#but also. this bunny has gone almost everywhere with me since i got her and she is basically the perfect plushie

[baby-pupz]

idk what they put in the jellycat smudge rabbit but after owning my rerelease one, i've gotta say the ppl i saw paying $500+ for the originals are valid

[xoxo-teddybear]

Just Stay - Bakugou Katsuki - pt.2

Bakugou x f!reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, cursing

Summary: it’s been almost 2 years since the breakup and Bakugou refuses to move. No matter how many times people tell him it’s time, he ignores them because he knows he’ll run into you again. And he was right all along.

BAKUGOU’S MASTERLIST

Pt.1 Pt.2 

Almost 2 years. About 24 months. Around 104 weeks, 730 days, 17520 hours, or 63,072,000 seconds. And every second of everyday, you run through Bakugou’s mind.

Memories of the two of you always pass through him and he always smile at the good ones. But as time went on, he realized he really wasn’t the same person anymore. Especially not to Y/N. In the beginning, he was hopelessly devoted to you and he craved to be around you. He always wanted what was best for you until he realized in the end he grew selfish. He stopped caring about your needs, neglecting you, and just assumed you’d stay because you still loved him the same way he did you. He was wrong though, and the horrible day of your split arrived.

After you left his house that day, Bakugou remained in the same place for hours. He stood there and cried with his back facing the front door, and when his legs grew tired, he fell to the ground and continued to cry.

Everybody thought he would move on but he didn’t. He still held onto hope. So for 2 years, Bakugou worked to fix himself just for you. He went to therapy to work on his excessive anger, he stopped going out as much with his friends and worked around the house to improve his home skills to help you out when you would return, and he even went as far as to get a lil dog for himself to learn to be a little more loving and compassionate.

His name was Bomber. He was a Pomeranian.

During those 2 years..it’s like you disappeared. Bakugou, and none of your friends, saw sight or heard word of you. Some people thought you moved, some thought the worst had possibly happened. But Bakugou was still going strong. If something was wrong, he would’ve felt it in his heart, but his hope was still going strong. He knew you were out there.

And he was right. For the past 2 years you’ve lived...everywhere! You never stayed in one place for too long in fear of someone from your life may get word of you being around. You’ve lived in the beautiful islands of the Caribbean all the way to the blissful cities in Paris. You’ve been all around the world and you’ve enjoyed all the sights, but you were getting tired of not really having friends and spending so much money. You missed Japan. The food, the culture, the songs, the celebration. The people. And so you decided it was time for you to head back.

You moved back home about a month ago and you made sure none of your old friends would hear about you. You wanted to settle for a little bit before interacting with the people who were a huge part of your old life and you enjoyed the quite peaceful nature. After some time, you decided it was okay to meet up with your old friends, but instead of going out and looking for them, you waited to see what destiny brought you, and now the moment has come.

You sat in the old park you used to love being in when you lived in Japan. It was spring time and the cherry blossoms were out as they covered the trail you made for yourself when you came here. In the past, you found a hidden area of the park forest that seemed...magical. There was a crystal blue lake that were filled with Lilly pads, lotuses, and koi fish. The sunlight hit perfectly on the patch of land, and dusted it with a golden honey scheme. The cherry blossom trees surrounded the place along with tall pines that reached the clouds. The cute little creatures that lived in the secluded area included bunnies, fawns, beautiful birds, and adorable foxes.

It’s been so long since you’ve been here. The last time you even stepped foot into this park was when you were with..Bakugou. But even then, the last time you went with him was about 4 months before your breakup. He was the only person you ever told about this spot and you both had so many memories here. You weren’t gonna lie, you missed him, but you didn’t know who he was now. As the 2 years past, Bakugou has gone through your mind a couple times, and you smiled towards the sky as you wondered what he’s like nowadays. If he’s any different than the last time you saw him. You really wished nothing but the best for the man you love.

Every once in awhile, Bakugou would step into the hidden sanctuary that Y/N showed him. He enjoyed going there to get away from his reality and thoughts of Y/N always came to him when he entered that special place. This time, his imagination seemed really strong because he felt like he was staring at the real deal.

He looked ahead and leaning against the tallest cherry tree was the beautiful goddess herself, Y/N L/N. She held her cool expression as she held a cute little bunny and her golden jewelry sparkled in the sunlight that hit her body perfectly. She truly did look like a goddess.

Bakugou smiled as he saw you, but he quickly shook it off as he realized there was no way it was possible. He then chose to walk to the spot, hoping that the image of you would just disappear, but he also hoped that you were real. He snuck up on you from behind but you were smarter than that. Once he got close enough you walked to the other side of the tree, out of his line of vision and went into stealth mode as you quickly used your quirk to be seated on a high branch. Bakugou saw you walk and disappear so he sighed as he “realized” you were just his imagination. However, when he finally settled and looked out beyond the valley, you jumped down to surprise him. You hopped off the branch, grabbed Bakugou and spun you both around so that you were laying against the tree and he was facing you.

“Long time no see, Bakugou,” you said with a little break in your voice as you spoke with such a “cool girl tone.” You held a sassy smile as you stared at him with all the confidence radiating off your body. Bakugou just looked at you in shock. His mouth hung open as his wide eyes traveled all around you to make sure you were real. He shook a little as he stared at you and soon his tears began to pool at his eyes.

“Hey, hey, hey. You don’t gotta cry, it’s okay,” you said with a concerned smile. You wiped a stray tear that fell from his ruby eyes with your thumb and you felt heat rise to his cheeks as he leaned into your palm. “....Bakugou?....Are you- woah!”

Without warning, he quickly grabbed you and pulled you in by the waist to give you a hug. He held you tight as you were shocked but you smiled against his chest and held him too. He cried on your shoulder and after some time he finally spoke.

“I’ve missed you so much Y/N.”

“.....I’ve missed you too Katsuki.”

—

“Where have you been?” He asked as you both were seated on the grass. You and Bakugou both held onto each other for awhile as Bakugou cried his heart out like a big baby. You finally settled him and you both were sitting next to each other laying against the tree as you both sat on the grass.

“I’ve been everywhere!” You laughed out, “I’ve went to the states and hung out in L.A and Hawaii, took some time in New York and hung out in Florida. I then went to the Caribbean and partied in the Dominican Republic, and I even traveled to Europe and stayed in Paris for a bit. I’ve been all over the world traveling and finding me again.”

“You seem happy about that,” Bakugou said as he looked at you with loving eyes and a small smile that only you could ever bring out.

“I am. Ever since...um...you know...I’ve been a little lost. I lost myself and I missed the old me. My trips and alone time brought out the old me again and I’ve been feeling so much more alive,” you sighed as you settled, “but I’ve missed my roots. I’ve missed Japan and the people.....I’ve missed you too Katsuki.” You said with kind eyes as you smiled at him causing him to blush immensely.

You both remained silent as you guys enjoyed the sounds of spring. You felt the breeze blow in your hair as the warm sun comforted you. Soon, you felt Bakugou’s hand slowly touch yours. You knew he was scared to go and do anything else, but you openly welcomed his touch and he clearly became less tense.

“So...what have you been up to while I was away?” You calmly asked. You noticed Bakugou’s hesitation and deep breath before he spoke.

“I’ve been....I’ve been trying to better myself for you.” Your brows raised and eyes opened up a little wider. For the past 2 years, he’s been trying to better himself...just for you. “I’ve gone to therapy for my anger, stop going out as much, learned to do more around the house...even got a little dog to learn to be a little more compassionate.”

“Ouu! What kind?” You excitedly asked. He chuckled at your cute aura and answered your question.

“Cute little Pomeranian named bomber,” he admitted.

“No way! Cuteeee!” You squealed and Bakugou just laughed at you once again. How cute. As you thought about everything he said, your smile dropped a little into a little lip curl. A silence came over the two of you before you spoke again.

“You...you did all that for me?”

“Mhm. I wanna prove to you that I can change. That I have changed. ....I’m not telling you this to get you to come back to me..I want you to come on your own choice but I want you to know if you do decide to come back, that I’ve become better.” He explained.

You smiled and hummed to yourself in happiness. Your cheeks dusted with warmth as you smiled so much it hurt.

“Why don’t you show me how much you’ve changed Katsuki?” You offered.

“What?”

“Hehe, let’s start over. I don’t know if you’re still down for anything...but I’ve missed you over the past 2 years and I remember you saying that if a certain ‘goddess’ wanted to come back..you’d be waiting with open arms...” you looked at him and he gave an open smile that held more disbelief and happiness than excitement.

“Can we try again Suki?” You quietly asked, but Bakugou stood and picked you up. He pulled you up by your arms and pulled you even higher which caused you to jump and wrap your legs around him. You laughed out in excitement as he held you like that and rested his head in the crook of your neck.

“I should be on my hands and knees asking you that, princess.” He softly said with a broken voice but it was clear he was letting out tears of joy. You wrapped your arms around his neck even tighter as his hold on you never faltered. He started sniffling and you pulled him out of your neck as you wiped his tears.

“Suki! Stop crying,” you giggled, “this is supposed to be a happen moment.”

“Shut up! I don’t cry!” He said with a flushed face as he looked to the side but still holding you. You raised your brow at him and he only nervously laughed as he placed you down. He stuck out his hand for you to grab onto but you placed it down and wrapped your arms around his. You pecked his cheek and leaned on him as he smiled down at you. This was the moment he’s been waiting for. His princess finally came back to him. Everyone told him to move on but he knew better. If he did, he would’ve never been here right now with you again. And this time, he would make sure you’d stay.

“Suki?”

“Yes princess?”

“.......Can we go see Bomber?”

“Heh...whatever your heart desires.”

A/N: STAWWWPPP YALL THIS WAS SO BAD BUT IT WAS SO RUSHED! IM TRYNA HURRY CUZ I HAVE ANOTHER PART 2 TO WORK ON, I HAVE TO START ON THE NEXT PART OF MY SERIES AND I HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DOOOOO😭😭😭 IM SO PISSED AT MYSELF BRO THIS COULDVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER!!! BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOYED WHATEVER U COULD CUBS! See u next time! 😭💗🧸

[sasuhinasno1fan]

Hero Deku meets Singer Shouto

Hi @ire-mired, I’m your secret santa for the @bnhagiftexchange. Sorry you had to wait so long for this. I hope you enjoy this, it was really hard to pick between the ships and I hope the story was good. It’s more pre-relationship but it just worked out. I thought since I was doing singer!Shouto, I thought it’d be cool to have Quirkless Hero!Izuku as well. There’s a little easter egg from the todoshindeku story ‘Heroics and Other Things That Don’t Require Superheros’ by @thenarator if you’re interested. I hope you enjoy!

Izuku climbed out of the town car. He still felt weird about being carted around like this. Even when he was in civilian clothes, he tended to use his high air pressured shoes to hop around everywhere. Which of course is half of where all those bunny comments came from but it was easier. Public transport got crowded when they realised the quirkless hero Deku was on the same train or bus as them.

But he could keep his comments about it to himself today. Today was special.

“Deku, welcome! We can’t thank you enough for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come today.” The man waiting by the door said, once the hero was close enough. He was in a suit and seemed perfectly put together but he didn’t reek of ‘I’m-to-good-for-everyone’.

“Of course I made time. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“The kids will be so happy their favourite hero came. You have no idea how much they look up to you.”

“That makes me very happy to hear. Shall we get started?” Izuku asked.

“Of course, right this way. And thank you again for taking the back entrance. We’re all for press taking interest in our cause, but they tend to be a bit overzealous. We handpicked a few to be inside with us. Thank you for the recommendations.”

“My pleasure.”

Izuku walked through the community centre, wishing once again this existed when he was a kid. He was born quirkless, part of the 1%. Growing up had been horrible. Bullied by his best friend (who eventually apologized and was once again on good terms with), treated horribly by prejudice teachers and neighbours, feeling like a burden to his mother, who didn’t know how to encourage him. He’d even been told by his idol All Might he couldn’t be a hero, the one thing he wanted more than anything in the world. He was surprised to later find out, that same day he met the famed hero and found out his secret, to also find out he’d once been quirkless.

“I had forgotten what it was like to wish for something as simple as someone telling me I could. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be the one to tell you that when you needed to hear it.”

All Might – Yagi Toshinori, had offered him his quirk, but in that split second, all Izuku could think of was, ‘what if I can tell someone they can be a hero?’. He’d been quirkless his whole life and it felt like if he said yes, he’d forget where he came from and everything, he faced years later. So he turned down the quirk. When he explained his reasoning, Toshinori smiled.

“Yes, I think we deserve a hero who can prove quirks aren’t everything. Would you still take my offer on helping you get ready for the exams?”

Years later, he’d made it, the first quirkless hero. He still got slander and got yelled at by bigoted people for ‘putting ideas into people’s heads’ but he felt proud of himself. He’d been put into the General Studies class and met Shinsou Hitoshi, a guy with what people considered a villain’s quirk. Together, they proved to everyone that their quirks, or lack thereof, wouldn’t make them unfit heroes. After 3 years with dealing with the League of Villains, internships and general high school drama, he and Hitoshi opened up their agency, with a few of their other class and school mates, Underdog Agency. Name being a tiny bit misleading for those who didn’t know the heroes behind it, but it fit them to a T.

Now whenever he was asked, and he could fit it in between patrols, paperwork and general heroing, he’d go to talks about quirkless kids, charity events, visit schools, anything he could to help lower the stigmatism of quirkless people and to give them a bit of hope. They could be whatever they wanted to be, no matter what anyone said.

This event, was a fundraising event held a community centre geared towards people without quirks. There was a performance stage that was live streamed, mixed in with a silent auction and him, Deku talking with all the kids and visiting people. Just his name alone was bringing in money for the centre. The main gathering area was filled with kids, who’s attention was all on a stage with bright lights all focused on one person.

Split red and white hair, enchanting dual eyes and the grace of season dancer with the voice of an angel. God, he could hear Hitoshi teasing him already.

“I didn’t know Shouto would be here.” He said, trying to sound nonchalant. He didn’t think he sold it but thankfully, the director didn’t know him well enough to guess what he was thinking.

“Well a decent number of our kids unfortunately deal with abusive households or family members. We’ve only just started getting to help these kids so they aren’t forced to be subjected to a quirk heavy view in placing them in new homes or even helping them. Shouto has always been an advocate for helping kids from abusive households, no matter what their quirk or lack thereof. A few kids had written him letters and he apparently rearranged his whole schedule to be here tonight. If you’d like, we’d be more than willing to introduce you to him?”

Introduce him to the guy whose songs have been working as encouragement since his second year after he debuted? It was like a dream come true.

“Sure.”

                                                    _____________

Shouto didn’t like heroes. Well, to be more accurate, he didn’t like top tier heroes. They got away with whatever they wanted and nothing could be changed. It didn’t matter that the small burst of courage that came over his sister to film his father’s ‘training’ and upload it had exposed the Number 2 hero and the corrupt Hero’s Commission, things didn’t change. The Commission might be scrutinized by the public, but he refused to believe they’d actually stick to their promise of being better.

It was easy to lose himself in the world of singing. His mother did it a lot, still did. After his father was gone, finally gone, he felt lost. He could have been a hero; prove he’d be better than his father but the idea of following in his footsteps filled him with so much dread. He didn’t attend school for a whole semester, trying to figure out what to do with his life. They moved closer to the countryside, away from the public eye and he’d been helping out at a local festival, lending his voice to one of the dance performances when the lady came up to him. She was on vacation with her friends but she couldn’t shut off her work brain after hearing him sing.

“An idol?” Fuyumi had asked in confusion, trying to wrap her head around the whole thing. “Shouto?”

“His voice is amazing. He’d be a trainee for a while and if the company thinks he can make it, he’d debut. How far he’ll go would be up to him, fans and the company but he’d learn so many skills as a trainee. Just think about it. You wouldn’t have to go there until next month for the monthly meeting with new recruits.”

And he did think about it. A lot. It had been his mother who eventually helped him decide. Even while still in the hospital in the city, after his father’s arrest he finally convinced himself to see his mother. She still loved him and always would.

“Would you want to sing?” she had asked.

“I guess? I’ve been doing it more often. But if I do this, what if he sees and he tries to come after me?”

“Shouto,” she said calmly. Her, the one who was still hurt from everything she had to endure from the person she called a husband. “He’s never going to come after you. you have a chance to do something you want to do. But it’s up to you. I know it’s been hard to figure out where you want to go from here, but remember, you can make your choice now. So, do you want to sing?”

So he decided to at least become a trainee. Moving back to the city was scary. He had to convince himself that his dad wasn’t going to come swoping in and lock him away. The Commission had been dragging their feet in offering any sort of support, which made him dislike them even more, even in the new era of it. But being a trainee made it easy to forget it. If he worked harder than everyone, it wasn’t because he was forced, it was because he wanted to. His siblings would still drag him away from practise if it was getting to be too much. He learned to dance and found he was good at it. He learned to speak different languages. He learned how to make friends, enemies and everything in between.

So when they said he would debut, he agreed, because right there on the stage, was what felt right to him. That still didn’t mean he liked heroes.

With his advocacy to kids in abusive homes, he met a lot of heroes who’d show up to support or even PR related. Very few of them did he actual end up liking, having to keep a smile on in front of kids, but letting his blank face take hold if the ones he didn’t like tried talking to him privately. When he heard there was a hero coming to this charity event for quirkless kids, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Bring a hero in a room full of kids who didn’t have quirks of their own? That outta be good.

He was focused on signing the books and sheets the kids passed to him that he almost didn’t see the director of the charity wave him over. Standing next to him had to be the hero, judging from his green suit and metal face guard that sat around his neck. He did notice the shoes he was wearing, red high tops. Thing was, he’d seen the same pair of shoes, in different colours, on the feet of the kids. Why would a hero wear a brand of shoes made for quirkless people?

“Shouto, I’d like to introduce you to our hero celebrity for the night, Deku. Deku, our celebrity performer, Shouto.”

“Nice to meet you.” the hero Deku said, bright smile on his face. At least it looked genuine.

“Pleasure.”

“Oh my gosh! It’s the Quirkless Hero Deku!” one of the kids shouted and before they knew it, they were surrounded by kids, most of them trying to hang off the tall hero.

Quirkless Hero? He’d never heard of him, but then again, he tended to ignore heroes in general. But at least the kids wouldn’t feel awkward with a hero flexing their quirk when they had none.

“Shouto, did you see? Deku came!” one of the younger girls said, hanging off his arm. “He’s quirkless just like us. He has a lot of support items and he’s really smart! He was able to create a plan to take down that huge crime ring, did you hear about that?”

He’d been living in a recording studio around then so not really, but he nodded anyway. The kids seemed excited and the guy seemed genuine, so clearly, he must not be that bad. He watched him talk to the kids, a huge smile on his face, answering questions just as quickly as they were thrown at him.

Shouto didn’t like top tier heroes, but it seemed that Deku wasn’t that bad. He hoped he didn’t disappoint.

                                                   _________________

Talking with the kids kept his spirits up when having to talk to adults, some of whom had some annoying backhanded comments to make about quirkless people. It was annoying some were only giving money to make themselves look better but he’d rather put up with comments then have the kids get no support and live with life just as bad as he used to have it. Shame Hitoshi couldn’t come, people tended to forget when they got full of themselves how easy it was for Hitoshi to take control and make them do things. Only minor, he was a hero after all, but then again, who didn’t have a short fuse for annoying people?

“Excuse me,” a voice interrupted. It was Shouto. His shirt had been unbuttoned a bit after his performance and his clothes were rumpled from all the kids who’d been hanging off of him. “Do you mind if I steal Deku?”

“Ah. I have to ask; you have such a powerful quirk? Why waste it singing around on stage?” one of the doners, who’d also been giving well disguised scathing comments about quirkless people – Izuku really wanted to punch him, or at least throw him out – asked.

“Maybe because unlike some people, I don’t have to flaunt my quirk to be liked. Excuse us.” Shouto said, before pulling Izuku away. “Asshole.” He muttered, loud enough for Izuku to hear.

“I was pretty close to punching him myself. Downside to doing these events, some of those guys slip through and you have to remind yourself that their money helps make the kids’ lives better.”

Shouto had pulled them to a less populated area of the room and took a seat on the floor. There were seats nearby but the dual haired singer seemed quite at home on the floor, so he sat next to him, keeping a decent distance between them. he had been able to keep his fanboying down – Toshinori would be so proud – and he didn’t want to mess up now.

“I have to admit, I was surprised to hear there was a quirkless hero. When I heard a hero was coming, all I could think was that some oversized ego UA graduate was just gonna flaunt their quirk and make some of these kids feel bad.”

“Well, some heroes have less flashy quirks, would that of been so bad?” he wasn’t insulted that Shouto never heard of him. The agency wasn’t as big as some of the others, Hitoshi worked mostly underground and even though he was good, people still liked to disregard him as a hero due to the lack of his quirk. He didn’t care. He graduated from Class A of UA, made an agency right out of school and worked with bigger heroes on missions they needed his help with. The people who mattered noticed him and he was helping kids like him to believe they could do anything.

“I guess. To be honest, I’m not a fan of heroes. I know with how much that’s being given by some of these people, they’d have to bring in a big hero but also be sensitive to the kids. How have I never heard of you?”

Izuku scratched the back of his head. “I’m 8 on the ranking list? Most of the time they tend to ignore me since I’m quirkless. A lot of people still think I shouldn’t do this without a quirk.”

Shouto looked surprised. “You’re in the top 10 and they think you shouldn’t be doing this? What are they idiots?”

“Well, I was taught by the former Number 1 and I’ve seen the pressure it puts on people, so as long as the people who matter know I’m there to protect them, that’s all that matters.”

Shouto hummed thoughtfully. “Kinda like me and singing, I guess. The guy was right, I do have a pretty powerful quirk but…” he trailed off, like he didn’t know how to word what he said next. “I didn’t want to be a hero. I wanted to be something else. So I decided to sing.”

“I know.” It kinda came out of him without permission, but Izuku was known for just going with it once he started something. “You debuted during my second year. Surprisingly, things got a lot more intense during second year, this coming from a graduate of a class singled out by the League. Your songs gave me a boost to keep pushing forward. So, I wanted to say thank you. I know you didn’t sing to you know, do that, but I’m glad you decided to do it.”

Before Shouto could open his mouth, a group of kids came rushing over, jumping on the two adults.

“Shouto, can we braid your hair? It’s so long! You said we could do it later since you had to perform.”

“Deku, is it true you wanted to look like a bunny?”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Izuku asked out loud.

“Because your hood has ears.” The child answered matter-of-factly.

“It’s supposed to be All Might’s hair.” He muttered before deciding to distract them by asking the kids their favourite things to do. The girls who came over had already made quick work ok tying up his hair with a random bag of hairties.

“Fan of All Might?” Shouto asked around the working hands. He seemed completely at ease with his head being moved around every two seconds

“Well, he was quirkless for most of his life. I found that out when I first met him and that’s what helped me decide to really try and be a hero without a quirk.”

“That’s why he’s our favourite!” one of the kids said, making himself quite at home on Izuku’s lap.

“Well I hope I can still inspire you guys to go after your dreams. Just know even if it seems like no one does, I believe in you guys. Always will.”

That statement did lead to all the kids jumping on him in happiness, sending him tumbling back. He saw Shouto smiling down at him, still looking amazing with his messy hair.

                                               _______________

The silent auction was coming to an end and he and Deku had been asked to announce the winners. To keep the kids from distracting them, they waited in a small office not far from the main area.

“So, what does Japan’s first quirkless hero when he’s not advocating for quirkless people?” Shouto asked, shaking his head as he pulled out all the messy braids.

“when I’m not heroing? My best friend Hitoshi takes me to all these cat cafes and I take the chance to try out all the match au late they have. I remember I had this amazing one on I-Island. I’ve been trying to find one just as good since.”

“Well, the ones they have at the café at my company’s building are pretty good. You should come by.” The singer took in the hero’s surprised face. He wasn’t into heroes, but this one was one of the decent ones, even a really good one. “remind me to give you my number later and when you have time, I can show you. plus, their cakes are to die for.”

“Shouto, Deku, we’re ready for you.” the director called before the hero could give an answer.

The singer sent a smile over his shoulder, enjoying how red the hero had become. He did get Deku’s number by the end of the night, plus his name.

Izuku. Hmm, maybe he’d get to call him that more often.

[mizuritamanami]

What Goes Unseen

Linked Universe Time Warriors and Legend angst to sort of fluff?

They all have secrets. That much is a given, and sort of hard to miss, given the way Four clams up when asked about his moods, how often Wild has to just... stop and leave and come back to himself when they pass ruins sometimes, or the way Twilight vanishes without a trace to go off doing Hylia only knew what. 

And that wasn't even touching on the walking enigmas Time and Legend could be, so sure. They all have their secrets. Even bubbly Wind and soft spoken Sky. Secrets, secrets everywhere, in plain view or otherwise. 

But something about Wild’s Hyrule has been eating away at Warriors for weeks. Enough that Legend has even noticed his change in mood, his disinterest in most of the things he normally jumped at. 

Enough that the veteran adventurer surprises him by pulling him aside to talk in the guise of a patrol, enough that he wears Warriors down with enough pointless questions that the knight just explodes to ask him what the hell it is he wants.

"Somethings been on your mind for almost a month. You're starting to scare the old man," Legend says bluntly, "I didn't think you could top that "launch tree into bokoblin camp and rain fire from above" heart attack you gave him, but here we are. What gives?" 

For a moment, Warriors just stares at him, because firstly, how dare he insinuate that that plan hadn't worked perfectly outside of the landing, and secondly, since when did you pay that much attention to me?

He huffs. 

"I'm fine."

"Uh. No." 

Worth a try, anyway, Warriors thinks, turning away from the scrutinizing eyes of the young man across from him. 

Legend notes the way his fingers dig into the blue cloth around his neck, and sighs, gesturing to a fallen log. 

"Sit," he says, "tell me whats bothering you. If its got you like this, it warrants a serious talk, without pretense."

"Didn't know you knew such fancy words."

"Don't make me take it back and kick you in the shins."

Warriors has to laugh at that at least a little, so he sits, as instructed, and watches Legend plop unceremoniously into the mix of leaflitter, pine nettles, and flower petals on the forest floor. 

He's still fidgeting with the scarf, and the words come slowly at first, then frantic and almost angry. 

"My mother used to tell me, you know.... that there are stories, in the absences. In what we don't see. And- the more I look around, the more I see you- all of you- in Wild's Hyrule. Goddess, you're all everywhere.... but-.... out of the nine of us, there are only eight call backs. Even Wild's got his own legends already. So I can't help but wonder--..."

"Where you are."

"Where I went! What happened? Did- did I fail, somehow? Did I do something wrong? There's nothing left that says I ever even existed!"

"You existed to us. To Wild, to me, and Time, and Twi and the others. Between all of us, there's no denying that you were here."

Legend realizes belatedly that he's only just barely fended off a fit of sobs from the knight, and counts himself lucky and also gives himself a brownie point or three for the save, just before he recognizes the familiar thwacking and tramping of bronze armor against offending tree branches and leather boots on forest floor somewhere behind him.

He feels the heat come through his voice before he can stop the words from coming out of his mouth. 

"Besides, you didn't completely fuck a timeline, then leave another to Ganon for seven whole years, now did you? Too busy cleaning up other people's messes."

Time froze as his foot settled on the line of the clearing they were in, and the pregnant silence in the moment it took him to school his voice into something normal made Warrior's skin crawl it was so uncomfortable. 

"..... T-There you boys are.... Twilight was--.... he was getting worried. I'll tell him you just .... stopped for a break."

He turned on his heel in a perfect about face that made Warriors knight-side a little jealous, but the rest of him looked to Legend, who was avoiding the direction Time had gone entirely. Realization dawned a moment after.

"......... that was cruel, Legend..... I didn't want you to make me feel better if you were just going to tear him down. Or tell his secrets."

"...... if I'm honest Wars? That last jab was more for my sake than yours."

"What?"

"Whose timeline do you think his failure ruined?"

The sharp intake of breath on Warriors part told Legend he'd picked up on all the appropriate cues. 

".... that's one of my secrets, for spilling his to you, I guess. I don't know if I'm ever gonna be able to forgive him. But hey, since when has Hylia ever cared what we thought? Probably hasn't since Sky...... the point is, you aren't a failure for having to pick up after everyone else, and then not getting thanked for it. You're like that with all of us, too. Constantly doing things hoping someone will at the least notice. I noticed. All of us have. You're a goddamn hero, same as the rest of us, and the only reason your scarf isn't locked up in a chest out here somewhere is probably because you wouldn't part with that thing if it cost you your freaking soul or something. Duh."

Its quiet for a moment, and Warriors takes the time to look down at the blue around his neck a moment before smiling.  

"..... you should apologize to Old Father Time.... but you're right.  I guess its still all in the things you don't see at first glance- I never would have thought you a confidant. You might find out some interesting things about him if you sat like you did with me."

