#but if i do I'll end up burning that bridge to the ground

[nobodybetterlookatme]

Filled with ungodly rage that the professor who didn't hire me had the audacity to email me to ask if I would be interested in coming in from 9-5 two days next week to help clean and organize because I did it last semester and was the only person who came. Like bitch if you wanted help maybe you should've paid the one person who always came in

[haeryna]

the purest shade of white ↪ okkotsu yuuta x reader ⸙͎｡˚⋆ 𓋼

summary: yuuta looks almost like an angel, you think to yourself grimly, as you shift on the balls of your feet. you haven't seen your best friend in a couple years now, not since he left for africa. too bad he's attempting to kill the kouhai that you're trying to protect.

tw: manga spoilers! anime watchers, do not read. mild angst but happy ending. starts at the beginning of ch. 139. naoya zenin is here and he is his classic asshole self. reader is in the same grade as yuuta, both in age and in terms of cursed energy. swearing because reader is a bad bitch. mildly suggestive. unironic use of "senpai" and "kouhai." slight descriptions of blood and injury, everyone is subjected to the author's attempts at writing dialogue and fight scenes. not proofread but at this point that shouldn't be a surprise. it is blatantly obvious that the writer also does not know how to end stories

notes: thank you for 100 new friends! :) poll is technically still up but i'm impatient and yuuta was winning by a pretty decent margin so here it is lol. divider by @/saradika-graphics!

"Yuuji!" you yelp, slicing the head off a curse with a clean stroke of your katana. Purple ichor splatters to the ground as you whirl, searching for the familiar head of pink hair. "Stay close to me!"

Behind you, Choso grunts with exertion, sending out another bolt of Piercing Blood. Panting, you weave through the curses, letting their corpses fall behind you. Yuuji, where is Yuuji?

As the last body falls, you can't but let out an exasperated huff at the sheepish grin on Yuuji's face. "Don't scare me like that," you chide. "How am I supposed to protect you if I can't even find you?" Yuuji opens his mouth to protest but you shake your head. "I made a promise," you tell him, pain rippling through your heart dully. Gojo-sensei was long gone, stolen away by one of the people he had loved most in the world. Grimacing, you sheathe your katana, mindful of the blood that stains your palms, as you try to ignore the memory of his words all those months ago.

If anything happens, I need you to protect Itadori Yuuji. I know they're going to pull something on him once I'm not there to back him up.

"Senpai, what should-"

Yuuji immediately tenses as your hand flies to the grip of your katana. "I smell a rat," you mutter, nose wrinkling as you turn to face Naoya Zenin, standing atop a bridge. He bares his teeth at you in semblance of a smile. "How perceptive as always," he mocks.

"Cut the bullshit," you snap, hand still resting on the pommel. "What do you want?"

"Fushiguro Megumi," is his rather bland response, and you shift your feet into the opening steps of Flowing River.

"What do you want with Fushiguro?" Yuuji yells, and the way Naoya's face twists makes you want to vomit.

"I think I'll have him die."

Cursed energy fills your body as you leap. Naoya's resounding cackle burns through your ears as you swing, barely grazing his shoulder. Before you can push forward off your feet, a heavy presence rests on your shoulders, locking you in place. All four of you freeze. Yuuji and Choso look horrified, and Naoya looks as though he's broken out into a cold sweat. But you know this feeling, feel it settle back into your body as if it never left.

Okkotsu Yuuta steps out from the building ledge, dark eyes unreadable. Your body sings. Yuuta, Yuuta, Yuuta! His hair has grown longer, bangs sweeping over his forehead, eyebags a little darker than they used to be. You can feel Rika's presence, swirling around you in a mass of death and decay. You're used to it. You've grown to crave it, even. His eyes meet yours, and for a split second, his facade cracks. Confusion, fear, and...regret?

Yuuta leaps, slamming into concrete and sending shockwaves deep into your bones. "Who's with Itadori?" God, even his voice is different, so different from the boy who said goodbye to you so long ago. You open your mouth to speak, but Choso beats you to it, brows furrowed.

"So you're Yuuji's executioner."

Blood turns to ice in your veins, and you can tell by the pained expression Yuuta has that you aren't hiding your emotions as well as you think you are. Naoya laughs. "I was going to tell you that, but you were being too emotional like the bitch you are."

"Who're you?"

Yuuta's voice is cold, but as Naoya babbles on, you can feel the horror settle thickly into your chest. Choso and Yuuji are talking behind you but it feels like you're underwater, you're sinking, drowning, and Yuuta must have come to a conclusion because all of a sudden he's surging forward-

You move before you can even think, steel clashing against steel. "Yuuji," you say, through gritted teeth. "Run."

A horrible grating noise fills the air as you let cursed energy flow through your body, shoving Yuuta's sword away from yourself. "I won't let you kill him," you hiss, body already shifting into Jagged Bolt. Yuuta's eyes flash as you surge forward, katana in hand.

"How would you describe my cursed technique?" you had asked Gojo, mindlessly swinging your feet. Gojo hums.

"Have you ever heard of Newton's Law's of Motion?"

You had crinkled your nose at that. "No?"

"An object in motion, stays in motion. Except you are the object. And your cursed energy is the motion." You remember how Gojo's lips curved slightly. "In other words, once you start, nobody can stop you."

You're crying, you realize with a start, as you cut a line into Yuuta's chest. Moisture seeps from your eyes as you twist your forearm into a parry, katanas sparking with each strike. Belatedly, you sense that Yuuji, your foolish, stupid, loyal kouhai has stayed, trading strikes with his fists between the precise movements of your blade. Your heart drops as Yuuta reaches for the ring on his finger.

No. No!

He twists it, and Rika appears behind you. Claws sink into your shoulder and you let out a cry of pain as she flips you into the ground.

"Be nice, Rika," Yuuta chides, as you hit the concrete. Blood spurts from your mouth as you choke, fingers clawing at the ground desperately for your katana. A piece of scaffolding is practically crushing your legs; instinctively, you know that if you try to break through it, you'll tear your limbs right off.

As Rika holds Yuuji up, you lunge desperately, uncaring of what you have to sacrifice. Inumaki's arm, the way half of Nobara's face had been practically ripped out of her skull, the remains of Nanami-san, the way that you were the one to find Maki's charred body-

I can't lose anyone else.

You scream as Yuuta pierces Yuuji's chest with his katana, cursed energy building in your legs as you prepare to shoot forward. Yuuta turns, eyes filled with an unidentifiable emotion as he sees you about to tear yourself in half just to reach Yuuji.

With a wave of his hand, Rika dives for you, and everything goes dark.

Yuuta had known you were special from the day he'd first met you. That spring, when Gojo-sensei had dropped him (and Rika) into a class of unsuspecting first years, he remembers that out of the four of them, you had moved so gracefully that he hadn't processed the katana in your hand until you'd pressed it against your throat.

"Gojo-sensei," you'd hissed. "What is this?"

While Maki, Inumaki, and Panda had been subsequently bruised up by Rika, you had dodged every single one of her movements until Rika had been (barely) called back by Yuuta.

"Another Special Grade," Gojo had hummed. "Just like you, hm?"

Special Grade?

What he hadn't realized then, he realized later; you weren't just special to him, but to the entire rest of the Jujutsu World as well. Special Grade Sorcerers were rare, Maki had told him. "You only have it because of Rika," she'd scoffed, "but she deserves it."

You quickly became one of his closest friends. You were fast enough to dodge Rika's ire, even laughing whenever she tried. You'd shown Yuuta kindness that he didn't think he deserved. You broke him out of his shell enough so that when he left for Africa, he felt as though he was standing with his own strength. His first katana had been the sister blade of your own, forged from the same metal by the same hands. The way your eyes had lit up when you saw it was a memory he cherished.

Somberly, Yuuta eyes the chains encasing your wrists and ankles, each decorated with the slips of protective paper that would nullify your cursed energy. Most sorcerers required only one. You required at least twenty.

He knows you, knows the way you always take the strawberry daifuku, leaving him the red bean ones even though he knows you prefer the red bean. He knows that you push yourself hard, harder than he's ever seen anyone work. But most of all, he knows your loyalty, how once your heart finally lets someone in, you'll never let them go.

Did you miss him like he missed you?

The chains are more for your own protection. He needs you to hear him out before you attempt to end his life for a second time. Yuuta knows now that Gojo must have asked you the same thing he'd asked him; to keep Itadori Yuji safe from the whims of the higher ups. Gojo, being the forgetful bastard he was, probably didn't alert you to the fact that he'd gone to Yuuta for help as well. Crouching, Yuuta eyes your body with a sad tilt of his lips. The injuries you'd sustained were immense, and it had taken quite a bit of his own cursed energy to reverse.

Will you forgive him?

You're asleep, breath hitching every so often. Yuuta wonders what you're dreaming of, before pushing the thought away. Tenderly, he cups your face in the palm of his hand, calloused fingers stroking your cheek.

"You need to wake up now," he murmurs, as your eyes flutter open, first in dazed confusion, before sharpening into panic.

"I'll miss you!" you'd cried, as you clung to Yuuta under the shade of the large oak. You were the first person he had told about his departure to Africa, and you took it hard. Yuuta had stood frozen as the first of your tears had dripped down your cheeks. It was the first time he'd seen you cry.

"I'll be back before you know it," he'd murmured, pressing a featherlight kiss to the top of your head. You'd looked up to him, eyes teary.

"Promise?"

"I promise," he'd said, interlocking his pinky with your own. A love like Yuuta's is a dangerous thing, you know, but in this moment you feel nothing but safe.

The first sensation you feel upon awakening is the dull ache in your (miraculously still attached) legs. The second is the warmth on your cheek. Yuuta is standing above you, hand gently resting against your face. Immediately you lunge forward, teeth bared. The rattle of chains stops you, and you swear. Of course he would have taken precautions. Yuuta looks almost hurt as you violently shake off his touch.

"Don't touch me, I swear to god I'm going to rip you apart."

Yuuta says your name sadly, but you're practically trembling with rage.

"He was just a kid, with the kind of power we wield, why the fuck would you listen to the higher ups?"

Yuuta echoes your name a bit more firmly, but you ignore him, tears building in your eyes.

"You're no better than the rest of them are you, you're just-"

"Senpai!"

Your heart stops as Yuuji pokes his head out from around the corner. They must have brought you back to Jujutsu Tech, you think distractedly. Just how long were you out?

"Yuuji!" you cry out, scanning his body for any injuries. He seems to be uninjured, but most importantly, he's alive. Tears fall down your cheeks. "Are you alright?"

Yuuji appears horrified by the sudden outburst as he hastily holds up his hands. "I'm fine, senpai, really, I'm sorry for worrying you. Okkotsu-san is actually on our side, I swear! It was a binding vow, that's why he had to actually kill me, but he did some really cool Reverse Technique shit and I'm all good now!"

Warily, you eye Yuuta, whose expression resembles that of a kicked puppy. "Okkotsu Yuuta," you say, voice hard. "Let me out of these chains right fucking now."

With a wave of his hand, the papers attached to the chains fall to the floor. Yuuta looks dejected as he looks away from you. "I'm so sor-"

Before he can finish you immediate tackle him into a hug, knocking the both of you into the floor as you bury your face into the soft slope of his neck. "You're such an idiot," you sob, unable to hide the rush of emotions going through you. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Tentatively, Yuuta wraps his arms around you, and you melt, pressing yourself closer to his body. "To be honest, I think Gojo-sensei is to blame. I think he forgot to mention to either of us that he asked us to do the exact same thing."

You let out a hiccupping laugh. "Of course he did. That forgetful asshole."

