#and it makes me a little nervous. i have relative faith in my abilities but also. fabric can do weird things. esp this fabric i think

[bismuthburnsblue]

almost 1am but we are all cut!!! (well, aside from things i cant cut till later)

this feels like the last major hurdle, hopefullyyyyyy itll all go together pretty easy and ill have something thats starting to resemble a dress tomorrow :)

[weaveandwood]

Weave and Woods Chapter Nine: Shadows and Clarity

Gale/Named Tav | Slow Burn NSFW 18+ | Read on AO3 | Read Entire Work

Summary:

After receiving Mystra's demand for Gale the previous day, the party finally enters the Shadow Cursed Lands. Auroria and Gale deal with realizations about their feelings after the orb is stabilized.

CN: Masturbation, NSFW

She smiled to herself.  How funny it was to be in the middle of such a desolate and cursed land and be thinking about whether or not someone loves you as much as you love them. Perhaps this was how she would show him that he is worth having around - that he is wanted, needed, and desired. Could her steadfast belief that they would find another way to defeat the Absolute break through his bleak resolve?

Auroria stood at the door that was now opened to the Shadow Cursed lands, one hand holding a torch, the other tapping on her thigh with nervous energy. 

“You okay?” Wyll placed a hand on her shoulder. “I can’t imagine the mood could be any more appropriate given the location, but you seem especially tense - which I suppose is understandable given the previous day’s circumstances."

“I’m….fine. I have a million thoughts running through my head and I’m finding it hard to focus on the task at hand,” she motioned to the door. “I also might be stalling a little. I must confess I am worried about what these lands have in store for us.”

“I am going to assume most of those thoughts are about Gale?” He leaned over to ask quietly in order to keep the conversation as private as it could be with the rest of the party behind them.

She nodded. “How can I make him see that he doesn’t have to do something the gods desire solely because they have decided it fits their agenda? How do I show him how much he is worth, how much he is wanted and needed here? Alive. With us.”

“It’s difficult for us to understand since Gale is a man of faith, unlike you and me. I sometimes appeal to Helm, when needed, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you appeal to any god before a battle.”

“And you won’t,” she replied with a scowl. “The gods have done nothing positive for this world, only unleashed evil and let it fall into ruin, hiding behind the excuse that they cannot intervene. Case in point,” she gestured to the deadened landscape that stretched on before them before taking a step out into it, instantly feeling unsettled. “And when they do decide to break their own rules and intervene, they tell a good man to go to his death. The gods are cowards.”

Wyll’s eyes widened a little at the declaration - not often heard outright, but likely thought by many. “I don’t believe hope is lost. We don’t know yet what or where the Heart of the Absolute is. Gale will see in time that it’s the faith that he holds in himself and in those who matter most to him that will lead him to reject Mystra’s demands and we will defeat the Absolute. Together.” 

“Hmm. Perhaps you’re right.” Auroria could feel Gale’s eyes on her back from his position near the rear of the line, but she couldn’t bring herself to look back at him, though they hadn’t spoken since she refused to entertain Mystra’s orders the previous day. It was hard not to be stirred by Wyll’s speech - he had a keen ability to make you believe you could do anything, no matter how impossible. Maybe they did have a small chance to change Gale’s mind. The entire party traveled onward in silence, looking for a good place to set up camp before a small party went out to do some scouting. After some time, they came across a relatively clear area with a small abandoned cabin nearby.

“Gale is lucky to have you on his side. I can only hope I find someone who loves me as much as you do him,” Wyll said before walking off to set up his tent.

Auroria froze. 

Wait. Love? 

Hells. 

*******

“All good?” Ora looked at Wyll, Shadowheart, and then finally Gale, panting as she put her bow behind her back, her forehead glistening with a slight sheen of sweat from a hard won fight allied with a small group of Harpers against several shadows.

She was resplendent. She was magnificent. She was absolutely the most arousing vision he had beheld in quite some time. 

“You know, it’s quite thrilling to fight off the grim creatures this land throws at us…Especially at your side.” Oh gods what am I saying? He thought, his brain unable to put a stop to whatever was about to fly out of his mouth as if someone had cast Zone of Truth.

“Did you get hit on the head?” Shadowheart asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you need healing?”

He cleared his throat. “You know I once read a book…” A book? “That explained in some detail about the effects a brush with danger has on one’s desire for…other forms of stimulation.”

He heard Shadowheart and Wyll choking back laughter as Ora’s eyes widened and the tips of her ears turned pink, a faint blush spreading across her now smiling face. And yet, he couldn’t stop. 

“Have you ever read anything on that subject?” He asked, his voice awkward, halting, out of character. She paused, but then he saw a delicious smirk form on her face as she took two steps toward him, the torchlight illuminating her like a heavenly glow in this cursed environment.

She leaned in and spoke softly, her voice in his ear. “You know I’m not much of a reader, Gale. But I have seen some rather informative diagrams. Perhaps we should pool our knowledge again like we did at the puzzle entrance to the Underdark?” His heart pounded, he felt his own skin flush, but no reaction from the orb. She looked at him, her green eyes alight with amusement at her payback for his unrelenting flirting at the Goblin Camp, then looked back at the others, speaking clearly. “We should get going.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right, this is neither the time or the place for such feelings. We must be patient and push such thoughts aside. For now.” He stammered as Wyll walked by, laughing and clapping him on the shoulder as he passed.

Hours later, Gale was mortified, to put it lightly. As everyone rested for the night in the silent camp, he lay in his tent and found that sleep was unwilling to release him from his embarrassment. He ran his hand down his face, replaying the events of this afternoon (or perhaps it was evening - who could tell in this sun-starved land?) over and over. Why couldn’t I stop talking? Is the orb truly stabilized? Why did Ora delight in teasing me so? He sighed, rolling onto his back, staring up at the tent.

Ora. He smiled to himself. She was amazing fighting the shadows off. The way the light from the nearby braziers played off the copper tones in her hair, her ferocity as she aimed arrow after arrow at them, calling out to Wyll and Shadowheart to use certain skills with her brilliant strategic mind. The way her armor hugged her body as she climbed up to a higher vantage point. The flush in her cheek, the bead of sweat that slowly ran down her neck afterwards. 

He waited for the telltale pain from the orb that usually occurred when he thought of her, but nothing came. He felt…normal. Better than normal, as he no longer felt the deep empty hunger that could never be sated. He felt his desires stirring, and ignored the habit to squash them down as he had for longer than the past year. Could he act on his impulses, his want for her? He thought back to the previous morning when he had caught her stretching, her fitted camp gear showing off every curve as she arched her back. He felt himself becoming hard at the memory. Tentatively, he reached his hand down, rubbing his growing erection over his pants, testing the waters for the orb to glow, for the familiar pain to shoot through his veins like an icy needle. 

Nothing. 

He dared to go further, slipping off his pants and smallclothes, casting mage hand to make sure the flap to his tent was completely shut, leaving him in pitch darkness. The better to imagine her here with him. 

He wrapped his hand around himself, reconnecting to a part of him that had been neglected for so long - desire, lust, pleasure. Mortality. A long exhale escaped his lips as he finally started to move his hand up and down, feeling his body’s reaction to his own touch. His hips started moving in time with his strokes as his mind once again flitted back to Ora, imagining her stripping out of her armor after a battle and climbing on top of him. He spit on his palm, quickly returning to stroking himself, his grip tightening ever so slightly as his hips thrust up into it. As if she were there and it was her he was thrusting into, not his own hand.

Oh…gods.  

He continued stroking, giving in to his impulses. Giving in to his humanity that had been cast to the wayside for ethereal trysts with Mystra, for complete abstinence once his folly had been branded on both his skin and in his heart. He rediscovered himself as he ran his hand over the tip, back up and down the shaft, imagining Ora was the one doing it instead of him. He felt tension building inside and knew he was on the precipice of release. Still, he could not stop picturing her, and could feel the sensation of her warm breath on his ear as she teased him even now. His breathing quickened, letting out soft pants as he clutched at his bedroll with his free hand. Oh, how he longed to kiss her, to press his lips against hers, to roam his hands over her body. To peel off all the layers of her armor until she was pressed naked against him, bare skin against bare skin. To lay her down and finally enter her, to hear her call his name, to - 

His body tensed up and he clamped his hand over his mouth to quiet the instinctual low groan that rumbled deep within him as he gave one last thrust into his hand. He knew he would not last long during this first act of relief, and as he spilled all over himself, he was glad to be alone in this moment. 

Panting, he laughed to himself. Wizard gets cursed orb stabilized, and touches himself within hours.  

The orb was truly stabilized. He was practically giddy - he could finally, finally , let her know the real depth of his feelings. He wanted her with every fiber of his being, both emotionally and physically, though now that he could, he was torn on whether he should. Could she possibly feel the same way about him as he did about her, even with Mystra’s demand hanging over them? He knew there was a physical attraction there, something more than friendship, but he knew deep in his bones that he loved her. Love! And if she loved him back? Whether it was for a day, a week, a month, or if by some miracle they managed to change his fate, everything would have been worth it - being cast out by Mystra, the orb, the tadpole - everything. It all led him to her. He was sure of it.

He couldn’t keep it to himself anymore. Maybe this wasn’t the right time, but who knows how much longer he had? There may never be a right time. She deserved to know how he felt, and any decision she made about their future, no matter how short that future was, would be final. But he wouldn’t tell her here, in camp, not on a night like any other. He had plans to make.

He drifted off to sleep, Mystra’s orders the furthest thing from his mind for the first time since receiving them. 

******

Across camp, Auroria’s mind was racing. Love? Did she love him? She thought she had been in love once before, when she was young and a recruit for the High Forest Scouts. Looking back now and comparing her feelings in her youth to what she felt for Gale, she wasn’t so sure anymore. She rolled over onto her side, looking at Gale’s tent across from hers through her slightly opened tent flap. 

What was with him today? Did Elminster’s message fully crack his brain? She replayed his last statement through her head - “For now.” For now? Did he intend to act? Could their flirtations and sweet nothings turn into something real, something lasting?

She smiled to herself.  How funny it was to be in the middle of such a desolate and cursed land and be thinking about whether or not someone loves you as much as you love them. Perhaps this was how she would show him that he is worth having around - that he is wanted, needed, and desired. Could her steadfast belief that they would find another way to defeat the Absolute break through his bleak resolve? 

Sleep finally came to her and along with it, a quiet resolution. She would prove to him that he was more than his past, more than his folly, more than this future that would be cut short. He was Gale of Waterdeep, yes, but he was also Gale, the man she loved.

[ekoilemartinwrite]

Journal March 7 2023

Oh journal March 7 2023

So today is going to be hectic or at least it feels like it is

I guess part of the question is do I emotionally have the energy to go in to

we de center and I think I do I

don't quite have an option for that

I

I'm feeling very shooting or no I feel like I should say

but I felt like

God placed on my heart today to read Psalm 22 Read Psalm 37

And that was surprisingly encouraging

those who played to God's righteousness WAIT on Him He always supports and holds up and even if sometimes even if someone looks like they're succeeding

they don't last they just don't

they may make a lot of noise and they may be very flashy

but they don't last.

They are like the beauty of the field which is a wonderful image that they are smoke that they are a shadow smoke

bear they're gone.

So I have a therapist appointment later today hopefully that goes okay or at least to help me mesh well

so last night Ashley's car died I had to drive into work and pick her up I also was concerned for our little dog because she

threw up her food

however it may be more along the lines of she's really needs to go to the bathroom doesn't have room which I'm hoping that that's the case because that would be relatively simple.

I'm also just realizing that I have added expenses that more expenses than I actually have money coming in. I've done that over the past several weeks and That's a game of tennis that really is not sustainable. And I don't know how that's I'm trusting God, that things will work out. But I'm guessing also that certain thing, so I need to get tighter. And that's okay

and I don't know how this is gonna work. I have faith God that it will. And part of that faith is I need to lose in faith. And that also means removing some things that are extemporaneous that I don't need

now, something tells me that most of these kinds of journals that people do are a bit more targeted. Because this is all the nitty gritty and sort of the emotional stuff that I normally would keep very private. But that's what it is. I guess there's no buts about it here you.

I feel bad about I want to say not wanting to collaborate with Donnie which is not true. I feel nervous about collaborating. I feel hesitant

and

partially it's been that I haven't had much brain space to

devote to it

but also

I know he's good. His lyric. Lyrically is amazing

his skill in that I don't think he really understands how gifted he is. And I know he doesn't because he's like, Oh, no, just do this thing. And I was like where last poacher even though it arrived on time. So what happened is we were trying to go over GarageBand and he's like, Oh, just play some answers. Just say words. You know, it's like a conversation and like I did not end up saying any words because I don't think he understood how limited my ability to process that at the same time was considering with the poetry that I've gotten to that level I started with phrases that I knew would be Higgledy Piggledy and then pick a random sound or Word and try and rhyme it and they were always simple. Like and then I'll use like, oh, just you know, just playing this or that say word and like, I ended up not doing because I was scared. Which I should not have been and I know that but I don't know why I was scared. I guess because I didn't want to look stupid hmm

I, one of the things which I've realized is that like I've just not been Opening up lunch with my, my co workers of the day center. I think because I've been scared because I haven't wanted to trust them, but that stuff.

And

I

don't really have good reason other than habit. Because it's one of those things where like, God placed me there.

He put me with these people.

And that means I need to learn that there are things that I need to do, and I need to learn. I need to get better at and I know that one of the things I need to get better at is actually dealing and interacting with people. And so I'm now with folks who certainly expect my ability to do stuff. But I need to make a much better show approach of interacting and understanding what a conversation is and how to elevate that and how to move in that

and that can take a lot

so

that's the thing I need to do. And I'm not sure how I feel about that. I feel a bit scared. And I feel a bit annoyed right now I'm mostly not processing what happened with my roommate over the weekend. On I think Saturday afternoon, I think

or maybe

Friday evening No, it was not Friday. Maybe it was Thursday.

Now maybe it was Saturday, it probably was Saturday afternoon. I know because it was daylight and we were sitting on the low couch

just feels so like such a much longer time than that. She's turning 35 this year. She does not expect to marry me until she's 40.

And also,

she does not want her first sexual time to be with me. I haven't been with a woman before. But that's like just such a big hurdle. She just wants to do it with someone she has no attachment to and then get it over with.

Because like that whole thing of being naked with someone is such such a massive step

that she does. She She literally said, I know you too. Well. I don't want to do that with you. And I'm like, Okay.

I won't lie and pretend like she does eventually want to do that. She just doesn't want me to be her first time. And all I can all I could think for a while. I mean, I I forgive her. I forgive her. I forgive her. That hurt that fucking hurt. She's like, yes, I want to marry you. I just don't want my first sexual experience to you.

That hurts. A lot.

And I like to think is the old and I told her this the only reason I wandered around with a bunch of prostitutes. Trying to explore my sexuality is because I was in a relationship with someone who was profoundly uninterested in unenthusiastic with exploring that was me because I wanted to do that in a relationship. But I was in a relationship that just hurt. And he was he didn't want that. He was uninterested in me. But he kept like stoking those fires. So I had to go somewhere else. I don't think she understands. And that's okay. Because that's not a thing I want to do that's not really a thing that should be done to somebody

ever does

that hurt a lot on reflecting on it that night, I just remember thinking that I I paid for the privilege of being elevated to feel like beat

like to be sexual with someone to feel like beat. And I paid for the privilege of feeling like because I felt less than that

that when you pay money for that, like I don't think I've outside of like college and my ex boyfriend I don't think I've had a sexual experience that didn't involve money

that's really sad.

Like it didn't either involve alcohol other than my ex boyfriend. None of my sexual experiences have all of my sexual experiences had have either had alcohol as a factor or

money. That's not completely true. But the

post college all of them have had money. Or the This isn't like the 95% range here. There's like 5% or vast majority of only money and that has a really big impact on how you perceive your own value. And because it means I mean, I think maybe the one or two after all the escorts were that wasn't true.

With Grant

I like that hurt more because it felt like it was storming that I was only useful because of buying physical skills, that the person that I was underneath was actually a value

that was a lie.

And I know that she's not saying anything about my value. I know she isn't saying anything about my desirability.

Intellectually, I know that emotionally I'm catching up. I have a therapy session later today with a new therapist, which will be a video chat. And I was hoping to like mostly I just need to process how I feel about Ashley.

So

I also don't want to hold any grudges on I need to forgive. It's literally one of the things which Christians are which are is unique to Christianity, that Christians are commanded to forgive. We are specifically told, basically commanded, things will be judged against you the way you judge others like what you hold against someone else that will be held against you. We are commanded to forgive, not just let it go. But forgiveness is active. It is an active choice.

That's hard.

And I do forget

She's still an idol

marriage

and sex are still

food is too.

Food especially for a temptation lately has been difficult. And

it's been a struggle for the first time in months, months and months and months. I actually got fast food from McDonald's. I was like hoping it was not what I was hoping for. I wanted to practice didn't get there in time for that. But it was just so unsatisfying. In a way that even something from the day center which is a bit more homemade, even if it's something from someplace like Olive Garden even that food is better, more nourishing, more satisfying

than McDonald's.

I know that I want to follow what mealtime I was doing before because I know it will work.

And I

I follow this plan and it does work. It's very gentle. I'd like to be a bit more strict with mine for a time to get my body where I want it because I know I can do that

and it'll take a bit of leeway. And it'll take some time but I can do that

I need to do a bit of math. And most of the premium stuff that I have for veggies and such is basically gone. Which is partially what I've been waiting for. Also the fact that we currently have no dishwasher and almost all the dishes are dirty and I've had to scrub everything before I cook it before it cook with it has been driving me utterly batty. Thank you God that tomorrow. Ashley and I can go get we will go and purchase a new dishwasher and a clothes washer and dryer. And then maybe also a couch

the futon. Not from Walmart.

For the record, she's the one that said Not Walmart

[jean-vi]

Lie To Me | Levi x Reader

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Reader Inspiration:  “Chizu ni nai basho e yume wo hasete / Shiharau no wa Risiko der Freiheit” - Jiyuu No Daishou by Linked Horizon Summary: Facing the female titan, you find yourself in a sticky position. Genre: Angst, Fluff (?) Warnings: Major Character Injury, Spoilers for Season 1 of SNK, Most events that occur in this work do not actually occur in the season, but the context is a spoiler. WC: 4.3K A/N: I have been writing fanfic on here for a while under @tae-cup but this is my first AOT Fic. I hope it reads well :) Other: Masterlist

Part 2

    You didn’t think you’d ever get used to riding horses for hours at a time. You understood, fundamentally, that they kept you alive when you were outside the walls, but at the same time, you really did not enjoy the constant jolting. It was truly a beautiful day to be outside, no doubt about it, but maybe this was…a little too outside for comfort. The walls had been your home for many years until you joined the Scout regiment. To be completely honest, it had been a bit of a rash choice, a sort of rebellion against the Military Police that terrorized your family. 

    Your hands gripped the reins with uncertainty. The first time you’d left the walls, all those years ago, you’d been excited. The world felt fresh and new. Now the sky felt like a rotten apple and the people were all the same: excited or nervous recruits and down-trodden experienced soldiers alike. One person caught your eye though. 

    You looked up from the reins to view the people in front of you. Squad Levi. You were a relatively new addition. You were the newest member until the nuisance known as Eren Jaeger joined. It wasn’t that he was particularly annoying, although sometimes his shouting and monologues about freedom did grate on your ears, it was more that he injured himself a lot. You understood the basic fundamentals of his abilities, like being able to heal considerably quicker than a normal human, and regrowing whole limbs wasn’t out of the question either. Being the designated medic, not by choice, you had made a name for yourself by chasing after any squad members who had the slightest ailment. Eren Jaeger? Well, he had lots of them, and it was considerably more draining. 

    The others had laughed and thanked Eren for keeping you off their backs. That was only a few weeks ago. Now, here you were. There was always a grimness to the air on these missions. The usually lively squad was dead silent. The beating hooves of the horses pierced the air. It was too quiet, too calm. 

    Your eyes roved from person to person. You were taking the rear with Eren in front of you. He was just a kid, but he had the stare of someone much older. Next was Petra. She was always a good friend to you. Her smiles and determination brought light into this serious squad. You finally rested your eyes on Captain Levi. 

    At this moment in time, you were having trouble remembering why you were chosen for this team. Still, he had trust in you and so you would have faith in him in return. It was a mutual sort of arrangement. Going into the Scout regiment, you had known some basic first aid. It was a skill taught by your mother. After hearing about your unwavering interest in the Scout Regiment, she had insisted on teaching you the basics. 

    “You can’t stop me.” You hissed. 

    “I know.” Your mother sagged in defeat. “I know you have this–this anger deep inside. I just don’t want you to go into this mess unprepared.” She took your hand and held it firmly. “Let me teach you what I know. I may only be a midwife and I may not be of use to you, but I want you to be of use to others.” 

    You sat down at the dining table and waited as she fetched her bag of tools. 

“And another thing, sweetie,” she whispered as she drew out the needle and thread, “make yourself important, irreplaceable.” 

    A red flare went off, somewhere to your right. A return green flare to your left. 

    “Captain.” Eld called out and the Captain glanced at the flares. 

    “Petra, fire the flare.” He said simply. 

    “Yes, Captain!” The woman responded quickly and sent off the green flare. 

    Well, things were getting interesting. There was already a titan so close. It was a little unnerving. You’d seen scouting missions fall apart before and you really did want this to be the exception. Defeat after defeat. The wounds dragged on. Another set of hoofs joined the marching beat. 

    “Captain Levi, a message!” The new girl shouted as she sidled up to the right of your squad. You observed her carefully. She seemed shaken, but not harmed. The girl was sweating and her hands were gripping the reins too hard to be considered relaxed. 

    “Report.” The Captain commanded. 

    “The right side scouting squads have been decimated! There are huge casualties!” The girl cried. 

    Levi seemed to think for a moment before nodding in the direction of Petra. 

    “Petra, pass on the message.” He commanded. “And thank you for the report.” He addressed the girl who nodded and fell back, racing towards the right. You saw it now; flares screeching into the sky, puffing black smoke. 

    “An abnormal this far in?” You wondered aloud and you had been with the team long enough to see the tell-tale signs of distress. Still, Levi remained a statue-like figure. His head barely turned in the direction of the flares. 

    “The formation has fallen apart. We have no choice but to divert to a more advantageous position.” Levi responded after a short pause. You then sense the shake of the new recruit ahead.

    You considered yourself pretty straight-laced and a person who was rather blunt. However, you didn’t exactly lack human compassion, which you speculated that the Captain in front did. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for human life, it was evident that he did based on his role in the regiment, but he didn’t react much to anything. This stone cold expression of his definitely paid off when you asked for his help in the medical ward. 

    “Hey.” You pulled up next to Eren. His face was downcast and his eyebrows were sinched together. “We’ll find your friends.” 

    It was a promise that was more than likely false. You had wanted to say that they would be alright, but that was certainly a lie. Eren’s expression was that of a boy who was already imagining his friends dead. You didn’t want to see those thoughts come to fruition, they were children after all, but this world was cruel in the worst ways. 

    “I told you to stop saying things like that.” Levi spoke and there was something in his vocal fry that made your heart quicken. 

    “I know, but remember what I said?” 

    The man thought for a moment and then dipped his head. “Continue.” 

    A few weeks earlier

    Levi had always been a good steady hand and a calming presence. It was probably what first drew you to asking him to assist you after missions. You felt a little guilty asking an already exhausted man to continue to work, but he had agreed. He was rather apathetic but he worked diligently. 

    “You told that man that he would be okay.” Levi seemed perplexed, truly, as he looked towards the corpse on the ground. “You shouldn’t lie to the dying, so why?”

    “I don’t know.” Was your first response. It was something you seemed to say often with the man, but this time you took a moment to ponder his question fully. “I guess when a person is forced to deal with death and the inevitable pain, they need to be told lies to keep themselves sane.” Then you took a deep breath. “In less metaphorical terms, in order to keep them on our side until the end, they need to feel secure.”

    Your hands were shaky after long missions or stressful days with lots of patients. The day was just winding down now and it was another heartbreaking loss. Less and less soldiers seemed to come back alive and intact lately. It was mentally and physically draining to care for the wounded, but for some reason, Levi kept coming back. He would hand you the needle and thread and when your eyelids began to droop, he’d finish the job for you. It wasn’t in any gentle or particularly caring way. He’d take the needle and thread, as if commanding you to sleep. But you never could sleep. You’d drift in and out of consciousness sitting on the ground nearby. Tonight was one of those nights. 

    “Get some sleep.” He said quietly as he finished and fixed your rough stitching job. It had been hurried because the soldier was bleeding quickly. Now, the table was covered in blood and you couldn’t stand looking at his disfigured body any longer. You’d saved his life, but he’d never walk again. 

    “I can’t sleep on nights like these.” You responded gruffly. You were stubborn and Levi shared this trait. 

    “I know that, but you need to be able to properly treat people tomorrow. They need your best mind.” 

    You paused and then frowned, shutting your eyes in thought. “So you save the lives of humanity by getting four hours of sleep, right?” 

    “I am here to save myself and only myself. I can get by on four hours. You, on the other hand, are stupidly trying to save the lives of all these dying soldiers. It is a pursuit that will lead you nowhere.” He snipped the thread and set his hands down on the table with a heavy sigh. You ignored his scorn for your current occupation and decided to rest your head against the cold stone.  

    “You say you’re only here to save yourself, and yet you have so little regard for your own life?” You said softly, on your way to dreamland. You heard the soft fabric of his clothes rustle and you felt his gaze slip to your face. The glance was fleeting and warm, but he remained focused on the task at hand.

    “There are some people I can not bring back. I should have died with them years ago, and although they want me to lay them to rest, I will continue to cruelly live on in their name. It is purely selfish.” He responded. 

    You thought on his words for a moment. Levi seemed the opposite of selfish to you. 

    “Some would call that selfless.” You shrugged before the night took you away.

    “My friends.” He was muttering to himself. 

    “Eren.” You tilted your head down to look him in the eyes. “Don’t worry. We will find them.” You’d probably be finding their bodies and even that would be a miracle. With how close the titan had reached, you doubted a bunch of recruits would be able to stand a chance. “And if they’re injured, you know I’ll fix them right up.” You assured further. 

    The boy looked away and you took that as your cue to fall back. Still, even if he didn’t fully believe your lie either, it was something to convince himself of. Captain Levi spared you a glance. You went back to dreaming. You day dreamed about what your life could have been like. You imagined a world where titans no longer terrorized humanity. Would you have still chosen the path of medicine if it weren’t needed for your survival? Would you have…fallen in love? Maybe a doctor or a nurse you worked with? Maybe a stranger you’d met at the market? What did all this daydreaming do you anyway. It wasn’t going to change the situation. 

    “Captain, I hear something.” Oluo shouted. 

    Levi looked behind him and, of course, everyone else followed suit. There was a thud, but it was faint and seemed so far away. In the distance, behind, was a tiny dot. It was moving at an alarming rate, though. 

    “Is that–” You started.

    “ –the abnormal?” Petra finished as you both stared in horror. 

     The Captain gave away nothing. 

    “We continue riding forward.” He insisted and you usually trusted the man but this was absurd. The forest was out of the way and more of a barrier than anything else. It just made no sense. Then it hit you. The useless ODM gear currently strapped to you would become a lethal weapon in the forest. 

    “Understood.” You replied, but you truly did understand this time. 

    “Captain! We could have saved them!” Eren screamed as the soldiers zipping through the trees were swatted out of the sky. This titan really was terrifying. You’d never seen one that looked like it before. Despite being at the back of the formation, you remained vigilant in looking straight ahead. You probably trusted a self-appointed “selfish” man far too much. 

    Eren’s exclamations were becoming more desperate. 

    “There’s another dead.” The boy cried and it did tug at the heart strings. 

    “Eren,” You began, “I work with the dead all day, every day.” You felt the listening ears of your teammates, even Levi, especially Levi. “I know their deaths were violent, but they were quick.” You continued and you heard another crunch. God, you were really sick of people dying. You could feel your eyes wetting as the slaughter continued behind you, but you refused to let tears fall. With a steely determination, you stared straight ahead. “It is much better than suffering a slow, painful, death later on a table in a strange room.” 

    “I agree.” Levi added and your eyes fell on the back of his head. He was so calm and reserved in a time where even Eld was nervous. “Cover your ears.” 

    You had just enough time to register his words and mindlessly react. 

    Bang!

    For some reason, you saw him watching you as the world exploded in light. 

    “Did we really capture it?” You asked, waiting for anyone to answer. 

     “It would appear that way.” Petra murmured. 

    “You guys leave, switch to ODM gear.” Levi instructed. “Get Eren to HQ as fast as possible.” 

    “Yes, Sir!” You all replied in unison. You unstrapped the small medical bag from your horse and wrapped it around your shoulders. 

    The Captain disappeared from sight. You switched to your ODM gear, flying from tree to tree. Everything was moving so quickly and the green of the forest hid most of the sunlight. However, a movement caught your eye. 

