contact with these guys.”

You nod and take a sip of your water before starting your summary of events. “I realized there was something wrong when I left the last town I stayed in; I think it was still in Pennsylvania at the time. I picked up some under the table waitressing job to make some cash and was on my way to see Niagara Falls for my next stop.” You look at the IDs laid out on the table again, pointing to one of them, “I noticed a white van pull out behind me, I think this guy was driving it. I remember his dumb Clark Kent looking glasses. Anyway, I thought it was just another driver at first, until I had to make a pitstop for gas. They must have been far enough back that I didn’t see them get off on the same exit, but when I got back to my car after paying, I saw the van pull around the side of the building.”

You blush and look down at the table, “I kind of panicked then, instead of getting back on the freeway I took some random turns in hopes I would lose them. I thought I did and just ended up driving for a few hours north. But then they caught up to me.” You put your arm on the table and rest your forehead in your palm, “I was looking for a good place to turn off and just fight them, but they ran me off the road before I could find a place. When I got out, I tried to run but they shot at me.” You pick your head up to look at Jotaro, his face set in grim determination as he listened to your account of events. “I guess you know the rest. Jotaro showed up after they shot me a second time and here we are.” You motion around you with your hands.

“Hmm. So they followed you on your way out of town yesterday morning. Had you ever seen them before? Maybe they were customers in the restaurant?” Kakyoin says as he studies the faces on the IDs.

“Its possible. Everyone seems to blend together when you work a job like that.”

“My question is: why did they target you? How did they figure it out that you weren’t human?” Joseph scratches his beard as he looks up at the ceiling. “They have this special gear for hunting wolves, maybe Polnareff will find something in the van?”

“I can’t imagine they caught me slipping up. I am usually very careful with how and when I shift. And I can’t think of anything that happened in public that would have drawn attention.” You shake your head as you examine one of the extra shotgun shells in front of you.

Jotaro taps you on the forearm to get your attention for his next question, “You said things were getting bad for lone wolves. We’ve heard similar rumors in the city, that’s why we are all the way out here. What else do you know about those rumors?”

“Hmm, well there are the normal things you hear about- runaways and lone wolfs having bad run ins with religious nuts. But for a few years now, it’s been more than just that. Whole families go missing sometimes, or someone just barely gets away and after a few weeks they’re gone too.” You shudder and hold yourself again at the memory of the horror stories you’ve heard. “They say it’s a new gang- they’re recruiting or trafficking or something. But the worst stories are about the boss. They say he’s a supernatural creature too- immortal and invincible. Calls himself a lord.”

“(y/n)… calls himself what. What is his name?” Joseph looks like he’s seen a ghost, face white as paper and eyes wide.

“They call him Lord DIO.”

<Previous Chapter   Next Chapter>

Author’s Note:

You were expecting a romance werewolf fic- BUT IT WAS I! DIO!

So this is going to turn into a full Stardust Crusade AU- but when I say AU I mean there are only hints of canon left.

Also, Polnareff, are you trying to upset your pack alpha before he leads you into the forest to the bodies of people he’s killed with only his grandpa as a witness?

Also- no hate intended for people from New Jersey lol. I’ve never even been there and I’m sure you are all lovely, but Pol has issues with you (at least in this fic)

[breaniebree]

A Second Chance

For those who have been asking... this is my master list once more:

ASC Chapter Titles as If They Were Friends Episodes

Part One: Harry’s First Year With His Dads (Chapters 1-49)

