#and every so often we just gather to share the Horrors (

[ikuharaisabitch]

.

[warping-realities]

Part of the Family

Hey guys, first of all this is the long overdue 1000 followers special and also the last story for a while. I'm warning you that it may not be to everyone's taste. There are sensitive themes in the middle and I wrote it more thinking about a horror story than anything else. I don't even need to say that I don't agree with the thoughts and ideas presented by the person responsible for everything who is a fucking psychopath who piously believes that his vision of the world is the only possible one. Anyway, I hope it's an interesting read.

Alexander couldn't believe where the hell he was at that moment. For the young New Yorker, visiting a small town in Texas was way at the bottom of his to-do list, just above getting his teeth pulled without anesthesia. But Abby insisted, and he eventually caved. They had been together for a few months, having met at college where they shared a common class in Columbia. Despite her hick name, Abilene Marrie Johnson, Abby had a sharp mind and a biting sense of humor, able to throw shade right back at his sarcastic remarks with ease, making him quickly fall for her. Not that the fact she was a hot blonde with a petite, well-proportioned body gets in the way. Even her terrible Southern accent was just a remnant of what it used to be, almost unnoticeable, though he still found himself grimacing when she let it slip. That was happening way too often since she arrived in her hometown, where her dad and brother worked in construction. How low-class was that? Not that he was about to say anything to his girlfriend, who was eager for him to meet her family. He didn’t share that anxiety; he could overlook her flaws, but being stuck with two ill-mannered troglodytes was out of the question. This was gonna be his one and only trip to this backwoods hellhole, and he was doing it just to please her—later, he’d make up excuses to avoid going through this crap again.

“A July 4th lunch in a community center… how… proletarian.” He commented condescendingly while looking for his girlfriend at the entrance of the old manor that served as the town's gathering spot. Watching the myriad of folks around him, from all sorts of races mingling just fine, surprised him since he expected a bunch of racist rednecks. What didn’t surprise him was seeing most of them wearing something with the American flag or at least some stripes and stars. Abby wanted to dress like that too, but he’d never let himself be seen with someone dressed so… tacky, to say the least. Independence Day had never been celebrated at his house; his parents were fierce liberals with anarchist tendencies, viewing the day as something hijacked by far-right conservatives who used patriotism to justify their anti-democratic antics. Not that any of them had bothered to vote in any of the recent elections. Seeing such a display of mindless patriotism made him think this day was gonna drag on forever. After a three-hour drive from Dallas to the place, he just wanted to find his girlfriend and get through this torment as fast as possible. He finally spotted her chatting with a hulking Southern dude, older than both of them, with that corn-fed hick boy look, prom king, varsity team… the whole package. He wouldn’t have given a damn if it weren't for the way she was talking to him—too damn cozy for his liking.

“Hum-hum.” He said, positioning himself next to them.

“Alexander, you made it!”

“How could I turn down your invite, even if it means hours of driving to such a… picturesque event? However, I had the impression that it would be a family event.

“May seem strange to you, city boy, but in towns like ours, community is important; everyone knows each other and has helped one another at some point, so we take every chance to be grateful to each other and to the country.”

Said the muscular blonde man who was with her, wearing a sweatshirt with the American flag on it.

“Alexander, let me introduce you; this is John Paul Sanders; he’s been my brother’s buddy for life, from school all the way to college. Now he handles the accounting for a bunch of businesses in Bushfield, including my father’s.

“So you’re the guy who finally won our Abby's heart? You’re gonna run into some pretty jealous dudes, she’s quite the heartbreaker.” The man said, extending his hand to Alexander, who, wanting to avoid looking arrogant, shook it only to feel his fingers crushed by the giant's hand.

“Guess you must be one of them.” He commented venomously while trying to hold back the tears welling in his eyes.

“Oh no, quite the opposite. Abby and I are cousins by marriage; my wife Susie is the daughter of Trav’s sister, Abby’s dad. Speaking of which, I gotta run, Abilene; Huck is being a handful; the little demon broke your aunt’s favorite vase yesterday. We’ll catch up later,” he said, kissing her cheek before leaving without even glancing at Alexander.

“Interesting type; I imagine there’ll be more. And as much as he says he isn’t, I thought he seemed pretty interested in you.” He remarked as they made their way to the huge backyard.

“Babe, my house was practically a hangout for the football team; my brother’s friends basically lived there; JP and the others are like older brothers to me, and they all still see me as Tommy’s little sister; it’s natural for them to be jealous. Plus, he’s head over heels for Susie, who’s my best friend. Don’t worry about nonexistent stuff.” She said, caressing his arm.

“My dad’s probably in the back grilling, and my brother… oh, look, there he is.” Abby smiled at another blonde man emerging from a covered area full of tables where the crowd would likely feast later. Sporting a muscular, defined physique, with a five o'clock shadow and that dangerous but cute country boy vibe that certainly caught the eyes of many women, he quickly sparked disdain in Alexander. Did these types multiply by binary fission? The feeling of animosity seemed mutual, as the man’s smile vanished the moment he saw who his sister was with.

“Hey, Abbey Road! Looks like the big city hasn’t changed you one bit; I was afraid I’d find you with blue hair, unshaved armpits, and covered in piercings, with some feminist nonsense tattooed on you.” He said, hugging his sister without giving Alexander a single glance, who was taken aback by the nickname her brother used for Abby, as he imagined that a hick ogre like that would reference crap country music about driving tractors and screwing horses while drinking beer or whatever. Only to then be hit with a mix of disgust and rage at the guy's macho comments.

“Shut up, Tommy, you jerk!” Abby shot back, smiling, without really correcting her brother’s remark, then pulled Alexander by the hand and introduced him. “This is Alexander, my boyfriend.”

“Whats up, bro?” Tommy said, extending his hand to Alexander, who, reluctantly after the last experience, reciprocated the gesture only to feel his delicate hand crushed again as the giant flashed him a wicked smile before turning back to his sister.

“Can I ask what you’re wearing? Dad’s gonna flip if he sees you without a flag on; tradition is tradition, Abilene; I thought you knew that, but maybe the big city got to your head.” He said, glancing at Alexander, as if he knew exactly who to blame for that, before continuing. “I’ll call Angie to get you something from her place.” He turned and called a beautifull and very pregnant Latina woman who came smiling toward them.

“Abby! So good to see you! And you must be Alex; she’s been talking so much about you!”

“Alexander, my name is Alexander.” He replied, annoyed, since he hated any kind of nickname.

“Sorry, Abby called you that and I…”

“It’s all good, Angela, mi amor; why don’t you take Abby over to my place to change and let me and my brother-in-law get to know each other better?” Tommy interrupted, putting himself between his sister and Alexander, wrapping his giant arm around the smaller, skinnier man’s shoulders.

“Sure, I think if you guys chat, you’ll become great friends.” Abby said with a smile.

“I’m sure of it, Abbey Road; now hurry up.” Her brother replied, smiling, while his arm’s strength almost crushed Alexander. As soon as Abby and Angie left, Tommy finally released Alexander, looking at him with cold eyes.

“Speak to my wife like that again, and you’ll wish you’d never set foot in Texas… Xander.” He said threateningly.

“Believe me, that wish already exists… Thomas.”

“The name’s Tommy; I’m not some Thomas.”

“How curious, using the diminutive as a proper name.”

“I guarantee you, nothing about me is diminutive.” Tommy replied, flexing his muscular arm. “And you know what curiosity did to the cat, right?”

Ignoring the threat, Alexander continued.

“I just find the choice strange; your parents should’ve done the opposite and left Abby’s name in the diminutive. Where the hell did they come up with Abilene?”

“It was the name of my dad’s mom, so you better watch your mouth, kid. Actually, I think it’s about time you and my dad had a chat; come with me, city boy.” And he turned toward where he had come from. Not knowing what else to do, Alexander followed him.

“You know, Abby’s always had a weird taste in guys; all the guys on the football team from my time and hers would’ve done anything to date her, but she always preferred… well… people like you.”

The audacity of that hick!

“As far as I know, I’m her first boyfriend.”

“Yeah, exactly.” The other man replied with a mocking grin before pointing to a huge, gray-haired man working the grill, wearing only shorts and an apron with the ever-present American flag.

“Dad’s over there; good luck with that, city boy; you’re gonna need it.”

Tommy said, widening his grin and walking away, leaving Alexander to head over to his father-in-law by himself. Travis Johnson, a self-made man in the construction business, started as a laborer before opening his own company, a pillar of the Bushfield community, Abby’s dad, and apparently not too pleased with the figure approaching him, though he forced a stiff smile for the sake of his daughter when he saw Alexander coming.

“Good morning, son; you must be Alex; Abby’s been talking a lot about you.” He said, taking a long swig of beer.

“Same about you, Travis.” Alexander replied, not correcting his father-in-law on the nickname; he knew he was dealing with a man who wouldn’t take kindly to being corrected.

“Mr. Johnson, son; call me Mr. Johnson; calling me by my first name is an acquired privilege.” The man replied.

“Of course, Mr. Johnson; then I ask that you call me by my correct name; I’m Alexander, not Alex.” Since the old man was gonna act that way, he saw no reason to try to please him anymore; it seemed any chance for a good relationship with his girlfriend’s family was shot, and he wondered once more why he was such an idiot to come to this place.

“Of course, Alexander. We have a lot to talk about, but before that, you want a beer? The meat should take a while, and by tradition, women and kids eat first around here.”

“Thanks, Mr. Johnson, but I’ll pass; I don’t drink anything alcoholic, and my diet is vegetarian.”

“Vegetarian? I see… But the beer is all craft, made right here; The Dubois Widow brews it on the family farm.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on that too, sir.” He said, thinking about contamination and the filth of the pigsty where the old lady probably brewed that horse piss.

“Fine, and I fear we’ll have to move on to more serious matters without anything to grease the wheels.” The father-in-law replied with a voice that was undeniably hostile.

…..

Watching the altercation from a distance was Tommy, sitting at a table with Diego Ramirez, his best friend, snickering at Alexander's pained expression.

“The kid’s shitting himself.”

“Poor city boy. Tommy, that boy wasn’t made for this; I don’t know what got into Abby’s head bringing a city slicker here.”

“Abilene’s always had strange tastes.”

“Hey, asshole, do I need to remind you I was her date to the prom?”

“Only because you were one of my best friends and she knew all her friends would be jealous seeing her with the most eligible bachelor in town.”

“Only because you and our other golden boy, JP, were off at college.”

“Still, it was that night that you and Betty hit it off, and Austin was born; you should thank me for making you take Abby to the prom.”

“Abby herself didn’t seem that grateful; thank God she went to college right after. Which makes me think, a pretty woman like your sister dating for the first time only in her junior year of college is a bit strange.”

“I told you, Abby’s always had strange tastes, as you can see.”

“Dude, your dad’s about to grill the yankee for the barbecue.”

“Would be a better use for him, but the kid’s so skinny he wouldn’t even make a decent serving.” They both burst into laughter, stopping only when a small, dark-haired boy about three years old came running toward them.

“Hey, big boy, come give your uncle Tommy a hug.”

“Austin, come here! Let me see that arm! One more minute and you’ll be bigger than me!”

“I can’t wait to put the kid in pop warner, but there are still two years to go; at least now he has Huck to play with, and Angela’s about to pop with the twins. You’re in for some rough nights, bro; if one’s already a handful, imagine two boys, especially if they inherit my sister’s temperament.”

“Don’t even get me started; if I didn’t love that woman so much… but that’s the burden of a man: providing for the family and understanding when the wife is going through tough times before she gets back to running the household. Speaking of which, how’s Betty’s situation with her mom? The Dubois widow is a tough nut to crack.”

“Imagine being her son-in-law, man. She won’t hear of selling the ranch, but since my father-in-law passed, things have been rough; the cattle and horses need care and Charlene’s not cut out for it, especially with the brewery to run, and Betty’s got our house and Austin… I try to lend a hand, but working as your dad’s foreman, it’s no cakewalk.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I would’ve found a way to help.”

“You have the bussiness to help manage, a coaching gig at the school, and a pregnant wife with twins, Tommy; a wife who, by the way, is my sister and would kill me if I overloaded you with my problems.”

“Angela knows you’re like a brother to me, especially after we lost Mateo.”

“I know, bro, but think about it; she’s pregnant with twins, two boys; imagine the tension in her head remembering seeing me and him running around the house or playing ball with you and the guys and thinking that suddenly one of them could be taken from her?”

“That’s not gonna happen, Diego; but you know, I think the conversation got way too heavy for a day of festivities. Austin, your uncle Tommy needs a favor; go find uncle Hunter, uncle J.P and Huck for me.” He said, setting the little guy down before looking at his dad.

“Let’s have some fun.”

….

“What I want to say is exactly what I asked: what are your intentions with my daughter? Abilene may be in New York now, but she’s a country girl, wants to be a vet, and you, with all due respect, kid, you don’t belong here.”

“With all due respect, sir, I think it’s way too early for us to be talking about that, but when and if the time comes, we’ll figure it out.” Figure out way to stay far away from here, he thought without saying it out loud.

“You’re not getting it, kid; maybe in the big city things are different, but here we do things the right way. You came to my house with my daughter claiming to be her boyfriend without asking for my permission first, and you have the gall to say you have no plans for a future with her? No marriage or kids…”

“Oh, as for that, you can rest easy; I don’t plan on having kids.”

“Kid, what do you think you’re doing here? What were you expecting to get?”

“I’ve been asking myself the same… wow.”

He started to respond before being knocked over onto a table by two three-year-olds, with a good amount of cold sauce spilling onto his clothes and hair.

“Little brats! And you ask me why I don’t want to have kids… if I catch those little pests…” Alexander said angrily, getting back up.

“What’s going on here?” asked the biggest cop Alexander had ever seen, a gigantic black man about the same age as his brother-in-law. “Any trouble here, Travis?” He continued, his face serious, though with traces of a teasing grin on his full lips.

“Nope, not at all, Hunter. The kid just lost his cool a bit, that’s all.”

“I think so.”

“Sorry, officer.”

“We respect the kids in this town, kid, and you were talking about my godson and Travis's great-nephew, and the other one is Travis's son’s nephew.”

Alexander looked to the side and saw one of the brats on the lap of the blond ogre who was apparently married to Abby's cousin, and was staring at him menacingly.

“Let it go, Hunter; the kid just lost his head. Speaking of Tommy, where is he?”

“I saw him just a bit ago with Diego at a table a little further up, Travis.”

“If you could take the boy over there, he’s gonna need to clean up and change clothes.”

“Sure, come with me, boy.” The giant said, grabbing Alexander by the arm and dragging him like he was one of the kids.

“Be careful with that mouth of yours, boy; J.P. is a cool guy, but Diego is hotheaded and also the dad of the other of those boys you recklessly threatened.”

Alexander, dazed by the events and indignant about how he was being treated, but also fearing for his own safety, said nothing, allowing himself to be led by in diection of another giant, this one a Latino of the same age as the others. What the hell was in the water in this damn town that created monsters like that? He had no doubt that one day those little brats who knocked him over would grow up to be just as big as their progenitors.

“Hey, Diego, bro. Where’s Tommy? Abby’s boyfriend is looking for him.”

At that moment, the other man was chugging a beer from a pint that looked more like a jug that even one of his giant mitts couldn’t hold on to alone. He finished taking a huge gulp and passed the jug to the side before grabbing his own cup, letting out a loud burp, and bursting into laughter. How could Abby stand living with those kinds of people?

“Oops.” He said, wiping his mouth with his hands. “Tommy went to meet Angie and Abby to find out what’s taking them so long. If you want, I can walk you over there, man.”

“No, thanks; I think I’ll find my way on my own.” Alexander replied, making a disgusted face, finally breaking free from the cop and heading toward the front of the community center before anyone could stop him. He walked quickly, determined to find Abby and tell her he was leaving that place right then and there, and after that, they’d deal with it when she got back to New York for their senior year.

He only stopped walking when he saw his brother-in-law strutting down the street like he owned it, with an air of superiority and arrogance that, if Alexander had the slightest bit of self-awareness, he would’ve recognized as the same vibe he himself typically radiated when not caught in such an embarrassing situation.

“Hey, bro. The guys told me you were looking for me; looks like you’re in need of a little help.”

“I just want to find Abby.”

“Sure, she’s at my place with Angie; let’s head over there, clean up a bit, and I’ll lend you some clothes.”

“I can grab a clean outfit from my car.”

“Nonsense; I must have some clothes from when I was younger that should fit you; that way, we avoid ruining any more of your expensive threads if another accident happens.”

Not wanting to admit he was planning to bail on this place as soon as possible, Alexander opted to follow his brother-in-law to his house. Arriving at the place, a big and cozy house, Tommy asked Alexander to strip down to his underwear.

“Angie will kill me if I mess up her floor, man. Women, you know how they are, especially with pregnancy hormones…Wait here while I grab the clothes, and then you can take a shower.”

“Where’s Abby?”

“Oh, I forgot to mention; she and Angie went to the house next door; Sara, Hunter’s wife, who you met a bit ago, is about to pop; she’s a couple of months ahead of Angie and couldn’t make it to the party today. But I assure you, Abby will be back soon.” He said, handing Alexander a towel. “Dry off with this while I get the clothes; once you’re clean, you can sit in one of the chairs.”

Alexander did as he was told and, feeling surreal, sat there in his underwear while waiting for his brother-in-law to return. After a few minutes, Tommy came back with a change of clothes, which he placed on the coffee table while heading for the kitchen.

“Take a look and tell me what you think.” He said while heading toward the kitchen and coming back with two cups of beer. “So, what do you think?”

“There’s no way I can wear this, man; it’s way too big for me, and I don’t wear tank tops.” Alexander said, holding up a tank that looked more like a sheet, along with a pair of shorts that would easily fit two of his legs in one of the leg holes.

“Why don’t you take a sip of beer, Xander?”

“I already told you my name…”

“We don’t poison our drinks; feel free to drink.” Tommy cut in, then took a sip from the cup he prepared for Alexander before bursting into laughter at seeing his brother-in-law automatically lift the cup to his lips and take a swig for the first time in years. The beer was cold and tasted just like he remembered from the few times he’d had it before.

“Good on ya, Xander. Isn’t it way better this way, acting respectful toward your hosts?”

Alexander was shocked at himself; why the hell did he do that?

“What… what?”

“Hush, boy. You’re about to listen; oh, how I love this part! You have no idea where you’ve gotten yourself into, city boy. You know, I made a promise to my mom a little before she passed; I’d do everything to protect Abby, and I’ve kept that promise ever since in ways you couldn’t even imagine. The things I’ve had to do…But why don’t you let me show you?” Tommy said, and suddenly Alexander found himself in another place, walking alongside Tommy wearing clothes he’d never be caught dead in: ragged shorts, a tank top, and flip-flops, pretty much the same thing Tommy was wearing. Up ahead, walking down the same alley they’d just taken to get to Tommy’s house, was a younger version of himself, all sweaty, shirtless, in shorts and running shoes.

“That’s me on summer break before my senior year in college in Knoxville; I got in on a football scholarship, but I didn’t qualify for the NFL mainly because of what happened a few months before this day you’re seeing. My best friend from school, Mateo, had just died in an accident, and that hit me hard. I couldn’t accept the injustice of the world; first, my mom’s illness, then a stupid accident; it felt like life was just out to punish me. But on that same day, life handed me an unimaginable gift.” He spoke as they approached the backyard of the same house they had just been at. Sitting out front on a bench was a figure that stood out from the rest of the place. An effeminate kid with long blonde hair wearing a feminine outfit—maybe a trans woman? Alexander tried to formulate a question only to realize he was completely unable to speak.

“Hmmm…”

“Let me handle this, Xander. That’s Dylan, one of those weird kids who don’t really know what they are; a rarity around here; you won’t find any of them in town today. I didn’t dislike him; he was polite and considerate, in his last year of school, and undoubtedly eager to leave a place like Bushfield behind once he graduated. Strangely, he and Abby formed a friendship even though she was three years younger than him, and if I could say anything in his favor, it’s that he treated my sister like she was his own. So understand, what you’re about to see was born from frustration and mourning; before this, I might have made a joke or two about the kid, but generally, we treated each other with a modicum of respect. But seeing him there, a dude who refused to be what nature intended, someone who was giving up his masculinity while Mateo, a real man, a warrior, my brother, had left this world, that awakened something in me—an incandescent rage. But not just that; look.”

“What are you doing standing there, fag? We don’t want someone like you dirtying our home and our image.” The younger Tommy said.

“Tommy, come on, that’s not how you…”

“Shut up, you little shit, you fake woman; how can it be that God takes the men and leaves something broken like you…”

“Tommy, that’s enough; you’re not gonna talk to me like that; I get that losing Mateo hit you hard…”

“Don’t you dare say his name with that filthy mouth, you queer… I wish you were like him so I could beat you up and not feel like I’m hitting a woman.”

And then it happened; for a moment, it seemed like Dylan was going to burst into tears, and then, in the blink of an eye, where he had been, was now an older man just past twenty, clearly of Latin descent, with well-defined muscles, a bit dazed for a moment.

“Mateo?” the younger Tommy asked.

“Hey, I miss him too, bro, but you’re talking to the other twin.” He said with a smile. Then the illusion shattered, and Alexander found himself back in Tommy’s living room, unable to move or speak, just thinking about the impossible thing he’d just witnessed.

“And that’s how Diego came into my life; what a surprise it was to find out that to the rest of the world, he’d always been Mateo’s identical twin, and any mention of Dylan raised eyebrows and brought laughter; there’d never been one of those in Bushfield. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what happened, without getting any answers. It wasn’t until over a year later, when I was back in town working as an assistant coach at the high school, that the situation recurred. Abby was starting her junior year and got involved with a troubled kid; Hugo Lafévre had transferred from New Orleans and was the worst kind of troublemaker; he organized protests and rallies against everything I’d been taught to value; he was pro-abortion, anti-gun, and railed against what he calls police violence. He had zero respect for authority figures. I had to do something.”

Again, Alexander found himself in a scene against his will. This time, he was wearing a coach’s uniform, just like Tommy was now, as well as a younger version of he, talking to a young black kid who looked at him with a mocking gaze.

“I have no idea what my sister sees in you; you’re insubordinate and disrespectful.”

“You’re just scared of losing control; for people like you, it’s all about control.”

“Without control, our society falls apart.”

“And what’s the problem with that? It’s about time to dismantle the society you’ve built.”

“Then I think it’s about time you man up, kid.”

“We have very different definitions of what it means to be a man… coach.” The kid replied before breaking into laughter, not realizing the fury building in the older man, who seemed ready to pounce on him, but amid the laughter, the boy seemed to get scared, and puff; suddenly, the giant black man Alexander had met earlier stood before the two, resuming the laughter and speaking.

“… that’s style and lets my abs breathe, and you’re really gonna say anything against a cop, bro? Especially when you need my help to train these little troublemakers; I would’ve been a professional edge rusher if I hadn’t chosen to be a cop.”

“In your dreams, bro…” the younger Tommy replied, still dazed before the image dissolved again.

“It was the transformation of that little shit Hugo into my bro Hunter that made me realize what happened to Dylan wasn’t just a coincidence; I decided I was gonna explore these skills of mine. Slowly, I started hunting down the worst types in town, the punks, the deviants, and the insurgents, and turned them, one by one, into productive members of society. Abby, for her part, finished high school without getting involved with any other undesirable types. But then came her time to go to college; she could’ve gone to Austin or Knoxville, but no, she had to go to the Ivy League, Columbia! What a dumb idea, but my dad agreed, and I wouldn’t dare challenge him. Everything went well for a while, until her first summer break. She showed up here with some older, fat, scruffy dude, who smelled like weed, a wannabe poet who wanted people to call him Sartre; I didn’t even bother to find out his real name; it didn’t matter.

A new vision, quicker than the last. He and Tommy, dressed in Levi's jeans, flannel shirts, and cowboy boots, watched a Tommy dressed exactly like them, who in turn was watching the man Tommy had described, clearly high, turning into the well-groomed blonde guy Alexander met that morning.

“And that’s how J.P. came to be, John Paul, get it? Bet you thought I was some dumb redneck, didn’t you? By then, I didn’t even need to think much to get what I wanted, and I always made sure to keep Abby’s boyfriends close to me because my sister has a knack for finding the most annoying types who end up becoming my best projects. Now you… with you, she outdid herself… with you, I’m gonna have a blast.” He said with a sinister grin on his face. “You can speak now; the last words of a dying man, or did the cat get your tongue?”

