#and my hand isn't in as much pain as expected

[tiredetective]

Conjunction Wright & Left!

Miles Edgeworth, after five months abroad dealing with secrets, tragedies, and many kinds of new justice systems under his belt, settles down back in Japanifornia in time for fall. The cold air that follows himself, the newly employed private investigator Kay and recently promoted Sergeant Gumshoe leads them all back together to be wrapped up in another conspiracy of a smuggling ring surrounding stolen evidence, full of betrayal and corruption! But everything feels strange. Our newly promoted Gumshoe seems antsy about anything, new witnesses of wild proportions throwing out accusations and lies, and a new mysterious man seems to be everywhere and nowhere. Kay and Miles find out more than they ever bargained for, especially about the new revelations of a long time dear friend of Edgeworth.

Fic based between AA3 -- AA4 of my own making!

This story is a case fic with....

canon-typical violence, Narumitsu + Trucy + Kay, dadworth, Gumshoe Lore, Phoenix Lore, fluff, angst, arguing, injuries, found family shenanigans, and original characters as well!

Here's the whole of chapter one before my edits and I publish it on AO3!

word count 13.6k (someone please tell me this isn't a lot for a FIRST chapter uegh)

edgeworth pov

Chapter 1 → What is your name?

Edgeworth would care to just have one week where he isn’t pulled from his prosecutorial duties or studies to do some ridiculous case. Even if cases lasted a day or two, to be distracted with nonsense like this is unproductive. He has had a few weeks where he wasn’t immediately given some absurd news about an attempted presidential assassination or having to use his own new knowledge to solve convoluted mysteries or some other complicated matter. Thankfully. He certainly needed those weeks to recuperate from traveling and settle back in Japanifornia. But he knew this week would certainly be the end of carefreeness, when he stumbled upon a body laying on the street. No rest for the wicked as they say.

September 21th, 2019

Edgeworth’s Office Room 1202, Prosecutor’s Office 

There, Edgeworth was sitting at his desk before misfortune struck. Pen in hand and a cup of tea in another, it was rather calm today and the prosecutor was rather relieved of that. Himself just working away on papers before he’d call it a day at four in the afternoon or finish a good stack before the day ended. He was certain he could do more, even with the many stacks of papers of towering heights waiting for him. With that much, you’d think he was the chief prosecutor, instead of a current sabbatical attorney. But he was trying to pace himself, understanding the notion that work couldn’t be akin to a sprint, but rather a marathon. It was the only way he wouldn't overwork himself for the millionth time. He did promise several people about taking his time with less urgent matters. 

Edgeworth would think that’d be silly (and he does still think so), but then he winced a little. He grumbled, setting down his cup to grasp his hand holding the fountain pen. He gently rubbed against his wrist and felt a sharp pain strike his whole entire arm. Sucking a breath in, the pen drops to the table and Edgeworth leans back in his chair. He could only think, ‘Not again.’ This would be the third time his hand was strained from all the writing he’s done for the last four hours. He sighed. He’s only twenty seven! How could he be straining his body already? Aren’t I a perfectly healthy man?! These setbacks shouldn’t be happening!

Then, he scowled. This is actually expected, very much in denial and very aware of said denial. Doesn’t make it any less frustrating. He has been studying and taking rigorous notes overseas. But after around two years of studying abroad and prosecuting with very little breaks, it has finally started taking a toll on him. So he conceded to everyone’s concerns. Less rigorous writing and more patience around the setbacks he may come across. Sure, it was a little annoying, but Edgeworth knew they meant well. Especially coming from one Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey. 

When he started doing his weekly video calls with Wright and Ms. Fey on occasion, they had immediately noticed him straining his wrist and called him out of it. Edgeworth could recall it being like…

“Edgeworth, what’s up with your hand?” Wright was taking a bite from his sandwich as he looked through the prosecutor’s eyes from the screen.

“What do you mean, Wright?” The prosecutor paused his writing and raised his eyebrow. He wasn’t doing anything remarkable, just scribbling notes in a book.

Wright looked at Edgeworth with a shrug. “I mean I don’t think anyone holds their wrist or arm straight like that when they write. Unless you happen to act like those electronic hands with those stiff movements, further proving that I can rightfully say that you’re a robot?”

“EDGEWORTH’S A ROBOT?” A very loud Maya Fey scream echoed from the speaker of his laptop, though she was nowhere to be found on the screen.

“URK–” The prosecutor felt his ears heat up. It had been ten minutes since the video call had started and Wright was getting another jab at him with that robot nonsense with Ms. Fey joined in on his carnage. “Absolutely not, you cannot say that!” He scoffed, and shook his head in annoyance. He saw that man’s mouth curl up in response, forcing Miles to quickly dart his gaze away. Wright couldn’t  see any blushing exuding from the prosecutor’s face, though he had no idea if he already failed miserably. 

“Well, you’re not really proving your point well with your polished angry cat speech either, Edgeworth~” Wright sounded so smug already, damn him. 

The prosecutor sneered as he leaned against the table and crossed his arms. “So if I’m a robot, what makes you? A hedgehog? One of those anti-bird spikes? Icicles attached to a human body? I was unaware Sonic was even real, but here we are.” He mused to the defense attorney. That man bursted out with a joyful laughter, and Edgeworth’s heart soared into the sky. Ms. Fey’s cackle followed as she came into frame and landed her arm against Wright’s shoulder, jabbering and pointing about how the prosecutor got him good with that remark. The defense attorney, in response, swatted the girl’s arm away from the screen with a lovely grin across his face. 

This was what he needed today. Just these people on video call. A little obnoxious and sometimes snarky, but they made him feel less alone about his journey around Europe to discover more about the legal codex and justice systems. He no longer felt like he was stuck on this rocky planet without anyone, he was with people who care about him and wanted to know his days traveling. 

They were his… friends. Not acquaintances, not peers. Friends. 

“Ooooouuuuch. Edgeworth, y’know Nick has a point about your hand! I mean– look at how you’re grasping your arm!” Ms. Fey grimaced as she looked at Miles, who was still evidently trying to write to be efficient with his time. “What’s up with that? Did you get hurt or something? Hopefully nothing as bad as that bonk on the head when you returned to the states a few weeks ago.”

Miles sighed and shook his head, looking to the side at his mountain tall stack of books. “I’ve simply been trying to avoid straining my hand, that is all. Learning abroad means journaling more, but my hand’s taking the blunt blow of all my working.” He looked back to the screen to unexpectedly alarmed Wright and Maya. They looked at each other with unsure expressions, which made Miles raise an eye. “What is it?” He inquired, their expressions making his stomach feel empty in comparison to a minute ago.

“Er… Edgeworth… Maybe you should be more careful about your hands and arms.” Maya crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders as she sat down in the open chair next to Wright. “Y’know, rest ‘em?” She looked hesitant, why?

“I understand that, but also understand that I must get as much writing in as possible if I were to return–”

“It’s not that. You are aware you tend to overwork yourself, especially if no one’s there to stop you, right?” Wright’s frown deepened. 

“Wh–” Miles shook his head rapidly in surprise. “What?” What were they trying to say? “Please, I think I can check up on myself. I can stop myself whenever I can.”

“We just don’t want you to overwork yourself, ok?” Maya smiled at Edgeworth, but it didn’t quite reach the same winning grin as before. “No need to hurt yourself to do your job.” Maya tilted her head towards Phoenix and darted her eyes. Miles could only guess that she was taking a jab at that man next to her.

“Yeah. Maybe, if you’re doing interviews with legal people, record them rather than take notes. Might take some strain off your wrist.” Wright nodded, not noticing Maya’s odd gesturing towards him. 

“Surely you two aren’t trying to parent me in things I am already aware of–”

Wright’s earnest grin immediately flashed back at Miles, that man raising his hand out to the screen and his other on his heart. “Absolutely not, my dear Edgeworth!” Blinking, Miles realized his face felt hot to the touch at that cringey dramatism from Wright. Goodness, I’m becoming more pathetic than imaginable.

“Then, what are you trying to do?” He dropped his pen and crossed his arms, leaning into the dark office chair.

“We obviously care about you! So do us a favor and take care of yourself!” The Fey girl pouted. “It does no one good if your wrists are going to get carpal tunnel at twenty-seven!”

“I’m not going to get carpal tunnel, I’ve taken enough breaks!” The prosecutor spat back, though it lacked any heat to really make a dent into the two’s infallible spirits.

“And how many is ‘enough’, Edgeworth?” Wright raised an eyebrow, settling his arms down. 

Miles took a moment to remember the last time he rested his hand. He was doing it right now, as he massaged his wrist. His eyes darted to the side, almost like he was caught stealing. He heard a sigh from his laptop and turned back. “Edgeworth… that’s not a good sign.” Wright’s face downward but his eyes into Edgeworth’s.

“I–” Miles scoffed. “It’s nothing to be worried about. It was way worse when I was younger.”

“That’s even more concerning!” Wright smacked his hand down against the table with a rather distraught face. “Edgeworth, don’t do that to yourself. Please…” Wright’s expression morphed into something more somber, with his lowered eyelids and rather unhappy frown. 

“Why would my hand be so of utmost importance to you all?” Miles rolled his eyes. “I doubt these reactions are required for such an obstacle.”

“Because Mia also had the same issue when she was alive.”

Miles’ eyes widened and took a look back at the screen. Maya’s eyes became rather sobered with a weak smile and her head tilted down. “I remember she used to complain about having to write a lot when she was at her first attorney’s office, and she started getting aches on her arms as a result.” Miles flinched at remembering the young girl’s oldest sister. Mia Fey. He’d remember her being the dearly departed for both of them, as well as a tenacious lawyer up until her death. Maya did mention times before how much she studied to beat the odds of her difficult upbringing. ‘There’s a price to pay for that,’ he supposed. 

“Ah.” That was all he could muster.

Miles heard a sniffle, and then Maya exclaimed. “S-so! You have to take care of yourself! Promise us, my Steel Samurai ranter!!”

He chuckled contentedly, feeling his ears blessed by the following snicker of that man, making his cheeks feel a little warmer. “Yeah, we care about you, Edgeworth. We understand that your work is important. Buuuut~” Wright smirked and leaned his head on his arm, his lovingly endearing expression making Edgeworth feel even more pathetic to the defense attorney. “Can’t do much to fix a legal system when your hands are broken, right? It’d be a shame if you weren’t able to point in a courtroom anymore,”

While Wright was joking, he did have a point. Edgeworth could tell from how he felt his usually straight face start twisting the mouth into a smile. He does want to try and follow their advice. Least he can do for all they’ve done for him. “I’ll…” He conceded with a warm feeling marring his face. “I shall try and incorporate your advice into my life. I promise that, at least.”

“Not just that! Make sure to enjoy wherever the hell you’re going to! Take pictures, walk around, shop! Actually–” Maya slammed her hands down onto the table as she pushed herself up from her seat. She walked away from the screen, with Wright looking towards her. Seconds later, Maya comes back with a paper list. “If you’re in Europe… you can get all kinds of Steel Samurai merch…”

“Maya, don’t make Edgeworth your way to tour cities through exclusive merchandise.” Wright gave a flat unimpressed stare to his assistant, to which Maya scoffed in his face. 

“Well, he’s in Munich, right?! So he might as well get something!” Maya rolled her eyes back at the defense attorney and grinned back to Edgeworth.

Miles was certainly as blase as Wright, but these two on his screen paired always with a feeling of sweetness he isn’t used to. They were like a duo of annoying familial raccoons, nagging each other and others, all the while being a troublesome kind of disturbances to the normal. Not like he minded. “I’ll take that into consideration whenever I am out and about, Ms. Fey.”

Before Maya could utter a word in her agape mouth, a bunch of clutter could be heard in the distance. “MYSTIC MAYAAAAAAA–”

“Coming, Pearly!” Before he knew it, Maya dashed off the camera. 

Wright sighed and smiled bashfully at Edgeworth. “Think Pearls toppled her wardrobe again.”

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “Surely, it must be time to bolt those wardrobes down? Lest you get into another one of those incidents, or an earthquake comes and shakes everything in your apartment, Wright.” 

To which, Wright shrugged nonchalantly. “Would if I could, but that’d take at least a few days. Days I don’t have, unfortunately.” He pouted, and crossed his arms. “Besides, there hasn't been any bad disturbances lately, and the girls will be going back to Kurain next week.”

“Procrastination at its finest, hm?” Miles smirked at that man, whose soft chuckles escaped from that always made Miles turn any smugness into a soft smile. It’d been awhile Edgeworth felt this content, having been so busy with conferences and working as a prosecutor at once. Splitting headaches somehow subsided when he was able to see his friends again (no matter how antisocial he was). Then, that man turned his head toward Edgeworth, his eyes of dark oak shining at the screen, along with a tinge of a sky in each of his eyes. Tantalizing pupils that made Miles so much to be there in person to just see them closer. But studies came first. Then, soon, he could return home. So close to seeing him in person again–

The prosecutor quickly realized he was staring and cleared his throat. “W-w-with that in mind, Phoenix–!” He coughed a bit, hoping to have the anxious stumbling leave his throat, “I will take yours and Maya’s thoughts into consideration. In fact, once I return to Japanifornia, I’ll be having my optometrist appointment.”

Phoenix grinned, flinging his arms out in a wide stretch. “Finally~! How long have I been bugging you to get those!”

Miles rolled his eyes, closing his notebook and setting them aside.  “Yes, yes. Point taken. I’ve just been apprehensive about it. That is all…” He conceded. Despite the admittedly calm feeling in his head, it was paired with half the parts of 

Wright looked off for a minute, his expression unreadable until it turned utterly soft towards Miles.“Is it— because they remind you of your dad, right?” Phoenix’s voice was cautious and curious, though his face was entirely filled with a worry that Miles could only wish didn’t have to appear after such a pleasant conversation. But off course, nothing escaped the defense attorney    

“....Was that more of a simple conclusion than anything?”

“Yes.” Immediately?!

“Nrgk…” A brash groan left from Edgeworth’s mouth, “I suppose it was part of the reason… Another was just this baseless need to be perfect. Glasses mean less than perfect eyesight,” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a burning feeling behind his face that he wished to freeze. “But fortunately, I’ve left that mindset years ago.”

“OBJECTION!”

That nearly takes the prosecutor off his chair, knocking over everything on his desk with him. He clutched back and settled the chair down, his head marred with a confused expression. “W-what was that about, Phoenix?!”

“I believe the prosecution is ly~ing!” Phoenix’s sing-songy end tone with his pointed finger at the screen with much entirely unnecessary gravitas as in court, with a cheeky grin lacing his face. 

Miles sat straight in his seat, pushing his arm against the chair in need to steady himself with these theatrics. “That’s your opening statement?!”

“Well~ I believe you inherently still have that perfectionist mindset! After all, who’s the currently overworking prosecutor to the point of carpal tunnel?”

“NRGK–! PHOENIX! I don’t have a carpal tunnel!”

“But does that mean you admit to being an overworked prosecutor?!”

“N-NGHOO–! ABSOLUTELY NOT, THAT IS NOT ADMISSION OF-”

That man. That damnable man! His voice, laughter and smile all rang with hysterics and absolute joy. His body had leaned all the way back in the dining chair as much as likely it could before it tipped. Miles bit his lips, but immediately scoffed with a smile he couldn’t stop spreading across his face. Phoenix was that damnable man, yes he was. But he couldn’t really help leave some of the irritation from his expression, not when he laughed like that.

“Ahah…” Phoenix wheezed a little, clearing a stray tear from his eye. “Sorry, Miles. That was not meant to be a jab at you. Not intentional!”

Miles shook his head and sighed. “What was that supposed to be?”

That man’s smile momentarily seemed to go rigid, before smoothing out into a natural smirk Miles’ would recognize any time during court. In that context, it’d be irritatingly charming of that man to do, seeing that he’d be insufferably correct about something or pointing out an inconsistency. This time around, however, it clutches Edgeworth’s chest with insurmountable impulses. Maybe because he’s being looked at with such… such…

What was it exactly?

“It’s a sign that you have to take care of yourself more.” Phoenix finally spoke. “We- umm… y’know…” That man waved his hand around to conjure the idea, though he himself looked a little lost on what to say. 

Miles smirked. “I don’t know, actually. Maybe you could try and create a more compelling argument for me, Phoenix.” He rolled his eyes, unable to keep this feeling of smugness surging from his face. “Though, I understand that it can be difficult sometimes for your calibur.”

“HAH!” Phoenix smacked the table, and leaned far back into his chair with a graciously handsome grin and an undeniably addictive laughter, even if Miles has heard it so often already in this one conversation. He’d never admit it, but it utmostly made his heart race significantly, like time rushing forward. Miles felt his smile grow wider, a chuckle escaping his mouth. “We care about you, Miles!” The man leaned way closer towards the camera, his face filled with an odd determination that surprised the prosecutor. Phoenix continues, his eyes softening but continuing the very excitation that the prosecutor could feel emanating from the screen. “You are a good friend, y’know? It’s natural we worry about you, especially with youuur less than healthy work habits.”

Then, the expression Phoenix gave. Miles remembers it so well. His blue and brown eyes twinkled at him, while still showing a kind of compassion that is so reminiscent of the past and continues to be his present. That man’s smile grew to be something quiet however. Unseen. Almost invisible. But Miles remembered it, along with what Phoenix said to him, even after the many weeks since this conversation had ended.

“So if you care for us, make sure to take care of yourself too.”

.

.

.

“Of course, Phoenix.”

Miles clutched the pen as the memory engulfed his thoughts, letting that hand sit on his waistcoat. His face felt a strange warmth emanating from those thoughts, changing from intricate plans for the upcoming weeks to all the times he’s had a chance to have normal conversations where his friends aren’t just lawyers and criminal-justice good-doers. They were people he could rely on in many if not all circumstances, even if their methods are…unorthodox at worst. There was Kay with her absolute optimism and unshakable jokes. Franziska with her somewhat caring demeanor under her strict attitude. Gumshoe with his resilient vigilance and thoughtfulness. Phoenix and Maya with their can-do attitude in ever-present damning circumstances. It was unfamiliar, a different language he was getting used to. People he’s known for several years that he didn’t dislike their presence in his life? Unheard of!

He grasped his teacup, the smell of sweetness even after an hour of being poured. He sipped from the cup slowly and sighed. Maybe he should call it a day. His wrist would absolutely join in on this assertion, and to credit its pain, he’d been working since 9AM. He checked his watch. 

12:03pm.

Remembering what the defense had to say as he took another sip, it’d be crucial to turn in all the work he had currently and have his lunch. If his wrist felt better afterwards, he could certainly get a few more files sorted in time. Excellent, that’d be crucial and productive to do–

“HI, MR. EDGEWORTH!”

Miles nearly spat out his tea onto his papers, but instead, the tea seemingly had a hiccup through his throat. He hacked into arm, turning away from his desk, before looking ahead to the door of his office. One Kay Faraday had the door open with jade eyes pointedly staring at the prosecutor. “Urk–! Kay, what did I say about knocking?!”

