#but we had a bit of a cooldown today and the living room has a window unit and fans

[napping-sapphic]

Just got cold for the first time in like a week and a half peace and love on planet earth <33333333

[ladylooch]

Okay here is an idea for Timo and Emma

Somewhat angsty lol

So maybe life is really busy with the 4 kids and it’s been a little while where Em and T were able to have some time alone. So maybe every little either Timo does or the kids do sets Emma off and she is easily irritated and annoyed. Like maybe making lunch for the kids and they don’t want to eat what she has cooked or Timo is gone longer than he said and Emma missed her workout class. So Timo is like okay obviously you have some tension let me help you loosen up 🥵and so they run off during the kids nap time

By Emma’s calculations, she should be about to her cooldown right now in her pilates class. She should be sweaty, but relieved to have gotten a work out in with how crazy the family schedule has been this week. Instead, she is sitting on the couch, monitoring Logan and Liam as their play time borders on becoming a slap fest. 

Timo is still not home.

He was supposed to be home two hours ago. Emma keeps getting texts from him with updates. 

I’m going to be a little later than I thought.

Still going here, babe. Need a bit more time.

15 minutes or so and I’ll be on my way.

I just left. I’m getting home as fast as I can. 

Fuck, I’m so sorry!

Emma believes him. She knows those RPMs on that Mercedes of his are going to be roaring through the streets of New Jersey. She had asked for one thing this week. ONE THING from her now retired NHL player of a husband. It was to make sure that he was at home by 1:00pm so she could hit her pilates class. Emma knows he is doing hard work right now. He is getting more involved in his friend’s clothing company that he has invested in for years. Now, that Timo  has the time, he has been asked to be more of a decision maker. Timo is very excited about the prospect and Emma is supportive. But she has needs too. Very hot ones that have not been met by her husband in weeks. 

“Logan.” Emma murmurs, watching him start to pat at his brother. A string of words in Swiss German and English come bumbling out of his mouth with none of them being coherent. “Baby, no. Hands to yourself.” The twins, who practically came out holding hands, do not understand this concept. “Be nice.” Emma finishes. Another thing they don’t understand as two year old terrors. 

“Baby! I’m here!” Timo calls into the house before he looks around. His eyes land on his wife so close. “Oops. Sorry. I thought you would be upstairs.” He flips his wrist, looking at his watch. “Can you still make it?”

“At 1:45? No.” Emma snaps. 

“Okay. Fuck. I’m so sorry. Is there a later one you can go to… or…” Timo purses his lips at the irritation puling her eyebrows together. “No? Okay.” He scratches at the back of his neck. “Um, how can I make it up to you?” 

Emma gives him props for the awareness and recognition and the genuine apology. But she doesn’t feel like she was asking for too much. One thing. In the millions of things that she has sacrificed for him in his career. Today she wanted one fucking thing.

“Make it on time tomorrow, please.” She says tightly.

“Yes, I will. Promise.” He comes to the living room. He kneels down by the babies then drops a big palm on each of the twins heads. “Hannah coming today?” 

“No, she is on vacation with her friends. It’s us against the kids.”

“Oh yeah, Tulum.” Timo grins. “Good mems, eh?”

“Mhm.” Em agrees. Timo craws over to her on the floor, literally on his knees. 

“I’m really sorry. You know that?” Emma nods. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Okay, can you just yell at me?” Timo groans, putting his forehead on her thigh.

“No. I don’t want to.” Emma shrugs. 

“This feels worse.” 

“Than me yelling at you? Good lord. We needed therapy more than we knew.” She leans forward, cupping both his cheeks. She kisses him deeply, letting her tongue swipe along the seam of his lips. He sighs, reaching a big hand around to the back of her neck. They make out like that, touching tongues and soft moans to each other until they’re both worked up. Liam comes to smooch their faces, breaking them out of their trace as Logan comes too. 

“Gonna bend that sweet ass over my knee tonight. When all the babies are in bed.” He murmurs hotly in her ear so the boys can’t hear. Emma smiles at him as he settles into the couch next to her with Liam. Logan curls into Emma’s arms. His little feet go over to his brother and he starts kicking. Liam begins to do the same immediately.

“Hey!” Emma and Timo say at the same time, grabbing the feet of the respective twin in their arms. 

“They just had to be boys.” Emma chuckles, leaning her back into Timo. He wraps an arm across her chest, gripping her opposite shoulder to keep her close.

“The universe knew I couldn’t have three girls.” Timo laughs as Logan starts to gnaw on Timo’s arm. Emma cups his little chin, wiggling it so he releases his dad’s skin. Emma smirks at the sweet grin he gives her. He looks like a little dinosaur with his jagged teeth. 

“Yeah, that is probably true.” She finally responds. 

Two more Livys would surely put Timo in an early grave.

[kaminarisimp9000]

movie night

A/N: bruh the movie night trope is my f a v o r i t e and it’s 100% because ahem netflix and chill has caught me off guard one too many times. n e ways i barely know how to use this website nd this is the first post on the Blog and i totally did not write this because this concept is living rent free in my mind so i hope you enjoy??

pairing: bakugou x female!reader

word count: 2.2k

warnings: strong language

summary: You get really cold during the Weekly Class 1-A Movie Night™ due to your quirk and it’s up to Bakugou to warm you up

You rushed down to the common room, arms full of snacks, taking care so as not to spill anything. A smile bloomed across your face as you took in the scene before you. The common room was a mess of blankets, sleeping bags, couches and the like, as the students of Class 1-A worked together to set up today’s movie night. These movie nights had been born out of a collective need to relieve stress, and by now, had sort of become a weekly thing that you looked forward to. Your smile only grew wider as you realized that today, even Big Bad Bakugou had shut his mouth for once, opting to actually cooperate with his fellow students. 

Bakugou. 

You couldn’t ignore the subtle heat that rose to your cheeks as your thoughts lingered on your best friend for just a beat longer than necessary, when you were abruptly shaken out of your second of stupor. 

“Sweet! Y/N’s got the snacks!” Kaminari yelled, as he plopped down on one of the couches, ready to begin this week’s installment of Class 1-A’s Movie Nights™.

“Hell yeah I do. You’d better help me set this up, though, unless you’re not getting any!” You retorted. 

Kaminari waved you off with an alright, alright and headed towards the kitchen to find some bowls, while Tsuyu and Midoriya helped you set everything down. A few moments later, you were all but surrounded by an array of colorful bowls filled with all sorts of movie-appropriate treats.

Satisfied with your hard work, you scanned the common room for any available seats, letting out a chuckle as you realized that the only empty one was that which was next to your probably half-pomeranian half-human friend. 

(There was actually another space empty, but it was next to Mineta, so we’re not going to talk about that for obvious reasons.)

“Scoot over, Katsuki, I’m gonna sit here”

“Fuck off, Y/N,” Bakugou replied, moving to the side nevertheless.

“You wish,” you mused, gently sitting down next to him, “So, what’re we watching today?”

“As if I care.”

