#and now I have to do research about it and I’m worried it’ll be weird and and and blah blah

[skyward-floored]

Hm. This fic took a turn for the serious.

...it wasn’t supposed to do that.

[mattyriddlesbitch]

Um sorry uf this is a weird one but could the reader be shy and mattheo uses bdsm on her for the first time and she likes it

Yes!!!! Love this idea!

Do You Trust Me

Mattheo Riddle x F!Reader

Warnings: Bondage, cussing, unprotected sex, creampie, blindfold, fingering.

18+ Minors DNI!

You and Mattheo had been dating for a while now. You obviously have had sex many times, you were just always shy about it. Embarrassed about the topic. You loved having sex with him, but if he tried talking about it, you always shied away, always wormed your way out of the conversation. Mattheo found it funny and cute, but really wanted to talk to you about something that he’d been wanting to try with you for the past week. But you kept managing to get out of the conversations.

Finally, he had enough and had you under him as he was kissing you, he had you pinned to his bed, no way you could get out of this now.

He pulled back from the kiss and smiled down at you. “Princess, you know I’ve been trying to talk to you about something for a week now.”

“I think I prefer the kissing.” You said with a blush.

“You know I love how shy and cute you get.” He teased. “I wanna try something.”

“What?” You asked quietly.

“Do you trust me?” He asked back, not answering your question.

“I do.” You said, but with a bit of caution.

“Would you trust me to take care of you if you were tied up or blindfolded or anything like that?” He rubbed at your sides soothingly, not wanting to scare you off.

You stared up at him, face red in embarrassment at the conversation. But you also couldn’t deny that what he was saying intrigued you. So after a short pause, you finally spoke up. “Yeah.” Your voice was quiet and he probably wouldn’t have caught it if he wasn’t so close to you.

“Would you be willing to try that with me?” His hands stopped and squeezed your sides slightly in a reassuring way.

“Yeah.” You said with a small nod.

He smiled again, giving you a sweet kiss before helping you out of your clothes. He might’ve been going a little faster than usual, eager to try this out with you. He figured you’d say yes and already got what he’d need, so once he had you undressed, he quickly grabbed the soft ribbon he bought to tie you up. He didn’t want it to hurt you, so he opted for that instead of rope.

“Hands up for me, sweetheart.” He said as he came back to the bed, sitting beside you. You lifted your hands up and he tied them to the headboard before checking to make sure they aren’t too tight and aren’t digging into your skin too hard. “This makes you look like a present.” He smiled, trying to ease your nerves. “How’s that feel?” He rubbed along your stomach gently.

“It feels fine.” You said quietly, gently tugging at the ribbon to see if it’ll come undone. It won’t. Mattheo had done his research on how to keep it from untying.

“Good.” He said, bringing a hand to your cheek, caressing it softly. “If you ever wanna stop, if it gets too much or anything at all, just say ‘pomegranate’ and I’ll stop everything, okay?”

You nodded, leaning into his touch.

“What’s the word?” He asked.

“Pomegranate.”

“Good girl.” He said. “I’m gonna blindfold you, too. Just focus on how I’m making you feel instead of worrying about things, yeah?”

You nodded in response again and he smiled.

He placed the blindfold on you, leaving you in darkness and unsure of what he was planning. You could hear some shuffling before he settled between your legs, rubbing them gently. He slipped his fingers between your folds.

“You’re fucking soaked, princess. It seems you’re into this stuff, huh?” You could practically hear the smile.

He pushed two fingers in you, thrusting them in and out quickly as you moaned and whined. His thumb found your clit and you were trying to close your legs on him.

“You’re doing so good for me.” He said, using his free hand to push your legs back open. “So beautiful.”

“Matty, please.” You whined.

“How about we try ‘sir’ instead?” He said and you were too worked up already to overthink anything.

“Please, sir.” You begged.

“That’s much better. Please what, angel?” His fingers were relentless, just working on trying to make you cum.

“I’m gonna cum, please.” Your hips were trying to move to meet with his fingers.

“Beg for it then, princess. Use your words.”

“Please, let me cum, sir. Please.” You begged, pulling at the ribbon as your legs shook.

“I’m not convinced yet. Keep going.”

“Please, sir. I need to cum. Please. It feels so good. Please.” You were nearly crying at this point.

“Good girl. Cum on my fingers.” He said, his free hand coming up to play with your nipples.

You came on his fingers with a cry of his name along with some profanity, body trembling beneath him.He helped ride out your orgasm before pulling out his fingers.

“Open.” He said and you opened your mouth. He pushed his fingers in. “Clean them.” You followed the order and sucked and licked his fingers clean, tasting yourself from them. “You’re so obedient.” 

He pulled his fingers out and pushed your legs up to your chest. You could feel him starting to tease his cock along your pussy, coating it in your arousal. You whined and hissed at the contact, still sensitive from the orgasm.

“Please, sir, I need you.” You begged, wiggling your hips a little to get a little more friction.

“Yeah? Need me to fuck your sweet little pussy?” He teased, just wanting to hear you beg more.

“Yes! Please!” 

“Always so shy, but act like such a slut for my cock, huh?” He started easing his cock in, wanting to go slow to make you feel everything. You both were moaning, panting with every inch that he pushed into you. 

He bottomed out and groaned before starting to thrust in and out of you, setting a brutal pace. With how he had you folded, you were feeling him so deep in you, feeling like he was in your stomach. He moved a hand to rub at your clit, the other wrapping around your neck, lightly squeezing the sides. It had you getting lightheaded and making everything feel much more intense.

“Fuck, you’re squeezing me, baby. You like this? You like me fucking you like a slut?” He asked and all you could do was moan in response, too fucked out to think of anything else. “Got you all dumb on my cock now too? My sweet, shy girl, all fucked out on my cock. You look fucking perfect, princess.” He was rambling, but it only made you wetter, building your orgasm much quicker. “Gonna cum on my dick, angel? I can feel you fucking clenching me.”

You were moaning and crying out as best as you could with his hand around your throat, pulling on the restraint. Your orgasm tore through you and cried out his name again, tears spilling down your cheeks in pleasure. He helped ride it out before untying you and flipping you over, getting you onto your knees and pushing your chest and head down onto the bed before pushing back into you.

“You’re so fucking perfect for me, princess.” He said, grabbing your hands to hold them behind your back with one hand as he pounded into you from behind. His other hand landed a spank on your ass, causing a yelp to escape your lips followed by a moan. “My princess likes that, huh?” He said and spanked you again, rubbing the area softly. “Fucking slut. You’re so fucking dirty. Just hiding behind all that shyness.”

He ripped another orgasm from you before finally cumming himself, filling your warm cunt with his cum as he helped ride out both of your orgasms.

He helped you back onto your back, gently taking off the blindfold. You had to blink a few times to adjust to the light before seeing his face, softly smiling down at you as he rubbed at your side soothingly again.

“How was that?” He asked gently, brushing your hair from your face. “Good?”

You nodded, catching your breath. “Good.”

“I got other things we can try later, too.”

Taglist:

@jeannie-beannie @yourenogoodforme

Let me know if you wanna be added!

[gamesetart]

Open relationship au I’m SICK!!!!

Approaching Art to ask if hooking up with girls is okay <3 that you met Tashi one of your classes and you might be interested in seeing her if he’s okay with that. And maybe he’s a little conflicted, he didn’t know you were into girls too, it makes him feel a little insecure about it maybe. First he has to worry about Patrick, and now Tashi?

And maybe it’ll make him feel better if he just watches. Just that once. Not because he’s a perv, just because he needs to know what it would be like, if he’d be okay with it again.

cat i need you to know i waited until i could sit with my laptop home from work for this <3

eyes on me (tashi's interlude i)

tags: tashi duncan x fem reader, voyeurism, cunnilingus, fingering, cucking (arts cool with it). nsfw. minors DNI.

"Baby, I'm not... homophobic," Art says, staring at you, nonplussed.

You fluster a little at this -- of course he isn't, one of his friends on the tennis team is gay (the only openly gay man at stanford as far as you're aware) -- but you were genuinely nervous. Art has a rosary hanging on his wall. He prays before bed. Your reservations were warranted.

"I-I know," you frown, "but I'm just asking if you'd be okay with it."

"I didn't know you liked girls," he says, casually avoiding the question. He's good at that, you've noticed. Sidestepping the uncomfortable stuff. (It's probably why he's never told you about Patrick.)

"I like this one," you tell him nonchalantly. "Her name's Tashi -- she plays tennis, actually, maybe you know her. We met in my kinesiology class."

For a moment, you swear his expression flickers. Swear something dark and angry and hurt flashes in his eyes. But the second passes, and it's gone, quick as it came. He smiles. Nods.

"Yeah, I do. She's good, really good. She won the US and the Australian Junior Opens."

"So... you're cool with it?"

Art pauses, cocking his head to one side. He pretends to consider it. Pretends like this is really weighing on him. He waits until he sees that moment of doubt in your eyes, like you're about to take it back, offer up something else to soothe the ache, to speak. He knows you better than you think. And he knows how to use it, more than you know.

"I don't know," he says slowly, rolling each syllable over in his mouth. "I'd have to think about it... maybe. I mean, it's so different from just some guy."

He makes you think it's your idea. It's easier that way, if you think you came up with it all on your own, if you think you're the one pulling the strings. (Both believe the other clueless. Both believe themselves the one in control. Both are sorely mistaken.)

Tashi was the one who suggested it to you.

"He could always watch," she'd said lightly, over your coffee and her weird green energy smoothie. "You know. Sit in. Cum in his pants, or pray, or whatever it is good Christian boys do when they watch their girlfriend fuck another girl."

You'd laughed. "I don't think good Christian boys watch their girlfriends fuck at all, girls or otherwise."

But the seed had sprung. She'd planted the idea in your head, and now it bloomed anew.

"You could aways watch," you say mischievously. "See if you're on board. Do some research."

His ears go red, and you giggle. It's adorable, how sweet he is. Art reaches up to run a hand through his hair, and that damn ring catches your eye. One day, you promise yourself. Soon.

"You're so pretty," you mumble into Tashi's hair. Her lips catch on your neck, biting the skin soft enough that it won't leave a mark. "You're so so pretty."

She laughs breathlessly, and it tickles. You're in your bedroom. Art's sitting on your desk chair while Tashi hovers above you. You lost all your clothes a long time ago, and she's well on her way, in nothing but a thin pink bra and matching panties. Somewhere, in the back of your mind, you think she prepared for this. And you like it.

"You ever see her naked before, Art?" Tashi asks. (Something about the way she speaks to him is familiar. Like she's done it before.) But you can't think about that when she shifts above you, clears the view for Art to get an excellent view of your slick, sweet cunt. She spreads your folds with her right hand so he can see your perfect hole.

"N-no," he says, and you can't see him, but it sounds choked.

Tashi smiles above you. Her fingers - sweet, clever, calloused and warm - slide up your cunt, gather the wetness. Slit to clit. And then, slower than you expected her to be, she pushes a single finger into your quivering hole. You gasp, because Tashi doesn't waste any time. She curls right up, searching for that single perfect spot inside you. She wastes even less time finding it.

"Oh, fuck, Tashi, right there--" you moan, hips bucking wildly into her touch. Her wrist brushes your clit, and you sob.

Art's never seen you like this. You're so firm with him. Kind, gentle, loving, but firm. You're sweet, but he has no doubts about who you are. Didn't, anyway, before this. You're fire, you're thunder, you're lightning in a bottle. You're wild and wonderful and brilliant. But right now, you're a just quivering mess melting on Tashi's fingers.

Tashi pulls her two fingers out of your and brings them to her mouth. You watch her suck them clean with a vicious smile.

"Why don't we put on a show for the boyfriend?" Tashi asks you, and she's wicked.

Her bra and panties fall to the floor. She straddles your face. You take it willingly, licking and sucking at her folds. No technique, really, you've only done this once before, drunk at a party, but what you lack in skill, you make up for in enthusiasm. You eat her out like she's your last meal on death row, like she's water to you, the drowning girl.

Tashi laughs, but it's a little shaky. "Oh, babe. You've got a lot to learn. It's okay, I'll teach you."

She leans over, dipping her fingers back into your cunt. Two, and her other hand comes to toy with your clit, bracing most of her weight on her knees - on either side of her head - and her elbows, balanced gently on your hip bones.

"Watch closely, Art," she says. "Your girlfriend's gonna cum on my hand, and then my mouth."

Art whines. But he's good, he's patient, he's nice. He's not a sinner. He's only here to watch. And watch he does. He watches you come undone on her hand, true to her word. He watches her cum on your face - she's beautiful, the arc of her back pushing her tits up, her skin shiny with sweat.

"Fuck, yeah, that's it," Tashi moans, riding your face eagerly. "Yeah, god, you're good. No fucking -- god -- clue, what you're doing, but good."

And then he watches her eat you out, and by God does she know. She knows exactly what she's doing, tongue flat against your slit licking all the way up until she reaches your clit. She flicks that around, swirls the bud around gently. Sucks on it. You lace your hands in her hair and cry out her name, right up until you look up for the first time without anything in your path of vision and lock eyes with Art.

"Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, cumming-- Art," you choke.

Tashi won't admit she enjoyed listening to you fall apart on her tongue, moaning your stupid cuck boyfriend's name. Art won't admit he's probably going to get himself off to the sound of you crying Tashi's name (he gets it, he's been in the same place). You won't admit you really enjoyed being watched. Especially by your sweet, lovely, innocent boyfriend.

[crisis-starter]

Hello

I did not expect to write Odile’s moment in less than half a day.

Stars, its twice as long as Mirabelle’s and that took me 2 or 3 days to do.

Well, anyways, I hope you enjoy!

)•{+}•<>+<>•{+}•(

Odile was by the staircase in the final room, waiting to talk with Siffrin. The entire trek through the house was filled to the brim with suspicious activity. Facial expressions, behaviors… it was all strange. And with the knowledge of Wish Craft and Time Craft… she had an idea of what was happening. Bonnie was seemingly thinking about something. She had never seen the child be so quiet before. And Isabeau was looking right at her. Siffrin was chatting with Mirabelle, so she awaited them. Soon they will have to talk to her, she could feel it.

