#but y’know what. I’m gettin’ real tired here boys

[strohller27]

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[thiswasinevitableid]

for the meet uglies, 55 indruck sfw? sorry apollo

Here you go! For those wondering, Apollo originates in my Amnesty Super Hero AU

“Okay sir, I’m gonna say this as nice as I can.”

Indrid looks up from his drawing of some mushrooms. The ranger, a man about his age whose little bronze name tag reads “D. Newton”, has the look of someone choosing his words very, very carefully.

“You are this close to me writin you up. And I mean this. Close.” He puts his thumb against his finger.

“I, is this not allowed?” The log he’s sitting on is technically on the trail, just next to it.

“This ain’t the problem. It’s everythin you done since this morning that’s the problem.”

“I-”

“First there was leavin your breakfast trash on the picnic table by the visitor center so chipmunks got into it--it’s real bad for them y’know, makes ‘em too bold--then there was the selfies on off-limits spots, then you had the fu, uh, freakin nerve to be rude to Juno when she asked you to stay in safe areas, you littered left and right, then you left a beer can in the reeds by the plover nestin’ grounds. I don’t even know where to start with that one; you know we don’t allow alcohol in the park. Campgrounds sure, but we don’t want fellas like you gettin drunk and then fallin off a rock. How can you be so careless, or not give a shit for a place people put time into protectin?

The smile that’s been spreading across Indrid’s face since the word “selfie” is wide enough that the ranger spots it.

“Man, if you think this is funny, you won’t when you’re too drunk to swim or run from a bear. Then I’m gonna have to bail your ass out, which I will, and you’re gonna eat a slice of humble pie big as that overinflated ego of yours.”

Indrid snickers. The ranger glares. Slowly, Indrid pulls back the hood of his sweatshirt and retrieves his glasses from the front of his shirt (he doesn’t wear them when drawing in color due to their red lenses). The other mans expression slides off confusion and tumbles into horror.

“Aw hell, I’m sorry sir. Thought you were your, uh, well, guessin you got a twin runnin around this park.” He pulls the brim of his hat down in a charming attempt to hide his face.

“I do, and this is far from the first time I’ve been scolded in his place. Less so since I dyed my hair” he indicates the artificial silver framing his face, “I’m mostly amused by how accurately you captured his orientation towards the world. It’s also bitterly funny to discover he made someone else's day as unpleasant as he made mine.”

The ranger studies him, seems to notice the creases by his eyes and mouth, “Seem a little old to be gettin forced into family time. Not that you look old. Just, uh, I mean, you might be younger than me, hard to tell with the hair, uh, yeah.”

Indrid points in the direction of the beachside campsites, “The Cold Family Reunion can only be begged off so long.” His phone dings, the reminder that it’s his turn to help his aunt with dinner, “speaking of which, I should pack up.” He quickly gathers his supplies, sends the other man a final smile, “thank you for the laugh, Ranger Newton.”

“You’re uh, you’re welcome. And tell your twin to throw his damn trash away.” He smiles as he says this, suggesting a joke, but Indrid resolves to remind Apollo of his manners anyway.

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The fog caresses the coastline, hiding the dawn entirely. Indrid pulls his hood up against the chill, the wooden bench and viewing deck damp from the weather. He’s not going back to camp until he’s captured the sight before him; dozens of fishing boats on the dark water, their lights beautiful and soft against the grey world.

Sandy gravel crunches to his right, and then Ranger Newton appears. He keeps glancing at Indrid as he writes something indecipherable on a clipboard.

“I’m the nice one.” Indrid says in response to the quick, searching, looks.

“Thank fuck.” He turns so they’re actually looking at each other, “guess we’re both on the early shift.”

“Normally I wouldn’t be, but the cold and quiet is preferable to my twin snoring. I brought my own one person tent, but then my aunt and uncle had their monthly argument and she needed a new place to sleep.”

“That was mighty kind of you.”

Indrid shrugs, “Not really. I just want to get through this reunion with as little conflict as possible.”

“How’d you end up on this thing? Said you couldn’t get out of it but-”

“I just moved to town a month ago. Turns out this is a place my parents have always wanted to visit. Not enough to see me, mind you, or refrain from criticizing my choice of towns, but enough to host the reunion here so I had no escape. And if I want to eat with the family, I have to spend the night in the camp and not at home. And since money is tight after moving, well..."

The ranger whistles, “Damn, that’s rough. But uh, since you live in town you’ll actually get to see this place in nice weather.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” He shivers, “though I enjoy the cold when I can be in my nice little apartment. In a tent, not so much.”

“If you get a good sleepin bag or good company, gets a lot better.” The ranger smiles, then looks at his notes, “sorry, that ain’t appropriate talk around a visitor.”

Indrid meets his green eyes, “If you have recommendations for either, I’m all ears.”

A gust of wind carries salt spray all the way to the platform, Indrid shivering as it mists his glasses.

“Here” the ranger holds out his hnd, “I gotta go open the visitor center; nice and warm in there.”

“...Could you possibly come back in ten minutes? I’d like to finish my sketch.”

“Sure, won’t kill me to check on the tide measures while I’m out here.” He tips his hat and soon Indrid sees him winding down a path to the beach. Eleven minutes later he’s back, telling Indrid about a huge starfish he saw.

On the walk to the visitor center, he learns the “D” on his nametag is for “Duck,” that he’s a transplant from West Virginia, and that they’re actually the same age. When Indrid explains that he’s a tattoo artist who sells his drawings on the side.

“You’ll appreciate this, then” Duck bends down to roll up his pant leg. Indrid appreciates the view and the well executed geometric tree tattoo on his ankle.

“Juno and I got ‘em together. Had to go with the ankle because I already got some on my arms. Can’t show those off right now though.”

“My, my, Ranger Newton, you’ll flash a scandalous ankle at a guest but not take him to the gun show?”

Duck laughs, the sound like the mating call of a strange tropical bird; absurd and enchanting.

“Glad you’re in town to stay, Indrid. Think you’re the kind of fella I’d like to get to know.”

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Maybe he’s being childish. It’s not wrong for Apollo to say he’s making their father proud, that he’s successful, that he’s a golden boy of his field.

It’s just obnoxious for him to do this the one time their extended family expressed Indrid’s professional accomplishments. With that smile, the one Indrid knows for a damn fact he had fixed, that tone, that, that….

That voice sounds familiar.

He reverses course, takes the path he passed by that points towards the amphitheater. What he gets is more a firepit with a small stage, but standing at the center and addressing fascinated families is Duck.

Indrid sits on the rickety bench furthest from the stage, lets Ducks explanations of night blooming plants and the creatures that pollinate them drown out the echoes of family dinner. When the program ends and the parents shepherd their children off with instructions for bedtime and brushing teeth Indrid stays, not ready to leave but not intending to attract Duck’s attention.

He gets it anyway.

“Enjoy the talk?” Duck stays two steps down from him, rests a foot up on the bench, “this one is always real popular; when it gets warm, the little animal rehab place south of town brings education animals in. Y’know, bats and owls, stuff like that.”

“I’ll have to come back to see them.” The thought of seeing bats up close excites him, but he’s too tired to sell the emotion.

Duck frowns, “You okay?”

Indrid shakes his head, tells him about the constant comments, the threat of living forever as the family disappointment, a threat he can deal with until he’s around them all. Then he’s right back to being seventeen and afraid of failing them.

“....Apollo’s always been the golden boy, ruthless and goal focused like our father. He always knows just what to say to get under my skin and dig out the scar tissue,” Indrid sighs, “All I wanted tonight was to roast marshmallows and go to bed early.”

The ranger moved from the steps to the bench beside him as he told his story. Now, Duck looks at him, smile more soothing than the thrum of the distant waves, “I got an idea. Guessin’ you don’t gotta tell your family where you’re goin, right?”

“No, most of them will assume I’m off sulking and Apollo will hope I’ve fallen off a cliff.”

“Then leave ‘em to be their shitty selves and come home with me. Uh, not, not-not like that, fuck, like what you’re thinkin, uh. Fuck. What I mean is; I got a fireplace and some marshmallows. You want in?”

Indrid watches the dying fire flicker of the curves of his face, thinks back on the last week. The ranger has been a frequent companion, brings him hot cocoa from the little cafe and tells him where he’ll be for chunks of the day in case Indrid needs a break from his family. Last night, all Indrid could think about was wanting Duck to be in the tent beside him.

“Absolutely.”

On the drive over, Indrid points out his apartment complex and Duck points out the best places to eat and the cheapest laundromats. His house is tiny, looks like it was built when the town was a logging hub and not a tourist destination.

“Make yourself at home, it’ll take me a sec to get the fire goin’--uhuh, Taco, stop tryin’ to open that cabinet.” He hoists a yowling, blonde ball of fur on the couch. The cat directs a suspicious look Indrid’s way and then settles on top of the pile of blankets.

“You a s’more man?” Duck calls from the kitchen.

“No, thank you. I prefer my sugar in a single bite.”

“You eat marshmallows in one bite? I’m always worried I’ll choke.”

“I have an accommodating mouth.” Indrid smirks when Duck audibly drops the bag. He’s not always the best with social cues, but if the way Duck kept brushing their hands together on the center armrest in his car is any indication, the ranger is trying to pick him up.

Once the fire is going Duck sits on the rug, patting the spot to his left. Indrid joins him. Caramelizing sugar and increasingly sleepy laughter soon fills the air. Neither of them keep their knees from touching, and Duck keeps dropping his head to Indrid’s shoulder when he giggles. The whole scene is so heavenly Indrid isn’t paying attention to their marshmellow consumption. He reaches into the empty bag and makes a disappointed noise.

“Damn, we really went through ‘em.” He catches Indrid’s eye with a playful grin, “you still cravin’ sugar?”

Indrid licks his lips, “Yes.”

Duck cups his cheek, guiding him into a sleepy, close-mouthed kiss, brushing their noses together when he pulls back to murmur, “That do the trick?”

“Hmmmmm?” Indrid cocks his head, “no.”

The other man guffaws as Indrid pulls him down on top of him, kissing him happily and wiggling his hips when Duck digs his fingers into his hair. His own hands migrate under Duck’s shirts, finding his body just as warm and wonderful as he hoped.

He nips Duck’s lower lip. The ranger growls and Indrid is no longer tired.

“Care to see just how accommodating my mouth can be?”

Duck rolls them twice so they’re a safe distance from the fire, “Hell yeah.”

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

Indrid saunters into camp late in the morning, some of the Colds already packing up to depart. His twin is stuck on dish duty, grins like a barracuda when he spots Indrid.

“I don’t know why you’re here. You missed breakfast, and you weren’t in camp last night, so you don’t get lunch or dinner either. May as well skulk back into the shadows.”

“Mmm, yes, I was rather undutiful.” Indrid spots a figure checking campsite permits, who stealthily blows him a kiss, “but at this moment in time, I don’t particularly care.”

[morning-might-arrive]

Here’s the continuation of my last post. Thank you so much to everyone who liked and reblogged! This is becoming a lot longer than I thought, so there will be another part soon. Feedback is appreciated!

A series of misunderstandings involving a limousine and Spectra’s blog lead Jackson to the realization that he has way more friends than he thought.

Wednesday

Jackson sighed as he silenced his blaring alarm clock. 7:00 am. As he walked to the bathroom to get ready, he was suddenly struck by a memory.

“It’s nothing personal, normie. You just look like such a freak.” Manny told him as he shoved him off of the lunch table. Jackson looked towards the other mansters, but they said nothing. So they all agreed. Even Clawd. 

He cringed. He’d had to eat lunch in a bathroom stall that day. He looked at his reflection, desperately wishing he could change it. He sighed and got dressed. He had to leave early since he now had no car and his parents weren't home. He plugged his headphones into his phone. Holt had gotten them into this situation, only fitting that he deal with it.

Holt Hyde cursed under his breath as he walked to school. Although the weather was warming, mornings in March were still frigid. He sighed in relief as he approached Monster High.

“Heya there, sweetpea,” Operetta drawled in greeting as Holt waltzed through the front doors of the school. 

“What’s good, Oppy?” Holt responded, his usual loud and energetic self even at the early hour.

“Just peachy keen like always, hun. Say, you seen the Ghostly Gossip lately?” She asked.

“Nah, we usually stay away from that garbage ever since that story about us and Frankie. Humiliated the poor ghoul and almost tanked our relationship. It really ain’t cool what they're doin’.” He replied nonchalantly. 

“Oh. Okay. Well sugar, you know you can tell me anythang you wanna, right?” She continued.

“Uh, yeah, sure. Thanks Oppy.” That was kinda weird for the rough and tumble ghoul to say, but honestly Holt was just glad their botched attempt at dating didn’t mess up their friendship. Oppy was a cool ghoul. 

“What’s the word, cool cats?” Came a new voice.

“Johnny!”

“Johnny.”

Johnny spirit sauntered casually down the main corridor of Monster High, and students jumped out of his way as if he had the plague. He put his arm around Operetta’s shoulder. “Hey, babe.”

