#became a doctor to save others with conditions like hers

[gravityglitch-blog]

Okay, let me start by saying that I haven't played this game yet. Spoilers don't bother me much, and I've been using my various fandoms as shields against life lately.

So, like a fool, I just had to watch the cutscenes from Shadow's story and OMG...

The memory of his adoring big sister has always been part of his strength, no one can convince me otherwise.

The way he tries to hold on for even just a few extra seconds, it's too much😭

Sega, you are paying for my therapy!

[lets-try-some-writing]

I hope you don't mind, this isn't about Unicron and Earth but while you have inspiration I would like to take you up on that TFA prompts thing.

The Warframes prompt was most interesting to me. I like to believe that each of the younger members of Team Prime have some kind of Warframe coding;

Optimus is taller than the average Autobot Civilframe and stronger than he looks, he pulls his punches but still manages to be the best fighter the Academy has seen in eons. He has retractable claws, blunt and a little rusty from neglect. He also has quite the set of wild chompers, long, broad, semi-retractable fangs that can flex in his mouth like mandibles (think Chinese water deer), a set of broad tusks that poke out from his bottom lip, and the rest are all slightly sharper than average. He keeps his jaw transfigured to hide them away, making them appear more like just slightly more pronounced canines. This tends to cause aches and pains in his hands and jaw like arthritis and teething problems.

Prowl knows full well he's a Warframe. Those blue-tinted shades? If you look close enough, you might find purple eyes behind them, which of course are actually red. It's why he dodged the draft. Sure, he didn't wanna get caught up in the war, but he Definitely didn't wanna be found out as a Warframe and get decommissioned. It's part of why he's so reserved, Master Yoketron risked and lost his chassis protecting his secret.

Bulkhead is a Civilframe, but his spark says otherwise. He's massive compared to other Autobots, even taller ones like Optimus. His bulky frame, tendency to break things - even accidentally - and his occasionally short temper are compensation for his spark trying to manifest a proper frame transfiguration, but the protoform mold he was made from won't allow it. He sometimes has spark pains and aches from the strain.

And poor little Bumblebee. Also a "civilframe", but he didn't always look like that. He originally had door wings and antennae, but such features can be seen as "other" and "Warframe-like" to Autobots - after all, there are no Autobots who have wings, let alone fly. That's a Decepticon Trait - and he was often picked on for it. He eventually went and got a reformatting, but even then, it didn't stop the back-strut phantom pains from the lack of his door wings or the occasional migraines from the severed nubs of his old antennae beneath his horns.

And Ratchet? He's a Civilframe, through and through, emerged as one from the Well and would return to the Well in the same condition. But even then, while he doesn't have the weapons, coding, or spark of a Warframe, he sure as pit feels like one after the war. The longer he stayed with the Autobots, the more jaded and numb he became towards them. He watched as the once great faction he believed in fell to the same trappings as the Golden Age of Cybertron. This day and age? He could confidently say he's met Decepticons with more honor than most of the Autobots he knows. The Autobots were now more of a slightly more conniving and subtle lesser of two violent evils.

I want to see Ratchet coaxing the Warframe traits out of his - sparklings, younglings - team. He assures Prowl he won't tell a spark about his Warframe heritage, doctor-patient confidentiality, but he does insist that Prowl tells the others. He helps Bulkhead with his spark problems for the short term but knows he's going to have to get reformatted eventually into a proper frame for his spark or he might end up back in the Well of Allsparks earlier than he should. Bumblebee gets incredibly damaged during a fight that prompts Sari to use her key to save his life, which ultimately brings back his wings and antennae. He braces for jeering remarks and disgusted looks but instead finds comfort and care from his teammates in his recovery and learning to be himself again. (Bumblebee usually hangs out around Optimus more since, with his finials and Bee's antennae, they communicate much more easily this way.)

And when Ratchet finds out about Optimus' neglect of his claws and the strain he's putting on his jaw from keeping his fangs and tusks hidden away? Hoo boy. He practically forces Optimus to sit down with him and clean his claws of the rust and debris and sharpen them a bit for maintenance, he coaxes him into releasing his transformed jaw, letting it rest (unclench your jaw), and sets a strict maintenance regimen so it doesn't happen again. With the release of his fangs and claws and finally starting to relax, Optimus starts acting a little more... feral. Figuring something was wrong they looked into his coding to find active base coding. The others are concerned that his repression of his fangs and claws reactivated it or he had a bad sparkling-hood, but Ratchet reassures them that while those were valid concerns, bots with Warframe coding can sometimes have active base coding since their primary function was for war and needed the extra edge in battle, merely a holdover from his Warframe heritage. (Though he does start scouring the Autobot's files on Optimus just to be sure everything is ok back home.)

This brings the team closer together with these common traits. Optimus can relax more around his team-pack-family, and often engages in "sparring" (which is more often than not like play-fighting) expressing more of his feral traits - which Bumblebee has come to mimic. Prowl tells the others about his heritage as a Warframe and acts as the silent protector for the others (especially Bumblebee, though he would never admit it). They all have weekly "spa-sessions" for Bulkhead so he can relax and calm his spark, Prowl offers messages. And Bumblebee feels more at ease with the crew, outwardly expressing his emotions through his EM field and his wings and antennae, Optimus in particular responds to him more with his finials. He even let's out little mechanical buzzing-chittering noises that Sari points out are a lot like an organic bumblebee. All in all, they're all so much more happy and healthy, and Ratchet can't help but pat himself of the back.

Autobot High Command be damned, if they question why Ratchet allowed the other's undesirable coding to fester instead of eliminating it, he'll say he was doing his job as a Medic and looking out for the health of his team. And if Ultra Magnus himself has a problem with it, he can shove his Magnus Hammer right up his--!

(Anyway, if TFP Ultra Magnus and TFA Ultra Magnus met, it'd be On Sight. For TFA Magnus. TFP Magnus will not tolerate any slander of his Leader no matter what form he takes or universe he's from. I have a feeling that TFA OP would be adopted by the entirety of TFP Team Prime, and they would probably have to be held back from hunting down Ultra Magnus and Sentinel. TFA OP would probably put his foot down for Sentinel (old habits die hard, and despite being a dick, Optimus doesn't want Sentinel dead) but Ultra Magnus is free game. He did say he didn't have the programming to be a hero after all, why should he play hero and save his sorry aft now?)

Dude this is all brilliant. I don't think I can use ALL of it at once but I am going to roll with this prompt now thank you. Consider this a chapter 1 of sorts I suppose. Warframes au is in action!

━━━━━━ ⊙ ❖ ⊙ ━━━━━━━━━━━━

Two hundred... two hundred and eighty five... three hundred. All accounted for. Starscream had to do a few double takes with the frameless newsparks to ensure that their containers didn't hold more than one, a startlingly common occurrence with a few due to some less than optimally educated creators packing their bitlets up for transport incorrectly. Thankfully, all the frameless newsparks seemed to be in order. Their containers lined the walls and were perfectly locked in, with no room for possible breakage or loss of life. Some flared in greeting as he extended his field to encompass their containers. A particularly bright set of sparks flashed as Starscream neared, both already being familiar with his presence due to him having tended to them most often during the evacuation phase.

The leftmost was abnormally large for being but a spark, a fact Strika and her consort continually reveled in without end. The rightmost, by comparison, was small but powerful. As was to be expected by all that remained of Tarantulas. Both were so bright, not yet dulled by war. All Starscream could do was pause and touch the glass of their containers. Tarantulas had been so proud of his creation before he fell at Hydrax... At least the newspark would be taken care of far away from the war. Maybe when they were grown, they could connect to their creator through history.

Soon enough, Starscream sighed and turned away. His gaze shifted to the older ones, the newsparks who had long since graduated and advanced to the status of newbuilds, and in some cases, younglings. Most of them were strapped into their pods, ready to be put into stasis lock throughout the journey. The younger ones clutched trinkets from their creators, toys, charms, sometimes even a weapon or two. Only the oldest remained out of pods, standing firmly with pistols on their hips. They were the hopefully unneeded last line of defense, each youngling barely trained enough to qualify as guards and still far too small to be reasonably expected to perform.

The younglings tried to look stoic, going from newbuild to newbuild in order to calm their nervous sparks. But in their optics, Starscream saw fear. Terror for what was to come, of the separation that loomed ahead of them. He couldn't show it, but he dreaded it as well.

"Sir, when will we see our creators again?" One of the younglings, a gold and black model with bright red optics, stared up at him cautiously. The youngling clutched his pistol tightly, his terror poorly concealed. As much as Starscream wanted to reassure the youngling that all would be well, he couldn't make such promises, not with war raging around them and growing closer and closer to their borders. Instead, he dropped to a knee and tried to smile.

"Once Lord Megatron drives back the nasty Autobots, you and the rest will be brought back to New Kaon with all the speed the Decepticon Armada can muster." The youngling managed a weak half smile in return, holding his pistol a little looser. Starscream patted him on the helm, hoping that the action would comfort them both.

"Why don't you tell me your designation? That way, if I see your creators, I can give them a message for you." That seemed to cause the little one to perk up. The youngling smiled brightly, releasing his pistol entirely to grin.

"My creator is Barricade! He named me Prowl! If you see him, please tell him I'm going to become a spy just like him! And when I do, I'll come find him!" Starscream fought the urge to wince as he nodded and sent the youngling off. Prowl didn't need to know that the likelihood of reuniting with his creator was next to none if his line of work was as Megatron's optics and audials.

It was better this way. Better than the young live and old die in their defense.

Standing and turning his attention to the rest of the newsparks, he noted the youngest ones were safely held in their incubators along the walls, their small protoforms barely more than simple living metal. Making his way to their section of the transport, he took his time walking along to view each incubator. The newsparks within were of various sizes, a nod to their creators unique CNA. Few had color, still mostly protoform white. However, there were a handful that were already showing signs of their heritage, a fact Starscream smiled at. Thankfully, the newsparks weren't distressed. Most were deep in recharge, already preparing for stasis lock due to their young age.

It was a small mercy.

"There you are, Orion." A hint of mixed relief and grief settled in Starscream's spark as he pressed up close to the glass of one particular incubator. The newspark within squirmed upon seeing him, optics bright and flashing in his creation's version of a smile. Already Orion looked so much like Skyfire that it hurt. Red, blue, and white plating. Optics blazing a stunning crystalline hue like a cloudless sky. If one didn't know any better, it would be hard to call Orion a relative, much less his direct heir. But, the signs were still there. Small clawed digits, wing nubs that looked more suitable for speed than the heavy transport abilities of his other creator. Despite that, he was likely to look most like Skyfire, a fact Starscream cherished.

"You be good for your fosters. Don't bite them and don't give them too much snark, alright, starlight?" Orion cooed in response, his little vocalizer hardly formed enough to produce even basic sounds. Starscream knew it would be breaking code, but he was unable to fight the desire to hold his creation one last time before their separation. Hoping and praying no one was looking, he scooped Orion into his arms, letting the newspark rest firmly against his chassis to hear his spark once more. Instantly, Orion cuddled up against him, his small face pinched in the same way Skyfire always did when they cuddled.

"You are so soft sparked, Orion. But I see a warrior in you..." He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to the newspark's helm, enjoying the babble he got in return despite how much it ached. He'd already lost Skyfire. And now he was going to lose Orion as well... if only for a time.

"No matter what happens, remember that you are a seeker of Vos. Keep your honor. Fight for our people. And when this is all over, when we've won this war... you will inherit our ancestral home." He rocked Orion in his arms, fighting back the urge to run with Orion and never come back as grief assaulted him once more. It was too soon. Far too soon since Skyfire... but he couldn't risk it. None of them could.

The little ones had to be sent away.

"Once the Decepticons have retaken Cybertron, seekers will again rule the skies. And you, my hunter, will lead them." Orion chirped, curling up tightly against Starscream's chassis. A few alarms rang out around him, alerting Starscream to the fact that their time was almost up. He didn't want to leave, to let go of this and all he had. But what choice did he have? He couldn't risk Orion.

"Starscream, are the newsparks secure?" A harsh comm from Megatron finally snapped Starscream from his stupor. He laid Orion back in his incubator, steeling his spark as much as he could as the newspark stretched and curled up to recharge. Looking around once more, he gathered the strength to reply.

"Yes, my Lord. They are ready for launch." An affirmation greeted his response, to which Starscream swiftly took the chance to leave the shuttle before the urge to snatch Orion up became too strong. This was for the best.

This was for the best.

Right?

He tried his best to convince himself that his little mantra was right as he went about his work. But as deca-cycles ticked by, Starscream felt unease and even fear from his creation. It was to be expected considering their parting, but this was... strange. Orion was terrified far too often for his liking. His very spark told him something was wrong.

Unfortunately for him, his instincts were correct.

"My Lords... the Vengeful Spark has been captured by Autobot forces. By the time reinforcements arrived... all the newsparks were confirmed to be gone."

No. This couldn't be happening.

"What happened to them?" Megatron's booming voice rang out with a wrathful undertone that left even the bravest shaking. Starscream, however, barely heard him. White hot fury raged in every part of him as he listened, his grip on the war room table increasing to the point of damaging the surface.

"The Well of Allsparks stopped producing vorns ago. We believe that in light of this, they targeted the evacuation ship specifically to claim our newsparks as their own." Those fragging GLITCHES.

"THIS IS ABOMINABLE!"

"We must bring Cybertron DOWN."

"This cannot stand."

The cries of his fellow Decepticons echoed around him. But all Starscream could feel was the terror of his creation, the rage of having lost him and his conjunx, and the sheer wrath that boiled so hotly in his spark it threatened to explode.

They would pay. They would ALL pay.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Being stranded on a foreign world with limited resources was never fun. Having an entire team of what amounted to three younglings and one semi-adult? That was even worse. The only saving grace was that each seemed to have enough common sense to not be wrapped up in all the propaganda nonsense. Ratchet's initial assessment of his newfound team was fairly simple.

Young, stupid, but not unsalvagable.

That assessment changed the instant he started getting them in for checkups.

"Optimus, who were your creators?" The Prime sat on the edge of the medical berth, shrugging as if he weren't a walking medical disaster. He smiled sheepishly, showing off the tips of fangs he had evidently tried hard to hide. His digits tapped the berth, small claws having been long since filed down but quickly growing back. A quick glance at his frame showed that he was far too lean for a ground unit. It wasn't something he noticed initially, but the Prime was abnormally top heavy, a trait usually found in flight or warframes. On top of that, his optics were unusually focused. Most civilian framed bots had full optical lenses that hid their inner workings. But warframes? Their optical glass was more transparent, allowing for them to focus on targets easier.

Optimus, on the surface, looked the part of the simple grounder. But any medic worth their shanix could take one scan and see he absolutely was NOT what he seemed. The constant twitching only added to Ratchet's suspicions.

"I don't know who my creators are. I was a refugee found orphaned after an attack down in Polyhex." What a bunch of slag. Any vet could tell that the Polyhex 'attack' was a coverup. Thinking back on it, there had been a sudden surge in newsparks following that event...

"Bumblebee, what about you? Who were your creators?" The yellow grounder flinched at being called out, a fact Ratchet noted with growing suspicion. Bumblebee was far more in line with traditional civilian blueprints when compared to Optimus, but getting a closer look at him revealed scars. Dozens of surgical scars of all things. He'd had parts removed, parts that Ratchet could swiftly assume were likely more warframe than civilian.

"Don't know! I'm with the Bossbot. I was one of the last wave that came from the Well." Bumblebee's plating shifted, and instinctual thing that would have once allowed a mech with wings to raise them. Ratchet sighed as he saw the motion. His statement was also a bunch of scrap. Ratchet had been one of the attending medics at the last wave and it had been long before Bumblebee or the rest were framed.

"Bulkhead. Same question." The largest of their group fiddled with his digits, unsure of how to answer. Scanning him like a hawk, Ratchet found no physical issues to add to his increasingly likely theory. But the gentle white glow of the bulky mech's optics told a story that fell in line with his teammates. Running a scan showed his spark signature was off the charts. His spark was far too powerful for the frame it was in. He had to be in pain. There was no way all that excess energy wasn't hurting him, especially since he wasn't bolting around twenty four seven.

He was in the wrong frame. That much was clear.

"Sorry Doc. I was also part of the last wave." Ratchet sighed, rubbing his face as he looked over the three near younglings in his care. Was he going senile? He highly doubted it. This... whatever this was... it was not beyond the Council. Especially if it was for the sake of their precious war.

"Give me a moment." Stepping out of the medical bay, Ratchet moved directly to Prowl's room. The ninja was the only one he hadn't had much of a chance to scan, and now he needed to be sure.

"Prowl!" He didn't even bother to knock before kicking open the door. The ninja didn't even twitch from where he was meditating. He simply hummed, getting up after a moment to address Ratchet as he caught his breath.

"I need to confirm something. Take off the visor." Prowl hesitated. Ratchet stared.

Prowl was, reportedly, also an orphan of Polyhex. If what Ratchet suspected was true, then he-

"I take it you've begun to put the pieces together." The visor came off without a fight, revealing blazing red optics that momentarily left Ratchet stunned in their brilliance. He stepped back, staring in sheer shock as it all came together in one disgusting picture.

Prowl was small, yes. But there was no denying the red, or the unnatural competence in battle. If he was like this... then the rest of the team-

"They don't know, but we are of the three hundred."

Oh.

Oh.

"I was one of the few old enough to remember. But I had to keep my mouth shut." Prowl stepped closer, meeting Ratchet's gaze calmly. It was impossible to move under the red of those optics.

"We are warframes, doctor. And for your information, I am just as surprised to find others like me as you are." Prowl maintained optic contact for a long moment. Ratchet had to run through the data a few more times before he simply groaned and tried hard to not try and bang his helm on the nearest wall.

He had Decepticon younglings to get properly framed and trained.

[she-is-ovarit]

Identifying as.

This is Rachel Dolezal, who legally changed her name to Nkechi Amare Diallo. Dolezal is a white woman who identifies as black and insists that she is transracial. Growing up, her religious white parents adopted four black babies, claiming that they "saved them from being aborted", and routinely delivered strict punishments to their kids including Dolezal. Dolezal does not seem to have a good relationship with her parents and, based on interviews, wanted to distance herself from them and distance herself from rural white culture.

"I've never questioned being a girl or woman, for example, but whiteness has always felt foreign to me, for as long as I can remember. I didn't choose to feel this way or be this way, I just am. What other choice is there than to be exactly who we are?"

She apparently "passed as black" for several years before her parents came out and said that she was white and is identifying as a black woman, and she was asked in a TV interview if she was African American and responded with "I don't understand the question". She taught Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University. She crafted a fake story in growing up as black and has argued that she experiences race-based related hate crimes. She darkens her skin and gets perms and started using hair products she observed her adopted black sibling to use. She lied about her father being black and lied that her black adopted brother was her son.

I hope that as details of Dolezal's story are read about, we are able to understand that tanning white skin does not make someone a black person, that blackface is wrong and racist. I hope we recognize that what makes someone black isn't a collection of racial stereotypes, isn't based on feeling a kinship with black people more than with white people, and that being black isn't based on not feeling a connection with white culture. I hope we understand that a black person cannot identify out of racial oppression, and that a white person cannot identify out of white privilege.

Jewel Shuping, age 38 now, was born healthy but dreamed of being blind since age 13. She stated her mother would tell stories about finding her walking down dark hallways at age 3, and mentioned that by age 6 the thought of being blind comforted her. When she was a teenager, Shuping bought a white cane and learned to read braille, becoming fluent in it by age 20.

She claims to have asked a psychologist to pour bleach in her eyes so she could fulfill her lifelong dream of being blind, and that the psychologist "understood her" and agreed to do so after giving her numbing eye drops to help with the pain (which was not ultimately helpful). She deliberately waited to seek medical attention so doctors were unable to save her eyesight. Gradually, over the course of six months, she became blind.

What Shuping has is considered a real mental health condition called Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), a rare condition in which people who are born without disabilities believe with conviction that the should be disabled. There is another name for this in political activist circles, termed "transableism".

"I went blind on purpose, but I don't feel it was a choice."

Several other people with BIID are pretending to be paralyzed to use wheelchairs, with many not being driven to the point of causing harm to themselves to become disabled but instead living full lives faking being disabled.

I hope that as details of the stories of people pretending to be disabled are read about, we are able to understand that feeling like oneself should be disabled is an incredibly serious mental health condition and does not really mean that a person is "disabled inside". I hope we recognize that identifying as disabled does not make someone disabled, and that feeling a kinship with disabled people or a comfort in the thought of being disabled does not mean a person truly is or should become disabled. I hope we understand how people with mental health disorders claiming to be disabled can place further strain on resources and accommodations provided to disabled people. I hope we understand that inflicting pain, disfigurement, or physical altercations on healthy people to "help them physically match how they feel" is an inhumane way to treat a mental health condition.

Paul Wolscht, who changed his name to Stefonknee Wolscht, was married to a woman for over 20 years and fathered 7 children before deciding to live life identifying as a six year old little girl. Living as a six year old little girl allows Wolscht to escape depression and suicidal thoughts because Wolscht gets to now play - even when in jail in solitary confinement for nine days for an undisclosed reason.

“If I’m six-years-old, I don’t have to think about adult stuff.”

Wolscht still drives and drinks coffee, but does so feeling and identifying as a six year old.

Emile Ratelband, age 69, petitioned the courts to allow him to change his age to 20 years younger because he "does not feel" 69 years old. Ratelband has argued that he did not feel comfortable with his date of birth, that age 69 did not accurately reflect his mental state, and that at age 69 he experiences limits.

“When I’m 69, I am limited. If I’m 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car,” he said. “I can take up more work. When I’m on Tinder and it says I’m 69, I don’t get an answer. When I’m 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position.”