    “The traitor.” You heard Eren hiss. That’s when you saw them. The Scout Regiment logo felt wrong to be displayed on a traitor to humanity. 

    “Move! Move! They’re closing in!” Eld shouted and you began to weave through the trees. 

     “Gunther!” Petra screamed and you knew. You knew what happened. Fuck. You didn’t want to see the body of a person you just saw yesterday, but you needed to. You looked back and you acknowledged him. He hung lifelessly, swinging like a pendulum. 

     “Go! Go! Go!” Eld continued and you followed. It wasn’t your business for heroics. 

     Then, a flash of yellow light, like lightning striking. You couldn’t hold back a surprised scream now. Shielding your eyes, you felt your hair sizzle and the air pop. Then, like something out of your worst nightmares, the titan was there. She was fast and agile. Her movements were unlike any other titan you’d seen or killed, but you supposed this was unlike any other mission you’d been on. 

     “I’ll kill her, once and for all.” Eren screamed to Eld as he raised his hand to his mouth. 

    “Stop!” Your eyes widened and you felt breathless. “Please, just let us handle it. We’re the best, after all.” You tried to reason with him. 

     “Trust us.” Petra nodded. 

    Eren looked from you to your squad to the titan. The titan was closing in and you didn’t have much time left. 

    “Trust us.” You pleaded. If Eren transformed, it put so much at risk. You couldn’t risk him getting taken. 

    “Okay.” He finally said and you all breathed a collective sigh of relief. He turned and zipped ahead. “I trust you.”

    You watched his figure fading into the distance as you and the others began your assault. Eld moved in to distract. The wind was rushing in your ears as you positioned yourself on a tree. You didn’t have quite the kill count as the others, but you understood the basics. Petra and Oluo sliced into the titan’s eyes, causing the monster to stumble back into the tree. 

    “It’s protecting its nape!” You shouted and you flew in to join the fray. You hooked onto its ligaments and began slicing. The tendons in the arms were gone and the shield on her nape dropped. You hesitated to celebrate as the others looked on in victory. They wanted the killing blow. 

    After seeing and hearing the cries of all those soldiers she’d killed, you wanted to slaughter her too. You could feel their pain fueling you to push on, even as your gut began to sink. It was just too easy. 

    “Strike the neck, now!” Eld yelled his war cry and you hooked onto her nape to join him. The female titan lunged. You pulled back with a scream, but Eld was already bit in two. Blood began to stain the grass. No. 

    “Eld!” You screeched. You watched as his body fell. No medical miracle could bring that back to life. You frantically turned to the others. “We need to regroup!” 

    “It’s–It’s impossible.” Petra was muttering as she flew away from the titan. “It’s only been 30 seconds or so. That’s just not–” 

    “Petra!” Oluo warned, but it was too late. Blood splattered on a tree. 

    “No, no, no.” You whispered as you retreated. 

    “I’ll kill you.” Oluo went in for the exposed nape. Your eyes widened. 

    “Wait! Stop!” You shouted, but it didn’t matter. You’d never seen a human kicked that hard or that far, but Oluo was gone on impact, you knew that from the sickening crunch. There was no way. All of squad Levi? Gone? 

    You landed on the grass. You felt numb as you stared into the face of the titan. Falling to your knees, you looked up to the sky, past where her form blocked the sun. Maybe, in this giant forest, it wouldn’t be such a bad place to die. You’d be with your comrades. You dropped your medical bag and accepted this fate. The female titan stared down at you and then her hand was wrapped around your body. Her grip was so tight, you felt your bones cracking like sticks and now you screamed in agony. 

    “You killed them!” You were a mess. Tears were running down your face and now you couldn’t breathe. You came face to face with the female titan. Her hair covered her blind eye. 

    A blinding light and Eren had abandoned the plan. You felt the pressure on your body ease up and then suddenly, you were falling. You had no time to grapple to any trees. You just plummeted to the ground. 

     The air left your lungs and every breath, every movement, every shake of the ground, hurt. On a scale of 1 to 10? This was a 10. The two titans were fighting and their rumbling moved farther away. You almost wanted to thank Eren. Now, you’d be able to die in peace. 

    Captain Levi. 

    The whole squad was wiped out in one go. You didn’t have it in you to sit up, so you lay with your back tucked between the grasses. It wasn’t long after the explosion of light that you noticed a familiar figure flying through the trees. 

    Levi had come to a stop above Petra’s body. You were in blinding pain, but you needed to get his attention before he left. 

    “Captain.” You choked out, but for some reason, he heard you. He turned to you and jumped down from the tree. His feet landed softly next to you and he didn’t hesitate to kneel beside your body. His rough, but nimble, hands circled yours. The Captain could have said any number of things, but chose these:

    “Do you want to be saved?” It was simple. He was giving you the option to die peacefully with your comrades or be saved. You usually couldn’t read Captain Levi very well, but when you looked at his face, finally, you were taken aback. 

    Anger. His mouth, set in an ever-present line, was now tilted into a frown. His eyebrows were pushed together ever so slightly and his eyelids dropped into a killer gaze. You had wondered at his emotional capacity for years now, but with this single gaze, you understood him. You understood how he needed to protect himself from the death that surrounded him. You refused to be another comrade that he’d be haunted by at night. Looking at the sky, you realized you had a long life ahead of you. Now was not your time to die. 

    You had your answer, and it was for, just as he said, purely selfish reasons. You couldn’t muster the energy to move or speak, but your eyes slid over to your fallen medical bag. And now Levi had his answer too. You wanted to say you saw him breathe a sigh of relief, but it was probably an illusion. 

    “Don’t worry, you’ll be okay.” He parroted your blissful lie as he grabbed the bandages from the bag.

    You found the nerve to speak with that comment. “Maybe you were right. Lies don’t help the dying much. We know it’s over.” 

    “You are not ‘the dying.’” He bit back with a deadly tone. You didn’t flinch. Instead, you wanted to laugh. He finished the wrapping and sat back. “I don’t know what else to do.” He finally admitted. 

    Your gaze moved to the treetops. Everything was fading and going in and out of darkness. 

    “Nothing else you can do.” You mustered. “I’m probably bleeding internally. I’ll die before leaving this forest.” 

    “You will not.” The man said quietly and when he stood, he stared down at you with an incredulous expression. “Why do you accept your death so easily? You will survive and you will live until you are old. Do you hear me, idiot?” 

    You smiled as your eyes slid closed. “I hear you, Captain.” 

    A Few Days Later

    The last remaining member of Squad Levi. You lifted your hand gingerly and stared at the wrappings. They were clean, fresh. That must be good. You watched the dust particles filtering through the sunlight streaming in. A roof. That was a good sign. You were in a bed. Also a good sign.

    “Don’t move.” A harsh voice commanded, but your lips pulled into an easy smile. 

    “Captain, I wasn’t aware you cared so much.” 

    “Do you know how hard it is to deal with all those injured scouts when you get yourself injured?” Levi was sitting in an armchair in the corner of the room. His legs were stretched out lazily as he reclined, one hand nursing a steaming teacup. “Don’t do it again.” He took a sip. 

    “Yes, sir.” You grumbled and dropped your hand. The man got up and moved to the side of the bed, where you could see him better. 

    “We are now the only members of the Special Operations team.” 

     You tilted your head back and stared at the wooden beams. What were their last thoughts? Last sight? Probably the forest floor and trees the size of castles. That forest was littered with bodies now. It felt like a terrible nightmare. 

     “I am hardly special enough for any ‘Special Operations.’” You countered. “Why do you even want me on the team?” 

    He gave you a blank stare, which was a common occurrence. “Because you were on it before and you’re alive and breathing.” Levi reasoned. 

    “I think I should switch to being a medical helper instead, full time.” 

    “Why are you arguing with me, idiot?” He frowned. “You are a part of Squad Levi still and you always will be. That’s how it works here.” 

    “I could just get myself thrown out.” You chuckled. 

    “And I’d just argue that you stay, like last time.” 

    The conversation fell silent. Then you shifted to look out the window. “I care for this team, a lot, but there is no team left.” You sighed. “I guess that only leaves me to care for you, Captain.” 

    You heard his footsteps and he was now in front of the window, just staring at you. His usually intimidating gaze was gone. 

    “I wouldn’t have saved you if I didn’t care either.” He stated simply and leaned against the window sill. The light fell so perfectly on his face, highlighting the curve of his mouth, the sharpness of his eyes. 

    “I would have saved you, too.” You added. 

    “You would save everyone if you could.”

    “And you wouldn’t?” 

    “I save people I think I can save.” He shrugged. His grip tightened on the edge of the window. “I don’t know why I saved you. I was sure you were going to die, and maybe I should have let you.” 

    You pressed your lips together. “I’m still glad you lied to me. I will be truthful in saying that I asked you to save me for purely selfish reasons.” 

    “I guess we have that in common.” The Captain crossed his arms. Your eyes widened and he tilted his head. “Did I say something amiss?” 

    “No I–” You stopped yourself. “I just didn’t realize you cared.” 

    “If I didn’t care, why would I spend all those nights with you, fixing up the worst injuries I’ve seen?” 

    “Because you care about…human life?” 

    “Because I care about you, idiot.” He said roughly and moved to your bedside. The man took your hand in his and it was eerily reminiscent of the forest. You could almost smell the dirt. 

    “Maybe I care about you too.” You finally said and he dropped your hand. His face fell back into its usual stone-cold expression. His only acknowledgement was a dip in his head.

    “Get some rest.” He said bluntly and headed for the door.

    “You as well, Captain.” 

    He let his hand brush against the door frame for a moment and then left. A fleeting ghost. A vision. You wished you could hold onto his hand for a just a bit longer. It was nice to be in good company. 

To be continued...?

[gremlin-writes-angst]

hello! may i request an aot, mha, and haikyuu (preferably male) match up if you’re still accepting?

my pronouns are she/her.

standing at 5’2”, i have long wavy hair and my skin is on the lighter side but not so pale. i easily get hot/cold so my cheeks tend to have a tint of red. i also have weak arms which is why people think i’m clumsy since i have a hard time carrying stuff and i avoid putting pressure on my arms.

my favorite anime would be full metal alchemist brotherhood and aot, currently i’m obsessed with tokyo revengers. for my love language it’s words of affirmation and quality time. i want a relationship built with trust and faith, i’d want for both my partner and i to not lose ourselves in our relationship too. i think picnics and late night drives are some of the cute things to do with them.

i’m shy and reserved but knows how to have fun. pretty observant and would rather be a listener instead of speaking (i can be talkative if i’m talking about something i like). i’m not fond of crowded places and i’m not good at directions. i’m into visiting coffee shops and bakeries. i love funny people and soft things like blankets. i’m the type to stand up for my friends. i tolerate almost everyone though i would tell them off if they appeared to be mean or toxic. also the type to say i’m not into physical affection but i’m actually touch starved. i get happy at the smallest things, if you gave me a candy i’d probably treasure it instead of eating it. can’t watch horror even if my life depended on it, i’m scared of bugs, i’m also scared of walking through the dark, had a phase where i can’t even go to the bathroom with the door closed.

thank you and i hope you have a lovely day 💕

For AOT I match you with Connie Springer

I see him as an affectionate guy in all and any form. He’d also like to try and show off by carrying things for you, or putting on a brave face when watching something semi scary. I think he is also able to be a talker or a listener.

Date headcanons

For my ease, were doing a modern au

Connie works at a bakery that you go to when you felt proud of yourself

Every time you came in Connie fell harder for you, and every time you came in he would try to fix his appearance, even the little hair on his head.

One day he finally worked up the courage to ask you out, you agreed thinking that he was cute and his nervous rambling was adorable.

He planed a lunch date for the two of you. It was a picnic that took place on a hill, when you got there the blanket was already set up but you couldnt see Connie, you took a seat on the blanket

You started to get a little cold you heard running and when you turned around you saw Connie running up the hill with a basket and a jacket

When he arrived he started apologizing, saying that he ran to get the food from his car, very out of breath

“Sorry for … being late… I had to go…. Get the food … and your jacket”

You then realized that the jacket he was holding was one of your favorites, it kept you warm when cold but wasn’t too hot. You had lost it last time you were at the bakery, the time he asked you out.

He noticed you slightly shivering, setting the basket down and opening up the jacket, and moving toward you

“Is this okay?”

He asked you for the ability to put the jacket on you, you nodded and put your arms out while he put the jacket on you. The little physical touch made your face heat up and began to change to a pink tint. Connie sat down in front of you and open up the basket, pulling out all your favorites from his bakery, along with one’s that you wanted to try but never did for whatever reason. The two of you spent the day together, watcher the sunset, and then he offered to drive your home. While he drives you home was when you began to really talk about your hobbies. He was happy to hear your voice more. At the end of the night he gave you a gift card for the bakery, he realized that you never used it but it was always in your wallet. Later in your relationship, you would share with him that you liked him so much and that most things he gave you, you kept in safekeeping.

For MHA I match you with Izuku Midoriya

It’s no secret that Izuku is a rambler and would enjoy someone to listen to him, he also has the need to be a protector of someone. Izuku wouldn’t want to suffocate you and so not wanting to lose yourselves in the rel. He likes to take you on weekend dates because of his busy work schedule.

Date story

You were currently on a short but sweet breakfast date with your fiance Izuku. He sat in front of you holding your hand across the table,ationship which was where your hands normally were during dates. His thumb was lightly running over your hand, and the new ring on your finger. The last date you went which was last night, he proposed and of course you said yes. So today the two of you were just full of happiness and love.

“I’m so happy, last night when I got down on one knee and started rambling, I kept thinking that my rambling would push you away. Even though you’ve put up with it for years, but you said yes and, sorry I’m just so happy.”

He started to tear up and went to wipe them off

“ of course I said yes, your the man I’m meant to be with. So what do you have planned for us today, Mr. romantic.”

You had started calling him that after the very romantic date he planned last night.

“Well I was thinking we eat here, as we currently are doing, then we go home and do anything we want because I know that you would rather stay home rather than being in a crowded place.”

He knew you so well and it made you so happy and you would never regret saying yes to the number 1 pro hero

For Haikyuu I match you with Daichi Sawamura

Daichi is just generally a strong-willed person with a big heart, which is what I think you need/want. He is the type of person to lift you up in all ways, physically and emotionally, and any other type of lifting you need. Basically, everything I said for the other two applies here.

Date Headcanons

Most of your dates are either really fancy or just driving around

Sometimes he claims its just a drive but he actually has an indoor car picnic in the middle of the night

Basically putting down the back car seat and laying down your favorite blanket, eating some subs, watching a movie on a laptop

He goes for the indoor picnic because he likes to protect you, from even the little thing

Like bugs or being uncomfortable with the temperature, in the car, he can control those things

He would do anything to protect you and make you happy.

Thanks for the request, hope you like it!!

My birthday event is closed, sorry.

[quickspinner]

Killer Combo - Ch 1 The First Match

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 Epilogue | Bonus Tidbits | ART inspired by this story! | AO3 | Fiction Master Post

Max and Marinette have been playing in the Ultimate Mecha Strike III professional leagues for a few years but they're finally making the jump to the Master League in hopes of winning a cash prize that will let them make their dreams a reality. Team Lucky Charm is on their way, but Marinette faces a challenge in the individual league—she can't seem to beat former champion Viperion.

Aged-up Lukanette

When I took prompt suggestions on tumblr for my follower milestone event, one of the prompts was "reverse crush" and another was "Luka beats Marinette at video games and she gets all gooey over him" (not the exact words). Neither option got picked in the voting but somewhere along the line they melded together in my brain and I thought I'd give it a shot.

It was supposed to be another chapter for I'll Never Not Know You and then suddenly I was 15k words in and like...this is not a one shot anymore. So I bring it to you as a new chapter story instead. I hope you'll enjoy!

“It’s your third Master league event,” Max observed with some amusement as he watched Marinette bounce on her toes in front of the door about to open for her. “Your win record is above 94% from the last two. How are you still nervous?” 

“I’m not nervous,” Marinette insisted. “Not really. Just ready to get started!” She added, almost to herself, “I didn’t expect to play him so soon. I mean, I didn’t even know he was back in the league this year.” 

“That is a little surprising,” Max agreed, adjusting his glasses as he looked down at Marinette’s match list in his hand. “We could have prepared more if we had known sooner that he was returning. His rank is only marginally higher than yours at the moment, however. Numerically, your third match will be of much more importance. There’s a much bigger disparity between your ranks which will mean a bigger jump in rank for you if you win.” 

“If I win?” Marinette teased, nudging him. “So much faith, Max.” She slipped her red-and-black hoodie off of her shoulders, and then pulled it off entirely, deciding it was too warm to wear in the closed match space. Ultimate Mech Strike III had been gaining steadily in popularity, and the pro leagues were getting more and more of an audience. With that came an increase in both exposure and cash prizes—and a corresponding increase in cheating. The Master and Grandmaster leagues now held their match events in person at local exhibit halls and convention centers, with players isolated from interference in “pyrapods” that held standardized headsets, controllers, and screens—but they could be a bit stuffy. Matches were streamed from the game center live on the website, and the players who brought in the most traffic were targeted for sponsorships and interviews.

“I can calculate the odds if you—” Max began, but the door to her pyrapod slid open, indicating it was time for the match to begin. Marinette shared a quick fistbump with Max, and then tossed him her hoodie and bounced inside without hesitation.  

She donned the provided headset (which still smelled of cleaner, but she was more inclined to be thankful than annoyed) and picking up the controller. The screen in front of her lit up with the view that would be livestreamed. 

Marinette set her feet and pressed the button on the counter to indicate she was ready. She took a deep breath and waited for her opponent, rolling up and down on her toes as she tried to settle the nerves she’d told Max she didn’t have. 

The voice channel crackled to life in her ear as Viperion put his headset on in his own pod. 

“Ladybug vs. Viperion,” the dispassionate electronic voice announced, “Prepare for countdown to match start.”

“Ladybug, huh?” Viperion said, and Marinette blinked at the quiet, smooth voice. “Nice to meet you. I heard some new blood was tearing up the ladder. I’m excited to take you on.” 

“Likewise,” Marinette told him, eyebrows raising slightly. “I didn’t expect to go up against a former champion so soon.” She’d been shocked when she saw his name on the list of computer-generated matchups she’d gotten at registration. He should have been much too high up on the ladder to get matched up against her. This was only her third match event in the Master League. She’d only moved up this month—and now she had a month to get out of the bottom 5% before she’d be dropped down to the lower leagues again. 

So, champion or not, Viperion was going down.

“I had other commitments last year,” he replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “So I’m in with the newbies this year. Don’t worry, I’ll be back up the ladder and out of your hair soon enough.” 

Marinette scoffed but the ten second match countdown popped up before she could respond. 

“Good luck, Ladybug,” Viperion said.

“Same to you, Viperion,” Marinette replied, eyes fixed on the big red numbers ticking down until the word FIGHT flashed once and the game began.

Marinette was used to trash talk, was even good at it. She’d come to enjoy trading quips and good-natured insults, at least until she started winning. Then her opponents tended to either get quiet or get nasty.

Viperion, by contrast, was nearly silent from the beginning. Every once in a while she thought she heard...humming? over her headset, but she wasn’t sure. 

“Oh, nice,” he breathed finally, when she landed a major combo on him. “Oh, hell, here we go, it’s on now—” But it was almost like he was talking to himself rather than trying to trash talk her. 

“You wanted it, I brought it,” she muttered back through the headset. 

“Show me what you got, Ladybug,” he chuckled. “I can take it.”

Marinette’s eyebrows rose slightly at that. Cocky, she thought, grinning to herself at the thought of taking him down, former champion or no.

She wasn’t smiling for long. Viperion wasn’t cocky, he was right. He could take it. His snake-based mech specialized in status effects, and he used his haste and slow abilities masterfully to compensate for his relatively weak armor. He hadn’t neglected his damage stats either; his venom strike didn’t pack a lot of punch up front but the damage dealt over time added up. She’d never seen anyone use this combination of abilities so effectively without a partner to tank for them. Marinette’s lips got tighter and tighter as her health bar turned blue and then red. She was adapting, finding his weak spots, but not fast enough. She had him in the red but—Marinette smashed one last combo in desperation but she could see even as she did it that Viperion had the edge, and she sighed in frustration and let her controller fall on the counter in front of her as GAME OVER flashed in red letters on her screen, followed by the image of Viperion’s mech and the word WINNER over and over. 

“Whew.” The breath Viperion blew out fuzzed over her microphone. “Nice try, Ladybug. Good game.”

Well, at least he was a gracious winner, she thought grumpily. “You too, Viperion,” she said, as sincerely as she could manage, and pulled her headset off with a sigh.

Max was waiting for her outside the pod with his phone in his hand, where he’d no doubt been watching the livestream of the match, and a sympathetic look on his face—at least, she thought he was giving her a sympathetic look from behind his dark glasses. “Too many variables with an unexpected opponent,” he reassured her. “And Viperion is the former champion. We’ll study the match and improve your odds for next time.” 

Marinette mustered a smile and threw her arm around his neck, though nowadays she practically had to stand on tiptoe to do it. “Thanks Max.” He grinned, adjusting his glasses in the way he always did when he was pleased he’d said the right thing. “Well, Ladybug may be down but she’s not out, and Team Lucky Charm is still on top. I’ll win the rest of my matches and then we’ll tear up the two-on-two, right Pegasus?” 

“Odds of victory 94.3%, Ladybug,” Max grinned, and she pulled her arm back to bump fists with him. Then she slapped him on the back, right on the big silver horseshoe on the back of his black hoodie. The skinny boy staggered, but chuckled, and handed Marinette back her own hoodie, red with black on the shoulders and black spots traveling up her forearms from the black cuffs, with a large five-spotted ladybug emblem on the back. She slipped it back on over her tank top and checked her reflection in the mirrored pillar framing the pod. The red mask dusted across her eyes with makeup, accented by black eyeliner dots, was still mostly intact. She gave her pigtails a quick tug each to tighten them and grabbed her black lipstick out of her pocket, reapplying quickly.

“All right,” she said, turning to find Max looking at his own reflection over her shoulder and adjusting the small silver horseshoe pendant hanging at his throat. She was still a little bitter that he was suddenly taller than her, but he just grinned when he caught her pouting at him. He’d been the small and skinny one for so long that he was totally fine with being a beanpole now. “Two more matches to go, and then we’re up.” She softened slightly. “You know you don’t have to wait for me. It’d be okay if you’d rather just wait and show up for the team matches. Or if you want to go check out the competition while I play.”

Max just smiled and shook his head. “I can’t abandon my teammate to her inevitable nerves in her hour of need.” 

Marinette scrunched up her face. “I’m not that bad.” 

Max just chuckled. “You have fifteen minutes before your next match,” he reminded her. “Given your usual patterns I suggest you use them for a bathroom break.”

Marinette groaned. “That’s creepy, Max,” she muttered. But she also followed his advice, the match with Viperion still on her mind. He was more adaptable than she expected, she reflected as she pouted her black-painted lips in thought. She was still frowning when she returned from the bathroom, but Max gave her an awkward punch in the arm, bringing her back to the present and she smiled at him again. Max was right, she’d beat Viperion next time, and losing to him just made beating her next opponents that much more important.

The rest of the day went much better. Marinette swept her the rest of her matches, including the all-important third one. The two-on-two competition was likewise satisfying. Ladybug and Pegasus had been playing together for a long time and they were a well-coordinated team. Marinette’s power and versatility coupled with Max’s diligent data gathering and analysis made them pretty unstoppable. They went undefeated and exited their pyrapods whooping and cheering, buzzed on their own success.   

“Yes!” Marinette exclaimed, hugging Max. “We’re on the road, Max! One step closer to making Markov Robotics and Miraculous Designs a reality!”

“We still have a considerable distance to go before that happens,” Max cautioned, whipping out his calculator. Marinette put a hand gently over it.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” she quoted cheerfully. “Let’s just enjoy the moment, Max.”

“Yes, of course,” Max smiled, putting away his calculator. “You are correct, Marinette. I did have concerns as to whether we would be able to succeed at this level after lingering at the top of the Diamond League so long. I won’t be able to accurately calculate our odds of success for a few more events, but the outcomes so far have been encouraging.”

“That’s the spirit!” Marinette cheered. Her step hesitated lightly. “Do you want to go to the post-match social?”

Max winced, looking as reluctant as she felt. “We probably should,” he said, shoulders slumping slightly. “We are new to this league, after all. It won’t help us to make a poor impression.” 

“Or none,” Marinette sighed. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” 

“Perhaps a community of more serious gamers will have a more mature attitude,” Max suggested hopefully. “The time commitments and skill level required at this level are not insignificant.”

Marinette smiled. “You’re right, Max. Way to look on the bright side! Come on, let’s make some new friends.” 

Marinette took a deep breath as they entered the main hall, where quite a few people were milling around. 

Of course, she noticed the clothes first. There was a fair amount of UMS gear on display—not surprising. Some people wore hats or pins or other small tokens referencing their mechas, but nobody, she noted with satisfaction, had anything nearly as cool or as customized, nor anything approaching a complete look, as she and Max did. 

“Ladybug?”

Marinette turned and looked up in slight surprise. And then up a little further. The boy—man? young man—standing behind her was several inches taller than Max, and surprisingly well-built and tanned for a gamer. He was...kinda hot, actually, in a lean, slightly lanky sort of way, which made Marinette tense a little, but his smile was friendly and his blue eyes were...wow.

“I thought that must be you,” he smiled, indicating her clothes with a slight gesture. “Nice look.” 

“Marinette designed and created our attire herself,” Max put in proudly as Marinette tried to remember how to make words.

“Oh, nice,” the stranger said with appreciation, and Marinette blinked. 

“Viperion?” she asked. The voice was unmistakable. 

“In the flesh. My name’s Luka. Nice to meet you,” Viperion said, his smile widening as he offered his hand. “Good game. Great game, actually, you were amazing. You really had me sweating.” 

“Thanks,” Marinette replied, her smile tight, but Max nudged her and she managed something a little more sincere as she shook Luka’s hand, a little surprised to find it rough and calloused. Clearly gaming wasn’t his only pastime. (Not like that was special, it wasn’t hers either, and her fingertips were calloused too.) “I’m Marinette. Next time it’ll be better.”

“No doubt,” Luka said warmly, and his voice, smooth and deep and even more appealing without the tinny sound of the headsets, also gave the impression of gentleness even as he squeezed her hand lightly before letting go. “I’m looking forward to it. I hope we can play again sometime, Marinette, I had a lot of fun.” 

Marinette’s smile turned a little more genuine in spite of how much she hated to lose. It had been a good match. “I did too, actually. You played a really good game, Luka. Oh, this is my two-on-two partner, Max—Pegasus.” 

Luka smiled at Max, leaning in to shake hands with him as well. “Nice to meet you.”

He really was good looking, Marinette grudgingly admitted. Luka’s hair was black and cut short on the sides, but longer on top, hanging nearly into his eyes, and dyed the same turquoise as his mech. He had a jaw that could cut glass and a sharp chin and nose, but the overall impression was softened by an easy, dimpled grin, worn, comfortably tattered clothes (including the most dire hoodie Marinette had ever seen over a UMS shirt that must have been at least five years old), and relaxed attitude.

“I saw your matches in the co-op tournament,” Luka was saying as he pulled back from the handshake. “Congrats on your wins, you guys really destroyed everyone there.”

“Yeah, well, you weren’t there, were you,” Marinette challenged, grin widening as she folded her arms and cocked a hip. 

“Nah, I don’t usually play the two-on-two,” Luka laughed, and it was a pleasant laugh, genuine and not mocking. “The individual tournament’s more than enough challenge for me most days. I love video games, but they’re not all there is to life, you know?” 

“Yeah,” Marinette nodded slowly, uncomfortable with the way her stomach suddenly felt like jelly. “That’s true—” She jolted suddenly as somebody crashed into her from behind. Luka put his hands out quickly, catching her shoulders.

“Hey, sorry—oh, it’s the bug,” a voice said behind her, followed by a beleaguered sigh. Marinette’s expression twisted slightly before she put on her game face and turned around to face the man who’d run into her. He had a goatee and wore a jacket with a ruff around the neck like a lion’s mane. “Thought I left you behind.”

“What a surprise,” Marinette said, her voice dripping with sweetness as she turned away from him slightly to make sure Max was okay where he’d been knocked into the rail. Max gave her a slight nod as he straightened his glasses and got his footing, waving away Luka’s offered hand. “I thought the same about you,” she continued, turning her back to Leo with her fakest smile.  

“Ladybug, Ladybug, fly away home,” he singsonged, and then sneered. “Before you get squashed.” 

Marinette’s eyes narrowed, but she merely inspected her fingernails. “Not by you, apparently, considering how today’s match went.” 

He went red in the face. “Listen, little bug—” 

“Woah, rude much?” Luka said, folding his arms. “Come on, man, show some respect, we’re all competitors here.” 

“And you are?” 

“Luka,” he replied, a slight edge in his voice. “Viperion.” 

