#and then hears a voice go 'oy can ya helps us out'

[bunny-carrothunter]

I had a dream that the next Digital Circus episode (4) was the fast food service plot and Ragatha and Pomni were busy frantically cleaning up something in the back (something got stuck on Ragatha's hair) then Pomni hears a voice of someone wanting to order something in the front and it's Gummigoo and his two friends because as Ragatha said, NPCs get reused and Pomni is just petrified.

Then he exploded again for some reason.

[swiftiethatlovesf1]

A race for love p.13

Hii guyss, I've been MIA these past few days but I'm back so I hope you enjoy this part. If you've missed part 12 or the other parts you can find them on my masterlist :)

Formula 1 is all about speed, but in this story, the real race isn't just on the track. Read on to find out who will win the ultimate race-for your heart.

 - Spa 2023 -

The roar of the F1 practice fills the air as you and Franco spend time together, tucked away from the frenzy of the paddock. The atmosphere between you is light and playful, and it feels like a small escape from the hectic weekend. You lean into his side, his arm wrapped loosely around your shoulders as you chat about nothing in particular.

Franco's laugh rumbles softly as you recount a funny story from earlier in the week. "Me encantas," he murmurs, his voice teasing but affectionate. "You always know how to make me laugh."

(I'm crazy about you)

You smile, looking up at him. "I try."

As the F1 practice comes to an end, you know you need to head back to the motorhome before your absence is noticed. "I should probably go," you say reluctantly, pulling away just enough to look at him. "My dad's probably wondering where I am."

Franco sighs dramatically, giving you a playful pout. "¿Ya te vas? I was just starting to enjoy my time with you."

(You're already leaving?)

You laugh, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you later, okay?"

He smirks, his fingers brushing over your hand. "I'm holding you to that."

With a soft smile, you turn and start walking back to the McLaren motorhome. As you make your way through the paddock, your phone buzzes in your pocket. You pull it out and see a message from Oliver.

Oliver: Heyy, we haven't really seen each other much this weekend. I'm going out with some friends tonight and I was wondering if you would like to come?

You smile at the message, thinking it could be nice to spend some time with Oliver and meet some of his friends.

You: That sounds great! I'm in.

Oliver's response is almost immediate.

Oliver: Awesome! I'll pick you up later, around 8?

You agree and pocket your phone, looking forward to the evening. Later in the afternoon, just as you're finishing up some tasks with your dad, your phone buzzes again. This time, it's Franco.

Franco: ¿Oye, quieres vernos más tarde? After the F3 meetings, I'll be free.

(Hey, do you want to hang out later?)

You hesitate for a second, remembering your plans with Oliver.

You: I'm actually going out with Oliver and his friends tonight. He invited me earlier :/

There's a slight pause before Franco's next message comes in.

Franco: Oliver? No sabía que te llevabas tan bien con él. But that sounds fun. Enjoy!

(I didn't know you got along so well with him)

You can't help but notice the hint of surprise in his words. Franco clearly didn't realize how well you knew Oliver. You send him a quick message back, trying to reassure him.

You: Yeah, he's been really nice to me when we've seen each other at the paddock. I'll see you tomorrow, though!

Franco: Está bien. Have fun, princesa.

(It's fine)

His use of "princesa" makes you smile, but as you finish reading his message, you wonder if Franco's reaction means something more. You shake off the thought, focusing on the excitement of the night ahead with Oliver and his friends.

Later that evening, as you're finishing getting ready for your night out, you hear a knock on your door. You grab your things and open it to find Oliver standing there, flashing his signature grin.

"Hey! Ready to go?" he asks, giving you a quick once-over. "You look great, by the way."

"Thanks!" you reply, smiling at the compliment as you step out. "So, what's the plan?"

"We're grabbing dinner first, nothing too fancy, and then we're hitting up this arcade. I figured something fun, not too serious," he says with a wink.

You can't help but laugh. "An arcade? That sounds amazing."

Oliver chuckles as you both walk toward the car. "Yeah, figured it'd be something different from the usual paddock chaos."

Soon, you arrive at a cosy restaurant, where a few of Oliver's friends are already seated, chatting and laughing. The vibe is immediately welcoming, and you quickly feel at ease as they wave you over to join them. You sit beside Oliver, and soon the table is filled with the hum of conversation, jokes, and stories.

As the dinner progresses, you find yourself having a great time. Oliver's friends are fun and laid-back, making you feel like you've known them for ages. The conversation flows easily between racing, life in the paddock, and random banter that has everyone laughing. Even though you've spent so much time in this world, being part of this relaxed atmosphere feels refreshing.

Oliver, meanwhile, steals occasional glances at you, watching how you laugh with his friends and how naturally you fit into the group. He can't help but think about how easy it is to be around you, how you seamlessly fit into his life in a way that feels... right. He's never felt this way before about someone, and as he listens to you talk, he realizes that he really likes having you around—more than he expected.

"Wow, sounds like you're going to have a packed year," one of Oliver's friends comments when you mention your upcoming studies in aerospace engineering.

"Yeah, it's going to be a lot," you admit, smiling. "But I'm excited. It's something I've always wanted to do."

Oliver leans in a bit, giving you a playful nudge. "You'll handle it. You've got the brains and the determination. Besides, who knows, you might end up designing something for the cars one day."

You laugh at his comment, but inside, you appreciate how supportive he is. Throughout the dinner, Oliver makes sure you're part of every conversation, and each time you catch his eye, there's a warmth there that makes you feel comfortable and welcomed.

As dinner wraps up, Oliver glances at his friends before turning to you. "You ready to show off your arcade skills?"

"You bet I am," you say, grinning. "I'm not going easy on you, by the way."

He smirks, shaking his head. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

As you all head toward the arcade, Oliver can't help but feel a growing sense of something deeper. Tonight has only confirmed what he's been thinking all along—you fit perfectly into his life, and being around you just makes sense. But, when will it be the right time to confess his feelings for you?

Tag list: @hs2016, @a-beaverhausen

[gojo-mochi]

OOOOO BESTIE !! Can I give Law a treat ?! 🍬🍬🍬🍬💖💖💖 🤭🤭🤭🤭 you're so precious AA

Geez, Law, How come Softy let you have two treats?! (See law other treat here hehe)

And HII SWEETIE MWAH MWAH THANK YOU <3

“That’s salt not sugar, sweetie. Now, I know just because you’re usually grumpy and salty that you like things on the more salty side, but no one is going to eat these cakes if we add in 2 cups of salt.” You grab the container of white powder out of Law’s hand and replace it with a different container also containing a white powder. Law exhales out, the muscles in his forearm flexing as he whips the bowl of ingredients together. “That's why I said you should label these, they all look the same to me.” Law voices call out to you as you go to set the oven temperature. 

“Then you know how I feel when you ask me to help out in the lab.” You retorted back with a smile. “Oy! At least I label my items.” “Yeah, but I can’t tell the differences between ‘Aripiprazole’ and ‘Anastrozole’ when they sound the same.” You bend down to grab some trays when you hear Law mutter under his breath; “They don’t sound the same..” You roll your eyes at him, setting down the tray as Law finishes whipping the batter together. 

You were thankful that Law had a keen eye for measuring out ingredients even if he couldn't tell the difference between them, after working in the lab and measuring precise measurements for pills and liquids. He was quite useful when it came to baking just as long as he followed your directions to the letter, that is, with some grumbles here and there, your confectionery creations were always a big hit with the crew. Today was a special kind of bake day as you were making red velvet cake with ‘bloodied’ raspberries sauce on top and in the filling, in honor of the holiday spirit. 

The cake batter was ready and whipped to perfection by law, as you ogled his biceps for a bit, wanting to take a bite of it as well. He looks over at you with a knowing smirk but you said nothing as you took the bowl from him and started to pour it in the cake trays. Around four of them to be precise, two double layered cakes for the whole crew to enjoy later. Law helped you pop them in the oven as you get another bowl ready for the raspberries filling. 

The raspberries were already diced and simmered down and cooled so you just unceremoniously dumped them in the bowl with the rest of the things you needed and began to whip them together yourself while Law watches. “You sure, you don’t need help with that, Y/N-ya?” He leans down to your level, propping an elbow up on the table. You bump your elbow into his side; “I think I can handle some raspberries by myself.” You made a show of turning the whisk extra hard to show off but whiffing it and causing some of the filling to splatter out onto Law’s face. 

A smear of red and fruity sauce painted itself across Law’s nose and cheek. You gasp out, holding a hand over your mouth as you struggle not to laugh at the sight. “Sorry, honey, let me get that for you.” You took some paper towels and went to wipe the sauce off while Law stared down at you, when your hand got close to his face, he grabbed your wrist and tenderly bit down on your finger. “Hey! What was that for?!” You shivered and almost moaned as Law swiped his tongue around your finger, 

Draggin you forward to meet with him, chest to face, as he tilts his head down, his lips hovering over yours. “Close your eyes..” He whispers, voice husky and flowy. You followed his command, closing your eyes down and waiting for his lips to meet with yours. When you felt an odd, wet, and sticky feeling on your lips instead, opening them to find Law swiping some of the raspberries sauce on your lips, “He-mmph!” As you part your lips to yell at him, he shoves his finger in, coating your tongue in the sugary flavoring. 

This time, moans came out freely as Law took his finger out, soaked in your spit and replaced it with his tongue. Catching a few licks of the remaining sauce on your tongue. Wet slurping noises filled the kitchen air as you two stayed in this moment for a while, only breaking apart to catch some air. Law licks his lips as he takes the bowl away from you and starts whisking it himself.

 “The sauce tasted good but a little lumpy. I told you, you needed my help.” The kitchen was later covered in a strange red liquid as you took the bowl back and threw it at Law. The both of you disappear to ‘help clean each other up’, forgetting about the sweet treats you planned to bake and indulging in a different kind of treat for the night…

[luminnara]

I wonder what Dick would be like trying to flirt on the lead up if the mission, trying to be smooth and cool before screaming next to Weasel. The back track of trying to be cool again after than freak out would be glorious and I would probably fall for it, lol

Dick Hertz x fem!reader

This ended up way longer than intended and I am not mad about that lol

Sfw but raunchy!

Requests for oneshots and HCs are open!

You were no stranger to the concept of the suicide squad.

Thanks to your own colorful past, and powers that you couldn’t always quite control at first, you were stuck serving out a long ass sentence at Belle Reve, the shittiest shit hole of them all. Your only escape from the mundane, high-security monotony was the occasional mission from Waller.

The Suicide Squad—more officially known as Task Force X—was the latest installment in Amanda Waller’s series of highly classified, top secret, black ops teams. She chose Belle Reve’s most infamous criminals, many of whom had extraordinary powers and even more extraordinary reputations, and tossed them together on incredibly dangerous missions. You knew she didn’t care whether you lived or died, but successfully completing such impossible tasks always cut time off your sentence, and with nothing else to do with your time, you always thought it was worth the risk.

And besides...you hadn’t died yet.

So when Waller approached you during your daily yard time, you already knew what to expect.

“Yeah, yeah.” You grumbled as you followed her into the exam room and plopped down in the same old chair. “I know the drill. I go off mission, you blow my brains out.”

“—with the explosive device implanted in the base of your skull. Correct.” Waller said, unimpressed.

“And what, you have to give me a fresh one?” You raised an eyebrow as the doctor made you lean forward. “Lose the button for the last one or something? Or are you afraid that just one won’t do the job?”

Waller looked even less impressed. “I suggest you put a lid on that attitude today.”

“Why?” You winced at the feeling of a thick needle pushing into the back of your neck. “Jesus, fuck! Seriously, how many little bombs do I need in my head?”

“Good luck, puppy.” The doctor sneered as you stood up to follow Waller back out into the corridor.

“This is a black ops mission.” She continued with her usual spiel. “Your commanding officer is Colonel Rick Flag.”

You gasped. “The Colonel Rick Flag?”

She turned to glance at you.

“I have no idea who that is.”

You could hear her sigh in exasperation. “Suit up and go outside to the transport. You’ll meet the rest of the team and fly out to Corto Maltese.”

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. Yeah, the Suicide Squad was a nice distraction from your shitty everyday life...but putting your ass on the line for someone who didn’t give a shit whether you lived or died, and who was always hovering above the button that would splatter your brains all over the wall, wasn’t exactly the greatest feeling in the world.

Waller waited as you ducked into a room to change. There was a black box waiting for you, and upon opening it, you couldn’t help but grin at the sight of your old gear. The dark gray leather suit fit like a glove, and your gun had been cleaned and polished after your last mission, the painfully bright fluorescent lights reflecting off of the barrel with a gleam. You grabbed your gloves and strapped your ammo belts on before buckling a gray carbon fiber mask on.

Wearing your own stuff always lifted your spirits. It was the suit you’d been arrested in a few years ago back in Metropolis, and after seizing it, the feds had been nice enough to give it some upgrades with newer tech. Anything to make you a better government-sanctioned killing machine, you guessed, and it’s not like you were gonna turn it down. After all, killing was how you ended up in Belle Reve in the first place, and it was one of the only things you were good at...it just made sense for Waller to want to put your near-inhuman skills to good use.

You walked out to join her again, lugging a canvas bag of equipment and supplies along behind you.

“Pick that up and carry it correctly.” She snapped as the doors at the end of the hall opened.

“Why don’t you eat my—“

You interrupted yourself by groaning at the bright sunlight as it hit your eyes, raising a hand to shield your face as you managed to spot an armored truck waiting for you.

“You’ll have a lot of new teammates.” Waller called after you. “Be on your best behavior. I’m not responsible for anything they do to you.”

“Probably just a bunch of old farts like always!” You yelled back as you jumped up into the back of the vehicle.

Two guards sat down on either side of you as you got yourself settled in. There was another woman already waiting, her skin orange, her hair in a high ponytail that seemed to be pulled through the top of her helmet. She was regarding you with very little interest, and that was absolutely fine with you. You had a few friends within the Belle Reve prison complex, and you weren’t necessarily looking for more.

The ride was short and uneventful. You passed through a few gates that took forever to open, waited for a few security checks, the usual shit. When the truck came to a halt and you hopped out again, you were at a small airbase hosting a few hangars for planes and helicopters, one of the latter already sitting outside. Guards from Belle Reve were lining the circle of armored vehicles, and as yours joined them and the back doors were opened once more, you grimaced at the bright sunlight.

“Afraid of a little sun?” The orange woman laughed, baring her teeth at you.

“Hurts my eyes,” you mumbled, jumping down after her.

You landed on pavement, looking down at your feet in an attempt to avoid the oncoming headache you knew was imminent. When your shoulder rammed into someone, though, you had to look up anyway.

What you saw wasn’t exactly what you were expecting.

A good looking blond guy was looking down at you, a cocky grin on his face. “Whoa, didn’t realize we were getting a babe this time!”

You glared at him, grateful for the mask covering the lower half of your face.

He couldn’t see you blush that way.

“Little girl’s got some ammo, huh?” He reached for one of the belts strapped across your chest,

Your hand flew up to grab his wrist and you held him in a Vice-like grip, your glare more pointed now. “Touch me, and you can see some of it from behind your eyeballs.”

Blondie whistled lowly, relaxing his arm. “You’re tough, huh? I like that in a girl.”

You dropped his wrist and rolled your eyes. “Still gonna like it when I’m ripping your balls off?”

You could swear he was swooning on his feet. “Baby, you are a goddamn tease...”

“Oy, Dickhead!” An Australian voice rang out, “back off!”

His grin faltered for a moment, obvious disappointment flashing over his face. “Oh. Got a man already. Damn.”

“Who, Boomer?” You grinned, unclipping your mask as you turned to wave at one of your only friends. “Nah, I’d never fuck that wanker.”

“I heard that!” The gold-toothed Aussie yelled.

You let out a loud laugh as you looked back to blondie.

You were caught off guard by the actual, genuine look on his face. He was admiring your smile now that your mask was off, his eyes lingering on your lips for a fraction of a second longer than they should have. He was trying to be smooth, you could tell, and most people wouldn’t have noticed something so slight...but you were an assassin working your way through a couple life sentences, and you weren’t most people.

It all only lasted a moment before the cocky grin was back. “So, after this, you wanna come back to my cell, maybe we could, you know...” he waggled his eyebrows at you, making a hip thrusting motion you almost couldn’t believe a grown criminal was making.

“Maybe focus on not dying first, slim.” You patted his chest before turning towards Boomer, leaving blondie to stare after you—or more precisely, your ass—with a dramatic, longing look.

Your friend was regarding you with an amused expression. “Flirtin’ on the job? Didn’t think you had it in ya.”

“Shut up.” You punched his arm a little too hard and he winced. “Who is that guy, anyway?”

“Dick,” Boomer said, rubbing his arm.

“Don’t call me a dick—“

“No, dumbass, that’s his name. Richard Hertz.”

“...very funny, Boomer, but there’s no fucking way his parents named their kid Dick Hertz.”

Boomer shrugged. “Believe me or don’t, I don’t care. Either way, it’s the truth.”