1. The One Where They Were Dead 2. The One Where the Rat Is Out of the Bag  3. The One Where James and Lily Die  4. The One Where Moony and Padfoot Make Up  5. The One Where Harry Meets Padfoot  6. The One Where Sirius Kidnaps Harry  7. The One Where Sirius Punches Vernon Dursley  8. The One Where Harry Meets Remus  9. The One Where Sirius and Harry Make Grilled Cheese  10. The One With Thea  11. The One Where Harry Asks What a Kiss Is  12. The One With the Library Card  13. The One Where They Remember the Past  14. The One With the Tonkses’  15. The One With Harry’s First Nightmare  16. The One With Professor Moony  17. The One With The Puppy  18. The One With the Second Best Day Ever  19. The One Where Harry Meets An Excellent Secret Keeper and Her Brother  20. The One Where Sirius Learns What He Missed in Azkaban  21. The One With the Brownies 22. The One With the Date  23. The One With the Weasleys  24. The One With the Bad Dreams  25. The One Where Sirius Learns the Key to Moony's Secret Pranking Success  26. The One With Operation Prank the Piss Out of Harry Potter  27. The One With the Wolfsbane Fight  28. The One Where the Marauders Discover A Wolf  29. The One With the Spanking  30. The One With the House Rules and Where Sirius and Ted Build a Treehouse 31. The One With the Wolf  32. The One Where Remus Tells Sirius To Deal with the Blacks  33. The One Where Harry Asks About Boobies  34. The One With the Locket  35. The One With Blackbird  36. The One With the Birthday Orgasms  37. The One With the Three Brothers  38. The One With Godric’s Hollow  39. The One Where Sirius Speaks French 40. The One With the First Christmas  41. The One With the Pensieve  42. The One With the Memories Part I  43. The One With the Memories Part II  44. The One When Padfoot and Prongs Become Blood Brothers  45. The One Where Harry Has A Sleepover  46. The One With the Tickle War  47. The One With the Viscount of Falmouth  48. The One With Roni  49. The One With the Birthday Planning 

Part Two: Harry Growing Up With A Family, Ages 7-11 (Chapters 50-61)

50. The One With the Best Birthday Ever  51. The One Where Padfoot and Moony Know Nothing About Sick Kids  52. The One Where Remus Slaps Sirius  53. The One With the Giant Cheese Fort 54. The One With Operation Get Lily Evans to Fall in Love With Prongs  55. The One Where Remus Thinks He’s a Very Bad Man  56. The One Where Harry Asks About Sex  57. The One Where Tonks Turns 17  58. The One Where Remus Feels Like He’s Robbing the Cradle  59. The One Where Remus Learns He Has A Mate  60. The One Where Sirius Shags the Realtor 61. The One With the Letter 

Part Three: First Year (Chapters 62-73)

62. The One Where Harry Gets Hedwig  63. The One Where Harry Understands the Fear of Voldemort  64. The One With The Sorting  65. The One Where Sirius Was Almost Bitten By a Panther… And Totally Didn’t Pee His Pants  66. The One With the Youngest Seeker In Over a Century 67. The One With the Three-Headed Dog  68. The One With Zee  69. The One With Sheer Dumb Luck  70. The One Where Sirius Lets Zee Drive His Bike  71. The One Where the Weasley Boys Come Over for Christmas  72. The One Where Minnie Tells Sirius To Get A Job  73. The One Where No One Listens So Harry Has to Do Everything and His Friends Follow Him So He Doesn't Die 

Part Four: Second Year (Chapters 74-105)

74. The One Where the Whole School Knows  75. The One Where Harry is Jealous  76. The One Where Sirius Eats Crow  77. The One Where Zee Meets Minnie  78. The One With the Proud Enough to Cry Letter 79. The One Where They Realize Their New Professor is a Moron  80. The One Where Remus Gets His Shit Together  81. The One Where Harry Meets His Fanboy  82. The One Where Binns Doesn’t Put His Class to Sleep For Almost Ten Whole Minutes 83. The One Where Sirius Finds Out  84. The One When Remus Punches Lockhart  85. The One With the Mad House Elf  86. The One With the Great Shoebox Capture  87. The One Where Sirius Tells Zee About the Marauders  88. The One Where Harry is Homesick  89. The One Where Sirius Says I Love You  90. The One With the Sex Talk 91. The One With Ted Walking in on Remus Fingering Tonks… And Remus Adds Another Finger  92. The One Where Draco Comes to Christmas  93. The One Where Sirius Actually Gets a Job  94. The One Where Sirius Asks About Cursed Scars  95. The One Where Remus Tells Tonks and She says ‘Duh!’  96. The One Where Fred Hears the Name Padfoot  97. The One With Peter’s Trial Part I  98. The One With Peter’s Trial Part II  99. The One Where Ginny Tells Harry She Has A Pen-Pal  100. The One With the Eyes As Green As a Fresh Pickled Toad  101. The One Where Tonks Is Under the Desk  102. The One Where Harry Writes in the Diary  103. The One Where It’s Not Follow the Butterflies  104. The One Where Sirius Is Sent Home Without An Explanation 105. The One Where Ginny is Scared Harry Will Never Speak To Her Again 

