#as for why that’s come to me NOW of all times — much less where the realization came from — I sincerely don’t know

[starzradio]

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

after countless empty promises spilled from his lips, you wanted to believe that he’d show up to your anniversary of all things.

FEATURING: toji fushiguro x wife! reader

CONTENTS: non canon compliant/au, marriage problems, talks of divorce, angst, smut, porn w/out plot rly, unprotected p in v, cunnilingus, fingering, spanking, doggy, missionary against a wall, pet names (ma, princess, etc.)

WORD COUNT: 4.9k

AUTHOR’S NOTE: repost bc i need this dilf in my bed rn 😞

"I'll make it home to you by six, mama. Take you out on a nice date, get you some flowers, all that stuff you like. Promise."

The clock was nearing eight o'clock with no signs of Toji coming through the door anytime soon, your own patience starting to run out with every tick. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. The sound echoed through your ears since you'd sat down on the leather couch nearly two hours ago, waiting for Toji to fulfill the promise. A promise that he'd made after flaking out on the date planned prior to that one.

And prior to that one. And prior. It'd been more missed dates than actual ones that he'd taken you out by now—you weren't exactly sure why you'd hoped for tonight to be different. Well, you knew exactly why. Today marked three years of being married to one another. You knew that he didn't prioritize date nights with you as much as he should, but you had held some sort of foolish hope that your anniversary would mean something—anything to him.

The divorce papers felt like a dead weight in your hand, much like how your relationship would be the second that you brought it up. It all just seemed so final, seeing the terms laid out that would end years of marriage. Just by the flick of a pen. But the idea was almost like a reprieve, like something that was worth looking forward to. You shook your head, getting up from the couch to set the stack of papers on the kitchen table where Toji wouldn't miss them.

Another half hour of eerie silence and Toji still hadn't come through the door. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep some semblance of hope that he'd even show up at all, much less for your date. You admitted defeat, slipping off your heels and pulling up a throw blanket over yourself. Succumbing to the sleep that was weighing down on your eyelids.

You weren't even sure how much time had passed when you heard the door swing open, the door hitting the wall from the force. The thud of his shoes hitting the tile followed, a grumble leaving Toji's lips. "Fuckin' bastards rigged that race. Robbed me of fifty bucks," he muttered to himself, slipping his coat off before placing it up on the coat rack.

"You're home late," you called out, watching as Toji turned to look at the couch before flicking on one of the living room lights. "Jesus woman, you scared me," he grumbled, a large hand resting by his chest as he looked over in your direction. Toji rubbed a hand over his face, exhaustion lingering on his face like a second skin. It was only then that he looked over at you, really looked at you, and what you were wearing.

Ah shit.

Almost as if he wanted to make the situation worse, he'd chosen to go with, "You got all dolled up just to fall asleep on the couch?" You could've sworn you felt your eye twitch at the question. He'd barely opened up his mouth and you were already wishing that he didn't even bother showing up for the night.

Toji knew he was in deep shit with each step he took into the living room, his mind already starting to work overdrive to figure out what he could do for what he'd missed. A date? No, you wouldn't have put on the very expensive pair of Louboutins for just any date. His mind was blanking on anything other than the numbers that he'd lost with earlier in the day. Come on, think.

"No, I got dolled up because I thought I'd be going out with my husband tonight," you retorted dryly, smudges of eyeshadow sticking to your hand when you went to rub at your eyes. You could see Toji's brows furrow, the wheels seeming to turn in his head for once, before a look of realization settled on his features.

"Look, I'm sorry. I got carried away at the casino," one of the many excuses you'd heard before coming back to bite you in the ass. The same excuse that he'd used last month when he forgot about a work party you'd mentioned to him. Which wouldn't have been too bad if it weren't for all the snide comments being whispered in your direction and all the unwarranted marriage advice.

Advice that you ended up forgetting about chugging down two glasses of tequila like water. "I'll make it up to you, I swear. You can pick the place and all that shit." There went another one. He'd really topped himself using the two of them in a row. You rubbed the bridge of your nose, looking over at him in disbelief. "Do you even know what today was? Why I'm so pissed off?"

"It's your birthday?" Toji spoke after a couple seconds, the answer clearly wrong just by the look on his face. You rubbed a hand over your face, standing up from your spot on the couch. "It's our wedding anniversary, Toji," you spoke up before he made another guess that would just piss you off even further, "And I have something I need to talk to you about. It's on the kitchen table."

Underneath the vase filled with wilted flowers—a collection more than anything that you kept around as a reminder that Toji used to care, was a stack of papers. He placed the vase down on the table with more force than necessary upon realizing what the documents were. "A divorce?" The words slipped out of him with such venom, such distaste, like the idea was unfathomable.

Toji slammed the papers down on the table, the salt and pepper shakers trembling before falling over. "Is that really what you want?" He stepped closer to you when you approached the table, his hands instinctively moving to hold your hips. Holding you close to his body. "No, I didn't get married with the intention of getting a divorce. But you've been neglecting this marriage for a couple months now."

"I'll make it up to you now," Toji spoke quickly, like he was afraid of losing you at any moment. Like you'd disappear if he didn't. And as much as you wanted to avoid looking over at him, the task had just become all that much difficult when you had nowhere else to look at. It only took one glance at his face to realize just what he meant by 'making it up to you.'

"You think you're gonna fix months of pushing me aside with just sex?"

"Nah, I know it's gonna take more. But you've been so tired, isn't that right? So tired of tryin' to keep this marriage from falling apart and nobody taking care of you?" His words were like a siren's song when he whispered them in your ear, your traitorous body leaning back to meet the drag of your fingertips. It was almost laughable at how easily your resolve had melted. "Lemme take care of you mama. Promise I'll make you feel good."

"You wanna call me a dick, never wanna see me again? That's fine, just don't deny me one last taste. Please," And while Toji wasn't a man to beg for anything in his life, he found himself saying the words anyways. "Thought this was you making it up to me," and as much as you were willing yourself not to fold, you felt yourself spreading your legs almost instinctively when his finger dragged up your inner thigh.

"Can't it be both?" Toji's teeth nipped at your neck, licking a stripe up the junction of your neck. Practically salivating at the taste of you, of the expensive perfume you'd put on just a mere hours beforehand. "One could say that you're just being selfish," your words quickly died out when Toji started sucking on your pulse point, your own heartbeat betraying you. You'd expected Toji to sass you back, say something about how your body was just so needy against his touch.

But instead, he dropped down to his knees in front of you. The wooden floor underneath his knees almost made him feel bad for all the times he had you in a similar position. Almost. Toji looked up at you, "Selfish only when it comes to you."

Every slow drag of his fingertips across your smooth skin seemed almost reverent— like you were something to worship. You were, he just failed to realize that until now. Until you were almost out the door. "I'm sorry," the first real apology of the night slipped out of his mouth, his lips pressed against your shin. "I'm sorry," he moved up to your knee, repeating the action. Hushed whispers of I'm sorry's and featherlight kisses moving up your legs, stopping only when he gets to your clothed cunt.

"I'm sorry," Toji uttered his last apology against your cunt, his eyes locking onto yours as he applied an open mouthed kiss on your clothed clit. Barely darting his tongue out, swirling it against the nerves that were just begging for one ounce of stimulation. And he was practically reveling in how needy he made you in the span of seconds. Your back arched to rest against the seat behind you, one of your hands going to rest on his head.

Toji's fingers dragged slowly in between your folds, feeling the wet patch already starting to form through the thin lace material. You refused to make eye contact with him, knowing that if you did, he'd be able to see just how desperate you were in just a manner of seconds. Even if the bastard probably had a clue already. "You sure your pussy agrees with the divorce?" His voice came out to something akin to a purr, the drag of his fingers slowing down.

Getting you even more worked up than you were already. "Fucking hate you, can't even apologize right," you let out a hiss, your hand going down to his hair. Pulling his head even closer to you despite your previous claim. "Fine, I'll apologize correctly," Toji sounded like you were the one inconveniencing him—to which you were. He wanted to take his time with his meal, have you begging for him to touch you. And normally, he would've.

If he weren't desperate to have your cunt on his face again after weeks, months? of just having his fist to work with. His fist and a used pair of your panties up to his nose like a pervert, hips humping the air in desperation. Imagining that it was your tongue flicking across his leaking tip instead of his thumb, that it was your soft hands in exchange of his rough ones. And as easy as it was for him to get laid—he didn't want to be with anyone that wasn't you.

Toji hadn't tasted someone as sweet as you, heard someone so angelic before, but now he supposed that maybe he'd have to put that theory to the test if you left him after all. Just the idea was maddening. That someone else would be doing the same thing that he's doing to you now, that they'd give you the affection that he should've given.

"Especially sorry to you. Been neglecting you for too long," he hooked his fingers around the side of your panties, pulling them to the side just enough to reveal your slick folds to him. Toji swiped the tip of his finger along your entrance, your slick glistening against the harsh kitchen lighting before he stuck in his mouth. Swirling his tongue around it, licking away at it like the slut he was.

And like the deprived man that he'd been, Toji's hands went to the lace of your underwear and stretched it out until a loud rip echoed throughout the kitchen. "You always this wet for people you hate? Or is that just for me?" Toji taunted, pushing your tattered panties down to your ankles. Finally leaning in closer to where you were aching for him to touch you. To do something other than just tease you relentlessly.

Toji settled on his knees behind you, spreading your legs open like you were his favorite meal. His tongue swiped up on your dripping cunt, licking up your essence with sheer greed. "Mmph fuck, so good," his words came out muffled, his tongue swiping across your folds before darting inside of your cunt. Your grip on the table tightened, your hips working on their own accord to push back onto his face. Practically suffocating him in your pussy. Not that he minded. By any means.

Toji practically welcomed it, his hands pushing you down onto his face. Getting absorbed in your cunt completely. "A-Ah fuck, Toji!" You could already see the noise complaint hanging on your front door first thing in the morning. But how could you be expected to keep your voice down? Toji spread your folds apart with two fingers as if he were preparing for a feast, his tongue feverishly licking in between.

"Fuckin' soaked already, knew you loved me," The vibration of the low chuckle that followed his words shot currents up your spine, your ass jiggling all that much more in his face. With such a decadent taste coating his taste buds, dying by your pussy would be nothing short of a blissful way to go out. One of the fingers that he'd been using to spread your folds had been pushed inside of your cunt, your walls clenching around him.

Toji's tongue flicked against your clit, swirling the tip around the bud while his finger slowly pushed further inside of you. The loud squelch of your cunt was the only thing that filled the apartment, everything else completely silent. Your fingers dug deeper into his scalp, a low groan leaving his lips. "F-Fuck, Toji Toji," he pushed another thick finger inside, moving them in a scissoring motion to stretch you out.

"You think y're gonna find someone who can do this?" Toji looked up at you, his fingers curling up to hit that spongy spot inside of you almost perfectly. And if you didn't know any better, you'd almost say that he looked vulnerable while he made the question. Toji's lips wrapped around your clit, gently sucking on it as his fingers worked you closer and closer to your orgasm. You couldn't bring yourself to answer—didn't trust yourself to speak.

"Toji, Toji, gonna cum," you gave him a warning, your jaw falling slack and your lips parting in a o-shape. Soundless moans leaving your lips, feeling that coil in your lower tummy start to tighten up all the much more. With one final pump of his fingers, you were covering his lips with your release. His tongue swiped across his lips, across the scar that he hated, collecting every drop. Savoring what he imagined would be the last taste of you.

"Turn around," It was almost embarrassing how quickly you'd turned around per your soon-to-be ex husband's request.

Toji didn't take more than a couple seconds in unbuttoning his pants and taking them off, his cock hitting his stomach once it was released from its confines. Precum dribbled from his annoyingly almost pretty pink tip, dripping onto the floor. Drip. Drip. Drip. His cock slid through your folds like a slip n slide, your previous orgasm coating his tip with every lazy drag. "Toji," your voice bordered on a whine, pushing your hips to try to meet his movements.

"Tell me what you want," Toji clicked his tongue, one of his hands moving to hold your waist. Keeping you completely still until he got what he wanted. You figured there wasn't any harm in whining—you were already fucking the man after you brought up a divorce. There truly wasn't that much more to lose. "Why do I have to ask for it when you're the one apologizing?"

"Because you're the one pushing your hips back against me. All needy 'n shit. So.. beg."

"Want you inside me, Toji. Please."

"Want?"

You let out a huff before correcting yourself, "Need."

"Come on, doll. You can say it nicer than that, right?" Toji's pointer trailed up your torso, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

So goddamn annoying. You swallowed whatever pride you had left before looking back over at him, "Please, Toji. Need your cock in me. Please."

Toji clicked his tongue, one hand wrapping around his cock and giving himself a couple tentative pumps. "Think you can beg better than that. But since I'm feeling nice, I guess I'll let it slide." So much for feeling apologetic. Toji pushed his cock inside of you in one swift motion, a hiss leaving your lips at the stretch. Even with the fingers that'd been inside of you, nothing could've really prepared you.

"You okay?" Toji dropped his head to rest on your shoulder, whispering the words in your ear. Staying still while your walls tried to adjust to the overwhelming stretch. "You try taking your cock," you muttered dryly, giving him a nod to start moving. "Why would I do that when you take it so well?" Toji pushed the rest of his cock inside, his hands resting on your hips.

Toji wasn't particularly known for being gentle—the one hospital visit after he'd injured your cervix more than enough proof of that, but he started off slow. Slow, shallow thrusts. Fucking you in a way that he hasn't since your honeymoon. "Toji, you can speed up," you assured him, your words getting cut off with a smack to your ass. "What I'd say about tellin' me what to do?" Ah, there was the mean Toji that you recognized.

"Wouldn't need to tell you what to do if my vibrator wasn't looking more appealing right now."

Famous last words.

The change was almost immediate. Mascara dribbled down your cheeks, the sight of your once composed makeup all ruined making Toji's cock twitch inside of you. "Fucking pretty like this, y'know?" His teeth sunk down on the junction of your shoulder, his teeth grazing across the sensitive flesh. His hips snapped roughly into yours, your breathing growing erratic. "Fuck, Fuck, Toji!"

The coldness of his gold wedding band hit your skin as soon as he went to grip your hips, holding you against him like he needed to be close to you. The two of you had been distant for some time and he hadn't bothered to take off his wedding band once, not even on the rare occasion that he actually did happen to take a job. Toji would never admit it, of course—but he was starved for the feeling of your skin against his own.

To confirm that you were still here after all.

Your hands reached out to grab to whatever you could grab—anything, and of course, it just happened to be the divorce papers sitting on the middle of the table. Practically taunting you as your own signature glared back at you. "This good enough for you, princess?" Toji taunted in your ear, his blunt fingernails digging into your sides. "Mhm, j-just like that," your voice came out in a mewl, all bits of defiance completely out of your system.

"There you go. Nasty fucking girl," Toji all but purred in your ear the moment you started to jerk your hips back to meet his own, your ass bouncing with each one of his thrusts. "Just needed Toji to take care of ya," all you could was nod your head fervently, your grip on the divorce papers tightening. And Toji, of course, took notice. He took the papers from you with one hand, giving them a once-over before passing them back over.

"Come on, since ya wanted it so bad, read me those divorce papers," Toji handed you the stack of papers, pointing to where you'd signed your initials just a couple hours prior. Your hands shook as you held the papers, your vision blurry as you tried to make out the legal jargon in front of you. Even the simplest of words seemed all too complicated to try to make out.

"T-Toji, I can't," your voice cracked, your grip on the papers tightening when his cock reached all that much deeper inside of you. Toji clicked his tongue, peering over your shoulder to read the first sentence from the document. "That's not what it says ma, try again."

"Without all the stuttering too."

You took a deep breath, willing yourself to focus on the words in front of you instead of Toji's cock sinking further and further into you. "S-Says that the divorce agreement was made today between us," you clutched the sheets tighter, your eyes almost rolling back when Toji bottomed out inside of you. The tip of his cock dripping precum, your walls fluttering as you tried to get adjusted.

"Mm, yeah, keep goin'," Toji really couldn't care—his focus solely on the way that your cunt stretched out to fit his cock. Leaking around his shaft, loud squelches when he pulled out overplaying whatever shitty soap opera was playing. "And what'd I say about the s-stuttering?" Toji mocked your words, his own hips stuttering mere seconds later while he tried not to get absorbed in your cunt. Not that it was an easy task by any means.

It was hard, especially with the way that you claimed to be over this marriage despite your pussy claiming otherwise. When you opened your mouth to speak, the only thing that left you was a moan. "F-Fuck Toji, right there," your eyes shut tightly at the touch of his calloused hand making itself in between your legs, his thumb rubbing at your clit in a speed that felt like it combated his own running abilities.

"That's not what it says, c'mon," Toji grabbed your chin with his thumb and pointer, turning your head to face the overwhelmingly long divorce papers. You wouldn't finish tonight if he intended for you to read the whole thing, you knew that much. A harsh slap against your swollen clit made the pleasure coursing through your veins mix with pain, a shaky gasp leaving your kiss-swollen lips.

Drool leaked from the corner of your mouth, the black ink smearing with each drop that fell from your parted lips. Your walls enveloped every inch of his cock perfectly, your cunt holding his cock in a vice-like grip. "That I won't try to t-take your things," you managed to get out, hoping that it would be good enough. You knew the two of you wouldn't finish today if he made you read the never ending stack of papers. 

"Good enough," Toji sounded like he would've kept it going if he could, but you set them down as quickly as he spoke. It was almost like Toji was trying to remind you of why you'd fallen in love with him in the first place—the man reverent to your cunt and your cunt only. Every grip of your hips kept you closer and closer to his body, almost as a way for Toji to make sure you weren't slipping away.

"Wh—" Before you had the chance to complain about the loss of contact, Toji had already carried you without a smidge of struggle. His hands hooked underneath your plush thighs, hoisting you up against the wall. Your legs instinctively wrapped around his slutty waist, practically clinging onto him like a koala. "There we go, there's that pretty lil face," Toji placed his pointer underneath your chin, taking in the view in front of him.

The glazed over look in your eyes, the sweat beading up on your forehead, the makeup that he'd successfully ruined—everything about you was just so beautiful. How you tried to avoid looking in his direction for too long. "Don't leave me ma, need you in my life," the words were whispered into your ear, his cock pushing back inside of you in one swift motion. Toji's fingers went back to your throbbing clit, his pointer and middle rubbing against it at the perfect speed.

Not too fast, not too slow, and not too rough.

"Don't ask me to do that," you almost sounded pained as you spoke—not from him filling you up, but for the implication of his words. You'd practically babble anything right now, anything for him to keep going. To forget about the reality that awaits the two of you. Toji's lips found yours in an instant, the exchange between the two of you almost depraved. His mouth was feverish in the way that it moved against yours, like he'd never get the chance again.

Your hand went to the back of his head, pushing him closer against you. Letting yourself forget for just a little while longer. A string of saliva connected your lips to his when you pulled away—only to catch air. "I’m close, Toji, so close," you whined against his lips, your release coating his shaft a mere moments later. Toji only used that as lubricant, his movements quicker against your cunt to chase his own release.

"There's no one else for me, I'll stop goin' to t-the casino, stop gettin' into trouble," Toji had been reduced to a babbling the first thing he pulled out of his ass, if only to get you to stay. His head rested against the junction of your neck, basking in the remnants of proximity that he could get. Shaky breaths left his lips with each thrust of his hips, feeling himself getting closer and closer. "You've been saying that since we've been married."

"I mean it this time, I promise," you'd never heard a lie sound so pretty slipping from someone's lips before until now.

He bit down on the side of your neck, hard. Not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to where you'd probably have to use a tube of concealer to even attempt to cover up the bruising mark. Causing you problems even now. But you'd be lying if the sudden act of possessiveness had your walls clenching against him even tighter, if that was even possible anymore.

His cock was barely moving against the tight grip you held around his shaft, his pace stuttering. "Fuck, fuck, so tight," Toji let out a loud groan, completely at the will of your pussy. He threw his head back, a light shade of pink dusting his cheeks in this lighting. Ropes and ropes of cum decorated your cunt, his softening length snug inside of you. Toji ended up pulling out a couple moments later, scooping the drops of cum that leaked down your thighs with his finger.

Toji was shameless in the way that he stuck the finger in his mouth, a low moan leaving his lips at the combined taste of him and you. Before your rationality came back, before you got the chance to even think about regretting this, you leaned in and crashed your lips against his own. Tasting yourself on his tongue. The kiss lingered between the two of you more than it needed to, it was less rushed than the prior ones you'd shared.

Like a last taste.

"So, you still want to get that divorce?" Toji knew you would've just babbled whatever for him to keep going, saving the question until now. His movements were almost reluctant as he pulled his pants over his legs once again, making little attempt to fix up his hair. If anything, his fingers only ended up messing the strands even more. Despite knowing the answer deep down, Toji still held out hope. That maybe you'd had some eye-opening moment while he was balls-deep.

You stood up properly, looking over at the ruined sheets on the table before looking back over at him. "I do," you spoke after a couple seconds, grabbing your tattered panties from the floor and smoothing over your dress. Trying to maintain whatever semblance of dignity you had left. Even if it was probably just as tattered up as your underwear at this point.

"Why? You know I love you. You know that you love me. So why should we get separated?" You did know that. But you also weren't sure that he'd ever loved you enough to consider changing. To consider the fact that you needed some sort of affection outside of sex.

"Because you think that somehow every problem between us can be resolved with sex. You say that you want to do better and yet, you never do. It doesn't even feel like you're my husband half of the time," all the bottled up feelings from the past couple months spilled out of you in a manner of seconds. All the bottled up thoughts that maybe you should've told your husband about earlier. Though, you weren't even sure if Toji would've paid it any mind.

And almost as if he'd read your train of thought, "Why didn't you tell me about all this before just hittin' me with divorce papers?"

"Because the few times that I did, you told me to stop bitching. That I shouldn't have anything to complain about with a roof over my head and a fridge full of food," you started off, almost waiting for him to deny what you were saying, "And while I'm not saying that I'm not thankful for those things, I also don't want to feel ungrateful for saying that I miss my husband."

Silence lingered between the two of you, each second that passed by only confirming what the two of you already knew by now. That a divorce wasn't such a far-fetched idea. Toji knew there wasn't left to even attempt fighting for, so he simply just told you, "I'll sign 'em when you get the new ones."

[genderqueerdykes]

i am deeply frightened and frustrated and need to talk about my physical health for a bit

all throughout this year, i have been struggling with digestion and other gastrointestinal health issues. i got my gallbladder removed a few months ago, which helped tremendously to reduce the amounts of pain i was in, and it helped decrease my nausea by a lot. however, i had a colonoscopy done that showed that i have diverticulosis, which are bulging pockets in the walls of one's intestines. these pockets can cause all kinds of problems, they can get inflamed and infected super easily due to old waste not cycling out of the body correctly

nothing was done about it. the doctor never talked to me to tell me if they were infected or inflamed or not. i was told nothing and sent home. for the past year, i have been having debilitating GI issues. i can barely eat food anymore. nearly every time i eat, no matter what it is, i either become nauseated, or end up having to run to the bathroom shortly afterwards. whenever i have to use the bathroom i come out of it feeling weak, exhausted and sick. the pain in my stomach and intestines has been unbearable.

a few nights ago, i ate some bread the food bank gave me, and it caused me so much lower gut pain that i couldn't move or do much of anything. the amount of foods i can safely consume without becoming sick is slowly becoming less and less. it's to the point where i'm just genuinely scared to eat anymore. i don't really know what to do about it. i feel hysterical, like i'm gonna crack and break into thousands of pieces

i have an appointment scheduled with a good medical group, but the soonest they were able to get me into their GI department for an appointment is May of 2025. if i'm struggling this hard to eat now, i have no idea what's going to happen in the next 5 months. i'm so tired of having to worry constantly before every bite of food i eat if i'm going to become sick and spend my entire day in the bathroom.

i hate the american medical system so much. i hate how gross i feel all the time and that there's nothing i can do about it. its getting to the point where i might go to the ER again. i don't really know what else to do, i still can't eat food. i got my gallbladder removed, but i still can't eat. that was only part of the problem. i hate that the rest of it was just completely ignored. if i'm constantly complaining about lower GI symptoms and i have diverticulosis, there's a good chance that is the reason why my lower gut is so miserable. but just ignore it, i'm fat, so it doesn't matter if i can't eat. i'm sure they think it's good for me to eat less. fucking christ.

[yellowjestertfs]

Altered State: Part Five

Alright second to last part! Read Part Four, Three, Two, and One here if you haven't. Just a warning, part is more action oriented then the others but still has the same tf and progression elements. Currently I am in the process of writing the epilogue which is a bit of a mess at the moment so the last part might be a few weeks (sorry) but hopefully not too long. Anyways enjoy and thanks for reading!