You scoffed and stole a glance over at your new admirer. He was tall and pretty well built, platinum blond hair short, lips pulled back in a grin that showed off straight white teeth. He was dressed in all black, two guns holstered to his chest, and as he messed with a Belle Reve guard by pretending to reach for one, he looked like an overgrown child who should not have been allowed to hold onto firearms.

“Please tell me he’s got a cooler name,” you groaned.

“Why? So you can scream it at night?” Boomer cackled. “He goes by Blackguard. He’s pretty strong from what I hear. Prolly pretty fun in bed, too.”

You wrinkled your nose and rounded on Boomer. “Shut up.”

“You like him.” Your friend grinned. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. Just remember to name your kid after good ol’ Uncle Boomer.”

You gave him a rough shove and he stumbled back a few steps, laughing like a madman the entire time.

“Hey!” One of the guards barked at you.

Rather than pushing your luck with your armed babysitters, you huffed and crossed your arms over your chest. More cars were pulling up, dropping off the rest of your comrades, and while Boomer was distracted with them, you stole another glance at Dick.

He was still messing with the same guard, and was receiving some harsh warning glares in the process. Was he a complete idiot, or was he so cocky because he could actually handle it? He had to have ended up in Belle Reve for a reason. It wasn’t the type of place you went to for innocent misdemeanors. And if he was chosen for a Suicide Squad mission, that meant that his sentence was long enough to warrant risking his life to lessen it...and it also meant that he was useful.

When he winked at you, you realized with a start that he had totally noticed the way you were checking him out.

Fuck.

“Time to load up!” A voice yelled, saving you from any further embarrassment.

A few minutes later, you were strapping yourself into your seat on the chopper, pretending not to notice as Dick struggled with his seatbelt across from you. The guy sitting next to him had to help, and when you finally couldn’t help yourself, you let out a quiet laugh from behind your mask.

Dick’s head shot up to look at you, that cocky grin plastered to his face again.

“Wish you were over here helpin’ me,” he said bravely. “Rather have your hands down by my—“

“Dick.” Colonel Flag warned as he stood above you all with his gun in his hands.

Boomer let out a loud laugh at the unintentionally dirty euphemism and you snorted.

“What? Just makin’ some conversation,” Blackguard said, leaning towards you with a wolfish glint in his eyes. “You don’t mind, do ya, Princess?”

Your cheeks were heating up behind your mask, and he could see the way your eyes crinkled slightly with your smile.

God, he wished he could see your smile again.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late!” A familiar voice said. “Had to go number two.”

“...Good to know.” Flag sighed as none other than Harley Quinn herself hopped in.

“Harley!” You called, reaching for her with grabby hands as she looked for her seat.

“Hey there, baby!” The pale blonde woman greeted, slamming her equipment bag into Savant’s head. “Hey, Boomer!”

“What’re you doin’ back in prison, Harls?” Boomer asked, hanging onto the nylon mesh cage behind him as he stretched his arms out.

“Got road rage. In a bank.” She finally found a spot between you and Javelin, and as Flag checked everyone over, the chopper took off into the air.

The lighting was dim and red, the thrumming of the helicopter blades blending in with the white noise of the pressurized cabin. Save for that, it was quiet for a while, everybody either sizing each other up, or, in Dick’s case, imagining how you looked under your suit.

“So, uh...how much longer you in for?” He asked you.

You raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because I don’t exactly think I should be talkin’ about sneakin’ into your cell while Flag is here to rat me out about it,” Dick grinned.

You caught the colonel rolling his eyes.

“Hey, that never stopped anybody,” Harley said brightly.

“Boutta be in a whole big ass jungle,” Boomer elbowed you in the side. “Plentya room in there to be alone.”

You groaned as Dick gave you a sly grin.

“Y’know, this mission’ll be over in no time.” He said, stretching his arms out behind his head. “I’ve got some wicked ass powers. I got this.”

“Oh yeah?” You asked, recognizing the way he was trying to peacock and impress you. “Not worried about anything?”

“Baby, I’ll carry this whole team. Just you watch.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Dick.” You bit his name out as more of an insult, but he didn’t seem to care, giving you another wink.

He obviously thought that his flirting and posturing was working...but you were pretty sure he was just annoying. Cute, but annoying. Maybe good for a hook up here or there...but that was about it.

“We’re in a butcher’s freezer, Harls!” Boomer called from the other end of the bench. “Surrounded by dead hogs hangin’ on hooks. Only they don’t know it yet.”

“Leave ‘em alone, Boomer!” She called back with a laugh.

You chuckled at your friends, leaning your head back as you settled in for the flight. Harley was complimenting Javelin’s accent, you still didn’t know what TDK stood for, and Boomer was just starting to mess with him about the fact that all names were made of letters when the freaky weasel-thing next to Dick stole everyone’s attention.

It was one of the strangest creatures you had ever seen. Human height, covered in mangy brown fur, with big bulging eyes and a mouth full of sharp little teeth all made it both fascinating and concerning to look at, and as it made a few disgustingly wet retching sounds, Dick nodded towards it.

“Yo, is this a dog?” He asked.

“...What?” You asked in disbelief. He had to be fucking with you, right? There was no way he meant it.

“Is this thing a dog?” He repeated.

“A...a dog?”

“Yes.”

“What...what kinda dog do you think it is, mate?” Boomer asked.

“I dunno, I’m not familiar with all the breeds.” Dick gave him an incredulous look.

“I’m gonna go with Afghan hound.” TDK said.

“Since when does an afghan hound have bloody thumbs?”

“Oh my god, is it a werewolf?” Harley asked excitedly. “I’ve wanted to meet a werewolf for ever!”

Dick was already up and struggling against his restraints. “Yo, they sat me next to a werewolf?!”

“That’s not right,” TDK agreed as his neighbor slammed into him in his desperate attempt at an escape.

Boomer was laughing loudly, and you couldn’t help but join in. “You’re seriously scared of werewolves?”

Dick glanced up at you as he tried to unbuckle his seatbelt. “Yes, I fuckin’ am! So fuckin’—get me out! I do not fuck with werewolves, there is no fuckin’ way—“

“Maybe you should hop onto your new girlfriend’s lap!” Boomer cackled, jabbing a finger towards you.

“Poor baby,” you cooed, and as you saw the look in Blackguard’s eyes, you were pretty convinced that he was about to try to tear his way out so that he actually could.

“Hey, hey, he’s not a werewolf!” Flag yelled over the commotion. “He’s a weasel, he’s harmless! I mean, he’s not harmless, he’s killed 27 children, but I—I think we got him to—I think he’s agreed to this, so relax.”

“Thought you were super tough?” You asked as Dick calmed down and caught his breath. “Gonna carry the whole team?”

Rather than the snarky flirtation you expected, he actually looked a bit defeated. When you raised an eyebrow, though, he took the prompt, and the most desperate backtracking you had ever seen began.

“Yeah, well...” he scoffed, trying to give you a cool look. “Caught me off guard, that’s all. No big deal.”

“Off guard? Isn’t guard, like, in your name?” You teased, your smile genuine behind your mask. Alright...he was winning you over now. He was an idiot, but...maybe he was a lovable one.

He faltered for a second. “I-I mean, yeah, well...”

Flag was shaking his head. “Get into position to drop!”

Everyone unbuckled themselves and collected their things, lining up to jump into the ocean off the coast of Corto Maltese. When you saw that Dick was back to struggling with it, again, you smiled to yourself and leaned down in front of him.

“For what it’s worth...” you said as you pulled up on the metal tab, your hand dangerously close to his crotch, “I wouldn’t mind shacking up somewhere in the jungle with you.”

He stated at you with wide eyes, disbelief written all over his face. He really was cuter when he wasn’t putting on such a dumb, cocky facade, and he jumped up as quickly as he could to follow you.

You just laughed as you straightened up and walked away, Blackguard right on your heels. As the door opened and the big, dark ocean came into view below you, you felt a hand brushing against your hip and a firm chest press up against your back. You realized you could have stayed right there forever, patiently waiting to see how far he was brave enough to go...but you were both members of the Suicide Squad, and you had a job to do.

“I’ll see you down there, Dick,” you said, turning your head slightly to glance at him.

“See you on the other side, baby,” he grinned.

[kiiboslostahoge]

Hello!! Would you mind writing ler childe + zhongli, with lee probably arataki itto? :) thank youuu

Sure, tyy for the ask! (Fic below cut)

Never Anger a Child(e)

In which Itto flexes a bit too hard on his teammates and learns just how much stronger they are.

"Oy, Childe! Heal me up, will ya?" Arataki Itto, the one and oni himself asked.

"I've said this before, I'll say it again. I don't heal people," Childe responded, "And I most certainly won't heal someone who doubts my strength."

"Aww, come on! I'm not doubting your strength, I'm just sayin'! It's hard for a cute little thing like you and your senile boyfriend to beat me, Arataki Itto, Oni Supreme!"

"L-Little? Cute? And Zhongli is most certainly not senile, thank you very much," the child with an e sputtered.

"Childe, thank you. Itto, I think you're far more senile than I could ever be," Zhongli said, interrupting them.

"I ain't senile, old man! I don't need my little male wife to pay for my food!"

"M-Malewife?"

"C-C-Can you stop sputtering so much? For all of your stuff about being so strong, you should've kicked my butt already, Malewife," Itto teases.

"You know what? That's it, you and me, right here, right now," Childe says, his voice a deadly whisper.

"Sure, I'll kick your butt for you since that's what you want," The oni is scared, but he knows he'll never hear the end of it if he let's it show.

"Okay. Zhongli," Childe says breaking out his puppy-dog eyes, "Please? For both of our honors?"

"Absolutely not. You'll both get yourselves hurt, and we don't know any healers nearby."

"Pleasee?" Childe whines, knowing it will wear down the older man, "i promise I won't hurt him. Just teach him a little lesson."

"Alright. However, I do not understand how you wish to teach him a lesson without hurting him."

"Guys? I'm right here, yannow!" Itto yelled.

"You were? I didn't even notice! I couldn't even hear any of your stupid screeching!"

"Oh, just wait till' I kick your butt, Malewife!" Itto said, revelling in the irritation written all over his teammate's face.

"I would, but I'm certain I'll die before that happens," Childe retorted, much to the Oni's shock. Childe wasn't that confident! Then again, Zhongli usually didn't let Childe be confident. Something about recklessness. Eh, whatever. Zhongli was just a little prude.

"It's on! We start in 5, 4, 3,- Screw it!" Itto swung his claymore only for Childe to slide to the center of the room.

"This opportunity is quite hard to come by. Surrender and I promise I'll be gentle," Childe smirks.

"Nah, I ain't surrendering to a malewife like you," Itto says cuckold.

"Your choice," Childe suddenly moves back towards Itto, grabbing the oni's arm. He pulls Itto with such speed that the other can't resist, for he has already been pinned.

Childe uses slowing water to sap away what little speed his arrogant teammate has, and uses- Wait, how is Malewife using Engulfing Storm?

"Ah, what do we have here? A little Oni who can't respect his superiors. I guess I'll have to teach him a lesson," Childe's hands are pulsating with Electro, and Itto gulps.

"H-Hey! You can't hurt me, you promised your master you wouldn't! A-And aren't we teammates?" The oni supreme doesn't want those hands reaching through his heart, thank you very much.

"Silly oni, so quick to assume. I'm not going to hurt you, in fact, you'll be having a great time! We'll all be laughing a good amount today."

It's at this moment that the crimson oni realizes his fate, but it is too late for him. Those electro-infested fingers are spiders good 9ver his stomach. As light as the touches are, the electro makes it unbearable, and he can't help his unmanly giggles in.

"O-Oy, Mahahlewihi- GAH!" Itto's sentence is cut off by Childe applying more pressure to his stomach, eliciting a shriek.

"I thought we established that you need to learn some respect, but I guess you won't listen when I'm nice," Childe teases, before shoving his hands under the inazuman's armpits.

Itto cackles, unable to speak through his screechy, embarrassing laughter. Childe smiles, and it is not friendly.

"Now that you've finally decided to listen, allow me to tell you something," his statement is accompanied by a quick scribble to the knees, and Itto squeals.

"This 'Malewife' goes by Tartaglia. Does that name ring a bell?"

The claymore wielder's eyes widen in recognition, and Childe- no, Tartaglia lightens up on the tickling as a reward.

"Y-You're that harbinger! The one who slaughtered that giant dragon! A-And summoned that ancient tentacle man!"

"That's right, Itto! Now then, I think you ought to be able to understand my next question," Childe wiggles his fingers, a clear sign to think about his answer.

"Do you fear me?" This question is emphasized by Childe resuming the tickling, scribbling Itto's thighs in fast, light bursts.

This was an unfortunate question. Truth be told, Childe wasn't scary at all, even if he was a harbinger. But if Itto said that, then the harbinger would tickle him. Ultimately, Childe realized what was going on.

"No? Well then, I'll have to make you fear me. Zhongli, care to join me?"

"I will not indulge your childish- GAH! Hmph, I shall join you, just know that you will pay for that," Zhongli says, apparently familiar with the harbinger's antics.

"Good to know, Xiansheng," Childe responds, "After all, I wouldn't want to have to give you the tickle treatment, now would I?"

"Yes, yes, let out your youthful energy. Just remember the old liyuean proverb."

"What proverb?"

"'What goes around comes around,'" and with that, Zhongli assists Childe.

The two are completely different, and it shows in their styles of tickling. Zhongli isn't all that good at it, but he was a way with finding ticklish spots. Childe, on the other hand, doesn't bother finding spots, knowing that his electro-scribbles will tickle, no matter where he uses them. Together, it is a different story. One that poor Arataki Itto must experience first-hand. Zhongli simply points out ticklish spots, and Childe wreaks havoc on them.

Itto had almost decided to fear the harbinger, keyword: almost. But then, he witnessed the following interaction:

"How does it feel to get some comeuppance, I- Z-Zhonglihi!"

"I believe I should be asking you that question, Childe." Zhongli reveals his possession of an ability known as ruthlessness by digging his fingers into Childe's hips, causing the harbinger to finally get off of Itto in an attempt to squirm away from the fingers.

"Itto," Zhongli says, "I cannot say I feel sorry for the actions of my partner, but you are free to seek vengeance with me."

"I'm in! Thanks, old man!"

And thus, the empty forest they had chosen to rest in was filled with laughter for a long tkme.

[wormstacheangel]

some latinenatural for my benefit mostly. read the first two chapter on ao3 aqui

Dean was still wearing a big smile when he finally kicked his boots off at home. It took everything he had to finally let Cas leave his Baby, wanting to keep pulling him in for one final kiss after another. Cas now knows what “Otro Besito.” means. Enough so that every time he heard it, he rolled his eyes, but he always leaned in. Until finally, he closed the car door and promised to text Dean tomorrow.

Cas’s number is now saved under an angel emoji porque Dean es un romantico first and foremost.

“Apenas estas llegando?” Dean looked up to see his Tio sitting on the couch with a novela playing on the tv. “Como te fue?”

“Awesome.” Dean picked up his boots and walked over to kiss the top of his Tio’s head before heading to bed. Ignoring his fake protesting of the affection. “Me voy char un baño.”

They asked about Cassie in the morning, and Dean made up some casual date, a believable one, but told them they were probably better off friends anyways. It made it harder to think of excuses to sneak out at night but working for Victor at night made it easier for Bobby not to question him.

He wished he could tell them about his actual dates. Talk about Cas’s stupid two left feet and his beautiful smile. He wished he could talk about the way Cas looked, eyes squinting and head tilting como un pajarito when Dean spoke more than three words in Spanish. But he loved it so much, and just getting those good morning texts from him made his days so much better.

[Read more under tag <3]

It was Monday again when Dean walked by Cas’s house with the raspados.

“Mi Angelito,” Dean wanted to reach and kiss him, but eyes were still watching him. So instead, he reached down and handed Cas a grocery bag filled with Tupperware. “I brought you a real lunch so you can eat it instead of just some ice.”

Cas had admitted that he came home for his lunch break to see Dean. Giving him no time to have an actual proper lunch, and Dean won’t have any of that. Su hombre va a estar lleno y feliz con su comida.

Cas took the bag in shock before handing it back to Dean. “No, Dean, I can’t take this.”

“I woke up extra early to make it for you y no lo quieres?”

“¡Si te quiero!” Cas reached to touch Dean’s cheek, blue eyes watching Dean’s reaction as he quietly added, “Mucho.”

Dean swallowed hard before taking Cas’s hand and giving it a quick little kiss before letting it fall. “Cas, cariño, I was talking about the food. I said ‘no lo quieres’ not ‘no me quieres’. Do you hear the difference?”

“Oh.” Cas stepped back and looked at the plastic bag in his hand. “Then I um-thank you.”

Dean chuckled, stepping forward to wrap Cas in his arms for a quick squeeze. “Ay, pendejo.”

“Dean!” Dean could picture the roll of the eyes without even looking at Cas. He tried to hold in his laughter as he pulled away just a little, just enough, so their faces stayed inches away.