“Oop-!” Kay covered her mouth as if she regretted her choice of loudness. She usually never did, but this case was an exception. Her cheeky little smile did twitch downwards some as she twiddled her thumbs to Miles’ recognition. “Sorry, Mr. Edgeworth! That was a-my-bad! Did ya spill your tea?” Kay replied sheepishly.

“...No,” he shook his head. “I am fine. Nothing’s been affected. Please… knock next time however. I’d rather avoid choking as my cause of death.”

“That’s a little morbid. I thought it would be getting carpal tunnel square!”

He lowered his eyes with an unimpressed glare, though it seems very ineffective against Kay given she grinned her trademark cheeky smile. “You’re all absurd and nothing else.” Miles scoffs before taking another sip of his tea, while looking around for spills.

“Of course! Only the best kind of absurdity from the Yatagarasu!” Kay raised her arms out and bowed, before straightening back up with a confident cheer. “I could never be anything else!”

Miles rolled his eyes, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Is there a particular reason explaining why you’re here today, Kay?” If Miles had to guess, she just wanted to drag him somewhere, which would inevitably lead to some mess. That had happened more than he was comfortable having in the given year so far.

“Wanted to ask you if you wanted to join me and Gummy for lunch! It’s been toooooo long since we all got to hang out!” The young Yatagarasu looked at Edgeworth with eager eyes.

His brain paused for a moment before replying with, “Kay, I saw you two a week ago.” 

“EXACTLY! How could it be a week since we last saw each other? That. Is. Criminal!” She huffed and shook her fists, punctuating those last three words.

Miles raised an eyebrow. “If that were a crime, how long would the sentence be for not seeing each other since April?” 

“Hmmmm….” She tapped her finger on her arm, eyes closed and a jutted lip, before immediately shifting to something more mischievous.” “Dunno! Only thing I want to know is whether you’re coming with us!”

“Oh? I’m given a choice now? What an honor.”

“Pshhh– please.” She waved her hand away. “If you don’t come this time around, I’ll drag you out of your office for another reason. Easy peasy! After all, what did we say about your carpal tunnel?”

Miles’ flat stare, again, did no wonders on Kay, who had her diligent smirk on her face. He sighed and replied, “Well, I had decided to take a break now anyways. So I’ll take you up on your offer. Where to?”

Kay’s smile widened in victory and she immediately propelled herself up in a cheer. “Hip-hip! Hooray!” Miles was very glad he had his tea cup in his hand, seeing his pen rolled away that he swiftly placed back into his drawer. “Gummy wants to go to the sandwich and soup place near Fern St.”

Miles stiffened. That street of all things? If Fern St. was any indicator of something bad, he’d certainly be the one to know it. Since he was quite literally given a report on suspicious activity in that area. “May I please suggest something else? Somewhere less likely to cause trouble. ” He groused at what he remembered. 

“Oh, do you know the place?” She tilted her head, her long hair following suit.

“Be it as you may, but that area has been on the constant radar of the police department due to unwanted activity, I hear. I’m even surprised Gumshoe wants to be around there, seeing it increases our chances of being dragged along to some kind of investigation.”

“Like what? Can’t be worse than what we’ve all been through, riiiight?” She smiles, which to the  edges of her mouth slowly curls downwards as Miles looks on with a very dead-eye stare. She started to look a little more concerned at the suggestion being true, though Miles can’t really fault her (being as everything that transpired months ago).

“Surprisingly, it isn’t the worst experience as far as I’m hearing. But I’d really rather not get involved unless it’s urgent.” Miles relented the stare, and finished his tea. He set the cup on a tray by his window and lifted himself up from his chair. “However, if Gumshoe would certainly like to eat at that establishment, I won’t argue as long as the food there is satisfactory. Can he at least confirm that?” The prosecutor raised an eyebrow, collecting his files and papers with careful consideration of their placement.

“He said he likes the food! I don’t know how that’d really factor things in for you, considering you probably eat at really fancy places.” 

“I don’t always dine at high-end restaurants, Kay. Especially with how busy I am.” He scoffed, walking to the shelf to his left and taking out a file folder to place some papers in.

“But You have incredibly high standards!” 

“Kay, does it not occur to you that I may have my own standards because I also cook to survive?” He turned to her with sensible eyes. “That’s something you have to learn as well, at least basic kitchen needs.”

“Ugh– yes, dad. As if you hadn’t reminded me twenty thousand times after you left for Europe.” Kay rolled her eyes and raspberries in the general direction of Edgeworth. “Y’know how busy I was for the last three months? So busy! It’s not easy being a private investigator and a detective at once!”

Edgeworth shook his head with a sigh. The prosecutor was fully aware of Kay’s rather ridiculously difficult task she’d want to accomplish. While Kay is an astonishingly observant and determined person, Edgeworth had a little worry cooking on the back burner. That’d she do something reckless again, get into danger or find herself injured. It has happened way more times than anyone should be comfortable with, and Edgeworth was very much hoping a streak of his loved ones being in danger would find its end eventually. “I told you to take your time with these kinds of studies, Kay.” He said with a firm tone. 

“Why?!” Kay huffed, gritting her teeth in annoyance.“Can’t I try to get along a liiiiiittle faster? Can’t hurt to get in the field now, right?”

“I understand your excitement to start working,” He stepped forward to be in front of Kay, and placed his hand on her shoulder. “But please, take your time. There is no rush, and there’s a possibility you may change your mind on career choices later on.”

“I haven’t felt this sure about what I wanted to do in my life, Mr. Edgeworth.” She quickly spoke with a serious expression, though the attitude she was likely trying to emanate fell short with her wide eye stare. Miles smirked and promptly dropped his hands to cross his arms. “Of course you are, but a word of advice is mayhaps look a little less like you had too many cups of caffeine, Kay.” He shifted and headed to the door, opening it wide open. “We’ll talk more about this while we get Lieutenant Gumshoe. Let’s go,” 

Kay paused, looking at Edgeworth with an intense thought under those brimming eyes. It was a little long for a stare, but before Edgeworth could mention anything, she grinned and nodded, following Edgeworth’s lead. “Does this meal have Edgeworth insurance?”

“Absolutely not, pay for your own meal, Kay.”

“Aww…”

–

“So this is the place, huh Gummy?” Kay and Miles looked up at the bistro that was quite… cozy in where it sat on the street. “Looks nice! ‘Rendezvous’ is a cool name for a restaurant!” Kay glanced around, more information about what the bistro had to offer with her zipping eyes zipping looking at all the small details. She seems to have a habit of doing that quite often. 

Though, that’s probably due to her need to survey the area from her training. Miles did have to admit, the place looked welcoming. A rather pastel green that stood out in the gray, while having an even darker summer-y green on the awning and roof. It both stood out and did not. On one hand, Japanifornia is known for their incredibly diverse palette for houses. He’s seen his fair share of interesting color combinations alongside that fact. On the other hand, many of the buildings down the road were certainly not as appealing, especially with the “interesting” circumstances with the area. He was also quite glad that they didn’t come across anything horrible.

Like finding a body on the street.

Miles grimaced at his morbid thoughts. Better not let that unfortunate thought take over me, especially not to spoil my appetite. Don’t need to have another go-around with finding corpses.

Gumshoe smiled as he beckoned his friends towards the small entrance, opening the door for them. “Yup! It’s a good spot! Been here with some friends, and the chef is quite nice! C’mon, let's head inside.”

As they entered, Edgeworth’s ears were filled with chatter from patrons, staff clicking their heels on the ceramic plated floor.  Dark wooden paneling surrounded the walls with warm light filled the room. Edgeworth adjusted his glasses a little to see the wide amount of plants hanging on the ceiling with greenery flowing outwards that had quite a glow in the light. The outside may have looked quaint but it definitely looked quite clean inside. Which was a happy surprise for Miles, although he thinks to himself to maybe act a little less surprised at the detective’s expense. The Lieutenant’s expense, actually.

Though, it seems like they were being ignored with how many waiters walking around attending to customers and delivering. A blonde waiter, who was about to walk by Gumshoe, pauses before turning in surprise. Gumshoe gives his old wide grin. “Hey, Fotoi! Is there a table for three?” 

The waiter’s surprise morphs into a broad smile that shines back at the lieutenant. The boy clasped his hands together with excitement. “Hey, Mr. Gumshoe! Absolutely! Seating’s a few feet away from the window with the potted plant. I’ll be right with you!” The waiter continues his general direction to attend to other customers. Gumshoe nodded his head back to the other two to follow him and seat themselves at a wooden table with already set cutlery.

Just as Edgeworth sat down, Kay already had her hands on a menu and looked back curiously before turning to Gumshoe. “You know the people who work here, Gummy?”

Gumshoe’s eyes wince, which immediately leads to him sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, I know some of the staff. Someone introduced me to them when I first came here.”

Ah, that certainly explains this choice. I’m certain he would’ve simply asked to go to a ramen place.

Miles shook the thought out of his head and grabbed a menu, at which he looked at the options. “Do you have any recommendations, lieutenant?”

Gumshoe paused, sighing softly and chuckled. “Augh, never going to get used to you saying that, sir… lieutenant Gumshoe sounds so…odd!”

“Well, it is a fairly new title, so understandably so.” Miles agreed, raising his gaze back to the lieutenant. It is a strange feeling to remember that he's known Gumshoe since Miles was twenty. Once a nervous detective now turned into a lieutenant seven years from then on. So much had happened in the meantime.

“But a well-deserved title!” Kay grinned as she leaned on to the table with her elbows. “Hope ya don’t mind if I still call you a detective by accident though..” 

“No troubles, pal. I’m your Uncle Gummy after all!” He smiled and gave a light pat on Kay’s shoulder. “

“Ah! Gumshoe! Good sir!” The three of them turned to the new voice in their conversation, which was an older chef with grey lavender hair, who was waving at the counter. “Blessed to see you, good sir!” 

“O-oh! Good to see you too, Mr. Ward!” Gumshoe laughed sheepishly before turning away to look at the others. 

Miles raised an eyebrow. “They seem oddly friendly to you, Gumshoe.” 

“A-ah, they’re always like that.” Gumshoe chuckled as he took a look at the menu. “It feels a little odd, since I’ve been here only like– four times.”

I suppose this is just a look into Gumshoe’s life in that sense, a man able to attract friendliness..

“They do seem really friendly!” Kay grinned and took a look at the menu as well. ”By the way, Gummy. Who brought ya here? Seems out of your usual way to come here.” 

Is that your round-about way of saying that this looks like it’s out of his normal budget? Miles rolled his eyes but straightened in his seat anyways. He was curious about how Gumshoe inquired about this place. That should be an easy question to answer.

That’s what Edgeworth thought.

Except Gumshoe froze in place. His eyes wide and his back hunched over the menu he clutched. Miles caught Gumshoe gripping the edges of his menu, his fingers twitching and doggy-earring the side of the paper. The table had suddenly become wildly awkward.

“Are you ready to take your order?” Everyone stiffened and turned to see the same waiter Gumshoe knew. Standing by the table with paper and pen in hand.

“Ah- I-I am! Are you two ready?” Gumshoe grinned. 

That…was odd. Perhaps he’s unsure? Edgeworth sighed and nodded. “Sure.” 

“Hold it! I need to double check!” Kay yelped as she scrambled through the options on the menu.

–

Lunch was quite good all things considered. Not only being able to talk with his companions but also the food. Gumshoe did have a reasonable feeling to be pleased with the place, Miles surmised. The food was satisfying, the staff was kind and patient with many of the customers that came and went, and finally, nothing odd was happening. Well, except for Gumshoe’s odd pause. That felt very unlike him, but Miles didn’t push the question once their orders were taken and the conversation directed itself to matters about Kay’s new adventures. Though, he shared a knowing glance with the girl. Kay shifted her eyebrows and shrugged before returning back to the conversation. Something was up, but they wouldn’t want to stress the lieutenant. He was already bombarded with work hours that were difficult to catch up with. No need to add to that. 

“So, how is work treating you, lieutenant?” Miles inquired as he took a sip of his tea. “Hopefully it’s fulfilling?”

The older man’s face lit up and nodded. “Ah, you bet, sir! It’s a little difficult to get used to having to direct a lot more people. Weird to have to command my fellow detectives,” Gumshoe huffs a little, before his frown turns into a small chuckle. “Can’t complain more though. Some of the newbies are funny.”

Kay grins as she wipes her mouth with a napkin. “Of course, I am really funny. Absolute comedian!” 

“I hope you’re also doing your work adequately along with your jokes, Kay.” Miles lowered his cup and eyes towards the young Yatagarasu.

“Absolutely! Why would I let anyone else do my favorite job in the world, Mr. Edgeworth?!” She glared darts at the prosecutor, though ineffective at intimidating the prosecutor. That was usually Edgeworth’s job after all.

“Of course, apologies.” Miles allowed a small smile to slip through. This lunch really had done a number on the weight Edgeworth felt on his shoulders. He could feel the muscles relax a little. He supposed that was thanks to these…

He stopped anything wider than a smirk from escaping from his mouth. Smiling about his companions. The friends that were there with him in these scuffed periods for him, allowing him to heal from strains and bruises. He looked up to see Kay and Gumshoe talking about detective work and what they’d be doing that afternoon. It seemed a little amusing, with how baffled Gumshoe was with Kay’s eagerness. He tapped the cup down back on the wooden table.”That was a fairly adequate meal, Gumshoe. Thank you for showing us this place.”

The detective turned and grinned. ��Aw, ain’t nothing much sir! It’s a good little old shop. Very well known to the locals and the chef basically knows everybody!” Gumshoe surmised and shrugged. 

“Ah, that explains why the chef’s so welcoming!” Kay grinned, and Miles hummed in agreement.

“Yeah! He’s a sweet old guy. My sister said he’s bee–”

Sirens blare loudly blare into the trio’s ears. The screeching horns introduce themselves into the once quiet cafe. Most of the patrons seem to find the random presence of law enforcement jarring, with Edgeworth noticing some patrons flinching and making surprised faces. Though others pay very little attention to the new introduction of noise and return to their business.

The waiter (Fotoi, was it?) seemed to have rushed out the door in a hurry, while the other staff simply sighed, followed by the detective’s muttering. “Kid’s gonna get in trouble one day when he keeps doing that.. Maybe we should take a look outside to see what’s the commotion about, Mr. Edgeworth?”

“An investigation?! Hell yeah!” Kay jumped out of seat, to the dismay of Edgeworth’s relaxation. And just when I was just starting to think about how beneficial it was to take breaks with friends.

“If we must.” Miles stood up and placed money for his meal, before looking out the window to see the waiter sprinting down the street. “Does that waiter seem to dive head first into danger? Seems reckless of him.”

“That’s Fotoi for ya!” Gumshoe chuckled, adjusting his dark green coat to take out his wallet. “He seems to be interested in being a photographer when he heads off to college. Weird kiddo, but I like him when he doesn’t find a way to endanger himself.”

Kay giggles, placing down her own payment of the meal, “But that sense of seeking danger and excitement is quite admirable, you gotta admit that.”

“It is not, it's simply foolish in nature.” Edgeworth shook his head and started his way out of the bistro. It’s not like I had my fair share of foolish people in my life, seeking danger or always in a collision with an experience of a lifetime over and over. If only that wasn’t the case, especially with that man and Kay. Miles could only sigh as he heard Kay whine behind him.

“Boooo~! Just let people have their fun with it, Mr. Edgeworth!” Kay pouted as she and Gumshoe followed him out. 

Oh, certainly. If only it didn’t happen constantly with the people I cared about. Miles shuddered with the windy breeze hitting his face, and turned to glance around. Seeing a flash of blue followed by red in his peripheral vision, he turned right and followed the blinking lights. His two investigation partners followed suit.

–

Edgeworth knew he ate his words the moment that they found a crime scene being secured by police officers roaming the area. Truly wishing he’d never ever even thought of the briefest idea of a body the moment he stepped into the area, but alas. He was given a light rundown by one hurrying officer. Information about an assassin’s guild being in the area, two of its members being the victims. That was quite a lackluster of info for the three investigators, so they all approached another officer who seemed to be on standby. 

Once they started heading closer, Miles glanced at Kay briefly to see her eyes had perked up. “Oh! Officer Saber!” Kay started to grin and sprint to the officer, who looked up from his papers and smiled at Kay.

“Hi, Kay, Did you get a memo from the department about assassination guild alerts?” The officer sighed as he lowered his clipboard.

“Nah, we heard sirens from our lunch spot and decided to check it out!”

“We-?” The officer was about to tilt their head in confusion before they spotted the other two and reeled backwards in a panic yelped. 

“Lieutenant Gumshoe?! Prosecutor Edgeworth?!! What are you two doing here?!” The officer looked baffled at the two men. Though, they really shouldn’t be. Regarding this situation happening in the middle of the more “high activity” areas, where apparently a brawl between amateur assassins took place. The fact that a lieutenant and a star prosecutor are in his presence should be the least of his surprise, but Edgeworth simply digresses and sighs, pinching his nose bridge. 

“Officer, can we get a run down of what transpired? We were only briefed that two known assassins were fighting and both were taken down, correct?”

“O-oh! Y-yyes!” The officer cleared his throat and looked at the clipboard he was holding. “The incident took place here on Fern St., where apparently there were two victims who were fighting in disagreement. Many residents in the area could hear angry yelling from two voices. Apparently, it got angrier and angrier, so residents decided to try and ignore it to avoid conflict with them.”

Edgeworth looked beyond the yellow tape, seeing two outlines on the asphalt ground. White chalk outlines overlapping with each other.

“Then, a passerby saw the two people on the ground in the middle of the road, and called in. He said no one was nearby, which was around 1:10pm. Police arrived at 1:20pm, and took over the scene” The officer continued, pointing to where the outlines are. “The bodies were overlapping each other, both holding a knife in their hand. But what killed them was a bullet that pierced one of them in the stomach and another in the neck. Same bullet.”

“But no one heard that, pal?!” Gumshoe agape in shock, himself wobbled back in shock.  

“Nope. We asked the residents around here, and they didn’t hear anything. But they did notice that the yelling had died down and thought nothing of it.” They sighed. “We’ll try to get a timeline of everything that’s happened to fully connect the series of events, sirs!”

“Alright, good summary, officer Saber! Get back to us when you can!” Gumshoe grinned, while the officer nodded, waved, and walked away to talk to another police member.

Kay turned around with a sparkle in her eyes. “That must mean the weapon had a silencer, right? How else could the perp have gotten two kills without anyone noticing?” 

“It’s a likely conclusion, though, without further investigation, that is just a theory.” Miles glanced around the scene, getting a fuller clue into what transpired, though seemingly to much of Kay’s dismay.

“That’s fair.” She pouted, crossing her arms. “But finally, investigation work! And with you two! This will be great!” She punched her arm into the air and turned around to slide under the tape with a mischievous but determined look into the scene. Miles recalled when this shouldn’t be the case, when she wasn’t able to directly examine crime scenes (although, it was never going to happen with Kay around, was it?)

