#anyway who needs a gym when you could be running around a museum with 3 floors all day

[throwing-roses-into-the-abyss]

I still think it's really funny how this afternoon I went to the offices in the museum 'for a bit' to check if our volunteers had arrived yet or no, and by the time my friend came to find me at least half an hour later I had somehow been caught up in a very heated discussion on object registration and some issues with a specific department and was writing an email to invite some people to a meeting about this.

[just-dreaming-marvel]

Out Of Time ~ 110

MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 4,000ish

Summary: Bucky’s back. (That’s legit all I’m saying.)

Y/N threw up almost immediately after stepping through the portal, back into her hotel room.

“You really don’t like that, do you?” She grumbled, kneeling in front of the toilet. She leaned back against the wall, resting for a few moments. Her hand found its way onto her stomach, caressing it. “You’re in there aren’t you? You’re father’s going to be so excited when I tell him…. We had a fight. You probably heard it though. Sorry about that…. We can both be so stubborn sometimes.” She laughed. “Wow. You really have no chance. You’re going to give us a run for our money, kid…. But we’ll love you anyway…. I’ll love you.”

Y/N eventually got up and changed into something more comfortable. Curly-ing up on her bed, he turned on the tv and ordered room service. As she was tipping the staffer that brought her the food, her phone began ringing off the hook.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she said, shutting the hotel door and hurrying to her phone. She was surprised to see Tony’s name on the screen. “Tony?” She quietly answered.

“Please tell me you’re okay!” Tony panicked on the other end. “Are you okay?”

“Tony, breathe. What are you talking about?”

“The UN in Vienna was bombed. Are you not with Natasha?”

“The UN was bombed?!” Y/N rushed over to change the tv station to the news. Tony was right. 

“I take it that you’re not with Nat then?”

“No.”

“Thank goodness,” Tony sighed. “When I heard, I thought the worst.”

“I’m okay, Tony. I’m safe in my London hotel room.”

“That’s… that’s… I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Do they know who—“ Loud knocks sounded on her hotel room door. “Someone’s here for me but, Tony, we need to talk.”

“Then come home.”

“I’ll see you soon. Love you.” Y/N hung up the phone rushed to the door. Steve, Sam, and Sharon were on the other side. “I just heard about the UN. Have any of you heard from Nat?”

“Not yet,” Steve replied.

“We’re heading to Vienna with Sharon,” Sam said. “You coming?”

“I don’t know,” Y/N shook her head. “I really—“

“Y/N,” Steve’s tone held one of pain. “They’re blaming Bucky. He’s the suspect.”

~~~

Y/N and Steve watched the first responders from across the street. Trying to disguise themselves with baseball caps and sunglasses. The twins spotted Natasha across the way. Steve pressed some things on his phone before holding it up to their ears.

“Yeah?” Nat answered.

“You alright?” Steve asked.

“Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky.” They watched as she looked around and stood up. "I know how much Barnes means to you and Y/N. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please.”

“Are you saying you'll arrest me?”

"No. Someone will. If you interfere. That's how it works now.”

“If he's this far gone, Nat, I should be the one to bring him in.”

“Why?”

“Because I'm the one least likely to die trying.”

“Just don’t bring Y/N into this. Keep her safe and out of it.”

“Too late,” Y/N responded before Steve hung up.

The twins slipped into a nearby coffee shop, where Sam was sitting at the counter waiting. He was also wearing a cap and shades.

“She tell you to stay out of it?” Sam asked.

“Yep,” Y/N replied.

“Might have a point.”

“He’d do it for me,” Steve stated.

“1945, maybe. I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me.”

"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public,” Sharon said, coming up beside Steve. “Everybody thinks the Winter soldier goes to their gym. Most of it's noise. Except for this.” She slid Steve a file. “My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now . . . so that's all the head start you're gonna get.”

“Thank you,” Steve said.

"And you're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight.”

~~~

“We can’t let them hurt him, Steve,” Y/N was pacing back and forth in the quinjet as they headed for Bucharest. Sam was currently piloting while Steve got ready. “They’re going to shoot him on sight. I can’t.. woah…” She sudden felt dizzy.

“Y/N?” Steve worried, hurrying over to help her into a seat. “Are you alright?” He felt her head. “You do feel a little warm. Maybe you should stay behind while—“

“No! No. I’ll be fine.” She leaned back against the wall she was sitting against. Steve watched her for a moment as she closed her eyes.

“Y/N… is there something you aren’t telling me?”

“No. Why would you think that?” She quickly straightened up to look at him.

“Because I’ve known you our whole lives.”

“I’m good, Stevie. Just worried about everything that’s all.”

Steve grabbed Y/N’s hand, giving it a light squeeze. “We won’t let anything more happen to Buck. I promise.”

~~~

Suited up, Y/N and Steve entered a small apartment. Looking around, Y/N felt incredibly sadden at the sight. There was a mattress on the floor with disheveled covers and various bit of cheap looking furniture around the room. The kitchen and bedroom were in the same room. The twins walked around. Steve noticed something on top of the fridge. Walking over, he pulled out a notebook. Opening it, Steve sees tabs of varying colors and writings. Memories Bucky seemed to be trying to piece together.

“Heads up, Cap,” Sam called over the comms. "German Special Forces, approaching from the south.”

“Understood,” Steve replied.

Sensing another mind, Y/N slowly turned around. She tried to keep her breath steady as she made eye contact with Bucky. She gently nudged Steve, making him slowly turn around as well.

“Do you know us?” Steve asked.

“You’re Steve,” Bucky answered, staring at Steve before making eye contact with Y/N again. “You’re Y/N. I read about you both in a museum.”

“They’ve set the perimeter,” Sam warned.

“I know you’re nervous,” Y/N said, taking a step towards the scared man. “And you have plenty of reason to be. But you’re lying.”

“I wasn’t in Vienna,” Bucky stated. “I don’t do that anymore.”

“They’re entering the building,” Sam informed.

“Well, the people who think you did are coming here now,” Steve stated. "And they're not planning on taking you alive.”

“That’s smart. Good strategy,” Bucky responded.

“They’re on the roof,” Sam stated. “I’m compromised.”

“Bucky,” Y/N called, stepping even closer. “We have to go. Please, come with us.”

“This doesn’t have to end in a fight, Buck,” Steve said.

“It always ends in a fight,” Bucky replied.

“5 seconds,” Sam warned.

“You pulled us from the river,” Steve stated. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Bucky answered.

“3 seconds!”

“Yes, you do,” Y/N pressed, cupping Bucky’s cheek.

Bucky inhaled sharply. “Brook—“

“Breach! Breach! Breach!”

A grenade crashed through the window. Pulling Y/N behind him, Bucky kicked the grenade to Steve, who smothered it with his shield. The cops outside the apartment door began hitting the door with a battering ram. Bullets began coming from the outside, through the windows. Bucky quickly pulled his mattress over everyone’s heads to shield them. Steve quickly kicked the table into the doorway, trying to stall the incoming men. The windows all soon shattered as the cops entered on cables.

Bucky pushed Y/N towards Steve before he began fighting off the cops. Steve quickly pulled Y/N into the kitchen and pulled her to the floor.

“Get out of here,” Steve ordered.

“Steve—“

“Before it’s too late!”

“Where should I—“

“Anywhere but here! Go!”

Nodding, Y/N glanced back at Bucky one last time. He met her eyes and Y/N slipped into his head.

“She needs to get out of here,” Bucky thought. “Before they hurt her too.”

With a deep breath, Y/N formed a portal and hurried through it. She collapsed onto her hands and knees in the quinjet, throwing up. After cleaning herself up, she set the coordinates for Berlin. She knew that, that’s where they’d be taken if they were caught. Y/N knew she needed to get there before they did, to help. She called Tony, having a feeling that he’d be called in for this.

“Please tell me you’re not with them,” Tony answered the call. 

“I’m not,” Y/N replied. “But I’m on my way to Berlin.”

“I’ll met you at the airport. We’ll fix this, Y/N/N. I promise.”

“What exactly are you planning on fixing?”

“Everything.”

“But Tony—“

“No more. Not until I see you. I-I miss you, honey. So much.”

“I miss you too, Tony.”

~~~

Tony was quick to pull Y/N into his arms at the airport, hiding his head in her neck. Without very many words, they were quickly in a car on their way to the Joint Counter Terrorist Center. It seemed that Tony really just wanted to keep Y/N close, and Y/N wasn’t ready to tell him the news yet, not until she knew that her whole family could truly be happy.

Tony led her by the hand into the building, his other hand holding the phone to his ear. He was trying to talk Secretary Ross down. Y/N was on edge. Nervous for everyone. When they reached large command area, Y/N helped Tony take his suit coat off, carrying it in her arms.

“No. Romania was no Accords-sanctioned,” Tony told Ross over the phone as Nat led those from Romania in. “And, Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup.”

“Try not to break anything while we fix this,” Natasha told the other men.

“Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences.” Tony looked at Steve and Sam. “Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir.” He hung up, walking towards his teammates.

“Consequences?” Steve related.

“Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted. Had to give him something.” Tony and Nat started walking off.

“I'm not getting that shield back, am I?”

“Technically, it's the government's property,” Nat commented. “Wings, too.”

“That’s cold,” Sam said.

“Warmer than jail!” Tony added.

“Where’s Bucky?” Y/N asked Steve. “Did they—“

“They have him locked up,” Steve replied. “Does Tony know…”

“That I was there? No.” Y/N shook her head. “I need to convince Tony to let me see him.”

~~~

Steve was in the large glass conference room in the command center, watching the live security footage of Bucky’s cell. It was breaking Y/N’s heart to see him locked up like that, so she was in the bathroom. She also couldn’t controlled her stomach, currently.

“Hey,” Tony called, coming into the conference room from the side. “You wanna see something cool?” Steve looked his way. Tony had a small box in hand with his coat draped over his arm. “I pulled something from Dad’s archives. Felt timely.” Steve took a seat. Tony opened the box, revealing to pens, and set it on the table. "FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most.”

“Some would say it brought our country closer to war,” Steve stated.

“See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here. Neither you or Y/N. I’m trying to . . . what do you call it? That's an olive branch.” He sat down. “Is that what you call it?”

“Where is Y/N? It’s been a few minutes since I’ve seen her.”

“We’re kind… well, not kinda.”

“Pregnant?”

“No. Definitely not. At least… I don’t think so. No, we had a fight. About all this. Still haven’t really talked about it.”

“I’m sorry, Tony. I didn’t know.”

“A few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then, we had to mop up HYDRA . . . and then Ultron. My fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. But neither did she. Because the truth is we don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her though. Lose what we have. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference.” Tony stood up and paced. “In her defense, I'm a handful. Yet, Dad was a pain in the ass, but he and Mom always made it work.”

“You know, I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single.”

“Oh, really? You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times. God, I hated you…. He never really mentioned Y/N though.” Tony slipped his coat back on.

“I don't mean to make things difficult.”

“I know, because you're a very polite person.”

“If I see a situation pointed south . . . I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No, I don’t.” Steve smiled thinly. “Sometimes . . .”

“Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap. So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych-center . . . instead of a Wakandan prison.”

Steve picked up a pen and stood up. “I'm not saying it's impossible, but there would have to be safeguards,” Steve stated.

“Sure. Once we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated—“ Tony sat down in the seat Steve was previously in.

“Wanda? What about Wanda?”

“She's fine. She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company.”

“Oh God, Tony! Every time. Every time I think you see things the right way—“

“What? It's a 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people.”

“Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony.”

“She's not a US citizen.”

“Oh, come on, Tony.”

“And they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction.”

“She’s a kid!”

“GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm doing what has to be done . . . to stave off something worse.”

“What about Y/N? She has powers. You gonna keep her locked up forever too?”

“I’m doing this for her.”

Steve nodded faintly. “You keep telling yourself that.” He put the pen down. “Hate to break up the set.”

~~~

When Y/N finally left the bathroom, Tony was leaning up against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway.

“Hey, you feeling okay?” Tony asked, coming up to her. “You were in there a long time.”

“All of this is really getting to me,” Y/N answered. “It’s all stressing me out… The Accords, our fight, Steve, Bucky… all of it.”

“Well, maybe you should go home. I can finish things up here and we can talk when I get back.”

“No. I need to be here for Bucky.”

“Y/N. You can’t see him.”

“I can still be here for him. He’s—“

“Your Bucky. Your first love. Yeah, I know—”

“He’s my friend, Tony! He was there for me and Steve when we had nobody. Can’t you understand that?”

“You’re friend bombed the UN.”

“No he didn’t.”

“Did Steve tell you that, or did— no. Where did you come here from?”

“Tony…”

“Where?!”

“Bucharest. I was with them in Bucharest.”

“Y/N—“

“I saw his mind, Tony, read his thoughts. This wasn’t him!”

“You need to go before I have to arrest you for the use of your powers alone.”

“What? No. I’m not leaving.” Tony was mad. “You know that if you send me away, I’ll just find my way back.”

