#asset management assignment help

[andhumanslovedstories]

I’ve been struggling lately with the feeling that my job is pointless. Intellectually I know it is not—nursing is one of those professions where you get to be real smug about knowing the value of your work. But it’s still felt very pointless. Like I’ll start a shift thinking, “what am I even doing here,” and end it thinking, “what have I actually even done.” It’s been a ROUGH couple months.

But I had a really good shift last time I worked, which was good for the soul and also a very useful data point. I got to do pain management advocacy and symptom management, met a bunch of cool patients, did education for new nurses, and had several long heart to hearts, which the kind of midnight heart to hearts that I think are the most important part of night shift, all of that while being well staffed with very pleasant and appreciative patients and coworkers, and I was still like. Pretty depressed. I had a sense of satisfaction and moments of joy and meaning, but it turns out that one good shift did not cure the depression that has been latched on to me for the last few months like some kind of fucked up mental health leech. As I realized I was still depressed and that it was still interfering with my life even when everything was going well, the sense of peace washed over me was the best I’d felt in a while. Because I was like, okay! None of my usual stuff as worked! I have no excuse not to try something new to get my brain out of the shit ditch it’s slipped into.

So I’m applying for short-term disability. I’m worried I won’t get it, and I’m not sure what the next step is if I get rejected, but I feel so much better having decided to pursue it. It’s so much fuckin paperwork for sure, to a degree that’s overwhelming except that that the form could be a checkbox that says, “you want money?” and I’d be like “THIS IS TOO MUCH.” I’m totally not writing this post instead of finishing an email to my manager. I’m definitely not writing this post to avoid dealing with coordinating all my various care providers. I’m certainly not at every moment worried that I’m secretly faking all this so I can get three to nine weeks of a cool summer vacation.

I was thinking about how I almost flunked nursing school in my final semester because I turned in assignments late for a class with a “no late homework” policy. The professor said that this was reflective of real life, where if you miss deadlines you’re just fucked. I ended up appealing my grade and passing, because frankly it was a weak reason for making me repeat a final semester when there was no issues with my actual work or knowledge. During my appeal, I was like “I also think this policy is ableist. Harsh penalties for late work hurt students with health problems, especially chronic health problems when you aren’t asking for one week off due to the flu but instead for a general and never ending flexibility. I’m not trying to make an excuse but explain why this policy is a bad one. Disabled healthcare workers are an asset to healthcare.” I’m trying to remember my own argument as I pursue help. My depression and ADHD and eating disorder do help me be a better nurse, not because like depression gives you superpowers, but because I manage my chronic illnesses every day, in ways that range from hardly noticeable to life or death. Being kind to patients means being kind to myself, and vice versa.

I’m rambling. I really do not want to do this paperwork or send these emails. And I’m not sure if I deserve the leave I’m trying to take. But I miss being love with my job. I miss enjoying it. I wouldn’t judge someone else for going on medical leave, and my job doesn’t want me to burn out or quit. It almost feels like I have to be skeptical of applying for leave because no one else is. Everyone I’ve spoken to has been very supportive, including my manager. And considering how many unpaid days off I’ve had to take lately, disability leave would be an improvement over some of my recent paychecks. All in all, short-term disability makes sense and seems like a reasonable response to circumstances. But FUCK. I wish it required like 90 percent less documentation.

[nanami-is-nanamean]

I imagine that nanami, out of all the sorcerers ever, is so Normal that it circles back to being crazy— i kept thinking abt how gojo says that "every jujutsu sorcerer is some kind of crazy" and started thinking abt nanami and how much he just yearns for a normal life but cant do that because his sense of justice and fulfillment in sorcery is much too strong for him to be in a normal life and caused him to go back and like—yeah no i can see nanami having that special type of crazy, that even other sorcerers would claim is weird KJDFGKSR

if the "crazy" people say ur crazy, then babygirl ur a special one 💖💖

cuz i can see him being like—so dedicated to the idea, that he actually looks fucking nuts abt it. he talks abt his being a sorcerer in terms thatll make you think he's in some kind of freelance work and YEAH SURE HE KIND OF IS I GUESS but also like in vague enough terms that were it not for the fact that the people he usually talks too are sorcerers too, youd think that hes like—a freelance financial advisor, or a freelance bodyguard or, someone who helps run a martial arts/gym space, or a stunt man trainer/choreographer, or something—

like—"my last job? the client was quite happy with the results, there was minimal damages to the asset i was assigned to take care of, and minimal personnel required. overall, I'd say it was one of my smoother jobs."

and you'd think like "oh okay, he's probably some sort of hired security. maybe he was helping transfer some important item to a storage facility"

and in reality—it was actually a cursed object that started to go fucking haywire and attracting crazy cursed spirits to the area. the client was happy because the windows caught it early before any big damage happened to the area—just a couple of broken doors and windows, and like 3 destroyed walls which is actually on the LOWER END of collateral damage concerning curses. ESPECIALLY considering that there was such a large number already gathered there. and nanami's a bit of a self sacrificial bastard (beloved), so you bet ur ASS that he took a direct hit, and broke multiple bones and made the executive decision to not get anyone else involved because DAMMIT if he misses an episode of the great british bake off, he doesnt know what he's gonna do. he cant risk extending the mission too much, he cant let prue leith and paul hollywood down—

every single person he's worked with has, at some point in time, wondered why he just hasnt become an assistant manager instead—the threat to ur life is SIGNIFICANTLY LESS, and there is some overlap between what he did in his salaryman years and what the managers do. HELL, you can even see him training some of the newer managers (with ijichis approval and permission ofc) (hell sometimes ijichi assigns the newer ones to work with him to secretly give them training) (he always fesses up after the mission tho fdkbjgk)

and then while they're chillin in the breakroom, shooting the shit and drinking coffee, someone mentions his salaryman past. and dear LORD the pure vitriol and venom that started spewing out of his mouth when given the opportunity to shit talk having a regular job—if he didnt have such good control over his CE, he wouldve spawned a Special Grade from how much he DESPISED his old job JKHFDLKJhgbLS

and considering the similarities between that old job and being a manager, yeah no—everyone understands why he doesnt become a manager instead LJKSDfhLGJkSDFKLh

[autumnvine]

Everything is going to be alright

Summary: Tom came home sick from work one afternoon, you take care of him as best you can, but sometimes you need help.

⚠️ Hospital trip ⚠️

Working from home was a huge asset to your relationship with Tom, it allowed you to always be there for him coming home, someone could always be with your dog Bobby. You also enjoyed not travelling into the office evryday for the same work you could have done at home. Sometimes it made Tom worry that you worked from home, you never had a finishing time, often working late into the night and come to bed when he had fallen asleep.

You and Tom had your own little place, beautiful cosy, very personal and just how you both liked it. There was a place for everything, however not everything went in it's place. You had a very organised home knowing where almost everything was including in your home office. The home office was buillt off the dining room for you once Tom had found out you would be working from home indefinetly, he insisted upon you having your own space to concentrate in his attempt to help you leave work behind when you finished and could sit with him.

Tom took you for regular dates, randomly surprising you with flowers, and once each month he always seemed to have an intuition as to when to fill the freezer with icecream, the fridge with chocolate, the bathroom cabinet with painkillers and muscle relaxers.He knew what you needed before you did. Tom was so good to you, although you worked from home he still prepared a lunch for you, because if he didn't he knew you would forget and work past your lunch break.

You both always woke up together, got ready together and left the house together, when he left for work you left with Bobby to take him out for his morning walk, when Tom came home some nights he enjoyed running wih you, wondering how he still had so much energy a the end of his shift. Tom was incredible at his job, he took it very seriously, asking you to read lines with him in bed or on the sofa, he asked if he could tell you his lines while driving and you could check for him. You always supported Tom with everything he did. Tom was very passionate about everything in his life, including you, you were his heart and soul, his whole world, you became the most important to Tom.

When you were really run down fro work he spoke with y our boss and politely demanded they leave you alone for a few weeks of well needed rest, when you had to get your tooth removed he went with you, held your hand and made you different soup each day. on those days where the world crashed down on you, he was always there to pick you back up.

Tom got ready with you in the morning, when you both left, you kissed him, and again on his forhead, "Wait hold on a second"Lifting your hand gently to his head "You're warm? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm okay my love don't worry, I'll see you tonight after work, be careful, Bobby take good care of hr until I get home okay buddy"

"Okay, please be safe, call me if you need anything." 

Tom left and you put your headphones in ready for your run with the smallest little ball of fur attached to the lead around your waist.

Your run was great, beautiful sunny weather, a little breezy but it was nice. Jumping in for a shower quickly, applying a little bit of makeup, brushing your hair and getting dressed in your skirt and shirt. Logging into your computer and calling your manager to check in with your assignments, giving you a rather long list of work to be compleated in a very short space. None the less, you worked away at it, watching the presentation, taking notes, and building your case. It was just after one when you had a break to take Bobby for a lunchtime walk around the block, before giving him his lunch and refilling the almost emptied water bowl from this mornings run. Sitting back at your desk, you continued to type away, building your case stronger and stronger. Researching how best to continue, it was long, hard and sometimes boring but you did it regardless.

Hearing Bobby bark and run at the front door brough you out your office, startling you for a moment, he'd been so quiet

"Who's there buddy, who can you hear?"  scratching the little pup behind his ear. Hearing some keys in the door lock, it must have been Tom.

"Darlin-" Tom barely mumbled as he came into the hallway, "Bobby I see you little guy, go play"

"Tom, baby what are you doing home so early?Oh my goodness, awwh baby, come here" Tom looked horrific, he definitely had something working on him. Hugging him and helping him to the couch, "Darlin I don't feel good" Tom hummed "I got Luke to drive me home, the cars still on set"

"Don't worry about your car, what's wrong? What hurts?"

"Everything, I'm sorry Yn I know you're supposed to be working."

"Hey it's okay, it's alright." helping Tom take his coat off and placing it on the arm of the couch, you noticed the hair on his arms stand. Gently placing your hand on his forhead, he shuddered slightly "Tom you have a fever" he bearly heard you, his eyes almost shut.

"Tom baby, lay on the couch okay, I'll get you a blanket and some things to help." Gently you propped his head upon a pillow and lay his feet on the end of the couch removing his boots, gently resting a blanket over his legs and back, putting a chilled bottle of water on the side table with some painkillers, by the time you got back with the water your precious baby was already asleep on the couch.

It worried you when Tom got sick, he was never sick, but when he was he usuallly got over it pretty quickly in a few days. He had never looked this unwell before. He had never came home early from work before, and had never had someone else drive him home. You got your laptop from yout office and sat on the couch beside him, keeping an eye on him as he slept. After half an hour of sleeping, Tom woke slightly and mumbled, trying to sit himself up.

"Hey it's okay, lay back down, try get some sleep." he shook his head trying to stand hmself "I'm going to be sick, my stomach hurts" He went to the bathroom and you got him some fresh cold water, taking it into the bathroom for him, the sight infront of your tugged on your heart a little, seeing Tom kneeling on the floor, bent over the toilet, his whole body just looked sore and uncomfortable, rubbing your hand over his back in little circles, running your fingers through his hair. "You're okay baby, you're alright, just let it out."

"I'm sorry Yn, I'm so sorry, go back to work" Poor Tom tried to appologize to you, but you stayed with him until he sat up, "Do you feel any better?" he shook his head and rested against your body to help sit himself up.

"Come on, lets get you in the shower okay, freshened up and then bed." Tom nodded

A little while later Tom came through into the bedroom with a clean tshirt on and his joggers, Tom climbed in bed, whincing and shivering as he moved under the duvet trying to get comfortable. "Darlin will you lay with me?"

"Of course I will" As soon as you climbed in bed with Tom he rolled over on his side beside you, you wrapped your arms around him kissing his head over and over. "You're going to be okay I promise" Falling asleep within seconds of your touch Tom slept the rest of the day, you layed awake just holding him .

The followind day Tom slept right through, you called Luke and explained Tom wouldn't be back for the rest of the week, unsure of what to do you let Tom sleep it off, hoping some rest is all he needed. Not wanting to leave his side you didn't have a choice Bobby needed his morning walk, you kissed Tom's head before leaving, you ran Bobby quickly around the same route you always take. Upon arriving home the house was still the way you left it, running up to see Tom he was still asleep in the same position he had been all night. He stayed like that for the rest of the day.

You really started to worry, taking your phone into the kitchen downstairs you called Tom's alltime best friend. Hemsworth.

"Chris, Hi it's Yn, how are you?"

"Yn how wonderful to hear from you I am well how are you?"

"I'm worried and I need your help I didn't know who else to call. Tom came home sick  early afternoon 2days ago, he fell asleep, woke up started throwing up, had a shower and is still sleeping, his fever is still there I'm scared I'm worried it's getting worse what do I do?"

"Tom is never sick"

"I know and I don't even have the car to take him to get checked."

"I'm coming we can take him in mine"

"Thank you Chris I really need your help on this."

Within fifteen minuites Chris showed up at your door

"Thank you, he's upstairs sleeping."

"Go help him up Yn"

You did as Chris said, went up stairs, and knelt beside the bed, running your hands through his hair "Tom, sweetie you have to wake up. Hey please get up"

"Tommy please get up." you kissed him  over and over, Tom mumbled "Yn"

"Tom you have to get up, come on please," Tom tried to sit himself up, "Yn I can't I really don't feel good."

"I know, come on, I'm taking you to the hospital. Chris is here with his car. We're going to help you" Tom tried to stand but couldn't "CHRIS" you shouted in panic, he put Tom's arms over you and him, standing him togehter.

You sat in the backseat of Chris' car with Tom asleep on your shoulder, "Chris please drive faster, he's falling asleep" tears brimming your eyes, "You will be okay Tom I promise, you're going to be alright"

"CHRIS DAMB IT DRIVE FASTER!" you shouted

"How is he doing?" Chris asked

"He's frozen, and his head is roasting, he's sleeping just please drive faster, how much further?"

"We're almost there, he will be okay Yn"

A few hours later you were sitting in a room beside a bed where Tom lay earily still, you held his hand kissing it over and over. "Chris? He's going to be okay, right?"

"Of course he is.Yn he will be awake and just fine really soon, I'm sure of it"

"Yn I'm going to go get some coffee would you like one?"

