#and i forgot how much chapter 7 made me cry

[alarrytale]

Chapters: 12/12 Fandom: One Direction (Band) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik, Harry Styles/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Nick Grimshaw, Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Childhood Friends, Angst, Lots of Angst, Flashbacks, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, Pining, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Smut, Hate to Love, Sexual Content, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Friends to Enemies, Miscommunication, Harry’s an asshole tbh, Angst with a Happy Ending, Happy Ending, Addiction, Hurt/Comfort Summary:

Louis bursts with excitement, squealing slightly in his arms, while Harry watches him with an amused and soft expression.

  “Why are you so happy?”

 “You never stay. Sometimes I feel like you are changing right in front of my eyes and that one day you’ll forget about me.” Louis whispers. “I just want us to always stay friends.”   “I’ll always be your friend, Lou. That will never change.”

~   Or the one where Louis' been in love with the same boy his whole life. Unfortunately, said boy hates Louis' guts and wants nothing to do with him anymore.

[gojolvs]

I still want you.

Chapter 7

⤿ Satoru Gojo × reader

Falling in love with the Satoru Gojou wasn’t an easy task. You truly love him but will this come to an end?

Warning/ tags; angst, profanity, smoking, cursing, smut, cheating.

Genre; angst, cheating, infidelity, jik, Gojou �� reader

Notes: the tag-list is open if you'd like to be mentioned everytime i update just send me a message on the box. Also super sorry for not updating but im back!

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"Sumire!" Yelling with happiness you ran towards your kid. Seeing Sumire in your mothers arm sleeping soundly you couldn't help but feel delightful to see your son.

It felt like it was ages but finally seeing him in the airport running towards you, your heart felt full. You had been away from home for too long, and you felt a deep connection to Sumire. As you got closer, your heart was filled with joy and love for your son. You couldn't help but smile as you looked upon his peaceful face, and you knew that your family was finally reunited. You embraced your mother and Sumire, and you were grateful for the moment. You smiled and looked at your son, Sumire; his hair had grown so much since the last time you saw him. You noticed it was starting to turn white, just like his father's.

"Mommy!" Sumire hugged you tightly, his small chubby hands gripping your chest. Sumire missed you so much, and sometimes he would cry to your mother about how much he missed you and his father, Satoru. It was obvious that Sumire was a mama's boy.

Despite the sadness of the events that had occurred, your heart was warmed by the thought of your son. His presence in your life was a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there could still be moments of joy and peace. He was the one who had the power to make your pain disappear.

"How was grandma's house?" Kissing his forehead you caressed Sumire's white hair. Toji saw your mother struggling to get her luggage into the car and immediately offered to help.

He took one of the bags and loaded it into the trunk, then grabbed the other one and did the same. His kind gesture made your mother smile and she thanked him for his help. Satoru was too busy consoling Jiyuu the whole entire day that he had forgot that Sumire was coming today. You knew that having sex with Satoru was a mistake but you were so caught up in the moment you forgot how much you despised him. You had always known that Satoru was a snake but you had allowed yourself to be charmed by his smooth words and seductive looks. You had thought that maybe this time would be different, but it wasn't. You should have trusted your instincts and stayed away from him. Sumire's own father didn't even come but Toji came.

"Good! Grandma helped me learn how to write" your little 5 year old said. You could tell Sumire was growing up by the minute. You couldn't bare seeing your baby boy grow up.

You smiled and ruffled his hair, feeling a mixture of pride and sadness. You were proud of him, but you couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness that he was growing up so quickly. You looked at your mother, thanking her silently for her help in teaching Sumire how to write. "I know how to spell my name now mama!" Hugging him tightly you felt proud. His face beamed with excitement as he proudly recited each letter of his name. You gave him a big hug and praised him for his accomplishment. Tears of joy filled your eyes as you realized your little one had just taken the first steps towards independence.

"That's good honey, go inside the car okay? I need to talk to your grandma for a bit." Putting him down Toji held the tiny 5 year old hand. Taking him to the car you were left alone with your mother.

You both stood there in silence for a few moments, not knowing what to say. You glanced at her, noticing the wrinkles that had formed around her eyes. She smiled at you, her eyes twinkling with love and compassion, and opened her arms.

You stepped into the embrace, feeling the warmth of her love wash over you. Tears started streaming down your face as you both hugged tightly. "Mom... me and Satoru. We're getting a divorce." Hearing those words your moms eyes widened.

She looked at her daughter in disbelief, her eyes widening as the realization hit her. She had suspected something was wrong for some time, but had been hoping it wasn't true. She had never expected to hear those words from her daughter's lips. Her body seemed to tense up as she slowly processed the news. She stared into your eyes searching for an explanation, her face filled with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke. "What happened?" she asked in a soft voice, trembling slightly. Shaking your head you buried your face on your moms shoulder.

Placing a hand in the back of your head you cried. Not wanting to tell your mother Satoru had cheated because you knew your mother would lash out at him. You wanted to protect him, even though he had done wrong. You knew he was struggling and it was hard for him to stay away from the bad crowd. You wished there was something you could do to help him, but you knew it was out of your control.

"We agreed it was best for us to go our separate ways." Not wanting to go into further details with your mother she knew it wasn't her place to pry anymore. Nodding she just held you.

You knew your mother would be so angry with Satoru and you didn't want that for him. Knowing how much respect he held for your mother for being a strong women you couldn't believe he could actually cheat on you. Seeing how devastated your mother was when your father cheated and he still decided to cheat on you. You wanted to protect Satoru from the wrath of your mother's anger and disappointment. You knew that she would feel betrayed by someone she trusted and admired, and you couldn't stand the thought of him facing the same consequences that your father had faced. You also couldn't believe that Satoru, with all of the respect he had for your mother's strength and resilience, could make such an irresponsible decision.

"Here let's go to the car, we can talk more when we get to the hotel okay?" Letting out a sigh your mother wiped your tears, seeing your doleful expression she knew there was more to the divorce.

Getting inside the car you could see Toji's frustrated face. Seeing Sumire argue with Megumi because he accidentally called you mommy. "No she's my mommy." Furrowing his eyebrow the small 5 year old feud with the toddler. Toji rolled his eyes propping his son to his lap. Scolding him for calling you mommy in front of Sumire even though Megumi wasn't your child.

He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples as he tried to reason with Megumi and Sumire. He glanced over at you, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry, I know it's not your responsibility to have to deal with this." He said, shaking his head slightly before turning his attention back to the two children.

Sumire pouted his lips crossing his arms, "I don't care, she's my mommy!" Toji sighed heavily, trying to explain to Sumire that Megumi had made an honest mistake.

"Megumi didn't mean to call her mommy. He was just confused, so don't be mad at him, okay?" Toji said, giving Megumi a gentle hug.

Sumire reluctantly nodded his head, still looking a bit disappointed. You knew Sumire would probably not get along with Megumi because his school would always call you and tell you that your baby boy had picked a fight. Yelling at the school principal you remembered you called him and idiot for thinking your 5 year old angel would ever do that. Maybe now you actually seen his true side.

You had always been protective of Sumire, but you knew he was a handful. He had always been a spirited kid, and you knew that he was capable of mischievous behavior. Still, you had always been proud of him for being so independent and determined. Now, you were starting to see that those same qualities could also lead him into trouble. You could clearly see he got most of Satoru's personality. But he still had your nice mannered nature.

The whole ride home was 2 hours, you driving home you kept on looking at rear-view mirror. Seeing megumi and Sumire fast asleep on both of Toji's shoulders. He had his arms crossed and his head was thrown back. You could see his long lashes and the way his eye lids would twitch when the kids would move. You had to fight the urge to pull over and take a photo of the three of them, the moment was so peaceful and serene. But you decided not to disturb them, and kept on driving, admiring the moment in your head. The sun was setting and the orange light was reflecting off of Toji's hair, making him look like a prince from a fairytale. You let out a breath, and kept driving, content with the moment you just shared.

Your mother also fast asleep you were alone with your thoughts. Everyone was asleep in the car but you. You felt a wave of anxiety wash over you as you realized that you had to face him soon. You had no idea what to expect, and it scared you. You wished you had someone to talk to, to help you process your feelings and figure out what to do. But here you were, alone in the car, with no one to turn to. You sighed and took a deep breath, trying to push away the fear and uncertainty. There was only three days left before the wedding of your sister. She was so busy with getting things ready she rarely visited the hotel you were staying, but you didn't mind. You remembered how excited you were when you were planning your wedding with Satoru. You thought back to those days fondly, recalling how you both had laughed and cried together as you finalized the details and the guest list. You wished your sister all the best for her special day, although it was tinged with a bit of sadness as you realized that you wouldn't be able to experience the same joy that you had with Satoru.

Realizing that Satoru no longer cared about you, you felt stupid for still reminiscing the times you were together. It was finally time to move on and you knew it too. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the tears to stream down your face. You felt a bittersweet sadness as you accepted the truth of the situation. You slowly opened your eyes and wiped away the tears, feeling a newfound strength and resolve to move on with your life.

Stopping the car at the red light you quickly grabbed your phone. Seeing all the pictures you had with Satoru you chose to delete them all. Why would you have pictures of your cheating husband. He probably deleted all of the pictures he had of you. You felt a sense of relief knowing that he would no longer have any reminders of you. You had to move on and start a new life. Taking a deep breath, you slowly exhaled and deleted the last picture. You knew that the only way to move forward was to let go of the past.

Finally what felt like hours you made it to the hotel. Parking the car, you woke up your mom. Seeing her tired face you assumed she felt fatigue due to the airplane. Getting out the car you slammed the door, rushing towards Toji to help him with the kids. You gave your mom a hug and thanked her for coming. You were both relieved to be at the hotel, where you could finally rest after the tiring journey. You knew the trip would be worth it, and you were excited to explore the city with your family. Outside the hotel Satoru was waiting alone. He had his back on the wall, putting his hands in his pocket he walked towards you and your mother.

"Hello mom, how was the trip?" Grabbing Sumire out of the car Gojo carried him towards the hotel room. Your son tiredly groaned in discomfort, wrapping his tiny arms around Satoru.

"It was great, thank you. We had a lot of fun and saw some beautiful sights.”

How are you and Sumire doing?" Gojo smiled at his son as he shifted him in his arms, trying to make him more comfortable.

"Sumire is a bit tired from the trip, but he's doing well."

You stayed back to help Toji, getting Megumi out of the car the little toddler shifted his body. Making himself more comfortable you waited for Toji to get the luggage out the car. Already seeing your husband walking towards the hotel with your mom.

"He's fast asleep, guess you're going to have to stay at my room again, huh?" You took a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze of the night, before turning back to Megumi. Rubbing his back you grabbed one of the blankets you brought for Sumire originally. Seeing the small kid shake in cold you placed it on top of him.

Toji smiled softly at the sight. "You're so good with him." He said, his voice laced with admiration. "It's like he trusts you more than he trusts me."

You chuckled, shaking your head. "It's not like that." You said, brushing a strand of hair away from Megumi's face. "He's just comfortable with me."

"Does your mom know about the cheating?" Shaking your head you said no. Telling Toji how you were going to tell your mom after the whole wedding was done not wanting to ruin it for you sister.

"It's not worth ruining my sister's big day with this," you said with a sigh. "I'll tell her after the wedding is over. I know she's going to be disappointed, but she'll understand."

Waiting for the elevator Megumi kept on adjusting himself. Pulling the toddler closer you silently shushed him. "Shh... go to sleep honey." Moving side to side you gently smiled seeing him burying his face on the crook of your neck.

The elevator door opened and you stepped in. You pressed the button to your floor and the elevator started to move. As you felt the gentle lull of the elevator, the toddler dozed off in your arms. You held him close, thankful for the peaceful moment. "Where's Sumire going to sleep?"

Remembering that you usually shared a bed with megumi and Toji slept on the couch you didn't want to tell Toji to leave to his room for some reason. "He can go to bed with me but you can also sleep with me, besides the bed is big enough for us since the kids are small."Stepping out of the elevator you were met with Satoru's gaze.

"It's just for tonight." You said, feeling a bit embarrassed. Toji nodded in understanding before continuing the conversation.

"I think it's a good idea." He said, and you couldn't help but feel a bit relieved that he didn't seem to judge you for it.

"Where's my mother?" Grabbing the keys you put it in the keyhole. Rubbing his neck Satoru avoided your gaze. All the memories of last nights fling coming back.

"She's in her room, said she was going to sleep." Opening the door you nodded and let out a deep sigh, relieved that she was okay. You thanked Satoru for his help and walked inside the room. You could feel his eyes following you as you walked away, but you didn't turn back. Toji behind you, closing the door you could see Satoru's blue eyes stare back at yours. With a sigh you placed the toddler in your arms down on the bed. Toji doing the same with Sumire he excused himself to go to the restroom to brush his teeth. You watched him with a smile as he stumbled out of the room and closed the door behind him. You took a moment to take in the peacefulness of the room. The two children were now cuddled up in the bed with their blankets. You smiled to yourself, feeling a sense of accomplishment in taking care of the two of them. You walked over to the bed and kissed each of their foreheads before changing your clothes. Taking your shirt off you decided to wear one of your loose shirts you borrowed from Toji, wearing sweatpants to accompany the outfit.

Exiting the restroom Toji took off his shirt. You didn't mind seeing Toji shirtless since it wasn't your first time. The first time he stayed at your hotel room he took off his shirt, asking if you were okay with it. Your reaction was priceless, feeling your face hot you remembered how you instantly ran to the restroom to wash your face from all the thoughts lingering in your mind. You had to admit his body was perfect, his toned abs and biceps were enough to make your heart skip a beat. His perfect V-line and broad shoulders were something you couldn't help but admire.

Toji was a sight to behold, and you were lucky to have him as a friend. Stretching your hands you walked towards the bathroom, making sure to wash your face and brush your teeth before going to sleep. Seeing your face you noticed that your skin was getting the natural glow you had lost after the few nights of crying. Washing your face you felt your skin against the cold water.

As the water ran down your face, you felt a sense of relief. The feeling of relief was so strong that you could almost feel the heavy weight of the day lifting off your shoulders. Taking a deep breath you felt a wave of calm wash over you. You knew that it was time to get some much-needed rest. You gently patted your face dry with a soft towel and looked into the mirror. Finishing brushing your teeth you exited the bathroom. Walking towards the bed you could already see Toji laying down. The kids fast asleep next to him. You crept slowly towards the bed, careful not to wake anyone. As you looked at the peaceful scene before you, you couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and contentment fill your heart. You lay down beside Toji and snuggled close. You drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that you were surrounded by the ones you loved the most.

Waking up you silently got up, seeing both kids snuggled up with Toji you couldn't help but smile. You quietly tiptoed to the bathroom, brushing your teeth and washing your face. You then crept back into the bedroom and watched the peaceful scene before you. It was a moment of pure bliss and happiness and you cherished it, before slipping out of the bedroom and starting your day. Checking to see if you had received any messages you were surprised to see that your sister had texted you.

Sis; Goodmorning! Im having a small party at my house, i have something to announce so please come quick.

Liking her message you walked towards Toji, seeing his sleeping figure you couldn't help but feel a tiny bit bad that you were going to wake him up. You slowly shook his shoulder, trying to wake him up gently. He stirred in his sleep, groaning he sat up.

His eyes opened, and he squinted at you in confusion. "What's up?" he asked, still half asleep. When he saw it was you, he smiled, his eyes crinkling with warmth. You couldn't help but feel relieved, knowing he was in a good mood.

You showed him the text message, and he just nodded. "My sister needs us, let's give the kids a bath and then go."

Grabbing sleeping megumi he woke him up, you doing the same you grabbed Sumire and placed him on your side. Ruffling his hair he rubbed his eyes, still half asleep he placed his head on your chest. Sumire groaned and opened his eyes, blinking a few times he tried to adjust to the sudden light. He glanced at you and smiled, then snuggled closer and yawned. You smiled down at him and whispered "Good morning, Sumire".

Both of you walking towards the restroom you placed Sumire down, making sure the bathtub was being filled with warm water you were relieved to feel the water warm enough. Undressing Sumire you threw his clothes to the side before putting him onto the bathtub. You slowly put Sumire inside the bathtub and started washing him gently with a sponge, making sure to clean every inch of his body. You added a small amount of shampoo to his hair and began to massage it softly. As you were doing this, you could hear Sumire humming softly, showing how comfortable he was with the situation. Megumi in the other hand was crying so much. Toji didn't know what to do because he rarely gave Megumi a bath he would always shower with him instead.

Giggling at the current scene you came to the rescue, switching positions with Toji you let him scrub Sumire's hair while you bathed Megumi. The little body immediately stopped crying when you came to his aid.

"Kids going to be the death of me." Groaning he let out a sigh, placing more shampoo on Sumire's hair. He had a look of relief on his face as he handed you the shampoo for Megumi.

You smiled and thanked him before kneeling to Megumi's level, and beginning to lather his hair. He still had a look of terror on his face, but his cries had softened into quiet sobs. You worked quickly and quietly, trying to get his hair washed and rinsed before he started wailing again.

You smiled reassuringly as you finished, and he finally seemed to relax. "There we go," you said softly. "All done."

Switching again, Sumire was just playing with water. Sumire had been playing with the water in the bathtub happily, splashing it around and enjoying himself. He was getting a bit too wild, however, and some of the suds from the shampoo got into his eyes, making them sting. You told him to close his eyes and carefully rinsed off the shampoo before it caused any further discomfort. After he was all clean, you grabbed a towel and wrapped him up. Carefully, you lifted Sumire up and took him to the bedroom. You gently dried him off with the towel before carefully changing him into a fresh set of dry clothes. Once he was dressed, you made sure he was comfortable.

Toji doing the same you both got ready quickly before grabbing your bags and heading out the door towards your sister's beach house.

Already entering the house you walked to the back of the house. Seeing everyone gathered around the small patio that led to the beach. Everyone was wearing shorts and dresses. You had nothing but a small sun dress you decided to wear under your swimsuit if you decided to go in the water later. You smiled to yourself in contentment as you took in the scene. The sun was shining brightly, the sand was glistening, and the waves were crashing against the shore. You took a deep breath of the salty air and felt the warm sun on your skin. It was a perfect day for a beach party.

"You made it!" Giving you a hug your sister smiled at you, she had a beautiful white sundress on that made her look like an absolute goddess compared to you. You could say she got the good genes of the family.

"I wouldn't dare to miss this." Hugging her back you separated yourself before calling Sumire over to introduce himself to his aunt.

Sumire timidly stepped forward, bowing his head in respect. You could see the excitement in his eyes as he smiled shyly at his aunt. "It's nice to meet you," he said.

His aunt smiled warmly and said "It's nice to meet you too, Sumire. I'm so glad you could come today. You probably don't remember me because I met you when you were super tiny!" She said warmly.

"The guests should be arriving soon," your sister said as she looked at the clock. "Can you help me unpack?" You nodded and followed her into the guest bedroom, picking up a suitcase from the floor. Together, you quickly unpacked and neatly arranged the clothes and toiletries in the dresser and closet. Soon, everything was in its place, ready for the arrival of your family's guests.

Closing the door, she walked to the closet and pulled out a small box. "I want you to be the first person to see this," she said, handing you the box with a smile. Confused, you slowly opened it and found baby clothes and a t-shirt that read "World's Best Aunt." Instantly, you realized that she was announcing her pregnancy and you were going to be an aunt. Overwhelmed with joy, you hugged her tightly as tears of happiness streamed down your face. You couldn't wait to meet your new niece or nephew and spoil them with love and affection.

"Oh my god. How far along are you??" You exclaimed, your eyes widening in surprise as you took in your sister's growing belly. You couldn't help but feel overjoyed for her - it had always been her dream to have a child and now it was finally coming true.

"Im just a few weeks along. Im so happy because we can finally have children around the same age!" Suddenly, your excitement turned into confusion and amusement as you realized that Sumire was still a toddler and she was talking about having children around the same age.

"This means we can go shopping together for baby clothes! Aren't you happy?" she asked, looking at you with a big smile. "Remember when we used to dream about this when we were kids?" she continued, giggling with excitement.

You couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Your sisterlooked at you with a puzzled expression, clearly not understanding why you found her statement funny. "What are you talking about Marie?”

"I'm talking about the baby, silly!" Marie exclaimed, rolling her eyes playfully. She leaned in closer to you and placed her hands on your growing belly. "I can't believe you're going to be a mom soon!" she said with a smile.

“No. You’re just making things up.” you could feel anger building up.

"Aren't you pregnant?" I overheard Gojo and Suguru talking about you being pregnant." Stunned by what she was saying, you took a step back, unsure of how to respond.

“What exactly did you hear marie.” Your eyebrows were furrowed.

“Geez, why are you so mad? all i heard was satoru saying that someone was pregnant and Suguru looked shocked so i assumed it was you.” It couldn’t be right? Theres no way he had gotten Jiyuu pregnant. Shaking your head you put down the box on the bed. “I have to go.”

"Wait!" throwing everything onto the bed, you could hear your sister running after you. Running down the stairs, you could just hear the sound of your heels hitting the hard wood. Everyone was outside talking, and you could feel the anger rushing through your body as you ran towards the doors. Walking outside, you spotted Satoru talking to Suguru and Shoko, his hands in his pockets and a dumb smile on his face. Seeing that only made you even more angry.

You were fuming with anger towards Satoru for betraying your trust. "How dare you!" you shouted, unable to control your emotions. Your sister's voice calling your name snapped you back to reality as you pushed past everyone to stand next to Satoru. "Y/N?" he asked, confused by your sudden outburst and heavy breathing. But before he could finish, you slapped him across the face, causing everyone around to gasp in shock.

"How could you, Satoru?" His face was stunned as he looked at you in disbelief. You had just slapped him in front of everyone. "What did I do?" Confused, he quickly grabbed your hand before you could slap him again.

letting out a deep breath you could feel the tears building up. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and looked at the scene. “First i was fine with you leaving me for another women but getting her pregnant?!” You could feel the tension in the air as everyone held their breath, waiting for your next words. Your sister's eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze shifting between you and Jiyuu, who stood next to Nanami, casually eating a cupcake. It was clear that the news of Gojo getting another woman pregnant had caught everyone off guard. Letting out a deep breath, you tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over from the hurt and betrayal you were feeling.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" Gojo looked at everyone and started apologizing.

"Sorry everyone, she's just tired," he said, placing his hand on your shoulder. Clenching your teeth, you moved away. "No, Satoru. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of pretending like we're still together.”

