#and even now I still get shaken every time I experience one

[roscolate]

TW: Panic Attack / Eyestrain

BGM - Despair - The Tale of Princess Kaguya

ACT 1

ACT 2 - 1 <<< 28 / 29 / ?

Denial

Also I know it’s hard to tell, but he’s running away lol

[angelwings-crossbowstrings]

Chapter 18

Series Masterlist

Warnings: Typical TWD violence and gore; mention of injuries; sexual themes; illness

A/N: I know I say this almost every time but this chapter is very lackluster and not my best. I had some major writers block and I struggled to get this done to the point where I was ready to give up altogether. I knew where I wanted to go, but words just weren’t happening. Hopefully, now that I’m past this part, it will be easier. Thank you for reading. I’m so sorry for the subpar work. 😢

You were actually a good patient, following Hershel’s recommendations by staying in bed, drinking more water, and not skipping or sharing meals. Daryl, to your surprise, returned to the room just a while later with a plastic bowl of some tasteless stew Carol had made. You didn’t complain, the woman always did the best she could. They had run out of any seasonings or herbs and with the cold weather, it was unlikely you’d find anything growing. 

“Ya need anything?” Daryl asked. You regarded him as he stood at the foot of the bed, rubbing the back of his neck while avoiding looking at you. 

“No, I’m okay.” You took another bite, eyes following him. He retrieved his crossbow and slung it over his shoulder, heading for the door. “Where’re you going?”

“Gonna try an’ hunt. S’cold as fuck out there but maybe I can manage some rabbit.” He shrugged halfheartedly. You hummed and stirred your stew until you heard the sound of the doorknob turning. 

“Daryl?” You blurted out. 

“Yeah?” He still wasn’t looking at you. You could feel the difference in the atmosphere. It wasn’t hostile, just uncomfortable. 

“Please don’t disappear.” You meant it in more ways than one, though you weren’t sure if he would pick up on the entirety of the request. Please don’t leave us. Please don’t hide away. Please just come back. 

“I won’t.” And then he was gone. He left the door slightly ajar, in case you needed something. 

Daryl didn’t lie aside from his constant use of ‘I’m fine’ when he was always so clearly not. So, you knew he’d be back. He wasn’t just going hunting. He was going to clear his head. You knew that because it’s what you would do, were you able to seek refuge in the woods safely. You missed hunting, the safety and comfort of the trees surrounding you. The stillness and quiet sounds that provided much needed calm in times of overwhelming chaos. You wanted to believe that you would feel it again, but you would have a newborn in a few weeks. A little person that would rely on your constant presence. Maybe those days were over for you. 

Daryl wanted more. He had made that clear. He wasn’t going to run away from the newness of what you had both expressed you were seeking. He needed time. It was fresh and formidable. You weren’t sure of his past experiences with relationships or perhaps even lack thereof, but it was clearly overwhelming for him. 

Especially since you had proclaimed to love him. 

That had shaken him. You could have kicked yourself for burdening him with that information. It wasn’t the right time. He had only just accepted that you meant more to him than you could have ever hoped and you just had to go and complicate it. You could only hope that it wasn’t so much that he’d change his mind. 

Rick had taken Glenn and Maggie to rummage through some nearby homes and a small town, returning with a bottle of meds for you that was about a third full. They had managed several cans of vegetables, two bags of rice, and a box of angel hair pasta. It wasn’t much but it would keep the group from starvation. 

You managed most of the stew, getting out of bed to join everyone else downstairs. Hershel had been apprehensive until you immediately stretched out on the couch and wrapped up in a blanket to continue resting without being trapped in isolation. The silence upstairs had been too much, the voices of fear and doubt in your head speaking too loudly. 

“How are you feeling, young lady?” The old man asked. He checked your stitches, used a stethoscope to listen to the baby’s heartbeat, and felt around on your belly, chuckling when he was continuously kicked at each disturbance. “Someone’s lively this evening.”

“Yeah, they’re tap dancing on my bladder but I don’t—” you trailed off and looked out the window. You had needed to pee since coming downstairs but didn’t feel safe going without Daryl anymore. It almost made you nauseous how dependent you’d become. Always the damsel in distress, the wimpy princess who couldn’t do anything for herself. 

“Things change when you find yourself in your condition.” You slowly brought your attention back to Hershel. The veterinarian was wise, had proven to be so back at the farm. Not always reasonable—as a barn full of walkers had shown—but wise, nonetheless. “You’re accustomed to living a certain way, taking care of yourself. And then there’s suddenly this little person depending on you to keep them safe. It’s not always easy to make that transition.” He gently rolled down your shirt and pulled the blanket up over you. “I could sense from the day I met you that you were a free spirit. You didn’t always want to listen. I’ve watched you shift from a woman who took care of herself by any means necessary to a woman who would do anything to protect her child. There’s no shame in that and the rewards will be sweeter than anything you’ve ever known before.” Hershel stood, knees cracking. With a gentle smile, he patted your shoulder. “You’ll see.”

You returned the smile, rubbing a hand over the swell of your belly as the old man took his leave. “He’s right, Thumper. You’re worth it.” Glancing back out the window, Daryl was trudging tiredly toward the house with two rabbits. You smiled, resting your head on the back of the couch to watch him interact with Rick. “You’re both worth it.”

“Whatcha doin’ outta bed?” Daryl was pulling off his crossbow, watching you warily. You wiggled until you were sitting up against the couch arm. 

“Don’t worry. I asked Hershel. As long as I rest, I’m okay.” He watched you for a moment longer before giving a nod, disappearing to prep the rabbits for cooking the next day. Carol smiled at him in passing. You couldn’t see his face but heard him grunt in acknowledgment. Maybe one day you’d be fluent in the complicated language of Daryl. 

“How’re you feeling?” A bottle of water was handed to you. You hadn’t even realized you were thirsty until you were removing the cap and tilting it to your lips. 

After several generous gulps, you lowered the water and sighed contentedly. “I didn’t know I needed that.” 

“Well, you’ve been—” she turned her head toward where Daryl had walked away, looking back to you with an arched brow, “preoccupied.”

Your face warmed and you ducked your head. “Is it obvious?”

“Well, I’m not deaf.” She chuckled, patting your knee. 

“You heard?” You blanched, knowing you had grown impossibly redder. 

“I think everyone did.” 

“Oh god.” Mortified was an understatement. You were suddenly trying to recall the moments they could have heard but only succeeded in encouraging a sudden wave of arousal between your thighs. Well, that’s not helping. “Don’t say anything to—they can’t tease him. He’ll never—”

Carol reached out to rub your upper arm, shaking her head. “No one is saying anything. We’re all just glad some of the tension around here has eased.” She meant Rick and Lori, that wasn’t hard to figure out. 

You had barely opened your mouth to reply when Rick came in, moving quickly but quietly. 

“The fire.” He whispered harshly. You sat up straight, ignoring the pull of the stitches, and looked out the window, the scene becoming clear once the reflected light from the flames was doused. 

You managed to duck your head just as a walker passed by the the glass, its arm dragging across the surface with an eerie scraping. A myriad of shadows danced across the wall, your wide eyes following them until Daryl was crouched in front of you with a finger to his lips. His crossbow was by his foot while his hands held your boots and jacket. 

“Be quick.” He whispered so quietly that he may have only mouthed the words. You nodded and took the items, pulling on your boots without tying them and shrugging on your jacket. “Stay low.” It was hard not to smile, even with danger lurking so closely, when he wrapped his hand around yours. You let him guide you, walking as low as you could manage. 

Carol was coming down the stairs, your bag on one shoulder and her own on the other. Daryl let go of your hand to grab his bag on the way to the back door. Everyone had already gathered, Rick falling in behind Carol. The archer held up a hand to have you wait further back while he checked outside. 

“Here.” Carol whispered from your right. You glanced at her only to find her looking down, your knife held out to you. “I’ve got your gun and holsters in your bag.” Nodding your thanks, your hand wrapped around the handle and you brought the weapon in close, meeting Daryl’s eyes for a fleeting moment before he cracked open the door and peered outside. 

“S’clear. Go ‘round the right. Straight to the cars.” He began to wave everyone through, catching your hand as you passed. “Stay close to Carol. Be right behind ya.”

“Okay.” You agreed quickly and followed the other woman out. Only the pale moonlight illuminated the snowy ground as the lot of you bobbed and weaved your way around the herd. You couldn’t hear steps behind you but that wasn’t uncommon with Daryl. Even with the extra weight you carried, your own footfalls were light. 

It was close to impossible to see the dead and with the symphony of moans and snarls echoing from all around, you barely had time to stop and take a step back before the walker crossed into your path. Knife ready, you took down the woman with ease, lowering with the body to keep the noise to a minimum. 

She looked to have been a pretty lady, maybe in her thirties. Her blonde hair was missing in patches and her skin was torn and gaping in places. She was sporting a t-shirt that read No. 1 Mom.

You let that simmer after Daryl pulled you to your feet, urging you to resume the trek to the van. It was within view now, with only three walkers circling. Glenn, Maggie, and T-Dog dispatched them quickly enough, creating an open path straight to the vehicle. 

Twenty minutes on the road was long enough to lose yourself in consideration of the woman you’d put down. It wasn’t hard to imagine yourself meeting a similar fate, maybe forced to bear witness to the grizzly death of your child or dying without knowing what became of them. What if she had been the one to kill her kid? What if it was an infant, a toddler? Unable to understand why this person who was meant to protect them was causing them pain?

You cried for her. You cried for the child. Silent tears that you didn’t attempt to hinder while you sought out the comforting rumble of Daryl’s bike just ahead. Even if you did fall victim to the dead, he’d never allow your baby to be hurt. You could take comfort in that. As long as one of you was breathing, your child would never know harm. 

The weather only grew more unforgiving as the days wore on, chipping away at any shreds of hope that were managing to survive in your little group. Another home found and lost. Freezing nights huddled against Daryl in the backseat of the van. A great deal of the blankets had been sacrificed when fleeing the dead. Of course, you, Lori, and Carl were given the heaviest ones that remained. Daryl would wrap you snugly and then hold you tight, claiming that alone would keep him warm enough. Apparently he still thought you were stupid. 

Food was dwindling. Once again, you were arguing with the archer about eating meager portions so that you could have more. If each bite wasn’t worth more than gold had been valued in the old world, you would have surely thrown many a bowl at him. 

His hunting trips grew longer and longer, now gone for no less than two days at a time. Measures were in place to ensure he knew how to find the group should the need to flee become necessary in his absence. Still, you worried. He manged to bring back more, usually rabbits but had lucked out with a small doe on the last excursion. With an extra few runs, enough salt was procured for the majority of the meat to be dried into jerky. It was sorted into each of your bags so it was sure to not be left behind if you had to leave quickly. The rest of the meat was prepared into a stew that could be reheated for a couple of days. 

It was nice to eat well for once, surrounded by full bellies and sleepy faces. The one face you wanted to see was absent, however. Daryl was on first watch at the small ranch style home. There were no fences but the land was open for a good distance before the treeline. Walkers would be spotted and the group could move on before the dead even made it halfway to the house. 

You bundled up, pulling up your hood, meaning to sit outside with him for a while. You grabbed one of the smaller blankets on your way out. Whether he admitted it or not, the long sleeve flannel under his vest was not enough to keep the frigid temperatures at bay. He was coughing into his elbow as you passed over the threshold, noticing his stew, long cold, was hardly touched. Pointing it out would only lead to another argument and at 28 weeks pregnant in an apocalypse, you just didn’t have the energy to spare. 

He was scrubbing a hand roughly over his face when you draped the fabric over his shoulders. For once, he didn’t argue, simply nodding while watching you move his bowl aside to sit down. 

He cleared his throat, his voice quiet and raspy. “Weren’t that hungry.” 

“I can heat it for you later if you change your mind.” Shoving your hands into your pockets, you leaned onto his shoulder and watched the gentle flurries pepper down from above.

“Ain’t gonna nag me?” 

“Nope.” You smiled fondly to yourself. “You’re stubborn as ten mules and this baby has been kicking me non stop for two days. I don’t have the energy to attempt and force feed their father.” He nudged his shoulder upward, jarring a giggle out of you. “We do need to find you a coat. It’s colder than a witch’s tit out here.”

“Your tits ain’t never cold.”

Rolling your head on his shoulder, you feigned offense. “Why, Daryl Dixon. Did you just call me a witch?”

“If the broomstick fits.” 

That coaxed a startled laugh out of you. “Huh.” You stared at him a moment longer and then settled back into watching the snow. 

“What?” He leaned a little to angle his head in order to see your face.

“Thought you’d misplaced your sense of humor, that’s all. Maybe you found it while your head was so far up your ass.”

“Think you're funny?” He huffed, clearly not annoyed. It was refreshing to just talk like two people in a relationship on a cold, snowy night. Maybe you could pretend the world hadn’t ended for at least a moment. 

“Oh, I know I am. It’s part of my irresistible charm.” You retorted cheerily. Daryl made a pfft sound and joined you in watching the snow. It was almost hypnotic; the peace of the moment drawing you in until you were sure you’d fall asleep. 

When Daryl coughed again, you startled and sat up straight. He had turned away and buried his face in the crook of his elbow, muffling the sound to the best of his ability. 

“Are you okay?” It was hard to keep the concern out of your tone, terrified he’d withdraw from you. He had been trying, the evidence of his efforts displayed in his own ways. 

Over the last month, you’d never felt closer to him. He had found a truck, loading the bike in the back so that you would be with him anytime moving was necessary. There wasn’t much time for intimacy, not sexually, though he’d made you cum on his fingers a few times while the others laid behind him, sound asleep and none the wiser. He seemed to enjoy your company, especially while on watch. He didn’t speak much but when he did, he was soft and attentive. He would watch you in silence, tinkering with his crossbow or prepping a kill to be cooked. He still agitated easily, but he was trying. You couldn’t ask for more than that. 

“M’fine. Just a cold.”

It made sense. He was out in the elements more than anyone. He wasn’t eating or sleeping nearly enough. His body could only take so much abuse. 

“We have the venison, Daryl. Why don’t you stay in for a few days?” Pulling your hands from your pockets, you dragged the sleeves down to cover them. How did the man stand it without proper clothing?

“Could always use more. That jerky ain’t gonna last forever an’ the stew will keep a day or two.” The flickering glow from the lighter’s flame cast a soft hue across his face, gone too quickly for you to truly admire. Pulling the cigarette from his lips, he turned his head to blow the smoke away from you. Such a small gesture, but it made your heart flutter. 

“Well, I can’t argue with that, I guess.” In truth, you couldn’t. Food was food and it was necessary. “Maybe I could go with you. You know I can hunt and—”

“Nah. No way.” He barely got the words out before coughing again. “You’re stayin’ here with ev’ryone else.”

“I can help and you know it.” You weren’t angry, but still found it difficult to keep the bitterness out of your words.

“Know ya can. Don’t mean ya should.” He took another draw from his smoke, exhaling while rubbing at his throat. Was he even aware he was doing that? “Best way ya can help me is stayin’ here an’ keepin’ the two’a ya safe.” It was dark but you could still see the pink beginning to cover his cheeks. “Get inside ‘fore ya get sick.”

You smiled slyly, crossing your arms. “I’ll go inside if you go too.” He turned his head toward you, brow drawn inward. You couldn’t tell if he was annoyed, angry, or amused. Either way, you tipped up your chin defiantly. “Someone else can take watch. You’re leaving to hunt tomorrow and need to sleep.”

Those blue eyes narrowed, the flare of the cigarette giving them the illusion of burning like the hottest flame. He never looked away, exhaling from the corner of his mouth to keep the smoke away from you. “You’re a brat.” 

“Yep.” You grinned. 

“Fine. Jesus, go inside. Be there in a minute.” He grumbled something under his breath and continued his smoke, shaking his head after looking away from you. With a triumphant HA, you grabbed the dilapidated railing by the steps and pulled yourself to your feet, cradling your belly to bend enough for your lips to press against his cheek. “Pain in my ass.”

He made you cum twice that night but not before denying you for an agonizing amount of time. 

“This baby is definitely a Dixon. Doesn’t ever stop moving.” 

Carol chuckled, stirring the stew she had just removed from the fire in the other room. “You’re gonna miss it once they’re born, I promise.” Her smile faded, a morose air encasing her. As your baby moved under your hand once again, a pang of guilt came with it. 

“Oh, Carol, I’m sorry.”

The silver-haired woman rarely spoke of her daughter anymore, but that wasn’t to say that the pain ever left her eyes. There was a permanent sadness etched there. Now two women she traveled with, survived alongside, were pregnant. It was a slap in the face from the universe. 

But Carol? She handled it with a grace you weren’t sure you would ever possess. 

“Nothing to apologize for, silly.” She reached for the hand that lay across your rounded middle and squeezed it. You smiled solemnly as she went back to stirring the day’s meal. “Daryl should be back today. He never stays out more than two days.” She chuckled quietly. “I think he only does that much out of necessity. He’d likely stay right here with you if he had a choice.”

“I think he leaves for two days cause he needs a break from me.” You mused, plucking a piece of venison right from the pot. Carol shot you a sarcastic look of disapproval but refrained from scolding you. “I’m not easy to get along with at the best of times. Forget being in a relationship with me while I’m 92 weeks pregnant.”

“So you did take that step.” When you blinked at her with wide eyes, she shrugged. “He’s not exactly forthcoming with details regarding his personal life but sightings have been noted of cheek kissing and even a little hand holding.”