"Id rather eat one of Wild's disgusting potions made out of butterflies and lizalfos."

"Don't jinx yourself, Vet." 

"Shut up."

~~~~~

Legend was going to murder Warriors.

Don't jinx yourself my ass, you set this up, you sorry-- he cut his own thoughts off to hiss under his breath.

Not only was Legend laid up with Time looking out for him as first watch, but he'd had to drain four of those nasty freaking potions. 

"I hate. Lightning. So much."

Normally, that would have earned him a chuckle, or at least a sympathetic hum.

But Time just turned his head towards a darker section of the underbrush that Legend knew for sure he absolutely could not see anything in. 

Was it the being ignored or the uncertainty and hurt in Time's expression that made his stomach twist? 

"I said--" 

"I heard you, Legend. I'm sorry, I didn't think you wanted to speak to me." 

"...... oh..." 

The simple acceptance of Legend's earlier ire pulled all of the heat right out from under him, and he deflated some into his bedroll. 

"........ I am sorry.... I know it doesn't mean much to you, but... I am. Even the sword didn't think I was good enough, and judging by your reaction, it was probably right."

Legend winced. 

"What kind of bullshit cop-out is that? The sword doesn't make you a damn hero, it just points and grabs like a stupid claw game."

"Success, does, then. And that is a baton I clearly didn't pass to you, that I missed out on passing down peace..... it eats at me, some nights when I can't sleep, that I still managed to grasp at straws and hold so tight to so much good that I got to keep it. And I doomed you. I have everything and you were left wanting." 

Legend stared at his back, the way he bent around the biggoron sword leaning into his right shoulder to be drawn if need be by his left hand. 

"Im afraid I'm going to lose it all one day because I failed you so badly."

"I'm not that pitiful."

"Legend-"

"Look, I'm fine--"

"What was her name, Legend?" 

The air left Legends lungs in a sudden, sharp breath. 

"..... That's what I thought..."

"...... you were ten, if that..... yes, it sucks, and time travel is a pain, but you were fucking ten. Hylia sent a ten year old, let his tree mentor die right in front of him, and then continued to traumatize- REPEATEDLY traumatize- a child. Yes, I'm angry. Bitter and jaded, even. But don't you dare get so self important that you start thinking the blame fits on your shoulders. You're an old fucking man, not a god."

"Interesting choice of words...."

"No. No, because you're just gonna start unloading more trauma. If this is about that creepy mask, then no. That doesn't count either!"

"You're awfully concerned about this particular issue.... alright, I'll let it drop--"

"No, you ten year old little brat in a mentally fifty year olds achy jointed body, you're gonna go the fuck to sleep and stop moping. Its my turn to take watch and I'll be damned if I have to sit up watching you get all weepy into your pillow and trying to snitch Wild's slate to call your wife at two in the goddamn morning. Go to bed!"

Time stared at him in surprise, (the ten year old in him in question seriously debating biting the finger wagging in front of his nose) before Legends phrasing hit him. 

"Oh, I’m going to absolutely kill Warriors for telling you about how I was when we met."

"Brat! Bed! Bounce to it, bunny hat kid!"

"You are the last person--"

"Bed!"

"Alright! Alright! Fine! You're lucky I don't fit those masks anymore," Time muttered, picking himself up off the stump to go peel off his armor and crawl into his bedroll. He was silent as Legend pulled himself into the space he'd emptied, then sighed and smiled. 

"..... thank you, Vet." 

"Yeah yeah yeah. Go to sleep before you wake up Twilight. He has ears like a fucking wolfhou---....... oh my goddess you're kidding me."

"Shhh."

"Goddess I hate you sometimes." 

Warriors, apparently woken by the hissing through Legends teeth, chuckled to himself. 

Its all in the things you don't see, I guess, he thinks.

Secrets secrets, everywhere, but.... together, we're all still here for each other. I can live with that. 

"Good night bratty bunny and feral bunny."

Two furious choruses of "HEY!" were the perfect lullaby for Warriors to drop right back off to sleep. 

Yeah...

He could definitely live with that.

[queen-erika-the-songful]

Okay, here are my initial thoughts on Princess Adventure. These are in no way organized; they’re just as I can remember them. Feel free to send asks if you want

- Barbie defending Chelsea’s creativity and imagination is great to see. It’s one of the best parts of Dreamhouse Adventures so it’s nice to see them continue that in this film

- I like “Try It On” a lot more now. It’s not my favorite, and I think it’s one of the weaker songs in comparison to the rest of the soundtrack, but it’s honestly kind of a bop.

- “It’s like they don’t even want me in this movie!” LOL even Tammy herself knows she’s been done an absolute injustice.

- Holy crap Amelia’s plan is so freaking funny to me. She could’ve just, like...invited Barbie over to her kingdom since she’s the princess and was already a fan of Barbie’s vlogs anyway. But nah, she’s gotta have this whole convoluted “cultural exchange” bullshit I just can’t

- Speaking of Amelia, it’s a little disappointing that we don’t spend nearly as much time with her as we do with Barbie, and, thus, we don’t get to see who the supposed “real” her really is. She says she finally got to explore things about herself, like her fears and dreams, but she never goes into details. Ironically, the audience never gets to see who the true Amelia is, we just have to go off what she said about “who [she] is does matter”. I mean, we certainly get glimpses of it (again, the convoluted plan - she’s obviously ‘act first think later’), but overall it’s not nearly enough, at least to me

- “(Not A) Picture Perfect Girl” might just be my favorite song from this movie. It honestly made me tear up a bit. We’ll see if that changes over my next rewatches

- The running gag with Trey mixing up Barbie and Amelia while Ted and Ned knew was a lot funnier than I expected it to be

- Trey is now trans and you can’t change my mind.

- I really appreciate “Somewhere New” a lot more now since seeing it in the movie. I love that the choreography starts on the plane. It was a cool choice that really felt like a “musical” thing to do. I also like that everyone got to sing at leaset a line or two on their own. 

- WTF happened between Floravia and Johanistan? Did they have a war or something? Why are they being united into just a bigger Floravia? It sounds pretty fishy. I can understand why Johan is so upset based on what little information is given to us, so I wish they had gone into it a bit more.

- Johan asked “Amelia” (Barbie in disguise) if she remembered what they said they would do as rulers when they were kids. That never comes back and it really bothered me. What was the promise? That they’d rule together? That they’d treat each other’s kingdom equally? I actually thought at the coronation that Amelia would give the answer to that question (something like “Johan, remember what we told each other...”) and then do something like absolve the treaty so that she and Johan would rule their own respective kingdoms. l

- IDK, I think I would’ve just liked it more if Johan had been like Amelia’s brother/cousin/whatever that wanted to become King. He’d be a more boring villain that way but it would be less complicated than this.

- WE GOT REPRISES OF 2 SONGS BUT THEY AREN’T ON THE SOUNDTRACK?! I will NOT stand for that. As soon as the movie comes out on DVD I’m ripping those tracks out and adding them to my playlist

- I really thought Ken and Barbie were finally going to get together. I shall now accept my clown shoes and wig. I’m already applying the makeup now.

- The sequence for “Life in Color” disappointed me a bit. It’s one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack, but the placement in the movie felt like it came out of nowhere. I was really hoping for a nice, tender moment between Barbie and Amelia. Even if they were kept separated, it could’ve started with them video-chatting again. Maybe they’d talk about their personal struggles and then Barbie would stop the recording (”We don’t have to film this...”) and they’d just have a moment between themselves to talk.

- On the other hand, “King of the Kingdom” was such a good scene. It was very entertaining and I laughed a lot (which I had to hold back a lot since I was still at work). Also, those boys can move!!

- To make up for all of the interruptions and missed opportunities, Ken Carson deserves at least 3 episodes centered on him and his life and 1 where he finally tells Barbie how he feels

- TAFFY HAD NO REASON TO BE IN THIS MOVIE. I don’t care that Barbie almost always needs an animal sidekick. Snowy (Amelia’s bunny) fills that role. Taffy just gave everyone a freaking heart attack. Also, how the heck did she survive the plane ride? California to Floravia is a 10-hour flight so how did she stay unnoticed for so long?? ROBERTS FAMILY, GET SOME DAMN LEASHES!

- Speaking of that scene, I hate it. It ate up valuable time that could’ve been later spent developing the plot or Amelia’s character. It was only like 2 minutes but in a movie that is already pretty short (1hr11min) every second counts

- Can DA please finally drop the whole “Hey look Renee is claustrophobic” already? It’s repetitive as all hell and honestly it rubs me the wrong way how often it’s played for laughs. It works in the DA Halloween episode since it’s all about everyone facing their fears but everywhere else it feels like a cheap & undeserved laugh (it only happens twice in the movie I think but I wanted to mention it anyway)

- Morningstar being a little bitch to Barbie was hilarious. I don’t really like animal toys anymore but I’d totally buy her. (She’s part of a doll-horse set called Prance & Shimmer Horse. The Barbie doll has Amelia’s princess dress).

- “This is My Moment” really warmed my heart. The last shot with Amelia and Barbie smiling at each other reminded me a lot of Princess & the Popstar actually. I also really like how they brought back stuff from “Try It On” for Barbie’s verse. Musical finale numbers that bring back earlier motifs is something I just cannot get enough of. 

- I liked Alfonso. Like Amelia said, he means well; he just didn’t put as much thought into what Ameila herself wants as he could have. But hey, he was learning just as much as they were

- I LOVED all of the stuff with Barbie trying to make it big and that bitch Rose Ross being all “This is what you have to do to make it sweetie :)” like that’s a great thing to show to kids. You can want to be famous and expand your content like Barbie wanted to, but you have to be smart about it, and you have to stay true to yourself. That plotline also mixed pretty well with Amelia’s life being formulated for the public too. I really did like all of that stuff about how media, social media especially, is constantly fabricated and edited to make things seem easier/better than they might be in real life. 

- THEY FINALLY WENT BACK TO INDIVIDUAL END MORALS THANK GOD. I got really tired of seeing “This is our story, what’s yours?” after every Barbie movie, especially when every movie that used it wasn’t going for that message. Hell, that’s not even a lesson or anything, that’s just a random end quote.

- “Life doesn’t happen on camera. Life is what happens when the cameras are off” THAT IS SO GOOD AND RELEVANT I CAN’T EVEN!!!

[darisu-chan]

whatever our souls are made of (his and mine are the same), pt. 1

Hi!

Welcome to my first entry for IR Month.

This is a new collection of interconnected one-shots, that you can also find here.

Hope you like this first chapter!

See ya!

but if i know you

Prompt: once upon a dream

Summary: And she believes she would wait for him for lifetimes. Yet she’s not sure she wants to wait any longer.

But if I know you, I know what you'll do

You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream

Rukia has never been one to ponder the meaning of dreams.

 When she was a young, hungry child, she never allowed herself to daydream, much less to dilly dally in whatever nocturne vision she had had the night before. The only way for her to stay alive had been to keep both feet steady on the ground. Never looking back. Only ahead, to another day of struggle. And that’s how her life went. Day, after day, after day.

 She finds that being a Shinigami is not that different.

 From the moment she had entered Shin’ō Academy, Rukia hadn’t dared look back or stall. And when she had been adopted into the Kuchiki Clan, she had forced herself to not yearn for what she couldn’t have, and instead be grateful for all the wonderful things she now got to enjoy.

 What were dreams when you got warm food in your belly, a soft bed, clothes and a job?

 Rukia had always been pragmatic, and so, most of her days had become dull.

 Although it is true that Hollow-hunting brought some action into her life, between training, filling out paperwork, attending meetings, and the occasional get-together, decades have passed her by without much excitement. Even after becoming a lieutenant, her life hasn’t exactly been colorful. It just means she’s busier and that her responsibilities have increased.

 But there have been times, sprinkled here and there in the past four years or so, when she has felt more alive than ever before. When her days have been filled by sunlight. When she has been painted orange by more warmth than she had ever known before.

 And it has been in these moments, when Rukia has allowed herself to dream.

 Back in the Human World, back in Karakura, she has learned the true meaning of wonder.

 When she was powerless and lost in a foreign place, she had finally felt as if she were more than what she always had been. She had finally felt human. And even though such feelings had ended up burdening her, Rukia cannot help but cherish every single one of them.

 Because Shinigami have ambitions and emotions, but they don’t let themselves experience the beauty of life, as they are, by all effects and purposes, dead. So they go through their afterlife fighting, and working, and drinking, and eating, and worrying about, quite frankly, nonsense.

 And Rukia had been like that as well. Trying to become a better Shinigami, but failing in both her duties to her division and her duties to her brother. There had been only one ray of hope that had soon been extinguished by her own failings.

 But in Karakura, she had felt lighter than ever during those couple of months.

 And she had had dreams.

 Dreams about the manga she would read, the bunnies she so liked, the spirits she had encountered, the people she had met at school, and even what went down in the lessons she hadn’t been quite able to grasp. It had all been so very mundane and simple, yet wonderful at the same time.

 There had been a beauty to it, to these dreams any normal human had every day. The ordinary had seemed so rich to Rukia, in comparison to the tediousness of her dead life.

 But there had been nightmares too.

 Some humorous, like when she had dreamed she had failed an algebra quiz ─ only to find out later on that she had done so indeed.

 Others were more gruesome.

 (Mistakes from her past, rain, blood, Grand Fisher)

 She didn’t like to dwell as much on those dreams, preferring to forget about them once morning would come.

 But, most of all, she had dreamed about Ichigo.

 Rukia hadn’t stopped to think at the time what it meant to dream so often about him.

 As they had spent almost every waking hour together, it had been obvious to her he would have to appear in her dreams as well.

 It was to be expected.

 However, even when they were apart, Rukia had found herself dreaming about him.

 About his stupidly bright-colored hair, his scowl, how he would complain each time he had to fight a Hollow. How good he was with kids, particularly his younger sisters. How nice he often was to her, bringing her food, asking if she had been hurt during a tough fight, teaching her school stuff, and even lending her money.

 (How heroic he had looked when he had saved her from her execution)

 During their time apart, Rukia had figured Ichigo so often appeared in her dreams because she missed him. He was so ingrained into her life, into her soul, that she wouldn’t even be surprised if, somehow, he shared space with Sode No Shirayuki in her inner world.

 However, now she has to question this idea.

 And it’s not as if Rukia doesn’t miss him ─ she does, oh so much ─ but the nature of her dreams is much different than it used to be.

 Because, after the war, things have changed.

 In the Soul Society, in the Gotei 13, in her division, death looms everywhere she goes. Tragedy had struck in the afterlife as it had never before. They had lost so many great Shinigami, and their absence is felt even two years after the war was won. Rukia, who had to deal with the tragic death of Captain Ukitake, feels it more keenly. There is now an even greater responsibility on her shoulders. To do right by her division, by Ukitake-taichō, by Kaien-dono.

 Yet it is frustrating.

 Rukia cannot help but wish she was anywhere but the place that was supposed to be her home.

 When she’s all alone and no one is looking, she often thinks about clear skies, green grass, the breeze gently blowing on her face, the sun, shining brightly from above, warming her from inside out, as she walks the streets of a sleepy town. She envisions classrooms, the mall, the park, and a house next to a clinic. Soft dresses, delicious food cooked by young hands, lion plushies, and orange at every corner. It’s peaceful in this corner of her mind. But whenever she catches herself having such thoughts, she admonishes herself. Because the Soul Society is where she needs to be. She is a soul, and this is the place where souls live. It is time to stop pretending she is human.

 At night, when sleep takes over, it is a different story. Her treacherous thoughts make a comeback, and it is when she dreams about Ichigo again. She sees him, not broken or defeated, nor as a hero, just him, standing next to her, and smiling at her so tenderly, as he had done back at the Soul King Palace, when their blades had crossed as they had trained. And Rukia believes this is what happiness is all about. What she had been missing her whole life. The feeling of standing next to Ichigo as her equal. Side by side. Always together.

 However, her dreams are not as calming as they could be. Because each night, just as she is enjoying his presence, Ichigo will suddenly give her his back, and walk away. Far away from her reach. And before vanishing, each and every time he would look back at her only to cryptically say, “You know what to do.”

 And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Rukia thinks every single morning, upon waking up. Because she does know what needs to be done. Ichigo is a human, and thus had returned to his home, his family, and the life he had been meant to live before she had gotten in his way. And she needs to continue down her own path. Guiding her division, making nii-sama proud, fulfilling her duties, and being the best Shinigami she can be.

 They are from two different worlds and no matter what her dreams tell her, this is how things have to be. Forever apart. Meeting once in a while. Each of them moving on. Finding their own place in the universe.

 Such is the way things must be.

 The natural course of their existence.

 The unavoidable truth.

 Yet there are some things that not even destiny can stop.

 Everything finally falls into place one evening when Renji comes to pick her up at her division, claiming he needs to talk to her. Rukia is not sure what is going on, but she walks away with her friend to a secluded area, where Renji pours out his heart to her. He confesses he has loved her ever since they were children. But that when she had been adopted into the Kuchiki family, Renji hadn’t felt good enough for her, and had decided to wait until he was finally worthy of her. And now, after several battles won, after the end of the war, with both alive, he has decided it is time to make his intentions known. He wants to love her, to marry her, and even to have children with her. Whatever she wants, Renji swears he will give her.

 Rukia is stunned into silence, not knowing how exactly she can respond to such a confession. Renji, most likely fearing her refusal, tells her to sleep on it before giving him an answer. He leaves her there with the promise that, surely, in the morning everything will be clear for her.

 But when she goes back to her room, she doesn’t think about Renji. Instead, a distant memory resurfaces in her fogged mind. Suddenly she’s back in Karakura Town, to a time when the Arrancars had left them rest for at least one day, just before things had gone south. Yuzu had wanted to watch a movie that night, Rukia recalls. She had chosen a romantic film about a princess, one Karin and Ichigo hadn’t cared to watch, but had accepted out of love for their sister. And, as they had watched it, Rukia had been mesmerized by what she had seen. She still isn’t sure how humans had managed to make drawings move on a screen, but the combination of the animation’s fluid motions, the colors, the music and the voice acting had made for an unforgettable experience. Yet, the plot perhaps had been what had intrigued her the most. The story about a young girl, the same age as Ichigo, cursed to sleep for one hundred years, with the only cure being true love’s kiss. Luckily, in the film the heroic prince had defeated the witch and had kissed the princess that very night. No harm had been done and the two had lived happily ever after. But how sad it would have been if the girl had slept for a lifetime, wasting her life away, Rukia had wondered. She had told Ichigo as much later that same evening.

 “But she does, in the original story.” He had interjected. “Or at least in the version I know.”

 Rukia had been clearly surprised by this statement, so Ichigo had continued explaining. “In the story, there is no prince at the beginning. So when the princess pricks her finger, she falls asleep for a hundred years, just as the curse intended to happen. And once that period of time had passed, a prince did find her and kissed her, breaking the curse and waking her from her deep slumber.”

 “But why didn’t he appear sooner?” Rukia had questioned, clearly outraged.

 “Well, the story comes with a lesson. That it is better to wait for a hundred years for your true love than to just marry anyone else just because.” Then Ichigo had become inexplicably bashful, and as he scratched his cheek, he had told her, “but it’s just a story. Don’t think too much about it.”

 But she had.

 Rukia had often wondered since about the cursed princess.

 One hundred years is a long time for a human.

 It is more than a lifetime.

 So many things can happen during that time, and upon waking up, the world would have definitely not been the same for the princess.

 And when she slumbered, what had she dreamed about?

 “Her prince!” Yuzu had quickly answered Rukia. “She probably dreamed about her true love day after day until she finally got to meet him. So that when they met, she knew him by then!” The young girl had exclaimed, gushing about the romance in the story.

 But that answer, if lovely, was not truly satisfying.

 Because who would wait for a hundred years for a promised love? And what would one do during that time? Would you truly be happy not living as you wait for someone that may not come at all?

 And what about dreams? What do they even mean? Can they truly show you your true love? Or is that just wistful thinking?

 Would a sleeping princess dream every night about her true love?

 Would someone who is awake only be able to feel alive in dreams?

 And now, as Rukia lays awake considering this, she may have found her answer.

 There might be some truth to that story.

 Because, even though she should be thinking about Renji and his proposal, all she can think about is Ichigo. Him and his deep eyes, his ever-present scowl, his calloused hands and the way they feel against her skin. They fill every corner of her mind. She thinks about his passion, his will to protect, how he pretends he’s not as kind as he really is. How he never fools her when he’s sad and about to give up. How he believes he’s weak, ignoring that his strength goes beyond his muscles and fighting abilities. And she wonders what he’s doing right at this very moment. Perhaps he’s studying or working on a project. Maybe he’s already asleep. Or it could be he’s out, hanging out with his friends. Then, Rukia cannot help but ask herself if Ichigo ever thinks of her as much as she thinks of him.

 It is then that it clicks.

 The reason why she has been dreaming about him for as long as she has.

 And Rukia can only conclude that Ichigo is who and what she wants.

 It has always been this way.

 And, yes, she believes she would wait for him for lifetimes. Wait until his remaining human life is over. Until he can join her in the Soul Society as a true soul. And it could take eighty years or more, but that doesn’t matter to Rukia. She is willing to wait for him, no matter what.

 Yet she’s not sure she wants to wait any longer.

 Because, even if life and death should separate them, the issue is not as clear cut as others have made it seem.

 There must be a way for them to be together now.

 “You know what to do.”

 Yes.

 Rukia knows that now.

 So the next morning she wakes up with purpose, beyond doing what it is expected of her.

 She talks to Renji and explains as much as she can why she cannot accept his proposal. To his credit, her friend doesn’t get upset. He’s visibly sad but understanding at the same time. As if knowing what she is about to do, Renji simply tells her to take care of herself, and to tell Ichigo he better be good to her. Rukia can only thank him for the kindness he has always shown her, and watches him walk away, finally able to move on.

It is a bittersweet affair.

 Telling Byakuya, on the other hand, is altogether a different story. It is supposed to be more difficult than talking to Renji was, yet she soon learns that it is not, as it takes nii-sama one look at her to know what she intends to say.

 “It took you long enough, Rukia.” Is his mere reply.

 It goes without saying that his reaction leaves her flabbergasted.

 Of all people, Byakuya should be the first one to oppose her. But she forgets he is one of the few people that gets her decision.

 Nii-sama manages one soft smile at her, before talking again. “He’s waiting for you. Go. I will handle things here.”

 As astonishment becomes understanding, Rukia can only nod. She feels a tightness in her throat that she can’t unravel. She turns around and she’s almost out of the door when her brother speaks again.

 “And Rukia.”

 She turns to look at him.

 “I’m very proud of you.”

 She could’ve hugged Byakuya right then and there and cry in his arms, but she controls herself. It would make the two of them uncomfortable and, besides, there is no time left to lose. So, instead, Rukia sprints away from the Kuchiki Mansion and opens a Senkaimon to Karakura Town. As she enters, she never looks back, and when the gate opens, she finds herself directly in front of Urahara’s store, who is already waiting for her, with a knowing look on his face.

 “I had a feeling we’d have a visitor today.” The former Shinigami explains to her, as he shows her the new gigai and the set of clothes he’s carrying.

 Rukia is once again overcome with emotion, but before she can thank him, Urahara interrupts her.

 “Don’t make him wait anymore.” It is what he tells her before shooing her away.

 She doesn’t think twice and, now inside the gigai, she leaves to her destination.

 The trek to the Kurosaki household is much more peaceful than Rukia remembered. As she walks under blue skies, with the sun shining brightly from above, she feels lighter somehow. As if this is the place where she’s meant to be. And when she sees the house in the distance, she can’t help but grin.

 As she reaches the door, there is a single moment of doubt. Rukia cannot stop herself from questioning if she made the right choice or not. But as she takes a calming breath, she assures herself. Because if there is one thing in this world that Rukia knows better than she knows herself, it is Ichigo.

 And he has never failed her.

 So, with her heart leaping through her throat, she knocks the door.

 Not a second later, he is there, openly gaping at her.

 “Long time no see, Ichigo.”

 Rukia can’t help but smile.

 He looks just the same as always, if a bit out of breath.

 Then, warm arms envelope her.

  She’s made it home.

[reactionsfromapenofastay]

Stray Kids Reaction To Their S/O And Them Are Finding A Lost Pet On The Street - Maknae Line

Hyunjin: Some random character died on the screen, but honestly, you couldn't care any less. The only thing that mattered to you was the boy, who you were cuddled up with on the sofa.

Hyunjin had got back from tour only a few days ago, and you just simply couldn't get enough of him. Fair to be said, it was the same with the rapper as well. The little dance machine had missed you just as damn much as you'd missed him, and he also had a whole ass list of things he wanted to do with you, since they'd got two weeks off.

He'd told you that writing down places he wanted to take you to, or things he would've loved to experience with you had helped him a lot during the time he'd been away from the one he loved so dearly.

And when he'd named them you'd immediately said yes to everything. But only under one condition. "He has to spend the first few days sleeping, eating, chilling and relaxing."

- But Jagi. I want to create new memories with you! - he'd whined but soon enough you'd assured him that spending time at home, doing nothing could be just as memorable as going out.

You hadn't known what had been the thing that'd convinced him in the end. Maybe the unbearable exhaustion he'd felt, or that you'd told him that after a twelve hour sleep he'd could come over at your place, but he'd said yes.

And now here he was, holding you close to his chest, enjoying the way you were playing with his raven locks,  the dark circles under his eyes had almost completely faded.

And then the bell rang.

- It must be the pizza. - he sighed a little, not wanting to leave the comfort of your embrace, as he tried to sit up eventually.

- Don't! - was all you said as you gently, but firmly pushed him back on the sofa. - I'll go.

- But... - you lovingly rolled your eyes while standing up. He was always a gentleman. Especially when it came to treating you. (Except the days he decided to be a goofball of course.)

- Hyunjinnie. We've been in a relationship for two years now. I don't mind getting the food. - a sweet smile lighted up on his angelic face, and he nodded, leaving it up to you. - Beside the fact that this relationship between us should be equal. So you could really be the one this time, who...you know...stays. - you winked, making your tone of voice heavier on the last word. His laugh filled the room as you walked away.

Now that the word of lunch had got mentioned, the boyfriend of yours started to feel how hungry he really was. He hadn't even noticed until this time, but damn was he starving. He'd forgotten to eat in the morning due to how in a hurry he had been to your house, which - of course - he hadn't told you. But now he was eager to stuff his mouth with food.

So disappointment was a totally understandable reaction from him when you returned with a relatively small box in your hands, and a very confused expression on your face.

- It doesn't look like pizza. - he said pouting, looking out of the way of a pillow. But when he registered the upset expression on your face, he sat up on an instant. - Y/N...? Is everything alright? - he asked. And the worry in his voice and eyes couldn't have been more obvious.

- Well...it doesn't look like a pizza, because it's not one. - you sighed, taking a few steps forward. - And no. Nothing's alright. - your voice trembled. - Because... - and instead of finishing your sentence, you lifted the top of the box up. And before your boyfriend could ask anything, a small, fluffy head had peeked out of the carton, with two, brown and white ears, both of them down.

- It's a... - Hyunjin visibly choked on his own spit.

- A bunny. - you nodded, angry tears welling up in the corner of your eyes, and you closed the space between you and the boy, sitting down next to him. - I found this box on the door mat. Someone left him there. - you sniffled, trying to fight against the salty drops that were threatening to fall.

- Him? - the rapper couldn't help, but chuckle. You were beyond adorable with that ball of cuteness in your lap.

- It looks like a 'him' to me. - you shrugged a little. - Doesn't it to you? - you asked, finally lifting the furry creature out of the box completely. You held the bunny under his legs on the front, the ones on the back were hanging in the air, brown palms facing with the boy. The pet's tiny nose was moving up and down frantically, and he stared innocently at the sight in front of him with his black, shiny eyes.

- Nooo. - Hyunjin cooed as he took the bunny from you carefully. - I think it's a girl. She's definitely just as pretty as you. - You blushed from neck to ear, as you watched your boyfriend starting to play with the new family member in his lap.

- What kind of living creature has the heart to throw away a cuteness like him? Or her? - you shook your head in disbelief and in anger.  

- I don't even want to know. - he said, turning his attention back to his new buddy. - She's soo tiny, Jagi! And soo fluffy! I'm scared that I'll break her.

- I don't think you will. You're always so mindful. - you smiled, looking back in the box. And your heart skipped a beat at the sight.

- Who is so butiful? Who? - the rapper poked the rabbit's head. - Yes. You are. You are a...

- Hyunjin! - your voice was sharper than you'd wanted it to be, but you couldn't help it. You were gob-smacked.   The boy looked at you with a questioning look. - I found a letter. - you said with concern in your eyes, lifting up the piece of folded paper.

- What does it say? - Hyunjin frowned and you opened the paper properly.

- "To Hyunjin and Y/N,

my favourite couple on this Earth." ?!?! - you almost screamed the last part. You couldn't see it but you knew that the boy's eyes widened as well. The relationship of you two hadn't been official yet. So what the hell was happening?