The sigh Yuuta lets out is shaky as he nuzzles the top of your head. "I'm so, so sorry," he tells you earnestly. "I must have scared you, and Rika's mad at me for making me hurt you like that. I think she likes you, even though she pretends not to."

You look up at him, really look at him, and see the look of adoration in his eyes as he stares back down at you. Thankfully Yuuji's escaped long ago, most likely understanding that you two would need privacy. "You came back," you whisper, and Yuuta's resulting smile makes your heart skip a beat.

"I promised you, didn't I?"

Before you can stop yourself, you pull Yuuta down for a searing kiss. He's so soft, and you nip at the plush of his bottom lip teasingly, pulling a whine from his throat. His large hands grip your hips, and in retaliation, you grab a fistful of his hair and tug. The breathy noise he makes goes straight between your thighs. You know he can feel your smile against his lips.

"I missed you," you breathe, pulling away. Yuuta looks dazed, lips kiss swollen, pupils so dilated that you can barely see the soft brown of his eyes.

"I love you," he blurts out, and your resulting laugh is airy as you press another chaste kiss to his lips.

"I've always loved you, Yuuta," you admit. "During Shibuya, I thought I wasn't going to make it. You were the only thing keeping me going."

The look in his eyes is fierce as he tugs you back into him, enveloping you in his arms. "You'll never have to worry about that again. You have my entire life. Where you go, I'll follow, and if I die, not even Death would be able to separate me from your side."

"Those sound a lot like wedding vows, don't you think?"

Yuuta's blush covers his entire face and you grin, pressing one last kiss to his lips. "Come on now. We have kids we need to protect."

As Yuuta leads you to where the others have convened, even under the dark circumstances you're in, the warmth of his hand clutching yours fills you with a giddiness you hadn't experienced in months. The sentiment is quickly dashed as soon as Maki opens her mouth.

"Fucking finally. Inumaki owes me 3,000 yen."

[i-am-a-l0st-gh0st]

Good morning, this is my second Gaming request for the day. Warning: Anti-Yun Jin, sort of. It's much longer than my previous requests. Please kindly consider this Gaming angst request: Basking in his newfound relationship with Yun Jin, Gaming completely forgets that he's been betrothed to you ever since you were babies.

So, when he brings Yun Jin with him to Qiaoying Village to the Lantern Rite reunion festivities and to formally introduce her to the villagers as his girlfriend… absolute chaos: the village elders and your father start screaming how dare he dishonour you. Yip Tak gives his son a stern look before asking if he had forgotten about his betrothal.

You use the chaos to slip out as you already knew this would happen; Gaming's letters to you had, over time, grown shorter and less frequent. You return home to bring out four things: your family's copy of the betrothal contract, the unfinished wedding dress you had been sewing, a pair of scissors and your family's portable fire pit.

Returning to the reunion, you set the fire pit right in the middle of the hall and light it up. You then proceed to tear the betrothal contract into four and throw the quarters into the fire pit. The unfinished wedding dress; cut into pieces and into the fire. You give Gaming a firm and unforgiving look before untying the promise bracelet he gave you from your wrist and cut it into half (signifying you want nothing to do with him from henceforth) and drop it into the fire.

A couple of years later, you are now the dim sum chef at Liuli Pavilion; your dishes are a must-have on every dining table. It is at this time, Gaming comes back to you, begging for reconciliation. Apparently, he and Yun Jin had broken up because she has decided to marry the man the troupe Elders chose for her. You remind him that he had long burnt his bridges with you and slam the door in his face.

Please also kindly take as long as you need with this request; I have no qualms in waiting. Furthermore, by no means feel obligated to prioritize this request over your other requests.

You're just another picture to burn- Gaming x Fem!reader

There's no time for tears T/w- Anti yun jin (sorta), ex gaming, called off wedding Summary- As shown above

A/n- I have made a Hsr oneshot acc, I'll link it here when I set it up properly.

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They were so happy. They thought their ‘love’ would never end. That it would be something that lasts forever. Gaming and Yun JIn were all over each other every day of the week. So when he announced he’d be marrying her, the village elders looked to you in sadness. You were the one he was supposed to marry… Not her… What did he see in her? All she could do was dance… she wasn't special.

“You’re supposed to marry y/n! You know this Gaming!”

“But what if I don't want to? I don't love her, I love Yun Jin.”

It hurt more than it should’ve, but you had to get it in your head. He doesn’t love me and he never will. Taking the chaos as a sign to slip away, you hid in the sanctuary of your room. You could see the photos your mother had forced you to put up of you and Gaming. Tears were flooding your eyes, you ripped all the photos down, placing them in a crumpled heap on the ground.

Put on a manakin next to you was the wedding dress you were trying to make. You’d wanted to keep it traditional, so it was a bright white colour. The sleeves were going to be down on your shoulders with white flowers embroidered. The chest of the dress was also covered in the white flowers. The gown reached down to just above the floor so it wasn’t dirted at the wedding. You supposed it would go to waste now. You threw it on the pile of photos.

You rummaged through the drawers and found the contract you had both signed at 11 for your wedding. Ripping it into pieces with rage you placed it on the pile. You had also grabbed a pair of your scissors on the way out. Heading out to the yard near the fire pit just harshly placed the items you brought. First the photos. You could see the town watching you doing this. Gaming looked hurt. But nothing could compare to the way he had hurt you.

You watched the memories slip away. Your smile, his laugh, the way he held you. They were nothing but embers now. The four pieces of the betrothal contract were also put. Now your wedding was nothing more than a memory. You picked up the scissors that you had and started snipping the wedding dress you had worked hard on. The fabric quickly faded to black in the fire. You didn’t feel sadness anymore but mainly anger.

“I want nothing to do with you nor your girlfriend.”

Many years ago he had given you a promise bracelet and told you he’d be yours forever. You cut it in half dropping it along with the rest of the items. Watching your past slowly burn away.

“Y/n you're being ridi-” Gaming said, but was quickly interrupted by an elder.

“You have no right to speak about being ridiculous.”

4 years later

You both had grown apart these last 4 years. Barely making eye contact with one another as you walked by. News reached your ears that Yun Jin and Gaming had split. It made you happy to see them fall but at the same time, they seemed like they loved each other, a lot.

While lost in thought you heard someone call your name. “Y/n? Is that you!”

Gamings voice was unmistakable. The joy that was always in his voice, he could always lighten up a room very easily. That was one of the things you used to love about him.

“Y/n… Im sure you’ve heard the news by now…”

“About you and Yun Jin?”

“Yes… that… I was thinking… Would you take me back?”

You couldn’t believe he was standing in your dim sum shop, after he dumped you all those years ago, and is now despite to rekindle that. The audacity of this boy was sad.

“No. My answer is no. You left all those years ago for a girl you thought you loved. That was your decision, not mine. We called off the wedding in your favour and I am not making your parents and mine go through that whole thing again.

[angelsanarchy]

Alkaline: Euronymous x Y/N Series CH 30

Tagging: @ophelialaufey @madamemaximoff06 @forever-not-gonna-sink@ajmiila02@liquidsmoothdomme@shady-the-simp @auggiethecreator @tempt-ress @blacksoul-27 @shroomje

Oystein got home and could tell something with Y/n was off. He had heard bits and pieces from Hellhammer but Y/n was adamant that she didn't want him to do anything about it. He knew Y/n wasn't afraid of him but he knew Varg was a violent person with a short temper. The last thing he wanted was for her to set him off by showing no fear. He thrived on shit like that.

He had called Varg and asked him to meet with him to discuss the album and when he caught sight of him, he tossed the copy of Kerrang on the table in front of him.

"You know this is bullshit right?" Varg sat down clearly pissed.

"What are you talking about? You're on the fucking cover? What else could you ask for?" Oystein asked confused.

"Your name is all over the thing. You didn't want any of this going to the press, I took it there and it's just another thing you get to take credit for like you're the brains of this whole thing." Varg's disdain for Oystein had grown so much in such a short time, he knew that whatever he said would only make things more hostile.

"Look, I didn't ask you here to argue about pointless things. I wanted to-"

"I'm going to release my own music on my own label." Varg cut him off.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Oystein asked.

"It means I don't need you anymore. You'll have to find some other idiot to steal from." Varg pressed. Oystein shook his head at him.

"I haven't stolen anything from you Varg." Varg started ranting about the money that was used to make Mayhem's album and Oystein pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He knew the money panned out in the end with having Varg join the band but it was pointless to try and sort things out at this point.

"You know what? I think that's a great idea. I think you should release your music on your own label, you want to quit Mayhem, that's fine. We can finish the album on our own and even kick you out some of the profit from what you've already put into." Oystein folded his hands in front of him and Varg shook his head.

"You're such a sellout." Varg chuckled.

"What else do you want from me man? You're getting everything you want-"

"I want for people to know that you are a poser. I want people to know that the so called creator of pure Norwegian Black Metal betrayed it with his bullshit lies and deceit." Varg's words were harsh but Oystein knew he didn't care what Varg thought of him.

"I want your whole world to burn to the ground and people to see you for who you truly are. A weak, pathetic hack who profited off the death of his friend and is run around by the cock on a leash by some Itzig." Varg spoke with such disgust about him but it wasn't until he mentioned Pelle and Y/n that he felt himself grinding his teeth and clenching his fists.

"I know what you said to her and that's the end of it. You want to come after me, tell people I'm some piece of shit poser, go ahead. But you approach Y/n again, you so much as breathe on her and I'll kill you myself." Oystein spoke softly so the people around them couldn't hear but Varg laughed.

"Just because you boasted like you puppeteered your little buddy Pelle into blowing his brains out, doesn't mean you've got even an ounce of killer in you, Oystein." He mocked. It was becoming increasingly hard to maintain his emotions.

"You want to see the killer in me, keep it up. There's only one thing in this world that I would kill for and that's Y/n. I will do whatever it takes to protect her, even if that means sitting in a cell next to you for arson. You can believe that above everything that's ever come out of my mouth." He held Varg's gaze and he knew that Oystein was serious. He didn't fear him but he knew that he had the capability to end his career before it even started if he ended up in prison for the church fires.

"Well I hope you're also willing to die for her as much as you say you would kill for her." Varg pushed away from the table and left the magazine and the necklace he had given him when he first joined the band sitting on the table. Oystein watched him leave with his hood up, making sure no one saw his face and he sighed. He felt a little bit of the weight lift off of his shoulders. He felt like he had just broken up with someone but that someone hated his guts and wished nothing but the worst for him.

Oystein pulled his wallet out and looked at the picture he had put in there of himself, Pelle and Y/n the first night he wore the corpse paint. He felt a pang in his heart for those times. Everything seemed so much easier then. He wished he could go back and change things. He felt himself getting emotional and jumped up from the table, grabbing the magazine and necklace and trashing them on his way out of the restaurant.

[confused-red-head]

These Curses We Bear

Chapter 1 - If these Walls Could Talk

Pro-Hero!Shouto Todoroki x Psychic Medium Detective!Reader

Masterlist

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WARNING: dark themes, death, minor character death, descriptions of dead bodies(no excessive gore), paranormal activities, blood, violence, cursing, angst, angst WITH COMFORT(moreso in later chapters), mentions of trauma, mentions of illness, fem!reader, READER TALKS TO GHOSTS, ghost child in chapter 1, children in general, Reader being a dork, home break-in, slowish burn, pro hero au, aged up characters, strangers to friends to lovers, etc.

"Sorry, but I'm not an exorcist."

If you had one yen for every time you've said this exact phrase, you certainly wouldn't have found yourself with a weeping man begging on his knees in the middle of an ice cream shop.

But beggars can't be choosers.