For a moment, it really seemed like Alexander was going to say something, but what came out of his mouth wasn’t words; a slimy piece of flesh he couldn’t tell if it was his tongue or something else pushed its way through his lips, prying his teeth apart in an unnatural way and slithering across his face like a giant worm. Soon after, he felt his abdomen contracting with insane intensity, while his face contorted and his skin burned and bubbled in a transformation much slower and more painful than those he had witnessed; not that he had time to think about that amidst all the agony. As the environment around him seemed to darken, only illuminated by the source of heat he had become. Then the pain in his abdomen became unbearable, and while he squeezed it, desperately seeking some relief, it felt like his hands were sinking and merging into the muscular fabric that had just moments ago seemed so solid. But it wasn’t just his abdomen; his arms and legs grew and bulged as he threw himself forward, trying to puke, only to feel his mouth stretch unnaturally wide, while his expanded body was drenched in sweat that seemed to evaporate instantly, only to be replaced by another torrent. Just like the pain began, it stopped, only to start again within his head; it felt like his brain was melting, thoughts, ideas, his very identity turning to mush. He didn’t even notice he now had well-defined abs and toned arms and legs or that his hair had gone from red to a dark brown almost black, while it was drenched in sweat. His physique was nowhere near the monstrosity that was Tommy and his minions. But that was about to change; as his mind emptied of any memory or sense of reality and he threw himself back, leaning against the chair, his arms grew to monstrous proportions, his abdomen became a brick wall, and his chest swelled, while a beard sprouted on him, and finally his thighs ballooned like cords of pure steel, and his calves achieved the angular form of someone used to pushing them through strenuous workouts, while his feet grew absurdly large, emitting a powerful funk that could only be rivaled by that coming from his armpits.

“Almost there, Zander, bro, almost there.”

Upon hearing that name, his head exploded with images, color, and sound, with memory after memory flooding into his mind in such rapid succession that if any trace of Alexander had remained, it would have been instantly suppressed. Then, much faster and more painlessly than when it began, it ended. Throwing himself back, the brute that had replaced Alexander was panting, grinning stupidly, staring blankly at nothing.

“Zander, man, you good? Why don’t you take a sip of beer to cool off?” Tommy asked with a seemingly concerned tone as the light returned to the environment, and the brute in front of him seemed to shrink a bit in size while the sweat that was pouring down his body became just a sheen on his bronzed skin, as he automatically lifted the cup of beer to his lips.

“Ahhhh, I really needed that, Tommy, bro. That was a rough night.” The man said with a grin.

“I can imagine from the screams of the chick you had in my guest room. And from your smell, you reek, bro.”

“Hey, the ranch was way out, and you know how my mom is. Plus, you gave me the key to your house and told me I could use it in case of emergency. Damn, I really stink.” He said, scratching his balls over the old, worn-out underwear he was wearing, lifting his hands to his nose and sniffing them before bursting out laughing.

“Man, an emergency isn’t banging every skank in town in my guest room; you’re lucky my dad didn’t say anything.”

“Uncle Trav doesn’t care about that.”

“Usually not, but it’s not a good idea to do that when his daughter’s at home.”

“Abby’s here? Fuck!”

“As if she didn’t know your habits, man. But I’d be more worried about the fact that you were supposed to be helping my dad with the barbecue and that your mom had to deliver the beer herself; if it weren’t for me and Diego helping out, I’m sure she would’ve stormed the house and dragged you out by your hair.”

“Damn, Zander Dubois, you’re a complete idiot! Man, I need a shower and some borrowed clothes!”

“And what do you think this is on the table, you moron? Don’t worry; we’re the same size.”

“And I didn’t know that? We’ve been borrowing each other’s clothes forever. So who’s the moron, college boy?”

“Get your ass in the shower already, you asshole; I’ll be waiting with a cold beer.”

Zander took a quick shower, knowing it wouldn’t be enough to wash away all the stink from the night before, but he didn’t care as much about that as he did about disappointing Travis; the man had been like a second father to him after his own dad died and helped him with the ranch’s organization while J.P. kept the bills in check. He’d never been the smartest guy, though he knew how to take care of the cattle and the horses, and had his mom’s talent as a brewer. Besides he was one hell of a hunk, of course, he thought while admiring the muscles earned from years of ranch work and playing football in school, the dream of becoming pro ruined by his father’s untimely death and the need to take on his responsibilities, not that he thought he’d have much chance of keeping a decent GPA. But that was all in the past; he had a good life, although his mom bugged him to marry and give her grandkids like Betty had already done, especially since he was the last single guy in his friends group. Worse of all he felt that call every time he played with Austin, the kid would be a hell of a player one day, maybe good enough to achieve what his uncle and dad couldn’t.

“Damn, you are a damn stud, Zander Dubois!” He gratified himself, admiring his muscles in the bathroom mirror before putting on the shorts Tommy had lent him.

“Thanks, bro!” He said walking in the living room and grabbing the cold beer cup Tommy offered him, taking a long sip, wiping his mouth with his hand, and letting out a small burp.

“Hey, Abbey Road!” Tommy waved to someone behind him, making him turn around startled. Only to find no one there.

“Asshole!” He said, punching his friend’s arm.

“You should’ve seen your face, bro!” Tommy replied, cracking up, with Zander joining in.

“That was a good one, bro.”

“Put on the shirt and let’s roll; my dad’s waiting!”

…..

“Sorry for the wait, Uncle Trav; I wasn’t feeling well.” Zander said, taking off his shirt and putting on an apron, if Travis Johnson was throwing a barbecue like this, he wouldn’t be the one to break tradition.

“How odd; you seemed pretty lively last night, Zander.” Travis said with a mischievous grin.

“I’m sorry about that; if I’d known Abby was home, I wouldn’t have done what I did.”

“Don’t worry about me, but I gotta say that ain’t gonna win you any points with her.”

“What do you mean?”

“I ain't born yesterday, kid! I see the way you look at her, and all your buddies are already hitched while you’re still bouncing from bar to bar, hooking up with the first girl who crosses your path just to avoid any commitment.”

“I... I…”

“No need to say anything, son; I’d be more than happy to have you as a son-in-law; I’ve watched you grow up and I know what kind of man you are. But I gotta warn you, something tells me Abby's gonna show up here with some slick city boy who thinks he’s hot stuff just ‘cause he came from the big city.”

“Uncle Trav, it’s almost time for her to finish college and she’s gonna be a vet; there’s no better place for her to work than here, have some faith!”

“I have faith, my boy, but a father’s heart doesn’t lie.”

“In that case, you can count on me and the guys to knock some sense into any city punk who shows up around here.”

“I know that, son. Now enough chit-chat; we’ve got plenty of mouths to feed, let’s get to work!”

In the afternoon, when everyone was well-fed and the booze buzz had taken over a good chunk of the minds present, Zander found himself in the spacious field next to the center, watching kids of all ages play while keeping an eye on Austin and Houston the twelve years old son of his older sister who lived with her husband in Fort Worth so his sisters and brothers-in-law could dance a bit in the hall. And when the not so little guy scored a touchdown in the middle of the fun and ran to hug him, he couldn’t help but feel emotional.

“It’s about time you had your own.” He turned and came face to face with Diego, who was waving and smiling as he watched his own son run over to Huck and J.P., who at that moment was teaching his kid how to hold the ball properly.

“You have no idea what that feels like!”

“Was it my mom or Betty who told you to say that?” He asked, even though he felt a longing inside to be part of that world, to have a little version of himself running around, taking care of the horses, tossing the pigskin in a packed stadium on a Friday night.

“Both!” Diego replied, laughing. “But the boys care about you too, man; what are you waiting for?” He asked as Zander watched Abby play with one of her cousins’ daughters.

“Sometimes we get so focused on something that we forget to see the bigger picture, bro!” Diego continued, turning Zander towards the dance floor full of young women, some sneaking glances his way. “A guy like you ain’t gonna have any trouble finding the right woman; I’ll keep an eye on Austin and Houston; you take advantage.”

….

After dancing with several of the single ladies at the party, Zander sat down to catch his breath while watching the ebb and flow of people, lowering his glasses and checking out a very interesting girl that passed by. Until a whistle startled him.

“Zander Dubois, was that you hitting on Caroline Matthews, a girl from a good family?” Someone said, placing a beer cup on his table.

“What??? Haha, hey Hunter, bro! I'm glad your shift is finally over. And unfortunally, the time to settle down comes for everyone. I want my kids to grow up alongside yours and the other guys’, having the same life I had.”

"So our lone wolf has finally decided to join the pack, thinking about adding a Dallas or a Knox to your mother's list, bro?" Commented Tommy approaching while bringing out snacks and dips and placing them on the table. "The rest of the guys are coming, they're just going to drop the boys off with their moms. We're going to have some boys time. Caroline Matthews then? She's hot, man. But I admit I had hopes between you and Abby."

"Me too, but it's like I said, you and Hunter are going to be parents soon, Huck and Austin are already growing up, I want my kids to grow up with them. And Abby..."

“I get it, man. I just worry about her; she’s always had a strange taste in guys.”

“Your dad mentioned he’s worried she might show up with some stuck-up city slicker.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“That if some snobby city boy shows up here with Abby, you, me and the guys would take care of him, country man style.” Zander replied emphatically.

“Thanks, man. I know I can always count on you!”

“Dude, we’re family. And one day, Abby’s gonna find a guy who’s just right for her; I’m sure of it.”

“I believe that too, bro. And it’s gonna be someone just like you and me!” Tommy replied with bright smile.

[cool-fancier]

More Than Just Friends

Synopsis: Two friends, brought together by dance, discover a deeper connection, facing challenges, success, and an enduring love story.

Tatter and you had been incredibly close from the beginning. There was no denying that connection, that spark. It's true, you two were "just friends" when you first met, but things took an unexpected and surprising turn after that.

Your journey started in a simple dance studio where you both ended up as students. What drew you together was your passion for dance. You two practised together for many hours, improving your skills and challenging one another to do better.

"Ready to go over the choreography again?" Tatter would often ask with her trademark enthusiasm. She had this way of lighting up the room, her energy infectious. She had the greatest passion for dancing of anyone you've ever met.

You two put in endless practise, and with every routine, you got closer and closer. Your friendship grew, and it was clear to everyone around you that you had something special. "You two are so close, it's like you're soulmates," people would say, and you two would shrug it off as just friendship.

But it went outside the dance studio. You two interacted outside of the dance floor. You would talk about your aspirations, worries, and dreams. You would check out new restaurants, go to to movies, and have late-night talks.  Those were all just "friends" spending time together and having fun.

However, there were hints—tiny glimpses of something more. Similar to how Tatter would secretly glance at you, her eyes glimmering with a warmth that surpassed mere friendship or maybe when she was talking about someone else and you would become a little jealous. It was hard to ignore those tiny butterflies in your stomachs and the lingering touches that gave you chills.

Something changed one evening when you were working on a particularly difficult workout. You two were both breathing heavily, sweat dripping off your bodies, and Tatter fell on the ground laughing hysterically. Her laughter was the most wonderful sound in the world, and you couldn't help but laugh with her.

She glanced at you while you two sat there, gathering your breath. Her eyes were different—intense, almost searching. Your mind raced to try and figure out what was going on, and you began to feel your heart race. That is when it took place. She leaned in and gave you the most natural, unexpected kiss.

The world stopped for you. As your lips connected, it felt as though time had stopped. Now, there was no going back. The truth was out—there was more between you than "just friends."

Tatter pulled away, her eyes searching yours for a reaction. You could see the fear, the uncertainty, and the vulnerability in her gaze. You realised then that you couldn't ignore what had been there the entire time.

You cupped her cheek with trembling hands and said, "We were never 'just friends,' Tatter."

Her brilliant smile reappeared as her eyes brightened. "I'm glad you said that because 'just friends' don't feel like this."

In your dance studio, "just friends" blossomed into something greater and exquisite. It was a place of change.  From a friendship, your relationship grew into an everlasting love.

You both agreed to keep things under wraps. It started off as your tiny world, a love tale that you kept from the outside world. You'd steal moments together in the dance studio, share secret glances during practice, and lock lips when no one was watching.

For a while, everything went well. However, secrets tend to find their way to get exposed and yours was no different. One day, when friends Bada, Lusher, Minah, Kyma, Cheche, and Sowoen happened to walk in on the two of you having a private moment, the truth came out. It was impossible to miss the horror on their expressions, but what followed was unexpected.

They showed no signs of surprise, anger, or judgement. Rather, they smiled at you both with understanding.  With her sharp eyes, Bada laughed and said, "Well, it's about time you two."

Everybody nodded, including Lusher, Minah, Kyma, Cheche, and Sowoen. Minah said, "You two are meant to be together."

You shared a look with Tatter and couldn't help but smile. Your friends knew all along about the stolen looks, the unsaid feelings, and the hidden love you shared.

It was no longer a secret about your love story. It was praised, welcomed, and treasured. Tatter and you discovered that love, regardless of how it starts, is a beautiful and unstoppable force that overcomes all odds as you held each other in the company of friends who understood and supported our journey from "just friends" to so much more.

————————————————————————

Over time, the hidden love story you shared with Tatter became into your most valued possession. You two had a true, strong connection, and here was a place where you could find peace, comfort, and an unbreakable love. There was more between you than "just friends," and you both knew it.

But it wasn't meant to be a story of endless joy for you. Despite how much you valued your love, life had other plans for you, and there were challenges.

When Tatter got an offer from an influential dance group in a different city, that was the first sign that anything was wrong. It was her once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform on an immense stage and showcase her ability to a global audience. It fulfilled every desire she had ever had.

You understood that you couldn't get in the way of her. Even though accepting the offer would mean asking her to move away, you encouraged her to do so. Even though it hurt, you wanted to see her succeed and felt that she should be allowed to pursue her goals in life.

You promised that even though you were far apart, you would continue to communicate, see each other whenever you could, and love each other.

Being far away was a hard companion. While video calls and messages made up the distance, nothing could ever fully replace her presence. As the months passed, you missed her more than you could have ever imagined.

"It's unbelievable—I got the offer!" Tatter says.  "My dream has come true."

"Tatter, this is incredible!" you exclaim. "I'm happy for you. You have to accept it.

Then something unexpected occurred.  Tatter's company decided to send her on an international tour, taking her to places you could only dream of visiting. She was achieving her dreams, but it meant your time together became even scarcer.

Tatter: "I'm leaving for an international tour and won't be back for a while. It's a huge opportunity, but it also means we'll be apart Lovey."

You: "I want you to take this risk, Tatter. I'll be right here waiting for you."

One fateful night, while Tatter was in a different country, you talked about the future.

Tatter: "I miss you so much. This distance is killing me."

You: "I also miss you." We knew it wouldn't be easy, but we'll get through it sweetheart, I promise."

You two made the most agonising choice while crying and exhaling deeply.

Tatter: "Maybe we need to focus on our careers and take a break. We can find our way back to one another when the moment is just right."

You:"I can understand, I don't want to lose you Tatter but we'll find a way."

It was a decision that broke your heart and left you with an everlasting pain. Tatter started on a global tour, and you gave your own job your all. Practises, performances, and a void that only she could fill occupied your days.

There was the hope and the promise that you will cross paths again at the right time.  However, the pain of being "just friends" without her was difficult to bear.

As months went by, your careers took off together. Tatter rose to fame as a dancer throughout the world, and you were well-known in the field of music.  Though it couldn't bring back the things you had lost, success offered you purpose.

And then your paths crossed again one fatal night. You couldn't help but want to watch her dance again when she returned to town for a show.

You realised that your love for her had never faded, even if you had came back to being "just friends" as you watched her perform. The memories suddenly came flooding back. It was a reminder of the love you once shared, a sadness that had been deeply ingrained in your heart.

You smiled at her as the show came to a the end, knowing that the road back to love would not be simple but would definitely be worthwhile. Though the outside world may have viewed you as "just friends," your hearts revealed a different, longer-lasting tale.

[fishfishiee]

shatter.

summary: In which you're an adeptus made of Noctilucous Jade. How would your companion react when they saw you shatter during a fight?

characters: Traveler, Zhongli

warning(s): body horror(?), gender-neutral reader, reader is a gem person, their relationship can be viewed as platonic or romantic

a/n: my first time writing characters! I was going to add more characters, but I can't think of anyone else. It's… quite alright, I guess. Hm. Writing characters is hard.

You were one of Liyue's best jewel smith. While you usually worked with whatever precious stone that caught your eye on the market, there were times when none of them were up to your standard. In times like this, you had no choice but to mine them yourself. The problem was mineral nodes are often teeming with enemies. While your body can easily withstand a few blows, you will eventually shatter, and be left defenseless against those who want to collect your precious shards. This was the reason you avoid fighting alone. So, you asked one of your friend to accompany you to mine the gems you need.

Like you suspected, you and your companion were attacked when you began mining. Battle was inevitable, so you and your companion brandished your weapons and attacked back. In the heat of the battle, you lost count of how many times you were hit, and one of the enemies slammed you with their hammer. One hit was all it takes to shatter your torso. Welp, at least your head was still intact…

Traveler The moment they heard the shattering noise and Paimon's horrified shriek, they knew something happened to you. They didn't expect to see you literally broke to pieces, each of them glittered a familiar luster. They were horrified to see some hoarders start putting your body parts into a bag despite your head's protest. After all the hoarders were knocked out cold, Traveler quickly took your head out of the bag.

“Phew, thanks for that. Being shoved into a bag is not nice at all!”

"Y-You-- How are you-- Are you okay!?"

"It's fine! Happens all the time when I fight. Can you please gather my pieces? Madame Ping should be able to put me back together, so don't worry about it!"

As Madame Ping put you back together, you explained that you were essentially a living gem made out of noctilucous jade. You apologized that you didn't tell them before, since you really thought you're not going to shatter with them fighting with you. Traveler marveled as Madame Ping put some powder that made your 'skin' looked human.

"Ooh, so that's why you always decline when we asked you to eat together! You can't eat since you're literally a living rock! Wait, then can Paimon have a piece of you? Just a piece--ouch!"

"Paimon, don't be rude!"

Zhongli He was the one that commissioned the jewelry in the first place. When you asked him to accompany you, he agreed without hesitation. That way, he can also assure the quality of the stone himself. During the fight, Zhongli knew you were fighting quite recklessly due to his shield tanking most of the damage done to you. Once his shield went down and you didn't seem to notice, he quickly took care of his share of enemies and went to your side. It was still too late. You were shattered, and Zhongli can only sigh as he put you back together.

"You were careless."

"… Yes. I'm sorry. It's just… It's really nice to go hard on them without worrying about my body sometimes! Your shield is really dependable, Zhongli."

"I am glad you find my assistance reassuring, but please pay more attention the next time you fight. After all, I won't be here every time you put yourself to pieces, lustrous one."

[fismoll7secinv]

15 questions, 15 people:

I was tagged by dear @a-very-fond-farewell 💚I hope you get your lobster sanctuary! 💚

-

1. are you named after anyone?

nope

2. when was the last time you cried?

I don't know, I don't really cry

3. do you have kids?

never

4. do you use sarcasm a lot?

yeah, quite casually in everyday life, but I try to tone it down

5. what’s the first thing you notice about people?

I'm bad with faces, I might not recognise someone who's new to me after interacting with them every day for 2 weeks (based on a true story) xdd so what I notice at first is the overall vibe they present, which is a combination of their posture and body language, clothes and accessories, facial expressions etc. This doesn't tell absolutely accurately who they are, but it shows how they want to be perceived mixed with some unconscious elements they might not notice themselves, which is interesting to me

6. what’s your eye color?

eh idk, people say they're blue when I'm in a blue pool, green when I'm among greenery, grey when it's a bit dark. I guess they're a subtle mixture that looks like nothing until there's something external that brings out one of the colors. it's a bit annoying tbh, so I usually just say grey

7. scary movies or happy endings?

i love horror, very high on my list of fav genres, but I also love happy endings, just not necessarily in horrors. In media other than horror I need HE or I feel down. So i'd say: both

8. any special talents?

I've had a music talent since I was little, couldn't understand how other kids didn't know how to play the flute or keep the rhythm. I've also heard various ppl say that I somehow know how to arrange things to be aesthetically pleasing, but I could never explain how to do it, it just looks better a certain way. A bit for drawing, considering how fast I improved compared to some other people, but I haven't pursued it farther than sketching. Sport comes pretty smoothly to me and my body, I've always been "the athletic girl"

I may sound like i'm bragging but i try to be objective for my own self. After all "talent" means nothing and is just bitterly wasted if you're not practising, so for me it can be more of a shameful thing that I let rot rather than something to be proud of. It's also so useless when teaching others, because you don't know how to explain shit when you do it intuitively, which tripped me a lot of times while trying to teach someone. Very annoying and sometimes isolating in a sense that you just vibe with yourself instead of sharing the experience with others

9. where are you born?

in a hospital

10. what are your hobbies?

reading, writing, taking care of plants, pen & paper rpgs, collecting weird trinkets and paintings, drawing, horror movies, detective stories, listening to podcasts

11. do you have any pets?

we have a dog but I moved out of my family home recently and the doggo stayed there, I still visit often and walk him, but it doesn't feel like he's really mine anymore :(

12. what sports do you/have you played?

I did gymnastics and horse-riding for a few years as a kid, used to jog in middle/high school, I also go on a trip to the mountains at least once a year to hike bc I'm obsessed with it. Recently I like to do yoga and fitness to bring my body to its limit and stretch all the pains that keep accumulating. I almost didn't move from my desk for over a year some time ago because i was too busy with uni, work and a few other big things, and it ended up in a neck injury that escalated to a few months of rehab. Now I move a lot so those nightmarish pain and several contusions don't repeat

13. how tall are you?

taller than most women and many guys

14. favourite subject in school?

all languages, math, biology

15. dream job?

neuroscientist, astronaut or pilot of small planes

-

I have no idea who did this already, feel free to ignore as always. Tagging @prommethium @miyakuli @still-gathering-roses @carmine-sunlight @wikipedie

[jarondont]

Chapter 1!!!

So I finally finished Ch. 1 of my book Smoke from the Fire- the first installment in The Reign of the Revolution series :DDDDD

Remember that NOTHING is final (but this is what I'm likely going to stick with), and also due to personal reasons this is the only full chapter I'll be sharing. I'll share snippets of certain scenes, certain lines of dialogue I like, or anything else like character-related stuff, but I won't be sharing any more full chapters :(

Word count: 2,056

Anyways, I hope you like it!

Let's begin, shall we?

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

In my life, I’d made a lot of mistakes.

But none quite as bad as this.

All I could do now was close my eyes, clench my fists, and hope that they wouldn’t find me.

Because if they did, I was as good as dead.

---

In case you haven’t seen the overabundance of wanted posters with my name on them, let’s begin with an introduction.

My name is Silas Crow. Guilty until proven innocent; wanted dead or alive.

It’s not that I’ve led a life of crime. Quite the opposite, actually. Up until a few years ago, my parents and I had been living a simple life on the island of Cartris—a territory of Losca, just a little south of the mainland. Popí was a fisherman, although he liked to call himself a sailor. Mimá would sell the fish he caught. She was also well-educated, so she’d reserve some time every day to teach me. When I didn’t have lessons, I’d often go on fishing trips with Popí or help Mimá at the Cartris fish market. Sometimes, Popí would even take us to mainland Losca for a week. We’d sell fish there—at the larger market, so that we’d get more money.

It was a peaceful life. But that was before Endox came around.

Emperor Endox II had been a horrible ruler since about three years ago—shortly after his twenty-eighth birthday, when he killed his father to get the throne for himself, and with him, his mother, since she tried to protect him. Everyone put up with him at first, since we knew how dangerous he was. But then things started getting out of hand.

A few months ago, news spread throughout Losca that Endox’s wife, Meralina, had been brutally murdered by him after they had an argument about matters regarding their son, Prince Faelen. What matters, no one knew. In fact, rumor had it that the man who told this story in the first place was never seen nor heard from again.

Endox only grew more unfair and selfish since then. Taxes had always been high for us peasants, but Endox wasn’t satisfied. A few weeks ago, he raised them impossibly high, and for what? So that he could benefit off of the people’s hard-earned money. He raised them so high that many peasants started dying of starvation.

By then, we’d had more than enough, so we protested. A simple, bloodless protest. But since so many peasants had gathered for the protest, we had Estraham Castle surrounded, and the emperor’s troops panicked.

So they attacked.

The March on Estraham marked the beginning of the Loscan Revolution. Hundreds of lives were lost that day: the emperor’s troops—twenty-seven; the peasants—over three hundred.

My parents included.

It had been one of those weeks where Popí took us to the mainland. But this time, instead of selling fish, we were there for the protest.

If only we had realized beforehand what a mistake that had been.

I could still hear the gunshots; the screams of innocent protestors. Later, I’d find out that only about thirty of them made it out alive. I could still see the horror on my mother’s face as my father was shot square in the chest, blood spewing violently from the wound. I still felt her fingers digging into my arm as she begged me to leave, to save myself.

Then she, too, was shot. The bullet lodged itself in her leg, causing her to cry out in pain and collapse to her knees.

“Mimá!” I screamed, an agonizing mixture of fear and sorrow building up in my chest.

Mimá grasped her calf where she had been shot, but she gathered up her strength to look at me one last time. “Go, Silas, please!” She cried. “Find the Nemesis. Find Hunt. He’ll help you.”

“No!” I yelled, tears streaming down my face. “Come with me, please—I can’t lose you, too.”

“Go,” she whispered, her voice cracking from the pain.

Then she was shot again. As the second bullet struck her in the back, I heard myself screaming, crying, begging for her not to leave me.

Yet she did.

The last words Mimá said to me were, “Vei livé, Silas.”