"What's going on?" suddenly your sister's fiancé appeared. "What's going on is that Satoru cheated on me with Jiyuu and she's pregnant," you sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. As Satoru began to angrily grab your hand, you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment. His eyes were filled with anger, and you knew this was going to be a difficult conversation.

“what? is this true?” asking Satoru just sighed.

“Yes, me and Jiyuu are together and we are expecting.” The reality of the situation hit you like a ton of bricks. After all this time, Satoru had moved on and was now with Jiyuu. They were expecting a child together, and you knew that meant he was no longer the father of my child. You would have to share that bond with another woman, and it was a harsh reminder that you were truly alone in this world.

Wiping away your tears you knew it was the end. The end of your marriage. “Im leaving.” walking past your sister you could see the hurt filled in her eyes. “Im sorry Marie i didn’t mean to ruin your party, as for everyone else please pretend this never happened and make this a good day for her.” Being the bigger person you walked back into the house. Grabbing your purse and keys you realized that Toji took you here. Not wanting to see his face after everything you just grabbed sumires hand and walked out. Hopefully there was a bus station you could go to.

“Mommy?” Lifting Sumrie you held him in your arms. Kissing his head before walking to a random direction. You continued to walk aimlessly, deep in thought. The weight of your child in your arms brought you a sense of comfort, but you couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that seemed to be following you. As you walked, you couldn't help but think, "Could this day possibly get any worse?"

You made your way to the bus stop and sat down on the bench, letting out a deep sigh of relief. The events of the day had drained you both physically and emotionally, and all you wanted was to escape into a peaceful slumber. As you waited for the bus, you closed your eyes and let the exhaustion wash over you, finally finding a moment of calm amidst the chaos. Should you have really blurted everything out and potentially caused harm to those you care about? You couldn't help but feel guilty as you stared at your phone. The missed calls from your sister, Satoru, and Toji were a reminder of the consequences of your actions.

You couldn't help but wonder if things would have been different if you had kept your thoughts to yourself.

Taglist; @allofffmypeaches @wo-ming-bai @nerdiel-has-no-braincells @creolequeen11210 @yevene @doughnuts-eater @narutosagemode @lilith412426 @meojjjsworld @pandoraium @dcvilxswish @cloudsinthecosmos @alurafairy

[emotsper]

Hi!!!!!!!!

You’re like the szai person on tumblr, and even tho I’ve been playing proseka for like two years, I still don’t read a lot of the stories………

So as the certified szai tumblr person, since you kinda own the tag, would you like to explain to me why szai is such a popular ship? I really didn’t read much of anything…

Have fun!!

let me be brief (1/350) (no bc its actually gonna be a long ramble. apolocheese.) (also sorry if formatting is awful im a mobile user and I literally just type whatever)

FOR REAL THOUGH. PLEASE JUST DO ME A FAVOR AND READ MMJ MAINSTORY...... not only its a good source of szai cocaina you get to experience the entire mmj mainstory. i was normal before mmj mainstory and i was less normaler after mmj mainstory.

it simply went even more downhill when i read tenshi no clover. genuinely the one event story that first made me cry (second one was ice drop event but thats a bit biased)

okay now lets get to the main meat of it. szai.

admittedly i was kind of normaler early on but one of my tipping point was Chasing the radiance event especially chapter 7. please read/watch it. please. this specific chapter sent me into my trip of insanity when it comes to szai. it also opened my eye to specific scenes in their side stories/mmj mainsto that i skimmed early on especially bc im a jp only player so fan tls may not be super accurate back then 💔

to start off, airi was a girl that was often made fun of for being tomboyish, and seeing idols for the first time made her feel a glimmer of hope that maybe she can also bring hope to other people. she finally manages to reach her goal and became an idol after several of failed auditions (very deserved especially after her hard work) while shizuku became an idol purely out of luck from the idol grand prix context her friends convinced her to join 😭😭 From the start their relationship feels a little bit doomed with how jealousy is kind of unavoidable from airis side. but against all odds, you get to see airi go to shizuku and cheering her up by giving shizuku her towel and telling her to wipe those tears especially with such a pretty face like hers (MACHINE CLANG CLANG RACK SFX) they are so crazy for this. especially when you realize that shizuku kept the towel until now. (the towel is her area upgrade item)

from this point, airi thought nothing much of shizuku yet other than her being her new rival (and that shes rly pretty) but shizuku sees airi as her main reason to keep going in this idol stuff at that time, and that was enough.

(okay purely for this next part im forgetting a bit so do remember it may not be fully accurate 🙏)

after training minori for awhile, szai went thru a mini divorce arc where airi was telling minori that being an idol isnt all fun and games and that minori should consider quitting, continuing on with how she flopped in the industry bc she was more popular as a reality show figure. but shizuku disagreed and kept saying how airi was an idol through and through and that she shouldn't have quit, but that just tipped airi off and she shouted at shizuku, unloading all her pent up jealousy that she had for awhile now. iconic as hell scene in the most angsty way possible.

u can easily tell this wasn't received well by shizuku. at all. airi you done fucked up. shizuku left her idol group the next day.

(addendum i forgot to add. shizuku truly believed that airi was the first and if not, the only person who sees shizuku as shizuku hinomori herself, without all the idol filter that people plastered on her. so when airi admitted that she was jealous w shizuku getting everything good in the industry, that basically broke shizuku. (color of myself is a nice one to read when it comes to this 🙏 also the i am we are event is a crazy good conclusion to shizukus current arc))

at this point airi realizes just how much shizuku was influenced by her past actions without her fully knowing about it. girl you done fucked up.

this scene is still one of the biggest and strongest kryptonite for szai fans. especially with what happens after.

after confronting shizuku about her choice knowing full well its airis fault, airi, angry at herself, goes immediately to cheerful*days training place (she knows the place since theyve kinda shared the spot iirc) while the rest of mmj follows. she started threatening arisa and almost threw punches but she held back and told the rest of cheerful*days that shizuku is more of an idol than everyone in the room (i may be hallucinating this one. do lmk)

they finally leave the place, and both apologies to each other. at the same time, they both admitted that they were each others idol

and then shizuku goes to tackle hug airi. what the queer

that only concludes the mainstory section btw. upon realizing it may be too much of a recap instead of actual explanation ill be brief w the rest of it (keep in mind i dont read EVERY szai story, just ones i was made aware of bc im playing on jp and story content is a bit harder to see/consume)

Main szai crazies for szai fans

1. chasing the radiance ch7. airi yet talks again about how shizukus hands are slender and elegant while hers are short and chubby (she compared her hands to a manju) and shizuku was mad at her about this and went on a long tangent about how airis gentle hands were the ones who pushes minori and shizuku forward when they think they couldn't.

this is probably the fifth time ive read this story and it still gets me. i hate these fruitsssss. please read the full chapter ive linked it near the start this chapter is so special to me.

2. my ideal idol (airi 5, jp only event for now)

Bro i Dont Even Know What Else To Say. Just Look At This Card

but if we're being serious . lets talk about this one specific card and the story shall we.

this card was a blast to the past; pre-mmj szai again.

we start off with present mmj getting ready for their turn in the joint performance with a new junior idol group that they were paired with. airi was a bit nervous and shizuku noticed it. so she offered to do something that would hopefully lessen the nervousness for both of them. shizuku softly puts her head on airis back and whispered several word of encouragements. shizuku reminisces to the past.

pre-mmj szai. shizuku was very nervous as she was waiting for her first performance ever as an idol. airi was also there, and it was going to be her first too. airi shows up to say hi to shizuku but she noticed that shizuku was really nervous and at the verge of crying. airi knew she had to do something and told shizuku to turn around, shizuku did. shizuku lets out a little surprised yelp as she feels airis hands and head pressing against her back. she could hear airi muttering some encouragement but we never get to hear what the words were, only that shizuku thought about how warm airis hands were. (i need to be euthanized)

back to the present, shizuku says that she hopes that this gesture can somehow "repay" for what airi did to her back then. i think im losing it. sorry

OKAY IM DONE IM DONE ITS ALMOST 1 AM MY BRAIN IS NOT GOING TO WORK ANYMORE IF I KEEP TYPING..... my brain can handle so little. anyways i hope this wall of text ramble can convince u to read mmj mainsto and consume more mmj stories........ i admit its not perfect or whatsoever bc i haven't read the mmj mainstory for awhile and i have a wee memory issue thats paired with my deafness so. yeah. enjoy. haha.

[vioartemis]

I’ll die with you

(Tara Carpenter x fem! reader)

Summary: Months after the 2022 massacre, you reunite with someone dear to you. But the happiness in only temporary; a new killer is targeting you. Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 a/n: This will probably be a multi chapters story with very irregular posting :)) Warnings: blood, injuries, Ghostface stuff, angst (English isn't my first language, I'm sorry if there are mistakes or if something doesn't make sense TvT)

"Hey, I'm not going to disappear okay?"

You laughed as your girlfriend pouted when you pushed her away gently. You were lying on her bed, her on top of you kissing you desperately as if you were about to vanish.

"It's just two days Tara, maybe less knowing her"

"Well that's still too long! Who's going to cuddle with me if you're not here? And my morning kiss?"

"I'll make up this, I promise" you kiss her "After this weekend"

She groaned slightly, disappointed. But she knew it was important for you.

"Can we stop talking now? I want to enjoy our last moment together..."

"Don't be dramatic, it's not our last moment together. When you say it like that it looks like we will never see each other again..."

She didn't answer and kissed you again, desperately.

You hadn't been separated in a while since the... incident. You were so used to be on each other all day it was hard being without her for too long.

Her lips were soon on your neck, placing hot, wet kisses here, sucking dark purple marks there, hands everywhere on you. You let out a sight, fingers tangled in her hair.

"Tara..."

She hummed against your skin, hands sliding under your shirt. You felt her smile on your shoulder when she felt you shivering under her cold fingers.

You arrived late at the train station, hair still a little messy. You rolled down your window and looked around for the person you were waiting. She wasn't difficult to spot with her blue suit.

You texted her you were there. She looked up, and starting walking toward you, a smile replacing her previous frown.

"Where did you get that car? Are you even allowed to drive it?" she asked as she took place next to you

"I stole it"

She gave you a "are you serious" look. You rolled your eyes, smiling.

"I'm kidding, I bought it. And yes, I have a licence"

You started to drive home calmly.

"How was New York?" you asked

"Oh you know, with work I don't really have time to visit"

"You know that's not what I meant"

"I know"

"... It's going to get better right...? Does it ever go away...?"

"Not completely, never. It's normal to feel that way. You cared about him, we both did. Time will ease the pain, but he will still be in our hearts. Forever"

She had never been good at reassuring anyone, but this time she found the right words.

Months after, your dad's death still hurt. It was normal, you knew it. You wanted to get over it, like everyone told you, but there was always that part of yourself that still believed he would come home.

"I'm back" he would say with a smile "Sorry I made you wait, the delivery guy forgot the sauce, again"

But that never happened. It never would.

With your mom out of town, you didn't think too much about him. Or at least that's what you said not to worry Tara. Now that she was back, even if it was only a weekend, the good old days came back, flashing before your eyes.

You parked in front of the house, tears in your eyes.

"How can you not cry...?" you asked with a nervous laugh, trying to light up the mood

"I'm Gale Weathers, I don't cry. Not in public"

"Of course, why did I even asked?"

You both smiled a little, getting out of the car and inside the house.

You started making diner, telling her some things you learnt while she was gone, trying to give her ideas for a new novel.

"Why don't you tell me about your life? It would make an interesting book. A spicy one for sure"

So she saw the hickeys.

"Mom!"

You blushed hard, embarrassed.

"No you're right, writing about people only attracts psychos. I wouldn't want your girlfriend or you getting hurt"

"Thank you?"

You both laughed and had a good time watching your favorite series while eating, until her phone rung.

"What does he wants? I told him I was off this weekend" she mumbled

"Pick up"

"What?"

"Maybe it's important"

She looked at you for a second, before getting up and taking the call. When she came back, you already knew what she was going to say.

"They learnt I was back here and now they want me to-"

"I know. It's fine, we had a good time, you can go"

"I'm sorry Y/n..."

She hugged you tight.

"You're Gale Weathers, the best reporter. No wonder everyone wants you"

She smiled a little, relieved you weren't mad, and was quick to go.

It always ended up that way with her. But it wasn't her fault. You knew she ment it when she said she was sorry.

You sighed and called your girlfriend.

"Guess who has to work even on her days off?" you said when she picked up

"She's gone already?"

"Yep. That was quicker than I thought... want to come over to keep me company?"

"Is that even a question? I'm on my way, wait for me baby"

You smiled at her words.

"Don't hang up, I want to talk to you on your way here"

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna tell me? Tease me?"

"Maybe..." you said innocently

The landline suddenly started ringing, making you jump.

"Shit"

"What's going on?"

"Landline. Who still uses this?" you mumbled

You walked to the phone and picked up, putting Tara on speaker so you could still hear her.

"Hello?"

"Is this uh... Y/n Riley?"

"Depends. What do you want?"

"You ordered something on our website, it should be there"

"Why do you call me for that?"

"Well... I think we send you the wrong package..."

"Y/n what's going on? Who is it?"

You texted your girlfriend about the situation while talking with the guy.

"I suppose you want me to check?"

"Yep"

"And uh... what did I ordered again? I don't remember"

"I think it was... a painful death."

You hang up immediately and let go of the phone. A voice changer. He was using a fucking voice changer.

"Baby! Is everything okay?"

"Yeah... just a stupid guy using a voice changer for a stupid prank..."

"Are you sure of that?"

The voice came from behind you. You turned around so quickly your neck hurt.

You felt your heart drop in your chest when you saw a tall, dark silhouette looking at you through a Ghostface mask.

"Hello, Y/n"

You were frozen in place, incapable of moving. The Ghostface took a step closer to you, tilting his head slightly, knife in hand.

That's when your legs came back. You ran as quickly as you could, trying to tell Tara on the phone.

"Tara it's Ghostface! Fuck I-"

You couldn't finish your sentence. He grabbed you violently by the waist, making you let go of your phone. It slid on the floor.

He stabbed your abdomen, a hand over your mouth. You let out a muffled scream, and tried to escape his strong grip.

You managed to bit his hand, hard. He kicked you forward, swearing under his breath.

You barely had time to grab a lamp nearby and turn around that he was already on you again, fingers wrapping around your neck, choking you.

You dropped the lamp as he lifted you up before pressing your back against the chimney. Breathing was becoming difficult. To make things better, he sank his blade into you again, twisting it painfully this time. Blood splattered on the floor.

You struggled against him, trying to get his hand off of your neck. But he was stronger than you, you couldn't do anything.

You reached behind you, desperate, when your hands found what you thought was a vase. With all the strength you still had, you slammed it on his head.

His stumbled backward, holding his head, letting you fall to the ground. You gasped for air but didn't waste more time and staggered up.

You tried to reach your phone on the way to the door, but you were pushed to the ground. You started crawling, tears flooding down your cheeks.

"Tara help!" you yelled, voice broken

Ghostface grabbed your hair and tugged your head backward harshly, one of his knees on your back to keep you on the floor.

"No one can save you. You will die alone, just like your father."

He slammed your head against the floor. You let out a cry which only grew bigger when he stabbed you on your side. He did it again. And again. And again. You were coughing blood at this point.

You didn't want to die. You couldn't die. You were screaming for help, crying and bleeding on the floor, Ghostface on top of you. You could still hear Tara's voice on the phone, a few meters away.

He pulled on your hair again, slamming your head on the floor once more. You started to feel dizzy. Everything was blurred around you, your ears were ringing.

So that's the end... you thought as he pulled your head back up.

"Tara..." you let out in a breath

He slammed your head back down again, harder than before.

I love you, was what you wanted to say. But everything turned black before you could open your mouth again.

When she arrived at your house, heart beating faster than ever, hands shaking, she saw him. Tall. Black costume. Bloody knife. He was running away.

Then her eyes fell on your body, lying in a pool of blood in your living room.

"Y/n!"

She ran to you, turning you around so you were on your back. Your face was covered in blood, fresh tears on your cheeks. She looked at you in horror. Her worst nightmare just became real.

Your necklace with her initial, stained with your blood, was hanging lazily around your neck, red from earlier.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks when she tried to take your pulse. She gasped when she felt it. She held your head with one hand, the other taking one of your own.

"Baby please stay with me... I called an ambulance it will be here any minute now..."

She had almost lost her voice from screaming when you were being attacked. Hearing you cry for help and not being able to to anything had killed her.

When the ambulance arrived, you were still unconscious in her arms. They forced her to back up while they were taking care of you. She didn't want to. She needed to be close to you. But they didn't let her.

From where she was, she could hear their conversation. It only made her heart ache.

"We're losing her! Get ready to shock her! 1, 2, 3, go!"

"She's losing too much blood!"

After what felt like an eternity, they put you on a stretcher into an ambulance. Tara made her way to you but was stopped quickly.

"You can't go further miss."

"Is she alive?" she asked, panicked

"She was clinically dead for 3 minutes. But we brought her back. Now if you want her to live have to take her to the hospital. And no, you can't come with us, we need to be by her side. You will see her at the hospital"

They left her here, crying on the sidewalk in front of your house. After a minute, she headed to the hospital, walking as fast as her legs allowed.

Once she was there, she was told she couldn't see you yet. She tried to argue, but that was useless. She "would only have to wait a little" as the lady said.

She took the opportunity to call your mother, your friends, and her sister to tell them everything.

The first to arrive was your mom, as expected. She seemed devastated. She got mad when she learnt she couldn't see you right now and started yelling at the lady before Tara dragged her away.

They had to wait half an hour before someone told them they could see you. You were still asleep, but your life wasn't in danger anymore.

Tara sat next to you and took your hand, stroking it gently, while Gale sat on the other side, watching you with tears in her eyes.

"... Can you watch her for a minute...? I have to tell Sidney..." she asked your girlfriend

"I'll call you if she wakes up"

She thanked her and got out of the room, taking her phone with shaking hands.

You would soon wake up, not believing you were still alive, and burst into tears in your girlfriend's arms only able to think about one thing; you had a killer on the hunt again.

[Next part]

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

It's interesting to see Rook and Lilia expressing much sadness in this chapter. Before chapter 7, they rarely show much sadness when express a bit. But seeing Lilia expressing the years gone by for Malleus to be born and Rook have to use his arrows against dream version of Neige and Vil, it felt heartbreaking it is for the things they done to get by. I also forgot about Silver and Sebek as they never express much sadness. Sebek being in rock bottom on how he wanted to have Malleus's sadness while Silver being the child of those who took Malleus's mother away made him feel guilty. It makes me think Malleus will express much sadness soon.

This is just like how Idia express so much anger that his hair gone red. We already seen his sadness about losing Ortho in chapter 6, but never this angry excluding his overblot form. Although his anger is more of how his mother hack his password and he blames Malleus for it.

If this keeps up, we might see new expressions for the rest of cast that haven't seen before.

To be fair, I don't think we've really seen most of the characters express this level of intense sadness (save for maybe the OB boys, since the main story centers on them). The situations before just never really called for this level of a reaction.

Seems like a lot of effort was put into making sure these boys go through the wringer in book 7. Being confronted by reality-shattering truths (Idia, Pomefiore), and uncovering unsavory secrets about your origins and country’s history (Silver, Sebek) can do that. I imagine a large part of it is because "waking" them is done either by a strong emotional or physical shock 😭 Even for characters who don't have a particular trauma (ie Epel), just the realization of the truth contrasted with the false reality he has been presented with could be distressing. No one is safe from the book 7 feels... You can really tell the devs are pulling out all the stops for this installment; there's so many new assets from outfits to facial expressions and more! Some particular favorites of mine are Idia's new animated crying face and his new red hair + determined face combo:

As the anon says, we haven't seen him go full red hair in his 2D model outside of his overblot form in book 6:

Idia does go full red hair in his Dorm Uniform vignettes, but he does not have red-hair or introduce a new facial expression in his 2D model in the vignettes to match:

(Here are the Idia models that appear directly before and after the Groovy illustration appears in his third vignette:)

Anyway!! Really looking forward to seeing what kinds of new looks we’ll see on the characters in future updates ^^ I’m already seeing fandom buzz and speculation on what we might get!

[spideyhexx]

kit's tbosas notes

here are my notes from reading the first five chapters of tbosas <3 this includes quotes I particularly picked out/thoughts as I read! if you want to discuss anything, pls send any thoughts!

CHAPTER 1

Starting off with Coryo & Cabbage immediately made me think about the beginning of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which starts the same way, where it's making sure you KNOW he's poor.

Memories of looking at picture books with his mother...no thoughts on this, it just made me sad.

"But better off sad, than dead...," (Pg. 5) - ARE YOU SURE CORIOLANUS

"As if controlling one element of his world would keep him from ruin," (Pg. 7) - Suzanne is telling us everything right from the beginning. Tendency to obsession! He seeks control because he didn't have that for his entire childhood.

Communications Professor - Satyria Click favored Coryo and he's the TA for that class.

Coryo considers flaking over a shirt as the most relatable thing as someone who also deals with anxiety and being meticulous. More on that, there is so much to be known about him in just the first few pages, how perfectionist he is, how badly he tears himself down over image, how much he hates his status...

Tigris is so exceptionally sweet, that it hurts!

He's pricked by a rose immediately and I don't take that moment lightly, that's deeper than it comes off.

I must have forgot reaping day was on July 4th but that's insane.

"LOVE THE BANGS." - Coriolanus is a kiss-up

Gymnasium Mistress is such a silly title - Agrippina Sickle - SEJANUS IS THE TA

Pg. 17 - Sejanus and his soulful brown eyes! Josh comes right off the page as Sejanus, what perfect casting.

There is disdain and camaraderie from Coriolanus' POV regarding Sejanus. He's playing with him but he also kind of likes that?

Coriolanus' first dialogue with Sejanus is about working out.

"Ma? Was Coriolanus' place about to be usurped by someone who referred to his mother as Ma?" (Pg. 20) - Coriolanus being funny.

CHAPTER 2

Coriolanus singing the national anthem in a forceful voice, getting nods of approval over it, and immediately thinking, "It was pathetic," is the most relatable thing I have ever heard. (Pg. 23)

"his insult," referring to Lucy Gray (pg. 25)

Mayfair wetting herself from the snake.

"There was something vaguely familiar about her but disturbing about her," (Pg. 25) - more than just the circus memories he has in this moment.

Sejanus immediately calling that Lucy Gray being chosen was rigged is so interesting to me? The fact he picked up on that out of anyone.