"Please! So many people have gotten sick and we have no idea why! We've had the place inspected from top to bottom and they haven't found anything! We had to throw out all of our previous batches of ice cream! This is costing us so much and at this rate we will have to shut down! I didn't know what else to do!", the shop owner pleads, his hands clasped together with a tear-streaked face.

With a sigh, you pinched the bridge of your nose. It was already late by the time you received the call from the shop owner, Mr. Masuda. The conversation over the phone was frantic and garbled, enough so that you had rushed out of your apartment in pajamas and gray peacoat. Rookie mistake. Seeing how you had nothing to lose, you may as well try.

"Fine. Alright. I'll try, but there's no promise that if there is a spirit or that it will want to talk. On top of that, I can't promise I'll be able to get them to cease activity. If that's the case, I do have the contacts of some people who may be able to help you."

"Oh thank you! Thank you! You are a lifesaver!"

Mr. Masuda bowed even lower as you sidestepped around him. You took in the shop's atmosphere. The place was brightly colored, various walls painted pastel blue, pink, and yellow. The tables and seats were covered in similarly-colored patterns; while the walls were decked out with signs, photos, art, and flourishing plastic plants. You thought it would have been a nice place to wind down after a day of running errands. Unfortunately for you, today was not that day.

"Now, where did you say the activity occurred most?"

Mr. Masuda rose from his bow and clambered to stand on his own two feet.

"The ice cream display! We've had customers feel nauseous or even faint due to a sudden difficulty in breathing."

You hummed in response and wandered over to the casing, your eyes flickered to and fro; searching for even a single speck of dust out of place. You quickly slip on a rubber glove from your bag, swipe a finger over the surface of the casing, and rub two fingers together, searching for any unusual substances. 

Nothing. No grainy or oily texture from a foreign substance. Still, that doesn't rule out foul play from a neighboring business, competitor, or even just a particularly upset customer.

Some people are real fucking crazy…

"You clean and wipe down every surface at the end of the day, right?"

You strip off the glove, shoving it into your pajama pants pocket to dispose of later.

"Of course! I wouldn't dare leave the place filthy!", Mr. Masuda was obviously offended by your speculation.

"Alright! Okay! I'm just making sure. You'd be surprised with what some businesses cut corners on…", you crouched down to inspect the ground around and underneath the display case as you continued to ask questions.

"Do you know anyone who could possibly hold a grudge against you or profit from the shop closing?"

"Wh-what?! No! At least not that I know of. It's not like we are in a prime location and I haven't had any encounters that I can think of that would cause such a response.", Mr. Masuda wrung out hands at the thought of someone wanting to hurt him and his business. "Do you think someone may have cursed me?!"

You hummed in thought.

"Hmm perhaps… if it really is a spirit that is.", you rose from your place on the floor and turned to face the frantic shop owner, "You said an employee saw a ghostly form when she was locking up earlier tonight?"

"Yes! Miss Kimura! She's a very hard working girl and very kind too! She does well with the children who come in! It broke my heart hearing how terrified she was over the phone after she saw it."

"Did she describe it to you? Have you perhaps seen a similar figure yourself?" 

"I haven't seen anything like she described, but she said she saw a pale white figure, small like a child. She said it looked like it was looking into the display case, standing where the incidents keep happening."

You dug your hand into your messenger bag, one you bring to on-site investigations, and pulled out a UV flashlight. 

"Mind hitting the lights for me?"

"O-oh! Of course!", Mr. Masuda rushed over to the light switches near the shop entrance. As soon as the lights flickered out, you clicked on the flashlight and passed the shining purple light over the display case surface. Quickly, you find something interesting. Two small handprints make themselves known in the ultraviolet light. 

"And you said you wash the display case every night?"

"Yes! We clean the place thoroughly after closing! Kimura said she only saw the figure when she was locking up.", he perked up a bit, prideful of his shop's cleanliness.

"Well… either she missed a spot or these prints are fresh…", you flashed the light over the handprints again to show Mr. Musuda, who quickly looked shaken over the find.

"I… I'm sorry…"

A voice called out, sounding meek and guilty.

"Mama always said I shouldn't touch the glass, but the ice cream looks so good…"

You turned slightly towards the voice that came from right beside you. Your eyes landed on a ghostly figure of a young girl, looking no older than six years old and wearing a hospital gown. Her head hung in shame, clearly guilty of her actions. You slowly descended into a squat, careful not to scare the spirit girl. 

"Hey…", you spoke softly as if she were a lost child looking for their parents ,"It's okay. We can clean up again. May I ask for your name?"

The girl looked spooked at the fact I acknowledged her at all. Her eyes went wide with surprise.

"M-mama said I shouldn't talk to strangers… but I don't think anyone else can hear or see me…" 

"You're a smart girl to listen to your mama. She's right afterall. I understand if you're nervous, but I just want to ask you a few questions. Only if you're okay with that, of course, but I'd really like to try and help you."

The girl tugged at her gown nervously, looking down like she was contemplating whether you could be trusted or not.

"...Okay…", She whispered, "I'll answer your questions. My name is Chihoko Konuma."

"You have a very lovely name, Miss Konuma. My name is Y/N L/N, I'm a private detective," You turned to Mr. Masuda and gestured toward him,"and this nice man is Mr. Masuda. He's the owner of this shop."

"I know Mr. Masuda!", she perks up at the name

"Oh? How do you know him?"

"Me and Mama would come here every sunday! He's very nice! And Miss Kimura too!", and as quickly as it came her happy attitude disappeared. 

"I… I scared Miss Kimura,didn't I? Can you tell her I'm sorry? I really didn't mean to."

"I'm sure she will be fine. It's okay. She just… didn't understand." You trailed off.

You inhaled and clasped your hands together, tucking them under your chin.

"Do you remember what happened before you found yourself here?"

"I… I was in the hospital. Mama said my lungs didn't work right, that the doctors were going to help me… It hurt. It hurt a lot. And Mama was crying. I was so tired. All I wanted was to see Mama happy again. I just wanted to go out like before. Then we could get ice cream like we always did."

You could feel your throat tighten at the sight of tears welling up in the girl's eyes, hands in her gown tighten even further. 

"... Miss Detective… I'm not going to wake up, am I?"

Your heart dropped and you couldn't bring yourself to look her in the eye. This was the part you hated most. There were plenty of spirits who didn't understand what had happened to them. Many went on believing that they were still among the living, going about their day confined to a certain space or attached to a certain object. But, being the one to break the news never sat right with you.

"... No. I'm sorry, Chihoko." Your voice stayed steady and firm, yet gentle.

There was a heavy silence that settled. One that felt like it could drag you to the deepest depths of the ocean and never let up. From the corner of your eye you could tell even Mr. Masuda was affected by the intense wave of sadness in the room as he cupped his mouth to keep himself from choking up despite only catching half the conversation.

"...You said you wanted your Mama to be happy, right?" You started, forcing yourself to look at her again, "Well… I'm sure the thing that would make your Mama happiest… would be knowing that you were happy… that you don't hurt anymore…"

Chihoko looked up at you, ghostly tears fell from her eyes, but disappeared before they ever reached the ground. Her hands loosened their grip on her gown.

"... Chihoko, would you like some ice cream?"

She stayed silent, but nodded. You finally rose from your squat and held your hand out to Chihoko. 

"C'mon, you can choose where we sit."

She nodded again and took your hand. You felt a cold and wispy feeling envelope your hand as she began to lead you to the table in front of the windows.

"Mr. Masuda, you can go ahead and turn the lights back on. We're going to have ice cream if you don't mind." You smiled at the man who looked absolutely baffled by the situation.

"O-oh… yes! Of course!" He flicked the lights on and rushed back behind the counter.

"Is… is this part of the process?" He paused for a moment, looking for some clarity from you. 

"Uhhh yeah! Yes! Absolutely! The spirit demands an offering! And the offering must be ice cream!" You gave off a silly dramatic flare to your little speech and you heard a little giggle from the now seated ghost girl. 

"Psst, what do you want?" You leaned over slightly.

"Hmm… birthday cake ice cream with two scoops…"

"The mighty spirit demands two scoops…"

"No! Wait! Three! Three scoops!"

"Wait! Three scoops of birthday cake ice cream!"

"I also want rainbow sprinkles! Oh! And a cherry on top!"

"And make that with rainbow sprinkles and a cherry on top! So does the mighty spirit Chihoko demand it! All hail the mighty spirit!" You flare out your peacoat dramatically in emphasis, "... and uhh throw one in for me too, please."

You heard giggles erupt from the girl as Mr. Masuda quickly began putting together the orders, looking even more puzzled than before. Once finished he rushes over with two cups. You took one of the cups from his hands and raised it high above your head. 

"Dear mighty spirit! Please accept our offering!" 

You sat the cup in front of Chihoko, leaning slightly, you said softer, "May you find peace and happiness."

Chihoko smiled brightly and kicked her feet in her seat, "Thank you, Miss Detective."

"Anytime, Kiddo."

As you sat in the seat across from her and propped your head with your hand, you noticed a daydreaming look in her eyes. As if she were somewhere else completely. Where the sun was shining, the flowers were in bloom, and the beautiful birdsong rang through the air. Soon enough the ghostly girl's visage had dispersed, the seat she once occupied was once agin empty.

That knot in your throat appeared again. You bit the inside of your cheek and took slow breaths. With a hefty sigh, you rose from your chair and turned to Mr. Masuda. 

"So… so that's it? Is it coming back?" Mr. Masuda stuttered out, still very much confused.

"No. She most likely won't be coming back. If the events occur again, just call me up again and I'll take a look at it."

"Ah! That's good! Thank you so much, Detective! And uhhh about the payment-"

"Don't worry about it right now. It's late. I'll call you tomorrow and we can work something out. For now just worry about getting your business back in order." You take your ice cream cup in hand, "But I wouldn't mind taking this and a few more pints of ice cream home, if you don't mind…"

The plastic bag rustled as it swung into your leg with each stride. Mr. Masuda gladly agreed to give you some ice cream and sent you on your way with a promise of payment in the future. 

The ice cream shop may not have been far from your apartment, but each step felt heavier than the last. The streets weren't empty, but it was certainly quiet enough for your thoughts to ring louder than the idle chatter of the people on the street.

 You hated this feeling. The emotional exhaustion that came with interacting with spirits was sometimes too much to bear. All you wanted to do was have your tea and fall asleep while cuddling your cat. Maybe cry a little. Or cry a lot. Who knows? 

The thought of home was enough to will the energy to make the trek back. You felt your feet quicken the moment you saw your tiny apartment building come into view. 

Your hand blindly dug into your bag for your keys as you made your way up the strangely steep and uneven steps you have learned to navigate. The moment you pushed in the code and the door opened you heard whispers in your ears. 

Yes. Your apartment building was also haunted. 

Lucky you.

It was the reason you could afford a decent apartment for so cheap. You made a deal with the landlord to keep the spirits in check for a more affordable price on rent. Especially since the spirits were quite lively.

 They weren't aggressive exactly, but more curious and sociable. They especially liked to give you all the apartment building gossip. You can't lie, it was pretty entertaining. Like your own personal reality tv show.

And this time they came to you with news of someone breaking into your apartment.

Oh goodie. 

Your mood soured and you began to march up the stairs of the building. Of all nights some random asshole had to choose tonight. If someone was going to die tonight it certainly wasn't going to be you. You would be personally adding a new spirit to the apartment building's collection. 

It wasn't until you had reached your door had you caught the feeling of a familiar aura. Your sour mood lifted into a mix of relief and confusion.

You unlocked the door and let it swing open.

"I know we are friends and all, Shinsou, but at least give me a heads up before you go breaking into my apartment."