Live free.

Those words were since etched into my mind.

I vaguely remembered running away, ignoring the pain in my shoulder as a bullet ripped through my flesh, and pushing through the crowd that was rapidly falling around me. I ran, and I didn’t look back.

After what seemed like hours, I found myself in a small alley. I touched my injured shoulder with my other hand, and it came back soaked in blood. Ripping off a strip of cloth from the bottom of my trousers, I wrapped it tight around the wound and knotted it. That took up the last of my energy and willpower. Leaning my head against the stone wall, I slid to the ground and closed my eyes.

Vei livé, Silas. Vei livé…

And it all came flooding back.

That was it. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down my cheeks as great sobs shook my body. They were gone. My parents were gone, along with far too many others.

And I was alone.

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, nor did I care. I remembered hearing voices outside the alley and the stomping of boots. The emperor's troops, no doubt searching for anyone who escaped. They never found me, but if they had, I wouldn’t have fought back. What was the point?

Then I remembered what Mimá had told me to do—to find the Nemesis. I wasn’t sure what that was, but one thing was certain: I couldn’t let any of their deaths be in vain.

So I stood and brushed away my tears, hearing my mother’s voice in my head once again.

Vei livé.

“I will, Mimá,” I whispered. “I promise.”

---

Days passed, then weeks, but it felt as if the March on Estraham had happened only yesterday. The streets were plagued with the emperor’s soldiers, or the Dekhrinn, as they had come to be known—Loscan for people of terror.

They accepted this name—in fact, causing terror was their main goal. Whenever they saw the Dekhrinn coming, people hid away in their homes, shut the curtains, and locked their doors. And yet, every day, someone would disappear, usually in the dead of night. But no one dared to fight against them. They were too terrified.

As for me … I lived off of whatever I could find. And I had come to discover just how many alleys Losca’s capital city, Cyvalos, had.

Alleys that were perfect for hiding.

As the stomping of boots drew closer, the only thing I could focus on was the racing of my heart in my ears. The voices became more and more defined until they stopped right outside the alley.

“Have you found anyone?” a deep voice asked.

“No, sir,” a second man said.

“Names.”

“What?”

“Tell me their names,” the first one demanded, irritated.

I heard the crinkling of paper, and I took that opportunity to slightly peek my head out from the shadows. Four Dekhrinn were positioned just outside the alley, their armor shining red and gold. Loscan colors. Two of the men stood off to the side, one twirling his fingers nervously and the other rocking back and forth on his heels. Another Dekhrinn stood with his back to me—the one who had fished the piece of paper out of his pocket. The last man stood in front of him, a badge on his shoulder making it clear that he was the one in charge.

“We were assigned four revolutionaries, sir,” said the man with the paper. “Fenerias Hunt, Annwyl Cadarius, Eraka Orelein, and—” he hesitated. “And Silas Crow.”

So they were looking for me.

“You still haven’t caught Crow?” growled the man in charge. A pause, then he mumbled, “The next time I ask for a report, that Silas boy should have been brought to the emperor, alive or dead. Is that clear?”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Good.” With that, I heard his boots stomp away.

The other three Dekhrinn let out a long exhale as soon as he was out of earshot. For a few seconds, all was silent. Then the man with the list of names yelled, “Well? Don’t just stand around! Find them!” and he, too, stomped away.

The two other Dekhrinn shuffled closer to the alleyway entrance. I ducked into the shadows, my heart pounding.

“How do they expect us to find them?” one wondered aloud. “Losca is huge. They could be anywhere.” Silence, then he prompted, “Henrik?”

“What?” The other man—Henrik—asked.

“Do you ever wondered what would happen if we … you know, ran away?”

Henrik was silent for a beat. “Don’t say that. You never know who’s listening.”

“Yes, but …” There was a shuffling of feet. “Endox—”

“The emperor, Keflas,” Henrik corrected. “Show some respect if you want your head to stay attached to your neck.”

“If the emperor hears what I have to say about him, he’d behead me anyway,” the man named Keflas mumbled. “I think … well, don’t you think he’s a bit unfair?”

I had half a mind to run up to his face and yell, you think? but I forced myself to take a steadying breath.

Keflas continued, “I’m scared, Henrik. Just the other day, Sigourney’s husband disappeared.”

Henrik grunted, finally opening up to conversation although he still sounded a bit uncomfortable. “I heard about that,” he said. “Rumor has it that he was turned in by his own brother. They say you could hear his screams from the other side of the castle.”

Keflas shuddered. “Whatever he said, he probably didn’t deserve and end like that.”

“Exactly, which is why you should shut up before someone hears you!” retorted Henrik.

Keflas mumbled an apology. “Maybe we should start searching.”

Henrik muttered his agreement, and I heard their feet stomp away.

I slowly peeked my head out again, checking to make sure they were gone. Once I was sure that the alley was empty, I tiptoed out of my hiding place. This was my chance.

I ran as fast as I dared out of the alley—or tried to. Halfway out, I tripped on a root and fell on my face with a thud.

“Did you hear that?” came Henrik’s voice from the other side of the alley. 

“Dakhas,” I cursed quietly. How could I be so stupid?

“Someone’s in there,” said Keflas.

I cursed again, then stood and quickly brushed myself off. Maybe I could still make it out without them finding me.

“There he is!” Henrik yelled.

I glanced behind me. Henrik and the other Dekhrinn from earlier—the one with the list of names—were running towards me while Keflas called for more soldiers.

That settles it, I thought. Time to go.

I sprinted out the alley.

Blood rushing in my ears and the Dekhrinn only a few paces behind me, I turned a corner just as a gunshot rang out. A bullet whizzed past me, just missing my ear.

I paused only for a second. Almost there, I thought to myself.

I kept running, pushing past confused passersby whose eyes widened when they saw who were behind me. I just had to get to the docks.

To the Nemesis.

As it came into view, I paused for a second to catch my breath, resting my hands on my knees. After weeks of searching, I had finally found what Mimá had told me to find. The Nemesis was what seemed like a large trading vessel. Why she asked me to find it, I didn’t know. All I knew was that I had to get aboard, or else I was dead meat.

“Hey!”

Oh no.

I glanced behind me and saw not two, but eight Dekhrinn running after me, pistols drawn. I eyed the docks again, but it was too far of a run. They’d shoot me down before I even got close.

To my left was a bustling fish market that seemed to go on for miles. If I mixed in with that crowd, they’d never find me.

I whispered a request for the Nemesis to stay at the docks for a little longer, then raced toward the fish market with eight Dekhrinn hot on my heels.

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

So, what'd you think?

Also, keep in mind the names of the three revolutionaries (excluding Silas) they're searching for. These characters are important later 😉

(So is the prince but he comes in in book 3)

[t1meslayer]

We're so back.

Please ignore the five Pokemon stories that I posted before "Neurocysticercosis" to celebrate leftover sales for PokéPocket. I probably won't be doing a Debrief for them since the collective is kind of its own thing.

But actually, don't ignore them. Go check out PokéPocket! Leftover sales run until July 31, 2024!!!

... That's not what I've gathered you all for today, though. No. If you haven't read my latest JJK fanfic, "Neurocysticercosis," what are you waiting for? Jump on that, and then jump into my little-a Read More below!

===

I made this joke in the opening Notes. However, I do once again have to point out:

What can I say?

It's very funny to me.

I'm also a big fan of Jujutsu Kaisen (don't mind the fact I misspelled it "Jujitsu" in the original AO3 summary), there's just too many things occupying my brain at a given time to write about it often.

My first SatoSugu fic "Infinitesimal Distance" came together soon after I learned my good friend and beta reader (you know who you are) also rotates those boys around in their brain. I had just gone to a Kura (revolving sushi bar) JJK crossover event. I won myself a Megumi figure and a felt hat.

Though I can't recall the exact impetus for that story idea, I do love the way it turned out. There's fun bits of horror storytelling, some of the dialogue is pretty sharp, and I leaned on the knowledge of a friend who lived in Japan to set the stage around Tokyo's Shinagawa city. The story wound up being pretty popular on AO3 too, garnering over 460 Hits and exactly 38 Kudos (as of this writing).

More importantly, it was a big hit for the birthday coalition of spiders.

Furthermore, it was a big hit for my friend who lived in Japan — surprise, she's the other birthday haver! To this day she considers "My fingers glide over you like a redacted passage" to be the greatest piece of prose I've ever written. I don't disagree, but you should've been there the night she beta read the piece, interrupting every other event going on in our friend group's VC just to hype me up.

So naturally... I didn't write any more JJK for seven months. This doesn't mean further ideas weren't festering in the back of my mind.

My original idea for "Neurocysticercosis" was pretty simple: Geto and Gojo are in some kind of art exhibit, Geto gets existential about humanity, and then it's revealed they've been fucking around while Shoko gets her ass beat by the Cursed Spirit of the week.

Shoko's brief beat-to-shit cameo was planned from the beginning. Sorry about that, Shoko fans.

That being said, a lot of my original idea didn't pan out as expected.

Late into the story, Geto makes this comment:

"Ask the average human what they think a 'living wall' is, and they'll talk up woven ferns and grass climbing up the side of their high-class mart. Pedestrian. Laughable. Imaginations stretched so thin within their walnut-sized brains that they couldn't begin to fathom what you and I see every day. Real living walls of scar tissue and rotting tendons and bloodshot, oozing eyes."

I originally wanted Geto to be observing a Living Wall, akin to San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art (I visited the museum with birthday friend and one other member of our group a few years ago).

However, I couldn't necessarily plop Jujutsu High students in the middle of San Francisco without over-scoping my vision through explanatory storytelling. And I was having some trouble finding good examples of Living Wall installations in Japan.

Then my fate turned on a dime one legendary night this February, in which I attended a Lord of the Rings watch party for another birthday. At that party I met an excellent cosplayer who, naturally, also happens to love Jujutsu Kaisen. We shared "Infinitesimal Distance" live, and I told them about the idea I was gestating on for a future SatoSugu piece. The current gift fic recipient recommended using the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art as a setting that would make sense for Gojo and Geto to canonically visit.

The rest, as they say, was history.

Once we started approaching her birthday, I knew what I had to do. We haven't finished the 2014 series Black Sails (her current obsession) together, so Plan A was not viable. Plan B was a go.

Having decided to go with an entire art gallery, this meant I needed to pick actual art. Now... I enjoy an art. I appreciate a good drawing. Sometimes I create my own art, especially ceramics. However, I am not a well-versed scholar in art history. This is an especially big roadblock when I have to try and come up with an artist whom folks might see in Japan circa-2008 — around the time when Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto are in Jujutsu High, as I understand. Not to mention the fact I can't ask my friend since she's the one this fic will be a present for.

My solution?

I kind of just looked up lists of the most influential modern Japanese artists and scrolled a couple of listicles, digging deeper into a few people whose work stood out. Much of that Googling took place over the course of a big family dinner for Father's Day this year.

I sorted through a number of names, including — but not limited to:

Tsuguharu Foujita

Tetsuya Ishida

Tadanori Yokoo

Makoto Aida

Yasumasa Morimura

However, as you all have read this fic (you better have!), you'll know I focused on the work of Chiho Aoshima. The compositions and color in her pieces really struck me, and the surrealist, often beautifully monstrous subject matter felt like a perfect match for the JJK universe.

In particular, this story revolves around A Contented Skull (2003):

Originally I chose this piece as a striking work that would be fun to describe. However, as I began to describe it (during a car ride across the Washington countryside), patterns began to emerge. I realized very quickly that A Contented Skull slots perfectly into foreshadowing the ultimate fate of Suguru Geto.

That's right, it's no longer just an opportunity to have Geto wax poetic about his feelings on humanity, and to reflect all the fucked-up shit he and Gojo experience. We've also got themes in this bitch. Themes of fate and autonomy and death, not to mention parasitic brain worms.

The fic's title is even a reference to a parasitic brain worm. If you had no idea what "Neurocysticercosis" was before now, don't worry. I didn't either. It was 99% big, fancy word to sound interesting, and 1% thematic brain worms.

As far as elements of the writing craft are concerned...

It took a few stabs, but I like the way I formatted painting titles to look like actual minimalist gallery plaques.

Shoko's injured, dying words do a lot of fuckery with text formatting, which I pulled almost directly from the nightmare sequence in my Pokemon ScarVi fic "Paradiso." The Cursed Spirit they're fighting is also notable. I always planned on making a centipede-esque monster, but it wasn't until I actually started writing that I realized the main image in my head was the "Charge Beam Beast" from Metroid: Zero Mission.

Anybody remember this dude? I used to play the beginning of Zero Mission over and over, so he's seared into my brain.

I'm also a fan of the experimental formatting with regards to breaking up dialogue. I finished "Neurocysticercosis" during a long train ride, only one day after I finished reading John Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society. It's a fun little read by an author whose work I tend to enjoy, though given it was his COVID "mindless fun" book, I do think it leans a bit too hard into sounding like a quippy Marvel film.

That being said, he does invoke a fun mid-sentence verb through em dashes that I think creates a great flow. Tried it out here, and will mostly likely use the idea again going forward!

===

Now that I'm done with this piece, I don't know when my next JJK fic will come down the pipeline. There aren't a ton of concrete ideas in my head for the series. However, I do know it'll be time to return to some of my bigger projects...

I'm been dying to write more "Fallout" sooner rather than later.

[shimmersmuts]

My father had always been a unique man but before either of us had knowledge of the war, he was the kindest man I knew.

The day I met team avatar was a life changer. Long Fang had always drove a wedge between me and my father, saying so often how 'unfit' I was as a princess. In truth I was never unfit nor unproper nor a problem.. unlike my father I hated not knowing of my own kingdom.

This incredible world is my birth right. It wpuld be one day my rule and I had every Right to know what was happening in it but this made Long Fang believe I was noisy. I should focus on the newest fashions, the latest music and poetry. Don't get me wrong, nothing I adore more than a evening reading a good poet novel, by the fire place and a hot cup of camimeel tea.

But I wasn't an ditsy girl, I was not a ornament! Nor did I want to be treated as such. I could remember when I barely reached womanhood and the horror of a maybe marriage to Long Fang was mentioned to me.

My father never knew my wrath wnd will up until that day. The tea table was flipped over, my voice so load pour (bear) was running away. More than 3 ways I said never.. one of them threatening to take Long Fang's life.

Luckily 3 years later, reaching now marriage age, team avatar came to Ba sing se. My might or might not marriage to Long Fang and Long Fang himself was thrown away in one go. How happy I was to be free of that man.. but than Sokka and Katara told me about the war and the devastation it took on their village and the rest of the world.

I believed marriage problems was the end of the world for me but how foolish and little my problems really were. Our Kingdom was almost almost took and my people almost enslaved. Soldiers that had been dying before my death and my small reality more silly than I could imagine.

When the Aiko took place and the earth Kingdom fell I experienced the world for the first time. My father was traveling with our bear and to say it was undeel would be a lie. I couldn't leave my Kingdom, and how my father did need my care, the people needed a form of hope.

For the first time I was expose to my people, the common folk, and when I saw the horror I must admit it broke my soul. The starvation, the pain, the lack of basic humanity. The fire nation was ruthless and one night they did capture me. If it wasn't for Smullerbee and Long shot.. I would've experienced the fear of all woman.

Smullerbee convinced me of joining the rebellion, becoming a beacon of hope for the people. It took much to convince the people that I was truly THEE princess especially since Long Shot actively tried to keep me a secret but sharing stories of Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph. They slowly started to believe me and slowly we all helped each other.

I leaded the people to the catacombs and there for most we lived in secret. Little by little we started to gather the young children and woman, led them to safety as we left the men to lead the rebel. For the first time I was a care giver. To feed and takecare of my people were my duty, a duty I accepted with great honor and tried my very best to serve.

The plan was for a few months successful up until the fire nation princess caught us and led us back to land. I confronted the Dui Lee for turning their backs on me, their kingdom, and this amused the child princess who's heart was pure black. "Oh dear, are you surely one of those ladies." She stated with boredom. "I'm no lady, I'm THEE princess of the earth Kingdom. The next in line for my father." With pride those words came but with regret they were followed.

Azula wanted to have my head and murder me on sighg when she discovered my identity, and would've done it but just when blue lightning could been struct, she changed her mind.

The Dui Lee saw this as hesitation and offered tk do the ugly deed but Azula warned her against it. "The earth Kingdom will advances her. She's the princess and shall be the next true ruler. To murder her will start a monarch. We are spreaded thin already with the war. The troops we have are enough to monitor the City, big as it is, but not enough to keep a uprising when other City choose to strike." The wicked girl smiled down at me.. a oval smile that was the beginning of my downfall. "Let's keep her alive but only to use her as a tool."

From there I was ledt back to the Fire nation. The furthest anyone of my royal bloodline had gone over 150 years. I was beaten, starved and torture by the wicked princess all the way till I met her father. When I finally met the face of the worse war in history.. I was scared.

Fire lord Ozai had this coldness to him, a glee for pain just like his daughter. But as Azula would hurt for a reason and purpose he did it out of enjoyment. I remember seeing him out of my only good eye. He made comments of my bad oder, broken teeth and bruise face. "I heard rumors of your beauty but under such peasant clothes I can't see the appeal." With that I was send off to a cell, to heal.

I was there for a month by myself, only a doctor allowed to visit me. He mever spoke, never did much, only checked my broken ribs and jaw from time to time. "I'm sorry of your hurt and I'm sorry what your going throw but if I don't fo my job, I shall be killed and done worse to then what you had experience." Hearing the words for the first time I remembered how disjointed I felt.

The fire lord's own citizens feared him. It made me realise the root of fear wasn't spared for his own people. Fire lord Ozai loved power, hurt and pain. He loved belittling people and breaking them to nothing. The doctor told me stories of how his wife was treated before she disappeared. Mental diseases she left with, in fear she lived in and her only strength her children. To love a beast like Azula you must be insane. It's a miracle to love such a heartless c×nt.

For most I couldn't say much of my stay in the fire nation accept for the awkward dinners I had to share with Ozai. Be would let me have private dinners with him every night when I had healed good enough from the outside. My bones were still broken but my skin.. peach and warm again, had healed enough.

Ozai would say how much he loved my porcelain face. "A small little doll." He than started calling me Porcelain and he had an act to take my clothes off with his eyes. He never did, to which I'm glad to say. He never went pass making me uncomfortable but never touched me under my clothes.. my neck, breast and back was another thing.

His cold finger always traveling down it.. and in truth each day I lived in fear when he will rape me. But now a bit older I realise that was his game. He bad no intend to hurt me but to mentally break me. Around midnight he would always summon me, when the palace was at his quietest. I remember being led by the gaurds every night.. they never said what he wanted.. they left that for my imagination.

Some nights I had to bathe him. Other nights I had to read to him. Hos favorite was singing him a lullaby his mother use to when he was a child. He made me lay in the bed, his head on my lap, and I had to stroke his head up until he fell asleep. Sometimes his hands would roam my legs but never between my tighs but I knew he toughg about it. Never understood what was his restraint but he never went that far to touch me between my legs.

The night I thought he would rape me was the night he gave me a bath. Now that was now fear.

"Don't worry little doll, I just want to give you the treatment you had all those years in your own palace." Hjs dark tone whispered. His eyes seemed so dark, his face unamused as he said it. I was fool of chills. I tried to lie and say I was on my period but he dared me to open my legs and allow his hand up to feel. The horror, the fear I felt. Never touched by a man all my lifebut now a man old enough to bemy father i was at his beg and call.

I didn't say a word but instead undress. Got in the bathe and allowed those horrible hands to touch me. It was a experience I try so hard to forget. How he washed my hair, told me how beautiful I was, how I could see his erecation and wondered the whole time when he would just force himself on me. I knew in strength I could never beat Ozai. I wasn't a bender, a warrior or had any form of combat. I was a princess, to learn those things were forbidden. If he chose he could've had his way with me and I was helpless to do nothing at all.

Luckily the horrow show was cut short when a emergency meeting was called. They bad to prepare for the day of black sun. Hearing this made me glad. This was a day I could try to escape.. The previous eclipse, that took too many years prior, the fire nation was horribly attack by warriors from the in land and was driven out of the land up to where they stand today. None benders took their kingdom away and send them to the furthers of all the states. If those none benders could drive fire nation out of their lands, me as a none bender could escape.

The plan worked and I did have an opportunity to steal a knife, pick the lock and in time when Azula was baiting Aang and the gang, they found me. They saved me and we all escaped together when the other people, who had evaded the fire nation, had been captured and taken away.

We flew away on Appa to a long lost Air Temple. To had been around people my age was a miracle and a blessing. Sokka was an angel and took so well care of me especially when the horror show Zuko join. In my captivity I never met the prince but I met his father and sister, I knew what horros his family had to offer.

In the time when Zuko was allowed to join the gang I was terrified and wanted to run away but once again Sokka found me and told me I would be okay. Many nights when I would have terros he would hold me, soothe me to sleep, promising to protect me. Sokka had a handful with me but he never lost his patience with me.

He helped me threw my worse and was a stability in my life like none other. Everytime Zuko came around he saw my visible fear, as did the rest of the gang, and took me or him out of the room. Aang thought me meditation to cope and deal with my pain. Aang was the first person to make me laugh after weeks. Every moment with Aang was like being with my better half, like seeing a small part of the old me.

Cause of my up bring I learned a lot of Air monk's culture and he and I could speak hours about it. I could tell to be with someone that felt like home meant a lot, and in truth so did it for me. I may not bea bender but I did practice Monk philosophy and culture everyday, evening being a vegetarian.

Aang would late nightsgo with me on Appa and we fly far and wide. He spoke of how he felt he failed again and that he did not know where to go from his shame. In truth, cause of how much time we spend and how much we could relate, me loosing my kingdom and unable to keep them save, we grew closer and Aang without trying became like a brother figure.

Katara and Toph had a very complicated relationship but Katara helped me physically heal and when I had to speak of what I went threw with Ozai, she was always there to hear. Toph and I knew each other for years and she saw me as stuck up but regardless this she did show great respect for me. "Your the princess of mg nation. My loyalty lies with you more than to my family." The Beifongs was a Huge name in my world and we all knew who they were. Theg did not have the title to rule but they had the money to do so, aswell as the connections. Unlike my father and I, they always had control over their lives and staff.

I had grew close with everyone but one, Zuko. Aang had tried to bring us close but I never got over my trauma to the extend I could get along with the fire nation prince. When he and Sokka left for their tour, Sokka told me the truth and asked I kept it a secret. I did not truth Zuko but I saw them off and it broke mg heart dearly to see Sokka leave. I knew Sokka would give his life for me and now my protection, my save place, was leaving with the face of my trauma. "Please, I need you to come back to me." Were my final words before kissing his hand.

Sokka smiled fondly at this and said he return in a week's time. He didn't keep his word but when he came back he was different. Sokka had regained some of his honor and had brought his father, Suki and another friend with from their travels. When I saw Suki and Sokka I knew they were madly in love. In truth I had a small crush on Sokka but he loved Suki, and getting to know her.. I could understand why. She was a honorable warrior, a good hearted person and so extremely beautiful. I stood no chance against her and I just wanted them to be happy.

Sokka asked Suki to give me fighting lessons and this is were she and I became a little more close. Suki knew of the close relationship Sokka and I shared and did know of my feelings. She made it clear she would not back off of hom though regardless how much she respected my title as a princess. "Koishy isn't part of the earth kingdom." I pointed out. "No, but that is what my warriors and island were defending and fighting for." Suki took a breathe, letring down her fans. "I almost lost him to a princess once before, I won't loose him again." Seeing the passion ane seriousness of her words, i couldn't bare to see a woman in pain.

I gave Suki my word that I had no more feeli g for Sokka but saw him now only as a brother. "From a crush to a brother?" "I rather take Aang before I go for Sokka." "Your aware Katara will have your head." We laughed at this. Seems like no one on the team was available. I then told Suki that I actually meant someone in my servitude in Bei sing sang. "He was apart of the rebel but he died protecting me. When i lost him.. it hurt so much. He was too good to be lost." A tear left my eye.

Suki surprised me and actually console my sadden state. "He died for his princess and for what he believed, he should be remembered as a hero not a lost." She encouraged me. For some reason I just hugged Suki in this second and she gave it back to me. "Priya, your kind and wholesome. I'm sorry for what you went threw but I promise that you will find love again. True love this time." "I rather die than open my heart, lr my legs." We chuckled.

We than continued the lessons but the grunts and the fumes of Zuko not so far giving Aang a lesson could be heard. Suki and I had grew respect for one another woman to woman. I did not havethe physical strength or warrior attitude of her but I had endured heartache and lost so frequently and was still standing. That was something no one could take away.

That evening I offered Aang and Zuko some tea but to both's, and myself, dismay. When Zuko took his cup it fell from my hands and I was in a small ball of nerves and fear.

Zuko and I had been around another for weeks and when Sokka is not there I barely speak in a group when Zuko is around. I could tell some way Zuko wasn't his family but at the same time.. his family had taken my kingdom, had tortured me and my people and had kept me captive and mentallh abused. I feared him and I did not care how much it hurt him.