“Oh, hey, Viperion. I’m Leo.” He held out his hand and leaned toward Luka, forcing Marinette to take a step back. She felt Max put a hand on her shoulder and squeeze, and tossed him a smile to show she was okay. “Nice to meet you, I didn’t know you were back this year. I watched you in the final a couple years ago, it was sick.”

Luka met his hand slowly and shook it. “Thanks,” he said, glancing at Marinette. “But we were talking, so if you don’t mind—” 

“Oh, yeah, sure, I’m sure we’ll meet up again,” Leo said, taking a step back. “I’ll see you around, Viperion.”

“Not if I see you first,” muttered Luka as the guy walked away. He glanced at Marinette and Max. “You guys okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” Marinette chirped, with a hollow laugh. “He’s old news, I’m used to it.” 

“That sucks,” Luka said bluntly, frowning. “You shouldn’t have to get used to that kind of crap,” he said, an edge of frustration in his voice that Marinette hadn’t heard from him even during the match. “Damnit, they were supposed to be stepping up enforcement of the sportsmanship guidelines when I left. I guess it fell through. Again,” he muttered, glancing at the bored looking official standing nearby. 

“I gotta hand it to you, Ladybug—Marinette,” he continued. “You’re tough as nails, and not just in a match.” He glanced back in the direction Leo had gone and grinned. “You kicked his ass, huh?”

Marinette grinned back. “Wiped the floor with him.” 

“Sweet.” Luka held out his hand for a fist bump and Marinette obliged. 

“It won’t matter in a month,” Max said with certainty. “I don’t even need to calculate the odds; he won’t make it out of the bottom before the cutoff.” He adjusted his glasses. “His mech is powerful but his strategy is inconsistent and short-sighted.”

Luka blinked, glancing at Marinette, who shrugged and grinned. “If Max said it, then it’s as good as fact.”

Luka chuckled. “Is that so? Should I even ask about my odds?”

“No,” Marinette said quickly, just as Max began, “Actually, without additional data my predictions are only thirty percent reliable beyond the third month—”

Luka went from chuckling to full on laughing. “You two are funny. Well hey, you’ve certainly got my respect if it matters. I’m a little surprised you’ve only just moved up to Master, you’re really good.”

Marinette made a face. “We couldn’t make the minimum match count last year. Too many school commitments. It’s easier to work around a university schedule.”

“Team Lucky Charm was the Diamond League champion for the last two years,” Max announced proudly, though Marinette blushed a touch at the open boasting.  

“Well, welcome to the big leagues,” Luka grinned. “Like I said, I hope we’ll play again, Marinette.”

“Statistically probable,” Max began, but Marinette stepped lightly on his foot and he shut his mouth. 

“Oh we will,” she promised, eyes narrowing slightly though a smile was tugging at her lips. “I’ll see you in the playoffs, if nothing else. Then again,” she smirked. “You may not find it as easy to leave me behind as you think. I’ll be on your ass all the way to the top of the ladder.”

Luka gave her a slow grin that made her insides go all wobbly again as he checked the time on his phone. “I’m looking forward to it,” he told her, giving her a quick wave as he turned to go. “Nice meeting you both. See you guys next time.” 

Marinette raised a hand automatically to wave back. He shot her a positively roguish smile before disappearing into the crowd. 

And to her horror, Marinette blushed. Hard.

Behind her, Max snickered. Marinette threw an elbow back into his gut, but he dodged and just laughed harder. 

“You’re doing well, Marinette,” Max reassured her from the small window at the top of her screen. “Your rank has been increasing after every match event. You easily got out of the bottom 5% before the drop cutoff, and Team Lucky Charm continues to climb the ladder as well. I’m not sure why you’re so focused on this.”

“Because I’m losing , Max,” Marinette complained. “My win rate against Viperion sucks, and you can’t deny it.” She threw herself back in her chair with a huff. “And I can’t even be mad about it. I’m mean I’m mad about it, but I’m mad because he’s a great player and I deserved to lose every time.”

“It’s true that your win-loss record against him is—” Marinette shot Max a glare. “Suboptimal,” he offered, with an apologetic shrug. “However, you are improving against him every time and you did win your last match.”

“One,” Marinette groaned. “One match out of six. The stupid computer keeps matching us up.” 

“The fact remains that you have been more successful as you gain more experience playing him,” Max pointed out. Then he smirked. “And I don’t believe you are as annoyed with being matched with Viperion at all.” 

Marinette’s mouth drew into a pout. “Low, Max. So what if he’s cute? I still want to beat him.” 

“I’m sure you do,” Max sniggered, and Marinette’s mouth dropped open.

“Max Kanté!” she gasped, grabbing a crumpled up piece of paper from her desk and pitching it at her webcam. 

Max shrugged unrepentantly on the screen, unbothered by the projectile. “Kim has been my best friend for years. I am not as naive as people like to think.” He made a face. “Unfortunately.”

Marinette giggled. 

“Admit it, Marinette,” Max said smugly, folding his arms. “You don’t hate Viperion.”

“No,” Marinette sighed. “I almost wish I could hate him, but I don’t.” He was just so...nice. And fun, honestly. She couldn’t even hate playing him because the more she played him, the more talkative he got, and she enjoyed his subtle trash talk and open teasing. It was...like playing with a friend. 

A friend whose unreasonably attractive ass (not that she was looking) Marinette was determined to kick. 

Marinette groaned and let her face fall onto the pile of interviews and match analyses she was going through again. Not that any of it had helped the first time. Or the fifth. Or the fiftieth.

“That doesn’t look good,” came a teasing voice from behind her.

“Hi Alya,” Marinette mumbled without looking up. “Don’t mind me, just wallowing my in my failures.”

“Still haven’t beaten that one guy, huh?” Alya asked with a grin, and Marinette heard her throw herself down onto the chaise. “Hi Max!”

“Hi Alya,” Max replied. 

“So what’s his name again?” Alya asked. “Viper?” 

“Viperion,” Marinette corrected. “And once. I’ve beaten him one time out of six.” 

“Is he a jerk?” Alya asked. “I know you have a lot of trouble with those guys.” 

Marinette tried to fight the smile that wanted to spread over her face, but Alya’s widening eyes proved it would be futile anyway. “He’s not a jerk. He’s...sweet, actually. And funny. He seems like a nice guy.” 

“A very attractive nice guy,” Max snickered again. 

“Ooooh,” Alya giggled, and Marinette sat up, glaring at her traitor of a partner.

“So, wait,” Alya sat backwards in Marinette’s second chair, leaning her arms on the back of it. “Let me get this straight.” She held up one hand and began to tick off her fingers. “He’s hot. He’s nice. You know he’s good with his hands—”

“Alya!”

“She’s not wrong.” Max nodded sagely. “It’s true that the speed at which he executes his combos requires a higher than average level of dexterity.”

“Max!” Marinette whirled to face him and scowled. She was so going to have words with Kim.

Alya just grinned wickedly and kept going. “He knows how to change things up and keep it interesting—” 

“ Alya!” 

“And he knows when to slow things down and when to go hard and fast—” 

“ ALYA CÉSAIRE !” 

Max burst out laughing and Alya raised her hands and eyebrows both. “You said it all girl, I’m just recapping!” 

“Oh my God,” Marinette groaned, putting her head in her arms on her desk. “I didn’t say any of it like that!”

"Nevertheless, you did say it," Max pointed out, trying to smother his laughter without much success.

Marinette muffled her scream in her arms and then shot up, reaching for the computer. “Goodbye, Max. You better find a new partner because I have to go kill my best friend now.” She switched off the video call and dropped her head back into her arms.

“You liiiiiike this guy,” Alya teased. 

“Yes,” Marinette muttered, giving into the inevitable.

Alya started slightly, sitting up straight. “Wait, what?”

Marinette raised her head. “I do like him,” she whined. “I really, really like him.” 

“Does he have a girlfriend?” Alya asked, grinning.

Marinette sighed and pitched a gaming magazine at her. It fell open immediately to the well-worn interview. Marinette knew it practically by heart, but Alya raised her eyebrows and began reading aloud. 

“Viperion, real name Luka Couffaine. Twenty years old—Ooh, an older man, Marinette—” 

“Two years,” Marinette muttered, letting her face fall onto her arms. “Barely. Not a big deal.” 

Alya continued to read what Marinette already knew; other hobbies included music and motorcycles, no girlfriend not that it mattered why did they even ask that—it all seemed to point to him being a laid back, relaxed kind of guy, who played because he genuinely enjoyed the game and was good at it. He was competitive enough to keep his edge but he didn’t take the competition too seriously. 

“So how much time have you actually spent talking to him?” Alya asked, giving her a sharp look.��

“We talk every time I play him,” Marinette said, sitting up in her chair. “He comes to find me after every match, shakes my hand and says I played a good game, and we chat for a few minutes about whatever.” She was starting to look forward to their short conversations, to his rough hand enveloping hers and the lilt in his smooth voice when he teased her. Even if Max gave her hell afterwards because even he wasn’t so obsessed with his numbers that he couldn’t tell something was going on. Marinette might not be the stuttering, blushing mess 

“How’d he do when you beat him?” Alya asked, eyebrows raised, and Marinette turned away to straighten the knick knacks on her desk so that Alya wouldn’t see her smile.

“Just the same. He seemed just as happy as when he wins. All he said was not to get too comfortable because we’re not in the playoffs yet.” Her smile fell slightly. “Which is true,” she sighed. “If I can’t beat him in the finals it doesn’t matter how many rank matches I win. He can afford a loss or two, even to me.”

“Even to you,” Alya echoed with a scoff. “Marinette, you’re the best UMS player I’ve ever seen.”

Marinette refrained from pointing out that Alya hadn’t actually seen that many. “That doesn’t always matter,” she shrugged. “Guys don’t like getting beat by a girl. Really, our rankings are so close that losing to me doesn’t hurt him that much. He doesn’t lose anything by being nice to me.”

“But…” Alya raised her eyebrows, and Marinette blushed.

“He’s nice to everybody,” she said with a small shrug, turning to her desk and tossing another magazine Alya’s way. “He’s a popular player. Not only is he a former champion but he’s personable and he has such a unique playing style, his matches get a lot of traffic on the livestream. They interview him a lot—” 

“Probably doesn’t hurt that he’s cute,” Alya commented. “From a marketing perspective, he’s a great face to put out there to the public. Helps dispel the idea that all gamers are—” Her eyes darted towards the screen where Max had been a moment ago. “Nerds,” she finished finally with an apologetic shrug. 

Marinette rolled her eyes but conceded the point. “He talks about sportsmanship and not taking yourself too seriously in almost every interview,” she said, pointing to the magazine in Alya’s hands. She herself had it practically memorized. 

Q. I understand you’ve been calling for the league to up the enforcement of their sportsmanship practices. There’s been discussions about implementing a fine or rank penalty for unsportsmanlike behavior. 

A. Yeah, I have, and I think that’s really important. I mean, when it comes down to it, we’re all here to play the game because we love it. Of course the money matters, but it’s not the only thing that matters. Making money off something you love is great in theory but if you let the thought of the money take all the joy out of what you’re doing, then you might as well work a desk job and let your hobbies stay hobbies. We’re not gladiators fighting to the death. We lose nothing by treating our opponents with respect, no matter whether it’s a girl or a guy, or somebody younger or older than you or with a different skin color, we’re all here because we love the game, and we ought to respect that love in other people. Bottom line, the league has guidelines in place for a reason and they should be enforced.  

Marinette wasn’t sure how that made her feel. Really, he was right; the league was too lax about enforcing their sportsmanship guidelines across the board, and players like Marinette and Max suffered the most for it. A certain amount of trash talk was accepted but using abusive language or attacking a player’s sex, sexuality, or race was supposed to be against the rules, but she’d seen those rules enforced only a handful of times in any of the leagues she’d played in, and without any penalty to back it up, the rules largely went ignored.

Alya’s whistle snapped her back to reality. “Girl, you’ve got it bad. I haven’t seen you this deep in lala land since—” 

Marinette groaned and put her head in her hands. “No. No, Alya, I can’t do this again,” she whined. “He’s older, he’s cool, he’s probably got a million people interested in him, and I’m—”

“You.” Alya began ticking off her fingers. “You’re a brilliant designer and a super creative mind. You’re also like, the nicest of the nice when you’re not in a competition. You know famous people—”

“One famous person.”

“Jagged Stone. Nadia Chamack. My mother.”

Marinette sighed, slumping. “Fine.”

“I’m just saying, don’t give up before you even talk to the guy,” Alya said, getting up to sit in Marinette’s second desk chair and take Marinette’s hands in hers. “I know the last time shook you up but you’re still an amazing person and just because Adrien couldn’t see it doesn’t mean that no one else will.” 

Marinette managed a half-hearted smile and some kind of response that must have satisfied Alya, because before long her best friend was chattering on about other topics.   

The thing was, Alya just didn’t understand. Many, many of the male gamers Marinette met were very nice, normal people, a small percentage were a little too eager to be friendly, some were fine until she beat them and then they became cold and closed-mouthed around her. 

Then there were some who were downright hostile from the first moment she stepped in. Those nasty standouts were the reason she leaned into her Ladybug persona, separating Marinette from the gaming world as much as possible. Her hoodie and mask makeup were armor as much as branding, allowing her to slip into a tough shell that could handle the abuse hurled at her.

She could see it in Max, too, the difference between his everyday self and Pegasus. As her partner he both witnessed the vitriol flung at her and came in for a fair share himself, and not just because of his association with her. She felt guilty about it but Max had stood by her even when she suggested he might be better off with a male partner, so she did her best to keep up her bluster and sharpen her tongue to shield her sensitive partner from the worst of the abuse. Team Lucky Charm always showed up to the matches with their game faces on, Pegasus behind his dark glasses and Ladybug with her blue eyes burning defiance from her red and black mask. 

Marinette and Max had agreed to make the commitment to move up to the Master League because they both had big plans and big dreams. Marinette depended on her gaming winnings to support her more experimental designs, which, when they went well, earned her more commissions. Every commission took her one step closer to her dream of owning her own boutique line. Max used his gaming money to fund his robotics research and experimentation. Both their dreams were on the line. No matter how much fun she had playing Viperion, sooner or later, they’d be out of these rank matches and facing each other in playoff elimination matches. She had to figure out how to beat him before then. 

Ladybug couldn’t afford to be getting soft over a velvet voice, a slow smile, and gentle eyes, no matter how many butterflies took flight in her stomach when she talked to him. No matter how good of a guy he was, Ladybug needed to beat Viperion.

[justaghostingon]

Warmth of the Heart

Mona has a few very unexpected guests in the form of her ‘dear nephew who she’s totally met before’ Hugo, and his new friends.

Set in the same universe as “Cogs in a Steal Heart”

To read on ao3, click the link, https://archiveofourown.org/works/25256038 

or read below the cut.

Living in the west district meant Mona had her fair share of interesting encounters. After all, the west district was the “weird” district in the eyes of every other person in the city. Certain cobblestone streets burned as hot as fire beneath her feet even in the coldest winters. Voices whispered in the darkened entrance to the open sewers, where everyone knew better than to investigate. Mysterious Alchemists bought and sold strange magic to local mafia, minor nobles, or anyone who came to their shop with enough money to pay. In a place like this, it would be weirder if she hadn’t had a few strange experiences in her life.

So when four children appeared in front of her door in strange, bright clothes that were covered in oil stains and grime, she was not nearly as surprised as she probably should have been. Children were no strangers to her door. In the absence of any children of their own, she and Cyrus tried their best to provide a safe place for all the neighborhood children to come and eat a cookie or two. It was only a matter of time before that knowledge spread among the street rats of all the districts, and really she was more surprised it had taken this long.

But there was something undeniably bizarre about these children, something that tickled in the back of her brain. For one thing, they were considerably older than most of the children who came to their door, being either near adulthood or having just begun it. Not that age made them stop being children, Cyrus had a thousand stories of Hugo to prove that fact, but it was still odd to see them here.

Then there was their clothing. Even under all the grime, she could see the bright colors and light, floating fabric that only nobles or foreigners would dare to wear. They didn’t even have any spikes or hooks or anything sensible to tell people to leave them alone! The closest they had were the strange balls in that weird staff, which looked far too fragile to be used as a weapon. Honestly, she wasn’t certain how they’d made it to her doorway in one piece.

The only one who didn’t look like they were a walking trouble magnet was the tall blond in the front. He was dressed in sensible muted green, and had spikes on his wrists and goggles. The goggles tickled the back of Mona’s mind, but she couldn’t place why. His eyes darted back and forth, clearly aware of exactly how strange his friends were. He was most likely a local, and there was something oddly familiar about the way he held himself that reminded Mona of Cyrus.

Their eyes met, and he gave her a charming smile, but there was something strained in its corners. “Auntie Mona?” he asked, voice loud enough to carry into the street while the shadow in his eyes begged her to play along.

Calling her Mona, now that was definitely odd. She narrowed her eyes as she looked him over once again. Most children called her Auntie and never bothered to learn the rest of her name. She searched his face. Blond hair up in a ponytail but clearly well taken care of, glasses well polished and pushing up on his nose to mock people, A charming but insincere smile, and a scar on his eyebrow. Mona bit her lip. She knew how he’d gotten that scar, Cyrus had sobbed it out in her arms. It was a face she had never seen with her own eyes, but whose description she’d learned so well through her husband’s rants.

“Hugo??” She exclaimed, pulling the startled young man forward. “What happened to you?” And where was Cyrus? He’d said they’d stopped traveling together, but there was no way Hugo would be coming to her if something hadn’t happened right?

His eyes snapped wide, as she pulled him inside, muscles tense under her grip as she pulled his face down to examine it for damage.  “I-I,” he stuttered, before taking a deep breath and stepping slightly back, pulling gently away from her grip. “I’m so glad to see you again, Auntie,” he flashed her a smile that was clearly meant to seem familiar but came off as nervous. “But could we all be inside for the introductions?”

“Of course, of course!” Mona waved them all inside, closing the door firmly to keep out any watching eyes and locking it. She was well liked in the neighborhood, but one could never be too careful. She turned to her new guests, who stood awkwardly in the living room. “What happened?” she asked, fear clawing in her throat as she leaned heavily against the door. Where is Cyrus? she hoped Hugo understood her unasked question.

“We were attacked as we tried to complete an alchemic trial,” Hugo waved his hand dramatically, but his eyes sent her a warning look. “By a rival alchemist and a thug for hire. But never fear, we escaped without any conflict.”

“And thug?” Mona’s hand tightened around her heart.

“He and the alchemist are regrettably still out there,” Hugo bowed his head as if in shame, but he shot her a look that clearly said, ‘he’s fine.’ Mona closed her eyes with relief.

“We’re sorry to bring trouble to you,” her eyes snapped open to see the boy with the staff had stepped forward. “If you don’t think it's safe harboring us, we can leave and look for shelter somewhere else.” He smiled, but there were dark shadows under his eyes. Mona felt her heart go out to him.

“No, no,” she shook her head. “My husband has quite the reputation in the community, so you’ve nothing to fear here.” Hugo shot her a look and she quickly snapped her mouth shut, realizing that mentioning the man who probably helped attack them was not a good move. “I’m Mona,” she gestured to herself, hoping the change in topics would provide a distraction. “You can call me Auntie.”

“Varian,” the boy in front said, extending a hand to shake. Mona took it and found his grip was strong for someone who looked so skinny.

“I’m Yong!” the shortest said, pushing himself forward to pump her hand up and down enthusiastically. “It’s nice to meet you!” he beamed up at her with a smile brighter than the sun.

“Nuru,” the young woman dropped a curtsy. Mona stumbled into a rough copy of her movements, feeling suddenly horribly underdressed in her work clothes and stained apron. The girl before her moved like a princess.

Princess? Why did that word remind her of Cyrus’s letters? She cast another searching look over the three companions, noting the goggles on Varian’s head and the dynamite strapped to Yong’s leg. Something in her mind clicked. “You’re Princess,” she pointed at Nuru, whose eyes went wide as saucers. “And you’re Goggles, and Firecracker,” she pointed at Varian and Yong in turn.

“How did you...?” Nuru opened his mouth and then closed it with a shake of her head. Yong and Varian both tensed minsiculy and Hugo shot her a panicked look.

“Letters!” Mona clapping her hands together. All three children’s attention snapped to her. “He sends me letters!”

“I do?” Hugo mouths at Mona as the three children’s attention snaps to him. “I do!” he says loudly as he runs his fingers through his hair, flashing his friends with his trademarked smile.

The smile that never worked on people who knew him well, if she remembers Cyrus’s words correctly.

“You send your Aunt letters?” Varian says as he raised an eyebrow at Hugo. “That’s surprisingly sweet of you.” Hugo blushed bright red and sputtered. Which is not in character at all with the boy Cyrus had described. Now wasn’t that interesting?

“What did he tell you about me?” Yong bounced on his feet. Oh no. Mona felt her hands twitch as he fixed her with a wide, eager smile.

“How about I make you some cookies?” she offered as she linked her hands together to stop their movement.

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

Being in the kitchen calmed Mona. Her hands moved with practiced ease, almost entirely of their own free will. There was very little need to think as she beat the eggs and mixed in the dough. But alas, there comes a part of baking were the food must go inside the oven, leaving Mona to pace and stew as she waited.

She wished Cyrus were here. He was more comfortable in silence that she was, and he knew Hugo well enough to easily pass for a relative when the questions began to inevitably began. He’d even gotten a fairly good read on his friends if his letters were anything to go by. Meanwhile she’d never even seen Hugo’s face before today. How was she possibly going to be able to keep this up?

A small part of her wanted to throw her hands in the air and admit the whole thing. To tell them that she was the wife of the man who they had fought, and that she wasn’t really a relative of Hugo’s at all.

But...but Hugo had come to her house for aid. Hugo, who trusted no one, who bragged about his ability to go it alone and complained heavily on having to rely on anyone else had come to her and Cyrus’s house when he was in trouble. That meant something. That was important.

She’d suspected as the years had passed that Hugo had grown somewhat attached to her husband, as much as he could attach himself to anyone. And now here he came knocking on her door with three other children for whom he’d willingly turned on Donella, the closest thing he had to a family, asking for Mona’s help. Hugo must be fully aware of how if Mona wanted, she could very easily send a neighbor up to her husband’s workplace and bring Cyrus and Donella down on Hugo’s head. But he’d still come here, not because of anything she had done, but because he trusted Cyrus enough to risk trusting in her.

She didn’t know what had happened on that journey he and Cyrus had gone on together to change Hugo so drastically. Perhaps it was his new friends, perhaps it was living away from Donella’s toxic influence, perhaps something else. But whatever the cause, Hugo had taken a leap of faith coming here, and Mona was loath to let him down.

Biting her lip, Mona tried to make a mental list of everything that Cyrus had told her about Hugo, and everything about her new house guests that had filtered through his letters. She had a war to wage, and she was going to do it right.

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

Mona marched back into the living room like a soldier going to battle, wearing a smile like a shield and holding a plate of cookies like a weapon. “I brought cookies!” she practically sang as she placed them directly in front of Yong, whose eyes lit up as he reached automatically for one. Nuru batted his hand away, and directed his attention back to Mona as she slipped into her seat at the end of the table. Both children stared up at Mona, hunger written in their faces.

Mona gave a laugh as she waved her hand. “You can eat them, that’s what I made them for.” That was apparently all it took, because both Nuru and Yong instantly reached for the cookies, devouring them with a gusto that made Mona feel slightly proud and very concerned for their stomachs. Varian joined in as well, and even Hugo took a cookie, although he only nibbled on it, shooting her nervous looks from his place to her left as he did so.

Mona gave him a wink, confident her cookies would buy them some time before the questions began, but she underestimated her opponents. No sooner had he bitten into his second cookie than Varian said, “So Auntie, what has Hugo told you about us?”

The question sounded casual, but there was a glint in his eye that was sharp as steel. Hugo stiffened and for a brief second Mona panicked, afraid that their cover had already been blown. But no, Varian was leaning far to much into Hugo’s space, and the tilt of his smile was lopsided and teasing. She’d been married for many years, she knew that look.

“You’re a little shorter in person,” she said, watching Varian reel back in shock, teasing smile melting into surprise and slight hurt. Hugo spun towards Varian, hand half raised to reassure him as Mona delivered the final line, “But just as handsome!”

“H-handsome?” Varian’s cheeks turned red as cherries. She hadn’t seen anyone get that red since Cyrus’s blush when she’d loudly proclaimed to the guild leader that Cyrus gave the best hugs in the world in front of all the other guild members. She hadn’t actually meant for anyone else to hear and had been quite embarrassed, but Cyrus had pulled her into his lap for the rest of the evening, so it was worth it.

“MONA!” Hugo screeched, and that’s right, she was in the present, dealing with love struck kids and not back in the past with Cyrus. She had to focus here or they’d be caught.

She flashed Hugo her best apologetic smile. “I’m sorry dear, was I not supposed to mention that?”

“Those letters were written in confidence,” Hugo grit his teeth as he struggled to come up with a believable reason to stop her from talking. “Shouldn’t they be kept confidential?”

“Oh no!” Varian leaned forward, head in his hands and a goofy grin on his lips. “I want to hear all about how handsome you told your aunt I was.” From across the table, Nuru rolls her eyes.

Mona gave the boy an indulgent smile. “Now, now. If Hugo says the letters were in confidence, then I will of course keep quiet.” And not give away just how little she actually knows about them. She glanced at Hugo, wondering if he planned that, but his head was ducked as he nibbled on his cookie, ears flame red.

Yong piped up, asking about the cookie recipe, and table filled with quiet chatter. Mona kept herself alert, trying to steer the conversation to baking and other neutral subjects while Hugo did the same. She almost felt herself relaxing when Yong raised the innocent sounding question, “What was Hugo like when he was a kid?”

Mona’s face froze in a smile, and Hugo shifted slightly in his seat to hid his discomfort. Oh no, what would be the least suspicious answer? “A handful,” she said at the same time Hugo says:

“She doesn’t know.”

Mona started, glancing over at Hugo to meet his wide green eyes. Mona flicked her eyebrows towards the others to signal, “what now?”

Hugo cleared his throat. “What I mean is, when I met Auntie Mona, I was already in my teens.” He shot her a look that clearly said, ‘follow my lead.’ It looked very much like the one Cyrus used, and she had a feeling he would be proud.

“Thirteen is still a child,” Mona added, because really, it is. Hugo frowned and she continued, “I’m the auntie to all the children in our neighborhood.” This is the truth, and Mona has always felt that when lying, its best to stick to the truth, so there’d be less to remember.

“So Hugo grew up here?” Nuru asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Mona opened her mouth, but Hugo cut her off. “No,” he says, shooting a look at Varian. “I grew up in a different part.” Varian’s eyes fill with sympathy, and Mona wondered what parts of Hugo’s actual childhood he has told the boy. Clearly nothing to do with Donella.

“My husband found him,” she decided to explain, hoping Hugo would understand what she was referring to. “Chased off some thugs who were messing with him.”

Hugo grimaced, clearly not happy at her choice of backstory. “I would have been fine,” he grumbled with a half pout, then clearly remembering he needs to keep his friends curiosity sated he added. “They were more interested in hurting Olivia Cheese.”

“Yes.” Mona blinked for a second, trying frantically to remember who in the world Olivia Cheese was. A little mechanical mouse caught her eye, waving its paws frantically from the side of the room. She didn’t even question how it got on the table, so relived to recognize it from Cyrus’s story. “Yes what happened to her was horrible,” she gave Hugo a mock frown. “But I do remember having to clean human blood out of my carpet.” This was again true, although the blood was not Hugo’s.

Hugo’s shoulders hunched. “I was okay in the end though,” he said, sounding for all the world like a petulant kid upset over an embarrassing memory. Mona was impressed with his acting skills.

“You did brighten up after we got some food in you,” she conceded, and this is a lie, but it wasn’t too much of a stretch given most children’s reactions to her cooking.

“That’s true,” Hugo leaned back in his chair. “And I’ve been coming to visit ever since.”

“I’m glad you had someone one your side,” Varian’s smile is warm, but his eyes are far, far too old. “Having one person can make all the difference.” There’s a history there, Mona can tell, some time in his life when he’s had no one. But he seemed genuinely happy for Hugo, and it broke her heart for the child Hugo really was.

“Oh my, look at the time!” she hastily jumped to her feet. “I have to get the stew started for supper!” Hugo shot her a look, but she ignored him, tilting her head so he couldn’t see the sadness on her face. She only stopped when she reached the doorway to the kitchen, half turning back with a fixed smile, “Any allergies I need to know?”

There was a course of ‘No’s” and she hurried out of the room, hoping no one noticed the tears welling up.

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

Ok, so she’d gotten a little emotional at the end, Mona thought as she absently chopped the potatoes and pushed them into the waiting pot. But it was nothing a few deep breaths couldn’t solve in the sanctity of her kitchen. She could already feel the tension leaving her shoulders as she watched the boiling pot.

Today’s meal was her famous stew, and as Cyrus frequently reminded her, it was a dish that not even the pickiest child could refuse. It was simple, easy, and best of all, it could be expanded to feed the many unexpected guests that had a habit of wandering through her house. It was perfect.