You reached the end of the hall and flicked on the lights to reveal the pro hero, his indigo hair tucked away under a black, slicked back wig, dark brown eye contacts over his natural purple, and heavy make-up distorting his natural features. He sat on your couch with your cat curled up in his lap, who clearly didn't seem deterred by his drastically different appearance.

That little traitor.

"Long time no see, Miss Nancy Drew. As always you are no fun to surprise."

Despite the lax nature of his words, there was a seriousness in his voice and a hard look in his eye. An uneasiness settled in your stomach. You closed your door and slipped off your shoes

"Something happened."

It was less of a question and more of a statement. He nodded. It was then you sensed a second presence. One unfamiliar to you.

"So… who's your friend hiding in my bathroom?"

You didn't like this. You had never seen Shinsou look so hesitant. Guilty almost. 

"Look. I need you to do me a favor…"

"First, I need you to tell me who the hell is in my fucking bathroom, Shinsou." Your voice had cut him off. Quick and angry you whispered. You were not in the mood to play these games. 

Shinsou let out a frustrated and defeated sigh. Your cat jumped off his lap as he leaned forward to press his intertwined hands to his mouth. 

"Shouto."

Huh?

"Number three pro hero, Shouto."

…

"WHAT?!"

Taglist: @andypantsx3

[babygirl-diaz]

Do you have more Tommy x Eddie hcs?👀

Again, sorry for the late reply, anon!

Okay, so Teddie headcanons...

They're both very stubborn and don't like to compromise. They both like to keep their problems to themselves and don't wanna open up.

It's always like:

Eddie: You wanna tell me what's bothering you? Tommy: You first, darling Eddie: Tommy, I swear to god!

Neither of them knows how to do the romance thing. With Eddie, it's the molten chocolate thing all over again...

Eddie: Love is like a candle. You gotta keep it burning because once it fizzles out, it fizzles out Tommy: Uh what? Are you breaking up with me? Eddie: What? No! I'm trying to tell you I love you! Tommy: Well, it sure didn't sound like it.

And Tommy always tries to do something romantic but it's always over the top and ends up in some kinda disaster...

Tommy: Here, I'll take your hand Eddie: No, I am not bungee jumping off a bridge. I have a kid! Tommy: I'm right here with you. You don't have to be scared! Eddie: Oh yeah? Like you were with me when we went on that hot air balloon and the balloon flew off with me in it while you were still on the ground? I don't know why I decided to go with that one. The same exact thing happened during one of our rescues Tommy: Well, that was- Eddie: OR like the time you were with me when I ended up in the hospital because you had me try eel? Tommy: I didn't know you would choke on it! How does anyone choke on that? Eddie: Well, sorry, I don't have a good gag reflex Tommy: Now I'm gonna choke.

Oh, and as you can see above... they banter. A LOT. They can match each other's wit. Everyone thinks they're arguing but they're really not. That's just their way of showing how much they love each other...

Tommy: I love you Eddie: Took you long enough Tommy: I said it, didn't I? Eddie: Gee, thanks for doing me a favor Tommy: You know what? I take it back Eddie: You can't. It's already out there Buck: Why are you guys fighting? Tommy and Eddie: We're not!

Okay, this is what I have so far...

Actually, one more thing. When it's just the two of them, they're totally normal lmao...

[myafterlifeisbetterthenyours]

Hey there, been enjoying your content for a while now! I gotta take the new episode opportunity and request Chaz calling the reader to help him get away from Crimson, like a last minute rescue and finding a way to fake a trophy and trick the mafia, maybe some sex-as-thanks at the end, if you want to. As an addendum, this is an idea I got and plan to write my own fanfic with it, and I'd love to see your take on this scenario!

Life Saver!

Oh how could it all go so so wrong?!

Chaz had been running for, Hell, hours? It'd long since gone dark.

He held his side, a stray bullet from Crimson having hit him while he made his less than elegant escape, the man running through the bustling city that covered the majority of Greed, blood soaking the side of his shirt and quickly working its way down his pants.

Eventually, he'd duck into a back alley, wedging himself between a set of dumpsters. The shark man stayed huddled there for what felt like hours, doing his best to steady his breathing as he stayed sat there.

He'd sit there long enough for the adrenaline to wear off, and once it did, the blood loss finally hit him, the man collapsing in his hidden nook, passing out.

He'd awaken mid morning, wheezing as he stood up, the man clutching his side.

The bleeding had stopped, though his shirt and leg was absolutely soaked in blood.

That wasn't good.

Exiting the alleyway, he was entirely unsure of what the Hell to do.

So, he wandered.

He walked down the Street, body weak, occasionally being bumped into, or stepping over the occasional dead body.

But it'd be after some Imp got his head blown off, Chaz getting covered in brainmatter.

And while he initially complained, wiping his face. However as he spat out brains, he'd find his salvation in the dead Imp's hand.

A Cellphone!

So, snatching it up, he spent a long minute thinking of who he could actually call.

It's not like he had any friends. Burned most bridges. Fucked up the rest.

OH!

There was one person that didn't totally despise his guts. Someone that wouldn't kill him on sight.

So, after a minute trying to remember your number he'd finally pressed it into the phone.

It rang, Chaz desperately hoping you'll answer.

After another minute or so, you'd pick up. Before you could actually say anything Chaz blurted out.

"(Y/N)! Please don't hang up. Please!"

There was a long silence before he heard you sigh. "What do you want Chaz?"

He almost wept, pleading with you.

"Please, look I know Ive been an ass in the past, but I need your help. I've got myself in shit with the mob and your the only person in the seven rings I can trust right now!"

There was several minutes of silence before he added another desperate. "Please!"

There was another moment of silence before you sighed, telling him. "Fine... Do you remember the park where we met?"

He nodded, before smacking his forehead, telling you. "Yeah, I... I'm not too far from it."

"Alright, I can be there in 10. Be there." He released a heavy breath, the man about to thank you before you added. "Dont be seen. If your being followed by the mob, I'd suggest changing clothes, or at least covering up or something. I'll be in a red car."

Then you hung up, and so, following your instructions, he made his way to the park.

He'd manage to snatch a blanket covering up his faux tuxedo'd body. The man managing to cover his hair with a cap he snatched off some kids head.

He made it to the park fairly easily though he was still light headed from the blood loss, his head on a swivel as he watched for red cars.

As he did, he'd spot a pair of men. Men that were obviously on the lookout for sombody.

And not wanting to tempt fate, the shark demon quickly avoided eye contact, staring at the ground in hopes of garnering their attention.

Unfortunately for him, his luck hadn't turned, the set of men obviously spotting him.

He'd struggle to his feet, intending to make a runner. Or well, a shamble, man almost to the street when you finally pulled up.

"Get in!"

You yelled.

And he did, the man leaping in, the shark awkwardly balled up as you sped off, Chaz awkwardly fixing himself, having to move his ridiculous tail as you drove. Chaz sure to toss the blanket and hat, said garments immediately covering another cars window and making it crash.

"UnHoly shit! thank you!"

You didn't say anything, just driving along the street, intentionally not looking at the man.

Youd drive him back your place, making sure to take the long way with plenty of turns just in case someone was following you.

But after a while, you'd pull up to your clinic, you climbing out, coming around and helping him up.

You carried himside, the man weakly thanking you again as you helped his weakened form into a chair.

Youd quickly get to work fixing him up, cleaning and stitching up the wound, the man hissing and groaning at the pain.

"How ya feeling?" Youd ask, finally finished fixing him up.

Taking a few heavy breaths, Chaz chuckled, adjusting his seating before telling you.

"Ah, I'm alright. Will take more than a bullet to take my big dicked, sexy ass out."

You snorted, shaking your head telling him.

"Good... good."

Before you turned and smacked him right across the face.

"That was for getting mixed up with the mob!"

You then smacked him again.

"And that's for drinking all my medical grade alcohol, disappearing for half a year before calling me to save your ass, you prick!"

With that you calmly turned, grabbed your equipment and walking out of the room, the shark demon just sitting, watching as you casually walked away, man holding his sore cheek.

He'd find you cleaning your tools, Chaz awkwardly asking. "Sooo... do you still hate me?" He asked rather nonchalantly.

You paused, slumping over before snorting, shaking your head.

"Your dumbass you know that?" You chuckled, shaking your head, rolling your eyes.

Turning around, you face him, reaching out to cup his cheek, looking over the mark you'd left. You shook your head, looking into his eyes.

"You look like shit." You told him bluntly, the man breaking into laughter, you quickly following.

The both of you sharing a laugh. You sat him down, having him eat something before taking him to your bathroom, telling him to clean up.

Telling him to hand over his clothes when he gets in.

Of course he made a joke about you joining him, but after a singular look hed back down, apologising.

And so, stripping down, he'd hand you his clothes, the man taking a delightfully hot shower.

Youd put his clothes in the wash, finishing up sanitising your equipment before heading back to your room just as Chaz stepped out.

He had the decency to actually wear a towel, the past 24 seemingly taking its toll as he stumbled out the shark, towel barely staying attached as he flopped on your bed.

You just rolled your eyes, the man quickly curling up his massive tail, the man asking in a "sexy" voice, or more accurately, 'half asleep' voice if he could 'pay you back~'.

To which you threw a pair of his pants at him, a pair he'd left at your place the last time he'd been their. I.e. before he ran drunk off his ass on medical grad alcohol.

And so, while he got dressed you'd ask him who he'd managed to piss off.

The man made you promise not to get mad, you telling him to tell you or he could leave.

And so, making the sane choice, he'd reveal it was Crimson.

You were sure to throw something at him, yelling at him for being so stupid as to get mixed up with A Knowlastname.

However, it was as you were about to throw a shoe at him, that it hit you.

You knew exactly how you were gonna gat him out of this situation.

Chaz would ask what you had in mind, you simply throwing the shoe, telling him to get ready, you had somewhere to be.

Chaz would point out he was missing a shirt, and so, you'd throw him a robe, as you didn't have any shirts in his size.

You'd zip off to the "meat market".

Or as you called it, "the sketchy ass back alley market where surgeons get organs and shit for their sketchy ass surgeries".

It wasn't a pleasant place, and not one you went often, but for your purposes you were sure you could find exactly what you needed.

It took a long while to find a cadaver that matched him shockingly well. He was a lanky, recently dead shark shmuck that honestly, looked like he could be Chaz' twin.

And luckily, The dead man had a full set of teeth.

So, grabbing the dead bastard, you'd pay an annoyingly high price, Chaz promising to pay you back, befire you dragged him back to your place, and after some work on Chaz, youd get to work.

Youd check Chaz's teeth, making a mental note, and after some work, you had the cadavers chompers looking almost identical.

You knew of the Mob boss Crimson's proclivity to collect the teeth, horns or collars of his enemies, and as such took extra care that they looked authentic, Chaz spending most of the night with his mouth open.

And so, after a few hours of surgery, you had a very Chaz looking set of teeth.

And so waiting a few days and after taking some rather convincing photos of the mutilated Chaz look alike, man half burnt in a crashed car you found in some alleyway, youd manage to contact Crimson's men.

You spun a long yarn on hearing something about Chaz, you knowing him, making sure to glance over at him as you described him being a dumbass.

Of course theyd ask why you cared, you telling them you had a history and happened to find him dead, likely trying to steal a boobytrapped car, not that you shed a tear in finding him dead.

Something that got a wounded look from Chaz, the two of you sharing a drink at the time, Chaz less than subtly pulling you towards him with his tail, you smacking his tail as you climbed out, telling the man you had his chompers as well as evidence.

He'd ask what you wanted, you telling him a small sum for your effort. Removing and sanitising teeth wasn't easy after all.