He raised an eyebrow at Cas as he asked, “What? Ya no me quieres?”

Dean could see Cas’s wheels turning in his mind as he mouths the words Dean just said to him. The blush on his cheeks growing as the realization hits him. “Me. You said-yes! I mean, si! I mean, yes or whatever!”

Dean was sure Cas had no idea what he was saying. It’s not like he said amo. No, Cas said quiero. It was the less intense version of ammo, but still,l it relatively meant the same thing, and Dean wasn’t sure if he was ready to repeat it.

“Quiero un beso.” Dean says instead, wanting to rest his forehead down on Cas’s but restrains himself. The hug was already pushing it out in public.

“Dean, my brother is home.” Cas looked at the house behind him before looking back at Dean, eyes sad, but Dean only smiled back at him. His hand reaches to pinch Cas’s cheek gently while he winks at him.

Te quiero. Es lo que quiere decir pero ahorita no es el momento. It’s too early for that. Ahorita, Dean está feliz nomás en tenerlo. No tiene que decir nada. No tiene que decirle a nadie que se está enamorando muy rápido de un güero con ojos más azules que el cielo. Más brillosos que una estrella. Más hondos que el mar.

No. Dean didn’t have to tell anyone que se está enamorado de los pies a la cabeza. It’s fine.

Dean lifts his hat enough to scratch his sweaty hair before he jumps back on his bike. “Pick you up later then?”

Cas nods as he holds the grocery bag tight in his right hand before lamely waving at Dean with his left.

Dean leaves with a loud ring of his bells.

A month of sneaking around goes by with Dean asking Victor to tell Bobby he was working for him during his date nights. It was obvious Victor knew, but Dean was way too scared to confirm it. Either way, Victor agreed to help him sneak around and didn’t push for details.

Though he always eyed Cas like a challenge whenever he came around, Cas never seemed to notice as he was caught up rereading the same menu he has been looking at for weeks.

It was a Thursday night that Cas called to ask, “So what are we?”

Dean was in the middle of mopping the bathroom stalls in the office building, with Bobby doing a different one on the same floor. Sam was somewhere throwing away the trash from the offices while a few other folks that worked for his Tio cleaned up whatever they had to do. The only sounds in the offices were vacuums and music coming from someone’s speaker.

“Cas, I’m kinda busy working right now.”

“You said I could call Thursday nights cause you get bored.” Fuck. He did say that. “Unless you don’t wanna answer.”

“It’s just…no es algo-”

“English, Dean. I can’t read your expressions over the phone.” Oh, so that’s how he catches on.

“Exactly! It’s not something to discuss over the phone. We can go out tomorrow and talk about it.”

Cas didn’t say anything but Dean could hear him moving some stuff around.

“Cas?” Dean pushed the mop bucket out of the bathroom as he finished. Trying not to think about how here Dean was, working late as a janitor while Cas was staying late at his fancy corporate job. Fuck, si piensa mucho en eso se va a volver loco. “Cariño? Andale Angelito, don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad.”

“Then talk to me.” Dean hears Cas make a loud and tired sigh. “Mira, que suspiro!” He teased.

“Dean, I don’t know-Ah! Fuck!” Dean hears Cas’s phone fall against something hard. Dean’s heart raced, not knowing what to do.

“Cas? Castiel!” Dean calls to his phone, already abandoning his bucket to start jogging to the door to drive wherever Cas was, even though he didn’t know where that was. “Contestame, cabron!”

Dean stops when he hears Cas awkwardly laugh through the phone. “Oh no, I’m sorry. I usually never stay this late. I’ve just been behind the last few weeks.”

Dean couldn’t hear what the other person said, but Cas sounded fine, so Dean took a breath of relief.

“Dean?”

“You scared the shit out of me.”

“I’m sorry. The janitor walked into my office, and it scared me. I didn’t realize how late it was.” Dean can already picture Cas running his hand through his hair. “Don’t think I didn’t hear you call me…cabron.”

Mierda. “Well, you scared me! I thought something-Don’t do that!”

“Dean,” Oh, good. Cas was smiling. “I didn’t think you cared so much.”

“Shut up.” Dean heard the echo of his own voice. “Oye, cariño, take me off speaker! I don’t wanna hear myself.”

“Sorry, but I need my hands to pack up my things. But please, continue talking about how much you care about me while I do so.”

Dean grumbled, “I’m hanging up.”

“But te quiero!”

“You can’t keep using that against me, Angelito. Es tu culpa.”

Cas was silent for a second before Dean heard, “Excuse me. If you’re done, you can just-Sir? Hey!”

“Cas?” And before Dean can panic again, he hears a familiar voice call his name from the other end.

“Dean?”

Dean’s heart sinks as the voice echoes in his mind. Dean’s head falls into his hand as he starts to shake just a little before answering. “Sam. Tell me where you are.”

[celestialmango]

Unwilling prey, homebrew humanoid mimic pred, fear play, soft vore, safe vore, fatal implied (for your party), reader insert, DnD type setting

🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭

Your heart pounds in your chest and you're gasping for breath as you lean against the cave wall and collapse, breathing hard you can help but think how stupid you were to agree to follow your group members as they wandered off from the main group and from the designated trail to explore, you're lvl ones, it's bad enough you guys got literally sucked into the campaign you were playing, DM included, then they wanted to split the party, but they wouldn't listen to you when you expressed how bad of an idea it was to explore an unknown dungeon if you split the party. Unlucky for you that had them decide that nobody was gonna pair up with you and now you're in this mess.

You had bumped into one of the DM's homebrew monster races a fucking humanoid mimic based on your DM's idea of "ok how about a mimic but this type of mimic is sexy and can be born from other races though still be full mimic but they at first they look completely normal and can shapeshift only the lower half of their body and ears with only minor changes to the appearance of their torso like if they try to turn into a fully scaled mer they're successful with their ears and tail but only get a few scales on their face and chest, and like, they take the abilities of the creatures they turn into and they can be any alignment"

And then your remember what else your dm said "I'm going to use them in vore campaign as a pred" a predator species, this is the vore campaign, what the fuck do you do now?

Your palm covers your mouth as you inhale sharply, your DM still controls certain aspects, you still have to role against the DM though they're trapped with the villain of the campaign they can still tell you when to roll and you can still tell them your role with some form of dice telepathy you don't really understand.

when the party split the DM made you make stealth checks when you entered the dungeon, you failed and as a bard the DM had you playing music which you asked if you were at least going to play well, you rolled a Nat 20 for that, and the DM told you if you lost the dice and didn't roll when you needed to you may end up screwed. the mimic ate yours. How? Well.

----

You failed a perception check and sat on the random chest you found, you heard and voice tell you it sounded nice, you react by immediately jumping off it as it opens your dice bag fell to the ground with one of the mimic's hand snatching it off the ground, their crossed arms resting on the rim of the chest and propping their chin up with a mischievous grin on their face they address you," oy, why ya stop playin?" Failing to get a response out of your stunned form they push themselves up before they toss the bag in the air a few times, they dangle the bag in front of them " ya need this aye?" You nod feeling tense, the mimic grins, opens their mouth and tossing your dice bag in their gaping maw before snapping it shut as you stare in horror at the disappearing bulge of your dice as the mimic swallows them.

"Phooo,how bout ya come n get em? Go on n reach in." they place their elbows on the rim of the chest and prop their head up their maw gaping open once more while they look at you deviously, you turn tail and run.

---

You grimace, if you don't get those dice back then...., taking a deep breath you turn around and walk back into the room, they're still waiting and grinning at you while you approach, "change ya mind?" They open their mouth again, you kneel and slowly shove your hand down their throat,their throat is relaxed, it feels like you're shoving your arm into a slimy tube lined with balloons, you reach in all the way to your shoulder you should have reached the dice by now, it's then you remember what else your DM said

"they'll have like six stomachs, and like four are bigger on the inside, 2 are not connected and are just filled with treasure n shit then there's and with the other four only 2 are digestive and the digestive ones are connected to each other and vise versa with the non-digestive ones, the top ones are stretchy and durable enough to hold a god damn chimera without much trouble but their stomach would look about half the size of what they ate because bigger on the inside and the bottom ones are like hammer space, once something is in you wouldn't even see a bulge, the friendly acting ones like to trick their targets into feeding themselves to them, only-"shit, oh fuck.

Your face goes pale and your eyes widen , you jerk your arm out to your elbow before the mimic's throat captures it in a vice grip, they grab your other arm and shove it in too gulping thickly you're pulled back in up to your shoulders, you stare at their face in terror, their eyes tell you all you need to know, they're going to eat you, there's no escape.

They grab the back of your head and shove your face into their salivating maw swallowing harshly, you're cries are muffled by the slick flesh pressed against your face, they grab your belt and pull , a sharp gulp forcing you in up to your hips, the mimic shifts their shape as they heft your kicking legs in the air giving themselves legs as they stand lifting themselves up and grasping your kicking legs in the air, they swallow and as your thighs pass their lips your hands push through a ring of flesh. Squish tight by thick muscles pulling you down you try to think of anything that might help you in this moment, a few more swallow your head enters the chamber.

Shit you can't think of anything, it's only a few more rounds before you're forced to curl up inside their gut, from the outside it looks as if they had swallowed a beach ball,you feel something hard under you and you grasp it, pulling it out from under you, you discover your dice bag, you roll to while you attempt an escape, you don't meet the DC, the only thing that escapes is air as the mimic let's out a belch loud enough to echo for several seconds.

They slap their hand on their stomach,"Ur-up, oy now, ya don really think tha would work did ya? Once I swallow something it ain't comin out easy, feel free ta keep tryin tho, ya squirmin feels great." Shit, you roll to persuade them to let you go as you struggle, kicking and pushing at their stomach wall, you tell them you didn't come in here alone, that your party will no doubt come investigate where that echo came from.

You fail once more,you can't see the wild and vicious looking grin that forms on their face, "a meal an a fight, sounds great ta me"shhiiiiit they're one of those types, you feel them move around a bit, you try to remember the last thing your dm said about the humanoid mimic's race, only, only what? "Only thing that can save you at that point is making it appealing to keep you alive as one of their many items they swallow, like give them something no one else can do" something no one else can do, the homebrew spells you chosen.

'what if I told you I had the ability to summon food and drink?' you feel them stop "I'd say ya were bullshitin me." 'but what if I can prove it?' You feel a hand slam down on your back and wince "then prove it, how bout ya summon me a beer?" 'i will need you to press a waterskin against your stomach.' "oh?" 'it's not a long range spell,' you feel them press something again their stomach and cast the spell hoping it will work through flesh, the mimic looks at the waterskin sceptically as it fills, they uncork it and lift the spout to their nose, they take a sniff and don't find anything off about the liquid so they take a swig, then proceed to down it.

You tense hearing them gulp and get ready to become drenched in alcohol...but it never happens,no drink comes raining down on you, you're confused they said a meal and a fight, you, weren't you the meal? What's going on?

"Ah, tha's some good stuff." They pat their gut, "was jus gonna take ya in for yur bounty but now I changed ma mind-" 'I have a bounty?' You interrupt, the mimic scoffs "wha ya didn know?" 'no, why do I have a bounty on me?' "oh yur serious, ya know tha group uh nobles ya pranked a tha had ya run out uh towns a while back?" 'oh them......I regret nothing...but wait, you said a fight and a meal after I told you about my party, what did you mean by that?' you ask apprehensive, "what ya think I meant?"

Oh, oh no, you shift uneasy, 'you're planning to fight and eat my companions aren't you?' "maybe I am,wha ya gonna do bout it." ....well the DM did say that it appears even if you end up dying here you can always roll-up a new character and come back as long as someone from the original group is still alive but you won't remember how you died.

'I'm in your magic damage resistant stomach, I don't think there's anything I can do except offer to summon food so you won't eat them.' they pat their bulging gut, "nice try but I ain't a bout ta give up on a fight an a squirmin meal, as fur wha I'm gonna do with ya now" you hear a groan beneath you and their gut clenches pressing down on you as you begin to slip through to the stomach connect to this one you hear them say "can na have ya givin me way, so I'll have ta swallow ya deeper."

You take a small plummet before landing in something soft and wet, you quickly cast dancing lights, you see you landed in a bunch of fabrics and other soft items, you think you see a few pillows and you have a bit more room despite being shoulder deep in fabrics and pillows, the sphincter above you looks twice your size now, damn you think, they really are bigger on the inside.

You sigh feeling a bit bad knowing you accidentally sent what is most likely a very high level mimic after your party, but hey, you did warn them splitting the party was a bad idea, you can't hear much now except the groans of their organs around you, knowing your not actually in any danger now you lift your arm out of the fabric and slam a fist against one of the fleshy walls surrounding you in frustration, their stomach jostles and you clap your hands over your ears at sound of their booming laugh "still got sum fight in ya ey? An after I made ya all nice n comfy, gave ya my bes room, could a put ya with all the gol n weapons after all." They joke, and you sigh again and rub their gut wall, "tha's better. I'm gonna enjoy having ya round,"

That sounds like they're still not going to let you go....fuck maybe you shouldn't have let them know you could be a source of free food and booze, on the other hand the nobles probably would have did you in for the embarrassment you caused them, guess you're stuck with a mimic bounty hunter, by the time they get here again from the starting point you're sure the mimic will be long gone and they won't be able to find you.

[touyasdoll]

It only took like 15 days about, but here’s part two for ya! 😅😅😐

Here’s a quick link to Part 1, for refreshers sake.

 

 

[NSFW - Todoroki Sibs x Reader - Smut]

 

—————

Todo-Orgy Snow Bunny Family Meeting 2

You briefly glanced at the nearest window and must not of been too subtle about it, because immediately Natsuo easily lifted you up and into his arms, holding you close and securely. You weren’t going to escape unless you fought your mate and you didn’t want to do that, to hurt him, no matter how something inside you screamed to “run”. Besides, the comfort his touch held was really needed right now, even if something bad was to soon follow it.

…you really hoped nothing bad was about to happen. Please, nothing bad!

“You’re shaking!” Natsuo stated in surprise as you trembled in his form. “What’s wrong? Are you feelin—“

“Did I mess up?” You couldn’t help but blurt out in an interruption, fidgeting in the hold of your largest mate (in some ways, at least). You worried your bottom lip, biting it as you wildly looked around from face to face.

Shock and concern. Everyone looked and smelt strongly of their surprise at your question and worry as their eyes assessed you. It was Fuyumi who spoke up, moving from the loveseat to on the couch next to Natsu. She began to run her hand through your hair, trying to calm you.

“What do you mean, Bunny? Talk to us, please.”

And you did, gripping ahold of the arm of Natsuo’s jacket as you spoke. You told them the whys behind your question and explained a little. Everyone let out a little exhale and their scents turned to reliefguiltprotect.

“No, babe, you’re not in trouble. C’mere,”Touya spoke, making a slight grabbing motion towards you that had you wiggling out of Natsuo’s loosening arms and into his. He settled you down, pressing a light kiss to your lips and another to your head as he made sure you were comfortable, laying against him, chin resting to his chest. He also ignored the little looks that you didn’t even see him receive for stealing you away. “We have something important to talk about, kinda serious but not anything bad.”

“Serious, but not bad,” you tasted the words as you spoke them, brow furrowing in confusion. Usually the two words went together. You had no idea what would cause them not to, but soon your other mate fixed that without even realizing.

“Yes. Are you okay with being impregnated by us?” Shōto, blunt as usual, got to the heart of the matter.

“…children?”, you asked in surprise and wonder, ignoring the punch Natsuo gave to his little brother’s arm — There was a reason that Shōto wasn’t often asked to start off important, delicate conversations. But, children! Kits! You turned over the words around and around in your head in quiet awe.

Touya inhaled deep and sighed with the exasperation only an elder sibling can produce. “You’re ours, we don’t want—“

“Can’t imagine,”Fuyumi quietly added, to Touya’s nod as he kept talking.

“—having anyone else in our lives. Not now, not later on, not when Shōto finally learns social graces. You’re it. You’re our girlfriend, mate, partner, whatever. For life.”

“And, well, we know you’ve talked about how you always wanted kids someday,” Natsuo took over, scratching the back of his head as he spoke. He smiled reassuringly, hopefully. “We do, too. All of us, actually, want kids. And we want them with you, which would be a lot on you and s—“

“Yes!”

You couldn’t help it. You had started to wiggle so much you were practically vibrating in Touya’s lap, causing him to tighten his grip on you, just a bit, eyes sparkling and the tail tip of your succubus traits hitting the cushion behind you in a happy wagging motion. Your mates! They wanted kits with you! They wanted you to have their kits!

“Whoa!” Touya gave a quick, surprised laugh at how suddenly you became excited to such a degree — he made a mental note to find a way to recreate you moving like this in the bedroom — and reluctantly loosens his grip so you could move more. Which you did by surging up to kiss him deeply before bouncing over to do the same to Shōto, who was nearest, then over to Natsuo and finally spinning around in nearly a full circle to slip into Fuyumi’s lap, straddling her in glee.