“Glenn never could keep his mouth shut.” 

“Don’t worry. He’s been informed that if Daryl ever hears him, he’s likely to lose a limb. He’s aware of the dangers.” While the two of you laughed, Maggie stuck her head in the door. 

“Daryl’s back.” She waggled her eyebrows at you, prompting a one-fingered gesture in return. “Real classy, Y/N.”

“Hey, I am the perfect representation of a lady.” You winked at Carol and squeezed her upper arm before meeting Maggie in the doorway, bumping her with your hip. You quietly released a tense breath once out of sight. It was getting late. Try as you might, you couldn’t help but worry when it took him a little longer to get back. 

Grabbing your coat, you quickly pulled it on and zipped it. There was still plenty of room for your growing belly. It should last you the remainder of the pregnancy. The snow was at least four inches deep, quite the difference from when the archer had left two days prior. Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog were out scavenging for the usual food and medicine, but you had cornered them before they left and made them promise to find a warm coat for Daryl. 

The wind was frigid in the evening hours, the temperature steadily dropping. Your face stung from only seconds of exposure when you walked down the steps to meet him. At first glance, everything seemed fine. It wasn’t until he was closer that you noticed his unsteady gait, the way he was dragging the string of rabbits through the white powder behind him. 

“Hey.” You called over the gusts, smiling at him when he slowly looked up. He didn’t return the expression but he wasn’t a teeth and gums smiler anyway. That much you could brush aside without concern. It was the wet, barking cough into the crook of his elbow that shifted your concern to something just short of panic. “Daryl?”

“Got some rabbits.” He croaked, walking right past you and into the house. You followed on his heels, leaning forward to relieve him of the four animals before he could object. He fixed you with a sharp glare but you only smiled and backed toward the kitchen. 

“Just gonna put these in there. We can clean them together in just a bit.” There was no time for either of the other women to question your hurry. You deposited the rabbits on the counter by the old sink and exited just as quickly as you had entered. 

Daryl was coughing again when you returned, a painful sounding hack that jarred his entire body. His chest seemed to rattle with each breath, his movements sluggish while he removed his crossbow from his back. 

“Hey, are you okay?” You moved closer but still gave him several feet of distance. 

“M’fine.” He gestured vaguely around his upper torso. “S’just this fuckin’ cold.”

“Right.” You answered, watching him remove his poncho and vest. He must have sensed your eyes on him, an irritated glance thrown your way. 

“What?” He snapped. 

“You look like shit and sound even worse.” Your feet were propelling you toward him but he somehow managed to sidestep around you. “Daryl, hang on.”

“Ain’t in the mood for your shit, Y/N.” There was a sharp retort on the tip of your tongue that you swallowed when he began to cough again and staggered to catch himself against the wall. 

“Daryl?” You were at his side in an instant, your arm winding around this back to help support him. You couldn’t miss the heat you felt beneath his shirt. “Fuck, you’re hotter than a jalapeño’s ass!”

“Told ya, m’fine.” He hissed, probably attempting menacing but only managing a weak rasp. 

“You’re not fine, Daryl.” You held on tighter when he tried to shrug you off, a good thing since his legs buckled a moment later and took you both down. You managed to control the fall, ending with the two of you on your knees. Daryl coughed harshly, only managing to stay upright with your support. “Maggie! Maggie, get Hershel!”

“What’s wrong?” The eldest Greene ran into the room, followed by Carol. “Shit.”  One look and she disappeared, yelling for her father while Carol came around to Daryl’s other side. 

“Ain’t—no reason—for all this fussin’.”

“Shut up, Daryl. Daryl?” Your eyes met his briefly, fear and panic flashing through them before they rolled up and he slumped forward against you. “Daryl!”

[yandere-romanticaa]

I need some Yandere Bokuto and Yandere Akaashi! Maybe together because of the friendship bokuto and akaashi have if thats alright (If not then do it seperate)

This would be one of the most functional pairs to have, even despite their stark and clashing personalities.

You most likely met them in highschool and it was a blast to be around them. Albeit, a bit intense at times. Bokuto was incredibly difficult to keep up with, especially if you're on the more introverted side. He wants you to attend absolutely every single game he and Akaashi are in, he's not even against you coming to practice either! Please do just that, it boosts him so much!

Even if he does get distracted by your smile sometimes but who cares! He certainly does not!

Bokuto is like a whirlwind storm - you never know when to expect him but you know that once he steps close there will be nothing but chaos. He's fun, kind. Gentle even. He tries to be, for you. He can be oblivious towards your feelings sometimes but he always has your best interests at heart.

He would never forgive himself if something happened to you.

Bokuto is needy, incredibly so. If he's not holding or kissing you 24/7 then what's even the point? You give him energy, your mere presence gives him drive and confidence like nothing else. Soon enough his presence starts to become suffocating. He is so deeply intertwined in your life, like sticky glue which you can't shake off no matter how hard you try. He managed to force his way into every possible crevice inside your life and he is always aware of what he's doing. His perfectionist nature commands him to do so.

However, if Bokuto is the powerful storm itself, Akaashi is the calm before the storm.

He lurks. Constantly.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depends who you're asking) there are times when Bokuto can't be with you no matter how badly he wants to be. Akaashi becomes something of a second shadow of yours, constantly tailing after you, taking care of you in the most subtle yet gentle ways. He offers you water regularly, he has you wear his warm jacket on warm days and he regularly chastises you if you think of doing something stupid. He's not completely sweet to you though, his dry personality does not allow for that.

Akaashi throws all sorts of remarks your way but they're never hurtful. Bokuto is usually the victim for his quick witted jabs, but, when he says them to you they're just. Different. They're laced with affection and playfulness but his stoic face masks the true meaning behind his words. He keeps tabs on you in any way he can and Bokuto quickly catches on to this.

They don't have a proper discussion about the situation they're in. The two just come to a silent agreement that they will share you. They already know each other well and their trust cannot be shaken. Neither one is against sharing you with the other.

There are times when you are a fun trio of idiots, simply living life. You have dinner and goof off. Bokuto makes you laugh and Akaashi feeds you fresh food from the table. Bokuto has an iron clad grip on your waist while Akaashi blocks your exit. Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, there's a thick layer of tension in the air. They smile, but it's not reaching their eyes.

Could they be hiding something?

You are paranoid, you rationalize. What could these two clowns have something to hide?

Time passes, you're all still as thick as thieves. Bokuto has become a professional volleyball player and Akaashi became a manga editor. Due to his strict schedule, Bokuto can't see you as often as he'd like... Which is all day, every day. At least in highschool he had the excuse of classes but now?

He's got nothing!

That's where his good old pal Akaashi comes in.

He sends Bokuto photos daily. The duo have countless folders dedicated to you, all of which have different themes and aesthetics. Akasshi sneaks in as many as he can and you won't ever catch him in the act.

He has years of experience snapping photos of you in every way imaginable. If you ever had the misfortune of looking into his computer files, he'd go to jail for life.

Despite their hectic schedules, both of them manage to keep a tight leash on you. Bokuto is quick to make work of anyone who has any sort of romantic inkling towards you, unless Akaashi tears into them first with his sharp tongue.

Neither option is safe. If you're on the receiving end of either, you will be left in a puddle of your own tears. Perhaps even blood.

You cry and complain to them - why have all your friends left you? Was there something wrong with you? Why was no one looking at you, what sort of defect did you have?

Akaashi's shirt is soaked in your bitter tears as he has his hands on your shoulders while Bokuto sits behind you, his chest pressed straight against your back. He is doing everything he can to not pounce on you right there and then but he knows better - patience is key. Pity he lacks that quality.

Luckily for him though, Akaashi has it in spades.

And they sit there with you on the sofa, the soft pitter patter of the rain hitting the window as you sob your heart out towards your two closest friends, oblivious to all of the things that they have done. You don't know how many people Bokuto had to beat up in order to get you where you are. You don't know how many people Akaashi had to scare the living crap out of in order to have you in his arms.

Bokuto gently blows in your ear, most likely in a teasing manner. You look up and in your shaky gaze are met with Akaashi's hungry stare, his dark eyes boring so deep into your own that you feel as though he could swallow you whole. A pair of powerful arms wrap themselves around your waist, securing you in place as Bokuto places his lips on your neck. He nibbles on the soft flesh as Akaashi leans in and steals the kiss he had dreamed about all those years ago.

Finally, they have you. No one is coming for you, they made sure of it. You don't need anyone anymore. They are your world from this point onwards.

[linatheweirdooo]

But when I try to stand, it's like Im buried in the sand

envuzi hurt/comfort fic originally posted on ao3 but my last fic on here did well so here

If you recognise the song in the title youre skibidi

Original link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59257672

~~

"Do your job, and I'll leave you and N alone"

"right, V?"

V backed into the corner, but there was nowhere to run, no place to hide. Tears stung her eyes as she watched her best friend get ripped apart by the monster wearing Tessa's skin. There was nothing she could do but watch.

She failed N. She failed N and Uzi, how could she let this happen? She sacrificed herself to protect them, but of course she was too selfish to kill herself. Of course she backed out. Now there she was, facing the consiquences.

Why did everything always end this way? Why is it that every attempt to help them end in more suffering?

How do they not hate her?

Thoughts retreated to the back of V's mind as she was forced to see it come closer and closer to her, approaching V with mutilated corpses of her friends, the ones she failed, forced to watch, paralysed in fear. She wanted to scream, cry, anything, but nothing came out. This was her life, wasn't it?

~~

V sprung up with a sharp gasp, breaking the silence that had previously enveloped the room.

Room?

V turned to her right to see Uzi, her girlfriend sleeping next to her, and N's arms wrapping around her from her left grounded V, snapping her back to reality.

It was a dream.

She could try to sleep it off. Her internal clock told her it was 2:20 AM. But she was still shaken up by the nightmare.

It was hot. Too hot. She should get something to drink.

V carefully took N's arms and put them down away from her. He was always very cuddly, and she liked it, but now was just not the time.

Uzi was a light sleeper, so V still had to take extra care in getting out of their bed without waking her up either. But eventually, she landed her cone-shaped legs onto the ground, and made her way to the kitchen to get some oil. Uzi and N had both been experimenting with human food, making versions they can eat. V always thought it was a bit useless, she knew all she needed was oil.

Pouring the contents of the bottle into a mug, V stared at her reflection through the black liquid.

How did she get this way?

It's been a few weeks since the solver was defeated, and everyone's still pretty shaken up by it. Uzi has it worst, constantly haunted by the past. Such a powerful being constricted by her own body, and they've yet to see the effects it has in the long term.

So why was V so uneasy? Her own partners can't catch a break, she shouldn't feel like this.

No, it's too late for these thoughts. She survived this long bottling everything up with only a few breakdowns, she doesn't need to stop now. She had more important things to do. There were people she needs to protect and care for now.

V downed the oil in one gulp, eager to get this over with and go back to her partners, but something stopped her at the bathroom mirror.

Something told her to stare. Stare at herself, her body. The hands that can turn into a thousand weapons. The hair she was forced to keep short in order to be successful in combat. The vial of yellow liquid, a weapon of mass destruction. It can so easily melt and tear through flesh.

The piercing yellow eyes that were forced to stare back at her. They weren't always yellow. The solver changed them. Everything she hates about herself was because of the solver.

It didn't even think of her as a person, just a vessel to carry out its deeds. She was never her own person. Who even was she?

Her eyes trailed down to her upper left arm.

The armband.

It had a skull printed on it, a constant reminder of the job she has to do. It had a barcode on it, too. But V eyed something else on it, a string of letters and numbers: her name. Her real name. Serial designation V-X00100000. Next to it, her model type.

CYN-MYKX

Cyn. The poor host of the solver, V's enslaver. The reason she's like this. It only saw her as a tool, didn't it? She wasn't a drone capable of emotion, just a weapon.

She was never her own person. She wasn't her own person as long as she has that armband.

She needs to take it off.

Hands swapped out into claws. Another reminder of what she was made for. Bladed fingers approached the yellow fabric, tugging on it. But she couldn't bring herself to rip it off.

What was the problem? She's trying to but her body just won't let her. V wants this thing off her but can't bring herself to do it.

When did these tears find their way onto her face?