- "Dear Y/N!" - you continued. - "Stays are really thankful for you, making our Hyunjin happy! Please take care of each other well!

Love,

From a fan" - before you read the last word out loud, your boyfriend had already placed the bunny in your lap, and opened his laptop. You pet the little animal out of pure instinct, but you didn't focus on anything else but on Hyunjin's tensed up form. Silence and the sound of the dancer's wild typing filled the room, but the words of the letter still rang in your ears. "...my favourite couple on this Earth". Did this mean they knew? Probably. Which meant that you're fucked.

- Fuck. - your eyes snapped back to the boy next to you. You didn't have to look on the screen. Hyunjin's pale face, and his lips that were pressed against each other were more than enough for you to know that it was not just a sick joke from one of the members, or something.

- What picture? - you sighed, voice uneven, eyes glistening with tears again. Your deal with JYP was that you keep your relationship hidden from the public. And even though you and Hyunjin had talked about convincing the head of the company to decide otherwise it had not been supposed to turn out like this.

- It was taken at the airport. - he answered, biting on his plump lower lip, making it redder than usual.

- But we can be just...

- We're kissing, Jagi. - you closed your eyes in horror. This couldn't be happening.

- I mean... - you tried to think about some solution desperately. - Friends kiss sometimes...

- I'm literally grabbing your ass. - the boy laughed but you couldn't found the joy in the sound this time. You shook your head again, trying to clear your thoughts.

- Okay...go to your phone! I take a look at this. - you switched places with him, with the bunny on your knees and you looked at the computer.

There it was, the picture filled the screen. The photo was blurry a little bit, but it was still pretty obvious who were in it.

"Well...at least we're looking cute." The bittersweet thought ran through your mind as you kept looking up on twitter, facebook, and instagram. You didn't get calmed down by what you found there.

- Oh my God...The internet has blown up. - you said shocked, and the same laugh filled your ears from before. - No, I mean we're everywhere. Like...everywhere.

- So that's why Park Nim's called me...seventy-one times. - your boyfriend muttered.

- WHAT?

- And why Chan's texted me on every single existing platform.

- What is he saying? - you asked, massaging your temples painfully. You didn't know whether you should laugh or cry.

- That he's by my side through it all. - the dancer answered softly.

- You got the best fucking leader you could've ever wished for. - you grinned, truly happily this time. Chris was like a glue. He kept everyone and everything together. And you really hoped that he had someone in his life who did the same with him. Because he fucking deserved it.

- However, Minho's just recommended that we should change identity and run. - you laughed with him, and it seemed like his mood got lifted up a little bit. - Maybe this situation is not even that bad. - he pulled the optimist out of himself and you raised an eyebrow. - Worse happen all the time. We can get through this, Y/N. I promise.

- I know. - you smiled reaching for his hand and get it in your own. The pet in your lap squirmed.

- Look. We even got a bunny from them. - he said all cheered up, and you shook your head, still smiling.

- And they know where I live.

- That's it. - he shouted after his face'd gone pale for a minute. - We're moving together!

(If I suffer you guys are suffering with me!!)

Jisung:

- THERE'S A RAT IN OUR HOUSE! THERE'S A RAT IN OUR HOUSEEEEEEEEE! - in any other situation, the fact that your boyfriend referred to your apartment as the home of yours and his as well, would've filled your heart with warmth and joy. But in this case, his tone of voice which he'd shouted the statement with, was so loud and panicked that you almost fell down from your chair due to a heart attack.

- Y/N!!!!!!!! - he yelled again, his voice filled with fear, and your brain hadn't even got a chance to process the meaning of his words before you ran.

- WHAT'S WRONG? - you bursted into your bedroom, ready to fight against all evil in this Earth that'd been brave enough to attack your boyfriend.

One of your hands grabbed the doorframe, the other still on the doorknob, your whole body was tensed, and even though the distance between your bedroom and the kitchen wasn't too big, you were still gasping for air.

On the other hand, Jisung was standing on your bed, his back against the wall, trying to get as far from whatever had scared him as possible. His face was pale, he was slightly sweating, and his eyes were glued to the carpet.

- It's a ra...r...ra... - he pointed forward, not being able to finish the sentence. You frowned, remembering the scream that had scared your soul out of your body for a brief moment. And you got really confused at this point, because his words couldn't be true. Not that he'd lied or something. It was just simply impossible.

- Are you sure that it wasn't only a bug or something? - you asked carefully, stepping into the room. You didn't really know how could someone mistake an insect for a rodent, but your boyfriend got easily scared by shadows too, so you wouldn't have been that surprised if that had been the case.

- NO, IT'S A RAT JAGI, I SWEAR! - he shouted again almost hysterically, and you sighed, as you stepped in front of him, looking up at his trembling form.

- Jisung...we live in the middle of Seoul. - you made your pretty logical point. - It couldn't be a...

- IT'S THERE!!! - the rapper screamed and you looked down at your feet which a dark...well...something ran through in a split of seconds.

- What the FUCK?! - it was you who yelled now, and you put pumas in shame when you jumped up on your bed as well. Your thoughts were chasing each other in your brain as you tried to made sense of the scene that you'd just seen.

- SEE?! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU THAT IT WAS A...

- Hush! - you snapped a little, making your boyfriend's shouting came to a halt. You were not mad at him, or anything, but your head started to seriously hurt from the loud noises he kept making, not to talk about the fact that it seemed like there was a pest in your house. - I have an idea. - you whispered as you slowly walked to the other side of the bed, trying to find the thing you were looking for.

Jisung watched as you grabbed a blanket in one of your hands, not completely understanding what you were doing, but it soon enough made sense in his mind, when you took a few pieces of grape from your bedside-table as well.

- Oh... - was all he said.

- I'm going to need your help, okay? - you whispered to him in a serious tone. You weren't sure if rats could understand humans or not, but you didn't want to risk it. - When I drop the blanket on whatever animal this is, we both jump, and press this - you waved your hand that held the material - to the ground.

The boy gulped, but nodded, trying to trust in your plan.

- 3, 2, 1... - you threw the fruits on the carpet, and you both leaned forward, not wanting to miss anything.

You didn't have to wait for long. The dark, furry figure rushed out of a corner, and started to nibble on a grape peacefully, and before your eyes could've registered what it was seeing, you'd already dropped the blanket on the poor thing, and jumped after it, your boyfriend following you.

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

The little animal's sharp cries rang through the room as it started running back and forth under the material which you kneeled onto, while Jisung was on his fourth, trying to hold down the fabric.

And when it got particularly close to you, you jumped forward and grabbed the little body firmly, but trying not to hurt it at the same time.

The furball's cries got even louder if it was possible - you were sure that you got a migraine at this point - and it was squirming frantically under your touch. But even though your heart was beating as fast as it could, you didn't let go. You waited patiently, and it was not for nothing. A few minutes later silence filled the room, and the little pet stopped all of its movements. Only its chest was rising and falling continuously.

- I got it. I...I got it. - you sighed in relief, and the same feeling rushed through your boyfriend when he heard your words.

- Good job, Jagi! - he grinned, still panting, and you gave him a wide smile, as you sat back on your heels.

- Let's take a look at you, 'kay? - you said as you lifted up the animal with the blanket, and you turned it around in your grasp, so now it was facing you, looking like a little, pink dementor, thanks to the blanket that was covering its whole body. You leaned down so you could peek under the fabric, and what you saw under it, made you laugh so hard, that you almost dropped the little thing.

Han looked at you with very confused eyes, but it'd taken minutes before he got an answer since you couldn't stop laughing.

- Jisungie. - he raised an eyebrow, and you chuckled again. - We're so stupid! It's not a rat. - and you turned the fluff in your hands around again, trying to pull back the material on its head, so your boyfriend could see it as well. - It's a guinea pig! - you said cheerfully, as you showed up the dappled, trembling little creature.

And as the pet fear-filled eyes met Han's disbelieving gaze, he started laughing as well.

- Don't tell me we freaked out over a guinea pig! - he laughed, holding his stomach which was probably in pain by now. - Where did it even come from? - he asked hardly believing to the sight in front of him.

- I have no idea. But I guess we'll keep it...? - you smiled at your boyfriend shyly, half saying, half asking your statement. And the boy got overly excited in the minute the words left your mouth.

- It's gonna be our first shared pet!

- I think we could name it Rat. - and you bursted into laughter again.

 Felix: 

It was mid-summer. And you didn't have an air-conditioner. 

Conclusion: It was freaking hot. Like...not just medium hot. The air was literally BOILING in your apartment, making it almost impossible to stay inside. You almost felt as if your skin was peeling off of you. The cold showers only helped for a little bit of  time, you were sweating, and you were sure that you didn't own the best smell in South-Korea. 

And your situation didn't get solved by deodorants. After you'd sprayed almost a whole bottle of them on yourself, you started to smell like flower. Like...a rottening flower. It was terrible. All you wanted to do was eating ice-cream in a pool, filled with cold water, probably naked. 

But you were way too broke for spending your money on ice-cream, since yesterday your uterus had been bleeding like crazy so couldn’t get in any pool, and you couldn't even get naked because the sweetest boyfriend of boyfriends, Felix, was at your place now, wearing only a boxer. Oh how you hated men sometimes.  After all this, no one had been able to blame you for opening the windows. You needed some fresh air. Even if it was hot.

- I'll get something to drink for us, okay? - the boy who had been scrolling through your album which you collected your concert tickets and photos in, now jumped up, ready to go with you.

- I'll help. - he yelled, jokingly, holding up his hand as if he was applying for something. You shook your head in awe as you stepped closer to the freckled boy. 

- That's very sweet of you, Lixie, and I appreciate it, but it's only two glasses of water. I can handle it. - you smiled sweetly, trying to hold back a grin when you noticed how the nickname had affected him. You could literally see his heart flutter through his eyes. - I'll be right back. - and you leaned closer, pressing a quick peck on his pouting lips, leaving him all red and hot. 

You ran off to the kitchen, still smiling and as you opened the fridge you couldn't help but to think about the fact how this boy could light up your extremely crappy mood, by only existing. He was like he ate the sunshine. He went somewhere and that placed instantly brightened up, and got alive. He was special. He could paint everything in color, by just looking at it with those warm, deep brown eyes of his. Even the darkest places and situations were filled with laughter, joy and fun with this boy. And you couldn't feel luckier for being able to call him yours.

This was the exact thought that settled in your mind when you poured some water in a glass. And this was the exact thought that couldn't be continued, because of a surprisingly high pitched scream that came from a boy with a surprisingly low voice.

- OH MY GOSH! JAGI! - you flinched so hard, you almost hit your elbow in the corner of the desk. And even though somehow you'd managed to prevent this, you still dropped the glass, that broke into thousands of pieces when it met the floor. - HEEEELP!!!! HEEEEEELP!!! - loud rambles, and weird thumps came from the living room harmonizing with the yells, and you didn't even think, you just ran. And you almost made contact with the ground as well, when arriving in the doorframe of the room you had to back off due to a rainbowish, flying creature that was way too big to be a bug.

- WHAT THE FREAKIN'... - you yelled too, literally breaking your neck, as you turned your head towards the animal, which flew over your shoulder, aiming one of your rooms.

- JAGI! 

- FELIX, WHAT THE HELL?! - you turned your head back, meeting the boy's widened eyes, who was now standing only a few inches from you. He seemed just as frightened as you were. - What on Earth is that? - you tried lowering your voice, not wanting to make your significant other deaf.

- A parrot. - he answered, biting on his lower lip.

- A WHAT?! - nope. You were yelling again. There was a tropical bird in your house after all.

 - I'm...I...I'm sorry... - your boyfriend struggled with the words. You furrowed your eyebrows together. What was he sorry for? - It just flew through the window...I...I couldn't prevent that...It was a parrot...and soo big...but mostly a parrot...I've got so surprised I...

- Felix! - you said a bit harshly, making the boy's rambling stop. - Hey, it's okay. I don't blame you. - your tone softened and you chuckled. - No one would have been able to do anything. It's a mother effin parrot after all. - you saw your boyfriend's body relax a little. God, he could be so harsh on himself sometimes. 

- What should we do now? - Felix asked when you both heard some flapping from the bathroom. And then glass breaking. - Was it your aunt's vase?

- It was ugly anyway. - you shrugged it off. - But I don't want this bird to poop on my furniture. - you added much more annoyed. - I think I have a butterfly-net somewhere. - the rapper raised an eyebrow but only nodded.

- I'll grab the broom. 

The only thing your neighbor from the front house wanted was to sprinkle her plants on the balcony. She didn't expect to hear sounds that were most familiar with explosions. She didn't expect sentences like "COME HERE, YOU FEATHER DUSTER!", "DON'T YOU DARE TO SHIT ON Y/N'S SOFA!" and "I'LL MAKE A WAR BONNET OUT OF YOU IF YOU BREAK SOMETHING ELSE!" catch her attention. And she definitely didn't expect to witness a basically naked boy jumping across a table with a broom in his hand, nor a girl making weird dance moves using a butterfly-net, nor a parrot flying on an aquarium. 

But here she was. Fair to be said, you didn't expect your day to come to this either, when you planned this date. 

- I GOT IT! OH MY GOD, I GOT I...- your voice cracked. - Jeez, I really need some water. - you murmured to yourself, silently praying that the still crazily flapping bird was not going to escape from the net.  Luckily your hero happened to be in near, so as soon as he'd heard your shout he'd got there. And he ran into the room. And he dropped his weapon. And he jumped. To be honest he'd never reminded you more of a cat. 

- Okay. Okay. It's okay, buddy. Calm down. - he panted, holding the parrot firmly, pressing it against his bare chest. The bird was squirming frantically in his grasp, scratching and pinching the skin, but Felix didn't let go. And in a few minutes the animal calmed down, and so you both did. 

- Oh Lord... - you sighed, as you peeled the net off of the pet. Your apartment looked like a war scene, you were sweating, and still gasping for air, not to talk about your boyfriend, who even gave his blood to this mission. Literally. - Go to the kitchen. - you spoke eventually. - We need to take care of your wounds. - you pointed to the scars that were not too deep, but long, and probably painful. - I have to disinfect them.

- What about our little friend? - he questioned, looking down at the - now - frozen bird.

- Just hold it there, please. - you massaged your forehead, trying to find out some kind of solution. - After we cleared you up, we’ll take it to the vet. And then buy it a cage, or something. - Felix nodded in agreement, but the pet clearly had other things in mind because it turned its head towards you, and then said:

- Don't want vet. This chest good. - both of your eyes widened, but you were the one who started to laugh.

- I was not the one who said that. - you held your hands in the air, making your way into the kitchen, laughing uncontrollably .  

Seungmin:

 - STOP! For the love of God, STOP IT ALREADY! - both the man who you were yelling at, and your boyfriend whose hold you'd just ripped your hand out of looked at you pretty much frightened as you started to run, gesticulating heavily. Did you care? No. Not really. You were too busy trying to stop the person in front of you from what he was about to do.

- Miss, you can't... - the man tried. He really did. It was mid-autumn, chilly, windy weather, with trees, some of them standing tall in their orange, red and brown gowns, some of them naked already. Dry, golden leaves were everywhere, but mostly positioned in little heaps in the park.

In the park you'd been walking with your significant other only minutes ago, when you'd noticed the employee stepping towards a really familiar pile of leaves, with a huge vacuum in his hand.

That was the moment you'd got into action.

- THAT'S SOMEONE'S HOME! - your shouting was unnecessary since you'd already reached the man who now flinched back at the volume of your voice. But you wanted to make yourself clear. Gosh, you really couldn't get human beings sometimes. How could they destroy, and step on every piece of nature, so carelessly, without a second thought?

You couldn't see the confused look the man exchanged with the singer as you fell on your knees in front of the - actually pretty big - heap, carefully diving in it with your hands. But you heard the vacuum stopping its buzzing noise and you relaxed a little.

You didn't bother to clarify your actions any further, you just kept fumbling between the leaves, trying to find what you were looking for. And soon enough you heard a thump close to you.

You lifted your head out of instinct, only to see Seungmin on the other side of the pile, both hands buried in it, smiling up at you from his croutching position. You guys probably looked crazy to the people around you, scuba-diving in fallen leaves like a mad-man but neither of you cared.

You specifically just wanted to jump on him, engulfing him in a bone crashing hug, but you only grinned back at him, putting the embrace on the 'To Do List' of your mind. However your gaze was still filled with gratitude towards him.

There were not many people in your life who cared not only about you, but about the things that were important to you as well. And there were doubtlessly no other person who could understand you as well, and as fast as he did. You couldn't even put it into words how thankful you were to have him in your life.

A  sharp pain was the thing that pulled your thoughts back to the present. You yelped, more surprised than hurt, but in the next second you reached forward again, and ignoring the stinging in your palms you grabbed the animal you'd finally found.

You leaned back, sitting on your heels, and lifting out the squirming creature from its home, slowly and gently.

The hedgehog made a weird noise as if it was complaining for waking it up from its sleep, and you smiled a little, even though with gritted teeth as you started to be more and more aware of the pain in your hands that the animal's spines caused you.

- Here, Jagi. - your boyfriend's voice was soft and caring, as he offered you his sweater to put your new little friend in. You gave him a questioning look, knowing very well how much he liked that clothe but he just furrowed his brows, pouting a little. - You’re bleeding, Darling. My sweater should be the last of your problems. - he was right. Fresh, light red blood started to make its way through your fingers in thin streams, and even though you still felt guilty a little, for probably ruining the hoodie, you still put the hedgehog in it, Seungmin wrapping it up like it was a baby.

- We're taking it to the vet. - the boy spoke up. - I'm sure they can sterilize your wounds too. - you looked at your hands. None of your injures seemed to be deep, nor serious, but you had to admit the fact that it was a wild animal that'd injured you and small cuts could get infected easily. So you agreed with a nod, starting to walk away from the messed up pile.

- Next time, make sure you at least kick in it. - you said, as you both crossed the man who'd intended to get rid of the leaves. - Sometimes whole families live in there. - no one could doubt that, that day you taught important lessons.

 Jeongin:

 - Oh in the name of the Lord...! - you hissed, basically tumbling out of the shower, eyes closed, one hand covering them, your body soaking wet all over, the shower still running behind you, since you'd been too lazy to turn it off.

You're phone hadn't stopped ringing for the past few minutes, and even though you'd greatly hoped that however had harassed you during your relaxation time  would've stopped calling you, they hadn't and the sharp noise had started to really get on your nerves.

So now you were looking for the mobile, trying to find it with your hands, still blindly and naked.

- It better be important. - you'd groaned in the minute you felt the buzzing machine against your hand  before you picked up the phone.

- What? - you asked annoyed, not even caring about who was on the other end  of the line. But when the person answered back, you froze, fear running its hands up on your nerves.

- Noona! - Jeongin's voice was somewhat shaky and uncertain as if he was not completely sure if it was a good idea to call you or not. However in the minute you heard that word leaving his mouth you opened your eyes wide, and instantly regretted it, since your shampoo that was still in your hair had gotten into it.

- Auch... - you moaned in pain, absolutely sure that you'd just got blind for real this time, as you tried to find a towel with your other hand. I.N only called you Noona when something really bad or serious happened.

- Noona, are you okay? - now he was worried too. You wanted to slap yourself for scaring him but you decided that the pain in your eyes was more than enough punishment.

- Yeah, I'm fine, just... - you mumbled, tapping the shampoo out of your eyes with the corner of your gown, not finding the towel earlier. - What's wrong? - you asked and silence filled the room for a brief moment.

- I really need your help. - his voice was panicked and you really started to get afraid of what he was about to say.

- Okay, I'm listening. - you assured him, and he sighed.

- So someone broke into the building...

- WHAT?! - you yelled out of instinct and absolutely terrified. Did you hear it well? Someone broke into the Entertainment? - WHAT DO YOU MEAN SOMEONE BROKE INTO THE...oh God...Is everyone okay? Are you hurt? Is anyone hurt? Is...

- Y/N. - he said in a soft but firm tone, and you immediately stopped in your rambling. However your heart still wanted to jump out of your ribcage. - Just...let me finish, okay? - he asked obviously tired and you felt a little ashamed of yourself. You really should've let him to tell you everything. But you couldn't stop the fear from spreading out in your body. How could you?

You hummed in response and your boyfriend continued.

- So someone broke into the building, and left a hamster in JYP's room...

-  A WHA... - but you hadn't even finished the question before putting a hand over your mouth. - Sorry...

- So someone left there a box, with a hamster in it. And it got out. And it destroyed everything, Y/N. Like...everything. - the maknae's voice trembled again in the middle of his speech. - He tried to eat the furniture, pooped on the keyboard - you couldn't help but let out a small chuckle here, as you imagined the small pieces of hamster poop being on the boss' laptop - He chewed the papers - the most important ones obviously... - oh how you loved that sarcasm coming through. - Everything is a mess.

- Well I can imagine that. - you grimmased, the pictures of a destroyed office appearing in your mind.

- And I don't dare to imagine what would happen with this little guy, if JYP found him here when he arrives... - you couldn't see him but you knew he bit down on his bottom lip before finishing the sentence. Damn was he stressed out.

- And he finds out what happened with his many milliard quality room? - you asked and he finally laughed a little which made you smile too.

- Well...yeah...

- Where's the hamster? - you asked, wanting to know every detail but you didn't expect the answer you got.

- It's in the box now. Which is also in my hand. - Jeongin muttered embarrassed. - And I'm kind of hiding behind a vending machine with Hyunjin-hyung.

- Hi, Y/N.- you then heard the rapper whispering. Even though his voice was quite you could easily recognise the nervousness in his tone.

- Hi, Jinnie. - you answered, trying to sound as calm and as collected as possible, in hopes of simmering them down somewhat. - I'm coming over, okay? - you asked, adressing your words to the maknae this time.

- Would you?

- Of course I would, baby! - you didn't even know why he was so surprised. He should've known very well by now that you could do everything for him. - I'll be there as fast as possible. Just keep hiding behind that vending machine! - you gave the instructions, and after the youngest had asked you to hurry, you hung up the phone.

Instead of getting back in the shower, you just leaned under the running water to wash the left over shampoo out of your hair, but you didn't dry it after you'd finished and closed the tap.

You  just quickly pulled on some clothes - a shirt, and a pair of jeans - not bothering to find your underwear, or messing with your bra. It would have been too much of a time.

You just grabbed your key and your phone, an you stormed out of the house.

Luckily your apartment was only minutes away from the JYP building, so you got there within a few seconds by running.

You received a whole lot of weird look, as you made it through the security system - the system which had failed to prevent a hamster from getting in and destroying the boss' room -, an entered the hall. You ran up the stairs, checking behind every vending machine, until you managed to find your boyfriend, and one of your best friends, standing behind one of them, on their tip-toes, clinging to each other in the tiny, dark, and probably dusty place, one of them holding a carton box.

- Hi. - you whispered, and Jeongin's head snapped in the direction of yours, just to be welcomed with a kiss on his lips. His whole face flushed, and under any other circumstances you would have already made a joke out of his shyness. - I got this. - you assured him, as you took the box out of his hands, and stepped back. - Now come out of there, because you guys are hiding from PDnim waaaay too obviously. - the two boys crawled out behind of the machine, on uneven feet, one after the other. Their faces were pale, and they looked a little bit shaken up, but otherwise they seemed to be fine.

- Awh man. - Hyunjin whined, both of his eyes became a straight line, as he tried to protect them from the sharp light of the lamps above you.  - I thought we would never come out of there. - he went on, combing out his locks with his fingers. - Dust got into my hair.

- And you're smelly! - Jeongin talked back intensly, but you couldn't listen, since an approaching figure stole your eyes.

- It's not my fault that we got interrupted in the middle of dance class!

- Well if only you weren't be a drama que... - they couldn't carry on with the fight, due to you, interrupting them.

- Just smile, and wave boys. Act normal. We're normal. - you whispered through gritted teeth, and that was when they finally looked up, their gaze meeting JYP's.

- Hi there. - the head of the company smiled, and you were quick to greet him with a bow, and a 'Hello'. - What ya doing here?

- I just came to meet up with the guys for a few minutes. - you answered politely while you kept trying to convince your brain that this lie was totally believable. Why wouldn't have you done that, right? You loved spending time with the boys. - What about you, sir?

- Just heading off to my office. I've got some work to finish. - you desperately wanted to finish this unplaesent conversation, and escape the little animal, and also yourself from the stares of the man. - Anyway. What ya got there?

- Just some home made food I brought to the boys. - you answered quickly - too quickly - looking down at the box, then back the person in front of you whose eyes started to form a thin line, brows getting in the middle of his forehead. - But they've finished it already.

- And why is your hair wet?

- And why aren't you wearing a bra? - Hyunjin whispered under his breath, from behind some strands of hair of yours, and you shut your eyes tight for a moment, not sure whether your dripping locks, or your - thanks to the air-conditioning, now stiffened - nipples you should be more embarrassed about. You could bet your ass off that Jeongin had turned into a tomato by now.

- Ehhehhehe... - you faked laughed on a lot more high-pitched tone than usual. - I got some sauce in it by accident, and when I tried to wash it out, I somehow got all of my hair wet. - you muttered, praying to whatever power controlled this world to help you out of your situation. You were terrible at lying. - It would be the best for me if I went home now, and dried it. - you added, and fortunately Park Jinyoung didn't disagree.

- That's right, that's right. You really should do that. - the man said, but it looked like he'd already got lost in his thoughts. - However, I must go now. It's been great to talk to you. - and he started to walk to the stairs. - Keep up the good work, boys! - he waved back.

- Yes, PD-nim! - All of you bowed and said by to him, your hearts beating like crazy. And as soon as the man disappeared from your eye-sights the two boys turned to you whisper-shouting a 'run' command.

They didn't have to tell you twice. You sprinted down to the hall, and out of the building, an it was only in the middle of the street a few meters away from the company that you stopped, sweating, but laughing out, relieved.

- I made it. We made it! - you laughed, peeking inside the box, just to see a tiny little, brown furred hamster looking back at you. You smiled at the pet, and then started to walk away, closing the box, when a threatening, thunder-like roar made you and the other people on the street stop all of their movements.

- WHO PUT SHIT ON MY KEYBOARD?!

 Hi there!

I’m here with the second part and I’d really like to know which one was your favourite and why! And I always LOVE to recieve opinions and requests so feel free to do it! I really hope that I could make you smile, or even laugh a little. :) Have an amazing day, filled with giggles and joy! :D Stray Kids Makes Us STAY

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #556: Unexpected Moment on Date Night (Sonic Series)

8:38 p.m Outside of Town, On the Sidewalks......

Vector: (Walking Alongside with Vanilla While Wearing a Decent Tuxedo) You're excited for our date tonight, Vanilla?

Vanilla: (Happily Holding Vector's Arm While Walking with Him and Wearing a Beautiful Red Dress) Oh absolutely~ Although, It has been so long since I've ever gone out before.

Vector: Understandable (Smiles a bit Sheepishly) To tell ya the truth, this....is probably the first time I've ever taken an actual woman out to a restaurant ......Hell, I'm not even sure if the restaurant I'm taking you, would really be that interesting to you or not....

Vanilla: (Gently Grabs Vector's Hand) Honey, it doesn't what restaurant you take or how interesting it would be. I'm already having a wonderful time as long as I'm with you. (Kiss the top of Vector's Hand)

Vector: (Immediately Starts to Blush) Y-Y-Y-Yeah....Same~

Vanilla: (Giggles Softly) Ohho Vector~

Robber: (Came Out from a Building) Hold it right there, you chumps!

Vanilla/Vector: (Immediately Stops Walking) ?!!?

Robber: You better give me everything you got!.....(Pulls out a Pocket Knife from his Coat Pocket and Points it at the Couple) Or one of you gets it!

Vanilla: (Couldn't Believe What is Happening Right Now) What are you....

Vector: Glares at the Robber) ('Grrr') Now you listen, punk, I don't know what you gonna accomplish trying to rob people in the streets like that, but you ain't getting squat from us! You hear me?!

Robber: (Gotten up on Vector's Face While Having his Knife Closer Towards him) You think you're tough just cause you got a broad with you, big boy? I'll cut you down right now if don't give me my damn money!

Vanilla: (Terrified for Vector's Safety) Vector!!

Vector: (Glare Turns Even More Determined and Fierce) You try cutting me all you want, but if you think for a second I'm gonna let ya harm this beautiful woman behind, then you have another thing coming!

Robber: ('Heh') Your funeral-

Before the robber could finish that sentence, he immediately gets pulled into a nearby wall, making him drop his knife in the process. And it was by none other than Vanilla herself.

'THUD'

Vector: V-Vanilla?!

Robber: H-HEY! WHAT'S the big idea here, lady?!

Vanilla: (Grabs the Robber by the Collar with Shadow Covering her Eyes) Who......(Gives the Robber a Very Intense Look in her Face) THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU SHIT FOR BRAINS?! RUINING OUR DATE NIGHT LIKE THAT WITH YOUR CHEAP TACTICS!!