“Then you’re staying in my sights at all times.”

~~~

Y/N was standing in between Tony and Nat, watching the monitors of Bucky’s cell. Tony was serious about her staying in his sights. An evaluator had been sent into the cell, sitting at a desk facing the pod Bucky was restrained in.

“Hello, Mr. Barnes,” the evaluator greeted. “I’ve been sent by the United Nations to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit?” He sat down. “Your first name is James?” Bucky didn’t respond. “I'm not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James? I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James.”

“My name is Bucky,” he responded. Tears formed in Y/N’s eyes as they never left the screen. 

Y/N watched with bated breath the interview. Hand resting over her pounding heart, she watched the evaluator ask questions and write things down. But something wasn’t right. She glanced back, catching Steve’s eye. He motioned to his head.

“This is a set up,” Steve stated in his thoughts. “Something’s not right.”

Y/N turned back to the screen.

“Tell me, Bucky,” the evaluator continued. “You've seen a great deal, haven't you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Bucky replied.

“You fear that… if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop. Don't worry. We only have to talk about one.”

Suddenly, all the lights in the building went out.

“Great,” Agent Everett Ross muttered, putting his walkie talkie up to his mouth. “Come on, guys, get me eyes on Barnes. Go.”

“FRIDAY,” Tony called, “get me the source of that outage.” He turned to Y/N. “Did you do this?”

“No!” She answered. “You really think I would do this?”

“I don’t know what to think anymore.” 

He turned away, focusing on finding the problem with FRIDAY. Y/N soon noticed that Sam and Steve were missing. Before she knew it, her, Natasha, and Tony were rushing towards the issue.

“Please tell me you brought a suit,” Natasha muttered.

“Sure did. It's a lovely Tom Ford, three-piece, two-button,”Tony replied. “I’m an active-duty non-combatant.”

Sharon ran up to this. “Follow me,” she ordered, running past.

They did as they were told, rushing through the building to try and help. They get took a different side.

“We’re in position,” Nat said, over the comms that had slipped in.

Tony tapped on his watch, quickly turning it into an Iron Man gauntlet. Coming out from behind the pillar he was hiding behind, he zapped Bucky with a stun-burst before Bucky could shoot a guard. Tony rushed at him, firing again. Bucky ducked the blast before trading blows with Tony, firing a gun. Fortunately, Tony had the gauntlet over the barrel, blocking the bullet. He pulled the gun loose before Bucky smacked him backwards. Y/N watched, trying to calm herself so that she could join. 

Sharon was the next to rush Bucky, along with Natasha. They both land kicks and punches, before Bucky flipped Sharon head over heels. She smashed into a table as Nat leaped onto Bucky, legs around his neck. He slammed her onto another table and grabbed her throat.

“You could at least recognize me,” Natasha strained.

Coming out of nowhere, T’Challa kicked Bucky off of Natasha. He immediately began to fight Bucky, landing fast kicks and some punches. Bucky punched T’Challa, causing him to fall but quickly recovered. Bucky hurried up some stairs. T’Challa leaped the levels and vaults a railing, landing in front of Bucky. T’Challa spin-kicked and grabbed Bucky’s metal arm, trying to twist it. He threw Bucky back, keeping his hold as they both tumble down the stairs.

“Stop!” Y/N shouted, coming out of her hiding place. She approached the men, slowly, hands up. “T’Challa, back away.” To his surprise, T’Challa did as he was told.

“Y/N,” Tony croaked, finally gaining consciousness. “Don’t.”

“Bucky…” Y/N called, coming closer. “I’m not going to harm you. I just want to help.” She could feel in his mind that he was the Soldier again. She knew he didn’t like his mind being played with, so she slowing let her grip on him loose. “I need you to trust me.” She met his eyes. “Remember me.”

His metal hand was too swift for her. He grabbed her by the neck and held her up.

“B-bucky…” she strained. “It’s o-okay… I-I’m from Br-Brook-lyn…” 

Recognition flashed in his eyes. But before Y/N could do anything with it, she was throw by Bucky. She landed hard on the ground, being forced into unconsciousness.

next chapter >

NOTES: from now on the taglist when be added by a reblog. I will reblog it using my second account, @just-dreaming-marvel-2​. Just so that my main page doesn’t get too cluttered.

If you want to be added to the tag list, please dm me or send in an ask.

[angryschnauzer]

Superior Specimen - Chapter 1

Summary: One night when you are following the Archaeology tag on instagram you stumbled across a fun looking dig... and an even more interesting Paleontologist who soon follows you back. Over the following weeks you start chatting and a friendship soon grows.

Relationship: AU Henry Cavill x Female Reader (No race or body shape mentioned)

Warnings: Slow Burn, NSFW, 18+, Mutual Masturbation, Phone Sex

I do not operate a tag list, but please follow @angryschnauzerwrites​ and put that blog onto notifications, as you will then be notified whenever i post something new.

I don’t have a masterlist, but all my works are on AO3, link here. Usually i post oneshots to Tumblr and AO3, and multichapters exclusively to AO3, but as this is my first henry story and its going to be a short series, i’ll post to both places.

Superior Specimen – Chapter 1

It had all started innocently; you’d been cruising the paleontology and archaeology tags on Instagram, checking out the progress of the summer digs you were unable to go on, one in particular catching your interest. The dig in the Siberian summer desert was posting some fascinating photos and clips, and you were following them avidly from that point on. 

 A week later when you got the job at the Natural History Museum and you proudly posted a selfie in your uniform, you saw some familiar accounts like and comment, one in particular leaving a chain of hearts, and when you clicked on the profile you saw it was one of the palaeontologists from the Siberian dig. Hitting that ‘follow back’ button you didn’t think much more about the account.

 -

 It was your first day and you couldn’t have been prouder of your own achievements. You knew that jobs within the archaeology and palaeontology fields were few and far between, and unless you were blessed with some very rich parents or managed to snag some sort of sponsor or bursary, actually following the dream and getting in at the upper levels was almost impossible. You’d worked your socks off, volunteering on domestic digs during breaks from university, taking jobs after your degree to advance your language skills, and now it had paid off; the front desk at the most renowned museum in the country, perhaps even the world. Now as you stood beneath the skeleton of the Blue Whale in the giant atrium of the gothic building, you adjusted your name badge, polishing the three flags that were adorned on the bottom of the badge to show the languages you spoke, and watched as the security guard unlocked the doors for the days visitors to excitedly rush in.

 The following weeks rushed by, you thoroughly enjoyed your role and settled into it quickly. You were called upon to help translate for confused visitors from overseas, held a level head when people got out of hand, had met all the staff - it surprised you how small of a number of staff there actually were - and above all you felt completely settled.

 At the end of a long day you finished up your shift and clocked off, grabbing your bag from the staffroom lockers before stepping out into the warm summer evening. Checking your notifications you saw a DM, and smiled when you saw who it was from; the guy from the Siberian dig that over the last few weeks you had started chatting to casually. 

 @Kinghenry; “Looking beautiful as always. How was work?”

 You smiled where you could see he’d replied to an on-the-way-to-work selfie you’d posted that morning;

 “Good. Tiring. And thank you <3”

 You saw the little notification that your message had been seen, and paused as you saw that he was writing, meaning he was online right at that moment;

 “What are your plans for the rest of the night?”

 “A scented bath, then I’m ordering takeout and bingeing Netflix”

 “So, no-one to take you to dinner?”

 You smiled at his sly way of asking if you’re single;

 “Nope. Why; are you asking?”

 “Absolutely. Plus, I brought you a gift back from the dig”

 “Oh yes? What’s that, a bunch of bones?”

 “Just one. A big one. Wanna see?”

 You laugh-groaned at his innuendo, before another message came through with the icon that the user had attached a photo. Your thumb hovered over the icon, hesitating. Had this casual flirting advanced to dick pics? And more to the point; did you actually want to see what he was packing? Hell, you’d seen the crew shots of the dig and had seen him tagged, the guy was built like Hercules. Taking a deep breath you looked up and noticed you were almost at the entrance to the tube station. If you didn’t tap it now you wouldn’t have enough signal in the underground train tunnels to download it, and you knew he would have had the notification that you’d gotten the message. You tapped on the photo… and waited…

 The laugh you let out once the photo loaded bubbled from your throat; there he was, stood in the Siberian desert, chest bare, and holding what must have been a femur from an enormous bi-ped as it was well over 4ft long. You knew that fossils were incredibly heavy, so for him to be holding one of that size you felt a tingle in your stomach at the thought of how strong he was. Screenshotting it your phone buzzed where he sent another message;

 “So, what do you think? *wink*”

 “That’s an impressive bone”

 “Heavy too”

 You felt a bead of sweat slowly make its way down your back, the heat of the summer evening still intense in the city, and you knew if you stood outside the tube station much longer you’d melt;

 “I’ve got to get on the tube, talk later xxx”

 -

 Later was quite a few hours later, and as you sank into the scented bath, you’d indulged yourself with oils, petals, candles; the whole nine yards. The obligatory candle-lit shot of your legs peeking out of the water headed to your grid, before you settled back and relaxed.

 Your phone propped up in the wooden bath shelf playing your music, and a glass of wine half-drunk as you let the feeling of the waters soothe you. After a couple of songs you heard the chime of a notification, peering out of one eye to see that he’d sent you a message. Wiping your hands on a towel you opened it and smiled;

 “Sorry if the tease was too much earlier”

 “Not at all. I opened it, didn’t I? *wink*”

 “That you did… you curious little thing. How’s the bath?”

 “Warm, wet, and relaxing”

 You knew you were being a tease, but you’d had a glass of wine before you’d even gotten into the bath so you were a little emboldened by the alcohol. Your phone chimed and you saw another photo notification, tapping on it and letting out a ‘ouff’. He was standing in front of a full length mirror, wearing just a pair of running shorts that clung to his sweat drenched body and left absolutely nothing to the imagination, the clear outline of a heavy cock resting against his thigh to the point you were surprised it didn’t peek out from the leg hole.

 “I could do with something warm wet and relaxing right now… got all worked up at the gym”

 Your jaw literally dropped; you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the screen as your entire body shuddered with lust. Turning onto your side you flipped the camera to selfie mode, and snapped a shot of your body; doe eyes, the swell of your breasts glistening in the candlelight, down to the curve of your hip as it emerged from the cloudy blue and green water. Not a single thing was showing - nipples and pussy just hidden by the water - but it was obvious you were completely naked. You hit send and settled back into a more comfortable position, watching the screen as it changed from sent to seen then the little notification to tell you he was typing;

 “Look at what you’ve done to me”

 The photo that loaded was taken from chest height, and he caught his stomach and Adonis belt, and his shorts were obscenely tented. He was typing again, and much to your surprise it was a phone number;

 “Here’s mine, or you can show me yours… number that is…”

 Taking a deep breath you hit the number and raised the phone to your ear, hearing it ring before a deep voice answered;

 “Henry?”

 “Yes, is that you Princess?”

 “It’s me” you found your free hand had slid down your body to the juncture of your thighs, just his voice was turning you on.

 “What are you doing?”

 “I’m touching myself… your voice… fuck…”

 “So, if my voice is turning you on so much you must touch yourself, taking you out for dinner will be an interesting experience. Will I need to slide my hand under the table and pet that little pussy of yours?”

 “I guess I’ll have to skip wearing underwear then…”

 The groan that you heard down the line sent sparks to your clit as you rubbed figure eights over the sensitive nub, and you longed to hear it in person, whispered against your ear, his hot breath fanning your skin.

 From that point the conversation entered the gutter, Henry had the dirtiest mind and the deepest voice, his words wrapped around your brain like it was enrobed in salted caramel, and when you came you called out his name so loud your neighbours probably heard. As you came down from your orgasmic high you heard a quiet chuckle;

 “Feel better now Princess?”

 “Hmmm yes, thank you”

 “I need a shower now… somehow I’m even more worked up than before the gym… Hmmn I wonder why?” he mused down the line

 “Shame I can’t lend a hand to help out” you countered, and the sharp inhale of breath told you he’d liked what you’d said.

 “That can be arranged… anyway, I have an issue I now need to take care of, and as you’re not here I need to take the matter into my own hands”

 “Both hands?” you asked coyly

 “Jesus woman… you’re gonna be the death of me, I’m so fucking hard I could burst right now”

 “Well I’ll let you go, but I’ll say what I said before, shame I can’t lend a hand. Speak soon Henry”

 “Absolutely, take care Princess”

Chapter 2 >>>

[tomtenadia]

Island Dreams - Chapter 3

Hi all and welcome to chapter 3.

So, thing are starting to happen and, alas, angst has decided to come and pay a visit. I used HoF for a bit of inspiration.

Some Gaelic for you: suidh sìos - sit down

The light issue at the very beginning: Yes, in Scotland, in the summer, it can get quite difficult to sleep. Day are super long and it's easy to have light until late and back again at 3am.

I have read it twice before posting. But I had a very long day at work and if I have left some typos I apologise.

Happy reading!

------

Aelin had woken up early that morning. She had forgotten to close the curtains the previous night. She had gotten home quite late from her trip and she was grateful that the supermarket stayed open until late because she still had to buy food for the house. She had whipped up a quick dinner, a shower and then she had tucked herself on the chair in her room. It was so bright outside that she could not force herself to go to bed. Eventually tiredness caught up with her and she gave up. Because she forgot to close the curtains, now it was broad daylight even if it was just 4am. She rolled on the other side and tucked her head under the pillow and went back to sleep. She awoke again two hours later. Apparently the adrenaline of being in a new place was too much. So she got up and decided she could go for a run. She donned her running clothes and she left the house. She had spotted a place called Lews castle and from the map it seemed the perfect place for a run in a park. Aelin followed the marina cut through the town centre, passed Rowan’s shop and ended up near the river. Then crossed the small bridge to reach Lews’ castle grounds. Quickly she took a mental note of the fact that the place was a museum and added it to the list of places to visit, which by the way was getting longer by the minute and kept running a good hour until her body started to protest. The day was gorgeous again and they were blessed with a stunning blue sky. Aelin ran found her way back to a road that took her on a pier along the sea. Finally decided to sit at the bench and relaxed a bit, taking a full mouthful from her water bottle. In London she had little chance of running in parks so she had to use a gym but here… she could run in the nature and it made all the difference.

A few elderly people greeted her as they passed the bench and that was something else that stunned her. Complete strangers greeting her. She removed the headphones from her ears and decided to listen to the sounds of the place around her. She had always considered herself a die-hard city girl. Someone who could never leave the hustle and bustle of the big city. Her soul craved the frenetic life that London gave her. And now, in her early thirties, with her life completely upside down and on pause she was starting to realise that things had changed so much from when she was young. All of sudden her priorities had turned and a quiet life was all she wanted. She needed to slow down. Her ambition had helped her to secure a position quite high in her job. But that ambition had not helped her to reach the top. She had literally given her life to her job. She had sacrificed so much and it had been all for nothing and came to the realisation that she felt lost. For the first time in her life she could not see the path ahead. And that was why she had left. To try and live day by day for a while and learn to enjoy life again hoping that life in a quiet place like Stornoway would give her purpose again. “Oh Aelin, stop maudlin.” She told herself, getting fed up with the dark twist her thoughts had taken. She sighed and stood and started running again, tracing her path back to the town centre. Eventually went back to the house, took a shower and an hour later she was ready to head off to Maeve’s for breakfast. She was quite eager to taste her cakes. The woman had given her a slice of a chocolate cake the day before and Aelin had admitted it was of the best cakes she had ever tasted.

Twenty minutes later she reached the coffee shop and was happy to see that it was open. It was just about 9am and wasn’t not sure yet when life on the islands actually started. “Madainn mhath” she said, feeling like an idiot for her horrendous pronunciation. Once she noticed the shop was empty she felt better. At least she did not embarrassed herself in front of an audience. “Oh, Madainn mhath, a Aelin.” Said the woman from behind the counter “Are you here for breakfast?” Aelin took a seat at a table near the counter “Yes, but not Scottish breakfast this morning. I don’t think I can survive it tow mornings in a row.” Maeve laughed “I made some lovely apple turnovers, fancy one?” Aelin’s mouth began watering. If they were as good as the cake… “Make it two. I went for a run and I am starving.” Maeve disappeared through the back and came back a bit later with a tray with a mug of coffee and the apple turnovers. “I am going to get so fat.” She said out loud and then began tackling her breakfast and listened to the music in the background. It was a female singer and she sang in what Aelin was positive was Gaelic. Rowan was right. It was such a beautiful language and sung was even better. “Who is the singer?” “She is Julie Fowlis. She is from North Uist and sings mostly in Gaelic. She is a great singer.” The tune was slow and it seemed quite sad. “This song is called Mo Dhòmhnallan Fhèin, and it means My own Donald. It’s a sad love story.” “It’s beautiful.” She commented and corrected herself quickly “The language, I mean, not the sad love story.” “Ask Rowan and he will give you plenty of suggestions of bands you can discover if you want to listen to locals or Gaelic singers.” The woman explained and took a seat in front of her sipping her own cup of coffee. Aelin had such good vibes from the woman. She was very maternal to her and towards Rowan as well. She was curious to know more about their relationship. Something told her that it was deeper than it seemed. “And if you are still here in July you cannot miss Heb Celt. It’s a wonderful festival of Scottish music. It’s a three day event but it brings people from across all of Scotland and oversea as well. “It sounds wonderful.” “You just have to stay a bit longer.” Aelin sighed “I have been here only a day and I already feel as my soul has been stolen by these islands. I…” she paused, she felt like she could talk to Maeve. “I left my life in London for now. I needed a break before crumpling down for good.” Maeve put a hand on Aelin’s arm “As I told you yesterday, this is the perfect life. Island life here is a cure for the soul.” Said the woman squeezing the arm gently “Want to talk about it?” Aelin took a sip of coffee to gather her thoughts “Big job delusion and a bad divorce.” She did not have the mental strength to go into too much detail. It still hurt too much and Lysandra was the only person with whom she could fully talk about her life. “I feel lost and stuck.” A flicker of deep tenderness appeared in Maeve’s eyes “Sounds like you and Rowan could help each other.” Aelin whipped her head in the direction of the woman and stared at her. “He is stuck too.” That’s all Maeve volunteered. The woman stood as soon as a customer entered the shop. She greeted the man and they began a conversation in Gaelic. Aelin was staring at her empty plate and was still pondering about the comment that Maeve made about her nephew. What did she mean by they could help each other? And why was he stuck? She wanted to know more but could not ask him. He seemed like the very reserved type and she had no intention to pry. Once her plate was clear and breakfast over, she stood and was about to leave when Maeve reached her and gave her a take away cup “Could you please bring this to Rowan? He should be opening his shop now.” “Of course.” Aelin said her goodbyes to the woman and left, taking the path to Rowan’s shop. She had to buy the next books in the series anyway so she was just catching two birds with one stone. Once she got to the shop she noticed it was open. She entered and Rowan was at the counter working on the computer. “Madainn mhath.” She tried again. He looked up and noticed her and a brief and quick smile appeared on his lips but not genuine enough to reach his beautiful green eyes. “Morning to you.” He replied almost annoyed. “I bring coffee. Courtesy of your aunt.” Aelin offered him the cup but the reaction she got from him was unexpected. He glared at her “What did you say?” “Coffee from your aunt?” “How do you know Maeve is my aunt?” His tone was now tinged with anger. “She told me.” He ignored the cup of coffee and continued working as if Aelin was not even in the shop “She shouldn’t have.” “Is that a secret?” “It was not her place. And it’s definitely none of your business.” Rowan was mad. It was clear from his facial expression, but she could not understand why such a statement would make him so mad. Aelin placed the cup on the counter with a bit too much force “Don’t worry she did not reveal any big secret. Your fucking perfect life is safe.” He slammed the pen on the desk at her tone “What do you want? You delivered the coffee, your job is done.” Aelin was now fuming.”What do I want?” Her tone dripped vitriol. If he wanted a fight, she was giving him one. “I was being nice.” She put the backpack on her shoulder, ready to leave “I was here to buy the next books in the series I got yesterday. I came here to thank you as well for the suggestions you gave me yesterday because I loved every place you recommended." she took a deep breath and tried to calm her fury "And while I am here how do you say asshole in Gaelic?” She noted his reaction and she knew she had gone too far. That was her bloody problem, she had no filters and sometimes she struggled to connect brain and mouth before speaking. Something she had become pretty good at doing during her many fights with Chaol. Not her proudest moment. He left the counter and went to the shelf where she got the book the day before. He came back a moment later with three books in his hands “I don’t have the last one. I can order it.” “Leave it. I’ll order it on Amazon just to piss you off.” She really had to learn control herself. She took another deep breath “Fine, order it.” He didn’t comment and started typing on the computer. “It should be here in a week. I’ll let Maeve know. You are best chums now.” There was irritation in his voice. He was actually mad at her. “You should expect to see us skipping arm in arm around Stornoway singing bawdy songs pretty soon.” He did not like the joke. Definitely the wrong crowd. “Try and get laid. It helps the mood.” She added and hated herself seconds after it once she remembered what Maeve said. He was stuck too. “I am sorry…” Apologising right away for her horrible comment. She was a bloody idiot. “It’s £21.50” he said flatly and with no emotion in his voice. His eyes were cold and it looked like he could kill her with a stare. He kept the bag with the books for a moment and leaned forward on the counter “Don’t you dare to comment on my life ever again. You are a customer. Nothing more. You are nothing to me.” Aelin felt like crying. Yes, she had been nasty but Rowan was being cruel to her on purpose “There is nothing I can give. Nothing I want to give you.” He added when he noted her hurt expression. Then Rowan finally passed her the bag with the books “Now get out of my sight.” Aelin took the bag in silence and left the store. She walked away and left her feet to lead her. She did not notice she was back at the marina. She found a quite spot on the pier and sat down, her feet dangling. And then the tears came. And she cried. And the tears turned into heavy sobs. She took the phone and called Lysandra, but when the woman did not answered she hugged her legs to her chest and dropped her head on the knees as if to try and hold the pieces together. She was tired. And for a moment she just wanted to disappear.

Rowan was fuming. How dare she? She didn’t know anything about his life. How dare she make such a comment? He closed the store and walked quite angrily to his aunt’s coffee shop. She loved to gossip a bit too much and wondered what she had told Aelin. When he reached the shop he was glad it was not busy, that conversation did not need and audience. “Good morning, darling.” Maeve said in a cheery voice, unaware what was about to hit her. “What did you tell her?” His aunt looked at him with a confused expression. “Aelin. The new girl. You told her you are my aunt. What else did you tell her about my miserable life, eh?” “Rowan, suidh sìos.” Her tone had a hint of command. Her face lost the loving and caring side and Rowan knew he was in trouble. So he obeyed her and sat down at the table like she commanded. “I did not tell her anything. I just told her that you are my nephew. I did not know that was a secret.” She was definitely not happy about him. Maeve sat down in front of him “What did you do?” He looked away, shying away from the conversation. Maeve sighed “Rowan, she is going through a tough moment in her life. Be nice to her. Be nice to each other. She seems like a lovely woman. Why don’t give yourself a second chance?” He still did not answer. “She is just as lost as you are. If you only stopped being mad at the world all the time, she might be the person to show you the way back, both of you.” He was stunned by his aunt’s words. It sounded like Aelin and Maeve really had become good friends already and that his aunt already knew a good deal about the woman. But there was no way he was letting anyone else in again. Not after… he pushed the name away. Even after almost a year it still hurt too much to talk about her. No, he was going to live the rest of his life on his own and on his own terms. “Don’t interfere.” He finally managed “It’s my life. I’ll decide what is best for me. And if my destiny is to become a lonely, grumpy old man, so be it.” He gritted his teeth and fisted his hands cooling down his anger. “I know you still hurt because of what Lyria did. But it has been almost a year…” “Don’t…” he hissed “Don’t ever say her name in front of me. Ever again.” “Rowan…” Maeve put a hand on his arm but he pushed her away. Maeve stood and looked at her nephew stone faced “Mrs MacIver asked me if you can order these for her grandson. It’s his birthday quite soon.” And she passed a note to him. “Fine.” He took the note and stood. “Find the way back, my darling.” Maeve said to him once he was at the door. He ignored the comment and left without a reply.