Knees shaky, V fell into the floor, desperately clawing at her arms with razor sharp talons. Who cares if they got damaged, it wasn't even her body anyway. Oil dripped onto the floor as she took in a shaky breath and choked out a sob that was building inside her, but still attempting to shush herself. The last thing she wanted was to be seen like this by the most important people in her life.

~~~

Uzi was always a light sleeper. Hearing a faint, muffled sob from inside her house was enough to wake her up.

Bleary purple eyes blinked awake. It took a few seconds for Uzi to focus on the environment around her, but when she did she noticed something. V wasn't there, despite the fact she was sleeping in the middle that night. At least, that's what she thinks she remembers.

She tierdly lifted herself off the pillow she rested her head on, to check if V may be somewhere else on the bed, only to be met with the sight of a sleeping disassembly drone. But it wasn't V, it was N, her boyfriend. There was still some warmth in between them, though.

Uzi put two and two together to come to the conclusion that V got out of bed recently, for whatever reason.

This can't be good. She had to tell N of their girlfriend's disappearance. Shuffling closer to him, Uzi rested a hand on his shoulder and softly shook it in an attempt to wake him up, but quickly stopped herself.

He looked so peaceful. Only a few weeks ago she would only see this sight in her dreams. So much has happened, but he can finally rest now.

Her hand released its grip on N. She shouldn't wake him up. She can check on V herself. V was strong and brave, she probably isn't hurt and Uzi's just overthinking. It's not worth waking N up too.

With her mind made up, Uzi followed the faint sobs that woke her up in the first place, and worries clouded her head again.

It was when she saw the bathroom door cracked open that she stopped in her tracks. She heard faint sobs that were clearly not intended to be heard, and hyperventilating that got worse the closer she got to the bathroom.

"V? Is that you?" The worker quietly asked through the gap, not walking inside to give her girlfriend some space. But when the only sound that came back was a hushed sob, Uzi was left paralyzed. Whatever's happening, is she qualified to help out with it?

She shook the thoughts away. Her girlfriend was having a moment, she should at least try to help. The door slowly opened, complimented with a soft creak, and Uzi poked her head inside to a sight she wished she didn't get to witness.

~~

N didn't know what it was, but something felt off. His optics struggled to make out his surroundings at first, but he quickly realized the arm he was previously hugging wasn't there. V wasn't there.

V always shuffled around in her sleep a lot, he wasn't surprised she wriggled her arm out of his grasp somehow. But, there was also a lack of warmth on the bed too.

"Uzi? Is V-" his optics had fully adjusted to the dark when he cut himself off. Uzi wasn't there either.

Reluctantly, N got out of the bed. It was late and he was tired, but he definetly can't just fall back asleep knowing neither of them were there. What if they got hurt? They're still pretty shaken up about what happened a few weeks ago (and admittedly, he was too).

But he was more worried about V. Unlike Uzi, who has learned to open up to both her partners, V was clearly trying to hide the way she truly feels. She always hid her true emotions. N just wished she could be more open to him and Uzi, so they can help her. So she doesn't break at the seams again.

Walking down the mostly empty hallway (they had still just moved into their house, there isn't any furniture or decoration yet) N's "eyes" took note of the slightly illuminated wall. It didn't take a genius to figure out a door was open with the light on.

Upon getting closer to the source of the light, he heard quiet sobs.

Once he reached the door, N peeked inside. There was oil everywhere. On the floor, on clothes, even caked onto the faces of two drones. One purple, one yellow.

Uzi and V.

They were on the floor, V had her claws out and was evidently the source of the sobs. She was still wearing the same old jacket she's worn for ages, but evidence of all the abuse it has gone through littered the fabric in the form of rips, tears, scratches and oil stains. But some of them were new.

~~

V bit back some more sobs as she noticed her other partner has found her. N must've not realised he was staring, but to V it was just another pair of eyes watching her, judging her, degrading her for comitting the crime of existing. She wanted to disappear from the face of Copper-9. So much has gone down.

She was sitting on the floor, her knees to her chest, hyperventilating. So defenseless. So weak. No wonder the solver chose her as its victim. It promised she'll be free, but even in its death, she hasn't broken free of its shackles. When it's not controlling or manipulating V, it was watching her in her nightmares, in the empty spaces in her new house, in the mirrors she looked at herself through.

"V, please. Stop hurting yourself" spoke a voice too comforting for her to deserve it. V couldn't even register who said it.

"V?"

Her vents quieted.

"Can you look at me?"

Hesitantly, golden tear-filled eyes met purple ovals. She bit back another sob.

N sat on the floor next to Uzi, with his hand hovering over one of the wounds V's claws were still in the middle of branding her casing with.

He didn't speak, but demonstrated to V what he wanted to her do when he switched over his hands for claws, then back to normal again. He wanted her to switch them back.

V just stared into his eyes and slowly shook her head, digging her claws deeper and drawing more oil.

"V, please." Uzi made eye contact with V again, but this time V removed her claws from the oil stained plastic forearms she was digging them into, but still hovered them over her wounds.

"Can you switch your hands back to normal for me?" The worker asked oh so tenderly; absolutely not the tone V deserved to be spoken to in.

Newly built up tears made their way onto V's screen. She can't. She still hasn't been able to remove the arm band. She still hasn't punished herself enough for the things she did. She's still alive. The solver will be haunting her as long as that remains a fact.

She can't take it anymore. It's like something snapped inside her, but all the tears came back stronger. She didn't want to cry, and an effort was clearly made, but it was too much. She lodged herself inbetween N and Uzi, wrapping her arms around both of them and sobbed hopelessly into the gap between them.

V's sobs were strained, she clearly didn't want them to escape her mouth. But she just couldn't hold them back. It's like every time she blinked back tears in her life all came back to her, stronger than ever. She shook and trembled, as a seemingly endless stream of tears burned her screen.

N was taken aback by the sudden hug, but then wrapped his arms around V's frame, with Uzi following suit.

Uzi didn't care her clothes were soaking up her own girlfriend's oil. It was about time that old hoodie was put out if its misery anyway.

V's sobs eventually died down, getting replaced with awkward yet comforting silence. As she hugged her partners, clawing on the fabric of their clothes. She needs to make sure they're actually here and this wasn't another cruel trick.

Eventually, she broke the silence with two words.

"I'm sorry"

N pulled his head away from V's to look at her, but still stayed in the embrace.

"Don't apologize. But, are you able to tell us what happened?" N's voice was slightly scratchy considering he still had just woken up, but V could still hear the concern in his voice. Robo god she didn't deserve either of them.

"It's stupid" she reluctantly replied. She isnt used to being vulnerable, to saying how she felt. It was a habit she wants to break but it was so hard after years and years of bottling everything up.

"Don't say that. I don't blame you for breaking" Uzi eyed the ground, trying to find the correct words to say.

"These last few weeks have been so hard, and yet you were there for us when we needed someone to talk to"

"I think you deserve that outlet, too"

V's eyes locked with Uzi's when she said those last few words. Uzi has seen first hand the things V has done, how could she deserve it? Uzi and N are good people, she had to comfort them. She loved them. But she didn't deserve that same treatment.

"I don't think I deserve it"

"V..."

"I hurt so many people, Uzi... I hurt you and N... I don't deserve to have the two of you helping or comforting me"

Uzi frowned upon hearing V's response.

"V, N and I met by trying to kill eachother, I killed so many of my classmates at camp. OH, and let's not forget the time I tried to kill you later that day, too."

"Uzi, that's different-"

"No! Because at the end of the day, all three of us have done some messed up shit. But if N and I deserve love anyway, you do, too, V"

Silence fell over the polycule after Uzi's little speech. V tried to argue back, but couldn't find any sufficient arguments.

Uzi was right.

V let out a sigh, and breifly interlaced her fingers with both her partners'... and then found her face heating up. A beat passed before she threw a friendly punch at the purple drone.

"You dork! You don't get to make me feel sappy!" V playfully scolded her girlfriend. Uzi couldn't help but laugh at the sudden change in V's demeanor.

But as Uzi's giggles died down, the light-hearted atmosphere did, too.

"But, seriously though. You should open up a bit more. We're here to help you, we love you, why else do you think I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you and N?"

V's grin faded slightly as she came back to the reality that she still did scare her partners at the middle of the night.

"What happened, V?" Uzi finally asked her. Damn it. She wished she didn't have to say anything about the events that led up to her breakdown.

"If you're comfortable with talking about it, that is" N added.

V's sorrowful gaze reached her upper left arm. Specifically, the damned yellow tag that branded her.

"I want to take it off. I feel trapped as long as I have it" she finally admitted.

V's mind wandered, anticipating any response from them. "ALL of this trouble was caused by a piece of fabric?!". It was a pretty silly reason, she kind of expected them to get mad at her for it. But they didn't.

N let out a surprised "oh" as he remembered the meltdown he had when he tried to take it off.

Uzi cupped V's cheek and her thumb tenderly traced the surface of it. "Let's take it off, then" her soothing voice comforted.

N positioned himself on V's left, and with a precise slice of his claw, the yellow symbol of control fell into the floor.

V looked at her arm. Her arm, which was a part of her body, no longer belonging to anyone else.

She was free.

V hugged N, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"Thank you"

N reciprocated the action, his arms wrapped around V as her hair fully obscured his face. He then planted a gentle kiss on it as his fingers ran through her silver locks.

Eventually, they parted before V wiped a singular tear off her screen. One day, she'll tell them about the problems plaguing her. The nightmares, the thoughts, the urge. But for now, she savored the feeling of being at peace (or at least, the closest feeling to peace since what happened three weeks ago).

"I think it's time we head back to bed" V finally said. She hated to admit it, but the lack of sleep did take a toll on her.

Standing up from the floor, V stretched and picked up Uzi bridal style.

"HEY!"

"Can't let you forget how I usually act just because you saw me cry, toaster"

Uzi childishly pouted before wrapping her arms around V's neck.

"Bite me"

N held back a few giggles as he watched the most important drones in his life still bickering like they don't live in the same house together.

~~

After the three of them flopped on their bed, V felt two pairs of arms wrap around her waist and head.

"I'm NOT letting you leave this bed alone again" Uzi mumbled into her girlfriend's chest.

V could've gotten mad, but she found herself chuckling instead. Maybe this night wasn't that bad in the end.

Soft rumbles radiated from V as she purred in content in sync with the taller disassembly drone nuzzling her.

"I love you" were the last words V spoke that night. Though it was half muttered, both the drones it was directed at heard it, increasing their grip in their hugs.

Eventually, V's purring was replaced with soft snores as she drifted off the sleep, surrounded by the people she loved in a quiet moment of tranquillity.

[suhnshinehaos]

growing pains : act three, part eighteen (2/2)

series synopsis : people say that you’ll experience three kinds of love in your lifetime. the first is an idealistic love, the kind that feels straight out of a fairy tale. the second is the hard love, the kind that will leave you with lessons about yourself and the love you want and need to experience. finally, the love you never see coming. this is the story of your three loves. pairing : svt 97 line x gn!reader genre/s : non-idol au, coming of age, angst, fluff, my attempts at humor act three, part eighteen (2/2) wc : 1k

act three : the unexpected love  ➤  part 18 : it's all in the timing

after years studying and working abroad, yn is finally back home to a new job and new faces. all they want now is to focus on nothing else but their career and one of their coworker’s friends, minghao, makes it all the more interesting. 

previous  ➤  act three, part eighteen (1/2) next  ➤  act three, part nineteen growing pains ➤  masterlist 

you don’t know if it’s by drink four or song fifteen that you decided you need some fresh air.

it was rather easy to slip away unnoticed. seungcheol was basically pouring alcohol straight into people’s mouths, a line had formed in front of him and he was more than happy to pour some into his own. soonyoung and dino were dancing their hearts out to whatever pop song seokmin and jihoon were singing along to. even as you exited the doors, with every step you took, you could hear the unrestrained laughter, the lively chatter, the thump thump thumping of the bass from the abnormally large speakers. 

yeah, it was easy to slip away unnoticed.

at least, you thought so until you hear distant footsteps grow louder and louder until you could feel a presence behind you.

the corner of your mouth twitched upwards, tilting your head up to the clear sky.

“what are you doing out here?” the words fall past your lips and into the still night air. “you should be drunk or on the dancefloor. or both.”

minghao chuckles, soft and serene, taking a couple of steps forward until his arm brushes against yours. “i could ask you the same thing, you know. this celebration’s partly for you.”

“i know.” you let out a breath, refusing to look at him. even though you know he’s looking right at you. his gaze has always been intense, and for a time you found it quite intimidating. it used to feel like he was examining you, scrutinizing every quirk of your brow or purse of your lips. 

but now it felt like an entirely different thing. almost comforting.

he’s studying you, feeling out how you’re feeling with every word and breath that escaped you, yet you know you have nothing to be conscious of. 

“i get it,” he stuffs his hands in the pockets of his trousers, “it’s nice out here.”

“mhmm.” you hum, and there’s a part of you that expected your heart to thump out of your chest. for you to hear the ringing of its beating in your ears, so loud that you couldn’t quite ignore it. but it’s not there. it’s quiet, tranquil, at peace.

no panic, no uncertainty, no fear. 

it’s the feeling you once felt with seokmin, before time and distance had shaken the idealism of young love.

it’s the feeling you chased after, the feeling you craved in mingyu,  in a period in your life when you would have given him the world. only if he had asked. 

“what are you thinking about?” minghao nudges your shoulder, eyes expectant and his head tilted to the side. 

you blink and a beat passes. then another. and another.

the word slips past your lips before you could even have the time to process it. “you.”

minghao’s breath hitches, and suddenly he’s all too aware of his own body. he feels his breathing, the air that’s coming in and out of his lungs. he hears his heartbeat ringing in his ears, thumping to the sound of your voice. he notices the palms of his hands, cold, needing the warmth that emanated from yours.

it’s a common feeling when he’s around you.

there’s always a rush of feelings, emotions, that courses through his veins. awe, hope, intrigue, delight, sometimes even tinges of fear and anxiety. how could a single person make him feel so much? 

he fights the smile that’s threatening to spread across his lips, “what about me?”

“sometimes,” you pause, and your mind flashes to the past few months you’ve spend with him. the times he’s helped you out professionally and personally. the late nights you’ve spent together, going over raw shots of a shoot you had previously done. the early mornings spent running through now familiar city streets, discovering little cafes and restaurants you never would have known existed. the afternoons running random errands, from grocery shopping to laundry. 

for a moment, you’re taken back to several years ago. to a park in new york city. to a stranger handing you back your camera after he had spent two days trying every possible phone number combination.

“i look at you and i think,” you exhale. no turning back now. “here you are. where have you been? i’ve been waiting for someone like you.”

heat rushes to minghao’s cheeks, and once again you’ve made him aware that his heart is beating, blood is rushing through his veins. he’s alive, and he knows he is because he feels.

there will never be a word that will fully capture just how much he feels for you, but he’ll try his best.

“i adore you.” his thumb gently moves on your cheek, his free hand grabbing the edge of your coat to pull you closer to him. “and if it’s any consolation, i’m sorry it took me so long to find you again.”

“i forgive you.” a laugh escapes your lips and you rest your forehead against his. 

you wonder what your life would have been like if you met him earlier, if he had gone to the same high school as you. or perhaps if you had met him in your college years, if you had kept contact after he had returned your camera. 

there’s really nothing to forgive. 

there’s only so much to be thankful for. 

to fresh-out-of-high school you and seokmin for taking the leap and chasing after your dreams, even if it meant potentially losing the romantic relationship you had built.

to post-college you and mingyu, for loving each other enough to let go of each other too.

to the you of today, who didn’t stand their ground on a misguided first impression, to keeping an open heart and mind to grow and learn.

“do you really?”

minghao’s voice pulls you back into reality. you nod.

“hm. maybe i should take out on a date, just to be sure.” his lips brush past your ear, breath warm on your neck, pulling back to ask, “what do you say?”

“i’d like that a lot, hao.”

from reese, with love <3

the words 'i like you' and 'i love you' don't feel enough for ynhao... they just know

anyways, it's currently 12:15 am and i was going to sleep but i got way too excited so i'm posting this now! i know this has been a long time coming for ynhao, i hope i was able to them justice.

thank you for reading, just a couple more parts to go :) all the replies/rbs/asks are always appreciated. i'm going to sleep now hehe i'll see you in the morning and i hope you're all doing well <3

also i cannot get spell out of my head, help!

[wandamaximoffsbadgirl]

autistic reader x mommy wanda where reader has a meltdown about something (your choice) and wanda has been with us long enough to know how to deal with it, but still gets shaken up every time it happens

Mommy!Wanda Maximoff x Autistic!fem!reader

Summary: It's been a long day and Wanda asking you about dinner is the final straw

Word count: 666

Warnings: reader has a meltdown, stims (rocking)

Authors notes: So I am autistic and wrote this from experience of my own meltdowns, which even when I'm done with the meltdown, the feelings linger and stick with me for a bit.

The day had been long and exhausting, the kind of day where every social interaction felt like walking through quicksand. You had been masking all day, trying to keep up with the expected social norms, and now you were home with Wanda, your safe haven. You were hoping to finally relax and be yourself without the weight of expectations.

When Wanda asked, "What do you want for dinner, lyubov?" It was the last straw. It was too much for you to process at the moment. Your chest tightened, and you could feel the meltdown coming. You started to cry, unable to hold it back any longer. The familiar sensation washes over you: the need to stim, the overwhelming emotions, the feeling of being out of control.

Wanda, as always, was right there by your side. She guided you gently to a more comfortable spot, her hands cold and reassuring, you could feel each ring on her fingers. She spoke softly, her voice a constant, soothing presence, even though she was inwardly panicking. She hated seeing you like this, feeling helpless because she couldn't just make it all stop.

"It's okay, moya lyubov," Wanda whispered, using the nickname she always did when you needed comfort. "I'm here with you.”

You rocked back and forth, stimming to help regulate the chaos inside your mind. Wanda stayed close, letting you cry and release the pent-up tension. She wished she could do more, wished she had the power to take away your pain completely. But she knew that just being there, just letting you be yourself, was what you needed most.

After a while, the storm inside you began to calm. The tears slowed, and your breathing became more even. Wanda continued to hold you, her presence a steady anchor in the aftermath of the meltdown.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, feeling the lingering weight of guilt.