The Robber: (Already Terrified) H-Hold on there, lady.... W-What are you- Wait.....(Look into Vanilla's Fierce Eyes Glaring Directly at Him) Those eyes....(Eyes Widened in Complete Shock and Fear) I-I-It's you! Y-Y-You're the legendary Hot Fangs!!!

Vector: (Very Confused and Shock at What is Happening Right Now) "Hot" what now?

Vanilla: ('Grrr') It doesn't MATTER who the hell I am right now!! What matters here is that you have audacity to not only try and rob us, but also try to threaten my sweet, handsome crocodile's life and I am NOT having it! So if you know exactly what's good for you right now, then I suggest you leave here right now. And if I ever see you try and harm innocent people in these streets again, I will not hesitate to pulverize you into next year! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!

Robber: Y-Y-Y-Yes, ma'am! I'm sorry, ma'am! I won't rob or hurt anyone out here or anywhere again! I swear!!

Vanilla: (Finally Lets Go of the Robber's Collar, Making him Fall into the Ground) Good. Now that we have a better understanding.....(Gives the Robber Another Intense Glare) You have exactly five seconds to get out of our sights right now before I start your early beating. One. Two.

The Robber: AHHHHHHHHH!!!! (Immediately Runs Away in Fear)

Vanilla: (Took a Deep Breath) Okay. (Turns Back to Vector) Now, shall we continue our stroll, Vector dear?

Vector: (Eyes and Mouth Are Still Widened) ..............

Vanilla: (Immediately Starts Getting Worried) Vector? V-Vector sweetheart, what's wrong? You're not saying anything and it's already worrying me.

Vector: ...................................

Vanilla: Vector, please say something! My heart can't take it if you don't tell me what's wrong!! Vector!!

Vector: (Geez.....I dunno why, but......(Starts Blushing) I think I'm starting to fall in love all over again~)

Vanilla: VECTORRRRRR!!!!!

Later that Night, At the Restaurant.......

Vector: You were actually in a biker gang once?

Vanilla: (Nodded) Yes. It was back when I finished college. I helped one of their members from getting themselves in a fight one day at the bar. (Giggles Softly) They've all noticed how protective I am, so they gave me the nickname, "Hot Fangs" and asked me to join. So I was a member of their gang for a year and a half.

Vector: (Already Impressed) No way. So you guys rode on motorcycle and everything?

Vanilla: (Smiles Brightly) Yep. We rode almost everywhere we wanted to go. I even drove a motorcycle myself once. It has been a very long time though. (Gives Vector A Playful and Somewhat Flirty Smirk) I would love to give you ride someday if you like, Vector darling~

Vector: (Starts Blushing Again) Y-Yeah! Sure! I-It's a date!.....You know.....W-Whenever you get a motorcycle or whatever......

Vanilla: (Giggles Softly) You're so adorable when you get flustered like that~

Vector: ('Heh') Yeah.........Well.....You know.....

Vanilla: Hm?

Vector: This might be huge coincidence, but..... I'm guessing this was all after you gave birth to Cream, right?

Vanilla: (Simply Nodded) Once I was pregnant, I'd told everyone that I was leaving the gang. They were all so supportive about me leaving too that it even took me by surprise. But once I left that life behind me, I did everything I could to raise my sweet little angel for years to come and become the person I am now.

Vector: (Smiles Softly) A sweet, beautiful woman who loves and protect those she cares about. Am I right?

Vanilla: (Heart Begins to Melt in Happiness Holding Vector's Hand From Across the Table) I love you so much~

Vector: I love you too, 'hon~ You're even more amazing than I thought you'd be.

Vanilla: (Pouts at Vector) You better not think about saying that I am too good for you again, mister.

Vector: N-N-No! I-I'm not thinking about that at all! Honest! I was just saying all of that in general. (Rubbing the Back of His Head Back and Forth) In a way, you kind of inspired me to better myself almost everyday, you know?

Vanilla: (Smiles Softly) I'm so honored. You inspired me everyday as well, Vector.

Vector: Seriously?

Vanilla: (Happily Nodded) You're a hard-working detective who does his best to look after his two precious boys. Let's not forget that you're a very handsome crocodile whom I love oh so very much~ (Kiss the top of Vector's Hand)

Vector: (Blush Turns Bright Red) Geez, Vanilla......You gonna have me redder than Knuckles if you keep making me blush like that~

Vanilla: (Giggles Softly) Well, it's the honest truth, my dear. You truly are handsome crocodile~

Vector: And you're a beautiful bunny. But I don't see you blushing.

Vanilla: That's because hearing you call me that makes me very happy everytime. I'm afraid that you, on the other hand, are simply too easy to be flustered~

Vector: (Slumped his Head Down on the Table in Embarrassment) Oh God, I am too easy.......How could this happen to me? I'm supposed to be the tough detective here!

Vanilla: (Smiles Softly While Softly Patting the Told of Vector's Hand) There, there, darling~ There's no need to be upset. How about after we leave here, I'll make it up to you with a nice, relaxing cuddle~ Does that sounds nice to you?~

Vector: ('Sigh') Yeah......(Got up From the Table and Gave Vanilla a Soft Smile) I'd really like that.

@keyenuta

@cyber-wildcat

@italian-love-cake

@26shann

@albion-93

@ma-lemons

@princeoflions123

@destinywillowleaf

[anthropwashere]

deadfic: welcome the unknown

Another one for @goodintentionswipfest, and the oldest of the lot I’ll be posting by a significant margin! As in written in 2009 old. You’ve been warned.

Gonna put the whole fic under a readmore because JTHM fics have one setting and that’s Upsetting, so have some naval gazing from me first.

2009 was uhhhhh, some kind of year for me. It was the year I graduated high school, and the year I was a little bit homeless, and the year I wished I was a little bit homeless for longer so I could have avoided some bananas shit, and the year I spent waiting on tenterhooks mid-recession before I could run from a ehhh home life off to the military.

18 year old anthrop was working through some shit while writing this thing, is what I'm saying.

This was intended as a prequel to a fic I was working on in high school, while also being kind of a stand alone fic? If you've been with me since my JTHM days (wow) you'll recognize what it might have been for, but otherwise don't worry about it. This is a bit all over the place but there are still a lot of pieces I'm fond of and honestly, it's nice to see where I was as a writer and how far I've come in comparison? Too many of us fandom writers destroy huge swaths of our work out of this terribly sad and unnecessary shame for liking "cringy" things, and to this day I regret doing the same to virtually all the things I wrote for my first few fandoms. Cheesy and heavy-handed as this fic is, it's nice to have around still, you know? I cared about this fic. Working on it kept me sane during an extremely shitty summer. I dearly wish I still had the first draft, which I remember writing in different colored markers on folded sheets of computer paper hunched up in any random little corner I could get some time alone. Alas, like 98% of the rest of my things pre-military, it's gone for good.

Title comes from Robbers on High Street's "The Fatalist," which sure was a song I had on repeat a lot back in 2009.

=

Everywhere is dirty. Filth and stink and dead particles on everything he touches. He'd fallen asleep, and somebody had broken into his house and poured the offal of a thousand trash cans onto everything and smeared it in deep. 

Asshole. 

Really though, they are all assholes. Shit-smeared animals groping around on all fours, blind and deaf and desensitized to whatever little good was left in the world around them. 

They make so much noise. All they do is scream, and whenever someone manages to gasp out a non sequitur the whole world applauds, casting them into the history books for the next generation to draw penises upon their photographs. It is all a matter of course.

It can't just be him that sees this. One look outside is enough to prove his point. Why else would he board up all the windows? To keep the assholes from looking in, of course.

The assholes are everywhere these days, screaming and fucking. Fucking. They're good at that too. Reproduction. Bucking hips and nails across skin and incredible, terrible intimacy, the exchanging of fluids. Disease of the flesh, fever of the mind. A new generation born in every positive pregnancy test, a new generation dead in every street corner abortion clinic. Babies. Disgusting, germ-ridden things. Oh God, don't let it touch him with its fat little hands shiny with saliva and the green ooze that won't cease dripping from the holes in its face. He doesn't know what'll happen, what he'll do if this thing gets too close, but he has ideas, and none of them are pleasant.

He always has ideas.

He blinks, and the baby and the stinking slut mother cooing at it with too-red lips and salon-styled hair and the bus and the roaring all vanish. He stumbles and knocks an elbow against the dresser.

The smell in here is somehow worse now. Like old vomit in high summer. Is it vomit? Is it his vomit?

He decides it's better not to now, at least not now. He feels a strange mood coming. High tide comes to drown the starfish, already dried by the sun. Perhaps it is a mood he needs, but then again, perhaps it comes too late.

Something cracks, and the edges go soft and drip in a puddle of wax.

He burns his fingers by candlelight.

=

"Johnny?"

"Bunny?"

His throat burns. It hurts to breathe.

"Oh thank God, you can hear me again. You're back."

"What—" He breaks off, coughing. Blood in his mouth, on his teeth. He licks them clean and swallows. "What are you talking about?"

Bunny sounds small and tired in his ears—

Mind?

—and there was fear, Johnny can hear it licking at the corners of Bunny's— 

His?

—voice, but it has faded with time. Johnny suspects he has been asleep for a very long time.

 "I've been trying to reach you for… God, I don't even know how long." Bunny trails off.

He looks around, his eyes struggling to see in the pre-dawn light trickling in through a dozen half-circle windows on the floor above wherever he is. More by the smell than anything, he realizes he is surrounded by blood and bodies. A part of him knows he shouldn't be comforted by this, shouldn't find this scene familiar.

And yet.

"I was scared, Nny."

He hiccups, chokes, and spits out three bullets.

=

The mirror is laughing at him.

He sneers at it. Squints as two left hands do two different things, almost identical but the blur is still visible, still there.

He was wrong, he knows that now. There isn't just one person, one world, one reality on the other side of the mirror. There are dozens, maybe hundreds. Maybe thousands. Not all at once, of course, but there seems to be another pair of eyes staring back, another mouth talking at everyone and no one, each time he looks hard enough, long enough. The edges blur, fingers drag in slow-motion arcs, teeth where teeth shouldn't be, a hundred shades of skin and hair and eyes.

He can't remember the last time he showered.

=

“You look like shit, Nny,” observes the Burger Boy.

“Yes.”

“You really should do something about it.”

“Yes.”

He drives the pen through the paper and carves something into the wood that later he won't understand.

=

Greasy. He is so greasy. The others in the mirror bow out of the way to let him see the unwashed, true reflection of himself. He makes a face, drags his cheeks down to his jaw and waggles his tongue, and the reflection follows accordingly. No blur. 

Yep, that’s him all over.

Devi screams, her face set in a terrified, furious, how-could-you-you-shithead expression, and smashes his face against the mirror. His nose breaks on impact, glass stabs, digs, and catches, and drags down his cheeks and forehead. Blood everywhere, his blood. A tooth goes flying as his chin hits the dressing table’s pitted surface with a crack that sickens him even as the edges of his sight turn black, and the pain is more than noise can express. Blood on Devi’s knuckles. Fingers ripping out his hair.

No.

Everything pauses, then it all reverses in an instant, and he is left standing before a dirty mirror with too many faces looking back.

That already happened— a long long long long time ago

—and he is better now. Devi is better now too. He hasn’t talked to her in awhile but she is around, she is there, and everything is okay now. There is some blood dried into the floorboards still—was that were the stink is coming from?—but his scars have faded. He has forgiven, and he thought he had forgotten.

He’d gotten a new mirror and everything.

=

“Hi Nny.”

“Evening.”

Squee leans back on his heels before the underbelly of a machine Johnny has no understanding of and glares. With his sleeves rolled up past his elbows, smears of engine grease on his hands, sweat on his face, and looking like a mix of engineer, mad scientist, and responsible adult, Johnny has no idea how to treat the boy-now-man-next-door.

"How've you been? Whatcha been up to these days?"

There is something unspoken, something furious and accusing underneath the easy drawl of the questions. He can't imagine what Squee could be angry with him about. He is at a loss, also, at how to respond to the heavy questions thrown at him so casually. He struggles under their weight, unable to answer, unable to keep quiet, unable to lie.

Squee chuckles as he stands in one smooth motion centered on his knees and cleans his glasses with a rag from his pocket. "It's okay, shit, calm down. Not like I got a gun to your head or anything."

For some reason, he feels himself flinch. Squee's eyebrows knit and relax in an instant.

"Let's see," Squee muses. "You look like you, I'm pretty sure your car still works, and I'm currently over at Pepito's for some headfuck or another. Okay, I think I know what year this is. Awesome." He puts his glasses on and shares a smile that could cut glass.

"What are you talking about?"

Squee looks surprised, but after a moment laughs a quiet little laugh. "That's right, I forgot. This is the year you do your weird losing-time thing, yeah? Haha, you freaked me out even more all summer. I think I slept on the roof more than I did my own room. Oh God, this is even better!" He laughs again, louder, and claps a hand on the shoulder of the strange machine.

He can't think of any kind of response to this before Squee speaks again. "Fuck, Johnny, you really think seeing me at nine one day and twenty-three the next is normal?"

He thought about it. "Noooot really. No."

"That is exactly—what—How did you even recognize me?" He gestures at himself, and his eyebrows do something halfway between emulating surprise and gut-busting dislike.

"Who else could you be?"

This time his laugh is loud and body shaking, and he thumps the machine as if Johnny has said something incredibly witty. "Wow, okay, if that logic works for you it works for me, you crazy fuck."

He did not just hear that. "What did you call me?"

Squee smiles again, but his eyes remain cold and flinty and full of hate towards something—Johnny suspects—he has done in the future. Goddamnit, future self, way to ruin a good thing. But his hands still clench, his joints lock. How dare Squee? How could he?

But the boy-now-man-next-door acts as if nothing has changed. "So I can't remember how your art or lack thereof is working out in this little slice of time. You paintin' with any other color 'sides red?"

Why was Squee acting like this? "Of course I am."

He isn't.

Squee scratches his neck, scratches at scabs over long, thin lacerations in finger-shaped bruises, and Johnny wonders if what he's feeling now is how the man felt when he had still been a boy, and the scary neighbor man once crawled through the window to tell him a bedtime story. 

"You know, somehow I doubt that."

=

His fingers itch for activity. He hasn't left the house in days, maybe weeks. Does it matter?

He licks his lips and swallows, fighting down familiar urges. He can beat this.

=

"Do you have a problem with me?"

"Oh god oh god oh god why are you doing this—"

"Excuse me, I asked you a question."

Gently touch the controls, tack the pressure on, oh, just a little more. Just enough to make them scream.

=

The back of his head itches, and when he scratches his fingers come away red. No pain, just blood. So it isn't his then. But he can't remember killing anyone.

He looks away from his hand and out the window, at the outside world creeping in through the cracks between the boards. Outside there is no sun, no moon, no stars, no anything. His breath hitches.

It's raining.

He exhales.

The door is open though he doesn't remember leaving it so, so he takes the hint and walks outside. He inhales, tasting the hot summer smell of wet concrete and the cloying reek of decomposing bodies in his front yard. The million million light bulbs of the city throw their energy skyward, and the roiling clouds eat the light whole. A weird, orange glow from above casts the city into an otherworldly scene, and, feeling a little silly, he wonders if tonight might be the beginning of the apocalypse, and the idea doesn't sound half bad.

In the driveway, the concrete is slick with oil. He stands there a while, letting the rain wash the human grease out of his hair. It takes him just as long to realize his car is missing.

"That's funny," he says aloud, wiping the rainwater out of his eyes. "I don't remember teleporting home. Unless—was it Tuesday yesterday? I don't think it was, but—"

There is a soft, scared inhale of breath, a backwards scream. He turns, and there on the sidewalk is a gray woman in a bathrobe, faded coffee stains and food crusts all down her front. She is pointing at him, her face wide, frozen in a rictus grin of fear.

"What?" he asks, reality crashing into place with a shatter of glass ripping through his ears.

Her mouth moves, but the sounds that come out are backwards and insulting, and her eyes are fish eyes, wide and lidless and staring.

"What?" he asks again, sharply, his voice ugly and tasting of ashes.

"M-mon—" the woman wheezes.

Her throat is in his hands, and he doesn't recall moving from his empty driveway.

"What are you staring at? What do you want?!" he screams.

She gags and gurgles, her tubes for eating breathing talking standing bleeding; all of it collapsing under his fingers—

which hadn't been so thin a few weeks ago

—and the grin on his face is a mile wide. 

"Monster!" she whimpers as something cracks in her neck.

Monster? His hands loosen, cradle her jaw, as his mind tries to grapple with this. Why… Why would anyone call him that?

The pounding of feet, and someone wrenches the woman out of his grasp. "Jesus jump-roping Christ, Johnny!"

Dazed, he stares at the newcomer as if he's looking at everything through the wrong end of a telescope. The reek and the roaring of the public transit system returns with a bang of pneumatic doors, and Squee's mouth moves in angry shapes but the slut-mother's cooing comes out instead.

=

"You gonna pay or get off my bus?"

He looks at the bus driver, at the thick rolls of fat ballooning out underneath his sweaty, undersized uniform, a sneer pulling back the heavy flesh around pearly white teeth. He imagines jamming the steering wheel through the man's dislocated jaw and feels slightly better.

It's safe to imagine such atrocities. Imagine, but nothing more. He has to remember that.

"Hey kid! I'm talkin' to you!"

"Sorry," he manages through grinding teeth and a throat hot and restricted with anger. He deposits the required fare into the automated tray and darts across the yellow line before he can act upon his ideas.

He always has ideas.

He stumbles into an open seat as the bus jerks forward with a belch of black exhaust he can't see but can taste, heavy and gritty on his tongue. On his right, a plastic mommy bounces her little dolly on her knees. They are dressed in matching summer dresses. Disgusting.

How long has it been summer anyway?

He glances at the pair again and thumbs the volume on his CD player a little higher, fighting to keep his face neutral. He has never been fond of parents who treat their offspring like objects rather than the people they are going to be.

Something tugs on his sleeve and he recoils, crashing into the metal bars on his left. It takes everything he has not to retaliate against the foreign touch. His headphones are knocked askew by the impact, and Mozart's power vanishes, becomes tiny vibrations around his neck.

The baby, the child, the dull-eyed little girl has the ragged end of his sleeve in its shining, soaking wet hand. Through the fabric, he can feel its dampness, its heat. It babbles at him incoherently, green ooze dripping from its squashed little nose into the gaping, grinning mouth below.

"Oh, she likes you!" The mother cries, swooping in for the kill. Her smell washes over him—of heady perfume, hairspray, hysteria. He can see the makeup creases, the scars of plastic surgery, the shadow of a bruise on her shoulder half-hidden by her yellow sleeve. His mind jumps to all sorts of conclusions, and each one of them sickens him more than the last.

"Uh," he manages.

His hands twitch.

=

He is sick of this life again. All the old signs are there, everything points to one fact, but he can't bear going down that path, not yet. Later, later.

"'Later,' he says!" Crows the delighted Burger Boy. "Yes, perhaps when the scabs from the old shackles grow over the new he'll get off his scrawny ass and attempt to do something about all this!"

"Fuck you."

The Burger Boy looks at him imploringly, its meaty little hands clasped, its fangs retracted, the perfect image of a concerned friend in hideous checkered overalls. "In all seriousness, Johnny-boy, this is not something you can put off any longer. You must act now, or not at all."

"Go die in a hole."

"We both remember how effective that was the last time you tried that. Now, please—"

"Don't make me get the sledgehammer."

At least it had the decency to flinch at that, the little fuck.

The Burger Boy sighs, obviously frustrated. "I don't understand why you find it necessary to fight me so, Nny."

"Maybe it's because, oh, I don't know, you're trying to enslave me to my own kidneys?" He bites on the straw of his cherry Freezy hard enough to tear it. The plastic tastes like artificial fruit and latex gloves. "And don't call me Nny."

The Burger rolled its eyes, which shouldn't have been possible because it was pretending it was still ceramic. "So I'm no longer allowed that special little privilege, am I? Only the ghost of your dead, levitating bunny rabbit is?"

"Leave Nailbunny out of this."

"And those pathetic Doughboys as well? The very ones that conspired against you to 'serve their master', who, in case you've since forgotten, was the very creature you were charged with imprisoning behind a wall of blood and plaster?"

"That was D-Boy. Eff just wanted freedom. And really, can I blame him?" He bites the straw in half and spits it into the bathroom sink. In the mirror, his reflections mimic him, ten thousand mouths a-grinning.

"You're missing the point, though I'm hardly surprised."

A thought strikes him, and it's out of his mouth before he can think twice about it. "You know, if they ever started talking again, I think I'd still let them call me Nny. Sure, they were both exploiting my ever-increasing insanity and all that, but they were mine in the beginning. Unlike you."

It ignored the jab. "If they ever start talking again, it will be far too late."

=

There wasn't any soap in the bathroom.

=

"What the hell were you thinking?"

He blinks. "What?"

"Give me one goddamn reason, one very good goddamn reason you had for strangling my mother, or so fucking help me Johnny—!"

Squee is definitely reminding him of himself now. Great. Fantastic. Fuck.

"Um."

=

The Burger Boy scowls, its face transmogrifying into the fanged, drooling thing it really is. "You remember how terrible it was to toil under the merciless whip of the System! I know you do because I am a part of you, though you refuse to believe as such! And though you hate what I have to offer, you must realize that I am far more preferable as I am now than what I could become unless you tear free of the System's grip now!"

"I AM FREE!"

With a snap of ceramic he breaks it's right arm off, and the two of them scream in pain and hate, in the same voice, in one voice.

"I." He jabs at his chest with the arm, feeling it squirm under his fingers.

"Am." He drops it to the bloodstained linoleum.

"Free." He grinds the arm to dust under the heel of his boot. His reflections are too blurred, too scattered, to see how many follow suit.

Gripping the hole where a limb had been seconds ago, its ugly face twisted further by agony, the Burger Boy pants, "There is no such thing as freedom! No!" It screams, harsh and violent, as he opens his mouth to retort, "Listen to me. Hear me out. Please."

A heartbeat passes. Five. He closes his eyes, suddenly exhausted, and nods. The figurine sighs and leans against the faucet, settling its insect eyes on the spilled Freezy in the tub.

"Let's get one thing straight. I don't want you thinking that the puppet masters are singling you out for sport. God knows you aren't anything special. Everyone is a slave to one thing or another." It pauses to laugh bleakly. "Perhaps even those who fancy themselves the masters of this game of Monopoly must bow their neck to the chopping block one day. Who am I to know? I am but a series of chemical reactions created in the misfiring neurons of a sick man's brain. But never mind that. What I'm trying to say here is that there has been no other way. Ever. There has been no freedom, no choice. It is all preordained. This is the way of all things."

Every part of him rebels against this. No free will? Impossible. His life is his own, now more than ever. Yes, he had been a slave, once. But that had just been the luck of the draw, an accident, like winning the lottery or getting hit by a truck. It was… unpredictable, impossible to preordain. Heat in his chest, his jaw tight and creaking. "They told me—" He begins, his voice ready to rise into a shriek.

"It was only temporary. Even stone must crumble, Johnny."

His legs turn to jelly at a terrible, terrifying thought. He grips the sink, licks his lips and tastes salt and cherries and fear. In a soft, weak voice he barely recognizes as his own he finally asks, "Are they going to make me a flusher again?"

"They already have."

=

"Mom, can you make it back to the house on your own?" As he speaks, Squee performs a quick once-over on the gasping woman clinging like a burr to his chest. His face betrays him, showing the extent of the damage done even as he keeps his voice upbeat, a stream of happy reassurances pouring out with the rain even as his eyes confirm a far more dire prognosis. "Johnny and I need to, um, talk."

"Who—" Her voice fractures in her collapsed throat, and she chokes and dry heaves until her face is purple with strain. 

Squee holds her until she calms. "Johnny's our neighbor, Mom. We've lived next to him since—for as long as I can remember."

"O-oh. He looks ni-ice. I-is he a friend o-of yours?"

Squee makes a face remarkably comparable to the one a particularly vehement guest made once after Johnny had made him swallow a pound of nails. "Just—go inside, Mom. Go see if Dad's awake, okay? See if he'll call 911 for you."

"Okay sweetie." Her voice is wet and crackling, like stiff paper going soft beneath a steady drip of water. He recognizes the sound, and suspects now that he may have squeezed too hard. But she had insulted him, hadn't she? Called him a fucking monster. How could he let that go without proper retaliation?

"And tell Dad I'll be in in a min—oh festering whore tits, your eyes are bleeding."

"Don't swear, honey." 

"Sorry. Johnny?"

He can't help but flinch. "Yes?"

Squee swallows, looking almost frightened before setting his jaw and glaring hard at him. "You are going to go in your house, sit your ass down on your couch, and you are going to stay the fu—stay there until I can get Dad to give me the keys so I can get Mom to the ER. See, betcha I gotta do it 'cause Dad is an incompetent, loveless douche with a heart of coal. But I'm gonna do it fast, 'cause you and I? We need to talk."

"I—" 

Squee got him off with a sharp gesture. "Uh-uh. Not today. Not gonna play that game. Get in your house."

He got in his house.

=

"Slavery is inherent in all things, Johnny. It is only a question of to what. Once before you were selected to be a Flusher—"

"And I failed. Miserably, I might add."

The Burger Boy shook its head firmly. "You excelled."

"Clearly we're remembering my experiences in the After Life differently."

"Clearly you forget what kind of monster was imprisoned behind that wall."

"I never saw it. I died before I had the chance."

"It doesn't matter whether you saw it or not! What you had to do to keep it locked up should tell you more than enough."

"I—"

"I think somebody with a say in things liked what you were doing down here. Otherwise, why else tether you to this particular yoke a second time? If your memories of what Satan said to you are correct, you are practically the very antithesis of Flusher material!" It hobbles towards him, it's ungainly waddle exacerbated by its missing arm. Drool spills freely from between jutting fangs that cut at its lips with every overeager exclamation. "Take a good look at me, boy. The very moment the System slapped the manacles back on your wrists it began to take me as well. These changes are the result of your inaction."

His reflections smile bitterly. "You claim to be mine one minute and admit you're not the next. One or the other; it can't be both."

It stares at him with a steady, curious expression. "Can't it? The System is trying to take me from you. That is one truth. Another is that I am fighting it as best I can. Just as your Doughboys did, not so long ago."

He sneers and says nothing.

"I am resisting," the Burger Boy continues, "but I cannot win. The changes done to this form you've assigned me are the result of every foot of ground lost. You must see how much faster the transformation is in me compared to the Doughboys! You must understand that you are no longer a mere Flusher! For the Wall Monster remembers how effective it was to use your own madness against you, and now an eye is upon you, Johnny! The merciless, unflinching eye of the System in its entirety, and the System is more powerful than either of us can possibly comprehend."

He locks his fingers around the lip of the sink to keep from shaking. Slowly, the words trickle out of his mouth, pooling in a pile of warm paranoia in the drain. "Everything you say only goes to prove how much they have already conquered you, taken you from me and twisted you into some… thing. Some monster braying about hope even as it settles its jaws around my neck." 

He drops his gaze from the figurine, from the mirror, afraid of the triumph he knows he will find there. "I can't trust you."

The Burger Boy positively beams. "Now you're catching on."

=

"Nailbunny, what should I do?"

resist

"Who? Who do I fight? Him? The System?"

resist

"Whether I like it or not, he's my only source of information. Even if he's manipulating me, he at least has the decency to forewarn me, unlike his predecessors. If push comes to shove, I think I could beat him. But what—what if he's telling the truth? What if he can help me?"

resist

resist

"Nailbunny?"

resist

resist

resist

resist

resist

re—

=

"Please! Oh god, this hurts so much! Stop!"

"Shut up. The machine's barely even warmed up."

The sobbing blob tied to one of many torture devices he keeps humming at the ready cringes as his hand floats above the dial. He allows himself a brief smile.

"W-what do you want? Jesus Christ, I just m-met you! What did I even do?!"

He opens his mouth, a speech rife with injustice suffered under the merciless hands of a society dead from the neck up on the tip of his tongue, only to find himself unable to remember who this woman is and why he has her strapped into the Needler.

He laughs, and turns the dial up anyway.

=

—sist

=

The baby, the child, the dull-eyed little girl releases its iron grip on his sleeve and forgets him instantly, yet the mother perseveres, eager to speak with another human being. It seems he has no choice but to participate in a conversation with this woman until his stop, as every other seat is taken. And besides, it would be rude to just stand up and walk away.

You could kill her.

He frowns and ignores the voice, but nevertheless finds it unsettling. Meat's all for living and talking and eating and fucking and being an actual human, not murder. This is very out of character. Still pondering over it, he glances at the woman and finds her staring at him, expecting something from him.

"What?" he asks, itching to put his headphones on again. He really likes the piece vibrating against his collarbone. 

"Where did you buy your shirt?" the woman asks, as if she's repeating herself. She probably is.

He peels his eyes away from her surgically swollen lips long enough to glance down at himself. Black and gray, with an obnoxious splash of color amid the stripes that makes his head hurt. He doesn't recognize it.

"I, uh, don't remember," he says.

"Oh, that's too bad! My little brother loves that show."

He nods mutely, allowing his thumb to play with the volume of his CD player. The woman keeps talking, and Carl Orff rages at fate in a whispered rise and fall of Latin and violins.

The girl touches his hand again, and he accepts without protest that he will kill these two in their matching summer dresses with an eager blare of trumpets.

=

"Slavery to a broken machine or slavery to life and all its pains and pleasures." Meat touches his arm with its remaining hand. Through his sleeve, he can feel its dampness, its heat. "Decision time is now or never, Nny."

He laughs. "I am a broken machine."

=

Sometimes other people appear in the mirrors. Just brief flashes, overlapping the current other-self dominating the rest, and he knows it's foolish, but he can't help but wonder.

What is it like to have friends?

=

"—and it's being called the worst crime in the tri-county area since the café massacre two years ago. With twenty-seven dead at the scene and another twelve in critical condition, we here at the Channel 4 News Network can't help but agree. What do you think of it, Jeff?"

