#besides the irregulars we don’t talk about that

[hallaslins]

Cloaked in the balmy flickering light of his bedside lamp, Viktor seems to curl in further on himself, lips pressed tightly. Reason has long departed both of them, left with the sweat and tears and kiss-swollen lips and the clothes shed beside Viktor’s mattress. Left in just his briefs, the hairs on his arms on end from the chill that sweeps by, Viktor looks smaller than Jayce has ever seen him. Vulnerable. “This will not work.” A hand on his shoulder that doesn’t get brushed away, Jayce’s warmth meeting cool skin, thumb gentle in the spot between his collarbone and his shoulder blade. The column of his neck to his jaw is bruised purple, Jayce’s doing. A stab to his gut. Another argument neither of them had the energy to bear, each one a repeat of the last, an ouroboros of quarrelling Jayce wishes would end. “It’s- I don’t want it either. You know this is to help people, not- not oppress them, V. I’m not going to let them.” Jayce’s attempts at diffusing are truths, but not wholly- the blockade was his call, the schematics just to protect himself something he’d throw aside at never having to see this look on Viktor’s face again, to lose what they have. Danger still pressed in on every corner; The Undercity meaning to ravage whatever they have; the threat posed by their stolen work- the work of a Zaunite, no less; the vicious demands of the council; the call to aid through enhanced munitions, an idea both of them opposed. An idea both of them should. “I know, none of this is ideal, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work. We just have to-” “You misunderstand me, Jayce.” Viktor shrugs off his hand. “I am not talking about the weaponry.” Viktor doesn’t meet his eyes, his expression devoid of everything he had spared Jayce moments ago. Wiped from his mouth not even ten minutes before was the smile that crept up with a contented hum, replaced with the gloom of a flat frown. “I am talking about us.” Jayce balls his hand into a fist in the bedsheets, velvety silk grazing his fingernails. His breaths speed, heart pounding in his ears like a thundering war drum, warning of the oncoming battle. Warped and irregular.

[aspiringcorvidae]

new life goal: gain power and influence in the field of entertainment and finally make a series of media with canon johnlock

[jeankluv]

Birdie - Satoru Gojo | Chapter 18

summary: While everyone adored him, you stood apart in your feelings. It wouldn't be accurate to say you hated him, as " hate " was a strong word, rather, you harbored a profound dislike towards him. The problem was he knew that and his irritating presence seemed to persistently cling to you whenever he crossed your paths. Now, you found yourself paired with him for your semester project, and the thought made you wish to hurl yourself out of the third-floor window. Three months of working alongside him loomed ahead. Adding to the discomfort, you were currently under the scrutiny of hundreds of eyes, each gaze feeling like a murder attempt. It seemed everyone coveted the opportunity to collaborate with Gojo Satoru, except for you.

tags: modern au, college au, fem!reader, academic rivals, he fell first, fluff, old money Gojo Satoru, abusive parents, slight slow burn, Satoru is a softy, secondary couple (Geto Suguru x oc), a bit of angst, no use of y/n, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, Gojo plays basketball, Gojo needs a hug

warning for this chapter: +18 nsfw content, p in v, ridding

notes: it’s been a while since I posted this fic, but I was on vacation and right now, I’m stuck writing chapter 19, like I already have Birdie planned out but chapter 19 is like stuck there and I don’t know when I will be posting the next chapter, I hope that in two weeks time. So let’s pray

Sorry if there are any mistakes or typos, this was published unedited

materialist | previous chapter | next chapter

Jujutsu Kaisen materialist | ao3

You clung to the blanket that Satoru had given you after changing into one of his shirts, no matter how hard you tried you were unable to stop shivering.

But your pulse and breathing were agitated after the encounter with Naoya. You clenched your fists and cursed yourself for letting it get to you so much.

“Here you have.” Satoru entered the room with a cup of chocolate in his hands. 

You smiled and grabbed it, feeling the smell of chocolate and the warmth of the cup. “Thank you ‘Toru.”

He sat down next to you on the bed and put an arm around your shoulder, while gently caressing your arm. “Do you want to talk now about what happened?”

You took a deep breath, feeling Satoru's presence and comfort with you, and you began to tell the story of what happened.

2 hours earlier 

You took the wine Utahime gave you and drank it. The taste of the wine went down your throat and you felt a sweet taste run through your mouth. Your lips became slightly sticky and you ran your tongue over them. Utahime was drinking her wine and your eyes drifted to search for Satoru’s figure, hoping he would come soon.

You didn’t mind spending time with Utahime, but your heart ached thinking Satoru needed to face his parents on his own once again. You wanted to stand beside him.

“He will be here soon.” Utahime smiled. 

“Yeah… I just.” You sighed. “I wanted to be with him.” 

“I get it.” She nodded. “But now, relax and try this one.” She gave you another glass.

“Utahime.” You cried. “I think it is too much.” 

“It is not.” She smiled. “Take a sip, it’s really good.” She said drinking it. 

You did as she told and in fact it was good, it tasted really expensive. “It’s really good.” 

“Yeah right?” She grinned.

“Oh, there is no way.” A voice spoke and your eyes slowly opened.

Your hands started to sweat and your breathing started to be irregular.

“Ugh Naoya.” Utahime spoke. “What do you want? Go to another place and bother someone else.” 

Naoya laughed and the laughter, which was familiar to your discomfort, stabbed you like knives. “I’m here to say hi to my old worker.” You saw how a smiled crossed his face.

Utahime turned to look at you. “You know him?” 

“Yes…”

“Doll…” He walked towards you. “Last time we met your friends were pretty rude, but I know Utahime won’t do shit, so why don’t we speak?” 

Utahime ground her teeth and positioned herself next to you. “I don't know what the fuck you want, Naoya. But get out of here.”

“I just want to talk.” He said smirking. “Did you come as Utahime’s plus one?” He questioned. “That seems unlikely… oh.” He gasped. “Don’t tell me you came with the Gojo kid?” 

You frowned. “That doesn't matter to you.”

He laughed. “So yeah…” He scratched his chin. “Did you just jump on him like the bitch you are?”

You could feel the gazes of those present rest on you. Your breathing began to accelerate and unlike in class, where you had behaved calmly and had ignored what they said about you, you couldn't there. You felt enormous helplessness.

“Gojo probably needed somewhere warm to stick his…”

“Naoya! Shut up!” Utahime shouted out. 

Utahime's voice only caused the stares to grow and your nervousness to increase. You had wanted to go unnoticed, to go there to support Satoru, but now…

“What? It’s the truth… Rumors say that he likes to sleep around.” He smirked. ““He probably saw it as easy to get under the dress of a poor thing like her.” She took one of the glasses from her and took a sip. “Who would want to date a woman like her? Two jobs, scholarship, living in a one-room apartment, abandoned by her father, dead mother.”

“You stupid piece of…!” Utahime tried to slap him but you held her hand.

“Utahime… no.” 

You didn't want to cause any more fuss, you didn't want it to escalate any further. You squeezed Utahime's hand tightly, feeling like tears had begun to fall.

Why?

Why are you crying?

You weren’t the type to cry, you could hold yourself pretty well but right there, you were feeling every emotion possible. You were ashamed of what Naoya was saying, ashamed because everyone was looking and hearing those words. You didn’t want Satoru to have bigger burdens, he already had enough dealing with his family matters, you didn’t want now for him to be pointed out for dating someone like you. 

Without realizing, you started to shake, as if you were out in the cold of a winter night. Utahime quickly noticed it and stood next to you, trying to calm you. 

“Naoya you better leave or I will make sure they kick you out of here.” Utahime said loudly. 

Time began to distort around you and when your mind reconnected you felt a familiar warmth next to you, a relaxing caress and safe eyes.

Present time

“That’s it…” You whispered, waiting for Satoru to say something or do anything, but his silence was killing you. “I’m so sorry…”

“Why are you saying that?” Then he spoke with a harsher tone than the one he usually used, one that made you feel intimidated.

“I… I caused a fuss.” 

He moved in the bed and positioned himself in front of you. “Listen.” He said your name while holding your hands. “You didn’t cause a fuss, Naoya and Naoya alone did it, okay?” You looked at him. “Please love, tell me you understand.” He raised his hand to your cheek. 

Your stomach turned as you heard that word from his lips again, “love”. The way he had said it, on both occasions, made you lose all sense of the world and make you feel dizzy. God, you loved that man and you didn't want to let him go, you didn't want to lose him for anything in the world.

Satoru's eyes widened, panic showing in them. "What happened? Why are you crying?" He said, wiping away the tears that had wet your cheeks.

“I love you.” You said and you noticed Satoru’s surprise look on his face. “I love you ‘Toru and I am so afraid… I am afraid of losing what it’s starting, I don’t want to lose you, lose us.” You hugged him. “I was so afraid, because I don’t know your world and… everyone was looking and I thought… what if his family finds out about who I am about my family.” 

You stopped talking, to hug him even more, if that was even possible. “And I felt so small, so vulnerable. I didn’t want to cause a scene, I didn’t want to be a burden to you.”

Satoru broke the hug and cradled your face, he kissed your tears. "Don't say that." He told you in a whisper. “You would never be a burden to me.” He emphasized the words “never” and then placed a soft kiss on your lips. "I love you." He whispered. 

Satoru wrapped his arms around you while caressing your back and kissing your head, it felt good, very good. You would like to stay that way forever, to feel his warmth, his love, for all of it to invade you.

“You wanna take a bath?” He whispered.

“With bubbles?” You looked at him. 

Satoru chuckled and smiled. “If you want it that way, I will do it.”

“Thank you…” You kissed his lips. 

“Anything for you my love.” He kissed you. 

The cold caught you as soon as Satoru left you, even though you were wrapped in a blanket you felt his absence. You watched from the bed as Satoru prepared the bathroom, he was still wearing his suit pants and his white shirt. He looked so good. 

“I can feel you staring.” Satoru looked at you from over the shoulder. 

“I was just thinking that my boyfriend looks so good right now.” You said.

“Well my girlfriend looks better, she was stunning tonight, a real queen, a goddess.” He walked up to the bed and placed his arms on either side of your head. “The bath is ready…” He whispered against your lips.

 “Will you bathe with me?” You asked him. “I want to do it like in the movies, to cuddle and relax.”

“Of course.” 

You stood up from the bed and took off your clothes, you didn’t mind anymore. Satoru did the same, although you weren't embarrassed to strip naked in front of him because he had already seen and touched every part of you, it was still hard not to feel nervous when you looked at him. Turning your head, you walked to the bathtub and got into it, so that a few seconds later Satoru got in with you behind you.

He leaned down and his lips gently brushed against your shoulder before he began to rub your back. The touch was tender but deliberate, each stroke of the sponge carrying a silent intimacy that seemed to envelop you both. In the tranquility of that moment, the closeness between the two of you felt palpable, as if the outside world had become insignificant, as if it had been erased and only you and Satoru existed. You could feel the warmth of him against your skin, his soft breath against your neck.

You wanted that moment of intimacy to last forever. To keep it in your mind and in your soul. 

“Babe you are going to fall asleep.”

A new nickname, how many did he have to keep calling you? But now you didn't care, you liked them, every one of them from birdie to my love, all of them.

“It’s just… it feels so good.” You closed your eyes, letting everything invade you.

“I’m so glad…” He whispered against your skin. 

You could feel his hot breath against your wet skin, how your skin bristled under that warm breath. Satoru placed wet kisses on your shoulder, while he continued soaping your body, treating you like you were royalty, a queen.

“Okay… I think it is time for you to rest.” He moved behind you and got off the bath. 

“But…” You pouted.

“No buts.” He kissed your cheeks. “Let’s get ourselves dry and sleep okay?” 

That night you gave yourself completely, letting yourself be cared for and loved without reservation. Every word Satoru whispered and every soft touch of his fingers left a lasting imprint on your skin, etching itself into your heart and soul. 

The warmth of his body wrapped around you like a comforting blanket. It was an eerily familiar sensation, evoking memories of home, peace, and a deep sense of security.

The dream welcomed you like an old friend and in the arms of the one who had captivated your heart you managed to rest and let all worries go away.

When the first light of day began to filter through the large window of Satoru's room, your eyes stung, that light was annoying, you wanted to continue sleeping, dreaming of dreams that you would later forget. But as you turned to circle Satoru's torso, you found the cold sheets next to you. Your eyes snapped open and you looked around the room. But it was completely empty, there was no sign of him.

You got out of bed and walked to the kitchen in search of your white haired boy. A smile appeared on your lips when you saw him sitting in one of the seats on the island. He was wearing gray sweatpants, his torso was exposed and his hair was a mess.

With a slow step, trying not to let Satoru hear you, you approached him. When you were close enough to him, you wrapped your arms around him and let out a “bo!” causing him to get scared.

You smiled at him. “Good morning.” 

“Good morning.” He kissed you. “Did you sleep well?” 

“So good…” You closed your eyes, enjoying his hug. “You look good this morning.” You said looking at him.

“I know…” You rolled your eyes with a smile drawn on your face. “You liked this morning view princess?”

You bite your lip and nodded. “A lot.” 

You knocked your kiss together, feeling how this one was deeper and hotter than the one you just shared. 

Satoru ran his hands under your thighs and sat you down on the kitchen island, causing a small moan to escape your lips as the cold marble collided with your skin. He placed himself between your legs and began to draw drawings on your legs, while the kiss you shared was filled with passion and heat.

His hand began to go up until it got under the hem of the borrowed t-shirt that you had taken from him last night and his fingertips, hot like a burning fire, traced your abdomen, causing a soft but lustful sigh to escape from your lips.

“‘Toru…” You gasped as his hand started to go up on your body.

“What love don't you like it?” You saw his smirk, his blue eyes now dark with the desire that had settled in them.

Your head snapped back when you felt his fingers pinch your nipple. “Oh…”

Satoru grabbed your hips and pulled you closer to him, making you stick with your legs on either side of his body. Your body was beginning to burn under his touch, feeling how his hands began to explore your body.

“I love how good you look with this t-shirt on, but I need you without it.” He whispered against your ear, his soft, hot breath hitting you.

“Take it off…” You said under your breath.

Satoru clacked and he grabbed the hem of your shirt and pulled it up, taking it off and throwing it away. The difference in temperature between the environment and your body, which was almost on fire, was evident, and a chill ran down your spine. 