Then she felt the slight twinge of Craft. Isabeau wasn’t looking at her anymore, instead performing an odd kind of craft, if his hand was any indication. And then she heard his voice in her head:

‘M’dame Odile. Please. Whatever you are planning to do right now? At least be gentle.’

Odile copied the hand signal she saw Isabeau making before replying, “He’s trapped himself, and subsequently the entirety of Vaugarde in time! Perhaps even worse than the King! And you don’t want me to say my piece?”

‘I am not saying that you shouldn’t say something. I’m saying that, if you are, please don’t push him. He is already that close to the edge.’

Odile was silent. Skeptical. She had an idea of Isabeau’s stance, but this really couldn’t go unsaid. Siffrin was hiding something that clearly felt like common knowledge to everyone except her. And Isabeau had this… worry in his voice. Like he knew something she didn’t.

‘M’dame. I… I can’t tell you right now. Because we’re on a time limit. But I will tell you what I remember seeing once we get back. Here’s to hoping you remember what happens next.’

Isabeau cut the connection there. Odile looked at Siffrin, and realized why. The rogue had finished talking with Mirabelle. She put her hand down and returned to reading through the notes of her investigation. Siffrin approached her, a seemingly disinterested expression on his face. The two glanced at each other before Odile started talking, “Ah. Woop woop, we did it, we won, etc.”

She wanted to start soft, somewhat. So why not comment on how she feels after the fight with the King? She continued, “Urgh. Whatever. This was… quite a workout. My entire body is screaming.” Odile rolled her shoulders a little. She did feel somewhat sore, “Savior of Vaugarde, huh? That’s something to add to my list of accomplishments.”

Maybe mulling over any future plans may help a smoother transition? She didn’t know. She never said she was… good at this, “But now, I can finally go back to traveling. I’d be curious to visit more Vaugardian cities and hear what they have to say about an event like this. It’ll be weird to travel alone now, but I’ll get used to it again. Or I could just go home to Ka Bue… Hm…” Maybe she could convince the others to travel with her? Not right now, that would be too… embarrassing. Everyone here has their own life. She didn’t want them to put it aside so easily over a grown woman not wanting to leave without a proper goodbye and happy, stress-free memories to take with her.

Siffrin hid in their collar as they spoke, “To do your fake research?” There it was. Another suspicious detail. How they knew her research was fake was a bit of a mystery but she needed to say something, “…Yes. My fake research…” She probably looked a bit… frustrated there. She quickly fixed her expression, “Don’t tell anyone. I’d like to see Isabeau try to figure it out for a little longer. Very excited to hear what he comes up with next. Spoonology? Bananalogy?” Siffrin’s expression changed to that of an odd smile. A fabricated one. Concern began to blossom in her heart.

Maybe Isabeau was right.

Siffrin joked, “Bananalogy would be quite aPEELing.” Odile didn’t find it funny. But… at least fake something, “Hah… Yes.” Her face softened, “Ha… I’ll miss you, Siffrin. You’re a little strange, but you’re a good kid. Maybe try letting down your walls every once in a while, huh?” The researcher felt a smile sneak onto her face, “And come to Ka Bue anytime. Maybe we’ll meet again during your travels.” Odile really hoped so. Siffrin forced himself to smile. Wait.

Odile looked at Siffrin, concern fueling her entire being, “…Siffrin, is everything-“ Siffrin’s expression flashed into something akin to confusion for a second. Odile looked around. Bonnie, Mirabelle, and Isabeau were looking at her, worried. Great. She had spectators now. But… was she the main act? She sighed, hoping to brush off the added tension. She hoped that this would go smoothly. Odile asked, softly, “But really, is everything okay?” Siffrin is back to that fabricated smile, “What do you mean?”

Oh… Oh this is how things will have to go, huh. She continued, “I don’t know, Siffrin. You’ve felt off since yesterday. More withdrawn, mostly. Tell me what’s wrong.” Siffrin continued avoiding the question, “Nothing’s wrong!” This defiance… it was messing with Odile’s patience. But she was trying, “…it’s okay if you don’t want to tell me, you know. I’ll find out eventually.” She probably already did. Maybe everyone did, and she doesn’t remember. Siffrin replied, hiding in their collar again, “But I’m not hiding anything.” And that was the final straw. All attention was on them both. She was starting to get a headache. Time to lay it all out, no matter how harsh it felt.

Odile looked at Siffrin, abandoning any kind of calm or leniency, “Is that so.” She made her frustration known, “Is that so? So Time Craft has nothing to do with you?” Siffrin dropped the facade and grew shocked, “No that’s-“ Odile will not let him deny it. She continued, noticing Isabeau trying to approach. No. She needed to say her piece, “And the fact that you knew how to read that book about Wish Craft… Knew how to wish correctly, when no one else did… It doesn’t mean anything, either?”

Siffrin gave that fake smile, only more shaky, “It’s not like that, I-“ She was cornering them. No more excuses, just continue, “And the way you’re acting, doing that stupid smile like nothing’s wrong… It doesn’t mean anything, either?!?” The smile was dropped. Siffrin was looking at Odile, shaken. Silent. There’s more evidence.

She looked away slightly, still stern, “I’m not stupid, Siffrin. If I find something strange, I can do nothing except give it my full attention.” She turned her attention back to Siffrin, “And you are acting strange.” Siffrin looked stressed. Staring at her with this need to run away, but being unable to. Her headache was getting worse. She’ll deal with it later.

It was at this point she made her anger known, “There were so many signs… I did not understand them, but now I do! You’ve been acting strange since you woke up from your nap, yesterday!” She started to ramble on about more evidence that came to mind, “When we talk to you, you act out of it, almost bored… And the way you reacted to the rocks falling… We all jumped, but you just looked at them fall, calmly.” Odile rose her voice again, “And there’s so many other things, the way you reacted to so many things throughout our entire journey through the House!” The researcher faltered a little, “And, and… How every time you found the keys we needed to proceed, you didn’t seem surprised, like you knew exactly where they were. Even that key in the classroom. Almost like…” Odile looked at Siffrin for answers, “…Like you had found them before, maybe?”

Siffrin started to grow panicked, “B-but that’d be impossible, though!” Isabeau was looking at the two of them, nervous yet willing to step in. Siffrin attempted to reason. To save themselves, “How could I have known where the keys were when it’s my first time here?!?” Odile, frustrated, asked, “I don’t know, Siffrin, why don’t you enlighten me?!” Siffrin’s breathing was escalating. Odile continued, “Don’t think I believed that whole ‘I wished croissants would disappear~’ thing, too. So, if you lied about your wish… What did you wish for, then? That’s it, isn’t it?” The researcher looked at her hands, “Did something happen? To you, to us? Did we die against the King, maybe?” Odile looked up, spotting Siffrin pulling at his hair. Oh no. She only had one thing left to say, then she could try to start calming Siffrin down. It’ll be okay. She finished by asking, “Is that why you’re repeating the same events, Siffrin?” She was about to maybe ask Siffrin to calm down and relax before it happened.

Siffrin snapped back, “SHUT UP!!!”

Everyone was startled by the outburst. Odile herself was shaken. Isabeau was right. She couldn’t be a bit softer, huh? And now, Siffrin was on the edge of a breakdown. The traveler continued, breath ragged and irregular, “Even if you figure it out, Odile… It’s too late! It’s too late! It’s always too late!!!” Siffrin looked right into Odile’s eyes as they spoke, a combination of panic and rage in his eyes, “Did you have to figure it all out now, when it’s all about to end? You can’t help me, Odile!!! No one can!!!”

Isabeau was stunned, muttering a quiet, “Sif, Odile…?” Bonnie was hidden behind Mirabelle, asking, “What’s happening? Why are you yelling?” …When did they get so close? Odile’s headache was getting worse. The air started to feel strange. Her heart was pounding in her ears.

Siffrin continued, erratic, “It’s too late!!! YOU CAN’T HELP ME!!!” Odile tried to get a word in, but couldn’t. So she continued to listen to Siffrin’s pleas, “And I think, weirdly, I don’t even want you to help me?” Siffrin gave a panicked smile, “Why don’t I want you to help me?”

Odile felt her hands shaking. What… was this her fault? Was she the final straw? All she could really do was try to ask them to calm down, “Siffrin-“ But she couldn’t even do that without being cut off, “Maybe because I know that if you help me, you’ll start hating me!!!”

What?

“Because I don’t know why this is all happening, but-“

Wait.

“It must be because of me, that we’re repeating the same events!!!”

Siffrin stop. Please, you’ll hurt-

“And if you knew that, you’d hate me-“

Mirabelle cried out, “Siffrin?!” Maybe to snap him out of it. The air tasted like sugar. A taste so strong, it was horrible. A terrible omen. Siffrin continued, “And I don’t want you to hate me. So, so, so-“

And everything stopped before everyone was sent back to their places. Odile was silent. She decided… to say something, “Siffrin, please. You don’t… have to talk to me. But I will find out somehow. What’s causing you… harm.” She already knew. But maybe it was more comforting to claim ignorance. Siffrin quickly fabricated a smile before cheerfully saying, “Maybe, teehee!”

That… that felt unsettling.

Bonnie, Mirabelle, and Isabeau looked at Odile, worried. Odile herself? She wanted to sit down. She felt faint. That was so much information to take in at once.

Just how… how deep has Siffrin buried himself?

Siffrin faced her, the same chilling smile on their face. Odile stated, “Alright, well, if that was all…” Siffrin took this as his cue to leave as Isabeau straightened his act up.

Once Siffrin was gone, Odile sat down on the stairs. Her headache was gone, but she felt guilty. She just sat there silently, internalizing information.

It seemed that her spacing out helped pass by sooner, because she soon found Isabeau by her side, trying to check if she was doing okay. She could barely hear him.

Her eyes were on Siffrin. They hesitated a little before trying to talk to the Head Housemaiden. Then they approached her. They happily told Euphrasie about something. She responded happily.

Then the pressure in the air grew. Something was wrong. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. The Head Housemaiden was dismayed. Siffrin pleaded with her.

She crouched down to Siffrin’s level, cupping the rogue’s cheeks with her hands. She made sure she was close to Siffrin as tears streamed down her face. Siffrin was stunned. He couldn’t move. The world grew darker. Something was happening. Something was oh so horribly wrong.

A lightless shade almost appeared to engulf everything. For a split second, Odile saw something. Hundreds of silhouettes. They all looked just like Siffrin. All looking at Euphrasie. And then…

She awoke and stumbled back, nearly crashing into the shelf behind her. Her heart was pounding. So she attempted to calm down. Then she heard someone enter the shop.

Isabeau was trying to catch his breath at the entrance. He looked at Odile, worried, “Are you alright, M’dame?” Odile just looked at him, shocked. Her hands were shaking again. Isabeau sighed, “So… you remember, hm?”

)•{+}•<>+<>•{+}•(

This was VERY fun to write.

So… those are the 4 “loop awakenings”.

I’ll compile them all in chronological order and post it to AO3 (which was the original plan but I felt like you folks would like it).

I hope you have a good day/night! Until next time!

[dark-frosted-heart]

I Want to Know Every Inch of You - Roger Barel

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this

Roger: Oh, you already collected quite a bit.

Kate: All that’s left is you, Roger.

I show Roger the data I collected for Crown’s measurements.The other day, Victor asked me to go to everyone and I’ve been getting to them one after another.

Roger: It’s pretty detailed. It’ll be useful for researching curses. 

Satisfied with the documents, Roger pats my head.

Roger: Well then, let’s get to my measurements.

Kate: Right. Now if you’ll excuse me.

I place the measuring tape against Roger when he removes his vest.

Roger: Oh? You’re pretty good at that.

Kate: I’ve been measuring the others so I’ve got experience.

(Anyway…Roger’s really muscular)

I was aware of his physique before he removed his vest, but it’s even more noticeable when he’s lightly dressed. Not just his abs, but his neck, shoulders, and back muscles are well-defined too.

(When do you use these muscles…)

I manage to finish taking his measurements despite being distracted by his burliness.

Kate: Next up is asking about your medical history. How much do you drink in a week?

Roger: Hmm…About this much?

Roger took a pen and filled in his response.

Kate: That much in a week?! Feels like a lot…

Roger: They say that good wine makes good blood, you know?

Kate: Only when it’s in moderation though? Sigh, next…the amount of sleep you get.

Roger: Sometimes emergencies come up or I have an assignment for Crown. And when I’m doing research, I don’t wanna interrupt it by sleeping. Well…You can say I sleep when I can.

Kate: …

Roger: You look like you got something to say but don’t wanna say it. 

Kate: I’d like you to go to bed at a reasonable hour and get a good night’s sleep. But… I know that everything you do’s important. So I can’t scold you for it.

Roger: Is that so…

Kate: But, physician, heal thyself…So please take care of your health as much as possible, okay? Please be especially careful not to drink too much. If you don’t take care of your body, you’ll get weaker and weaker.

Roger: I’ll get weaker, huh?...How ‘bout we measure that too?

Kate: Measure what- Eep! Suddenly, an arm wraps under my butt and lifts me up with ease.

(Ah, so that’s when he uses those muscles…Wait, that’s not what I meant)

Kate: W-what are you doing! Put me down!

Even when I kick my feet, they don’t touch the ground and all I hit is air.

Roger: Hey now, stop struggling. Want me to drop you? Since you were worried, I thought I’d test my strength.

Roger casually walks around the infirmary with me on his arm.

Kate: …

Afraid of falling, I wrapped my arms around Roger’s neck and he laughed in amusement.

Roger: Not bad with one woman. Well…should I test lung capacity next?

Roger lowers me down on a bed and then pushes me back. 

Roger: No breathing through the nose…

Kate: Nn…

Our lips meet and he kisses me deeply. 

(Definitely a weird way to measure!)