“Ugh, would you stop being so emo for once and answer the question?”

“Fuck, I dunno, it’s some shit about a cooking rat, or something.” 

“Was it that hard to say Ratatouille? I swear to god, Katsuki, you’re so fucking difficult sometimes.”

“I’d wager the poor boy just doesn’t know how to pronounce Ratatouille, Y/N ☆,” Aoyama interrupted from across the room.

You let out a laugh, “You’re probably right, Aoyama. The boy’s ~uncultured~.” 

Your relationship with Bakugou was comfortable to say the least. Sure, you did have a tiny crush on him, but above that, he was one of your best friends at UA. It’s anyone’s best guess as to how that even happened in the first place, with the boy’s hostility shining through in his ever-present frown, but here you are. Perhaps it’s because you were one of the only ones in the class who could actually put up with his less-than-desirable behavior, or because of the numerous times you practically begged him to spar with you (to which he gave in after a full month of persistence). You didn’t really have much of a crush on him in the beginning, but as time passed, and as the two of you grew closer, you felt your heart beat that much louder for him with every frown he sent your way. 

Sometimes, when you looked at him, you even felt breathless. 

But now was not one of those times. Hell, you were too distracted by the movie to give too much thought to the fact that you wanted Katsuki Bakugou to pin you against the wall of your dorm and kiss the living daylights out of you. Yes, you liked Bakugou, but you loved Ratatouille. 

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

Your Ratatouille-induced bliss was fairly short-lived, though, for midway through the movie, you began to feel a bit chilly. Moving your arms to hug your sides, you tried to ignore it, but you knew where this was headed. Your quirk, Body Heat, converts your temperature into pure energy, which does make you quite powerful in the training arena, but also requires a great deal of cooldown time for your body to reset to its natural state. This usually happens quite painlessly, but sometimes, especially when you’ve overused your quirk, your temperature severely drops, as your body attempts to regenerate what it has lost. 

In other words, if you didn’t find a source of heat soon, you would be shivering as if there were no tomorrow. 

As your body began to shake, you searched the room for Todoroki, who usually helped you when you were like this, using his left side to warm you up until you were a functioning human again. You found him rather quickly, only to see that his eyes were closed, chest gently rising and falling through a peaceful slumber. 

Of course he’s fucking asleep, you thought to yourself, shivers intensifying, I’m so stupid! It would have taken me literally two seconds to grab a few blankets and now I can barely fucking move I’m shivering so bad. 

Reluctantly, you resigned yourself to this fate, deciding that you would just let your body do what it needed to do to regain your natural energy, and bear through the cold, when you felt a sudden shift to your side. 

Through your peripheral vision, you saw that Bakugou had gotten up and had started walking away. 

Probably cause I’m shaking so violently, you thought, rolling your eyes as much as you could, Can’t blame him, though, even I’d be annoyed. 

He returned quickly, though, throwing a plush blanket over your curled-up form. 

“Stop fucking shivering,” he whispered angrily.

“S-hut t-t-the fuck up you b-bitch, y-you know it's b-because of my quirk” You replied, with great difficulty.

“Where’s that half-n-half bastard? Isn’t he the one who gets rid of this shit for you.” 

“He's s-sleeping r-right n-ow—stop! d-don't wake him up h-he's probably t-t-t-ired.”

“Jesus Christ you can’t even fucking talk, can you,” Bakugou deadpanned. 

You shook your head as vigorously as you could, the blanket doing little in the way of warming you up. 

“It’s-it’s fine, ‘T-Tsuki, this’ll b-be o-o-over soon.” 

“Yeah, but it’s damn annoying.” 

“Then d-do something ab-b-bout it! I d-d-don’t know wh-what to t-t-tell you, I literally c-can’t m-move!” you snapped. 

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Bakugou maneuvered himself until he was under the blanket that currently surrounded your shivering body, pulling you into his lap so that you were facing him, your cheeks growing hot in response to your compromising position. 

“K-Katsuki—”

“Shut your mouth.” 

You obliged, as he brought his hands up to your face, palms glowing orange as he carefully activated his quirk just enough to warm them up, but not enough to create an explosion. He figured that your inability to talk was currently the most annoying thing about you, so he decided to stop the incessant chattering of your teeth first. 

Meanwhile, you were, for lack of better wording, dying on the inside. You knew Bakugou was hot, but shit, you’ve never seen him like this before! Were his eyes always that fucking beautiful when he concentrated? Was his skin always this smooth? Did his nose always look that kissable? 

As you began to regain feeling in your face, you really hoped that Bakugo couldn’t sense your heartbeat running at a million miles per hour, as his hands left your cheeks to run down your arms. 

“Thank you for this, Katsuki, you really didn’t have to,” you sigh, basking in your newfound warmth, letting your head fall onto his shoulder.

“Tch,” Bakugo grunted, as his hands softly grasped yours, lingering until their natural warmth returned. 

You stretched your arms out, enveloping your friend in a tight hug, suddenly feeling a wave of tiredness wash over your body. 

“Yeah~~ I can finally use my hands again~~ What would I do without you, Kacchan?” you giggled, as his cheeks grew red in response to the cutesy nickname. 

His hands moved down to grip your thighs as he warmed your legs up, while you settled your head into the crook of his neck, cuddling into his warmth as you finally let sleep consume you.

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

On the other side of the room, Kaminari’s eyes were glued to the television screen, thinking about how Remy was able to control Linguini’s cooking so accurately with a few simple tugs to the hair.

I mean, maybe that’s just his quirk, but like—does this mean that he has a hair pulling kink? Imagine your girlfriend having to marionette you in the bedroom. Would that be embarrassing? Would any of the girls be down to try it? he wondered. 

He reached into his lap to retrieve a piece of popcorn, sulking when his hand hit the bottom of the empty bowl. Sighing, he tore his eyes away from the screen, reaching for a refill, only to freeze at the sight in front of him.

“Yooooo, what goes on” Kaminari whisper-screamed, elbowing Mina in the side, gesturing towards you and Bakugou. 

“No. Fucking. Way.” Mina replied, mouth agape, “Are you kidding?! They’re so cute!!” 

“Damn. Would have never thought. Like?! I knew they were friends but I didn’t think Kacchan could pull a girlfriend!” 

“Are they actually dating though?! I’ve never heard Y/N talk about him like that even once! When did this happen?” 

“I don’t fucking know and I don’t fucking care. I swear to god I’m never gonna let him hear the end of it.” 

“Can y’all pipe down? I’m trying to watch the movie here,” Jirou whispered, annoyance written all over her face.

“No I cannot pipe down Jirou, just look over there and tell me you aren’t shook,” Kaminari fired back. 

“Holy fuck.”

“Right!!!”

Eventually, Kaminari’s whispering spread around to the entire class, as they, one by one, turned to take in the events that had unfolded right underneath their noses. Even Todoroki had awoken from his sleep to gawk at the both of you.

“Awww, they’re so adorable,” Uraraka squealed.