Your fingers tangled in his white hair and he began to kiss your neck and then your collarbone, biting and sucking on the places where his lips landed causing your body to react. 

His right hand pinched your nipple again and you pulled at his hair, feeling the arousal corrupt you. His tongue began to descend along the edge of your breasts until it reached your nipple, which was already swollen from the pinches that Satoru had not stopped giving it.

Your legs surrounded his hips at the same time his mouth sucked on your nipple, you were too excited, too hot. Your hips began to move instinctively, seeking friction with Satoru. You knew he probably was hard rock down there.

“F-uck…” Satoru trembled when you touched his boner.

“Sa-toru… please.” You said moving your hips again against his boner. 

You could feel his grip tighten and his shoulders tense with every movement you made begging him. The atmosphere had become fucking hot, your bodies were burning and you had begun to sweat, while your hot breaths had become disordered.

Satoru pulled away from you and began to pull down his sweatpants. “Get off and turn around.” Your skin crawled as you heard his husky voice and the authoritative tone he had used.

That turned you on even more. You got down off the island and got off your underwear, leaving you completely naked. You felt Satoru's hands on your hips, as his thumb gently traced circles on it. Even though the atmosphere was charged with lust and excitement, Satoru was still delicate and careful with his movements. 

You felt his breath hit your skin and instinctively arched your back and neck back against his bare torso. “You seem so needy?” He bit your shoulder and you pursed your lips. “Come on little bird, what do you want?” You hated that he hesitated like that, you hated it but at the same time you loved it.

“Sato-ru…” You heavily breathed. “I… need you.” 

He chuckled and his grip around your hips tightened. “That’s what you want? Huh? You want me inside of you?” 

You nodded. “Please ‘Toru…” You looked at him with crystallized eyes and you could see how the fire lit in his. 

“You're so fucking beautiful.” He said, smashing his lips against yours at the same time he entered you. 

The moan in your throat was drowned in the wet kiss you shared. One of Satoru's hands left your hip and began to move up your abdomen, burning every place his fingertips touched. His hand came up to your chin and he grabbed it, breaking the kiss.

“You are taking me so well princess.” He smirked and your nails dug into the island counter, feeling him move inside you.

���Ah…” You moaned as Satoru's hand landed on your neck and made you throw your head back.

Satoru was rough and his movements were strong and penetrating, each thrust he gave felt like it went deeper than the previous one, causing your eyes to rotate inside your skull.

His left hand surrounded your neck, while his right hand rested on your lower abdomen. His mouth laid on your ear as he moaned and said your name softly. You bit your lip feeling each thrust, you wanted to be able to turn around and dig your nails into his skin, but you had to settle for being that way.

In the place only your gasps could be heard, mixed with the clash of your naked skin. 

You could feel how Satoru had grown more confident than the first night you spent together. You enjoyed that night, you couldn't deny it, Satoru had made you reach orgasm and he had made you feel like a queen but you had felt that he wasn't letting go completely, that he was holding back on you. But at that moment? Oh no, at that moment he was making you feel everything.

“Fuck baby!” He said deep inside of you. “I need to see your pretty face.” 

You protested when it came out of you, you wanted more, you wanted everything. Satoru grabbed your hips and turned you around, so that you were both face to face. His face was agitated, his hair on his forehead and cheeks were crimson red. 

Without letting you breathe for long, he grabbed your legs and put them on his hips and then entered again. You stifled a scream and buried your nose in his neck, it was the first time you were doing it in that position.

“C’mon babe, let me see your face.” He said as he moved his hips.

You looked at with tears of pleasure running down your cheeks. “Oh Satoru!” You tightened your grip on his shoulders as he moved in and out of you. “Fuck…”

“That’s my girl, taking me so well, doing that beautiful face.” He said biting your bottom lip and then kissing you. 

He came out of you again and you felt how you moved around the room and then sat on the couch. 

“Baby, do you know what I want you to do?” You looked at him through your tears and nodded.

You took his member in your hand and gently lined it up with your entrance and then let yourself fall into it. Your entire body reacted, with that position you felt bigger and deeper. Satoru raised his hands and began to massage your breasts, pinching your nipples while you moved your hips seeking orgasm.

Satoru’s face was red and his eyes were so dark, full of desire and pleasure, and completely focus on your chest as you were riding him. You grabbed his face and kissed him, in a burning kiss thirsty for pleasure, accelerating your movements even more.

“Fuck babe.” He mumbled. “I’m gonna cum…” He squeezed his eyes shut.

You let out a moan, you had come all over him and your entire body was vibrating and leaving you without energy. Satoru pulled out of you and took off the condom masturbating a bit more, cuming on your abdomen.

Neither of you moved, your chests rose and fell and you rested your body on his, closing your eyes and resting.

“You were…” You began. “So rough.” 

“You didn’t like it?” He said, and you were able to hear a hint of concern in his voice.

You shook your head. “I love it. You were rough but gentle.” You looked at him.

He sighed with relief and smiled. “I'm glad, I thought you didn't enjoy it.” He kissed your lips. 

“We're all sweaty…” You whispered against his lips. 

“Yes, we should shower.” You nodded. “Round two?” He asked. 

“Were you not satisfied?” You asked. 

“Oh yes I was, but I will always need more of you.” 

You couldn't help but laugh when Satoru started kissing and making ribs all over your body, so much so that you felt your belly hurt from laughing so much. After that you both took a shower and yes, there was one more round and in the afternoon you spent watching movies and to your surprise, Satoru was more emotional than you had thought, since you couldn't help but cry after watching La La Land. 

When the sky began to turn orange and pink, Satoru took you back home. He had insisted that you stay the night but you had no clothes, only the dress from the party and the giant sweatpants and t-shirt that he wore. Satoru had lent you. So at the door of Kyoko's house you said goodbye with a tender kiss, wishing to see each other again the next day.

As soon as you stepped inside the house Kyoko appeared and rushed to you with a huge smile drawn on her face.

“Who was it?” She asked. “Did you enjoy the night? You looked like an absolute princess.” She smiled. 

You bit your lip, remembering the night, you couldn't keep hiding the fact that you had seen Naoya and you couldn't pretend like nothing had happened either. Kyoko quickly noticed your look of circumstance and the smile on her face disappeared.

“Something happened right?” You nodded. “Okay let’s talk about it.”

“Yeah…” 

Kyoko took the dress from your hand and you both headed to her room, where you sat face to face.

“Did something happen with Satoru's family?” She asked first.

You shook your head. “Not at all… I only met his grandparents but they were nice.” You told her. “No… the thing is that I… I met Naoya there.” 

Kyoko looked at you, as if she was holding her breath.The more she looked at you, the more nervous you became, you felt every inch of your being speed up and your breathing become more and more erratic. You knew what she would say and you knew how she would react when she found out you had met at the club.

“Oh…” She finally said. “Did he do something?! Did he try something?”

You sighed. “He was his usual disgusting self.” You looked at her. “And he said some mean things, but… doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter. If it affected you it does matter.” She held your hands.

“Utahime was there and then I talked about everything with Satoru, so it’s alright.” You smiled trying to calm her down.

“You are sure?” She questioned.

“I’m sure…” You looked at her. “There is something else, I never told you this but… I also met him at the club that time.” 

Kyoko opened her mouth. “What?!” 

“Kyoko, relax please.” You tried to calm her down. 

“No, no, you are telling me that asshole appeared there and… wait was when you got hurt on your wrist?” You avoided her gaze. “Was him?!” You nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me?!” 

“Because you were going to get worried and it was pointless, besides you were having a good night I didn’t want to ruin that for you.” 

She sighed, obviously mad. “I don’t understand why you would do that. I’m your best friend, if you get hurt I will obviously get mad and want to kill someone, especially that someone.” 

“Well… sorry okay?” You whispered. “But… I just…”

“Stop, don’t say it was nothing or that I didn’t deserve to be worried because that’s something I decide.” She looked at you. “Next time, I don’t care what it is, I don’t care, you must tell me. Alright?” 

You felt your eyes getting teary and nodded. “Yeah… I will.” 

Kyoko hugged you and you let yourself be enveloped by her essence and warmth, closing your eyes on her chest. You stood there in silence for a while and then resumed your casual conversation. Before you knew it, your conversation had gone on for longer than expected and you knew that tomorrow you would wake up with dark circles under your eyes.

That week you spent it between Kyoko's house and Satoru's. Your boyfriend insisted on picking you up from work and that you stay the night with him. You didn’t mind, you actually liked spending time with him, the quality time both of you were creating was comforting. 

But spending more time with Satoru didn't stop you from spending time with your friends, and you also found time to be with Kyoko and now your extended group, which also included Shoko and Utahime.

You couldn't wait for the weekend you would spend with Satoru in Kamakura, and show him the place where you were raised.

Your only hope for one thing, that made your heart feel in your mouth.

Everything needed to be okay, you just wanted that.

notes: bit of nsfw content before the things that will happen in the future, hehehe

— comment if you want to be tagged

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[otomehoneyybearr]

Kagari Amagase

Things You Can Only Do with You at Night: Ch1 | Ch2 | Ch3 | Ch4 | Card

(...It’s so quiet now.)

The festive sounds of the celebration echoed faintly in the distance.

After parting ways with Prince Kagari, I intended to visit more stalls, but one of the festival staff approached me and asked for a favor.

They needed someone to watch over their belongings while they escorted a lost child home.

(It’s probably because Prince Kagari had been by my side the whole time while I was helping out...)

(Does this mean the townsfolk trust me enough to ask for such a favor? If so, that makes me happy…)

Emma: "Ah…"

A booming sound, loud enough to shake my chest, erupted, and fireworks illuminated the night sky.

(Though, from here, the trees and rooftops block the view… What a shame.)

(I hope the lost child gets to watch the fireworks with their family.)

With each firework launched, cheers erupted from afar.

The quietness of the dim room suddenly felt isolating, almost melancholic. For some reason, Prince Kagari came to mind.

(Is he watching the fireworks?)

(I wonder if I’ll get to see him one more time before the festival ends…)

The thought slipped into my mind naturally and settled deep in my heart.

(The reason I felt disappointed when he disappeared wasn’t just because I wanted to talk more…)

(It was because I had secretly hoped we might enjoy the festival together.)

(He’s unpredictable, stealthy, and as elusive as a cat—always keeping me guessing what he’s thinking.)

(Maybe I’ve enjoyed my time with Prince Kagari more than I realized.)

Perhaps it’s because he was the first person to reach out to me when I arrived in Kogyoku.

(Oh… the fireworks have ended.)

The room grew even darker and quieter.

As the breeze swept in, brushing against my skin, a strange sense of loneliness welled up within me.

Kagari: “Lost in thought, princess?”

Emma: "Wah!?"

Startled, I stumbled backward as Prince Kagari’s striking face suddenly appeared, far too close for comfort.

He always shows up so abruptly, it’s enough to make me wonder if his true goal is to stop my heart.

(But... I did get to see him again before the festival ended.)

Kagari: “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

Emma: “...No, it’s partly because I was lost in thought.”

Kagari: “Hmm? You’re smiling now. What’s on your mind?”

Emma: “N-Nothing at all! It’s just your imagination.”

(There’s no way I could tell him I was thinking about him... My face feels so hot!)

Emma: “Um, why are you here, Prince Kagari?”

Kagari: “I heard you were keeping an eye on some luggage.”

Emma: “...You came here just to see me?”

Kagari: “Is that a problem?”

Emma: “N-Not at all. Not one bit.”

(He really just came because he heard I was here.)

(There’s no deep reason behind it, but maybe that’s why it feels so unexpectedly heartwarming.)

Kagari: “...”

Emma: “Huh? Um, Prince Kagari, what are you... Wait, you’re way too close! What’s going on!?”

Prince Kagari had suddenly crawled closer on all fours, making me instinctively back away.

But before I could escape, he grabbed my hand, preventing me from moving. Then, to my disbelief, he leaned in and pressed his ear against my chest.

Kagari: "Your heartbeat is all over the place. Were you that startled?"

(That’s part of it, but still…!)

Emma: "My irregular heartbeat is entirely because you have no concept of personal space!"

Kagari: "You always react amusingly when I get close."

Emma: "…Please stop teasing me."

(It feels like Prince Kagari is really going to make my heart stop someday…)

(Wait… what’s that smell?)

A faint scent brushed past my nose.

It was the metallic smell of iron, one I’d encountered many times in Kogyoku. My body tensed instinctively.

Kagari: "Don’t worry, it’s not my blood."

Emma: "Then… whose?"

Prince Kagari pulled back and casually sat cross-legged beside me.

Kagari: "I just dealt with some troublesome guests. Festivals are perfect cover for misdeeds—breaking in, secret meetings, theft, even murder. The lively atmosphere hides it all."

Kagari: "In such situations, there’s only one thing for me to do —an ambush.”

Kagari: "Not that there were that many of them tonight, though."

The scent of blood must have been masked by the festival’s various aromas earlier. Perhaps even when I saw him in the alley, he carried the same scent.

Listening to Prince Kagari speak of such things as if they were routine made my chest tighten painfully.

I hesitated, unsure of what to say but after a moment of silence, I quietly opened my mouth.

Emma: "This is my first time attending a festival in Kogyoku, and I’ve been overwhelmed by how lively it is. Everyone, both locals or visitors, is smiling..."

Emma: "And now, hearing the unending bustle, I realize it’s thanks to you quietly protecting it all behind the scenes."

Emma: "I’m glad you’re so strong, but I’m even more relieved that you’re unharmed."

Kagari: "..."

Kagari: "That’s one way to think about it, I suppose."

After pausing to think for a moment, Prince Kagari leaned back on his hands and looked at me.

Kagari: "You really are the type to get the short end of the stick, princess."

Emma: "Why do you say that?"

Kagari: "You're a guest from another land, after all. You didn't need to help out on the day of the festival."

Kagari: "Let me take over as the watchperson. The fireworks may be over, but the festival still has some time left. Go enjoy it."

Emma: "Thank you for your consideration, but I was the one who agreed to this, so I’d like to see it through to the end."

Kagari: "You were thoroughly enjoying the festival earlier, going stall by stall. Are you sure about this? If you go now—"

Emma: "Wait a moment. How do you know I was going stall by stall?"

