#and she did end up accommodating that and i don't hold it against her

[multi-lefaiye]

but yeah something something like... i definitely support including content warnings as much as possible, even ones that might be particularly unusual, but it's equally important to consider the impact of listing certain things as warnings.

like that meme of "can you trigger tag lesbians" i've seen before. like... i don't mean this at all in an insulting way, but if any group of people simply existing causes you so much discomfort that you ask people to provide content warnings for their existence, whether in fiction or otherwise.... that's something you really need to unpack and work through. because that very *very* easily steers rapidly into outright bigotry, intentional or otherwise, and working through that discomfort is the first step to unlearning that sort of thing.

[witherby]

imagine how cute would be if Bruce brings the little wayne to his work on wayne tower 🥺 the moment would be ruined if some paparazzi taking photos with flash and scaring the baby

Sooo the baby didn't end up getting scared, but this idea did make me spit out 2000 words worth of content. I hope that's a fair compromise :3

THE LITTLEST WAYNE: TAKE YOUR KID TO WORK DAY

Featuring: Bruce talking to you like a colleague, a newspaper article, and an overprotective Damian.

"Morning, Clarice. Donuts and coffee are getting delivered in five minutes if you wanna pop downstairs and help yourself. Afterwards, do me a favor and rebook the consultation with Lexcorp for sometime next month? The further out the better."

Bruce's secretary nodded, fingers flying across the keys to accommodate his request. She tucked a lock of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear and shot him a polite smile.

"Of course, mister Wayne — oh, goodness gracious."

Bruce's placid expression quickly became embarrassed. He tried to walk past her but she was already on her feet and rounding the desk, heels clicking over the linoleum floor to stand in front of him and the bundle on his arm.

"Who is this!" She cried, immediately fawning over you. You stared blankly at her as you suckled on your binky, wrapped up in a tiny Nightwing onesie (Dick got to the clothes first this morning) and hugging your father's arm. "Oh, my, you're the most adorable baby I've ever seen! I'm Clarice! I'm your father's personal secretary, and apparently the last person to find out anything, including when he adopted yet another child!"

"This wasn't a...planned acquisition," Bruce muttered, the tips of his ears pink. He let the blonde gently squish your fat cheeks and you preened under the attention, lifting one fuzzy-wrapped hand to brush against her wrist.

"A planned acquisition. Like you're another company he bought on a whim and not a precious angel," Clarice giggled. "What a doll... If you ever need a babysitter, Mister Wayne, please don't hesitate to call me!"

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, exasperated but smiling good-naturedly. "Have a great day, Clarice."

"You, too! Bye-bye, angel!" She waved, and squealed when you waved back.

Bruce disappeared into his office with you, bouncing you gently on one arm while the other shrugged off the duffel bag he carried with him. Zipping it open, he quickly tugged out a pop-up bassinet to place you in, then the pieces to an enclosed play pen he built and filled with some blankets, a couple toys, and an extra Red Robin binky (Tim got to the toys first this morning).

"Okay," he sighed, scooping you up and relocating you to the pen. "I've actually got to run my own company for a bit, and the others are busy, so you get to hang out with me today."

Bruce rested his arm on his desk, then his chin in his hand, and stared down at you. You were staring intently back at him, the binky bopping up and down as you suckled on it.

"You're a little young to learn the ropes, but I'll explain what I'm doing anyway. Every baby book I've looked at tells me you get something out of it even if you don't understand what I'm saying, so today it's time to do payroll. I'd make you sign an NDA, because you're about to see a lot of personal files, but you don't know how to hold a pencil, read, write, or speak yet, so I think we're fine."

Bruce had two monitors on his desk. He duplicated his screen and spun the other one around so you could watch what he was doing in real time.

"I don't like to delegate this task to other people because the last six times I did, they were eventually found embezzling money. Unfortunately, that tends to happen when you live in Gotham. Right now I've opened the pay software — it's this icon here, where the mouse is circling — and I'm going to ask it to open the time sheets for the last two weeks..."

---

A NEW FAMILY MEMBER? BRUCE WAYNE SPOTTED IN WAYNE TOWER WITH INFANT, SPECULATION GROWING

CEO of Wayne Enterprises Bruce Wayne seen with a baby after exiting his office this afternoon!

[An image of you in your Nightwing onesie, tucked securely in a smiling Bruce's arms as he walks out of an elevator, is printed on the front page of the Gotham Gazette.]

Sources say Wayne filed another adoption form with the courts a week ago and is being met with mixed reviews. Large portions of the public are joking that Wayne has an "adoption problem" while others speculate he is too inexperienced to foster an infant.

"Wasn't his youngest kid, like, 9 when he adopted him?" Asks one Carmine Falconi, recently released from Blackgate on good behavior. "None o' my business, of course, but I don't think he knows how to raise a tiny tot like that. My guys ain't touchin' a hair on that one's head, though. Kidnapping the odd teen or two, sure, go nuts, but even us crooks got codes, and that one's off-limits in my book."

Wayne declined to comment when the Gotham Gazette reached out and remaining family have further refused interviews about the subject.

(Alfred got to the phone first.)

---

The newspaper clipping was already framed and proudly sitting on the dining room table when Bruce woke up the next morning and shuffled downstairs for breakfast with you in his arms. He spared it a tired glance, put you in your high chair, and relented to Damian's insistent shoving so the boy could sit next to and feed you (he got to the pantry first).

"The next time you plan on actually doing your day job," the boy hissed, "bring one of us with you. There was an abysmal amount of security protocols you ignored when leaving work to allow paparazzi the chance to grab photos. I won't let your frivolous behavior cause them harm."

"Are you volunteering?" Bruce asked, gratefully accepting the mug of coffee Alfred handed over. He quietly greeted Dick and Jason as they filed into the room and had a quick rock-paper-scissors match to see who got to sit on your other side. Jason won. "Any networking events I have to attend, you almost always find a way to weasel out of."

"If it will keep our new charge safe," Damian huffed, "I can handle a few stupid luncheons."

"That's not a pass to skip school. If it's between a social or a class, you're going to class."

Damian looked simultaneously pissed and relieved. His fist clenched tightly around the small, silicone spoon, before he forced himself to relax and continue feeding you. You opened your mouth obediently for another offering of mushed-up bananas, apples, and cinnamon baby food from a high quality brand, giving a happy hum.

"Then the duty falls to one of you fools," he snapped at Jason and Dick, "which is akin to trusting a mosquito not to drink from you at the first possible opportunity. You'll pick up the slack when I'm otherwise indisposed."

"No can do, baby bat," Dick said, pouring himself a bowl of cereal and scrolling through his phone. He quickly snapped a picture of you with your mouth open to accept another spoonful of food. "I have a day job, too. I don't even live here. I'm just on an extended vacation until the end of next week, then it's back to Blüdhaven."

Damian focused his glare on Jason next, who smirked back and shook his head.

"Legally dead. So, 'less you want Brucie Wayne and an innocent baby seen all around town with Red Hood, the crime lord, it's a no from me."

Damian weighed the pros and cons. Bruce shot him a look and shook his head, dismissing the idea entirely.

The boy grit his teeth. He scraped the last of the baby food from its jar and fed it to you, then delicately wiped the remnants from your mouth. You gummed at his finger and made grabby hands, indicating your desire to get out of the high chair. Jason scooped you up first with a swift call of "dibs!", carrying you away to get bathed and dressed for the day.

"Then...then you have to go into work with Timothy!" Damian demanded, facing Bruce again, who had finished his coffee by now and was eating a slice of buttered toast. The man raised a brow, looking only marginally more awake than he was at the start of the day.

"Tim hates being at the office with me," Bruce explained as Alfred came around to set a plate of pancakes, eggs, and freshly-squeezed orange juice in front of Damian. "Says the Brucie act is annoying to be around and it drives productivity down at least 8% every time. It's a lie, I've checked the numbers, but if he doesn't want to be at the Tower at the same time as me then I'm not going to push a non-issue."

"You?" said Damian, incredulous. "You aren't going to push a non-issue? You push everything. It may as well be your middle name."

He cut into his food with more force than necessary, cutlery scraping unpleasantly against the plate until he lifted his hands again. He shrugged off the hand Bruce tried to place on his shoulder, chewing angrily on a mouthful of pancake.

"I'm open to ideas, son," the man said, "but here are the facts: You have to go to school Monday through Friday. I won't let you homeschool because you need to socialize with people in your age group. Jason isn't interested in declaring himself alive right now. Dick doesn't live at the Manor full time and has separate responsibilities. Tim is juggling college, Wayne Enterprises, and patrols. Alfred is too ol— is aging gracefully, and might prefer to have more time to himself instead of watching the baby all alone for hours on end."

Alfred took Bruce's empty plate away with a very sharp look, then excused himself back to the kitchen.

Bruce turned in his chair to fully face Damian, who glared at his breakfast like it personally caused this mess, and not one hyper-empathetic man and his bleeding heart for orphans.

"Now, can you tell me how best to solve this problem without the occasional "take your kid to work day," or enrolling the baby in a daycare program?"

Yes, he could. But unfortunately for Damian, he had inherited a bleeding heart of his own, which constricted at the thought of giving his little sibling back up for adoption. Instead, he swallowed his next mouthful of food and sighed.

"More research is needed," he mumbled, which was the closest he could ever get to admitting he didn't know something. "However, my complaints still stand. Let the paparazzi get a bad photo if it means keeping the babe safe. Their well-being is your top priority, so act like it."

"Heard," Bruce said, sounding far too fond for Damian's liking. "Finish your breakfast and then get ready for school."

The boy grumbled but complied, and soon stood next to the door waiting for Alfred to pull a car up to the driveway. He watched Bruce carry you in his arms after he slung the duffel bag with your essentials over his shoulder, tugging the small hood of your red oneside up (Jason dressed you first today) over your head to ensure you didn't get cold.

"Have a good day, Damian," Bruce told him.

"Sure, whatever." Damian took you from his father and adjusted your hood himself. You grabbed his finger in your small fist with all the strength you could muster and tried to put it in your mouth. He gently pried it free, and Bruce popped a Batman binky in there instead. "You will be safe today. When I'm finished conforming to what American society deems a proper education, I will retrieve you myself."

Your binky bopped up and down as you suckled on it, staring silently at Damian. It was practically a yes to him, so he took it.

Glancing briefly at his father, he hesitated a moment, then kissed your forehead and quickly passed you back to Bruce before heading outside to let Alfred drive him to school.

Bruce watched him go with an unreadable expression. He quickly turned and faced Dick once Damian was out of earshot.

"Did you —"

"I'm texting you the picture right now," Dick said, thumbs flying across the keyboard. "What should the caption be for my Twitter post? #BestBrotherEver or #SecretSofty?"

"Either way, he's going to kick your ass."

[luveline]

Please a Hotch (new girl dad LMFAO) little fic where he discovers the joys and wonders of being a girl dad 😭🤍 like dressing up and playing tea party, or ‘honey, what do I put in her hair?? A bow? A ribbon?? A headband?? A clip??’ Or something about their baby girl always running to him when she bumps her head or falls!! I think it would be really cute

“Do you mind?” you ask through giggles. 

Aaron rubs his hand up the length of your stomach. It tickles in a strange way, but you’re laughing because he’s cornered you on the couch. He takes up the entirety of your view, the air hot between your close faces. 

“No,” he says simply. He has big hands, warm hands. They leave heat in their wake where they touch you. 

“No, come on. I can’t see Jane.” You’re mostly kidding. You really can’t see Jane, but she’s about three feet away, and your living room is baby proofed.

Aaron peeks behind his shoulder. His smile says more than words —he must have caught her smiling herself. “You okay, honey?”

“Yes. Okay. Okay?”

“Yeah, sweetheart, I’m okay, I’m just giving mommy some kisses.” Aaron strokes your stomach with a loving thumb. “You want to come over here for a cuddle?” 

Jane doesn’t answer. Aaron turns back to you with a glowing smile. “She’s very happy. Now let me kiss you–” You’re laughing again as he kisses you, your cheek, the high point and the end of your brow. 

“I can’t believe you’ve cornered me,” you say, nudging him away to hold his face in your hands. “It’s too warm in here for this, you need to give me some space.”

“I don’t want space from you,” he jokes, matching your playful tone.

“Daddy!” Jack calls from somewhere deeper in the house. “I need help!”

“With what?” he calls, sitting up and away from your touch. He squeezes your leg as he leaves, his voice echoing against the hallway walls, “Jack? What’s the problem, buddy?” 

He waits for an answer he doesn’t get before heading upstairs. You weren’t lying when you said it was too hot for kisses —the winter chill is pervasive and Jane is vulnerable to the cold, so the heat is high and the Hotchner boys are pink in the cheeks every time you see them. You fan your face, tracking Jane’s clumsy waddling as she ferries a pink teddy bear next to her baby doll beside the picnic blanket you’d laid out for her. 

“Having fun, Janey?” you ask. 

“Baba,” she mumbles. 

“Alright, that’s fun. How about I go make us some dinner?” 

“Babababa…” 

“Bababa,” you say back. 

You set about cleaning the mess she’s making before it can explode and prop the door between the living room and the kitchen open to watch her while you peel some potatoes. She plays happily for a while, and upstairs you can hear the celebratory shouts of the boys having figured something out. “Come have some juice before you do the next part,” Aaron says. 

With a sudden bump and a telling silence, Jane falls over. You drop your potatoes and wipe your hands on your front, prepared to sweep her up in your arms and coo away any tears. Her crying rings like a storm siren, so loud you miss the rush of footsteps down the stairs. 

“Baby,” you say softly, holding out your arms as you approach. Aaron and Jack trickle into the room behind her. “Let mommy see? What did you do, huh?” 

She climbs onto her feet. You don't even realise she’s looking away from you until she’s running at her father’s legs, completely ignoring your offered embrace. “Oh, sweetheart,” Aaron says, bending down to meet her. “What did you do? You hurt yourself? Let me have a look. Let me see.” 

Your chest is a pit, that falling feeling as though you’ve missed a step, but the open joy on Aaron’s face soothes any jealousy quickly. “What did you do?” he asks again, lifting his head to accommodate her little body as she wraps her arms and legs around him. He picks her up. She looks small under his chin. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” 

Jack weaves around him to hug your thigh. “Did she fall?” he asks. 

He can come to you for anything, big or small, just like Jane can go to her father. You ruffle his soft hair with a smile. “She’s just shocked when things don’t feel nice because she’s so little. It probably didn’t hurt very much, okay? Don’t worry.” 

“Don’t listen to mommy,” Aaron murmurs, patting what looks like the entire span of Jane’s back with a barely opened palm, “I’m sure it hurt lots and lots.” 

“Dad,” she mumbles tearily.

Aaron gives you the look. One he does all too often when he’s feeling grateful for the things he has, his brow pinched into a gentler furrow than usual. “I know, honey. That floor is so mean, always hurting you. I think we should get some soft carpets instead, what do you think?” 

Jack tugs on your hand. “Can you make me some apple juice, please? I think he will be here for a while.” 

You’re thinking there’ll be carpets fitted in here within the month. “Sure, babe. You wanna help me make some French fries?” 

[unholybacon355]

What's under my christmas tree?