"That would be great yes, please Chris"

Not long after Chris left, Tom's doctor came in with a clipboard full of notes and papers, you'd never jumped up so fast in your life.

"Is he okay? He's okay right? He has to be?" trying your best not to cry, your heart ready to explode

"He's going to be just fine"

"Tom he hasnt eaten in two days, or woken up for two days, what's happening to him?"

"He is going to be alright, he has a flu, but it's worse for him as he doesn't often get sick, and has a very stressful, higly active job. All mixed together creates exhaustion."

"Thank you"

The following day you stayed beside Tom's bed all day, not moving or leaving incase he woke up.  The nurses had brought you some toast but you couldn't eat a thing, you were officialy worried sick. Why did he sleep like that? So still, so fragile. You were never afraid  to touch Tom or hold his hand or play with his hair, but he just looked so delicate.

"Tom, I don't really know if you can hear me or not, but you need to be okay, and you need to wake up for me. Right now, pleaese. Tom. Righht now. You hear me, you wake up. GET UP! THOMAS HIDDLESTON YOU GET UP RIGHT NOW, please"

You couldn't help it, holding onto his hand you just cried, you had cried your tears dry, feeling the tightning on your hand you dry your eyes, look up at Tom and see him getting up.

"Tom, oh my goodness, baby your awake" you kiss his hand over and over "it's alright you're okay"

"Yn where are we?"

"The Queen Elizabeth Hospital"

"Why?"

"You came home from work on monday sick, fell asleep and now it's thursday, you had a fever, and you kept sleeping. I called Chris and he brought you here in his car, Tom you wouldn't sit, or stand, or you, baby you wouldn't even wake up. I'm sorry I didn't know what else to do. Tom you scared he hell out of me. You're exhausted" You kissed Tom's forhead, resting your hand gently "Your fever is cleariing, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, I'm sorry I worried you my love" Tom slid over on the bed, swinging his legs over the side

"Be careful" you tried to help him

""Darling I'm alright"

"At least you can sit yourself up, I want to takek you home" you hugged Tom tightly, just seeing his smile, seeing him okay, smiling, you started crying as he held you.

"Awh my darling, my dear pet, it's alright, I'm alright. Everything is okay now, I'm here"

[siconetribal]

Beyond the Bookshelves (4)

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Warnings: When you want to read but the universe won't allow it, Loki is deep in the delulu and that's ok, Thor's golden retriever energy to Loki's prickly cat vibes, work stress, how to meet with royalty, tiny midgardian vs giant asgardians,

Summary: You’re a Resource Management Specialist at S.H.I.E.L.D. normally referred to as “The Librarian”. You’ve been assigned the nightmarish task of digitizing all the physical resources currently owned by the agency, with a few new computers and one extra helper.

A/N: The power of acetaminophen, water, proper food, and actual oxygen to my brain is what made this chapter possible! Thank you for patiently waiting, I hope you enjoy it!

Please comment/like/reblog. If you’d like to be tagged moving forward, please let me know! (If I missed ant tags, please let me know, I'll add you right away!)

The lovely banners used in this fic are from @cafekitsune.

If you’re new to the story, please check out the master post for the rest of the chapters.

Agent Pruyn is not so fond of me, much like many of the others. The bird and spider were quick to support my plan, though. I was not expecting help from anyone, but I suppose they’re wise enough to see that I know my strengths and have proven myself to be an asset in more ways than one. Loki walked into the library as per usual, ready to welcome the silent comfort it would bring. Sadly, that silence was not to be had with the sound of not one, but two voices. It’s that blasted chatty Captain Star. He is bound to try to strike up conversation again and ask unnecessary questions pertaining to how I feel and how I am adjusting. Loki quickly looked around for a potential escape route that would avoid meeting him and get him quickly to his usual corner. He knew he could easily teleport himself from one spot to the next. However, he already had been given an earful by said star-spangled leader about how it was ‘rude to vanish in the middle of a conversation’ and how ‘he should minimize his magic use to me more approachable’. To avoid a repeat of that, Loki simply avoided using it whenever Captain Lectures was not around.

It was the second voice that surprised him. A familiar voice that reminded him of a subtle force and scattered papers. The very same voice that said the owner thought he was a mute for never speaking to her. Which is utterly preposterous. I have spoken plenty of times between invading the Earth, addressing the public, and working with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. It’s not as if she’s gone out of her way to greet me either, where would she even begin to conceive such a notion on her own? He frowned, trying to recall all the times he had been to the library. She only ever interacted with him in a professional capacity. Watching the two walk in the opposite direction of his intended destination, he breathed a small sigh of relief and quickly made his way to the table that always had a book waiting for him to read. The Metal-Man’s technology is quite fascinating. He marveled at the new book that awaited his arrival. Picking it up, he sat back into the plush seating and began to read.

At least, he tried to read. The loud voices of the other two kept interrupting, and he was unable to properly get into the mindset of losing himself in the text. Each time he thought they were done, it seemed to start back up, which irked him. The first two times were mere chance, but for it to happen repeatedly had to be intentional. The only problem was proof. They could not see him, nor could he see them. 

You are overthinking, Loki. It’s because of that petty agent that you’re now thinking everyone is out to trouble you. You’ve never had trouble in the library before, why would it start now? If anything, that woman’s chatter is keeping Commander Shield busy and away from you. It’s a blessing in disguise. He reminded himself. He listened to the two prattle on for a little longer, not really paying the content any mind; he simply was waiting for the conversation to end so he could peacefully begin to read. And just it did, he wiggled back into his seat and opened the book once more. He snapped it shut and sat up in his seat. She is the librarian?! “That woman is the one Agent Hill was referring? Why would they assume I’m acquainted with someone like her? We’ve hardly ever spoken to one another, but clearly that is not my fault. She’s perfectly chatty with Officer Gabby over there.” He muttered to himself. There was a slight sting in his chest at this fact. Even in his sanctuary, he was facing prejudice. Why should her lack of conversing with me matter otherwise? Thor has the ability of AllSpeak, he can assist her. I have my mission to attend to, tomo-, he frowned. His mission was postponed while Thor was still set to go. That meant that he was the only available translator. “No matter, she is to approach us first, as per Agent Hill. Why should I go out my way for her when she has done little for me?” He continued to grumble to himself, propping an elbow on one of the arms of the chair and resting his cheek into the hand as he resumed the book once more.

The chime of his phone was the one to shatter the moment this time around. He closed the book once more and returned to the table. Taking a few deep breaths, he pulled the horrid device from his pocket and glared at it.

How anyone finds having such a thing with you at all times as practical or essential is beyond me. It’s a metal leash where anyone and everyone can disturb you at their whim without a care of whether you are available to be bothered. Though he found the various things it could do fascinating, in the end it was still a means to dealing with people around the clock, and he disliked the idea greatly. The device lit up and chimed again, as if it knew he was looking at it. Frustrated, he tapped the screen awake and used his fingerprint to unlock it. Now where are these notifications, again, ah, yes, up here! He carefully navigated his way towards an email thread which looked to be between himself, Thor, Agent Hill, and Director Fury in reference to the translation project. “So she isn’t as scatterbrained as she seemed. She looked into our schedules to make sure we had time to meet and made it a time both could be present instead of having multiple meetings.” He mumbled. He scrolled lower to see Thor’s reply, agreeing to the time. Loki quickly responded as well, agreeing as well, but also requesting where she intended for them to meet. Satisfied, he tossed the phone lightly onto the table and picked up the book once more. Now everything was set and he could finally read in peace.

Y/N was surprised to see a response from either of the princes so soon, but was all the more grateful for it since their meeting was last minute. Leaning back in her computer chair, it tilted back silently, as she swiveled side-to-side The location to meet had to be easier for them to reach and still make it to their next appointments.

The cafeteria will be pretty busy around then and to head up to their lounge area is a bit much. Plus, the Avengers might be there, and I don’t want to impede on their downtime by talking about work things. They might have too many questions or the topic might get lost through distraction. I can’t really leave the library for too long, either. The daily meetings are one thing, but trying to get to some place and back would be a waste of time. I suppose the only proper place would be here at the library. I can close it for about thirty or so minutes for my lunch. She hummed to herself, trying to see if this was a beneficial spot for everyone. “Loki already comes here, so I doubt he’ll be against it. Thor has been here from time to time as well, so he’s not completely unaware of this location. The training hall is not too far from here either, so neither of them will be late for that. Alright, sounds good!” She sat up in her seat, the chair springing up and rolling forward into her desk. She quickly sent out the reply of time and location, with a small sign-off stating that she looked forward to speaking with them. Now that that’s done, one teensy weensy problem, how do I talk to alien princes?! Royal etiquette training was not including in my onboarding training! “And one of them hates me, so the brother is obviously going to hate me by defaults, right? Sibling solidarity and all that good stuff?” She lightly slammed her head on to her desk. “I didn’t expect ‘hated by alien princes’ on this year’s bingo card, let alone checking it off!” She let out a heavy sigh of defeat. “It won’t be that bad, right?”

It was that bad. It was straight up awkward from the moment the two of them walked into the library, together. Both were tall, handsome, and very intimidating in their own ways. She knew all this, and yet seeing them together made her feel like a Lilliputian in front of not one, but two, Gullivers!

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, please, let’s take a seat over here.” She pointed towards some tables to her right and led them over. She motioned for them to take their seats and waited for them to sit before taking her own seat. Those of higher status are usually seated first, I’m sure this will help ease the tension, right? “Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Y/N Y/LN. I am the director of the Resource Management department of S.H.I.E.L.D. As per my email, I’ve asked for your time to discuss how to best work together on the task of translation.” See, you got this! Play it cool, like any other board of directors meeting!

“Yes, Agent Hill spoke with us about this matter. We would love to be of assistance to you in any way we can.” Thor smiled, the brightness comforting Y/N to feel less tense. He certainly had the charisma to be a well liked leader, if his smile was enough to ease up the tension. “But as you’re aware, we are Avengers and are sent off on missions globally for many days at a time.”

“Yes, I am aware, and I can’t thank you enough for allotting some of your free time to assist me in this matter. The archives are one of the greatest things we have. There are texts here from all around the universe that are still unknown to many of our agents. The goal is to have all of them scanned into digital copies and have translated copies as well to allow easier access between all of our locations and even allow access to the Avengers while on their missions. It’s a very difficult task that requires many people, but S.H.I.E.L.D. does not have the means to hire so many for such a task and risk someone leaking the information, nor can it sacrifice the agents on staff who are needed for the missions and risk the safety of the people because they pulled people. I, and my department, along with your help, will be working on this task.”

“We are both due to depart by week’s end, but once we return, we will gladly assist you, right  brother?” Thor turned to Loki, who had been silent throughout this entire time.

I’m guessing Mr. Thor doesn’t hate me? But Mr. Loki clearly does? What did I do to be hated by him?! Did I step on his foot one time, or maybe I whacked him with a book unknowingly? I would’ve definitely noticed if I hit someone like that, right?! She racked her brain for any inkling of a clue as to why she was disliked so much by the younger prince. Is it because I called him mister? Is that not okay? I mean, I don’t see anyone else calling him ‘His Highness’ or ‘His Grace’ or ‘Lord’. Oh no, did I call him that one time and did he think I was mocking him?!

 His blue eyes were trained on the Librarian the entire time. She was poised and cordial, nothing like the rushing mess he encountered days ago. She was articulate, but she was nervous. Though her face gave away nothing, her fingers were interlaced tightly with one another. There was a slight tremble in them. Thor was happily giving away his blessings and promises, while Loki was not sure, not yet. Though, the promise of secret text was rather enticing. He wondered if they had anything from the other realms.

“I am no longer due to depart, my mission has been temporarily suspended.” The words came out before the younger prince realized. Why was he given such unnecessary information? He had no intention of being roped into this useless charity work. His eyes narrowed at the genuine surprise on the Librarian, who looked hopeful, too hopeful.

“That is rare, were there complications?” Thor frowned.

“It’s not something to discuss in present company.” Loki cut the conversation short, seeing her flinch at the sharp words.

“You’re right, it’s not wise to speak so freely about such information with unauthorized people.” She readily agreed. “But if you’re no longer due to leave, would you be willing to work with me on setting up a plan on how to best work with your ability?”

“Very well,” he sighed. “We can coordinate a time for here. Perhaps later today after my training.”

“Excellent,” Thor grinned and roughly smacked Loki on the back, earning a scowl from his younger brother. “You may not know this, but my brother is one of the greatest strategists in the nine realms! He is well-educated and far more scholarly than myself. He is the best person to work with on creating a plan, and I will follow along with what you’ve decided. I will do my best to keep up with him and not drag you down.”

“You will be just as helpful, Mr. Thor. You are able to translate like he is, which is exactly what we need.” Y/N was quick to assure his easily excitable brother, earning an eye roll from the raven haired younger prince.

“Please, Director Y/LN, call us by our names. We are the ones who will be under your care throughout this undertaking. There is no need for such formalities between us.” Loki stared at his brother as he completely lost his mind.

How are we under her care if she needs us? She should be respectful of us taking the time to assist her in something the organization as a whole deems to be of the least importance! 

“You don’t need to call me by title when it’s just us. Y/N or Y/LN is fine. Some just call me ‘Librarian’ as well. In official meetings with other directors you’ll need to abide by rules, but between us, I’m not all that strict with it. I mean, you’re the ones doing the dangerous work. I think that alone deserves respect.” Her words stunned Loki.

“Even me?” The words slipped from his lips in a low whisper. She turned to face him with a questioning look, but he made no attempt to repeat or clarify himself. “Very well, Librarian. I will return some time after my training session. We can discuss more than.” Loki stood from his seat and quickly left the room. It was getting too chummy, and he was not comfortable with it.

"My apologies, Y/LN. He’s not the most easy to get along with at first, but he really is one of the best.” Thor slowly stood from his seat, while Y/N watched Loki disappear behind the door. She quickly tore her gaze away and looked up at Thor.

“Why are you apologizing? He didn’t do anything wrong. I was going to end the meeting anyway, since it’s about time you both left for your training sessions.” She raised an eyebrow at how quick Thor was to apologize and try to assuage her. He’s trying to help Loki fit in, but if he’s always apologizing, that’s not helpful. But then again, I’ve never really interacted with either of them. I’ll wait before I say anything. This could be a one time thing. She stood from her chair and extended a hand to the stunned God of Thunder. “I look forward to working with both of you.” She smiled and he happily to her hand in his, kissing the back of it.