Part Five: Third Year (Chapters 106-143)

106. The One Where Sirius and Remus Demand Answers  107. The One With Prophecies and Horcruxes  108. The One Where Harry Learns to Drive  109. The One Where Bill and Charlie Talk About the Importance of Being A Good Big Brother 110. The One Where Sirius Realizes He Wants Zee Forever But Is Too Chicken To Say It 111. The One With Operation Fuck Up Voldemort’s Plans  112. The One Where Cissy Tattles on Abraxas  113. The One Where Harry Sees More Than He Should Between His Roommates  114. The One Where Colin Tells Ginny To Get Over It  115. The One Where Theo Comes Out  116. The One Where Sirius Tells Lucius If He Fucks Up He Will Kill Him  117. The One With the FUVP Pow-Wow  118. The One Where They Return to the Chamber of Secrets  119. The One Where Harry Finds Out  120. The One Where the Marauders Prank Snape 121. The One Where Draco and Theo Make Bad Detectives  122. The One With Nyx  123. The One Where Harry Throws a Tantrum  124. The One Where They Skive Off Class Because Harry Talks 125. The One Where Harry Asks Out Cho  126. The One With Harry’s First Date  127. The One Where Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore Fuck Up  128. The One With Moody  129. The One Where Harry Gets Slapped  130. The One Where Sirius and Tonks Decide To Fuck With Snape  131. The One With Lily’s Ghost  132. The One With the Gaunt Property  133. The One With the Defence Club  134. The One With the Wizengamot  135. The One Where Harry Meets the Americans  136. The One Where They Forget to Tell Sirius  137. The One With the Insomniacs Club  138. The One Where Bellatrix Shows Up  139. The One With the Time Turner  140. The One With Umbitch's Creepy Song  141. The One With the Wolf in the Cage  142. The One Where Harry Shouts at Sirius and He Just Shouts Right Back  143. The One Where Both of Them Feel Like Shit 

Part Six: Fourth Year (Chapters 144-179)

144. The One With the Elder Wand  145. The One Where Sirius Tells Harry Not to Drink  146. The One Where Sirius Acts the Adult and Tells the Grangers  147. The One Where They Drink the Potion  148. The One Where Harry Can’t Change His Arm Back  149. The One Where Ginny Sees Harry Naked  150. The One When Harry Calls Remus a Bad Dog 151. The One Where Theo Goes to the Burrow  152. The One Where Harry Has a Fling  153. The One Where Sirius Panics Over Commitment  154. The One Where Zee Takes Harry Shopping  155. The One With the Quidditch World Cup  156. The One With Winky  157. The One With Babymort 158. The One Where Sirius Asks Zee to Move In  159. The One Where Snape Apologizes and Harry Thinks The World Ended  160. The One With the Pretty Boy, the Biggest Flirt, and the Flying House 161. The One Where Tonks Wants A Boob Job 162. The One Where Drama Queen Sirius Learns About Pens  163. The One Where Zee Just Wants A Damn Telephone But Sirius Can’t Stop Bitching 164. The One Where Girls Giggle and Ginny Looks Different 165. The One Where Harry Outflies a Dragon… Almost  166. The One Where Zee Tells The Paper to Back the Fuck Away from Her Son  167. The One Where Harry Thinks It’s the Formal Wear  168. The One Where Mr Weasley Thinks ‘Oh, Bloody Hell!' 169. The One Where Sirius Takes A Bath  170. The One Where Harry’s in Denial  171. The One Where Harry Thinks He Has Two Hostages  172. The One With the Love Potion  173. The One Where Zee Seduces Sirius in the Work Shed  174. The One With the Secret Swimming Pool  175. The One With the Bats From the Crotch 176. The One That Ends With ‘Oh Shit!’  177. The One Where Everyone Dies  178. The One With the Lullabye  179. The One Where Tonks Marks Remus 

Part Seven: Fifth Year (Chapters 180-222)