[nightowlfandom]

Yandere! School! Jeon Jungkook- Be My Muse (Part 2)

 HELLO! HI!  I’m sorry this took so long!

READ PART ONE HERE!

Buckle Up Folks! This is a long one! There isn’t a whole lot Yandere stuff here, but I did promise smut soooo that’s coming, I promise! Just bear with me, fam.

Also PSA...Karma Akabane....that is all.

Leggo!

...

“So you’d rather be with Jeon Jungkook than me?” 

You shut your locker, yanking out the little key just as Jino stormed up. Of course, his posse was behind him. 

“Hello to you too.” you huffed. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Why am I hearing that you and Jeon Jungkook a thing now?!” he sounded pissed. “I didn’t expect your standards to be so low!”

“Well, why are you listening to rumors anyways. If you had asked either one of us yourself, we would tell you no.” you said casually. “Can I go now?” 

“Hm, well what’s this I hear about you going on a date with him!” he crossed his arms.

“I’m not saying that’s the truth, but I’m also not going to tell you that you’re wrong.” you replied. 

“Y/N, he’s a damn creep! He’s always staring at you like he’s waiting to pounce or something.”

“Rich coming from you.” you walked past him. “Jungkook’s a gentlemen, unlike you.” you looked him up and down before walking off. You didn’t like how people loved to walk all over Jungkook. He was a sweet guy who just needed a friend, and idiots like Jino weren’t helping.

You walked around the corner to see someone walking out of a classroom. It was Jungkook who was in the middle of shoving a book into his backpack. 

“Hey!” you ran to catch up. 

Jungkook whipped around to find you jogging up to him. “Y/N. I was just looking for you.” he smiled shyly. “I thought you weren’t going to show up.”

“You know you’re lack of faith in me is kind of insulting.” you crossed your arms. 

“Sorry.” he mumbled. “Force of habit.”

“I can see that.” you brushed it off with an outward laugh. “So where did you have in mind!”

“Well...the art museum was having an exhibit, it’s a discount for two.”

“Awesome! Let’s go!” You grabbed his hand and began dragging him towards the school entrance. “We’re wasting daylight!”

“Woah! Okay!” Jungkook attempted to keep up with you as you two ran out the school. You couldn’t see it, but his cheeks had turned a bright shade of red as soon as you grabbed his hand. He could feel his face heat up violently.

 “Do you want to get some food afterwards? I’ll pay for it.” You asked as you two got onto the sidewalk. “I know the best place!”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that” Jungkook shook his head. “I mean-″

“Then I guess it’s a good thing you weren’t the one, asking. I offered! Therefor, you have no say!” you poked his shoulder. 

“Oh.” he stammered. “Okay.” he shyly smiled. “As long as you let me repay you sometime.”

“Is that your way of asking me on another date?” you looked up, tilting your head to the side.

“If you want...”

“Possibly.” you giggled. “Maybe...”

...

The museum was nice, you got the perfect opportunity to get close to Jungkook and actually hear him talk about the things he liked. It was like seeing a totally different person outside of school. You felt bad you hadn’t talk to Jungkook before. 

You were currently walking to that restaurant you were raving about.

“And then-” you stopped talking to laugh. “Lisa literally took her ex’s gym clothes and he had to chase her across campus!” you broke down laughing as Jungkook tried to keep his own composure. 

“And you got it all on film?!” he managed to get through his fit of giggles.

“I had to! It was too great to pass up to film.” you tried to breathe through your laughter. “Ah you should’ve seen it.” you shook your head.

“Y/N, could I ask you a question?” Jungkook asked, causing your face to soften. 

“Um yeah? Everything okay?” you looked up at the sky as you listened to him.

“I guess.” he trailed off. “I overheard you talking with Jino.” he said. “That’s why I thought you weren’t gonna show up, because I was afraid you let him get to you.”

“Jungkook.” you shook your head. “I’m pretty sure I made it clear my opinion on Jino.” you rolled your eyes. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Really?” you could see his face brighten up second by second. “Would it be too forward to say I’m glad about that?”

“No.” you smiled lightly. “Would it be too forward for me to say that I’m starting to like you more and more each passing minute?” 

“Um...no.” he returned your smile. “I like that, a lot. Does this mean I get another date?”

“...Yeah, but this time I’m gonna show you my favorite spots.” you nudged him.

“I look forward to it.” Jungkook slowly laced his hands in yours. “I like spending time with you.”

“Oh? Do you liiikkee me?” you teased. You had giggled at your own joke only to have Jungkook stop you on the sidewalk, slip his fingertips under your chin, tilt your head up and gently peck your lips with his own. 

“Yes.” he answered honestly, just as he pulled away. He saw your surprised face and instantly stiffened. “I’m sorry, am I not allowed to do th-”

“No! I mean! Yes! I mean, it’s perfectly fine.” You could feel your face grow hot. “I liked that...a lot.” you admitted sheepishly. This time it was Jungkook’s turn to blush.

“O-oh, really?”

“Um...come on! The restaurant is just up there!” You held onto Jungkook’s hand even tighter and began walking again, trying to ignore the sound of your heart preparing to jump out of your chest.

... (Fast Forward)

Over the course of the next few weeks, you had gotten closer to Jungkook. You had broken his shell and managed to get to know him. He was super sweet and super endearing. You even went as far to say you had a crush on him over the past 3 weeks. 

“Hey Jungkook?” You peeked into the art room, hoping to find your friend. You were taken aback by singing. Jungkook had his back turned to you at he sat in front of an easel. He was the only person in the art room, so you knew that singing was coming from him.

You let your jaw drop slack as you heard his angelic voice echo throughout the room. You were learning new things about him every time you saw him. He looked so deep in thought that you decided to leave him be. He seemed to be working super hard and you would feel bad just interrupting him. You quietly stepped away from the door and went on your way home.

Inside the classroom, Jungkook sat at his easel. His paint brush moved effortlessly against the canvas in sheer concentration. He almost froze when he sensed your presence from behind him. He had to pretend you weren’t there, pretend he couldn’t smell your perfume from so far. As much as he wanted to, he had to go over his plan in exact detail. A beautiful distraction would only take his mind off of his mission at hand.

“Hm.” Jungkook allowed a smirk to cross his face as he dipped his paintbrush into a small bottle of his signature red ink and signed his name on his finished piece. He stepped back, ogling at his obsession on canvas. 

“Another one done.” he sighed, running his fingers along the edge of the canvas. “Now for my biggest piece yet.”

...

“Y/N! You’re here!”

You stood at Jungkook’s door, your bag over your shoulder. “Yeah, I’m here! I got your text.”

“Thanks for coming, Come in.” Jungkook made room for you to walk in. “I hope it isn’t too cluttered.”

“Do you live alone?” you asked curiously, peeking around the room. It was exactly how you imagine a house like his would be. There were paintings all over the wall and the living room seemed to be turned into a painting station.

“Yeah. My parents travel a lot. So they’re barely home.” Jungkook sighed. “it’s nice to have my privacy.” 

“Cool.” you didn’t know how to respond, so you decided to change the subject. “So what did you call me over for?”

“I’d like you to be the subject of my next painting.” he replied. “The teacher knows someone at that art museum we went to and if I can create something with enough feeling, I can get it displayed!”

“That’s great!” you smiled, genuinely happy for him. “But me? Why not actually use a real model?”

“The art director said to use a subject that inspires me. Something that makes me feel...well anything.” he looked down at his shoes. “The first person I thought of was you.”

“Me?” you repeated. “I’m that person?”

“Yeah.” he smiled. “If I could have something I’m most proud of. A muse, if you will.”

“Say no more! I’d be happy to help.” You smiled. “What do you need me to do?”

“Okay don’t freak out, but I want to capture you in a sort of relaxed environment. Something in your most natural state, and that means...”

“Jungkook? Where you going with this? I don’t have to get naked, do I?” you chuckled.

“Um, no! But...I need you to put on a bathrobe.” He trailed off. “I promise I won’t draw anything too vulgar or intimate but I have this vision and I already bought the bathrobe and-”

“Jungkook! Calm down!” You laughed. “It’s okay. I said I’d help you.” you put a hand on his bicep. “I trust you! I’m gonna be fully covered, right.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Then don’t worry. Where is it?” You assured him. Jungkook walked over to the couch where a shopping bag had been sitting. He pulled out a white silk bathrobe. There was an intricate etching on the fabric that went down to the wide sleeves. “Aright, anywhere I can change?”

“The bathroom is through there. You don’t have to take off your um...” he tried to make it clear that you didn’t have to take off your bra and panties.

“Alright! Give me five minutes.” you smiled then off you went.

As you walked around the corner, all Jungkook could do was stare in your direction. You, his muse, was in his house getting prepared to lie across your couch for hours so he could just watch you. Study every inch of every crevice of every curve along your body. He could hardly contain himself. He’d been dreaming of this day for how long?

 He had already kept you from seeing his other five sketchbooks filled with nothing but images of you. From the day he first saw you, to the day you first bumped into him when you were heading into the Photography club, to the day you finally talked to him for the first time.

“Jungkook?” you peeked your head around the corner. “I’m ready, I guess.” 

Jungkook pretended to have just noticed you. You wrapped and tightened the robe around you. It was pretty big on you so it slipped off your shoulders a little. 

“Woah.” Jungkook breathed.

“So, how do I look?” you chuckled, doing a slightly silly pose. 

“Y-you look amazing.” Jungkook breathed. “Um, wow.” he looked like he didn’t know what to say. “Okay, you can just sit on the couch and do whatever feels right.”

“Cool.” you replied, walking over to the couch. “So I just...sit down?” You sat on the couch like he instructed, hugging your knees and leaning against the couch cushion. 

“That’s perfect!” Jungkook almost scared you with how he outbursted. “Can you keep that pose for a few hours?”

“I can try.” you watched Jungkook rushed to his easel. “So do you want me to turn my face towards you too?”

Jungkook looked up from his supplied to see your innocent face eyeing him curiously. You looked so adorable like that. “You can look where ever, but if it makes you comfortable, you can face me.”

“Okay then.” you replied, trying to get comfortable. After Jungkook had gone quiet, staring at you with focused eyes while he sketched your form onto his canvas. You noticed your robe slip down your shoulders and as you went to pull it back, Jungkook stopped you.

“Wait...that’s even better.” he smiled sideways. You would make eye contact every few minutes. You felt vulnerable in a whole new way. You were literally being studied like you were some sort of specimen under a microscope.

This was gonna take a while.

...(Hours later- Smut Warning)

“Perfect.” Jungkook whispered to himself. 

“Are we done?” you asked. “Can I stand up now?”

“Yeah, go ahead.” 

You slowly rose to your feet, stretching your arms over your head. Who knew staying completely still was so much work. “How’d it turn out?” 

“Almost done. The hard part is over though.” he smiled tiredly, standing up as well. Jungkook walked over to you. “Thanks again for helping me out today.”

“No problem. Anything for you, Jungkook.” you rocked on your heels, slowly growing nervous. “I’m glad I could help you out.” There was a silence between you two. You noticed Jungkook’s hand were covered in red paint.”Kinda looks like you we caught at a murder scene.” you joked.

“Oh really?” he laughed. “Grr you’re next!” he put his hands up in a fake-scary way. “I’m gonna get you!”

Suddenly, Jungkook wrapped both his arms around your waist, hoisting you up and beginning to spin you around.

“AH! STOP IT!” You laughed. You hd to wrap your legs around Jungkook’s body. “Put me down!” you yelled. “This thing isn’t exactly stable!” you mentioned the fact you were still wearing a robe. Jungkook must have  missed his footing, because one second, Jungkook was running around with you tight in his grip and the next you were practically thrown on the couch.

You were now looking up at Jungkook, who was hovering over you. You silently stared back up Jungkook, suddenly feeling 100% more vulnerable. He was silent, staring back down at you. 

Jungkook moved a loose hair that had fallen in front of your face.

“Is it normal to feel this way?” he suddenly whispered. “I never expected to fall so hard” he thought to himself. “Look at her, she’s beautiful. Her laugh is so innocent, so cute. Does she know just how much she runs through my mind. How people like Jino are so horrible and shitty for you to even be remotely near. I have a mind to do something to you right now....but I have to wait.” he thought.

“Jungkook?” you got his attention. His gaze met yours again.

“Yeah?” he smiled shyly. You slowly leaned up, your noses touching before you wound up kissing Jungkook on the cheek. Pure cowardice on your part, but you didn’t want to affect what you had with Jungkook

...at least not yet. 

(Okay people, THIS WAS LONG OVERDUE AND IM SORRY! I LOST MY FIRT DRAFT OF THIS NRGIEWHGIUHGNIUERNGIUEWHGIUE AND IM SO MAD AAAHHH November had been such a bad month for me, but I’m perfectly fine now! Soooooo)

[marshmallow-phd]

Lies Untold

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Supernatural, Wolf Au

Pairing: Luhan x Reader

Summary: For generations, your family has been the protectors of mankind. You were considered one of the best and due to that reputation, you were sent on what could be the most important mission for the organization. Going under cover in a college to sniff out a particularly large and threatening wolf pack seemed easy enough. But when you meet one of the members, everything you’ve known since birth will be overturned and your loyalty to your family and heritage will be tested.

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I 11 I 12 I 13 I 14 I Final

**

Your head was pounding when consciousness found you again. At first, that was all you could concentrate on, the pain in your head. Then, slowly, you became aware of the pressure on your wrists that was digging into your skin. Before ever opening your eyes, you took in what you could already feel: your hands were tied behind your back with rope, securing you to the sturdy kitchen chair you were sitting in. Your feet were loose, but you doubted that could work to your advantage. Not with who your captures were.

“You might as well open your eyes,” a rough voice barked. “We already know you’re awake.” It was a different voice than the professor who’d caught you. This one had a bitterness under every word that warned you to tread carefully or you just might find yourself a pile of scraps. A chill ran down your spine, knowing you’d have to obey.

At a pace to rival a snail’s, you opened your eyes and lifted your head. You were completely surrounded by wolves and mates alike. Neither Luhan nor Innie were among them that you could see and for that you were thankful. Your makeshift prison was a detached garage with high ceilings and a work bench. By the dirt and track on the floor, there used to be several more cars stored in here before it became your cell.

“(y-y/n)?” Baekhyun pushed himself to the front of the crowd, his mouth hanging open.

The tallest wolf with the most threatening glare turned to him. “You know her?”

Baekhyun nodded shakily. “She’s Hae In’s cousin.”

“Oh my god,” Jongdae gasped to your left. “You’re right. I was barely paying attention the last few times I met her, but that’s her.”

The professor – Junmyeon – turned to the stunned wolf. “Did Hae In know?”

“No!” Baekhyun protested angrily. “She had no idea! If she did, she would have told me! She would never hide something like this from me!”

“It’s okay, Baekhyun, we believe you.” Junmyeon frowned pointedly at the tall wolf. “Right, Kris?”

The dynamic between the of this pack was confusing you. While your research had concluded that Junmyeon was the alpha, he seemed to be treating this other wolf – Kris – like another leader.

“Can we just get on with it?” Kris growled.

Junmyeon glanced between you and Baekhyun before sighing. “Baek, maybe you should wait outside. You said earlier that Hae In was on her way. It’d be best if she didn’t come in here.”

Sparing one last look your way, Baekhyun nodded before exiting the garage.

Kris stepped towards you, crouching down at your level in order to look you right in the eye. “Alright, hunter. Tell us the truth and we might not kill you.”

“Kris,” Junmyeon hissed, but he went ignored.

“Why do you want the book?”

“To destroy it,” you answered honestly.

“Why would you want to destroy it?” Chanyeol asked, speaking up for the first time. His words weren’t harsh or angry, simply confused.

You swallowed, knowing full well they probably weren’t going to believe you. “To keep it out of hands it shouldn’t be in.”

“I think we’ve been doing that just fine for a few generations,” Junmyeon snapped.

“But you can’t keep it safe forever.” You really shouldn’t be arguing with a room full of highly charged werewolves, but… well lately you hadn’t exactly been the most intelligent. Falling for a trap and never once thinking it might not be safe was not your usual move. You’d become too self-focused to keep up with your training, to remember that nothing was as it seemed and it always picture every outcome before taking one step.

Kris snarled. “And why should we believe you? You’re the one who shot Minseok, aren’t you?”

For a moment, you just held your breath. Admitting that out loud just might be the button that set off the already tense atmosphere. But your silence could set him off as well. “Yes, but I on-”

“Are you seriously going to try and justify that?” Jongdae yelled. He’d lept forward only to be stopped by his mate.

“Jongdae, don’t-”

“Jiyoung, go outside,” he ordered her.

“No.”

“Stop it, both of you,” Junmyeon ordered. With a furrowed brow, he nodded at you. “Go on. Why did you do it?”

“I didn’t want to hurt him.” You tried to emphasis that little fact that was probably inconsequential to them. “I just needed you to bring the book out of the museum. I couldn’t get into that room it was being held in. But also-” You stopped, the words of betrayal catching in your throat.

“But also what?”

You sighed. They needed to know anyway. “But also my father had ordered me to do it. If I hadn’t, he would have sent another unit out here. A unit that didn’t care about the book. They would have just killed you. All of you.”

Letting that news sink in, Junmyeon pinched the bridge of his nose. The stress of the situation was written all over his face, integrated into his body language. The lives of his pack were his responsibility and there you were, threatening their peaceful existence. “How did you even know the book existed?”

You shrugged. “There had been rumors for decades.”

“But how did you know it was here?”

“I think that’s my fault.”

All heads turned to one of the youngest mates in the room. You’d hoped to avoid getting her in trouble. It wasn’t her fault at all. You were the one who put the bait out there. All she did was try to make a friend and help you out with your “paper”.

“Kita, what are you talking about?” Junmyeon’s words were catching in his throat.

“I think I brought her here,” the girl admitted.

With soft hands, Junmyeon took hold of Kita’s shoulders. “Sweetheart, what do you mean? Explain.”

“I just wanted to help,” she sniffed, tears clearly forming in her eyes. “You were so worried about the witch’s visions. I was just researching, trying to figure out what might be coming. If anyone had heard legends or stories of something that could hurt you. And then… I met someone in a chatroom.”

“So you just told them everything!” Kris shouted, teeth bared in anger.

“No!” Kita sobbed. “I just talked about the museum having… unique artifacts… and records….”

“It was easy to put two and two together after that,” you whispered for her.

Kita broke down completely, hiding her face in Junmyeon’s chest as he held her protectively. Jiyoung – the mate from before – approached carefully.

“I’ll take her, Junmyeon.”

The wolf nodded reluctantly before handing his mate over. The other two females left as well and then you were left alone with the pack.

**

Eight. That’s how many times Luhan called just for your phone to go to voicemail. He’d managed to sneak away from the gym and hide out in an ice cream shop a few blocks away to wait for your scheduled date this evening. But when you never called or gave the all clear for him to come over, he got worried. And then you never answered his calls, all his texts went unread. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.

Finally, he did get a call. But not from you.

“Luhan, where are you?” Yixing asked as soon as he answered the phone.

“I’m still in town,” he replied. “I, uh, had a few errands to run. Is everything okay?”

Yixing sighed, exasperated. Something had happened. The med student was never like this. “You need to come back home.”

“What happened?” Luhan’s mouth went dry, terrified of the answer his brain was already coming up with.

“Junmyeon caught the hunter. They’re holding her in the garage right now. She’s not awake yet, but-”

Luhan didn’t wait to hear the rest.

Hanging up, he ran towards his car, thankful he’d driven separately from the others. He sped like mad through the forest, the engine of his car whining from the pressure Luhan was putting it under. Managing to make it back to the farmhouse in less than half the usual time, he jumped out of the car just as all the mates were headed into the house, save Hae In, who’d just arrived as well. Baekhyun was standing outside the garage and ran up to her as soon as her feet hit the dirt.

“Baekhyun!” Hae In ran to her mate, throwing her arms around his neck. “What’s going?” she asked as soon as she pulled back. “Kimberly wouldn’t tell me anything over the phone except that the hunter’s been caught.”

“They did catch the hunter,” Baekhyun confirmed, sending Luhan’s heart to his throat. “Why don’t you go inside the house and we’ll talk later.” The poor guy shot Luhan a desperate look. He knew exactly who was being held by the pack.

“What?” Hae In scoffed. “No. I want to see this monster who thinks its okay to just shoot someone.” Pushing herself out of Baekhyun’s arms, she tried to go around him to head inside the garage.

Baekhyun barely managed to catch her in time. “That’s not a good idea, Hae In. Kris is barely keeping it together as it is.”

“I’m not going to get in the way,” she argued. “Now let me go.”

“It’s your cousin, Hae In.”

As if Baekhyun had suddenly started speaking a different language, Hae In stared at him, opening mouthed and knitted eyebrows. For a second she didn’t speak, comprehending what Baekhyun had just told her.  

“(y/n)?” she laughed humorlessly. “No way.” Shaking her head ferociously, she yanked her arm free. “No way in hell it was her! She would never do that!” Not waiting on Baekhyun’s response, she shoved the door open with Luhan following after her.

All heads turned to see who had entered the garage when the door had slammed up against the wall, including yours. Luhan nearly roared at the sight of you tied to a chair. He took a step in your direction, but you gave him the slightest shake of your head, telling him no. So you hadn’t told them even though it might have helped you. But why did you want to keep hiding it now? Did you think it would keep him safe? They wouldn’t hurt him.

Hae In gasped at the truth in front of her. “(y/n)!”

“Hae In, get out!” Kris ordered.

“Screw you, Kris!” Hae In shouted back. She tried to run to you, but Baekhyun came up behind her and trapped her in his arms. “Let her go! She didn’t do this.”

“Innie.”

At the sound of your soft voice, she stopped fighting against Baekhyun’s hold. “(y/n)?”

“Just go, okay,” you begged her softly. “I’ll be fine.”

“It’s not true,” Hae In sniffed. She was crumbling right before their eyes, the mate that was always sarcastic and rolling her eyes was falling apart. “Just tell me it’s not true.”

You shook your head. “I can’t tell you that.”

All the fight left Hae In in an instant and Baekhyun was able to carry her out of there without any more difficulty.

“Do you see what you do to people?” Kris growled, turning back to you.

“I had no more of a choice than you did,” you spat back. “I grew up in this. I didn’t know anything else.”

Jongin scoffed. “Some excuse.”

Luhan wasn’t going to be able last much longer if the hostility kept up. Whether you wanted him to stay back or not, he had to speak up. They couldn’t hurt you if they knew the truth.

“Maybe we should listen to her. Give her a chance to explain,” Junmyeon suggested. He was becoming Luahn’s only hope right now, given the death glares everyone else was sending your way.

“Listen? To the hunter?” Kris was beginning to shake all over. Not good. Not good at all.

“She has a point-”

“No, she doesn’t!” Kris’ eyes flashed red, making everyone shrink back. The alpha was coming to the surface. “A hunter is a hunter. They shouldn’t get any mercy. Did they show Chanyeol’s parents mercy when they hunted them down? Or how about when they faked a car crash after killing my own?”

All the blood drained from your face, making you paler than the white paint of the car behind you. “C-car crash?” you gasped.

Kris turned on you. “Yes! Hunters like you killed my parents and then made it look like an accident!”

Your demeanor of bravery was cracking; Luhan could tell by the way you were grinding your teeth. “Was this almost ten years ago?”

Kris narrowed his eyes at you. “Yes… it was.”

Releasing a sigh, you hung your head.

“Do you know about that?” Yixing asked in his usual, quiet voice. At least someone was keeping their head.

You whispered so softly they all had to strain to hear you. “That was my parents.”

Kris lost it.

Before anyone could calm him down or get him out of the garage, Kris shifted, scraps of clothing flying through the air in all directions. Then he lunged for you.

Luhan didn’t even have to think. He hadn’t fully processed what was happening when he was suddenly on all fours, protecting you by pitting himself between you and the large red-brown wolf that had once been Kris. The rage had taken the alpha completely and he attacked the object standing in his way. Kris locked his jaw around Luhan’s neck and threw him to the side.

“No!”

Shaking off the hard landing, Luhan jumped back up and lunged at Kris. The alpha was nearly twice his size, but Luhan had to stop him. This time, Luhan got a hold on Kris’ shoulder with his teeth, flipping him over so they were both on their backs. Two more wolves joined in on the fight, trying to keep Kris at bay as he struggled back up to his feet. The alpha kept snapping at the three of them, but at least he didn’t attack any further, showing some sign of remember his pack members.