Fuyumi. Your girlfriend, your mate, partner, Mistress… and the only one who’s kids you couldn’t have. You stopped bouncing in her lap and drew back. Looking up into her eyes, you could tell she hadn’t seen a problem and that- that hurt a bit, but was something she probably never thought about so she wouldn’t feel the same. Probably.

She didn’t have the biological instincts and desires that your inherited quirks did. Succubus and Rabbit, both effecting your sexual desires, modestly (which there was a lack thereof) and socially, the relationship aspects. Natsuo had said that everyone wanted kids, but did she ever think of having them herself? A partner who could give her that one way or another?

Her eyes searched your frame, tone as concerned as the others looked at your excitement that had quickly waned. “Bunny?”

You smiled weakly, a sadly wistful look in your eyes and yearning tone in your voice. “…I wanna have your kits, too, Fuyumi. I wish I could. I wish I was good enough to be able to give you that.”

The sole Todoroki daughter (officially, so far (much to Mama Rei’s chagrin)) widened her eyes at the statement. It squeezed at her heart tightly, her heart that was already fit to burst with the love she felt for their Snow Bunny. Their Snow Bunny that was so excited by the question and happily included all her mates equally like she always did, with the thought of doing otherwise never even entering her mind, despite that her brothers would be the only ones providing her what she needed to become pregnant. She would be okay with being the cool Aunt to them instead of another mom because it might be too confusing for the babies, toddlers to separate everyone like that. But… what if…

Hmm. She had the beginnings of an idea stirring.

…but it could wait. Her little Snow Bunny needed reassurances and quickly getting to her feet, she set the other down to walk in front of her, pushing her ahead gently yet firmly, in a way that spoke that if she could teleport the two would already be there so.

“Wha—“

“Hey!”

“‘Yumi, we weren’t done!”

Fuyumi threw a look over her shoulder. “Details later. I’ve got a girlfriend in need of reassurance — or do you have a problem with that?”, she asked. Not that she stopped moving long enough to hear an answer, but the implied threat in her words has the others waving her off. Well, Touya and Natsuo waving her off, while keeping ahold of Shōto’s shirt so they could explain why going against Fuyumi when she was using that tone was not something he wanted to do. Ever.

“Yumi, I—“

“—am perfect as you are, which I’m going to prove to you.”

“Bu—“

“Shush!”

You both reached her room in little time and before you could even say another thing, Fuyumi was on you, kissing you deeply as she multitasked by unbuttoning your shirt and stepping out of her own skirt. It took even less time than the walk over for her to strip you completely, hands cupping your breasts, thumbs brushing over your nipples, helping to draw out a moan that allowed her tongue to slip into your mouth, easily dominating. You’re not sure when you reached the bed nor when you both climbed into it or when she took her rightful place her atop you, but you certainly felt such a hand reached lower and fingers played with you, pinching your clit and making you buck your hips in response.

You both came up for air as you gasped from the sensation. “F-fuyumiiIIIII!”,you moaned as she gave your clit another pinch and then leaned forward, pressing you into the mattress, demeanor switching. You moaned again as you felt her breasts rub and press against yours. The stimulation from that alone could of sent you over the edge if things in the air hadn’t just changed.

 

—————

Gotta work on the third part now, yeah? Oy…

 

- InvisibleRibbitch

I see you’ve fed us Fuyumi simps 👀

[imomomi]

  A Long Time Coming  

Summary: Miya Atsumu was a missed chance. But, it doesn’t have to be that way...

Word Count: 1762

Warnings: Slight Language

         “Get your feet off the desk,” you say, kicking the back Miya Atsumu’s chair. His brother—the twin that everyone says is the better of the two, but curses and fights just as much—snorts with laughter.

           “Oy, don’t touch me, ya scrub.”

           “Sit properly then. You might be okay with eating dirt, but I ain’t.”

           “Miss Goody-two-shoes,” he mocks. Heat rises to your neck, but you don’t bother responding. For as long as you’ve known the twins, any chance to disrupt class is readily taken. You’re already tired, having stayed up late studying for an exam later on in the day and the idea of fighting with Atsumu is exhausting. He glances over his shoulder, eyes hot on your face before he turns with a sigh.

           “You know,” he mutters, head falling into the palm of his hand. His gaze is heavy, lids blinking with a deliberate slowness that has you holding back a shudder, “You’d be a lot more interesting if you actually put up a fight, Y/N-chan.”

           “I don’t care about your opinion, Miya-san.”

           He grins, leaning close enough that you can smell the mix of laundry detergent and crisp, cologne coming from him. Osamu scoffs quietly, but doesn’t look away from his bento.

           “That’s why I like ya,” he says. You don’t like how he says it. It’s too sincere and earnest for a boy who frequently lies to you. Frustrated you roll up your notes and smack him on the head with it. Eager to escape the too-small classroom, you stand up, digging for some coins. He shouts the name of his favorite tea brand as you leave, but you pretend not to hear it.

           You don’t want to be pulled in the Miya’s circle—Atsumu’s circle because you know that years in the future, it’s him who’s going to be on T.V. doing that ridiculous pre-serve ritual. It’s better to avoid him now, than to have to forget him then.

           Crying is the last thing you expect to do on graduation day, but the tears are heavy and keep flowing despite you’re attempts at quelling them. Mitsu and Hana are lost in the crowd, calming down their nervous juniors who declare that they’ll keep the cheer team running seamlessly in honor of them.

           “Why the hell are you crying?” Atsumu asks. He leans back, looking at you with a mixture of confusion and disgust. A watery laugh leaves your mouth and for once, you can admit to being glad to see him.

           “I’m going abroad,” you explain, wiping at your eyes with the back of your hand. A streak of black follows that has you snorting at the idea of waterproof mascara.

           “Shit, really?”  

           “Yeah. Got into university in the US. You’ll have to find someone else to bother while I’m gone,” you say with a smile that falls flat in an instant.

           Atsumu rubs the back of his head, eyes boring into your face. You don’t have the courage to meet his gaze head on.

           He pulls you close and traps you between his arms. You stand shell-shocked, arms hanging awkwardly by your side at the hug. Atsumu’s chin falls onto of your head. Skin itchy, tears pricking behind your eyelids, you swallow hard. You don’t have a name to this feeling that you’ve spent the past two years denying, but you know what it is. The warmth crawling through your chest blossoms. You want to be brave and rash like he is, but Atsumu is chasing his dreams without a care of the people he leaves behind. He makes you feel small for wanting to latch on and never let go.

           “Don’t complain. I’m just gonna miss you, you stupid idiot,” he says, pulling away. He rests his hands on your shoulder and for a moment you’re worried he’s going to try and kiss you. His eyes rack your face, committing it to memory. If it’s the last time he sees you, he wants to remember how ugly you look with mascara streaming down your face and cheeks blotchy from crying.

           “You really need to work on your vocabulary, that’s redundant.” You pull his hands from your shoulders and walk away. He watches you go, wondering for the first time exactly what it was that you wanted to do. He’d never asked before. Volleyball was as much a passion as it was an obsession. He knew he was an asshole and selfish to the bone. It’d always been a far-fetched hope that you’d look his way.

           Osamu finds him a while later lingering by the school entrance, quieter than he’d ever been.

           “What’s wrong with you?”

           “Samu, I think I got rejected.”

           “Y/N? She’s too smart for you anyway.”

           “Shut up, you lazy scrub.”

           “Don’t yell at me for telling you the truth, jerk,” Osamu shouts. The back of his hand connects with Atsumu’s head, the familiar sting is a welcome relief from the odd tightening in his chest.

           The court is already packed by the time you make it in. Ticket held tightly in your hand; you wonder if you have enough time to grab some food before the game starts. It’s been years since you’d watch a volleyball match live. The time difference often meant waking up at odd hours and using a VPN to get a stream straight from Japan. Nerves flutter in your stomach, but you know the chance of actually seeing Atsumu is low. Even if you did, your lives have been diverging for so long, there wouldn’t be anything to say.

           Deciding to take a chance at getting food---you haven’t had proper onigiri in so long that even half-assed attempts make your mouth water—you wait in line. Brows furrowing, you tilt your head at the sign in front of the stand. Miya Onigiri? Surely, Atsumu wasn’t bullish enough to go plastering his name on everything?

           “Y/N?” a voice greets as you near the front of the line. You can’t help but stare at Atsumu’s face—but it’s not him, too soft, too polite to be him.

           “Osamu?” you ask hesitantly.

           “What the hell? I have seen you in forever.” He jerks forward, almost as if he was going to hug you but the counter stops him from getting to far.

           “I just got back to Japan. I…This isn’t actually that surprising. You always did have the best bentos in class,” you say, smiling warmly. Osamu matches it. He looks down the line, eyes tightening in frustration at the number of people. He wants to catch up, wants to take a picture and send it Atsumu just to screw with him, but he has work to do.

           “What do you want? It’s on the house,” he asks.

           “That’s a bad way to run a business,” you scold, lightly.

           “If it was going to fail, it would have by now,” he counters, shoving a box of onigiri into your hand. You walk away, slightly stunned as his voice chases you demanding that you meet up after the match.

           If he was a goddamn scrub like Osamu or that loser Kageyama, he’d admit that the sight of you left him breathless. But, he’s not so what comes out of his mouth instead is:

           “Couldn’t stay away?”

           You nose crinkles and the sight sends a jolt through him. He feels like he’s back in high school, doing stupid shit just to grab your attention. He’s not lucky enough to know what you’ve done the past seven years, but you’ve probably seen all the dumb articles about him.

           “To be honest, I wanted to how an Olympic setter played in person,” you say, nodding towards Kageyama. Both of you know the words aren’t true, but he scowls anyway.

           “Stick around for a bit and I’ll show ya, sweetheart.”

           “Ugh, you haven’t changed a bit.”

           “I’d say the same, but you look like you’re at least a c-cup now.”

           He expects you to yell or pull your sweater tighter, but you throw your head back and laugh. The sound warms his blood, burrows into his hollow chest, and lingers there. It hadn’t been love, not even close to the thing, back in high school. There was always that slight chance, the idea that maybe he could love you that fascinated him.

           But now, he can’t look away, can’t shake the hope that tightens its grip on his heart. It’s worth all the waiting, all the frustrating time spent pretending that he didn’t care that he was alone just to have this chance. Before where there’d been a cold, unmovable wall, there’s a slight crack just wide enough for him to squeeze through. Maybe you didn’t even realize it, maybe it wouldn’t work but, you’d come here for a reason.

           “Are you staying?”

           “The game is over.”

           “In Japan, you idiot. I know the game’s over, I played in it.”

           “I know that,” you scowl, flushing fiercely, “and yes. I…I’m living in Tokyo.”

           “Good. Come out with me on Saturday,” he stops, looking you over once more and adds, “On a date.”

           “We haven’t seen each other in years,” you protest.

           “Come on, Y/N,” he whines, hands swinging in the air, “Can’t we just skip the whole friend’s part and get to the good stuff?”

           “I could have a boyfriend. You shouldn’t just assume, I’m available for you.”

           “Well, dump him.”

           “You’re insane. Honestly, get help. And don’t beg, it makes you look like more of a loser than usual.”

           “So yes? Or yes?”

           “I’ll think about it,” you tease. Atsumu’s done playing though and before you realize what’s happening, he’s pulled you close to him. Rough hands cup your cheeks, tilting your head up as he presses his lips against yours. It’s rough and too long to for a first kiss, but Atsumu’s reason flew out of his mind the moment he saw you. He’s drinking all of your movements, the small hand burrowing in his hair, the flingers clutching at this shirt, the way you tongue slips between his lips eager and all too fleeting as you pull away.

           “What?” asks Atsumu, wide-eyed. You point at Osamu behind him, whose busy wheezing with laughter as a child stood watching the two of you in disgust.

           “Awww man, why’d you have to go and ruin the moment?”

           “Pay attention to your fans, you disgusting pig.” Osamu says. The little boy is still there, pen hanging in his hands as he shyly offers the jersey.

[the-remainder]

Greetings weary travelers, did you know, as a budding magus, Ilar has traveled across the Serpentine Coast and witnessed many bizarre and fantastic tales. On quiet afternoons, Ilar and Vyn would share some of Ilar's special blend of tea, freshly baked pastry, and tell a tale to each other. If you've donated to The Remainder on itch or ko-fi, you'll have access to the mini interactive fiction - Story And Tea with Ilar - where all these short stories can be read.

But we'd also like to reward people who've supported us in other ways by releasing some of these stories.

Here is the first in what we hope to be a series of such stories, as told by Ilar to Vyn.

Enjoy!

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, this is a bonus short story that takes place in the world of The Remainder, a dark fantasy visual novel, you can play Act 1 by clicking here.

Tale of the Fog Children

Part 1 of 3

Voices often came to me when I sat in inner silence and simply felt the Currents brushing against my heart. Most of them were only noise, shallow thoughts from shallow realms, the regret of something done, or bickering over garlic skin. But this one was different, it yearned fiercely, single-heartedly, as only a human being could, and yet it has a hollowness that no human being could have, not the least a child.

Curious, I went to a balcony on the upper tower and peered over the foggy shores to the South. A commotion was brewing in a village a few leagues away, nestled next to a Seamouth, a fogdune had barged into the huddle of houses and swallowed one of them. Peculiar, I thought, and bad news. I looked with closed eyes and saw the sense of longing waft from the fogdune.

A thick channel of Currents was carried by the cloudstream to the tower, teasing out memories of my home, of the smell of mud and chicken feed. There was something else in the undercurrents too defused to disentangle at this distance. It was no ordinary fogdune, the magus mentee of that village was out of their depth. I checked my schedule and saw that you would be in a ritual for another three days. I packed a few necessities and headed for the village.

Arriving, I found that everyone who dwelled there gave the fog-engulfed house a wide berth, and little wonder, the Currents gushing from it was debilitating. I felt the longing tinged with sorrow and desperation before I heard the faint sound of howling wind emanating from the fog despite the still air. The energy was so dense that it would’ve turned an undyed - a commoner with no magick training - into a sobbing heap within minutes of close contact. A little more and they'd do anything, anything to end that despair.

“Stay away, traveler!” Someone shouted to me from their yard. “Bad luck that, do ya no good to linger, ya hear?”

Striding toward them, I replied. “Where are the people who lived here?”

“Oy, the Milborns, sunken luck if it could be said o’ anyone. They’d be stayin’ over with the Ashborns there.” The leather-skinned man pointed with his mushroom hat.

“Bad luck, you say? What sort, if I may ask?”

The man stopped chewing his straw for a moment and studied me up and down, clicking his tongue.

“My, pardon me, you’re a magus, ain’t you?”

I nodded, saying. “Indeed, I sensed something afoot here and thought I might help. Now, tell me about this bad luck you mentioned.”

“Aye, real pitiable. First, one child, nary a babe, passes from the winds, then a scant few years later, the other one goes missin'.” He spits out the straw he was chewing and made a face as if it was bitter. “Born on a Howling Eve, they were, and there ain’t no helpin’ that.”

I listened, puffing on my pipe, recalling. “Howling Eve? Do you think the children were…”

“Aye, ‘twas the low ones, Luccasi, the temple mentee said as much. Howling over the skies all that night, lookin’ for souls to snatch. And the children? Twins, ya see? Was s’pposed to be just the one. But he was so scared of the sound that half of him tried to run back to the Waters from inside his mama’s womb, and done got split right in two.

That’s how they were born twins. Sickly, only enough Waters for the one life, forced to be two. Skin the color of mildew. Poor kids, the folks too, what’d they e’er do to deserve such a thing?” He shook his head.

I nodded again, thanked the man, and left for the Ashborn’s house. I’d heard enough to have a theory, and if I was right, there was no time to waste.

Thick incense filled the little room when a young man with hollow eyes and a scraggly goatee opened the door to my knocking.

“Who are you?” He asked stiffly.

“The name’s Ilar, Magus. Are you the Milborns?” I nodded to the young woman sitting next to a makeshift altar that she’d just been praying to, where incenses burned. I recognized the herb. “May I?”

He stepped back to allow me in. “Duma, and my wife Sestra. We don’t got much, you’ll have tea?”

I nodded and entered, sitting by the firepit. A cursory glance showed no Devarna present. I knew then… But they’d just lost another child. I needed to be direct, yet without touching upon an open wound. “Sorry to hear about your child, I’d like to help. When did he go missing?”

“A week ago. He was playing with the other kids along the shore over yonder.” Duma’s voice was hoarse. “One blink he was there, right? Then he was gone, just like that. We looked, depths, we looked everywhere, right?”

“I see. And how long have you been burning the Longing Leaves?”

The young man’s forehead wrinkled into a mass of grooves as he looked down.

He glanced at my magus’s mark nervously and said. “The mentee said we should use it, right? They said no more than three days, if that’s what yer getting at, but there couldn’t be no harm, right?” Sestra began to fidget visibly as he spoke.

With a soft but firm voice, I said. “Devarna of Longing are usually very effective, but after three days, they will have grown disenchanted with the herbs. Further use will net you no boon. If you don’t stop now, you risk attracting something else, something undesirable. Do you understand?”