180. The One Where Remus Proposes  181. The One Where Lucius Gets Arrested  182. The One Where Remus Proposes Again and Harry Dies  183. The One With the Coconut Smell 184. The One Where Tonks Isn’t Pregnant 185. The One Where Dean Realizes He Fancies Seamus  186. The One With Baby, I Love You  187. The One Where Theo Meets Voldemort  188. The One Where Harry Calls Ginny His and Then Denies It  189. The One Where Everyone Breaks Out of Azkaban  190. The One With the War Council 191. The One Where Harry is Dumped  192. The One Where They Discuss The Size of Remus’ Package  193. The One Where Harry Learns About the Potters  194. The One Where Harry Finds the Tower Room  195. The One Where Zee’s in France  196. The One Where Harry Gets Constantly Interrupted  197. The One Where the Glacier Finally Melts  198. The One Where Harry Finally Asks  199. The One Where Sirius Cuddles and Zee Buys A Motorbike  200. The One Where Everyone Is Worried About Theo  201. The One With the Frying Pan  202. The One With the Fluke  203. The One Where Minnie Walks In  204. The One Where Remus Finds A Present Under the Tree  205. The One With Bellarosa and the Snake  206. The One Where Everyone Gets Motorbikes  207. The One Where Padfoot Suggests Pranking Umbitch to Fred and George  208. The One With the Great Escape from Umbitch  209. The One With Prince Finley and the Switching of Teacups  210. The One Where Theo is Courted and Dean Admits He's in Love  211. The One Where Hinny Says I Love You and the Fluke Continues  212. The One Where Sirius Picks Out A Star  213. The One With the Cathedral Star 214. The One Where Sirius Answers the Phone 215. The One Where George Gets the Girl  216. The One Where They Compare Proposals  217. The One Where Sirius Has the Man-Flu and Gives it to Zee  218. The One Where Ginny and Theo Are Kidnapped and Remus Hears Heartbeats  219. The One With the Thing After Learning the Thing  220. The One Where Everyone is in Shock 221. The One Where Zee Confirms  222. The One With the Will 

Part Eight: Sixth Year (Chapters 223-Present)

223. The One Where Remus Finally Lets Go  224. The One Where Hermione is Blind But Her Mum Isn’t 225. The One Where the Dragon’s in Trouble and George Snogs the New Bat 226. The One Where Ginny Tames Ebony and Theo Goes to Tara  227. The One With the Sovereign Chalice and Zee’s Dream  228. The One With the Party  229. The One Where Ginny Claims Her Man  230. The One Where Harry Has a Really Great Birthday  231. The One Where Harry Asks Remus For Sex Advice  232. The One With the Surfing  233. The One Where Harry Buys a Pgymy Puff  234. The One With the Naughty Dream  235. The One Where Harry’s Afraid of Grandpa  236. The One With the Race  237. The One Where Ron and Hermione Almost Fluke  238. The One Where Bill Gets a Headache  239. The One With Compass and Bad Puns  240. The One Where Harry Uses Parseltongue For Something New  241. The One Where Slughorn Is An Armchair  242. The One Where Its All Fluff  243. The One Where Draco Calls Blaise A Stupid Son of a Bitch  244. The One With the Patronus and the Lingerie  245. The One With Advanced Potion Making and World War One  246. The One With Luna’s Question  247. The One With All the Smut and Where Ron and Hermione Fluke Again 248. The One Where Minnie Freaks Out on Walburga  249. The One With the Fruit Basket  250. The One Where Percy Gets a Date and Remus Skives Off Work  251. The One With the Iron Blade  252. The One Where the Fairytale Ends  253. The One With the Golden Dagger  254. The One With Charlie’s Surprise  255. The One With The Bet  256. The One Where They Celebrate Christmas Without Sirius  257. The One With the Tantrum About Heels  258. The One Where Lucius Fucks Up  259. The One Where Tonks Plays Bad Auror  260. The One With the Goblin Potato 261. The One Where Fred is Scarred for Life  262. The One Where We Hear From Althea 263. The One Where Harry Is Told He Owes Theo A Fruit Basket 264. The One Where Neville Plants A Tree

[vesperlionheart]

Lady of the Blackthorn Trees

Happy belated birthday to @frostmarris​​! I hope you enjoy the first part (1/3) of this magical fantasy themed SasoSaku!

They had bound his hands with black horse hair, knotting it over his wrists in elaborate knots that he’d never be able to get out of on his own for how they blocked his magic. The enemy had done their homework and come prepared this time.

Good for them.