“They really are quite cute,” Momo remarked.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have seen this coming. I had no idea the two of them had feelings for each other,” Midoriya wondered. 

With every passing line from his classmates, Bakugo could feel himself getting angrier and angrier. 

What the fuck do these damn extras think they’re doing? Shut the fuck up and watch the movie!! Bakugou thought, blood boiling.

“Y’know, Bakugou, I didn’t think you of all people would know how to treat a woman right,” Tsuyu chimed in. 

That’s it, Bakugou got up violently, This fucking ends here. 

Being careful not to drop you, Bakugou shifted you onto one arm, as he picked up the blanket that was once covering you both with the other. He headed out into the hallway, pressing the button to call the elevator, and brought you up to the fourth floor. 

He pulled out his keycard as he reached the end of the hallway, stopping in front of the door to his room for a moment as he unlocked it. Pushing the door open, Bakugou made his way over to his bed, and set you down gently.

Or, at least he tried to.

As he lowered your unconscious body to his soft, black sheets, you let out a quiet groan, wrapping your arms tighter around his neck, making it clear that whatever happened, you weren’t going to let go.

Fucking great.

He shook you, trying to wake you up, but to no avail. The most he could get out of you was a soft Kacchan, let me sleep, as you snuggled impossibly closer into him. Sighing, Bakugou defeatedly peeled back his comforter, sliding both of your intertwined bodies under his sheets, tucking both of you in to the best of his abilities. 

As his head hit his pillow, he couldn’t help but stare at your soft features as they were illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through his window. He couldn’t help but admire the way your long eyelashes fluttered over your cheeks with every breath, the way your H/C hair seemed to perfectly frame your face, the way your lips…

The way your lips looked so damn kissable. 

Bakugou didn’t want to admit it to himself, but, as he lay there, eyes drinking in your every feature, he could feel himself falling harder and harder for you. He wrapped his arms around you, holding you close, synchronizing his breaths with yours, until he too fell into a deep slumber. 

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

You awoke gently, groaning in response to the sunlight hitting your face. Rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, you attempted to sit up.

Huh? you thought, I can’t get up. 

You opened your eyes, and immediately realized that something was wrong. The walls, the ceiling, the window, they looked unfamiliar to you. This was not your room. Looking around, you noticed some neatly organized school books on the desk, black t-shirts on the back of the chair, All Might figurines, and—wait, was that shoujo manga on the nightstand? You suddenly notice an arm wrapped around your torso, possibly the reason why your efforts to sit up failed earlier.

And then you realized that that arm was connected to a very certain spiky-haired blond. Who happened to be your best friend and your crush. And who was currently holding you in a death grip. With his face very close to yours.

You felt your cheeks burning up. 

holyfuckholyfuckholyfuck

[queenangst]

ashes to ashes

ashes to ashes | Read on AO3 achieving elysium

His mouth tastes like ash. In the hospital room, everything is quiet and still.

But Meis is so angry the street would’ve been burning if he could still control fire. 

“Boss is asleep,” Gueira murmurs, putting a hand on his arm. “Come on. Let’s take a walk.” 

Meis can’t move. He can’t stop staring at Lio’s face—eyes shut, lashes pale against his skin, and beneath that blooming and ugly bruises. Lio is swallowed by the hospital bed. He looks small. He looks young. When the doctor was listing off Lio’s injuries, Meis felt each one. He’d felt the crack of phantom knuckles against his jaw, his ribs caving under a gaping pressure, the weakness in his hands. 

A cold that burned over his heart. 

“Meis,” Gueira says, and Meis tears his eyes away. There is no healing fire, so the wounds have slowly returned. And Lio had taken the brunt of it. 

“I’m not leaving him,” Meis snaps right back. 

“He’ll be fine,” Gueira says patiently. “We need a break, too. Food. Sleep. So we can keep going for him.”

Gueira rubs at his face, runs a hand through his short hair. The tattoo on his shoulder catches Meis’ eye; they’d gotten them done together. Lighting and wind. The two of them. Storm and song.

It’s funny. Gueira’s usually the loud one, explosive, but Meis feels like they’ve switched places. Meis wants to burn so badly it hurts. He wants to scream. He’s tempted to give Gueira’s old cooldown trick a try, which really amounts to destroying shit until he’s a little less pissed off. 

What he’d really like to do is march down to Kray Foresight’s holding cell and show him what Burnish rage feels like. But Gueira’s hand is on his arm, and the storm abates, and Meis is just—tired. 

“I don’t want to leave him.” 

Because over his own screaming he’d heard Gueira, next to him, and his brothers, and— and Lio — the sound from him terrible and inhuman. 

Meis slips out of Gueira’s hold and pads quietly over to the hospital bed. Gueira follows. 

One of Lio’s hands is clenched into a fist. He’s still a fighter. Meis takes it, gently tugging at the fingers; they flex, curling towards him and seeking heat, and Meis doesn’t have the heart to let go. 

“I don’t think he’d want us to leave,” Meis finally admits. He runs his thumb over Lio’s knuckles. “He’s cold.” 

“I think we all run a little cold these days.” Gueira’s mouth twists in a pained smile. 

Gueira reaches out; they hold hands over Lio, and Meis has Lio’s right hand and Gueira his left. It feels a bit like Burnish rites. There is no fire, but there’s still warmth passing from touch to touch to touch. And Lio lives.

Meis can think a little clearer. He takes a step back. The moment breaks. 

“We’ll be back,” Meis whispers, leaning down so Lio can hear him. “Promise, Boss.”

“On my life,” Gueira echoes. He glances sideways at Meis. “Let’s take that walk.”

They slip through the hospital halls. It’s getting late, so they don’t encounter many people. Just a nurse who startles at the sight of them, then ducks her head to avoid their gaze and walks quickly away. It’s not like there’s anything to be afraid of. She’s got more power than any of them do, to be honest. 

They get coffee from downstairs. Gueira thinks it tastes like shit, but Meis downs it all the same. 

“We’ll probably be kicked out soon,” Meis mentions over his coffee. He doesn’t finish it, keeping the bottom third to warm his hands through the cup. 

Gueira snorts. “Like they could stop us.” 

Gueira’s not wrong, exactly. Meis and Gueira do what they want. The hospital is crowded with Burnish and non-Burnish alike, the innocent bearing the brunt of Foresight’s project . 

“Lio would want us in charge.” Gueira blows out a breath. “He’s out of commission. He’d rather us look after the others than after him.”

Meis is of half a mind to curl up in the hospital bed next to Lio and sleep. Close enough to protect him, close enough to act as a shield, a barrier so no one can enter without getting through Meis first. 

Gueira, though, seems to be full of insight today. 

“He’s being taken care of.”  

Meis scoffs. “Can we trust them?” 

“We have to,” Gueira says, lowering his head. He looks away, towards the ground. “We don’t have the- the… Promare anymore. Like it or not, we gotta… we can’t take care of everyone ourselves.” 

The temporary governing council declared a state of emergency two—no, three days ago now, stepping into power. Kray Foresight and all his damn scientists, the people on the Parnassus Project are all in cells. For now, until they’re tried. It’s not what they deserve. 

