#and so is my brother. i think he fixed my pc as soon as he could not only cos i need it for school but

[antihibikase]

First two days were anxiety inducing, third day was a little more bearable since my family was home! Change is incredibly difficult, but I'm really grateful for everyone wishing us well during such a scary time .. 🥹

[vclvetfleur]

Obedient Chapter 2

roman roy x fem! reader

Summary: After a week of getting the job you seemed to finally get a hold of Roman and his weird humor. You were finally proving yourself to him.

Warnings: Implied drug abuse, dark jokes, degradation

Word Count: 3.8k

Notes: Okay Chapter 2! I do want to warn that (not in this chapter) but later on there will be a reveal of a tragic backstory. Not that y/n is like Roman, but traumatized as well. Theres also going to be some kind of fluff in this one. I am trying to make this a slow burn, but it's so hard. ANYWAYS Soooooo I hope you enjooooy.

Chapter 2: Costa Azzurra Eau de Parfum

You left the office completely stunned. I guess that’s how everyone felt after first meeting Roman. Meeting him was definitely something no one could prep you for. But hey, I guess you finally have a job now. Before you could collect your thoughts, you saw Jess heading your way. “So? What happened? Oh my god, what’d he say?” She spoke quickly, expecting the worst from Roman. Every time she’s been around him wasn’t the best. He was arrogant, disgusting, selfish, rude, well Roman.

“I got the job.” You tried to collect your thoughts. You spent so much time prepping and getting ready for this. You thought at the very least this would be a bit more professional. You didn’t think you’d get berated for 3 minutes. You were at least expecting to even get asked your credentials. If you even made sense for the job. But I guess the Roy’s had enough money to keep everyone quiet and inline. They didn’t need to be too careful.

“You did?” She blinked quickly, looking at Roman then you. Roman spotted her stares and snickered and wiggled his fingers in a way to say hi.

All you could do is nod. “I did.” You finally broke out of your thoughts and started to laugh. You finally were going to see what it was like on the other side. No more struggling or worrying. You could finally pay off your student debt and other debt you’ve unfortunately had to be left with. “Uhh Roman said I needed to speak to you about getting all my stuff organized and all that.” Jess nodded before walking you through what the next steps were.

Before she could even start, Kendall needed her. “uh-Jess, I need you to help me out with a situation right now, Uh- “He started before looking down at you. “What happened? Aren’t you- wait did he just waste our time or-?” He began to question. He seemed stressed. Like he was in a panic for something. Gosh, what a wreck. He was practically sweating an entire fountain. He looked pale. You recognized what it was. Roman hinted at it. Rehab. But it didn’t seem like he quit a while ago. It looked like he really needed his fix. And soon.

“I’m just getting y/n organized, Roman said- “She started to explain before getting cut off by Kendall. I guess they just did that sort of thing. God, how pretentious.

“You don’t work for Roman, do you? No. Now uh-y/n just tell Roman to get someone else to do it. Uh- yea, anyways, I need you…” He quickly snapped before walking away with Jess. You barely made out what he was saying as he left you behind. You were on your own now. You decided to take a breather before having to endure what was Roman Roy once again. Once you composed yourself you turned around, fixed your suit before walking back to his office where he was slouching at his desk, staring at the screen. His head shot quickly up to you as soon as he heard the door, but relaxed once he saw it was you and ignored you for his screen again. “Did you lose your little buddy or something” he teased.

“Uh- no. Kendall told me to get you to help me out instead. Cause, and I quote, ‘she doesn’t work for Roman’” You tried to catch him up. Roman let out an amused sigh as he shook his head. “Wow my brother really does have a way with words. The PC king strikes back again with his stupid fucking union bullshit or whatever. Uh yeah okay, well I don’t know how to do that shit.” His eyes finally leaving his screen to look at you. But not really at you. He really made such intense eye contact. I guess you had to when your dad is the CEO and you might, which I really doubt Roman ever would, become CEO one day.

“Okay, so do I just- “You question pointing your thumbs to the door to go look for someone to do what Roman should be doing for you. “No no, uh just sit down, let me annoy Gerri. Fuck what’s the point of assistant it’s like having a hamster or something” He huffed in annoyance before spamming Gerri with messages to come to his office. He made every attempt to finally get her attention.

You watched an older blonde woman storm into his office, clearly not in a mood to be dealing with him and his issues, which she seems to have been doing for a bit. “What do you want now Roman?” She sighed.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind if you striped naked and y’know call me whatever name you have in your head right now” He implied before seeing her give up with him and nearly leaving. “wait-wait- okay sorry. Uh Kendall got me a new toy and I need her to fill some shit out. You know legal bullshit.”

You just couldn’t believe he could talk to her like that. Nonetheless she seemed like she wasn’t completely livid. She didn’t even tell him off. You looked up at her before standing up and putting your hand out. “Hi, y/n” You smiled. Gerri gave you a smile that gave you the feeling of a disappointed parent, you’ve seen that look before.  “Hi, just follow me and I’ll get you set up. Romans to incompetent to even find where half of his emails are.” She tried to rationalize with you before leading you out of his office. You just followed and sat down in a small conference room with her. “So, what do you do?” You asked before sitting down. She had her back turned to you as she was gathering all the paperwork from the filing cabinets. They had people coming in and out, so they had them ready. But Gerri was right, Roman was incompetent. “I’m the companies General Counsel, uh I basically just make sure they don’t ruin the company with legal stuff” She tried to explain. You nodded silently before taking the papers from her. You decided to read some of it over. You couldn’t believe what was in some of it. For starters I had to be on the clock and at Roman’s disposal 24/7. I had to basically play as this grown man’s mother. The NDA was worse. Nothing that happened or was said could ever leave my mouth or fingers if I were to type it out. I couldn’t tell anything to anyone. Maybe that’s why Jess was so quiet on how Kendall was and what was actually going on. But regardless, you signed. Once you saw what your salary would be, you signed immediately. It was basically making a deal with the devil himself. You practically sold your soul. But who wouldn’t for that kind of money. Once you finished giving off your information, Gerri picked them up and left a hand on your shoulder. “Good luck dear, just one rule I have for you, just don’t pay any of them any mind.” She warned before leaving.

You watched as she walked off, her heels clacking out of the room and leaving you alone. You stood up before finally exiting the room yourself.

You got up before going back to Roman for the day before seeing him grabbing his things on his way to leave. “Where are you going?” You asked. You hadn’t even been here an hour and he was leaving. “An orgy.” He joked before leaving the office. “Give me your phone quickly.” You tried to protest before he snatched it out of your pocket from your suit jacket. “What’s the passcode?” You reached back before he moved it away from you. “Nuh-uh. I need to give you my number if you’re gonna get paid. I do it with all my paid hookers.”

“I’m not a hooker. Or a pet. So, stop comparing me to that.” You stood your ground finally. You weren’t use to keeping your mouth shut. You never really even kept quiet this long. “Yea sure you’re not. That’s what the last Guinee pig hooker I hired said.” He said before using your face to finally unlock your phone. You reached out again before having him smack your hand out of the way. “Ow!” You cried out, holding your wrist.

“Boo fucking hoo, cry me a river, snowflake.” He seemed to try to correct you. You watched him intensely as he seemed to be on your phone forever now. “Oh what, you scared I’m gonna find some sex tape on this? You know it isn’t really smart to keep that on here. With the cloud and whatever the fuck those perverts do. Me, on the other hand, don’t care. You can watch all you want.” He shot you a wink. You reeled back. He wasn’t a good flirt. If this is what he called flirting. It was disgusting. He was basically a walking PR nightmare packaged in a small insecure man’s body. He tossed your phone up in the air before you could even process what happened. You frantically jolted and tried to grab it, thankfully grabbing it before it had fallen on the floor. “Done, I texted myself. I’ll text you what I need after my crazy insane BDSM orgy.” He laughed before hitting the L button. The elevators shut and he was finally gone. I guess it was time to go home too. You decided today was enough. This had been completely overly stimulating for you. It was definitely an intense day. You went home and laid down on your bed. Before you could even cut your eyes, your phone began to buzz. You opened it to see a few texts from Roman. He put his name in your phone to ‘sexy new boss’. What a prick? You’ve never met someone who was so into himself. 

‘helloooooooo’

‘it’s me, your new fuckable boss’.

‘you cant use that against me in court by the way.’

‘hellooooooo I said its me’

‘i’ll send a bomb to your house if you don’t respond to me’

‘okay fine. done. just sent one. now I need a new assistant’

‘ok ok im joking’

You read them as they came one after the other. Wow what a deranged little man. You swiped the messages open and finally replied to him.

‘What do you need?’ you sent.

‘ooo wow so profess. just checking to see if you quit’

‘im kidding again. just checking in on you’

You shook your head before replying to him again with a simple thank you and shutting your phone off again.

This is how it was for nearly a week. You would get ready for work as early as 7:30 am, just to be sent home early because Roman refused to even be there. And when he was, he was basically just making disgusting and deranged comments towards you or whoever the fuck was in the room. But that you can handle. Just an annoyance at this point. He did text you constantly. He seemed lonely. Like he didn’t even have anyone to really talk to. He spent most of his day or even night trying to get you to reply to him. He would send you text after text after text. He assumed because Kendall always texted Jess that was the reason, they were close enough for him to trust her. But he couldn’t break that barrier with you. He didn’t know what he could do to get you to even give him any kind of attention.  You barely flinched at his jokes, at least you didn’t show it and you were social with everyone else. He didn’t understand his need for his attention from you. But he got some kind from everyone so easily. He wanted whatever he couldn’t have. The only kind of reaction you would give him was quiet. You barely even made fun of him back.

You headed to the office later than usual, realizing that you were mostly wasting your time just showing up at 9 am. You were gonna be waiting on Roman for at least 2 hours for him to even get here. He probably had been sleeping in til 12 pm sometimes. You don’t know how Logan hadn’t fired him already. Even if he was his own son. You walked into the building at 11, knowing this was the earliest Roman would even get here. You stepped out of the elevator to see Roman in his office. You walked in before knocking on the door to let him know you were here.

“You’re late.” He sang as he pulled away from his computer. He laughed to himself, looking up at you.

“Sorry, I didn’t expect you to be at the office yet.” You explained before setting down your latte that you got before work. You sat down and pulled out your tablet to review what was next for Roman to slack off on.

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be here. Aren’t you a little slacker? Do I have to look back at your references and experience on that resume of yours?” He sat up, laying his hands on the desk. He was always so amused to annoy you.

“You never looked at my resume, remember? You thought it was a waste of our time.” You remined.

“Yea yea but what do I know? I’m just an attractive billionaire about to be crowned COO.” He shrugged. You didn’t know if he was insulting you and your education or if he was being genuine.

“Crowned? Do you think you’re getting a coronation or something?” You finally fired back at him. “That’s not how that works.” “Yeah I don’t know what the shit is, but regardless, now that you said it, I want it.” He raised his chin up like a little schoolboy. He seemed so proud of his stupid joke. He always did. He really did think he was extremely hilarious. Even if no one laughed at his own jokes, he did. It was the only thing he ever really liked about himself. I mean, he partly hated it because it made people not like him that much, but he knew he didn’t have much to ever offer people. Laughing was the only thing he could do to keep people around him happy enough with him. Or else he’d be just another substance abuser like Kendall or a prick like Shiv or even worse, boring like Connor.

“Yea, let me get my measuring tape out for the dick measuring contest then.” You finally learned to play along. You didn’t want to argue and fight with yourself to keep quiet. You thought it only made your day more stressful.  You expected something bad from Roman for talking like that, but you looked up to only see him actually laughing at your throw back. You hid a smile as you looked back down at your tablet. Even though you didn’t like to admit it too, your humor was also the only thing you liked about yourself. You didn’t like to be alone either. It was too much to be alone with all your own thoughts too. You also didn’t like the silence. You craved hearing people talking about other than your own issues or weird ticks. It was good to get the attention not on you all the time, unless you wanted it. 

“It’s a good 9 inches, alright? I should know I put my dick up against almost every guy I’ve met.” He lied so easily. It was only cause he knew no one would actually believe him.

“Even your dads?” You tried to hit a nerve. This was starting to seem like some kind of fun to you. It was so easy to make fun of him back because he really didn’t care what people even said to him.

“Ew no you pervert. You wish though.” That was probably the first time he said it to someone else rather than being called that. Unless it was Moe or Karl. One of those weird fucks from the board. His dad was tied in with a lot of sketchy guys in all honesty. “Besides, I could whip it out if you’d like to see that badly.”

You shook your head, outing your hand up in protest. “Nope, I’m good. Don’t worry. Anyways you have to do your work.” You said before getting up to go over to him to show him what was due today. He wasn’t gonna do them, but you felt safe enough that Roman wouldn’t grope you. You leaned down to his level, him sitting up to reach up to you, showing him the tablet of the upcoming projects.

Your bodies were barely an inch away from each other that you could even smell the weird pervy cologne he had on. It was a weird kind of nice. You kind of liked it, but you couldn’t pinpoint what you liked about it. Maybe like when you can’t stop tasting or smelling something that smells kind of off just because of curiosity. Regardless, it smelt like Roman just went to a perfume shop and picked the most expensive and ridiculous looking bottle he could even find.

You felt his eyes on you as you spoke, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as you imagined. “Pay attention.” You redirected him, but he didn’t stray his longing looks away. He tried to get a read on you. You were so unwilling to let him see you crack or even show any kind of frustration. Not that he wanted to, but everyone did at this point. Or at least people expressed so after meeting him for a bit. You continued on and on before stopping to look his way, finding your face almost against his. Your faces were so close to one another you bumped your nose against his. You pulled back a bit as you tried to readjust how you were standing by him. You finally realized Roman was a lot softer than you initially thought. He was an asshole, sure. But he was kind of endearing to you. Something made you drawn to him. Maybe it was the way he tried to get a laugh all the time or that you finally realized his eyes were brown. Or maybe that he wasn’t as harsh looking as you thought. He looked grosser when you first glanced at him, but up close you were finally taking in all of his features. His weird little quirks that made him look so strange actually made sense on his face. You even noticed he was kind of smiling at you. You turned back to the tablet and pushed his chin to face it as well. “Come on now. Do I need to play Bluey or Coco Melon for you?”

“I don’t know what the fuck that is, but if they’re names of porn stars, then yes.” He laid his arm on the desk, putting his hand up to his head to hold it, positioning to look right back at you.

“Doesn’t your brother have kids? Don’t they watch kid shows? Or are you not allowed within a 200 feet radius of children?” You were trying not to get frustrated with him on his tasks of the day. You spent everyday making these notes for him to never even do them. “You really think Kendall takes care of them? Fuck no. He’s too busy doing blow in some undergrown New York club to watch them. My dad really led by example.” Roman confessed something he shouldn’t have, but he was hoping you’d find it all a joke like all of his weird comments. You blinked to understand all the trauma that was dumped in front of you. “Wow. Okay.” Was the only words that could attempt to even leave your mouth. You tried to shake that brand new information off. “Ah yeah, Kendall is a fake snowflake wannabe. He acts like he’s read Karl Marx and that he even gives a fuck.” Roman really tried to keep this impression of hating Kendall. Not that you understood what their relationship even was, but it was confusing to way the very least. They constantly seemed to be annoyed with one another, but you’ve seen other articles and pictures of them where they looked like your average billionaire happy family. You hated to say, but you really enjoyed the insider details of whatever fucked up dynamic this was. “Alright start your speech again, I wasn’t listening.” He seemed actually serious this time. You nodded and just went back to the top of your notes. Roman just wanted to move this topic as quick. He shared too much. He shouldn’t have, but who else could he talk shit about his brother with? Everyone he knew adored Ken except Shiv, but right now she was annoyed at him for whatever reason she came up with now. All because he insinuated that Shiv was with Tom only for comfort and not cause she actually loved him. But whatever, she was being a bitch.

He seemed to actually listen to you, was he actually going to do any of that? Fuck no, but it was an excuse to move the conversation. And just to hear you talk again. You really were smart. You actually did know what the fuck you were talking about and not just playing some kind of role. Maybe with the outfit and hair, but still, you seemed smart enough to know what you even said.

You spent the entire day with Roman before he started to get ready to leave early again. Which was your cue to also get ready to leave. “Oh uh- by the way, there’s a party tonight, I need you on the clock for that. I’ll send over some actually clothes to your place. Not anything from a fucking sweat shop. My driver will get you.” He said as quickly he could before walking off. You never had any time to react to Roman. He was way too fast for you to even fully comprehend anything that left his mouth. It was always so much.

But wow okay. A rich person party. This was new. Not an exciting new. More of an anxious new. Like going to a new school for the first time kind of new. If you looked any kind of wrong, you knew you’d be shunned or even made fun of in there. It didn’t take long for these people to start to laugh or mock people in this office, you could only imagine what it could be like at a party with billionaires like the Roy’s.

Notes: Next chapter is up!

Chapter 3

[daisydezem]

Irl stuff

So what's been going on... I'll put it under the cut since it might be triggering for some. It's about hospital, surgery, breakup/divorce and all that comes with it.

Let's start with the surgery and the hospital. It all went very well! The removed the uterus without any problem. I noticed the lack of cramp pain right away. It was such a good relief! In the hospital things got on so well I didn't need to say 2 nights but just the 1! But here on... the other stuff started. While in the hospital I got a lot of texts of friends, family and coworkers. All saying good luck, get well soon and love you and stuff like that. But my (ex)partner only said: hope you sleep well, I'll pick you up the day after tomorrow. That was it. No call to check in, no love you, nope... just a see you in two days. I texted back that I was okay to come home earlier and he said... oh. While being home he took a week off to help me get along.... well sorta. The mood was gone and even made our son sick. I really tried to always be positive and support, but after a week and a half (on Friday) and our son looking at the clock every hour, it was enough. I asked him to go. He did and he was gone for the whole weekend. I was upset, the little one was upset but we made it through the weekend. What pissed me off was a text saying if the little one felt a need to see or talk to him and if so that he didn't know what to say. Then Monday I got a text in the group of his family... Saying things were over that we talked about it and he wasn't confused or anything else, saying some might think he picked the easy way out now that I was recovering... This was all without me knowing, without talking about it or consent sent to not only his family, but also to my mom, stepdad, dad, stepmom, sisters, brother, aunts and uncles, friends.... everyone. On a Monday at 2pm in a school vacation week... So everyone called me up to find out what was going on while the little one was sitting next to me. This was for me the final straw. No matter what he did now, it won't be able to fix that moment. More happened now. And before more happened too. I don't want to get into it all. But yeah... it was and is a lot. Now I have to move out with the little one but can't right away since the housing market is just too awful. I'm lucky that he will have to pay me a lot to move out but still. Until June the situations is this: The little one stays in the house always and my ex and I move every week. I got the uneven weeks in the house with the little one and then the even weeks I live at my mom's place. I have however recovered fully from the surgery and am able to get return to work 100% as of upcoming week. I just have to change my hours. I used to do late/night shifts. Now I'll have to do early shifts in the uneven week. I also won't be taking my pc or any other stuff with me to my parents place so I won't be able to be online half of the time, but that's the least of my problems atm. I just... have to adjust my whole life. Just that:p But hey I'll be okay, even better We (the little one and me) will be okay. I have a plan just need to see if it will work out. If it does I'll be living in a very full house in June but more on that later. Sorry for the long post and thanks to anyone who reads it. I'm always open to talk more about it but not in a online for everyone to see post. Kusjes en Liefde Kisses and Love -Daisy

[la-sera]

Sera, I'm so sorry your computer is broken!

Do you have to buy a new one or is the broken computer fixable??

Thanks, Oma^^ I think I've been using this PC for more than 10 years, so it's natural for it to start having problems.

My big brother is helping fix it, but he's also busy and can't do it quickly. I want my PC to be repaired rather than buying new since I hate buying new electronics haha. And hopefully this can be fixed as soon as possible.

[dannydvo]

I wasn’t expecting to be tagged in something like this and I hate for my thread to go no where but I have no idea who to tag!

Here goes:

Last song: The Flame of Fate, a Naraka: Bladepoint song that I’ve had on loop in my games for almost 2 years now while I was dealing with an abusive relationship and a difficult break up. Both the English and original Chinese versions are worth a listen. You can find the lyric video for the English version on the official Naraka: Bladepoint channel. I had to uninstall the game myself but I think everyone should listen to that beautiful song.

Favorite color: Green. Other colors are good too but green is calming, even though I’m allergic to a lot of plants! Imagine being allergic to oxygen 👀

Last Book: wellll that one’s hard. I haven’t been reading as much as I should, because I play too many games! My mom is a teacher, and she is going back to IRL school. I’ve been coping with that idea, and the idea has become a reality. For her, it was either back to teaching kids or going to work in a hospital… she chose the path she always does. In honor of my mom, I will share the book she got for Christmas and has now assigned to me! Dang, I need to get my glasses fixed! I slept on them at some point, and they don’t fit my face anymore. Here’s the book I’ve been assigned by my mom: The Orphanage by the Lake by Daniel G. Miller

Last Movie: The Parent Trap, I love Lindsay Lohan!