Emma: "...Did you perhaps… follow me?"

Kagari: "..."

Emma: "I didn’t notice at all."

Kagari: "I was on rooftops and in trees. You were probably so absorbed in the festival you didn’t notice."

(From places like that!? That’s why he appeared from above in the alley.)

(Ugh… He saw me completely enjoying myself at the festival!)

But it’s not like he would have been watching me the entire time while he was protecting the town. Still, the embarrassment made my face feel as though it was on fire.

Emma: "If you were following me, you could have just joined me."

(If tailing me was easier for him, then I guess it couldn’t be helped…)

Prince Kagari tilted his head, looking genuinely puzzled by my words.

Kagari: "I thought you wanted to enjoy the festival alone."

Emma: "Huh? I didn’t think that at all…"

Kagari: "You told the candy shop boy so."

●●●●●● Flashback ●●●●●●

Child 1: "We’re working super hard to prepare, so Teacher, you and the lady should come check it out!"

Emma: "Sure, I’ll definitely come!"

●●●●●● Flashback End ●●●●●●

(If I didn’t invite him then, it probably did seem like I planned to go alone.)

(I get it, but… why does this feel like some strange misunderstanding?)

(He always seems to figure out what I’m thinking faster than I do…)

(...Maybe Prince Kagari wanted to join me at the festival too, and that’s why he followed me?)

(No, no, it’s Prince Kagari. It was probably just a whim.)

I suddenly noticed his emotionless jade-green eyes fixed on me.

Kagari: "Did you want to go around the festival with me Princess?"

(Ugh… Hearing it directly from him is so embarrassing…)

There was no reason to lie about the feelings I had realized. I nodded softly.

Emma: "I think so."

Emma: "...It made me happy when you called out to me in the alley earlier."

Kagari: "...I see."

Kagari: "..."

Emma: "..."

(What do I do about this atmosphere?)

Struggling to contain the itch of unease that threatened to overwhelm me, I coughed softly into the silence that had fallen once again.

I wished for anyone—anything—to break the tension.

As if my wish had been granted, hurried footsteps echoed, and a man burst into the room.

Man: "Miss Emma, thank you so much for watching over everything! You’ve been such a great help—oh, Prince Kagari?!"

Kagari: "Did you get the lost child safely home?"

Man: "Y-Yes, no injuries or anything."

Kagari: "Good work. I’ll leave the rest to you."

Kagari: "Let’s go, Princess."

He grabbed my hand, and I followed him carefully so as not to trip as we walked down the hallway.

Emma: "Um, where are we going?"

Kagari: "Where else but the festival?"

Prev | Next

▼・ᴥ・▼

[moonligsposts]

Dean Winchester x Reader

Not a boring life

«Are you listening to me? Dean.» Castiel puts his hand on my shoulder .

«I was thinking… you can read minds, don’t you?» Castiel looks at me.

«Yes, I can. Why?»

«The son of a bitch of that fucking angel made me see a reality in 6 years from now and… Sam had become his vassal, and Y/n was with him. They were, I mean… together. Besides, the devil told me I would lose her because he offered her something I can never give her. I know there’s a chance he’ll take Sam, but her?»

In my mind, I relive that damn moment a hundred of times: Sam, who isn’t Sammy anymore, possessed by the devil and Y/n who is at his side and he caressed her! That drives me crazy.

«So?» Castiel asks.

«Read Y/n’s mind, see if you can find something that she has lost or someone. Maybe she desires something more than anything.»

«Wouldn’t be better if you ask her?»

«Wouldn’t be better if you do what I asked you and don’t say a thing?!» he nods and disappears.

2 minutes later

«Done.»

«Oh, you’re already back.» I lean against the wall.

«So, what is her biggest secret?» I say funny but Castiel looks at me with a serious, too much seriousness, face.

«She lost her family: her dad died of a cancer when she was young and then her mother and her brother died in a car accident five years ago.» He tells me the story, and I see in his eyes the sadness.

«is there anything else? Why do you have that face?»

« I saw her feeling, Dean. It was distressing to see her memories, devastating to live them I guess. Besides it was hard to find those memories, it was like she erased them. She was alone most the time of her life. A child growing up too fast. But when she lost her mom and her brother in a car accident, she was in the car but she survived. She spent months to recovery, she wanted die with them...»

«She wanted to die? Why she didn’t tell me nothing?»

«Calm yourself, Dean, she has her reasons.»

«Yeah, and she can talk to me! I could help her.»

«Don’t you understand, Dean? She can’t even think about it… losing before her father, then all the rest of her family. Y/n just wants…»

«What?» Castiel and I turn around and see Y/n at the door. She just looked at Castiel, though.

«Cass, say that is not what I’m thinking…» Cass looks down at his feet.

«Why did you do that?» Her eyes begin to fill with tears.

«I’m sorry, Y/n…» Cass says.

«Why did you do that? Why are you talking to him about it?» Her breath becomes irregular. I approach her, but she immediately backs up.

«I wanna an answer Cass! Why did you do that?» Y/n yells at him. Cass’s embarrassment is evident.

«I asked him to do that.» as I said that she slowly turns to me.

«Why…?» I try again to get close to her, but she still backs up.

«That was my life! I had to be the one to tell you that not an angel who can reads minds! Why did you do that?» Y/n yells at me preventing me from approaching her.

«Baby, I asked Cass to do that because I need to know why you in 6 years, you would’ve said yes to the devil… the fucking angel made me see a reality, in 6 years from now, where you and Sam were with Lucifer and I realised I have to make things work differently…»

«Why didn’t you ask me, first?» i try to approach her again but she won’t let me touch her.

«Honey, why didn’t you tell me that? I could help you. I love you, I’m sorry for what you had to live through.»

But these words don’t calm her down, they make her more nervous.

«Yes? What would you have done? Take them back? That is impossible, and all I want is to forget! Forget about everything that has happened to me before this life with you! Sorry for not telling you anything that happens on this or whatever happen before that we met but I can’t…» she makes a pause, then say

«But you didn’t have the right to steal my secrets.» When she finishes talking, she turns and leaves the room.

«Oh, maybe you, Cass, could read my mind so you’ll explain to your friend how I feel right now. Steal this from me too.» She says defiantly to Castiel.

Now I feel guilty for both her and Cass too.

«Y/n, please listen to me…»

«LEAVE ME ALONE!I always respect the fact that you didn’t wanna talk about what fucking happened in the hell and I was okay with that! I never said nothing even when you didn’t wanna explain why you were sad or angry or whatever. Why can’t you do the same with me? Or maybe you could ask me instead…»

«Come on, love, lemme explain…»

«Yeah, no. The only thing that I wanna do is run away from here. Before you destroy everything, with you I never think about that! But you have to know, right? All that matters was that you know.

Don’t follow me, I hate you right now and I don’t wanna even see you.»

These words strike me deeply... but it is true, I never told her what had happened in hell or the shit life I had before meeting her. Yet, she was always by my side when all I needed was a hug.

The sound of the door closing makes me lose my mind.

«Sorry Cass… »I say quickly and I go to the room. Y/n's voice is the only thing I can hear when I look in the mirror and see myself.

I punch the mirror, hurting my hand, then

I throw the TV and lampshades on the ground. Then I take the chair and split it on the dresser...

After completely destroying the room, I sit on the floor leaning against the wall, covering my face with my hands.

I’m tired of always trying to do the right thing to protect the people I love but, no matter what I do, everything has to fuck up!

Every fucking time!

Y/n’s pov

After running until my feet begged me to stop, I sat by a lake.

Dean didn’t have to do this to me, he didn’t have to steal my thoughts. And yet it’s his style. Getting what he wants by any means...

After the last double funeral, I walked out of that house and vowed never to return. All my life, forgetting was the antidote to everything that hurt me.

But even if I try, I can’t forget, and every time these thoughts come back, I get lost.

One year after my mother and brother died, Dean came along, like a bolt from the blue. And damn me falling in love with him... of him, of the life that appeared in front me, of Sam, of hunting.

Not a boring life.

Maybe I exaggerated... the words I said to him definitely hurt him. I pick up the phone and find a message from Dean.

“I’m sorry, I know I fucked up, I know, but please before everything talk to me. Love you.”

I don’t answer the message, but I get up and go back.

I open the front door and go to the kitchen where the light is on.

«It’s very late.» Dean says.

«I’m sorry, I…» as soon as I start talking he turns to me. I see his bloody hands.

«What happen?» This time, I’m getting close to him.

«I’m sorry. I lost my mind. Look Yn, I’m really sorry. But all I wanted to do was keep you safe from Lucifer and I need to know why you would’ve chosen him.»

«I never would choose him.»

«He would promise you to take them back.»Seeing his shiny eyes saddens me and, even all he does, the only thing I wanna do is kiss him.

«This is impossible. And even if this is possible in a certain demoniac way, I don’t care: they are dead and I know that pretty well.»

I love you, Y/n. » Dean smiles and continues

«I know that I love you, sweetheart. I loved you since the first time I saw you. Every time I'm with him, I find myself forgetting all the pain I've endured when we look into each other's eyes.

«Can I touch you? » Dean asks me.

«You have to.» I find myself in his arms in a flash.

«I love you, Dean.» I hear his laugh in my ears. He takes me in his arms and rests me on the kitchen counter, I gird his life with my legs.

«You don’t know how much I love you, Y/n.» He says as he kisses my neck and my hands caress his hair.

«I’m yours…» Dean says.

«And I’m yours, Dean.»

«Say it again, I think I could come.»

«Just like this? I didn’t even touch you there…» He lifts his head from the hollow of my neck and takes my face in his hands.

«You don’t need to touch me to turn me on.» I smile and kiss him on his beautiful lips.

This is all I need to make me feel alive...

[fluentmoviequoter]

To Hold and Be Held

Summary: Dalton holds you, comforting you through an anxiety attack. In the aftermath, you tell him something you've never said aloud before.

Warnings: anxious!reader, depicts anxiety and an anxiety attack, hurt/comfort, angst to fluff, a confession. 1k+ words

A/N: I based the anxiety attack off of my experiences, but I know anxiety is different for everyone. I proofread this, but please let me know if I missed anything. Quick reminder that requests are open! I hope you like this and let me know what you think! :)

It feels like something is sitting on you; your chest is tight, you’re nauseous, and you want nothing more than to see Dalton. Everyone says that college will give you anxiety or make it worse if you’re already anxious, but this is worse than you could have imagined. Trying to ignore the shortness of breath and overwhelming emotions, you leave your class and head for Dalton’s dorm. Moving on autopilot, you don’t notice any surroundings until you’re at his door. You knock as you unlock his door, letting yourself in. Dalton isn’t in his dorm, and any hope you had that he’d keep you from spiraling disappears. You drop your things on his bed and lean your back against the wall as your breathing becomes more labored. Eyes unfocused, you slide down the wall and duck your head between your knees, feeling like your throat is closing as you wonder where Dalton is. From there, your mind drifts to everything creating your anxiety, from school and beyond. On the verge of hyperventilating, you feel the first tear fall as your mind wonders why does Dalton stay with someone like me?

Dalton is staring out the window while in class when he sees you hurry by the window, a glazed look in your eyes. He knows that look all too well; he’s seen it look back at him in the mirror more than once. Just as Dalton moves to pick up his backpack and follow you, his professor asks him to demonstrate a specific technique. He complies, completing the picture as quickly as possible, though his focus is on you. When dismissed, Dalton runs to his dorm, looking around frantically while opening the door. Dalton spots you curled in on yourself in the corner, and his heart breaks. Closing the door and setting his stuff beside yours, Dalton kneels beside you. You raise your head a little when he whispers your name; the tear rolling over your cheek and rapid, irregular movement of your chest ignite something in Dalton.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize, gasping as you try to breathe through your words.

Dalton shakes his head, looking at you with the softest look you’ve ever seen. “Don’t apologize.”

You pull your knees closer to your chest, dropping your face as your emotions continue their relentless storm.

“Can I hold you?” Dalton asks, scooting toward you.

Nodding quickly, you turn in his grasp as you cry harder, partly out of gratitude for Dalton and how amazing he is.

“I’m getting your shirt wet,” you say between sobs.

Dalton sways you gently with one arm around your waist and the other cradling your head to his chest. His eyes are closed, and his heart breaks more with each sob that passes your lips.

“Relax, I got you,” he murmurs.

As your tears slow, Dalton removes his hand from the back of your head and grasps your hand. He brings your hands to his chest, laying it over his heart as he takes measured breaths. You know what he’s asking, and close your eyes, focusing on Dalton and Dalton only.

“I’m sorry,” you repeat. “My problems are mine and I don’t want to be a burden on you, Dalton.”

“You’re not a burden. I’m not leaving you alone, either. If you want to tell me what’s making you feel like this, I’ll listen and do my best to help you. But if you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to.”

Dalton continues holding you, but you lift your head to his shoulder as you say, “Thank you, Dalton. I don’t deserve you.”

“Yes, you do. What can I do for you?”

“Can you just hold me? Please.”

Dalton nods and releases your hand, opting to hold your waist instead. He continues moving slightly, listening to your breathing as it evens out. You raise your hand to his shoulder and begin tracing random shapes as you calm down.

“You want to get on the bed? We can do whatever you want,” he offers.

“Yes, please.”

Dalton holds your hand and supports your elbow as you stand, following you up and over to his bed. He moves his things, and yours, to his desk and tosses a change of clothes to you.

“I can just-“

“Don’t say you can go home. You don’t need to be alone, and I don’t want to be alone. So change and get comfortable,” Dalton says, his back to you as he works on something at his desk.

You smile to yourself and let him know when you’re decent. He tells you to get in his bed, then crawls beside you, putting his arm under your head and pulling you close. His laptop is perched on a pillow between you as he starts a movie.

“My favorite?” you ask, looking up at him.

“Mmhmm. And I have these too,” he adds as he hands you a small bag containing your favorite movie snacks and a drink.

“Why do you have all this?”

“Well, I was hoping to see you today. Maybe not like this, but it turns out you needed it more than I thought.”

You whisper your thanks and move impossibly closer to him, resting your head on his chest with your arm stretched across his waist. Dalton’s fingers dance across your arm as his heart beats steadily under your ear.

