#but um!! really Really happy w how this turned out; managed t keep p much every motif i wanted from the get-go!! ^_^

[swingstep]

hod halloween design for the @cityfrightspm collab!! theres a Bunch of really fantastic artists taking part, go check em out if youve got th chance!! ^u^/ ✨

[lxngbottom]

Cramps. | N.L. (+ D.T & S.F.)

in which the reader is having a really bad period, so her three best friends come and check up on her.

warnings: pain, periods, bleeding, swearing, we know how it is.

i’m on my period rn, & these three boys are my fav characters so this is mostly to comfort me (and idk if you guys can even relate, but my periods get THIS bad) (edit: this was NOT supposed to be this long but oh well i love these three)

gryffindor reader! (but anyone can read obv)

—

somehow, you had managed to make it through the previous school day. but, the whole time your stomach felt like it was completely turning on you, and with every step you took, the bleeding was so heavy. you couldn’t even remember the last time you went through so many pads and tampons in one day.

on top of that, you were an absolute emotional wreck. and, that became apparent to neville when seamus laughed over tripping over your shoe lace, and you looked up at your three best friends with tears in your eyes.

“merlin, y/n! i was only messing with you! what’s wrong?” seamus furrowed his eyebrows at you, only for you to bend down and groan in pain as you attempted to tie your loose shoe laces.

“i can’t do it!” you whined, a tear finally escaping your tired eyes. you stood up, and sniffled, not noticing the genuine concerned looks plastered across the three boys’s faces.

and then, if things couldn’t get any worse, you felt someone tap your shoulder. you turned around to meet a terrified looking ron and harry, staring down at your legs,

“y-y-y/n... blood! t-t-there’s blood running down your legs!”

you looked down, and sure enough, there was a bunch of it. you automatically began to cry, and the sobbing only got worse as you realized that this was happening in front of not one, not two, but five boys.

“nev—neville... p-please give me your jacket...” you choked out, rushing as the blood seeped between your thighs. he did so quickly, tossing it to you, and your tied it around your waist before running into the nearest bathroom.

“why would you point that out?” dean asked ron, eyeing him,

“what?! would it be better for her to stay like that the rest of the day?” the ginger snapped back, still not putting two and two together. ron wasn’t exactly wrong, but his execution was awful.

the boys sighed, deciding that maybe waiting outside the bathroom would do you some good. but, unfortunately, as 15 minutes passed, you never came out.

“m-m-maybe someone should go and get hermione. or lavendar. or one of the parvati twins?” neville suggested, scratching the back of his neck. seamus shrugged, honestly clueless on how to handle the whole situation.

luckily, a saving grace skipped by, grabbing the attention of all of the boys,

“ginny!” ron called out, and she stopped in her tracks, “thank merlin you’re here!”

the look on her face was questionable as harry, ron, neville, dean, and seamus all stared at her.

“w-what?”

dean spoke up first, more than concerned, “y/n went in there. she—she had—blood running down her legs. and, she started crying...”

that’s all it took for ginny to nod her head, “okay. you guys go ahead. i’ll take care of her!”

they did so reluctantly, more so your three best friends. as ron and harry wanted to be away from the whole scenario as soon as possible.

and, that was the last they heard from you yesterday. today, they waited for you to come down from the girl’s dorm, but you never came.

they waited for you in the great hall, but again, you never came.

little did they know, you were curled up in a ball on your bed, sobbing from the excruciating pain that filled your whole body. this cycle was hitting you like a truck, and you’d wished that somehow you had been more prepared for it.

hermione had left you reluctantly that morning, never seeing a fellow girl having such a bad period before. you had cried all night, and you and her both had barely gotten any sleep. so that’s why when neville saw hermione drifting off to sleep during a shared class, he was absolutely baffled.

as that same class ended, the three boys caught up with hermione,

“hey, granger! where’s y/n?” seamus asked, and she rubbed her eyes.

“she—um—“ a yawn interrupted her response, “she’s in our dorm. she doesn’t feel well.”

neville’s mouth went agape, and he finally put two and two together.

“i wouldn’t go and see her, though. you guys embarrassed her yesterday. she told me all about ronald, and ginny, and seamus. she’s really upset, and... she’s just in a lot of pain. so, just let her be for a while.”

and with that, she left the three boys. they gave each other weird looks, mentally questioning each other.

you on the other hand at this time, were crying as you changed out your bed sheets for the second time that day. it wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable experience to have to explain to a house elf why you needed a bunch of new clean sheets.

dinner soon came, and even then, the boys expected to see you sitting with them, eating and laughing. but, you still hadn’t left that dorm.

so, neville packed some extra food, and the three made a journey to gryffindor tower, just to see if they could break the rules to make sure you weren’t dying. (of course, all three of them were convinced that you were on your death bed.)

they slipped past the prefect, climbing up the stairs to your dorm.

dean was just about to knock when they all heard your voice,

“stop, hermione! please! i don’t care that i missed my classes! i’ve been puking all day, bled on my bed, almost shit my pants four times, so, i really don’t care about snape and what he said about me! piss off!”

seamus’s lips curled, and the sound he let out could only be described as pure disgust. but, neville nudged him,

“she can’t help it. don’t be like that...” he whispered, still not sure if you were alright with visitors at the moment.

“well, i’m sorry! but, dean, neville, and seamus are all worried about you! they—“

that’s when they heard a blood curdling scream, and it sounded exactly like you. it made them jump,

“I WANT TO KILL MYSELF! FUCK!”

“don’t say that! it’s only for a few days, y/n! i told you i would help you with anything you needed!”

“then you can start by fucking off! go away!”

the boys looked at each other,

“maybe—“

“yeah—“

“later.”

they all mutually agreed, and ran down the stairs before hermione had the chance to see them.

they settled in the common room, deciding to do their homework until they knew it was a safe call to go and see you. they all worried about you tremendously, as they had never heard you talk to a fellow friend like that. you simple weren’t that type of person in their eyes. you had always been patient with people, so it was a wonder to them how you loved them so much.

they spotted ginny, walking up to the girl’s dormitories with a glass of ice cream in hand. they naturally assumed it was for you. and truth be told, when ginny entered with a sweet smile on her face, holding the cold treat, you realized you had never been more happy to see a weasley before.

as pathetic as it sounded, you cried to ginny while eating the chocolate ice cream. you sobbed to her about all the events of that day, and the day before. your crush on neville and how you believed he didn’t feel the same, the way that seamus chewed too loudly, and how hermione was too uptight sometimes. she simply listened, knowing that’s all she could really do.

finally, the three boys saw ginny coming down the the glass now empty, and they ran up to her,

“is she okay?”

“what’s happening?”

“can we go and see her?”

she chuckled and shook her head them, “she’s fine, you guys. calm down. i’m not so sure if she’ll want to see you guys, but you guys can sure try.”

they all three looked at each other, slightly terrified.

but, they sucked it up and made their way up again. of course, seamus couldn’t hold back from making a snide comment,

“i swear, if i get a book thrown at my head and end up in the hospital wing with a concussion, i’m blanking it on neville.”

“why me?!” neville scoffed, throwing his hands up in the air,

“because! you fancy her and are the most worried about her! she’s just on her period! is it really that big of a deal?”

before neville could answer, dean cut in, “yes, seamus. it is a big deal. maybe not to us, but to her it is. try bleeding out of your dick for a week while your inside are ripping apart!”

if you would’ve been present, you definitely wouldn’t hugged dean for that one.

they finally arrived, and they argued for a moment over who would be the once to knock on the door. it felt like they were stepping into a death trap. finally, neville agreed to do it.

he did so gently,

“what?” you asked, “who is it?”

dean and seamus eyed each other, definitely panicking.

“erm—it’s... us...”

you groaned, and looked down at your state. you were only in your bra and underwear, trash bucket in your lap, nausea getting the best of you... again.

but, you figured seeing your three best friends would bring you some comfort. this wasn’t their fault, and you didn’t want to take it out on them anymore.

“um... you can come in, but warning! i’m—“

before you could warn them, the door flew open,

“naked...” you breathed out, looking down at the trash can.

they all went wide eyed, and neville covered dean and seamus’s eyes with his hands, and closed his own.

“close the door, you gits!”

neville did so with his foot, still covering everyone’s eyes. you let out a small chuckle at the fact, and shook your head.

“you guys can look, you know. you act like we haven’t been best friends since first year.”

“b-b-but you’re—naked!” dean responded, through neville still keeping his own hand over the boy’s face.

you pursed your lips as you felt vomit climbing it’s way up your throat, “who—“

that’s when they heard it. the violent sound of puking. neville thanked merlin that his eyes were closed, because he probably would’ve puked too.

“who cares?” you breathed out, wiping the slobber from your chin. that’s when seamus took neville’s hand away from his eyes, and realized how you looked.

you looked unrecognizable almost. you looked exhausted, pale, and like you had just been hit by twenty cars at one time. your eyes were all puffy and red from crying, and your hair was definitely not put together like it usually was. makeup was smeared all down your face, makeup from the day before that you simply didn’t have the motivation to get up and wash off. but, seamus couldn’t help but notice your bra and underwear.

“you—“ he chuckled, “you have teddy bears on your undergarments, y/n?”

you clenched your jaw, and tightened your grasp around the trash can, narrowing your eyes at him. his eyes widened,

“kidding! i was only kidding! they suit you well!”

finally, dean shoved neville’s hand off as well, and neville opened his eyes back up reluctantly. neville and dean took in your state, much less of a laughing matter to them, as they were more of the calm friends.

“merlin, y/n... are you alright?” neville asked, approaching you slowly. you shook your head,

“i’m dying...”

the three boys gasped, and you looked at them funny, “i’m kidding... but i feel like i might...”

that settled their nerves a bit, the theory of you dying slowly fading away. you spit in the trash can, and set it back down on the floor. of course, seamus being the curious cat he is, looked in the trash can.

“don’t look at my vomit, finnigan! don’t you have any manners?”

he jumped back, and nodded his head.

“what are you guys doing here, anyway?” you asked, laying down fully on the bed, stomach and legs exposed.

“well—we know—you—you sorta—“

neville sighed at dean’s awkwardness about the whole situation, “we know you’re on your period. and, we know that you’re in a lot of pain. and, we just wanted to come and check up on you.” he glanced at the other two boys, “right?”

“yeah, definitely!”

“totally!”

you giggled at seamus and dean, “oh, what gentlemen. how could i ever thank you?”

seamus couldn’t hold it in. the comment just slipped from his lips,

“well, seeing you in your bra and underwear is thanks enough in my book!” he joked, nudging dean.

surprisingly, the only one who laughed beside seamus... was you. this surprised the boys, as you were sure that would earn seamus that book to his temple, or at least a smack to the face. but, it didn’t.

“see? i told you guys she’s fine! she’s laughing like she always does!”

neville seemed to look over at you for reassurance, just to make sure that seamus hadn’t crossed a boundary with one of his crude jokes. it was something that seamus had done quite a few times, without even realizing it, but it was simply because he didn’t know how to put a filter on. you knew at the end of the day that seamus wasn’t trying to disrespect you. plus, it was something you had go get used to, being one of his best friends and all.

at one point, the boys had eased into the floor, getting things for you if you needed it. seamus even asked why exactly girls even got periods, and you explained it to him in full detail.

“so... like—the inside of your uterus is actually tearing? i thought dean was joking about that!”

you shook your head, “unfortunately, it’s not a joke, finnigan. it’s very real...”

“well, is it this bad for all girls?”

“no, actually. some girls only bleed for a couple of days, and it’s very light. they can go without cramps, puking... lucky bitches!”

that’s when the boys fell silent, even seamus himself. until he raised an eyebrow,

“is it bad that i’m kinda curious? you know—to see how it feels to... bleed... down—there...”

dean furrowed his eyebrows, but neville nodded his head in agreement.

“well, boys... i can’t make you bleed out your dick for seven days straight... but, i can punch you guys in the stomach with full force and show you how cramps feel!”

collectively, they all disagreed, which caused you to fall into a fit of laughter.

“but—it can’t be that bad, right? i mean, everyone can get a stomach ache...” dean questioned, but unsure of what he had just said.

“let me put it to you like this, thomas. imagine the weasley twins sneaking a muggle laxative into your morning pumpkin juice...” you started, “but that stomach pain for a whole week.”

dean put his head down, finally understanding. no wonder you had talked about almost shitting your pants.

that’s when the door swung open, revealing a surprised hermione,

“y/n! where are your clothes?! boys are in here! and plus, they’re not even supposed to be in here, anyway!” she snapped, immediately storming over to your closet, and pulling out a random shirt, throwing it at you.

“but, it’s too hot! and, any tightness hurts!”

“i don’t care! i couldn’t imagine sitting around with ronald and harry with my—lady parts hanging out!”

you chuckled at her hidden shaming, quite used to it by now. “oh, whatever, granger! it’s the same difference as a bathing suit! lighten up!”

seamus and dean snickered at the look on her face, and the way she stormed out.

“she’s right, y/n. not about—you know, we don’t care... but, just—seamus will be talking about it for the rest of his natural life if you keep your clothes off any longer.” neville stated, standing up and taking his sweater off. he passed it to you, making sure not to touch you in anyway that would make you uncomfortable.

you smiled at the kind gesture. sure, it was a sweater, and you probably should choose the lighter t-shirt that hermione had snagged out for you. but, it was neville’s sweater, so, how could you refuse?

you slipped it on over your head, and pulled your hair through the hole. it was quite comfortable, and you were just the right amount of warm and cool. so, it worked out in the end. “thank you, longbottom. that was sweet.”

his face turned red at the small grin etched upon your face, but he shook it off and sat back down on the floor.

you all began talking again, not even noticing when seamus had gotten bored and ancy, and started snooping in your drawers. but, his eyes went wide at the sight of something in your drawer. he picked it up, and stared at it for a moment.

“uh... y/n...” he started, voice a bit shaky, “what’s this?”

he held it up, and you, dean, and neville all looked over.

“that’s a tampon, finnigan. i use it when i’m on my period so the blood doesn’t leak out.”

he took a beat of silence as he connected the dots, and his eyes seemed to widen even more,

“and... you have to put this where exactly?”

[sonnetthebard]

Sypaul getting ice cream?

You know that SAF Horror Movie post that was supposed to be headcanons and I wrote it into a oneshot instead? Yeah, I'm back at it. Look, there's nothing I love more than those two wholesome gay werewolves. Genre: Fluff/ Romance Words: 2054 TL;DR: Paul and Sybilus go out to get ice cream? Is it a date? Not officially. Could it be? Very possibly. TW: There's literally none. It's all wholesome. It’s just a lot of gay panic.  ________________________________________________________

Paul sighed, walking down the streets aimlessly. He was back in Connor Creek, just for a visit. He liked to visit as often as he could- especially around the full moon. It made things a *lot* easier on him. Because even if he hadn't gone full werewolf yet, he did still experience a lot of the struggles that came around that time of month. It was good to be around other wolves- especially Desmond. And of course with the silver reserves, most of the less-than-ideal urges that came up that time of month were kept at bay. The full moon happened to be in two days, so... here he was again.

He wasn't quite sure where he was going. He was just walking, a bit bored. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he pivoted... so quickly that he fell flat on his ass. Smooth, Paul. Even worse: It was Sybilus. Sybilus, the one person he didn't want to see anything like him flat on his ass. Paul had developped feelings for Syb. He had always though Syb was cool, but... he'd started to catch himself daydreaming. He was good looking, sweet, smart, and... god, he had the coolest name! Paul hadn't meant to fall so hard, but... damn. Both men blushed at the situation they found themselves in. Paul felt bad, reacting like that. He was a bit jumpy... especially with the full moon so soon. Sybilus offered him a hand gently, and Paul took it, standing up.

"T-terribly sorry to have startled you." Sybilus blushed. "I, um..."

"Nah, my bad." Paul chuckled softly. "I'm just jumpy."

"I only meant to say hello... and ask you if you had any t-time- ah! P-p-plans?" Sybilus bit his lip nervously.

"Well... hello." Paul smirked. "And no I don't. Why?"

"I-I was thinking p-p-perhaps we could go into town." Sybilus proposed. "Not this town... the r-real city. M-m-maybe get something to eat?"

"Oh... I actually just had lunch at the Dead Canary." Paul told him. Shit. What was he doing? He actually wanted to go out with Syb.

"We could get ice cream, then. For d-dessert." Sybilus offered.

"Oh yeah! I would be so down for that!" Paul grinned.

"I only say we go into town b-b-because... I-I was going to suggest ice cream anyways. W-w-we don't have a-any real i-i-icecream places here." Sybilus sighed, walking with Paul. They now knew where they were going. To his car. "I-I would start one myself, but I'm rather busy with my other work."

"Maybe I should move here and start one." Paul thought aloud.

"Oh, Paul... y-you've got a very important job." Sybilus shook his head. "We need people like you t-t-to keep sharing the important news with the world."

"Oh yeah, but... I could podcast from up here. Drive into the city to record when I need to..." Paul theorized.

"Well... if you wanted, we could live together." Sybilus offered. "I-I mean you could live a-at my house. You're welcome."

"You know, I'm genuinely considering this." Paul chuckled, climbing into the car. "This could be fun. And it makes sense for me to be here, right? Why just... keep visiting for full moons?"

"You make a v-v-valid point..." Sybilus considered.

"Are you actually cool with me crashing with you?" Paul checked. "Because like... it makes sense, with the two of us being wolves."

"O-of course." Sybilus assured him, starting the car. "And you're right."

"Well that settles it. I'm moving to Connor Creek, running an ice cream shop, and working on my podcast from here." Paul decided.

"M-maybe you should think it over a little bit m-m-more." Sybilus chuckled, driving down the road.

"Yeah, you're right." Paul chuckled nervously.

There was silence in the car for a bit. Neither Paul nor Sybilus knew what to say. Paul had honestly just kept talking about the ice cream shop because he didn't know where to stop. It was awkward, but not tense. Overwhelmingly, if either one had been paying attention, they would have noticed the romantic tension. Both were very evidently interested in each other. But they weren't even able to look at each other with nerves. Paul tapped his fingers nervously. God, now he’d committed to *living* with Syb. He was so nervous that he couldn’t look at the guy but apparently he was going to live with him now. God, he was an idiot. Paul rested his head on his hand, looking out the window. 

“So... have you any idea w-what season three of Wayward G-guide is going to look like?” Sybilus asked. 

“No clue. Lesly hasn’t even told Artie and I that we get to do it yet.” Paul chuckled. “Who knows who it’ll go to.”

“Oh.” Sybilus frowned. “But you and Artemis did so well with it!”

“Yeah. Lesly’s weird like that.” Paul sighed. “Last I heard he’s looking for siamese twins. Who are also podcast hosts.”

“Have y-you considered podcasting independently?” Sybilus suggested. 

“I mean... kinda.” Paul shrugged. “But like... I don’t know. There’s something about Wayward Guide specifically that I just... I loved it.”

“Do you know what in specific that s-s-something might have been?” Sybilus tried to help. 

“I... not really.” Paul admitted

“Could it have been the s-story you were t-t-t-telling and not the actual podcast itself?” Sybilus pointed out. 

“You know... you could be right.” Paul realized. 

“Well... m-m-maybe you could do a podcast on the h-history or Connor Creek while you’re here. S-s-set up a little studio. My office is always rather quuiet, so you could use that.” Sybilus suggested. “M-maybe you could do a podcast on p-paranormal and s-s-supernatural histories throughout our country!”

“You know, that would be really cool.” Paul agreed. “I’ll talk to Artie about it. You know, since... we’re a pair.”

“Oh, of course!” Sybilus nodded. 

“Yeah...” Paul bit his lip. He looked to his feet. “Hey, Syb, can I ask you a kinda weird question?”

“Of course.” Sybilus assured him. 

“Is there anyone in Connor Creek who’s LGBTQ+ other than Donny?” Paul asked. Oh god. What was he doing? Where was he going with that question. How was he going to play that off? He got an idea. “I mean... just in case APN wants to use that kind of information to celebrate during Pride month.”

“Well... let’s see...” Sybilus thought aloud. “I believe that C-Crispin and Odie Doty were seeing each other before Odie’s unf-fortunate demise. Madison once brought a girlfriend to town council. They’d met at a ‘S-Small Town Law Enforcement Summit’. I always wondered what happened t-to that girlfirend- she was l-l-lovely. And, erm... I’m gay.”