Before, Miles would begrudgingly go along with the young Yatagarasu, who definitely shouldn’t have been allowed on crime scenes, not to mention at this level of confidentiality in terms of the public view. But she did typically nudge her way into these things, insisting that she was Edgeworth’s assistant until she did become his assistant many months ago. But now, she was a fledgling detective and aspiring investigator, scrutinizing each detail of the crime scene at the same grueling intensity as they did before earlier this spring.

He wasn’t going to exactly say it aloud, but he was proud of her. Though he thought she was breezing through her studies a little too fast, Miles knew she was going to make a great detective. Even if she likely shouldn’t be here at this level of a crime with a dangerous organization likely falls into a category of wildly unsafe and top secret for the thief. But Edgeworth would argue this investigation simply makes good practice for her. 

Though, I doubt that I’d want to argue with Kay about semantics about someone so early in training being on a very important investigation…

“Well, what’s the first thing on the list, sir? This one’s a little hard to decide whether it has credence to that assassination guild’s whereabouts.” 

Miles’ train of thought derailed as he heard Gumshoe’s voice, startled by the sudden voice in his mind. The prosecutor turned to Gumshoe and cleared his throat. “That’s true, but I’d still like to assist in this investigation. Do we know who was the one who found the scene?”

“Oh, yeah! Uhh… let’s see.” Gumshoe turned his head around, over and over until his eyes perked up. “It’s that guy over there with the winter coat and long hair, sir! Didn’t get a name, but I’ve been briefed that he’s a journalist and writer well known around the area.”

“I see…” I don’t exactly feel like dealing with journalists, especially after the last two were incredibly difficult to deal with, but I must progress with this investigation. “Very well. I will go speak with him. Please brief with the rest of the officers here and find any other clues in the vicinity, Lieutenant Gumshoe.”

The detective beamed and saluted with quick energy. “Yessir!” Then, he quickly headed in the opposite direction to a group of law enforcement,

Edgeworth sighed as he walked towards the witness. Those two. He doesn’t want to think they’re foolish. Maybe the foolish one is a good fit for the lieutenant, but really, he has been past that terminology for them. Silly was quite appropriate for both of them, especially with their radically upbeat personalities around Edgeworth. But that didn’t sound right with how serious they took any investigation. What was the right word? Miles briefly smirked at the question. Objectively right word was amiss to him, but he did know what the Wright word would be for the two of them. 

Genuine. 

That sounds about right for those two.

By the time Edgeworth waltzed over to the mystery man, said man was with a notebook open and a pen clutched in his teeth. “Good afternoon. I am prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. I am here to inquire about what you saw earlier today. How may I address you?” Edgeworth had thought that a first witness should be a casual way to transition from lunch to work (even if annoyingly so.) This guy didn’t seem like trouble. 

Should be… Miles thought.

Miles would think quite the opposite after he saw the journalist in a puzzling expression under his eyes as he stood up. His pupils twitched around, as if instead of his head taking glances, it was his eyes. The way the journalist looked at Edgeworth was with quick ups and side to side. Gazing upon the prosecutor with careful precision. His appearance seemed to have matched that probing look, him looking to be in his late thirties, with long dark brown hair and eyes with a winter’s coat, stubble combined with eyebags gracing his face. Although unassuming, the journalist’s appearance paired in a strange essence to knowing eyes, each with intricate intentions behind every expression. Quite literally the opposite of someone like Lotta or The journalist smiled with low eyes. “Ah, good afternoon, Mr. Edgeworth. I am Derek Mist. Address me as you please for a man such as yourself.” 

Edgeworth crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. That statement certainly did not put the prosecutor in ease.“Mr. Mist, you were the one who found the bodies, correct?”

“Correct.” 

“When would that have been?” 

“Around 1:08. I had spent a minute or two looking around before calling the police.”

“You thought to look around for the perpetrator?” Miles started his notes down in his organizer that he’d removed from his coat pocket. 

“Well, I heard a little bit of scuffle and noise before I came across the bodies. I figured that I could catch a glimpse of whoever may have been around the bodies before I was.” Mist looked back and forth between Edgeworth and the crime scene behind him.

“What is this said noise?”

“Hmm…” Mr. Mist placed his hand on his chin, with his pointer finger scratching the stubble under it. “It sounded sort of- bang. Something loud and sudden, like y’know- a gunshot?”

“You heard a shot?” 

“I guess so.” Mist shrugged. “It was a little quiet, but I wasn’t exactly close from where I first spotted the bodies,”

Edgeworth felt his face scrunch up in that perplexing detail, one where he’d have to deal with once he collected the full story. “Where were you when you spotted the victims?”

The journalist covered his mouth and closed his eyes with a rather sleepy expression. “Hmmm… I must've been turning around the corner at Heathers St.”

His pen scratched onto the surface of the paper. “Was there any particular reason for your appearance in this area?”

Mist’s eyes open, blinking surprised as his hand drops to gravity. His mouth turned downward as his eyes searched for something far. “I quite forgot what I was doing here, actually. My mind’s been racing about a new article to write.” 

Head in the sky? Edgeworth’s eyes squint. “Presumably about this case?”

“Pfft–” Mr. Mist looked up and covered his remorseful smile and chuckle. “Of course 

not.”

Miles narrowed his eyes. Below crimes as journalist topics? He thought before crossing his arms. “Can you elaborate?”

“I already am aware that this investigation is of the highest level. Why else would a lieutenant be on scene? Or maybe why is there a rather well known star and international prosecutor taking testimonies, hm?” 

Edgeworth momentarily paused for a moment before setting the pen into a pocket and closing the organizer. “I suppose it makes some level of sense you would be aware of my identity. Though, that doesn’t explain your lack of interest in such a case.”

“Simple. I don’t deal with that bullshit,” The man clicks his tongue, hiding his hands and notebook under his winter coat. “I would rather not get wrapped up in this. I can gauge a quick idea of what’s happening and leave it at that. Going any further, well, that’s simply ASKING for trouble, Mr. Edgeworth.”

Fair enough. No one should be allowing this much danger in anyone’s life really. “I see. I presumed otherwise with how other reporters and journalists deal with these sorts of matters.”

“It’s only natural. Fellow journalists are always looking for the next scoop, the newest headline to make a quick buck. Like that kid over there,” He tilts his head backwards, and Edgeworth spots the waiter that ran out in the distance, clicking his camera in rapid succession. He seemed rather full of energy about all the photos he was taking, though Edgeworth wondered when he’d start running out of film with how often the young man was snapping the button. “Though, I’m sure that kid is simply a photographer. He’s a little too eager to get photos of everything.”

“You seem to have a good eye for everything, Mr. Mist.” Edgeworth tapped his finger on his suit slowly. 

“Ah, comes with the job. If only memory did as well.” Mist glanced to the side with a light head tilt, before looking up into Edgeworth’s eyes.

Miles squinted back. “Is something coming back to mind?”

The journalist smiled.  “Now I remember what I was doing in the area. Sorry ‘bout that. Age is catching up to me,” He chuckled, shaking his head against his hand that laid across his forehead. “I was here to meet up with a friend working at the Borscht Bowl Club,” He snapped his fingers, recalling something else. “I called him right after I called law enforcement to tell him I wouldn’t be able to make it to our get-together because I was told to stay at the scene of the crime.”

“Borscht Bowl Club?” Miles tilted his head.

“Yep. It's the building right at the corner over there.” Mr. Mist pointed to a shabby building with dark bricks and a rusty sign out at the front hanging from the side. 

“I see.” Building’s not in great condition, but does that require more investigation personally? I’ll have to ask Gumshoe for his consensus. “Alright, I have more questions to ask, then I will allow the officers to assist you in leaving the scene for the day.” Before Edgeworth opened his organizer once more, he could hear Mist again.

“It will be worth investigating there, Mr. Edgeworth.” 

Miles looked up, tilting his head up and tall. Mr. Mist wasn’t quite looking at the prosecutor, but had his eyes dead set on the Borscht Bowl Club in the distance. “What makes you say that, Mr. Mist?”

“Let’s say that restaurant has eyes and ears on all corners of that building.” Mr. Mist tapped his face with a rather uninterested expression. But then, the man made a small smile and shrugged. “But anyways, is there any more I should divulge, Mr. Edgeworth?”

—

Miles had pocketed his organizer by the time he’d return back to the crime scene. Edgeworth already summarized the main points made by Mr. Mist as the prosecutor’s shoes clacked on the sidewalk.

Mr. Mist, while walking to the Borscht Bowl Club, had turned a corner and heard a muffled but loud noise that sounded like a bang. Upon hearing that, Mist had further walked down his intended path from Heathers St to Fern St, when he saw the bodies from a distance as he turned the corner. Seeing it, he would look around rapidly to see no other physical witnesses on scene, nor any suspicious people in the vicinity. He would then call the law enforcement, and then his friend at the Borscht Bowl Club.

Derek Mist was certainly an interesting character, Edgeworth thought. He seems both interested in the matter that he had almost witnessed and yet could not be anymore bored about anything else. Edgeworth clicked his pen closed and into his pocket as he sat on that idea. If he’s truly right about the club’s relation to the crime scene, he would certainly need to be on closer watch. Speaking of a closer watch, Miles notices Kay and Gumshoe were huddled together near the crime scene, and calm speech replaced their rather loud dispositions.

But approaching from behind, he realized they were talking quietly, with few shuddering shoulders and unnaturally tense agitated words. That explains why they didn’t seem to notice Miles creeping closer to them, only a few feet away. At first, Edgeworth thought it was typical office gossip with Kay’s giggles being usually the biggest indicator. But Gumshoe seemed to be guiding the conversation, with hushed bated breath and gruff words under his mouth. Although Miles wouldn’t particularly participate in gossip at this very time, he leaned a little closer and to catch some whispers.

With a rushed voice, Gumshoe spoke quietly. “Look, pal…. ‘m not kidding… a guy around here… looks really pissed… so you want to guide him away from Mr. Edg…”

Me? What are they…

“Gummy, calm down….” Kay grumbled a little loudly, sounding perturbed by Gumshoe’s insistent voice. “Why would this guy bother Mr. Edgeworth? Unless you don’t really want to deal with Edgeworth being angry as all hell, I’d understand but–”

“This is different, pal!” Gumshoe warns, his voice becoming more… panicked? Was that accurate? He certainly sounded less calm, even under his whispering. “This guy shouldn’t be NEAR Mr. Edgeworth. It’ll be… uhhh– what’s that word…”

“Would you two stop gossiping behind my back on a crime scene of all things?” The two detectives jumped and turned around to look at Miles, his eyes glaring through them. Gumshoe looked two parts anxious for every part of Kay that looked sheepish. Edgeworth sighs, wanting to make an addendum in his first statement of the detectives’ being genuine people: horribly chatty as well. “What were you two even talking about?”

“NOTHING–” “EVERYTHING–”

The two looked at each other briefly, and then turned back to Edgeworth. 

“NOTHING!”

Well, at least they made up their minds together at the end…

Miles only sighed and squinted for a few moments before his head was winding around what was happening in front of him. “Who in the world said ‘everything’?”

“GUMMY!” “KAY!”

The two detectives looked at each other with grim suspicion, like they had learned of each other’s deepest dark secrets in a comical villainous way. Miles sighed again, rubbing his nose bridge in what felt like an incoming side effect of being near hyper-active detectives all afternoon. “What has gotten you both so on edge?”

“Hah! Mr. Edgeworth just used ‘on edge’--” Before Kay could even spout another word, Miles had taken upon himself to just stop the young Yatagarasu by giving a firm yet forgiving pat on Kay’s head. 

“Owww! Hey! Assault!!”

Miles rolled his eyes, lowering his hand. “As much as I’d like to see you try and prosecute a case like that in a court of law, you are skirting around my question. What were you two talking about?” He crossed his arms, giving himself time to see both of his investigation partners’ reactions.

Kay looked expectantly at Gumshoe, his being now in the spotlight.  His shoulders slumped and his lip jutted out in a pout. “Aw, c’mon pal. No help for good old Uncle Gummy?”

The young Yatagarasu simply grinned and shrugged her shoulders. “You’re gonna have to come clean. I don’t even have any idea what or who you were talking about!”

“W-well, to be fair, Mr. Edgeworth says–” 

Pause.

 “This guy–” 

Another pause. 

“It’s–” He sighed. 

Gumshoe rubbed his head with this oddly frustrated look in his eyes, but every part of his being looked a little too remorseful. “I don’t know pals!” The lieutenant raised his voice, as did his face. “I dunno how to explain this!?”

Edgeworth recalled much of Gumshoe’s past habits. He had kept secrets from the prosecutor, but one where Gumshoe’s life was in the brinks figuratively has made the detective falter in his honest to good nature in protecting the innocent. Though the detective was kind and generous with his defenses, Miles was certain that he usually failed at these kinds of secret keeping if was given a little bit of a push. “Is this information vital to the case? If so, I wouldn’t appreciate you hiding something consequential to me, Lieutenant.” Edgeworth glared at Gumshoe, knowing any kind of stare might get him to exhaust any information necessary.

“N-N-NO!” Miles and Kay jumped back at how loud Gumshoe spoke, before the detective had slumped again. “Nothing like that! It’s j-just… I know some of the people who live here. T-T-that’s all!”

“...But Gummy– that could help us find witnesses?? Why would that be the cause for a secret?” Kay exclaimed, her mouth agape as Gumshoe sighed. 

“W-W-well…”

“Is there a problem, detectives…?”

Miles turned around rapidly with his brows furrowed to something unfamiliar, just as that figure who spoke up. Someone started down the sidewalk, towards the trio who were starting to face this mysterious figure. Seemingly, a man became more clear into view, with his hand on his cap and the other on his waist.

 Now what do we have now?

Peripherally, Edgeworth is certain he caught Gumshoe having a nervous side glance at the prosecutor, before turning his attention to the mysterious man. Said man approached the group with a lazy step, his dark eyes and half of his face covered in a light shadow made by a looming baseball hat that spelled ‘IV’. His hand from waist picked itself up to smother the yawn that escaped the man’s mouth, before he looked on at the investigating team, “You are all awfully loud… though I guess that’s expected when a murder just happened…”

“A-ah! M- Mah- Mr. Leff! S-should’ve known you were in the area! Heheheh!” Gumshoe rubbed the back of his neck with a break-neck speed scratching. Edgeworth frowned, and he caught Kay looking back at him as well. A split knowing glance at each other before turning back their focus on this new visitor to the crime scene. 

This ‘Mr. Leff’ stood rather unassumingly, hair under the cap had an ebony shine to it that messily let itself go in strands that go odd directions. Along with that was a stormy blue jacket and dark jeans, with ragged sneakers and the most agonizing exhausted face Edgeworth’s seen from anyone other than himself. Even if the cap hid much of that man’s features, Miles could make out rather dark bags under the man’s eyes. This man was probably the likely definition of exhausted. Baggy clothes, sagged shoulders, all the works.

Then, Edgeworth caught that man’s raised eyebrow at him, his shifty dark eyes against his face likewise staring. Then, those eyes briefly moved onto Kay, and then Gumshoe. When his mouth opened, something deep and gravely poured out, but in a calm succession. “Lieutenant.”

“M-Mr. Leff.”

“How are you today?” The man gestured to him cordially.

Gumshoe’s eyes shot wide open, then a grin emerged for his friend. “I’m okay, pal! Well– uhh… could be better if there wasn’t a… y’know.. A crime scene to investigate.”

“Y’know, fair enough.” Mr. Leff shrugged. Then, his eyes slit back to Kay and Miles. ”And who are they?”

I could ask the same of you, whoever you are, joining our crime scene like this. Before Edgeworth could get anything out, Gumshoe cleared his throat quickly. 

“O-oh! Uhmm… well let me introduce you to them, first, pal.” He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder and grinned at his team. “This is a friend of mine, Mr. Leff! H-he’s a local around these parts. That’s how I’m familiar with him.”

Mr. Leff looked at Gumshoe with weary eyes and a rather displeased frown. “I appreciate the introduction, Gumshoe. But again, no mister. I don’t like the formalities,” Mr. Leff sighed and patted away the lieutenant’s hand. “Leff works all the same as well. I don’t even think the moniker of mister is even a thing with a name like mine.”

Gumshoe’s eyes looked downward to Mr. Leff, his face scrunched up in anxiousness. “Aww… c’mon pal. Have a little more faith in your identity.”

“You say that, but I’m pretty sure you call some fancy fellow like him–” Leff points at Edgeworth with a weak hand. “--mister. Not like y’know–” Then, the man waves his arms around himself. “..me?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Edgeworth inquired, his arms crossed.

“Whatever it means to you, Mr. Fancy Pants,” Leff rolled his eyes and faced back Gumshoe. “Just use Leff, it’s succinct.”

“So is Mr. Leff!”

The two started off in a tangent conversation of their own. A little awkward to just wait for these two to stop arguing with each other. Of course, Miles could simply use his authority to get Gumshoe on topic. But looking at the detective’s face made it seem this was a more urgent matter he’d wanted to prioritize at the time. Still, it didn't mean Miles’ other assistant would not be gossiping with himself. Kay leaned against Edgeworth’s shoulder and whispered, “Mr. Edgeworth!! This guy screams suspicious!”

His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes looked down at Kay in response. “Care to explain?”

“I dunno… uhh.. He’s being sort of rude to Gummy. Not like rude-rude, more like passive rude, y’know?”

Sure, if that’s what you’re calling it, Kay. Edgeworth nodded nonetheless. “While I don’t agree with the outward assumptions, he is certainly an interesting character.” Miles turned his head to meet the girl’s eyes, who looked rather suspiciously at Mr. Leff, then Edgeworth.

“What do you mean?! He’s so obstinate! Stubborn! Y’know, kind of like you, so maybe it isn’t that odd…”

“Excuse you, Kay. That sounds more like your indomitable spirit than anything!” 

“Bah! I can compromise, Mr. Edgeworth! You have a lacking part of that in your generosity!”

“That’s an interesting way to say he’s bitchy,” The two swiftly turned back to see Mr. Leff, whose head is tilted away from his body, his eyes looking like they’d roll off his face. “Or you could say he’s an asshole as well.”

Edgeworth felt a migraine coming against his brain, which was usually a bad sign for trouble. His head pushed forward towards that man. “Excuse me, who asked you to interject into our conversation?”

Mr. Leff waved his hand slowly, scoffing. “Ahh, of course of course, Mr. Ass-cot. My mistake.” 

“SNRK, Mr. Ass-cot?” Kay inquired with an odd glint in her jade eyes and along with her cattish smile, Edgeworth should’ve expected this from her honestly. Taking any chances for a jab at him is her go-to when it isn’t urgent. ‘But what is it with people in my life giving me weird nicknames… First, Mr. Fender and now this guy?’ Edgeworth’s frown deepened at the thought.

Then, the other man just gestured around his own neck area, looking into the sky with lackluster enthusiasm. “Y’know, the weird thing around his neck that makes him look like a sick Victorian chil,.” Then, Mr. Leff made a tight grin with amused eyes. “Or like a vampire.”