And so, after some more back and forth, you set up a meeting.

Youd come face to face with Crimson himself, you handing over several images of a 'dead' Chaz, the man not saying a word till you handed over 'his' chompers.

Crimson stared at them for a looong, looong minute, before silently nodding, placing the teeth back onto the box as one of his goons handed you an envelope of cash.

With a respectful bow, you'd highfalutin it back home, blurting into your clinic, rushing upstairs with a cheer.

Chaz would pop out of the closet, the man having been waiting for the worst, the man equipped with one of your kitchen knives.

Though you didn't get the chance to ask him about it as he quickly approached, spinning you around and pulling you close.

Chaz suggested you go out and party, but luckily for the both of you, you weren't that stupid and decided to stay in and order some higher end fast food.

As well as you popping down the street for some cheep champagne.

The two of you would spend the night together, eating good food, sharing some very tasty champagne as you shared a toast to Chaz's death.

Youd somehow end up wrapped in his tail, the both of you speaking softly over your past, the man apologising for running.

For stealing from you.

For being such a useless prick.

He'd lean in close, thanking you for being the only person he could count on in all Hell, even if he didn't deserve it.

Youd lean in close, asking him if hed meant all if that, that he was actually sorry for being a prick, or if he was that same old Chaz.

He'd pause, silent for moment before sighing, the man looking back up at you before apologising again, telling you simply he was an asshole, but, well, he'd like another chance. If you'd have him?

And so, with a moment of thought, you'd kiss.

A deep, passionate kiss, the two of your curling up in bed, quickly getting down to buisness.

Youd end up curled up in bed, sheets a mess, both naked and nasty, Chaz curled up around you, nuzzling your collar as he held you close.

Youd lean down, the two of you sharing a kiss.

He'd ask if you'd, well, wanna give it another try... if you'd have him?

You'd lay there for a long minute, not saying anything until you'd finally lean in, giving him a deep, passionate kiss.

You wouldn't be an 'official thing' first a long time, especially with Chaz having to learn to be dead. But after a long time together, you'd genuinely end up loving each other.

And while it was never perfect, nothing in Hell was, and you made due.

And as cheesy as it was, you'd live Mostly happily, ever after.

[syn4k]

SCENE: A vaguely defined white room in the middle of which sits a white circle with a navy blue line drawn In the middle. WILBUR SOOT walks in from one side, JOE HILLS from the other.

[-=-]

WILBUR SOOT: Hello there, Joe.

JOE HILLS: Howdy, Wilbur!

WILBUR SOOT: While I may not know exactly where this is, I do know what we're here for, though I must admit the premuse still perplexes me greatly.

JOE HILLS: Well, I think that's sorta the point. No fun if you understand it entirely.

[WILBUR SOOT summon s a chair from thin air and sits down in it casually.]

WILBUR: Since you appear to have a better grasp on the situation than I, would you be so kind as to explain in greater detail what we're dealing with here?

[JOE HILLS at sits on the ground.]

JOE: I'd be happy to.

WILBUR: Go on, then.

JOE: Well, you see, this isn't a normal sexyman contest. With normal ones, you vote based on how attractive the person is based on societal standards. This, meanwhile, is a Tumblr sexyman poll, which means the general goal here is to be the exact opposite. The criteria are vague, but generally people are rooting for the people that are weird, strange, cryptic, and generally off-putting.

WILBUR SOOT (leaning forwards in chair): Strange, hm? I can be strange. I can be odd. I obviously wouldn't be here if Iwasn't. Tell me, Joe, do any of us truly understand these odd game we've both been hurled into? The votes are piling up now. The people want to know.

JOE HILLS (checking phone): Indeed they do.

WILBUR SOOT: The flames are piling higher, do you smell them? Do you recognize that scent? It's the scent of bridges burning, Joe, all we've took to get here. This is a very odd competition, but nevertheless one I intend to win.

[WILBUR SOOT stands up and draws a rapier.]

WILBUR SOOT: So, let's have at It then. May the best man win.

JOE HILLS (looking up from phone): What? Oh, no, I don't fight with swords. [He puts her phone in his pocket and stands up as well.]

WILBUR SOOT: So you brought only your fists to a swordfight? Strange. I would have expected a man with who had gotten this far to at least come brandishing some sort of weapon.

JOE HILLS: Oh no, not like that. Actually, I hope you brought some snacks. We might be here a while.

WILBUR SOOT: What?

JOE HILLS: You said It yourself, Wilbur. The people decide. And I didn't come here to win a fight, just have fun.

WILBUR SOOT: Then what is all this for? Did I travel all this way, taste the gravel of Hell itself for nothing?

JOE HILLS (sitting back down): Nope. In fact, you can just get some sleep for the next 24 hours. You look like you need It.

WILBUR SOOT (disgusted/insulted): What, you want me to sit on my arse for the next 24 hours and do nothing?

JOE HILLS: Don't worry, I planned for this exact situation. (takes out an Uno deck from their myriad pockets) Uno match, best of23?

WILBUR SOOT (visibly scared): You're insane, aren't you.

JOE HILLS: Well, I like to think of myself rather as just weird. It's fine if you don't want to play. I'll be on Tumblr campaigning for myself to win.

WILBUR SOOT: what?

JOE HILLS: Do you not have Tumblr?

WILBUR SOOT: Twitter either. That's unfair.

JOE HILLS: Well, you brought a sword, so I'd say we're even. (END)

[-=-]

[lucifersresources]

speak now (taylor's version) vault tracks rp meme.

edit/alter/change pronouns etc as you see fit!  

electric touch.

just relax, it'll be okay.

i've got my money on things going badly.

got a history of stories ending sadly.

still hoping that the fire won't burn me.

this could either break my heart or bring it back to life.

your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life.

i want you now.

i've been left in the rain, lost and pining.

trying hard not to look like i'm trying.

every time i tried hard for love, it fell apart.

i've grown accustomed to sleeping alone.

maybe the stars align and maybe i call you mine.

maybe the moment's right.

when emma falls in love.

this one could go wrong.

she's the kind of book that you can't put down.

all the bad boys would be good boys if they only had a chance to love her.

i wish i was her.

she takes on the pain and bears it on her own.

she won't walk away unless she knows she absolutely has to leave.

she won't lose herself in love the way that i did.

his whole world's about to change.

i can see you.

i spend my time trying not to feel it.

what would you do if i went to touch you now?

what would you do if they never found us out?

i could see you up against the wall with me.

i can see you.

something's changed.

they kept watchful eyes on us.

it's best that we move fast and keep quiet.

you won't believe half the things i see inside my head.

wait till you see half the things that haven't happened yet.

meet me tonight.

i could see you being my addiction.

you can see me as a secret mission.

i will start behaving myself.

castles crumbling.

i had an empire in a golden age.

i was held up so high.

i used to be great.

they used to cheer when they saw my face.

i fear i have fallen from grace.

i feel like my castle's crumbling down.

i watch all my bridges burn to the ground.

i will just let you down.

you don't wanna know me now.

i held that grudge till it tore me apart.

power went to my head.

i sit alone behind walls of regret.

i don't know how it could've ended this way.

people look at me like i'm a monster.

never wanted you to hate me.

foolish one.

my cards are on the table.

you've already got plans.

chances are i will talk myself to sleep again.

you give me just enough attention to keep my hopes too high.

you are not the exception.

you will never learn your lesson.

i know how to act like i'm fine.

i can't call you mine.

i will do my best to seem bulletproof.

how could i not see the signs?

you got her on your arm and me in the wings.

i'll get your longing glances, but she'll get your ring.

maybe i will finally learn my lesson.

timeless.

the kinda love that you only find once in a lifetime.

i know that you and i would've found each other in another life.

you still would've turned my head even if we'd met on a crowded street in 1944

you still would've been mine.

we would have been timeless.

i believe that we were supposed to find this.

even in a different life, you still would've been mine.

i'd die for you in the same way.

the story started when you say 'hello'.

sometimes there's no proof, you just know.

you're always gonna be mine.

i'm gonna love you when our hair is turning gray.

oh my, we really were timeless.

[r0-boat]

[Request]

Cynthia fills you up with that FAT STRAP 🙏🥵❤️‍🔥✨

∾ 【 Rouge Anon 】

GIRRRRLS MOARRR GIRRRRLLSSS

Cynthia x gn! Reader

This was supposed to be porn but it ended up turning into something really sweet :,)

( when the Volo leaks into Cynthia my bad lol)

The Champions eyes burned her head pounding, yet there were still mountains of paperwork to finish... Cynthia sitting alone at her desk in a bedroom that wasn't her own miles away from her lover.

Her fingers pinch the bridge of her nose throwing her pen to the side, only to sign frustration as she watched it roll off the table.

Cynthia loves her job she truly does but sometimes the job of a champion was too much... instead of being cooped up in a hotel doing mountains of paperwork for a meeting she will have tomorrow, while she much rather spend that time cuddling up to her partner in front of a warm fireplace, drinking hot cocoa as the diamond dust flutters to the ground blanketing Sinnoh in pure white.

Maybe she should finally take her vacation hours... it would be nice to have some time for just you and her. Cynthia grumbles resting her chin on the desk.

She just wishes you were here right now....

She could be doing so many things with you... to you.

Mmm... it has been quite a while since she's last touched you...

Her head perked up when a knock at her hotel door snapped her out of her thoughts.

Strange she didn't remember ordering anything to her room?

Cynthia stretched when she got up from her chair walking over to the entrance of her hotel room her eyes wide and when she saw a familiar pair of eyes staring back at her when she opened the door. Did Arceus answer her prayers?? Hear you were standing right in front of her a smile on your face and a backpack on your back.

"Baby?! What are you doing here?" Cynthia couldn't help but smile, when you threw yourself into her arms.

Your girlfriend snuggled her head into your shoulders wrapping her arms around you giving you a loving squeeze.

Her heart fluttered when you peppered kisses on her face.

"I missed you."

Aw you came all this way to see her she missed you too but technically she is still at work and this work needs to be done.

" I miss you too but, baby I do have a meeting tomorrow so-"

You frowned " Please let me stay just for a little bit, and then I'll go back home,"

Your eyes deep and full of love she knew she could never say no to you.

" oh all right... " she relented " but only for a short while I've been feeling stressed out all week and all I want to do is finish this work."

You put your backpack down on the ground perking up a little when she mentioned being stressed.

Your poor girlfriend was stressed out from work and here you were your body craving her so much so that you traveled all the way out just to see her.

"I- I could probably help with that," you stutter. The heat already rushing to your face.

You could feel her eyes on you.

"Oh?" Shivers run down your spine, you could hear the smirk on her face. Your hands tremble as you slowly and zip your backpack, pressing your thighs together knowing that your girlfriend right behind you could see what was inside

" Did my sweet partner come all this way just to get fucked?"

Oh sweet Sinnoh...

Your back arches when her fingertips graze over your shoulder.

" not what I had in mind tonight, but how could I possibly refuse when you offer your body as a toy for me to take my stress out onto."

A whimper escapes your throat as you take out the toy and harness out of your backpack.

" On the bed. Don't expect me to be gentle."

"yes ma'am." You obey laying over the edge of the bed and spreading your legs your fingers playing with the rim of your pants before sliding them down off of you. Cynthia's teeth sink into her lip. She could never get over how quickly you submitted to her.

Her hand slips under your shirt helping you take it off leaving you bare in front of your girlfriend who is still fully clothed. Your hand wanders to her pants only for your hand to be slapped away.

"No, I like this you underneath me naked, pathetic, and horny, where you belong"

Oh fuck... if this is what Cynthia's like when she's stressed then you should visit her on her trip more often.