“You are?” Paul started to beam. He caught himself too late, a blushing mess. Goddamnit he was giving himself away!

“Erm... yes.” Sybilus blushed. “I-I’ve never technically come out... no one really d-does in Connor Creek. You just sort of show up with a p-p-partner or two and everyone knows.”

“Huh.” Paul hummed. “I’m bi.”

“Oh.” Sybilus nodded. Paul nearly groaned at what he’d just said. He was real smooth, wasn’t he? Both drove in silence again for a moment. Sybilus pulled into a driveway. “We’re here! T-this is the ice cream shop.”

“So I can get the scoop on my competition.” Paul smirked. 

Internally, he was killing himself. Why was literally everything he was doing and saying to this man today the cringiest, most embarassing stuff in his playbook? Seriously. As far as impressions went... he was not making a good one, and he was sure of it. Well at least Sybilus was gay. He had half of a chance. Maybe if he could just calm the fuck down (or whatever it was he needed to do to stop acting like a total dumabss) he could talk Sybilus into getting dinner with him sometime... or maybe he would somehow manage to drive Syb away after he had made the first move. Paul froze. Oh god. Syb had made the first move.

“Are you okay?” Sybilus checked, already out of the car. 

“Hm? Oh, yeah!” Paul blushed, getting out. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be s-sorry.” Sybilus chuckled. “I get lost in my head sometimes too.”

“Right...” Paul sighed, walking into the ice cream shop with him. Even though it was a hot day, it was just the two of them and the teenage girl behind the counter. Sybilus walked up to the counter ahead of him, knowing how things worked there. 

“H-hello... I was h-hoping- ah! liking- ah! I-I would like two d-double scoop waffle cones please.” Sybilus stammered out. 

“Sure thing.” The perky sales attendant smiled knowingly. “What are the flavours on those scoops?”

“Y-you go first.” Sybilus blushed, looking at his feet. 

“Um... I’ll take one scoop rocky road, one scoop chocolate chip cookie dough.” Paul told her. 

She got to work scooping that. And that’s when Paul found himself doing somethign far too quickly to stop himself: he patted Sybilus’ back to comfort him. He could see how distressed the werewolf was, and... he felt bad. He shouldn’t have to be ashamed of his impediment. Both men blushed, looking to the floor. The tension was high. Paul was frozen, unsure of whether to own his actions or... retreat as fast as was humanly possible. But... he decided to own it, going further and rubbing his friend’s back. Sybilus was blushing even harder. Oh god. Had that been too much. He thought so until... a small smile creeped onto the werewolf’s face. Paul smiled back softly. What in the actual hell was going on with those two?

“Alright, here you go hon.” The attendant smirked, passing an ice cream to Paul. She turned to Sybilus. “What about you, sweetie?”

“One b-birthday cake and one cotton candy.” Sybilus told her. She scooped those two fairly easily. 

“Those ones are always so soft.” She told him, still smiling brightly. She handed him the cone. “Here you go.”

“H-how much d-do I owe you?” Sybilus asked, reaching into his pocket. 

“Those are on the house guys. Happy Pride.” The ice cream scooper winked. 

Both Sybilus and Paul blushed, looking at each other. They seemed to be silently asking each other if they let the girl do that for them. Paul shrugged as if to say ‘why no?’, and they both looked back to her. Paul smiled softly. 

“Thank you.” He sighed, taking Sybilus’ hand and walking back outside the shop. There was a little table out there, and he sat them down at that. 

“Well...” Sybilus chuckled nervoulsy. 

“Yeah.” Paul blushed, chuckling with him. 

“I suppose it would be appropriate to wish you a happy pride...” Sybilus smiled shyly at Paul. “I-I... suppose we’d make a handsome couple- o-or at least she thought so.”

“I mean, she’s not wrong...” Paul shrugged, before freezing. Him and Sybilus just stared at each other for a second, and Paul immediately felt guilty. “I am so sorry if that made you uncomfortable, it just-”

“I agree.” Sybilus cut him off. Both just stared at each other, a look of mutual realization hit them. 

“So, um... maybe she wasn’t so wrong then.” Paul tested. “Thinking we were a couple...”

“M-maybe she wasn’t.” Sybilus sighed. There was a pause. 

“So... is this a date?” Paul checked. 

“I-if you would like it to be.” Sybilus bit his lip. 

“Yeah... I think that would be great.” Paul smiled softly. 

“I-I know of a walking trail nearby i-if you would like to go- ah! W-walk for a bit.” Sybilus offered. 

“I’d love that.” Paul beamed. 

And so the two men got up and started down the road, still eating their ice creams as they went along. Paul hesitantly reached out and grabbed Sybilus’ hand, squeezing it. Sybilus blushed, looking over and him ans smiling softly, squeezing back. Paul supposed now that he had a boyfriend he’d probably have to come out to Artemis... if she didn’t already know. He was like 99% sure she was a lesbian though, so he should be fine. Twinsense... he supposed it made them both gay. He was pretty sure that he couldn’t be any happier than he was in that moment. And he was pretty sure Syb felt the same way. It must be the pride month magic, bringing them together- or maybe it was always meant to be this way. Who knows? Paul was just excited for the journey.

[misssquidtracy]

Noble Intentions (Part 3).

The end of my slightly belated contribution to Gordo’s FabFiveFeb week. I finally managed to snap a leash on it before it could breed any more  🙌🏻

All credit for FabFiveFeb goes to the gorgeous @gumnut-logic 💚

Prompt: You did what?

Genre: Humour.

Characters: Gordon & Brains.

Part 1  Part 2

-x-

“Magnificent!” Brains cooed, peering out the window of the Helipod at the forested slopes of Bogota’s Eastern Hills, “What a t-truly remarkable place!”

Gordon smiled and tightened his grip on the yoke, “See, Brains? Wasn’t this worth getting up early for?”

The scientist twisted his head to gaze out the opposing window and peeped in delight when a flock of colourful finches zipped past, “Absolutely! Though while the views are stunning, it’s Dr. Gabriela I’m really looking forward to meeting. I can’t believe she’s one of just a handful of senior ophthalmologists investigating the link between vision restoration and gene t-therapy. I’ve never felt defined by my eyesight, but I’ve always wondered whether a t-technique exists that could reduce my reliance on corrective lenses. I went to a clinic specialising in photorefractive keratectomy and refractive lens exchange a couple of years ago, but nothing ultimately came of it. I’m excited to see if Dr. Gabriela has any suggestions. How lucky for me t-that you were able to get me an appointment at such short notice!”

“Yeah…” Gordon bit his lip and tried to ignore the guilty sensation that was holding his conscious hostage. He’d been up all night researching various scientific phrases he could throw at Brains in an effort to persuade him to tag along to Gabriela’s charity event. While his initial sales pitch had been enough to convince the engineer to abandon tinkering with his hatch deployment actuator, the little reading that Gordon had done on eye health hadn’t prepared him for the barrage of questions Brains had thrown at him.

“Does Dr. Gabriela have access to a VT 3 vision screener? And how up-to-date is her femtosecond laser?”

Sweat started to bead on Gordon’s forehead as he fought the urge to start making words and phrases up, “Oh, everything she uses is top of the range, Brains. Top of the range I say.”

The engineer made a noise of contentment similar to the one he’d made after Scott had given him permission to butcher the stray GDF R.O.BOT that had ended up in Tracy Island’s hanger.

-x-

Five short minutes later, and Gordon was ushering Brains through a pair of automatic doors that led into a gymnasium of sorts. While the scientist was content to admit that he’d never been to a South American country before, the layout of this so-called ‘private clinic’ was definitely not what he’d been expecting.

It wasn’t long before the discomfort of being in unfamiliar surroundings began to eat away at Brains’s composure. Thankfully, he had the ever sociable Gordon for backup, “Is this the w-waiting room?”

“Yeah…kind of,” Gordon replied, waving awkwardly as several people doddered past and began setting up easels, “You know what, let’s save Gabriela some trouble and start getting things ready for her. I know she’s a very busy woman, so any time we can save her will be a win for us.”

A peep of shock forced its way out of Brains’s mouth as he was bundled off towards a corner of the room that was obscured by a curtain of sorts. He’d done some preliminary research on Bogota’s economic health and was aware that the area was seismically sensitive and had suffered extensive infrastructural damage as a result of said seismic activity. Even so, he’d expected something markedly different when Gordon had bleated about how ‘top of the range’ this place supposedly was.

“Okay, you need to strip off,” Gordon instructed, shoving the scientist behind the safety of the curtain before politely turning away, “All new patients have to undergo a full-body CT scan to check for any underlying health conditions. Unfortunately they’re out of gowns, so you’ll have to do it in the buff.”

Any preoccupations Brains had with the decor of his new surroundings flew out the window quicker than Scott on an amphetamine at the bluntness of Gordon’s statement. Stripping off for an invasive procedure was to be expected, but for an eye exam?

Something didn’t add up…

“Oh, and you can’t wear your glasses during the scan either,” Gordon announced, inserting an arm through the curtain and popping the lenses neatly off the engineer’s nose, “Metallic objects can interfere with the final result. Now, chop, chop! Gabriela is waiting.”

Eager to avoid anything that could cause social awkwardness, Brains set about hesitantly disrobing. He’d never had a medical experience quite as…rustic…as this one, but reminded himself that not everyone had access to the same resources and technology they had back on Tracy Island.

Plus, he trusted Gordon.

-x-

“Is he here?” Gabriela asked, clattering towards Gordon like a giraffe on stilts, “Because I’ve got seventy people who’ve paid good money to put a member of International Rescue on their canvases.”

“Relax,” Gordon soothed, jerking his head in the direction of where he’d left Brains, “He’s getting ready now. How long will the whole thing take?”

A cloud of noxiously sweet perfume wafted through the air as Gabriela ran to consult her diary, “The entire class is three hours long, but guests are encouraged to take reference pictures during the first few minutes. Obviously, we can’t expect a model to pose for so long, so we generally ask for them to sit for just the first hour. Most people should have finished subject studying and underpainting by then.”

“He won’t last that long,” Gordon sighed, jolting when John suddenly issued a rescue order for a couple of stranded hikers on the Nepali slope of Everest. Thankfully, Scott picked up the call before enquiries could be made about Gordon’s whereabouts.

“Fifteen minutes, minimum,” Gabriela clinched, aware that her guests were starting to twiddle their brushes in impatience, “I just need him long enough for photos to be taken. I know it sounds tedious, but photographic shots are necessary for shading and contouring. Plus, guests can refer back to them if they don’t finish in the allotted time.”

Caramel eyes narrowed to slits as Gordon calculated the risk of further hoodwinking his blind colleague.

“Okay, fifteen minutes,” the aquanaut affirmed, striding back to where he’d left his charge, “You done yet, Brains?”

“I t-think so,” came the uncertain response, “But how am I going to get to the radiology clinic in t-this condition? Surely it would have made more sense for me to ‘prepare’ myself in the same room as the scanner?”

“Oh, it’s a portable one that can scan you from a distance in any position,” Gordon blabbed, throwing Gabriela a thumbs up as he gripped the curtain and prepared to yank it back, “Top of the range, remember?”

“If you s-say so,” Brains stammered, blinking like a mole that had just emerged into the sunlight, “I t-trust you.”

The hand that was about to rip the curtain back paused, it’s owner reflecting on the depth of the three words that had just been uttered.

Sure, if Scott hadn’t threatened to ground him, then Brains would be back in the safety of his lab and Gordon himself behind the curtain. And the entire event was funding a very worthy cause with numerous far-reaching benefits…

…but was it all worth humiliating a friend over?

Everyone who had the pleasure of meeting Gordon always described him as an uncommonly kind man. He had an almost innate ability to see life through other people’s eyes. Though it was emotionally exhausting at times, it was the driving force behind his desire to make people happy. He soaked up emotions like a sponge, and had learnt over the years that the best way to keep himself light and fluffy was to project as much positive energy into the people around him as possible.

Despite being disoriented and confused, Brains had willingly put a healthy chunk of his dignity into Gordon’s hands. And now his ass was on the line. 

Quite literally.

Gordon sighed. Noble intentions or not, no impulsive decision was worth a friend’s modesty.

“Change of plans, Brains,” the aquanaut informed, “Gabriela’s got an emergency telephone consultation, so has referred you back to your usual guy in Sydney. You can get dressed and come out. I’ve popped your glasses down by your shoes, so don’t tread on them.”

Of course, the life of someone in Gordon’s line of work with Gordon’s personality meant that for every battle won, another was lost. While the moral dilemma over Brains’s involvement in the event was over, there was still the issue of Gabriela and the roomful of impatient artists she’d amassed.

“Hey, Brains? I’m just nipping home real quick. Tell Gabriela I’ll be back within the hour with a fully-fledged International Rescue operative for her…um…thing. This neighbourhood isn’t the safest place on the map, so don’t leave the compound by yourself. See you in a jiffy.”

The partially dressed Brains had less than a second to formulate a reply before Gordon bolted out the door, a metaphorical trail of fire blazing in his wake.

“I really must talk to Scott about a p-pay rise...”

-x-

One hour later…

MAX beeped seductively as he stretched his robotic limbs across the chaise lounge he was sprawled across.

“Draw him like one of your French robots,” Gordon suggested to a dark haired woman who had been studying her easel for several minutes, the hilarity of his own joke causing a snort to break forth. The woman remained impassive, her eyes fixed on the contours of MAX’s storage pod. Titanic references were clearly neither wanted, nor appreciated.

It hadn’t been the event anyone had expected. There had been no naked emergency responders, no naked engineers, and by extension, no naked calendar. Thankfully, MAX’s delight at being asked to participate in a human activity, combined with his enthusiasm for arts and crafts had gone some way towards placating some of the slightly miffed attendees.  

“Well, we hit out target,” Gabriela announced, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “Plus, MAX managed to rake in a fair few tips. That should cover the cost of food for the day.”

A sad series of beeps sounded as MAX dropped his gaze to the floor. He’d hoped to use the human money he’d earnt to buy his own easel, since Virgil was getting tired of him constantly vandalising his. Maybe he could ask Scott to pay him every time he emptied the dishwasher, just like he did with Alan…

“Chin up, MAX!” Gordon cooed, loading as much leftover food into the Helipod’s storage bin as was physically possible, “I’ll pay you twice what you earnt in tips for your time today. How does that sound?”

Brains smiled and self-consciously adjusted his glasses, “Thank you G-Gordon. We both thoroughly enjoyed our time here today. I must say, everyone did an excellent job at capturing MAX’s likeness. I think the canvas I p-purchased will look wonderful next to Kayo’s picture in the lounge. Of course, we’ll have to shift the r-rest of you up a bit to make room.”

Gordon gave a distracted nod around the sandwich he was chewing, his own small reward for a day chock full of hoop jumping.

After watching his creator disappear outside to chat to Gabriela (who was in the middle of a well-deserved smoke break), MAX wheeled over to the bag containing the portrait Brains had bought and carefully extracted it, his eye widening in awe as he drank in the masterful brushstrokes that came together to recreate him.

There was just one thing missing...

...a moustache.

-x-

Present day

"Uh, Gordon?" Virgil's voice was low and gentle, a stark contrast to the shrieks of delight Mandy was emitting, "Do I need to remind you about what happened last time you signed up for something like this?"

Gordon most certainly didn’t need reminding. He still hadn’t fully recovered from the tongue-lashing Scott had given him after discovering the portraits out of whack and MAX’s canvas next to his launch station…or the follow-up tongue-lashing that had come about after he’d learnt the reason behind the portraits being out of whack.

Hopefully an expensive bouquet of flowers on top of one of Scott’s ‘fat-ass cheques’ would keep Mandy from hunting him down and gnawing off his toes while he slept…

It wasn’t all bad though. Scott would never admit it, but Gordon’s previous display of charitable benevolence had warmed his heart enough for him to disclose to John the one person they could all freely bare their naked asses to if they so wished.  

The Hood. But on two conditions:

1. He had to be en route to a prison cell at the time.

2. The phrase ‘kiss my ass’ would have to take on a literal meaning instead of a metaphorical one.

FIN

[johannstutt413]

(for nic611; continuing from this)

Not quite twenty-four hours later, and Greyy was looking at himself in his bathroom mirror, double- and triple-checking himself for any unwanted lint or other messiness. This was the first time he’d been on a date, and he wanted to look his absolute best for his shimmering star...Not that he’d call her that out loud, of course.

After deciding he’d done the best he could, the Perro clipped on the bow-tie he’d bought for the occasion and left for the Ursus dorms, tickets in his pocket and a light in his eyes. ‘Where should we eat tonight?’ He wondered as he expertly navigated the maze of corridors to his destination. ‘Siracusan food’s too messy, but it’s by far the most appropriate...Then again, maybe she wants something that reminds her of home? Or maybe...Oh! I almost passed it. Okay, Greyy, deep breath, deep breath...You get one chance to see her like this for the first time. Make it count!’

“Coming!” The chef’s voice rang out from behind the closed door after Greyy worked up the courage to knock. “No, Anna, tell her I’m on my way-”

“Hey.” Zima opened the door, a smile on her face.

Greyy froze for a moment before bowing. It just felt like the right thing to do. “G-good evening, General.”

“Evening.” She walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. “Before she gets out here, I just wanna make something absolutely clear.”

“Y-yes?” He shook a little more than usual, but held firm. This was his night with Gummy, after all.

The General simply smiled at him. “First, make sure you ask her for her actual name; Gummy’s just a codename. Second, I know you didn’t pick a scary movie, but hold her hand when it starts getting gory, even if it hurts a little when she grips your wrist like a vice. Third...Treat her to something nice, alright?” She handed him a thick stack of LMD.

“Th-thank you, General!” The Perro nodded, pocketing the money before saluting. “I p-promise to give her the b-best date of her life.”

“I believe it.”

At that moment, Gummy burst through the door, the picture of Ursan beauty despite being clearly bothered. “Sonyaaaa! Leave him alone!”

“Just making sure he knows his place.” Just before being pulled away by the chef, she whispered, “Don’t forget to kiss her when you bring her back.”

“Go away! You already have a date for tonight!” She literally flung Zima back towards the door, huffing a little as she did.

Sonya just laughed as Anna poked her head out the door. “Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” The General gave one last chuckle. “You two have a good night.”

“Finally! I thought she’d never leave. So, um, you said we’re going to dinner first, right?” Gummy fluffed one of her hair-meatballs, making sure she hadn’t knocked it out of place with that toss.

Greyy snapped back to reality. “Y-yeah, I think we sh-should. Um...You look amazing.”

“Oh! Thank you!” She giggled. “And you’re especially adorable tonight. I like the bow-tie.”

“Th-thanks. Um, I didn’t know where you’d want to eat, so...” He had a nervous grin glued to his face. It was hard not to at least try to smile when she was standing right there.

The chef shrugged. “Anywhere’s fine, really. I’m not high-maintenance or anything...Actually, a burger would be pretty good right about now.”

“Burgers? Okay, I know a place, then.” The Perro took her hand just like he had before. “Shall we?”

“That sounds great.” Her response was enthusiastic, but somewhat muted by the fact he’d taken her breath away. To think her timid date had no trouble holding her hand like that...It was amazing.

The joint he had in mind was close to the theatre, so they took their time there waiting for their showing to start seating. Greyy got something small - he wanted to enjoy the popcorn, after all - while Gummy got a burger the size of her head and dug in with gusto, somehow managing to keep her clothes clean despite the river of burger grease that collected. It was a bit difficult to hold a conversation with that happening, but that just gave the Perro the time he needed to work up the courage to complete the first task the General had given him.

The Ursus sighed contentedly after finishing her not-quite pound of beef, now washing it down with a cola and fries. “It’s been so long since I had a burger I didn’t cook! Thanks for taking me here, Greyy!”

“Of c-course.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Um, c-can I ask you something?”

“Sure, anything.” She turned her attention from the fry pile to him, albeit still chewing on an extra long one.

Watching her redoubled Greyy’s smile. “Um, I know we usually g-go by c-codenames, but Greyy really is my name, so I was w-wondering...What’s your real name?”

“I haven’t told you yet! Silly me.” The chef lightly slapped her forehead. “It’s Rada.”

“Rada...” The Perro tried it out in his head a few times after saying it the once.