"Don't be sorry, Lyubov," Wanda said gently. "You never have to apologize for being who you are. I love you, all of you, and I'm here to support you."

Her words were like a balm to your weary soul. You leaned into her, feeling her warmth and love. It had been a rough day, but with Wanda by your side, you knew you could face whatever challenges came your way.

"Can I just have dino nuggets?" you asked with a sniffle, staring at the floor. The question felt small and safe, something familiar amidst the chaos.

Wanda smiled softly, relieved to hear you voice your preference. "Of course, lyubov. Dino nuggets it is."

She gently squeezed your hand before getting up to head to the kitchen. The sound of her moving around, opening cabinets and starting the oven, was comforting. It was a reminder of the routine and normalcy you both cherished.

You took a few deep breaths, grounding yourself with the familiar sounds and smells. The kitchen light cast a warm glow, and you could hear Wanda humming softly as she prepared the nuggets. It was a song she often hummed, one that always made you feel at ease.

After a few minutes, Wanda came back with a plate of dino nuggets, setting it down in front of you. "Here you go, lyubov," she said, her voice filled with love and concern. "Take your time, okay?”

You nodded, taking a nugget and biting into it. The taste was exactly what you needed, simple and comforting. Wanda sat beside you, her presence steady and reassuring. She didn't press you to talk, just stayed close, letting you know she was there.

As you ate, the tension slowly eased, replaced by a sense of calm. You were grateful for Wanda, for her understanding and patience. Even though she couldn't take away all your struggles, she made them more bearable just by being there.

When you finished, you leaned into her, feeling the warmth of her embrace. "Thank you," you whispered.

Wanda kissed the top of your head. "Always, Lyubov. I'm here for you, no matter what.”

[grimesgirll]

Do you take requests? If so I’d love to see a Rick x reader where he watches reader in the shower and maybe jerks off to it. One day she notices him and asks him to join her

it’s a filthy thing he’s doing.

steam fogging up the glass and bursting around you, you’re oblivious to the onlooker to your nightly shower.

watching you like this has to go down on the list of the grimiest things he’s ever done.

despite being a shining example of a redemption story and someone he could trust, rick wants nothing more than to spend an evening with you face down beneath him. your hands on him, his on you; rick craves you in so many ways.

observing from the doorway already has him palming his hard on. through the mist, your erection stirring figure is obvious and rick has underestimated how painfully hard he is. it wouldn’t be the first time he’s fantasized with you around.

on the road once, you were on your knees tending to his cuts and all he could think about was how beautiful you were. with the prettiest face he’d ever seen and lips too soft too pillowy and tempting for the harsh season you were in.

one of the woodbury survivors, you’d come to the group as nothing more than a shaken young grad student. the governor returning to storm your new home changed that. terminus had changed that. the road had changed that. with every experience you grew closer to the group and closer to rick, although you were both too skittish to address the ways you looked at each other with your basic survivor being such a priority.

you were welcome in his house however, once your group started assimilating amongst the alexandrians. opting to take a second floor bedroom next to judith’s, you fell into a steady routine of playing house with the grimes family. the newfound responsibilities of alexandria didn’t allow you to be judith’s full time caretaker but you still spent most days with the little girl and carl.

alone time with rick was hard to come by; “new constable duties and all,” he’d gruffed when you asked why you’d seen so little of him.

it wasn’t a satisfying answer but rick was wrapped up in alexandria and his new role. and jessie, you add mentally as you trudge up the stairs and to your en-suite to shower.

you hadn’t heard him when he shut the bedroom door - that you hadn’t bothered to close - and linger in the open bathroom doorway.

the hiss that comes out of him when you squirt a handful of body wash onto your palm and cup your breasts is hard to miss though.

at first you think it’s just the shower. the thought doesn’t cross your mind again as you begin scrubbing your torso with your loofah until another fervent breath echoes louder than the shower.

once you realize what’s going on, you refrain from stilling; not wanting to scare rick off.

the loofah runs lower, legs and knees being grazed by the tactile clump of textiles. you take your time bending over and really getting your calves, ankles, and the bottoms of your feet throughly cleaned.

your vantage point doesn’t extend behind you but you can see it all the same: rick, hot and bothered from your glistening body just feet away from him - a hand suddenly freeing his cock and taking the time to allow himself some manual relief.

rick is not the type to snoop on you in the shower but you roll your neck, easing out the cracks and thrusting your soapy bust forward all the same. you would’ve said something by now if you took any serious issue with rick sharing the room with you. your greatest issue is the wanton need bubbling between your pillowy thighs.

how to communicate with him? you mull, warm droplets falling onto your smooth skin from above. maybe being direct is the most honest thing you can do.

“rick, there’s room in here for two, you know.”

the sound of the shower head grows louder in rick’s silence.

you frown. having complex feelings is one thing, ignoring you is another.

thighs clenching at the thought of the tense election in his hand, you offer, “i can help you with that.”

another hiss hints to you that your words are landing. with a coy smile, you’re trying to coax him in another. whispers and wants of languidly bathing together amongst other things slip from your mouth in your ploy to get the man behind this glass door with you.

“come in with me, rick.”

rick’s eyes widen when you slide the shower door open and you think he’s considering heading for the hills until his eyes meet yours. his pupils are way to dilated to have the self control to run out of your bedroom.

he has even less of a capacity to fight when you begin tugging down the rest of his pants and underwear.

with a scolding of your name, he attempts to keep you from unbuttoning his shirt but with the way you’re pawing at him, he struggles to stay strong.

“honey, you don’t have to. i don’t know if that’s-,”

“-it’s fine, don’t worry. just get in here.” you emphasize your point with a wide smile and a pull of rick’s arm and before he knows it, he’s standing under the steam with you.

soft skin against his taut muscles, rick is the one melting into your embrace despite the slick between your thighs. he grounds himself with a hand against your tit.

“i’m really glad you came in here.” you remark into his doused chest. your embrace deepens until you feel rick between your legs and can’t help but grind down onto his rock hardness.

“let me wash your back, rick.”

it’s not what he expected to hear after you crushed his cock against your soft exterior but he’ll take it.

turning around, rick hears you pop the cap off of one of your cucumber smelling body washes and starts with his shoulders. the man grunts from the delicate massage up and down his back.

“i’m really happy you’re with me right now, rick.” you iterate again, hoping to drive the point home.

the constable’s head lifts slightly. “you like me?”

“i do, rick.” you answer without a breath. your hands trail lower as you lather the skin just above his ass. “i like you a lot. i like living here with you.”

his muscles tighten and relax beneath you, responding to your words and the motion of your nimble fingers. his stress filled backside needed nothing more than for you to continue this massage with him on his stomach on the bed. months on months of responsibility, peril, and his role as a leader had manifested the knots in his back.

another hour of this treatment would probably have rick feeling better than he had in a long time but he starts to get an idea of something he wants even more.

rick rotates to face you, catching your wrists in his palms and your gaze all in the same pivot.

“do you want me to fuck you, darlin’?”

you could swoon right then and there. you always ached when he called you darlin’. now he can take care of the throbbing he always caused when he addressed you like that.

“of course,” you exhale and nod eagerly.

the kiss that rick is stamping on your wet lips has you hooking a leg around the back of his thigh and falling into his embrace.

this is the moment when you appreciate having the handicap accessible bathroom.

because after a few minutes of sucking marks that you know are going to incur questions, rick takes a break from attacking your lips, tits, and collarbone to bend you over the white, rubbery soft waterproof bench installed in your en-suite. you brace yourself against the surface as you feel rick behind you, gathering up your slick. the tip of his much larger than you’d expected cock teases your already sloppy wet hole.

“mhm,” you’re crying when he brushes against you again.

“damn, you’re wet, darlin’,.”

“why do you think, rick?”

you don’t mean to be snappy but you want him inside of you. waiting at the door is only working you up even more.

he chuckles lightly. a finger touches your sensitive folds from behind; the gasp he elicits from you has him pressing his cock right along your tight little hole.

the whine that you let ring through the shower is the last straw before rick plunges into you.

every inch is a battle - a battle you’re pleased to lose. it’s like waterloo, or whatever reason abba loved it so much. rick felt like too much to take at first. in all reality, your thick arousal ushers him in flawlessly. each thrust coats him in your cunt’s permission to keep going - keep pushing through each layer of fleshy, heavenly, spongy muscle. the road to bottoming out inside of you has never been more clear.

with the confidence to drive balls deep comes your needy cunt contracting against rick. a temporary finger against your clit only exacerbates the death grip you’ve established.

“good fucking girl, so tight,” rick relays to you through gritted teeth. “you take me so well, baby.”

bent over the bench, you’re thanking god that you’re in the shower and not somewhere where anyone can you hear or rick. no one needs to hear the way you’re murmuring like an overjoyed, sex-hazed idiot and getting fucked so dumb up and down on him.

the dim lighting provided from the bathroom adds to the sensational pleasures you’re being treated to right now. now adjusted to his cock, the girth of rick is something that has you stupid and out of breath. the risk you took calling out rick was well worth it. getting fucked like this in your shower is exactly what you’d hoped for - and maybe rick ending up in your bed when this is all over.

“c’mon, i know we’re both close. come all over me nice and tight like i know you want to, baby.” the man encourages.

“wanna feel you come too, rick,” you’re rasping between twisting your hips to meet his from behind with the pliable plush of your ass.

“anything you want, darlin,” he promises with a kiss against your neck.

hot and searing like sparklers, waves of pulsing pleasure threaten to spill over. your core flutters around rick and he chokes back a hoarse moan. the indentation of his fingers in your hips only sinks deeper. that dull pain guides you with the bludgeoning pace of rick in your already revved up and desperate cunt.

splashing over you like the hot water above you, your orgasm has you jerking your hips even worse than rick when he comes inside of you not thirty seconds later.

when you feel up to it, you’re on your feet and drawing rick in by the back of the head for a kiss from you on your tippy toes. the tongue in your mouth and the firm hand on your waist is enough for you to get a little lost in it all.

you’re pulled from the steamy haze when you realize you two have shifted. the stickiness dissipating with the hot water is your indication and your head lowers to see rick’s come cascading down the duct. the mixture of your fluids is washed down your thighs and down the drain.

rick tilts your head up to interrupt your view of the floor beneath you two, cueing you into another lengthy kiss. he takes the opportunity to run his hands up as down the length of your body, not neglecting to cup your ass.

an arch is reprising in you when the body wash makes another appearance. rick’s rubbing around your thighs, being thorough enough that you drag him out of the shower with you. opting for the two of you to share a towel, it’s not long before you’re heading for your bedroom.

with wet hair and soapy feet you two are crashing onto your bed.

the bedspread is damp already but you could care less. your bodies meeting skin to skin is dinging your pleasure receptors enough. all of rick flush against you while he marks your neck with even more hot, plum colored blemishes and juts his hips into you.

“mhmm,” you moan, rotating your hips back. “rick,” you’re whimpering for him at this point.

“wanna taste this freshly washed pussy,” rick utters against your chest, kissing his way down the valley of your breasts and just above your belly button.

he licks a pattern from there down to your slicked back mound. the tongue that parts your folds for you, gallantly dips inside of you. you’re worried that your reactive bottom will be crushing rick rudely in no time but his dexterous hands brace themselves against your thighs without fault. the accompanying circles and rhythmic patterns he’s etching with the pads of his fingers into your skin have you writing beneath his thick tongue.

roving across your slit as if on a mission, rick takes advantage of your sensitivity that had been see-sawing since the shower. you welcome the crescent shaped marks he’s littering on the paper sensitive skin of your inner thighs. why would you be upset? he’s setting you up to come your way into a state of bliss and sleep like a baby.

“rick, you’re so good at this,” you bellow softly, bleary eyed from the pressure he’s managing with just his tongue.

he doesn’t respond; the tongue toying with your relaxed hole just juts against the muscle. you almost leap up the bed when the tip of his pink tongue trespasses the first inch of your velvety insides.

“rick!” you exclaim.

pupil blown eyes rolling back, you’re clutching at the bedspread to stay on this planet. nerve endings flicker and burst into flame with the weight of rick’s tongue lapping them with no end in sight.

“fuck, i’m gonna come in your mouth, rick.” you confess breathily.

hands find his chestnut waves and they help you cope with the vortex licking and laving every single sweet moan and whimper from you.

you’re worried you’ll come right then and there again when you feel a deft finger that’s opening you up even more. it’s like the room is spinning. this new addition has you scrunching your eyes shut from the double overwhelm of this clearly skilled man’s finger and tongue.

“oh, rick!”

your lust-filled outbursts pair appropriately with the seriousness rick is committing to your cunt. a finger inside of you, a tongue bullying you, and another finger tormenting your clit has you begging and bucking your hips.

“mhmm, rick, shit.” you curse. “god!”

beneath you, the tongue and the two fingers intent on ruining you enter over time in an attempt to overload you. the pace and the pressure bundled up together are enough to have tears rolling down your cheeks.

a crack breaks inside of you when a particularly excruciatingly twist of rick’s fingers tantalizes the spot with the invisible “x.”

“rick!”

heat is rushing to your face when he curls his fingers inside of you. the full lips on your clit only have your knees floundering. that heat isn’t just in your face but brimming in your core. rick does nothing to assuage it - just builds on the heightening ardor around his fingers. fumbling through your words, you flex around his fingers and his tongue is the first to taste the flood as your head clearing, thought averting release grants you a blissful blank slate of a state.

looking down at you, the man savors the glow your climax had brought to your already ethereal face. parted lips and still twitching thighs told him that he’d thoroughly made inviting you in the shower with him worth your while.

fucked out and grinning, rick can’t help but match your disposition when you roll onto your elbows and utter;

“so, are you sleeping over?”

[lurkingshan]

Unknown Episode 10

I'm back just in time to dive into this exquisite final arc of my current favorite show, and the tension is delicious. I know after last week's near death experience many of us were hoping Qian was on the brink of accepting Yuan, but the thing about Qian is he is stubborn as a mule and terrified of change. We know this about him, so we can't be surprised that he's not quite done breaking down his mental walls.

I loved how much this episode was about Qian's struggle to accept what his heart is already telling him. He knows he has feelings for Yuan. He knows he feels differently about him than anyone else, especially in comparison to his truly brotherly feelings for Lili. Qian has finally accepted that Yuan loves him romantically and always will, but he still hasn't decided whether he can fully reciprocate. His conversation with Yuan at the end of the episode was the first time we heard him admit he has feelings for Yuan, but he is still caught up in whether they are truly romantic, and how he can know that. Qian has no romantic experience to speak of and his feelings for Yuan are so singular that I can't help but empathize with him here. He is not equipped to sort this out on his own, and he's too scared to give in to Yuan lest he hurt him or their relationship by trying to change something.

Which is why that talk with San Pang was so important. San Pang is the one who interfered in their relationship in the first place, tried to talk Yuan out of his feelings, and encouraged Qian when he decided to send Yuan away. He lived with Qian all those years Yuan was away and he saw the damage the separation caused. Qian's misery without Yuan was palpable, and now that Yuan is back and his feelings are only more intense, San Pang has the wisdom (and the distance Qian doesn't) to see that fighting it any further is pointless and only going to hurt them all. He wants them to be happy more than anything else, and perhaps through coming to terms with his own feelings for Lili and navigating the change in their relationship, he has also accepted that Qian and Yuan are happiest together.

San Pang has always been Qian's confidante, sounding board, and reality check, and you could see how shaken Qian was when he finally took away the last of Qian's rationalizations. When San Pang said "be honest, did you feel empty when Yuan was away?" you could practically see Qian fighting against the last of his resolve crumbling. The way his body started to tremble and his voice shook as he tried to make San Pang understand his fear was so moving, I didn't even feel frustrated with him. We can get swept up sometimes in romance narratives and forget how monumental this kind of shift in a relationship can feel, but with Qian we can't forget it, because his fear defines every moment. I love that the show is taking this change so seriously and not rushing us through these final moments of struggle (@wen-kexing-apologist I'm gonna need 1000 words minimum on Qian's mouth twitch, nervous body language, and tears in this scene, Chris killed it). And I felt a lot for Lili in this episode, who is once again witnessing her brothers in a deadlock with each other with no one talking to her about why (though at this point I think she knows).

We end this week standing on what feels like another precipice, as the brothers are once again in tension with each other. This new health wrinkle for Qian is not a set up for a big dramatic health scare (thank goodness) but rather a symbol of that last little bit that Qian is still holding back from Yuan. I loved the way the camera lingered on Yuan's bracelet in the scene where he grabbed Qian's hand and begged to be let in; Qian is the one who gave him that reminder of their connection even as he tries to keep this last small barrier between them. But they are facing each other with everything laid bare between them now. Qian looked like he was in physical pain in that last scene listening to Yuan go on about how all his desires are one-sided and his own problem, but the way Qian reached for him may indicate that he's finally ready to admit they are in this together.

A note about episodes 11 and 12: As expected, the final two episodes have leaked early. I will be sticking to the commitment I made with some others on here to wait for the weekly airdates to post about and interact with content about these episodes. I have filtered [#unknown the series spoilers] and kindly ask that you please tag anything you post early about these episodes. I will be unfollowing and blocking people as needed who can't do this basic courtesy. I have really loved discussing this show in depth with you all and hope we can continue for a couple more weeks!

[sshadowritestoriess]

Hi hi, can I have some ramattra first time HC’s plzz ily it’ll actually make my week omg 🙏💖

Hiii I hope this is sufficient 🫶

Ramattra’s First Time

Outwardly, he wouldn’t seem nervous in the slightest despite it being clear he needs some guidance

He knows how it works, that much is obvious. But he heavily lacks an understanding on how important foreplay is, and that there’s more that can be done during sex than just rutting against one another— so you’ll just have to show him

You’ll likely have to ask him to slow down a couple of times, and after the third or fourth attempt to stop him from rushing into it, he’d eventually give up on taking the lead