She purrs when she feels yourself back against your hand, her fingers playing with your sex. Her fingers just barely grazing against your entrance threatening to penetrate.

The head of her plastic toy pressed against your entrance; for a moment, she thought about shoving the entire thing inside you. Watching you squirm and ride as she feels you up with her fat cock in one thrust. But instead, she watched as you slowly engulfed her cock, your tight hole stretching around her length.

Watching you grasp at the bed sheets, your whole body shaking while pushing yourself against her, hungry for more.

She flips you over on your back wanting to see your face twist in pleasure.

Her Pace almost immediately picks up, practically slamming into you with each thrust.

Her big cock reaching the deepest parts of you,

She knows every part of your body, she knows exactly how you like it she knows how to make your toes curl and cum for her.

Grabbing a hold of your legs she folds you in half your legs resting over her shoulders pulling you closer towards her, she pounds down into you.

You tighten around her already so close.

" you're so cute like this, almost makes me want to ruin you~"

You felt her hands wrap around your neck, making you see stars as you cum for her. Creaming around her cock as she continues to drill into you. You are your back trying your best to silence your screams of pleasure.

"That's it, cutie. Keep cumming for me; I'm not done with you yet. You're going to be good for me, and take it until I'm satisfied. Maybe if you're good, really good, I'll let you stay and warm my cock while I finish my work. Doesn't that sound lovely?"

[wutheringmights]

New CTB Music (2024 Update)

It's that time of year where I share some of the tracks that I added to my personal CTB playlist that have not been mentioned before on this blog (view (2021, 2022, and 2023 updates as well).

Body to Flame - Lucy Dacus 

Longing for your short hair to grow back to the way you like Thank you for the gesture I regret ever implying that you could be better Didn't mean to empty your perfect body And fill it with my passing will

Hate Me - Miley Cyrus

Go ahead, you can say that I've changed Just say it to my face One drink and I'm back to that place The memories won't fade

Is It Over Now? - Taylor Swift

"Come here, " I whispered in your ear In your dream as you passed out, baby Was it over then? And is it over now?

Halloween - Noah Kahan

But the wreckage of you, I no longer reside in And the bridges have long since been burned The ash of the home that I started the fire in It starts to return to the Earth I'm leavin' this town and I'm changin' my address I know that you'll come if you want It's not Halloween, but the ghost you're dressed up as Sure knows how to haunt, yeah, she knows how to haunt

Growing Sideways - Noah Kahan

But I ignore things, and I move sideways Until I forget what I felt in the first place At the end of the day I know there are worse ways To stay alive 'Cause everyone's growing and everyone's healthy I'm terrified that I might never have met me

Orange Juice - Noah Kahan

You said my heart has changed and my soul has changed And my heart, and my heart That my life has changed, that this town had changed And you had not That the world has changed, don't you find it strange That you just went ahead and carried on?

I Remember Everything - Zach Bryan

Strained words come on out Of a grown man's mouth when his mind's broke Pictures and passin' time You only smile like that when you're drinking

Figure 8 - Paramore

All for your sake Became the very thing that I hate I lost my way Spinning in an endless figure eight

Let You Down - Zach Bryan & Kacey Musgraves

I'll let you down darlin', down babe Just like I did before You'll just keep on slammin' closed hollow unlocked doors I'll let you down darlin', down babe Just like times before You'll just keep on crawin' back and beggin' me for more

No One Else to Blame - Madison Cunningham

For the burden and the stress For the heartache and the mess you entertain You put your money down on which part of you is next To slip down the drain with nothing, nowhere and no one No one else to blame

Golden Age - Ethel Cain 

Do you just want my blood? Am I just that damn hard to love? 'Cause it feels like all I have is still just not enough I guess that I'll just go outside and watch the fire And fields of gold fly farther away from me

Dawns - Zach Bryan & Maggie Rogers

Give me my dawns back Everything that dies makes its way back I lost her last July in a heart attack I need one small victory

Crave - Paramore

I romanticize even the worst of times When all it took to make me cry was being alive Look up and see a reflection Of someone who never gave way to the pain What if I told 'em that now that I'm older There isn't a moment that I'd wanna change?

Your Hate Could Power a Train - Madison Cunningham

I'm not messin' around, not ready to laugh about it I don't worship the ground that's holdin' you I think it's wrong, the way you harm But no one ever looks too hard at it What does it say about you? Your hate could power a train

Head In the Wall - Ethel Cain

Sometimes you make wanna put my fucking head through the wall Sometimes I wonder if I even know you at all

thousand eyes - FKA Twigs 

If I walk out the door, it starts our last goodbye If you don't pull me back, it wakes a thousand eyes

teenage dream - Olivia Rodrigo 

They all say that it gets better, it gets better the more you grow Yeah, they all say that it gets better, it gets better, but what if I don't?

You First - Paramore 

Everyone is a bad guy And there's no way, no way to know Who's the worst Karma's gonna come for all of us And I hope, well, I hope, I just hope She comes, comes for you first, oh

Vampire Smile - Kyla La Grange

I want a scar that looks just like you, 'Til then I gotta learn to be a wiser fool.

[whiskeyswifty]

my thing is you get me a little drunk and i'll start blubbering about Now That We Don't Talk and right now that's whats happening and let me tell you. she said "i guess i don't have a say" after having soooo much to say! even thought they're over, she spent all that time getting to know them and she's left standing there, holding it all in her hands. she still knows they get anxious, she knows how hot they are that they turn heads at a party, how their shorter hair felt when she ran her fingers through it, she knows what they look like when they're pretending to be someone else, their favorite music, who they looked up to, but now she has no use for any of that information anymore. nobody to tell it to. nobody to give her opinions to anymore, but she still has them because she still cares! what does she do with all that care now? who can she tell if she can't tell anyone? where does she put it? she wants so badly to tell them all of this just to know what they'd say back to her, but now she'll never ever know. it's that phantom limb, that love you lost too soon and too fast. like how The Beths said "Love is learned over time until you're an expert in a dying field" and phoebe waller bridge said "I don’t know what to do with it. With all the love I have for her. I don’t know where to put it, now." and that's it isn't it!!! into the song!! she puts it into the SONG!! it's a cathartic dumping ground for the all care left over, making a patchwork something out of the scraps. and so the song ends with determined spite, sending it all off like a funeral pyre or a flaming, viking farewell pushed out to sea. the only way she can let it go is to burn it with white hot indignation, burn it so she can't take it back, and she will be better off, goddamnit, she has to believe that. because the truth is that she will never actually, really know if she truly is better off, what they'd say or what her words would mean to them even after all this time. because she can't ask and they won't answer anyway because they don't talk and they never will again. cheers to that!!!

[sleepywinchesters]

"Go for Kinard."

"What exactly are you doing with my daughter?" Maddie's voice was a low growl.

Tommy slapped his hand over the microphone, as if Maddie could hear his sharp inhale over the static. He turned to glare at the young woman in the co-pilot seat.

"You didn't tell your mother we were going up today?"

"Dad said it was fine."

"Chim said it was- oh my god."

If Tommy didn't need both his hands to keep them steady, he'd pinch the bridge of his nose. Someday one of the Buckleys were going to kill him and he was starting to suspect it might be Maddie.

"You know what I said-"

"That both of them had to agree."

"Tommy," Maddie's voice crackled through the headset again. "Is Jee flying a helicopter right now?"

"Technically, no."

"He won't let me touch anything yet, Mom."

"And he's not going to."

"Dad said it was fine!"

"And I'll be talking to him later too. Get back safe."

"We will." Tommy ended the communication.

He'd learned a long time ago to wait it out and he would get an explanation. It probably wouldn't be a good explanation, but it would be one. Jee remained uncharacteristically quiet as they flew over LA, Tommy narrating the controls and what a standard flight plan should look like.

"I'm sorry I lied about telling my mom."

Tommy waited, knowing more was coming.

"Just after the fires last year. I could have helped, there would have been fewer casualties. Dad's fire thing- being able to control it. I'm more powerful than he is, Tommy."

"Because it feeds you."

It shouldn't have been unexpected. Haechis were known for their ability to prevent fire, and hybrids weren't rare. When combined with Maddie's vampirism, the way she fueled herself in a way that also helped people, Jee-Yun was always going to be something special. Ever since Jee had figured out she could control fire, could gain her energy from it, there was only ever going to be one path for her. They had all known it, and Tommy hadn't thought twice when she had approached him for flying lessons.

"I mean, yeah. But I could have saved people. That whole neighborhood-"

"I know."

"I'm 18 in 3 months. Once I graduate in May I can head right into the academy. If I already have a provisional pilot's license by the time I graduate-"

"I get it. I do. But-" Tommy cut himself off with a sigh. "It's not just the technical skills. They're important. But, Jee, you also have to learn where the limits are. When you have to turn back, no matter how many people you think you can save."

"Then what's the point of knowing all this, of having this, if I can't save everyone."

"Because you can't. You can't save everyone every time. You can try like hell, but losing people is part of the job. You need to know that now and really think about if you can live with that."

"Ok." Jee was subdued, chastised in a way Tommy hadn't been intending.

"You call it when there's no chance left. You always try. But you have to come home, not just so you can try again on the next call. Because there's people who love you, who understand the risks you take, and still need you to come home."

"This is what I want. But, if I tell you something, can you not tell Uncle Buck?"

"Go for it."

"It's a lot of pressure. I mean how many times has Mom won dispatcher of the year? And Dad's done almost everything there is to do in the department- and every probie from the last 5 years is ready to marry him. Uncle Buck is-" Jee hesitated. "I don't know if I could even imagine half the stuff he's supposed to have done."

"He did it all right," Tommy said. "And half the time he shouldn't have."

Jee laughed a little. That was the common refrain that followed any story about her favorite uncle.

"How can I live up to that though?"

"You don't. Even when we're on the ground, it's different for us up here. We're involved, but we see the bigger picture." Tommy angled the helicopter, knowing they were almost to the burn scar from the previous year. "Look at it. You know what it looked like then, how the ground crews were managing the fire lines. But up here, we can see the whole neighborhood. What would you have done, if you had enough to drop one more round of supressant before having to go back?"

"Well, they-"

"I know what was done. What would you do?"

"The main street. The ground crews were so focused on the fire line they didn't notice it had jumped until there were already structures on fire while evacuations were still ongoing. No one could get out from how fast it was moving. I'd try to push the fire back over the line and do my last drop on the main street instead of the main fire."

"Good. You have the instincts for it. The benefit of hindsight sure, but yeah. You can do this, you can move the fire where you want it to go. You get the other part of it too. You gotta give yourself time, kid."

Jee smiled. "I just don't want to disappoint anyone."

"Well, you definitely disappointed your mom today. But I don't think you're going to disappoint any of them when you do this job."

"So you'll take me up again and tell Mom that it's ok."

Tommy pointed at her. "I didn't say that. You're gonna face her and take whatever punishment she doles out as an adult."

"Ok."

"I'll talk to her though. Because you need a bird's eyes view to be great. If, and only if, she agrees, then I'll teach you for real."

"Thanks. Let's head back. Better not give her time to stew."

"Good call."

[allthelittlecreepycrawlies]

this is NOT the next update for what to do when they dig you up, but it IS something almost as good, because i FINALLY finished a fic that's been sitting in my gdocs for, like... literal years?

---

Unburning A Burned Bridge Tags: De-Aging, Super Complicated Feelings, Angst, Finding Out Your Future Might Kinda Suck, Do-Overs, Open-Ended

---------------

At the sound of the commotion outside, Nie Huaisang and Nie Hengbai both looked up from the map they'd been studying.