Shin Ryujin x Male Reader

Word Count: 6 K

TW: Incest.

A/N:

I have to say some important things.

First, they are deeply wrong and damaged. Please notice that.

Second. I was supposed to release this on christmas eve but things happened so I'm posting it now.

And third, this is the continuation of Day 1 of my Kinktober stories. You don't need to read that after this, since is a short story gives zero context to this one. But if you want to read it you can find it on my profile.

And last one. This was supposed to be a one shot, but I thing would be better if I split it in two. So second chapter is coming soon.

CHAPTER ONE

Another family dinner, as the thousand you have had since you’re alive, nothing special about this one that makes it memorable. Just a complete normal family dinner with your dad, your mom, and your older sister. Everything normal, nothing to care about, not at all. Just the usual things like Ryujin making fun of you for being a loser and not getting bitches. She is loving messing with you while she’s rubbing her foot against your crotch under the table. Just a totally normal Christmas dinner with your family.

You’re hard and nervous at the same time. You want to take off your pants and let your sister perform a proper footjob, but for obvious reasons you can’t do that in the middle of the family dinner. She knows that and you can see in her deep brown eyes that that is exactly the reason why she’s messing with you right now.

You can remember exactly how this insane side of your relationship started. Was years ago during one of your vacation that she found you smelling an used pair of panties. You thought it was from one of her friends, Chaeryeong, who was with your family on that vacation. But ended up being one of Ryujin’s used panties instead. That crazy night she maybe had drank more than she should have and one thing led to another so you ended up putting a show from your sister and masturbating in front of her, smelling her pussy aroma from her dirty underwear while she was making fun and encouraging you at the same time. From there things were periodically escalating within days, and by the end of the vacations you two eventually ended fucking.

You seriously think that you should feel bad about the fact that at least once per month you cum inside your sister’s pussy, but seriously she’s so annoying on a daily basis that you believe that is a great compensation.

You aren't getting bitches, as Ryujin always says, and she takes advantage of that by always messing with you. Always rubbing her body against you in the most subtle ways, like for example how she did during the family photo this same evening.

You were sitting on the couch accommodating for the said photo and Ryujin just sat on your lap. The problem was that she was rubbing her ass on your crotch, causing you a massive erection. The almost imperceptibly slow and circular movement of her ass made your shaft stab her, and she was smiling all the time. No one could notice it on the photo but you were holding it to not bend her over the carpet and fuck your sister in front of the christmas tree.

And now you have her foot rubbing your erection while she's making jokes and asking you mom to pass her the salad. Your sister is a truly evil being, but you have to give credit to her for maintaining this charade. She should venture into acting since is too good at putting on that poker face while doing nasty things. 

You know how fast her expressions can change since one of her favorite activities is ruining your orgasm by looking right into your eyes with her most dirty and slutty face, and in the right moment changing to a disgusting or angry face. Your sister could easily be an actress and win an Oscar.

Is incredible how Ryuijin can manage to look like a good daughter while bringing you to the very verge of an orgasm. Her foot works on your crotch pressing and rubbing your erection  with expert and precise movements, as if she had done this countless times. And maybe she did it, since even you know the rumors about her that people tell in her campus. And it is her expert foot that finally makes you cum, but is a disappointing orgasm. Totally ruined by the fact that you can make any noise and have to maintain your composure since you're in front of your parents, still at the family dinner. Ryujin's foot immediately leaves your erection in peace when she notices that you have already cummed. 

Somehow you managed to maintain composure and not moan right there. Only your mom noticed something was wrong and asked you if everything was ok. You were quick to tell her that you have eaten so much because everything was delicious, and that's all. That was just you having a full stomach and nothing more. Deflecting all doubts into a burst of giggles from your sister. At least she helps you with this one. 

After dinner came the exchange of gifts, which you had to go through with your boxer soaked in your cum. It feels dirty and makes you worry that your parents might smell it, or your pants get stained and they could notice it. Luckily for you nothing happens and everything goes right, you even get a pretty gift from Ryujin. Which considering what she just did to you at the dinner was giving you mixed feelings.

After all, family night ended up being beautiful, as a christmas night should be for everyone. All the fun and family games ended sooner than you wish because your parents had to leave to attend a friend’s party and obviously you weren't going to be hanging out with your sister in the living room. So one second after your mom let you know that they aren’t coming back till tomorrow lunch and  leave the house, you're running to your room without giving any chance to Ryujin to mess with you again. 

Hours have passed but you are still awake, being occasionally distracted from your studies by the snow falling at the other side of the window, and for your sister’s steps coming down and up on the stairs. What she’s doing is a mystery for you and honestly you don’t wanna know, maybe she’s sneaking one of her friends in the house to get her guts rearranged. In which case you don’t wanna know, or maybe you want and you will use the sounds of Ryujin getting railed to jack off properly. Since she ruined your orgasm at dinner, that sounds fair. You’re now curious but to your surprise her steps stop in front of your door. 

“Are you still up, loser?” Ryujin asks after carefully opening your door and sticking just her head in the room. For some reason she’s wearing makeup and a christmas hat. 

“Get out, I'm studying. I have an exam next week.” You make her a gesture with your hand to leave the room but instead she blatantly steps inside. Know you really don't know what is happening because Ryujin is dressed like some kind of Santa Claus. The all red costume could be considered sexy in some way because she’s wearing a miniskirt that barely covers more than her ass, thigh highs and a crop top jacket leaving her stomach exposed. All of that topped by a cape, that is actually what is preventing her ass to be seen, and said hat. “What’s going on with you?”

“Oh come on! Stop being a loser. Is christmas.” She’s putting on a show here because is pouting and stepping on the floor as if she were some kind of spoiled child. Which in part she is. “Don’t you wanna watch a movie with your sister and have a nice night? I already settled everything on the first floor.”

“Why are you suddenly being so nice?” You have the right to be suspicious since clearly your sister is plotting something here. 

“Come on Loser, is christmas. I don’t wanna waste my night sleeping, not tonight. Besides you study a lot, you're practically the first in your class. You deserve a rest too.” Well, at least she was right on that. “I already prepared hot chocolate and cookies. But if you don’t want it, all it's gonna be for me.” And recovering her bratty attitude, more or less her true nature, Ryujin sticks out her tongue and leaves your room. Obviously she didn’t close the door.

When you were about to close the door something made you change your mind and instead you shouted to the first floor. “Wait for me, I’m coming down in a minute.” Maybe she’s right and you deserved a rest after hardly studying the entire year. 

Minutes later you're amazed by what Ryujin prepared for your little movie night. She has moved things in the living room, making a big space in the middle. There on the floor she placed blankets and some pillows piled against the big couch, making a bed for you two. There is also a center tabled with what seems to be a thermos with hot chocolate and some christmas cookies, two mugs of that hot chocolate have been already served and are steaming there. All of this is being illuminated by the light of the christmas tree and the big freaking 85 inches tv your dad insisted your family needed. This scene could be romantic if not were because you two are siblings.

"Why are you suddenly doing this?" This seems like too much coming from your sister. “What are you plotting?”

“Can you not be a prick for a moment?” Ryujin seems to be a little offended by your doubts, or maybe she’s acting up again. With her you never know. “Already said it. Just wanna have a nice christmas.”

“Ok, ok. Maybe the Christmas spirit possessed you or something. Can I pick the movie or have you already prepared that too?” You ask sitting in the blankets. 

“No, you can’t.” Ryujin sits beside you and covers you two with one blanket. She puts a mug of hot chocolate in your hand and press play. Your sister had selected a romantic comedy. One of those movies that always happens in New York where a young couple inevitably falls in love, but at least it was a Christmas movie so that’s something. 

The night was so relaxing and for the first time in months you were just there having a good time. The movie ended up being quite good and you were able to enjoy it, you two were having fun after all. You didn’t even notice how or when Ryujin hugged you, this time without trying to inappropriately touch you, or how she was feeding you with pieces of cookies by putting them directly in your mouth. So for almost two hours you and your sister were laying there enjoying the movie and having a lovely night. The fact that at times this seemed more like a date than two siblings watching a movie together flew over your head, you were completely blinded by enjoying the warmth of your sister hugging you instead of fighting with her. 

By the time the movie credits appear on screen Ryujin had her head resting on your shoulder and you were petting her. This was maybe the first time you were like this in years; with no fights, no jokes, no sex, just both of you enjoying a lovely moment. But the spell broke once the movie came to at it inevitable end. That trance that blinded your eyes during the movie wasn’t present now and for the first time you were aware of Ryujin’s body pressing against yours in a tight hug. 

“Was a good movie after all, but it is late now.” You broke the reigning silence in the room, and despiste your word you weren't sure if you wanna stop hugging your sister.

“Did you like it?” She asks with her head still on your shoulder. “Never thought my little loser was into that kind of movie.”

“I’m not into it, but this movie was good. And…” Suddenly the realization that she called you “My” hit you. “Why did you call me like that? I’m not yours. Why do you always call me loser?” Your arms are no longer surrounding her body.

“You have to ruin everything, right?” Ryujin pushed you and stood up. The blanket that was covering you fell to a side, the cold hit your bodies now since each other warm was missing. “You’re my brother and I’m the only one that calls you Loser. Can’t I show some love for you now?” This sudden change in her mood surprised you.

“Ok, just calm down.” You're standing too now. “Maybe I’m suspicious since you decided to give me a footjob in the dinner. Did you forget that?”

“You’re acting as if you didn’t enjoyed it.” Well she was right, once again. “You're always so happy to cum on me and then act like if I were using you or something.” To your surprise she pushed you. That caught you off guard causing you to fall into the couch. 

“What’s wrong with you?” You quickly stand again and grab her hands when Ryujin tries to push you again. Despite being younger you were visibly taller and heavier than your sister so it wasn't too much difficult for you. “Seriously, what is happening with you?” Ryujin tried to escape from your grasp but you didn’t let her go anywhere. “The footjob, the present, the movie, and now this. Are you crazy or something?”

“Let me…” She finally can free herself, or maybe you let her go because you just noticed how tears were forming in her eyes. “ I’m just tired and really wanted to have a nice moment with someone that at least loved me in the past.” She was holding tears.

“Ryu…” You can control yourself and you surround her with your arms in a tight hug. “I still love you. You’re my sister. Yes, you’re annoying most of the time, but I still do love you.”

“Then why do you have to treat me like your sex toy?” She was sobbing now. “ Why can't you be gentle? Why at least you can’t be gentle with me?”

“Ryu, what’s happening.” You really don’t understand what’s happening here, what is this all about. “I don’t know. Maybe because you bully me when we fuck? But I like it, and… And… Maybe I don’t wanna admit that I enjoy fucking my sister.” This is really the first time you say that because it is truly the first time you two get remotely close to talk about this.

Ryujin tries to push you away but your hug is thigh. “Lier, you’re just like the others. You want me because you can fuck me everytime you want.”

“What? Nooo Ryu, no.” Seriously, this is going to a weird place. “Are the rumors true?”

“Yes, they are. I’m campus's easiest slut to fuck as everyone knows, even you had hear that.” She sobs loudly” I’m so tired of people faking that they are close to me because they wanna fuck me. I’m so tired of people trying to get me drunk because in that way is more easy to fuck me.” Your sister was losing the battle against tears because some had dropped over her cheeks. “I’m a person too. I’m capable of more things than getting my holes stuffed and moaning. I just can’t stop, I can’t feel ok if I'm not drunk or messing with you.”

“Ryu stop!” Maybe you said that a little louder than you should have. “What are you talking about?” Now you hold her face with one hand and dry her tears with the other. “You’re more than that to me. Remember, you're my sister. Don’t you remember who pulled me out of the lake that time I almost drowned when we were kids? Did you forget that time when I broke auntie’s Joohyun porcelain and you said that it was your fault so that they wouldn't scold me?” More tears came from your sister’s eyes when she heard your words. “Have you never noticed why I’m always studying so much? Is because of you. When I started college I wanted to have the same good grades as you because you're so smart. You don’t even need to study. Even now that you're drunk almost every weekend you still have good grades. How can you not see that I do care for you?”

“Lier…” Ryujin wasn’t fighting anymore. She was just there crying in silence, grabbing you tightly by your jacket.  

“Ryu, please. I really enjoy our times together… I. “ This is something you don’t wanna admit, not even in your mind, but maybe this is the only moment you could do it. “You wanna know why I’m not getting laid? Isn’t because I’m a nerd or something, in fact some girls have asked me to go on dates with them but I can’t. They aren’t annoying like you, they aren’t as smart as you… I can’t go with them.” Yeah. Your relationship with your sister was really fucked up, and for the things you were saying this was a point from no return.

“You…” Her hands were shaking. “ You really mean it?” Even with the poor light you could see a bright in her eyes when she asked that, and wasn’t the bright of her tears.

“Yes, and you can call me your loser if you want.” Now Ryujin is the one who hugged you, hiding her head in your chest but never stop crying. “But please stop crying. We still can have a good night. We can watch another movie or somet…” You weren't able to finish what you were to say because Ryujin grabbed your face and kissed you.

Was a shy kiss, something different to everything you had ever had with her. Normally your kisses are dirty, furtive, charged with sexual tension and short. This was different, more needy for something that you can’t describe at the moment, but you were kissing her too. Her tears were wetting your face while your lips were dancing together. One of her hands was still holding tightly the side of your jacket. 

After what you said, after what you admitted, this feels so different. Suddenly you're hungry for your sister, you want more from her but you remember what she said and don’t wanna break this moment. You seriously love her for more than her pussy, after all she’s your big sister, but now this kiss is doing things to you.

You don’t need to worry anymore for whatever you should do because it is Ryujin who hugs you by your neck and makes her body closer to yours. Since the blanket isn’t covering you anymore, the temperature on your bodies has started to drop, but this kiss is bringing up the thermometer. The kiss is becoming needy and her hands are playing in your neck.

You grab her by the waist , a shiver ran through her body when your hands meet her skin making her tremble for a moment. Ryujin broke the kiss panting for air. She’s not crying anymore, instead there is this new light in her eyes. Something has changed on her. You try to say something but she muted you with a quick kiss on your lips and start lifting your jacked. You help her to take off the garment and your shirt goes along with it. The cold of the winter didn’t bother you because Ryujin's hands are over your chest, you feel a strange warm coming from where she touch you and spreading across your entire body. 

“Ryu…” But she muted you again with a kiss before taking a step back. Without taking her eyes from yours Ryujin opens her jacket, leaving her cape on, and lets it fall over the blanket on the floor. She’s not wearing lingerie or something fancy as someone would think, instead she’s wearing a normal bra like she would wear on a normal day. In some way you prefer it like this, but at least said garment is red, matching the thematic of her outfit. 

She attempts to take off her thigh highs but you stop her. “No… leave the stockings… Please.” She says nothing but just takes off her miniskirt instead. Ok, she wasn’t wearing lingerie but her underwear matches, even when they were simple pieces they were matching. You found that a lovely gesture because you understand that you weren't meant to see that since she wanted to have just a nice moment with you instead of hooking up. So the makeup and all the prep was just for her to feel better and pretty.