That’s what Gueira thinks, anyway. 

Meis doesn’t really know himself. The vengeful part of him wants them to feel what the Burnish felt, pain and failure tearing them apart. He wants to point to his people—Gueira’s people, Lio ’s people—and scream is this what we deserve? 

“At least we have the Burning Rescue.” 

Meis sighs. “I hate… relying on them. I hate relying on anyone.” 

“Me, too.” 

It’s not that Meis is ungrateful for their help. He’s actually in Burning Rescue’s debt—that team had saved their asses. Galo himself had saved Lio, and that’s worth the world ten times over. Lio said they were allies, so they are. 

And they’re better than nothing. A lot better—all the blame seems to be falling on Burnish backs, but in between rescue efforts, rebuilding, and leading in council, the Burning Rescue team has also formed a tight shield. The stones thrown their way are blocked. 

But relying on them means Meis is weak. Relying on them means Meis isn’t strong enough. Relying on them means he’s failed. 

He blinks down at his coffee. There’s no steam left. His hands are gradually growing cooler. 

“The heat’s escaping,” he says. He’s almost surprised, but Meis has gotten used to feeling cold these past few days. 

Gueira slides his hands over Meis’. 

“Let’s head back up one more time before we leave.” But Gueira doesn’t move his hands, not for another moment still. They’re in this together, just as they have been and will continue to be. 

Even when Meis finishes the coffee and throws away the cup, their hands stay holding on to each other. 

Lio’s still asleep. Meis doesn’t know why he expected anything different as they go back up. Gueira leans over the side of the bed, brushing Lio’s hair away from his face and saying something quietly. He’s so gentle, so unlike the brash, spirited partner in battle Gueira usually is. Something in Meis’ chest aches. 

Gueira steps back. Looks at him. Meis swallows his fears. He doesn’t say anything because the words get all stuck in his throat, but he slumps over the bed. There’s no one to see him except Gueira, so Meis lets himself put his head to Lio’s chest to feel him breathing steadily. Lio breathes in. Meis breathes out. 

“Come on,” Gueira croaks. 

Leaving is one of the hardest things Meis has had to do, but he manages. They make it out slowly. Burning Rescue headquarters is just down the street, so they head there first for a quick meal, then some sleep. It’s sort of become the former-Mad Burnish space, too, after Galo had dragged Lio there. And where Lio went, Meis and Gueira would follow, so they’d all ended up there eventually. 

A couple of the members are in. Lucia keeps her eyes glued to the screen, but her fingers twitch in a partial wave when Meis and Gueira walk in. She’s looking at some structural designs, running scans for damage control. At another desk, Varys is snoring away in a position that can’t be comfortable. He’s got a blanket draped over his shoulders, though; Lucia has a half-eaten plate of food next to her keyboard. Someone’s taking care of them. 

Lucia spins suddenly. 

“Food, fridge,” she says matter-of-factly, “bunks in the back. Captain’s orders if anyone showed up here.” 

“Uh,” Gueira starts.

“Thank you, Lucia,” Meis says for the both of them. 

Sure enough, there are tupperwares in the fridge with pre-cooked meals. Suddenly Meis is starving, and he bounces on his toes as the microwave spins and spins. 

Gueira heats the food way too hot, but neither of them care. They scarf down something that might be fried rice or fired rice. It’s hot enough that it’s tasteless, but Meis doesn’t stop until it’s all gone. 

“I’ll take first watch,” Gueira announces as they head into the bunks. No one else is sleeping there; Meis claims an empty one. Gueira sits next to him, so Meis puts his head in Gueira’s lap. He half-expects Gueira to shove him away, but he doesn’t. 

“Wake me in three hours,” Meis says. Gueira draws a blanket over him, but Meis wiggles his arm out and blindly hits the side of Gueira’s face. “Seriously. You gotta sleep too.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Gueira tells him. “I’m not like Boss.”

A hand runs through Meis’ hair, and he closes his eyes. He is safe. He sleeps. 

Meis jerks awake. His heart pounds in his chest. His fingers curl, wrist twisting inward, but there is no flicker of fire in the darkness. Nothing but air is conjured as Meis tries again, and again. 

It’s dark. He twists, reaching blindly, and there’s a body slumped half on the bed against the wall. 

“Gueira?” His throat is dry. He coughs. “Gueira?”

Meis’ eyes adjust, and he lurches forward when he sees Gueira’s face. “Gueira!”

Gueira startles awake then as Meis’ heart feels like it’s about to burst from between his ribs. 

“Mei… Meis?” Gueira sits up sharply. “What’s— is something wrong, is there…”

Meis can’t breathe. 

“Meis?”

“I thought, I thought—” 

He doesn’t know what he was thinking. Meis shuts his eyes, pressing his palms over them. Behind his eyelids flash images. Are they dream or memory? A band of raw skin around Gueira’s wrists, Lio bracing himself at an empty table in a meeting room, the sound of screaming and screaming and screaming. 

“Meis.” 

Meis slumps forward, and Gueira catches him. 

“Hey, hey—” And Meis stops keeping it together, grabbing fistfuls of Gueira’s shirt and screaming wordlessly into his chest. Distantly, he feels Gueira wrap arms around him. 

He gasps. The sound dies into a soft whine. 

“It’s okay, Meis , it’s okay…”

“No,” Meis hisses, “no, no, no, no—”

Something returns to him from his dream. Memory. In the darkness it is even more terrible than Meis has realized, something Meis has been hiding from himself.   

“Galo said… Galo said…”

And there’s a crystal clear moment in Meis’ mind where everything had gone silent. The scream clawing out of Lio’s throat vanishing, and that had been more terrifying than the sound itself. 

Then a voice, desperate. Lio. Lio. Lio. Stay with me. 

Meis, half-drugged with pain, throat raw, still struggled against his restraints. He’d thrown himself, forcing his body to move—voice gone, fire bleeding, but he’d heard Galo’s desperation and fear and the way he’d said Lio . Like they were losing him. 

“Galo said Lio was—”

Fingertips turning to ash, body still and limp. Meis wasn’t there, but the image is in his mind regardless. Lio, lifeless. 

“Lio’s okay. Boss is okay. He’s alive. We just came from seeing him, we can go again if you want to.”

Meis’ crying is ugly. He can’t remember the last time he cried. 

“He died .” 

“I know.” 

Meis drags a hand back in a fist and pounds it against Gueira’s chest. His friend lets him. Takes the hit, and the one after that, and every blow Meis throws. 

“We were—” It has to hurt, at least a little, but Meis can’t stop— “ I was—” Gueira catches his hands— “ helpless! ” 

“Look at me.” Gueira’s grip slides until he’s caught Meis around the wrists, and Meis looks up and realizes Gueira’s crying, too. He moves forward, pressing their foreheads together, and eases his hands free to wipe a thumb under Gueira’s eyes. 

“We’re not bound by anything anymore,” Gueira continues, “we’re not… we’re not helpless. And you weren’t the only one.” 