Last TV Show: my dad is literally making me watch Black Sails rn haha. I just finished Arcane 💚

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: all flavors are good flavors, but I have to admit Sweet & Spicy is like a drug to me!

Relationship status: I’m in a polyamorous relationship! This is my 2nd attempt at polyamory this year, I’m hoping it goes well!

Last thing I googled: was an old Square Enix website for Life is Strange. Seems like hackers got their hands on it. I just now started playing that game, I’m so late! 2015 was almost 10 years ago!

Current obsession: the last question kind of answered this one! Gaming has a grip on me. I just enjoy being able to read and having a tv show/movie at the same time! I’m thinking of saving my eyes by reading more, but oh well! Maybe I can do some voice acting before my eyesight is completely gone.

Looking forward to: Also Christmas! I’m excited to see my little brother excited. And my mom loves the holidays. Maybe I should share our tree before all the presents get unraveled by my teenager brother! My job right now is to entertain my dad while he wraps presents for my mom and brother. I kind of told them I didn’t want anything this year.

I’m on my phone and can’t mention people so easily, maybe someone can walk me through on this part. I really appreciate being mentioned and hope to get my own little supporter badge soon, but I’ve been waiting to go back to work so I can buy a PC. I hope my responses and lack of tags are okay for now! This has been really encouraging to continue supporting blogs on here. Happy holidays!

Ten people id like to get to know better

Tagged by @sleepy-insomnia-bear

Last song: Here with me by Marshmello. From my Wonderland novel playlist I've been working on for a while now( if y'all want I can drop that link and more info about the novel)

Favorite color: either dark teal or dark green

Last book: In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune. It's a really fun retelling of Pinocchio in a post apocalypse setting. Main character is ace and I cried every time that was mentioned because I do every time I find an ace character

Last movie: Red One. Loved it, it was a rom com with Dwayne the rock Johnson and Chris Evans and no one can change my mind. I would love a sequel solely focused on the other holidays cuz that was such a cool concept.

Last TV show: star wars Skeleton crew! I am in love with this show, it's star wars and pirates, so it hooked me pretty easy lol

Sweet/Savory/Spicy- it depends. Usually more of a sweets person but I do love savory. My spicy is not really spicy sooooooo......

Relationship status: single, not down to mingle. Dating stresses me out but maybe one day I'll try it again. Maybe

Last thing I googled: the Amphibia title animation so I could make a joke during my Critmas live blog 😂

Current obsession: I mean , with critical role I've been a critter for so long now it's more like a friend i catch up with every week. I had a root canal yesterday (zero stars, do not recommend) and driving on the way home I listened to and episode of mighty nein cuz it just feels so comfy.

Hazbin hotel and helluva boss is kinda my obsession, in the sense that I'm like, gnawing at the drywall waiting for new content to consume, especially for hazbin

Oh, and the wicked soundtrack is just constantly going through my brain, so there's that.

Looking forward to: Christmas! It's my nieces first Christmas and I'm super excited! Also I am really excited to give my Aunt her gift, she's the one that first introduced me to wicked l, so I got her a prop replica of the Grimmerie.I really hope she likes it 💚

No pressure tags: @highladyofdusk @extremelybears @freshcut-chetney @criticaloki @kazoosandfannypacks @barbossas-wench @glitterinlowgravity @darkflamingfire @bloodsoaked-rainbows @wenamedthedogkylo

[ggukkiedae]

Moving In

notes:

set in early february 2022

wc: 2.1k

yoonmi gets the boys’ help while finally moving into her own apartment after twelve years of living with her members. they get a little sentimental while helping their makdungie settle in

(i know ive made so much yoonmi content recently aksjdhf but hannah, seri, and ari content coming soon!)

conversations written in italics are spoken in english

feedback is highly appreciated!

“Hey,” Yoonmi spoke into the phone with a smile on her face, “I know you’re busy with Child’s release and all, but I wanted to congratulate you. It’s amazing, Love. Everyone loves it, just like I told you they would. Anyway, don’t forget to rest, okay? I love you. Bye.”

A sigh slipped past her lips as she hung up on the voicemail. Her best friend, who was sitting next to her and driving them to her apparttment, looked at her in concern. She chose to fix her eyes on the moving scenery outside the window.

“Mark not picking up?” Jungkook asked her.

She hummed a little to confirm. “Yeah. He’s been constantly preparing with Sticker, Favorite, Universe, Child, and Glitch Mode. I’m just worried he’s gonna burn himself out.”

“Have a little more faith in him,” the 97 liner laughed while hitting her arm with the back of his hand. “The man’s debuted like four times, he’ll be fine. You planning anything for your anniversary?”

“Not this time, no.” A small sad smile made its way onto her face. “I want him to get as much rest as he possibly can, so I’ll probably just stop by his dorm for a short bit with food, then I’ll go back home. We have concert rehearsals, and I’ll have to set up my apartment by then, anyway.”

Ah, yes. Her new apartment that her members helped her pick. It was next to the Han river and near the main Bangtan dorm.

After a while of thinking about it while quarantining from her trip to America, Yoonmi had decided that it was about time to have her own space. She couldn’t keep living in the Bangtan dorm forever, especially when their breaks ended up with everyone in their own places while she remained at the dorm. It was lonely. Also, she frequently had guests over, and decided she wanted her dogs to live with her instead of with her brother like they used to.

That didn’t mean she wouldn’t constantly be at the main Bangtan dorm, though. She was already talking to the dog-sitter her brother had been hiring about taking care of her dogs while she was gone (which wouldn’t be too often because she likes bringing Dipper and Nala to work and to play with her members).

Anyway, that’s where she was headed now: to check on her apartment. She had already paid in full, so all she needed to do was to move things in. To her relief, the members offered to help in moving most of her stuff so she didn’t have to hire a moving company. Speaking of which…

“You don’t think my PC set is being destroyed in transit, do you?” Her gaze fixated on the car behind them through the rearview mirror. She was met with the stoic expression of one of her older members.

“Yoongi hyung’s got all your techy stuff,” Jungkook reassured her, “so relax. Stop being such a worrywart. Mark’s gonna get back to you soon with his cheesy sweet words as always, you’re moving into your new apartment, and the seven of us are all going to be invading your space for at least until the concert.”

She snorted. Of course. If anyone had been excited to see her new place, it was the rest of Bangtan. They had practically hounded Jungkook when the two maknaes got back from her contract officiation. It was funny to her how they were even planning the little visit days her family and close friends had scheduled as if it were their own place. Of course, to her, it was their place, it just happened to be under her name.

Jungkook took a sip of his coffee before placing it back down and giving her a quick glance. “So, when are the people visiting?”

“Well, Hannah unnie is bringing the dreamies once their promotion is over, so that’ll be a while,” she listed down while counting on her fingers. “Jeonginie, Seri, Beomgyu, Jiminie, and Heeseungie are coming next week, and my brothers and Felix oppa are coming tomorrow because they want to help set up the room I’m saving for them. Of course, unnie and the littles are coming, too.”

“Speaking of setting rooms up, which do you want to do first, huh?” Jungkook’s excited voice made her laugh. “Your work room? Your bedroom? Oh! My room?”

She rolled her eyes at him playfully. She was planning on having a room designated for her members, but Jungkook had claimed that he’d be hermitting in her apartment, so it was his room.

“I think the kitchen first so I can make sure we all don’t go hungry,” she laughed. “Then my room and the Bangtan room because god knows how cranky you guys will get if you don’t have a proper place to rest. Did you guys even bring clothes?”

“All our suitcases are with Jin hyung in the van,” Jungkook laughed, “because he lost rock paper scissors. Does the closet in that room have seven sections?”

Even more laughter escaped them. She wouldn’t tell them, but the biggest room in her apartment would be for Bangtan, so she was sure there’d be enough space. Now, for the task at hand: actually fixing things.

“Food’s ready!”

Her voice sounded throughout the apartment a little louder than she wanted. In an almost comical manner, the members had come running into the would-be living room, settling around the small wooden coffee table she had assembled earlier. The dining table would have to wait.

“I made pajeon and jjajangmyeon,” she grinned while placing down the main dishes. “I hope you oppas just napped on the mattresses first.”

“We got some of your furniture together,” Yoongi gently tugged her next to him on the floor. “You’re lucky everyone is more experienced with building furniture now than they were during that one Run episode.”

“Right,” she laughed.

The group uncharacteristically were chatty while eating. It was as normal as a family dinner could get. At some point, someone even connected to her speakers and started playing mid-2000s and early-2010s r&b and hip hop songs.

Eventually, lunch was finished, and they had wordlessly split off into different tasks. Hoseok and Taehyung had cleared up the table and headed to do their dishes. Namjoon and Yoongi were going around her apartment to see if everything was okay and nothing was off before they would get started on helping with the furniture as well. Jimin and Seokjin had gone back to fixing up her furniture, which left her and Jungkook in the living room sorting out all the boxes for which goes where.

A sense of deja vu filled her as Ne-Yo songs blasted through the hallway, Taehyung’s adlibs and Hoseok’s laughter joining in the mix. Everything seemed so familiar, and she couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

“A little help would be nice,” Jungkook’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked over at him, only to laugh at his struggle with the tent for her dogs. “This thing is huge.”

She shrugged and went back to opening the boxes in front of her. “Dipper’s a big boy. And we’re supposed to be sorting which goes in which room. We can fix my dogs’ bed later.”

“I‘m just getting a head start on your living room,” He put the tent away in a corner for later then sat next to her. “So, why are you all smiley? Boyfriend text you back yet?”

“No,” she began, “I was just thinking. Doesn’t it feel like back when we were way younger? Like back when we were first moving dorms?”

The thought just further processed in her head as she said it out loud. That’s why everything felt so familiar to her. Everyone practically took on the roles they had from their first move, and the ambience was there, too. The excited chatter over jjajangmyeon, the old music they’d listen to, the members conspiring to make her do the easier work, everything was the same.

The only difference was everyone was so much older now. That, and the fact that they weren’t struggling to make it by anymore. At least, not in the way they used to.

She thought back to that time. It was just before the public’s view of her shifted and she tried to subtly distance herself from her members. Not that it worked. They had naturally grown tactile to one another as they trained together, so it didn’t work as well as past her had hoped.

Despite that shift in the opinions about her, she had enjoyed that era of her life. She had a new family, she was being more hands on with their music than ever in her life at that point, her members were getting more giddy when they saw their sudden increase in views and attention.

A wave of nostalgia hit her as the mixed feelings from that time stirred in her chest once again, led by the excitement of what was to come in the future.

Jungkook knocked on the side of her head. “Hello? I answered your question, but I don’t think you heard me. Looks like you got stuck time travelling, huh?”

“A little,” she admitted as she opened up another box. The very top held the first gift SHINee had bought her that wasn’t their merch, which she coincidentally remembers wearing the day of their first move. She slipped it on. “Younger us would be so proud of us, don’t you think?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook shrugged while fixing her hair out of the jacket, “but I also think there would be some mixed feelings about it, especially from Namjoon hyung, Yoongi hyung, and Jimin hyung.”

She looked up at her best friend with pursed lips. “Sometimes I want to go back and tell a younger me that she’d be okay. That she’d have her family, you guys, her boyfriend, her friends, and people who like her that would be by her side for a long time.”

“Forever,” the 97 liner corrected her while slapping at her hand. She hadn’t even noticed her nails digging into her thighs. “We’re by your side forever. You can’t return me, I burnt the receipt then threw away the ashes in the sea.”

She just rolled her eyes and shoved at him. The older of the best friends put a dramatically offended face on, making her laugh. Her laughter only grew and mixed with his when he got up, threw her over his shoulder, and started bouncing around the room.

Of course, she knew exactly what he was doing. He did this exact same thing on the day of their move. Her heart warmed, realizing that they had the same thoughts and that he was playing it up, too. Maybe they could get the rest of the members in on it.

“What are you two doing?”

Speak of the devil, as soon as she thought of the other members, Seokjin had appeared in the doorway, with everyone following in suit.

Hoseok had taken out his phone to take a video, while Yoongi started talking.

“Jungkook, put her down,” Yoongi lightly nagged as Jimin went to stop the two maknaes from bouncing off the walls. “We don’t want you two to pull a muscle or throw up your lunches.”

“He started it!” “She started it!”

The two maknaes were quick to blame each other while Jungkook, physically coaxed by Jimin, put her back on her feet. The two burst into laughter at their synchronized words, echoing their younger selves who had knocked over the shoe rack (thank god they didn’t knock anything over this time around).

Taehyung had spotted this as an opportunity and pulled the other three members of maknae line into a tight hug, effectively knocking them over into the pile of empty boxes Yoonmi and Jungkook had made. Yoongi just shook his head in amusement before heading to the kitchen where hopefully some of the cooling packs he had stuck in the freezer would be cold enough. There were bound to be bruises amidst the younger half of the group. Meanwhile, Hoseok had moved closer to film the little dog pile.

“Sometimes, I think they haven’t grown up,” Seokjin’s voice was laced with fondness amidst his fake annoyance. The eldest turned to their leader, who had been leaning on the door frame and watching everything unfold with a knowing smile on his face. “So, leader. Do you want to do something about this?”

Namjoon shook his head. “Let them be, hyung. They’re just reliving old memories. This is exactly what they did when we moved into the three-room dorm.”

“I know.” Seokjin had sounded softer than he did earlier on.

The two watched the rest of the members in silence, letting their laughter and smiles fill the apartment. And, if you asked any of the 8 members, they could have sworn everything faded to early 2015 for just a little while.

TAGLIST: @sunflower-0180 @seaoffangirling @yourwonderbelle @1-800-enhypennabi @kamiiyou @strwberrydinosaur @uraveragefangirlsposts @caratinylyfe @1-800-minji @one16core @kimhyejin3108 @chansols @akshverse @toriluvsfics @billboard-singer (taglist/s open! just send a dm or an ask <3) (bold can’t be tagged :(( )

[lovestraykldz]

icstay | chanlix

summary: it's another fall without him, and felix can't help but continue the habits he's started since the last day with chan. cw: implications of death                      i can’t stop thinking about you ,, rain taps the windows of the cafe as the door opens every so often; customers ordering, drinking, and leaving. the leaves resting on the cement outside become soaked and more fall from the rain pulling them. autumn’s crisp air visits the cafe with each customer, the place staying warm for only a few moments at a time. another fall without him. it doesn’t surprise me that more people walk in once school hours end. the shop is pretty well known around seoul as the menu doesn’t have much of a limit to it. he actually introduced me here our first year of high school. i take a sip of my earl grey tea and finish my coffee cake. outside, a high schooler says something to his friends and drops down to tie his shoe. he stands up and rushes to catch up to them, walking into the cafe seconds later. their group adds to the noise already bustling in the evening rush. i overhear one of them talk about visiting a pc room after they order and they’re all in. “i’m sorry. i can’t.” the others pester him as to why and he says, “my brother just got back home and he said he’s cooking tonight. i’ll go tomorrow.” his friends mutter okays and wave him goodbye as he goes home to his brother. my phone buzzes on the table and i almost feel something. hey, i just came back from uni. do you want to go out for a meal? my treat! i reply with an enthusiastic sure and turn off my phone when he says to meet him outside my complex at 18:00. after an hour or so, the cafe calms and my sister comes over from behind the counter. “hey,” she smiles lightly. i look to her as she sits in the seat beside me. nothing is said for a few moments until she sighs. “i have a date tonight, so,” she pauses, bites her lip carefully and continues. “i won’t be home until late. you don’t have to stay up.” i nod and take the last sip of my earl gray tea, taking it to the kitchen behind the counter. she follows me and asks if i’m mad. i shake my head. “why would i be mad?” the kitchen door opens and her coworker kihyun puts his things away as his shift is finished for the day. he leaves us afterwards and we’re in an awkward silence. “because it’s the fall..” she trails off and i can’t help but make a remark. “it being fall doesn’t mean anything. you find someone when you find them and you don’t let them go until you know. don’t make the same mistake i did.” the air stills and she looks at the floor like it’s the one she’s having a conversation with. i wash the mug and plate and leave them on the rack to dry. i look at the clock and it strikes a quarter to 18:00. “i have to go. have fun on your date. see you tomorrow,” i say and dry my hands, making my way home to change into something a bit more fitting for the occasion. i turn my phone on right before i walk into my apartment and jisung texts me a second later as i’d timed it. i’m downstairs! :) i reply an okay and slip on a pair of jeans, a white tee, my converse, and his hoodie. when i reach the front door of the building, i see jisung whistling and looking around. he sees me walk out and waves with a smile. “hey! how’ve you been?” he asks. i tell him the truth: okay. he nods and smiles as if okay was something spectacular to be. i ask him the same and says he finally got his own apartment and he’s going to adopt a puppy soon. he goes on about his future dog as we make our way to the restaurant. upon entering, the waitress at the front desk asks us how many and jisung answers a table for two. we’re seated after minute and given our menus. “your waiter will be with you soon,” she smiles and walks back to the front. i take out my phone and turn it off, setting it on the table beside my chopsticks. jisung notices and asks. something clicks and i ask myself like the protagonist in a drama, why’d i turn my phone off? “habit,” i answer simply and he nods, almost taking note of it. i stand by my action and keep my phone off but still ask myself why i’d turned it off. “felix,” he calls my name softly. i look up from my menu. “what’re you going to get?” he asks, tilting his head to the waiter waiting for me to place my order. “can i get pork belly and stir-fried rice cake,” i order and jisung follows with his and the waiter takes our menus, saying our orders will be up soon. he looks over at me with a slightly shock and confusion in his eyes. “you like pork belly?” he asks. i nod, asking myself why i ordered pork belly if i was already planning on eating stir-fried rice cake. do i even like pork belly? jisung seems to take note of this too, and he puts it aside bringing up how uni’s going. “it’s good,” i lie. i haven’t gone to classes since two weeks ago. my professors have emailed me saying if i don’t show up next week, they’ll either drop or fail me for the semester. i can’t tell him, though. he’s the only one treating me like i’m not broken and the moment he hears this i know he’ll try fixing it. he sighs, dropping his head and says my name as if i’m a child in trouble by his father. “have you even gone to your classes?” he asks, his eyes are now closed. i hum a yes and he looks up, a bit angered. “felix. please,” his expression goes soft. “tell me the truth. how’s uni? how are you?” he breathes carefully as if his breathing will push his questions to push me off the cliff. suddenly, finally, i feel something. i don’t know what to say. i want to say that uni sucks; that i’m not doing so well; that it’s getting harder to get out of bed again; that i can’t stop ordering the food he ordered on our dates; that i can’t stop turning off my stupid phone becasue without him i have no one i need to text; that all i can smell is his damn cologne; and that all i want to see his stupid face one last time. but all i can do, is cry. i don’t make a sound, and nothing falls, but the tears form heavily. he sees our waiter with the food and asks if we can get it to go. the waiter nods and goes back to place everything in containers. when he comes back with our take-out, jisung pays quickly and we leave. once we reach my apartment, he starts opening the bags. “do you want to watch a movie?” he asks. i agree and put on howl’s moving castle, hiring the volume enough so we can watch it from the kitchen table. once the movie finishes, we get up and i start clearing the table and sink for the night. “hey, jisung,” i mumble. he hums softly in response. i put the dishes down and let the water run as i ask, “how’d you get over minho?” i look over and he has his head down, maybe thinking. he looks up and smiles lightly, “i didn’t. sometimes, you just learn to live with the memories they leave behind. it took me a while to start smiling again,” he pauses and looks down again. “the last year of high school and starting uni weren’t the best. i couldn’t get up; i didn’t want to. all i wore for months was his cardigan he left behind.” jisung sighs and leans against the couch, still smiling softly. “i’d even check my phone a lot; i thought he’d text me or something. don’t even get me started on the pictures,” he chuckles. i let my head down and think, so, i’m never getting over him ,,? “thing is,” jisung continues. “it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to. i know i didn’t lose him like you lost chan. can’t imagine what it’s like.. i’m sorry.” i shake my head, “it’s not your fault.” “it’s not your fault either,” he sighs, standing up. “i should go. it’s getting pretty late. i’ll text you. keep your phone on tomorrow?” i nod with a faint smile and he smiles back, waving and leaving to his place. i’m alone in my apartment for a couple more hours till my sister gets back, so i decide talk as if he’s still here. “hey, chan,” i try to smile. this is stupid.. but it’s all i have. “i hope you made it to the happy place you always told me about.” tears start bubbling up. “i miss you, a lot. i still wear the hoodie you gave me for my birthday. it’s still really soft,” i chuckle lightly. “i hope you’re not mad that i’m using your cologne on the hoodie.” there it is: the first tear i’ve let fall since that day. “i miss you so much, chan. fuck!” i let out, going to the ground. “how can i forget you?! i can’t stop fucking thinking about you!” i try to breathe, and let out one more cry. “i can’t stop thinking about you..”                                                  ☽ !disclaimer!: i wrote this without knowing if chan is passed or not, so i myself am not sure what the situation is.