Your sister looks beautiful standing on the blankets, wearing only her underwear and cape. To you, the light from the television and the twinkling lights from the tree don't do justice to her flawless skin. You wish this had been a moonlight night so she could be bathed for the silver light, but instead the snow is falling and pilling outside. 

You both are nervous to make the first move, as if you were a couple having their first time instead of a pair of siblings that had known each other since forever. But it is Ryujin that finally reaches you first. She hugs you and soon her hands are playing with your neck again. You can help but find her lips and share a kiss, more passionate this time. Your hands wander across her skin, caressing her waist and tummy.

Despiste Ryujin exercising regularly, her body is not that toned. It's just on the verge between being fluffy and muscular, and you find that so attractive. You can see her biceps contract when she’s carrying something heavy, or punching you, but also can see her thighs jiggle when she walks around. Seeing your sister half naked like this is like a heavenly vision to you.

By this point you have been fucking around for almost two years, but you never have seen her completely naked. Well maybe that time when you ate her pussy from behind when she was about to take a shower. But that was just for a brief moment, nothing like this where she's yours to watch and touch, even when she isn’t completely naked. Your encounters are always fast, subtitles, hiding and trying not to make a noise so your parents can´t fin their children fucking. But here and now both of you know that you can give free rein to your darkest desires.

Ryujin again is the first to move and reach your waistband making you pant fall to your ankles. Your boxer does a miserable job at hiding the tent that formed where is your dick. But how not to be hard when you’re doing this with your beloved sister? It’s impossible not to. 

“My little loser is already so excited.” Of course she has to make fun of you in a moment like this, can’t be in another way. “Let noona take care of you tonight.” She whispered that into your ear with her raspy deep voice, and made a shiver run through your spine. Or maybe it is because Ryujin is stroking your erection, and even when is covered with your boxer she still can feel your bulge throbbing in her hand when it is being inflated with blood. 

You moan and kiss her again. Maybe the loudest moan you had ever allowed her to cause on you, but is quickly muted by the kiss. Your tongue invades her mouth and she accepts it, but she’s still the one that’s guiding the kiss. After all, your sister is the one with more experience here. You only have kissed a couple of girls before rejecting them, so your sister’s are the lips you have tasted the most.  

She takes off your boxer too and you kick it away with the rest of your clothes. Now you're totally naked and in her hands to do whatever she wants. The imbalance of power is evident here but you don’t care, after all Ryujin said that she will take care of you and you believe in her. So the gentle push she gave you on your chest didn't take you off guard this time, but still made you fall into the couch. 

“Shhhh.” She muted you by putting a finger over your lips when you opened your mouth to say something, and instead of letting you know what she was gonna do, Ryujin just knelt down between your legs. You knew what was coming by the way she was staring at your shaft with those feline eyes, as if a lion were stalking their prey. Ryujin wrapped her fingers around your erection once again and gave you gentle strokes, immediately a drop of precum forms on your tip. 

You feel her tongue on your head collecting your precum, and her warm breath on your shaft. The view you have is amazing and your sister stares back at your eyes, looking to your soul, when she starts engulfing your tip and slowly but never stopping she swallows your meat till her lips touch her hand. A big portion of your erected shaft is in your sister’s mouth, and you feel so comfortable being surrounded by her warmth that you don't even bother on think that this is wrong.

And then, Ryujin starts sucking your dick, but again something feels different. This is not fast, she’s taking her time to give you an actual blowjob and not just some quick blows. She strokes you at a slow pace while her head is going up and dong on your dick, her tongue also is playing around your meat maximizing the pleasure you're receiving. As she said, your sister is taking care of you.

“Relax, loser.” Her voice is so calm, and despiste calling you names you know this time she isn’t making fun of you. All you can do is pet her head and caress her hair while she continues sucking your shaft. The feeling is so amazing, like no other head she has ever given you. Your dick feels so welcome inside her warm mouth. 

Your sister doesn't go really deep, just swallowing half of your dick, but this still is so pleasant. Her tongue dances around your shaft in ways that you even knew were possible. That makes your breath heavy and by the look on her eyes she’s proud of that, she likes what she’s making you feel. But she still gives you more and the blowjob becomes messier and sloppy. Ryujin is now coating your shaft with her saliva.

When Ryujing takes your shaft out of her mouth it is so covered in her saliva that some drops fall into your balls. “Come here.” She makes space for you in the blankets beside her, and you let yourself slide from the couch to the floor. Your sister loses no time and sits on your lap, pressing her clothed core into your wet shaft. 

She finds your lips again, and despite feeling your taste on her mouth you don’t wanna be kissing someone else. Your hands find her ass and knead her plump buttocks. A needy moan is released right into your mouth at the time your sister starts riding you, and her hands are cupping your face. The way she moves over you drives you crazy and makes her underwear wet, you can feel it even with your shaft coated in her saliva, so her pussy must be completely soaked by her own juices.

“Just let me…” Ryujin raised her body a little to slide her panties to the side, releasing her pussy from the embrace of the fabric. Then she aligns her glistening folds over your tip and descends slowly, taking your dick at a tortuous pace. “You feel soooo stretching me out.” Her voice is so low when she talks again, but you still can hear traces of her raspy tone on it. “You’re filling me so well, Loser.” She don’t move, instead Ryujin just kiss your face and plays with your hair. Right now she’s so far from being the bully and annoying sister that she has been this past years.  

When Ryujin moves her hips again, you feel how her walls tighten around your throbbing shaft. That feels delicious, to say it in one way. Her warm wetness is surrounding your hard meat, and her lips are glued to yours in a passionate shared kiss. She rides you slowly, enjoying every movement and releasing waves of pleasure through your bodies. 

Once again, as you have been so many times, you're so buried inside your sister’s cunt. But despite all the times you have done this, this time feels more pleasant. Like if you had unblocked a new level of passion between you two. Something that wasn't supposed to be archived by a pair of siblings. A bonding really forbidden.

You need more of her body, so your hands reach for the back of her bra, but you struggle to get it open. You haven’t done it enough times to memorize the process yet. “Take your time, I’m not going anywhere.” The words are followed by a small giggle. “Another day I'll teach you to open it with just one hand.” Ryujin bites your lower lip and you get nervous causing  your hands to slip from her bra. “Try it again.” Isn’t a order, is most like a petition. “Take off noona’s bra. I want my tiddies sucked.” You finally get the strength and concentration to get the damn clasp of her bra open. She laughs amused and throw her bra way, finally releasing her breasts. 

Her tiddies aren’t big, but are big enough to fill your hands. Her nipples feel so stuffed and you caressing them makes them harder. But regardless of the fact that this feels amazing, this isn’t what your sister said she wants. She was clear on her petition, she wants her tiddies sucked and you’re no one to refuse it. 

As soon as your mouth meets her right tit you feel how Ryujin’s arch her back. By pure instinct your tongue is playing with her hard nipple, and by the moans she’s releasing you think you’re doing good. Your other hand is on her left breast, playing with it as well. Ryujin practically huge your head holding you in place, so you can’t stop sucking her tits, and you do as you were told. From time to time you change what of her tiddies is on your mouth and what is being caressed by your hand, but you never stop sucking and your sister never stops riding you. 

Her movements are now faster and messier. You feel her wetness around you and how her walls embrace your throbbing shaft. The way she makes you feels is so amazing, never ever before fucking your sister has been so pleasant. Apparently she’s having a good time too, because her moans never stop. In fact, they are just becoming louder as she rides you and you play with her tits. 

“You're making noona feel so good.” You didn’t need a confirmation because you already could feel it, but her words are well received. The way she’s moaning, the way you make your sister moan and shiver in pleasure make you feel proud. Despite not being experienced you still can make Ryujin have a good time, and not one of those furtive hook ups you have been having.

“God, those batches don’t know what they’re missing.” Ryujin manages to say between her moans and whimpers. “My little brother's cock feels so good inside me.” Her dirty but affirmative words toward you make your dick throb inside her. 

You redoubles your attacks over her tiddies, sucking and kissing. Rolling her nipples between your fingers and covering them in saliva with your mouth.

 “You want noona to cum over you? To mark you?” You can’t respond because your mouth is busy sucking her left tiddie, but you can suck harder to let her know you want her to reach her orgasm over you, in your arms. Apparently the massage is well received because she changes the pace of her hips.

Now your sister’s movements are slower but conscious, she’s never breaking the pace. Also she’s taking you as deep as she can every time your hips meet, making your shaft completely disappear inside her.

Despite being a cold Christmas night, with snow falling and all, your bodies are warming each other to the point you feel no cold. Plus this is so pleasant that nobody could focus on feeling cold when you have your beautiful sister riding your cock.

“This feel good? Noona is taking good care of you?” She kisses your forehead in a gesture that's way too romantic for the situation, but honestly you don't care anymore. What's the point on denying that you aren't just fucking but you're making love with your sister? There is no worse blind than the one who doesn't want to see, they say. And maybe it is time to open your eyes and accept those feelings. No matter how twisted they are.

Maybe Ryujin needs someone that actually loves and takes care of her too, instead of just wanting to stuff her holes. And maybe you can be that person, or at least you can be there for her till she finds someone. But honestly, who can be better for her than you?

“My little loser is making noona feel so good.” The control she has over her voice even when is so close to orgasm is amazing. You feel how messy and fast her movements are, but nothing of that can be spotted on her voice. She sounds calm, with her deep raspy voice doing things to you. Making you throb inside of her as if you have a second heart down there.

Finally the wetness of her core drench your balls letting you know she reached the precious climax. But not just that, because you can hear how your sister is moaning right into your ear. Ryujin is still riding you, slowly decreasing her pace till she’s sitting in your lap, with your shaft buried inside her. 

She’s practically panting because she did almost all the effort, but hair isn’t what she needs now. All your sister can think is on finding your lips and sharing one of those passionate kisses with you. Ryujin is holding your face, not forcing you but not wanting you to go. She doesn't need hair because she can have that anytime, all she needs now is the only person that doesn't see her as a slut.

Time gets blurry when you are passionately kissing your sister like that. Hungry but also slowly, in a way you have never felt before. No girl’s lips made you feel like this before, is a new hunger that you just found and don’t know if it is right that you are satisfying it. This gluttony may be a capital sin.

“That was good.” Ryujin said before kissing your forehead again and playing with your hair. “Best orgasm I’ve had in a long time.” Your sister hugs you seeking for your body heat on this cold winter night. You are just there, laying on the floor with your sister hiding from the world under her christmas cape and between your arms. 

“What about me having an orgasm too?”

“Don’t know if you deserve one.” Her head is resting on your shoulder. “It's your punishment for making me cry.”

“I thought I made you cry with pleasure.” You joke while lovely petting her black hair, as if your balls were not coated on sex fluids for the second time that night. All your sister’s fault.

“Don’t be that bold, Loser. You are still not that capable. But…” She pauses to ponder whether she should say the following or not. “Maybe noona can give you another lesson. Another Christmas gift.” She said before kissing your jaw and asking with a whisper right into your ear. “Wanna be a big boy and fuck noona in the ass?”

[jellycreamjammedart]

i LOVE LOVE LOVE your idea of post-bad end cassie sticking around to try fixing everything and befriending the ruined robots SOB. Do you have any headcanons for them in this setting?

oh boi DO I (post-bad end brainrot post here)

M.X.E.S and Helpi are BOTH sassy little bitches. They bicker at each other over things a lot like two geeky nerds. Unfortunately Cassie has to watch them bickering be it through the vanni mask or the implant. Sometimes either one or both of them ramble over something code/technology based to Cassie, essentially making her their "debuggy ducky".

They collect the Freddy-talk to make sure the Mimic can't use it again to trick Cassie again or trick future victims so easily with it. Cassie also claims Gregory's forgotten Glam Freddy backpack for herself for better inventory (and maybe anything useful inside if there's anything.) Finder's keepers, bitch.

After finding a blue spray paint can (many cans are seen abandoned through, having been used for the graffiti stuff,) Cassie uses it to paint Prototype Glamrock Freddy's endo claws blue, to match his casing hands a little. It's not much but boy does that make him feel fabulous! She does the same for Roxy's claws after finding a green one.

They find an usable old stroller to carry Monty. He's lowkey embarrassed, but he certainly prefers this accommodation over having to drag and crawl himself everywhere.

On their quest to reactivate the security nodes they all also keep on the look out for anything that could be used to fix one of them a little bit (like a spare arm for Chica or spare eye(s) for Roxy, things to help them fix Bonnie, anything that could help any of them.)

Speaking of, Chica donated one of her eyes to Roxy. One eye is better than none.

All the robots are equipped with some medical knowledge in case they had an emergency with patrons back in the PizzaPlex glory, especially the Daycare Attendant/Eclipse. They all try to help patch Cassie up from injuries caused by the elevator drop.

The mini Music Men follow Cassie like ducklings. They're also great at finding any goods due to fitting through cramped nookies and crannies and locate things the others wouldn't be able to reach due to being bigger.

Helpi and M.X.E.S seeing that Monty shrine through Cassie's point of view: "IS THAT MONTY'S FUCKING LEGS-"

You can bet they stop for a bit to play the Chica's Feeding Frenzy and Monty's Gator Golf arcades. They either take turns or gather around Cassie to watch her play and cheer her on it. Listen they all went through a LOT, they NEED a little harmless reprieve!

Roxy, Monty and Chica definitely still hold resentment towards Gregory for what he did against them in the past. They're also even madder at him now on Cassie's behalf after learning he sent the elevator plummeting down with her inside and trapping her, an indignation the others also share because "wtf bro what kind of friend does that shit???" The Daycare Attendant is mostly salty because Gregory's a RULE-BREAKER and his ass is still BANNED.

By the way, it doesn't really matter whether it was the real Gregory who betrayed Cassie or the Mimic putting up an act again. As far as they're all concerned, it was the real Gregory.

They pick up and collect plushies that are still in good condition (except ones that are child nodes in M.X.E.S' security, those only get hidden better.) Prototype Glamrock Freddy loves tucking a few plushies into his hatch, they feel soft inside! A few also get put inside Monty's stroller with him.

Despite M.X.E.S' hostility at Cassie back at the beginning, after understanding better why she was doing what she was doing, and watching her trying her hardest and giving it her all to make things better, it learned to hold a huge respect for the girl. The one thing M.X.E.S and Helpi agree with despite their bickering.

M.X.E.S: You're such a sassy little shit! Helpi: Hey don't cuss! The kid can see it through the mask/implant! M.X.E.S: M.X.E.S: OH FUCK, I FORGOR! Helpi: YOU DID IT AGAIN-! Bonnie: Hey kiddo, you okay? Cassie: Huh? Roxy: Yeah, you looked spaced out. Cassie: Oh, yeah I'm okay. M.X.E.S. just said "fuck". The entire squad in the real world: HE WHAT-

[waywardstation]

Don't Fall Asleep

Chapter 2

Akari sees Ingo is getting worse, so she once again proposes the idea of staying over with her, in case his own solitary space is only reinforcing his nightmares. This time, he accepts.

Second chapter is finally out! Thank you all for your patience, I appreciate it!

CHAPTER 1 HERE

OR read on AO3!

Enjoy!