Edward's mind worked feverishly, processing his thoughts as fast as he could with his 19 intelligence. Part of him wanted to blow off the quest. The possibility of being a level one wretch, if defeated, seemed too big a risk to take. On the other hand, the love potion offered as a reward was excruciatingly tempting. The decision was made for him, Leon scooped him up in a firm fireman’s hold and then still naked, sprinted out the door and into the cool night, moving at a pace Edward couldn’t quite believe. 

His strides were effortless and long, and even with the added weight of Edward, Leon made an amazing time. The row of frat houses that everyone called “fratrow” was four blocks away. Leon reached in just less than a minute hardly even winded. 

It was fairly obvious which house was Sigma Alpha’s. Besides having the Greek letters emblazoned on its front, it was the only house on the row with loud music and voices coming from the backyard.

Leon set Edward down and it took a few seconds for him to get his bearings. According to Trent’s texts, the Alpha Sigma frat bros weren’t letting anyone leave. Edward had no idea why but he couldn’t imagine it was for any good reason. The backyard, enclosed by a seemingly hastily erected high wooden fence was where everyone was congregated. Two frat guys with their arms crossed stood outside, seemingly guarding the entrance to the backyard, and also the way out. 

Just above the fence, Edward could see the tip of a white-domed object peeking out. It looked like a satellite dish connected to the top of a projector screen connected with random metal scraps and duct tape. Sure enough, Edward could see a place on the side of the large two-story house with loose wires sticking out of it where the satellite dish was presumably held before.

The seconds ticked by. They had less than sixteen minutes remaining. “Alright, I’ll check out the backyard, and see if I can get everyone out. You need to go into the house and see if you can find Hunter or Alvis and shut down whatever it is they are planning” Edward said, the pressure making him decisive. As the one with the highest intelligence, if only by a few points, he felt responsible for making a plan. 

“You want us to split up?” Leon asked incredulously. 

“We have to. Besides you're much better equipped to do actual fighting.” Edward found his eyes drifting over to one of Leon’s strong pump pecs. He suddenly remembered that Leon was naked, a very easy thing to forget with Leon’s Naked Confidence perk. That meant he wasn’t carrying a phone, not that that would have been useful with Edward’s being basically dead. “If either one of us is in trouble make a bird sound or something. 

“A bird sound, are you for real?” Leon asked rolling his eyes. The comment broke Edward’s moment of seriousness and he moved to punch his friend in the arm, but then remembered the effect of his touch and thought better of it. 

“Shut up. Just call for help.” They now had only fifteen minutes left. “We got to go, stay safe.”

Edward pounded a fist against his muscular chest and faint hollow metallic sounds rang out. “Don’t worry about me.” Then in a genuine tender way, Edward hardly ever heard his friend use “you be safe too. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Edward felt his heart skip a beat. This was not the time to be having these feelings but god damn was Leon good at giving mixed signals. “Bet you I’ll get take out more frat guys than you.” Leon challenged.

“Suck my dick” was all Edward said. 

“Fine, but if I win you have to suck mine.” Leon shot back. 

“You're so on,” Edward said as the two snuck forward. Edward headed for the backyard, and Leon went up the stairs and to the front door of the frat. Once Edward got closer he could make out the two frat guys stationed at the door. He didn't recognize either of them. They looked young, maybe recent pledges. Edward wasn’t overly surprised when he saw they had floating names above their heads with classes and levels, but he thought it would make this a whole lot more difficult.

Luckily neither of the two guards was very high level. The one on the right had a floating tag above him that labeled him as Broden, a level four Jock. The other guy was a stranger. He wore a suit jacket and tie on top and only his boxers on the bottom. His name was Harold and he was only level two in a class called an Oil Baron. Edward shuddered to think about what type of boosts a class like that would give, though if these classes followed the pattern his and Leon’s did, which was hardly a guarantee, they hopefully wouldn’t have any abilities or techniques unlocked until level five. 

Edward adopted his best approximation of a bro walk and strode forward with all the confidence he could muster. The two young frat guys seemed as if they were about to say something but stopped when they saw the name and level above his name. 

“Yoo, what are you two bozos still doing here?” Edward asked in a dumb voice. He overdid it a bit and sounded like a caveman instead of a frat guy, but he hoped his high charisma and perks might make up the difference.

The two pledges just looked at him blankly. “Hunter sent you two out to get more duct tape like an hour ago. He’s going to be so pissed.”

“But bro, Hunter told us not to leave this door,” The Jock said, in a slow confused way that made it clear his class wasn’t giving him any boosts to intelligence.

“Don’t worry about it bro, I got it. No one gets in or out, I know the deal.”

The Oil Baron opened his mouth to object but a loud crash interrupted him. Edward suspected that was Leon making his entrance. Subtly had never been his strong suit. 

“Shit bro, that’s Hunter. You can’t let him find you here, I’ll cover for you don’t worry” Edward said. Fear instantly burned in both their eyes. Without another word, they both sprinted into the night. Edward waited until they were a few streetlights away before he opened the makeshift gate. The quest “defeat lesser members” changed from 0/26 to 2/26. As Edward watched that number went up to 3/26 then 4/26, presumably thanks to Leon. Edward would have to work faster if he wanted to win their bet.

Inside the party was packed like sardines. Judging from Trent’s texts Edward had expected people to be clambering to get out by the door but most people still danced and drank, unaware that they had been unable to leave in the first place. Edward navigated his way through the backyard. It was then that Edward missed the invisibility of being ugly. The second he entered the party nearly everyone was all over him. Strangers started to grind up on him, offered him drinks, and tried to chat him up. It made moving through the crowd a nightmare. His perks didn’t help matters either. His pheromones caused the people flirting around him to progress to making out and caused those already making out to progress further into outright indecent behavior. Edward did his best to avoid skin-to-skin contact but it was inevitable in a crowd so packed, he heard several yelps as people suddenly felt orgasmic pleasure on their skin anywhere Edward’s hands accidentally. 

Eventually, Edward reached the bubble of relative calm around the projector screen. He saw Trent and Tag talking to each other in low voices by one side of the fence, clearly unaware that the way out was open now. Edward briefly thought about going over to them but he knew neither would recognize him and he didn't have time for lengthy explanations. He needed to get everyone out, and quick. 

Edward glanced and saw two more frat guys standing by the door to the house while four others worked on the projector, taping wires down to the ground that led inside the house. All six had names, classes, and levels above their heads. Edward stopped walking realizing if he could see their level then they could undoubtedly see his. Sure enough, a level nine Keg Commander started walking towards him briskly. He looked older and in charge, and Edward doubted he could resort to trickery to deal with him like before.

Edward ducked back into the crowd, hoping the chaos would obscure his floating name tag. No luck, the Keg Commander along with two other floating tags, a level six Crypto Bro, and a level seven Hype Beast moved towards him. Edward pushed his way through the crowd much less carefully this time. More couples, affected by his pheromones got nasty with each other right there in the backyard, which Edward hoped would make the chase more difficult for his pursuers.

Edward heard a crash from inside the house. He checked the counter to see it was now at 6/26. Edward hoped Leon was being safe. He heard another noise, like a loud bubbling. Edward risked a glance behind him and saw the level nine Keg Commander wave his hand over a beer keg, the thing started shaking violently before it took off into the air like a bottle rocket. 

“Shit” Edward yelled reflexively, diving sideways into a group of guys who all let out sounds of shock and moans of pleasure as Edward pressed up against them. Edward’s dodge hadn’t been necessary. The keg went wide, flying over the party and landing with a bang in the neighbor's yard, spraying the gathered crowd with beer as it flew.

Edward kept moving, circling back around to the wall of the house. Behind him, the hype beast was letting out loud whoops and hollers that seemed to be riling up the crowd even further. The music started to build up to a beat drop and people started to mosh making it even harder for Edward to move through the crowd. Edward spied the source of the music, a giant speaker, at least the height of his chest. One of the frat guys, a level five DJ stood by it, making strange motions with his hands which caused the music to change in volume rapidly in a nauseating way. A plan formed in Edward's mind, with only thirteen minutes left he needed to be bold.

Edward made his way towards the speaker, careful to avoid the Crypto Bro who tried to cut him off. Once he was close Edward rolled up his sleeve and dove out of the crowd, running for the plug connecting the speaker to the outlet. The DJ tried to grab at him but Edward twisted so that he grabbed his arm instead. The bare contact with his flesh and the intense pleasure that resulted from it was enough to cause the DJ to drop his grip. Edward grabbed the plug and yanked. The loud music suddenly cut off, and there was a second of silence as the whole party looked toward the speaker questioningly. Edward took advantage of that moment. He climbed on top of the speaker and screamed a word as loud as he could manage. 

“Flee” he yelled, the word echoing loud and powerful as he imbued it with the energy of his Silver Tongue technique. His energy pool which had fully regenerated in the hours he had spent with Leon now dropped to 14/19. 

The effect was immediate and jarring. Every single person at the party fled in a wave emanating from Edward. The exit quickly clogged as hundreds of people all tried to leave the party at once. Edward watched horrified at the stampede he had created as students pushed at each other to get out as if death itself were chasing after them. Some students in their haste to get out decided to climb the tall fence, jumping off it into the neighboring yards before continuing to run into the night. 

In a matter of seconds, the entire backyard was empty and silent. Edward stood on the speaker, amazed at his own power. Though he had feared someone might be trampled it seemed that everyone had gotten out safe at least. It was a good reminder to him though that he needed to be careful with this power. 

His words had caught up a fair number of the frat guys causing them to flee as well. The counter now read 15/26, though he wasn’t sure how many of those he could take credit for. Still, Edward suspected he was kicking Leon’s ass when it came to their bet. He also noted that the quest item “Put a stop to the legion’s plans” was still marked as incomplete, meaning whatever it was they were planning involved more than just trapping students in their backyard. Edward thought of the love potion again and felt a nauseating mix of hope and guilt.  

Edward didn't have long to revel in his victory. From the second floor, he heard another loud crash then the unmistakable sound of an Owl’s hoot, or Leon’s best attempt at one, in truth it sounded more like a fart noise.

In a second Edward was off the speaker and racing toward the house. He entered a side door into the kitchen. Six low-level frat guys were inside, protected from Edward’s ability by the thick glass door. All of them were looking at the empty backyard in shock. They were even more shocked when the level eleven Snake charmer ran in. 

Edward didn’t have a thought in his head except the safety of his best friend. “Defend me,” he said, embossing the words with another ten of his remaining energy points, leaving him with only four more. Instantly the frat guy's faces went from confused to blank as they robotically followed him into the hallway and up the stairs as Edward followed where the wires connecting to the project screen led.

Edward raced upwards two stairs at a time towards the sounds of voices and struggles. A circle of frat guys, most of them level ten or higher encircled the kneeling form of Leon. Two purple and white bands bound both of Leon's wrists to the floor despite the obvious effort he was exerting to free himself.  A level fourteen Pledge Master with a sinister look to him held a red solo cup to Leon’s lips and was saying something in a low scolding voice too soft for Edward to hear with all the blood rushing in his ears.

Edward let out a yell as he and his frat protectors charged forward in the doomed defense of his best friend.

-

Leon strained at the colorful bamboo restraints binding him to the floor. The harder he struggled the tighter the traps bound him. He activated his Inner Strength ability and wrenched upwards, it was a bad idea. The sudden burst of strength was redoubled against him and he was forced to his knees, naked body beginning to sweat with the effort. Above him the level thirteen Prankster laughed. He had the same flawless complexion as Edward that indicated a high charisma, only his features looked mischievous and impish, nothing like the kind angelic features of his friend. 

Leon still found it hard to believe that god of a man he had slept with was Edward. And yet when he looked hard he could see the resemblance. His eyes had the same gentle genuineness in them, his lips, now thick and oh so kissable, still twitched the same way when he wanted to laugh but was trying to be serious. 

The Prankster above Edward let out a laugh that bordered on deranged as he watched Leon struggle. He and his other two frat brothers circled around Leon, a level ten Drug Pusher, and a level eleven Vape Mage, moved aside for a new figure. This one, a tall skinny man with dark hair and dark handsome features that made it clear he was also a charisma class, walked forward. His dark perfect eyebrows arched sharply, making him look like a cartoon villain. The floating name tag above him listed him as a level fourteen Pledge Master. Leon recognized him as one of them men who had been with Hunter earlier that day during the with the Dagorhir players, thought he hadn’t been nearly so handsome or intimidating when they had first clashed. Those events now felt like a lifetime ago. 

His hands glowed with an eerie brown light then a red solo cup appeared in them, full of a sloshing brown liquid inside Leon didn’t think was beer. “We have a new pledge I see. Hunter told me to watch out for you.” He took a step closer and a strange aura washed over Leon, he suddenly felt as if he would do anything this man told him to. It made him sick, nothing like the warm feeling he got from being around Edward. “You can join our frat if that's what you really want, but first don’t you know that new pledges have to suffer.” 

Leon blanched. He hoped Edward hadn’t heard the bird sound he had made when he was first trapped. He hoped Edward would escape now while he could. These frat guys were too powerful, too high-level. Leon had no idea how they had managed to gain so much experience in such little time. They must have received their classes after Leon and Edward had and yet even the two Leon had faced downstairs had been nearly his equal in level.

Leon supposed he and Edward could have been faster if they had been more efficient, and hadn’t spent several hours fucking like bunnies. Still, if those were to be Leon’s last moments on earth he was endlessly glad at how he spent them. He only wished he had told Edward how he felt, though that would require him to first understand what it was he felt, which was mostly confused.

Since the day they met in freshman orientation, Edward had been his best friend, his partner in everything. There had never been even a hint of anything more though. Leon was straight and Edward wasn’t interested in him besides. Now their dynamic had shifted. For Leon it wasn’t so much a big deal he had slept with a man, sure that was new, but his attraction for Edward burned just as bright, if not brighter than any he had for a woman. The part that was making him so on edge was the fact that it was with Edward. 

Leon knew with the way Edward now looked he could have any man he wanted. There would be no reason for him to want anything more than something physical with Leon. And yet Leon could swear that he saw something more than lust in those expressive eyes. He knew it was probably wishful thinking.

It wasn’t particularly worth dwelling on though, considering Leon’s current predicament. He had been so cocky when he had first entered the house. The door had been locked but a quick Inner Strength-enhanced kick busted the thing wide open.

Inside were two frat pledges, just sitting in the entranceway as if they had been expecting him, one, a level eight Louisville Slugger gripped a wooden baseball bat in his hand. The wood was a strange ashen gray as if it had been petrified to stone. The level eight swung his bat hard into the side of Leon’s face.

Leon’s whole skull rung like a bell as the bat that felt more like stone then wood bounded off his armored skull. The man moved to swing again but Leon took a step forward and shaved the man causing him to crash back into the stairwell. The other guard, a level six Tattletale made no move to attack, instead he opened his mouth, and a grating blaring almost robotic alarm came out, filling the whole house. Leon dashed forward and slammed his hand over the man's mouth, muffling the sound but not cutting it off. Leon wrapped his hand around the man's throat and squeezed, careful not to be too rough with his prodigious strength. Within seconds the Tattletale was unconscious. Leon made sure the man was still breathing before moving out of the entranceway. The counter was now at 4/26, meaning he and Edward were tied. Leon needed to move fast if he wanted to win and get another of those life altering blowjobs from Edward. 

Still he paid one last glance at the two unconscious men and noticed something odd. Both of them seemed to be changing, shrinking. The level nine Louisville Slugger was a muscular dude, tall and clearly athletic. Yet as Leon watched the guy's muscles deflated and he shrunk in height. The level above his head changed to seven to six counting down to level one as his stats drained away. Finally, as the guy started to look plainly average his class switched to one called a “Wretch” and he was defeated further, losing muscle height and likely some charisma based on the way his face twisted unattractively and broke out with acne. The Tattletale also lost much of his charisma-enhanced beauty and became an equally pathetic level-one wretch with his friend. Leon flashed back to the note about the quest being a correctional one. He supposed the two were considered defeated and therefore suffered the punishment of failing the quest. It was a horrifying fate. Leon imagined the muscles and perks he had so come to enjoy draining away and found the thought terrifying. He couldn’t go back to his old life, he wouldn’t.

Both the Tattletale, and the load noise of kicking in the door, had ruined any chance of surprise Leon might have had. He assumed other members of the frat would soon come to investigate the noise, meaning he needed to move. Leon wasn’t exactly sure where though, several hallways with bedroom doors on either side connected to the entranceway, along with hallways connecting to a massive kitchen and eating area that ran along the back of the house. A large lounge for hosting parties or doing school work was to Leon's right, and a set of stairs right in front of him led upwards, presumably to more rooms and potentially another lounge or hang-out area. Leon wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for, either of the bosses he supposed. He poked around a few of the hallways but they were all abandoned and all the doors were locked. Eventually, Leon decided he should go upstairs. 

That was where the trouble started. Up the stairs, there was a long landing that let off to lots more rooms. In the hallway stood four older-looking frat brothers, all with classes and levels above ten. The Prankster and the Drug Pusher noticed him first, while the Vape Mage, and level twelve Beer Pong Champion stood with their backs to him.

Leon didn’t wait for any of them to react. He rushed forward and shoved the Beer Pong Champion hard. The man went flying into a wall behind. The attack caused Leon to come into proximity with the Drug Pusher which caused his head to start to feel funny, like he was drunk and high at the same time. The effect was unbalancing enough that the Prankster was able to grab his hand. He activated some sort of ability or technique and suddenly through his hand waves of  painful electricity washed through Leon’s whole body. It felt like one of those prank hand buzzers only one hundred times more powerful. His whole body shook, completely unprotected by his armored skin. Leon was too stunned to react as the Prankster used yet another ability on him which caused those bamboo restraints he currently struggled against to bind him to the floor. Leon struggled for a few seconds before he spotted an open window that faced the backyard and made his best approximation of a bird call. 

The three frat guys looked at him funny but they were too cocky with the thrill of their catch that they didn’t seem to care. They called out for the pledge master who came out of a hallway a few moments later. Now Leon looked up at his eerily perfect face and felt a wave of revulsion and loyalty at the same time.

“Let go of him!” Leon snapped his head away from the frat guy's face as he heard a familiar voice yell.  Edward raced up the stairs trailed by six frat guys all also running. Leon could only watch as Edward flung himself at the Pledge Master, skinny body bringing the other man to the ground. To Leon’s surprise, the frat guys who Leon had assumed were chasing Edward rushed into his air, charging their own comrades with first and foot and claw in the case of one guy with the Party Animal class who turned into a puma wearing a party hat before Leon's very eyes. The Vape Mage opened his mouth and a stream of light pink smoke emerged, quickly filling the room and limiting Leon’s slight to only the area directly around him. 

Leon could just make out as the Pledge Master flipped Edward onto his back, pinning him. Edward brought one hand up to rest upon the Pledge Master’s cheek almost lovingly. The man screamed out in orgasmic pleasure and Edward used that moment to break free of his hold and flip him onto his back, the two disappearing from view into the cloud of cotton candy-smelling vape. 

Around him, Edward’s frat guys fought against their own compatriots. Though they had the numbers advantage they were younger, and less high-level, lacking the truly influential perks and abilities to match their opponents. Leon continued to struggle in vain, wanting desperately to join the fight and come to his friend's air.

Edward’s presence was like a strong clean gust of wind, clearing away the other aura and effects that had been clouding Leon’s thoughts, allowing him to think clearly for the first time since he had been trapped. He took a deep breath of the cotton candy fog. All of these classes were thematic. The ability he was trapped in was from the Prankster class, which meant it had something to do with pranks. Leon looked down at the colorful interlocking bamboo pattern of the trap and realized it looked familiar. It reminded him of those Chinese finger traps sold for tickets at arcades or behind glass counters at roller rinks. The trick to those was simple, the harder you pulled the tighter it bound. All Leon had to do was relax. He let his arms fall loose and felt the bounds on his wrist loosen, he relaxed further and suddenly he was free. 

Leon swung about in the cloud of cotton candy smoke. He caught a brief glimpse of a few different frat guys fighting with each other but in the chaos, Leon couldn’t tell which were friends and which were foes. He needed to find Edward. 

At level eleven Leon’s Inner Strength cooldown was at 109 seconds. Though he has used it to try to escape the countdown was almost up. Leon waited the last few seconds then activated the ability, feeling strength surge into his body. Leon splayed his large hands wide, admiring his now considerable wing span, then brought his palms them together with a colossal force that would have likely broken both his hands if not for his armored skin. 

A loud boom shook the room and a pressurized gust of air ripped from his hands. The force wasn’t enough to do more than startle any of the men fighting each other on the ground but it was enough to temporarily clear away the lingering vape cloud in the room. 

Leon instantly spied the Pledge Master and Edward struggling near the stairs, the Pledge Master sat on top of Edward using some ability that made his hands glow brown and seemed to have paralyzed Edward. Leon wasn’t capable of feeling fear anymore but he felt something distinctly like it as he saw his friend helpless on the ground, that and a bubbling red rage he had never felt. As the room once again filled with smoke from the Vape Mage’s mouth Leon rushed towards the pair. He ripped the scrawny Pledge Master off of Edward’s body as easily as he would lift an insect and flung him down the stairs. The man tumbled down, sprawling at the bottom in a heap, out of the fight but still breathing. Leon watched the first level tick away and knew he would soon become a harmless wretch. 

From the ground, Edward looked at him with a mix of awe, fear, and relief. Slowly he regained control of his limbs and then sat up and wrapped his arms around Leon, squeezing tightly onto Leon’s muscular back. Leon laughed feeling an overwhelming flood of relief. He hugged his friend back tight, not caring that the skin-to-skin contact made his naked dick instantly hard. 

Leon continued the embrace until he felt something bounce off his butt. He turned around to see the Beer Pong Master, who he had thought was out of the fight, lift his hand and shoot a ping pong ball out of it with considerable force. More and more shot out in a jet towards the two friends. Leon positioned himself to block Edward from the barrage. The plastic balls stung but his Armored Skin prevented them from doing any real damage. Leon rushed forward and delivered a hard punch to the gut that finally defeated the man who began to turn into a wretch as well. The counter was now at 21/26. Whatever Edward had done outside and to control those guys had taken out a majority of the lesser frat guys. Leon was so relieved that he didn't even care he was losing the bet. He would be glad to give him friend a blowjob if they lived long enough for that.

The pink fog slowly began to clear and he and Edward were left facing down the remaining five frat guys. Edward’s method of control seemed to have warned off and the two remaining, a level seven Party Animal and a level nine Bully looked pissed. Leon readied himself for a fight. He didn't relish the idea of being mauled even with his armored skin but he would do it to protect Edward.

He was spared the trouble. A beam of purple energy shot from Edward’s hand and into the Party Animal. The frat guy's eyes glowed the same purple shade for a second, then he adopted a look of pure horror and ran right past him and Edward down the stairs, a visible wet spot in his pants. Edward had told him about his new emotion bomb ability but he hadn’t known it would be so potent.

Not wasting the opportunity Leon raced forward and quickly subdued the Vape Mage with a punch, then the Drug Pusher with a knee to the chest, then did a quick uppercut which finished off the Bully who went down to the ground groaning as he slowly became a level one wretch.

That left Edward and Leon facing only the Prankster. The sinister-looking man tried the same hand buzzer trick on Leon again but this time he was ready. He grabbed the man's hand and slapped it onto the guy's own chest causing him to electrocute himself instead. 

Finally, alone Leon and Edward stood in trashed hallways breathing heavily. Edward had a small cut on his arm and a blossoming bruise on his perfect symmetrical cheek which gave his handsomeness a rugged quality, a quality broken by his wide innocent grin. “So you want to suck my dick now or later?”

The quest marked itself up to 26/26 and he and Edward both heard a ding as they leveled up. 

“You have reached level twelve. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Strength, +1 Charisma, + 0.3 Intelligence.” 

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Punchable Face: If moved to sufficient hostility, creatures are more likely to attack you than your allies. Note: This effect scales off both Strength and Charisma. Note: Creatures with higher intelligence will be more resistant to the effects of this perk.”

Leon felt the now familiar feeling of leveling up as each of his attributes increased. The intelligence gains Leon got at each level were too small to be perceptible, though he supposed he noticed a small difference now that he had an 11.3 compared to his previous base of 8. His charisma boosts per level were larger, though also hard to exactly quantify. When Leon had looked hard in the mirror he had been able to pick out ways his face was a bit more handsome than it had been, thought it was hard though to know what was due to his charisma boosts and what was from the changes to his body composition. Still, his eyes were brighter, his features more symmetrical, and his skin clearer than it had ever been before. Despite gaining twelve points Leon didn't feel like he had gained Edward’s easy effortless charm, though his jokes that always sounded so funny in his head but never when he said them out loud did seem to be landing more frequently and he was starting to pick up on social cues that would have once flown over his head. This level up Leon actually did think he could feel something shifting in his face though he chalked it up to placebo. 

His strength though Leon was sure he could feel. His body stretched another quarter of an inch taller, and he gained another five pounds of muscle, all packed evenly onto his body. Though he didn't store fat according to his Metabolizer perk his muscles didn't have the dehydrated malnourished look of extremely low body fat. Instead, they all looked full and strong, tight on his dark skin. His biceps were like softballs, his legs were becoming thick as tree trunks, and his abs seemed to only get tighter, six-pack verging on an eight-pack. 