Duma stiffened, hands gripping at his loose leggings, lips pursed. Sensing this, Sestra leaned over and gently laid a hand on his arm while looking at me with something akin to pleading in her eyes. She wanted to say something, I realized, but—

“What are we to do? Just give up? Our only child, that boy! The mentee said these would call him back, well where is he?” Duma was nearly shouting at me. His wife flinched. Truths were left unsaid, and a lie was told. Tides were unfavorable here, I decided.

I stood up slowly, went to the door, and said. “I’m not your enemy, and neither is that fogdune. It’s getting too dark to Work, I’ll make camp outside the village. By next dawn, I will have a plan.

I hope you’ll consider listening to me when the time comes if you want what’s best for your child.” I threw a glance at them, letting the Waters shine from my eyes, holding the woman’s gaze for the briefest of moments, then departed. That should be enough to let them sense my power, and hopefully for Sestra to take the hint.

I built a fire and erected a simple tent with twigs and mushroom cappings in a copse on the edge of the village and waited. I’d seen fogdunes behaving like this in my youth. Could it be the same thing that happened to me? Another of Fate’s jokes, I chuckled.

To be continued...

If you enjoyed this and want to read the rest without having to wait, please support us on itch.io or ko-fi.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

From Chin To Yon Rah (Part 41)

I typed this chapter on mobile so it might have more typos than usual and I, a responsible fic writer, do not proof read.

Warmth. There is a sense of community in warmth and trying to stay in a state of it during the colder months. Wujing makes a celebration of doing so. And that is how she finds herself seated around the largest fire she has seen in the Earth Kingdom. She is their go to women to keep it lit until the festivities are over.

They seem to rather adore her fire and on nights like these she yearns to display a vivid blue. Perhaps one day. One day after she tells Hajime who she is. Though she isn't sure when she would tell everyone else. She hopes that everyone will take just as well to her fire when it burns blue. Perhaps if she is lucky, they will enjoy it more.

Until then she adds more orange to the blaze while Atsu shifts his weight in her arms. "My turn, Atsu!" Caihong declares.

"No-o." Atsu shakes his head, "she's my mama, go by yer dad!"

Despite the boy's protests, Azula lifts the blanket and let's Caihong crawl under it and next to Atsu. Hajime steps away from the fire and returns to her side. "I'd say that this is a promising way to start the winter."

"We've had a productive year. We have more than enough to get the Wujing through the winter." Seukhyun notes.

"No thanks to you, boy." Ojihara jests.

"I did most of the work ol' man!"

Listening to the father and son go back and forth is one more constant in her life. A thing that wouldn't feel right if absent.

Azula, to the best of her ability with to little beasts in her lap, moves closer to the fire. "Hey!" Atsu shouts, "I was com-fera-table!"

"I wasn't." Azula shrugs. Truth be told her legs are tingling from having held the same position for so long. "I need to stand up."

Neither of the children takes the cue so she tells them both to stand. She doesn't know why she expected to be met with anything other that a, "no, Rikka! We're cozy!" And an agreeing not from Atsu.

"Hajime, hold these things." She sets Atsu and then Caihong in his lap.

"These things are called children, Rikka." He laughs while Atsu folds his arms and pouts.

"They're more like chittering toad-squirrels if you ask me." She stretches her arms and then her back with a contented sigh. She makes her way even closer to the fire.

"Cider?" A man offers. She recognizes him from the market square, a clothes salesman she thinks. She can't quite recall his name but it could be Poying or maybe Poyang. The man is quite fond of telling everyone that he has a tinge of Air Nomad blood. Azula isn't the only person to take this with several grains of salt.  But he is an honest man otherwise do she takes the glass with a thank you.

"Gimme'a sip, gimme'a sip!" Caihong makes a jump or two for Azula's cider.

Poyang chuckles, "aye, lil' one we got plenty more, ya don't have to snatch Rikka's."

"You don't have to take me." She repeats smugly, holding her glass just out of Caihong's reach. The girl sticks out her lower lip, folds her arms across her chest, and gives her foot a stomp--making sure to rumble the ground for good measure.

Hajime gives her a little nudge. "Aww don't tease Cai."

"She's gonna get her drink anyways." Seukhyun dismisses just as Poyang comes back with more cider.

"Poyang has the best stuff!" Atsu declares after his first sip.

"Cause his brother's the apple man!" Caihong declares enthusiastically.

"One day we'll have to visit his orchard together." Hajime offers.

"We have a lot of one days to get to." Azula points out. But she supposes that they will have a lifetime to do them.

"It's nice to have a lot to look forward to, isn't it?" He slings an  around her waist and pulls her closer. Hot cider splashes onto her shirt. She crinkles her nose, "thanks, Hajime."

"You said that you were getting cold. I thought that I'd help you warm up."

"Won't be so warm when this cider freezes…"

"That's what you get for not sharing it!" Caihong declares smugly. That impish little earth gremlin…

That day she learns that there is a special bond, a sense of community, that comes with the seeking of warmth.

.oOo.

She hadn’t expected to outlast him, but her demise comes as a surprise all the same. And maybe it is because she had wrapped her topmost parka around him. Maybe it is because she had stripped off her remaining glove to keep a fire going for him. For the both of them.

But she is weak and grows weaker as the cold burrows into her wound and seeps deeper into her bones. She looks at the teeth marks with much hatred. Could those have been prevented?

“Azula?” Sokka murmurs. It is the first sound that he has made in a while. And she could cry. Maybe both of them will die, but at least she won’t have to watch another lover do it before she succumbs for herself. She is so terribly cold, she can’t imagine that it will be much longer now.

"Yeah?" She answers.

"What happened?" He slurs.

"First we got caught in a blizzard and then we we got attacked by wolves…"

"Where's dad?"

Azula grits her teeth. "We couldn't find him, remember." They might have fared better against the wolves if they had. As things were they had taken a good chunk out of her arm before being struck down by Sokka's boomerang. The man best appreciate her taking those teeth for him instead of focusing on her own fight. On the grander scheme of things she supposes that it doesn't matter at all. They had done more damage than even that in shredding Sokka's parka and stealing one of her gloves. If they hadn't, she might not have had to spare one if her own.

Agni, she isn't built for this weather. She isn't adapted to withstand it. And it hurts so terribly. Everything stings and tingles. Her face and toes especially. Her fingers had tingled  it that has subsided to a more than alarming nothingness. She sniffles, if only to remind herself that she still has a nose. Her cheeks are so red and she feels as though they have been slapped repeatedly. In a sense, they have. The winter slaps them with a force that a human hand couldn't possibly manage.

She had never realized just how much the cold could burn. Very resentfully, she thinks that the cold might just be higher than even her fire.

She huddles closer to Sokka, rather she tries to do so oh to find that they are as close as they can possibly be. And there is nowhere near enough warmth between the two of them.

"Take your parka back, Azula." Sokka says.

She shakes her head.

"Azula, you need it more, you're not…"

She shakes her head, "no." She won't be the weak one here. She can't allow it. She can't allow it especially if it means watching another lover die. "No."

At least now she can say with conviction that she does love him. Very much. Just as much as she loved Hajime. And more than enough to let herself succumb to the cold to give him a chance.

He tries to remove his parka anyhow so she rolls atop him, he is too weak to shove her off. Which is good because she would have been too weak to resist if he had.

The bite marks on her arm flare. She closes her eyes and shudders as another pang passes through her. How long have they been out here like this? Long enough for the blizzard to pass.it occurs to her that she and Sokka are half buried.   The realization come with a jolt of panic--a queasiness in her belly and a spinning in her head. She doesn't want to be buried in a coffin of snow. She doesn't want to be buried at all. The panic is fleeting when she recalls that she has already unburied herself in putting her body atop Sokka's. Though that isn't to say that more snow won't come to cover them up, she hopes to be hours dead by then.

"You know, I always thought that I would die in combat." She mumbles, pressing her ear to his chest so that she can hear his heartbeat. So that she can be sure that she isn't alone. "That would have been more glorious than this."

"You're not…"

But she isn't done lamenting, "but I also always thought that I would be alone when I died. So I guess that this is better." It's certainly better than dying alone and dehydrated in a grassland.

"We're not going to die."

"We're in the middle of nowhere and the rest of the village didn't expect us to venture this far out to the glacier. We've been out here for hours, my arm won't stop bleeding…"

"Yeah." Sokka's expressions darkness. "Looks pretty grim doesn't it." He is so cold that his breath no longer comes out in puffs. He is quiet for a very long while. "Katara, Aang, Toph, and I were once lost in a desert with ver little water. You made it out of several situations like this…"

"Yes, Sokka and it was mostly luck. How many times can I keep getting lucky?" She doesn't have the energy for shouting. For changing her tone and diction at all really.

She feels Sokka's hands patting her hair. "Hopefully every time."

.oOo.

There is no worse feeling than watching Azula go limp and mostly quiet. For the last several minutes, the oh sign of life was an occasional wimper. Her body is still trembling but not as violently as it had been. She is shutting down. And she still won't take his parka.

"I'm so cold, Sokka." She whispers, her voice sounding so pathetically small. But she is afraid. He can tell, if only because he is terrified too.

"Yeah, me too, Azula."

She rubs her face against his chest. She gets no warmth out of it because there is none left in him. He looks to the sky. To the glimmering cosmos above. Maybe he'll be reborn as one of them…

Azula clings to him with what can oy be the last very last ounces of her strength.

"It's okay, Sokka." She tries to smile though her face is too stiff with the cold. "I told you on the first day that I came back that I had more waiting for me in the Spirit World…"

"Don't say that." He squeezes her tighter.

"It's okay." She says again. "I think I that he wanted me to do a bit more exploring but he'll be happy to know that I got this far."

He wonders if she is thinking of Caihong at all. He wonders if that will do her any good anyways. He doesn't want to say it, especially not to her. But she is right, she is dying. He doesn't think that she will last the night even of he does force her back into her parka.

He hugs her as tight as he can. And then he rolls her onto her back. She murmurs some sort of protest, some sort of distress. But there is something that he wants her to see. Something that he needs her to see.

"Look up, Azula. Open your eyes." He gently slaps her cheeks and her eyes flutter open. They are unfocused and mostly vacant. He slaps her cheeks again until he has her at least a little more alert. “Look at the lights, Azula.”

He thinks that she might have smiled. "That's nice, Sokka." But her eyes close again and the moment is good.

She doesn't cry. She doesn't bargain or beg. She simply squints and, to the best of her ability with blackened, numb fingers and clumsy daze, touches his cheek. And then her hand falls and her eyes close once more. No amount of slapping gets them to open again.

In the distance he hears barking. Sprits, he prays that the wolves aren't back. He squeezes her hand if only to feel her slowing pulse.

[professormembranexreader]

Membrane x Dom! Fem! Reader (smut)

Y/N POV

So Professor~" I purred, "don't you think we should conduct some... experiments~?" Membrane's pale face tinted pink. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I pressed myself against him. He seemed to get the hint and grabbed my thighs suddenly, hoisting me up off the ground.

He was in the middle of walking me to the wall when his son, Dib, walked in.

"Dad! I need your help!" He grimaced under his high collar. I removed one hand from his neck and put it on his chest.

"Go ahead. I can wait." I smiled. I didn't really want him to go, but whatever Dib needs help with must be more important.

"Are you sure?" He asked. I could tell he didn't want to leave either.

"Babe, go ahead. We can continue this later~." He set me down and sighed. He left the lab to go help his son.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, he came back.

"What was it?" I asked, curious.

He groaned, "It was just him trying to show me that the neighbor boy with that skin condition is an alien." I softly sighed, getting up and patting his arm.

"Again? I can't imagine how hard it must be to try and take care of-" Membrane cut me off with a short kiss.

"Shhh. Don't worry about them. All that matters right now is you and me." He wrapped his robotic arms around my waist and pulled me towards him. I flushed as his hands shifted from my waist to my ass.

I involuntarily leaned against him, once more pressing myself to his body. I felt his hard dick poking just below my stomach. Grinding against him, I let out a soft moan.

"OYE! PUTA DE PADRE!"

"fUUUUUCKKKK." God dammit, Gaz. Things were just getting good.

"You don't have to go-"

"Membrane, I care about your kids as if they were my own. I'll be back." Using all my willpower I peeled myself off of him.

"¿Qué quieres?" "JUST GET OVER HERE!"

I sighed and walked to the living room where Gaz was seated on the couch, GameSlave hooked up to the TV.

"What is it, Gaz?" Without even opening her eyes or turning her head, she replied flatly, "Don't fuck my dad here." I raised an eyebrow only for her to tell me she was hungry. Of course. I went to the kitchen and fixed her a PB&J, brought it to her, and went back to the lab.

"DON'T FUCK MY DAD HERE!" She angrily took a bit me of her sandwich, "YA HEAR ME?!" I jumped, but chuckled as I opened the door to the lab.

It was empty. Or, at least, it looked like it. His lab was always cluttered, so it was entirely possible that he was buried under all his science stuff.

"Honey~ Where are you~?" I heard some distant clunking of metal and plastic against the tiled floor. I curiously walked over to the noise when-

"Sí, mi amor?" He called, sliding up behind me. I jumped and lightly punched his chest.

"Don't scare me like that!"

He chuckled in his deep baritone voice. "But you're so cute~" We both laughed at the uncharacteristic statement.

"That's not the only thing you are," he whispered huskily into my ear. I flushed red as he backed me up against the wall. Putting his arms on either side of my head, he lifted a knee to my crotch and started to grind against me. I gasped and put a hand on his ass.

"Nngh~ you know I can't handle this teasING AH~" Half way through my sentence he began pressing even harder. I bit my lip and started to set my head back onto the wall.

Zim, probably being chased by Dib, ruined it all. The small "child" rushed in the lab, literally screaming bloody murder. The only bit you could understand would be, "FATHER OF STINKY DIB BEAST. I COMMAND YOU MAKE HIM CEASE!" Membrane whipped his head around. Zim's face grew pale as he simply went to hide from Dib in the lab.

"Sorry about that, babe. Are you still-" I cut him off, dragging him out the alternate exit to his lab and out of his house.

"I'm not going to stand being interrupted anymore." I growled. He blushed as I practically carried his frozen body up the stairs and tossed him onto my bed. "You had your fun. Now it's my turn~" I huskily whispered onto his neck.

Placing my palms on his shoulders, I started to straddle him as I pressed my lips up against his neck, occasionally leaving a light nip as I went to the next spot. I could feel him get hard under me—and god, was I loving it. I had this towering man whimpering under my touch. Who wouldn't relish that feeling?

Groaning, he put a firm hand on my ass and gently squeezed as I found his sweet spot. I pulled back and smirked, "Who said you could do that~?" With his free hand, he pushed my head back into his neck as I went to work on the spot he loved. He wriggled and writhed under my touch, but never strong enough to put an end to my games. I licked and sucked on that spot until a deep purple hickey had formed. Satisfied with my work, I smiled and pulled away. He involuntarily let out a soft moan as I left his neck.

"Aw, does someone want more~?" I asked coyly, grinding against his ever present bulge. He groaned and frantically nodded his head. I slowly unbuttoning his lab coat, teasing him. I took off the rest of his clothes except his boxers and started to do the same.

Finally, we were both dressed down to our underwear. I traced his sides with my hands, making him shiver. I smirked and started to work my way down to the button on his boxers. Teasing him a bit more, I started palming him. Membrane's breathing was ragged.

Knowing he couldn't take it anymore, I unbuttoned the only thing keeping his cock from springing up. And spring up it did. He let out a loud groan as his dick was freed from its fabric prison.

I started playing with his tip, rubbing my fingers around his most sensitive areas.

"Y/N PLEASE~" Membrane shouted. I grinned as I stopped completely.

"Please what~?" Man, it was fun to be a tease.

"Please... touch me~" he softly moaned. It was full of lust and shame, but mostly submission.

"That's better," I said as I started to move my hand along his shaft. He was so big, how is that going to fit? Oh well. He leaned his head back into my pillow as my hand slowly got faster. Letting out moan after moan, this man of science was like gallium in the palm of my hand. I kept stroking his dick until it felt like he was close.

I pulled my hand away and looked at him coyly. He was whimpering and shaking from the sudden lack of warmth around his dick. I guided his robotic hands to my underwear and gently tugged down. He slipped them off of me while I dealt with my bra. I took his dick with one hand and spread open my wet pussy with the other. I gently guided him to my opening and slowly went down. I heard his breathing hitch as I was halfway down. I moaned out as I pushed down the rest of the way.

Groaning, I sat there for a bit letting both of us get used to the feeling. After a few seconds, I slowly nodded. He rolled his hips, sending a shockwave of pleasure through me. I gasped at the newfound ecstasy. Two metal hands were placed on my hips as he gently raised my body up and down on his dick. Moaning, I placed my hands on top of his. I bucked my hips against him, creating even more friction.