Cyrus would be sad he missed it though. A slight frown graced her lips as she got to slicing the carrots. She would need to save him a bowl, for whenever it was he came home.

And wasn’t that going to provide its own set of problems? She’d have to meet him at the doorway, or have Hugo to get there first. Someone had to warn him of what was going on. Had Hugo’s friends seen Cyrus’s face? Hugo mentioned they had run into Cyrus and Donella, would any of the remember him? Best not to risk it. But what could she do to prevent that? She glanced up around the sparse kitchen, looking for anything that could hide his face. Her eyes landed on the doorway and she froze.

Varian leaned against the door frame, a sheepish smile on his lips. “Do you need any help?” he offered as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“That’s very kind of you,” she gave him her warmest smile, “but I’ve got it under control.”

“Are you sure?” Varian pressed. “I know they’re a lot of us to drop by unexpectedly, and I’m very good at chopping vegetables.”

Mona opens to her mouth to turn him down, but stopped. There was something about the way he stood, a practiced relaxation hiding a strong desire to move that showed itself in the twitch of his hands. The barely hidden eagerness in his eyes to be useful, to make her like him.

It was a pattern of movement she was far too familiar with, from her own experiences trying to make a good impression to Cyrus’s family and friends. And from other, much darker parts of her past. But she didn’t dwell on those.

She moved slightly over to reveal the half chopped carrots behind her, as well as the rest of the vegetables. “If you could get these chopped for me, that would be a big help,” she said.

Varian didn’t need telling twice, quickly crossing the tiny kitchen and picking up the knife. He was very good, Mona noted, in fact he might be better at slicing than she was. A man who could cook was always a plus, she thought to herself, Hugo certainly had good taste.

And on the subject of Hugo... She spun the stew carefully. “How did you meet Hugo?” she asked, trying to keep her curiosity hidden.

Varian gave a start, clearly not expecting the question. Interesting. “Its a bit of a funny story,” Varian gave a half laugh, turning his eyes down to the carrot underneath his fingers. “He kinda...stole the totem from us?”

“Did he now?” Mona mused. That certainly sounded like Hugo. Varian gaped at her lack of reaction, and she realized she must have made a misstep somewhere. Perhaps thievery was a less common method of survival in his kingdom? “Hugo has his own path,” she said as she gave the stew another stir. “I’m not in a position to tell him which of his limited options he should take.” Varian still looked a little disgruntled, really, what kingdom was he from? so she added. “That being said, I am glad to see him putting his energies into questing with you and your friends.”

“Yeah,” Varian nodded, appeased. “Yeah, I’m glad he’s with us too.” He smiled down at the vegetable below his hands, this time a turnip. For a few minutes there was silence, before his shook himself out of whatever daydream he had entered. “But you want to know how he joined us right?” he gave her a sheepish grin.

“If you please,” Mona nodded, hoping to move the conversation away from any questions on her rather lackluster response to finding out her supposed nephew was a criminal.

“He gave it back,” Varian said, a slight smile playing on his lips. “The totem I mean, told us we were absolutely useless on the road and would need his help. It did not make a good impression.” Varian shook his head as he reached for another turnip. “But he was right. I-we did need him.” He bows his head, bangs brushing over his eyes, as if he thought that could cover the bright red blush on his cheeks.

“I’m sure he needed to go with you too,” Mona offers as she gave the stew another stir. “He’s a lot happier now. With all of you.” In more ways than you could possibly imagine, she didn’t add. Varian peeked up at her through his bangs, a pleased twinkle in his eyes.

“Varian where are...oh,” Mona looked up to see Hugo in the doorway, eyes darting between Varian and Mona. “What’s going on in here?” He asked, a note of panic giving away his inner turmoil that his otherwise relaxed demeanor did not.

“Just getting to know each other,” Mona giggled and Hugo’s eyes widened in alarm. “Your friend here is quite the cook!”

“What can I say?” Varian leaned against the counter with a smug grin. “I’m gifted in many areas.”

Hugo raised an eyebrow, “I don’t think chopping counts as cooking by any means.” Varian sputtered in protest, and Mona threw her head back and laughed.

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

Dinner was an all around success. The children loved the stew, and all of them went back for seconds. Mona was glad she’d saved a bowl for Cyrus, sitting innocently off to the side.

The conversation was also far easier to navigate, as its seemed the more personal questions has all been used up over cookies, allowing Mona and Hugo to direct the conversation to safer topics, like where they were all from. It was here she learned that Nuru was an actual princess, and not just called that because of her proper manners. Varian was from Corona, which explained his aversion to crime, if even half the rumors of King Frederick were to be believed. Yong had a passion for fireworks and gunpowder that would have served him very well if he’d grown up in their kingdom, and Mona was privately glad he reserved it for much happier things.

But as the evening began to wear down, Mona began to grow quieter, eyes on the front door. Cyrus was out awfully late. Hugo had said that they had fought him. She knew Hugo thought Cyrus had been uninjured, but perhaps there had been an injury he hadn’t seen?

Hugo bumped her foot slightly under the table, and she turned to see him give her a reassuring smile. “She’s probably just keeping him late, like she always does when she loses,” he whispered to her. Mona gave him a weak smile in return, and tried to look at the door less. Hugo must be feeling really guilty if he was trying to reassure her, and the last thing she wanted was to make him worry more.

The sharp scratch of old keys in the door echoed through the room, and both Mona and Hugo jumped to their feet. “That’s my husband!” Mona cried as she pushed forward, “I’ll go greet him!” Hugo,” she waved her hand behind herself, “take care of the guests.”

“Oh hell no.” Hugo said as he hurried after her, leaving their three guests confused at the table. “They can take care of themselves.”

As the key made the final turn, Mona quickly pulled the door open a smidge and pushed herself outside, making sure that Hugo was directly behind her to keep the three curious kids from seeing him. Cyrus’s mouth opened in shock as he got a glimpse of Hugo’s face behind her, before she was tugging him down the street as the door closed behind them.

“What’s going on?” Cyrus gasped as Mona pulled him into a hug.

“Hugo’s brought his friends to visit,” she hissed in his ear. “Put this on and don’t talk.” She pulled a brown paper bag from the pocket of her apron, and pushed it into his hands.

Cyrus placed it over his head without question, and oh, Mona loved this man. But she restrained herself. She couldn’t kiss him with a paper mask on after all, so she settled for linking their hands as she pulled him back inside.

Hugo shot them a look that made it very clear how very stupid he thought the paper mask was, but he couldn’t exactly object as Cyrus’s large form came into his companion’s view.

“Everyone, meet my husband! You can call him Uncle!” she smiled as brightly as she could. Cyrus squeezed her hand in reassurance.

All of Hugo’s friends stared at Cyrus’s mask as if they’d never seen anything so strange in their entire lives, which Mona did not think was fair considering the adventures they’d been telling her about. “What is on your head?” Yong piped up with the question that no one was voicing.

“I can explain,” Hugo stepped forward between his friends and Cyrus. “You see, he suffers from horrific facial scaring, which he is quite embarrassed about.” All three children had the decency to look a bit ashamed of staring after that response, and Mona felt privately grateful for his silver tongue.

“That’s horrible!” Nuru said, expression morphing into one of sympathy. “May I ask what type of scaring?”

Cyrus let go of her hand to make a fist. With his other hand, he wagged his fingers around it to mimic fire.”

“Third degree?” Nuru gasped, raising a hand to her mouth. Beside her Varian and even Yong looked upset.

“He means fire,” Hugo rolled his eyes. “He got in an explosion.”

“Then why was he holding up three fingers?” Yong frowned.

“Those were the flames,” Mona offered, and Cyrus gave a thumbs up.

“We’re very please to meet you sir,” Varian said, clearly trying to take control of the conversation, but halfway through a yawn punctuated his sentence.

“Oh dear,” Mona raised a hand to her lips. “It’s gotten very late. Perhaps you kids should go off to bed.”

“We’re fine,” Varian suppressed another yawn, which set off Nuru and Yong. “We wouldn’t want to be rude.”

“Yeah, they can handle a bit of rudeness, trust me,” Hugo moved forward to tug Varian out of his seat. Cyrus made a shooing motion with his hand to agree.

“We really don’t mind,” Mona added, hoping that they would give in and just go to sleep so Cyrus could take off the paper bag she’d stuffed him in. It couldn’t be fun to wear. “The guest room is the second door on the left. Go on.” Varian looked like he might protest, but another tug from Hugo was all he needed to stumble off, Yong and Nuru trailing behind him.

As Hugo pushed the door closed on the others, muttering some excuse about needing to talk to his relatives for a moment, Cyrus turned to Mona and tugged off the paper bag. “Anyone going to fill me in on what’s going on?” he whispered.

Hugo and Mona exchanged a look. This was going to take a while.

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

“You know the one thing I don’t get?” Cyrus murmured as they cuddled together on their bed, voices low so as not to disturb the sleeping children in the next room. “Why’d he bring them here?”

Mona raised her head from his chest to him in the eye. “I thought something happened on the trip, something to make him trust you more?”

Cyrus shook his head. “I listened to him give his reports, but he was totally willing to lie to me to keep me away from them. Him coming here after that, it doesn’t make sense.”

“I see,” Mona frowned. Thinking back on Hugo’s words as he’d explained himself to her and Cyrus. “Maybe then he did it for the reason he said, ‘because it’s the last place Donella would look?’”

“No way,” Cyrus ran an absent hand through her loose hair. “He’s got a hundred better hiding holes than this one, and a lot of shady places and favors that even Donella doesn’t know about. I just didn’t mention them so he wouldn’t get defensive.”

“Well,” Mona bit her lip, trying to come up with the words to express what she was thinking. “That wouldn’t be very welcoming would it?” Cyrus cocked his head to the side, and she knew she had his full attention as she pressed on. “They’d be safer, but they'd be cold and miserable. Coming to us, its a lot warmer, you see?”

Cyrus gave a nod, and pulled her close. “We do run a very warm household,” he agreed.

“The best in all the kingdom,” she murmured as she snuggled back into his chest.

Tomorrow they would have to wake up super early to sneak Cyrus out of the house without their guests taking to much notice. Tomorrow she’d have to brew them all a very large pot of porridge to feed them properly before their big journey. Tomorrow Hugo would leave with his friends, after dramatizing his sadness at leaving his “dear aunt and uncle.” But tomorrow could wait a few more hours.

[write4tomorrow]

An Annoying Blush (Part 5)

Genre: Adventure / Fluff / Angst

Word Count: 3767

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader

Summary: About a year after The Rise of Skywalker, peace in the galaxy is fragile. The Resistance is faced with new diplomatic problems as they try to maintain the peace. Trade routes are especially tricky and has forced Y/N to test her abilities as a negotiator. Due to tirelessly, negotiating with different planets and systems, Y/N has become the new face of peace and hope. Does this make General Poe Dameron jealous? 

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4   Epilogue (Complete) 

The world was moving so fast around you. Rose and Finn were preparing the small ship that you were on. Poe was communicating with the other generals and organizing plans for the worst possible outcomes. Even BB-8 was busy doing something you didn’t understand. It looked like the droid was fixing something in the ship’s hard drives but you couldn’t be sure. This ship wasn’t like the Falcon but it was large enough for you, Poe, Finn and Rose to operate. Since waking up on the little ship, you had been on the move almost nonstop. 

You spent quite a while explaining what you could remember of your time with Nix to Generals Connix and Calrissian. Poe stayed by your side and listened to what he could. There were instances of your story where he left the room. The most memorable part of the last few days had been the hours you spent hanging from chains. You had trouble recalling what Nix said to you or done to you before you woke up, hanging in the air. You don’t remember sending the message from the comm to the Generals. When Poe showed you the transmission that you sent, chills went down your spine. You looked like such a desperate creature; you were small and nervous, your movements were like that of a grounded bird. 

There was no way to be sure if your memory loss only extended to the time you were with Nix. You remembered your time on Coruscant and you could vividly recall walking the streets with Poe. You remembered the small kiss he placed on your bare hand after you told him about your scars. You hoped that there weren’t other holes in your memory. 

“We’re almost there,” Rose said as she popped her head into the little medical room. You nodded and turned to Poe. With the exception of the moments during your conversation with Connix and Calrissian, Poe hadn’t left your side. You wanted to believe that it was to comfort you, but something was wrong. Poe wouldn’t look at you, not directly anyway. You had tried to catch his eye or talk to him but Poe seemed uninterested in your conversation. Why was he acting like this? It was beginning to infuriate you. 

“Help me up,” you threw the covers off of yourself without waiting for anyone to assist you. However, in an instant both Poe and Rose were on either side of you. Your feet could hold you up just fine - your ankles weren’t seriously injured during your captivity. The difficulty came when you moved your head too quickly. You felt mildly dizzy and when you teetered on your feet, Rose and Poe grabbed your arms. You felt pain in your shoulders at the unwelcomed hands on you. After spending days with your hands above your head, you couldn’t move your arms without feeling like an unoiled machine. 

“You’re not going,” Poe said. It wasn’t a command, you could tell. His voice was more of a plea. He didn’t think you were up for the mission. General Poe Dameron didn’t trust his best spy in his hour of need and you felt the fury in your body bubble over. 

“General Dameron,” your voice was stronger than it had been in days and Poe flinched when you said his name, “do not ever tell me I cannot do my job.” 

“You think that I’m going to allow you back on the job when you can’t even stand up?” Poe’s ego was bruised and he didn’t like anyone telling him what to do. 

“I’m a spy- I’m the best spy you have and I know Nix better than anyone! Let me do my job-” you began but Poe cut you off.

“Listen, soldier, I already lost you once so if you think-” 

“I am not yours to lose, General!” You were yelling. There was a lack of control and you hated that you sounded so ferrel. Poe flinched a second time upon hearing his title. You wanted to apologize but you wouldn’t stand for this complete lack of faith. You shrugged off his grip and met his eyes with a cold stare. You held his gaze, making him really look at you for the first time. There was no friendship between you right now. There simply couldn’t be. You saw what had happened when you were close to Poe: Nix had manipulated those feelings and used them against you. That would not happen again. 

“I’m going to get you some clothes,” Rose said, trying to leave as quickly as possible. You stood at your tallest and kept your eyes on Poe. He held your stare until something in him understood. He tucked his chin and the dark curls on his forehead fell over his eyes. He left the room without saying anything as Rose came back and tossed a shirt and pants at you. 

After dressing and assuring yourself that you were ready for whatever Nix would throw at you, it was time to put the Resistance plan into action. Wordlessly, you marched past Finn, Rose and Poe to board the small ship that Poe had used to rescue you from Kamino. The plan was simple: you and Poe would sneak into Nix’s main ship; Rose and Finn would distract the command center on Nix’s ship by leading a small attack on their communication systems from the outside which would distract them from what you were doing on the inside; Connix and a small troupe of fighter planes would be on standby in case Rose and Finn needed help; Calrissian was orchestrating a stronger signal that would, hopefully, over power Nix’s communicators if all else failed. 

You fastened yourself into the shooter’s seat of Poe’s two person spacecraft. Poe was a good pilot, but that didn’t mean you were helpless. You had piloted your fair share of ships as well as manned the cannons on many. You could do this. 

Just as Poe took off, you uttered a small phrase of good luck to Rose and Finn over your comm. You didn’t want to leave them on such a cold note. The rest of the trip to Nix’s ship was quiet but short. Poe elegantly flew under the admittedly larger enemy ship that must have been Nix’s lead vessel. You had no idea where Nix had acquired such a craft, but it was impressive. Equally as impressive was Poe’s ability to fly in undetected. He found a small hanger that was empty except for two technicians. Upon landing, it was easy to over power them with your blasters. So far, so good. 

You began to lead the way farther into Nix’s ship but Poe stopped you. Annoyed, you wrenched your arm from his grip. You turned back towards Poe, but the expression on his face shocked you. There was an unfamiliar twist of emotions written across his features. You felt the overwhelming urge to cup his face in your hands and sooth away his worry. Thankfully, he began to speak before you gave into your feelings. 

“No games, y/n,” Poe began, “if I give you an order from here on out, you follow it. You are my spy and I am your general. I don’t want to be second guessing whether or not you have my back or if you’re still too pissed to cover me. This is a mission and we can figure the rest out later.” You respected the seriousness of the situation and the maturity to move past your own feelings for him. You wouldn’t forget Poe’s lapse of judgement, but you wouldn’t allow it to get in the way of everything the Resistance has accomplished this far. You nodded and gave Poe a small smile. A hint of mischief instantly returned to Poe’s face.

The two of you worked together like a well oiled machine after that. The halls of Nix’s ship were relatively empty. You wondered if Nix just kept a small crew or if everyone was busy dealing with Rose and Finn’s distraction. 

Poe lead the way through the ship, seeming to know the way instinctively. Finn must have given him excellent directions of the old Empire ship. If someone appeared behind you and Poe, you shot without hesitation. They were all stun shots but you knew that it would give you enough time. Even BB-8 moved along side you and Poe so well that it seemed like the droid knew what was going to happen before you did.  

“You’re good with a blaster,” Poe said with a lopsided smile. An annoying blush crept into your cheeks and Poe nodded, satisfied. “Good to know,” was all he said. 

If you had to guess, it took you and Poe approximately twenty minutes to reach the dimly lit, circular communication room. You felt like things were happening too smoothly and once the door to the communication room closed behind you and Poe, you voiced the concern. You surveyed the room and felt surprised when Poe agreed with you. 

“I don’t know what else to do, though,” Poe said as BB-8 began working with the computer system. 

“So we just sit and wait for Nix?” You paced around the space. You noticed two cameras in the room and wondered if Nix could see you. 

“BB-8 are those camera’s on?” You asked. Poe worriedly turned to the ceiling at the mention of cameras, but BB-8 made a small negative beep and Poe’s shoulders relaxed. All you had to do was wait. You knew that Nix would try to send the communication message you had recorded earlier once he saw that the Resistance had found him. Hopefully, Finn and Rose’s distraction was enough to make Nix run to the communication room where you and Poe would ambush him. 

“If BB-8 can disable their communications permanently, then we won’t have to wait for him at all. The recording will be destroyed the moment he tries to use it if BB-8 has the chance to finish.” Poe said. He was avoiding your gaze again. 

“Look at me,” You wouldn’t allow the silence to continue. 

“I am,” Poe leveled you with an expression you couldn’t quite read in the dim light of the room. His face was cast in strange shadows of blue. 

“What is your problem, Poe?” You kept pacing in the circular space. He waved your question away and began to walk the same way you were. The two of you were at opposite ends of the room and as you both paced in a clockwise circle, you couldn’t tell who was chasing whom. 

“Problem? There’s no problem,” Poe tried to dismiss the conversation, but you gave him a look that told him it wouldn’t be that easy. “Let’s talk about it later when we aren’t on an enemy’s ship.” The door to the communication room opened as if to punctuate Poe’s statement. BB-8 let out a beep and you knew that the droid must have opened it on accident. 

“Talk to me,” You commanded. Poe’s spine stiffened at the order and he looked at you in wonder.

“Have you ever tried leading an army?” Poe laughed as he spoke. “You have a good voice for it.”

“Don’t distract me,” You softened your voice in an attempt to coax the truth out of Poe, “I want to know what’s going on.” 

“Fine,” Poe said, throwing up his hands. “Let’s talk about you. I’ve never met you, that’s probably a good indication that you’re a good spy. It’s probably good that we haven’t met before now because within the first three days of knowing me, you’ve been kidnapped and tortured and had your memory wiped. It’s good that we haven’t met before because if I had met you during the war I wouldn’t have been able to think about anything else. If I had met you before, I would have known what we were fighting for and I would have had something to lose. If I had met you before I would have distracted you every chance I had and the Resistance doesn’t need a distracted spy master.” Poe’s voice was increasing in volume and became more angry with every word. 

“It’s good that we haven’t met before but now that I have met you, I know I’m putting you in danger. Now that we’ve met I think about what it would be like to walk the streets of every planet with you by my side instead of sitting in a Resistance base giving orders like a cowardice General. I think about being the person who gets to see all your scars and showing you all of mine. Now that we’ve met, I’m thinking about you and I can’t stop, y/n.” 

Poe’s voice filled the small circular communications room and must have carried down the hallway. You stopped walking and turned your back on Poe. He was standing with his back to the open door and the light around him made if difficult to glare at him. BB-8 still hadn’t figured out how to close the door and your mouth was open as well. Your heart was in your throat and didn’t want to look at Poe anymore for fear of revealing something raw and real inside of you. 

“The only reason I complied with Nix’s demands was because I thought he had you,” your voice was low. You faced the blue lights of the communication controls around you, trying to compose yourself. Poe let out a frustrated sound behind you but you waved it away like a bug in the air. 

“Then the next decision should be incredibly easy for you, dear,” your back had only been turned for a moment. That’s all it took. When you turned back to face Poe, you felt the air leave your lungs. Nix had one arm around Poe’s throat and a blaster against the General’s temple. In one fluid motion, you stepped in front of BB-8 and pointed your blaster at Nix. He had managed to take Poe at gunpoint and was now using him as a shield. Everything Poe had feared had happened. You were distracted. You didn’t have his back when it mattered because you wanted to talk- because you were angry. You began mentally kicking yourself. 

“BB-8, do what you can, pal,” Poe’s words were aimed to the droid and you felt inexplicably hurt. 

“Clever girl,” Nix seemed to pur, “you knew I would come down here when your friends started to attack my ship.” He seemed almost impressed. “Your General is going to come with me, I am going to bring reinforcements and the two of you will be locked up for a long time. But before any of that happens, you will broadcast our message to the entire galaxy or I will shoot the General.” 

“Shoot him,” you said as cooley as you could. You knew Nix and you knew he was a perverse man who wanted to draw out your suffering. He wasn’t going to kill Poe. 

Nix, as though waiting for you to say exactly that, pointed his gun at Poe’s leg and pulled the trigger. 

“Poe!” You couldn’t steal away your emotions, Nix knew you just as well as you knew him. You watched as Poe crumpled against Nix. The only thing keeping him upright was Nix’s arm under his jaw. Rage began to bubble up in you again but this time there was fear too. BB-8 seemed to know how distressed Poe was and beeped indignantly. You didn’t know what the droid said, but something glittered in Poe’s eyes. 

“If you care for her,” Poe said through gritted teeth, “you wouldn’t do this to her.” Nix scoffed as Poe slid lower against Nix’s body. 

“Care for her?” Nix tightened his grip on Poe, “I only need her for the trust she’s garnered from the different systems. She even knows all your secrets, Dameron. Did she tell you that she put together an intelligence folder on you before she met you for the first time? That kind of knowledge and resourcefulness would be better working for me than you.”

“So the message you recorded with her,” Poe began, “You don’t believe a word of what you said?” You couldn’t believe where this conversation was going. What was Poe doing? He knew all of this already. BB-8 continued to work behind you. 

“There is not a true word in the whole recording but everyone will believe what she tells them,” Nix nodded in your direction. “Your precious poster girl will discredit you and the entire Rebellion and there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

You watched Poe, whose eyes never left yours. There was something here that you were missing. He slid down Nix’s body and gave you a look that you couldn’t interpret. He gave you a lopsided smile and - despite everything - you felt another annoying blush creep into your cheeks. 

Suddenly, you understood. 

“Put down your blaster, and-” You pointed your blaster at Nix’s chest at the same moment that Poe slid a little farther down, away from the barrel of Nix’s blaster. Seeing your only chance and the open target that Poe had given you, you fired at Nix. Both Poe and Nix crumpled to the floor and you rushed over to the two men as soon as your finger released the trigger. BB-8 came over too. 

Nix was breathing, but unconscious. Poe was grunting from the fall and the pain in his leg. You picked up your General and wrapped his arm around your neck. Together, the two of you quickly hobbled out of the base. 

The closer you came to Poe’s ship, the farther he seemed to slip into some kind of hysteria. He began to laugh almost uncontrollably. The wound to his leg must be worse than you realized. 

“He really thought he had us,” Poe said as you strapped him into his own ship. You put him in the gunner’s seat because he was in no state to pilot. 

“We’re going to get back to Rose and Finn’s ship,” you said to him as you made sure he was secure. He continued to laugh. 

“Never underestimate a droid, y/n.” Poe clutched his leg and laughed through strange grunts. 

“I knew you were good with a blaster,” Poe wouldn’t stop speaking nonsense.

“You are my spy and I am your general, ha.” Poe was muttering now and you looked to BB-8 but didn’t understand what was happening. It didn’t matter. You needed to get back to Finn and Rose’s ship before Nix woke. 

When you were in open space, you saw that Connix and her crew had joined the fight. You turned your comm on and demanded to board Finn and Rose’s ship immediately. With giddy whoops and cheers, they found you. You didn’t understand their commotion and it quickly died down when you landed on the small Resistance ship. Rose and Finn greeted you but their smiles turned dark when they saw Poe, unconscious now, in the ship. Finn stepped in to help but you pushed him back with a sound you didn’t recognize as your own voice. 

“He’s hurt,” was all you could manage. You were choking on your own words. There were tears in your eyes. The swell of emotion didn’t seem to end. Logically, you suspected that you were falling into your own episode of hysteria but you needed to make sure Poe was okay. Your hands were shaking and you couldn’t seem to undo Poe’s buckles. Gently, Rose pulled you away and you watched as Finn carried Poe to the med bay. 

BB-8 led the way to the medical bots. You and Rose followed Finn as he carried Poe. No one spoke. Finn laid Poe on the bed and you felt sick. You hadn’t even taken the helmet off and you heard cheering over the coms. Why was there so much cheering right now? You took the helmet off and threw it across the room. It hit something but you didn’t care. Rose tried to calm you down, but you pushed her away. Finn turned to you and then to the medical bots. 

“Sedative,” was the only word you heard him say before you felt a small prick against your neck.

When you opened your eyes, the room around you was noisy. There were strange beeps and some people around you. You saw Connix, Finn and Rose standing around you and… and Poe. Poe was standing next to your small bed. He was in the middle of a conversation.

“... I mean she was in hysterics even though I was the one shot? C’mon she’s just being dramatic. She didn’t like that I was getting more attention than her. She’s fine.” Poe was leaning on a crutch and arguing with Finn about something. 

“She’s a spy, Poe,” Connix cut in, “She never wants attention!” No one seemed to notice that you were awake. 

“We have to get the message, the recording, from Nix,” your voice was sluggish from some medication but the urgency in your words was real. Every head in the room turned to face you. It didn’t matter, you started to take the blanket off of yourself, but Poe sat down next to you. 

“It’s all over,” Poe brushed some hair from your face. There must have been some confusion in your expression because Connix rolled her eyes and tried to explain. 

“BB-8 highjacked the communication signal in the comm room. The smart droid used the two cameras in the room and began to stream a live feed of your show down with Altross to every open channel in the galaxy. Everyone heard Altross admit that the message you recorded with him was fake. He’s been outed as a traitor. The outer rim bounty hunters and the farmers have agreed to trade with us now that Altross is out of the picture. So even if Altross chooses to stream the message you recorded with him, which he hasn’t, no one will believe it.” Connix crossed her arms over her chest a let a pleased smile cross her face. 

“So,” you said slowly, “the whole galaxy saw me shoot Nix?” 

“Girl,” Finn sighed, “I think the whole galaxy wants to buy you a drink. No one liked that prick.” Finn smiled at you and something like chuckles began to erupt from you. It spread to your smile and your whole body began to shake with laughter. 

“Sedative?” Finn asked the room. Poe shook his head.

“Let her get it out,” Poe was watching your smile with a lopsided grin of his own, “who knows when the last time she laughed like this was.”

Epilogue

A/N: Surprise! I couldn’t stop here with Chap. 5, so I also wrote an epilogue. 

[boxoftheskyking]

I should name this Untamed fic Part 2

Here is Part 1

I’m not editing anything and I’m posting as I go so the structure will probably get fucked up 

Part 2: In Which Wei Wuxian Gets a New Assignment

---

The way that Wei Wuxian looks at it, he’s lived ten lives. A few years that he likes to imagine were happy while his parents were alive. A few months as a beggar. Ten years as an adopted son. Three months as a student in Cloud Recesses. Fifteen glorious minutes as the focus of Lan Wangji’s irritated attention. A month that felt like a year as an orphan, again, hauling a comatose Jiang Cheng from one hideout to another. Two months recovering from a surgery no one can ever know about. A year and a half of wandering, too scared to face Jiang Cheng and the rest of the world, losing himself in the hills above Yiling, something in the mountain pulling him higher, deeper, calling to the void inside him and then spitting him back out. Two months in the prison at Qishan and then on trial for a couple things he did and a dozen things that had nothing to do with him—the ambush on the Lan hunting party chief among them. And now as a servant, mediocre and common and doing penance to a sect he’s never actually wronged. Unless you count breaking two hundred and seven of their rules in three months as a teenager. In his defense, three months is a long time, and Emperor’s Smile is really very good.

He’s early, which is truly unusual for him, but he’d been too nervous to sleep. He’s just approached the instruction pavilion when he hears raised voices from inside. Well, raised as much as they ever are in Cloud Recesses. 