Besides him, he saw Edward experience a level-up. It was the first time he had actually witnessed it, last time he had been too busy fucking his friend's ass to see. Now he watched as Edward's already perfect features became somehow more perfect. Leon had thought his skin was flawless before but it now took on a somehow otherworldly shine. His teeth became blindingly white and even straighter, making the grin he shot Leon somehow more adorable and endlessly distracting. His jaw looked like it could open a beer bottle and his hair was so gold it could be spun from hay. Watching his friend change mixed with the proximity to Edward’s pheromones made Leon hard, his massive penis springing forth with the velocity of a jouster.

Leon opened his mouth and then closed it. Edward's beauty had always been distracting before but now he was stunned stupid by his charisma. The act of talking seemed too complex when he looked at Edward so he just sort of moaned and drooled a little. 

Edward had that far-off look that meant he was reading his notifications. He looked up and laughed at Leon’s cross-eyed expression. “Oh god. That’s my new perk.”

“New perk?” Leon asked. His face was all but paralyzed which made his words come out slurred and almost unintelligible. This only made Edward laugh harder. 

“It's called Dazzling Presence. Apparently, it gets less effective the more time you're around me.” Leon felt himself slowly come back to earth, though not fully. He found it intensely difficult to look away from Edward or think in more than caveman “me horny” thoughts.

“I think it's supposed to temporarily stun people when I first interact with them to give me the upper hand. It should wear off soon. Edward squinted his eyes as if he suddenly noticed something, he took a step forward so their faces were only inches apart, a move that was not helpful in Leon’s attempts to break free from his horny hypnotic state. “Oh my god your face!” Edward started laughing again, harder than before.

“What's wrong with my face?” Leon asked concerned. “I got a perk called punchable face.”

“Punchable face?” Edward asked still laughing. “More like a kissable face,” he leaned in and pecked Leon on the lips, the touch making Leon somehow harder. “Go look at yourself in a mirror.”

Leon had enough control now to hobble to one of the communal bathrooms, he stepped over a groaning unconscious level-one wretch, maybe a man who had been the Vape Mage or the Drug Pusher, it was hard to tell them apart now. In the glow of the automatic lights, Leon saw what Edward had meant. He groaned to himself. He had a serious case of Jock Face. He looked like a cartoon high school bully, with thick eyebrows, a broad forehead, head the shape of a square. The mustache he now had was not helping. Small dark beard hairs had already started to grow on his cheeks making him look like a dad coaching little league baseball who took the game too seriously. Leon felt the urge to punch his own reflection.

“It's not that bad” Edward called from the hall, knowing what his friend's reaction would be.

“I look like a Neanderthal!” Leon shouted back. His body was one thing but he had never expected this class to affect his face so much. 

“No, you don’t!” Edward said encouragingly coming into the bathroom to stand beside his friend. “I think it’s fitting. You look like a sexy Viking.”

Leon turned to look at Edward. His presence was still extremely distracting but Leon could now at least have a conversation with his friend. “It's worth it I guess. The perk says people are more likely to attack me now than you.”

Edward rolled his eyes. “Alright, knight in shining armor. If I remember correctly you were the damsel in distress.” 

“Yeah,” Leon said awkwardly color flushing his cheeks, the blush looking strange on his now hyper masculine face. “I’m sorry about that, I got overconfident.”

“No I’m sorry,” Edward said grabbing Leon’s hand in his own. “I sent you in there alone. That was stupid of me, from now on we stick together.”

Leon nodded wordlessly, unable to get anything past the lump in his throat. He didn’t know exactly what he was feeling, not fear, he wasn’t capable of feeling fear but he still felt anxiety and guilt and a deep love for his friend. Suddenly he felt it all crash down on him. Everything that had happened in the past ten hours. Even with his Animal endurance perk Leon was exhausted. He realized he hadn’t eaten since that one protein shake so many hours ago. He couldn’t imagine how Edward felt.

Leon glanced at the countdown timer and felt his heart skip a beat as he saw they only had eight minutes left. There would be time to talk to Edward about what he was feeling and where their friendship stood after they completed the quest. 

The main hallway on the second floor led to a set of large wooden double doors. Leon was ready to kick them down but they were unlocked. He poked his head in and wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing. There was a large room, obviously meant for holding mixers and formals. A long bar sat on one end of the room, a dance floor near it. Leon’s attention however was more focused on the contraption directly in front of him. 

It looked like a doomsday device out of a science fiction B movie. A mishmash of repurposed tech and scrap metal welded into a crude but ominous tower of technology. Strips of LED screens, ripped from discarded tablets and smartphones, lined the upper frame, flickering in erratic patterns, casting eerie reflections off the exposed metal. At its core was the familiar “Altered State” video game cartridge, nestled in a nest of wires and circuits that branched out to hacked Wi-Fi routers and a jury-rigged motherboard, all held together by zip ties, duct tape and sheer ingenuity. A large fully extended TV antenna was on the top of the contraption which buzzed and pulsed every few seconds with electricity. Leon hadn’t a single clue that the machine did but it looked intensely complex and dangerous. He had played enough video games to know that to complete the quest he and Edward probably had to destroy the thing. 

There was something else in the room that caught Leon’s eye. A figure paced back and forth in front of the machine, snorting and grunting occasionally as he moved. Leon had seen a lot that had challenged his understanding of reality today but the name tag above the creature's head sent him reeling. Hunter, level seventeen Roided Out Berserker. The Frat president was unrecognizable. He had always been a large man but Hunter now was a giant, eight feet tall, muscles like swollen overly ripe fruit, huge and crawling with protruding veins that looked like worms, glowing a sickly green. He was naked with an inhumanly large penis and a matching set of balls hanging in-between thickly muscled massive hairy legs. His arms were like veiny boulders, his neck a thick stump, and he had a massive roid gut ballooning out his belly.

His face, never particularly handsome was now a twisted mask of permanent anger, more animal than man, and the spark of cruel intelligence that once lived behind his eyes was gone replaced by a feral mindlessness. 

Quietly as he could Leon closed the door and pulled Edward away from it. He relayed what he had seen much to Edward's disbelief. 

Edward’s disbelief grew as Leon told him his hastily constructed plan. “Didn’t I just say we were going to stick together? You're going to get yourself killed if you go in there alone,” Edward insisted trying to talk him out of it. 

“It’s the only way. Besides you can always step in and save me like before,” Leon joked trying to ease his friend's tension. He wasn’t sure if his confidence was warranted or if it was reckless arrogance from his No Fear perk but he just knew he couldn’t bear to see his friend in danger again. Before Edward could further talk him out of it he walked over to a window and ripped down the ratty red curtain, then he marched back over to the set of doors and got ready to open them. “Be safe” Edward said looking at him with those deep soulful eyes.

“I will,” Leon said back tenderly. He wanted to say more, to sweep Edward off his feet and kiss him but the timer was at six minuets. There would be time after if he survived. Besides if they did this right his quest reward might just help Leon show Edward exactly how much he meant to him.

Leon burst through the double doors, red fabric trailing behind him like a cape. “Hey Hunter you ugly motherfucker. They say imitation is the more sincere form of flattery, but I think for you it might just be fattery.” The joke didn't actually make any sense but Leon stopped for a second to admire his on-the-spot wordplay. Maybe his higher charisma was having more of an effect than he had thought. 

Hunter growled and snorted like a bull, staring at Leon with undigested loathing as Leon entered the room. “Me fucking kill you.” He said in deep halting English, like he was Frankenstein’s monster. He and Leon started circling each other like two cats in an ally waiting to pounce. Leon’s new Punchable face perk ensured that Hunter kept his attention on him and not Edward not so subtly head peaking through the doorway. Leon hoped if Hunter did decide to go for Edward he would be stunned by the Snake Charmer's new perk but even so, he was determined to keep the Berserkers attention on himself. Leon waited until he had circled the whole room and his back was to the machine before he shouted.

“Now!” Due to the fast regeneration from his high charisma Edward had regenerated just enough energy points to perform one last Emotion Bomb. A beam of red energy leaped out from his hand, striking Hunter from behind and causing his eyes to glow red for a split second.

Any human part of Hunter left died at the moment as he was overcome by an overwhelming wave of anger and became fully animal in his desire to kill Leon. That was the result Leon was hoping for. He knew he wasn’t stronger then Hunter but he could hopefully be smarter, if he survived long enough. Hunter charged forward hands extended to tear Leon apart. Leon flourished the red fabric in front of him like a matador before jumping away at the last second to avoid the man’s charge.

As Leon had hoped Hunter charged straight into the device Leon had been standing behind. The whole contraption shook with the force, small electrical bits falling off the side. A few of the more ominous-looking red wires connecting to the game disk in the center disconnected but the contraption maintained its structural integrity. Hunter recovered and had somehow grown angrier. Leon flourished the red cape and began to circle again trying to lead Hunter into another charge at the machine. He shouldn’t have known it wouldn’t be so simple.

Hunter activated an ability. It was one similar to Leon’s own Size Up ability except rather than growing in overall proportional size the ability only affected Hunter’s muscles. The veins prominent on his body grew a brighter shade of green for a moment then each one of Hunter’s muscles ballooned to inhuman size, making the man even more grotesque. His dick grew to at least three feet in length and likely would have brushed the floor if it didn't become erect. 

Leon hoped the sudden growth might have decrease the big man's speed but it seemed the opposite was true. Hunter charged at him like a bullet and Leon just barely jumped aside at the last second.

As Leon’s plan crumbled to dust he realized once again Edward had been right. His plan, lure Hunter into charging at the device, toppling the contraption and trapping his foe all in one ironic blow, was a stupid one. The device at the center of the room was large but not nearly large enough to keep the now colossal Hunter pinned. Leon suddenly felt like David facing Goliath without a sling. Still, he had to look as if he was in control lest Edward rush in and do something stupid. Leon at least had a chance against the massive Hunter, but Edward would be trampled in seconds with his unenhanced strength. 

Leon shot Edward’s worried face peeking through the door a cocky wink and gave his makeshift red muleta a showman-like shake. He thought briefly about activating his own size-enhancing ability and decided agains it, he couldn’t overpower Hunter, not when the man had five levels on him. Sizing up would only make him a easier target and the last thing he needed was to get pinned down.

Hunter charged again. This time Leon moved too late, though he dodged Hunter’s attempt to grapple him he was clipped by Hunter's shoulder as he spun away. The slight contact was enough to send Leon skidding across the smooth wooden floors like a rag doll. 

He had no time to recover from the crushing blow. From the floor, he heard the sound of rushing feet. On instinct, Leon activated his Inner Strength ability and launched himself into the air just in time to soar over a rapid charge from Hunter. With momentum and reflexes of the ability, he flipped once in the air before landing on his feet, crouched low next to a windowed wall ready for Hunter’s next attack. The loss of his only safety net for the next 108 seconds would have made him fearful if he could still be. Instead, it made him focused, and ready. In the tumble, he had lost a scrap of red fabric, and seriously injured his left shoulder even through his armored skin. He tried to move his arm and felt a shooting pain, dislocated or broken he couldn’t tell which. He would have to hope his animal endurance would heal it soon. 

Hunter’s charge that Leon had dodged taken him right into the far wall and he had gone through it, revealing a messy bedroom on the other side. Leon guessed that once he started charging it was hard for him to stop. Maybe his original plan had some merit after all. 

Hunter turned back around eyes insane with rage, spit flying from his mouth as he screamed and grunted unintelligibly. For a moment Leon felt bad for what this game had done for him but then he remembered how Hunter had been in life and felt the pity leave him. “Hey, Cassie just called and she said she didn't want to date an Incredible Hulk knockoffs.” Leon wasn’t sure if it was just the loud noise attracting Hunter attention or if the beast could accurately process the jab thrown his relationship. Either way he charged big bare feet tearing up the floor as he rushed at Leon with inhuman speed.

Leon took a deep breath, crossed his fingers, and gave one final wink to Edward, hoping his friend would remember him fondly if this didn't work out, then he ducked and rolled.

Hunter sprung like a cobra. If Leon had still been there the hit would have broken every bone in his body. Leon however was not there, and instead, Hunter charged right into the wall. It was a testament to his strength that he took nearly the whole side of the second floor with him, glass, drywall, bricks, and electrical wires all fell down in a shower of debris as Hunter fell to the dark ground below. Leon had to throw himself forward so as not to go down with the collapsing floor under his feet. He heard a crash then a slash then silence. 

Edward rushed forward and the two of them peered through the giant hole in the house to the yard below. Hunter lay with his swollen belly up floating in the frat's outdoor hot tub, his body having crashed through the tiled roof of the hot tub like paper. Leon watched as Hunter shrunk, first as his ability ran out then as the levels fell away. Hunter began to look like himself again before shrinking further into a scrawny ugly thing labeled as a level one wretch. The quest “Defeat Legion boss” updated itself to 1/2, though the “Stop the Legion’s plans” still remained at 0/1 which was concerning.

“That was amazing,” Edward said voice tender. He looked down at Leon’s shoulder and sucked in a breath. “Does it hurt?”

Leon looked down and winced at the way his muscular shoulder was twisted at an unnatural angle. “Yeah” he answered truthfully laughing weakly. Leon took a deep breath and prepared to pop his shoulder back into place. He didn’t feel fear but he still felt pain.

Edward stopped “may I?” He asked reaching out his hands. Leon nodded and Edward placed his hand on the hard dark metallic surface of his skin. Instantly the pain was replaced with an orgasmic pleasure that felt warm and intensely comforting. Gently at first then harder when Leon didn't flinch Edward wrenched Leon’s shoulder back into its socket. 

Leon smiled up at him. “Thanks,” he said simply, he was too tired to think of a joke or anything more to say. 

“I should be thanking you,” Edward said cheeks flushing. The two of them weren’t normally like this. They normally teased each other like brothers and let the mutual love they had for each other go unspoken. Now all the changes had them flitting about like scared middle schoolers. Leon wanted to wrap Edward up in a big hug and tell him it was alright but it was clear his friend had more to say. 

“Look I know this might not be the time, but I have something to tell you,” Edward said. Leon still found it hard to do anything but think about fucking when he was around Edward but he sensed his friend was serious and tried to pay attention. “I know everything is happening so fast, and our relationship just became physical which I feel bad about. I really didn’t know it was you I promise, but well I like you Leon, I have always liked you and not just in a friend way or a sexual way but also like you in a -“

Leon blinked and suddenly his friend was gone. He heard a faint scream getting more distant. His brain took an embarrassingly long time to process what had just happened. Edward had been right in front of him saying, well Leon couldn’t bring himself to think about what Edward was going to say, when he was ripped through the hole in the wall. Something metal had grabbed him around the waist and hoisted him into the air like a fish on a line.

Leon rushed to the opening and couldn’t quite believe what he saw. On the street a giant thing had Edward in its hand, no claw. It was a machine Leon realized. It looked like it was made from a refrigerator, parts of a playground and a car, all deconstructed and reconstructed into a giant vaguely humanoid mech. Leon felt his blood boil as he saw a red bumper with a familiar license plate. Mother fucker had made his car into a mech. 

Leon’s rage continued to build as he saw Edward struggling to get free. His friend was saying something to the person inside but he was too far for him to hear. Leon looked back at the machine still humming behind him. He grabbed a loose brick from the rubble of the caved-in wall then hurled it at the center motherboard as hard as he could, hoping that would put a stop to whatever the contraptions purpose was. Then he activated his Size Up ability, growing 70% his original size, spine expanding, pecs ballooning, legs growing longer and thicker, penis growing to well over a foot long. His strength doubled and Leon for the first time felt the intoxicating rush of true power. He knew he now had to be one of the strongest man on the entire planet. Leon needed more. He activated his inner strength ability, taking his already monstrous strength to godly levels if but for a moment. Leon bent his legs and then jumped into the cold dark night cracking the floor underneath his feet. He sailed in a long ark landing just behind the mech with a powerful earth shaking impact.

The street outside was cold but his blood boiled hot. Leon couldn’t make out the face of the mech’s driver but he could see the name tag floating above its head, "Alvis, Level 22 Technocrat.” Leon smiled humorlessly and balled up his hands into fists now the size of thanksgiving turkeys. He was going to get back his roommate, his best friend, even if he had to rip apart his other roommate and every machine in the whole city to do so.

[backwards360]

tell me about your headcanons about the cultural differences between layers plss

- your favourite sister ever

takes a deep deep deep breath. hello niki. my beloved sister. my favoritest sister ever.

the noob layer (before the evil champion)

very very community oriented

block parties (get it) are really popular!!

a lot of sharing and stuff going on

music!! music is a really big thing!!

accent sounds a bit like theyre singing, almost like theyre dancing with words!! they dont pronounce their vowels fully!!

the noob layer (after the evil champion)

community??? no chance, everyone dies before you get to even know their name (which is why evbo never bothers asking anyone)

really the only sharing they do is when someone is sick or theres a child and occasionally family units share food

cannibalism. yeah. its normal for people to go insane, the noobs probably refer to it as some kind of curse or something bc thats fun

the pro layer (before the evil champion)

everyones neighbors!! less community oriented than the noob layer

more focused on helping each other get better!! regularly helping each other learn fun new parkour things

their accent is kinda like. how do i explain this. their voices tend to be softer and tbh i wanna say they sound like a weird mix of southern and british. dont ask questions.

i dont have much for the pro layer if yall have fun things hand 'em over

the pro layer (after the evil champion)

music is HUGE here between moral boosting events and also playing songs for parkour !!

community oriented but more in the way where family units stick together and everyone else is like. a coworker. like you might be friends and occasionally you might get close with someone but like. ehhhhh

mostly just like. yeah i work in the same general area as this guy

the fighter later (before they were banished)

this layer has the most people because its so hard to rank up so its the one with the most stuff going on!!

libraries!! this is the layer of scholars and shit!!

theres so many people here that the masters come down and hang out here a lot too!!

this is where everyone learns things, theres no schools on the other layers because everyone has the chance to rank up !!

this ones just fun, its got a mix of everything because its the most populated \o/

they have a fun accent i think, tbh i wanna say its similar to new york? idk

the fighter layer (after the banishment)

devoid of basically everything that made it what it was

the most sparsely populated now

everyone is hostile as fuck, by the point we see it in canon everything's been combed over tens of hundreds of times so if someone sees someone else its safe to assume one of them is getting mugged

unless its a seawatt situation but whatever

some bonds still remain and theyre as strong as ever now

everyone either has fashioned masks out of their clothes or just has the most fucked up throat from the frequent sandstorms.

the master layer (before the evil champion)

not much going on up here!! they normally hang out on the fighter layer

huuuuuge showoffs but like in a fun way!! performances!!! wow!!!

theyve got a bit of twang in their voice i think bc yes.

the master layer (after the evil champion)

showoffs but in a bad way

big on spreading rumors

really reclusive, never visit lower levels or each other

battling is common for any reason, the more people youve defeated in a battle the higher up you are on the social ladder

ok heres some!! i hope u like it it took me like 45 minutes to write all this bc i kept getting distracted

[quirkyfries]

Ruin ramble because writing his pov is interesting

Do you ever notice that Ruin gets really self depreciative about himself sometimes? (Maybe not quite self depreciative, but highlighting things about himself.) Implying vulnerability in a way that can almost come off as a joke if it weren't for his tone of voice. He says he hasn't been safe in a long time, it would be nice to sleep for once, wouldn't his death be hilarious? It comes off as a cry for help, but he states it as fact, he's convinced it won't change.

He's very stubborn about what he's done. He had nothing left to lose. No, there was absolutely no other way he could've gone about destroying the creator, he'd spent years considering his options. Yes, Solar was collateral, unfortunate. Those lives were a necessary sacrifice. He had to do it. There was no other way.

To him, he chose the lesser amount of people in the trolley problem. That was the morally correct thing to do in the circumstances he was given, lives would have been taken either way. He had to do it. (He could've walked away from the lever that switched the rails, but that would be the self serving option, wouldn't it? To move on?)

The most interesting part about it to me is, why does Ruin keep on going? All he's known is pain and suffering in some shape or another, he had nothing to live for after his goal was completed. All he'd ever known was bad, bad, bad, vindicated release, a little bit more bad, and then nothing. He was ready to die, he didn't know where to go.

Then came along this new dimension, one he'd apparently accidentally created through his actions. For someone who has nothing to gain or lose, wouldn't this be a nice chance of pace? To look forward to something nice that was more or less your responsibility in a weird way, to cultivate something good for once after a life of bad? To be able to take the place of your abuser, break that cycle? This new dimension is his reason to keep going, he will see this one good thing through if he can help it. Even if he isn't particularly liked by his migrated peers.

But he still isn't secure. There are enemies he'd made, the insurmountable weight of lives on his shoulders, and a new uncertain freedom of identity. (Granted, he still has to lie to some people to get by. I more mean his own Creator, the Virus act, and Nexus + Dark Sun here. Ruin having to strike deals and bargain for his life and act against his own morals to survive. But those are gone. When had Ruin last acted like himself, truly? He had barely been able to define himself as an Eclipse before everything bad happened.)

Does Ruin hate himself? I don't know, he's very adamant about hating what he had to do, but would do it again. He believes he was right, he's even defensive about it to several people, but there is still something that's bothering him. Does he hate himself for pressing the red button? Dunno. Maybe subconsciously. He's clearly meant to parallel Puppet with how he is now, they're the same words in different font. Ruin pulled the lever to kill the smaller amount of strangers to save the greater amount of strangers. Puppet was inside the train that killed everyone she knew. She wants to repent, Ruin hasn't shown much interest in it. Does a selfless act require repentance?

I like to think he has a bit of a dissociation issue, he compartmentalizes things if you squint, a possible coping mechanism of something called cognitive dissonance (a disturbance that happens when your actions do not align with your morals/values.) He was right for what he did. What he did was bad. What he did was necessary. He deserves his fate. He doesn't like pain. There's some contradicting statements there, he'd have to separate some things into neat little boxes in order for it to make sense in his head, so he didn't torture himself thinking about what that said about himself and his values. What he did was right and necessary. What he did was bad and he deserves his fate. He doesn't like pain. Still contradictory a bit, but a little more organized. If he focused on the positive box more than the negative box, he can feel better about himself, but he's painfully aware of the negative box' existence. Maybe he avoids looking at the negative box at all times and ignores the contents, but what's inside is so over accumulated that it can't help but be constantly present and occasionally overflow in those matter-of-fact cries for help. A lotta PTSD can fit in this bad boy (pats ruin on the head)

Does that make sense? I don't know, I feel like a therapist trying to write from his point of view. What is wrong with this little british guy.

[slaymitchabernathy]

A Christmas Miracle

My dearest Soarynn, I'm writing to you with the grandest news I could ever bestow upon you. All Capitol troops will be returning home for Christmas. We'll be permitted to stay for one week before returning to our base camp. I know you'll want as much time as possible to plan for my arrival, although I am confident in your abilities to arrange for proper accommodations to be made. We will arrive on Sunday and there is to be a dinner on Monday night to commemorate our fallen comrades. I do hope you're well darling, not a single day goes by without me thinking of you. I cherish the photographs and letters you send me with all my heart, and cannot wait to have you back in my arms again. I do not know when our train will be arriving, so please, check the train schedules frequently. You are a constant light in the darkness of the Districts my love and I am anxiously waiting for the day when we can be together without worry or fear. I will see you on Sunday, please take care of yourself, my darling girl. Love, Coriolanus

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn nervously eyes her reflection in the mirror.

Does she look okay? Is her hair too shiny? Will he think she looks pretty?

"You look beautiful Miss Soarynn," her maid gushes, setting the hairbrush down on the counter, "Mr. Snow will be head over heels when he sees you at the train station."

Soarynn blushes, she's always been complimented on her beauty but his opinion is the only one that truly matters. Still, she appreciates the kind words, goodness knows everyone could use a kind word or two in these dark times.

Two years ago, war broke out in the Districts again. Soarynn had thought it was impossible, especially after the last war ended with the Capitol on top and the Districts on the bottom. Her husband, Coriolanus Snow had assured her time and time again that another war was impossible.

For once he was wrong.

The war didn't make its way to the Capitol this time, no, it remained in the Districts, and in an effort to contain it, the Capitol began sending troops to the wilderness of the Districts. Coriolanus was drafted due to his family legacy, his own father had been a general in the first war during the Dark Days and he was more than willing to serve his country.

Soarynn was less willing to watch her husband board a train and possibly never come back. Even though he assured her that he was simply there along with the other troops to impose their presence, she still wasn't convinced. They had been newly married and trying to start a family, why couldn't he stay with her where it was safe?

Coriolanus of course, saw it as a great honor to serve Panem and promised to write to her once a week and if allowed, make phone calls. Soarynn thought it was ridiculous, they lived together and now they were getting excited over five-minute phone calls.