“Stop! Please!” you sobbed. Luhan jerked his head to look at you. Tears were streaming down your face. Immediately, he was by your side, licking the tears away and wrapping his body around the chair as best he could to ward off anyone else who dared to try and harm you.

“Luhan?” Sehun was standing in front of you two, naked. Apparently, he’d been one of the wolves that helped break up the fight. “What are you doing?”

Junmyeon took a step forward, throwing his hands up as soon as Luhan growled at him. His instincts keeps you safe were still running at high volume. He had no conscious control whatsoever over who he deemed a friend or foe.

“Well,” Jongdae scratched the back of his head as he let out a nervous laugh, “this complicates things a bit.”

“I’ll say,” Junmyeon grumbled. To Luhan, he asked, “Can you calm down enough to shift back? So we can talk about this?”

At first, Luhan didn’t want to. But when he looked up at you, your nod and reassuring smile made him change his mind.

When he was human again, he still stayed glued to your side. “She’s my mate,” he declared.

“I think that’s obvious,” Kyungsoo deadpanned. Luhan shot him a look, but didn’t reply.

Kris, now human again as well, glared. “How long have you known?”

“Since she first came here,” Luhan admitted.

“Did you know she was a hunter?”

He nodded.

Junmyeon swore. “Luhan, why didn’t you say anything before?”

“Because of this right here!” Luhan gestured to the crowd gathered around you. “You’re all so out for blood, you wouldn’t stop to think that she might not be like the rest of them!”

“We wouldn’t have done anything drastic.” Luhan actually felt a little guilty having been the cause of the stress weighing Junmyeon down right now. He was torn between the laws of the wolves: to protect a mate or protect the pack. “We would have figured this out.”

But still. Luhan couldn’t help the anger inside he had towards his members. “Tell that to the looks she’s getting right now. She’s not like the others, Junmyeon. She’s been trying to keep the other hunters away. She’s known that I’m a wolf and she knows that she’s my mate and she accepts me anyway.” He reached down and caressed your cheek with his thumb, you naturally leaning into his touch.

“I’m sorry, Luhan,” Junmyeon sighed. “I understand where you’re coming from, but she still admitted to being the one who shot Minseok. We can’t just let her go on your word. However,” he glanced at Kris before continuing, “we won’t harm her. She’ll stay out here, with you watching over her. At least until we can figure out where to go from here. Can you live with that?”

Luhan looked down at you. He hated the idea of you having to stay tied up like this. You weren’t going to hurt anyone, but there wasn’t much Luhan could do. And Junmyeon was giving him the option to watch over you, which he would have done anyway, instead someone else who might not be able to control their anger.

“I’ll be fine,” you insisted.

Still not liking it, Luhan gave in anyway. “Okay.”

Junmyeon nodded. “I’ll be back with some new clothes for you. Everyone else in the house. No one is allowed near the garage without my express permission.”

A few of his brothers grumbled under their breaths, but at least they all shuffled out of there without further protest or fighting. As soon as you were alone, Luhan took your face in his hands, inspecting nearly every inch of you.

“I’m fine,” you told him, your normal level of defiance back in full swing. But you weren’t completely without marks. Long, finger-like bruises decorated your neck.

With a shaky hand, Luhan pressed against the purple marks, making you flinch. “Who did this?”

“Well, technically, I did break into his office.” Your roundabout way of giving him the answer almost made him laugh, but this was no joking occasion.

Pushing himself up, Luhan said, “I’ll go get you some ice for that.”

“Don’t bother. It won’t do any good at this point.” You grunted a few times, wiggling your shoulders back and forth before bringing your now untied hands to your lap. The rope was tossed to the side and you rubbed your wrists that were bright red from the homemade handcuffs.

Luhan dropped his jaw in amazement. “Were you able to do that the whole time?”

You smirked. “Of course. I didn’t just learn how to shoot a bow. Self-preservation and escape are typically on the curriculum for hunters-in-training.”

Now finally calm ever since he learned that you were here, Luhan dropped to his knees and pulled you into his chest. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would have done if something would have happened to you.”

“I’ll always be okay,” you promised. It was an impossible promise to make, but you still said it, so he was going to hold you to that.

**

After Luhan was satisfied that you really were fine and mostly unscathed, Junmyeon came back with the clothes he promised. The alpha didn’t bat an eye at the fact you were no longer tied up, simply shaking his head before leaving you two alone again. It was another few hours before one of the mates – Jiyoung, you were sure – brought you each a tray holding a bowl of soup and some buttered bread. You didn’t eat much of your own, only taking bites at Luhan’s insistence.

Soon, both of you became drowsy and ready for sleep. Your body was exhausted, pleading for a little rest. Luhan found some slightly dusty blankets hidden in a storage bin and laid them out on floor in a makeshift bed. Once you were comfortable, he took the spot beside you and pulled you in close. It didn’t take long for both of you to drift off.

Your sleep didn’t last very long before you were roughly shaken awake. With a gasp you sat up, ready to attack as a fist went flying out.

“I guess now I know why you were always so defensive when I woke you up.”

Rubbing your eyes, you blinked away the tiredness until your eyes concentrated on Innie kneeling down in front of you. Behind her was Kita and Jiyoung, who kept glancing at the door nervously.

“What’s going on?” you asked cautiously.

“We’re getting you out of here, duh.” Innie grabbed you by your arm pulled you up to your feet. A small growl rumbled in Luhan’s chest as his arm that had been draped over your hips fell to the floor, but besides that he didn’t move.

You frowned. “That’s weird.” You were sure he would have woken up from that, especially with him being on such high alert.

“Actually, we kind of drugged everyone,” Kita confessed. At your shock expression, she explained, “We crushed up sleeping pills and put them in the soup. Except for yours and ours.”

That was… impressive. “And they think I’m diabolical.”

“We don’t have time for this,” Innie groaned. “Come on. You can take my car. Kris is still pissed and, honestly, so are a lot of the guys. Besides, I think there’s something else you need to do.” She gave you a very pointed look that you knew all too well. That was the thing you loved most about your cousin. The two of you could read each other’s minds and she was quick to put things together. Yes, you probably needed to give the wolves some room to calm down about you being Luhan’s mate before one of them accidentally killed you, but there was something else that needed your attention even more: your family.

Giving Luhan a quick kiss on the cheek, you whispered a goodbye to him before tearing yourself away and following the others out.

“So, what’s your plan?” Innie asked as she handed over the keys.

“Get back to the compound, convince them that the book never existed and then destroy all the files on this place.” Much easier said than done. “They don’t know anything about you guys save for that there’s a pack here. If I can erase those files, they might not remember the exact location or name of this place.” As farfetched as it sounded, it’d actually happened once before, on accident. The techs couldn’t retrieve the information and they weren’t ever able to remember the name of the town they thought might be hiding wolves. Sometimes, the organization relied a little too heavily on technology. “Or, if I can’t do that, I’ll just change the crucial information.”

“Okay, then,” she nodded. “You’d better get going before everyone wakes up. I’ll deal with the fallout.”

You laughed at her brash way of thinking. “You’re insane, you know that?”

Innie raised an eyebrow at you. “Runs in the family.”

Not knowing when you would see her again, you pulled your cousin into a bone crushing hug. She returned the embrace with equal force. As much as you didn’t want to, you let go. Opening the car door, you looked to the others who’d aided in your escape. “Thank you.”

They nodded back in reply.

You didn’t want to leave. Even on the floor of that garage, you felt at home. Because you were with Luhan. Given a little time, you knew that the others… well, maybe not have warmed up to you, but would have eventually tolerated your presence. Leaving the life of a hunter behind would have been easy for you. Even though you were behind the wheel and the engine was running, you couldn’t bring yourself to close the door.

“It’s okay to go for now,” Innie whispered as she bent down. “He’ll understand.”

You swallowed back the tears that were threatening to surface. “Will he, though? What if I don’t come back?”  Would there be a way to return without alerting your family and bringing the hunters down on the pack? You didn’t know if it was possible.

“But you have to. What about Luhan?”

“That might be exactly why I can’t. If that means protecting him and the rest of you, I might not be able to come back. I can’t risk leading them here. Besides-” You stopped, unable to let yourself travel down that road.

It took Innie a second to realize where else your thoughts were going. “What will they do to you?”

You shrugged. “Probably just lock me up. Or shun me. One of the two.”

It was lie. Complete and utter bullshit. But you let Innie believe that, finally closing the door and driving away from the isolated house.

Being locked up would be the merciful thing for them to do to you. Because you weren’t just asking to walk away from the organization because you simply decided that this life wasn’t for you.

No. No, in their eyes, you’ve committed treason. The ultimate betrayal against mankind by associating with the enemy. It didn’t matter that you were a wolf’s mate. Because of who you were – because you were one of them, the hunters – you doubt you’d be shown the same kindness.

It didn’t matter, you told yourself over and over again. You just needed enough time to keep the pack safe, then… then they could with you what they wanted.

[dkronpa]

Chapter 3: Journey to Despair, Grave Secrets, Grave Lies ~Daily Life Part 1~

THE LONG AWAITED CHAPTER 3 BEGINS

My bad for it taking so long I had a bad case of writers block half-way through but I have the whole plot for this chapter totally ironed out now. I’ll write as often as possible and hopefully I won’t leave you guys hanging like that again

Enjoy~

-Chapter 3 Daily Life: Dream Sequence-

 It’s cold. Really cold. Winter, I think. No snow but the wind is biting at my skin. I’m staring at a car.

 No, I’m staring at what’s under the car. The blood coming from underneath and the hand stretching from underneath. There’s someone crying nearby. Where am I again? What am I doing?

 Why didn’t I do anything? Why? Why?

 Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy-

 -Chapter 3 Daily Life: Ryuu’s Room-

 “Ugh!” I jolted up in a cold sweat. What was that? A dream? No…a memory? But surely something like that would be easy to recall, but I don’t remember that kind of event at all…it must have been a dream. “Y-yeah, a dream.”

 I let out a shaky sigh and grabbed my E-Handbook. It was close to Monokuma’s morning announcement, so I may as well get ready.

 …but should I even bother? After what happened yesterday…we could all be out of the killing game by now if I hadn’t spoken like that. It’s my fault we’re all still in the killing game…Hachi-san killed Irunami-san so we could all escape and I made both of their deaths in vain.

 Even so…I should try my best to show face, shouldn’t I? Come on Ryuu. Pull yourself together.

 -Chapter 3 Daily Life: Short numbered-

 By the time I got to the cafeteria, I expected everybody else to be already eating breakfast though when I entered the room, there were a few people missing from the group. “Huh…? Is this everyone that showed up?” I asked everyone present.

 “Shinko and Yokozawa said the same thing, they don’t feel like they can trust anybody here. So, they’ve locked themselves in their rooms and are refusing to leave. They’ll probably leave later to get food; they can’t stay in there forever.” Sly-san answered.

 “Hmm? You went to check on them?” Asano-san inquired.

 “We need to keep track of the group in this situation. Don’t read into it when it’s nothing deep.” Sly-san said.

 “Graves-san isn’t here either…” Ram-san noted.

 “I met her in the hallway earlier. She said she was going to keep her distance for a while. Doesn’t know who to trust anymore.” Kurohiko-san answered. This group really broke up after last night. And with those three not present right now…it really feels empty in here than how it used to be…

 “Oi, Nagata. Did you sleep alright? You look exhausted.” Okanaya-san looked at me with worry. I instinctively touched the dark circles under my eyes. Ram-san looked over with concern as well.

 “It’s nothing. Bad dream is all, woke me up early.” I murmured.

 “One bad dream is not such a terrible thing, Nagata-sama. After all, it is better to get your bad dreams out of the way so that your eternal dream will be an enjoyable one.” Ishikawa-san smiled.

 “Jesus, do you ever talk about something less terrifying? You realise what situation we’re in, right? We don’t wanna hear you talk about death all the fuckin’ time.” Okanaya-san snarled.

 “I was not attempting to make anyone uncomfortable.” Ishikawa-san replied.

 “Well you are, so shut up already.”

 “Okanaya, that’s enough.” Sly-san said. Okanaya-san grumbled under his breath but dropped it. This group is starting to show cracks. Today it may only be three people that don’t show up, but what about tomorrow? What about the day after that? Will I even live long enough to see the day after tomorrow? What am I supposed to do-

 “N-Nagata-kun…” Ram-san put her hand on mine.

 “Sorry. I’m fine.” I lied with my best fake smile. I’m not sure if she believed it or not but Ram-san nodded slowly not letting her concern disappear from her expression. I wonder if anyone’s stealing glances at me? Do they hate me?

 “Geez, what’s with the tension in here? So gloomy, it’s like you guys lost your chance at something suuuuper important.” Monokuma said, doing his stupid sudden appearance shtick. I’m over it. “…not even a yell from the pansy? Alright then. I was gonna wait until everyone gathered to tell you, but it seems like this is about as good as it’ll get.”

 “Let me guess. Another building has opened up?” Sly-san said.

 “W…wow, you aren’t just gonna let me have my moment, huh…?” Monokuma looked down with a sad expression. “Yeah…you got a new building. Feel free to explore it at your own discretion. Or don’t. Doubt you’ll find anything useful there anyway.” Monokuma shrugged before disappearing again.

 “Eh? Why did he say that? About not finding anything useful there…?” Kurohiko-san asked.

 “Probably because we won’t find anything useful.” Sly-san said.

 “Or he is using reverse psychology in order to compel us all to investigate the new building. I feel as though that is a much more plausible answer. What shall we do?” Ishikawa-san said.

 “It’s probably for the best that we investigate. The more we learn about this place, the better. Shall we all head over?” Kurosaki-san asked.

 “Will you be included in that group? If so, I’ll pass.” Sly-san folded his arms and leaned back into his seat.

 “I suppose it’s just the rest of us then! Have fun, Herr Knives!” Kurosaki-san smiled and gave Sly-san’s back a firm slap as he walked past him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone get so angry that quickly.

 “Don’t touch me so damn casually!” Sly-san yelled. There was a moment of shock seeing as he’d never lost his cool before. Though he regained his composure just as quickly as he lost it. “…if you start pushing everybody’s buttons then you’ll just end up dead.”

 “O-oi, Sly! No need to say stuff like that! I get your pissed, but…” Okanaya-san said warily. Sly-san crossed his arms and looked around the room.

 “If you all want to be around that then be my guest. Just don’t cause any trouble for me.” Sly-san stood up and made his way for the door.

 “Sly-sama, please wait-“ Ishikawa-san attempted to call out to him but he was already out the door by the time she found her voice. Even Sly-san is distancing himself from the group. Even though we said we’d all work together at the start of all this!

 “Ah…that’s a shame.” Kurosaki-san murmured. “Shall we? We should investigate the building now.” He made his way for the door. There was this lost look in his eyes as if a difficult thought was stuck in his mind.

 “I don’t think I’m ever going to understand what goes on in his head.” I said to nobody in particular. Ram-san gave me a look of concern, though she understood what I mean. I’m sure of it.

 -Chapter 3 Daily Life: History has its eyes on you-

 I walked to the building next to the Leisure building with Ram-san and Okanaya-san. To say the building exteriors differed would be an understatement. In contrast to the leisure building which appeared more like a fancy gym, this building was designed to appear like a medieval castle with four spires at each corner of the building and iron bars on the windows instead of glass and curtains.

 The only part of the building that seemed out of place with the rest of it was the front door. A card reader was attached to the wall next to a glass sliding door that had no handle for us to open it with. “A card reader to get into the building? How come the other buildings don’t have this?” Okanaya-san asked.

 “Are you wondering about my design choices?” Monokuma suddenly appeared next to us, me and Ram-san jumping slightly. “It’s a card reader, just use your E-handbook on it already!”

 “But why is it only on this building?” Okanaya-san asked again.

 “I like to give a unique thing to each of my buildings! The dorms are underground, the leisure building had the massive ventilation system…and this! The history building has a card reader to get in and out of it!”

 “History building?” Ram-san repeated.

 “Yep yep! This building has got all kinds of good stuff! There’s an archive filled to the brim with cool books to read! There are many exhibits throughout the floors for you to check out too! I’m sure nerds like Nagata will enjoy it!”

 “H-hey!” I protested.

 “Anyway, you guys get the gist, right? You gotta use your E-handbook to get in and out of the building! So…I’ll see ya later!” And with that, he was gone.

 Okanaya-san sighed and pulled out his E-Handbook. “What a pain in the ass. This is so unnecessary.” He held his E-Handbook up to the card reader. The LED light above the reader went from blue to green and the door slid open.

 The three of us walked in to be greeted by the discomforting atmosphere. The hallways were dimly lit by the fires of torches decorating the walls. I know Monokuma likes his themes, but this is way too much.

 “Should we look for those exhibits that Monokuma mentioned?” Okanaya-san asked. Ram-san and I silently agreed and began making our way through the hallway of the building. I stuck close to Okanaya-san, as did Ram-san, though she was holding onto his sleeve and looking around nervously at the walls. There were odd red stains here and there decorating the stone…I didn’t want to think about it.

 We entered the room at the very end of the hallway to find it decorated with displays of different weapons across the walls and in glass cases. It reminded me of a museum with how it was laid out. The head of Graves-san popped out from behind one of the displays and grinned widely at us.

 “Yo, dudes! Can you believe this place?! How cool is all this?!” She cheered brightly. “I dunno how Monokuma managed to do all this. Some of these weapons are can’t get acquired by the public and some I’ve only seen drawings of. I never thought I’d get to see these kinds of old weapons for myself!”

 “If that’s all true then I really worry about Monokuma’s sources.” I murmured.

 “Ah…like whoever’s running this killing game? Someone rich, for sure. They’d need billions if they wanted to set something like this up. Not to mention actually constructing this area for us to play in…”

 “Play?” Okanaya-san repeated.

 “Well, duh! You ‘play’ a game, right? Even if it’s a killing game, it’s a game, nonetheless. So, we’re the players and we’re playing…right?” Graves-san spoke so casually about it that it actually threw me off a little. I suppose she’s in the same boat as Sly-san and Kurosaki-san. They all seem to have been through a lot to get to this point, so I shouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t so easily phased by the situation.

 “Either way, the real problem is knowing who had the ability to set it up.” I jumped a little when Yokozawa-san spoke. How long had he been there?! He clearly noticed my surprise and formed a look of irritation. “Pay attention to your surroundings. I’ve been here the whole time.”

 “Oh yeah! I totally forgot I followed you here!” Graves-san said.

 “I don’t blame you. I don’t stand out, so it’s not like I’m worth remembering.” Yokozawa-san threw his arms up as if he were joking though I’m pretty sure he was being serious…

 “Yokozawa-kun, we heard you weren’t going to be leaving your room anymore. Why are you out here? In fact, we heard you were going to keep your distance from us too, Graves-san!” Ram-san asked.

 “It’s a new area. Even if I don’t wanna get involved with all of you, I should still investigate as new areas open up to us. Never know when we might find a hint about our situation. Unfortunately, I got spotted by Graves-san and now I can’t seem to shake her off.”

 “Hey now! I know you appreciate the company! It can’t be too fun being alone all the time. Plus I have the same reasons for being here as Junpei, so I thought it made sense to go about with him.” Graves-san said.

 “Speak for yourself. I don’t mind being by myself, in this situation, it’ll probably be better for my health if I keep my distance.” Yokozawa-san replied. “You’re all trouble for me…keep out of my way, alright? I don’t wanna end up like the others.” The blogger shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and strolled out of the room.

 “Hmm…he’s definitely lonely.” Graves-san nodded slowly.

 “You can tell?” Ram-san asked.

 Graves-san seem to take her time deciding her reply, “I guess…I used to be pretty lonely.” She muttered.

 -Chapter 3 Daily Life: Fields of Knowledge-

 We made our way up to the second floor and made our ways to the room marked with a book on the ElectroID maps. It was easy to predict that when we entered that the room in question was going to be a library, tall walls filled to the bring with books almost like an archive that was started as far back as the stone ages.

 “Th-this is incredible…! Did Monokuma prepare this for us?” Ram-san asked, taking in the view.

 “So many books…I guess we at least have something to occupy our time with. Though I’d rather find a clue to a way out of here.” I said. It was an impressive collection though; I couldn’t deny it.

 “These are all most likely history books if this is the history building…even so, I want to have a look around and see if we can find anything useful.” Ram-san said.

 “Good idea! Alright, Nagata, you take the centre part, I’ll take the left! Ram, we’ll trust you with the right side of the room!” Okanaya-san ordered out his instructions and without waiting for a response, ran off into the shelves of books.

 “At least he’s always prepared to work.” Ram-san said before walking to the other side. I walked down the centre aisle of books. They were categorised by subject. Middle Ages. Roman Empire. Medical Studies. Even some 20th century crime novels. Even if Monokuma placed these here to give us ideas for murder, I still might read them at some point.

 As I was nearing the end of the line of bookshelves, I felt myself step on something. Moving my foot out of the way revealed a polaroid photo laying on the middle of the floor.

 “Wh…what the heck…?” I murmured as I picked it up. The photo showed Kibe-san, Hachi-san and Irunami-san all sat in a line together holding up peace signs to the camera, a large window with the sun shining in was in the background and in the corner of shot I could make out what seemed to be a classroom desk.

 What the hell is this…? Did those three know each other before we came here? No, I’m sure Irunami-san would have mentioned knowing those two before coming here.

 “Whoops!” Monokuma suddenly dropped down from atop the shelves. “Can’t believe I left this lying around, silly me!”

 “E-eh? This belongs to you?”

 “Umm…in a sense! A-anyway, give it back!” Monokuma quickly snatched the photo away. “Memories are important, you know! I wanna keep this one, so stop being so selfish!” Without making any sense, he jumped atop the shelves once more, most likely disappearing as he always does.

 What was with that photo? The way Monokuma talked about it…is it a real photo? Not faked? A memory…

 “Oi, Nagata!” I snapped back up and saw Okanaya-san waving at me from the end of the line of bookshelves. “What’re you standing around for?! Come on!” Whatever that was…I have a bad feeling about its implications…

 -Chapter 3 Daily Life: Report back!-

 We all sat down in the cafeteria. Or…all those that were still coming here. “Ah…we’re really short on people now…” Kurohiko-san commented.

 “It can’t be helped. Plus without Tomoe-chan, we don’t have anybody here to give us maps to visualise our new locations…it sucks.” Amaterasu-san said.

 “If it sucks so much, try to show it, will you?” Kurohiko-san sighed.

 “If I may take the lead for our reports, please?” Asano-san waited to hear if there were any objections. “N…no? G-good. Shall we discuss our findings on the history building…? Myself, Kurohiko-kun, and Amaterasu-san all worked together when investigating however we could not find any such clue as to how we can escape.”

 “So, the usual.” Okanaya-san sighed.

 “That doesn’t mean there wasn’t cool stuff to see! On the first floor this had this amazing display of different weapons from across the ages! I’ve never seen anything like it! I love the history of weaponry!” Graves-san said cheerfully.

 “E-even though that was all put together so it would be easier for us to kill each other…?” Ram-san said.

 “Weapons can still be interesting, even if they aren’t being used.” Graves-san replied.

 “It’s definitely less jarring than the torture room on the third floor. Filled with different kinds of instruments of torture. Iron maidens, stretchers, pliers, saws…it’s nasty.” Amaterasu-san said in her usual monotonous voice.

 “T-torture stuff…?” Graves-san gasped. “I can’t believe I never went to check it out! I’ll need to rectify this mistake as soon as possible! The stretcher is one of my favourite torture devices, it should have been used in a Saw movie, for sure! I’ll take Junpei to see it!”

 “Something tells me Yokozawa-sama would most likely decline that offer.” Ishikawa-san said with a giggle. “It is clear Monokuma-sama is far more direct now about wanting us to kill each other if he’s put all of that together. He also gave us supplies to make murder easier to commit.”

 “What do you mean? There’s more?” Kurohiko-san paled a little. “G-geez…isn’t there already enough…”

 “A room also on the third floor contains things such as special poisons, common things people are allergic, trip wires, chemicals, and far more.” Ishikawa-san explained. She was silent for a moment before pursing her lips, “I…feel as though we should steer clear of that building at all costs. It is far too dangerous to go near…”

 “Oh…? I’m afraid I can’t agree to that. After all, that library is far too important to stay away from.” Kurosaki-san said. He was being unusually quiet this whole time, it was a little unnerving. “That library has a lot of valuable information if you know where to look. I plan on studying the contents there further afterwards…but I feel as though a clue to our situation is hiding in there. Somewhere in those books.”