"It's a real atrocity, Nadine. The man who did this must be a real psycho, a total monster."

"Oh yes. And speaking of the killer, a woman—who has asked to remain anonymous—has stepped forward, claiming to have been at the club when the murders were committed. She also claims to be the one who halted the massacre by shooting the killer three times, despite having already been wounded."

"It is true a thus-far unidentified blood sample was recovered from the scene, as well as the bullets matching the woman's gun, but nothing conclusive has been determined yet. However, the woman has agreed to meet with a sketch artist once she's recovered from the attack, and a drawing of the killer will be sent to all media coverages when available."

"In the meantime, if anyone has any information regarding the killer or his whereabouts, we would appreciate it if you would call the number at the bottom of the screen. Please, don't hesitate—"

The reporter's face freezes for an instant before exploding in a supernova of white noise. Jolted out of a daydream, he instinctively reaches for the remote to mute the atrocious sound, but pauses before letting his hand fall. 

The sound is… oddly pleasant.

He leaves it on for three days.

=

He decides to call it Reverend Meat. It just… seems to fit.

=

He pauses at the couch only briefly, wondering what happened outside and what kind of reaction he should be having, but his legs give out and once he hits the floor it doesn't seem to matter anymore. Something skitters away, startled by the sound and vibrations of his body striking the wood. A minute passes or maybe five before it skitters back, probing his fingers with inquisitive antennae. His nerves won't respond to the signals his brain sends, to flinch away or crush the insect before it has a chance to grow bolder. He panics briefly, fear and helplessness clawing their way through his chest cavity, but then, as if a switch is flipped inside him, he relaxes.

The insect, whatever it is, takes a cautious nibble at the calloused tip of his ring finger. There is a tiny flash of pain, but no instinctive recoil from the source of the hurt. He is truly unable to move, than. The insect continues to bite, finding the outer layers of his skin tasty enough to merit further excavation. A second insect, crawling out of some unseen hole beyond his limited vision, joins the first, and is quickly followed by a third, a fourth, a dozen, too many to differentiate by feel alone and before he knows it an entire colony of carnivorous insects are biting into him, eating his flesh, burrowing under his clothes, his skin, crawling in his mouth and into his soft, wet insides, and he can't do anything to stop it.

It hurts, God it hurts, and he thinks wildly to himself that if he manages to live through this he will never ever strap a jar of bugs between another guest's teeth, ever again, because this is beyond torture, beyond ironic justice, beyond what words can describe: it just fucking hurts.

But then they reach his spinal cord and, like a city-wide power outage, his pain receptors begin to shut down, and then it's only the sounds of thousands of tiny mouths chewing. Until the insects turn their attention to his face, at least, being eaten alive isn't quite as bad as movies would lead him to believe. It's certainly slower, for one thing, and it lacks the nerve-wracking horror soundtrack, but perhaps that's for the better. The sounds he does hear are far from pleasant: squishing and crunching and gnawing and if he still had a stomach it'd probably be heaving by this point. He can see nothing but the dusty edge of darkness beneath his couch, but it's easy to imagine how gruesome he must look.

He's seen the results of this kind of thing with his own eyes, after all.

By the time they reach his head, they have already chewed through something vital in his chest and nowhere can he feel anything, any ache any pain any sadness any anger any loneliness and God is that an improvement. Consciousness fades to a dull spark somewhere in his increasingly exposed ribcage, perhaps somewhere just behind his collarbone, and he is hollowed out as rapidly as a properly upgraded power tool can scoop the mush out of a pumpkin. He is home to a colony of army ants, or a vast nest of ravenous, newborn spiders. That buzzing he hears could be the many vibrating wings of mating flies, or the first comb of a beehive being constructed among his bones. Certainly this is some species of insect that won't hesitate to swarm over a piece of meat—however stringy—before it has a chance to defend itself. Maybe it's even a school of land-bound piranha. He can imagine all sorts of culprits and has little trouble believing in all of them.

He wonders if honey from a human hive would be any good, but immediately discards the idea, revolted. He's practically thinking cannibalism here! Or, rather, self-cannibalism. Can a person self-cannibalize when they no longer have a digestive system? He'll have to try that sometime.

He wonders.

"Johnny?"

He blinks with magically undevoured eyelids, and is whole.

=

Sometimes, if he focuses hard enough, long enough, on these days when others flicker by in the mirrors, sometimes these flickers steady, become memorable faces, re-memorable people. And if memory serves, most of these people are dead.

The implications leave him with aching knuckles.

=

"I am not a monster."

"You just keep telling yourself that. Hey, maybe if you wish hard enough it might even come true one day!" Meat cackles and kicks his toothbrush into the toilet bowl.

"I wasn't always like this. I haven't always lived here. I haven't always been alone."

"How can you be so sure?”

Frustrated. Does he really have to state the obvious?

"No one is born knowing how to speak or read or write, or how to drive a car, or how to use money. Inherent knowledge is limited in humans. I may no longer have the memories of being taught, but the result is still the same. I know how to mix paints because I probably took classes in high school. I know how to use a camera, order dinner at a restaurant, do my own laundry, because someone else was there to teach me. Fuck, someone hated me enough to give me you."

"Who?"

"What?"

"Who gave me to you?" Meat's smile tries to appear kind, yet it is condescending, as if it is speaking to a child. "It's a simple enough question, dear boy."

"I—you said it was a girl—that we—" He swears. "You know I don't remember."

"Who gave you an understanding of the English language? Where is the license that proves you once passed a test at the DMV?"

"I—"

"Can you prove that you did not simply read the directions in some art books, or on the camera's packaging, or in a Laundromat? Perhaps, on the same strange whim that made you steal some Styrofoam Pillsbury Doughboy figurines, you came across my body yourself?"

"You said—"

"I thought you didn't trust me."

His knuckles burn white.

"Well, Johnny?"

"You know I can't prove any of that."

Meat's eyes glitter with delight. "Then, dear Johnny, how can you be so sure?"

=

At the edge of a stage bright with colored lights, he curls his hands around a microphone and smiles. The audience—

so many eyes watching him, and yet he couldn't be more relaxed

—has hushed; yet their screams still ring in his ears. 

He is not alone on this stage.

He doesn't dare turn to see who is playing softly behind him, afraid it'll be people the mirrors have shown him that are alive in some other Johnny's life but dead dead dead in his. His heart pounds, and for once the ache in his throat feels good. This is all so wonderfully terrifying, sickeningly familiar. Has he dreamed this before?

He comes to a stop inches from the audience's reaching hands. Good God, he has them right in the palm of his hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he breathes into the microphone, and every spark of life in this vast room is shining its light on him, and it is all so beautiful, so perfect, so alien. 

"What we have here is a moral conundrum."

=

"Bunny, I'm worried."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one. But really, there's so much to worry about. Please, elaborate for me."

"I haven't gone anywhere I might run the chance of killing someone in months. Just drive-thrus and that fully automated shopping center. Until recently, the only other people I've interacted with haven't bothered me or have been out of reach. It's only been these past couple weeks I've attempted anything more. Walking in parks, public transportation. You know."

"I know."

"What I can't figure out is how I ended up in that club at all."

The television is on, too low to be heard. In its pale blue glow, he carefully touches his chest, wincing when his fingers press against three tender circles: one on his sternum, another between his sixth and seventh ribs, and the last just beneath his ribcage. Tiny puckered scars ache in the center of each purple bruise.

"If I remember correctly, you recognized something who went inside and followed after."

"Why would—that doesn't sound like something I'd do."

"You stalked Devi for nearly a year."

He scowls. "Unnecessary, Bunny."

"Is it?"

He thumps his boots onto the coffee table and says nothing. Bunny presses on.

"It was a woman. Short hair, glasses, surprisingly compassionate to your… cause."

"Wait, do you mean that one woman with that shitty boyfriend I Tazered once? When I saw that movie—"

"Yes."

"Wow, really? I figured the Wall Monster got her after reality collapsed." He taps his chin thoughtfully. "What was her name? Did it start with a… a T?"

"Tess."

"Yeah!" He pauses. "She… recognized me first."

"Uh-huh."

"She practically ran into the building. They didn't even card her. She must have been a regular."

"Or she worked there."

"Or she worked there," he agrees. "That anyone could recognize me—" he trails off. A beat passes, and he continues on a different vein. "But what set me off? What caused me to break again, after I'd been doing so well?"

"That shouldn't be your chief concern, Johnny."

He looks at the disembodied rabbit head, little more than a skull now, and tiny and fragile-looking without it's maggot-riddled skin. "Oh?"

"You should be asking why you were sent back again."

=

Those other people in the mirror, those strangers, those friends, those dead bodies in motion, would sometimes pause beside his reflection. They smile, laugh; get mad and fight back and actually live; attack and be attacked; get scared and fight back and die. Some of it looks fun, some of it looks ridiculous. A lot of it scares him, more than he'd like to admit.

He wishes one of them would notice him.

His fingers touch glass.

[jbbuckybarnes]

Petal Light - 6/7

Pairing: Bucky x Reader (Petal) Summary: Hydra has taken over, there is surveillance everywhere and you need to stay covered or inside as much as possible. The Avengers slowly begin to form a resistance with civilians to start taking down Hydra bit by bit. Who thought your mind would be occupied with a little light that runs all around the compound? Warnings: Fluff, angst, mentions of dead parents, A/N: This is not beta read, but I hope you’ll enjoy it anyway!

M A S T E R L I S T | Petal Light Masterlist

You woke up next to somebody else and heard a little grumble. Opening your eyes you scanned everything around you, realizing you were in Bucky’s room, with Bucky and Eva. You smiled at both of them sleeping cuddled together. She probably wanted to have both of you close to her when she saw both of you asleep on the couch. Maybe you were a little into the idea of being with Bucky and parenting Eva. This was serene and comfortable.

“Petal?” Friday said on a low volume. “Hm?” you grumbled. “We have a confirmed match with her mother. In the south of Manhattan, deceased.” she answered and you didn’t anticipate the tears filling your eyes. “Mark her father as Hydra,” you answered with your lips trembling. Bucky’s eyes peaked open, seeing you hugging your legs, streaks down your cheeks. “Hey, darling, what’s up?” he came closer, putting his arms around you. “Her mom is gone, her dad is Hydra.” you murmured and leaned back against him. “We can do this, promise,” he whispered before planting a kiss onto your temple. “Yeah...we.” you mumbled turning yourself towards him. “So...is she gonna have my last name or yours?” he tried to lighten up the mood. “Let her decide,” you smiled up at him. “Since she clearly likes me more…” he started and you squinted at him. “This is not a discussion, we’re mom and dad now.” you looked up at him very serious. “And I didn’t even get the fun part of it.” he muttered and then his eyes widened, realizing he had said that out loud. “James Buchanan Barnes, you dirty motherf-,” you giggled. “Literally.” he said wiggling his eyebrows. “Not YET!” you squinted at him again. “Is that so?” he smiled down at you. “If you’re a good idiot for the rest of those 15 years.” you grinned wide. “Oh? We’re suddenly a married couple?” he raised an eyebrow and you laughed. “Well, I think I don’t mind waking up to you two every morning.” you murmured. “I don’t mind carrying you to bed after every mission,” he said with his hand going through your hair. “I don’t mind if you shut it right now and gimme a good kiss, casanova.” you reached out to caress his face. “Petal! There are children around!” he said wide eyed before chuckling and dipping his head down to kiss you softly. “Hmm, who would’ve thought an insult and a child would bring me to this.” you mumbled against his lips, getting a hum back. “I’m crushing on you since you kicked Zemo across a conference room.” he whispered turned on. “Oh, really?” you whispered and traced his arms. “Yeah.” He bit his lip before giving you another kiss. “Eva?” “Yeah?” she looked up attentive. “I’ll have to tell you something.” you said with a frown. “Mommy isn’t coming back.” She sensed what you thought and started crying when you nodded slightly with tears in your eyes. “It’s okay, angel. Let it out.” you cooed and let her cry for as long as she needed. Steve walked into the room with the blaring cry of Eva and frowned concerned after seeing you cry too. “It’s okay, you’re allowed to cry, baby bug,” you said kissing her head. “I want mommy back.” she yelled and Bucky made a beeline for the common area hearing that. “Bunny, it’s okay.” he murmured into her ear while hugging you both close to him. Steve joined in with the hug, making Eva and you feel safer. “I want mommy!” she wailed and threw herself around. “Friday? Sort out a children’s therapist.” Wanda frowned, immediately reading the situation. “We’ll protect you, Eva. You’re not alone.” she cooed giving her comforting touches. After 30 minutes the cries seized and changed to exhausted sleep.

-

“You’re my momma now, right?” she looked up at you later in the day after being soothed and distracted. It was as if she had already silently coped and knew all this time that this message would come. As if she knew the bad things her parents did. Her father Hydra, her mother leaving her behind. Almost being able to build a wall between that. That’s also why she decided to call you her new parents. She just knew. If this was going to continue, you’d have to check with a therapist if she might have actual powers. Would explain why her mom left her and didn’t take her with her. But that was just a random thought process. “If you want me to be.” you looked down at her while helping her with her little lego castle. “And Jamie is my daddy? He’s a good daddy, not like my other daddy.” she mumbled and you frowned. Yeah, she knew her actual mommy was gone because of her dad. “Yeah, he loves you a lot,” you said before kissing her head. “And where is mommy now?” she looked up. “Your mommy is in a place that forms after her own imagination. Whatever she thinks about exists in that world and she is safe where she is now,” you explained to her. “And daddy?” she asked. “Daddy did some bad things. Really bad things. I hate to say this but you’ll understand this once you’re older.” you rubbed her back. “Can I have Hoppy?” she asked with grabby hands and you leaned across the table to get her little bunny plush. “If you want more plushies, you just need to ask, bunny.” you smiled at her hugging the thing close to her body for comfort. “I want a bigger bunny,” she whispered with big eyes. While you had your personal little crisis going on the rest of the team had gotten NYC back, Toronto being next, D.C. being the end goal. You were still involved in planning and training, but mostly staying in the compound. You had a child to take care of, but you got her to participate in a few of your self defense classes and let her learn some basic first aid things. Your goal was to distract her, talk to her when she asked things about her parents, let her heal, explain death to her and just letting her have a life that was as normal as it could be around the Avengers in the middle of a Hydra infested country. “Buck? Let’s give her a day with some change. We have a lake right in front of the compound, c’mon. Picnic?” you looked up at him after a training session. He grabbed your waist, planting a kiss onto your lips and hummed, “Sounds good to me.” “You can show her which plant is which and which ones she can eat. She’ll love it.” you smiled. “We should teach her swimming too. In the pool of course, in the lake would be kinda bad.” he mumbled before giving you another kiss. “Hmm, you’re a sexy dad, you know that?” you murmured. “You told me a few times in the last two weeks, yeah.” he grinned. “Can’t wait for us to have a free day.” you winked up at him and watched him shift his weight at the hinting. “Not that a supply closet and 10 minutes wouldn’t work.” he whispered into your ear. “Didn’t think a man of your time would be so careless with something so special.” you said fake shocked. “Babe, we live in the middle of international and personal hell. I think the only good thing in it is possibly-" banging you in a closet, "I’m gonna stop myself right there.” he squinted at his own words and made you giggle. “Idiot.” “Your idiot.”

[koiyyo]

hnng i want to request a lot of things but i’m scared to but!!! how would the classes play animal crossing and/or their favorite villagers if it wouldn’t be too hard! thank u

hi, mod kiwi here! thanks for the ask, anon- don’t be afraid to ask us whatever!! :)

(also me and irusu r really cool and helped) -mod corn

here we go! animal crossing time!

dr1 cast!

makoto

- plays daily- his favorite villager is probably poppy- his favorite special villager is shrunk- silly axolotl man- got really confused the first time one of his tools broke- almost started crying- invites every animal he meets into his island no matter what- does EVERY favor villagers ask of him - actually likes bunny day and thinks the eggs are adorable

kyoko

- only got it because makoto BEGGED her to get it- her favorite villager is judy she’s hella cute- her favorite special villager is sable - just chilling- tons of purple flowers on her island - doesn’t like peppy villagers, feel like they’re too hyper for her- puts a lot of care into her villagers doe- likes going to a mystery island and just investigating,,, unless it has tarantulas

byakuya

- surprisingly really likes animal crossing- acts like he doesn’t- his favorite villager is raymond… of course- his favorite special villager is tom nook- chased around makoto holding an axe one time- makoto was literally crying- makoto thought that you could actually kill people with axes in animal crossing- byakuya found this amusing

sayaka

- actually enjoys ac a lot- her favorite villager is chrissy, she just has awesome vibes- her favorite special villager is mabel cause she’s,, blue,, - loves taking videos/pictures of villagers singing- tries to hum along,, fails- her islands are always covered in tons of flowers (mostly blue!!)- enjoys inviting people to her island and showing them around

junko

- takes ac too seriously- her favorite villager is definitely audie cause she’s an embodiment of fashion statement- her favorite special villager is sable cause who doesn’t love clothing- harasses mukuro to come to her island anytime she plays- will dig holes everywhere whenever someone visits- her house should be in a magazine it’s so pretty,,- new outfit for everyday of the month- hosts fashion shows religiously with her friends or anyone she can get her hands on

mukuro

- doesn’t really play just sits back and watches junko- plays on her save every now and then doe- favorite villager is vivian since she reminds her of junko- favorite special villager is sable- doesn’t like talking to villagers, feels like they're judging her- if a villager pisses her off she makes plans to kill them- she can’t, so she settles for bonking them until they leave

chihiro

- avid ac fan- favorite villager is sheldon, he can respect the hustle- favorite special villager is isabelle cause she’s precious- cries if he accidentally hurts a villagers feelings- is hella rich- loves decorating around the villagers’ house as best he can- his island is more nature themed,, its just more relaxing- takes tons of scenic pictures, mostly with mondo and taka

mondo

- “i would never play a BABY game”- next thing he knows, he’s up at 3 am whispering how cute the villagers are- favorite villager is tex he’s so chonky (and his taste in fashion is top tier)- favorite special villager is k.k cause Damn He Vibes- will constantly run over his flower and almost throw his console- asks chihiro for advice constantly- “h-how do i get.. good fish..”- quality bonding time- doesn’t tell people he plays but gushes about it in private

taka

- claims he doesn’t have time for it- he actually does,, and plays it any chance he gets- favorite villager is kid cat cause he’s so funky- favorite special villager is blathers since he teaches him a lot- can’t handle lazy villagers, they didn’t do anything wrong he just feels like they will slack off in his uptight town smh- doesn’t really care about designing his town, mostly completing tasks he needs to- likes having red flowers everywhere tho- will cry if he doesn’t get all the fish/insects he needs on time- beats up any visitor that leaves something on the ground

toko

- attempted to buy Doom instead- favorite villager is coco, she’s just so cute/creepy- favorite special villager is jack he vibes- hates interacting with her villagers cause she feels like she’ll mess it up- tried to get byakuya to let her on his island, or for him to visit hers- is very thorough about decorating her island- tries to have a story behind it so it feels more unique- always ugly sobs when her flowers end up gone

jill

- attempted to buy AC instead, she won- favorite villager is lucky, feels like he has serial killer vibes- favorite special villager is jack- runs over any flowers that toko tries to plant- tries to make the island scary themed- if any villager “looks at her wrong” she harasses them daily- leaves them gruesome letters even tho they cant understand

hiro

- doesn’t even know how he got a copy he just does- favorite villager is sherb- favorite special villager is wisp since he likes getting stuff, he likes harvey too- doesn’t bother putting effort into designing his island- only plays while high so he thinks the villagers are kinda scary- “why are they,, staring at me like that,,,”- has never repaid his debt to tom nook

hina

- her brother was the one who introduced her to the series, loves it- favorite villager is ketchup cause shes cute and can swim!!- favorite special villager is gulliver since he’s goofy- loves fishing anytime she can- always plays when she wakes up early in the morning and before bed- anytime she gets something new she acts like a child on christmas- thinks all villagers are cute and got pouty when she couldn’t have them all on her island- can never outrun tarantulas ):

sakura

- loves playing when hina is around- her favorite villager is maddie, reminds her of hina- favorite special villager is daisy mae she’s just really cute- hina helps her decorate her island since she doesn’t care that much- gets sad if she accidentally hits a villager- enjoys playing at night since it’s relaxing- constantly being stung by wasps pls help her

celeste

- favorite villager is portia she’s fancy as hell- favorite special villager is celeste duh- likes taking slow strolls through her museum to see her progress- her house is very victorian-esque- lots of tables with tea around her island- likes designing gothic clothes- anything on her island that can be black is - has a crime scene hidden on her island just for the hell of it

hifumi

- favorite villager is snooty, wants her to step on him- favorite special villager is isabelle- his island is only anime themed- has anime girl “posters” all over his house, and on his clothing- always gets stung by wasps and claims that it’s unfair- no one interacts with him

leon

- didn’t think he’d be into ac- favorite villager is leonardo- favorite special villager is k.k- doesn’t play this game very religiously- his island shows that smh- says he’ll break his console if he gets another sea bass- likes having a relaxing walk while playing to calm him down doe- outfit is just a baseball jersey

komaru

- favorite villager is felicity- favorite special villager is isabelle- likes playing with makoto and toko- her island is very cute, whenever someone tells her this she gets vry flustered- the shine in her eyes gets 10x brighter when she catches a big fish- loves staring at her aquarium- all her clothing is pastel and cute- has every type of tree on her island,, for the vibe

dr2!!

hajime

- enjoys ac- gets confused every 2 seconds doe- one time chiaki make rosie move out of hajime’s island as a prank. he will never forgive her for this- his favorite villager is rosie cuz she’s just adorable,, also vibes with kabuki- his favorite special character is flick. funky chameleon boy- grumbles about how he misses rosie constantly- loves tangy doe,, calls her orange juice

nagito

- loves to play with hajime and chiaki- only villagers that he likes ever move into his island bc of his luck- one time rosie moved into his island. hajime was fucking pissed- his favorite villager is ruby because she was one of his first animals to move into his island- his favorite special character is jack- likes having green flowers everywhere- got every fish he needed too cause of his damn luck

chiaki

- had her hands on it the second the game was released. plays constantly- always has an absurd number of bells and nook miles- her favorite villager is lolly :”)- her favorite special character is blathers bc funny sleepy owl man- has never seen daytime cause she sleeps during the day- even if she’s lazy her island is gucci as hell- invites hajime to her island just to bonk him and leave him to fight wasps

ibuki

- camped outside of gamestop till it opened, screamed when she got her hands on a copy- her favorite animal is definitely bella- favorite special villager is k.k., attends all his concerts, and has all his songs- anytime she makes a mistake she’ll just yell “NO!”- is actually pretty calm playing- will give all the villagers wacky voices, ends up in snort laughter- doesn’t like fishing cause she always pulls the rod in to early- loves having colors EVEYRRYWRHERE

mikan

- favorite villager is fauna- favorite special villager is lable- anytime she gets stung she’s on top of it, has tons of medicine- cries when she does anything wrong- worries if her villagers judge her- sucks at fishing- all of her clothing has at least one (1) bandaid included cause why not- her actual villager has a bandaid on its face for the aesthetic™- loves when she’s sitting on a bench and a villager joins

mahiru

- has so many random photos of nature or villagers- favorite villager is tasha she’s vry cute!!- favorite special villager is pavé since HES flamboyant and good for pictures- her island is very aesthetic- tons of pretty flowers everywhere, and everything place is just aligned perfectly somehow- loves touring others islands, especially hiyoko’s- her outfit has a drawn on camera for the vibe

peko

- avid fan of animal crossing- if you cant interact with real life animals then games >>- favorite villager is all of them (but favors marshal more,, reminds her of fuyuhiko)- favorite special villager is isabelle- has never bullied or hit one (1) of her villagers, cherishes them too much- will send them letters saying how much she loves them from time to time- her island is very pretty and all her villagers are decorated outside- forgets to eat dinner or sleep cause she plays it so much

akane

- “how many things in the game can i eat”- favorite villager is katt cause she’s so INDEPENDENT- favorite special villager is jingle, always makes her excited- has a makeshift restaurant on her island- all her outfits have food somewhere on them- every fruit tree she can get she has, she requires food 24/7- constantly threatens to fight tom nook for putting her in debt

fuyuhiko

- FAV VILLAGER MARSHAL 100%- also pashmina cause she reminds him of natsumi- natsumi was the one who convinced him to get it, showed it to peko- now they play it every night together before bed- yells at villagers anytime they get in his way then apologizes profusely- peko has to help him design his island he just doesn’t get it- takes her on ac dates, they just stargaze or look at their aquariums- likes to talk to the villagers as if they can hear him,, will blush and deny if peko points it out

sonia

- favorite villager is tia because she “looks fancy”- favorite special villager is pavé- has tons of outfits related to disney princesses- her island is very modern looking, prefers stone things than wooden- has tons of fashion shows- everything about her island is clean and aligned- lets gundham visit a lot to check in on her cute villagers- hella rich has that bell cash money

kazuichi

- compliments sonia’s island everyday even if he hasn’t been allowed on it- favorite villager is freya, loves her colors- favorite special villager is harvey cause he vibes- screams anytime he gets a big fish- island lowkey looks like trash but sonia gives him advice amen- is pretty smart about wasps, but lacks iq with anything else like tarantulas- unironically celebrates the villagers’ birthdays- even if he’s feral he likes to take a chill pill and play ac

teruteru

- ew- favorite villager is merengue- favorite special villager is isabelle- tries to flirt with villagers through letters- all the villagers on his island are wamen- tried to buy nude qr codes,, failed- always has an apron on and has a little cafe on his island

imposter

- favorite villager is keaton since he’s funky- favorite special villager is blanca- scoffs anytime they miss an insect or fish- dedicated to ac after they said they wouldn’t be- their island is actually pretty well decorated, they enjoy having flowers everywhere- until they run over them and regret living

hiyoko

- favorite villager is soleil, tiny and cute- favorite special villager is jack- mahiru suggested ac to her and then she got obsessed- always bullies her villagers, its a miracle they haven’t moved out- pitfall seeds buried all over her island for poor, unsuspecting visitors- her island is akin to hell no one wants to visit her- its a shame since its so pretty tho- likes visiting places with mahiru and letting her take photos- enjoys spinning to pretend she’s dancing

gundham

- his favorite villagers are all the hamsters- his favorite special villager is daisy mae- has played since the first game, religious fan of it- never been rude to one of his villagers- takes designing very seriously and it pays off- despite his very colorful island his outfits are pretty dark- walks around sonia’s island a lot and they stargaze sometimes- played it for 24 hours straight once, almost died- goes on to ac forums and starts flame wars with anyone that bullies their villagers (mainly hiyoko)

nekomaru

- plays every now and then, loves it a lot- favorite villager is kevin since he vibes- favorite special villager is jingle, gets him hyped- anytime a villager starts singing he’ll yell “YOU’RE DOING GREAT”- doesn’t know how to decorate,, at all,,- his house is just another storage room to him- is in tons of debt due to tom, would rather buy expensive stuff with his bells- yells when fishing. doesn’t matter if its a big fish or not, he just does- will hype up someone when he goes to their island

dr v3!

shuichi

- kaede convinced him to get it and loves it- favorite villagers are punchy and beau, he just thinks theyre funky- favorite special villager is flick cause he’s laid back- waterfalls all over his island, says its a memorial to the waterfalls of tears he loses every night- visits his friends islands a lot- has tons of blue flowers and hasn’t ruined them once amen- kokichi ruined them once though. he cried- island is very aesthetic since it’s mostly nature themed- cries happy tears when villagers do ANYTHING- cherishes anything his friends gift him- except for kokichi, he sent him a threat and a shirt saying “nerd”

maki

- doesn’t tell a lot of people she plays it, very shy about it- favorite villager is cherry- favorite special villager is celeste- everything on her island is red and pink- even if she’s tough on the inside she loves having a cute island- has a place specifically to sit and watch the stars (mainly for when kaede and/or kaito is with her)- gets overly defensive when people ask why she loves her villagers so much- “I JUST-” sobs “DO”- gets bullied by kokichi for anything she does while playing- resulted in a broken arm and trampled flowers. F

himiko

- only plays at night until tenko convinces her to wake up earlier- favorite villager is bob- favorite special villager is k.k- just likes vibing doesn’t take anything to seriously- tries her best for her outfits to resemble a magician- preforms “magic” shows ( it’s really just her throwing down items and claiming it appeared magically )- tenko and angie drag her all across their islands daily, acts like she doesn’t love it but its the main reason she still plays- anytime she gets something new she just shrugs- doesn’t like zipper and tenko has to assure her it isn’t a murderer tracking her location

kaede

- favorite villager is bianca- favorite special villager is k.k, unironically likes his music- has a piano in every room of her house- pretends to play said pianos for friends that are visiting- rainbow flowers everywhere- except red because she gives those all to maki- convinces people to have fashion shows with her, no actual winners, but they all win in her heart- plays it a lot in her free time, kind of addicted- likes to hum along with singing villagers- everything about her island is just hella cute