Still, for him to come home for an entire week after being gone for so long was a treat as great as any and she wouldn't be taking it for granted. She had filled their week with lots of winter activities leading up to Christmas. She had the maids clean the penthouse from top to bottom, wanting everything to be perfect for Coriolanus.

She went out and bought him some new clothes, and...some new lingerie for herself as well. They'd certainly be busy at night.

"I certainly can't wait to see him again," she murmurs, reaching for her compact, "one week isn't long enough."

Being left alone in the Capitol had been hard on Soarynn. She used to spend nearly every moment with Coriolanus and now, she was on her own. She had turned to extreme measures, turned to something that galas and tea parties could not fix.

She got a cat.

She knew Coriolanus wouldn't exactly be thrilled but she was desperate for constant companionship. She glances out into her bedroom where her cat, Petunia, is curled up on her husband's pillow, sound asleep. She hopes they'll get along.

Coriolanus was used to a house with just the two of them and Petunia is used to a house with just the two of them.

There might be a war within the Snow household this week.

But they'll barely be home with what she has planned for them. At least that's what she tells herself.

Soarynn inspects herself one last time, making sure there's not a single flaw in her appearance. She wore light makeup today since Coriolanus has always loved her freckles so much. Maria styled her hair perfectly, curling it and then pulling back some pieces to tie with a bow. Soarynn grabs one of her favorite perfume bottles, one that holds a vanilla scent, and liberally sprays it all over herself. She wants to engulf Coriolanus in her scent.

She rises from her vanity stool and makes her way into the closet, the closet that feels so empty without some of his clothes in it. He'll certainly be glad to return with some new ones and Soarynn will be glad to wear his old ones. She often sleeps in his shirts, clinging to the scent of roses and something masculine that she just can't get enough of.

"Red or blue?" She asks Maria, pulling out two dresses, nearly identical to each other. Maria inspects both of them, gently touching the fabric, "I think the red one Miss," she tells Soarynn who nods in agreement, Coriolanus has always liked red.

"Perfect, will you please go fetch my coat and gloves?" She asks, unzipping the dress. "Certainly Miss," Maria gives Soarynn a small curtsy before leaving to go get her things and Soarynn slides off her silk robe.

She only looks at her almost naked self in the mirror for a second, reminding herself how lucky she is to be standing in a closet full of clothes with a household staff at her beck and call. She could be in the streets, starving and cold but she's safe and warm.

The war didn't affect everyone in the Capitol like it did last time. She remembers the first war, the bombs, her parents both dying, how hungry people were. This war has been different.

Only the lower and middle classes have been truly affected by it. Food has become limited but not scarce, there are ration lines but only for those who absolutely need it and Soarynn isn't one of those people. By marrying a Snow, she solidified herself in the upper class, in the elite. Every once in a while there will be a shortage of strawberries or meat but it's always resolved rather quickly.

If anything, the war has been a great inconvenience for her, disrupting her normal plans. She still goes to tea with her friends, still goes on shopping sprees, still gets pedicures every other week. Coriolanus didn't leave her with nothing. He suffered from the first war too, losing both his parents and a good bit of his family fortune. He spent the next ten years building his name back up and now, he's one of the richest men in Panem.

With his investments, business ventures, and connections, he left Soarynn to live a comfortable life of luxury. And the Capitol pays him to be at war.

It's the best-case scenario for a thing like this but she still wishes he didn't have to leave in the first place.

Soarynn shakes those thoughts off and slips into the dress. It's a very flattering look on her with a boat neckline that shows off a bit of her collarbones. It's sleeveless but she'll have her coat and gloves and it fits her figure perfectly, stopping right below her knees to show off her white high heels. With her hair and makeup done perfectly as well, she makes for a picture of sophistication.

Maria returns with her coat and gloves and helps Soarynn into them. Maria has been a godsend to Soarynn who had been quite overwhelmed once Coriolanus left. She's younger than Soarynn but very mature, always helping Soarynn manage in taking care of such a large apartment. She'll occasionally accompany Soarynn to the market if she needs to buy something specific and is always a good source of advice.

Soarynn had hired Maria right before Coriolanus left and she's been a loyal servant ever since.

"We'll be back later tonight," Soarynn tells Maria while searching for the right purse, "he'll want bourbon or whiskey, maybe both. And please make sure that the bath has been properly cleaned as well. He'll have lots of laundry that'll need to be done before he leaves."

Maria nods along to all of her words, "Yes Miss Soarynn, everything will be ready for Mr. Snow's arrival."

Soarynn picks a black handbag, leather and beautifully crafted, a gift from Coriolanus a few years ago when they were engaged, "Perfect. I'll call if anything comes up."

Maria walks her to the front doors and Soarynn buttons her coat, taking in a deep breath, "Enjoy yourself Miss Soarynn," Maria kindly tells her, "you deserve to have this time with your husband."

Soarynn smiles, she's right, she ought to enjoy every minute with Coriolanus rather than stressing about everything being perfect. "Thank you, we'll see you tonight."

Soarynn makes her way into the hallway and waits for the elevator, living in the penthouse is all fun and games until you're stuck waiting for the elevator. Coriolanus will probably remind her of a time when the elevator didn't work during the first war.

He's been doing a lot of that, reminding and remembering about what he went through the first time a war was brought to the Capitol's doorstep. Soarynn wonders if it's some sort of trauma response.

The elevator arrives with a ding and Soarynn steps into it, pressing the button to bring her to the lobby. She ends up being stopped on the eleventh floor where Mrs. Dolittle gets in, dragging her white, yappy dog with her. "Oh Mrs. Snow, don't you look lovely? Say hello to Mrs. Snow little Zeus," Mrs. Dolittle says to her dog Zeus who only barks at Soarynn.

"Thank you," Soarynn says to the older woman, "and hello Zeus, are you off for your afternoon walk?" Mrs. Dolittle hums and places a hand over her heart, "We're off to watch all of the troops come home, some of them are being brought in by trucks."

Soarynn's interest is piqued, "Trucks? Coriolanus is coming by train, I thought..." Her voice dies off and she begins to worry, has the schedule been changed? Is he not coming home today?

"Your husband will be coming by train because he's important dear," Mrs. Dolittle says before Soarynn can begin to spiral, "the rest of the troops are less important, or to put it plainly, less rich."

Oh.

Well, Soarynn can't argue with that.

"I see," is all she says before the doors open up to the lobby. "Enjoy your time with your husband dear," Mrs. Dolittle pats Soarynn's arm, "and if you have time, tell Coriolanus to pay us a visit so he can meet Zeus."

Soarynn knows for a fact that he won't have time or want to meet Zeuz but she smiles all the same and promises to do her best.

Soarynn walks out into the cold December air with a newfound energy inside of her. She's going to see her husband again, and for an entire week!

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn is giddy with excitement as she slides into the backseat of their car, "The train station please," she says, fishing her compact out of her handbag. She might as well check her reflection one more time, just in case something on her face changed from the elevator ride.

For their first wedding anniversary, Coriolanus gifted her a beautiful gold compact with a mirror and power inside. The power is her favorite scent, of course, vanilla. There's a beautiful rose engraved on the outside of the compact and even though they were apart on their anniversary, he still made the effort.

Soarynn applies a little more powder to her neck before glancing outside the car windows and she's astounded at how many people are milling around the train station.

"Looks like the whole Capitol's here," her driver remarks. Soarynn scans the crowd of eager faces, most of these people don't look like her, rich, but they might still be waiting for loved ones to arrive.

Her driver gets her all the way to the entrance of the station so she doesn't have to walk, "I'll wait right here Mrs. Snow," he assures her.

Soarynn nods and begins to make her way inside the train station. The glass pane ceilings let the natural light shine in and it's shaping up to be a beautiful day. The platform is even more crowded with hundreds of people pushing and shoving. Soarynn walks over to the schedule that's been posted on one of the ticket booths and scans one last time for her husband's train.

A Peacekeeper standing guard notices her, "Are you looking for a particular train Miss?" Soarynn shakes her head, offering him a polite smile, "I wouldn't want to trouble you, my husband is coming home today from District Five."

"Who's your husband?"

"Coriolanus Snow."

The Peacekeeper's eyes widen from hearing that name, that so very important name, "Allow me to escort you to the correct platform then Mrs. Snow."

Soarynn looks back over at all the people pushing and shoving, it does look very busy over there but she wouldn't want to impose. "I don't want to trouble you," she says sweetly, "I'm sure I can manage."

The Peacekeeper must not have a lot of faith in her, "I insist ma'am, please allow me to safely escort you." Soarynn jumps when she hears some shouting and looks back over to see that a fight has broken out on the platform, "Well if you insist," she quickly agrees.

The young man to his credit, gets Soarynn to the correct platform in one, safe piece, clearing a path for them the second people see his uniform. Platform Five is much quieter than the platform she just saw and Soarynn sighs, "This is much emptier," she notes.

The Peacekeeper chuckles, "Those other people don't know how to act, that's why they're all the way over there and you're all the way over here."

Before Soarynn can say anything else, the sharp whistle of an incoming train gains her attention. She looks around at the others waiting, mostly women like her, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their husbands. The train slowly pulls into the station, too slow in her opinion but she's excited all the same.

"How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"Two years," she answers, trying to look into the train windows, "two very long years."

It feels like a lifetime but she won't let that stop her from continuing to love him from afar. The train doors finally hiss open and several women rush forward in search of their loved ones. Soarynn being more shy and timid, stays back, looking for a head of blonde hair. It seems that all the men are dressed in their uniforms, donning their hats and coats, making it harder for Soarynn to see Coriolanus.

She watches several tearful reunions and can't help but wish for her own. More men spill out, some are greeted, some are not. Soarynn has heard the whispers about divorces left and right due to men being deployed. She can't imagine separating from Coriolanus because he's serving his country.

One man with tan skin steps off the train and he's looking directly at Soarynn, making her feel very self-conscious. He looks into the train and says something, pointing at her.

Soarynn stands up straight, her heart is pounding and there he is.

Coriolanus Snow is stepping off the train.

Soarynn is a woman who prides herself on following the unspoken rules of etiquette. No screaming, no shouting, no running in public or arguing.

She throws all those rules out the window the second he lays eyes on her. She breaks into a huge smile and runs towards him, not caring how improper it is.

Coriolanus doesn't seem to care either as he grins, opening his arms up. Soarynn shrieks and throws her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest, content to never let go of him again. Coriolanus wraps his strong arms around her and she can smell the roses, smell how manly he is, and how much she's missed him. Coriolanus groans and squeezes her tight, "There's my girl."

Soarynn might just cry.

She pulls away just enough to see his face, his handsome face. He looks the same as he left, prominent nose, beautiful blue eyes, full lips with a smile that still drives her crazy.

"I missed you," is the first thing she says.

He kisses her a second later, not wasting any time showing her how much he missed her as well. Soarynn sighs into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck even tighter to deepen the kiss. It feels so good, so good to have his lips on her again. She didn't realize how much she took this feeling for granted until he left.

Two years without a kiss good morning, goodbye or goodnight.

They're going to have to pry him away from her cold, dead hands when this week is up.

"Soarynn," he says against her lips, "I might have to take you with me when I go back because I can't go without this again." Soarynn laughs into the kiss, it looks like she's not the only one who's been lonely. When they finally break away from the kiss, his eyes meet hers and they hold so much love, so much devotion, the need and want to keep her safe no matter what.

"Look at you," he says softly, resting a gloved hand on her cheek, "still so beautiful and radiant. You look gorgeous darling, absolutely gorgeous, I pity the men who didn't get to come home to you today."

Soarynn giggles and rests her head on his chest, wanting to be as close to him as possible. She lets go of his neck and wraps her arms around his torso, he feels so strong under all these layers, "I missed you so much Coryo," she tells him, "thought about you every single day you were gone."

She feels him place a kiss on the top of her head, another thing she's missed, how affectionate he is with her. "You have me for an entire week," he tells her, his voice laced with authority and yet completely gentle and patient with her. Soarynn hums, closing her eyes so she can remember this moment for the rest of her life.

She's grateful that he doesn't pull away, force her to move because she really doesn't want to. She wishes she could freeze time so they could stay like this forever.

"You weren't lying Snow," someone says, causing Soarynn to lift her head. It's the same man who was looking at her when he stepped off the train, "I told you she's beautiful," Coriolanus replies, kissing her temple. Soarynn feels herself blushing, she hadn't even thought about Coriolanus bragging to his comrades about her but it sounded exactly like something he'd do.

Coriolanus is a proud man, proud of his family, proud of his success, and proud to have secured a fitting match such as Soarynn. He's never shied away from boasting about her beauty, her charm, and femininity. Of course, he'd talk about her to his comrades, show off her pictures proudly.

"I'll see you tomorrow night," the man waves before walking down to the exit. Soarynn looks up at her husband, "Who was that?"

While Soarynn's letters to Coriolanus have included all the latest gossip and news, his have been more about how much he misses her and hopes for her safety at all times. Rarely has he mentioned anyone he's worked with.

"Lance Parkes," Coriolanus tells her, "we're in the same barrack."

Soarynn hums, she'll have to ask him about all his friends although she'll meet most of them tomorrow night. "How was the train ride?"

Coriolanus rubs her side, "It was fine, quite long but we were in first class so it was much more bearable."

Soarynn slips a hand under his coat, feeling the rest of his uniform, "You feel so strong, and you look so very smart in the uniform," she tells him, earning her a pleased grin. "Strong hmm?" He teases, making her giggle, "I should've known you'd ogle me the first chance you got."

Soarynn gasps, playfully shoving his chest, "Oh, please, you're the one who likes to ogle." He really is, Soarynn is more likely to silently admire her husband whereas he isn't afraid to make her put on a show for him.

Whenever they go shopping he has her come out and show him every outfit, praising her sense of fashion. And whenever she comes home with some new lingerie, well...she gives him a more private show.

"Well now that you've mentioned it, let me get a proper look at you," he says, loosening his grip on her, "give me a spin darling." Soarynn glances around the now barren platform, apparently, their reunion was longer than everyone else's so she doesn't feel too silly spinning around. Coriolanus lets out a low whistle and nods, looking her up and down, "You've got the type of beauty men go to war for," he tells her matter-of-factly.

Soarynn merely shakes her head, she wouldn't want to be the cause for any man to go to war, let alone her husband. "Where's your trunk?' She asks, changing the subject to something not about her. Coriolanus turns and points at the one trunk that's left, "I've come bearing gifts," he tells her, causing Soarynn's lips to curl up into a smile, "You don't say."

Coriolanus hums, reaching a hand out for her and she gladly takes it, "I've thought about you every single day," he continues, "thought about what you were doing, if you were feeling alright, if you needed anything." Soarynn's heart might just shatter into a million pieces, Coriolanus has been on her mind constantly but she always wondered if she was on his.

She squeezes his hand, smiling up at him, "Well we have a whole week together, so let's make the most of it."

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn has forgotten how attractive Coriolanus is.

For once, the roles are reversed and he is doing the shopping while she lounges on a sofa and sips champagne. He stands on a small pedestal, looking at his reflection in the store's mirrors that show him every angle.

He had written once or twice about outgrowing some of his clothing which confused Soarynn since he was too old to grow taller. But now, she gets it.

He's bigger. Stronger. More muscular.

His shirts don't fit the way they used to.

He looks very handsome in what the salesman selected for him, black pants, perfectly tailored, and a simple white button-up tucked into the pants. They're shopping for a new suit for him to wear to the dinner tomorrow night but finding a shirt to properly fit him has posed a challenge.

The salesman presses his lips into a thin line when he sees the buttons threatening to pop off, "Still too tight?"

Coriolanus offers him a polite smile, "Just a bit."

The salesman waves his hand, "An extra-large then, I'll have someone bring you the proper size."

Soarynn resists the urge to jump off the sofa and run into the changing room with her husband, it would be quite scandalous, and also bad manners.

"Where has he been all this time?" The salesman asks, raising an eyebrow, "I see hundreds of men every day in here but he must've been hiding under a rock." Soarynn chuckles, she doesn't mind when women or men flirt with her husband or talk about him in front of her, at the end of the day, she gets to go home with him.

"He's been deployed," she answers, setting her glass down on the small table, "he's back for a week and he's in desperate need of clothing that actually fits him."

"Well, I can see that, he's doubled in size from the looks of it, let me go look for a few more shirts."

Soarynn looks around the store while she waits, watching people come and go, everyone is doing last-minute shopping but she did hers weeks ago. Then she got that letter from Coriolanus and her entire world turned upside down. She had been so excited, she cried tears of joy, her husband was coming back to her.

For a week but still.

A few minutes later, Coriolanus walks out with a shirt that fits him properly and that cocky grin she's grown to love over the years, "What do you think darling?" He asks, holding out his arms while giving her a slow spin, "Do we have our base layer down?"

Soarynn does her best to remain appropriate when looking him up and down but it's very hard, especially with his big hands, and his big arms, and thighs and...she's getting distracted.

"I think we do," she answers with an encouraging smile. Coriolanus nods, "Perfect, let's move on to suit jackets then."

꧁ ꧂

Two hours later, Soarynn is strolling down the street with her husband and two large shopping bags.

"He was a good salesman," Coriolanus says, pulling her a little closer, "although I do believe he was flirting with me." Soarynn laughs, Coriolanus is as charming as they come but he's always had a hard time deciphering when the same gender flirts with him. Women he can pick up on in seconds, but men confuse him greatly.

Soarynn simply sees it as a compliment if both genders find you equally attractive.

"He was definitely flirting with you," she tells him, looking into a few shop windows, "you've got a new look and people are bound to notice."

Soarynn nearly trips when she sees the perfect little black dress in a boutique window. It's strapless and somewhat short but she knows that with the right heels, she can pull it off. One look at Coriolanus and she can tell that he's already picturing pulling it off of her.

"Why don't we go in here?" He suggests, his voice slightly hoarse. Soarynn wraps her hand around his arm and pulls them towards the door, "If you insist."

They're immediately greeted by an eager-looking saleswoman who has bright red hair and very long eyelashes, "Welcome, welcome! What brings you two in today?"

Coriolanus nods towards the mannequin wearing the black dress, "The black dress in the window would look stunning on my wife."

Soarynn doesn't even have time to blush because this saleswoman is grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the fitting rooms, "Of course, it would! You just go right back here dear and I'll bring you a few sizes."

Soarynn finds herself mindlessly nodding to whatever this woman says and walks into the first fitting room she sees. She doesn't even wait an entire minute before there's a knock on the door. She opens it to find the saleswoman holding three black dresses, "I brought a few sizes, although this one will probably fit you best."

Soarynn takes the hanger into her hands and nods, "Thank you very much." Part of her worries that this woman might try to come in and help her so she quickly shuts the door. Soarynn takes a deep breath before taking off her own clothes and neatly hanging them on the hooks in the fitting room. She steps into the dress and pulls it over her hips.

It would look great if she could get the zipper up.

"How's it going in there?"

Soarynn grits her teeth while fighting to pull the zipper all the way up, "Fine!" She calls back, using one hand to balance herself against the wall, "If you need any help just let me know!"

Soarynn almost falls over, "That won't be necessary!"

Three minutes later, she's sweaty and has the damn dress on.

But it does look very good on her.

Soarynn opens the door and peeks her head out, the coast is clear. She can hear the saleswoman yammering away outside, talking her husband's ear off. "...and that's when I knew gluten wasn't good for me and...oh! Oh, you look fabulous dear!"

Soarynn brushes her hair behind her ears, she isn't very fond of being the center of attention but neither Coriolanus nor the saleswomen can keep their eyes off of her as she steps in front of the mirror.

She can see Coriolanus watching her, a longing, lustful look in his eyes and she feels a boost of confidence, "You have the legs for that dress," the saleswoman tells her, "doesn't she Mr. Snow?"

Coriolanus grunts, fidgeting in his seat, "She certainly does."

Soarynn does a quick twirl and she smiles, "I'll take it." The saleswoman claps, delighted to do some business on such a busy day, "Wonderful! As soon as you take it off, I'll ring it up for you!"

Soarynn turns to go back to the fitting rooms but Coriolanus is quickly rising from his seat, "Let me help you with the zipper darling, she mentioned it might be tricky." Soarynn knows what he really wants and he could care less about the zipper, "Alright," she says sweetly.

They both walk back to her fitting room and he's on top of her the second she closes the door. Soarynn gasps when he pins her against the wall, his lips latch onto her neck, "Coryo," she gasps, "we're in a boutique!" Coriolanus scoffs and squeezes her waist, "I don't give a fuck darling, now turn around and bend over like the good girl you always are for me."

Soarynn would be lying if she said those words didn't do something to her. Something to her body that's gone two years without him. His touch, his lips, his hands, his cock.

She turns around.

Coriolanus bends her over and she braces her hands against the wall, "Coryo we have to be fast," she urgently whispers, not wanting to get caught. Mostly because she really wants this dress. Coriolanus chuckles and kisses right under her ear, "I'm just having a little fun darling."

He expertly unzips the dress and slides it off her body, letting it pool around her ankles and he palms her ass, groaning, "Fuck I missed you," he says, "missed this perfect little ass, your pretty little moans, how soft you are. You don't realize how bad it is out there for us darling, no women, surrounded by District scum, only our hands for a quick release."

Soarynn whimpers when he pulls her panties to the side, his fingers graze her clit and she bucks into his touch. She hasn't been faring but better in the sexual pleasure department but she has her ways, the shower head, her fingers, she's made it work.

But nothing is better than the real thing.

A knock on the door startles her, "Is everything alright in there dear?"

Coriolanus sinks two fingers into her cunt and Soarynn can feel her eyes rolling back. It's such a delicious burn after not having sex for so long and she might just cum right now, "Fine," she stammers, "it's, it's fine, I'm fine."

"Could you just toss the dress over the door then?"

Coriolanus reaches for the dress and Soarynn lifts her feet so he can grab it from the floor. He starts pumping his fingers in and out of her cunt and her knees buckle. Coriolanus catches her, holding her against the wall, "Be quiet for me hmm?" He says in her ear, his voice husky. Soarynn nods, biting her lip.

Coriolanus tosses the dress over the door and starts pumping faster and faster. Soarynn's toes are curling, her breaths are ragged. She's going to cum, very, very soon if he doesn't stop what he's doing. "Please," she mumbles, "please, please Coryo."

He peppers the back of her shoulder with kisses, so gentle in comparison to his fingers slamming in and out of her, "Still so good for me huh? Still remember your manners." Soarynn whines when his thumb presses against her clit, she cannot have an orgasm in a boutique fitting room.

Right?

Her walls start fluttering, her body starts shaking and the wire inside of her is about to snap, "Give it to me," he orders, "be my good girl and cum all over my fingers like the little slut you are for me Soarynn."

That's all it takes for her to fall apart. She lets out a moan but he quickly slaps his other hand over her mouth, muffling any noise she makes. Soarynn twitches as her orgasm rides out, it's so intense, so good after so long. She can feel the stickiness between her legs, she doesn't know how she's going to walk out of her but Coriolanus has already thought this through apparently.

He brandishes a handkerchief from his coat pocket a second later and makes quick work of cleaning her up to the best of his abilities. Her legs are still shaking, how she'll be able to look that saleswoman in the eye is beyond her. "You didn't, didn't get to..." Her voice dies off when she sees Coriolanus shaking his head, a sweet smile on his lips, "If I'm going to fuck you, then I'm going to do it properly," he tells her, "and in the comfort of my own home."

Soarynn lets him place a kiss on her forehead before he leaves to go pay for the dress. She puts her own clothes back on quickly so she doesn't raise any suspicion and joins Coriolanus a few minutes later at the counter near the front of the store.

Apparently, he's revealed that he's visiting for the week because the saleswoman has her hand over her heart, "...just the noblest thing a man could do for his country," she says, her eyes drifting over to Soarynn, "and leaving your wife behind? You're a national hero Mr. Snow."

Soarynn keeps herself from rolling her eyes, Coriolanus certainly has done a great service to his country, but being called a national hero is a bit of a stretch. Coriolanus, of course, loves it and grins, taking the pink bag off the counter, "You flatter me truly, thank you so much for your help today." Soarynn nods along to his words and wraps her hand around his arm, "Yes, thank you so much for your assistance."

"Of course! Stop by anytime."

They bid the saleswoman goodbye and step back out into the cold, Soarynn immediately curls into Coriolanus who doesn't despise the cold the way she does. Maybe it's because of his last name, but the cold has little to no effect on Coriolanus whereas Soarynn hates it with all her might.

"You should wear that dress to dinner tomorrow night," he says, leading them across the street. Soarynn gives him a skeptical look, "To a dinner honoring dead soldiers? I don't think so. Besides, I already have a dress picked out for tomorrow night." And she does, it's navy blue and makes her eyes pop. He'll love it because he loves everything she wears.

Coriolanus simply hums and holds her tighter, "Whatever you want darling."

Soarynn cherishes those words for she won't be hearing them in a few days. She ought to cherish every moment with Coriolanus while he's here, every single second is precious.