Ratelband even asserted that doctors have told him he has the body of a man 20 years younger, and he said that he was willing to renounce his right to a pension. He argues that if people are able to legally change their sex on documents, there is no reason why he should not be able to change his age.

I hope that as we read these stories of people identifying as a different age, we are able to understand that feeling like you are 20 years younger or 40 years younger does not really make you that age. I hope that we understand that even though identifying as a different age might help avoid suicidal thoughts, being discriminated against on dating apps, or denied resources, it does not really change biologically what is. I hope we understand that there are also broader societal and legal consequences to being able to legally change one's age. That an adult might identify as a certain age to trick kids into trusting them so they can sexually abuse them, and/or that allowing an adult to legally consider themselves a different age would make it easier for adult predators to gain legal access to kids in environments in which they would normally be socially and legally discouraged from being in.

[pinkiemachine]

BATMAN: GOTHAM FILES - SEASON TWO

OKAY, so this season starts off with a spectacular BANG! Joker makes his debut, causes a ton of mayhem for the Dynamic Duo, but of course, in the end, the heroes save the day. Here’s some sketches of Joker I’ve been working on…

Still not sure if this is what I wanna go with. Like I said, work in progress.

Anyway, what really matters is what happens after Joker gets defeated. He’s thrown into Arkham Asylum, for the Criminally Insane, and the doctors there attempt to treat him. Namely, one Harleen Quinzel. This does not go well. Instead of her being able to bring Joker back to sanity, he manipulates her and gets her to cross over to the insane side, becoming his twisted on-again off-again lover, and they break out of Arkham together.

But this is all happening in the background while the rest of the season goes on. The real highlight of Season 2, aside from revisiting classic villains and meeting new ones, is the arrival of BATGIRL! Now, Barbara Gordon (17) was going to get a law degree after high school, but after seeing what sort of corruption there was in Gotham from her father’s police job, she’d lost faith in the system. Instead, she became inspired by Batman to take matters into her own hands. Batman initially tries to tell her to stop—she’s just going to get herself hurt—but then she manages to make a strong case for herself. She’s smart, she’s been taking self-defence classes since she was three, she knows the criminal justice system, she’s passionate about making a difference, Robin’s allowed to fight crime despite being four years younger than her, and… she’s not going to take no for an answer. Batman begrudgingly agrees to let her help, especially after she saves his life on a mission, but he has one condition: no crime fighting alone. She must always have backup. He’s not about to let the police captain’s—now Commissioner’s—daughter get hurt on his watch. Because he knows who she really is. Because he’s a detective.

So now they’re the fanatic threesome. I should also mention that there is NO Dick X Barbara. He’s 13 now, she’s 17, both going on 14 and 18. He’s like a little brother to her. Moving on.

Some time goes by, more baddies get thrown into Arkham, and then… Bruce meets Catwoman. It happened on a cold night when Bruce was soloing it as Batman. Dick was behind on his homework, Barbara was taking time off to rest, so he was all by himself when he got called in to investigate a series of expert burglaries/murders. He had to admit, she was good at what she did. Barely a trace of her was left behind… but barely was enough. He figured out her next target and then had her captured in one fell swoop. Catwoman. It’s not like she was a brawler or anything, just a cat burglar. It was during their ride in the Batmobile later that they got to talk some and learn about each other. Bruce questioned her about the two other robberies—ones where people died—and Selina pleaded innocent. She never killed people. Then, surprising Batman, she managed to escape from right under his nose. They would meet again, though, when he and Selina teamed up to catch the other burglar who had attempted to frame Selina with murder. The two had formed something of an attachment. Selina found Bruce attractive, and Bruce thought she had some good in her (and was also attractive), and they both found themselves wanting to see each other again some time. Purely for work purposes. Bruce only wanted her to face justice. There was totally NO OTHER reason. *cough cough* I have a post where I talk more about her and her relationship with Bruce.

Moving on, there’s an episode where we briefly head to Star City and meet The Flash, but THEN we get introduced to Ghostmaker. A fellow vigilante from Bruce’s past. His rival… and friend. He had also been one of Ra’s’s top students and they had fought often, but the main difference between them was that Ghostmaker was willing to kill. Bruce wasn’t. They have some funny, witty, exciting times when he comes to visit Gotham, but in the end, Bruce establishes that Gotham is his city. And there will be no killing in his city.

Grande finale sees the return of the Joker, alongside Harley Quinn’s debut!

And guess who they’re working alongside? TONY ZUCCO!! Dick has his revenge arc, trying to chase Zucco down, but in the end… all those years of Bruce’s training keep his hands from committing the most horrible act. I mean, Dick does rough him up, but in the end, Zucco gets sentenced to life in prison. Now Dick can finally let go. He can finally visit his parents’ grave with a clear conscience. They would be proud of him for what he did. They would be proud knowing their son was not a killer.

So that’s season 2 :)

Part 3 👇

Part 1 👇

More of Bruce and Selina 👇

[dunmeshi-darlings]

Hi! May I please request some angst?

Marcille,Falin, and Laios (separate) with an isekai'd terminally ill s/o who needs to go back to their world in order to get treatment, since their disease is incredibly advanced, by their standards, and not easy for magic to handle.

However, the three want to save their s/o, but at the same time doesn't want them to go back to their world.

Aye a somber request but one i can do. After All, The whole worlds a stage. For some it is a comedy, Others an adventure, and yet still for others it is a tragedy. But all must play there part one way or another.

When you first arrived marcille was in awe, Not only did another entire reality exist, but you had apparently somehow been teleported from there?! She had questioned you for hours about the world, about what it was like. Fascinated that it was a world of technology in a vaguely similar fashion to the dwarves machinery, yet even more advanced. How it was a world without monsters and only had regular animals. How it was a world inhabited only by People like you, Nothing but tallmen (though in reality you and the rest of the people from your world werent tallmen, they just happened to be the most similar to your people). But strangest of all it had no magic (or so you thought), The idea seemed foreign to her and she couldnt even imagine what it could possibly be like.

You two had grown closer and fallen in love and marcille viewed you as a gift from the divine...but like all divinity they are cruel and can change there whims in a split second. It started off with a small cough, neither of you were particularly worried about it, sicknesses come and go after all. But the cough over time slowly progressed and got worse and worse, it eveolved into a tightness in the chest and struggle breathing. you became unable to do most physical things as your condition worsened, Then the dry coughing grew worse when one day you coughed into your hand and when you pulled it away it was soaked in blood.

Marcille tried everything she could, she had asked falin to do everything she could, but sadly to no avail as the healer couldnt seem to slow this disease. She asked laios for help who spent a small fortune of his newly aquired kingdoms gold to try and find you the best healers in the world to no avail. Marcille was at her wits end, she couldnt see you die. She had seen so many people she loved and cared about die already, she couldnt loose you too. However one day you brought up an idea, one that broke her heart almost as much as the idea of your death did. "i think...the only ones who could help....me..are doctors from...my world.."

Marcille begged and pleaded, she didnt want to loose you that way either...but she knew deep down that there was no magic here that could help. The both of you knew that with the magic of this world, your death was certain and you needed to go back to be treated...but...but what if...what if marcille used magic not of this world.

That dark beckoning call came to her once more, its powerful embrace called out to her, it whispered gilded words that dripped a hopeful venom. It asked of her how far would she be willing to go to save the one she loved? If her true desire was to save you, she would do anything right?....right?

She had already used its power once, what harm would using it once more do? Maybe it could save you? maybe it could fix this disease and you and her could live happily ever after. Marcille had already called upon these dark ruinous powers before, it would be so simple to do it again? Who cares about the law, of morality, of the dangers this magic poses...Would marcille truly wield that eldritch power once more to save you? consequences be damned...right?

Your arrival was incredibly to falin, the idea of a whole new world of wonder, of things to see and do, a whole new world of beauty she had never seen before made her giddy. You and her would sit up for hours as you told her stories of your world, of just how different it was than her world, how the people were, how life was. And though there were many sad stories, Falin always found it comforting to know that so many good things happened in this other world to, that no matter how grim the world seemed. There would always be people being happy and living there lives and trying to make the world a better place, it made her smile. The two of you grew closer and eventually you confessed your feelings for her, however she giggled saying how she had planned on doing the same as well. The two of you getting together as you two travelled together after laios's ascension to be the new golden kingdoms king. However, Death once more made its presence known in the door of falins home, but instead of seeing her once more it decided to come calling the one person she hoped most it would never see for years.

The coughing was the first sign something was wrong, Falin was a gifted healer and so she used her magic to try and get rid of it...but it didnt work, no matter what she did that cough wouldnt go away, at most only disapearing for a day or so then coming right back. Its progression only getting worse and worse as she frantically tried to out heal the symptoms, each time she would try to heal you she would be in tears. messy tear drops falling down her cheeks as she would use her healing magic over and over and over till she herself would throw up from magic sickness.

By the time you had started coughing up blood you had to force falin to stop trying to heal you, you both knew it wasnt going to work and that she was just hurting herself and that broke your heart. the two of you laying together as you both sobbed at all of this..it wasnt fair, it wasnt right. How could something so awful happen to such an amazing and loving person....falin couldnt believe it could happen. Eventually you told her one night you had an idea. "Falin...i think the only way ill survive is if i go back to my world...and get help there."

It broke falins heart, because she knew deep down you were right...that the only hope you had was to go back to your world and get help there. Falin was quiet for awhile, her mind racing before she softly takes a hold of your hands. "Ok...if thats the case...IM GOING WITH YOU!"

She shouts confusing you, asking her if she is serious!? would she just leave this world behind? her nodding saying that your her world and wherever you go she wants to be right there with you. And besides, she cant loose you..

When you first showed up laios was excited about the possibility to learn about all new monsters in a whole new reality....however when you told him that monsters werent a thing he couldnt help but admit how your world seemed boring.

Despite that he adored you as the two of you grew closer and closer and eventually got together. You ruling the golden kingdom alongside him. The two of you ruling the kingdom together happily, Despite laios endless hunger and curse towards monsters he was happy. you help him deal with the stress of ruling the kingdom, But perhaps fate had one last curse in store for laios...or perhaps this was some aspect of the winged lions curse on him itself.

You started off with coughing, Laios noting it was likely a cold or something and asking falin or marcille to use healing magic to help..but it didnt work. You only continued to grow worse and laios grew more and more worried. He looked through his books about monsters trying to find something in them that might heal you. He had you drink multiple brothes, eat mixtures of vegetables and herbs, bath in some monster blood but nothing was helping. None of the medicinal properties of the various monster parts he would hire people to go get would work.

By the time you had started coughing up blood, laios had all but given up hope. Nothing was working, no matter what he did, no monster remedies could help, neither marcille or falins magic could help..and his own healing magic wasnt great. He would just sit by your bedside and cry into the sheets as he held you. Eventually though you spoke to him. "Laios...i think the only way ill live..is if i go back...the doctors of my world are more advanced...its the best chance i have."

It tore laios to pieces to hear this, he hated the idea of loosing you. he had almost lost his sister, and he was so afraid to loose you too. But he knew you were right, it was the best chance you had. He would join you if he could...but he couldnt, he had to rule over the golden kingdom. There was nobody else that could rule it in his place, He had to stay behind..and it ate him alive. He told you that he would always be yours, and that he would always think of you no matter what. And as long as you lived, thats all that mattered to him.

[alreadyblondenow]

▸ Assassin Jaehyun x Assassin Female reader ▸ Smut, Smut, Smut, Fluff, Angst, Gore, MATURE ▸ JAEHYUN SMUT SERIES: FUCK, MARRY, KILL ▸ VOLUME I: PART 1, PART 2, PART 3

THIS IS PART 3. THIS IS PART 3. THIS IS PART 3.

VOLUME I: PART 2 WORD COUNT: 10,748k

Warnings: THIS FIC IS FICTION ONLY, Smut, smut, smut, MATURE THEMES, Heavy description of killings because most of the characters are assassins, mentions of blood, character death, A LOT OF NCT MEMBERS WILL D WORD IN THIS FIC, unprotected sex, mentions of condoms, mentions of pill, pregnancy, swearing, mentions of alcohol. Mentions of being an orphan, Not everything is proofread, apologies again. Kidnapping, burning of possession, I hope I did not forget anything.

A/N: I will cut VOLUME I into three parts, PART I AND PART II is posted already. Thank you to my readers!!! Im sorry if it took me so long to post a usual. VOLUME 2 will be posted HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF FEBRUARY :( please understand that I want to support Taeyong's second solo album first.

When Jaehyun needed to let go of your hand and allow the doctors to do their job, everything became silent and he never felt so weak like this before. It was not too long when the others came but Jaehyun already lost himself and kept thinking who did this to you. There’s only one man in his mind though, Kun. 

By the time you were stable and safe from death, Jaehyun couldn’t let go of your hand, even while he was sleeping. But days passed by slowly, and your condition wasn't getting any better, this is where he started feeling angry again, frustrated because he couldn't do anything to wake you up. He didn’t have any choice but to go back to where he’s good at. Killing. 

“Save yourself from the trouble, let us handle this stay here with her, she’ll love it when she wakes up and you’re beside her” Yuta tried to persuade Jaehyun. 

“I’ll do this on my own. Keep her safe for me. When she wakes up… tell her I’ll be with her soon” Jaehyun says before kissing you goodbye, whispering sweet things beside your ear. 

“Please don’t leave me. I will be nothing without you” he says. 

During the days that he’s tracking Kun, Jaehyun promises to himself that from now on, he will be a boss while being an assassin himself, killing everyone that goes on his way, he is blinded by his anger and want for revenge. He will work harder to achieve piece in your lives even tho he needs to bring chaos first. 

When Jaehyun finally met Kun face to face, he did not know why finding and looking for him felt wrong, it was as if the clues that he had never pointed him to Kun’s direction but he kept on insisting on blaming Kun… because he really don’t know who to kill. 

“Do you know why the Phantoms are always ahead of you…. Because you’re stupid” Kun mocks Jaehyun. “I’ll tell you who wanted Y/n dead but I want something big in return”

“You can’t bring money on your deathbed Kun. Come on be creative, ask for something else” 

Kun just gave him a mocking smile. 

“So who wanted Y/n dead?” Jaehyun asked, pointing his gun toward Kun. 

“I think you can answer that question… actually, I think you know the answer already”

It was quiet for some time. Crazy how Kun’s words were true and Jaehyun was just denying the fact that… his father is the one who wanted you dead. He had a hunch already. But blood is still blood. Jaehyun couldn’t swallow that pill. 

“Imagine this Jaehyun… you and Y/n in a faraway place. Get married privately. Away from all the family drama. Build a home. Build a family. Isn’t that what you want? Well… according to Hendery that’s what Y/n wanted” 

Immediately Jaehyun’s world stopped. Kun already knew that he was about to get what he wanted in this life. It's not easy to have a deal with a Phantom, but for you, Jaehyun is willing to risk that.

“Just tell me if I should do the dirty work Jeong” Kun added.

By the time you gain continuousness and finally awake from your deep sleep, you look for Jaehyun beside you but it was Mark you saw first, followed by Yuta who just entered the room with a cup of noodles. Of course, you remember being food poisoned, coughing blood and staining Jaehyun’s clothes, you still remember the horrible memories before you closed your eyes that time. 

“I know you miss Jaehyun even when you’re sleeping— but he just got home from a mission alone… he will be here soon” Mark whispered. “He did it Y/n, he killed Kun. The last of the Phantoms” Yuta added. 

“How long was I sleeping?” You asked weakly. You can’t believe that Jaehyun was back to killing while you were out. He hasn’t gotten his hand dirty for years.

“Roughly 14 days-“

“He tracked and killed Kun in 14 days?” You let out a laugh. 

“Well, we almost lost you Y/n” Mark said and you can only imagine how Jaehyun felt. 

While waiting for Jaehyun to arrive, you fell asleep and dreamt of him kissing and snuggling you under the beautiful sunset, holding hands while enjoying the warmth of the sun, little did you know, Jaehyun was already beside you. Trying to gently wake you up. And by the time you opened your eyes, his lips found yours and you pulled him in for an embrace. He look tired, he got thin in a matter of days. 

“Let’s go far away from this place and live peacefully” he asked of you sweetly. “Do you like that?” His hands found yours, he was cold and shaking, oh how you wish it was warm and relaxed like how you dreamt of him. 

After being discharged from the hospital, he was focused on you. He even discharged you from the hospital himself and drove you home. A new house. Everything happened so fast, and you don’t know why Jaehyun is like this. He never left the house, he’s always by your side but he’s always on his toes, always on the phone, almost not sleeping. What’s happening? 

“Here, you feeling okay?” He handed you your medicine and a glass of water, watching you very carefully as you take everything. 

“Why are you watching me like a hawk Jae?” Your arms immediately wrapped around him. You’re still weak and he can see it. 

“I’m just doing my job” he smiles and kisses your forehead before he returns the embrace. He’s always by your side lately, you’re not complaining but you wish he could be honest and tell you everything. 

“Hmm. That’s my job. Protecting you Jeong Yoonoh” you teased him. He just laughed. 

“Do you know how painful it is to watch you sleep, and talk to you while you were unconscious? I never want that to happen again. I felt so hopeless. It’s like I was ready to die any minute”

Of course you know what he felt. You almost lost him too. “From now on… can you just let me… let me protect you. Let me take care of you. No questions asked?” He looked you in the eye and waited for your answer. 

You just nod. 

After a few weeks of staying in the new house, Jaehyun surprised you with a long vacation in Italy. You already knew that this trip was a secret to the world. A trip between you and Jaehyun only while Taeyong, Mark, and Yuta are on standby protecting you and Jaehyun. “I don’t like this princess treatment. What is going on?” You asked Taeyong sternly. But as per Jaehyun’s request, he did not tell you anything. 

Jaehyun was extremely quiet during the trip. Almost as if his mind is somewhere else but you couldn’t ask him. You feel like he’s somewhere else. 

It was dark when you two arrived at this secluded farm but you trusted Jaehyun’s words, “you’ll love this place” The house was simple. There’s grass everywhere, beautiful garden, all kinds of flowers and shrubs, and you can hear crickets around the place. The moon was shining brightly too. Nothing fancy, when you two walked in. Theres a nice living room, filled with unique furniture and nice trinkets. “Could be better if the family who lived here put up some family pictures,” you said. 

Jaehyun was quiet, but smiling. 

The kitchen was perfect you thought, you remember daydreaming about having your own kitchen like this. Big stove, an oven for baking, a wooden dining table for your future family… its perfect. 

“This place is breathtaking—“ you said as you enter the masters bedroom room and was quickly grabbed by the waist.

“Wait until the morning,” he smiled before kissing you lovingly. 

It was the first time ever again that you two shared a bed. You have no idea what’s keeping Jaehyun away from you but nonetheless, you understand. And since this is the first time you two shared the bed, you noticed that he wasn’t planning on sleeping. It’s either you feel him keep you closer to his body, you hear him text or call someone, and the next thing you know the sun is shining already and he’s making you breakfast. 

“Did you even sleep?” You asked him while he was busy cooking eggs. You hugged him from behind and greeted him ‘good morning’ 

“For an hour, yeah. I needed to take some calls so I couldn’t join you in your sleep. Dreamt about me?” He flirted and kissed you good morning. 

“Yeah. Dreamt about you sleeping beside me… only to find out you didn’t even rest properly” you chuckled and bravely asked, “what’s wrong? If work is so heavy that you couldn’t let go of your phone then why are we here?” 

“I thought you promised that you will never question the way I protect you?” He was smiling but little did he know… you’re already pissed. You couldn’t argue with him anymore because he was on his phone again answering yet another important call. 

For days Jaehyun couldn’t answer your question. He’s not helping you understand him… even though you’re more than willing to. 

It hurts to turn your back on him whenever he reaches out for you. It hurts that you avoid him in this beautiful place that was meant to be enjoyed together. At this point… you just want to go home and leave this beautiful place. 

So you told him. 

“I don’t want to fight. I’m too weak for that. I am forever grateful that you want to protect me but, this is suffocating Jae. You’re not even communicating—“ 

And then Jaehyun get on his knees and took your words away. 

He’s proposing… out of nowhere. 

“I’m sorry. I’m not perfect but I’m really trying to do things my own way. Can you be my wife? And you know… make a man out of me?” He chuckled and waited for your answer. Of course you said yes. You can feel his heartbeat, beating so fast while you hug him tight. 

“I’m working double time and looking for a suitable replacement for my place at the table so we could never leave this place anymore. That’s why” he added and put the ring on your finger. “Wow. You finally said ‘yes’” he teased you and kissed you before apologizing once again. 

Gone are the days that the house was dead silent. Now its full of laughter and sweet whispers, only between you and Jaehyun. 

He changed his ways immediately, making sure you understood what he was trying to do. Soon Jaehyun realized how much help you could been if only he told you a little bit sooner. 

As days go by you two enjoy the place together, you try so hard to make breakfast warmer and sweeter each day, spend the days like a normal couple would do, stroll around the small town and enjoy its uniqueness, swim in rivers and kiss during sunset, appreciate the quiet evening where you can only hear crickets singing while you two sat at the front porch. 

“Good morning,” he hugged you from behind in this cold morning. You were happy he’s back to his normal self and gave him kisses that are long overdue. Innocent kisses that are sweet but wet, you can tell by the way his tongue moves that he missed you too. The way his kisses are soft but you know he’s up to something even more. 

His hands were swift to remove your sleepwear until you’re naked beneath him as the morning sun hits you perfectly. You watch him remove his sweatpants and underwear and he was excited to go back to your lips again. He missed being on top of you, being able to see the woman that he loves like this again. 