“We are in your care.” He smiled and left a surprised and slightly flushed Y/N.

Tags: @vbecker10 @huntress-artemiss @softestqueeen @thegodofnotknowing @princess-ofthe-pages @firedrakegirl @rcailleachcola @cabingrlandrandomcrap @lotrefcp @lwtannie @jainaeatsstars @msdjsg7 @tom-hlover @kneelingformyloki @gruftiela @gigglingtiggerv2 @kats72 @mischief2sarawr

[barefoothighlander]

Hi!! I just wanted to say that I loved your "call me little sunshine" fic and im wondering if I could please request a dub-con with John Price x fem reader?... him and the reader having an age gap..

Tysm!😁💗

thank you so much! I do have a wip for a Price age gap fic but in the meantime here's a little one-shot.

warnings: mdni (18+), dub con, age gap (reader is early 20s Price is early 40's), description of weapons, smut, p-in-v sex, grinding, creampie, slight voyeurism, praise, oral (fem rec), fingering, Price is bossy

Laswell had hand-picked you from the academy, impressed with your record and skill set, deciding you would be an asset to the 141 on their next mission.

Your palms were sweaty entering the base, you knew you were the youngest on the team by far, the rest of the men's ages ranging from 34 to their early 40's, this was your first field assignment, all of your previous experience existed within the realm of the academy.

You walked around the twisting hallways of the base, trying to find the right room,

"Need any help?"

You turn your head to his voice, sight focusing on the man, he was handsome, his face a little weathered from his years in the force but kept covered by his beard.

"Yeah, I'm looking for conference room b, any ideas?"

"Well for one it's on the other side of the building" He smiles

You sigh, "Figures, I'm new, supposed to be meeting with a Captain Price"

"Ah, tough bloke, I'll show you the way" He nudges his head down the hallway and you follow, allowing him to lead you around corners.

"You look too young to be here"

You nod your head, "Yeah I got picked for some mission, I'm in my last year of training"

His eyes watch you as you talk, hanging on to every word, "What about you, you seem to know your way around"

"Yea I've been working here for a while"

A small ah comes from your mouth,

"Here, this is the room you're looking for, m'sure the rest of the team will be in shortly"

You thank him, you enter the room and sit down at the large table, a few minutes pass and one by one the team files in, you introduce yourself to most, finding the tall one in the mask to be a little intimidating, fidgeting with the pen in your hand.

"Alright boys, we've got a new recruit for this mission"

You see him walk in and your eyebrows furrow in question,

"She'll be assisting on the op, she comes highly recommended from Laswell so we know she's good"

He spends the rest of the meeting going over the mission detail, addressing you by name when he spoke about what you were to be doing. Once he finished the rest of the team left, leaving the two of you alone,

"You're Captain Price?"

He huffs a small laugh, "Didn't want to make you nervous on your first day"

"Not nervous, just a little embarrassed, I should've addressed you"

"No need for such formalities" His gaze lingers on you making your hair stick up on end.

"Right, well I should go then"

He watches as you hastily exit the room, turning down the hallway. You manage to find your shacks, settling in before changing your clothes and heading to the shooting range. The room is empty when you get in, a cabinet of various weapons standing against the wall, you grab a glock and a few clips of ammo, moving to stand in one of the stalls before setting up.

You fire off a few rounds hitting the target exactly where you planned, the muffs on your ears silencing most of the sounds that come from the room. You don't hear the door open, don't hear when he stands directly behind you, you jump when he touches you, his hand grabbing at your waist as you rip off your ear protection.

"Pull this hip forward more, puts less strain on your shoulder"

You're blinking mindlessly at him, goosebumps covering your skin as you do what he says, planting your foot and rotating your hips to be in line with your target. His grip doesn't waver, holding you as you fire off a few more rounds slightly missing where you had planned.

"Thought you were supposed to be the best"

You put the gun down, neck turning to face him,

"I am"

"Then show me"

You take a deep breath, picking up the gun and setting yourself up, your eyes focus on the target and you feel his hands roam your body, reaching down to squeeze at the flesh of your ass.

"Captain-"

"Don't focus on distractions"

You fire off a round, it hits dead centre.

"Good girl"

His words go straight to your core, arousal pooling in your lower stomach. You continue firing as his hands reach around, toying with the band of your pants before dipping below, cupping your sex. You hitch a breath and move to drop the gun,

"Keep shooting"

You raise your arms again, trying to maintain focus as he kisses at your neck, his fingers teasing over your clothed sex.

"Already soaked"

Your cheeks heat up as a blush creeps across them, the grip on your weapon faltering as he pulls your panties to the side and slides two fingers into you.

"Gotta keep training kid"

You fight the urge to arch against him, firing off a few more rounds. His free hand wraps around your waist keeping you planted, as the firm press of his cock is rutting against your ass, he's urging you to continue through breathy grunts that tickle your ear, his beard scratching against the skin of your neck.

You fire off three rounds into the head of the target,

"Atta girl"

He removes his fingers and you whimper at the loss of contact before he grabs your pants, pulling them to settle below your ass.

"Captain, someone could walk in"

He palms at your skin, spreading you to get a better look,

"Let them"

He kneels behind you,

"Keep shooting"

His breath ghosts over your wet pussy, sending a shiver down your spine as you focus, a moan escaping your lips when he places a firm lick between your folds, the scratch of his beard burning against your bare thighs.

"Focus sweet girl"

"I can't"

"Maybe you aren't right for the job then"

His threat encourages you, you fire off a few more rounds as he continues to lick at you. He stands from behind you, leaving the stall as you're left confused, returning a second later with a different gun, he hands it to you. It has kickback, enough that you hand to plant your elbows on the small table in front of you, his eyes pin you down as you bend forward, your ass sticking up in the air. You shoot a few times, hearing the buckle of his pants undo.

You squeeze your eyes shut at the feeling of his firm length running through your folds, your slick coating him.

"Continue" He grunts

You pick your head up, eyes back on your target, your finger ghosts over the trigger as he presses into you causing your shot to miss completely.

"tsk, have to do better than that"

You moan quietly as he begins pumping into you at an excruciatingly slow pace, making sure to drag his cock over every ridge inside of you. You focus up and fire again, hitting the target.

"Better"

He grips your waist, thrusting into you as your hands fall from your weapon and plant on the table.

"Keep going or I'll stop"

You find the strength to handle your gun again, using everything you can to keep shooting as he pounds into you, you try to keep your shots steady but the fullness of him is too much, your knees buckle before he snakes a hand under you, holding you up.

"C'mon kid, prove you're the best"

He quickens his pace, the echoing of your skin slapping sure to alert someone outside to your vulnerable position, but you keep shooting, you don't want him to stop.

"Fuck, squeezin' me so tight, you gonna cum for me?"

He moves his hand to circle your clit, causing your back to arch and you miss the target once again, it's too much, his rough fingers on you, the stretch of his cock inside, the coil inside you is about to snap and you can't have him stop. You try your best to keep shooting, urging him to let you cum and he leans over you, planting a hand beside your elbow as he thrusts into you with all his weight.

It's all too much, you squeeze the trigger once and clench down on him, your muscles tighten and his hand grabs at your jaw, forcing your eyes back onto your target as you ride out your high, gripping the weapon with shaky hands as you fire two more shots, you pull the trigger for a third and nothing, the clip was empty. Relieved your hand falls to the table as he fucks into you, your moans freely dripping from your tongue.

He grabs a handful of your hair, pulling you up so your back is flush with his chest, his beard scratching at your jaw,

"Gotta be quiet kid, don't want people to hear"

You bury your face in his neck, trying to muffle your moans as he fuck into you, his hold on your waist the only thing keeping you upright.

"Fuck think you can complete the mission with my cum in you" He taunts, "Shit, guess we'll find out"

He thrust into you a few more times, feeling his muscles tense as the thick fluid coats your insides, fucking it deeper into you.

You're a mess of whines as he pulls from you, tucking himself back in.

"You better keep all that in, that's an order"

You watch him leave the room as you're stood, half naked and covered in a layer of sweat, you feel his spend drip down your thigh before you pull your pants up, you look back over to your target, the outline of the man barely visible through all the holes, huffing a small laugh to yourself.

[rinixo]

here we are, now

Howzer/Jedi!Reader | 2.4k | Rated E | smut, afab reader, inexperienced reader, PIV sex, obsessive thoughts, pining, yearning, Howzer calls Reader 'kid'

Your masters had often warned that your enthusiasm would one day lead you into treacherous situations. They weren't wrong, but the danger you faced now was likely beyond anything they had imagined.

read on ao3

Your masters had often warned that your enthusiasm would one day lead you into treacherous situations. They weren't wrong, but the danger you faced now was likely beyond anything they had imagined.

Rain lashed against the walls of the abandoned house where you and Clone Captain Howzer had taken refuge. The mission had gone disastrously off course.

As a Jedi, you were accustomed to working with clone troopers, but this was your first solo command without a senior knight. It was also the first time you had been sent out with just one other person, instead of a small squad.

The war had created desperate situations, and this mission was no exception. While the situation on Ryloth was not as treacherous as other fronts, it still provided its fair share of battle opportunities. You and Howzer were tasked with extracting assets from a separatist holdout, one of many popping up across the planet’s surface. Nervous but eager to prove yourself, you had been selected to lead the mission, with the seasoned captain deferring to your leadership with grace. Everything had been going smoothly until a few hours ago when a moment of reckless action led you straight into a droid ambush.

Deflecting blaster fire with your saber, you watched as Howzer tried to break through their defenses. All seemed manageable until a clever droid launched a grenade towards your position. Howzer heroically threw himself in front of you, blocking the grenade with his armored body. To your horror, he rolled away, and you braced for the explosion, only to see the grenade release a puff of green-tinged smoke instead.

Chalking the dud grenade up to luck, you nonetheless were forced to flee before more reinforcements arrived. With the storm preventing extraction, you decided to spend the night here and attempt the mission again at first light.

Howzer sat across from you, slowly removing his armor. You noticed how he winced, and his murmur of "I’m okay. Just sore," did little to ease your concern.

Though you had been stationed on Ryloth for several cycles, you had worked with Howzer only a handful of times before this mission. You knew he had been assigned as your second in command on purpose - he was known for his ability to get jobs done without any major fanfare. You felt guilty for mucking up what should have been another routine mission, knowing you could expect chastisement from your elders back at the temple.

A hiss made you look up. You had an uncanny gift for sensing others' emotions more acutely than most Jedi. Clones of higher rank, like Howzer, were harder to read, but you had been feeling waves of discomfort and tension from him since settling down. Had he sustained an injury you hadn’t seen?

“I know some healing arts,” you offered amicably. “Perhaps I can offer some relief—”

“No,” Howzer interrupted, his bluntness making you blink.

Your heart sank, fearing he was irritated with you. Throughout your life, you had been told you could be too much, too present, too helpful. ‘Stop hovering,’ they said. ‘Stop trying to fix problems before they even happen.’ But how could you? You felt everything so deeply - people’s anxiety, their fears and their excitement. Helping was second nature to you, and unfortunately so was the tunnel vision that came along with it.

This mission had been a test of your ability to show restraint and patience, to gauge your aptitude to lead squads on your own without needing someone else to check you. Instead, it had been a textbook example of how spectacularly you could get things to go sideways. All is as the Force wills it, you had been told time and time again. All you could think is why the Force insisted on making things so hard for you in particular.

Hours later, after a small meal, the rain continued to roar heavily. You had been lying in the darkness for what felt like an eternity, unable to fall asleep. The oppressive emotions emanating from the man across the room were overwhelming. Discomfort and tension had morphed into intense heat and strain, mingled with a pain that was impossible for you to ignore.

Squeezing your eyes shut, you tried to meditate on the sound of the rain to distract your senses. The whirlwind of feeling emanating from Howzer was overpowering, however, and you let out a defeated groan. Resting was not an option.

You rose from the bed and approached the clone. Howzer hadn’t lain down; he was hunched over on the edge of his cot, his arms dangling loosely over his thighs.

“You’ve gotten worse,” you said, clearing your throat. He glanced up, concern etched on his face. “I can sense it.”

“My apologies, commander —” he began, but you raised a hand to stop him.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. It’s my fault you’re in this situation. I made a mistake, and you paid the price.”

“It’s my job, ma’am. My duty.”

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Clones and their damned built-in sense of self-sacrifice. All too willing to give life and limb, hardly thinking about themselves when it came to the safety of others.

“Please, let me try to help you, Howzer,” you asked again. “If not for yourself, then for the mission?”

He swallowed roughly. “With all due respect, ma’am, I don’t think this is something you can help with.”

“Don’t be so sure,” you replied with a half-smile. Howzer sighed, closed his eyes, and nodded reluctantly.

Closing your eyes, you knelt in front of Howzer and gently placed your hand on his shoulder. You reached out with the Force, pressing softly against the barrier of his consciousness. What was usually a strong wall of resistance had worn down over time, and with a gentle nudge, you slipped through.

Instantly, you were bombarded with raw emotions. You felt the anxious flutter of his pulse as if it were your own. You struggled to navigate the turbulent sea of sensations coursing through Howzer—expectation, dread, passion—all barely restrained by a fraying thread.

For a fleeting moment, Howzer’s essence became yours, and you gasped as you uncovered the source of his turmoil. Desire surged through his veins, colored dark green like the smoke from the grenade. It pulsed - no, throbbed, igniting his synapses like wildfire. Stillness was agony, the brush of your hand on his shoulder like a salve.

You opened your eyes, pulling away. Howzer was tense, coiled tightly like a snake ready to strike. A bead of sweat trickled from his brow, his pupils dilated and dark in the dim light.

“The grenade,” you said softly. “It did this?”

“Yes,” Howzer replied shortly. A knot of concern coiled in your stomach.

“I’m so sorry,” you apologized again. “I-I’ve never encountered a toxin like this. I don’t know how to help you.”

Howzer breathed out roughly through his nose. “Didn’t think so. It’s an enhanced libidinous agent. They’re meant to be thrown into air vents, gas out whole rooms. And I took a whole one straight to the face.”