—————

The dojo’s bench creaked quietly as Ingo shifted, straightening his back to sit up a little more. Unaware of how long he’d been doing it, he realized he had been hunched over his cup of tea, staring down aimlessly into its rising steam again.

Ingo sighed through his nose, pulling his scarf up higher over his mouth. 

He could not get last night’s incident out of his head.

It had all felt so real. All the nightmares had, really – but last night was worse. Very real and very horrible. That particular one had not exactly been new to him, either.

It had been a long time since he’d thought back to when he’d first woken up under the care of the Pearl Clan, after he’d been unfortunate enough to be dropped into Hisui right within the vicinity of Draugr. 

When all he could remember beside his own name was the incident with the alpha mamoswine — a lone, fresh memory amongst a void of static that haunted him to the point of evolving into a recurring nightmare.

Images in his head of the moment that gnarled tusk of ice had grazed him, replaying over and over again — except in his dreaded dreams, it had gored him entirely. He’d woken up in the medicinal tent many times from the fabricated agony, only to reel as actual, vivid pain seared him and startled clan healers tried to get him to lay back down. 

It had haunted him whenever he slept, day or night. It was the only memory he had to recall at the time, all his brain had to hold onto at that point. So what else could it do, but replay that specific experience over and over?

After a certain point of repeatedly subjecting the healers to so many bouts of terror (and apologizing profusely every time), only Calaba had really been willing to stay with him through the nights anymore. He still appreciated that she did that; the consistent time spent together had allowed him to develop his first friendship within the clan, though she was the only one who had seemed to know how to best handle his episodes anyways.

All in all, even with Calaba’s help, it had taken weeks to shake that recurring nightmare.

Things would always end the exact same way: encountering Draugr in a snowstorm with no way to escape and no people or Pokémon to help, just to end up getting fatally gored by the beast’s tusks.

Last night had certainly been no exception. It disturbed Ingo that it had suddenly come back with such nasty vengeance.

But what upset him more was that it had changed to accommodate the entire Pearl Clan this time. 

It hadn’t ever changed like that before.

As with most dreams, lots of the finer details had faded as the hours passed, but some things, Ingo knew they would stay clear and vivid, keeping a firm grip on his mind for a while — the collective fate of the clan, his own death at the end of Draugr’s tusk, and the appearance of that thing standing against the wall next to his bed .

That thing. That wispy, gangly-legged thing. That was new, too. What was that? 

Whatever it was, it had made his heart clench. Even just thinking about it now… 

It had already been a repetitive nightmare once before. Was he going to fall into the cycle of repeatedly experiencing it again? It was horrible enough already to go through this new variation once, but to go through it over and over? 

Dormant anxiety spiked briefly; it had already been difficult to attend the morning’s meeting less than an hour after the incident, and look at the people he was sure he’d lost the night before. 

To do it again and again, that would be unbearable; he didn’t know if he could handle something like that–

“Hey! Don’t fall asleep in your tea!”

The steam heating his face suddenly became very hot and uncomfortable. Ingo looked up from his cup – he had done it again – as Akari dropped onto the bench next to him, making them both bounce on the bending wood a little.

“Good morning, Miss Akari,” Ingo’s words came out as an exhale more than anything, tired as he mumbled into his scarf and closed his tired eyes. But it was a breath of relief as well; her company and contagious enthusiasm brought about a familiar comfort, and while he always appreciated it, he was especially grateful for the reprieve in this particular moment. “I hope you are doing well today.”

“I am, but what about you? Are you sure you’re not sick?” The teen leaned closer to him this time, bumping her shoulder against his; she probably knew he wasn’t, and he suspected as much based on her tone. He was sure this was another one of her unassuming attempts to get him to talk to her.

“I am sure,” Another exhale. There was disappointment with having to stay on this topic, but Ingo hoped that wasn’t too noticeable in his features. “It is still just a matter of experiencing difficulty staying on track with my sleep schedule.”

Akari turned her head towards him, scrutinizing him. He had secluded himself to this bench against the dojo’s wall yet again, he was almost falling asleep in his tea, and he looked like he could barely hold himself up. He was wrapped up in extra layers too, while still shivering and dealing with a runny nose. And the thoroughly frazzled look he’d had before she sat down on the bench…

This seemed like symptoms of something more than just a little trouble sleeping at night.

“This morning, I awoke to find I had… left my tent in the Pearl Clan’s settlement, and had been sleeping in the snow outside.” Ingo added unprompted after a moment; Akari wondered if perhaps her concerns showed through her expression a little too noticeably.

“What, like were you sleepwalking?” If he wasn’t in such a bad state, Akari might have teased him about that. On its own, the thought of Ingo sleepwalking right through his door and stumbling around outside seemed a little comical when she visualized it. But she supposed that answered why he was so cold. “Or is this like, part of that intruding Pokémon problem thing you were talking about?”

“…I’m not entirely sure what it is, anymore.” 

The hopeless words came out with some effort, like he only had the energy to offer a vague summary of the actual answer. He set his cup of tea down on the bench and massaged his eyes with the heels of his palms, leaning into them. Akari sat there awkwardly at his side, not knowing what to really say or do next. 

This seemed heavier than she had expected.

Ingo was deeply troubled, clearly, but he wasn’t offering much information. Much more than she would have ever expected. Was he truly unsure of things, or was he intentionally refraining? She didn’t want to pry if it was the latter. 

“I apologize, I know what I am saying is not making much sense.” Ingo finally confessed, still leaning into his hands. “I suppose I am still just trying to make sense of it all myself, and running on an overworked engine is making the task more difficult than it should be.”

It was sad — and a bit uncomfortable — seeing him like this. Akari knew Ingo would usually take care not to let her see him in such a disposition. But regardless of whether exhaustion or sheer distress was to blame, it was slipping through. She didn’t exactly know what was going on, but it seemed like every time he said something, a little more of this problem’s depth was uncovered. And right now, it already seemed like it went pretty deep.

She wasn’t sure how to best help Ingo, not at this moment. But Akari knew what always made her feel better when she needed a break.

“Hmm,” The teen got to her feet and turned to stand in front of Ingo. “Well, I’m gonna go get some potato mochi; wanna come get some with me?”

The sudden switch caught the man off guard. He finally looked up from his hands at her. “Oh, I um, appreciate the offer, but I am alright.” 

“Aw come on,” She reached forward to tug gently on his coat sleeve. “Wrong answer! You were supposed to say yes!”

As lethargic as he was, Ingo still laughed a little at her efforts, his arm hanging like deadweight as she pulled it. He supposed if he didn’t feel so weighed down, he’d be more inclined to go. His legs ached. “I’m fine, really. I’d just like to rest here a little bit longer.”

“You’ll be fine-er if you come with me, though! You can rest against the table!”  

“I already made a stop earlier for my tea-”

“Potato mochi will warm you up even more then!” Akari began her habit of chanting again, gently jostling his limp arm with each repetition of the phrase for emphasis. “Get up , get up , get up- ”

It took him longer than it should have, but it dawned on Ingo that she wasn’t doing this because she actually wanted mochi. She was just trying to inconspicuously do something to make him feel better. 

Appreciation lessened the ache that weighed heavy in his legs. Ingo finally relented to her pulling and moved to stand up with her, much to her delight. “Alright Miss Akari, you’ve persuaded me. I will accompany you; thank you for the invitation.”

“Yes! We can get dango too!” Ingo was barely able to pick his cup of tea back up before a visibly-excited Akari started pulling him across the training grounds. He was sure he was going to be the one to pay for said dango — he had fallen into a habit of buying it when she wanted it so that she could save her own earnings — but he didn’t mind. 

—————

“What if I steal you from the dojo and make you explain all your Path of Solitude strategies to me?”

“…Pardon?” 

“You know, just have you do something easy that you can do while sitting down.”

It took Ingo a moment to process; allowing himself to rest his head against arms crossed against the table had allowed the edges of his thoughts to blur with static. He raised his head, adjusting his skewed hat.

“Cause you’re like, really tired.”

In Ingo’s defense, just sitting there and waiting for their food made it easy to relax, especially with the rising morning sun warming his back.

“I can let you know when Beni brings the order out, if you wanna to just rest for a second.” 

“Thank you,” Ingo breathed deep, thankful for the reprieve. Dipping his head forward into his crossed arms, he shut his tired eyes and relaxed against the table.

…

Wind howled, and a sharp hooked pillar of ice split through the darkness, jamming itself into and tearing upwards through fabric, then fat and muscle, then organs and bones — like all of it was nothing more than paper.

“AUGH!” Hands clutching at his tunic, Ingo shot up from the table with such a start, he almost fell backwards off the bench as empty plates clattered and Akari shouted, following suit and jumping up.

“What!” The fear in her scream pulled his senses out of its state of uncontrollably misfiring. She stood up, terrified as she looked in every direction. “What? What? What happened?”

“I’m-” Wild eyes drank in the surroundings as Ingo slightly loosened the death grip meant to hold in spilling insides that didn’t exist. He shuttered, the jumpstart shaking his system into nausea as he forced himself to sit back down. “I’m, I’m sorry-” Terror gave way to regret; he absolutely hadn’t wanted her to see that. He shouldn’t have let himself doze off like that, but he wasn’t expecting to- “I’m fine-”

“Ingo, what is going on?” Something tightened around his wrist. He looked up from the table to see Akari had grabbed his arm, holding it securely. 

Grey eyes hard with confliction, Ingo opened his mouth to say something. But before he could even breathe a word out, a plate clattered against the table, piled with fresh hot mochi.

“Here’s your order,” Beni set down two sets of chopsticks for them. “Double helping of Potato Mochi, extra crispy. Anything else?”

“Um, no thank you,” Akari gave him a smile that she hoped didn’t look too forced. “Thanks, Beni.”

“If you find you do need anything else, let me know.”

Ingo sat quietly, listening for the sound of a sliding door as he stared off towards the training grounds. Akari glanced over Ingo’s shoulder, sitting just as awkwardly as she watched Beni head back into the canteen. It felt like he took forever to walk through the entrance and out of earshot.

“I believe my intruder has not been a Pokémon at all, but rather a once-departed, deeply upsetting recurring nightmare that has somehow made its way back to the station. One that I experienced when I first arrived here.” Slumping back into a more relaxed position, Ingo finally filled the uncomfortable silence after waiting another moment for security. “It is rather embarrassing in hindsight, seeing as I’d so loudly insisted it was the former to my community this last week.”

“What’s the nightmare about?” It was said like Akari wasn’t quite sure that was appropriate to ask him.

Ingo cleared his throat, patting his side for emphasis with the one hand still wrapped around to hold it. “Draugr.”

Looking to where his hand was, Akari threaded her fingers together, quieter now. “Oh… man. I didn’t know that… that was something you went through. I’m sorry.”

“You wouldn’t have, it’s alright; I’d rid myself of them long before our tracks had crossed, and I’ve never had a reason to bring it up.” 

Ingo’s hands moved towards his cup of tea to take another drink.

“So, if you’re having them again, is it like every night?” It would certainly explain his worsening lethargy over the past couple weeks.

“No, thankfully as of now, it is not a nightly occurrence,” Ingo confessed. “Just every few nights. But they’re growing more frequent, it seems. And… worse.” He put his head back in his hands as he continued on. “It had not been quite so obvious at first. I don’t know why. I had not even been aware I was dealing with this again, until it had progressed to the point of being unmistakable as anything else. It steals my sleep and leaves me exhausted.”

And frazzled. It’s also leaving him very frazzled. Today it was, at least. Akari could not ignore how blatantly disconnected he had been all morning, but she didn’t blame him; her mind would probably hide somewhere else if she was forced to replay a traumatic event like that, too.

“And they feel so real, ” Ingo added, dipping his head to run his fingers through the hair under his hat. Despite his reputation to avoid doing such things around her, Akari almost thought he was going to delve into more grizzly details. But he didn’t, perhaps stopping himself once he realized, and just sighed through his nose instead.

“Do you know why it’s happening again?” Akari pushed a little more.

“No,” Ingo shook his head. “And that may be the most concerning part about this predicament — I have no idea why it has chosen now of all times to make a reappearance.” 

“Well, I know how to help this.”

“And that is?” A pointless question, as Ingo already felt he knew the answer.

“A sleepover!”

“Ah,” Ingo bobbed his head, like a slow, lazy nod. “Of course.”

—————

“Is that ok?”

“It’s more than sufficient, thank you.”

Standing in Akari’s housing unit after finishing a day of long but easy work — they really had just sat down somewhere so he could take it easy by explaining his Path of Solitude strategies — Ingo assessed the makeshift bed set before him. Akari had certainly been generous with the blanket layers — very generous. There had to have been at least nine or ten there altogether. He knew his back would appreciate that, though. He was sure he wouldn’t even be able to feel the harder floor beneath him.

“While I am thankful for so many blankets,” Ingo pulled the layers back to slip under them. “I do hope you did not have to go through the trouble to borrow some from someone just for me.”

“Oh, no. Rei stays over a lot to hang out with me, so I’ve just got a bunch extra in case.” Akari went over to the lone lantern on her table to extinguish it. “I’m always prepared for a sleepover!”

As Akari blew the light out and the room darkened, Ingo felt a weight settle beside him. He looked over to see Ember settling down against his middle to sap his warmth. She glanced back at him and huffed, curling her head against her shoulder.

Ingo almost wondered if she would actually sleep with him tonight. But once Akari set herself under the covers and began making herself comfortable, the quilava got up and pattered across the floor, taking her new spot against her trainer.

Ingo couldn’t help but find that amusing — Ember was fond of him, but of course, Akari was always going to be her favorite by far.

“Goodnight, Ingo.”

“Goodnight, Miss Akari.”

Ingo relaxed under the comfy layers and turned onto his side, staring across the dark room at the wall.

It felt different, staying in a new environment tonight. He couldn’t deny it made a part of him feel guarded — it wasn’t like he felt this unit was unsafe, it just wasn’t his familiar space. 

But thinking back to his space, to the dark room with the wall his headboard leaned against, where those stretched legs had just stood there. Connected to who-knows-what crammed up in the rafters above…

Ingo felt something inside him lurch unpleasantly. He readjusted himself under the blankets, shutting his eyes as he pressed into his pillow. Perhaps Akari was right; maybe for peace of mind, it was better to be sleeping somewhere else tonight. He listened to the sounds of the room. Just like in his own space, he could hear the elements outside, mellow and subdued. And the sounds of shifting fabric whispered whenever he moved. But this time, he could hear Akari too — her and Ember’s breaths, slow and steady in the corner. 

It was a lot more comforting to drift off to the ambience of company, rather than the usual confirmation of total isolation.

At some point he must have fallen asleep, as he next found himself blinking awake to the dim morning light creeping through Akari’s window

Starly chirped somewhere off in the distance as Ingo moved to sit up, leaning forward into his knees as he rubbed at his eyes. It seemed the night had been kind to him, allowing him to sleep soundly. He found the arm that he had slept on ached, but he supposed he had to blame that on sleeping on the floor.

Ingo turned to glance over at Akari, who’s back was pressed against the wall beneath her unit’s window. She was still lying under her blankets which partially covered her face, breathing slowly and contentedly as she slept with Ember pressed into the crook of her curled body. If they were still sleeping, he didn’t want to wake them. Quietly, Ingo pulled his tunic back on, secured his hat and coat, and slipped into his shoes. 