“I’m sorry if being like a horny teenager this morning. I really missed you” he apologized and kissed you again, hands reaching both of your legs and spreading them wide while you check your slit with your right hand if you’re wet already and you’re ready for that cock of his. 

“Don’t apologize, you’re not a stranger” you whispered sweetly while you pump his cock and kiss his lips. He didn’t wait for another second to push in. He couldn’t wait anymore. 

He missed your warm walls. He missed your lips. He missed hearing your moans beside his ears he missed your touch. Your hands are around his neck. Never leaving his skin and continuously pulling him back closer to you whenever he tries to pull away for a different sex position. He let out a soft laugh, kissing the shell of your ear and making you weak. The way he fucks you this morning is soft, as if he’s really telling you he missed you. 

The way his cock goes in and out of your hole, slowly but deep. It was addicting. Then he flips you around, putting you on your stomach but never leaving your lips. He pushed in again while your legs are still closed, making your hole tighter to Jaehyun’s liking. This is how he wanted it. Tight and slow, but giving you hard thrust while hitting the right spot. “Fuck,” you said and catch your breath. You felt your high come down already but Jaehyun is still building his. What the fuck you thought with a smile. You feel his lips travel around your back, his strong arms wrapped around your body, touching, pinching and even smacking your skin oh so lightly it tickles you. 

“Marry me”

He suddenly said. 

“Marry me,” he repeated it while thrusting deep inside you. You tried looking back at him to see his eyes but he was quick to catch your lips and fuck you faster. He was near. 

He flips you again so he could see your eyes and beautiful face, still waiting for the sweet answer. Hopefully. He was working hard for it, as you can see.

Rubbing his hand on your hard nipples as he fucks you slow and deep. His lips never leave your lips, telling you how much he loves you. He reached for your hand and intertwined it with yours, “Marry me,” he asked again, this time looking at your eyes and left a kiss your lips which made you completely stunned… and all you did was nod your head with a smile as an answer. 

You saw how Jaehyun’s face lit up the moment you answered him. How he was genuinely happy. That you finally said ‘yes’.

He let go of your hand and put on your legs, spreading them wide while he pushes deeper. You watch Jaehyun moan on top of you, eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed. He was really hard and you feel it stretch you every time he push right back in. 

Faster he fucks you, making your boobs bounce and making you moan so loud. By the time he reaches his high his thrust were harder than before almost hurting you with the impact. But the hurt was so good it’s addicting. 

He rested his head beside your ear, putting all of his weight on top of you. Oh you love it when he do this… 

“I love you. Thank you for saying ‘yes’ I will make you the happiest girl in the world-“ 

“You already did Jae,” 

He smiled and caged you with his strong arms. It was a good day. A good day to start a new life together. 

A good day to get married privately. 

“Don’t you think this is kinda rushed and impulsive?” You said as Jaehyun drags you to the nearby church and talk to the locals for your wedding. 

Well, he’s Jaehyun. If he wants to get married today, then a wedding is going to happen. 

“Don’t you want to get married soon?” He asked back. 

“I want to but—“ 

“Then today is perfect!” He smiled so big as he hands you your flowers and pick the nicest wedding rings for the two of you. You’ve never seen Jaehyun like this before… but what did you expect? He really wanted to marry you and today, nothings going to stop him from being happy. As you watch him wear his smile that you gave, you can’t help but think about how you couldn’t just kill his joy now. 

The wedding was special. Nothing fancy. Just a the two of you, a witness and your promises to each other. 

“We’ll have a proper wedding if you want. We can invite the others and it will be a big celebration” he says excitedly while kissing you softly, motioning you towards your shared room, not even bothering to open the lights even though the sun came down already. 

Jaehyun was gentle and it was clear what he wanted to do on your wedding night. He was doing everything he can, kissing every part of you, touching you on the right places and telling you the perfect words that make your heart skip a beat.

Nothing can make this day even more perfect. 

“Given that its our wedding night, and you’re basically my wife now…” Jaehyun started with a shy smile. You just laughed at him for struggling to tell you what he really wanted. “Can we talk about having kids?” he finally said it. 

You laughed at what he said and looked him in the eye, you trace his features. His handsome features that made you like him, but when his lips caught your hand and showered it with kisses. You remembered how his handsomeness was just a plus, a bonus, and that his attitude is what made you fall in love with him. 

“Of course we can. Half of me, half of you” you said with a smile. 

“I want daughters” Jaehyun excitedly said, “I will spoil them—“

“Just how you spoil your niece huh? got it” you teased him. 

“But seriously. We’ll play every night, I’ll be their knight in shining armor, I’ll protect them and I’ll make this world a better place for them” 

“Hmm. exactly how?”

“I have a few plans in my mind… you wont like it,” he said with a sweet voice and started kissing your neck. He was putting you in the mood again by kissing your boobs and sucking on your nipples. Of course you like the feeling and you immediately forgot what he was saying. All you did was agree in your weakest state while moaning his name. You told him you cant go again because you were still sensitive but of course Jaehyun has his own ways. 

The days you spend together in this house is even more beautiful, it was not long after Jaehyun told you that he bought this place already and that this is where you will build a family with him. He made it official when he put a framed picture of you and him at the top of the fireplace. It was a good start. Just the way you like it. 

“Hows everything back home?” You asked while he’s typing aggressively on his phone, he doesn’t look pleased. You stood up and try to take a look at his phone but he was quick to turn the screen off and give his attention to you. 

“It’s just work, Im having a hard time but there’s nothing I cant handle” he smiled and reached out for a kiss. “Let’s make dinner?” 

Over dinner you couldn’t help but ask him over and over again about the situation back home. Not to mention… you wanted to tell him that you’re happy and that you’re over the moon but you just cant help but think that everything felt so misplaced right now. You also feel like he’s hiding something from you. 

“I’m afraid I have to leave you here for a few days, I’ll come back as soon as I can. I have to take care of something” Jaehyun explains while he plays with your hand and look at your ring. 

“I’ll come with you. We don’t need to rush living like this… I too have loose ends to take care of. Let me go with you” 

Of course you see right through him. He was hiding something. 

By the time the two of you got back at the headquarters, everything went crashing down and took away your peace. You instantly wished that you hadn't left that place. Nonetheless… everything was meant to happen eventually in the first place. 

Jaehyun’s father had a heart attack and it completely changed everyone's lives. In a bad way. 

“Yoonoh I need you to come with me” Chanyeol said to Jaehyun, signaling him to get in the car. Jaehyun on the other hand, can’t and won’t let go of you because he knew damn well that he needs you and you’re his wife now… you should stay close to him. 

“This is strictly families only Jae, don’t make this harder than it already is” Chanyeol said as he stops you from getting inside the car with Jaehyun. 

This is not the perfect time to announce your marriage. And so as Jaehyun was about to say it, you stopped him and made him follow Chanyeol. “I’ll be here, just come home whenever you can” you said and let Chanyeol take him away from you. 

It all happened so quickly but days went by slowly. It was dark times for everyone even though the sun shines brightly everyday and lights up every color you see. Even though everyday seems to be a gift, but in this world you’re in its just another day for chaos and revenge.

“Jeong Yoonoh’s place as the new head of the family and the new boss cannot be moved or transferred to any candidate….” 

You listened to the lawyer as he recited every last will of Jaehyun’s father. 

This simply means that Jaehyun can’t leave this wretched world and live a quiet life with you.

Privately, Jaehyun made a call. 

A call to someone he thought he could trust with his plans in life. But it ended up giving him the biggest problem he ever faced. 

“The deal was kill him after you replace me. You just made everything complicated. The deal is off. You’re useless to me now. Prepare for your funeral. I will not stop until you’re with your friends” 

As soon as Jaehyun ended the call with Kun. He threw his burner phone and removed his necktie that seems to be so tight right now. He felt so caged at some point. He felt prisoned. 

Only to realize that he doesn’t need to feel this way anymore because… as ugly as it sounds… he’s the boss now and he can do everything. Kill anyone. And no one will stop him now. 

Of course he’s having these thoughts because he’s struggling to get to you. To be with you peacefully. His wife. 

He wanted to tell the world that you are a Jeong now, looking at his wedding ring he remembers the beautiful times you spent together peacefully. And how he’s more than willing to embrace all this power and authority he has just so he could make this world a better place for you. It’s all for you. 

In a matter of days, Jaehyun became the boss of bosses. The head of the Jeongs and fulfilling his birthright. You have no choice but to watch him from the sidelines and be quiet even though you’re already his wife. It was as if you were nobody even though deep inside you’re basically a Jeong too.

That thought… of being a Jeong. Officially … just gives you headaches and heartaches at the same time. It feels wrong.

Ceremonies, gatherings and a lot of business meetings. Jaehyun faced them all and made him grow even more as a leader. You’re proud of him of course, and you’re happy whenever you see him in the news for a quick interview, him cutting a ribbon or whenever you see his face at the morning papers. You’re proud of him. 

And even though all these achievements are all good for his career… everyday, you feel like it’s creating a barrier between you and Jaehyun and it’s becoming thicker each day. 

Ever since the funeral you stayed at the headquarters with the others. You’re back to being an assassin, guarding rich people and providing protection whenever they need it. It’s whatever. Jaehyun insisted that you stop, but you told him that this is the only thing you know how to do even with your eyes closed. 

Maybe everything feels wrong because you’re not yet ready to be a wife to Jaehyun. 

“Don’t blame yourself. I’m sure he misses you too” Yuta said softly and gave you a cup of tea. “He’s been receiving death threats again. I think it was three today,” you just scoffed at that information knowing that Jaehyun wouldn’t be actually threatened by that. 

“People don’t know how he could be such a monster sometimes. Personally I think they should stop” 

You and Yuta just laugh at what you said because its true. For a minute, you and Yuta reminisce how Jaehyun was a crazy assassin at some point. You two also remembered how he used to be a normal person even before all of this happened. He was your friend, but now he’s your boss. Even now that you’re his wife… he’s more of a boss than a husband. 

“We can trade places tomorrow. I’m assigned to guarding Jaehyun’s office. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you” Yuta offered.

“I haven’t seen him up close since we got back” you murmured and looked at your wedding ring. “I wanted to take care of him, I wanted to iron his clothes, prepare him breakfast… like you know…. like a normal wife. Instead… I will guard his office, check every food he’s about to eat for possible food poison, and just… be a wife in my dreams. It frustrates me. I’m not sure if I’m ready to see him… let alone be with him the whole day… as one of his bodyguards”

But even though after listening to your sentiments, Yuta still encouraged you to trade places with him. For him, its better to see him from a far than not seeing him, its better for you to be with him the whole day while guarding his office, than not given the opportunity to do so. “Most wives wanted to guard their husbands 24/7 you know that?” Yuta tried making you laugh, he was talking about the cheating husbands and the wives that became dramatic overtime. 

“You watch too much T.V these days” you said while laughing. 

“Was it beautiful? The wedding?” Yuta asked sweetly only because he wanted to cheer you up. 

“Beautiful. Peaceful. Jaehyun was really happy and I was just feeling things I shouldn’t. He proposed two times already, and I turned him down because I wasn’t sure how can I make him happy… but when I finally said ‘yes’… its the first time ever that I saw him so joyful, so full of life… it was that moment that I realized that I alone can make the man that I love happy, I just need to trust myself” 

“Well, I’m sure you two will find a way back to that place again. Just hold on tight” he cheers you up. 

The next day, you guarded Jaehyun’s office with a happy heart. You left a cup of coffee on his desk with a small note, ‘I’m outside’- wife. It was out of love, and you wanted to know that you’re more than desperate to be with him. 

But Jaehyun burned the note. You saw him do it. 

For someone who is clueless and does not know the truth, it looked like Jaehyun was just burning a piece of paper for fun. Followed by lighting up his cigarette before starting to read the pile of documents in front of him today. Jaehyun didn’t like the idea. After a board meeting, Jaehyun called you inside his office privately. You thought that finally… after all the waiting you did for the following weeks, you will finally get to see him up close. 

“What were you thinking? What will happen if my enemies found out that you’re my wife? My wife. Who’s guarding me so freely. Who works for me” 

It sounded as if you weren’t enough to be his wife… that’s why he hasn’t made the announcement yet.  

Jaehyun wasn’t careful with his words and he didn’t mean it. 

“All I’m saying was, I cant let my enemies see you like this” 

He realized that the more he opens his mouth… the more he offends you without actually meaning it. Jaehyun wanted to tell you that, he wanted to protect you and hide you from his enemies. But that wasn’t exactly what happened. He just offended you. 

He didn’t get the chance to explain himself further or say sorry because you left already. He couldn’t stop you. Afraid that he might make the situation worst.

Driven by concern and guilt, Jaehyun managed to come to the headquarters for you at the end of the day. At least try to talk to you. He wanted to apologize and come pick you up for dinner if you let him. He felt bad about what happened earlier. He was just scared. That’s all. 

Just like a thief, he entered your room uninvited. See you sleep soundly. He wanted to wake you up but he thought maybe you were tired too. So instead of waking you up he just left a kiss on your forehead and made sure you’re all warm. Watching you under the warm light of your lampshade, asking himself, ‘is it really okay to deny you as his wife at this point?’ ‘is this really the only way to keep you safe?’ 

“At least you’re safe” he murmured.  

Of course you felt his presence. And you didn’t care if you were tired or sleepy. You wanted to spend time with him. Even though he broke your heart earlier. You were quick to hug him and kiss him, and told him he’s already forgiven. 

The night carried on beautifully as planned. Even though you two are basically hiding from the world. You two had hot noodles under the moon and stars, you watch your husband eat in front of you and help him wipe his face because he ate too messy. “Sorry. I was hungry” He got shy when you reached for the tissue to wipe his face and help him remove his tie so he could eat comfortably. Deep inside Jaehyun was happy. But he was shy that his ears are so red. 

“Why are you shy? Its not everyday I could take care of you” you said as you put more food in his bowl and pour him another glass of wine. Of course he knew that you wanted to take care of him as your husband, he knew that someday, you wanted to help him and support his and the boss he’s meant to be… but Jaehyun didn’t expect that it would be so hard.

“I’m sorry. I really am. Its just that… I receive death threats everyday. I couldn’t let you get involved in this kind of life that I have now. I’m really sorry, I am. I know you're 100% capable of taking care of yourself and these threats are just nothing... but its different. If the news comes out that youre my wife, the world will not stop until you're dead” Jaehyun explains. His heart breaks a million times because this is not the life he promised you when he asked you to marry him. 

“I’m sorry we can’t go back to our home yet… I sure miss it already” Jaehyun says softly to you. You wanted to tell him that you already forgot about it, that it was just a short dream for you and that the wedding ring that you two shared is the only proof that it actually happened… but you didn’t want to hurt him or start an argument. You’re just happy he’s here with you. 

And speaking of rings… Jaehyun caught you spacing out while looking at his ring. You were actually surprised he’s wearing it. “What if someone dares to ask about your ring?” you asked as if you were suggesting that he takes it off if he really wanted to hide that he’s a married man now.

“This is sacred,” he says sternly and reached out for your hand. “for better or for worse” he reminded you. “Just give me more time…I’ll come to you. As always” he promised.

After eating, he cuddled with you and waited for you to sleep but he was tired too that he slept first the moment he was comfortable in your bed and you couldn’t wake him up or disturb him. He misses your presence, your warmth and your touch. 

The next day Jaehyun met Chanyeol and talked about his enemies and possible enemies in the future. He spent weeks doing background checks, meetings, bribing, and torturing a few people just so he could find who sent the threats. But every time he kills a problem, another problem just pops out of nowhere. It felt endless Jaehyun thought. 

“‘I don’t want to be like my father’ isn’t that your life motto?” Chanyeol asked Jaehyun shamelessly. “I remember when I was just starting to work for the Jeongs… your father loved his family so much, that’s why he had the idea of having his own assassins”  

“Are you suggesting that I use the squad just so I could go and finally come home to Y/n?” 

“No. but the fact that the idea came from you scared me. I’m saying… that you should go on a different path Jeong Yoonoh” 

The next day, Chanyeol officially resigned. Of course Jaehyun couldn’t be selfish this time. His work will be doubled without Chanyeol… but his hyung has his own life too. 

“I have a daughter. She’s 3 years old already and tomorrow I’ll see her for the third time. That’s how much this job has taken from me Jaehyun. That’s the last thing I’ll teach you. You have a wife now. Don’t waste your time” Chanyeol said before saying his final goodbye to his student. 

After hearing what Chanyeol said, Jaehyun tried to be with you as much as he could. But he couldn’t.

He promised to be with you and you wait for him to arrive. But he never did. 

He talks to you but only through phone calls. 

By this time your patience is almost gone. But you can’t do anything about it. You’re married. 

Although, Jaehyun managed to give you your own place as a way of saying ‘sorry’. This way it was easier for him to visit you, but in some way, it became lonelier because you were always alone. Lonelier than ever. Even though, some days and nights were beautiful because you could spend it with him, still… its been lonely for you. 

“Jaehyun has been tiring everyone. Are you sure he’s still sane?” Taeyong complains while you and Yuta watch him do pull-ups. 

“Even you. His own wife. He treats you like shit. No offense Y/n. But… now that he’s the boss now, I think he should grant you your freedom already” Taeyong added. “Instead… he’s sending you to assassinate someone whenever he feels like it” 

“It’s my job” you try to defend yourself. 

“How about his job as your husband?” 

You we’re speechless. 

Changes happened so fast ever since Chanyeol left. The new apartment, new assassins, new people to kill, new bosses, new people to kill, new people to protect. Taeyong was right. Is Jaehyun still thinking straight? 

On the same day, Jaehyun came home and you found him sleeping on the bed with his shoes still on and a cup of untouched coffee on the bedside table. You figured he must have tried battling against sleepiness but couldn’t win because of tiredness. He must be really tired like everyone else, you thought. Even though Jaehyun’s choices in life right now make everyone's lives miserable, you’re sure that Jaehyun must be suffering and struggling alone too. 

“Hey…” he greeted you with a tired voice when he felt your presence, “what time did you arrive? I’m sorry. I tried coming home as fast as I could. I was in Bangkok for days— I missed you” he got up even though its obvious that all he wanted to do is rest. People don’t see this side of Jaehyun. And you’re the only one who could see him weak like this. It pains you. 

“I missed you too?” you said sweetly, he initiated the kiss, you kissed him back, showing him that you still long for him, you still want him every second of the day. But for someone who’s tired to the bone, he sure does have the energy to turn you on and imply that he wanted to have sex tonight. “If you’re tired, we could just lay down and talk until the sun rises” he suggests, he’s aware that he’s been tiring everyone lately too, including you. The suggestion stands, but Jaehyun couldn't stop himself from devouring your neck and kissing you just how you want it.

“Don’t stop my love” you made sure he heard you right. You returned his hungry kisses and quickly unbuttoned his dress shirt. You remember the last time you had sex, it was your wedding night, and the thought of it just makes you want to melt into Jaehyun’s body, grinding on his hardening cock and using each other for your own pleasure. You hold on to him, scratching his back and leaving a few bruises on his skin because you were so so so desperate to keep him close to you. 

“I’m sorry. I’m here now” he managed to whisper. In one swift he put you in all fours, kneading your boobs from behind and pinching your nipples while he enjoys touching your body and making you feel good with his hands alone. Pulling you against his chest, you feel his lips on the shells of your ear, hearing every breath he takes. It sounded sexy, and the sound alone just makes you wet. “Can I be rough tonight?” Jaehyun asks while kissing your body back, hand beside your waist, keeping you still for all the kisses that he’s about to give your body. All you can do is nod and kiss him back with the same hunger. 

From behind, he licked your leaking cunt, you were so wet at the moment only because it has been so long ever since he touched you. Jaehyun can see and feel how you shiver at every touch, every lick he does to you. And he likes what he’s seeing. He decided to be more playful and run a finger slowly to your cunt. Your hole is ready to be fucked but Jaehyun wanted to make you wet even more. Without a warning, he licked your slit followed by his fingers, making small circle on your sensitive bud which makes your knees weak, making you land on the mattress and let out beautiful moan. Jaehyun was quick to pull your waist back up and kiss your back, the tip of his cock sliding up and down on your cunt, which makes you grip the sheets and hold on to whatever you can. You reach behind for his hand, asking him to hold hands with you which he complies before pushing in. You feel his lips on your lips as he slowly thrust in and out but not for long. It was just his way of saying, ‘im going to be rough, if it hurts make me stop’. 

You feel his hand on your waist while he thrust so hard and you hear slapping. Your face is perfectly buried on the mattress as you take every pleasure your husband gives you. You hear him moan and his moans were perfect. It was obvious that you make him feel good and that alone just makes you want more. 

His lips and his thrust were on different rhythms. His thrusts were nothing but hard, to the extent that you let out a small scream here and there, feeling his skin burn yours. Oh youre sure you’ll have bruises when you wake up tomorrow, you’re not even sure if you could walk properly. While his lips bring you comfort, warm like his being. You’re sure that his kisses left marks on your back too. You just smile at every thought running through your head. And Jaehyun caught you. 

“So you seemed to be enjoying. I’m glad” He suddenly stopped thrusting and proceeded to kiss your lips, flipping you once again facing him this time. He caresses your legs for a few seconds, touching your body while he whispers dirty things beside your ear that of course… makes you wet and want for more. When his fingers slide on your wet slit, Jaehyun was amazed at how he made you wet this time. “Can I slap your cunt?” he asks, you nod. 