 The photo Monokuma snatched away from me came to mind. I could say something right now, but if I do…would that have good consequences? People might suspect the people in the photo are suspicious. But we all saw their bodies…

 Kurosaki-san’s eyes flicked towards me. Does he know what I’m thinking? Do I look suspicious? How does he always seem like he knows what’s going on…?

 “Very well, the library may be okay…but perhaps we can board up the other rooms? We should at least take some defensive procedures.” Ishikawa-san said.

 “You think Monokuma would allow something like that? Don’t be an idiot. He’d change the rules in a heartbeat so that we aren’t allowed to block the entrances to the rooms in any of the buildings.” Kurosaki-san argued.

 “He has a point. Monokuma’s goal is to kill all of us. No way he’d let us block our own access to the weapons.” Amaterasu-san said. Ishikawa-san fiddled with the sleeve of her dress and silently conceded defeat.

 “If that’s all, are we done here? I plan on heading back into the library and continuing my studies…” Kurosaki-san stood up and made his way for the door. His hand resting on the door-handle, he looked back at the group, giving me a once over in particular. “We all have things we’re hiding…I wonder who’s hiding the fact that they’re the reason we’re here.” And with that, he left.

 “What a prick. It would so much easier if he was one of the ones who died.” Okanaya-san cursed.

 “Okanaya-kun, you can’t say something like that!” Ram-san puffed her cheeks out and glared at Okanaya-san. The tour guide took a moment staring at Ram-san’s face before letting out a sigh. Something about that expression seemed to stop him from arguing. “…ah, sorry, I just yelled at you like that!”

 “No, it’s fine. You’re right…my bad.”

 “…can I ask you guys something?” Kurohiko-san spoke.

 “Is something wrong?” Ishikawa-san said.

 “…if I’m honest, a lot is wrong. We’re falling apart as a group. Four of us are keeping their distance…Kurosaki-san…he just gives me a bad energy…I don’t know what to think anymore…”

 “Kurohiko-kun, that is not the attitude to have.” Asano-san said. “I will concede that our position as a group is less than ideal but if we act like that then our situation will never improve. For now, we should give those people space to collect their thoughts before we try to ask them to re-join us in our routine.”

 “…if you say so…” Kurohiko-san nodded.

 “You guys are something else.”- Graves-san folded her arms –“I only came here to see what everyone had to report…but now I just don’t understand you all even more. So frustrating…”

 “Graves-san?” I said cautiously.

 “…oh well. Nothing I can do about it.” She shrugged, making her way for the exit. Guess it was going to take more to get her to come back into the group properly.

 “She has a darkness inside her, do you not think? Right now, I would say Graves-sama is our biggest worry.” Ishikawa-san said.

 “She’s a secret agent. Other than Sly-chan, Karma-chan is the one who’ll have the easiest time killing someone. Scary.” Amaterasu-san added. Yeah…scary.

 -Chapter 3 Daily Life, The Cards in your deck-

 The usual. We stood in the gymnasium after Monokuma made his announcement. Even those who were keeping their distance had turned up, though clearly not happy about the situation. Shinko-san was angrily tapping a rhythm with his shoe.

 “That motherfucker barely even waits before giving us a motive. I’m sick a’ this shit!” He growled.

 “Shinko-sama, do not give into those emotions of yours. Us 12 have been able to resist the past two motives. I am sure we will all be able to do it again. If we have faith in each other and work together, we will prevail.” Ishikawa-san reassured.

 “God, that way you talk pisses me off. You can spout the same fuckin’ speech all you want, but if there’s a motive, someone will give into it. It’s just how it goes.” Shinko-san replied. Ishikawa-san pursed her lips and glared at Shinko-san. An unusual thing for Ishikawa-san to do but I suppose Shinko-san and Ishikawa-san have always been like oil and water…

 “Yikes! Such a thick juicy tension! Can I get a bite?” Monokuma laughed into his paws. “I’m kidding of course! Tension is way too full of calories for a bear of my size!”

 “Can you just quit with the jokes? They don’t even make sense now.” Amaterasu-san said.

 “Not my fault you stoic chicks don’t get humour.” Monokuma shrugged. “Anyway, guess what time it is, kids! Motive time! And for todays motive…” Monokuma produced a set of cards. Each with the name of one of us written on the front.

 “Ah…didn’t we already do something like this?” Graves-san asked.

 “No! This is different! Just take it!” Monokuma handed out the cards to the corresponding student. I opened mine up to find a list of names…a list of familiar names. The names of my parents, my siblings, and one or two of my close friends.

 “Oh…? It’s laid out like a polling card.” Ishikawa-san pointed out.

 “It sure is! Because this motive is a game of choice! You each have a list of the people who are closest to you on the outside world, your job is tick one of those names as a sacrifice!”

 “…sacrifice?” Sly-san’s expression clouded over in an instant. “That better be a joke.”

 “Huh? Why would I joke? In 48 hours, you gotta have a name ticked on that card! If you don’t pick somebody…everybody on that card is gonna be sacrificed instead! And, well…you know the method in which you can prevent it from happening, right? It’s pretty obvious how to save everyone on that list.”

 “E-everyone…?” I felt my hands begin to tremble. My family…? My friends…? One of them…or all of them…?

 “Hey. I said that you better be joking.” Sly-san stepped forward.

 “H-hey, Sly-kun…” Yokozawa-san warily.

 “What.” Sly-san spun around, glaring at Yokozawa-san who stepped back from Sly-san’s glare. “Monokuma-“ He turned back to find the bear gone. “…dammit.” He clicked his tongue.

 “H…how the hell am I supposed to pick…? H-how can I pick…?” Kurohiko-san whimpered.

 “If you don’t know who you’re gonna pick, don’t pick. Simple as that.” Graves-san said. “I dunno if I’ll pick. Would I be fair to pick one person over the other…?”

 “I can’t allow that…I can’t allow her to get hurt…” Sly-san murmured. “I won’t let her die. I’ll do what it takes…”

 “Oh-ho? Herr Knives is getting so riled up! How unlike you!” Kurosaki-san smirked.

 “If you’re gonna kill, try and kill me! I’ll give you a real good fight!” Graves-san said.

 “D-don’t just say stuff like that, no way Sly-san would kill, r-r-right?!” Kurohiko-san panicked.

 “I’ll kill anyone if I need to. I have no issues with killing any of you-“

 “Enough!” A hush fell across the room, Asano-san held her arm in the air to grab everyone’s attention. Her arm was trembling a little with everybody’s eyes on her. “…w…we cannot fight like this. It is exactly what Monokuma-kun wants us to do. I’m sure there is a way out of this without killing anyone…we have 48 hours to figure something out so please do not be so irrational…please. I am sorry.”

 “Haven’t you learned yet? There isn’t an alternative. Unless someone dies every single person on these lists is in danger.” Shinko-san said.

 “I choose to believe otherwise.”

 “Then you’re an idiot. Faith like that will get you killed.” Shinko-san shook his head. “…I don’t need this. I’m going back to my room.”

 “Shinko-kun, wait!” Ram-san tried but he ignored her call for him and left the gymnasium, Sly-san and Yokozawa-san leaving silently afterwards.

 Ram-san forced a small smile, “U-um…maybe we should cool off for the day…h-how about we all go to the pool or have tea-“

 “No!” Ishikawa-san suddenly yelled, “I…no! I won’t…” She mumbled to herself before shaking her head and powerwalking of the room.

 “E-even Ishikawa-san…I am sorry, I thought maybe I could help…” Asano-san sighed. “It seems my decisions are not helpful-“

 “H-hey now, don’t say that. Even if things don’t work out the way you thought they would, doesn’t mean it’s your fault. Those guys are all really scared…I am too, b-but hearing you trying to be optimistic helped me a little…s-so, um…wh-what’s my point again? I can’t even remember…heh…” Kurohiko-san rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

 “Yeah. Good work, Mami-chan.” Amaterasu-san added.

 “O-oh…th-thank you, both of you.” She bowed slightly. I noticed in the corner on my eye that Ram-san was staring at Asano-san with awe.

“Asano-san…is really impressive, isn’t she? Even though she was taught to do what others said…she had the courage to speak up like that when someone needed to say something. Hey, Nagata-kun, isn’t Asano-san cool?” She smiled up at me.

 “…yeah, she is.” I nodded. I think I wanted to be able to do what Asano-san just did.

[shinydixon]

I owe you one - Raphael x Reader [TMNT - Bayverse]

This is my first fic about TMNT’s fandom (BAYVERSE).

If you like it and wanna be added on the taglist just let me know :3

NOTE: Every character is an adult

WARNING: MENTION OF SEX

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE SO,SORRY FOR EVENTUAL MISTAKES.

You couldn’t believe how someone like you got together with someone like Raphael.

And no, it’s not because you are an human and his a mutant ninja turtle, but because you two are completely different from one another.

First of all, you’re such a nerd, always with your nose behind a book, studying or reading for your own pleasure, while Raphael has a vivacious personality, always ready to do some work-out, trying to involving you, but since you are as lazy as a sloth, he had to pick you up and bring you into the gym area of his lair.

Someone like you could’ve end up with someone like Donnie, but since the first time your long-time friend April introduced you to the guys, something special born between you and Raph.

So here you are, reading one of your favourite book,  Moby Dick, while waiting for your boyfriend to finish his work-out.

You were too engaged with that book that you didn’t notice Raphael calling you.

Suddenly someone snatched the book from your hand.

“Hey!”

“Sorry princess, but you weren’t paying attention …besides how could you read something like this, it looks boring”

You had to stifled a giggle, seeing Raph holding the book upside-down.

“First of all, a book about a giant while whale isn’t boring at all, secondly, you’re holding it wrong”.

You could swear he blushed, letting the book fall on the couch he moved his gaze away from you.

“I know”.

Giggling you got up from the couch and hugged him.

Being between his arms was like being in heaven, you loved being surrounded by him, and the fact that he was so much taller and big than you, made you feel safe.

“Are you gonna stay the night?”

Looking up into his green eyes, you shake your head no.

“Sorry babe, tomorrow I have to go to work, it’s better I sleep at my place tonight”

Nodding, Raph buried his face into your neck, you could feel him grinning.

“You’re right, it’s not like you would have that much time to sleep if you stayed here”

Laughing you jokingly slapped his chest, while he started to tickle you.

You’re so gonna miss him tonight.

 You worked at the city museum as a tour guide, and as much as you like your work, you couldn’t stand when you had to speak to noisy students who didn’t pay attention to a word you said.

Days like that drain your energy, and today was one of those days.

After the last group of tourists and students left the museum, you were sitting on one of the benches outside the museum, massaging your temples.

You heard the notification ringtone of your smartphone.

You smiled, seeing who had texted you.

Raph🍕❤: Gonna come? If you know what I mean 😏

You culdn’t help but giggle, he was an idiot.

You wanted to see him, and do the most nasty things you could think, but you were too tired and the need to crush the bed won over the need to spend some time with your boyfriend.

You: Sorry babe,  I’m exhausted, need to sleep ASAP 😴

You didn’t need to wait long for his answer.

Raph🍕❤: Got it! Good night babe, love ya ❤

 Suddenly you felt something touching your shoulder.

Jumping you looked up, seeing Phil, a fellow tourist guide at the museum.

He was so sweet and kind, and you felt so bad refusing to go on a date with him, but you know, the heart goes where it goes, and in this case, it belongs to a big, muscolar ninja turtle.

“Phil, you scared me!”

“Sorry (Y/n), it wasn’t my intention at all.. I just see you all alone and wandered if you were okay”

“Yeah, just tired…I was going to go at home”

“Then let me go with you, we have to go in the same direction, after all”

Usually you would’ve refuse, but you didn’t have any strength left in your body, you just wanted to sleep, so, with a tired smile, you nodded and the both of you walked toward your apartment building.

 Your apartment was at 25 minutes from your workplace, so it wasn’t that far, but your head was exploding listening to Phil.

He was boring as fuck.

You were at your limit and about to tell him to shut the fuck up, when the noise of something heavy falling from above you, and landing right behind you, made the both of you stop.

You couldn’t see what that was, except its outline and was something big and tall.

“Aren’t you tired of listening to yourself?”

You had to stifle a giggle.

You recognize the voice…well, you recognize his “batman” voice.

Meanwhile Phil was paralyzed.

“Go away before I crush you”

He didn’t have to tell twice, Phil run away at the speed of  light, while you could finally let out a laugh.

Finally, your savior came out from the shadow.

Finally recognizing those green eyes behind the red mask, you run to him, being enveloped into a tight embrace.

“Thank you Raph, I owe you one”

Raphael moved his big hands from your waist to your shoulders, moving you at arms length.

“Who was that guy anyway?”

Noticing the frown on his face, you couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t tell me you’re jealous”

“Answer me woman!”

“ALL RIGHT! Just a boring colleague from work”

Moving your hands toward his face, you caress him delicately.

“What are you doing here anyway? “

“I wanted to see if you were alright, then I saw you with that guy and I thought you were tired of me”

At that, you bring him down to you, so you could kiss his lips.

“Don’t ever think something stupid like that anymore! You know that I am yours and yours only”.

Raphael’s expression changed in the blink of an eye.

Noticing his grin, you knew he was plotting something.

Suddenly, he left you up on his shoulder, and giving a playful slap on your butt, he started to climb and jumping around toward his lair.

“Raph what are you doing?! Put me down! I wanna go to sleep!”

“ Oh sweetheart, you’re gonna sleep… later”

Gasping you tried to object but he silenced you with another slap.

“You said yourself, you owe me one”.

TMNT TAGLIST: @cinnamon-and-mey @dragonfairy1030

[imaginemedreamingstuff]

Sneaking Out || Dan Howell

A/N: Another request! yeahy! i didn’t expect this to get so long but it somehow did? I guess I just really liked the idea 

Word Count: 2.1K

POV: Reader

MASTERLIST

“Run!” Dan shouted as he came sprinting towards me. He took me by my arm and dragged me along with him. I didn’t know who or what we were running from I just followed my boyfriend’s commands.  

He seemed to be in a real hurry and kept hectically looking back over his shoulder to check if anybody was following us. Luckily the school corridor was empty since most people were in the cafeteria for lunch break.

“Dan?! Why exactly are we doing this again?” shouted at him after we had taken at least 3 turns and ended up in another empty hallway that lead to our school’s gym.

Dan slowed down his pace until we finally came to a halt. I held my left side that hurt every time I gasped for air. As soon as he had caught his breath, Dan started to mischievously grin at me from ear to ear.

“What…?” I asked, shaking my head while smiling at him. I had seen that exact grin before and let me tell you, I already knew that this certainly meant nothing good.

“There might have been a little uhhhh… ‘paint explosion’ in the cafeteria.” Dan explained, searching for the right words to explain his newest prank.

He started laughing loudly at the thought of it.

“You should have seen it” Dan added as he wiped away tears of joy.

“No way! Oh my god, Dan.”

I didn’t know whether I should laugh, be impressed or scold him. So I just giggled and shook my head at him.

Dan was known for being the prankster of our school. Now that he was a senior and knew that he would leave soon anyway, there was nothing that could hold him back. He talked back to his teachers, told his best jokes and even managed to paint everyone in the cafeteria all colours of the rainbow.

“I’m gonna be in so much trouble if they catch me.” Dan said, still with a smirk on his face.

“Well that’s for sure, Mr Howell.”

I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I slowly turned around. It was the deep voice of our headmaster Mr Travis who was approaching us with a stern and angry look on his face.

“Mr Howell, Miss Y/L/N, my office. NOW!”

I shot Dan a nervous look as we followed the elder man to his office and sat down in front of his big desk.

Before Mr Travis could even say something Dan had already opened his mouth.

“It was all me, Y/N had nothing to do with it.” He nearly shouted.

I was a straight A student and I had never been in trouble before so that didn’t sound too farfetched.

Mr Travis eyed us both intensely.

“Well this may be the first time that I actually believe you, Mr Howell.” He said before he turned his head to look at me.

“Miss Y/L/N I’ll have to call your parents but other than that I can let you off with a warning.” The headmaster explained as his facial expression softened a little bit and I felt myself relax.

Dan on the other hand got a few weeks of detention and was lucky that he didn’t get suspended, but he was used to that. He didn’t seem to mind at all, no he was just happy that I wasn’t punished for something I didn’t even do.

But once I got home there was no use in explaining to my parents that I didn’t do anything. All they cared about was that the headmaster called home and that was apparently the worst thing that could have ever happened.

“We didn’t raise you like this, young lady! Do you even know how disappointed I was when I got that call telling me that you got in trouble?”

I opened my mouth to protest but before I could even say something my dad continued, speaking over me with finality in his voice.

“You’re grounded, Miss. 2 weeks, no phone. Understood?”

I stormed up to my room with my head hanging low and slammed the door shut behind me. Well that was it then.

This was how I would have to spend the next two weeks: getting up, going to school, coming home, spending the day alone in my room, no friends, no going out, no phone. And the worst: no dates with Dan, I’d only be able to see him in school and we didn’t even have a lot of classes together since he was a grade above me.

At least I had plenty of time to do my homework now, right?

‘Oh c’mon Y/N, there’s nothing that can make this sound good.’ I thought to myself as I fell down onto my bed with a sigh.  

“I’m so stupid. This is all my fault, I’m so sorry.” Dan apologised and kissed the top of my head as soon as I told him that I was grounded in school the next day. He seemed to be extremely mad at himself.

“I shouldn’t have dragged you into this, baby.” He said with a pout.

“All we did was go for a run together, as far as I know there’s nothing wrong about that.” I riposted and even laughed a little.

“Your parents suck.” Dan muttered underneath his breath but it was still loud enough for me to hear it.

“Hey!” I started to protest but stopped myself mid-sentence. “Yeah.. you’re kinda right.” I admitted quietly, making Dan laugh and throw his arm around me.

A week into being grounded I was desperately waiting for this horror to end. This was so unfair, I missed hanging out with my friends and doing things besides going to school. But my parents wouldn’t let me go no matter how much I defended myself or complained.

Today was Friday, normally I’d be at Dan’s place for a movie night but since I couldn’t leave the house I just decided to go to bed early for once.

It was around 1 am when I heard a slight tapping sound that woke me up. At first I just switched my sleeping position and tried to fall asleep again, but then it happened again and again.

I groaned as I got out of bed and walked towards my window where the noise was coming from. I pushed the curtain out of the way and to my surprise I saw Dan standing in our garden and his black car in our drive way.

The weird noise I heard was actually him throwing little rocks at the glass. I couldn’t help but smile happily as I yanked the window open.

“What are you doing here?!” I whisper-shouted, as he smirked up at me.

“I’m here to rescue you, baby.”  He answered a little bit too loud, considering the fact that my parents were asleep in the room below mine.

“Psst! I don’t want you to wake up mum and dad.” I warned him.

“I almost forgot, sorry..” Dan apologized, scratching the back of his head.

We kept smiling at each other, glad to be able to see each other again. God, did I miss him.

“So are you coming?” Dan asked with a cheeky grin.

“Wait- what?” I stuttered in confusion.

“We’re going on an adventure! You’ve been locked up in your room for way too long now and I miss my amazing girlfriend.”

His words sounded perfect but I was still unsure. If my parents caught us I would be totally screwed. Dan could tell that I was hesitant.

“C’mon! Live a little.” Dan tried his best not to shout.

I nervously bit my lip before I nodded determinately.

“You’re right!” I agreed and quickly threw on a few clothes over my pyjamas.

I really needed to take more risks, I couldn’t just say no to an adventure just because I was a ‘good girl’. There was a whole life out there that was waiting for me to fully live it.

I tiptoed down the stairs to the front door, trying to make as little noise as possible. It was so awfully quiet that even my breathing sounded loud to me.

When I got outside, Dan was already waiting for me in his car. I quickly hopped in and let go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Oh my god, I’m sneaking out.” I gasped and couldn’t help but giggle at my sudden ‘boldness’.

“It’s so nice to see you again. I’m so proud of you, princess.” Dan whispered and winked shortly before he kissed me as a hello.

He started the engine and slowly made his way out of my drive way and onto the road. It was heavenly to spend some alone time with him again.  

“So… where are we going?” I asked him after we had been driving for a while.

“Anywhere and everywhere.”

After about 20 minutes we had reached the centre of the city. There were lights, neon signs, crowds of people and music sounded from a few bars and clubs. The city was still buzzing with live unlike the little street that I lived in. There were still quite a few people out and about, it was a Friday night after all.

Dan and I decided to go for a little sightseeing trip. We drove to all of the famous spots and tourist attractions our own city could offer. It was weird visiting them at night when there were no tourists around but there was something so unique about it that for a few hours it felt like time had stopped.

Dan I took selfies in front of a big fountain, an odd sculpture that was located in a park, a museum that we had never been to, a skyscraper that looked pretty and even in front of the local football club’s stadium.

We giggled like kids each time we hopped out of the car and took our phones out, just to take a really silly picture of ourselves.

Afterwards we just drove through random streets and even though Dan and I grew up in this city, we still discovered so many places that we had never seen before.

“What about some pizza?” Dan suggested with enthusiasm as he spotted a little pizza shop that was still open.

15 minutes later Dan had driven us up a little hill so we had a nice view of the city from above. There were two pizza cartons balanced on my lap and I handed one to my boyfriend as soon as he had turned off the car engine.

The sight was just purely beautiful and I was overwhelmed by all of the city lights.

One of Dan and I’s favourite CD was playing and the pizza tasted delicious.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I had so much fun.

“Thank you for taking me on this adventure, Dan.” I said once we were both full and just enjoying the view together.

“Anything for you, babygirl.” He said and placed a kiss onto my lips.

I automatically started running my fingers through his brown hair as I felt his hands travelling to my hips.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” Dan whispered against my lips as he pulled me into him more.

Even though he had told me a million times I still blushed.

I carefully climbed onto his lap as he moved his seat back so we had more space between us and the steering wheel.

Dan’s warm breath fanned my neck as he started to lightly suck on my soft skin.

I slowly traced his chest with my hand earning a deep groan of his once my hands had reached his crotch.

“Backseat?” was all he managed to say while his hands roamed my body and he was already pulling on my shirt, eager to take it off…

Dan was the first one to wake up after we had fallen asleep together.

“Y/N... the sun is rising.” He said, tapping my shoulder.

I stared out of the car window and was amazed by the sight. There were pastel colours everywhere and the sun was a deep orange that coloured the city.

“Wow it’s so pretty” I whispered still lying in Dan’s arms.  

“Well it is, but that’s not what I meant. We need to get you home before your parents are up.”

Suddenly I was fully awake again and my eyes widened in shock. We quickly got dressed and headed back home as fast as possible.

Just to be careful Dan parked on the side of the road a few houses down the street and we walked the rest. As I took as quick glance through our kitchen window I could see that my parents were already up and ate breakfast. My heart sank to my knees. This was it, I was totally screwed.

“Shit, what am I gonna do?” I panicked and looked at Dan for help.

“Well…you’re room has a window, right?”

[far-off-flower-fields]

Don’t mind me just find more random questions to answer to distract me until I’m tired enough to sleep.

How many times each morning do you press the snooze button? I don’t usually have to set alarms these days.

What time of day do you like to shower? Night

When you go out to eat, what sides do your order with your food? Usually no sides because I’m not rich and if I have to pick between a side and a dessert I will get dessert.

What do you spend more money than necessary on?  I’m bad with money, toys probably, or clothes. I buy second hand, but I shouldn’t be buying anything that isn’t specifically planned in advance right now since I need to save to move.

What video game or computer game are you best at?  I’m really bad at games, so maybe Sims 4 or something. I like games, I play them when I have the energy, I just really suck.

How do you normally come across new music?  Spotify, sometimes my Fiance.

What do you keep your keys on?  A turtle keyring.

Is your favorite color different than your favorite color to wear? Not really, I wear a lot of pastel colours, and they’re my favourites. Although I also wear neutrals and black if I’m doing a different look since my wardrobe is like 4-in-1 because I’m a million people at once. 

Do you buy books or get them from the library?  I used to read all the time, I’d go to the library and hire like 7 books and go through a book a day. Now I can’t concentrate so I just don’t read. I have several books in my posession that I need to read though if I ever get better.

What section of the food pyramid do you neglect the most?  I say fuck the food pyramid.

Do you check PostSecret weekly?  I have no idea what that even is.

What do you use your stovetop for most?  Sitting things on. Or pasta. I made hokey-pokey the other month though to use up the last of the syrup someone bought.