“Now what?” Becomes a popular question when he’s checked off something to your liking.

He’s aware he needs to be gentle during such an intimate activity, a stark contrast to the typical brute force he exerts for most of his daily tasks. But he’s still partially rough in his first tries to touch you— you’ll just need to grab his wrist and tell him to be careful, and he’ll try again

But his excitement and steady rise in confidence will result in quicker and rougher movements now and again. So reminders, reminders. Else he may attempt to break you.

He’d definitely find some difficulty in being vulnerable, letting you touch him to get riled up was not something he had mentally prepared for. It’d be a whiplash of internal conflict over how terrifying it is (who would have thought he’d allow human hands poke and prod at him to elicit pleasure) and how nice it feels.

Omnics have far more control over the sounds they can produce and when. It doesn’t take much effort for Ramattra to stifle small noises of encouragement, but in such an exposed and trusting state it is extremely easy to catch him off guard. Dragging a nervous grunt out of him will make him raise a hand to cover his throat, where his vocalizer hides. (He didn’t know he could even make that sound.)

He’d be easily embarrassed if you compliment him on anything— how he looks, how well he’s doing. He thanks you every time very politely, but you can practically hear how bashful he is in the stammer of his tone, as much as he tries to hide it in his body language.

He’d have a preference for the ‘main event’ to be in missionary for his first time, so he can see your face and watch carefully to make sure he’s doing everything right.

He’d express his gratitude to you as he sinks in, agonizingly slow, for being patient with him and trusting an omnic of his model to be vulnerable with you. Maybe a bit cheesy, but he was mostly running words out to keep himself from rushing his full length in with a single shove. A self-induced distraction so he doesn’t harm you by accident.

He would invite you to keep your hands on his chest or the silver handles on his hips, just in case, to give him a small push if he does anything too rough. He was designed with heightened senses— even the smallest amount of deliberate pressure could be detected, so he’d know to take it down a notch.

But he’d do just fine when he starts thrusting, small and shallow rolls of his hips controlled by a surge of nervousness to perform well. He may even begin narrating what this feels like for him; “It’s… like I’m on fire.”

He’d become addicted to your warmth very quickly, hiking your ass higher and pulling your thighs further over his while he arches in closer to you, burying his faceplate into your shoulder and relishing in the way his sensors alerted him toward the rise in temperature.

He’d cage you underneath him with his arms, eerily quiet— focused— on how much warmer he could make you, already experimenting with angle of his hips as he slows his pace and rides into you with differing strokes.

And then your walls flutter around him and that would be the first time you hear him moan. This shaken, breathy sound that rumbles from his upper chest, and releases the air vents in his shoulders with a quiet hiss.

He’d notice your reaction to the sound instantaneously— not only seen in the reaction of your face, but additionally in the way your internals hug around him and nearly pull him back inside. He’d be elated that his voice could cause such a response, and he’d become a lot more noisy for you after that

Ramattra would find himself asking every so often “is this alright?”, and you may have to try and stay focused enough to be able to reassure him, or else he’ll stop. It’s hard to tell if he pauses because he’s worried when you don’t respond, or because he’s being smug knowing you can’t.

If you encourage him to try going faster, he might hesitate. But with further praise, he may comply, trying to be quicker while being just as gentle as before.

He’s an extremely quick learner, however. One correct response to anything he’s attempted is immediately memorized and saved, and he will try certain things again exactly as he had the first time to get the best reactions out of you. His first time quickly begins to seem like it’s his hundredth time, becoming an expert in just under ten minutes.

So quickly molded to your liking, trying things you would like, toying with your body like a plaything to earn more praise and encouragement. For Ramattra, it’s so much less about the euphoria he feels from you, and more about how long he can please you before you come undone.

But he still would like an orgasm, so he may get a little selfish toward the end of the exercise. He would whisper to you to please forgive him, pushing into you more rough than before, hammering wave after wave of pleasure into himself until he’s completely overwhelmed his systems.

You will literally have to brace yourself the first time he ‘cums’ inside you, his entire frame would tremble and shake while his limbs go rigid and lock up, until he eventually collapses on top of you with a deep sigh as he’s lulled into a brief unconscious state. But he would be up again in just a handful of seconds, and he’d apologize once more

And, being a machine with a nonexistent sense of stamina, he will make it up to you again and again if only you wish for it. Sex turned out to be a lot more fun than he had imagined, especially with a human, and he’d love nothing more than to show you how eternally grateful he is toward you for letting him play.

[petvampire]

For my galaxy brain @dryadgurrl 💖

HORNY CURIOUS POLYCULE PROMPT AS I TRY TO MAKE THE MUSE WORK AGAIN

Monty’s chronic impatience vs cockwarming and incessant teasing with toys. NSFW.

~

Monty’s going to lose his mind.

He’s pretty sure he thinks that at least once a week these days, and it’s usually in a very pleasant context, but right now he’s just… actually going to go insane. His partners can be downright fucking diabolical at times, and he both loves and hates it.

Patience has never been the crow’s strong suit. He’s impulsive and eager, quick to act on his instincts and desires. Yeah, he can tease when he wants to, but he rarely manages it for long, seeking sensation and pleasure with a sense of immediacy he hasn’t quite shaken off, even after over a year of being human. Some part of him is well aware he’s still trying to stuff as much experience into his life as possible, just in case. He’s working on that, but in the meantime, it means he has a hard time taking things slow.

Which, of course, his lovers have decided he also needs to work on. Patience is a virtue, and all that.

It’s how they’ve decided to train him in patience that’s driving him out of his mind.

Edwin is seated on the edge of the Cat King’s throne, a smug little smirk on his lips as one hand strokes absently through Monty’s hair. The crow is on his knees in front of him, lips stretched around the other’s cock, the weight of him just settled against his tongue, unmoving. Every time he tries to shift, tries to suck the other properly, that hand tightens, forcing him to stillness. He whines low around the flesh filling his mouth, but the ghost appears utterly unmoved. Edwin has patience down to an art form; he could literally sit there like this for hours.

This isn’t the only torment Monty is subject to at the moment. Because of course just making him stay there, warming Edwin’s cock, wouldn’t be enough. No, his lovers are goddamn evil, and the Cat King always tends to push things up another notch.

Which is why the only sound in the room other than Monty’s half-muffled whines and whimpers is a low, muted buzz. The plug the shapeshifter slipped into him would have been distraction enough, but the damn thing vibrates. Not at any consistent speed or rhythm he can get used to, either. No, it’s controlled by a remote currently dangling from the Cat King’s hand, and he’s merciless. Monty can’t ever get used to the stimulation, because the second he does, it changes.

The feline is draped over the arm of the throne, nuzzling into Edwin’s neck, playing at ignoring the crow’s presence. They’re both paying very close attention, though, drinking in every desperate little noise, every shift Monty makes. It’s walking a fine line, ignoring and dismissing him even as they torment him further. It’s going to drive him insane, reduce him to a begging, needy mess.

But it’s slow going. Because of course, he needs to learn to be patient.

[white-wolf-buckaroo]

Chapter 5: I Plunge to my Death

This episode is what I call the 'turning point' of the show where Percy really discovers what he's capable of, and also the end of the first half of the first season! Can't believe we're already here. Hope you enjoy it!

Word count: 7500 ish

Warnings: Does the Chimera count?

Fic masterlist here!

The soothing rattle of the train put Emily to sleep almost instantly when they went to bed. She was exhausted, even if it had only been the first days of their quest.

They were back on track now, on their way to Los Angeles still in time for the solstice. They would complete the quest, and avoid a war between the gods. Yep, everything would be great.

Except her sleep that night: she was still shaken up from their visit to Aunty Em’s place, not as much because of fighting multiple monsters the same day (she was more than prepared for that), but because of their conversation with Medusa. Emily knew that not all monsters were brainless or soulless creatures, but having an actual talk with someone as the gorgon, who had been around for ages, and had different opinions than the ones Emily was used to hearing, had certainly been an experience.

Medusa’s words resonated in her head during her sleep: The gods want you to believe that they are infallible. But they only want what all bullies want: they want us to blame ourselves for their own shortcomings.

Emily hadn’t seen her father in years. Well, except in the official ceremonies like the winter solstice, when they visited Olympus. But she hadn’t spoken to him in years. Still, she thought of him every day when making her offerings, even though she knew he probably didn’t think of her maybe more than once a month, if he ever did. He was the one who had left, after all. He didn’t want anything else to do with her anymore.

It killed her not to know the reasoning behind his actions. What seemed more logical to her, is that it had been her fault. That’s why she trained to be better, and better and better every single day. Not to make him see he was wrong for abandoning her… but to demonstrate that she was worthy of his love.

She woke up earlier than expected, heart racing after her overthinking thought didn’t let her be even during her sleep – it was still dark outside. Above them was a pitch black sky, from what she could see from her place on the floor (after the flying shoes incident they had let Grover take one of the bunkbeds, and both Percy and Emily had lost against Annabeth on rock, paper, scissors, so the both of them were on mattresses on the floor). There were also stars shining above them, almost flying by with the train’s fast pace.

It was a relief that, wherever she would go, she could always look up to the sky and find the same stars she stared at every night at camp.

She realized then that Percy and Annabeth were awake too, because they were talking. Maybe she had woken up because of them; she could, and would, definitely blame them.

“… I gotta say, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me”

“What doesn’t make sense to you?”

“The way you guys all talk” answered Percy “The way the gods want us to think… Gotta burn an offering to get a parent’s attention. Gotta beat up on Clarisse just to get my father to admit he’s my father. It isn’t supposed to work that way” he sighed, defeated “People who are close to you aren’t supposed to treat you that way”

The thing is, the gods weren’t close to their children. Demigods wanted them to be, sure, but they just… weren’t. That’s the sad truth behind it, and the reason why things worked like they did in their world.

Emily listened to Annabeth telling Percy how she ran away when she was seven, a story she had heard many times, years ago for the first time. Emily knew that Annabeth missed her father, but that her insecurities wouldn’t let her give in to his pleadings to come back to him.

If Emily still had her mother, she would leave camp half-blood to be with her in a heartbeat.

“It isn’t the gods who think that way” replied Annabeth, to Percy’s previous comment “It’s everybody. But at least with the gods you know the rules: show them respect and they’ll be in your corner no matter what”

“The gods didn’t help us when we were at Medusa’s, though”

“Gods can’t interfere”

Both Percy and Annabeth looked over at Emily when she talked, surprised that she was awake.

“What do you mean?” asked Percy.

“This is a quest. We have to get this done by ourselves. If we can’t deal with small problems like a monster getting in our way… well, then we shouldn’t be on a mission in the first place”

“A monster doesn’t seem like a small problem to me but okay, whatever you say” Percy shrugged “But still, we are kids. They are our parents. Dads and Moms are supposed to protect their children”

“The gods do… in their own way” Emily was staring at the ceiling, rather than at Percy, engrossed in her mind “Athena gifted Annabeth her invisibility cap. Your father transmitted to you the ability to heal when you are in contact with water. They care for you guys”

Percy took in her words, noticing she hadn’t mentioned herself nor her dad. He didn’t know what her relationship to Ares was like, but he did remember Medusa saying that the god had cared for his child, in past tense, but not in present tense. He did know how her relationship to Clarisse was, and some others of the Ares cabin from what he had seen at camp. He liked Emily because she wasn’t as brute as them, but he also knew that there was a lot about her he didn’t know yet – she was still a daughter of the God of War.

He wanted to ask her more about it, but he didn’t know how to be tactful. So he just blatantly did:

“What about your dad? Ares?”

“What about him?” she didn’t sound very keen on talking about that topic.

“Has he gotten you anything like Annabeth’s mom for her?”

“Yeah, he did. Some weapons, like my throwing knife. It’s been… years, though, since he’s gifted me anything. The last thing… was his ring. I guess that was his goodbye” she grasped at it with her fingers over her chest, biting her lip; it was attached to her camp necklace, ever since the day she had received it from him. She didn’t want to dwell in her feelings too much, so she quickly forced herself to recover “He also got me some emotional traumas, like for the most of us. The usual for the God of War”

Above them, on the upper mattress of the bunk, Grover groaned while he woke up, totally displeased to do so.

“You awake?” asked Percy.

“I am now, thanks”

“You okay?”

“He’s super grouchy when he doesn’t get enough sleep”

Grover mimicked Annabeth doing a high pitched voice, groaning again.

“Wow” replied Percy, unimpressed. That was a side of Grover he hadn’t seen yet.

“You’ve never been on the road with him before” said Annabeth “A little different than a froofy boarding school, isn’t it?”

“Who’s froofy? You’re froofy!” complained Grover, words slurred with sleep “… What’s froofy?”

“I think you need to eat, Grover” suggested Emily, holding back a smile. She shouldn’t be amused by his torture… but she kind of was enjoying this too much.

Grover did eat a lot at breakfast; at dawn, after they couldn’t sleep anymore, they had all gotten dressed and had made it out of their wagon. The train didn’t have a five star meal restaurant, but some apple juice, bread, fruit and cookies, which was more than enough for three demigods and a satyr – well, maybe not so much for Grover, but he got all the grapes in exchange for the sausages he didn’t want.

“Seems like Apollo is driving around fast today” mumbled Emily, watching how the sky outside the train was quickly turning lighter colours, with the sun almost up in the sky “If he decided to make the sun rise later than it should… we’d have more time to complete our quest, right? ‘Cause of the solstice”

“In two days we will reach Los Angeles, there is still plenty of time before our deadline to reach the Underworld”

“Can I ask a dumb question?”

Annabeth, Emily and Grover all looked at Percy with an eyebrow raised, unsure about what he was about to say.

“It’s like you need me to make fun of you” commented Annabeth, across from him. She was sitting with Grover, whereas Emily was with Percy.

“Annie, be nice��

“Shoot” added Grover, to Percy.

“I’ve never been to Los Angeles before. I’m guessing neither of you have been to Los Angeles as well… So, how will we have any idea where we’re going?”

“No idea” answered Grover. Great “But that’s like step thirty-seven, and we’re still on step four. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there”

Emily knew by Percy’s face that he still wasn’t convinced.

“Follow-up stupid question” ah, there it was.

“Dude” muttered Annabeth.

“The Oracle… it said ‘And you shall fail to save what matters most in the end’. Back in Jersey I told you the Oracle said this quest would fail. And no one’s mentioned it since. Seems like… something we ought to be taking a little more seriously, don’t you think?”

“Don’t think too much about what the Oracle said” Emily bit her lip, thoughtful “She’s super wise and stuff, but her premonitions are also super tricky. They’re more like… guidelines, but not something to be followed by step by step. Relax about it”

“Sounds easier said than done” Percy huffed, turning to look outside of the window… when he saw something that caught his eye “Hey… are those…?”

“Centaurs”

A family of four, riding through the field on the right side of the train. Wild, and free.

“No one even knows they’re there”

“Chiron taught us that there used to be herds of them, everywhere” explained Emily, watching the family of centaurs move into the distance “Now… not so many”

“What happened to them?”

“Humans” mumbled the satyr, bitterly “A few thousand years ago… the God of the Wild, Pan, disappeared. And ever since, without Pan to protect the natural world, humans have been trying really hard to chip away at it”

“The bravest satyrs volunteer to become Searchers” added Annabeth “To try to find Pan. None have ever returned”

“Your uncle… the one we found at Medusa’s, Ferdinand” Percy quickly connected the dots, for once “He was a Searcher?”

Grover nodded, sadly. Annabeth and Emily looked at him with pity, like Percy.

“The Oracle didn’t say the quest would fail” Annabeth wasn’t done with that conversation yet, apparently “ ‘Fail to save what matters most’ could mean a lot of things. It’s what Emily said: this is how prophecies work. That’s how fate works. It could mean a lot of things. The harder you work to understand, the harder it gets to understand. Sometimes you’ve just gotta’ let it come to you when it’s ready”

And then, they were interrupted:

“Excuse me” they looked up, seeing one of the train’s security guards next to them “Can I see your tickets, please?”

“Why?” asked Emily, defensive, as Annabeth took them out of her backpack and handed them to the security guard. He didn’t answer her, though.

“You’re in cabin 17B?” he asked this time, and they nodded “You’re gonna have to come with me”

“Excuse me?” Emily knew she had a problem with holding her tongue, but she was working on it. Most times “We’ve done nothing wrong”

“Please, follow me”

Annabeth shot her friend a look that screamed ‘shut up’, and they all obeyed the man, following him back to the wagon were the cabins were. There was a loud noise of wind whooshing, that they didn’t recall hearing before when they left to get breakfast. When the security guard stopped at their cabin, they noticed the door was open, they understood where all of the wind was coming from: their window was shattered, there was glass everywhere, the beds they had made were now undone, and all their stuff was upside down. Emily’s eyes also caught a mark near the ceiling, above the now demolished window in the wooden panel: four equidistant lines, four claw marks.

“You wanna explain?”

As much as they defended themselves to the officer, he didn’t listen to them. On top of that, he even had a witness who apparently said she had hear the window smash followed by children’s voices. Both Emily and Annabeth looked at the woman the officer was pointing at: she was talking to another security guard, giving her statement on what she had heard. Percy complained behind them to the officer, while they assessed the woman: she was tall, lean, well dressed. Her face was pretty thin, her jawline and her cheekbones prominent.

Emily thought she looked like the typical suburban mom who got into other people’s business. Then again, she hadn’t been outside camp in a very long time, so she didn’t really know where that thought came from.

“Are we under arrest?”

The officer didn’t like Annabeth’s tone. He liked it even less when she repeated the question.

Now they were under arrest.

They held them back at the breakfast wagon, the four of them sitting at the same table as before again. Emily glanced at the ‘witness’ who was still giving her statement, now to the officer that had arrested them, while the other security guard watched them.

“So… We’re just killing time until we find out that guy’s like a werewolf or something, right?”

Grover, Emily and Annabeth glanced at the security officer talking to the witness, who looked back at them at the same time, and then they turned back to Percy.

“Doesn’t seem like a werewolf to me”

“More like a grouchy man with a superiority complex” mumbled Emily.

“Emi, not helpful” scolded Annabeth.

“Come on, look at us. Look at me!” she made what she called ‘a cute face’; she was a cute kid so it wasn’t that hard “Who could ever think I could harm anyone? Or shatter a window like that?”

“You definitely are capable of that. Not saying you would” answered Grover, immediately correcting himself “But you can”

“Well, that’s my perfect cover”