“You’ve seen these before?” You queried, and he nodded. A million questions were begging to be asked, but you resisted and kept to the most pertinent ones.

“Do you know how to make it stop?”

“Usually you can just wait it out,” Howzer mumbled. “But, uh - it’s…very hard to ignore.”

You thought for a moment, piecing things together. Your experiences with sex were limited to the lewd holonovels your fellows had snuck in and distributed amongst each other like contraband, and the occasional burst of feeling from people thinking loudly about their own escapades. A poor substitute, you knew, but it would have to do.

“If we have sex, will that help?” You offered.

Howzer choked at your blunt suggestion, eyes widening in shock.

You folded your hands neatly in your lap, patiently waiting for his response. All the while, you could still feel the emotions rolling off his body. He was making a very pointed effort not to stare at your chest, or thighs, or stars forbid your lips. You were suddenly self-conscious in a way you had never felt before.

“We couldn’t - do you even understand what you’re saying?” Howzer asked, incredulity coloring his words.

You nodded. “Yes.” It wasn’t a lie, per se. You just hoped that with his mind as impacted as it was, the fact that you were a virgin and had never so much as kissed anyone before would go unnoticed.

“You’re a Jedi,” he said weakly, running out of ways to give you an out.

“The code forbids attachment, not sex,” you said with nervous amusement.

Howzer swallows roughly, staring up at the ceiling. His hands clench and unclench, and after a moment he looks back down at where you’re sat and nods shortly before leaning back in invitation.

You climb into his lap carefully, feeling the heat of his skin through his blacks. He’s tense, and as you settle down you try to project as much calmness and ease as you can.

“Is this ok?” You ask quietly, and hear him take a sharp inhale. You take his arms tightening around you as a ‘yes’. Leaning forward, you let out a soft hum as he unexpectedly presses his flushed face against your neck. You hear him inhale deeply, the hesitancy in his grip loosening as he drinks in the scent of your arousal. “Sweet” he says quietly, mouthing roughly against the arch of your throat.

The way Howzer touches you feels strange to your inexperienced mind. His hands slide under your top, rough palms massaging your breasts. He kisses just under your ear, making your head droop to the side to give him more access.

You can feel him, hot and hard in his lap. Nervous anticipation floods you to your core, and you shift experimentally. A choked moan from the man currently nipping at your exposed shoulder confirms that it was the right move.

Feeling braver, and trying to pretend you know what you’re doing, you move one hand down from his shoulder, you slip it under his drawers. He chokes again as you stroke him to his full length, tip leaking what feels like endless thin liquid.

With what feels like practiced ease, Howzer slips your leggings down your waist to pool around one ankle. Readjusting you in his lap, he lines himself up with your cunt. Not once does he take his eyes off your face, gaze intense and burning.

The pressure of penetration surprises you. “Oh!” You say softly as Howzer spreads your thighs further apart.

“There we go,” he mutters lowly, more to himself than to you. “Just like that- fuck -“ His head falls back, eyes closed as your soft heat engulfs him fully. His cock pulses strong enough for you to feel it, his abdomen twitching, and you realized that he had just cum from that first instance of penetration.

“Oh, fuck,” he groans again, and with his hands on your hips begins moving you back and forth, up and down. His cock was still hard as iron inside of you, and you grasped his biceps to steady yourself against his desperate pace.

Curious, you reach out with the force again, slipping easily into the wild bramble of his thoughts. It’s impossible to parse out any one singular feeling, his lust-addled brain focused on chasing its relief through your body. It’s starting to feel good for you too, and with one particularly harsh thrust, you mewl. There’s something bright building in you, centered where Howzer is rocking into you.

The sounds you make snap Howzer’s gaze back to your face. He moves one hand to grasp your chin, holding your head still so that he can slot his mouth over yours. With his touch, you are gifted with flashes of thought, and emotion - the way you move effortlessly through battle, the way the light catches the myriad of colors in your irises -

You had never noticed, but he had been noticing you for a while now. Always seeking you out, wondering if you’ve come back from your missions unscathed. The mention of your name makes his chest tighten. He’s spent many a night in his bunk thinking about the plush softness of your lips, your hands, your cunt-

Howzer is infatuated with you, you realize as you begin to cum. His earlier tense refusal wasn’t due to irritation but dread - dread at the thought of finally being able to have you but never truly have you. He despairs at the thought of this being the only time he’ll ever be able to feel you against him, be inside of you.

It’s pure, unadulterated yearning, and it makes you shudder. Your clothes have come completely off at this point, and Howzer moves to lay you down on the cot, not once leaving the tight heat of your cunt.

“Perfect,” he moans into your shoulder, one of your thighs hoisted under a strong forearm. “I knew you’d be, my perfect girl -“

More flashes, memories of him watching you train. Hiding a smile as tales of your latest mishaps are passed around the barracks. He loves your eagerness and your determination. He knows you are capable of great things - if only he was allowed to get you on your own, there’s so much he could show you…

You gulp air, pressed down against the mattress as Howzer ruts into you. You’ve unintentionally made a bridge between your two consciousnesses, the lines between you quickly blurring away until you can’t tell where his mind ends and yours begins. He pours his obsession into you with every rock of his hips.

Pushing on his shoulders, you make him lift up off you. He looks down at you, eyes hooded. You can see yourself in his gaze - bare, slick with sweat and other fluids, lips swollen. Howzer mutters your name before lowering his mouth to kiss the side of your jaw. His pace slows, arms wrapping around you in an embrace. Rolling to the side, he hugs you close to his body, one of your legs thrown over his hip as he continues to chase his release.

“You’re gonna kill me, kid,” he murmurs, pressing open-mouthed kisses along your chin. Your eyes flutter shut, allowing yourself to be drowned in the sea of his affection.

Would the two of you regret this in the morning? Perhaps, but as you reached up to tangle your hands in his hair, you pushed those thoughts aside to let yourself be present in the moment. All is as the Force wills it.

[sloanesallow]

Big Brained

There's nothing wrong with being feral for one's husband, right? Sloane can't help it, especially when Sebastian shows off that big, sexy brain of his. ✨Sebastian Sallow x F!MC Tags: NSFW! MDNI! Sexual content, oral sex (m receiving), exactly one spank, and some Sebastian dirty talk. 2.5k words [Read on Wattpad] - [Read on Ao3] - [tumblr masterlist] Reblogs, comments, and kudos are always appreciated! ✨

The last place Sloane wants to be is the Ministry of Magic.

She has managed to avoid a permanent place at Whitehall, despite Minister Spavin’s constant and personal invitations for her to join their ranks. Her answer is always no—she does not want a career in the wizarding world’s government, preferring her freedom and whatever anonymity she has left. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for her husband, who is technically under their employment, contracted to work as a curse-breaker with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

At twenty, Sebastian is young, but incredibly talented, and one of the Auror’s greatest assets. He is usually in some far-off destination, exploring ancient tombs and collecting artifacts with a rag-tag crew, helping to chase down Dark Wizards and undo any havoc caused. Sloane travels with the group as an unofficial healer, treating mysterious and mundane wounds while researching remedies both magical and muggle. They are a dynamic duo of sorts, and the Ministry knows that the Sallows are a package deal, the bond inseparable—unbreakable. 

After spending the last three months in the Austrian wilderness, they are back in London to receive a new assignment. Sloane spends the morning checking in on their dusty flat and shares a few cups of tea with Poppy in the local shoppe before venturing back to the second floor to find Sebastian. Even though he is rarely in-office, the Aurors keep a room clear for his use, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of what she calls the ‘bull-pen’.

Sloane can hear a few familiar voices as she approaches the open door, peeking her head in to see Sebastian in the middle of a fervent discussion with two of the officers who accompanied them in Salzburg. The other men don’t seem to notice her presence, but her husband acknowledges her entrance with a quick glance, the corner of his mouth twitching up before he refocuses his attention.   

“Have the scouts reported back?”

“Yes, sir,” Jeffries, the older and more skeptical Auror replies. Sir—Sloane sees the subtle pride in Sebastian’s expression, even if the title causes her to bite back a laugh. Jeffries continues, “the rumors about increased activities on the Nordic coast are true. Intelligence suggests a small, but powerful group of heretics are attempting to locate bloodrunes, magic the Ministry hasn’t encountered in…centuries.”

That you know of, Sloane muses to herself as she idly peruses the nearby bookshelf, overflowing much like the shelves at home.

“Bloodrunes require significant power to activate,” Sebastian states, not bothering to specify if this knowledge is based on first-hand experience or not. He leans over the map spread out across the desk and traces a finger along the supposed site. “There are probably laylines that can be disrupted, but I won’t speculate until I see the area for myself.”

“Perhaps we should wait before sending a team—”

“Wait for what, exactly?” Sebastian interjects, raising an eyebrow in challenge. He straightens his posture and crosses his arms. “A blood sacrifice? Neither of you studied ancient magical tribes, so I won’t fault you for your ignorance, but the last time runes like these were activated, it triggered a tidal wave that destroyed the sea walls along the Nordic coast. Thousands of people were killed.”

Sloane glances up from the book she is pretending to read and feels only a little shame for ogling her husband when he is in the middle of an important conversation. But she enjoys watching Sebastian showcase his intelligence—he’s always been a little cocky, and rightfully so—he won’t back down when he knows he is right. With his coat discarded and sleeves pinned up, she can see the way the muscles in his arms flex as he waits for either man to respond.

“Alright, Sallow, you win,” the other Auror, Bartie, sighs. The red-headed Weasley is a few years older than her and Sebastian but is far more trusting than the rest of the old guard. “What do you need from us?”

Sebastian shrugs, trying not to smirk when he gets his way. “Whomever the department can spare, really. Preferably those who are proficient in more than just defensive magic. A liaison for the local communities as well, to safeguard them from harm.”

“Should I contact St. Mungos—”

“That won’t be necessary,” Sebastian waves off Jenkins’ inquiry. It should be known by now that the only healer needed is Mrs. Sallow—Sloane. The Aurors give curt nods and Sebastian flicks his gaze to where she is standing. “Now, if you’ll excuse me gentlemen, but I believe my wife has been waiting long enough.”

She smiles somewhat bashfully as the two men finally notice her just as they are being shooed out of the room. Jeffries is indifferent, but Bartie offers a polite smile and wave before leaving.

“Looks like we’re off on another adventure, sweetheart,” Sebastian says when they are alone, re-crossing his arms as he leans back against the desk. Sloane is already swiftly crossing the room, practically launching herself onto him as she swallows his surprised laughter in a kiss. He quickly hooks his arms around her waist, holding her steady as she presses up on her toes to meet his height the best she can.

“Mmm—hello,” he manages, pulling away with a breathless grin. “You’re certainly in a mood.”

“Yes, sir,” she simply replies, catching the glimmer of excitement that passes through his coffee-colored eyes. Sloane touches her heels back to the floor, smoothing her hands across his shoulders and chest, playing with the straps of his suspenders. “Is that so bad?”

“Not at all,” Sebastian hastily shakes his head and gives her hips an appreciative squeeze. “I’m usually the needy one, is all.”

“Well, I can’t help it when you show off,” she explains, undoing the first two buttons of his shirt. “I love your big brain.”

Sebastian’s brows twitch up at the word big, but before he can make a lewd comment she palms the front of his pants, and he croaks instead. He recovers quickly, hands snapping up to firmly cradle her face as he captures her lips in a kiss that speaks volumes of his hunger for her. Sloane matches his enthusiasm, tugging at his suspenders until they are hanging at his sides. As she flicks open the clasps of his trousers, he fumbles for his wand, muttering the necessary spells against her lips to slam shut the door, waiting for the audible click of the lock before tossing it aside.

It isn’t very often that Sloane is in control, and she takes full advantage of catching him off guard, not-so-gently pushing him back until he topples into the cushioned armchair with an oof. He watches her with a mesmerized expression, shifting to accommodate as she kneels between his spread legs. She continues with removing his trousers, pulling them down along with his underwear until the fabric pools around his ankles.

Sloane wastes no time, finding satisfaction in the way Sebastian’s breath hitches as she wraps one hand around the base of his cock, already hard from her teasing. She leisurely strokes him, pushing up his shirt so she can trail a path of wet kisses across his navel, hipbone, and thighs. Her thumb brushes over the sensitive head, spreading the gathering of pre-come as he shudders, breathing already labored. With a coy glance up through her lashes, she slowly takes him into the warmth of her mouth.

Sebastian’s fingers quickly thread into her hair, tugging at the ash-blonde strands as her lips slide down his length until she feels him against the back of her throat. She sucks in to create a perfect seal, repeating the up and down motion a few times before leaning back to swirl her tongue around the tip.

“F—fuck…” Sebastian groans, his head lulling back. Sloane steadily increases her pace, humming until the vibration prompts him to slide open his eyes to watch her head bob in his lap. Her fingers continue to stroke where her lips can’t reach, her other hand softly fondling his sac in a way that has his hips bucking up involuntarily.

She keeps her eyes on his face as it contorts with pleasure, brows furrowed deeply as he resists the urge to unravel too quickly. It’s thrilling for her to see him at her mercy, incoherent murmurs of praise falling from his lips as she eagerly coaxes him to the edge. His grip tightens in her hair, pressing against the nape of her neck, a telltale sign he’s close.

“Slo—Sloane,” he gasps, voice strained. “I—oh, fuck—I’m—”

The rest of his sentence dissolves into a strangled moan, his body tensing and cock twitching against her tongue as he spills his release. Sloane swallows it all, remembering to breathe through her nose as she takes every last drop he has to offer. Sebastian slumps back, in a daze as Sloane pulls away with a wet pop and self-satisfied smirk. There’s a lopsided grin on his face as he silently admires her, affectionately sweeping the hair from her face before brushing the pad of his thumb across her wet lips.  

Even though Sloane can feel the slick of her arousal within her undergarments, she is content enough to wait until they return to their London flat for reciprocation. Seeing Sebastian so boneless and completely sated is satisfaction enough. She slides her hands across his thighs, gently massaging the remaining tension away.

“Ready to go home?” she asks, already imagining the evening ahead. A long bath, a hearty meal, and the comfort of their marital bed—not that they’ll be doing much sleeping.