Holt snorted. “I’ll never get why everyone lets you float around like you own the place.”

Johnny shrugged. “Guess they don’t have a choice. Besides, I never see you doing anything about it,” he replied with a bit of challenge in his tone. Holt rolled his eyes.

“You know you don’t scare us, Spirit. Anyway, it seems like Oppy’s got you on a leash without our help.”

Johnny bristled at that “Y’know Hyde, I’m gettin’ real sick of-”

“Why don’t we scamper on down to the catacombs and finish that new song we been workin on, sugarpie?” Operetta cut in. She really didn’t want to deal with a fistfight this early.

The couple walked away and Holt made toward the auditorium. He found the symphony on stage setting up and dashed up to join them, plugging his guitar into its amp. Jennifire was nearby greasing the corks on her clarinet. He huffed and sat down next to her.

“Another run in with the phantom pianist?” She asked, not even looking up.

“That guy is such a jerk!”

She chuckled and shook her head. “You boys are so easily provoked; I may never understand it. My brothers were just the same. He has done not to insight your anger.”

Holt really hated to admit it, but she was right. Johnny really didn't scare Holt, and he knew a little better than to try that tough guy act on Jackson. Plus, it was kinda funny seeing guys like Heath and Manny faint when he walked past them.

“Your emotions run like wildfire, I am very impressed you came to terms so easily with your end.” She continued.

Wait. What. “My what now?”

“Of course, it must be so hard for you to talk about. I am sorry.” A tear fell from her eye and promptly turned to smoke upon hitting her face.

“Jen, are you okay?” Holt asked, facing her.

She smiled. “Yes, I will be okay. So kind of you to think of me.”

“Okay, Okay, enough chit chat. Places people!” The director yelled as he approached the stage. Well. That was weird. Holt took his place in the stool beside the amp and looked up as the director began counting them off.

After an awkward hour of rehearsal, they were dismissed to second period. Holt emerged out into the crowd of students in the hall. Jennifire was nowhere to be found, so he made his way toward the art room. His Spotify playlist suddenly changed to a song by Pierce the Veil. He pulled out his phone to skip it and saw he had a message from Jackson. He scoffed. If D-low had told him what was wrong, would he be asking? JJ could be so oblivious. Maybe it was just a normie thing. 

He took his usual seat in front of his canvas and continued his painting for this week. 

“Psst, Holt.” he heard a whisper. He turned and met the shiny magenta eyes of retired popstar Catty Noir. “We’re turning up at Cleo’s place on Saturday, you in?”

“Yeah totally- oh, nevermind. We can’t make it, we kinda got a...thing that day.”

“Oh,” she said, looking kind of taken aback. “It’s that soon?” 

“What was that?”

“ I said I’ll see you soon!” she hastily corrected herself as she got up and turned in her painting, promptly leaving the art room. Man, everyone's acting off today. He touched up his work and quickly followed suit.

He basically had the rest of the period to himself, so he decided to riff on his guitar for a little bit. He couldn’t do it in the building anymore ever since that one time Headmistress Bloodgood caught him, so he moved to the front steps and set his bag beside him.

“Hey Holt!”

Holt turned towards the front of the school. “Frankie Fine-Stein! Where have you been hiding?” Her skin glowed a light mint green and her eyes sparked in the sun. Just as bootiful as ever. She sat on the step beside him.

“I was actually just in the library. I found this book about the original Jekyll and Hyde. It was way harsh; It said that Edward Hyde trampled a child in the streets of London, is that true?”

“Nuh-uh! Those stuffy normie’s didn’t like that grandpa’s were different so they dragged their reputation through the dirt!” Holt declared passionately. “Some of the people they charged him with killing didn’t even exist in the first place! Then they made Dr. Jekyll out to be a complete basket case and threw them both in jail! That is until they got bailed out by our great-great-grandma, Lucy.”

“Oh, man. I didn’t know any of that!” Frankie replied. She actually knew all about it, she had heard the exact same thing from Jackson before. They were both incredibly salty about the smear campaign launched against their great-great-grandparents that made their family flee to America in the first place, and you could hardly bring it up around them without a passionate rant. Frankie felt a little bad about bringing up something she knew was a sore subjet for them, but she had to make sure Spectra and the other ghouls didn’t get caught. It was for their own good, right?

Her phone buzzed in her lap and she glanced down. “Spectra got something, meet us back in the library.” Clawdeen. Frankie jumped up. “Sorry, Holt, I really gotta go.”

Holt watched her go in curiosity. He checked the time and quickly jumped up himself and dashed back inside the building. The only way to not be late now was to go through Section C, the so-called “vampires only” hallway. It really irked them when other monster’s used it, but he didn’t really care when it was either that or detention. As he made his way through he felt someone glaring at him, and met eyes with a large group of the former prep-school vampires. He braced himself, but instead of giving him grief like they usually did, they just let him pass. They were acting weird, but so was everyone else. Oh well, he didn’t really have time to think about it now.

Holt’s third period was Chemistry 2 with Mr. Hack. No thanks. Science was never his strong suit. Plus, there was seriously something off about this particular teacher. He just took a little too much pleasure in the cutting open of living things for Holt’s liking. He pulled out his phone.

“Keep an eye out. Today’s been weird, Bro.” He typed the message out and then disconnected his phone from his headphones. The world went dark.

Jackson blinked a few times. What was that ringing sound? “Oh, shOOT!” He bolted through the closest door- which just happened to be the right one- and took his seat as the bell finished ringing.

Mr. Hack passed out a hefty amount of worksheets to the class. “Okay class: no whispering, no talking, no looking around, no coughing or sneezing, no you can’t use the bathroom, and if I catch you on your cell phone the whole class gets detention. You have until the end of the class to complete the worksheets or it's a 0 for today.”

Everyone groaned. Good old Mr. Hack. Charming and likeable. Jackson tried to ignore the stares and whispers in his direction as he did his work. He knows he’s different, don’t they ever get tired of reminding him? Were they all paying more attention to him than usual, or was it just his imagination? He blazed through his work in about 20 minutes, it was just some simple thermodynamics equations. He looked up and noticed that Mr. Hack was asleep. Typical. Half the class were on their phones and the other half were talking amongst themselves. He pulled his phone out and saw Holt’s message.

Huh. Maybe it wasn’t just his imagination then, everyone was acting a little odd. Granted, every day at Monster High was pretty weird. Last week they had lost their school crest in a rollerblading contest and the school nearly toppled over, so maybe he could just ignore whatever this was.

The bell finally rang for lunch. He set his work on Mr. Hack’s desk as he jolted awake and practically ran from the room. He shot Clair a text

“Okay, transportation is set and decorations bought. Am I forgetting anything?”

“Measurements, goofy.” She responded almost instantly.

“Oh, right. I can get a tape measure from the woodshop teacher and get them during lunch.”

“Have you told the other monsters about Saturday?”

“No. I just don’t know how they’ll react, y’know?”

“Aren’t they always telling you about how you don’t belong? So why would they care?”

“Yeah you’re probably right. It’s just a difficult situation.”

“Yeah, I hear you. Let me know how it goes.”

Looking down at his phone, he didn’t notice Draculara until he bumped her as he passed.

“So sorry!” He exclaimed. 

“It’s alright.” She reassured him as she walked away. She made her way to the library where her friends were already gathered around in a circle. Spectra floated in the center.

“What’s this all about?” Draculara asked.

“While Frankie had Holt distracted, Spectra looked in his locker.”

“Well what did she find?” Cleo demanded.

“Just this. It appears to be a receipt for some kind of car rental.”

Clawd glanced at his phone. “Heath says Jackson is in the boys locker room right now taking measurements of himself and writing them down.” He told the group.

“Then what Spectra said is true.” Fraknie finally admitted. The room fell into extended silence.

“Well we can at least show Jackson he means something to us.” Draculara spoke up.

“Yeah,” Frankie agreed, “we can do something nice for him and Holt.”

“What are we going to do? Hijack the gym and throw a huge party during lunch?” Cleo asked sardonically.

“You’re on a roll Cleo! It’ll be closed tomorrow, but we can do it Friday!” Clawdeen agreed.

Cleo smiled. Very well then. Friday would be a day for the monster history books.

[skelebonecentral]

Hothouse Rose chapter 6

Gotta get that last Fell boy into shape!

(words under cut) And remember, the pictures for the Lust boys are all six up on my main undertale blog.

Whip stared at his brother.

“AND TELL ME AGAIN WHY YOU’RE IN MY ROOM, GLARING LIKE I MELTED YOUR WHOLE SHOP?”

“cause ya ain’t actin’ like part of the family anymore and I wanna know why.” Spice was leaning back against Whip’s door, blocking all exit. “ever since baby doll came, you’ve been sulkin’ and hidin’ from’em and I don’t appreciate it. I know ya ain’t a coward, so what is it?”

Whip’s skull began to color in anger, standing to his full height, “BECAUSE THAT HUMAN IS NOT GOING TO LAST. I’VE SEEN THE HUMANS AROUND HERE, AND NONE OF THEM WOULD ACCEPT US IF THEY KNEW THE FULL EXTENT OF WHO AND WHAT WE ARE. THEIR URGES ARE TAMPED DOWN WITH IRON RODS AND CLOSED OFF EXCEPT FOR THE MOST TABOO AND PRIVATE MOMENTS. OR IN OPEN DISPLAYS IN THE SEEDY UNDERBELLY OF THEIR WORLD AND THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE OFTEN END UP DEAD.”

“I know that.” Spice was unmoved by this aggressive display. He was not afraid of his baby brother. “I’ve done my research on what gettin’ my shop going up here would entail, an’ it wasn’t pretty. but bro, just cause it’s private for them don’t mean they ain’t capable of openin’ up. just gotta work harder for it.”

Whip’s hands were gripped into fists, and even though he was looking down, Spice noticed his gaze was on the floor next to him, not on himself, “AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE OF THOSE FRIVOLOUS OTHERS FALLS FOR THEM? OR GETS THE INTEREST FOR A ROMP, HM? WHAT THEN?”

“apparently that already happened today. Boa. Baby doll got embarrassed but they’re still pals.”

Whip flinched hearing that, his glare getting more intense, “SO YOU’RE SAYING THEY AREN’T GOING TO TURN ON US? THAT I’M BEING RIDICULOUS?”

“no, I’m sayin’ you don’t need to try an’ protect yourself so hard.” Spice sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, “bro, you usually aren’t closed off like this with people you don’t trust. You’re good at making them think you like’em so they slip up. why are ya actin’ like a frightened cat? All puffed up and angry?”

Whip’s sockets were filling with red magic, “BECAUSE AT LEAST IF I KEEP THEM AWAY IT WON’T HURT HAVING TO LEAVE.”

“there’s the issue,” Spice walked over to where Whip was shaking in place, quickly putting his arms around him, “ya do like ‘em, then?”

“YES.” The answer was wet and miserable, “THEY’RE EVERYTHING PAPYRUS SAID, AND EVEN WITH SUGAR BEING CAUTIOUS, I CAN’T FIND A REASON NOT TO. SANS…” Whip slowly collapsed to his knees and held Spice tight, “I’ve…I’ve never been so close to someone who actually met my standards. They’re kind, and they care about our alternates, and they’re smart, and funny and beautiful and…Sans, I’m so scared to let myself go because we’re going to lose them.”

Spice rubbed his back gently, “I know, bro. but that’s why we gotta try an’ enjoy it, right? when we’re back in that shithole, we gotta have memories to get us through. Cause what good is it pushin’ away good things just cause they won’t last? Just means you spend more time bein’ sad than ya had ta.”

“I don’t know if my soul can take it, though,” Whip whined, hiding his sockets against Spice’s shoulder. “You know how lonesome it was at home and finding someone like y/n here…it’s not fair. It’s not fair that I found an angel and have to give them up.”

“y’know I understand that, probably better than most,” Spice gave his back a pat, making him let loose so he could sit down, “bro, I get it, but like I said, enjoy it while we can. cause once it’s gone, we ain’t gettin’ another chance.”

Whip sat next to him on the bed and leaned over, head on his shoulder, “You’re right, as usual, brother. I just…I’m used to causing pain, not feeling it. It’s difficult to manage.”

“yeah. but you can do it. I know ya can. cause I’ll be right with ya the whole time.”

After a while, just the slow hum of Whip’s computer and the breeze outside, Whip asked, “What did it feel like when you got to hold them, Sans?”

“real nice,” Spice purred a bit, “their whole body is soft, bro. hair, skin, hands, all pillows. Ehehe, they’d be mad if I said that to’em, though. they’re workin’ with their buddies and pap to get in shape. Spend half an hour outside every afternoon with’em in their leggings and sport top. Nice ta watch.”

Whip nodded, “And do they mind flirtations too much?”

“they’re gettin’ better about it, but you still have ta be careful how far ya go. don’t get all out explicit, but suggestive is fine. They actually shot one back at Sugar yesterday, even if it was kinda weak.”