She giggled. “You okay?”

“Oh, y-yeah, I’m fine! B-better than fine, really.” His face was going to be sore from all the smiling by the end of the night. “I’m j-just really happy to b-be here with you.”

“Me too! I mean, to be here with you, not to be here with me. It’s kind of hard for me not to be with me, after all. He-heh.”

Greyy nodded. “Y-yeah, I know the feeling...Um, should we go see about popcorn now?”

“Oh, yeah, the popcorn!” Another burst of energy as she stepped off her chair and wheeled around to him before stopping. “Hang on, I need to check my wallet real quick.”

“D-don’t worry, I’m p-paying tonight.” The Perro left a chunk of the money Zima’d given him on the table.

Rada’s brow furrowed. “For everything? That doesn’t seem fair.”

“N-no, it’s fine,” he assured her. “The Engineering Department p-pays me really well for my e-experience level.”

“Hmm...Alright, but next time, I’m paying, okay?” She slipped his hand into his as they headed for the exit.

He nodded. “I-if you really want to.”

“I do.” The Ursus blushed. ‘He already agreed to a next time~’

“G-good evening, ma’am. Two t-tickets for the 1840 showing of Mercy on a Razor’s Edge?”

Waai Fu, who’d volunteered to run the ticket stand on her night off, nodded as she took them from him. “You helped with the production, right? Miss Nian told me to tell you something.”

“Ooh,” Gummy gasped. “A behind-the-scenes extra?”

“Something like that. ‘A silent sky brings a show of thunder, so ready yourself before your greatest wonder.’ She says you’ll know what she means when the time comes. Enjoy the film, Mister Greyy, Miss Gummy.” And with that, she looked past them to the next pair in line.

Rada’s free hand went to her chin as they walked over to the snack stand. “What on earth did that mean?”

“I-I don’t know.” Actually, he did, but he realized the Nian was setting him up for a perfect moment, so he didn’t say anything. “D-do you want your own p-popcorn”

“Huh? Oh, no, we can share. Oooh, extra butter, though.”

The Perro nodded. “I was th-thinking the s-same thing. Excuse me, Mister Matterhorn?”

“Good evening, Mister Greyy.” The Forte winked at Gummy. “So this is the date you mentioned at lunch today. Good choice.”

“Matt!” She pouted at him.

He laughed. “You know I had to tease you a little, Gumdrop. It’s nice to see you out and about, I mean it. One extra-large with double spray?”

“Y-yes, please.” How many people were rooting for him on this date? Greyy wasn’t sure if he should be happy or scared. “Here you go.”

“And here’s your popcorn. Enjoy the movie.” Matterhorn gave the pair another wink.

Rada sighed as she steered them towards the theatre. “Sorry about that.”

“S-sorry? No, I don’t mind at all.” Greyy squeezed her hand. “It’s nice that everyone’s almost happy f-for us as I am to b-be here with you.”

“Oh, Greyy, you are such a sweetheart~ Hey, look, two seats in the central row!”

They watched the previews - several of them being films Greyy had helped on, actually, being Rhodes Island’s premier lighting specialist - and throughout most of the film, Gummy was clearly engrossed in the plot. Thanks to Click, the fight scenes looked real enough to worry the Ursus at times, but having the Perro with her kept her from flipping out. It was a compelling story of espionage, romance, and a war of ideals between two factions, neither of which were completely wrong, just missing information, while the protagonist (played by FEater, naturally) tried to rectify that knowledge gap. It was really good for an independent film, and Gummy was focused in on it from start to finish.

Unlike her date, who was anxiously waiting for the moment Nian had mentioned in her cryptic poem. See, it’d been his job to help film the fireworks festival scene, and in Click’s words, he’d “totally fucking killed it” - meaning that was his greatest wonder. There was a long enough stretch of silence ahead of it that he would have enough time to get Rada’s attention, say something cool and dramatic, and kiss her just as the fireworks went off, but only if he got it exactly-

The theatre fell quiet, and Greyy knew his moment had come. “Rada?”

“Hmm?” She turned to look at him, the light of a silent single firework reflected in her eye. “Yes, Greyy?”

“I love you.” Surprising himself by getting it right the first time, the Perro did as movies had taught him - closed his eyes, tilted his head slightly to the side, hoping she’d meet him in the middle-

-As if there was any doubt. The light from the screen and the roar of the fireworks’ exploding wowed the crowd, but a much more powerful display was going on in the theatre itself. As the movie resumed, beginning the final arc it had in store for its audience, Gummy held her forehead to Greyy’s with a warm smile on her face. “I love you, too.”

Leaving the theatre in silence looked a lot more awkward to an outsider than it was for the pair; honestly, after that, what more was there left to say? Once they were at Rada’s doorstep, however, Greyy did find some words to use.

“I, um...” Okay, it wasn’t immediate, but close enough. “I had a really g-good time tonight.”

“I did, too. You want to do this again sometime?” The chef was holding both his hands in hers, looking at him expectantly.

He grinned nervously with a sudden extra helping of blush. “Y-yeah…I would do this every d-day if I could.”

“Me, too.” She giggled. “Sorry, I just- I don’t know. I guess I’m kind of surprised, is all. I thought something would go wrong, but tonight’s been more than perfect. Does it feel that way to you?”

“I-i guess so? It’s k-kind of hard for me to tell.”

Rada cocked her head. “Really?”

“Yeah.” His eyes shone in the light above the apartment door. “Any evening with you is perfect to me.”

“Oh, Greyy~” And with that perfect opportunity, they had their second kiss of the evening-

-Captured on Istina’s phone from inside. “Oh crap, I left the flash on.”

“...Um, I need to go have a talk with them now,” Gummy explained, blushing wildly, “but are you free sometime this week for dinner here? I wanna make something special for you.”

“J-just say the word, and I’ll c-come running.” As evidenced by his tail swishing steadily back and forth behind him.

She nodded before pulling him into a great big hug. “Good. I’ll see you soon~”

“Mmhmm.” ...How long had it been since he’d gotten a hug that felt like this? “Good night, Rada.”

“Good night, Greyy. Keep on shining for me, ‘kay?” She let him go and turned to go inside.

The Perro stood there for a moment before replying, “Until I see your light again.” With that, feeling somewhat embarrassed but also proud he’d managed to say it, he dashed off to go home and cheer without disturbing the rest of Rhodes Island.

“Wow.” The General and the advisor, both in somewhat ruffled pajamas, were still by the window when the chef came in. “So, how was it?”

“Awesome, but why the hell did you take a picture of us just now?” She was a little angry, but that last line had left her beaming like a spotlight, so at this point she was more pretending to be mad than anything.

Istina shrugged. “It’s rare to catch these memories on film, and Sonya wanted to have your first kiss saved somewhere.”

“Well, joke’s on you, because that was our second kiss.” Gummy mimed flipping her hair (instead jiggling a meatball) before turning to go to her room. “I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.”

“You’re going to leave us hanging, just like that?” Zima didn’t get a response.

Anna shook her head as she squeezed the General’s hand. “It was rude of us to spy like that. The movie was good, though, don’t you agree?”

“When did she have her first kiss, though? We were with them from the burger shop on...” Sonya shook her head. “Whatever. Let’s go to bed; all this espionage has made me tired.”

“Agreed...They do make a cute couple.”

She nodded. “Yeah...almost as cute as us.”

[faulty-writes]

Hello! I love your blog aaaaa,,, all fics are. so. good. I was wondering, can I request an scenario of Tokoyami and Amajiki (separately) with a crush who has a quirk that hurts her when she uses it and it leaves scars, especially in her back? And the bois (?) hurt her in a spar, but she says its ok, that it doesnt hurt that much because shes used to the pain? I know this is such a weird request, sorry askdj

[Rquests: OPEN.]

[I’m going to go ahead and say this I LOVE MY BOY TAMAKI <3 I always role play as him whenever I get the chance, thank God I have my own role play server. But he’s my cute little anxiety boy and I adore Tokoyami as well <3 That being said. I hope you enjoy!] 

Everything under the cut! 

Tokoyami Fumikage

Tokoyami was someone who took everything seriously, there was no room to fool around when it came to being a hero and he dedicated most of his time to just that, his hero work. Of course, he was no stranger to asking for help as well as helping others. Which is why when you asked him to spar with you, he agreed. Both to help you and to be able to spend time with you which he found himself desperately wanting. 

Though much like him, you had a quirk that leaned more towards the dark side. But unlike most, you often experienced physical pain when you used your quirk. At first, you assumed it was due to the dark nature of it, but then you began to notice it left behind scars that pulsed with pain. Over the years you had gotten used to it however and it was rare that any form of pain bothered you. 

Which was part of the reason you tended to do good when it came to close combat and Tokoyami was more than a worthy opponent. You had managed to land a few hits on him but he eventually got the upper hands thanks to Dark Shadow and you ended up flying across the training field. Involatraily crying out when you hit the ground and your body bounced against it before rolling to a stop. 

You were covered in dirt and bleeding cuts and scrapes. Your clothes had rips in them and the shoulder that took the brunt of the impact coursed with pain. One of your legs was shaking as you stood back on your feet, reaching up to brush a piece of your hair out of your face. “Y/n!” Tokoyami called as he ran up to you, a fearful expression on his face as well as Dark Shadow’s. “Are you okay!? I didn’t mean to hit you that hard!” Shadow spoke before Tokoyami nodded. 

“Yes, please forgive me. I stepped out of line, are you okay?” he asked and you shrugged in response. Despite your condition, “I’m used to pain, so it doesn’t hurt. You don’t have to worry about me that much.” you replied and watched as Tokoyami narrowed his eyes and Dark Shadow looked at you with concern. “What do you mean used to pain?! That doesn’t sound good.” Tokoyami nodded in agreement with his quirk. 

“I agree and I’m afraid I can’t help but be concerned,” he said as he approached you and laid his hand on your shoulder. “You are a dear friend and I ...very much like you. I want you to be okay and well,” he said before you shrugged his hand away. “I said I’m used to it, it’s fine.” Tokoyami shook his head. “I disagree, I have noticed the number of scars you have, tell me. Is it because of your quirk?” he knew he was overstepping his boundaries but he needed to ask regardless. 

You froze up and looked away, damn it. He noticed. You sighed. “Yeah, it hurts when I use my quirk,” you confessed in a whisper “and it leaves behind scars.” it was then that Tokoyami did something you would have never expected, he stepped close and pulled you in for a hug. Despite how much it made his heart race to be able to be so close to you, “I understand,” he said and Dark Shadow nodded. “Yeah! You can’t hide much from us! I’m too observant!” he said pointing at himself but Tokoyami gave him a warning glare. 

“Perhaps I can help you learn how to use your quirk in a way that does not hurt you.” he suggested before dropping his arms, “For now, I only request one thing.” he began, looking at you with a serious expression. “Please, whenever you use your quirk. Whenever you are injured come to me, I am no stranger to scars and I promise I will not judge. I only wish to patch you up, help you.” he said, after all, he had feelings for you and his only wish was for you to be happy. 

Despite feeling a little embarrassed knowing that he cared that much about you, somehow you found yourself nodding in agreement. “Okay.” you said, “Thank you Tokoyami, I ...I would appreciate that” you added and he nodded. “You’re quite welcome, perhaps we should switch to physical combat as opposed to using our quirks.” you looked surprised at his suggestion but once more agreed with him. 

“Just be gentle with me.” you teased and he nodded, despite feeling terrified and guilty for what he had done. For how he had unintentionally hurt the one he cared about the most. He would find a way to help you use your quirk and he would capture your heart in the process. At least that’s what he promised himself. 

Tamaki Amajiki 

Tamaki Amajiki was a shy man, anxiety issues were his life and he didn’t tend to venture outside his own circle of friends. That was until he noticed his feelings for you and he couldn’t even describe the number of butterflies he felt whenever you were around him, just praying that you would talk to him. He had gotten his exact wish when you asked him if he would be willing to train with you. 

Originally you were supposed to train with your friend, but their plans changed last minute and they had to cancel on you. That’s when someone suggested you ask a member of the Big Three and Tamaki stood out in your mind. Though it took him forever to answer your question as his cheeks were bright red and his eyes were focused more on the floor than you. But eventually, he did respond with an “O-Okay ...I-I’d love t-to.” and that led to you two out on the training grounds. 

At first, he was going easy on you, both because you were a girl and you happened to be the person he had a crush on. You quickly caught onto this and told him not to be afraid, to use his quirk and defend himself like he normally would against anyone. But you found he might have taken your advice too seriously and you were quickly reminded just how powerful he was. Those tentacles of his were hard to dodge, but it was his vines that eventually got you. 

You felt the way they stung as they hit your back and ripped your shirt up leaving you to stumble forward and land face-first into the dirt. You groaned and pushed yourself up, Tamaki’s gasp filled the air. “Y/n?” he said hesitantly and though you didn’t see it, he was visibly shaking as he approached you. His eyes full of concern as he held his hand out, immediately feeling guilt as he looked at your back. He took notice of those scars that were embedded in your skin and he trembled. 

“D-Did I do t-that?!” he asked in a panic and you looked confused a moment before turning around to face him. “Do what?” you questioned, though Tamaki just bowed his head. Hands covering his face. “I-I’m so s-sorry! Y/n! I d-didn’t mean to h-hurt you that b-bad!” how could he do that to someone he liked? He got too carried away, damn. What was he thinking? God, he knew this was a bad idea. 

“Tamaki …” you said as you reached over to grab his hands, but he tried to keep them pressed to his face. “You didn’t do anything …” he shook his head, finally dropping his hands and looked at you. His eyes had tears in them, “Y-Yes I did! I ...t-those s-scars you h-have ...d-did I d-do that? E-Even if I d-didn’t um, I s-still hurt you. A-Are you o-okay?” your eyes widened for a moment before you glanced to the side, so he had noticed your scars. 

You bit your lip a moment as you tried to think of how to respond, “I ...I’m fine Tamaki, r-really. I ...I’m used to pain, it’s a normal occurrence with my quirk.” you explained and though you couldn’t tell, Tamaki's heart sank in his chest. “W-Wait ...d-do you mean t-those scars are from …” he hesitated and you finished his sentence, “My quirk, yes,” you said and he sniffled. 

“Y/n, I ...I-I’m sorry I didn’t k-know! P-Please, don’t u-use your quirk if it h-hurts you! I d-don’t like s-seeing you hurt.” he hated seeing anyone he cared about in pain but especially you. “Tamaki ...I said I’m used to it. You didn’t do anything wrong.” you tried to reason with him again and he shook his head.

“C-Can I ...c-can I ...at l-least hug you?” he questioned shyly, his cheeks were bright red and he was trembling but even so, his question was a surprise. “Y-You want to hug me?” you repeated and he shyly nodded. “P-Please, e-even though you s-say you a-are okay, I d-don’t like t-the idea of you b-being used to p-pain ...I um, t-thought maybe a h-hug would help,” he said, his arms still outstretched and you hesitantly leaned forward. 

You felt safe as soon as his arms wrapped around you and you leaned your head against his shoulder. “I-I’m sorry your q-quirk hurts you a-and that I h-hurt you. B-But now I ...I d-don’t want to s-stop hugging y-you until y-you’re better.” he said, hoping you didn’t feel how fast his heart was racing. “Tamaki, you really don’t have to do that,” you replied, your head still pressing against his shoulder. 

“I w-want to, i-if I can h-help in a-any way I w-will. I c-consider you m-my most special p-person, the o-one that I ...I ...w-well I ...r-really like y-you y/n and um ...w-well I p-promise I’ll m-make all t-that pain g-go away.” your eyes widened at his confession and you felt a blush of your own come to your cheeks. “I ...I don’t know what to say Tamaki.” you felt his arms tighten around you. 

“You d-don’t have to s-say anything, j-just let me h-hold you,” he whispered, and though you didn’t know how long he planned to hold you. Somehow you found yourself relaxing against him, a sort of warmth coming to you knowing that he cared so much about your pain. 

[bluebellhairpin]

Marvel Headcanons - Road Trips

A/N: I’m a horrible person. But at least my procrastination of my asks is being for-filled in a way that still sprouts content. - Nemo

Summary: The Avengers and their S/O go on a road trip. Gods? Mutants? Aliens? with them, what could go wrong? 

Masterlist  

Loki Laufeyson

Bruh. You go on a road-trip with this guy and you’re gonna really wish you d i d n ‘ t. 

Tricks. So many tricks. This guy can’t drive a car, he has nothing to do except play tricks. Look At That Face, no remorse, no mercy. You gotta be strong af to survive a trip like this with Loki. 

bUt he does buy you all the food. And all the stuff you like. In mass amounts. (“(y/n), you said you liked this sweet packet stuff right? Ah, good. I brought five boxes so we don’t run out.” ) Like five whole boxes

So what’s it gonna be? Trickery for food? Yay or nay? Yay, definitely yay. 

Peter Parker/Spider-Man

You will not sleep. Y’all get too hyped up of junk food and adrenaline to sleep for more then half an hour at a time so POWER NAPS ALL THE WAY THERE AND BACK

He video’s everything. He says it’s to show May and Tony when you get back but we all know the truth. Its so he can get one of those cool old-style videos of you No shame that boy has.

He lets you pick all the music, as long as it’s not AC/DC because he had an experience with Tony that involved ‘Thunderstruck’, hacking and his suits earpieces that lasted a over a week that we s h a l l n o t  s p e a k o f e v e r

But overall it’s a really cute trip. So cliche. So romantic. So amazing.

Tony Stark/Iron Man

Loves every second because it’s with you and after everything he’s been through that is all he needs and wants.

He has playlists, cars, hotel reservations, restaurant reservations, food stops, food stashes, sights to see. All these things are ready before you even suggested getting away for a couple days. 

Turns into a sappy, flirty mess. It’s almost like the trip turned back time to when you both first met and the only problem he had was making a new missile to sell to some place in Afghanistan.

He’s just so ready for a break, low and behold please give i t t o H i m

Steve Rogers/Captain America

Road-trips with Steve are done on the back of his motorbike and you can fight me on this. Mostly because he likes it when you wrap your arms around his torso so yeah fight me again.

Despite the trip being a road trip you both spend a lot of time at stops and motels instead of on the road. He likes taking things slow, since he hasn’t gotten to do things slowly for over four years after he woke up. He’s very grateful if you let him do this.

He lets you take lots of photo’s of him whether you’re good at it or not doesn't bother him. Even frames one you took of his silhouette because it looks that good to him. 

 Becomes addicted to cocktails after the second road trip because “they’re so colourful and come in so many flavours, (y/n) have you tried this blue one yet? Look they have one named after me-” 

Thor Odinson

He gets so hyped and excited. 

He really loves travelling and learning about earth more like you teaching him about earth stuff so he’s so optimistic about the whole trip and that attitude rubs off on you so you end up coming home all happy too.

He brings lollies/sweets/candy with you and lemme say you are bouncing off the walls the whole damn time. One time he got so hyped on sugar he almost summoned lighting. 

You take Loki sometimes. He pretends he doesn't like it, but he does. He thought we wouldn’t notice but we did. So Loki ends up being the ‘bored’ third wheel while you and Thor stuff your faces with sour worms, chocolate, and gobstoppers.  

Bruce Banner/Hulk

He’s gets so soft, and that makes you soft, and then you come back and your combined softness makes everyone else so very soft.

He worries about Hulk coming out and ruining the trip and the car but you constantly tell him and reassure him that it’s fine and you’ve managed to hone the ability to calm Hulk down when things get out of hand.

Needless to say he relaxes almost completely and w o w you didn’t know he sung that well.

And damn when you come back he’s like a changed man. Shyness? Almost gone. Reluctance to join conversations? Hell N a h. He almost becomes Tony 2.0 but only around you because “No one will believe you (y/n)”

Clint Barton/Hawkeye/Ronin

Clint almost l i v e s for road trips with you. I say almost because he lives for you.

You hunt down carnivals so he can win you all the prizes. The others aren't even surprised when you come back with a carload at stuffed toys anymore.

You also stop at a number of piers and sit at the end with fish and chips and some beer and just talk. Life. The future. The past. That one slice of pizza that tasted better than any others you've ever eaten in your entire lives.

You guys just do so much stuff. And its all so wholesome and pure and s o f t. 