rantaro

- “whats an animal crossing”- and ever since that day he’s been a religious fan, amen- favorite villager is chief, likes making “that ain’t it chief” jokes- favorite special villager is k.k, will listen to his music whenever he’s staring off into space- his island is lazily made but still looks so good??- will just stare at butterflies before remembering he should catch them- “what’s the point of an ocean if i can’t sail it bro..”- loves playing at night cause of shooting stars- always wishes for kokichi to stop sending him hate letters

kirumi

- favorite villager is whitney and tia since theyre,, cool n chill- favorite special villager is isabelle- her house and island are 100% CLEAN- has a zen garden behind her house- anytime someone visits her island she offers them tea- treats the villagers like her own family- likes sending them letters with perfect grammar, just pleases her soul- has never gotten stung by a wasp her iq is large- her outfit looks like a maid amen- kokichi always ask her to clean his island, never happened

ryoma

- favorite villager is rasher- favorite special villager is kicks- doesn’t get the appeal of ac- will play it for like 5 minutes tops- enjoys the fishing aspect doe- anytime he visits someones island he will just sit on the shore and stare out into the ocean- thanks god that his villager is the same height as all the animal ones, now he isn’t short (:

korekiyo

- body outlines, blood, and bloody summoning ritual circles everywhere on his island- favorite villager is lucky- favorite special villager is jack and blathers- keeps scary looking fish in his house- said house is dark and probably has an occult book somewhere- curses his villagers in an unknown language whenever they forsake him- every screenshot of a villager he has includes him behind a tree staring menacingly at them- doesn’t invite people to his island, people don’t even wanna come- if he somehow ends up on somebody's island he’ll stalk them- became an urban legend on all the ac forums

angie

- her favorite villager is ankha- favorite special villager is isabelle and jingle- anytime a villager moves in she says “atua has blessed angie with a cute villager!”- likes yellow flowers- her outfit is just a smock with paint on it amen- sends people and villagers letters wishing them good health every. single. day.- likes tagging along with tenko and himiko whenever they do something- loves chasing butterflies

tenko

- was very hyped over the game since everybody else hyped it up- favorite villager is nibbles and cookie they’re just VIBING- favorite special villager is isabelle (screams anytime she is on screen)- will wake up himiko or angie at 3 am to flex the big fish she just got- got rich just to buy them gifts- anytime a guy is in her presence she bonks them with a net- this is the reason she has no male villagers, and no males invited. periadt.- has matching outfits with da girls- grows lots of flowers (mainly to give to her friends amen)- cherishes this game cause it gives her an excuse to spend time with da girls

miu

- favorite villager is olivia - favorite special villager is shrunk- constant sex jokes- her outfit looks like a stripper deadass- harasses people about not knowing how to play when she, herself, does not have a damn clue- almost ruined her console cause she’ll spit out her drink when she gets a big fish- everything she does is feral- never stops running so she doesnt have flowers- kokichi steals any flowers she may have anyway- decorating? whats that? just throw random stuff on ur island

gonta

- his favorite villager is joey cause he’s funny looking and trying his best- his favorite special villager is blathers- island looks pretty natural, just dirt paths every now and then- will hunt down an insect even if he has it already- was sad he had to give up his insects to blathers, then realized... he can catch them again!!- has a garden and always gets excited when butterflies fly around- golden net to show off how much of a pro he is at collecting insects- gets shy anytime someone visits but his islands so cute,,

kaito

- favorite villager is apollo because he’s named after the apollo 11- favorite special villager is harvey, can respect his vibes- likes walking around with maki and shuichi- tries his best to play it but he’s kinda dumb,,- whenever gets something new he loses all his brain cells in excitement- will probably never pay tom nook back. he is clueless about even being in debt.- mostly plays before bed cause he stares at the stars- will send maki pictures of shooting stars even if its 2 am- island is pretty natural since he forgets to decorate it,,

kokichi

- favorite villager is pietro cause he always compares him to people- loves all the mouse villagers- favorite special villager is jack and blanca- all over his island is just. holes and pitfall seeds.- has fallen into the holes plenty of times himself- sends all of his friends letters, which just consist of him making fun of them- tons of carnival things around his island since “ur invited to the circus clown”- his house looks like jail for no reason- clowns others for having poor taste in fashion when he just cosplays a RAT- also has an outfit that looks like a trash can xoxo

kiibo

- favorite villager is ribbot, they’re practically the same- favorite special villager is snowboy and blathers- anytime he reads text its so robotic,, hella funny to whoever's playing with him- everything also confuses him- “what is a .. c+??”- is actually very efficient and paid off his tom nook debts in no time- respects his villagers a lot and will give them gifts- his favorite part is chasing butterflies, usually misses tho- accidentally shot a gift balloon over water, searched for it for over 10 minutes- anytime someone does something he just does a happy emote @ them,,

tsumugi

- favorite villager is tasha she’s a bad bithc- favorite special villager is blanca- has so many different outfits as different anime characters- her island is so well decorated- loves taking aesthetic screenshots with her anime outfits- takes commissions for designing clothing amen- runs an ac instagram just to flex how pretty her things are- actually enjoys the game a lot, especially with other people

i fucking hate tumblr formatting - mod irusu who edited this

[alexboehm55144]

Alex Final Wars 2: Dark Alex, Chapter 21 - Rebuilding

I’m back with another exciting update for you guys! Before we get started I would like to thank JKnight97 for beta reading this chapter. Seriously dude, you are better than any automated program or grammar check software! Now, let us return to our heroes…..

0000000000000

The Chinese forces had been routed from Zootopia, but they had done immense damage to the city. Hundreds of structures had been blasted or destroyed, and rubble littered many streets. Wrecked Chinese ships sat in the bay; the fallen bodies of soldiers from both sides of the battle lay on the ground before being recovered; inoperable military vehicles were either crushed or broken down for scrap metal.

Instead of making another decisive strike on the Chinese, Heroes decided to stay and help out the rebuilding efforts in Zootopia. Once again, everyone took on a role, but instead of a combat mission, this time it was to help the wounded city. This was a place they knew and loved; they could not, in good conscience, leave the city behind laying in ruin.

Toothdee was helping a crew dismantle a few totaled armored vehicles. The munitions and explosives had been taken care of, but the carcasses of metal amidst the debris strewn around them still remained.

The young warrior was attaching cables to the vehicle wreckage so it could be lifted up by a crane, before she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Toothdee?”

She turned around to see Fabienne Growley behind her with a microphone and a cameraman. The camera was connected to a ZNN van, and an operator sat in the back, manning the screens and communications devices.

“Yes, Fabienne?”

“Would you be willing to give us a few moments of your time?”

“You want to talk to me?” Toothdee said, surprised she was being interviewed by a ZNN anchor.

“If you can, but if not that’s fine.”

“No, I can spare a few minutes of my time.”

The trio stepped away from the ruined armored transport. Fabienne gave a signal to the operator and he pressed some buttons inside the van.

“This is a live interview.” The news anchor said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, fine by me.” Toothdee said, fixing her fur up a bit to look good on camera, and taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

The operator gave Fabienne a thumbs up.

“Hello, this is Fabienne Growley reporting live from the ravaged streets of Zootopia. I am  joined by Toothdee, the Heroes warrior and combat expert” the feline said into the camera. “Could you tell us a bit more about the attack on Zootopia?”

“It was an all-out assault by the Chinese. Clearly, they wanted to take the city or inflict monumental damage. Luckily, we had multiple ships in the harbor, along with dozens of aircraft to help us in the fight.”

“What was the fighting like?”

“Intense,” said the warrior, as she maintained a serious tone that was appropriate for the current situation.  “Armored vehicles were heavily used, and the fact that we were in a city forced the enemy into close quarters combat. Thankfully, the US Marine Corps quickly responded and helped Heroes beat back the threat.”

“And we are all thankful for their speedy response. How much damage did the Chinese do to the city, and how are clean up efforts going?”

“Well as you can see...” Toothdee gestured to the demolished conveyances behind her. “A lot of damage has been inflicted on the city. Many buildings have been hit by munitions, and there are numerous demolished military equipment everywhere, some still containing live munitions. In the meantime we urge everyone to stay away from any area that has not been cleared of explosives or firearms. Heroes are assisting in clean-up operations, and soon, the city will be back to normal. It will take time, but we can repair all the infrastructure that was damaged during the battle for the city.”

“I know many citizens will be glad to have things back to the way they were. Is there anything else you would like to say?”

Toothdee looked straight at the camera and spoke clearly.

“I know many mammals out there are frightened now that the war has come home. But we can endure. This city has weathered threats before, and I know the people here possess a strong will. We can rise from the damage the Chinese inflicted on us, and we can survive anything else they throw at us.”

“Thank you for those kind words.”

Toothdee moved out of the way of the camera and breathed a sigh of relief. She hoped her words had inspired the residents of Zootopia, as hearts and minds are what win wars, and Toothdee really wanted to win this war. The Chinese had started this conflict, but the US would finish it, with Heroes being more than happy to help the country. As the young hero walked away to return to her work, she overheard Fabienne continuing to talk to the camera.

“Like she said, we can we can rally together from this devastating event, and show the Chinese they haven’t broken our spirit. Don’t forget that there is plenty you can do around the city to help with the war effort, or clean-up operations. However as mentioned, if you want to volunteer to clean up debris, please make sure the site has been cleared of dangerous material by military personnel .”

Toothdee continued working with the crew removing the armored vehicles, but within a few minutes, civilians started showing up and asking how they could help. Some mammals didn’t even wait for an invitation, and they started picking up debris and rubble and tossing it into a dumpster nearby. The area had been deemed safe, as it had already been cleared by specially trained personnel that had removed or destroyed any firearms ordinance they came across.

Toothdee was glad to see individuals so enthusiastically helping in clean up efforts, it gave her a sense of hope, and that all was not lost. She just hoped the Chinese wouldn’t make another assault on the city.

000

The ZPD had been working overtime since the Chinese attacked the city. Although the military had stepped in to help with security, they had other, more pressing needs pertaining to the war effort. Many officers had given their lives in defense of Zootopia, and the department had to continue to function with them gone. They needed to deter mammals trying to take advantage of the situation, and help civilian life function with parts of the city heavily damaged.

Nick and Judy had been stationed in an area of the rainforest district where some shops had been looted earlier, and they were keeping a vigilant watch. Heroes did pay them well, and it was a great way to make the world a better place, but the ZPD was where they belonged. Chief Bogo was alright with the two working with Heroes, possibly because they were still helping to enforce law and order in a broken world. Or it may be because the fox and bunny still functioned as police officers, except now they were donating their skills to Heroes, almost like an operator exchange program. Having two ZPD officers on the team really helped out with missions in Zootopia or other dense urban areas. No one was more familiar with the workings of cities than Nick and Judy. Both were also proficient in firearms usage as part of their ZPD training, so they knew how to handle tough situations.

However, they were bored today; sitting in their cruiser while keeping an eye out for illegal activity. Nothing had transpired in the hours they had been stationed in the rainforest district. The pair had been playing cards to pass the time, and right now they were in the middle of another game.

“Got any threes?” Nick asked.

“Go fish.”

The fox picked up another card from the deck and muttered about how boring this assignment was.

“Hey it’s all part of making the world a better place.” Judy said.

“Call Toothdee. Maybe she’ll have work for us?”

“She’s busy helping to clean up the city.”

“Oh, well, why don’t you tell me what’s been bothering you? I can tell you’re upset about something, Carrots.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about everyone’s dark counterparts, and what that means for us. If Dark Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde could be so evil, what’s stopping the same from happening to us?”

“Hmmm... I’m unsure how to respond to that....”

“Maybe we should take some precautions? Maybe there’s some way we can make sure that we don’t become like our counterparts.”

“Well, I think right now we should worry about stopping our counterparts. Then, we can worry about ourselves.”

“True, we can put this topic on the back burner for now. By the way, got any fives?”

“Go fish.”

The rabbit sighed and looked out the window towards a shop that had been damaged by gunfire from a Chinese aircraft.

“I don’t like what happened here.” Judy said, her ears drooping. “I wanted to help the world, help Zootopia, but now the city has been attacked.”

“I know, it’s depressing.” Nick said, putting down his cards. “I wish we could have done something different and prevented this.”

The duo sat in guilty silence for a moment, thinking about the destruction that had been unleashed upon Zootopia, and how it was somehow their fault. Looking into each other’s eyes, the pair instinctively reached out and hugged; Nick wrapping Judy in his tail while Judy nuzzled into his chest. They both wanted to stop their dark counterparts and the Chinese, while continuing to make the world a better place. It was a driving goal for both of them, and why they would stop at nothing until order had been restored.

“We’ll make it right, Carrots, I promise.”

000

Retsuko and Haida wanted nothing more than to go out and find a karaoke place to while away the night, but they had unfinished business aboard the Typhoon. Having previously worked in an office accounting department, their minds were finetuned machines capable of processing and managing vast amounts of numbers and information. Today, that meant dealing with reports and data of all types coming in from around Zootopia. Damage dealt to structures, disruption of normal operations for various organizations, info about the Chinese attack, among other topics. They had to sift through this mountain of information, so Heroes and Zootopia could better use it. Comprehensively analyzing the damage inflicted on the city would help destroyed areas return back to operating strength. Knowledge was power, and they were part of the process that allowed that fact to ring true.

While their job wasn’t as exciting as getting out in the field and fighting the enemy, it was an integral part of operations. Finished paper reports were organized in a neat pile by the entrance of the room they worked in, and electronic copies were sent to the people that needed them, and out into the Heroes database.

Haida had just finished sending a list of US casualties to a military officer, and he could feel the stress starting to set in.

Retsuko was busy working on a file relating to the cost of damages to a skyscraper, but the hyena figured she could use something to drink and eat.

“Tea and sushi?” Haida said, getting up and heading for the door. “A fresh shipment of supplies just arrived.”

“Yes, please.” The red panda responded, her eyes not moving from the computer screen.

Haida made his way to the Typhoon’s kitchen, which was better equipped than most military kitchens. Heroes had fully recognized that good food helped a warrior both physically and mentally, and as such the ship  was fully stocked with food for all species.

Placing a teapot on the stove and prepping the ingredients for the sushi, Haida reflected once again on how his current job was so much better than his last one. The bosses he had now didn’t yell at him, and were sure to thank him for his work. He could see that this was the same  for Retsuko, and Haida was happy to see his red panda girlfriend loving her job again.

Once the meal was ready, Haida set two cups of tea and a couple of plates of sushi on a wooden tray and returned to Retsuko, who had just finished the file she had been working on, and was pulling up a new one.

The smell of food broke Retsuko away from her work, and she spun around to enjoy the meal with her hyena.

“I made your favorite.” Haida said, giving his red panda her meal.

“Thank you, Haida.” Retsuko said, giving her boyfriend a kiss on the nose as thanks. The hyena blushed madly and nervously rubbed the back of his head. He tried in vain to create small talk.

“So... what have you been... uh.... working on?”

“Just some files about damaged structures. What about you?”

“Well, I finished a list of casualties. Unfortunately, there were a lot. You know, I like this job, but all this destruction does is make me stop and pause.”

“Me, too.” Retsuko said between sips of tea. “It’s not exactly cheerful, but it’s just something we must deal with.”

The hyena nodded before Retsuko smiled slightly. “Don’t tell me your thinking of leaving this job.”

“Of course not! I love this job! You know how much of an improvement it is over working in the accounting department.”

Retsuko giggled. “You know I was really thrown for a loop when we started working here, to the point where I actually made Toothdee a cup of tea, like I used to for the higher ups back at the office.”

“You did not!” The hyena laughed, nearly choking on his sushi.

“She had such a strange look on her face. She told me ‘you don’t need to do this.’ But she did appreciate the kind gesture.”

Haida laughed again and tried to imagine the look on Toothdee’s face.

“Although that doesn’t mean you can stop getting me tea, Haida.” Retsuko said, grateful for the fact that he had been thinking of her.

“Noted. Remember how I said all the destruction made me pause and think? I do take some solace in knowing that what we’re doing helps fix it.”

“All our work is not wasted. Without us, I don’t know exactly how much would get done.”

“I hope to see some improvements in Zootopia after I get through all these files. Someone better use them to repair the city!”

The pair finished their meal and Haida moved to clean up the dishes before Retsuko stopped him.

“I got this.” She said, putting the dishes on the tray. “You can get back to helping people by working on those files.”

“Ok, thank you, Retsuko.”

“No, thank you for the lovely meal, Haida.” The little red panda paused to stand on tip toe and planted a smooch on her surprised boyfriend’s mouth. She giggled as she exited the room, leaving a dazed and happy hyena in her wake.

000

The sun was setting on Zootopia, but many people continued to work to repair the broken city. Captain Boehm and some workers had just finished cleaning up concrete debris on a highway, allowing for faster travel for all mammals. The Captain had been working all day, and while there was still a lot to do, he was ready to go to bed. He sat down on a bench and almost fell asleep as he waited for JayJay to come pick him up with one of the vehicles from the Typhoon in order to take him back to the ship.

The wolf soon arrived, but she wasn’t driving a vehicle, instead she was walking down the street.

“JayJay? Where’s the car?”

“Actually, my place isn’t far from here. I figured we could walk there instead of having to go all the way back to the Typhoon. It would be a nice change of pace.”

“Eh... I’m not sure.”

Alex thought about how he wouldn’t have any of his personal effects. He didn’t like to be without his things.

“I think I have a spare toothbrush you can use, and a phone charger.”

“....uh... Alright, fair enough.”

“It’s a cozy little place, you’ll enjoy it.”

The pair began to walk towards the wolf’s apartment, while discussing what they had been doing that day. Both of them were exhausted from trying to help the city, as being a paragon for peace and order was not all about heroic missions into enemy territory.

“What projects did you work on today?” Alex asked as he watched his companion rub her shoulder.

“Helped a grocery store get back on its feet and some people to clean up their apartment block among other things. What about you?”

“Cleared some concrete debris off a highway and unloaded some emergency food supplies from a Red Cross truck.”

“I’m definitely gonna feel sore tomorrow.”

“By the way, is there a place for me to sleep at your apartment?”

“Sure, you can take the bed, I’ll have the couch.”

“What, I don’t want to kick you out of your bed. I’ll take the couch, I’m the guest after all.”

“That’s exactly why I want to give you the bed, so you can have a nice sleep while visiting my abode.”

“I can sleep fine on a couch, or even a floor with pillows.”

“You know, if you're comfortable with it, we could try sharing the bed,” JayJay hesitantly suggested. “I think it’s big enough for the both of us.”

“Erm… Okay, that seems fair. I just don’t want you to give up your bed for me.”

The pair arrived at the apartment complex and found their way to JayJay’s dwelling. The wolf opened the door to her apartment with a key and theatrically swept a paw to show off her place. The wolf’s apartment was very nice, and included amenities such as a bathroom and kitchen. Lots of items in the apartment were a bright color, which reflected the wolf’s upbeat personality, as evidenced by the clothes she wore.

Alex sat down on the couch, relieved that he was able to sit, while JayJay flipped on the lights.

“Do you want something to eat?” She asked, going into the kitchen and disappearing out of sight, “I have this nice little snack container I think you’d like.”

Alex turned on the TV and tried to find something for them to watch, eventually settling on a movie that was playing. The wolf came back with two cups of juice and a plastic container that was divided up into 6 sections, each of which had a different kind of snack. It had grapes, carrots, jerky, cheese, nuts, and crackers. JayJay sat down right next to Alex and the pair feasted on the delicious snack while drinking their juice and watching the TV. Both were overjoyed that they could spend time with each other, without needing to worry.

“I like this jerky.” Alex said, taking another piece from the container.

“So do I, wolves actually need protein to survive.”

“So do humans; we also need protein in our diet. Also, what makes living a little sweeter is having a nice wolf friend.”

“Aww, well life is certainly better when you're a wolf with a kind human friend.” JayJay concurred, her tail wagging in agreement.

As the pair watched TV and relaxed from their long day, JayJay eventually felt comfortable enough to rest her head on Alex’s shoulder. The Captain felt a soft form pressing against him. Enjoying the contact and wanting to do something in return, Alex reached over the sofa and put his arm around her, causing the wolf to sigh contentedly and wrap her tail around the two of them.

“Is this okay?” JayJay asked, not wanting Alex to feel nervous or uncomfortable. “Do you mind?”

“No, I don’t. Your fur’s all soft and warm. I mean.. uh..”

The Captain chuckled to himself and realized he was probably being a little too straightforward with his friend. He didn’t want to weird her out. But the wolf just snuggled closer, so he could feel more of her fur.

“This is nice.” JayJay said, closing her eyes and trying to fall asleep. But, without warning, the wolf picked up her head and planted a sweet kiss on the Captain's face. Both mammals blushed madly, being extremely nervous about what just happened. Eventually Alex managed to ask about what prompted this act of affection.

“Was that for luck?”

“No, that was for me.”

“Well, let me know if you need to do that again. I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

The pair continued watching movies till their eyelids grew heavy, eventually falling asleep on the couch., The two heroes, tired from working all day, instinctively curled into one another, with Alex forming the big spoon as he held his friend close to his chest in his sleep. The TV eventually shut off due to inactivity, and the room became silent as the two warriors rested and recharged together.

0000000000000

And that’s a wrap! Another slower paced chapter to balance out all the action and conflict! The next chapter is also slower paced like this one, so stay tuned!

[essoreese]

Silence Ritual Chapter 1 - A Deal With the Devil

(AN/ Heyo guys, Esso here and this is my first story; Silence Ritual. Now firt thing's first, although I already mentioned this in the description, this is a spinoff of Take A Stand: The Broken Mirror by Garouge Faux / @crewefox. It's also a direct sequel to that story so if you haven't read it, please do before reading this. This fic will be around 20 chapters and while it doesn't have a strict update schedule, I will try to update it at least twice a month. So without any further ado, let's begin the Silence Ritual.)

special thanks to @helthehatter for letting me use her OC, Kodi Jones. 

here’s a link to the fic: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13396893/1/Silence-Ritual

and here’s a link to The Broken Mirror, in case you haven’t read it: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12973009/1/Take-A-Stand-The-Broken-Mirror

Chapter 1: A Deal With The Devil

It was almost 9:30am in Zootopia. Despite being late summer the weather was surprisingly cool. And while most mammals were out, enjoying the weather, a brown-furred bunny running like her life depended on it certainly did not fit in with the surrounding atmosphere. "Shit! I'm so damn late." she cursed under her breath as she made her way to the bank. She had just arrived at the front door of Zootopia first national bank but before she could enter, she was knocked back by three figures. By the time she got herself off the ground, the trio was already speeding away in a white van.

In said van a female hyena took off her mask, looked at duffle bags full of cash her and her partners were holding and cheered "Hell yeah! Hahahaha, that was awesome!"

"Shut up!" a male ram shouted at her. "How 'bout we lose the cops, then we can celebrate all we want." He then turned his attention to the driver. "They still followin' us?"

"Nope." The zebra behind the wheel returned. "Should be smooth sailing from he-"

***CRASH***

The van had somehow swerved off the road and hit a lamp post. The group of robbers got out with ease, none of them were injured.

"What the shit, dude?!" shouted the hyena before pushing the zebra driver "You could've killed us!"

"I didn't do shit! The van just swerved!" the zebra retaliated, clearly rattled by the crash.

"Screw that noise! The hell do you mean it just swerved?" the ram said while trying his best not to kick his accomplice's teeth in.

The trio kept arguing for a few more seconds until another mammal, a buff female leopard, stepped out of the vehicle.

"ENOUGH!" she screamed before adding "We got the money. Let's get out of here before the pigs arrive, and then you can beat up this idiot."

"I keep telling you, I didn't do this! I didn't crash the fu-" the zebra tried to explain, but was stopped mid-sentence when a small piece of metal hit him in the temple, knocking him out cold.

Before any of the other crooks could react, a dozen more metal plates began flying around them. First, two of them enveloped the ram's hands and effortlessly magnetized him onto the crashed van. Then one wrapped itself around the hyena's foot and dragged her across the street until it latched onto a lamppost, leaving her hanging upside down. The rest of the plates began spinning around the leopard. One by one, they began binding her hands, eventually sending her flying towards a sewer grate. Now that all of them were immobilized, an ocelot in his late teens came out from a nearby alley. He was dressed rather plainly, with a black hoodie and torn jeans and would seem completely normal if he didn't have several small pieces of metal levitating around his arms.

"C'mon, cut him some slack, I didn't even give him a chance to control the van" he taunted the leopard.

"Who the hell are you?" she spat while trying to remove her arms from the sewer grate they were stuck to.

"Look, I'ma make it real simple for you dum-dums," he snickered "you did crime, so I glued your asses for the cops to handle."

"What the hell?!" the hyena barked in rage "what did you do to me you freak!"

"You aren't very bright, are you?" the ocelot said condescendingly "let me give you the TLDR, name's Steelswarm, I control metal, I got a tip that you were robbing a bank so I decided to have some fun with you all."

"Like hell you got a tip, you're too young to be a cop! Cut the crap!" yelled the ram.

"I didn't say i was a cop, moron" Steelswarm sighed as he pulled a small star shaped badge from one of his pockets "I'm with Ceartais and you are sooooo fu-" he tried to taunt but was cut off by a thud to the back of his head. The zebra had woken up and had taken the opportunity to knock the gloating vigilante out.

When Steelswarm came to the four robbers we're standing over him, when he was knocked out he lost control of all the metal plates that were holding the crooks.

"Ya dun goofed, kid and now you're gonna pay for screwing around!" the hyena snickered before putting a paw to her face, which began to transform into that of a wolf with golden fur. She fished a pair of glasses out of her pocked and put them on before saying;

"OK, first of all you didn't call for backup once you got the tip."

"Sorry, Clara." the ocelot murmured, still in pain.

"You didn't even try to restrain me after knocking me out!" complained the zebra, as it's face morphed to that of a red fox.

"Sorry, Luna." Steelswarm groaned .

"And what's with all the gloating?" said the "ram" as his body transformed to that of a wolf with black and white fur. "Those restraints were weak, I could've knocked you out myself if you had come any closer."

"Sorry, Kodi" Steelswarm added, sinking further into the ground.

"Overall, that was pretty sloppy" said the fox/bunny hybrid that now stood in the leopard's place "but I'll give you points for the van crash. Also Steelswarm? Dope name."

"Sorr- I mean thanks Robyn." the ocelot stuttered out.

"OK, Bella, simulation over." said Kodi as the city around them began to dematerialize and they were left in a blank room.

Kodi helped the ocelot to his feet before saying, "OK, you have good control over your powers but your communication still needs work. Also you need to pay more attention during combat..."

"Yeah, figures..." groaned Steelswarm "so... same time next week?"

"Yup!" said Clara while looking at her tablet "Oh, but you'll be training with Regina and Hannah then."

"Sweet! See ya then, guys!" yipped the ocelot as he walked towards the elevator.

000

In the six months since Doom's defeat, the entire base had been revamped. The training area was now bigger and had simulations about dealing with situations regarding mammals with powers. A lot of them still had trouble controlling their new abilities and that was causing some issues around the city. Some of the mammals who had a better grasp on their powers chose to use them for crime, since neither the ZPD nor the MCB were properly prepared for dealing with them. A few others either wanted to join Ceartais or start their own vigilante teams. And while Ceartais usually wouldn't entertain the idea of letting anyone join in, but Olivia and Kion had left and Alice was on maternity leave, so the team was missing it's powerhouses. And despite Regina, Harper and Clara all joining the team, they were still rookies and needed supervision. So Kodi felt like had no choice but to start a training program for any empowered mammal willing to join them.

The four mammals sat in the main area of the bunker, almost ready to discuss their patrol positions for the night. They were soon joined by another hybrid, this one more closely resembling an arctic fox, bar the black stripes on her ears and tail.

"Hi, Hannah!" Robyn waved enthusiastically.

"Hi!" the hybrid responded as she made her way to the empty seat next to Clara.

"So we're waiting for Regina and Harper?" Kodi asked just as the elevator to the bunker opened.

Out of it walked a horse and a deer, holding hands. The mare was wearing a black summer dress while the buck wore a green polo shirt and torn jeans.

"Hey, sorry were late. Got held up at home." the deer, Harper, spoke.

"It's OK." Kodi said nonchalantly, before scanning the room.