‘A vampire? Seriously?’ Edgeworth tapped his finger onto his arm with a flat stare at the man. “It’s a cravat, Mr. Leff.” 

“Eh, semantics, shemantics, Mr. Ass-cot.”

Kay snickers as Edgeworth sighs. There is a lot Edgeworth would probably like to think about. There was an impertinent case after all. But at this present moment, he could only think as he willed his hand to not grip his arm…

This man is irritating…

 “Anyways, just who are your friends, Gumshoe?” Mr. Leff shrugged back to the lieutenant, who perks up.

“O-oh! Well, this is Kay Faraday! A junior detective and upcoming private investigator!” He extended his hand to Kay, his grin wide and proud. “Sort of like a prodigy in all things investigation!”

“Good to meet you, Leff! Kay or Detective Kay works all the same.” Kay grins, putting her hands on her waist with a pep that only she could do at a crime scene.

“Nice to meet you.” Mr. Leff gave a brief smile, before instantaneously frowning at the glance of Edgeworth. Although, Edgeworth shared the same sentiment to his expression by simply keeping his stare at him.

“T-this is Mr. Edgeworth. He’s not a detective, but a star international prosecutor! He does help investigate high profile crime scenes, t-though.”

“Charming.” Mr. Leff batted his eyes away.

“Can’t certainly say the same for you, Mr. Leff.” Mr. Edgeworth replied smoothly.

“Y’know what, not charming. Mr. Ass-cot’s more like a bitch.” Mr. Leff’s eyes quickly sharpen back to Edgeworth, nearly surprising the prosecutor of his quick rebuttal. Danger in his irises, that man scowled and turned back to face Gumshoe.

“A-ah, don’t be mean-spirited. Mr. Edgeworth would probably love to–” Gumshoe paused, his eyes twitching in sudden concentration. “--get to know you…?”

“What.” Kay blinked alongside Edgeworth, allowing his head to turn its cogs a little more before he realized the awkward silence that transpired.

Leff didn’t seem bothered by that however. “Hmmmmmm... Nah. Kay’s a cool gal though. Edgeworth’s more like her lame 1800s vampire sidekick.”

Edgeworth could tell Kay’s eyes glitter with a spark as she perked up and grinned at him. “Y’know what, Mr. Edgeworth. Maybe he’s not shifty after all!” 

Of course you switch that quickly. “Just because you think he’s ‘chill’ means he’s not a possible shady man?”

Kay raised her eyebrows and jutted her lip out with stubborn sass. “Just saying. People that are this funny aren’t usually bad guys, y’know.”

“Pfft. Glad to not look like a criminal.” Mr. Leff smirked.  

Immediately, Gumshoe’s lips dropped into a sighed. “Awhhh… pal. Not cool.”

“...Still too soon? It’s been like– what… five months?”

“I know! But…”

Edgeworth sighed. Today, he wasn’t exactly expecting to hear from two friends bicker. If one could even call them friends. Edgeworth thought Gumshoe was being rather a pushover, which he’ll have to talk about later. “Anyways, before you all carry out any more blistering stories, do you have any testimonials that we could inquire about, Mr. Leff?”

Leff glanced back at Edgeworth, his expression carefully neutral. “Weeeell, I was told by the manager at the restaurant I work at to tell the police that he, the bartender, and I were inside and talking.”

“Did you hear anything?” Kay inquired. “Like– something loud?”

“Hmmm… no. The bar was empty, so we would’ve heard something outside.”

“Where is this bar?”

“O-oh! Mr. Leff works at the Borscht Bowl Club, right over there, sir!” Gumshoe’s hand directed Miles to a familiar building in the distance, one he was already directed to before. The prosecutor lowered his eyes and turned back to Mr. Leff.

“What is your occupation at this bar?”

Leff snapped his fingers. “Pianist.”

“You can play the piano?! Sweet!” Kay grinned cheerfully.

“Eh. Not very impressive if you ask me. It pays the bills every other day. Piano barely works half the time.” Mr. Leff chuckles as Kay snickers.

Mr. Edgeworth raises an eyebrow. “I surmise that’s probably due to the piano’s misfortune with you as its player.”

“Oh? Quipping, are we, Mr. Ass-cot?” Mr. Leff glinted a glance at the prosecutor, who simply glared at the man.

“Simply stating what seems to be in character for you, Mr. Leff.” 

“Wait, if you’re a pianist, why are you at the bar with no people? Seems like a waste of time.” The young Yatagarasu looked at the building with a perturbed mystery on her face.

The man shrugged. “The bar’s usually a waste of time, but fair.” 

“But you work there??” Her eyes widened in shock and mouth agaped. 

“I stand by what I said.” Mr. Leff smiled.

Edgeworth sighs, but before he could do anything about his growing migraine, Mr. Leff interjected. “If you must know so I don’t get counted as a suspect, I was waiting for a friend. We were simply meeting up at the bar since he knows the place well,”

“Oh? Did he show?”

“Nope, couldn’t. Got stuck staying somewhere”

Mr. Leff is at an empty Borscht Club, waiting for someone who didn’t show.++

++ Mist was to drop by to visit a friend at the Borscht Club.

The two thoughts quickly click like clattering wood pieces, Miles’ eyes drawn to a close to let his brain takeover his movements. These two thoughts weren’t difficult ideas to connect, but anything to build up such vague testimonies will have to be his weapon of choice today. Especially with how much time has been wasted on talking to this ridiculous man. Edgeworth turned his eyes open, glancing back at everyone. Then, he noticed something new that added another mystery puzzle to his stack of ideas. Mr. Leff���s eyes looked at the prosecutor ominously, his squinting eyes shifting over Miles’ entire being, under a watchful gaze that never left the prosecutor. Miles spoke his conclusion. “You must be the acquaintance Mr. Mist mentioned.”

“Hm? You know my buddy, old pal journalist?”

“Well, he was the one who found the body, pal.” Gumshoe chuckled. “He’s our primary witness.”

“Ah.” Mr. Leff hissed between his teeth before his lips made a popping sound. “That’s a yikes. Derek’s not having a lucky day huh? Though, he’s not alone I suppose.” He tapped Gumshoe’s shoulder. “You have to work with Mr. Fancypants all day.”

The lieutenant chuckled slowly, shifting his eyes away. “M-mr. Edgeworth isn’t so bad, pal…”

“He certainly doesn’t look very agreeable.”

Kay snickered, her toothy grin wide and smiley. “Well, Mr. Edgeworth’s certainly much more agreeable when I’m around. I am his handy dandy assistant!”

“I’d argue that’s because you happen to be wildly more improvisational that I have to simply be generous with my patience, Kay.” Edgeworth sighed, before retrieving his organizer from his coat pocket to write down this new conclusion.

“Semantics! I simply have a way with words!” Kay blew raspberries and grinned.

“Snrk–!” Mr. Leff chuckled, almost softly yet drowned by something tired. He smirked at Kay. “Sounds wonderful. Keep up the good work, Kay. Don’t let my favorite lieutenant get bullied around by Mr. Vamps.”

“Heh! Aye aye captain!” Kay returned the smirk with her signature grin and saluted. 

He’s the captain now, huh? Edgeworth could feel his entire body mentally roll his eyes at this. “Do you have anything else to contribute to your testimony Mr. Leff? We’d like to resume the investigation if you would be so kind.”

Mr. Leff frowns and glances back to Gumshoe, then back to Edgeworth with a slithering voice under a calm demeanor. “Nothing else to contribute then, Mr. Edgeworth.” The hiss behind Leff’s voice sent an odd prickle down Edgeworth’s neck, one that he immediately shook off as he turned away from that man. “Let’s continue our investigation elsewhere, Gumshoe and Kay.”

“O-oh! Sure! Uhh… See ya, pal!”

“Adios, Leff!”

“Adios.”

And with that, they parted ways with Mr. Leff, who seems to just reenter the Borscht Club, to Miles’ relief.

“Gumshoe, do all your friends happen to act so unmannerly?” Edgeworth turned to look at the lieutenant, whose face looked a little anxious.

“Oh, no, Mr. Edgeworth! Y’know, Maggey and such. She’s a total sweetheart!” Gumshoe chuckled with a pitch higher. “It’s just that Mr. Leff is… a hard nut to crack! Yeah!”

Edgeworth’s frown deepened. “You sound unsure.”

“Well, I’ve only known him for a few months, really… But I’m determined to understand him better!” Gumshoe gave a firm thumbs up to the prosecutor and detective, which gave a little rise to Kay’s eyebrow.

“Really? He honestly sounded more used to you than you make it seem, Gummy!” She crossed her arms and closed her eyes with a pouty lip.

Gumshoe blinked and glanced back and forth between his friends with a little light in his eyes. “D-do we?”

“Yeah!” Kay’s mouth twitched into an uncontrollable grin towards Edgeworth, to which the prosecutor did not look approvingly at. “I mean, why else does he love to make jabs at your own boss?”

“Yes, because that’s completely wise to do for a friend, Kay.” Edgeworth had the urge to roll his eyes at her comment, but simply sighed at the young Yatagarasu. 

Kay’s grin continued as she spoke. “Point is! He’s kind of like– chill! Absolute comedian and that’s something to appreciate about him.”

“You think that’s the case with everyone, Kay…” Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, remembering her jabs with Mr. Fender towards him consistently a few months ago. 

“Psssh, please! I’ve certainly met my fair share of clowns–”

“Kay.”

“--but I’ve never seen anyone who can really get under your skin! You’re like an impenetrable rock sometimes! Stone-face and all!” Kay looked off, scratching her chin in deep thought. “Yet, quipping at him? First time witnessing Leff?”

“Hmph. I believe you’ve mistaken me for being caught off guard by his hostile demeanor, Kay.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Why else would he be calling me nicknames after two minutes of meeting me?”

“So you’re calling him bitchy as well?”

Exhale, and inhale. “May we please focus back on this case? Mr. Leff’s testimony is fairly interesting. He didn’t hear anything, and that would be attested by two other people. Mr. Mist, meanwhile, was able to hear the shot.”

“Right, so we can be sure that it had to be a silencer!”

“Silencer’s are easier to hear in a range unperturbed by objects. Since there’s sound waves and they like to bounce off objects to create echoes and all that. Mr. Leff was inside a building, and he didn’t hear it. Probably because it was simply too quiet.” Kay spins around to see all the other brick buildings, Edgeworth following where her gaze was looking to see at all the tall buildings. Buildings with dark bricks of spectrums of reds, browns, and grays. Grays that have high ledges and even taller points to look from. 

Edgeworth also noticed the rather empty atmosphere, save for a bird tweet and murmur from an officer or two. “That would also explain why everyone else wouldn’t have heard the shot, except for Mist. Everyone was inside because they were afraid of the loud arguing. Which allowed the perpetrator to get the victims without as much as a glance from other potential witnesses.”

“That sucks. Imagine arguing so much that everyone ignores you and allows your murderer to get away from the crime scene, easy peasy.” Kay sighs, hands on her hips.

Tap, tap, tap on his arm as his brain adjusted itself to that comment. “Maybe it’d be advisable to argue with less disdainful speech out in the public.”

Kay’s grin grew wider with cheeky glitter under her eyes. “Mayhaps so! But maybe we can find more witnesses! C’mon! Let’s go!” And before Edgeworth could give her any warnings, she was off.

“Ugh… Kay…” Edgeworth rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Gumshoe chuckled and waved his hand. “Heheh, she’s got a lot of energy, Mr. Edgeworth. Let her get it all out now.”

“Hmph. Perhaps you’re right. Though, she’s way more capable of getting into trouble that’s way more concerning when she’s alone.” ‘But even so, she’s very capable by herself and I don’t want to limit her potential.’ Edgeworth looked off to Kay, who was jumping in place as she was giggling with an officer on duty. He smiled to himself, Kay’s gift of quite literally being the shiny sparkle in any dull moment. Quite literally with her dangly keys paired with the dark clouds above. 

“Ahah… that’s.. That’s fair. Anyways! Let’s catch up with her!” Gumshoe sped forward with rapid steps trailing behind him. Leaving Edgeworth, simply watch the two detectives talk with each other and other officers.

He didn’t exactly get to inquire about Gumshoe’s behavior, and the interjecting stuttering is very unlike him. Usually brashly a friend to everyone, but that Mr. Leff had left something on that detective that clearly makes Gumshoe more uneasy than usual. Nervous, clearly on edge, and sweaty. Edgeworth won’t ignore that it was probably the most prominent piece of evidence that proved that Gumshoe was not well. However, Edgeworth thought to himself as he walked closer to the duo, it could be a continuation of Gumshoe’s rather hesitant stature today.

But Miles relented. There was no point in speculating further without simply asking the detective. He’d just have to ask him when it became convenient. Then, an idea conjoined the running train of thought.

He turned back towards the street where that bar sat on. The distance was farther than Miles would preferably like to see from, but glasses helped it go back towards it. He saw a gray silhouette exit the bar, his face covered by his hat but Miles could surmise that it was who he thought it was. Said silhouette gestured away from the door, his mouth moved unhurriedly to the receiver end of those words inside the building. It would seem that he was rather bored of whatever he was doing, his eyes rolling away towards the skies. His hands stuffed into his pocket, and his leg tapping against the ground with a smooth rhythm. 

Edgeworth slowly paused his steps, his face tilting and eyes squinting closer. 

This man was a bit of an enigma. Someone who made Miles rather curious. The curiosity may have been born out of disrespect to Miles, but the prosecutor was fairly unaffected by it. Irritating people always come into investigations after all. He’s dealt with people like Lotta, Fender, and so many more. Why did this feel different? Something off about the person who Gumshoe considers a friend. What was the goal of this person? Did he have anything under those dark ey–

Stop.

For a quick second, he saw that the pianist’s eyes, as it rolled away from whomever he was talking to, they landed squarely at Edgeworth. Awkwardly staring at one another from a distance of many meters away, Miles stuck squinting at him. Miles swiftly removed his gaze after a few seconds before he heard a familiar voice.

“Mr. Edgeworth! Come over here!” Edgeworth blinked and looked ahead. Kay swung her arm excitedly to beckon him, while Gumshoe was kneeling over something next to her. That thought would have to wait, it appears. Edgeworth adjusted his glasses and stride forward towards the detectives.

Bonus Drawings:

[formiito]

moon, 12:04 am

synopsis: sometimes, picking up the pieces isn't enough.

author's note: i blacked out and a spirit possessed my body to type this. totally didn't crash out today and put all that frustration into this fic. 

read on ao3

dazai x gn! reader. wc: 1.3k

The sound of restless pacing is all that sounds in the hallway at night.

Forwards, stopping, backwards, stopping, turn. The movement is soothing to a restless mind. Despite a slowly fraying thought process, the mind attempts to keep itself rational despite heading into a slow descent. A pounding headache, tired eyes, the feeling of warmth in the waterline. The tears waits to fall, and it isn't wiped. It feels like something, and it feels real. It encourages the spiral further, and you do. A rare moment of feeling something more, even if it may be loathing. Despising the weightlessness of a cloud, of the seemingly carefree nature of your existence, because it didn't feel enough. Moving through life in a trance like state, moments of fugue that settle in the skull like cotton candy and mist. Drawing out the agony feels better, that loneliness that claws it's way from the inside and holds the injury apart with it's jagged nails. It feels like something, and despite the tension of the moment and the stress, it feels good somehow. You attempt to squeeze out a tear from your lashline. It doesn't work, all that is left is a pathetic smudge of something wet underneath your eyes. All the harsh words and a bitter knife like tongue, the little gust of wind that spins into an emotional tornado; this was all it could elicit.

Release. It would feel so much better if you had access to such a thing. If the sound of footsteps did not immediately alert you to wipe your eyes despite the moisture being far too little, to attempt to compose your thoughts for a coherent response. You wished you were left alone for just a little longer, to perhaps stew in the all too rare outburst of emotion. But weren't you being unreasonable? You understand the weight of the words you said, none of which you meant. You'll apologize this time. It wasn't intentional, not very much, simply the culmination of the meaningless day in and day out of the past few months. Nothing bothered you much. Everything was alright. You knew that. You wondered if this argument was just a desperate attempt to feel something, even if it were only anger.

Anger and sadness are best friends. Anger and guilt are lovers. Preparing yourself for a bandaged hand on your shoulder and an apology that'll come far too easily to your lips because you knew your faults better than anyone; it feels odd to have nothing. Only a pause that stretches out far too long. The thought is slightly relieving. Could you get away with feigning resentment for a few more minutes just to have something to cling on? Can this wound not close too early?

Your throat betrays you before your mind does and the coughing fit that follows leaves a sharp pain in the back of your throat and the centre of your chest. It's strangely difficult to say anything without the tingling in your throat rising up again and so you say nothing. Instead, you choose to focus on the weight of the stare into your back. Mentally, you try guessing what you will see. Empty eyes like twin abysses that look through you as though you were a ghost? A charming smile that asks if something is wrong while playing the night's events off like an ill timed joke? Disappointment in not understanding him? Indifference to the matter?

Every option brought its own new fear, yet you felt strangely relieved. All of them would mean moving beyond this, the precarious line that separates those that care and those that don't. Maybe this would have Dazai pulling away from that delicate line. You couldn't be sure; he had a way of laughing expectation in the face. You couldn't tell what he was thinking. A fact that sometimes causes you grief. No, you do not understand. As his hand reaches out with a nearly imperceptible tremble to his fingers—when you silently ask yourself if it took far too long for you to notice?—holding your hand where it is always free to be held, you don't understand how to ease his sorrow. A brilliant mind is somewhat of a prison to be in. But you don't have the key. Dazai often watches you attempt to make him see your perspective with some sort of sarcastic amusement. As if he knows that neither of you truly know who you're doing. Doing all the right steps, despite themselves, but never in sync. The moment of vulnerability for you only comes when his ends, and his begins where yours finish. Too bad you can't understand. Too bad you can't see where his sadness begins. If he's sick, what ails him? If he isn't, how do you make yourself the same way?

You don't know what the shape is of the creeping shadows of his past when they stick their fingers into the back of his mind. You never needed a reason to be alive, or to question your humanity. What are you to tell him? That you did not care? That everything had long since blurred into one singular misty thought; how do I help you?

In truth, you don't know why Dazai clings on. Why you do either. Why it's so easy to apologize and why he accepts it as though it's the punchline to this joke of a relationship. Maybe he welcomes you back because it doesn't quite matter anymore, does it? Not when the both of you are too embroiled in this personal irony to clearly see what's in front of you both.

What's in front of you now is a resigned smile, a mouth that forms uncanny words and asks you playfully if there's a reason you're having trouble sleeping. You don't look at him with pity in your eyes. Something worse. Shame. As if you truly believed your worthlessness to be the same as his. To him it's a cruel joke.

Times like these, you somewhat begin to understand why he craves death so much, only for different reasons than his. In truth, you had many reasons not to die, but most of those reasons you have traced back to one thing — cowardice.