“Thank you for staying,” you say, turning to kiss his jawline.

“I’ll always be here. To hold and to be held,” Dalton responds, leaning forward uncomfortably to hug you.

“I love you,” you state for the first time when he pulls back.

Dalton’s smile widens, and he moves his hands to your waist, lifting you further onto him. When your face is even with his, he looks into your eyes.

“I love you.”

Dalton kisses you, and the movie, your anxiety, and the rest of the world fade away. To love and be loved, to hold and to be held, loving Dalton Lambert is the best decision you’ve ever made.

[lazyneonrabbitt]

Anyway I can request a Lip/Reader/Carmy imagine about the reader being pregnant (and of course the guys don’t care who’s baby it is because they’re all in a relationship together so they’re in this together regardless of who’s it is) and the guys helping her through a really complicated pregnancy?

Okay this one got LONG. I'm absolitely terrified of getting pregnant so there's a whole lot of anxiety in this one.

CW: unplanned pregnancy and all its horrors, anxiety and medication, mentions of childbirth and c-sections.

The second you saw those two lines appear you spiraled. Both of the boys being at work leff enough room in the quiet appartment for your mind to start screaming at you.

Who's was it? Would you have to get it checked? Before or after the baby was born? Should you even keep it? You didn't plan this. What if they fought over who was the father?would either of them leave if they learned the baby was the other's?

You went to bed, not caring about anything you were supposed to do that day. You only wanted sleep. You eventually passed out after crying for god knows how long.

Your boys were going on a grocery run after work so they came home together, both carrying bags inside, only to be welcomed by the sound of the TV and half eaten breakfast on the coffee table. You were nowhere to be seen but your shoes and bag were at the door so you had to be home.

It was Lip's years of living with his family that set off his instincts to go find you ASAP. "Go put the freezer stuff away. I'll go see if I can find her." Carmen agreed and took the extra bags to put the frozen goods away quickly while Lip went straight for the shower, checking the tub, shower cabin and around the corner at the toilet. No sight of you so he moved to the guest bedroom where you would often be digfing through old items, sorting them out and organizing to keep your mind busy, mayne you had just forgotten the time. But you weren't there either so he almost ran into the bedroom where you were curled up underneath messy blankets. Your phone on the floor with an empty nox of tissues, the contents of which were all over the place.

"Yo Bear. Over here, now." Lip's voice summoned him in an instant, panic clear in his eyes as he stared at Lip for an answer.

They both stepped closer and sat down on either side of the bed. Carmen carefully climbed over to sit closer to you, moving quietly so he wouldn't wake you when his hand landed on something underneath the blankets, pushing them aside to take the item off the bed.

"Oh fuck, Lip.." He held up the item for him to see. The oh so familiar white stick in the other's hand spiked all kinds of emotions, snatching the thing to take a closer look.

A positive pregnancy test sat between his fingers. He ran a hand down his face with a deep sigh and stood up. "You wake her up, I'm calling the clinic." And with that he turned to walk out the door. "Lip!" Carmen whisper-yelled to get him to stay. "How about we talk to her first before making her decisions, huh?" Carmen waa clearly angry, but he was also right. Lip's past hadn't been too kind when it came to unplanned pregnancies and he wasn't planning to go through that shit again, but you were all adults, in a healthy relationship, with stable jobs and proper income now, so talking was step one now.

Carmen's movement had stirred you awake, blinking the sleep from your eyes and stretching before sitting up and taking in your surroundings. Carmen sat beside you with a hand on your blanket covered leg and Lip stood at the end of the bed with a nervous leg bouncing against the other, brows raised in question and holding something out in his hand. When you realised what it was the panic returned tenfold. Tears flowing freely and your breathing becoming irregular as the questions from earlier haunted your mind again.

"Sweetheart, calm down. We're not mad okay? We just want to talk about it." You were cuddled into Carmen's side, sniffling and wiping your eyes. "He's mad.." you hiccuped as you averted Lip's gaze. Carmen immediately reassured you that he wasn't and keeping his eyes locked on the other boy. Lip got the hint and came over to sit with you, placing the test on your nightstand and laid down to hug you both. "We'll do this together. Whatever you decide to do, we're supporting you."

You stayed like that for a while untill you were all calmed down again and getting hungry.

You collectively decided on ordering in, sat around the coffee table sharing the large order of chinese food. Lip called it comfort food, Carmen said celebratory dinner. Which led to the inevitable conversation to be had.

You shared ebery little concern and anxiety inducing thought with them and so did Lip, opening up to Carmen about his life and the comment he made earlier. Carmen listened to you both and after what felt like years of talking about plans, options, money and anything that would come with having a child you collectively decided to keep it.

Which led the three of you to your first appointment, first ultrasound and many, many nights of you being plagued by nightmares followed by puking up your insides, failing to go back to sleep and lots of anxiety.

Both boys did anything and everything for you, but the stress and constant anxiety the pregnancy was causing you was getting dangerously close to harming the baby's development.

During that first dinner talk you told them that the whole pregnancy thing terrified you but their support had made you feel a lot more comfortable with the idea, despite all the horror stories that had scared you away from even ever letting Lip fuck you without a condom in college even when you were on birth control.

At the hospital you got called into the nurse's room for your next appointment. Today was another ultrasound day, with a checkup on your mental health now that you were given medication to calm your head and supplements to make sure the baby would get all the needed nutrients.

"So, are you the momma's brothers?" The nurse's question came out of nowhere and caught them off guard, not having an answer fast enough so she kept the questions going. "You know we get multiple girls here who don't remember how they got pregnant. There's no shame in not knowing who the father is."

"It's either of us, actually." Carmen shot at the nurse. "We're together, the three of us." Lip pointed between the thee of you.

"So, you would like to get a DNA test done as well then." It was more of a statement than a question, but before she could even type anything into the computer Lip was on her ass already. "We don't want a fucking test, okay. We're here for you to check if our girl and our-" making a grand gesture to point at all three of you. "baby is healthy."

The appointment itself went well but the news that came with it was a whole different story.

All three of you couldn't keep their eyes off the small picture Lip was holding as you sat on the couch. Both boys couldn't help but be even more excited than bafore as you stared in horror at the second blob on the ultrasound that had decided to only now show itself.

You were having twins. The only stupid solution to give both boys a baby without having to get pregnant again at a later time, but also twice the amount of baby to give birth to. The one thing that still haunted your nightmares through the amount of medication you were taking.

With the news of twins you started having small complications. Most of them very common and easy to fix, but for you they all felt like the end of your life, the end of your relationship but neither Lip nor Carmy was letting those demons take over your thoughts. They did everything in their power to keep you content and wouldn't leave you alone for even a second. Their work schedules thrown apart so at least one of them would be home at all times. Every little cramp or concern had one or both of them drive you to your doctor who would mostly tell you your discomforts were normal for someone as far along as you.

The further along you got the more miserable you got, to the point of being unable to keep even the slightest bit of food in your system which led to more hospital trips to get you on liquids in order to keep your strenght up.

Now at eight months you were in bed most of the time, only getting up when needed.

You only had two more weeks before you were due, both Lip and Carmy being home to care for you.

Carmen was making you a simple meal he knew you would be able to handle and Lip busied himself with the final touches in the nursery when, with no warning up front or anything, your water broke as you waddled over to the bathroom.

"Help." The desperate, frantic voice had your boys on you in a second, the tears and the way you wrapped yourself around the door handle with your soaked, crossed legs told them enough. Carmen ran to grab your bag and car keys, making sure he snagged the new pack of smokes from the key bowl as he opened the door for you and Lip.

Luckily the hospital was only a few blocks over and fraffic was nonexistent.

The hospital visit wasn't such a smooth ride. After hours upon hours spent in that bed on god knows how many drugs you were brought in for emergency c-section to prevent any harm to both you and the twins. You cried and begged to just knock you out and take them out of you and to your luck they complied.

When the doctors woke you back up again you were acompanied by your boyfriends, each holding one of your children.

Upon release you made another appointment with your doctor. As soon as you were completely healed you were getting your tubes tied. No more of this. You had your two babies and no more were gonna be born from your body.

[crisalidaseason]

Seventh entry: Assessing danger is not easy.

Protecting means watching out for danger, but danger is not always someone running at you with a knife. Danger can be quiet. You need to know when and where safety is, but even then do not let your guard down

The wood block was harder than he was used to, but nothing absurdly difficult to carve. His pocket knife was sharp enough to precisely perfect the rough shape of the dragon.

“Who are you making this time?”

Violet was leaning on her right arm, her breakfast long forgotten on the table and her pale eyes focused on the irregular wood in his hands. Liam scanned the mess hall once again before looking at her and answering.

“I’m not sure yet, I just know it’s gonna be a dragon”

She smiled softly at his answer.

“Is it a childhood hobby? You’re really skilled”

Liam nodded, eyes back on the figurine once he deemed the place free of possible stabby bastards - not that people would actually try to murder her during breakfast, but better safe than sorry.

“Thanks. And yes, I think I was around 10 or 11. My dad taught me”

He recalled his rough beginning, his fingers were permanently wrapped then since his handling of the knife was pretty bad, but he hadn’t hurt himself in years. Carving was almost second nature at that point, he could do it as quickly as writing. It was a calming activity and helped him cope with stress.

“What did you do for fun?” he asked “aside from menacingly climbing trees and humiliating people in word games?”

She kicked his shin under the table, not strong enough to hurt but firmly enough.

“Languages” she replied “I liked making cyphers”

Liam scoffed. Of fucking course!

“Don’t mock me, Liam!”

“I’m not mocking you, it’s just so fucking you to enjoy making cyphers” he looked at her fully “besides, I also made up a code with Sloane once”

“What was your base?”

“A mix of made up signs, which was really stupid and obvious considering we used it to steal food from the kitchens, sneak away to the beach or test my mother’s patience” he was smiling visibly at that point “yours?”

“I always switched it up, sometimes lucerish, sometimes tyrrish or a mix of them”

Liam gave her look of disbelief.

“You know tyrrish?”

“Trained to be a scribe, remember?” she points to herself “It’s required to know at least two old languages before you even attempt at entering the scribes”

He was about to ask why she had learned tyrrish, but their table shook slightly at Imogen’s weight, soon being followed by Quin and Sawyer. The rest of their squad filled the table a few minutes later, cutting off the chances of Liam continuing their talk. Not that he had something to hide, but he liked the privacy of their conversations.

“Sorrengail” Imogen warned once, looking at Violet’s full abandoned plate.

Their breakfast went as usual and soon they were already waiting for battle brief to start. The class was never particularly important for Liam - considering the heavily filtered information - but he still paid attention enough. Violet, on the other hand, was growing impatient every day the attack on Sumerton was not mentioned or even hinted at. He felt the cold nervous sensation settle on his stomach, it would be just a matter of time until Violet started questioning things too hard and clocked more than she should, not a good thing when Aetos lingered beside her like a lost dog.

Fuck, he sounded like Xaden.

“Of course” Violet mumbled beside him.

Liam half listened as professor Devera began another random recalling of an older attack, most of his focus was on the girl beside him. Her notebook was open but Violet did not dip her quill into the inkpot immediately. Her pale eyes locked on his knowingly - yet another class without a mention of Summerton. He simply nodded discreetly and soon his gaze drifted to his brother a few rows above. Xaden was not looking at them - at her, actually - but if Liam was to watch under the table, he would recognize the slithering shadows.

“First years, questions” Devera said after exposing the content.

Violet remained eerily quiet, as she had been for the last two weeks. She wasn’t highly participative, but Devera seemed to expect, and encouraged, her to speak at least once. Violet’s enhanced quietness was raising the professor’s attention but it was the elder scribe’s eyes glued on Sorrengail that fired Liam’s head alarms.

“Take notes” Liam whispered, leaning slightly in her direction.

Violet looked at him from the corner of her eyes, brows frowning in confusion.

“Markham” he simply said.

She nodded and dipped her quill into the inkpot immediately, scribbling information on the blank notebook. Liam had never felt happier that she understood his request quickly. He wanted her to question things, but he could not let anyone from leadership - specially an old man that seemed to know Sorrengail a little too well - catch on to her behavior.

“Thanks” she whispered to him.

Liam took his wood carving out of his pocket, trying to appear casual and unserious. His pocket knife barely scraped much of the wood while Violet’s quill made quick work of the class topic. He looked at Markham briefly, pleased to see the old man finally breaking his one sided staring contest. Liam sighed. Seemed like battle brief was not such a safe class for Violet after all.

“Great, now I have an old man on my list of Violet Sorrengail’s potential killers”

“And you said you liked it difficult” Deigh commented on his mental distress.

During his hectic day as a bodyguard, flight lessons were usually a blessed moment of rest. He did not have to worry about Violet’s safety since Tairn was a hell of a protector and nobody would be stupid enough to harm her while the war dragon was right there.

“The little woman fell again” Deigh warned.

Well, saying Violet was safe during flight lessons was merely an expression. She did fall from Tairn’s back at least fifteen times during the duration of the class.

“That makes it sixteen” Liam grimaced.

He could see clearly as Violet was caught by her monstrosity of a dragon. The first time he had witnessed her fall Liam almost puked his heart out thinking he was kissing his ass - and Xaden’s - a goodbye on the first day as a bodyguard. Relief was an understatement when he saw Tairn catch her, Liam even asked Deigh to send a ‘thank you’ to the black dragon for that. As the weeks went by he just learned to accept that Violet would fall but Tairn had no intentions of letting her die.

“Seventeen. She lost her hold” Deigh replied.

The lesson ended right on time. As soon as the dragons landed, Liam dismounted and waited for Violet to approach - he would not get anywhere near Tairn. The black dragon’s features were always in a menacing snarl, Liam had memorized it enough and wondered if he could replicate it in wood.

“Ugh” Violet groaned, approaching the rest of their squad alongside him.

“Everything in place?” Rhiannion asked in a low voice, assessing her friend.

Violet nodded and Liam let the breath he was holding go. Flight lessons meant some nasty subluxations and even dislocations for Violet. Their squad was always discreet in helping whenever it happened, there was something disturbing about how people watched Sorrengail like a vulture spotting a wounded animal whenever she showed signs of discomfort.