[butlerbarb]

Sweets (Leviathan x Reader)

i suppose i should start this blog off with the first fic i posted on ao3!

Staring at yourself in the mirror as you fiddled with your uniform, you sighed. It just didn’t fit right! Diavolo had said he found the one that matched your human world size the closest, but apparently demons and humans were different in more ways than you thought. With another tug at the chest area, you groaned, deeming it good enough for now. You’d get Asmodeus to fix it later.

Exiting your bathroom, you grabbed your D.D.D just as it buzzed to life with a text. Catching Leviathan’s name on screen, you smiled and unlocked your device. Taking a quick look at the text Mammon had sent you – something along the lines of wanting you to skip with him again – before you opened Levi’s.

Leviathan: Gud morning. Are you going to RAD today?

[Y/N]: …I HAVE to go.

Leviathan: Why do you have to go? You’d have a better time skipping school and playing games with me all day.

You rolled your eyes. Really, what was it with these demons and wanting you to skip school? It was everyday that at least one of the more troublesome brothers asked you to skip and do something else with them. Even if some days you wanted to skip, you knew Lucifer would have you hide if he did, so you tended to avoid any of their persuasion.

[Y/N]: I AM a student, after all.

Hitting send on the text, you clicked your phone off and shoved it into your pocket. Pulling the door to your room open, you were immediately greeted by Mammon, fist already raised into the air to knock on your door. His eyes went wide, and he laughed, his hand falling and landing on his hips in typical Mammon fashion. His shocked expression quickly morphed into a grin that oozed confidence, again, typical Mammon fashion.

“Are you psychic now, Human? Or were you just that excited to see the GREAT Mammon, that you came rushing out of your room?” Mammon spoke, as cheerful and loud as ever. You stared at him, shaking your head at his overflowing confidence, he was very annoyingly cute.

“Yes, Mammon, I was just SO excited to see you this morning I came rushing out of my room as soon as I heard your footsteps.” You spoke sarcastically, hoping Mammon would catch it. He didn’t. Instead, your words only seemed to inflate his ego more. You watched in disbelief as his grin grew wider and a small blush dusted his cheeks.

“Ha-ha! Of course, ya’d be excited to see me! I am the GREAT Mammon, after all!” He boasted again, leaning down slightly towards you. You laughed, rolling your eyes again and reaching a hand towards his waiting head. You gave his hair a ruffle, bushing a part of it out of his eyes.

“Yes, yes of course, you are very great, Mammon. Now let’s go to breakfast please, I’m starving.” Mammon let out a quiet, happy cheer at your praise, refusing to pull away from your hand until you pushed him away. He took off down the hall, leaving you to walk by yourself, to which you wonder what the point of him coming to your room was anyway. With a shake of your head, you pulled your phone out of your pocket as it buzzed again.

Leviathan: OOH, GOODY 2 SHOES OVER HERE

You snorted at the text, getting read to type a reply when another two texts popped in from Leviathan.

Leviathan: Well, go on and go if you’re gonna go. Come back home quickly tho. Leviathan: I can’t do any of the co-op dungeons by myself, you know.

You laughed, smiling to yourself as you walked down the stairs to the first floor. You had forgotten that Leviathan had made you play on of his PC games with you the other day, claiming that it wasn’t cause he liked you, he just need someone to do the two player dungeons with and you were the most reasonable choice. He was cute.

[Y/N]: Roger, boss! <3

You watched in amusement as he read the text immediately and the three dots popped up, disappeared, popped up a second time and then disappeared again. Leviathan never ended up replying, much to your amusement, making you think he simply went into emotional overdrive and shut down. He was really cute.

You pocketed your phone right as you stepped into the dining room. Claiming the seat in between Mammon and Beelzebub, you greeted everyone at the table and began piling some food onto your plate. Beelzebub always made comments about how little you ate – although everyone ate very little compared to him – not realized that you couldn’t eat most of the stuff demons ate. Monkey brains, spider legs, you swore you caught Satan downing a vial of poison before. Demons ate things you were sure would kill you in the most painful way possible.

After breakfast, Mammon and Beelzebub accompanied you to your class – Mammon unwillingly, of course – and you spent most of the morning trying to get both brothers to focus on their work instead of slacking off. You felt your phone buzz a few times, but you made sure not to make a habit of checking your phone in class, you didn’t want your teachers, and subsequently Lucifer, getting mad at you.

Around lunchtime was when you finally pulled out your phone at Mammon’s insistence. He demanded you check out this new game he had playing, claiming you would like it as well. You noted that you had a few texts from some demon friends the brothers said would be okay for you to talk to, most just asking if you were busy after school, wanting to hang out. You would have, had you not had plans with Leviathan. Texting them back, telling them you were busy, you then proceeded to the app store to download the game Mammon wanted you to.

You opened it up, both Mammon and Beelzebub now leaning over your shoulder to watch you play. It was a rhythm game focusing on cute, demon idol girls. It also contained gacha elements, so you knew this was just another game Mammon would blow all his money on until he got bored. It was fun, and you had no trouble picking up how to play, having fallen victim to plenty of rhythm games back in the human world.

Mammon complained as you easily S-ranked even the hardest difficulties, claiming he was only able to do up to normal, hard on some songs. Beelzebub laughed at him, claiming he just didn’t have any rhythm himself, which of course, set Mammon off on a tyrant. You ignored Mammon’s insistent yelling, tuning both brothers out as you focused on a particularly difficult song. You tuned them back in once you were finished, only to watch as Beelzebub full-combo-ed an especially difficult song on max difficulty. You high-fived the younger brother, laughing as Mammon complained in the background.

Turning back to your phone, you caught a glimpse of a notification banner sliding off-screen. Closing the rhythm game, you opened your messages, seeing Leviathan’s name at the top. Seeing as he completely ignored your last message made you chuckle.

Leviathan: What’s uuuup? Ur still at RAD, rite? Could you hit up Lament and get some Bufo Egg Milk Tea for me on your way home?

Smirking to yourself, you typed out your reply:

[Y/N]: My services do not go free of charge

You could feel Levi rolling his eyes at you as he typed his response. Once Levi had started warming up to you after making a pact with him, you realized he enjoyed it when you gave him playful responses and teased him lightly. He was always annoyed when his brothers did it, but for some reason played along when it was you.

Leviathan: FINE, be that way [Y/N], I’ll give you some cash so you can get something for yourself, too. I’m still gonna ask you to pay me back tho lol. Thanks in advance 👍

[Y/N]: Aw, you’re the best Levi! I’ll be home in a little, you better have snacks ready :3

After your conversation with Levi, the bell rang for the end of lunch. You headed back to your classroom with both brothers in tow, happily anticipating the end of the day. Your last classes were fairly laid back, meaning time passed by in a blur. Once you and everyone else were released, you insisted Mammon and Beelzebub take you to Lament, knowing you’d probably get lost on your own. You made the trip as quick as possible, knowing if you stayed there for any longer than necessary Beelzebub would try to order everything in the café. You got what Levi wanted, and a snack and drink for yourself with the money he sent you. Mammon demanded you buy him something as well and pouted when you told him you only had the money Levi lent you.

After waiting for an extra 15 minutes so Beelzebub could get his absolutely massive order, the three of you headed back to the House of Lamentation. You quickly ditched the second- and sixth-born brothers in favour of the third-born. You knocked on his door gingerly, entering quickly after you recited the secret password. Leviathan was reclined on his bed, phone in hand as he gazed up at you. He held his hand out expectantly, and you took the hint to hand him his drink. He shifted over slightly in the bed, allowing you room to scooch in beside him.

“What’d you get?” He asked, gesturing to the drink and paper bag you held in your hand. You only shrugged in response; you weren’t really sure what you got yourself. Mammon had pointed out the things that were most “human-friendly,” so you just got that. Explaining that to Levi, he only nodded in response before going back to his phone. You took an experimental sip of your drink, slightly scared about what it would do to you, only to find that it was actually surprisingly good!

You hummed happily as you continued to sip on your drink as Leviathan laughed beside you. Taking the pastry you got out its bag, you started at it in slight horror. It looked… strange to say the least. It was a cupcake that you had thought was adorned with a fondant eyeball and icing. As it turned out, this guess was very, very wrong. The eye seemed to follow you as you moved it around and to your utmost horror, it blinked. Had you not been in Leviathan’s room, you most likely would have thrown it across the room. With a grimace, you held it out to the demon beside you.

“Is this like… safe for me to eat? It feels like it’s gonna attack me if I do…” You spoke quietly, eyeing the cupcake warily. Leviathan laughed at your question, grabbing your wrist to bring the item closer to his face. He sniffed it, before letting go of your hand and shaking his head.

“Nah, I think you’ll be fine, lol. I think it’s chocolate.” He replied, using his pinky finger to swipe a bit of the icing off of it. Bringing it to his mouth, he nodded in confirmation as he licked the sweet icing off his finger.

“Yeah that’s chocolate. The eye won’t hurt you, it’s not actually real.”

“But…”

“No buts! Just eat it or go give it to Beel.”

With a sigh, you hesitantly brought the dessert to your mouth. Taking a small bite out of it, your eyes lit up at the taste. Surprisingly, it was just as good at the drink! You happily took a bigger bite, no longer feeling creeped out by how it was seemingly living, you were free to enjoy how yummy it was.

“See? I told you it was good, normie.” Leviathan laughed, his hand reaching out to pick off a piece of the actually cake for himself. He hummed to himself, muttering under his breath about telling the guys on the forums to check this out. You snorted, was all that all he was thinking about? People he only knew through the internet? He was so lame, it was cute.

“What does your drink taste like?” You asked, now suddenly curious of the cup he held in his hand. His eyes widened as you reached out to grab it from him, jerking his arm away from you. You frowned, reaching out further for it, only to have him pull it further away from you. This continued until you were practically on top of him, yet he was still just barely able to hold it out of your reach.

“Levi,” you whined, sprawling yourself on top of him as you tried to reach for his drink. “Let me have a taste!”

“No way! That’d be like, an indirect kiss or something!” He protested. At his words, you practically deadpanned, staring him right in the face. No longer reaching for the drink, you let your hands fall to his chest as you continued staring at him. You watched as very noticeable blush dusted his cheeks a bright red colour, as well as the tips of his ears.

“What? Quit staring at me like that!” He pouted, turning his face away from you in an attempt to cover his quickly darkening blush. You nudged his chin with your hand, forcing his gaze back onto you. You stared down at him until he finally met your eyes again, a pout on his lips. God, when he looked like this you could have sworn, he was the Avatar of Lust, not the Avatar of Envy.

“You’re so worried about an indirect kiss, does that mean you’ve never actually kissed someone, Levi?” You asked quietly, leaning down closer to the demon underneath you, watching him squirm in panic at your question. He refused to meet your eyes, the colour on his ears darkening more than you ever thought possible. Although, seeing as you were in the realm of demons, you supposed anything could be possible now.

“Quit it…” Leviathan muttered sheepishly, his bottom lip jutting out more and more. Moving your hand from his chin, you slide it up the side of his face and into his hair. Just like his older brother, Leviathan was weak to having his head rubbed and hair played with.

“I’ll stop if you want me to, Levi. I won’t use the pact to make you stay if you don’t want to.” You offered, backing off slightly and getting ready to remove yourself from him. He stopped you, however, his hands shyly resting on your hips to keep you in place. He refused to meet your gaze, but you could tell by the way his fingers dug into you slightly that he didn’t want you to leave.

“Tell me what you want, Levi.” You teased, using the hand that wasn’t tangled in his hair to trace the side of his face. The embarrassed glare he shot at you was so adorable, you almost cooed at him like a child, but you knew that would only ruin the mood. You slowly dragged your hand from his cheeks to his lips, using your thumb to pull at his bottom lip slightly. The noise that left his mouth, similar to that of a kitten, was adorable to say the least, and you could feel yourself swooning at his cuteness.

“Levi, you’re so cute.” You whispered, leaning down to ever so slightly brush your lips against his, watching in amusement as he stretched to fully connect your lips with his. You moved to brush your lips against his again, but right before you could, you swerved to the left slightly. Grabbing his once discarded milk tea and bringing the straw to your lips, you took a sip before scowling at the taste. You assumed it was probably because of the weird, slimy texture of the Bufo eggs, but something about it was off-putting.

From underneath you, Leviathan groaned, frowning up at you. You feigned innocence, tilting your head to the side as if to ask did I do something wrong? Before you could react to anything, Levi’s hands that were once on your waist moved to cup your cheeks in the blink of an eye. He then, suddenly feeling bold you assumed, brought your lips to his forcefully. The kiss was awkward, clearly showing his inexperience, but it made it more endearing to you.

Leviathan, the socially awkward, shut it nerd, was willingly giving you, a human, his first kiss. This was the best day of your life, really. You sure hoped Levi was enjoying it as much as you were, if not you were sure the situation would quickly become awkward. You definitely didn’t want this to ruin the friendship you had with him, and his brothers as well.

Demons, as you just found out, could hold their breath much longer than humans. When you pulled away from him, he was nowhere near as out of breath as you were, but you could probably blame that on your own excitement and the way he kissed you without warning. You weren’t complaining, though, you liked the bolder, confident side of the normally awkward and sheepish demon.

Leviathan frowned up at you, obviously upset that you pulled away when he wasn’t finished. You rolled your eyes at him, poking his cheek lightly as he tried to pull you back down to him. You rolled off of him, curling into his side. He sighed, wrapping one arm around you as his other grabbed his previously discarded drink. You didn’t realize when you had let go of it, more than likely sometime when he was kissing you.

“Weren’t we supposed to be playing games?” You asked, peering up at him from under your lashes. He glanced down at you, a hint of a smile on his face as he shook his head at you.

“We were, but you seemed more interested in stealing my drink from me. Can’t believe I let a normie like you kiss me.” He replied, setting his drink down of his nightstand to grab his phone. You watched as he loaded up a website, one you certainly didn’t recognize, and began furiously typing on his phone. You snorted at his response, batting him lightly on the chest.

“Oh please, Levi, you’re the one that kissed me. You’re so cute when you’re confident, by the way.” Levi’s typing slowed to a stop at your words, his cheeks flaring to life once again. He refused to look at you, his eyes staying focused on his phone screen as he tried to finish what he was typing.

“Whatever, it’s not my fault you teased me like that.” He spoke, trying to sound as confident as possible, although you knew he was freaking out on the inside. He blew a strand of hair out of his eyes, the arm he had wrapped around you tightening slightly. He was embarrassed for sure, but you found it all the cuter.

Peeking at his phone, you caught a brief glance of what Levi was typing and had to suppress a laugh.

You guys aren’t gonna believe but totally just kissed a super cute waifu! LMAO!

You didn’t know what a “waifu” was or why it was a “LMAO” moment, but it didn’t really bother you.

Leviathan really was the cutest.

[jq37]

The Royal Report– A Crown of Candy Ep 1

There Is Strength in Sweetness 

Much like the years, the seasons of D20 start coming and they don’t stop coming. Fantasy High: Sophomore Year is barely in the record books and we’re already jumping into our new season--the Game of Thrones/Candyland mashup: A Crown of Candy!

If y’all have been with me since Sophomore Year then you know that I did very in depth recaps of every episode with a very specific format but I’m gonna try something new for this season.

The format might change a little between episodes as I figure out what works best so bear with me but the plan is to do more highlights and opinions than a blow by blow. But, like, we’ll see what happens.

So, anyway, saddle up your Meep and let’s visit Candia--one of the six kingdoms of the land of Calorum (aka: a fridge. We see you Brennan, it’s a fridge). Twenty years ago, the Ravening Wars wreaked havoc but they’re currently in a time of peace which (mostly) everybody is psyched about.

Meet the Family

This is not a new observation but, while most seasons of Fantasy High focus on found family, this season is all about family-family, specifically, the royal family of Candia and their associates. 

We’re first introduced to Murph’s character--Sir Theobald Gumbar (Level 3 Eldritch Knight)--who is the a huge, golden-armored, gummy bear, leader of the Tartguard, protector of the royal family, and the logical endpoint of Murph’s lawful good predilections. Sir Theo is, of course, on time with bells on for the big Saint’s Day/Coming of Age birthday party for the twin princesses of House Rocks. Unfortunately, he’s clearly never seen The Little Mermaid because when the heralds announce the princesses, they don’t show up. Frustrated, he goes to try and find them.

The first place he checks is with Zac’s character, Chancellor Lapin Cadbury (Level 3 Celestial Warlock). He is (in no particular order) the royal tutor, a chocolate bunny, an official of the main state sanctioned church of Calorum (the Bulbian Church), and a pompous ass. Oh, one more thing? He and Theobald can’t stand each other. There is nothing funnier than two very proper grown men who hate each other's guts. Sir Theo shows up to his classroom where the princesses are having a lesson--or at least they’re supposed to be. Further inspection shows that they’ve just left two straw dummies in their place. Classic.

So, we pan out to the city to meet my favorite characters so far (I absolutely play favorites but I also disclose when I’m doing it so I think I’m in the clear) the twin princesses/chaos gremlins--Jet and Ruby Rocks (both level 1 Rogues) played by Emily and Siobhan. Theo may not have seen The Little Mermaid but the twins have def seen Aladdin, because their number one pastime seems to be escaping the palace to roam the city--hilariously illustrated when they chuck a gem into a peasant's bag and his reaction is a super nonplussed, “Guess the princesses escaped again.” They’re got the Disney Princess-itis really bad because both of them feel stifled by palace life and want more--specifically, Jet wants to be a warrior and resents having been born in peacetime (especially since she’s slightly older and in line for the throne) and Ruby wants to run off and join the circus as an acrobat. They are total twin BFFs to the point that their Thieves Cant has been reskinned to Twinspeak which is a detail I love so much (and that will become unspeakably tragic if something happens to one of them Brennan). 

Jet gets a letter from her secret crush Thad, an Avocado from Fructera (these are the sentences I am being forced to write this season folks) and schemes with Ruby about how they can get to Comida (the capital city) to meet him--possibly by sweet talking Theobald which is easy because he’s so thirsty for respect. Sure enough, Theobald and Lapin soon find them, following their path of destruction and the princesses are brought back to the castle.

Back at the castle, we’re introduced to Lou’s character--King Amethar Rocks (Level 3 Storm Herald Barbarian)--who is having a somber moment, surrounded by the statues of his four older sisters who died in the Ravening Wars, leading his reluctant taking of the throne. He’s interrupted by Lord Calroy (his right hand guy and a full ass talking slice of cake because Brennan is trying to break me this season but I refuse to give him the satisfaction) who lets him know that his daughters have escaped and his delighted reaction immediately lets us know which side of the family they take after.

Finally (at least wrt PCs), we meet Ally’s character--Liam Wilhelmina of House Jawbreaker (Level 2 Ranger) who is a political prisoner/ward of House Rocks and a soft, outdoorsy, mountain kid who is perpetually followed around by his pet pig--Peppermint Preston whose death will absolutely force to me to Google “Best Denny’s Parking Lots for Fistfights.” He misses his dad but not his dick brothers because Ally isn’t allowed to have a fully happy family in any season. Liam is from the disgraced House Jawbreaker and his brothers seem to expect him to try and off the King while he’s in their orbit. While he’s in the woods, looking for seeds (as one does) he finds and accidentally breaks an important looking teacup, which we’ll get back to.

The other important character we meet this episode is an NPC--Queen Caramelinda, mother of the princesses, wife of Amethar, and keeper of 100% of the impulse control of House Rocks. She’s the main disciplinarian to Jet and Ruby, the clear decision-maker in the kingdom, and the only literate one out of her and her husband. She also seems to be the only character that respects Lapin’s authority. 

An Inciting Incident

So, with all our characters assembled, all that’s left is the plot hook which Caramelinda provides in the form of a personal letter from Emperor Gustavo--the head honcho of the entire realm and his old friend--to Amethar. He’s not doing well health-wise and he needs to name an heir that’s not related to him at a big tourney that he’s personally inviting Amethar to. Amethar is a little slow on the uptake but Caramelinda eventually connects to dots for him that it seems very likely that Gustavo is going to name him emperor.

Amethar is not vibing with that information at all but Caramelinda basically holds him by the ear until he reluctantly agrees to go--though he insists that Ruby and Jet also come along to keep him company. Caramelinda only agrees on the condition that Lapin goes with. She also invites Liam (who is caught off guard but game) and Sir Theo is basically going by default. Caramelinda is staying home to hold down the fort but the talking slice of cake is going because Brennan hates me and doesn’t want me to be happy. 