Peter Quill/Star Lord

Did someone say road trip? Peter has all the tunes.

So much as touch the radio/speakers without his knowledge and you're preparing yourself to (possibly) walk home. He doesn't care if you're the other side of the country. You will walk.

He's a sucker for staying up and stargazing with you. He'll point out all the planets he's been to, and all the ones he wants to take you to later.

While Stargazing, be prepaid to have him jump up and pull you to him if a 'dancing song' comes on. That can range from the 'Livin La Vida Loca' to 'All of Me’. It's amazing. 

Scott Lang/Ant-Man

He's a dad. He knows how to keep others and himself  entertained on long trips.

Magic tricks. Snacks. Music. Jokes. Everything and anything you can think of to pass time, he's got it ready and waiting.

Sometimes he takes Cassy with you, and honesty things become more fun (if that's at all possible). Which means, for you, more food, music from your childhood, and embarrassing stories about Scott that Cass had managed to get hold of.

Overall it’s pretty cute going on road trips with Scott, that and it’s never ever boring. 

T’Challa/Black Panther

He’s a king, and a very busy one at that. So when you manage to pull him away from his duties he treats you extremely well. 

First he takes you to a certain county (Once it was Singapore (that was a very luxurious trip), another time Hawaii, etc), then he gets a hire car and takes you wherever else you’d like go.

Every time, every trip, he finds a Starbucks. He collects the cups and brings them back to Okoye. He does it to spite her. You know it.

He gets much more relaxed on the trips, and always comes back being able to deal with his duties much better.

Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier

Wow okay first off, Bucky loves road trips with you. 

He manages to persuade Tony to lean him one of his fancy older cars and takes you along the coast in that. He’s a coast road trip type of guy.

He really loves the beach, the only thing that gets in his way is the sand and salty water getting in the joints of his arm, but he says he can “just take it off, don’t worry darlin’.” so yeah it’s r e a l l y not a problem. 

If he can't get a hold of one of Tony’s old cars, he gets an old pickup truck/ute and camps outside on the back with you and watches the stars and has old 30′s/40′s music playing from the radio. It’s pretty cute. Like him. 

Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler

Mate. This guy has no idea what he's doing. 

Once he tried to bring, like, a whole ass record player because he was worried there’d be nothing to dance along to. Seriously, Kurt, we have a ca r a d i o for that. Precious Baby Boy.

He’s also pretty young, so be prepared to have lots of contraband School food (sour lollies, chips, etc) stashed everywhere in the car. This boy will eat all the junk food he can lay his three-fingered hands on. R E S T R A I N HIM. 

He'd probably take every opportunity he can to cuddle you or take you hand in his. He’s not quite used to doing ‘normal’ stuff like this, so the fact he’s doing something like that with you means a lot. 

Doctor Stephen Strange

He’s, um. He’s not used to this sort of thing either.

He’s been this arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed neurosurgeon for as long as he can remember. The most social and intimate thing he’s used to doing is ‘faking it’ with some random to make him look good.

BUT, sudeNly with you he kinda turns to a charismatic, sweetheart gentleman that will actually take you wherever you’d like to go. France? Okay. Brazil? Just south a little. China? Food’s great there. Russia? We’ll take ice skating lessons before we go. 

He can’t actually leave NYC for long, but he will spend as much time with you on trips away because they help him relax and it’s n i c e.

[illogicalhusbands]

The Game is Afoot - pt. 4

Bill Masters x Alec Hardy Masters of Sex / Broadchurch Crossover Link to Part 3

So sorry for the long wait! Both my co-mod and I have been extremely busy with our personal lives. I’ve come down with the flu and also had to deal with an emergency that led me to move homes so I’ve had my hands very full. But this update became unexpectedly long, so there actually will be one more part to follow! (Though I feel I’ve been saying that for the past two updates already). Also, wow 300 FOLLOWERS! I am FLOORED. Thanks everyone for the support! I hope the newcomers are all enjoying the content here. I’ll also be putting up a navigation page for the blog soon so it’ll be easier to find the fanfics and fanart that we make.

-

Everyone was staring.

It was one of those rare days that Masters had gotten him to agree to get something that vaguely resembled a complete meal for breakfast, yet by the time they had sat down Alec was quickly losing his appetite.

Pushing thin-rimmed spectacles up the bridge of his nose, he pointedly ignored the sticky feeling of several pairs of eyes on him as he perused through the list of fifty or so names and phone numbers in his hand, taunting him.

“Holmes.”

Alec groaned. He was nowhere near cracking this case than he had been a week ago. There had to be something that he was missing!

“Holmes.” A hand shot out to grab his forearm. Alec looked up to Masters’ steel blue eyes lit up with… worry? “I know this serial burglary case has been driving you mad, but you look horrifying. Just, please, eat something.”

Alec blinked blearily at him. “I’m fine, Watson,” he said, mustering up all the vitriol that he could onto that last word.

“That’s doctor Watson to you,” said Masters, on the slight edge of teasing once again. “But in all seriousness, I am an actual doctor, so you better listen to me when I say you need to take better care of yourself.”

Alec snarled. “I bloody hate doctors.”

“And I’m sure they find you an absolute delight to be with.” Masters took a sandwich from Alec’s plate and held it up to his face. “Now, eat.”

There was something about the doctor’s tone that was so commanding, in a way that never failed to grab Alec’s attention. It was always paired by those cold blue eyes and set jaw. Alec could tell he wielded this weapon on more than one occasion. He could picture Masters talking down rivals or even superiors, looking every bit like the prim and proper man that he presented himself to be, the presence of danger in his eyes the only indicator of his vicious intent. Masters probably never had much difficulty in getting anything he wanted.

Damn, Alec thought, And why did this bastard have to be so bloody attractive?

Alec was able to hold down half of his sandwich. He managed to convince Masters that he would finish the rest at a later time at work. Masters looked doubtful, but that seemed to satisfy him enough.

The whispers restarted when they got up from their seats. Alec grit his teeth. Did this town have nothing better to talk about than what other people got up to? He took a deep breath and nearly prayed that Masters hadn’t noticed at all that the entire bloody town thought of them as an item and could not seem to shut up about it.

Masters walked a step ahead of him and opened the door. “Pleasure as always, Mr. Holmes,” he said with a smooth grin. Please, please please don’t notice how other people have been talking about us. Above all, please don’t notice how much I want them to be right.

Alec startled at the hand on his lower back, gently pushing him out the door. He tried to look more relaxed, but he could see Masters had taken note of it.

They stepped out onto the pavement. Alec lingered, not wanting to leave things awkward between them. They spoke at the same time.

“Look—”

“I’m—”

“You first,” Alec said.

“Holmes…” the doctor started, eyes darting around nervously. “You know what? It’s nothing. I enjoyed breakfast today. And your company, um… thank… you for that.”

Alec felt his cheeks warming. “Y-yeah? I mean, alright. It-it’s fine, I—” he could see Masters slightly pursing his lips. “You know people talk, right?”

“I imagine they do little else,” said Masters flatly.

Alec scratched the back of his head. How can he get his message across without sounding too presumptuous? “I mean they—ah, they seem to think that we… are together.”

Masters blinked. “But we are together.”

The blood in Alec’s veins turned to ice. “W-what do you—”

“Right now, we’re here. Standing. Together. Is there something so scandalous about that?”

Alec tried to look for any signs on Masters’ face that he was kidding, but there was none. His brow was furrowed in concentration, mulling over the oddity in Alec’s statement.

“O-oh, you meant—I mean, yes! Yes, we are indeed, um, together.” Crap! He’d completely misread the situation. He scolded himself. Don’t look any more like a bumbling idiot in front of him! What was he even doing? Bringing this up with Masters was a surefire way of sending him running for the hills. Alec internally sighed. What kind of respectable man would want to be associated with a “shitface” disgraced detective? If Masters had any idea that the people of Broadchurch had branded them as the town’s Couple of the Year, he’d never want to see Alec again, much less be seen with him. “I suppose I’m just worried about your um, privacy.”

“My… privacy.”

“Yes! You know how it is in here. Everyone’s always up in other people’s business and—oh, would you look at the time!” He raised his wrist and realized a bit too late that he’d forgotten his watch. “I best get going. This was…” There was no reason to look like a flustered schoolgirl, he told himself. “Great, uh… mate.” And before he could stop himself, his fist bumped dejectedly onto Masters’ arm.

For Christ’s sake.

Masters looked at his miserable excuse for social communication and thankfully said nothing.

“I’ll see you around.” Masters gave his arm a firm squeeze that sent electric jolts straight to his chest cavity and left.

Alec kicked the pavement—and inhaled sharply at the contact and the stabs of pain that coursed up his foot.

 -

Just to add a cherry on top of his already messy, bloody cake, a whole bag of bad news greeted him at work. Cold leads, no new suspects, and inconsistent witness statements. Alec spent the next six hours bent over files and data cards, shutting off all his bodily functions and channeling his energy into coming up with anything that might be able to make sense of this increasingly complex case.

“CCTV brought up nothing, sir,” said Miller, looking not much better than he did. “I searched all night-”

“But that’s impossible!” Alec rifled through his own notes, skimming across messily scrawled witness accounts. “You should able to find that red van on the corner of Ivy and Hodges. Without that, our entire case is just mere speculation!”

“I don’t know what to do, sir. I’m just astounded as you are.”

Alec groaned, taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. “We can’t be caught theorising, Miller! We need evidence.”

“Hang on, I’m working on it!” Miller put her hands on her hips, indignant. “Don’t have to make it look like you’ve been doing all the bloody work. You know how many all nighters I’ve put on in this office?”

“I’m not accusing you,” said Alec, rubbing his entire face, trying to keep himself awake. He could feel his mind floating off elsewhere and that was not good.

“All the while you were off gallivanting with Doctor Masters—”

“Do not bring him into this, Miller. He’s got nothing-”

“Oh don’t put that ‘we’re strictly acquaintances’ bullshit on me! I’m happy for you, really I am. And you definitely need to unwind more than all of us here.”

“It’s not bullshit. We’re barely even friends.”

Miller rolled her eyes. Her expression shifted drastically from the hopeless look she sported before. “At this point, it’s not even cute anymore. You’re just being very annoying.”

“Glad to see I haven’t lost my charm.”

Alec raked a hand through his hair, fighting through a pounding headache. “Masters has given no indication whatsoever of him… caring for… in that way. Just let it go, will you?”

A voice from the main entrance halted their conversation.

“Delivery for a… Sherlock Holmes?” The poor delivery girl was holding up a brown paper bag in her arms as she read the card with pure confusion on her face. She flushed. “Oh no. I-I think this may have been a prank. Is anyone of you actually-”

Miller shot a pointed look at Alec, who stood frozen with his mouth open.

“No, luv, not to worry! He’s right here.” said Miller, walking over to free the girl of the package.

Alec briefly snapped out of it enough to process what he was seeing. “H-how much is this?”

“Oh, no, it’s already been paid for by card, Mr. Holmes,” said the relieved girl. “Have a nice day!”

Alec still couldn’t move by the time Miller had brought the paper bag over to him.

“Go on, then. Open it! This is probably the only entertainment I’m getting today.”

Alec glared at her. “Entertainment. Really, Miller, we’re not a soap opera.”

“Hardy, I have had a very long week and things are very bleak right now with the case, so either you open this bag or I open your skull. Your choice.”

Alec opened the bag.

Inside was a box of takeout from one of his favorite Thai restaurants nearby. A sticky note taped on the top read—I’m aware we’re both busy. Consider this my way of buying you lunch. (Finish all of it.) W.

Miller had been reading over his shoulder again.

“This doesn’t mean anything,” Alec said.

“I swear to god. I can’t deal with this right now.” Miller groaned loudly and cradled her head. “God, I need a coffee.” Alec heard her retreating footsteps.

Alec took out the food from the bag, staring at it as if it were on fire. What did all this mean?

The whispers came back full force. Apparently the entire office had a good view over what just occurred. It was clear the package was addressed to Alec, and they could only think of one person who it came from and they, unfortunately, were correct.

Alec grabbed the food and stomped over to his office, slamming the door behind him. He needed to put a stop to this. The situation was getting out of hand. If people got more ideas about him and Masters, it would ruin everything they had at present. Why, oh why did Alec have to always want more than he deserved? Why couldn’t he just be content with what he was given? Why did he have to develop shoddy feelings for the man?

He of course knew the answer to that. Masters was striking. He commandeered a presence in every room he entered. But more than his appearances, he was also interesting. Alec could never quite tell if he was a being a righteous asshole or just plain blunt. He’d only known Masters for five months, but the companionship between them grew with hardly any effort from either side. He was intelligent and funny, often without meaning to. Alec saw him and instantly felt the need to smoothen his suit, or fix his hair and just try his might at keeping up with the brilliance of this man, to impress him somehow. To make any sort of impression on him, really. He orbited around Masters, held in place by a natural gravitational force.

He absolutely cannot ruin this just because of some vastly exaggerated stories from the grapevine. Still, these people showed no sign of slowing down. He resolved to the one thing that was left for him to do: slam on the brakes.

He needed to avoid Dr. William Masters.

 -

The next day was barely any better. They had made no progress with the case, and both Alec and Miller were at their wits’ end trying to piece everything together. Alec hasn’t handled a case as harrowing as this in about a year. He stayed in the office all night so that Miller could go home and check up on her kids. Alec ran through more CCTV footage and transcripts from witness’ statements. He could feel the answer nearing him, almost within his grasp. He just needed to know which direction to take his hands.

Alec downed the rest of his tepid tea. He set the mug down. When did he get two mugs? It was only then that he noticed his vision spinning. He shook his head. There was no time for sleep when the truth was only millimetres away from his fingertips!

The vibrations from his phone woke him back up. He turned to look. Why was Masters calling at this hour?

“What?” His voice was gruff from disuse. He’d been alone in the headquarters for hours now.

“Ah, so you are still at work.” Masters’ voice was infuriatingly proper and formal, as always.

“Did Miller tell you that?”

“Ellie sent me a text saying you’ll be out all night. I see you’ve not had any luck on the case,”

Alec huffed. “Have you come to gloat?”

“Gloating’s not really my style. However, I will share with you the fact that I’ll be accepting an award next week for my groundbreaking research on improved strategies for in vitro fertilization.”

“That hardly sounds impressive, Watson.” It was very impressive.

“If properly adopted, they could increase IVF success rate by up to forty percent.” Alec could sense the excitement radiating off him through the phone. “Fertility treatments used to be so taboo, Holmes. But we live in an age where these conversations have been opened up in the vernacular. If these techniques—these conversations about the human body—could be made more accessible, imagine how many people can live without that social pressure burdening their shoulders, how many women would not be made to feel so-so ashamed of their bodies! This… This age is a turning point, Holmes, I can feel it. And I would like a part in it. Dabble my footsteps in it, so to say.”

“You’ll leave the most impressive footprints,” Alec found himself saying as a fond smile made its way over to his face.

“Will I?” said Masters, a little flirtatious.

There was no one around at the moment. Alec allowed himself to bask in it, his heart only a little bit broken. “Guarantee it. Be a goldmine for Forensics, I say.”

“Well, I’m glad you have so much confidence in me. Not very many people do.”

Alec took a glance at the clock. 2:17 A.M. and no signs of finishing work anytime soon. He took a deep breath—eyes opening in shock as the air rushed into his lungs like knives.

“Is everything alright?”

He clutched at his desk, making feeble attempts at normalizing his breathing, but the panic only grew stronger. His vision was blurring. Masters’ voice on the phone sounded much farther away.

The last thing he registered was the voice from the phone yelling out his name. His name. And then he blacked out.

TO BE CONTINUED

[dra-and-sdra2-imagine-writer]

The SDRA2 Crew stumbles upon a strange blog that appears to be writing about them in strange situations! How do they react? (Choose your three favorite imagines from any SDRA2 imagine blog and write the crew reacting to them)

This one has been sitting in the ol inbox for the longest. Only because I couldn’t freaking think of anything! I’m super sorry, nonnie! But your long awaited post is here!

“Ow! Hey!” Called one voice, “Stop shoving me!” Called another filled with anger. “Why are we all here?” A bitter voice said, standing out in the group. “I’m n-not s-sure..M-Mikado w-wanted to s-show is something..” A shy voice mumbled, it belonging to none other than Iroha Nijiue. “Show us something? It better be worth it, and if I get shoved one more time, I will start biting all of you!” Nikei yelled out in anger, his eye twitching from annoyance. “S-Sis! D-do you think h-he has something p-planned..?” Kanade asked, lightly squeezing the older sisters hand. Hibiki looked over her shoulder wii a bright smile, shaking her head. “No, I’m sure he doesn’t! And if he does, we can take him!”

“I don’t trust this, not one bit.” Yokuro stated, with a small frown on her face. Crossing her arms over her chest with a small huff. “A..At the very least, it wouldn’t hurt to see what this is all about, right? If it’s bad, we can always leave and be on with our day.” Yuki stated quite loudly, to calm the chatter from amongst the group. “You do have a point, Yuki..but where is he?” Sora questioned with glancing around the cafeteria, but there wasn’t sign of the magician.

“Who knows, but if he doesn’t show up soon I know I’m leaving.” Syobai grunted, with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Looking as if he had rudely woken up, which probably was the case in all honesty. “We’ve been here for about ten minutes or so, maybe he forgot?” Commented Emma, with a slight puzzled expression herself. Kokoro only shook her head in response to Emma’s comment. Taking a moment, before speaking herself.

“It’s..unlikely, Sannoji knows fully well what he is doing. If I had to take a guess..he’s most likely is waiting to see whether or not if were going to leave.” Kokoro sighed, pushing up her glasses to the bridge of her nose. “Aww, why must you ruin my fun, Koko?” The one and only magician Mikado Sannoji pouted, poking his head through the ceiling. Not to worry, it wasn’t damage for he was using maaagic. Dropping through fully, only to land onto the table holding a laptop in his hand.

“Can we go now?” Nikei grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest adverting his gaze from looking at Mikado. “Now now, your in such haste to leave Mr. Yomiuri. You’re going to miss the most important thing of all!” There was slight mischief mixed with his tone as he placed the device onto the table, opening it up, showing the website that read, ‘Mumblr’ “Eh? Mumblr? I think I’ve heard of that site before.” Setsuka piped up, taking a small step closer for further inspection.

“Whatever it is, coming from you Mikado it’s bad news.” Boy, was Nikei radiating hatred towards the magician. Making the others confused as to why, from what they’ve seen. The two hadn’t interact as much, but looks can be deceiving. “Someone must have waken you up on the wrong side of the bed, Huh Nikei.” Hajime snickered slightly, lightly smacking the male on his back. Nikei flinched as a result, but calmed down rubbing his temple. “Probably, just didn’t get enough sleep last night. I was to busy writing my latest scoop until it was five in the morning.” He said, as if it was the most casual thing in the world.

“What?! You have to get at least eight hours of sleep!” Emma shook the journalist for a moment concern laced in her voice looking down at him. “I will tonight! I promise..!” Nikei has gotten dizzy from Emma’s shaking, but still able to give a proper response thankfully. “I’m going to hold you to that, Nikei.” Slowly, she stopped shaking him and flicked his hat. “Now that those two have gotten things settled, how about we check out some lovely things that I’ve found about us? It’ll be interesting for sure!” Mikado clapped his hands together.

His mask showing just how joyful he was to do this. “Eh? Go for it, I’m curious myself!” Teruya chimed, poking his head through to get a closer look at things. Mikado only laughed in response as he clicked the blog by the name of @imaginefanganronpas .

“Imagine fanganronpas? What’s a fanganronpa?” Hibiki asked, as the group slowly expanded around Mikado to each take a look at the computer. “Who knows, but I found something amazing, don’t you know! It’s called Despair Remnants Au! I can’t wait to read it!” Mikado took a moment, clearing his excellent reading voice and began reading.

“I-It’s about us t-turning e-evil and k-killing innocent p-people?! A-And I lost my eye?!” Iroha squeaked, clinging onto Sora our of pure fear. “Aw, I lose my tongue..? What a shame..” Mikado pouted not seeming to fazed by what he just had read. “I think I’m going to be sick..” Yokuro replied, looking away shaking her head. The thought of killing someone was who didn’t sit right with her stomach. Seeing how this person got her personality accurate, but..the killing..she would never do that, no matter what. She refused.