“Okay.” He shudders and swallows against the lump in his throat. “I’m… lucky to have you, in this life.” 

“I am luckier,” Gueira murmurs, and the flaring pain eases. It doesn’t disappear, but it eases. 

“You fell asleep,” Meis says after a moment of comfortable silence. “You said you’d wake me, but you just fell asleep, brat.” 

Gueira elbows him. “Well, look!”

“First watch,” Meis grumbles. He gets up. He doesn’t feel rested, really. After crying he feels exhausted again, but both of them seem to have slept long enough to be functional. As they head out, Gueira steals one of Galo’s jackets and throws it over himself even though it’s too big. 

“He probably won’t mind,” Gueira defends when Meis raises an eyebrow at him.

Burning Rescue seems to be up and running by the time they shuffle out.

“Meis, Gueira,” Ignis greets, nodding. He’s got his arms crossed, standing over Remi’s desk with both of them looking over some files. Paperwork, presumably. “You slept?”

“You’re not in charge of us,” Gueira quips, and Ignis’ eyes travel down to the Burning Rescue jacket Gueira is swallowed in. “But yeah. Sure. We slept.”

“Together,” Lucia spouts, shooting out of nowhere. Meis rolls his eyes. 

“Oh, hey, guys!” 

Galo’ pops up from under a table so fast Meis is surprised he doesn’t hit his head. He’s clutching a pen in his hand. 

“Ready for today, everyone?” He blinks owlishly at Gueira. “Is that my jacket? Pretty cool, right? It’s a bit big on you, though.” 

Gueira grunts. Somewhere behind Galo, Aina covers her mouth, her eyes bright with laughter. Meis supposes Gueira is right, considering the fact that most days Galo seems to walk around shirtless, anyway. 

Ignis lifts a hand. 

A screen appears with a map of Promepolis. There are areas highlighted in red—Ignis covers the plan of action for the rescue efforts today. Gueira presses his shoulder against Meis’ while they listen.

Meis zones out. Actually, Meis and Gueira both zone out of what Ignis is saying, because at some point they just start making weird faces at each other. 

Aina gets a hand between them, and Meis blinks, embarrassed. 

“Are you guys going with us today?”

They look at each other. Gueira shrugs. 

“I think we have other business,” Meis says carefully. “Since Boss is… anyway, we’re still working on registering everyone from— since Foresight never cared about—”

He trails off, but the mood darkens. 

Ignis tilts his head. “What do you need?”

Meis opens his mouth, then closes it again. It’s not what he’d expected, and he’s not quite sure he understands what Ignis means by that. Gueira’s hesitating, too. 

“I mean it,” Ignis says sternly. He’s not unkind, and it reminds Meis of Lio. His eyes burn. “What do you need?”

“We…”

Meis straightens his back. Not helpless. And there are things to do—Lio takes care of them, so in his absence Meis must take care of him, and the Burnish. What the Burnish needs, Meis needs. 

“We need more access to information, and databases. Records,” he starts, faltering, but Ignis nods. “So we can check for family members, and, and that kind of thing. And we need more supplies. Medical supplies. Food. Water. Clothing—we need clothing, and blankets, if we can get some. It’s been hard to adjust. And- and…” 

“Better temporary shelter for the Burnish,” Gueira continues, confidence growing, “and we need progress. We’re technically terrorists. That’s fine by us, but the rest of the Burnish—most of them—are innocent.”

“Done,” Ignis says, and Meis actually stumbles a step backwards. 

“That’s… huh?”

“Yeah!” Galo cheers, “We can totally do that!”

“We’ve got our stores in the back—” Varys rumbles. 

“I’ll ask the council about records, and see if they can approve anything more for—”

“Temporary housing—”

The Burning Rescue members are all nodding to each other like there’s some big secret that Meis isn’t in on. It can’t just be done , just like that. It’s not that easy. But they’re all going on like they can do it. 

“We’re Burning Rescue,” Lucia drawls. “We’re meant to, y’know, rescue. I think we can figure something out.” 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Galo interrupts, “but these guys are a part of our team now, right? So we’re— we’re— we’re Team Mad Rescue!”

Gueira laughs. 

And it’s such a good sound that Meis just smiles. 

“I don’t know about that one,” Varys pipes up. 

“Well,” Gueira says, shoulders still shaking, “the other option is Burning Burnish.” 

Then Meis starts laughing, too. Maybe it’s relief. Maybe it’s happiness. Maybe it’s the simple promise of help. 

“Guys…” Meis says. He puts a hand over his heart. “Thank you. I mean it.” 

It’s the only thing he can offer, but it’s genuine. 

“It’s the least we can do.” 

“Well,” Gueira says, clearing his throat. “Then, um. We’ll—er, I guess we’ll go… we’ll go visit Boss before we. Yeah.” 

Galo bounces. “Tell him I said hi.” 

“Tell Lio we’ve got things under control,” Ignis says. His mouth works its way into a gruff smile. “He doesn’t have to stand alone.” 

Meis’ throat is dry when he says, “Understood.” 

Lio’s awake when they visit this time. He lights up when he sees them, lifting his arms, and Meis feels his spirit lifting too. 

“Boss!” 

Meis throws his arms around Lio, and then Gueira hugs both of them. They hold onto each other. Lio laughs a little wondrously, and that almost makes Meis cry. 

“Hey, you two,” Lio murmurs.

It sinks in. 

“ Lio ,” Meis says, and Lio tucks his head against Meis’ neck. He hooks an lazy arm around Gueira’s shoulders. 

“We’ve got you, Boss,” Gueira says. Lio huffs out a laugh. “You don’t have to fight so hard anymore.” 

“Hey, hey,” Lio says, pulling back and looking at them. “Where’s this coming from?”

Gueira smiles at him. Meis smiles back. After a moment they both catch the twitch of Lio’s lips, curving upwards. Lio’s eyes are clear. The light strikes them, and Meis thinks he looks so, so alive.

“We’re a team,” Meis says, shrugging. “You know that, right?”

“We’re a family,” Gueira corrects. He jabs a finger in Lio’s face. “No dying or passing out.”

Lio sighs. “I’m sorry.” He means that, Meis can tell. But then he grins cheekily. “I’ll try harder next time.”

“Boss!”

Lio takes Meis’ hand and squeezes tightly. “Thank you.” 

They stay that way for a long time. As the sun rises, Meis takes heart in the knowledge that fire heals as much as it burns. That day there are no Burnish rites. There are no ashes. There is just the three of them, holding on.

[lovemecharlie]

Morning Drills

What if Erik ran his home like the military? This one is really short.

◇

5:28 AM. The sun has barely risen, the sky still dark and transitioning. Silence fills the house, every wife safely and peacefully tucked into her own bed and dreaming sweet dreams. Erik stands showered and fully dressed in the hall in all black with black leather combat boots waiting for the seconds to tick by.