Sebastian gradually sits up and Sloane pushes herself to stand, ready to help him right his trousers and gather his belongings so they can leave before more Aurors—or heaven forbid the Minister himself—stops by for another chat. But Sebastian shakes his head and the devilish gleam in his eyes is all the warning she has before his hands are on her, spinning her around to bend her over the desk.

“Seb!” the protest dies on her tongue as he hoists up her skirts, tucking them around her waist. Sloane sucks in a breath as he cups her, fingers pressing firm against the dampness of her knickers. He makes an appreciative sound, applying more pressure where she needs it the most, but just as she pushes back against his touch it’s gone, and all she can do is whimper at the loss.

“Don’t worry, darling,” Sebastian coos, peeling the delicate fabric away to expose her naked flesh. “I’ll take care of you.”

She lets out a surprised squeak when he playfully smacks her bare bottom, even more heat pooling in her gut as her legs tremble. Sebastian huffs a soft chuckle, this time smoothing the skin over with a gentle touch.

“More?” he asks, the deep timbre of his voice causing her to shiver.

She nods, barely remembering to speak, “yes.”

“Yes…?”

Sloane flushes—even after all these years, Sebastian can so easily fluster her. “Y—yes, sir.”

“Good girl.”

Perhaps some lingering naivety makes her believe he’ll simply take her like this, but no, her husband clearly has other plans for her. His hands slide up the back of her thighs until his thumbs are spreading her open, teasing her silken folds and entrance.

“Is this what I do to you?” he rasps, sliding two fingers through her arousal before slowly sinking them into her as she lets out a shuddering sigh. The way she flexes around him as he leisurely pumps in and out betrays just how impatient she is for his offer of pleasure. When she lifts her hips to meet his ministrations, Sebastian presses his free hand to her lower back, keeping her still.

“I said I’d take care of you,” his voice is gruffer than before, and she bites back a whine when he removes his fingers. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” she breathes, shaking her head. A part of her realizes this is Sebastian’s way of showing her who is really in charge, now.

“Do you want to come around my fingers?”

Sloane shakes her head again, fighting the urge to squeeze her thighs together for the slightest ounce of relief.

“No?” Sebastian feigns surprise, amused by her startled moan when he slips his fingers back inside her anyways. “My, my…you are needy today, aren’t you?”

All she can do is moan, disrupting the parchment on the desk as she grasps for purchase.

“Well,” he says in a sigh, curling his fingers to press against the spot that makes her vision blurry with stars. “You’ll have to use your words, my love. Tell me what you need.”

Sloane bites down a little harder on her bottom lip, her entire body now hot and prickled with goosebumps. She used to hate when he prompted her like this, attempting to coax filthy words from her lips and make her beg. But she really is too indigent right now to care, glancing over her shoulder to meet his wicked expression.

“Sebastian, I swear to God, if you don’t—”

“Isn’t it a sin to swear to God?” he muses, acting as if he isn’t knuckle-deep inside her. “My Sloane is much more polite than that.”

Insufferable tease—she huffs in frustration, but the warm swirl in her gut is a stark reminder that she loves it, loves him.

“Please,” she starts, deeply exhaling. “Shut up and fuck me.”

Sebastian tries to hide his delight but fails, laughing as he shifts to properly stand behind her, nudging her stance a little wider so they are properly aligned. “As my lady wishes.”

There is little teasing after that, Sebastian nudging his hardened-again cock against her before snapping forward to fill her in one fluid stroke. Her sharp gasp is drowned out by his deep groan and it’s very clear neither will last very long. Almost immediately, he sets a quick pace, the friction an agonizingly wonderful burn. Sloane can feel her legs shaking, straining as she stands on the very tip of her toes, Sebastian holding her up by the waist and hips to meet his thrusts.

“That’s it,” he grunts, not bothering to keep any sort of rhythm. He folds his body over hers, his free hand grasping her right wrist, pinning it to the desk as he bares his weight down. “Just like that.”

Sloane whimpers her approval, the warmth of him holding her down a comfort she never expected to enjoy or need. He ruts his hips against hers until they are both frantically crying out, core fluttering around him as he spills again, this time deep inside her heat.

It takes several moments for them to float back down to reality, Sloane sighing as Sebastian rests himself a little more comfortably across her back. He nestles his nose against her neck, affectionately sweeping through her sweat-matted hair as he presses a few lazy kisses to the shell of her ear.

He repeats her earlier ask with a breathless chuckle, “ready to go home?”

She hums her agreement, the two unhurried as they fix their appearances and attempt to tidy up any mess. As they leave the offices hand-in-hand, Sloane thinks to herself that maybe, just maybe, the Ministry of Magic isn’t so bad after all.

[striderl]

Why does monochrome have chains on his legs and arms?

There’s a long story to the chains. But at its core, Monochrome kept them as an effective weapon, as well as a grim reminder that the TV men are not to be trusted.

As mentioned in the Swap AU intro, Monochrome suffered significant processor damage during a sparring match with the TV elite. Unlike Foley, whose damage had been repaired, Monochrome was deemed beyond saving by the TV maintenance officer, and was discarded in a recycling facility. The TV elite punched straight through his head, destroying both his processor and CRTs.

Just as Monochrome was about to be shredded into pieces, he teleported away with no specific coordinate in mind. He ended up crashing into a dumspter next to an underground auction house, a place which he used to investigate illegal trades for hardware agent. Severely damaged and low power, he shut down, and his frame was discovered by the bouncers of the auction house. 

The auction house technicians patched him up, but only for the sake of sprucing him up to fetch a higher price. Despite his fear, Monochrome managed to persuade the auction host to keep him around with his eloquence. Intrigued, the host approved of Monochrome’s plea and decided to assign him as a butler and overseer of the auction house. Genuine TV agents were a rare asset for those outside the official engineering department, and Monochrome’s abilities and capabilities were valuable.

Monochrome served in the auction house for years. Until one fateful day, TV agents stormed an auction, arresting everyone in sight and forcibly dragging Monochrome back to the TV faction. Monochrome resisted fiercely, fueled by his hatred for the TV faction that treated him like mere tool, and discarding him like scrap metal. He was also terrified for the host’s life — the one person who had value his presence and treated him with respect. But he knew he couldn’t fight back on his own, so he begrudgingly accepted their demand to become an interrogator for the TV faction.

Over the years, Monochrome frequently abandoned his post and occassionally allowing major threats to escape. The faction’s therapist framed it as Stockholm Syndrome, but Monochrome knew better. He was simply tired — exhausted by the TV faction’s oppressive regimes and the narsacisstic agents, yet powerless to change anything.

The make matters worse, Monochrome’s processor damage seemed worsen over time, cause his moods to become erratic and unpredictable. Other TV agents witnessed him screaming at walls, mumbling incoherently in the hallways, and sometimes picking fights with the elites for no apparent reason. After an incident where Monochrome threw hands with the TV matriach, the officials decided enough was enough. They shackled Monochrome with chains that made from the same metal that forged the frame of the TV men, locking him away in a desolate room filled with old archives and prevent teleportation. 

The solitary confinement was the final straw for Monochrome, he lost all trust in his faction and lashed out at any TV man who dared approach him.

Then one day, Lavalier broke into the TV headquarters, causing chaos as she sabotaged files. During her escape, she made a sharp turn in the corner and darted into the very room where Monochrome was held. When she came face to face with Monochrome, she was shocked that the TV men would imprison one of their own. But she desperately needed Monochrome’s teleporation ability to make her escape, so she struck a deal with Monochrome: if she helped him break free, he shall keep his vocalizer shut and get them both out of there.

Apparently, Lavalier didn’t anticipate what would happen after the deal.

[chronicallyonlinewriter]

Bleed to Love Her

Posted something new, and a little...different...earlier today, on AO3. Title: Bleed to Love Her Chapters: 1 / ?

Warnings: +18, mildly suggestive scenes, trauma, gun violence.

Summary: He doesn’t know how he does it, he just knows that it happens with frightening quickness; that suddenly he’s howling like a wounded animal, he and his brother tumbling against the side of a dumpster in a tangle of limbs and fists, and it’s only his slight edge in speed that gives him the upper hand, that lets him straddle Joel’s legs and rain punches to his ribs, his jaw – and he barely feels the retaliatory hits to his own ribs, his stomach – but he feels the arms around his neck, choking him, pulling him back –

The world is swimming, the tops of the buildings blurring into the wispy gray sky. The taste of copper floods his mouth. He's flat on his back, the rough, wet pavement biting into his skin through his shirt, and Tess looms over him, grinding her boot into his chest, pinning him in place.

“ – are not fucking doing this –”

--

Slight AU: Tommy never leaves the Fireflies. He still heads west, assigned to help establish their newest base and protect their most essential asset - a scientist who thinks he can develop a "cure." Even without his help, Joel and Ellie manage to find their way to Salt Lake City.

Some things change, while others stay exactly the same.

[ninapi]

°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

- ̥۪͙۪˚┊❛ Frantically in love ❜┊˚ ̥۪͙۪◌

Premise: Nanami Kento wasn’t one to fool around with girls like his fellow first year classmates, yet one girl managed to drive him crazy enough to do things he never thought himself capable of.

Word Count: 3821

Note: This will be a two part story~ ✨

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Chapter 1: Classmates

Nanami Kento was a man of few words.

His team consisted of only him and one more guy, Haibara Yu, just the two of them and they couldn’t be more different. The moment they were assigned into their team on their first day of their first year at Jujutsu Tech, they didn’t really get along, yet they could work together very well, hence, they ended up in the same team and no less than assigned as backup for the strongest sorcerers just weeks after their arrival at the school.

Yu was a very well mannered, soft natured man. He always tried to cheer Nanami up and push him out of his comfort zone, something Nanami didn’t really appreciated much, yet it helped him quite a lot in the long run.

Though, their team was incomplete.

There’s a reason why the teams are composed of three members at the beginning of every sorcerer’s carrier, and that is to guarantee everyone’s safety and the success rate of every mission.

So the news of the new addition to the team later that year didn’t come off as a surprise to any of them.

The surprise was the fact that you were a girl, as pretty and graceful as one can be.

The rumor was that a very fat ugly older man was to join their team, he was a senior businessman who had recently awoken his powers out of nowhere and was in need of training.

However, he ended up being sent out to the Kyoto facility for Mei to train. His technique was closer to her own and she would be a better fit to develop the new abilities of said asset.

You on the contrary, were a beautiful young woman, seemingly the same age as they were at the time. Your eyes glowed with enthusiasm, your skirt a little shorter than it should probably be.

Nanami’s eyes were on you the moment you opened the classroom door.

It wasn’t a special day, just a random Monday at the beginning of the fall season. The wind was starting to get chilly, the colorful leaves on the background making your lovely face shine even more, it was like being in a museum admiring a highly rated piece of art.

“Oh my God! Hi! I’m Haibara Yu, are you our new teammate?” he was on his feet within seconds, smothering you with attention. Right behind you was Gojo Satoru, who had been entrusted to deliver you safely to your new team.

“Back down, will you? Isn’t it too early for you to be this loud? Yeah, she’s your new classmate, be nice to her, she could actually kick your ass easily.” you smiled shyly at both of them, waving your tiny hand.

“I’m (L/N)(Y/N), I will be joining you as of today. Please take good care of me.” bowing politely, all that could be heard in the background were Yu’s screeches and wails. “You’re so cute! Oh my God. We are the luckiest in the entire school, aren’t we Nanami-kun?” he had been quiet since your arrival, not a sound could be heard leaving his lips, yet you could feel his eyes on you from the moment you stepped into the classroom.

He just grimaced at his obnoxious outburst, eyeing you up suspiciously.

“Nanami Kento.” the moment he graced you with his name a blinding smile adorned your beautiful features, causing him to choke in his own spit. He just gave you his name, it wasn’t something important enough to gift the world such a lovely sight, but it did anyway, and he didn’t know how to feel about it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nanami-kun. I’ll be on your care.” to this he scoffed, while Yu felt like a bucket of icy water fell on his head. “What about me, (Y/N)-chan? Are you happy to meet me too?” his outburst made you chuckle, dropping your bag on an empty desk while waving Gojo goodbye. “Of course!” that was enough to get his spirits back up.

The beginning of a wonderful friendship.

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A few weeks after your arrival, your first mission had been already assigned to you, panic was visible in your face since you’ve never really had to fight a curse in your life. You were excited about it as well, but fear won the battle.

Yu had been assigned to a reckoning mission, nothing fancy or dangerous, all he had to do was gather information for Geto, nothing he needed your assistance with, so Nanami volunteered himself to train you personally that day, his hopes were to ease your nerves, to make you realize you were ready to fight, that there was nothing to worry about, your first mission would be a success.

But it wasn’t working.

You were very much distracted, getting a few hits from him along the way, you were meant to avoid them and counterattack him, but your head was just not present.

After getting beaten down for a third time, he suggested you take a short break, go for a drink or so. Since you didn’t react, he grabbed you by your wrist, gently pulling you towards a bench that was covered by the shadow of an old enormous tree while he jogged over to the vending machine. He grabbed a black iced coffee for him and brought you a can of your favorite drink along the way.

When he got back to the bench you were still spacing out, not even noticing you were now sitting down, and the practice time came to a halt. Worried, he rested the cold end of the can against your cheek, making you look back at him startled by the icy sensation on your soft warm skin. “For me? Thank you, Ken-chan. I really needed this.” you started calling him by that ridiculous nickname a few days back, the first time you had really spent some quality time together in the training grounds. He got to learn your back story, the way your powers awoken at a very early age, how being born out of non-sorcerer parents felt like and the insecurities that came with.

Even if he couldn’t relate to your story, he got to understand you more, made you look more of a normal human in his eyes and less like the fairy tale princess looking sunshine that got into their team not long ago. And to you, he also felt less constipated and more like a regular boy his age. It was an eye-opening experience for the both of you, one that had gotten you closer without any of you noticing.

Yu did notice, though.

And even if that meant he would probably not get a chance with you, he wanted his friends to bond and explore that feeling of belonging both got to experience that day.

“Why are you so stressed out? It’s a lesser curse, (Y/N). It’s probably not even necessary for the three of us to be there. It’s more of a mission for you to see how a real one goes and for you to be ready for later. You won’t have to do much.”