Sasori couldn’t bring himself to care that he was on his way to die. What was the point in grieving for such a sad and ruinous life anyway? He had lost his treasures, been run out of his homeland, sent to a foreign continent thanks to his cousin’s strange magic, and chased by every thief with a dagger from Darksprawl to the port cities. His family was likely dead while the Akatsuki group was setting themselves up pretty on the falcon throne across the world. He was a fool to have believed them in the first place. 

It was probably better for everyone if he didn’t live long enough to hear about how royally he had fucked things up an ocean away.

“Hey, you there,” one of the guardsmen called out. Sasori lifted his head enough to stare out his bangs at the other man, but it must have looked disrespectful since he felt the guard’s fist in his hair, pulling forward. Sasori cursed and fell on his knees, out of his seat while the other guards laughed.

“A shame he’s a man, I would have enjoyed myself more if we had a pretty woman,” the guard mocked.

“You think we’d get so lucky twice in one week?” another one jeered.

“The lot of you are disgusting filth. Get the criminal on his feet and lead him to the barracks. We’re not going to be wasting our breath anymore on this,” the captain bellowed before spitting in front of Sasori on the ground.

That’s when Sasori looked up to see where he was. He saw the long walls encircling the small military encampment, pitched with tents around a crudely constructed office towards the back.

The barracks Sasori was left to was a set of cages left out in the open, exposed to the elements but tucked away in the back corner. The whole camp would be able to see him in his cell, but only if they bothered to turn around and look.

 He was pushed in and tumbled into the rotten straw, scratching his hands on the stones hidden within.

“Hey, you had ta use the black rope on ‘em. Shouldn’t we use the irons?” one of the younger soldiers asked his senior.

“Irons can rust and chip but the black rope will always survive, lad. You must not have much experience with the magical prisoners. You lot seem to think the stronger the lock the safer you are, but take a look at this mess here.”

“Sir?”

“Picked him up for murder. Sure they were only rouges and thieves he cut into the throats of, but its a good enough reason for us to show off how much more competent we are than those White Lilly bastards. Look at us, we caught a foreign mage in a tavern with only two men and the element of surprise!”

Sasori refused to turn around as the story of his capture was exaggerated for the younger soldiers. The truth would never come out from their lying mouths so it wasn’t worth it to listen to them. The most honest they got was when they admitting the arrest was more to show off than to protect the peace.

The Darkguard of the latest mad king was reaching farther and took over a settlement protected by the Order of the White Lillies, an order of knights who served the high king from a kingdom too far away to care about. The politics didn’t matter to Sasori as he had no personal ties to anyone or any land, black or white, it didn’t matter what color their armor was, they were all the same to him.

“What kind of magic does he have?” someone else asked.

“We ain’t taking the ropes off to show you.”

“It probably was nothing,” someone else jeered. “You just like to feel good about yourselves so you dressed some lout up as a mage? Yeah right.”

“Jeter, you bastard son of a weasel, put your fists up and say that again!”

Sasori closed his eyes and settled into the hay while the camp laughed at the scuffle outside his cell. Even if he tried, he knew there was nothing he could do and nothing he could use to fray or break the black rope he had been bound with. Even with a knife, nothing would free him until the knot was undone…an impossible task for someone left in the bindings.

If he hadn’t been alone maybe he never would have gotten into such a dire situation, but there was no such option for a foreigner like himself. After his last great betrayal, he wasn’t willing to trust anyone who wasn’t family.  

Poor Gaara. Temari and Kankuro were at least old enough to maybe hold their own, but Gaara was still young and unable to master his wild magics. He would be either consumed alive by what he couldn’t control or slaughtered by whoever put himself up on the throne. Kankuro’s puppet magic was good, but largely undeveloped, and Temari…actually Temari wasn’t one he needed to be worried about. Out of all of his cousins, she was the most proficient in her magics. She was just too stubborn to realize when she was outclassed and outnumbered.

Would they blame him? He had failed to protect his birthright. The falcon throne was being used by an usurper and his family was dead or worse thanks to his blind ambitions. He should have known better than to trust that snake’s lies about immortality without lichdom or necromancy. What a fool he had been.

He hoped they killed him quickly. Sasori was too bored left alone in a cell with only his thoughts and regret to keep him company.    

The day quickly paled into dusk and then the bonfires were lit. Dinner was had and food was passed around, though nothing was spared for Sasori apart from stale bread and a bit of water. The dark seemed to draw most of the guards out for one last drink or story before they retired. Inside the fort they all felt safe.