5:30 AM "RISE AND SHINE MAGGOOOOTS," Erik roars through his megaphone. Grumbling and loud groans of irritation and exhaustion sound out almost immediately. "I SAID RISE. AND. SHINE. MAGGOOOOTSSS!"

"I know you lyin," Angel whispers angrily into her pillow, turning over. "Erik! Shut the hell up, it is too early," Hennessy yells, her scrunched eyelids heavy and drifting shut. Charlie rolls drearily out of bed to her door with an evil glare just to hang a well manicured middle finger in the air. "Nigga, I am not in the damn mood," Homie snaps, tight lipped and clutching her pillow. Kimora doesn't move, refusing to wake up and Bastion's long sleepy whine echoes a similar energy. Poosy covers herself with a spell of invisibility and hides in her large closet to sleep uninterrupted. Ryley jumps up and tries to slap Erik, but he catches her arm, pulling her from the bed. From room to room, he'd gone to snatch the blankets off of his angry wives and wake them up causing them to react. Poosy was the only wife he couldn't find. He assumed she'd teleported herself somewhere far away. "Stay down," he pointed sternly to Angel who was extremely pregnant and on bedrest. She went right back to sleep.

Once 7 of his wives stood lined up in the hall, rubbing their eyes, squinting, and yawning into various parts of themselves, Erik gave his next command. "Clean yourselves up and make them damn beds! I want them fuckin rooms spotless, floors clean. If you gotta vacuum, vacuum. If you gotta mop, mop. Ain't no maids today. You got thirty minutes to do that and put some comfortable clothes on. If I see one of y'all get back in that bed, I'll make you run laps. Now, move!" He watched for a few minutes as they lingered sleepy and confused.

"I didn't enlist in the Marines and I'm not about to keep waking up 5:30 on a Sunday," Kimora spoke with folded arms. "Mama, make him stop," Bastion sighed to Hennessy. "What's going on," Kristina murmured poking her head from her door. "Go back to sleep, baby," Hennessy shook her head. "Yes, honeybee, you go on back to bed," Angel waved her on. "I'm going too," Ryley sighed attempting to follow Kristina. Erik pulled her back.

"She ain't my wife, you are and you do what I say. Y'all time ticking away. I meant what I said. Go to sleep? You'll do laps. Fail the task? You'll do laps. Piss me the fuck off? You'll do laps with me screaming in your ear. 600 hours, y'all better be dressed and out back in the yard." Once they scattered, he followed Charlie to her room. "I told Angel to go back to sleep. You sit this out too," he said eyeing her stomach. "That's not a suggestion," he barked when she started to protest. He closed her in her room.

6:00 AM "I want two groups of three! Line up in two rows," Erik announced, his arms behind his back holding the megaphone. They were outside in the large backyard on the lush grass.The sky had come to life and all was calm, except for him. He scanned over his wives lined up with blank expressions. "Move apart a bit further.. yep, perfect." The collective look in their eyes said they wanted to murder him.

"Welcome, wives, to your morning physical training. We starting with the side-straddle hop, what you know as jumping jacks. 10, Let's go." Dropping his megaphone, he led the exercise in 3 counts. "1, 2, 3.. 1!.. 1, 2, 3.. 2! come on 1, 2 3.. 3!.." On and on. "PUSH UPS, LET'S GET IT," he barked. As he lifted himself up and down easily, showing off by using one arm, some of the wives struggled to do basic push ups while some did significantly better. "SIT UPS, LET'S GO," he yelled. Leading the charge, he had them to do sit-ups, mountain climbers, and then a two-mile run.. which, for him, was more of a jog. Aly'Sha was right there keeping pace with him the entire time, singing with him as he called the cadence. As expected, the wives all joined in the chants. Back in their original places, Erik lead the wives in a series of cooldown stretches before moving around to personally stretch each one. He took it seriously without trying anything sexual which took many of the wives by surprise. Hennessy was especially shook while Bastion kept trying to playfully trap him between her thighs. Ryley simply laid back, looking up at the clouds while Erik moved her legs.

"Aight bring ya'll asses in the house," he pointed, slapping their butts one by one as they passed him to walk inside. They went directly to the kitchen. "Water. No juice," he called. There were already plates of food set up on the table from the cook.

9:00 AM The wives enjoyed an hour of peace and privacy. Kimora, Aly'Sha, and Hennessy went to sleep together in the living room. Ryley went to her room to wash her hair. Homie had the same idea. Bastion followed Erik upstairs, clinging lovingly to his arm and assisting him in carrying her sister's food. He kept his arm tightly around her as he went to check on his pregnant wives and make sure they took their vitamins. He poked his head into Angel's room and Charlie was there with her curled up in the bed watching an old Hollywood movie. Handing off the food, Bastion hopped onto the bed and Erik layed across the foot.

10:30 AM All 9 wives of the compound sit in the living room and Kristina who sits sandwiched between Ryley and Hennessy. Poosy had finally reappeared. Erik carried Angel personally and sat her up gently on the couch before rushing to bring her a glass of lemonade to quell her nausea. "I did all this today and I've gathered you all here.. to celebrate and announce to you the new safety tool I collaborated on with the lil nigga. It's finally built and ready to use and I want you all to have one and know how to operate it," he said brandishing what appeared to be a beautiful walking stick. "Is that a pimp stick," Kimora laughed. It was Vibranium ornately carved with his Wakandan name and there was a golden orb at the top. He twisted the orb and when it clicked, the stick turned into a harpoon-like spear. Another click made it shoot a dart at lightening speed that stuck into the wall. "That's a poisonous dart. Kills instantly," he said pulling the orb to make the stick push down smaller into something that fits into a bag. "I want y'all to keep one of these on you at all times. Just in case," he said passing them out already compacted. He gave one to Kristina and she grinned, happy to have one. "You fam too," he told her. "Stick, spear, dart. Remember the order so you dont set shit off on accident."

For the next hour, Erik went through training exercises with Kimora, Kristina, and Homie. He forced Bastion to participate. "I need you safe since I'm not always with you. You ain't gone quit what you do or stop traveling, so you have to know how to handle a weapon. If you don't wanna gun to shoot somebody, this works for short and long-range.. but having it isn't enough. You need to know how to use it to your advantage like if someone grabs you," he pulled her roughly and they went through several scenarios which ended in her slapping him with the stick from different angles.

"Erik, I will beat your ass like T'Challa. Keep grabbing her like that," Hennessy said watching from the sidelines with her hand on her hip.

"She gotta learn, mama," he shrugged, "And since you got so much to say... GIVE ME A LAP AROUND THIS YARD, MAGGOT!" She flinched at the volume before she took off running. He picked up his megaphone. "GO! GO! GO!"

The End

Lol, just a snapshot!

@poosypoosy @bastioncarterstevens-udaku @hennessystevens-udaku @itsangeludaku @alyshastevens-udaku @itskimorafireudaku @allhailnjadaka @bidibidibombaclaat @blackpinup22 @destinio1 @hold-me-like-a-heart-beat @leahnicole1219 @vikkidc @thehomierobbstark

[blackroseraven]

Today a lot of little things ate at me, to be honest.