When nighg came Katara and I spoke of the matter and she hated Zuko as much as mebut they too went of a adventure, and when they returned tat hate she had was also gone. Katara was the strongest woman I knew. She forgave Zuko and I hated him for it. I was the only one now left that did not like him.

Zuko tried to fix the relationship but it never worked. Somehow his presence always trigged my trauma. In the end Sokka and Aang told him to keep his distance from me before I have a nervous breakdown.

The final night ne gang and I had fun was when we left to see a play. The night was full of laughs, hurt and insults. The play of us was a joke and completely a insult of our journey. My role was played my a small child, depicted to be naive, dumb and completely unfunctional.. to my surprise this made me a bit laugh.. with Zuko of all people.

He told me how the play made him mad for he saw all his past mistakes and felt shame especially for his uncle and his relationship. "The dragon of the west? Did he not attack the wall?" "My uncle is a good man, the best man. He left his nation behind when my father gave me a planned doom mission to capture the avatar. In that raid he lost his son and he had never recovered after that. He's a good man, the kindest you would ever meet. He's the best of my nation and of my people." He defended nail and bone.

I saw Zuko for the first time as a human and it was refreshing. I even consoled him and said his uncle would be proud he was with the avatar and was trying tk fix his mistakes. "Anyone can make mistakes but only a man would try to fix them. Your a wonder to me Zuko, you really are." I slightly touched his hand.

The intend was good but Ozai flashed in my brain and the night of the bathe came back. I had to leave him and apologized to him at least. "Is okay Priya, your at least trying." He gave a sweet smile. This was the only time Zuko and I ever had a conversation and how small and silly it was.. it had meaning for both out journeys.

My part in the play was silly and I was glad when it ended with me being beheaded when Azula captured us in the catacombs. I was glad when I saw this, for in truth I wish that was the case.

The next few days were insane with Zuko revealing that his father was to burn down my kingdom like he had done with the air nomads. The gang had decided to get me to safety for even if my kingdom dies the people would live and will need a leader. "But I can't leace you!" "You have to Priya, I'm sorry but it's for the best." Sokka had decided to take me to the white lotus.

I met Iroh and he was as honorable as Zuko had said. Meeting the white lotus was a honor and the gang was going to kill Ozai, something I blessed them for. "Kill him barely, I want the final stab.. for my kingdom." No one believed those words but all feared the bloodthirstiness of myself. Suki had thought me little sword fighting but I was cable. With Iroh, on Sozin's commit, I took back my kingdom. Paindo was with me at all times to protect me and in the end we had prevailed, and so did Aang.

The next week we had tk travel back to the fire nation tk crown Zuko as the new fire lord and declare the war over. Aang,Zuko and I stood in front of the people and gave our speechess. It was the most emotional but joyous moment in all my life. The people celebrated us, the people celebrated the peace and for a long time we had that.

My father came back to rule the kingdom and we try to fix as much as we could from our City, till it was back to normal. I couldn't see Aang and the gang as much as I once did but I do remember the day Aang and Katara kissed. We were at Iroh's tea shop. Sokka was painting, Iroh playing music and new and old faces all together that ended the war. Instead of heroes we were family and I loved it greatly.

Sokka doscovering Aang and Katara was a big surprise especially when all believed Aang and I would marry. "WHAT!" Katara, Aang and I screamed loudly. We all were confuse for how could they think, me a 17 year old girl could marry a 12 year old boy.

The white lotus pushed the idea a bit longer but Aang and I saw one another as siblings. "He's like a little brother to me Iroh. How could I marry someone who I did not love?" It was Long Fang all over again.

Iroh explained it would show union in the world. The avatar and the earth princess, what a better match to show war had past. Since Katara was a waterbender and Aang needed his line to be airbenders, to preserve the air nation, a none bender like me would make more sense.

The logic and the reason I could see but neither of us three could stand this. "Aang loves Katara, and she him. I have no desire to get in between my friend's relationship." I killed the story before it could grow to much.

To Aang's and my dismay, how organically we got along, was noticed by everyone where we went. The stories of our may or may not romance was like wild fire to the world. Aang, too kind for words, did not know how to approach the people on the matter, so instead I had to deal with it. How many times I had to hear Aang and I would have beautiful children together.

At some point I did sever, he was like a brother to me. The best way to deal with the rumor was to spend less time with Aang which had to happen. Aang, Sokka and Katara went to fix the long lasting damage that the war had left as I went back to Ba sing Se. My father and I had a kingdom to rebuild and in a different way helped Aang.

For two years there was peace. Aang and the gang went to rebuild the places of the war that took long term damage. The first sever problem was when they came to the earth kingdom colonies.

For almost a 100 years fire nation and earth kingdom citizens were living together in the colonies. The problem was when Zuko asked his people to return to the fire nation and they refused, claiming the colony was their home. The fire nation did not want to leave and the earth kingdom did not want them there.

Myfather wanted Zuko's people out of his land but Zuko later decided to support his people. They had made a home there and should rightfully live there. Many of the citizens had become of mix raise and felt that way, and this me or my father couldn't see.

I had for 2 years been well until Zuko was ready for war and my trauma of the past cane back.

[vee-thebee]

oh and since ive decided i'm done depression posting for the night my bf has recently gotten super into magic the gathering. which like is fine already, but he's also been buying me decks as well when new decks get released so that way we can play magic against each other. which again is fine, but what he doesn't understand is how much this is healing my little nerd heart. i was that dorky ass kid in class (think elementary school, i started playing when New Phyrexia had just dropped and i was literally nine years old) who was bringing my mtg cards into class because i thought they were just so cool!! but unfortunately nobody else really did since mtg wasn't really that popular in my area so i never got to play against anybody but my sister. and even then my sister was a really bad sport and would throw fits every time she lost (which wasn't often because she was 12 and had better reading comprehension than me)

so seeing him get so excited every week when he comes over and he's so ready to show off new cards he got or he's excited to build new decks with the random cards we both have lying around or even he gets really excited because new decks got dropped and we're gonna play them against each other!! when wilds of eldraine dropped he bought the two decks so fast and gave me my first precon (virtue and valor if you care lmao) and every week when we go to my friend's house we all sit down and play and he got so excited for me when my jank deck finally worked that one time last week! and he takes wins like an asshole (expected especially since i do as well lmao) but he takes losses really gracefully and he's always so excited to play with me because we both have decks that are really well suited to one another and idk it's just really nice to finally get to indulge in this geeky little passion that i've harbored for literally 12 years but never got to share with anybody else

and another quick thing is that he keeps an eye out for secret lair drops that i'd enjoy!! like a few weeks ago he was telling me about how there's gonna be some reprints of a few cards that are gonna be Evil Dead themed (and i've never talked about it here but i fucking LOVE evil dead like LOVE it's a hyperfixation i know everything about it I FUCKING LOVE EVIL DEAD) and when he was showing me the cards i talked about how i was gonna proxy the puresteel paladin reprint because it's ash and like i already have a first edition puresteel paladin i'd just be doing it for the art and he literally said "oh honey they're already in my basket ready for the drop you don't have to proxy it i'm just gonna buy it for you" and i nearly cried. like you're not only giving cards to the card goblin but you're giving me cards that are based on my favorite horror franchise? and you were just going to do that without me having to ask? you just saw that they were printing magic the gathering cards with art based on my favorite horror franchise and you thought of me immediately? i will literally kiss you. fucking marry me right now.

[so-long-soldier28]

very random warbler headcanons

✨ sebastian smythe ✨

- played lacrosse in france and was liked by his teammates, but wasn’t necessarily popular in school

- scandals bar habits came directly from nights in paris

- neither of his parents are homophobic, but he’s heard the horror stories and fears losing his relationship with them

- his maman knows about his late night habits, but doesn’t question him about them. she’s always known he was gay, but he never directly told her. she fears if she brings it up, he’ll clam up 

- still, she looks out for him in ways she can. teaches him how to be safe outside at night, shows him ways to defend himself if he ever has to. sneaks extra condoms in his nightstand drawer

- takes him a while, but eventually realizes his mom knows, but isn’t trying to stop or control him. awkward about it at first - doesn’t go out for some time and definitely doesn’t bring anyone home. but when their relationship doesn’t change, he goes back into his old ways. does make an effort to be safer (and even a bit more open about it), though, for his maman’s sake

- something about the smythes: love preparing for social gatherings; hate social gatherings. their house is always the place to be during the holidays bc it’s huge and gorgeous. mrs. smythe loves decorating for christmas, and all three of them love to cook and bake for it. but then throughout the night, they all just want their company to go home so they can sleep

- both parents taught sebastian to cook and bake, and he has a book of their favorite recipes that he pulls out during late nights at dalton

- charcuterie board connoisseur 🧀🍷

✨ nick duval ✨

- from michigan but at dalton on a scholarship (i read a fic where it was a soccer scholarship, and my brain adopted it)

- childhood best friends with jeff

- not good with directions. can’t really tell left and right apart. on road trips, he’s not the driver, nor the navigator, but a secret third thing (in the backseat, wondering where the nearest rest stop is)

✨ jeff sterling ✨

- second child of four siblings + has a twin sister

- also from michigan, but siblings are scattered all around states (has an older brother in florida, too)

- loves his family, but they have their issues. grateful for nick’s support throughout his life, otherwise he’d be pretty lost

- when nick got accepted to dalton, he begged his parents to go, since most of his siblings were separated anyway. they let him go mostly to have one less child to monitor 

✨ hunter clarington ✨

- doesn’t believe he can be liked, so he settles for being feared

- this works for coaching the warblers, but he quickly learns he’s not accepted nor respected by them

- left out on lima bean study dates and movie nights and other warbler group activities. hurts him, but he doesn’t show it

- canonically: acts out with steroids until the boys plant enough evidence that blaine and sam find out to get him expelled

- noncanonically: after one strenuous practice, he loses his cool and shares his insecurities. very slowly, the boys open up and forgive him, like the did to sebastian after the slushie. eventually, he’s brought into the group as a friend, instead of just being on the outside as a leader

✨ thad hardwood ✨

- always first to forgive

- giant goof that makes everyone smile, even on the worst days

- has a theory that kurt killed pavarotti for blaine’s attention. wes thinks he’s crazy for it

✨ trent nixon ✨

- public school bullying brought him to dalton

- lives closer to cincinnati, ohio. wishes he was in westerville, though. doesn’t feel safe in his hometown

- parents aren’t divorced, but they don’t love each other. very close with his mom, not at all with his dad. has to talk to his dad once a year, though, bc he pays for his schooling. this usually happens around christmas-time. unless his dad drinks too much the night before and forgets

- queer. every so often wonders if he’s bi, but has never been in a relationship with anyone so he doesn’t know. curious about girls, but at the same time, can’t imagine dating one. doesn’t feel a need to figure it out ~ he likes who he likes

- has the biggest crush on blaine. relates to him, wants to protect him, and thinks he’s absolutely adorable

- was the one to kick sebastian out of the group after the slushie. all were mad, but he shouted at him for almost an hour, and even pushed him once

- last to forgive sebastian, but did eventually. also apologized for pushing him. he’d never physically touched anyone like that before and he felt bad since it happened, but not bad enough to apologize right away

✨ david thompson ✨

- aroace

- best friends with wes. they went on a date once, but both decided they were better as friends

- the warblers call them their dads (no one knows about the secret date, but their parent-like protectiveness over the group brought on the gag)

✨ dalton academy ✨

- students are allowed to use the kitchen as long as they keep it clean and know basic safety rules

- there are three fire drills a year. one is during classes, one is at night, and the last is unannounced and random

- lots of begging resulted in the warblers all being put on the same floor. all freshman students and transfers are randomly placed, but going into their sophomore year (or next year up), they can request roommates

- the school’s no-bullying policy extends to having emergency buttons in all of the dorm rooms and hallways, in case anyone ever feels unsafe

[bubbleteaimagines]

He cheats and gets someone else pregnant

Haikyuu Boys Drabbles

The one where you finally realize your worth and don’t forgive a cheater

SUNA RINTARO

It was inevitable, he supposed. You weren’t a dumb person- you’d figure it out soon enough. You’d pick up on the signs- notice how much he’s been going out lately and staring at his phone. Laughing at things you hadn’t sent him, becoming distant, slowly but surely.

Suna knew you’d find out.

He just wasn’t expecting it to be soon.

He had come home one evening and took a shower like normal. While he washed up, he made the terrible mistake of leaving his phone in the kitchen, thinking that there was no way she’d text him. Their relationship was dwindling, after all. Suna was beginning to let the guilt get to him.

After 3 long months, he finally realized what he had wanted. He wanted you, forever and always. He wanted to marry you and spend the rest of his days traveling and experiencing new things with you.

Unfortunately though, he figured it out too late. A boys mistake, thinking that the grass was greener on the other side. And he’d soon pay the price for that wishful thinking.

While you were cooking dinner, you couldn’t help but notice how often his phone was going off. It kept dinging every few seconds, quickly causing you to become irritated.

Suna’s phone never went off that much, and so you thought surely it must be the boys. They probably added him into a group chat, you figured.

Oh how wrong you were.

The minute you walked over to the device and picked it up, you could truly feel your heart break. Searing pain burst through you like a rocket, a gasp leaving your lips as you scrolled through the messages.

8:53 PM

Unknown: Suna? Do you think we could talk?

Unknown: I know you said that you were going back to Y/N, but I...I’m pregnant. And it’s yours

Undeniably, you were shocked and confused. Pregnant? Who was this that was texting his phone? And why the hell did she think she was pregnant by your boyfriend?

A sickening feeling began to bubble in your stomach. Putting the phone down, you clenched your fists and took deep breaths.

In and out, Y/N. In and out.

Surely there was an explanation for this, right? You’d ask Suna as soon as he got done showering, and he’d laugh and tell you how this was all a misunderstanding. Some prank by Atsumu, wanting to get him back in his own cruel way.

But...

One look at his face, though, and you knew everything.

“Tell me you didn’t,” Your bottom lip trembled as you stared at Suna, his eyes widened as he looked at the phone in your trembling hands. Once again, it pinged, but you didn’t even have the energy to look. The only thing you were focused on was your heavy breathing, and the fact that you were becoming light-headed as Suna stepped forward.

“Y/N, baby, I can explain.”

As soon as those words left this lips, your entire world shattered. Letting out a sob, you dropped the phone and used your hands to cover your mouth in horror.

“So you did.”

Suna became panicked as soon as you started crying, holding onto the kitchen table to keep yourself from falling over. The pain that you felt was indescribable, not to mention the absolute betrayal. You had given everything up for Suna- and he repayed you like this?

“Y/N/N, please,” Suna was begging as he moved closer, trying to embrace your crying figure in his arms but you pushed him away, sudden anger taking over you.

“Don’t touch me!” Suna flinched as your damn near threw him off, backing up so far from him. The look in your eyes nearly killed him as you made eye contract, “I don’t want your filthy hands on me now that I know where they’ve been!”

“Y/N...-”

“Shut the fuck up Suna!”

You could no longer control yourself as rage began taking over your body, slowly but surely replacing the tears. The more you processed it - the more you looked at that bastards face and realized that he had went and knocked someone up while you were at home, cooking his dinner - the more infuriated you became.

“I cannot fucking believe you. Like are you serious right now?! I spend all day, all fucking day waiting for you Suna. I cook your food, I run you baths, I do everything I can to make your life less stressful and then you go and do this shit?”

“Baby just listen me, it’s not like that, okay?Whatever you saw- it’s in the past! Me and her- it meant nothing. I realize that now. It’s me and you baby- just us. That’s all I want,” Suna felt tears trailing down his cheeks as he desperately pleaded his case. Desperately grabbing at you, trying to hold you as if that would make everything okay. As if a simple “I’m sorry,” could fix what he broke.

Instead, you found yourself laughing bitterly and fought the urge to smack him in the face. No, you decided you’d have more dignity than that. You’d pack your stuff, peacefully, and leave this asshole here to rot.

“Whatever.”

That was quickly decided in your mind and within seconds, you were shaking your head, scoffing as you pushed passed him and practically ran to your shared bedroom.

“Wait-! Y/N, what are you doing? No, no, no, no!” Suna panicked even more when he followed you and saw that you were hurriedly packing your stuff in a suitcase. It was messy, and you barely had half of your shit but you decided that it’d do. At least until right now. At least until...well, you didn’t really know anymore.

You and Suna, you guys were supposed to be each other’s forever. You were supposed to be endgame, but as it turned out, Suna ruined that before you could even get a ring.

You scoffed again at the prospect of ever marrying him. Now, you began to think about why you even wanted him in the first place. How did you not notice the signs? The lack of effort for weeks until Suna suddenly warmed up again and began treating you like you were his world.

How did you not catch on? How did it completely slip your mind that you were dating a cheater, until the facts suddenly smacked you right in the face?

“What does it look like I’m doing, Rintaro,” You rolled your eyes, zipping the suitcase and then booking it to the bathroom. You quickly grabbed your body wash, all your hair products and then your toothbrush. You lazily threw them in a another bag and then stood up, glaring at Suna who tried to block you from exiting the door.

“Move,” You stared him down, venom lacing your words. “I don’t fucking have time for this.”

“Baby, please,” You flinched as he reached out to touch you, to stroke your cheek with the same hands that had touched her. They were slightly wet, presumably from wiping his tears away, but all you could think about was that you weren’t the only one he had been coming home to. You weren’t the only one he had been fucking and touching.

The thought made you absolutely sick. You were sure that if you didn’t get out now, then you’d puke all over your- his expensive furniture.

“You have to listen to me,” Suna silently cried, his body shaking as he stood there, begging for the one person he needed in his life to stay. “I told you- she means nothing. I don’t want anything to do with her, I only want you, Y/N.”

“And the baby?” Dammit. You couldn’t help yourself. Once again, your anger began to fade as tears gathered in your eyes.

Suna had a child. He had a fucking child with some stranger he’d known less than six months. She was carrying his blood, something that was supposed to be your moment. You were supposed to give him his first child. You were supposed to be the one he shared that part of life with, not her.

“I- what?”

From the looks of it, you’d almost think that Suna didn’t know. His eyes were wide, his whole body stopping as he stared at you incredulously.

And then it hit you.

He didn’t know.

He didn’t even know that she was carrying his baby. He was completely clueless. Both of you were blindsided.

At this, you couldn’t help it. You did laugh, a bitter sound that sounded almost like you were mocking him.

“Wow Rintaro. How fucking stupid could you get?” You let out a watery chuckle, shaking your head as a tear ran down your face. “If you’re gonna cheat and fuck someone else, then at least be smart enough to wear a condom.”

“But I...that’s impossible,” Suna whispered, mostly to himself. “I don’t...I mean she can’t possibly...how did you...?”

“She was blowing up your phone while you were in the shower. How did you think I found out?” You gave him a fake smile. “For someone that doesn’t like putting in a lot of effort, you sure did put a lot into making sure you fucked this relationship up. And then your own life too.”

You hated to say it, but you silently enjoyed the way Suna was going to suffer. At the very least, it was absolutely what he deserved for cheating in the first place. Now, his life was probably going to be ruined. His career, his dreams, everything he had planned...

It was gonna go down the drain.

And you for one were grateful he wasn’t dragging you down with him.

“I...” Suna was at an absolute loss for his words. His whole body slumped, seemingly going numb as he just stayed in the doorway, looking shocked. It gave you the perfect opportunity to push past him, a small smirk on your face despite the searing pain in your heart.

You knew it was serious when he didn’t even try to stop you when you opened the front door.

“I left your phone on kitchen floor. Maybe you should call her. I’m sure you’d like to know more, seeing as it is yours. For your sake, I hope it’s a bouncing baby boy. That’s what you always wanted, right?”

You spoke one last time, making sure to rub salt in the wound before taking a final glance at the man you loved.

He looked broken, a sheer sobbing mess as he still stood in your bedroom door. A part of you couldn’t help but feel bad. You couldn’t help but want to go over and embrace him, dropping everything and tell him that things were gonna work out.

That was the part of you that still loved him.

But the other part...

The other part of you told you that it’s what he deserved. He cheated, and now he has to live with the consequences. Loosing you, and becoming a father at the age of 20.

That was the part of you that gave you the extra push. That was the part of you that gave you the strength to close the door, forever walking away from the man that broke you and the empty house that held all of your dead dreams.

——————————— ☁️ ——————————

BOKUTO KOUTARO

You didn’t believe it. Or more like, you didn’t want to believe it. You didn’t wanna shatter your fantasy world, one that you had been living in for four years.

You didn’t want it to break, because if it did...

You didn’t know what you were going to do.

For the last four years Bokuto had been your world. Your absolute rock, your sunshine on a cloudy day. He made you laugh, he made you feel welcome and special like nobody else had before.

Surely...your Bokuto wasn’t capable of this. Surely didn’t...he couldn’t have...

You didn’t even wanna think about it. Bile rose up in your throat every time you thought about it...his lips on hers. Caressing her and holding her the way he was supposed to only hold you.

You didn’t wanna think about it, but yet-

You had no choice as you stared at the pregnant woman before you.

“I’m sorry,” She had tears in her eyes as she sat on your couch, sobbing while simultaneously holding her belly. While holding his baby.

She had come to you only a few hours before, taking you by complete surprise. Never in your life did you ever think you’d come face to face with your boyfriend’s baby momma.

But that’s exactly what had happened.

Apparently, she and Bokuto had both had a one stand a few months ago. It was when he had traveled to Tokyo for a game and you stayed behind because you had school.

It was the one weekend you weren’t there to support him. One weekend...and you had lost him forever.

“It’s not...it’s not your fault,” You told her somewhat awkwardly, although you didn’t really mean it. She had slept with your boyfriend, after all. And now she was pregnant, claiming the baby was 100% his.

That wasn’t even the worst part though.

The worst part was that you couldn’t even be mad at her, because she didn’t know. It was a one night thing. She had told you Bokuto had left in tears the next morning, rambling on about how she meant nothing and that he had you to come home to.

She claimed that he regretted it the minute he realized what happened. Crying out about how he was going to propose and then rushing out without so much as a goodbye.

Oh how stupid he was to name drop you.

You almost wished he hadn’t, because that was how she had found you. After finding out that she was pregnant, she tried to reach out to Bokuto only to realize that he was telling the truth. He’d been with you for four years.

But did that really even mean anything anymore?

“It’s just- I just-” The girl shook her head. “I just want you to know that I never meant to hurt you. If I had known...if I had any other choice...”

“Actually, I’m sort of glad you reached out to me. Thank you for that. That was good on your part, seeing as I doubt he would have told me,” You smiled numbly, not capable of feeling anything at the moment.

It was like...your entire body was on shut down mode. It had become numb, desperately trying to block out the pain you were sure that was coming. And you, for one, were absolutely grateful. You didn’t wanna think... you didn’t even wanna fathom how broken you were gonna be.

So you didn’t. Instead you kept your thoughts quiet and relished in the numbness.

“You know...” You laughed bitterly, sadly shaking your head as you sighed, “Bokuto’s always wanted a kid. He kept begging me a few weeks ago to have one, but I said no. We’re both so young, you know? We had our whole lives together.”

You hadn’t meant to make her cry even more, but that’s exactly what your words did. They cut a knife through this random girl’s heart, causing her pain that she had stolen that from you. Bokuto, he had taken that from you as well.

“I’m sorry,” Once again, she apologized, but you weren’t much focused on that. Instead, your attention snapped towards the front door as you heard keys jingling outside. With a sharp push, your stomach dropped.

Bokuto was home.

“Hey hey hey! Babe whose car is that-”

Bokuto’s smile suddenly dropped as he walked into the scene, your dull eyes and the girl’s tearful ones ones trained on him. Immediately, his whole demeanor began to crumble down and he nervously looked between the two of you, his shoulders dropping.

“...outside. What’s this?”

“Bokuto, I believe you know her,” You were eerily calm as you pointed towards her, showing no emotion as Bokuto’s eyes flickered to her stomach. “This is Kayla. From Tokyo, right? I think you guys have much to discuss.”

Bokuto was at a loss for words as you rose from the couch, gesturing for him to take your seat. But instead of listening, he decided to make things difficult and run after you like a lost puppy as you made your way to the bedroom.

“Babe, babe wait! Y/N, please baby I can explain. I can explain, I can explain, I swear! Just let me, just please let me-”

“Bokuto,” You stopped him, holding up your hand and shaking your head. “I’m not in the mood, really. Just go talk with her alright? She came all this way to find me, so it’s rude not to.”

“But baby-”

“Go,” You suddenly became firm, gritting your teeth as you stared him. For a second, you took a small pause, and then Bokuto heard the words he never wished to hear his in life. “And don’t you ever call me that ever again, Koutaro.”

“K-Koutaro...?” Bokuto stuttered slightly, reeling back at the use of his first name. “But baby...y-you never call me that. Ever.”

“Oh yeah?” You couldn’t help but laugh on how clueless he was. I mean honestly, you never thought that Bokuto was stupid but now...“Well what the hell else am I supposed to call you? Read the fucking room Bokuto. Your pregnant fucking mistress is sitting on my couch, crying her eyes out and you’re worried about me calling you by your first fucking name? Get a god damn grip.”