“Good.” He took a deep breath and sighed as he let it out, “I’m going to try to amend my mistake of avoiding them, but it’ll take some time. Please keep me from making an ass of myself anymore.”

“I’ll try, but I dunno much about donkeys,” Spice quipped, only to get pushed onto the bed as Whip got up in irritation. “ehehehe, sorry, bro, but you walked inta that one.”

“I DID AND I HATE IT.”

--

You were in the kitchen, eating breakfast after waking up late on a rare Friday holiday when Whip walked in. Normally, he’d instantly walk back out looking frustrated, but today he stayed.

It was weird, and you watched as he walked to the fridge, got a bottle of a chocolate protein drink, and sat down near you.

“HUMAN, I….HMGH,” he started, picking at the wrapper on the outside of his drink till he could get the lit loose, “Y/N. I’VE BEEN…COLD TO YOU, TO SAY THE LEAST.”

“Yes.” Where is he going with this?

“I THOUGHT…WELL, I SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY. OR AT LEAST APOLOGIZE FOR IT.” He grimaced while he searched for the words, “I SIMPLY WAS AFRAID OF GETTING HURT WHEN OR IF WE SHOULD EVER PART WAYS. BECAUSE I HONESTLY…I’VE WANTED TO MEET SOMEONE LIKE YOU FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND IT MADE ME FEEL PANICKED. LIKE…FINALLY GETTING TO MEET YOUR FAVORITE CELEBRITY BUT AS YOU NEAR THE STAGE DOOR YOU BOLT. YOU’RE AFRAID THE REALITY WON’T LIVE UP TO THE DREAM AND IF IT DOES THEN YOU FEAR THE PAIN OF THE MEETING BEING OVER.”

That was not what you expected as his reasoning. Pride, specist thoughts, a general dislike of new people, something like that, but not…this. “I do understand your reference, but I’m still kind of shocked you’re even talking to me at all right now.”

“I UNDERSTAND.” He sighed, taking a long drink from his bottle. “I JUST WANTED TO…WELL, TO TRY AND FIX THINGS. I HAD TO ADMIT WHAT I WAS THINKING TO MY BROTHER AND THAT FINALLY GOT ME THINKING ABOUT…HOW UNFAIR IT WAS TO BE ANGRY WITH YOU FOR BEING YOURSELF. I HAD NO RIGHT, AND IT’S KIND OF STUPID NOW THAT I PUT IT IN WORDS. GOOD GRIEF.”

“How about,” you hold out your hand, smiling, “we start over? Hi, my name is Y/n. I’m Sans and Papyrus’ datemate and I’d like to stay in the house for the foreseeable future.”

He looked at your hand, then his shoulders relaxed and his sharp smile turned soft, “MY NAME IS WHIP, IT’S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU AT LAST.” He shook your hand, “I’D BE HAPPY TO HAVE SOMEONE SO BELOVED BY MY COUSINS STAY WITH US.”

A pool of warmth dropped into your chest at the relief you knew was a mutual experience. You no longer had an enemy in your home, and the comfortable silence as you both enjoyed your respective sustenance was very rewarding.

--

“Sugar, please,” Charm rubbed his sockets, “I’m trying to plan a fun night out for us all, and your pessimism is ruining it.”

“no, I’m seriously worried. Have you not felt the energy change? Somebody’s doing something and it’s none of us.”

“I felt it and I know exactly what happened, but I’m not telling you because it’s none of your business.” Charm kept clicking from one page to another, looking at options.

“what?”

“You heard me. You do realize there is a loving trio in this house, yes? That it’s not just us and the others from similar universes?” Charm swiveled his chair and looked fully at his brother, “Sans, sometimes your anxiety makes you act like a prick.”

Sugar winced, deflating. “oh. yeah. guess I overstepped again.”

“Yes, you did.” Charm pushed his chair over and poked Sugar in the chest, “but I will remind you again. I love you. I want what is best for everyone here. And I am not some babybones who is naïve about the complexities of relationships. It’s just things are tilted differently here, and yes, that was hard to get used to, but it can be done. And besides,” He smiled, “We’re all going out for Halloween. I need to make sure we go somewhere fun since it’s Y/n’s favorite holiday and Papyrus’ birthday.”

Sugar sighed, “okay. okay, maybe you’re right. and sansy’s been trying to get me to lighten up too, so…” He sat on the floor before laying out like a star, “if sweet-pea can trust them enough to cuddle again, I guess I can try to, too.”

“Bully for you!” Charm smiled, going back to his computer. “And Sweet-pea will be here at the house with our candy bowl, so he will get a costume as well.”

“he’s actually going to greet the trick or treaters?”

“Yes! He’s been doing very well since he started opening up more.” Charm double clicked something and absently scanned the text that popped up, “He’s started sitting on the deck with us while we do our yoga and Sansy is seeing if he can set up video chat conferences with a therapist for him. Apparently, humans get this kind of anxiety too. It’s called agoraphobia.”

Sugar nodded, kind of surprised. Sweet-pea was going outside? Willingly? That was definitely a good thing, no arguing that, and…well, he was getting tired of being jumpy about the human all the time, if he was being honest.

--

You were a little shy about it, but Boa and Sweet-pea were both bustling around you in Sweet-pea’s room. They were re-taking your measurements to make sure they were accurate for your costume. You hadn’t had a good idea for a costume, but Papyrus had proposed it being a surprise that they chose for you. Sweet-pea had volunteered to make the design, and you’d been excited to see what he’d do. So far, he’d made you a nightgown that made you feel very ethereal any time you wore it, but he’d been too busy with commissions and orders to do anything else till now.

“I take a break every October,” he told you, sketching away, “it lets me have down time to recover and do whatever things I’d like otherwise.”

Boa was very fast with the measuring tape, barely touching it to your body as you stood in a shirt and shorts.

You felt the goosebumps going over your scalp as they worked, just like at the doctor’s office, and felt that strange far away feeling that went with them.

“Pumpkin,” Boa spoke, standing with his tape, “have you ever been fitted properly for your foundations?” He seemed puzzled as he looked you over. “I just want to make sure you’re as comfortable as you can be. Bad support can cause back pain, you know.”

You hadn’t known. “No, I haven’t. What would you have to do?”

Sweet-pea looked up, “just measure around your chest do some more close measurements of your pelvis area. It doesn’t take long. Last time he fitted someone it only took him two and a half minutes. But…uh… you will have to undress. Dunno if you’re up to that or not.”

Boa blushed, but nodded, looking away. “It’s up to you. You’re going to look ravishing either way, but it’s just been bugging me since we went shopping that first day. You deserve to be comfortable…”

It took a moment, as you thought it out. Two and a half minutes, hm? And you trusted them both, at least as much as you trusted the classmates you’d changed in the bathrooms with at choir competitions in high school. Quite a bit more, now that you’re thinking about it, “I think we can do it. It would be nice to know for my next shopping trip.”

Both of them perked up, and you steeled yourself as you undressed down to nothing. Boa’s eye lights shone bright and wide, and you saw the glow start at his throat, but he shook his head and smiled, “I’ll be quick. Thank you for letting me help you!”

True to his word, Boa went fast, around your chest, from your collar to your nipple, and around the area under your breasts. “That’s that, thirty-four triple d, Sweet-pea.”

“thought so.” The younger brother wrote it down somewhere on his sketch pad, but he was still going, “I know someone who would kill for that size for her bleach cosplays.”

You tilted your head and he smiled, “Somebody I know at home. She’s almost as bad as Alphys about anime, but likes JUMP stuff more.”

“Ah, okay.” You were focusing on anything other than Boa being between your legs with his tape, going quickly over your thighs, around your butt, and gently pressing the end of the tape to your core and going up a ways before snapping back and listing off his findings. “Well, that was fast.”

“three minutes. A little slower, but we’ve never measured a human before.”

Boa nodded and handed you your things, “We have everything we need to make you the best costume and find the best things on our shopping trips now.” There was blush on his cheekbones, and his smile was very soft, making your own cheeks heat more.

“Thank you for being fast with it. I’m not exactly used to being naked in front of other people.” You hurry to get your clothes back on, even as you hear something in an almost electronic voice. “Huh?”

Boa blushed, “Um, sorry. I slipped into Wingdings for a moment. I ah…I was saying we were lucky to get a glimpse at such a rare treasure as your body.”

Sweet-pea snorted and giggled, “that’s what he said literally, but wingdings is a monster language, so you don’t get any of the cute undertones and intents that went with it in English. you do look nice, though.”

“You boys are going to be the death of me. I’m going to die of flattery,” You had scrunched up your face from how hot it got, and huffed as you pulled your shirt back on, “and then Papy and Sans will be widowers.”

“You’d have to marry them for that,” Boa smirked a bit.

“smartaleck” you stuck your tongue out at him and walked to the door, “You’re both lucky I love you.”

“we love you, too, y/n.” Sweet-pea poked Boa, who just waved at you.

You shake your head and leave.

As soon as the door shut, Boa’s whole skull exploded in color and he jerked his scarf off as the jewel below burst into brilliant light. “Oh my stars, I’m going to keel over! Humans smell so different and it’s GOOD and they’re so amazing already and then just! Naked right in front of me! ack!”

Sweet-pea chuckled, blushing a bit, “they were lovely. And those hips….gosh, I know kids aren’t the end all be all up here but they look like they could carry so well…”

“I know!” Boa groaned, rubbing the heels of his hands into his closed sockets, “How does Papyrus just have them as his datemate and not keep them in the bedroom all day?”

“He’s just not turned like us, bro,” Sweet-pea sighed, “but I’m glad they’re at least happy with each other. You could smell him on them as soon as the layers came off.”

Boa finally seemed to calm down as the glow in his gem dimmed, “That was reassuring. Now we’re sure they’re not hurting themselves with repression or anything.”

“pretty sure it’s only us that need that regular release for health,” Sweet-pea mumbled. “humans don’t get heats, much less be in one all the time.”

“That still is amazing to me. And there’s so many of them even so! But then again, they are mammals that care for their young a long time. it’s only natural most of their offspring live.”

Sweet-pea laughed, “you should never have dropped out of zoology, bro. you’d have been a great professor.”

“I’ll be a better guardsman slash radio host!” Boa shot back, getting up. “Now, as soon as you have the design ready, bring it to me. We’re going to make the others drop their jaws to the floor.”

“and all in a human-friendly fashion. Gonna be fun,” Sweet-pea waved his brother off, and got down to work. He was going to make the rest of the world see exactly what Y/n was to their household.

--

Whip was uncomfortable. Not because he didn’t participate in the pillow cuddling normally, because he had before the human had come. No, it was because said human had chosen to sit beside him in the pile. He was still jumpy around them, even if he knew they were on much better terms after his apology.

It didn’t help that Spice was on their other side and snoring so loud he could hardly hear.

“MAY I PLEASE WAKE HIM UP TO STOP THAT RACKET?”

“No, Whip, don’t wake him. He’s actually not trying to fluster me when he’s sleeping,” says the human, looking fondly at Spice. Well, they did have a point. “Here, let me try shifting him a bit.”

Interested, he watched as you gently shifted Spice’s head back, and his brother’s raucous snores quieted to gentle, soft vibrations.

“HOW DID YOU DO THAT?”

“Snoring in humans is caused by some weird blockages in the throat. I figured, if he’s snoring because of his ecto always being on, maybe doing what helps a human would help him.” You continue to intrigue him in the most unexpected ways.

--

Boa had been almost giddy in his sexy nurse costume when he handed you a bundle on Halloween at noon, “Here, Pumpkin, it’s your costume. Go put it on, hurry!”

Sweet-pea was behind him, a very normal looking scarecrow costume decorating his form, beaming in pride, “if you need help, just holler.”

Curious, you went to back into your room (you’d been leaving it to ask about just this) and opened the bundle. A beautiful Grecian dress, creamy white with golden clasps, lay in a cloud of feathers with a set of very soft, cottony underwear. The ease with which those went on surprised you, and the lifting of the weight of your chest from your back made your eyes widen. “Oh.” Boa had been incredibly accurate in that the wrong underthings could make you hurt.

The dress slipped on, as did a pair of delicate sheer white hose, and some golden sandals. The feathers, you realize, are wings that loop onto the clasps on your shoulders and attach to the golden rope around your waist. You actually get them on yourself, and when you pick up the little harp and halo that were hidden underneath, you grin. “An angel, huh?”

Everything fit like a glove, comfortable but flattering as you exited and came down the stairs. Charm saw you first and gasped, “Oh! Sweetheart, that’s gorgeous, but here, come with me.” He had that sneaky look when he was going to try and goad you or Sans and Papyrus into doing something romantic, but instead of taking you to them, he took you to a room under the stairs that you’d never bothered to investigate. It was like a dressing room in a theater, with lights and make up and wigs of all kinds.