Kate: Mmph…Nnnn

I slapped his chest in an attempt to resist, but he wouldn't budge.Rather, the grip on my shoulders tightened, as if chiding me for my actions.

Kate: …~~!

When I finally started to have trouble breathing, I glared at Roger. There was amusement in his eyes behind those glasses and our lips finally parted. 

Roger: Giving up? Wouldn’t it be better if you strengthened yourself instead of worrying ‘bout me?  

Kate: It doesn’t make sense to measure lung capacity in such a strange way.

Roger: I think it’s standard. Now then, let’s finally measure endurance. 

Kate: Endurance…

Roger: We can use how many times we go at it to measure. Don’t think it’ll be too accurate though since you’ll probably get worn out before me.

Roger lifts one of my legs and sets it on his shoulder.I knew what he was getting at without having to ask.

Roger: So, what do you wanna do?

I couldn’t break eye contact from Roger who was like a predator before his prey.

Kate: I’m just worried about you, Roger…

Roger: So why don’t we just check whether I’m healthy or not using your body? I’m curious about you too.

After that, Roger brings my leg to his lips.

Kate: W-what…

Roger: Hm? Just a taste.

Roger’s tongue glides along the skin of my inner thigh.

Kate: Ah…

It tickles, but I also feel heat build up in my lower abdomen. It was like my body was anticipating the stimulation.

Roger: Done resisting? Then I’ll keep going.

Kate: …I surrender! I know now. We don’t need to question your stamina…

Roger: Haha! You’re so honest.

While laughing happily, Roger finally lowers my leg onto the bed.

(Phew, that was close…)

Roger: You can take my booze away when you eat with me, and manage my sleep schedule by sleeping with me. If you’re worried about my body, then keep an eye on me 24/7. 

Kate: I’m good! You’re a grown man, so please take care of yourself. 

Roger: Haha. You’re no fun.

(It’s so frustrating how Roger teases me all the time) (But what’s worse is that…Roger only does that to me)

[hbyrde36]

Times Like These (The Anniversary Edition)

CH 1 CH 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch5 Ch6 Ch7

Chapter 8: Master of Puppets

WC: 5053 | AO3 link

Eddie woke to the sound of a phone ringing in the distance and his head throbbing. 

He rolled over, cracking one sore and puffy eye open to find himself surrounded. The two boys were already up—Max and Erica too. A graveyard of empty cereal bowls lined the coffee table in front of them, while Saturday morning cartoons played quietly on the TV. 

Despite how miserable he felt, something about seeing these kids just… being kids, filled him with a surge of renewed affection for the little shits, and reminded him of all the countless reasons he had to not fuck this up again.

He drug himself up off the couch, grunting with the effort like a 90 year old man with aching bones and deteriorated joints, and made his way to the kitchen—called by the siren-smell of good strong coffee. Steve appeared in the doorway as he approached, watching the scene just as Eddie had with a fond look in his eyes. He held two mugs, handing one off with a lopsided grin. 

Eddie looked down at the drink, finding it pale with too much cream for most people’s preference, but exactly how he liked it, and could almost smell the tooth-rotting sweetness of the excessive amount of sugar. It was perfect. How did Steve know?

“I love seeing them like this.” Steve said quietly, taking a sip from his own cup. Eddie didn’t need to look to know his was black. Blasphemy. “They don’t get to do it enough.”

Eddie offered a sad smile, humming his agreement. He looked back over his shoulder at the kids, and could only imagine how three years of fighting interdimensional monsters had cut pretty severely into each of their childhoods. Steve’s too, really. They often got caught up in worrying about the younger teens but Steve would have been what, 16 or 17 when this started? 

Babies, all of them. 

He turned back to say as much, but Steve tipped his head towards the kitchen, beckoning Eddie to follow. 

“That was Joyce on the phone.” Steve began, standing close—too close for so early in the morning when Eddie’s defenses were down, speaking low to make sure no one else overheard, the rumbling tone of his voice threatening to set Eddie’s skin on fire. 

“Owens’ people are sending a car to pick them all up, today.”

“What about Hopper?” Eddie whispered.

Steve sighed. “Well, she had to tell the Doc a little about our situation to explain why she was contacting him.”

“How’d that go?”

“She said he was weirdly accepting of the whole time loop thing, almost like he wasn’t surprised? Which, I guess they do research all kinds of weird shit in those labs, and he’s worked with kids like El for years, so maybe it just wasn’t all that unexpected. He knew some things about Vecna—Henry, whatever. Once they got talking she decided to tell him about the ransom note too, figuring he might have the resources to get Hop out, and they certainly owe us at least this much. He said they would handle it.” 

He shrugged, clearly trying to appear unconcerned, but suddenly wouldn’t meet Eddie’s eyes. Eddie knew him too well by now to be fooled. Something was bothering him about all this, even if he was trying to pretend like he was fine. 

“It’s okay if you’re worried. I know you don’t exactly trust these people.” Eddie said.

Steve tried to turn away, but like muscle memory Eddie reached out to lay a hand on his upper arm, giving him a knowing look.

“It’s stupid.” Steve said.

Eddie tightened his grip around Steve’s bicep, squeezing reassuringly as he rubbed his thumb back and forth. “I’m sure it’s not.”

“First I was worried about her going out there, and now—I know she’s right, they probably have ways to get to him that are much safer than her and Murray just fucking off to Alaska to meet with god-knows-who, and I’m happy that it’ll keep her out of the line of fire…” 

“But?” Eddie prompted.

“But, if anyone can bring someone back from the presumed dead, it’s Joyce Byers. I don’t know how much you remember from back when Will went missing, but she never gave up. Not when they found a body in the quarry, or when the whole town treated her like she was crazy for believing her son was still alive. Against all odds she fought for him, went into the Upside Down and brought him home. I just… Hopper deserves that. Someone who cares enough to bring him home no matter what.”

This time Eddie couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his arms around Steve. At least now the other boy knew they’d been close before���friends. Friends could hug. 

As he had so many times before, he wished he could tell Steve that everything would be okay—but he just didn’t know, and he couldn’t bring himself to lie and offer false words of comfort. 

To his surprise Steve hugged him back, tentative at first, but he quickly melted into Eddie’s embrace as though he were starved for touch. It felt wonderful and devastating all at the same time to touch Steve like this—and to have Steve’s arms around him again too. It was a painful reminder of all that he’d lost, but still he refused to be the one to let go first. 

“Thank you.” Steve said, pulling back and roughly clearing his throat.

All at once Eddie realized how quiet it was. Steve’s headphones sat down around his neck, which wasn’t weird in itself, it was something Eddie had seen Max and Chrissy do whenever their ears needed a break too, but they never let the music stop. Steve's song wasn’t playing at all, and Eddie couldn’t handle watching him be taken like that again. 

He reached up, lifting the earpieces back over Steve's head, fingers itching to caress his cheek as they brushed by. He clenched his fist instead. 

“Your tape stopped.” Eddie said, breathless, his heart hammering inside his chest. 

Steve’s wide eyes never left his face as he nodded absently. There was a sudden tension in the air stretched perilously tight between them and Eddie had to force himself to take a step back before it snapped. 

Shaking himself, Steve finally looked down, popping the tape out of his walkman to flip it and begin again, the volume set as low as it could be, and still be heard. 

Eddie took a deep breath and tried to pull himself together. “So, what’s on the agenda today?” He asked, managing to sound almost normal. 

“The kids should probably go home or something, spend time with their families and stuff before things get worse. We’re still going to need to stock up on weapons, right? Even if El gets her powers back?” Steve asked.       

“Yeah.” 

“Feel like doing some shopping today?”

Eddie shouldn’t have been surprised. It made sense for all the same reasons that it had in the last loop. The War Zone was closed on Sundays, and there hadn’t been a single murder yet in town to raise the alarms with the public or the Hawkins PD. Still, he felt a shiver make its way up his spine at the idea of the past repeating itself. Thinking not only of the store, but what happened after. 

He did his best to push those thoughts way, way down.

“Sure. I’ll let you break the news to your children.”

“Our children.” Steve corrected, grinning.

Fuck.

Eddie gulped, backing his way out of the room, stammering, “I-I’ll go tell Robin and Chrissy t-to get ready.”

-

Predictably, the kids fought back, having no interest in being separated now. As before, they all decided to go to Mike’s together, and it wasn’t until Steve picked up the phone to call and let Nancy know the plan that Eddie realized she and Mike hadn’t come back this morning the way they did last time. Funny how some things changed while others stayed the same, without obvious rhyme or reason. 

The trip to The War Zone went smoothly and pretty much as Eddie recalled. He’d racked his brain on the drive there, wondering if there was anything they could have used more or less of. Fire seemed to be the most effective weapon against the creatures of the Upside Down, so the molotov cocktails were still a good choice. 

If only they could source an actual flamethrower. 

Ultimately he didn't think any different number or type of weapons would be what turned the tides. This thing would come down to a battle of wills, he’d bet his life on it. 

Nancy got quiet as they were unloading the supplies after returning from the store, and Eddie could almost hear the gears turning over in her mind. It was no surprise to him when she eventually spoke up. 

“I want to go look for Fred.” She began, holding up a hand before anyone could argue. “And I know what you’re going to say. If we couldn’t find him last time what’s the point—but you said his body turned up in the trees behind his house right?”

“Yeah,” Eddie replied. “Sometime overnight or early in the morning they found him.”

“Okay so, that’s a clue we didn’t have before, and a place I’m sure I wouldn’t have looked.”

“How about this—the three of us,” Robin jumped in, indicating Nancy, Chrissy, and herself, “can go for a fun-filled hike in the woods, and we’ll leave you two here to hold down the fort in case Joyce or Eleven calls.” 

She met Eddie’s gaze, winking at him like she was doing him a favor. He grit his teeth and scowled. How she’d caught on already that there was anything going on between him and Steve, he had no idea.

…Not that there was anything going on since he was doing everything in his power to stay far far away from that possibility right now.

Steve didn't seem to notice their little exchange, thankfully, and was only watching the three girls with obvious concern. “If that's what you want to do. Just… be safe, okay?”

“Always.” Robin said, giving Steve a pat on the shoulder before getting back into the car with Nancy and Chrissy. 

The anxiety Eddie had already been soaking in all day reached a critical level as he and Steve were left home alone together, and more than once he found himself obsessively staring at the spot on the kitchen floor where he’d first held Steve, as he fell apart after Vecna had so ruthlessly attacked him on this same afternoon in another life.   

He had to find some way to distract himself or he was going to lose it.

There was only one surefire way to settle at least some of his nerves, but Eddie was too afraid to go outside and smoke—afraid to let Steve out of his sight for even a second actually, and so when he wandered away from him—for the dozenth time—to the living room, Eddie had no choice but to follow. As he did he recalled the bag of tapes he knew was stashed in the entertainment center—bingo.

He moved to the cabinet and pulled it out, digging for the only decent film among the bunch, not caring that he’d just watched The Goonies a week ago. Ironically, he thought the familiarity of it might even offer him some comfort. He glanced back over his shoulder to ask Steve if he minded, only to find him with his headphones off and silent, again. 

“Dude, how many times—” Eddie stomped across the room, his concerned frustration at Steve's carelessness spilling over to rage. 

How hard was it to keep a fucking tape going? 

He reached for the walkman clipped to the other boy’s waistband and yanked it off him—huffing as he popped the tape out, flipped it over, and shoved it back in, jamming his finger into the play button so hard he almost broke the damn thing, before shoving it back into Steve’s hands. 

“It needs to be playing to work, asshole, and you really need to start keeping those on your ears more.” He flicked the hanging cord of the headphones as he leveled Steve with a hard glare. 

“It’s–they–they’re uncomfortable.” Steve mumbled in half-hearted defense of himself.

It occurred to Eddie suddenly that this had never been a problem for Steve before. He’d never forgotten to keep his tape running, and never once had he complained about having to wear the headphones. 

He narrowed his eyes. “Really, Harrington? Because I’m finding it hard to believe that you can’t deal with a little mild discomfort to keep that fucking monster at bay after all the other shit you’ve endured.”

“Okay, fine. Just… listen, If Vecna doesn’t attack me before we go after him, how can we be sure I’ll be on his radar—that he’ll take me as bait?”

“Wait, were you–were you leaving the music off on purpose so he could get to you? What the fuck, Steve?!” Eddie shouted.

“What was your plan then, huh? To make Chrissy play the lure? How is that fair?!” Steve yelled right back. 

Eddie honestly hadn’t thought it through that far yet, and maybe Steve had a point. He certainly didn’t relish the idea of poor Chrissy being put on the chopping block again, but this certainly wasn’t the answer.

“It’s not fair to you either!” Eddie growled. “It’s not fair, period!”

“I can handle it!” Steve bellowed, smacking himself in the center of his chest. “And if it’s gotta be someone—why not me, huh? At least I have experience with this stuff! At least El knows me a little! If this whole thing winds up hinging on her piggybacking in someone's brain again, isn’t it better—easier if it’s someone she knows?!”

Again Eddie was brought up short. He shook his head—he couldn’t argue with the bulk of Steve’s logic, but–

“You don’t know what you're signing yourself up for! You have no idea what he’s capable of! Steve, don’t do this to–”

“Why does it matter so much to you if he takes me anyway?!”

Eddie recoiled, feeling the force of Steve’s words like a slap in the face.  “What? What do you mean why? Steve, you’re my—” He snapped his mouth shut, fighting to retain control of himself even as he spiraled further into panic. 

“We’re friends. I care about you.”

Right in front of his eyes, Steve’s face hardened into a cruel mask. 

“Friends,” Steve mocked with a bark of laughter, mouth twisting into an unfriendly smile. “We’re not friends, not really—you do realize that right? If you hadn’t gotten yourself caught up in all this, I would have never said two words to you. Why would I?”

All the blood drained from Eddie’s face. It felt like he’d been kicked off the edge of a cliff. 