“—I the Sect Leader, or am I not?” That sounds like Lan Xichen, though Wei Wuxian has never heard his voice be anything other than cool and placid as a mountain lake.

There is a long pause, or at least a moment where Wei Wuxian can’t hear what’s happening.

“—boy is a problem, Xichen, and I caution you against your own optimism—” Lan Qiren’s voice fades out into an irritated mumble.

“—less there is proof, and if you recall, Wen Ruohan produced no—”

They must be approaching the door, as Wei Wuxian can hear much more clearly now. Eavesdropping is forbidden in Cloud Recesses, but hey, they’re the ones that ordered him here at the ass crack of dawn.

No proof, he says there was no proof, he lets himself think for just a moment before shoving the hope back down. Doesn’t matter.

“With or without proof, it’s not a risk that should be taken. Certainly not with the children. Even if your faith is not misplaced, in the best case scenario, the boy is loud, he is flighty, he is unsuitable, and he is a problem.”

“Uncle,” Lan Xichen sounds calm as ever, but there is a surprising amount of steel in his tone. “I am the leader of this sect. I will always value your input and I am grateful for all of the education I’ve received at your hands, but you have to let me lead. And you have to let me disagree with you on some things. You turned down the role of sect leader for a reason, didn’t you?”

Wei Wuxian’s eyebrows shoot up. After the former sect leader and numerous high ranking members were killed in the ambush, it seemed only natural that the title should pass to his oldest son, the great Zewu-jun, despite his relatively young age. To hear that the first choice had been the Grand Master is certainly a surprise. 

There is a very long pause, and the door opens just a crack. Wei Wuxian tucks himself away around the corner of the building.

“Very well,” Lan Qiren says. “Just make sure he is supervised.”

“I trust Wangji,” the Sect Leader says, and his voice sounds like a book being closed, tied, and slotted back onto the shelf. Final.

It’s a lucky thing that the Grand Master isn’t coming back his way, or Wei Wuxian isn’t sure how he’d stay unnoticed. He waits a moment before yawning loudly and stamping his feet a few times, then coming around the corner hopefully looking like someone who just rolled out of bed five minutes ago.

“Zewu-jun,” he says respectfully, executing a neat bow. He’s always liked the Sect Leader, and the little ember of hope tries valiantly to rekindle itself at the kindness in his expression. How long has it been since someone looked at him with actual kindness?

“Young Master Wei.”

No one calls him that anymore, either.

“Please come inside.”

The room seems smaller than he remembers even without the crowd of white-clad students. Lan Xichen does not sit, so Wei Wuxian keeps a respectful distance and waits. 

“How are your quarters?”

Wei Wuxian can’t keep the surprise off his face at the question. “Um. Fine? Yes, they’re fine, thank you for inquiring.”

Lan Xichen nods thoughtfully. “Lin Biming has informed you that you are to be reassigned?”

“Yes, Zewu-jun.”

There’s an awkward pause. Am I supposed to ask? Wei Wuxian wonders.

“How much do you know about the ambush that claimed the life of the former Sect Leader?”

Wei Wuxian’s mouth goes completely dry. “It— I mean, I, uh—”

“I’m quite certain you were not involved.”

He feels himself list to the side, almost stumbling in shock. No sect leader, no one had ever said they believed him. Not even Jiang Cheng.

“Forgive me, I am not asking for information that you do not have. I am merely attempting to provide context for your new position. As you know, the former Sect Leader was killed in the ambush, but so were a good number of our senior disciples and experienced instructors. My brother, Lan Wangji, was meant to be on the night hunt as well, but as luck would have it he had stayed in Cloud Recesses to help tend to one of the children who had fallen ill.”

“I know who your brother is.” For some reason that’s the only thing that comes out of his mouth. 

Lan Xichen smiles just slightly. “Of course. In the aftermath of the attack, as you know, I assumed the role of Sect Leader. My brother has taken over the training of our younger disciples. Other instructors and caregivers have come to Gusu assist over the past few months, but none have stayed for very long.”

Wei Wuxian doesn’t feel like he can ask Why not, but he really, really wants to.

“I am assigning you to care for the young disciples. Lan Wangji will be in charge of their training and education, but other duties will fall to you. Making sure they are fed, clean, sleeping and waking at the appropriate time. Approved recreation activities, memorization of the rules. My brother is a very capable teacher,” a warmer smile flickers across Lan Xichen’s face, “but they are children. That is what we need help with. Not someone to train a generation of cultivators; someone to raise children.”

“But I—” Wei Wuxian can’t help himself. “I’ve never raised children. I mean I have no— I’m not a—”

“And you were never taught demonic cultivation techniques. But in less than a year you could raise and control an army of thirty-plus puppets, repress a soul-eater with a single talisman when it usually takes at least three, and transfer a curse from one victim to another without physical touch or spiritual power.”

“I—” He’s not sure if this list is meant to inspire confidence or to remind him why he’s earned this punishment. “It’s really not that hard if you think about the curse as its own entity. I mean, instead of a thing that takes energy to target and release, you see it as, I don’t know, not a being, but something with a want or a desire. And then it’s just making your intended target into something more attractive to the curse than whoever’s got it in the first place. It’s not, like, a genius thing.”

Lan Xichen blinks at him, and Wei Wuxian can’t quite read his expression. “You are not to teach that to the children.”

Wei Wuxian laughs. “I may be a fool and a demon, but I’m not interested in trying to control a bunch of twelve-year-olds with the ability to curse each other.” 

He waits, but Lan Xichen says nothing further.

“So I’m a quick study,” Wei Wuxian says carefully. “That doesn’t make me— That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I remember you,” the Sect Leader says simply. “From before.”

“I was a terror.”

Lan Xichen inclines his head just slightly. “So you’ll understand them, particularly the difficult ones.”

He can’t help a snort of laughter at that. He supposes it’s true. He remembers being a kid. He still feels like a kid, though he’s nineteen now. Sometimes he thinks he’s just been switching from one type of kid to another. So many lives, never a chance to grow up.

“Do you agree to the position?” Lan Xichen asks.

“Do I have a choice?”

“No, not really.”

Wei Wuxian gives him his most winning smile. “Great. When do I start?”

Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

[phantomphangphucker]

Time’s A Game That Plays Us All

ClockWork sees all the plays that can be taken, then substitutes their own. And Danny’s always been their king.

Using the tropes: Play-Along Prisoner and Take A Third Option

There’s a legend of old, from a long time ago. Something you could find if you flipped through a ghost hunters book selection. Having been written about in the first incarnation of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, still remaining largely unchanged outside of language from this original copy, in every subsequent edition. This legend so vital that the creature behind it was listed as a co-author in the book itself. If you asked any ghost hunter why, they’d say it was obvious, much of the information came from this creature. Their work, their profession, was spurred by the very same creature.

See back in the day, before ghost hunting, before any knowledge of ghosts, there had always been stories and rumours of strange glowing creatures. Some humanoid, some animalistic. They caused havoc or skittishly avoided the humans, though most wrote them off as visions or the ravings of the mad/ill. That is except for a select few, eventually anyway. The select few who knew, came to know, when a small little creature who held age in their eyes yet the form of a small buck-toothed child made their presence known to these select few. The first being Galvion Ingride Whitefoot, Adrian G. Groove -ever followed by an albino tiger-, Exterian Slav Break, and Josephine D. Fetonightingal. Of course they had all known each other, to some degree. Met on occasions, even if their respective families grew apart to the point where eventual modern relatives were unawares. But together they had written the first edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, after the glowing floating child -with no legs to speak of- had offered their hand and words. Had spoken of another world, filled with creatures of wonder and horror much the same as the creature themselves. Had told them of the nature of these creatures' existence, the dead yet given ‘life’ anew. How they had pointed where they needed to go to find such similar creatures in their living world. Allowed them to witness the power these creatures could wield and how to protect against it.

At first all had questioned the small, well-spoken and mild-mannered creature; and of course they contained/trapped it as best they could. Why would they tell them such things? Give them tools to fight or defend? But they learned that this one, who used their dark purple cloak to hide, instead of invisibility. How they floated around not through things. How they never fired off one of those ecto-blasts, as they said they were called. They all came to realise that this creature did not possess the abilities of the others. And not only that, but none of the other creatures seemed to know the child-like ones’ name; yet they often knew each other’s. These four also noted how every creature they encountered seemed to represent something: sleep, plants, weather, water, electricity, and so on.

Leaving them all to come to the conclusion that this blue-skinned one, with their words of guidance, represented humanity's defence against these creatures. That they were nature’s way of defending her living children and revealing, through the presence of this weak yet wise creature, who would do it best. It was also decided that the strange ticking thing in the ghost's chest represented the growth and time needed to develop and guide a new ghost hunter. Every human who saw this creature, captured it, came to these very same conclusions; and as the story goes, as soon as they did, that very creature would appear with their soft smile and crimson eyes and tell them the name of these creatures they were to fight ‘ghosts’. Then they’d be seen no more. This final appearance came to be seen as the universes seal of approval for the ghost hunter. Their graduation from a young apprentice, learning their role in the world, to ghost hunter in true; and every single one would go on to be masters of their craft, pioneers.

Of course, in the many years that followed, not every ghost hunter saw and caught this small wise ghost, but every single one that did went on to be influential. Those that didn’t, regardless of drive, never seemed to stick with the field, never excelled at creating their own weapons, never made any new discoveries. So it was something of an understood truth that this ghost knew who would make a good true ghost hunter, and simply did not waste their time with any others.

For Jack Fenton, he had seen the ghost in his early youth, had learned everything with wild abandon. Of course his family had always known of ghosts and of the legend, to say they had been ecstatic when Jack claimed to have captured the ghost, would be an understatement.

Maddie Fenton, on the other hand, met this ghost only shortly before meeting Jack. But the knowledge the small ghost gave seemed so obvious to her, so right. Meeting Jack had been easy and obvious after that. The two lovers had felt a little bad for their friend Vlad, having never seen or heard of this ghost. But they knew even those not chosen could be good ghost hunters, and who were they to reject someone’s passion? Though neither was truly surprised when he seemingly dropped out of the ecto-field all together, especially with the accident. Though Maddie’s pretty sure she saw him flipping through a Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book and scoffing at the small ghost, muttering that clearly this little ghost was nothing but a silly myth.

And now, Jack finds himself flipping through his Fenton family edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, smiling fondly and reminiscing slightly over the sketch of the old wise ghost. Though frowning slightly as he traces the scar on the ghosts face. He remembers asking how that happened, after all it was known that he did not use to have it. The only answer he had ever gotten was ‘such is the marks of old beasts that watch, the foolish and power-mad who can not tolerate what they can not control’. Jack gathers it was from another ghost, one who somehow knew of and how to find the small ghost that no others seemed to.

He turns his head and smiles as his wife sits down. Maddie looking at the book and smiling herself, speaking quietly, “wonder if either of the kids will see him”.

Jack chuckles, “surely one will! At least one Fenton child always does. Heck! Both me and my brother did”.

Maddie giggles slightly and nods before frowning a little, “I do worry though Jack dear. Neither seem to have any interest. In fact, they almost seem put-off”.

“I wouldn’t give up faith yet Mads. You certainly had no interest when you were their age after all!”.

Maddie giggles and nods, silently joining her husband in flipping trough the heirlooms pages.  

ClockWork watches the interaction through one of many viewing portals, smiling ever so slightly. Turning their head to another, watching Daniel teasing and insulting Walker before flying lazily home.

Everything had worked out as it should. Everyone was where and who they needed to be. And yet there was a roadblock. A problem. Daniel’s skill at lying and hiding was a much-needed one, a true necessity. But even a fool could see the rift it caused and how it blocked the future of progress.

Ghost hunters, though needed for their purposes, had become advanced enough to pose threats. Not just to single ghosts, but every ghost, the world even. Such a level of advancement was needed of course, had resulted in Phantom. But now, the Observants were nervous, many ghosts were. Enough so that the Zone itself was being affected by all the negative emotions. That wouldn’t change if change didn’t happen. ClockWork chuckles over such phrasing, they had a plan of course, always did. Ghost hunters needed to change, their opinions needed to change. It had to come from the influential of course, not from ClockWork themselves, that wasn’t their purpose. They were a guider not a symbol of change. No, that was Phantom’s place, Daniel’s place.

Phantom couldn’t be exposed yet, not quite, but the forming rift with his parents would cause issues if it continues to grow before the day came for them to know exactly who and what Daniel was.  

Looking back to the portal with the two parents, this provided an opportunity of sorts. ClockWork knows that while they look at this scene, the book, with a slight smile the Observants instead frown. More than a little displeased with ClockWork’s past decision.

See ClockWork always has some plan or another, some idea for the future. That was part of their purpose after all. So of course they did back when humans had first come into existence in genuine, started making the world their bitch so to speak. All the other ghosts at the time, ClockWork’s fellow Ancients, firmly refused the idea that these weak fleshy creatures would ever pose any kind of threat to them. They existed in two different dimensions, sure there were occasionally natural portals between the two planes but all the other mortal creatures never paid any mind to any ghosts causing mischief or hanging about; why would these ‘humans’ be any different.

ClockWork knew better, saw better; so they acted better. Humans would know of ghosts, of course they would, there was no possible future where they would not. And humans were egotistical creatures, things that would steamroll over all other species they could. They also would grow to have a never-ending love for knowledge, that was something ClockWork could appreciate; feel fond of.

So while the other ghosts dismissed these humans ClockWork made plans, made themselves known to the humans. The other ghosts that even knew of ClockWork were uneasy with this but even back then no one questioned ClockWork, well...besides those foolish Observants; who thankfully did not yet exist.

ClockWork appeared to them with careful forethought, let the human capture them, and the knowledge that there really was only two options. Neither of which ClockWork paid any mind. Though fine, technically humans could be blocked out from knowing about ghosts, eliminate any who truly became knowledgable; ClockWork could certainly do that, but that would be far less interesting.

So either humans would know and live in fear, or they would know and come to make it impossible for new earth ghosts to be formed. Both options would make halfas impossible, coexistence impossible. So ClockWork hardly considered them actual options.

Instead letting humans know ghosts, but with the added effect of appealing to their pride. The human belief that they where the top species. That they could crush anything. Simply by showing them weaker ghosts, by altering natural ghost portals, by appearing to them as a guiding hand and without their staff visible, by allowing themselves to be seen as ‘trapped’. And so ClockWork became the stuff of legends to them, and an utter unknown to ghosts; excluding those eyeballs of course.

And why did they exist? The Observants? Well, because their fellow Ancients felt there needed to be overseers, never knowing they already had one in ClockWork. Leaving them with more decisions to make, plans to enact. Of course these knew ghosts would know of ClockWork, be insulted and fearful of the master of time’s power. All beings fear the powerful that they can not control. So these new ghosts would try to control ClockWork, try to force their hand, try to remove or alter them. The Observants, like all creatures, would have motives of their own; would lack objectivity. So either ClockWork was to find a way to hide from them or accept their future actions towards them. Or ClockWork could interfere, alter them to ClockWork’s own design. Bar them from being able to act, from being able to harm. They would be watchers and watchers only. The ghosts would get what they want, and ClockWork would do as ClockWork pleases. Sure ClockWork could just stop them from successfully creating the Observants at all, but where’s the fun in that? Plus, annoying them would become a beloved past time.

So ClockWork lets the other ghosts see these Observants as all powerful overseers; as judge, jury and executioner. Let the Observants fool themselves too. Sure they had enough power to lock up any ghosts that ClockWork, unknowingly to them, let them lock up. But ClockWork would stand as the only executioner, and they knew that.

This decision also helped ClockWork remain an unknown to other ghosts, the Observants didn’t want their lack of power, lack of ability to act, known; and ClockWork was the proof of that. But since ClockWork exists in every different possible future there was, the Observants could never truly control who knew and who didn’t. Only ClockWork could, simply manipulate toward the future they wanted in such a way that the Observants couldn’t so much as object beyond complaining pointlessly.

Smirking at the viewing portal as the two parents head to the lab, it was showtime. ClockWork never appeared to ghost hunters after they finished their apprenticeship, humans need to bloom and blossom of their own accord; else you hurt their egos. But rules were there to be broken and rules couldn’t hold ClockWork. In short, they were a dirty little cheater.  

Jack’s leaning over a microscope while Maddie jerks up and gapes, absentmindedly pushing the button to activate the ghost containment cell right where the familiar purple-cloaked ghost floated. She knew shapeshifting ghosts existed and both her and Jack’s time with him was long past. This couldn’t possibly be? Could it? She speaks softly while the ghost just floats there with a soft smirk, “Jack dear, I think you should look at this”.

Jack looks up, a bit caught off guard by his wife’s cautious but awed tone. He promptly drops the slide he was holding, it shattering as it hits the ground, “you? but it can’t be. Why?”.

ClockWork grins, and gives their typical half-truths, “oh I’m not here to play guide for you. I’ve merely made use of the weakened veil here”, gesturing to the Fenton portal, “that is why you find me here”.

Maddie tilts her head, this was clearly not a fake, “we always just thought you stayed in the mortal world somehow or travelled through natural portals”.

“Not all means bare the same outcomes”, ClockWork glances at the stairs, “and maybe you ought research through more wandering means. You might find something interesting”.

Maddie squints slightly, “and what are you going to do. You never need to go through such indirect means to get to new hunters”.

ClockWork smiles, of course this confrontation was completely avoidable but they had a test to give, “you’ll understand in time. There are plenty of paths one could take. Most often the path I point along is walked with me alone. But every so often that road must open to accommodate fellow travellers”.

Maddie and Jack exchange a look before Jack gets up, asking with barely contained excitement, “are you saying we get to help who your guiding! Oh this is so awesome Mads!”.

ClockWork smiles as the two head up the stairs, “we’ll see how the road forks. They’ll find me, no worries about the shield”. Maddie squints back at them, clearly wondering how whoever was going to find them but deciding that they hardly could do harm in the shield and were trustable enough to leave alone. Unaware they could simply teleport out.

Ten minutes later Danny comes home and phases through the ceiling invisibly to empty his thermos, only to pause and gape slightly before chuckling and shaking his head at spotting ClockWork inside the ghost containment cell. Emptying the thermos as he speaks, “hey CW, um why? Not that I’m questioning your ways, but I’m questioning your ways”.

ClockWork floats towards him, separated only by the shield while Danny transforms back human. ClockWork speaking with a slight smile, “you’re mortal guardians are as paranoid as expected to the appearance of ghosts, even those they think fondly of”.

Danny blinks and jerks slightly, “wait, my parents know you? ‘Think fondly’ of you?”, Danny’s not surprised his folks would trap some ghost in the containment cell, that was literally the point. And it’s not like ClockWork actually needed help getting out.

ClockWork gives a slow nod, “but of course. Many ghost hunters do”.

“Why???”.

“The same reason I involve myself in anyone’s existence, to guide them on their path”.

Danny shakes his head, this was a little absurd, “so you’ve been responsible for people becoming hunters? Why would you do that? Wouldn’t it be better for the people that want to obliterate and tear apart molecule by molecule, every ghost, not to know things?”.

ClockWork holds up a hand and gestures around, “dealing with such things, with antagonism, strengthens us and our defences. Of course, only to so many degrees. With humans, we’ve always had two options, bar the mortals from knowing of ghosts or have them know but fear our power. I merely ensured they’d instead believed they could face us in might”.

Danny snorts and rolls his eyes a little, “so you let them believe a lie?”, shrugging, “and fine, if anyone knows that fighting and experiencing all the ways people can come up to hurt you, can make you stronger; then it’s me”.

ClockWork sticks up a finger, “indeed you do, and I let you believe your family would die; lies have their benefits”.

Danny glares slightly, “that was low”.

ClockWork completely dismisses his displeasure, “good truths are always low blows”, smiling slightly, “besides, how better to control who gets to be a hunter and harvest a collection of apprentices”.

Danny blinks at that, “wait, what?”.

ClockWork smirks, Danny could be hard to really surprise or confuse nowadays, “how do you think any of them know anything about ghosts? I’m a wise fellow”, ClockWork gestures to the ghost shield.

Danny blinks at them, “oh my Ancients. Do you just let hunters capture you to teach them random things?”, sure Danny had done the dumbshit and let his folks capture him but they were his parents, family, it was different.

ClockWork just responds like this was perfectly reasonable and expected. “precisely”.

Danny facepalms, speaking with slight humour though, “my guardian is an idiot”.

ClockWork waves him off, “oh hardly, I always know the outcomes. Plus it’s high time your family knows your guardian”, Danny instantly looks rather panicked and disbelieving, so ClockWork continues, “they won’t be bothered, in fact, they’ll find it quite the good sign. A sign you’ll be a ‘helpful’ spector, seeing as they believe you’ll be a ghost”.

Now Danny’s gaping again, “excuse?”.

“Daniel, you set off their detectors and literally can’t be de-ecto-contaminated. Of course, they think you’re going to become a ghost”.

Danny throws his hands out to the side and walks in a little circle, “well that’s news to me”.

“They don’t mention it because they don’t want to scare you”, floating to follow Danny as he walks around the room a little and holding up a finger, “but now you can get them to open up through revealing you at least know the same, without giving away that you know because you already are”, smirking, “thanks to a helpful guardian”.

Danny blinks, realising this’ll pretty much get him off the hook for tons of weird ghostly shit, “you sneaky bastard”. ClockWork gives a devilish grin just before Maddie and Jack come down the stairs.

Jack beams, thinking back on the earlier words of the tiny ghost, “Danny-boy! So you’ve seen the little guy!”, walking up and patting Danny on the shoulder, who just looks confused and a bit freaked out. While Jack keeps talking, hopefully explaining this particular ghost will make his rather ghost fearing son less seemingly freaked, “this one’s the spirit of hunters! Our profession! Always appears before and guides those destined to be hunters! This is great!”, wiping a tear from his eye, “my boy’s gonna be a fine hunter”.

Danny has to hold back a laugh at calling ClockWork ‘the spirit of hunters’ while also deciding to not jump the gun on what his parents actually know about ClockWork, “er and what do you call them?”, Danny deadpanning, “if you say ‘Hunter’ I will be deeply disappointed”.

Maddie shakes her head with a smile, “don't be silly sweetie, this is an important day in your destiny of being a ghost hunter”, smiling at the tiny spirit, “we call him Herne”. Jack butts in, “which is why the name means mythical hunter!”, smiling some, “even if he’s a tiny thing with no abilities to actually hurt anyone with”.

Danny looks at ClockWork, firmly realising humans know goddamn nothing about them. Maybe they weren’t too much of an idiot. Flicking his eyes back to his parents, “no abilities?”.

Jack nods, surely this ghost being weaker will ease his son up some, “being able to form and float is really all he can do”, smiling at the little ghost, “not that that matters, he’s a wise little guy”.

ClockWork chuckles, “yes, foresight and a keen mind makes up for much. Doesn’t it”, holding up a hand, “but I am here for a different reason of sorts”.

Danny’s instantly nervous as his parents look ClockWork with confusion and slight caution.

Jack and Maddie exchange a glance, surely this explained the strange way the little ghost had appeared. Why they caught the ghost and not Danny. Maddie asking, “his paths a little different, isn’t it?”. While Jack frowns slightly, “is he not going to be a hunter?”.

ClockWork smiles softly, “to you I am but a giver of wisdom and guidance, a mentor of sorts and a hand to point in the right direction”, turning to Danny and smiling, while Danny just looks nervous as ClockWork continues, “but to him I am guardian. A mentor in truth and spiritual parent of sorts, for a young little ghost”. Danny does his damnedest to not outwardly cringe over being point-blank called a ghost by a ghost, in front of his parents.

Jack and Maddie go a little wide-eyed before smiling again, Jack beaming at ClockWork, “that’s great! So he’ll be like you then!?! A guiding spirit, rather than like all those malicious ghosts!”, Jack taps his chin, “though that still doesn’t explain why we needed to be seeing you again”.

While Maddie looks more softly at Danny and holds her hands to her chest then, picking up that he seemed a bit nervous but not exactly surprised, “and you’re alright knowing this? That you’ll be a ghost some day? You don’t seem all that surprised”.

Danny rubs his neck, “heh, well I mean, half your stuff already calls me one and all that”. ClockWork thankfully takes mercy on him and adds in, “and after all, we have met before”.

Maddie and Jack both blink at Danny, Jack instantly asking, “well why didn’t you say so Danny-boy?!?”. Though Maddie clues in that Danny not telling them about this was exactly why Herne showed up to them. He decided that they needed to know about this, likely for Danny’s future development. Which means that Danny likely wouldn’t have told them on his own.

Danny glances at ClockWork and gives them the stink-eye, officially not very thankful. Before looking back to his parents, “well, you’ve never actually talked nice about any ghost. And I didn’t want to get into an argument about them”, rubbing his neck a bit and knowing his folks will be a little more than not happy about this in one regard anyway, “they saved my life after all, so it would bug me someone talking bad about them”.

Both of them instantly look to ClockWork, practically beaming at the ghost though fretting over their son even needing his life saved. Maddie nodding at them, “thank you. If we weren’t already on good terms, we would be now”.

Jack throwing an arm around Danny and hugging him a bit protectively, “but what could have put his life in danger? Especially in a way for you to be saving him?”.

Maddie nods and looks a little sheepish, “you’re not exactly a powerful one”.

Danny sends ClockWork a bit of a pleading look because his folks calling basically the strongest ghost ever 'weak', was too absurd and funny for him to not eventually break down laughing over.

ClockWork eyes the ghost shield they’re ‘trapped’ behind, wondering which path the two will take. Trust them and let the shield down or hold on to their ghost bigotry and keep it up. Be the first to really be around them without them being captured in some device or shield. Smirking slightly as Jack, noticing ClockWork’s eyeballing of the shield, promptly deactivates it. ClockWork floats over to pat Danny’s head before turning to the two parents, ClockWork speaking while Danny’s a bit in shock from his parents actually smiling over a ghost touching him, “indeed, there are some ghosts who fear other ghosts with influence. Seek to get rid of them before they can gain said influence”.

Danny knows damn well ‘influence’ is just a subtle way to say ‘powerful’. And he’s also feeling a slightly renewed distaste for the Observants.

Maddie scoffs, “of course those spooks would dislike any ghost,”, glancing at Danny, “or ghosts, that help humans”.

Jack taps his chin, looking to ClockWork, “I imagine these ghosts can’t destroy ones like you?”, looking at Maddie before looking back to ClockWork, “we always thought you avoided being harmed or bothered by other ghosts by simply being unknown to them”.

ClockWork chuckles, “most don’t know of me. But there are other reasons”, looking to Danny, “and they’re welcome to really know me, Daniel. It would be rather mean to have your mortal family not know your ghostly one”.

Danny tilts his head back, “oh thank Ancients”, though he knows damn well ClockWork isn’t fine with them knowing because it would be ‘mean’ otherwise.

ClockWork smirks, “no need to thank me”, Danny makes a face at them for that before chuckling.

Jack smiles, “well I’m glad you have similar humour!”, looking at the little spirit and tilting his head some, “are you saying we don’t know everything about you? That we’re missing a lot?”.

Maddie smiles sweetly at Jack, “Jack dear, he’s never so much as told us if he has a real name. It is expected”.

Danny shakes his head, “I'm kind of amazed you trust them at all then”.

Maddie ruffles Danny’s hair, “well, he is why we are hunters really and he’s harmless”.

Danny chuckles and eyes ClockWork, who nods, “you can tell them much of what you know of me”, smirking mischievously, “I encourage it in fact”.

Danny squints at them and chuckles, “you just want to enjoy causing confusion and startling them”.

ClockWork nods with a slight smile, speaking almost cruelly, “and piss off the Observants, of course”.

Danny blinks and turns fully to them, “you really did just name drop them huh?”, turning back to his parents and rubbing his neck, “Observants, those are the ghosts that tried to ‘get rid of me’”.

Jack scowls, “well we hate them then”.

ClockWork nods, “good, now you’ll never help them”. ClockWork doesn’t need their viewing portals to see the Observants shrieking in annoyance and trashing five different plots to restrict multiple different ghosts.

Danny squints at them, “do you always have to have five different reasons for doing things?”, shaking his head and looking back to his parents and gesturing his arms out to ClockWork, “this is weird but, um, this is ClockWork and they are not even kind of close to the definition of weak or harmless”.

Maddie tilts her head at ClockWork then Danny, “but we’ve scanned him, them, nothing but floating really”. While Jack beams and tries out the name ‘ClockWork’ a few times before asking, “does your name have any meaning?!? Ghost’s names often do”.

Danny squints at ClockWork, Danny knows how he himself tricked their scanners but ClockWork was a full ghost, “how did you even pull that off?”, Danny squints more and really looks ClockWork over before facepalming, “your staff?”. ClockWork’s power was focused in their staff after all.

ClockWork grins and summons their staff, making Maddie blink and get slightly closer to look the staff over quickly; though never actually touching it, “oh! You do actually have some kind of weapon”.