The hairs on the back of Sasori’s neck all stood up and he tensed inside his cell, recognizing the static of building magic. It was a thick magic, stretching far. When he looked up he couldn’t see where it came from or what was causing it, but there were moths settling on the bars of his cell, clinging to the fortress walls, and perching atop the high points and banners left aloft. The hum of magic was strongest around them.

“What-?”

A younger solider had stepped backwards and crushed a moth under his heel and out of the carcass a spill of magic grew colored quartz crystal up over the man’s heel, up his leg, and over his thigh before encasing his entire body in a jagged prison of red and pink that swallowed up his scream.

A dozen different moths detonated on their own and grew into mammoth crystals that sealed up the exist and threw colored light across the encampment. The screaming rose along with the chaos before a still came over the camp.

The months on his door hadn’t moved or detonated, as several others hadn’t, but the insects didn’t move even as their magic grew. It gave the men time to gather their weapons and arm themselves.

“What is it?” someone shouted.

“Where is it?” someone else yelled in response.

In the chaos some of the fire had spilled out of the pit and caught one of the sitting logs up in flames, but spread no further. It cast longer shadows that changed the terrain to the natural eye.

There were curses as the men turned and searched, fanning out with their swords and bows drawn. Even their commander was out of his tent, looking wary. He shouted encouragements and cursed their coward enemy but it did little to erase the men’s fears.

“I hope it ruins you,” Sasori chuckled darkly, feeling the first tickles of delight in his belly.

When one of the guards started to cough and double over his neighbors noticed in time to watch his body explode in a shower of blood and gore, torn open with sharp, growing crystal. One of the nearby guards fell back on his ass and the stain through his pants was visible.

“At the front!” the commander shouted, pointing to where the thickest cluster of crystals started to glow.  Several heads turned in time to see what Sasori had already been watching. 

There was a cracking sound as a pair of delicate hands reached out through a wound in the crystals and pushed apart the two sides. There was a snap of new magic as a figure pushed herself out of the quartz and emerged atop a platform of ghostly white.

The trail of her glittering pink gown caught the firelight and Sasori could see the design of moth or maybe dragonfly wings beaded into its sides when she moved. There was a petite clack of her heels touching down atop the crystal before more crystal sprouts grew up like spores to make a staircase down to the ground for her.

Sasori knelt in his cell, watching the unearthly beauty emerge in all her finery. Her hair was the color of cherry blossoms, but it had been gathered up and held together with a crown of white and pink quarts shards, thin and long enough to make her look like something holy and haloed. Even from so far away Sasori could see the color of her eyes, as they caught the firelight and glowed with a personal magic of vibrant emerald.

“Y-you’re not from the white lilies,” someone shouted, sounding more confused than scared at the sight of a woman.

She didn’t respond right away, but took her time to look over the men in front of her, turning her head this way and that way, spotting the other soldiers who cowered behind tents and crates of rations. She looked Sasori’s way and the wave of magic made him tremble. If he hadn’t already been on his knees he would have gone down from the look alone.

“Who was the one who raped and murdered the village girl?” she asked, voice as calm as deep water and just as dark.

There was a whisper amongst the men, questions hissed between them in their confusion. What villager? What girl? They weren’t rapists so why would she ask that?

“No matter,” she breathed out, exhaling more magic the men couldn’t see. “He’s here and all of his fellows are complicit. You will all die for his sins.”

“Bitch!”

She didn’t flinch as a swarm of wings rose up behind her and assailed the men in front of her, halting their advance. A thousand different wingbeats hummed in the air, drowning out the hows of anguish from those too slow to get out of the way.

Someone raised their sword her way but she didn’t even look in his direction as the earth split and his body was impaled on a thin obelisk of red crystal.

She raised her hand and the earth trembled before the men in front of her were lifted into the air. A flick of her wrist contoured them horribly before dropping them back to the earth, folded unnaturally backwards.

Sasori watched, rapt and amazed as she turned men inside out and displayed the enormity of her power over the soldiers. She was without mercy, leaving men to bleed out and die on spears of quartz, while other were devoured alive by carnivorous beetles. With others she used magic to brutalize their bodies before finishing them off.

With the last few straggling soldiers she had to walk out after them, as they ran screaming for the walls, desperate to climb to safety. She let them get halfway before their heads slipped from their necks and soaked the ground with enough blood to turn her white crystals pink and her pink crystals red.