It wasn’t anything he hadn’t thought of himself. A nagging fear in the back of his mind, that any feelings Steve was developing for him were circumstantial at best, nothing that would stand up to any sort of test—that it wasn’t real. That Steve had only clung to him because he was there—convenient and willing. 

He’d thought, after the kiss– 

Well, he’d started to hope he was wrong. Almost believed it when Robin gave him so much shit for doubting Steve when they’d spoken in the woods. But here it was in front of him. Proof that he’d been right to worry. 

“Honestly,” Steve went on, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “I’ve only been pretending to be nice to you so you’ll help us. Why else would I ever want to be associated with Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson?”

“Wh–what are you saying?”

Eddie’s eyes grew wet, hot tears threatening to fall. Oh god, what an idiot he’d been. 

“Poor thing,” Steve cooed at him, all pouting lips and false sympathy. “You should know, when you told me you were gay?” He paused, shuddering. “I was completely repulsed. I had to pretend otherwise of course, so you’d cooperate, but it made me sick having to lay next to you night after night.”

“Wait, I didn’t…” Eddie breathed, a barely audible whisper. “But, that didn’t happen this time.”

Something was very, very wrong here. 

He started to slowly back up, eyes darting between the doorway to the kitchen and the hall leading to the front door, trying to calculate his best move.  

“You’re not Steve.”

“Not quite.” The thing that wasn’t Steve smirked, folding his hands together locked behind his back. “Hello, Eddie. We meet at last.”

He was still wearing Steve’s face, but the voice coming out of his throat was becoming something deeper, darker, and far more dangerous.

Any relief Eddie felt for the fact that it hadn’t really been Steve saying those awful things to him was overshadowed by the terror of meeting his enemy in person for the first time, and in his own domain no less.

“Fuck you.” Eddie spat, projecting a bravery he absolutely did not feel. 

Steve—Vecna began to pace a slow circle around him. “I don’t know how you’ve managed this trick, sending yourself back in time over and over again, but it’s no matter. I’ve seen what’s in your head now. I know what you and Eleven and all your little friends have planned. It won’t work.”

A guitar riff Eddie would never forget, even if he lived a thousand lifetimes, began to fill the air around him. Someone, somewhere was playing Master of Puppets for him—trying to pull him out of this place. Trying to save him. Hope blossomed in his chest as he thought about what Chrissy had described seeing the first time he’d successfully pulled her out of her trance, and searched around frantically for any signs of an opening or portal. 

Either unable to hear the music or uncaring that Eddie was in the process of being rescued, Vecna kept taunting him. 

“Of course, you already know that, having failed so many times before. I wonder why it is you even continue to try and fight the inevitable. This is your fate, Eddie, and his.” The monster gestured to himself, to the suit of familiar skin he wore, drawing Eddie’s attention back. 

The eyes—Steve’s beautiful hazel eyes that Vecna had stolen to use against him rolled back and began to bleed. With a loud crack his jaw dislocated, hanging loose, mouth gaping open in a silent scream. Another snap and his arm bent back the wrong way, broken.

Eddie choked back a sob, his heart shattering into even smaller pieces as he witnessed first hand what he already knew Steve had gone through, knowing he'd never be able to scrub the image from his mind. 

“The sooner you accept that, the sooner your suffering will come to an end.” The words spilled forth from the gaping maw that Steve’s mouth had become.

Eddie cried out, screaming his pain wordlessly.

The music picked up suddenly, getting louder as the song reached its middle, giving Eddie the strength to look away—and finally he spotted it, a faint glow like the promise of sunshine coming in through an open window, emanating from somewhere behind Vecna, through the doorway to the kitchen. 

He took a few stumbling steps back, the disfigured visage of Vecna-Steve following his every move, and faked a run for the front door, pivoting at the last second to switch direction down the hallway, entering the kitchen from its other side and dove into the hazy mirage head first without hesitation. 

-

Eddie came-to with a shuddering gasp. He was on the floor, headphones shoved over his head and Metallica blasting in his ears. Strong arms circled him from behind, rocking him gently as a soft voice mumbled the same three words over and over again. 

“Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay.”

“Stevie?” Eddie wheezed, out of breath and a little disoriented from his sudden fall back to reality. Which was saying something, considering he’d died and come back as many times as he had. He reached up, hesitantly pulling the headphones down around his neck. 

“Oh my god.” Steve let out a rush of breath, sounding relieved as he slid himself around to Eddie’s side, still cradling him in his arms. He looked Eddie up and down, as if assessing him for physical damage, a haunted look in his eyes.

“You’re okay?” Steve said. Part statement, part question.  

When he didn't answer right away Steve pursed his lips, concern evident on his face as he raised a hand up to gently brush the tears from Eddie’s wet cheeks. He hadn’t even known he was crying.

Eddie blinked up at him, caught between wanting to bury himself in the other boy’s chest, and the instinct to shove him away. He had Vecna’s vicious words stuck in his head now, replaying over and over again.

He knew it wasn’t real. Steve hadn’t said those things, would never have said those things. They weren’t his thoughts or feelings even if they were said with his voice. Eddie knew all of that, but still it was enough to taint what little comfort he might have allowed himself to take from Steve’s embrace.

That bastard had stolen Steve's face and used Eddie’s own insecurities against him, and it’d worked like a fucking charm. 

He sat up slowly, pushing Steve away with a firm hand on his chest. Steve frowned, actually tried to push back for a moment, to keep holding Eddie, before realizing what he was doing and backed off to give him space.  

“Is that… that was Vecna, right?” Steve asked. 

“Yeah, it was him.” Eddie pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes hard enough to see stars. If only it would erase the image of Steve’s broken form from his mind.   

“I’m so sorry.”

Eddie dropped his hands from his face abruptly to stare at the other boy. “What do you have to be sorry for?” He asked, incredulous.

“You tried to tell me how bad it was and I–I argued with you. That was the most terrifying few minutes of my life, and I was going to force you to watch that—again! How many times did you have to watch it happen to Chrissy? To me? I’m such an asshole” Steve closed his eyes, sniffling as he shook his head. “I’d still rather it be me than you, or Chrissy, or any of the kids, but it was… selfish of me to put you in the position to have to save me again on purpose. So, I’m sorry” 

“It’s not—you’re not selfish, and you’re not an asshole either.” Eddie sighed heavily. “And I hate to admit it, but you may have had a point. We can’t bait Vecna with something he doesn’t want, someone he isn’t actively after. I guess now that someone’s gonna be me.”

“How will that work? You’re just as much of a stranger to El as Chrissy is.”

Eddie tightened his jaw, readying himself for another fight, but Steve quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I'm not–I'm not trying to—I'm just raising a concern.”

“I’m not letting anyone else go through that if we don’t have to, ok? We’ll ask El about it when we can, and go from there.”

Steve nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”

-

Steve searched through his closet and dug up his old walkman for Eddie to use since he’d given his own up for Chrissy. There was nothing wrong with it, just an outdated model. A new pair of batteries and he was all set.

They made Eddie’s tape in relative silence, save for the music itself which they kept turned low to save his head—a side effect of the Vecna attack being a massive fucking headache.

The girls returned a few hours later, looking completely dejected and exhausted. They still hadn’t been able to find Fred.

Nancy didn’t stay long, wanting to get back to her own house to keep an eye on the kids, and it wasn’t until she left that the other two noticed the change in Eddie, and what he now wore over his head. 

Chrissy came up to him first, throwing her arms around his shoulders and resting her cheek on his chest. “Oh no, Eddie, you too?”

He hugged her back, and as bad as the day had been, he couldn’t help smiling to himself a little. He’d been so sure that he had ruined any chance of friendship with her this time around, but the easy affection gave him hope that it wasn’t a lost cause just yet. 

“I’m okay, Chris.” He assured her as they separated. “Harrington had my back.”

-

In a bid for normalcy, and while they had nothing better to do, Steve ordered some takeout for all of them to share while Eddie put his movie on—hours later than intended, but better late than never. 

He tried to enjoy it—the food, the conversation, hanging out with these people he’d come to care for like family—but his heart was in the past. Instead of the TV screen in front of him he saw Steve fighting off a grin as he’d watched Eddie flutter around the kitchen cooking for them. In place of the drink in his hand, he felt the warm press of Steve’s palm in his, remembering the way he’d laced their fingers together and held on all the way upstairs that night. 

Giggles coming from the other side of the room were what brought Eddie back to the present, and he glanced over to see that Chrissy and Robin had drifted awfully close to one another on the couch they shared, even resting their heads together as he watched.  

Not thinking he nudged Steve's shoulder with his own to point it out, wondering when they themselves had gotten this close, and tilted his head in the girls direction. 

Steve glanced over, smiling at first but then his body went visibly tense, eyes guarded as he looked back at Eddie.

Oh.

“You don’t have to worry I–” Eddie only barely managed to stop himself from coming out, though he wasn’t sure why, and changed course mid sentence. “I'm cool with—Robin. I just think it’s sweet that they’re getting close again.”

Steve took him at his word, relaxing immediately. “Again?” He whispered back excitedly.

Eddie nodded and went back to watching the girls, glad that this particular thing was a staple of the loops. 

Once the credits rolled and the girls made their way up to bed, Eddie helped Steve clean up, picking up trash and carrying their few dishes to the sink. He fled as soon as they were done, saying a quick goodnight before rushing to the downstairs bathroom to change and laying himself down on the couch, the big one this time. Dustin had been right, it was a lot more comfortable. 

He assumed he’d gotten away with it, that Steve had already gone up the stairs, but less than a minute later Steve came striding into the room carrying two blankets. He tossed one to Eddie before wrapping the other around himself, and settled down on the other couch. 

“What are you doing?”

“Sleeping.”

“Steve.”

They both sat up, staring daggers at each other from across the room.

Steve broke the standoff first. “I don’t think you should be alone. What if something happens, or your tape runs out? Since you seem to have something against sleeping in a bed with me again, I figured I'd just join you down here. It’s fine.”

“Fuck’s sake.” Eddie grumbled. 

So much for keeping this one boundary, but he’d manage somehow. He suspected Steve still felt like he must have done something wrong before, and Eddie couldn’t live with him feeling guilty over something that wasn’t his fault. And, he supposed, there was no use in both of them sleeping on couches when there was a perfectly good bed upstairs.

Eddie reluctantly got up, flinging a throw pillow at Steve’s smug face as he did. “Come on then, big boy. Lead the way.”

-

In the familiar comfort of Steve's room, Eddie laid on his back and stared up at the ceiling, hugging his side of the bed to keep as much space as possible between them. He was exhausted from the attack, from the day in general, but his heart pounded as he found himself surrounded by all things Steve. His scent on the sheets, his pillow under Eddie’s head, his clothes strewn about the room.

He breathed it all in deep, and, still keeping his eyes pointed forward, finally dared to ask the question.

“How did you know what song to play for me?”

Steve shifted around, turning on his side to face him. 

“It was the tape from your Walkman. The kids took it out last night after they made Chrissy’s and left it sitting out on the table. It was a lucky guess, really. I just hoped that whatever you had been listening to last would work.”

Eddie’s breath caught in his throat. He’d survived by simple chance and dumb luck, and sure he was old hat at dying by now, but it didn't make the idea any less scary. He turned too, meeting Steve's eyes through the dark. 

“Thank you, that was… good thinking.”

“I was so afraid it wouldn’t work. One second we were screaming at each other and then you went so still. Your eyes rolled back and–” Steve’s voice cracked, unable to finish.

“I know.” Eddie whispered. And he did know, far too well, what it was like to feel so powerless.

He started to reach out, wanting so badly to cup Steve’s cheek or pull him close, but let his hand drop to the bed between them mid-motion. Steve slid his own hand closer, inch by inch until their pinkies touched, and then oh-so-slowly, he tucked his whole hand under Eddie's, entwining their fingers and gripping him tight. 

“I don’t know what I would have done if it hadn’t worked.”

Eddie swallowed a whine, praying Steve couldn't hear it, and squeezed back. He didn’t have the strength to pull away, though he knew with every touch came the potential to break him beyond repair. 

Chapter 9

Special thanks to @penny00dreadful for being the best beta, friend and cheerleader.

Reblogs are always appreciated and if you want to be tagged, just let me know! I'd be more than happy to do so 💜

Taglist: @hitlikehammers @pearynice @cranberrymoons @thoroughlycollected @blubblesandink @finntheehumaneater @brbsoulnomming @estrellami-1 @hellion-child @manda-panda-monium @spicysix @kikidoesfanfic @dreamwatch @lawrencebshoggoth @stillfullofshit @lil-gremlin-things @mamafaithful @klausinamarink @starlight-archer

[lukkabloom]

Fun facts abt residents according to Ikevamp Radio (ヴァンなま) Part 4

Let's go with episodes 11 & 12!! Only 2 episodes since one was a bit longer. Anyways, LET'S GOOO!!!

Episode 11: Back in the studio w/Vincent & Sebas!!

Vincent sees Sebas singing “Can you celebrate?” a song by Amuro Namie, so he knows the song from the future

Vincent can’t get Sebas to pay attention to him, Sebas keeps singing until Vincent gives him a flick on the forehead

Vincent thinks Sebas is bored as he has created many lines & scenarios for both him and Vincent (flashback to episode 10) Sebas says that “Time is something you make for yourself”

They talk about June brides and wedding for a bit (not my fav episode tbh)

Sebas teaches Vincent the lyrics of “Can you celebrate?” (they sing the song together)

Morishi and Makki call Issac cute (this was when Isaac’s route was released in jp)

For the “Can you tell me… your name?” it was a bit different than usual. There were 4 options to choose from instead of 3, and the fourth was a line that combined the previous three statements into one. For example, Vincent’s provided lines were 1. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here until the morning” 2. “You can depend on me today, okay?” 3. “Pain, pain, go away” 4. A combination of the three.