꧁ ꧂

Later that night, Soarynn finds herself in a most domestic position, curled up in her husband's arms, naked under their sheets. She used to dream about moments like this, hoping she'd wake up to find him next to her, only to wake up to an empty bed.

His breathing is slow and steady, instantly calming her after a long night of passionate sex. Coriolanus could barely keep his hands to himself for the rest of the day after their little stunt in the dressing room. They still had to go to several stores and then to dinner before they could come home.

Coriolanus was more than pleased to be warmly welcomed by his household staff and a clean apartment. He wasn't however, too pleased when he discovered Petunia lounging on his side of the bed, surprised to see a man in the room she thought of as her own.

There was a clear rivalry the moment they laid eyes on each other, especially when she saw how handsy he was being with Soarynn. She had hissed and swatted at him while Soarynn tried to calm her down and fix the rift between her beloved husband and cat.

She ended up removing Petunia from their bedroom so they could properly reunite and after several rounds of passionate sex, Soarynn was more than pleased with how the day turned out.

Coriolanus presses a hand on her stomach, splaying out his long fingers, "I was thinking," he mumbles in her ear, voice laced with sleep, "we should have a baby."

That gets her wide awake. Soarynn pushes her hips against his, causing him to groan since he has yet to pull out, "A baby?" She whispers, thinking about the possibility of finally starting a family with Coriolanus. They barely had any time after they got married, war broke out and he was shipped out.

It's not like they didn't want a family, the penthouse is huge with so many empty bedrooms. Her mind drifts down the hall to the nearest bedroom, vacant and begging to have a crib inside of it. He kisses right under her ear and hums, resting his chin on her shoulder, "Mhm, if it weren't for the war then I'm sure we'd have at least one child by now. And I've heard rumors Soarynn, they're starting to pull troops out little by little. I'll be home before you know it, and for good next time."

Soarynn's heart is beating so fast, the war is ending?

Part of her doesn't want to believe him, but Coriolanus isn't one to lie, he hates lying and anyone who does it. "Okay," she says, finding nothing wrong with his proposition. He's right, if Coriolanus wasn't deployed then they'd certainly already have a child right now. These past two years have set them back and she's not getting any younger.

He wraps his arms around her tighter and groans, "Good, because I'm convinced that I already fucked a baby into you."

They both laugh, knowing it doesn't exactly work that way but she's past caring about logistics right now.

Her husband is home and that's all that matters.

꧁ ꧂

Much to Soarynn's dismay, the next few days flew by in the blink of an eye.

She and Coriolanus spent every waking minute with each other, from the moment they woke up to the moment they went to bed, they were together. Their friends had teased them about it at dinner one night, how inseparable the pair was but Soarynn found nothing wrong with it.

She and Coriolanus belonged with each other. How could they not see it?

Even now as he opens a present from under the Christmas tree, it's so evident to Soarynn that he's the one for her. His strong masculine aura mixes perfectly with her gentle feminine one. While he's effortlessly charming, she's endlessly graceful, making them the perfect pair once again.

Coriolanus grins when he pulls out several pairs of white socks, the ones he's always been so fond of since Soarynn met him. He's always been one to value routine and tradition, never straying from what he trusts which includes socks. "You remembered my letter," he says with a laugh, setting them down on the floor next to him.

Soarynn nods, in one of his more recent letters, Coriolanus had mentioned how worn out his socks were becoming. Soarynn was no stranger to sending him letters but packages were a little bit trickier. They required an outrageous amount of postage to start, and there was never a guarantee that it would actually be delivered. She's sent a few over the past two years and according to Coriolanus, he's one of the only men who receives both packages and letters from home.

Soarynn truly can't imagine not writing letters to a loved one who's away at war. She writes him a letter nearly every day.

"I did," she agrees, "once I knew you were coming home, I ran out to buy you some new ones."

They both sit in comfortable silence while snow quietly falls outside of the living room windows. Soarynn watches the tiny snowflakes fall from the sky, doing her best to think about anything but what tomorrow will bring.

The train that will take him away from her again.

She can't help but begin to fear the worst, Coriolanus getting caught in the crossfire, a bomb going off and taking his limbs off, a trap being set just for him.

Which is highly unlikely from what he's told her. He's barely seen any real action, just a lot of angry people who he has to keep under control with a gun. When Soarynn asked if he ever had to use it on anyone, he'd gone quiet. This war still affected him despite him acting like it didn't. And Soarynn doesn't want him to go back to it.

She can feel the tears forming in her eyes, they've had such a lovely week filled with dinners, parties, and quality time together.

She doesn't want it to end.

"Darling," he says gently, "come here."

Coriolanus opens his arms out to her and Soarynn sniffles as she crawls over crinkled wrapping paper until she's crawling into his lap, burying her face in his neck. He immediately slips his hands under her nightgown and wraps his arms around her waist, holding her tight, "We'll be alright," he tells her softly, "I'll be back before you know it, and then we'll start our own little family. How does that sound?"

It sounds wonderful, like a dream come true to Soarynn who's been so lonely the past two years.

"Nice," is all she mumbles, not able to find it inside of her to act chipper when she's not. Coriolanus rubs his hand up and down her back, calming her with the smallest of touches, "I hope you know how much I miss you," he tells her, "how every night I stare up at the ceiling and wish you were there with me. You're all I have Soarynn, you've been the greatest gift."

Tears freely flow down her cheeks after hearing those endearing words. She doesn't know if this conversation is making his departure easier or worse. "I love you," she whispers, "with all my heart I love you."

She doesn't know how long they stay like that, curled up on the floor but it doesn't matter.

Nothing matters when she's with him.

꧁ ꧂

The morning of her husband's departure comes with heavy burdens for both of them.

Coriolanus, who must face what lies in the Districts once again, alone and without the comforts of home.

Soarynn, who must return to normal life with a smile on her face, and without the comforts of him.

They both fake it incredibly well to their credit, smiling at those they pass by as they walk towards his train. Just a week ago Soarynn was getting ready to come to the station, putting so much effort into her appearance. She barely even brushed her hair this morning since she planned on running right back home once he left to cry in bed.

Coriolanus hands off his trunk to a train attendant and Soarynn watches the man carry it onto the train, already stealing parts of Coriolanus away from her. She looks around the platform and is somewhat comforted by the sight of many other couples sharing tearful goodbyes.

At least they can all be miserable together is what she's concluded.

"Keep writing to me hmm?" He asks, nosing her cheek in an effort to make her laugh. Soarynn nods but can't find it in herself to laugh like she usually does when he's being so sweet, "You'll let me know if you hear anything else about deployment right?" She inquires for the tenth time today. She knows it must be getting annoying but she simply must know that he'll keep her updated with these things.

Coriolanus nods and rests his forehead against her own, "Yes darling, the second I know for sure I'm coming home, I'll let you know."

She rests her hands on his arms, feeling him one last time, "I'm going to miss you," she mumbles, her voice carries more of a tremor than she'd like but it's hard to act brave right now. Coriolanus leans down and kisses her, so sweetly and gently. Soarynn returns the kiss with her own gentleness for this will be the last kiss she's given for a long time.

"Be careful out there," she whispers, not pulling away from the kiss, "I can't go on without you Coryo."

He wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her into his safe hold, "I will," he promises, pecking her lips once more, "and you take care of yourself hmm? I want you to enjoy yourself while I'm gone darling, spend time with friends, spend my money, all those nice things hmm?" A small smile forms on her lips and Coriolanus chuckles, "There's my girl, always smiling for me."

She knows this is hard on him too, to leave her, to willingly leave her behind goes against everything Coriolanus believes in.

But they'll be together again soon, she's sure of it.

The sharp train whistle pulls the couple apart, announcing that the train will be departing soon.

"Make sure to call me," Soarynn reminds him, clinging onto him for dear life, "and to write to me. And let me know if you need me to send you anythi-"

She never finishes her sentence due to his lips crashing onto her again, effectively shutting her up. Soarynn responds the way she always does, loyally and lovingly, letting him take the lead. Coriolanus brings his hand to gently cup her face while they share one last kiss.

Another sharp whistle from the train jolts both of them and they finally break apart from their last kiss.

"I love you," he tells her, looking down at her with those devoted blue eyes of his. So piercing yet soft and gentle when he's with her and only her.

"I love you too," she says, "and I'm so proud of you."

Coriolanus smiles, hugging her one more time and kissing her temple before he lets her go. Soarynn remains frozen on the platform while her husband strides towards the train, stepping through the door right before the train starts pulling away.

Soarynn waves goodbye with the other wives, with only eyes for her husband who watches her from the door. It's only when he's out of sight that she allows herself to properly cry.

She ignores the sympathetic looks she's given from the other women and trudges back to the car, alone this time.

She cries the whole way home and in the elevator. Maria seems greatly concerned but Soarynn waves her off, she'll be fine in a few days, she remembers being like this the first time he left. Part of her wishes she didn't have to go through this again, that he never came home but she's so glad she got to see Coriolanus again.

Petunia is still lying in bed where they left her this morning, pleased to have her spot back. Soarynn gives her a gentle scratch behind the ears, "Just you and me again," she says sadly. She ought to wash the sheets considering they had sex every night but she refrains from doing so, she'll wash them when his scent is no longer detectable.

Soarynn lies in bed for hours feeling sorry for herself and missing her husband, only venturing into their bathroom when she needs to use it. She walks past the countertops and then her vanity when she notices a small white box sitting on her vanity counter, wrapped in a red bow.

Soarynn reluctantly picks it up and unties the ribbon, letting it all to the floor where Petunia immediately takes it to play with. But Soarynn pays her cat no mind as she opens up the box, softly gasping when she sees what Coriolanus has left for her.

A pregnancy test.

And a note.

Never too soon to find out. Love, Coriolanus

Soarynn chuckles, they both know it's highly unlikely for her to already be pregnant but she appreciates the gesture. She holds the testing device in her fingers, "Might as well try," she mumbles to herself, walking to the small room where their toilet is.

It only takes a few minutes but Soarynn finds herself doing anything but looking at the results. She folds some laundry, fluffs out their bedsheets. Finally, she walks back into the bathroom and turns over the test.

She gasps when she sees two red lines.

She's pregnant.

Newly pregnant, barely pregnant, but pregnant.

She can't believe it. Coriolanus isn't even halfway through his trip back to Five and yet he's left her with a most precious gift. Soarynn rests her hand on her stomach, imagining what it'll look like in a few months.

She's pregnant!

She's going to have a baby. She's going to be a mother, he's going to be a father.

Oh, Coriolanus.

She'll have to write to him at once to deliver the news. She's only a few days along but still.

It's a Christmas miracle.

꧁ ꧂

To my dearest Coriolanus, I'm writing this hours after your departure. I simply cannot wait a moment longer to tell you the wonderful news that I'm pregnant! I know we spoke of it when you first came home but after opening the gift you left me, I'm proud to say that you're going to be a father. I will keep things quiet until I can visit the doctor but I just had to tell you. I miss you with all my heart my love, I pray for your safety and your quick return. Know that not a day goes by where I do not think of you my heart for you are all that I am. I love & miss you already. Love, Soarynn

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

| taglist: @strawberriicakes @wonderlandbound111 @villiansarehottest @kickmybark @thevoicesinmyprettylittlehead @melodyoflovee @erensrealgf |

[raichukfm]

I played Undertale recently. My favorite character is Chara. No, I didn't kill anybody. I am going to go on about them, now.

Spoilers for Undertale, all the routes. "It came out nearly a decade ago!" Yeah and I first played it last week and was happily surprised by the sheer amount of things I hadn't been spoiled on, so. Have a courtesy warning! Also courtesy warning: Too many fucking words. I'm sorry.

As a preface: Undertale really genuinely touched me. I bring this up as a preface because I think it's important to why it is exactly I feel how I feel, and that is important to how I perceived Chara.

And it having such an impact honestly surprised me; Undertale seemed cute and fun but silly and something I had felt… prepared for? Like, inadvertently, from hearing about it and its characters for so long. And for some parts early on, I was, at least in part. I liked Sans and Papyrus from the start, but in the way that I liked a gimmick, and it took time for the enjoyment to get more and more… not genuine, it already was, but I can't find the word I'm looking for. I guess it struck me with less artificiality? It started actually getting to me. This was happening throughout the whole length of things, like, I really genuinely liked Toriel basically from the start, but the farther in I got the more it was happening. Actually, looking back, the intro cinematic really hit for me in a way that should have clued me in that this game was going to get me.

Because I really connected with Chara as the character I was playing as, to an extent that honestly really surprised me? It felt emotionally resonant. Admittedly, naming Chara the way that I did probably did a fair amount of lifting there; I used a nickname of mine that isn't used that often. I think that hit more than it would have if I had used one of my first names, since it was distant enough to easily have differentiation while also close enough to feel so immediately personal. Chara is someone where most things with them are up to interpretation, but I just had a specific interpretation readily and naturally come to me.

Of course, I knew the Chara and Frisk distinction beforehand, and that informed my interpretation pretty heavily; but I hadn't really heard much of anything about Chara other than the Genocide Route stuff, prior. I mostly saw them treated as like some pure evil nasty may-as-well-have-been-demon. I hadn't been reading like narraChara theories or anything (amazing name, 10/10 whoever coined it). I just landed there naturally. When Undertale was giving the early hints that Chara had actually come before the human you played as, like in the garbage dump, it only amplified those feelings.

My read was that I as the player I was, largely, controlling Frisk's actions, but seeing Chara's thoughts. Every time I saw or heard memories, they were Chara's. But I don't think Chara was in control of the body or anything. I think Chara was there tagging along as an observer, at first not sure what exactly was happening or understanding why; but linked to Frisk's SOUL and so having Frisk's feelings resonate through them. So, they decided to help. They not only lent their lingering Determination but also just tried to help Frisk stay determined in the normal sense. But that was what they were doing: Not acting, but watching Frisk's actions and feeling their feelings.

And in my playthrough, Frisk was a dogged pacifist who was very reluctant to even slightly hurt anyone and very willing to put themselves into terrible danger because of that. And I think seeing that, feeling the feelings behind it resonating with them, made Chara a better person. A profoundly better person. Just in itself, the way it would anyone, but… Here's an example of the best of humanity, that same humanity they despised. Here's someone willing to refuse violence even if it puts them at risk of dying, even actually dying once before they discovered they could LOAD even after death, if they remained determined. Someone who again and again and again takes attacks and doesn't fight back unless it's absolutely necessary, who sees a whole people that have time and time again just tried to callously kill them and keeps choosing to help them. To trust them, and reach out to them, again and again and again, and who each time is proven right. Even when there's nothing to reach out to but dead human children whose SOULs had been absorbed for power by an entity whose power was represented in their SAVE by the highest numbers expressible there.

I think seeing all of that really challenged Chara's worldview in general and view of humanity in particular. I think they understood that they had been wrong, and done wrong.

And then Frisk goes back one more time to set things right and save everyone. Chara is there experiencing what Frisk is feeling as they go through that lab, as they learn about Determination... when they find those videotapes and learn about how Chara died intentionally, hoping to wreak violence on humanity and then break the Barrier. And Chara learns that Flowey was their adoptive brother, all along. Sees with what must be horror what has become of sweet little Asriel, knowing that this only happened because of then. Understanding what Asriel chose in the end, why he chose it, and now seeing what trying to make up for that 'mistake' had done to him. And Chara sees Frisk try so hard to save him, even after everything he's done, just because he's another person. And Chara does everything they can to help Frisk, together mustering enough Determination to deny death itself, as many times as needed, until Frisk does it. Reaches out to Asriel and helps him to get over what happened enough to stop fighting, to start to heal, to give up on godhood... To use a moment of unity to bring down the Barrier without needing to hurt anyone else.

And Chara watched their brother realize that Frisk isn't them, and that that is good. That Frisk is a better person, and one whom Asriel wishes he could have had in his life before, as he admits to himself that Chara wasn't a good person. And Chara lets go. They let Frisk and everyone else go to their happy ending, while they stay behind.

And then Asriel and Chara have one last moment, in the game. Chara comes back and Asriel, even once again lacking a SOUL, cares enough about everyone else to ask Chara to let them be happy, to not tear them away from everything. But Asriel doesn't trust Chara, and so asks that if they are going to rip them out of their happy ending… do it to him too. Don't make him sit through everything repeating. Don't make him become deadened all over again by seeing everything play out over and over and over again in countless variations. And then he imagines that this exchange has happened again and again and again and Chara must be tired of hearing it. Because that is what Chara would do, isn't it?

But Chara doesn't say anything. Maybe they can't, maybe they just choose not to. Instead, they let their brother say goodbye to them. And then they choose to let go. Chara couldn't be the one to save Asriel; it had to be Frisk. Once Frisk has... What waits for them and their brother… I don't know. But I hope they can be happy. I hope they got their closure. And, maybe vainly, I hope they can find some way to have each other again, but healthily this time. But that's for them, not for me. Maybe one or both choose to let go entirely and fade away, return to the death that had once taken them. All I've got is hopes for the future of these people that aren't even real.

Immersion is a powerful thing, huh?

...

So, about the Genocide Route. There's a lot of characterization for Chara there, and some for Asriel too. I know people tend to read the Genocide Route as Chara taking Frisk over and unleashing their preexisting violent impulses, but I really don't think that's right. I don't think that route shows what Chara was like before much at all. I think the Genocide Route is what happens when Chara finds themselves brought back from the pall of death, given some sort of second chance, and all they can do in it is watch Frisk murder everyone they encounter. When they see their mother get murdered in cold blood, and can feel how little Frisk cared about her while doing it. When all they can feel when it happens is that sick sense of pleasure at an accomplishment. When they're forced to find some kind of meaning in that, some reason for why they were brought back and made to be complicit in this, some purpose to this existence.

And they find it. They find it in their idea of numerical invincibility, and they cling to it. And they are abraded down until all that's left of them is their worst impulses stripped of context, magnified, and then redefined under the light of this 'purpose'… and that sick sense of accomplishment. More and more, Chara wears down to this thing that only cares about power and violence, and more and more Chara loses their sense of distinction from Frisk, sees these actions as their own; or maybe they become more and more able to exert control of the actions as they redefine themselves to be better at wielding power. Either way, Chara murders their father. Chara murders their brother. Then Chara destroys humanity, not even out of hatred, but simply for the sake of power. They destroy all the monsters they missed, too. Only power matters; the gaining of it, and also the exercise of it for its own sake. The only thing they don't destroy is Frisk, their reliable partner, the one who showed them their purpose. The one they are perversely grateful to, but will betray the moment it suits them, now that they have the power to do so.

I've heard a lot about how this is criticism of RPG players, and I can see that but more and more I don't think that the purpose of this is to moralize, or at least that that's not the only purpose. Because this shows Chara become their worst self, this epitome of power in a husk of a person. Someone who wasn't a great person from the start falls to horrific depths. And then they can't climb back out. You can't help them out. Chara defines themselves as Numbers Go Up because after all this trauma from the first moment that their plan went awry and Asriel held back their powers, and they both died a second time… All they have refuge in is that belief in invincibility. Chara believes you can escape suffering if you become the strongest thing in the world. And so Chara does just that. And it's all they can hold onto, because it's the only thing holding them together.

But really they're just another lost soul who you no longer have the power to save or comfort or bring positive emotions to, someone tricking themselves into thinking they're an unfeeling demon beyond sentimentality just to feel like they have some control, so they can delight in exercising power over others without guilt or regret.

Frisk can give them their SOUL and Chara doesn't change, doesn't really feel anything more, no matter what Frisk shows them. Because they've closed their heart to those feelings. You can't take this back. You can't save them. They're the only person you can't save. Sometimes, when you hurt people you make them worse and you can't be the one to help them after that. And you can't cheat. Whatever you do… Chara remembers it. You can't just take it back, can't do it over. You can only look on in horror at what Chara has become and accept or deny your fault in it.

In the Pacifist Route… I think Chara feels something like that when learning that Flowey was Asriel all along, and knowing it was their fault.

It's easy to blame what Asriel became on the lack of his SOUL. But I really believe that's not what it was. Maybe that does dull feelings, but you don't need a SOUL to love, to care. We see that, with Asriel-as-Flowey asking Chara to leave the others to their happy ending. We can see it in how Chara, at their worst, gets a SOUL and gets no better. How Chara, with a SOUL, does not understand the sentimentality still held by the player who has already given up theirs. Flowey didn't become a monster because of the lack of his SOUL. He was a traumatized little kid who couldn't get his life back, couldn't get his sibling back, but had the power to evade consequences and abused it to try and cope until it further wore down his ability to care. So he retreated to seeing things as less than real to cope with it all, resorted to cruelty and vindictiveness just to feel something.

Where Asriel as Flowey makes a performative show of his petty cruelty and vindictiveness, Chara dresses it up with dispassion and a veneer of objective judgement. But, deep down? They're the same. If you don't let yourself feel anything you can't be hurt.

The Genocide Route isn't some creepypasta about a demon taking over an innocent. Nothing so convenient as that. Because the point is that you choose to do it. You do it, and you choose it every step of the way, and only at the very very end does it become too late to turn back. So it fits it better, I think, if it's not about Chara corrupting Frisk... But about you corrupting Chara. Whether that you is Frisk, or you the player, you make someone who was a bad person to start with so much worse.

Asriel was pressured and manipulated by Chara and became a worse person for it, and then retreated to the toxic ideology of "kill or be killed" to cope with that and further trauma, as well as denying his own emotionality in an attempt to make himself invincible. And in the Genocide Route, Chara does the exact same fucking thing. A different toxic ideology, that the only thing that matters is acquiring power, a different mask to deny their emotions which is impassive rather than irreverent, but so similar. Beat for beat. Even down to the fact that Asriel still idolized the person who hurt him, considered them special, the only person worth caring about: Chara wants you to come with them to conquer and destroy new worlds, considers you the perfect partner, doesn't kill you even when you try to resist them, even keeps remaking the world for you when you ask despite already getting your SOUL the first time. You showed them the truth of their existence, after all, even without meaning to. Just as Chara showed Asriel that this world is kill or be killed, even without meaning to.

So… Knowing that all of this could happen…

It adds a lot, I think, to the Pacifist Ending. To Chara getting better, growing as a person and helping everyone, learning they were wrong about the world and humanity, and letting power go. Letting Frisk go. Letting everyone go. Hearing out Asriel's grievances with what they did and accepting them. Just being happy that Asriel could be saved along with everyone else, before the end, despite the negative impact they had had on him and how coming back as a flower no one recognized as him fucked him up even worse.

I just like those two poor siblings, and can't help but be sympathetic to somebody young making a nasty plan with good intentions but without a real appreciation for what they were doing. I am so glad that such a tragic and awful thing got better the way it did, amidst everyone else getting their happy ending. And I think Chara just gets me so much because they become so much better than they were to begin with, and because I felt I was there with them. Immersion is a powerful thing. But maybe even more than that... It's that Frisk doesn't save Chara. Frisk can't save Chara. Frisk can just give Chara the chance they needed to save themselves.

[estellardreams]

"You've changed..."

[Continuation of this mini fic]

(Prince MK belongs to @purble-turble. Genuinely I just came up with the name for this mini dark lotusnoodles spinoff AU so uh yeah)

It was... Rough, to say the least. Being forced to stay in a rather small cell while awaiting trial.

There was a small pulse on the wall before a ring of golden energy pushed back the wall to an open door.

Mk stood on the other side, still carrying Lán in his arms.

He paused, looking between everyone. He quietly shuffled back, trying to keep his distance.

Wukong got to his feet, putting his hand up to the ring.

"Hey... Kiddo. You okay?" he softly asked.

Lán looked between him and her baba, then back at him.

"Baba isn't normally allowed to speak to you all without papa's supervision."

"What?! Why?!" Mei exclaimed, getting to her feet.

Wukong frowned. "Nezha... He's the one who told her that, huh?"

Lán blinked, her once innocent expression shifting to a more darkened gaze. "Now I see why papa warned me about you all..."

She climbed out of MK's hold, walking up to the ring. Despite being a young nine year old, she oddly had an intimidating aura around her.

"You're all trying to endanger my baba again! He's safer here than with any of you because in trying to rescue him, you're just gonna let him get caught by that Demon King Red like all those other times!" she snapped.

Wukong froze. "Kid, it's not like that I promise!"

"Then how come baba is still here if you and the king aren't here?"

... Okay, he couldn't quite argue with her logic- No that's what Nezha wants.

Wukong shook his head, kneeling down to Lán. "This might be hard to explain, but I'm your baba's mentor. I want to protect him just as much as you and your papa do."

"Then why couldn't you?"

"I... I didn't see the signs. And I'm so sorry I put you in danger like that." his gaze shifted back up to MK.

MK's turned away, trying to not look at his friends and family.

It hurt too much.

It hurt that he couldn't talk to them.

Couldn't... Say anything.

He so badly wanted to tell them.

Just... Everything.

But of course, especially here, he couldn't say a word.