“We’re losing focus” reprimanded Annabeth “But I’m with you, he doesn’t seem like a monster”

“Then what’s going on here then? Why would anyone tear our room apart?”

“Maybe they were looking for something” suggested, Grover, looking at Percy.

“But we don’t have anything”

“The people who think you stole Zeus’s master bolt might disagree”

“But it’s like Percy said, we don’t have it”

“Exactly. They’re not gonna find something we don’t have”

“We need to get out of this before we get delayed”

Annabeth was interrupted, this time by the woman who claimed had heard them shatter the window and put their room upside down. The witness tapped her on the shoulder, acting concerned, and asked them if she could sit across from them. She even got the security guard who was watching them to walk away, saying she thought she was making them nervous.

Emily thought the woman had no right to seem this nice when she was acting so suspiciously.

She had a bag with her, with a pet inside. It was closed, but the thing was trembling so much it made the whole bag shiver; it made Emily kinda nervous.

“You poor dears must be scared” the woman told them, smiling oh too warmly “Your parents aren’t here, aren’t they? You poor things… But don’t worry. I’m a mom. I know what it’s like” she shushed her pet, tapping the bag lightly before turning back to the three demigods and the satyr again “I want you to know… I don’t actually think that you made that mess back there. I just wanted a moment alone with you. There are some things I need you to understand-“

“You have something on your jacket” Grover interrupted her, signalling to her right shoulder. All of them looked at that spot, seeing small pieces of something shiny “It looks like… glass” the woman’s smile was becoming more unsettling every passing second “No one smashed out the windows from inside our cabin. Someone smashed them in, from the outside”

The pet inside the woman’s bag began grunting, whimpering for her, and she turned back to it, kneeling before the back talking to the animal:

“Yes sweetheart, I know, I know… You’re impatient” the animal sniffed again “Oh… But we’re almost there” she stood up then again, turning to the heroes “This isn’t your fault” her tone had switched to a much more serious one, less sweet “But sadly, you’re going to have to bear the burden of your parents’ mistakes today”

“Listen, lady” said Percy, next to Emily on their bench “I don’t know who you are, but I think I know what you are”

A pain in the ass, though Emily.

“We’ve run across a few monsters like you and we’ve sent them all packing”

“Monsters like me?” the woman scoffed “Well… Of course they’re like me. They were my children”

It all made sense then.

Well, to all except Percy. But Annabeth, Emily and Grover knew then who they had standing before them:

“The Mother of Monsters” mumbled Grover, afraid.

“Echidna”

The pet, or more like the monster, inside the woman’s bag, began growling again, harsher this time. Its mother shushed it, but they felt like it wouldn’t stay calm much longer.

“Monster is such an odd word” Echidna sounded like the typical teacher who tried to lecture her students about something “Considering my grandmother is your great-grandmother” she said to Percy, looking then at the girls “And your great-great grandmother. This has always been a family story” she shrugged “But… to my eye, the demigod is the more dangerous creature. Disruptive. Violent. If I exist for anything… It is to stand in the way of monsters, like you”

The four of them were starting to feel something unsettling in their stomachs when the monster growled again.

“My little one here… She’s just a pup now, bless her heart” explained the Mother of Monsters “Today… you will be her prey” she looked at them expectantly, excited “Are you afraid yet?” they were, but they wouldn’t show it “Oh, it’s alright. Fear is natural. It’s also essential to the hunt. Your fear, your doubt, your confusion…” the monster growled louder as she chuckled “I needed you to understand what was happening, so that she could track the scent. So she could… learn, and grow, because… that’s what a good mother does for her children. Not that you would know”

The monster stilled, but the bag’s zip began opening from the inside.

Emily felt a nervous feeling growing inside her stomach, and her heartbeat picking up. This wasn’t good.

They heard one final growl, and the bag opened.

“You should run now”

A giant claw leapt out of the bag right at them. Emily ducked immediately, her senses sharpened from years of training, but Percy wasn’t that fast, and so when Emily was out of the way the claw went straight into his left shoulder.

The claw itself was attached to a long tail that backtracked once it had stabbed one of them, and before it could attack again Annabeth jumped right on it, dagger in hand; with all the force she could muster she stabbed the monster’s tail with her weapon, hopefully hurting it enough to slow it down in its hunt for them.

“Go!” she screamed to them.

Emily, Grover and Percy ran to the nearest exit, Annabeth following swiftly behind them. The security guards yelled for them to stay put, while Echidna tended to her hurt child. The heroes ran as fast as they could to the next wagons.

The train was slowly stopping; they had only made it to St. Louis.

Annabeth stayed a few steps behind to block one of the doors, although they knew it wasn’t to much use; only by its tail, they knew that the monster that was chasing them was huge. At least the door would hold back the security guards.

“Percy!” Grover tore a stinger out of his left shoulder, where the monster had gotten to him.

“What is that?” asked the blonde, nervous.

“What kind of monsters have stingers?” asked now Emily, frantic.

“I don’t know, I mean… nothing good probably”

Percy felt okay, at least for now. He didn’t really feel any pain, but maybe it was because he was so full of adrenaline and fear for the monster chasing them. Something huge rattled the wagons behind them; it was getting close.

“We gotta move!”

The train stopped right on time for them to jump off to the rails. They put a few meters between them and the train, and then they looked back, trying to locate the monster. It was nowhere in sight.

“Why isn’t it chasing us?”

“Echidna said whatever she was hiding in that carrier, it’s young” explained Annabeth.

“What do you mean by that?” Percy didn’t understand.

“It’s still a pup, so it will stay close to it’s mother. She’ll tell the monster where to go, teaching it to hunt. In this case, hunt us”

“We aren’t gonna be able to outrun them for very long”

The began to move outside of the train station, trying to put distance between them and the Mother of Monsters and her child.

“We don’t need to” refuted Annabeth “We just need a safe place to hole up”

“And prepare ourselves to fight” added Emily.

“Some safe place. Okay…” Percy was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had been stabbed by a monster with an hopefully not poisonous stinger, although if he paid attention to the wound, he could feel it starting to get itchy. He hoped the feeling was only in his head “Any ideas where we might find one of those? Any of you ever been to St. Louis?”

“I know a place” answered Annabeth; her and Emily were walking between the two boys as they made their way through an ally “A sanctuary, dedicated to Athena, built by one of her demigod children a long time ago”

“There is an Athenian temple hidden somewhere in the middle of downtown St. Louis?” wondered Grover, incredulous.

“Yes… Except it’s not all that hidden”

They ran as fast as they could trying at the same time to not draw too much attention to them. Emily trusted her friend blindly, but she hoped they wouldn’t take too long to get to her Athenian temple.

Annabeth led them to a huge square, right below the arch of St. Louis:

“This is the temple?”

“A monument to Athena” she nodded “It’s six-hundred and thirty feet wide, six-hundred and thirty feet tall, both to within an inch. It’s got no internal support! Each side is balanced perfectly against the other. The arch is held up by symmetry. It’s held up by math! It’s…-“

“A safe place for us?” interrupted Emily. She knew how Annabeth could get when it came to architecture.

“It is” she confirmed, as they made their way in “Another cool fact is that it’s also earthquake proved, so Poseidon can’t ruin it”

“Nice” mumbled the god’s son.

They made their way through a group of kids who were visiting the monument, blending in. Emily glared at them when they stared at them passing through, hand on her dagger in case someone turned out to be a monster waiting to attack them; if they were regular mortals, the mist would make sure they didn’t see or get hurt by the blade anyways.

They stopped in front of an exhibition about hunting in the past, where there was a skull of a buffalo next to an old shotgun. Grover became upset seeing it, sad look on his face while Annabeth tried to remind him of the true meaning of the temple, who it was really for, not what the humans tried to make it about.

“I’m gonna go look for new train tickets” Grover looked at a picture on a wall where there was a picture of two huntsmen shooting down a buffalo, and Emily could see the sorrow in his eyes from where she was standing behind Annabeth, next to Percy “Just because we’re prey doesn’t mean we gotta be helpless”

He left then to the ticket stand, leaving the three demigods alone.

“He doesn’t like it… when people mess with animals” Percy tried to defend his behaviour, knowing that Grover didn’t mean to sound harsh. He was only upset.

“Yeah… We know” sighed Annabeth; Emily noticed that see seemed upset now too, but not with Grover. Probably more with herself “I shouldn’t have snapped at him… I just… I know”

Percy sighed too, looking at the two girls a bit uncomfortably. Until that moment, Grover had always been there to have someone to talk to or lean on to; he hadn’t been alone with the other two demigods yet. He had to try to break the ice somehow, because he was getting extremely uncomfortable with the silence.

“So… this is your mom’s place?” he asked Annabeth “Wonder if she’s around” Emily was about to tell him it didn’t work like that, but then he did the worst impression of a posh woman she had ever heard “Be right down! Just going to the potty!”

Emily let out a laugh and Annabeth smiled. Percy seemed more at ease then.

“Nice”

“I have a gift” he shrugged. He certainly did “I guess you were right, by the way. We needed a safe place and… you mom had one waiting. Pretty lucky we happened to be in the right city for it”

“Luck or fate?”

There was a heavy feeling on all of their shoulders, which was actually the usual for demigods; were their lived truly theirs, or was everything already written and thought through? Was destiny really real, fate and everything, or did they have some free range? Being children of gods wasn’t easy.

“I know you think it’s all just in my head” Annabeth began walking around, trying to distract herself, and the other two followed “That… That I tell myself my mother cares because it’s easier that way”

“I didn’t say that”

“Me neither”

“I know you haven’t” Annabeth looked to the ground, now feeling insecure, sharing her thoughts and feelings “But… I know it’s probably like that. What you really think”

“Look, I’ve only been a demigod since… last Saturday” truly, Percy was extremely new to their world “You shouldn’t listen to me. And Emily here, she’s your best friend. I mean I don’t know you guys that much but you seem pretty tight, aren’t you? I couldn’t imagine you thinking stuff like that about the other”

Annabeth knew so, under the doubts that had gotten to her, she did. Emily smiled at her reassuringly.

“You know… this is my mother’s place. But a temple, is a temple” she looked around, and then back at her friends “Maybe you could say hi to your dads while we’re here”

Percy shook his head, just as Emily, both of them rejecting the idea.

“He wouldn’t like it if I prayed to him in an Athenian temple” said Emily, still shaking her head totally dismissing the idea of doing it “And… I wouldn’t even know what to say”

That was a lie. Kind of. She had a few things she definitely wanted to tell him, preferably yell at him, but she also knew she probably would end up dead after undergoing his wrath. So she chose to better shut her mouth.

“I know” Annabeth held her friends hand, squeezing it softly. She turned to Percy then “What about you?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea”

“What could it hurt?” insisted, the daughter of Athena.

“Your thing with your mom… I get it. It’s different. It works for you. But my father… I don’t want anything from him. He’s had his chances” he seemed defeated, although he pretended to be okay with it. Emily could see through it, and Annabeth probably too, but Emily felt his words deeper in her being; she knew what it was like to have a father who never showed up. At least Annabeth got signs of recognition from Athena from time to time… but Percy and Emily? Nothing “Honestly, you guys have done more for me in the past few days than my father has done in my entire life. And if I have to stick with someone, I…”

“Careful” warned Annabeth, face serious “I think you were about to call us friends” she smiled at him, and he smiled back “Somewhere around here the Oracle is laughing at us, but you know… Wow! Percy!”

Both girls caught him in surprise when the boy fell forward all of a sudden, pace pale and sweaty. They sat him on the ground, Emily checking him over right as Grover rushed back to them having seen Percy fall.

“What happened?!”

“I think… I think those stinger things…”

“Were poisonous?” guessed Emily, seeing him struggle to form words. She was kneeling beside him, and he nodded weakly, his blue glossy eyes glancing into her own amber ones.

“I have an idea” Annabeth rushed Grover and Emily, telling them to help her get Percy back up “Come, help me!”

And that’s how a few moments later everybody outside walking around the square in front of the Getaway arch, could see three kids sitting inside the fountain splashing a fourth one with the water, completely drenching him.

The water had healed him back at camp, so it should help with the poison too. At least, they hoped so. Percy didn’t look good. He was pale, even more than when he first collapsed, he had bags under his bloodshot eyes, he was starting to get a fever, and he was breathing heavily while he was still sweating. The water was helping him get some forces back, but he was still sick. Too sick.

“I think… I think it’s working” he muttered, getting water splashed straight into his mouth. Annabeth looked at him worried, just as Grover and Emily. He tried to stand up, but he slipped right back onto his butt, gasping “… Or not”

“Maybe it needs to be naturally running water for Poseidon to be able to heal him” wondered Annabeth out loud, thoughts racing in her mind at speed limit.

“Should we throw him in the river?”

“No!”

“Yes!”

Before they could make up their minds, the frantic horn of a car in the distance distracted them, followed by a loud crash. They perked up to the street, and saw a car being thrown and flipped in the air. People screamed when the car crashed, the windows shattering adding to the noise, and the heroes knew exactly what it meant.

“We need to get back inside. Now!”

“No, no, we need to keep trying to heal him” insisted Grover, splashing more water on Percy.

“This isn’t working, and she’s coming!”

“We can’t fight Echidna and her monster, not like this” said Emily, helping Annabeth to get Percy back up “We can find more water inside in a bathroom, from a sink or something”

“Please don’t dunk my head in a toilet” muttered Percy, but he was ignored.

“Will that be enough?”

“It’ll have to be. Come on!”

They looked back to the street once again, and a shiver ran up all of their spines: there was Echidna, making her way towards them walking slowly. They could see her creepy smile, once sweet, and it gave them chills even from a distance.

“Okay, look” Annabeth’s voice revealed how nervous she was, even if she was trying to hide it “We’ll take Percy inside, and we’ll go to the temple’s altar, all the way up”

“What’s that gonna do to us?” Grover didn’t understand what she meant.

“We’re gonna get to the altar, and we’re going to ask my mom for help”

Her friends looked at her in disbelief, recalling the moment she had told them they couldn’t ask for help, because heroes were supposed to overcome their troubles on their own when they were on a quest.

“I thought we didn’t ask for help” said Percy, still sitting in the fountain, completely drenched.

Annabeth didn’t answer. She resumed her attempt to pick him up, and with Emily’s and Grover’s help they managed, walking him to the entrance of the monument as fast as they could. She stopped then, looking back at the Mother of Monsters, frowning.

“Annabeth we have to go!” urged Emily.

“Didn’t you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

She had heard something. Whispers carried by the wind. Her friends hadn’t.

“Nothing. Come on!”

There were still school groups and regular visitors in the exhibition of the monument, all of them turning to look at them when they practically carried Percy inside towards one of the elevators. They had to make their way up to the very top before it was too late.

“She spoke to you didn’t she?” muttered Percy towards Annabeth, once they had made it inside an elevator. The four of them were alone, sitting in a circle around each other waiting for the doors to close. He was panting heavily, too tired to actually be talking that fast, but the adrenaline he had was still helping out for a bit “Alecto did that with me back in the museum in New York. When she first shew herself to me as a monster. What did she say?”

Annabeth didn’t answer. Emily followed her line of sight seeing a look of surprise and fear in her features, and outside, standing by a railing, they saw Echidna, followed by the terrifying shadow of a monster with horns.

“What is she doing here?!”

“She wasn’t supposed to be able to enter this place!”

“Was that the Chimera?”

Again, they all turned to Annabeth, except Grover, who kept on rambling about the Chimera and wondering out loud how the monster had even gotten inside the temple.

Really, how was that possible?

“Annabeth?”

Her look was set on the floor, features now tense and sorrow at the same time. It took Percy and Emily a few attempts to get her attention back to them:

“What did Echidna say to you?”

Annabeth sighed, and then she rose her chin up, her expression getting harder now.

“She said my impertinence wounded my mother’s pride. And that that will be my doom”

“Impertinence? What kind of-“

Percy realized what she meant mid-phrase. So did Emily.

“Medusa’s head”

“I embarrassed my mother” stated the girl.

“But I’m the one who sent it to Olympus!” replied Percy.

“And I helped” added Emily.

“And I signed the note!” Percy couldn’t see how this was fair. It wasn’t.

“And I went along with it” Annabeth shut both of her. She also saw how this was totally wrong, but she was trying to keep her head cool “It embarrassed her. Now, she’s angry”

Athena wanted to punish the ones responsible for getting on her pride, and she didn’t seem to care that she was putting her own daughter in danger to do that. If was Echidna told Annabeth was true, then Athena actually wanted to punish her too, for something she hadn’t done, only allowed. So much to modern parenting.

“Guys… What are we gonna do?” Grover hadn’t spoken since he had seen the Chimera (hopefully not the actual Chimera, but any other monster wouldn’t be any better, to be honest). Now he looked terrified, glancing at the numbers above the elevator doors signalling that they were close to reaching the end of the ride.

“She isn’t gonna help us when we get to the top to save Percy” replied Annabeth, referring to her mother.

“No! I meant, what are we gonna do about Echidna and Chimera?”

“We don’t really know if it’s the Chimera” mumbled Emily, nervously “She’s the Mother of Monsters, she has other children. Maybe it’s the Nemean Lion”

“The Nemean Lion is actually Echidna’s grandchild. The Chimera is the Nemean Lion’s mother”

“And still, would that be any better?!”

Emily glanced at Grover and shook her head.

“No, I guess not”

“They’re gonna be right behind us” insisted the satyr.

They reached the top too fast for their liking. The elevator bell dinged, and the doors opened revealing the final staircase that would lead them to the observatory platform at the highest point of the arch.

“We’re not gonna have much time” spoke up Annabeth, walking out the first after making sure there was no monster waiting for them. Emily and Grover walked behind her, helping a groaning Percy “They’ll be up here any minute. And if my mother isn’t going to protect us, then we’ll just have to fight it out up here”

The platform at the top of the arch had a curvy floor and small windows on the also curvy walls to look outside and appreciate the views from up there. It was also packed with people, chatting amongst themselves unaware of the imminent danger they would be facing any other second.

They had to get all the mortals out of there; there was only so much the mist could hide from them. A fight against the Mother of Monsters and her pup wouldn’t be easy to camouflage.  Annabeth thought fast, and pulled the fire alarm next to the entrance. It got an immediate response from everybody, and an automated voice spoke from the ceiling alerting the visitors to leave.

“You guys follow them down” Annabeth turned back to them, hurrying them towards the group of people who were lining up to leave.

“What?”

“Are you mental?”

“We’re not splitting up!”

“Guys, come on!” Annabeth rushed them, pulling on Grover’s arm to get him to move, but on the other side of Percy, who was held up by Emily and the satyr, she refused to move “Emily, move”

“You’re crazy if you think we’re leaving you here” she couldn’t believe Annabeth was asking that of her “I’m not going anywhere without you!”

“We’re all getting out of here” added Percy. He was starting to look like a corpse; the poison was spreading faster “Together”