The traveling party is chosen, the twins have been gifted with sick, inherited weapons from their aunts: Flickorice--the Twizzing Blade (Jet) and Sourscratch--the Puckering Bow (Ruby). It’s almost time to be off, but there’s still one last thing to get to before we leave the twins’ party. 

Lapin, feeling the pull of something broken (told you we’d get back to it) subtly makes his way outside, but is followed by Jet and Liam. Now, if you remember, I said earlier that Lapin is an official of the Bulbian church. Which is why it’s so surprising for Jet and Liam to see him talking to the Sugarplum Fairy, a deity of the Sweetening Path--a non-sanctioned more animistic religion that really only has sway in Candia. He fixes the teacup and then she appears, telling him that he’ll need to be wary once he leaves her sphere of influence and that boldness will be required in the days to come. Lapin, who seems to be having this conversation very begrudgingly, asks if she’s asking him to do anything in an official capacity and she smiles and says that she’s not asking for her third wish(!). Then what does she want? She wants him to know that there is great risk in what he is doing, but not acting is the greater risk. The coming challenges will be great, but he must protect the royal family or all is lost. She wouldn't have used her second wish to bring him to them if that weren’t the case. They hustle back and spill this to Ruby, obvs.

Anyway, onward! The next day, the caravan is set up and--with a warning about a sugar free chocolate warlock (ominous, as sugar free chocolate always is) they’re on their way to meet their escort out of Candia. Ruby decides to do her acrobat thing and is hanging out on top of the carriage instead of inside it as she and Jet “subtly” (read:not at all) bring up the Sugarplum Fairy to Lapin to see if he cracks.

Suddenly, the caravan stops. There’s a tree felled in the path, which really only means one thing in this kind of story. 

Ambush.

Ruby, outside of the carriage and unprotected, takes 16 points of damage and is fully down with a failed death save due to some unknown effect. The carriage is riddled with arrows. 

Everyone rolls for initiative and that takes us into a new (sure to be recurring) segment I’m calling:

Things I’m Concerned About

I’m concerned about Jet and Ruby (and not just because I’ve been worried about Ruby for a while due to things the cast has said and because she fully *died* this episode). They have their genres so wrong. They think they’re Disney movie protagonists but they’re in Game of Thrones and they don’t know it. Being Wrong Genre Savvy is a BAD position to find yourself in. Carriage surfing shenanigans don’t fly in a world that wants you dead.

OK, Carameinda. I’m inclined to be pro-Caramelinda. Like, she’s the hardass but she needs to be because Amethar isn’t helping run the kingdom. If this was a different story, she wouldn’t give me any pause but I read Macbeth and feel some light Lady Macbeth vibes. Gonna be keeping an eye on her.  

Calroy and Sir Toby (didn’t mention him, he’s a slightly lower ranked Gummi Bear guard and friends with Theo). In a story like this, I’m looking for the possible betrayals before I get blindsided and the only people who can really betray you are people who are supposedly loyal to you. Calroy had a little aside with Amethar about how he shouldn’t be the Emperor if he doesn’t want to be--which isn’t wrong but is also something someone angling to keep him off the throne for other reasons would say--and Sir Toby decided to stay behind to help hold down the fort--again, either an innocuous decision, or angling to be left alone and to his own devices. 

Whatever is going on with the Sugarplum Fairy and Lapin? Do not care for that one bit. I understand that a Warlock pact is mechanically very similar to a Paladin oath and a Celestial Warlock pact is even moreso but guess what? Still don’t trust it. I know Ruby’s Arcana check said that she’s generally a chill spirit but I still don’t trust it. And getting Wishes from your follower? Weird and suspicious. What’s your game, lady?

Emperor Gustavo apparently has a daughter who is barred by law from taking the throne when he dies. That sounds like a very strong motive for *something* at some point down the line. 

I’m a little concerned Jet is being catfished by this Avocado. First of all, not a sentence I thought I’d ever write. Second of all, I’m probably just being paranoid. But that feels like a great way to get a princess alone for kidnapping or shanking or something. 

Update: Brennan did an AMA and, regarding the previous bullet point he said, and I quote, “You are right to be concerned!” so now I’m concerned about that too! Fun!

I’m concerned about the mechanics of how a slice of cake person works. Slice implies a full cake. Where is the rest of the cake Brennan? Where is it? And, like, Brennan said on the post-show stream that we’re making the “what do they eat?” question weirder than it actually is because we’re made of some of the stuff we eat but hey Brennan? If I could pick a flesh toned and textured apple off a tree? That would be weird, OK? And I’m sorry for everyone else who had to picture that but it had to be said since Brennan is insisting on walking us down this garden path.

I’m concerned about whatever the hell is happening with Liam. Disgraced dad, mom is a shaman of the local fringe religion (Sweetening Path, like Lapin), and his brothers want him to shank the king or something? No way this ends in smiles for everyone. 

Brennan said Pyramid of Food so I’m concerned about fruit rollup mummies. 

OK but more than anything, I’m concerned about the death rules of this game. Death in D&D is cheap but, in a campaign like this, it can’t be. I’m not super well versed in GoT but it’s my understanding that resurrection in that series is possible but rare. Brennan said he specifically didn’t let Ally stock certain healing spells and that’s very telling about how things are gonna be handled. I guess we’ll see in the upcoming battle episode how that works but my general thought is, I hope everyone made interesting backup characters.  

Five More Things

So, my thoughts on the new characters. I love Ruby and Jet with my entire heart. Watching Emily and Siobhan roleplay sisters and enable each other and hype each other up is so fun--or it would be if I wasn’t low key bracing to lose one of them sooner rather than later. Zac playing against type and Murph playing to type are both fantastic. I want nothing more than for Theobald and Lapin to continue sniping at each other. I hope that’s the first PvP fight of D20. Amethar is a lot of fun but clearly in over his head and I’m interested to see where he’s pushed. Liam is literally just vibing. Hope he doesn’t have to commit regicide!     

God, the House Rocks PCs are such a disaster family. I love it. The moment when Calroy comes in and is like, “The princesses have escaped,” and Amethar breaks into a grin and is like, “Dude, that’s so dope!” I was like OH, so it’s *all* of them, huh. But, honestly, this should have been on the “Things I’m Concerned About” list because come on. They’ve not all gonna make it. And then we’re gonna have to watch the remaining family members react to that? Oh no. 

Love Ruby’s bow. I have a player in my game who also has a magic bow that produces energy arrows because, truly, who has the time to deal with the logistics of how many arrows you had left after last fight? Magic arrows. Boom, done. Next. 

Getting bagged on by your Patron for not having a spell when she’s the one who gives you your spells is so funny. Also, Mending isn’t a Warlock spell which makes it even funnier. 

**I’ve given myself a 3k word limit on all of these to try to put some boundaries on myself but, Lol, prize to the first who guesses closest to the first episode I break that rule.**

[imjeralee]

Wallflower: Chapter 10 - #raihansprincess, Part II

Raihan x F!Reader

Disclaimer: Do not own Pokemon

Note: This is my first Pokemon fanfic. I hope you enjoy it :) Originally posted on Archive of Our Own.

Summary: You’re an unassuming Pokemon breeder who works at the nursery in the Wild Area and he’s Raihan, the fearsome gym leader of Hammerlocke who has more than a million followers. You don’t want anything to do with him but he’s…persistent.

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Warnings: Lemon, smut, violence, language

#raihansprincess, PART II

...

...

It takes a while to leave the Glimwood Tangle because the Shiinotic had taken your brother deep within the depths of the forest, but once you find the exit, you see Opal seated down on a toadstool with a Drifloon and a Galarian Ponyta which you believe is Sugarplum, Glenn's remaining missing pokemon. Once she spots your group emerging, you head over to her side at once and Glenn happily reunites with Sugar. Drifloon floats over to you and you're surprised to see he has left the house but it looks like he wanted to make sure you were okay. Opal informs you that they didn't get very far because her hip was acting up and later they came across a lost Leon who had separated from Allister. Sonia then went with Leon and Opal returned to the entrance, and now the duo are somewhere inside the forest.

However, Sonia's phone is faring better than the rest of you lot because she's been able to send messages and photos to Opal, detailing the progress of their investigation. They've discovered the source of the mysterious white light - it's coming from mushrooms that had been dug up. Previously, and they were supposed to be glowing a bright, neon-red hue and now they've lost their colour and the Pokemon who lived in these mushrooms now have nowhere to go. These dying mushrooms have been found in large quantities all over the forest.

"It must be that douchebag." Glenn says, frowning somewhat. You have an inkling that Glenn is talking about the guy you and Raihan met earlier. Glenn adds, "I think his name started with an 'E'."

"Eli, perhaps?" Raihan utters, and Glenn nods wildly. "You mentioned he was digging up wishing stars?"

"Yeah."

You and Raihan exchange glances whilst Opal sighs under her breath. "I can speak to Chairman Rose about this. Don't you worry about a thing, my dears." She assures you. "I'll wait here for Leon and Sonia, too."

"...Me too." Allister mutters. "....I guess this is goodbye."

"Thanks for your help, Allister." Raihan says, grinning.

"....Thanks for allowing me to go with you." The gym leader replies shyly, throwing his glance to the ground.

"No problem."

Turning to Phantump, you see him staring intently at the gym leader so you smile and Phantump trills loudly. "Would you like to stay with Allister?" And Phantump nods and floats towards the boy who gazes at it intently, before he looks up at you. "Allister, do you mind looking after Phantump for me?"

He blinks. "....Huh?"

"I think Phantump would be happier if he stayed with you, so....please look after him."

Allister nods. "Okay."

"Thank you."

"......You're welcome."

Phantump returns to you and gently pecks you on the cheek; you can feel the roughness of the wood rubbing against your skin and you hug him tightly whilst he clings to you. In fact, tears begin forming in your eyes when Phantump floats over to Allister and settles on top of his head. "Take care, Phantump. Don't worry, we'll find your family, and we'll find out what happened to you."

Allister nods in agreement. "....I'll do everything I can."

"Thanks, Allister."

”Wait....Your Drifloon has something to say to you.”

”What?”

”It wants to say... ‘I’m sorry’.”

”Huh?” Turning to the balloon Pokemon, you say, “Aww, it’s okay, Driffie.”

With that, you leave Phantump under the care of the Stow-on-Side gym leader; it's great that Allister understands ghost pokemon and no doubt, he will look after Phantump with utmost care. After saying further farewells, Allister takes a seat beside Opal and Drifloon and Phantump exchange a few trills and wheezes and you believe they’re having a conversation.

Once that’s done, you leave with Raihan, Glenn and Drifloon. You throw a few concerned glances over your shoulder now and then. The entire time, Phantump waves. He is watching you, a little sadly, and you wonder if you'd done the right thing.

"Cheer up, sis." Glenn says, "You can always visit the little guy and he can always return to you whenever he wants."

You nod. "...I know."

"I'm sorry about the pokemon battle. I can only remember parts of it and the rest of it is hazy. It was seriously the most trippy thing ever though - it was like I was kinda conscious and dreaming at the same time. So strange...but Shiinotic didn't mean to harm anyone, it was scared."

You sigh audibly under your breath. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Yep, me too. Well, it's been grand, but I should really head to Johto now. Mum must be worried to death about me."

"Aren't you tired? We could tell mum you're fine and you could stay for the rest of the night."

"Nah, it's okay, I've been gone for too long and I'm not tired either; I should go asap."

"What about your pokemon?"

"We're good, don't worry about us."

"Oh, alright."

Glenn turns his attention to Raihan next. "Hey Raihan, I got a lot of questions, like how you met my sis and stuff - but I know she's in good hands. So, please look after her in my absence."

"I will." Raihan replies, grinning.

"Good man." Glenn says, patting the gym leader on the shoulder. Your brother is not as tall as Raihan; it's kind of comedic seeing him trying to reach him properly. On the other hand, you're also extremely glad that Glenn has taken a liking to Raihan so quickly.

"Perhaps we'll battle one day." Raihan suggests, and Glenn nods. "Before you go, mind if we take a selfie?"

"Sure!" Glenn exclaims, and your brother takes a quick snapshot with the dragon tamer. You're relieved to see that your brother and Raihan are getting along.

"And here's my League card." Raihan adds, digging into his pockets and brandishing a small card which Glenn accepts.

"Interesting pose." Your brother comments as he places it into his bag carefully.

"Ah, yeah."

"Well, I'm off!" Glenn yells; you watch somewhat despondently as Rotom, with what little strength he has left, calls the Corviknight taxi for your brother and when it arrives, you say your goodbyes again and he's gone.

It's just you and Raihan. What now?

Much to your embarrassment, your stomach grumbles ferociously and you're pretty sure Raihan heard. Ah yeah, you never had your lunch... Clutching your tummy, Raihan chuckles and says, "Wanna grab something to eat?"

You nod. "Can we order takeout?"

"Sure. What do you wanna eat?"

"Hmm..."

In the end, you decide to order takeout from Bob's Your Uncle; you've not had a Bob's Burger for a while so upon accessing their website, you check out the menu and you both agree to buy something to share considering their portion sizes can be pretty big. With the order placed, you go to the pokemon centre to heal your pokemon team first.

Inside, Drifloon clings to you as Nurse Joy heals up your pokemon whilst Raihan attracts some unnecessary attention - you watch as he's quickly surrounded by a bunch of young women and you can't help but feel slightly out of place as he smiles and waves at them all and then looks at your direction and your gazes meet. You can only give him an awkward smile in return and a thumbs up; as he dishes out autographs and takes pictures with the fans, you head over to the PC and deposit Whimsicott, Starmie and Togekiss into a box, then look at the icons of your Haxorus and Salamence. To reduce the number of dragon Pokemon in your team, you were reluctant to use them in battle but you believe it's time to take them out now. Adding them to your party, you wonder if Raihan has an Axew or Bagon yet. It would be a nice surprise...

When you're finished, Raihan also departs from his fans. They all stare when Raihan makes his way towards you and you know they're wondering who you are and who you might be to the dragon tamer - you're too afraid to hold Raihan's hand or do anything else with him in public so you quickly leave with him by your side. What is this feeling? It's so strange...

Once you're home, your house pokemon greet you and Raihan spots Goomy and Dreepy; he greets them happily and you can't help but smile. Meanwhile, Drifloon floats off to the window, obviously upset with Phantump’s departure. You hope he will cheer up soon.

According to the app, your takeout will arrive in half an hour and this is Raihan's second time in your house albeit he has more time to look around your home; however, you and Raihan also have some time to finally be alone together. You get the idea he's thinking the same because you're in the kitchen fixing some drinks for the both of you when you hear him approaching from behind. Before you can turn round, he slips his arms around your shoulders and pulls you into his chest.

"Hey..." He murmurs, leaning down to nuzzle the side of your head before he begins nipping on the shell of your ear affectionately.

You smile, closing your eyes and placing your hands over his as he kisses your temple. "What's up?"

"How’re you feeling?"

"I'm okay." You mutter; when he stops kissing you, you manage to turn to face him and your eyes meet. "It's been a crazy day."

"It's never a dull moment with you." He utters; you briefly recall yourself thinking the same a while ago.

"Yeah, gotta admit...we've had quite a lot of adventures recently." You add, and Raihan chuckles. "Thanks for being there for me."

He grins. "Anything for you, princess." Leaning forwards, he pecks you on the lips briefly and when you break apart, your gazes linger before he closes the gap between you once more and your lips meet. You let out a soft moan from the back of your throat as he steals your breath away and he releases you so you can face him properly; Raihan scoops you in his arms and lifts you up to sit on one of your kitchen counters.

With your adjusted height, you cup his jaw as he leans forwards again, your lips pressing together gently. Your eyelids flutter to a close as you relish the feel of his mouth over yours, kissing you heatedly. He ensures every inch of your lips are pressed and nibbled on, which makes you giggle when you both break apart for some air; your eyes meet for a split second before he swoops on you again - you slip your arms around his neck and moan helplessly against him, melting thoroughly into his embrace as he ravishes you with his mouth.

He holds you tight with his arms wrapped around you securely, your chest firmly pressed against his. “Bedroom?” He suggests.

”Bedroom.” You reply, nodding.

...

A week later.

It's been a while since Raihan has been summoned to see the Chairman at Rose Tower; it's normally not for a good reason, that's for sure. Raihan exits the elevator and he passes a few Macro Cosmos employees who greet him politely. He greets them back with a smile as he jovially makes his way over, passing some Magnezone and Durants with their trainers. Once he's at Rose's penthouse, the door whooshes open for him and he sees Rose standing at the floor-to-ceiling window, looking outside whilst Oleana bows her head.

"Good afternoon, Mr Raihan. Thank you for coming, would you like a drink?" Oleana enquires, holding up a bottle of red wine in her arms.

"No thanks, Oleana."

"Very well." The secretary mutters as she returns the wine bottle over the table, her expression blank yet stoic, "Please, have a seat."

She gestures to the large, black leather sofa beside Rose's desk and he plops himself down; Rose's penthouse is beautiful with modern furnishings and top-notch interior design. Before he can marvel his surroundings any longer however, the Chairman turns round abruptly and begins strolling towards them. "Hello, Raihan."

"Hey, Chairman Rose."

"Do you know why I've asked to see you today?"

"Nope."

"Here, take a look at this." Chairman Rose mutters, taking the seat opposite him and reaching for the wine bottle and empty glass on the coffee table in front of them; he promptly pours himself a glass. "Oleana, show him."

"Yes, sir." Oleana wordlessly strides over to the gym leader and hands Raihan her tablet before returning to Rose's side, hands clasped together as she stands. Raihan looks at the screen where a website called 'THE GROOKEY TRUTH' shows several articles ranging from 'Watch now: Hiker's Escape Rope Epic Fail' and 'Is the World Coming to an End?' to an article that says:

"Dating rumours of Hammerlocke's beloved gym leader has been circulating online once more. The rumours began when a photo uploaded by the Chatot Daily Times that showed the dragon tamer with an unidentified female was quickly and quietly taken down. Fans have quickly come to address this mysterious girl as ‘Raihan’s princess’. Just recently, another photo of Raihan with the same girl has been uploaded on Froakit, the front page of the internet.

While some fans have shown willingness to be supportive if the rumours turn out to be true, other fans have been angry and are demanding an explanation. The netizen who uploaded the photo claimed that the duo looked quite close. T he dragon tamer has recently suffered a string of losses to gym challengers hence fans are concerned that he is taking his responsibilities less seriously due to the distraction."

"This article was published this morning. It really isn't my business who you're dating, Raihan," Rose mutters, swirling the wine inside his glass gently using his hand, "But this isn’t the first time and you need to understand that you're endorsed by the League and through your contract with us, you've received many sponsorships. Therefore, anything negative that could harm your reputation could affect us all too. I don't know how else to put this but...I'll use Leon as a prime example here; as Champion, he cannot afford to let anyone down. He has a wonderful, altruistic personality and most importantly, a sense of responsibility. He has many fans - young, old, male, female - and he's very aware of how he should act in public and how others would perceive him so he's very careful, even if it means he has to grin and bear with the crippling pressure that he faces everyday. So we've decided - to avoid backlash, we're going to deny these rumours and mention that we'll take legal action against those who spread false misinformation."

"Wait." Raihan glances at the tablet again, then gazes at Rose, "No, I can deal with this. I want to confirm the rumours."

...

Meanwhile.

In the department store, you look at the price tags of the sets in your hands and ponder to yourself; hm, which one would Raihan prefer? In one hand, you're holding a lacy red bra and panty set and the other is a sleek, satin black. They're both the same price. You cannot decide which one to buy for the life of you so you dump both into your basket and move on, until a white bra set catches your eye and you grab that too, just in case.

Here you are, buying sexy lingerie to wear for the next time you and Raihan are in bed. You can't help but blush as you contemplate that to yourself, clutching your basket tightly in hand. Now that you're with Raihan, things have become more exciting and fulfilling than ever before: you also want to focus on yourself so you've decided to do some shopping in Wyndon. Along the way, you want to buy Raihan a nice gift so you get him a poketoy bundle that is exclusive for dragon pokemon. It's been a while since you went shopping - especially for yourself - but recently you really want to spoil yourself so you've also purchased a half-day spa package. Pricey as hell, but hopefully worth it when you come out of it as a completely refreshed woman (or so you hope).

You've asked your friend to go and she mentions to you that she can make herself free as long as you tell her what day you want to in advance, so you both spent oodles of time going over the calendar and when you agree on a date, you book the package and she requests a day off work. You're meeting her in the cafe before you hit the spa so that's when you'll break the news to her - you will tell her that you're seeing Raihan and you will also ask her if she wants to go on a date with Leon. You wonder how she'll react. After you buy your lingerie and stuff it into an eco-friendly bag, you make your way to the cafe where you see her waiting for you in the corner.