I settled into the rhythm and pushed his hands off my side and over his head. He would've said something, but my lips were in the way. Instead, he parted his lips, giving me a way to deepen the now heated kiss. I pulled away just when things started getting good, and smiled as he whined. Using one hand to keep both of his secure, I pulled out a cloth from the dresser next to my bed and tied his hands to the bed frame. Now he was completely mine.

Still riding him, I let my hands wander down his body. While there wasn't much muscle visible, there was no doubt it was there. My hands ghosted his sides, causing him to bite his lip to stifle a moan. I gently put a hand to his cheek, "Don't worry about the noise," I leaned into his neck and whisper, "I wanna hear you scream my name. I want all our neighbors to hear it. Now don't hide your beautiful voice from me~" I quickly nipped at his neck and listened to him moan out those beautiful sounds he made.

"There you go, baby~" I whispered before focusing once more on teasing his body. I dragged a finger down from the bottom of his jawline to his pelvis. I could feel him about to snap under all the pleasure he was receiving. The tight knot in my stomach was slowly getting to a point where it would have to unravel.

I shoved myself on and off of his dick faster and faster. Membrane's strained moans filled the room as he began to reach his own end.

I kept throwing myself onto him until the white-hot feeling in my stomach left. All I could hear was Membrane screaming my name as he came inside me. I smiled and fell limp on his chest.

"You did good, babe," I said, eyes half-lidded. I felt warm robotic arm wrap around my shoulder blades and a warm blanket pulled up to my waist.

I mumbled something into his chest. He looked down and sleepily grinned, "Te amo también, mi amor."

[fires-of-ninjago]

Chubby Zane Rights (Continued)

As promised last week, here's my latest continuation to Chubby Zane!

I'm just sorry this one took so long, but as I said last week, I was just bogged-down with work.

Title: Hot Ice

Word Count: 1,478

Pairing(s): Oppositeshipping

Warnings: Fat Shaming, body image, homophobic slurs, implied abuse

Kai downed the rest of his drink as Dareth droned on about one of his many, many exaggerated achievements. Zane looked down at his lemonade as he listened to the story. The more he heard, the more he thought that it sounded just too far-fetched to him. I mean; Dareth, just finding Garmadon’s Helmet of Shadows, and using it to control the stone army like that? Just how could someone get that lucky?!

“...Are you guys even listening?” Dareth asked. Kai gave him one of his signature, cocked-smiles that made everyone instantly believe that he knew exactly what was going on...At least, those who didn’t actually know him, anyway. Zane recognized it as his slightly drunk, but faking focus grins.

“Of course!” Kai said. “Hat falls out of the sky, monster army suddenly obeying your every command, horrifying visions of days yet to come, nightmares of the First Master’s childhood, I hear ya!” Zane perked up at the mention of those last two parts. He normally tuned most of their middle-aged friend’s ramblings out mid-way through, but lately, his boyfriend seemed to be paying closer attention the more he drank. Dareth took a swig of his own drink, and for the first time, Zane realized that it was the same as Kai’s.

“I think you two should slow down?” Zane asked; “Those are your third and fourth whiskey’s tonight.” Kai gave him a side grin as he winked.

“C’mon Zane! We all just got our teaching certs; we’re celebrating!” Zane nodded as he felt the frost crawling along the side of the glass.

“Yeah!” Dareth cheered; “And after all of the- *BUUUURP!*” Zane scrunched his nose as the smell hit him like a steel pipe. Had he been human, then his eyes would definitely be watering at the potent smell of garlic and alcohol. Kai however, was fanning his face.

“Aw, Dareth! How many of those garlic rolls did you eat?!” He said. Their friend gave them an embarrassed chuckle as he leaned back in his chair.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that guys,” he said as he gave his now plump stomach a pat. “They were just so delicious, I couldn’t help myself!” Wait, what? What did he mean by that? Zane looked down at the empty baskets sitting in front of him as he realized exactly that was.

“But Dareth, one of those was supposed to be for Kai!” The look on the Brown Ninja’s face changed to confusion as he looked down at the remains of the food.

“Huh? But Kai here told me that he wasn’t all that hungry, so he told me to take it.” So that’s what happened; Zane figured something like that was the case, but now that it was out in the open, the Nindroid wasn’t going to let this chance to dive deeper pass by.

“Kai,” he began. When was the last-” The doors to the bar burst open before he could finish the thought. The two of them turned to see a group of bikers standing there.

“Sup, Gerald,” the old man at the head of the group said to the barkeeper. Zane noticed the burn scar on his cheek as he leaned against the bar. “We saw you ‘ere havin’ a party in here and decided to invite ourselves!” They surveyed the bar, grinning as Zane and Kai kept their heads down.

“So who’s this party for anyway?” One of the other bikers; a much younger woman asked as she stepped closer to the bar. “What, is it someone’s birthday? Are one of these widdol’ kiddies finally old enough to be let out of their widdol’ strollers?” Zane could see steam building in his boyfriend’s eyes at how they were taunting the owner, but there was nothing that they could do, especially while Kai was still processing all of the alcohol that he’d drunk.

“Listen guys, I don’t want any trouble,” the bartender said. “But the group I got here tonight...I don’t think-” The lead biker reached across the bar, and grabbed the bartender’s shirt, pulling him close.

“Since when do I care what you think!” The leader asked. Zane was getting ready to jump into action, when Kai decided to slowly stand up.

“Hello Bart,” Nya said in an unusually calm voice. Every alarm in Zane’s head was going off as he recognized that name. Both Zane and Dareth turned to see the two of them standing; the Nindroid felt his power core skip a pulse in fear as he saw the same dark look reflected in the eyes of both siblings. Bart however, seemed to laugh.

“HEY!” He howled as he released the bartender from his grip; “if it isn’t my two favorite kids!” Bart held his arms open, like he was expecting them to run into them.

“Like hell!” Kai shouted; “If you know what’s good for you, then you ‘n your friends will leave.” Zane felt a chill run up his spine as he heard the venom in Kai’s voice. He didn’t know exactly what happened between them, but he knew that it was bad; especially by the way he partially closed his bad eye whenever anyone asked about it.

“Oy! Is that any way ta’ talk to yer foster daddy?” Zane’s eyes went wide as he realized what this was. Kai practically snarled as he readied himself to attack, only for Nya to beat him to the punch. She came out of nowhere; her fists making contact with jaw in the blink of an eye, sending him spinning back as he hit the floor. Nya huffed as she screamed. If it weren’t for the younger woman intercepting her next hit, she would have pummeled him into the tile. Kai however, wasn’t far behind.

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!” He shouted, as he jumped into spinjitsu. Flames licked the bar, setting some of the glasses aflame as he barreled towards them. With a look of fear in his eyes, Bart rolled out of the way just in time for Kai’s foot to miss him by a hair. His leather jacket smoked as he hopped to his feet.

“Holy fuck, where da’ hell did ya’ learn that shit?!” He asked. Kai looked like he was about to start foaming at the mouth, when Zane hopped in to put out the small fires from the now flaming drinks.

“Hold up, Jefe,” The woman said, as she staggered out of Nya’s grip. “They’re the fuckin’ ninja!” Zane could see the delight start twisting in Bart’s eyes, as he let out a low, manic laugh.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!” He clutched his stomach as he ran out of breath; blood beginning to run down the side of his face from a cut caused by one of the rings that Nya was wearing. “Yer’ shittin’ me!” Zane could feel the rage building in the siblings, as the older man continued.

“Ta think, you two would grow up to be this famous! Maybe there is a place fer ya in my family after all?” He gave Zane a good once-over as well as the gears started grinding behind his eyes.

“An’ you must be that ice ninja,” he started. “Yer a lil chubby, aren’t cha? Well as long as ya’ can fight like Twig and Shit-foot here, ya can join too.” Zane froze as he heard what he said. It had been so long since he’d even thought about it, that he’d stopped trying to hide his weight a long time ago, even if he still chose to wear loose-fitting clothes whenever he could. It was almost faster than the last time, but now Zane saw Kai launch himself forward. If it weren’t for Zane managing to grab one of his arms, then he would have tackled Bart out-right.

“SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH-!” He howled at the top of his lungs. One of the other bikers laughed as they all moved to encircle the trio.

“Haha, aww, look-et how he’s jumping to tubbo’s defence; how cute.” Now Zane was starting to feel the taunts as he struggled to hold-back his boyfriend. It would be so easy to let him go; even his primary programming: Protect the unprotected, was having trouble deciding if he should keep holding Kai back. Just as Zane was about to try and defuse the situation himself, one of the bikers shouted as he was electrocuted.

“KAI, ZANE, NYA! DUCK!” The trio didn’t even think about it; in one felled motion, they all rolled to the ground as Cole came zipping above them, taking down two more of the group. Once they were on the ground, both Kai and Zane jumped up, and with a practiced ease, blew a spray of ice and fire to create a chilly mist. That was when Zane felt his programming make it’s choice: Protect Kai and Nya from the people who hurt them.

[telli1206]

House of Tricks

Pirate Jay and Harry take a spin through a true house of horrors...Hell Hall.

I felt like the #Descendantsspookytime Hashtag needed more shorts, so here’s a little Pirate!Jay idea I’ve been toying with. I hope you enjoy it!

Also on AO3

WARNING: Some violence and non-con elements

-----

“Dammit Harry, I don’t think this is a good idea. If we get caught we’re dogmeat.”

Jay eyes Hell Hall warily, pausing on the path right in front of the door to stare at the dark, decrepit structure. Even with all of the decaying, crumbled buildings all over the island, this place still manages to creep Jay out.

Harry pauses next to him to follow Jay’s gaze, but simply chuckles at Jay’s leery expression, slapping him hard on the back as he makes his way past him and up to the door.

“Oy, chill, will ya? You saw the hag at the barge, too, plain as day. Everyone’s tryin’ ta grab all the special holiday garbage today, we can do whatever we want.”

Harry grunts in annoyance when he tries the door and finds it locked. But without a moment of hesitation, his hook is whipped off and already jammed into the lock, as he brings his head close to listen for it to jimmy open.

“But...why Hell Hall?” Jay asks. “We could definitely find an easier mark.”

Harry picks his head up and looks at Jay with a knowing smirk. “What are ye, not up fer the challenge? Aha!” He laughs triumphantly and pops himself up, almost bumping Jay in the face, but he jumps back just in time.

Still smiling, Harry keeps his eyes on Jay as he turns the knob and the door clicks open.

“Cruella’s got a load of rich furs in there, and ye know Cap’n would just love to get ‘er hands on ‘em. Either ta sell or just ta stick it ta the crazy bitch,” Harry notes with a wink.

Jay sighs defeatedly. He knows there’s no way to talk Harry out of making Uma happy. He’d gladly lose a limb for their beautiful captain, so a raid of Hell Hall would be a no-brainer. And evil knows, a “no-brainer” is Harry’s specialty.

“An’ I happened to notice a certain mutt was absent from mummy’s side,” Harry adds, making Jay’s ears perk with interest. “Betcha the cute lil’ thing is here protectin’ the furs. Ya can’t tell me that doesn’t get ya excited ‘bout it.”

Ok, maybe the guy’s got more brains than Jay thought.

He can’t fight the smile that creeps onto his face as he nods at Harry, stepping up eagerly now to follow his crewmate into the house. 

Harry’s known for a while now about Jay’s fascination with the De Vil boy. Ever since Carlos first showed up at Dragon Hall, with his too cute curls and freckles, flashing a too bright smile that he hid nervously under a stack of too big books, Jay’s had a strong desire to see more of him. Up until now, this desire has mostly led to a lot of Jay bullying of the smaller De Vil. And while that activity does often lead to touching, it doesn’t so much help Jay with actually talking to the boy. So, the potential to come face-to-face with Carlos outside of school and away from their classmates was more than intriguing.

And scoring loot for their captain in the process was definitely a bonus.

The house seems unusually dark as they step foot inside. Jay’s used to darkness, but not ones so pitch black he can barely see a foot in front of him. He takes slow, very cautious steps as he lets his eyes get adjusted, but when he tries to grip onto Harry to make him do the same, the other teen just scoffs and shakes him off.

“What’re ye doin??” Harry groans, shoving past Jay as he picks up his stride. “We’ll never get anywhere if yeh crawl through here like a baby. Cruella’s gonna skin yer ass five feet fro-”

All is suddenly silent as Jay loses sight of Harry. Jay’s eyes whip around frantically, trying to locate the vanishing teen.

“Harry?” He takes a few more careful steps forward, his breath heaving as he tries to calm his racing heart. He starts to hear muffled sounds coming from...right next to him? No, the floor. Under the floor?

He looks down, aiming his gaze just past the toe of his boots. Grunting sounds are definitely below him...and then a hand is grabbing his foot. 

Jay jumps and stumbles back, but the hand stays on his boot, gripping tightly as it pulls...Harry, out of a hole in the rotted wood floor. 

“Harry! Jay grabs his arm quickly, dragging him back up onto the main level. “What the hell?”

“Watch yer step,” the pirate moans. “That las’ one’s a doozy.”

“No kidding,” Jay deadpans, leaning forward to peer into the blackness of the hole. “You think that was supposed to be a trap?”

Harry shrugs as they step around the opening to continue farther into the house. “Doubt it. This whole place’s fallin’ apart. It’s probably just a lucky break,” he jokes, chuckling at his own pun. But Jay notices that his pace has slowed down some, and he seems more alert to their surroundings.

What was once an elegant staircase is in front of them, with now overly worn carpet turning up at the ends, nails and rotten wood exposed. Huge drapes of wallpaper peel down from the walls, revealing a flaking drywall and some splintered framing.

Harry stays close to Jay’s side as they slowly ascend the first level of stairs. Jay lets his eyes roam each corner, taking in every possible open space that could have a surprise lying in wait for them.

When they finally reach the first landing of the stairs, Harry exhales deeply, choking back a laugh as he steps back and gives Jay some breathing room.

“Damn, I’m startin’ ta feel like such a lil’ pussy! I don’t know what I was expectin’ ta happen in a big empty house with jus’ a wee pup in it.”

Jay matches Harry’s breathy laugh, shaking his head at his own concerns. He did feel a little silly. What is he afraid of? Carlos is so much smaller and weaker than both Harry and him. There’s no way he could really stir up any trouble.

Jay slumps against the wall, breathing a sigh of relief at his revelation. His brain barely registers a soft kachink sound next to him, almost like the sliding of a metal door. He feels a whoosh of air then, and something zips by his arm. But before he can process what’s happening, he spots Harry’s wide fearful eyes, frozen in shock and locked on Jay.

“Oy, are you ok?” Harry shrieks, making Jay wince from the high-pitched tone. He grabs at Jay’s arm, pulling him away from the wall and standing protectively in front of him. 

Jay fixes a confused look on Harry, at least until he cranes his neck around to see the...huge metal spears, jutting out of the wall that he was just leaning against.

He stares at them, stunned, when he feels the warmth of Harry’s hand on his arm. His own limb feels cold when pressed on by the pirate, and looking down he can see why. Trails of blood are dripping down, seeping out of a soaked tear in his shirt where one of the spears must have grazed him.

Harry grabs at Jay’s sleeve and rips the bottom half off, revealing a superficial cut across Jay’s bicep. Luckily it’s not bleeding much, and Harry simply uses the torn sleeve to tie over the wound, sealing in the blood as best he can, for now. They have plenty of first aid items for patching it up once they get back to the ship.

Jay nods a silent thank you to Harry, rubbing his arm that’s starting to sting. They both turn to peer up the stairs, quietly assessing their next move.

“Ya think...there’s more?” Harry hisses, peering up the darkened stairs. Jay starts to shrug, but a faint voice upstairs captures both their attention.

“Have you had enough?”

Harry and Jay both whip their heads toward the railing to see Carlos standing there, arms crossed and looking defiant. 

“If you’ve got any brains in your skulls, I recommend you get the hell out now before you really get hurt.” Carlos’ challenging stare never falters, but Jay can see a slight shake in the boy’s shoulders even from his vantage point well below him.

Still, Jay’s never seen Carlos attempt to stand up to him before. The usually timid boy was acting bold, even a little vicious, as he did his best to stare down Harry and Jay in his home.

It was definitely hot.

“Yeah, right,” Harry teases, laughing at Carlos’ threat. “What else are yeh gonna do, lil’ boy? Throw yer big bad books at me?”

Harry slaps Jay on the back with a smile, motioning with his head for them to go upstairs. Jay nods silently and starts to follow behind him.

“Yeh better run, pup. You don’t wanna know what’s gonna happen to you after we catch yeh. I don’t appreciate lil' cutesy things tryin’ ta make threats at me.”

Carlos just shakes his head and pulls out some kind of remote from behind his back.

Jay pauses, eyes widening as Carlos hovers a finger over one of the buttons. He quickly jumps over and grabs for Harry to try to pull him away, but it’s already too late.

With the press of the button a soft click can be heard from above, and the clunk of something heavy dropping. With that a large white object on a rope comes hurtling towards Harry, connecting solidly with the side of his head and sending him toppling backwards on the steps. Jay leans forward to try to catch him, but the teen’s heavy frame takes them both down onto their backs, sprawling them uncomfortably onto the landing.