"Don't cry," - CORYO

"Coriolanus wondered if, like him, they were hoping she'd keep singing," (Pg. 29) - he's already in so deep

"But his brain had developed properly; at least he hoped it had," (Pg. 34) - funny coryo

The entire scene of Highbottom insulting Coriolanus is much sadder here in the book than in the film due to the sole fact of what happened before. Coriolanus so badly wants pie, even thinking about getting two slices and after Highbottom insults him, Coriolanus just wants to leave the Academy, he completely disregards how much he wants to eat after he's mocked. Also Coriolanus not knowing why Highbottom hates him? And thinking it's the nickname the students call him. Interesting.

First the threat of losing his apartment, then the lowliest tribute assignment -- who, on further reflection, was definitely crazy..." (Pg. 36) - I actually thought he was gonna say something nice here for some reason.

CHAPTER 3

"As you always say, your roses open any doors," (Pg. 38) - he never forgot this.

Remus Dolittle - Game-maker in training, who lives below Coriolanus

"She was terrifying really. And here he was in his uniform, clutching a rose like some lovesick schoolboy, hoping she would -- what? Like him? Trust him? Not kill him on sight?" (Pg. 39) - thought this was funny.

Coryo waited three hours!!! He felt a mix of pity and revulsion at the tributes.

Coriolanus believing his gravelly voice from not speaking for hours had a nice maturity to it (Pg. 42)

Lucy Gray calls him gorgeous.

He clocks Lucy Gray 'performing' from the get-go (Pg. 42) - and on that note, Lucy Gray feels so much more mysterious in the book since we're inside Coriolanus' head, she comes off as like an enigma and I really do love the discussion of how she is using him almost as much as he's using her. Of course, Coriolanus has worse moments than in regards to her, but she is performing for a lot of this.

I like the change that he sneaks onto the truck in the movie instead of Peacekeepers giving him permission.

"He remembered she carried snakes in her pocket and the usual rules didn't apply to her," (Pg. 43) - funny Coryo

In the truck scene with the tributes, I think the film had better lines (dialogue), especially from Coriolanus

He's a pampered poodle!

"Coriolanus resorted to the one move that had yet to fail him in schoolyard scuffles, driving his knee up hard into his opponent's crotch," (Pg. 45) - okay 1, WHAT SCHOOLYARD SCUFFLES WAS CORYO GETTING INTO and 2, I like that they took this out from the film because it would characterize him more on knowing how to fight at least somewhat but I feel like it strengthens what happens when he kills a tribute in the arena to not see him be violent in any regard beforehand.

"After Lucy Gray's wink, it might be worthwhile to stay," (Pg. 47) - CRAZY, OKAY CORYO!

CHAPTER 4

"HIS GIRL," (Pg. 49) - he's so possessive immediately

"Who were all these people hanging around on a weekday at the zoo? Didn't they have jobs? Shouldn't the children be in school? No wonder the country was such a mess," (Pg. 49) - Coryo continues to be funny

"All the faces...began to blur...his limbs felt numb, his lungs starved for air...he felt immense relief that he was not entirely alone...," (Pg. 49) - This whole section is so key in his character and his immediate liking/trust to Lucy Gray. First, he goes into a panic attack over the situation, and she's the one to ground him and calm him, which we learn later he usually calms down at night with his mother's rose powder scent in the compact and it's just making me think about how he misses that presence or a presence that can ground him and Lucy Gray does that without him even asking.

Coryo felt a spark and a burst of charisma from holding her hand AND she gripped his hand like a vice despite her outward appearance being so calm and confident (Pg. 50)

Lepidus Malmsey - Capitol News

"tried for likable with a hint of roguishness," (Pg. 53) - okay, Coryo

"He thought the combination of cohorts and unceremoniously had just the right note of superiority," (Pg. 54-55) - thinking of himself as superior to the Peacekeepers and also showing his perfectionism even within what words he chooses. He's so pretentious.

Io Jasper adored Coriolanus

"the smell of formaldehyde triggered his gag reflex," (Pg. 55) -wrote this down because I'm a teen boy/j

Coriolanus watched Gaul melt the flesh off of a rat at NINE!!!

Boa Bell is the sweetest name for a cat, I'm in love. She loved Coryo!!! And consoled him :(

"it upset him to think of Boa Bell ending up in the lab," (Pg. 58)

Coriolanus remembers Lucy Gray's words about owning it to help with talking to Gaul and Highbottom. She's so in his head already.

"Coriolanus would have to review the Academy student guide so he could object to the punishment," (Pg. 61) - he's so anxious and particular and insane

CHAPTER 5

he and Lucy Gray were the stars...okay Coriolanus!

"What was Sejanus up to? Was he trying to outdo him and steal the day's thunder?" (Pg. 63) - Coriolanus!!!

Also "that girl wasn't even his tribute," (Pg. 63) - referring to Dill. Sejanus trying to hand out food to anyone. This is such a good way of characterizing him as being sympathetic towards all of them, not just Marcus.

"His dog in a fight," (Pg. 68) - Coriolanus is referring to Lucy Gray here...he's so contradictory because he does make comments about knowing they're not 'animals' and he treats Lucy Gray as a normal human, but then his thoughts reflect more of this! The way he doesn't question it though is a testament to how it's been drilled into his head.

Coriolanus broke his denial of eating after seeing the ketchup in Lucy Gray's sandwich

He gets flustered after openly admitting to Lucy Gray of not having much food at home!!! I feel like the film lost out on so much character for Coryo in regards to his relationship with food because it is so important in almost every chapter. Also, him admitting it this quick to her is another point in showing how he's gained trust for her so quick. He calls himself an idiot over telling her.

"but this caressed his brain, calling her from the depths," (Pg. 71) - referring to Lucy Gray's song as it reminded him of a song his mother sang, then Coryo goes into the backstory of her death. There really is a connection between the love his mother gave him and his relationship with Lucy Gray.

he smells the rose powder when he has trouble sleeping :( this was all such a sad passage to read but especially, "it never failed to calm him with the memory of how it had felt to be loved like that," (Pg. 71) - Like that's very tragic.

The entire conversation with Sejanus, I'm still thinking about it but. It's clear Coriolanus is manipulating his own thoughts with how he sees Sejanus' actions, like Coriolanus almost can't fathom Sejanus is saying/doing things out of the mere goodness of his heart. And if Coriolanus does believe that, he sees it as stupid. And he sees Sejanus' actions as not being grateful for what he has. So at the end of it, Coriolanus is just jealous and spiteful.

"Lucy Gray was one thing belonging to Coriolanus that he [Sejanus] would never, ever get," (Pg. 75) - absolutely wild thing but this goes back to what was said in chapter one!!! Coriolanus wants to be able to control something and add into it what he feels towards Sejanus, it's amplified right now because he has the ability to deprive Sejanus of what he's asking for.

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 28

chapter 47:

1. ����😶 no one even got to say goodbye. i- WHAT THE HELL??? FUCKING RIDDLE

2. i’m at least happy that remus, james, and pandora can all take care of each other during the games.

3. im actually highly worried about regulus being a death eater. too worried, actually

4. “Regulus realizes it as he sits there, never moving or doing anything at all, just breathing; he isn't scared this time. Not even a bit.”

reg not being scared makes ME scared

5. “He had planned to kiss Remus' mask one last time, and kiss Remus, too.”

of COURSE it’s ALWAYS wolfstar that tips the tears over. why does THAT make me sob???

6. oh shit. it’s a maze

7. “”Come now, surely you wouldn't harm me and little Draco, would you?"

"I'm going to give you one chance to run," Sirius tells her, holding still, "and take little Draco with you."”

LMAOO they both know she’s lying out her ass

8. “It's Mavis and Velvet; they'd done exactly as they promised they would. They found weapons, found each other, and they died together. Their bodies are splayed out on the ground right beside one another, curled close in death like the lovers they were in life.”

oh shit oh shit oh shit i’m starting to cry again. i feel so bad for them, but don’t blame them in the slightest. it’s what i would have done

9. “and there's just this quiet, momentary mourning and respect for two people who loved each other and decided, together, that they would not participate in a game as cruel and sadistic as this one. They went out together, in complete control of their own fate, and they never deserved anything other than a long life full of love.”

crying HARDER. this would be the turning point in the games for me. i shit you not, i’d start teaming up and trying to break out the fucking arena

10. “And then, unprompted, Regulus' voice rings out, nearly snarling. He's addressing the sky, the audience, the Hallows in a low hiss of derision when he declares, "When you take them, you take them together, and know that it's your fault."”

i know i’m quoting this whole little section, but it’s IMPORTANT and it HURTS and everyone in that arena is being human right now instead of trying to survive. they’re all united on the front that they’re human and understand what it meant to love

11. i’m not surprised that the “first” kill of the arena was made by sirius. especially since it was to save regulus

12. WAIT YALL ARE GONNA LAUGH AT ME FOR THIS!!! sirius killed twelve people in the arena the first time. just like how he was blamed for twelve deaths in canon. i. it took me too long to make that connection yall

13. oh CHRIST i forgot that they planned to kill marlene’s parents in front of her right before she went in the arena. i’m so sorry. i want to comfort her

14. “Someday, Riddle is going to fuck with the wrong person, and they're going to slaughter him, and on that day, the whole world is going to shine just a little brighter” 👀 side eye

15. sirius has too much trust in regulus and i understand why and i see that, but BABES you’re so wrong

16. “In fact, they're all eyeing him like they're considering just killing him now so they won't have to deal with the headache he is sure to be. He's so ridiculously fond of each of them, truly.” 😶😑😶 blink blink. my dear. you need therapy

17. i- eli got in the arena and took a GODDAMN NAP- no fucking way. that’s wild y’all

18. regulus hating the rain is so me. and i’m not even exaggerating. reg hates the rain and refuses to go in it. if i get wet from the rain, the second i get indoors, i start having severe panic attacks over getting wet. i don’t blame him in the slightest.

19. y’all. people have really got to stop challenging regulus. he says that he’s gonna kill a person or stab them with a fork or brutally maim them if they kill/insult james or sirius. and every damn time, people still test him. and every time, he goes through with it. why do people not believe him?? he SAID he won’t hesitate

20. the authors notes are literally me on the previous point (19):

“regulus: i am telling you explicitly what i will physically do to you if you do This Thing

everyone else: *does it anyway and is immediately shocked when he follows through*

like??? DOES HE LOOK LIKE THE TYPE OF MAN WHO JOKES??? WHY DOES NO ONE TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY??”

😭😭😭 me fr

remember to respect zar’s wishes and fanfic laws! do not buy fics! do not repost crimson rivers on other sites. please and thank you.

[snakeunderyourboot]

Finished reading “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune and I need to scream about it, so beware spoilers ESPECIALLY under the cut

okay, so I have read 2 other TJ Klune books - The House in Cerulean Sea and In the Lives of Puppets, and while the first was an easy and happy read, the second is my top 5 books EASILY. I love In the Lives of Puppets, I love the world-building, characters, narration, ending, every little thing that is there - I love it.

So I was looking into some other TJ Klune books and I was considering reading Under the Whispering Door before and the only thing stopping me was the premise. You see, when you read the short description of the book, the first impression you will get is that this book is about asshole character that died but then brought back to life and now has 7 days to become a better person while living in the tea shop with this strange guy. And you will think how now this asshole character would try to change his life in 7 days, but also will fall in love with this strange guy and its going to be very sad, because they cant be together and then something will happen and they will get a chance to live happily ever after. Also the asshole guy will change himself completely in just 7 days. The premise is sort of interesting, but also seems so unoriginal and predictable, that I pulled off reading it for a long time.

BUT I was going on a stressful trip and I needed some nice cute book, to better my mood and I knew that TJ Klune books are always very funny and have a good moments, so I decided fuck it. Even if plot was going to be predictable at least there are going to be cool characters and it would do a fine job of keeping me company during this trip.

LET ME TELL YA HOW WRONG I WAS

Not about the characters, they are amazing and I love all of them, but about the plot. The premise is totally lying, because the book does start with a main character death and he stays DEAD. The whole deal with “7 days to live” comes only in a second half of the book and I was so shocked when it happened, because I completely forgot about it.

In fact, we spend huge deal of first chapters just getting to know Wallace(main character) and how the death works(really cool concept by the way, love it). The other characters are also great and I loved each and every of them. From Hugo who is such a patient and nice and encouraging, but at the same time so troubled and hurt, but he cant afford himself to break because other depend on them; to Mei who is actually pretty funny and a deep character, who experienced a lot and it shaped how she behaves, but she still chooses to be better; to Nelson, who is the best old man ever, the guy made me laugh so many times and cry, like Nelson is such a cool grandad(I didnt met my grandad, he passed when I was little, so I got attached to Nelson so quickly); to Apollo who is the best boy ever, the best dog; and to every other small character that appeared in the book. TJ Klune always has great characters, but my god in this book they are all amazing.

Wallace was also interesting character, that I grew to love with every chapter. His change from asshole to an actually nice guy felt a little bit rushed? Honestly, I noticed in TJ Klune’s books, characters who start as assholes but then changed to a nice guys, always have a good start and good finish but a little meh middle? Like Wallace was presented as such a big jerk and by even a middle of the book he become a completely different character which threw me off a little. On the other hand, considering that he died and then put into an unknown situation for who knows how long, maybe it is understandable why he changed so much. Still, I would prefer if he stayed a little bit as a jerk, just a little. A nice amount. Still, I liked him and his progression.

Remember what I said about Nelson making me laugh? This book is so funny, I laughed so much. Genuinely, the jokes are almost always hitting right in the center, especially the running ones. People who read the book - Walce truly does have a legs for it;))

The only thing that I a little bit disappointed about was the ending AND HERE IS HUGE SPOILERS DONT READ IT IF YOU HAVENT READ THE BOOK GIVE IT A CHANCE PLEASE GO RIGHT NOW AND READ DO NOT LOOK FOR MORE EVEN IF SOMETHING THAT I SAID BEFORE INTERESTED YOU EVEN A LITTLE GO AND READ IT I PROMISE YOU ITS REALLY GOOD

okay okay here the ending

I knew that Wallace wasn’t going to really go, even if book truly tried so hard to make me feel like that(and did a very good job with it, BUT I JUST KNEW he is going to be alright) and I thought that by the end he is going to remain a ghost but will now be allowed to stay in Tea Shop.And it sort of happened, expect he was also resurrected and made into a ferryman. Which felt too good to be true. I think I would prefer if he stayed dead but was allowed to stay in Tea Shop and they still had a relationship with Hugo even without touching and kissinf. I dont know, I feel like it could have been interesting and not as nice as the actual ending is. For all the talk in this book how life is unfair and we need to deal with it and try to get the best if it, the ending kind of undermines it. Maybe thats just aroace talking in me._.

Also can I talk how amazingly Wallce and Hugo fot for each other? Hugo who always put everyone first and then himself, who never allows himself to have something good, sometimes that he truly wants and Wallace who always took everything for himself and never thought about anyone. And how with Wallace, Hugo allowed himself to care and fight and ask for nice things for himself and he still cares about people, but now he cares about himself too. And how with Hugo, Wallace learn to care about other people and putting their needs first and how it culminated into him basically sacrificing himself for the good of others, because he truly learned how to love. They are such a good fit together, perfectly combining their strengths and weaknesses, like damn, my poor babies

TL;DR this book is amazing, olease read it, I love it so much

[eldrbraus]

TWISTED WONDERLAND BOOK 7 CHAPTER 2 SPOILERS. (summary, kinda. dont trust me a lot on literal translations its more of a general summary and i could be wrong with some things. also its kind of live reaction so. yeah. this shit is long btw. too much lore.)

no spoilers in tags, but beware that i will be spoiling the whole chapter for people who cant wait for the full translation/people who cant read it

we begin.

>lilia is asking malleus to use the dorm for a “im going away lol” party that apparently the whole dorm is organizing??? damn lilia way to make malleus sad lmao

>MALLEUS IS INVITED!!!!!!! HES INVITED HE GOT AN INVITATION AND EVERYTHING!!! SOBS. he even accepts it this is a glorious day for dragonchan

>uhhh something i dont fully understand but goes along the lines of malleus.. had gao gao kun.. FOR 17 YEARS??? AND WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE TOY HE WOULD GO TO LILIAS HOUSE FOR HIM TO HELP HIM??? omg thats so fucking cute help

>basically more talk about how time goes away way too fast for malleus

>lilia comments how the more time you spend with someone the harder it is to say goodbye (bestie arent you going away like too easily then? sus.)

>lilia left and OOP. MORE MALLEUS BLOT. NOT GOOD. malmal is very confused??

>lilia goodbye party already??? wtf thats fast

>so apparently every single character is going to be here (almost...)

>hmh where the fuck is malleus? lol what

>trey says something along the lines of lilia having a hmmmmmm unique??? way of cooking LMAO. lilia thanks trey for his cooking advice (YOU DIDNT LISTEN EVEN ONCE WHAT THE FUCK LILIAAA)

>cater....... hes so sad about lilia leaving the music club :((( he thanks lilia for being friends and they take a pic together waaaaa ;;

>lmao leona appeared and lilia is teasing him so much bcs leona is glad to not see lilia again

>LEONA WANTS TO LEAVE BUT RUGGIE SAID “NO??? THIS IS FREE FOOD??? R U DUMB” HELP

>octavinelle time! lilia basically gives all of them advice (azul dont be too greedy or it will kill you wwwww)

>floyd says something like “why are you leaving actually” and lilia says something along the lines of “i dont want you to see the ?? me?” the what you i didnt understand that part what are you hiding little bitch

>KALIM BASICALLY SAID THAT IF LILIA GOES TO HIS COUNTRY HE WOULD HAVE VIP TREATMENT FROM HIS FAMILY HELLO? and jamil comments how kalim wanted to gift him an instrument but they needed a TRUCK TO MOVE IT???? tf were you giving him, an organ?

>now to pomefiore, vil comments how malleus restored his beauty at the end of book 6 and wonders if they can do a magic transfer (?) of the same type to lilia and he says nah

>BECAUSE HES JUST OLD

>pomefiore is like ? arent you the same age as us

>LORE BOMBSHELL, LILIA SAYS HES ALMOST 700 YEARS OLD??????? (way less than i expected?? lol)

>LMAO THEYRE SO SURPRISED. rook asked if malleus is as old as lilia and lilia said that malleus is younger??? or that hes as old as them??? i didnt get that very well but something along the lines of malleus being way younger than lilia basically

>lilias family members are supposed to reach 1000 years old but apparently lilia was to eager? well not that, like he fucked up by playing too many games and that somehow made him old very fast? what (i think this might be a misstranslation help because it doesnt make a lot of sense. but something along the lines of lilia being 700 or so and his family being much older usually but him not reaching that age)

>cant remember exactly where it was but lilia also coments about how the dragons usually live much longer and that 1000 years for them is like peak maturity, when they become adults

>IDIA IS CRYING BECAUSE HIS GAMER FRIEND IS RETIRING FROM GAMING BUT HE WONT FUCKING CONNECT THE DOTS AND REALIZE ITS LILIA LMAO

>HE FORGOT TO ASK HIM HIS CONTACTS HELPPPPP

>also apparently him and lilia were their own best and first friends in online games?

>oh malleus and silver time! theyre in the main road to the main building 

>malleus is throwing a mild tantrum (?) and he made snow??? apparently

>silver fucking crying because he wasnt able to do anything for his dad bruh malleus feels the same

>more malleus blot?? what the fuck thats fast

>UH OH MALLEUS HAS AN IDEA. that cant be good.

>back to the party, first years time

>basically all thank lilia for everything

>i think ortho knows about lilia and idia being gamer friends but wont tell them??? he just said that idia didnt want to come and hands lilia a list of everything idia is playing (and lilia is surpised because most of the games are the same BUT HE WONT REALIZE) so maybe they can play a match before he retires i guess???? theyre so close to finding out but they wont fucking do it im going insane

>idia didnt come to the aprty btw he is the only character that is not there because he was mourning his friend quitting the game lmao

>lilia thanks yuu once again for being friends with malleus?

>HUH? A DREAM???? BUT YUU IS NOT ASLEEP TF

>yuu asks lilia if they can do anything for him and lilia asks the first years to be friends with sebek because poor croc hasnt made a single friend rip

>lilia apologized for sebeks behaviour bcs ace i believe said that he was so rude and said to sebek to behave but sebek.... refuses? lol

>LILIA IS GOING ALREADY AND MALLEUS AND SILVER ARE NOT BACK YET STOP.

>apparently lilias card for nrc arrived 500 years ago but he didnt care back then? so when malleus received his much later he went along with him (and he thanks crowley for letting him enter the school 500 years later lol)

>LILIA IS GOING

>MALLEUS AND SILVER ARRIVED ON TIME!

>malleus is really happy everyone is there

>??? the party said that no gift was needed but malleus is brining lilia a gift anyways, a “blessing”. uhhhh. 

>m. malleus is like way too happy about this. hes saying something along the lines of “today we dont celebrate an end but a beginning” uh. not good.

>this bitch is way too happy tf

>BASICALLY MALLEUS PLAN IS THE MUGEN TSUKUYOMI HELP?

>ORTHO IMMEDIATELY DETECTED BLOT RISING

>crowley is fucking alarmed and he lets everyone use their magic 

>malleus regular battle HE HAS 300K HP AND REGENS 60K EVERY SINGLE TURN??????? BASICALLY AN IMPOSSIBLE BATTLE LIKE THE FIRST BATTLE IN THE GAME AGAINST THE CHIMERA

>you will lose this battle

>lilia tried to make magic to stop him but says something like “this body cant even do magic like that anymore?!” tf you mean “this body” do you have other bodies like dottore or what

>everyone is scared shitless HUH

>lilia is now insulting malleus calling him a dumbass or smth and saying that he doesnt know what hes doing and malleus screams that hes doing this to not lose him HELP

>sebek and silver are trying to calm things down, it obviously doesnt work

>malleus says something about grabbing his hand??? scary

>he gave his blessing! its a long ass spell btw. i think his “blessing” is his unique magic

>DAMN THAT LILIA SCREAM

>MALLEUS FUCKING OVERBLOTS. ALREADY???

>THE WHOLE SCHOOL WAS COVERED IN THORNS AND EVERYONE FALLS ASLEEP???

>malleus saying something about 1000 years will pass very quick wtf

>”you will become the heroes of the story”? malmal says something like that

>AND NOW

>AND FUCKING NOW

>WE RETURN TO THE TWISTED WONDERLAND LOGO. THE ONE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME. WHILE MALLEUS HUMMS ONCE UPON A DREAM.

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT.

THE TIME LOOP THEORY? HUH?