“Welcome to my studio! On of the things I learned from my bestie underground is that half of an outfit is made by your make-up. Let me take you from a ten to an eleven.” He sat you down and gently removed the golden circlet of your halo, setting it down on the vanity. “Now, monster make-up is a lot different than human in that it doesn’t take five hours to do! So, I’m going to turn you around, and in thirty minutes you’ll be the belle of the Halloween ball.”

You only had a brief glimpse of your reflection (thankfully) before the chair was turned and Charm got to work. Smooth, cool creams were dabbed onto your face by his clearly practiced hands, having taken of his gloves to do this. It was kind of hard to keep from laughing, as he’d already made himself up and was wearing a rainbow afro and a red nose on top of his pure white face, blue eye circles, and big red mouth decorations. He was a very colorful clown, and the first clown you’d ever been happy to see.

Charm had his tongue stuck out while he worked, and you just couldn’t help yourself. You reached up and poked it with your finger. “Boop.”

He squinted his sockets and made a short noise that sounded like laughter, then gently told you off, “Don’t boop the beautician, sweet thing. It’s not polite.”

“But you’re my bestie first,” you point out, and his smile grows.

“I know.” He brushes his teeth against your forehead gently, “Now let me work my magic, quite literally.”

You giggle quietly, and he hums, using a puff to place powder over the creams.

He then goes around you and gently begins coming through your hair, adding some things to it as well, “When this is done, sweetie, it’s going to just be you with some polish. You’re always this lovely to us, it’ll just be enough magic to let others and you see what we see every day.”

“Are you sure?” Yes, you’d been pleased with the little bit of change you’d seen in your clothes since starting your daily yoga, but you still felt…gross.

“Oh, I’d put my soul on it.” He squeezed your shoulder gently before returning to his work on your hair, “Papyrus and Sans think you hung the moon, Y/n. And I’d put money on Boa thinking the same. Sweet-pea trusts you more than he’s trusted anyone outside the family, ever. Whip even let his pride go and started to get to know you. That means something.”

“And you and Sugar? Spice?”

“Oh Y/n, I can’t even put into words what you mean to me.” His voice was so soft and full of love, you couldn’t even imagine what his expression was, “and my brother is slowly letting go of his fears. He’ll understand your magnificence when he does. “ A snort of wry laughter, “And Spice would have you be his own private teddy bear if it was up to him.”

You giggle thinking about that. Since he’d gotten over your mutual miscommunication, Spice had been the ultimate cuddlebug when he felt he could be. Which was most of the time. Not that you minded, he was warm, and the thick ecto he always wore was soft and comfy. Plus, you liked his voice. It was different than the others, like Whip’s in that it was gravelly, but smoother underneath, carrying a sweetness you liked.

“Let me paint your nails, and then we’ll be done.” Charm squatted in front of you and took a bottle of what looked like clear nail polish out. He thought for a moment, then nodded, a zap of pink magic infusing the bottle and turning the polish inside gold. “That should be the right color. A touch of Midas, hm?” He beamed at his reference, and you nodded.

You used the time to talk about a movie you saw once, of people trying to gain an item related to King Midas, and Charm suggested you find it online and the family could watch it next weekend. After all, after your group returned from the Halloween carnival, you all would be watching Halloween themed cartoons and family movies (because Papyrus, Sweet-pea, and Boa preferred not to watch horror films) while eating whatever candy remained after the trick-or-treaters.

Looking at your fingernails, not only were they shimmering as if they were covered in liquid gold, but they were perfectly shaped and the cuticles that were normally rough were smoothed down. “Wow! How did you do that with just polish?”

“It’s the magic in the polish.” Charm finished your toes and returned the brush to the bottle, “The polish is just there to change color according to my intent. I needed it gold, and I wanted your nails to be healthy and beautiful, so the magic did the rest. Even after we take the polish off, you’ll still keep the healthy nails underneath. Also, it’s instant dry, too.”

He looked you over one last time and nodded, “Alright, are you ready?”

When you said yes, he placed the halo back on your head and turned you around. You almost burst into tears right there. Your hair was laying around your face in elegant waves, framing it perfectly and without frizz for the first time in your life. And your face, it was exactly what Charm had said. It was you, but your skin was evenly colored instead of blotchy, the texture was smooth and uniform, every pore was clean and tiny. Your eyelashes and brows were present instead of faded out like they usually were, and all signs of the flaky dermatitis that had plagued you since your teenage years was gone from them.

“I’m…..Charm, you did…” you just looked over at him, the water dripping out of your eyes without you even blinking to free it. “It’s wonderful.”

“Just a little MTT Beauty Butter and the intent to clean and heal. The rest is all how your body naturally wants to be. It loves you, just as we do, and wants you to be happy and healthy. It just needed a little boost, now and again, is all.” He helps you to your feet, taking a nearby box of tissues and using them to gently dry your tears. “Now you can see yourself as the angel we know you are.”

You just hug him, far beyond words.

He strokes your head gently, waiting for you to recover before saying, “Now, we should get to the living room to meet up with the others and head for the carnival.”

You felt like you were walking on air as he led you out of the make up room and down the hall to the living room.

The banter had started already, “SANS, WHY DO YOU INSIST ON LAZINESS? IT’S OUR FIRST HALLOWEEN WITH Y/N IN THE HOUSE AND YOU JUST….THAT?!”

Entering, you saw Papyrus dressed as Superman, cape and spandex in red, blue, and yellow, and Sans was wearing a black, cat-ear headband taped to his skull, with black whiskers drawn on his cheekbones sloppily, all with his normal clothes.

Sugar, as a sexy witch, is standing with his broom in a corner, laughing behind his hand next to pirate-captain Spice, long coat sweeping his brown boots and black hat sporting a big maroon feather. Whip was dressed as a classic Devil, though he’d exchanged the red onesie for a bright red business suit. Boa and Sweet-pea were on the couch, chatting.

Charm cleared his throat and that got everyone’s attention, and you were feeling quite small as they all looked at you.

Whip’s eye lights went out, and you noticed a bright glow in the left leg of his pants. Oh no…oh no you’d made him uncomfortable. “I-I didn’t pick this out but…I’m sorry.”

Spice came over, taking your hands in his (where did he find all those rings?), “don’t apologize, baby doll. You’re beautiful. Sweet-pea an’ Boa done good. you too, charm, cause I know baby doll don’t do make-up like that.”

“Bu-but-“

“no buts,” Sans shortcutted next to you and beamed, “you look perfect. We’re going to be the envy of everybody. Though, as an angel, you probably don’t like that, do you?” He winked and you smiled. You couldn’t help yourself if Sans was making jokes.

Papyrus strode over and knelt in front of you, making everyone step aside for him, “AS A SUPERHERO, I WILL WORK VERY HARD TO DO GOOD, SO THAT I MAY GET VISITS FROM THIS UNEARTHLY VISION OF LOVELINESS AGAIN!” He was sparkling -literally-, cheeks flushed orange, as he looked up at you.

“Papyrus, you can see me anytime.”

“I KNOW, BUT YOU LOOK EXACTLY LIKE A MESSENGER FROM HEAVEN RIGHT NOW! THE PICTURE OF THE DELTARUNE’S PREDICTED SAVIOR!” He frowned and got up, “THOUGH, THAT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE FRISK, SO YOU’RE THEIR COUSIN. BUT STILL!”

Sugar flounced over in the short skirt and tights that were wrapped around his bones, “ooh, our little y/n has graduated from pretty to gorgeous.”

Charm rolled his eye lights, but Boa and Sweet-pea rushed over before he could fire back at his brother.

“Oh, Y/n, it’s absolutely perfect. I was worried about the top of the dress but it’s laying fabulously,” Boa cooed, proud of his work.

“you look just like I thought you would,” Sweet-pea gave a small laugh, “though, turns out real life is better than imagination in this case. Thanks, charm, for finishing off the look.”

“Oh it was my pleasure, believe me,” Charm actually honked his nose, revealing it to be a prop horn, “I might be a clown tonight, but I am a chivalrous guard first and helping our dear Y/n shine their brightest is the least I could do.”

You were blushing so hard, but Papyrus gently scooped you out of the crowd, “NOW LET’S GET GOING TO THE CARNIVAL. I WANT EVERYONE TO ADMIRE OUR ANGEL BEFORE THEY GET TOO FLUSTERED AND MUSS THEIR MAKE-UP!”

There was a murmur of agreement, and as you left the house, you waved goodbye to Sweet-pea, who was beaming as he closed the door.

[artificiallyimplantedmemories]

[ ooc: watched tf&tws ep3, so opinions under the cut as usual ]

alright so I liveblogged it this time instead whoops

that ad from the GRC -_-

“Do you know who I am?” right because that’s definitely how you get people to cooperate with you lmao

Lemar Hoskins out here talking rationally about things? hmmm

“frolicking in the sun together” XDDDD Sam really

oof the look on Bucky’s face during the conversation with Zemo. gdi SebStan stop doing tragic so well.

“it was never personal” GETTIN’ REAL TIRED OF HEARING THAT SHIT

aw straight back into Sam calling him “Buck” despite them being like “yeah we do this and never talk to each other again” BULLSHIT BOYS Y’ALL GONNA BE BOSOM BUDDIES

“No offense.” “Offense.” XD

ahh the very logical walkthrough of the breakout. zemo has broken out of so many places.

“If I may...” “NO” “Apologies.” I cackled.

those are some fancy ass cars... and a fancy ass plane... guess that works for a baron

are they really sitting around talking about Marvin Gaye

Zemo is right about putting people on a pedestal. Hell, people do that to the characters too and refuse to see their flaws and it’s irritating as hell. Much love to my mutuals who embrace their muses’ problematic tendencies, the things they fuck up on, the way that good things taken to extremes are not always good, etc. Y’all are the MVPs.

“We’re going to Madripoor.” -cue comic flashbacks and shivers-

oh hello 2 seconds to make Karli a more sympathetic figure cool

Madripoor and immediately yellow lights -_-

but also pimp dressing criminal!Sam is a reference to Snap, right? that was wildly problematic in the comics but it’s canonically a part of Sam’s backstory...

I’m digging the neons. reminds me of the seedy bars in Mass Effect lol

WOLVIE’S BAR I SEE YOU. GOOD DAMN EASTER EGG MARVEL (now gimme a Logan to write with pls rpc I beg you)

the fucking thumbs up. what kind of criminal gives the bartender a thumbs up lmao, good job Sam

hot damn Winter Soldier mode. I know Bucky’s gonna probably feel horrible about it but HOT DAMN.

Edith Piaf, it’s always Edith Piaf

Shelby, HARD SAME @ SAM. rawr indeed.

Looked up Dr. Wilfred Nagel because the name wasn’t familiar and...

I see

lmao bounty on their heads, nobody could have predicted THAT

“I CAN’T RUN IN THESE HEELS.” WEAK, Sam, weak. I’ve run in 4 inch heels before, you’ll be fine.

SHAAAAARRROOOONNNNNN <3 She’s been through so much ;_; 

random hindi sign that translates to “body culture”?? what

“Much better” LOL yup

Sharon is BITTER and y’know what that’s valid.

Sam means well but acting like Sharon helping is a condition to her trying to clear her name??? D:

okay the doctor dos NOT look like the one in the comics lol

Sharon taking on all the bounty hunters!!! Holy shit she’s lethal and impressive wow.

Donya Madani... any relation to Dinah? (I haven’t watched The Punisher don’t look at me I know nothing)

Obligatory explosions. Good way to destroy the lab so there’s no way to trace back anything that’s there to any other place... also if they got blown up and were unrecognizable, would someone still be able to collect a bounty? It’s late and I’m thinking about this dumb shit.

so much shooting and dumb bickering

“It’s in every action movie!”

there’s the Zemo hood

can you even move up seats in those kinds of cars?? who knows

oooh who’s the new lady?

Desmond Chiam can get it. wow I really must be tired, I don’t even normally find people attractive

Sam caring about people gives me life. I think in watching this show, people forget that he was a VA counselor and that he’s spent so much of his time helping people heal. Just because he’s good at fighting doesn’t mean that it’s the heart of who he is.

and now we start the turning-audiences-against-Karli thing okay

oh no Sokovia ;_;

KIMOYO BEADS

oh hey it’s Ayo~ that refers back to the whole Wakanda didn’t forget thing yes of course

Closing thoughts:

Sam better get Sharon that fucking pardon and they better help her get back in touch with her family and everything. She’s been through so much shit. And I hope that she then gets to join them on their ass-kicking of her own free will instead of as a trade for something.

Zemo is so much more convincing of a villain in MCU than he was in the comics. He’s actually canny, impressive in both physical fighting and psychological warfare.

I felt like this episode was both well balanced but also more obvious in its motives and purpose and whatnot. Nothing felt unexpected or punched hard in terms of social commentary like the previous eps, which is... I dunno, maybe a little unfortunate? But it was good development overall, I guess.

[diddlesanddoodles]

Dumpling ch 27

When they made it back to the library, the sun had already set and though she knew Farris was going to be angry that she had not returned before his curfew, it was the farthest thing on her mind.