He slapped your cunt in a way you loved every sting of it. Making your legs closed but your husband was quick to compensate for every sting from a hard slap with a soft touch, a soft kiss, a finger inside or a spit followed by his tongue. And when he was satisfied, he thrusted his hard cock once again and fuck you slowly this time. Looking you in the eye and melting you, making you shy. He just smiles back at you while continuing to make you crazy. When he finally reaches his high, he removes his cock from your hole and came on on top of you. Watching his thick cum paint your pussy and stomach. It was messy but no one cared. 

“I wasn’t sure if you were safe…” he was talking about your pill. “That made me realize, what kind of husband am I… I dont even know if I could cum inside my wife” he reaches for the tissue from the bedside table and wiped every cum on your skin. Kissing lower stomach all the way up until he reaches your lips and stays on top of you. Putting both of your arms on top of your head, and making you swing your arms around his neck. He wanted you to keep him close. 

“Thank you for pulling out,” is all you managed to say. 

“Can you still go for another round? Or a couple more?” He asks while kissing your neck. 

“Yeah just give me a few minutes,” you paused and took this time to express what your’e feeling, “I missed you” 

“I miss you too. You’ve been nothing but patient with me and Im grateful” he kissed your hand which had your wedding ring on it. “everything will be worth it I promise” You rolled your eyes playfully. 

“Kiss me” You commanded he complies. In a matter of seconds he’s inside you again. You clenched around him kept him close to your body held him tight and kissed him deeply. “Come home more often” you managed to moan, and all he could do is nod and return the favor of what youre doing by rolling his hips slowly and thrusting deeper. Kissing you more and keeping you on your toes.

On the next day, it was a cold morning. The room was painted with blue, and the sun was just about to rise. Jaehyun had the privilege of waking you up early in the morning even though he completely worn you out last night. He just wanted to make sure he doesnt waste his time. “Good morning” he says, kissing you softly, waking you up in the most softest way. When you finally opened your eyes, your heart skipped a beat when you saw Jaehyun’s face. His dimples flashing and a handsome smile. 

“Did you sleep well?” He asked, you nod and pulled him in for a hug, making sure youre not dreaming. “I’m thankful for you” he says, making you smile and putting butterflies in your stomach, first thing in the morning.

As you two head on with your day, this is the first time you help him prepare for work as his wife. You picked his clothes, you watch him get dressed, you fix his tie, its perfect. On the other hand, Jaehyun too was happy because he could spend this morning with you, he hugged you from behind while you were drying your hair. And told you that he will try to come home everyday from now on followed by aplogies. Sincere apologies that were whispered beside your ear which sent shivers down your spine. 

“Just give me more time. I love you” 

You were not like other couples, like normal couples and you think its time to face that as a married couple.

Of course the sex suddenly fixed everything. 

He comes home regularly. 

Spend mornings sweetly. 

Spend longer nights together that include moaning his name while his tongue is making you feel good. 

The sex became rougher and its okay because you both love it. 

But of course it didn’t last for long. 

Days become stressful for Jaehyun because of Kun. He’s now working hand in hand with Johnny, planning to overthrow Jaehyun with being the king of the city, for being the powerful man that he is now. But Jaehyun is smarter than all of them.

As an assassin he is used to research. Researching and studying everything about who he needs to kill, and how.

What is their most prized possession?

Who is the most important person in their life?

If Jaehyun were to ask these questions, you are the answer.

Sometimes, he thanks his father for making him an assassin first rather than the heir of this huge company. He'd grow us useless and stupid if it weren't for Chanyeol and the 127 squad. Maybe that’s the reason why his father made him an assassin in the first place. To gain important experience.

Jaehyun played by the book but played dirty too. He made sure his enemies will remember him. For Johnny, Jaehyun made sure that his daughter is safe… but the catch is, Johnny has no clue where Jaehyun kept her hidden. Yes. He kidnapped her. Which made Johnny beg on his knees one afternoon at Jaehyun’s office. Everyone witnessed it, but they have no clue why.

“Kun. Tell me where he keeps his airplanes” Jaehyun demanded as Johnny begged on his knees.

Soon Johnny told Jaehyun where Kun kept his airplanes. It is where he keeps his money and his gold. Knowing Kun, he’s obsessed with his airplanes, and his riches.

And Jaehyun burned them all down with his own lighter.

You have no idea what Jaehyun has done for the past week, you can only see that he’s exhausted but he’s happy.

While you were sleeping, you felt Jaehyun’s hand creep under your sleepwear, caressing your exposed stomach and trying to wake you up with his kisses. He smelled like alcohol, you bet he’s been drinking with his trusted new business partners. Drunken men who cheat with their wives overseas, rich people who make everything and anything happen.

You don’t ask for too much. All you want to do is for him to come home to you and spend time with you as much as he can. Sober.

“I know what you’re thinking.. you probably smelled it already, but I’m not drunk. Was… but not anymore— can we go for a few rounds?” he asked shamelessly. Obviously he’s horny. But you didn’t like how he was asking you to have sex with him, after not coming home for a week. You felt like… you’re someone whom he just uses for adult stress release.

But maybe he was tired and that he really missed you and you’re just quick with your ugly judgment. You dont know anymore.

“Where do you sleep whenever you don’t come home?” It was just a question, a question out of concern, a conversation starter, but Jaehyun unfortunately got offended.

“I am many things. But I will never cheat on you” he said. Sternly. He got up from his comfort next to you and proceeded to remove his tie. You checked the time and it’s almost time to start your day. But for Jaehyun, he was just about to end his.

“I didn’t mean it that way Jae—“

“Then enlighten me” he asks coldly.

You watch him remove his watch, roll his sleeves and face you, while he waits for your answer.

“I feel like… you just come home to me for sex… but I wanted to understand you more. So I avoided the subject, that’s why asked you instead ‘where do you sleep—“

“In a hotel. Alone. Are you happy now?” he answered, crossing his shoulders in front of you as if he was still waiting for you to talk, “I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. But I guess I’m just one horny motherfucker”

He let’s out a heavy sigh, realizing that his words aren’t right and you don’t deserve to be treated this way. His pride stops him from telling you he’s sorry, even though he wanted to. But Jaehyun turned his back on you and proceeds to take a shower. Preparing for yet another busy day in the office.

What have you done? You told to yourself.

Before Jaehyun leaves you tried to invite him for coffee. But he just kissed you goodbye, answered an urgent call and left immediately.

Jaehyun did not come home for days, he didn’t even said goodbye to you when he left for Macao. At this point, you’re not sure how else or what kind of apology you should do, all you could do is wait for his return.

Without Chanyeol, Jaehyun doesn’t have someone whom he trusts the most when it comes to his armies. Armies meaning… Jaehyun’s assassin. Everyone thought that Jaehyun would pick Taeyong because he is his best friend, but no. Jaehyun hired someone new. Someone who is trustworthy, who isn’t biased, and who will follow and protect Jaehyun with his life. He is Jaehyun’s cousin, Doyoung.

Knowing that he isn’t biased, Doyoung gave the 127 squad equal field assignments while Jaehyun was away. The mission was fine, it wasn’t bloody at all, and it wasn't hard for you, Taeyong and Yuta… but when Doyoung said that Mark is not capable enough to protect Jaehyun and that he needed to finish a field assignment on his own to prove it, everyone protested.

"Mark has been protecting Jaehyun ever since he learned how to hack shit!" you shouted. "Mark can protect everyone through his screens-- are you dumb?"

But even though everyone voiced out their frustrations, Doyoung is still unstoppable.

“I’ve been calling Jaehyun but he isn’t answering” you tried to comfort Mark. He’s been shaking ever since the announcement.

“We will shadow you and assist you secretly,” Taeyong says as he tries to lessen Mark’s nervousness.

“I swear if Mark dies, I’m killing Jaehyun” Yuta jokes, but he was frustrated as well.

“Everyone calm down I’m sure Jaehyun is not aware… no calls have been reaching him” you told everyone but deep inside you wern't sure.

The plan to shadow Mark secretly and assist him went in shambles when Doyoung announced that you, Yuta and Taeyong are supposed to pick up Jaehyun privately from Macao and bring him home safe.

Yes you want to see Jaehyun. Of course you wanted to protect your husband… but Mark needs you and it breaks your heart that you’re so powerless.

When you and the others picked up Jaehyun successfully, no one was talking in the helicopter but everyone is nervous. There was a time that Mark was still reacheable and that he sends signals that he's okay but not for long. And when you guys are back to the headquarters, Mark still hasn't come back.

Until Doyoung officially announced that he failed.

“He got shot and his body went straight to the icy river…” he informed everyone with heavy heart, regret and kept apologizing.

Yuta was quick to start a fight and punched Doyoung too many times, he just let him. Thinking he deserved it. You hear Taeyong punch the wall out of anger, crying and just plainly out of words.

You on the other hand, went out of the room and cried in one space, pulling yourself together, closing your eyes and hoping that this is all a dream. Everyone saw it coming. But everyone did not do anything to save him from the situation. There’s a part of you that blames Jaehyun, but of course, you avoid that thought.

For years of being together, Mark was the source of happiness of the squad. His never ending jokes, his loud voice, his loud laughs over your earpiece. You remember it all and it will never be the same again. He’s the best hacker that you know, and you’re just sad to the core that not everyone appreciates that.

It was dark times, but everything went black out when the days continued and Mark was not with you anymore.

You and Jaehyun constantly fight everyday, arguing, shouting and hurting each other through words you never told to each other before. Of course Jaehyun blames himself for Mark’s death too. It was heavy for him too. You don’t see it, but Jaehyun was looking for comfort too, someone that will tell him completely that its not his fault. But nobody showed up for him.

He did’t showed up during Mark’s funeral. And you got mad at him.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I didn’t know!” Jaehyun shouted for the nth time.

It was loud and clear of course, but he didn’t even let everyone who cared mourned for Mark and made everyone work again like nothing happened.

“It’s just how everything goes around here Y/n!!! We live in a deadly world!!!”

“A deadly world that you and your father built Jeong Yoonoh. If you don’t care about the goodness in this world anymore, I don’t want to be a part of it” you said crying.

Your words pierced through Jaehyun’s heart especially you called him ‘Yoonoh’, he was scared to the core that you might leave him this time, and this fight cannot be fixed anymore. Not to mention your freedom is getting near. You have every right and power to leave.

“So where are you going to build a life now?” You were talking to Yuta and Taeyong about their plans when they get away from this prison. It makes you happy, knowing that they can be free and live the life they want.

“Japan. To my family, I’m taking Taeyong with me. He plans on establishing a bakery there” Yuta answered. “How about you?”

You scoffed, “what about me? Did you guys forget that I’m a Jeong now? I cant leave him”

“We all know you love him. But he’s drowning of power now and — I cant even recognize him anymore” Yuta says.

“He’s not the Jaehyun that we grew up with, he’s not the Jaehyun that you loved anymore. Faced that truth” Taeyong said sternly. “You’ve earned your freedom. Think about it. Think long and hard”

When the day finally arrived that Taeyong and Yuta are free from the Jeongs it was a bittersweet goodbye. You’re happy for them, but you were sad for yourself. You remember the first day that you guys met and the first mission, everything was all worth it you thought.

“Don’t act like you’re still not free Y/n. You too, you’re free now. Don’t stay here” Taeyong explains for the last time.

Looking back a few years from now, you and Jaehyun were both excited for your own freedom and were of course, looking forward to finally leaveing everything behind. You remember how fiercely you loved each other during those times, and you remember how Jaehyun literally looked like a ball of sunshine. Who lights up your day and make everything better in a matter of seconds.

Now… everything about Jaehyun is dark. His aura, his eyes, the way he talks… everything. He really looked like a Jeong now. High, mighty and scary.

“So did they left?” Jaehyun asks. He was drinking alone at the kitchen counter, he looked wasted. You noticed he has a new tattoo on his hand, you didn’t bother asking the story behind it. You just nod at his question and avoid him for the rest of the night.

Ever since Mark’s death, you and Jaehyun stopped sleeping on the same bed, and stopped talking to each other dearly, but you sure do want to stay. But on times like this, especially when you’re lonely, you don’t know why you keep on staying with him. In this place. Truth be told you would rather sleep on the headquarters than this cold and dark place. It’s not that you hated seeing him, his presence still make your heart skip a beat, happy because he’s alive and well. And well… physically you could be together. You’re thankful regardless.

Jaehyun hears your cry every night, it breaks his heart too. Knowing that he’s not enough to make you happy anymore even though he’s doing everything he can to make this life bearable for you. But no matter how hard he tries… he’s not enough.

This is his worst nightmare. Watching your marriage fall apart because he can’t give you the life he promised.

Even though you wanted to break free, you stayed and work for Jaehyun. You kill for him, train new assassins for him, but you were never given the chance to become a proper wife anymore.

It was a quiet afternoon when you just got back from a mission that Doyoung rushed you to finish. You don’t know why he was in a hurry but you were so pissed that you showed up in his office with blood in your hands and face.

“What the fuck do you want?” You shouted. You assumed that it was Doyoung who’s sitting behind that chair but no… it was Jaehyun. And Doyoung was the one sitting beside the table.

You never thought that this day would come.

The day when you received a mission from Jaehyun. Not from Doyoung. From Jaehyun directly.

It hurt you so much seeing him all worked up and stressed, he can’t even look you in the eye as he explains what needs to be done. But after he’s done explaining the mission, he put out his handkerchief and wipes the blood off your face. “Can you give us the room?” Jaehyun politely asked to Doyoung which he followed of course.

“I know this is hard for you, because it’s hard for me too” he let out a heavy sigh before continuing… you thought that this time he’s going to say he misses you or say something that will brighten up the mood. But he didn’t.

“I need you to not fail this mission” he added.

And that made you mad. You wanted to shout at him, you wanted to punch him but you knew that staying silent and avoiding him at all costs will hurt him even more.

It was quiet. Jaehyun was waiting for you to break the silence.

“Can I have the name?” You asked without looking at him.

“It’s Kun” he says, and after collecting all the paper work that you needed from the desk you bravely left your wedding ring.

You didn’t dare asked how the fuck is Kun still alive. You have so many questions but you didn’t dare asked him because that small room is suffocating you. Not to mention your little skit about the ring. He didn’t even bother coming after you when you left the room. That’s just means you mean nothing to him.

By the time you started the mission, you thought that he will be hard to find but no. He contacted you directly and gave you an invitation for dinner in the skies. Of course you accepted it, even though you had direct orders from Jaehyun that you are not allowed to have a conversation with him.

“Do you love flying this much?” You asked him. He just smiled.

“This way, there’s no other assassins that could kill me, no people listening, just pure privacy. Just you and me”

You watch him pour another glass of champagne and watch him take a sip, you noticed he was shaking.

“I don’t have anything up in my sleeves too because I’m only here to tell you the truth” there was a slight pause, you wait for him to have the courage but truth be told, you’re not ready to hear what he’s about to say.

“While you were on coma, back then, Jaehyun found me after killing my double. I was afraid to die in his hands especially when I wasn’t the one who poisoned you — it wasn’t me, I promise. It was Jaehyun’s father. And I know that because… well we Phantoms are always 5 times ahead” he joke, you agreed.

“But when I told Jaehyun that truth… he made a deal with me. I kill his father and the Jeongs will not come after me anymore, and I become the boss. I fucked up. I admit. Got excited and killed his father first. Not knowing that Mr. Jeong is as smart as Jaehyun. His final will and testament just made Jaehyun untouchable and impossible to replace. Time passed and the man you love changed and now drowning in power—“

“You don’t need to tell my life’s story. I’m well aware—“ you tried to cut him off but he continued.

“ And here you are. He even sent his wife to clean up his mess. Are you sure you’re married to the right person?”

Kun noticed you don’t have your wedding ring. He thought maybe you left him “Good choice” he added without even asking you.

After knowing the truth while watching the sun go down high above the skies, Kun helped you stage his death and you agreed to let him go because he proved to you that he’s innocent.

When you get back, Jaehyun was happy that you didn’t fuck up… for a short time…but soon found out that Kun’s death was just staged. And so Jaehyun killed him with his own hands. He turned a blind eye about you being a traitor because he knew that you’re already fed up of what’s happening to your lives now.

But on top of it all, he already knew that one of these days, you will decide to leave him.

You on the other hand has succumbed into the darkness of your room and stayed there for days without talking to anyone, and without eating anything. All you want to do is get away from this place and live your life alone. Even if the thought of leaving Jaehyun hurts you so much already.

One night, Jaehyun tried to make everything right by bravely visiting you into your room, he promised to himself that he will do everything tonight just to make everything right. If he gets lucky he will hand you your wedding ring again.

He didn’t knock and just welcomed himself into your room. He found you staring at your window while you’re comfortably laying in your bed. He didn’t want to disturb your peace but he has to do this and try to win you back.

“I’m sorry” he whispers sweetly, and lay on the bed with you. He wrapped his arms around you but it felt like he’s suffocating you instead of comforting you. Suddenly Jaehyun doesn’t feel like home anymore.

“What kind of person kills his own father?” You started.

Shocked that you already know the truth, Jaehyun couldn’t handle what’s happening in front of him now.

“I did it so we could live peacefully—“

“Look at us now Jaehyun. You did this to us. You’re drowning of power—“

“That’s not true” Jaehyun defends.

“Then what is. I don’t even know you anymore, I’m hurt Jaehyun. I’m hurt that we’re fighting right now, I’m hurt that were not together anymore but I felt safe when I turned my back on you. I don’t want to be a Jeong”

“So this it? You’re really leaving me?”

“I believe that I’m not the right person for you”

There was silence. Suffocating silence for both you and Jaehyun. You continue to cry and forget that he’s in the room with you, while Jaehyun just sat there on the edge of your bed. The whole conversation did not include any screaming, maybe you two got tired of screaming already.

Jaehyun has a lot to say. But this is the furthest he can go with you.

This is the end.

Thank you so much for reading this work of mine! If you love what you read, please leave something in my inbox and tell me how you feel! CLICK THIS LINK. I hope we can practice, give and take.

Stay tuned for the next part! -B.

[aceofwhump]

Hey Ace 👋

Do you have any good Rodney whump fics or Ronan whump fics to recommend

I am only like half way through season 2 of Atlantis but I think I spoiled most of the show for myself through the whumpy gifs and videos I see everywhere lol

(P.S may we see a pic of your cat? 👉👈)

Hiya!! Ooh I love Rodney and Ronan whump. Yeah let me see what I can find for ya.

Rodney Whump:

Desperate Measures By: angw Stuck in a mine shaft Rodney has to make a choice to survive.

Four Times Rodney McKay Got Shot Saving the Day By: LinziDay Four times Rodney McKay got shot saving the day and one time he didn't .

Guppy By: GateBiscuit Rescuing McKay from the lost, leaky Puddle Jumper was the easy part. Tag to Grace Under Pressure. Team fic

Reason #1 Why Rodney Likes Food By igiveup101 “Fine,” Rodney gave in, shoulders slumped. “But you’ll be sorry when I’m dying of hypoglycemic shock.” OR Sheppard and the team agree to sit and reflect for a few hours. It goes, predictably, horribly awry.

Soldiering On By: LilRicki In which Rodney gets severely whumped but is still awesome enough to save the team from certain doom.

Candle in the Dark By: Sholio An accident leaves Sheppard and McKay a little too dependent on each other.

Hypoglycaemia By: Alipeeps Hypoglycaemia or low blood glucose is a condition in which the level of glucose sugar in the blood, drops below a certain point... Special request fic written for McKayRocks! Featuring McKay and Shep whumpage in abundance.

Ronon Whump:

Silent Sacrifice by Daring Duo - John, Rodney, and Ronon try to survive after crash landing on an unexplored planet. Their injuries and lack of supplies begin to take their toll as they wait to be rescued.

Red Sands by kirsten999 - Stranded on a harsh, desolate world, John and Ronon learn that merely surviving is only half the fight.

Finding Home by LadyShelley - Free of the Wraith, Ronon must decide if he is going to stay in Atlantis or leave to seek vengeance alone. While still trying to make up his mind, he and Rodney are trapped in one of the city’s towers, and each starts to learn more about the other as they wait for someone to find them.

A Light In Dark Places by LordVaako - Where was Ronon? Carson’s head felt like a boulder had dropped on it. The low ringing in his ears, coupled with a throbbing headache, made him touch his temple. He removed his fingers and inhaled in surprise at the crimson smears. ** Ronon is sent to bring Carson back to Atlantis, but the good doctor wants to spend more time with a village’s healer. When the village is attacked, Ronon and Carson are badly injured. They must rely on each other to get back to the Stargate.

Red Sands by kristen999 - Stranded on a harsh, desolate world, John and Ronon learn that merely surviving is only half the fight.

Febuwhump Day 1: touchstarved By Yesimevil After living for seven years as nothing more than a hunted animal, settling back into a form of society was… difficult, to say the least. Ronon suddenly became overwhelmed with people and things and safety, and no idea what the hell he was supposed to do with any of it, and from his inability to hold a conversation to the alien feeling of a toothbrush in his hand, he supposed that he had, in a way, forgotten how to be human.

Whumptober 2022 day 31: a light at the end of the tunnel By Yesimevil Takes place after Broken Ties. Ronon struggles to recover from the events of the episode, but his friends are there for him.

And yes I'd love to share a picture of my kitty! Her name is Sable and this pic is from the last time I took her outside

[average-hyperfixator]

Hi. I'm here to learn everything about Aubrey, please infodump all you want about her using this ask. WHO IS THIS DIVA.... 💖💖💖

HOORAY HOORAY YIPPEE YIPPEE okay this is gonna be a long post, also brief cw/tw for suicide mention! It's part of her lore but I wanna properly warn people, stay safe chat

with that, alllll the info dumping is below!!!