"Everyone's here so," Kodi started, ready to give out the night's assignments "Me, Hannah and Regina will take Savannah Central and Downtown, there has been a string of robberies and witnesses claim that they were done by empowered mammals. "

"Robyn, you and Clara take Tundra Town. Harper and Luna you have the Rainforest District covered and Bella has Spitfire bots patrolling Sahara Square. Everyone OK with the positions?" the wolf asked.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Despite that, Clara seemed to be bothered by something and as soon as everyone went to gear up, she pulled Kodi aside.

"Hey, you got a sec?" the she-wolf asked quietly.

"Oh, I got more than a "sec"." Kodi said teasingly, as he pulled Clara closer.

"What?! No, not THAT kind of sec! Not at work!" Clara exclaimed "Also, Luna will find us... again."

"Awww... OK." Kodi pouted, feigning disappointment. "What is this about then?"

"Kodi, it's been six months. Why aren't you putting Robyn and Hannah on patrol together?" Clara asked.

"Well... because with you, Regina and Harper being new recruits I want an ori-" the wolf started talking but was interrupted by his girlfriend.

"Don't lie to me, Kodi. You suck at it." Clara huffed "What's really going on?"

"OK look..." Kodi sighed "the city's gone to shit again, there's empowered mammals everywhere, running the training program is stressful and honestly, Robbie and Hannah have been doing OK on their own."

"Who are you trying to fool?" the she-wolf said, somewhat agitated "They're growing apart. I haven't heard Hannah call Robyn "princess" in two weeks. They need to get through this Ronin thing."

"Yes I know... but I just don't want to bring it up. Robyn is still pissed at me for helping with the plan, and I don't think she could ever trust me or Hannah completely again. I can't risk another serious fight between the team. Not while the city needs us." Kodi tried defending himself.

"...You know that's gonna come back and bite you in the ass, right? Like, you're aware that if they find out you're keeping them apart intentionally they're gonna kill you?" Clara asked, knowing that she didn't have the time to argue with her mate.

"Probably..." Kodi returned, looking sullen.

"Look, I know this isn't easy. But you promised that you would mend the team's wounds and you aren't doing yourself any favours right now. It's way too late to change positions now but please at least consider giving them a few assignments together." Clara said before hugging her boyfriend.

"I will. I just don't wanna screw this up..." Kodi answered.

000

The Wave was without a doubt one of the biggest tragedies to hit Zootopia. Even six years later, a lot of the damage was still present. There were still parts of Sahara Square and Tundra Town that were uninhabitable, and there was barely anyone left to even live in Little Rodentia. There was one part of Zootopia that was largely unaffected by The Wave, however; Outback Island. Despite being relatively small, it still housed over 50,000 mammals and was home of the first functioning prison for empowered mammals. The facility could hold up to 500 inmates, and for the last six months, it was Esso Reese's home.

The lynx thought that The Cauldron was a hellhole, but this was worse. She could not use her powers, thanks to the modified shock collar that had been on her neck ever since she arrived there. Any of the activities that helped her deal with The Cauldron were useless here. She couldn't listen to music, her snarky attitude had put her in solitary more than once, and while she could still technically take bets on the other inmates... it was highly discouraged unless she wanted to find herself on the receiving end of a shank. The worst part, however, was the loneliness. None of the mammals she met on the Cauldron could visit her as they were witnesses in her case. And none of the imprisoned mammals wanted anything to do with her. She was laying in bed, just hoping for the sentencing piece to come as soon as possible so she could finally know how much longer did she have to endure this for, when one of the guards approached her cell.

"Reese, your lawyer is here." the rhino said in a stern tone.

The two headed to a small area, similar to an interrogation room. Her lawyer was a pig in a beige suit and he was already waiting for them. As soon as they entered, the rhino locked the door, in case the lynx wanted to try something stupid.

"Hello, Sabrina" the pig started, in his usual dull tone "how are you holding up?"

"Well other than the food and coffee being shit, the guards being abusive, everyone hating me and the crushing loneliness... ten outta ten. Also call me Esso." the lynx replied with what she wanted to be sarcasm but in the end it just came out flat and broken.

"Please, please, please tell me you got good news." she continued.

"Well, given the circumstances, I don't think the jury is in your favour." the pig returned.

"Sweet. Awesome. Love to hear it... how much am I looking at?" Esso barely managed to get out as she put her hear in her arms.

"Twenty five years minimum."

"Lovely..."

At this point Esso could not sink any lower. She just huddled in her chair and tried her best to hide her tears. "Just... absolutely lovely."

"There is another option. You could plead insanity." the lawyer tried to calm her down.

"What for? So they'll throw me in an mental asylum for the rest of my life instead of a prison?" the lynx snapped.

"Please, Sabrina, calm down." the pig tried to reason.

"Screw that!" Esso shouted, gaining the guard's attention. "I was kidnapped, almost killed several times and thrown in here for some bullshit that I didn't even know I did!"

"They have body cam footage, I can't jus-" her lawyer cut in.

"Now I'm either gonna be stuck here or in the looney bin until I croak, because I was forced into a cult six years ago! Also for the umpteenth time, call me Ess-" the lynx ranted until her shcok collar delivered a painful sting to her neck, which brought her to her knees.

"You know what?" Esso said through sobs "Just... do whatever... I don't give a shit. Guard, I'm done here."

The rhino guard guided Esso back to her cell. As soon as the door locked behind her, she collapsed into her bed started crying. She had no options left. It felt like hours before the same guard unlocked her cell.

"Reese, someone wants to see you." he said in his usual monotone.

"...what?" the lynx murmured as she got out of bed.

Esso walked the same path she just took. She was wondering who could possibly be visiting her. Her parents were dead, the other mammals from the Cauldron couldn't see her and she barely had any friends in Zootopia.

When she entered the small room, she was greeted by two mammals. One she already knew and hated. It was Skye Savage, the director of the MCB. The arctic fox sat uncomfortably in a one of the chairs and looked at Esso with disdain. The other was a maned wolf she had never seen before. He was wearing a burgundy suit with a matching tie.

"Skye..." Esso sneered at the fox "came to see your favourite little psycho?"

"Shut up and sit down!" Skye barked failing to contain her anger.

"Who's your boyfriend there?" Esso continued to prod. "You want an audience while you scream at me?"

"Now listen here you-" Skye said in a low growl before she was interrupted by the maned wolf clearing his throat.

"Please control yourself Mrs. Savage." the other mammal spoke calmly. "Now, Ms. Reese, or do you prefer Esso?"

"Esso is fine." the lynx replied, puzzled by the current situation.

"Noted." the maned wolf said as he pulled out a tablet from within his suit and started typing. "I have a proposition that you might be interested in."

"Ooooh, let me guess" Esso mocked "you wanna transfer me to an underground super prison, or some off the grid looney bin to lobotomize me?"

"Heh heh, I love your sense of humour." the maned wolf feigned a laugh. "No, I'm a representative of Ashe Incorporated, or Ashecorp. for short. We are an elite company that specializes in research into mammals with extraordinary abilities."

"Oh, so you don't wanna lobotomize me, just experiment on me. Dandy." Esso said sarcastically.

"Not the case at all Ms. Esso. We were made aware of your "outburst" six months ago." the wolf returned as calm as ever, "We want to harness your powers not only to better understand these new abilities mammals have gotten, but to also better the city of Zootopia and, potentially, the world."

"OK cut the crap, what kind of cult is this?" Esso snickered.

"We're not a cult Ms. Esso." the maned wolf answered "I understand why you would be wary of us, but given your current situation I don't think you have a better option. Especially since you haven't heard the benefits of joining us."

Esso looked at the maned wolf, now much more attentive.

"What benefits?"

The maned wolf had a small smile on his face now.

"Well for starters, you'll get full immunity."

"Bullshit." Esso said under her breath. "As if Resting Bitchface McGee over there would allow it."

"Oh, but she already did." the maned wolf produced a piece of paper and a ballpoint pen from his suit and gave it to the lynx. It appeared to be some sort of contract and while Esso couldn't recognize any of the signatures, the fact that Skye wasn't objecting to this made her believe that whoever that maned wolf was, he was being serious.

"You'll also get combat and self-defense training, paid accommodation in any hotel throughout Zootopia and access to any empowered mammal's data. All you have to do is sign the contract." the maned wolf continued, still calm but clearly more excited than usual.

"I... what's the catch?" Esso stammered.

"Well, in return, you'll have to help Ashecorp collect more data on empowered mammals." the maned wolf replied with his usual calmness. "Or you can choose not to sign and none of this would have happened and you would be back awaiting trial. So... what's it gonna be?"

Esso didn't know what to think. It was obvious to her that this offer was too good to be true, but what other choice did she have? The lynx knew that she had no chance of walking out innocent from the trial, and all of her other options involved some type of imprisonment. Maybe this one did to but right now it seemed like her only way out of this Hell.

Esso cursed under her breath as she grabbed the pen and signed her name on the contract, on what she thought was her deal with the Devil. "I want in."

(AN/ DUN DUN DUUUUUUN! (always wanted to do this) Ceartais has started a training program. Kodi is trying his best as team leader. And Esso accepts an... interesting deal. Did you like it, did you not? Either way, please review. If you have any suggestions on how I can improve the fic, please put them in the reviews as well. Next time on Silence Ritual; Esso learns what her deal is all about, Olivia tries to balance professional and personal life and Robyn and Hannah go on their first joint mission in months. See u soon folks.)

[twdeadfanfic]

Don’t look back Pt.3/3

*Summary:  Daryl is used to his brother coming and going out of his life, leaving him alone, since he was a kid. He’s used to Merle meaning trouble too, and to be dragged into all his messes as Daryl loyally follows his brother. But this time Merle’s mess has reached top and has affected more people than the brothers, and Daryl finds himself wanting to step in and fix it, as once again he’s left alone by his brother. Inspired by me wondering how Daryl felt about having always done as Merle says and yet being always left alone, and especially by wondering how is Daryl so good with kids, handling baby Judith so good, like a pro since day one.

*Tags/Warnings: There’s cute stuff here, but the main tag is Angst. Daryl’s pov, there’s an OC (well…two…), but still, this is mostly a Daryl Dixon fic. Once again, this gets pretty angsty, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Last chapter! This is going to be very, very angsty people! You’ve been warned.

Also, I’ve been reblogging some pictures of Norman Reedus that I’ve called “young Daryl” and some gifsets that I think kind of have a bit of the vibe of this mini-series. If you want to check it, this is the tag: Don’t look back (Sorry but tumblr doesnt allow me to direct link it)

Link to my masterlist with my other works can be found on the description of this blog. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but tumblr doesn’t show posts with links in the tags.

------

Months later, Daryl is still thinking about Claire’s words. He doesn’t know much about Merle’s situation, but now he knows he’s indeed getting an early release, though not until months. Daryl still means what he told Claire, he’s not going to stop being her friend, seeing her an Emily, but he can’t help but be nervous about what Merle is going to think and how his life is going to be with his brother back again.

He’s gone to the woods, further than usual, camped the night there, both to try and clear his mind and also to try and hunt a deer. He’s been only successful at the latest, and so now he’s trying to tie the deer to the bike, which is not that easy. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken the bike for this, but he wanted to ride.

He rides back, plans on going to see Claire and Emily, give them some deer. Between the kindergarten and Claire working more, he doesn’t see them as often as he did once, but still often enough. He doesn’t want to show up at her place with a dead deer over his shoulders and so first he goes to his place to get it ready. It takes him a while, so when he rides to Claire’s place he knows Emily would be back from the kindergarten and Claire’d have finished working too.

“Hi!” Claire grins when she opens the door. “How was your hunting?”

“Got a deer.” He hands him a pack with some of the meat he got ready.

He walks inside and finds Emily inside that kind of big cage that Claire calls park, playing with some toys.  She smiles when she sees him, reaching out to him, babbling something that sounds like “hi.” She does that lately, she stills babbles nonsense but also things like no, mum, and some other little words.  Claire has said she’s going to teach her to say ‘Daryl’ and he’s not sure if she was kidding or not, but the idea makes him feel giddier than he wants to admit.

“Hi darlin’, what did you do to end up in baby jail?” He asks as he kneels down next to the park thing, picking Emily up and placing her outside.

“I told you not to call it like that,” Claire says, humor in her voice, as she goes to leave the meat in the kitchen. “It’s a park.”

“A park, yeah, sure, does it looks like a park to you, sweetheart?” He wouldn’t be caught talking like that to Emily outside that house, the idea mortifies him. He’s still embarrassed doing it in front of Claire, but not as much as once he had been. Emily babbles a “no” and Daryl looks at Claire, smirking. She rolls her eyes but smiles too.

Emily holds on Daryl’s hands as she tries to stand up. Daryl helps her steady herself as she tries taking some steps, his smile going wide. She’s always been a fast crawler, but now she’s trying to take steps too. “I’m going to come one day and you’re gonna be walking already, uh?”

“Then she’s going to be spending more time in baby jail. She already manages to get everywhere just by crawling the moment I don’t have my eye on her, I don’t want to think about her walking.”

“Nah, I’ll bail you out.” Daryl keeps helping Emily stumbling steps until the little girl gets bored of it and she sits down on Daryl’s leg, reaching out to grab a stuffed bunny that was one of her favorites.

“Bun.” She babbles as she tries to push it onto Daryl’s hand, he’s not very sure as for what.

“Hey, that’s a new word,” he says as he holds the bunny, still unsure of what Emily wants him to do with it.

“Yeah, a bunny.” Claire goes to sit down next to them. “Like the ones Daryl hunts and I’ve been feeding you, doesn’t that seem conflicting to you?” She jokes, Emily’s little enough not to understand what she’s saying. “No? Then wait until you watch Bambi and Daryl takes you hunting deer.”

Daryl snorts, nudging Claire with his shoulder, but Emily just smiles, unaware, taking another plushy, a fish this time, and pushing Daryl with it again. “What does she want me to do?”

“Don’t know, ask her.” Claire smiles, seeming amused, and she grabs a plushy to throw it at Daryl too. He rolls his eyes at her but can’t even pretend to be annoyed.

For a while, Daryl is silent, holding toys that Emily passes him as she babbles its names, sometimes right sometimes not, half his mind in the little girl, half the other still on his brother.

“Merle’s getting the early release.” He finally blurts out. He waits for Claire to say something, but she doesn’t, so Daryl glances at her. She’s serious and thoughtful, and Daryl guesses what she might be thinking about.

“I meant what I told you, just cos my brother’s back doesn’t mean I’m not going to see you both anymore. That ain’t happening.” Daryl knows how Merle can be, but he’ll think something, he’ll make it work. Claire just shrugs in silence. “You don’t believe me.” He deflates. He holds Emily a bit tighter, like if that could shield him from his emotions, but it does the opposite.

“It’s not that.” Claire let’s out a sigh. “Just…I wouldn’t hold it against you, if you do.” She fidgets with one of the toys as she speaks. “You’ve done enough for us. And Merle’s your brother, and you were always following him before, so-”

“I ain’t my brother’s dog or nothing, woman!” Daryl snaps harsher than he wants without letting her stop, he can’t help it, he’s always hated how he indeed ends up doing whatever Merle tells him. Emily looks at him, startled, like if he had scared her, and it’s like a punch to the gut.

“I’m sorry.” He murmurs.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Daryl.” Claire begins speaking softly again. “But you guys were always together, you’re brothers, so if when he’s back Emily and I don’t quite fit in the picture…well, I understand, and-”

“Stop with that.” Daryl cuts her again, softer this time. “I already told you nothing’s going to change.” It wasn’t entirely true, things would change with Merle there, Daryl knew it, but nothing was going to change the fact that Claire was his best friend and that he’d always want to help her to take care of Emily and protect the little girl, not Merle, not anything. He was loyal to his brother, but now he was loyal to Claire and Emily too.

“Okay.” Claire gives him a tiny smile.

“Only thing that can happen is that you will have to put up with my brother sometimes.” Daryl half-jokes, totally aware of how Merle can be sometimes, but Claire already knew him and she isn’t one to scare easy. Besides, Daryl doesn’t really plan on letting Merle around Emily too often.

“I can do that.” Claire’s smile goes a bit wider.

“Settled, then.”

They fall silent again but is not as tense as before. Daryl watches as Claire and Emily play with some construction blocks, passing them some from time to time as they build something without a defined form.

“What’s this supposed to be?” He asks as he passed them the block Emily pointed, way too big to place it on top of the other four that she has placed before.

“Modern art,” Claire replies, reaching out to stop the small tower from falling down. “She’s an artist, you see.”

“I see.”  He smirks. “Gonna be a while until she can put a bike together.”

“She doesn’t want to put together a bike, she’s an artist, I told you.”

Emily doesn’t say anything, just passes Daryl another block, babbling as he waits for him to place it on top of the tower.

*

Daryl has gone out to the woods again, further this time, to the place where his uncle took him to camp as a kid to teach him how to hunt when his father was too drunk and too out of control. That, until his uncle left him too.

He likes the solitude, likes the woods and being out there, likes it better than the town, but after a couple of days he’s more than ready to go back to see Claire and Emily. He had just needed to clear his mind.

For all his words to Claire, Daryl can’t help but worry as days pass and Merle’s release date gets closer. It must be in a week or so by now, or maybe just days. Is not that he doesn’t want his brother to come back, he misses him, it’s just he can almost hear him making fun and what not of him and his friendship with Claire and her little girl. And he’s not sure how Merle’s going to take all the time he spends with Emily and Claire. He doesn’t think he’s going to like it, though. He’s unsure too of what his brother is going to want them to do once he’s back.

Anyway, there’s no point worrying about that now. It feels wrong, telling Claire that he’s not going to stop hanging out with her just because his brother is getting back and then spending more time in the woods, but he thinks she understands.

He has taken Merle’s bike again so he can enjoy it before he’s back, and he has left it hidden in some bushes at the outside of the woods. He should clean it before his brother gets back.

He makes his way back to where he left the bike but before he can reach it, he sees a man stumbling to him, seeming to come from the road. His clothes are ragged and bloodied, his face gray and splashed with more blood, his eyes clouded. Maybe he’s been in some kind of accident, he looks so bad Daryl doesn’t know how he’s walking.

“You okay, man?”

He doesn’t answer, and the more he approaches the more Daryl realizes he doesn’t look normal. Like, at all. A shiver runs through Daryl's spine as he looks at him, he looks beyond ill, dead even. The man begins reaching out for him, growling. Maybe he’s insane.

"Stop right there!” Daryl yells, raising his crossbow, and when the man keeps going Daryl loses the arrow, aiming to stop him but not kill him. The man keeps going though, doesn’t even seem to notice the arrow, so the next one Daryl loses goes straight through his chest. That doesn’t stop him either, and Daryl is dumbfounded for a moment. Before he knows what’s happening, the man throws himself at him with more strength that he seems to have and Daryl falls to the ground with him on top.

He struggles, trying to push him away but the man doesn’t relent, trying to bite him. Daryl manages to get out his hunting knife and stabs the man with it several times, but he doesn’t stop, and not knowing what to do, Daryl sinks it into the man’s skull as hard as he can. That finally makes him stop moving and Daryl kicks him off him when he drops dead on top of him.

Daryl rushes onto his feet, looking at the corpse, a thousand confusing thoughts racing through his mind. He doesn’t know what’s going on or what to do, but before he can think anything else, he sees another man and a woman looking like that going to him. He aims again, this time the arrow going straight to the woman’s chest but that doesn’t make her stop, neither the one straight to her heart and so Daryl aims at her head, and that makes her fall down. Her next arrow goes straight to the man’s head.

Daryl still doesn’t know what to do or what to think, all he knew is that he has to get out of there and back to the town. He takes the bike off the bushes and rides back to the road. There is a car there and two corpses lying on the ground, but Daryl ignores it, driving back to the town.

Halfway there he finds a couple of cars crashed on the road, and what it seems like one of those things, which Daryl is starting to doubt are people anymore, bended on top of someone, seeming to be biting him, or eating him, or Daryl doesn’t know what but he doesn’t stop, speeding up, going as fast as he can. Whatever is going on, Daryl needs to get to the town and check on Claire and Emily.

There are some more of those things at the town, roaming the streets, looking at him when they hear the bike, snapping, while others seem to be eating the people that are dead on the ground, and maybe Daryl is going crazy but he’s pretty sure those are people he knows. He still doesn’t know what’s going on, it just gets weirder and weirder, but whatever it is, it’s not good.

“Help!”

Daryl’s about to ignore the voice pleading for help but a woman runs in front of his bike, making him slam the breaks and almost falling down. Before he can yell at her he sees what seems one of those things, and this time he’s sure he knows her, he has seen her enough times at the park. Without thinking it twice, he rushes to take his crossbow and shoots at the head before she can get too close.

“The hell is going on?” He snaps at the woman who’s stopped in front of his bike.

“That, hell! The dead walking!” The woman seems out of herself but it’s not like Daryl can really blame her. “The end of the world!” Daryl scoffs at that, turning on the engine again. “I’ve seen it on tv, it’s not only here, it’s everywhere, people are going insane like that and attacking people everywhere!”

Daryl’s head has been on Claire and Emily the whole time, but it goes to his brother at that. Everywhere? Does that mean the jail where Merle is too? The knot of worry that’s clenching his stomach gets worse, he needs to go there and find his brother, and then Merle’ll know what to do. But first he needs to check on Claire and the little girl, make sure they are okay. Maybe she can convince Claire to go with him to get Merle or at least he needs to get her and Emily to a safe place, because that town is seeming crazier every passing minute.

Without any other word, the woman rushes into what Daryl guesses it’s her car to drive away. She should be good enough and so Daryl speeds up to Claire’s place. Those things snap their heads at him but Daryl ignores them, stopping just to shoot at them when they’re blocking the way, but he tries to just drive through them, afraid of getting out of arrows, and there’s not enough of them to actually block the road.

Daryl stops in front of Claire’s place, his worry going out of control when he sees the door is open and he straights out panics when he rushes inside and sees blood on the floor. He’s about to call for Claire but then there’s a horrifying gurgling sound and he sees her lying on the floor, hands clutching her throat as blood pours over them.

Daryl straight blacks out for a second but then he’s rushing to her, falling onto his knees next to her, pulling her into his arms. He doesn’t know what to do, panic gripping him as he takes her hands and sees her throat tore open. Claire looks at him with cloudy eyes as she chokes and gurgles, and Daryl thinks she chokes out something that sounds like ‘Emily’ but he’s not sure. He knows he has to find the little girl and keep her safe, but he can’t leave Claire.

He doesn’t know if Claire’s shaking or if it’s him, but his hands are trembling as he presses them to her throat and he’s sure his heart stops when Claire closes her eyes, lying limp on his arms. “No, no, no, Claire, hey.” He all but pants for air as his lungs seem to stop working, he has to do something but he doesn’t know what, the fear that grips his heart telling him she’s beyond help.

Claire’s eyes open to look at him as he shakes her and for a crazy second Daryl dares to have hope, but then she stops chocking and gurgling, her eyes fixed on him but empty, and just like that she’s gone.

Daryl can only stare at her body, his vision turning blurry as tears fill his eyes. He’s shaking, and his lungs burn as he gasps for air. It doesn’t feel real and at the same time it feels too real. It huts like it’s real. Daryl doesn’t think he can move, his body doesn’t seem to respond, but he forces himself to do it, he has to. He has to find Emily and keep her safe, though he doesn’t know what to do or where to go. He has to find Merle, take Emily with him, make sure both his brother and the little girl are safe, and then Merle will know what to do.

He’s holding Claire’s body against him but he makes himself lie her onto the floor to get up, tries not to look at her but he does and for a moment the pain overwhelms him again, threatening to make him crumble and fall again, but he forces himself to shut it and keep going. He rubs his eyes as he takes a deep breath, realizing too late that his hands are wet with Claire’s blood, smearing it over his face, turning his stomach.

Daryl chokes a whimper but he has no time for that, he has to find Emily. The little girl is going to be scared seeing him like that, though. At least she didn’t have to see her mother like that, she’s not around, and for a moment Daryl fears Emily’s not in the house and he’s not going to be able to find her, but it’s past time she was home from the kindergarten and he can see his little boots propped up at the side of the sofa. She has to be there, and this time it’s not going to be too late.

“Emily? Sweetheart?” He calls for her and there’s no babbly answer but Daryl forces himself not to panic and he rushes to her room. She’s in the corridor, sitting on the floor with her back to him as if blissfully oblivious to everything that’s going on, and Daryl lets out a relieved sigh. “Darlin’, we have to go, alright?”

Daryl walks closer to pick her up but stops, his blood freezing in his veins when he hears the growl coming from Emily. No, it can’t be that. She turns around and looks at him with those empty eyes, the same that the things on the streets have, her face drained of color but the red of the blood that has splashed it, contorting into something that terrifies Daryl as she snarls. It can’t be real.

Her little hands reach out for him as she growls and she tries to get up, stumbling a couple of steps before she falls down and resorts to crawling. Daryl can’t move, can’t think, can’t breathe, he feels as he’s as dead as Claire, empty, his mind numb.

Somehow his survival instinct kicks in through his shock, forcing him to stop looking at what is not Emily anymore, to turn away and run out of the house, but he’s not sure how he’s able to do it because next thing Daryl knows is that he’s on Merle’s bike riding as fast as he can, he doesn’t know where, doesn’t care. His mind is still clouded, making him feel numb, but that’s better than the pain. The pain is too much.

He takes a turn, just because, gets into the woods, keeps riding until the wheels of the bike get stuck in the mud and both the bike and him fall to the ground, hitting his head, but Daryl doesn’t care, doesn’t bother to try to get up. He wants his mind to be numb and the pain in his head is better to the one in his heart.

This doesn’t make sense. He still doesn’t know what’s going on but he doesn’t care, all he knows is that Claire is gone and that Emily is…something that is nor her, and it doesn’t make sense. Daryl curls on himself, closes his eyes. Maybe it’s a nightmare, maybe he’ll wake up, his nightmares are terrifying, painful, but they don’t hurt like this, and he knows this is real.

He can’t help his sobs, can’t stop them, neither the tears that burn his eyes. They are gone, he doesn’t understand how or why, but they are gone, his best friend and her little girl, the people Daryl wanted to protect, the people he ended up caring about so, so much, the people that made him happy, made his life better, the people he loves.

It hurts worse than if one of his bolts had gone through his heart, it hurts worse than if his heart’d have been ripped out of his chest while he’s still alive, his stomach clenches and turns, making him want to throw up.  

Daryl stays like that, curled, eyes closed, fighting to breathe, until he hears a growl and knows that one of those things are close, but he can’t find the will to get up and fight it, he doesn’t want to move. His survival instinct kicks in once again when the thing gets close enough to reach him, though, making him move like a robot, getting up and facing the thing that growls and snarls, reaching out and trying to grab him

Daryl doesn’t bother to get an arrow on the crossbow and aim, he just bashes the crossbow onto the thing’s head, hitting it hard. The thing fells to the ground, probably dead, but Daryl keeps hitting and hitting, yelling at it, until what was its head isn’t recognizable anymore. He drops the crossbow and kicks the dead body until his legs give up and he falls to the ground.

He doesn’t want to feel. He wants to be numb again, he wants to shut it down, but images keep coming to his mind and there’s no way to stop them. He can’t get it out of his mind, the image of Emily, or the thing with Emily’s dead face.

He closes his eyes tight and he can almost see her when she was so, so tiny, wrapped in the scarf…the first time he held her…playing with her while she babbled…her holding onto his hands stubbornly trying to walk, but all those memories faze and all he can see is her dead face snarling as her dead body somehow crawled to him. Because Daryl knows it, knows that even though she’s moving, she’s dead, no matter he doesn’t understand how, and she’s not coming back

His memories of Claire smiling to him, joking as they three played together, talking with him for hours and hours as they walked, telling him he was his best friend, having his back in more ways than she knew, all them turn into her body dead in his arms, her empty eyes on him, he tries to hear her voice but all he hears is her gurgling as she chocked.

Daryl can’t take it and he curls onto himself again, shaking, his lugs burning as if his body doesn’t want to breathe anymore.

He was supposed to take care of them, to protect them, and he wasn’t there. He should have been there. He should have saved them. They should be alive. He failed them and now they are gone and he’s alone, and it hurts too much to keep going.

“And you call yourself a Dixon? You are a shame. Lying there on top of a pile of brains, whimpering like some pussy. This is all on you, Lil’ brother, all your fault.”

Daryl’s thinks he’s going insane when he hears Merle’s voice. Maybe he’s turning into one of those things too.

“You’ve been like this since you were this Lil’ brat, I always had to drag you everywhere with me, tried to teach you to be like me, and all for this…all I got for a brother is this whining, crying, useless, weak mess…I’m ashamed to call you my blood.”

Merle’s voice ranting again, so clear, and this time Daryl looks up but he can’t see his brother anywhere. He’s really going insane.

“You’re gonna be lying there, whimpering like a beaten dog, until you get your useless ass eaten? Nah, Lil’ brother, you stole your older brother’s bike and now you’re gonna get it back to him. So come on, get your whining ass on that bike and drive it to me, and without any scratch. Come on, Darylina.”

Merle.

He’s right.

His brother might still be alive, he has to. Of course he’s alive. He’s Merle. Merle doesn’t die.

Daryl has to find him.