“Only seventeen today” Violet commented “about 47% less than last week. That got to be a fucking improvement”

Liam sensed the frustration despite the remarkable result, though the visible exhaustion in her face meant the record took all of her strength to achieve. Liam wondered if the problem was not necessarily her balance or grip - Imogen did say Violet was improving a lot - maybe her size and Tairn’s were an incompatible match? He was not sure if bringing the topic up was advisable considering Violet was not thrilled at people commenting on her height.

“It is” Rhiannion assured her “one day at a time, Vi. Let’s all get some rest before practice tonight”

Violet was still upset, he could see it on the line between her brows and the curving of her lips, but remained quiet. Liam bumped her softly as their squad walked out of the flight field, sending her a small encouraging smile. She sighed deeply, but nodded in response to his attempt at comfort.

“I’ll be waiting outside” Liam said while Rhiannion and Violet headed for the women’s bathing chambers to freshen up.

He greeted a few known faces while waiting. The entire feminine part of the quadrant was already used to seeing Liam hang outside the area, aware of his bodyguard duty. He felt embarrassed at first - he did not want to come off as a creep - but soon his presence became usual and he even used this opportunity to flirt with stunning women since he had limited time to pursue people into his bed.

“Mairi” Soleil spotted him as she left the chamber.

She was adjusting her uniform, the three stars glaring at him. He was not so close to her, they had not interacted much even before the rebellion fell, but there was pride brewing on his chest at the sight of the three stars. Seeing all the third year marked ones was almost like a hazy impossible dream finally coming true.

“Telery” he smiled “it’s been a while, huh?”

She nodded, brown eyes scanning his form much like Xaden and Garrick do whenever they spot him. Liam had heard of the older marked kids being constant targets of assassinations during their first year.

“Babysitting driving you mad already?” she joked, leaning next to him on the wall.

“Not really” he shrugged “it’s actually entertaining”

She frowned at his reply and he prepared himself for another round of explaining marked ones that Violet was actually a decent human being and not a mini Lilith Sorrengail. He would not blame them for the first impression, but he sure would defend a friend.

“Whatever” was all Soleil said “just be careful, her back is not the only one prone to stabbing”

He nodded, understanding her concern despite not being necessary. Liam was strong enough to watch over his back and also Violet’s.

“See you around, Mairi”

Violet and Rhiannion came out of the bathing chamber minutes later, thankfully with no murder attempts on their friend.

Previous chapter

Next chapter

[meowzilla93]

you know, with all the lore drops im releasing into the wild, how about a bit of a draft, a conversation between Liz and August, about a certain Greyscale Gentleman

(collecting any and all teasing nicknames for this guy like its my reason to live)

L: So, how’s things going with Monsieur Monochrome over there?

Ears perked at the new moniker for the boy-next-door suitor, August turns from the wrap she was making to look at Liz, an eyebrow cocked in question,

A: Monsieur-Oh god, just how many of those do you have up your sleeve?

L: Questions? A few. Nicknames for your fancy suitor? Many. Too many to count.

August rolls her eyes at her older sister with a snort, returning to her job of making a halfway decent lunch for the hot day.

L: You still haven’t answered my question Aug.

A: Things have been good. We talk when he is leaving for the day to do his touristy stuff if I’m out there already, same at night. Texting is a bit irregular, but considering we are a stone throws away from each other, seems we tend to walk into each other a lot and talk that way. We haven’t had a ‘date’ as such yet, but we have spent a few nights together-

L: YOU WHAT?! ALREADY?

Making a show of clearing her ears from being deafened by Liz’s sudden outburst, August turns back to Liz,

A: Jeez Liz, not what I meant. I mean just hanging out. Watching the sunset, walking down the beach front, that sort of thing. And what do you mean ‘already’? It’s been a couple weeks! Couples out there barely give it a day; Already…

August turns back to muse over her food, mumbling over Liz’s comment.

L: Do you plan to?

A: Huh?

L: Oh, don’t act dense, you aren’t good at it. Do you plan to sleep with him?

A: Liz! I-I don’t see how that’s at all relevant!

L: So, you do?

A: That’s neither here nor there! I like him! I like hanging out with him and just being with him. But that doesn’t mean I’m doing it to get into his pants Liz!

L: I just want to make sure you know what you are doing. Things seem to be a bit more intense than usual considering how your relationships usually go.

August takes off her glasses before she rubs her eyes, exasperated at Liz,

A: Yes, I know what I’m doing. And yes, I will admit things are… different this time round.

L: Do you want to talk about it?

A: Would you accept it if I said no?

L: No.

A: Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Folding up her wrap, August cuts it in half before picking up one half, taking a bite before pointedly looking at Liz,

A: What exactly would you have me talk about?

L: Clearly your summertime black and white romance flick -shut up its funny. You said things are different, how?

A: Let’s see. Other than the fact that this relationship has a deadline before it even started? I don’t know how to explain it, Liz; Those previous relationships, I thought the butterflies would eventually build up, that those romantic feelings would develop along with the relationship, but that never happened. With him, all it took was spending a day with him and they’ve been there ever since. I’m giddy over the chance to talk to him, can’t get rid of the smile on my face when I’m with him. I want to hold onto him, or just touch him in some sort of way; It’s almost a need rather than a want. He can fluster me, which is a hard task in itself, but he does it flawlessly. I just… I’ve never felt what I feel with him.

L: You both agreed that it’s only a summertime fling right? What happens if these feelings develop further?

A: I’ll cross that bridge once I get to it. Though to be honest, nothing would change. He made it abundantly clear that romantically this all ends at the end of summer. I will have to accept it, considering I agreed to those terms before we started this.

L: So, the first time you are experiencing those giddy lovesick feelings in a relationship, and you are letting it runs its course at the detriment of your own feelings-

A: Liz, I am more than capable of navigating whatever this is, honest. Besides, nothing is stopping us from remaining friends. Sure, it might hurt when we finally end this, but all my previous relationships I’ve been able to have a more platonic relationship with them. What’s stopping us from doing the same this time?

L: I don’t think it’s going to be that simple this time August.

A: I’ll deal, Liz. This… To be quite honest I haven’t felt this happy in a long time. With everything happening, so much changing, I just want to be happy with him. Maybe I’m more invested in this than he is. So be it. But I’m happy. Think you can cut me some slack with this?

Liz takes August in, concerns slightly marring her features before exhaling deeply,

L: Fine, but only for now. But I expect to know exactly when and how your Black Parade Boyfriend starts to make advances on you, need to make sure you have the talk-

August laughs at Liz, chucking a towel at her face over the newest nickname,

A: Liz, he isn’t that bad! And honestly, I’m almost nineteen and already had sex. Think you are a bit late for that talk Big Sis.

Liz woefully puts a hand on her forehead,

L: Alas, my dearest younger sibling is growing so quickly! To already have had intercourse outside of wedlock, what is this world coming to,

August launches another towel at Liz, before the elder sibling chucks one back, starting a war in the kitchen of tea towels flying around and the sound of laughter filling the midday air.

[ckau-official]

CK-Prologue

//TWS: abuse, angst, kamabo co.//

I’d usually start my day off with getting dressed in work attire and sliding my Cardinal-based mask on, but today is different. Today is the 50th anniversary of the founding of our company and Empire, which means I have to dress up. 

How stressful…. 

Luckily, I woke up 5 minutes before my alarm goes off, so I have a little extra time to reflect on myself and prepare for the day. 

Walking over to my private bathroom, I swipe my towel off of the counter while heading in and looking at myself in the mirror. I look at myself directly in my wide, anxious eyes. ‘Why are you scared, Prince? This is a happy day, isn’t it? Snap out of it.’ I think to myself as I shake off the icky feeling, gently wash my face and dry it before heading out of the room. 

I sigh as I dress myself in fancy clothes, wondering why this was all so necessary at first, but then silencing my thoughts afterwards. I quickly finished getting ready for the day, walking to my door and carefully placing my hand on the knob. 

My eyes close as I start to overthink about everything that could go wrong today. My breaths quicken, and for a moment, I take my hand off the door knob. I open my eyes again and look back at my room to regain my composure, eventually nodding to myself as I turn back to the door.

I take a breath as my hand starts shaking on its way to the door, but I push through and turn the knob, opening the door with a smile on my face. 

Mask in hand, I take my time walking to the designated room. I take a second to notice how no one else is wandering the halls. ‘Maybe they’re already there?’ I ask myself, slowly approaching the large doors.

I feel my hands start to get clammy again as I reach for the handle. I sigh again and put on my mask, figuring that might help with the irrational anxiety I was feeling. I push open the door to see my cowor- teammates talking at a table. They all stopped talking and stared at me when the door closed, as if they didn’t notice me coming in at first. “BROTHER!” Emperor saw me and ran over to me, taking my mask off “What do you need this for? We’re not strangers, are we, Prince?” He lightly punched my arm, before putting his own around my shoulder “Besides, you don’t need that yet, the after party’s later.”  He winks and giggles at my stupidity. “Right.. My mistake.” I nervously say, looking around at the others. “What’s the plan for today? Anything special?” I already know the answer but I might as well feed his ego. The Inkling grinned ear to ear as he unwrapped from my shoulder and walked to a white board.

“Why, I am so glad you asked.” He pauses to clear his throat. “Sit down everyone! Let’s revise for today.” Me and the other two members sit down on the cosy chairs that are assigned to us.

 “As you all already know, today marks a very very special day for us as a family.” I try not to think about what’s coming next, hoping that my irregular breathing isn’t being picked up by the others. 

“Today marks the 50th anniversary of our family business, and empire, Kamabo Co.”

I must look zoned out because my brother nudges me slightly, pulling me out of my self-induced trance “Prince, pay attention. its status report day.” He glares at me, before signalling N-Pacer to go over to him. She starts to talk about the project she's working on, but my mind is on everything but what anyone is saying right now. 

‘50 years.’ My mind floods with thoughts that are far too dangerous for me to have, though despite that, not being able to move on. how terrifying. I realize that as I'm stuck swimming in my forbidden thoughts, Jr had already gone halfway through his report about weapons. ‘If they knew what I was thinking right now, would they jump me?’ I think, before mentally shaking the thought away ‘no. no, why would they? we're family.’ before I know it, Emperor is snapping his fingers in my face 

“HEY. Wake up, your time to sleep was over an hour ago.” 

‘has it really been that long?’ I think, forgetting to answer back. 

“PRINCE. Get up here” I quickly snap myself back to reality, standing up and going to the front as my brother sits down. I take a deep breath, swiftly thinking of the words I'm going to say. 

“This year we have employed a total of 100 Inklings, and have uhm.

 lost. half that amount to work related incident. I'm sure you three can agree, that kind of ratio is extremely dangerous for our wellbeing. I fear that if this continues, we will be investigated in some way. So, in order to sway this ratio to lower numbers, I have a proposal.” I stop to catch my breath, and Emperor responds in the time I take to pause

.

“Go on.” He says, crossing his arms in his chair and tapping his foot on the floor.

“I propose that when the new employees this quarter come in today, I have the permission and resources to train them more so we are not required to-” I'm cut off.

“Permission granted, status report dismissed.” Emperor says, before standing up and walking out the door. everyone is silent.‘Was I really that boring.?’ without a word, the other two followed. ‘I didn't even finish..’ I sighed and held my head in my hands, trying not to cry as I look around the room, mentally preparing to continue for the day. I take another breath as I push through the door, putting my mask back on while I head to the dining area for breakfast.

Next Masterpost

[bright-tatters]

Tatters #32

“Does your buddy realize,” said Helen le Soir, “that if he drives out all other illegal activity the only illegal activity left for us to prosecute is his?”

It was a late winter evening, sooty yet crisp, lit in irregular circles of electric light on the blocks where the electricity worked this week. Piper patrolled the cobbled streets beside Helen, who was very nearly his height but half his mass. She liked excitement a little too much. Piper knew full well that headquarters was hoping she’d be there when Fortune went to pieces. She hoped it, too.

“He’s not my buddy,” Piper said calmly, turning the corner between misshapen warehouses. It helped that he demonstrably had no way of contacting Fortune with anything faster than the written word. It was hard to argue he had Fortune’s ear when he couldn’t summon Fortune.

Distances, even after months. It weighed on Piper. But asking to make their relationship official had to destroy one of them: the career police officer or the street-grown crime lord. They couldn’t both exist in an acknowledged arrangement. If Piper’s brothers on the force didn’t scour the slate clean, Fortune’s minions would.

Piper was afraid, but not for himself.

“Left,” he said, pointing toward the alley that a ragged man was sprinting out of. Piper put a hand to his baton. Helen did likewise.

“Hold,” she said firmly as the ragged man’s wild gesticulations generally voted in favor of approaching the two police officers. “Calm down. Hands where I can see them.”

“Help,” the man finally said. “Help. You—oh, no. Oh, no.”

“Please stay calm,” said Piper without releasing his weapon. “If you need to talk to the police, we’re here.”

“I can tell you about Fortune.”

Helen shot Piper a look. “Take a walk?” she said. At least she had the decency to make it a question.

“Slow down,” Piper said flatly. “What’s so urgent about Fortune?”

“He made the Gleaze. He invented the Gleaze. And he’s got a new manufactory in,” he lowered his voice, “the Docks.”

“What do you mean, ‘invented’ the Gleaze? The stuff’s been in production for years. It’s a recreational drug, not an evil science project.”

“First batches are already out. They…heh, experiment. Hallucinations are only the start.”

“You've seen this new Gleaze factory?”

“Yes, yes! Fortune's pet chemist was making himself comfortable!”

“I don’t believe that. I can’t believe that.”

“You’d better come down to the office,” said Helen. “We can get you a bite to eat and you can tell us all about Fortune’s new manufactory.” She looked over at Piper. “Now scram,” she said. “If you have a mystery source for confirmation, now’s the time.”

Piper felt too ill to talk back.

*

A telegram:

F REQUEST AUDIENCE STOP LOCATION 3 STOP PLEASE REPLY STOP

And, in reply,

SUNRISE STOP

Their locations were numbered, Fortune and Piper’s. The places where they could set down their careers and hold one another, where they could speak without filters and without audiences. Location 3 was a cavern under the bridge between Tatterdemalion and Central’s biggest island. You couldn’t get to it by walking, but a determined kayaker could reach it.

Two dun-colored kayaks lay together on the shingle.