The audience voted on option 4, so he had to say “(Y/n), depend on me til morning and then go away” or some other weird version. He picked and chose words from each line & rearranged them w/weird grammar (which I’m sure that was NOT what he was supposed to do but it’s funny so…)

Sebas’s chosen line was a combination of “Don’t worry. I will do my best to help you with your recovery” “It’s painful, right? You can depend on me until you recover” and “Do you want to wrap green leeks around your neck? It’ll lower your temperature”

So his finalized line was something along the lines of  “(Y/n). Don’t worry, for now, do you want to wrap green leeks around your neck?” & other variations (he always had some part w/green leeks) It doesn’t make sense but it’s hilarious

Afterwards, Makki was like “More people were being wrapped around by leeks than I’d imagined… haha”

Episode 12: feat. Ikesen Sasuke’s VA Akabane Kenji

Ikesen x Ikevamp Radio Collab!!!!

(I used to play Ikesen but wasn’t as obsessed so I’m not as familiar w it as I am w ikevamp)

Everyone is so chaotic in the intros & throughout (Akabane & Morishi just feed on each other’s energy and Makki’s like “Sorry—hahaha—I can’t follow… haha” ←he’s dying of laughter)

Even Makki was like “I’ve been thinking… Morishi and Akabane-san give off the same vibe” Akabane: “It’s true that our tastes are overlapping right now, but when I first met Morishi, he wasn’t like this. Now… he turned out like this.” Morishi: “Like what?” (offended)

They did a new section called “You’re a producer! Self-judge!” (nvm it's not a new section, they do it on ikesen radio but not on ikevamp) where the audience will think of lines that Sasuke will say if he was a vampire & if Vincent and Sebas are Sengoku-era warlords. The presented lines will be said by their respective voice actors

Sasuke’s line was “As research, can you let me have your blood? … That was a lie. I want it because it’s yours… So, can I?” 

Vincent’s line is “When I spend time with you, I forget that it is a time of war right now. Ah, I need to go. Please don’t be so worried. I promise I’ll be back to you, so believe in me.” Akabane says that his line is similar to what Mitsunari would say

Sebas’s line is “Aaasasaasasaassu! Aaasasaasasaassu! Aaasas…!? Yes? What am I doing? … I’ll be heading to enemy headquarters, so I was energizing myself. Is something wrong?” LMAO as soon as the words showed up on the screen everyone started laughing. Akabane was like “Is ‘Aaasasaasasaassu!’ something Sebastian would say?”  Morishi: “That, Sebastian doesn’t say that. That’s something Morishima would say” HAHAHA

“Aaasasaasasaassu” according to Morishi, is a spell that is shortened from “Arigatou/Azassu!” (thank you). When you say this while pulling for gacha, you get good cards (we need to all try it)

“I love yu” skit w/Sebas, Vincent, and Sasuke!! Sebas and Vincent are relaxing in the thermae when Vincent discovers something coming from the water. Sebas describes it as “something that ninjas use to breathe when they dive into lakes.”

Vincent doesn’t know what a ninja is. Sebas explains what it is to Vincent. Vincent thinks ninjas sound cool

Sasuke pops out from the water, explaining that he came from experimenting with another wormhole. He introduces himself to the two residents, saying that he came from the Sengoku era, saw a rift in time and space, and ended up there, in another timeline.

Sebas, the history nerd, says “Sengoku era? So that means in that era, there are Oda Nobunaga, Uesugi Kenshin, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, & etc.” Sasuke: “Yes, of course. Also, Uesugi Kenshin is my boss” Sebas: “Please. I would like to hear the details. Please, take a seat. I am the butler of this mansion, Sebastian”

Sasuke: “Thank you for the welcoming atmosphere. I guess until the next wormhole appears, I will relax here… Just call me Sasuke.”

Sasuke enters the bath in his clothes, Vincent asks if he doesn’t need to strip. Sasuke: “Well, I don’t know when the next wormhole will appear.”

Sebas: “I had felt this since the beginning, but you give off a similar energy to me.” Sasuke: “What a coincidence. I feel that as well.” Sebas: “Dyun…gyun” Sasuke: “Zuban, zuban!”

The two repeat the phrases, each one becoming more dramatic than the previous, until Vincent stops them bc they’re “leaving him behind”

Vincent finally introduces himself to Sasuke, who gets excited that “he can meet another genius other than the Sengoku warlords” Sasuke: “If I were to describe this feeling, it would be… choberigu (チョベリグ, slang meaning extremely very good)” Sebas: “Our Master Vincent is gekimabu (激マブ, slang meaning very bright), isn't he?” 

Vincent: “Choberigu? Gekimabu?” Sasuke: “Yes, he’s gekimabu. So I was right. I feel a same energy off of you”

Sasuke gives them makibishi (caltrop) as a token of appreciation. Vincent is in awe of the caltrops, and Sasuke is happy that someone appreciates his caltrops. Says how Masamune doesn’t need it, proves how angelic Vincent actually is

Vincent: “Next time I see Will, maybe I should throw them to him?” (I LEGIT SPAT OUT MY DRINK) Sebas: “... He will be extremely sad, so maybe not.”

Vincent thought that it was cool that Sasuke had a cool nickname “Shippujinrai” so he tries to think of one for Sebas. Sebas: “to be given a nickname from two people I admire… it makes me feel embarrassed” 

Vincent: “Perverted butler!” LMAO IT’S CANON SEBAS IS A PERVERT

Sebas: coughs  “‘Perverted butler…’ while it is not incorrect, it may be weird to say that to myself. ‘Perverted butler, Sebastian.’ Can you say that?”

Sasuke: “I think it sounds pretty good… What about ‘three meals a day?’” Sebas: “That’s just a routine” Vincent: “I got it! ‘Versatile butler’”

Sebas: “‘Versatile butler’ I like it. Versatile butler, Sebastian.”

Sebas: “Master Vincent would be ‘Innocent Angel’” Sasuke: “No, he would be ‘innocent’ (天真爛漫, it means the same thing, just worded differently)” Vincent: “Hmmm… I want something that’s cooler…”

Sebas: “He may look like that, but Master Vincent’s strong in a fight, so maybe ‘Ready to fight (喧嘩上等 means they’ll take on any fight challenged)” Vincent: “Isn’t that a bit dangerous?” 

Sasuke and Sebas try to get Vincent to say it. Vincent: “Ready to fight, Vincent van Gogh! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Sebas praises Vincent, saying he did a great job

Then a whirlpool forms in the waters, a wormhole, Sasuke gets ready to travel through space-time. Sasuke promises that they’ll probably be able to meet again

Akabane was surprised to see that the characters were naked and said “Ohh, so Shiro-sensei (the artist for Ikesen and Ikevamp) is the type to draw nipples”

So in the “van Gogh’s drawing section” Sasuke participated w/Sebas & Vincent. The theme was “Hollywood movie ‘Sengoku warlords vs Vampire’” and Akabane’s art was good? Like you can tell he drew Napoleon and Nobunaga. Makki’s one had a certain electric-type mouse Pokemon on the lower right side of his piece haha

In the segment, “Dyun, zuban… Your name…” (It’s basically “Can you tell me… your name?” but combining the two versions) Vincent’s chosen line was a combination of the lines “You’re gonna get wet. Come here” “You’re wet… Here, take my jacket” “I want to stay here until it stops raining”

He would say most lines properly, but some were weird like “Let’s get… wet together” (not in THAT way) or “The rain got wet, huh? Get closer and wear it” (literally it doesn’t make sense even in Japanese since the grammar was so weird, he just picked and choose words from each line)

Sebas’s line was a combination of “If you want to, do you want to do an aiaigasa (相合傘) with me?” “Come closer so you don’t get wet” “Don’t your joints hurt when it rains?”

“If you want… don’t your joints hurt?” “To not get wet, do you want to… do your joints hurt?” He always puts the “joint blah blah” line at the end it's so funny. There was also “Yoshihiko, do you want to do an aiaigasa? To not get wet, don’t your joints hurt?”

Sasuke’s lines were the combination of “... I’m worried about my caltrops. Sorry, lemme go get them~” “I had the caltrops out to dry but it’s all ruined…” “Are the caltrops okay… Caltrops…”

His was funny bc he would replace the caltrops w/the names so it would be like “I’m worried about (y/n)” “I had (y/n) to dry but… I have to go back” “(y/n)... It’s now all ruined…”

OVERALL, amazing collab I hope they did more but I only have 3 more episodes to watch, and sadly, none of the rest are ikesen/ikevamp collabs

[traineecryptid]

NPSS Weibo Q&A (20240831) Part 5

This is a Q&A session held on Weibo. People will tag their questions with the hashtag #南派三叔藏海花在线答疑# (#NPSS Zang Hai Hua Online Q&A#) and NPSS will look through the tag to pick some to answer. The event started at 1500 hours on 2024 August 31st.

Folder with screenshots and big compilation google doc is here. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here. Part 4 is here.

1634

Q: Sanshu! I really need to know this, does Xiaoge shave?

A: Don’t you think it’s a little weird if he doesn’t shave?

1635

Q: Shu, why did writing ZHH affect your mental state like never before? (But this is also the time where everyone thought that your writing was in top condition.)

A: It’s the emotions and scenes. If I can’t write out the scenes, at most I’ll have a headache. But I have to sacrifice myself for the emotions.

1637

Q: Shu! I want to know if Yucun Wu Xie returned to the “Dragon’s Backbone, come quickly” moment in the beginning, what would he do?

A: He has to go. Else, he’ll lose even more.

1638

Q: Can the Scorpion Team be reassembled in the later episodes?

A: Scorpion Team is in the story after this.

1639

Q: Sanshu, will Haixing grow up to become a very powerful adult in the future?

A: She will. But she will also have her own worries.

1643

Q: You seem to understand fengshui very well.

A: I knew how to write it the most when I didn’t understand it. But after understanding it, I dare not write it anymore. I’m afraid that writing it will disturb the dragon’s veins.

1643

Q: Shu, at the moment when Wu Xie knew about Xiaoge’s backstory, if Xiaoge was right in front of him, what would he say to Xiaoge? What would Pangzi say?

A: Buy wine. Wine. Wine. Drink some, drink some. Pangzi, is there food in the fridge? Go take a look.

1647

Q: Is Wu Xie satisfied with his current condition? Does he have any regrets?

A: Do you know that once a person is satisfied with their condition, they would start to be afraid and collapse from the nice things. Little satisfaction is greater than big completion. Never ever live in a condition where you’re satisfied with yourself. Because after that, it’ll be the pain of losing everything.

1650

Q: Shu, Xiaoge had obviously saved them. How did you come up with Zhang Jiuri and Zhang Nian’s turning point where they hate Xiaoge?

A: Keep watching. That’s key.

1658

Q: What do you think about the saying “even if it sucked, at least a Heavenly Palace”? Do you plan on remaking Heavenly Palace?

A: Yes!

1658

Q: Xie Yuchen wanted some shares of the eye disease research. Will Hei Xiazi’s eye disease get better?

A: The more patents he gathers, maybe there will be a chance to get better.

1829

#NPSS Zang Hai Hua Online Q&A# Let me say this to everyone. There are a lot of you who don’t allow comments or only restrict comments to your followers yet you keep @-ing me nonstop. I don’t know what this means. I’m really— I wrote a long reply but then I can’t post it. It’s really maddening.

1831

Q: (T/N: original question was deleted but according to the comments…) Didn’t you say that you’ll keep answering questions? Where did you go? A: I went to take my food delivery.

1840

Q: Last year you said that Wu Xie smelled like peaches. So, what does Menyouping smell like?

A: The scent of distant mountains brought by the wind.

1841

Q: Shu, don’t the Iron Triangle’s Pangzi deserve a trophy for his awareness? Something like “The spiritual middleman who touched everyone’s hearts in the DMBJ universe.

A: Once you understand Pangzi’s importance,  you’ll understand a very important part of this story.

75 questions (or well 75 posts now!) I'm really sleepy today so pardon the mess of the grammar and what not. But I will do a double update today.

[manias-wordcount]

Hi! Can I get Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist), Tamaki Suoh (OHSHC), and Illumi Zoldyck with a hypermobile fem s/o with knee problems?

Here’s where the insight comes: now, because of my flexible joints, I can do all sorts of weird things. I can twist my arms like 360 degrees or so (sometimes, I hear the joints popping; it doesn’t hurt most of the time, but I do feel a minor squeeze at worst), I can bend my thumb to my forearm (though it hurts somewhat if I hold it too long, but that goes away quickly; for some reason, my left is more flexible than my right), and I’ve been known to be able to touch my shoulder or even my face with my foot if I stretch it enough. Also, my skin is stretchier than most people’s, and it’s to the point where I can kind of cover my thumb in my hand (and it freaks people out). Also, I can do this thing where I turn my hands inward and my elbows poke out (I legit once had a girl come to me saying, “That’s not normal,” bless her heart. I even do what’s called the W position on a daily basis, which is comfortable to sit in but takes a bit to get up from. Conveniently, it allows me to scratch my own back without a backscratcher or even give myself a massage if I want. On the downside, I have a history of kneecap dislocations (I’ve had a total of 4: 3 times in the left kneecap and once in the right, all on separate occasions and it’s been happening since I was 13). As such, I’m best off with low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling because they’re easier on my joints than, say, soccer. Thankfully, I’ve found things like hot baths and basically being in hot water is very soothing for my joints. Also, I remember I was once recommended mustard paste for my kneecaps but I have yet to test it. I don’t know the exact cause of my hypermobility because I haven’t been diagnosed yet but that’s ok.

Note: I don’t know if you write for Meliodas from Seven Deadly Sins or Snake from Black Butler, but if you do, are you ok with adding them too? If not, would another character of your choice from those fandoms be ok?

Hypermobile S/o with knee problems HCs (Edward Elric, Tamaki Suoh, Illumi Zoldyck, Meliodas, Snake)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼 !!!!

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

Edward Elric

Out of everyone?

He’s probably the one who knows the most about hypermobility

Though he was extremely surprised the first time he saw it in action

It’s something he definitely read about when doing all kinds of studies about the human body

And when he was just finding out about hypermobility, he was probably surprised at first about just how much more complex it is

Though now that he’s older, he’s prepared to help with any potential problems that may arise for you

However, he’s still Ed

He’ll be the one to help you to the infirmary when your knee dislocates

But you know he’ll panic and he’ll yell about it first before he gains enough sense to get you the help you need

So at least he isn’t totally useless…he’s just Ed!