He glanced back at Akari one last time, making sure she was still asleep as he went for the door. He’d make a quick visit to Choy’s store so he could come back and make some breakfast for them both to share once she woke up.

—————

“So, everything was ok last night?” Sitting next to Ingo, Akari yawned as she watched him remove the cooking pan from where it hung above her housing unit’s irori. Taking it over and setting it down on Akari’s table, he used a spoon to begin dividing through the contents — pan-fried egg and cake-base with bits of oran berries mixed in, crisped perfectly at the edges, if not very slightly overdone.

“It appears so,” Picking up a plate, Ingo shoveled half of the portion onto it, and handed it to her. It was a bit hacked up from Ingo’s indolent cutting with a blunt utensil, but the presentation made no difference — all that mattered was that it tasted good, and by the wonderful way it smelled, that was guaranteed. Akari sat down in her chair and took a spoonful of honey from a jar she kept, and drizzled it over her half while Ingo scraped the remaining half onto a plate for himself. “Though I am hesitant to say it has departed indefinitely. I may have to see how the next few days go first.”

That was how the pattern seemed to go. It would leave him alone for a couple days before returning to strike again. If anything, tonight and every night after were the nights he was worried about. 

“Well I hope that horrible nightmare is gone forever,” Akari jabbed a forkful of her food and bit down onto it; while different texture-wise, to her delight she realized it was the closest thing to a pancake she’d ever tasted in Hisui. “And if you were ok last night, I bet it was ‘cause you stayed here with me and Ember!” Ember purred from where she laid under the table, gnawing on a whole oran berry of her own, as if in agreement. Akari got a look I’m her eyes as she chewed another bite. “Maybeeee you should sleepover again tonight too, just to be safe.”

“Miss Akari,” A warning statement as he joined her at the table with his own plate, meant more to express she wasn’t being as sneaky with her plans as she thought she was, rather than to admonish or turn her down.

“And maybe tomorrow night also, just to be double sure!” She kept going as Ingo picked up the honey jar next, taking a spoonful. “You can make more of these awesome pancake things too every morning-” She held her plate up, already halfway finished as she jabbed more on her fork. “These are like, really really good.”

Ingo huffed a little laugh through his nose; it meant something to know she appreciated what had come to be one of his favorite things to cook — speaking of, he should probably start eating before it got cold. He began cutting into his own portion. “Well, I appreciate the compliment. Though, I’m unsure if I can commit to that.”

He couldn’t stay all the way down here in Jubilife for too long. He still needed to visit Lady Sneasler and her kits in the highlands, and the Pearl Clan were soon going to need his help with planning the winter’s hunting parties. But the thought of going back to that empty tent tonight, all cold and dark and now stained with the stark imagery of debris and destruction that marred his brain… if any place would dredge up the nightmare again, it would definitely be there.

“However, let’s see how the day goes first. Then perhaps making a decision will be easier.” Ingo cleared his throat, then finally took a bite. Just as he thought, a little overdone, but the honey covered it well enough.

—————

The sun was setting now, slowly dipping closer to the Hisuian mountain line as the orange sky prepared to shift to purple. Ingo watched it from where he stood at the training grounds, considering.

If he was going to leave Jubilife for the Highlands, he’d have to do so now. Honestly though, the ideal time would have been half an hour ago. An hour, if he would have wanted to get to the Icelands before sundown. But he didn’t mind traveling through the last stretches in darkness if he had to.

He’d already decided that he wasn’t going to return to the Pearl Clan’s settlement, though. Not tonight. 

Returning to that solitary tent. Opening up his eyes to more splintered walls giving way to howling snow. Pursuing the sounds of screaming just to meet with the gnarled end of an ice tusk. Shouting himself awake at the very beginning of the day with yet another night of no good sleep.

The more he thought about it, the more it unnerved him. And the more unnerved he got, the more concerned he was that he’d just trigger another instance of that nightmare. He knew he was just scaring himself and self-fulfilling the fear of it happening. He’d already done it once at The Wallflower yesterday by submerging himself in such thoughts, but he couldn’t help it.

Though perhaps it would be different if he went to Lady Sneasler’s den for the night. The kits were as much a source of happiness and comfort as they were a distraction. Or maybe if he brought out all of his own Pokémon…

Ingo yawned, rubbing his eyes with a closed fist. The day had felt extensive, and he was exhausted — he could feel the ache in his bones. He could, but did he really want to make such a long trip to either place when he could just stay here, a place to sleep waiting just several yards away? 

Truly, that option was the favorable one by far. And he knew how badly Akari wanted him to stay with her. 

It would have been an easy choice, one he would have settled on hours ago, if he wasn’t so worried he’d potentially subject her to witnessing a potential nightmare, and the… intense reactions that usually came with it. 

What if he sleep-walked outside? What if he shouted? What if he did both? Oh, then it wouldn’t be just Akari witnessing it. The Pearl Clan had been put off by it, and Jubilife’s villagers probably would too. The potential shame of it all…

“Ingo!” Finally, the voice he had been expecting all evening rang out from the training grounds’ gates. “You’re still here! Does that mean you’re gonna stay another night?”

And it was bursting with hope too, which he also expected.

Ingo turned his attention to the dirty, scuffed up, sweaty teen running towards him from across the battlefield, returning hastily from the day’s mirelands expedition. She was absolutely filthy — had she been running through the onix tunnels again? “Ah, welcome back, Miss Akari; I was just debating my departure… I am still undecided.”

“Really?” Akari slumped. “Stay with me again! Please? Look, I even found this today in a distortion-”

Turning to reach into her satchel, she rummaged around until she pulled out a little cardboard box. While it once seemed decorative and bright, it was not caked in just as much dirt and mud as she was. 

“It’s a card game! I had to wrestle a heracross for it!” That explained why she was so dirty. “I wanted to play it with you tonight! Now you’ve got to stay over, because I didn’t go through all of that for nothing!”

She was trying so hard to get him to stay, and Ingo could see that.

Maybe tonight would be ok. Maybe he’d be fine again.

Taking in a deep breath, Ingo put his hands on his hips and dipped his head. “Alright Miss Akari, one more night.”

“Yes!”

[naussensei]

By the end of the day, Suguru was glad he could convince the other two against the arcade and headed to Satoru's room instead, to enjoy some video games before group “studying”. Suguru, of course, knew there wasn’t going to be a whole lot of studying.

They were on their fifth round of Mario Kart, Suguru failing just as miserably as Shoko, when Satoru suggested another game.

“You guys suck,” he complained, accommodating himself on the bed where the other two sat, using Suguru’s thigh as a pillow and Shoko’s legs as a footrest. “Don’t ever get a driver’s license, I’m never getting in a car with one of you two behind the wheel. You should only stick to dragons, Suguru. And you, Shoko, you should only stick to… I don't know. Dead people.”

“Shush, it’s because you keep distracting us,” Suguru said, moving his leg just enough for Satoru’s head to slowly slip off.

“Yeah. Why don’t you ever wanna play if you’re so good at– No!” Shoko yelped as her character fell off a cliff, moving side to side along with the controller. “Ah shit! Not again!”

“You don’t get it,” Satoru sighed. “I don’t play with you two because it would be too easy to beat you, it feels unfair and boring.”

He rolled on the bed to rest his head on Suguru’s thigh again, and this time Suguru did not move away, too busy keeping his elbows up not to smack someone on the face as he moved side to side gripping the controller like his life depended on it. Satoru has said countless times before to turn the joystick and not the controller or his body, but he couldn’t help it.

"Well, pardon me, Mr. Otaku.” Shoko said, setting the controller aside. She’d already given up on finishing the race by then, and so had Suguru. “We can't all be gaming experts."

"I'm not an otaku," Satoru huffed bitterly, "I was just born talented, unlike you two losers."

"If by ‘talented’ you mean staying up until 4 am to get better, sure, you’re very talented," Suguru shot back with a sneer, which earned him a hysterical laugh from Shoko and a massive side eye from Satoru.

“Fuck you,” Satoru slapped him with the back of his hand on the stomach, not as soft as Suguru would’ve wanted; the sound rebounding in the room, only making Suguru laugh harder. Shoko and him were now holding their bellies and doubling down on the bed with laughter, the controllers left forgotten on the floor now.

But Satoru wasn’t laughing. Oh, he wasn’t. He had risen up on his elbows to reach for Suguru’s face to slap him, which Suguru repelled with his own hands to cover his face just in time.

“Wait, stop, stop. Time out— I can’t breathe,” he pleaded between giggles as he tried to resist Satoru’s insistent hands, but the laughter had weakened him. Satoru was now towering over him with an evil laugh that only contributed to make Suguru laugh harder. In a desperate attempt to shake him off, Suguru kicked his feet, which Satoru’s Infinity easily cushioned.

The laughter didn’t linger, however.

Satoru kneeled up, his hand latching onto Suguru’s ankle. He yanked it up, and the next moment Suguru was lying flat on his back with one foot up, hips slightly lifted off the bed; Satoru staring down at him.

When their eyes met, Suguru’s smile dropped. Something jolted from the tip of his toes down to his head, sinking into the mattress. Everything down his waist seemed to have melted.

Satoru’s grin was short-lived as well. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words could be heard. They were swallowed down as he gulped hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

The air left Suguru’s lungs all at once as he watched him, suddenly suffocated. His chest was crushed, heaving under the weight of Satoru’s gaze; Satoru’s hand burning on his ankle.

“Um, guys…” Shoko’s voice jolted them both out of their stillness, causing them to recoil and swiftly sit up on the bed. For a moment, Suguru had almost forgotten she was still in the room with them, sitting on the bed. If his face had felt hot and flustered before, it was now scarlet red and feverish.

To Suguru’s relief, Shoko was staring at her phone when he worked up the courage to look at her.

“There’ll be no English test tomorrow,” she said, oddly enough, not very enthusiastically.

“Why?” Satoru asked, but Suguru did not dare to look at him yet.

“Classes got canceled.” She brought her phone up for them to read a text from Yaga. Suguru took a deep breath, fever still pounding in his temples as Satoru scooted closer. Their shoulders touched when they leaned in to read the message.

Today’s mission:

Grade: 1

Time: 11.30 P.M.

Place: Shinjuku

Meet seniors at the

subway station and

follow instructions.

Be cautious.

[adoriels-tears-if]

You know reading back to the first QA for Elianna and Ash, make me chuckle at how Tobias is giving Ash side eye like bro when are you gonna give me child support for help raising your kid 🤣

Jokes aside I found it interesting how much Tobias was holding back when listening to Ash replies to certain questions. To me not counting Elianna being in the room which probably softens any blow on how Tobias would react, it seems like he was trying to be understanding and courteous to Ash especially towards the last questions where it seems like he felt little guilty and holding his tongue. Obviously the beef between them is probably one sided because I personally can't see Ash holding a grudge against someone like Toby but with Tobias, I think he's more angry on MC's behalf.

Like when he questions Ash about if he were sure that was a right decision to abandon mc and literally choose to forget for their 'safety' I think he could understand mentally that being a good choice or the only choice but not something he personally chose to do. Maybe it part of the abandoned issue he had living in the orphanage, losing people over the years, and holding tightly to the bonds he already had that TO HIM it's unimaginable to ever willingly choose to forget mc add the hurt he knows Ash absence gave mc a child whom he cares dearly for like it was his own child.

I don't think the whole sort of love triangle between the trio in the past is part of the problem here. Maybe it helps grow the seeds of discontentment for Tobias but I think he personally doesn't approve of the way Ash and Elianna go about this decision to 'protect' mc especially Ash part. While he doesn't mention mc to his higher ups so far Only he is the one personally asking mc opinions and making accommodations for them, like when he becomes a mentor it's him seeking out mc to have a talk compared to Eliana telling mc either after the fact or guilting mc into accepting because it's for MC safety.

Tobias seems like the only person who understands mc the best and understands asking forgiveness later isn't going to help bridge the gap and hurt Ash's unwanted abandonment did to them. Even if Elianna truly hopes maybe even forced herself to believe that everything is okay in the end they'll be a family. Does she really understand her own child? What if mc ends up forgiving Ash but wanting nothing due with him? What if mc doesn't accept Ash and absolutely hates him for putting them into a hateful world? What if mc resents both of them? It's not like she ever asked or gave enough information about Ash for MC to understand or even know about him other than he's a good person and "loves them"

I think knowing this and watching Ash literally have a mental breakdown episode in front of his own eyes and hardly anyone could comfort him except Elianna giving him false hope that his decision—their decision was the right one. I...think even for the readers who accept the choice to have Ash in their life as father figure it's not going be the idealic as they (Ash and Elianna) want it to be...after all mc will be young adult who doesn't really need a father at this point, maybe they can be friends but that's still not great as how can you excuse years of neglect.

(pss: I personally do love Ash and absolutely love to have the option for MC to become friends with him to maybe help each other support heal their mental scars and have me learn their elven heritage but even in this 'good end' I still feel there going to be some hidden resentment even if unjustified. This all is like a Greek tragedy. There's really no winning side just a less evil option.)

frankly I don't know what I liked more the fact that you took the time to write such a long and thoughtful review or the fact that you understand the characters.

For Tobias, the fact of inflicting himself on forgetting his love and his child is something he can't understand.

no actually more than not understanding I think it terrifies him

And I think it's because he's forgotten a lot of his life before the orphanage because he wasn't always an orphan he had a family at some point.

that's why he clings so much to Eliana a MC a Cecily. Thats why he's so angry and bitter toward Ash.

but if he'd been in Ash and Elianna's shoes, what would he have done?

[frazzledsoul]

Probably preaching to the choir here, but I find the constant revisionism regarding Christopher Hayden's sporadic attempts at fatherhood rather frustrating.

I often see his fans argue that Lorelai "kept Rory away from him and refused to let him participate" and that "she made it uncomfortable for him." But did she? She declined his marriage proposal because he was uninterested in Rory from the beginning. She left home and moved thirty minutes away, worked her way up to a middle-class life, and made it clear he was free to do whatever the fuck he wanted. We're told he calls Rory every week (I find this unconvincing, but whatever), he sees her on holidays, he knows how to find Rory and Lorelai when he finally visits them 14-15 years after they move there. It sure doesn't sound like Lorelai hid her away and didn't tell Christopher where they lived or refused to allow him to visit her. Not to mention that we are explicitly told in season 1 that she's "always held the door open to her, you just never wanted to use it" and he agrees.

The other thing she tells Rory in that S1 episode is that "he's going to come and go as he pleases, hon, you know that." Contrary to the belief that she kept Rory away from him, she actually is super accommodating any time he wants to show up and contribute and she never rebukes him for all the times he didn't feel like it. She doesn't appear to ever ask him for money or criticize him for being a bad dad and of course, she keeps sleeping with him any time he does anything half-decent. She's raised Rory to think that it's inevitable he's going to treat them like crap and only show up when it's convenient for him and that they can never be mad at him or hold it against him because she didn't marry him when he offered so long ago. The idea that he had a responsibility to Rory regardless of whether Lorelai was willing to be in a relationship with him is not a reality in their world. It doesn't help that both sets of grandparents seem to blame the entire situation on Lorelai and don't expect Christopher to contribute in any way.