For the first time that day, emotion began peaking out from your eyes. Pure anger bubbled up inside of your body, finally manifesting after holding it in for so long.

It felt good, in your opinion, to finally feel something. A delayed reaction, sure, but late was better than never.

“B-But-”

“Shut up,” You rolled your eyes at his trembling form. “I don’t wanna hear anything else from you. So go talk to her. Figure your shit out while I pack mine.”

“No!” Panic was evident in his voice as he suddenly grabbed your arms, preventing you from entering your bedroom. Shocked, you siteuggled in his embrace but Bokuto was extremely strong.

“What the hell? Let me go!”

“Y-Y/N! Baby y-you can’t leave me! You can’t! What about our plans? What about forever and always, you and me?”

“Did you think about that before you got drunk and fucked her?” You snapped harshly, causing him to whimper. “Exactly. So don’t come pulling that bullshit out on me, Bokuto. You’re the one that ruined that.”

“But-” At this point, he was searching for something, anything to make you stay as you shoved him off and then stormed in your shared room. “But baby I- we had this whole plan...I was gonna propose! Please, I...I even got the ring! Here I’ll prove it to you!”

While you were busy running around the room throwing all your stuff together, Bokuto suddenly dashed to the kitchen and retrieved a box he had been storing for a special occasion. He completely ignored the girl that was sitting on his couch, not even sparing her a second glance as he rushed back to you and dropped to his knees.

“See?” He hurriedly opened the box and desperately grabbed your hand, slipping the shiny diamond on before you could even protest. “I had it made for you, Y/N! Pure diamond, princess cut. It’s even engraved with your name baby! Please...”

You had to admit, you wanted to break down as Bokuto began to cry, looking awfully small as he kneeled by your feet. To make matters worse, he kept kissing your hand and mumbling tearful apologizes that yanked at your heartstrings.

By now, your initial exterior had began to crumble. Pain began to surround your heart, squeezing it so bad it almost felt like you were burning. A swell of tears gathered in your eyes, and you almost, almost gave in.

You almost sank to your knees and cried with him, almost pulled him into your arms because you didn’t wanna let go. You loved Bokuto, you truly did, and you wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of your life with him.

He was a good man, that probably made an honest mistake. He was everything you had ever wanted. And you were so tempted...so tempted to give in. Until you realized that you deserved better.

“I’m sorry,” Sniffling slightly, you yanked your hand out of his grasp and shook your head. “But I need to go. I can’t stay here anymore Bokuto...you ruined this. You ruined us, and now you have a woman in there carrying your child. You have the family you’ve always wanted. Don’t ruin that too.”

Hastily, you leaned down to press a bitter kiss on his forehead and then stood back up. Bokuto sobbed as he watched your figure retreat, standing high despite the heartbreak.

It was then that he realized that even though you were letting him go, you’d be just fine. You’d pull yourself together eventually, you were strong like that. You didn’t need him, but god, what about him?

He wasn’t sure if he could survive without you. He could barely even breathe and you hadn’t even walked out yet.

Was this what it was going to feel like from now on? Empty, hollow...meaningless?

“Please.”

One last time, he cried out of you. He begged you to stay.

But you knew you deserved better than that.

“I’m sorry.”

And with that, you left him behind. Forever.

[spinningwebsandtales]

Angel Of Death

A Stranger Things AU

Vampire Eddie Munson X FemReader

Rating: T+

Warnings: Blood, horror, bullying, name calling, Vecna is a jerk

Word Count: 8.2k words

(A/N:) Hello sweet readers and Happy Halloween season! It’s finally here and I am ready to share all the spooky horrors and sweet fall season fluffs! I’m starting out with a doozy of a fanfic that I worked awhile on! I’m obsessed with the thought of vampire Eddie I just had to write something and so this fic is the product of that thought. I can’t wait to share my other imagines but this one is quite special as I hardly have time to write really long fanfics. So I am very happy to be able to kick of this Halloween season with a bang! So keep an eye peeled for my other stories as I had several ideas this year! Until next time happy reading! ~Countess

The earthquake that had rocked Hawkins had left a wound that festered amongst the residents. Many had abandoned the place they knew as home and some stayed. Your family were among the few that stayed and life had become quite the living nightmare. School had been canceled for the year as strange happenings had begun in the town of Hawkins. You weren’t allowed to leave the house, but you snuck out most nights to visit your friends but to mostly look for Eddie Munson. He had been missing for so long now that even his uncle had given up trying to find him. Everyone believed him dead, but you weren’t willing to give up just yet. Most people didn’t know about the close friendship you had with the metalhead outcast of Hawkins. Childhood friends just didn’t stop being friends so easily, though Eddie made you stay away in public for your image alone. It had been an argument that you and him had had quite often and he won out every time. But that never stopped you from going to see him in the evening to hang out.

 Before he disappeared you never told him that your friendship with him had become something more to you, but now that he was gone you were never going to be able to tell him how you felt. Now as you sat around your family’s dinner table mainly pushing the remaining food around you thought more of where you could search for Eddie.

“(Y/N),” your mother spoke gaining your attention. “Your father and I think you better stay in tonight. Hawkins PD have given an earlier curfew and we don’t want you getting caught out.”

You nodded pasting a smile on your face, “Sure mom I’ll stay home.”

You hated lying to them, despite the other young adults your age you still got along just fine with your parents. But you had, no needed, to find Eddie. You were going crazy without him, surely if he was here everything would be so much better. You excused yourself from the table taking your dishes into the kitchen.

. You had a few more hours until your parents would be occupied with their regular nightly television so you took the time to gather everything you needed to go out and look. Sitting cross legged on your bed while watching the sun dip down behind the trees through your bedroom window you remembered all the times you and Eddie would watch the sun go down at his place. You would cook him something to eat and then you two would just hang out and joke around. He was the easiest person to be around, the one who knew you the most. He also helped you more than anyone as well, so now you felt like it was your turn. The sun was finally set and you heard the TV come on. Now was your chance. Luckily your room was on the backside of the house and led straight into the woods so there was no chance of your parents spotting you leaving. Leaving the light on and some music playing in the background you made your escape.

  “I’m going to my room to study,” you announced. Though school was canceled you did try to do a few things to keep everything fresh in your mind. You still had college to think about after the nightmare ended

 Slipping into the depths of the trees you powered on your flashlight to open the map you bought several months ago. X’s were scattered all across the paper where you had already searched and found no traces, tonight you were going to start somewhere else. Skull Rock was the next place on your list according to your search pattern. It was going to be quite the trek, but you knew deep down if it was you who was missing Eddie would go to the very depths of the Underworld to find you. So you would do the same for him. There was no bugs this late in the year as the nights were beginning to grow colder. Walking through the trees you were able to spot some of the neighborhood houses, Halloween decorations twinkling further out in the night. 

Used to you would be so excited to dress up and spend another Hallows Eve with Eddie, this year like last year was no different. You couldn’t get excited for any holiday, even Christmas made you feel hallow and numb. Eddie was your constant in life your reason to continue, now that reason was snatched away. You wiped the tears that made their way past the barrier you had created. No tears. You had made a promise you would cry when you finally found him. Safe, whole, and perfectly Eddie.

Further into the woods, the more anxious you became. Would you finally find something? Would Hawkins PD finally find out what you were doing and tell your parents? Man you just knew you would be grounded for eternity. You stepped across a groundhog hole sucking in a breath when chills went up your spin. Your clammy skin erupting into goosebumps. You had the uncanny feeling of being watched. You shut off the flashlight for a moment letting the moon shine brightly where you stood. Without making a noise you looked around the surrounding bushes and bare trees. A twig snapped causing you to jump and turn your flashlight back on. Shining it in the direction of the noise you spotted the owner of the hole you just stepped over not too long ago.

“Ugh,” you sighed in relief. “Give me a heart attack why don’t you?!”

Laughter filled the woods suddenly stopping your heart before you rushed to hide behind a tree. You barely breathed when a group of teenagers passed your hiding spot by. They had just left Skull Rock and once again you found yourself sighing in relief. Despite seeing other people out you couldn’t shake the feeling you weren’t alone and it wasn’t the teenagers that just passed you or the furry critter you saw earlier. An overwhelming sense of darkness was squeezing at you, but you couldn’t stop. You needed to keep going. 

Unexplainable terror squeezed your heart and lungs the closer you got to Skull Rock. Your body screamed for you to turn around and just forget the whole thing, though your stubborn mind was made up. You compromised to yourself that once you looked over Skull Rock really well you would go straight home where it was safe. The large rocks greeted your vision but the hollowed out eyes and gaping maw of the skull shaped boulder made you shiver. You could have sworn that the stupid thing was grinning at you, getting a great kick out of your wild imagination. Brushing the light against the ground you looked for any sign of your best friend. You searched for a ring, an extra pick he always kept, a scrap of fabric, you’d even settle for a lock of hair. Anything that pointed to the sign that he had been there at all. But all that littered the ground was empty beer bottles, discarded cigarette butts, and other unmentionable items. You shivered in disgust before feelings of despair settled in. This always happened after every time you checked a place and wound up empty handed.

“Eddie where are you,” you whispered choking back sobs. Another twig snapped and you glared in the direction. “Stop following me you stupid groundhog! It wasn’t funny the first time and it’s not funny now!”

Another snap and a hiss followed. Your blood froze and you dropped the light when your fingers went numb. Out of the shadows something stepped forward behind you it’s breath brushing against your sweaty neck. You shivered violently frozen in place, you could have sworn something said your name. Before a screeching noise pierced the blackened sky. You were knocked to the ground by a large bat like shadow. It sent you sprawling before you quickly crawled towards your flashlight. Grabbing it you took off through the woods, trying to escape whatever creature that had found you.

 Branches reached out and grabbed at your face, roots tangled up your feet sending you stumbling through the pitch black darkness. Even the moon had abandoned you. Your name was whispered through the gnarled trees. How did it know your name? Why did it sound so familiar? And why could you not seem to outrun this pursuing nightmare? You would scream for help but your terror sealed your throat shut. It was hard enough to gain enough air to keep you going forward at your pace. Those moments of pure horror continued when you fell out of the woods but you couldn’t stop you had to keep going. You could hear the maniacal laughter echoing where you once stood. That chilling voice sounding so familiar. It wasn’t until you hauled yourself through your window scratched, bleeding, and still shaking uncontrollably did you finally feel safe. That’s when you cried. Frustration and fear mixing into a feeling you never wanted to endure again.

It was really late now and your parents had gone to bed so you rushed to your bathroom to clean yourself up. You looked like crap with sticks stuck in your ponytail and face all scratched up. If you didn’t get yourself cleaned up enough you were going to have to come up with an alibi for your parents. Telling them you went to Skull Rock by yourself in the dark when they specifically told you that you couldn’t go out wasn’t going to fly with them. If you wanted to keep searching for Eddie you had to keep your home from becoming Alcatraz. 

You started the shower with trembling hands, despite being home and calming down some you couldn’t make the shakes stop completely. You stepped into the hot spray letting the water clean all the grime from your body until you were satisfied and content. Wrapping yourself up into a towel you dug through your cabinets for wound disinfectant and some bandages. Maybe you could tell your parents that you were attacked by a rogue pencil. Or your paper attacked you while you were taking notes. You snorted to yourself at the silly excuses, while cleaning a pretty nasty scratch on your leg. You tossed the cotton ball in the trash when the lights of your bathroom started to flicker. You tried the switch a couple times but it didn’t turn the lights off nor on, they just continued to flicker causing an eerie light show like a demented disco.

 You were about to call for your dad when the lights finally flickered once more before staying on. You sighed in relief deciding that you needed sleep. When you turned back to the mirror you saw a dark shadow in the glass. You stumbled back hitting the bathroom door in panic before looking back and seeing the shadow gone. You quickly got dressed and raced back to your room, sock feet muffled against the floor. You shut your door as quietly as possible and jumped into bed. Your body started trembling again and this time for the first time you didn’t feel safe at home. You hid yourself under your thick blankets wishing everything to go away and leave you alone. Nothing was heard through the house, everything staying eerily quiet. You felt safe enough to peek out of your covers when the radio clicked on. It surfed through the local stations on it’s own. Static and small pieces of different songs flowed through your room when it landed on the local station that played mostly metal music. Metallica’s Disposable Heroes filled the air the heavy guitars driving deep into your brain.

“Stop,” you shouted at the radio. It ignored you continuing to play before a shadow loomed over you in the darkness of your room. Clawed hands reached for you and you shrank back watching it in horror.

“Leave me alone,” you whimpered. The creature cackled evilly a glowing red eye piercing the depths of it’s form. Suddenly the radio shut off and the shadow left leaving you alone. You jumped again when a knock sounded from your bedroom door.

“(Y/N) is everything alright,” your father asked. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Dad,” you cried and he was at your bedside immediately.

“It’s okay,” he comforted you.

“The radio started playing and I swear I saw something.”

“I’m sure it’s just a short,” he replied stroking your hair soothingly. “We’ll get you a new one tomorrow that way it won’t just switch on again.”

You highly doubted that was the case since between the lights and then the monster that seemed to haunt you now. You began to wonder if Skull Rock was cursed now and you somehow brought the curse back home with you. Eddie wasn’t there anyway so you really didn’t know what to do. But you couldn’t give up you couldn’t let yourself lose him forever.

The next morning your mom made your favorite for breakfast while your father planned a shopping trip. He had explained to your mom about the night that you had and they both decided you needed to get out of the house. You mentally snorted to yourself. If they only knew. Halloween was on the horizon and they were planning something fun apparently to get you out of your mopey attitude. Honestly though you didn’t care about Halloween if Eddie wasn’t around to join the fun. Never in a million years did you think that you were going to have to go through any part of your life without him and here you were dragging through every day hoping and praying for his return. Downtown Hawkins tried to put on a cheery and brave face, but the busted up roads and destroyed buildings made you feel otherwise. You had drowned out your parents talking to watch the scenery go by. On the outskirts where some of the most severe damaged occurred you sat up abruptly.

“Stop the car,” you screamed. The brakes of the car screeched in protest and before your dad shifted into park you were out of the car. You caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing on a dilapidated porch of a destroyed home.

“Eddie,” you called racing towards the young man calling his name. It was him definitely. You definitely saw that familiar denim jacket and head of long curly hair. Your parents called your name telling you to come back but you had to see Eddie. This was the moment you waited for. You stumbled over an abandoned bike catching yourself you looked back up, standing right at the porch where Eddie had stood. But now you didn’t see anyone. You spun around trying to spot him, it was him. You saw him there was no mistaking him.

“Eddie,” you screamed, “this isn’t funny! I know it’s you stop hiding! Eddie!” You spun around searching anxiously your heart shattering in your chest. Falling to the ground you wrapped your arms around yourself before releasing a deafening scream of despair. Your mom was there seconds later holding you tightly while you had your meltdown.

“He was right there,” you whimpered. “Eddie was just there I saw him. He’s playing a trick thinking it’s funny. Well it’s not!”

“Shh,” your mom said looking toward your dad in concern.

“Eddie’s not there sweetie,” your dad tried to say it tenderly but you shook your head harshly.

“He. Was. There.”

That was the very beginning of the nightmare that would become your life. Buying a new radio didn’t stop the suddenly turning on problem and whenever the lights flickered it only happened where you were. Your parents were beginning to think you were losing your mind, so they decided to enroll you in therapy to deal with your sudden bouts of insanity. Now that you talked more about Eddie the more you started to see him. The shadow that had been haunting you taking the form of your absent friend. You cried yourself to sleep most nights thinking about him. You walked past mirrors there was Eddie with a deranged smile. You would run back to see him gone. The dark chair by your closet Eddie sat in it a couple times but every time you did a double take he was never there but for a split second. You called for him, screamed his name.

“Come on,” your mom lifted you up. “You’ll see him again. Just give it time.”

Your father shook his head as they lead you back to the car that was still running. Your head was beginning to throb and the tears just kept coming. Why would Eddie do something like that? Maybe you were going crazy. That could only be the explanation. You wanted to see him so bad that you were beginning to hallucinate Eddie and crazy shadows trying to kill you.

 Sometimes laughter was heard in reply. Bags started forming under your eyes. The radio would play at strange intervals waiting until everything was deathly quiet and it was the same song over and over. Disposable Heroes by Metallica. Surely some form of evil creature was haunting you but using Eddie’s face and favorite band to cause you to suffer more and more. You just wanted to find him, that’s all you ever wanted in life but now you just wanted the horror to go away, to stop torturing you on a daily basis. Now you were standing before your bathroom mirror not recognizing the gaunt pale face that looked back at you. Your features began to morph and swirl as the lights above began their flickering dance for the umpteenth time in the past two weeks.

“Please,” you moaned. “I can’t take this anymore.”

Eddie’s friendly face now stared back before melting. His skin ran in rivulets down his features before becoming a terrifying creature in itself. It was his face but more pale and his eyes were a reddish bloody brown like a pool of blood in the process of drying and his smile the one that once held warmth and joy held pointed fangs and only spoke of misery and death. He looked insane and malicious.

“Found me,” he hissed. His voice deeper and it rattled around in your skull. “You wanted to find me so bad. Are you happy with what you see (Y/N)?”

“You’re not Eddie,” you screeched slamming a hand against the glass.

The impostor chuckled malevolently, “I assure you I am.”

“Shut up!” You shattered the glass cutting up your hand. Bursting out of the bathroom the flickering lights followed you swiftly down the hall and into your bedroom. Slamming the door closed you hid your head under the pillows while your hand bleed profusely on the bed. You heard your door open while you willed the nightmare to end.

“Go away!!”

“It’s me,” your mom rushed over taking the pillows from you and cradling your wounded hand. Your spells were getting worse and she was growing more concerned. She carefully picked you up from your bed and lead you to the living room. Your father grabbed the car keys after seeing your sliced hand. Glass shards glimmered in the light and now that you calmed down a little and adrenaline wasn’t in your system you were beginning to feel the pain.

You cried and whimpered all the way to the hospital cradling your hand to your chest. You were drenched in blood and despite the haze you still caught glimpses of Eddie in the window. But instead of seeing the sweet metalhead you remembered it was the beastly image of this new Eddie. He mocked you, tortured you, took glee in the pain you were feeling. He told you the Eddie you loved was never going to come back, that he was dead and he was better off without you. You covered your ears trying to block out the harmful words. All that did was smear your blood over your head and face. The voice stayed in your mind digging into the very depths to strike where it hurt the most. You’d been losing sleep and now you were injuring yourself, you were kind of wondering how much more your parents were going to take before you were shipped off to the asylum. You couldn’t really blame them though. They didn’t see the flickering lights, the possessed radio that turned on whenever it wanted, or a Eddie that matched the Hawkins’ residents description to a T.

The doctor was really nice once you were in a room. They numbed your hand a little and cleaned all the glass punctured in your skin before sewing up the cuts. Now that your hand was taken care of and wrapped your parents were talking to the doctor about your spells. You ignored them and tried not to look at anything reflective. You weren’t positive how much more evil Eddie you were going to be able to take before you snapped for real. Despite ignoring the shadow trailing you, you could still hear the Eddie of your nightmares echoing through the room trying to get you to look. He called your name making your heart hammer in your chest. With a newly patched up hand and some pain medication to help with any discomfort you would experience with healing in tow you were on your way back home. You laid curled up in the backseat trying to block out the snarling timber of evil Eddie. You shivered despite the heater in the car blasting. Back home you ran inside refusing to look through windows or in the dark corners of every room. He was lurking you could sense it, his gaze brushing against your form sending tremors through you. You slammed the door to your room burrowing into the blankets.

“He’s not real. Eddie has to be dead,” you choked finally breaking. “This thing isn’t Eddie. My Eddie would never do something like this to me. Eddie!” You released all the emotions you had been holding back. The guilt and shame of not looking for him the moment he was accused of murder tearing you apart. You had felt that if you could find him you could finally make it right to him. You were the worst friend to him while he had been everything to you. You wailed in sorrow losing all hope as it all spiraled into remorse. This was the first time that evil Eddie had been silent in hours and you were finally able to fall asleep after crying yourself into oblivion.

You knew nothing only the dark abyss of sleep when a hand clamped on your shoulder. Your eyes shot open, sleep causing your vision to be bleary. It wasn’t your mother or your father. This shadow was familiar but also strange. Blinking several times rapidly everything began to clear up and the moon slipped through the curtains to outline the person who woke you. Long brown hair, denim vest, and leather jacket made your heart drop. This Eddie that had been your constant tormentor had finally got you and now your time had come to pay for mistreating your friend. You breathed deeply to scream when he latched a hand on your mouth. You squirmed and screamed behind his hand. He gripped harder making your jaw pop from the pressure. Tears welled up and you knew that it was the end.

“Shhhh,” Eddie hissed. His normal chocolate brown eyes had a reddish tint in the dark and they seemed to glow. “Shut up! You’ll get your parents down on me!”

You glared menacingly before kicking this impostor with all your might causing him to fall off the bed.

“Son of a… What’s your deal.”

“You’re not going to kill me that easily you monster,” you whispered shouted. Grabbing the nearest weapon available you kept your back pressed against the wall not daring to look away from him.

“It’s me,” Eddie whisper shouted back.

“It is not! You’ve been a constant nightmare in my life. The real Eddie is dead and I’ve been left with a evil ghost to torture me for being so pathetic and abandoning the only friend that mattered!”

This Eddie rolled his eyes and huffed. “Well good news I’m definitely dead but I’m also not in a way.”

You wielded the lamp pointing it at the thing in your room. “That definitely sounds like Eddie. But I don’t trust you.”

“You probably shouldn’t,” he nodded scratching the back of his head. “You should probably sit down (Y/N). You probably won’t believe me though.”

“Try me.”

You sat down still gripping the lamp tightly and impostor Eddie sat down too to make you feel more comfortable. He explained a different dimension that you could enter through a few places in Hawkins. How monster creatures have been the cause of all the bad that had and has happened to Hawkins. Then he talked about a great evil known as Vecna and his demobats.

“Vampire Eddie huh? I’m not buying it.”

  “I think that’s why I’m alive or undead,” Eddie rubbed his forehead like he had a headache settling in. “I think I was infected and now I’m like a…a vampire.” He scooted closer and you held up the lamp. “It’s okay I just want to show you. Look at my crazy eyes. They’re red like a vamps and and look,” he raised his lips, “fangs! This is crazy man!”

“C’mon (Y/N),” his voice raised an octave like Eddie’s used to when upset.

“Tell me something only my Eddie would know,” you threatened menacingly with your lamp.

He hung his head, “Putting me on the spot huh?”

“It’s the only way,” you whispered.

“Fine,” he smirked showing one needle like fang. “Remember in 6th grade when we ditched class to go to the arcade and that boy you always crushed on… crap what was his name?” He snapped his fingers causing the rings he always wore to clink together.

“Daniel?”

“Yeah that one! Ditched too and you tried to act all cool and flirt with him and you wound up spilling the drink I bought you all over him and the game he’d been playing. He was going to get the high score too but you screwed him out of it!” Eddie laughed and you shushed him. “I never let you live that down and still won’t now.”

He thought that you would be excited and laugh at the memory but you just sat there. Your lamp landing between your outstretched legs as your body started to shake intensely and your bottom lip quivered. You grabbed a pillow that had fallen off your mattress and stuffed your face into the soft material. Your muffled wails filled his ears as your shoulders shook. Eddie was at your side in seconds rubbing soothing circles on your tense back. Feeling his touch so familiar despite being a little colder than you remembered. You launched yourself tackling him to the floor.

“It’s is you,” you soaked his shirt with your tears. “It really is you. You’re here Eddie.”

“Yeah sweetheart,” Eddie hugged you back ignoring your sweet scent for a moment, “it’s me.”

All he could do was hold you tightly until you calmed down some. It felt like a lifetime since he’d gotten to be this close to you. The separation had been difficult, more difficult than knowing that he had died. His body left in the Upside Down had reanimated and now he was here with you. He had a few different urges but those were easily ignored while he got to be here; finally, with you. You both laughed and talked for a little while just catching up but Eddie suddenly turned serious.

“Listen,” he cupped your face, “Vecna is the one torturing you with me. It’s not me and I had to fight really hard just to get here and see you. He’s pulling my strings and I don’t know if I’ll be able to ever see you again. But the way to keep him at bay is music. Your favorite song to be exact. You have to stay safe (Y/N). I can’t imagine losing you too after all that I’ve been through. So please if I don’t ever get to see you again,” he paused clearing his throat, “take care of yourself and know that I never cared for someone more than you.”

He sat back down red eyes searching yours in curiosity.

He kissed your forehead before starting to rise. You grabbed his arm pulling him back down from leaving.

“Wait Eddie.”

“I looked for you every night for a long time,” you started.

“Yeah. I know I heard you.”

“I was so desperate to find you, cause I kept it secret for so long. I was so afraid of making you leave me but I have to tell you now. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I let you leave with the possibility of never seeing you again. I like you more than a friend Eddie. I’ve loved you since we entered  Junior High together, but I am such a coward I never told you.”