Tamaki Suoh

10000% will scream “WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR BODY” the first time he saw your hypermobility

But don’t worry

A quick dumbed-down explanation (by Haruhi or even Karou) will have Tamaki singing a different tune in a second

In fact, he’d probably start asking if you could do a bunch of tricks

And if you could show it to him too LOL

Out of everyone, it’ll probably be Honey to ask if it ever hurts doing all the things your body is able to do

And the second you mention your knee problems? Oh boy

Tama-chan is going to be all over you

Researching about all the things that could ever go wrong, looking up what he can ever do to help, finding out if there's stuff he can buy you to make things better- the works

But hey! At least he’s supportive!

Illumi Zoldyck

He knows

No need to tell you anything

In fact, knowing him and his family?

It’s entirely possible he knew before YOU did

If you ever do anything to showcase your hypermobility, he won’t comment much on it

He’s just content watching you do your own thing

He will tell you to be careful though

But you don’t have to worry much

The household knows your medical history- all of it

Illumi (and literally anyone on the Zoldyck payroll) are here to assist you if ever the need arises

Meliodas

Genuinely does think it’s cool

But he’ll be super nonchalant about it as he usually is with the weirdest things

Though you know he’ll be bragging about how cool he thinks you are when he gets drunk to the other guys

Of course, it’s probably Gowther that points out how your hypermobility has been the source of a few instances of pain for you

And suddenly it starts to make sense why you’re the first to move far away from a fight

Aside from Hawks after someone gives him a swift kick to belly

And your general avoidance for anything high impact

Naturally, he’s going to start consulting the all-knowing Merlin if there’s anything she can do to help you

And even though it’s disappointing to hear that she currently has nothing in her arsenal, you at least have a very powerful demon now looking out for you in case of a problem!

(…As if you didn’t have that all along LOL)

Snake

As a (former) member of Noah’s Ark circus, you’re not the first person he’s met with hypermobility

Compared to others, finding out about this aspect of your life isn’t so surprising given his upbringing

Though he can’t say he expected it

Something like this isn’t so obvious until it is

Of course, that doesn’t mean he knows anything about it

He’s not the most sociable (or knowledgeable) for that matter

It was through getting close to you and hearing you speak about yourself that he was able to learn about hypermobility and how it affects you in particular

Finding out about your knee problems and your other sources of pain definitely made him a little more protective

Not like he was doing anything that would end up bad for you in the first place but still!

Snake is a good boy at heart! He’ll look out for you <3

[five-rivers]

First. Previous.

Okay.  Well.  Taking everything into consideration… and emphasizing safety… Going out was risky as either Fenton or Phantom.  Waiting was… safe.  It was safe, but if he had to do it without something to do other than college courses of dubious utility, he'd go nuts.

Besides, it was like a security exercise.  If he could do it, someone else could do it.  Better to be prepared!  Honestly, locking him out was a safety hazard, too.  What if there was an emergency and he needed to go to the Zone (not unlike now)?

And… just because he found a workaround didn't mean he had to use it.  He could find it, then stop.  Report it to his parents.  It'd- it'd be useful.  

A constriction in his chest he hadn't even been aware of loosened.  His shoulders slumped.

It'd still be useful even if he did go through with it.  He'd be exploring.  Collecting new information.  Learning. 

He pushed away from the lab door and, feeling slightly rebellious, flew up into his bedroom.  He kicked off his shoes and scrunched his toes into the carpet, trying to draw comfort from the sensation of home he'd painstakingly worked into his not-quite-a-lair.  Then, he went to his computer and started to pull up all the information he had on the DNA scanner, the lock, and the portal doors.  

If he was going to do this, even on a theoretical basis, he needed to have a plan of action.  He needed to have things to research, to test, he needed to…

… he needed to call Tucker.  

"Hey, man," said Tucker, and Danny resisted the urge to ask him if his voice had gotten deeper again, because even if it seemed that way it probably hadn't and Danny didn't want to make this weird again.  "How did your talk with your parents go?"

"Bad."

"Ah," said Tucker.  "Did you tell them how you feel?"

"I tried," said Danny, flopping dramatically on his bed.  "They're not listening."

"Maybe you should get Jazz to talk to them, after all."

"No," said Danny.  "I don't want to--She has her own things to worry about, and Mom and Dad and I… we need to figure out how to work out our problems.  I was actually wondering, would you help me hack the DNA lock on the portal?  They disabled my privileges." 

There was a long moment of silence, and Danny bit his lip, worried.  

"Danny, dude, do you really think that's 'working out your problems?'  Don't you think that's a bit, I don't know, extreme?"

“I don’t know.  I just need to do something, and they won’t let me do anything.  I feel like I’m stuck and I hate it.  I’d just– I’d just feel a lot better knowing that I could go, if I needed to.  Could you help me get through it?  Please?”

“Okay, okay.  I'll help.  Just let me think about it for a minute."  

Danny bit his lip.  "Okay."

Tucker was silent for a long moment, but just when Danny started to think that maybe he’d pushed too hard, he said, “Just to be clear, you want this to be, like, some way you could get through at any time?  Not something where you just have to get through once at some point?”

“I mean, yeah.  Because, because,” Danny hurried to say, “I’m not necessarily going through without their permission, I just want to be able to go.”

“Uh huh,” said Tucker.  “Well, if you just wanted to go through once, and have it be one and done, I’d say keep an eye on them and wait for them to open the portal, but I guess we’ll have to be more tricky.”

“That’s not hacking.”

“Yeah, but some of the best hacking isn’t hacking at all, it’s social engineering.  When possible, you go around security, not through.”

“Oh,” said Danny.  “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”  It wasn’t too different from some of the things he did when fighting, after all, or when avoiding fights.  

“And you’re better at the mechanical end of things to begin with.  Less stuff to go wrong.”

“Uh huh,” said Danny.  “But I don’t think there’s much mechanical I can do beyond taking apart the lock.  Which I can do, I guess.  It’ll just take a long time and be really noticeable.  Or the door itself.”

“Yeah, how about we table that for now.  Do they have any of their probes still out?  Or anything else that’s kind of on both ends?  I know you can’t do that tech possession digital travel thing in, like, public anymore, because of the Guys in White monitor, but can you do it on your parents’ stuff?”

Danny considered that for a moment, then shook his head.  “They ghost proofed a lot of it since last time Technus went by.  I don’t think it occurred to any of us to make an exception for me.  If they even could do something like that.”  He paused.  “There is the thermos plug.  I still have access to that.  But it doesn’t open unless you put the thermos in and stand clear.”

“Can’t you make duplicates?”

Danny sat up.  “Huh?”

“Can’t you just, you know, duplicate yourself, suck one of yourselves - man, that sounds bad, somehow - into the thermos, and then have the other one of you flush the thermos?”

“That’s…” Danny paused for dramatic effect, “genius!”

“Thanks,” said Tucker, dryly.  “Glad to know I still have it.”

“Of course!  Like you could lose it.”

“Trust me, I can definitely lose it,” said Tucker.  “Hey, if you do try this, maybe write a note for your parents first?  Because you can’t get back through this way.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Danny.  “That is a problem.  But I think it should be fine…”  This wasn’t like the old days, after all.  His parents would notice if he was gone for any significant length of time.  Which was good!  Just… not convenient for slipping away.

“Don’t do anything too crazy, alright?  Wait for Sam and I to come back for summer break.”

Danny smiled and nodded, even though he knew Tucker couldn’t see him.  “I know!  I’m looking forward to it!”

.

For obvious reasons, Danny couldn’t try out the workaround while his parents were still in the lab.  He had to wait until after they came up for a stilted family dinner, and then even longer for them to go to bed.  

But when they did…

He went down to the lab, thermos in hand, and stood in front of the portal.  He rolled the thermos nervously between his hands, staring up at the portal.  If he did this, his parents would be mad, but…  

His eyes slid over to the comm equipment they used during his excursions.  If he got them good data, maybe they wouldn’t be as mad?

On the other hand, then they’d be able to find him.  

He bit his lip.  He could still back out, too.  Make what he’d told himself and Tucker more true.  Go to bed. 

[pukanavis]

"Mystery on a Moonlit Cruise" Track 5

ーFlashback

Nanaki: …

(When I asked Andy for some good date spots on a cruise ship earlier, he recommended that I try the sky deck. The only problem is…）

Kafka: So this is the main party hall, huh? The use of holograms to make the ceiling appear higher is a genius idea. It takes away any of the claustrophobic feeling of being inside the ship.

Kinari: If this were daytime, we’d be able to enjoy the view from the windows as well. I imagine it would provide a even greater sense of space.

Yachiyo: Hwaaa…how can a mwere commoner be bestowed so many luxuries in a single lifetime…?  I’m completely abusing the gods’ good will…I’ll be lucky if they're generous enough to make me a bug in my next life…

Nanaki: (It’ll be way too hard to invite Chief up there while she’s surrounded by all these people…)

Yodaka: There’s even a bar stationed in the back. They’ve truly outdone themselves with their range of facilities. 

Momiji: The staff still have a few things they need to familiarise themselves with but once they set up some proper training courses, I think they’ll be good to go.

Kafka: I agree.

Nanaki: (Besides, we’re supposed to be working right now. I’m getting ahead of myself…)

Akuta: Hyoho—! This buffet is takin’ me to heaven~. Never gonna *munch* get off this boat *munch munch* ���m staying here forEVER!

Muneuji: Isotake, please consider eating at a more reasonable pace. You’re starting to look like a chipmunk.

Momiji: Aren’t you on your third plate too, Muneuji-kun…? I guess the stomach of a high schooler just works differently…

Nanaki: (On the other hand, this cruise is guaranteed to draw in some couples so technically we’d be investigating the best date spots for them…)

Momiji: Do you think so too, Nanaki-kun?

Nanaki: Huh!? Y-Yes!?

Momiji: Fufu, I thought you would.

Nanaki: (...! Chief is smiling at me…) 

(But I have no idea why. I didn’t hear a thing she said…! I bet I just made myself look like a total weirdo…)

Momiji: Oh dear…Yachiyo-kun is closing in on that painstakingly stacked jelly cup tower…I better go intervene.

Yukikaze: Chief, could you wait a moment?

Momiji: What’s up, Yuki-nii?

Yukikaze: Nanaki. You have something to say to Chief, don't you?

Nanaki: !?

Momiji: Oh? You do?

Yukikaze: I apologise for eavesdropping but I overheard your conversation with your AI earlier—Andy, was it? 

I noticed you were staring over in Chief’s direction too, so I thought—

Nanaki: K-Kamina-san! Shhhh—

Yukikaze: ?

Momiji: Huh? Where are they goin—wait, oh my gosh! Stop, Yachiyo-kun, STOP!!!

Yukikaze: What's the matter? You were researching the best spots on the ship and wanted to tell Chief about your findings, right? That’s very kind of you, Nanaki.

Nanaki: Huh? You mean you didn’t hear the ‘date’ part…?

Yukikaze: Hm?

Nanaki: N-Nevermind, ignore that.

Yukikaze: Would you rather not tell her yourself? If you shared your research with me, I could relay it to her on your behalf.

Nanaki: …Well, actually—

They looked like they were having a great time in there, so I think I should save it for another time.

(I’m worried that I’ll end up making things weird…)

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you worry over nothing. I’m going to go get some air now.

Yukikaze: Nanaki…

Location: Party Hall

Nanaki: (...Now how do I tell that story without exposing any of my internal troubles…)

Yukikaze: After spending some time with the others in the party hall, Nanaki and I parted ways and went up to the sun deck independently of each other.

That’s all.

Nanaki: Y-Yes, that’s how it went.

Ryui: Pretty short story, huh?

Yukikaze: There’s nothing more to say.

Nanaki: (...Actually, there is something I noticed that’s been bugging me.)

Ryui & Muneuji: …

Nanaki: (You could cut the tension in here with a knife…)

Netaro: Hmm, I undewstand neow.

I’ve figured out who the culprit is!

Back | ★ | Next

[jessiquinn]

The undying series (Rex x villain reader)

2019-04-18

hello guys! I came with another mess that I fixed... kinda, hehe. hope you like it, if you did please tell me!

Generator rex was such a great series... the memories.

<Rex get's attacked from nowhere, a new team of villains has arrived... or is it?>

another X villain here,

this is part one of this short series,

Warnings:

1-bad language, 2-suicidal behavior, 3-bad story, 4-bad editing.

hope you enjoy it!

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

“what do you think Van shit is planning now,” Rex said while putting his stress on the ball in his hand, “sheesh is 5 in the morning dude chill. Stop worrying and sleep you've been up all night! and we have important training today” bobo covered his ears in annoyance.

“White knight speech today was strange... like he knew something is going to happen, plus it's been so long since he signed us for training, since when do we get training we’re pros at this point!” Rex finally threw the ball away, offended by his thought.

“*sigh in annoyance* for now get some energy, tomorrow we’ll ask him” Bobo finally said after falling asleep.

“I will be teaching you a new fighting technique, it'll help you in the future. the new e.v.o are stronger than before” agent six warned with a hint of worry, suspicious, since when does agent six show any kind of emotions especially worry? that is what circled Rex’s head at the moment.

Bobo and Rex shared a glance at each other, confused.

something is going on.

“last time White Knight said we didn't need this type of training,” Rex said with suspicion, “well now you need it so shut the hell up and listen”

after the training

“go to the main room Dr. Holiday wants you two” Agent Six said causally while cleaning his katana like nothing just happened, meanwhile, they were out of breath, they forgot how fast he was.

in Dr. Holiday’s office,

Dr. Holiday puts a new device on their arms, almost like a bracelet of some kind...

“what's happening Dr, first special training then this weird bracelet?” Rex is starting to feel alarmingly worried.