He tries to get up but his legs are shaking too much. His head thumps from when he hit it when he fell off the bike but that’s good, that’s welcomed. He sits down, takes a deep breath. He wants to be numb again, he needs to be numb again, he doesn’t want to feel, he can’t.

He doesn’t want the pain, the hurt, the memories, the feelings. He shuts everything, he pushes everything down, somewhere where he hopes he won’t have to feel it or see it again. All his memories of Claire and Emily. He doesn’t want anything of that anymore, he can’t handle it. He needs it gone.

He struggles but at the end he manages to push everything down, to shut it down. He has to find Merle.  Nothing else matters now but finding his brother.

Daryl gets up, takes the bike, drags it out of the mud. Emily liked to play in the sand and the mud, Claire never minded the little girl getting dirty if that meant she was having fun, she neither minded getting her clothes full of mud. Daryl can almost hear them laughing and tears burn in his eyes again as he gasps for air.

No.

That’s gone.

He has to shut that down.

Or otherwise he won’t be able to keep going, and he needs to find Merle.

He pushes it all down, all the pain, all the feelings, everything, shuts himself.

Daryl drags the bike back to the road, gets on it, kicks on the engine and seeps up, off to find his brother, fast enough he can’t think, fast enough he can’t feel anything that’s not the wind, and he doesn’t look back.

---------

Well...I told you this was going to be angsty :( I’m really sorry people, but I had this idea in my mind and I hade to write it down. I think it makes sense with how hard Daryl tried to find Sophia, he’s very protective and he likes kids, he didn’t want another one to die, and also it makes snse with how good and sweet he was with lil asskicker. Writing this killed me, I cried, but I also love it.

Next monday a liltte one-shot/imagine based on 9x09 is coming, and then on wednesday a new series begins. I hope you’ll like those! You can read the summaries in my masterlist.

Thank you all for reading! I hope you liked it! If you have a moment, please let me know your thoughts in the comments, your feedback makes my day!rry if there are mistakes.

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[stroni-bomb]

Flower Garden Prince - Fairy!Jaehyun

A young prince who just wanted to explore beyond the Flower Garden had no place in his mother's palace. So when he had escaped past the boundaries of the Garden, almost getting himself killed, he'd soon learn the lies he'd been spoon fed his whole life.

Fairy!Jaehyun's backstory - werewolf!reader

⁎ *⁎°؂✶

"Your turn," you panted as you lifted yourself off of Jaehyun this time and moved to lay next to him, his skin was still covered with a thin layer of sweat making you mentally praise yourself for doing such a good job.

He turned to face you, looping an arm around your shoulders to pull you closer. Heat radiated off of him, the aftermath of the last couple of hours hitting the two of you like a truck. "My turn to do what babe?"

Propping yourself up on an elbow you poked a part of his face in tune to every word you said. "I," you poked his cheek, squeezing it a little between your thumb and finger tip. "Want." Now you bopped his nose causing it to scrunch up cutely. "You," before you could pinch his other cheek he caught your hand, impatience getting the best of him.

"What Y/N? Do you want round four? Don't you ever get tired?" He accused exasperated, fatigue gleaming from his eyes.

"No, no! Don't be stupid Jaehyun," you scolded, tapping his bare chest. "I want to know about your past, it's only fair!"

He paused and his eyes went dark, had you touched the wrong nerve? It was silent for at least five minutes but you sure it was longer as you began counting after around two minutes had gone by.

"Hyunie we don't have to if you don't want to," you were disappointed that he still wouldn't open up to you about his past. This wasn't the first time you had asked of course, you just didn't believe it was as simple as Taeyong appearing to him out of nowhere and asking him to come to N-City with him.

"It's not- how can I not when you're looking at me like that," he groaned and threw his head back in frustration. Thank the goddess you had mastered the art of puppy eyes at such a young age, though you didn't use them often they still worked like a charm when you did. "It's a lot to take in though Y/N. Don't interrupt, promise?"

You nodded vigorously, anticipation building within your core. "I promise, now spill."

⁎ *⁎°؂✶

Young Jaehyun tiptoed through the corridors of his mother's palace, making sure to stick close to the walls and be on the look out for any guards or butlers whom would instantly rat him out. He was around fifteen years old at this time, the age where curiosity courses through your body as if replacing the blood. If you were him though you'd be the same, wanting to escape at any moment possible and just to see what the outside world is really like. Jaehyun had never seen outside the Flower Garden and he had barely seen that, usually he was locked up behind the Palace Walls as his mother fretted too much that he'd get hurt or wander into trouble. She wasn't wrong to think that though, the young prince was known for that.

Deciding that the final corridor to the door out of the palace was clear Jaehyun quickly made a run for it, freedom only seconds away.

"Prince, may I ask what you're doing?" His personal butler had practically appeared out of nowhere, making Jaehyun stop dead in his tracks.

"I...I wanted some fresh air," he lied somewhat confidently but the short pause he took was enough for the butler to see through his actual intentions.

"What would the Queen say to you trying to run away like this again?" He scolded, arms crossed expectantly across his chest.

"You won't tell her right? Please Mister Gunho, she'll kill me!" Jaehyun practically begged, clasping both hands together.

The butler lightly shook his head, "I won't tell. Just be more careful when trying to run away Young Prince, no one can tell you off if you aren't caught," he winked at the young boy then proceeded his walk down the corridor. Jaehyun just smiled after him, then double checking no one else was coming, rapidly dashed out of the front door to the outside world.

The Flower Garden was the prettiest thing Jaehyun had ever seen, though he couldn't really compare it to anything as it's also the only thing he's ever seen. But it was his family's most prized possession. They built this world by themselves then concealed it in a cloaking spell, preventing anyone from the outside world to get in...it didn't stop him from getting out though.

Running through the meadow of daisies (it was the only place where there wasn't other fairies, fairies that weren't royalty that is) he made it to the boundary line- one which was etched out by an everlasting circle of trees, clearly showing where the edge was to the Flower Garden.

"I'm sorry mother," he whispered, taking one last look at the palace. He hadn't gotten this far before, he had barely ever made it out of the palace doors and even if he had then he'd be met with either a Nomad Fairy or someone else that worked in the small town. He wasn't quite sure what to do, did he just leave? It wouldn't be forever, just an hour or two to see what's really so bad about the human world.

His mother would always tell him horror stories about humans, how they wouldn't believe in the supernatural and if they saw someone who was different then the humans would just ruthlessly murder them. Jaehyun didn't believe that for a second, he never had even since being young. According to his mother as well fairies were one of the only supernaturals in existence, next to angels and demons. He'd always thought that was boring, that after humans there were only three species that were most powerful, Jaehyun wanted to discover more supernaturals and bring them back to the Flower Garden just to prove his mother wrong.

With that last thought lingering in his mind he finally decided to just leave, stepping out into the forest and through the magical barrier that his family tried so hard to maintain.

It wasn't exactly how he thought it'd be. He imagined stepping out into a city with busy streets and humans everywhere just like his mother had warned....but it was just more trees. He wasn't even sure if he had left the Flower Garden just yet but turning around he no longer saw the palace behind him, no, instead there was even more trees.

"What?" Jaehyun mumbled to himself, looking around. This was the last thing he had imagined, was this really it?

A low growl snapped him out of his wonder, the noise wasn't foreign as sometimes a stray animal would wander into the Flower Garden by mistake, this however, didn't sound like the occasional bunny rabbit.

"Hello?" Jaehyun forced himself to feel confident, spreading an aura across the forest to help him fight his nerves.

Two wolves stalked into the clearing with their teeth on show, this wasn't going to be good. Jaehyun tried to stumble back through the invisible barrier but instead he only fell backwards, not back into the Flower Garden. The wolves were still there and so was he, why wasn't it working?

"Come on not now! No, no! How do the rabbits do it....Mother!" Jaehyun called out to seemingly no one to no avail, he couldn't be saved here, not like this.

The wolves were only getting closer, one licking their lips and the other looking as though he was laughing at him. "I'm a Prince you can't do this!" Jaehyun cried, shrivelling into a ball. He could've tried to fight back with his deadly smoke or casted a spell or two, that was, if he hadn't had skipped all those classes on how to use them.

Accepting that this was going to be the end of him Jaehyun just sat there with his head in his hands, praying that someone would come and save him.

And save him they shall.

A burst of bright, white light flashed out of nowhere revealing a young looking man not much older than Jaehyun. Two beautiful white feathered wings sprouted out of his back and Jaehyun could've sworn that a halo temporarily hovered of the man's head.

"Now you two, what have I told you about hunting people?" He scolded, hands resting on his hips. "And here you are again trying to kill a young fairy? How pathetic of you both, now run along," The two wolves didn't seem to hesitate as they quickly backtracked, tails hunched between their legs.

The man turned to face Jaehyun now and offered his hand out to help him up, "I'm Taeyong, an angel if you couldn't quite tell," he joked, allowing the young prince to somewhat loosen up a bit. "You're far from home you know? I think you may have underestimated just how good the cloaking spell is."

Jaehyun sighed as his eyes started to fill with tears, his mother would surely disown him if she had found out what he had done. But wasn't this what he had always wanted? To be free?

"I hate being a prince," he suddenly admitted as he clenched his fists by his side. "The expectations my mother has of me, the lack of freedom I ever had. I wasn't even able to talk to the other children! I never made friends, the only people I had were my mother and butler Gunho! I hated every second being cooped up within the palace walls, not seeing the time of day. I wanted to explore, at times I wanted to just be....human."

⁎ *⁎°؂✶

"So Taeyong took you back to N-City?" You questioned, glancing at his glassy reminiscent eyes.

"I told you not to interrupt," Jaehyun sighed in reply and shuffled so you could lay on his chest.

"I hoped for a shorter version of the story," you cackled, drawing circles around his nipples.

"Fine," he chuckled after kissing the top of your head. "Yes Taeyong took me to N-City, not until he got permission from my mother first. She seemed more than okay with it though, I guess she was sick of me trying to run away all the time she thought it'd just be easier."

"Really? Your mum sucks but so does mine."

"Hm they're traditional. I guess fate knew we were both going to be trouble makers, though I've put those days behind me," you scoffed, after the hours you two had spent in bed together you could definitely say that Jaehyun was far from trouble.

Lifting yourself up and over Jaehyun's body you straddled him, pecking his lips before leaving a trail of love bites down his neck and onto his chest. "If the dream kids ask," you whispered in his ear then gently tugging his lobe in between your front teeth. "Tell them I beat you in a pillow fight."

Seeing that he was about to protest you quickly caught his lips with your own, gently you tongue glided over his bottom lip causing him to slightly part both of his and let you in. His hands found your waist though his right hand travelled further down and rested on your behind.

Slowly you pulled away with a smirk, the effect you had on Jaehyun always drived you on, but something just clicked in your mind that you just couldn't forget to mention. "So Hyun," you started seductively tracing his jaw line with your finger tip.

"Mhmmm," he mumbled, his eyes still glued to your lips.

"This whole time, you've never told me, that I've been screwing with a prince?" Somehow he had managed to make a snort sound attractive as he swiftly brought a hand to his mouth to prevent himself from laughing.

"Yes Y/N, you've been screwing with a prince," he eventually replied after gaining his composure.

"Does that make me a princess?" You marvelled, only fuelling your own little fantasy.

"Yes," he chuckled, cupping your cheek with the hand that wasn't currently groping your other cheek. "Now what do you say...ready for round four, Princess?"

And who were you to say no to a prince who deserved only king treatment...

[browniesnivy]

Random Asks!

This template was made by biaesthetic, just so you know. I cut out some of the questions I didn’t I saw feel like answering, but otherwise her template worked really well for my needs! I saw cyberenergyshock do something similar and felt the need to do one myself, so here we go! Y’all really don’t know anything about me (which is mostly because i’m super paranoid about privacy) and I don’t intend to give out super precious info or anything here, I just thought it’d be nice. 

what was the last thing you read? The last book I read was issue three of the Bunny Drop manga. So far it’s a very cute story that I recommend to people who like family stories. It’s very touching and cute, but can be fairly thought-provoking at times. I haven’t finished it yet so I can’t give a full review or anything... but those are my thoughts so far!

favorite movie? Captain America: Winter Soldier! I know it’s a pretty basic choice as far as favorite Marvel movies go, but it really is just soooooo good. The action, the intrigue, the emotion, the relationships... all so good! Ten out of ten would watch again... and I believe me, I have. Three times in fact. And I’ve cried at least once every time because I’m weak sauce.

favorite book? That’s really hard... I really loved Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets but I haven’ t read that in years and am really fuzzy on the details... so I guess I’ll have to say the Warrior Cats Super Edition Crookedstar’s Promise. What can I say, I love Warrior Cats! And this edition is just so emotional. Without giving away any spoilers, this book is an absolute emotional rollercoaster at parts and contains one of the most manipulative, petty, dangerous, terrifying and broken villains the series has to offer and she is just fantastic. If your down with some of the special Warrior Cats-brand of stupidity this book is a total treat!

dream date? We’d be alone somewhere quiet and serene, nature surrounding us as we were covered in a blanket of stars. Cool, refreshing water babbles nearby, giving poetry to our escape. The most calming and tranquil environment imaginable. However, we wouldn’t just enjoy the soothing scenery, but we would talk in a low whisper, joking about things only we would understand and geeking out over fandom, all in between mouthfuls of take-out pasta from Olive Garden. It would be a mixture of a fun hangout with a friend and a romantic tender scene. (I guess all of that was really corny, huh? Haha, sorry!)

do you have a crush? Not on anyone real... but if Hatsune Miku asks tell her I’m free!

what are your hobbies? I love creative pursuits like writing and drawing and have loved them since I was extremely young. One of my favorite pass times is playing video games like Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Harvest Moon, The Sims,, Civilization, Stardew Valley, Super Smash Brothers, and many many others... too many to reasonably name! I love reading novels, but manga and anime alike are what I seem to do more of nowadays. My parents are pretty strict on which anime I watch though, so I spend more time reading manga because they aren’ t nearly as finicky about my reading material since my younger siblings won’t have to be subjected to it. Also, I really love philosophy. Ethics and morals have always fascinated me and the idea of mapping out the human spirit like a genome is endlessly fascinating to me... I love to read books on morality and watch philosophical YouTube videos in my down time, and I hope that someday I can come to some kind of understanding of the truth. I guess that means I’m kind of lame! 

what’s your favorite time of day? Evening. I love the darkness. The chilling winds and the stars illuminating the dark skyscape is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen, and it’s all right their in your backyard if you only care to look! Well, I guess if you live in the city or something you can’t do that... in which case I’m very sorry! Anyway, the serenity of the night is something the daytime can’t match for me. Peace and quiet are seldom found around where I live, so the silence is very appreciated!

if you could look like anything, what would you look like? Anything you say? In that case I guess I’d look like a calico cat. That away, I could climb along fences and gates or go exploring into the wilderness without anyone looking at me funny! Plus, maybe someone would pet me!

are you a romantic? If you just read my ideal date, the I you’ll probably know the answer. Yeah, I guess I am! I’m not super ditzy or anything, in fact I rarely every feel romantic attraction to people, but I do long to find a soulmate. 

what’s your favorite type of weather? The rain, definitely. If you couldn’t tell, quiet tranquility is pretty much my aesthetic. I love water. It nourishes the plant life and makes everything sparkle with dew, the greenery becomes so much greener and everything becomes so much more vibrant... it’s like the spirit of the world has been born again. And yet almost nobody is out their enjoying it. Fine by me, I’d rather be alone on my walks down the rainy neighborhood streets. Bonus if it’s raining at night, because not only are the walks multiplied tenfold in their beauty, but when you decide to hit the hay the soft pitter-patter of the raindrops can gently lull you to sleep...

what do you like talking about? Well obviously I love to talk about Yu-Gi-Oh!, and I’m pretty much open to talk to anyone about it... but I also love to talk about other fandom! I also love mythology and philosophy (that though provoking shit) and just random trivia in general and it’s nice to talk to people who are also interested in it. Other then all that nerdy cooties, I just generally like listening to other people talk. As long as what you say isn’t completely repulsive to me I’ll probably listen, but I’ll probably crack jokes the entire time unless you’re being really serious. I love funny stuff.

if you got a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? Oh, I’d never even think about a tattoo! I’m far too much of a scaredy-cat, besides the initial pain the idea an image could be burned onto me forever kind of freaks me out. I have no problem with other people getting them at all, just not something I could ever do. I don’t really think I can answer this question adequately... but I guess if I had to choose I’d say something small like an eye or a teardrop. I’d put it on the lower part of my neck to the left side: it would be discrete and not very noticeable, but kind of pretty and thoughtful. Nothing to obtrusive or, dare I say, obnoxious for me.

do you want any pets? I wish! We used to have a dog when I was very little, and then we had a cat when I was about eight or so, but nothing since then. Such a shame, because I am filled with love and affection for cats and dogs especially and would like to have at least one of each someday. If I had to pick which breeds I’d like, I’d say a border collie (they’re so expensive, but hey a girl can dream, right?) and a calico. 

dream job? “When I grow up I want to write books!” I’ve been saying that since I was old enough to write my own stories. Above all else, I want to be an author, but even most of those have other jobs as well. Of course I’ve gone through phases of wanting to be different things... when I was really small I wanted to be a waiter, then in second grade I wanted to be a marine biologist (I saw sea turtles at an aquarium and fell in love. Don’t want to do marine biology anymore but sea turtles are still the some of the most precious beasts on this planet!), but now I’m thinking either an animator, a journalist, or a moral philosophy professor. Who knows what I’ll end up doing, I'm only a freshman right now, after all.

dream place to live? Take me home, country road, to the place, I beloooooooong…! No, I don’t want to live in West Virginia specifically (though that would probably be pretty swell), but the American South is where I grew up and it’s where I want to live. The flourishing flora, sparkling water forms, and the waves of fertile farmland are just some pf my favorite set pieces of the Southern United States. I don’t live there anymore, and there are a lot of social problems down there that might target me specifically, but just for the scenery alone I wish to go back.

dream vacation? Japan! in this dream scenario, I can speak Japanese and navigate the land without many hitches, ordering of the menu and understanding all the signs. I’d go to a maid café and one of those resteraunts where there are stuffed animals everywhere, I’d buy a crap-ton of weeb shit, if I was lucky I’d see a vocaloid concert... and the sightseeing! I’d go hiking on the mountains and see cascading waterfalls and flourishing sakura and  really neat beetles... I hope that happens to me someday!

do you want any piercings? I don’t even want my ears pierced at all, so not at all! I’m not a very flashy person, in fact I’m quite quaint, and I never wear jewelry unless my family somehow bamboozles me into it. I’d never wear any of it, so it wouldn’t be worth some weirdo assaulting my earlobes (or any other body part) for it. 

if you had kids, what would you name them? I think me having kids might be kind of a long shot all things considered (but who really knows, right?) but I do have several names I’m really attached to that I would gladly give to someone. The first is Eve, which I just absolutely adore the aesthetic of. If you couldn’t all ready tell, I love the nighttime, and this name just screams a sort of lovely starlight elegance. Plus, it was the name of my first crush in Harvest moon Magical Melody so... backstory! The other name I’d go with would have to be Jamie. It just sounds so peppy and interesting, it’s a very unique name that I can’t help but love. Not coincidently, Jamie was the name of another Magical Melody character I was particularly fond of, because they were my first experience with gender nonconformity and non-binary gender identity! 

what are your best traits? Am I really the best person to judge that? Well, I guess I can try. I try to be as patient as possible and to keep an open-mind because I hate hurting people’s feelings, believe there is always a kind and peaceful solution, and think every single person deserves personal respect and to be treated with integrity when possible. I’d say of all my traits, those are the ones I try the hardest to foster and exercise.

worst traits? I’m so anxious, literally anything going wrong cans end me into a panic. My family has kind of a history with predisposed anxiety, so I should probably get that checked out... but then the idea of being diagnosed as “wrong” freaks me out a lot. Vicious cycle. This underlying anxiety manifests in some other nasty traits of mine: specifically that I’m a wuss, a doormat, and a pessimist. Long story short, I’m way to worried for my own good.

what’s your worst fear? Well, I’m pretty much afraid of everything! Alligators, heights, amnesia, blood and guts, rejection, underwater tunnels, birds coming near me, loud noises, illness... there’s a lot more, but I’d say my biggest fears are failure and weakness. The two kind of go hand in hand in my mind, and the thought that I could fail and become irredeemable and worthless is petrifying.  

what do you want to eat right now? Something to know about me: I’m always hungry. I snack incessantly, so it’s a wonder I’m still such a skinny little bastard! Right now, I could really go for some sushi. Put some seafood and some avocado on that shit and I’m sold.

favorite social media platform? Tumblr! I mean, it’s really the only social media I have, but still! Even though looking at all the fighting and toxicity on this website that can really make me feel awful, there is an undertone of community that outweighs that for me. Seeing so many fans of Yu-Gi-Oh! and ShrimpShipping in particular makes me feel like I really belong somewhere, and when I see the entire community harmonize to create a positive environment I remember what this life is all about. When I get a heart on a post, I think about how someone liked that post, how something I made or that I said might have put a smile on their face or roused a chuckle from them, and that makes it all worth it to me. Plus, all my mutual are really cool!

favorite article of clothing? Jackets, blazers, hoodies, coats, sweaters, suits... I love that cozy shit! I unfortunately live somewhere really hot, so a lot of times flaunting my style makes me uncomfortable, but it’s worth it too look fly as hell! When it comes to dressing, I’m very butch to androgynous, which makes since because I’m pretty gender nonconforming, I always have been. When I was younger and at a different school I was definitely the tomboy, but now I tend to try and blend in more just because people at my new school seem so much more judgmental. 

do you play any sports? I’ve been playing tennis since I was in third grade! I really only ever play it during the school’s season because there is just so much homework and I’m always busy, and thus my growth has been greatly stunted... but it’s still a really awesome sport. There’s a precision and an elegance to it that just fascinates me, plus it’s not a team sport so I don’t have to worry about screwing my partners over! Unless it’s doubles, which I try to avoid whenever possible. Other factors that make me like it appealing to me is that I have the body for it (tall with freaky long-ass arms) and my dad plays it too, so we can go out and help each other improve our skills. 

favorite meal of the day? Well they’re all great, I mean food is food, but I’m biased to dinner. The biggest most complete meal of the day that packs the most flavor and is the most filling, dinner is great! In my opinion, going to bed on a full stomach is one of the best feelings in the world, so we can thank dinner for that. Plus, my mom lets me eat snacks after dinner so I don’t have to sneak around to eat potato chips... heh.

what are you excited for? ShrimpShipping Week definitely has me excited, because I have so many shrimpy ideas to let loose upon this world... and I’m really looking forward to looking at everyone else’s contributions too! ShrimpShipping Week is the time I can see the most unity within the community, and it truly is a wonderful experience! Also I’m hyped as hell for Smash Ultimate and that currently unnamed Animal Crossing 2019 game... I’m a huge Nintendo fan my dudes.

when was the last time you cried? Like a few days ago? I can’t remember which of these instances came first, but I figured out I got on probation in NJHS because I got (gasp) a C+ in Geometry?! That seriously fucked-up my self-esteem, so I cried about that. But I can’t really remember if that was before or after I rewatched Madoka Magicia (which I personally consider a brilliant work of art and an anime must-see)… well either way I cried really recently.

dream house? Perhaps by the side of a crystal clear lake, maybe by the banks of a babbling brook, possibly by the sparkling seashore... but somewhere near water there would sit a two story house. Crisp hardwood makes up the walls of the construction, and there are windows opening the entire house to gorgeous natural light. Inside, everything is painted soft colors that seem to glow in the light, and every piece of furniture looks like you could sink into it’s soft surface. The downstairs floor has a living room with cases for cards, game boards, and video game disks are displayed neatly and conveniently alongside posters and figurines. It is essentially a nerd rec room. Beside that, the dining room and kitchen are organized and clean, and you can still smell pasta from the night before. A large flight upstairs leads to an upstairs library and study, which then empties out into a cozy bedroom full of stuffed animals and an open closet full of suits and coats. The bedroom has a balcony attached to it overlooking the water source nearby, a quiet and comfortable escape out into the serenity of nature. I suppose that’s all very idealistic, but this is a dream house... so I can have as many plushy sofas and anime girl figurines as I want!

what’s something you hate about the world? How selfish a lot of people are. I don’t mean to sound mean or judgmental, but there are just so many people who refuse to even try to be kind. All they care about is themselves and they don’t understand how much their actions effect those around them, and they certainly never try to adjust their viewpoints. I think there are so any problems we could resolve if we just tried to understand the people around us. After all, they aren’t going anywhere. You might as well try to make life as pleasant as possible for others, right? But that’s just my two cents. 

what’s something you love about the world? Even though the world is full of self-serving close-minded folk, there are also those who are driven and motivated to try to improve themselves and those around them. They want to try to make things more positive for those around them, they want to help those in need, and they believe in people’s capacity to improve. They believe int he ability to change and to improve. And when I see these people join hand in hand to change the world, I feel very inspired. I know it’s not possible to solve every problem, at least not in one go. But seeing people who wholeheartedly try to help out is what I love most in this world. 

what scents do you like? I tend to like scents like chocolate or sizzling steak, the kinds of scents associated with foods. Like I said, I’m always hungry. I also love the smell of nature after a rainy day, it just draws out all the scents from the flora in the most fantastic way. 

what kind of sleeper are you? If a bomb detonated outside my house, I would still stay asleep. In other words, I’m an incredibly heavy sleeper. Basically no amount of rambunctious noise can awaken me from deep slumber, but I am very responsive to someone disturbing my sleeping environment by touch. if the bed rocks or a finger brushes against my face, I’m awake instantly, probably in an anxious sweat. That’s why I can’t sleep in the car. But if you give me a warm bed and take care not to touch me in anyway, I’m dead asleep. 

are you a cat or dog person? Don’t make me choose! I love them both so much, but for completely different reasons. Cats are good because they are cuddly and soft and relaxing, but they for the most part don’t give a fuck about anything. And dogs are nice because they are so fun and loving, and sometimes they seem just as complex as humans in their emotional capacity. I love them both so much, I don’t want to choose!

how long would you survive in a zombie apocalypse? I’d probably be one of the first to kick the bucket honestly. I mean, I’ve beaten my siblings and other kids in wrestling matches more times then I can count, but a zombie apocalypse? I’d be too scared to do anything! The only thing that might push me forward would be the desire to help my loved ones, but even then I think i’d be pretty useless. Suffice it to say I’ll be easy pickings when the zombies come for our brains.

when do you feel safe? I’m pretty much always nervous to be honest, so I guess I feel safest when I’m asleep! 

are you trusting? I actually don’t know how to answer that? I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and when I make bonds I get seriously invested in them, but most people on the streets I’m always a bit on guard about. Got to play it safe, you know?

what fictional characters do you identify with? Alderheart and Hollyleaf from Warriors. Alderheart because he’s really anxious and just trying his best to be useful, and Hollyleaf because she wants to do the right thing and follow the rules but often gets confused and starts going a bit batty. For something that’s not Warriors, I’d have to go with Homura from Madoka Magica, because she puts on a lot of strong fronts to protect those she loves and to avoid failure at all costs. I’m not trying to say I’m as fucked-up as some of these characters or that any of my situations are as bad as theirs were, just that I see bits of myself in them and can feel a connection to them.

what labels do you commonly get? Well there is a lot... fangirl, nerd, overachiever, butch, standoffish, weird, tomboy... if I named all the boxes I’ve been put in I'd be here all day!

what issues are you dealing with right now? Anxiety! That’s all I'm going to say, because I honestly think I’ve said enough about my problems. It makes me kind of uncomfortable shouting my fears into the internet because... it makes me feel guilty? I don’t know. Just... anxious. That’s my problem. 

how can someone win you over? If they display an extensive knowledge of one of my fandoms then I’m instantly sold. Do you know how hard it is to find fans outside of the internet sometimes, and even in the internet? I’m so down to get in any amount of fandom talk!