The fabric of a familiar coloured beige coat soaks up tears that aren't quite there yet. He observes your tired eyes and looks at you like he understands. You can't do the same for him. It kills. But do you know how to be a warm body, so you hold onto the back of the coat and the shell within tight. Dazai lets you, knowing that it's the only thing at the moment that you trust yourself to do right; the other hand reaching up to entangle in your hair. The moonlight out the window reflects in his eyes, and there's a small glimmer of something in his eyes when he feels the shaking of shoulders and the trembling of a broken ego. This feels real. Like this, you feel real.

It's somewhat soothing, feeling your silence turn into real sobs. That the emotion is given a noise, even if it's incoherent and you can't say what you really want to because you don't trust yourself right now. Everyone must entangle the strings of their own mind by themselves or live with a knot where their head should be, this you know. For a moment you wonder how fickle your beliefs are if you can toss them away so easily for being held like this. Dazai wonders how long you will try before you grow tired of your work. Will you end up seeing yourself to the same degradation as him? Everything he cares about has been growing cold in his fingers, since that day the bandages covering him fell loose. His fingers trace where the wound of your loneliness should be. Your blood is warm, tears warmer, and he wonders if there's a way to somehow kill a person while they're still alive.

[hermidetta]

she knows they don't mean it.

she knows they don't mean to sound short, clipped, even the faintest bit pained—she knows, but it had been the last thing bernadetta had ever wanted and it is her fault, it's hers. they laugh. not at her, but they should have. she suddenly wants to laugh at herself, too. it takes everything in her not to. absolutely everything.

"i... i told you."  bernadetta shakes her head and fidgets her knees like she isn't thankful they're already sitting down, or she might have crumpled.  "i-i don't want anything that you don't,"  she repeats, voice trembling just a little more than she'd like. just a little. because, once she's decided to be brave, the least she can do is see it through until she folds, until both her body and mind give out. there have been a handful of times in which she has done just that.

(once, when she almost drowned to save another friend who had hurt her on purpose. another time, when she got the scar on her neck that yuri redressed themself. because being afraid doesn't mean she can't still be brave. being afraid might just always be a part of what makes her bernadetta von varley, silly and absurd but sincere bernadetta von varley, and maybe that's also been something that saves her.)

"what i want..."  she trails off. does she even know, either? and if not, how could yuri possibly know if even bernadetta doesn't? but the answer feels easy.  "can't it just be for you to be happy? can't that be valuable enough?"

can it really be that simple again?  anybody would ask.

but can't it be, with her?

"i don't know your name, but you know mine. i don't know your name, but i know when you might be hurting, and nobody needs a name for that. i know how you take care of flowers, and i know that you showed me how much to water them because i cried really hard when i accidentally killed one of yours with too much."  almost as much as she had for him when she had tripped with those shears.  "i know that you're mean to yourself, and that sometimes you only feel pretty on the outside. i know that whenever i was scared and all alone, and tied down for my lessons... i remembered you. that there used to be someone as wonderful as you in the world"—even if i ruined that, she leaves hanging in the air, forever a guillotine over her neck—"and then the world felt a lot less scary. it just, i don't know... it felt like there could still be good things in it. what else could you have ever given me that mattered?"

all they've done is make her life better. a year and some change ago they saw the stupid, killable girl who almost got them killed and still decided to let her call them her friend again anyway. she held out her bleeding heart to them back then without expectation; they couldn't do the same, she still thanked them for it. she still thanks them for it now because don't they see? they don't need to bring down the walls they'd painstakingly built to keep themself alive, how could she do that to them? how could it be anything as simple as lust for her to see their lips and instead brush her affections against the imperfection she'd left on their skin? you've always been beautiful, i'm sorry for hurting you, thank you for still being here. thank you for still being here at the same time as me. she folds her hands over wherever their walls may chip, protecting the cracks even if she can't be inside the same way yuri's always protected others, protected their world that they think they can't be part of.

"you still take care of me, even though i don't deserve it. even though i don't have anything valuable for you. you think you haven't given me anything, but haven't you already?"  and she sounds sweet not because she realizes it, not because she desires anything in return, but because they make it so easy. she can tilt her head into yuri's line of vision again, blink up at them through violet lashes and search for those lilacs. she can do that for them. whatever it takes—she can be brave enough. for the both of them, if she has to. she wants to. what could go wrong, her heart whispers, except everything?

"you can just keep being you,"  she offers, and is brave enough again to give their hand a gentle squeeze.  "however you want to be, however you feel safe to be. that's enough. you're enough, always. okay? and, um... that's my embarrassing speech. and you don't have to say anything, because bernie of all people knows that talking is scary, but please don't laugh at me. a-at least until i'm out of earshot... a-and if you're mad at me and my big fat mouth, i can go... and... and..."

and.

*⚘ crimes one and two

⠀ continued. ⚘ ethereal ball 2025 ⠀

[typhoonboom10]

i thought i'd be funny to write the entire script of the tadc pilot by hand.

sorry if the quality is bad lol

[oreo-creampies]

“𝐜𝐮𝐦 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧’ 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 (𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲!)”

𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭! Sukuna fucks you, queen of the fae, into a messy cum covered whore

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬! queen of the fae!reader, demon king!sukuna (true-form), size kink, hentai logic lets say his monster sized cock fits in your fairy cunt, pussy drunk, overstimulation/hints of mindbreak, cock-drunk, monster sized cocks one has a knot the other is softly ribbed, HUGE HUGE HUGE SIZE KINK, sensitive wings, squirting, degradation/some praise, sukuna is 10ft tall in this one, your pussy is like a pocket of holding and it can take that shit, lets say you have tits even if you don’t for this one, titty fucking, double pentration (cunt and anal), pain kink, restraining/rough manhandling, fucking you in front of a mirror then on the bed, reader has magical abilities, sukun eats your ass a little with one of his hand’s mouth, sukuna is mean but gentle with your wings, pussy slapping, some anal fingering (he doesn't touch you with the hand after), belly bulge from both his cock and cum, squirting his cum when he pushes on your stomach, he covers you in his cum too, fingering

Fey; i get it if you judge me for this one, but in my defense my coochie held me at gun point to write this one. I'm giving you one more warning to use hentai logic with this one!!!

Sukuna strokes the base of your iridescent wings making them stretch out and flutter. Trembling, arching your back, digging your nails into the arm of the hand clenching your waist. Getting off on how Sukuna can hold you up, to use like a cocksleeve, with one massive hand.

“I look so big taking your stupid lil bratty ass from behind, look at yourself, you’re built like a handheld toy for me to use whenever I want.” Sukuna that’s massive, from his height to his hands, to the cocks stretching out both of your sloppy wet holes.

He croons, “You’re hot crying with your tiny wings fluttering n’ your stomach bulging.” Slowly stretching your wings out then pulling you upright by a firm grasp on your throat. Your wings occasionally brush Sukuna’s warm chest.

Your sloppy wet cunt is gushing on his cock, thick warm cum squirts and trickles onto the floor. Both of your wet holes quiver, clenching his thick cocks.

Sukuna moans, “Stupid slutty lil princess make a mess on my cocks, cumming so damn much you’ve made a puddle on the floor.

His four eyes fixating on how his thick knot tugs on your cunt. “Nnnn look at that you’re clenching me too tightly for me to pull out?” You squirm and cry when he sucks on your clit with a hand’s mouth.

Insisting, “Princess? I'm a queen?!” He licks your cock-stuffed cunt with a hand’s tongue. When he moves his hand away you’re fixating on how your cunt is split into a perfect circle by his thick knot.

Sharply crying when Sukuna pinches your sensitive clit. “Yet you’re taking my cocks like a common whore.” He roughly pulls his knot and cocks out eliciting a needy whine from you when you’re empty.

Dropping you on the massive nearby bed which floats with with a wave of your hand. “It doesn't make me any less a queen.” Spreading your legs for him, “It just means I'm a queen whose a monster cock loving slut.”

Sukuna pins your thighs by your side, lining his bottom cock up and nudging your asshole with his cockhead. Unlike his other cock’s blunt head it has a thinner cone-shaped like tip, which gets thicker after each soft ridge.

He rests his other cock on top of you, covering your cunt and resting between your tits. “And to think you were just takin’ me in your soft lil‘ cunt, I knew fae magic was something else but this is isn't what I expected.” His cock is so big, yet he feels no deeper than your belly button when inside.

Pressing your breasts together, squeezing his fat cock. He grabs your hair yanking your head up, making you look at his cock peeking out from between your tits.

Sukuna groans when you lick his cockhead. “I wonder how much you can take before your magic runs out and you break.” Slowly rolling his hips fucking your soft ass, his cock on top stroking your sensitive clit.

Pleading with Sukuna, “Break me, fuck! Nnn it won't be too long before I'm ready for more! Please! I can't get enough they’re so big, I can't get enough! Please fuck me with both cocks please! Please! Please!” He covers your mouth sticking his fat tongue into your mouth, you can faintly taste yourself.

“What? You’re looking up at me like you want to kiss some different lips.” He smirks gliding himself out of your ass and takes his other cock off your body to let them both hang

He leans down, “Hah you’re too small to properly kiss me.” You lean forward covering his larger lips in kisses, sliding your fingers into his hair.

“I can cover you in kisses.” Sukuna’s lips covers your cheek when he kisses you. Standing up he’s a ten foot monstrous demon and you love it. You love how small you feel beneath him, restrained in a mating press for him to mercilessly fuck both sensitive, sloppy wet holes.

He roughly smacks your cunt, licking your asshole with his thick tongue. The sharp pain rips wonderfully through the pleasure of having your ass ate. Loudly pleading, “Fuck me please, please fuck me. I wanna cum again!”

“Greedy lil brat is a better title for you, after you squirted and made a mess all over my floor you’re begging to cum again.” Another harsh slap to your cunt has you crying.

Pleading with Sukuna, “Im a greedy slut for your thick cocks! I can't help it! It feels like I'm about to go into heat. Please use whatever hole you want my King it gets me off how you use me for your pleasure.” Grabbing the bottle of lube left on the bed, taking his tongue out of your ass.

He pours a lot onto your tight hole then stuffs it in with two thick fingers. Some of the lube drips onto the sheets, “Good girl.” Pumping his fingers faster, smearing the lube. “Call me me your King again.”

He lines himself up, “Please fuck me My King.” He roughly stuffing both holes in a swift thrust. Your body tenses up with a sudden jolt, he’s too big. And being unable run away from the overwhelming intensity magnifies it.

Sukuna demands, “This is my sloppy lil’ cunt to cum in till I get bored of you. Say it!” Putting his weight into your thrust watching your stomach expand when his cock nestles in deep.

“Nnnn!” You can’t focus his words his cock stretching out both holes making the strip of skin between go taunt. You’re a fuck toy for him and it feels so good.

He’s so perfect from cocky smirk, to the condescending way he is looking down at you, and his thick cocks stirring you up pushing you towards cumming again.

He sneers, “Are you already too cock drunk?” Trailing his fingers gently along the top of one of your expanded wings. “Be a good girl and tell me who owns you brat.” Licking your clit with his stomach’s tongue, the pleasure is building rapidly.

Even after squirting on his cock he’s getting you this worked up so fast. It's hard not to with the intense stimulation from Sukuna licking your clit whilst mercilessly fucking you sloppy holes into a loose with his monster cocks.

You whine, “You do my King! ‘S your cunt! Nnn I wanna covered in your cum.” Picking up his pace, even with your magic the bed is rocking. “Fuck you’re so big! Nnnn please please! I'm your good girl.” Grabbing his thick, tattooed forearms, digging your nails in.

“Good girls get cummed in don’t they?” He fondled your breasts, biting and sucking on your nipple. The way he’s toying with your body is wonderful.

You beg him, “We shouldn't, we aren't married, but I want you to! Nnnn! Fuck! You’d cum so much, I would be so full!” Softly clutching the sheets when he flicks your tongue faster, adding a little more pressure. “I wanna feel your warm cum.”

A couple more strokes and your reasoning is quickly crumbling as you cum. All you can think about are his cocks throbbing inside you, filling both holes up. It’s too tempting you're begging with Sukuna, “Please cum! Please cum! Wanna feel your warm thick cum!”

He wonders, “How long did you spend making a spell that can let you take cocks bigger than you should. Or did it come naturally to a slut like you?”

You’re unable to process his question instead you’re loudly moaning, “Please cum! Please! Please! My king! Daddy! Sir! Please! Suukunnna.” Sukuna squeezes your throat and lifts you off the bed. Using his grasp on your throat and his to make you meet his merciless thrusts.

It’s hot to hear Sukuna sound so needy as he whines, “Nn!!! Nn! ‘S tight, wet! Fuck!” He grabs your hair yanking your head back so he can watch you cry while he fucksyou. Keeping eye contact with two eyes while the other two fixate on how your stomach bulges.

Softly growling and grunting “Mine! All fuckin! Nnnnn! Stupid pretty lil’ brat.” His jaw drops with needy loud whines as he loses himself in the intoxicating pleasure of your wet holes clenching his cocks.

There is a crash as the bed hits the floor. Sukuna turns around and lies down on an uneven half-broken bed. He digs his heels into the bed and roughly rutting his hips. “Fuck so damn hot! So fucking small, I wanna make you cry and ruin your tight cunt.”

You lean forward resting your hands on his abs above his stomach’s mouth. “Please cum! Sukuna please!” He softly growls then fucks you harder making it hard for you to string a word together in between your cries.

His brows pinch together and his jaw drops with a loud groan. “C-cum on mmmmm!” It’s impossible to think with the way your soft, soaking-wet holes are gripping and rubbing his cock. Your tears rolling down your beautiful face spurring him on getting him so close to cumming inside you.

“Cry! Louder! Fuck me!” Your cunt spasms as you cum on Sukuna’s thick cock. Sukuna’s eyes roll back, shoulders curl in and he tosses his head back. Whining loudly, “Nnn too-too too tight! Too much! Please!” Thick hot cum spurts in your stomach making it swell.

When he lets your throat go you use your first steady breath to whine “Please?” Sukuna's cheeks flushes a dark shade of pink matching his hair. He stuffs a finger in your mouth and fondles your soft breast, sucking on your nipple.

His cock pulses as more thick cum keeps trickling out. Your aching holes spasm around his cock. It’s wonderful to be so full of Sukuna’s cum and cocks.

He rolls over, towering over you with two massive cocks stuffed in each hole. “Don’t think this means we are done. Im going to clean up then see if your lil’ bratty cunt can take both of my cocks.” Slowly gliding his cocks out, Sukuna pushes on your building stomach making his cum squirts onto his hand and the bed.

Sukuna smears his thick cum over your thighs, tits, and waist. Gliding his finger inside you costing himself in cum which he stuffs into your mouth. “How do we taste?” You groan whilst sucking his thick finger as he holds his dirty hand to your asshole, licking your cum filled asshole.

He pulls his finger out with a wet pop. “Bitter, but I love being filled with and feeling your cum gushing out of me!” Lifting you off the bed by your hair Sukuna dangles you in front of the mirror.

“You look hotter covered and dripping with my cum.” He glides a thick finger into your cunt, pushing more thick cum out of you faster with slow pumps.

Letting your hair go causing you to flutter your wings to afloat. “How long can you keep hovering with those little wings while I'm fingering you?”

Oreo’s m.list

[lxnarphase]

━━ ❝ it's sticky, toshi... ❞

ᯓ ❤︎₊‧⁺...synopsis : you help ushijima finally realize that he's got a breeding kink

ᯓ ❤₊‧⁺...cw : u. wakatoshi x fem!reader, dirty talk, messy and wet, teasing, marathon sex, pet names, breeding kink, talks of pregnancy, ushijima can't stop cumming

ᯓ ❤₊‧⁺...lunar's note : haikyuu save me, save me ushijima wakatoshi, SAVE ME !! anyways hi i spent 150$ on ushijima merch yesterday and i don't regret it, so say hello to my haikyuu phase coming back !!!

ushijima having a breeding kink isn't a surprise to you at all.

what is surprising is how long it takes for him to figure it out.

sure, at first it wasn't clear, but after being with him for so long, you quickly pick up on whenever he'd mutter in your ear as he slid his stupidly big cock inside of you, saying how badly he wished he could cum inside of you instead in the condom.

afterwards, he's so focused on cleaning you up and making sure you felt good and satisfied, you don't get a chance to question him on it. not that you were complaining, ushijima is so cute when he's asking if you need anything and constantly reminds you to get up and go use the bathroom.

it's even cuter when he realizes you can't walk.

"ah. i'm sorry, i didn't realize how hard i went...here, let me help."

eventually, you to suggest things to ushijima, trying to test out the waters with him.

you start by just asking if he’d want to fuck you without the condom, what he thought about cumming inside, even jokingly saying you’d make him a dad one day.

but it seems like that last part was swimming around his head for a while...he can't get the thought of you getting chubby and round with his kid out of your head. and knowing he'd be able to take care of you all the time? that thought alone made him shiver a little.

what can he say, he loves doting on you more than anything.

however, you aren't expecting the way he reacted weeks after dealing with your teasing and questioning, fueling the thoughts swirling inside his head.

"toshi, if you ever cum inside me, you should set it as your phone background! actually, wait, no, because what if your teammates see it..."

"..."

"mm, maybe a video instead? ooh, yeah, i want a video of you cumming in me then pullin' out so i can see it spill out, toshtosh, would you do that f' me?"

he doesn't reply and doesn't give you a chance to comment again. the visual you painted in his mind just too much for him.

next thing you know, ushi's got you folded in half on the bed, making sure you feel every drag of his stupidly fat cock against your hot gummy walls. he's pulling out to just the tip before slamming back inside you, groaning each time you let out a whimper of his name or squeeze down on him.

"toshi, t-toshi! h-hoohmygod, please, baby, c-calm down, 'm sorry f' teasin', oh my goddd...!"

you're so fucking wet and noisy, he wants to make you be quiet because he feels like your going to make him cum too fast but he'd never ever do it as the thought of not being able to hear you is painful.

he's lost track of time, your cunt making him brainless as he pumps his cock in and out of you as he groans your name, one of his hands pinning your arms to your back while the other presses your head into the pillows.

"s-shhh, honey, let...let me make you feel good, y're so loud..."

it's so fucking messy and sloppy, his cum is dripping out of your tight pussy from how many times he’s emptied his load into you, but he still isn’t stopping, no, he can't. it’s leaking from between your thighs, leaving a milky white sheen on his dick, dripping down onto the bedsheets.

"m-mmh, nooo, toshi, don' wanna be quiet, i-i wan' you to hear how good you make me feel, baby," you purr between moans, knowing that your voice was enough to get him off. the throb of his dick inside of you told you that you were right.

“i...i thought 'bout fucking you like this all day, during practice…that i’d fuck you full of my cum, get it so deep inside you," he mutters with a grunt, moving his hands off you so he could drape himself over your back.