While ClockWork nods at Maddie, “yes and no, this is much more a conduit than a weapon. I do have a scythe as well though”, Danny can’t help but chuckle at that a little; full well knowing that weapon was used exclusively for reaping ghosts that needed to be removed, which was a bit hilarious. While ClockWork promptly startles both of the parents by suddenly changing into their adult form, speaking while they gape at the ghost they only ever knew as a small child-like ghost, “as for my name, it indeed holds plenty meaning. It is, after all, my job and purpose to ensure that the hands on the universe's clock go round and round, until oblivion can no longer be chased off”.

Danny chuckles and shakes his head at ClockWork, who changes to the form of an old man. Danny speaking to his parents, “they mean time control, guys. The very fabric of time is basically theirs to bend and alter”, rolling his hand, “add in being able to see all of the past, present, and every future possible”, looking at ClockWork, “they’re arguably one of the most powerful ghosts there is, not to mention oldest”.  

The two adults raise their eyebrows a bit at ClockWork who nods ever so slightly, “I’ve been around since the beginning, guiding the universe along on its most lengthy path. Watching everything grow along exactly as its supposed to be. Of course that also means I plan when each being eventually stops and falls, guide them to when it is best they be destroyed”.  

Maddie mutters a bit startled and less than pleased, “so you’re more neutral than good, less altruistic and more manipulative”.

Danny instantly shakes his head, “no, they’re just more altruistic on a universal scale, the bigger picture kind of thing. A true neutral, completely objective, I guess”.

ClockWork nods and speaks while patting Danny’s head, “precisely”, sending the parents a small smile, “I have no interests towards ghosts, nor humans, nor earth; but rather existence and time itself”, chuckling a little and side-eyeing Danny slightly, “and I must say, I’ve certainly pushed and pulled many a thing to ensure Daniel exists precisely as he does and will”.

Jack blinks at Danny and pats him on the shoulder, “is he really going to be that important?”, chuckling at Danny, “no pressure son”.

Danny barely stops himself for muttering ‘too late’ and instead just nods slightly. While Maddie’s releasing that this ghost can’t truly be trusted, humans were not where their priorities lay. But that they absolutely did have her son's survival? benefit? well-being? happiness? -well, maybe not that last one. Something tells her that ClockWork would harm or traumatise anyone for the sake of the universe- at their metaphorical heart.

ClockWork smirks, “that is for time to know and the world to see. But if you must know, him simply existing as he does has saved the world more than once”. Danny has to resist cringing at that, seeing as they were pretty effectively leaving out him causing it once.

Jack beams at that, his boy was already doing good! Somehow. Promptly hugging Danny, “good for you Danny-boy! Though I wonder how you managed that?”.

Everyone looks to ClockWork then, full well knowing they know exactly how. They simply smirk, “now that would be telling, wouldn’t it. The simplest of things can change everything, even picking up a rock verses not, could alter everything. Even how much someone knows or doesn’t, can”.

Danny chuckles a little fondly, which his parents definitely pick up on, while Danny speaks, “you’re always an enigma huh”.

Jack and Maddie smile a little fondly, though feeling like outsiders a bit as the two seem to one-up each other in sounding confusing. They both knew their boy was a bit odd, an enigma, so clearly they were two of a kind. That makes it clear Danny’s future lied with this ghost, rather than their profession; whatever that actually meant. Maddie decides to push that, he’s their boy, they should know what his job/future was/would be. Looking at ClockWork, “you’ve still got a way with words, but what are you even guiding Danny with?”.

ClockWork gives both the honest answer and the most confusing one, “everything and nothing. The same as that which you do, except with less restraints and a finger in every pie”, smiling at Danny, “a Guardian has the role of parent when dealing with ghosts”.

Jack’s a bit confused but that’s pretty come-by, “but ghosts don’t need to be taught how to ghost?”.

Maddie shakes her head slightly and tilts her head, “But what is he going to be doing?”.

ClockWork pats Danny’s head, they were not wrong, even with a halfa. Though no ghost just knew how the Zone’s politics worked. But the existence of many levels of law and government within the Zone was not for them to know, not yet. “But of course, ghosts know themselves well, but not so much other ghosts. After all, have you met any who know of me? And”, holding up a finger and smirking at Maddie, “everything. He’ll find there’s little he won’t do”.

Maddie blinks and mutters, “are you trying to say he’s going to be all powerful or control ghosts”.

Danny makes a damn point not to react, considering the whole High Ghost Prince thing, meaning his mom was absolutely right. Though he then gapes at ClockWork and throws his hands out to the side as they promptly teleport away with a twirl of their staff and a wink. Danny groans at the thin air where they used to be, “seriously time-pants?”.

Jack and Maddie both can’t help but laugh while Danny grumbles more while looking at them, “they always make their timing dramatic”.

Jack nods a little, “I did nearly face-plant into them when they showed up for me”. Maddie giggles a little but nods, “they startled me enough that I set my original college application on fire”.

Danny snorts, “tossed through a time portal and slammed my face into a giant bell, five times”. Jack chuckles, “that’s way more silly”.

Maddie nods but looks Danny over, “do you know what that wink meant?”.

“Probably five different things. One part is definitely just to cause mischief and drama. Could be referring to a possible future or just wants to let someone think that’s the case”, is Danny lying a little? Yeah. Is he just going to out the whole prince/future king thing? Ancients no.

Maddie shakes her head and mutters, “now I'm questioning everything to do with them“.

Danny snorts and goes to walk upstairs, “either question everything or accept everything. Both at the same time? I go with that”.

Jack mutters as Danny leaves fully, “I don’t think you can do that really”.

ClockWork watches through a viewing portal, the questions were in place and, watching with a slight smirk as pissed off Observants inadvertently knock a very particular book from the future through a strategically placed portal and lands on the Fenton lab floor, said questions would be answered.

While Jack spots the glowing book and gets a little excited, the two instantly start flipping through to find it’s a storybook, a book telling the tale of a legend.

A king of youth in a castle of dark brick, lording over a word of mythical creatures of the dead persuasion. Spoken of as kind and just, yet powerful and resolute. A black and white dragon, with eyes that see every shade. Who proved his strength through countless battles, and a battered body that moved with pride. Who proved his mind through quick-witted wordplay, and hiding amongst the enemy.

But what really caught the parents’ eyes were the black and gray pictures, the sketches. Largely of landscapes, the castle of course and the flora filled land surrounding it. But also some of a blazing crown and extravagant cape, a sword of ice carved with flowers and skulls. Though they trace their fingers over the silhouette drawing of this king, swinging the sword at another figure with a near-identical physique but flaming hair and snake tongue. It’s titled ‘First Trial’. The king could easily be an older Danny, but they couldn’t be certain.

But what really makes them pause and share a glance is a landscape piece, where a strange clocktower could be seen in the background. Surrounded by floating gears, much the same as the one ClockWork wore for a clasp.

Maddie squints down at the image and runs off looking for a microscope, coming back and hovering it over one of the windows in the clocktower to see ClockWork -in child form- winking right at her with a circular something showing the image of her and Jack leaning over this very book. Maddie jerking back and whispering, “Zone that cheeky bastard”, before flipping to the last page. Both parents blinking down at a familiar-sounding quote signed with a fanciful yet nearly illegible ‘CW’.

“Existence is a story we weave, but a story unread is a story yet to be solidified. What we know can change everything, and once knowledge is written and known, it becomes something to last forevermore”.

Jack scratches his head and mutters, “did we just ensure Danny would become a king or something, or a paradox would happen?”.

Maddie knits her fingers together and speaks into her hands, “I think we did”.

Neither parent’s sure whether they should scream and be pissed or be proud.

ClockWork simply smiles while two Observants float in demanding, “ClockWork, what did you do”.

“My job”.

“It’s your job to watch time, not play favourites. He will destroy us”.

ClockWork turns and levels them with an unreadable gaze, “you mean further restrict and take your power? Precisely. Just because I am not a player on the field doesn’t mean I’m not in control. Time is the field board, and I tilt as I please. You’re simply referees, you are nothing without the players and you’ve been betting on the wrong ones. All in the name of your search for dominance. For those you could control or who lacked the strength to ever stand against you. But in the end”, ClockWork floats to be closer to them almost menacingly, “this game is played in a grandiose casino, and the house always wins in time”.

End.

[thelittlehansy]

* i m not making this post  because i dont want hans to be a sociopath in fact i have a huge period where i was adoring the idea to have an evil prince as a sociopath. I mainly make this post because i have a personal anger against how fiction portray mental illness Obviously i m not a professional but both my parents are they are psychiatrist and i saw myself in serie movies some inaccurate things based on what they told me about their jobs. I also have issues with all the stereotype we have about mental illness. And really i knows that i m not in the writer head but i feel jennifer lee statement “sociopath are more interesting “when she talk about hans is link to all this stereotypes we have.

She say two things that for me reveal than she is not talking seriously and we shouldn't consider what she say seriously or canon.

She say that she has herself a sociopath mind. She say it twice in a interview suggesting that she just throw the world like that. ( i know this is very subjective what i say)

And mostly also Jennifer lee " Jennifer: Well, what’s interesting was it was a big — there was a lot of debate about that, not when to give it away. And John Lasseter particularly really didn’t want to. He loved it so much not to that he would push to the extreme sometimes where my sociopathic mind would break down because I’d be like, no, no, no, he wouldn’t do that because he’s calculating"

Based on reasearch and what my parents told me , Sociopath are impulsive there are not calculating if they are they dont elaborate plans and calculate everything like hans did. Professional saw them as hot-headed. When they do something they don't think that much before.So it did put in question about what jennifer lee say.

So i wanted to discuss is hans a sociopath ? I already talk that in my blog but i talk a lot about a frozen heart so here i m gonna put to the side all the complementary informations we have about him in the book. So this post is only based on hans behavior in the movie.

I find a interesting website about : how to write sociopath.https://www.writerscookbook.com/how-to-write-a-sociopath/

So lets see if hans behavior is faithful to how socipath act :

-They’re nervous and easily agitated

hans never show that in frozen on the contrary they show him to be calm and patient.

X

-They have no impulse control

they also show us hans to be in control. This is because hans is in control that he almost succeeded in his plans. The first thing that comes in my mind right here is hans reaction when he discovered elsa is not in the prison anymore he is angry but doesnt show it at all and stay calm and do nothing stupid.

X

-They don’t understand emotions

sociopath  the website say “ They won’t understand that they should be sympathetic if another character’s relative dies. They may react ambivalently, or not react at all.” he knows how to act at each moment,and understand exactly how to talk to people. Anna is sad he tell her "i will never shout you out"

with hans there is this idea that he is reflecting other people this is use to explain his anti social personality disorder.

Hans is not all the time mirroring people in the movie. When he is alone he show to be able to feel sympathy and tenderness. ( the scene where he is under the boat) he has also others scenes when he is not mirroring people. So hans knows how to act with people emotions without mirroring them.

Hans show emotional intelligence :

"Emotional intelligence refers to the capability of a person to manage and control his or her emotions and possess the ability to control the emotions of others as well. In other words, they can influence the emotions of other people also."

He knows exactly what to say to elsa.

-" dont be the monster they fear you are"  when Hans tell that he is mirroring no one.

-"You re sister is dead because of you" in this scene Hans is tone is accusatory while elsa feel is desperation.  He twice show to have a big influence on elsa behavior because he understand her emotions perfectly and know how to play with them. he use that to makes elsa weak and be able to kill her.

-Hans know how to control the emotion of anna horse and succeeded to calm it.

-Hans knows how to control the emotions of the duke of weselton and succeeded to calm him.  he has influence on his behavior.

-Hans also knows to influence anna emotions she was sad and then he appeared and succeeded in making her happy and seduce her.

-Hans knows what to say to anna to hurt her he is not mirroring her. " oh anna if only there was someone out there who loved you" when he knows that he say to her he loved her.

He influence the emotions of others. He perfectly knows how to control his emotions and manage them when he play the sad fiance all along when what he was feeling was excitement. he control his anger also when elsa is not in the prison anymore.

“In other words, emotional intelligence can be used for good or evil.This is the dark side of emotional intelligence: using one’s knowledge of emotions to strategically achieve self-serving goals. Much as a person possessing a brilliant intellect could become an accomplished detective or a criminal mastermind, one with a superior emotional quotient has a choice between two very different paths: using their influence to help or to harm.” Time

the movie show us three things : hans feel emotions , he can control them and he is a master in playing with the emotions of others.

X

-They don’t plan things

hans plan things. hans presence in arendelle is because he plan things he plan to woo the future queen in order to be king so we knows hans is able to project himself in the future. He then makes plan to marry anna. We saw him making plan during the whole movie. Hans own presence in arendelle is because of plans that he makes.

This suggest than if hans is really a sociopath then he would have never go in arendelle.

X

-They’re unreliable

“Being impulsive and doing things on a whim can be fun, but it can make life difficult for your other characters”

Hans obviously show to be unreliable to anna since he is comploting against her back but anna is not his goal since the beginning he is not with her but much more with the crown. he show to be faithful and reliable to arendelle citizens and devote to the kingdom. Sociopath are unreliable because there are impulsive When hans left to die anna this is Not the sign of an impulsive choice but something he has thought about previously if anna return alive he would have continue to play the fiance all along and show nothing he would have been 100% faithful to anna in order to have what he want and anna would have not even realize hans has others intentions in mind. Sociopath are unreliable because there are impulsive , Hans is not impulsive he is the whole contrary he think a lot and calculate everything in the movie. so based on the information of the website if it happened to him to be unreliable this is not in the same way sociopath are unreliable.

X

-They don’t learn from their mistakes

“ Unlike most of us, they don’t learn from their mistakes. They don’t have the patience to think through and analyse what’s happened to them.”

 we doesn't knows about that ! the movie never tell us how hans react to his mistake. now compare to the explication , hans show to be patient and show to analyze a lot of things. so this is possible he can do that for himself.

~

-They tell lies

hans tell  lies  but he also tell truth to anna during the night of the coronation. So he is able to tell truth when he could have lied. even the whole hans lies to anna about loving her is very very ambiguous in the movie because of the scene when they meet and he is alone. this is highly possible than Hans has like her and enjoy his time with her while developing a crush on her and then once in arendelle’s regent he concentrate on what is important for him. the crown ! not anna ! 

-They’re manipulative

hans show us his skills in manipulation ! he manipulate the dignitaries , he manipulate anna , he manipulate elsa. 

\/

Edit : i have maybe overestimate finally the factor manipulative hans is defintly manipulative but we can argue that maybe he didnt manipulate anna that much because of this scene where he look at anna in love where he is alone:

-They have difficulty forming attachments

we doesn't know about that one. we only saw hans with anna he has pass only the coronation night with her. ( he seem to have a big attachment with arendelle citizens XD)

so based on how a sociopath should be write hans is not very well written 5 traits of the traits hans show a behavior that is in total contradiction with sociopath 1 is accurate to sociopath ,  two we doesn't knows.

so now , maybe hans  still has antisocial personality disorder but belong to an extreme of the spectrum ? psychopath ? so we saw if hans is write like how sociopath act let just see  if hans shows symptoms of Anti social personality disorder based on the informations we have about him in the movie ?

Edit about " no remorse " found a post about a newspaper from disney park saying hans was doing penance iimplying that he did show remorse and a desire to learn from his mistake others people tought that maybe it was a synonym to punishement so choose to put it here in the end we dont really know but this is still an information since hans reaction to his crimes was never show in the movie.

Disregard for right and wrong

Hans believe that he could be the hero who is gonna saved arendelle from destruction. He wanted to do something that for him is right but use poor way to do it.

I think we doesnt really knows because at the moment hans say he was going to stage a little accident for elsa he view her as a monster who has froze her whole kingdom and need to be killed in order to bring back summer. Maybe hans of the begining with elsa benediction and without the knowledge of her powers would struggle to killed her. ( ?)

( but what i say is an assumption we doesnt really knows hans disregard right ans wrong in the movie but we dont know how much he do that in his every day life )

Persistent lying or deceit to exploit others

Hans lies in the movie we doesn't knows if this is persistent but he also say truth to anna when he could have lied. He did exploit anna unfortunately we doesn't know how much hans exploit anna since we saw him showing affection for the princess in the beginning of the movie under the boat and before knew she was the princess. Everything is ambiguous..

Being callous, cynical and disrespectful of others

Hans was cynical and disrespectful to anna , he show to be concern and have respect for arendelle citizens. The movie never tell us if hans was genuine or not. The fact that he want to be a hero for arendelle imply that he did have respect for arendelle citizens.

Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or personal pleasure

Very much positive.

Arrogance, a sense of superiority , high sense of self-importance , and being extremely opinionated

Hans show arrogance , we doesn't know if he feel  a sense of superiority and if he has a high sense of self importance. it could be possible because he wants to be king.

But...

hans tell in the movie than three of his brothers pretend that he was invisible , he talk about finding his own place and also about forgetting the pain of the past. the creator confirmed that hans did not lied and is the product of an unloving environment.

all of this imply he  is most likely to have low self esteem and doesn’t feel important that’s what drive him into becoming a king. 

Recurring problems with the law, including criminal behavior

we doesn't knows. but which king will send to a coronation a son who have recurring problem with law and criminal behavior ? so the answer is most likely no !

Repeatedly violating the rights of others through intimidation and dishonesty

Hans did it once with Anna we doesn't knows about the factor “ repeatedly”

Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead

Hans is not impulsive but think about what he did , he calculate everything he knows how to plan ahead.

Hostility, significant irritability, agitation, aggression or violence

he never show that behavior in the movie. hans show to knows how to be calm and patient he show hostility to anna. again if anna has return without a frozen heart he would have say nothing and anna would have never realize hans intentions are not genuine. So hans show to be patient and calm.

Let also say something 😅 after...his horse make him fall on the water , realize he need to seduced the princess instead of the queen , having a no from elsa , anna arguing with her sister , the sisters having magical powers , the sister run away his future fiance try to find her and leave him , her horse go back without her , not finding her again , find her sister , sister nearly got killed and the kingdom is still frozen , sister break away from prison hans reaction is to stay calm show nothing but only : he really has high tolerance to frustation.😅

Lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others

- Hans show no empathy for anna when he left her to die ans harm her - hans show empathy/concern  for anna when she fell on the boat and he didn't knew she was the princess. he show to be able to calm a horse - Hans show no empathy for elsa when he tried to kill her. - hans show to have concern for arendelle citizens the movie never tell us if this is true or false , it only hans feeling for anna that were not genuine the fact the he wants to be a hero for arendelle citizens and wants to be king show than this is highly concern than hans has concern for arendelle citizens. he doesn't want to be a tyrant.

Unnecessary risk-taking or dangerous behavior with no regard for the safety of self or others

- once in charge of the kingdom hans took the situation with responsibility , he give cloak and blanket to the citizens who were cold. 

Poor or abusive relationships

we doesn't knows about that. Hans abuse anna trust not anna herself in the movie. has he has elsa benediction hans would have treat anna like a queen  because 100% dependant on her to be a king we also knows he never planned to killed her since he never say that in his mologue. so anna would have think everything is alright in her relationship and would have never knows that hans is interest by her position to the throne and is the one who had killed her sister. She would have a good relationship with him and not suffered of any abuse.

Failure to consider the negative consequences of behavior or learn from them

we doesn't knows what is hans reaction to the consequence of his negative behavior.

Being consistently irresponsible and repeatedly failing to fulfill work or financial obligations :

Again hans show to act responsable in term of work but well he wants to be king so he wants to have responsabilities. He show to suceed when put in charge by anna and accomplish his obligations. We knows that by the citizens reactions to his presence.

"Adults with antisocial personality disorder typically show symptoms of conduct disorder before the age of 15. Signs and symptoms of conduct disorder include serious, persistent behavior problems, such as:"

Aggression toward people and animals

Hans has an horse with him that is not afraid of him his horse fall makes him fall on the water he is not angry at him ( with that we would have see he is a villain 😄) he also show in the movie to be able to have the confidence of an horse and succeded to calm it while looking in its eyes.

Destruction of property

We doesnt knows again if he did that in the past he would not have been send to elsa coronation 😅

Deceitfulness

He show that with anna we doesnt knows about his others relationship.

Theft

we doesn't know again is hans has steal in the past , again he would not have been send to be an official dignateries in arendelle.

Serious violation of rules

hans violate morality in the movie , Once in charge in arendelle he doesnt show violation of rules and act with responsability. Again who send to a coronation prince that seriously violate rules 🤨

* i keep findind contrary information like psychopath have low emotional intelligence then the contrary now i m discovering that antisocial personality disorder and psychopath are two different things 🤨

So let just see if hans has psychopath symptoms :

Superficial charm and glibness v

Inflated sense of self-worth

Imply this is the contrary since it is confirmed he comes from a family that make him feel worthless.

Constant need for stimulation

We doesnt knows.

Lying pathologically

Not show in the movie say truth when could have lied.

Conning others; being manipulative v

Lack of remorse or guilt

We doesnt knows since remorse come after the actions ? Not during the actions ? He show guilt to have make anna fall on the boat when he didnt knew she was the princess.

Shallow emotions

The scene under the boat suggest the contrary.

Callousness; lack of empathy

Like i say it before. Moment he show no empathy moment he show to be concern for others.

Using others (a parasitic lifestyle)

Use anna and elsa doesnt know if he did it often in his everyday life.

Poor control over behavior

Show opposed behavior in the movie.

Promiscuous sexual behavior

We Doesnt know😅but the fact that he refuse to kiss anna when he could have done it and didnt have sex with her during the coronation when he could have judging by his influence on her ( this is a kid movie i know 😆) and even say her to slow down when she beg her tp kiss her for me show that he is not very interest in sex😅

Behavioral problems early in life

We doesnt knows but the movie suggest the contrary , since hans has 12 olders brothers and he is the one who was send if he had early behavior problem in life and continued when he was less than 15 years old i doubt he will have been send at all.

Lack of realistic, long-term goals

Hans goal is to marry the queen and become king i think since he is a prince this is realistic. The only thing that prevent that to happened was elsa ice powers.

Being impulsive

Contrary behavior

Being irresponsible

Contrary behavior. Hans wants to have responsabilities.

Blaming others and refusing to accept responsibility

Accept responsability we dont know if hans blame others.

Having several marital relationships

We doesnt know but he is a prince so dont think so.

Delinquency when young

Based on the movie we dont know...but again if hans has show delinquency when young , i think he would not have been send to be at elsa coronation event.

Conclusions :

- he show a behavior in contradiction to how a sociopath should be written.

- in term of anti social personality disorder there are things that he doesnt have but show opposite attitute , hans is manipulative and show shallow charm this is what he has mainly in common with anti social personality disorder there is a lot thing we doesnt knows. This is highly possible that if hans has anti social personality disorder he would not have been in arendelle at all because the symtoms and problematic behavior appears before 15 years old, hans is 23 years old and chosen from 12 of his brothers to go to an important royal events.

Last word of the end : i try my best to talk about fact and all the things we saw in the movie without making wrong interpretation again i m not a professional but someone with a Disney princes obsession disorder 🙂

[greenjacketwhitehatdocmui]

Frozen:  Those Left Behind, Chapter 3

Well, rather large chapter this time around.  Sorry for the delay.  Hope you like it!

--Doc

    Agnarr remembered every lesson his father had taught him.  However, some hadn't made sense to him at the time.

    "The king must be above the people," Runeard said sternly. "He must try his best to listen to people, but in the end, the decision is his alone.  He must bear the weight of the kingdom for, in the eyes of the ordinary folk, we rule by divine right.”

    “Father,” Agnarr began, earning a frown.  “I don’t believe that we are any better than the common people.”

    “Yes, but they don’t know that,” Runeard said, his stern façade relaxing.  “The common folk look to us for strength and purpose.  Every day, we must validate their faith that we are the right ones to lead them.  To appear ordinary would shake their faith in us and our abilities.”

    It was Agnarr’s turn to frown.  What good was leadership if it was based on a falsehood?

    “So I have to uphold the royal image?”  That came out a bit sharper than Agnarr had intended.

    Runeard sighed.  “To confide in a few is a sad reality of leadership.  You must become the ideal.  If you show weakness in front of the common folk, that will plant the seed of doubt.”  He paused. “Would you disclose everything in a heated negotiation?”

    Agnarr shook his head.  “No, father. You told me to wait until both sides have stated their goals before intervening.”

    Runeard nodded.  “Whatever misgivings or doubts you may have, they are best kept hidden.  In order to be neutral and in control, you must take such irrationality and conceal it, don’t feel it.  Don’t ever let it show, for that is when the kingdom will start to crumble.”

--------

     “So you believe that the spirits saved you?” Yelana asked.  Her voice was tinged with more than a bit of doubt.

    “Believe?” Iduna asked.  She shook her head.  “No, Aunt Yelana.  I don’t believe, I know.  And they saved Agnarr and these sailors as well.”

    “The first time in forever that magic has actually done something good,” Mattias remarked.  Then he straightened up and cleared his throat.  “I apologize, Your Majesties.  It’s been a difficult time.”

    “That’s understandable,” Agnarr reassured him. “I—“

    Whatever Agnarr was about to say was interrupted by a round of growling stomachs.  The sailors tried to look nonchalant about it, but didn’t quite succeed.

    Yelana sighed.  “I don’t suppose that you soldiers can accommodate your king’s needs?”

    Mattias tried not to clench his jaw. “Unfortunately, not at this time,” he admitted.  “There aren’t many of us.”

    “I know,” Yelana replied.  There might have been a hint of malicious satisfaction in her voice.  “Well, the camp can spare a bit of food.  You will be served outside of the camp, of course.”

    “Of course,” Agnarr agreed.  It had been obvious that both Yelana and Mattias were eyeing both him and Iduna oddly.  That was to be expected.  After all, they’d been missing and presumed dead for almost thirty years.

    Both soldiers and sailors had been murmuring ever since Iduna had revealed her heritage.  She hadn’t had much of a choice; it was the best way to get Yelana’s attention and not have their little group immediately slaughtered.

    “Can’t believe she’s a—“

    “Quiet, do you want the King to hear?”

    “I thought there were more soldiers than this.”

    Captain Hansen glared at his men.  “I think we should be grateful that we’re alive.”

    They got the hint.  The jabbering ceased as the group made its way to the Northuldra camp.

--------

    "Thank you for accommodating us, Yelana," Agnarr said earnestly.

    The Northuldra leader frowned. "Contrary to what your countrymen may think, we are not savages.  You will have our hospitality for one night."  She held up a finger.  "Just the one.  And I expect an uninterrupted conversation with your...wife."

    "That's very fair and kind of you, Aunt Yelana," Iduna said.

    "Sometimes she can be reasonable," Mattias commented.

    "And sometimes you almost act like a person instead of a soldier," Yelana shot back.

    Mattias looked like he was going to respond, but thought better of it.  Instead, he clenched his jaw shut and looked straight ahead.

    It didn’t take long for them to get to the indicated clearing.  It was within sight of the Northuldra camp, but a comfortable distance away—comfortable for the tribe, at least.

    Agnarr noted that they were out in the open. Even in the darkness, it would be difficult for any hothead to try anything.  The tribe would catch sight of them and, if necessary, deal with it.

    He had no intention of letting things escalate. He hoped that a good meal in their bellies would help the sailors settle down.

    Campfires were made by the Northuldra, but not without some pointed glares and frowns.  They softened slightly as they saw Iduna looking…oddly hesitant.

    “We have stew and plenty of smoked salmon,” Yelana told the sailors.  “I apologize if it’s not up to…royal standards.”

    “It’s been quite a while,” Iduna replied.  “I’m looking forward to it.”

    Yelana’s expression softened.  “I’m glad to hear that,” she said gently.  “There’s nothing quite like home cooking, is there?  It’s nice to know that everyone can feel nostalgic for…simpler times.”  She shot a quick glance at Agnarr.

    “I enjoyed your reindeer stew,” Agnarr said smoothly.  “It was quite a comfort after a long journey.”

    Yelana said nothing, but watched as he helped pass out the bowls.  He took time to offer a word of comfort here and there as he circulated among the men.

    Agnarr was confident, yet humble.  He didn’t make grand, sweeping gestures with his hands like his father.  No, he was more conservative with his movements.  There was the gentle touch on the shoulder, the fact that he looked every man in the eye—that was what set him apart.

    Had he been another man’s son, Yelana would have had no issue with his union with Iduna.  Alas, he happened to be Runeard’s son—and she wasn’t sure how much of his father was still within the boy—man, she corrected herself.

    She felt Iduna’s tentative touch on her shoulder. There was anxiety in the younger woman’s blue eyes.

    “He’s a good man,” Iduna said.

    “That remains to be seen,” Yelana replied quietly. “I thought that Runeard was a good man, too.”  She softened. “You should eat, Iduna.  We can talk after you’ve had a good meal.”

--------

    “Not exactly the homecoming you were hoping for, is it?” Agnarr asked as they sat on a large rock.  They were some distance away from the rest of the Arendellian contingent.

    “No, but…I’m glad you’re with me,” she said, managing a shaky smile.  “It’s just that there’s so much I want to tell them, so many years of…”  She sighed in frustration.  “I don’t regret our years together, Agnarr.  I just wish that things could have been…smoother.”

    He gently squeezed her hand.  “Nervous?”