[knightyoomyoui]

TWICE x M Reader - “Cry For Me”: PART 2

Surpriseee! Yeah, I know. I thought this would take a longer time to be published because I was about to move this to the Set 6 line up but it all ends up being... NOPE! Well, fortunately as I said in my announcement; despite of my phone got broken I was able to save my whole plot outline for the CFM series Part 1-7 on the MS word of my laptop. I honestly forgot that I actually made it in my laptop and thought I did it instead on the phone that's why I got saddened a lot when I realized it at first. So yeah, thanks to what I did I was able to atleast continue follow to the Set 5 lineup and work on this next. Another good news too, MY PHONE IS HAS FINALLY BEEN REPAIRED! I'm still saving up to buy a new one tho but hey, atleast my OG device where I usually write is back. I mostly my laptop rather on editing my work. So now that my phone is back... that means ALL OF MY SAVED PLOT OUTLINES FOR MY FUTURE ENTRIES ARE BACK. Now I can finally write for my next works and chapters for my TWICE ships and 1% Of Chances books respectively. Anyways, have fun reading! To be honest, I feel like this one increases the buildup for the next parts, especially the ending. A bit dark but I know I can somehow come up with darker ideas. Just wait and see. PREVIOUSLY ON "CRY FOR ME" PART 1...

"I felt betrayed so much...", Tzuyu finally speaks, Nayeon just attentively listened to what she has to say. She started wiping the tears from her face with her own handkerchief. "I thought seeing him sometimes with his acts that makes me suspicious of him was just me overthinking because, like he said, I am the only woman he loves but I never even knew that he really does hiding a dark secret from me," she sighed heavily as she felt her heart ache with every skips between on its beat her senses numbing at how her body feels lifeless at the immense despair she's experiencing. "YN is an asshole, Tzuyu; I'm warning you right now to stay away from him," Nayeon cautioned. "And as you said, we might not know... maybe he has other girls out there that he's keeping with him at the same time as you," she said, referring to the part where she acquired that Tzuyu had already noticed some strange and suspicious behaviors from you that made it appear as if you were hiding something from her.

"To be sure, starting today, I suggest we keep a watch on him at all times," Nayeon says before helping Tzuyu rise up by offering her free hand to the heartbroken lady. Nayeon swayed several strands of hair that blocks off her face to make Tzuyu seem presentable and prepared to greet the customers entering the business where she works and continue performing her job properly again. Before she lets go of the Taiwanese woman, Nayeon said one last thing to her before they parted ways. "So Tzuyu, are you in with me?" Nayeon said, folding her arms, awaiting the younger's response to her invitation to assist her in carrying out the vengeance plot she had for you.

Tzuyu then looked at Nayeon as she lifted her available hand to instigate a handshake. She stared at the hand for a few more seconds before coming up with the finalized answer she made up in her mind from rewinding everything Nayeon has told her about you being a goddamn cheater and a two-timer to her and to your ex-wife Jeongyeon.

"So, what happened?"

Jeongyeon was sipping her hot machiatto coffee on the mug she's holding when she heard Nayeon's question coming from the kitchen, preparing their breakfast for today. "It went... good." Jeongyeon said, quitely paused in the middle as she recalled her first meetup with you after the breakup they had. "He agreed for a closure and there, we had it." "Was he sincere?" Jeongyeon stared deeply for a few seconds on her drink, processing Nayeon's question. She remembered how there was none of a trace that you even acknowledged your wrong doing to her still but the hug as you told her how thankful you were that she won't go away because you can't make it happen that you gave her was contradicting her thoughts. She also can feel that warmth of your embrace. It may not gave the same feeling as the both of you would share before but it kind of gives her assurance that although you won't speak it for your own, it's giving her the hint that you still think and care for her otherwise. But then, she disregarded again that theory. You cheated. How the hell would make her convinced that you are what she's guessing. If you did think fo her, why did you betrayed her trust? If you did care for her, why would you break her heart and leave her without any sign of regret and guilt from you? "I... I... don't know." Jeongyeon concluded. It was too confusing and complicated to her yet. "Why do you say so?" Nayeon exits the kitchen, bringing two plates placed with freshly made sandwich each for them with her and place it on the table. "How does he responded to it anyway?" "He asked me first if I'm sure with what I'm doing. I said yes. He accepted, got surprised again because he... he knew what happened to us before." Jeongyeon gulped, fiddling her fingers on the handle of the cup as Nayeon listened to her.

"He's aware." Nayeon nodded. Jeongyeon looked at her. "Did he apologized?" Jeongyeon only bowed her head, sighed and shook her head gently. Nayeon's lips twitched in disappointment. "So, let me guess; he did accepted your closure... because he's good with the idea that you and him should remain friends. That's it?"

"Yeah." "That selfish prick." Nayeon huffed in the air. "He still won't admit it huh." Jeongyeon continued sipping on her coffee before taking a first bite on her food. While doing so, Nayeon took the chance to ask again. "What keeps you from being sure?" Heat all over Jeongyeon's body increased as the replay of you hugging her unexpectedly once again reoccured in her mind. It's as if she's in sync again with what that yesterday's her who received that felt while being entrapped in your arms again. A culmination of all the stories, memories, and experiences gathered into one done purely with the love that was once keeping you and Jeongyeon apart. Her arms suddenly moved by itself, hands began caressing each other's opposite skin as she tries to prevent it from disturbing her. "Jeongyeon?" "B-before I go he..." Jeongyeon catched her head with her hands grasping at both sides, feeling stressed because of what you're doing to her again. "He catched up to say thank you again then he hugged me." Nayeon stared at her friend for a while, monitoring her expression and reaction about it. She can tell that it brings back the familiar things that were once given and shared with her by none other than you who became her first and only man, confidently thinking at first that you were the right person she would love to spend the rest of her life to be with. Troubled. That's what it got her from deciding whether your actions and words are true. But then again, it got her thinking that at some point it makes her feeling stupid for herself asking her friend if you were sincere. You betrayed her. How could she even figure out if can you be trusted again at whatever the hell you do in front of her if you destroyed that very valuable thing that cannot or almost impossible to fix within a person's value. Now she made sure she won't ask her again about it. She can speak something about it, but then again... it's pretty understandable for Jeongyeon now to feel this way. "I know I hated how he could just do that to me but when he did it, I sensed something on him. My urge to let go was held back, Nay. It was like... a glimpse at least, that he... he still has something in there that belongs to me." Jeongyeon began slightly choking on her breath, head bobbed as she sniffed on her tiny tears slowly escaping in her eyes. Nayeon didn't hesitated to stood up and approach her poor friend to comfort her with a caress to the back and a pat to the head. "It's okay, Jeongyeon. I can't blame you if you're still feeling this way. I know it's still hard to move on and you're trying." "But just to let you know always, I'm here to help this time okay?" Jeongyeon nodded. "I will help you back up again, Jeong. Trust me." Nayeon kissed the crown of Jeongyeon's head before giving a last squeeze on the pityful lady before she returned to her seat and continue eating her sandwich. It went silent for a moment as both took time to enjoy their precious meal as respect for the blessing presented in front of them. After emptying their respective drink and food, Jeongyeon took the turn to collect the plates and mug as Nayeon opened her phone. "By the way, how was your meetup with her too?" Nayeon heard it. To be fair, she answered it too. "A success, if I must say. She was trying to be in denial as I expected. Thankfully, I'm prepared. Showed her everything I got to prove my statements are true." "Oh...", Jeongyeon reacted. "Well, so what does she said then?" "She believed, and she agreed to my proposal." Nayeon smirked as she glanced at Jeongyeon standing beside her while holding the dishes. "So, Tzuyu? Are you in with me?", Nayeon said, folding her arms, awaiting the younger's response to her invitation to assist her in carrying out the vengeance plot she had for you. Tzuyu then looked at Nayeon as she lifted her hand to instigate a handshake. She stared at the hand for a few more seconds before coming up with a finalized answer she made up in her mind after rewinding Nayeon has told her about you being a goddamn cheater and a two timer to her and to your ex-wife Jeongyeon. Nayeon felt a touch on her available hand. The sight is very clear and what a glorious thing to see for her as it only means one thing for her: accomplishment. Tzuyu's hand grasped Nayeon's hand, accepting the handshake to seal the deal. "If... that's what everything you say abut him being all true. That his love and everything he showed to me was fake and I'm just nothing but a mistress I've never wanted to... I- I accept your offer Miss Nayeon. I'll help you get back on him for what he did to your friend while I get mine... for me."

Nayeon grinned widely at Tzuyu's answer. She thanked her after and assured her that they will get this done someday until they achieve what it matters the most for them: your endless suffering. They exchanged numbers before Nayeon bought another one in the store in the store as she leaves the mall, her first plan now crossed out in the list. "So yeah, as of now she's on the standby; waiting for me to send a signal for our next move." Jeongyeon remained silent as she nodded. "What's her name by the way?" "It's Chou Tzuyu. She's a Taiwanese. Works as a saleslady in a famous luxurious designer clothing store, and I'm telling you..." Nayeon halted to chuckle in amazement and impressed at the next thing she has in mind. "What?" "She's a very gorgeous looking young lady. So pure, kind and innocent. Your husband surely does pick so well on women with the likes of you and now her but too bad, he fooled that girl and even hurt her also with you.". Nayeon clicked her tongue in dismay. Jeongyeon became even more intrigued at this Tzuyu girl regarding her friend's description.

"W-wait, what do you mean "fooled"?" "She doesn't know it also, Jeong. I don't why I didn't hesitated to atleast doubt first if she's telling the truth, but the way how I saw her face when she looked at your wedding picture with YN and how she just shambles down in front of me. Those were enough for me to realize that she... she is a victim here too, Jeong." "Seeing her broke down when I had to tell her that she's being cheated. It was like I saw you in her, and it breaks my heart immediately." Nayeon looked at Jeongyeon and showed a tightlipped expression. "I'll introduce her to you someday, Can't wait for you and her to meet." Nayeon smiled at Jeongyeon before retuning her gaze at her phone, allowing Jeongyeon to place the dishes on the sink as her head were filled of many new informations she learned all caused by your intoxicating sin. MEANWHILE... "I got to go now, okay? Have a nice day on your work today, babe." You kissed Tzuyu's cheek as both of them reached the front of the store. Tzuyu fakely smiled at your greeting, but being the oblivious you are; you didn't notice it. "You too. Bye." You waved your hand at her one last time which she also did before she quickly entered the store, her back now facing your sight. Tzuyu on the other hand, had her emotion shifted into a serious one as her fists began clenched tightly in uplifting rage that is cursing into her. You pulled out your phone and glanced through it as you stepped into one of the steps of the moving escalator. A message popped out of the screen which caused you to be excited and grin heavily because of the person who sent this to you. You drove away with your black sedan and head through your scheduled destination. A peek of the place caught your eyes from the window. You turned the steering wheel to the left as you finally arrived; parking your car on one of the available spots in the parking lot. After hopping out and start walking through the entrance door, you opened it and entered the place, on what is called to be a gym where there's some men and women busily doing also what you also came here for today: to work out. However, unlike them though; you have another reason in mind that encourages you to come here and establish yourself to become a regular and a "special" customer. Beng the only person who has a VIP like pass in this place, you shamelessly walked through the counter and pose yourself there while waiting for that particular woman locked in your gaze who is helping a customer to arrange herself to a perfect position to use an exercise machine. Now that she finished and received a thankful remark, she was about to return to the cashier when she caught your presence there, a smirk crept up in her eyes immediately. You had to watch this woman walk towards you, weren't sure if the way everything she does as it feels like it was all in slow motion when she comes in contact of your attention are either intentional or not. The way her hips sway, strong legs switching movements, her hair bounces as she combs sexily, bending her upper body where those perfectly built stoned abs get flexed and ofcourse those huge rounded chest of hers being barely hidden by her grey Calvin Klein sports bra that only compresses and instead forms a hypnotizing cleavage that you find it diffult to ignore. "You're finally here, YN." She slapped your chest before taking out her jacket and place it on her chair. She comes up to you and gave you a peck in the lips. Her hand caressed your chest as she greeted you with her seducive low pitched voice. "Good morning, hotshot. Ready for our intense workout today?" "When I have ever not if I'll do it with you, Momo?" You fixed some disarranged strands of hair in her bangs before pinched her peachy cheeks. "That's great to hear." She giggled. She took your hand and pulled it with her as she made you follow her around. "Come on, let's get started. The usual first then I have some new sets prepared for us." "Okay." You nodded. As you and her placed the tumbler and some other belongings that both of you will definitely need throughout the workout, you came up to her and wrap your arms around her waist. "Hey, I'm sorry if I never got to visit you for days, okay? Work has been requiring me a lot." You apologized to her. She did that adorable pouty look very close to your face as she sulked. "Now that you reminded me of that, yes I do felt lonely not seeing you around here" She glared away from you. "But, it's all okay now. Atleast you're sorry." She wrapped her arms around your neck. "Are you taking care of your health?" "Yup. I'm still doing a bit of cardios and endurance at home. Jogging outside, if I may include." You enumerated. "And oh, I also organized my meal plan again. Got some new additions." "Well, that's good. You're listening and . Keep it that way." She patted your head like a good boy. "Ofcourse I do, you know I'm still doing it all just to make us finally official, right?" You sniggered. Momo laughed. "You really want me to be all yours, huh?" "You have no idea." You shook your head. Momo pressed her body against yours, her face leaned closer on your ears as she whispers. "Say, what if we complete our session today... you can finally get the answer you've been waiting for." You got taken aback at what she said. Mouth went agaped as you got stunned for a while before proceeding to reply. "S-sure! What are we waiting for then? Can we start now?" You motivatedly said. Momo lets go from you and sets up the timer in her phone as she chuckles. "Easy there, tiger. Don't rush me around. I'm your coach, remember? Do you want me to reconsider-" "N-no! No. I'm sorry. I'll behave." You frantically waved your hands to gesture her to stop saying the next words you're afraid to hear. Thankfully, Momo listened as she's just only messing around with you. She stood on her own position beside you after. "Alright, ready? We'll do the stretches first. 8 counts. Left and right." After 3 hours of working out together with Momo, you two decided to continue your rest outside of the gym after you and her were both contented enough with the amount of cold temperature to help ease each other's exhaustion and body heat from the intense exercises you've gone through. You and her are now sitting behind the trunk of your car, your towel wrapped around your neck and your head placed atop of Momo's shoulder whose back is leaned behind her foldable chair. Drinking a cold water in your tumbler, you cleansed your throat before proceeding to talk to Momo. "I'm all ears, Momoring." "Eh?" You shrugged and laughed softly. "You know what I mean." "Ahh" she dumbfoundedly reacted. "Oh yeah... the answer." "Mmmhmm."

"But I'm not rushing you, okay? I just want to tell you because I thought-" You got silenced when Momo pushed her index finger on your lips. "Don't worry, YN. I'm not, okay? Actually... I've been thinking about it for days now and I had it prepared to do it... today." Momo dragged her fingers to your chin as she cupped and played it with. "And I thought... after everything that you've done and showed to me. You know I do have feelings for you too, YN and... the more I've been seeing you a lot as I reflect myself how I feel so comfortable, complete and happy when I'm with you, I thought... why don't I just turn it up, you know?" "So yeah... YN...", Momo looked down and smiled, blush forming in her cheks before looking up at you as her eyes twinkled. "You passed. I would really like to have you as my boyfriend." "Woah? Y-you are?", Your separated yourself away from Momo in shock. Momo nodded and just giggled at your actions. With pure happiness, you pulled Momo for a grateful hug which she accepted immediately. "Thnak you, Momo. Seriously." You kissed Momo in the lips after. "I love you." "You're welcome, YN. I love you too." *click* Unbeknownst to you and Momo, one of the cars parked near in the gym has a person inside of it that has been spying both of you earlier way since you entered the gym hours ago. After clicking on her camera for the nth time, she looked at the image she captured, and oh boy what a great shot she just took, A perfect formula for your sudden destruction. Her wicked smiled crept up in her lips. "Gotcha." She dialed someone on the phone before putting it in front of her ear. "Hello, Tzu. Let's meet tomorrow. I'll show you something." "What did you see, N-Nayeon unnie?" Tzuyu replied to the caller she sent to track you down. Back at the store earlier, when she reached the backroom where all of employee's locker are placed, she pulls out her phone and called Nayeon to inform her of your departure. Nayeon who is waiting outside the mall, saw you exit and silently followed you before saying goodbye to Tzuyu as she confirms her target on you. That's where it led her being here in front of the place where you secretly go to meet your other sidegirl, who is the owner of the gym you've been visiting recently named Hirai Momo. "I can't tell you yet, Tzu. I think it's best for you to see the truth in your own eyes but I only have one word to answer you: positive." She quickly pressed the end button, not even waiting any longer for her comment. All that Nayeon has in mind now is to face her tomorrow and send this to her directly. She woke up her car again and drives away back to her home to rest, leaving you and Momo to sepnd little more time to rest before also leaving together with her, as she invites you to stay with her for a while in her own house. "I figured it's been a while you've been here so... that's why I brought you here." Momo said before knocking on the door twice. "Yeah, I've missed being in here. Your house looks great. I presume what I'll see inside would be the same as always.", you smiled. The door then opens, you saw it reveals a woman sporting a brown curvy long hair, face presenting a breathtaking beauty, wearing a purple t-shirt and a jogging pants. Your eyes were fixated even more when the woman stares back at you cluelessly. You were indeed right at what you just said. It was undeniable that she even looked more beautiful today from the last time you saw her. "Momo-chan! O-oh... YN? Hi..." the squirrel looking girl said with her high pitched squeaky voice before her tone lowered when she catched your apperarance standing beside her cousin. "Hi, Sana. Long time no see." You smirked as you bounced your eyebrows that made the Japanese girl gulp and tense up in shyness. Meanwhile, Jeongyeon was walking on her way through your company building with her phone on her hand. It was open and it has your message on her agreeing that you'll meet with her there to spend time and catch up with her too. She decided to do it today so as of now she's about to visit you in your workplace today.

Entering the building, greeting the guards kindly; she made her way through the concierge area where the receptionists are always present to help the concerns of everyone who comes in here. "Uhh, hi miss." "Hello, maam. How can I help you?", the receptionist glanced at Jeongyeon first before typing back on her computer. "Can I ask if the name YN LN here today?" "Do you have an appointment with him, maam?" "N-no, he's my friend and I just want to request if you could atleast reach out to him for me. Tell her that a certain name of Yoo Jeongyeon wants to visit her."

"Okay, one moment maam please.", the lady nodded. "Thank you."

After waiting for a while, the receptionsit speaks again. "Sorry maam but Mr. LN is on the leave for today. He'll be resuming his work tomorrow though, you can come here again for him if you may so." "Oh... is that so." Jeongyeon reacted understandably. "Sorry, I didn't knew he's on a dayoff today. We just actually met again yesterday after few months of being away." She explained.

"Anyways, thank you for the help miss."

"You're welcome maam. Happy to serve." The lady and Jeongyeon bowed at each other before she leaves the building with a mix of disappointment, relief and sadness consuming her inside. "Tomorrow it is, I guess." She said before entering her car again and drive back home. Later that night, you just picked up Tzuyu in the clothing store and ate together with her on the mall for dinner. You are currently driving her to her home and you noticed that Tzuyu seemed silent and emotionless, so you assumed hat she's just tired or she's just lonely about something. To find out, an idea developed in your mind. Arriving in front of her house, you escorted her out of the car. "Thanks." She was about to come to the doorway when you interrupted her. "Tzu, are you okay?" You asked worriedly. "I'm fine. I'm just tired." You looked at the house and noticed that the lights are off. It's only 9PM in the night so far and it's weird if her parents are already asleep. "Are you parents' not at home?" "It's their anniversary today, they'll spend a vacation in Jeju for 3 days."She answered, explaining the reason. "Ahh..." You nodded. "Tzu, since your parents aren't home and you're alone. Do you want me to say for tonight and you know... help you rest with something?" "What do you have in mind, YN?" You stepped closer to Tzuyu and slowly nuzzle your face inches away to the crook of neck. Your lips began in contact with her smooth creamy skin. Tzuyu finally understood what you're referring at and to be honest, she isn't impressed at all. Instead of being aroused, she's just getting irritated and annoyed more and more. Tzuyu groaned and gritted her teeth as your hand became even more active, slowly touching her thigh up to her plump ass traced by her pencil shirt as your lips crawls down even more dangerously to the middle of her chest. "S-stop." Tzuyu isn't letting this go further now. She gently pushed you away from her which made you stare at her in curiousity. "I appreciate the concern, YN but I'll be fine. I just want an alone time for now and all I want to do so far is to sleep. I'm super tired." "A-are you sure, Tzu?" She just nodded. "O-oh, okay. If you don't feel well, I'm just one call away okay?" "Okay." "Alright, goodnight babe. Love you." You kissed her on the cheeks which she only grimaced. You entered your car and closed the door. Before driving away, you peeked at the rolled down window to say one last thing to her. "Rest well, okay?" Tzuyu just nodded. Again. You finally made your way exit. Tzuyu didn't even need to watch your car disappear on her sight from the distance as she quickly opens the door and enter her house. After changing her clothes and cleaning up, she lays down on her bed with her posture sideways. Then, she recalled what exactly happened that leads to her mood being completely ruined.

Nayeon arrived at the mall and invited Tzuyu to eat with her for lunch at one of the restaurants during her break. After they gave their orders to the waiter, Tzuyu spoke again for their conversation to proceed. "You followed him?" "Yeah. He went into this gym located in Hongdae." Nayeon nodded. "Did he say something to you before he left you?" "Nothing much. He just said he has to go now. He didn't told me where he'll be going or what's his purpose of." Tzuyu answered.

"Makes sense that he won't. Why would a cheating bitch would take down his guard if it'll risk his dark secret to be exposed, right?" Nayeon raised her eyebrows and created a sour face. "Y-you said it's positive, what did you see when you were there?" Tzuyu nervously asked and waited for Nayeon to inform her what she got. Nayeon opens her bag and takes out her camera. She turns it on and scrolls down on the gallery and paused at the exceptional picture that when she shows it toher, it won't need any further explanations to spill in addition. "I must say, he did kept you out from it. Although, having an eyes is useless when your mind is blind... and that what he is." Nayeon then gave the camera to Tzuyu and watched her look at it horribly. "I know it's not the perfect thing you want to see, but I have to remind to you again Tzuyu. You agreed to help me, I'm just doing to favor in return. This is one of my ways. I'm going to open your eyes and see the reality. Especially... when the truth is right there to set you free." In the middle of the night, sounds of helpless, broken and grieving screams and cries can be heard in the Chou residence. Despite of the exhausted eyes, Tzuyu's tears still pours out from her eyes one after the another until she finally burst out in loud sobs. She pounded the bed, raked her hair aggressively and threw all her pillows with her clenched fists in all anger, rage and devastation. She remained suffering inside the darkness as the image of you and Momo kissing outside of the gym earlier continues to intensify the pain in her heart and mind while her vengeful state becomes intensified.