Eddie pulled you into him kissing you deeply. “I felt the same way for so long. Now I have to come back to you. Vecna or no Vecna. Whenever I come around the song I’ve been playing for you on the radio will play.”

“That was you?”

“Yeah,” he smiled showing the new sharp teeth. That was definitely something that was going to take you awhile to get used to. “The flickering lights was kinda me and Vecna but it was all him scaring you. I was trying to tell you I was here by playing Metallica for you. But I can see why that wouldn’t help.”

You snorted touching his face trying to get your fill before he left you, “I’ll make myself a mixtape to battle against him attacking me. I think I may have to add that particular song on there too. Cause it reminds me of you Eddie.”

“Hopefully I won’t be gone too long. I can still hear you in the Upside Down too so if you want to talk to me just talk okay.”

“Okay. Hey Eddie?”

“Yeah sweetheart?”

“Can we spend Halloween together like we used to?”

He nodded eagerly, “I’ll try my best!”

Before knowing Eddie was as alive as a vampire can be, Halloween was something you were not looking forward to, but now with the thought of seeing him again and spending Halloween together like old times you were now counting down the days. Your parents were happy to see you doing better though there was still moments where Vecna attacked. You had taken to keeping your cassette player going at all times, wearing it no matter the time. Now as you planned your costume and getting permission to stay out late in the safe neighborhoods the days went by quicker. Now the night of Hallows Eve was drawing nearer you laid sprawled out on your bed. Your costume draped over your desk chair and the only light on in your room was the lamp at your bedside you focused on the ceiling.

The music grew louder and the lamp flickered faster. You laughed more, he had always been a spazz when he was human too.

“Hey Eddie,” you whispered afraid your parents would overhear. Your answer was his song playing on the radio and a couple of flickers from the bulb in the lamp. You giggled the giddiness of knowing that he was so close taking over.

“I’m excited about Halloween now.”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to escape Vecna? Will it put you in extreme danger to leave him?”

The music slowed and the lamp flickered dully. Your heart sank at the thought of not getting to see him. If you knew Eddie though he was feeling guilty about not being able to give you a yes or no answer.

“That’s okay,” you cooed wiping at the tears that slipped by you. “If you can’t we’ll talk like this and I’ll describe my costume to you. My parents already think I’m a little insane, talking to a lamp won’t make any difference.”

The lamp glowed brighter constantly. Eddie was displeased that you were labeled crazy now. All because of your relationship with him. He couldn’t see you, but to hear you was more than he could ever ask for. After becoming Vecna’s he missed you the most. On the run he didn’t get to see you and then he was in the Upside Down and he tried to remember the last time he had seen you as his old self and found it hard to remember. You continued to chat with him as he spiraled into feelings that he had thought he had purged from himself a long time ago. You were everything he could ever want and now that just having you so out of reach because of the danger Vecna imposed was crushing him into pieces. Night drawn on and you were getting sleepy. Eddie flickered your lamp gently letting you know you needed to sleep before he completely shut the lamp off in the Upside Down.

“You’re right,” you relented laying back down as Metallica continued to play in a quieter volume. Eddie didn’t leave until you were breathing softly and smoothly.

Halloween drew closer and closer. You were preparing everything for any possibility, it made your parents happy that you were actually excited for something and that you seemed to have stopped thinking about Eddie so much. Well that’s what you let them see anyway. Despite the situation in Hawkins you couldn’t just blurt out that Eddie; who is now a vampire, is still alive under the control of an evil psychokinetic being who is plotting all of Hawkins demise, and that Eddie is basically undead, and he’s going to try to escape said evil being to come back to this side to be with you on Halloween. You snorted to yourself thinking about how ridiculous it did sound but stranger things could happen. Honestly nothing could surprise you anymore just seeing Eddie alive, maybe not well, but alive shocked your system enough that maybe you could take any shocking news to come.

 After finishing up your costume you started to think on what you could do for Eddie. He couldn’t just go around walking around town, so dressing up would be a vital part of his appearance. But you didn’t want him just be anything, despite the situation you wanted Eddie to enjoy himself. It had been so long since the two of you got to hang out or do anything fun in so long. Eddie had worried so much for your reputation that he kind of held you at a distance though you told him several times that you didn’t care what the ‘fine upstanding’ citizens of Hawkins thought of you. All you cared about was Eddie. So it didn’t take you long to decide on Eddie’s costume and it would be really easy to get the stuff too. You laid everything out on your bed and patted yourself on the back at your job well done. Now all you had to do was survive the last few days until Halloween came.

Despite the overwhelming excitement, Halloween did come really fast. All day you had been so anxious your parents were happy and a little nervous by the way you were acting. You did dash their fears quickly before going upstairs to get ready. This year you had decided to do a genderswap of Indiana Jones since that had been one of you and Eddie’s most favorite movies you both watched together and for Eddie you chose Michael Myers. It was perfect because of the mask that would hide his face and the one piece overalls. You snickered to yourself as you turned in the mirror taking a look at your handy work. Not bad at all for a homemade costume. Eddie would probably have too much fun as his favorite slasher, but this was going to be both of your’s night to have fun. The sun was beginning to set painting everything outside your bedroom window in a gorgeous pumpkin orange, even the leaves seemed to glow underneath the waning rays.

“Eddie,” you whispered to the radio. Eddie’s song hummed back softly and the lamp darkened and brightened. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

The lamp glowed brighter, so bright you thought the bulb would blow but before it got too hot it went back to normal.

“Are you sure you can make it?” Your heart raced and tears were already pricking at the corners of your eyes. You promised not to be disappointed if he couldn’t but the thought of him not getting to come was already shattering your heart.

“You tell me,” Eddie’s voice whispered against your neck sending chills down your spine. Was it just a fantasy? Something your mind in a fog of desperation conjured up. Shivering you turned to see that familiar mop of hair and crooked grin. Before you could even decide what you wanted to do first your body acted launching yourself at him. Despite the fear that you would knock him down, like you did one time at school a few years ago, Eddie stood firm catching you and holding you tightly against his chest.

“I’ve missed you too (Y/N),” he cooed before stroking your hair with gentle caresses.

“You came,” you cried despite not wanting to.

“Of course! Now let’s get this Halloween night started!”

“Shh,” you laughed, “my parents are still downstairs! Plus you can’t go out looking like Eddie the Banished, soooo I took the liberty and you can go as Michael Myers tonight.”

“Right,” Eddie grinned sheepishly, “I kinda forgot that the whole town is out looking for me. All my problems disappeared when I saw you.”

You blushed shoving him towards the overalls and mask. “Get ready doofus.”

“A little privacy please,” he teased despite just having to put everything on over his clothes. But you turned around anyway. Eddie finished up before embracing you from behind, his arms snaking around your waist despite the belt, homemade whip, and pouch at your side.

“Indiana Jones would have been a lot more interesting if you played the lead.”

“Shut up Eddie,” you snorted still blushing up a storm. “Harrison Ford is a gift to all womankind.”

“Sure sure. You gonna stand here and gush over Harrison Ford or are you going to show me a good night on the town?”

“Just you wait Munson you’ll be begging to go back to the Upside Down before this night is over,” you grinned mischievously.

“I’d like to see you try.”

Life couldn’t be better now as you walked hand in hand with Eddie down the streets of several Hawkins neighborhoods. So far nobody had questioned the person beside you nor did a lot of people stop and talk to you. After the majority of people found out your friendship with Eddie you were another one of the outcasts. Bullying became the norm at school and everything got worse after Chrissy’s death. You refused to let Eddie know about it, it would just make him feel unnecessary guilt and this was the time he needed to enjoy himself. Too much had happened and he had Vecna to be concerned about, it didn’t matter what people said about you. But now you were afraid that Eddie was going to find out what you had hid from him as soon as you saw the group who always gave you grief heading straight towards you both.

“Well well if it ain’t Eddie the Freak’s side chick.”

“What’s wrong (Y/N) you finally come to your senses and let The Freak stop controlling your mind with his demonic powers?”

Eddie stiffened at the sound of his name and the way you were being spoke to.

“Let’s not do this tonight,” you glared unwilling to back down.

“Eddie was never a Devil worshiper and you know it,” you argued back. “If you had half a brain you wouldn’t believe the nonsense people spout about others. You never knew Eddie and you never took the time to get to know who he was.”

They laughed at you surrounding you and Eddie. Eddie squeezed your hand but the frustration he felt inside of not being able to protect you was tearing him up from the inside out.

“Sounds like she’s in love with The Freak,” he got into your face before ripping your hand from Eddie’s grip. Eddie let him afraid his new strength would hurt you or cause more problems than help.

“He’s my best friend,” you whimpered as your emotions overwhelmed you, “of course I love him.”

They laughed mockingly while their leader turned your hand around and deposited an apple into your open palm. He shoved your fingers harshly around the fruit and you fought a whimper at the pain slicing through your body. Blood began to drip between your fingers and dripping onto the ground.

“Happy Halloween Freak,” they snarled and dispersed leaving you and Eddie alone.

You trembled violently and dropped the apple with a painful gasp. Razor blades stuck through the skin on the apple had sliced your hand open horribly in several spots. Eddie was on the verge of panicking and throwing the apple back at the bully’s head but his need to take care of you drowned out the violent need before a new need started to emerge. Your blood smelled delicious. It overloaded Eddie’s senses threatening his control. This new desire had been hard to tame when he saw you again for the first time and now that your blood was flowing freely it was a beast that refused to be tamed. Eddie had you pinned down on the ground and mask off before you both realized what was happening. His eyes glowed a bright red as deep and bright as the blood that oozed from your wounds. Elongated fangs protruded from his mouth threatening to take from you his very desire.

“Eddie,” you hiccuped.

Too far away but still fighting Eddie ignored your quiet pleas as you remained pinned under his body. The irredeemable part of him wouldn’t be satiated until he got a taste. That’s when he picked your hand back up, blood now trailing down your pale arm. Licking his lips he trailed his tongue up your arm scooping up the blood and swallowed. Up and up he lapped causing a fire to light in your gut and fear to shake you when he stopped at the pulse in your wrist, the beating of your blood underneath your soft skin intoxicating him before he closed his mouth upon the cuts. Slurping and licking, you hid your eyes embarrassment and fear taking over as Eddie drank from your open wounds. Becoming dizzy you tried to get him to stop again.

“Eddie please.”

“No,” you sobbed finally breaking down. You were sick of trying to stay strong. Eddie was always the one who would accept you for who you wanted to be. Nobody else could understand you like he could. “I never wanted to be one of those that couldn’t be around you. Eddie you’re my friend.”

This time Eddie bolted back licking at his blood stained lips. Whatever had gripped him in his thrall released leaving him battered and ashamed before you.

“You should have given me up,” he said. “I’m a monster now and I can’t be trusted. Now they call you a freak. I should have given up our friendship years ago.”

“Some friend I am drinking your blood,” he scoffed bitterly. His guilt made him unable to even look at you.

You held your hand trying to stop the rest of the bleeding. Looking at the cuts you noticed they healed just a little bit under Eddie’s frenzy. You steeled yourself deciding that what Eddie is now wouldn’t matter. You held out your hand, tears drying, and a fierceness coming over you.

“You can have my blood. I don’t care. If it’s what you want and that lets you stay my friend you can have as much as you want and whenever you want.”

“Don’t do that,” he shouted backing away. “Don’t offer me that I can’t control it!”

“Eddie!”

“I won’t kill you (Y/N) and if I get another taste I will kill you.”

“I trust you,” you stepped forward carefully not wanting to spook him further.

He chuckled a bitter look in his brownish-red eyes, “I don’t trust me.”

Silence seemed to squeeze the life out of the once cheerful atmosphere as Eddie ended the night early. His mood was one part of wanting to go back to your house, but the biggest reason was you still had yet to stop bleeding. He tried talking you into going to the hospital but you refused immediately. There was plenty of medical supplies under the bathroom sink back at your house and despite wanting to argue with you and get you some actual medical care Eddie didn’t want to fight. So begrudgingly he started leading you home. His mask was back in place to where nobody could see him and he was grateful that the plastic was blocking some of the smell of your blood as it continued to flow from your palm. Piercing his bottom lip with one of his fangs, that refused to retract due to his food source still bleeding out, Eddie focused on the sharp pain until it healed up.

Eddie sighed bringing you into a comforting embrace, “It wasn’t my intention to make things awkward between us. I’m different now.”

  “Eddie,” you spoke softly afraid of causing another scene. He turned around causing you to flinch at the tenseness of his body. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. That wasn’t my intention.”

“No kidding,” you giggled, interrupting him. Eddie chuckled back.

“And I have to be careful or I could wind up causing more harm than I ever intend to. So please keep your blood inside you when I’m around.”

“You mean you’ll come back,” you blinked back tears.

“Of course dummy,” he scoffed ruffling your hair. “I don’t want you to be shunned like I was…am. But something tells me that you are not going to let me go without a fight.”

“You got that right Munson,” you glared. “I don’t care what others think of me. They never truly knew who you are anyway. Vampire or not you’re my best friend Eddie and I am not giving up that friendship without a fight.”

“I had a feeling you’d be saying that. I won’t fight with you,” Eddie relented.

 “You’re too important to me.”

“You’re important to me too Eddie.”

He grasped onto you tightly refusing to let go until the smell of your blood became too much. He needed to get you patched up and soon.

“C’mon we need to get you fixed up before I can’t fight off the need to take another drink.”

“Okay Eddie,” you nodded once again following him. While many things had changed and everything seemed dour, you couldn’t help but feel some semblance of hope that everything would turn out okay anyway. Mostly because you had Eddie once more. While life had been a nightmare without him now that you had him back, despite the fact that he now went through a transformation no person should have to go through, you couldn’t find any disappointment. Eddie made life better, worth living. It didn’t matter what people called him or you once they find out your relationship with him. Nothing mattered except for the young man before you with his messy curly hair, ripped bloodstained D&D shirt, boots, and chocolate brown eyes now with a red tint. He was everything and then some, you could face anything with him. Vecna had to disappear, then maybe once in the first time in his life Eddie could finally be free from everything.

Back home he carefully patched you back up before licking his hands clean of any traces of your delicious essence. He hummed at the taste before looking back to you sitting on the edge of your bed. Faster than you could blink Eddie hovered above you his eyes boring into yours. He smoothed your hair from your face before bending down to leave a warm kiss on your forehead.

“Happy Halloween (Y/N),” he mumbled blushing slightly from the unexpected burst of affection that possessed him.

You leaned into the kiss holding onto his tattered shirt, “Happy Halloween Eddie.”

Then in a blink Eddie was gone leaving you alone once more. You looked at your bandaged hand turning a light pink from the bandages doing their job. You almost gave into despair when the radio came on and the lamp flickered gently.

“Thank you Eddie,” you sniffed. Your answer was the radio volume increasing and a brighter glow of the lamp beside your bed. You weren’t ever really alone and now that you had Eddie back in some manner, life would really turn out to be okay.

[milkytheholy1]

Anytime

hi hope your having a wonderful day and I hope you had a wonderful presidents day yesterday, I was wondering if I could request a Rise Leo x male reader who’s a yokai that looks kinda like male naga (a half human half snake being) but the reader is disguising as a human (kind of like how samanita was disguising), and one day as a joke Leo takes the amulet from the reader, and reveals what they truly look like and everyone just stares at them making the reader scared and nervous making him slither out of the lair. and Leo feeling bad follows him, and eventually corners him, first asking why he hid what he really looked like, then comforts the reader telling him that he likes how the reader actually looks like? 

A/N: Fresh off the grill!

Tmnt masterlist. Ultimate masterlist. _______________________________________________

It was just another day in the lair, another movie night spent under the soft twinkling of the fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and the projector flickering on and off. It was a horror movie, specifically chosen by April and Casey, the two had formed an incredibly close bond since they were the only two girls.

The movie, from what you could gather, was about a monster terrorising a village, stealing crops and one day capturing a woman who dared to explore it's cave. Horror didn't really do anything for you, sure sometimes it could be scary but when the 1940s monster costume looked like Playdoh and sellotape combined, it lost the scary effect.

You could feel Leo push up further against you, the two of you were sharing the recliner, there wasn't much room to separately have space. Though your behaviour was a little odd, Leo made no mention of it, in fact, he continued on as normal. Being his goofy self, this week alone he had flirted and joked with you like never before; maybe he was on to you.

You had reluctantly told Sanita that you had a small crush on Leo, who then told April, she then told Donnie who told Raph, who told Mikey and everyone knows Mikey can't keep a secret so Leo was bound to know by now.

Your fingers fiddled with the badge pinned to your jacket, you never took it off, not anymore at least. Your friends hadn't seen your scaley form before, you never liked to advertise that side of yourself that much. You had always found peace and acceptance in your human form than any reptilian.

A few hours later and movie night was over, though you could still feel the low buzz of sugar in your system, refusing to let you sleep or sit idle. Leo shifted beside you, he must have felt the same way, "Ugh, can we do something else, I'm not ready to sleep yet."

"What do you guys wanna do? We could watch another movie?" April asked, stretching her muscles in the beanbag she laid dormant in for the entirety of the movie. Leo shrugged then turned to you with a smile, "Tag, you're it!" he poked you in the nose then sprung from the chair. You stared at him for a few moments, adjusting to your new role before you sprang to life and chased after him.

It only took a few more minutes before the whole room was involved, all chasing each other with furious pants and wheezing. Leo was thrusted into the corner of the room, everyone kept their eyes on him, watching his every movement. Mikey had been tagged but quickly pushed his palm flat against Leo's shell last minute, now Leo was It.

He stayed still, calculating his chances of tagging someone else, but with his sick moves the odds were in his favour. His eyes scanned around the room, taking in everybody's faces until he stopped on you, he had found his target. You swallowed a gulp, getting your stance just right before you could bolt away from his grasp.

Leo chased after you, every so often just missing a bit of fabric from your jack. You could hear April call "Last round!" this meant sudden death, if Leo tagged you it would all be over. So you kept up your pace, using Raph and Casey to dodge his attacks; and it looked like you were going to win.

That was until Leo jumped over the recliner and slapped a hand against your back before you could get further away. With a cry of defeat from you and a massive cheer from Leo, the game was over. Leo sauntered over to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulling you closer into him, "As the winner, I should think a prize is in order. Perhaps something from the loser, hm?" he turned to you with a smile, brows furrowed in that way you loved to hate.

You pouted at him, folding your arms over your chest "I have nothing to give you, sorry." it was a mock sorry at that, you didn't really mean it. Leo hummed in delight, pointing down to the badge on your jacket, "That'll do nicely, don't cha think?" his grubby little fingers went to reach for the badge, you slapped his hand away but he was deterred by it.

Leo kept swiping for the badge no matter how much you struggled, "Leo I do-don't think thi-this is a good i-ide-" it was too late, Leo stepped back with the badge in his hands and a toothy grin covering his face. But that grin soon faded into a frown when a shining light encased your body and revealed your true form, scales and all.

Everyone in the room stared at you, their eyes burning holes into your flesh. You leant forward and snatched the badge out of his hands, tears rushing down your cheeks "I told you to leave it alone, Leo! Now look what you've done!" you cried out. With those final words said, you left the lair, entering the darkness of the sewers, not looking back.

It had felt like a whole week had gone by in the sewers, though a quick look at your phone told you it had only been thirty minutes. You don't even know how far away from the lair you are, but you could no longer see the lights, hear chatting, feel the warmth the lair provided. You were on your own.

You leaned against the sewer wall, tears pushing at your eyes, a few escaping and running down the structure of your face. You slowly fell to the ground, the badge that protected you for so long held in a tight fist. You couldn't bear to look at it, now that everything had been revealed was there any point in keeping it, what was stopping you from throwing it into the gushing waters?

Too busy within your own head, you failed to feel the chill that ran up your arm. Too busy to feel the hand that laid against your shoulder or the pleas that fell into the air.

"(Y/N), I-I'm sorry, okay? I should've listened to you and stopped, it's just- I was having so much fun, I thought we were having so much fun and I didn't want it to end." there was silence from you, you couldn't bear to look up at him let alone answer him.

"I just- why would you hide yourself from us? Were you embarrassed or ashamed? Maybe I'll never know, but-" he paused, looking over to you, his eyes then following the expanse of your tail. He squeezed your shoulder tighter "I wish you hadn't hidden yourself like this, I wish you had talked to us, talked to me. I thought- I thought we were close, like we could tell each other anything."

You shunned away from him, a few more tears tumbling down. But this time Leo caught them, he wiped them away and forced you to look at him, "(Y/N), with or without that dumb badge you're still the hottest guy I've ever met. I mean, c'mon, ya kidding me? That snake tail is awesome! I can't believe you've been holding out on us."

His positivity was starting to rub off on you, a small smile shining through the darkness. You embraced him, pulling him closer into your arms "Thanks, Leo."

He patted you on the back, "Anytime."

[asha-mage]

WoT Meta: Power, Men and Self Hatered

It's fascinating to me how deeply Robert Jordan mistrusts those who seek power for themselves (be it political, magical, martial, or monetary, or some other form). The vast majority of his villains are in part, motivated by the pursuit of power, and most of the antagonists, even when they can't be said to be truly evil, such as Elaida, Padron Naill, or Arymilla Marne, are also motivated by the pursuit of power. Meanwhile the vast majority of Jordan's heroes have power thrust upon them, either by destiny, by accident of birth, or by simple chance demonstrating they have the qualities needed to be trusted. Almost none of his heroes sought power for themselves (it's no mistake for example, that none of our main channeler crew where in the 'could be taught' camp- all where spakers who had no choice) or for it's own sake, and those that do have it treated as a grievous sin by the narrative (such as Logain).

This blends particularly sharply into what happens with the Black Tower. In the prologue for Crossroads of Twilight, Gabrielle in a particularly depressing moment, reflects that Logain has less suspicion for her and the other captive sisters that had been sent to destroy him, then he does for his fellow Asha'man, which is very much NOT how it should be. Not that I think Jordan's depiction of the Asha'man as fractured and consumed by infighting is inaccurate necessarily, but rather, I think it's a direct result of Rand's failure to bind the Asha'man together into a broterhood.

There should be NO ONE an Asha'man can trust more than another Asha'man. Living in a world that rejects them, a world that sees them as tainted monsters that must be destroyed, the only person who understands what it is to be a man who can channel, is another man who can channel, who shares the burdens and the fears, who understands doubting your own sanity, wondering when you'll die, but like you either chose or had this path thrust upon him.

Faced with such intense opposition from a world that rejects their very existence, the bonds between Asha'man should be damn near unbreakable, the hope and ideal represented by the Black Tower, the one that makes every Aes Sedai who thinks of it sick to her stomach, of a place where men are free from persecution for wielding the Power, where they can train with others, learn with others, where they don't have to hide and run to survive, should be something every Asha'man knows in his bones, should be willing to fight for, to die for. But it's not, because Rand, who made the Asha'man, who made the Black Tower, couldn't view them that way. Rand, who has deep down never stopped hating himself for being able to channel, never stopped believing that he deserves to be alone, deserves to die, can not offer hope and solace to other men who can channel, he can only reject and fear them the way he rejects and fears himself. And so the Asha'man are gathered and then left to flounder, made easy prey for the Shadow.

And I wonder how much of that was Jordan's own biases. In all of WoT, there is maybe one character who desired power and could be called a hero: long dead Artur Hawkwing, and even then, his legacy is divisive, used to explore the complicated feelings the conquerers of the past inspire in us, both the awe we fold for their deeds and the stability and justice they often brought, and the horror we feel for their brutal methods. Hawkwing's empire was great, and just and good, but it crumbled at his death as so many have throughout history, and the legacy it left behind in the Seanchan is neither great nor good nor just.

The worst thing you can be in the Wheel of Time, both from a narrative perspective and a in universe one, is a man that desires power. And I wonder much that colors the Asha'man, and their lack of compassion, of altruism, and of brotherhood.

[luimagines]

Hi, Lustrous Anon here, hope you're having a good day and are well and once more, thank you for all the scenarios, headcanons and shorts! I've laughed a lot about the Captain Crunch one and the Four one really warms my heart, well, literally every one of them does really and that's saying a lot, so thank you again and thank you for answering my asks! I've been having a few rough weeks, so it was a welcome surprise not only to see your stuff again but also to get actual answers, so thank you ^^.