“We won’t make it!” the daughter of Athena kept on pushing them towards the exit as she kept talking “The Chimera is the demigod killer. Someone has to stay back to slow her down and buy everyone some time”

Gotta say, she did have guts for a twelve year old.

“Then I’m staying with you” insisted Emily, once they had reached the door where all the mortals were leaving.

“You have to go with them, to protect them” replied her friend, signalling to the two boys. This wasn’t any easier on her; she was willing to sacrifice herself for them, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t terrified of the thought of dying, and leaving everyone she loved behind “You’re the best fighter I know. You’ll be able to keep them safe, and complete the quest” she hugged Emily when the girl moved forward to embrace her, but she had to push her back before they’d start crying. They were running out of time “Now help Percy down the stairs, and get to the river. And then don’t stop… Not until you get to Hades. Not till you have the bolt, do you hear me?”

Emily was starting to feel nauseous. Her best friend was sacrificing herself to get them more time to complete the quest. To avoid the war. To get them out of there alive.

“Annie no…” she mumbles, but Annabeth shushed her. All the training they had gone through couldn’t have prepared them emotionally for a moment like this, but they were both warriors. As much as it hurt, they knew it was the right thing to do.

There was noise on the other end of the platform. Something heavy was walking up the staircase they had just been on a few minutes ago.

“Okay, go!”

“Wait!”

Percy stopped her from sealing the door, looking into her eyes. He reached to his pocket, letting go of Emily, and he took out a pen. His magical pen.

He took off the cap, and then pen turned into his sword, Riptide. He flipped it over, blade hanging towards the floor, and he reached his arm out towards Annabeth handing her the sword.

“Take this” he urged “Please”

Annabeth set her gaze on the sword, then back to him, and she nodded.

But when her hand reached for the handle, Percy let go of Grover as well, and taking advantage of the ongoing motion and the element of surprise, he switched places with Annabeth having her stand between Emily and Grover, who were too stunned to react. Percy looked back at them for a second before closing the door to the platform, effectively locking them out.

Instantly they began to bang the door with their palms and fists, calling out for him desperately. He was sick, weak from the poison spreading through his system. He was in no condition to fight.

He knew that as well.

“Percy no!” screamed Annabeth “Don’t do this! They’ll kill you!”

“Poseidon’s never helped me before” he said. They heard his voice through the door, as he was leaning against it for support. He was panting, weakness taking over him “He wasn’t gonna start now”

“Percy!”

“Percy no!”

“I would’ve never made it to Hades” he added, in a defeated voice. They could barely hear him anymore “But you can… And now you will”

A roar distracted him, making him glance back to the entrance of the platform. Fear took over him, but also adrenaline. Mostly fear, to be fair.

Grover, Annabeth and Emily heard the roar too, and they glanced at the door as if they could see the platform behind it, imagining Percy facing the monster and Echidna. It was his final hour, and there was nothing they could do help him.

Once the monster killed Percy, they could go on with their quest; they wanted him because everybody thought he was the lightning thief. His friends knew he wasn’t, though.

Because that’s what they were, the four of them: friends.

“No, no, no, no, no, no”

Grover tried opening the door again, but it was to no use. They all stepped back when they heard a loud roar, and something heavy hitting the floor and rolling around.

“Please, no” muttered Emily, hearing the monster roar again. This time, the roar was followed by a horrifying shriek, and even from there they could sense the heat of the fire being thrown at Percy.

There was no doubt now: he was fighting the Chimera.

Then they heard the sound of metal shrieking, and then suddenly the roaring of wind, just as back in the train. Another roar from the monster was followed by a scream, Percy’s scream.

Then there was silence.

The monster stopped growling, there was no other sound from Percy… just the wind whooshing, and some metal creaks here and there. As if by magic, they managed to open the door; the danger had passed, and the lock gave away.

“Percy!”

They rushed to the platform, but the three heroes stopped when they saw a huge hole in the middle of the floor; that was what had made that horrible metallic sound a few seconds ago.

Echidna and the Chimera were gone. But so was Percy.

“Percy?”

He didn’t answer. Emily looked around the platform, but he was nowhere in sight. Annabeth and Grover looked for him too, hoping to see him hanging by one of the metal bars of that hole, but he wasn’t there.

“Is he…?”

“He can’t” stated Annabeth “He can’t have…”

But she couldn’t know. Had the Chimera really killed Percy?

“Guys” muttered Grover; he was on the verge of a breakdown. He couldn’t have lost his best friend “Look”

He pointed over to the other side of the platform, at the other end of the huge hole; there, on the floor, was Riptide. Its blade was stained with blood, so that meant Percy had hurt the monster.

Suddenly, the sword vanished; a second ago it was there, and now it was not.

“Where did it go?”

“It’s magical” Annabeth stared at the spot where the sword had been, barely blinking “It returns to it’s owner when it gets lost. It went back to Percy”

“So he could still be alive!” Emily felt like she could breath again a bit better.

“We have to go find him”

“But the other door is still unlocked” pointed out, Grover “And he didn’t walk past us”

That left only one other way out. The three of them glanced to the hole in the floor in front of them, massive, big, and with a six hundred thirty feet fall underneath it. If he had fallen from the arch…

“The monster’s gone” Annabeth was trying to keep her cool, but she was terrified of the possibility that Percy could have… she didn’t even want to think of it “Let’s get out of here and find Percy. He has to be down there… somewhere. He has to be alive”

They prayed to the gods he was.

----

Taglist: @strawberryys-stuff @ladysybilchronicles @kyuupidwrites @nhloversblog @beansficreblogs @priyajoyyy @zeeader @lightsgore @gengen64 @holb32 @therockywhorerpictureshow

[gachawolfiebloom]

Two Hearts In The City of Love

Chapter 14: Confessing Under the Full Moon

It was just them now. No wacky shenanigans from Mario. No Mr Puzzles trapping them for his entertainment. None of their friends. Just them. Both of them noticed how they were tightly squeezing while holding hands. Four was still a little shaken up by all of this and he missed being by Three's side. Three was so relieved to see his counterpart, his partner, his friend, his crush. He wanted to keep Four close by since he had almost lost the other half of him.

"Uhh..Three? You're gripping my hand a little hard." He instantly blushed and shy retracted his arm, whispering "Sorry..." Four felt bad for what he did. He actually enjoyed holding Three's hand. His gloves made his hands feel so nice and warm. He then saw a bridge next to them as he pointed to it and said "Let's rest here for a while." Three wasn't sure, but shrugged and followed.

Both of them noticed all the locks chiming in the cool breeze. Three shifted his gaze from the locks to the full moon above. "Geez...must have been gone a long time for the moon to be full." Three leaned himself against the railing, head in his hands as he stared up at it. He wanted to ask Four something, but then noticed that he wasn't next to him. He was standing behind. "You can join me if you want." Four shook his head and looked at the ground in silence. "What? Are you afraid of water or something?"

"No...not exactly."

Three didn't get until Four timidly asked "Would you push me?"

"Huh?"

"Would you push me off the bridge?"

Three got up from the railing and concernedly approached. "Of course not! Why would you think that?" Four wanted to tell him about the nightmare, but then he had a thought of realization. Would this all go away if he finally admitted his feelings? "Just wondering." Three wanted to say something else, but Four stopped him by grabbing hold of his hands. His hands still felt soft and warm.

"I need to tell you something Three."

"Okay."

Four gave him a stern look and said "Please listen close. It's really important."

"I'm listening." Three playfully teased him by looking off to the side. "I'm serious Three!" He laughed and said "Alright Alright. I am 100% focused." Four sighed as he didn't know exactly how to say this. A monologue seemed kinda sappy, but he really wanted to sum up his experience for Three. Oh just forget it. "It's now or never Four..."

"Three, I know we didn't start out on the best terms. We hated each other from day 1 and it seemed like we would be enemies for life, but somehow we didn't. When we learned about our meme guardian connection, it made us closer and we showed each other how well we work as a team. But, I haven't just been here for you. You've been there for me."

"How we bonded during the heist, getting stuck in those TV parodies, and how you told me how you would always be there for me during the...incident. I haven't forgotten what you told me." Three listened intently to every word, holding back his words as Four smiled and intertwined their fingers. "But now I've realized, my feelings have grown stronger. I thought it was when I was with my friends, but it's you Three. I want us to be together, laugh together, hell even competing with each other like that. The point is...I-I love you Three."

As those words escaped his lips, the air around them felt thick. Three's eyes widened as Four gasped and shut his mouth. "Four...you do?" The blue eyed man then had flashbacks about the nightmare. He just had to open his big mouth. "I'M SORRY! I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME! I KNOW YOU HATE ME, BUT PLEASE DON'T PUSH ME OFF! I'M STUPID FOR THINKING THAT! I'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!" His body shook in fear as he covered his crying face with his hands.

Three quickly said "NO! That's not what I was going to say! I could never hate you! Really!" Four sniffed before cautiously lowered one hand. "You're not pulling on my leg are you?" Three slowly came over and softly held him. "No. Why would I say that after you told me just what I've been waiting so long to hear." Four felt his puffy eyes being replaced by pink, rosy cheeks. "Four...I've loved you for even longer! I've spent so many countless moments thinking about you, how you've change my life, but I ignored it because I was worried about what you would say."

Four felt his fears slowly fade away as their foreheads touched and they looked into each other's eyes. "I love you so much Smg4. So much you moron." Four was so overjoyed that he didn't hold back and pressed his lips against Three's. He jumped at the touch, but let himself melt into it as he wrapped his arms around Four and played with his hair. When they finally pulled back, Three asked "So...what do we say to the others. Are we boyfriends now?" Four giggled and said "I guess so.

Three looked back to the sky and said "It's getting late. We should go back before the others get worried." That was fine with Four. It was after midnight anyway. They walked back, hand in hand as Four laughed and told his new boyfriend "Pretty cliche how we confessed in Paris." Three rolled his eyes and said "Soooo cliche."

"I guess we're just Two Hearts In The City of Love."

Chapter 15: Sick Day

[aphroditesswan]

Thanks!

So I have a black butler idea that you probably won't like cause it is sabciel BUT it's completely platonic like it's a father figure situation and not romantic at all

I was thinking about Ciel having a nightmare and waking up and screaming or something and sabastian helping him calm down and stuff? I'm really bad at explaining things

little person

ciel & sebastian

warnings: night terrors, sebaciel shippers dni i will actually starting rolling around on the floor if those nasty proshippers start following me 

summary: ciel has always woken up from nightmares, usually falling asleep just a couple minutes later, but this time was slightly different.

genre: hurt/comfort, fluff ish

notes: i honestly did not know how to write this but this pushed me out of my comfort zone n it was so fun ALSO SORRY IVE BEEN LATE TO GET TO REQUEST my personal life is extremely busy, especially with family and school but i have this and another fic coming in 🙏🙏 

Being the Earl Phantomhive wasn’t easy. The only (living) person who could speak from experience is of course the Young Earl, Ciel. He hadn’t much experience, but he was determined. 

Determined and had his own help. 

Restless nights were nothing to Ciel. Ever since his parent’s passing, waking up in a cold sweat is nothing new to him. In fact, he’s rather surprised if he manages to get a good nights rest. 

He’s tried everything you could think of. Counting sheep, glasses of warm milk and tea to relax him, going through immense activities throughout the day to tire him. These all do nothing but make him wish for the bed that he so dreads sleeping in every night and curses in the morning. 

Now was one of those nights. Thrashing, shaking, shivering, throwing around the blanket, tossing and turning in every way he could on the ginormous mattress in a room that didn’t belong to him a couple years prior. 

His late parents room was a drastic change from his own. 

It was certainly larger. Which meant more space. More cold, empty space that he never knew how to fill. Being head of the household wasn’t easy, you weren’t a child anymore, you had no reason to fill your desolate room with little toys and fun nicknacks from various corners of the world. 

This nightmare, this one particular nightmare, haunted him like no other. One where he watches his parents, his home, everything he’s ever known burn to the ground. He dreads this dream, he waits eagerly for his body to wake itself up like it usually should. But it never does. 

He continues to watch his home burn and collapse, the smoke from the flames going into his lungs and making it hard to breathe, even in the dream. He can feel himself choking, gasping for air, sweating and panicking with every crackle of the oversized fire engulfing his manor. 

Suddenly, his world started shaking. His body, the trees around him, the entire scenery in his dream. 

Then he woke up. Finally, he thought. He was sweating, the chill of his still cold and empty room not providing any aid to his already chilly state. But he felt a hand on his shoulder, a gentle one akin to his father’s. 

“Young Master,, are you alright? You seem a bit shaken up.” 

He looked over, squinting his eyes to see the figure of his butler looming over his bed with a candle where he sat. 

“I’m,, I’m fine Sebastian.” He whispered out, for a moment forgetting this was his own manor where he could do what he wanted and speak how he wished. 

“Come with me, Young Master.” Sebastian stood up straight, walking a bit then turning to face the boy, waiting for him to get up and follow suit. 

For some reason, he wanted to, and he did. He stood up and walked behind Sebastian, following his own butler all the way down his own stairs. Sometimes he couldn’t believe that this was all his, that all of this was now under his name, not his father’s or grandfather’s or even a distant uncle’s. This was all his. 

He found himself in the kitchen. Looking around, watching Sebastian pouring a glass of warm chamomile tea. 

“Sebastian you know that’s no use.” He scoffed, all of this just a waste of time to him. “Now My Lord, we might as well try.” 

The young earl took the cup reluctantly, drinking just a bit of it. He felt his butler just gazing at him, so he drank more out of pure awkwardness. Not because he wanted to, not because he butler had graciously added sugar to his tea, not because he had faith he wouldn’t go to sleep just to wake up to another nightmare, but because his butler annoyed him with the staring. 

“There. Are you satisfied?” “Are you?” That was unprompted. What did that even mean? Ciel took a minute, just staring down into the cup with the tea leaves. Supposedly, they could read your future. He didn’t see much, he wasn’t trained in that field. He had also never believed in superstitions, even though an entire being whose existence defies humanity was standing only 3 maybe 4 feet in front of him. 

“Yes Sebastian, I am. Now take me to bed.” He huffed, setting down the cup onto the counter. “Are you positive, young master?” “Don’t question me, Sebastian.”

“As you wish, my lord.” He walked Ciel up the stairs, following two to three steps behind him with a candle and standing by the door once he got to his room. 

“Good night, my lord.” “Good night, Sebastian.” Ciel laid down, turning away from the door where Sebastian stayed for a moment, only a moment, before placing the candle down on the dresser. He bowed, although Ciel couldn’t see it, and shut the door. Ciel listened for the footsteps, hearing the clicking of shoes descend the stairs. He sat up, looking at the candle through the corner of his eyes. He wondered how such a small flame, something so minuscule compared to his still small stature, could take away everything he had ever known. He was there when his parents had passed, and there will be someone to watch him die as well.

im so sorry my req have been taking so longgg i’ve been so busy with christmas shopping and finals and studying but consider this and another fic that’s coming out BEFORE CHRISTMAS as a present 🥲🙏

[evievigilant]

So after this poll I started thinking about Albert owning a rat more, and it spiraled into this whole headcanon about how and why he ends up with one.

In university, Albert knew about and saw rats being used in experiments. He strikes me as the type to primarily stay in his field but dabble in a bunch of other disciplines, including ones that more heavily experiment on rats. A part of him felt a bit bad for them, but he was able to push it down, mostly because of the possible contributions to science that would come out of those experiments.

Also not to mention the general attitude around rats, since they're considered vermin, dirty animals, etc. He probably didn't think as positively about them as other animals.

So fast forward to after his trial, and Albert is feeling a lot of guilt over Asman's death. Even if it was proven to not be his fault, he still feels awful about placing someone in a potentially dangerous situation all for the sake of science. He might start thinking about how even if people hadn't conspired to kill Asman with the experiment, something else might have gone wrong and killed him anyway (since I think his faith in himself is shaken after the incident, too. I know Barok's whole "laudable not laughable" speech was meant to reassure him but there's only so much one speech can do for a man). He doesn't want to put anyone through that again.

Since he has this on the mind, he remembers the rats that were used in experiments and put in danger in many instances. And so now he's in a position where he feels even worse for them.

So one day he makes the rather impulsive decision to get a rat as a pet.

The idea behind it is that he hopes he can prevent one living creature from being used in an experiment, especially one that is especially at risk of being used in a lab.

He gets a big cage, some toys, and really starts putting effort into making sure the rat's living conditions are good. He spends as much time with it as possible and observes what it enjoys most. I think he tries to do his research but a lot of it ends up being trial and error.

Albert, on a whim, starts to see if he can teach the rat tricks. And to his delight, it works! The rat can learn some simple commands and even play fetch (all things rats can in fact do!). Albert starts to realize how absolutely smart it is (and adorable) and starts writing down all the things the rat learned. He also takes the time to write down some cute anecdotes about it, too.

Because really, he is starting to love this rat. He finds himself taking it with him all throughout his home, usually putting it in his lab coat pocket. A couple of times, he's tried to take walks with it outside (making sure it's close to him). Sometimes, since he notices the rat is fascinated by his hair, he'll let it burrow into it. Every time he takes it out, it's a mess of tangles in there, but hey, the things you do for your pets.

And of course, Albert's happy knowing that he's doing exactly what he set out to do, which is giving this rat a good life. He swears he's even seen it smile.

Now, rats don't live very long. And since Albert likely got it as an adult (or near that), they don't spend too much time on Earth with each other (rats live ~2 years or so depending on the type). When it eventually passes away, Albert is of course very upset. He cared about it so much. He spends the days after its death reading the notes and anecdotes he kept about it, partially to look back on all the fond memories, but also because it's proof of how happy and well-kept it was. I don't know if he expected his notes to be anything more than that, but he's happy it is.

I imagine he'll get more rats eventually, especially now that he's got all the stuff for one and more expertise, but the first one will always hold a special place in his heart. It helped him a lot after his trial, by not only giving him something to feel proud of but also making him smile, and for that he'll always be grateful.

[ghostboneswrites2]

Doe Eyes - CH13 - The View

Chapter List

All banners credited on the masterlist!

                You were following the tracks away from there. You fell behind everyone else. You were grateful to still be alive but somehow that deep pit in your gut, the one that screamed 'impending doom', still remained. You couldn't shake the feeling that you were about to die. It was like this dark looming cloud that followed over you, thundering and booming above. You didn't even realize how jumpy you were until a gruff voice sounded beside you.