"Hey." She waves for you and you grin and head over.

"Hey! I'm so glad you're here; I feel like I haven't seen you forever!" You gush.

"I know.”

"I miss you so much!”

"Me too!" She exclaims. You both exchange a hug; you feel she's in a better mood compared to the last time you saw her as she grabs her purse, ready to leave her seat. "So, what do you wanna drink?"

"I'll treat you."

"But you treated me last time."

"It's fine, it's on me. What do you want? Black coffee, no sugar?"

"Ehh, I actually kinda want their Milcery mint mocha for a change. They have millefeuille today too."

"Right, got it." You put down your bags and head to the counter where you order the drinks and your food. The cafe is slightly busy today but fortunately the wait is not too long. Once it's ready, you grab the tray with the hot drinks - you got the mocha and fluffy layered cake, and you've ordered an affogato and Swirlix tiramisu - and because you want to spoil yourself, you buy a red velvet cupcake too - and you return to the table, balancing the full tray in your hands.

"Mm, looks yummy." She says, "Thanks."

"No problem. Thanks for being able to come out today." You help her lift the mocha off the tray and nudge it near her side on the table whilst you do the same for your drink and cake.

She sighs, grabbing the napkin and unfolding it. "I need a break, so all good."

"How's work?"

"Shite," She moans, "It's absolute shite."

You purse your lips. "Is it not getting better?"

"It's not really getting better or anything, but I just feel like my soul is slowly being sucked out of my body."

"You're doing something you don't enjoy, that's why."

"Yeah, I think so too. Even though the pay's good and so is the commission.... that's the only good thing about it, I guess."

"Have you thought about what you want to do?"

Your friend looks glumly at her cup as she holds it in her hands. "Not really. Never mind, let's not talk about work anymore. I can't wait for the spa."

"Same. Did you look at the spa menu?"

"Yeah, and I looked at the reviews. It's a pretty high-end place."

"I wanted to go for the best." You reply; you both taste your coffee and discover that it's really good. "Oh yeah, I need to tell you something. Well, more like ask."

"What?"

"....Do you wanna... go on a date with the Champion of Galar, Leon?"

Your friend looks at you blankly for a few seconds, before she goes, "Wut?"

"I was going to work one day and I saw Opal outside - she's the gym leader of Ballonlea - and she asked if I knew anyone who was single; she wants to set Leon with someone, and I thought about you."

Your friend's eyes widen at once before she splutters, "Wait, WHAT?"

"But only if you want to."

She looks visibly nervous, fidgeting in her seat. "What the...where is...where is this coming from? Why? This is so random!!!"

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but I think he's a great guy."

"Well, why didn't she ask you?"

"She did, but I - " You pause somewhat, before you utter out, "I'm seeing someone already: Raihan."

Her eyes bulge once more. "WHAT?" Leaning forwards in her chair, she grabs your hand. "Oh my Shaymin, what! You are? Wait, I knew it! You know Raihan posted up a selfie of himself with your brother the other day, right??? I was like when did Raihan meet your brother??? When did this happen?? When were you going to tell me this???" She exclaims; she sounds happy for you, which makes you feel better inwardly considering you weren't sure how she would react.

"Well...We just started going out."

She stuffs her knuckles into the mouth, and emits a squeal with glee. "That is so cute! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks..." You leave your sentence trailing, chuckling. "So...do you wanna go on a date with Leon? I know you have a thing for men with long hair - or was it men in tights?"

Your friend clams up again and you're pretty sure you see her cheeks going slightly pink. You recall that your friend attempted to become Champion a long time ago and gave up after losing several times. Leon is champion and has been since the tender age of ten...so, you suppose there's somekind of common ground there but you don't want to mention this to her, of course. Wait! What if being around Leon makes your friend think about her forgotten, destroyed childhood dreams???! Or maybe you're thinking too much now? You quickly bat those thoughts away and say with a smile, "He's a really friendly guy, I'm sure you guys will get along."

"...What if he's not interested? What if he doesn't like me?"

"He won’t." You reply; however, she drops her smile, looking visibly troubled. Maybe you shouldn't have mentioned this to her...

However, much to your surprise, she nods. "Okay, I guess there's no harm, and it's always good to meet more people."

"Exactly! I'll tell Opal the good news." You add, before you quickly type a message to the gym leader.

Once you finish messaging Opal, you continue catching up. There’s a lot to share - you tell her that Raihan had a crazed stalker, you went camping with him, he gave you a Goomy and a Dreepy, he helped catch a Galarian Ponyta which you gave to your brother. Speaking about Glenn, you tell her that he went missing in the woods near your home and you had to battle him because he got mind-controlled by a Shiinotic but you lost and Raihan paid; the prize money was a lot, almost equivalent to the price of a vitamin. Then you also found Phantump’s dead body and now he’s with Allister.

”Bloody hell.” Your friend says, in response to all this.

You even tell her that Raihan keeps calling you princess.

”Well, from what you’ve told me, he certainly treats you like one.”

She has a good point, although the pet name has stuck since that online article was released.

The coffee's really good, so you and your friend end up ordering two more each along with some more cake and then depart to the spa. With three coffees in your system and a whole lot of sugar, you're pretty jittery inside. After you finish up in the spa, it's getting late and you both leave the establishment feeling relaxed and refreshed and in an elevated mood. You had opted for a full, relaxing seaweed bath, facial and body massage and now your neck, shoulders, back and arms feels rid of many cricks and stiff joints and your skin is super smooth and shiny.

"That foot massage really hit the spot." Your friend comments, "That Mr. Mime is good with his hands - " Pause. "Fuck, that sounded so wrong! You get what I meant though, right???"

You snort with laughter as she squawks helplessly. "Yeah."

She curses loudly anyway, before she opens her phone to check any messages; her eyes widen and she turns to you. "Um, I think you should see this."

"What is it?"

"Look." She hands you her phone and you see that she's brought up Raihan's social media page. You can see the selfie he took with your brother which he ended up posting onto his account along with a new post; selecting it, you see that the post is a massive wall of text and there's more than a thousand comments on it. Your friend says, "He's confirming that he's dating. Aww, look at what he's written. It's so sweet."

You wonder what's triggered this but when you read his post, he doesn't disclose your name or any other information about you, other than his girlfriend is really important to him, he enjoys spending his free time with her and he really cares about her. You feel your heart thudding harder, your cheeks warming. He also mentions that it won't stop him from training or working harder as Hammerlocke gym leader - in fact, it's inspired him to work harder - so his fans shouldn't be worried.

You sigh under your breath as you hand her the phone. "Sorry, I think I should head back now."

"That's okay." Your friend says with a smile. "I had fun today. Let's hang out again soon."

"Sure. Maybe next time we could go on a double date or something." You reply, and she laughs. “Tell me how the date goes.”

”Yeah, yeah, okay.”

You both split up - she makes her way to the train station and you scoop out your phone. You should go see him.  You quickly call him and you wonder if he'll be able to pick up but then -

"Hey, princess." He sounds cheerful as always.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Where are you right now?"

"At the stadium."

"I'll come over."

"Okay."

After you hang up, you call the taxi to take you to Hammerlocke.

...

Raihan waits for his girlfriend.

There hasn't been any scheduled matches today which was a nice change of pace, but it doesn't mean he gets to slack off. His entire day was full of training with his pokemon; he's been devising various battle strategies and tactics so next time, a victory will be guaranteed. He's been so absorbed with work that he hasn't even looked at his phone much and it’s getting hot, so he sits cross-legged in the middle of the pitch with a pen and notebook in hand. He removes his hoodie and sweatband, leaving them folded on the soft grass by his side.

He wonders when she'll get here when suddenly someone pounces on his back and a pair of arms wrap around him; she kisses him on the cheek and nuzzles his neck and he chuckles. "Hey."

"Hey." She says, before she gives him a tight, affectionate squeeze and nibbles the shell of his ear.

"Are you okay?"

"Yep!! I had three coffees, that's all."

In that case, she should have coffee more often.

"C'mere." Raihan tries to be careful with her - he peels her off his back and into his arms, bringing her into his lap where he aggressively attacks her neck and face with kisses and playfully nips at her skin. She giggles, clinging onto him as he ravages her. Pulling away for a split second, he leans forwards again to take a whiff of her hair. "Mm. You smell good."

"I went to the spa with my friend today..." His girlfriend wriggles in his grip to sit up and he keeps her perched in his lap; cupping her face, he takes one good look at her - cute as always, yep, and this time, she is positively glowing... the spa has done her some good; throwing his glance to the side, he also notices the numerous shopping bags she's brought with her. "I got you something."

He lets go of her as she reaches over and accidentally knocks over a bag where he can see this red lacy bra inside.

"Whoa! You weren't supposed to see that! Not yet anyway..." She exclaims and he chuckles; she quickly seizes it and moves it behind another bag and away from his eyes, but he's seen it all already. She grabs another bag, fishes out a rather large bundle from inside which she hands to him. It's a poketoy set specifically for an assortment of pokemon types ranging from dragon to ground.

Grinning, he says, "Thanks," and promptly opens it, lifting out a feathery toy which he uses to tickle her nose with. She scrunches up her face in response and he laughs at her expression.

"It's also got this incense that relaxes dragon-type pokemon." She explains, rubbing at her nose.

"It's great, I'm sure the guys will love it." He murmurs, before he puts the toy down, slides his arms around her waist as she sits up properly, glancing around again before she spots his hoodie and puts it on. It's so huge on her tiny frame that she completely disappears inside it and the sleeves are so long, they dangle off her arms; Raihan watches her silently; she's never worn his clothes before and he has to admit, it's a bit hot. To complete the outfit, he takes his headband that he's left lying over the grass and carefully eases it over her head. It's obviously too big for her; it keeps dropping over her eyes.

She pushes the headband up over her forehead and holds it there. "I saw the post," She says next, voice laced with concern, "What happened?"

He shrugs casually as he reaches for her free hand, pulling the sleeve of his hoodie up to reveal her fingers; he carefully slides his thumb into the base of her tiny palm and rubs her thoroughly; she watches him tentatively before she closes her fingers over his hand in return and holds his hand gently in hers. He says, "There were rumours going round saying I was dating; fans were worried that I was getting distracted and not taking my responsibilities seriously enough."

"Am I?" She asks, "...Am I distracting you?"

He cracks a grin, chuckling as she opens his hand and begins using her fingertip to trace the lines in his large palm. Her hand is so small and fragile compared to his but her fingertips are quite rough. She's used to hard work. "Nope." He mutters, scooping her fingers with his and rubbing them with his thumb.

"I'm sorry that happened, you don't deserve it."

"S'okay."

"I saw the comments too, a lot of them weren't nice."

He shrugs when she mentions his haters. "I'm used to it." Using his other hand, he pats her affectionately on the head, smoothing her hair down and stroking the side of her cheek, "Don't worry about me. It'll take more than that to get me down."

She pouts, but then smiles. "Okay, that's good. I’m glad. If it ever gets too much, we could always go somewhere else - maybe to Johto or Hoenn. I heard people have their own secret bases there."

"I could ask Kabu."

"Great."

”...Rose wanted to deny the rumours. I didn’t want that. It’s not fair on you.” He replies and she brings his hand to her chest, clutching him tightly. ”It’ll be okay. You don’t need to be a part in any of this.” He knows she enjoys her privacy, so he won’t ask her to be in any videos or photos.

“It’s not like it’s a big secret anyway - your cheerleaders know we’re together. And I think it's the other way round. I mean, you distract me a lot when I'm at work - I'm always thinking about you."

Raihan hesitates, raises a brow, before he grins once more and lets go of her hand to encircle his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. She's being very bold today - first, she took him by surprise and also took the initiative; second, she clearly bought some sexy lingerie for the next time they would be in bed together, and now she is saying this. She delivers it in such a straightforward, blunt manner, he's not quite sure if he heard her properly but he did. He feels he should reward her so he leans in close, their noses touching.

"...Is that so?" He mutters, with his lips mere millimetres from hers. He slides one hand down from her waist to her ass, caressing her, and she blushes.

"Mm-hm, I'm always thinking about the stuff you do to me when we're together."

"Such as?"

She pulls his headband away from her eyes, lets go of his shoulders to cup his face, stroking the sturdy outline of his jaw and cheek with her thumb and their gazes meet. She tilts her head to the side and he leans in further, finally getting the chance to press his lips against hers. He gently massages her mouth with his, holding her tightly in his arms and pulling her firmly against him whilst she drapes her arms around his neck.

When they pull away, she smiles and says, "I'll leave that to your imagination."

...

[obsidianfr3sk]

Beginnings and Endings (Part 2)

@renegadesnet event 2: august of anarchy

↪ [The Artino Brothers]

Summary: In the beginning, it was just the two of them: David and Alec, the Artino Brothers. Then, they brought anarchy into the world. Now, David is not sure if there would be enough of themselves by the end of it. "Don't call me Alec anymore. Now I am Ace. Ace Anarchy."

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25686343/chapters/62997898

With this part ends my contribution to August of Anarchy:) I love participating and I hope we got more events in the future!! Writing David and Ace was painfully wonderful and I’m not saying I will write more fics about them someday... but I will lol I hope you like this chapter as much as you like the first one <3

Also i wrote this from my mom’s pc because my laptop is a little bitch and broke down and it’s fucking difficult to type on this keyboard like wtf this pc is old as fuck it has like 12 years do yall realize that if this pc was a child she would be having her first period??? but like my laptop has only three years and she fucking dead-

The finale of the ending

Age of Anarchy

Year 11

David had never left Tala's house feeling angry. Never. Tala never made him angry. How could he be mad at the kindest, funniest, and most talkative person who inhabited the entire galaxy? He could spend hours listening to her rants, reading old magazines with her, and laughing at her bad jokes. Her hair smelled like yeast and cherries. (David surely smelled like crap.)

Tala Ong made him wish the nights were eternal, but this time David was doing nothing but longing the day would come soon.

She knew very well they never spoke of his family, and she had dared to mention it anyway.

David entered the cathedral through the back door. He still had Tala's words inside his head.

“You can't let him tell you what to do, David. Don't you realize that he is only manipulating you? He's using you for his evil ends, David, because yes, that what they are, evil ends.”

Evil ends. How old was she, seven?

“You no longer depend on him. You are an adult, David. A very handsome, smart, and powerful adult. I've seen the things you can do with your powers, and it's… it's beautiful, David, it's very beautiful.”

Talanever wore jewelry. She said it contrasted a lot with the old clothes she wore all the time. However, when David made that bracelet for her on her birthday, Talaassured him she would always wear it. And up to that point, she had kept her promise.

“David, I like you. A lot, a lot, a lot. You honestly have no idea how much I like you. If it were up to me, we would spend the rest of our days together.” She walked over to him and put her hands on his chest. Talawas short, curvy, and her eyes were so beautiful... “You are special. And not because you're a prodigy, David, God no. You are special, but because you are you, David, and that is more than enough.”

And David was about to tell her the truth. Tell her that he also liked her very, very, very much and that he agreed to spend the rest of his days with her. But then, Tala caressed his cheek and whispered, “Ace won’t hurt you anymore.”

He pulled away from her with outrage burning him inside. 

Tala didn't know Ace as he did. She didn't know what she was talking about.

David entered the chapel where he slept. It was dark and small compared to other chapels in the cathedral, but he liked it. He reached out to turn on the light, and—

He froze. Ace was there, staring at the marble statue dedicated to the Holy Family. He lit a candle for them, murmuring some words in italian. Then he crossed himself. Nel nome del Padre, del Figlio e dello Spirito Santo.

When Ace prayed and David was in trouble, he couldn't tell if he was talking to the good Ace or the bad Ace. Both Ace were deeply devoted. 

But the bad Ace was scary when David did something he didn't like.

“Of all the sculptures in this cathedral, this must be one of my favorites, David,” Ace said without looking at him. “You know why?”

David could only ask, "Why, Ace?”

“Because it shows Jesus in his most vulnerable form,” he replied. “This child is— was the Savior of all mankind. He was the most powerful being on Earth, yet he loved and respected his family like any other mere mortal. And in that, we are alike.”

You are not God, Ace. Stop comparing yourself to him.

Ace turned around. He was wearing his helmet, but was on his pajamas. In another context, David would be laughing. “Where were you?” he asked.

“I was—”

“With Tala.”

There was no point lying to him. “Yes. With Tala.”

Ace leaned against a column. “And how is she? What's new?”

“Actually— we argued.”

“Did you argue? That’s terrible.”

If Tala had been there, she probably wouldn't have noticed the suffocating atmosphere. She would not have a cold sweat all over her body, nor would the blood have gone to her feet.

Because she was brave.

“You are brave, David!” she exclaimed trying to take his hand again. “You are as brave as—”

“As brave as you?” David asked, his face flushed with anger. “No, I am not! We both know I'm not! Forgive me for being a freaking disappointment to you!”

When he heard Tala's first sob, he was so scared, so sorry for his actions, that he ran. He left his crush crying, in the middle of the hot, starless night.

David was not brave. David was a coward.

“It is,” he whispered.

“Why did you argue?”

Because of you.

David leaned against the spine next to Ace, his hands in his pockets. “She likes me. A lot,” he replied.

Ace moved to lean on the same column as David. His clothes were infused with a smell of humidity and incense. It was familiar, sure, but it was never going to be as pleasant and comforting as Tala's. Never.

“And did she just say it like that?” he asked with a sly smile. “Wow. She must be crazy for you, David.”

He nudged him gently on the shoulder. David dared to smile.

He was talking to the good Ace.

“Yes, I thought we were just good friends,” David replied, throwing himself on his cot, “but the truth is that... I like her too.”

“Why?” Ace asked, laughing out loud.

“Why not?” David said with a shrug. “She is cute. And ingenious. Very funny.”

Ace sat next to him on the cot. “But she isn’t a prodigy,” he reminded him.

David rolled his eyes. “Are we going back to that? There is nothing wrong with it.”

“There's nothing wrong with just being friends, sure,” agreed his brother, “but when it comes to starting a family, it can be a problem.”

“No, no one is talking about starting a family,” David said. “I just think she's cute. That's it.”

“Don't lie to me, little nightmare," he whispered, "you know I don't like you lying to me.”

Ace stood up, blocking the light that was hitting David's face.

His smile disappeared. He was wrong. David was talking to the bad Ace.

Idiot. He should have known better.

“I’m aware you have a very strong attachment to her,” he told him. “I see it in your eyes every time you return from visiting her.”

“You notice when I arrive?” he muttered.

“Oh, all the time, David, all the time,” he replied with a nod. “You're so in love. But what tells you that she corresponds to your feelings with the same intensity?”

The cold sweat returned. “She told me,” he replied quietly. “She told me I was special.”

“Special?” Ace rolled his eyes. “David, women will say anything to seduce a man and get what they want out of him.”

“But I have nothing, Ace. What could she want from me?”

“You have nothing, that's right,” he agreed. “But we—” he threw the helmet at him violently, “—we have this.”

David's hands squeezed it. He hoped it exploded. Or burst into flames. Or both. “Your helmet?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“It is evident that she is working with the Renegades,” Ace explained. “They are probably the ones who gave her the idea of exactly what she had to say to make you believe her and fall in love.” He brushed a lock of hair from David’s face, with those long, cold fingers that gave him chills. That lock could never stay in place. “I don't blame you, little nightmare. You wouldn't be the first to fall for a pretty face.”

David fixed his gaze on the helmet. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph— he hated that freaking helmet.

“Why should she like you anyway? Why would such a pretty girl notice you if not for our power?”

Our power, Ace? Or your power?

David started to tear up. Was it because of his sadness? His anger? Or was it because of the pain he felt in his hands from crushing the helmet?

“The world is full of people who will tell even the vilest of lies just to get what they want,” Ace continued. The unruly lock covered her face again. Ace extended his hand slowly. “Believe me when I tell you that Tala is not so different from them.”

Tala could be many things. But if there was one thing David was sure of, it was that she was not a liar.

“No.”

Ace's hand stopped. “No?”

David stood up and tossed the helmet at Ace. “No! Talais not what you say. She's not a liar,” he exclaimed, pointing at his brother with his finger. “And do you know how I know that? Because I know her! I know her better than you ever will because I'm not obsessed with the idea of someone coming in and taking away the power I have! I am sure of how powerful I am. No one can take from me what is truly mine. Not even you.”

Ace put his helmet back on, and looked David up and down.

Crap.

Suddenly, a force lifted him off the ground and smashed David into a pillar. He stifled a groan of pain as Ace walked over to him, looking him in the eyes, and retaining David’s extremities with his powers.

He was going to kill him. He truly believed that he was going to kill him right there.

But Ace did not.

He tucked his younger brother's unruly lock back behind his ears.

His hands were still cold. But David was no longer afraid.