Yuki had a blue expression on his face, but Shinji’s gently placed a hand onto his shoulder squeezing it slightly. “Hey, it’s okay..little bro. It wasn’t real, only fake..you know as well as I that we wouldn’t do something like that. That goes for all of us, we wouldn’t ever hurt any innocent people, it’s just not who we are!” Shinji really was one of the people that brought happiness to the group. Keeping them maintained, Setsuka nodded her head in agreement. “Shinji’s right! We aren’t monsters, Big Sis knows knows as well as everyone else, that we would never do that. This is only like a spooky story! Halloween is right around the corner, ya know!”

That..managed to calm down the majority of them. “If that’s what you believe, I say it’s possible that it could or might have already happened and we just don’t remember it.” Syobai smirked, taking a hand out of his pocket scratching his chin. “But who knows, I might just be rambling, the point is. We all might be different in comparison to what we’re all acting like here.” It was simple, but enough to send chills down their spines. “Rei..Tsurugi..” The former merchant softly muttered, his eyes filled with sadness and worry.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Otori, I’m sure your companions are..safe.” Kokoro replied, looking at the merchant with a small nod of her head. “Is it just me, or is no one going to bring up that Emma and Kokoro kissed while blood was raining on them, Yokuro was with some person named Akane..and there was some guy named Utsuro?” Kanade suddenly spoke, for once without her usual stutter. Emma turned a faint shade of red, shaking her head and waved her hand for a moment.

“It was just a story, there isn’t a need to look into things, Ms. Kanade.” Mikado chuckled his mask changing expressions to one of pure happiness. “Now let’s move onto another one! I find this one to be quite..up lifting. At least, for those involved anyway. This next blog is called, @dra-and-sdra2-imagine-writer -writer . “This small tale is about, Nikei, Hajime, Emma, and Iroha. Oo, I can’t wait to read it for you all!” Nikei barely recovered from what was just read earlier. “Why was I with Yuri of all people?” The small Russian who had been silent for the majority of the time finally spoke, with a small glare thrown the journalist’s way. “As if I would like to be stuck with a despicable male such as you.” His tone was harsh, as usual when it came to men, so Nikei wasn’t all to fazed only sighing. “I should have expected that..”

After the two had gotten shushed by Teruya, Mikado has began reading about the four. Leaving out the parts relating them to being void members. In all sweetness, it was short but put a light hearted mood to the group. Those void members glancing at each other with a mix of surprise, yet slight happiness. “I-I liked it..” Iroha smiles warmly at the small story, Emma agreeing along with her. “As did I, I believed it showed just how close our bond is.”

“So you guys are like a small family, huh? That’s good to hear.” Sora spoke, with a soft sigh escaping from her. “I..um..liked it too.” Nikei softly mumbled, pulling his scarf up slightly to cover his face. It was easy to tell that he was happy about the small tale, even if he wouldn’t show it. “Same! It’s way different from what just listened to a few minutes ago!” Hajime grinned slightly at about it. “I figured as much, now onto the last-“ Mikado was cut off by Hibiki yoinking the computer away. “I wanna read one! I’ll find a good one! Oh! Look, this one is by @sdra2writer-imaginesandhcs s ! What this story is about..hmm..let’s see, ah! The SDRA2 boys as yanderes for their S/o? What’s a S/o?” Hibiki asked not being able to come up with the meaning. “S-significant other..” Kanade whispered to the older sibling before shrinking back into the group. “Oh! Well anyway, let’s get started!” And so, Hibiki begun reading.

Boy, was that something they weren’t expecting. The girls shuffled away, to depart themselves away from the boys. “Come on, we wouldn’t do that!” Shinji tried to reason with them. They weren’t having that, “Let’s before they can try and pull something! Look! Yuri’s already trying something!” Cried Hibiki and that was enough to get the girls running, Emma having to pick up Kokoro hurrying off. The guitarist snickered to herself, as she ran after them in their hurry.

Meanwhile, Yuri wasn’t even doing anything, at the very least just having his arms crossed. “This is going to take forever to convince them we aren’t yandere’s..” Nikei groaned, burying his face into his hand. “Perhaps, but it was a fun time reading, no?” Mikado asked, looking at the direction of the girls had ran off, before back to the boys. “For a first time, it was..pretty good!” There was a small thumbs up from everyone’s favorite big brother. “Y-Yeah, S-Shinji’s right..! Come on, let’s go and try to convince them that we aren’t like that! Who’s with me!” There was several yeah’s aside from Syobai who seemed pretty disinterested with the entire thing.

With Yuki leading them, they were off to change the female’s minds. The only one left was Mikado who chuckled to himself glancing around to see if he was the only one. Looking at the screen there was joyful wave. “I hope you’ve enjoyed~!”

The stories that were used was,

Vamp’s: Renmant Au, both male and female.

Mine: The Void family without Mikado included.

Annnnnd from Noir’s: Sdra2 boys as yandere HC’s

[osakaso5]

DUSK TiLL DAWN Event Story

03.45-06.59

Chapter Index

03.45

Boom

Rictor: Huff, huff... W-we managed to defeat it, somehow...

Somas: T-thank goodness... You've gotten better at handling a gun, Rictor.

Rictor: Io taught me. He said I should take deep breaths and relax my shoulders.

Somas: I see! Io's a good teacher.

Rictor: Yes, he is! I'll have to thank him when we meet again. Are you experienced with a handgun?

Somas: No, I've only taken one training course.

Rictor: Y-you've only done it once before this..!?

Yamarson: ...We've been walking for a while now. Will we reach the exit soon..?

Rictor: I'm sorry, this is a bit of a detour...

Yamarson: Ah, no, that's not what I meant...

Tamathony: You're awfully chipper.

Yamarson: I just wanna get out of here!

Rictor: Ah! It's right behind that corner!

Somas: Hang in there, Tamathony.

Somas: Now that Yamarson's recovered, we're headed straight for a happy ending!

Guooooh!

Tamathony: A happy ending, huh...

Yamarson: That howl's getting louder and louder.

Somas: It sounds like it's coming from up ahead...

Rictor: They've even gotten this deep into the facility...

Tamathony: Hey, what's beyond here?

Rictor: A highly confidential area which only the few are permitted to enter.

Rictor: I've never been there myself, so I don't know what it contains.

Tamathony: How do you know it's got a way outside if you've never been there?

Rictor: The doctors showed me a sketch of the lab in case anything happens...

Yamarson: This place is probably bigger than some little sketch.

Yamarson: We're not lost, are we?

Rictor: No, it's all stored in my head.

Yamarson: ........

Rictor: Yamarson?

Yamarson: Not that I suspect you of anything, but... You're not trying to lead us somewhere, are you?

Rictor: Huh!? I wouldn't do such a thing!

Rictor: Why would you say that..?

Somas: R-right!

Somas: He saved your life.

Yamarson: ...That's true. My bad.

Tamathony: By the way, the people from W.R.U are all about as smart as me!

Tamathony: I never forget someone I've seen, either.

Somas: You're both very impressive!

Tamathony: Hehe! It's nothing special to us, though.

Yamarson: Sorry for doubting you, Rictor. All these negative thoughts just started popping into my head.

Rictor: It's fine...

Tamathony: In any case, we gotta get to that secret area.

Rictor: Yes.

Rictor: But I'm not sure if we can get in without authorization...

Somas: Someone might've opened the way for us, like earlier.

Rictor: Right...

Somas: Let's go.

Guooooh!

Tamathony: Whoa, whoa! That was loud.

Yamarson: I've got a bad feeling about this...

Somas: It's coming from behind that door. It feels like we're about to face the final boss!

- - - -

Yamarson: The door's open..?

Yamarson: (Why do we keep running into places where the security's been conveniently disabled..? Was someone from this lab involved in all this..?)

Rictor: A rose mark...

Rictor: This is the doctors' laboratory..?

Somas: Rictor?

Rictor: You three should go on ahead!

Tamathony: Huh?

Rictor: If you turn here and go straight ahead, you'll reach a door that connects to the tracks!

Yamarson: Why aren't you coming with us!?

Somas: Right! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?

Rictor: The green rose on this door... It's the mark of the doctors.

Tamathony: What about it?

Rictor: I didn't see them at the hospital.

Rictor: But this... If there's a way for me to meet them, then I want to find it.

Rictor: (Please, doctors. Let me find something that proves you weren't involved in this chaos...)

Somas: It's dangerous for you to stay behind on your own! I'm coming, too!

Yamarson: Hey, are you for real..? Have you lost your minds!?

Somas: We've come so far together, I want to stay with him until the end!

Somas: I promised Io that we'd all survive to see our happy ending!

Rictor: Somas...

Tamathony: ...Right. I promised Cap, too.

Tamathony: And I'm not done analyzing this underground area, either.

Yamarson: Wha...

Tamathony: What are you gonna do, Yamarson?

Yamarson: What am I gonna do..? Ah geez, I already know where this is going...

Somas: Then let's stay together!

Somas: If something happens, please show me more of your cool knife handling!

Yamarson: Ugh... Fine. You'd better make use of that gun, too.

Yamarson: (The howl we heard back there... I feel like I've heard it before... We might find out something about it.)

Tamathony: Alright, let's go finish this!

Rictor: Everyone... T-thank you..!

Somas: We couldn't possibly miss a final dungeon of this caliber! Right, Yamarson!?

Yamarson: ...You really are nuts.

Rictor: I'll be counting on all of you!

Tamathony: Yup!

04.30

Tamathony: How much further down are we going..?

Somas: We've already gone pretty deep.

Yamarson: Hey, over there!

Rictor: Whoaaah..!

Somas: There's something big over there!

Yamarson: Is it the same as that thing we ran into in the subway?

Tamathony: Nope, it's even bigger!

Rictor: This specimen hasn't retained a humanoid form, either...

Somas: Is this also a Gathered?

Rictor: P-probably...

Rictor: The Gathered turn out like that because they absorb things from around them....

Yamarson: Ah, like the ones with weird heads.

Somas: It's such a cute creature design!

Tamathony: If only it was just a design.

Rictor: But that one is different from the regular ones. It looks almost like it endlessly consumes everything in its path.

Yamarson: So it's a mutant?

Rictor: I don't know... But it's definitely certain that it's different from normal Gathered.

Rictor: (Why would it be all the way in here..?)

Tamathony: ...Alright, time for a plan! We can't beat that thing if we just run up to it and start fighting.

Yamarson: Right. I don't wanna get too up close and personal with another one of those things.

Somas: Um...

Tamathony: What?

Somas: Both this Gathered and the one we saw in the subway... They still have their eyeballs left, even though the rest of their bodies have been dissolved.

Tamathony: Now that you mention it.

Somas: Simply put, the eyes are usually the weak point of a final boss.

Rictor: I see! So we should aim for the eyes!

Yamarson: Wha... It can't be that simple..!

Tamathony: No, they're not wrong.

Tamathony: Aiming for the eyes or head is a common hunting tactic.

Tamathony: It's worth a try.

Yamarson: .......

Tamathony: What?

Yamarson: Ah, nothing. I was just surprised to hear you say something so sensible...

Yamarson: (Did this Gathered get all the way in here? Or was it here from the start..?)

Tamathony: You're so rude.

Somas & Rictor: Ahaha.

Tamathony: In any case, let's do it! Who's got a long range weapon?

Yamarson, Somas, & Rictor: .......

Tamathony: Seriously..? A knife, a handgun, a shotgun...

Tamathony: Is this it..? I've only got an SMG, too...

Rictor: I-it'll be fine! There's four of us!

Somas: Exactly! We'll cover for you the best we can!

Tamathony: ........ Cap! I don't wanna do this anymore!

Tamathony: Once I'm done with this mission, I'm never coming down on the ground again!

Tamathony: Enough, let's just go!

Yamarson, Somas, & Rictor: Yeah!

05.45

Tamathony: Get a load of this finishing move!

Ratatat

Guooooh!

Yamarson: Huff, huff... Did we do it..?

Rictor: Yes..! We seem to have defeated it, somehow!

Somas: W-we did it..!

Tamathony: Alright, let's get outta here!

Guooooh!

Yamarson: Tamathony, watch out!

Slash

Yamarson: Ugh..!

Somas: Yamarson!

Bang

Tamathony: Yamarson, Somas..! Sorry, I let my guard down!

Rictor: It's morphed..!?

Boom

Guooooh!

Ratatata... woosh

Guooooh!

Mick: Kept you waiting, huh!

Nagistopher: I see you're still alive.

Tamathony: Ah! Cap! Mick!

Io: Somas, are you safe!?

Somas: Io!

Somas: You're so cool, running in to save me in a pinch! My hero!  

Io: You're saying dumb things again!

Nagistopher: Ah, Yamarson. I'm glad you're safe.

Yamarson: I'm fine, thanks to you.

Mick: I'm glad we made it in time..!

Guooooh!

Swish

Nagistopher: It's coming!

Mick: Yep! Keep your eyes on it, guys!

Tamathony: The eyes are its weak point!

Mick: Okay! Let's go! Get to cover!

Ping

Ratatata... woosh

Guooooh!

06.59

Boom

Guooooh!

Rictor: Haah, haah..!

Rictor: We did it..! We've finally defeated it!

Somas: Yes... We really did beat it this time..!

Mick: ...I'm freaking beat...

Tamathony: I can't go on. I've moved around enough for a lifetime.

Somas: Io, are you hurt?

Io: Did you forget how skilled I am? I wouldn't let that blockhead anywhere near me!

Somas: Ahaha, that's Io for you!

Io: It seems you're fine, too.

Rictor: Yamarson, are you alright? You had all these battles right after taking the vaccine...

Yamarson: Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying. What about you?

Rictor: Yes! As you can see, I'm unharmed somehow!  

Yamarson: Haha. That's great.

Nagistopher: You did well, Tamathony.

Tamathony: Yeah. Since I promised I would.

Tamathony: I worked sooooooo hard. And I even got the vaccine!

Tamathony: But I feel like all this excercise made me dumber...

Mick: There, there! Good boy! You really are I.DOL's youngest elite officer!

Mick: I'll give you a pudding drink, so chin up!

Tamathony: .......!?

Tamathony: Huuuh!? Why now!?

Mick: Huh? Well, you said you'd just had one, so I thought I'd save this one for when you were all out of juice.

Tamathony: You should've given me that earlier!

Mick: But I'll bet it tastes better after all this work!

Tamathony: It always tastes awesome anyway!

Mick: Right, my bad.

Somas: I'm glad Tamathony's feeling better now.

Io: That's not enough to make anyone better under normal circumstances. It's just a sweet drink...

Nagistopher: Rictor, where is the exit to the subway?

Rictor: Ah, right! I'll show you. Follow me.

Io: Let's be on our way.

Somas: Yeah!

Yamarson: ........

Yamarson: (I feel like I've seen this place before, too...)

Yamarson: (And Rictor asked me if we'd met before...)

Yamarson: (Have I... been here before..?)

Yamarson: ...Ow...

Somas: Yamarson! Let's go!

Yamarson: ......

- - - -

Rictor: It's so bright..! The sun has risen...

Mick: So it's already morning.

Nagistopher: Tamathony.

Tamathony: The Pudding model, right!? I've already called it!

Mick: This guy was like a wet noodle just a moment ago... Those pudding drinks really are something...

Wrrrrr

Tamathony: Wait a sec, I'll land it over there.

Bzzt

Voice from Radio: This is Base 7-0-0. Awaiting response. All survivors are to return to Section Beta.

Mick: The radio..!

Nagistopher: Handsome reporting. We've acquired the vaccine, and will be returning ASAP.

Nagistopher: There are four civilians in our custody. I'd like to request that accommodations are prepared for them. Over.

Bzzt

Voice from Radio: Roger.

Io: We've been saved...

Somas: Yeah. Just like I said. We all got a happy ending!

Io: Right.

Somas: But what do we do now..? Our dorm must be a mess, too...

Io: So you did remember that...

Somas: O-of course I did!

Somas: My dear, prized zombie collection... I'll never see it again!

Io: ...I take back everything I said. You’ll never change.

Somas: Ah! Wait, Io. Don't leave me behind!

Yamarson: Did you find any clues about the doctors?

Rictor: Ah, no...

Yamarson: Hey, are you sure you can trust those people?

Rictor: Huh?

Yamarson: I think W.R.U might've been the ones who created those monsters. It's weird that there was a monster that deep in the underground lab.

Rictor: ........

Yamarson: Maybe those doctors were behind all this...

Rictor: You're wrong! ...I believe in them!

Yamarson: ....... On what basis...?

Rictor: If it wasn't for the doctors, I couldn't have found the vaccine and saved you.

Yamarson: That's... true...

Rictor: And if they hadn't sent me that letter, I could very well have died in the lab.

Rictor: I'm alive because they called me to that hospital...

Rictor: That's what I believe.

Yamarson: ........

Yamarson: ...Okay. I get it.

Yamarson: But if you get taken into custody, they'll suspect you.

Rictor: I don't know anything.

Rictor: I don't even know why the doctors have disappeared...

Rictor: I want to know how things got this way more than anyone...

Rictor: ...Right now, the only lead I have that's connected to them is this letter...

Rictor: ........

Rip

Yamarson: Wha... Hey! Are you sure about that?

Rictor: ...Yes. I'll wait for them to contact me.

Yamarson: And if they never do?

Rictor: In that case... I'll go look for them.

Rictor: (Because I still don't know the truth.)

Rictor: (I'll be able to see you again, won't I..?)

Tamathony: Heey, the chopper's ready!

Rictor: Coming!

Translator's notes..?

finally done! i’m definitely not going to be doing any other extra translations until the ichiban kuji event.

[tommyparkerr]

Promises BONUS II | Peter Parker x Reader

I’m back with a second bonus y’all! Some of you have been asking for it, so here it is! I want to thank @laureharrier for being both my hype woman and the one keeping me sane when Tumblr decides to throw all kinds of sh*t at me like the little sh*t it is.

Anyways, sorry about that (I still have some residual anger leftover from my *situation*, so...yeah)! There’ll only be one more bonus left after this (at least, from what I have planned), but thank you to all of you who are sticking with me after all this time! This is for you!:)

Words: 2.7k

Warnings: Tears (but happy ones), Peter being a little sh*t, Irondad, fluff, and basically everything soft that doesn’t constitute a warning

-Masterlist-

P R O M I S E S  -  B O N U S  T W O :

Tony wasn’t sure what’d woken him at first. His heart wasn’t racing and he wasn’t sweating, so it wasn’t from a nightmare; his mind was strangely quiet along with the rest of the Tower, so it wasn’t because of the noise; Pepper was sleeping peacefully next to him, a soft smile on her face, so it wasn’t because of his wife’s missing presence.

He didn’t know why he’d woken up. But he did know that he wasn’t going back to sleep anytime soon.

As quiet as possible, Tony carefully rolled out of bed and exited the bedroom, headed toward the kitchen where he could make himself some coffee at—he glanced at the clock—two-thirty in the morning. However, his plans changed when he went to pass through what was supposed to be an empty living room. 

The faint sound of a turning page caused him to stop in his tracks, looking toward the noise. 

A figure sat curled up on the couch (well, as curled up as she could be with a pregnant belly), glasses on her face and hair in a half-hearted bun as she intently read whatever book was in her hands. Tony’s chest went warm at the sight of his daughter-in-law wearing his son’s baggy MIT sweatshirt and old gym shorts.

After a couple moments’ of debating whether he should tiptoe back to his room and leave her be, he decided there was never a better time than 2:30am to get some bonding time in with his adopted daughter.

God, Rhodey was right—he had gone soft.

“You do realize it’s 2:30 in the morning, right?” he asked, keeping his voice low enough not to disturb the others on the floor but loud enough for Y/N to hear. She startled, whipping her head around and straightening up to peek over the back of the couch. She looked relieved to see it was him (versus Peter, he was guessing, who was more than overprotective of his wife and child-to-be at this point in the pregnancy) and relaxed immediately, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

“I do.”

“Then why are you still up?” he said with a raised eyebrow. “Isn’t being nine months pregnant supposed to make you tired all the time or something?”

Y/N smirked. “I’m pretty sure the same applies to being old, Grandpa Pops.”

Tony raised his hands in surrender, chuckling as he went on his original route to the kitchen. “Touché, Ms. Parker.”