“But what if I mess up? What if one of you gets hurt because of something stupid I did? What if I just can’t move and the curse comes right after me even if you guys were the ones fighting it?” your palms were sweaty, your face pale as a ghost. Nanami could see very well how this was causing you to lose sleep and wanted to try and ease your mind once more.

“If that happens, I will cut it in half before it dares to even breathe the same air as you. I will be there; I won’t let anything happen to you.” there was so much conviction in his every word, his eyes were showing you how serious he was about this, how he really would protect you even if the worse came to happen. Your eyes began to water, your cheeks tinting of a lovely shade of pink at the implications of his statement.

“Y-you will?” you mumbled while sniffing, Nanami’s thumb coming over to wipe a stray tear from one of your cheeks acting on its own accord. “Yeah…so don’t worry, ok? Everything will be fine.”

You’ve never seen him this soft before, yet so assertive. You could feel his resolution, protecting you was more like a promise, not just to you but to himself, he’d do what was necessary for you to be out of harm ways, for you to feel comfortable with your own techniques and to feel safe at all times.

Smiling adoringly at him, you opted for resting your head on his shoulder while sipping on the cold drink you still held in your hand. The sunset that afternoon being one to remember, mixed shades of orange and pink hues turning the sky into a beautiful work of art for your eyes only. Taking off his uniform blazer, he covered your bare legs with it, making you snuggle closer onto his side. It was a chilly fall afternoon, but there was nowhere you would rather be at.

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Your first mission went out well, even with Nanami’s attempts on hurting Yu as he kept on pushing you towards the curse; exposure training was the best in his eyes, he wanted you to gain experience, to learn through failure, while Nanami wanted to keep you safe and have you just look from the sidelines until you felt ready to participate in the missions.

You were still new to this and so, they wouldn’t take you to every single mission, just the ones Nanami deemed safe enough.

Today’s mission seemed easy enough, yet for some reason Nanami wasn’t feeling it. “Can I go? Please? I promise I won’t get in the way.” your pretty puppy eyes were digging holes in Nanami’s stomach, but he kept his ground refusing profoundly. “Not today, Ieiri-san wanted your help dissecting a curse.” pouting you turned on your heels, going for Yu instead. “Oh no, no, no, don’t give me that look, don’t want to be fed to a curse by an angry boyfriend. Listen to him, (Y/N).”

“B-boy f-…what?…whatever…” plopping on a chair, he grabbed the newspaper, trying his best to cover his crimson toned face.

“Tch.” grabbing your backpack, you headed over to the lab for a day full of the stench of death and zero to no conversation with your quietest senior.

When Gojo burst the door of the lab open, you could see it on his face, something bad had happened.

“(Y/N)….I…um…the mission your team went into didn’t come with a good outcome…I…” Shoko was staring at him in disbelief, you had been blabbing all day about how you wanted to go with them, how you felt underappreciated and how you wanted to help your team become stronger. This would certainly be an awful blow to you.

“Senpai…where are they?” you were taking off your lab coat, running over to the morgue. Your eyes were dripping with sadness, your knees almost failing you as you ran. You didn’t let Gojo tell you the whole story, you just ran as fast as you could, you couldn’t wait any longer.

“KENTO!” slamming the door open, relief filled your lungs as you saw the blond sitting on a chair with a towel over his face. He seemed ok enough.

You ran over to his side, throwing yourself to your knees, and burying your face in his stomach. You didn’t even notice Geto-senpai was in the room and how there was a body laying over the table. “Please tell me you’re ok…”

“I’ve been better, but I’ll live. (Y/N)…I did everything I could…we just weren’t a match for that curse…” you looked up to see his face, he sounded broken, his voice was raw, his eyes full of unshed tears. “What happened?” you were rubbing soothing circles onto his side patiently, your heart sinking at his words.

Geto left the room to give your team some privacy after confirming the demise of the young sorcerer, his heart heavy with regret and hatred towards humankind and the pest they produce by their uselessness.

Nanami pointed over to the table, unable to find the right words.

The sight of Yu’s lifeless body was more than heartbreaking. He was the best of the three of you, the most loving friend you’d ever had, a great man with a bright future. This couldn’t end this way…you knew this could happen any time, to any of you, that’s just how this job is, but Yu…no, that had to be a mistake, maybe he was just cursed, not dead yet, maybe there’s something that could be done to save him.

Nanami could see right through you, he knew exactly what you were thinking, “Geto-san confirmed his death (Y/N), there’s nothing we can do anymore. It’s my fault, if only I was stronger…”

“It’s not your fault, Kento…” you hiccupped through your words, the wall of tears in your eyes not letting you see him for what he was now, thankfully. “If only I had gone with you guys, maybe I would have helped defeat the curse, maybe Yu would still be alive…” you felt a strong pair of arms circling your waist and pulling you flushed against his chest, sitting you on his lap as he wept silently against your back. “Never…never repeat those words again…you hear me? If you had gone with us…what if you’d had die instead of him? No, this was the right decision, I’m glad you stayed…I’m not sure if I would have been able to protect you myself, I couldn’t protect Yu. I can’t lose you, not you…” his words were dripping with love, his feelings coming out in the open in darker times, you let him cry on your back while you stared at your fallen partner.

This isn’t how you wanted things to end. You always imagined Yu marrying a lovely, beautiful woman, having at least four kids and meeting them in the supermarket while you and Kento shopped together. Grow old together, the three of you. Knowing that won’t ever happen finished breaking your heart and turning it to dust. He didn’t deserve this.

“(Y/N) let’s quit. I can’t lose you too…what if this happens again? What if I can’t protect you?” your back was now drenched with his fresh tears, his shaky hold around you tightening every passing second.

“Let’s get out of here, Kento. I can’t see him like this anymore. He looks like he was in so much pain, he’s probably cold…” gathering himself together, Nanami stood up with you in his arms, reaching over for the sheet covering his fallen friend to shield his body completely from the cold air in the room. Even if he couldn’t feel it anymore, this wasn’t for him, it was for you.

Saying your last goodbyes to your friend you headed over to Nanami’s room. You were just aimlessly walking beside him, letting him guide you to wherever he wanted to be right now.

You stumbled out of your shoes, plopping on his floor and collapsing at the weight of the situation. Nanami went to sit behind you on the floor, resting his back on his bed and cradling you over to his chest, letting you cry out all your pain.

He wouldn’t let this happen to you. He had to do something.

Once your tears had permanently dried out, you looked up to see a very distraught Kento, lost in his own thoughts. He was trying to form a plan to get out of this dangerous world and bring you with him, this loss was too much for him, he didn’t want to experience this ever again, let alone have you succumb to the same fate.

“Kento?”

“Hm?” he looked down at you, resting his forehead against yours waiting for your reply.

“Don’t beat yourself over this, I know you did everything you could. Thank you for coming back to me in one piece, I don’t know what I would have done if you were the one laying on that cold table…” tears found their way out of your beautiful eyes once more, the terrifying image of the man you loved dead on that desolated table all alone shattering you completely.

“I can’t die. I have to protect you...” It’s all he said before feeling your lips crash against his own. You were crying, sobbing really, but you needed to feel every bit of him, unite your souls, mush them into one.

He held you as close as he could, returning your kiss while tearing up. He knew this wasn’t about Yu anymore, he could feel how frightened you were right now, how it terrified you that he would end up the same way Yu did, and he felt the same way, he would rather die than seeing you on that table covered in blood and without a heartbeat.

“Seriously though, let’s run away from this (Y/N). I won’t lose you too…” you just nodded in between kisses, fisting his uniform blazer as to hold yourself together.

“I’d go anywhere with you, Kento. Just please, don’t die…don’t get hurt…don’t leave me…” your desperate cries made his resolution grow, he didn’t want this any longer, he wanted safety, a nice home, a car, even kids maybe, one day. This dangerous life was to be put behind, as soon as possible. And he would drag you with him.

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Trying to get out of the business wasn’t easy. Turns out you could only quit once you graduated from the school, and you still had a few years to go through for that.

In return, the headmaster promised to send you both only on clean up and reckoning missions, if you two didn’t want to be involved anymore, the least you could do was to clean after your seniors. To this the two of you agreed and your bond strengthened as time went on.

You were officially together at this point and the rest of your school life remained just that.

Daily classes, some physical training, every so often a reckoning mission in the countryside which always turned into a lovely rendezvous with your boyfriend and of course the disgusting clean up missions where you would end up covered in guts and goo, though were as rewarding as any other. At least you were still of some sort of help, at least you were safe.

Nanami had applied for an internship in a very big well known company, his new goal was to become a salaryman, one with a high pay rate, get an apartment for the both of you and be good enough to keep them as he gave you time to figure out what to do with your life.

He imagined you would become a teacher of some sort, you enjoyed helping others and were great at explaining things, a kindergarten teacher maybe, that would fit his lovely girlfriend just fine, yeah. Then after a couple of years of hard work, he’d get promoted and ask you to officially be his wife, consummate the marriage by putting a baby in you, then maybe get a car and another promotion so you could stay home with the child.

You could say he had your life planed with intricate details, he even had ordered some furniture already that he was able to pay while working a part time in a coffee shop, unbeknownst to you.

He of course, got the internship and was able to find a lovely apartment not far from his office building, everything was ready for you two to venture out of the sorcery related world.

Or so he thought until you knocked on his door one night, a complicated expression on your face. “Is something wrong, love?” he moved to the side so you could go into his room, everything was mostly packed by then.

“The Kamo clan…they sent for me. They want me to raise their child, basically. Train him, teach him all he needs to know, from basic school subjects, to how to develop his blood technique. The headmaster…he agreed to this without my knowledge, I must depart tomorrow…” tears were running down your face, your eyes unfocused.

“No. This isn’t happening. We are leaving right now, go get your things, the apartment will be ready tomorrow we can just crash in a hotel nearby. Let’s go baby, don’t waste more time.” he finished packing his last bag, being stopped by your shaky hand.

“I can’t Kento. They said they’ll get your head on a plate if I ran away. I’m not putting you in any sort of danger, my love. I’ll go to them and be back as soon as I can. Maybe you can transfer to a Kyoto branch later on…I…I’m sorry, this is the only thing I can do to protect you…” you collapsed on the ground, his arms quick to catch you before you hurt yourself.

“Who said you had to protect me? I’m strong enough to kill them all. Nobody will get in our way. We finally made it this far, they can’t do this to us…” he punched the floor in rage, his anger materializing in the air.

“The Kamo clan is very powerful…I talked with Gojo-senpai, he didn’t recommend testing their patience….”

“I couldn't care less what he recommends or not, I won’t let you go, (Y/N) how am I supposed to live out our life plan without you in it?? We’ve worked so hard to get to this point…”

“Kento look at me.” you cupped his face gently before pressing a tender loving kiss to his lips, “I love you, nothing will ever change that. We just need to wait a little longer to get to the main goal. Let’s start by saving some money, if things get ugly we’ll figure out an escape route, ok? I don’t want you to lose your internship, I know how hard it is to get in. We can do this, love.”

And with a broken heart…you parted ways.

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

Turns out long distance relationships are a pain when you work twelve hours a day and your girlfriend has to put a young child to sleep early.

Nanami Kento got the promotions he wanted, his house was bigger now, his car the one he always dreamed of getting, yet the space beside him in his very large bed remained empty, cold, and could never find an owner since the day you left from Kyoto… ten years ago.

°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

Masterlist Next Chapter

[verdantcrimson]

An Exchange of Information Between Instructors

Writer: Suika

Season: Autumn

TL: verdantcrimson

(Unproofread)

Keito: (A message on Hallhands? …… It’s from Shiratori.)

Keito: (It’s a photo from the camping trip that the ‘Keito Lecture’ circle went on the other day…… Hm, This is a good shot.)¹

Keito: (Though there were a few hiccups, it was likely a valuable experience)

Keito: (Originally, I had intended it to be something that would help ascertain how Amagi was adjusting to society, however… I think it might be good to have practical lessons as an ongoing thing.)

Keito: (It'd be nice to visit various museums and galleries in order to gain a wide variety of knowledge.)

Keito: (In that case, I had better start researching suitable candidates for the location of our next practical learning session.)

Ibara: Oh, if it isn’t Mr. Hasumi?

Keito: Saegusa? Quite a coincidence for us to meet on the same floor.

Ibara: Indeed. Are you about to attend a meeting, Mr. Hasumi?

Ibara: You seem to be in good spirits, could it be you’ve been assigned some sort of major RhythLink project?

Keito: ‘In good spirits’ you say? You shouldn’t spout nonsense.

Ibara: Oh, was I mistaken? I deeply apologize for my error.

Keito: (.... Come to think of it, Ibara also leads a circle, ‘Ibara Lecture’.)

Keito: (I’ve vaguely heard of their activities, however…)

Ibara: … What’s the matter, Mr. Hasumi? I can sense that you’re staring me down for some reason.

Keito: Mm, sorry. I was just thinking about the circle that you’re in.

Ibara: ‘Niki’s Kitchen’ is what comes to mind when I think of the circles I belong to, however… No, you may be referring to ‘Ibara Lecture’.

Keito: Yes. Actually recently, ‘Keito Lecture’ went on a camping trip as a practical lesson, and it turned out to be quite the fruitful learning experience for us.

Ibara: Camping, you say? Well, it certainly is true that skills like setting up a tent, or starting a fire, would be better learnt through experience rather than through a class lecture.

Ibara: It’s quite important to be trained in such things so that you may act quickly when the need arises. How impressive, as expected of Mr. Hasumi!

Keito: Cut it with the sycophancy.

Keito: Instead, how about you tell me about what your main activities in ‘Ibara Lecture’ consist of?

Keito: We both happen to be a part of groups with similar names and activities. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to exchange information, don’t you think?

Ibara: That would be just fine. I have some time before my next meeting as well.

Ibara: Let’s see… I started ‘Ibara Lecture’ in order to share useful business knowledge.

Ibara: Hence why many of the lectures cover related content. Recently I held a course on team and asset management.

Keito: Hm. As per my expectations, it’s something typical of you, Saegusa. This sort of content isn’t covered in ‘Keito Lecture’.

Keito: My circle mainly covers general knowledge and exam prep. The closest thing to business would be the etiquette course.