Ace sighed. “I'm just trying to protect you, my little nightmare.”

David had never felt so grossed out hearing his nickname. He hated it even more than he hated the helmet. Little nightmare. My little nightmare.

He could throw up just thinking about it.

Without him noticing at first, golden threads began to sprout from his fingertips, moving in strange directions. David wasn't even moving a single muscle. His brother clenched his jaw and frowned. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He had never seen him having so much difficulty controlling his telekinesis. 

Then, he realized what was going on. Their powers were in a fight, neck to neck. And David's seemed to have a chance.

Finally, David's powers won out, and he fell to the ground on his feet. A little shaky, a little confused about what had just happened— but free.

“I can take care of myself, Alec,” he said. “And I'm not your little nightmare anymore.”

Without answering, Alec picked him up off the ground again. This time, David's powers did not come to his rescue. He levitated him all the way to the main entrance of the cathedral. With a wave of his hand, he opened the doors wide and threw him to the sidewalk with violence.

David fell backward. Dazed, he raised his head. His gaze was slightly blurred, but he could clearly see Alec was smiling at him.

Maliciously. Tenderly. With a terrifying mix of both.

“I know you'll come back. I will be waiting.”

As soon as the doors closed again, David stood up and walked away from the cathedral. Alec was wrong. He was never coming back.

The nightmare had come to an end.

[gigilalaka]

The Deage Troll Au. Update and Chapter 1

So, this was supposed to tell you all that want to read my still in progress deage au, that chapter 1 was out on my ao3 account. Well its not. I can’t get access to it on my pc and I’ve tried a couple of other methods as well. Now I’m just waiting for they guys and girls that run ao3 to find whats wrong. However I want people to at least read the first chapter so here it is. We will see what happends in the coming days but for now enjoy!

*for thought

‘for speak

Chapter 1 “ Good days gone bad”

Poppy looks out of one of her windows that she got installed barely 3 weeks ago, its soft rain that gos pit patter on them tonight and normaly she would hum to the soft sound but she can’t find the strengt nor heart to do it. Her mind is filled with worry and guilt over the small body thats currently sleeping in a small borrowed bed that Smidge had been so kind to give her. * What am I do to now?* the words keeps runing around her head as she hears a small whimper coming from the bed. She truns around to look at them and walks over with soft steps and just stops at bedside, the little thing looks like they are not haveing the best of dreams. She could not blame them, she bet shes haveing them tonight as well once she finally finds sleep herself.

She slowly stroke the little things face, tears silent runing out of both closed eyes. One out of lost another out worry the next out of fear. A small boyish voice filled with sadness and longing asking for the one person thats never going to be able to anwser back ‘ grandma, where are you?’ It breaks her heart just hearing it.

‘Oh Branch, I’m so so sorry. I should’t have brought that stupid flower to the bunker, we should’t have.’ she says as she looks at her boyfriend, now in a body of a 6 year old, his skin grey as dark ash, hair black as coal and a fearfull frown onpond his little sleeping face. It still amazed her how bad everything had gotten just within 5 days, and it all started when he asked her a favor of just getting some stuff from the deep forest. How she just wish she’d could stop her past self from taking that damn flower or just give it to the herbalist before she and Hickory went to visit him. Maybe then neither of them wouldn’t feel so bad like they do now.

‘I’m so so sorry, sweetie. I’m so sorry’ she keeps saying, tears anew starts run out her eyes again, while her mind drifts back 5 days ago, where it all started.

‘So let me see if I get this right?’ Hickory begins while he helps his brother over a giant fallen log with a rope around him and Dickory, while said brother is cursing up and down and to the high heavens for gifting him with this damn body and how he wish he’d have moveing hair like the pops have. It would sure make this a lot faster! Poppy stops to look at the bounty hunter, the half open basked strapped on her and one on each bounty hunters backs moveing a little showing herbs, barks, flowers and berries, a small smile froming on her face when Hickory nearly let loose the rope thats currently the only thing thats keeping his brother from falling several feet down, again. The small yodleller looking at the other one with a glare. Dareing his little brother loose his grip again on the rope, or else theres going to be hell to pay.

‘Branch is missing or gone out of several herbs and a type of moss thats used for a variety of diffrent meds and skin tonics? And he ask you to get them for him while he fixses something down in the bunker thats gone badly out of whack?’ For the past 4 months, Hickory and Dickory has been residents of said bunker while they are here helping the pop trolls build up their villiage again. Its part of the deal they have with Delta on the amount of charity works they need to get done with the country trolls and for what they did Poppy and Branch. First they had to help fixing some the homes and buildings back in Lonesome Flats, before they were sent to what remaind of the Pop villiage to help fix things there as well. Though to be honest, untill more of the trees and plants recover some more, theres little they can fix. Many a troll are still living in the undergrund bunker the resident grump live and build up, till some of their home trees are ready to take them in again. Though said grump was getting a little antsy with all the other trolls hyper-go-lucky energy. And endless will to party hard and as loud as possible.

Both he and Dickory had been very supriesed and shocked on how one troll had build something this lagre by the age of 15, get it so well stocked and maintain all alone for well over a decade. It was not for nothing that the other pop trolls called him the most prepared troll of the Pop villiage. *Though to be honest, we should have figured that out with how he was so prepared for just about everything on the journey* Hickory thought while putting the rope in his basket, Dickory finally on safe ground. He’s very sure that if they meet another log like that again, his big bro is just gonna swallow his pride and ask the queen for a ride over instead. It was getting very tiring getting past these forsaken logs for the both of them.

‘Yep’ the queen say, the ‘p’ poping as she said it.’ The Ruby moss is the most improtent one along with the Silver Drop Rose. They are used for some very serious bruns tonics and blood loss meds that I think even the funk trolls have never seen. Branch said that even if we only get a few of each of them, it still be enough to treat several dozen patients, but it would really help him and the doctors to have a bundle or two of each instead. They only bloom for the brief period between these 2 weeks. The rainstrom season is coming soon and they are going to be washed away soon when the first storm hits. Oooh look some more Dede berries! Miss Flourens going to be so happy that we gotten some of them, they hard to find this time of the year. Now she wont have to worry so much about the flu season’ The berries looks nice where they are hanging from their bush, a rich maroon colour with what looks like a golden stripe going around the oval shaped fruit. Poppy takes out a few small clay jars to store them in from her basket. She notes that she’s running out of room to store things. She take out a book from the basket she’d taken with her in her hair, incase she found any other herbs she’s not sure about. One of the many useful gifts Branch have given her the past 2 years.

‘So why did you take us with you girly? You know how that boy of yours don’t like us very much’ Dickory asked, it was a bit of a understatment, Branch had been rageing mad at them when he found out the their lie. Had it not been for the fact that Poppy's other friends was holding him down, Dickory is very sure he and his bro would not be walking at all. Its a bit better now, but non of the yodeller brothers wants to overstep themself the frail peace they have right now. Though he still wounders what the less colour full troll meant with ‘ this is just like what happened almost 2 years ago!’. He did not like the sound of it, not at all.

‘Mostly to give you guys some breathing room really.’ Dickory gets back, the queen is still getting some of the last berries in the jar. Then give them to him for storage in his basket. ‘Also, I know for a fact that since your both bounty hunters you guys was the better choice to take on this little trip when it comes to protection. Which I know mister grumpy is not going argue against, beside I’d rather take you guy over the other one thats avaialble.’ * The less said about Creek the better off I am* Poppy thinks, not wanting to take that guru on this trip today, lately the purple troll was trying to get them alone very often and that scared her.

The three continue their journey, stoping every now and then for a breather or a brief lunch, when they come to a area that has the herbs they are looking for. Its not easy to get to them though. The roses blooms on a small cliff thats very close to a river that has some very sharp stones jutting out and the moss prefer to be on the ceilings in a cave that is home some nasty creeps and crawls that no sane troll would want crawling in their pants. However, when they took a break near a tree, they a get a glimps of a snow white petals that seems to shimer in the light behinde another tree and some bushes a little father ahead of them. Hickory and Dickory is not sure if it is safe to go there, but Poppy is insistent that they at least check it out.

They come onpond a small clearing with a pond near the middle of it, a single flower blooming from the north side of the pond. Its white as snow that shimer in the sun light, with what looks like golden, amethyst and royal coalbolt blue bands around the base of the pastals forming a lovely small pattern of rings together. Its shaped like a tulip, if a tulip had slightly longer pastals and curly torns that is. They can smell a faint hint of sweet yet lightly bitter smell coming for it.

‘Now what in blues hell is this? Poppy do you know what this flower is?’ Hickory ask as he looks at the plant. Its very nice to look at and would make a wounderfull gift to a loved one, but dose not go near it. Neither he nor Dickory knew if it was safe to go anywere near it. No doubt that something had to be wrong if only the flower was the only thing to bloom in that pond. He dose not get a anwser for a while, the queen busy with her herb book to see what they have stumblot onpond.

‘Thats very strange. Its not in the book.’ the pink troll say with a mumble. She looks at the two and ask ‘ are there any sticks or stones near bye that we can throw? We need to check that its not a pond lucker. Those things are rightout nasty to deal with and I rather like to keep my arms or legs intact.’ A shiver gos down her spine when she think what happened to the last party group that went out to gather stuff from the deepest part of the forest. From a 35 group to only 14 coming back, almost half of them missing limbs thanks only to dose things. Was it not for that 2 of them had realy good aim, more would have been lost.

‘I think a saw some over there by the river. Gimme a min’ Dickory say as he runs there to get some. When he comes back the three of them each choice a spot to hit, but noting happens. They to it a few more times, just to be sure but is just a normal pond. Relief settels in a bit, but they move slowly near the flower. Once they are near enough, Poppy takes a few minutes to look at it, than take out a pair of gloves, a sturdy looking glass jar and a small spade.

‘Don’t tell me your gonna take that flower with you?!’ Dickory almost shouts. ‘It can’t be safe if it is the only thing that living in this damn pond!’

‘I have to. This area is the closest to the villiage when it comes to get these types of herbs. The others can take weeks to go to and fro. Finding a plant that we know nothing about so close here, I have to take this to our herbalists to find out what it is. For all we know it might do more harm than good to this area’ Poppy anwser back, most of her focus on the plant, not knowing how true her words would become.

Once she got it in the jar, she looks at them and says ‘Its best we go now. We don’t need to be here any longer’ the hunters agree with both of them tur-

‘WAAAAAA’ a scream comes out of Branch traped yet again in another nightmare that he can’t wake up from, sending Poppy out of her thoughts and chair like a rocket crash and running to him. She hugs him while the trolling continue to scream his heart out, his fear clear as day, small fists hitting her chest every now and then. His not stoping and his sob aren’t getting better either.

*My poor poor Branch. Why do you have to suffer more of this?* rings in her head, well aware that her boyfriend haven’t had this kind of nightmare in a long time. It seems fate still wanted to give the troll some more grief. All she can do now is hold him tight, whisper sweet nothings and patt his back.

Slowly but surely Branch began to calm down, and slowly Poppy sings whatever her tried mind can come up with right now not careing if they fit with the song whats so ever.

Sweet baby mine don’t cry

The moons here to sing you a lullaby

And am here to sing with stars

Sweet baby mine don’t cry

We are all here to make you smile

She continues to sing as Branch slowly starts falling to a peacefull slumber, but Poppy know its not over yet. She lays him back to bed makeing sure not to wake him. Once she sure his going to sleep a bit more she drags herself to her own bed try to get some rest before Branch wakes with another scream.

[chickensarentcheap]

Best Part of Me -Chapter Eight

Warnings: none

Tagging: @c-a-v-a-l-r-y​, @innerpaperexpertcloud​, @alievans007​, @thunderintheshadows​

Tyler gets up with the kids. Helping them with their morning routines, making breakfasts and school lunches, loading up backpacks. Little mundane things that the average person takes for granted, but he finds calm in. The familiarity of the ‘same old, same old’, always knowing what comes next and how to handle it. For years his life had been anything but relaxed and routine; the job always unpredictable, never knowing when something could go wrong and finding yourself fighting for your life, constantly surrounded by the potential for chaos. Now he has complete control over the things taking place around him. He can keep things running smoothly, well organized, predictable. Instead of gunshots and explosions and people screaming in terror and pain, all there is to hear is his children’s voices and their giggles; maybe the occasional argument or a fight that needs broken up or one of Declan’s ear piercing shrieks. But no matter how loud it can get and how much it can try your patience, it’s still a thousand times better than the alternative.

He tends to Millie’s hair as they wait at the end of the driveway for the school bus. Carefully brushing out the tangles in her long, thick tresses, pulling apart separate sections and braiding them, securing them with impossibly small elastics she keeps passing back to him.  It’s surreal; that his hands…with all their scars and their callouses and their busted up knuckles…had at one time being able to inflict so much damage on others, yet now can expertly and almost flawlessly, fixing a five year old’s hair.  

“These too!” Millie says, and fishes two sparkly Hello Kitty barrettes from the pocket of her hoodie.

“Really?” he smirks.  “Cut me some slack. I need to draw the line somewhere.”

“I’m saving the Stars Wars ones for tomorrow because it’s Friday. I always wear those on Friday,” she reasons, and holds the small hair clips aloft once more. “Please, daddy?”

With a sigh he relents, snapping both open and holding one between his lips as he tends to the first.

“Maybe this is what you could get a job doing,” she muses. “A hairdresser.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. And I think they’re called stylists now. It’s more PC.”

“What does PC mean?”

“It’s just a more polite way to talk to people and about people. Like how it isn’t polite that you go around calling people dick heads.”

“But what if they are?” she asks. “What if they are dick heads?”

“Then just think it in your head. Don’t say it.”

“Dickheads need to know they’re dickheads,” she argues. “So they stop being dickheads.”

Tyler sighs. “Do you have to remember all the bad words I say around you?”

“You shouldn’t say them if you don’t want me to repeat them, daddy.”

He smirks, then attaches the last clip to her hair.  “Shoes,” he nods towards the Spiderman sandals sitting in the driveway. “Get ‘em on. Can’t go on the bus without them. That’s the rules.”

Millie sighs dramatically and rolls her eyes, grumbling complaints as she shoves her feet into her sandals.

“So who’s this guy?” he asks. “Your boyfriend.”

Her eyes narrow. “Who told you?”

“Doesn’t matter who told me. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I can’t tell you everything daddy. Especially about boys. Not when you’re a boy.”

“Doesn’t it make more sense to tell me about boys because I am a boy.”

She frowns. “That’s not how this works”

“You’re starting to sound more and more like your mum every day.”

“It’s not a bad thing though,” Millie reasons.

“No. It’s not. She’s pretty smart. And you shouldn’t be talking about boys anyway.”

She puts a hand on her hip and cocks her head to the side as she looks up at him. “Why not?”

“Because you’re too young.”

“I’m almost six,” his daughter reminds him, and for a moment he feels his entire body tense and his blood run cold. The mere mention of it…the age that Austin had been when he died…brings about the fear that Millie will wake up that morning and something horrible will be wrong with her.  It’s irrational. He knows it is.  But it creates a panic inside of him that is powerful and all consuming.

“Six it still too young,” Tyler says. “Sixty sounds better.”

She rolls her eyes at that.

“What’s his name? At least give me that.”

She has the nerve to sigh dreamily when she says it, “Ryan. He’s really cute.”

“Oh please!” TJ pipes up from where and his twin sit on the curb waiting for the bus, watching surfing videos on YouTube on Tyler’s phone. “He’s ugly!”

“He is not!” his sister bites back. “You’re ugly.”

“We look the same, Millie. So you’re calling yourself ugly too.”

“I do not look like you!” she argues. “Never! In a million, billion, gazillion years!”

“Yeah, you kind of do,” Tyler says. “You all look alike and you all look like me, so..”

“See!” TJ gestures towards him. “We look like daddy and daddy’s not ugly. But Ryan is. Ryan must have an ugly daddy.”

“Okay…okay…enough…” Tyler attempts to diffuse the situation, a hand on the top of Millie’s head to prevent her from bolting at her brother and attacking him. “…no one is ugly. We don’t call people that.”

“Not even if they actually are?” TJ asks.

Tyler scowls at him. “Did I stutter? No one is ugly. Not on the outside. Lots of ugly people on the inside though. And you guys need to watch your mouths. Please. Or mommy’s going to have my ass.”

“You said ass,” Tanner giggles, and soon his brother and sister joins in.

Tyler sighs. Never so relieved to see the school bus as it approaches.

****

They eat breakfast on the beach; a blanket spread out underneath them, Addie in her carrier seat, a towel draped over it to shield her from the sun, only her bare feet visible. Declan sits ten feet away, at the edge of the water in swim trunks and a lifejacket, alternating between digging his feet and hands in the wet sand and laughing at Mac as he bounds through the light waves, splashing the toddler each time.  

It’s a refreshing change from their usual mornings. Most filled with counselling sessions, errands to run, nor work that he’s picked up with Ovi. To be able to just relax and enjoy each other’s company without having the older kids interrupting or without having to worry about rushing off somewhere.  The only thing on his schedule a previously planned lunch get together with Ovi.  He can only imagine what kind of fresh hell awaits him. Either more talk about the job or the younger man seeking relationship advice or help picking out a ring. And he doesn’t want to be even remotely involved with any of those three options.

“Are you going to say something to him?” Esme asks, she stretches out sideways on the blanket, placing her head on his thigh. Even five kids later and only two weeks having the final one she’s just the beautiful woman in the world to him; body slightly tanned, breasts fuller and hips wider, clad in a simple one-piece black bathing suit. “About last night?”

Tyler leans back on his elbows, legs stretched out in front of him. A ball cap turned backwards on his head, sunglasses covering his eyes, clad in only a pair of board shorts. “I already said what I needed to say. What more is there?”

“I don’t understand his sudden interest in the job. He’s never….in the past five years…ever talked about it. And now he gets the urge to jump into it?”

“He said he’s been thinking about it for a couple of weeks. I guess he finally got enough balls to bring it up.”

“Well he’s going need even more balls if he’s that serious about it. Because if he goes into it as the Ovi he is now, he won’t get through the first day.”

“Guess he’ll have to learn the hard way, won’t he.”

“A hard and very permanent way,” she points out.

“Like you said, he’s a man now. Which means he’s old enough to make his own decisions. And if that’s the decision he wants to make…” his voice trails off and he shrugs.

“You can’t tell me you’re going to just sit back and watch him do it.”

“What else am I supposed to do? Chain him to something? Lock him inside the house? He’s an adult. I can’t spend the rest of my life worrying about him. I’ve got five kids to take care of. I don’t need to be holding his hand and wiping his ass too.”

She frowns. “So you’d just let him do it? Without saying a word?”’

“He knows how I feel about it. What more can I do? As long as he doesn’t find a way to drag my ass back into it, he can do what he wants.”

“And say he does,” she rolls over onto her side, facing him. “Say he does get into the job. What if he gets himself in trouble?”

“I’m sure whoever he’ll work for will have people to help get him out of trouble.”

“But would you be able to stay away?”  her hand fiddles with the drawstring on his shorts, twisting it around her middle finger, releasing it, then repeating the action. “If something goes wrong.  We’re not talking about some random off the street, Tyler. We’re talking about Ovi. Our Ovi. It would be like if the twins or Declan got involved. And there’s no way you’d ever let that happen.”

“Those are my kids. My actual kids. That I helped make. There’s a huge difference.”

“But you love him like he’s yours. So it only stands to reason that you’d treat him like your own. That’d you want to help if he got himself into trouble.”

“Well hopefully it won’t come to that, yeah? Hopefully, he’ll smarten up before then. Stop letting Chloe put all kinds of shit in his head.”

“It won’t get that far if you just talk to him.”

“Esme…” he sighs. “…I just told you that…”

“If you actually talk to him. Without losing your temper, without threatening to beat his ass, without having to put the fear of God into him. If you just stay calm and talk to him like a rational and civilized adult.”

“There’s nothing rational about this whole situation.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to flip out. He’ll respond a lot better if you don’t snap and he doesn’t feel scared or threatened.”

“I think he’d be more freaked out if I don’t snap.”

“You have to talk to him,” she insists, undoing the ties on his shorts and then doing them back up again. “You have to get through to him. You can’t just sit back and watch him get into the job.  You know what it’s like.   That life.  You don’t have all those scars on your body for no reason.”

“In all fairness, some are from when I was in the army and from when I’ve done stupid shit when I’ve been drunk.”

“Regardless, the majority are from the job. Including that one,” she reaches up to place a fingertip over the scar on his neck. “And he knows the story behind that one. He was there when it happened. And he knows the aftermath. Yet he’s still thinking about doing this? It makes no sense. I bet you it’s that stupid bitch Chloe. Putting all kinds kind of crap is in head.”

“For some reason she thinks the job is the only thing that makes someone ‘manly’.”