AUBREY!!

updated ref image, only thing that really changed was her age- the original age sheet was made (I think) before I knew Ted's canon age (44 if we follow the game's backstory timeline for him. 19 when he met that woman (ew) 5 years in Europe and then 20 years of conartistry = 44). I wanted to make them closer in age + this makes more sense for her LOL. She was previously 29, now 37, improvements babyyy.

For some Pre-AM lore, she's Mexican-American (just like me fr fr) and became a nurse (previously had her as a doctor buuut I realized that wouldn't fit the time period as well. so, nurse!!) She's very happy about the career decision, she likes helping people, and she copes fine with any discrimination tossed her way. (one reminder that she controls their medication and people usually back off)

As for the reason she's wearing roller skates: she enjoyed sports a lot, especially roller skating! She was originally celebrating a minor promotion with some skating. And then the world fucking ended, oops. (at least she looks happy here)

Post AM lore: From what can only be described as several crisis' (mortal crisis, mid-life crisis, the works) she cut her hair and her clothes. She also thanked herself for having a single roll of bandages in one of her pockets. It wouldn't help much but it was something.

she falls. a lot. Downside of being stuck in skates for eternity; one pebble and it's over. She struggles a lot skating through rock, sand, mud, and ice. The roll of bandages came in handy here.

Those are more funny things I wanted to add before getting into the more angsty meat of her story, so HERE'S THAT!! While the 5 survivors were AM's experiment on human behavior when stuck together in harsh conditions, Aubrey was the solo test. What would happen to the human mind and body when completely and utterly alone, in a post-apocalyptic earth, stuck in the core of the planet, tormented by a machine? Well, AM didn't get the exact reaction he wanted. Aubrey already had a pretty high pain tolerance and seemed to like the loneliness for the most part. That second part became less true over time, we are a social species after all. She wanted other humans to talk to, she knew they were out there, AM always complained about them. But he never let them meet. Unfortunately for AM, Aubrey is smart. She didn't want to live this miserable existence, she didn't want to be this machine's doll, and so she made a plan. 50 years into everything, she made and carried out a plan.

Every day, slowly, she gathered a pile of rock, metal, and shrapnel, putting it in a pile. AM thought nothing of it. Why would he? It didn't look suspicious. That was until, on a small rock pile she amassed, when AM wasn't looking, when he diverted his attention onto the others, the others she was sure she'd never see, she jumped. Plummeting the left side of her body onto the pile, it shredded through her skin and broke some of her bones, causing harsh damage to many organs. She knew she'd bleed out, and had accepted that death.

AM would not allow such a thing.

Though he wasn't able to stop what happened, he was quick to act. Removing her limp body from the pile he immediately began to "fix" what was "broken." Snapping bone back into place, sewing up organs, hooking up wires to her heart to send electrical currents so it'd keep beating, moving wires to replace missing and ruined flesh- he couldn't save her eye, but he didn't mind it. It was a miracle her brain was almost completely undamaged, rattled sure, damaged? Not really. After some work, when she was in stable condition, he strapped a spare monitor to the left side of her face, the final piece of the puzzle.

She woke up, disappointed and confused. How the fuck was she not dead? AM explained it all, and noted the monitor was for surveillance. She'd never be able to pull a stunt like that again because he'd be able to stop her. She immediately tried to break the monitor, but then he told her about the wires attached to her heart. He could stop and restart it as he'd like, grant her the sweet release of death just to bring her back. She sighed. "Anything else for me you psycho?" "YOU'LL FINALLY GET THAT WISH OF YOURS."

AM sent her to the others. The other survivors. The 5. It took three days and two nights but she made it. The first impression was... rocky. No one trusted her. Especially one special paranoid, who immediately questioned if she was another one of AM's AI, sent to mess with them. She drew some blood from her arm to show she was, in fact, human. This only made them slightly less jumpy. Thus began her rocky integration

Now see the funny thing about her and Ted and the fact they eventually end up together.

They HATTTTEEED each other. For a decade. Ted's paranoia worsened around her, and she didn't feel like dealing with his shit. He was whiney, and always pointing fingers, and she'd always have a snappy comeback. Aubrey had even taken one of his roles, the youngest. Now SHE was the youngest, and Ted was terribly spiteful about that. One of the only things he had going for himself, gone. Not only, in his eyes, was she a disrespectful toy of AM's, but she was stealing his place. In her eyes, Ted was a bitchboy, and she couldn't fathom being that miserable. Thus a tension formed that didn't go away until...

One particularly bad panic attack. Ted was no stranger to these of course, and the group had grown accustomed to them. He'd scare himself half to death, run off, and usually Ellen would go get him. Aubrey never understood why she did that to herself. Until one day, she was the one who went. She didn't want to, no, but what the 6 had just endured was a particularly bad torture session. Ellen was busy calming Benny, and Gorrister and Nimdok were in no shape to try and comfort Ted. Reluctantly, Aubrey went looking for him. She made her way rather far, wondering how his skinny weak-looking legs carried him so far... and then she found him. Now, she had seen him messed up before, many many times actually. But she had never seen a proper breakdown of his. She wasn't a monster, she had empathy, and what person wouldn't immediately feel bad upon seeing a man curled up sobbing and shaking? Once she made her way to him, she did her very best to calm him. He was jumpy and hesitant at first, after all he still didn't trust her, but the comfort of another human was all he wanted at that moment. Well, it's kind of hard to see someone the same after they go limp in your arms sobbing, mumbling apologies and lamenting their current feelings. After who knows how long, Ted had calmed down, but was still shaken up. Aubrey still held him, comforted him, and ran her undamaged hand through his matted, dark hair. Safe to say something became much different between them after that. The air had shifted. There was less animosity, more openness. Ted was never open with any of the others, but something about having a blank slate, someone new to talk to- it made it a bit easier. Aubrey was just happy to be able to talk. They interacted more, talked more, and learned more about each other. They stopped despising each other and, well

LOVERS!!!!

The enemies-to-lovers arc completed after about 5 years of a song and dance between the two after that initial moment. The morale of the group boosted just a bit, because they were happy, and the others got some benefits from that; Ellen didn't have to deal with any of Ted's shit anymore, Aubrey basically took over on that front. And the others didn't have to sit through his paranoid ranting. All in all, it was beneficial.

AM hated it. Greatly. There was nothing he could do about it though. No matter how much he tried to fuel Ted's paranoia, no matter how much he manipulated Aubrey- they stayed together. He was furious that the morale of the team went UP. And seethed over the fact he couldn't do a damn thing. As for how the ending changes with her there; she's the first to die. Stab from Ted, right through her monitor, he couldn't risk AM stopping him and Ellen. It was quick, painless, through the skull and into the brain. Impaled to the ground when her corpse landed. After Ellen's death, he couldn't help but take one last look at her- her face was just as distorted from shock and pain, but he knew she was happy upon death. Her body jerked a few times when AM tried to revive her, no such luck. He regrets not being able to hold her. Aaaaaannnddd that's everything so far chat, I didn't go into how she interacts with the other five, but that can be delved into later. Consider this the big Aubrey info post, she is in fact a diva, thank you for the ask :DDDD

Yap sesh over, thanks to everyone who read this far!!!

[lonelier-version-of-you]

Okay, I don't really know what to say about Doctor Who.

That's not necessarily a negative "I don't know what to say", because there's plenty I could compliment, I just really don't know what to say.

I suppose I'll start with: both Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson are brilliant as ever!!

And other than that:

- The resolution of saving everyone by getting Sutekh to bring death to all the death... it might have bothered me if I didn't expect the resolution to all this to be a bit silly and contrived but I did, so whatever. And Ncuti Gatwa made it feel all very watchable.

- The whole "force sweeping and wrecking the universe that the Doctor is told is their fault" thing gave me a bit of deja vu of the Flux, but Fifteen and Thirteen's respective reactions were of course VERY different so it didn't feel too similar the way it could have done. And that moment when the Doctor's crying and Ruby and Mel just sit with him, I thought was really lovely.

- Kate dying and then un-dying. Typical day in the life and death and life again of a Jemma Redgrave character, really.

- I briefly thought Mel was actually a goner for a moment, though. I was like "surely they wouldn't... would they?". Really I'm glad they didn't because it would have been a waste of the marvellous Bonnie Langford. And she was marvellous. What an actress. They cannot give her enough to do.

- On that note, the Doctor riding a motorbike with Mel was great fun.

- I assumed Ruby would turn out to be the Specialest Person in the Universe with magic space lineage or something. I'm glad that didn't happen.

- I got way too emotional about Susan Triad. There's something about characters who were trained/conditioned/created purely to do horrible things finding a life beyond that against all odds, becoming their own being, that really gets to me and she fits that archetype very well.

- It was cool how the 'Remembered TARDIS' became a plot point. It was also cool to have the Doctor watching their past self on the TV. I love stuff like that. And Four's scarf popping up was cute.

- I'm very intrigued by who Mrs. Flood is (I feel like she's probably a Time Lord for some reason but IDK who) but also... I don't need context for Anita Dobson in a fancy white coat with an umbrella breaking the fourth wall to be absolutely ICONIC. Literally, I'm very tempted to have that as my icon. Maybe in a few weeks when it won't be a spoiler anymore... hm.

- I think we know we haven't seen the last of Ruby but I don't really remember. I don't tend to like companion leaving fakeouts, unfortunately. (Clara is the exception.) I'm a bit annoyed by having another one but I'll get over it.

I can't believe there's no new DW until December and then probably months after that for a proper series. Or rather, I can believe it but I'm sad about it. I'm excited for Varada Sethu to become a companion when we do get there though!

[linagram]

[ 𝙿𝚛𝚎-𝚃𝟹 𝚅𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚊 #𝟶𝟸 ] 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕

OH GOD WE'RE DOING THIS WE'RE DOING THIS

so yeah this vd is supposed to describe the changes that happened between the ending of season 2 and the beginning of season 3. please enjoy!.. or don't. you are free to suffer as well

Warnings: descriptions of murder and suicide attempts.

Hinode: Are you ready to begin, Miki-san?

Miki: .. Yes. 

Hinode: So.. The trial hasn't even started yet, but we already had to go through a lot.

Miki: Y-yeah..

Miki: I mean, we had to expect something like this. It's the last trial, after all.

Miki: But still.. Everyone has changed so much.

Miki: And it's.. kind of our fault too.

Hinode: We had to punish the guilty prisoners somehow, you know that.

Miki: ...

Miki: I don't think you saw punishing them as a way to save them or the other prisoners.

Hinode: Huh?

Miki: Are you sure that you really don't like seeing other people in pain, Hinode-san?

Hinode: W-what are you talking about, Miki-san-

Miki: Never mind.I just hope Eiji-san comes back soon.

Hinode: .. This might be a weird question, but.. what kind of relationship do you two have? Are you close?

Miki: Eiji-san is very important to me. That's all.

Hinode: Do you like him?

Miki: .. *sighs*

Miki: I don't agree with most of the things he says. He can be really annoying. He's way too cruel when he punishes the prisoners. 

Miki: .. But I still want him to come back.

Hinode: So you do like him.

Miki: Guard 003, let's get to work already.

Hinode: U-uh, yes, sure.

Hinode: So.. It looks like the relationship dynamics between the prisoners have changed significantly.

Hinode: Those who were enemies are starting to become closer and those who were friends now hate each other's guts.

Hinode: Let's talk about the changes every prisoner went through during this period.

Hinode: Prisoner 001, Miyagawa Akio.

Hinode: Thankfully, Akio-san has started to get better.

Hinode: His injury isn't that bad anymore, but it's possible that it will still impact his life in.. not the best way.

Hinode: He still has to wear bandages just in case, but now we know that he has a pretty big scar there. 

Hinode: Thanks to him being voted innocent, according to Jackalope, he was able to receive treatment from someone we don't know yet, but since Akio-san's condition really is getting better with each day, I don't think that person is dangerous.

Miki: "I wonder who that person was.. Maybe a doctor that works here?"

Hinode: It's easier for him to walk now and his headaches aren't as bad anymore. He can finally read without anyone's help again and it also looks like he's not that obsessed with his accomplice anymore. I'm happy for him.

Hinode: He also seems to have changed as a person as well. He still prefers to spend most of his time alone, but he's not as.. "arrogant" anymore, maybe?

Hinode: Actually, it seems like he became closer with some other prisoners and not just Aimi-san.

Hinode: Those prisoners are Kei-san, Asahi-san and..

Hinode: .. Riku.

Miki: ...

Hinode: I knew about what happened between Akio-san and Riku before the second trial, so I was also.. shocked.

Hinode: However, Akio-san was the one who saved Riku when he tried to do.. that to himself, so maybe Riku is actually somewhat grateful to him?

Hinode: Looks like Aimi-san was a good influence on Akio-san, haha.

Miki: But what about Miyagawa-san's relationship with Aimi-chan?

Hinode: .. Well, let's talk about her then, shall we?

Hinode: Prisoner 002, Hanasaki Aimi.

Hinode: Aimi-san has been voted innocent, and to be honest..

Hinode: It seems to have really changed her as a person.

Hinode: Or maybe that's actually her letting her true colors show?

Hinode: I've expected her to be more happy about her only friend being voted innocent, but now that Akio-san is close with other prisoners and seems to have found friends in this place..

Hinode: .. Aimi-san is feeling lonely again now.

Hinode: She doesn't talk to Akio-san that much anymore. She doesn't talk to anyone actually.

Hinode: .. Except you, Miki-san.

Hinode: She seems to like you a lot.

Miki: .. Yes, she does.

Miki: She always says how I'm her "only friend" and that I'm the only person in this place who she can trust.

Miki: If I accidentally call her "Hanasaki-san" she stares at me with this weird look in her eyes and makes me call her "Aimi-chan" because "that's what I'm supposed to call her as her friend".

Miki: I just.. don't get it. I thought that if we vote her innocent, she'd act more..

Hinode: I think she's acting like this exactly because we voted her innocent.

Hinode: Aimi-san now thinks that she was in the right. She has been voted innocent twice now, of course she would think that.

Hinode: Of course she sees you as a friend. Because friends forgive each other.

Hinode: And even though you have.. also changed, you're still kind to her no matter what.

Hinode: So it's possible that..

Hinode: ...

Miki: What's wrong, Hinode-san?

Hinode: .. So, her brother thought that her classmates deserve to die for treating her like that, right?

Hinode: But what if he thought they deserve to die not only for bullying her, but also.. 

Hinode: .. For not being her friends?

Hinode: And since she killed him for "betraying her trust" in a way and doing something a friend wouldn't do..

Miki: .. She believes it's okay to hurt and even kill someone if they refuse to be friends with her?

Hinode: Possibly.

Hinode: And considering that she's been spending most of her time in her cell lately and writing something..

Hinode: .. Who knows what she's planning. 

Hinode: Now.. 

Hinode: Prisoner 003, Ishizu Shun.

Hinode: Well, this one has caused us a lot of trouble.

Hinode: He really didn't take being voted guilty well.

Hinode: Considering his memory problems, his memory loss is much worse compared to other guilty prisoners.

Hinode: Thanks to the way this machine works, we can also watch the recording of him getting his memory erased for the first time.

Miki: Do we.. really have to watch it?

Hinode: I found some of the things he said very interesting, Miki-san. We are the guards of this place, so we have to pay attention to everything the prisoners say.

Miki: .. You're right.

(the recording starts playing)

(Shun: .. W-where am I?

Shun: .. W-who are you two?!

Shun: T-this doesn't look like my-

Shun: Wait, what are these clothes?!

Hinode: It's okay, take a deep breath. You're fine.

Shun: I don't understand.. I don't understand!

Shun: W-where are they?

Shun: Where are Hina and Jouhei?

Shun: TELL ME RIGHT NOW!

Miki: Hinode-san!

Shun: I AM GOING TO BREAK ALL OF YOUR LIMBS IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHERE YOU'RE HIDING THEM!

Shun: You just want to ruin my happiness, don't you? All of you.. All of you think I don't deserve to be loved, right?!

Shun: *starts sobbing* I JUST WANTED TO BE HAPPY!)

Hinode: I'm still grateful to you for saving me back there.

Hinode: I don't know if it's because I'm not that physically strong, but I really felt like Shun-san was going to kill me.

Miki: If something happened to you, we would have two injured guards to deal with. I didn't want that.

Hinode: Haha, understandable.

Hinode: So, I guess now we know his victims' names. 

Miki: There's something that bothers me about this.

Hinode: Really? What is it?

Miki: .. Why did he sound so worried about Hina-san's new boyfriend?

Miki: Actually, from what I remember, in the end of his second video, he was eating cake with both of them. And he looked happy and didn't mind Jouhei-san's company.

Miki: If he believed that Jouhei-san was a bad person who didn't deserve Hina-san, why would he want to spend time with him? Why would he worry about him?

Hinode: Maybe he actually liked them both, haha.

Miki: What was that?

Hinode: Never mind, that sounds stupid.

Hinode: It's just.. Shun-san likes both Kei-san and Eiko-san, right? And he also really wants to be loved..

Hinode: I feel like it wouldn't be out of character for him to be in love with both his "ex-girlfriend" and her new boyfriend even if he hated him at first.

Hinode: But that's just a theory~

Miki: .. Hinode-san, we're having a serious conversation here.

Hinode: Haha, sorry, sorry.

Hinode: Anyway, it took a while to make Shun-san go back to his cell and he actually tried to run away, believing that there must be some sort of exit.

Hinode: And when he actually did get his memories back..

Hinode: .. The first thing he did was attacking Kei-san right after he saw him eating with everyone.

Hinode: He really hated the fact that Kei-san got voted innocent while him and Eiko-san got voted guilty.

Hinode: .. He chose the wrong person to attack, however. Kei-san really did suffer from the consequences of being voted guilty in the past, but he can still fight back as long as he has a weapon.

Hinode: So, uh...

Hinode: M-maybe attacking Kei-san when he had something sharp in his hand wasn't the best idea.

Hinode: Oh well, at least they match now when it comes to eye injuries.

Hinode: Except Shun-san's eye is.. Uh..

Hinode: Pretty much gone-

Miki: Can we stop talking about it?

Hinode: Fine, fine.

Hinode: So, we can confidently say that Shun-san is one of the most dangerous prisoners right now. His relationship with Eiko-san is getting more and more weird too..

Hinode: He actually doesn't talk to anyone except Eiko-san now. He avoids Kei-san too, but every time he sees him, he looks angry and.. heartbroken, maybe?

Hinode: Looks like he really did like him.

Hinode: So, Prisoner 004, Chiba Naomi.

Hinode: Let's watch the recording first, since she got her memories taken too.

(the recording starts playing)

(Naomi: ...

Hinode: Okay, I think we're done.

Hinode: Naomi-san, how are you feeling?

Hinode: Naomi-san-

Naomi: .. M-mom?

Naomi: Mom, I'm sorry, I..

Naomi: *starts crying* I am so sorry.. for failing you..

Naomi: I just.. I don't know if I.. 

Naomi: I don't know if I want to-

Naomi: .. Huh?

Naomi: .. Who are you two?

Naomi: W-where am I? W-where is my mother?

Hinode: Calm down. Can you remember who you are?

Naomi: U-uh..

Naomi: M-my name is Chiba Naomi. I am 30 years old. I'm an elementary school teacher. I live in-

Hinode: Okay, it worked.)

Miki: The first thing she did when we took her memories was start crying for her mother..

Miki: I didn't know Chiba-san was so attached to her.

Hinode: I don't think she was attached to her in a good way though.

Hinode: The way she acted after losing her memories was very interesting.

Hinode: It's like.. At the same time she was more anxious, but she also was very friendly with all the youngest prisoners, even Asahi-san.

Hinode: Perhaps it's because she didn't remember what happened to her victim and how he treated her, since we took more memories from her than we did in Shun-san's case. 

Hinode: Maybe she used to see her victim in Asahi-san, but since she forgot about her crime, she started to like him more.

Hinode: But then she got her memories back and..

Hinode: .. The glass cat figure.

Hinode: She broke it and put the glass shards in Asahi-san's food when no one was looking.

Miki: ...

Hinode: Are you okay, Miki-san? 

Miki: My own little brother almost got killed, but sure, I'm okay.

Hinode: Got it, not okay at all, haha.

Hinode: Asahi-san was saved by Kei-san who noticed that something was wrong with the food and stopped him before he tried to eat it.

Hinode: I really didn't expect Kei-san out of all people to save him. You must be feeling very grateful to him.

Miki: .. I do, actually.

Miki: I did get him a strawberry milkshake as thanks later after that.

Hinode: This guy really made one prisoner lose an eye but saved another prisoner's life..

Hinode: Oh, by the way, let's talk about him now, shall we?

Hinode: Prisoner 005, Sanada Kei.

Hinode: His injuries are healing, thankfully, but I'm afraid there's not much we can do about his eye.

Hinode: Reina-san requested a new eyepatch for him, actually. A more.. uh, "cute" one, maybe?

Hinode: She really cares about him. At first she protected him from Yurika-san and now this..

Hinode: He got a new outfit and he feels much more comfortable in it now. 

Hinode: It's like he's back to "normal" but he's also more.. I'm not sure how to say it..

Hinode: It's like, now he has people he's actually close with and he sticks with them? 

Hinode: Though he is still very.. uh.. friendly with me, haha..

Miki: "I don't think Kei-san just wants to be friends with him.."

Hinode: But I think an innocent verdict really did have a good impact on him. He's still friends with Reina-san and he's now close with Asahi-san and some other prisoners as well.

Hinode: His relationship with them is much more healthy than whatever he had with Eiko-san and Shun-san.

Miki: .. I don't know if he will finally open up about his crime though.

Hinode: Well, Miki-san..

Hinode: Maybe he has a reason to be so afraid of talking about his crime.