Do you notice the impact of the economic recession? Yes, I saw so many posts on Gumtree of people having to give up their pets for financial reasons and it was really heart breaking.

Would you enjoy living somewhere where it's sunny all the time? Absolutely not. The sun gives me headaches and migraines. 

What is it that you always seem to lose?  My will to live xD Honestly though I lose like everything because I have to keep my entire life in a single room of my parents house rn.

Have you ever broken any bones?  One, because I couldn’t handle the thought of going to work. I’m more prone to tendon damage.

What is your winter coat like?  Which one? I have a mint green one which is waterproof and fluffy inside, I have a brown duffle coat one that flares out a bit, and I have a grey long coat. I also had to declare bankruptcy.

Do you keep dirty clothes in a hamper, or on the floor?  Both, I have a system.

Which decade's music do you like best?:  I can’t pick. 

Can you focus on studying if there's music on?  Yes, as well as I can really focus in general.

In what types of situations do you demand absolute silence?  When I have a migraine or sensory overload.

Did you do well at fitness testing in grade school?  NO. PE is the only class I failed.

If you had to choose a wardrobe to steal, who's would you pick? No, I have worked hard on mine to get it to the point its at.

If you had to pick one thing to bring back from the 90's, what would it be? Most of that stuff has already come back in one form or another, or never really gone away. Like you can get the toys second hand, furby has been rereleased like 3 times, clothes you can also still get second hand and the styles are pretty easy to copy anyway. 

What about the 80's?  Same as above.

Do you share any of your music taste with your parents?  I share parts of my music taste with pretty much everyone, I have a really varied music taste, there isn’t a single genre I can say that I hate all of, there are ones I’m fairly unfamiliar with but I always loved music so I like a lot of it.

Could your parents tell when you would fake sick? I was sent in whether I was sick or not so there was no point in even trying. Only way I was allowed off was if I literally threw up in front of them which didn’t happen much, or the few occasions where my allergies gave me conjunctivitis.

Do you own more shoes or less shoes than the average person? More.

Do you still have anything from when you were a baby?  I have a Quasimodo plushie that I had when I was like 3. My parents always threw everything away or gave it away so I don’t even really have baby pictures, except like one I got from my grandparents place when they died.

Are there any stores that send you e-mail newsletters? A couple, but that’s just from buying things in the past.

Do you think people overuse the word "random"?  Now not so much, but back in the 00s and early 10s it was used a lot more.

How often do you floss?  Never, my teeth are a bit overcrowded so I can’t fit the floss in without pain and bleeding. 

Do you use hairspray much?  Never, I used it for a couple of stage shows I was in when I was a lot younger and that was about it.

Who is your favorite painter? I don’t really have one because there are so many, if I’m picking out of just the really famous ones then either Monet or Van Gogh.

Are art museums interesting or boring to you?  Interesting

What subject in school do you feel is the least necessary? PE needs significant changes to be at all worth the cost of running it. Once I hit my 20s I found out that there actually are some physical activities that I enjoy and missed out on. I think they should make it more free-form, if the concern really is health then surely letting people find and do the fitness tasks that work for them is better. If I’d been brought into a gym with actual gym equipment and they explained, okay, this does this, and this does this, try things out with a spotter and see what you like and what works for you, I’d have been much better of and have had some degree of physical fitness by now. They could also have offered option modules where instead of forcing everyone to do the same shit they let you pick, then I’d have been able to do yoga and dance and skipped out on the team sports they were pushing that literally lead to so much bullying and injuries because it’s about being competitive so they can send they sport inclined kids off to do competitions and win the school more money for the sports department and it’s a big nasty cycle of, damage some kids in favour of others, and lie to them all while making it compulsory for several years. Sorry this is a big ol’ sore spot with me because it is hugely indicative of many of the issues with many school systems in general, and while kidding on it’s for the youth, is actually just hurting them. FUCK. 

When you were a kid, what games did you always play on the playground? I had like two modes, there was the days where people would play with me and we’d mash-up characters from the shows/movies we were watching (mostly charmed, totally spies, and xmen) and play as them in this whole made up world. Other days I’d walk around the tennis court trying to stay on the lines if it was empty or I’d just walk around the school daydreaming.

Do you enjoy power outages or do you get annoyed? I’m scared of the dark so I’m more afraid than annoyed. If I’m in the right situation it can be okay, but I never am because I don’t live with my Fiance and we can never afford candles.

Do you know how to use an ATM?  Yes.

How about write a check? No.

Are you in to your heritage much?  Sort of, not of my specific family, but Scotland’s cultural history and the like is interesting.

Are you pretty politically correct?  I resent that term, it’s like the term “cancelled” where some brat decided to make it into something controversial to be nice, and considerate, and tactful, or to hold others accountable and expect them to hold themselves accountable. These are basic things you should be doing, do you need to use slurs? NO what are you losing by not using them? Nothing. What are you gaining by using them? Nothing. We gain nothing as a society by being intentionally offensive or winding folk up. You’re not thought provoking, we already came to the conclusion that certain things are shit, the next step isn’t to continue with your jokes, it’s to stop that shit and do the right thing to the best of your ability. FFS what does it cost people to just be nice? NOTHING.

What is one fashion trend you'll never understand? Some of the shoes the now are, lumpy and weird? Like they stick out in places I can’t imagine being practical. Also mullets.

What do you wear when you exercise?  Ummmm depends what I was wearing immediately beforehand, if it’s fine then I just stick with that since I don’t do anything especially heavy-duty. If it’s not, I just grab some sort of top and shorts or leggings, whatever I put my hand on first honestly. A lot of the time I’m just wearing onesies with little monsters all over and they’ll do the job so I just stay in them.

What is usually the last thing you do before you go to bed? It varies, sometimes I put on some rain sounds or something. The only consistent thing is that I have to go to the loo whether I need to or not, that’s one of those things I assumed literally everyone did but it turns out they don’t and I just held onto the methods that were used to toilet train me as a bub xD If I’m alone I also have a system I have to use to check the doors are locked or I can’t sleep and have to get back up to check, but I don’t have the house to myself that often so...

[court-of-pokemuses]

Every Hunter J ship rated!

I’ve done this over on my main account @/pkmnsdarkqueen, and I think it’s kinda fun. It’s every ship on the muse from this page rated by my personal opinions. For this account I’ve been slowly working on it since January, and since this is a multimuse it took this long. I hope ya’ll enjoy!

Disclaimers directly below and the list under the cut!

strike through=my side commentary, trying to be funny, usually about ship names italicized=if asked I’d be down to rp it mostly just to see how/it it’d work * by name=I just think it’s a wildly random ship bold=ship name and who in it to help you find a certain ship highlights=they are grouped up, again in case you want to find that one ship

Took out category of Hunter J and a protagonist/rival/or companion since they’re all children so it’s a hard no. A few other younger characters fit in the other categories though they’ve been judged no as well. Some shipped but ONLY in the context of the character being grown up.

Took out category of Hunter J with pokemon because pokephelia. In multiship some of them have a pokemon and these have been dubbed as being one of the human’s part pokemon.

Also while I play J as asexual and Aromantic these are what if situations.

ships on ‘never ending romance’ website. Before asked yes mun has other ships she likes that aren’t listed, but Im only focusing on those listed.

Hunter J w/ a villain

Top rated ships: AmontilladoShipping

Bottom rated ships: Merciless, Laketriocapture, Acrimonious, Bellona, and Hussy shipping

*AcrimoniousShipping - Charon & Hunter J 0/10 Strictly business, they both don’t give off a ‘interested in a anything but work’ kind of vibe.

AmontilladoShipping - Giovanni & Hunter J 10/10 baddest dude with baddest lady villain. Ye I can see it. No love just business and late nights together when one of them needs it. 

BellonaShipping - Hunter J & Mars 0/10 Mars is so cute and happy and J is so mean and cold. I don’t see them meeting each other’s needs in a relationships and J has the shortest temper with child like people. 

CruelScienceShipping - Colress & Hunter J 5/10 Colress would likely be a good client of J, and I can see him maybe adding upgrades to her gear or them talking about gear. I think they’d get along alright. 

EliminatorShipping - Lysandre & Hunter J 3/10 Lysandre in the full on gonna kill everyone mode yes. Maybe after the machine fails they work out a way to make her tech work through people’s holo casters. though also tentative because well J needs clients and she can’t do that if most people are gone, so they’d have to work something out. Romance tho? Eh I can't see it. 

HussyShipping - Hunter J & Jessie 0/10 Oh Jessie no, baby you bad but like she baaaaaad. Nope Jessie is at her core too good. 

LaketriocaptureShipping - Cyrus & Hunter J 4/10 They both are practically emotionless and very lone wolf like. I can see them getting along but in an asexual relationship where they just enjoy being around each other, quietly, doing their own thing.

*MercilessShipping - Guzma & Hunter J 0/10 Bruh wut? No no no, like Guzma is bad but again not like that bad, and J wouldn't be down with how unstructured his team is. yeh they’d clash too much. 

*YouLookSoRightShipping - Ghetsis & Hunter J 4/10 This name is weird but I like it. They definitely got the crazy vibe, and no care about hurting kids. I mean I can definitely seeing their evil plans interlocking, but eh maybe romance would work with them both being off their rockers and non empathetic. 

Hunter J w/ Specifically MANGA VILLIANS

ButtHunterShipping - B-2 & Hunter J 0/10 This is the grunt taht has no name in plasma, and I just see them being that fan boy who idolizes J, and she’s annoyed by him. 

DeadRingerShipping - Blaise & Hunter J 10/10 Ya’ll Blaise is actually a really cool character not gonna lie, but anyway I can see them making one heck of a cool team up, but no romance really. 

MedusaShipping - Storc & Hunter J 0/10 She’s just a Rocket member who want’s Deoxys. I can see J helping her and them boom they’re done interacting. 

Hunter J w/ Specifically ANIME VILLIANS

Top rated ships: PursuitShipping

Bottom rated ships: EvilIntentShipping

*BlackmarketShipping - Rico & Hunter J 2/10 Ah another pokemon hunter. Tbh I just see J looking at other pokemon hunters as competition, and if she does team up with hem it’s to learn their tricks and move on.

CatscratchShipping - Domino & Hunter J 1/10 Domino is cute and perky and I se that clashing with J like with Mars but I do think they’d team up on occasion. 

**EvilIntentShipping - King of Pokelantis & Hunter J -10/10 Bruh if he managed to possess J then he would def be pretty fracking strong. I don’t think she’d be happy to be possessed though so that wouldn’t go well. 

PursuitShipping - Hun & Hunter J 10/10 Ah yes two aromantic and asexual nerds getting along, this is Cyrus again. They just appreciate someone respecting their boundary. 

MasterCriminalShipping - Brodie & Hunter J 0/10 He’s a sneaky boi and all which works with J but she’s not much of a flair for the dramatics which he is so idk about it working. 

MercenaryShipping - Danku/Dirk & Hunter J 0/10 He’s a rough and tough kind of guy but he’s a coward. J would see that as a weakness and not be terribly impressed by him at all. Even less than Rico.

Hunter J w/ Specifically MOVIE VILLIANS

Top rated ships: Irredeemable, and Clientele shipping

Bottom rated ships: BountyHunter, Snare, and Drastic shipping

*BountyHunterShipping - Captain Phantom & Hunter J 0/10 They’re both greedy jerks with one being a pirate and the other having technology. They would in no way romance and I don’t see a team up lasting long.

ClienteleShipping - Grings Kodai & Hunter J 6/10 They both have that no empathy super evil vibe, and like super cool tech/ plans, so I can see a team up working well. Romance I could also see to some extent. 

DrasticShipping - Zero & Hunter J 0/10 Ah Girintina boi, you know I can see J getting the pokemon for him, but I don’t think it’d go farther than a job. 

EvilnessShipping - Jarvis & Hunter J 3/10 Ok Jarvis certainly has some cool tech she’d like to get her hands on, and maybe they could ship but it’s a maybe. 

HuntedPirateShipping - Galen & Hunter J 5/10 Works better than his captain for sure, but also he’d be a pawn in her game long term I imagine. 

IrredeemableShipping - Dr. Yung & Hunter J 6/10 J wants this mans tech! As for romance I can maybe see it starting as,”you give me your tech while I house you while you run from Oak,” and maybe something develops from there. 

SnareShipping - Iron-Masked Marauder & Hunter J 0/10 So he plotted to overthrow rocket, J wouldn’t want him around cause she doesn’t want him to overthrow her. However his dark balls she’d find useful and want those so that she can make the pokemon she catches obedient. 

Hunter J w/ a champion

BlueVelvetShipping - Cynthia & Hunter J 0/10 Like they are from the same region but come on now Cynthia has too strong a sense of justice to put up with this woman

DracoIllegalShipping - Lance & Hunter J 0/10 Same with Lance his sense of justice gets in the way. Sure the Johto elites are fine but they’re on the path of being better, J will not change. 

MarcShipping - Wallace & Hunter J 0/10 Wallace is a dramatic lad full of color and gusto. It would drive J nuts. 

WigShipping - Steven Stone & Hunter J 7/10 Maybe if Steven goes down the path of evil where he gets tired of basically being forced to take the family company and can’t be champion again and just spirals. Eventually ending up crossing paths with a certain someone who could use funding to remake her airship. 

Hunter J w/ an Elite

ImperiousShipping - Hunter J & Karen 4/10 Karen if she didn’t go good, ye ok I could see it. As it stands right now though there is no way especially if Ho-oh ever gets brought up into anything because Karen will protect that bird even at the threat of being bronzed. 

UndeadLoveShipping - Grimsley & Hunter J 2/10 With the name this is given I’m just imagining zombies right now or vampire Grimsley and J hunting him. 10./10 there. I mean I could see them both playing poker at the same table, but an overall romance or interaction past that no. 

WatchingYourEveryMoveShipping - Koga & Hunter J 3/10 Koga when he was still with Rocket and bad, ok maaaaybe. At the very least maybe them as rivals in some way or J taking a job from Rocket and Koga told to stay with her to make sure she doesn’t betray them, Anyways romance wise again maybe with Rocket Koga, but tbh I’d just think they’d be interesting going into combat as it stands. 

ZahkriisosShipping - Drake (Hoenn) & Hunter J 1/10 Drake be getting around. Anyways I don’t see romance or team up but I do see J maybe hunting that dragonite that saved Drake and Drake now having to save it. 

SlivovitzShipping - Hunter J & Lorelei / Hunter J & Prima 4/10 I see this as Harley and Ivy but Lorelei is the Harley but much more tuned down. 

Hunter J w/ a gym leader (aka if there is a gym leader there’s a 90% chance they’re shipped with J)

Top rated ships: DragonTamerShipping, and a plot with Pryce in GlaciateShipping

Bottom rated ships: Many

AntiAerialShipping - Hunter J & Skyla 2/10 Skyla is so pure though, no. Maybe they casually talk about air ships and planes though without Skyla realizing who she’s talking to is bad. 

AstasiaShipping - Norman & Hunter J 0/10 Hm, all I’m imagining is some really weird martial spat happening and J being caught in teh middle which while funny, and I have a million ideas on how this could happen I don’t see them interacting past that

BackToHealthShipping - Hunter J & Lenora 1/10 Lenora is happily married canonically but with this title maybe J wakes up in someone’s house after a fight and now is in an awkward debt to this lady so she goes and steals some artifact or book for there museum

BedlamShipping - Hunter J & Liza (Hoenn) 0/10 Liza is a friction child, and the games aren’t even subtle about it. Also too early to really call what kind of person she grows up into being.

BindShipping - Falkner & Hunter J 0/10 Falkner also gets around in the shipping world but I don’t know what there guys would have in common even to talk bout. 

BugHunterShipping - Bugsy & Hunter J 2/10 This man needs a listed age. In short I have seen evil Bugsythough and I love that so when he grows up just him hiring her to find and catch the largest baddest bug pokemon around. She meanwhile gets stuck with him for awhile. and he grows on her or at least his evil does. 

CassavaShipping - Cilan & Hunter J 0/10 Cilan is also super pure all the time and with his “I'm an expert in this, and that, and this,” all the time I can see her getting tired of it. 

ChasseresseShipping - Fantina & Hunter J 1/10 Another very extravagant person which doesn’t fit with J’s subtlety, and all I can see is them maybe meeting in the cute pokemon square when J’s drapion was still a skroupi, but J doing that kinda thing is a low chance. 

ConcreteShipping - Hunter J & Misty 0/10 Misty would beat J up, or at least try to. Again raging sense of justice. 

DeflagrationShipping - Flannery & Hunter J 0/10 Flannery is too insecure for J to put up with for long 

DeforestationShipping - Erika & Hunter J 0/10 Erika is too lax for J, and one of the most peaceful people 

*DragonplateShipping - Drayden & Hunter J 0/10 Strong sense of justice strikes this yet again. Evil him could possibly work but I can’t think of much motivation for him to be evil. 

DragonTamerShipping - Clair & Hunter J 5/10 OK hear me out, Clair goes to the dark side trying to overcome her cousin strength wise, and want’s to gain control of the region like he has control on it but to a greater extent. And she teams up with J to do that. 

DrowningShipping - Brawly & Hunter J 0/10 As the name implies I’m just imagining J getting annoyed with him and his constant positiveness and wanting to drown him. 

EclateRocShipping - Hunter J & Maylene 0/10 Maylene is another one who’s got a sense of justice but couple that with she can actually fight you and J is out of there because that’d be annoying.

**ElectrowebShipping - Wattson & Hunter J 0/10 Wattson is an old mania and I get J is kind of old too but still one of them definitely shows it more meaning the other couldn’t keep up. I don’t see this. 

EverclearShipping - Cress & Hunter J 3/10 One thing I didn’t talk bout with Cilan was the shadow triad theory which when applied here I can see working out more with them both being more quiet loners. The age gap though would be the issue. 

*FiletShipping - Crasher Wake & Hunter J 0/10 This man is loud, J would get a headache. 

FireForestShipping - Hunter J & Winona 2/10 Ok I’ve seen evil Winnona and I love it, and I think they’d have a cool vibe together. Though motivation for Winnona’s evil is what would have to be worked out. 

GewitterShipping - Volkner & Hunter J 0/10 Look Volkner maybe a recluse and kinda depressed but he still would have the brains to pick up on J being bad news and avoid her. 

***GlaciateShipping - Pryce & Hunter J Ok J would want his time travel abilities and knowledge. Again there is the issue of one of them is alot older than the other despite them both being kinda old. OOOH BUT maybe he recruits her to ‘get his family back’ aka the masked kids and well bronze is kinda like ice, and this man is crazy. 100/10 on that plot. Romance tho, naw.

GrieferShipping - Roark & Hunter J 0/10 Roark is like a spunky young kid at least in personality, so no.

HemlockShipping - Gardenia & Hunter J 0/10 Gardenia is a justice type and like Maylene will try to fight you. J is not into fighting for fighting sake. 

I'mAlreadyRockHardShipping - Byron & Hunter J 2/10 Idk why but Byron always seemed a bit evil to me, maybe cause most parents in pokemon are bad, but like maybe if he goes into the bad route. I can think of a few motivations. 

ISaidFreezeShipping - Candice & Hunter J 1/10 The name is great on this one. As far as the two of them no on romance, but yes as far as J trying to get to regigigas again and Candice stopping her. 

LascauxShipping - Burgh & Hunter J 1/10 He’s an art boi and she has no creative bone in her body except machines. Oh but him seeing a statue she recently got but not how she got it and him thinking she’s just an incredible metal worker. Oh this has funny possibilities. Nothing romance wise though. 

LaserSculptureShipping - Brock & Hunter J -10/10 Like Brock is time and time again nothing but a good guy, so I don’t see this working out at all. 

**MindCorruptionShipping - Tate & Hunter J 0/10 Oh well this has some super bad implications in it and I don’t like that. Same with Liza in the hard to tell what he grows up into though. 

MorganeShipping - Hunter J & Sabrina 4/10 The two rather quiet dead panned girls hanging out? Ya know maybe when Sabrina was still with Rocket, and kind of the same context as Koga. I could see it. 

MrFreezeShipping - Brycen & Hunter J -0/10 But the real question is Brycen’s other personality batman? Ok with this one Brycen is kinda cold, and distant, and while yes he plays a villain usually those who play villains on tv or in movies are the kindest people in real life so no I don’t see it. He’s that way in pokemon Master’s too, it’s cute.

NaufrageShipping - Morty & Hunter J -10/10 Morty gets so desperate to find Ho-oh he gets J, yes. Romance no, and if she tries to get Ho-oh without him on board he will hate her. 

*PastisShipping - Juan & Hunter J 0/10 Ok they’re both pretty flippant about some things and maybe a one night stand but also Juan is kinda snooty so idk if he’d have a night with a criminal. 

PyromaniaShipping - Chili & Hunter J 0/10 This is like Cilan where even shadow triad theory wouldn’t save it cause he’s too emotional. 

*RiddleMeThisShipping - Blaine & Hunter J 0/10 Age range is right but I feel like J would grow tired of his riddles and games. She likes easy, and she likes direct. She doesn’t see a need to complicate things. 

RockBlastShipping - Chuck & Hunter J 2/10 She would give 0 cares about home wrecking with him and his wife and he’s so flippant anyway I could see him falling, leaving his wife, and not realizing he’s being played. And not even being played well, he’s just not observant. 

RockyTroubleShipping - Hunter J & Whitney 0/10 Whitney is too pure and spunky so no way. 

SchoolHuntingShipping - Hunter J & Roxanne 0/10 They both have that sharp personality but Roxanne is a good influence on kids and likes to be that, she’s not about to associate with j.

SteelyHunterShipping - Hunter J & Jasmine 0/10 Jasmine will be doing something nice for J and get played hard. Then try to get her pokemon back and possibly still fail. This will be more sad than cute. 

StoneManShipping - Lt. Surge & Hunter J 4/10 Maybe Lt. Surge after leaving Rocket still doesn’t adapt well and needs to get on board with someone so he gets involved with J. I can kinda see romance if he really goes all in to the evil. 

TotalDistortionShipping - Hunter J & Roxie 0/10 Roxie is a kiddo 1. Also no she’s punk metal and yellow, another headache inducer for J

TryMeShipping - Elesa & Hunter J 2/10 I wanna see a fight with hese two because they’re both gonna be so confident and it’d be wild watching Elsa work when her opponent is so non responsive to the antics. Romance is a maybe if Elsa goes evil and maybe starts wanting some rare pokemon in her modeling. 

WhalingShipping - Marlon & Hunter J 0/10 Marlon is too spacey for her this would not work out. 

Hunter J w/ a minor GAME npc

AudaciousShipping - Brandon & Hunter J 1/10 She’d want his pokemon, and maybe if he was evil. Motivation would be intersting though to come up with. 

CompleteGlobalSaturationShipping - Brycen-Man & Hunter J 0/10 Naw again movie and tv villians are usually played by the nicest people.

*SnakeEaterShipping - Hunter J & Lucy 2/10 Evil Lucy tired of not getting a say and being spoken over. Ok maybe but a stretch. 

UxoriousShipping - Eusine & Hunter J -10/10 Eusine finally cracks and gets desperate for Suicune, yes I see it. Romance, No way in heck. 

WildHunterShipping - Benga & Hunter J 0/10 Benga is another that a child and he's a rambunctious wild one at that, what would they possibly connect on?

Hunter J w/ a minor MOVIE or ANIME npc

Top rated ships:

Bottom rated ships: He'llHuntYouDownShipping

BastilleShipping - Reggie & Hunter J -10/10 This man is like the sweetest and a big lover of pokemon so no he’d hate J

CondemnShipping - Hunter J & Officer Jenny 8/10 Heheheh, ok this would be funny with J corrupting an officer maybe one who’s studied all her cases and has grown a fascination for J’s work. Kinda the fan boy from B-2, but J would be pretty proud of herself to have a cop as her puppet. 

DeathorcareShipping - Delia & Hunter J -10/10 Bruh it Ash’s mom up in here. Ok hard no, we have never seen the mom as evil at all and if anything Delia would be mad at J for almost killing her son. 

FoxdieShipping - Hunter J & Naomi 0/10 Another sweet soul that has no business being with J who would just use her. In this case take her lapras research notes and then get herself a bunch of lapras to sell. 

He'llHuntYouDownShipping - Santa Claus & Hunter J -24/10 In some dark twisted absolute crack fanfic I support this, but in general wtf.

HideAndSeekShipping - Hunter J & Kidd Summers 0/10 So Kidd Summers isn’t actually terribly evil, so I don’t see her and J lasting long unless Kidd really needs J to help her with some new record to break. 

LegendaryHunterShipping - Tobias & Hunter J 1/10 In the world where Tobias has legendary pokemon he’s one of J’s best clients. Shipping naw, but them working together to take control of the league ye.

*OJShipping - O (anime) & Hunter J 0/10 This is strictly for the naming meme I am convinced cause there is no info on O anywhere and if anyone has it please tell me. 

PreyShipping - Hunter J & Kelly 0/10 She pure she cute, she has no reason to hang out with J. 

RestInPeaceShipping - Sir Aaron & Hunter J 0/10 This man is nothing but justice wtf are they gonna do? Yes I get this is cause these are the two characters that anime wise we have conclusions they’ve died so maybe ghost shenanigans? 10/10 on that

*RockBusterShipping - Georgia & Hunter J 0/10 Look Georgia was annoying but I don’t see her turning to a poacher to get a leg up on Iris.

SecretServiceShipping - Looker & Hunter J 0/10 This is trying to be the ‘sleeping with the enemy every so often ‘ plot but Looker is dedicated to his job and J is not very romantic so no. Enemies tho 10/10

**ShadowHunterShipping - Sanpei & Hunter J 0/10 He is a child and seriously wtf are they gonna connect on?

SoftButchHardButchShipping - Hunter J & Zoey 0/10 Zoey is another rival but in no way did she show any evil, in fact she’s rather kind and helpful, so I don’t see this at all. 