“For the time being,” Maevis said to Jae and Nenani. “I think it best we keep what has happened here to ourselves.”

“Shouldn’t we tell Warren?” Jae asked dubiously. “I mean, he has a right to know.”

Maevis nodded. “I will broach it with his majesty and when Keral returns, I will share our new information with him as well. But for you two...act as though nothing has happened.”

“Well...I did kind of tell Farris that were looking for dead people in the tunnels.” Jae admitted sheepishly.  

“Then you will tell him you found the lost tunnel, but no catacombs,” Maevis instructed. “And that because of your unfamiliarity, you got lost. Perhaps that will gain you a little sympathy for the hour.”

Jae leveled a flat and unimpressed look at the magician. “…I don’t know if you’ve actually ever met Farris, but that’s not really something he does.”

“Nenani,” Maevis said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Today must have been very hard for you. I am sorry to have drug you through all of it.”

“How are we going to find the fallen flame?” she asked.

Maevis looked at her, taken aback, but seemed very pleased that she had not been reduced to a further sobbing incoherent mess by the day’s events. “First we must ascertain what, or who, this fallen flame is. Barnaby has likely retired already for the night and I will not rouse him. The poor man needs his rest, but tomorrow we will begin our research. But for now, I believe both of you need some supper and a good night’s sleep.”

“I don’t think I’m going to be getting much sleep after seeing the glowing green skeleton garble cryptic nonsense at us,” Jae said, rubbing the back of his head. “...Donal’s gonna hate me tomorrow.”

“No, I don’t suppose any of us should expect a peaceful night tonight,” Maevis agreed. “But we should make the effort regardless.”

“Come on, Nenani,” Jae said in tired resignation. “I’ll take you back to Farris. Maybe if you give him your best kicked puppy look he won’t be that angry.”

……………………………………………

The cooking fires had been extinguished when they made it into the camp proper and everyone had retired to the hut for the night. As Nenani and Jae approached, they could hear voices from inside and what seemed to be an argument. Farris’s irate voice chief among them.

“...better have one damn good excuse!”

“It’s the brat yer talking about,” said someone. Nenani was sure that it was Bart as it was too deep for anyone else. “He won’t have anythin’ but a mouth full of excuses.”

“You should go find that old cocotte, boss.” Someone laughed and she heard Yale reply, “It’s in the back of the tent on top of the larger oak chest. Y’know. Just in case.”

“Not a bad suggestion, lads.”

Beside her, Nenani heard Jae grumble unhappily. “This day just keeps getting better and better...”

“You don’t need to stay,” she told him. “I’m fine.”

Jae glanced at her with furrowed brows. “Are you sure? Because you’re awfully...quiet. I mean, seeing the thing and hearing all that junk...it freaked me out. Aren’t you scared?”

She thought about it. “The smoke mage scares me more. A lot more. But the skeleton doesn’t. Not really. I mean he does, it was a talking skeleton! He was a skeleton and we was talking! But...he didn’t seem to want to hurt me and he did tell us some things, so that has to be good, right? He wanted to help.”

“I guess...still freaky.”

“Very freaky,” she agreed. “And it does help to talk about it, I mean. When it was just in my head all the time it just felt like it got bigger and bigger until I couldn’t stand it anymore and sometimes it was all I could think about. But...saying it all out loud helped a lot. And you were right about Maevis. He’s really good about making you feel better when your scared.”

Jae smiled fondly. “Yeah. He is. For a man, he’s very motherly.”

She laughed. “He’s very kind.”

“So I guess I’ll leave you to your fate then,” Jae said and was about to say his goodbyes when the moonlight above them was abruptly cut off. They both looked up and any hope that Nenani could somehow muster a pitiful look great enough to surmount Farris’s anger was quickly dashed when they saw the spice master’s face.

“Ah shit...” Jae said just as Farris reached down and grabbed him up by the back of his tunic. “AH! Fuck, Farris! Put me down!” Nenani was also quickly swept up into his other hand and without a word, the giant marched back to the hut with his prizes. Farris used his shoulder to push his way into room with his captives and all eyes turned to them.

“Ah! Well, look what the cat dragged in!” Kol laughed.

“Hold ‘em, Yale.” Farris said gruffly as he dumped both Jae and Nenani into Yale’s lap and turned back out into the night. He caught Nenani awkwardly and Jae mostly fell onto the cot, but Yale was quick to grab onto the young man’s leg as he tried to scurry away.

“Oh no ya don’t, boyo!” Yale laughed.

Jae twisted and kicked at Yale’s hand and managed to wiggle his foot out as Yale tried to adjust his grip on Nenani. But as Jae tried to make a break for the door, Bart’s foot was there to block his path and then rough and hard hands gripped him around the middle and lifted him up. Bart sat the flailing boy on his thigh and held him, ruffling his hair and making the unhappy human even more so.

“Nice try, lad,” Bart chuckled. “But ye should’a known better than cross Farris.”

“It was an accident!” Jae protested, experimentally wiggling in Bart’s grip, but Bart had a solid hold of him. “It’s not like there are windows in those tunnels, y’know!”

“Aye, but this ain’t yer first offense neither, is it boy?”

Jae sighed, exasperated as he tried to fix his hair. “Great...what else did I do?”

“Brought the lil’un back without ‘er marker,” the butcher replied.

Jae paused and considered that. “Oh...yeah.”

“And then before that,” Yale added, fixing his grip on Nenani so she sat in the loop of his arm. “Ya

brought her back all drunk off a’ Maevis’s loopy juice.”

“Yeah, but that one wasn’t my fault,” Jae protested. “That shouldn’t count!”

“And yet it does,” Saen added, his wide grin just making Jae all the more irate. But his bluster and bravado dropped like a rock when Farris walked back into the hut caring a cocotte. The kitchen staff burst out into raucous laughter at the sight and Jae just stared incredulously.

“You got to be joking,” Jae said, real worry starting to sink in and he started to struggle, but Bart just held him firmly.

Farris took the lid off the cocotte and jerked his head. “Put ‘im in, Bart.”

Bart was laughing loudly as the others as he complied with Farris’s order and forced Jae into the open bowl of the pot. “Duck yer head, boy,” Bart chuckled he pressed the human’s head down and Farris’ slipped the lid on top.

“LET ME OUT OF HERE YOU FUCKERS! THIS ISN’T FUNNY!” Nenani could hear the muffled sounds of Jae’s kicks against the metal pot’s sides. She sank into Yale, trying to maker herself as small as possible.

“You may not think so!” Kol said to Jae with a loud and boisterous laugh. “Oh...oh, Gods. I can’t breathe.”

Everyone was beside themselves with mirth and Nenani ducked down further behind Yale’s arm as Farris sat the cocotte down on the floor and use one foot to secure the lid. He flicked his sharp and angry green eyes to meet her own.

“Told ya one thing, didn’t I?” Farris asked, his voice deceptively low. She could almost see the vein at his temple throb with ire. His face was almost purple. She nodded, gulping nervously.

“And what did I fuckin’ say?”

“...to be back before sundown,” she replied meekly.

“Aye. Ya see the sun anywhere, lil’un?”

“No, sir.”

“And yet ye two come strollin’ in two hours passed curfew!” Farris’s voice rose and it sounded very loud in the small hut.

“We didn’t mean to!” she protested.

Farris pinned her with a very unamused look and jerked his head down the cocotte under his foot. “Ye wanna join ‘em in there, Dumplin’?”

She shook her head vigorously.

“Then don’t be feedin’ me any ‘a that,” He warned. “Your punishment comes tomorrow, lass. When I tell ya to do somethin’ or when’ta do it, it ain’t no request. I expect it to be done the way I told ya. Understand me?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Good. ‘Cause next time somethin’ like this happens, I’m stuffin’ ya both in there.”

“THERE’S NO ROOM!” Jae’s muffled reply came from down near the floor.

“I’ll get a bigger one.” Farris replied flatly.

“Ugh, fucking piece of...how long are you gonna make me stay in here?”

Farris scratched the side of his face as he considered. “Ye got ‘bout eight hours before the sun rises and nine before Donal will be expectin’ ya.”

“YOUR GONNA MAKE ME SIT IN HERE ALL NIGHT?!”

“Aye. Use it as a’ opportunity to figure out how to tell time in th’ dark so this won’t be happenin’ again.”

“FARRIS FOR REAL. THIS WAS FUNNY WHEN I WAS TEN, BUT THERE IS A LOT LESS SPACE IN HERE NOW!”

“Settle in, brat. Ye ain’t gettin’ out till I say.”

“Wha –? Seriously?”

“Aye.”

“DAMMIT, FARRIS –!”

………………………………………………

Farris had not been bluffing when he told Jae he would be spending the night inside of the cocotte and as everyone began to get into their cot’s for the night, Farris weighed the lid down with a large rock before settling into his cot and closing his eyes. But in the early morning hours before the sun had risen, Nenani woke from a fretful and not very refreshing sleep to see Farris at the edge of his cot, wiping away the sleep from his eyes before looking down at the cocotte. He bent down to remove the rock and slipped the lid off. Jae was curled up inside, fast asleep. His chest rose and sank slowly as he breathed.

Farris touched the young man’s back and nudged him. “Come on, boy. Wake up.”

Jae groaned and twisted in response to the prodding, but before he was fully awake, Faris slipped his hand under the young man and pulled him out. The bleary eyed human was set on his feet, but Farris held him steady as he found his footing and once Jae was awake enough to stand for himself, Farris nudged him towards the hut’s door. “Off with ye now. Ye got a few hours yet before Donal will be lookin’ fer ya. Go get a bit a’ rest in a real bed. And don’t think I won’t put ye back in there if ye don’t start mindin’ me, eh?”

Jae just mumbled something noncommittally, still half asleep, rubbing at his eyes. Farris snorted, but the edges of his mouth curled into a light smile. He pressed his knuckles into Jae’s back to encourage him forward.

“I’m going, I’m going...” Jae replied sleepily. “Geez...first that fucking skeleton ghost and then fucking cocottes...never gonan get a full night’s sleep again at this rate. Just gonna tell Donal I’m sick or somethin’.”

Farris narrowed his eyes. “What was that?”

Jae turned back to stare blurry eyed at the spice master. “Huh? What was what?”

“...skeleton ghost?”

Jae was suddenly very much awake and his mouth floundered as he tried to explain himself. “Oh...uh. Not...uh. Nothing. Just nothing.”

“Yer were always a terrible liar, boy,” Farris said with a warning peppering his voice.

“Just a bad dream is all,” Jae replied, but even Nenani could tell that his nervous body language gave away the lie.

Farris pinned Jae with a look. “Jae?”

The young human opened his mouth as though he were going to answer, but paused and then turned on his heals and ran out of the hut before the giant could make a grab for him. Farris just glared after him and sighed. “Gods piss on it...”

Nenani watched silently from her spot tucked up against Yale’s side as Farris spent a few quiet moments for himself in the quiet, just looking out passed the open door to the sun as it slowly started to peak over the edge of the horizon. When the first hint of sunlight crept into the hut, Farris stood up with a grunt. “Alright, boys. Get yer lazy arses up and let’s get to it!”

Yale had become very good at sensing where Nenani was in the mornings and well before she felt Yale stir, his hand slipped under her and he pulled her up with him as he sat up, yawning. Yale was still rubbing the sleep from his face when Farris stepped up to his cot and held his hand out.

“Huh?” Yale asked, looking up at him.

Farris gestured with his fingers. “Hand me the Dumplin’, Yale. She’s with me today. I’ll leave the mornin’ prep to ye to look over.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Yale replied, holding Nenani out to Farris. She settled easily into his warm hands, regretting her poor sleep and as Farris gave out the orders and quickly ran through the day’s work assignments, she laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes. There was no chance the smoke mage could get near her. Not with Farris around. Even with him angry at her, she still felt perfectly safe. The warm ball she had curled herself into, however, was abruptly undone when Farris sat her down on the cold wooden table inside the tent. The morning chill lingered even as the braziers and cook fires were lit.

“Now then,” Farris said as he placed several empty jars onto the table and filled them with vinegar. “By the end of breakfast, I’m expectin’ these all finished. Hear me, lass?”

She looked at the jars and counted. There were seven. It had taken her almost an entire day to do nine and now Farris wanted seven within a few hours. Her face must have betrayed her inner turmoil, because Farris laughed.

“Oh, aye. I’m serious. Seven by end of breakfast, girl. Best be gettin’ a move on then,” he said. “I’ll check on ya in a bit an’ don’t let me catch ya slackin’ none. Remember; that cocotte’s empty now and I’m sure yer plenty small enough t’be fittin’ just fine.”

Her strategy starting off was to pre-ground all of each ingredient first and then divvy them between each jar. She started with the licorice root as it was the easiest one and then started in on the ginger next. Farris peaked in on her after the first hour as she was just starting in on the ginger, but seemed satisfied enough to leave her at it.  As she ground up the yellow roots, her mind began to drift and all she could focus on was the spirit’s words of warning.  