Miki: Like what? And why do you think he's afraid of it and not just.. I don't know.. being mysterious, I guess?

Hinode: Well, let's think about it.

Hinode: Sanada Kei is a man who likes to be in control. When he sees someone he likes, he immediately tells them about it. He doesn't take no for an answer.

Hinode: .. But judging by how much he screamed during his punishment and how much pain it had caused him, he hates not being in control.

Hinode: He still has horrible scars on his back. He's shown crying and begging for help in his second viideo.

Hinode: Now, Miki-san, what is the worst thing that could ever happen to a man like that?

Miki: ...

Miki: .. I understand now.. I think.

Miki: L-let's talk about Yoshioka-san now.

Hinode: Okay.

Hinode: Prisoner 006, Yoshioka Eiko.

Hinode: Let's watch the recording first.

Hinode: Her behavior after the punishment was.. unexpected, to say the least.

(the recording starts playing)

(Eiko: ...

Eiko: T-takeru?..

Eiko: Where's Takeru?..

Eiko: H-have you two seen him?..

Eiko: Please, I just want him to reply.. Please..

Eiko: I don't know if he's even alive!

Eiko: And if he's alive..

Eiko: Why is he still.. ignoring me?..

Eiko: .. Maybe.. it actually would be better if he turned out to be dead.. haha..)

Hinode: After that she just started laughing and walked back to her cell. She didn't ask us anything about this place, she was too busy thinking about Takeru-san.

Hinode: We not only took memories of her crime, but some other memories as well, so she also didn't remember what Takeru-san did and why he stopped replying to her messages.

Hinode: I still wonder what exactly he did to make her kill him.. 

Hinode: I know, maybe it looks like Eiko-san is way too obsessed with him, but..

Hinode: To be honest, I can't help but feel like Takeru-san really wasn't the best partner for her.

Hinode: Well, whether it's her being too possessive or him being a manipulator.. 

Hinode: It's our job to find that out.

Hinode: Anyway, now Eiko-san is spending time only with Shun-san and doesn't talk to anyone else. 

Hinode: Interestingly, it doesn't feel like she only sees him as her "bodyguard" anymore. It's like..

Hinode: She really does feel like she can't trust anyone else here.

Hinode: She also seems to really hate Yurika-san judging by the way she glares at her now.

Miki: She attacked Eiji-san and Yoshioka-san likes him a lot, so..

Miki: I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out she's plotting something.

Hinode: Yeah, we have to be careful with her.

Hinode: Prisoner 007, Yano Asahi.

Hinode: This poor boy is somehow getting better and getting more traumatized at the same time.

Hinode: He almost got killed by a woman he trusted and who is the only person that can be seen as a mother figure here.

Hinode: And it's possible this woman will try to kill him again since Naomi-san really is.. not doing good right now.

Hinode: But at least now he has people who can protect him.

Hinode: He likes Kei-san a lot now and follows him everywhere. Kei-san doesn't mind and even plays along and acts as his older brother.

Hinode: He plays the same role for other two prisoners actually. 

Miki: ".. What is it with Kei-san being an actually good big brother for other prisoners, but not for his own little brother?"

Hinode: He's more open now and he smiles more often. Well, at least when Naomi-san isn't around. 

Hinode: He's also still a little afraid of Yurika-san for obvious reasons, but he's okay with her company as long as he's with Kei-san.

Hinode: He also gets along surprisingly well with Akio-san now.

Hinode: You must be happy to see your little brother making so many friends here.

Miki: Y-yeah..

Miki: "But I'm also tired of them trying to kill him over and over.."

Hinode: Prisoner 008, Maruyama Yurika.

Hinode: It was.. really hard to punish her properly.

Hinode: When she found out about what happened to Shun-san, Naomi-san and Eiko-san, she decided to fight back and threatened to kill Riku and your brother if we did anything to her.

Hinode: .. That didn't work however, since you've knocked her out instantly.

Hinode: You.. are really taking advantage of your status as a guard now, haha..

Miki: .. I know that she's capable of killing Marito. I couldn't just let her do that.

Hinode: You really care about your brother a lot-

Miki: Yes, unlike you.

Hinode: ...

Miki: I'm pretty sure she doesn't know that me and Marito are related though. So why did she-

Hinode: She probably chose him because she noticed how close you two are and because he's the youngest one here.

Hinode: A-anyway, let's watch the recording.

(The recording starts playing)

(Yurika: .. Hey.

Yurika: Where am I?

Yurika: Ugh, did I really get sent to prison or something?

Yurika: Uhh, wait, I was told that if something like this happens, I'll-

Yurika: ...

(sounds of Yurika standing up)

Yurika: You'll never take me alive, losers!

Yurika: Gh-

Yurika: W-what are you-

Miki: Seriously.. Maruyama-san, you're not actually that strong.

Miki: It's easy for you to attack the weak ones, like children and the injured prisoners..

Miki: But what about someone who's stronger than them and can actually put up a fight?

Yurika: ...

Miki: Now, sleep well.)

Hinode: We actually had to take more of her memories later, since she still continued to act.. unstable and she only got better when we took memories of her being "betrayed" by her parents.

Hinode: After that she started to act like a young woman who.. uh.. comes from a quite rich family-

Miki: And who never had to work to make a living.

Miki: It was kind of annoying, but at least she didn't try to kill everyone.

Hinode: It would be nice if we could just leave her like this, but we still need more information from her, so we had to give her her memories back. 

Hinode: She still likes to threaten everyone, but she doesn't actually do anything.

Hinode: It also seems that she's back to being friends with Reina-san.

Hinode: I wonder what made her have this sudden change of heart..

Hinode: .. Prisoner 009, Kuroki Riku.

Hinode: ...

Hinode: Let's watch the recording before I say anything.

(The recording starts playing)

(Riku: .. I hate him.

Riku: I hate him so much, I hate him so much, I hate him so much, I hate him so much..

Riku: I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM!

Riku: I am so done with this.. Why do I still have to spend time with him..

Riku: No.. 

Riku: Why can't I.. leave him already?

Riku: I hate him, right?.. So why can't I just tell him to leave me alone?..

Riku: I don't get it..

Riku: Huh.. I don't think I've seen this place before..

Riku: Well, it doesn't matter.

Riku: As long as he's not here, I'm fine with it.)

Hinode: .. He didn't even notice me.

Hinode: He didn't even notice his own brother, haha..

Hinode: Well, he does have some very strong feelings about Yue, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Miki: ...

Hinode: .. *sighs* I guess we still have to talk about.. that.

Hinode: Shortly after Riku got his memories back..

Hinode: .. He tried to kill or at least hurt himself by putting that hair dye he requested earlier into his tea.

Hinode: Thankfully, he was stopped by Akio-san, who noticed his drink looking strange and asked what was in it. 

Hinode: While Riku was trying to come up with an answer, Akio-san looked closer, remembered Riku's request and realized that it was black hair dye.

Hinode: Riku was mad at Akio-san at first, but now..

Hinode: They get along really well, actually. I rarely see Riku without Akio-san and vice versa.

Hinode: I think it's because deep inside..

Hinode: Riku actually wanted someone to stop him. Maybe he even wanted it to be Akio-san. 

Hinode: Maybe he wanted it to be him so that he could make sure Akio-san is not mad at him and has forgiven him.

Hinode: Riku seems to have become more social again and he spends a lot of time with Akio-san, Kei-san and some other prisoners.

Hinode: And now, finally..

Hinode: Prisoner 010, Himura Reina.

Hinode: She.. completely ignores us now.

Hinode: She said she doesn't care about our opinion anymore and she "has her own plans for this place", whatever that's supposed to mean.

Hinode: However, even though she's so cold now, she seems to have become quite popular among prisoners.

Hinode: She can be often seen with Kei-san, Yurika-san, Akio-san, Riku-san and Asahi-san.

Hinode: Aimi-san, Naomi-san, Shun-san and Eiko-san still avoid her though. I wonder why..

Miki: ...

Miki: I have a bad feeling about her becoming more popular.

Miki: And with these particular people too..

Hinode: Well, it's not like she can do anything to stop us or stop the trial from happening.

Hinode: Okay, that's the end of the report. We really should be more careful this time, now that we know what will happen to everyone after they receive their final verdicts.

Hinode: Are you ready, Miki-san?

Miki: .. I wonder what will happen to us after the third trial is over.

Hinode: W-well, they'll most likely just send us back home.. 

Hinode: Probably.

Miki: Also, where's Eiji-san?

Hinode: I've heard he will join us later, but I'm not sure when exactly. 

Miki: .. Okay.

Miki: *stands up* Let's go, then.

Miki: We can't let ourselves make a wrong choice this time.

Miki: .. Let the third trial begin.

[teaberrii]

Chapter 15: The Enemy in the Shadows

You and Dan Heng are a match made in heaven until fate takes him away from you too soon. Years later, you think you moved on with a mutual friend who shared your grief and stuck with you during tough times until you meet a mysterious man with a striking resemblance to your past lover and a hidden motive. You’re determined to get rid of him, but how are you going to get rid of a god?

Dan Feng/You

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail crossover

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

Support my writing

“Is it just me, or did you get even shorter since the last time I saw you?”

Bailu, standing in front of an empty hospital bed, shoots Nanook a glare. “Excuse me?”

“‘If I still had my powers, I would curse the hell out of you,’” Nanook says, mimicking her voice while leaning against the closed hospital door. He goes back to his normal voice and smiles. “Am I right?”

Ignoring him, Bailiu turns her attention to Luocha, and she hates that stoic look on his face. What is he thinking? Does he remember Baizhu? But, most importantly, who is he? A reincarnation? Descendent? Or…

“Baizhu talked highly about you.” Bailu narrows her eyes. “I never thought we’d meet like this,” Luocha continues.

“Ditto,” Bailu mutters. “How are you still alive?”

“I could ask the same of you. Oh, wait… I suppose it was because of that. Wasn’t it?”

Bailu crosses her arms just as Nanook looks between the two. “That? Am I missing something here?"

"None of your business," Bailu says flatly.

Nanook scoffs. "Well, I never thought you two would be acquaintances. Small world.”

"I could say the same," Bailu says, looking from Nanook to Luocha. "How do you two know each other?"

Nanook and Luocha glance at each other, and then Nanook asks:

"What brings you here, kid?"

“Idrila."

Nanook narrows his eyes. “How much do you know about her?”

“Oh, please. If you think I'll give away all of my secrets, you’re sadly mistaken.”

Nanook opens his mouth, but Luocha claps once as if silencing two arguing children. “Don't forget that we have a bigger problem on our hands.”

“You mean our mystery man?" Bailu deadpans.

“You asked me earlier how I’m still alive,” Luocha says, his voice unwavering. “The answer is simple.” A slight pause. “Immortality.”

“Uh-huh, and I’m the princess of Xianzhou.” Bailu puts her hands on her hips. “Let’s be serious, shall we?”

“But I am.”

“Immortality doesn’t exist! I would know. I researched it.”

Luocha smiles as he looks down as if knowing a secret. “So I’ve heard.”

Bailiu crosses her arms. “What’s with that look?”

“And here I thought you were a little smarter than you look.” Nanook pushes himself off the door. “Did you really think you were the only one researching immortality?”

“There was a lot of hidden research,” Luocha adds. “Things were happening behind the scenes that no one wanted the public to know about. A lot of information was withheld.”

Bailu doesn’t want to believe it’s true, but she won’t be too surprised if it is. “And were you a part of this?” She narrows her eyes. “Is that how you’re here? You used public research and those behind the scenes to achieve immortality?”

“On the contrary,” Luocha says, crossing one leg over the other. “I and a friend were used as lab rats to achieve this.” Bailu raises a brow. "I was in contact with a man I knew as an investor in medical research. He was the one who introduced me to Idrila, and I became her doctor."

The public study was typically empty during this time. Luocha and Idrila sat across from each other; he had just finished administering her daily medication.

“How long do I have left?" she asked. "Even with all this medication, it’s only a matter of time.”

“Your condition’s been stable, Idrila. Try to think a little more positively. A lot of effort is being put into trying to save you. If we succeed, it would be revolutionary.”

“That’s what I thought, too,” she muttered.

“What do you mean?”

She put her tea on the table. “They told me they were looking for a cure for my illness, but it's all lies."

“Lies?”

“Looks like you’re being fooled as well, Doctor.”

“It was a conversation she overheard weeks after meeting her,” Luocha continues. "The man came to visit her parents, and she heard about what they were really after. He would have me administer all kinds of medication, but it was to boost her chances at achieving immortality, which was his true motive."

Bailu looks at him skeptically. "So, you never knew this guy's name or what he looked like? How do you know immortality was his true motive?"

Nanook rubs the back of his neck. "Because I realized that this dude was giving Idrila the same thing he was giving to people in the slums."

“Are you sure we’re talking about the same fucking guy?”

The smell of sweat permeated the air, but Nanook was used to it as he grew up in this poor neighbourhood. He was about to turn the corner when he overheard the conversation between two men. They were dressed similarly to Nanook: worn bandages around the arms and dirty-looking clothes. One of the men was wearing an eyepatch.

“It might not’ve been the same guy, but”—he took out a vial—”it looks like we got the same thing, didn’t we?” He snickered. "Well, it doesn't matter. At least we're getting money out of this."

“What’s that you got there?”

The men turned toward Nanook who was looking at the vial with interest. The liquid inside was clear and thick.

“This? Oh”—the man slid the vial back inside his pocket—”it’s nothing.”

When Nanook sees Bailu looking at him out of curiosity, he crosses his arms. "What?"

"Idrila was a princess, wasn't she? And you..."

Nanook rolls his eyes. "Yeah, she was a princess. And not to toot my own horn, but if it weren't for me, she would have died even earlier."

Carrying a spear, Nanook cautiously pushed down the branches and leaves blocking his view and saw a young girl hunched over a small cliff. One look at her and he knew she wasn’t from around here. Not from the village, at least. Her clothes were far too… extravagant. But that didn’t stop him from approaching her.

“You don’t look so good.”

The girl quickly turned around and stepped back. They looked around the same age. “Who are you?”

“I should be asking you that question.” Nanook stepped closer, and she stepped back. “One more step and you’ll fall.”

She looked over her shoulder but didn’t step forward. “What’s the point?” she muttered, but Nanook didn’t hear her.

“If you jump, I’ll jump.”

That got her attention, and she saw him cautiously approaching her. She visibly tensed. “What do you want?”

“What do you think? I don’t want to witness a suicide.” He reached out to her. “...Grab my hand.”

She turned around. “Go away.”

Nanook frowned. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“You aren’t as smart as you look,” Nanook said, scoffing. When she turned back, he was giving her a deadpan look. “What?”

“You—”

Her foot had moved, but that slight movement caused her to lose her balance…

Her eyes shut tight until she realized she wasn’t falling anymore. She opened her eyes, looked up, and saw Nanook with his hand firmly around hers.

“Am I supposed to clap that you saved someone’s life?” Bailu deadpans. 

“You should be thanking me, kid. It’s because I saved her I found out about the secret experiments."

Bailu looks between the men. “I suppose Idrila is how you two met.” Then, she looks down, deep in thought. “Is that why she tried taking her life? Because she was essentially a lab rat for immortality when she didn’t want it? Or, was it because she lost all hope?”

"She didn't want to die." Bailu and Luocha look at Nanook who has his eyes closed. "But she didn't want to live forever either. Her choices were being made for her, so what was the point?"

"Sounds like you two were quite close," Bailu says. "...Does she have something to do with Tsaritsa?"

Suddenly, the door opens, and the nurse says:

“You’re needed in the operating room, Doctor.”

Luocha nods and stands. “I’ll be right there.” Before leaving the room, he looks over his shoulder. “...You two will be okay, right?”

“Who? Us?” Nanook asks. “Do you even have to ask?”

“The place will still be in one piece,” Bailu deadpans. “Don’t worry.”

Once Luocha leaves, Nanook says:

“Hey, kid.” Bailu looks over. “Let’s call a truce, shall we? If you and your dragon detective friends help us find this person, we’ll willingly go back with you.”

Her jaw almost drops. “You’re kidding, right? And… how are you so sure this person is still alive?”

“The note,” Nanook answers flatly. “Lan got a note reminiscent of what Idrila once got.”

The night was chilly; the moon was full. Nanook had used a secret entrance to sneak into the palace, something he’d always dreamed of doing. Being from the slums, he’d always wanted to steal from the rich. Maybe even kill one with his bare hands. That’d be nice, considering what they did to his parents. He never expected to get close to Idrila. But when he saw her at that river, he saw an opportunity.

The last thing he expected was for her to grow on him. They’d struck an odd friendship, despite Nanook’s intentions. While he frequently rolled his eyes at her sheltered life, something was endearing about her he couldn’t put his finger on. As soon as Nanook arrived at Idrila’s room, he quietly knocked on the door, and it slid open soon after.

“...What’s wrong?” he asked as soon as he saw her pale face.

“Why don’t you come in and take a look?”

Nanook looked past her at the male who had just talked. “Should’ve known you’d be here.”

Lan sat at one of the tables with his arms crossed and one leg over the other. He was looking at a piece of paper along with a vial. Nanook walked to the table and saw a note.

Don’t be afraid

Nanook knew Idrila was taking medicine that was supposed to cure her. So, what was up with this eerie note?

He picked it up. “What’s this about?”

“I… haven’t been taking the medication,” Idrila admitted.

“Whoever is sending her these caught on,” Lan said.

“Did you tell your parents?” Nanook asked, looking at Idrila.

“No,” she said quietly. “I didn’t tell them anything. They think I’ve been taking the medicine.”

Nanook had a disgusted face. “Don’t tell me whoever’s giving them to you is spying on you.”

“...And was he?” Bailu asks.

“Just answer me this, kid. Are you in or not?”

◆◆◆

Dan Feng is 100 meters underground in the tunnels used by the military long ago. It had been Dan Heng’s idea as an escape route in case of a surprise invasion. It would’ve worked, Dan Feng supposed, if only the tunnels hadn’t been overrun with enemy reinforcements. But Dan Feng still managed to use it to escape, and he could still remember the strong stench of blood and the corpses littered about.

But, now it’s spotless, but still cold and slightly damp.

Dan Feng walks past a tour group where people are taking photos of things that made it through the war. He briefly overhears the guide at the front talking about the history, and while there are some minor inaccuracies, Dan Feng doesn’t take the time to correct him.

Soon, the voices become a faint echo and Dan Feng comes across a fork in the tunnel. The passageway to the left is blocked off by yellow tape, and the flickering lights make the tunnel more ominous than it needs to be. Yet, he remains unfazed and steps over the yellow tape, only to stop when he hears:

“Sir! Sir…!” A guard rushes up. The look in the man’s eyes asks if Dan Feng is an idiot, but he ignores it. “This area is off limits.”

Well, unfortunately, it’s the place he needs to go. Dan Feng knows that walking a little further will lead to a small chamber where he and the Stellaron Hunters started The Great Purge.

“Where’s Firefly?”

“You mean Sam?” Blade asked dryly, looking at the short girl known as Silver.

Silver had her hands in her pocket as she glanced at Blade. “They’re the same person, you know,” she huffed.

Dan Feng knew that Sam was the name of the armour that Firefly inhabited. It kept her alive, but no one knew how or from what despite knowing her for so long. On rare occasions, they would see her true form: a young girl with long, silver hair and eyes with a unique mix of blue and pink.

“Well?” Silver continued, looking at a woman and Dan Feng. “Should we wait for her?”

“No,” the woman answered. “If we’re late, we’ll have to wait until the next full moon.”

Dan Feng nodded. “I agree with Kafka. We can start without her.”

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Firefly walked in, to everyone’s surprise.

“...I’m sorry I’m late.”

“Your armor…” Silver said, walking up to her. “What—”

“I… I might be okay without it.”

“Are you sure?” Kafka asked. “Did something happen?”

“No… Not exactly.”

Dan Feng noticed her hand in her pocket, which looked like she was feeling something. He was about to ask when Blade said:

“Let's get started.”

“Sir.” The guard’s annoyed voice snaps Dan Feng back to the present. “How long are you going to keep standing there?”

But he still doesn’t move. Instead, he turns around and asks, “Why is this corridor off-limits?”

The guard crosses his arms. “It’s being renovated.”

“The chamber at the end of this hall... Does it still exist?”

“We’re in the process of moving the relics. It’s—” The guard narrows his eyes. “How do you know about the room at the end of this hall? We’ve never opened it to the public before.” A small pause. “Hang on… Why do I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

Dan Feng manages a little smile. “Where are these relics now?”

◆◆◆

“...So, this mystery man,” Neuvilette begins. “He was experimenting on people without their knowledge, but that doesn't explain how Blade and Luocha are still here. Don't tell me they've been using themselves as experiments for the medication or something bizarre."

It’s lunchtime, and you’re eating by yourself in an empty meeting room. But, you’re not alone. With your phone propped up in front of you, you’re on a three-way call with Neuvilette and Bailu. Zhongli and Dan Feng hadn’t picked up. You briefly told them about your encounter with Blade, but before you could tell them about the eerie statement about your necklace, Bailu began sharing her story about Luocha and Nanook.

"I don't know..." Bailu says with a soft sigh. "But, I didn't give Nanook an answer. Not when he hasn’t given me all my answers yet.”

“You mean why he was asking about Tsaritsa?” you ask.

“They probably have the same kind of illness,” Neuvilette muses. “That would be interesting. But, the question is…”

“Why Nanook is helping Tsaritsa,” Bailu finishes. “Unless he feels guilty for not being able to save Idrila and thinks saving Tsaritsa might help him get rid of his guilt.” A slight pause. “But this is Nanook we’re talking about. His heart is like… he doesn’t have one!”