Other than a small laugh from her, the soft sounds of Tony getting the tea kettle out, and the turning of pages, the room went quiet again. Though his daughter was hiding the dark circles under her eyes far too expertly for him to be comfortable with, Tony was used to the technique of using humor to cover up whatever he was facing—whether that be sleep deprivation, a constant state of anxiety, or visions of being thrown into his worst nightmares over and over again, he knew the tactic well, and he wasn’t about to let someone else get away with it.

He wondered if maybe this was why he’d woken up.

When the tea was finished (no coffee since Tony knew Y/N couldn’t have much caffeine), he traipsed over to the couch and offered one of the steaming mugs to the obviously exhausted woman across from him. She laid her book down and took it with a grateful smile, muttering a small, “Thank you,” and taking a sip. They drank in silence for awhile, looking out the window at the nightscape of New York City. Tony saw it every night, but rarely did he take the time to appreciate it; now, with nothing else to do, he could. As he turned to look at the girl beside him, looking unusually small in Peter’s clothes (where he remembered the MIT sweatshirt had once been his, but Peter had stolen it years ago before he went to school and had now seemingly made its way down to the next person), he couldn’t help but open his mouth.

“Sometimes I forget that you married into this family,” Tony said softly, seeing her confused look out of the corner of his eye. “You have so much Parker in you that it’s like you’ve been here all along. I can barely remember the days you and Peter weren’t glued to the other’s hip.”

A mischievous smile adorned her lips. “Are you sure that isn’t because of old age, too?” Tony finally looked at her with a knowing look, his eyebrows raised as he took another sip of his tea. The smile didn’t drop, but rather morphed into something softer as she looked back toward the city. “May told me that, too. But you’re leaving out one important thing.”

“Oh?” Tony said with a amused glint in his eye, fully expecting another round of sarcasm to break through. “And what is that, may I ask?”

“That by marrying Peter, I’m not just a Parker; I’m a Stark, too. I think both of the Parkers made that pretty clear to me from day one,” she said, her tone soft and loving. “You did, too, though it was never verbal.”

Tony’s smile had dropped, a sudden burning in his eyes replacing it. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and said, a crack in his voice, “Come here, kiddo.”

Y/N turned to see his arm raised and smiled before scooting closer and ducking underneath it, resting her head on his shoulder. “If I spill any of my scalding hot tea on your cashmere robe, it’s your fault.”

Tony snorted, his tears crawling back into their holding places. “I wouldn’t dream it any other way.”

This time it was quiet until they had both finished their tea, setting the empty mugs on the empty table in front of them. He’d clean that up later, but for now he was perfectly content. He let the silence go on a little longer before he squeezed Y/N’s arm and spoke up again.

“I’m guessing Peter has no idea you haven’t been sleeping?”

She pursed her lips. “How do you know I haven’t been sleeping?”

“I think the raccoon look speaks for itself, kiddo,” Tony said, pointing under his own eyes for reference. “That is if I didn’t already know what sleep deprivation looked like.”

A small sigh. “No. No, he doesn’t. And you’re not going to tell him, either.”

“Woah now, tiger,” Tony said defensively. “No one said I was going to.” She looked down at her now empty hands, picking at her nails in order to keep them busy. Tony frowned and nudged her arm again. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Suddenly her eyes filled with tears and her hands flew up to try to keep them from overflowing. “I’m sorry—God, I’m such a mess. I’m sorry.” Tony, who once would have been freaked out by even the slight glistening of one’s eye, didn’t bat a lash at the influx of tears. Only worry rose from it. 

“Honey-”

“I’m okay,” she interrupted. At his look of disbelief she shook her head with a wobbly smile. “Really, I am. I just—I’m super emotional right now and my hormones are dialed up to, like, eleven, or twelve, maybe possibly thirteen and a half. Any little thing can set me off already, but being sleep deprived probably doesn’t help. And you’ve never called me ‘honey’ before, just ‘kiddo’ or ‘Ms. Parker’ or other little nicknames—not that I mind, of course, because I really do feel like I’m just as important to this family as anyone else when you give me nicknames—and I guess it just kinda struck the sentimental part of me. I’m sorry.”

Tony couldn’t help but chuckle, adjusting them so he could get both arms around her. When he thought about it, he couldn’t remember any other time he’d called Y/N ‘honey’, which seemed crazy to him since he’d referred to her as that particular endearment many times in his own head. “No need to apologize, kiddo. I’ve seen hormones in action and know of way less that’s made a girl cry. In fact, I’d say you’re keeping everything contained pretty well; you haven’t even screamed at me once when I manage to burn the omelets every morning.”

A watery laugh escaped her, muffled by his chest. “I do in my head.”

It was Tony’s turn to laugh now, holding her a little tighter as he placed a kiss on her head. “And for that, I applaud you. Pepper’s not even pregnant and she yells at me—not in her head, may I add—every day.” A giggle, then just periodic sniffles. Tony gave her a little bit of time before pushing again. “Now, do you wanna tell me why you aren’t sleeping at night?”

It was quiet for a long while—long enough that Tony thought she either hadn’t heard him or had chosen to ignore the question—before she answered. “I don’t know. I just...I lay down and I’m so completely exhausted that it should be easy, and Peter falls asleep easy enough and I’m just stuck inside my own head thinking about the next month and how we could become parents at any minute, and even though we already have a name picked out for her and we talk to her every night, it’s going to be so much different when she’s actually born, right? And then-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Tony interrupted, pulling back to look at Y/N with a sparkle in his eye. She frowned, her eyes widening a moment later as she realized her mistake. “She?”

“Um…” She swallowed, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. “Yes?”

A wide grin spread across Tony’s lips, struggling to contain the burst of happiness at the news. “I thought you said you were going to wait until the baby was born to find out the gender,” he said, his entire face lit up. It made Y/N smile, and suddenly she didn’t feel so guilty that she’d let that piece of information slip.

“We were,” she answered. “But then we decided we didn’t want to wait and didn’t tell anyone else in order to keep it a surprise for them.”

“So it’s a girl?” he asked, and Y/N laughed at his giddy excitement. 

“Yes,” she said with a smile. “You’re going to have a granddaughter.”

Tony pulled her in for another hug. Then, as the rest of her confession rolled back through his brain, he realized that wasn’t the only important information she’d let slip. “Can I tell you something, kiddo?” A soft hum was the only confirmation he needed to continue. “I know you’re nervous about this whole parenting thing, and God, I don’t think there’ll ever be a day where parenting isn’t nerve wracking, but as long as you love that little girl with all your heart and show that love to her every day, I think you’re going to be just fine.” 

Y/N looked up at him, her lips wobbling. “I’m afraid I’m going to be a bad mom.”

“You won’t be,” Tony said without hesitation.

“But how do you know?”

A soft smile graced Tony’s lips. “Because what I said about loving her with all your heart and showing that every day? You’re already doing that, which kind of makes you the best mom in the whole world, and that little girl is so lucky to have you.”

Now Y/N broke down, quickly shoving her face back into Tony’s shoulder to stifle her cries and (hopefully) keep from waking anyone else. Tony closed his eyes and gently rocked her, rubbing her back in small circles. 

“Thank you,” she later said, tears still clogging up her voice. “For everything. For taking me in and loving me like you would your own and making me tea at two in the morning and letting us all move in so you can help out with the baby and keep an eye on me while Peter can’t and for walking me down the aisle because my dad and mom couldn’t be there to do that or to see their grandchild be born and—I just...thank you,” she finished breathlessly. 

Tony lovingly placed another kiss on her head. “What else are dads for?”

“You know,” Y/N laughed, sniffling as she did, “if you didn’t know this baby was a girl, I’d say you were buttering me up to name her after you.”

“Who says I’m not?” Tony joked. “I think Anthony Parker has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

Taking Tony by surprise, Y/N pulled out of his hold and grabbed his hand, moving it to rest on her stomach. Tony blinked in awe as he felt his granddaughter kick, mesmerized by the life just inches away from him. 

“How does Mary-Jane Virginia Parker sound?” Y/N quietly asked, watching her father-in-law carefully to gauge his reaction. He didn’t speak for a few moments, tears gathering in his eyes at all of his granddaughter’s namesakes—Peter’s mother, one of the couple’s best and lifelong friends, and Pepper—Pepper-

This time, he didn’t even try to fight it when a tear slipped down his cheek. “It sounds perfect.”

“I never thought I’d see the day my wife made the almighty Tony Stark cry,” came a voice from the hallway. They both startled, whipping their heads around to see Peter casually leaning against the wall, arms crossed and hair mussed from sleep, wearing a small, amused smile. “Though, if anyone were to do it, I suppose she would be the one to.”

Instead of responding, Tony simply rolled his eyes and scooted over, patting the newfound space between him and Y/N. “Get over here, you twit.”

Peter chuckled but made his way over anyway, plopping on the cushions and putting a protective arm around his wife. Y/N leaned into him, looking sheepish at being caught but not all too apologetic. 

“So much for that secret, huh?” Peter said teasingly, kissing her forehead to assure her he wasn’t really mad. 

“If it makes you feel any better,” Tony said, his eyes still lit up in joy, “I’m an excellent secret keeper.”

Peter scoffed. “Yeah, to everyone but May and Pepper.”

Tony faked outrage. “Hey now! That’s no way to talk to your old man!” Peter gave him a look that said, ‘Am I wrong?’ while Y/N giggled, and Tony huffed. “I only tell them my secrets when they know I’m keeping one.”

“Oh, and that’s the only time you ever let a secret spill, huh?” 

“Listen here, smartass-“ Cutting himself off, Tony grabbed Peter away from Y/N and wrestled him into a headlock. Peter simultaneously was laughing and trying to push him away as Tony gave him a noogie, messing up his hair even more.  

Once Peter finally shoved him away, all three of them were laughing and it was the greatest sound Tony had ever heard, especially after the recent hardship his son and daughter-in-law had gone through. He and several others were worried when it didn’t resolve within the first few days and even more so when they heard that the word ‘divorce’ was thrown around once—once, and only once, but that was enough. And he had hoped it wouldn’t come to that, because he knew he’d stand by Peter’s side no matter what, but leaving the girl he’d practically adopted as his own behind would take its own toll on him. 

Sometimes Tony still worried. With every little fight and every raised voice, his anxiety rose. But seeing Peter and Y/N now, the former kissing Y/N’s cheek with a smile while the latter continued to giggle, Tony knew everything would be okay. 

With no warning the man swept both of them into a hug, kissing the tops of their heads. “I love you, kiddos,” he said quietly.

“I love you, too,” they both replied, Peter wrapping his arms around his father figure. Y/N followed close behind, though she couldn’t squeeze him as tight due to her protruding belly. 

“Mary-Jane loves you, too, Grandpa Pops,” Y/N said quietly, making all three pairs of eyes in the room water. And for once, Tony was actually looking forward to what life handed him next, because Mary-Jane Virginia Parker was loved, and she was perfect.

---

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[walkineternity]

Day 3: Delirium

(The Umbrella Academy x Sandman)

Klaus knew he was in trouble.

He had overdosed again. He tried to stay clean, for Ben and Vanya, for his other siblings, and for Dave. He so very much wanted to see Dave.

 But. He tried, okay. Tried so very fucking hard, and everyone was so focussed on Vanya that his efforts weren’t exactly…supported. Ben, of course, knew. And Klaus was grateful to have him. And he didn’t really blame everyone for not paying attention to him. They never really did that in the first place, unless he was causing trouble. And this time, it was because Vanya had nearly ended the world and he got that. He really did. He was trying to be there for them.

 But. He was an addict, okay. He can admit that. And…it was so hard to stay clean. He was so fucking high right now. He was so fucking sick right now. And Ben was yelling at him again.

 “Fuck! I can’t do this again, Klaus! You were doing so well! Fuck! I can’t even pick up the phone to call the ambulance can I! No! You are going to die in this alleyway and then I’m going to have nobody to talk to and, and, and you can’t leave me alone! Please, Klaus, please! Shit, okay, I’m going to try and get help, okay? I’m going to try.”

 Klaus felt himself drift. Ben was still talking, but then suddenly everything was quiet. He didn’t really get how he could still hear Ben with all the drugs in his system, but the other spirits had quieted down. And now, finally, Ben was gone too. He was going to die alone. Like he fucking deserved. His eyes shut, closing over tears that never fell and let the fog take him…

 Next thing he knew there was something licking his face. Okay, still alive. Still dying. Probably. He opened his eyes.

 Well. Where was he? This wasn’t the alleyway anymore. Maybe he wasn’t dying and he was already dead. But this wasn’t heaven. This was…he wasn’t sure. There were explosions of colours and shapes twisting in and out of existence and he felt simultaneously the highest he’s ever been and stone cold sober. He felt like he was awake and dreaming at the same time.

 And in the midst of all this madness, there was a rather ordinary looking dog, who was licking his face.

 “Well, hey there, boy. You wouldn’t happen to know the way back to reality now, would you?”

 He didn’t know what to expect at this point. And yet it still startled him when the dog stopped licking his face and spoke back. “Ah. You’re awake. Good. You don’t taste very good.”

 Klaus frowned. “Actually, I’m a snack. A delicious- wait. I’m…awake.” He sits up and looks around. Nothing was solid. There was no up and no down and he had no clue what he was sitting on because reality kept changing. Okay, he was definitely going crazy. “I don’t think I’m awake.”

 “Hm. Well. In a manner of speaking. And in another, you’re dead.”

 “Huh.”

 “You don’t sound surprised.”

 “Well, I’ve been dead before. And really, I was asking for it anyways.”

 The dog tilted its head, considering him, “I should be more specific. You’re only mostly dead, this time. This isn’t Death’s realm, but her sister’s.”

 “…mostly dead? What am I? The man in black now?” Klaus hadn’t seen the movie until his teens, when he was homeless and couch-surfing. Or rather bed-surfing. And old lover had the movie on VHS.

 “I don’t know what that means.” The dog huffed and then said, “I’m Barnabas, by the way. Not that you asked.”

 “Aw, what an adorable name!” Klaus tried to pet him, but Barnabas looked mildly offended and ducked his head away. He looked like he was about to say something snippy when a bunch of brightly coloured fish swam past his head. Klaus had been trying to ignore his surroundings for the sake of his own sanity, but this caught his attention.

 And then the…strangest voice followed after. “Ohhh, fishies! Come back here! …Hi, Barnabas!” He couldn’t really describe it. He could understand it, and for the most part it sounded like a young women’s voice, but something was distinctly…otherworldly. The voice sounded how this world looked. Chaotic, ever-changing, pitches and stresses in all the wrong places. It would have been called musical, if it wasn’t so discordant.

 And then a figure stepped out of the swirls of colours and then he realised that nothing was ever going to make sense in here. She was colourful herself. Rainbow hair cut in an odd style. Two different coloured eyes and the oddest combination of clothes.

 Though, honestly, he couldn’t say anything about his clothes. Currently, he was sporting the same outfit he wore in the real world and, frankly, wasn’t to off from this figure’s choice of clothes.

 Well, at least they had something in common. “Nice shoes,” he tries.

 The woman (girl? Young lady?) was talking to the dog and the fish, but turned to him at the sound of his voice. She drifted closer and peered down at him.

 “Well, hello there, traveler. You seem a little lost.”

 Klaus shrugged. She giggled. “Welllll, I suppose that’s, uh, that’s what you call life, now, isn’t it? Just a little bit lost and a lot bit lost! Go-ing on Forever!”

 Barnabas came a bit closer to her, to sit beside her, not quite touching, but close. Like he meant to offer her comfort. She absentmindedly scratched his ears, but still didn’t look away from Klaus. Oh, was he supposed to offer a reply?

“Well, I’m hoping that’s not the case. I’ve been trying, lately, you see, to settle down a bit. Stay clean and, y’know, be there for my family. Try to…have a home, a proper one.” His voice grew more unsure as he continued to speak.

 She was staring at him as he spoke, but not in his eyes. Just looking there briefly and then looking at his shirt and then his hair. Listening, but just couldn’t keep completely still. As she did, her nail polish changed colour and her ears changed shape and the rainbow in her hair shifted. This whole place was topsy-turvy. Strange how a talking dog named Barnabas was the sanest thing in here.

 She looked back up briefly into his eyes and then down at her feet. “It’s Nice to do things for fa-mi-ly. I have many Siblings too. I like to help them sometimes. You said I have nice shoes. Would you like to wear them? We can trade!”

 “Um.” Klaus wasn’t really sure what to say. “I don’t think our feet are the same size?”

 She frowned. “Oh, what does that matter? Its just for fuunnn. C’mon!” And she proceeded to take off her shoes. Which, were just as colourful as her hair. Rainbow boots that had really neat buckles shaped like the fish that swam around their heads.

 His were a solid black heel, stolen from Allison. They pinched his toes, not being the proper size, but they made his legs look gorgeous.

 Allison probably wasn’t going to be happy to learn her shoes were traded away, but then again, she probably wasn’t going to be happy with him either way. If he ever made it back, that is.

 He decided he should probably say all that out loud, and then he did, because they really weren’t his shoes, but the girl in front of him just sat down to better take of her shoes. “Oh, you’ll get out of Here eventu-ally. I like you, but you’re not mine to keep.” She finally managed to pull off both her boots. She was wearing mismatched socks, but those seemed to vanish. “And your family is just worried about you. If your sssister is mad, it’s only because she cares. You should ask them for help.”

 He shrugged and easily kicked off his own shoes, accidently kicking it too close to Barnabas. The dog just looked long-suffering.

 “They just think I’m useless and crazy. Well, maybe not Ben, but I’m not exactly doing my best there, y’know? He deserves to follow someone else around. Someone who won’t disappoint him again.”

 The girl hummed. “They say I’m crazzzzy too. But that’s alright. Mad-ness isn’t always a Bad thing….it helps when I know too much. Sometimes its nice to have a break from san-i-ty.” Here she started to slip on the heels and gestured at the boots, so Klaus grabbed one and put it on, stamping a little to get his heel in. Huh. Perfect fit. She continued, “And just because I’m mad, doesn’t mean my siblings don’t care about me. Doesn’t mean I don’t care about them. We aallll make mistakes, even Beings such as us, even little ones such as you, and we…oh, shoot, Barnabas! What’s the word? The- the Big one.”

 She glanced around as if the word she was looking for would suddenly appear. “You know. When the butterflies are iiiinn your body instead of outside them. Like stepping off the edge of a cliff, but knowing there is Someone to catch you, or for you to catch them.”

 Barnabas opened his mouth to say something, but she snapped her fingers (which made Klaus do a doubletake when the snap sound created visual shockwaves of colour, like they were in some sort of comic book), and then said, “Oh! Love! It’s lo-ve. We all love each other the same. They loved me when I was Delight, and they still love me as Delirium. I mean, look at Bar-na-bas!” She gestured with a heel in her hand. The dog sat a little straighter. “He was a gift to me from one of my bro-thers, to care and look afterrr me, and we’ve become such good friends! Destruction cares in his own way, and I know your siblings do too. You just got-ta….gotta ask, okay?”

 Barnabas smiled slightly. It looked a bit weird on a dog, but it seemed gentle. “I think we are the very best friends, my dear Delirium.”

 She put the other heel on and bounced up onto them, smiling at them both, at the world around them, at the tiny fish swimming above her head. The black of the heels swirled with spots of colour, but mostly stayed the same.

 Klaus finished doing up the buckles on both shoes and stood up too. He reached a hand up and the fish swam through his fingers and around his arm. The rainbow shoes felt warm and comfortable on his feet. He felt a bit giddy. He gave her a big grin and said, “Yeah. Okay. Sure. If I ever manage to get out of here, I’ll ask. Why not!”

 She gave him a grin in return. To match. Though hers stretched a little too far on her face. Still friendly, but not exactly a human smile. Her eyes changed colours too, but never the same colours at the same time. A fish swam in front of her face and this distracted her from him.

 “Well, how do I get out of here anyways? Not that I don’t mind your company, I should be getting back to the real world.”

 She looked back at him and seemed to startle a little bit. “Ohhhh, what were we talking about?”

 He blinked and looked at her and then looked at Barnabas, who said to her, in a reassuring manner, “It wasn’t important. Klaus was leaving soon anyways.”

 “Hm. My he-ad hurts. Was I talking Rightly again? That always Hurts.”