“Find...the fallen flame...little one. They are...the one...who survived...the slaughter...of the ancient...blood...who has...no name...to pass...to her children.”

She wondered if Maevis or Barnaby were up yet and if they had began to look for clues. It just felt like they were sinking deeper into the mud and no where closer to knowing anything more about the smoke mage. It frustrated her to no end and it was only when she realized she had all but mashed the ginger into soup that she snapped out of it. She stared into the yellow goop clinging to the bowl and pestle. Her dress and hands were splattered with it. The smell clung to her.  

“He is...the smoldering...wreck...of a man...once promised...great things.”

A wreck of a man promised great things. Was he out for revenge? What had he been promised? Had the fallen flame...wronged him? But why was he coming after her if this fallen flame was who he was really after? What had her Uncle done to deserve the death he got, stuck down by this mad man…

Her breath hitched in her throat as a sudden thought came to her. In her dream, her Uncle had spoken to the smoke mage and had said...said that he would be denied again.

“You will be denied. This time and every other. You have haunted my family all these years, took everything we ever had, and yet still you are here, demanding more!”

“I will have what is mine. I will see the dead walls rise...”

“You bathe in the blood of thousands. And crown yourself emperor of a mountain of bones. But you are not my King. No King at all...and she will never be yours, no matter how you twist and pull these threads. In this life or the next! She chose Hayron.”

She chose...Hayron. Her father.

“Mama?” Nenani asked aloud to the winds. “Mama...chose Papa...over him...”

Her mother...was the fallen flame. Oira. The woman who rocked her to sleep and sang her lullabies. Who made her clothes and teased her when she grew too big for them. Her gentle, warm smile. Her laugh. The smell of her hair and feeling of being wrapped in her arms. Safe and loved and…

The smoke mage had taken her mother from her. Had murdered her father and her uncle. And now he came for her. A nauseating pull from inside her stomach had her doubled over and it was only when she struggled to take in a breath of air that she realized she was crying. Yelling. Screaming. The flap to the tent flew open and many bodies rushed inside. She heard their voices, but could not understand their words. Hands, warm and soft, touched her lightly and she shrank back. There was a horrible urge to bite and scratch and hurt something. Someone. It was difficult to resist the urge.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she yelled, her voice cracking and making her throat ache. Her head hurt so badly now. Sound made everything hurt and all she wanted was to curl up and disappear into nothing. No sound. No touch. None of it…

“NENANI!” She opened her eyes to find bright green irises looming over her, hands cradling her in large open palms. Yale was looking down over Farris’s shoulders in worried bewilderment. She saw Saen and Harit. Farris’s face was suddenly all she could see and she realized belatedly that he was speaking to her. “What is it, lil’un? What’s wrong? Talk to me, lass!”

Her chest heaved in great gasping sobs and she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t meet his eyes and she pressed her knees to her chest, curling into herself and shaking. It was too much. Everything hurt and throbbed and she was so tired. No more. Please no more. Help me. Please. Someone...

She could feel Farris’s hand rub down her back, trying to soother her. To calm her. His voice washed over her in a worried, soft brush of air. “Come on, lil’un. Breathe now. Yer alright...”

“He...he’s coming to kill me...” she told him, choking on her own tears.

“What?” Farris’s voice did not sound like his normal self. He sounded concerned. Very concerned. “What are ye talkin’ about? Who wants t’be killin’ ya?”

“...the smoke mage...”

“What? What the fuck is a smoke mage? Ain’t no one after ya, Nenani. Ye had a bad dream is all.”

“No,” she said, shaking he head and the looked up to meet his gaze with wet and wild eyes, full of fear and desperation. “No, Farris...please. I...I’m in trouble...really bad trouble.”

And she told him. Everything.

……………………………………………………………………….

His heart was pounding loudly in her ear, but she did not care. She pressed her forehead into the fabric of his shirt as he carried her through the halls, his hands pressing her to his chest protectively. Everything passed by in a blur and her head ached and her tummy hurt...

There was a crash as a door was violently flung open and she could smell parchment and ink.

“MAEVIS!” Farris roared, the sound of it echoing around the large expanse of the King’s Library. “GET OUT HERE YA FUCKER!”

“F-Farris! What on earth is the matter?” she heard Barnaby speak. He sounded alarmed. She didn’t blame him, though. Farris sounded murderous.

“Holy hell Farris!” Jae. What was he doing in the library? Didn’t he have work?

“Gods above, Farris, what ever is the...ah,” Maevis’s voice came from the other end of the room. “Oh my. I think I know why you’re here...”

“OH, I BET YE DO! WHEN THE FUCK WERE YA GONNA TELL ME SOME LUNATIC’S BEEN TRYIN’ TO KILL MY FUCKIN’ WARD?!”

“Farris, please. I understand you’re angry...”

“ANRGY? YA THINK I’M ANGRY? MAEVIS, I COULD GLADLY HURL YER USELESS ARSE OUT THAT FUCKIN’ WINDOW RIGHT NOW!”

“Please. This is not helping. I can tell you everything if you just...”

“JUST WHAT? SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME DAMN FUCKIN’ TEA? LOOK AT HER, YA FUCKIN’ NUTCASE! SHE’S SHAKIN’ TO PIECES!”

“We can explain what’s going on, but...”

“AND YOU, BOY! YOU KNEW AND DIDN’T SAY A DAMN WORD EITHER! YA TOOK HER INTO THOSE TUNNELS AND FUCKING….WHAT? WOKE SOME DEAD FUCKER UP? AND YA THOUGHT IT’D BE A GRAND IDEA FER HER TO SEE THAT?”

“We needed her there to be able hear them if they spoke.”

“SHE’S A FUCKIN’ BABE, MAEVIS! A CHILD! SHE SHOULDN’T BE ANYWHERE NEAR THIS MESS!”

“BUT SHE IS!” Maevis’s voice matched Farris’s. “She’s firmly in the thick of whatever it is this Smoke Mage is after. We’re trying to find out what he wants. To protect her!”

“IT AIN’T YER FUCKIN’ JOB TO BE PROTECTIN’ HER! IT’S MINE!”

“Farris, please, listen to us,” Jae begged. “This guy is really bad news. That dead guy gave us some clues to how to stop him and that’s what we’re trying really hard to figure out. We have to find this fallen flame person and...”

“WHAT THE FUCK IS A FALLEN GODDAMN FLAME?!”

“We think it’s a person. Maybe someone who...”

“Mama...” Nenani said quietly, uncurling herself from Farris’s shirt. Her head hurt so much…

“What?” Maevis asked. “Nenani, what did you say?”

“Mama is...was the fallen flame.”

“You’re...mother?”

“Nenani,” Barnaby said to her, his voice urgent and pleading. “Nenani, dear, I need you to tell me. Was your mother’s name Aine?”

“No...her name was Oira...”

“Yes, my dear, but was her full name Aine Elaine Oira?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Nenani, please, this is very important. I have reason to believe you are right, that the person the spirit spoke of is your mother. This fallen flame, but I need to know...”

“But she’s dead...she can’t help us. He killed her. And Papa...” Nenani said. There was another painful throb inside her head and she felt ill. “My head hurts...”

“Farris, put her here,” Maevis said gently, gesturing to the table.

“What are –?”

“I have some tonic to help with the pain. She’s hurting.”

She felt his hands curl around her for a moment before he lowered her onto the table. Barnaby was next to her suddenly and held up a tea cup, a small amount of bluish liquid at the bottom. “Drink, my dear. It will help.”

She tipped the cup back and the liquid hit her throat and she began to cough. It tastes vile and burned a little. Barnaby rubbed her back as she coughed. “There’s a good dear.”

“Oh my child,” Maevis said, standing near one end of the table with his hands pressed to the surface. “I am so sorry...”

Farris growled. “Ye should be fuckin’ apologizin’ to me dammit, Maevis. Does the King know? Why hadn’t ye said anythin’ before?”

“Yes. You’re right,” the magician said, bowing his head. “And I will explain what we know now and…wait.” Maevis’s head tilted to the side as though he had heard a sudden noise. “What…?”

“Huh?” Jae asked, taking a few steps towards him. “What’s wrong?”

“I just –Oh!” Maevis’s looked worried now. “Oh no…”

“What’s ‘oh no’? Maevis?” Jae asked, his own voice beginning to sound worried.

“One of my barriers was just destroyed...”

“What? Now? Where?”

“The one I cast near the north tower and...” Maevis’s eyes opened wide. “Another! Some...someone is dismantling my barriers!”

The magician ran to the window and thrust it open. The cold morning air rushed in, scattering a few papers. Nenani’s head gave another powerful, painful throb and she dropped the tea cup and it shattered at her feet. Farris loomed above her protectively, reaching an arm around her.  

“Jae, my boy,” Barnaby said as he hurriedly thrust something wrapped in a hemp blanket into the young man’s arms. “Take this.”

“What is…?” Jae unwrapped the top part of the bundle and from the folds of it was the hilt of a sword. Jae starred at it in disbelief and apprehension. “What –?!”

“Just in case,” Barnaby said, his face strained. “Just in case.”

“Wha...where the hell did you get a sword?” Jae demanded. “And why do I need it?”

Nenani’s head was swimming and the tonic did not seem to be helping at all. In fact, it seemed to make it that much worse. She heard the voices around her argue and speak, but she did not hear or understand them. She was too engrossed with trying to fight the painful aching between her temples. And then she smelled it. The scent of ash and smolder. She opened her eyes and looked around the room, searching with fervent paranoia. Her eyes were drawn to the velvet curtain that marked Maevis’s private study and there she saw it. Thin tendrils of smoke leaking up from behind the curtain and she followed it up and up to the ceiling. The face of a stag skull starred back at her, its two red eyes glowing from high up. He seemed to be suspended in air, but she realized he was crouched on the topmost shelf a hundred or so feet up, staring down at them.

“UP!” Nenani screamed, raising her hand towards the black cloaked intruder. They all craned their heads up and finally he was revealed to them. He was no longer a possible figment of Nenani’s imagination. He was there. He was real. And they all saw him.

“Stay down, lass.” Farris told her, nudging her down into the safety of his looped arm.

“By the seventh seal...” Baranby breathed as he too laid eyes on the smoke mage. The stag skull mask turned to the archivist and tilted curiously. “It’s true...”

“Well I am surprised,” the black figure said, high amusement in his tone. “Is that truly you, archivist? I did not think you were still alive, but there you are. Still intact and everything! It appears you’ve managed to escape their soup pot all these years. Too bony for you, giants? I can rough him up a bit for you. Make him a little more tender.”

“How...” Barnaby seemed lost for words and in great distress.

“Shut your filthy mouth, Mage,” Maevis growled up at the figure, reaching out to wrap his hands around Barnaby and pulling him closer to his person. “If you should even think about harming him, I will rip your legs off.”   

The smoke mage just laughed. “And you magician. Your annoying spells and incantations have been quite bothersome. Forgive me if I wasn’t very delicate in dismantling them. They were in my way.”

“What do you want here?” Maevis demanded.  

“You have something of mine. I am simply here to collect. As well as pay you back handsomely for destroying my favorite pet. He still had plenty of use let in him before his body would have given out.”

“There is nothing for you here. I suggest you leave.”

“No,” the mage said and pointed his finger down towards Farris. “No, I don’t believe I will. I have need of that one. That thorn guard’s bastard...”

Farris growled a deep, guttural, feral sound, and his arm pulled Nenani closer to him. “Over my fuckin’ rottin’ corpse ye will, ye hazey lil’ fuck.”

“Such eloquent talk, giant,” the Smoke Mage replied dryly. “But if that is all I need to do, then it will be my pleasure.”

The Mage raised his hands and a black mist burst from his palms. Farris barely had time to take a breath before the force of it hit him straight in the chest and sent him flying back several dozen feet to crash against a bookcase. He fell to the floor and did not get up.

“FARRIS!” Nenani screamed. Jae’s arm wrapped around her shoulder when she made to run to her guardian.

“ENOUGH!” Maevis sent two blue orbs back at the Mage who leaped away from the wall just as the blue light struck where he had once been. Parchment and the shredded remains of several books rained down upon them. The Mage clung to wall like a bat and raised his palm towards Maevis to release another powerful burst of black mist. It struck the magician in the shoulder and sent him flying to the floor. He was dazed, but not knocked out, groaning against the pain and struggling to get back to his feet.

“NO!” Nenani yelled and then looked around to see where the Mage had gone, but his movements had been so fast…

“NENANI!” Jae yelled and pushed her away from him just as the Smoke Mage’s sword came down between them. Nenani fell hard on her hip and look up just in time to see the black figure standing above her, his hand reaching out for her. Then movement as Jae was there behind him, his own sword raised above his head to strike at the Mage and Nenani recognized the sword immediately.

...it was her father’s sword.