"... I'm sorry I can't talk to you all. Lán, let's go." MK took Lán's hand and began to lead her away.

"Baba? Where are we going?" she asked.

"How about you go play with your friends?"

"Okay! Race ya!" she immediately bolted.

MK waited until she turned the corner before rushing back to the cell ring.

"I don't have much time before I gotta get back to her, okay?" he whispered, a bit panicked.

"Yeah yeah yeah, it's fine. MK, how are you holding up?" Wukong asked.

"Ehh. Could be doing better. This stupid flower pin is keeping me from leaving this realm. And no, I can't take it out."

He growled. "Of course. It's a less threatening and harmful version of restraints that king red would've usually gone for but it still keeps you here."

"Yeah."

"Okay but what's the deal with the KID?!"

"Lán's... A kid Nezha made without my knowledge using his and my own DNA into a pearl stone."

"How long had it been for you? I'm so sorry we couldn't come sooner we really wanted to but the barriers between the Mortal Realm and Celestial Realm were really powerful."

"Ah, that explains it. And yes, it's been almost nine years for me."

"Shoot. Six months for us, nine years for him. Oh, what are we gonna do?" Mei began to slip into a panic.

"Mei, I promise it's gonna be okay. All of you just hang in there, okay? Maybe I can... Hopefully get you all a lighter sentence or something?"

"I... Don't think they'd take your word over the lotus prince." Tang said.

"Oh, right..." MK frowned, moving his hands back to his sides.

"What's with the weird outfit, anyway?" Mei asked.

"The... Gown? That's, uh... A choice. Honestly I just wanted something not traditional and extremely red that King Red would've put me in so..."

"That... Makes sense? I guess?"

MK flinched, hearing footsteps from the far end of the hall.

"I need to go, I'm so sorry. Bye!" he quickly shut off the ring and made a run for it, catching right back up to Lán.

Unfortunately MK wasn't allowed in the courtroom.

Nezha and Li Jing were there, making sure things went smoothly along the nine kings.

"And to read out our sentence..." the third king spoke, holding up the scroll.

"Sun Wukong, Long Xiaojiao, Sha Wujing, Zhu Bajie, and Tang Sazang have been deemed... Guilty. Over trespassing, attacking the heavenly army, and attempted kidnapping of the lotus prince's fiance. The Lotus Prince himself will bring about your worthy punishment."

Nezha got up from his seat, drifting down in front of the five calmly.

"Father. I wish to punish them with the Pagoda. To ensure they are never a threat to Heaven again." he said.

"Very well, then." Li Jing drifted down and activated the pagoda. The celestial guards keeping watch in the court forced the five to be sucked in before it shut off.

"It is done... All of you are dismissed." Nezha ordered.

"But what of your fiancé? Is he alright after such attacks?" Li Jing asked.

"Yes, of course. I've been keeping watch over him and he didn't get hurt."

"That's good."

"Now I'm gonna go back to him and our daughter! Goodbye, father."

"Goodbye, son."

Nezha flew off, finding MK watching over Lán, whom was playing with other children in the realm.

"Hey, MK." Nezha sat down next to him.

He quietly leaned onto him. "Don't worry about your friends. No harm came to them, I made sure of it."

"Oh thank the great sage, thank you..." MK breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned back to the lotus prince. "Can I see them?"

Nezha paused. How was he gonna tell him that he got them locked up in the Pagoda?

"... Not at the moment. I apologize."

"Oh... Then, um... Maybe soon?"

Soon... Nezha would have to find some way to show that they were all still there, somehow. But he could figure that out in time.

"Of course."

MK's gaze shifted back to the children playing around. Nezha leaned onto his shoulder, tugging at him in a hug.

"Love you, MK."

Mk didn't say anything. But deep in Nezha's heart, he was silently saying it right back to him.

And that made him feel so much better.

[notlongtolove]

And it's been so long But if you ever think you got it wrong I'm right where you left me

this work is part of the burnt norton series and a continuation of part 3! spoilers ahead!

“Okay.”

Your heart beats painfully in your throat. As soon as you say it, the air shifts—just the slightest change, but it feels like everything has rearranged itself. It feels soft, almost fragile, whispered like your confession all those nights ago. But it's different now. You say it with a certainty you never had before. The kind of certainty that comes with time, pain, and of knowing what you want, even if you’re still fucking terrified.

“Okay?” he repeats, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes scanning your face like he’s bracing himself for the moment you’ll take it all back.

“Okay,” you say again, a little firmer this time, though your voice still wavers slightly.

“Okay, okay,” he says again, his words coming in a rush as he exhales shakily, like he’s trying to steady himself. “I mean it. Everything I said—I meant all of it. We’ll do this right this time. One more chance. I’ll do anything—everything—to show you I mean it. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it. I promise.”

You look up at him and see the way his eyes soften, how his hand trembles as he reaches up to wipe the tears you hadn’t realised were still falling. His fingers brush your face as he cradles your cheek, and it feels like he’s touching something fragile. 

"I love you," he says, and his voice cracks on the last word. 

You want to laugh and cry at the same time. You want to shout, to scream at the injustice of it all. Why did he leave? Why did he make himself a martyr, walking away when he knew how much it hurt? Why now? After everything, why is this the moment he finally says it?

But all of that—every question, every emotion, every unanswered why—fades as you look at him, his vulnerability laid bare. You could yell, you could throw all your pain and anger at him, but you don’t. Instead, you smile. It’s not a perfect smile, no doubt made questionable by the tears still subsiding—But it’s real. It’s messy, complicated, and raw. 

“I love you too.”

It’s not a confession anymore—It’s a statement of truth, a fact, clear and simple.

And then, Spencer is leaning in to kiss you with a fervour so intense you didn’t know it was possible. His lips crash against yours with a desperate kind of longing, urgent, as though he’s afraid if he pulls away even for a moment, he just might lose you again. Between kisses, he whispers it again. I love you. I love you. I love you. He says it over and over until it begins to sound less like a sentence and more like a prayer or a plea. You’re not entirely sure which, but you feel the weight of both.

It’s a desperation that speaks to the very essence of our existence—the way the tide always returns to shore, no matter how many times it’s pushed away, or how a flower blooms, fully aware it will wither. We love, we fall, we keep going—whether it's with our heads held high or with knees scraped and bloody, we continue on and we love once more.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ hi if you're here! thank you for reading! feel free to like or reblog or comment or reply!

[susiekern]

9. the one in Kyoto

warnings: swearing, suggestive, mentions of sex, change of pov's in the last part (it was much easier to me to put what I wanted in like this, sorry)

word count: 1.704

lyrics from: The Apparition - Sleep Token

masterlist

Why did you think that sharing a room with Megumi would be a good idea? Why, God, why? Your brain keeps going in circles as you lay in bed and scroll the reels on Instagram. You really try to focus on anything, from weird 5-minute crafts to tarot card reading, but as soon as the girl starts with how your sign is in a ‘space for love life troubles and enlightenment,’ you block your phone and put it on the nightstand. Love life troubles, yeah, who would've guessed? You don't need an Instagram witch to tell you that. It's been what, two weeks since you've slept with Megumi again… for the first time? One more time, huh? That's what you've been telling yourself, when the next day you found yourself knocking at his door with a coffee and a book or when he invited you for a movie night two days later. It just felt too good. Having someone you're heavily attracted to, you feel comfortable around, and you actually like talking with.

Should you two talk about what's going on? Yeah, definitely. Are you going to be the one to start this conversation? Hell no.

A buzz of your phone pulls you out of your thoughts, at least for a moment.

"You’re sure you don't want me to just take the couch?” So focused on texting with Nobara, you don't even notice when Megumi comes back from the bathroom. His hair is a little damp, and he's wearing nothing but gray sweatpants that hang low on his hips. Way too low for your brain to function properly. “I don't want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“Megs, we've slept in one bed like three times this week. Was I uncomfortable back then?” You smile a little, signaling him to the other side of the bed.

“Fair.”

When he lays down, there's a space that feels like a valley between you. Why does it feel awkward? It's not any different from how you've been sleeping two days ago. Well, except now at least you're clothed. Both of you lie on your backs and look at the ceiling like it holds an answer to this unspoken question.

“Yeah, we're not sleeping like that. Come here.” Maybe after a minute or so, Megumi sighs and opens his arms to invite you in. And he doesn't need to repeat himself. In a second you're by his side, head on his chest, and a leg draped over his hips. He rests his arms, one over your waist, the other behind his head, as he leans his cheek on top of your head.

“This is nice.” You murmur into his skin, breathing in the smell of his body wash. “Goodnight, Megs.”

“Goodnight, y/n.”

Your alarm is going off, there's a heavy weight on your body, and you're overheating. Great.

“Turn this shit off.” The weight moves slightly, only to bury itself more into you, as Megumi groans in the material of your shirt. 

Somehow you manage to reach the nightstand and blindly tap the phone until it stopped screaming. With open eyes now, you can finally see the ‘weight’ that is in fact a bigger part of Megumi's body. You must've shifted throughout the night, because now you're the one lying on your back with the man wrapped around you like he's holding a teddy bear. His face is buried right above your navel, arms keeping you close, so all you can see right now is his messy hair and muscles on his shoulders and back. You sigh and try to move, but his hold is harder than you've anticipated.

“Megs, I need to get up.”

“No, you don't.”

“Um, yes. Yes, I do. I need to be at the event in two hours.” It's like talking to a wall, you think. Megumi couldn't care less, and somehow he wraps his arms even tighter. “If you squeeze me to death, I'll haunt your ass, I swear.”

“5 more minutes, come on.” He raises his head a little to look at you, and hell, how are you supposed to say no to his sleepy eyes and messy hair?

“5 minutes and not one longer.” His head is back where it was before, and you can't stop the smile that makes its way onto your face. One of your arms is on his shoulder, circling the soft skin; the hand of the other is playing with his black strands.

5 more minutes won't hurt, right?

'Why are you never real? Whenever you appear You leave me with that grace’

She should be excited. Trembling with emotions, right? She's at the show of the band she adores, invited by the vocalist whose voice itself wakes up the feelings in her that many people could never. She can see him clearly, standing in the middle of the stage, hands gripping the microphone, words flowing from masked lips with so many emotions behind them it makes her shiver.

‘I am trembling with fear But I know that you will disappear Just as I awake, whisper in my ear ‘

So why is her brain focused on something else? Or rather, someone else. She recalls this morning and how her heart warmed up seeing Megumi right after waking up. How good it felt to lie in his arms, brush her fingers through his hair, and trace his muscles with her fingertips.

‘Well, I believe Somewhere in the past Something was between You and I, my dear’

Her eyes are fixed on Zenin, and a stupid voice in the back of her head tells her he's looking at her too. She wants to believe it. That somehow she managed to catch his attention, that she was in a way special enough for him to spend his time watching her streams and talking to her. He suggested more than once that he actually wanted to get to know her. He showed her he was interested in her thoughts. The hopeless romantic deep inside her mind wanted to think, ‘What if?’.

‘And it remains With me to this day No matter what I do This scar will never fade’

What if they kept it up? What if both of them would open up and let the other one in? Would Zenin even be able to do that? With how secure he is about his real life? Hell, would she even allow it to happen in the first place? Trusting someone whose face she's never seen, not even learning his real name or hearing his voice while talking, not singing, seems insane. The rational part of her is saying how stupid she was. Telling her, she shouldn't waste time on either of them, Zenin nor Megumi. Zenin is an unattainable dream of a teenager. A love story written by a fangirl, something she has seen many times on the internet. Megumi is… a challenge. The one she wasn't sure she wanted to take up. A few weeks ago they couldn't stand being in one room without fighting, and now they share a bed and cuddle in the morning? Their relationship is evolving fast, but it only means she isn't sure how thin the ice beneath them is and how long they could keep it up before it collapses.

‘So let's make trouble in the dream world Hijack heaven with another memory now’

He knew she'd be here, obviously. So why did his heart speed up like it was surprised when he saw her? When picking a spot for her, he tried to put her as close as possible, but why? To keep an eye on her? To help himself with just her presence? He knew how pathetic it was, and he didn't need the looks his friends sent his way just minutes ago in their private room when Toge saw y/n’s Instagram story. Why did it even matter?

‘I make the most of the turning tide. It just split what's left of the burning silence’

She wasn't here for him, for Megumi. She was here for Zenin. He once thought he and Zenin were one and the same person, but it's never been true. It took him some time to understand it. Zenin is his mask. The one he'd put on when everyone and everything became too overwhelming, when he couldn't meet their expectations or deal with his own emotions. Because when Megumi was terrified of his own feelings more often than rare, Zenin would put them in beautiful words; he'd let them flow onto the paper, sometimes hidden in sentences so well he himself had a problem with decrypting them.

‘Don’t wait, ‘cause this could be the last time You turn up in the reveries of my mind’

Maybe that's why he reached out to y/n as Zenin. Sure, a part of him wanted to make a little dream of hers come true, but he had to admit to himself it was a selfish act. Talking to her as someone she doesn't see almost every day, someone who didn't start their relationship on a bad note. He wanted an opportunity to open up to her, to show her the part of him no one had seen before. Even if she had no idea that it was part of Megumi. But what is he going to do next? After building two separate relationships with her? Would she hate him if he told her all about it? If she found out that Zenin wasn't real, that it was Megumi all along? That it was his voice she adored so much? That Megumi was too scared to show her his feelings?

‘I wake up to a suicide frenzy Loaded dreams still leave me empty’

He should tell her. Fuck. He should've told her before they had sex again two weeks ago. Before he found comfort in holding her body so close to his own. Before he caught himself missing her, not only her body, just her, throughout the day. But what exactly should he tell her? That he was Zenin? Or that he started falling for her and he doesn't even know when? He will tell her tonight. He has to.

‘I believe Somewhere in the past Something was between You and I, my dear’

tag list (lmk if you wanna be added!): @nytylie @fresa-luna @syrooo @zaranobiyuyu @jvpit3rr @pandabiene5115 @good-mourning0 @pearlydays

[aemondapologistfrfr]

You're Already Mine

aegon x f!reader // irrelevant!male x f!reader for 2 secs

au-ish where there are other dragon houses/families in westeros (kinda giving valyria ig) but targs still rule 👑  bc why street race in the modern world when you could dragon race in this fantasy world 

Summary: You finally meet a rider worth your time at a race in the Kingswood. Having no care for the consequences, you spend the night with him and you both hope it won’t be the last.

Warnings: 18+ swearing, vulgar language, drinking, public(dragonback), fingering, oral(f), p in v, a fake wedding, ’whore’ is somewhat a term of endearment?, mention of pleasure houses and brothels

Authors Note: save me aegon the magnanimous save me 🧎🏼‍♀️ we were robbed of sunfyre and egg 🫠 this was supposed to be chill but i forgot i don’t know how to be chill w him 

Word Count: 6.7k

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You’ve been secretly seeing the son of one of your fathers vassals for a couple months now. The rumors of you both have been causing tensions at family meals and you couldn’t be more delighted. Your mother reprimands you time and time again that you need to stop dragging the family name through the realm or it’ll ruin your chances to marry into a house of equal or better standing. You couldn’t care less of the house's standing but whether the man had a dragon or not and the son of the vassal has a dragon. 

That’s all that he has going for him. He’s not even set to inherit his family seat, not that it was much anyway, but when he flew to your Keep you had to have him. He wasn’t the only one in his family to have a dragon but the way he carried himself drew you in. At first he seemed ever the perfect gentleman but after you bedded him, he started acting differently. He seemed to only use you for your cunt and you in turn only used him for his dragon. The past couple of months he’s taken you to different dragon races and you use these meets to see if you can find a better suitor. You know it’s vain and you shouldn’t use him but he’s using you. 

So now you wait patiently on your chaise for the vassal's son to come and sneak you out of your chambers. He said he would meet you after moonrise and the moon has been high in the sky for well over an hour now. As the minutes tick by you become more annoyed and rise walking to the table to pour yourself a glass of wine. You down the cup and tap your fingers against the bottle debating on filling your glass once more. When you begin to tilt the bottle there’s a rapid knock and you sigh with relief as he slips through the door.

“Gods I thought you would never get here.” you place the bottle on the table abandoning your glass. “We’re gonna be late.” you pout and he chuckles pulling you out of your chambers. 

“You know I’m the fastest flier there is.” he puffs his chest out and you roll your eyes. 

“Yes, of course.” you pat his arm as he tugs you down the dark halls. He’s nowhere near the fastest flier in the realm let alone this city. 

“Up you go.” his hand lands on your ass and you scoff before starting your ascent up the side of the winged animal. You take your seat and chuckle as he takes his seat behind you and pulls you against him. “I love that you refuse to wear riding leathers.” his fingers dance up your bare thighs. 

“If you make us late I’ll make sure to never wear a dress around you again.” his hand lands on the inside of your thigh and you gasp. 

Before you can turn around with your retort he has you both climbing to the skies. You hold tightly to the saddle as you pull further off the ground. A smile spreads across your face as his dragon launches you forward and the wind whips through your hair. This is the reason you stay with him. You’ve never been able to find a replacement for the freedom riding a dragon offers.  As he starts your descent your eyes search around the forest floor to see if you spot any new dragons. 

Aegon watches as you slide down the side of some losers dragon and groans as he watches your dress slide up showing him your stockings and thighs. He decides you’ll be his by the end of the night no matter what it takes. He watches as you ignore the rider and look around with wide eyes until they stop on Sunfyre. He smirks knowing he has you now. Aegon chuckles as you tug the rider's arm and point to Sunfyre excitedly and he watches as the rider starts to frown. 

“And what’s so special about her? Besides the fact that she’s obviously here with someone.” his friend follows his eyeline to you. 

“She likes Sunfyre.” he drags his eyes back to his friends as they offer him a cup of ale. 

“How have you decided this?” one of them laughs. 

“She was looking at him.” he takes a sip. “All wide eyed.” he nods and his friends start to chuckle. 

“He’s gold. Of course she’s going to look at him.” Aegon waves his friends off and downs his cup. 

He walks over to Sunfyre and pats at his chest as he curls his neck around him. His dragon chuffs as he scratches at his scales. Aegon chuckles as Sunfyre starts to circle around him. When his tail swishes past his head you’re standing in front of him with a smile plastered across your face and a fuming male rider behind you. He bats Sunfyre back who sits behind him as he approaches you. 

“He’s so very beautiful.” you coo looking up at his dragon. Aegon smiles at your tone and sees the rider flare his nostrils. 

“I’m sure he’s blushing hearing that coming from you.” your eyes flick to his and you look over the silver haired rider and sigh. This rider and his dragon are absolutely devastating. 

“What’s his name?” you step closer and Sunfyre purrs, craning his head down towards you. 

“Sunfyre.” Aegon offers the name and your face softens. 

“Sunfyre.” you hum. “Because he’s as golden and as beautiful as the sun.” you muse as the golden dragon hovers a couple feet above you. 

“He’s very sweet.” Aegon smiles watching you reach up toward him. 

“If you touch his dragon I’m leaving you here.” the vassal's son grits through his teeth. 

“Sunfyre doesn’t mind giving a ride home to a beautiful woman in need.” Aegon smirks at you and watches you mirror his expression as you reach your fingers higher for his dragon. 

“Such a sweet boy.” you hum as Sunfyre presses his snout into your hand. “So handsome.” you hum as he lowers his head and you bring your other hand up to him. 

“You’re a whore.” the vassal's son's voice is dripping with hatred. You snap your head back to him and as you open your mouth Sunfyre’s rider speaks. 

“Aren’t we all?” Aegon raises his brow and you turn your attention back to him. 

“Then you can have her.” he waves off both of you and stomps away. 

“Who might my new ride be?” you tilt your head at the silver haired man. 

“Aegon.” he watches with a smile as his dragon curls around you as you offer him your name. 

“Not like the Aegon?” you can already tell this is the Prince from how finely his riding leathers are. 

“So you’ve heard of me?” he tilts his head looking at you.

“Unfortunately my parents made me study with the septa everyday so yes, I know of you, my Prince.” you make a show of bowing lowly. 

“I might prefer you a little lower.” he purrs and your eyes flick up to his. 

“How would you like me? I’m yours to command.” you blink up at him, nibbling your lip.

“Preferably on your knees.” he watches your face spread with amusement before Sunfyre pushes you towards him. He reaches out and steadies you and you look closer at him and feel your cheeks heat. “I didn’t know whores blushed.” the words come from his mouth automatically and he is so scared you’re going to turn and leave him but then you laugh and everything changes. 

“I can’t believe you said that.” you wipe away the tears as you hold your stomach still laughing. 

“I can’t either.” he scolds himself for his voice wavering. 

“It seems as if whores get shy as well.” you hum brushing your fingers against his blush. After the words leave your mouth he knows he’s never letting you go. 

“Do you want to fly with me tonight?” he watches your pupils dilate.

“You’ll let me ride with you when you race?” a smile spreads across your face. “Really?” you search his eyes.

“Did he not let you ride with him?” he scrunches his brows looking at you as you shake your head.

“He said it would slow him down.” you nibble your lip. 

“You’ll ride with me tonight.” he nods his head and your heart begins to race. “Do you have riding leathers or?” he stands back and looks at your dress. 

“I don’t like wearing them.” you look up at him. “Will it be too distracting for you to have my skirts up to my waist?” he smirks thinking about the way you’ll be pressed back against him as he races through the sky. 

“I’d be okay if you just took it off.” he says lowly and your tongue darts across your lower lip. 

“You’d have to keep me warm.” you step closer to him. 

“That’s not an issue.” he pulls you flush against his chest and smirks that you melt into him right away. He feels your hand reach for your dress laces and he groans, stopping your hand.

“Mm, too scandalous for you?” you smile up at him. “Are you a maiden, my Prince?” you whisper as his eyes grow wide. 

“No, I just- 

“I’m sullying the perfect, pure prince with my whorish ways.” you sigh and he grabs you pulling you against him. 

“I just want to show you off to my friends before I fuck the words out of you.” he says lowly watching your cheeks slowly flush. He grabs your hand and starts to lead you in the direction of his friends spread around the massive fire. 

“You stole her away from that rider already?” a man with blonde hair looks up at Aegon incredulously. 

“She came to me.” he corrects. “I told you that she liked Sunfyre.” Aegon rolls his eyes, waving him off.

“When did you tell them this?” you ask with a smirk on your face. 

“Gods the second you slid off that dragon I thought he was going-

“That's enough.” Aegon nods and grabs the flagon and fills two cups. 

“But I want to hear this.” you accept the cup with a smile and sit on the ground with his friends.

“You saw the drool coming from him when her skirts lifted up right?” another one of his friends jokes with the blonde from earlier. 

“How Sunfyre needed tending to right before a drinking game.” another male chimes in and Aegon groans taking a seat next to you. 

“He did.” he glares at his friends over the lip of his cup.

“Are you blushing again?” you chuckle and he turns his head quickly to you as his friends start to giggle. 

“Gods not you too.” he rubs his face. His friends all start talking over one another and you lean against him.

“I need tending to.” you whisper in his ear.

“Is that so?” he whispers back, his lips brushing against your ear sending shivers through you. 

“If you put your hand up my skirts you’ll know what I need.” he swallows and turns to look down at you looking up at him innocently. As he’s about to respond a horn sounds and the riders start to walk towards the announcer. 

“Later.” he pats your thigh before rising off the ground. 

He holds his hand out for you and brings you with him to the gathering riders. You cling against him as you enter the crowd while he leads you both to the front. The announcer claps Aegon on the shoulder and brings you both up next to him. You feel no better than a man as you lean against him watching all of the women look at him with soft pouts. Your hand slides up his back to his hair almost possessively and he chuckles looking down at you. 

“I’m the one who’s supposed to be holding you like a metal.” he whispers down to you. 

“I’m not stopping you.” you grin up at him. You gasp as he pulls you against him and presses his lips to yours. As quickly as his lips are on you they’re gone and he’s looking down at your red cheeks. “One more?” you pout and he presses his lips to yours quickly. The announcer clears his throat and Aegon turns back towards him. 

“I wanted to make it clear that attacks and burning are not permitted.” Aegon rolls his eyes. It was once and he didn’t even start it. “With that, to your mounts.” the announcer claps his hands together. Aegon leads you back over to Sunfyre keeping an arm wrapped around your waist. 

“Are you ready?” he pulls you in front of him. 

“I’m a little nervous.” you chew on your cheek. “I don’t want to slow you down.” he rolls his eyes. 

“Trust me you won’t.” he smooths your hair back. “If anything I’ll fly faster just to impress my sweet whore.” you playfully push him back. 

“Well help your sweet whore up or it seems we’ll be left behind.” you nod to all of the riders on top of their dragons already. 

“Let’s go,” he smiles. “I wouldn’t want you to go home with another loser.” he gives you a quick spank pulling a gasp from your lips as you start your ascent. He helps you to climb up keeping his fingers dug into your hips as you straddle the leather. He watches your skirts ride up exposing your stockings and bare thighs to him once more. You lean forward to offer him more space and he groans when you arch your back as he presses in behind you. “Just like this.” he pulls you back roughly and lifts your dress more. 