[photogirl894]

"Sun and Rain Part 2: Age of the Empire"

Chapter 23

"Mob Funnel"

A "Bad Batch" fanfic!

Pairing: Hunter x fem OC, Echo (more best friend pairing)

A/N: Wow, when inspiration hits, it hits! Cuz here I am with another chapter a couple days after the last one when I had insane writer's block for months! This is nuts!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter because I know I certainly did 😊 There is a scene later between Echo and Lex and, once again, I have more songs for them for my "Sun and Rain" playlist. Parts of the scene were inspired by "I See You" from the movie "Avatar" as well as "Angel Cry" by Corbin Bleu, both songs I enjoy a lot! (Also, if you play Baldur's Gate 3 and know a bit about Astarion's romance storyline, there's a small reference to that in here, as well 😉)

And good news: after this chapter, we'll be getting back to the canon storyline of the Bad Batch show, picking up with episode 7, "Battle Scars"! 😁

Happy reading, my lovelies!! 💜

Taglist: @the-sad-batch , @nimata-beroya , @intrepidmare , @cole-kenxbi , @tech-aficionado , @ladykatakuri , @d1n0-dan , @sammi9498 , @darthzero22 , @scarlettrose9901 , @tech-deck , @thebadbatchscyare , @chxpsi , @ilikemymendarkandfictional , @4pplecider , @locitapurplepink , @l-lend , @nekotaetae , @eternalwaffle , @merkitty49 , @avathebestx , @idoubleswearimawriter , @techs-stitches , @fantasyproductions

《 Chapter 22

》 Chapter 24

All chapters (Part 2) (Part 1)

Explanation: The Bad Batch and Koriena Force work out their escape from the gala and particular members from both squads deal with the aftermath of certain decisions that were made during the mission.

The position Echo found himself in was the last thing he'd ever expected. 

He and Lex had heard the security guards were close, Lex had pushed him up against the wall, saying she was going to take a risk...and now, suddenly, she was...passionately kissing him!

He had expected her to charge and start fighting the security guards on her own. How had it come to this?

His whole body locked up in complete and utter shock, yet his lips didn't fail to respond in kind and kiss her back. Then one of her hands came up to his face while the other pulled his arm around her waist as she kept going, deepening the kiss even more. 

She broke away for a split second to whisper, "Go with me here," and then her mouth returned to his with just as much vigor as before.

With all logical thought having disappeared from his mind--even though he still didn't fully understand how they'd gotten to this point--Echo obeyed without hesitation and pulled her flush against him in his arms. His good hand moved up her back as his lips danced in perfect tandem with hers, losing himself in the kiss. Her arms came up about his neck and pulled him even closer. Kissing her felt as amazing as he dreamed it would be; his heart was about to burst inside him and for but a moment, he forgot why they were even there. There was only him and his Zabrak beauty.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be down here!"

The voice of a guard calling out to them and Lex abruptly breaking the kiss pulled Echo back to reality, much to his dismay.

She turned to face the four guards that were approaching them, but she kept her hands on Echo's chest. Then she feigned embarrassment and cried out, "Oh, we are so sorry, sir. We just...snuck away to be...alone for a few minutes." She snuggled up a little closer to him, which prompted him to bring a hand up around her shoulders. "I'm sure you understand," she added to the guard. 

The guard, however, stated in return, "Even still, this is restricted to guests. Please return to the main area or, if you wish to be alone, you are free to leave and go elsewhere."

"Of course, sir. Our apologies. We'll head back right away," Lex complied. 

She took Echo by the hand and pulled him along behind her. Once the security was behind them and they moved into another hallway, they both heaved sighs of relief at the fact they managed to get out of that situation without having to fight. It was a miracle. 

"I…I can't believe that actually worked," Echo commented, still slightly in a daze as they kept going. 

"Honestly...I wasn't sure if it would either," Lex said back. "I'm as surprised as you are. Come on, let's hurry back!"

They both picked up the pace to get themselves back to the main ballroom. Lex informed everyone over comms that they managed to get away and were going to rendezvous back with the group in the ballroom.

As Echo ran, a single thought ran through his mind: "She's crazy...she really is a lot like Fives." 

Having this thought a second time about her since after Balmorra made it dawn on him that maybe that was why he was so drawn to her; why he felt a deep connection with her. She was just like Fives, someone that meant a lot to him and whom he connected with deeply before. Now, he was seeing a kindred spirit of Fives in Lex. It all made sense to him now. 

He'd been doomed to fall for her from the start. 

He also didn't fail to notice that as they were running…her hand was still holding his. 

"Omega, ensure the child is secure. We're heading to engage a cargo ship," Tech informed Omega over the Aurora's comm system as he and Irys reached the cockpit of the ship and took their seats. 

She responded back through the speaker, “Kida told me the sound of the ship flying lulls Kori to sleep, so he’s sleeping now. Try not to wake him!”

Irys snickered and Tech replied, “Duly noted.”

As Irys continued to fly their ship upward into the sky in the direction they’d scanned the incoming ships, Tech started running an additional scan of the cargo ship’s systems, now that they were getting closer. He needed to know if they had any weapons or additional features on the ship they needed to watch out for when taking it down. 

“Anything coming up on the scan?” Irys asked him.

“It’s running now,” he answered. He waited a few more seconds before the full scan report appeared on the screen. Adjusting his goggles, he quickly looked it over before declaring, “Irys, we need to deviate our course.”

“What? Why?” she questioned.

“The cargo ship has its shields up and they’re too powerful for our guns. Veer off now!” he cried.

Irys jerked the controls, steering the ship hard to the right, and removed themselves out of the way of the cargo ship’s course. Once they were secure, she exclaimed, “Well, great! What are we supposed to do then? Those shields will be up until the ship lands. By then, it might be too late. We risk the ship landing too close to the mansion and, if we destroy it on the ground, that could put our friends’ lives in danger.”

“Indeed. That would be too great a chance to take,” he replied, putting a hand to his chin in thought.

They heard the doors to the cockpit slide open and Omega came running in, her eyes wide with concern. “What’s going on? Why did we suddenly pull away?”

“The cargo ship has its shields up. Our guns will be useless against it,” Irys explained.

“What’s the plan, then?” Omega asked.

“Uncertain,” answered Tech. “We can’t destroy it here and if we let the ship land before taking it out, we risk either the destruction harming the teams on the ground or the weapons getting into the Empire’s hands.”

“That and there’s no way any of our teammates will be able to get to the weapons without being discovered,” added Irys.

Omega, who had been listening closely to the other two, was thinking hard of another solution that could possibly work in their favor. Then an idea came to her. “Tech, would you be able to hack into the cargo ship?”

“If we were to get closer to it, I could. What are you thinking, Omega?” Tech inquired curiously.

"Why not just crash the ship?" she suggested. 

"Crash it?" Irys repeated. 

Omega then explained her plan to them: “It's simple. What if you override the cargo ship’s flight control system and steer the ship remotely from here? You could just crash the ship, both destroying the weapons and controlling where it lands, making sure the explosion isn’t near the mansion so it doesn’t put our friends in danger.”

Both Tech and Irys shared impressed looks. 

“That…actually might work,” commented Irys.

“I agree. If we can make the ship crash a distance away from the mansion, it won’t put our squads at risk, but can still cause enough of a disturbance for them to make their exit from the gala. Remarkable thinking, Omega,” Tech complimented the young Clone, who beamed brightly with delight. “Irys, take us back closer to the cargo ship. Once I’ve hacked into the system, avert our course away from it so we can’t be followed by the escort shuttle.”

As Irys redirected the Aurora, she mentioned, “They’ll be too focused on the cargo ship to worry about where we’re going, anyway.” Then she opened back up the comm frequency with the others and informed them, “Aurora to ground teams: the cargo ship is shielded and we can’t take it out in the air, but we have another solution. Tech’s going to hack into their flight system and orchestrate a controlled crash away from the mansion. It should still cause enough of a scene that hopefully, it can help you guys make your escape.”

They heard Echo respond first, “Copy that. Good plan, Tech.”

Tech replied, “I cannot take the credit for this plan. That belongs solely to Omega.”

Hunter’s voice came through, “Impressive. Great work, kid.”

“Thanks, Hunter,” Omega said, smiling to herself proudly.

With a new plan in motion, Irys kept the Aurora on a steady course back in the direction of the cargo ship, keeping a fair speed to make it seem like they weren't pursuing it, lest the escort shuttle come after them. Tech kept a close eye on the screens in front of him waiting for the opportune moment to slice into the ship's flight system. 

"Just a little closer," he said.

"I'm doing my best," replied Irys.

A brief moment later, there was a beep on the screen and Tech stated, "The process is complete."

Irys cast him a cunning grin and said in return, "Then bring her down, hotshot."

Back in the mansion in the midst of the gala, Kimber was finishing up another song and had requested a quick respite from performing, ducking behind the stage for a short time. She passed it off as just needing a moment to recoup her voice while in reality, she had heard about Tech's plan to crash the cargo ship and was hoping to stall long enough so that, once it happened, she could make an easier break for it with the others. 

She ducked behind a wall where no one else could see her, activated her ear comm and whispered, “Guys, I’m running out of songs here. Do we have what we need?”

“Lex and I acquired the files on the weapons being brought in. That should be about what we need,” answered Echo.

Then she heard Hunter’s voice, “Kida and I have the information about Crassus, as well.”

“The big guy and I caught a snippet of info you’ll want to hear, too,” also added Rina. "Mak Plain, the Banking Clan guy, is the one funding the weapons the Senator is expecting."

"Sounds about right," said Kimber. 

“Speaking of which, sounds like we should be expecting a commotion here soon once that cargo ship goes down,” Rina pointed out. 

“I’m not certain the ship crash will be enough to deter anyone here at the gala,” said Kida. “If I were a party guest and heard a crash like that outside, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere near it.”

Then Wrecker’s voice came through, “She’s got a point. We need something to happen inside that’ll make everyone go running.”

“I placed some detonators in the Senator’s office,” said Lex. “That should definitely freak anyone out. Plus, I’ve got smoke bombs we can use, if needed, to give us some cover.”

"I brought some, too!" added Wrecker.

Rina then said in addition, “If we really wanna add to the panic, everyone just pull out your blasters and we’ll start a firefight. I doubt any of these Empire snobs even bothered to come with weapons, so no one’s gonna want to stick around if they’re not armed. Then we’ll only have to deal with the security guards, which should be a cinch.” 

There was a small moment of silence before Hunter finally spoke, “That may be our only chance at getting out of here. Just everyone be careful and focus on escaping more than fighting.”

“So what’s our escape plan once that happens?” inquired Kimber.

Then Irys chimed in, “There’s a back entrance to the mansion out on a terrace where the Senator keeps his personal shuttle. You can head that way.”

“We’ll want to make sure the rest of the guests don’t go that way, too, though,” Kida put in.

“What should we do then?” asked Lex. 

Kimber came up with an idea right away and suggested, “We go for Mob Funnel.”

“Ah, I was hoping you’d say that, boss lady!” Rina quietly cheered.

“What’s Mob Funnel?” asked Wrecker’s voice.

Kimber explained, “It's a plan the girls and I came up with a while ago. We cut off all the other exits to the mansion except for one, which can be the main entrance at the front. That way, everyone will be focused on finding the right way out of here instead of worrying about anything else. Once all the guests head that way, we’ll all sneak out the back.”

“I can lock all the doors from here,” stated Irys. “The rest of you focus on the rest.”

“Ooh, I do love causing drama,” everyone heard Kida say with glee.

Now with a plan in place, Kimber told everyone, “I’ll make my way out somehow. I’ll join in the chaos once it begins.”

Then she heard Tech’s voice: “Prepare yourselves, everyone. The cargo ship will be making its crash landing shortly.”

“Copy that, Tech. Everyone, get into position,” Kimber ordered. She then went back over by the backstage door and peeked back out at the party, looking for her friends. She spotted everyone where they should be: Rina and Wrecker near the back, Hunter and Kida by the East wall and Echo and Lex, now back in the ballroom, by the West. Seeing they were all ready, she casually strolled back out onto the stage, where a few nearby Imperials began to cheer for her arrival. 

Right then, they heard the distant boom of a crash outside just a few clicks away. Many of the partygoers all gasped and cried aloud as they heard the sound and some could see out some windows the explosion nearby. There were a few groups already crowding by the windows to see what was going on.

The Bad Batch and Koriena Force then heard Tech inform them, “The ship is down and the escort shuttle just landed. I would expect extra company once you all begin your escape.”

“We can take them,” answered Lex. “Ready on your signal, Hunter.”

“All right, go, Lex,” they heard Hunter say.

Immediately, there was another loud explosion from down the Western corridor that echoed through the ballroom, causing many of the Imperial guests to scream out in alarm. The security guards throughout the room all raised their weapons, now on high alert. 

"We're under attack!" cried out someone in the crowd.

Kimber relished in being able to finally fight instead of entertaining the enemy, so she dropped her act, ripped off her heavy sun crown and yelled out, "Party's over, Imperials!" Then she thrust out her arm and threw her crown with great pleasure at the nearest Imperial trooper, hitting him right in the head and sending him toppling to the ground. Then she pulled out her blaster from one of the folds of her dress and fired a couple shots at the ceiling, the sounds of the blaster bolts causing even more of an uproar as people began to scatter and cry out. 

"Rebels! They're here!" screamed a feminine voice. 

Arsin Crassus, who was still close to where Hunter and Kida were, exclaimed in astonishment, "That's impossible! How did the rebels possibly get in?"

Kida came up beside him and stated, "Simple…they got their hands on an invitation." When he turned to face, she grinned proudly at him and then proceeded to punch him right in the throat with her left hand and then, when he was gasping for air, threw another punch with her right square between the eyes. He slumped to the ground right after that. 

"You certainly don't pull your punches," commented Hunter.

Kida crouched down and answered as she pulled a code cylinder from Crassus' pocket, "Nope. Besides…he was incredibly annoying."

Hunter snickered as the two of them pulled out their own weapons and ducked behind a nearby pillar to escape incoming fire from the guards.

Outside, the team on the escort shuttle, now with the wreckage of the cargo ship behind them, approached the outside security. 

One of the guards cried out to them, "We've had reports of an explosion inside! Rebels have infiltrated the gala."

The commander, clad in black armor and carrying a sniper rifle, responded in a snide voice, "Secure the outer perimeter and evacuate the mansion."

"Yes, sir!" replied the guard before they all ran off. 

The commander turned to his squad. "The cargo ship is lost. Move inside and take out the rebels."

"Understood, Commander," responded one of his soldiers. Then they ran off towards the mansion, their commander in tow.

In the ballroom, it was absolute chaos. The guests were running for any door or egress they could find, only to discover they were locked and panic ensued. Wrecker was punching and throwing Imperial troopers left and right while Rina was taking out their kneecaps with her rope dart. Hunter and Kida were still shielded behind a pillar, jumping out from behind every few seconds to blast at the security. Kimber had jumped from the stage and had knocked over a table for cover.

Echo and Lex found themselves back to back, blasting at the guards that were trying to surround them. 

“Looks like we ended up having to fight to escape after all,” Lex pointed out over her shoulder.

“Yeah, not sure we can kiss our way out of this one,” Echo teased, grinning to himself in amusement.

She shrugged. “I mean…we could try, but I’m pretty sure we’d get shot,” she replied. 

Her response surprised the both of them and after taking a couple more blaster shots, they glanced over their shoulders at each other, a sheepish look on their faces as the memory of what happened earlier in the corridor came back to them. 

They heard a grunt and then a thud right behind them as they noticed Rina taking out two more troopers that had almost gotten the jump on them.

“Hey, keep your head in the game, guys!” she chided them. 

With her focus back on the mission, Lex withdrew a smoke bomb, activated it and lobbed it across the room, setting off a cloud of smoke that only made the rest of the guests panic even more. She activated a second one and threw it to the other side, creating a second smoke cloud.

Wrecker saw Lex throwing her own bombs and decided to follow suit. He took out a couple of his own smoke bombs and tossed them randomly through the room, creating even more chaos. Though, as the crowd of partygoers were clamoring to get out of the room, pushing and shoving their way through the crowd, he got caught in the middle of the sea of people. In the midst of the craziness, he then got hit over the head by a trooper’s gun and his mask was knocked off. Lucky for him, before the trooper could see him, Kida saw what happened and shot the guard. 

However, the commander of the escort squad managed to push his way through to the entryway of the ballroom and he saw the larger guest lose his mask. It was a face familiar to him and one he didn’t expect to see.

“Wrecker.”

His keen eyes scanned the rest of the room to try and see where the others he knew would be there were, but the crowd of panicked people pushing and shoving him made it hard for him to focus.

Over their comms, the teams heard Irys tell them, “Make your way to the back entrance now while the crowds are running out. Now’s your chance.”

“Everyone, move!” called Hunter, signaling the others to follow him and head for the other way.

With Kida’s help, Wrecker had gotten his mask back on and the two of them ran the opposite direction of the crowd. Lex and Echo had immediately followed orders and ran after Hunter, making sure to blast any troopers that tried to follow them. Rina joined up with Kida and Wrecker, as well.

Kimber went to follow her friends when something suddenly caught her eye and she found herself unable to move for a moment. In the middle of the crowd of people, she spotted a set of black armor and a helmet with a green visor, even through a faint cloud of smoke. She knew that armor…all too well.

"No…it can't be!"

Echo’s voice crying out, “Kim, let’s go!” broke her out of her brief stupor. She kept her eyes on the other figure for a moment longer as she made her way after her friends, who still was trying to get past the crowd. Finally, she turned away and ran the way her friends were going, her heart aching deep on the inside despite the success of the mission. 

He thought his eyes had been playing tricks on him. Surely, the woman in gold couldn't have been her…but then he'd heard another voice he knew yell for her and he knew right away that he had been right. 

"Kimber."

So Clone Force 99 really had been there at the gala…which would then explain the sudden loss of control on the cargo ship that led to the crash. That had to have been Tech's doing. They had been there and had managed to escape. How had that been possible? He hadn't seen the Marauder anywhere or picked up its ship signature close by. 

He had barely missed them…but Crosshair knew of a way he could potentially find them and was determined to use it eventually. 

The infiltration of the Imperial masquerade gala by the Bad Batch and the Koriena Force proved to be an overall success. Despite the obstacles, they'd come away with valuable information they could pass on to Cid. Once they were back on the Aurora, they all immediately started getting out of their outfits, wanting to be back in either their armor or just regular clothes. For Hunter and the ladies, they also didn't want to have their faces caked in makeup anymore either. 

In one of the refreshers on the ship, Kimber was helping Hunter wash off the makeup on his face. 

"You did amazing tonight, just like I knew you would," he told her as she ran the damp cloth over his cheek, the darkness of his tattooed skin beginning to emerge.

She chuckled. "Thank you, darling. Though, I'm going to say this: after tonight, I don't ever want to wear a dress again!"

"I don't blame you," he said back. 

Then she changed her mind. "Well, actually, that's a lie. I do want to wear a dress for one occasion eventually," she said.

His eyes narrowed curiously. "What would that be?" 

She smiled up at him. "Our future wedding."

Hearing that answer nearly made his heart leap right out of him and all he could do in response was kiss her firmly and with devotion. 

"I greatly look forward to that day," he said quietly against her lips.

Kimber chuckled gladly again and then continued getting the rest of the makeup off his face. Before long, she could fully see his tattoo that she adored on his face. Then she took his bandana that she'd grabbed and wrapped it carefully around his head. The undercover Hunter was now gone and her beloved Sergeant was back. 

"Now there's the Hunter I know and love," she said. 

With that done, he left the refresher so she could finish getting all off of her makeup. However, it took her a moment to get started as her mind was distracted, remembering the figure she'd seen at the last moment of the gala.

“Crosshair.”

He had been there. Her brother had only  been yards away from her on the other side of the ballroom, fighting to get inside. As far as she knew, he didn’t seem to notice she was there. All the weeks she’d spent missing him, sending him secret messages and desperately wanting to see him again and then suddenly, he'd been there in the same place as her and her squad. She could've called out to him at that moment, had she chosen to. It was what she wanted to do more than anything, but she'd found herself incapable of using her voice for it had gotten caught in her throat. She knew him being there was dangerous for her and her friends, but she so desperately wanted to believe that there was still good in him; that he was still the partner and brother she loved.

Why? Why had fate chosen to almost rub that in her face; that Crosshair had been at that gala and she couldn't go to him? Was there even anything she could've done? Most likely not, unfortunately. If anything, it would've put her and her friends in greater danger. The only takeaway from it all was now, her heart was hurting and had to try her hardest not cry. Especially around Hunter. She knew she could never tell him or the other Clones that Crosshair had been there. They wouldn't react well at all. That only hurt her even more, having to keep secrets about Crosshair from them…but it was what she had to do. 

Finally, she pulled herself together, cleaned herself of her makeup, changed back into one of her civilian outfits and met up with the others who had changed already out in the main area of the ship. They all ran through the finer details of the information they'd acquired as well as went over how the mission went in their eyes. Though, a great part of the conversation focused on the fact that Rina and Wrecker could dance, considering how shocked everyone was about it. 

Very soon, Irys landed the ship on a mountainside not far outside a town that was miles away from the Senator's mansion. There, they figured they could rest for the remainder of the night and then in the morning, they could head back to Ord Mantell. 

Most of the group chose to head to bed, but Echo still had something on his mind that kept him from going to sleep just yet. Or rather, someone.

As he spotted Irys heading to her room, he asked her, "Do you know where Lex is?"

"I saw her go outside," she answered. "She's probably admiring the town next to this mountain. She loves to watch city lights at night."

A small grin crossed his face. He found that fact about Lex endearing. "That's good to know," he said.

"Echo," Irys called out as he moved to leave. When he looked back at her, she told him, "I saw what happened with you two outside the Senator’s office. I caught it on the cameras. I'm sure that's why you want to find her right now." He started to appear embarrassed, but she quickly said, "Lex means a lot to me. You know this. And I know she means a great deal to you, too. I know how you feel about her. She's in a tough spot emotionally, but I have full confidence that you can help her out of it. Can I trust you to take care of her the way she deserves?"