        "Hey." Daryl said. You jumped.

        "Hey." You breathed.

        "Y'alright?" He asked.

        "Uh.." You cleared your voice and took a deep, shaky breath. "Yeah, just, a little shaken up, I think?"

        "Yeah." He nodded. "We're safe now, though. All of us." He reassured.

        "We're never safe." You shook your head. " I thought being eaten by the dead was the biggest threat before I was almost eaten by people. They served us human  steak. We almost ate it."

        "We didn't, though. And we're still here."

        "I was next." You said sternly, stopping your footsteps in your tracks and glaring up at him. "And every breath I take, every step I take, every bit of my existence feels like borrowed time and -- and I cannot shake the feeling that I am about to die."

        "Gon' have to get used to it. 'Cause there's always gon' be somethin' or someone after us and we're always gonna survive."

        "I can't do this forever. "You argued. "Its too much."

        "Well, you're gonna have to!" He snapped, gripping your shoulders and shaking you. "You hear me? You ain't gonna be just another dead person I can add to  my list of regrets."

        You just stared up at him, teary eyed and silent. He sighed.

        "C'mon, we gotta keep movin'." He said as he placed his hand on the small of your back and led you forward.

        You glanced over at him as you walked, all the bruises, cuts, and dirt littering his face and arms. A battered man, covered in the wounds of his battles. You guessed you were the same, limping with a broken rib, covered in scrapes and bruises, still trembling from your near death experience.

        "She was right, you know." You told him. He looked at you questioningly. "Beth, I mean. You're gonna be the last man standing."

        "Psh." He scoffed. "And you're gonna be right there with me." 

----

        Daryl stepped out of the brush to be met with guns trained on him. 

        "I surrender." He said, holding his arms up with strings of dead squirrels handing from each hand. Everyone lowered their weapons. He caught up to Rick. "No tracks, no nothin'." 

        He was talking about the night before, when he and Carol were off somewhere talking, away from the rest of the camp. They heard something, someone, out there, watching, lurking, preying. You stayed behind. Whatever it was, it wasn't your business, and it was probably related to the two people she killed at the prison. On a normal day, that would make you uncomfortable, given that you had the same illness that made their lives worth taking. However, you had bigger threats to be worried about, now.

        "So, whatever you heard last night..." Rick said.

        "It's more what I felt." Daryl corrected. "If someone was watchin' us, there would've been somethin'."

        Rick turned around and whistled for attention. "Keep close." He whispered. 

        Your paranoia was growing. You didn't kill everyone at Terminus, what if they were lurking in the shadows, waiting for their next meal? You shivered and shook your head in an attempt to rid yourself of the thoughts.

        "Ready to get some concrete under your feet?" Abraham asked Rick.

        "I think it's time." Rick agreed.

        "Sweet music to my ears, officer. Take the next road we come to, try tog et back to going north till we find a vehicle. Good?" Abraham suggested.

        "Good." Rick confirmed. "Tighten it up." He told you and Maggie and Glenn, who had fallen a little further behind. He was clearly worried about something, or someone. You looked around the trees, remembering something your grandma used to always say. 'Don't look at the trees for too long, 'cause not all trees are your friend.' Just some classic Appalachian folk lore, but you weren't in Appalachia, so you guessed it didn't apply here.

        You jogged a little bit to get toward the center of the convoy. At least if you were in the middle you wouldn't be picked off so easily, by whatever might be waiting for a moment of distraction or weakness. You sighed. Get it together, you thought to yourself. This paranoia will drive you crazy.

        "You okay?" Carol asked from beside you. 

        "Yeah." You smiled. "Just didn't sleep well."

        It wasn't a lie, you didn't. Your dreams were full of hungry dead people and mutilated human carcasses, the smell of grilled human flesh, and the sound of a bat hitting a skull and a blade slicing throats. To say the least, it didn't make for restful sleep. 

        "Help! Help! Anybody, help!" A male voice called off from the distance. Rick threw his hand up and everyone stopped, looking to him for answers as you all did.

        "Dad, come on! Come on!" Carl urged, attempting to drag his father toward the source of the cries, hoping to save someone from whatever atrocities awaited them.

        Rick gave in, and everyone ran toward the source of the noise. It was a man, a priest or something, trapped on top of a big boulder with snarling walkers all around him, desperately reaching for his flesh. Rick, Michonne, Carol, and Daryl each took down the four walkers, while everyone else slowly closed in on the scene. The man trembled atop the mass of rock, staring down at his rescuers with tears in his eyes. 

        "Come on down." Rick said. He slid down slowly, fearfully swallowing a breath as he studied everyone around him. "You okay?" Rick asked. The man held his finger up, as if to say 'one moment, please'. Then, he leaned over and let loose, spewing vomit all over the ground before him. Everyone either looked away or watched in disgust.

        "Sorry. Thank you. I'm Gabriel." He said after he had finished coughing and retching.

        "Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick asked. Gabriel laughed dryly and looked around.

        "Do I look like I would have any weapons?" He retorted.

        "We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like." Abraham interjected. 

        "I have no weapons of any kind." Gabriel clarified. "The word of God is the only protection I need."

        "Sure didn't look like it." Daryl said.

        "I called for help. Help came." Gabriel reasoned. "Do you have -- have any food? Whatever I -- I had left it just hit the ground." He stuttered. He was still breathless. You already disliked him. He was a weak defenseless little man.

        "We've got some pecans." Carl offered, extending his handful of nuts out to the man.

        "Thank you." Gabriel said as he gratefully took them from the boy. Judith started cooing in Tyreese's arms. Gabriel immediately looked over to the girl and smiled. "That's a beautiful child." He said. Nobody seemed to appreciate the compliment. "Do you have a camp?" He asked.

        "No." Rick said. "Do you?"

        "I have a church."

----

        "So we're really gonna follow this guy?" You asked Daryl as the two of you trailed behind the group, who were all following Gabriel to his church.

        "Guess so." He shrugged.

        "Am I the only one who remembers what happened the last time we accepted someone's hospitality?" You scoffed.

        "Nah, but a place to stay for the night wouldn't hurt us." He said.

        "Neither would a sanctuary." You grumbled. He side eyed you for a moment.

        "There's a whole group of us and one of him." He assured you.

        "Yeah, until we get to his church and there's a whole group there waiting for us." You rolled your eyes.

        "Gotta trust Rick, man." 

        "It's not Rick that I don't trust."

----

        "Mind if we take a look around first?" Rick asked. Gabriel didn't protest so the lot of you surrounded the church while a few cleared the inside. When all was clear you all gathered in front of the church.

        "I spent months here without stepping foot outside the door. If you found someone inside, well, it would have been surprising." Gabriel said. 

        "Thanks for this." Carl thanked Gabriel.

        "We found a short bus out back." Abraham announced. "It don't run, but I bet we could fix that in less than a day or two. Father here says he doesn't want it. Looks like we found ourselves some transport. You understand what's at stake here, right?" He asked Rick.

        "Yes I do." Rick replied. 

        "Now that we can take a breath --" 

        "We take a breath, we slow down." Abraham cut Michonne off. Shit inevitably goes down."

        "We need supplies." She argued. No matter what we do next."

        "That's right. Water, food, ammunition." Rick agreed.

        "Some medical supplies, too." You added. A few people looked over at you. "I just mean, I have a broken rib so some sort of wrap would be nice. I'm sure general first aid would be pretty handy down the line, too. I got a jar of moonshine to clean wounds but that only does so much."

        "Short bus ain't goin' nowhere." Daryl reasoned to Abraham. As everyone filed inside, Abraham stayed put, clearly unhappy with the verdict. Glenn stopped in front of him.

        "One way or another, we're doing what Rick does. We're not splitting up again." He told him.

        "What he said." Tara said as she walked inside.

        "We wanna roll with ya, but, what she said." Bob added as he and Sasha walked inside.

        When inside, Rick got too questioning. "How'd you survive here for so long?" He asked. "Where did your supplies come from?"

        "Luck." Gabriel said. "Our annual canned food drive. Things fell apart right after we finished it. The food lasted a long time, then I started scavenging. I've cleaned out every place nearby. Except for one."

        "What kept you from it?" Rick inquired.

        "It's overrun."

        "How many?"

        "A dozen or so, maybe more."

        "We can handle a dozen." Rick nodded.

        "Bob and I will go with you." Sasha volunteered. "Tyreese should stay here, help keep Judith safe."

        "That'll be okay?" Rick asked Tyreese.

        "Sure." Tyreese nodded with a smile. "You ever need me to watch her, need anything for her, I'm right here."

        "I'm grateful for it." Rick told him. "And everything else." He added.

        "I'll draw you a map." Gabriel offered.

        "You don't need to." Rick said. "You're coming with us."

        Gabriel looked stunned. 

        "I'm not gonna be of any help. You saw me." He said. "I'm no good around those things."

        "You're coming with us." Rick repeated, more low and menacing.

        ----

        You and Daryl stayed behind with everyone else while Michonne, Rick, Gabriel, Sasha, and Bob went to loot for supplies. After a while, everyone spread out. Glenn, Maggie, and Tara went to the nearby town, Carol went off somewhere, and you and Daryl took watch outside. You paced the perimeter of the church together.

        "Dude's definitely hiding something." You said.

        "Mm." Daryl nodded. "Seems a little screwed up in the head, for sure."

        "He's so sweaty and nervous. And he kind of smells like hotdogs." You added. Daryl huffed a laugh.

        "Hotdogs?" He repeated. "Don't even remember what they smell like."

        "Not so great as a human fragrance." You giggled.

        "Didn't see no showers in there." Daryl reasoned.

        "God, that would be nice." You sighed. "A hot shower would be amazing."

        "Uhuh. And some nail clippers. Damn toenails are turnin' to talons." He joked.

        "Not to mention your stench." You smirked.

        "My stench? Couldn't pick you apart from a walker if I was blindfolded, that's for damn sure." He scoffed. You gasped.

        "You take that back. My body odor might be reminiscent of an onion but I don't smell rotten!"

        "I bet you right now if you walked into a heard they'd walk right around you. Probably think you're deader than they are." He teased. 

        "Oh, now you're asking for it." You laughed, picking up a fist full of crunchy leaves and tossing them at him.         

        "If leaves is all you got, you're in trouble." He said, digging his finger in the dirt and smearing it on your nose.

        "Oh, now you fucked up." You glared at him as you jabbed your thumb into his side. He jolted back, gripping at your arm as you poked his sides repeatedly. He tried not to laugh which only resulted in a weird, funny snorting noise as you tickled him. Eventually he gripped your wrist and held you back.

        "You're lucky you got a broken rib or I'd make you pay for that." He breathed.

        "Sure."  You rolled your eyes as the two of you kept walking around the small white building.

        "You think any of them people made it out of Terminus?" He asked.

        "Probably. We should've taken 'em all out like Rick said." You sighed. "No telling where they are or who they're tormenting now."

        "Well if they come after us, we'll be ready." He stopped, looking you in the eye. You studied him for a short time. He seemed so sure, but you weren't so confident. Those people were calculated and methodical. You didn't believe for a second they wouldn't come after you all for the worst kind of revenge.

        "If you're sure, I guess." You shrugged. He impulsively wrapped both hands around either side of your cheeks, holding your face so you couldn't look away from him.

        "We will." He assured. You cracked a little half smile. 

        "Yeah."  You whispered.

        He stared down at you for a moment. You weren't much shorter than him, but it was enough to notice. You never noticed how blue his eyes were before he had you there, calloused hands gripping your soft skin. It made you think of all the times he grabbed you before. You never saw him physical with anyone else, except maybe Beth and Carol, but it was different when it was with you.  

        "Enjoying the view?" You smirked, raising your eyebrows. He chewed at the inside of his lip as he slowly let you go, stepping back and resuming his pace around the church.

[itstheval]

A Dinner In Black

A sidestory of @cyten0's A Symphony In Crimson, to be read after Act 2's Chapter 5-A. Also, this is just straight up a dude getting eaten, sorry!

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"You can still turn back time, right?"

Isabeau's words rang in your head like a bell tolling.

"I trust you, Fa."

Every sentence seemed to resonate inside you, impossibly loud.

"You can eat me."

You weren't sure if it was an evening bell, a dinner bell, or a wedding bell that rung in your thoughts. You wanted to believe Isabeau didn't know what he was asking, but you could see it in his face. You knew the set of his jaw, better than you knew your own body. He meant it. There was nothing you could do that would make him stop meaning it.

But…That was Isabeau.

Eating a couple of assassins after they'd cut an arm off Odile was one thing, but to hurt Isabeau? What kind of monster would do that?

Your stomach roiled. That was answer enough, you monster. You horrible, disgusting creature, whose very existence hurt the people around you. You'd already done it once, and you didn't have any regret about them, was the only difference really that you knew who Isabeau was? Horrible, rotting, disgusting thing…But you'd be even worse, if you didn't take him at his word.

You closed your eyes, and when you opened them again, everything was Black.

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Siffrin…No, Fantasia, was having a crisis, and all you could do was watch.

You'd offered the only thing you could to them, providing a body they knew was willing instead of making them hunt. You knew they hated the idea altogether, but you'd hoped that you could take some of the sting off of it. Instead, it seemed like your words had shaken the creature that was your friend to its core.

Then you saw it. The single horn, glowing black. You had heard about this from Odile, but seeing it in person was something entirely different. Something powerful. You stood tall in response, and nodded to Fa. Whatever happened next, you would trust them. You braced for teeth and tongue, wetness and sharpness.

It never came.

Instead, you felt something very like a hand on your temple, a thumb caressing over your forehead, and something slid from it and through your skin. You could feel it inside you, attaching to you…It wasn't unwelcome, the sensation, but you didn't let yourself blush as you felt it attaching to your spine, to your brainstem, to all the parts of you that you subconsciously suppressed the feeling of. You were incredibly aware of them, now, in a way that even body craft and weeks of studying anatomy books had never left you with.

Then, Siffrin started singing, and you felt it twitch. The feeling was foreign, and almost terrifying at first. Your hands rose up, and your attempts to lower them again simply never carried down to them. Your mouth fell open, and you couldn't force your tongue back in your mouth, the face you were making a lewd, panting one. Your hips jerked, as it learned the way to move them and started to tease you with the very idea.

"Is this it, Isa? The experience you expected?" Fantasia's horn was still glowing black, and their voice was mocking as they watched. Their song changed, and you found an arm pulled forward, as though your shoulder was magnetized to something under Fa's cloak, and moments later your arm was in their mouth.

"Oh, how kind of you." The words came around the limb, as you felt pressure starting to push down. The separation was clean, one second your arm in its mouth, the next second no sensation from there at all, simply exposed nerve and cleanly cut bone. It seemed to savor your arm, as for once you were grateful for the thing controlling your voice, stopping you from disgraceful screams. "Offering yourself for me, good boy." You want to say you didn't, but…You could feel the echoes of the action in your brain, the decision you went through to put it into the maw they kept hidden, and a change of tone made you wonder. Were you a Good Boy for them? Was that what you truly were?

The gnashing sounds coming from beneath the cloak were needlessly loud, and you realized quickly that there had to be some deeper reason for it. You looked up, and they were watching you…It seemed they wanted to be a monster to you, to make you hate what they were doing. Part of you wondered if you did, and their song was stopping it? Or if you never could, and their song was forcing it into you?

A note. Your hand turned itself palm-up, and you held it out, feeling blood pumping from the stump at your other arm. You couldn't stop the bleeding. You couldn't stop it. you couldn't stop anything. You didn't want anything to stop.

Their hidden maw again, and you felt the heat of it this time, the wetness of a predator's maw dripping over you, and then your hand was gone, simply and cleanly again. "What would happen," the creature that was Fantasia wondered, "If I left you like this? Would you still love me? Would you start to regret it?" The question was noise that washed over you, as your addled mind tried to make sense of the words. Regret, love, leaving you…They meant something, but the blood pounding in your ears and the tune guiding your body were too loud to think of them properly.

Your nerves sang, and it was the same song Fantasia was sending through you, as you watched the piece of you feeding them. You managed to drag up a single word, from too deep within you to stop, and whatever it meant you felt the power of it with your whole soul. "Always."

The word made the song pause, and for a second you were Isabeau again. You regretted it instantly. Staring at the stump where your hand had been, feeling the blood dripping out of you, the way each beat of your heart left you with a little less of yourself. Able to remember the warmth of the maw, and offering your hands to it, and every micro-instant of the way flesh separated from flesh. You barely had time to realize what you'd said, and the creature that was your beloved began singing again, the note bouncing with a laughter you didn't trust.

"Oh, it seems so, Isa. Even like this, you'll love. I wonder how many layers deep it's hidden? I wonder if I could peel enough off, to find out?" The song danced through you, and you felt dark tendrils sneaking out from under the thing, peeling your body nude. You couldn't have done it if you wanted to, you realized, and your body's reaction was obvious and shameless. If they stopped now, you'd be their thing forever. Relying on them for everything.

Your thoughts were cut off by a tongue, rough and rasping as sandpaper, landing against your stomach. The scraping up your body scratched your skin free, pulling off a layer of it and leaving you whimpering by the end. "One layer…It's not under that one." The tongue connected again, and your body was sensitive as hooked barbs cut through you and peeled off what they caught. "Two…It must be buried deep." You realized you should run, but in a distant, unaware sort of way, like knowing you have to get up when you're comfortably in bed. "Three…" The barbs dug deeper, and you could feel how much more sensitive these lower layers of skin were, every pinprick of peeling sensation sending shudders both up and down your spine that Fa allowed you to feel. "Three…"

The next few moments were a blur, as your world became warmth and wetness, tugging barbs and sharp teeth, acid prickling at your skin and feeling yourself slowly dissolving away. "Three." Fantasia itself declared from above you, and you felt the light of your mind starting to fade, even slower than before. Your thoughts slowly faded, and the last thing you could picture was a single horn, glowing blacker than a night sky.

"Oops, too fast~"

The words echoed across nothing, and you were nowhere, before the black horn pulsed and you were aware again.

"You can eat me." You felt the words pull themselves from your lips, as though you'd already been in the middle of saying them, and you blinked into awareness. A slow mental inventory of yourself showed you were all in one piece, and Fa's horn wasn't glowing…Had you dreamed all that? Then you caught the expression in their eyes, and knew you hadn't.

"Again."