"f-fuck, everyone knew something was off, kageyama kept asking me if-if was okay, how 'm i 'posed to tell him my pretty little honey is waiting at home for me to fill them with my cum?”

with an affirming coo, you manage to tilt your head to the side to look over your shoulder, wanting to see how ushijima is holding up and god, the sight is so sinful.

ushijima's dripping in sweat, his bottom lip swollen and puffy from his teeth digging into it. his fluffy hair is messy and sticking to his damp forehead, and his eyes are shut, squeezing in pleasure when the head of his cock brushed against that sweet spot just right, making your cunt spasm around him.

but his eyes keep opening to see the mess between the both of you. each thrust causes his cum to spill out around him, loud, wet squelches filling the bedroom. and it's only fueling his need to fill you up again, and again, and again, until he can’t anymore.

ushijima can’t stop himself, flipping you over onto your back and folding you into a mating press and, god, he's so fucking happy he did. the way you sob his name, your nails clawing at his back as you cry in pleasure about how much deeper he is now driving him insane.

“t-toshi, cum in me, please, wanna make you a daddy, please.”

“I know, baby, I’ll give you all of it, fuck you full of cum until you can’t take anymore.”

fuck, he’s so loud, he sounds so good. ushi's deep, drawn out groans and pants of your name making you go dizzy, his big hands squeezing your waist tightly each time your hands tug at his hair.

“mm, fuck, that’s right, take all my cum, look at you, so good, can you take more? let...let me cum in you again, baby, you promised you’d make me a daddy, right? i-i need to make sure it sticks.”

all rights reserved © lxnarphase | do not repost, copy, translate, or alter my work

[navybrat817]

Since we see this mentioned in Game Nights, what does it take for Bucky to stab John and how does the team react?

That is an excellent question, Cole! I'm so glad you asked.

Don't Look or Touch

Pairing: Thunderbolts!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: Bucky isn't having a good day and John suffers the consequences.

Word Count: Over 2.4k

Warnings: Stabbing (yes, Bucky stabs John), arguing, humor, kissing, implied smut, Thunderbolts spoilers, we love Bob, possessive behavior, Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: We have Not Exactly a Secret, Game Nights, and now this for our Tower Shenanigans. ❤️ Beta read by the lovely @mumbles411 (and thanks for the inspo!), but any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Bucky wasn't in a good mood today.  He claimed he didn’t need as much sleep as the average person, but he still needed to get some shut eye and he hadn’t slept well the night before. Too many things were running through his head. You wished he woke you up to talk or help take his mind off things, but you knew he hadn’t wanted to disturb your rest. Had the roles been reversed he would’ve wanted you to wake him up first thing. 

“I’m your girlfriend, Bucky. If something is bothering you, it bothers me,” you reminded him. “So, please, wake me up next time, okay?”

It didn’t matter how big or small of an issue it was, you’d help him through anything and everything.

“You need more sleep than I do,” he tried to argue, a ghost of a smile on his face when you narrowed your eyes. 

“I can always catch a nap later,” you said.

“If you say so,” he said, sounding in better spirits than he had moments ago.

But that didn’t last when he started fighting with Sam via text. He didn’t like fighting with his friends and it wore on him as the day went on. You saw it in how he carried himself. If that weren’t enough, Alexei accidentally shot a paint gun in the common room and hit Bucky’s thigh. The flare in his nostrils told you he was two seconds away from losing his shit when John laughed.

You half expected Bucky to punch John, but he silently got to his feet and went to change. “So sorry!” Alexei called after him, also leaving the room.

“Did you have to laugh?” you asked John. Sure, you all gave him a hard time, but he dished it out as well and it was clear that Bucky wasn’t in the best mood.

John shrugged, not at all phased. “He’ll live.”

“You won’t if you keep pissing him off,” you teased, going to get Bucky’s jacket while you waited for him to come back. 

Bucky returned a minute later, somehow looking more pissed off. Maybe it was because John scooted closer to you once you sat back down. As much as you adored Bucky’s signature grumpy stare, this was different. That look was on his face because of his bad mood. Your heart went out to him, and what kind of girlfriend would you be if you didn’t try to cheer him up? 

“Hey,” you smiled, holding out a hand so Bucky could help you to your feet. You gave him a quick kiss once you were close enough and handed him his jacket. “Let’s go for a ride.”

“A ride?” he asked, closing his eyes when you brushed his hair back.

“Yeah, a ride,” you smiled. As much as you both loved being in the tower, he needed to get out and you were more than happy to join him. “And maybe we can stop off at that bakery you love?”

Bucky’s eyes lit up. Between a ride with you and stopping off to get a treat, he’d be in a much better mood. “Let’s go.”

“Hang tight for just a minute. Just need to grab something,” you said, sneaking in another kiss before you headed toward your room. You wondered how much Bucky would argue if you tried to pay for the treats. He was always such a gentleman when it came to-

“FUCK!”

You stopped at the sound of John’s loud and piercing scream. It wouldn’t have been the first time he yelled, but that was typically done out of anger or frustration. This scream, however, sounded like pain.

“Oh, shit,” you mumbled, rushing back to the common room.

Your eyes went right to your boyfriend since he was always at the forefront of your mind. You took a step forward when he locked eyes with you, the coldness in the blues almost making you shiver. He happened to be right beside John who was a bit more pale than usual and gripping his arm like a lifeline. Your mouth fell open when you realized the former Captain America had a knife in his hand. And he wasn’t holding it, oh, no. Bucky’s knife was through his hand. You knew it was Bucky’s knife because you bought it for him. 

What the fuck happened, and why did that excite you?

Ava phased beside you, likely drawn by John’s scream. Yelena and Bob came in seconds later though Yelena didn’t seem too concerned. “What are you…” she trailed off with a snort. “That’s not good.”

Ava sighed. “And we just got the blood out of the sofa from the last incident.”

“No fucking shit this isn’t good! And who gives a shit about the blood on the sofa!” John snapped, screaming again when Bucky yanked the knife out. 

“You’ll live,” he muttered. 

Your eyes went wide. Super soldier hearing and all, had Bucky heard John mutter his earlier comment? “What happened?” you asked. You had only been out of the room for a few seconds. What possibly happened during that time to cause this?

John scrambled to find something to wrap his hand with. “Your fucking boyfriend stabbed me!” 

“Yeah, America’s Asshole, I stabbed you.” Sitting back on the sofa, Bucky got a cloth out of his pocket to wipe his knife. He stabbed John. He really did it. But why? “And you have the serum. You’ll be fine.”

You made the mistake of looking at Ava who had a smirk on her face. It didn’t do you any good to look at Yelena either since she also looked pleased. Only Bob looked concerned. And where the hell was Alexei?

“Okay, Bucky,” you began, trying to keep the laughter out of your voice because you had to be the mature one. “I know you threatened to stab him during Uno.”

“He put down Draw Four…” He sneered at John. “FOUR times.”

“I know, I know. Dick move. And I know I threatened to stab him because he raised his voice at Bob because, well, we don't yell at Bob.” You gave Bob a smile when he dipped his head. “But-”

“He’s lucky I didn’t cut this tongue out,” your boyfriend growled.

You tried hard not to whimper, which was tough since the sound was sexy as hell. “But why-”

“You can still cut out his tongue,” Yelena encouraged, taking out one of her own knives. “Allow me.”

You put your hand out while John took a few steps back. “No, Yelena. Not today,” you said, which earned you a pout in response before you turned your attention back to Bucky. “Just tell us why you stabbed him, please.”

“He talked about putting his hands on your ass!” Bucky snapped, wincing when he realized how loudly he said it.

You could hear a pin drop from the silence that followed. Your eyes darted between Bucky and John, seeing the mixture of anger and discomfort. There was no way John was dumb enough to say something like that in front of your boyfriend. Right?

“He what?” Yelena asked for you.

“Ew,” Ava whispered. 

“But she… she’s not your girlfriend,” Bob added.

“I didn’t say I’d put my hands on your ass!” John defended himself, taking a breath when everyone stared at him. “Look, all I said was ‘I’d never leave my bed if I could get my hands on an ass like that’ and that’s it! That’s all!”

You were thankful you didn’t take a drink of something because you would’ve spit it out. As admittedly smart as John could be when it came to missions, he could also be an idiot. “Bucky, put the knife down,” you ordered when his grip tightened on the handle. You couldn’t have him stabbing him again. 

Though it was kind of hot that Bucky stabbed someone in your honor. 

“I might stab his other hand,” he said. 

“Do it,” Yelena encouraged. 

John sputtered when Ava nodded in agreement. “What the fuck?”

“Okay, one, Bucky, we both know I’d never let John touch my ass. Sorry, but. No,” you said, shrugging at the bleeding agent. Your ass was off limits to him. “Two, it doesn't sound like he said he was going to put his hands on my ass.”

“I don't care.” Bucky carefully inspected his knife. “As far as he’s concerned, you don’t have an ass.”

The girls scoffed with you and you weren't sure if you should've felt flattered or offended. “Okay, old man, so I have no ass now? Do I not have tits either?”

You held your breath when Bucky slowly got to his feet, his jaw clenched. It wasn't fair how hot and bothered that stance made you. “Did he look at your tits?” he asked in a low voice.

John quickly shook his head out of the corner of your eye. You felt for the guy, but you weren’t going to lie. “He may have glanced at them when I leaned over the other day.”

“Oh, when you were wearing that black top?” Ava asked, humming when you nodded. “Oh, yeah. He looked.”

“What the fuck, Ava?!” John shouted. “You looked, too!”

“I didn’t look,” Bob said immediately, his hands up in surrender. He was too pure for this world.

Bucky swung his head toward John. “Forget your other hand. Let’s see if that serum helps you grow your eyes back.”

Oh, shit. Maybe you shouldn't have said anything. “No! No more stabbing today!” You moved to block Bucky’s path. The mood he was in, you had no doubt he’d stab him again if he got the chance. “I appreciate you defending my honor and I always will, but we are going for a ride. Now.”

The former assassin pouting shouldn’t have been as adorable as it was. “But he-”

“You didn’t sleep well, you’re in a bad mood, and you need a breather,” you gently said, framing his face so he’d only see you. Your touch took most of the anger away. “Please, let’s go. We can go right to bed when we get back.”

Sex, cuddling, sleep, all of it, you’d give him whatever he needed later.

Bucky huffed, but put his knife away. He recognized that your tone wasn’t one to argue with. “He better not look again or try to touch you.”

“He won’t,” you said for John, looking over your shoulder to glare at him.

“Jesus, it was meant to be a compliment,” he told you, daring to glance at Bucky. “You have a good looking girlfriend, okay?!” 

“Stop talking,” you begged when Bucky tensed up. You had just calmed him down.

“If you want to compliment him or her, tell them how murderous they look,” Yelena suggested, looking to the others for support. “That’s cool, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” Ava said.

“Um, Bucky?” Bob asked. 

“Yeah?” he answered, slipping an arm around you. 

Bob swallowed a little. “If she looks nice, am I allowed to say so? Or should I just avoid looking at her?”

You giggled. Bob deserved the whole world. “You can say whatever you want,” you replied. Bucky would agree. 

“Okay,” he smiled a little. “I just. I-I don't want to get stabbed.”

“No one will stab you, Bob,” Yelena promised, ever the protector. 

John looked around the room and asked, “So, Bob can say whatever he wants, but I can’t?” 

“Yes,” everyone answered in unison. Bob wasn’t an asshole like John.

“Now apologize to each other so we can leave,” you said. The longer you stayed, the bigger the chance that Bucky would snap again.

The men stubbornly refused to look at each other, like children being scolded after a fight. John broke first when you cleared your throat. “Sorry for complimenting your girlfriend, I guess.”

“Sorry for not stabbing both of your hands,” Bucky mumbled.

“And we’re leaving now. Try to behave while we’re gone,” you announced, pulling your boyfriend away. Chances were that they’d start arguing over dinner or dish duty. “I can’t believe it.”

“What, that I stabbed him?” Bucky asked, grinding his teeth. “He gets under my skin.”

They were teammates now, but it didn’t get rid of the bad blood or the past. You sympathized with that. “I know he does, and I can’t believe that it took this long for you to stab him, but maybe try not to do that again?”

His warm laughter brought a smile to your face. “I’m surprised it took this long, too, and I’ll try not to again, but I’m not sorry that you were the tipping point.”

Your cheeks warmed. “Bucky Barnes stabbed a man because of me.” You weren’t exactly sorry that you were the tipping point either. “In his defense, my ass does look good in these pants,” you smirked.

Bucky waited a beat before he smacked your ass, making you shriek. “He still isn’t allowed to look or touch.”

Hadn’t you made it clear earlier that you’d never allow John to touch you? Even if you weren’t Bucky’s girlfriend, that would never happen. “So possessive, but I love that about you,” you teased.

His eyes softened, the look making your heart race. “I’m not too much?” 

Your gaze softened, too. “You’ll never be too much,” you assured him, almost to the elevator when Alexei waltzed by in his robe.

“What did I miss?” he asked.

“I stabbed John,” Bucky answered.

The Red Guardian looked stricken. “And I missed it?”

The last thing you heard before you and Bucky stepped into the elevator was John yelling, “What the fuck?!”

“Right to bed when we get back?” Bucky smiled, bringing your hand to his mouth to kiss it.

“Right to bed,” you smiled back.

He pulled you against him to give you a deep and thorough kiss, one that left you breathless and yearning for more. “And thank you.”

“For what?” you asked breathlessly.

“For trying to cheer me up,” he whispered, touching your cheek. “And for being mine.”

You leaned into his touch, thrilled to be his. “Thank you for being mine, too,,” you said, hoping the ride and treat would make him feel much better before you went to bed. Maybe tomorrow he could hash things out with Sam. And maybe you’d look through the footage later so you could see for yourself that Bucky stabbed John. 

And maybe, just maybe, you’d make a copy of the footage for Bucky if he ever needed a laugh after a bad day.

So, did John deserve that? What other shenanigans do we think this group gets up to? ! Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[rafesangelita]

so anyway I was thinking about something about bitchy!Kook!reader (since she's my ultimate favorite)

maybe rafe has gifted her a promise ring at some point in their relationship, and despite all their highs and lows, even in their worst nights, she has NEVER taken it off

and maybe they are in a heated argument and they're mad at each other (but not broken up, just mad) and they are attending a party and he notices that she isn't wearing it, so he loses his absolute shit and drags her somewhere, making a scene and telling her how much he cares about her (in his own way, ofc) and how hurt he is until she simply smirks and tells him that she's taken it off because she's getting it cleaned up

-🦉

warnings: arguing, slight angst, light fluff

a/n: join my private community for girly talks! ♡ you can comment under this post, send me a message, or leave something in my ask box for an invitation!

“can you fix your face? ‘at least try to act like you want to be here with me right now?” rafe whispered in your ear, a slight pinch of irritation lacing his tone. you swallowed thickly, flashing him a glare as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders so he wouldn’t draw any unnecessary attention towards you two. “i told you i wanted to leave a long time ago and instead of wrapping things up, you disappeared for another drink. i’ve been sitting here on this couch with you for over two hours now, listening to your idiot friends talk about their latest escapades. how about you fix your fucking face?”

rafe looked around to make sure no one caught any of the words that just left your mouth, his jaw clenching as he gripped you by the back of your neck. “is that how you’re gonna act right now? that’s what we’re doing?” at this, you trailed a hand down rafe’s stomach, your nails digging into his flesh hard enough to make him hiss and let go of you. “grab me like that again and i’ll leave your ass in front of everybody.” rafe knew that wasn’t an empty threat, considering you’ve already done it before and topper still hasn’t let him live the embarrassment down.

rafe gave you a curt nod, his eyes raking down your form before they rested on your bare fingers. “what the fuck?” he spoke out loud, the group conversation coming to a halt. without another word, rafe got up, dragging you along with him as he guided you two outside to his truck. “oh, now you wanna go home?” you scoffed, managing to pull away from him before he hoisted you into the passenger’s seat, his body wedged between the door as he took ahold of your hands. “i know we’ve been fighting a lot recently, and i’m sure we get on each other’s nerves all the time, but taking off your ring? are you fucking serious?”

your eyebrows knitted in confusion, your mouth barely opening before rafe started going on a rampage. “i bought you that ring to uphold a promise to you, y/n, and i’ve kept it. through all of our bullshit, through all of our problems, through damn near everything; you’ve never taken that ring off. even when we were close to leaving each other once and for all, you were still wearing it. that ring saved us, and now? you’re just giving up like that?” rafe sounded pained, his voice dropping slightly as his chest rose and fell in uneven breaths. “rafe—” you tried to interject again, but still he continued.

“i love you, and i know i fucking suck at showing it, but you know i do. you’re the only person who puts up with my shit and still loves me as i am. you work with me even though i make it really hard, and you don’t throw my mistakes in my face every chance you get. you’re patient with me when i least deserve it.. i could go on and on about everything you do for me.. please just put your ring back on.” you weren’t expecting rafe to pour his heart out to you, your anger from earlier dissipating into nothing as your gaze softened. “i can’t—” rafe groaned, kneeling down onto the step bar of the truck as he held your hands to his chest.

“why?!” you couldn’t help but laugh, your resolve crumbling as rafe looked up at you desperately. “what’s so funny? i’m literally about to have a panic attack right now.” you laughed harder, shaking your head. “rafe, i’m getting my ring cleaned! i’ve been trying to tell you since you dragged me out here but you kept interrupting me.” your boyfriend let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, his shoulders falling in relief. “when did you take it?” you helped him off his knees, rolling your eyes as he pulled you into his embrace. “remember, i told you i was going to the mall with chanel? i dropped it off there and i’m supposed to go back for it tomorrow..”

rafe nodded, his hands running up and down your back. “well, we better get you another ring for when you’re getting the other one cleaned. i can’t have you giving me heart attacks like that.”

[illbegottenfaith]

kiss me better, love

as the two of you stumble into bed after a Valentine's dinner date, theo realises it's not fair how much he loves you (theo nott x reader)

a/n - valentines fic #2 !!!! thought of this idea in a class literally 5 hours ago and idk if its the sleep deprivation but this is sooo self-indulgent writing this had me giggling and kicking my feet frfr 😭 all I have to say is if this isnt me and my future partner I dont want him I send him BACK

tropes/warnings - physical touch as a love language, angry theo but also soft theo 🥰🥰 no (read: minimal) proof reading we die like men etc etc

word count - 1.5k

taglist - @hzdhrtss @justaproudperson @ebriton @thaliashifts @friedfreyfries @allie-sturns

The door shuts behind you both, plunging the room into near-darkness. You barely take a step before bumping into Theo, your knee knocking against his thigh, your hands flying to his shoulders as you stumble.

"Merlin,” he mutters, steadying you with a grip at your waist. “Can you - ”

“You're the one barging into me,” you shoot back, tucking a lock behind your ear as you tighten your grip on Theo’s shoulder, making him wince.

“Anyway, like I was saying, it hasn’t even been a week since Missy - ”

Theo exhales sharply, blindly reaching for the zipper at your back. “Is this something I really need to be hearing right now?” he asks somewhat waspishly.