Inside the wet cave, Piper didn’t touch Fortune when they met in the dim light from Piper’s lamp. “Fortune,” he said, “someone has resumed Gleaze production. In the Docks Ward.”

“Ah,” said Fortune.  “Immediately downwind of the last one.” His tailored coat cut a trim figure but his collar nearly swallowed his face. “Yes.”

“You knew?”

“I suspected. Vaughn left my employ for something, something desirable enough to be worth incurring my wrath for.” Fortune scoffed pensively. “Creative license is a potent attractor.”

“And you didn't say anything? This is not one of your prestige wars!”

“You don't have enough hours in the day to hear all my suspicions at any given time. Piper, I didn't know someone was actually going into production. I should not have assumed that no one would dare break my monopoly…but I did assume it, right up until Vaughn walked out.”

“He walked out, but he walked all the way to Docks. So you don't care.”

Fortune examined Piper’s face. “You do,” he said at last. “I can't help you except by destroying the machinery or crew, one half of which you’ll never ask me for. My resources are at your disposal. But whoever built this manufactory is outside my personal sphere of influence.”

Piper recalled the informant. “Did you invent Gleaze?”

Whatever he had expected, it wasn’t silence. Seconds passed. “In terms of chemical makeup,” Fortune said slowly, “no, I did not develop Gleaze. In terms of overall creative direction, I did not conceptualize Gleaze. In terms of funding?” A longer pause. “No, that came from the streets. But Gleaze was developed in my Ward. In that respect, I am responsible.”

“Did you know it would be addictive?”

“Every pleasant thing is addictive.” He opened his mouth and shut it again, looking away. “I’m not the first man to capitalize on that.”

“Us?”

Was that particular arrangement of his lean features fear? “I’ve never been addicted to anything, Piper.”

“I know. You keep yourself clear of entanglements.”

“I tried, once. But I’ve been working on turning certain business matters legally and morally defensible. I didn’t do that for my health.” He turned around and took a few steps. “You came here ready to make war, and I…I’d hand you the damned weapons. Hm.”

“I just need you to let me know when people’s lives hang in the balance.”

“Officer Colm Piper Poet, this Ward has more balances flopping around than any place I’ve ever heard of.” Fortune sighed. “I’ll try.”

Fortune wasn’t really in the habit of trying. He was in the habit of dictating. At least, to everyone else. “I feel like I ask you to change more than you ask me.”

“Hm.” Fortune grinned in profile. “You don’t ask.”

“But I do.”

“I know.” Piper’s moralizing, whatever of it got through his attempts to stay understanding and neutral, must have their effect. “In return I only ask that you degrade yourself to moments like this.”

“Degrading?” said Piper. “You?”

Fortune cocked an eyebrow. “I have attractive qualities, but not many sterling ones. I should go. I’ll tell you if I get any further news of the manufactory in Docks. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that a creature once escaped may be impossible to recapture. But one must try.” He started walking away.

“Fortune, when I needed you you came.”

Fortune stopped without turning around. “Just ask.”

“Location one?”

A pause. “Is tonight too soon?”

“No. Is twenty minutes too soon?”

“I’ll walk fast.”

“Tonight’s more realistic.”

“Realism.” Fortune laughed softly. “I’ll be waiting.”

He walked out with a little less than his customary brusqueness. But he did go, and Piper put out the light and gave him a count of two minutes. Just in case someone was watching their little lamp’s glow under the great electric-lit bridge.

[heaven-s-black-box]

Take my love, take my land- Serenity chpt.5

Return to File

Recovery date: May 13th, 2024

Description: The crew of The Challenger, captained by Miyuki Kazuya, take on a job that requires the cover of another job ferrying people. Ever the genius, Miyuki keeps some key details hidden from his crew, and it bites him in the ass.

Notes: Updates will be irregular because I'm still writing chapters but only as I feel like it. Don't question the timeline here please, it's only sort of coherent. You have no idea how long this has been sitting in my docs and I just... kept forgetting to post. There's no part 6 written yet but I will eventually, hoepfully.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5

Word count: 1 198

Back to directory

Guilt is not a feeling Miyuki is used to.

He’s done a lot of questionable things in his run as a space pirate, but for some reason breaking his crew's trust like this is killing him. Their disdain for him is obvious in the way they ignore him at the dining table, pass him by when he’s struggling with his bandages, and actively avoid him during the day. He lets it go on like this for almost forty-eight hours. Not because he’s waiting for them to make the first move, but rather he just didn’t know what to say.

He’s checking in with his passengers when the other four enter the bay and watch him from one of the hanging paths. Zono and Kuramochi look down at him with mild anger, Nabe looks more annoyed than angry, and Chris looks ever so slightly disappointed.

Mei, who he was speaking with, nudges his shoulder and points up at them. He doesn’t tease Miyuki about the hole he’s found himself in, instead offering a reminder that honesty was the best policy. It was stupid hearing that from Mei, he was just as tricky as Miyuki if not more.

Miyuki sighs, excuses himself, and then makes his way up to the path. He wordlessly leans against the railing, looking down on the passengers as they go about their day. Kuramochi is sitting beside him, legs and arms hanging over the edge, and Chris is leaning back against the rail opposite Miyuki. Nabe had sat himself up on the railing beside Chris, and Zono looked like he was trying to intimidate the captain with the way he stood straight with his arms crossed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Uh-huh,” Nabe hums, he doesn’t sound convinced. “You said that last time.”

Definitely not convinced.

“You could have told us,” Kuramochi grumbled, clearly trying to keep a level head, “we would’ve- we wouldn’t have turned the job down.”

“Don’t say that,” Zono snapped, “we still don’t even know what the job is.”

“Maybe you should start with that,” Chris offered, stopping whatever angry spiel Zono was cooking up.

“Right.” Miyuki looks back down at the cargo bay.

The junior trio is playing a game of cards, Sawamura keeps losing and trying to pick fights with Furuya every time the other boy wins. Haruichi keeps reminding him to keep his voice down, but Rei, who’s sitting beside them reading, doesn’t seem to mind too much. On the other side of the bay Mei is perched on a box, talking with Carlos, Shirakawa, and Ituski– presumably about what they’re going to do once they get to Whitefall.

“Well, Rei,” he points down at the woman, “is a friend of Coach. She was a spy in the Alliance and apparently things are starting to look bad so we’ve been hired to ferry her to Whitefall where Coach is waiting to pick her up.”

“Was that so hard?” Nabe asks, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Miyuki rolled his eyes. “I didn’t tell you guys for the same reason I didn’t tell you guys about Mei, because I didn’t want you guys to worry. We had to go through Alliance territory to give ourselves an alibi,” he snapped, his voice raising just a bit too much, catching the attention of the junior trio whom Rei quickly distracted.

“Do you really have so little faith in your crew?” Chris asked.

Miyuki chews at his lip nervously.

“I trust them- you,” he emphasizes, still not looking at anyone, “to make smart choices and do what needs to be done, so if I’m doing something stupid and I will admit that this was stupid I can’t have you stopping me.”

“You do stupid things all the time,” Zono reminds him, “and we don’t stop you, we just pick up the slack.”

The cogs in Miyuki’s brain slowly grind against each other, moving the reels of memories slowly for him to reminisce.

Zono was right. Even before they were a crew, Nabe had saved his ass when he nearly willingly got scammed over a part he desperately needed– he was tired and didn’t want to haggle and he knew he didn’t look like he knew what he was talking about, so when the seller tried to charge him twice the price on an engine part, he bit– Zono saved him from a gang of bandits after he accidentally waltzed into a, frankly, very obvious trap, and Kuramochi was honestly the only reason The Challenger hadn’t tried flying through a meteor field. They all signed onto his crew knowing he was an idiot, and yet he still couldn’t trust them to watch his back.

He’s not ready for the level of honesty and vulnerability he needs for this apology, he decided, so he continues with his explanation.

“Mei’s an old friend of mine. He went off to an Alliance academy and recently reached out to me saying he needed out. I didn’t ask why, but he doesn’t ask often, so I figured we could take him out to Whitefall when we took Rei. His friends aren’t Alliance though, so they were going to be part of our cover. I figured we could pick up a few more bodies on Persephone but I wasn't expecting to pick up another deserter.” He looks down at Kuramochi.

“Haruichi, like Mei said the other day, is a medical genius. I’ve got a feeling i know why he wants to go to Haven-”

“He’s looking for his brother?” Zono asks.

Kuramochi glares at the man for cutting him off.

“Yes.”

“Ryou isn’t going to like that,” Chris hums, looking down at his friend's younger brother as the boy tries to break up a growing scuffle between his two companions.

Kuramochi nods in agreement. “I think he just wants to know he’s okay, so we’ll take him there and then… I don’t know, see what he wants to do.”

The group falls into silence, the previous confrontation seeming to fade away as they tenuously fall back to their previous affinity. Kuramochi excuses himself back to the cockpit, followed by Nabe slipping away to the engine. Zono seemed to awkwardly hang around as if he still had something to say. Miyuki, deciding to put his friend out of his misery, spoke up.

“Zono, we’re good.”

“We’re good?”

“We’re good.”

With that he nodded and went off to organize their weapons, leaving Chris and Miyuki alone.

“So,” Miyuki started, “I take it you won’t be coming back with Kuramochi?”

Chris sighed, pushing off the rail to lean beside Miyuki.

“No.”

“We’re gonna kill each other without you.”

“You’ll be fine. You were fine before me.”

Miyuki laughed. “Please, the only reason there wasn’t a mutiny on your first day was because you stepped in to save Nabe. I’m a horrible captain, the end justifies the means– and I’ve nearly gotten everyone killed a dozen times over.”

“You’re learning, you’re all learning, and I think you’ll be fine.”

“Right…”

“Maybe you should see if Haruichi wants to stick around though,” Chris chuckled, “you could definitely use a doctor.”

They laugh together, before they redescend into the bay and bring everyone into the dinning room for dinner.

[dajaregambler]

HeliosR - Sing in the darkness - Chapter 2 - Part 7

Translation of Sing in the darkness from ‘Helios Rising Heroes’, a new side arc alongside the current main story arc Like the dawning light.

Robin: --Are things going well with your three teammates?

Sage: About that… There’s times I’m a bit nervous, but it’s working out somehow… I think?

Robin: With Bianchi you don’t hold yourself back. I’ve taken note of how you two often talk to each other while on duty. And in the same vein Jude sticks close… 

Robin: Nico must be the one weighing on your mind, then?

Sage: …Yeah, exactly that.

Sage: He is my roommate and I’d like to befriend him, but it doesn’t look like he feels the same about it…

Robin: Right…

Robin: At first glance, I don’t sense any kind of hostility or negativity, which rules that out as the problem.

Robin: It simply could be the lack of skill to communicate with others, or that’s how his personality is… 

Robin: Perhaps there might be some other reason, I think it would be best for you to not panic and worry too much about it.

Robin: Well, as your mentor I should be able to maneuver around it with these things.

Robin: Excuse me. Seems that my approach is more carefree than what you’d expect from most people… Ahaha…

Sage: I knew that from a long time ago

Sage: You have a lot on your own plate, right? I’ve heard that there’s more irregularities than usual with this term.

Sage: Though one mentor being in charge of four rookies is pretty unheard of, right?

Robin: Well… The pattern of three rookies to four rookies, and mentors ending up on their own is something that happens often

Robin: However a single mentor that’s one rank removed from being a Major Hero against a whole group of rookies… I’d argue that’s a little bit unreasonable. 

Sage: The cause has to be from last year’s… that, Lost Zero, right?

Robin: Quite a good guess there.

Robin: Exactly as you said. The clean up that followed suit after the deaths at Lost Zero, or perhaps I should say the preparations going forward, came with reinforcing the Anti-Eclipse unit as a priority.

Robin: The fact that such a situation impacted everything is undeniable.

Sage: …Are you doing okay, Sensei?

Robin: Ahaha. Sorry, did I make you anxious?

Robin: It is what it is. I would love to shrug it all off by saying it’s all fine, but since things have already gotten out of hand, we ended up talking about it…. 

Sage: No, that’s not what I meant… I’m genuinely worried if things aren’t too hard for you at the moment…

Sage: You’re busy with preparing for the Major Hero exam at the same time, no?

Robin: Fufu, I appreciate you worrying for me. You’re kind, Sage.

Robin: While I might not have much confidence in my physical strength, I do think quite highly of my stress tolerance.

Robin: As for the exam, North’s Brad-kun is in the same situation, I am in no position to whine here.

Robin: It’s a given that defense is my forte, even if I say so myself. Could say that it’s true even outside of combat.

Robin: And if I’m at my wit’s end, then I’ll surrender when the time’s right.

Sage: Do you mean that? I do think that’s just like you, but…

Robin: Well, headquarters understands the current irregular circumstances, or rather that’s the assumption I’m operating under, so it’ll be fine.

Robin: Let’s not be too serious now and take it easy. The ebb and flow of fortune is not looking bad either.

Robin: Besides, I was interested in the perspective of one in charge, I’m fairly happy that I’ve been assigned as a mentor.

Robin:  Ah, your fortune is also shaping up to be excellent too, Sage. Keep your head up high and be positive.

Robin: If you ever feel anxious, please come tell me about it. That’s what we mentors are here for. 

Sage: Yes…! Thank you, Sensei.

Sage: I’m kind of feeling all fired up now! Tomorrow I’ll start with a morning run and then do some independent training afterwards

Robin: That’s a good mentality to have, but please be careful to not overdo it.

Robin: Improving your individual ability is of course important. However, what’s even more important at Helios at the moment is--

Sage: Teamwork! Right, Sensei

Robin: Yes, correct.

Robin: There’s no meaning to becoming stronger all on your own. Aim to match the pacing with your teammates, and cultivate teamwork. 

Robin: As for the specifics, the regularly held LOM is our current target. That is where I hope to achieve satisfactory results… 

Sage: Yes! I’ll do my best!

Robin: Good to see you in high spirits. 

Robin: I’m sure you will be able to pull it off. You have my support, Sage---

[wouldntyou-liketoknow]

Day 12: Putrefaction

(Disclaimer: Neither of the characters here belong to me. Unus Memento and Annus Mori are the property of Ethan Nestor/CrankGamePlays and Mark Fischbach/Markiplier, respectively)

(Trigger Warnings: body horror, death, talk of death/dying, descriptions of decay, insects, infestation, confined spaces, strong language. Please let me know if I missed anything.)