    “Terrified,” she admitted.  “Then again, the last time I saw her..."

--------

    Iduna wondered why her parents and aunt were in a field so far away from the camp. They were missing all the fun! She still had so many things that she wanted to show Agnarr, like her favorite hiding places.

    She peered from the brush and could barely make out their forms, along with a few of her other relatives.  Her mother was...crying?  Leaning in closer, she could make out snippets of voices.

    "I can't," her mother said, sobbing.  "I can't.  Not now, not after this.  And Iduna is too young."

    Yelana straightened up.  "Fine. Then I will lead."

    "What do we do now?"  One of her uncles asked.

    "Do?" Yelana asked with deceptive calm.  Iduna felt a shiver go down her back.  That tone was only used for when something was well and truly wrong. "We will find Runeard and make him pay.  We have been betrayed."

    "Even Prince Agnarr?"  One of her aunts asked.

    "If the Spirits permitted this...travesty, then surely they will permit due recompense," Yelana said harshly.  "His fate is in their hands."

    Those were the last words Iduna heard as she dashed out of the brush.  Vaguely, she heard people calling her back, but she had one mission in mind:

    She had to find Agnarr.  Whatever horrible thing had happened, he was not involved.

--------

    Iduna shuddered at the memory.  She had never seen Yelana so cold and full of hatred.

    "She wanted to kill you," Iduna said, her voice cracking.  "I couldn't let that happen."  She turned away in shame.

    He gently touched her cheek.  Uncertainly, she faced him.

    “They’re still family and they still love you,” he insisted.  “I can see it in Yelana’s eyes.”  He kissed her on the top of her head, heedless of who was watching.  “You’ll be fine.”

    "She was always intimidating," Iduna said. "I'm not sure I can face her, not after everything that's happened."

    "Yes, you can," he insisted gently. "Courage is holding out one moment longer, Iduna.  Everything you've endured has proven to me that you are the bravest woman I've ever known."

    She choked back a sob.  He kept proving to her that she did not deserve him, royal or not. And yet, they were together anyway. "I can do this," she said unsteadily.

    "You can do this," he affirmed.  Then he smirked.  "Besides, it's not like you can't wrestle her to the ground if she acts up."

    "Agnarr!" she exclaimed.

    "Well, it's true," he said.  "She must be almost seventy now."

    "So would my mother, if she's still alive," she returned.  "I guess there's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

    He interlaced his fingers with hers and gently squeezed.  He didn't need to say anything more.

--------

    In the relative privacy of her hut, Yelana let the hard façade fall.  Now, she looked every bit her age.

    “It really is you, isn’t it?” she asked Iduna.

    “It’s me,” she confirmed.  “I’m sorry, there wasn’t any way for me to—“

    “You were dead!” Yelana exclaimed.  “We searched for days, hoping that we’d find you alive.  When that failed—“  She looked stricken.  “Your mother wanted to give up on everything.”

    Iduna flinched as she realized the implications. “Is my mother--?”

    Yelana let out a small, bitter laugh.  “She’s still around, though I doubt that you could call her `alive.’  I’ve rarely seen a more broken soul.  She’s lost too much already.”

    “I have to see her,” Iduna said urgently.  “Aunt Yelana, please--“

    “And what?!” Yelana asked sharply.  “Hasn’t she suffered enough already?”

    “Do you think that I haven’t suffered?!” Iduna exclaimed.  “Do you think that I was just off traipsing happily in Arendelle without a care in the world?”

    Yelana looked pointedly at Iduna’s dress.  “You seem to have made do.  All you had to do was turn your back on us and you’re a queen. I would call that a bargain.”

    “If I could have come back, I would have!” Iduna insisted.  “I had to save Agnarr because you were ready to kill him!”

    Yelana flinched.  "So, you heard that."

    "I heard that," Iduna confirmed. "Aunt Yelana, I have never heard you that angry in my life.  What could make you want to kill Agnarr?"

    "What could make you want to save him?!" Yelana countered.  "King Runeard killed your father!  He took a sword and—“  She grimaced at the memories.  “It was supposed to be a toast for peace, a drink shared between equals!”

    Iduna grew pale.  King Runeard had killed her father?  Was that why her mother and aunt had been arguing about leadership?

    “Of all the men you could have married, why HIM?!” Yelana’s gaze burned through Iduna.

    Iduna took a steadying breath.  She could not afford to lose control.

    “He’s a good man,” she said, fighting the urge to yell.  “He’s kind, generous and fair.  I’ve seen him angry, but he’s never wanted a fight.”

    “And he’s Runeard’s son,” Yelana reminded her. “What were you thinking?!”

    “And since when did you blame the child for the sins of his parents?” Iduna countered.

    “I have every right to question your judgment!” Yelana snapped back.  “I am family!”

    “So is my mother,” Iduna reminded her.  “And if she’s still alive…I would like to see her.” She paused, trying to calm herself down. “Please.”

    Yelana frowned.  “You would break her heart by having her see you like this?”

    “You would break mine, denying me the chance?”

    Yelana glared at her and sighed.  “You’re still stubborn,” she declared.  “That hasn’t changed.”

    “Agnarr says that our daughters get that from me,” Iduna fired back.  “I take it as a compliment.”

    Yelana paused.  “Daughters?” she asked, clearly surprised.

    Iduna nodded curtly.  “Two of them,” she confirmed.  “And until I see my mother, that’s all you’re getting.”

    The older woman sighed heavily.  “Do they at least know where they came from?”

    Iduna said nothing.  Her eyes, however, betrayed the slightest hint of weakness.

    Yelana shook her head.  “They would have been welcomed here.  I have to wonder if hiding yourself gets any easier with time.”

    Iduna flinched internally.  In her family, only she truly knew what Elsa was going through. Having to hide an integral part of your identity was painful.  She wanted to hold Elsa and tell her that she understood so much more than people thought.

    I’ll never get the chance, she thought to herself.  She hasn’t touched anyone since she was 12.  Assuming that we ever break the spell on this forest.

    Iduna felt a dull ache in the pit of her stomach. The years after she and Agnarr had been "rescued" from the mist hadn't been easy.  Traveling from town to town, she had to deny a vital part of herself, of her culture and heritage.  Even after she'd been reunited with Agnarr years later, she still pretended that she wasn't Northuldra.

    What choice did she have?  Everyone in town and in the surrounding settlements was naturally wary of Northuldra.  She'd heard all the horrible stories, ones which twisted the relationship between her people and magic.  Her people were subhuman animals who made dark deals with magical creatures.  You couldn't trust someone from Northuldra. How many Northuldra does it take to sharpen a blade?  None, because cutting through them dulls the blade.  And it went on and on for years before she'd reunited with Agnarr.

    Yelana noted the turmoil in Iduna’s eyes.  Her angry gaze softened a touch.

    “If this is really what you want, let’s go see your mother,” Yelana sighed.  “At least that husband of yours isn’t making any trouble—so far,” she added.

--------

    “The first winter was the hardest,” Mattias said hollowly as they gathered around the campfire.  “We were hunting and scavenging what we could.  But then the fever came, and…”

    “How many?” Agnarr asked gently.

    Mattias clenched his jaw.  “Six.  We lost six good soldiers before I swallowed my pride and asked for help.  We buried them near the dam.”  He sighed.  “It was the least I could do.”

    “The dam’s still standing?” Agnarr asked.

    Mattias managed a shaky smile.  “We guard it.  It’s the last testament to your father, after all.  He would have wanted it kept safe.”

    “Just six of you are left?” Captain Hansen asked.

    Mattias nodded.  “Six out of almost three dozen,” he confirmed sadly.  “The rest got old or careless or…sick.”  He shook his head.  “The Northuldra have provided herbal remedies each year out of…courtesy.  But I can see in their eyes that they want us gone, one way or another.”

    “But we outnumber them now, don’t we?” Captain Hansen asked.  “With my men—“

    Mattias shook his head.  “That won’t work.  Those spirits—they may not show themselves often, but they’re always around.  If we take any aggressive action towards the Northuldra—well, those spirits get in the way.”  He paused.  “Come to think of it, there’s been only one person I would have expected them to attack, but they didn't."

    Agnarr closed his eyes.  “My father,” he said solemnly.

    "Why's that?" Captain Hansen asked.

    Mattias shook his head.  "I'm not sure why.  I wasn't the closest to King Runeard.  I wasn't one of his advisors.  But the Northuldra think that he's a criminal for some reason.  That may be why they kept going after him."

--------

    He saw his father tossed off the cliff, a cunning move by the Northuldra warrior facing him.  He still remembered the strange expression on his face.  It was an odd combination of disbelief and rage.

    It was almost comical.  His father was a big, muscular man.  Yet in this frozen moment of time, all that muscle and weight meant nothing.

    “FATHER!” he cried out, reaching impotently.  If he could have turned time back to this moment, he would have been just a tiny bit closer.  He would have saved his father.  He was sure of it.

--------

    “Are you all right, my king?” Mattias asked. “You were somewhere else for a moment.”

    Agnarr managed a wan smile.  It was the first time that the old soldier had acknowledged his title.

    “I’m all right,” he demurred.  “I was just…remembering.”

    Mattias eyed him worriedly.  He had a good idea of what Agnarr had gone through.

    Captain Hansen sighed.  “I’m just surprised that you let the Queen go off like that, Your Majesty.  After what I’ve heard from the other soldiers, I wouldn’t trust the tribe, either.”

    “She can handle herself,” Agnarr stated. “She’s a strong woman.”

    “She’d have to be,” Mattias said diplomatically. The sorrow in his eyes had faded for the moment, replaced by mischief.  “I still remember the trouble you’ve gotten into over the years.”

    “Indeed?” Captain Hansen asked.  His curiosity was piqued.  “And what exactly—“

    “Have I told you about my lovely daughters?” Agnarr interrupted.  “No? Where should I start?”

    Both captain and lieutenant shared a quick glance. Clearly, Agnarr was trying to distract them from stories past.  Still, if the king wanted to talk about his daughters, they weren’t going to stop him.

    Soldiers and sailors alike approached the three of them. They were curious about Anna and Elsa—more so the latter for the sailors, since they barely saw her.

    Agnarr wove a careful tale of his daughters.  He regaled them with stories of mischief, chocolate and snowball fights.  He stayed away from any mention of Elsa’s powers.  The men were not ready to know about that.

    “Your Majesty, why were the gates closed?” Captain Hansen asked.

    Agnarr’s face fell.  “There was an…incident that I would rather not talk about.  It made me reconsider the safety of my family.”

    Captain Hansen frowned.  He’d been in the Navy ever since the gates had closed.  He saw firsthand how trade had suffered as a result. He wondered what would make a man close off an entire country.  

    Mattias changed the topic.  “Anyway, you said that Princess Anna is the one who slides down banisters?”

    Agnarr managed a small smile.  Leave it to Mattias to pick up on his mood, even after all these years.

    He continued his happy tale of his daughters. Inwardly, he frowned.  In the castle, it was easy to convince himself that he’d been doing the right thing.  Here, without the possibility of rescue, he had to face facts:  Elsa’s control was fragile and there was nothing he could do to correct his mistake.

    Right now, he would have given anything to be back at the castle, telling both his daughters how proud he was of them.  He would have reassured Elsa that she could control her powers.  He would have told Anna that, though her temperament was different than Elsa’s, she was no less qualified to lead.  And he would have told them both that they were strong, just like Iduna.

--------

    Iduna took a deep breath to calm herself.  Agnarr had always said that she was strong, but she didn’t feel like it right now.  No, she felt like a little girl admitting her mistake to her mother.

    This was assuming that her mother would have even recognized her.  There was every chance that her mother would have been lost in her own memories, much like her grandmother was.

    Yelana led her to a dimly-lit hut.  Iduna could barely make out the person sleeping within. Yelana shot Iduna one last, questioning glance before opening the tent flap.  Iduna nodded.

    The woman who stirred within her furs didn’t look as old as Iduna had expected.  Then again, Iduna remembered that her mother kept her age very well—something that had been passed on to her.

    Still, her mother’s hair had gone white and there were some age spots on her hands.  But there weren’t as many wrinkles as she thought.

    “Sunna?” Yelana said gently.  “We have a visitor.”

    Sunna took a deep breath and sighed.  With slow, deliberate movements, she sat up.

    “It must be important,” Sunna noted.  “Is Mattias trying to make demands again?  Or does it have to do with that commotion earlier?”

    “The Spirits have acted in a most unexpected way,” Yelana said carefully.  “We now have thirty-two more Arendellians in the forest…including their King and Queen.”

    "How is that possible?" Sunna asked. "Do you think that the Spirits are trying to tell us something?"

    Yelana shrugged.  "The Spirits act as they will.  We can only guess what their actions mean.  We've been unable to truly understand them after..."  She shook her head.  "Agnarr is now the king."

    Sunna sighed heavily.  “You know, I always thought that he was a decent boy.  I hope that he doesn’t take too much after his father.”  She paused. “But I forget myself.  We have a guest, don’t we?”

    "Their Queen," Yelana said in a carefully neutral tone.  "She's come to speak with you."

    Iduna resisted the urge to glare at her aunt. The latter had no intention of making this easy.

    Sunna frowned.  "Very well."  She managed a polite smile as she beckoned Iduna towards her.  "I am Sunna--"  She blinked.  "Forgive me for staring, but your eyes...they remind me of..."

    "Your daughter?"  Iduna ventured.  It was a bold and audacious move, but she had to take the chance.

    Sunna's eyes started to fill with tears. "Yes.  She had such beautiful blue eyes."  She paused.  "How did you know?"

    Iduna managed a shaky smile.  It was now or never.

    "Where the north wind meets the sea,     There's a mother full of memory..." Iduna prompted.

    Sunna gaped at her.  Their song had never spread out of the forest.  It had never had the chance.

    "Come, my darling, homeward bound..." she whispered, trembling. It couldn't be.  It was impossible.  It was...her.

    "When all is lost, then all is found," they chorused.

    Both mother and daughter's lips quivered as the tears flowed.  Sunna reached out tentatively.  Iduna gently grasped it and held it to her cheek, just like when she was younger.

    "Iduna..." Sunna sobbed.

    "Mama..."

--------

    "The Queen's been in there for hours," Captain Hansen reported.

    "We can wait," Agnarr said.  His tone was patient, but his knuckles twitched slightly.  "They're not going to do anything to her."

    "Somebody's coming out," Mattias noted. "It's...Yelana's sister?  But she hardly ever comes out."

    "Well, she looks pretty determined to me," Captain Hansen noted.  As if on cue, the loose group of sailors and soldiers parted before the old woman. "Wait, didn't the Queen call Yelana her aunt?  So, that would make her..."

    "The mother in law," Mattias concluded, not without some mirth.  "Well, my king, I think you're in for quite the visit."

--------

    "This is a mistake," Yelana muttered as she followed Sunna.  Iduna trailed behind them, looking worried.

    "This is my right," Sunna declared, using the staff as a support.  She walked briskly for her age, determined not to look decrepit in front of so many people.

    "Mother, please don't strain yourself," Iduna said, keeping pace with her family.

    "I'll rest up after this," Sunna promised.

    Soon, they found themselves near the campfire, with Agnarr flanked by Captain Hansen and Lieutenant Mattias.  Hansen looked curious, quite the contrast to Mattias's amusement.  Agnarr had the slightest tinge of dread in his face as he stood up and assumed the Royal Poker Face.

    "King Agnarr," Sunna greeted him formally.

    "Lady Sunna," he returned with a nod. "You're looking well."

    "If you mean `I'm glad that you're not dead,' then yes, I'm doing well," Sunna said.

    "Mother..."

    Sunna reached out and gently squeezed Iduna's hand. There was the faintest flicker of a wink that the men didn't catch.

    Releasing Iduna, Sunna stared levelly at Agnarr. There was the faintest hint of approval in her face.

    "Well, the Spirits have deemed that we are to live together," Sunna said.  "And we Northuldra trust the Spirits."

    "Perhaps the Spirits wanted there to be peace between us?" Agnarr suggested.

    "Perhaps," Sunna allowed.  "But a true peace would involve forgiving horrible acts." She shook her head.  "I cannot forgive your father for killing my husband. Thus, I cannot accept you into our tribe.  Not that my sister would agree with that, either."

    Agnarr tried not to let his disappointment show. "I...understand."

    Sunna managed a smile.  "I can, however, thank you for taking care of my little girl."

    She reached out with the hand that wasn't holding onto the staff.  After a moment, he took the proffered hand.

    "I expect to be entertained with stories of my granddaughters," she said.

    "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Iduna promised.  "We have plenty of them."

    Yelana tried not to frown.  This was a happy reunion.  So why did she feel uneasy about the whole affair?

(End of Chapter 3)

[ashitpos-t]

I’m A Fool To Want You

Chapter 2 of my Husk x Fem!Reader on my AO3 account.

CW: Murder, Suggestive Themes, and Alcohol

Your arms became covered in goosebumps as the smaller demon opened the door only to be greeted by a loud, almost deafening sound of a radio sputter that enveloped the air, causing your ears to press against the sides of your head along with a wince in your features.  Your heart skipped a beat at the frighteningly tall deer demon standing in the door way.  You instantly recognized that face, those clothes, and the cocky expression.

It was the radio demon.

---

"hell-" Charlie immediately slams the door in his face, eyes shooting to your own as you find yourself to be standing nearly frozen in place.

She opens the door again just long enough for him to finish greeting, "lo!-" before she slams it on his face again.  Charlie then calls for the moth demon, "Vaggie?" The girl you now knew as Vaggie replied, "what?" in an annoyed tone. 

"The radio demon is at the door," Charlie says with a forced smile, "What?" Vaggie exclaims worriedly, the spider demon only saying, "uh, who?"

"What should I do?" Charlie asks, pulling her cheeks down in worry, Vaggie scoffs, "Well don't let him in!"

Charlie pointedly looks at the door before opening it once again, much to your's and Vaggie's dismay, which allows the radio demon to finally finish what hes been trying to say.

"May I speak now?" he asks, "You may," Charlie puts, before being cut off by the deer demon, "Alastor!" he shoots out his arm for her to shake, "pleasure to be meeting you sweetheart! Quite a pleasure." He brushes past her form into the hotel exuberantly "excuse my sudden visit, but I saw your fiasco in the picture show! And I just couldn't resist, what a performance!" he nearly swoons just next to you, making you take a few steps back from him.

"Why I haven't been that entertained since the stock market crash of nineteen-twenty-nine!" he laughs, walking towards the lobby, "so many orphans-"

He only stops his eternal yapping when Vaggie runs up to him with a spear pointed at his neck, "Stop right there! Cabron hijo de perra, I know your game, and I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone here, you pompous, cheesy, talk-show shitlord!" He laughs at her seemingly frugal attempt at getting him out of the hotel, "Dear, if I wanted to hurt anyone here," his eyes turned to radio dials, and you could feel your blood run cold, "I would've done so already."  It seemed like all kinds of demonic shapes and auras emitted from the guy, a shiver ran down your spine at the sight of him.

He shook his head, "Now I'm here because I want to help!"  the two girls looked at him unconvinced, "say what now?" Charlie spoke up.

"Help!" he leaned into their space, "hello! is this thing on? testing, testing!" he tapped his microphone, a big eye opening from the place he tapped, "well I heard you loud and clear!"

"You want to help? with-" he interrupted her again, "with this ridiculous thing you're trying to do! This hotel! I want to help you run it." he finished, the large grin he wore cementing it's place on his features.

You scoffed at his want to "help", Charlie questioned, "uh, why?" he laughed, "why does anyone do anything? sheer, absolute, boredom! I've lacked inspiration for decades, my work became mundane, lacking focus, aimless!" he shoves Vaggie to the side, "I've come to crave a new form of entertainment!" he laughs.

"does getting into a fist fight with a reporter count as entertainment?" Charlie asks nervously, Alastor merely laughs at this, "It's the purest kind my dear, reality! true passion! After all, the world is a stage, and the stage is a world of entertainment." he says, smiling into the sentence while his voice slightly cleared of static, the whole display making your heart skip a beat.

Charlie looked to Alastor hopefully, "So, does this mean you think it's, possible to rehabilitate a demon?" he laughs at her display, "of course not! that's wacky nonsense. Redemption- Oh! the nonexistent humanity, nononono, I don't think there's anything left that can save such loathsome sinners!" You, Angel and Vaggie grimaced at his jab to the three of you, "The chance given was the life they lived before, the punishment is this!" he gestured widely to the hotel, "There is no undoing what is done."

"So," Charlie interjected, "Then why do you want to help me if you don't believe in my cause?" He cracked a devilish smile, "Consider it an investment in ongoing entertainment for myself! I want to watch the scum of the world struggle to climb up the hill of betterment, only to repeatedly trip and tumble down to the fiery pit of failure." Charlie took the radio-host's claw off of her shoulder, "Riggght," He nodded, "Yes indeedy! I see big things coming your way and who better to help you then-" his voice trailed off as you walked over to the couch to sit with Vaggie and Angel.

"So uh," Angel started to gesture to Alastor, "whats the deal with smiles over there?"

"Wait, You've never heard of him before?" the two of you both said, a look of surprise on both of your faces.

"You've been longer than me!" Vaggie commented, Angel simply shrugging towards the two of you.

"The radio demon," you started, Vaggie nodding along, "One of the most powerful beings hell has ever seen."

"eh, not big on politics," he crossed a set of his arms.

Vaggie sighed, "decades ago, Alastor manifested in hell, seemingly overnight." she gestured a bit to emphasize her point, "He had begun to topple overlords who had been dominant for centuries.  That kind of raw power had never been harnessed by a mortal soul before.  Then he broadcast his carnage all throughout hell, just so everyone could witness his ability.  Sinners started calling him, the radio demon"

You then added, "as lazy as that is,"

Vaggie nodded, "Many have speculated what unimaginable force enabled him to rival our world's most ancient and destructive evils.  But one things for sure, he's an unpredictable source of danger, a wicked spirit of mystery, and a violent monster of chaos the likes of which we can't risk getting involved with unless we want to end up erased."

"ya done?" Angel commented, beginning to laugh, "he looks like a strawberry pimp!"

You laughed a bit at his remark, "well, I don't trust him." Vaggie replied.

"to be fair," he started, looking at her with a smug face, "do you trust any man? Any men? Men?"

Vaggie looked at him tiredly before leaving the two of you on the couch to talk to Charlie.

"Charlie! listen to me.  You can't believe this creep," she side eyed him, "he isn't just a happy face! he's a deal maker, pure evil.  He can't be redeemed, and is most likely looking for a way to destroy everything we're trying to do."  you hated to eavesdrop, but you wanted to know more of everyone at the hotel respectively.

Charlie countered, "I, uh, we don't know that, look! I know he's bad and I know he probably doesn't wanna change, but the whole point of this is to give people a chance. To have faith things will be better, how can I turn someone away?  I can't.  It goes against everything I'm trying to do. Everything I believe in."  she put her hands on Vaggie's shoulders, "just, trust me, I can take care of myself."

"Charlie, whatever you do, do not make a deal with him." The two looked over at him, "Don't worry, I picked up one thing from my dad," she imitated his voice, "You don't take shit from other demons."

You tuned out most of what was being said, until Alastor perks up, "So it's a deal then?" green light starts to emanate from his hand, and the lot of you struggle to stand against the sudden winds of his power, yest Charlie cuts it off, "Nope! No shaking, no deals, I-" she nervously sighs, "as princess of hell and heir to the throne I uh- hereby order that you help with this hotel, for as long as you desire." Vaggie shifts on her toes, "Sound fair?"

Alastor pretends to think for a moment, "Fair enough!"

"cool beans," Charlie mutters, giving him two, very nervous, thumbs up.

You and Angel dust walk over to the concierge stand, both relatively fed up with whatever the hell was going on.  You lay your head on hand, sighing into your palm.

Angel looks over to you, "So I uh, never got yer name toots," you look over to him and straighten yourself out to be level with him, extending your hand, "My name's y/n," he smirked while taking your hand.

"Sure you already know me," he fluffed up his chest fur, "the name's Angel Dust." You nodded, already knowing his name.

Alastor walks up to the two of you before you can continue the conversation, "And what can you do my effeminate fellow?"

He gives him a once over before replying, "I can suck ya dick."

Alastor's smile freezes, "Ha! No."

"Yer loss," Angel finishes, enticing a laugh out of you as he grins to face you.

Alastor then looks over to you, obviously questioning everyone in the hotel, "Now I'm just hoping you don't do whatever this ruffian does?"

"I'm here for the whole redemption thing?" you slowly reply, clearly not interested in helping out.

He only sighs at you before turning around, "well this just won't do!  I suppose I can cash in a few favors to liven things up." he says with a snap.

The fire place sparks to life, only to show an array of flames and get fixed up in an instant, all before a small black being seems to nest within the fire.  He reaches down to pick it up, and when he does, a big eye opens up from the tiny form before the black ash dusts off of the little being, showing a small dress, single large eye, and a cute short hairstyle.

Alastor then introduces the small girl while dropping her to the ground, "This little darling is Niffty!"

"Hi! I'm Niffty!" She waves, "It's nice to meet you! It's been a while since I've made new friends."

She gestures to the lot of you, "Why are you all women?" She picks up Charile to look under her, "Are any men here?! Sorry, that was rude. Oh man! This place is filthy, it really needs a lady's touch which is weird because you're all ladies, no offense," She says while scattering around the hotel, lightly dusting as she talks, "Oh my gosh, this is awful!" She then proceeds to clean while saying offhanded comments whenever she finds something out of the ordinary.

"Hah! Read em and weep boys, full- ohhhhh" A taupe, winged cat demon says from the right of where you all were standing.

A seemingly bar setting complete with a pool table appears in the middle of the hotel, transforming the concierge stand into a bar table.

"The hell?  What the fuck is this?" The demon looks up and points to Alastor, "you."

"Ah! Husker, my good friend, glad you could make it!" he purrs.

"Don't you husker me, you son of a bitch, I was about to win the whole damn pot!" He gestures to a stack of money and chips that disappears due to Alastor's power.

"Good to see you too!" Alastor smirks

The cat slaps his clawed hand to his face, "what the hell do you want from me this time?" He asks, sitting at the pool table.

"My friend, I am doing some charity work, so I took it upon myself to volunteer your services," he waves his hand, "I hope that's okay."

"Are you shittin me?" Husk growls.

"Hm," Alastor begins with a smug grin, "No, I don't think so!"

Husk gets Alastor off of him, while flaring his wings out, "You thought it would be some kind of big fuckin' riot just to pull me outta nowhere?" You flinched a bit at his yelling, "You think I'm some kinda fuckin' clown?"

He hesitates for a moment, "maybe." a large grin become evident on his face.

"I ain't doin no fuckin' charity job," Husk growls just before the demon appears next to him, holding him flush against his own body, you felt bad for the cat.

Alastor spoke up, "well I figured you'd be the perfect face to man the front desk of this fine establishment!" he motioned towards the bar, a small welcome sign above it.

"With your charming smile and welcoming energy, this job was made for you!" he forced husk's face into a smile before swiftly turning around to head to the bar.

"Don't worry my friend, I can make this more welcoming, if you wish." he spoke, his voice getting abruptly clear at the end of his sentence while his arm swiped to reveal a bottle of "cheap booze".

"What? You think you can buy me with a wink and some cheap booze?" Husk said in an accusatory manor, mocking his gestures, "Well ya can!" he finished, grabbing the bottle and gulping down it's contents.

"Hey! Hey, Hey Hey Hey, no bar! No alcohol! This is supposed to be a place that discourages sin! Not some kind of brothel, man cave!-" Vaggie gets tackled to the ground by Angel, "Shut up! Shut. Up! We are keeping this." he aggravates, pointing towards the bar.

He quickly gets up and snuggles up to Husk, "hey~" he coos.

"Go fuck yerself," Husk replies, grimacing.

"Only if you watch me~" he holds Husk's face in his hand, startling the cat and causing his wings to spread.

Charlie runs up to him, arm outstretched for him to shake, "Oh my gosh! Welcome to the happy hotel! You are going to love it here!"

He only grabs his liquor, gulping it down, after saying "I lost the ability to love years ago."

You decided to not introduce yourself after that last remark, instead only waving at him lightly to which he responded to with a shrug.

"So," Alastor walks up to Charlie, hitting you with his shoulder, "what do you think?"

"This is amazing!" she replies, rubbing her cheeks as a grin paints over her features.

Vaggie chimes in, "It's, okay."

Alastor grabs the two ladies into a lean, "This is going to be very entertaining!"

The moth demon sweeps out from under his hold, which he merely laughs at before shoving her to the side while bursting into song.

His clothes transform into something of a more formal piece of attire, "You have a dream, you wish to tell," he spins charlie, transforming her hair and clothes into a dress and up-do.

He leans down to Vaggie, "and it's just laughable, but hey kid! what the hell!" and throws Charlie into the air, a chorus of instruments behind his voice.

"Cause you're one of a kind! A charming demon belle!" he grabs her hand, gliding down the stairs with her.