“Yes.” You barely register his tone, still preoccupied. “So I walk into Charms in Tuesday, expecting to find Josh understandably distraught and/or in mourning. But who do I see him chatting up instead?"

"Hair."

You gather your hair up in one hand to hold it up and go right on talking. You barely notice Theo's largely ineffective attempts at pushing your sleeves off your shoulders.

"Pansy Parkinson! Pansy flipping Parkinson. What, does he think he's a free man now or something? Melissa's halfway across the world, she's not dead."

"Mhm."

You sigh exaggeratedly at his lackluster responses.

“Well? Don't you have to anything to add?"

“Yeah - hold still.” You This is just ridiculous, Theo was thinking. What kind of dress needed buttons and a zip?

You huff, switching your hair to your other hand. “Honestly, Theo, have you listened to a single thing I’ve been saying the past hour?”

Theo groans, still fumbling at your lower back. He had figured out the buttons were decorative, bless him, but your dress was on the more delicate side, and if he ripped it, he'd never hear the end of it. “Uh, yeah, that Abernathy guy...he’s two-timing Melissa?"

“He is not,” you say, peering over your shoulder to see what was taking Theo so long. Seriously, what was going on back there? It doesn't help, though, not when you can barely make him out in the dark. “not yet at least. He might. And if he's going to, well, isn't it better she finds out now rather than ten years down the road? Or am I an awful friend for thinking that?"

"Thinking what?" Theo asks distractedly.

"Willing my best friend's boyfriend into cheating on her."

Before he can formulate a response, your stubborn zipper finally decides to cooperate and moves down an inch - snagging at his finger. A sharp hiss cuts through the dark, followed by some emphatic, muttered swearing.

You pause.

“…what was that?”

Theo slips his injured finger out of his mouth briefly, his voice strained as he struggles to keep the pain out of his tone. “Nothing.”

You shift slightly, trying to catch his expression in the dark, but he’s suspiciously still now, his hands nowhere on you anymore.

“Theo.”

“I’m fine.”

Your brow furrows. Then, his suddenly subdued demeanour and oddly neutral tone clicks in your head.

"Did you hurt yourself?"

There’s an immediate rustle, followed by Theo’s very delayed attempt at nonchalance.

“…no.”

Oh, you could throttle him. “Was it the zip again?”

“You keep saying that like I do it intentionally - I never mean to-”

“And now you're trying to suck the pain away like a child?”

“Would you rather I bleed all over your dress?”

“I’d rather you watch what you’re doing so you don’t get maimed by a bloody zip in the first place!”

Theo exhales sharply, his frustration palpable. “I keep telling you - I don't-”

“You never mean to, but here we are.” You cross your arms. “Third time in two weeks, Theo. This is getting ridiculous. Should I hire a nurse for our dates? A medic? Do you need to start taking my clothes off under medical supervision? Is that what we've come to?"

Theo glares at you (or the shadowy figure he was mostly sure was you), trying to pull his attention away from the stinging pain. “Oh, don’t start - ”

“You don’t think before you do things.”

Theo groans. “I think plenty.”

“No, you rush plenty. Really, it’s a miracle you still have all your limbs -”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh, here we go.”

“First, you burn yourself on my curling iron -”

“Okay, one, you shouldn't be leaving your things out like that.”

“Then you cut yourself opening a tin of biscuits -”

Theo tips his head back in exasperation. “You sh - you literally shoved it at me!”

“ - and now my zipper is out to get you?” You throw your hands up. “What are you telling me, Teddy? That every item I own has a personal vendetta against you?”

"Mattheo agrees with me, you know," you continue smugly, in a so-there kind of tone. "He told me about that time you nearly broke your neck falling down that flight of stairs on the way to Transfiguration, which wouldn't have happened if you weren't - "

"Rushing, I know." Theo steps back as if to escape. “Merlin, you are insufferable - ”

“And you are reckless.”

“I don't need you to lecture me.”

“You’d be fine if you just listened to m - show me your finger.”

A brief struggle ensues.

You lunge; he sidesteps. You fumble blindly for his hand; he twists out of reach.

“For fuck’s sake -”

“Stop being so difficult.”

“I’m not being difficult, you’re being a menace.”

“At least I don't get mauled by zippers.”

“I'm telling you, that zipper has it out for me."

“Well, maybe if you weren’t always in such a bloody rus - ”

“Enough with the rushing!”

“I can't help it if you never learn - ”

“I do learn,” he snaps, stepping back further - only for you to grab onto his wrist and pull.

There’s a shuffle, a scuffle as Theo stumbles back into the dresser with a thud.

“Oi - ”

“Oh, stop squirming, you big baby.”

“You stop grabbing- ”

“Theodore, you are injured. Act like it.”

“I am n- ”

“Then give me your hand.”

A long, heavy pause. Then -

“No.”

You groan, exasperated. “Merlin, you are the most - ”

“And you are relentless - ”

But at last, in an impressive show of determination, you manage to latch onto his wrist, wrenching his hand towards you before he can twist away again. Theo groans in frustration, but you’ve already found the wound—his fingertip, warm and damp against yours.

“Oh, for - ” You tighten your grip as he tries to pull away. “You are bleeding!”

Theo tenses, his entire body bristling. “It’s nothing.”

“On my zipper,” you say incredulously. “Again.”

He exhales sharply as if this is somehow your fault. “You don’t need to make a whole production of it - ”

“I told you to be careful - ”

“And I was - ”

“Clearly not enough!”

Theo groans, tipping his head back against the dresser. “I’m buying you a tear-away dress next Valentine’s.”

You bite back a smirk. “I’d like to see you figure that one out.”

He mutters something under his breath that you don’t quite catch, but you’re already bringing his hand up, brushing your lips over the wound.

He stills.

The fight, the irritation, the tension - all of it dissolves instantly under your touch.

You press another kiss there, softer this time. Through a sliver of moonlight cutting through the curtains, he sees your face - your impish expression, your eyes, alight with amusement and plain adoration. You watch his face too - his furrowed brows relaxing, the slight part of his lips, his sharp features softened by something indiscernible.

His eyes flick to yours.

And Merlin, it’s not fair, he thinks. It’s not fair how you can drive him to the brink of insanity one second and then look at him like that the next, like you could never get your fill. It's enough to make him think you're worth all the trouble you put him through. It's enough to make him want to slow down. Merlin knows the last thing he wants is to rush through his days with you.

“…better?” you murmur against his skin after a moment.

Theo exhales, rolling his eyes as though he isn’t already relenting. "It's a start," he says grudgingly.

Your smile widens as you bring his hand up again, pressing another kiss there, then another, then another.

Theo groans, tipping his head back again, his frustration dwindling with every sympathetic brush of your lips.

“You like this,” you tease.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, but his voice has softened, his body relaxing into yours.

You grin, pressing a kiss to his wrist. Then his palm.

Theo groans again, for reasons unrelated to his earlier irritation, his fingers curling at your waist.

You laugh softly. “Want me to kiss you better everywhere?”

Theo smiles weakly, pulling you closer. “That's the best idea you've had all night."

[wren-kitchens]

once more, with feeling

876 words

it's not exactly the same every time. it's altered by what they went through, and why they’re asking, and how it all ended. but it's always close enough that it may as well be the same. 

100% inspired by this incredible post by @thirdtimed! it had me by a chokehold i had to do something about it

it's not exactly the same every time. it's altered by what they went through, and why they’re asking, and how it all ended. but it's always close enough that it may as well be the same. 

the first time, it was unprecedented. 

blood on his hands, tears in his eyes, we expected it to be over—a failed experiment, one that only he would ever remember to save the others the pain. too much grief wracked his body for him to even choke out the words for a long while, but we waited. it isn't an unusual thing for us to do, to wait.

smearing sand on his sunburned face, he wiped away his tears and said,

"give me another chance."

the second time, we were curious.

shaken and silent, he stared into our face for a long while, as if trying to decipher what in void we were. the crown of crystals were still and a kind of grey that isn’t truly grey, but every colour at once, and his breathing was shallow. the bloodlust drained from his eyes, leaving them as grey as the crown.

we asked, because he would not have thought to answer otherwise. he flinched, and hesitated. 

"i.. can i see them again?"

the third time, it was almost expected.

still smoking from the explosion, she sunk to her knees, sobbing and clutching herself as if she feared literally falling apart. it took a long while for her screams of grief subsided, and longer still for the weeping to fade into sniffing and hiccups. she hadn't looked at us once, as if she didn't know we were there, but we did not wish to interrupt—she was entitled to her unraveling in private.

wiping her eyes, she didn’t bother to compose herself much more. she lifted her face, littered with gashes and scars, and with agony in her voice-

"i want my friends."

the fourth time.. well, it was a little surprising.

a victor had not yet arrived so high on adrenaline and confidence, and the blood that stained even his mouth seemed to be a trophy. the sword had not left his hand, and still dripped with what remained of the last two, the drops vanishing into the abyss below. he was grinning, and this was the most surprising part.

not needing any persuasion or suggestion, he looked us right in the eye—as none had done before, crowing,

"come on, give us another go!"

the fifth time, it wasn't the request that was new.

alone in a field of sunflowers is where we eventually found him, after waiting fruitlessly for his arrival. he startled a little as he realised we were there, but soon calmed at the understanding of what we meant for him. after all, it had been almost a year since he became stranded—and stranded was the word for it. the shawl was still the red and purple of the flowers he had once given to his partner, and we suppose one could say they started this whole chain of events.

setting aside his gardening tools, he smiled almost sadly. perhaps he would miss what had become his prison, despite everything it signified. he sighed,

"i think i’d like a better try at companionship."

the sixth time.. it almost didn’t count.

surprised to have even been considered for a crown, they laughed in delight when the paper version settled on her head, clearly pleased with our creative flair. we were pleased as well—it isn’t often creative flair ends up being a positive part of our abilities.  they looked around, as if deciding whether or not the place was real, and seemingly settled on an answer. we didn’t ask what the answer was. 

adjusting the paper crown, she laughed, clearly finding the whole situation amusing. when we asked, they seemed to be even more surprised.

"i get to choose? well- let's do it again!"

the seventh time, it became amusing. they did know they could choose something else, did they not?

whooping and throwing his arms around in celebration, came the second victor to be genuinely pleased by his victory and subsequent death. he spent a considerable amount of time pretending he was at an awards show, thanking his family, his wife, his best friend and so on. it was refreshing, after all that misery we witnessed at the beginning of the games, to see the tides changing. especially with him; rage used to be his fuel. now it seemed to be love.

grinning up at us, he waited for something. perhaps one of the others had mentioned it, but he did not seem surprised when we asked.

"what do i want? of course i want more!"

the eighth time, we don’t have to even introduce ourselves.

considerably more pleased than he had been the first time, he seems to think that taking his own life was the ultimate show of power against us. of course, we have changed our ways since his game, but he is not to know that. like his predecessor, he too seems amused by the paper crown. 

cracking his knuckles, and stretching his neck, we already know what he’s going to say, but we let him ask it.

"one more time."

[the-raindeer-king]

(A/N: This is part 2 to my Mama Riley au! Thanks for all the love on the first one. ❤ no content warning and I'm trying to keep this gender neutral. Enjoy!!!)

You never expected your angry rant to actually change Simon's behavior. But it has, based on Mama Riley's weekly updates. He's stopping by more, staying longer. He's actually telling her things, mainly about his coworkers, but she's just happy he's finally opening up to her.

While you believe her, you're not seeing the change yourself. Fridays are when you have dinner with Mama Riley, and now apparently Simon too. He just… stares at you, a permanent frown on his face. As if you're the one intruding.

Part of you is glad he doesn't talk much. The few sentences he does speak, the low timber of his voice makes your heart race. Behind the scars and unwelcoming attitude, Simon Riley is a handsome man. But your loyalty lies with his mom. He needs to be a better son, and some silly crush isn't going to change your mind that easily.

Ironically, it's said loyalty that makes Simon fall for you so fast. His loyalty is rock solid, a promise held steadfast, an ache he feels in his chest every morning. There's no one Simon cares more about than his mom, and to see someone else care so deeply and fiercely about her makes you so insanely attractive to him. On top of that, your concern for Mama Riley made you willing to say something to him, and Simon knows he's off-putting and scary.

What I'm getting at is that this man is so down bad, it's not even funny. He'd literally take you to the court house and marry you immediately, if you were willing. But you're not, and he's kind of clueless on how to convince you to give him a chance. He'd rather catch a live grenade bare handed than ask his mom.

His mom who clocked the crush immediately, and is trying to help him without helping him. Even if their relationship is strained (much better now thanks to you!), she knows her son, and she knows he has feelings for you. And while she's not trying to meddle, she is trying to create opportunities for y'all to interact and get to know each other.

Opportunities that Simon keeps fumbling because he clams up so bad around you. He's never been good around people in general, and his crush on you just makes it twice as bad. Plus, he's aware that you hate him, and that's not doing him any favors either.

Mama Riley gives him time to make an attempt, only to watch him struggle and usually fail. But the attempts he's making with small talk, bad jokes, bringing you small knick knacks from deployment; it seems to be working. You're both opening up to each other, growing a friendship.

But as the months pass, nothing grows beyond a friendship. You don't want to ruin things between yourself and Mama Riley. Plus, you're not entirely sure where Simon's feelings lie. He's just as weird and off-putting as he was in the beginning, just now he tells you bad jokes and calls you ‘love’.

And, while Mama Riley promised herself that she wouldn't meddle - Simon's a grown man after all, he should be able to handle this - it's almost painful for her to watch the way you and Simon dance around each other. Nobody here is getting any younger, and after almost a year of watching you two, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Simon's two months into deployment, when Mama Riley invites you over for routine Friday dinner. You're barely one glass of wine in, when she drops the bombshell on you.

“You know, Simon's in love with you.”

[unholyfudgebiscuits]

Being Human

Derek knows humans are fragile in comparison to wolves. He did have human siblings after all and his mother drilled their vulnerability into him since he was old enough to understand. He knows he has to be gentle around them, knows they are weaker and prone to sickness. Consciously he knows this, but he isn't at all prepared for when Stiles—the only human in the pack—is hurt.

Actually hurt.

Gasping, crying, arms shaking in pain hurt.

He doesn't know what the fuck to do. Because they're alone, trapped, and he can smell the wrongness coming off the human. He can hear his heartbeat fluctuating from weak to sporadic and the sweat and blood and scent of fear blankets the enclosed space so profoundly he thinks he's going to suffocate off the smell.

He siphons away whatever he can but there's still too much. It's barely a bandage over an open artery, like trying to put out a fire with an eyedropper. Even with him pulling away most of the pain the infection has already spread. Every gasping breath and rattling cough has Derek's body twitching in panic.

Human.

The word is a curse, a defect in his world. If Stiles were a wolf he could re-brake and heal the broken rib digging into his lung. The gash on his side would have slowed in it's bleeding if not stopped all together. If he were a wolf there would be no infection or sickness or bloody nose. The bite is a gift.

Derek doesn't know what to do with the frail, weakened human laying with his head on his thigh. He can't even think through the dread and worry and helplessness. Stiles curls in on himself, leans into the hand that is trying to staunch the blood and pull away the pain.

"Not quite how I imagined things would go when I daydreamed about my face down in your lap Sourwolf..." He jokes. Derek almost wants to shake him for it. Stiles is dying and he's joking.

"Don't talk. The pack should be here soon."

"N-Not talk? Have you met me? I'm alone in the dark with Beacon Hill's most eligible grump and you expect me not to make a sex joke?"

"Stiles!" Derek growls and then stops when he hears the awful whistling sound coming from his chest.

"I'm fine. Just a little fever..." Derek wishes it were just a little fever. Wishes he knew the difference between a little fever and this. He doesn't remember his baby sister feeling this warm when his mother said she was sick. He doesn't really remember much of the younger ones... the human ones. Maybe he'd be more helpful if he did...

"Stop it." Stiles chastise. "You keep frowning like that and you're eyebrows will grow together." Derek hates that he does this... Hates that he's the one in pain and he's still trying to lighten Derek's mood. Hates that he's smiling at him through a grimace, that he's looking at him like he's worth something when he knows he isn't.

"I'm okay Der." Stiles says gently. "You k-know you can't actually get rid of me right? I've sorta got a pool going with the pack. How long it'll take till I can get you to say you love me. It's gotta be unironically of course. Lydia's rules." Derek feels his heartbeat tick up at that and Stiles smiles. "I say this year, Scott gave you three. But I know I'm your favorite so it shouldn't be hard."

"Stop moving." He begs when Stiles turns onto his back to look up at him.

"Better view."

"Stiles!" Stubborn! Humans were stubborn. Weak and frail and as stubborn as they came.

"You're beautiful." Stiles murmurs and Derek feels his breath catch in his throat. "Maybe that's wrong to say to a guy huh? But like, I always thought it. Y-Your eyes. I like looking at them. Even when you go all grumpy and broody and flash red at me, they're still beautiful."

Derek feels Stiles' body shake with another jolt of pain and maybe, he's the one crying now. "You gotta promise me something Der, okay? P-Please. You gotta take care of my dad."

"Don't-"

"Would you just listen? I love Scott, I trust him with my life. He's my brother when it comes down to it but he's pretty freaking useless when he's got a new girlfriend with him and dad's going to be bad for a while. He'll drink. A lot... or worse he'll just jump head first into any job they throw at him. P-Please just watch over him for me?." Derek feels himself nodding and Stiles' pained smile widens.

"You know you've always been my alpha right?" Derek startles at that. "Like I said, I love Scott and I love the pack. I'd do anything for any one of you but... since the beginning. Since the start, you've always been my alpha."

"Stiles-"

"Just take care of dad. Scott will be okay, Lydia might need you more than she lets on. And Isaac says he doesn't want anything to do with you but it's not true. I-It's not. If anything he wants you to be proud of him. So call him okay? He'd be on the next flight home, he'd be back here at your side the second he sees your name light up. He kept the same number. Explain it to him. Tell him why you sent him away. N-Not for you, for him. He thinks you hate him, don't let him think it anymore."

Derek can't understand. Can't begin to make sense of this human. This small, 145 pound, eighteen year old looking up at him with all the tranquility and calmness of a condemned man. He's no longer scared. Fear has been replaced with a sense of serenity and its worse! Far worse than the terror. Derek presses harder onto the bleeding wound, chokes on the sob that wants to wrench it's way out of his throat when he hears it... The low howl a mile off.

He covers Stiles' ears and howls back, feeling relief and hope and looking at those confused brown eyes that haven't stopped watching him since they ended up in this hell hole.

"D-Der?"

"I love you." He says, because he does. Because he's never not cared for this ridiculous human being. He had been his headache, his friend, his anchor... The one who has protected him, saved him, given him a family when he never thought he deserved it. The resilient, caring little human that looked at him like he meant something. Like he was worthy of meaning something.

Resilient and stubborn and caring and selfless and fragile... And Derek wishes he were half the human Stiles is.