"I'll go see what’s going on," Nie Hengbai rumbled, grabbing his saber from beside his chair as he got up. "Way things've been going this week, I wouldn't be surprised if some idiot pissed off a nest of gui and came running here with them on his heels."

Nie Huaisang snorted and returned to his notes as the other man left, absently tapping the handle of his brush against the paper as he considered the next addition.

At the sound of heavy footsteps returning, he looked up, then blinked in confusion at the look on his distant uncle's face. “What is it?”

"You... ah, you better come see this for yourself."

Still lost and now wary, Nie Huaisang frowned, then pushed himself to his feet and followed.

There were indeed unexpected guests in the courtyard. 

And, quite frankly, he would have rather dealt with angry gui than the knot of gold-robed cultivators.

There were a handful of his own servants and healers clustered nearby as well, with an irate Liu Feng and a bristling Zhang Min in the lead. He noticed that Zhang Min was holding a very small hand, her stance shielding the owner of it from view, particularly that of the Jin disciples that kept tossing them glances and then muttering amongst themselves and snickering.

The itchy feeling of ‘wrongness’ that had bloomed at the back of his neck as he'd left the study grew larger. 

Not really giving a damn that it made him look like a poor host, he went to his people first. "What's all this?"

"Zongzhu," Liu Feng said as they all saluted, looking relieved to see him. "These Jin say they were traveling to visit a merchant northeast of here who wished to expand his business into Lanling when they were attacked by a creature of unknown origin. Only one of them was actually injured by the beast, but... well..."

Zhang Min stepped aside, revealing the child she'd been hiding. 

Aside from being very pale and a bit unsteady on his feet, the boy didn't immediately look like he'd been wounded by any kind of monster, but when he finally lifted his his head from where he’d been hunched over and staring at the ground anxiously, Nie Huaisang involuntarily took a sharp breath as their eyes met and he realized that it was Jin Guangyao looking back at him.

He recovered quickly, or at least was able to make it seem like he had, and tapped his closed fan against his mouth as he glanced over at the Jin disciples who still didn't seem to give a shit about their associate's confusing condition. 

"It's getting close to dinner," he said, tone purposely just a little bit too pleasant in a way that all of his people were familiar with. "Please make the kitchens aware we will be having guests and have rooms made ready."

Nie Hengbai set his jaw in annoyance, but then gave a sharp nod and walked off towards the visiting cultivators, two servants at his heels and two more heading off towards the kitchens.

"Not you, little peony," Nie Huaisang said when Jin Guangyao -Or was he Meng Yao again now?- let go of Zhang Min's hand and started to follow.

The boy blinked up at him, wide-eyed and starting to tremble just a little as he shifted to an even more defensive posture. "A- am I in trouble? They said-"

Nie Huaisang decidedly did not want to know what the other Jins had told the boy, especially if one of them had been responsible for the flash of a bruise he'd spotted ringing a thin wrist.

"Not at all.” Not for this, anyway. “I want you to go with these fine people to the infirmary," he said with as comforting a smile as he could muster. "So that they can check you for other injuries."

"Okay," the boy mumbled, though still clearly frightened. "And then can I go home?"

Hm. Well, this was as good a time as any to find out whether or not his memory had been affected as well as his body. "That depends. Where is home for you?"

The boy flinched and looked down at the ground. Apparently answering that question had gone badly already. "The Red-Lit Orchid," he said. "It's a-"

"A brothel in Yunping," Nie Huaisang replied. "Where your mother worked until she passed shortly after your thirteenth birthday."

The boy's head snapped up, what little color his face had still had draining away. "How do you- you can't know-"

"Zongzhu-"

Nie Huaisang tilted his head in acknowledgement to Liu Feng, but continued, unconsciously gentling his tone. "You told me this yourself when you were eighteen to my fourteen, Yao-er."

"Then... then when they made fun of me for... for… not being…" The boy's legs buckled and Nie Huaisang, Liu Feng, and Zhang Min all reflexively lunged to catch him. 

"That's enough for now, Zongzhu," Liu Feng chided again. "Let us make sure his health is stable before you speak with him any more."

Nie Huaisang bit back a sigh, but nodded and stepped back. 

He watched as the healers carried Meng Yao -and he was fairly certain now that they were dealing with Meng Yao, not just a smaller Jin Guangyao- out of the courtyard, then tucked his fan into his belt and pulled a tiny talisman out of his sleeve to send a very fast message to Lan Xichen.

—

Lan Xichen sat with his hands folded and the tips of his forefingers pressed to his mouth, eyebrows drawn together in consternation. Never in his life had Nie Huaisang seen the man rest his elbows on a table, and yet here he was, all hunched over.

“I confess,” he said after finally pulling himself together enough to sit up straight and pick up his teacup, “that when I got your note, I thought this was a joke of extremely poor taste. Had I not remembered that A-Yao was supposed to be traveling in this area, I might have discarded it.”

He was fully aware that he had spent the better part of nine months intentionally making himself an annoyance to hide his investigation, but the fact that Lan Xichen’s opinion of him had so quickly sunk so low as to suspect he’d pull a prank this stupidly absurd stung.

Nie Huaisang bit back the unkind words that settled themselves on his tongue, using a sip from his own cup to wash them away. “I take it, then, that you have not seen anything like this in your sect’s incident reports before,” he said instead.

“Certainly nothing in remotely recent history. I’ve already sent a message to Shufu to ask that someone check the records older than fifty years. Is he-”

A rap on the door made Lan Xichen pause, and they both turned to find one of the healers had arrived, Meng Yao at her heels.

The clothes the boy had arrived at the Unclean Realms in had been of much lower quality than Nie Huaisang was used to seeing him in these days; plain and threadbare and not at all suited for the cold weather that was beginning to blow in as the seasons changed. It had only made sense to give him something else to wear until the curse was broken.

And no matter what his people might have thought when they’d recognized the clothing, it had only been because the boy was too undersized to fit even the smallest disciple robes that he’d pulled his own childhood ones out of storage. 

Nothing more than that.

When Meng Yao stepped out from behind his escort and stiffly started to bow to them both, Nie Huaisang quickly motioned with his fan to an empty cushion in front of a teacup and a bowl of steamed egg with spicy pork belly and gai lan. “None of that’s necessary, Yao-er, just come eat. This is Lan Xichen. You used to know him as Er-ge.”

Meng Yao visibly had to stop himself from scrunching his nose in doubt. “Did I really?”

“You did,” Lan Xichen said after shaking off the daze that seeing Meng Yao’s condition again had revived. “You were sworn brothers with me and-”

“Someone who isn’t here right now,” Nie Huaisang cut in, giving the other man a sharp look. 

Fortunately, Lan Xichen took the hint, and while Meng Yao was clearly somewhere between curious and concerned, he was also clearly well-versed enough in dealing with adults to know when he shouldn’t press.

He sat down to eat. 

As they resumed the discussion of what to look for in the Lan sect libraries, Nie Huaisang noticed out of the corner of his eye that Meng Yao had subtly scooted his cushion and food closer to his side of the table.

—

“I don’t want to go,” Meng Yao said so very quietly as he hunched in on himself, as if afraid of getting a swat across the ears for complaining.

“You won’t be going with the Jins,” Nie Huaisang said.

Although he’d decided it would be a good idea to send Qin Su a note about her fiance’s current predicament, he wasn’t about to let that bunch of jackasses take the boy off into the wilderness between their sects. If Jin-zongzhu wanted him back, he could send a more trustworthy envoy to the Cloud Recesses. “You’ll be going with Er-ge.”

Meng Yao pressed his lips tightly closed and gave the tiniest shake of his head.

Nie Huaisang frowned. “Yao-er, why not? He’s your favorite person. Has been for years, even before you le-” He cut off quickly, the words sticking in his throat.

No. Absolutely not. He was not going to say the words and have to deal with the tidal wave of emotion.

“You like him very much,” he managed to passably force out instead. 

Another head shake.

Hm. “Come with me,” he said, offering a hand. He couldn’t help the slightest flinch when Meng Yao took hold, but quickly suppressed it and hoped the boy hadn’t noticed as they headed to his aviary. Zhihua and the goldfinch twins Shan and Shen immediately flapped over to greet them as soon as he opened the door. 

Their demanding squawks drew the boy out of his nervous funk just a tiny bit, the smallest smile emerging on his face as he watched them flutter around Nie Huaisang’s hands before finally perching.

“Alright, Yao-er,” Nie Huaisang said, putting Shan on Meng Yao’s shoulder and demonstrating how the finch liked to be petted. “Nobody outside can hear us, so why don’t you tell me what’s got you upset?”

“I… I want to stay here. Where it’s safe.”

Nie Huaisang was very proud of himself for not choking on his own tongue in surprise.

Safe?

Here?

With him?

He was pretty sure the gods were laughing at him right at that moment. There was no other explanation! This child, who was actually the man who’d destroyed his family, thought his home was the safest place to be!

“Are you okay?” Meng Yao asked, expression worried.

Zhihua fluttered to rest herself in the collar of his robes and butted her head against his jaw, soothing his frazzled nerves. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then scratched between her wings. “Thank you. Good girl.”

“Good girl!” she repeated cheerily.

“I’m fine,” he said to answer Meng Yao’s question, not caring how much of an obvious lie it was. “And you would be just as safe in the Cloud Recesses. Safer, probably, since it’s pretty boring there.”

“I don’t know that. What if I go, and you’re wrong? What if they hate me like… like…” Meng Yao started to tremble. “I’ll be good. I’ll work hard! Just don’t- don’t make me-”

…Oh.

Now he understood.

Tossed from the brothel to the sneering disciples, from one abusive situation to another, the boy was afraid to put down the first shield he’d found, even if it would be for a potentially better one.

Nie Huaisang swallowed hard, then took another deep breath and let it out. “Alright... Alright. I’ll let Er-ge know you want to stay here while he does his research,” he said, squishing the little voice in the back of his mind that howled in anger at the idea of keeping Meng Yao around.  “We’ll revisit this when he’s found some potential solutions, hm? Maybe you’ll have changed your mind by then. For now, I suppose we should get you settled.”

—

He opened the door to the bedroom and went in, then found he’d lost his little shadow. 

Nie Huaisang looked back over his shoulder to find Meng Yao hovering nervously in the doorway, hands clenched into the folds of his borrowed robe. “Is something wrong?”

He got a sharp head shake in return, but the boy otherwise didn't move.

“Yao-er, if you don’t like this room-”

“It’s fine!” the boy practically squeaked, staring down at the floor.

Concern welled up prickly and sharp in his chest despite his efforts to quell it. He went back and crouched down, and Meng Yao’s hands were shaking when he took hold of them. “Hey,” he said gently, rubbing a thumb across thin knuckles. “You’re not going to get in trouble just because you don’t like the room.”

“Promise?”

That same little voice in the back of his head snarled, and once again he clamped a mental hand over its jaws.

“I promise. This is the safe place, right?” 

Meng Yao nodded, then pulled a hand free to wipe his eyes. “It’s too big,” he finally confessed after a few more moments of hesitation.

Nie Huaisang blinked at him, then looked around the room. It was a little bigger than the usual servant quarters a few hallways over, true, but the grown Meng Yao had lived in it with no proble-

He winced. This Meng Yao was only a few days out of the brothel, where he’d probably shared a room with his mother at the very least, if not more residents. “Too big,” he agreed. “We’ll find you one that fits better, okay?”

“Okay.”

He didn’t want to put the boy somewhere he couldn't keep an eye on him, but a smaller room… ah. “Why don’t we see if my work room is a good fit? If you like it, I can move the furniture out and put in a bed and such.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to take your space.”

This child.