The skull tilted and Jae brought the blade down, but in a flash the Mage was turned towards Jae, his own black blade parrying the boy’s downward thrust. Jae looked startled at the figure’s incredible speed and that was all the time the Mage needed. He kicked Jae in the chest and the boy fell back hard. Jae laid there dazed for a few moments, but he got back onto his feet, wobbling and breathing hard.

“You’re annoying,” the Mage growled and turned his hand towards Jae as though to send a shot of black mist at him as well.

“NENANI, DUCK!” Maevis shouted and she had just enough time to pull her head down before another blue orb shot towards the Mage and this time it hit true and the Mage was sent hurling across the room. Jae went to Nenani and helped her up.  

“RUN!” Maevis told them, pointing to the open window. “GO! GET TO THE KING’S KEEP!”

“Com on,” Jae said, pulling her along with him and in his other hand he still held the sword. “We need to move!”

“But Farris!” she protested, sending back an anxious glance to where the spice master lay prone on the ground. His head was bleeding, but she could see his chest falling and rising.

“We have to go!” Jae told her and even as she allowed herself to be pulled and ushered to the window, she did not take her eyes off of the prone form of her guardian.

[sayakas-dr-imagines]

Akane Owari With A Male S/O Who Reunites Her With Her Birth Parents

I messed up with the original ask because I’m a moron, but the person who requested this was @megatron720​.

Sorry for being a moron-

- Mod Sayaka

You fell to the ground when one final strike was delivered to your gut, letting out a grunt as you hit the ground. You breathed in and out, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of you. 

- You looked up as a hand was offered to you, seeing a grinning Akane above you. “You actually did really well this time, S/O! You’re gettin’ better.” 

- You smiled, still out of breath and took her hand as she hauled you off the ground. You were sparring with Akane, which was something she used to have to force you to do - but something you now do out of choice. 

- Training with her had become normal. She was determined to “make a good guy like you stronger”, and you were determined to make her proud of you. It was exhausting, but ultimately worth it. 

- “Kay, wanna go for round 2?”

- You took a few breaths, before shaking your head. “I think I’m gonna need a break, right now. I don’t wanna fail immediately.” 

- Akane nodded, throwing a water bottle in your direction. You caught it, chugging the water down your throat as you followed Akane to a nearby bench to rest. 

- You sat down as everything grew silent, with you lost in thought and Akane doing her best to rest without fidgeting too much. 

- You were snapped out of your thoughts by your own idea. You felt bad bringing it up, but... 

- “Hey, Akane? Remember how you told me your Mom and Dad would change all the time?” 

- She looked a little confused as to why you were bringing this up now, out of nowhere. She took a moment to answer. Not that you could blame her. “Yeah, I told you that. Why?” 

- “Do you remember anything about your birth parents? Your real parents?” 

- Akane looked away for a moment, before looking back. Her usually energetic spirit looked like it had been sucked out of her. “I remember arguments. Loads of ‘em. They hated each other.” 

- There was silence for a moment, before she spoke again. “But, y’know, when they weren’t arguing, they were real nice. I kind of miss it, you know. Those rare moments when we could actually be a family, despite our situation.” 

- You were quiet for a minute, just looking at Akane with wonder. She looked disheartened looking back on the memories that has been forcefully stripped away from her over the years. 

- “Have... you ever tried to find them again?” 

- “What? I mean, no. It never really crossed my mind. Back then, in my hometown, the rules were that if somebody leaves you, then they left you. They’re not coming back.” 

- “But what if we try to find them now?” 

- She looked at you strangely for a moment, before her expression changed into something resembling a sudden realisation. 

- “I mean... We could. Yeah. We should! Lets go to my hometown and find my real parents!” 

- Her spirit was back, and she stood up, grabbing you by your arm and heading out. You were a little surprised by her sudden change in attitude, but it wasn’t a bad thing to be determined about this sort of thing. 

- What you never considered, was the journey back to her hometown. 

- Even with free transportation, it was long and tiring. She would never let you give up though, and you knew this - so you pushed ahead for her sake. You didn’t want to let her down on something like this. 

- But when you arrived... 

- “Wow...” - The word just escaped your mouth as you looked at the town ahead. The houses barely even resembled houses, there was junk everywhere, and there was a faint stench of blood in the air. 

- Akane didn’t take notice to how you reacted, and led you forward to the people there. She started asking around, and so you figured it’d be better if you could help with that, turning around and going to others to ask around too. 

- The people were sometimes nice, and sometimes complete weirdos. Some of them would answer, and start asking about your love life. 

- It was a horrid experience. 

- But after a long time of asking, hoping and checking houses... 

- You found her mother. 

- You were sadly unable to find any information on her father, but you found her mother, and were able to speak with her for a short amount of time. 

- She seemed ecstatic when you told her the news about her daughter. She resembled her daughter personality-wise. From what you know from talking with her, she was always determined to find Akane again, but it was difficult with how things are here. 

- You ran over to grab Akane. She was talking with an old man, who was grinning while staring at her. Oh god. 

- “Akane, I got-” 

- “Oh, who are you, young man?” Your attention briefly turned to the man she had been speaking to. He looked at you in something that looked almost like distaste. 

- You figured it was better not to respond. Instead, you gave Akane a quick “come with me”, before running off with her. 

- You stopped a bit ahead, and pointed towards the woman. “That’s her? You found her?” 

- Akane’s voice sounded extremely excited, and when you led her over to her mother, there was a small interaction where they confirmed each other’s identities. 

- Then there was a long interaction where they discussed the past, and how things are now. 

- And then... - “And... This is your boyfriend?” Her mother asked. You couldn’t tell what her mother felt about you. With the situation right now, you could only hope she accepted you. 

- “Yeah! Yeah, this is S/O,” Akane said, completely oblivious to the nervousness bubbling inside of you. 

- “He’s a lovely young man, isn’t he?” Oh thank god. “Treat her well, will you, boy? I can only hope you two have an amazing future.” 

- You and Akane eventually did have to leave, much to Akane’s dismay. As soon as you left the area, though, she hugged you has tight as she possibly could. 

- “You’re so damn amazing, S/O! I don’t know how you do it! Thank you, so much. Seriously. I owe you.” 

- “Yeah... You’re welcome, Akane. You’re real damn amazing, too.”

[scaryscarecrows]

Bat-recs

Y’know, for fun! Add your favorites; we were all new to this hell at some point, maybe this could be useful for someone.

Batman: Gothic

This was actually the second one I bought; it came across my table when I volunteered at a used library books organization. Two bucks. Immortal murderer? Haunted underwater monastery? Generally freaky? Sign me up! NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE WEE BABES, we got child murder, mentions of sexual assaults, and a literal head in the trash can. Poor Bruce. This story put him through the absolute wringer and I want to hug him.

The Cult

Also freaky! Bane says he broke Batman. Bane broke Batman a few years LATER; Blackfire...jeeze, man. (So far, two for two on the whole ‘immortal evil religious figure’. Hm.) Psychological horror out to HERE, and there’s a couple of pages that just WORK so WELL, when Robin!Jason finally finds poor Bruce. Also not for children, here there be a lotta bodies. And rats. And Bruce being...uh...well, we don’t need to talk about that now.

Scarecrow Year One

MY FIRST AND FAVORITE. (Ahh, evil religious individual! But not immortal this time.) Jonathan Crane’s backstory-one of them-with bonus Batdad content. Sean Murphy's sketchy artwork works really, really well for, well, Scarecrow, and Baby Crane is a little cutie. Protect him at all costs. Eh, if you or your kid’s a frightened type, the swarms of attacking crows might be a bit much, but there’s no corpse-stacks or child murder this time.

Li’l Gotham

Tired of everything hurting? Say no more. Tooth-rotting fluff is HERE. Batfamily getting along. Damian loves his mom and she loves him back and I am HAPPY ABOUT IT. This is what you’d think DC is like all the time, based on fic. Worth having for when they inevitably ruin something else. The same team has since done Once Upon a Crime, which is also precious.

White Knight

Did I see ‘Sean Murphy’ and smash the preorder? Yeah. Do I decree that this Ivy design is the best Ivy? Yeah. Elseworlds/Black Label, so he’s free to deconstruct Batman...and Batman’s proclivity for destroying Gotham in the pursuit of one asshole. (I feel a little called out, given my driving in Arkham Knight.) Has a sequel, and I’m waiting for the TP, but I’m sure I’ll love it just the same. Harley’s looking good here, guys; she is taking no shit AND she’s not being treated as a bimbo. She has brains and she’s not afraid to use them! Eh, mild nudity and violence, but barring Jason Todd’s standard woes, I’d rate it about the same as SYO in terms of ‘will this traumatize my kid?’

Under the Red Hood

1) No kids. There’s a bag o’ severed heads lovingly detailed like, five pages in. Red Hood ain’t Batman, a fact that he would like to make very clear.

2) THE SASS. THE SAAAAAAASS. EVERYBODY IS A SNARKY BASTARD AND I LOVE IT ALL. Well, almost all. I will grant that the animated film fixed my one big grievance with the ending. :) Seriously, though, ‘oh, my goodness gracious! I’ve been bamboozled!’ is golden and I’m WAITING for that line to make it to screen. Don’t be cowards, DC.

Haunted Knight

Everyone’s gonna rec The Long Halloween, as well they ought, but Haunted Knight-same team-is also great. Scarecrow’s design is...I’m torn between loving it and wanting to yeet it into the sun, but it works for him. This is a short story collection featuring Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, and and a Bat-ified Christmas Carol.

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

OKAY. This is sort of like The Long Halloween in that it’s frequently considered ‘required reading’, but I do legitimately enjoy it; it’s very, very, creepy. THIS is where the Arkham Asylum game takes a lot of its inspiration; the Rogues do not go to Batman. He goes to them. This also establishes Arkham’s history. I will say that you should pick up a newer edition with the annotated script included (most of them have it now) because there’s a LOT of symbolism in the art that you might miss, and knowing it really adds to the experience. I’d totally teach this in a psych class, though. Or an English class. It’s great. Bonus for everybody having their own style of dialogue: Joker does not have speech bubbles, for instance, Bruce is  black and white. Really gives you an idea of how they talk. It’s also nice that most of the Gallery gets some page time, even if they don’t talk; Scarecrow, for instance, has no dialogue, but he doesn’t need it. His presence is enough. Hard R-rating for scary images and implied childhood sexual abuse.

The Animated Series

Yup. Start here. START. HERE. Every major rogue (and several obscure ones) gets an episode in the limelight, Bruce is at his absolute best-that perfect combo of ‘gettin’ real tired of your shit, Villain of the Week’ and the compassion that’s gone missing lately-Harley looks great (and, y’know, LIKE A HARLEQUIN), and although it is kid-friendly, it doesn’t treat the viewer like a kid, so you can enjoy it as an adult. (You’re a lying liar who lies if Baby Doll’s episodes didn’t make you teary-eyed. It’s okay. There’s no shame to be had.) Bonus: Dick Grayson is a little ray of sunshine compared to Batman, but that’s not all he is and the writers remembered that. :) And, well...

Iconic.

The Arkham Series

These are almost the animated series for a more mature audience (complete with a lot of the same voice casting!); murder is now allowed to be confirmed. If you’re intimidated by the comics, this is also a good place to start. Again, all the major rogues and a few lesser-knowns get some time to shine, the characterization is working (Bruce is not here for Joker’s shit, but he can still take a minute to calm down a panicking guard), and yeah, I love the designs.

Look at my baby. THAT is legitimately frightening. 10/10, would run from again. Bonus: not only do we get Alfred, we get three whole Robins AND Oracle. That said, while the games give you PLENTY of options to go ‘I’m Batman’, Bruce takes almost none of them, so you have to do it. You gotta. It’s the law.

EDITED TO INCLUDE

Gotham County Line

Batman deals with the psychological guilt of not being able to save everyone, and there are...zombies. Sort of. Amazingly, Scarecrow is nowhere to be seen, yet Bruce does admit, straight-up, ‘I’m afraid’. Me too, Bruce. Me, too. 

10/10 for creep factor here. I went into this unaware it was possible to be scared of Alfred. It is. It is possible. I am a changed woman now. Nothing really...comes of it...but I swear, I turned the page, and this was waiting for me:

Mommy...

Also unsettling; the hanged man in general. A+ unsettling artwork, I’m sure that guy will haunt me. Added bonus: Zombie Robin Jason popping in to save Bruce’s bacon, because he is a good boy, and Zombie Waynes being proud parents. I did not expect the Feels Crowbar...but it was a nice surprise.

[carol-effing-danvers]

knock me the fuck out (i dare ya, babe), finale

Weep with me tears of joy and fulfillment for this soft boy and his cuddly boyfriend.

i have some more thoughts about this universe that i may or not get to, but they aren't really relevant to the story i wanted to tell here, so those will have to be for another tale :D

part one, part two, part three

(if you’d prefer to read this in Ao3′s format, click here)

Billy is deliciously warm, deliciously relaxed and deeply asleep when the phone rings on the table beside the bed. He gives a displeased grunt and buries his face into the pillow as Steve rolls away from him to pick up the call, hoarsely croaking “’ello?” There’s a pause as he listens to the caller, then surprises Billy by tapping him on the shoulder. “For you, Billy.”