*TechBombShipping - Professor Lund & Hunter J 0/10 I mean she’d want his tech, I don’t see them romancing though cause she’s not too great with kids. 

*WitchhuntShipping - Hunter J & Lily (Johto) 0/10 She child and she’s nothing but pure and sweet. 

WristletShipping - Kellyn & Hunter J 0/10 For one he’s a child and secondly ranger with all the justice mentality.

Hunter J w/ Ranger, Manga, Orre npcs

*ScorpionShipping - Mr. Kincaid & Hunter J 0/10 I mean they both don’t really like kids so that’s a plus, but he’s overall more goofy than anything else and J wouldn’t vibe with that. 

*SpeedHuntShipping - Karuta & Hunter J 0/10 Child who in his description cries easily. That’s a no.

TrenchcoatShipping - Wes & Hunter J 0/10 Look Wes is good now, and a child! Though she would want his arm stealing thing so badly.

Hunter J w/ multiple people: (All are gonna be a no romantically because I don’t see J being poly, but I’ll give plot ideas) 

Top rated ships: PoacherShipping, SinfulHuntersShipping, and HuntingPirates shipping

Bottom rated ships: A few of them

AdvancedBountyHunterShipping - Ash, Captain Phantom, Hunter J & May 2/10 This would be May and Ash vs. J and Captain Phantom but with Ash and May actually being a team. Interesting sorta but eh not much past that.  

BountyShipping - Annie, Hunter J & Oakley 4/10 In this adventure the girls team up with J to get latias and latios. I could see J making them her left and right hand though possibly. 

DeviantShipping - James, Hunter J & Jessie 0/10 J is so much better than them at this she’d drop them in a second. 

ExtremeTransportationShipping - Brandon, Grings Kodai, Lawrence III, Zero & Hunter J 3/10 These are just the guys with cool vehicles. all of them having a cool vehicle meet up and Brandon not realizing they’re all evil until the middle of the hangout. Could see all of them minus Brandon teaming up though.

HighTechShipping- Clemont, Wes & Hunter J 1/10 Clemont and Wes Vs. Hunter J basically, and not much past that. Add Lysandre in here and it can be ‘robotic arm shipping’ all the nerds with robot arms in some capacity. 

HolyMasterCriminalShipping- Brodie, Hunter J & Arceus 0/10 This is a wild combination of people and I can’t even fathom how it’d happen. 

HuntingPiratesShipping- Archie, Galen, Captain Phantom & Hunter J 8/10 Ah the pirate squad, kinda missing some people but I mean you put it in a period writing with pirates as the time period ye it’d be fun. 

LetterShipping- James, Hunter J, Jessie & Jupiter 0/10 It’s just cause they all have J, funny but no they would not get along. 

MasterThiefShipping- the Black Arachnid, Brodie & Hunter J 1/10 They’re all kinda sneaky and all but J is the muscle. Maybe with her as the boss and them acting off her orders?

MILFhunterShipping- Brock, Caroline, Delia & Johanna 0/10 This breaks down to, Brock no.

PoacherShipping- Iron-Masked Marauder, Rico, Rizzo & Hunter J 10/10 Poacher team up! This will go well for a short timer nd a short time only but I would enjoy seeing it. 

QuadBitchShipping- Hunter J, Jessie, Jessiebelle & Misty 0/10 Ouch throwing Misty in here? As the name implies they would not get along well rather quickly. 

RomanticHuntShipping- Clemont, Bonnie, Ecclarisse, Hunter J, Lillia & Princess Allie 0/10 I am baffled what this name is implying and trying to do and I can’t see any connections here. 

SalamenceShipping- Butler, Drake (Hoenn) & Hunter J 3/10 Salamence meeting and they don’t realize that J is a criminal. 

ShadeShipping- Ardos, Eldes & Hunter J 0/10 This is just because they have similar glasses. 

SinfulHuntersShipping - Courtney (Magma), Domino, Hunter J, Mars & Shelly 9/10 I mean I’m down with the villain girls teaming up to make their own group. Idk what the motivation would be but it’d be interesting to see. 

SunshadesShipping - Ardos, Eldes, Scott, Hunter J & Michelle 0/10 This is more madness with glasses I mean I don’t know what they would have past that. 

WristDeviceShipping - Michael, Wes & Hunter J 0/10 We get it they all have wrist devices and I mean I can see them talking about it for a bit and then Michael and Wes realizing she’s bad new. 

[surveys-r-us]

“run away with me”

I have a step or half-sibling. I have velvet pants.  I have a t-shirt from a museum exhibit. I’ve been to Dunkin’ Donuts before. I’ve been on the subway.  I usually get movies from the library. I’m scared of heights. I should be asleep right now. I have something that smells like mint. I have spare batteries. My speakers are off right now. My computer is in my bedroom. I only have one blanket on my bed. I own or have owned a teddy bear. I’ve memorized bohemian rhapsody. I’ve played Runescape. I like to make lists. I’ve listened to the Beach Boys.

I am very flexible. In bookstores, I walk around with my head tilted sideways. I’m wearing a hoodie. I know a lot of weird facts. I’ve watched Nightmare on Elm Street before. I know what pappillon means in English. Sufjan Stevens makes me happy. (lol his music depresses me. who possibly gets happy listening to him?) I wish my nose was smaller. I like to eat goldfish. I smile a lot. I use “however” instead of “but” when writing an essay. I’ve seen The Breakfast Club. I’ve had a burping contest with someone. And I won the contest. I like sharing books with my friends. I usually recognize the poets my English teacher talks about. (don’t have an English teacher anymore) A stranger has given me a high five for no reason. I’ve been to a Harry Potter book release party. I usually need to be reminded to eat. I have tiny hands. I like to look for shapes in the plaster on my ceiling. I prefer pencils to pens. I write on my hands when I need to remember something. 

I’ve been to a roller skating rink. I own a piece of clothing that is rainbow patterned. I own a piece of clothing with skulls on it. I am extremely patient. I wish I could dance well. I’ve been to an ice skating rink. I have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night. I have a purse with flowers on it. I love to people watch. I’ve written an acrostic poem. I have bad posture. I’ve fallen asleep in class. I am very easily embarrassed. I liked to make up stories when I was a kid. Whenever I ride my bike, I’m tempted to start singing bicycle race. I take prescription creams/face washes/pills for acne. I drink milk daily. I’ve been told I act like I’m on drugs. I’ve been told I look like I’m on drugs. I have my hair up in a bun. I own something Beatles-related. I don’t use the caps lock key often. I have very strong opinions. I love to eat grinders. I don’t call long sandwiches grinders. Teachers have asked me if I’m depressed. More than once. I don’t care what you think of me. I have a toothache. Wonderwall is my “I like someone” song. There’s a book beside or on my bed. I hate innuendo. I really admire improvisational comedians. I don’t like gym class. I am going to do better this school year. I don’t use the word fag. Ever. I’ve been told I have a beautiful singing voice. I can read Shakespeare without translations. I adore English class. I know what the Kinsey scale is. I read more than one book at a time.  I love places that sell dollar-a-cup coffee. The Magic School bus taught me a lot. I liked to dance on the kitchen table as a kid. I’ve lived with a relative for more than a year. I hate sharing a bed. I cried a lot as a kid. My friends have excellent taste in music. I know what I want to be when I grow up. Antidisestablishmentarianism! I like to drink coke zero. I watched Labyrinth only because David Bowie was in it. I bite my nails a lot. I’ve been to a music festival. I’ve gotten sunburn before. And it bled.  I hate the noise vacuums make. I prefer showers to baths. Jeffree Starr is way overrated  I don’t like my mouse pad. I love people who look classy. My nail polish is chipped. I’m going to read a book today. My mattress is on the floor. I am an insomniac. Cabaret punk is love. I have a DVD I want to watch. I’m a really picky eater. I take ibuprofen a lot. I tan very easily. The sun is shining right now. I love yellow Jell-O. I’ve made Popsicles with an ice cube tray, juice and toothpicks. And I called them ghetto pops. I’ve never met my neighbors. I’ve drawn on the street with chalk. I’ve been in a tree house. Tire swings are really fun. I love abandoned places. I have a plastic bag near me. I only watch TV when I’m really bored. I can’t wait to graduate. I’ve pulled an all-nighter so I would be really tired the next night. I really hate needles. I get along with my parents. I fall in love with songs that have beautiful lyrics. I listen to anti-folk. I have no idea what anti-folk is. I like to blow bubbles. I’ve won a hula hooping contest before. I’ve almost drowned. I’ve choked on something. I’ve taken a first aid course. One of my friends is in a different state right now. I’ve been to Chicago. I really like mohawks, but I would never get one. I am always warm. I have some weird eating habits. I like to spin in desk chairs. I have a beta fish. I have big lips. Tape is way better than glue. I like stickers. I’ve worn black jelly bracelets before. There is a type of music that I think is awful. My favorite girl from The Hills is Audrina. No, I prefer LC. I don’t have texting on my phone. I prefer New York to California. I’ve read all the Harry Potter books. Lord of the Rings too. I want to get a tattoo that has to do with a band. My family doesn’t eat dinner together. I’m worried that I won’t get into any college. I’m already in college! I own more than one flannel shirt. School is very important to me. I’d live on the beach if I could. Avocado is sooooo good. I can speak five languages fluently. One of my friends already has a kid. I drive everywhere. I hate when people say things aren’t art. I’m currently texting more than 3 people. My best friend wears the same size clothes as I do. I’ve only been in one serious relationship. One of my parents is gay. I rescued my pet from the animal shelter. I want to live in many different states when I’m older. I hardly ever go to the movies. I’ve liked one of my favorite bands for many years. I’m looking for a serious relationship right now. A lot of Starbucks are closing by my house. We don’t have H&M in my state. That’s my favorite store. I never order things online. I’m constantly listening to music. US History fascinates me Oranges are the best fruit. I have lactose intolerance. I always watch the National Spelling Bee on TV. I’m on a family plan. Parties aren’t my scene. I’ve lost many friends in my life and I’m okay with that. There are some friends I still wish I had. Fake nails look gross. I own an oyster card. (I don’t even live in the UK lmao) My birthday is in the fall. 2008 was a horrible year for me. Actually, it was the best. I’ve been on a cruise before. I like chemistry more than biology. I like taking surveys more than making them. I absolutely despise the color pink. I don’t have a significant other. I get all four seasons where I live. I only shop when I absolutely have the need to. I have an older brother. I have my driver’s license. I don’t want to have kids someday. I wear more jeans than skirts. I’d rather wear sneakers than high heels. I don’t go to church. I don’t like having my fringe in my face. I’m very much into heavy metal music. I own like, a hundred hoodies. I couldn’t draw to save my life. I’m a very good cook. I always have to look at the keyboard when I type. I’ve had surgery before. I don’t mind getting shots all that much. I’m not afraid of bugs. I love hot, hot weather! I have huge eyes and long lashes. I’m naturally very pale. I’m usually not very picky at all when it comes to food. My parents are divorced. I don’t like doing surveys, but I find myself doing them anyway. I’m addicted to Tumblr. I don’t have a Facebook account. I have perfect vision and don’t need glasses or contacts. I don’t wear makeup when I go out. I hate stores like Forever 21 I’m very much into sports. I don’t see what the big deal about photography is. Or fashion design. I don’t really appreciate art that much. Horror movies are my favorite. I don’t care if people cut in line in front of me. I don’t even remember the last time I put on a piece of jewelry. My hair is naturally straight. I support gay marriage. I have more friends online than I do in real life. My siblings are all older than I am. My significant other is younger than I am. I curse in almost every sentence I speak. I always get straight A’s in exams. I don’t know how to play any instrument. I only know how to speak one language. I don’t have my own personal blog. I’m allergic to something. I’ve been stung by a bee at least once in my life. This is the last survey I’m doing today. I have seen someone propose in public before. And they got rejected, poor bloke. I wonder if I will ever get proposed in public. Heck I don’t even know if I’ll ever get married. I know what a sake bomb is. I’ve tried it before. I’ve watched ‘Paris Hilton’s My New BFF’. ^ Ew, sad much? I think Paris Hilton is a brainless bitch. I celebrate Chinese New Year. I’m not Chinese or a tiny bit Asian at all. I have a step-sibling. I have a weak tolerance of alcohol. Are you kidding me? I can drink all night long! I want a new cell phone. I have my own bathroom. I sleep on a single bed. Nah, I have a King/Queen size bed! I think one night stands are no biggie. ^ Slut ^Prude I’ve been on a helicopter before. I’m actually afraid of heights. My date rented a limo to take me to prom. Pfft, I wish I had a date. I haven’t had my prom yet. I like clicking on advertisements. Pop-up ads are so old school. I recently took a bath. I never bother, I just take showers. My Christmas holidays were the bomb! Ugh, mine sucked like hell. I’d love to go to Japan one day. I’ve seen a ghost before. ^ I’d pee in my pants if I did. ^ No, I’d run and scream. I can write lyrics! I can, but I’m not very good at it. I would like to become a musician one day. I love finding things in sofa cracks. Black people can sing really well. So can Filipinos! Really, anyone with talent can do that. I know someone that’s trying very hard to fit in a stereotype. Every cup of water I drink equals to a trip to the toilet. I recently received my exam results. They were quite good! Nope, failed it all. It’s my boyfriend’s birthday today. He never gives me gifts. He buries me with them. I wish I had a boyfriend that actually spends money on me! I love him very much. The Beatles rock my world. Actually, a lot of classic rock bands rock my world. It takes me a really long while to get to sleep. I’m a personality quiz fiend. I am and have always been a night owl. I love reading Sarah Dessen books. My earphones are in my ears practically 24/7. I am an only child and that’s not because of any death. I hate school and everything else connected to it. I’ve never been in any romantic relationship. I have a lot of favorite names. And I plan to use those names on my kids. I’m reading a comic book right now. I’m listening to music right now. I memorize lyrics really easily. But memorizing stuff for school isn’t easy at all. Math is my worst enemy. I love bolding surveys. Nice and easy. I pick Guitar Hero over Rock Band. I’m afraid of heights. And spiders. Actually any disgusting insect. I really don’t mind being all alone. I talk to myself. My favorite animal: zebras. I know that there’s such a thing as a Supersaurus. Dinosaurs fascinate me. English class is love. I know how to make layouts. But I’m way too lazy.

[masklinu-blog]

The longest day. Part four (and the last one)

In what was a terrible ride (well, for me at least) we somehow managed to get to the palace with only 45 minutes before closing time. I thanked all the gods I knew (regardless of their origin) and rushed the kids inside the palace, telling them to go through it as fast as possible, but still to keep their eyes open for the royal bedrooms and the hall of mirrors. I didn’t get in; I needed a few minutes for myself. So I just sat in the inner courtyard, enjoying a cold drink while admiring the architecture of the palace and imagining a large group of furious people with torches and pitchforks running around.   By the time the group was kicked out of the museum at 10 past 6, I was relaxed. Our dinner was at 7, and it was just around the corner. We had plenty of time to spare, so we stayed there for a few more minutes, asked them about what caught their eye inside and told them a little about the history of the place. Things were good again. Looking for the bus in the parking lot was just a distant memory now.   It didn’t take me long to find the restaurant and, as soon as we got there, I told my group to wait for me outside while I went inside to see if they were ready for us. Inside were two other groups from the same company and right by the entrance were the other delegation managers. - Hi guys! I saluted them with a huge smile on my face - Hey! Get out of here as fast as possible. came their answer in German. - What? Why?! - We found worms in our food earlier. We already called the program office, but I would suggest you go find another place to eat. Sorry, man. - Oh, wow! Thanks for telling me know. I’ll see what I can do.   I got out of the restaurant with a huge sigh. Of course they found worms in the food, what was I expecting? A decent meal? Today? Neaah.. I went straight to the teachers and broke the news: - Hey, guess what? I think today might be the day when we finally eat at McDonalds. The other groups found worms in their food. - WHAT?! - Myeaaah. Great stuff, I know. Let me just call the program office and see where we should go. Wait here.   I went away from the group a few paces, took my phone out and just looked at it. I didn’t want to make this phone call. I was tired, and had enough. So they found a few worms, big deal. We only had one vegetarian in our group, I’ll just make sure she doesn’t get them and we should be fine. Extra proteins, after all. I sighed and made a very reluctant phone call. - Hello, this is Amir. is he the only one working there?! - Hey Amir, this is Dan again. Listen, we just got to our restaurant and there were some other dms there who told me to get out because they found some worms and.. - Oh, yeah, I know. Well, never mind about that. I talked to the restaurant and they made sure it won’t happen to you, so don’t worry. Go in, eat as you should have, and don’t think about it. Just make sure your teachers don’t find out about it.   Riiiiight, rule number one of the guidebook. Never tell your teachers. First call the program office and then the teachers. Whops! - Ah! About that! They kindaaaaaa…uhm….already know. Uhm….yeah. The…uhm…the teachers from the other groups told them. So uhm…yeah. that was actually quite a believable lie. Good job, Dan! - Mhm. Well, then just assure them it’s not going to happen again and calm them down. I’m counting on you.   And that was that. I thanked Amir and went back to the teachers who in the meanwhile decided KFC would in fact be better than McDonalds in terms of feeding a lot of people at once. - What do you mean we have to eat here?! Laura’s voice was filled not only with surprise; I could also feel a small threat in there. - Well, apparently they had a different thing than what we’re having so….there shouldn’t be any problems with our food. - But it’s the same company! How can we have a different menu? - Uhm…I mean they changed the menu for us so that they are 100% sure we won’t have any worms. look at me being able to lie on the spot. Good job, Dan! - I see. Well, I still have my doubts, you know.   So did I, but we had no choice. So we went in, and, in the defense of the restaurant we ended up having one of our best dinners from the whole program. Worm free as well! As we were going back to the bus, I was smiling. The day finally had its end in sight. And the smile couldn’t even be put down by the once again ringing phone. Nothing could go wrong now, I thought: - Hi, this is Amir from the.. - From the program office, I know. Hi Amir. Do you never go home? Or do you just sleep in the office? - Well, my shift is about to end soon. Anyway, I just got a call from the restaurant where you just had dinner. You forgot one of your kids there. Some guy called Mike. I know it’s none of my business, but isn’t he the one you lost earlier today? - WHAT?! Fuc…yeah, he is. Wow, thanks. I’m going now to get him. Thanks. - Just…be more careful, please.   I put the phone back in my pocket and looked at Larissa: - Good news. We forgot Mike at the restaurant. Get the rest of the group on the bus and I’ll go get him.   So I turned around, leaving her with a puzzled look and started running back to the restaurant. How could I ever forget him? Especially since we were sitting at the same table! How could I mess up so badly in just one day?!   The restaurant wasn’t that far away from the bus, but I was so out of shape by the time I got back inside I needed a moment to catch my breath. Mike was sitting on a chair eating an ice cream given to him by the restaurant staff, while they were cleaning the whole place. - You forgot about me! Again! Do you not want me in your group, or what?! Should I just go back to the States? I bet this would never have happened with the Iowa group. They liked me there, you know?! - Shut up, you rascal. I could only smile. Look, I’m sorry about this, I will be more careful in the future, I promise you I won’t lose you again (we lost him again 3 days later, but that’s another story). Now come on, finish up your second desert and let’s go. Can you run?   I thanked the restaurant staff and we started running back to the bus. All I could think of was that I was a huge failure. And that I should go to the gym more often. Running for 2 minutes shouldn’t kill you at my age! Back on the bus we got greeted by the kids chanting “Dan the man! You’re our superman!”. I just crashed on my seat, fighting for breath but with a huge smile on my face. I kinda was a superhero, wasn’t I? Well, theirs, at least. I gave my ok to Franz, and we drove off back to the hotel (with a small stop at the tower).   And then, just like that, we were back in the hotel. I was lying on my bed, and couldn’t believe the day I had. The room was just as I left it before I even knew my bus was missing and was oblivious to the fact that I lost the same kid twice in the span of only 4 hours. But a hard knock on my door brought me back from my thoughts. I stood up reluctantly and opened the door. Behind it, just as she was the night before, was Laura. - Hey there, superman. thanks for the sarcasm. We need your help. Ghosts aren’t your kryptonite, are they? - Ghosts? What are you talking about? - Jim saw a ghost in his room. Come this way.   Here we go again. I sighed and closed the door behind me. Now there’s ghosts? What else is going to happen until midnight? Vampires? Dinosaurs? Actually dinosaurs would be kinda neat! Maybe I get to ride one. If only…   So the ghost story goes like this: while his roommate was in the shower, Jim swears he saw his blanket rise 20 centimeters up in the air, with 1 pair of legs showing underneath. He started screaming, his roommate came out of the shower wondering what happened, Jim told him what he saw, and they both went out of their room screaming. They went to the teachers and refused to get back inside, let alone sleep there. Long story short, in order to convince them, we had to form a circle in the middle of the room while holding hands and said a few prayers to scare the demons away…    Once back in my room, I put my phone on silent and jumped into bed. I didn’t care what happened, I was fed up, tired and in dire need of sleep. And I still had 2 weeks on the road with them, 2 full weeks. By the time everything was over, everything that could go wrong did. We were horribly late to every appointment, lost Mike 2 more times, had students fighting, had a flat tire on the Dutch motorway and drove a huge bus with it for 50 other kilometers, fired Franz for unprofessional behavior, had a broken foot and had to carry the girl through a German remote town and many, many more. But all in all it was a great trip. I discovered that no matter what happens, kids will always react positive to it. It is us, the adults, who freak out every second and make life more complicated. All we have to do is respond with a huge smile on our face and deal with it.   So there you go. Longest day of my life. A day filled with emotions, running around and, as incredible as it seems, is 99% true. Heck, you weren’t there. 100% true. Yup. True story.

[litl-theinterview]

Stephanie Tran

1. What is your favorite thing right now? 

I'm slightly embarrassed that this isn't a deep answer. But right now my favorite thing is Noosa yogurt. I can't stop eating it to he point of buying bulk at Whole Foods (it's on sale)! 2. If money (and access) was no object, what would you buy today? 

So many things. Probably in order of priority: I would buy a brownstone, a beach house, and a wood-fired hot tub (maybe one for each place). I would also buy ceramics from BDDW, because Tyler Hays is a genius and it would make me really happy to be surrounded by his beautiful objects all of the time. I would also buy a first class plane ticket to see the Brancusi Atelier in Paris and visit the Museo Canova in Italy — not to see the sculpture here, but to see the architecture work of Scarpa. I would stay in the fanciest of hotels and order room service and drink bottles of the best champagne. 3. Have you ever gone on a pilgrimage? 

This question threw me, because no one ever asks it, and so I rarely think about it. But, yes. I have been on a real, religious pilgrimage. Every year growing up, my father tortured the family by dragging us to the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Lewiston, NY to celebrate Vietnamese Day. This always took place Labor Day weekend, when all I and my sister's wanted to do was run around with our friends doing American things like going to barbecues or the mall. Instead, we had to entertain tons of Vietnamese people who came from New York City where my dad lived (and who I would I later learn were my half-siblings and their mom's and extended family)...anyway, that's another story and I'm sure it subliminally had something to do with why I never enjoyed it. Also, I remember it always being really hot but having to wear our Sunday best, so that meant some kind of frilly dress, white ankle socks with lace, and patent leather maryjanes. Every year we got new rosaries, which I would proceed to throw away as soon as I got home. Clearly I just hated being forced to do anything against my own will...which is still true today. 4. What is your Kryptonite? 

That's a tough one for me to answer. I really do not know how to actually. 5. What is your favorite time of day? 

I am no longer a morning person, but I really try to be because my favorite time of day is usually the early mornings - 7am-ish - in the spring/summer/fall when I'm walking around, en route to work or the gym and it's still pretty quiet, and the air just smells really special. Dewy or crisp. But always sweet. It gives me those I <3 NY feelings all the time. 6. Do you have a go-to “power” song? 

When I think of a power song, I think of it in terms of running - what song really gets me started, what gets me moving, what gets me past the hump, and what song gets me through the finish line. That means there are 4. They translate into life power songs, too. Short Answer: 1. Planting Seeds - Built to Spill

I can listen to this song for a whole run. A whole 8-mile-run. I’ve done it many times. When I was at my fastest (which is still a jog to a lot of people), that meant a little over an hour. I am not sure how I came to this song or this band even - at some point I probably would have hated them before - his whiney voice - but for whatever reason when I found this song I immediately fell in love with it. I think it was during the end of a relationship. It felt right. And then I listened to it through that break up and the time it took to get over it - over and over, the only song on repeat for a while. I am sure it annoyed all of my friends, but it made me feel good, even though it made me feel sad. There is an endless sense of longing in it. I will never get sick of. It reminds me of a time, a bittersweet time, but when I am running, sometimes that is what I need. To get lost in that weird, sad feeling.