Like maybe I shouldn’t be so sensitive, but it’s just a buildup of stuff, you know? The ‘expectation’ that we’re going to be there, to work and help out, even though we’re really clients and not employees. 

So Cowboy was there, smoking a cigarette and talking to Anti, who was saddling up her horse for her kid. The horses were fed, so I started letting them out, while Cowboy started on chores: apparently he was alone for chores today because his kid is off at the ex-wife’s remarriage.

He hayed, but didn’t put out a single horse. I put out most of them and partner put out the rest once he got down from putting on his barn clothes and everything.

He was like “was really hoping you guys would be here to help out haha!” and it’s nice but at the same time it’s like. This isn’t our job and no one told us anything about what was happening.

But. Then we got horses. Got Jaeger. Some. People randomly showed up very confused and I had to talk to them, tell them Anti was on her way to give a lesson to their daughter and stuff. Talked about Jaeger because they were really interested in the big guy.

I cleaned him up while partner bathed Zara’s muddy hoofsies, then put him away and came back with Quattro. Got him nice, and went up and got going. 

One of the former assistant girls was already up there, riding her baby horse. I rode Quattro around for a good while. Showed off a little maybe, did a few of the small double hops, rodeoed a little. He was. He was both really good and really a butthead. He’s so goddamn stubborn and he was pawing grumpily and dropping his nose ALL the way down to between his ankles and going in the opposite direction I told him to go just because.

It’s amazing what a donkey he is.

He was good, though. And then afterwards I slid off his butt and took his hackamore off to give him time to roll.

Anyway, Former Assistant rides by and complains “You know it’s kind of rude to not have a halter on your horse, you should halter him” and then continues her cooldown, since she’s literally about to get off her horse and leave.

I just left after a minute. 

I dunno. I know it’s oversensitive but I do find it really offensive. I would never do something that puts other riders or horses in danger and I trust Quattro. Even when I look like I’m just kind of floating around him, I’m always close to him and keeping an eye on him. It’s the doubt in that I know what I’m doing and how I’ve trained him to stay close and stay calm with me, to be his safety point, especially when there’s activity.

I think it bothers me so much because no one will take my side on it. Yet a little girl rambling her way across the arena dragging her horse by the bit is fine. It adds to that feeling of being ostracized, not being a part of things and not being trusted, just existing to be used for menial work.

When people want to do things, I always have to bow aside; jumping, special lessons, etcetera. But I’m a client and I help out there too, why do I have to make room and stop what I’m doing for everyone else like a kid? I want to work with dragging objects, I want to do costume work, I want to do tricking and liberty, and I can’t because of how busy it’s gotten and how everyone else gets priority.

I’m just the creepy autistic-seeming dude in the pony shirts who talks to the horses, who has the Dangerous Horse, Don’t Touch.

It’s just a lot of little things adding up, and the way the atmosphere of the barn has changed so much. They want to be a business but they favor their “barn family” that I’ll never be a part of too much.

And I’m tired, and I’m hurting, and I’m living on limited time and want to get as much done as I can within that timeframe.

But. Just gotta keep moving. Stiff upper lip, gents, and all that, and find solutions.

Even if right now I just want to stomp my feet and be mad at everything.

I’m going to drown my sorrows in coffee and pizza.

[yumapii]

[Event Story] D.C. 10 Count [8/12]

Parts 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

[kumayuni room] 

Yuni: I’m exhausted. My legs are so jelly, they don’t feel like mine. 

// As soon as we get back from training, Yuniyuni flops onto the floor. // 

Rintarou: Don’t forget to cooldown after intensive exercise~ 

// SHION picks up the collapsed Yuniyuni, and helps guide him through the stretching motions. // 

Rintarou: Still, that was quite a tough menu to keep up with, good work, good work ♪ 

Yuni: Then can you teach me about “Counters” tomorrow? When I tried using a hammer against him, he dodged so easily, it was really frustrating. 

Yuni: That’s why, if you teach me to Counter then I can follow his movement and aim for a second hit! ! I’ll beat him black and blue! ! 

// Yuniyuni swings around his arms and stands up, moving to perform a Foot Stamp (although it looked like a little kid). I couldn’t help but smile at how cute he was. // 

Rintarou: Nyahaha, I’m glad you’re enthusiastic but that might still be a bit too advanced for you. 

Yuni: Eh… 

Rintarou: ( If I said it’s because it doesn’t suit an angel, I’m sure he’ll get mad. ) 

// As I was trying to think of a response, I was saved by the knock on the door. // 

Yuni: Shion! Is something the matter? 

Shion: Due to the influence of your other self, my roommate has been training non-stop in the room. Every time he throws a punch he goes “shishishi”... It’s annoying so I’ll be camping here for the time being. 

Rintarou: No sweaterino ☆ I won’t need to use a bed in my current state anyway so you’re free to have it. 

Yuni: A sleepover! 

Yuni: But Harimi sure is fired up if he’s still training. I have to work harder so we don’t lose! We will defeat the Champ! *Si Si Si Si!* 

Rintarou: Nyahaha, looks like it’s going to get noisy here too. 

Shion: Still better than someone whose entire existence is noise. 

// A man of little words, Mikepon comes to sit next to us. And the 4 of us had a lively night. // 

[back yard] 

// A few days later. // 

Rintarou: WSS ☆ Heart-pounding/ Second step/ Starting! 

Rintarou: Continuing from yesterday, we are once again building the basics but let’s try changing it up this time ☆ 

Yuni: Oh? What are we doing? 

Rintarou: You’re gonna use your left hand to catch all the leaves that fall out of this tree. It’s a Special Menu for becoming one step closer to being a boxer. The more you’re able to grab, the faster your Jabs will be ♪ 

Shion: What’s a Jab? 

Rintarou: It’s a light punch that helps you measure the distance between you and your opponent. It also helps to build rhythm to lead into a stronger attack, and is one of the basic offensive moves. 

Shion: Sounds difficult… 

Yuni: But I’m finally learning actual attacks! ! I’ll master the Jab in an instant and move on to Counters! Uryaaaaa~ ~ ! ! 

// With a motivated shout, Yuniyuni slams into the tree. But… // 

Yuni: ….. 

Yuni: The only things falling are these eraser dust looking specks. 

Rintarou: Oh boy, oh boy, I suppose we should work on your collision strength first then. 

Rintarou: Alright so let’s make it a goal to knock down the leaves-- 

???: Oyoyo? Whatcha guys doing over there~? 

// At the source of the voice, there was my body and his disciples. // 

Disciple (Touji): Ah! Mikekado-senpai, I didn’t know you would be here! As you’d suddenly decided to sleep outside the last couple of days, I had been so worried that I couldn’t sleep. In fact, I spent the whole of last night practicing my Jabs to calm down. 

Shion: …I’m glad I didn’t go back. And besides, right now you’re an enemy so I won’t be going back today either. 

Touji: Oh no… But Kumaz Fightclub is a really splendid gym where you can train your body and spirit while building charisma… 

Yuni: ….. 