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 13

Hearing was the last sense to go after a person died. Of course, it typically only stuck around for about six minutes or so after death, but sometimes outside forces had other ideas.

Unus had long-since adjusted to hearing people walking over his and Annus’ grave. In fact, the occasional footsteps had grown oddly soothing, sounding similar to an irregular heartbeat. He’d listened to rain striking the grass above him. That obviously meant he’d heard plenty of distant thunder, too. Hell, he was listening to thunder right now.

But this thunder was. . .different. 

Unus wasn’t sure how he could tell; it sounded just as thunder should sound, heavy and foreboding. And yet, for whatever reason, it didn’t sound like it was being muffled by the several layers of soil resting on top of the casket he and Annus shared. It sounded loud enough to be just outside, loud enough to promise that if either of the coffin’s occupants pushed the lid open, they’d instantly be swept into a violent storm.

Unus’ right eyelid involuntarily fluttered, as though he was trying to wink at someone. He couldn’t feel the movement in his eye socket, but the simple fact that it’d just been so, so, so long since he last closed his eyes. . .

An instinctive, guttural sigh clambered up through his throat as he stirred, experimentally opening his left eye. He was met with complete and utter darkness. As one massive twitch wracked its way down his spine, as Unus tried and immediately failed to stretch his arms, he recognized the dull weight of another body shuffling beside him. Said weight went still, but it’d clearly been disturbed.

Unus paused for a moment, thinking. Then, though he probably should’ve had to, he didn’t take a deep breath before announcing, “Unus. . .” His voice was a bit gravelly, due to not being used for so many days and so many nights. 

The seconds dragged on as though they’d each swallowed a piece of kitchen stone.

“. . .ahh-nss. . .” A familiar voice rumbled.

“Ooh-Nss. . .” Unus repeated, this time with more emphasis. 

Another pause. 

And then: “. . .auUgH-NiS. . .”

His friend’s voice was still quiet and stubborn, determined to stay in his throat like a hibernating bear in its den. But Unus knew better. Even in death, the call still had power over the two of them. He just had to keep going. 

“Oooh-Nis.” For good measure, Unus reached over to gingerly shake his friend’s shoulder.

“. . .Aahnnis.”

“Unus.”

“Annus.”

“OOOOOOH-NU—”

“SHUT UP,” Annus interjected, harshly nudging Unus with both his elbow and his hip.

While he felt no pain from the jab, Unus still automatically yelped. He then cleared his throat. “So, uh, you’re awake, too?”

“Mmrregh,” Annus complained, his deep voice in an even lower pitch. “Don’t wanna be.”

“I know, sorry. But. . .I didn’t choose to wake up.”

“So the nap didn’t completely stick,” Annus muttered. “S’how sleep is. And the sooner you stop talkin’, the sooner we can drift back off.”

“We haven’t been sleeping,” Unus protested. “We’ve been dead, and we’re still dead.”

An irritated sigh tore its way through Annus’ lips. The words that followed it dripped with sarcasm. “Wait, really? We DIED and we’re DEAD now? Holy SHIT! Is THAT why we possessed those two YouTubers and made them joke about the inevitability and permanence of death for a whole year?!”

Unus rolled his eyes. . .or, eye, since something was definitely happening to the other one and he just couldn’t see it. “Yes, yes, and yes. So doesn’t that mean we shouldn’t be awake right now? That we should’ve never been able to wake up again in the first place?”

Yet another batch of painfully awkward seconds came and went.

Then, the movement beside Unus briefly grew more erratic, accentuated by a dull thump and “AH! Son of a bitch, god-fucking-damn it, gaAahhh!” 

Through the darkness, Unus could tell that Annus had attempted to sit up, only to bash his head against this side of the casket’s lid. Now his elbows were continuously knocking on the wood as he tried to scrub at his eyes. 

Sooner or later, Annus’ miniature tantrum tapered down, which Unus took as a green light to keep talking. “Did you hear the thunder, too?” 

As if the weather could predict the snark manifesting on Annus’ tongue and wanted to defend Unus, a booming CRASH echoed from somewhere up above. Both of the reanimated corpses flinched. It was possible that they’d gotten dangerously close to embracing one another for safety, but thanks to the darkness in the coffin, that would never be known for certain.

“Yeah, I did,” Annus eventually answered. “But it didn’t seem like enough to fully wake us at first. I was still trying to ignore the goddamn buzzing.”

“Buzzing?” Unus repeated. “What do you mean. . .” He trailed off, suddenly aware of a high-pitched, grating, whining sound that was apparently competing with the thunder. 

“You seriously didn’t hear that until now?” Annus wondered, his voice transitioning from aggravation to curiosity. “I don’t know when it started, but it was way before the storm did.”

Unus couldn’t do much besides shrugging. “I don’t know. No matter how loud either of them are, they still shouldn’t have been able to wake us. We shouldn’t still be able to hear anything.”

Annus hummed at this. Then he sighed yet again, “Alright, alright. Hold on—where did I put it?”

Even more shuffling. Unus could hear Annus searching through the pockets of his specially-tailored jacket. Unus tried to shift onto his side so his friend could have a little more elbow room. How had the two of them been able to fit in here at the funeral? 

“Aha! There you are!” Annus crowed.

With a soft Sscr-clink! the coffin was abruptly filled with a flickering glow. Unus blinked and squinted against it, his eye taking much longer to adjust than it should’ve. Annus held the silvery lighter at an odd angle, trying to keep it upright without accidentally igniting his clothes. 

“. . .You know that’s just gonna fill this box up with smoke, right?” Unus mentioned.

“Oh, please. It’s not like we can breathe anymore,” Annus scoffed. “If we’re gonna be awake, then we might as well be able to see.”

Unus, who hadn’t felt any air in his lungs since waking up, couldn’t disagree with that.

For a moment, the hush inside the casket resumed. The duo simply watched the little flame dance, probably feeling a weird, instinctual fascination akin to deep sea creatures staring at an anglerfish’s lure.

But the new light couldn’t do much to make the thunder or the buzzing tone down. In fact, the buzzing seemed to get clearer and clearer, as it would’ve been impossible not to see at least a dozen tiny shapes flitting through the air. Some of them circled Annus’ lighter, only to collapse onto his jacket when they learned that there was indeed such a thing as being too warm. 

“Flies,” Anus murmured, clicking his tongue as he swept the tiny corpses off.

“How did they get in here?” Unus asked, swatting at one of the insects before it could try to start a game of pinochle on his nose. 

“These must be the burrowing kind. Megaselia scalaris, or something like that. They can squeeze through even the smallest spaces.” Annus craned his neck, eliciting a couple loud, ancient craAcks. 

“. . .Huh.” Unus maneuvered his ankles, trying to stretch his legs and causing something near one of his knees to go snap! Without quite meaning to, he finally turned his head and gazed at Annus for the first time since they’d awoken. 

Gone was the bleach-like glow of his eyes; now they were bloodshot and cloudy. His nasal septum was raw, covered in dried blood, looking like a scab on steroids. His shoulder-length, raven hair was tangled and shone with grease. His skin—which had become so gray that it was almost translucent—was taut, outlining the contours of his skull and stretching over his face so tightly that it looked like it would tear itself on the angles of his cheekbones. 

Fat, sweaty little maggots were squirming all over his face. There were more on his neck, crawling on top of one another, teasing at the awful mass that was very clearly under his button-down. The way they all writhed almost made Annus look like he was breathing. Some were even clambering though his hair to feast on his scalp. As Unus watched, the maggots burrowed into his friend’s flesh, probably retreating from the new light source.

“You look like shit,” Unus observed, not unkindly. 

Annus nodded, snorting. “Says the guy who has a cluster of pupating things in his eye socket.”

(So that was why he could see through one eye. Mystery solved!)

Unus lifted one of his moldering hands for inspection. Sure enough, maggots were having the time of their lives with him, too. Though they’d only taken a few patches of skin out, they’d still gone deep enough to reveal bits of his metacarpals. 

Out of instinct, he made to lick his lips. . .only to realize that he didn’t seem to have lips anymore. This casket may have been delux, but it hadn’t been designed with a mirror. So, he could only reach up and touch his face to have a guess as to what he looked like now. His fingers brushed against dry teeth and withered gums; both rows had to be exposed by now. As far as he could tell, there was still a generous portion of skin left in his cheeks, but something that felt like oily, chunky tear tracks was definitely clinging to them. 

“That’s not too bad, I guess,” Unus proclaimed, folding his hand back onto his chest.

“Yeah. Something was gonna start picking at us eventually.” Annus reached up again, this time aiming his hand behind his head to adjust the silk pillow. (Which did have a few lumps, but honestly, those lumps made it feel like Unus’ head was being cradled.) 

“. . .I still would’ve preferred butterflies,” Unus mentioned. “I mean, they only feed on stuff that’s out in the open, but still, they’re like vultures. Wouldn’t that be kinda pretty?”

“‘Pretty?’” Annus echoed, looking both amused and skeptical.

“Well, y’know how monarchs will roost on trees when they migrate?” Unus inquired.

Annus nodded. 

“Okay, so, imagine: two mounds of something in the middle of a field, out in the sunlight. . .and just completely covered in butterflies. They’re all just huddled together. There’s so many of them that even when they move their wings, you still can’t see what’s underneath them. All you can see are the colors and the little spots—”

“And then, once you get too close, the butterflies all take off at once!” Annus interjected, his voice now dramatic and posh like a comedic villain onstage. “Whoosh! A living rainbow lifts up into the air! The way they all move almost looks like a pulsing mass before they scatter! And when you look back down. . .you see a pair of mangled, rotting corpses at your feet! You can do nothing but stare and hyperventilate as you question everything you thought you knew about those delicate, innocent-looking butterflies!” His words melted into a maniacal guffaw that lasted a good ten seconds before he started coughing up bits of moldy phlegm, along with a slimy beetle that Unus could’ve sworn had a demonic glint in its beady little eyes. 

Unus nodded, smirking as he raised his hands in a slow, light applause. “Exactly.”

Annus sighed once his hacking died down. “You’re right, that does sound more appealing than the bugs in here. But the community probably thought it’d be disrespectful to just leave us decaying outside.” He rolled his shoulders, then began to chuckle. “Besides, anything is better than an air-tight coffin. Can’t believe those things are still selling.” 

Unus knew that gas-buildup was a standard part of decomposition. He also knew what tended to happen when gasses like that had nowhere else to go. Semi-disgusted snickers started bubbling up between his teeth. 

“Oh, God. . ! There’d just be bits and pieces of us all over this damn thing! It’d look like we went through a garbage disposal! Our guts would be all tangled up—no-one would know where you ended and I started!”

Annus shook his head, laughter growing louder as he shoved at Unus’ side. “Ah, fuck! Don’t say it like that!”

Unus grinned, shoving right back. “Like it’s my fault you brought it up!” 

It really almost felt like not even a day had passed. Becoming gruesome, hideous carcasses didn’t mean they had to abandon their personalities, their wits, everything that had made them loveable in life. Humorous enough to justify the macabre nature of their games, yet mature enough to take their circumstances in stride. 

The duo kept snipping at one another for a few minutes. . .or, maybe a few hours? It was just so hard to keep track of time when your brain had been reduced to maggot pie. In any case, the thunder took their roughhousing as an invitation to grow even louder than before. The casket lightly reverberated with the sound, as though the dirt encasing it had shivered. 

Unus and Annus both fell silent, as did all the flies. 

The former wrapped his arms around his torso, paying no mind to how his liquefied organs started making his sleeves damp. 

The latter tightened his grip on the lighter to the point that a couple of his phalanges tore through however much skin left around his knuckles.

“What are the chances. . .” Unus knew there was no way that what he was thinking could be correct. Then again, he’d seen how desperate some folks could be. “. . .of that being some kind of sign?”

“About fifty-fifty, I’d say,” Annus remarked, grinding his jaw. “Even if it is, that doesn’t mean it’s something that’ll involve us.” 

“I know, I know. But how can it be enough to wake us? That can’t just be a coincidence.”

“That’d still be pretty funny. Funnier than someone out there trying to convince us to come back.”

Unus wasn’t quite capable of pursing his lips, so he clicked his teeth together instead. It was surprising that none of them ended up falling further into his mouth. “Do you think we’ll ever need to come back?”

 “We can’t. Even if we weren’t too far gone, that still wouldn’t be an option.” Annus raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Didn’t this start off with you reminding me that we’re dead?”

“Look, I have no idea what it could mean. It’s just. . .it’s making me think even though I’m not supposed to think anymore.” Unus dug his rotting fingernails into his shirt, squishing a few maggots into pulp. “I know we just need to rest now, but—”

“Hey, hey, listen. We told them how it would be at the beginning. They knew it was going to end one way or another. No changing that now.” Annus’ free hand suddenly materialized Unus’ shoulder. “I know how that pressure can feel, and I know it can be hard to resist. But we did our part. We’re not in that world anymore, and it’s already found a way to keep functioning without us.”

Unus gnawed at his shed-snakeskin-feeling tongue. He glanced all around the casket, letting his friend’s words really sink in. They were cold and brutal. . .but that didn’t mean they weren’t sincere. He finally sighed. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Annus hummed with a nod. “Besides, we didn’t arrange for a mortsafe to be installed up there for nothing, right?”

The thought of an honest-to-God cage guarding the perimeter of their shared grave made Unus sputter out a giggle. “Oh, yeah! How the fuck did I forget about that?”

Annus smiled knowingly. “If it makes you feel any better, the decomposition hasn’t done my memory any favors, either. Speaking of which. . .” He pushed the lighter’s cap up and over, extinguishing the little flame with a hollow clink!

Now that the coffin was full of darkness again, Unus could only hear Annus let out a long, low yawn. “. . .Let’s get back to it, huh?”

“Sounds good to me,” Unus replied as he let his shoulders relax. 

The thunder kept up its primal, ominous drumbeat, almost as if it was protesting. Unus responded with a small groan. 

“The longer you listen to it, the easier it’ll be for you to adjust,” Annus advised. “Just treat it like a sound-machine.”