2. Rue the Day - The Walkmen

I had an unhealthy obsession with this band back in 2002. Ok, I still do. I love the whole album this song is on, but this song is particularly special. Listen to the lyrics. It's sexy. It's about teenagers and crushes and hooking up. Young love-ish. More longing. I am pretty sure he wrote it about his high school girlfriend that he broke up with and then got back together with years later. They are married and have kids now. I know this not because I know them, but because I witnessed it; I went to every show. So it's a sweet love song as much as it is sexy. And I am officially outing myself as a stalker.

3. Hybrid Moments - Misfits

I got into the Misfits when I was visiting someone who lived in a "skater house” and woke up in a haze from a nap and realized the same song that was playing had crept into my dream. It was a 9 minute song recorded onto a cassette over and over. Probably for the length of the tape. It was that long ago. Anyway, I kept thinking about it, but it just didn't hit me until a week later that I loved the song. My friend I was staying with didn't know what I was talking about because he wasn't there at the time. By process of elimination, he thought it was Misfits. I listened to EVERY SONG by them (that's a lot of songs), hoping I would find THE ONE. Of course in the end it was actually Danzig, not Misfits (the lead singer's solo effort), but these two songs (this one and the next) really stuck out while I was listening to the catalog. Glenn Danzig is a beast of a person, he looks scary, and he sings about creepy things; but his voice is so melodic and beautiful, and I guess I really like the contrast. Hybrid Moments usually comes on right when I need it - the height of the run when I am super warmed up and ready to go. It makes me feel like I am dancing at a punk show with all of my heart, and that feels good.

4. Last Caress - Misfits

This is one I am cautious of telling to anyone who doesn't love Misfits. The lyrics are macabre. In a time of hyper-sensitivity, I know they could be interpreted literally,  but I really don’t think they mean what they say, or anything for that matter. Hard to say. But the music and his voice in this particular song really gets me going. It would be my sprinting song. My fuck you, fuck you, and fuck YOU, I’m going to keep going song. I guess my ultimate power song, but I like having the warm up before. 7. What is your happy place? 

I have two and they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Active/Inactive. The first is on a long run along the West Side Highway, all the way up towards the George Washington Bridge and back (to Brooklyn where I live). I haven't yet run across that bridge, but the other day I decided that it would be a goal for this summer. My second happy place is sitting in the sun, reading a book or a magazine. At the beach, upstate, wherever. Just melting into my chair. 8. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?

Lou, my little lap dog. What does she do and think all day? What she she feel when I'm away at work or on vacation without her? How does it feel to be so adorable and loved? What's her happy place? All of the questions you've ask here I would want to know of her! 9. What do you think you do best? 

I’m really good at getting people to open up about and explore their feelings. Selfishly it helps me understand my own! 10. What is something you do to cheer yourself up? 

I feel like I will always have a little bit of sadness in me — I've always been this way. And there is something comforting about being in your feelings when you are down; letting it sink in. That said, if I need cheering up, I’ll spend a whole month binge-watching something that makes me both happy and sad at once. Something nostalgic, relatable, comforting, aspirational. Usually about relationships and love. Gilmore Girls, Mad Men, Friday Night Lights. Love, Actually. I dive deep into the abyss of these shows (and one movie) and then I pick myself back up with some self-care in the form of massages, facials, and some form of exercise. YAWN. BARF. I know that "self-care" phrase is kind of overused and now everyone will think I am annoying, but...  11. What is the best advice you've ever been given?

This doesn't really count as advice given to me specifically, but a woman I consider a growing friend and have mad respect for (Karen Wong, the Deputy Director of New Museum) said at a panel when asked about how she presents herself, how she wants others to see her, "I don't really care about being liked. I just care about being respected."

I come back to this quote a lot. I think we can all interpret it in our own ways, and for me it's a reminder to live with integrity and in forward motion. I annoy myself by even saying that because it sounds so preachy and self-helpy. And isn't that how we should all live? But reminders are good because we don't live in a bubble and sometimes (READ: ALWAYS), life is hard.

12. Who would you like to see interviewed here? 

Fran Lebowitz. Totally serious. Please try.

Stephanie Tran is the co-founder of The New Jock, a site that explores fitness, sports, and athleticism.

Subscribe to Leave it to Leonor here.

[mrmarknewman]

It’s Not That Scary! 3 Opportunities You Miss Out on When You’re Not Public Speaking

Guest post by James McBryan

Public speaking — yikes! That’s how I used to feel, too. However, I pushed myself to get in front of audiences because I was determined to overcome the discomfort. Each time I felt unprepared, and I squirmed and sputtered. Often, I did a really bad job. But now, after practicing public speaking for 15 years, I can say for a fact that I’m glad I did each one of those presentations. Those experiences have added a whole new dimension to volunteer engagement and nonprofit leadership that I would’ve never expected.

The opportunities that a public speaking gig can provide are monumental. In the nonprofit world, the work we do is so meaningful that we often show excitement and passion while public speaking, and it is natural and genuine and can bring people to our cause. Below are three crucial opportunities that I discovered I would’ve missed out on if I hadn’t practiced and honed my public speaking skills.

Rallying and Inspiring the Troops

This is, by far, my favorite thing to do. It could be at the beginning or end of a meeting, or in the middle of an event. Wherever there’s a stage, you can persuade people to feel connected to your cause. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic Hollywood speech, but something that verbalizes everyone’s thoughts. Add in humor, be a little cheesy, even be dramatic, but by all means, let your passion shine and don’t be afraid to paint a bigger picture. You can be the one to inspire people to join your cause, get excited, feel revitalized, dream of the future, and make an impact.

For example, I gave a talk last week to a dance club I started 10 years ago. During the presentation, I showcased some fun photos and videos of how we used to dance back in the days and how goofy we looked. I brought the conversation back to what we’ve created since the club’s inception and where the club’s future is headed. Yes, it sounded exaggerated, even far-fetched — like a dream — but that’s the point. People rally when they can dream; especially when the dream is shared. You can see the most rallying part of that presentation here.

Focusing Attention

Have you ever talked to a crowd and noticed that more than half of the eyes in the room are glued to their smartphones or computers? In this day and age, if you’re even slightly boring for a minute, people start spacing out and distracting themselves. When you have something important to say, you need to know how to hook people’s attention quickly. Stand up. Be loud. Walk around. Share phrases that pique curiosity. Be creative in your approach. If your audience is going to be distracted, make sure they are distracted by you.  

I was once at a fundraising event where I was the last presenter of 10 other speakers. By the time I went up on stage, everyone was ready to go home. So I told them the exact opposite of what they were expecting to hear: that no matter what I said, they would not donate to my organization. And then I reframed the presentation to prove my point. After the talk, I had 2 out of the 3 donors come up to me, disagreeing with my approach while agreeing to help me out. Total win.

Free Marketing

So many times at large events, conferences, or radio stations, they are looking for speakers, for somebody who has something compelling to say that their audience would like. And at each of those opportunities, there’s always the chance to plug your organization. Free marketing, who wouldn’t want that?! But in a sea of people, so many would say no to that opportunity due to a fear of public speaking.

I was just at an event where they asked me, “Hey James, do you want to pump up the audience, and get them out of their seats?”  They completely caught me off guard with this request. I wasn’t prepared. I was honestly tired and started making an excuse, but then stopped myself.  I took that mic anyway, did my thing, got people clapping, got them out of their seats, and then shared what our organization did and wished them a great night.

Thankfully, public speaking is one of those skills that you truly can acquire in life. The more you practice it, the easier it gets. There are no “naturals” out there — they simply have had more practice than you.  You see, public speaking is like a muscle. Athletes know you have to go to the gym and train those muscles every day in order to grow stronger. You can be a great public speaker, but you have to always be practicing.

If you’re wondering how you could get better, see if you have a local Toastmasters club or just a group of friends who are interested in personal development. There are always people who want to practice, they just need someone to do the initial legwork to organize it. You can even find volunteer opportunities — like volunteering as a museum docent — that’ll help you acquire the public speaking skills you need while serving your passion. The best part of public speaking is that because you’re focusing so much time on communication, it improves your communication in other areas of your life, too. I’ve personally never met someone who regretted the time they invested in practicing public speaking.

  Author Bio: James McBryan is an 11-time volunteer organizer and the founder of Track it Forward, a way for membership organizations and nonprofits to track volunteer time. He runs a blog for the part-time volunteer coordinator where he helps translate professional working strategies into volunteer management practices.

from Engaging Volunteers http://ift.tt/2qt4NyF

[pan-matsuri]

Pokémon Moon Update 3

I completed Ula’ula Island and the plot events directly following. It’s... um... hm. Thoughts below, spoilers.

My team as of completing this island is Primarina, Misdreavus, Ledian, Lurantis, Umbreon, and Shelgon. This will likely be my final team for the story, once Misdreavus and Shelgon evolve. I was briefly travelling with Marowak, and I was considering Ninetales for my team. However, I forgot about “version exclusives” and had to trade for one, and raising a new Vulpix from an egg is what I’ll want to do, but it’s not in the plans for now. I happened to stumble upon a Bagon on Melemele Island while exploring new areas by surfing, and even though its Sp Def is dreadful, its Attack stat and typing are welcome additions to the team. EDIT: Apparently Bagon is super rare on Melemele, like a 1% chance of encounter. But it was the first and only Pokémon I saw in that patch of grass so lucky me I guess! The island starts off with too much Kukui, which is to say any amount of Kukui at all. I knew there was a reason I didn’t like Kukui, or rather a multitude of reasons, but I never expected him to come up with the idea of starting a Pokémon League. I guess that explains why he has been so serious about my adventure so far, but I don’t like when people make professional development decisions on my behalf. I don’t like Kukui. I had really been warming up to the idea of no gyms and no Pokémon League. The Pokémon series had been stuck in a formula for 20 years, and it felt like they had finally broken the mold. While there have been other issues, the actual flow of the adventure felt fresh and exciting. But no, Kukui has to go and ruin it by insisting that our adventure has to follow the script and we have to compete to be the Champion. I don’t like Kukui. I really like the design of this island. I like the eastern influences in the buildings and the garden in Malie City. We’re told to go up a mountain, but not before being introduced to a couple more new characters. Acerola is pretty cute, and I really like the black/white dichotomy of her design paired with Lillie’s. I hope they continue to be Good Friends. We also meet Samson Oak, whose mere existence continues to prove that the developers have a fetish for the Gen 1 games. The first trial feels so forced. You don’t even get to hardly meet these people before they start involving you in schemes. It’s pretty cool that it’s at the top of a mountain, but despite Mount Hokulani being so tall you need to take a bus to the top, there’s hardly anywhere to explore. This also contributes to a long running issue that there are simply not enough trainers in between each plot point for you to be able to accurately tell if you are at the right level. To be fair, I’ve never really had to grind, but I’ve also barely squeaked by during a couple fights, so maybe I should have been. The Electric trial is led by Sophocles, a captain who is so uninteresting that that’s all I have to say about them. You’re forced into four fights in a row, so hopefully you didn’t put a Flying type in the lead position like I did. There’s no warning either that you won’t be able to switch your lead position. If I’m having so much trouble as a veteran player, I can’t imagine how difficult this game must be for casual players. If this was my first Pokémon game, I’d probably put it down and never play it again. I made the battle with Totem Vikavolt much harder on myself by refusing to use Marowak, who was still tagging along. Double resistance to Bug and immunity to Electric would have made the trial laughably easy. So maybe I shouldn’t complain about difficulty when I’m artificially creating it myself. Of my other five Pokémon, only Misdreavus was a safe-switch in. Ledian was able to tank some hits after Reflect, and Infestation helped to chip away at the Totem’s health while I could heal the rest of the team. Vikavolt didn’t seem interested in using Bug moves against Umbreon, so I was able to use Growl to -6 Attack, which ultimately helped. Fomantis hadn’t evolved yet and was too slow and frail to do anything but faint in one hit. Brionne was able to pick off the ally Charjabugs while barely surviving Spark. The battle went really long, and I think Vikavolt became PP starved near the end. After leaving the mountain, we’re forced to talk to Kukui again. I don’t like Kukui. We finally meet the head of Team Skull, the big bad bug boss Guzma. We end up fighting him like a thousand times on this island. He made a great first impression on me when he confronted Kukui for being an idiot. I don’t like Kukui. His first boss battle was kind of tough because I didn’t have a lot of options when fighting bugs, but I would ultimately teach Brionne to use Acrobatics and Lurantis to use Aerial Ace. Ledian would also learn Air Slash which, in addition to Bug Buzz, would ultimately make her my strongest Pokémon. I do think it’s great that his Golisopod has a move called First Impression. Up until now, Team Skull was really just up to mischief, which was all well and fine. The evil teams don’t always have great mission statements. The one line about Alola having a bunch of old and outdated traditions was interesting to me. I felt it was an interesting contradiction that Guzma would feel that way but then fight any attempt to change that. There is a man north of Malie City named Gester, who lets you change your Battle Style, which is basically just how you throw your first Poké Ball. After learning that you could learn new styles from challenging previous captains, I raced back to challenge Lana. My recently evolved Lurantis swept Lana’s team, with some defensive assistance from Ledian. At some point, some people form a Nugget Bridge clone in Malie Garden. I don’t like this, only because I am sick of all the Gen 1 references. To make matters worse, they only use Kanto Pokémon,probably the original teams from Nugget Bridge. The last guy even pretends to recruit us to Team Rocket. The only thing that was interesting was the suggestion that the last guy actually was a former member of Team Rocket. I think an anniversary game where it’s revealed that Giovanni has been pulling all the strings in every other game would be super cool. We’re given a new Ride Pokémon in the form of Mudsdale. The oldest 8 year old Hapu tries to wave off the lack of ceremony (”I was gonna give it to you before but I forgot”). Mudsdale can walk over rocky terrain and is slower than Tauros and Stoutland. From what I can see, there’s no wild Pokémon on the rocky terrain and it only appears on one route, which is already blocked off by a trial captain’s barrier. So I’m not exactly sure why this Ride Pokémon is in the game. The geothermal power plant seems like something important could happen there. I know there’s that Legendary Pokémon from XY that they didn’t release, Volcanion. They have this whole big power plant area in Kalos which I’m certain was meant for a side story with that Legendary, but it’s all blocked off. I’m getting the same feeling here, but I’m not going to complain because you can interact with almost everything at the power plant reception/museum area. It felt far more immersive than anything else in the game so far. Anyway, we mindlessly make our way from point A to point B and start Acerola’s trial at a haunted abandoned supermarket. It was pretty clever, but again, there are other Ghost Pokémon than the three from Gen 1. I thought the mechanic of taking pictures was neat, but I wish it was more complex. Totem Mimikyu was the strongest challenge so far. I expected it to be easy, as I had four Pokémon with moves strong against Ghosts. The biggest challenge was that Mimikyu was faster than Ledian, who was my fastest Pokémon. Also that Mimikyu got a critical hit that bypassed Reflect and knocked out Ledian. That didn’t help. Mimikyu had obnoxious type coverage. Umbreon was to be my other star, but Mimikyu had some Fairy type move that shut him out of the match. Misdreavus would have been strong but Ghost being weak to Ghost made it a struggle. I was able to use Thuder Wave which helped. Shelgon knew Crunch, but was too slow and too weak to hold up to ally Gengar’s Shadow Ball. Lurantis didn’t have any opportunities to tag in; these Totem battles aren’t really meant for Grass types it seems. Primarina was the star, taking out Mimikyu with Oceanic Operetta. Luckily, allies Haunter and Gengar didn’t know any Poison moves. As an aside, I really like Double Battles. There were a few in this chapter, but there haven’t been too many overall. With Pokémon like Ledian and Umbreon, I’m able to put together some actual strategies, even though it’s mostly just “put up Reflect/Light Screen and hope that Petal Blizzard/Sparkling Aria doesn’t critical on me”. At this point, Team Skull commits petty theft and steals a Pokémon. It’s not a strong one, so there’s no real point, but it plays into Team Skull’s previous gimmick of being incompetent. Sometime around here, Gladion shows up and tells us to protect Cosmog, and it was about this time that I noticed his eye color matched Lillie and it all started to fit together. We’re introduced to the weirdest cameo ever, Grimsley from the Unova Elite Four. Why is he here? I failed to mention last time that Colress, also from Unova, showed up on Akala Island. That was also weird, but Grimsley is arguably weirder. You never really interact with the Elite Four outside of the Pokémon League, so they are very easily forgettable. Grimsley gives us Ride Sharpedo, which is another surf option except combined with rock smash instead of fishing. I like Sharpedo, because it’s a better alternative to Lapras. Fishing is pointless in this game anyway, except for Pearls. I really like Po Town. It’s the sort of feel that would have been great from towns that Team Rocket had taken over, except those would have more of a mob feel. We’re introduced to yet another new character, but he doesn’t tell us his name yet. He looks like he hasn’t slept in months and couldn’t care less about anything short of the destruction of the world. Well, just you wait, sir. The second Guzma fight was the same as before, except with higher levels. I was able to successfully predict Golisopod’s First Impression and block with Shelgon’s Protect. Shelgon was carrying an Amulet Coin, which was important because Revives are stupid expensive and also clothes. Speaking of clothes, I bought a new top in Malie, but that’s about it. I’d love to get my hands on a Team Skull top. We rescue the stolen Yungoos and discover almost immediately that Lillie has been kidnapped by Team Skull. The game plays a flashback of the events; I did not like this. It’s a common story telling technique but didn’t fit in this game. Gladion shows up and tries to hide the fact that he’s her brother, even tho we’d all worked that out by now. So just a heads up, I think everything about this next part of the game is all sorts of messed up. Gladion suggests that Lillie was taken to Aether Fortress, which makes no sense to anyone but him. Hau even calls him out on this, but since everyone has been treating Hau like shit, he’s started to have low self esteem and starts treating himself that way too. Thanks a lot, game. You took the one really good character and treated him like garbage. You can piece together that Lusamine has the same eye color as Lillie and Gladion, but the problem I have is that Team Skull had nothing to do with Aether up until this point. In fact, they had literally just stolen a Pokémon from them not an hour earlier. I don’t like when the game autowalks you to a new location. My legs work on their own, thank you. In this case, Gladion takes us to Malie City to travel by boat to Aether Fortress. Before we leave, as we’re waiting for Hau, the depressed guy from earlier shows up. This is Nanu, and he might be Acerola’s uncle but I doubt it and hope not. In Hawai’i, my understanding is that it’s common to call your elders “auntie” and “uncle”, even if they’re not related to you. Anyway, he’s apparently the kahuna and reminds us of the island challenge thing that we were doing. He uses Dark type Pokémon. This battle would have been really easy with Ledian but every trainer in this game has ridiculous type coverage in their attacks. Two of his Pokémon have Rock type moves, so Ledian went down quick. Sableye was handled by Shelgon, since Dragon Claw is ridiculously strong. Krokorok was handled quickly by Primarina. Persian was taken down by Lurantis, who finally had a moment to shine. Grand Trial complete, moving on. So now Team Skull and Aether are in cahoots I guess? Cool. This would mean that Aether is evil, as evidenced by all the Aether employees wanting to fight you for some reason. They could have played this differently, I think. We did arrive at the fortress in a Team Skull boat. Maybe they think we’re Team Skull? Nope. We’re just a bunch of kids who are intruders. There’s a handful of Aether people who are actually helpful. This is never explained why some are okay with us and some aren’t. I thought one of them would be the girl who was nice to us and Rotom but apparently the writers forgot about that. Aether Employees are way stronger and more competent than Team Skull. But their teams are still easy enough to take down with type matching. We meet the green Aether guy, Faba, again. He’s made out to be this big bad guy but he only has a Hypno. But he’s a conniving little rat. We’re tricked into exploring some labs in search of Lillie and we learn a bunch of information about Ultra Wormholes that we already knew. Rotom suggests that we read as many documents as we can, but there’s only two of them. This was a chance to provide some more depth but it was missed. I do like Multi Battles, and the game pairs you up with Hau and Gladion a few times here. Hau is much better than Gladion, and also a lot better than anyone else gives him credit for, including himself. After some more Aether fights, another fight with Faba who was suddenly stronger, and a meeting with Wicke who acts in such a way that suggests she has no idea what’s actually happening, we walk into the next area to find... a crap ton of Team Skull members. Why are they here? Why are they working with Aether? The answer is... I don’t know. The game doesn’t tell you. You even fight Guzma again, in a harder battle. He steps aside, because he “respects” you or something, but never says why he’s there. We finally find Lillie, who is with Lusamine. Shocker, Lusamine is the mother of Lillie and Gladion. Who would have guessed. Lusamine has gone absolutely bonkers. She is a straight up cold hearted bitch. After she says “I have no son or daughter” to her son and daughter, she kidnaps Lillie’s Cosmog and plans to kill it to summon the Ultra Beast from last chapter. I really don’t like this. Lusamine is a horrible person. And even the suggestion of killing a Pokémon is way darker than anything ever suggested in the games before. I did not sign up for this, this betrays the way that main series Pokémon games have been billed up until now. It’s a children’s game, for goodness sake. Or maybe it isn’t anymore. The battle against Lusamine was surprisingly easy. Clefable was taken out by Misdreavus and Ledian. Clefable first used Metronome to use Coversion2, turning it into the Dark type. Losing STAB for Moonblast and gaining a weakness to Bug allowed Ledian to get an easy win. One interesting thing that happened was that Clefable used Metronome to use the move Moongeist Beam, which I understand is the signature move of the version-exclusive Legendary for Moon. Lilligant and Milotic were taken down quickly by Lurantis. Misdreavus confronted Bewear, but Lusamine withdrew on turn one, because apparently it didn’t know any moves to hurt Ghost types. Her Mismagius was defeated by Umbreon, and Bewear was ultimately defeated by Primarina’s Oceanic Operetta because she didn’t really get to do anything else in the match. Also I threw out Shelgon at some point for the Amulet Coin. Guzma shows up to help Lusamine, again not explaining why. It doesn’t make sense. I cannot think of a single reason why these two would be working together. They use Cosmog’s energy to open up a bunch of Ultra Wormholes. This leads to a really cool cutscene fight, Hala and Tapu Koko versus some bug thing. Tho I wish Tapu Koko would have responded to Hala’s words. Even just a nod or something. Lusamine and Guzma enter an Ultra Wormhole created by the jellyfish thing from the last chapter. They’re gone, but Lillie and Gladion still want to get their mother back. Personally, I say good riddance. She’s a monster. After a night’s rest, and an outfit change and a new lease on life for Lillie, we’re set to head out and clean up the mess caused by the Ultra Wormholes. Hau decides to stay back and train, as we have outpaced him in the island challenge by quite a ways. So the game sidelines the best character, tho it will be a nice change of pace to have a more actively involved Lillie. Gladion offers to help us on our quest by taking us to... Poni Island, for some reason. We’ve never been there before. We know that there are Ultra Beasts everywhere we’ve been, but it seems like the game just wants us to continue our island challenge like nothing else is happening. Gah. So far, regarding the game as a whole, I feel like... this is not my favorite Pokémon game. I don’t even know if I really like it. I mean, I like it enough to want to see it through to the end, but that might be because of the 45 hours I’ve put into it so far. At least we’re free of Kukui for a while. I don’t like Kukui.