“All we know is this is a new order from White just watch out ok, you CAN’T and I repeat, you can’t leave without those bracelets, understood?”

“let's not make a big deal out of this you know how much paranoid white is, let's go eat some tacos, your treat, of course,” Bobo smirked at Rex, feeling like a winner.

Dr. Holiday didn’t utter a word, busy with her research.

in the city

“here you are, guys, what took you so long,” a familiar voice said, Noah. “training...there's something strange happening but we don't know” feeling exhausted even though the day just began.

-suddenly the bracelet begins to ring-

a feeling of danger fills the air, what’s happening?

-a motorcycle sound-

“bikers? What the hell is going on” Bobo said, taking his guns out, ready to shoo-hits Rex... he fell on the ground hard

“ugh what was that for!” he gets up as fast as his fall, “look!” Bobo warned a -a lot of motorcycles coming in Noah's way

The world around them turns into neon colors, Bobo grabs Noah and gets him out of the bikers way. “wtf is going on”

Rex activates his powers... nothing happens, a strange masked villain hits him again but this time with a gun.

Rex has been shot! once again on the floor, pain filling his body. tracing the wound... searching for the bullet...what...it’s a needle. his body absorbing every bit of the strange fluid.

drops to the ground

Bobo already called help, but Rex wasn't having it, adrenaline pumping through his body. the bracelet begins to ring, there was an option

"block"

pressing it without thought, instantly feeling bumps of power through his body again, got on his motorcycle, not giving one single fuck about traffic. all that mattered was catching up to them.

The villain kept on taking turns, but Rex was still on their back.

Bobo starts communicating through the earpiece “Rex! we need backup! they’re too many! they keep on multiplying!” “Hold on guys! I'm close to catching them” Rex felt a rush he hasn’t felt for a long time, driving at a speed he’s not allowed to is always exciting.

Finally! a dead-end, The villain stops, guess they didn’t know the street as they thought, a smirk spreads through Rex’s face. they got off their drive and start running, without a notice the motorcycle drifted toward them, making a big explosion.

immediately shielding himself “Don't think you won-” driving through the explosion.

-The villain is already in the building- using his mutation to fly at them, unluckily for him a smoke bomb hits his head.

“I.. should be more careful” feeling pain but adrenaline has never been stronger. arriving at the rooftops to see the villain running away, “if a chase is what you want then your wish will come true”

running to the edge of the building, his smirk doesn’t last as the villain took a jump. “shot” using his wings again, catching up to them.

“Stop!” Rex says before he goes to pin them, The villain takes a risk and jumps, there’s a big gap, shocked Rex too.

The villain falls to the other building, hurting their leg.

Taking the chance, “You can't escape now!” finally tackles them, The villain gets a small device, and points it at Rex, once again feeling weaker than before.

blocking his powers but that doesn’t stop him! he’s angry at this point. kicking the device away, finally using his new fighting technique.

as excepted the villain fights back, he tries to trap you but you keep on getting away.

finally had enough of this bullshit, grabbed his shirt, all that was written on his face is anger and shock, instantly throwing him away.

for once his luck started to work, and Bobo came! an Upside Rex smiles seeing them arrive “Finally!”

looking at the three of them, I’m surrounded “You are outnumbered, surrender” Agent Six points his katana at the villain with full confidence.

Your Pov:

standing on the edge, reaching slowly for your backup gun.

Boss’s number one rule! don't let them get yo- w-WHERE THE FUCK IS MY GUN! -it's on the other side of the building- damn this boy, taking a step back. looking at the ground, there were a lot of their forces.

I'm out of breath, weapons, and the ground is full of their forces.

huh, but I believe I’ve done my mission.

“surrender now” Agent Six once again warned.

I have one solution left... it will hurt but I have to, taking the extra needle that I had, a stab to the neck, and within seconds you were down.

They excepted everything but that.

the poison ran through you, “Get them to the base! fast!”

in Dc. holiday office

“Dc! Quick we need help immediately,” she didn't question anything and started right away.

“They stabbed themselves with the same needle I’ve been injected with or at least the same poison” he was still in shock, she took off the mask of the villain and it was... just a regular person.

a new villain?

Dc. Holiday does everything she can to do to save this life, “that's the strongest cure we have if that can’t help them I don't know what, I'm going to check them for e.v.o, help me!”

“holy shit she doesn't have any nanites” Nanite-free, Six, Bobo, and Noah arrive

“that was one hell of a fight! it's been a while since, what a stretch!” Bobo said while stretching.

“what just happened” White Knight finally arrives,

“You tell us, we know you knew something was up, so explain yourself!” Rex exploded, “They had the strange followers we had never seen before, they vanished out of thin air!” Bobo explained in confusion.

“if I knew something was up, you’d think I wouldn’t have stopped it sooner? Get this villain up!” furiously leaving the room.

After a while...

Your pov

opening my eyes, the first thing I feel is a strong hit of adrenaline mixed with fear, compantion

questions pop into my head “Why am I here? fuck!” “I should be dead!” looking around me, I’m tied to a chair... shit

from past experiences, I can tell what’s going to happen very soon... all I wish for is the package to arrive at the wanted destination, or else... someone is going to die.

getting involved in this mess only made my life harder, put my family in danger, and blackmailed through my family’s life. what else can I do but serve the hopeless hope of them still being alive?

all of this is for them...

an earsplitting sound blasts through the speakers, it already began.

“listen carefully, I will ask you ONCE. where is the needle? wrong answers will be faced with a punishment” the White knight said with rage yet calm demeanor almost chilling to the bones of how expressive his voice does.

You remained silent

one of the most important trainings of this ‘company’ or whatever, is the art of silence... Game is on

“1... 2.... 3″ waves of electricity pump through your body, shocking you into oblivion... yet, not bad, I can handle worse.

Silence

“Don’t celebrate too fast, this isn’t the worst mode we have. I can keep playing this game as LONG as you want” White Knight had a hint of play in him like he was enjoying this torture.

Silence

Without warning shock after shock, the pain kept on increasing every time.

Everyone was watching

“Sir, any more and we might have a body to explain,” Dr. Holiday said

“TALK, I WON’T STOP” White knight officially lost it, why was this so important to him? usually, he doesn't care much and makes us do it.

The pain was unbearable, I think my time is due, I win.

Rex rushes to White Knight and stops him in his tracks, “What the hell are you doing! We still need the information!” he was pissed.

fainting from the pain, let’s hope this time I won’t wake up.

Rex pov

“dr holiday, check if they’re alive! And you! You almost killed them, maybe even did! we don’t know! WE ARE HEROES, not villains! above that, we need them for information! if they’re gone! we lost our only hope and clue” Rex was furious.

“HOPE? What hope! even if they die, we’ll find them sooner or later” The White knight defended himself, Rex wasn’t having it “Yes, hope. how can we know where is their team without them in the first place! are you out of your mind?!”

dc. holiday and agent six got you into the medical center, you were in a critical state, proceeding to hock you into lots of machines from an oxygen mask to IV fluids, etc.

after 10 minutes you started waking up

oh no, I’m still alive, usually, anyone would die from this. meanwhile, Rex was keeping watch on you, “they’re awake”

You have been not tied up this time, dc. Holiday came “I need to check on some things, we’ll try again..”

I’ve done my mission successfully, although what’s left for me is to go home or die I guess... the hope of getting home was less than I could even imagine, guards are everywhere and my weapons are gone.

The boy left after he talked about bringing some people, taking the chance and using the doctor's tools against her, and injecting her with her own medicine.

interesting, she has fight in her. “Y..ou. will not win..” proceeding to fall on the floor.

taking some sharp objects from her lab with me just in case, stealth mode is on, scanning the area near me, searching for any exit.

The problem is if I get caught, my boss’s orders were clear... escape or die

This place seems like a maze, hope is getting lesser by the second, continuing to search for an exit, unfortunately, guards caught on to you, I’m not leaving without a fight!

They had guns and I had a couple of empty needles, they were laughing and mocking me, bad choice. making a perfect headshot with just the needles, mostly eye shoots... you get the gist.

They’re not going to die but they’ll leave me for now, now all the building knows you escaped. running, searching for a place to hide.

“STOP OR I’LL SHOOT” Turning around to see a blonde guy standing next to a monkey...

I knew this gun would be handy, shooting him with a speed he didn’t notice, unfortunately, the trick didn’t work on the monkey, he easily dodged it.

he was far more experienced, he’s a fucking monkey alright! deciding on finding the shelter now! thankfully the restroom was next to me.

closing the door shut on me, there was a vent but it was too small! “listen up... I’m not a jerk alright, I can’t go in the women’s bathroom” the monkey said?????.

wtf, I need to find an escape! And for sure the monkey wasn’t the last of them... the boy is.

no choice, there are no more options, if any info gets out, then my family is out.

dropping everything I have, cutting my sleeve fabric, and stuffing my mouth with it. I have to... taking on of the needles and without any more thoughts, cutting the left nerve... if that doesn’t kill me I don’t what...

all that is left is to wait for Sweet Sweet Death, getting into one of the stalls that’s harder to get into.

by the time you couldn't see anything...

You lost a lot of blood

but

----------

this is it for part 1, hope you liked it.

if you did please show me love <3

please reblog <3

[lyricalchrysanthemum]

"I’ll surely be happy." with your bianca if you'd like ^_^

“So how has Nate’s journey been running along?” asked a voice coming from the blonde’s xtransceiver. 

“I’d say it’s going…” replied a certain blonde chaperone, pausing her frequent clicking of her pen to think for just a second “...well, Professor Juniper.” She let out a sigh, furrowing her eyebrows in frustration as she turned to look over at the student who was almost putting on a street performance with meloetta. 

The brunette in her watch let out a chuckle, “Not used to babysitting teenagers, Bianca?” she asked. Bianca could hear her shuffling with her xtransceiver on, hearing her rummage through something in the background. 

The research assistant shook her head, “Not really, he’s just rowdy is all. Especially since he’s still lying a lot, which is…” She grimaced, watching as Nate started to get into a heated exchange with what she hoped was another teenager as Meloetta watched in curiosity. It’ll sort itself out, she knows. Probably with a pokemon battle, as all things did back when she was just a bit older than him. 

Her mentor simply hummed, pulling out a little green baggy from the cupboard. “It’ll pass eventually, he’s at that age when he’s still figuring things out. All teenagers got their quirks. The most we adults can do is try to guide them onto the right path as they grow up.” Bianca turned back to her xtransceiver, watching as Professor Juniper closed the cabinet from the other side of the watch screen. 

She sighs, rubbing her forehead over her green cap. “I get that, doesn’t mean it’s easy though.”

“No it’s not, but growing up isn’t easy either Bianca,” she reminded, evidently shutting off her stove with the click her student could hear. “You know that more than anyone, we gotta cut them some slack. Even if they can be difficult.”

The blonde only sighed, her hazel eyes squinting as she stared at the blurring letters in front of her. “I guess you’re right,” she mumbled, clicking down the green option of her multicolor pen again and began writing yet again. She let out a grumble of pain as an ache in her started to flare up.

There was more shuffling on her teacher’s end, the sound of pouring water, and eventually it came to a pause. Had she been looking, she would’ve seen the professor finally sitting down with the cup of green tea she worked so hard to make. “You really do need glasses I think.” 

Bianca sighed, “I probably do. Haven’t found the time to make the appointment and get them checked out, though.”

Professor Juniper just simply hummed, taking another sip from her cup. “We’ll sort out a time for you to get them checked out. Can’t have my assistant’s head hurting from simply reading now, can we?” she remarked, winking at the blonde from behind her screen. 

The girl in the green hat simply smiled warmly, her frustrated expression transforming into one of fondness. “...Thanks Professor.” 

Juniper smiled, before quickly shifting the conversation again. “...So, you’re working on your therapy journal right now?” She watches as her assistant nodded, humming as conversation while she bit down on her pen. “I see… It's been a while since you last saw your therapist. Have the journals been helping you?

Bianca nods again, turning her gaze back to her xtransceiver, putting down her pen. “I’d say so. I mean, I’m still doing them even after I stopped seeing her.” She takes a page by her hand, and starts flipping through the pages. “It helps me sort out my emotions, ya know? It’s become like a part of my routine to me… almost.”

She can’t remember the last time she had a truly bad day, honestly. A lot of her days were expressed with simple :)s or :|s. Sure there was the occasional >:( (mostly due to a certain… ex friend. Who she refuses to think about. Or Nate did something that especially made her worry) but for the most part, the last time she felt distress… was a long time ago.

It feels weird, not being as affected by her trainer years anymore. She could only imagine what her therapy journal would’ve looked like had she been writing in one when she was seventeen or eighteen. Maybe sixteen too… that’s when it was all beginning. 

Oh well. She yawns, pausing her flipping and returning back to the page she was writing on. She stretches her arms out. 

The brunette in the lab coat’s face shifts into one of concern. “That’s good to know,” she remarks, as she places her cup to the side. “Although, if you ever need to talk about anything, you can come to me or Briar. I care for your well-being just as much as I did when you were sixteen. I’m sure Briar does too.” 

BIanca hums, turning back to the woman on the screen. Her face softens, hearing that. “...Thank you, Professor,” she simply says. She returns back to her earlier entries, one she remembers oh so well, forever stained by the tears she was crying on that stormy night.

An entry when she was just barely nineteen, when the effects of what everyone did still lingered heavily back in her mind. 

When Hilbert’s frozen body still burned inside her memories and haunted her vision every which way. 

When she was still… lost. 

Sometimes she still feels that way.

“I think one day, I’ll surely be happy… and I think I’m getting there.” She says, staring down at the page with a bittersweet smile. She internally thanks the boy who wore the baseball cap she’s kept inside her bag ever since she left to guide three certain children. 

Professor Juniper’s frown shifts into a warm smile, one that seemed to glow with pride “I’m happy to hear that, Bianca.”

The girl in the green cap simply closes her eyes and giggles, turning back to look at her mentor inside the screen. 