“It’s fine,” he said with a smile that he almost felt. “I… haven’t actually used it in awhile-” or replaced the things Da-ge had burnt, “-so it will be easy to clear.”

A fidget, a squirm, and then Meng Yao squeezed the hand he was still holding. “Okay,” he said again, very quietly, and they left his old room behind.

—

Meng Yao had learned a great many survival skills growing up in the brothel.

Watching and fawning had been the first, and while the latter had been enough to keep the Jin cultivators from immediately killing him or abandoning him deep in the woods, it had quickly become apparent that he didn't need to use it on Nie-zongzhu.

Nie-zongzhu, who was clearly sharper and knew more about his grown self than the Jin cultivators had led him to believe.

Nie-zongzhu, who spoke to him kindly and made sure he was warmly clothed and decently fed, and let him play with birds, and had rearranged two whole rooms to give him somewhere he felt safe to sleep.

Nie-zongzhu, who flinched when touched and told many lies and wore many masks to hide many secrets.

Even as Meng Yao tried to observe and take in everything around him, he found that he learned the most by watching Nie-zongzhu.

And that even if he hadn't been learning anything, he couldn't help but watch Nie-zongzhu. Some of the things the man had said implied that they had been friends when he had been an adult. Though a pretty lady who'd come to visit had introduced herself to him as his grown self's betrothed, Qin Su, he often found himself wondering if maybe they had been...

But he would always push that trail of thought to the back of his mind, and just keep watching and learning.

—

He... wasn't sure he liked a lot of the things he was learning.

Like when a response to Nie-zongzhu's letters arrived from the Jin sect, and Meng Yao watched the man's face momentarily twist in disgust as he read it and tossed it into the fire, then forced his ire to calm before he turned to inform Meng Yao he wouldn't be leaving the Unclean Realms until the age curse was broken.

Or when Lan-zongzhu briefly visited to report on his efforts to track down the curse and a cure, and Meng Yao watched the two sect leaders uncomfortably dance around the subject of that letter, and a mysteriously not-present 'Da-ge', only catching small snatches of the conversation when one or the other forgot to keep their voices low.

He didn't like the way Nie-zongzhu would occasionally glance at him when the man thought he wasn't watching, and those green eyes would flicker with something like anger and fear.

Something like being trapped in a room with a snake. And he was the snake to be afraid of.

—

Nothing ever seemed to come of it.

Outside of the flinches and the glances, Nie-zongzhu was as kind to him as ever.

Spoiled him, even, compared to the Jins or the brothels. He was never short on books to read or things to eat or feathered creatures to make friends with. Once they'd gotten used to seeing him instead of his adult shape, most of the sect barely paid him mind, except for the healers and the kitchen staff, who were always checking up on his health or offering him treats.

But as the winter winds and heavy snows began to set in, so did the unease.

Meng Yao frequently found himself waking in the night, unused to the howl. Every time he did, he would creep over to peek out his cracked open bedroom door.

And every time he did, he would see Nie-zongzhu pacing the halls in bare feet and thin night clothes, heedless of the chill turning his skin pale. Heedless of anything except the 'Da-ge' he kept murmuring to, despite there being no one else present but an unnoticed Meng Yao.

He knew he should stop watching. He knew that, like many times before, he wouldn't like what he would learn if he didn’t.

He couldn't.

Slipping out of his room and softly closing the door behind him, he silently followed Nie-zongzhu on his addled wanderings, only stopping short when he saw what was in the room the man finally entered.

Funeral tablets.

Breath hitching in his throat, Meng Yao ducked back behind the door frame, briefly considering fleeing back to his room before he could be caught committing such an egregious trespass.

A soft sob made him stay, and he watched and watched and watched as Nie-zongzhu slumped to his knees in front of one specific tablet that was too far away for him to read.

"I can't do this, Da-ge," Nie-zongzhu rasped just loudly enough to be heard. "I know what I should do. I know who he is. I know we meant nothing to him. But, Da-ge, I-"

Meng Yao's heart leapt into his throat. He had wondered, of course, if the reason Nie-zongzhu spoke to thin air was because of... but still…

And... 'he'. 'Him.' Was that... him? Or, rather, the him that he'd been as a grown up?

Mind reeling, he quickly and quietly fled from his post outside the family hall, back towards his bedroom. 

He had thought that his adult self had been friends with Nie-zongzhu... maybe even more at one point...

But had... had his adult self done something to hurt Nie-zongzhu? The more he thought about it, the more he pieced together all that he had observed, it seemed the answer was 'yes,' and yet that didn't make sense at all.

The missing piece seemed to be why. Even with the fear and the anger, Nie-zongzhu was sweeter to him than anyone other than his mother had ever been. Surely he had been even more so before whatever had brought on those negative emotions... so… why?

Did it have to do with 'Da-ge'? His father? His betrothed?

Did he really want to know the answers to those questions?

Not for the first time, he found himself wondering if he really wanted to be his old grown-up self again. It was evident something had gone deeply wrong with his efforts to join his father, if the other cultivators in the sect were so comfortable treating him so badly and Nie-zongzhu had been so irritated by whatever his father had to say about his condition.

And while Qin Su was pretty and nice and had been very encouraging during her visit, the idea of marriage was... well, maybe that wasn't the best measure. Obviously he had been fine with that as a grown-up, so-

But did he really want to go back to being the kind of person who would leave someone like Nie-zongzhu wandering the halls talking to ghosts? Angry at him? Afraid of him?

Nie-zongzhu, who pretended not to notice when the kitchen aunties gave him sweets, and always made sure he had plenty of writing and drawing materials, and let him watch the training grounds as long as he wanted?

Was... whatever life he had as a grown up worth it?

—

The question dogged him into uneasy sleep, and the next day, and the next night.

After a week of barely sleeping and thinking and watching Nie-zongzhu be concerned about his barely sleeping...

Meng Yao decided no. It couldn't possibly be worth it.

Nie-zongzhu didn't flinch as badly as he used to when Meng Yao tugged on his sleeve, but his smile was still a little weak when he looked down.

"What is it, Yao-er?"

Meng Yao swallowed hard and gathered his nerves. "Could... could you tell Lan-zongzhu he doesn't have to keep searching for a cure?"

[shortmexicangirl]

graphical representation of how songs on Speak Now (Taylor's Version) correspond to different miraculous ships/characters because YEAHHHH DATA!!!

full breakdown of each song and their corresponding category under the cut!

mine - feligami

“You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded / You say we’ll never make our parents mistakes”

sparks fly - marichat (in elation)

“Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain”

back to december - first half of s5 ladynoir

“You gave me roses and I left them there to die”

speak now - adrienette (in emotion)

“Horrified looks from everyone in the room / But I'm only lookin' at you”

dear john - adrien @ gabriel agreste (gabriel agreste SUCKS #1)

“Well, maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame / Or maybe it's you and your sick need to give love and take it away”

mean - marinette @ gabriel agreste (in pretension specifically) (gabriel agreste SUCKS #2)

“All you are is mean / And a liar, and pathetic / And alone in life, and mean / And mean, and mean, and mean”

story of us - s4 ladynoir

“A simple complication / Miscommunications lead to fall out / So many things that I wish you knew / So many walls up I can't break through”

never grow up – emilie @ adrien

“You got nothing to regret / I'd give all I have, honey / If you could stay like that”

enchanted — love square

“These are the words I held back / As I was leaving too soon / I was enchanted to meet you / Please, don't be in love with someone else”

better than revenge — marinette @ lila

"She's not a saint and she's not what you think, she's an actress"

innocent — ladybug (in strike back)

“Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days? / Always a bigger bed to crawl into / Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything / And everybody believed in you?”

haunted — ladynoir (post chat blanc)

“I'm holding my breath / Won't lose you again / Something's made your eyes go cold”

last kiss — ok… i’ve always said this song is ladynoir because i miss them and i’m biased but post revolution it’s gotta be adrienette

“I do recall now the smell of the rain / Fresh on the pavement, I ran off the plane / That July ninth, the beat of your heart / It jumps through your shirt / I can still feel your arms”

long live — ladynoir (always but especially in revolution)

“Long live all the mountains we moved / I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you / I was screaming, "Long live that look on your face" / And bring on all the pretenders I’m not afraid”

ours — adrienette

“I love the riddles that you speak / And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos / Will be ignored, 'cause my heart is yours”

superman — ladrien (adrien’s pov) (these specific lyrics are LITERALLY that chat blanc ladrien scene)

“I'm lovestruck and looking out the window / Don't forget, don't forget where I'll be / Right here, wishing the flowers were from you / Wishing the card was from you”

electric touch — adrienette (post kwami’s choice)

marinettes pov: “Just the first time ever hangin' out with you tonight / I've got my money on things goin' badly / Got a history of stories ending sadly / Still hoping that the fire won't burn me / Just one time” adriens pov: “I've been left in the rain, lost and pining / I'm tryin' hard not to look like I'm trying / ‘Cause every time I tried hard for love, it fell apart”

when emma falls in love - marinette dupain-cheng

“When Emma falls in love, she paces the floor / Closes the blinds and locks the door / When Emma falls in love, she calls up her mom / Jokes about the ways that this one could go wrong / She waits and takes her time / 'Cause Little Miss Sunshine always thinks it's gonna rain"

i can see you — feligami

“I've been watchin' you for ages / And I spend my time tryin' not to feel it / But what would you do if I went to touch you now? / What would you do if they never found us out?”

castles crumbling — ladybug (in strike back)

“And I feel like my castle's crumbling down / And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground / And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down / You don't wanna know me now”

foolish one —adrigami (kagami’s pov)

“Cause you got her on your arm and me in the wings / I'll get your longing glances, but she'll get your ring / And you will say you had the best of intentions / And maybe I will finally learn my lesson”

timeless — love square

“We would have been timeless / Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this / So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine”

ok and i'm DONE! join me next time i try to push my taylor x miraculous agenda on you all

[colemorrison]

Okay okay, so I have a music request. Yes Ramattra and reader because I love the silly lil omnic, but maybe something written to: Alright by Hollywood Undead?

You know music more than me so I'm sure you'll find the perfect set of lyrics or a scene that fits it~

Thank you my love~

Your eyes closed, feet tipping toward the edge. If you leaned the slightest bit more you would fall. A quick fall then it would be done, all the burning thoughts that made your chest feel like it would explode.

I'm sinking like a stone, digging up all the bones…

When your eyes opened again you realised you were never at the bridge to begin with, you were in bed... With him... Ramattra.

"You were imagining it again weren't you? The bridge? The fall?"

He always knew..

Of a past that just won't let me go

“Even omnic’s feel the urge to end their lives, it is a part of life. No matter who or what you are.”

Tears pooled in your eyes, yet he didn’t sigh or move away, his cold fingers wiped them away. It was grounding, it made the feeling in your chest ease.

“I'm sorry if I hurt you, the pain was meant for me..”

Ramattra shook his head, one hand moving to brush your messy hair away from your face, though he didn’t have human eyes the look was gentle.

“You never should feel the need to apologise for being human. I will gladly help you deal with your pain any and all the time you need.”

And the scars of tomorrow are getting easier to see

He helped fix everything all the time, he seemed to heal the wounds you gave yourself. You could feel them healing to scars which means they wouldn’t burn and itch the next day. He was healing you.

“You cannot get better without letting yourself walk through proudly, let yourself feel. Know that you aren’t alone, I will be with you when you need.”

I'll have to fix what I made, I have to walk down the path

Ramattra believed in you, he knew you could get through this and through to the other side where you belonged. Where you could wake up and be glad you did, where you could live proudly.

“I can do this.. If you’re with me.”

“I will always be by your side.”

————

I hope this is alright sweetheart. I love you. <3