With firm resolve, Echo told her, "Yes. I promise, I only want her to be happy. She deserves the whole galaxy and more and if I can give her what she needs, then I’ll do it."

"Good. Then go after her. She needs you," she said, turning her back to him and walking off to her room without another word. 

Echo was glad for Irys’ belief in him. Now, he only hoped that he could get through to Lex. He had tried earlier in the Senator’s office and it didn’t get very far, especially since she was still being stubborn about everything. What didn’t make sense to him was the fact that, not long after that, she had chosen to kiss him as part of a ploy to throw off the guards. What was she really thinking? She acted like she didn’t want to be around him, but then turned around and did that. She was a hard book to read at the moment, but after what had happened, he was determined to have an in-depth discussion regarding their relationship once and for all.

He stepped out into the cool night air and looked around for any sign of Lex. It was times like this that he wished he had Hunter’s ability to track. Though, he did notice some faint footprints leading away from the ship and chose to follow those. 

Outside, sitting with her back against a tree on a cliffside overlooking the city below, Lex was lost in her own thoughts. Her fingertips ever so lightly traced over her lips, her mind wandering back to the passionate kiss she’d shared with Echo earlier in the night. Even sitting there thinking about it, she couldn’t figure out what had possessed her to even do such a thing. Once she knew the guards were coming, it was the only thing she could think of, even though now she knew that it was probably a mistake. It most likely made Echo uncomfortable or, if anything, it probably made him even more confused about her situation now, which was her own fault. All this time, she’d been trying to avoid deepening her feelings for him and then she went and kissed him anyway…now she was confused herself. She didn’t know what she wanted anymore. She didn’t want to risk getting her heart hurt again…but all she could think about was Echo. He made her happy, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. After kissing him earlier tonight, she was beginning to wonder if maybe avoiding him was worth it anymore. Was he worth risking her heart again?

“Hey,” she then heard a mild voice say behind her.

She turned around and, just as fate would have it, there was Echo, standing just a few feet away. She knew she shouldn’t be surprised that he had come looking for her. 

“Hey, Echo,” she said back softly.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

She hung her head, but grinned knowingly. “You probably want to talk about what happened earlier in the corridor, don't you?” she inquired. 

He nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

Her cheeks went hot as she tried to explain to him, “Listen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. It was just the first thing I could think of in the moment to throw the guards off; it was crazy and I'm sure I made you uncomfortable.” 

As he walked over and sat himself down beside her, he responded, “You're right...it was crazy. A crazy risk that I couldn't believe actually panned out. You remind me a bit of someone actually.” 

Lex gave him a puzzled look.

“Someone who was also reckless and a risk-taker,” Echo went on, “but was also loyal and passionate about what he believed in. His name was Fives.” He looked out to the glowing lights of the city in the distance, a reminiscent smile crossing his face. “He was my brother and my best friend. We were both in the same group of cadets, later got recruited to the 501st and made ARC Troopers together, as well. He was always one of the first to get into trouble and he'd drag me in with him. He, too, took a lot of insane risks.”

She listened intently to his words, intrigued by what he was saying about this other Clone brother he’d never mentioned before. “What happened to him?” she asked.

His smile slowly faded. “He was killed while I was still on Skako Minor. I haven't talked about him hardly with anyone.” Then he turned his head to look at her as he told her, “When I found out you saved me on Balmorra and when you kissed me tonight and we got away with it, both times I thought to myself, 'She's crazy...just like Fives was'.”

Snickering at that remark, she replied, “I remind you of him, huh?”

He nodded back. “Despite the things I've gotten into with the Bad Batch, I haven't had that sort of crazy risk-taking in my life for a long time, which is something I didn't realize I missed...until I got to know you.”

The soft, sweet look in his eyes and in his face told Lex exactly where his point was going. Her heart began to race like mad. At this point, she knew what he was going to do or say and she was uncertain of what she could do or say back. Her anxiety and longing were both clashing inside her mind as she anticipated what he was going to say next. 

“Lex, you know that lately, I've felt a connection with you,” he continued, shifting over onto his knees so he could face her fully. “While Kimber understands my past as a slave and she and I have a deep bond through that, no one has ever understood this part of me.” He held up his scomp arm in front of him for a brief second and then lowered it again. “That night I found you alone on Ord Mantell and we talked, I felt...strangely relieved for once in a way I haven't in so long in sharing that part of myself with you.” 

She lowered her gaze and shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “Echo...I can't…,” she said, almost begging him.

That didn’t deter him as he went on to say, “I understand if the kiss was just a spur of the moment idea to keep from fighting and didn't mean anything, but I need you to know that it meant something to me. I care for you and I have deep feelings for you, Lex.” 

Her head lifted up to gaze at him. Even though she’d always known he cared for her, it still hit differently hearing him admit it out loud.

He kept going, “I’ve never tried to hide that...but I also won't push you for anything you're not ready for. I only wanted you to know how I feel.” Echo laid his hand on top of hers and grasped it ever so gently. “I don't want you to shut me out and keep me at arm's length. What we have between us is something I don't want to lose and it can be whatever you need it to be. If you want me to only be your friend, then I'll do it. If you…want more than that, then I'll gladly give you whatever you ask. I just can't lose you.” 

Finally, getting overwhelmed with a myriad of emotions, a small sob escaped Lex’s mouth and her tears fell, sliding down her cheeks. She so badly wanted to tell him the truth of why she had tried to shut him out and how she was really feeling. It was killing her inside keeping it from him. He was loyal enough to her that he was even willing to just be her friend if that was what she needed, even though her heart was screaming at her that she wanted more than that. She’d always said he was too good for the likes of her…yet there he was, declaring his feelings for her and his devotion to her. What had she done to deserve someone so kind and tolerant as him?

As she quietly cried, she felt something cold and metallic carefully touch her face. She realized it was his scomp arm and he was brushing away her tears. He was so gentle and caring and she could see in his eyes a look of understanding as he let her cry; his eyes that saw through her almost into her very soul. He knew there was pain and anguish in her heart that he was willing to help her overcome. She could see that he wanted to stay by her side no matter what the outcome. How could she keep pushing him away when he was willing to offer her so much?

Her voice trembling with trepidation, she admitted to him, “I'm afraid, Echo.”

His hand on hers tightened slightly to comfort her. “Why are you afraid?” he asked.

Looking down at their joined hands, she finally spoke the truth: “After what I told you happened with Dune all those years ago...I'm terrified of giving my heart to someone again. He betrayed me so badly that it's taken me years to heal from it. I can't go through that again. I just can't. None of this has been easy for me…because I'm scared it'll happen a second time.”

In that moment, everything about her recent behavior towards him at last made sense to Echo. “Is that why you've been avoiding me?” he inquired for clarification.

With a nod, she confirmed, “Yes. I thought it was the only way to protect myself from being hurt again. I've hated every moment of it.” 

“Lex...do you trust me?” she heard him ask.

She lifted her head, meeting his unwavering gaze. “I do.” 

“Then trust me when I tell you that I will never hurt you the way he did,” he vowed. “I would rather die than hurt you. I promise that, if you choose to give your heart to me, I will treasure it and protect it the way Dune should have. If you let me, I'll do all I can to undo the damage he's done to you and help you truly smile again. I don't want you for any possible gain like he did. I want you for who you are and nothing else.”

There was no lie in his eyes whatsoever; no form of deceit or false promises that she could see. He really meant every word, which is something she’d never believe would happen with any man, not after all the lies and false promises she’d gotten from Dune. Echo only proved to her that good men really did still exist in the galaxy.

“I believe you…,” she replied before releasing a heavy sigh, “...and I want you, too.” 

The incredible relief Lex felt wash over her in finally admitting that out loud was overpowering to say the least. Echo’s eyes widened with joy at hearing her admission after what felt like so long.

She went on to tell him, moving onto her knees, as well, so she could directly face him, “If I had been paired with anyone else for the mission...I would never have thought to kiss them. With you...I wanted to...and like I told you, I took the risk...because I have feelings for you, too, Echo.” She smiled at him widely with gladness at finding the strength to be honest with him about her true feelings at long last. “You've been an amazing help to me throughout my struggles with my new arm and I can't thank you enough for that. After my accident, I thought everything would change for me and no one would ever understand me the same way...until you came to me. I, too, have felt a connection between us since that first night because you do understand me. You made me realize that my life wasn't over and that I was still me, not just a woman who's now part machine. You didn't see me just as a cyborg, but you still saw me for who I am.”

Moved immensely by her powerful and heartfelt confession, Echo brought his good hand up to Lex’s cheek, where she instinctively leaned into his touch. “Of course, I see you. I've always seen you,” he said softly.

“And I've always seen you,” she said back. 

He leaned forward and tenderly touched his forehead to hers, his thumb on her cheek caressing her skin soothingly. “After everything you've been through, you deserve something real. I want us to be something real,” he told her, his voice near a whisper. “I know you're afraid…but I promise I'll take care of you, if you're willing to give me a chance. Though, if you're still not ready and need more time, then I'll respect that and step back.”

He felt her shake her head back and forth until she sat back, removing her face from his hand and declared, “No…I can't do it anymore. I can't keep avoiding you.” Her violet eyes glistened with forming tears again as she told him, her voice full of emotion, “I'm still scared, but…it's tearing me apart to push you away. Every moment, it feels like I'm driving my own vibroblade into my heart over and over again. I'm tired of being controlled by my fear.” She inhaled slowly and then released a steady breath. “I'm ready to open my heart again…because I also want something real…and I desperately want that with you, Echo.” 

No words could describe the pure and profound happiness Echo felt at what Lex was saying to him. He finally knew where they stood and what she wanted and it was exactly what he wanted, too. This wonderful woman he’d pined for shared his feelings and wanted to be with him. There was nothing better he could ask for in that moment. Then without a word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close and cradling her head against his chest. In return, she wrapped her arms around his torso, holding onto him almost tighter than he was to her. The warmth and safety in being in someone’s arms again; better yet, being in Echo’s arms was already healing her heart immensely. She could feel it deep inside. They both felt they could stay like this until the end of time.

Echo pulled back a little, glancing down at Lex again, and they shared joyful smiles that they couldn’t hold back. Then he told her, “I really would like to kiss you again...this time, not under the pretense of trying not to get caught by guards.”

She let out a tiny giggle and smirked. “ But it's more fun that way,” she replied.

He grinned and shook his head. How he adored her teasing sense of humor. “Oh, Lex,” he sighed fondly. 

Then he cupped the back of her head, bent his head down and sweetly kissed her. This time, the kiss was slower and gentle yet no less passionate as they lost themselves in each other’s arms. Everything surrounding them seemed to disappear like it had before. There was only them on this mountainside and the rest of the world; even the entire galaxy was but a brief, distant memory.

After a moment, Echo broke the kiss and only pulled back a little, his mouth hovering just over hers as he rested his forehead against hers again. Lex, however, eagerly closed the distance and affectionately kissed him a second time, wanting just a little more.

When she came back, she only spoke one word: “Elexiss.”

Echo looked at her, puzzled. “What?”

She smiled adoringly at him. “Elexiss Valen. That's my full real name,” she explained. Then she blushed slightly and looked away briefly. “I've never told anyone that, not even the girls. I just...you told me about Fives, so I felt impressed to share that with you to return the favor.” 

He smiled back at her as he replied, “Elexiss is a beautiful name...but Lex suits you better.”

With a light chuckle of amusement, she said back, “I definitely prefer that, anyway. Especially coming from you.” 

“Thank you for trusting me enough to share that with me…and for opening your heart to me,” he said.

She nodded. “I know you've been incredibly patient with me through all this…and I only ask that you continue to be patient with me,” she calmly requested. “There may still be things in the future that will be a struggle for me because of my past with Dune, but I want to try and move beyond it all. It'll still take time, though.”

He fully understood what she was asking of him and he carefully nudged her head forward, tenderly kissing her brow both for comfort and acknowledgement. “I understand. I promise to be patient and I'll help you in whatever way I can,” he told her.

“Thank you,” she responded. 

Echo reached down and grasped Lex’s hand with his own and she took his scomp in her robotic hand. Then he said with a pleased grin, “I also want to say: you were an absolute vision in that dress you wore tonight to the gala. I never wanted to take my eyes off you.”

She grinned back. “You looked like quite the catch yourself. Why else do you think I was wanting to kiss you all night?”

He found himself enamored with this new, flirtatious side of her. He knew he definitely could get used to that and he would enjoy it immensely. “The feeling was mutual...and it still is,” he said back, nuzzling her nose.

Needing no further encouragement, Lex took Echo’s face in her hands and eagerly returned her lips to his as he pulled her close in his arms once more. After a long time of going back and forth regarding how they felt about one another, they had at last been open and honest with each other and now, they were beyond overjoyed to finally be together. 

They shared many kisses over the next few minutes until finally, they both sat back against the tree, his arm around her and her head on his shoulder--while being careful not to poke his face with her horns--and they just watched the nightly horizon of colorful city lights. Echo began to wonder if they should go back to the ship for the night…but he didn’t want to go back. Not yet. The only thought on his mind was Lex. He could still feel her lips on his, her hand on his cheek, the warmth of her body mingling with his own. The night had come to a wonderful conclusion and he didn’t want that all to be over just yet. He’d waited for what felt like forever to finally be with her and he still wanted more. He didn’t want this night to end.

He then spoke in a quiet voice, “I know we should probably get back to the Aurora…but after all this, I can’t be apart from you right now. Not yet. I need you still in my arms. Please, Lex…will you stay out here with me a while longer? I…I hear you love watching the city lights at night. We can stay and admire them together.”

Lex smiled fondly to herself. She didn’t know how he’d found out about that fact--though she had a hunch as to who might’ve told him--but she found it so sweet that he wanted to stay there with her just because he knew it was something she liked. Already, she began to wonder how she got lucky to have him. She also realized that she was in the same predicament as he was: she didn’t want to go back to the ship; she didn’t want to be away from Echo yet. She wanted to stay in his arms for the rest of the night. It felt amazingly freeing to let another man she cared for into her life and to allow herself to be vulnerable again. Whatever Echo wanted, she wanted it, too.

She snuggled up closer to him, nuzzling his neck, and answered him, “Of course, I will, Echo.”

Now more content than he had been, he turned his head and placed a kiss on her temple. Then there, the two of them stayed, resting up against the tree, taking in the quiet stillness of the night in the warmth of each other’s arms.

Echo stirred awake at the sensation of someone lightly shaking him. He realized that he had fallen asleep outside and was still sitting up against the tree. Lex was still asleep and her head was resting in his lap. Though, feeling him shift when he woke up caused her to wake, too. It wasn’t her that had shaken him awake. Who was it then?

Then he heard a female voice he knew all too well say above him, “Well, well, well…!”

His eyes shot open and he looked up to see Kimber standing there with a knowing grin on her face and her arms folded across her chest. 

“Kim!” he cried out, making Lex jolt awake, too, as they both scrambled to stand up.

With a hearty laugh, Kimber commented, looking primarily at Echo, “You know, this seems incredibly familiar…as if I’ve seen this particular scenario before…but if I recall correctly, the roles were reversed, weren’t they, Echo?”

Echo’s cheeks were turning red and Lex appeared a little confused.

“To clear things up for you, Lex,” Kimber went on to explain, “in the early days of mine and Hunter’s relationship before we even got together, we too fell asleep outside together one night and Echo was the one who found us.” She cast him a devious smirk. “Then he proceeded to tease me a great deal about it afterwards.”

He gave her a half-smirk back. “So you’re out here for revenge then. Is that it?” he asked.

Her grin widened. “It’s as I told you before: I have a whole year’s worth of teasing to get back at you for…and this is only the beginning.”

While Echo, still seemingly embarrassed, ran a hand over his face, Lex simply chuckled in amusement at seeing him like that and at the idea of Kimber teasing him relentlessly.

Then her teasing grin turned into a genuine smile as she glanced between the two of them. “In all seriousness, though…I am truly happy for the both of you,” she told them.

“Thank you, Kimber,” said Lex.

“Now, are you going to tell the others, as well, or are you also going to be like Hunter and want to keep this a secret for a while?” Kimber asked Echo.

He shook his head and smiled. “I don’t think I could even if I tried.” He gazed back at Lex and took her hand in his. “I’m too happy to hide anything.”

Lex happily smiled back at him.

Kimber saw this and wanted to scream and hug them both, but figured she’d play it cool for the time being. There’d be time for proper celebrations later. “Well, I came to tell you both that we’re getting the ship prepped to leave soon. Take your time, though. We’re in no rush.” She gave them a wink and then just turned and walked away, giving neither of them a chance to protest. She glanced back over her shoulder a few seconds later and, sure enough, they were sharing a good morning kiss, which made her quietly squeal with excitement. She made her way down the hill where she saw Irys waiting for her. 

“Were they together?” Irys asked.

“Oh, you bet they were,” Kimber replied.

“Good. It was about time the two of them realized their feelings for each other,” Irys commented.

Kimber said back, “About time, indeed.”

“I had hoped that having them paired together for the gala would give them the push they needed to face the truth. I don’t know everything that happened, but apparently it was enough. For that, I am glad.” 

“As am I. They’ll be good for one another.” Then Kimber laid a hand on Irys’ shoulder. “You’re okay with this?”

Irys nodded. “I trust Echo to care for Lex the way she needs. Her heart will be safe with him.”

“I believe so, too,” Kimber agreed. “It’s been a long road for them and now…they can walk it together.”

Satisfied with the outcome they were hoping for with their two friends, Kimber and Irys walked back to the Aurora to be with their squads, knowing Echo and Lex would be along to join them when they were ready.

[literarykit]

tbosas reading notes; chapters 1-5

here are my notes from reading the first five chapters of tbosas <3 this includes quotes I particularly picked out/thoughts as I read! if you want to discuss anything, pls send any thoughts! masterlist *this is a repost from my main blog

CHAPTER 1

Starting off with Coryo & Cabbage immediately made me think about the beginning of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which starts the same way, where it's making sure you KNOW he's poor.

Memories of looking at picture books with his mother...no thoughts on this, it just made me sad.

"But better off sad, than dead...," (Pg. 5) - ARE YOU SURE CORIOLANUS

"As if controlling one element of his world would keep him from ruin," (Pg. 7) - Suzanne is telling us everything right from the beginning. Tendency to obsession! He seeks control because he didn't have that for his entire childhood.

Communications Professor - Satyria Click favored Coryo and he's the TA for that class.

Coryo considers flaking over a shirt as the most relatable thing as someone who also deals with anxiety and being meticulous. More on that, there is so much to be known about him in just the first few pages, how perfectionist he is, how badly he tears himself down over image, how much he hates his status...

Tigris is so exceptionally sweet, that it hurts!

He's pricked by a rose immediately and I don't take that moment lightly, that's deeper than it comes off.

I must have forgot reaping day was on July 4th but that's insane.

"LOVE THE BANGS." - Coriolanus is a kiss-up

Gymnasium Mistress is such a silly title - Agrippina Sickle - SEJANUS IS THE TA

Pg. 17 - Sejanus and his soulful brown eyes! Josh comes right off the page as Sejanus, what perfect casting.

There is disdain and camaraderie from Coriolanus' POV regarding Sejanus. He's playing with him but he also kind of likes that?

Coriolanus' first dialogue with Sejanus is about working out.

"Ma? Was Coriolanus' place about to be usurped by someone who referred to his mother as Ma?" (Pg. 20) - Coriolanus being funny.

CHAPTER 2

Coriolanus singing the national anthem in a forceful voice, getting nods of approval over it, and immediately thinking, "It was pathetic," is the most relatable thing I have ever heard. (Pg. 23)

"his insult," referring to Lucy Gray (pg. 25)

Mayfair wetting herself from the snake.

"There was something vaguely familiar about her but disturbing about her," (Pg. 25) - more than just the circus memories he has in this moment.

Sejanus immediately calling that Lucy Gray being chosen was rigged is so interesting to me? The fact he picked up on that out of anyone.

"Don't cry," - CORYO

"Coriolanus wondered if, like him, they were hoping she'd keep singing," (Pg. 29) - he's already in so deep

"But his brain had developed properly; at least he hoped it had," (Pg. 34) - funny coryo

The entire scene of Highbottom insulting Coriolanus is much sadder here in the book than in the film due to the sole fact of what happened before. Coriolanus so badly wants pie, even thinking about getting two slices and after Highbottom insults him, Coriolanus just wants to leave the Academy, he completely disregards how much he wants to eat after he's mocked. Also Coriolanus not knowing why Highbottom hates him? And thinking it's the nickname the students call him. Interesting.

First the threat of losing his apartment, then the lowliest tribute assignment -- who, on further reflection, was definitely crazy..." (Pg. 36) - I actually thought he was gonna say something nice here for some reason.

CHAPTER 3

"As you always say, your roses open any doors," (Pg. 38) - he never forgot this.

Remus Dolittle - Game-maker in training, who lives below Coriolanus

"She was terrifying really. And here he was in his uniform, clutching a rose like some lovesick schoolboy, hoping she would -- what? Like him? Trust him? Not kill him on sight?" (Pg. 39) - thought this was funny.

Coryo waited three hours!!! He felt a mix of pity and revulsion at the tributes.

Coriolanus believing his gravelly voice from not speaking for hours had a nice maturity to it (Pg. 42)

Lucy Gray calls him gorgeous.

He clocks Lucy Gray 'performing' from the get-go (Pg. 42) - and on that note, Lucy Gray feels so much more mysterious in the book since we're inside Coriolanus' head, she comes off as like an enigma and I really do love the discussion of how she is using him almost as much as he's using her. Of course, Coriolanus has worse moments than in regards to her, but she is performing for a lot of this.

I like the change that he sneaks onto the truck in the movie instead of Peacekeepers giving him permission.

"He remembered she carried snakes in her pocket and the usual rules didn't apply to her," (Pg. 43) - funny Coryo

In the truck scene with the tributes, I think the film had better lines (dialogue), especially from Coriolanus

He's a pampered poodle!

"Coriolanus resorted to the one move that had yet to fail him in schoolyard scuffles, driving his knee up hard into his opponent's crotch," (Pg. 45) - okay 1, WHAT SCHOOLYARD SCUFFLES WAS CORYO GETTING INTO and 2, I like that they took this out from the film because it would characterize him more on knowing how to fight at least somewhat but I feel like it strengthens what happens when he kills a tribute in the arena to not see him be violent in any regard beforehand.

"After Lucy Gray's wink, it might be worthwhile to stay," (Pg. 47) - CRAZY, OKAY CORYO!