“And we still don’t know what this mystery guy is really after,” Neuvilette says. His eyes land on you. “If he is still alive and is the same man who sent you that text… Why? Nothing has happened since then, which makes me wonder if he's playing a sick psychological game.”

“I can venture a guess,” you mutter. “Luocha said this guy was an investor. If immortality could be achieved, wouldn’t that be revolutionary? It would make a ton of money.”

A pause.

“That’s true… but why would he be looking for you?” Bailu asks. “Or, I guess the woman from Dan Feng’s past?”

“Perhaps…” Neuvilette begins, his face looking as if something has dawned on him. “We were complicating things. Think about it. There are a handful of reasons someone would be looking for someone else, but whatever that reason is, the motive is the same. They want something from them. They need something from them. If we assume this man would make a ton of money from immortality, then either that woman knew about it and was in on the fun… or she soiled his plan and caused him to lose a pretty penny.”

“But, he did achieve it, didn't he?" Bailu asks. "It didn't happen until after The Great Purge, but if what Mr. Stellaron Hunter says is true, it still happened. If our mystery man was so invested in immortality, he must’ve known he had a chance of success after The Great Purge.”

“That confidence or bet wouldn’t be possible if someone wasn’t helping him,” you say. “Just a thought.”

“It must’ve been one of the Stellaron Hunters,” Bailu mutters. “And maybe we can cross Blade off that list already.”

“Still, who’s to say he wasn’t experimenting with other things?” Neuvilette asks. “Immortality could be just one of the many goals he was trying to achieve.”

Then, it dawns on you.

“What about… human teleportation?” you ask. “Furina said that if that were to happen, it could change the world… The same as immortality.”

“Big bucks in the making,” Bailu mutters.

Your palms start sweating. Are you finally getting closer to the truth?

Suddenly, a knock on the door snaps you out of your thoughts. The door opens, and one of your colleagues peeks inside before telling you they need the room for a meeting. You end the call and head out, your hand subconsciously toying with your necklace, something you’ve been doing throughout the entire day.

◆◆◆

Childe returns to the mansion earlier than expected. Thinking he has the house to himself, he’s a little taken aback when he hears someone coughing. He heads into the living room, and as soon as he sees Tsaritsa hunched over with her hand on the counter to keep her from falling, he rushes over.

“What happened?” he asks, his hand going around her arm. It’s then he notices how pale she is. “Are you okay?”

She takes a small breath. “I’m fine. I… I just needed a minute.” She politely shrugs off Childe’s support.

“I should be glad I finished early today,” Childe says, watching her slowly walk to the armchair.

Tsaritsa sinks into the chair, and then she briefly closes her eyes. “I heard you made a new friend.” She opens them. “Who is he, Tartaglia?”

Childe knows that when Tsaritsa uses his real name, she wants no-nonsense answers. Still, he responds with a short laugh. “Not surprised that someone snitched.” Lightning rumbles in the distance as Childe takes a seat on the couch. “Didn’t Pierro tell you?” He doesn't know what to make of her silence. "They don't belong here." She looks from the window to Childe. “Neither of them do. If they continue to stay here… who knows what will happen?”

The bar was busy as usual. Soft jazz played in the background, mixing with the calm conversations.

“So…” Childe poured Sampo a drink. “You have a year to haul them back to your realm, and if you don’t… sounds like you become an unemployed human." Childe chuckled. “What a punishment.”

“What puzzles me is why they are still staying with Tsaritsa even after all this time,” Sampo said, casually swirling the alcohol in his wine glass. “I’m sure they have a motive, and I’m also almost certain it has something to do with that note.”

“What? You think the person they’re looking for is someone close to Tsaritsa?”

Sampo finally took a sip of his wine. “You’re her nephew, right?”

Childe, who had just finished his third glass of wine. "And?”

“You must know a lot about her.”

Childe put his empty glass on the table. “Don’t tell me you think it’s Tsaritsa. That wouldn’t make sense.”

Sampo scoffed. “If it was her, why wait this long?” He started pouring both of them another glass. “She’s sick, isn’t she?” Childe had been looking at the wine glass. He looked at him without moving his head. “How long does she have left?”

“She’s not terminally ill,” Childe said through gritted teeth.

“She oddly reminds me of someone I once knew.”

Childe narrowed his eyes. “Who?”

Sampo picked up his drink as the jazz track ended and another started playing. “Someone who they loved a little too much….” He chuckled darkly. “They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Childe puts his elbows on his legs and leans forward. “Idrila.” The name makes her calmly look away. “She was ill, and from how Sampo described her, she…” Childe sighs. "They brought her back once, and that failed. What if they’re using you to try again?”

She smiles wryly. “That’s not possible.”

“Or, are you just naive?”

◆◆◆

It’s past the daily rush hour when you leave work that evening. You’re waiting for the elevator to head down to the parking lot as you’re talking on the phone with Dan Feng. He’s telling you about the relics recovered from the chamber at the end of one of the tunnels, and one of them caught his eye.

“The Ambrosial Arbor?” you ask, intrigued by the name.

“It was a relic that had the power to grant immortality at the expense of your sanity,” Dan Feng answers. “There were books and articles written about it, saying how there was only one in existence. But it had been destroyed long before we existed.”

"What if... it didn't?"

The doors open, and as you step inside, the signal is already starting to cut.

"...Dangerous..." you hear Dan Feng say. "This man..."

The doors close.

“...closer…”

You aren’t expecting to lose signal this fast.

“...than I thought.”

By the time you reach the parking lot, the signal is gone. You step out, and the sound of your shoes against the concrete echoes throughout the lot. As you walk toward your car, you tightly grip your phone, and your eyes look off to the side, unable to ignore the feeling of someone watching you.

Finally, you turn around, but no one is there.

You try your phone a few times, but the screen won’t turn on. Just when you’re about to give up, it flashes white and your screen comes back with a message on your screen.

Turn around

End notes: Can't say I'm entirely happy with this chapter, but I tried :x. Anyways, I AM BACK.

Tag list: @suoshiii @lordbugs @lxry-chxn @seirenspinel @totromanticfool @lunavixia @aerithsthingss @boomie-123 @sunsethw4

[zoros-bandana]

Hello my dear writer , this is the first time I dare to ask for a request so I hope not to be a bother for you 😥😅 .You ask me if I could ask for a Zoro x Reader . With a plot where the reader is a doctor widely recognized in the seas for his skills and knowledge , as well as being a very beautiful and kind woman . And at some point in the journey , after he unites the straw hats and establishes a relationship with the marimo . A well-known pirate captain , handsome and terribly rich , find

her and confesses his love to her after she had saved him from illness . He offers her a safe and carefree life , but the reader refuses because she already has Zoro and loves him too much (even if he is a heathen who does not bathe 😂). Zoro feels insecure and upset , because this guy can offer his girl things he can't . But in the end it all ends well , with something fluffy and sweet between the two.

(A/n: the request was sent in parts so I added the second half above)

The Love Doctor

(SFW)

Zoro angst/fluff

Warning: mentions of being sick, thriller bark spoilers, mentions of brief death, slight spoilers for sabaody/fisherman island, swearing, arguments, mentions of drinking, mentions of being drunk, confession

Word Count: 3,500

Your life had settled into stability.

It was comfortable.

You, much like a few members of the crew you were now bound to, had worked hard to study medicine. You had formed a close knitted group with the young doctor on board, followed by the surgeon, Law, once the alliance was formed. It was obvious to many of your friends you were different, in ways established early on into finding the band of pirates. They had known about your public past, aware of the impressive patterns with your medicine and overall beauty, leaving the worst generation in a bid to have you.

Your paths had crossed the Strawhats in a twist of fait, stumbling across a sickened cook that you later found to be Sanji. To express his gratitude, he invited you back to the ship, cooking for you the most abundant and delicious banquet you had ever eaten. The people you gathered around the table with settled into the quirkiest bunch of pirates you had ever encountered; instantly bewitching your need for a better, more connected life.

Amazed by your skill, wit, and charm, Luffy formally invited you to join the crew; much to the disgust of the aloof swordsman to his right.

At first it puzzled you, noting a cruel ignorance the swordsman held with you; treating the other members differently. Zoro stayed clear from you, lining up for Chopper's help over your own more complex skills, stubborn to avoid you as much as he could. He would refuse to glace in your direction, positioning himself against you where he could, pretending you weren't apart of the crew. However, after his collapse at Thriller Bark, Zoro softened, letting you tend to his wounds for the first time.

He felt helpless, almost embarrassed to go to the others, noting how sweet and quiet you were; trusting you would keep to yourself about the degree of his condition. Zoro couldn't believe how close you were, unable to keep his eyes off you, and in a brief catch of his eye he made a move, unable to hold back his lustful feelings for you any longer.

There was no thought to his plan, eagerly pressing his lips to your own, a rush of complex feelings tangled him to project his feelings. He was in awe of you, confused, but also frightened, tasting a brief moment of death that shocked his perspective into focus. He needed to have you.

And to Zoro's surprise you wanted him just as much.

Since that moment the two of you became one, unable to hide any romantic gestures or feelings for one another; tightening your bond once reunited in Sabaody. It was clear, despite the obvious differences, that you were both made for one another. Everybody could see the changes in Zoro, and in yourself, complimenting each others strengths to a more confident and powerful duo; making your crew and Luffy proud.

Being with him brought a sense of peace, comfort, his life intwining into your own so perfectly it was hard to picture life without him. And even through the threat of countless admirers for your beauty, nothing wavered your bond.

That was until the fatal interaction with the Kyoei Pirates.

——————————————————————————

Zoro tumbled down from the crows nest, following the promise of food as Sanji called out from below, dismissing his vigorous training. Wiping over his face he instinctively found himself drawn to the infirmary, collecting you, knowing it was hard to pry you away from your work. He would never admit out loud to anyone, be he cared and loved you deeply, prioritising your health more than his own; knowing you would do the same.

Weaving through the sea of Kyoei Pirates, Zoro ignored their rush for the kitchen, their recent addition to the ship causing more trouble than he liked to admit. Their captain was deeply sick, and in your usual kind mannerism you had offered to heal him, Luffy backing your wishes to extend the crews approval for safety on board until he was healed.

As he approached the door Zoro paused, hearing your voice low and full of sorrow. You were caught in conversation with the captain, Hansuke, who had already torn away your attention from Zoro; leaving your interactions bare. He didn't wish to eavesdrop on your conversation, but there was a deeply rooted feeling he couldn't shake off, almost jealous in how he was around you.

Hansuke matched your energy well, even when ill he was charming, handsome in appearance and quite fond of you. He was taller, clean, his sharp facial features sturdy and his words poised; and Zoro hated it. He hated seeing you laugh at his jokes, agreeing with Robin about his delightful appearance, tending to his every need. His jealousy was poisonous, suffocating him as he saw you, impatiently waiting for the day they were to leave.

"Please, Hansuke, I can't do what you're asking of me"

Zoro pricked his ears to your voice, alert by your claims.

"Nonsense, my love, you know just as well as I do that being with me is the only way"

My love?

"I can offer you more than this life, more than what that swordsman can offer you. I can make you safe within my crew, make you mine, look after you in ways he cannot. Your kindness and beauty will not go unnoticed with me, I can see you for who you truely are. I can tend to your love for helping the less fortunate. You're talented Y/n, in everything you do and we need - I need - someone exactly like you with me. Please come with me. I love you, Y/n"

Zoro's heart dropped, instinctively frightened of losing you, taking a step away from the door. If his worries weren't enough before the confirmation of Hansuke's proposal, they had additionally heightened his emotions towards the situation. He knew there was something amiss about how he treated you, his gut telling him not to trust him, despite the crews instant bond with the Kyoei Pirates.

Putting aside his pride, Zoro knocked on the door in harsh thuds, interrupting you before he heard another love-sick word. "Oi, food is ready"

There was a deafening still which followed, a quick scramble as you whispered to Hansuke, inaudible to Zoro. He turned his back to the door, anticipating your presence, scrambling his mind on something to ground himself; crossing his arms to hold the shake in his posture.

Hansuke's words buried deep under Zoro's skin, wedging his insecurities to the surface, unsure how exactly you felt in return. He knew you liked him, cared for him even, but your sweet nature served as an uncertainty to the swordsman, unable to distinguish between courtesy and lust.

"Hey?" you called out to Zoro, carefully touching his arm. "Is everything okay?"

Zoro flickered his eye down to you, keeping his face neutral, grinding his teeth together in annoyance. Out of the corner of his eye he noted the tall figure of Hansuke, knowing there was a gorgeous and venomous smile on his face.

"Fine" he spat, starting to walk towards the kitchen, unable to wait for you to sink into step. "Everything is fine"

---------------------------------------------

"Alright, Hansuke-san, your fever has reduced rapidly and your stats have improved. If we were in clinic I would happily dismiss you home"

Hansuke flashed you a thankful smile, watching as you slid your chair back, allowing him to stand up from his seat on the examination table. His bright green eyes were soft, as they always were looking at you, tentatively holding you like glass. Even through his tough sickness he was sure to always appreciate your efforts, thanking you continuously through every check-up, administration, and referral.

He would amuse you with stories, letting time pass as you watched over him, growing a bond in the short time on board the Sunny. You grew to appreciate him company, despite the obvious infatuation looming overhead, pushing aside to focus on the goal at hand.

"Thank you, Y/n-chan, your efforts are greatly appreciated"

"I'm just glad to see you looking and feeling better. There is no better reward than that" you returned a small smile, peeling off your examination gloves. Turning away from his gaze you walked away, keeping occupied as his eyes followed over to the sink; the running water drowning out any possible continuation of conversation. You could hear Hansuke's footsteps, lightly trailing towards you to close the distance, determined to continue on his discussion, dismissing your attempt to get away.

"There must be something I can do for you?"

"Just seeing you restore your health is more than enough"

"I had something else in mind" his hand came up to your neck, swooping your hair away to expose at your skin. Sinking away from his touch you turned around, trapping yourself between his hands either side of you, his body cornering tight. "Something a bit more personal if you don't mind me asking of you"

You gulped nervously, unsure of his suggested request.

"Join my crew, Y/n"

"I cannot"

"You can, and will, you just need to realise how perfect we are together. You know how well we are and what we can be"

"Please, Hansuke, I can't do what you're asking of me"

"Nonsense, my love, you know just as well as I do that being with me is the only way. I can offer you more than this life, more than what that swordsman can offer you. I can make you safe within my crew, make you mine, look after you in ways he cannot. Your kindness and beauty will not go unnoticed with me, I can see you for who you truely are. I can tend to your love for helping the less fortunate. You're talented Y/n, in everything you do and we need - I need - someone exactly like you with me. Please come with me. I love you, Y/n"

Your throat knotted at his words, unsure of how to properly respond. How could you respond? You had never expected those words from a person you barely knew, stunning you into a shocking silence you hoped you wouldn't have to fill.

Taking your silence in a different manner, Hansuke leaned down, his lips inching closer to your own; wishing to fill the room with his own lustful wishes.

"Oi, food is ready"

You unleashed a heavy breath, relieved to hear Zoro's voice, giving you a chance to escape Hansuke's corner, leaning away from him. The addition of Zoro's presence let him step back, giving you enough space to weave your way out from his arms, stepping towards the door. Caught in the moment your voice softened, whispering out of fear of your boyfriend outside. "Do not mention this or ask me again, Hansuke. I will never abandon Zoro or my friends for a life I don't not know. Do I make myself clear?"

Cutting off his chance to respond you carelessly flung open the door, making you exit to the safety of Zoro, squinting at the abrupt flash of sunlight that beamed overhead. You could feel Zoro's body shadow next to you, his figure slouched and trembling, a wave of panic falling over you. His gaze looked out in front of him, stunned in a fog, dissociating from his surroundings.

"Hey?" you leaned up to his arm, carefully nudging him to look down at you. Your fingers caressed at his muscles, pulling his attention to you in an attempt to regain his consciousness. "Is everything okay?"

Zoro kept his face stoic, however a slight bend in his brows indicated he was upset. The usual emotionless features were easily missed to others, shrugged off by anyone who wasn't you, accustomed to his every move. They were only small features, a slight break in his brow, a twitch of his jaw, even a slight glaze in his eyes; enough to concern yourself with his emotions.

"Fine" Zoro lied, brushing off your concern. "Everything is fine"

As Zoro turned, he shrugged off your hand, eager to escape, his fists balling at his sides. You had a wave of realisation, understanding he had overheard Hansuke's confession, guilt playing heavily on your mind. It wouldn't be easy to persuade him, your actions becoming distant as of late, but you had to try and assure Zoro that Hansuke was not a threat to your relationship.

The hairs on the back of your neck stood up, pressed as Hansuke clicked his tongue, disappointed at Zoro's reaction, expecting more from him.

"You deserve better than that"

"Excuse me?"

"The way he responded to your concern, and how he just dismissed you. I would never do that to you"

"Watch your tongue, Hansuke, you know nothing about what I deserve or my relationship. You have no business in my life, and I will be sure to make it known to my captain of your quick recovery. By tomorrow you and your crew will be gone, and I will be here, staying with my crew. I thought I made that very clear"

Hansuke's hand came down to your arm, your quick reflexes slapping him away as you stepped back. Anger surged through your body, overcome with pure rage for the man in front of you, unable to think clearly. It had become a breech of conflict as his doctor, declaring such a vile and abrupt request that had blindsided you. It was clear things had escalated out of your reach, but your time with Zoro had supported your growth, allowing you to speak your mind freely; years of constant underestimation getting the better of you.

And you would be damned to let anybody get between you and Zoro.

------------------------------------------------

Zoro danced around your presence, avoiding contact with you through meal time, lost in pointless drinking with Law and a few of the Kyoei Pirates; giving into his stubborn annoyance of their existence. As the night wore on, he slowly sunk into his familiar drunken state, completely withdrawn from his surroundings. In celebration of Hansuke's quick recovery and their last night aboard the Sunny, Luffy declared a banquet, ushering everybody out onto the deck to enjoy the few remaining hours lit by the sun.

Sloshing around, he followed the descend of the crowd, hanging back with a bottle of sake clung firm in his grip. He could still hear the drag of your voice, this time occupied by the company of the navigator, fluttering around as you drunk from a bottle of wine. Drawn to the sound of your voice, Zoro looked towards you, quick to lock eyes as he slipped down beside Luffy, stumbling into his seat.

His balance threw him off guard, hazing his sight, falling distant to Luffy's voice as he called out in concern. Raising his hand in a thumbs up, he shrugged off the captain, lulling his head down into his lap, taking another careless slug of alcohol. A harsh swipe forced the bottle to fly from his hand, looking up towards the figure in front of him, confused. "You got over here pretty fast"

Crouching down at his eye level, you focused on his face, attempting to bring him back to a sober level. "I came to make sure you're okay, Zoro. I think we need to have a chat about-"

"About you leaving me?"

Luffy interjected, pricking his ears at Zoro's claim. "Oi, where are you going?"

"Nowhere" you looked over at your captain, reassurance your position to the crew. "I'm not going anywhere"

Zoro snatched back the sake, smirking as he pressed it to his lips. "Bullshit"

Standing upright you sighed, shooting Luffy an apologetic smile. You understood Zoro was stubborn, but you didn't wish to argue here, leading him with enough interest to follow. Working quickly, you snatched the sake back, walking over to the far side of the deck, dangling the bottle in the air to tease him.

Falling for the bait, Zoro followed, stumbling after you as you both turned into the privacy of your own corner. It was quieter, the heavy beat of music and chatter diminishing as a stabiliser, giving you enough privacy to say you half of the story; hoping Zoro would listen.

"What do you want, Y/n?"

"I would like you to listen while I explain what happened" you carefully placed yourself on the ground, patting the floor in front of you. It would be easiest to have Zoro face you, keeping locked on his focus, knowing if he was listening to you; reading his expressions easier when he was drunk.

Agreeing to your request, Zoro crashed onto the floor, huffing as you continued to hold the alcohol out of reach. "I know you overheard Hansuke" you handed over the sake, giving into his overdramatised attitude. "I never expected him to confess to me like that, and nor was I leading him on to think such things. The relationship we shared was purely professional, I treated him for his sickness, that was all"

You waited for a response, some kind of understanding that what you were saying was the truth, his gaze still attentive on your face. "What he said was true"

Zoro's words caught you off guard, your head cocking to the side, bewildered he would say such a thing. "What are you talking about?"

"He said he could give you a better life, more than what I can give you" Zoro's voice was soft, lulling as he muted his lips against the bottle. "He is a better option than me and you know this. He is everything you deserve to have as a boyfriend, not me. Not this useless braindead idiot who has no regard for his friends or loved ones. I don't have any money and I can't give you the life you so desperately want or need. I have been nothing but cruel to you the moment you joined us, and you are a whole lot better than I am to stay with someone like me"

"Where is this coming from? You know that I have and always will want to be with you, despite what anyone else thinks about us"

Zoro was quiet, gulping down the remainder of sake, clanking the bottle down once devoured. His head stayed down, embarrassed to look up, a slight tremor in his lip cracking his voice as his emotions bubbled over.

"He said he loves you"

"But I don't love him, Zoro! I love you! I always have, and yes, sometimes you are standoffish and rude but that isn't a bad thing. You are more than that to me. You stand up to your friends, and don't take shit from anybody, not even me! You know how to protect yourself which is very admirable and an excellent quality for a swordsman to have. You’re hard working and dedicated. You're protective and caring, your humour is dry and still makes me laugh uncontrollably unless anyone else. You're loyal and strong, and yes you may only bathe once a week but I don't mind, nothing compares to spending my days by your side"

"You love me?"

"Is that really what you're taking away from this?"