I've been let back in the train of thought, so though I'd share some Lustrous Reader shenanigans before the conductor kicks me out with a megaton hammer. No need for apologies, you didn't cause me to have a bad day after all and I get being busy and having a lot to do so it's fine, hopefully me sending in these random thoughts is not a bother or holding you up '^^

Ah, heard another Anon asking about the anime? Well, there's an anime and manga, the anime was more fantasy by the time it came out though it did have some heavy and borderline horror elements when you think about the implications, it stopped before it could get to the real meat of the horror by the time season one ended and studio Orange left everyone hanging, the manga whoever went all in after the first acts of the anime and is the very definition of I Could Make Him Worse for the protag, still contains it's pretty tone, but it gets pretty darn heavy and will leave you feeling quite empty by the time you reach Volume 12, Chapter 98 which are all the ones we have for now, next issue is in December and we're almost at the end of the story, if anyone wants to check it out I highly recommend, it's a heavy but good story, Haruko Itchikawa did really well, though I understand horror not being everyone's thing so really it's up to choice. I can leave some clips from the anime here? It will probably give a better notion of how Lustrous Reader breaks and repairs themselves, plus the gold and other alloy thing though mercury is different, and then anyone can decide whether to watch it in full or not, again, choice is yours and beware spoilers from each episode.

https://youtu.be/QHfhs4PfbcU

https://youtu.be/iZ7SPhuoYUc

https://youtu.be/i4nxEcNrn6M

(Warning, long ask though it's probably already obvious)

-Lustrous Reader is probably the person who'll overwork themselves the most on the Chain ever since they arrived since they don't need as much rest or anything as anyone else, just a bit of sunlight each day so they have plenty of time on their hands, Wild needs an ingredient for a potion or meal for everyone? Lustrous Reader is already on the case and bringing extras from hunting and gathering while at it, someone's clothes ripped? They'll help Legend sew, not too different from what they already did when not working back home, Red Beryl always needed more help, Four can't reach something or suddenly needs a metal for the forge? They'll get it for him in a jiffy (even more literally if they have gold platinum, silver or iron alloy on them, because it's pretty malleable and if it's on their arms, they can form liquid shapes with it and when broken off they solidify, so between the hair and that which doesn't really run out the Chain will probably always have extras in a pinch for swords or shield maintenance, though while I can see them letting the hair cutting for extra supplies or a sword for Wild that won't break slide for the most part, they'd probably be a heck of a lot more hesitant with anything else even if they say it's fine, though I'll get to that), someone needs to wake up Sky but no one wants to risk bodily harm? Shattering or cracking is barely an inconvenience, they volunteers as a tribute, they see Wars or Twi over working or First and Time tired while trying to? Go get some rest and food in you while at it, fleshies need that often right? They can handle it, don't worry about it. *Gently pushes towards a log, pats shoulder with gentle smile once they're comfy, raises hand with I'm a Gem and you'll either settle down for good or with a concussion like the One Time, choose wisely* They're very helpful since they don't want to impose until they return home and they know a lot of members of the Chain don't trust them, so it's best to simply not give reason to cause any strife in a clearly tightly knit group, plus it was basically their secondary job back home so the Chain gains a second mom friend/sibling friend, although as a result they mentally exhaust themselves a lot and it's a team effort to get them to chill out and let others handle most of the chores for a change (usually by having Wind, a fellow island fella who awakens every single sibling instinct on their body distract them by chatting, or having Epona or Wolfie nearby as it's a very effective distraction, although just anyone wanting to chat will effectively distract them for a bit). It's probably surprisingly hard to pin them down unless one of the stronger members is involved because again, gemstone, they're probably very heavy and strong on their own right even without a weapon. Like a slightly lighter and shorter Goron if you will.

-Lustrous Reader, looking at Time in confusion: "They never left though? The Moon has been haunted for as long as we remember with the Lunarians, they come from the sky, on their white clouds and playing instruments like a parade and steal gems to decorate their weapons with my kin. We've lost many gems to their kidnappings Ask the sea folk, they'll confirm what I'm talking about."

"... You mean the Zora?"

"No? The Slug People obviously, the Admirabillis? They've had plenty of their own kidnapped too."

Cue concerned Time sounds and general confusion from the Chain.

-Lustrous Reader, seeing Fierce Deity is about 7-8 feet tall, reminded of their own Adamant Sensei, 8-10 feet tall and how he liked it when them and the Gems would perch on his shoulders since it was the best they'd get to a hug: Is anyone going to perch that? *Doesn't wait for an answer, hops, climbs and settles there on shoulder like the world's most shiny and glittering bird without a hint of hesitation or shame*

Now the question is how him and the rest of the Chain reacts, because again Lustrous Reader is not too heavy, but definitely somewhere between one of those rocks you lift in Link's Awakening and a small Goron, also flower, seashell and leaf crowns and necklaces galore when either they think no one can see them, when he's asleep (or maybe not) or after recruiting the Minish, the Loftwings or the Fairies to the cause, probably does similar things to the rest of the Chain too each time the Chain does them favors like bringing their pieces back or helping with repairs. No one is is safe from the gratitude and care. If they have gold or silver on them they probably shape a lot of little trinkets from it and leave it on the Chain, being completely unconscious about it (like seashells for Wind, feathers for Sky, fangs for Twilight etc). Kind of their own way of showing care that they feel comfortable enough to leave bits of themselves on them and it's not uncommon if they brush someone's hair for them to find those little bits there later.

-Probably very touch starved, when gems touch each other they usually crack and shatter if they don't have the same hardness (like a gem has hardness 7, and one has hardness 3, they hug and the hardness 3 ends up shattering), that probably wouldn't have stopped Amber!Little Link from hugging them (either normally or by getting a sheet around himself and hugging them) or Adamant Sensei, who has enough experience to know how to best hug without breaking them and uses his own cloak as a buffer, but they probably haven't been hugged often otherwise, so the first time someone pats their head or ruffles their hair (mindful not to get cut from it, or if they have gauntlets on not even too concerned about it), they, just, freeze up in confusion because not even Adamant does that, when someone ask what was wrong they just go "What was that?" "... A hair ruffle?" "Ah."

"... Would you mind doing that again on occasion? Haven't properly gotten one of those before." And I feel like, much like with First the Chain does their best to get them used to touch, and Lustrous and First probably have a silent understanding about it and quietly bond/kidnap the other gently when they feel the gentle touch is too much.

First time someone hugs them they provide tremble from emotion and hug back just as tight, or actually cry tears of gold/mercury/silver like how humans do while doing so without making any sound besides that, you can probably hear them cracking too since Gems crack/break themselves quite literally under high emotional states, it's simultaneously a milestone and heartbreaking.

-Lustrous Reader equating Cia's obsession with Warriors with The Lunarians obsession with Gems, immediately getting flashbacks to their sibling almost being taken and to their own partner being taken, negotiates with Fi for a few seconds to wield her (who may shockingly agree to, but honestly I feel she probably would out of spite for one of her wielders) or tries square up either with their own sword if she doesn't agree or barehanded, Cia throwing every spell she knows in the book at them as they chase her around the Temple of Sages and getting increasingly panicked when it doesn't work because Lustrous Reader doesn't qualify as either human, Hylian, Goron or monster so usual spells aren't sticking, in the end it takes half the Chain to more or less stall them by holding them back (with Twi probably at the helm, holding a fully sentient gemstone back is nothing on wrestling with golems even without the iron boots) to calm them down while they throw threats and maybe curses they picked up with Legend or Wind.

"STOP CHASING ME YOU CRAZY BASTARD!"

"THEN GET BACK HERE AND LET ME SHATTER EVERY LIMB ON YOUR BODY INTO DUST SO FINE EVEN PUTTING EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER WON'T ALLOW YOU TO COME BACK YOU MOON SCUM!"

"Do… do you mean break? I'm pretty sure we discussed it doesn't work like that-"

"SAME DIFFERENCE IN THIS CASE RULIE- LET ME GO TWI I HAVE VENGEANCE TO ENACT!" *Breaks arm off to get out of the grapple, flings it near Cia's head with the same speed as a ballistic missile and starts again*

Warriors probably doesn't know wether to be concerned, confused, intervene, feel flustered or be flattered. They'd probably pick the same fight with Ghirahim over Sky and Hylia herself over First if given the chance. They're probably very protective of the Links in general, messing with one in their general vicinity will either lead to a tongue lashing or catching hands. It's kind of a must on gem society for them to be able to hold their own and protect their people, and Lustrous Reader probably has it in spades even if their time on the front line is over, they still have about 1000 years on it and are not too rusty.

-Lustrous Reader lived on an island all their life, so much like Wind before Twilight they probably never saw a wolf in their entire existence, so one look at Wolfie and they go "What is this gorgeous, fluffy four pawed creature? Either way if anything happened to him I would probably end everyone within the general vicinity and then shatter myself", it's just Wolfie loving hours and they give all of the hugs, pats and kisses while doting complimenting and gushing about him a lot, everyone in on the secret finds it hilarious while Twilight is just trying very hard to remain composed because what is he supposed to do about that? Lustrous Reader probably loves Epona, Crimson, Sky's Loftwing, the Fairies, Sherrow (though they'd probably be a bit wary of Ravio for several reasons before warming up to him, though best not to let them, Ravio and Legend in the same room) and the Minish just as much too and is stoked over all the farm animals Malon has, definitely one of the people who volunteers a lot to help with the cows or cuckoo's in the ranch because they just love animals so much, always finding ways to leave them treats or gifts like locks of their own hair or bits of their gold which fall off. Helps preen the loftwing's feathers when their owners aren't available and chat with Crimson about First and how he's always so nice to them when they don't know something or brings their pieces back when they break, feeds and helps groom Epona at night since they don't need sleep and give her all the pats, gives the Minish and Fairies their hair for decoration or smithing materials or their gold and silver and lets them ride around on them all the time (bonus points it one of those Minish or Fairies are Four or Rulie if they're tired, just, scoops them gently and places them on their shoulders/head, or in a little bowl made from gold or silver from their arm that follows them along like a basket), feeds and pets seagulls with Aryll (and adores her like a little sister, not as a replacement to Little Link, but as someone they think he'd like to know), brushes Wolfie, gives him rubs and always make sure he has enough food while gushing Twi has the best hugs they've ever had besides Sensei, gives Sherrow the best bird seed they can get while on the market if they have enough for it, brings fruits for the Lord of the Mountain if for some reason they're around, somehow befriends the dragons from BOTW and occasionally gives them extra meat the Chain has leftover if they're in his Hyrule so it won't spoil and gives them rubs without batting an eye, help Legend discreetly if he's in rabbit form but noticing he doesn't like to be touched and thus leaving him be or hide with them etc. Would probably love horse and Loftwing riding if they weren't concerned their natural weight would hurt them, it's an ongoing struggle. Essentially they have no real sense of danger towards animals or creatures and just adores and treats them all equally well unless they attack first.

Also a bit of crack from this that can either be taken as canon or not is this little bit from the Ocarina of Time Manga, it's implied Time befriended a Tiny Volvagia as a kid, said Tiny Volvagia was caged and going to be sold in the market if not for Time saving them, and that they were good friends and that Ganon cursed Volvagia to attack him in the adult timeline, which led to them being blinded with rage for apparently abandoning them and Time having to kill them (though it's implied it forgives him when they die by saying his name, and it's clear they still were important to him later ih the manga), which leads to the implications of either A: Time came back for that Tiny Volvagia as soon as he could and now just has a dragon friend stashed somewhere on Lon Lon Ranch, chilling there and living their best life which would be an absolute win in Lustrous Reader's book and has great comedic potential if played right, or, in this au, that they passed through that same market during The Quest™, Lustrous Reader (probably cloaked and hooded upon Time's suggestion since their hair and eyes would definitely make them a memorable target for unsavory folks even if they can take care of themselves), spotted that tiny Volvagia caged, immediately has some memories of some things they saw on the Moon before being taken to Hyrule (which is a whole nother can of worms, if you want to listen I can send it later if you want, this is getting long enough as is) and chats with them for a bit, helps them escape as discreetly as they can and then rejoins the Chain upon being called after they're sure they'll be okay, not knowing that Tiny Volvagia followed them and then snuck under their cloak so they'd stay near the nice person who helped them this time around, Lustrous Reader obviously sees what happened after they take their cloak off and sees Volvagia curled in there, but just shrugs, gives them a few headpats and scritches, lets them wrap around their neck body and then just walks back to the Chain as casual as can be while everyone stares with several mixed emotions:

"Uhm… Watcha got there?"

Lustrous Reader, giving Volvagia half an apple and horn rubs: "A new friend, anyone got any name suggestions?"

Which I feel would lead to some hilarious shenanigans because they basically have a pet dragon now, and even more hilarity when Dink rolls up next time to cause problems on purposes and sees not only does the being who decapitated them with their hair and frankly hurts his eyes due to how much they shine is still there, but also has blinking Volvagia with them like they're one of those house snakes.

-I feel like it when, after giving their hair to both Legend and Four so he can make Wild's Lustrous Sword and they hear Hyrule pointing out the morbidity of the concern, they once again just tilt their head, before chuckling slightly, "Well… Legend isn't wrong, though he's not fully right and I can see why you're concerned. But to us Lustrous there's no bigger show of trust than giving parts of ourselves to our friends in need." Looks away for a moment, probably looking a bit sad and conflicted, before smiling, "Usually we don't have to if we have everything, or extras from the beach, but if we have enough to spare and someone else needs it, then a few memories being gone is a small price to pay, or a bit of hair which doesn't even hold any memories, we lost enough of our friends, our siblings against the Lunarians, leaving one of our own to suffer without a leg or arm or eye when we can avoid it is hardly any better than what they do to us when we get taken." It's at that moment they take notice of their arm, glinting (Gold/Silver) in the light, and the other with (blue/light pink nails), reminding them for a minute of their Zelda, clearly against the scheme of the rest of their being, a bit of their bangs shift, a clearly mismatched eye coming into focus, how did they miss the green-blue (so chillingly similar to their tunics and eyes) before? "It's… arguably a cruel reminder of what we lost, if you ask me, and we don't always get a choice, but it's also a show of care. So it's really no problem, alright? This isn't much different if you ask me." They wink, grinning faintly, the eye not their own hidden once more, a hand comes near Hyrule's hair, ruffling it/and, once they pull back, there's a flower made out of solid gold/silver behind their ear, it's chill but also impossibly warm, "I'd say after quite a few months traveling, that we are all close enough I'd give any part if necessary in a heartbeat, or well, a crack. So don't worry about it, alright?"

And that's that.

(Except the questions linger, what do you mean by not fully right? (G/N) please tell us this is concerning-)

Anyway that will be that for now, hope you're having a nice day today and once more, thank you for all your wonderful work in the fandom!

-Just an Anon on a Stroll.

Oh my goodness-! I don't even know what to add XD

You've covered almost every base, I think. It's impressive. The lore has expanded so much in so little time.

I'm learning so much. Hold on, I have to process all of this. <3

But I agree to pretty much everything given the very limited knowledge I know. Especially the bit with FD and just getting on his shoulders. He'd probably let them. If only because he'd be too confused to do anything else for a while and by then he can see not only how happy they are being up there, but finds that he doesn't particularly mind it anyway.

So it's fine.

And then Little Lucky DX

My baby! Someone find him! Make sure he's not hurt!

[bontenten]

Bewitch

Pairings: Osamu x F!Reader x Atsumu; Miyacest WC: 7.4k Genre/Warnings: smut, fairytale retelling (Hansel and Gretel), magic au, dubcon/noncon, incest (miyacest), fear, knife, monster, bondage, snuff, vore, gore/blood, object insertion, body horror, a bit of size, tummy bulge, oral (m.receiving), anal (m. receiving), masturbation (f. & m.), voyeurism, arson...

Summary: The unexpected guests at your cottage have a mysterious past and hidden agenda. Will they allow you to accompany them on their journey?

Travelers are advised not to spend the night in the Dark Woods. It's said that beyond the last hiking trail, past a brook, lives an Evil Witch. That witch is vile and merciless; often, fools lost in the woods are never seen again. It's said that she must be over 800 years old, feeding off of the essences of children and young men unfortunate enough to cross her paths. It’s said that she even eats fellow witches. No one really knows. After all, no one who has seen her has lived to tell the tale.

It's been a few months since your teacher has left you to fend for yourself here in the woods—your first time alone during this apprenticeship. She said she had to attend a big conference with a whole bunch of other grand witches. You asked if you could tag along, but she insisted that you stay and watch the cottage. The lack of company is about to drive you insane so you often resort to conversing with yourself or the forest itself.

The soft moss muffles the sound of your footsteps as you begin the trek back home, a faint off-trail path away from the main road that no one else would usually notice. On any other day, you would just go home without a fuss, but loneliness makes people do some bizarre and odd things. For instance, the desperate longing for companionship leads to you dropping a not-so-hidden trail of fancy pebbles to inadvertently lead someone to your abode.

For most travelers, going off-trail is akin to a death sentence as any wrong turn might lure them into the forest's deadly maze. Not for you though, you know this place very well: every fallen tree, overturned log, the wanted signs nailed to the trunk...

Wait. A wanted sign?

You can make out from your distance that there are two heads on it, but the details are fuzzy, and the bounty looks smudged. Before you can get a closer look, you hear the birds caw in the trees, signaling the beginning of sunset. You pull your attention away from the poster and continue on to your way home.

The cottage is extremely cozy and warm. The windows are bejeweled and the door is solid wood. You live here comfortably with your teacher, after all, learning about the principles of magic and what it means to be a witch. It's much more than curses and spells, as your teacher would tell you, witches have character and a moral compass. Although there are certainly those who decide to experiment with the darker arts.

While you get a fire going in the huge furnace and boil some water on the stovetop, you hear two voices squabbling outside followed by three raps on the door. You're stunned by the noise, turning to face the shut door wondering if you were just dreaming about the noise. Is it? Visitors? No, you must have heard wrong.

"'Samu, I bet it's a farce, let's not." The voice sounds both tired and weary, almost out of breath.

"Let me just try again, I can smell a working kitchen in there, someone is definitely there," another voice insists. Three more knocking sounds. "Excuse me! Is the owner of the house available? My brother and I followed a path of colored stone and came upon your establishment...could you spare us some water? A bite of food?"

Two men, though they sound friendly. You're frozen in the kitchen, staring at the door that remains between you and the strangers.

"Is there someone home?" The second voice tries again. "Please, my brother is not feeling very well."

Your initial wariness for the stranger melts when you hear about the brother, which does not sound like a lie based on the raspy voice you first hear. A witch's character is fundamentally kind to all sentient beings, especially those in need. But you're still nervous, so you end up grabbing a metal ladle before carefully going to open the door. When you crack the door open, you see a pair of twins. Beautiful men, one blonde and one grey-haired. The former, with a quirky grin, although his eyes certainly look lackluster. But the other seems like he's at the right place, eyes peering past you into your home, fixated on your kitchen.

"I'm Osamu. And this," he gestures to his twin, "is my brother Atsumu. We're a bit lost, you see."

You nod your head in a casual greeting and introduce yourself as the resident apprentice at this cottage. As a good host should, you open the door to the weary guests preparing to welcome them in.

"Are we welcomed in?" Osamu asks, not moving from his spot. Atsumu isn’t budging either, arms crossed and only looking at you from the corner of his eye, waiting for your answer.

Without giving much thought you nod and open the door wider. "Both of you are most welcomed in."

"Then we thank you for your hospitality," Osamu says, taking a step inside, dragging his twin with him.

Words, especially spoken words carry power and hold intent. And a witch's words, no matter how careless they slip out, contain magic. Welcome, as you say. So welcome, they are.

You shut the door behind them and prepare to go give your first-ever guests some water. When you turn around, you notice Osamu already in the kitchen, the sleeves of his tunic rolled up past his elbows.

"Your food is about to burn. Heat's too high," he tells you, expertly taking control of the sizzling pots and pans. "I got it, don't worry."

Feeling flustered at the faint smell of scorching food, you hurry over to see if you can be of any assistance. "Let me help out."

"No, it's quite alright."

How can a host let her guests do all the work like that? And the first company in a while too! What an utter failure.

"How—" you try to argue back, but you're cut off by Atsumu tugging on your wrist, dragging you over to the sofa in the corner.

"Don't worry about him, he loves to cook." Atsumu brushes out the wisps of his bangs with a huff. "And actually quite good at it. Anything that goes through his hands...well, in short, all become part of his design."

Like his twin, Atsumu's frame is broad and huge, but there is a quality of emptiness of sorts. Osamu's shoulders are wide but there's more substance to it, whereas Atsumu's form seems contained. You can't help but use your learnings to see if you can figure out just what's off about Atsumu. He's slowly walking around the living room and studying the portraits hanging on the wall. He picks up a frame that is set above the fireplace and comments, "None of these are you. How come?"

"Oh, they're my teacher. I'm just a witch-in-training at the moment, so—"

"A witch?" Atsumu questions, clenching the frame tightly. His hands begin to shake, the glass under his thumb beginning to crack.

You did not expect Atsumu to display such a visceral reaction upon the mention of witches. After all, witches normally stayed far away from ordinary human society and when they do mix, it's often a role of healing. But the look that sparks in Atsumu's eyes, it's almost—feral.

"'Tsumu!" Osamu yells while stalking over quickly from the kitchen. He throws his arm around Atsumu's neck and drags him off into the shadows. You can't make out the muffled voices and deep growling noises that are coming from down the hall.

It's their private matter, so you go back to the kitchen. True enough, Osamu's hands are almost like magic. The bubbling pot of broth doesn't seem to be on the verge of overflowing, the onions caramelizing beautifully, filling the air with deliciousness.

Moments later, the twins come back. You notice that Osamu clothes are wrinkled from tugging Atsumu around, but at the very least, Atsumu is looking much better than before.

The three of you set the table for dinner. Osamu brings out the plates as though he knows the kitchen inside and out already. Atsumu comes emerging from the cellar with two bottles of fine wine that you didn't even know your teacher had stowed away. Surely, she wouldn't mind? With Osamu and Atsumu sitting to the left and right of you at the round table, it almost feels like a more familiar, cozier gathering between friends than a situation of a host and her guests.

They tell you that they have been traveling across the lands for a long time now, looking for a cure for Atsumu's illness. It reminds you of the hollow, repressed form you saw earlier and your curiosity gets the better of you. They don't tell you the nature of the malady, but what they do share is that they are looking for a witch to undo the curse on Atsumu, a result of dark witchcraft.

"I am a witch!" you exclaim, feeling your call to action at the moment. "Please, is there truly nothing for me to help to undo the spell?"

Osamu leans in close to you, and wipes a bit of sauce staining the corner of your lips with the pad of his thumb. He smiles. "We're looking for a very high-level witch. One day, maybe you'll get to the level of magic needed."

"You're too weak," Atsumu bluntly points out. You're sure Osamu means to say the same thing, but Atsumu's words are really sharp.

"I know," you sigh. "My teacher tells me that all the time. So, I'm really trying. I'm sure there's at least something I can do."

"I definitely think that. Don't be so hard on yourself," Osamu comforts. "Have you been living alone here for a long time?"

You feel two pairs of eyes glued onto you waiting for your answer. You smile reflexively before your eyes trail to the empty plate and carefully choose your words. "Yea. Just me and my teacher. She's a grand witch...maybe if you wait here for a few days, you can meet her when she comes back from her conference."

"We—"

"We'll be gone tomorrow!" Atsumu snaps, staring into Osamu's eyes.

Osamu doesn't pay any mind to Atsumu, and puts an extra piece of dessert onto your plate.

"We have a long way to go. Atsumu's condition isn't getting better, so we can't stop in one place for long."

It makes you a little sad, because you were hoping to spend some more time with the twins, both of whom you have grown fond of. Osamu and his gentleness. And even Atsumu, despite his quick remarks and outbursts, adds a particular spice to your mundane life.

"Maybe we'll bring you with us," Osamu comments lightly, "'Tsumu, wouldn't that be nice?"

"She'll just be dead weight," Atsumu retorts. You wonder if he absolutely hates you. Is that why he is always so against you being next to Osamu?

Osamu puts an arm around you and blows on the shell of your ear. It tickles and you can feel his body enveloping you. "But she's so sweet," he tells Atsumu and whispers into your ear, "Aren't you?"

You find your wandering gaze looking into his half-lidded grey eyes. His face is right next to you, lips just hovering barely five centimeters away. The overwhelming presence of him is undeniably alluring. Your breaths become shallow as your heart rate speeds up with desire.

"I'm exhausted! 'Samu you too. We're going to bed!" Atsumu drops the silverware onto his plate and stands up. He comes around the table, muttering curses under his breath. Atsumu grabs Osamu by the wrist and drags him off towards the guest bedroom you have shown them before.

You didn't quite catch Atsumu's angry mutters, but you hear "slut" and "harlot" thrown around a few times. Were they directed at you? No, you're not like that, you tell yourself. Atsumu must have been thinking that you are trying to seduce his twin. After you clear out the table, you decide to clear up any misunderstanding.

You tip-toe down the hall to the guest bedroom prepared to knock when you hear muffled sounds coming from inside. You carefully press your ears to the crevice of the door and clamp a hand around your mouth upon hearing the stream of moans.

"'Samu, 'Samu please, ah—"

That's Atsumu? Your eyes are wide and still trying to process the shock of what you're hearing. You tell yourself you shouldn't be here. You should not be listening to whatever is happening behind the closed door, but you can't help it. Hearing Atsumu's moans makes you want to squirm.

You slightly jump when you hear a slap, followed with a pleasured groan. The sound is so clean it feels as though the phantom hands are touching your own heated skin.

Osamu's chuckle nearly makes your knees weak.

"Don't get cocky, if it were any other day ngh—, any other day, I would be the one pushing you into the mattress."

Slap. "Shut up, cute 'Tsumu. I like you being so needy for me like this. What do you want from me? Tell me."

"Fuck me, 'Samu."