Only to be taken out the warm feeling to a familiar yelp, pokemon cry, and explosion. She looks straight up with wide eyes in the direction, and sighs. Her head hurts again. “Naaaaaate!” she calls, only to be met with no answer.

She packs her journal inside her bag hastily and takes out her Mandibuzz’s ball in exchange, just in case she needs a pokemon to remove the fourteen year old and his pokemon partner from the situation so they don’t get themselves hurt. “I gotta go, Professor. Nate’s probably gotten himself in a fight again. I’ll call back later, okay?”

Professor Juniper just laughs awkwardly, waving her off. “Oh the tiresome energy of adolescence, don’t worry about it. Keep me updated, okay?” 

Bianca nods, saying her goodbyes before clicking the end call button on her xtransceiver. She slings her bag over her shoulder, preparing to apologize yet again for the teenager’s behavior, as well as what lecture to give Nate this time. One that he most assuredly, won’t listen to. Oh the stresses that come with adulthood. 

Despite it all though, she’s much happier like this.

[doodling-doodle]

A Modern Great War (PT.1)

The last known appearance of any Dark Aether activity was in 1985. Nearly four decades.

So why the fuck are they back? Why now?

And why did it have to be the 141 to fix it? Only one of them believes it was real, even though they’ve all read the old reports.

Of course it was Kyle to be the one to fix it.

Why the fuck is it always me?” Kyle whispered to himself as he rummaged through the base. An Omega Group base. It was so weird. Why were they just now going through it?

He just wanted to go home. Alex was worried about him going alone, he was waiting, likely impatiently, for him to come back. To be fair, he was worried too. He knew why he was sent alone, though. It made sense. Alex still fought Price and Norris about it. But only he believed that everything in Project Aether was real. He was sure that it was the reason. And it was a good reason.

He just took all the old documents from… William Peck, he guessed, though the name was redacted.

He thought this was it. He could call in exfil, go home, and cuddle with Alex and Rose.

ETA was thirty minutes.

He could walk around a bit more.

He found a… bunker-type thing?

He took a look. And there wasn’t much, but… God, what was that noise? It sounded like some sort of whisper, and it got closer as he went through the near pitch-black halls.

He found what it was.

A glowing blue Horn. He knew what it was. He damn well what that was.

So why was it calling out to him?

He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to. But why?

He did it.

He touched it.

He passed out, but judging by the clock on the wall, it was only a few minutes.

He rubbed his eyes as he sat up, almost waiting…

“That was very bold of you, mortal.”

He gasped as he heard that.

“I-I fucking knew it…” He whispered, a small chuckle leaving his lips.

“Knew that we were real?”

“Yeah… The others didn’t believe it. Well, I was managing to get Alex on board, but… Holy shit.”

He stood, looking around the room. He knew it was in his head, but… he almost didn’t believe it.

“Who am I, then?”

He smiled, “Norticus The Conqueror. One of the Elder Gods. But… I thought the Dark Aether was destroyed?”

“It was. But, recent events that no one had any control over has had it trying to rebuild itself. It has a… Mind of it’s own, if that’s the right wording. Kortifex has been trying to get back in charge.”

“You can’t let that happen- it’ll just be the ‘40s repeating itself.”

“You’ve really done your research. Kraft would be impressed. But, no. We can’t let that happen. But we need eyes in the real world to help.”

“Why me?”

“Your special, Sergeant. We looked through the others in your task force. Only you have… What should I call it?... A special energy. We couldn’t even identify what it was. But only you have it. And it seems important. And you’re the only one that believes we were real. The stars aligned.”

He was even more shocked. But he was going to do it.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Take my Artifact. You’ll need it. And we’ll need to start finding the others.”

“Where are they?”

“I’m not entirely sure. But I can find them. And you’ll have to keep the Artifacts.”

“Okay…” He carefully took the Horn, and hid it in his bag. How he’d fully hide it from the others, he wasn’t sure yet.

“You are not to tell a single soul about this.”

“Understood.”

“Good.”

He heard Nikolai’s chopper getting closer, and he went to the roof.

“Stay quiet. I don’t want a random voice in my head telling me stuff while I’m around people. I’ll probably look insane.”

“Understood.”

Once he got on the chopper, he realized that it was empty… Save for Alex, who jumped up, hugged him, and frantically checked him for injuries, even though he said he was fine about five times.

“Let’s get you home, darlin’. Rose is getting impatient.”

He was still a little off. But he couldn’t say it.

He stuck around Alex while he was writing his mission report, and he finally got to his room, and saw Rose in his bed, nice and curled up.

“Your lover seems to be a man of touch, not words.”

He jumped, cursing under his breath. But he smiled.

“Very much so. I love it.”

“Really?”

"Yeah. He just… Loves having me close to him.”

“Seems possessive.”

“There’s a difference between protective and possessive. He’s protective. For good reason, considering the start of our relationship. To be honest, I love the feeling of… being wanted.”

“As long as he doesn’t get in the way.”

“Deal with it. He’s my boyfriend. I’ll choose him.”

“Understood. You should rest, Sergeant. You may need to… sneak out, if I find the others.”   

“Okay… But I’ll tell you now: I won’t betray my family. If I need to make a choice, I’ll choose them over you.”

“We’ll deal with it. Rest.”

He laid in bed, and tried to sleep. But it was hard.

Until Norticus just knocked him out…

[abbaswift]

if this is too personal you dont have to answer this but ive seen you talk about autism on your blog before. I really am convinced that i have autism, like now ive looked into it i feel like its the missing jigsaw piece that explains so much. I really identify with stories from females in their early 20s as well about having undiagnosed autism throughout their school years. im in the uk but im scared that i wont be believed, i have no idea how to go about it and i dont even know how to bring it up to my parents. Do you have any advice?

hi anon, i’m feeling weirdly honoured that you’ve come to me to talk about this, i probably don’t have much advice but i can definitely relate to a lot of things you’ve mentioned

okay firstly i made a post about this recently which might have been the post that prompted this ask but i’ll link it just in case

the day autism was mentioned to me (i remember it vividly, i was eleven) everything just clicked (not to sound too cliche). i knew nothing about it but by the end of the day i’d done so much googling and SO much seemed to fit. it’s wild how you can spend years not knowing why you are the way you are and then you can find out and everything makes more sense. i actually feel a lot more confident and less “weird” now that i don’t have to make up justifications for my own behaviours to myself

i was lucky (in a fashion?) that i was diagnosed at fourteen but i know that there are so many people from our generation and older who slipped through the cracks when it came to childhood diagnosis simply because they were assigned female at birth. for decades autism was seen more as a “boy thing” and it’s only, i’d say, in the last decade or two that autistic girls are being more acknowledged. even now the boy:girl ratio for autism diagnosis is something like 4:1 and there are scientific disputes about whether it’s because autism in males is really more common, if “girl autism” is different or if girls are simply conditioned to hide their traits or show them in a different way. because of this, it’s very possible that there are many undiagnosed young women in your exact situation. it might be helpful to look for online communities (i was going to say forums but are they really a thing now?) of people you can relate to, who are going through the same thing

to be honest, i never had to convince anyone i was autistic because it wasn’t me who thought i was autistic in the first place, it was my deputy head teacher in middle school who first mentioned it in a school meeting to my mum, nan and other teachers. i didn’t even tell my friends until i was officially diagnosed. this means i don’t have much experience in what you need advice with. of course, i have no idea what your relationship with your parents is like or if they’re open-minded or knowledgeable about neurodiversity, so you’ll ultimately need to be the judge of how to approach it. maybe it’ll work best to sit them down and make sure they’re paying attention, but that’s a lot of pressure. honestly when i wanna start a tricky conversation, i do it when the people aren’t looking at me, maybe when we’re in the car or watching tv. just try to casually bring the topic up, maybe reference a recent news story about autism, i don’t know. just ease into the conversation(s) and once you feel ready, you might just blurt out what you want to say. if you feel like people will need persuading, write out a list of your autistic traits for reference. like i said in my linked post, some people don’t know about neurodiversity, but they will often still notice if you don’t act how neurotypical people do. if you’re reading out these autistic traits, traits that you also have, they may be more inclined to connect autism with you, and they’ll know you’ve done research.

i know you’ve mentioned that you worry you won’t be believed, but it might be worth confiding in some trusted friends or other relatives before you tell your parents, even if you just frame it in a hypothetical way. that way you can get a consensus on whether you “seem autistic” or not (and maybe get some confidence) before you have the (probably?) more important talk with your parents. although i suppose, if the people you’ve asked disagree with you, it might discourage you in further exploring the possibility of you being autistic. that being said, you know your brain and how much you potentially mask more than anyone else, so if you ask for the opinions of others, don’t be disheartened if it’s not the consensus you expected.

i was gonna try to type something about actually getting diagnosed but you might not be ready for that unless you’re prepared to get diagnosed without anyone in your life knowing. i don’t have much to offer in terms of experience (because i simply don’t remember much of getting diagnosed) or advice but i’d be willing to support you through it. for now, all i can say about getting an autistic diagnosis on the nhs is… good luck charlie

okay sorry for the massive ramble, it’s the ortizzum. i hoped this gave you or someone else reading this even a smidge of help, assuming you didn’t fall asleep midway through. as i said, i’m not great with advice but i can definitely relate as a young woman who wasn’t properly supported because of a lack of diagnosis. feel free to send me another ask or dm me about anything autism related… or just anything full stop. okay i’m wishing you luck, keep me updated! MWAH! x

[goodoldfashionedthoughtcrimes]

When I was about 12 years old I noticed this white stuff in my underwear. It was goopy and creamy but when it dried it became crusty. I had no idea what it was. I hoped that if I ignored it it would go away- it didn’t. Eventually I became worried. I thought that I might be slowly pissing myself, but the texture wasn’t right for that. I considered that I might be intersex, have testes, and that they might somehow be leaking. I wanted to ask someone about it, but because of the inherent shame and tabooness around women’s bodies I was too embarrassed to do so. I figured that even if I did ask someone, they wouldn’t be able to help me. I thought that this white stuff in my underwear was a result of me being a dirty freak.

I felt so much shame around my body. I was terrified of sleepovers or locker rooms or anywhere else where someone might see what’s in my underwear. I carried this shame for almost two years.

Then one day a friend’s mother drove me home from school. This woman kept some kind of puberty pamphlet in the back of the car for us to read. I happened to pick it up and read part of it. The section I read taught me that this “white stuff” in my underwear is called vaginal discharge, it happens to all women, it begins anywhere from a year to a week before your first period, and it’s part of my vagina’s healthy natural functions.

I was so reliveved to know that what I was experiencing was normal, but I was also furious. Less than 50 words could have saved me from years of pain and humiliation. But no one thought to mention it. My school had given us some basic sex ed, but they never covered it. But they did cover wet dreams because obviously that’s more important.

I’ve shared my story with other women and it turns out I’m not the only one that had this issue. Dozens of women got back to me telling me that they had the same experience. One poor girl, she messaged me saying something like, “I know this sounds weird, but thank you for teaching me what discharge is.” She went on to tell me that she was 19 years old and that she had been experiencing it for ~8 years and had no idea what it was until she read my post. As soon as she noticed this white stuff in her underwear for the first time she went straight to her step mother who promptly made fun of her for being a freak. The stop mom took her to the gynecologist but they couldn’t figure out what was “wrong” with her. She had been going to the gynecologist and getting all these unnecessary and invasive exams and tests done. She thanked me for telling her what vaginal discharge was and thanked me for letting her know she’s not alone. I sent her a DM telling and infodumped everything I knew about vaginal discharge.

I couldn’t believe her story. She had been going to licences medical professionals for almost a decade and not one of them could figure out that it was just vaginal discharge.

————

When I was ~13 I put my fingers in my vagina and felt something. It felt like a tampon that had been left in there too long. I tried to pull it out but it was stuck. I then tried to scoop it out, feeling around the edges. That’s when I realized that it was attatched to me. It was not a tampon. I was terrified that it might be a tumor. But I was too scared to say anything because of the inherent shame and tabooness surrounding women’s bodies (again) and also because telling someone would mean having to admit that I put my fingers inside of myself.

About a year later I went to the gynecologist for an unrelated reason. I figured that now was the best time to bring it up. The nurse practitioner told me that I would need a pelvic exam to figure out what’s going on. I had been dreading getting a pelvic exam. I had been avoiding them for years because of a bad experience I had as a child. But I was so worried that I had literal cancer that I decided to tough it out. The nurse practitioner poked around for a while and asked if this object I mentioned was shaped like so. I said yes. She informed me that this object inside of my vagina was my cervix.

My fucking cervix! I never would’ve guessed. In the few diagrams of women’s anatomy that I had seen prior, the vagina and cervix look like two distinct organs. It always looked like the vagina ended then the cervix began. I never knew that the cervix poked out into my vagina like that.

————

I had such horrible experiences I vowed to prevent as many women as possible from experiencing the same thing. I made a point to tell my sisters everything I knew before it would be too late. I volunteered to teach sex ed at my high school. I share my stories constantly in the hopes that it’ll prevent someone, anyone, from experiencing the same thing. If I can prevent just one woman from feeling the same that I felt, all of my work will have been worth it.

Why is this the norm? Why are so many women unfamiliar with their own bodies? Why is it that what litte sex ed we get focused on men and their bodies? Why did my sex ed covered wet dreams and how to wash your dick, but never once mentioned vaginal discharge?

I used to agree that 7th grade was way too early for sex ed. I now couldn’t disagree more. Many girls at my school began menstruating before those two hours of sex ed we got in 7th grade. Children need to know what’s going to happen to their bodies during puberty before it happens, not after.

My area loves to pride itself on having some of the best sex ed in the country, but we really do have so far to go.

This is why I’m going into sex therapy/research/education/writing. I want to give free speeches at middle and high schools so the students will be prepared. I want to write books. I want to write a book directed at parents on how to talk to their kids about their bodies and sex. I want to write a book directed at children and teens about their bodies. I’m dedicating my life to prevent as many people as possible from experiencing what I did.