Raising his head up Zoro met you with a prideful grin, never hearing those words come from you before. He had concluded that he would never hear them, his own repressed feelings rubbing off on you, shielding any affection either of you shared for one another.

"You love me?"

"Of course I do, Zoro. Why wouldn't I love my best friend? You're undoubtably the love of my life"

Reaching out, Zoro's hands sunk into your waist, sliding you up into his lap. His body felt warm, eased, as if he had waited for you to say those words from the moment he first met you. Wrapping his arms around your body he held you close, letting the weight of you in his lap be felt, knowing you were here with him in this moment; loving him exactly the way he was.

Suddenly Zoro didn't care about Hansuke or the Kyoei Pirates, a distant and terrible memory of those who failed to get close to his girl. He could see it now, your actions speaking louder than the words, realising you had in fact said it all along. He saw it in the way you cared for him, wishing to tend to his wounds, even before he allowed. The way you effortlessly smiled when he spoke, even if he made a fool of himself; speaking words that made no sense. How your eye would catch him, even in the most crowds room, looking for a familiar face to guide you to safety.

And for Zoro, that was enough to ease his fears. He felt ashamed for ever questioning your loyalty towards him, knowing what he knew now. He knew that you were both each others comfort in the thundering storm of a pirate life, and though there teased options for a safer one, there was no place either of you preferred to be than with each other.

"I love you too, Y/n, and I always will"

[one-in-lemillion]

God help me I’m thinking about Shidou Kirisaki again and I just. I love him. I’m gonna post my Reddit rant about what I think his “murder” is, so forgive me if it’s messy:

Shidou had a wife and two sons. Shidou is a triage surgeon, who specifically works in organ transplant. He seems to think his “murder” are multiple murders, more specifically that his victims are the braindead patients who he’d convince their families to pull the plug on, so he could use their otherwise healthy organs on other patients to help them recover.

But I don’t think that’s the case. His victim, depending on the view, is one of two people: his eldest son, or his wife. I’m leaning toward the latter.

But why is his eldest son in contention at all? Well, I have a theory. His first voice drama is called “Molech”, a Canaanite god infamous for his worship involving the sacrifice of children. What I think happened was, he was out one day, grocery shopping, while his wife and sons were out somewhere else driving, where they got into a horrific accident. His youngest son was killed instantly, while his eldest son and wife were left in critical condition.

Shidou, being a respected surgeon, likely tried to use his influence to help his family himself. In the second voice trailers, the corrupted audio says something along the lines of “don’t get in my way, or I’ll kill you.” I suspect he’s saying this to one of his colleagues, who is likely trying to steer him away from getting involved, because it’s generally bad practice for surgeons and doctors to get involved with their own families, as they’re too emotionally close to the situation.

So back to the Molech thing. I think what happens next is Shidou is presented with a choice: he can save either his son, or his wife. They both likely need organs transplanted, and being related, likely are compatible with each other. But their critical condition means that to wait for more donors could mean they both die. So, Shidou chooses to sacrifice his son, to save his wife.

This is supported in the Triage MV, where Shidou is seen handing his eldest son a tag, one that resembles the type seen on the toes of cadavers in the morgues, symbolizing that Shidou sentenced his own son to death. But that’s still not Shidou’s “murder”.

So Shidou’s wife receives her son’s organ, maybe a kidney, or liver, or whatever, we don’t know what. Could be multiple organs. And Shidou’s wife goes through periods of seemingly pulling through, and taking turns for the worse, as seen in Thrown Down by the flower Frankenstein standing up before falling apart again.

His first voice trailer, he says something along the lines of “now I understand what I’ve been robbing people of”. All this time, he’s been convincing families to pull the plug on their own braindead family members. But then it finally came the time for him to make that choice, and it destroyed him. He became suicidal, he came into MILGRAM begging for the death penalty, because he feels he has nothing left.

So Shidou does all this work to keep his wife alive, including sacrifice their own son to make it happen, but in the end, she still died. That is his true murder. The one he feels guiltiest over. He made the ultimate sacrifice, and it still didn’t bear any fruit.

I would like to say, I have a theory that guilt is ultimately what lands you in MILGRAM. It’s why Fuuta’s there and not any of his online friends, for example. So Shidou’s one true “murder” is the one that he feels the most crushing amount of guilt over. Because now not only did he lose both his sons, but also his wife, who he sacrificed one of his sons to try to save. Had she survived, it would have been at least a little worth it, but she died too, making his decision to sacrifice his son weigh even more on his conscience.

It’s also something to take note of that Shidou mentions in Molech how he’s happy Es is a child, because he only trusts a child to judge him. Because he feels as though his own son would judge him, for the choices he made. Shidou despises himself, because he sees himself as responsible for the deaths of 2/3 of his family unit.

[blueseachelle]

Everything Goes On

Ominis Gaunt x Sick! MC! Reader

Warning: Angst

Summary:

“Sebastian. Promise me you’ll do what I asked of you. Take care of him.”

Inspiration: Everything Goes On by Porter Robinson

Y/n was doomed from the start. She was born with a disease no one could cure. The doctors and wizards alike tried to find something but, to no avail. They could only come up with a medicine that will slow down the process. She accepted for the sake of her family but, was happy to just let go then deal with the constant pain she was under.

At the age of 15, she found her magical ability and was brought to Hogwarts, sorted into the house of Slytherin. There, she met Sebastian and Ominis. She became close with them, of course not telling them of her condition. She pushed through her pain and struggles to save Hogwarts, fulfilling her duty as a Keeper of ancient magic. During all of this, She and Ominis fell in love and started to date. They truly did love each other. But, Y/n said nothing still.

Soon, she helped Sebastian cure Anne by the use of her ancient magic. She mimicked Isadora but, instead of storing it in jars and such, she took it in herself and her sick body. She felt her time cutting shorter and shorter everyday.

She told the one person she could trust with the trust, Sebastian. He would take care of Ominis for her so, they discussed it one night.

“Sebastian. I need to ask you to do something for me.”

“Sure, what is it?”

Ominis retired to bed log ago so, she felt confident in that he wouldn’t here this. The (E/c) eyed girl sighed, closing her eyes,

“I need to start from the beginning.”

Sebastian set down his book and looked at her with curiosity. She continued,

“I was born with an incurable condition and all the doctors and wizards could do was make medication to slow it down. It’s my time, Sebastian. I fulfilled my Keeper duties and healed your sister, taking the infliction upon myself. I’m getting weaker and weaker every day. I need to go home and live my last days with my family so they can have closure. Here’s what I ask you to do. I want you to Obliviate Ominis’s memories of me. I don’t want him to suffer my death. I know you can do it for me. Would you?”

Sebastian nodded, "I'll do my best. I promise Y/n. Make sure you get much rest and write when possible or up for it. The sick girl smiled, "Of course. I'll try my best."

Ominis sat in his Magic History class. It was boring as always was. As the rays of sunshine cast on him, he felt his eyes grow heavy. Soon he was asleep.

Ominis usually didn't have dreams but, this time, it was different.

"Ominis!" The blind boy heard a voice excitedly shout at him. He felt himself smile as he turned around. His wand made out the figure of a smaller girl. She felt familiar to him. She ran up to him and hugged him. He hugged her back, taking in her scent. She smelt sweet like honeysuckles. He relished in her touch as they stood in an embrace. She mumbled into his chest, "I've missed you." Ominis chuckled, "We only went to sleep. How can you miss me that fast?" The girl just pouted making the blonde boy laugh and hold her closer. "Don't worry. I missed you too, My Love."

Ominis woke up with a jump. He heard the shuffling of papers so, he knew class had ended. He stood up and gathered his things quickly. He left the room in thought. Who was that girl? What did he feel... longing for her? What was her name?

As he made it back to the common room, Sebastian showed himself.

"Ominis! Did you hear? Anne has been cured!"

Ominis looked over at him,

"How? Didn't everything that could be done was?"

Sebastian patted his friends back,

"Y/n- I mean, a wonderful witch broke her curse and Anne was healed as a result. She is doing great and should be back with us by next year."

"That's amazing."

Ominis didn't bring attention that he heard the slip-up. Who was this Y/n? Why did that name sound familiar? They made it to their common room and Ominis went up to his dorm. He sat on his bed in deep thought. Maybe if he fell asleep another clue will unravel itself? He lay down and fell asleep.

"My Love? What are you doing?" Ominis wrapped his arms around the girl in front of him. She giggled and pecked his cheek, "I'm washing my face before bed. Helps the skin, you know." He kissed her wet cheek and smiled before hearing a groan from outside of the bathroom, "Y/n, Ominis. Are you going to take all night in there? I need to shower!" Sebastian knocked on the door. Y/n giggled and dried her face. "We're coming out! No need to get your knickers in a bunch." Ominis kissed her lips. She smiled and kissed him back. For once in his life, he felt complete.

Ominis was plagued by these dreams for a week before giving in. He needed to ask someone about this. Sebastian was the only one that could truly solve this for him so, he met him in The Undercroft one night.

Sebastian and Ominis sat silently reading. The blonde male took a breath,

"Sebastian."

"Yes?"

"Who is Y/n?"

Sebastian stared at him who stared back. He took a shuttering breath,

"Why do you want to know?"

"I've been plagued by dreams or memories of some sort. All I know is that I miss her. Who is she?"

Sebastian looked down at the ground in thought before he spoke,

"Ominis. I just want you to know Y/n asked me to do it before I explain it."

The blind male nodded,

"Please just tell me."

Sebastian moved and sat next to him. He then started to explain who Y/n was and that she was Ominis's girlfriend. She was born sick and asked Sebastian to Obliviate his memories of her so he didn't mourn her death. She healed Anne and went back home to be with her family for her last day.

"She hasn't written to me in a while so, I assumed that she was finally at peace now."

Ominis sat in shock. All his memories flooded back to him like a title wave. He felt so many things but, he knew Y/n's heart was in the right place.

Tears poured down his face as he stood and grabbed Sebastian's collar,

"Where is she?! Tell me now!"

He yelled into the brunette's face. Sebastian froze in shock before stuttering out,

"S-She's in London."

Ominis dropped his collar and walked out of The Undercroft. He walked to his dorm and started to pack a bag. He will find her. No matter what. He dug in Sebastian's drawer, pulled out an older letter from Y/n, and got the address from it.

He went to the nearest floo and started his journey to England.

----~

Y/n sat in her bed. Her body weak and losing muscle mass. She looked as bad as she felt. She let her thoughts wonder to Ominis and Sebastian. How were they? Was Ominis as at peace as she was?

She sighed. Her ribs rattled in her chest as she did.

"Y/n, love. I brought some soup to feed you."

Her mother sat next to her with the bowl and a spoon. She carefully fed her the soup sip by sip. After the small portion was finished, her mother had her sip some water.

Y/n came from a upper class family. Just a muggle family but, she was happy with it. They weren't scared of magic like other's. They encouraged her magic abilities.

Her mother pat her mouth with a napkin and kissed her forehead,

"I love you. darling. I'll check on you if a few."

"Okay."

Y/n closed her eyes. She was just growing more and more tired. She didn't know how long she had but, she longed for it to come quickly. She suffered for far too long. She was tired.

Y/n's father answered the door after hearing a knock. There stood a blonde male with green vest and black slacks. The older man raised an eyebrow,

"Can I help you, son?" The murky eyed boy nodded,

"Is this the L/n residence?"

"Yeah. How can I help you?"

The boy took a shuttered breath, "I'm Ominis Gaunt from the House of Gaunt. I came to see Y/n, if possible."

The older man shook his head,

"I'm sorry, I can't let you. She is not feeling well and we don't want to stress her-"

"Thomas! Let him in. That's the boy from the letters."

The lady yelled at Thomas and nudged him out of the way,

"I'm sorry about that, Ominis. Excuse Thomas. My name is Evelynn, Y/n's mother. Please come right in."

Ominis was led into the house. Evelynn led him to Y/n's place of rest. She gently knocked on the door and peaked in, "Y/n, honey. There's a friend that came to see you."

Y/n opened her eyes gentle before croaking out,

"They can come in."

Ominis stepped past her mother. Y/n's eyes widened, "Why are you here? You aren't supposed to be."

Ominis said nothing as he moved to sit next to her bed. Evelynn gently closed the door to give them privacy.

"I'm here and I know everything. Sebastian's Obliviate was temporary. I'm just happy I got to you before you weren't here anymore."

He gently held her hands. He felt how much they changed. She really was going to die. This shattered his heart. He wished that it was a cruel joke and everything was going to be okay but, He knew it wasn't.

Y/n's eyes watered,

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to suffer more than you have already. I'm sorry."

Ominis caressed her gaunt face and dried her tears with his thumbs.

"No. Don't apologize. I already have forgiven you. I know you had the right intentions. I just want to be here with you until I can't anymore. I love you too much to just forget about you."

Y/n tried to nuzzle her face into his hand but, she couldn't.

"I love you too, Ominis. I wish I could stay for you but, It's my time."

Ominis nodded,

"I know, My Dearest. I will never forget you and I will never love another for as long as I live. I will meet you on the other side."

He gentle lifted her hand and kissed it,

"Just promise to come visit or send me a message."

Y/n smiled as she started to cry,

"I promise to send you a dove and visit. I love you, Ominis."

"I love you too, Y/n."

He gently kissed her on the lips. When they parted, they sat forehead to forehead for a while. As the night started to darken the room, Ominis fell asleep with his head on the edge of the bed and Y/n's hand on his head.

Throughout the night, Y/n let go. Ominis woke up just before her final breath. He held her close as her body grew heavy. He sobbed as he called for her mother. The three of them sobbed together.

A little voice chimed into his head during his sobs. A (H/c) haired girl with beautiful (E/c) colored eyes looked at him with love and peace. She wore a white dress in a field of white clouds.

"Don't cry, Ominis. I love you. Just remember, Everything Goes On."

[digenerate-trash]

More head cannons that I have but for non-love interests. mostly teachers and Bailey and Harper. 

Bailey used to be a normal person who cared if the orphans got hurt but over time in order to keep the younger kids safe from the town he needed to start charging the older ones rent to keep this rinky-dink shack above water eventually it became too much for him to care about every victim he sent out onto the street to make rent so he stopped. Either by dissociation or worse. now he's just a heartless asshole who protects only the kids in the youth ward and even that is hard for him to do. The road to hell is paved with good intentions after all. 

Harper is afraid of blood. Straight up. He’ll faint if he catches sight of it that's why he prefers needles and brainwashing no blood is involved if you do it right. He's giving some real “I never got my doctorate” energy and I don't think this town cares because he's the best they have. He's definitely jacked off over an unaware patient. Has a kink for making patients cum hands-free (it's a power thing). Almost agreed to work for Remmy for free because he got too excited about brainwashing people into mindless cow hybrids. moral compass? Whos she? 

Leighton is such a fucking freak of nature. Would not be surprised if he went from teacher’s aid to head teacher solely through blackmail and other underhanded means this dud has always been a straight-up freak. Like Kylar but instead of being obsessed with one person, his passion is corrupting innocent people and once he's done and he's gotten off it's off to the next unsuspecting victim. This dude probably doesn’t know how to use a modern cellphone though so thank god for that. 

Sirris. Mommy? sorry. Mommy? sorry. I mean Mommy? Sorry. For real though giving milf energy. Probably really loved her dead husband to the point where she's not getting married again. (which is the real crime) but deeply cares for her kid, and even though she has no idea the extent of  Leighton’s abuse she has threatened to kill him and go to church the next day if he even breathes near her kid. Owns a sex shop purely to exploit this town's obvious sex addiction issue and is probably saving for Sydney's future as well. The only good parent I’ve seen in this game.  

River is a virgin for life. my man has never seen a pussy and is physically afraid of it. (same goes for cock but a little bit less so) has an avid believer of the church's teachings and he has a kind of friendship with Sydney but refuses to give them any special treatment because it wouldn't be fair (although Sydney is his favorite). Prob wear’s a chastity belt since he was 18 and has absolutely refused to take it off its like a security blanket now. No one is getting their filthy hands on this dick.

Doren is one of those freaks who has crushes on his students and sees nothing wrong with it, he cares about them and wants the best for his students but the power dynamic is hard to ignore for his students and even though he wants to be kind and a friend to all of them most students will avoid getting too friendly with him. He does his best to protect the students he likes best giving them snacks at lunch being extra patient with them during lessons helping them out or bumping up their grades just because they asked but if you’re a nuisance he lets you fall by the wayside because his love and care are conditional. 

Winter is heavy into costumes and BDSM but that's not a surprise super into weird sexual history and also has a huge denial/edging kink. Surprisingly the teacher she gets along best with is River. They hang out in the teacher's lounge and bitch about students. Leighton has absolutely harassed her for information on her students like which ones squirm during her unorthodox lessons but she refuses to play into his antics. When she's working at the museum she is the most content. It's her real passion but it doesn't pay the bills. Probably got hired because Leighton thought she would be an easy mark but it turns out she's a total dom and now he's afraid to fire her. 

Mason is the guy Dorent wishes he was. Students are always trying to feel him up during lesions and asking if he's single. But he really just wants to be left alone. At one point he was good enough to be on a national swim team but for one reason or another, his life fell apart and now he's burnt out and living in the worst town in Britain at the ripe age of 25. The dude probably wouldn't hurt a fly unless he had to and even then he would be crying for a week afterward. Bottom energy.

[autistichalsin]

bg3 hunger games au please show me the headcannons if ur up for it <3

HELL YEAH!

So here's my headcanons for each of the characters, including my Dark Urge. I haven't put either of my Tavs in here yet, but I might later! I haven't really worked out where Jaheira and Minsc are, other than that they're older and beloved mentors.

Baldur's Gate functions like the Capitol, while Menzoberranzan is more like District 13- with an even darker twist, since they want to outright conquer the nation instead. (As opposed to in the books, where Coin was just being duplicitous about wanting power for herself.)

Baldur's Gate residents:

Cazador is very wealthy, even by capitolite standards. Keeping with the THG books' notes about victors being forced into prostitution, he primarily uses this wealth to buy out victors with Gortash's permission, all the better if he can be the first. But no matter how many he takes, Astarion is his favorite.

Halsin's Drow captors, much the same as Cazador, love to buy out victors, and they took a liking to Halsin in particular. They were from Menzoberranzan, but happened to be in Baldur's Gate the day the first war was lost, forcing them to stay and adapt. They don't mind terribly, though.

Gortash is the Grand Duke after forcing the Ravengards to leave in effectively a coup. He let Zariel, who ruled the nearby nation of Avernus, draft Karlach as a soldier before letting her return to her district.

Orin is, of course, behind most of the murders in the city. After discovering Minthara's attempt to investigate a series of defectors from Menzoberranzan, she took her and kept her prisoner.

Menzoberranzan residents:

Minthara, of course, aspires to be the one in power, especially if they take over Baldur's Gate. She has an intense dislike, but begrudging respect, for her mother. However, her plans to take over are ended when she discovered a group of Drow defected from Menzoberranzan and into Baldur's Gate. She tracked them down and was captured by Orin.

District 1 (luxury goods) residents:

Astarion couldn't be from anywhere else but the luxury District. He volunteered for his Games, thinking a lifetime of riches would be well-worth a few weeks of suffering, not knowing that Cazador was part of the package. He regrets volunteering every day after, especially as Cazador paid extra to Gortash to not let doctors heal his scars.

District 2 (masonry and peacekeepers):

Lae'zel volunteered the first Reaping she was eligible, despite another Githyanki being the one meant to volunteer. She rubbed it in their faces when she won, being one of the only ones that young to ever win.

District 3 (technology):

Gale managed to win despite his orb by attuning its magical energies to the blast mines, wiping out everyone who was at the bloodbath (mostly the strongest ones left) when he was a safe distance away. The others, he killed with advanced magic. After winning, he is so overcome with shame that he locks himself away, letting only Tara see him.

District 4 (fishing):

Wyll used to be from Baldur's Gate until Gortash engineered an 'accident' (poisoning that left Ulder mentally unfit to rule) and then had him and his son 'sent to 4 to recover' (exiled). To show that he wasn't playing favorites, he added Wyll's name to the pool of possible Tributes. Without the finances they once had to be able to manage Ulder's condition, Wyll volunteered for the games to save his father's life. And then afterwards discovered a patron from Avernus willing to help in exchange for Wyll serving her army.

District 7 (lumber):

Halsin is miserable in a district that primarily exists to fell trees. Before being reaped into the games, he managed to get himself a job planting new trees- until he became big and strong enough that the higher-ups said he had no choice. Then he got reaped for the Games and won by using his bear form to, put bluntly, maul the shit out of everyone there, which made it one of the highest-rated Games ever, him an adored figure in the Capitol (catching the attention of a Drow noble couple), and leaving him trauma that still persists into his middle age.

Kiaran is a happy volunteer for his Games, finding that his Urge to murder is starting to overwhelm him, and fearing what will happen if he gets caught committing murder outside of the one place he's allowed to do it. He killed so many other Tributes, most notably Alfira, in such brutal ways that most of the footage from his Games is never allowed to be broadcast again without heavy editing. However, he starts trying to fight the impulses after, when he sees Halsin, who treated him warmly before the Games, become horrified at him.

District 8 (textiles)

Shadowheart was kidnapped from her parents, who were attempting to flee to another nation now that she was old enough to run, and turned over to the local orphanage while her parents were captured and tortured in Baldur's Gate. The orphanage had been taken over by undercover Sharrans, who used it as a scheme to indoctrinate new followers into their cult.

District 12 (mining)

Karlach grew up objectively better than most in 12, but still poorer than most of everyone else in the country. To help her parents, she took a bodyguard job Gortash posted, open to all but based in the city, not knowing this would get her drafted into serving Zariel.