"With pleasure."

The wood creaks loudly and you tell yourself, you really need to get out as you back away and try to quickly walk down the hall back to your bedroom.

You throw the door open and lock the door behind you with a click. With your eyes closed, you try to steady your breath and the building heat in your core. It's quiet. There's no noise coming from their room. But they are twins! 

You remind yourself that a witch is all-accepting and kind. There are so many circumstances beyond your understanding, judgement is not a part of your nature. And if what they are performing is wrong, what should you say about yourself? You peel off your clothes and step out of the soaked panty that is proof of your lust.

Pillows are fluffed and covers are pulled over your body. You try to sleep, but each time you are about to drift, Atsumu's cries of pleasure come back into your head. Your hand trails down your navel until the fingertips trace over your clit. Gathering some slick from your cunt, you drag it across the sensitive bud.

You shudder from the touch as images, constructed in your fantasy, cloud your mind. You imagine Atsumu's hands spreading your legs apart and Osamu's teasing words next to your ear. He would tell you to open wide and shove his cock down your throat. You suck on three of your fingers until lips wrap over the knuckles, your saliva pooling from hunger. And slip your fingers into your cunt easily, curling them against the plush walls.

"F-fuck me," you moan into your pillow.

With pleasure.

You quiver, clit pulsating, and your pussy juice dripping into your palm. The wash from the high soon takes you into sleep. All throughout the night, you squirm and feel the phantom sensation of being watched. Not just observed, but studied, by two pairs of glinting hungry eyes. You can almost imagine them on either side of the bed, trapping you into the mattress no matter which way you turn.

A few times the weird feelings almost pull you awake, but you don't dare crack an eye open to confirm your suspicions until the morning light begins to filter through the windows, rousing you from sleep. The air is filled with fragrant herbs and the sizzle of delicious brunch from someone awake before you.

No doubt, it's Osamu, because who else can it be? Atsumu? Please. The twins....

You climb out of bed and stretch your neck on the way to the washroom. Your bedroom door is open, but it's too early to notice that detail.

"Morning!" Osamu greets you from the kitchen. You find a fresh mug of coffee shoved into your hands from him.

You mumble thanks and sip at the brew while watching Osamu fry the eggs. Osamu looks to be deep in thought, probably thinking about something pleasant from the faint smile ghosting on his face. You feel a pang of guilt from both listening to their private lives, and also the strange feelings that maybe they heard your private life too—it's all your paranoia talking.

"You're so talented," you blurt out, fisting the fabric of your long skirt.

"Thanks, but better not let 'Tsumu hear ya, he gets jealous super easily."

Even if Atsumu hears, it's fine. You really mean both of them. Both of the twins both seem super talented as a duo; like they've been out there and seen the world. Meanwhile, you're still stuck here, without company. Would it be possible...if they simply stayed?

Osamu senses the words that are stuck in your mouth and answers them for you. "We're gonna be leaving right after breakfast. There's still lots of ground to cover today," he explains, plating the pancake before preparing to ladle a spoonful of batter for the next one.

"Do you have to leave?" you ask, almost pleading.

"It's cozy here and comfortable. We enjoy your company too, but we have to go. Your teacher would hate us, immensely, and on top of that...let's just say, we're always on the run."

"You say it like you two are fugitives or something."

Osamu chuckles and leans closer to you, hot breath flaming your cheeks, or maybe it's just the heat from the stove. A teasing grin pulls his cheeks up slightly as your eyes flicker over to see his lips spell out, "Maybe. Scared?"

Embarrassed, you take a defensive step back, squeaking and bumping into another body.

"MORNING!" Atsumu announces behind you. He's in good spirits and he has his hands on your waist to steady you; he sniffs your hair and smiles before letting you go. "I smell something delicious."

"Breakfast is ready," Osamu says, plating the pancakes. "Hungry 'Tsumu?"

"Tch." Atsumu shoves past you and knees Osamu, mood doing a complete 180. You're almost left like a fly on the wall as you watch the scene unfold.

Osamu is quick to catch his balance while keeping watch on the stove. "Not awake yet?" Osamu grins and passes him a plate of pancakes, essentially telling him to shut up and eat. "Who shoved a stick up your ass? Go eat."

"Fuck you."

"Hm."

Atsumu grumbles but digs into his food anyway. Osamu catches your amused expression in the corner and explains, "It's always like that between us. It's our...way of showing how much we care."

"I know." It's sort of endearing, the banter between the two brothers. Even if the world turns against them, no matter what the odds are, at least Miya Osamu will have Miya Atsumu, and Atsumu will have Osamu. Perhaps it's exactly that sort of bond the two share that you're envious of. Body and soul. Because if only you could have just an ounce of that sort of familiarity with another. But you're just an outsider without an invitation to join in.

While you're mulling over your thoughts, you don't catch the darkening gazes being exchanged between the twins. At some point, Atsmu's plate is already emptied and the wooden table is cleared while you're still lost in your mind. Osamu is fiddling with the metal tea strainer, bobbing it up and down to brew a mug of tea. He threads a cotton string in and out like it's a plaything.

"Do you really want to be with us?" Osamu asks nonchalantly. "'Tsumu and I were talking about it. If you do, maybe we can work something out."

"I just..." You feel like this is your final chance to tell them that you don't want them to go. None of the going around circle hinting that you have been doing. This is the moment to just tell it to them. If you miss this chance, you feel like you won't have another. And even though a pit pulls at your inwards telling you to reconsider, you're brave. "I just want to be together with you all, and help you cure Atsumu. My teacher is so talented, I'm sure she'll have a remedy."

They grin.

Osamu is a great cook, he can do that. Atsumu sometimes seems lazy, but he's super strong and quick to help too. And you can pick up all sorts of other tasks in the area! Maybe because they're so helpful, your teacher will even let them stay once Atsumu is cured. Maybe they can learn magic too! You have heard of warlocks who are powerful with spells too. And you can already imagine, the three of you, like a team, eventually going out into the world to fight demons and monsters and—

"Open wide," a sultry voice sounds next to you. Backing away automatically, you find Atsumu standing right behind you.

"W-wait," your voice shakes, stuck in your throat. "What are—"

His fingers reach for your mouth, prying it open. Before you can voice your distaste, a warm, metal ball gets shoved into your mouth, the thin chain quickly tangles into your hair. The faint traces of tea seep out of its small holes down your tongue and throat, while some spill out the corner of your mouth like trails of drool down your jawline.

Osamu smiles and wipes the liquid away with his thumb, relishing in how your widening eyes gape at him in confusion.

"Being together," he answers the question you wanted to ask, "is what you want isn't it?" He takes a spool of kitchen twine and begins to secure the tea strainer in your mouth. The thin cotton threads wrap around your head over and over again, tightening the steel against your tongue.

You shake your head and try to take another step away from the man you're beginning to become wary of, but the strong grip of Atsumu's hands on your shoulder prevents you from squirming at all. His fingers dig into your flesh, and when you turn to look at him you catch a glint in his eyes, glowering down at you.

"No, no, no, behave," he taunts you, "listen to 'Samu. He'll make you feel real good, trust me."

With the gag in your mouth, all you can let out are weak, warbling gargles from the back of your throat. Why are you doing this? You weren't like this before? Loud snorts flare out your nostrils from the fear screaming through your body.

Osamu comes back with a paring knife, examining the edge under the sunlight filtering in through the stained glass. He presses the cool blade along your cheek, dragging with the dull edge just enough so the sharp end doesn't cut your skin. You feel your knees growing weak and if not for Atsumu's hold on you, you would sink into a shuddering heap on the floor.

"You know, I think you might be the best meal yet," Osamu compliments, blade trailing down to your collarbone. The tip of the knife toys with the first button, pressing tension on the x-cross stitching. Snap. The first button pops off, dropping onto the wooden floor and rolling away to an inconspicuous corner. "I'll prep you well."

Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap. The knife flicks again and all the buttons clatter on the floor before running away for refuge.

Atsumu has cleared the table already and you find yourself hoisted up and laid onto the surface like a slab of meat on a cutting board. The cold surface presses against the back of your shoulder and ass. Osamu ties your wrist together with a hemp rope and secures the other end around the table leg. He also secures your ankles to two other anchor points.

You're utterly exposed and ashamed at your body's display, mortified at how your body is reacting when you catch sight of Atsumu, his eyes dilated, looking at your slit that you know is drenched already. The rough texture of the rope presses painfully into your skin from how tight the bindings are. You can only let out gagged whines in complaint, chest rising up and down from the loud breaths.

"Can't do, love," Osamu chides, kissing the knot at your wrist, satisfied with the results. His fingertips trail down to cup your jaw and his thumb runs across the tea strainer. You close your eyes and groan at his touch. Osamu murmurs, "I won't let anything go to waste."

Atsumu is growing impatient at the sight of his twin treating you like the finest specimen ever. You're not the first one. You won't be the last one, but he still can't stand the sight of someone looking just like himself having first tastes while he's missing out himself. He wants to shove Osamu aside, but he knows that Osamu absolutely hates it when he ravages the meal when it's not ready.

Atsumu unzips his pants and lets his hardened, leaking cock spring free. You stare at Atsumu who is fixated on his own pleasure. His hand wraps around his cock and pumps the length up and down.

Osamu turns your head to look at himself instead. "Someone there is impatient, but let's not learn from him, okay? I want to take you slow, make sure you'll be ready. I don't want you stressed, you release too much cortisol and that toughens the meat."

Anything that goes through his hands...well, in short, all become part of his design.

His hand kneads your breast and toys with your nipple, circling and tugging on the tiny, erect bud.

"Relax," he whispers into your ear. "Just like you did last night."

You try to clamp your thighs shut from reflex. Immediately the resistance from the rope ties stop your movements. Osamu squeezes your thighs and pushes them apart once more.

"Right here isn't it, after hearing me fuck 'Tsumu..." Osamu's finger runs down the sides of your labia. "You just couldn't help touching yourself too huh?"

He knows. They know. You feel your cheeks burn at the realization.

"There's nothing embarrassing about it. If anyone should be, it should be us twins, " Osamu's fingers easily slip in, your pussy already dripping with arousal. "Oh woops, I shouldn't need to comfort you. You're clearly not shy."

Osamu's fingers are thick and long, able to reach far deeper than you ever can. Your tongue is still struggling against the gag while your saliva steeps the tea leaves trapped in the ball.

"Oi," Atsumu cuts in with annoyance. "I thought you said to not play with food. What the fuck are you doing, chef?"

Osamu stops his finger in you for a moment before dragging them out. You're trembling at the sudden emptiness and desire to fill the space immediately. The lack of stimulation is irritating and you are desperate.

Osamu walks up to Atsumu, bringing his drenched fingers covered in your slick to his lips for a taste. Before he can do so, Atsumu grabs Osamu's wrist and takes in those digits, sucking on them gingerly.

Osamu smiles and runs the other hand through Atsumu's hair.

"Patience is a virtue, 'Tsumu, I was just getting her fully prepared for you. I'm giving her all to you already, you couldn't even let me have a taste of her?"

Atsumu releases Osamu's fingers with a pop. "I never said I wasn't going to share," he mutters before pulling Osamu in for a kiss, passing the taste of you along their tongues.

Your body jostles as you finally get a visual matching what you heard last night. You feel your pussy leaking with more excitement, the arousal drips all the way down to your asshole. And the more you squirm, it's as though the rope ties become tighter and tighter, rubbing your skin raw. But even that pain is incomparable to the need to quell your fire.

Atsumu pulls away and presses one last kiss on Osamu's nose. "I always love what you serve, thank you 'Samu." Your heart rate rapidly speeds up as Atsumu comes towards you. He's positioned between your legs, both hands on your thighs, marveling at the display of your body. His hands feel hot.

Atsumu grins. "You probably didn't expect me to be the one taking you, huh?" He guides his cock to your entrance, the bulging tip prodding along your puffy lips. "Did you want Osamu to be the one fucking you?"

No? You want to argue, straining your head up slightly, but only tea-laced saliva drips out from the corners of your mouth.

"'Fuck me, 'Samu. Fuck me, please.' Is that what you heard? Is that what you wanted to say too?"

Your screams are muffled whimpers.

Osamu snorts off to the side, watching Atsumu do exactly what he accused Osamu earlier of: playing with his food. Hypocrite.

Atsumu glares at Osamu before turning his attention back to you. "You'll be begging for me, Atsumu, after I'm done with you."

He lines himself at your entrance and inches himself in, groaning at how your cunt is somehow just sucking him in. You're so warm and tight inside, wrapping perfectly around every part of him. He sits in you for a moment, just enjoying being blanketed by your muscles and chuckling how you tighten around him every now and then.

You whine, urging Atsumu to move a little.

"Okay, okay. Geez, and 'Samu says I'm impatient." Atsumu slowly draws his cock out and snaps his hips forward, the base of his balls slapping against your ass. He delights at how you squeeze your eyes shut and continues rocking into you at a comfortable pace.

Osamu enjoys standing off to the side for a while. He always liked watching Atsumu savor and delight the food he prepares. Atsumu always eats with such gusto. It should have always been that way, until the witch ruined everything. The curse, an experiment with the dark arts, should have never happened. Above all else, it should never have been on Atsumu. Osamu can only wonder if the reason they are subjected to this fate is because they are twins. Until a cure is found, Atsumu, his most beloved other, will have to replenish himself in this way.

A sharp pain rips through you and tears well up in your eyes. You feel Atsumu's cock suddenly begin to pulsate and grow in size. At first, you thought it was because you're clamping down on him too hard and will yourself to relax. But the cock, the thing, is certainly unnatural now. And between your tear-stained vision, you can just barely make out... Monster.

You begin to thrash wildly, head tossing side to side, back arched as much as you can in a futile escape attempt. Atsumu's claws rest on your hips while he pounds into you furiously. His groans, now deep growls, send vibrations that you can feel within your throbbing clit. You fear that you'll actually be ripped in half by the way Atsumu is thrusting into you. The engorged cockhead hits your cervix each time and his ball sack, even heavier, bowls and knocks against you.

Osamu unfolds his arms and comes over.

"It'll only hurt if you don't relax," he tells you, reaching out to press on your clit. "Just let him have his way."

"Go fuck her somewhere else," Atsumu snarls. His voice is warped and bellowing. Your mind is getting foggy as Osamu's fingers on your clit don't stop teasing the bud while having a petty talk with Atsumu. And Atsumu, ticked off by Osamu, picks up his speed.

"There we go, now that's beautiful," Osamu comments, taking his hand away and watching you unfurl in your pleasure. Your abused cunt is puffy when Atsumu pulls out, and you feel the thick liquid start to flow out when you take breaths.

"No, don't do that," Osamu chides, taking three fingers to gather the cum spilling out and stuffing it back in. "Better keep it all in. 'Tsumu isn't done with you yet."

Not yet? You can't even voice your thoughts except weakly shaking your head and moaning into the steel gag. In the moment, your stomach rumbles loudly.

"'Samu, she's hungry," Atsumu points out, rubbing your tummy. "You feed her and I'll stuff her."

Osamu ruffles Atsumu's long hair and gives his new, erected horns a teasing squeeze. Atsumu yelps at the touch. "'Samu!"

"Okay, okay," Osamu relents and stands next to your head. You see him take the paring knife again and slide the icy blade between the cotton ties and your hot cheek. A quick slice and you feel the pressure of the gag release. Osamu removes the tea strainer from your mouth and tosses it into the sink.

"Must have been so over-brewed, I apologize for that," he says. You know he doesn't mean it at all.

"Why?" you croak out. Your jaw and cheeks are sore from being held in position for so long. There's so many things you believe you can ask why about. Why they are prepping you like a meal, fucking you like a toy...Why Atsumu is the way he is. Why Osamu is not who you think he is either. Why you.

Despite Atsumu's grotesque figure, you're sure that you fear this twin more. Osamu's thoughts are so well-hidden behind his eyes; he never gives away what he's thinking or planning. You can only accept his decisions from the receiving end.

"Because of Atsumu," Osamu answers. Everything is for 'Tsumu. "I'll feed you."

Osamu cradles your head with both hands, his fingers tangled in your hair. He prods his cock against your lips. Feeling your resistance, he grips your hair tightly, painfully pulling on your scalp, and presses the tip of his cock to force your lips open. You nearly gag at the length entering your throat and your hands ball into tight fists. Your nose is buried in the base of his cock, pressing into his balls. Each breath you take is heavy with his musky, hot scent.

It's easy to focus on Osamu's cock fucking into your throat, leaving an unamused, monstrous twin off to the side preparing to turn your attention back to him by force.

Atsumu rubs himself against you, preparing to enter you again. You're sure that he has become even bigger. When the tip pushes through, your body attempts to fight the intrusion in self-preservation. The claws at your hips dig in and Atsumu all but pulls you onto his length like a sock. You scream around Osamu's cock, throat clenching around his thick length, and nearly black out from the stretch.

You never had anything this big in you before. Atsumu lifts you up slightly, his grasp becoming large enough to encircle around your whole waist. Your ankles are still tethered and tug on you, much to Atsumu's annoyance. He easily slices through the bondages with a sharp claw. Now free of restraints, Atsumu can cradle you more easily, finally pushing the last section into you. 

Crack!

You can’t cry while you're stuffed with Osamu’s cock, but tears stream endlessly from your eyes. You’re sure your pelvic floor is broken, completely forced apart in a futile attempt to accommodate Atsumu stuffing you beyond your physical capacity. Your hips give out as your two legs, bone out from their sockets, dangle grotesquely.

“Just focus on me,” Osamu wipes your tears away and continues to pump into you. But you cannot focus on the human object in your mouth when your whole lower half and inwards are broken, stretched or squashed.

"Hey look ‘Samu! It's bulging," Atsumu marvels at the imprint of his tip pushing your flesh out from the inside. “Look, my cock is saying ‘hello’.”

Atsumu excitement translates into messy thrusts, treating your body like a game. “Maybe I can even touch your dick through her!” 

Your whole body is numb, the brain shuts its pain signals off completely, and hormones pour through your bloodstream in overdrive. The broken climax spasms through your body like the last bits of a faltering system.

“Better hurry...she’s...she’s fading soon,” Osamu warns between his grunts. He clasps your head and spurts his seed into you. You mindlessly swallow every drop of him, letting the contents slowly flow down your throat. You can’t process anything nor recognize any of the murky images. Who are you? Where are you?

Your memory fades in and out as your eyesight drifts between black and white. You can’t do anything about how the monster is now on all fours over your body, unrecognizable as Atsumu. You don’t feel any fear towards this grotesque figure. You don’t register how his tongue licks your neck.

Your mouth is now empty but you can’t formulate syllables.

“I’m sorry,” you hear Osamu whisper before sharp fangs pierce into your jugular, digging in deeper and tearing a chunk out. Red sprays across your body in fast spurts, drenching Atsumu and covering Osamu. The teeth at your throat gnaw at the flesh, starved, tearing through the skin, fat, and tissues like a child crunching fruit. 

You can feel the droplets falling onto your face like fresh rain after a storm. You vaguely remember your teacher and her warning of strangers. She always reprimanded you and you wanted to make her proud. There will no longer be any chance of that now. You weren’t a good student, and only an utter failure.

Osamu waits for Atsumu to finish you off. Atsumu always gets messy at this point. Osamu tried to help Atsumu section his prey off by cutting and organizing the limbs and even attempted to debone the meal beforehand, but Atsumu has his preferences, and Osamu respects them. So, Osamu delegates cleaning duties to himself instead. 

You’re already beyond recognition when Osamu comes back with barrels of oil. All that is left is a kitchen stained with blood and a pile of bone with chewed connective tissue left. Atsumu sometimes eats the bones too, but not always.

“‘Tsumu, are you full now?” Osamu asks, reaching out to cradle his twin. Atsumu has now transformed back to the way he is supposed to be. Osamu threads his hand through Atsumu’s blonde hair and inhales his twin’s scent.

Atsumu doesn’t respond and tugs at Osamu’s collar, trailing down his arm to bring Osamu’s hand to his own cock.

Osamu grins and kisses the top of Atsumu’s head. “Do you want to fuck me ‘Tsumu? I know you like to, after your meals.”

Atsumu whines and nips at Osamu’s jaw, pushing the twin down on the blood-stained floor.

“Okay, okay.” Osamu unzips and pulls down his pants before crawling onto all fours.

Atsumu’s hand cups Osamu’s ass and pries the cheeks open before curiously fingering at the specimen plugging Osamu’s hole. Atsumu holds onto the base and turns the object, before laughing.

“‘Samu, what is this you have in your ass,” Atsumu teases. “I like this presentation.”

This time, Osamu is the one embarrassed. “Last meal, it hurt like hell. So...I wanted to prepare a little.”

“With an egg holder?” Atsumu cackles again, fiddling with the ceramic object. “Should’ve just told me ‘Samu, I could never bear to hurt you.”

Atsumu holds onto the base and slowly pulls the object out before tossing it aside. He smiles and teases Osamu’s enlarged hole that’s opening and closing around nothing. Gathering up some saliva, he spits onto Osamu’s asshole before lining his cock at the rim and slowly pushing in.

Along with the curse comes a near insatiable lust. Atsumu knows that if he doesn’t fulfill his need to fuck or be fucked, he will snap. He doesn’t really care who he kills during a frenzy of that sort, but it’s too risky to get Osamu caught up in the collateral.

The witch that wanted to create the perfect weapon, failed. She failed because she underestimated the twins’ bonds for each other. She failed because the twins discovered that witches excrete a very special hormone in their body after climax, and it is exactly that substance that is slowly curing Atsumu. With every witch eaten and absorbed, Atsumu is healing and gaining magical powers. He is even capable of passing those essences to Osamu. One day, everything will be the way it's supposed to be.

Osamu plays with a few strands of Atsumu’s hair. Atsumu’s softened cock still buried inside of him. Atsumu has his jaw resting on Osamu’s shoulder.

“You make me feel so good,” Atsumu sighs, enjoying the quiet moments after his high.

“And what about her?” Osamu asks, gesturing to the table where your remains are still at.

“She made me feel good too. The best one yet, but don’t be jealous.”

“Come on, let’s clean up and get out of here.”

After washing their bodies and changing into clean clothes, Atsumu and Osamu are ready to say goodbye to the cottage they have overstayed their welcomes at.

"Let's go 'Samu, we're already behind." Atsumu finishes dumping the last bucket of oil along the edges of the room.

The clamor of boots stride across the creaking wood. As though with the passing of its owner, the cottage itself has lost the will to live.

"Coming," Osamu calls back, walking past the makeshift funeral pyre for you. He notices a flash on the ground and bends down to pick up a button.

"'Samu! Get the fuck out or I'll burn ya down too!"

"Yea, yea."

Osamu drops the button into his shirt pocket and joins his twin outside. Atsumu strikes a matchstick and tosses the small flame into the cottage. Fire meets oil and spreads in an instance, engulfing the cottage in an angry blend of orange and red, devouring all contents and remains within. The smell of scorched wood reaches the twins who are looking at the sight from a distance.

"She was good," Atsumu comments, looking at his twin unsure about what Osamu's grey eyes are thinking about. Atsumu realizes that he didn't specify what good exactly means. But it doesn't seem like Osamu is paying much attention. Is Osamu thinking about you? Is he unhappy? Does he regret what happened to you? Although what's done is done already, if time can go back, would Osamu choose? You or Atsumu?

Osamu slips his hand into Atsumu's, erasing the unspoken worries away. He gently leads Atsumu onto the trail, leaving the burning cottage behind.

"Stop thinking such nonsense," Osamu mutters, squeezing Atsumu's hand. No matter what happens, Atsumu will always come first. His needs, his desires. That's what it means for Osamu to love Atsumu. Even though the rest of the world may not understand the relationship the twins share, calling it depraved and disgusting, it's still selfless on their part. What sin is there to honestly love? What sin is there to try and save his loved ones?

While Osamu admits to himself that he does feel a deep attraction to you and knows that Atsumu feels the same pull as well, there's nothing that can be done about Atsumu's condition. But it's not as though you are completely gone. Your essences and core are within both twins, being absorbed as one with their bodies and soul. You'll forever be with them in that way, even if you no longer have any sentient memory of it.

Osamu fiddles the button in his pocket; there's still a physical reminder of you in that tiny form.

It must be about a twenty-minute trek from the burning site. Although the flames are already far from eyesight, the scorching smell and embers still drift over. The twins pick up their pace, eager to exit the forest before nightfall and make it to the next destination. On the way, they pass by the tree trunk with a wanted poster.

"They never get my best angles!" Atsumu complains, ripping a wanted poster that is nailed to the tree trunk.

"It's not like you have a good angle, ‘Tsumu."

"Shut it, we look the same ‘Samu. You're just calling yourself ugly too!"

Osamu shrugs and continues his trek down the main trail. Atsumu huffs, tearing the parchment into indistinguishable pieces before throwing the shreds up into the air like confetti.

"Wait up!"

Osamu stops in his tracks. "Hurry up, loser. We still have a long way to go."

Atsumu takes a few wide strides and swings his arm around his twin's shoulder. Behind them, a very light drizzle falls from the sky.