 “Yes, Delirium, but you don’t have to anymore. Why don’t we help Klaus go home and then play with the fish?”

 Klaus frowned at Barnabas in confusion. Delirium laughed joyfully and said, “Well, hell yeah! There’s only a few swimming around, buuuut I can make more!” She proceeded to spin around and do exactly that.

 Barnabas sidled closer to Klaus and said, “She does that, sometimes.”

 “What? Forgets?”

 “No. Remembers. The advice she gave you? How coherent she spoke? Does not happen often. You should take heed. The knowledge she has…is vast. So vast that it seems to…hurt her. Now, it’s time for you to go.” He didn’t say this roughly, but there was a sadness when he spoke.

 “Thanks,” Klaus said, heartfelt. “And thank her for me, too, even if she doesn’t remember.”

 Delirium wandered back over with a great many more fish swimming around, some bigger than others. Some so small he could barely see in the swirl of colours and shapes. “Oh yes! You!” She tapped him firmly on the forehead and said, “Say the magic words!”

 “Um, please-”

 “Wrong, so wrong. Try again.” And here she clicked her new heels three times.

 Klaus couldn’t help it. He laughed. He saw that movie too. And then he copied her action and said the “magic” words, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no pla-”

 And then he was in an ambulance, the paramedic’s expression triumphant and relieved. Ben, hovering over him on the other side, looked similar.

 “Klaus, don’t ever do that to me again. You are so lucky there was this goth lady around. Apparently, you aren’t the only one that can speak to the dead. She was pretty Zen about the whole thing. Said it wasn’t your time and managed to find a nearby payphone. She didn’t even ask why I couldn’t call the ambulance myself!”

 Ben sounded a bit hysterical. The paramedic seemed to be chattering away as he checked Klaus’ vitals. Klaus felt himself tearing up. He could still feel the drugs in his system. “I’m so sorry, Ben. I can’t do this-”

 “C’mon, Klaus! I know you’re stronger- what about Dave-”

 “No, shit, Ben, just- I can’t do this alone, okay? I-I really need. I need help. I want to stay clean. Please. I just- please. I can’t do this alone.”

 The paramedic wasn’t paying attention to his babble, too focussed on actually keeping him alive, but Ben was listening intently. He tried to lay his hand on Klaus’ shoulder, but his hand passed through. Klaus shivered. Ben looked disappointed, but not surprised. He settled for leaning over, close to Klaus’ face, and said, “Never, Klaus. I’m here, okay. And the others…we’ll ask for help from them too. We’re all trying to be a family, right? And….and whatever you need.”

 Klaus felt tears in his eyes and with a rough voice he said, “Thank you, Ben. I always knew you were my favourite brother.”

 Ben rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged the corner of his lips. “Oh, please. I’ll remember that next time you say that to any of our other siblings.”

 “Why would Allison or Vanya be my favourite brother?”

 “Fuck off, you know what I meant.” Okay, definitely a smile now.

 And then Ben happened to glance at his feet. “Klaus, where the hell did you get those?”

 Klaus looked at his feet and saw that he wasn’t wearing Allison’s heels, but rainbow boots. Huh. So not a drug-induced dream.

 “Klaus?”

 “I’ve been thinking, Ben.”

 “Oh no. I didn’t know you could do that.” He gestured at the boots. “Are you not going to answer?”

 Klaus ignored him and stared at the boots. “I’ve been wondering if they might allow aquariums in rehab.”

 Ben stared at him a little. But he was also long used to Klaus saying weird stuff. “Well. If we manage to use some of dad’s fortune for rehab, they’ll allow us as many fish as we want. If…if that’s what you wanted the aquarium for.”

 It was…so fucking nice to hear Ben using “us” and “we” like that. He knew Ben was stuck with him, but it felt…. like he wasn’t alone. That Ben meant it. That he was going to have help this time, from the whole family. And if they used dear old dad’s money…well. That would be icing on the cake. Petty? Yes. Deserved, even beyond the grave? Hell yes. He’s glad that he didn’t have another visit from him. He doesn’t think he could stand anymore revelations or disappointment from him. He’d take a bizarre realm of multi-coloured girls and fish and talking dogs any day.

 Though, he really didn’t want to go back any time soon. Being mostly dead was exhausting.

 “Yeah, Ben, fish. Lots of colourful fish.” His voice sounded further away, like hearing himself through a long tunnel. Klaus could feel his eyes droop closed.

 Ben laughed softly. “Anything you need, Klaus. Have some nice dreams for me, will you?” Klaus’ eyes were closed, but for a flash, he thought he saw someone above him. He couldn’t see features, just a strange helmet and black robes. A pale hand sprinkled shining dust onto him. Onto his closed eyes. And then the figure was gone.

  And he swore, right before he drifted off to sleep, that he felt Ben’s hand on his shoulder. But then again, it could have just been his imagination.

[the-soldicr]

@plastiicparasite​ sent:

👄 + Thomas/daaaad 

FROM THIS AMAZING MEME WHERE YOU SEND A CHARACTER NAME AND MY MUSE TALKS ABOUT THEM  ||  O P E N 

"  —  My  D a d ... ? "

James knits his brows together with shoulders hunching down into a straight line as he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, weighing the word in his mind. The majority of the Hauleys were not exactly known for their directness, the voicing of concerns. They seemed to much rather let things BUILD UP until they overflowed these days, a once picture perfect image of a functional ( believe it or not ) suburban family turned to complete BITTERNESS and SHAMBLES, pointing fingers at one another as booming, venomous voices shook the once HAPPY HOME. It seemed to always be left to James to be the BIGGER MAN, to carry the weight of Thomas's decisions for him, his own personal bearer of GUILT and RESPONSIBILITY. 

                                             —       Dad's GOLDEN BOY, his ONLY SON.

" Dad's...   w e l l ,  he's,  sort of...   s o m e t h i n '   else, "     He starts with the slightest of a crooked smile,  CAUTIOUS  as  a l w a y s .    “ I mean,   L O O K ,  I'm not gonna just— sit here and  PRETEND  I necessarily   a g r e e   with  how  or  WHY  he does  HALF  the shit he does, "     James disclaimed SHARPLY,  peering  over his shoulder as if to look around for his other half—his little sister Eli—practically double- and triple-checking behind him to see if they could somehow be in earshot. 

He's seen the HURT and the HEARTBREAK in their eyes every time he hung up after a call with Thomas, the PAIN written across their expression when he always spoke SO highly of him. He'd seen how desperately Eli ACHED to hear from him, to see him again. He saw it in the way they attempted to sneak around when they thought James was PASSED OUT, stealing his phone at night to frantically click through and see if ANY of his contacts were labelled at all. Eli tried their very best to figure out what numbers could possibly be Dad's to attempt to call whenever they got the chance just to try to hear his voice again, but Thomas simply DIDN’T want to be found. James had pissed him off enough dragging Eli in.

                          " — The way he's  h a n d l i n g  things with my little sisters,                                                                       and  fuck,  with  MOM...? "   James trails off, looking down, slowly growing more agitated; uncomfortable. The soldier pauses to take a hefty drink of the beer bottle before him. He shook his head. Thomas had COMPLETELY screwed Mom over, and James couldn't help but feel a sharp sting of guilt, the responsibility of feeling like  HE  HIMSELF  was the main reason she was always drowning herself in the bottle when he went to visit her                                  ( whenever he wasn't PARTICULARLY bruised up or bloodied                                                                    and managed to somehow catch a break, somehow ).

He felt like MAYBE he could have, SHOULD HAVE stood up more for her, for the family. Some nights he felt like he was just  enabling  Dad's  SHITTY  BEHAVIORS  and hurting the family more, that  HE  was to blame for Mom, for Rosa, but James was really just doing the very best that he could to keep any semblance of SANITY  l e f t  in the Hauley line, to save face between ALL OF THEM; keep them from vehemently HATING each other, if it couldn't be said that they did already.

" Dad just,  uh... he really does do what he CAN,"  He continues in Thomas’s defense. "I really believe that.  He, uh, he makes the RIGHT choices, NOT the easy ones. Always has. Always did what he had to, even when it sucked.                  “ You know, he was actually the reason I ENLISTED in the Army in the first place; why I signed up for for THIS kind of life.” He makes a sweeping gesture with the bottle before taking another drink. “ He's always talking about DOING WHAT IT TAKES to protect those around us, about doing the honorable thing. The RIGHT thing, even if it sometimes feels... wrong.   I’ve just—   I always looked up to him a lot for that,  e s p e c i a l l y  growing up. “ M a n ,  I remember the day I realized how GREAT he was in what he did. I dunno how old I was, but we were at some ceremony the department held to thank their officers for something, and he, uh, he got up there to get his award on stage, and the mayor shook his hand. Everyone there in the big city, they all CHEERED for him up there, talked about the SACRIFICES he had made for us.

“And I um, REMEMBER, I was just a little kid, thinkin’  " WOW, ”  you know?  “ That's  M Y  DAD up there. "

“ He  MIGHT  have lost sight of  s o m e   t h i n g s ,  of what  F A M I L Y ‘ S  really supposed to mean to us, but  he's—    he’s a  GOOD  guy...

“I'm NOT EXACTLY SURE I share the same convictions ABOUT GOD as he does, FATE and all that, but, you know,                                                        he... he does TRY to do his best                                                        —  and that's, uh,  A L L  we can really ask of him,                                                                                                                           ...  r i g h t ? "

           ( James just HONESTLY can’t tell who he’s trying to convince anymore... )

  “ —  He uh, made me the man I am today. The SOLDIER that I am.                                                                                                 And I’m GRATEFUL for that. ”

[ndrv3haven]

This is my submission dedicated to @kibasniper for @danganevents valentines fic exchange. Sorry I was a little late, some things came up. It’s my first time writing for this pairing, and I hope you like it!

It was a relatively decent day for Kaede Akamatsu. At school, they had to pair up for a project and she got a good partner for once… or so she thought.

Tenko Chabashira was walking besides her, complaining about their male classmates’ behavior. She often had the tendency to look down on men and be highly critical of every little thing they did… Then again, she also had this ‘little’ infatuation for girls, specifically Himiko which scared Kaede a bit; but when she found herself side by side with her she noticed that Tenko was a much more pleasant company than she would have expected. They made small chat about all sorts of things, the blonde being especially careful to not mention the opposite gender.

It proved to be fairly easy, since the discussion was mainly about Neo-Aikido and how people tend to often misunderstand its importance. Soon enough, the conversation shifted onto her achievements and love for the arts, Kaede listening low key amazed; firstly, because of the awards in question and how unbelievable they were compared to her own, and secondly because how immersed she seemed to be. It was as if everything else ceased to exist, and that fact reminded her once again how unusual her classmates could sometimes be.

“Kaede, what do you think? Would you be able to train with me someday?” She didn’t know how their talk got to that point since she wasn’t fully paying attention, but the question slightly baffled her.

“Um… Of course! Though I’m not familiar at all with Aikido, so I’m not that good…”

“Woaah!! You actually said yes?! I mean, I really didn’t expect you to! Every time I would ask Himiko she’d always say it’d be too tiring for her…” There she goes again with Himiko. She was all over her every single moment of the day, and Kaede was questioning why that wasn’t the case at the moment.

“Speaking of Himiko, why didn’t you pair up with her for the project?”

“…She didn’t want to.”

“Oh…” the silence that followed was more saddening than awkward, since Tenko slumped in her posture and looked like a dejected little puppy. Not that she could be blamed for that, as her crush didn’t hesitate to reject her, it seemed.

“But that doesn’t matter!! I mean, you just told me you’d be willing to train! So that makes me really happy, you didn’t ask anything bad!!!” her sudden reaction and exclamation points startled Kaede a bit, but managed to shrug it off by offering her a slightly nervous smile. Out of nowhere, she got an idea that might help break the ice for the project.

“Say, wouldn’t it be a good idea to hang out somewhere before we start? I have a place in mind-“

“OOOOH!! We could have a picnic! My house is close by, I happen to have sandwiches and everything we need prepared!!” …She wasn’t going to ask further. But it would be fairly easy to guess why she’d keep a huge amount of food available with Himiko around.

As Tenko said, walking to her home didn’t take too long; not only that, but she also eagerly invited Kaede inside. It was common courtesy, yet she still felt a little out of place since her and Tenko hadn’t really spoken that much. The interior was decorated normally, a thing one wouldn’t quite expect from the Ultimate Aikido Master. Of course, there were some martial arts motifs lying around.

With a quick ‘I’ll be right back’ the slightly shorter girl disappeared into the kitchen, swiftly returning with two decently sized lunch boxes. When meeting Kaede’s gaze, she offered her a wide smile, excitement visible in her eyes. “But there’s no picnic without a picnic mat!” Apparently she had one… lying right on the couch??

“T-Tenko… Did you actually prepare everything knowing you’ll get paired up with someone and… ask them to have a picnic?”

“O-o-o-of course not!!!! This just happened to be random, see?? I didn’t even know what kind of sandwiches you like, so I totally wasn’t prepared for this!!” at this point, her face was clearly redder than usual and nervous droplets of sweat dripped from her chin which surprised the blonde a bit since it was such an unusual sight. But then, it finally clicked.

“…You got this ready for Himiko, didn’t you?”

“W-what, no!!! I mean, not that I wouldn’t want to, but no!!” her lightning fast response gave Kaede all she needed to know.

“Look… It’s okay. Even if Himiko didn’t want to hang out with you, which I’m not really sure why,” oh, she definitely knew why “you don’t have to pretend you’re happier than you actually are. It’s alright to be sad from time to time.”

“B-but… but…” Slouching in her posture, she let out a sigh and avoided the other’s eyes. “I just don’t understand… What did I do wrong…? Himiko and Angie always hang out, and… they leave me out all the time!! But maybe… maybe I really am annoying Himiko, there’s no way she can be possibly wrong!!”

“No, that’s not true! I’m sure she needs a little more time to get used to you, but you really aren’t annoying. It’s actually the opposite, since you’re so energetic you tend to rub off on others, and that’s a good thing!”

“But I must surely be bothering you right now! Instead of having a picnic, I’m just wasting your time with my excessive whining…”

“I don’t know how exactly I can convince you otherwise, but… wait, I have an idea. Since we have all weekend to finish our projects, why don’t we go hang out with Himiko and Angie? We could even have a picnic together, since you’ve prepared quite a bit of food and it’d be a shame if we wasted it. What do you say?” Kaede eagerly waited for a response, while Tenko didn’t hesitate to show her reluctance. After an incredibly short amount of time, she gave in, letting her elation take over.

“YES!! And it won’t be only me and Himiko, so that way… but are you sure you want to? I don’t want to involve you in my problems because you felt that you had no choice…”

“Look, this is my choice. I may not have spoken too much with either of them, but that’s why we could try hanging out! It doesn’t hurt to get to know each other better, and this is also a good opportunity for Himiko to warm up to you!” she tried to convey her excitement into speech, yet there were some things better left to Tenko and her seemingly limitless energy. “…of course, I do like picnics too, so…” mumbling, she smiled bashfully.

Letting her emotions out, she gleefully grabbed Kaede’s hands and thanked her, while also reminding her of how she’ll make sure the picnic would be enjoyable for all. A quick call was all it needed to convince Angie, who took it upon herself to carry Himiko along. It would be no easy task, but something assured Kaede they'd show up; she couldn't quite tell what that something was, though.

Trying to lower Tenko's eagerness to sprint out the door turned out to be a difficult challenge. Soon enough, she calmed down and walked besides Kaede as calm as she could... which was definitely not that.

Soon enough, they made it to the park where Angie, Himiko and Atua apparently, waited for them. Laying the mat and readying the sandwiches faster than one would say "nyeh", Tenko just couldn't contain herself. Kaede mostly just sat and watched, steering the conversation from men whenever she could. The food was amazing, even Atua praised them from wherever he was, according to Angie. Himiko grinned slightly while slowly munching on hers, and that meant the world to Tenko.

A few minutes of small chat turned into hours, and meaningless words took the form of secrets and confessions. The evening's rays of sun highlighted the small group of girls, giving the shortest one a headache. The rest answered to her complaints and parted, hurrying to their respective homes as it had gotten quite late. The gentle smiling Kaede and the overexcited Tenko once again found themselves walking besides each other. This time though, there were things that needed to be said.

"Kaede, thank you so much!! I really wouldn't have gone through with this idea alone, how can I possibly repay you?!"

"Geez, Tenko... You're talking as if I did something actually meaningful; instead I just hung out with my friends, no big deal."

"Aaahhh, you're too kind! I certainly don't deserve someone as good or pretty as you..."

"P-pretty?? I wouldn't really say that... "

"It's true!! And spending this day with you... has made me realize something." It was hard to believe Tenko actually used a serious tone, and by the looks of it she even attempted to look Kaede in the eyes, but immediately failed and avoided her gaze, wearing a thoughtful expression.

"I've realized there are people other than Himiko... and that, maybe, I didn't like her as much as I thought... What I mean is... Waaaah, I can't say it!" her face was tomato colored, and her nervousness made itself visible with her seemingly quivering lower lip.

"It's okay. I'm sure you'll be able to say it someday. You're strong, and I believe in you!" it was more than obvious what she was meaning to confess, yet Kaede was thankful she couldn't do it. She was not quite sure of her feelings for Tenko, and she didn't know how her vague answer would affect the other. Fortunately, Tenko reacted well to her encouragement and nodded; her motivated self back once again.

Of course, maybe with a little more time, she'd consider other options as well.

[yellowroseanddreamstorm]

Chapter 3: Disruption 

The Fall Charity Festival was in full swing on main street. Loads of food placed on tables for all to consume from all ranges of flavors, music playing loudly from a band on a small stage and people dancing to their heart's content in the plaza or just socializing in general.

Edmond had only been to the Charity Festivals maybe only five times in his life. It was usually due to work that he couldn't attend, save the occasions Mr. Roberts decided to just shut down the manufactory for the day due to no one showing up. The following years of demand for his goods though kept this from happening often.

They happened at least 4 times a year in accordance to the seasons so there was always a chance he could go if he had time but it wasn't really something of his concern at the moment or something he really cared for in general.

Edmond glanced at the festival, spotting some of his co-workers enjoying the festivities. Some dancing, some socializing, some just enjoying the free food and some who clearly had too much from the spirits table and were stumbling around like fools, singing out key to the songs the band was playing.

He chuckled, seeing Emmett among them. The man was laughing as he was playing with two young boys with dark black hair, one of them riding on his shoulders and the other hanging onto one of his legs. His nephews, if Edmond recognized them correctly.

Edmond shook his head, turning his focus back onto heading to work. He was never really one for parties. It just wasn't something he found interesting since he would rather be at home tinkering or catching up on a book one of his favorite authors published or listening to music. With all the energy he spent at work, he didn't exactly have the energy for a party.

Not to say the times he had gone to the festivals were all bad.

He smiled a bit, thinking about one of those times. He shook the memory from his mind as he clocked in at the manufactory. He had work to and had to stay focused. He quickly slipped into his work uniform and went straight to work at his station.

As he worked on the parts in front of him, the memory started to flood his mind again.

It was the Spring Charity Festival. The manufactory was closed for the day and Emmett had somehow talked Edmond into going, despite the man's protests of wanting to go home and tinker to relax.

"Come on! It'll be good for you!" Emmett said as he dragged the man along. "I won't make you stay but at least stay for a few minutes. Get some food, socialize, dance and most importantly, unhermit for a bit. Staying cooped up all day isn't good for you."

"Emmett, I had a long day yesterday, your idea of loosening up is not the same as mine."

"I know, but it's my job as your friend to get you out of that comfort zone of yours."

Emmett shoved Edmond in front of him, the man stumbling into the food serving area.

"I'll be keeping an eye on the clock here on main street. You are required to stay for ten minutes. If you're bored out of your mind and want to go home by the time those minutes are up then you may leave. Deal?"

Edmond sighed, groaning a bit.

"Deal…"

"Good! Now, if you'll excuse me, I got a sister to harass."

Emmett ran off without another word, leaving Edmond to his own devices. He contemplated about leaving immediately but he didn't want to break his deal with Emmett. While he wasn't happy with the circumstances, Edmond wanted to keep his reputation of being a man of his word. Also, he knew Emmett would never let him live it down.