The stables were loud with frightened horses but she ignored them in favor of turning towards the cells. That’s when Sasori noticed he was the last living human left in the camp apart from whatever avenging goddess she was.

“You are not one of them. Why are you here?” she asked.

Sasori had to swallow before speaking. “As an example.” He held up his bound hands and she seemed to recognize the black rope for what it was.

“A creature of magic, or are you a learned magician?” she queried, tilting her head so that the dangling earrings tinkled against each other.

“I have learned and practiced my family’s arts, divine lady,” Sasori answered. “The men of this land would call me a mage or a sorcerer.”

“This land?” she echoed. Without motion or command some of the crystals around his cell glowed brighter and he winced under the light, used to the dark of his corner.

He heard her inhale and knew she saw the foreign features of a native to the Golden Desert. True he was pale, but his eyes were desert colored like the eyes of his mother and father before him.

“Then, spellbinder,” she spoke, dimming the lights, “what brought you so far across the sea?”

“The rushed magics of my cousin. Our family was cast out and to save me from execution they did what they could,” Sasori explained without mentioning the falcon throne or his royal heritage. Maybe it was obvious since he knew magic passed down through the royal family exclusively, but it felt wrong to speak of what he once was. He was no longer a prince or a exalted practitioner of the arts.

“What is your name, spellbinder?” she asked.

“Sasori.” He bowed his head and dared. “And who might you be, divine lady?”

When the noisy bars to his cell creaked open he looked up to see she hadn’t moved but was still staring down at him with a contemplative look to her eyes. “You may call me Sakura. I am little more than you are as a practitioner of magic, but I fear I am far older than you could guess.”

“My lady?”

“Sakura,” she softly corrected. She gestured to the open door and beckoned him forward. “You will need someone other than yourself to undo those knots, won’t you? Come here and let me do so.”

“You are too kind,” Sasori could only whisper as he stood and approached.

With only a blur of movement to watch, she took the knot and twisted it before her magic forced its way into the binding and nullified their passive magic. She then yanked on one band and the whole thing came undone.  

 She turned over his wrist and rubbed her thumb across his pulsing vein where a rash showed off where the ropes once had been. With the passing of her thumb across his skin the rash abated and the hurt went with it.

“Where will you go now, Sasori?” She reached for his other hand and he didn’t protest.

“I will…I will continue to wander.”

Forming words became difficult in her presence. She was dressed like a queen and carried herself like a god, but the way she held his wrist and traced his wounds was soft like the caress of a lover. He struggled to think up an answer to her question as different thoughts distracted him; so close he could smell her.

“You have no home here and no destination to guide you after here. What of your homeland? Do you not wish to return?”

Sasori closed his eyes and forced his head to shake. “No, I…I would only be returning to die with how I am now. There is nothing for me there, no matter how I wish it were otherwise.”

“So what of your ambitions here?”

He blinked hard, distracted by the color of her lips and how they matched the blush of her gown. “Here?” Sasori echoed. “I…there is nothing for me here.”

“Then come with me. You are young and not without merit in the craft of spell working. Your veins of magic speak to this.” When Sakura spoke the thrum of her magic brushed up against his and he felt it like the stroke of fine rabbit fur-just as vivid. It made him shiver.

“With you? Why would you suggest such a thing? I could be of no good to you with my own young abilities. You are far older and stronger.”

“Oh yes, that isn’t in question,” she chuckled. “But I have trained others and take no delight in casting out a hopeless man to die from lack of ambition. Come with me and make something of yourself. I would assume at one point in your life you enjoyed the study of it, didn’t you?”

Her words provoked a memory of the libraries in the palace. He remembered running down their halls and vowing to his mother he would read every book they had before he died, even the ones about magic only the adults could access. She had laughed but never doubted him.

Now he wondered if the library still stood. Had they burned it?  

“I was once quite fond of books,” Sasori quietly admitted. “But I still can’t understand why you would help me. I’ve done nothing for you and there are plenty of pathetic men in the world who drink themselves into oblivion and wait for death like an old friend.”

Sakura’s lips split in an honest laugh as she reached for his face, curling her fingers under his chin. “Yes, what you say is true, but how many of them are runaway mage princes who look this good?”

Sakura’s dress while she messes up the guards