CHAPTER 4

"HIS GIRL," (Pg. 49) - he's so possessive immediately

"Who were all these people hanging around on a weekday at the zoo? Didn't they have jobs? Shouldn't the children be in school? No wonder the country was such a mess," (Pg. 49) - Coryo continues to be funny

"All the faces...began to blur...his limbs felt numb, his lungs starved for air...he felt immense relief that he was not entirely alone...," (Pg. 49) - This whole section is so key in his character and his immediate liking/trust to Lucy Gray. First, he goes into a panic attack over the situation, and she's the one to ground him and calm him, which we learn later he usually calms down at night with his mother's rose powder scent in the compact and it's just making me think about how he misses that presence or a presence that can ground him and Lucy Gray does that without him even asking.

Coryo felt a spark and a burst of charisma from holding her hand AND she gripped his hand like a vice despite her outward appearance being so calm and confident (Pg. 50)

Lepidus Malmsey - Capitol News

"tried for likable with a hint of roguishness," (Pg. 53) - okay, Coryo

"He thought the combination of cohorts and unceremoniously had just the right note of superiority," (Pg. 54-55) - thinking of himself as superior to the Peacekeepers and also showing his perfectionism even within what words he chooses. He's so pretentious.

Io Jasper adored Coriolanus

"the smell of formaldehyde triggered his gag reflex," (Pg. 55) -wrote this down because I'm a teen boy/j

Coriolanus watched Gaul melt the flesh off of a rat at NINE!!!

Boa Bell is the sweetest name for a cat, I'm in love. She loved Coryo!!! And consoled him :(

"it upset him to think of Boa Bell ending up in the lab," (Pg. 58)

Coriolanus remembers Lucy Gray's words about owning it to help with talking to Gaul and Highbottom. She's so in his head already.

"Coriolanus would have to review the Academy student guide so he could object to the punishment," (Pg. 61) - he's so anxious and particular and insane

CHAPTER 5

he and Lucy Gray were the stars...okay Coriolanus!

"What was Sejanus up to? Was he trying to outdo him and steal the day's thunder?" (Pg. 63) - Coriolanus!!!

Also "that girl wasn't even his tribute," (Pg. 63) - referring to Dill. Sejanus trying to hand out food to anyone. This is such a good way of characterizing him as being sympathetic towards all of them, not just Marcus.

"His dog in a fight," (Pg. 68) - Coriolanus is referring to Lucy Gray here...he's so contradictory because he does make comments about knowing they're not 'animals' and he treats Lucy Gray as a normal human, but then his thoughts reflect more of this! The way he doesn't question it though is a testament to how it's been drilled into his head.

Coriolanus broke his denial of eating after seeing the ketchup in Lucy Gray's sandwich

He gets flustered after openly admitting to Lucy Gray of not having much food at home!!! I feel like the film lost out on so much character for Coryo in regards to his relationship with food because it is so important in almost every chapter. Also, him admitting it this quick to her is another point in showing how he's gained trust for her so quick. He calls himself an idiot over telling her.

"but this caressed his brain, calling her from the depths," (Pg. 71) - referring to Lucy Gray's song as it reminded him of a song his mother sang, then Coryo goes into the backstory of her death. There really is a connection between the love his mother gave him and his relationship with Lucy Gray.

he smells the rose powder when he has trouble sleeping :( this was all such a sad passage to read but especially, "it never failed to calm him with the memory of how it had felt to be loved like that," (Pg. 71) - Like that's very tragic.

The entire conversation with Sejanus, I'm still thinking about it but. It's clear Coriolanus is manipulating his own thoughts with how he sees Sejanus' actions, like Coriolanus almost can't fathom Sejanus is saying/doing things out of the mere goodness of his heart. And if Coriolanus does believe that, he sees it as stupid. And he sees Sejanus' actions as not being grateful for what he has. So at the end of it, Coriolanus is just jealous and spiteful.

"Lucy Gray was one thing belonging to Coriolanus that he [Sejanus] would never, ever get," (Pg. 75) - absolutely wild thing but this goes back to what was said in chapter one!!! Coriolanus wants to be able to control something and add into it what he feels towards Sejanus, it's amplified right now because he has the ability to deprive Sejanus of what he's asking for.

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 50. brb x oc

a/n: it's a few minutes before midnight but I can already say that IT'S MY BDAY!!! and idk how to feel about it cause im 30 and i think im having a midlife crisis already. HAH, anyway, this chapter was sweet and it helped contain the horrible thoughts in my mind uwu.

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: pure rotting fluff of Rooster being a dad.

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44/45/46/47/48/49

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-

“Okay so, I left milk in the bottles in case she gets hungry,” Beatrice explains while gathering her things for work, “And you know, you can call me if you need more I’m sure Penny would understand.”

Rooster is leaning against the threshold that separated the kitchen and the living room, hands in his sweatpants pockets and chest bare as he watched her talk about everything with hearts in his eyes, “Oh!” she stops suddenly, “Almost forgot, there are extra diapers in our bathroom’s cabinet, I left it there because I didn’t want to–...but you know that already.”

“I do,gorgeous.” he understood her worrying and while it was adorable to see, he helped her put those things away when they bought it, “Don’t worry that pretty little head of yours, gorgeous.” he steps closer to wrap his arms around her waist, “Me and Nikki will be just fine.”

“I know, you are a good dad.” and his eyes twinkled over those words, and she was sure it made his whole night already, “And she loves you…I just don’t want her to cry when I leave.”

“Maybe she’ll be a bit noisy, but you know, I don’t think it’ll be that bad.”

“...okay…well,I’ll tell the guys why you stayed behind.” she smiles, then looks down at her phone, “Oh,shit,I gotta go,Roos. Walk me to the door?”

The repeated question from this morning made him grin, “Of course,” he leans down to pick Nicole from her bouncer, luckily she wasn’t asleep yet, and they walk to the garage door as Beatrice puts her bag strap on her shoulder, “Call me when you get to the bar.”

“I will.” Beatrice told the dogs goodbye by scratching each of their heads, then leaned closer to Nicole to kiss her cheek - her daughter just touched her face with her tiny hand as if she wanted to stay, “I have to go,sweetie,I’ll be back soon, okay? I love you,you’ll have a good time with daddy.”

Nicole whimpered a bit, but Rooster kissed her head to calm her down, “She’ll be okay,” Beatrice’s worried eyes turned to him and he grinned, “She will be, don’t worry.” he uses his free hand to cup his wife’s chin up so he could kiss her gently, three quick pecks that make Beatrice laugh against his mouth, “Tell everyone hi for me, I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she hesitated a bit before walking down to her red jeep, keeping the two of them in her line of vision until her back touched the car’s driver’s door and she jumped a bit startled, being snapped out of her thoughts as she looked back at the car with a slight frown, “Well,I better go.”

Rooster smiles at her, waving Nikki’s hand much like she did earlier that morning, and that makes Beatrice’s face relax even if her brows are still a bit furrowed. They all watch Beatrice back away from the garage and towards the street, Rooster walks down the steps to keep his eyes on her as she drives off, making sure there was no one outside that could prevent her from leaving the house.

“Well,” he begins once Beatrice is gone, looking down at Nikki, “It’s you and me,birdie, I know there’s not much you can do yet but hey, we can make do.” he turns back around after closing the garage to where the dogs were, Eleanor sniffing the closed door while her brother and mother got back inside with Rooster.

He left the door that led to the garage open so Eleanor could come inside whenever she’d like to, he knew she was the most guard dog of the three of them and she had to sniff around for a few minutes before going back. Meanwhile, he looked down at Nicole, who now was dozing off a little bit, “Listen, birdie, daddy has to have a talk with you.”

It was comical how serious he sounded knowing that his daughter wouldn’t understand it at all, “Mommy has work at night,okay? And daddy goes with her because one, I love her, and two, I want to make sure she’s okay…so here’s the deal,” he walks up the stairs to her room, turning the light on with his elbow, “We leave you at your grandparents and pick you up when mama is done, is that fair?”

Nicole just blinked at him.

“Huh,well I’ll take that as a yes.” he chuckles, placing his daughter inside her crib, seeing her little body stretch over the mattress with her eyes slowly falling shut, “Alright, listen, take your nap, daddy will be downstairs with the monitor close by.” Nicole was already asleep when he finishes speaking, making him grin and lean back from the crib to close the curtains since the sun was still out and he didn’t want her to wake up because of it.

It was exciting to him, it was the first time he’d be alone with Nicole.

“...Holy shit it’s the first time I’m alone with Nicole,” excitement turned into pure raw panic as he started fearing he wouldn’t be able to handle it. He could call his in-laws - who were absolutely understanding about them wishing to keep Nicole home that night, Beatrice’s talk really changed their mindset - or Bea, but he had to be prepared.

So he wandered to the bookshelf they kept in Nicole’s room - the one that looked like a tree trunk with flowers on top - running his fingers over each colorful book until he found the one he was looking for. He did read it during Beatrice’s pregnancy, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a read again.

‘The First Time Dad Manual: A Step by Step to Fatherhood!’ with a drawing of a father holding a baby, surrounded by stars, looked up at him. Rooster walked back until his knees touched the rocking chair, grunting quietly as he sat down and tried to fit his shoulders in it, “Fuck we might need to buy a new one.” he mutters, “Just so I can fit,I should’ve checked the size when I ordered it.” and after a few more wriggling he finally finds himself in a comfortable position.

He sighs, deciding to reread the whole book again because what if he missed something? So what if he somewhat remembers every line because he read this book every time before bed and even before going to work?

It was always good to check.

“Is this your first child- yes or else I wouldn’t be reading this book,” he mutters after reading the greeting ling, “I’m the author bla bla, I’ll just skip ahead.” and he flips the pages for a while until he find the one he’s looking for.

“Things to do for the first time you are alone with your baby.” the options were pretty much what he and Beatrice talked about earlier, they had planned everything in case Nikki needed an emergency change, she had the bottles saved up and she was also happily asleep in her crib.

Maybe he was overreacting.

He looked over to where Nicole was peacefully asleep, with her tiny fists by her sides, chest rising and falling slowly and he reminded himself that maybe, just maybe, he could relax. He was doing a good job so far, Beatrice thought so, he liked to think so and so did everyone else.

Mav often teased how Nicole had him around her finger just like Beatrice did and he was very right. He’d do anything for either of them, and he had to admit he had his own doubts every now and again.

It wasn’t easy, even if his mother raised him well and the little contact he had with Mav helped him figuring out how a father could be…he missed his dad, he wished he could’ve ask him things, maybe even question him about how do things with Nicole just like he did when he was just a baby.

His mother always said that his father often carried him around the house, always telling him what was happening, what he was doing and…he wished he had more memories to compare. He knew his father would love it, wherever he was he’d love to know he was thinking about him.

“...damn,dad.” he mutters, rubbing his hands up and down his face, “I wish you could’ve met her, you and mom…she’s so precious and so…so sweet. She’s my little birdie,” he smiles softly, huffing out a soft laugh, “...I just want to do a good job, and I’m trying but–”

There’s always that fear, the one he often tried to ignore when he was dating Beatrice and now it came often, too often for his own liking. He looked back at Nicole, at her tiny little hands and her cute face, seeing bits of himself and Beatrice already taking shape on her face and only feared that– what if?

What if it happens again?

What if it does?

He had no control over things like this, but he had to admit that he was more alert than before, ever since the close call back in December from last year he just…put a lot in thought.

He loved what he did but he also loved Nikki and Bea and the thought sometimes haunted him. Well not sometimes, most of the time. He knew he had to be extra careful, check everything, double check it and then go to work as normal as he could. It was hard but it wasn’t impossible.

“I shouldn’t be thinking like this,” he mutters, standing to his feet and placing the book back in the shelf, “Maybe I need to distract myself a bit.” he looks over to where Nikki is sleeping, smiling at her as he leans over the crib’s railing, crossing his arms on top, admiring his daughter’s adorable sleeping face.

“How can someone so small be this adorable?” he questions no one but himself, brushing the side of her cheek with his knuckle and then pushes himself up and out of the room. The dogs were already there, well,Jolene and Jack, Eleanor was boofing and growling downstairs, probably at the neighbor’s cat that often trotted by the house.

He left the door open, even if he had the monitor downstairs he still would like to hear his daughter’s voice in any case, it was better than closing it all the way too. “Anyway, time to distract myself,” and not miss Beatrice. It was the first time in a long while either of them were separated. Hell, he was always at the Hard Deck during her work nights and he…already missed her a lot.

“Silly isn’t it?” he asks the dogs, who look up at him when he walks downstairs, checking the baby monitor he left close to the TV, seeing that Nicole was just the same as before, “It’s not like I won’t see her later,I am just…I just love her a lot.Anyway,” he flops down on the couch withe a pleased groan, whistling to Eleanor to get back inside - smirking because the dog was so used to this she closed the door with her back legs much like a horse kick - and the other two lied below his legs as he propped them on the coffee table.

With the house so weirdly silent, he just turned the tv on in hopes he could ease his mind of the worries that often scurried by, deciding to finish the third season of Golden Girl one more time. He was so thankful for Beatrice showing him different shows, because not only he was tired of everything his friends talked about but he also liked having something light to watch, something that showed four elderly women living their lives in Florida while discovering their love life and dealing with subjects people still have issues talking about today.

And he really liked Sophia.

She wasn’t his favorite just because Beatrice said how much she reminded her of her nonna, but only because he wanted to be exactly like her when he reached that age. As the show was running, his eyes flicked between the TV and the baby monitor not too far from him, seeing that Nicole was still fast asleep without any plans of waking up, sometimes he’d see a huge snout sniffing the crib’s bars and knew that one of the dogs was checking on her for him as well.

So, it was going well so far.

He knew it was going to be okay.

-

He ended up napping on the couch, arms crossed and head leaned back against the backrest as he snored, Jack and Eleanor were sleeping under his legs while Jolene was next to him on the couch, her head on his thigh, the four of them sleeping soundly, so much so he couldn’t hear the TV anymore.

Four episodes went by and he didn’t even notice. Honestly he was so comfortable there it was hard to imagine two hours had passed and his daughter was now awake but not crying, however she was moving a bit in her crib. It’s Eleanor, whose huge head lifts from the floor when she hears the quiet whining coming from the baby monitor, that lets him know by nosing the back of his knee.

Rooster jostles awake, curling his leg up to his chest in surprise, trying to understand where he was, “What?” he blinks hard, rubbing his hands from his scalp to his chin, trying to rub the sleep off when he hears Nicole’s gentle whimpers coming from the monitor, “Oh,shit.” he jolts to his feet, almost tripping over himself.

It wasn’t that intense, honestly she wasn’t even crying yet.

In fact, even Nicole looked surprised when her father showed up, breathing heavily and leaning over the crib’s railing to look down at her, “What’s wrong, birdie?” he asks, “Hungry?” but by the smell it was something else but hunger, “Ah.”

That’s fine, he just had to wake up a bit more.

“Sorry,birdie,let daddy just,” he yawns as he drops his forehead to the inside of his arm, as if it was too heavy for him to keep it up. Nicole just watched, intently, to her father’s antics, even her whimpering diminished as she too tried to understand what he was doing.

He snatches his head up, “Okay!” followed by quick slaps to his cheeks, “I’m awake, now come on,missy, time for your bath.” he gently picks her up, holding her to his chest with one arm as he opens her dresser with the other,grabbing a pink onesie that left her chubby legs bare, closing it with his foot, ‘There, now, we can go.”

Nicole just looked around a little bit more as they entered the master bedroom, another whine leaving her lips. Rooster looks down at her and then back at the room with a frown, “Mama isn’t here, birdie,I know.” that only made his daughter’s little cry get louder, “I know,I know,I miss her too. I miss her too.”

He placed the pink bathtub inside their actual bathtub - something Rooster called ‘bathtubception’ everytime they gave Nicole a bath - and checked the water’s temperature. Luckily, after tossing the diaper away and giving her a bath she seemed calmer…for a little bit. 

As he buttoned her onesie up and adjusted her on his arms again, she whined one more time, the same way as before, “Baby girl, I know,” he felt so bad because she looked so sad, “I know,I know you miss mama, but it’s okay, we are going to have some fun tonight, yeah?”

Nicole just pressed her head to his trapezoid as he carried her out of the room, “Let’s get you something to eat…and honestly, I need to eat too because it’s already dinner time.” yes, his stomach agreed with that as well.

As he placed Nikki in her bouncer to warm up her milk, he heard his phone ping from the living room. He quickly grabbed it and grinned once he saw who it was.

Bea (20:01)

Roos!How’s everything? How’s Nikki? Are you two okay?

Roos (20:03)

We are fine, gorgeous, she just woke up from her nap and I’m heating up her milk and warming up some leftovers for me :) How are you though? How’s the bar?

Beatrice sent him a picture of the bar and in fact it was packed with people, he laughed when he saw the Dagge Squad looking back at Beatrice from their corner, throwing thumbs ups and victory signs at the camera.

Bea (20:05)

It’s nonstop, Roos. Penny said this is the biggest influx of people she had seen in a long time. So we are all taking quick breaks :3. So I decided to message you and see how you guys are.

Roos (20:06)

Well, aren’t you sweet ;) but we are fine. I just woke up from a nap too so I’m a bit…groggy

Bea (20:06)

Bradley Nicholas Bradshaw? Groggy? That doesn’t seem real. 

Roos (20:07)

Keep saying my full name and I’m just I can be quite alert by the time you get home gorgeous ;)

Bea (20:09)

!! stop it. That’s mean, you can’t tease your wife from far away…but really, you don’t have to wait for me if you are tired, you know I get home around midnight.

Rooster frowned once he read it, he knew that and knowing he wasn’t going to bring her home only made this thought pop even harder in his head. He leans his lower back against the counter as he types his response

Roos (20:10)

Gorgeous, I’m going to wait for you outside the house. There’s no way I’m sleeping without seeing you walk through the door. Also, maybe someone can follow you to the car…ask Hangman or Payback to go with you, they can wait.

Bea (20:11)

Roos,Shells will stay behind, you know she’s worse than a Malinois when she needs to be. I’ll be fine. I promise. <3 

Roos (20:12)

I’ll still stay up, gorgeous. And I’m going to wait for you.

Honestly,Beatrice brought the romantic out of him every time they spoke. The power that woman had on him and how willing he was to have that magic wrap around his heart was incredible, but like he always said Beatrice was pretty much like a fairy. He turns the stove off and checks the milk with the tip of his finger - just like his mother in law taught him - and pressed to the back of his hand, “Perfect.”

Bea (20:15)

Roos,I’ll have to go back now.I’ll talk to you later okay? :) 

Roos (20:15)

Okay,Gorgeous.I love you, a lot.

Bea (20:16)

I love you too!! <3 

And she was gone then, so he had something else to worry about. Thankfully, he just reheated some of the lasagna his mother in law was so very kind to cook for them - even if Beatrice always told her mother there was no need - and grabbed the bottle with Nicole’s milk on it. Since he had to feed her first, he just left his plate in the microwave and smiled on his way over to the baby, “Hi, pretty thing!” he coos, “Hi!Come here, time for your dinner.”

Nicole’s eyes crossed when he held the bottle above her lips, her brows furrowing a bit, “It’s milk,birdie, come on.” It takes a few seconds, Nicole looking amazingly suspicious of whatever this thing was and Rooster had to think of something, looking around for an idea…and he sees one of Beatrice’s coats hanging close by, “Aha.” 

It’s a bit weird to see, but he wraps the bottle with Beatrice’s coat in hopes that her mother’s smell could make Nicole finally eat…and it worked! “...maybe someone did this before.” he comments to himself, sitting on the piano bench with his back against the closed keys, legs stretched in front of him, “I don’t know, it’s all about instinct, birdie.” Nicole was too busy eating to pay attention, barely peeking one eye open at him, “You’ll know when you are older.”

He smiled down at her because he still couldn’t believe that this little girl was his. She was showing changes already, she was still a bit baby but the main ones were her hair length and the characteristics that reminded her of her parents.

She had Beatrice’s nose as he knew she did, his chin and he wasn’t sure if her lips were more his or Beatrice’s, but they were rosy pink and absolutely adorable to look at. Especially when she smiled, that she got from her mother too, “Oh you are so hungry, holy shit,” very few times they had to bottle feed Nicole so seeing how fast the milk was leaving the bottle was astonishing, “You’ll have some strong bones growing up. Don’t be like your dad. Don’t break them.” he looked back at the piano with a wistful look, it has been a long while since he played honestly and he felt his fingers tingling, begging to have the ivories under his spell one more time.

But he had other things in his mind right now, that feeling could wait. His eyes then slowly traveled up, up and up until they stopped at the three frames hanging above the piano: the one with his father and himself wearing a cowboy hat, the one in the middle with both of his parents just as his dad got back from deployment - still wearing the suit - and in the left corner it was the signed Jerry Lee Lewis record.

Beatrice suggested they did this, because it’d be a lovely homage to his parents - not to mention the other pictures she decorated the walls with - to have them where he remembered them the most…and how cathartic to him was to have his baby daughter in his arms and see his parents looking down at him? 

He felt his eyes sting, quickly wiping them with his bicep since he couldn’t stop feeding Nikki, sniffling quietly, clearing his throat to regain focus of the task at hand. He had this warm feeling all over him, like a blanket that just cocooned him from the world and all its problems, like his mother used to do.

You did so good,Brad. I’m so proud of you.

Your mother is right,you did really good, son.

He’s brimming with emotion, trying his best not to cry on top of his daughter who by now finished her bottle and was booking up at him. Bradley just sniffled again, finally using his hand to wipe the one tear that slid down the corner of his eye, “Anyway,” he laughs tearfully, “Daddy’s fine, let’s,” another sniffle, “Let’s just get ready to burp you, yeah?”

As Rooster places the jacket away and puts a towel he brought along on his shoulder, tapping Nicole’s back to help her burp, he hears her make little noises close to his ear. He at first thought it was just discomfort, but they didn’t seem like the usual noises she’d make, so he turned to check on her only to see those bright eyes locked on the piano.

He slows the tapping on her back, flicking his gaze from the piano to her several times…until a smile shows up, “...I think it’s good to keep that in the family, huh?”

[hikennosabo]

trimax volume 6 random thoughts

chapter 1:

oh, hey, it's the guy from the 98 anime!..... or not?!

i'm not keeping track of this TOO closely, so there may be other instances of this that i missed, but the guy from 98 episode 1 also showed up in trimax chapter 7. it makes me wonder if nightow provided character designs/ideas to the 98 team, or if it's the other way around and he decided to incorporate anime-original characters into the manga. either way: neat!