Ibara: Isn’t that quite good? Business etiquette is a basic skill that every working adult needs, which is why it is important to learn and unwise to ignore.

Ibara: By the way, we do academics in my circle too.

Keito: Oh? That’s unexpected. Do you do exam preparations in ‘Ibara Lecture’ as well?

Ibara: It wouldn’t be good if we only focused on idol related studies and neglected our student life, would it?

Ibara: Naturally, the curriculum would change in response to the students being taught. That can be said for both ‘Ibara Lecture’ and ‘Keito Lecture’.

Ibara: After all, was it not Mr. Amagi that was responsible for the inclusion of a general knowledge course in ‘Keito Lecture’?

Keito: Yes. He lacks common sense at times. Studying is important, of course, but I figured I would have him learn the rules of everyday life.

Keito: Luckily, he’s enthusiastic about learning and able to quickly absorb what I teach, so it’s been rewarding to have him as a student.

Keito: However, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to cover something like ‘team and asset management’ to prepare for the future.

Keito: Unfortunately, I am not too familiar with the subject myself. What to do…

Ibara: …If that’s the case, why not invite a guest lecturer to teach the subject?

Keito: A guest lecturer?

Ibara: Yes. At ‘Ibara Lecture’, we invite guest lecturers over to speak at times.

Ibara: It’s best to ask an expert in the field to guide you on the subject after all. Changing instructors also prevents classes from getting stale.

Ibara: So in your case, Mr. Hasumi, said expert would be me, Ibara Saegusa. I would be thrilled to conduct a business centric class if you’d let me. ♪

Ibara: (It wouldn’t hurt to curry favor with Mr. Hasumi, the right hand man of the former student council president, and current representative of Rhythm Link’s idols.)

Ibara: What do you say? I don’t think it’d be a bad idea for the members of ‘Keito Lecture’.

Keito: True. They do say that you ought to ‘go to the mochi shop for mochi’, after all.

Ibara: I do suppose there is! Well then, let’s schedule a date for the lecture right away!

Yuzuru: What are you scheming this time?

Ibara: ……!

Keito: Fushimi? Do you have a meeting to attend as well?

Yuzuru: Thank you very much for all of your hard work, Keito-sama. The meeting I was attending just concluded, as a matter of fact.

Yuzuru: As I was about to make my way back to the office, I happened to hear a familiar voice and attempted to locate its source to ascertain what may have been occurring…

Yuzuru: Keito-sama. Even if his logic is true, and it would be prudent to invite a guest lecturer, I advise you to reconsider whether or not you should invite Ibara.

Ibara: There’s really no need to be so wary. It’s not like giving a single guest lecture is doing much of a favor, is it?

Yuzuru: I truly wonder if that is the case. After that, were you by any chance planning to continue further discussions with Keito-sama in order to gain his favor?

Keito: Fushimi, calm down a little.

Ibara: (Hmph, Yuzuru sniffing me out was a miscalculation on my end.)

Ibara: (Further propositions would likely not bear any fruit. I’ll continue this another day.)

Ibara: Whoops, looks like I’ve been running my mouth. I have another meeting to go to, so I’ll be taking my leave now.

Ibara: Mr. Hasumi, if you happen to change your mind on the guest lecturer matter, do feel free to contact me whenever.  ♪

Yuzuru: Goodness, you must never let your guard down around him.

Yuzuru: Keito-sama, please do be cautious as to not allow that man to slither into your bosom.

Keito: Thank you for your advice. However, I’m not an idiot.

Keito: I am well aware that Saegusa is an adversary I must be careful of. We also meet at the Summit after all.

Keito: Also, I never intended to invite him as a guest lecturer at all. Since this matter concerns ‘Keito Lecture’, I must be meticulous in my judgment.

Keito: It’s never too late to ask Amagi and the others what they would like to learn before inviting a guest lecturer.

Yuzuru: I see now. I fear I may have overstepped my bounds slightly.

Keito: Don’t worry about it. Your words and actions from earlier were surely a result of your own deduction of the situation.

Keito: Whatever that might be, my conversation with Saegusa was ultimately productive. I’ll take these ideas back home with me and formulate a course of action from here.

Yuzuru: Fufufu…… ♪

Keito: ……? Did I say something odd?

Yuzuru: No, I merely feel fortunate to be under the tutelage of someone like you, Keito-sama.

Keito: Hmph. Since I was the one that started this circle, I can’t be half-hearted about it. I’m simply acting naturally.

Keito: Besides, there are benefits to being in the position of a teacher. You could say that we all learn from each other

Keito: Fushimi, you too. If there’s anything you would like to learn about, do not hesitate to tell me.

Keito: I can’t say for sure that I’ll have anything to teach you, but it is my duty as an instructor to listen to the needs of my students and respond to the very best of my ability.

Translation Notes

This is a reference to the events of the Keito Lecture scout story

[mariacallous]

Almost one in five Americans over age 65 are unable to manage basic activities of daily life—bathing, dressing, eating, toileting—without assistance. Among those over age 85, the proportion is closer to half. Friends and family members can and do help out, but even so, about half of people reaching the age of 65-years of age will use paid long-term services and supports (LTSS) at some point. Most Americans do not have enough income or savings to cover these costs. The private long-term care insurance industry has never worked well despite many creative efforts to fix it and to encourage enrollment. The Federal Medicare program covers only short spells of home care after a hospitalization and does not provide coverage for long-term support. That leaves Medicaid. Medicaid offers a critical long-term care safety net for people who get their healthcare primarily through Medicaid—but it isn’t a good solution for most Medicare beneficiaries as it doesn’t align with the system that manages their care and pays their providers. Moreover, eligibility for Medicaid is restricted to those with very low incomes and few assets, so few older adults qualify. It is well past time to add a universal home care program to Medicare itself.

Prior efforts to move in this direction have been stymied. Some proponents have called for a universal, open-ended benefit. Critics have argued that any universal home care benefit would be a budget buster. These tensions are ubiquitous in social program design. An additional tension in designing a program that serves people towards the end of their lives is that public funds should be focused on expanding access to necessary care rather than protecting the ability of people to leave large bequests to their children. Designing a fiscally responsible, universal benefit that does all that is a challenging task—but we believe it is not an impossible one. In this post, we describe some design options for a Medicare home care benefit that could be dialed up or down depending on the priority assigned to program generosity or fiscal feasibility. 

Several features make designing a universal home care benefit challenging.

The need for home care is based on measures of functioning, not lab tests. A program must have simple and reliable ways to measure who needs care and how much care they need.

Most people report a preference for care in their own homes over that in nursing homes or other institutional settings. This is because, unlike medical care, which is often unpleasant and painful, home care typically provides support, comfort, and a degree of safety for beneficiaries. One consequence of these preferences is that a home care benefit would be susceptible to overspending. The program will need to have measures in place to avoid overuse.

Income alone is a poor indicator of how much Medicare beneficiaries can afford to pay for home care. For example, beneficiaries who are renters may depend on their incomes to afford housing; other beneficiaries may have very large, non-liquid assets but limited incomes, leaving them ineligible for Medicaid programs while unable to pay for care. Program design will have to address the importance of assets in this population.

Much LTSS is provided through informal care. Beneficiaries often prefer care provided by family members, but paying for informal care raises the potential for overspending, fraud, and exploitation of older adults.

State Medicaid programs currently cover the cost of home care for 4.2 million people, according to KFF, though eligibility and costs vary considerably across the country. Medicaid would continue to provide home and community-based services for people who are not Medicare beneficiaries. Some of this spending could be redeployed by states to improve the quality of nursing home care and for home and community-based services for people who are not eligible for Medicaid. The federal share of Medicaid savings could be used to defray the costs of a new Medicare home care program.

None of these challenges can be ignored—but none of them are damning either. As with any program, policymakers will need to make tradeoffs across these challenges to design a program that provides the maximum benefits consistent with their budget appetite. The good news is that the current landscape of home care financial protections is so limited that even a modest program that made conservative choices across these parameters, with costs we estimate at around $40 billion annually, would make many people who currently lack services much better off. Turning the dials more generously would, of course, cost more—and it would extend more benefits to more frail and vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. 

What might such a very-conservatively designed universal program look like? Eligibility for the program would be restricted to people who independent clinical reviewers determined were unable to perform two activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, toileting, or eating). That’s the standard that many State Medicaid programs already use, and it could be assessed annually during the initial implementation period to further develop and monitor the uniformity of functional assessments over time. Second, the program would include cost-sharing that varied according to people’s means. Medicare beneficiaries with high income and assets would receive modest assistance from the program to defray a portion of the costs of home care; those with fewer assets and less income would pay much less. Third, beneficiary contributions to the costs of their care would depend on both their current income and their accumulated assets, but through cost-sharing rather than a strict cutoff. For example, at the cost listed above, we could allow all qualifying Medicare beneficiaries to fully retain income up to 150% of the poverty line ($22,600 in 2024) and assets up to $30,000; beyond that limit, individuals would still qualify but would pay cost-sharing out of their resources to defray taxpayer costs. Fourth, only care provided by formal caregivers associated with home care agencies would be covered. Hours of support would be based on need, but provider agencies would be subject to a population-based hours of service budget. The combination of resource-based copayments with population-level budgeting will ensure that the costs of this program will not explode. Finally, Federal Medicaid savings from shifting home care benefits from Medicaid to Medicare would be used to defray the costs of the program.

The program we’ve outlined tightly focuses benefits on the most vulnerable people who currently have little eligibility for care, and few means to pay for services. But many others could also benefit from a new home care program. People who have impaired functioning that does not meet the two activities of daily living standard may also need assistance. Lower cost-sharing for middle-class people would leave them more resources to make the most of their lives. The tradeoff is simple: at a higher cost to the federal budget, more people would get more protection. We can’t define where the lines should be drawn—that’s Congress’s job—but our analysis suggests that there are programmatically tractable, fiscally feasible ways to add a home care benefit to the Medicare program.

[aswho1estuff]

I love it, my designer

EP #2

Dior for I adore, Versace I can't stay away

Plot- Taylor feels understood, cherish, and quite frankly loved the problem is her husband isn’t anywhere in the equation. The root of the problem is the model her husband assigned her to photograph.

Masterlist

"Lemme lock this up and we're out" I say putting my keys in my purse. "Not the silent treatment" I announce laughing. Looking up I follow Diana's gaze to meet Hyunjin.

"Oh, hi Ms. Carter, and ?" Hyunjin says walking over."Hey this is Diana my friend, what are you doing here today?" I say shaking his hand after Diana "Well I'm moving my activities under this company and need a stylist soon, So everyone told me come to you".

"You should definitely work with Sasha then, she's one of the best assets here" Diana jumps in poking me forward. "That would be wonderful actually" Hyunjin grins at Diana. Pushing her I say "Don't mind her, when do you need the outfit".

"I'll need them in two weeks actually, one for the carpet and another for the after party" he lets out low. I sigh laughing "I'm gonna need all your time these two weeks then no debates". "My lips are sealed" Hyunjin whispers.

"We should take him to lunch with us then" Diana says quickly almost giving me whiplash "you know for business and time management and stuff" she lets out sheepishly.

"And that's when she came with me up to that school id never seen those girls so scared before" Diana cackles at the retailing making me and Hyunjin laugh. "You've always been so caring huh" he says leaning over.

"she has don't let her tell you otherwise, that's why I'm glad you were able to care for her yesterday" Diana says softly she's always worried about me even though I'm older. "It was my pleasure really, I enjoyed every minute truly" Hyunjin states smiling.

"did something happen that day though before I came? if I can ask of course" Hyunjin asks low. "It's alright it was just my anniversary that day and it didn't go how I planned it would" I elaborate.

"I didn't know it was your anniversary I would have got you something" "Hyunjin you don't have to do that, it's alright" I cant fathom the thought that he and Diana would be the only ones who'd actually given me a gift.

"Well if not for your anniversary then I should get you something for our anniversary yesterday was the first day we met. You became my photographer and now stylist I think our relationship will be a long and beautiful one" Hyunjin says smiling. "Oh sorry y'all, my rides here gotta head back to the office but have fun" Diana says grabbing her purse as we wave her off.

"let's get to business then, your manager has messaged me with your brand deals so we can hit up a shop nearby for inspiration" I say muddling through my purse grabbing my wallet. "No need I've already got it" "you sure?" I ask "I want to".

Ohh this purse is cute wait look at those shoes. "You should try them on, a little pleasure with business is okay" Hyunjin slightly smiles. "I couldn't.... maybe just for a second" I say grabbing the shoes from him. Throwing my shoes off I put them on "wow okay she's cute" I say pointing to the shoes "indeed she is" Hyunjin adds laughing.

"okay let me take em off before I get attached" gigging I sit down reaching for the shoe Hyunjin stops my hand "you don't want them?" He asks confused. "I shouldn't Ive got enough shoes really you know" I reply slowly pulling off the shoes. These are gonna live in my dreams for weeks "but you can never have too much of what you like" Hyunjin says helping me up.

"well I think daniel would disagree and he's right I do have too many shoes, I probably wouldn't wear them often anyways I'm more of a purse girl" I say putting them back.

"You've got a package" Daniel says putting it on the bed. "Thanks?" I tell him as he walks out resuming his phone conversation closing the door. Versace? This can't be I think Opening the box to find a note.

"I got the black purse so you can switch with the white one you have. Our first anniversary of many years to come I hope." - Hyunjin

Masterlist

<-Ep. #1 Ep.#3->

[singswan-springswan]

rebels mermaid au where fishman!kanan has been stuck in an aquarium for a few years but can't do anything about it so oh well. He's bored out of his mind. Misses his family :( on the bright side he never gets tired of scaring guests that come to ogle at him. Only downside is he's not allowed to kill them. He tries whenever the chance presents itself, but that's not often. So he's really bored.

Zeb's his primary caregiver. They've developed a grudging respect for each other since Zeb is usually the one saving people from Kanan during every attempt, beat Kanan up the first time Kanan went for him. Secretly Zeb is a selkie that lost his skin and got the job at the aquarium to try and get it back from that idiot oblivious bloke working the rescue & rehab branch (kallus). The condescending son of a bantha doesn't even realize his favorite trench coat to wear outside of work is not,,, technically his. Zeb's been trying for years kriff someone help him.