Jay groans, bracing himself on his arms as he slides his body out from under Harry. Harry is completely distracted and unhelpful, gripping his head tightly as he yowls in pain. 

Jay spots the offending object just a few feet from where they lay and drags himself over to examine it. Rocks of all sizes are strewn all over, clearly spilling from the white...what looks like...a paint can?

“I tried to warn you,” Carlos calls out to them, giving an unconcerned shrug. “Now leave before something worse happens to you!”

Carlos backs away from the railing to leave, but stops in his tracks when he hears a loud growling. 

“Ya lil’ runt!” Harry bellows, pushing himself off the ground and charging up the stairs.

Carlos screeches and makes a run for it down the hall, rapidly pushing buttons along the way. A hail of paint cans starts swinging at the stairs, but Harry’s speedy in his rage, darting and ducking through the barrage. Jay jumps into action to follow Harry, catching one of the paint cans just before it clocks him in the face and keeping his grip on the paint can as he runs. He uses it to knock away anything else that swings his way, averting paint can after paint can until he makes it to the top of the stairs. Once he’s successful, Jay drops the can and tries to catch up to Harry just in front of him.

“Harry! Stop! There might be more-” 

Harry’s arms fly up just then, and his feet go over his head as he slams down onto his back with an infuriated grunt.

Jay slows down, swinging his arms out for balance when he notices a black substance streaked across the floor.

“Oil??” He whines, dragging his feet slowly towards Harry, who has yet to try standing up. “Stay there, Harry.”

“I’m gonna kill that mutt,” he mutters as he waits for Jay to grab his hand. Together, they manage to flip Harry over, and he carefully scoots over to the wall to slide himself up to standing.

“Chill, Harry. You’re just pissed that pup keeps outsmarting you. Maybe you should think about listening to me before you rush around every corner.”

Harry perks a brow at Jay. “You’re lovin’ this, aren’t ya? I think yeh’ve got a boner for that boy’s brain.”

Jay snorts, dragging himself to a stop as they reach Carlos’ door. “Fuck you, Hook. For your information, he’s got a cute ass, too.”

Harry throws his head back to laugh but winces, grabbing his still throbbing head. “Just lemme give ‘em one good rap on the head fer payback once we catch ‘em, then he’s all yours. I just wanna get Cap’n her furs and get outta here.”

Jay shakes his head as he slowly starts to turn the knob. “I’ll think about it. Just go for the furs, ok? I’ll take care of Carlos.”

Harry nods, putting his hand on the door to push his way through. But Jay stops him with a firm hand on his chest.

“Whoa, boy. What did I just say about going slow? We’re not out of the woods yet.”

Harry hesitates, then decides to take a step behind Jay, waving him to go in first. 

Jay creaks the door open and is met with inky black darkness. He pushes it wide, opening it as far as he can to try to cast the dim twilight from the hall inside to illuminate his way as much as possible. It’s not much, unfortunately, so Jay does his best to squint his eyes into the blackness. The small beams of lights flicker over a flash of silver in front of them, so Jay opts to pull Harry in along the wall, choosing against finding out the hard way if that glint was from a blade of some sort.

“Stay against the wall,” he hisses, pressing Harry back. They sidle slowly, keeping their bodies as flush as they can with the walls inside the dark room. Jay can see a small sliver of light and grabs at Harry’s arm, pulling him to follow faster. They’re SO close, and Jay’s getting desperate to free them from Carlos’ wrath before anything else happens.

Jay’s fingers finally fumble around a door handle, and he quietly sucks in his breath once he has a good grip.

“Heeeere’s Jay!” He taunts, yanking open the door and pulling Harry with him.

Carlos jumps up quickly from his spot on the floor, the remote bouncing in his fingers from his sudden action. Jay leaps forward to successfully grab it away, releasing an unsteady Harry in the process.

“Aha!” He shouts triumphantly, holding the remote over a wide-eyed Carlos. But before he can react, a stumble and crash from behind Jay has them both turning, just in time to catch Harry’s yelp and deafening clang.

“It’s a fuckin’ bear trap! Jay!” Harry screeches, bouncing around as he lets out little squeals of pain. The trap is latched to the back of his pant leg, barely attached but most clearly grappled to some skin, if Harry’s pained expressions and sounds tell them anything.

Jay clamps a hand to Carlos’ shoulder, pushing him back against the wall and throwing him a menacing glare. “Stay,” he demands, finger pointed right into Carlos’ face. The boy squeaks, but nods quickly.

“Jay! Jay! Get it offfff! Get it off!” Harry pleads as he wails pathetically. 

Jay rolls his eyes and stomps forward, grabbing onto the trap and ripping it off with one strong tug. Harry howls and grips his leg, ripping apart the rest of his shredded pants so he can check for any blood.

“It’s just a scratch, calm down,” Jay sighs. “Now suck it up and go get your booty,” he tells Harry with a wave of his hand. The open door had revealed the mass of furs in the room they just braved, ready and waiting to be stolen.

Harry claps his hands excitedly when he spots the furs, jumping up to hurriedly start yanking them off the hangers and over his shoulders.

“No!” Carlos yips fearfully, reaching out to stop them.

But Jay pushes him until he thuds back against the wall, bracing his arms on either side of Carlos’ head as he dips in close to his face.

“Can it, pup. Don’t you think we deserve a little something after what you just put us through?” Jay whispers, ghosting his breath over Carlos’ lips. The boy sucks in his own breath but remains stiff and silent, refusing to look up and meet Jay’s gaze.

“I’m impressed you know,” Jay continues after the boy doesn’t respond. He lets a finger drag across Carlos’ shoulder, following along the neckline of his t--shirt and up his neck, tilting his chin so his eyes meet Jay’s.

“You could have really fucked us up with those traps,” he says to frightened brown eyes. “I almost lost Harry there a few times. And you owe me a new shirt.” He picks up his elbow, showing Carlos his torn bandage sleeve.

Jay lets his free hand slide up Carlos’ shirt, splaying his fingers across a smooth, freckled abdomen. He can feel a slight hitch of breath, and his lips curl into a smile that brushes against Carlos’ mouth.

“Maybe I can just take this one?” he teases, lifting the boy’s shirt up a little.

But a shadow of contempt clouds Carlos’ eyes, and he uses both hands to yank his shirt back down, knocking his forehead against Jay’s to force some space between them.

Jay chuckles as he steps back some, shaking his head as he lifts a hand to cup Carlos’ cheek.

“Firey little thing, aren’t you? We’ll just have to see if we can break that. Uma likes her crew to have some spark, but not if it means you might rebel against your Captain.”

“Cap’n?” Harry interjects, walking back towards Jay. He’s covered in dozens of furs, wearing a few himself while the rest are draped over both shoulders. “Is tha runt joinin’ our crew?”

“I’d say so,” Jay replies, pulling Carlos closer by the neck. “Uma would love to have someone clever around that can lay traps like that. We’d never have to worry about intruders making it on the ship alive.”

Harry’s eyes brighten as he shakes his head furiously. “Oh yeah! And imagine if tha bitch was kept away from her furs by her own lil’ boy. That’d really get ‘er blood boiling.”

“But, I don’t want to,” Carlos answers, his voice weak and shaky. He startles and backs up when Jay leans forward and presses their lips together firmly.

“Sorry if I made you think you had a choice in the matter, pup,” Jay tells him when he pulls away. He drops down and quickly hoists Carlos over his shoulder, prompting a yelp from him as he’s lifted off the ground.

“Alright Harry, let’s get back to the ship.” Jay follows as Harry trudges his way out of the closet, moving slowly underneath the massive pile of furs.

Jay shifts to adjust the wriggling boy he’s carrying as they leave Hell Hall, wrapping an arm across Carlos’ hips and clapping the other down on a perky round ass. “After this crazy house of tricks, I think I deserve a little treat, don’t you?”

[writtenfan]

Ah, The Joys of Parenthood, They’re your Whole Underworld ya know?

DisneyHades x Reader

Taking care of the little fire-crackers can be a lot, Hades sure feels that way...

Oh geez, s-settle down, kiddos… No, no. No! No!! I take a call for two seconds! -” he holds up two fingers and waves them in the air looking down at his kids, fussing and running around the room. 

“TWO. Itty bitty SECONDS!, and all of you go Lord of the Flies on me.”

You watch Hades breathing heavily, trying his very very best to keep himself calm tempered but his flames give away how angry he is by their frantic bursts of red between the blue. His internal de-fuming was interrupted by a loud-

 BAM! 

As one of the three kids, tripped over their father’s smoke and onto the rug which made him snap his head to them, grab them by their shoulders with the same smoke they tripped over and pulled them towards him.

They look up at him will a giddy smile and he scrunches up his nose and gives them a closed smile back, which looked absolutely phony.

“Cool it, you little pest, or DADDY’S going to, lose it. Capiche? You don’t like it when daddy goes Koo-Koo! Koo-Koo! Right?!” he hisses through his teeth and your child shakes their head with a worried frown and slowly walks off towards a bunch of books laying on the floor.

“Oy Vey, KIDS! Alright, ok, Calm down Hades. In and out, remember what Hera told you? Oh ho ho, ho…feeling dumb now aren’t ya? How you shoulda thought twice before-” he stops himself and closes his eyes, taking a deep breath in an exhaling hot smoke as he opens his eyes lazily.

His voice turning eerily sweeter, “Ahem. Daddy can only handle sooo MUCH~! Before he decides to take the late abortion, option...

... AND THROWS YOU IN THE STYX!!!”

Well. He Failed at Being Calm.

His fire sparks a dazzling red which causes all of your kids to halt and say their apologies to their father, significantly slowing down in the process, all except one kid. Who seemed to be completely running on adrenaline and just wouldn’t sit still.

“Thank you. You little brats… Geez, and watch your sibling eh? Oy, I shouldn’t have given them those cookies…but they kept bugging me and bugging me. Works for the dog, I give them a treat and badabing! They’re off my back for an hour or two. But this little smutch right here?! Sheesh!” He mocks a buzzer sound. “Wrong answer. Never again, you hear me?!” he points to your child who gives their father a sharp toothed grin.

You lean against the stone door frame and some of the stone crumbles off the wall and his attention shifts to you and the smirk on your face. He sizzles down automatically. 

The blue flames flicker once again on the top of his head. His face turns to this sentimental big-eyed and blushing grin. 

“y/n! sweetheart, the exquisite object of my affection…” he glides his way towards you, and you meet him in the middle of the room. 

Your kids turn their head and smile at you, with a few hi (mommy/daddy’s) but once again become preoccupied with the one child that just wouldn’t stop putting pieces of books into the fire. You tell them to stay away from the breakables with a laugh as you watch the youngest drop the books and run towards a statue while the middle child is just trying to pull the younger one way from it. 

This den had turned into the colosseum pits of Rome more than once and It didn’t help that it was filled with old irreplaceable books and rickety bookshelves crawling with Underworld bugs. (Which Hades uses as a light reading snack ugh). Along with a cluster of breakable glass containers and cylinders holding whatever the hell they held, littering the floor.

This place was a disaster zone. The few screaming statues that stood around the room sure didn’t make it peaceful either and right on cue you watched your oldest accidentally fall into one after tugging with the youngest and you leaped forward as you saw the statue jolt but were greeted with, “Aye aye, I got it, it got iiiit…” As a burst of smoke pushed against the other side of the statue stopping it from falling while picking back up the oldest on their feet and grabbing your youngest by the back of their collar and hovering them over the fireplace, (which had absolutely nothing to prevent a child from falling inside) plopping them down on the huge intricately woven rug made by The Fates. 

Unexpectedly Hades pulls you into him by the waist and spins you around in a circle. “Angel face, Baby. heh, do you think you could? Uh, handle them, for me? For a little bit, of course.”

  You give him a look.

“ Ay heheh...I just have to go to another business meeting, haha yeah. He rests his hands on your waist and isn’t afraid to hold them firmly, oh he knew how to make you soft.  

“You know Echidna right?! Right. Husband Typhon… the mountain guy… you know. 6 weeks ago at the pool party, best Feta Me Meli you ever had? Well. They’ve been impatient recently and I rather not get on her bad side…or have them on mine. So, watch little Cerberus Jr. for me until my meet up is over, cool? Cool.” He gestures to your three kids who have now restrained the youngest who was flickering little bursts of red around their hair. (He collectively calls them Cerberus Jr. Quite often.) Sweat is rolling down Hades’s forehead and sizzling off in steam just as it formed, his face still in complete pleading mode, lips pouted, eyes all big...

“Please?!” he clears his throat.

 “I mean, ha-ha-heh please dearest? I mean, I deserve it! I bet your liking this top-notch parenting your witnessing eh?” He blows hot air on his knuckles and rubs them on his chest as if shining it. “Well, I hope this turns you on… But I’m kinda running a bit low on steam, or should I say, smoke.” he grumbles. 

Your eldest yells from across the room as they're putting all the books on high shelves to stop the youngest from continuing to shred them into the fire. They then say something about how “Dad” gave the youngest some oatmeal cookies that had him bouncing off the walls. 

“You little snitch,” Hades mumbled under his mouth giving his child the eye which made them shudder and look away. You turn to Hades with an eyebrow raised, and he places a hand on your back and turns you around from the kids gilding you towards the door.

“But even though I’m ha top, repeating what you said last night, DILF. Of the Underworld and all-” He chuckled proudly and you laugh and turn your head to the kids, and you catch one rolling their eyes and you give them an ashamed little chortle “-I got to get some work done, that isn’t…this work.”

He grins sheepishly and you roll your eyes and smile. But remind him that you’re not going to be the typical stay at home (mom/dad) that he may want you to be. As you caught him slipping earlier with such an expectation from you. Which made you make him spend time with the kids in the first place.

“Oh YES! GODS. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” 

He clasps both his hands around yours and shakes them frantically and you start laughing which makes him grin. “I promise boss, I won’t let you down. Overtime even and ill clock in early (ma’am/sir) I'll even stay in late…and help you, liquidate the debt …if you know what I mean…” he wiggles his eyebrows and you are bombarded with little kisses all over your face as he says “Muah” for each one, you try pushing him off you but he turns you around as you do so that his back is now towards the door. He pulls away from you laugh as he gives you a salute, but before slipping through the door he points to the kids.

“If you make your (mother/father) mad or sad or anything but glad! I’ll give you all a worthy punishment for your demi-dis“ass”ter’s got it?” He points to himself and then back at them and they reply in obvious dread and you wave him off but he just gives you few air kisses, “I’ll take ya on a little trip to doom-and-gloomingdales and get you something swanky, we’ll have Pain and Panic watch the kids.” He gives you a wink and clicks his tongue as he leaves and you walk over to your kids. 

Scooping up the youngest who was on a sugar high and watch their little flames of anger die down as you held them from their middle with ease and you smiled as they started laughing as you hoisted them up on your shoulders.

“How’re (mommas/daddy’s) favorite kids doing huh. Driving him mad eh?” you chuckle as you walk over to your other two scamps.

“We’re you only kids…”

“I’m the favorite!!”

“BOW DOWN TINY MORTALS FOR I AM HADES!!”

You smirk up at the one on your shoulders.

“Oh, please don’t copy your father there’s enough of him already.”

[purplehairedwonder]

Hearts With(out) Chains Chapter 9

Fandom: One Piece Rating: PG-13 Pairings: Gen (eventual Lawlu) Words: 3523 Characters: Trafalgar Law, Monkey D. Luffy, Nico Robin, Usopp, Sanji, Bepo Note: I’m taking my turn at the Corazon!Law AU because my brain won’t leave me alone until this is written down. Tags will be updated as the chapters come out.

The story title is based on the Ellie Goulding song “Hearts Without Chains.”

Summary: Law is reclaimed by the Family when he's 17 and, with Doflamingo holding the lives of his crew as collateral for his good behavior, eventually becomes the third Corazon. Years later, trapped by his impossible situation, Law finds a strange connection to Monkey D. Luffy, which offers a glimpse of something he's repeatedly had ripped away from him: hope.

Previous chapters: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Read also at AO3 / FF.N

Law’s head throbbed at the return of consciousness. He screwed his eyes further shut in protest before remembering what had caused that pain. He opened his eyes and found himself staring up at a familiar wooden ceiling. He frowned. The last thing he remembered was Vergo attacking him on the deck of the Thousand Sunny…

“Oy, about time you woke up.”

Law turned his head, wincing at the spike in pain, to see Black Leg sitting at the desk, his leg propped up on a stool. Right. Vergo had broken his leg with his haki-enhanced blows.

“Where’s Vergo?” Law asked, grimacing as his voice croaked. He was really getting tired of being choked.

“Fled.”

Law jolted upright. Vergo was gone? “I need to—” He cut off with a groan as his head spun, and he flopped back onto the infirmary bed, shutting his eyes as he waited for equilibrium to return. Probable concussion after two blows to the head, he absently diagnosed. When he could think again, he opened his eyes.