And of course, Christopher doesn't really care about Rory. He's mostly eager to act like a dad when there are cracks in Lorelai's relationship with Luke and he senses an opportunity to get in her pants (he usually succeeds at this). Once that opportunity goes away, he disappears. He drops out of Rory's life once Gigi is born. He doesn't appear to be in contact with her after he and Lorelai divorce until it's time for her graduation. After Lorelai stops talking to him once she reconciles with Luke in the post-OS period, he stops talking to Rory, too. Even the offer to pay for the second half of Rory's college education only comes when he inherits a bunch of money he didn't earn and offers to buy *Lorelai* anything she wants until Rory reorients his offer towards something practical. Rory is a means to get to Lorelai and not much more. And of course, we know from AYITL that he sends Gigi away to her mother eventually as well, giving up on her too.

This is not to say that Lorelai always behaves perfectly. She avoids telling Rory about Christopher requesting to make holiday plans with her for a few days and she does a lot to poison Rory against Christopher/Sherry in S3 because SHE'S mad at him for rejecting her and Rory feels she has to take her side. Still, I don't feel this is equal to all of Christopher's neglect and at any rate Rory is a big girl now, a legal adult, and can develop a relationship with her dad beyond her mom if she wants. Christopher doesn't appear to be terribly interested.

(Oh, and the aforementioned S2/S3 behavior is why you shouldn't be best friends with your daughter, as it's inevitable that your hurt feelings will get in the way of what's best for her and her relationship, however frayed, with her other parent. That is another topic, though).

In the end, all this does have a profound effect on Rory. She's often submissive in her relationships (especially with Dean) and lets problems fester instead of dealing with them because that's what's been modeled for her. She also regularly cheats with old boyfriends because her parents taught her that you always have a claim on your first love and that overrides whatever commitment you're currently making. And of course, in the AYITL era she seems to have copied his life patterns a bit too much, as she's got no real incentive to change at this point.

Lorelai wasn't too hard on him. She was way too easy on him and put up with too much of his shit over the years, and that had its own reverberations. Both Lorelai and Rory should have been allowed to be angry at him for his neglect. It never happened.

[whitedarkmoonflower]

Captive Part 3

Sihtric x OC

Authors note: the third part of the Captive. If you liked the story – give me a hint that you want it to continue and what you would like to happen next. I have too many endings in my mind and can’t decide.

Summary: Sihtric is sent to Heasten’s camp to spy and discovers the Danes have a captive – young Saxon girl he just can’t leave to her fate.

Word Count: 1,536

Part 1 , Part 2. Part 3, Part 4

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sihtric knew that the only way to escape the pursuers was to keep moving as fast as they can. There was no time for rest. The Danes will discover Elfflead missing first thing in the morning and the great hunt will start. But they were slow, too slow to make real use of the advantage in time they had. Elfflead stumbled, she was tired and out of breath. Her grip on Sihtric’s hand was getting desperate as she struggled to keep up with his pace.

“I can’t anymore,” she breathed heavily and stopped.

“We can’t stop now. We are close,” Sihtric was determined not to let her rest.

“Close to what?” Elfflead was surprised.

“To the cave I spent the night in on the way here,” Sihtric explained, “But first we must go up that small stream, it will conceal our trace and it is just the opposite direction they will expect us to go. Common, lady, we must move on,” Sihtric commanded and gripped Elfflead’s hand tightly.

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

It was evening again when they reached the cave. Its entrance was concealed by a curtain of ivy and moss. Sihtric carefully pulled them aside and waived to Elfflead to enter it, he followed and let the green curtain to slip back in its place. As they ventured deeper, a hidden expanse unfolded, revealing a cavern spacious enough to provide shelter. Shafts of dim light pierced through narrow crevices in the rock, casting strange glow and shadows upon the chamber's interior. The cavern's floor was carpeted with a bed of moss and soft earth and in the heart of the cave, a natural recess provided a small alcove, just large enough to accommodate a fire.

Sihtric spread his fur coat on the ground and gestured to Elfflead to sit down.

“You must rest, lady. We are safe here and you will need all your strength tomorrow again,” he insisted, “I will make the fire.”

Elfflead curled herself on the coat, but sleep was evading her, and she kept looking over to Sihtric who was sitting on the ground by the fire.

Sihtric did not want to look at Elfflead. He did not know what to do with this girl he had so foolishly rescued without any plan on how to fulfil his promise to lead her to safety. And gods… he wanted to keep that promise more than anything. He could feel her gaze on his back, he knew she did not sleep, and so he turned. She was sitting embracing her knees. Their eyes met for a moment before Elfflead turned ger gaze down to the ground before her feet, her delicate frame trembling with a mixture of fear and exhaustion.

“Sihtric,” she lifted her head and locked her eyes with Sihtric’s, her voice barely above a whisper quivered with desperation, "please don't leave me. I know I'm slowing you down. But there is no way I could survive here without you.”

Sihtric gazed into Elfflead’s eyes. Despair in her voice tugged at his very core and the fragility of her beauty made him almost speechless. He stood up, went towards her, and lowered himself beside her leaning his back against the cave’s walls. He placed his arms around her, pulling her closer. Elfflead stiffened. She had never been so close to any man before in her whole life. It felt so wrong and at the same time so good to be hold by his strong arms and a moment later she relaxed, lowered her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She felt safe although her common sense was telling her that this feeling was completely irrational, even mad.

Sihtric sighed, the smell of her hair and the touch of her head leaning on his shoulder sending a jolt of electricity through his veins.

"Lady Elfflead," Sihtric whispered, his voice filled with tenderness. "I could never leave you behind. You are not a burden to me, and you can never be."

Sihtric gently touched her chin with his rough fingers and lifted her face to be able to look into her eyes. Sihtric leaned closer, his voice laced with sincerity. "I have probably gone mad, but you fill me with feelings I never knew existed.”

Tears welled up in Elfflead's eyes, reflecting the wavering firelight and Sihtric was completely smitten by her beauty. All their journey long Sihtric had been trying to suppress the feelings that were kindling in him since the very moment he entered that tent and saw Elfflead for the very first time. It was madness and it was hopeless. He was a Dane and a warrior. There was nothing he could offer to a high-born lady from the richest and powerful house in the whole Mercien. And there was absolutely nothing that could attract such a lady to him. But there he was holding her in his arms and unable to hold back any longer he leaned in and softly pressed his lips against Elfflead's.

It seemed to Elfflead that the air between them had suddenly become charged with an electrifying anticipation. Sihtric’s lips felt so hot on hers. Without even thinking what she was doing, Elfflead kissed him back. Sihtric pulled back with a look of disbelief on his face and his hands trembled as he gently cradled Elfflead's delicate face, his fingers grazing the contours of her cheek. Sihtric leaned in, his breath mingling with hers, and their mouths melded together again, each tender touch sending shockwaves of pleasure through their veins. Sihtric groaned and his lips went exploring the curves of Elfflead's neck and shoulders down to her collarbone. Sihtric wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight and pulling her closer with a strength that conveyed both protection and longing. Sihtric's lips were back on Elfflead’s and his tongue gently sought entry in her mouth, which she granted him with a soft gasp of pleasure. Slowly and gently, he lowered her on his fur coat and while his tongue continued to explore Elfflead’s mouth, his rough warrior hands were brushing her breasts and slipping down to her waist and then to her thighs.

Elfflead’s head was spinning, and her heart raced at such a speed that she thought it must jump out of her breast. Each kiss and each touch were sending waves of pleasure all over her body. Sihtric’s hand that had reached her thigh was now pushing up her dress while his hot lips ventured again to her neck, then down to her collarbone and further down to her breasts. His hand had finally found its way under her dress, and she gasped when he touched her bare skin on her thigh and moved his hand to her bottom. Elfflead was melting in his grip, she had closed her eyes and her fingers were tangling and twisting his long, thick, and curly hair. She stiffened a bit embarrassed that she had no idea how to respond to Sihtric’s touch, how to show him that she wanted him to continue and that she was ready for whatever this man would do with her. In this very moment Sihtric suddenly froze, his left hand was still holding her butt, but in the next second he had withdrawn it and placed on her cheek holding her face firmly and making her to look straight into his eyes.

“Lady,” he spoke his voice hoarse and carrying a hint of sudden realisation, “have you ever been with a man before?”

Elfflead was unable to say anything. She was staring in Sihtric’s eyes and felt tears welling up in hers. She shook her head and in the very same moment Sihtric let go of her and withdraw from their embrace.

“No, no… I am so sorry. Please don’t go away,” she prayed.

“You are sorry? For what?” Sihtric asked in confusion.

“I don’t know how to please a man,” she was whispering with her cheeks blushing and her gaze turned to the ground.

Sihtric was looking at her in disbelief. He sighed and leaned closer to Elfflead just to put a kiss on her forehead.

“You silly girl!” he exclaimed with astonishment, “Fuck, I am such a fool! I should have thought about that before... I can’t do this, lady! I can’t use your fear and desperation, not in this way. I could never forgive myself if I did.”

“But, Sihtric, no ... I want this. Yes, it is my first time ever, but I want this. Not because I am afraid of you leaving me. Don’t think so. I have never felt safer in my whole life than in the moment you were holding me. I want this, I really do…” Elfflead was almost begging, but Sihtric had already gotten up.

“Lady, I promise I will get us out of here and bring you to safety. And then you can decide whether you really want something from me or not,” Sihtric’s voice was full of determination. It took him all his inner strength to turn away and to go to the small fireplace. He did not look back being afraid that if he had he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

“Sleep, lady! I will keep the watch.”

[harrowharks-iliac-crest]

4

Seventh skull... that bodes well; everyone we've ever met from the Seventh is dead, and we are firmly in the realm of the living.

The plants filtered out some of the clinging smoke, and Nona loved to look at the trees and the bristly, curving shapes of the shrubs and bushes.

Me too, Nona. Sounds like you don't have a lot of plants there.

Another place had been cleared and ineptly concreted over, and they put the cages there. The cages were bone-cold and they’d been almost fully cleaned, but Nona didn’t like looking,

Cages... for what, Nona?? Or... for whom???

Then the teacher said, unexpectedly: “Hot Sauce is here too.” Not even the teacher knew Hot Sauce’s real name. Nona said, “That’s early.” “Yes. I asked her why, but she wouldn’t say. Check on her, won’t you?” As though Nona could check on Hot Sauce. “I’m worried about her, living alone. I’ve tried to tell her about the sheltered accommodation, but she’s too independent…”

We're finally getting to see Nona at school!

Honestly, I'm with the teacher on this one. As much as Hot Sauce is a leader and independent and all of that, she's also an orphan of like, fourteen.

Hot Sauce said, “Don’t let them see you from the window.” “Who’s watching?” “Don’t know. Green building. Fourth floor.” Nona was smart enough to catch herself getting up to look, which she privately congratulated herself upon.

Someone is watching. Hot Sauce doesn't think they're watching for Nona, but you can never be sure with these things. For all we know, the Emperor and/or Blood of Eden have lost track of Harrow's body and might very much like to get it back, no matter who is currently residing in it.

But Nona is so precious. I love her. She's so bright and full of love for plants and animals and people around her and herself. Have I mentioned that she's precious and that I love her?

Hot Sauce’s failure to ask anyone’s opinion on anything she did was probably the reason she was the unquestioned authority in the school, over and above the teachers. Nona had told Palamedes about it and Palamedes had said, Lead researcher material, certainly.

Lol, having worked in research, this is most certainly a diss against some kind of lead researcher Palamedes has worked with in the past. Maybe even himself.

She was a gallant little person of fortyish who gave the impression that she had learnt a lot early in life and discovered late that it was no real good to her or anyone else. This lent her teaching a weightless, secretive feeling, like it was really all for fun at the end of the day.

We meet "the Angel" for the first time properly, and this whole thing is a big mood. Same, Angel.

Nothing Pyrrha drank could really hurt her. She had even drunk the contents of the bleach bottle once. When Palamedes had asked why, Pyrrha said she had realised she wasn’t used to being tortured while immortal and wanted to get a head start, and Palamedes said bullshit because he thought Nona had not been listening. Nona wondered if the Angel had been drinking too, albeit not bleach, which had given Pyrrha some sensational hiccups.

Hold on. Pyrrha drank bleach?? Is she. Is she okay?

I mean, if you think about it, she's really not; she's stuck in Gideon the First's body, Gideon is dead, all Pyrrha's friends are dead, and she can't go back to the Emperor, and she can't go to the Blood of Eden, and she's here working her arse off for these kids, which is really what Nona and Cam and Palamedes are to her. Hard, thankless work day in day out, with very little idea of when this will end.

Oh, Pyrrha.

Everyone turned to look at Nona, who writhed beneath this judgement, and they agreed that she had not looked well for, like, weeks. “I do,” she said indignantly. “Look at my braids—I look wonderful,” which thankfully replaced their worry with a group effort to squash her vanity. They often took it in turns to squash Nona’s vanity, which never worked.

Good.

Anyway, she looks like Harrow, who's never looked particularly healthy in her life. Sorry to break it to you, Nona. She's in a Lyctor's body, which means very little can truly hurt her - I bet she could survive drinking bleach like Pyrrha - but if the other kids think she hasn't looked well in weeks, but she was looking better before then, is there something going on?

Even if they all assured her that she was nothing to write home about, she could say, “Who cares? I can’t write,” and then they had to switch tack and squash her for being proud that she was so goddamned stupid.

This is so fucking precious. Keep being proud of your dead-body looks and your above average stupidity, Nona. We love you.

Anyway, this kinda points to Nona's sickly looks just being general Harrow-ness.

The most interesting sight was someone lounging in an alleyway opposite the school building, sitting in a busted-up chair next to an overflowing bin, and Nona watched intently, trying to decide if they were dead or not. She decided not dead, because they were wearing quite a good jacket and faceguard and nobody was coming around surreptitiously trying to take either.

I'm sure this isn't of any importance whatsoever.

[manyothermusingsofmine]

Summer Love || Drabble

Fandom: Xmen

Warnings: big fluffy feels; i'm not responsible for any damage this does to your teeth enamel

Wordcount: 2171

Summary: Love is a song that never ends; one simple theme repeating Like the voice of a heavenly choir, love's sweet music f l o w s on NOW KISS AN: Sorry the fic writer can't come to the phone right now she's dead from her own fluff

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

The trees had traded their sweet smelling blossoms for thick green leaves, gently swaying in the soft breeze of a lazy summer afternoon. Having nowhere else to be but here, Kurt was enjoying the few beams of sunlight that made it through the thick canopy, the shade provided by the greenery just as pleasant. He was waiting for someone, tail immediately happily wagging as he saw a familiar mop of wine colored hair pop up in his peripheral vision. She had been wearing it in a ponytail for most of the day, but had taken the hair tie out and was still shaking out the tresses of her hair as she approached him.

"Hi, Kurt. What was so important I needed to meet you all the way out here for?"

"I figured you deserved a little get away after all the progress you've been making. You really seem to click with a lot of the new team; you're making friends. I'm proud of you."