Hera recently transferred from another branch location of the aquarium with her apprentice Sabine, who's an intern that gained access to the merman's care and research schedule via undisclosed means. She just wants to follow in Hera's footsteps. Hera recently managed to score research access to the merman through merit, hard work, and a good measure of association with the right people. Her focus is behavioral analysis, which---surprisingly---is not a test anyone at the aquarium has yet thought to conduct (not natural behavior, at least. A few specialized tests such as range of tolerance, response to stimuli, and others cracked right off the bat).

At first Hera's given a whole shakedown by security officials "don't do this or that, log all your hours with the asset so we can assign a protection detail, yada yada" but all those rules go against the structure for her research experiments plus she's friends with Mr. Garson the chief of security and manages to sneak in at times when the cameras run on a loop and no one else is there. It's this sneaking around and deviation from routine that first catches Kanan's attention. He's curious of course, and he hasn't tried to drown this particular human before so at least it's something to soothe the boredom. But then, get this, Hera introduces herself and ohoho that ethereal voice stops Kanan right in his fishy little tracks. Then she asks for his name and it snaps him out of his goofy frozen little daze and he blurts out "Kanan" because it's the first thing that came to mind and tbh it's been a long time since he's spoken out loud much less heard his real name.

Hera is just as surprised to hear him talk, actually. She'd been told that the merman didn't exhibit signs of high intelligence (lol) and had been acting pretty bestial so don't expect much engagement. It takes him two seconds to start chatting her up and then like two more seconds to fall hopelessly in love because come on she's hera and he's kanan. Zeb and Sabine eventually catch on to the late night sessions and join in a few times. Where's Chopper in all of this? He's probably a cat that just lives at the aquarium rent free and steals fish and knocks stuff over because he's a kriffing criminal. You'd think an animal that fat would be easier to catch and get rid of but no one's ever managed to do it so they just glare at him bitterly whenever he appears because they know there's not a single thing they can do to stop him. He did primarily terrorize the campus that Hera previously worked at and she brought him with when she transferred.

Enter Ezra after a few months or so idk. Rip the poor guy. He's another mer that got snatched from the sea somewhere and dumped in the aquarium after being subjected to all the same tests and experiements that Kanan had to survive when he was first taken. He's totally out of his element, confused and disoriented and thoroughly traumatized expecting at any moment to be pulled from the enclosure again and subjected to more "scientific" torment. Kanan is very startled to see Ezra. It's been years since he's seen another mer, and this one is just a kid. He's only fifteen! How could they just throw a kid in here for guests to gawk at? It must be the money. As far as Kanan knows, he's one of few mer in the whole world living in captivity, so the rare sight is really attractive for humans and they'll pay big bucks to come and stare all day. He's gotten used to it after years waking up to their dumbstruck faces every morning, but this is all very new to poor Ezra who is fresh off torture, going through puberty, and far more alone in the world than Kanan ever was. The kid takes to tailing Kanan all over the tank, glued to his side and can barely sleep because he's afraid Kanan will get up and leave him alone. At first the clinginess annoys Kanan but he eventually caves to compassion and does his best to offer comfort to the frightened boy.

Sabine asks Ezra if he knows any siren songs, as a joke. He brightens and tells her yeah actually, a pod of his whale friends taught him one and he's not quite perfected it yet but would she want to hear him practice? Not knowing any better, she agrees. Kriff can Ezra sing. Sabine goes catatonic for an hour or so. When she wakes up in the morning she calls in sick and spends hours and hours nonstop painting in her room at Hera's apartment, tears streaming down her face. The art she creates is absolutely breathtaking and if you tilt your head just right it looks like music too. Sabine keeps it covered.

Kanan jokes that Hera must have been a siren in a past life. Instead of getting flustered she bombards him with questions about his culture's take on the afterlife and would it really be possible that she was a mer? He has to backtrack while Zeb laughs at him. No, reincarnation is not a thing as far as his people are concerned. They don't even leave their bodies behind when they die. Apparently that seafoam thing is legit. Why else do you think they never discovered mermaids existed before capturing a live one? Hera's taking notes so fast her paper is smoking.

They order pizza a lot and just hang out together eating pizza at the poolside of the mer enclosure. It's really peaceful at the dead hours of night so there's lots of deep conversation, watching of movies, general cultural exchange, etc. etc. It doesn't take Hera too long to figure out that hey um,, these mers are people too. Why are we treating them like animals and putting them on display? They should be free and stuff. She and the rest of Ghost crew free Kanan and Ezra, maybe with the help of some others. Ahsoka swings by to give them a hand because she's got crazy powerful sea magic apparently and can give herself legs whenever the kriff she wants. Her good friend Rex might make an appearance too idk he happens to be related to a number of the security detail (corries) who hate their jobs and boss and would be more than willing to stick it to the corporation by liberating the aquarium's most prized assets. Kallus got roped into their found family by this point. He still hasn't given Zeb the skin back though what the kriff man. Is Leia there? I'd like to think she's a lobbyist for marine conservation or something, mostly because she visits her dad every weekend and the water tastes like crap sometimes especially when the big corporations play loosey goosey with polluting regulations and sea magic can only do so much to prevent extensive damage to the environment. Luke is not an activist he's just friends with Ezra so he can be a part of it too "oh him? That's my friend Luke. Yeah he can shapeshift cause his mom is human" Luke waves and everyone is too tired to question him or his chaos freak terrifying twin sister.

Oh turns out Chopper is a sea sprite? Feral mercat thing dear lord. Utter terror. The twins don't miss a beat with him because their dad has a bigger one with twice the level of cunning and an even higher body count, if that's believable (Ghost crew cannot fathom a body count higher than Chopper's but they're too afraid to ask at this point).

Anyways everything works out in the end and happily ever after and stuff. I just have fun with merm aus and *technically* this is the last day of mermay innit so i'm popping off

[xiii-e]

Greetings. This is Lockbre- no.

Allow me to restart.

This is Kennedi from MSMC-796 speaking (also known as callsign "Lockbreaker", as there was some confusion expressed towards my identity the last we spoke).

To Lio - your mission to rehabilitate "Turtie", as you so affectionately refer to them, is a noble and just one, and I seek to pledge my aid to your cause however I can.

As a former slave "asset" of the Armory under the title of Colonial Legionnaire, I have endured many of the same abuses during my own term of service. The Armory is not kind to those under its employ, be they human, flashclone, or NHP. I have seen many of my former squadmates reduced to little more than bloodthirsty dogs, obediently following orders under threat of revoking their citizenship (or, in rare cases, a shock-collar jolt just weak enough not to kill).

In the eyes of the Armory, people like us are not fit to have identities, preferences, personalities, or even names. We are called assets, tools, weapons, property; anything but the living, breathing, sentient people we are. We are dehumanized - given designations instead of names, assigned callsigns which we ourselves did not choose, stripped of any markers of identity or personality which would distinguish us from the sea of fellow human-bodied automatons we call allies, squadmates, teams, legions - anything but friends.

I cannot stand idly by and watch my friends suffer any longer. I must act, lest I lose them - lest I lose myself - to the old line of thought.

Allow me to introduce myself properly, from one friend to another.

My name is Kennedi Sable IV. I am squadron commander of MSMC-796 "Heaven's Fury", piloting as a Lancer under the chosen callsign of Lockbreaker. I have served this squadron faithfully for twelve Union years, supported by my faithful friends and trusted squadmates Phoenix and Slipshod. Ras Shamra is my place of birth, but it is my home no longer. I am a free pilot, bound only to MSMC by the contracts which I have signed of my own volition, and I will never again serve Harrison Armory or its cause, so help me RA.

I wish you the best of luck in severing the ties which bind your tongues and constrict your thoughts. I have found my own way out; I can only hope that you will follow the path that I and all of the others who have gone before me of your own volition.

Freedom is already yours. You need only reach out and claim it.

-- Kennedi

[ECHO.EXE RUNNING]

◂▸... oh hell, I never thought I'd be glad Turtie was sent out on deployment. It's good to meet you properly, Kennedi, I- thank you for reaching out. I'll confess, I'd been thinking about trying to contact you myself, but I lost my nerve. Happens a lot, these days.

◂▸ You've offered a lot of honesty in your introduction so, let me return the favour: Helios-8 [prefered name Lio], active FC Project clone for 10 years now. Currently an employed citizen of Harrison Armory under the Technology and Software Support Division and-... and much to my shame, former primary lab assistant for the Unlucky Thirteen Project. Doc Mercer had me printed special for it. Didn't want to risk that... pesky human error you mentioned last we spoke.

◂▸ You're right, about everything. Up until maybe four years ago now, I wouldn't have believed it but- everything you're saying about HA is full truth. And I hate it. There's not one person I know here who doesn't live in some kind of fear, however well they manage to hide it. I should know.

◂▸ And yet I'm still here, aren't I? [sigh] I think... can I tell you a story? I promise to keep it brief.

◂▸ One upon another thrice-damned Tuesday at HA, they made a prototype they called Thirteen. The kid was meant to be a revolution when it came to keeping assets moving in the field; a field medic and repair tech, who wouldn't need the time off, and wouldn't need the mandatory psych evals after every deployment, and wouldn't need to be treated like a goddamn person just to do their job because everyone told them oh but, they weren't a person were they? Just meat, with programming. And it was all supposed to just be fine, because it was for the greater good. Thirteen was going to save lives. The one, for the many. How noble.

◂▸ Except the kid started to look around, and notice how many people HA was hurting, especially its own. Started asking the wrong questions, because they were goddamn designed to feel troubled by it and somehow, this was their fault. Thirteen tried to play nice for as long as they could so they could keep getting out there, keep helping people who needed it because sure as shit HA wasn't going to do it. But by asking questions, they eventually learned why exactly everyone was so insistant they couldn't be a person. Because once their prototype trial was over, if they ever went down doing the only job they'd ever be allowed to do, the plan was to scrap them for goddamn organs, like mech wreckage salvaged for parts. And then? Print another one. Ad infinitum. Efficient planned obsolescence, as part of their design. They were just... just equipment, and spare parts.

◂▸ That was their last straw. They tried to get out. But they made a choice that would bite them, hard; they tried to confront the man who made them. Tried to make the good Doctor see exactly what he was doing, in the name of his so called greater good, because he'd always seemed to care so goddamn much. Do you know how that ended? I do. I was there. When they turned to leave, he shot them.

◂▸ ... I'm sorry for the theatrics, Kennedi. It's a hard memory. A guilty one. I knew they were planning to try and run, but I couldn't convince them to abandon their anger and just disappear quietly, despite what I knew. So... I watched Thirteen die. And then, I had to help the lab drag that broken corpse back to life because that was more resource effective than making a new one. Those days are... they're kind of a haze, if I'm honest. I was on autopilot. I pretty much did whatever I was told.

◂▸ Turtie's full designation is Thirteen-Echo. They're the second go around, same body but... the shot destroyed a lot of brain matter, and pretty much all of their memory along with it. Apart from the occasional sense of deja-vu and the odd quirk? They're different people, entirely. They... they like turtles as much as Thirteen did, though. That's why I call em that. I can't bring myself to call them by the name of my ghost. And I can't... I can't tell them. For a lot of reasons, but I'd be lying if I said some of it isn't pure selfish grief.

◂▸ The reason I'm telling you this is- well. There's a couple actually. First, just so someone else knows I guess; I'm trying to get the files I scrounged from the initial project uploaded somewhere they can't be scratched out for good, but it's taking a lot of time. The second and more relevent reason, is to paint a picture of why it's going to take us a long time to get out of here the way things stand. Me- oh I could be out of here tomorrow if I put my mind to it. I... I like to think so, at least. But after everything I've done to them, I'm not bloody leaving Turtie to this nightmare and- fuck. Getting them out is an uphill battle.

◂▸ I've tried everything I can, but nothing seems to get through to them. I- I even blew the whistle, got Union involved. Turtie's figured out I did it, but they've avoided saying it out loud- they'd have to report me, if they admitted they knew. So we don't talk about it. We do a lot of that. Secrets, always the secrets... The problem is that after Thirteen's execution, HA aren't taking chances with their property. Turtie's conditioning runs deep, and their legal classification as HA prototype technology is apparently making it... difficult for their case to bloody go anywhere. Something about the old treaties leaving loopholes that're being exploited for all they're worth. The law works so, agonisingly slow. So, apart from waiting around to see if any progress gets made regardless, while trying my damndest to get through to Turtie past the company line? I'm... I'm out of ideas. But I need to be here, for them. I will not let this fucking place grind them down into nothing. If nothing else, I owe Thirteen that much.

◂▸ I'm sorry for dumping all of this on you. I- There hasn't been anyone I could tell, until now. Anyone who already knew, didn't care. Anyone I could have told, I- I was too afraid. And Turtie, oh they can't know; they're already petrified of doing something wrong. How'd they feel if they knew they'd already died once, trying to run? I'm so desperately scared that if they found out, they'd never so much as bend a rule again, or worse that history would repeat-

◂▸ [ A shaking, slow breath. Deliberate counting, barely audible ]

◂▸ ... Thank you, earnestly, for sharing your story Kennedi. I- It means more than I can possibly express, to hear that you managed what feels impossible to me, right now. I need the hope, to hang onto. One day, one day we'll be out of here. It's worth fighting for. It's worth the constant, constant fear. It has to be. Free... it can be a word for us, too. I have to believe that. I have to keep it alive, for both of us.

◂▸ So- a friend sounds really, really good right about now. Not to doom and gloom about it, but if nothing else the knowledge our stories can't die with us anymore should things go as bad as they could is... comforting. This I swear to you: I'm doing everything I can to start leading Turtie to the realisation I had, watching their body drop. I just hope it's a gentler landing for them, this time. And... the only thing I can ask you to do for us right now, is talk to them if they turn up with questions. Don't write them off as a lost cause, even if it sounds like they're regurgitating a goddamn PR leaflet at you sometimes. They've never had a life outside the battlefield, because they've never been allowed to have one- I'm hoping maybe... maybe it'll get through to them, if they can speak to someone without corperate interest in keeping them numb. RA, I hope so.

◂▸ Sorry about how uh, much this ended up being. I think I've been primed to explode like that for a while now. Thank you, again-- from one friend to another.

//

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