“I’ll try,” Unus promised. With that, he went still, eyes drifting shut yet again.

@sammys-magical-au

[first-impressions-gaming]

The Gunk

Developed by Image & Form

Published by Thunderful

Release Date 2021

Tested on Xbox Series X

MSRP 24,99 USD

Have you ever had the feeling that ‘I want to play a game right now, but it’s a bit late and I have work tomorrow morning so I’ll just chill on Youtube or watch reels on Insta’, this is the feeling I have in my guts when I am a bit overworked after a busy day at work and what I want is to unwind in a game, and I try to avoid RPGs or games with long missions. This is where The Gunk comes to rescue, it is such a chill & lay-back-on-the-couch-and-play game that you cannot go wrong with it.

What is the story of this cartoonish looking game? The Gunk tells the story of a ragtag team of space scavengers of two. Rani, that’s you, and your teammate happen to come across a long-abandoned planet which is ridden with gunk, some sort of black blob hovering around. You set your journey and remove the gunk from the planet and restore the nature as you discover and explore.

The Gunk is not a big, or lengthy game. The total playtime is around 4 to 5 hours and mind you, and the gameplay and mission sequences are linear. Actually they are not ‘missions’, it is more like you discover a new part of the planet or something unknown to you, and you go deeper and try to understand what is behind. They are more like quests and activities which are set pieces of a whole instead of separate missions. When you are on a mission, your crew mate will be talking to you remotely and this reminds me of Firewatch, where we are playing as a ranger in a distant forest and we are in touch with another ranger when we are going somewhere or checking out any irregular activities in the vicinity. 

There is one thing I am passionate about: level design. When a player plays a game, usually exceptionally-crafted level design is not appreciated, but when level design is terrible everybody complains about it. The Gunk presents this stranger planet to you as the player and to Rani and her crew mate so well that, I congratulate level design in this game. First of all, you have your hub area, where you park your spacecraft and in it you have your workbench to upgrade and improve your gear, besides this you are always on the go, visiting new locations. When you are going somewhere or simply exploring what is there, the game always leads you to the intended location. There are a few locations where you need to figure out where you should go first and what to do (such as light puzzles), levels and environments are so meticulously crafted and created that you are never lost in this stranger world. The game, as if there is an invisible guide, always instructs you to go to the main locations. Sadly, great level designs are not often encountered in gaming these days, basically developers put a gigantic and massive open-world and ‘figure it out, whatever’.

There is also another thing that caught me off-guard, there is no in-game UI. Zero. None. And I realized this after almost 2 hours in. The game is so clean and flawless that it does not need any in-game interface, there is also a couple of interaction button controls that you need to learn, and the rest is easy. There is no health, progression, XP bar or boring-looking mission arrows. On top of level design, the game is so well created that any player can pick up this game and go with the flow without further guidance.

You are equipped with a robotic arm that can scans your environment, plants and species. Upon detecting plants and material, you can collect crafting material:

There’s also light-combat, you fight with creatures that breed from the gunk, don’t expect a lot from it though, you suck these little monsters with your device and throw them to the floor and kill:

This is basically how you suck the gunk, once all the gunk in the location is removed, the environment gets restored in some way, for example the environments turns from black and white to colourful:

You also set up beacons in specific locations which allows you fast travel to your hub area and other beacon locations, honestly I don’t know how this works, my best guess is that the beacon…transports us to the set location? The game or the characters don’t explain this.

And here is the menu interface, you can see upgrades that you can do at the workbench in the spacecraft, such as sucking gunk boosts your movement speed, upgrading your overall health, jumping higher. The crafting material and discovered material and objects:

The Gunk offers a unique chill experience for everybody, and it is actually one of the most family-friendly game I played recently that I can recommend to anybody, gamer and non-gamer. The great traversal, exploring, light-combat and fascinating level design backed up with colourful and distinct locations are what make this game such a pleasant experience. 

[kanra-nakura]

[Fiction] From Caged Marines to Whitebeard Pirates - Chapter 9

~Ten Years ago, Fuusha Village~

Shanks smiled at the sight of a village growing bigger and bigger as they grow closer towards it, with the people running towards the dock. They’ve been sailing through the East Blue for a month,  drinking and having fun (while he and Ben, secretly might he add, search for his Captain’s child) and this will be the first time they will land on an island that was claimed by a marine. Well, it’s Garp’s home island, and considering the Vice-Admiral is not in the vicinity, why not try and check why that old man is so strong despite his age. From the corner of his eyes, he could see his First Mate walking towards him, smoking.

“Do you think it’s okay we went here?” Ben asked, narrowing his eyes, upon seeing people making way for an old man, walking towards the dock with the aid of a cane.

“Dahahahaha! Of course not!” Shanks laughed, making his companion slump in defeat. “But where’s the adventure of knowing whether it’s okay or not?” He grinned, slapping his partner’s back, who merely hummed and glared at him. But the Red-haired captain wasn’t bothered with his reaction, instead, he went back and looked at the gathered villagers, as their crew prepared to drop the Anchor.

He could see a slouching old man standing at the front with a green-haired beauty slightly behind him, grabbing his shoulders. He continued to smile, even when he blinked in shock, upon feeling a slight change in the wind. Ben seems to feel it too, Lucky and Yasopp as well it seems, as they slightly tense up and gathered beside him. They discretely looked around, searching for the reason why they slightly felt a small hint of Haki but there saw no one.

“Is there a possibility that Garp is here?” Yasopp asked.

“That’s impossible,” Lucky said as he took another bite from his food. “Last time we heard something about him, is that he’s in the West Blue. Highly impossible for him to be here before us.”

“Well, he might as well be here because there’s no way that this slight hint of haki is coming from the villagers,” Ben muttered as he followed after Shanks, walking down the gangplank, not saying about the haki they sense but also paying attention to it.

The Old Man they saw earlier walk towards them, Ben had already thought that this man is the Mayor of the town, but seeing him walking towards them with determination, nailed it. It took a while to convince everyone that gathered around them that they didn’t plan to do anything, that they were just there to gather some supplies, rest for a few days, and drink on the bar. The Mayor’s hesitation made Shanks rub the back of his head but when Benn took over to talk to the Mayor, they were allowed to stay with a huge amount of reluctance and a condition that they don’t hurt or ruin everybody’s life. They agreed, of course, they’re not that bad, besides the threat of Garp going after them is more than enough to make the rowdiest crew behave.

Soon enough, they were already drinking and partying at the bar named ‘Partys Bar’, owned by the beautiful green-haired maiden, Makino. At first, she was hesitant, wary, towards them, but with a carefully placed smile, exaggerated stories, and jokes, she was already smiling at them, laughing at their jokes. Shanks found himself liking her smiles and laughs, it’s a lot better than her being afraid of them. They were having fun for hours, none of the villagers bothering them aside from checking on Makino at irregular intervals, when the door slowly opened. Shanks ignored it, happily drinking his rum when Makino made a strangled noise. He paused and lowered his mug and blink at the sight of the maiden, lowering the glass she was wiping, eyes wide, and looking in the direction of the door.

“Luffy!” Makino called out as she runs towards the person who just entered the door, Shanks’s eyes following after her, and blinks. There, standing at the door was a grinning kid, covered with mud, with leaves and twigs here and there.

“Makino, shishishishi!” The kid laughed as the woman kneeled in front of him/her with a soft and defeated smile. “Sorry, I’m late!”

Makino shakes her head, plucking a twig from the kid’s hair, and then wipes the mud-covered face with the towel she took out from her apron. “Well, it’s not yet dinner time… so you’re not that late.”

“Sweet!” The kid cheered, before blinking and glancing at the pirates that were ignoring them, aside from the red-haired pirate and the man smoking, hair tied into a low ponytail. “Who are they?”

“These are pirates that will be staying for a while,” Makino answered, wiping Luffy’s arm, huffing in slight amusement when the mud didn’t budge from her skin. While she was doing that, Luffy looked directly at Shanks, who blink at the sudden attention and couldn’t but straighten when huge warm brown eyes made contact with his black ones. He felt his breath leave him as those eyes seemingly peered into his very soul, that he was being judged, and then suddenly those eyes move to the side, probably towards his Benn, who inhaled slightly. And then Benn was able to breathe normally as the kid’s eyes turned to look back at the kneeling maiden, who was slowly standing up, putting her hands on her waist, and giving the kid a mock glare.

Shanks and Benn glance at one another, wondering what that was all about. They never experience that before in their whole life, not even when Shanks was sailing with his Captain and that’s saying something. Glancing warily back at the pair, they watched as the owner of the bar ushered the kid further inside the bar, then to the back door, with orders to take a bath. Shanks eyed the door as Makino went back to stand in front of them, smiling as she continue to wipe the glasses clean.

“I didn’t know you had a child,” Shanks said smiling, Makino blinked, tilts her head to the side before shaking her head with a laugh.

“Oh no! Luffy’s not my kid. I’m just taking care of her whenever her grandfather is not around.” The Captain blinked at that and couldn’t help but be curious about the kid. He didn’t try to pry further, however, not wanting for the woman in front of him to be wary of them again. Nearly half an hour passed by when the door opened again, followed by soft footsteps. The Red-haired captain looks up and nearly spits out all of his rum when he saw the kid.

From a dirty and muddy kid turned into a little girl, wearing a pink short-sleeved shirt, which is tucked in a matching multiple pink-laced maxi skirt, though the skirt length is just 3 inches below the knees rather than the standard ankle length. Shanks would have found it adorable if it weren’t for the unimpressed look the kid was wearing.

“Makino!!” Luffy whined, pursing her lips slightly as she tug the skirt. Said bar-maiden look up and smiled delightfully.

“Luffy, you look cute!!” Makino said rather happily with a hint of amusement and smugness in her voice.

“Why do I only have girly clothes?! Where’s the rest of my shirts and shorts!?” Luffy pouted as she went towards her mother figure who giggled and looked at her, wiping her hands with the towel and going towards the girl. Shanks and Benn blink in slight confusion.

“I’m sorry Luffy, all those clothes are still wet, you just have to wear the girly dresses in your closet,” Makino told the kid, who shakes her head.

“No, they’re not! I’m pretty sure I still have some extra.” She mumbled.

“Really? I mean… they were in the laundry basket, so I thought that you have used them at some point.” At the bright smile that Makino was giving her, Luffy couldn’t help but sigh in defeat and turned her back to her caretaker, who pulled a comb out of nowhere and brushed her shoulder-length hair.

“You just want to see me wear a dress… you did the same thing two weeks ago.” At that Makino giggle, tying a red ribbon on Luffy’s hair.

“You have plenty of wonderful dresses that you never wear Luffy, it would be a shame if you never use them.”

“But I don’t like to wear them when I go to the forest. It’ll make it muddy and dirty, and then you will have a hard time cleaning them, before throwing them away.” Luffy pouted as she turned to look at Makino, who paused and blink before guiding her to the front of the bar, assisting her in sitting down at the chair.

“Is that what your grandfather has been doing?” She asked, eyes narrowing when she saw her nod before it was gone and was replaced by a sweet smile that made Shanks and Benn wince. “Hmmm… I’ll talk to you grandfather, but why don’t you wear the dresses and skirts that you have whenever your not going to the forest?”

“No. I hate dresses.” Luffy said, which make Makino sigh in defeat because she knew it wasn’t true. Luffy likes dresses and loves to wear them on some occasions but the reason she probably held a slight hatred for those clothes was probably because of her grandfather. Garp, while a wonderful man, is a terrible Grandfather.

She remembered the day that he and Luffy, who was wearing a dress at that time, went towards the forest, Garp came back hours later without Luffy and left with only saying that Luffy is training. Her young charge came home two hours just after sundown, covered with mud, twigs, and scratches, slightly bleeding, and a random bruise all over her body. The worst was that her clothes had ripped all over, nearly in tatters. She treated Luffy that night but her dress couldn’t be saved, and then she found out that it was a gift from her parents before she was given to Garp was a punch in the gut.

Since then Luffy avoided dresses, especially gifted ones, as much as possible. Makino held resentment towards Garp since then, but she could do nothing but scold him, which she’s pretty sure went in one ear and then out on the other. Once she knew that he wasn’t listening, she made her know about her anger towards him through his actions while still being polite. Still, he ignored it but she didn’t stop doing it every time he was home. As for Luffy, she tried her best to make her love it again, but she sometimes couldn’t help but force her to wear it.

“Okay, Luffy.” Makino smiled sadly and notice how tender the 6-years old kid touched the clothes before moving away. “I’ll grab your meal.”

“Hmmm…” Luffy hummed and watched the bar maiden walk towards the door she came from the corner of her eyes, as she gently brush the skirt she wore. It’s very blurry for Luffy but she could distinctively remember that it was a gift from someone important (Makino said that person was her mother but she doesn’t know what a mother or a father is and Makino tried to make her understand it but… it didn’t explain that much). She then looked at the side where a pirate is sitting beside her, drinking some rum.

“Are you a pirate?” She asked. Shanks paused and lowered his mug, before looking at the girl sitting a couple of chairs away from him. While her voice was soft when she asked him, he could see the slight awe and anticipation in her eyes, making him smirk softly and lean down slightly.

“Yes, we are.” He said, and then once again, he felt those eyes looking deep inside him, judging his very soul before it was gone as the girl gently lowered herself down and then went towards him without any hesitation, climbed at the chair beside him, sticking a leg out when it seemed that she was struggling in getting up on the stools. Once she plopped onto the seat, Luffy gently brush the dress and then looked at him with huge bright eyes and a grin to match it.

“Tell me, tell me!!” Luffy chanted, while the red-haired adult tilt his head to the side in confusion but with a hint of understanding in his eyes.

“Hmmm… tell you what?” Shanks teased only to freeze, eyes widening, the rest of his crew doing the same thing when Luffy answered his question.

“Tell me of the Sea! ”

Silence reign in the bar, while the girl, who’s the reason for the silence, stares at the pirate captain in front of her and said Captain stared back before forcing a smile on his face.

“Oh?” ‘Shit, shit, shit!’ Shanks cursed in his mind eyeing the girl before her. ‘That was haki, that was Haoshoku Haki! there’s a hint of Haoshoku Haki in her words! Not active, but it’s also not dormant. What the actual fuck?!’

For continuation, please click here…