"Eh," Miranda replied, still not fully over her habit of diminishing her own accomplishments, "they're a nice bunch, which helps a lot. A lot of them with similar feelings to mine; makes it easier to talk about it, yknow? Until the social battery drains, anyway."

Kurt nodded, lightly leaning back against a thick tree trunk and gesturing at her to join him. She did, mirroring his pose as she allowed herself to enjoy the feeling of the afternoon.

"You're still introverted, after all," Kurt remarked, a small smile on his lips, "I don't think that'll ever change. You don't have to. I'm just glad to see you broaden your social circle. But I thought sharing a quiet afternoon together would be nice for you, after the game nights with my team and yours."

"Thank you," Miranda said softly, looking up at the canopy as it danced in the light breeze, "I wonder what it's like all the way up there. I would go look, but I haven't climbed into a tree since elementary school. I don’t think my body would appreciate the attempt."

She was suddenly very well aware that a set of eyes was watching her, to which she slightly turned her head to Kurt, some kind of mischievous emotion gleaming in his eyes.

"... What?"

"I can get you up there, if you want. Haven’t poked around in any trees lately, either; but it’s fun. I might just take you up on the offer."

Ah, right. He could bring her there in a heartbeat if she asked. She looked up for a moment longer, thinking if she really wanted that or not. He followed her gaze, looking between the leaves to conjure up a plan of getting up to one of the branches thick enough for two people to comfortably sit on.

"Just don't drop me."

"I won't," he assured, offering his hand for her to take. When she did, he pulled her close to himself, "hold on and don't let go until I say so, okay?"

"Okay."

As soon as he felt confident she was hanging on, he teleported both of them as far up as he could, hanging on to the absolute massive tree trunk and having a quick look around before beaming over to a big, sturdy looking branch that would indeed accommodate both of them. He helped her get comfortable on this tree branch first; setting her in between himself and the tree trunk before instinctively wrapping his tail around her waist twice as another safety precaution just in case she leaned too far backwards and lost her balance. She just lightly patted the tail as he sat down next to her.

"Well, if all else fails, guess I'm taking up bungee jumping."

He laughed softly, looking down and only seeing a few slivers of the ground as he did. They really were hidden away in an enormous sea of leaves in every possible hue of green.

"I don't think anyone can even see me up here; despite me usually standing out. This tree really did its best with all these leaves," he felt how she rested her head to his shoulder, quiet and gentle bliss between them as the tree had allowed them to hide away from the world for a little while.

"Hey," he started softly, "Gambit asked me to take over another training session. Given his nonsense last time I have half a heart to not take his word for it and let him sort something else out.

"Otherwise occupied?" Miranda asked, air quoting the words for emphasis to which Kurt gave a small hum of agreement with a hint of suspicion to it

"That's what he says, ja. I just wanted to talk to you about it first, before getting roped into his actions again."

"I mean, training with you is fun," Miranda quietly admitted, the hint of a blush tinting her cheeks, "besides, my footwork is still ass, I need all the help I can get with that."

"..... About that," now it was Kurt's turn to blush lightly, a very faint purple on his cheeks, "you sure you want those lessons from me? Last time seemed to overwhelm you with how close we had to be for it..."

She was suddenly painfully aware of how close they were right now, sitting upright as her heart skipped a beat.

"W-Well, I know what to expect now, it'll be fine!" it came out of her with a nervous laugh, to which he just raised an eyebrow, "it's just- Yeah, okay. You really caught me off guard the first time around. Not in a bad way, or anything, but that felt more like teaching me how to dance than teaching me footwork in fighting."

"The two do go hand in hand after all; as an extension of my gymnastic routines I took up tango. And ja, I've heard it all before. "Wow, really thought you'd be one for the waltz"- I know the waltz too. Tango is simply more fun and energetic," he watched as the blush on her face grew slightly more intense, "if you ever want to be taught either, let me know."

"Think you would get annoyed with my two left feet really fast."

"Doubt it; you trust me and don't mind following my lead. Everything else is just practice."

They sat there in silence for a bit, watching as a songbird flocked down on the branch as well and curiously observed them before fluttering of, singing a little tune the whole way it flew off

"... What actually happened in that last moment before you left?" Kurt then asked. It was something that hadn't left his mind ever since it happened, how quickly she tapped out and vanished from view when he had stopped her from falling to the ground. Her blush got worse, her invisibility flickering for a moment until she decided to make it stay off. Maybe it was a stupid thing to tell him, but it would haunt her forever if she didn't. He clearly wanted to know.

"... The thoughts on my mind freaked me out. You were so close my brain was convincing me that... that you could hear my heartbeat," she paused, the lump in her throat suddenly feeling incredibly heavy.  She just looked at him, wondering if what she was about to say would mean risk losing everything they had now. Rogue's words and implications sang around in her head, how she felt like they were actually a good match for each other. Keenly aware of the tail still wrapped around her waist, the warmth of him right next to her, Miranda debated for a moment longer on what to do before her brain agreed that taking this leap of faith to find where they really stood was better than wondering for years on end what might have been had she just told him. It was going to take every damn fiber of her bravery and her impulsion, but this felt like the only moment where she could actually tell him that-

"....... it made me want to kiss you."

Her voice was so soft, barely above a whisper as telling this made her feel incredibly vulnerable. As soon as he looked at her clearly surprised by this admission, she looked away, the blush on her face further intensifying as she flickered in and out of view again. Her power still had no idea what to do about the sensation of embarrassment, unable to decide whether that was enough to trigger her hide response or not.

"Why didn't you?"

Her eyes flicked back to him as she wanted to tell him how that seemed like kind of a ridiculous question, that of course she couldn't start randomly obeying her impulses like that with zero input from him; but her gaze got caught in his. Deep, glowing pools in hues of amber, gold and yellow that she could get lost in for hours if she only had the luxury to do so, reigniting the same desire she had spoken off. Her brain couldn’t keep up, the swirling vortex of the emotions he evoked in her too much to deal with to keep the filter on her mouth intact

"I-I wouldn't know how. This- All of this," she gestured at her own face as shades of red and pink were happily painting patches all over her cheeks, "never happened to me before, like, ever. To the point where I thought all those love songs people sing are just straight up bullshit, there's no way you can feel that way about someone, I didn't- never did, not until-"

She fell completely silent as he turned further to her and slowly placed a hand to her cheek, allowing her to simply melt into the touch and giving her a moment to breathe- quieting her mind as if entering the eye of a hurricane and enjoying the tranquility from it.

"Never?" he asked softly, and from the tone of his voice she could tell he wasn't judging her in the slightest, just looking for confirmation that he understood what she told him. She placed her hand over his, lightly nodding as she held his hand in place and tried to calm her still racing heart. Silence lingered between them for a while, pleasant and comforting yet with a spark of electricity, until he broke it.

"May I kiss you?"

She was convinced she stopped breathing for a moment, her voice completely giving up on her and rendering her speechless; she could only nod as answer to his question. He lightly moved his hand down to her jawline, running his thumb over her skin before gently pulling her in and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. It was sweet, chaste even; if she had never done anything like this before then he wasn’t going to rush her into anything more than a polite, gentle kiss like this.

Especially not when this apparently was already enough to hard crash her brain. As soon as he pulled back, he saw for a split second that the red hue on her face had fiercely deepened before her invisibility decided to finally take reign as she flickered out of view. He felt how she escaped his hand, and the weight of her head on his shoulder as she buried her face there the moment after.

"... That doesn't really work when I already know where you are, Süßer," and he really couldn't stop himself from laughing ever so slightly as a garbled, muffled response came from the invisible woman hiding against his shoulder. Another very muffled line came, and he still couldn't make out what she was saying

"I can't understand that, sorry,’ he felt her shift against him, in such a way she could actually vocalize properly instead of muffling herself completely in his shoulder while remaining out of view.

"Does this make us partners?" his heart simply melted at how softly she asked, voice tinged with worry at what his response was going to be, no doubt. Gauging where she exactly was from the weight against his shoulder and from how his tail was wrapped around her, he adjusted how he was sitting even more so he had the ability to put his arms around her.

"Do you want us to be?" he could feel her nod against his shoulder, "then partners it is."

"I'm... I know this is going to look ridiculous to anyone looking up, but, uhm, I'm gonna stay like this a little bit longer if you don’t mind. Just… G-give me a minute."

"It's okay. Take your time."

“…. W-when I do, could you- would you kiss me, again?”

“Ja. If you want me to.” He felt her nod again and mumble how she felt like her heart was going to give out, making him unable to keep a small laugh to himself; he simply found her adorable like this as his cheeks turned a much deeper shade of purple.

[like-rain-or-confetti]

Wake Up Next to You

Waking up from a one night stand and you're definitely not in your own bed. You weren't even entirely sure who you went home with. Their face blurred in your mind but their touch most certainly was not.

Copperhead: You woke up to the feeling of short blonde spiked hair on your cheek and the weight of a body on top of you. You quickly learned this wasn't going to be an easy escape. The person stirred at your careful wriggling. Their arms pushed themselves up as they angled their face towards you. Your eyes widened when you recognised the face. This was Copperhead. One of Black Mask's assassins he had hired. Oh shit. You went home with Copperhead!? On top of that, since it wasn't your bed, it definitely had to be hers. Eyes half-lidded with a sleazy smirk, Copperhead lowered herself back down, trapping you with her body. "Oh look at that look of panic." She teased with a chuckle. "Don't you worry, precious. I only touched when you asked me to." You vaguely remembered that now that she mentioned it. You're never drinking again. You can't ever drink again if this is where you end up. Copperhead reached over for her phone and checked it before huffing. "It's not even eight-thirty.Go back to sleep, precious." She sent you a smirk. "Unless you want to do something else." Her tongue slithered out at you. "I can think of a few things I'd happily accommodate." As though to price a point, her head moved into your neck, planting slow kisses that made you shiver.

Black Mask: You woke up in what was possibly the comfiest bed you had ever lay in. You heard the flick of a lighter. You rolled over and immediately hit an arm. You looked up and your blood froze. There, unmasked but recognisable was Roman Sionis and you were in his bed. Smoke streamed from his mouth before he turned to you. A smirk formed. "Hey, doll." Your mouth went dry. This couldn't be happening. You moved to get up but Roman's free hand shot out and grasped your arm. At the same time you winced before looking down. Roman chuckled. "Did a number on ya, did I?" He was smug, pleased as though he had accomplished something. "Come on now, doll. Don't be shy.You and I got to know each other very well last night and you know I won't ask nicely. Get back in bed. Now." Roman stared you down, daring you to challenge him. A challenge you would not take as you lay back. "Good, you still listen." He winked. "Maybe you remember it's to your benefit." He said as he reached for you.

The Riddler: You woke to fingers lightly scratching your head along with the scratching of pen to paper. Your arm was wrapped around a naked torso. Your other hand tucked behind you. Your cheek was pressed against someone's side, just above the jutting of what you were certain was a hip bone. You moved your head slightly to look up to see you had the Riddler -of all people- locked in your hold. What made it worse was how content he seemed to be. He hadn't even noticed you were awake, too focused on the notepad in front of him. You struggled to stay awake.His hand in your hair lulled you back to sleep when you couldn't fight it anymore.

Two-Face: You woke up tucked under his chin, your face buried in his neck. Your legs tangled between his and it hardly seemed against your will as your arm was wrapped under his, holding him to you. You felt a very toned muscle of the man's shoulder but the texture was different. It was rough and almost leathery, certainly not like skin. You pulled back as much as you could before realising you'd be pushing against the hand on the back of your head but what you did see left you without question. You were in Two-Face's arms and practically tangled in him. You quickly returned to your original position but it seemed the damage was already done. "Go back to sleep. It's only been a couple of hours." He grumbled.Well...if he insisted, what choice did you really have? "Okay." You mumbled and heard him mutter something incoherently beyond the word 'gorgeous'.

Scarecrow: You awoke to the feeling of a fingertip lightly trailing along your wrist to your hand that rested on your stomach above the covers. A large hand delicately caressed your hand and that's when you caught side of brown hair in the corner of your eye. You turned your head to see Jonathan Crane. That was unexpected. He rested his head against the curve of your shoulder. "Did I wake you?" He asked quietly. "I couldn't help myself but admire your gentle touch. It makes for quite a welcome change." You were lost for words. His bright blue eyes met your gaze and he smiled slightly. Holding eye contact, Jonathan moved his head to press a gentle kiss to the tip of your shoulder.He seemed almost in awe. His arm snaked around your body pulled you close to him.

Victor Zsasz: You felt a head wedged into your neck as you stirred. As you tried to get up, you realised arms had you locked in. You heard an annoyed grumble of protest as the person nuzzled further into your neck. You tried again and were met with a groan. Your stomach dropped when he lifted his head and you were face to face with a sleep and irritated Victor Zsasz. "Can you not?" He sent you an accusing look. "I...I need to go to the bathroom." You tried. "Hold it." He grumbled before his head moved back into your neck. Victor planted a gentle kiss as though it would appease you to stay and much to your surprise, it did as you quickly abandoned the lie. You decided you could think about this later and muttered a "Fine." Victor nodded in both agreement and approval against your neck, already falling asleep.

[parkert01]

Gifts - Jim Hopper

You have always shown your love for people through gift giving and acts of service, the people at the station had really become your second family since moving to Hawkins on your own. They helped you and guided you while you struggled to accommodate to a new place on your own. When Flo got you the job as the chief's assistant, you were extremely grateful, when you had been there for a couple of months, you were told that the chief's birthday was coming up, so you decided to bake him a chocolate cake, it was a classic, easy to bake and you just happened to know it was his favourite. When his birthday did eventually come around and you presented the cake to him, he was very grateful, hugging you tight. 

Months went by, there was no special occasions but you decided to start baking cookies for the station, it was a good way to pass time on a weekend and the staff seemed to appreciate it. You always had a crush on Jim, although you were hiding it well because no one had any idea. You thought he appreciated the baking goods you brought to work until you heard him saying "She's so clingy, always bringing stuff in when no one has asked her to. It's annoying". 

You decided that if he felt like that, then you wouldn't bring any things in for him. The next week, you brought some chocolate chip cookies in for the team, handing them out in separate containers, the team were confused why you didn't take any to Jim but decided not to question it. You avoided him, ducking into corridors and empty rooms when you saw and heard him coming in your direction, only speaking to him when it was the last option. He didn't notice it at first but after time, he did start to. He started to get annoyed at it and questioned the team, asking them if they knew the reasons why you were ignoring him, they all shook their head and shrugged their shoulders. 

Jim had enough, he decided to end this awkward atmosphere once and for all. You just happened to be walking past his office, he decided to bite the bullet and dragged you into his office by your arm and promptly closing and locking the door after. He trapped you in with no room to escape as he stood and blocked the door.  

"Why are you ignoring me? What have I done wrong?" Jim said while staring at you. You shook your head, trying not to let the tears fall down your face. "You have been ignoring me for weeks and I am sick of it. If you don't like me, just say it!" Jim demanded. You let out a sob, and looked at the floor. Jim's face fell, he realised he made you cry, slowly walking towards you as you backed away from him until your back hit the wall. He pulled you into a hug, holding you tight as you sobbed into his chest. 