"Now lets give these burning fools a place to dwell," he snaps, transforming everyone's clothes into that of fitting attire for his time, giving Vaggie a full length dress, Angel a proper suit and tie, Niffty a sweet dress and bowler hat, Husk a pair of suspenders, and you, a sequenced dress with your hair in an up-do.

"Take it boys!" he snaps again, a few demons emerging from the floor and bursting into a band of instruments, while Vaggie attempts to get Charlie's attention, only for Alastor to pull her, and everyone else excluding Charlie into a strange hug of his minions.

"Inside of every demon, is a lost cause," he sings, placing hats onto Husk's and Angel's head, the former flipping him off, and the latter sending him finger guns.

"but we'll dress em up for now, with just a smile!" He says while summoning a hat and fox-scarf onto Vaggie before slapping her ass, Angering her as his minions echo him.

"Oh we'll ornate this cesspool with some old redemption flair, and show these simpletons some proper class and style!"

He dances to the fire place, summoning more minions to sing with him.

"Here below the ground! I'm sure your plan is sound!" He spins Charlie, and proceeds to pinch her cheeks.

"They'll spend a little time, down at this hazbin ho-" Alastor sings, getting interrupted by the door flying past both him and most of the residents, only to land straight onto Niffty.

All of your new clothes disappear as you look through the huge gap in the wall, to see a large zeppelin just outside of the hotel.  You all walk out to inspect it further, just in time to see a snake demon pop out of the window hatch, "Ha! Well, well, well, look who it is harboring the striped freak!" he hisses with each "S" he pronounces, "We meet yet again, Alastor."

You crack a small grin to see the over-exaggerated expressions of the snake, "Do I, know you?" Alastor questions, tilting his head to side.

"Oh yes you do!" he slithers to the side into his seat, "and this time I have the element of, surprise!"

He pulls on a lever and triggers a large cannon to release from the bottom of the air ship, pointed directly at the lot of you.

He laughs, "I'm so evil!"

Alastor snaps his fingers, opening up a portal just below the zeppelin that releases an onslaught of tentacles to destroy the ship.  He clutches his hand and focuses his will onto the ship, blowing into smithereens in an awesome display of his power. He wears a devilish grin that envelops most of his face, showing off his sickly black gums and a strange x mark between his eyes.  The rest of the residents stare at him in disbelief including you, an awful sense of fear, and dread boiling into the pits of your stomach, every single hair on you body standing on end in pure shock.

Alastor immediately snaps out of his hair raising grin, turning around to meet all of your eyes, "Well I'm starved! Who wants some jambalaya, my mother once showed me a wonderful recipe for jambalaya, in fact, it nearly killed her!" he laughs, everyone following behind him as he heads into the hotel, you trailing behind with your arms crossed, "You could say the kick was right out of hell! Oh, I'm on a roll!"

You grimace at all of the carnage the snake demon caused, your fingers messing with the seems of your shirt as feeling of tiredness from all of the stress for the day washes over you.  

You drag yourself into the hotel after everyone and close the door behind you, seeing Charlie, Vaggie, and Alastor talking while Angel and Husk are at the bar, the latter trying to shoo the spider demon away.  You fiddle with your hands as you silently walk up to Charlie, tapping her should as you whisper, "Do you mind giving me a room key?  I'm sorry I'm just awfully tired and I-" she cuts you off, "oh of course of course!  You should've asked sooner."

She mumbles a shorthanded goodbye to the other demons and leads you to a small stand holding hundreds of keys of all shapes and sizes, she grabs a key in a strangely cute shape with a small engraving of the room number on the back of it.  She smiles up at you as she puts the delicate key into your palms, "I really hope you like it here.  Sleep well."  You nod along, muttering a quiet thank you under your breath as the smallest of smiles graces your lips.

She pats your hands that have closed around the key and trots off to continue talking with Vaggie and Alastor.  You smile down at her as she walks and proceed to refocus your attention to the key and its room number.  It read 546, and with little confusion you found the elevator that listed which floors held which rooms, and if you were correct, you'd be heading to the 6th floor.  

You nervously stepped into the elevator, noticing how it looked worn down and used judging by the grease on the many, many buttons and small chips in the wallpaper of the small space.  Your fingers hovered over the buttons before firmly planting onto the fifth button.  You started raising up into the confines of the hotel with a small jolt and flicker of the lights, making you swallow with a keen sense of uncertainty.

Thankfully the elevator didn't stop with any delay and got you to your floor safely.  You stepped out into a dimly lit hallway of the hotel, the elevator doors quickly snapping shut at your leave, nearly nipping the ends of your tail.  You jumped at this before turning around to see which way you should go to find your room.  You looked to your left to see the lesser numbers and to your right to see the higher numbers, remembering your lower number you started on the left, and with a rise in your heart saw your room come into view only 4 doors down.

The old, rickety nature of the hotel's red carpeted hallways and drab decorations left you eager to enter your room, and with little persuasion, you got your key into the key hole, quickly turning it to enter, only to be met with a splendid display of pinks, creams, and golds showering the confines of your room.  You gasp lightly as you trace the freshly painted walls with your nails, taking in the exquisite nature of the carefully carved wood of your bed's frame, poles on each corner curling elegantly to the ceiling, dusts of gold flecked onto the carvings which depicted scenes of battles and victories between demons.  You smiled softly at the room, Charlie must have given you a suite, it was simply too beautiful to be anything but.

You sighed as you entered the bathroom, soft pink tiling lined the floor, and a regal looking sink left you wondering if you were even allowed to use such nice things.  You looked down at the sinks edge to see a complimentary toothbrush, toothpaste, and just about everything else.  You gladly looked up into the mirror, only to be a little displeased at how disheveled you looked.  Grabbing a complimentary cotton pad, you wiped away your foundation and eye shadow to reveal your many freckles lining your tanned skin.  You turned the skin only to splash water onto your face, quickly scrubbing away all the makeup and grime that had been caked onto your face.

You looked back up into the mirror and smiled, showing off your large, bear like canines and then fiddled with your short, wavy bob, making sure to keep special care of your bear ears on either side of your head.  Your small, black nose twitched at the water you just splashed onto your face, and you grabbed the toothbrush and paste to clean your sharp teeth.

Satisfied with your "self care" you flopped onto the bed, taking special note on how unbelievably comfortable it was.  Was this hell?  Cause it sure felt like heaven.

You felt a twinge of discomfort when you remembered you didn't exactly have pajamas to sleep in.  You sighed into a few curses and grumbles as you snaked off your dress and heels you'd been wearing.  You'd have to sleep in just you underwear that night, not liked it particularly bother at all, though.  

With a sigh, you flopped back into your new bed and quickly reached over to your bedside table to turn your lamp off, sending the room into an almost warm, pitch black.

Grabbing the pillow and fluffing it lightly, you laid your head onto it, letting a breath out that you were holding back, falling into a deep sleep within minutes

---

You woke up with a groan, the harsh, red beam of hell's sun shining into your room, and directly into your oh-so-tired eyes.

You smacked your lips, sighing with the displeasure of a complete lack of any water in your room, excluding the sinks, of course.  You lazily stood, and reluctantly pulled on your old dress, making sure to adjust your breasts into the cups while looking into your new vanity, carefully placing your hair back into place.

You smiled lightly at your appearance, satisfied with your look as you slipped your black heels back onto your feet.  Grabbing your phone and slipping it into a secret pocket of your dress, you left your room, easily slipping into the elevator you became lightly accustomed to, and headed for the lobby.  

You walked out of the elevator, slightly speed walking to the door when Charlie rushed to you, a grin plastered onto her face.

"Hi! Good morning! How was your first night?" You smiled at her, "It was wonderful Charlie, I swear you gave me a suite, I slept so good."

She grinned at you, slightly nodding along with your words, "I'm so glad you liked it!" She held your hand in hers for a moment, giving it a soft pat before asking you a question, "Oh! and where exactly are you going? It's only seven."

You laughed a bit at the time, you didn't even realize you woke up so early it must have been from going to bed early as well.

"I thought I'd get a head start by going to grab my things at my old apartment," you explained, gaining an understanding nod from her.

"Oh alright, don't be too long now!" you smiled as a response as you walked out of the hotel, taking a deep breath of fresh air, only to quickly climb into a cab you called down.

---

"Last bag," you guffawed, thanking your gab driver with a handsome tip as he helped you with your final bag of possessions.  It had taken nearly half the day, but you managed to pack up your entire apartment, that was fairly sparse to begin with, and everything else that you threw out.  

You walk into the hotel with quite a few bags only to be greeted by Charlie.

"Oh, y/n! let me help you with that!"

"Charlie! You couldn't possibly, I-"

Alastor swiftly interrupted the exchange with a snap, sending all of your bags to your room, only managing to give him a nervous smile as thanks.

He laughed at your small expression, while Charlie quietly thanked him, quickly turning her attention back to you.

She began to ramble on about her day, and asking you genuine questions about how you were, and  you would have listened, you really would have, but while Alastor had been helping you, you noticed Husk, out of all the demons, working the bar.  A tangible feeling of sadness emanated from his gruff being, and you wanted nothing more in that moment to just, talk to him. You only wanted to-

"y/n?"

Charlie snapped you out of your thoughts.

"Oh! Charlie," you laughed, a bit embarrassed, "sorry, I was just uh," you glanced at the cat demon, "a little distracted. But please, do go on."

She smiled a bit nervously at you, but escorted you to your room nonetheless, finally giving you the chance to hear her without your little distraction.

"Well, It's been a pleasure talking to you." you smiled.

"It sure has! See you for dinner?" she bounced on her toes

"Oh, I'm afraid not, I'll be going to a show tonight."

Her smile faltered slightly, "That's fine, I hope you have fun."

She skipped away to the elevator, swiftly walking in and leaving you in your door way.

"I sure hope I do."

[lunamanar]

Off-the-Cuff First-impressions Review: Trials of Mana

I got Seiken Densetsu 3/Trials of Mana in the mail today and am surprised by just how excited I am about it. After the admittedly predictable letdowns of the Secret of Mana “remake” and the FFVIII “remaster,” not to mention the iOS revision of the former, you’d think I’d be jaded at this point. 

But! FFVII remake is Actually Good, and so far it looks like Trials of Mana is, while certainly lower budget, also Actually Good. The voice acting is kinda meh, but not bad enough to detract from the game in my opinion, and considering they are working with SNES-era scripts (the dialogue is 99% word-for-word the same as the more recent translation of the original SD3 game, so it’s going to be a bit stilted anyway) it’s really not bad at all. 

Besides, the actual meat of the game--the world, character and monster design, and the gameplay--is extremely solid and I have had very little trouble acclimating to it. It’s fun to play, it feels good to run around and explore the world and the battles are both very simplistic in a way that is familiar to an old fart like me and very satisfying in the way they function. One of the biggest weaknesses the original game had was absolutely horrendous input lag in some areas due to 1. the sheer size of the loaded map section, such as Rolante/Laurant, 2. The number of on-screen instructions the SNES had to process during battles, particularly during fights where you had massive sprites taking up the entire screen (the awful awful wall-guardian “Genova” [harhar] is probably the single hardest boss in the game purely due to input lag/drops; when you attack an enemy, even assuming your weapon swings when you tell it to, and that’s a big ‘if,’ the monster you are attacking is actually in a state which is several frames ahead of whatever state it visually appears to be in on-screen, making it extremely difficult to time your attacks properly to both defend and do optimal damage to what should have been a relatively minor “miniboss” fight). Trials of Mana, on the other hand, has none of those problems, simply thanks to more modern technology. So far every fight I’ve engaged in has been smooth and responsive as well as very visually appealing.

And wow is this game pretty. It’s not the most amazing example of the best graphical advances in gaming history, to be sure, but I genuinely don’t think that matters, as it’s still beautifully detailed and really does look like they took the original graphics and magicked them into more modern models. The re-imaginings of each area and monster are very faithful to both the aesthetic and the layout of the original design while at the same creatively expanding on them; I've had no trouble finding my way around familiar maps or identifying the bestiary, but I have found a lot of added depth to them, such as the ability to jump down on rooftops and find hidden nooks that were just static backdrops or otherwise out of sight in the original. The areas are more layered and interactive, but very importantly, nothing is missing. Not even the dogs and cats, who still bark and meow at you if you talk to them. I feel like I’m being allowed to see and explore the original maps from angles I didn’t have access to in the past. It really makes the 16-year-old in me unbelievably happy, to be able to finally, actually see and do these things I could only wish for back then. For people who have never played it, it’s probably a very pretty, if otherwise unremarkable experience, but for me it’s the granting of a wish I’ve had for a long time, but never expected to happen. 

Similarly, I think a lot of people will look at the plot for this game and go, “...what?” Because it really doesn’t seem to have been changed at all from the SNES version, aside from a few little tweaks to the dialogue here and there to ease the transition between some sections or correct for differences in game mechanics (of which there are only a few; again, this is definitely a remake--it remains the same game with the same mechanics at its core). This can lead to some pretty awkward interactions between characters, and at times it seems pretty clear that the voice actors weren’t given a lot of direction about the context of their lines. It’s not a bad story, but it’s a very simply told one, and feels more like it’s targeting 12~16 year-olds (which it probably is, to be fair) who might not care so much about nitpicking the semantics of the plot and character motivations. Which is to say, most of the characters who are not main protagonists or villains are painfully cardboard-flat. They do what they do and say what they say because it advances the plot for them to do and say those things. Elliot falls for a “trick” that I’m pretty sure most 4-year-olds would see through. The Bad Guys are 1-dimensionally evil, wanting to either destroy or take over the world, with the possible exception of Lugar and Koren who have slightly more complicated “I’m your rival” reasons. That leaves the complexity up to the protagonists to shoulder, and while I haven’t played that far into the game yet, thus far is is beat-for-beat and shot-for-shot the same as the original, so I expect that character-building will be left largely up to the player to mentally write in, especially since the game features light/dark class-changes as a feature of its progression. (I do kiiiind of hope that your choice in class changes has a more material effect on the ending’s outcome, but I think that might be asking a bit too much from a remake of this sort.) But the somewhat archaic plot and character arcs are not surprising and for me don’t take away any of the game’s charm. Nikita is still the best, the shop owners still dance inexplicably, the fact you can play a werewolf is badass, rabites are still cute, Don Perignon is still kind of a jerk. I’m very nervous/excited to get Busukaboo and Flammie and hope they’ll be as much fun now as they were then. And the whole world is so damn pretty, I’m just glad to be there. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the music. I’m not sure how much of a hand Hiroki Kikuta actually had in this remake, but the synth-orchestral arrangements of his originals are excellent so far. They’re both accessible/adaptable to the game’s sudden scene transitions (”Nuclear Fusion” starts and ends just as cleanly) while being a richer version of the themes, keeping close to the original sound while making better use of all the instruments that the SNES just wasn’t capable of emulating well. It blends very well with the rest of the game and I hope that continues to be true. 

I do have nitpicks; while I know it’s a popular mechanic, I don’t like the “shift-lock” sort of dash using the left analog stick as both directional and a button. I think the camera controls are solid, but I do wish there wan a toggle-option to have the camera just follow over your shoulder wherever you run until you either run into a battle or turn it off. The character models don’t seem especially affected by anything except the most intense/pervasive lighting and sometimes feel oddly out of place, like I’m watching one of those old movies where an animated character comes into the Real World. Some of the monster designs seem cute-ified more than I’d like. And I can’t help but think that if the game can be this nice as a third-tier title for SE, what could it have been if they’d but the resources behind it that they obviously did with FF7? I understand why they didn’t, but it’s hard not to wonder what it could have been if they had.  Seiken Densetsu is one of the most fraught series in the history of home video games and the fact that it’s even still around is something of a miracle, in my opinion. After the last...four?...titles following Legend of Mana, and the disappointment that was SD2′s (second!) remake, I really didn’t go into Trials of Mana with high hopes. I have been really, honestly pleasantly surprised. Even if you’re a diehard old-schooler who really doesn’t like modern JRPGs, if you have any nostalgia left for this series, you should give this one a go. I think it translated really well to 3D models, and what little it loses in the switch, it makes up for in playability. It’s not hard to pick up, it’s easy on the eyes and ears, it’s less grind-y than the original, and it doesn’t try to be more than what it is. I’ll probably always prefer the original, of course; there are too many memories attached to it for me, too many things that were groundbreaking at the time that are now old news or completely obsolete nowadays, and the new game certainly doesn’t push any modern boundaries. But it’s worth checking out, and especially if you’ve spent 20 years feeling let down by the Mana series, this might actually be the game you were hoping for, albeit maybe a decade late. 

[bread-tab]

so i think when this little exchange in rotj happened:

luke: your overconfidence is your weakness

palps: your faith in your friends is yours

like? that revealed a LOT. about luke, the sith, and especially palpatine.

first of all, palps didn’t say “lol, wrong.” he didn’t even say, “no, you,” which is near the front of the villain playbook and pretty reasonable in this situation. he basically said, “yeah, but YOU—” which, uh, did that hit a nerve palpy?

and then there’s the content of what he said: luke’s friends aren’t trustworthy. he also spends the whole conversation saying “fRiEnDs” in this dripping-with-disdain tone. like, it’s condescending, standard Invincible Evil Sorcerer material right? but it also shows a little bit of palpapickle’s background...how did he *get* that idea, that friends are untrustworthy and gross? that the concept of friends is laughably, annoyingly naive?

because iirc at this point in the conversation palpers was getting high-key irritated at luke. which as we later learn means he was halfway to frying him, which is very yikes but also only something he does when stressed? i think luke was making him nervous.

logically, the rebels aren’t going to win this. they’re super outnumbered and the imperial forces are theoretically better trained, better equipped, have better tactics, basically all the advantages. why would palpalingadingdong be nervous about the outcome? well, look at it like this: he’s stuck in a room with two skywalkers.

palpistachio doesn’t like jedi. he thinks they’re icky. he’s better at the force than them, in his opinion. they’re just dumbasses. but every time the skywalkers come along, the most random crap happens and screws up his plans. a ten-year-old blowing up a space station. like, alright, i can deal with that, i’ll creepily groom him to become my apprentice and that mary sue force power’s mine. oh, now he’s like nineteen and being a regular jedi dumbass except uh...he has a wife? fine, whatever, that’s gross but useful for manipulation. just chuck him in the front of the war, he’s sensitive about that stuff—yep, got him! oh now he’s depressed and only has 0.5 limbs, that’s so boring.

what do you mean he has a secret kid and that kid blew up my freaking superweapon that took like 30 years to make? okay. okay, second try at apprentice, this time with more limbs and less depression. vader go get the kid. vader why can’t you catch your own goldarned kid, what kind of a father are you? oh, you carbon-froze his fRiEnD? that’s great, i don’t care, sell it to the hutts or something. alright vader, lure him onto my new death star, leave the mind stuff to me because you suck at it. oh wow, you actually caught him, how the f—oh, he’s trying to turn you to the light, sure, all according to my design. you better not get any funny ideas. what is this, a mon calamari bubble opera?

so palpateenybopper is just  d o n e  with skywalkers at this point and a hair away from frying them both to a crisp because they’re agents of chaos and entropy who gunk up the works of his nice new galactic order. why is he so threatened by them? well, palpating is a nerd. anakin and luke are jocks. palpinterest’s main talent isn’t silly laser-sword-waving. it’s thinking ahead, with a little help from the force. when there’s a lightsaber duel, sure, he can turn into an angery fidget spinner of death or try to squash a gnome with a floaty government space couch booth thing, but he doesn’t like to. someone like windu comes along who’s actually talented at that stuff, and he finds himself smashing his nice picture window and lightninging his own face (like, try to tell me that was on purpose). probably there’s a reason he never got into a direct fight with anakin and it’s not ‘oh i didn’t want to have to find another apprentice what a bother’ because the dude went through apprentices like they were pringles. something to do with how an anakin with the right motivation could, hypothetically, hoist him like a sack of electrified potatoes and yeet him down a convenient reactor shaft.

so these two jedi that don’t follow the jedi rules are annoying. you’d think they’d be good sith material, like dooku was, but nooo, they’re all about love and peace and all that hippy-dippy crap. self-loathing worked pretty well on vader but the dude’s always pulling crazy stunts and getting into the most dramatic confrontations possible and pulling secret relatives out of every dump in the galaxy. and the kid is just as bad. palpantaloons can sense it and he’s getting the worst headache of his life just imagining another three decades of this.

on top of that, the kid has the nerve to call him “overconfident.” in your dreams, you little dork, i’m the ruler of the galaxy and we’re literally sitting in the biggest superweapon that ever existed, and it’s *my* finger on the big red button. but then the force is very quietly like, ‘he’s right, you know.’ and palparanoia has a very bad feeling about this all of a sudden. maybe the stupid jedi kid knows something palpepperoni doesn’t. why else would he be so darned sure of himself?

oh wait, but would require the kid’s fRiEnDs to be actually competent. psh. this kid isn’t a threat to palporpoise; he doesn’t even have minions, he’s relying on people who don’t even fear him: obviously the other rebels are just using the kid for his abilities because they have a whole braincell somewhere among them. and then they sent him right into palparasite’s waiting arms, the fools. who’s overconfident now?

maybe i’m reading too much into this line, but i think it gives ol’ palpatriarchy some extra depth.

[ladyhallen]

Prompt: “Marry me?”

Tsuna to Kyouya: “Marry me?”

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.

If Kyouya were a lesser man, the expression on his face would be described as flabbergasted. But Kyouya was not a lesser man. He glared instead.

"Herbivore, start making sense," he snapped.

Tsunayoshi, the bane of his existence ever since the Herbivore noticed his weakness for cute and fluffy things, blinked his large doe eyes and snuffled.

“Marry me,” Tsunayoshi repeated. “Please?”

Not even a blink. He was secretly impressed by the Herbivores nerves.

“Nevermind that we are not of age yet,” he said dismissively. “Why?”

Tsuna's eyes gleamed with unshed tears. It stuck on his eyelashes like diamonds. Kyouya's breath caught in his throat.

“Please?” he asked with a wobbly voice.

Damn.

.

.

Tsuna absolutely did not want to be a man.

Ever since his father’s last visit, it’s the only thing he can think about.

If being a man meant being an unreliable person like his dad, he most certainly did not want to be a man. Women were nicer. They wore nice dresses, cooked amazing food and people wanted to protect them.

When he explained this to Hana and Kyoko, they both giggled but didn’t disagree, which meant he was right. Technically, he was only half right. Hana told him that women weren’t that protected. If you wanted to have a constant protector, you’d have a husband.

A husband, Kyoko explained, had to be strong. It wasn’t really Tsuna’s Mama’s fault that she chose an unreliable husband. So Tsuna had to choose someone better than his father.

This sort of logic leads him to try finding one, but all men he would meet as he grew up weren’t strong.

Then, he met Kyouya in Middle School.

 (“Tsuna, NO”, Hana hissed under her breath

“Tsuna, YES,” Kyoko laughed.)

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.

Kyouya had relatives. He had a lot of relatives. If the world really knew how many Hibari's there were in the world, they would be a lot more nervous. A lot of those Hibari's dabbled in both sides of the law.

That’s why it’s very easy to get married illegally. A single phone call to one uncle, another to a distant cousin and the paperwork is faxed to them within the day.

Meanwhile, Kyouya’s Mother found out and there is a wedding.

There’s even no mention at all of the courting period. Nobody mentions that at all. Just going, “Aww, what a lovely couple.”

This was why Kyouya has lost faith in humanity. UGH.

Still, it’s not a hardship to marry the Little Animal.

Marriage meant someone cooking for him, and cleaning the house and taking care of the garden so he didn’t have to ask Kusakabe to do it.

 (“Kyouya, do you really think that’s all I do?” his mother asked with a smile full of teeth.

His father, tellingly, does not answer.)

.

.

Weirdly enough, there were no overt signs to point out that both of them were married.

Kyouya found that wearing rings impeded with his ability to punch people if he lost his tonfas. Tsuna was too clumsy and was smart enough to realize that if he did wear his ring for longer than an hour, he would likely lose it somewhere.

Still, there were perks to being married.

Nobody could bully Tsuna anymore. There were always eyes watching him now. Always. Anyone else would have filed for a divorce already and moved to another country (which wouldn’t have done them any good, there were Hibari’s everywhere), but Tsuna just nodded and smiled.

And Kyouya had someone soft to cuddle to. He could grab Tsuna anytime during lunch breaks and have somebody warm to sleep with who didn’t make any noise. Tsuna was a very soothing presence.

Though neither of them really noticed it, Kyouya had an overwhelming amount of Cloud Flames. He used it to unconsciously propagate his strength, but the Cloud Flames felt the smothered Sky Flames and worked away at it with every opportunity.

With every cuddle, Tsuna woke up better and more refreshed.

That’s why, when Reborn finally arrived in Namimori, Tsuna’s eyes gleamed Amber.

.

.

“The seal is gone,” came the report.

“…what?”

“It’s gone,” was repeated. “It’s like it was never there in the first place.”

“How can that be? And how has he not been found if that’s the case? He was leaking all over the place when I arrived!”

“…I’ll investigate.”

.

.

Kyouya took one look at the baby on the doorstep, narrowed his eyes and said, “No.”

He closed the door. He did not worry, the guards always took care of unwanted guests.

Because you see, long time ago, the Hibari’s had an uncle.

That’s it. The Hibari’s still do have an uncle. Except, he doesn’t come anymore to family reunions and the glimpses they do catch of him mark him as diminished. Cursed.

The Hibari’s had an uncle who turned his back on them. On Family.

Any of their cursed ilk was not welcome.

.

.

Reborn approached Tsuna in the street, because anywhere else was too well-guarded.

Then he told him, “You’re going to be a mafia boss,”

Tsuna, having grown up with only Kyoko and Hana as friends, smiled. “A mafia wife!” he said with a smile. “How lovely. My husband will be very pleased.”

Actually no, Kyouya will not.

Reborn doesn’t splutter, because he’s too dignified for that, but, “I said a boss. Are you deaf as well as stupid, Dame-Tsuna?”

There’s a gleam of Amber, a satisfied smirk, before Tsuna started crying. Within seconds, Hibari guards descend on Reborn.

.

.

Reborn has to call back-up.

He called Fon.

That was a mistake.

.

.

“You didn’t tell me you had family,” Reborn said accusingly.

Fon shrugged, patting the smoldering remains of his shirt. “They’re…complicated. You simply don’t leave the Hibari. They’re everywhere. You can’t avoid them. But they love strength. My form is much changed. They would have hunted down the Man in the Iron Hat and burned down the world. My family is a bit excessive when they don’t care of the collateral damage.”

Reborn blinked. And he thought he had a complicated family.

“Have they forgiven you, do you think? I really don’t like to break contract and Tsunayoshi is living with them,” Reborn muttered.

Fon stumbled. “What?” he asked. People don’t just live with the Hibari.

“Tsunayoshi?” Reborn clarified. “Sawada’s son. I’m supposed to teach him to become a mafia boss.”

Fon sat down in a hurry. “Reborn,” he said urgently. “Tsunayoshi? Yay high, fluffy hair, big smile? Reborn, he’s married to my many-times grand nephew. On record, he’s officially Hibari Tsuna.”

The implications finally hit Reborn.

“..He said he would be a mafia wife,” he muttered. “He’d…put his husband in power?”

Fon wanted to crawl away and die, but that would be beneath his dignity. He just smiled vacantly, imagining his cute little Kyouya with all the feral strength that marked Hibari’s and backed by the monstrous reach of the Vongola and the Hibari Clan. His eyes glazed over.

“I’m going to take a vacation,” Fon said faintly. “I’m fairly certain I’ll be fine in the Sahara.”

.

.

“My Tsuna-fishie is married??” Iemitsu wailed.

Nonno blinked. “Oh. Is the girl a suitable wife.”

Reborn twitched. He had gone to Italy himself to deliver the news, mostly because there were some news people should hear in person. Honestly though, he just wanted to watch the chaos happen.

“You misunderstand me,” Reborn said. “Tsunayoshi married into the Hibari Clan. He did not marry a girl. In fact, from my surveillance, I’m pretty sure he’s the girl in this equation.”

Iemitsu’s wailing reached a crescendo. Reborn’s eyelid throbbed. A beat, then he finally draws his gun.

Nonno’s mouth hung open in shock. Ganauche behind him choked on hysterical laughter, offset by a background of gunshots.

.

.

In the Hibari house, Tsuna snuggled into his affectionate husband.

“Is it really alright not to welcome your Uncle home?” he asked. “It’s the first time he’s been seen in years, right?”

Kyouya pouted. He did not want to talk about other men in his bed.

“He’s not yet apologized,” Kyouya sulked. “Or groveled enough. Mother worried.”

Tsuna conceded the point. “It was nice of Reborn to drag your uncle here though. And to give you guys exercise!”

Between the two Arcobaleno and the Hibari, it had indeed been an exercise. An exercise in restraint. If they hadn’t, more than an acre of forest would have been destroyed.

Kyouya huffed and cuddled his Tsuna into submission.

It was a cute domestic scene. Both of them were utterly oblivious to the chaos happening outside their house.

.

.

I...I’ve run out of ideas. It was supposed to be a simple prompt fill!