“That’s horseshit. So she’s insinuating you’re not a ‘man’s man’ because you don’t do the job anymore? That’s ridiculous. It takes more of a man to walk away from something to save his marriage and keep his family together, than it does for him to actually stick with the job and lose everything.   Anyone can be a mercenary. Within reason. But not everyone can be a good father. And you’re an amazing father. So she can go and get fucked.”

“Feisty,” he grins, and leans down to kiss her. “I like it.”

“I just want to go and throat punch her. Who the hell does she think she is? She has no clue who you are and what you’ve been through. What you still go through. And she wants to have a chat about it, I’m more than willing to beat her ass. I mean chat.”

“As flattered as I am that you want to defend my honour and as much I know you can take her, no one needs to beat anyone’s ass. She’s just…” he searches for the right word.

“Stupid? A moron? A tool? A swamp dwelling, knuckle dragging,  thundercunt?”

He chuckles. “I was going to say ignorant, but that last one has a better ring to it. Just leave it. Don’t go and make things worse. You go after her and Ovi will lose it and then we have to put up with his shit. Just ignore her.”

“She pisses me off,” Esme huffs, and rolls over onto her back once more. “First trying to get Ovi into it and then you? I wouldn’t be as mad if she’d left you out of it.  How many times to you have to tell people that you’re done? That you’re not going back?  Do you they expect you to change your mind?”

“Guess they’d thought I’d be bored by now.”

“And are you?” she asks. “Bored?”

“I have five kids. When do I have the time to be bored?”

“It’s a different kind of active, though,” she reasons. “You’re stuck in the same place. Day after day. With the same people.”

“First of all,” he sits up, wiping his palms together to clear the sand off them, then places a hand on her stomach and leans down to kiss her. “I’m not stuck. This…what we have…this is not stuck. This is far from being stuck. This is where I want to be. With my kids. With you.”

“But what you do now is a far cry from what you used to you before me.”

“I was an alcoholic addicted to pain pills before I met you. That’s not exactly living the dream.”

“I meant the job. How busy it kept you. You were always on the go.”

“I’m always on the go now, so…”

“It’s different. Way different. You went from one type of craziness to another. It’s a huge change. You can’t tell me there’s not some kind of let down. That your body and your brain doesn’t feel that. You don’t miss it at all?”

“Is this a trick question? I feel like if I answer this the wrong way, I’m going to be sleeping on the couch for a while.”

“I’m not trying to trick you. It’s a legitimately honest question.  I don’t expect you to just get it out of your system and act like that life never existed.  You did the job for years. It was part of who you were. And to just walk away and trade it in for something more…I don’t know…boring….”

“Being with you and my kids is not boring. So get that shit out of your head right now.”

“Okay so boring wasn’t that right word to use. So…normal. Compared to what you were doing before. It’s a huge difference, Tyler. Between the job and this life. You went from all that danger and craziness to changing diapers and making bottles and teaching little boys how to pee standing up.  You can’t tell me there wasn’t some of culture shock thing going on. It’s not like I expected you to just give your old life up and not miss it even the tiniest bit.”

“Do we really have to talk about this? Because I don’t want this turning into a fight. How often do we get to do this? Just sit here like this. I don’t want to ruin it by talking about this shit.”

“I promise you; I am not trying to fight. I’m not going to be mad at whatever your answer is. I just want to know if you miss it sometimes.”

“Sometimes,” he admits, and is relieved when she doesn’t frown or scowl. “It’s hard not to. It’s what I did. Who I was. For a long time.”

“I know it’s been hard on you. Just walking away like that. And I don’t blame you for missing it sometimes. I missed it for a while; after giving it up after Dhaka and staying here.  I think I missed it up right until Millie was born. Then I was suddenly a mom and I never thought of it again.  You did a good thing, Tyler. Leaving it behind.”

“I wasn’t going to lose you. Or my kids. I should have walked away a long time ago. Probably would have been a lot easier.”

“Do you miss it enough to ever go back?”

“No,” he replies quickly, confidently. “I don’t. Because I’d miss you and the kids way more than I’ll ever miss the job.”

She smiles, then lays her hand on the side of his face as he kisses her.  “You have to promise me that if you can’t change Ovi’s mind and he does do this, and he does get himself into trouble…”

He frowns. “I don’t think I like where this is going.”

“…. you have to promise me you’ll do whatever you have to to help him. That you won’t just leave him to rot somewhere.”

“Whoever he works for will have people to help him and get him out. I’m not…”

“You have to do it,” she insists. “You have to be the one that goes and gets him. You’ll never trust anyone more than you trust yourself in those situations. You have the experience. And you’d never be able to live with yourself if you didn’t go and the worst happened. Promise me, Tyler. That if it comes down to that, you’ll be the one that goes for him.”

“Esme, I can’t. You know I can’t. I’m not man I was before. That guy is gone. He’s not coming back.”

“He’s always going to be somewhere inside of you. It’s whether or not you let him out. And if it comes down to it, Ovi will need that other guy. You know he will.”

Tyler sighs heavily and look out towards his youngest son; crouched in the water, fascinated by the wet sand that slips through his fingers. Just so perfect and so innocent and totally unaware of all the darkness; the monsters and demons that haunt his father’s past.

“I can’t lose you guys,” he says. “I just can’t.”

She reaches up and lays a hand against the side of his face, thumb gliding along his lips, his beard rough against her palm. “You won’t,” she promises.

****  

“So basically I have this stupid little bitch who lives at my house,” Esme laments, as she and Salena sit on the latter’s back patio, sharing a pitcher of mock cocktails and the pizza Salena had ordered for lunch.  Declan playing close by in the sand, Addie on ground next to her; awake and content in her car carrier. “Well technically not in my house. In my guest house.”

“And who is stupid little bitch to you?”

“The girlfriend of my oldest. Not my biological oldest, obviously. Friends of our passed away and they named us as his guardians in their will,” the lie is so well rehearsed and used to often that it rolls easily off the tongue. “Ovi. We’ve had him for five years. He just turned twenty.”  

“I think I might have seen him the other day. Walking Macaroni. I was dropping some things off and saw them wander by. Tall, fairly built, darker skin?”

Esme nods and sips her drink, wishing for the first time in months that there was booze in it. “He met this girl when we lived in Colorado. I shouldn’t even call her a girl. She’s a grown ass woman. Twenty-four. And if you knew Ovi, you’d know that he’s still a kid in some ways. Anyways, we made the mistake of letting her come with us. Only because we were worried if we didn’t, he’d stay behind even though he’s nowhere near ready to be away from us. She seemed okay at first. But now…”

“Total nightmare?”

“You have no idea. Without going into too much detail, she’s trying to get him mixed up in the same line of work my husband used to do. And it’s a tough haul. Lots of travelling, a ton of stress, some danger tossed in the mix. It’s just messy. And it’s caused a lot of problems in my married. A lot. To the point we split up for six months at one point. And to the point we see a marriage counsellor. Which is not fun, trust me.  He is not the type that opens up to a lot of people. And he absolutely hates that he has to do it with a complete stranger. Sometimes I think it’s causing more harm than good. But…” she shrugs.

“Must have been one hell of a job by the sounds of it,” Salena comments.

“It was. It was a nightmare. Again, without going into too much detail, he almost died. In a work related incident.”  Those words make it sound so simple, when in fact it’s anything but. “And he spent months in the hospital and months in rehab and therapy and then he got dragged back into it all over again. How and why isn’t important. But he left it for a reason. A very good and very legitimate reason. And this stupid little bitch came up with a business idea that Ovi and my husband go back into the job together.”

Salena frowns. “If it’s that stressful and dangerous, why the hell would anyone want to do it?”

“Exactly. Why? She has it in her head that it’s some kind of exciting, amazing life. And it’s not. It sucks. It’s hard and it’s scary and it causes so many issues. Yet none of that seems to matter to her.”

“Did you talk to her about it? See what her explanation is?”

“I don’t want to talk to her. I want to punch her in the throat. It’s one thing trying to get Ovi involved. That’s bad enough. But to try and get my husband back into it? I won’t tolerate that shit. He’s been through enough. He doesn’t need that on top of everything else.”

“Well I know what I would do,” Salena says, as she helps herself to another slice of pizza. “Confront her. Then throat punch her.”

Esme laughs. “I promised I wouldn’t make things worse. That I wouldn’t cause even more issues. I get a little worked up and irrational and it always comes back to bite me in the ass. So as much as I want to hurt her, it’s probably best I keep my distance from her.”

“Why not just kick her ass out?  It’s your place.”

“Because Ovi would freak out and leave. And that’s the worst thing that could happen. He is totally not ready to be away from us. Like I said, he’s twenty but a lot young in some ways.”

“No wonder. If he lost both his parents. That would mess anyone up.”

Esme nods, then finishes her drink and leans down to tend to Addie when she begins to fuss. Placing the handle for the soother between her teeth as she unbuckles the car carrier straps, and then checks for a dirty diaper before lifting her infant daughter to her chest. The contact brings almost instant calm; one hand on the back of her head, the other on her bum, patting gently. “He’s been through a lot,” she says, as she spits the soother into the carrier. “Things I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And he still needs family. Regardless of what this girl says.”

“Sounds like she needs to be put in her place.”

“Oh, she does,” Esme agrees. “And believe me, I’d love to be the one who does it. She had no clue what my life has been like. The things I’ve seen. All the days and weeks I’ve spent worried out of my mind that husband might not come home. So for her to think it’s exciting and fun? I won’t let some delusional little girl try to downplay anything I’ve been through.”

“Well, I don’t know exactly what you’re talking about or what you went through, but you sound like one hell of a strong person.”

“I don’t see myself that way. I did I what I had to do. Right from the beginning. And she’s just childish and ridiculous and I want to shake the shit out of her.”

Declan abandons playing in the sand and makes his way up onto the patio, a pout on his face, heels of his palms rubbing at his eyes.

“Someone is tired,” Esme presses a kiss to his forehead and curls an arm around his waist, helping him up onto her lap. He’s big and strong for his age, but extremely cautious and gentle around his sister; careful not to bump her as he straddles his both of his mother’s thighs, wraps his arms and her neck and lays his head against her chest. “We should get home, baby boy. So you can nap in your own bed and not be a grumpy shit until bedtime.”

Salena gets to her feet and offers assistance, taking Addie and strapping her into the carrier and covering it with a receiving blanket. “Are you going to be okay? Carrying both of them?”

“This isn’t my first rodeo,” Esme laughs. “I used to have to carry twins when they were both his size. At the same time.”

“Well I’m glad you called. I like our little get togethers.”

“So do I. You’ll have to come to my place next. I warn you now, it’s chaos over there. Controlled chaos, but still chaos. It’s crazy and it’s loud and no one ever lasts more than half an hour.”

Salena laughs. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“You haven’t meet the other three. They’re a little….”

“Is that from mom or dad?”

“Dad. Definitely Dad. He’s mellowed out though. He’s found his happy place” she shoves her feet into her flop flops and picks up the baby carrier. “You ready, buddy?” she asks Declan, and he gives a small nod, eyes already closing. “I’m going to take the beach. In case I drop him. He won’t get hurt if he falls on the sand. But you didn’t hear me say that.”

“I heard nothing. I promise.”

They exchange a quick hug and then Esme steps off the patio and begins the journey home.

****

Esme doesn’t wait for the door to fully open before pushing her way inside, startling Chloe who’s answered in nothing more than a bathrobe and her hair wrapped in a towel.

She tosses a handful of mail onto the table by the door, then turns to face the younger woman, arms crossed over her chest. “You and I are going to have a little chat.”

“Just come right in,” Chloe mutters. “Make yourself at home.”

“Technically, this is my home. I own this. And practically everything in it. Neither of you pay to live her, you don’t even buy your own groceries, or do your own laundry half the time. What do you actually pay for? A cell phone bill? Please.”

“So that’s what you’re here for? Going to lay down some rules? Make up a chore responsibility chart and bribe me with snacks to get me to do as I’m told? That may work on your brats, but…”

“You know why I’m here. You thought I’d let you off that easily? That last night would be the end of it?”

“I think you need to mind your own business,” Chloe says, stepping past the smaller woman and aggressively -and intentionally- bumping her shoulder with hers.

Scowling, Esme snags her by the wrist, fingers biting through the flesh. “Ovi is my business. He became my business the second his father…his birth father…signed him over to me. And he’s been my business and in my care for five years.  So when you start playing these mind games with him and manipulating him….”

“If anyone is playing mind games with him, it’s you and Tyler. Making him think that he can’t survive without the two of you. That he owes you guys something. Putting it in his head that he wouldn’t be able to handle the job. If anyone is manipulating him, it’s the two of you. Especially him.”

“First of all,” Esme tightens the grip on Chloe’s wrist. “Not once have we ever told Ovi that he couldn’t survive without us.  We gave him the option. Stay in Colorado at the house with my brother or come here. He chose to come here. He was the one who said he didn’t want to be away from us. That he wanted to be with his family. And for the record, that didn’t include you. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted you coming along in the first place.”

Chloe frowns. “That’s not true.”

“Oh, it’s very true. He wanted a clean break from Colorado. Just like he wanted a clean break from Mumbai. A chance at a different life. It wasn’t until a week before we left that he asked if you could come along. Telling us how you’d begged and pleaded with him not to leave you behind. You put on some big show about you didn’t want to be without him and how a long-distance relationship would never work and it wasn’t ‘your thing’.  You were never included in his plans. Not until you realized you’d never have to work, and you could live off of other people. And now there’s talk about engagement rings and weddings and all this bullshit. From a guy that didn’t even want you coming here? I think it’s safe to say whose idea all that other crap is.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about it. He loves me.”

“He’s in love with the idea of you. And I don’t know what you’re in love with, but it’s definitely not him.  You think it’s not obvious? That we can’t see right through you? You act like you can barely stand him touching you half the time. His face lights up when you so as much walk in a room and you don’t even bother to acknowledge him nine times out ten. I’m a woman. Women notice these things. We know what it looks like to look like someone you’re in love with. And that is not the look you have.”

“You have no clue what you’re talking about,” Chloe snarls, and yanks her arm out of Esme’s grasp. “Not all women are like you. We don’t all fall at a man’s feet when he so as much opens his mouth to speak. We’re not all put on this earth to do nothing but worship a man, fuck him, and give him tons of kids.”

“Do you just talk to hear your own voice? Because everything you just said is the biggest bunch of bullshit I’ve heard in a long time. And I’ve heard a lot of bullshit. You think you have what it takes to hurt my feelings? Oh honey, bless your heart. I’ve deal with bigger and better than you and have brought them to their knees.”

“Ovi is going to what he wants. Whether you like or it not.”

Esme smirks. “You mean he’s going to do whatever you tell him to do.”

“That’s your field of expertise, isn’t it,” Chloe counters. “You got Tyler to do exactly what you wanted. He left the job. All because you couldn’t handle it. Because you’re pathetic and weak and…”

“He left because he wanted to. Because he’d had enough. Because he was sick and tired of constantly worrying if he’d see his kids again.”

“And because he’s fucked up in the head. You forgot that part.”

Esme’s eyes narrow. “Don’t you dare talk about him like that. Don’t EVER talk about him like that.”

“It’s true, isn’t it? I mean, he’s on meds, he sees a shrink…”

“He has PTSD you stupid bitch. And do you want to know why? Because he had to go into some goddamn shit hole to save Ovi’s ass. And because he nearly died doing it. If it wasn’t for Tyler, Ovi wouldn’t even be here. So I’d watch the way you speak about him to me. I will not hesitate fucking you right up. You honestly think Ovi would be able to handle the job? Do you even know what the job entails? It isn’t just getting to travel all over the globe and see sights and eat different foods. You’re out there putting your ass on the line…risking your own life….to save someone else’s. You think that’s easy? That it doesn’t come with risks?”

“I think it’s not as bad as you’re making it out be.”

“Oh really,” Esme gives a dry laugh. “So you think killing people is easy? That it doesn’t bother you in some way?”

“Not if they deserve it.”

“It doesn’t work that way.  It still bothers you.  All that blood on your hands? That’s blood that never washes off. Your conscience can’t be cleaned. That shit stays with you. You don’t ever forget the things you had to resort to. It isn’t just shooting someone and being done with it. Sometimes it’s using your bare hands and it’s brutal and gruesome and it makes you sick to your stomach that you had to resort doing those things.  You have no clue what that life is like. And I hope you never have to find out.”

“Well I’m going to,” Chloe remains steadfast. “He’s going to do this. You can’t stop him.”

“We can. You seem to underestimate the power we actually have him over him.  Have you ever talked to Ovi about what he went through? What he saw? Ask him about Dhaka. Ask him about the Sultana Kamal Bridge and a man named Saju. Who busted his ass to help and never got to go home to his wife and his little boy.  You ask him about Gaspar and Farhad. And then you ask him what it’s like to watch someone get shot in the throat and just about bleed to death in front of you. Ask him and actually listen to what he has to say.  Give a shit about him for once.”

“I do give a shit about him,” Chloe argues.  

“If you gave a shit about him, you wouldn’t want him doing the job. You’d want him as far away from it as possible. I know what the life is like. I know what it’s like to watch the person you love slowly dying. And I’m not talking physically. That was bad enough. I’m talking mentally.  Do you know what that’s like? To watch the person you love more than life itself being destroyed because of their own mind? To hear them talk about wanting to kill themselves? To watch them start turning into some former version of themselves? Because I do. And it’s better now but I still worry about it every goddamn day. Which is why I am begging you not to let Ovi do this. You need to be discouraging him, not encouraging him.  Because he may not physically suffer or die, but he will mentally. And sometimes that’s even worse.”

“I just think it would be good for him. That it would be a chance for him to ‘man up’ and…”

“Man up? What the hell is that supposed to mean? He’s somehow less of a man because he isn’t doing the job? That doesn’t even make any sense. Any dick can be taught how to use a gun and take someone down with their bare hands. Some of the biggest dumb asses I know are mercenaries. They can’t string a sentence together but they can kill people. When did killing people become how we measure a man?”

“It would toughen him up.”

“Ovi is plenty tough. Believe me. Everything he’s been through? You’re lucky you have a man that’s as tough as he is. And the next time I hear you say something about my husband being less of a man because he left the job, I will hand you your ass. Because he is everything a man…a real man…should be. It took more strength and more courage for him to walk away and fight for his family than it ever did for him to kill someone.  And if you knew anything about what a man should be like, you wouldn’t be talking the shit you do. Trust me. Ovi is a good person. A good man. Just the way he is. And I’m not going to let you destroy him. And there is no way in hell you’re going to get my husband dragged back into that bullshit. So you can fight back all you want, but I’m just going to fight you twice as hard. Don’t underestimate me, little girl. I could have your ass out on the street by dinner time and I wouldn’t even feel the least bit sorry about it.”

“You couldn’t,” Chloe snarls.

“Oh I could. Just watch me. You need to lay off this job shit. Because Ovi is way too good of a person to get into that live and I will not allow you to get my husband dragged back into it. So you fix this. You get this stupid idea out of Ovi’s head.  Or you can pack shit right now and leave and find less of a man to put up with your crap.”

“I’m not going to down without a fight you know,” Chloe calls after Esme as she heads for the door.  “You don’t know who you’re going up against.”

“Little girl, please. Stay in your lane. You fix this, Chloe. And you fix it ASAP. Or I will have you tossed out on your ass.”

“You have no idea who you’re talking to. Who you’re messing with. Who…”

“What are going to do? Call your ex military daddy up to come here and put me in my place? Fuck you. Chloe. And your stupid goddamn ideas.” And with that, she slams the door behind her.

[incorrectcats]

Does Enzo have any thoughts on Mungojerrie? And what does he think of him and Kash as a couple? Would he be a protective brother or trust that Kash knows what she's doing?

Oh well oh well *eye emoji bc I’m on my pc lol*

He does have an opinion on him. At first, he’s not too fond of him. He has heard about Mungo and Rumple and how they steal from human homes, and doesn’t really like it at all. However, he doesn’t tell Kash, because, well, he meets both at the same time, so he’s no one to tell her who she should date.

Soon he finds out how he really is, and it’s actually Mungo who convinces Kash to let Enzo into her life, so he’s really thankful for that. He loves their relationship and kinda looks up to them and admires how they manage to fix their problems and to love each other unconditionally even if the relationship isn’t perfect. In a way, Mungo is the one who’s more protective about Enzo, maybe because he comes from a human family too!

Thank you so much! I loved this ask!!!

[hedwigstalons]

The Tracy Prize - part 12

A slightly longer section this time.  Big thanks to @willow-salix for helping with the ideas of how to fix things between Claire and our favourite spaceman.

Here are the earlier parts for those that want to go back to the beginning: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11

xoxoxox

It was decided that Virgil would accompany Claire for her trip back to Denver.  He had local knowledge of both the city and university campus.  He was also a one-man removal team and when it came to brute strength for moving boxes Virgil was was your man.  He was the obvious choice.  Not that she had too much to move, her apartment was rented furnished so there was nothing bulky deal with.