After a while you pulled away from his chest, looking up at him. "I heard what you said about me bringing gifts for the station, how it was clingy and annoying. I don't want to annoy you Jim, I like you too much. I decided it was the best to keep my distance from you. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry love, I didn't mean it. I was having a bad day and took it out on you, I promise I will do better, don't apologise, it wasn't your fault."

You nodded, hugged him, kissed his cheek and started walking towards the door. You felt his hand wrap around your arm as he pulled you back towards him. He leant against his desk so he was at the same level against you, you looked at him confused as you stood in between his legs. He leant down and kissed you, your heart felt it was coming out your chest. You smiled into the kiss and pulled away. He slowly opened his eyes and laughed.

"So you like me?" Jim said, you rolled your eyes, sighed and said "Shut up" as you leaned in and kissed him again, sighing happily when you felt him kiss you back, simultaneously pulling you in closer to him by your waist with one hand while his other hand went to your cheek deepening the kiss

[spite-and-waffles]

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A post shared by Candice Patton (@candicepatton)

I stan nobody but if I stan anyone I stan Candice Patton and her Iris West. The absolute hailstorm of racism, misogynoir, trauma and alienation this lady and her character has been subjected to from the get-go is unreal. And yet for nine whole years she breathed beauty and warmth and genuineness into her character, even when delivering the worst lines of dialogue she was made to say that she knew would cause huge backlash (apologies for linking Screen Rant. Broken clock etc.). She co-founded "Shethority" with her friends Maisie Richardson Sellers and Caity Lotz in the wake of the Kreisberg scandal. And she always put herself on the line to speak out and hold her bosses accountable as much as possible.

All this while her character was barely allowed to kiss her co-star onscreen, let alone act with the same casual sexuality of any other married TV couple in a 7pm slot, under the guise of The Flash being a "family show". My heart broke for how utterly worn down and traumatized she was by the end, because not only did Berlanti Studios or the CW not protect or accommodate their Black artists and those of colour, they're also known for subjecting them to racist, misogynistic harrassment and severe exploitation of even their white male talent. This woman wasn't allowed a Black hairdresser or makeup artist for eight seasons, was only allowed to show her natural hair on-screen after five years, and had to watch her black co-stars being sidelined, suppressed and subjected to all manner of indignity with little space to offer solidarity or speak out (I don't care if Berlanti hired them for Love, Simon, the way his fucking studio treated Keiynan Lonsdale was a crime). Even her co-star Grant Gustin only woke up and came to her defence against the online abuse hurled her way eight years in.

Berlanti has cultivated a wholly unearned reputation as an envelope-pusher for the gay community in the entertainment industry, while playing it so safe that the gay couples in his shows are barely allowed to make out– the same way they treat interracial couples with one white partner. His buddy Kreisberg finally met his downfall after sexually harrassing the female workers in his shows for four years, but Marc Guggenheim, Wendy Mericle and Geof Johns are also known racists and misogynists. Even after Stephen Amell's breakdown, Ruby Rose going public with her physical trauma, firing Superman and Lois's Black writer Nadria Tucker, numerous attempts by Black actresses to speak on their working conditions in the CW, and the consistent bald misogyny, ableism and racism of these shows' storylines, the white queers in fandom continue to valorize Berlanti. Now with the release of Red, White and Royal Blue on Amazon Prime in August, again using a Mexican director and characters of colour to use QPoC fans as a shield and buttress, Berlanti's stock is going to be even higher.

The Flash had the potential to be a truly great show, and Candice's Iris West a real foothold for Black actresses and interracial romances in the white-dominated TV entertainment industry. Instead it was just another opportunity for it to grind them to dust. Just like so many other Black women and WoC who try to lead the charge. But through it all, Ms. Patton held the line. Y'all never deserved her. I hope she gets to heal and move onto projects that value her and allow her her full range of voice and expression, that recognizes and rewards her incredible talent and work ethic.

Fuck Berlanti, fuck the CW and fuck DCtv.

[ladyazulina]

Linney's Campaign

Masterpost - Campaign Page

🌸 Spring 1 🌸

Weather: Stormy ⛈️

Previous Part: Let's not get drenched anymore, please

Who's this?

Word Count: 2.386.

It was not a complete failure, despite arriving in the middle of a storm. This person, whatever their name is, was somewhat slightly helpful, guiding me to someone, Orion, in the valley, who could provide me with more information regarding the letter.

I hope so, because the truth is that I don't have any more leads… Or maybe I do, though it’s only just one, but I would feel a thousand times more comfortable if I don't have to use it.

“Well,” I look up at the woman behind the counter, “the good news is that he will be arriving soon…” She opens and closes her hands, excited.

“He?”

“The better news,” she points at me while she walks out, “is that I have an assortment of hot beverages to help with your inside freezing,” she stops at the end, drumming her long-nailed fingers against the surface, “how does it sound?” She hums.

“Oh,” I blink. “That really does sound good,” I murmur.

Her smile widens and she makes an arm gesture behind me. There are only a bunch of tall tables and reclining chairs, so I really hope I’m not misunderstanding this and that she does want me to sit down.

I take a few steps back to do so in the nearest chair and she doesn’t seem particularly displeased. I accommodate myself just a tiny bit.

“What’s your poison? Hot cocoa? Tea?”

I can’t help but smile at the hint of her own species.

“Hot cocoa, please.”

“It won’t take long,” she smiles, going back again towards that hallway, carrying the folded towel with her, “please get comfortable and try to rest. You will warm up pretty soon!”

She disappears under the arch and it’s like she took with her all the assurance. Should I just be sitting here quietly while feeling this cold inside? Shouldn’t I stand up and move and jump and try to get back the warmth the storm stole from me? The magicked towels and the light spheres are helping a lot with the outside part, but is on the inside the danger.

After days of traveling, with each step carrying its own obstacle, I reached my destination only to end like a popsicle?

“I’m baaaaack~”

I look at the scorpionkin woman wide-eyed. Am I losing the passing of time already?!

She’s smiling broadly, with a small circular tray that only has one wooden-like mug with a few marshmallows decorating the top in the exact middle between her hands. I’m feeling a little warmer just looking at it, and I haven’t caught sight of the steam yet.

“Did you rush it?”

She leans in so I don’t have to move to take the mug. It’s so warm to the touch that I don’t think, I bring it against my chest, as if the warmth is going to go through me directly to my frozen core. The sweet scent of the spices ��not all precisely sweet if I’m not mistaken– envelopes me in a cozy embrace.

“How do you believe that?” She laughs softly, waving a hand while taking down the other with the empty tray, moving it behind her back to hold it there. So professional. “I left some water boiling when I went inside before, so I just had to finish the drink,” she smiles.

I nod a bit, bringing the mug to my lips to take a sip. It’s not precisely hot, and it warms its way right where the magical external warmth can’t reach. I sigh, delighted.

“Good, right?” She chuckles, going back to leave the tray on the counter.

“Uh…” A sudden thought makes me wrinkle my nose. “I don’t want to ask, but… is this cocoa also magicked?”

She turns to face me, her whole corporal language changing. I can see the guilt all over her face, on her slumped shoulders, on the intertwined hands behind her back, on her brushing the tip of her foot against the floor, and even in the slightest lean of her tail towards one of her shoulders.

She did it. She magicked my cocoa.

“Just a tiny bit,” she brings two fingers so close that almost touch.

Is that why I find it so delicious?

“We use that mix sometimes in winter,” she’s quick to explain herself, “I had a bit still stored. It serves a lot to warm quickly, especially if the cold isn’t on the outside,” she plays with her fingers, her eyes down. “You said you were freezing inside, so I thought it would fit like a glove,” she finishes in a murmur.

I just smile, surprising even to me. I can’t say it didn’t help.

“Thank you,” I bring the mug closer to take another sip.

“Aren’t you mad?” She looks up at me, surprised, and I let her see my smile.

“Not at all,” I shake my head. “I would have loved if you told me beforehand, but you meant well and did great.”

“Oh, my Serket! I’m so glad!” She hops around, clapping.

“You have to promise me!” I raise my voice, stretching one hand to point at her. She stops in her track immediately. “That you will let me know beforehand in the future.”

“Done!” She goes back to hop.

“Say it!” I insist, already fighting my smile, taking the mug with both hands again.

“I promise!” She sounds excited and I want to laugh.

“Say all the words!”

“I promise to let you know beforehand if I plan to magic your things in the future!”

I sigh, feeling like I can finally rest against the chair.

“Good,” I murmur. “That’s good.”

I don’t know if it took just seconds, but my eyelids close on their own and I guess that I lose track of time.

I know I have been drinking one little sip at a time.

I know that since the first one, I started, slowly but surely, to regain my own warmth.

I know that I probably nodded off. I don’t know, I didn’t leave the scorpionkin woman taking care of her things behind the counter.

Why haven’t we exchanged pleasantries yet?

I know that- A thunder rumbles, loud enough to make me jump in the chair but so far enough to have passed above our heads, just before the door opens. Though I look down almost instantly, relieved at the fact that I didn’t spill even a drop of what’s left of the cocoa on myself.

“Are you here already?~” The scorpionkin woman comes out from behind the counter in rhythmic hops, absolutely delighted.

But I’m not looking at the person at the door, rubbing his shoes against the entrance rug. I’m looking that, behind him, isn’t raining. Until a second before he closes the door, when the torrential splashes with force.

“You called,” his voice is so grave and deep that I have to look at him.

Have I gone crazy already or his voice feels warm?

“As if you came every time I call,” she sounds upset now, with her hands on her hips, but somehow her voice is farther from where she’s standing.

That guy is a demon. With blue skin, some red in his eye, one horn going around the side of his head, pointing slightly to the side from below his pointy ear. His wavy black hair brushes his jaw, covering his other eye… and maybe the fact that something else is missing there. I don’t see the matching horn and, somehow, I don’t feel like is lacking.

His lips curve in a snarl and his brows furrow and there, just there I can be sure that that’s his resting expression.

He’s prepared for the weather with a hoodie, long pants, and boots, though I don’t see an umbrella or something similar, his gloved hands are empty. Of course he didn’t bring anything, the rain stopped when he was out there.

… It did?

“Sweetie?” I blink, looking at the scorpionkin woman leaning in front of me, almost completely blocking my view of the demon, who’s also looking at me but with a raised brow. “Are you still here with us?”

“What did you give her?” He asks, barely a few steps away from the door, crossing his arms.

“Just cocoa,” she doesn’t look at him, moving her head just a little in his direction, “with a few drops of Cozy Inside.”

“To a human?” I see him raising an eyebrow again.

“They can handle it,” she searches in my face, “it was just a tiny bit.”

“I don’t see her handling it well.”

“Them,” I murmur.

The scorpionkin woman’s face lights up.

“What did she say?” He leans forward, not coming any closer.

“‘They say’,” she corrects him with pleasure, looking at me with a brilliant smile. “They’re probably feeling a lot better now, and it wasn’t too much, it’s not that they’re not handling it well,” she straightens. “It’s just that they went through a lot, they’re decompressing.”

The demon makes a face. “Why did you call me?”

“What’s your name?” I finally ask. I think I’m processing everything just a bit slower than normal, but working at a snail’s pace.

“You’re right!” The woman brings her hands together. “We didn’t introduce ourselves! I’m Leif,” she leans a bit again, her tail straight behind her, “and I’m the innkeeper, though I think you already know that. What’s your name?” She holds her hands, leaning to the side.

The demon snaps his tongue.

“Linney…”

“Linney,” she stretches both palms facing upward, “it’s a total pleasure to be your acquaintance.”

“Do you have to be that weird?” He exhales.

“That guy over there,” she points at him without breaking our gaze, “is our lovely, overly-friendly, neighborhood demon, Chase.” She turns to face him, frowning. “They’re Linney.”

He frowns too. “What do I-“ but she didn’t wait for him to finish, coming back to me. “-care…” He snorts.

“Chase is here for two reasons,” she explains to me, raising two fingers before lowering one. “The first one is because he’s our greatest Weather magician,” she nods, proud as if she’s the one she’s talking about. “The second one,” she brings back the second finger, “is that, besides being our greatest Weather magician, he also has an empty couch,” she moves a hand.

“What?” He barks.

As if that settles it.

“They need a place to stay, Chase,” she looks at him, sounding tired, “and you know I don’t have more rooms. You’re the only one I can think of that can make sure they don’t get wetter and have a place to crash,” he’s about to retort, but she rushes it, “at least until the storm passes.”

He swallows his answer and I look down at the rest of my cocoa –with no traces of marshmallows since a while– before I can cross glances with any of them. The mug is still warm. Magic, of course. And I finish drinking it down.

“We can look for another place for them to stay when we can all meet. Good enough for you?”

“Not even close,” he shows his pointy teeth.

Is that a fang?

I look at Leif, but her face’s so far away I can’t make her expression.

“Do we have a deal?” She repeats, adamant.

He growls. “Fine!”

And she melts right there and then.

“Ow! I knew I can count on you!” She gets closer to take his arm, but he dodges her and shows her his teeth.

“Don’t! Go to sleep,” he points to the hallway.

I blink, getting up, and she comes back to take the mug from my hand. “Were you sleeping?”

“Oh,” she waves her free hand. “I wish. This storm has wrecked my schedule…”

“I didn’t know the scorpions were a nocturnal species,” I take off the towel.

“We are,” she smiles at me, taking it too. “Not all of us, but the vast majority. Mine is.”

“It’s good to know,” I smile back.

“Are we going or not?” Chase barks, making me jump.

I look at him turning to the door and opening it, so I rush to the table by the back wall, putting quickly the socks and making the spheres come out by turning the boots to also put them on.

“Don’t be a devil and wait for them!” Leif shouts after him.

I get up and put everything back into the bag, taking as much care as possible at the same time. He can’t get too far away… right?

“I’m sorry, that’s who I am!”

He sounds far away already!

I reach the door in three strides but look back at Leif.

“Thank you so much for your kindness.”

At least for a second, she seems at a loss for words, though she recovers quickly.

“Thank you for your company. And don’t mind him, he’s not that bad!”

I sigh, wishing to be able to believe her. “We will see about that…”

I get out, closing the door behind me, and surprise myself noticing that it’s not raining. Again. I look up at the cloudy sky, the sound of the storm not so far until I find it falling on the buildings on the other side of the arch.

Weather magic, Leif called it.

And Chase is using only a bit of it to make his way rainless.

Definitely convenient…

“How much more are you going to stay there?” I hear him, seeing him close to a statue, which seems to be the center of a square.

He shakes his head, turning to continue walking past it. And I jump when I feel a few drops falling on me, not even looking up before running to try to catch him.

Try My Best! #2 Goal: Get to know my host! Act with… wits (+3) Action dice (1d6): 5 (+3) Action Score: 8 Challenge dice (2d10): 4 (✅) + 8 (❌) Result: Weak hit - I succeed but lose track of time. If this brings me closer towards fulfilling a promise, mark 1 tick on it. Then, Time Passes.

Time Passes #1 Whenever I lose track of time, mark 1 tick on the current day in the calendar. If this tick does not fill the box, envision how time got away from your character. If you spent quality time with a Townie, gain 1 favor with them. Then, continue playing. +1 favor with Leif.

Tagging: @aziz-reads