Yuni: If you really want Shion back that badly, then fight me. 

Touji: Heh? F-fight? 

Shion: What do you mean? 

Champ: Oh what’s the harm? Accept it, Touji. 

Champ: You guys were doing the leaf catching exercise, right? Perfect. Whoever catches the most leaves will attain what they “want” ♪ 

Shion: ! 

Champ: Touji wants Mikepon to return, and Yuniyuni wants… 

Champ: Wants to defeat a God like me, was it? Then you’ve got to win this duel, no? 

// He looks down at Yuniyuni with an arrogant gaze. // 

Rintarou: What will you do? 

Yuni: My resolve hasn’t changed, I will definitely win. 

Touji: Bianchi-kun, I won’t go easy on you… 

Yuni: Bring it on. I’m going to snatch this tree bald! ! !

[impossible-rat-babies]

Two ideas surrounding Dimitri if you could take him with you to In Hushed Whispers: He was killed during his imprisonment: (A journal found near a dead body, penned by one hand. The entries are over several months): Maker, why hasn't someone dealt with the screaming knife ear in the dungeons? It's been going on for days now. -D The magister ordered that we move him away from the other prisoners. We took him deeper into the cells, but not before he roasted one of the men alive and broke another's neck. One of the guards broke his arm from yanking him around. Didn't do a damn thing and just threw him in. Almost felt bad. -D I heard they were bringing the knife ear up from the cells the other day. I think he stopped screaming a few weeks back. Bastard probably doesn't have a voice left. -D I saw them bleeding him the other day--for one of the rituals. I almost swore they were gonna kill him by how much blood they took. He didn't say a word or protest anything as it happened. If anyone can sit by and watch the blood roll from their body isn't someone I want to have fighting against me. -D They keep him up there at all times now. They pull him around when new rifts pop up. They have to contain them somehow and blood is as good as anything with the sky torn to shreds. None of us know if it's day or night anymore. I'm worried about that elf. -D They took him back to the cells earlier. They were installing that door in the main hall earlier; I guess his blood didn't work anymore so they were stopping their efforts. I went and saw him, actually. They had tossed him in one of the cells next to another prisoner. He was sitting up against the wall, his eyes closed as he shivered. His hair was falling out in chunks and his clothes were threadbare, cut where they needed the blood from. The fingers on his broken arm were blue and black and his arm curved unnaturally. He opened his eyes when I walked up to him; there was fury behind the blood red look to them. He said nothing, but he didn't blink at me. I can still feel the eyes burning into my skull. The prisoner said something to him and he closed his eyes again. -D I visited him again today. I heard him and the prisoner quietly talking while I was outside the door. They stopped when I walked in. I don't know what possessed me, but I brought him some bread. What grows around is cherished and I'm sure they've been getting nothing but scraps if that. He was still in the same spot, his eyes closed. I spoke and he looked at me as I offered the bread. He stared at it before he jerked his head towards the cell next to him as if to say they needed it more. He closed his eyes again and I gave the bread to the prisoner next to him before leaving. -D I worry about why he hasn't moved since he was put back in the cells. I don't think he's well. I think he's going to die. -D I took the keys to the cell while the guardsman was sleeping. I didn't get caught and I made it to him. His head was slumped over, his head bald now. I got the cell door opened and he jerked away. He quickly pulled away, his hands filling with fire as I stepped into the cell. He must've recognized me since the spell faded and he looked up at me. He asked what I was doing here and I told him I knew he was sick. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was thinking. I was stupid for stating the obvious. I didn't bring anything to help him with and I felt foolish. He told me there wasn't anything he could do to help him. Even if he escaped or got better, the world was already dead. "The castle is as good as any place to waste away. So leave me be." He told me that before I left. -D I saw them carrying his body today. Something hurt inside of me when I saw him like that. I followed them as they took his body outside. They climbed the walls and I watched as they shoved his body over the side and walked away. After they left, I crept up to where they had dumped him and looked down. I felt sick and had to look away. Curse what Alexius has done to the world. End it all. The world is dead and there's nothing left to save. -D If he lives: He's found in one of the torture rooms behind a looked door. You unlock it and a cutscene starts. He's standing there, alone with bodies around him. He won't say anything until the Inquisitor gets close: "Don't touch me!" He'll turn, his palms glowing with fire and his eyes bright like molten lava. Dorian will remark about how he's been possessed. "This one knows the truth about this body then. Well, it's good to see you still in one piece, (surname). Maybe we can solve this issue now. It would please Dimitri greatly to see this one dead." You can ask him some questions: "Are you going to harm us, demon?" "Ha! You think I'm a demon; I'm an abomination, but I'm still me. Dimitri does like to think such thoughts; it would please me if I could think of anything but rage. I will help you, (surname). Alexius needs to pay." "Why are you in here?" "They tried experiments on Dimitri. Using his blood for magic to try and fix the holes in the Veil. He slipped up once and...and a demon came creeping into my mind. I burned them all alive and they locked me in here. Nothing much to do in here." "Why do you talk like that?" "Because we're unhappy within each other and we try to speak at the same time. I don't like the insufferable brat, but I am trapped within him by him. It keeps the demon from manifesting in the world and killing myself and others. "Why not let it free?" "Because then it would kill me first and then I wouldn't get to witness it slaughtering everyone else here. I also don't like the knowledge of what it would do to Leliana. Her screaming is terrible and I would kill her first." Available after evening else: "Would you like me to kill you?" "No. I want to see the Magister die for what he's done. After that, I will leave and then let the demon go. But if I die trying to kill the Magister, that is a fitting end I guess. Let the rat come along with you. It does know quite a bit of magic. This Magister does sound appealing. Perhaps it will let me go and I can take the Magister. Now that would be an interesting concept there, Rage." You cannot kill him and he joins the party until the end of the quest. He does use fire magic heavily and his cooldowns are boosted by 25% due to the rage demons influence. After the quest, you can have a conversation about what happened with him. "I saw you in the future. You were an abomination." "Did you view me from a great distance? I can imagine it wasn't pleasant to look at." "Actually you weren't...harmed. You were whole. It was like the demon was inside of you, but you were controlling it. Both of you would talk over each other." "That is...strange to say the least. Was it a rage demon?" "Yes, it was. That so odd to you?" "No, not odd at all. People like to say that most possessed Mages simply turn into gross, frightening creatures hellbent on destruction." "Well you were hellbent on destruction." "And I'm sure most ugly on the inside, but that's not far off from the present. Regardless, I'm sure it would've raised many many questions if it hadn't been such a dire situation. A wonder for the ages I suppose. Well, a wonder we'll never get to see I assume." "That life was a rotten one. I wouldn't wish it on anyone." "A good sentiment and I'm glad we won't get to see the future Alexius imagined. Although, the Veil is still unsteady and needs fully fixed before anyone here runs off to go on a vacation." "Vacation?" "Yeah, take a break, a load off your shoulders. There's certainly much more to go, but by the end you'll need a vacation."