It was with some trepidation that she unlocked her apartment and led Virgil inside.

The wages of a university lecturer were modest and her apartment was small.  It was a far cry from the luxury of Tracy Island.  Part of her worried that Virgil would look down on her for her humble living arrangements.  It just showed how much she still had to learn about the Tracy brothers.  They might live on a tropical island now but life hadn’t always been that way.  Jeff Tracy had made sure that his sons never forgot their roots.  They had been taught never to take their fortune for granted and never to look down on those who had less than they did.  

Her original departure to the island had happened in such a hurry that she couldn’t remember what state she had left her apartment in.  A quick scan of the living area revealed she hadn’t left anything embarrassing lying around.  Any mess was behind closed doors.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

The air inside was thick and heavy, warmed by the Colorado summer.  She left Virgil perched on a compact sofa while she went around opening all the windows.  Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and the tiny work space that the agent had optimistically billed as a second bedroom but was really no more than a cupboard.

A quick scan of the kitchen revealed that anything fresh had long since gone off.  She might not have been gone for long but the summer heat had had an effect.  She grabbed a bin bag and started throwing out spoiled food.  The remaining dried goods did not make an appealing prospect for dinner.  

A shadow in the doorway showed that Virgil had already got bored of sitting down.  He took an appraising look around the tiny kitchen and offered to head out for supplies.  Claire gratefully accepted.  

She used the time he was gone to hurry around, throwing items into bags and boxes.  Scott wanted Virgil back and on duty as soon as possible so they planned to spend barely 24 hours in the city.  One evening and morning to pack down the apartment then a quick visit to campus tomorrow afternoon to empty her office before flying home again.

The remaining foodstuff in her kitchen were checked and anything still sealed was packed up for donation to a food bank.  She made sure to keep hold of the coffee.  She had lived with the Tracys long enough to know that Virgil needed coffee to survive almost as much as he needed oxygen.

The living room, bathroom and bedroom were also simple to pack up.

The cupboard work space was not so easy.  She had always kept the small desk that had housed her computer tidy and uncluttered.  The rest of the room was crammed with anything that didn’t have a proper home in the rest of the apartment.

When Virgil returned he found her sat on the floor trying to organise the accumulated mountains of life detritus.  Old text books were stacked precariously.  Boxes of childhood memories, carted from house to house but never unpacked, had been opened as though she needed to reassure herself that the contents were still safe.  The task of sorting piles for keeping, throwing and donating had ground to a halt.  

“Come on, time for a break.  I got pizza” he grinned at her while holding aloft a couple of pizza boxes.

Claire gratefully got to her feet, dusted herself down and shut the door on the mess.

One thing she had quickly come the learn about life on the island was that food was unpredictable.  Each member of the family had different levels of culinary skill and preferences.  Each took a turn at cooking depending on who was available.  The only thing you could be certain of was that if Grandma Tracy was responsible the food would be virtually inedible.  Claire had come to the conclusion that the boys’ stomachs must be as strong as the rest of their muscles.

“I wasn’t expecting it to be so hard” she sighed between mouthfuls of pizza.

Virgil just looked at her, puzzled.

“All of that”.  She gestured vaguely in the direction of the cupboard where he had found her.  “Trying to sort out what I need to bring. It feels stupid not being able to let go of things.”

“So don’t”.  He said it as though it was the simplest thing in the world.  “You’re moving to the island.  We aren’t asking you to completely give up your past.”

“But there is so much of it.”

“It’s not like we are pushed for space.  Everything here will fit in Tracy Two and we can always make some space available in the store rooms.”

“It just seems stupid to cart it all around.  There are things in there I haven’t used for years.”

“Any yet still you keep them.  Memories are important, they make us who we are.  Sometimes we need to keep a physical reminder of our past.”

“Virgil Tracy, I didn’t have you down as the sentimental sort.”

He grinned.  “Hidden talents, me.  If it makes you feel any better you won’t be the only one on the island with a teddy bear.  Just ask Gordon to introduce you to Fishy some time.”

They finished off the pizzas, disposed of the boxes and carried on with the task in hand.

Virgil gave her the space she needed to pack, limiting his main contributions to stacking up the finished boxes ready for loading up in the morning and carting out the inevitable bags of rubbish.

The apartment soon resembled a cross between a warehouse and an airport departure lounge.  A motley assortment of boxes, bags and cases were arranged around the walls.

“Time to call it a night I think” said Claire.  “The rest of this can be dealt with in the morning.”

“Suits me fine” said Virgil, stretching out his back muscles after all the repeated bending and lifting.  

“Um”, she shifted about with embarrassment.  “As you can see I’m not really set up for visitors.”

“It’s fine.  I’ll take the couch.”

The absurdity of this struck Claire.  The couch was small.  Even sat on it Virgil had looked out of scale.  The idea of his attempting to sleep on it was ridiculous.

“Stop being such a gentleman.  Unless you are going to attempt some sort of human origami you’ll never fit.  You’ll be much more comfortable in my bed.”

As soon as the words left her mouth she realised how bad that sounded. She flushed scarlet.

“Um, I mean, I’ll take the couch.  I’m shorter than you.  And you need to be fit to fly tomorrow.”  Talk about state the obvious.  She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

“Thanks. Offer accepted.”  He flashed a trademark smile over his shoulder at her as he disappeared into the bedroom.

Claire flopped heavily down on the sofa and put her head in her hands.  How could she have said that?  The embarrassment burned into her soul. If Gordon or Alan ever got to hear that she had invited Virgil into her bed, even by accident, she would never hear the end of it.

xoxoxox

The morning bought a fresh flurry of packing fuelled by copious amounts of coffee.  

The had hired a van to transport Claire’s belongings to the airfield and this was nearly loaded and ready to go.  As Virgil carried the last box down the stairs Claire looked around the small space that she had called home.  It looked empty and forlorn, stripped of all her personal possessions.  

Claire breathed a silent goodbye and shut the door on one chapter of her life.

The other tie that needed severing was her association with the university.

Claire didn’t keep many possessions on campus so their visit should just be a brief one on their way to the airfield.  All she needed to do was empty a few drawers, check she hadn’t left anything on her work PC and hand back her security pass.  

She left Virgil enjoying the sunshine in the quad outside so she could say goodbye to her colleagues without having to make awkward introductions.  Not that there were many people around over the summer.  She hoped she would be in and out within half an hour.

As she headed down the corridor to her office her Head of Department appeared, almost as though he had been looking out for her.

“Hi Claire.  I was beginning to worry I’d missed you.”

“Oh, hey Mitch.  No, I’ve only just got here.  Are there many in today?”

“Only me and Clive and he is locked away in one of the haz-mat labs.”

“Ah well.  It would have been nice to say goodbye to the team but I know what it’s like.  As soon as classes finish everyone takes the chance to grab a vacation.”

“Hopefully the rest of them will come back though.  You know, I was surprised when you said you were leaving.  One minute you are booking up every lab slot available, the next you’re sending an email to say you’re off.”

“I was pretty surprised myself.  You just never can tell where life will take you.”

“So where are you off to?”

Claire avoided the question by rummaging through her bag for the key to her office.  She unlocked the door and Mitch followed her inside.  He leant against her desk, watching her while she opened and closed drawers, retrieving forgotten belongings.  

She booted up her work computer.  She had been pretty disciplined about keeping her research on her own computer but she wanted to make sure there was nothing sensitive left behind on the university network. She systematically deleted files and transferred a few interesting articles onto her tablet.

The book shelf was next on the list.  She packed the weighty tomes into the holdall she had kept spare for the purpose.

Mitch never left the office.  It felt a little unnerving to have him watching her all the time.

Feeling the effects of all the coffee from the morning she made her excuses and headed down the corridor to the bathrooms.

When she returned Mitch was still perched on the edge of her desk.  She had always got on well with him but she was starting to find his presence annoying.  As she went to gather up the last of her belongings she realised something was wrong.  Her tablet, which she had left on the far side of the desk, was now on the side closest to Mitch.  Her suspicions were roused.

Making up a spurious excuse about checking whether she had left her lab coat in one of the supply cupboards she swiftly exited the office again.

Once she was a safe distance away she activated her wrist comm.  Much as it pained her she knew she needed the help of one particular Tracy brother.

She opened a link to Thunderbird Five.

“John, I…I need your help.”

“Go ahead, Claire.”  John managed to keep the puzzlement out of his voice, Claire still tended to shy away from contact with him.  He could tell she was worried about something though.

“I’m on campus and something doesn’t feel right.  My Head of Department won’t leave me alone and  I think he might be after my work.  Can you check if any access attempts have been made on my tablet in the last ten minutes.”

“Sure.” Claire’s tablet had been connected to the International Rescue secure networks and it only took him a moment to call up the information he needed.  “I can see four failed log in attempts.  He didn’t get anywhere though, our systems are not easily breached.”

“Not this time but what if he has in the past.  I always thought he was just being friendly before but now he just seems, well…creepy. I’ve always been so careful but what if he already has some of my research.  I never kept a digital copy at work but what if he took photos of my notebooks.  We were often in the labs together.  If I wanted to work late he would usually volunteer stay on with me so that campus security wouldn’t chuck me out.”

The worry in her voice was now plain to hear.  John did what he did best – calming people down.

“It’s ok.  I can run a check of his university network files.  If I find anything I’ll wipe them.  I guess his network username follows the same convention yours did?”

“Yeah. It’s all standardised.  His would be Mhayworthy.”

“Give me a minute and I’ll see what I can find.”

John quickly accessed Mitch’s university profile.  He rolled his eyes slightly at the simplicity of the university’s security systems. Breaking through the defences wasn’t even a challenge.

Going off Claire’s suggestion that Mitch could have taken photos of her notebooks he started his search in the image files.

What he saw made his blood run cold.

There were hundreds of photos.  The notebooks appeared in some of them but only incidental to the main subject of the images.  Claire.

Claire at work.

Claire having lunch.

Claire walking through a park.

Claire leaving her apartment.

John didn’t want to alarm her but the man evidently had a full blown obsession.  The date stamps on the images showed he had been stalking her for some time.  

“Claire, where is he at the moment?”

“In my office.  Did you find anything.”

“You were right, he had some photos.”  He decided not to enlighten her on the exact nature of the pictures.  He didn’t want the truth to send her into a panic.  “I’ve sent a virus that will target all the image files on his computer.  It will also access his other devices via his cloud account so anything he has at home or on his phone will be wiped too.”

“Thanks John” and she genuinely meant it.  She made herself a promise to make it up to the spaceman for all the ill thoughts she had harboured against him.

For good measure John tasked Eos with monitoring the man, an easy task for her that would barely trouble her processing power and not impact on her other duties.  Life for International Rescue could get complicated this was reported to the police and Claire got caught up in a court case but he also wasn’t prepared to let the man off scot free.  It Mitch tried anything even remotely illicit in future Eos would alert the police through an anonymous tip-off and ensure that the full force of the law came down on him.

“Now Claire, I don’t want you to go back in there with him alone.  Give me your location and I’ll send Virgil up to you.”

Once he was assured that Claire was safe John got in contact with Virgil. His older brother was surprised to receive a call from his space bound sibling.

John quickly appraised Virgil of the situation, giving his brother rather more information that he had given Claire.  His intrusion into Mitch’s files had unearthed more than just the photos.  After Claire had informed the man of her impending departure his chemical research had extended beyond his academic interests and into the world of illicit sedatives.  Evidently the impending departure of the object of his obsessions had led him to darker thoughts than just watching her.

Less than three minutes later Virgil came pounding along the corridor and was by Claire’s side.  

Mitch looked up when he heard the door open.  The smile he greeted Claire’s return with soon vanished when Virgil entered the room.  

Virgil was making full use of his height and weight advantage and positively loomed over the other man.  He stayed polite for Claire’s sake but his attitude screamed alpha-male.

“Unauthorised personnel aren’t permitted in this corridor.”  Mitch was not pleased about the unexpected intrusion.

“It’s ok Mitch.  He’s with me.  He’s a…a friend come to help me move my stuff.”  The Tracy name was well known on campus, especially so soon after Denver hosting the latest round of the Tracy Prize. Claire felt it better to keep things vague, especially since Mitch seemed unaware of the identity of her companion.

Virgil flashed his visitor pass to show he was there legitimately.

Mitch instantly dismissed Virgil as a being of no consequence.  Someone picked for their brawn rather than their brain.  

“So Claire, I was hoping I could take you for a farewell drink.  It’s a shame the department couldn’t give you a proper send off but there is no reason why we can’t mark the occasion.”

“Sorry Mitch but I’m on a tight schedule.”

“Maybe this weekend then?”  He came across as hopeful, verging on desperate.

Virgil decided it was time to shut him down.

“Claire, we really need to get going.  Have you packed everything you need? We can’t risk losing our runway slot.”

This was a lie.  Tracy Two was currently in a hanger on the closest GDF base in case Virgil was urgently needed at a rescue zone.  They couldn’t risk being stuck for want of a take-off slot at a congested commercial airfield.  Virgil wanted to impress upon Claire that it was better they left quickly, thankfully she got the hint.

“Runway slot?”  Mitch asked.

“Um, yeah, this new job isn’t local.  I’m leaving town completely” Claire explained sheepishly.  She made an obvious show of checking her watch then turned to Virgil.  “You’re right, we really need to be getting out of here.”

Claire swept the last few items into her bag while Virgil claimed the holdall of books.

They left the building and made their way to the waiting van unaware that Mitch was watching their every step.  Unaware as he raised his phone to take some final pictures for his collection. Unaware of the curses that followed when the Head of Department found not only all the photos on his camera reel gone but the camera itself fully disabled.

John had done his job well.

[pants-jones]

(i guess you could call this) A review on Infamous: Second Son

SInce this is my literal first post on this blog, I guess I should start by talking about the first game I really wanted back when the PS4 came out. Although i didn’t know this at the time, Infamous: Second Son is the latest sequel in the Infamous series, a series i know virtually nothing about. I haven’t actually finished playing it myself, but I currently am at least 75% done with the game.

The base plot, to put it simply, is this; In this world, there are people born with special powers, called Conduits. They could be anyone, and of course some of them start causing havoc, using their powers for crime and unintentionally demonizing the rest of the Conduits to the rest of the world. This starts the persecution of Conduits, now dubbed “Bio-Terrorists”, which eventually leads to this game and it’s story which I’ll touch on in a few.

The Game-play

When you start the game, your main method of attack is pressing X/square until your enemy falls over, or shooting them with small smoke blasts. You have the option to shoot a smoke missile that does splash damage, but unless you put some upgrades in, you wont be using it right away. You don’t use smoke like a regular power, instead you need to absorb some from a smoking car, or a fire to use as fuel for certain abilities, like shooting missiles or just shooting regularly. The regular melee attack doesn’t expend any energy, which you can always see in a bar on the bottom left. 

You can press B/Circle to Smoke Dash, though when you gain other powers this will mostly be used more for travelling the game world. It doesn't expend any energy, so feel free to use it as much as you want because you’ll need it to dodge the many many bullets that’ll be sent your way.

In the top right, you’ll see a symbol- that’s your Karma Strike Meter. The Karma Strike is pretty much an ultimate move, that when used properly can end most fights. But, its also my first gripe of the game. See, a big part of the game is a sort of reputation meter, where you can either play the good guy and fight those oppressing the Conduits the morally correct way, or you can do the same while also abusing your power and using your allies as soldiers for your mission. In my first playthrough which I haven’t completed, I decided to be the good guy, which made getting the Karma Strike harder in my opinion. To fill the meter, you need to subdue 6 enemies in a row, or subdue enemies while also doing something good that would fill your good guy meter. For some reason i just can’t ever find enemies to subdue, or enemies that are off to the side make it difficult to subdue others. A lot of stuff can happen in a fight, and that makes it kind of annoying when i know the best way to come out on top is to make 6 enemies subdue-able before i can wipe out the rest. 

But, a plus for this reputation meter and the Karma Strike is that it’s consistent. I’ve noticed that the further i get into the game, the more civilians cheer Delsin on when they realize he’s fighting for the better. Plus, you get different Karma Strikes if you have more good karma than bad. But, again, you get more combat options if you have more bad karma than good. Which makes sense, since the good karma upgrades help Delsin’s stats with healing and absorbing smoke and subduing enemies. 

The enemies don’t get too many introductions. They all have concrete powers given to them by the main villain of the game, and the more you play the stronger the enemies get. It starts with grunts that just have guns and make shields out of concrete, nothing too difficult though they can get tricky in high numbers. Then, in a mission where you climb to the top of the Space Needle, you fight a miniboss that then becomes a regular enemy. This enemy is especially annoying to me, because until you get the neon power that makes you move faster, they are extremely difficult to hit. They’re like Special Ops, with concrete chunks floating around them. They can trap you in concrete (which can be escaped by smoke dashing) and do some good damage. But ii’s not the concrete that makes it difficult to hit them- It’s the fact that they just run. If you get close enough, they will run and do their own version of a smoke dash to get away from you. And until you unlock neon, that makes them the most annoying enemy so far.

The next enemy is another boss that becomes a regular enemy, just way later. These guys sit in concrete tornadoes, shooting stones at you from a distance, and luckily they aren’t too hard to beat. Just use neon and shoot them from a distance and they’ll fall pretty soon. The next and latest one for me is an extremely aggressive concrete covered enemy that came in a group of three or four(i dont really remember how many). They move way too fast to be able to fight them with the video power, which I’ll touch on in a minute. I haven’t figured out their weakness yet, but i can tell you it isn’t melee because they will steam roll you if you try to get near them.

The Three Powers

In total, you get three powers to upgrade and use, each giving you different play styles and making you use different tactics. I’ll admit, I liked that you can’t switch between them like style switching in Devil May Cry. Instead, you need to find a source of smoke, a neon sign, or a satellite dish for each power. If you’re running low on one, you’ll have no choice but to switch to another and change the game plan. 

Smoke

The power you start the game with and my personal favorite is Smoke. The kit you get with smoke just seemed best for combat, and its easy and simple to travel around with. It’s the most abundant source to absorb in a fight because there’s usually a lot of exploding cars or ammo boxes you can absorb to fill that meter. The smoke Karma Strike is ok, but I absolutely love how it looks. Delsin sends himself flying straight into the air, and falls back down like a mortar, destroying everything in the vicinity. Plus, smoke just fits Delsin’s design in my opinion. He gets the next two powers from other people, so they obviously seem out of place for him to have (even though he also got smoke from someone else too but thats not the point it still suits him very well).

Neon

Neon is the second power you get, and it’s the second best in my opinion. It’s not as easy to subdue enemies with it as smoke is, but its still fun to use regardless. I think the lasers you shoot do more damage than the smoke blasts, and neon lets you run at what the game calls “Light Speed”, which is just kinda faster than usual. You can run straight up walls, and you can suspend enemies in these neon bubbles to attack them mid air. The Karma Strike can hit more enemies than smoke does, and you get to put on a pretty neat light show.

Video

Video is my least favorite, so much so that I kind of avoid using this power because its just so slow and when all the enemies are constantly focused on you and shooting at you at all times, being slow is not what you need. The melee is brought down to two strong hits with a bit more range, but they take way too long to finish for it to even be worth it. The heavy attack is pretty much a couple swords that i think are better against choppers? I haven’t tested it much. You get wings but you can only dash forward and up walls for a bit before having to stop. You can shoot automatic, which is kinda useful. But there isn’t much to write home about with this power. Even the Karma strike is hard to get, since this power gives me no real ways to subdue enemies, just hope they surrender and that doesn’t happen often enough to be able to fill the meter. It’s sluggish, it doesn’t offer anything new, and it’s just not for me.

One more thing about the combat; there aren’t many melee options besides mashing square and a ground pound. You can’t do any aerial combos which was disappointing to me because I thought that would’ve been amazing for juggles and just adding more ways to fight. Unfortunately, it kind of feels like you’re very limited in your options for combat. 

Other than the combat, I think the game looks amazing, even for something thats 6 years old now. I like the Karma Strikes so much less because they help me in fights and more because they just look super cool and make me wanna look at them again. A lot of games don’t look the best on current gen consoles and even on PC, but this is definitely not one of them. My only gripe with the looks is the how much saturation but this can even be fixed in the settings so it barely counts. 

When i first watched gameplay of this game, I had never wanted to be a super hero more in a long time. It was so much fun to watch, and even though it’s not as much fun to play through now, its still pretty good. I know I should touch on the story, but I haven’t finished the game, so I’ll probably do a post about it when i do. But i love the characters, and i love how they interact with each other, and I love how they interact with Delsin. I love watching those dumb brotherly arguments with Delsin’s brother. This game is  a 7.5/10 for me.