Black Leg was watching him, but rather than comment, he simply took another drag on his cigarette. With a sigh, Law made a second attempt to sit up but froze once more when he realized his wrists were no longer shackled. He stared at his bare wrists in surprise. The revelation that Vergo was gone and the pain in his head had distracted him from noticing that his strength had returned.

“Seemed pointless to keep those things on when you tried to protect Robin-chan,” Black Leg said, watching Law.

Law blinked and turned back to Black Leg.

“She told us what you said when I was down.” Black Leg studied him.

Doing his best to ignore the other man’s consideration, Law busied himself by slowly pushing himself upright and leaning back against the wall.

“You could have used us as a distraction to get away,” Black Leg said once Law had settled himself, “but you were willing to distract that guy for us.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten very far without the key to the cuffs,” Law deflected.

“Guy like you? You’d figure something out.” Black Leg snuffed out the cigarette in an ash tray.

Law distractedly thought the ship’s doctor wouldn’t appreciate that—or smoking in the infirmary in general.

“Look, I’m from the North Blue too, so I remember hearing about the Donquixote Pirates back then. Even my old man,” Black Leg went on, lips twisting in disgust at some memory, “was grudgingly impressed with them. And he was a warmongering son of a bitch.” Law filed that away for further consideration before Black Leg continued. “But I also know a thing or two about being forced to be part of something you don’t want to be.”

“What’s your point?” Law demanded when the cook fell silent. He didn’t like feeling so blatantly transparent; he worked hard not to be as a matter of survival.  

Black Leg’s lips twitched upward. “Just that I’m starting to see what Luffy was talking about.”

Law frowned in confusion, but any response was interrupted by the infirmary door swinging open to reveal Straw Hat, Long Nose, and Nico Robin.

“Torao, you’re awake!” Straw Hat said with a smile.

“Straw Hat-ya. Black Leg said Vergo fled?” Law asked, swallowing against the brightness of the look directed his way; he forced his mind back to the most urgent business.

Straw Hat nodded. “Usopp rescued me from the water, and when we got back on the Sunny, that guy was attacking you. But then he saw us and ran.” Straw Hat tilted his head. “He was fast, like Sanji.”

Law considered this. Vergo likely wouldn’t want to fight Straw Hat when the latter had backup, even if it was only part of the crew; the bigger the fight got, the more likely he was to blow his cover with the Marines on the island. But if Vergo had gotten away, then he had probably called Doffy by now with news of Law’s “betrayal.” If that was the case, his nakama were in mortal danger with no way—

Straw Hat had continued talking, but he stopped as Law started urgently digging through his pockets. Did he still have it after all the chaos?

“What—”

Law pulled his Den Den Mushi from his jeans pocket with no small relief. He could still warn them.

“W-who’re you planning to call with that?” Long Nose asked nervously.

“My crew,” Law said. “They’re in danger and have no idea.”

“The vice admiral was saying something about your crew,” Nico Robin said, eyeing him. “Is this about that?”

Law nodded, throat tight. “If Vergo tells Doflamingo I’ve betrayed him, he’ll kill them.”

“But—”

Law raised a hand. “I’ll explain. But I need to warn my nakama first.”

Straw Hat looked at him a long moment before nodding in agreement. “Call them.”

Law wasn’t surprised he was given no privacy to make the call; though the shackles had been removed, he was still a wildcard to the Straw Hats. With the Seastone removed, he could have Shambled from the room—or even the ship—but to what end? Vergo and G-5 were still on the island, and the Straw Hats at least weren’t hostile toward him at the moment. He’d take unhostile for now.

Law dialed the familiar number and waited, insides clenching with each unanswered ring. Finally, the snail connected.

“Hello?” Law breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar voice.

“Bepo, it’s me.”

“Oh, Captain!” Bepo’s surprised delight quickly turned worried. “Is everything all right?”

Law licked his lips, doing his best to ignore his audience. “I don’t have time to explain, but the mission is blown. Vergo followed me from Dressrosa.”

Bepo squeaked, “What? Why?”

“He’s finally taking his chance to finish the job.” Bepo would know what that meant.

“Are you okay?” Law’s chest tightened at the concern in his best friend’s voice. After everything Law had put him through, he was still so loyal and kind.

“For now. But I worry Vergo will tell Doffy I’ve failed. Or defected.” Bepo inhaled sharply, recognizing what that would mean. “I need you all to be very careful until I get back. You hear me?”

“You’re coming back?” Law shut his eyes against the ache that sprang up at Bepo’s surprise. But Bepo knew Law was a strategist, and it would be terrible strategy to return to Dressrosa with a potential death sentence on his head.

“Of course,” he said, opening his eyes. He kept his gaze on the Den Den Mushi, which mimicked Bepo’s large bear eyes. “What’s a captain without his crew?”

The snail’s eyes watered, and Bepo hiccupped. “I knew it, Captain,” he murmured. “I knew you were still in there.”

“You’ve always known me best, Bepo.”

“I’ll tell the others. We’ll be careful, and we’ll be ready when you return.”

“I knew I could count on you.” Law swallowed. “I need to go.”

“Okay,” Bepo agreed. “Be careful, Law.”

Law couldn’t help a small smile at Bepo’s use of his name as he ended the call. Then he turned back to the Straw Hats, who were watching him curiously.

“Law?” Long Nose finally asked, breaking the silence.

“My name.”

“Luffy called you Torao.”

Law pinched the bridge of his nose. And to think he thought the Family was ridiculous. “My name is Trafalgar Law.”

“And who was on the line?” Black Leg asked.

“Bepo. He’s my first mate.” Law glanced at Straw Hat. “You saw him on Sabaody.”

Straw Hat thought for a moment then perked up. “The bear?”

“Yes, the bear.”

“Cool!”

“You were going to tell us about Vice Admiral Vergo,” Nico Robin cut in—wisely, as Straw Hat looked ready to go off on a tangent.

Law inhaled and nodded. He was considering what these people needed to know when he noticed Black Leg wincing in pain as he shifted positions. Law turned to him; Black Leg eyed him with some suspicion—despite his declaration not long before, it was wise to be wary of someone like Law—but Law just nodded at his leg.

“I’m a doctor. I can help.”

Black Leg frowned, but Straw Hat piped up. “Torao’s a good doctor, Sanji! And Chopper’s not here.”

Black Leg continued to look suspicious, so Law shrugged, expression one of indifference. “It doesn’t matter to me if you want to hobble around with a broken leg while two vice admirals are on the island.” He made to turn away, but Black Leg broke in.

“Okay, fine.”

Law pushed himself to his feet, his vision spinning momentarily. He probably shouldn’t be using his powers with a concussion, but it wouldn’t be the first time. He approached the chair and opened a small Room, encompassing him and Black Leg. The other man watched warily while Straw Hat grinned. Law reached for Black Leg’s injured leg and touched it lightly; Black Leg hissed in pain but didn’t pull back. Law Scanned the leg and found the fracture. With practiced ease, Law used his Fruit to knit the bone back together. The fracture wasn’t large, so it was a relatively simple procedure, concussion or not.

This… this was something Law didn’t get to do enough of. Yes, he was the doctor of the Donquixote Pirates, but his surgical abilities were far more likely to be used to kill. It felt good to remember that his hands, like those of his parents, could still heal.

Once the fracture finishing knitting together, Law released the Room.

“It’s fixed.”

Black Leg looked at him in shock while Straw Hat whooped in the background. Black Leg slowly pushed himself to his feet and tentatively put weight on the leg. When there was no pain, he allowed more weight. His eyes widened as he was able to balance normally.

“I— Thanks.”

“It’s only logical that your crew’s best fighters be at full strength in the current situation,” Law said, glancing away.

He tensed when rubbery arms wrapped around his shoulders, the casual touch a jolt to Law’s system, running through him like an electric shock. Very few people actually touched Law—and Law appreciated the touch of even fewer people.

“I told you Torao was a good doctor!” Straw Hat gloated.

Law shoved at Straw Hat, but the younger captain’s rubbery limbs simply stretched a short distance before snapping back. He grinned in Law’s face. “I knew you were a good guy!”

“Straw Hat-ya,” Law complained, his face warming.

“Shall we move this conversation from the infirmary now that Sanji-kun is healed?” Nico Robin spoke up. “Perhaps to the galley?”

Law breathed a sigh of relief as Straw Hat let go of him at the prospect of a snack. As the group started to file out, Law lingered behind to root around the drawers until he found some painkillers before joining the others. Once they settled on chairs and stools, the four Straw Hats turned to Law.

“Torao-kun,” Nico Robin prompted, and Law grimaced; he wasn’t losing the nickname, was he? He never should have told Straw Hat his name.

With the eyes of these people, practically strangers yet now inescapably entwined with him, Law felt a crawling sensation under his skin. Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin were the only ones who knew his full background. Violet knew much of it, but Law hadn’t been able to bring himself to share everything with her; the more often he told the story, the more real it became rather than remaining in the realm of Law’s nightmares.

The Straw Hats didn’t need to know everything, but they should have some sense of how dangerous Vergo was.

“Vergo is Doflamingo’s most trusted subordinate,” he said. “He was the first Corazon of the Donquixote Family. He joined the Marines fifteen years ago and worked his way up the ranks, playing informant the entire time. He’s now a vice admiral and base commander of G-5.”

“First Corazon?” Long Nose asked. “So, you’re the second?”

“Third.”                                                                                              

“He seems to have a personal vendetta against you,” Nico Robin said.

“What did he mean about your nakama?” Straw Hat added with a frown.

“It’s a long story,” Law said, clenching his teeth. They weren’t owed his life story.

But they had heard what Vergo had said to him—about him—as well as his call to Bepo. Law thought of Straw Hat’s wide grin and Black Leg’s and Nico Robin’s backs as they stood in front of a defenseless Law even after Law had tried to kill them. He could tell them some of it, anyway, to make it clear what kind of men they were going up against.

Law exhaled slowly to steady himself. “I joined the Donquixote Pirates for the first time sixteen years ago.” They didn’t need to know about the Amber Lead Disease; that was a part of his history that he kept locked up as tightly as possible. “Doflamingo took in kids because he saw his crew as a family. I was ten.” He stared at the floor in front of him to avoid the expressions on their faces. “Doflamingo promised to train me to be his second in ten years.” He swallowed. “But thirteen years ago, the second Corazon tried to get me out.” Law frowned at the floor. “I still don’t really understand why, but he risked everything to do it.”

“Law, I love you!”

“Doflamingo killed him for it.” He looked up at the Straw Hats. “That man was Doflamingo’s younger brother.”

“He killed his own brother?” Black Leg growled.

Law nodded. “Vergo was there that night. Before Cora-san got me out, Vergo attacked us and nearly killed us before leaving us for Doflamingo. Cora-san used the last of his strength to defy his brother and save me.”

“If you got out,” Long Nose said slowly, “then why are you with them now?”

Law dropped his head back to stare up at the galley ceiling. “Doflamingo found me a few years later. I was seventeen and had started sailing around the North Blue with Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin. They were the ones with me at Sabaody,” he clarified, turning back to the Straw Hats. “Doflamingo had just become a Warlord and taken over the throne of Dressrosa. He wanted me back to serve as his second. I didn’t want to return, but he gave me no choice.”

“He threatened your nakama,” Straw Hat spoke up, voice serious.

Law looked at him, startled. He’d been quiet as Law had been speaking. But he’d reached the correct conclusion.

“Yes. As long as I did as I was told, my friends would be fine. But if I acted out in any way, they paid the price.” He grimaced. “I learned quickly to do as I was told. I became the third Corazon when I was twenty, just like he’d promised.”

“What happened after Marineford?” Straw Hat asked.

Law thought of Shachi. “I made a choice, and my nakama paid for it.”

Straw Hat looked stricken.

“Anyway,” Law said, needing to look away from Straw Hat’s expression. “Vergo has considered me a traitor since that night thirteen years ago. He hates that Doflamingo brought me back and keeps me close after what happened. He’s been looking for any chance to finish what he started. I assume,” Law elaborated, “he thinks he can convince Doflamingo I defected because of what I did at Marineford.”

“And if he tells Doflamingo that you betrayed him again,” Nico Robin deduced, “your crew will be in danger.”

Law nodded. “They are the collateral for my good behavior. My betrayal would forfeit their lives.”

“That Mingo,” Luffy snarled.

Law blinked in surprise at the tone. “Straw Hat-ya?”

“He’s a bad guy,” Straw Hat declared, eyes shining. “We gotta take him down. And help your nakama.”

Law was stunned. “What?” he asked dumbly, certain he hadn’t heard correctly. Pirates didn’t just help each other for no reason.

You did, a voice reminded him. At Marineford.

Law shoved that voice down as far as he could.

Straw Hat crossed his arms across his chest. “After we finish here, we’re going to Dressroba—”

“Dressrosa,” Law corrected automatically.

“—and taking Mingo down. Then your nakama will be safe, right?”

“It’s not…” Law shook his head. “It’s not that simple.”

“Why not? We’ve done it before.”

And Law supposed that was true; he’d looked into the Straw Hats’ exploits in the two years they’d been quiet. But there was a big difference between a kingdom like Alabasta and Dressrosa; Crocodile was no Joker.

“Doflamingo is one of the biggest players in the underground,” Law said, unable to believe he was having this conversation. “He has business dealings all over the Grand Line and the Blues. His hand is in just about every war currently being fought, big and small. His biggest business partner is one of the Emperors.”

“Emperors?!” Long Nose squawked.

“The Revolutionary Army was working to trace Doflamingo’s operations while I was with them,” Nico Robin said thoughtfully. “The web they uncovered was immense.”

Law rubbed his face through his hands. “More than you know. He’s supplying Kaido with a product that is enhancing his fighting force. If Doflamingo were to be taken down, Kaido’s attention would turn to whoever had robbed him of his military strength.”

Law had been to Wano once with Doflamingo, and Kaido’s sheer presence had been… a lot. And he’d been friendly. Law wasn’t particularly interested in courting his disfavor.

Straw Hat shrugged, unbothered. “If I’m going to be Pirate King, I’ll have to fight the Emperors at some point.”

“Don’t say that so casually,” Long Nose snapped at his captain.

“That’s not…” Law sighed heavily then laid it all out there. They needed to understand the sheer futility of what they were suggesting. “Doflamingo’s also a former Celestial Dragon.”

Black Leg choked on the drag he was taking on his cigarette. Long Nose gaped wordlessly.

“Former?” Nico Robin asked, though even she looked mildly startled.

Law had only learned about Doffy’s history when he’d become Corazon, and, while it had explained much, it had also left him shaken. To know that Cora-san, in addition to being a Marine, was also a Celestial Dragon…

The Celestial Dragons, who pulled the strings of the World Government, which wiped out Flevance… Law’s throat tightened as it always did when he started going down that path. He forced himself back to the present.

“The Donquixote family is one of the nineteen families that rules in Mariejois,” he said. “Many members are still there, though Doflamingo’s family left when he was a child. He still has connections there. You can’t underestimate him.”

“I punched a Celestial Dragon,” Straw Hat said with a shrug.

Law snorted despite himself. That was a good memory. “I remember.”

“So, I’ll punch another one!”

“Straw Hat-ya, you can’t just…” Law trailed off as he noticed the accepting expressions of the others in the galley. He looked between them, disbelief rising in his throat. “You have no problem with this?”

“He’s the captain,” Black Leg said simply.

“And the other members of your crew?” Law asked, thinking of those who had gone into the lab. Surely someone on this crew must have at least one iota of sense.

“Eh, they’re used to it,” Long Nose replied with a shrug.

Or not.

Law startled when he felt hands on his shoulders. He looked up from his seat to see Straw Hat looking down at him, gaze steady and determined. Law tried to shrug him off, but Straw Hat just tightened his grip.

“Torao,” Straw Hat said.

“Not my name,” Law muttered.

Straw Hat ignored him. “Do you want to save your nakama?”

“Of course,” Law snapped. No matter what it looked like, he’d been doing his best to protect them for nearly a decade.

“Then we’ll help.”

“You can’t,” Law hissed. People who helped Law always paid the price, often with their lives. Law had so much blood on his hands…

“Bad move,” Long Nose said. Black Leg nodded sagely.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Straw Hat said fiercely.

Law glowered. The best thing Law could do for Straw Hat and his crew would be to push them away, to keep them away from the mess that was Law’s life. But the fiery look in Straw Hat’s eye dared him to try it. After several long moments, Law finally slumped, fight leaving his spine. Straw Hat let go of his shoulders, seeming to sense the change.

“Why?” he asked helplessly. “Why would you help me?”

Straw Hat grinned, and, for the briefest of moments, Law was reminded of another wide grin that had turned his world upside down.

“Because I want to,” Straw Hat replied easily. “Because Torao is a good person and Mingo isn’t. Because Torao helped me!” His grin turned mischievous. “Because I want to fight an Emperor.”

Law huffed a surprised laugh, recognizing his defeat. “Okay,” he said. “Okay.”

Straw Hat stuck out a hand, and, as Law pushed himself to his feet and shook it, he realized the tug in his chest had gone quiet.

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