“Aegon.” you shiver at the breeze and his hand trailing up your thigh. 

“It seems as if you do need tending to.” he smiles hearing your whimper as he trails a finger up the center of your small clothes. You squirm in his arms as he starts to press his lips to your exposed neck. “You’re gonna have to hold on tight.” you nod your head and reach out to grab onto the saddle. He watches as your knuckles turn white as his fingers slip under your small clothes. 

“Yes,” you cry out at the soft swirl of his fingers against your bud. 

Aegon fists the reins in one hand as you push back into him. The whimpers leaving your mouth make him want to abandon this race but Gods the thought of you coming on his fingers as he wins this has him straightening his back and getting into position. The horn bellows and you push back into his chest as Sunfyre shoots into the sky. 

One moment you’re rocking against Aegon's fingers the next the ground his meters below. You sigh as his fingers leave your small clothes but it’s soon made up as the wind slips through your hair. Sunfyre gives out a cry and pushes forward faster. You turn your head to the side and see the other dragons falling behind. You smile and peer up at Aegon who’s concentrating on keeping course. 

The sounds of your laughter cause Aegon's chest to tighten. The way you lean with him when he starts to turn brings a smile to his face. You can feel the confidence and energy pouring off of Aegon and it’s exciting you to no end. You’ve never flown this fast before and you get lost in the freedom of it. The winds shift once more as he turns back as you make your final stretch of the race. There’s a couple dragons behind but they are quickly forgotten when he slips his fingers back into your small clothes. 

“Fuck Aegon,” you whine as his finger start to quickly circle your bud as he presses you closer against the saddle. He feels your hips roll against his hand and he slides his fingers down and slips them into you. He groans into your ear at the feel of you squeezing his fingers before he starts to pump his fingers. His thumb comes to circle on your bud once more and your body trembles beneath him. “Please.” you squeak. 

Aegon tightens his grip on the reins and jolts Sunfyre forward faster. You gasp leaning back into his chest and he smiles as he sees the smoke rising from the fire. He starts to move his fingers faster and Sunfyre starts to dip back to the ground. Your heart races as you chase your high and feel yourself falling. The second Sunfyre touches the ground Aegon slams his fingers faster and your pleasure snaps. 

“Aegon.” you moan loudly and heads start to turn your way as your chest heaves until more dragons begin landing behind you. He chuckles listening to your soft whines as he continues to slowly pump into you. 

“We won.” he whispers as he pulls his fingers out. 

“You can have me as your prize.” you pant and he pulls you back against him. 

“You’re already mine.” he brings his fingers to his mouth to clean them off. “Let’s go celebrate.” he hums, helping you off of the saddle. When your feet touch the ground you sigh seeing the vassal’s son approaching. 

“Are you coming home with me?” you can’t help the laugh that slips out. 

“No, she’s coming home with me.” Aegon pulls you to his side with a grin. 

“What do you think your parents will say? They’ll know you’ve been sullied then.” you blink at him as if that mattered to you.

“They’ll be glad it’s by a Prince and advocate for a betrothal.” you bite your lip to hide your smile. “They’ve been begging me to get rid of you for some time now anyways.” you watch his face drop and Aegon chuckles. 

“And you’d marry him?” he glares at you. 

“I’ll at least fuck him.” you shrug and his mouth drops. “He’s already made me come and that’s more than I can say about you.” his face gets red before he turns and leaves.

“He never made you come?” Aegon looks down at you with scrunched brows. 

“No.” you feel your cheeks heat. 

“Never?” you shake your head again. “Has anyone ever made you come?” he tilts his head. 

“You.” you look up at him. “And my fingers.” your voice barely audible and he groans.

“Use my fingers next time.” he smiles watching you flush. “Or my tongue.” he steps closer to you, keeping his voice down. “Or my cock.” he runs his fingers down your arm before he presses his lips to yours. His arms slowly wrap around you pulling you against him while you cling onto the front of his riding leathers. He smiles at your soft gasp as he licks along the seam of your lips. When he pushes his tongue into your mouth you completely dissolve into him. 

He groans hearing his friends approaching voices and cheers and reluctantly pulls back watching you look up at him with parted lips. His friends tug him from you and jump all over him congratulating him on his victory. He pushes them off playfully before pulling you back to his side. You both follow his friends back to the fire and one of them fills up cups and passes them out. 

As the night grows older the more you lean against Aegon. Most of the other riders and dragons are gone, allowing the atmosphere to settle. You don’t think of the consequences you’ll face in the morning, only of how the night will end. Aegon feels you scooting closer and he wraps his arm tighter around you before resting his head on top of yours. You grab his hand, studying his fingers and rings. You move and look up at him and he smirks. 

“I want to use your fingers.” you whisper and he clears his throat. ”Please,” you slightly pout your lips. 

“Let me just-

“So when is the wedding?” one of his friends says pulling you both out of your bubble and you flush seeing his friends watching you both with smiles. 

“Hopefully by the end of the week.” Aegon smiles squeezing your side. 

“Aegon,” you roll your eyes lightheartedly. 

“You’re right. Why wait? We should get married now.” he nods and you smirk up at him. One of his friends clears their throat dramatically and rises pulling your attention to him. 

“It would be my honor,” he bows ridiculously deep. “To be the high septon for you both tonight.” Aegon looks up at him with a toothy grin. 

“And I, the witness.” the blonde stands. 

“Shall you be our flower girl then?” you nod your head at his remaining friend and they laugh. 

“Yes, yes,” Aegon giggles, nodding his head and you turn to him at the sound seeing his face light up. “Then it’s settled. Get to it. Tell us when our ceremony is ready.” you watch as his friends jump to their feet and start moving things around. 

“I didn’t plan on getting married tonight.” you look at Aegon who is already watching you. 

“Oh Gods.” he buries his head in his hands. “You’re getting cold feet?” he looks up at you as you try to hide your smile. 

“I’d say tepid.” he groans and leans back until he’s laying on the ground. 

“You wound me, my betrothed.” he pulls you down onto his chest. He brings your lips to his and you scoot further up to press yourself against him. His hands find your ass and dig into it pulling a gasp from your mouth. 

“This seems like coercion, my Prince.” you mumble against his lips. He chuckles, bringing one of his hands up to your hair and bringing you back down to his lips. 

“Now, now, no fucking until its official.” his friends let out small giggles and you begin to untangle. “Come all to witness the Prince marry the one he has claimed.” you both chuckle seeing his friends gather closer to the fire. 

Aegon helps you up and leads you over to his friends and they begin to move you both around. You walk with one of his friends to the end of the gravel walkway and wait until Aegon is next to the false septon. Aegon whispers to his friend with a smile and he pulls back and looks at him with scrunched brows. You hear a loud exhale and watch as he winces before he starts to talk again. 

“I’ll now have you all turn your attention to Aegon's chosen whore.” you cover your mouth as you begin to laugh. Aegon watches you with a smile and holds his hand out towards you. His friend next to you tosses grass around while you walk up to Aegon. 

“Your chosen whore?” you look up at him with a grin. 

“Let the Gods look down and bear witness to this union. Bless them with many orgasms and drinks. Many sleepless nights and hungover mornings. Gods if you can hear this please bless this woman’s cunt from how thoroughly the Prince is going to fuck it tonight.” you can’t stop your snort of laughter and Aegon pulls you closer. “With the Gods as my witness I now announce you man and wife.” Aegon's lips smash to yours as he lifts you into his arms. 

“Pick a ring.” he holds up his hand to you. “Just for now. I’ll get you one tomorrow.” he mumbles against your lips. You grab the ring closest to you and slip it on your hand and he slowly sets you back down. 

“I don’t have a ring for you.” you look up at him. 

“Let me have your small clothes.” he sinks to the ground. 

“Aegon.” you softly scold. He smirks as you flush above him. He disappears under your skirts and starts to pull your small clothes down. He places a soft kiss on your slit before pulling them down to your ankles and having you step out. 

“Thank you.” he wraps them around his wrist and his friends cheer and laugh watching the exchange. Aegon grabs your hand and tugs you away from the fire and spins you around the open field. You look and see his friends leaving the both of you and going back to drinking. You rest your head against his chest as he sways you under the moon. “What if I’m the one who begs for a true betrothal in the morning?” he mumbles, holding you closer so you can’t look up at his flushed face. 

“Aegon.” you chuckle hearing his heart's rapid beating. 

“Let me court you at least.” his hands squeeze your waist. “Please.” he presses his forehead against yours, finally taking in your eyes. 

“Why do you want to court me?” you roll your eyes. 

“Cause you’re my chosen whore and you laugh with my friends.” you raise your brows. 

“Wow Aegon. I didn’t know your expectations were so high.” he hears your laugh but it doesn’t have the same ring to it. 

“I didn’t mean it like that.” he stops swaying with you to really look at you. “I just- I don’t know, I think you're perfect and funny. You’re so beautiful. You like Sunfyre and want to race with us. You don’t think I’m some pig.” he rambles before seeing the grin form on your face. “Fuck,” he groans shutting his eyes. “I don’t know what to say without sounding stupid.” he looks down when you lean your head against his chest once more. 

“I think your stupidity is endearing.” you smile as he holds you closer. 

“Then let me court you so you can be around my stupidity more often.” he starts to regain some of his confidence. “You’ll be closer to my cock too.” you pull back to look up at him with a smile. “I can arrange it so your chambers are next to mine.” he nods. 

“I don’t even know if I like your cock yet.” you purse your lips. “What if it’s tiny? What if you don’t fuck me the way I want?” you watch his eyes light with amusement. 

“Then let’s go back to the Keep.” he starts tugging you in the direction of Sunfyre.

“Why?” you chew your lip with a smile, almost jogging to keep up with his pace. 

“So we can find out if you like my cock or not.” he turns to take in your red cheeks. “And it’s our wedding night.” he pulls your hand to his mouth as we start to pass his friends. 

“Enjoy bedding your wife.” one of his friends calls out and the rest of them laugh. 

“I’m sure the rest of the Keep will enjoy hearing it.” another calls out and he laughs helping you climb back up Sunfyre. 

Aegon helps you sit and smiles at your soft whine when your bare center meats the cold leather. He scoots you up and you whimper his name as his hands trail up your thighs. Sunfyre lifts you both into the sky and begins the journey to King's Landing. Aegon wraps the reins around the handles and brings his hands to you. His hand slips beneath your skirts and you push back into him. 

“Does that feel good, my wife?” he smiles feeling your body start to tremble. “Do you like the way my fingers feel when they play with your wet cunny?” he circles his fingers around your bud faster. 

“Oh Gods, husband.” you whine rocking against his hand. “Yes,” your soft whimpers have him turning your head and capturing your lips. You gasp into his mouth as he moves faster. 

“Gonna come again for me?” you nod your head as your legs start to shake. Your lidded eyes slide up to his as your pleasure washes through you. You wrap your hand around his wrist as he keeps swirling his fingers. “Need a break already?” he chuckles as you jerk against his hand. He pulls his hand out and leans you back against him. 

“Thank you.” you squirm as he presses his lips against your neck. 

“Once I get you in bed there will be no more breaks.” he bites down softly, smiling at your whimper. 

As Sunfyre circles the city you look at the streets still filled with people. Aegon watches your face light up and has Sunfyre soar over the city once more before landing at the pits. As you slide down into the cave you turn as Aegon starts to remove his riding gear. When he’s left in his tunic and trousers he walks over to you grabbing your hand. 

“Shall we go home?” he presses his lips to his ring on your hand. 

“Yes,” you nod looking up at him. “Let’s see if your cock is to my liking.” you hum and he starts tugging you down the stone halls. As you exit the dragon pits you look down upon the city at your feet. Aegon watches as a smile forms on your face and pushes away his desire, ready to parade you through the city and show you anything you want. 

“Do you want to walk back?” he watches you chew your lip in thought but your desire outweighs everything.

“Take me to bed now and show me the city later.” he’s pulling you to the carriage his guard is standing in front of and whisks you inside. When the door snaps shut he pulls you onto his lap and presses your lips together. “I’ve been dying to ride another dragon.” he groans as you start to pull at his trousers. 

“I’m not fucking you for the first time in this wooden box.” he grabs your wrist chuckling as you pout. He pulls you back down to his lips, letting you grind against him. You let out small whines as you feel his cock press into your bare center. He sighs in relief as the carriage comes to a stop and he pulls you off of him. As you step out into the night air he chuckles as you crane your neck up at the Keep. 

“Don’t laugh at me.” you squeeze his side. “I haven’t been here in years. My parents don’t come to court often.” you purse your lips. 

“I’ll show you everything later.” he pulls you in through the main doors and you trail after him looking around at the art on the walls. He leads you through the dim halls and up the stairs before he comes to a stop in front of a set of double doors. 

“Are these our chambers, husband?” he has you sealed inside before he responds and you take in his thoroughly lived in chambers. “You’re a little messy.” you nibble your lip trying to hide your smirk. 

“I don’t usually have anyone in my chambers.” he scrunches his brows. 

“Then where do you take your pleasure, Aegon?” you walk over to him and he blushes wondering how you got the upper hand at this moment. 

“Brothels and pleasure houses.” he mumbles looking down at you. 

“Will you take me to one?” his eyes widen at your request. “Not tonight.” you chuckle patting his chest. “Maybe when you sneak me out of my chambers that will be next to yours? We can see and try new things together.” Aegon's mind goes blank at your words. 

“Yes.” he nods his head quickly. “Gods yes. Please marry me.” you laugh and he’s pulling you to his chest and quickly starts to unlace your dress. He pulls it down your shoulders and leaves it discarded on the floor and stands back to look at you. “Gods I’m thankful that man never made you come.” he walks over to you letting his fingertips coast over your skin. 

“Why?” your voice shaky as you tremble under his touch. 

“Cause you left him for me.” he says with a smirk. “And I get to show you what real pleasure is.” you pull at his tunic as he starts to press his lips to your neck. He starts to kiss down your chest to your breasts while his fingers tease the underside of them. 

“Aegon,” you whine as his tongue glides across your nipple. 

“I’m sure he never offered these the proper attention either.” he circles the hard peak before blowing on it. He smiles watching you clench your legs before he sucks your nipple back into his mouth. When your fingers travel to his hair and softly tug is when he brings his hand between your thighs. He teasingly trails one finger down your slit and your fingers tighten in his hair. 

“Please,” your soft plea goes straight to his cock as he licks over to your other nipple. 

“I didn’t know whores begged.” he chuckles and you pull his hair tightly. 

“Maybe I should’ve picked a rider who could be quiet.” you purse your lips looking down at him and his hand lands on your ass. 

“No one else could ever make you feel as good as I can.” he bites teasingly next to your nipple before he backs you up to the bed. “Has anyone ever licked your sweet little cunny?” he lays you back watching a flush spread across your chest as you shake your head. “Can I?” you nod quickly and he kneels on the floor and slowly spreads your legs pressing his lips to the insides of your thighs. 

“Mm,” a soft moan falls from your lips and you watch him lick the sides of your slit. When his tongue pushes into your core your eyes fall shut. His tongue is slow and deliberate as he listens to how you react to each swipe and flick. Each small jerk of your hips spurs him on to keep showering you with pleasure. You arch off the bed when his tongue circles your bud and pulls you flush against his mouth fully devouring you.

“Aegon,” you gasp as your hand flies to his hair. “Oh Gods,” you rock against his mouth as his tongue lashes against you. Every noise that comes from you goes straight to Aegon's cock and makes him move his tongue faster. Your stomach tightens and you hold his face against you feeling your high quickly approaching. “Please, yes,” you cry out as your thighs slam around his head. Aegon moans into you, licking at you as you shutter above him. 

“Did you like that?” his tone teasing as he lifts up from you with a wet chin, licking his lips. 

“Yes,” you nod, still trying to catch your breath. You watch as he stands and starts to pull off his tunic and trousers. Your eyes travel to his cock and your legs spread a little wider.

“Is my cock big enough for you?” he fists himself watching you squirm up his bed as he walks towards you. “Do you think your little cunny will hug it nicely?” he taunts as he crawls over you on the bed lifting and scooting you up towards his pillows. He leans down and presses his lips to yours as his tip slides between your slit. “Does that feel good?” he chuckles watching you squirm as he slowly rocks his hips.

“Please Aegon,” you whine arching up into him. 

“What do you want?” he presses his lips against your neck. 

“Fuck me. Please,” you feel his cock twitch between your legs. “Aegon, please,” he lines himself up and slowly starts to push into you. “Yes.” the softest plea he’s heard comes from you as he rolls his hips. He repeats his actions a little faster to hear your noises. 

“You feel so good.” he groans as you wrap your legs around him. 

“Harder.” you hear his low chuckle before he snaps his hips into yours. He starts a harsh pace and pulls back to watch your pleasure take over your body. When his thumb brushes against your bud it takes you so unexpectedly that you pulse around him. “Aegon.” you cry out holding him tightly. “I’m-I, please,” your pleasure continues to wash through you as his pumps slow. 

“You did so good.” he hums, rocking into you once more. You peel your eyes open and look up at him as he presses into you slowly. “Taking me so well.” a small whine comes from you at his words. “Hugging my cock so tightly.” he presses his forehead against yours. 

“More.” the word barely audible. You jerk your hips up and he smirks, hammering back into you once more. “Thank you,” your small gasps start to come out more high pitched as he snaps into you. “Please,” your body goes taut as waves of pleasure wash through you. 

“Fuck,” Aegon groans, burying his head in your neck as he spills his pleasure into you. You pull his lips down to yours while you both softly rock into each other. He pulls back and watches your face scrunch with pleasure as he keeps rolling his hips into you. “So?” he looks down at you. 

“Hm?” you raise an eyebrow. “Aegon,” you whimper as his hips continue to push into you. 

“You said our marriage depended on my cock. How’d I do?” you blink up at him as you still feel every inch of him buried in you as he chuckles. “Tell me.” he presses his lips to your neck.

“You fucked me so good,” you breathe out and he smiles hearing your soft gasps. “Fuck me again just so I know you can do that more than once.” you smirk as he lifts up and looks down at you with a raised brow. He pulls out of you and flips you over quickly. 

“Oh my sweet wife,” he chuckles, lifting your hips. “That was only the beginning.” he watches you fist the sheets as he slams into you. He leans over you slowly snapping his hips into you listening to your moans. “How does this feel? Hm?” he whispers in your ear as he keeps pushing into you. 

“Aegon,” he chuckles, hearing his name slurred on your tongue. He slows his thrusts and you whine rocking your hips back. 

“I asked how it was, not who was fucking you so thoroughly.” he smiles feeling you squeeze around him tightly. “Tell me.” he snaps into you once before slowly grinding you into the bed. 

“Please,” you arch your ass up into him and gasp when his hand lands on your ass. 

“My little wife, if you don’t answer my question properly I won’t let you come again.” he smiles hearing the frustrated whimper come from you. 

“Feels so good, Aeg.” you pant. “So fucking good. Please, husband.” he kisses your shoulder before lifting up and pounding into you. You whine as his fingers dig into your hips and you feel your high building. 

“I feel you squeezing me so tightly.” he chuckles, moving his hands to dig into the soft flesh of your ass. “Is your little cunny wanting me to fill it again?” he watches your elbows give out as you slide against his sheets with every thrust. He listens to your soft pleas and whines and the second you pulse around him he’s filling you. “I’m never letting you go.” he groans, pulling out of you. 

“I want to do that again.” you pant, turning your head to him as he collapses next to you. 

“I’m nowhere near done for the night.” he turns to you with a lazy grin. 

ততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত

masterlist 🔌

um do i make a couple more parts to this? yes or yes 

taglist ✍️

@ka1afbr @ninihrtss @daintylittlesunflower @primroseluna @alexxavicry @misspendragonsworld @papichulo120627 @ashovertheriver @gabriella-aesthetic @moonymoo1 @faenyra @uwuuness @lizzylovebooks280501 @nostalgiagoth03 @multilover19

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I think it's clear Lion Guy has climbed AT LEAST to the top #2 on your fav twst characters list..... but do you think he'll ever surpass J word?? lately you've been rambling a lot abt Leona but tbh it's obvious you rlly rlly love Jade too from all the posts I've read abt your feelings towards him (which have helped me understand and appreciate him more, too!)

sorry if it's smth weird to ask btw, I know feelings/thoughts abt fictional characters sometimes can be pretty personal- so feel free to ignore this 🙇

For your reference, here is my personal Twst tier list ^^ It’s up to date as of the recent book 7 part 12 update. (And to be clear, the characters placed in the same tier are in no particular order; just because Silver is first in the "tolerate" tier doesn't mean I like him any more or less than Deuce, who is next in the row.)

If you’d like more specifics on why I do or don’t like a particular character, please check out my FAQ in the pinned post or look at #character opinion bingo. If the character you’d like me to elaborate on isn’t addressed there, then you may send in an ask about it.

Please remember to be respectful when discussing character preferences; do not attempt to convince others to change their minds or imply/tell them that they are “wrong” for feeling a certain way about a character.

I don’t mind the question! This blog’s a place for me to express myself (whether creatively or critically/more analytically) and to share my opinions on certain aspects of Twst ^^

I don't really think to put specific numbers on characters most of the time because I personally get really anxious about rankings 🤡 According to the same friends that said all of this though, they basically agree that L*ona is pretty much second place or that L*ona has already surpassed J word. A particular friend likes to joke that “it’s Leover”, and another one says, “it’s like Raven divorced J word for L*ona”. And honestly 💦💦 if I'm being 100% truthful, I'm a little scared myself that some cat boy I disliked back in 2020 will shoot right up to the very top 💀 When I think about that... OOooOoOooooOOOGH, IT REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS BECAUSE HE'D BE SO ANNOYING AND SMUG ABOUT WINNING FOR ONCE. Finally clawing his way up from rock bottom... past second place (where he was perpetually trapped for most of his life; second place to his older brother, second place to that lizard, second place to eel)... to snatch the crown from the jaws of defeat... 💢 (You can't see it, but I'm pounding the wall with my fists--)

BUT IT'S OKAY, IT'S OKAY GUYS (<- huffing copium) IT'S JUST THE CONTENT RELEASE BIAS... Like, L*ona has gotten SO much more focus recently that it might be a little unfair to compare the two right now??? He got that Nightmare Suit SSR and played an important role in the Halloween event, then immediately got his time to shine in his book 7 dream, on top of us being forced to go through all five Heartslabyul dreams with him. That's not even mentioning the fact that the Episode of Savanaclaw manga is hyping us up for his OB reveal in January, or his hometown event rerun that's currently going on in the JP server. I keep telling myself that as soon as J word gets a new exciting SSR or story content that I'll swing right back around to him 😭 He hasn't gotten anything substantial lately... And let's be honest here, L*ona has a complete advantage no matter what the situation is for J word simply because L*ona is a dorm leader and an OB boy. There will always be more attention and detail showered upon him and his development over J word's OTL There's just... more L*ona lore to chew on. The other part of it is a large chunk of what I discuss on this blog comes from interactions with my readers. If readers submit more asks about L*ona, then I'll naturally talk about him more. Pair this with the guarantee that he's getting more screen time because of the remaining Heartslabyul dreams, and it becomes constant lion reinforcement.

sdfhladiyofyfaey8gFP9MGEEGA ANyWAY, sorry if that didn't quite answer your question... I didn't want to give a definitive response because I can't really tell what will happen in the future but hey, you guys wouldn't think any less of me if something happens, right 🤡

[theartofcollapse]

Behind the Screen - Casey Novak

a/n: i'm taking requests, so feel free to dm me :) summary: you meet someone online who seems to get under your skin more than you'd like. At the same time, Casey Novak does that too... pairing: Casey Novak x female reader warnings: none word count: 2K

masterlist

You didn’t know why you bothered joining the debate forum in the first place. Maybe it was boredom, or maybe you were sick of venting to the void of social media about the injustice of the legal system, only to have your posts drowned out by pictures of pets and brunch.

The forum had a fitting name: Justice Anonymous. It was a chaotic meeting ground for legal professionals, students, and justice enthusiasts, all discussing ethics, case law, and courtroom strategies. Pseudonyms kept things anonymous, which was good for you. You’d joined under the name “Justice4U,” and the forum quickly became an escape where you could blow off steam after particularly frustrating days.

But one member of the forum had a way of getting under your skin, “AmicusCuriae.” Their posts were always smug, self-assured, and irritatingly well-written. No matter the topic, they managed to counter your arguments with logic so airtight it infuriated you. It didn’t help that they seemed to enjoy needling you.

And yet, you kept coming back.

In real life, your days were plagued by someone equally infuriating. Casey Novak.

You were both Assistant District Attorneys, often working adjacent cases. She was ambitious, brilliant, and absolutely maddening. Every encounter left you seething, her sharp wit and condescending remarks burrowing under your skin.

Today was no different.

“Late again, Y/N,” Casey said, leaning against your office doorframe with her arms crossed, a smirk playing at her lips.