HAVE I MENTIONED I LOVE MERYL, BY THE WAY.

i love the bits of characterization we've been getting for her. she (and milly) are our tie to humanity, after all

i must say it is nice to have a goofy fight after... all that in volume 5. and before... the rest of volume 6.

chapter 2:

aaaand now we start the next chapter with wolfwood's nightmare/flashback! hurts just a little bit! (the trio IS kinda serving tho ngl... when you have a fashion show at 7 but need to terrorize the orphanage at 6)

^ completely and 100% unironically, they were in love here.

i just... ugh. this is such a vashwood chapter. the absolute trust and fighting together completely seamlessly, they are just. ugh. ughhhhh. this kind of trust just GETS to me.... sorry. i'm normal about them. i'm NORMALLLLLLaauughghghgh

ANYWAY. chekhov's table made me laugh

i am physically restraining myself from going crazy over vw again as i reread this chapter to write this post.

anyway anyway. ww calling himself "nicholas" is cute :)

just kidding one more vw comment as a treat

HE'S SO IN LOVE. FUUUUUCK.

chapter 3:

legato continues to be fascinating to me. i'm observing him like a bug in a jar. which is appropriate, considering...

WHEN I CALLED HIM A BAGWORM IN THAT ONE POST I WAS JOKINGGGGG I WAS JOKING!!! THIS MADE ME LAUGH FOR LIKE 10 MINUTES STRAIGHT WHY DID SHE HANG HIM FROM THE CEILINGGGG IT'S SO FUNNY

this is actually making me fucking cry.

...i got so distracted laughing at bagworm legato that i almost forgot to say literally anything else about the chapter, but anything else i have to say mostly boils down to "wow, legato is such a freak (affectionate)"

also, whenever something that was in tristamp is brought up i feel like the leonardo dicaprio pointing meme. like "oh hey, i know this!" going into this manga with prior knowledge from stampede is... an interesting experience. all that being said, i can't WAIT to see more of the manga version of double fang. oh nightow we're really in it now

chapter 4:

oh, finally, FINALLY!!! last volume i asked where the knives nuance was and now we're FINALLY getting some knuance, thank god. seeing knives react to just how badly humans treat plants is SO effective. and we're not even up to the juicy part yet. it makes me want to eat glass.

speaking of eating glass.

i thought something like this might've been the case, but still... this hurts to read.

i want to eat glass!!!! fuck!!! this reveal is so insane, it's like monkey's paw of "this is a way knives can be defeated, but by the same method, vash is closer to death than knives is." WE don't want vash to die, and neither does knives, and this chapter is the first (and possibly the only, idk) time the reader's feelings and knives's feelings are... well, aligned. at least in a sense.

chapter 5:

this chapter is really something, because it starts off almost seeming like another lighthearted "we're in a random town fighting a goofy enemy of the month" romp much like the early chapters were, heck like chapter 1 of this very volume. but it's just wearing the skin of that. which is, y'know. the thesis of this entire chapter. smiling to hide the pain and all that.

i don't think i can really... articulate anything of substance. the chapter just kind of... speaks for itself, i think.

although i DID laugh at ww trying to enjoy his noodles and failing, and also the phrase "needle-noggin-isms." thanks for providing some levity, we actually really do need it.

chapter 6:

ohhh boy we are REALLY in it now!!

i enjoy seeing knives ponder like this. legs crossed, arm slung over his face... i don't know. maybe it's because i myself sometimes lounge in this pose.

what exactly is he thinking about, i wonder. that in awakening/forcing vash to use his powers, he unintentionally pushed him closer to death? maybe? i don't know. either way it's very on-the-nose for what their relationship has been like.

and then of course we cut to this shot of vash, looking in a mirror created by knives's slice

this shot is making me think a lot and i'm reading too much into it, but- obviously the reflection puts vash's beauty mark on the opposite side, so there's the knives resemblance, so also, i suppose vash must see knives every time he looks in the mirror, right? also vash looking at his reflection featuring his own black hair- which we're all still thinking about... i dont know. i dont even know if this is anything LOL. i feel like i have the dots but i'm failing to articulate the connection. anyway

this made me laugh. thanks for the levity again, wolfwood :)

BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED ALL THE COMIC RELIEF WE CAN GET, BABY!!!

maybe i'm just insane for this because it's Generic Party Imagery but the specific combination of rem flashback + party popper + funny glasses makes me think of the similar scene in 98 when the seeds crew celebrates finding planet gunsmoke. like is this another instance of nightow nabbing stuff from 98 or am i just making things up.

the twins are so cute and baby knives smiles so much, i want to microwave myself.

knives wants to believe in humanity. man. MAN!!!!!

what comes next... i'm absolutely carrying my prior stampede knowledge into this, but fuck, man. fuck. even then, i know that stampede didn't show everything, so i don't even fully know what to expect. which is fun! but i can't believe the volume ends right in the middle of the flashback, MAN!!!

[bl0rbohandbag]

inhale.

I'm gonna cry because there's so much part 4 introduced to the story and we have TOO MUCH going on already. We have the exploration of familial love with Malleus, Lilia and Silver, Lilia quitting NRC and losing his magic, Silver's feelings on the matter of his father and also his mysterious origins and how that might be the key to defeat Malleus, we have Malleus' plethora of trauma, putting everyone to sleep an DEPRIVING MC THE CHANCE TO GO HOME AFTER THEY EXCITEDLY TOLD HIM THEY MIGHT FINALLY GO BACK!!!!!!, Lilia's past and introduction of Baal aka Sebek's grandfather, Sebek having to face discrimination from his own grandpa leading to eventual self-reflection on the prejudice/disdain he has for himself and for humans, war against human and fae, Mallenoa dying, Levan disappearing and Malleus staying unborn in an egg for years, the silly little quirky possibility Crowley might be Levan...................... And we barely just started.

Anyways.

Do you think Crowley is (or was, before going snore mimimimimi bc of malleus) even searching a way home for Yuu?

He's always embarrassed, evading the question whenever they bring it up. We mostly assume it's because of his overall personality or the way he treats his responsibilities as headmaster and the students, but isn't there something deeper to that? Does he actually not want Yuu to go home for some reason, so the "i'm an incompetent lil bird uwu" thing he has going on is the perfect excuse to cover it up?

Chapter 7 has me wondering about that a lot, more so after the Crowley is Levan/Revan theories. I forgot how sus he actually is. Also wondering if Yuu is going to be relevant towards the end of this chapter, it seems they'll be. It brings us back to the very first questions that arose when the game first came out: Why did Yuu come to Twisted Wonderland? Why NRC? Why were they together with Grim?

It's old news, people have made plenty of theories around MC, Grim and Crowley but it feels particularly relevant to me now. With so many plot lines in one episode I wonder if they're going to give Crowley or MC some sort of spotlight to explore their own respective stories, or at least touch on it. Obviously MC is gonna stick around for a while because we'll have more episodes in the future. In Crowley's case, though, him being the twisted version of Maleficent's crow, Diaval, it makes a lot of sense for him to get some exposure in this chapter.

exhale.

[biggerbetterbat]

WITH YOU [33] THE SOUR TASTE OF BETRAYAL

Daryl Dixon x OC!Charlie Reed

Summary: Carl finds a new group in the prison, and Charlie decides to be the voice of reason. When the group is back there’s someone’s missing. There’s also a battle coming.

Warnings: none, but of I missed something please let me know

Song: 3 Doors Down - Here Without You

Words: 3,206

A/N: So…I lied, and I’m sorry! But the chapter wasn’t ready and at the end I turned two chapters into one. Besides, I’ve decided not to post thousand mid chapters because I want the best for you. Enjoy!

But it was a goodbye...

Right after she hugged Glenn and Maggie, she started watching past her friends."Where is Daryl?"

Rick, as if seeing her anxiety, approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Her heart dropped long before hearing those words she was so afraid of hearing, yet still hoping that the bad feeling was just in her head. "I'm sorry Charlie but he's gone."

Behind her she heard Carol's gasp at the cop's words. "What does it mean that he's gone?"

"Is he dead?" Charlie asked.

"No...God, no," Rick shook his head. Before he spoke again he looked her in the eyes for a moment and Charlie knew this face. It was his work face how she used to call it. She was sure that it was the face he used back in work to pass some bad news to people.

"Rick," she spoke. "What the hell happened?"

"We found Merle," the cop said.

Charlie furrowed her eyebrows after his words. Math wasn't mathing at that moment. Who the fuck was Merle? Rick seemed to know him and Charlie had a strange feeling that she knew him too, but she just couldn't match the face to the name. She wanted to know what happened to Daryl, she didn't care about a guy named...

Wait...

"Dixon? Merle Dixon?" she asked as soon as she connected the dots.

"Yeah."

"He's alive?" Carol asked from behind her friend and Rick nodded his head as a confirmation.

After everything they had been through, Charlie already forgot about this colorful and great persona like Merle Dixon. The redneck became just a memory to her so distant that she sometimes thought he didn't really exist. Once he died, she thought he would never bother her again - and just to be clear, she wasn't happy when he died. She was just relieved.

But now it turned out he was all good for all this time. And she was more than ready to blow up her life again...Or should she say he already did?

Of course that no matter what or how good she would treat Daryl, he would still choose his older brother. Charlie more than anyone understood him because if one of her brothers would raise form the grief - it would be better not if they were Walkers - she would drop everything and follow them. However, she couldn't push away the thought that she wasn't worth even a stupid goodbye.

"Charlie..." Carol whispered and placed hands on her shoulders.

"No, it's okay," Charlie said, even though she was crying inside. "I bet we have bigger worries than that."

"We do have something to worry about," Rick nodded.

Charlie sighed. "And we have something to show to you."

—- 24 hours earlier -—

"Where's Carl?" Charlie asked entering the prison. She went out this morning to practice shooting as there were many Walkers wandering around after the storm. Some time before coming to the prison Daryl made her a bow - but it wasn't the best and as a confirmation she dropped the broken piece of wood on the table. "Hershel, where's Carl?"

"We tried to stop him," Beth cried with worried face.

"You tried?" Charlie spat. "Where did he go?"

She nervously followed the direction she was pointed at and with shaking heart was praying for Carl to be alright. This kid seriously needed a nanny 24/7 - and it would be good if the nanny had a leg or at least some strong will.

"Carl," Charlie called as she saw him standing in the cell with some people. Without much thinking he left the group of strangers and approached her.

"I helped them," he said immediately. "I heard the scream and I followed it. They must have entered the same way the Walkers do."

She nodded relieved that he was back in one piece - not really thinking about the group he helped, but didn't forget to lock the cell and hide the keys in her back pocket. The noise from locking the door and key jingling brought the attention of the strangers and soon Charlie was facing the unknown girl. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Kid, did you just lock us in here?" asked the man looking at Carl.

"Open the door," demanded the girl.

"The room is secure. You'll be safe," Carl answered and Charlie placed her hand on his shoulders, proud that for the first time he wasn't throwing a tantrum. "You have food and water."

"Open this door," the girl approached them and groped the pools.

"We can't," Charlie answered, deciding that it was the moment for her to step in.

"Come on," the girl said. "We're not animals. Don't do this," she begged but when she was met with the silence, she banged the doors. "Hey! You can't just leave us in here! Open this door! Open it! Now!"

"Sasha!" called the man. Well build and strong man who could kill them all so easily if he had the chance. "Back away from the door and let them go."

Charlie furrowed her eyebrows.

"Look around you," the man said to Sasha. "This is the best we've had it in weeks. We got other things to do," he explained to her with a calm voice. Then he looked Charlie in the eyes. "We don't want any trouble."

"Shouldn't we help them?" asked Beth when the unknown man disappeared.

"We helped them just enough," Charlie said firmly and patted Carl's shoulder.

That night was sleepless for her. There was absolutely no way she would close even one eye when she was alone with Axel and some strangers. That only multiplied the anger she had for Rick for leaving her alone with the group. How she would protect them if something really happens. Like every night before she sat with Carl, but he was falling asleep sooner or later, letting his head fall on her shoulder, so she was sitting there in a silence, caressing his hair.

"What will we do with them?" whispered Carol as she sat down next to them, pointing at the cell with her chin.

"Not our concern," Charlie shrugged her shoulders. "Once Rick will be back then he will decide."

"You believe he's ready for making such decisions?"

"He'a the leader," Charlie shrugged.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Carol asked. "You miss Daryl?"

"I just can't sleep when both of them are gone," Charlie answered.

Carol smiled lightly and placed her hand on the young girl's knee. "Go and try to sleep. I will be on the watch."

The next morning Hershel persuaded her to let him in so he could cure the wounds of the newcomers. Charlie argued with him and thought that he trust the strangers too easily, however, if Carl already helped them it would be stupid to let them die out of infection.

Two men sat silently, mourning the death of the woman they carried. The most talkative was Tyreese and his sister Sasha, who was now sitting upright looking at Beth with little Judith - that's how Carl and Rick called the baby. "How old is the baby?"

"Barely a week," Hershel asked, even though the question was directed to Beth.

"To be honest, we never thought we'd see another baby," Sasha confessed. "Beautiful."

"Thanks," Beth asked almost whispering.

"How are you feeling?" Sasha asked again.

"The baby isn't hers," Charlie answered stepping further into the room, alarmed by how close Sasha got to the baby.

"Where's the mother?" Charlie tensed again hearing the question, knowing that the new girl was just curious. Sasha understood the silence and dropping gazes. "I'm sorry."

"Man, you people have been through the mill," Tyreese said to Charlie who stood by him.

"Haven't we all?" she said to him, at least trying to cover the skepticism towards the group.

"It only getting worse out there," he said. "Dead everywhere. And it's only making the living less like the living."

"Tell me about it," Charlie mumbled under her nose.

"You're the only decent folks we've come across," Sasha said.

"You've been out there all this time?" Hershel asked.

"Our neighbor Jerry, he was one of those survivalist nuts," answered the man. "Always preparing for the end of the world."

"Who knew?" Hershel commented.

"Jerry knew," he smiled still not believing. "He had a bunker under his shed in the backyard. Sasha and I stayed there until we ran out of supplies. Allen and Ben were the first two people we ran into. Used to be a bunch of us...twenty-five at one point."

"Our camp was overrun six, seven weeks ago," Sasha said.

"And the woman?" Charlie gestured with her head towards the body on the floor, wrapped in the cloth.

"Donna," the man corrected. "She..."

"We'll see that she has a proper burial," Hershel said immediately.

"I appreciate you taking care of us," Tyreese changed the subject. "For a while, we didn't know who we were dealing with."

"Neither did we," Hershel nodded. "We've had our problems with people."

"I must be the first brother in history to break into prison."

"Makes me the first white boy that didn't want to break out," Axel chuckled, bringing the soup and Charlie rolled her eyes, but smiled under her nose.

"Just don't get used to this place," Charlie said, making the smile drop from the man's face. "We have a much larger group."

"A close-knit group," Hershel noded.

"I wouldn't feel too comfortable," she added and turned to leave the cell.

"We wouldn't be a problem!" the man called behind them. Charlie turned and saw that Hershel who was following her, suddenly stopped and apparently wanted to chit chat with Tyreese some more.

"It's not up to us," she cut the talk short and waited for everyone to leave the cell, so she could close the door.

"It's easy to forget how loud the world used to be," Carol commented as she saw Charlie and Carl walking out of the prison. "I used to complain about it all the time."

"Well, I liked that," Charlie said, remembering how she used to sit in her apartment and listen to the noises from the outside. "I would give everything for the sweet sound of a jumbo jet."

Carl chuckled. "It would be even sweeter if we were all on it."

Carol smiled and nodded her head. Charlie didn't listen to their further talk, coming closer to the gate as she heard the noise of a car. "Please be them."

— now —

The atmosphere was thick.

Carol just took a step back as she tried to wrap her head around Daryl's absence. Glenn and Maggie sat in separate cells as something clearly must have happened when they were gone. And Rick...something felt off again. Maybe he was just tired after the fight or annoyed with them taking in the group, or maybe it was something else.

Charlie was watching him, his tightened back, twitching fingers, and nervous steps. It was clear that he was thinking about taking in the group because his brows were furrowed as if there was an internal fight inside."No," everyone heard Rick's response, even though it was more of a whisper.

"Please," Sasha cried. "It's like 10 Little Indians out there. It's just us now."

Silence.

"No."

"Let's talk about this," Hershel said. "We can't just keep..."

"We've been through this," Rick turned to face his group. "With Thomas, Andrew. Look what happened."

"Axel and Oscar weren't like them," Carol interrupted.

"And look where's Oscar now?" Rick snapped. "I can't be responsible."

"You turn us out, you are responsible," Tyreese said and that only pulled some strings inside the leader.

Hershel called Rick in for a quick talk, which gave everyone hope that he will change his mind. Charlie watched his behavior change, though. He smiled, then he dropped his head, his hands started shaking, repeating no over and over again.

"Why are you here?" Rick asked. Charlie furrowed her eyebrows, at first thinking that he was talking with Tyreese again. "What do you want from me?"

"Dad?"

"Why are you...no," he whispered and then he turned to the strangers. He was gripping his gun tightly, ready to fire from it. "I can't help you! Get out! You don't belong here! Get out!"

Everyone was scared of Grimes as he fell in some kind of trance. He was screaming and waving his gun around. Charlie pulled Carl behind her while Glenn helped Tyreese's group out - even though Charlie wasn't sure if Rick was screaming at them.

She felt scared again. Rick wasn't the person who would give them safety anymore; moreover, he was one of the things that was making her scared. He was too focused on his internal battles to make rational decisions.

What if she would have come to Woodbury with the rescue group? Would she be dead instead of Oscar? Thoughts about dying came back around again and there was no person that could help her because Daryl was gone.

She was glad that Carol could move on from the situation because at least one of them could give him forgiveness. Charlie couldn't be the one as her heart was left in pieces, broken, and bleeding. She thought that Daryl moved on and decided to be the part of their group, and maybe something more - a family, but that was all just a lie. He was just a man after all that left in her the sour taste of betrayal.

Another thing that was making her uneasy was this whole Governor guy, the main subject of all the conversations - for now, the only danger that should concern her.

"Why are we even so sure he's going to attack?" asked Beth. "Maybe you scared him off."

And the clouds are made out of cotton candy. - Charlie wanted to say.

"He had fish tanks full of heads," said Michonne. The woman came back with the group and it looked as if she was staying with them unless Rick come back from his madness again. Everyone turned their heads in her direction. "Wakers and humans. Trophies. He's coming."

Charlie furrowed her brows. Since when the people became the danger as well?

"We should hit him now," Glenn proposed.

"What?" Charlie moved her eyes to her friend.

"He won't be expecting it," he answered. "We'll sneak back in and put a bullet in his head."

"We're not assassins," Carol commented.

"You and I could end this tonight," Glenn ignored her and walked to Michonne. "I'll do it myself."

"Glenn this isn't a good idea," Charlie said. She had a strange feeling that he didn't want to end the fear, he wanted revenge for something that happened in the Woodbury. And look she took to Maggie just made her sure of it. "He didn't know you were coming last time and look what happened. You were almost killed: you said Daryl was captured, you and Maggie were almost executed, Oscar is dead."

"You can't stop me," Glenn clenched his teeth.

"Rick would never allow this," Hershel backed Charlie up.

"You think he's in any position to make that choice?" Glenn asked in annoyed tone.

"Think this through clearly," the old man said. "T-Dog lost his life here. Lori, too. The men that were here. It isn't worth any more killing," he tried to persuade. "What are waiting for? If he's really on his way, we should be out of here by now."

"And go where?" Charlie stood up in shock.

"We lived on the road all winter," he answered.

"T-Dog and Lori, and Oscar died for this place," she argued. "Besides you had two legs and we didn't have a baby."

"We can't stay here."

"We can't run," Glenn argued. "We're gonna defend this place."

Charlie sighed and tried to clean her face from sweat and maybe even blood. She was following Glenn who was already annoyed that his plan didn't work as it supposed to. Both of them discovered that they were basically trapped in the prison of the Governor was ever to attack. The boy's frustration just increased when Hershel commented on his action. "We're wasting time," he looked at Glenn. "The Governor is supposedly on the way and we're stuck here with Walkers."

"Trapped between a rock and a hard place," Charlie nodded. She was still with Glenn, but Hershel was right and maybe it was the time go accept it.

"For the last time," Rhee said annoyed. "Running is not an option."

But what if it was?

Maybe leaving this place would just solve all the problems and heal all demons. The Governor would have this place for himself and he wouldn't kill them all for the revenge. Charlie would run away from traumatic events of past days and that would give a chance to Rick to feel better. This option would give them so many pros.

Difficulty? Living on the road again.

Besides, Rick would never leave his wife's body here, he would never run away from the fight - he was no coward.

"We just need to scout the far side of the prison," Glenn disturbed her train of thoughts. "Find out what's going on."

"You're going out there?" she asked anxiously.

"Take a car and make it quick," Asian boy nodded his head.

Charlie decided that she would never let any of her friends go on a dangerous mission. She lost Daryl already. "I'll drive."

"No, you stay here," Rhee shook his head. "I'll take Maggie."

"You sure she's up to that?" Hershel asked with evident skepticism.

Once Glenn was gone, Charlie decided to find out what had happened in the Woodbury. Maggie was sitting on her bunk with face deep in thoughts. Charlie sat down next to her. Her eyes fell on the baby that Maggie was hugging and she grimaced her face, turning her head quickly.

“She so peaceful,” Greene said. “Doesn’t care about what is happening.”

“Yeah. Listen…” Charlie tried to smile and share the enthusiasm."He didn't tell me," she said as soon as Maggie's eyes met hers. "But I want to know why he's acting crazy."

The girl looked down and sighed. Charlie knew that Greene wanted to tell her because she would be the only person that wouldn't judge or take sides. "It's about the Governor and...what he did..."

Charlie touched her hand. "Maggie..."

"He didn't though," she shook her head and looked at Reed's face. "Nothing happened."

"But Glenn doesn't know that."

"Because he doesn't want to listen!"Charlie sighed and nodded her head as if to calm her down. She placed a hand on her shoulders and pulled in for a hug. "And now he's gone...Out there alone."

"It's all going to be okay," she said and caressed her hand in a calming gesture. "He's going to be okay."

She wasn't sure who she was trying to make feel better. Charlie was sure that Glenn would be back, however, she wasn't thinking about him.

Daryl.

That's what she was focused on. She was thinking what he was doing, where he was, was he wounded? Sometimes she was hoping that he would comeback. Maybe he couldn't live with Merle anymore because he was away for too long. Other times she was just angry and sad, and sometimes she was even suspecting him of joining the Governor to be with his brother.

Shots.

"What was that?"

Charlie looked in the direction of the noise.

"The Governor."

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