Edmond sighed as he looked at the food around him, deciding it wouldn't hurt to partake in some of it. He knew it was good, if his memories the previous times he had gone as a young adolescent and child recalled correctly. Not to mention the times he remembered his parents bringing home this particular food for them to eat in quiet rather than staying at the party.

Edmond picked up a few slices of garlic bread, biting into one of them as he walked over to a lamp post to lean against. He let his eyes wander around the festival, taking in all the sights of the activities. It was a happy event to see. People enjoying themselves as they danced, socialized or were enjoying the food.

He had to chuckle a bit at the upper class people he could see hanging around the sidelines, not wanting to associate with the "riff raff" that was the working class. They had looks of disgust as they observed others of their class who had no qualms of doing so.

Edmond glanced towards the clock, sighing as he saw only one minute had gone by yet it felt like it had already been an hour.

I just want to go home.

He finished the last of his garlic bread before he turned his attention to the dance floor, seeing a slow waltz had begun in accordance to the music the band was now playing. It was nice and calm and the movements of the couples were quite mesmerizing. Like something out of a dream.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Edmond jumped, seeing a woman was standing next to him. She had dark brown hair that was tied in a side braid, hanging over her right shoulder. Her skin was a beautiful tan color and her eyes were golden brown. She was dressed in a light purple shirt that had suspenders and a corset worn over it, attaching to dark purple skirt with gold accents that hung above her ankles, showing off her detailed boots. To top it all off, on her head was a bowler hat that had lilacs adorning it.

"U-Um…" Edmond cleared his throat. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Are you by yourself?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Sort of." Edmond rubbed the back of his neck. "A friend brought me here but went to go be with his family. I don't mind it though. I usually prefer keeping to myself. I'll actually be leaving in a few minutes."

"I see." the woman smiled sweetly. "Well, since you still have time before then, would you like to dance with me?"

Edmond got a stunned look on his face.

"W-What?"

The woman giggled.

"You don't have to if you don't want to but I love getting to know strangers through dancing."

"W-Well I um…" Edmond's cheeks were turning pink. "I just… I would be honored but thing is I uh… I don't know how to dance."

The woman grinned before taking his hands, pulling him onto the dance floor.

"Then I'll lead."

Edmond gulped as he got into position with the woman. He was stumbling, keeping his eyes on the ground as the woman lead him through the steps. He couldn't stop shaking nor could he manage to look at her.

"Hey."

They stopped moving, the woman tilting his chin up.

"Relax." she smiled. "Just keep your eyes on me. Don't look at your feet."

Edmond gulped, nodding, doing as told as they began again. This time, he didn't stumble as much, his feet getting used to the movements. Soon enough, the two were gliding along the dance floor and instead of the woman leading, it was now Edmond.

"See?" the woman giggled. "You got it."

Edmond blushed, smiling a bit himself.

"T-Thank you. Ms…?"

"Bridget. Bridget Martel."

"P-Pleased to meet you Ms. Martel. E-Edmond Wilkinson at your service."

"Edmond. Such a nice name." Bridget giggled again. "And please, just Bridget will do."

"A-Alright um… So, uh…"

"What do you do for a living, Edmond?"

"I work at the manufactory in town but I eventually want to open my own shop to sell my inventions."

Bridget's eyes lit up with wonder.

"What kind of inventions?"

"Well, a variety of things from household tools to toys for children to play with. I admit I'm a jack of all trades when it comes to my craftsmanship but household tools and toys are my favorite to make."

"That's incredible." Bridget smiled warmly. "I'll definitely want to see your shop when you open it."

Edmond blushed, a huge grin on his face.

"T-Thank you. What about you Ms.- uh Bridget? What do you do?"

"I dance." Bridget giggled. "I'm part of one of the troupes here in town."

"I see. Which one?"

"The Forces of Nature. I'm the Fire Dancer."

They stopped as Edmond felt the air leave him as he realized who he was dancing with.

"You… You're thee…" He pulled back, bowing as fast he could. "Ms. Bridget Martel it is a huge honor to meet you."

Bridget blushed, playing with her braid a little.

"So, you've heard of me?"

"Heard of you? I've seen you perform. Goodness, how did I not recognize you?" Edmond was bright red. "You and your troupe are amazing but your dance number in particular is just graceful and dream like that I can't tear my eyes away and you're beautiful-" He clamped his hands over his mouth, backing away a little.

Oh goodness, what am I even saying!?

"So, you're amazing in every way shape and form."

Edmond froze up as he felt an arm come around his shoulders. That arm belonging to that of Emmett, who had a huge grin on his face.

"He really is a huge fan of the dancers here, especially The Forces of Nature. Doesn't help you guys use classical music for your dances, which, by the way he is a huge sucker for."

Edmond just wanted to sink into the ground at this rate.

"Emmett. Stop. Please."

"What? I'm just helping you out here."

Edmond hesitated before looking up at Bridget, seeing she was blushing madly, a stunned look on her face.

"I… Um…" Edmond started fumbling with his fingers. "You… You really are amazing. I just…" He lowered his head. "Sorry. I stepped out of line."

Bridget's look softened as she went over to him, tipping his chin up.

"I'm flattered by your compliments. I usually don't get many so I am honored that you like my dance in particular, Edmond."

Edmond perked up, relaxing.

"Y-You're welcome, Bridget."

Bridget smiled, before offering a hand to him.

"Would you do me the honor and dance with me again? I want to finish this time and… I'd like to get to know you better."

Edmond nodded, taking her hand.

"I-If you're sure."

"I am." Bridget brought him into position, smiling softly. "After all, I only dance with gentlemen."

The memory faded as the break whistle sounded off, snapping Edmond back to reality. Had it been that long already?

He looked down at his work, seeing he had barely even started on the gears he was supposed to be making. He brought a hand to his face.

Perfect. Juuuuuust perfect.

He sighed, setting down his work, grabbing his lunch and book before heading out to his usual spot. He sat down, running a hand through his hair. He opened his book, looking at Bridget's picture. He knew he missed her but he never got this distracted before while at work. Usually it was because of her he worked so hard and got plenty done in a day.

He frowned, thinking about what Jack had told him and the gossip he had heard the other day. Maybe that's why he couldn't stop thinking about her. It was worry of what he might lose. He felt his blood go cold at the thought of Bridget possibly disappearing. Never being heard from or seen again. He shook his head, trying to clear the thought from his mind.

No. No. She's fine. Bridget is a strong young woman who can hold her own. She'll be fine. She'll be home soon. No one is going to kidnap her. She'll be fine. She'll be fine.

Edmond ate what he could of his lunch, though admittedly he wasn't hungry after being haunted with such terrible thoughts in regards to Bridget. When it was time to go back to his station, he was hoping to drown all the thoughts out with work but the thoughts still lingered. Images of Bridget being taken away from him by some stranger as she screamed helplessly, Edmond unable to do anything.

Edmond shook his head.

Focus… FOCUS.

Work felt longer with these thoughts swirling in his mind. He was glad when it was finally over. He needed to go home and clear his head. Maybe a nice warm bath or something.

He was soon in the locker room, changing back into his casual attire. The last thing to come out of his locker was the brooch Bridget had given him. He stared at it for a moment before clasping his hand around it, holding it close to his heart.

Please, come home safe.

He pinned the brooch to his tie, grabbing his bag and hat before heading out of the locker room. He about to head out the door when he heard an alarm bell sound off.

That sounds like it's coming from one of the generator rooms!

Edmond hurried to the source of the alarm. There, he saw a man dismantling one of the power generators, quickly packing away parts in his rucksack.

"Hey!" Edmond shouted, producing a wrench from his bag, ready to charge. "Stop what you're doing!"

The man looked to him, annoyance in their eyes.

"No. I won't stop. I need the parts and what can you possibly do to make me stop?"

Edmond was shaking but he did his best to keep his composure calm.

"I-I'm not afraid to use this wrench. I-I'll call security-"

"Security is fast asleep." the man grinned, showing a tranquilizer gun that was attached to his belt. "As is your boss and anyone else I could find who would still be here even with the festival going on. So, you're all alone."

Edmond swallowed hard.

"I-I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid to use force!"

"Show me then." The man snickered.

Edmond took a deep breath before charging, raising his wrench.

It was only a split moment before the wind was knocked out of him by a bullet that hit his right shoulder. He fell to the ground, holding his shoulder tightly, trying not to cry out in pain.

The man chuckled as he blew the smoke off his pistol, finishing what he had started on the generator.

"You'll most likely bleed to death before someone finds you." He said, slinging his rucksack over his shoulder. He walked over to Edmond, stepping on his wounded shoulder, pointing his pistol at his head. "I wonder if I should grant you mercy and just kill you now."

Edmond looked up at him, fear in his deep blue eyes.

"No… No, please…" Tears were streaming down his face. "Please don't…"

The man hummed in thought, his finger twitching at the trigger. He laughed before taking his foot off Edmond's shoulder, putting his pistol back into its holder on his belt.

"You know what? You deserve a slow death for trying to stop me and even if you do live, you get to lose that arm thanks to where I shot you. Which is a shame for you considering that's your dominant hand if I had to guess from how you were holding that wrench. So, you'll be out of a job too." The man laughed again before kicking Edmond in the stomach, knocking the wind out him. "So, a slow death or a long miserable life. Heh, I think I like both those outcomes better than killing you on the spot."

Edmond couldn't move, paralyzed by the pain in his shoulder.

The man took his wrench, putting it in his rucksack.

"I'll keep this as a reminder of you." the man said to Edmond before starting to head out of the room. "I can give you this, you were at least braver than the others who tried to stop me before I tranqed them. Reason I gave you the real gun."

Edmond was alone now. The alarm had ceased to ring, having been silenced by a single bullet. It was quiet all around save for the steam engines that were still running the manufactory.

He couldn't move and the world around him was starting to go dark. His right arm felt numb and his body was starting to go cold. He was trying to fight the urge to sleep but his body was growing weaker by the minute.

He slowly brought his left hand to his brooch, gripping it with whatever strength he had left as his eyes began to slide shut.

"Bridget… I'm sorry…"

[quell-tea-salon]

THE IDOLM@STER SideM 3rdLIVE TOUR report - Makuhari Day 2

The group lineup for Day 2: Dramatic Stars, S.E.M, Cafe Parade, Altessimo, and Legenders. (See set list here.)

Suffice to say, this DraSta/SEM/LegeP died and went to heaven. I had an AltessimoP sitting to my left and a SEM-P on the other side; we pretty much took turns dying throughout the 3.5-hour concert LOL. Also today I had a much better seat compared to yesterday’s live-viewing, which allowed me to appreciate the show even more!! For starters, I could actually see the whole screen this time....

Karino Sho was the MC for today; he gave his signature “SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO desu” greeting, and told us that the concept for today’s performances was “Show!” ....Then proceeded to make a pun of it with his name wwww

With all the groups present on stage, the first song was Reason!!, followed by Cafe’s Reversed Masquerade. Lege took the stage for Symphonic Brave, then it was Alte’s turn for Tone’s Destiny. So far all songs that were in yesterday’s set list.

AND THEN

MY DREAMS CAME TRUE

I GOT TO HEAR SEM SING SAYONARA SUMMER HOLIDAY!!!!! SEM! SUMMER! HOLIDAY!!!! HOLY SHIT DEM HIP THRUSTS UGH SENSEI NOT IN FRONT OF YOUR STUDENTS!!! Yoshiki was downright OBSCENE enokiya's singing was shaky as usual and Totto’s dancing is still stiff (so endearing ;w;) but honestly it didn't matter bc IT'S SEMMMMM

And without giving us time to recover DRASTA BURST ONTO THE STAGE FOR MOON NIGHT NO SEI NI SHITE AND I SCREAMED SO LOUD SKSHAKSHSJDBNAJDHSKDJDN THEY GAVE US THE SLY LOOKS AND BEDROOM EYES AND NAUGHTY WINKS AND LIP-LICKING AND "OIDE ♥" IT WAS HORRIBLE I DIED ABOUT 50000 TIMES you could tell they were having the time of their lives performing it too T_T My throat pretty much died since I was making dying whale sounds the entire time lol i tried not to use my voice after that but the set list continued to be amazing so I couldn’t stop myself from screaming cheering and joining in the song calls.....

After allowing us a short break by way of talk time, part 2 kicked off with Kamiya’s solo A Cup of Happiness! His dance routine included the use of a sparkly pink cane >< So cute and stylish....... Halfway through the song Legenders’ Amehiko and Chris joined him on stage with their own white canes and i freaked out omggggggggg this three make such a handsome picture T_T God, Chris’ long legs and fashion model proportions.,.....

The rest of Cafe Parade joined Kamiya on stage for Cafe Parade! (my fav song of theirs!), and after that was Rei-chan’s solo Echoes My Note, and Alte’s first single The 1st Movement. The AlteP next to me was whimpering the entire time ;w;

I lost my shit again when Lege hopped on stage for String of Fate....... I’ve wanted to watch this R18 performance since forever........ Amehiko’s voice is so smooth and gorgeous and deadly, it’s almost hilarious that his seiyuu Kasama-san is a total gentleman who loves cats and has the temperament of a marshmallow T_T However the strongest singer was probably Fuumin, he hit all the notes consistently (and looked beautiful from every angle gdi).

After another talk break, part 3 began with SEM's Infinite Possibilities!!!! Another classic hit from SideM...... Every time Totto unleashed his magnificent vibrato at "koeTEEEEEEE" we'd burst into cheers!!! They used the pink laser guns in the choreography too, so cute ><

Next was Alte’s Never End Opus....... The famed performance that reduces everyone to tears......... My AlteP buddy was sobbing and even I felt my eyes prickle........ Such a beautiful, heart-wrenching song T_____T

Dramatic Nonfiction!!!! This is my 2nd fav song from DraSta after Moon Night and i know i keep repeating myself, but i’m SO happy that i got to hear them perform this live T_______T It’s uncharacteristically moody for DraSta, the dance choreograph is sexy af and IN THE SECOND VERSE THEY HAD A CAMERAMAN WITH THEM ON STAGE AND THEY UNLEASHED /MAXIMUM/ FANSERVICE AT THE CAMERA DURING THEIR SOLO LINES UGHHHHHHHHHHH I HATE DRASTA, JUST KILL ME (THEY KILLED ME) At that moment I was actually grateful to be at a live-viewing instead of the venue 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Then Cafe Parade hopped on board the the rail trolleys for A La Carte Freedom, throwing rubber balls at the audience like HiJo yesterday. Later they apologised for throwing too hard and hoped that they didn’t hurt anyone wwwwwwwwwww

Another talk break, then Legenders kicked off part 4 with Legacy of Spirit. LegeP represent!!!

Next was Maitaru’s solo This Is It. Singing’s definitely not one of Enokiya’s strong points, but he’s cute and rly fun to watch, even more so when you know what he’s like irl and thus how seriously he takes his work wwwwwww Teru and Saki-chan jumped in as backup dancers, they were both so sexy and cute (srsly Saki-chan was KILLING IT) and i hate Teru for winking at the camera ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; I love watching Shugon dance, he has so much energy in his movements!!!! Truly a Physical idol <333

The next song began with a minute of taiko drums and we were like “Oh???? Who’s this????? Could it be....???” Then SEM appeared on stage in ouendan outfits and we SCREAMED!!!!!! They recited the senseis’ lines cheering on the students from that scene in ep5 and even did the VICTORY! group pose IT WAS SO GOOD T_____T They shed the ouendan gakuran coats for the song (From Teacher to Future!) though haha. During yesterday’s performance Jirou just kinda collapsed onto the stairs in a fit of exhaustion... Today Hazama-sensei sat on the stairs with his face in his hands ;w; Sensei ganbareeeee

DraSta returned to the stage for Arrive To Star. Tbh it’s probably my least fav out of their songs, along the lines of Starlight Celebrate, which i also wasn’t too fond of until recently (it grew on me). But i do know how important this song is for them as a team, and i’m always grateful for DraSta live performances... IMO they truly are one of the strongest teams in SideM vocally, even if Taku doesn’t always do well live.

DraSta remained on stage and SEM joined them to perform a DraSEM version of Ryuusei Parade!!!!! Nothing beats the original DraSEMJupi version (which we got to hear yesterday!) but i love this song to bits and i love DraSEM, plus it’s highly unlikely that we’ll get to hear this rendition anywhere else, so this was truly a performance to remember *____*

Eternal Phantasia!!!!!! I was hoping that they’d perform this today as it wasn’t in yesterday’s set list T______T This majestic, uplifting song was the perfect lead in to the ending sequence - BeyoDori, followed by encore (they changed into 3rdLive coloured T-shirts for this) songs Glorious Ro@d and the SideM staple Drive A Live :D

As the cast made their final exit from the stage, almost everyone made cute poses at the camera.... DraSta were the last group to leave and those ASSHOLES did a SYNCHRONISED BLOW-KISS at us sahjgfdlDGHLsdfghlfSD I WRECKED MY THROAT FROM SCREAMING AND ALMOST CRIED FROM SHOCK, THANKS A LOT!!!!!!!!!

Other stuff:

Totto is an amazing singer and is always in stoic Hazama-sensei mode during performances, but when he talks his endearing awkward side comes out ;w; Usually Enokiya teases him about it and Yoshiki runs damage control, but today Yoshiki just stood back and Totto complained that recently Yoshiki's been giving him the cold shoulder wwww

Speaking of Enokiya, every time it was his turn to talk he’d break character and yell “LET’S PAAAAAAARTTTTYYYYYYYYYYY” (or smth like that) wwwwwwww The first time he did it Yoshiki’s like “who ARE you???” and Enokiya goes “Well it’s hard on me when i have to follow Totto’s awkward talk time” and Yoshiki retorts with “You just made it hard for me too” LOL

When Cafe Parade said that they’d like to see SEM have their turn on the trolleys, SEM asked if they could throw balls as well, and someone suggested that they throw chalk instead since they’re teachers wwwwww Yoshiki tried to shut down the conversation, saying that he has never met a teacher that actually throws chalk at students, but both Totto and Enokiya raised their hands wwwwwwwwwwww

Since yesterday each and every one of Kasama-san’s messages were heart-meltingly lovely and sincere, and today was no different..... In his farewell message he borrowed lines from Amehiko’s marriage proposal from the mobage event, making everyone squeal/sigh... Kasama-san.....

Ama-chan gave us a very sweet message which almost sounded like a marriage proposal “Please stay by my (our) side forever” so Makonyan imitated Ume’s wedding-proposal-on-one-knee pose from yesterday, and Maria mimed biting his glove wwwww

Fu-kun (Shirou) tweeted: “Yesterday Beit proposed to me, but today I was swept away by DraSta” L O L add SEM’s SSH to that and you have: marriage proposal from Beit -> breakup with SEM -> elope with DraSta

Taso shared that due to individual busy schedules DraSta actually couldn’t meet up for rehearsals, so the first time they managed to rehearse as a group was on the day itself of Makuhari Day 1 (yesterday). Taku joked that he was relieved to see Taso still alive www

It’s no surprise that all three members of DraSta are pretty handsy people (they touch each other a lot so you can tell that they’re really close friends ;w;) but today i noticed that Taso always had a hand on Shugon’s shoulder or back whenever Shugon was speaking ;___; cuteee

During his farewell message Taso said that DraSta’s bond as a team had become even stronger while performing together in the concert, and he believes that Kaoru feels the same about Teru and Tsubasa. Shugon, with the biggest grin on his face, put his arm around Taso’s shoulder and pulled him close, going “Aw, you!”, and Taku chipped in with his Tsubasa voice “Kaoru-san, are you feeling shy ^^?” Taso immediately switched into Kaoru mode and retorted “Shut up, it’s your turn to speak! ///” *UGLY CRYING*

Taku seemed to be in good spirits and didn’t appear to have any injuries, but while the camera was zoomed in on him for his farewell speech i noticed that his thumb was bandaged and his microphone had a handle attached to it. I didn’t notice this yesterday, but then again I could only see half the screen from my first-row seat. If my guess is correct, he probably injured his thumb in yesterday’s accident, and the handle was added to the mic to help with his grip. I’m relieved that he wasn’t seriously hurt T_T Rest well, Taku-chan ><

The next concert will be held two weeks later in Miyagi! I’m attending the LV for day 2. In the meantime, I’ll focus on letting my dead throat recover, so I can kill it all over again in two weeks ^^