“Not now, Novak,” you snapped, balancing three case files and a lukewarm coffee as you tried to navigate your chaotic desk.

“You know, organization is key to success,” she added, unbothered by your glare.

“And minding your own business is key to not getting punched.”

She laughed, as if your irritation was the highlight of her day. You hated how pretty her laugh was.

That night, after yet another frustrating day of dealing with Casey, you logged onto the forum.

Justice4U: Hypothetical: A defence attorney argues that a confession obtained without an explicit waiver of rights should still stand if the suspect “implied” understanding. Thoughts?

AmicusCuriae responded almost immediately, as always.

AmicusCuriae: Oh, please. That’s hardly hypothetical. It’s lazy lawyering at best. A competent prosecutor would rip that apart in five minutes.

You rolled your eyes, fingers flying across the keyboard.

Justice4U: A competent prosecutor would recognize nuance instead of resorting to blanket dismissals. But what do I expect from someone who hides behind anonymity to sound smart?

AmicusCuriae: Nuance? Or excuses? Sounds like someone’s been on the losing side of too many cases.

Your blood boiled. But beneath the irritation, there was something thrilling about these exchanges. You hated how much you looked forward to them.

Over the next few weeks, your online conversations with AmicusCuriae grew complicated. You still argued, but the debates started feeling less antagonistic and more like sparring matches. You began sharing hypothetical scenarios, trading strategies, and even cracking jokes. It felt easy in a way that nothing else did.

Justice4U: What’s your take on prosecutors pursuing harsh sentences for first-time offenders?

AmicusCuriae: Depends. What’s the crime?

Justice4U: Let’s say possession with intent to distribute, but they’ve got no priors and a sympathetic backstory.

AmicusCuriae: Ah, the classic moral dilemma. My instinct says to prosecute, but… maybe I’d offer a deal. I’m not heartless.

Justice4U: Oh, so you do have a heart. Shocking.

AmicusCuriae: Don’t spread that around. I have a reputation to uphold.

You smiled at your screen. It was strange, but you were starting to feel connected to this person. Whoever they were, they understood you in a way no one else did.

In real life, things with Casey weren’t improving. If anything, the tension between you had grown worse. The smallest disagreements escalated into full-blown arguments. Today’s fight had been over a witness’s credibility.

“You’re impossible,” Casey snapped, slamming her hand on the table during a meeting.

“Says the queen of impossibility,” you shot back, your voice rising.

“Why do you always have to fight me on everything?”

“Because you’re always wrong!”

The room went silent, the other attorneys awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

Afterward, you couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why did Casey get under your skin so much?

That night, you logged onto the forum, hoping for a distraction.

Justice4U: Ever deal with someone so infuriating that you can’t decide if you want to strangle them or—

You hesitated, deleting the second half of your sentence.

AmicusCuriae: Or what? Kiss them?

Your heart skipped a beat.

Justice4U: I was going to say “sue them.”

AmicusCuriae: Sure you were.

You stared at the screen, cheeks burning.

The turning point came one rainy evening. You and Casey had been assigned to work late on a joint case, combing through evidence in tense silence.

“Pass me that file,” she said, her tone clipped.

“Please,” you shot back.

She glared at you but didn’t argue.

Hours passed, and somewhere along the way, you both let your guards down. The conversation drifted away from the case, and you found yourself laughing at one of her stories about law school. For a moment, it felt easy.

But then you remembered who she was, and who you were, and the moment shattered.

Justice4U: Ever feel like you’re falling for someone you can’t stand?

AmicusCuriae: Funny. I was just thinking the same thing.

Your breath caught.

Justice4U: Do you think it’s possible to hate someone and like them at the same time?

AmicusCuriae: Hate is a strong word. Maybe you just don’t understand them.

Justice4U: What if I don’t want to understand them?

AmicusCuriae: Then why are we having this conversation?

You stared at the screen, heart pounding.

Justice4U: Who are you?

There was a long pause before the response came.

AmicusCuriae: Let’s meet and find out.

You agreed to meet at a coffee shop, your nerves fraying as you sat at a corner table, waiting. The door jingled, and you looked up, freezing as Casey Novak walked in.

She spotted you instantly, her expression shifting from surprise to realization to something unreadable.

“No way,” you said under your breath as she approached.

“Justice4U?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

“AmicusCuriae?”

You both stared at each other, the weight of your online connection crashing into the reality of your real-life animosity. And yet…

“I can’t believe it’s you,” Casey said finally, a small, almost shy smile tugging at her lips.

You laughed, the sound edged with disbelief but also something else, relief.

“Of course it’s you,” you said, shaking your head.

The silence stretched between you and Casey as you sat across from her. The air was thick with tension, the kind that had always defined your interactions but this time, it felt different. Charged.

Casey was the first to break the silence, her fingers nervously toying with the sleeve of her coffee cup. “So… this is awkward.”

You huffed out a laugh, crossing your arms. “That’s the understatement of the century.”

She tilted her head, studying you with those sharp green eyes that you suddenly realized were more mesmerizing than maddening. “I can’t believe you’re Justice4U.”

“And I can’t believe you’re AmicusCuriae,” you shot back. “You’re smug online, but in person? Wow. Next level.”

Her lips twitched into a smirk, and despite everything, you felt your stomach flip.

“Okay, fair. But you’re no saint either,” she said, leaning forward slightly. “You’ve been driving me insane for weeks.”

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you.”

You both laughed, the sound easing some of the tension. It felt surreal, like stepping into a parallel universe where Casey Novak wasn’t the bane of your existence.

“So,” she said, her voice softer now, “what do we do about this?”

“About us?” You winced as the word left your mouth. It felt too intimate, too soon.

“About this,” she clarified, gesturing between the two of you. “About the fact that we’ve been arguing online like crazy, but somehow…” She trailed off, searching for the right words.

“Somehow, it worked,” you finished for her.

She nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I mean, I still think you’re insufferable in person.”

“Right back at you.”

“But…” She hesitated, then smiled, a real, genuine smile that made your breath catch. “I think I like insufferable.”

Justice4U: Well, this is weird. How do we go back to arguing now that I know who you are?

AmicusCuriae: Who says we have to stop arguing? You love it. Admit it.

Justice4U: You’re delusional.

AmicusCuriae: You’re still talking to me.

Justice4U: Shut up.

AmicusCuriae: Charming as always.

Justice4U: Serious question: Why are you always such a pain in the ass at work?

AmicusCuriae: Serious answer: Why do you rise to the bait every time?

Justice4U: That’s not an answer.

AmicusCuriae: Fine. Maybe because you’re the only person who can keep up with me.

Justice4U: …

AmicusCuriae: Speechless? Wow. Marking this day on my calendar.

At work, the tension between you and Casey became almost unbearable. It wasn’t just the usual clashing of egos; it was the way her hand brushed yours when you reached for a file, the way her eyes lingered on you during meetings, the way she smirked when she caught you staring.

One afternoon, you ran into her in the courthouse hallway. She leaned casually against the wall, her blazer perfectly tailored, her confidence maddeningly attractive.

“Hey,” she said, her tone light but her gaze intense.

“Hey,” you replied, trying to sound unaffected.

“I’ve been thinking…”

“Uh-oh.”

She rolled her eyes, but there was a glint of amusement in them. “What if we tried something new?”

“Like what? Not arguing for once?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, grinning. “No, I mean dinner. You and me. No pseudonyms. No forums. Just us.”

You stared at her, your heart racing. “Are you asking me out, Novak?”

“Yeah,” she said simply, her confidence faltering just slightly. “I guess I am.”

You considered teasing her, drawing it out just to see her squirm. But the truth was, you wanted this.

“Okay,” you said, your voice steady. “Dinner. But if you start an argument over appetizers, I’m walking out.”

“No promises,” she said, her smirk widening.

Dinner was… perfect.

You met at a cozy Italian restaurant, the kind of place where the lighting was soft, and the wine flowed easily. For once, there was no case to argue over, no professional stakes, no courtroom

drama. Just you and Casey, talking like two people who had spent weeks falling for each other without realizing it.

“Okay,” you said after your second glass of wine. “Confession time. When did you figure out you liked me?”

She tilted her head, pretending to think. “Probably around the third time you called me a pain in the ass.”

“That’s not specific enough.”

“Fine,” she said, leaning closer. “It was the night you sent me that hypothetical about sentencing. You were so passionate, so relentless in your argument, I couldn’t stop thinking about you after that.”

Your cheeks flushed, but you didn’t look away. “Your turn. When did you realize?”

You hesitated, then smiled. “Honestly? Probably the same night. I just didn’t want to admit it.”

Casey laughed, and the sound was warm, genuine. It wasn’t the sharp, mocking laugh you’d come to expect from her. This one was different, softer, more vulnerable.

As the night went on, the lines between the Casey Novak you’d clashed with and the AmicusCuriae you’d fallen for blurred completely.

By the time she walked you to your door, you were already thinking about the next date.

“So,” she said, her hands in her pockets, a rare hint of nervousness in her posture. “Is this the part where you slam the door in my face?”

“Not tonight,” you said, stepping closer.

“And tomorrow?”

“We’ll see,” you teased, leaning in.

Her smile was the last thing you saw before her lips met yours, soft and certain.

When you pulled away, you couldn’t help but laugh. “I still think you’re insufferable.”

“Good,” she said, her eyes bright. “Because I’m not changing.”

“Neither am I,” you replied.

“Perfect,” she said, kissing you again.

And for once, you agreed.

[vickytaa]

𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐌.𝐒.

summery: After a great game, y/n is not happy with her participation

___________________☆___________________

My team was happily celebrating winning the match, while I was thinking about what I needed to improve for the next one. I haven't been good enough, I made several mistakes that definitely won't happen in the next one.

I need to train more to improve, I must not drop any balls. Maybe watching the video of my match will help me see where I went wrong.

I played badly. I need to train more, maybe I'll sign up for another training session, surely another coach can tell me what I'm doing wrong. Or als-

"Hey," Matt's sweet voice interrupted my post-match thoughts. He walked over and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I quickly looked up, meeting his worried look.

He knew that I took the sport very seriously, but he never supported me in going to train more hours and refused to take me to training sessions that were "Too much" according to him.

I let out the breath I had been unconsciously holding. "Can we go home?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears. I didn't know why I felt like crying so badly, nor did I know why I felt like I had played so badly.

But it's true, I played badly.

Matt slowly nodded, not even asking why I hadn't celebrated with my teammates, or how I felt after the game, like he always does. But I think I know why he doesn't, it's because he already knows the answer.

I'm never satisfied with how I play, there are times when I come home crying, torturing myself all day about how I played badly while everyone told me I was the player of the match. But it wasn't enough, it never is.

That's why I always try to find ways to improve, watching my games and counting my mistakes in my notebook:

- 1 serving error, I got to 8/10 touches, I was blocked 3 times, I have to run faster, open up to attack faster, I need to train more.

We left quickly, people who passed me congratulated me for the great game we had, but nothing filled the emptiness I felt inside. Matt noticed it, he knew what was going on inside my mind. Well, maybe only a part of what goes on inside it.

When we got to the car, we got in but Matt wouldn't start the car. He knew this had to stop, what was happening to me was a very serious problem.

"Y/n" Matt said, his tone normal, covering the great concern behind it. I turned my head, just enough to look him in the eyes, and that's when I saw it. The concern, the fear.

The tears that had formed earlier were now rolling down my face. The silence filled the car with noise. Our gazes did not move away, as if they were communicating with each other.

Matt shook his head slightly, inviting me to sit on his lap. I had never given myself to him easily. Whenever I cried after a game I always found a way to cry alone, immersed in my own thoughts.

But this time it was different, there was nowhere to run, and there was no reason to. I slowly unbuckled the seat belt and curled up on his lap, my head resting on his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

It was all very intimate, the moment, the closeness, the love. I had never felt strong enough to let myself be so vulnerable in front of someone, but I couldn't with Matt. He was my safe place, where I recharged my energy to carry on with my day to day life.

He hugged me tightly, as if he was trying to gather the broken glass. The tears kept falling without stopping. Even though there was not a single word, he understood me, I understood myself.

"You shouldn't torture yourself like this. Please, Y/n, it kills me to see you like this every day" Matt confessed. I always knew that he had a bitter taste in his mouth whenever I came home crying from a training session or a game, but hearing it from him?

Pain flooded my chest, knowing how the mental damage I was doing to myself was affecting those I loved the most.

This had to stop, it wasn't good for me and even less for those who care about me. I must stop beating myself up for mistakes that aren't that big of a deal.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice cracking. And I really did. My sobs were the only thing that could be heard at that moment, the sound of them ripping through Matt's soul. Seeing me this broken, this vulnerable, killed him.

He quickly gave me a small kiss on my forehead, and then hugged me even tighter, as if he didn't want me to ever leave. "It's okay, baby." He said, his words hanging in the air as I tried to hold them in and believe them.

It wasn't okay, not at all, but in that moment, I felt like everything was going to be okay. We were going to get through this together and we weren't going to let my frustration win.

"Thank you," I said, my voice low, almost like a sigh, but just enough for him to hear. "I love you," Matt said as he rested his chin on my head, trying to hold me as close as possible.

"I love you more," I said. My sobs slowly calmed down, the air became lighter and the voices in my head quieter.

𝐕 -

[its-crowning]

Sleeping around thinking that T means the chances of pregnancy are next to zero.

Over the course of a week, over 20 different guys dump a load in you.

And each week that passes your brain has to try harder and harder to ignore the fact your belly went from flat to bloated and now is slowly getting bigger and bigger.

Sucking in, big jumpers, using a belt or even a corset to keep it flat, and it works…

But all it does is hide it, and deny to you and everyone what’s happening inside there…

But that’s a problem for future you, now it’s time to enjoy yourself in the club…

I feel it kick for the first time when another random from the club is pounding away at me. If he thought it was weird that I’m wearing a corset under a sweater and refuse to take both off during sex, insisting that he fuck me doggy style in this club bathroom stall, then he doesn’t let on. He’s drunk. I’m painfully sober.

It’s not that I don’t want to drink. It’s that the smell of alcohol makes me nauseous, now. I don’t like to think about why.

He cums, inside, and I don’t even have to ask him to leave. He slaps my ass as a farewell, and leaves the stall. I hear him leave the bathroom all together, and I’m alone again. I’m frozen, trying to tell myself what I felt wasn’t really a—

I feel another kick. I stand upright with a start, cum dripping down my legs. I stare down at my sweater, as my shaky hands lift it to reveal my straining corset.

Don’t.

You won’t like what you see.

Just go back out where the music is.

Don’t take it off.

I feverishly start untying the corset strings, feeling myself bulge more and more with each one that comes free.

Don’t!

I rip it off, all the way.

My belly surges forward almost comically, sort of flopping outward. I gasp out loud at how big it is—I’ve been getting dressed in the dark (both early in the morning, and late at night) ever since I noticed the distinct, firm, round swell. Keeping my hands away from it. Ignoring how much harder tying the corset is, throwing aside any pants that don’t zip anymore regardless. I hadn’t realized it had gotten this bad.

But deep down, I have a rough estimate of how many months it’s been. It feels like time has gone too fast.

There’s a feeling that’s less of a kick and more of a dragging feeling. Like a limb. Inside. I whimper out loud, stumbling back to try to escape it. But the belly comes with me. It’s grotesque—if I concentrate hard enough, I swear I can hear a heartbeat coming from it. pulsing. growing bigger.

I have to admit that I’m pregnant—really pregnant, giving birth in two or three or four months pregnant, middle-of-the-road-unable-to-terminate pregnant, going to get huge and obvious and then physically have a baby pregnant—and I don’t know who put it in me. Any one of the people I fucked over the past four or five or six months could have done it. If I went to the doctor, I’d probably be able to narrow it down. But going to the doctor is admitting that there’s a baby in there. Going to the doctor means acknowledging that it’s going to be born, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Tears burn at my eyes. My hands shakily hover over the round, bulging mass. I almost touch it, like all the happy pregnant people in advertisements do. I almost accept that I’m going to be a Daddy soon. And by the flutters of activity that keep just barely shifting the visible surface, it might be sooner than I thought.

But maybe not tonight. I close the corset tight, shoving it back in. Pulling my sweater over it. Out of side, out of mind. I have another round of fucking in me, even though the corset has me out of breath, and something in there is squirming.

[morganaspendragonss]

can't make it all alone

to rose ( @hereghostslive )! it's your tarlos secret santa here with a little gift for you! inspired of course by your prompt of tk suiting up again, and also by an anon request of tk and carlos being trapped in a fire, and also by the prompt 'raspy breathing' from my @anyfandomdarkbingo!

happy, happy holidays and i hope you enjoy!

ao3 | 1.8k | angst, hurt/comfort, big brother tk | title from fairytale of new york by the pogues

TK hates working Christmas Eve. Especially as it now means he has to miss the Reyes Nochebuena family gathering, but working right up to Christmas means he gets to have the whole of Hanukkah off to spend with Jonah. It’ll be his first without either of his parents, and though they’re still working through the steps to officially adopt, TK wants to make sure that paperwork doesn’t get in the way of actually being there for his brother.

Besides, it’ll be good to do it all again. He’s been better lately, and he tries to be home to light his mom’s old menorah every night, but it’s been years since he’s celebrated Hanukkah, or any of the high holidays, properly. Not since he was a kid, really, back when he did it all with his mom. He doesn’t know what Enzo has done for the last couple of years, he’s not Jewish so maybe Jonah has never experienced Hanukkah that he can remember, but TK feels he needs to do this this year. For himself as much as Jonah. For their mom.

So, he’s suffering through Christmas Eve to have the next eight days with his baby brother. It’s always a chaotic shift, too many people desperately crowding the malls before they close for the holidays. There are electrical fires, pileups and road rage induced crashes a-plenty. Add that to their usual injuries and accidents, and it turns into the shift from hell.

TK hates it.

Around mid-afternoon, they get called to the mall across town, fire and medical both. They’re far from the closest station, so this must be an all hands on deck kind of situation, something which gets confirmed with every new detail that comes through. 

The mall was packed for a Christmas Eve family activity, as well as the usual last-minute shoppers, when the generators powering both the entire mall and now the additional stage set-up for the choir had overloaded and sparked a fire. The subsequent panic had led to one catastrophe after another, and now they were facing people with crush injuries, burns, screaming children, and god knows how many were still trapped inside in the middle of the fire.

It would have been a nightmare on a normal day, but the holidays always make disasters so much worse.

He and Nancy barely have time to grab their gear before they’re hustled over to triage where they’re put under the command of the 122 captain and directed to the green zone, the less injured having been neglected so far in favour of the serious injuries, of which there were far too many. 

There are only four of them working to help dozens of distressed people, a lot of them children, which is why TK doesn’t hear it at first. But as he is just finishing up dressing some minor burns, he hears a child’s cry. And not just anyone’s.

He just about manages to turn and crouch down before three feet of little brother crashes into him. Jonah buries his face in TK’s neck, snot and tears smearing his uniform, but TK doesn’t care about that when his brother is hysterical in his arms. 

Another paramedic, one he vaguely recognises as being from the 163, approaches with a harried expression on his face.

“I was just treating him when he ran off,” he explains. “We can’t figure out who he belongs to so–”

“Me,” TK interrupts, raising his gaze to meet raised eyebrows and a doubtful twist of the mouth. “He belongs to me. He’s my brother. Is he okay?”

“Uh.” The paramedic blinks at them, then quickly shakes himself out of his stupor. “Yeah, he’s okay. A couple of bruises, but nothing that won’t heal. I– Can I leave him with you? I gotta…” He gestures to the mass of people around them and TK nods.

He returns his focus to Jonah and manages to pry him from his death grip on TK’s turnouts. Jonah tries to dive straight back into his hiding spot, but TK gently holds him by the shoulders and keeps him on his own feet. 

“Hey, Jonah?” he says. “Can you look at me, buddy? That’s it, that’s it, you’re okay.” He grabs a wipe from the kit and carefully cleans up Jonah’s face, trying to stop his own panic from swallowing him whole.

Carlos and Jonah were supposed to be spending the day together today, to get used to each other away from TK. Carlos had said they were just going to the park, so how they ended up in the middle of this is a mystery, but the more pressing concern was the fact that Carlos was currently missing. He definitely wasn’t in the green zone, and the paramedic had said no one had come to claim Jonah, so…

No. Carlos is okay. He has to be. TK refocuses and smiles at Jonah. “Jonah, do you know where Carlos is?” he asks. “Can you tell me?”

But if Jonah does know, he’s clearly beyond words now. He just wipes his arm across his face and reaches for TK again, and who is he to deny his little brother?

If TK could choose, he would find Carlos and take them all straight home, but they’re still in the middle of an active scene, a fact he’s very quickly reminded of by the IC yelling his name.

“Strand! Gear up,” he commands, marching over.

TK straightens, still holding Jonah’s hand. “Captain?”

“You heard me,” he says, no-nonsense. “We’ve got someone trapped in there who needs advanced medical now, and since you used to be Fire, you’re the most qualified we’ve got to go in there.”

The captain marches off without giving him time to respond, and TK feels torn in two as Jonah clings ever tighter to his jacket. He wants so badly to be there for his little brother, but Jonah isn’t the only one who needs him right now. People need help, and TK swore an oath.

“Hey, listen,” he says, turning back to Jonah and holding him by the shoulders. “Someone needs my help, so I have to go now. But Nancy is right here, you remember Nancy?”

Jonah looks at him with wide eyes, but nods. He’s spent a little time with the crew over the past few weeks, all part of getting him used to everyone for when the adoption goes through, so he’s at least familiar with all of them. Tk smiles and glances up at Nancy, relieved when she nods in understanding.

“Okay, good. I want you to stay by Nancy, you can help her with the other hurt people, yeah? I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise.”

TK leans forward to kiss the top of Jonah’s head. His brother clings to him for a few seconds more, before TK is forced to pull away and he hands him off to Nancy. He spares one last look back before jogging off, grabbing a mask and O2 from the rig before following the firefighters into the blaze.

*

Inside feels like they’ve stepped into some sort of Christmas disaster movie. There’s a capsized giant tree surrounded by the shattered remains of baubles and lights, a warped version of Jingle Bells is playing from somewhere, and a cardboard cutout of Santa is slowly being consumed by flames.

He’s led over to where a shop display has collapsed on top of a victim. TK can see why they needed him in here rather than transporting the patient outside; the firefighters are all occupied trying to keep the flames back and the victim’s injuries, even from a distance, look nasty. He spots at least one shard of glass impaling the man dangerously close to his neck, and there’s melted plastic from the display sticking to his skin.

TK steels himself for an unpleasant rescue, one which he wouldn’t be surprised if it turned into a recovery. But when he gets closer, it’s still so much worse than he could have imagined.

Because it’s Carlos.

Carlos, with glass covering his body; Carlos, whose breathing has turned wheezing and raspy, and which worsens by the second.

TK is frozen for a moment as he hovers over his husband’s body, and that moment is enough for things to go from catastrophic to apocalyptic.

The firefighters yell, and feet stampede past, and all TK can do is throw himself over Carlos as a roar erupts in his ears and heat sears his back.

*

*

*

They’re alone. His every nerve ending is screaming in pain and TK coughs as he rolls sideways off of Carlos. His mask has been knocked askew, but it doesn’t matter because TK doesn’t need it anyway. He’s fine; he’ll be fine.

But there’s Carlos…

And his kit is gone, so TK reaches up and removes his mask completely, burning air immediately filling his lungs, but he pushes through it to press the mask over Carlos’s face. He doesn’t know if it will save him, but TK has to try, even if it’s the last thing he does.

Which it might be.

He…

But if Carlos has a chance, then TK…

TK is fine.

*

The weight of it all hits him later, when they’re recovering in the hospital, both of them miraculously alive. 

Carlos explains to him later: they were on their way back from the park when Jonah had spotted some toy in the window. They weren’t going to go in, but when he found out it was going to be a Hanukkah present for TK, Carlos couldn’t resist Jonah’s pleading expression. They were on their way to leave when everything happened; Jonah, when he meets them in the hospital, is still clutching the toy in his fist.

His brother looks so scared and TK’s heart twists uncomfortably as he considers how he could have died today. They both could have, and where would Jonah be then?

Carlos was caught up in an accident; those happen every day, and they aren’t always able to save everyone, but he was almost shot on the job a few weeks ago. TK was at work today, and he made the choice to try and save Carlos over himself. It’s a choice he’d make over and over again, and not just to save his husband.

To save anyone who needed it. To save their family from imploding, and causing his own to do so in return.

And it hits him, all of a sudden, that Jonah’s world has already imploded. TK is all he has left, and if TK dies…

He loves his job. But he loves his little brother more, and TK realises suddenly, painfully, that he’s going to need to make a choice, one that isn’t really a choice at all.

Jonah, or his job?

He looks over at his brother, who reaches out to be hugged. TK takes him easily into his arms, and something settles heavy in his stomach.

It’s a decision that’s already been made for him.