[aliceramblez]

Telemachus x Goddess of Joy!Reader (HCs)

pairing: epic!Telemachus x fem!reader

tags: fluff, childhood friends to lovers, telemachus is a dork, athena ships it, flower language, and some lore for the actual goddess of joy

artwork by Gigi on YouTube!

It all happens one day when you're still very young.

After a particularly stressful day working alongside your sisters to please Lady Aphrodite, you can't handle the pressure anymore, so you travel to the island of Ithaca to clear your head.

It doesn't register in your brain that you've been crying until you hear a boy's voice calling out to you asking if you're alright. It's a mortal, obviously—a boy who appears to be your age, at least physically.

“Why are you crying?”

“I... I'm tired of trying to make others happy. I just want to be the sad one for once.”

You know you aren't supposed to mingle with mortals, so you keep your responses vague in hopes of satisfying his curiosity while not giving too much away.

But it wasn't like you were lying—as Goddess of Joy, you are expected to bring happiness to the hearts of everyone around you—Aphrodite included—, and it can sometimes take a heavy toll, especially since you haven't been using your powers as long as other Gods have.

The boy stares at you for a moment before running off somewhere in the field of flowers you've been sitting in, only to come back with both a small puppy and a pink peony in hand. He hands you the flower with a smile.

“My mommy says it's okay to be sad sometimes, so don't beat yourself up over it. I think this one would look pretty on you, though!”

You take the flower, give it a look over, and then turn back to the boy with a smile of your own. That's when the puppy leaps on top of you and starts slobbering you with kisses, much to the boy's dismay but your delight.

Since then, you decide to pay Ithaca visits more frequently whenever you aren't busy, successfully meeting up with the boy again and again to play.

You finally learn who he is—Telemachus. The prince of the land and son of Odysseus, progidy of Athena. Whenever he talks to you about his father, you can see the pain in his eyes of having to be sitting around waiting for a man who may never return. You decide to use your powers once in a while to help cheer him up.

It isn't until his thirteenth birthday that he finds out who you are.

“You're a Goddess, aren't you?”

It catches you by surprise, but it's not unexpected. Telemachus is smart, so it wasn't like he wouldn't find out eventually. After revealing your true self, all he does is sit down and listen, just like he did when you met all those years ago.

“I'm sorry I never told you. I... I liked being your friend without the pressure of a title between us. I didn't want you to treat me any differently.”

Telemachus doesn't do anything other than pick up a flower from the field you're both sitting in. A purple orchid which he tucks behind your ear with a smile, making you stare in awe.

“Goddess or not, you're still my best friend! I'd think you'd know me better than that by now.”

“Haha, I do... what even gave it away?”

“You're always showing up outta nowhere and people seem much happier whenever you're around, but like, in a super quick way! Besides, there's no way someone so pretty isn't a goddess...”

It's immediately clear that last part wasn't meant to come out because pink is now covering Telemachus' cheeks, causing you to flush as well.

More years go by and you begin to share stories with him about the Gods in Olympus—how Zeus is a womanizer, Poseidon looking scary but actually being a secret softie, and of course all the beef you have with your ‘boss’, Aphrodite.

He's always so eager to listen to whatever you have to say because of his dream of becoming a noble warrior, and will also comfort you whenever you're in a bad mood.

You try doing the same when more years pass and there's still no sign of his father. You offer to use your magic to help, but he says all he needs is a friend willing to listen, so that's what you become.

Whenever the suitors are giving him a hard time, you use your powers to make them be as sickeningly sweet with one another as possible, that it sometimes looks like they're in love. You and Telemachus get a crack out of it every time.

It's you who goes to find Athena when Telemachus is fighting Antinous, begging her to come help because there's really nothing you can do on the matter. She really doesn't need much persuading, though.

You can only thank the Gods that he's fine all things considered, but seeing him all battered up with cuts and bruises all over his body breaks your heart. You're immediately by his side with a washcloth and fresh clothes so that the wounds don't get infected despite his protests.

“I-I'm fine, really! Ow!”

“You will be fine once you stop moving!”

Athena chuckles in the background as you turn to her. She's giving you a knowing smirk, causing you to look away with a blush adorning your cheeks.

Once they start their training together, you're there cheering him on from the sidelines, which kinda backfires because according to Athena “we don't need any distractions”. You apparently fall under that category, and Telemachus is covering his face all the time but you swear you can see red on the tips of his ears.

Once Odysseus finally returns home, you're surprised to see Telemachus make his way to you as you're sitting in your usual spot.

He sits beside you and seems to be fiddling with something hidden in his robe. You can't see what it is from your angle.

“Aren't you going to spend time with your father?”

“He's with my mother right now. Something tells me they're going to be a while...”

“Right, I almost forgot. She must be overjoyed! But... are you okay? I saw what happened in there and...”

“Hey, I'm okay. Athena's training paid off. I'm tougher than I look, ya know?”

He then proceeds to comically flex his muscles with a wiggle of his eyebrows, causing you to laugh at this adorkable human being. You thank the Gods that you were born in the same time period as him, because now you can't think of a life without him in it.

That's when you notice the nervous fidgeting again and he's even started to advert his gaze after the little joke he pulled off. It's strange considering he's never been the shy type—when he's got something on his mind, he'll speak up no matter what.

“Are you sure you're okay, Telemachus?”

“Y-Yeah, I'm fine! I just... wanted to give you something. As a thanks for everything you've done for me.”

And before you can say anything, he's pulling out a flower from behind his back and placing it behind your ear. You can only barely register what it is before it's out of your sight: a red rose.

“You're the most amazing person I've ever met. A-And not just because you're a Goddess! You've always been there for me even when I don't ask you to, and have my back no matter what. You're just really nice, and funny and kind... I-I..”

You can't take it anymore and before your mind registers what's happening, you're already kissing him.

As you pull away, both your faces are as red as tomatoes and you can feel the smile on your face turning large and goofy. Giggles erupt from you both.

“I love you...”

“I love you, too...”

“And I love how long it took you two lovebirds to admit it.”

Athena's owl is gazing at you both and it almost sounds as it's chuckling while you two hide your faces in each other's shoulders.

Coming to Ithaca was the best decision you could've ever taken.

[jojoboisimagines]

Jojos react to you accidentally punching them in the face while roughhousing

Jojos (1-7) react to accidentally punching them in the face while roughhousing

.::.

Jonathan Joestar

Jonathan, surprisingly, isn't completely made of brick and instantly grips his nose after you strike it rather hard.

Once you apologize over and over, he lets out a strained chuckle, not wanting to worry you even longer despite it still hurting.

"beloved, you sure have a hand on you..."

He laughs, regarding of the ache that made his head spin for a moment.

"Hang tight Jojo, I'm getting some cream!" You quickly dash off.

"wait, darling, its not that bad-" Before he finishes, you had already left to get something to ease the pain

It was gone in a couple of minutes, he was a tough guy..but perhaps play hitting is off the table for a while-

Joseph Joestar

"Owowowow---did you do that on purpose??"

He's quick to accuse. It probably wouldn't be the first time you wanted to hit him for real, but this time was an honest mistake.

"no Jojo, it was just an accident!" you swear up and down, but it takes a bit before he actually believes you.

Eventually he leaves to get an icepack for his nose before Lisa Lisa or someone else sees, which would be infinitely more embarrassing.

"maybe we should just stick to tickling or something.." He mutters in a defeated manner, holding the ice up to soothe the ache.

it was admiteddly a little funny, but for the sake of him not staying mad at you, you'll withhold your laughter for now.

"I want compensation for my beautiful eye!" He holds out his hand, expecting something.

"wh--I said i was sorry! I'll get it later!"

Jotaro Kujo

Jotaro lets out a pained hiss, facepalming as he needed a minute.

Concern quickly overcomes you and you pull his hand away to make sure there was no mark or anything broken.

"Lets stop." He's no longer in the mood for play fighting--if anything he thought it was a bad idea in the first place in fear of him hurting you--when it turned out being the other way around.

You feel awful for punching him that hard on accident, especially since you knew he was probably upset or wanted to pretend he isn't hurt.

"I'm sorry, Jotaro.." Putting a comforting hand on his arm, you lean over to look at his face that had been turned from you.

"it was just a punch, i've had worse." He was right on that front, but a punch is a punch.

"alright tough guy, but at least tell me when something hurts.." You put a bag of ice on it, making him wince.

"was it not obvious-" he argues.

That was enough to make you scoff in both humor and disbelief.

Josuke Higashikata

"Oi Timeout timeout!"

Josuke makes the T gesture with his hand and heaves, now hunching over with his hands on his knees.

"..Josuke? You good?" You lean over his crouched form, not realizing how strong the impact on his face was.

"im..i'm good, just give me a minute-" he bluffs, clearly being out of breath. You didn't believe it for a second. He never was that good of a liar, to you at least.

Ignoring his protests, you go and get the first aid kit in his house's closet, coming back with some ointment and a bandaid

"There, now you look like more of a delinquint at least!~" you smile after placing it across his nose.

"True but...lets just not tell anyone this came from you punching me in the face, alright?"

Giorno Giovanna

Giorno has a...delayed reaction for lack of a better term. He certainly stops hitting and stumbles, but it takes him a moment to actually register that what he's feeling in his cheeks is actual pain

To spare your feelings, he'll act like it didn't hurt as much as it did, only rubbing the spot a bit and standing normally again.

"..giorno? You good?" you eventually ask, since he isn't really giving any hints as to why he went silent.

"i'm fine, dearest." Giorno is actually pretty good at playing it off, but you could tell his tone sounded a bit different

He likely isn't going to admit that it hurt, so you have to make the call to stop roughhousing. It wasn't worth it to mess up his pretty face.

You'll just...subtly get him some ice cream as an apology

Jolyne Kujo

"oW! you dick!"

Jolyne punches back twice as hard, which probably wasn't the best thing to do in this situation, but she's been roughhoused enough times in her life-

Now both of you were hurting, holding your heads in pain.

"j-Jolyne, did i hurt you?"

"Yeah! I said ow, didn't I?" She snaps back, rubbing her cheek.

She won't hold it against you for long, but you figure you should buy her a snack or something to 'regain her trust' again

"..need me to kiss it better?" You suggest, both as a tease and honestly.

Jolyne's eyes dart around...well, there was no one around to see, so maybe just this once. "..fine.." She unfolds her arms, scooting towards you.

Johnny Joestar

"Okay Okay I get it!-"

Johnny puts both of his hands up to shield his face from your assualt, and for a moment you think he's joking, before a whole minute goes by with him like that and not saying anything.

"..hey, Johnny, let me see..." Your hand gently coasts over his, slowly pulling it away.

His face was super red. Tears were partially visible at the corners of her eyes.

it was almost humorous, as it usually is when his face reddens, but he was also in pain

"do you need something? I can get a bandage." You suggest, not knowing where you hit to cause that reaction

"i need you to stop hitting me that hard, goddam-"

he was only making it harder not to laugh, but you were truly sorry and will treat him to coffee to make his pout go away

[pomefioredove]

ok let's see

can I have a sugar cookie #16 with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle?

mwah ofc!

order #16, sugar with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ I could do worse

summary: an arranged marriage with someone who hates you... or, who he thinks you are tropes: royalty au (but not really), exes to lovers (but not really) characters: leona additional info: romantic, gender neutral reader, reader is yuu

Okay, now you've really done it.

"You're... er, shorter than I expected," the royal tailor mutters. "Your measurements indicate height, but you..." he gives you another incredulous look. Like you're some stray cat they picked off the street.

...Which, well, isn't actually that wrong!

"I'm not that short," you mutter, though the palace guards that had dragged you in here certainly dwarfed you.

The tailor rolls his eyes. "Well, we'll make do. Only the best for Prince Leona,"

When Leona had pity-invited you to a royal wedding, you hadn't (you couldn't have) known it'd be your own.

Well... not exactly. Leona's, and...

What had the tailor said? A duke or duchess or... some other gaudy title that's surely not yours.

You hadn't even changed out of your tuna-stained scrubs from Ramshackle.

"Here, here... oh, these measurements are all wrong. You'll have to fire whoever is in charge of your wardrobe," the tailor tsks. "Not that it matters now. You must be excited- married at last!"

At last? You don't ask. "Uh, sure,"

"And the prince... well... he'll come to tolerate it,"

Oh, right. Leona. You hadn't seen him since he left you and your friends at the hotel. Does he know that he's marrying you in a few minutes? Does he know that he's getting married at all?

"...I'm sure he will,"

The tailor pins some sash over your shoulder and takes a step back. "Ah, here, perfect! Just needed a few tweaks... maybe a different pair of shoes, and-"

The doors on the other side of the room slam against the walls, sending flocks of guards, maids, cooks, florists, bakers, designers, and caterers into a flurry.

"ALRIGHT, everyone OUT!"

You're the only one unaffected. Has no one here heard Leona shout?

He stomps around the room, terrorizing the attendants. "Throw those damn flowers out," he demands. "And that cake! There's not gonna be a wedding, for the last damn time, I am NOT marrying that uptight, snobby, egotistical royal PAIN IN MY- oh, it's you."

He's looking at you now, his tone steady as if he hadn't just been snarling and stalking the wait staff like a wild animal. "What're you doing here?"

You look down at the million-thaumark outfit. "Marrying you, I guess,"

Leona makes a face. It's not a nice one.

"I'd say my brother has a funny sense of humor, but he doesn't have one at all, so I'm gonna guess you got lost,"

"Please don't tell Ace,"

He smirks, the last of the maids scampering out of the room. "Yeah, yeah. My lips are sealed,"

Leona's hands find your shoulders, helping you out of the elegant wedding arrangement, careful not to welt or wound the fabric. "How'd you end up here, anyway?"

"Was waiting for you with the others," you sigh. "Grim smelled cake and ran off. I went after him, and someone thought..."

"Of all the people," he smirks, undoing the ribbon around your waist with a deceivingly delicate touch. "Well, now I feel like a jackass. If I'd know it was you and not my dearly ex-betrothed, I wouldn't have made such a big deal out of it."

You raise an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Leona's hands close around your wrists, sliding off the beaded bracelets that had been put there by a maid with a much colder touch.

"I'm just saying," he says. "I could do worse."

"...Gee, thanks,"

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," he smiles, his hands resting on your forearms. His touch is warm.

"...But I guess you really dodged a bullet, huh?" he steps away and starts walking to the door. "Who'd wanna be married to a jerk like me?"

Your eyes widen and you follow, fumbling over your words AND the train of your wedding outfit. "I didn't say I wouldn't marry you," you say. "I'm wearing all this, aren't I?"

Leona raises an eyebrow, and then smiles. "...Hm. Y'know, I'm almost tempted to say the wedding's back on and hold you to that.

...But I think I'll save that for another day."

[luffydotcom]

may I please request a Luffy x fem reader where they encounter an enemy who’s devil fruit makes people reveal the truth which ends up with Luffy confessing his feelings for the reader and leaves him all embarrassed and the rest of the crew in shock. maybe he even says something along the lines of “I think y/n looks cute when she’s wearing my straw hat” idk, I just had this thought I hope it makes sense cause I feel like it would be super adorable! thank you!!

this is so cute! i had a lot of fun writing this too. honestly... i did find this a bit of a challenge because luffy's so honest and not good at lying in general! but i tried to make it work anyhow. i hope this is alright!

also sorry that this is so overdue, i swear i didn't forget about your request anon!! i've been so busy with college assignments but i swear i kept thinking of writing up your request when i got the chance the entire time 😭

truth be told

pairing: luffy x female! reader warnings: none! word count: 778

you know luffy is honest to a fault - always speaking his mind and it's like you always know what he's thinking. yet there is one thing he hasn't told you - that he likes you. seriously, too. and it's because well... for someone so to-the-point and forward with his words... even he isn't sure how to say it to you.

you've just arrived on a new island, and once again he's already managed to stir up trouble by attracting a big number of marines towards the crew when they recognised his straw hat.

while you're busy fighting off some of the marines, you miss one of them in particular - the captain. his expression is cunning and dark... and you don't even see how quickly he is approaching luffy from behind until he's inches away from him.

"LUFFY!" you call out to warn him as you see him knock a straight punch into a whole line of marines with ease. but when luffy whips around to face you, the captain clenches his hand on luffy's shoulder.

"HEY! what're you doing, you -" luffy manages to break free of his grip without much trouble, but he's interrupted when he feels chills all over his body.

the captain lets out a dark laugh. "you'll see soon..."

luffy still hasn't moved from his place, as if he's completely stuck, and his face is empty of any kind of readable expression. you run over to him, afraid he'll get hurt, but within seconds you see zoro is already there and has cut the enemy down as he falls to the ground in pain.

"oi, luffy! what's gotten into you? snap out of it!" he grabs luffy by the shoulders and starts shaking him. by now, all of the enemies are on the ground and you and the rest of the crew rush to join their side, looking concerned for your captain.

luffy doesn't say anything at all, dead-silent. until suddenly the light returns to his eyes.

"what happened? i just got a funny feeling all over my body!" luffy looks down at his hands as zoro releases him and breathes a sigh of relief.

"that guy must have done something to you," nami says, thinking back to what happened just moments ago.

"maybe he had some kind of devil fruit... do you feel any different, luffy?" you ask, looking worried.

luffy turns to face you as if he's just noticed you were there. "about you? no, i still love you."

everyone's jaws practically fall to the floor, even luffy's.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" the whole crew, including you, gasps in unison.

"CRAP! WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT? IT WAS MEANT TO BE A SECRET!" luffy yelps and covers his mouth with both hands.

"WHAT? between who?" you move away in complete shock, hands shaking.

"MYSELF!"

you want to laugh but you're absolutely blown away by how straight-forward that confession was, even for luffy. heck, you just wanted to know if he was OK. you weren't expecting him to say that he loves you.

"sanji, i just wanted to say i ate all the ingredients for today's lunch," luffy says, deadpan, before covering his mouth again in surprise. "also, nami, i used some of our money to buy more meat -"

"WHAT? HEY!" sanji and nami have to get held back by usopp.

"something's clearly wrong." zoro steps forward, tapping luffy's forehead with his finger. "it's like he can't stop saying the truth. and that guy definitely has something to do with it." he looks down at the collapsed marine on the ground.

"wait, so luffy... does that mean you're serious about what you said about y/n?" chopper's eyes shine with eagerness.

you glance at luffy, but he hesitantly looks away from you, attempting not to meet your eyes. you couldn't believe it. for the first time in your life, your captain actually looks... embarrassed?

"...i just think y/n looks cute when she's wearing my straw hat..." luffy mumbles so that you can just about hear him.

"how long have you been hiding this...?" your mouth parts slightly in surprise, although you feel flustered by the unexpected compliment.

luffy starts to count on his fingers. "i don't know, but definitely a while now." he almost looks guilty. "i just didn't know how to say it!"

"perhaps it doesn't matter how you were meant to say it," robin chuckles. "you've said it now, haven't you? even if it was by strange circumstances."

luffy takes in what robin has said, then looks at you with his confidence returned. he smiles widely. "i'm glad... i don't know how much longer i could keep that to myself!"

© luffydotcom