What the fuck? He mumbles a confused “Hello?”

“I’m so sorry.” Max sounds as tired as he is, maybe more. “But Lauren refuses to go to sleep – I told her that you’d be back in the morning, but it’s already almost midnight, and the more tired she is, the more upset she gets. Can you please talk to her for just a few minutes?”

“Yeah,” he slurs. “’a course. Lemme get up first so we ain’t talking in Steve’s ear while he’s tryin’ to sleep.”

“Oh my god,” Max says miserable and guilty, repeating “I’m so sorry, Billy.”

“No, no, no – it’s okay,” Gently, he closes the door behind him, thankful that Steve owns a cordless phone and trying not to walk into a wall. “I shoulda knew she’d bug out if I didn’t come home.”

Max murmurs “Lauren, Uncle Billy wants to talk to you.”

His whole heart breaks – Lulu is sucking in air hard, sobbing quietly. Poor Max must’ve been trying to get her to sleep for hours. “Hey, my girl. Why won’t you let Mommy tuck you in?”

“Wh-wh-why did you leave?!” she wails, sorrow all renewed.

“I didn’t leave you, baby. I’m having a sleepover with my friend, I’ll be back tomorrow. Mommy told you that, right?”

In a tiny voice, Lulu replies, “Yes.”

“I’m never gonna leave you without saying goodbye, Lulu,” he says softly. “I promise. Who’s my girl?”

“I-I am,” she hiccups, but she sounds a few shades calmer now.

“That’s right. And it’s gonna snow tomorrow, so I thought I’d take my girl out to make a snowman,” he says solemnly. “But we can’t do that if you’re too tired to play outside, Lulu. Can you lay down and close your eyes for me?”

“Don’t hang up!” she says, a bit frantic, and Billy feels another tug on his heartstrings.

“Won’t hang up, baby. Close your eyes for me and lay down. Okay? Lulu, skip to my Lu. Lulu, skip to my Lu. Lulu, skip to my Lu. Skip to my Lu, my darlin’…”

He has to stay with her, and sing to her, for he doesn’t know how long. He won’t leave until he’s sure that she won’t feel abandoned and there’s a period of calm before Max whispers “She’s asleep now. Thank you so much, Billy.”

She sounds close to tears herself. She’s probably been up since four or five o’clock this morning and as it turns out, Lulu isn’t the only girl with a piece of his heart. “Sweet dreams, little sister.”

“Sweet dreams, big brother.” Max sniffles.

Billy stumbles back toward the bedroom and finds Steve basically doing what he was doing for Lulu, except that Steve is singing his song to his fucking cat, a dark blob resting on his stomach as he pets her, scratching her around the ears and beneath her chin. “With no lovin’ in our souls, and no money in our clothes, you can’t say we’re satisfied…”

His voice is a beautiful purr, husky with sleep, warm and loving to an animal that Steve obviously cares about.

Billy is leveled like the Starcourt fucking Mall.

He blurts out, “You’re gettin’ the words wrong. It’s ‘coats’, not ‘clothes’.”

Fuckin’ smooth, Hargrove. Real fuckin’ smooth.

“Mmkay,” Steve says serenely, eyes closed. “It sounds better my way.”

Anything coming out of your mouth sounds better. “Yeah, it kinda does, doesn’t it?”

As he slides back underneath the covers, Angie gets annoyed with them moving around the bed and hops off to wander back out of the room, tail held high. Steve curls around him, humming contentedly under his breath. Steve’s nose brushes along his neck, breathing inward, and Billy feels like he’s gonna die, because this much happiness at once just can’t be good for you. His mouth has gone dry.

Steve gives another contented hum, wrapping an arm around his waist and a leg around his hips. His hand, resting at Billy’s heart, caresses down the scarred skin and muscle to rest near the waistband of his boxers, and Steve’s thumb leisurely strokes up and down his lower belly, through the trail of hair leading down to his crotch. He murmurs against Billy’s skin “I never get this.”

“Hm. I hope I’d remembered getting you to feel me up,” Billy replies, grinning at the quiet darkness.

“No.” He feels Steve grin against his shoulder, which is…just…the best feeling. “A bed. Talking. Just…letting me kiss you.”

“Letting you,” Billy repeats, a bit sarcastically. “It’s become my cross to bear.”

Steve lightly bites him on the shoulder, and Billy can feel the way his mouth still stretches around a smile. “Okay, you know what I’m saying here.”

“Yeah, I guess I do. But ain’t no hardship, sweetheart.” He squeezes Steve’s hand, and he’s silent for long enough that Billy asks, “What’chu thinkin’ about, Stevie?”

Steve sighs, low and sweet, fingers still petting at his belly. “Billy Hargrove thinks I’ve got heartbreaker’s eyes. I’m thinking ‘bout that.”

“You do,” he whispers, earnest, heart in his throat. “Took your sunglasses off and I see these big brown eyes – and my soul left my fuckin’ body, Steve, I swear. I remember-” Billy swallows, and part of him can go back to that scared, raging, confused boy. “I remember thinking that it wasn’t fair, that no boy should be able to break my heart with just eyes.”

Steve laughs, ducking his face into Billy’s neck sheepishly, even though Billy can’t see him anyway. His skin is hot against his own, lashes like the flutter of his butterfly wings over his skin, making his heart thud harder. “You are a real romantic. I never get that, either.”

Billy snorts, but he can’t really deny it. “It’s too bad, y’know. Cause you’re pretty good at this part, darlin’. Where the hell is my lullaby, though?”

Steve pets his skin some more, slow and lazy, and Billy thinks that maybe he’s already falling asleep-

“Which way you goin’, Billy? Can I go, too?” he croons, fingertips warm and gentle on his skin, petting his abdomen and stroking along the tendons of his neck, lips warm and whisper soft upon his skin. “Which way you goin’, Billy? Can I go with you? You are my whole, babe, my heart and soul, babe. I’d have nothing to show, babe, if you go away…”

He’s got chills running up and down his spine, even though his face and chest feel hot and feverish. Billy’s dying, he’s dying, because he knows now that his love was never wasted on this boy. “Who’s the real romantic?” he whispers hoarsely, relaxing his weight back against Steve’s body. “You’re sweet, Stevie.”

“You’re not fooling me,” he murmurs back and kisses beneath his ear, soft and wet. Billy shudders. “You are, too.”

He takes Steve’s hand, smooth from a life of finger-paint and glitter-glue, and presses his mouth to the palm. “Gotta keep that our special secret, darlin’.”

Sleepily, Steve says “Ain’t a secret, baby.”

---

Steve spends a week just sort of walking on fucking air.

“What’s up, buddy?” Steve doesn’t even bother to ask who it is – Dustin calls him at five o’clock on the dot, every Monday. “Excited to finish up your midterms and come home for a little while?”

“Yeah, I’m going straight to a study group as soon we’re done.” He sounds as cheerful as he ever is, but by now, Steve is also intimately familiar with what he sounds like when he’s tired, too.

“Okay, but try to make sure you get enough rest,” Steve says, holding the phone on his ear with his shoulder as he lifts Angie onto his lap. “You’re smarter when you’ve slept longer than four hours a night, buddy.”

“Yeah, I know.” Then, a little less cheerfully, “So, uh…how are you feeling?”

Steve frowns. Had he been sick the last time he talked to Dustin? He didn’t think so… “Uh…fine? Why?”

“Well, you know…the ten year anniversary is coming up,” Dustin says awkwardly. He sounds distinctly like he’s also frowning now. Unhappy. “And like…I get worried about you, and stuff.”

“Dustin…”

“-and you always say you’re fine, even when you’re definitely not fine…”

“…pal…”

“Robin says you’re okay, which I guess is good but…”

“Dustin.”

“-it’s not the same as be able to see for myself…”

“Dude, seriously-”

“And you’re lonely, man, the people there treat you like shit!”

“DUSTIN!” Steve says loudly, scaring poor Angie right off his lap. “…I have a boyfriend.”

He says the words before really thinking about them and all of their implications. Dustin lets out this hilarious little ‘eep!’ before shrieking “Oh my god, really?!” like he’s suddenly sixteen again and asking Steve how two men have sex, in the technical sense, and jeez-

Steve really misses him, feels his eyes sting. “Yeah. I mean…it’s a new thing, but we’ve already gone on a few dates and it’s going pretty well.”

“Really? Okay, well, what’s he like?!” Dustin asks impatiently.

“Uh, well…” Nervously, Steve wishes that he hadn’t bought a cordless phone. His fingers have nothing to play with in moment like these. “You sort of already know him…Or, I guess, knew him, would be the better way to put it.”

Exasperated, Dustin says, out of the blue, “Oh my god, if it’s Tommy Hall, Steve, I know he had a crush on you, but you can do way better-”

“What?! No, Tommy Hall didn’t-what the fuck, who gave you that idea?”

“Robin,” he says, with an obvious ‘duh’ at the end.

“What the fuck?!” Steve repeats, this time at a volume that makes Angie cower under the coffee table. “Oh Ang, I’m sorry, baby – c’mon. Daddy’s sorry.”

Apologetically, Dustin explains “She told me and Erica not to tell you, because she didn’t wanna out Tommy to you even though she was pretty sure he wanted to fuck you. Then after your crisis, we agreed he wasn’t good enough for you.” Steve feels a sudden headache coming on, because this entire scenario has ‘Scoops Troop’ written all over it in big bold letters. “If it’s not Tommy Hall, then who?”

“Billy. Max’s Billy.”

There is a pause before Dustin asks “…is he okay now?”

The thing about Dust is that he’s so outwardly goofy that it’s easy to forget that he’s so smart, and he’s so smart that it’s easy to forget that he’s so empathetic. “Yeah, he’s okay now. He grew up a lot more when he went back to California.”

“Is he nice?” It’s less a question and more a demand.

“He’s really nice,” Steve says honestly, finally coaxing Angie back onto his lap after earning her forgiveness. “And he’s more…patient now. More relaxed. I think Lauren might be his best friend – he calls her Lulu, and I see him every morning when he drops her off. He um…he works for El.”

Jane Hopper is something of a��not exactly a sore spot for Dustin, but mentioning her tends to make him droop like a wilting daisy. They are not close and probably never will be. Steve used to think Dust was exaggerating when he said that Eleven didn’t like him, but she tends to shut down in one on one conversations with him, and she’ll do just about anything to avoid being left in a room alone with him.

Steve doesn’t really think that it’s because El straight up doesn’t like him, he thinks that it’s more of a matter of a sheltered person like El not quite knowing how to deal with a personality as loud and attention-grabbing as Dustin’s could be. That reaction crushes his self-confidence though, so the Scoops Troop try not to bring her up, and Steve tries to do El the courtesy of not overwhelming her too often.

“Oh good, Mike was just telling me she was getting busy enough to start needing help,” Dustin says neutrally. There was a pause, and then, more quietly, he asks “Is Max doing okay?”

It’s a little weird, because even though they’re all the same age, Max kind of had to grow up the faster, because while the others were thinking about the end of their freshman year of college, Max was giving birth and dealing with a marriage and a mortgage. “I think she’s excited to have Billy back in town – he’s hinted that she was having a bit of financial trouble before he got here.”

“So, you don’t think that she and Justin will be getting back together?”

Steve sighs, irritated. “If Lucas wants to make me a spy, the least he could do is ask me the questions himself.”

“That’s not a yes,” Dust coaxes. “Just yes or no, I refused to ask you anything else.”

“No, I’m pretty much sure that if he comes back to town, Max will be asking to borrow the nail bat.”

“Hm, there’s a long line for that. Can you pick me up from the station?”

“Uh-huh. Eight o’lock on the 30th, right?”

“Right.” Dust sighs, and again Steve’s heart gives a painful pang at hearing how tired he sounds. “Sorry, it’s time for my study group. Love you, Steve.”

“Love ya, kid.”

---

He has way more work to do now, since Robin insists that the original bet was for only a make-out session and he kind of ended up with a boyfriend, so she gleefully dumped upon him all of the quizzes she gave before the students began spring break, including the twenty page midterms she made them do. He didn’t have to grade the three page essays at the end but that still left seventeen pages to mark through forty-five times.

Despite the stack of paperwork in front of him, Steve’s still got a huge grin on his face as he sits across from Robin in the diner and lifts his coffee mug. Dazed, he says “I’ve got a boyfriend.”

He can’t say it too loud, that’s inviting trouble on himself that he doesn’t need, but he can’t hold it in.

Robin looks up, threads of hair escaping from her messy bun, and smirks at him, but her eyes are enormous and warm. “Yeah, you do.” Setting down her pen and flexing her fingers, Rob rests her chin on her hand. “And you still haven’t given me any details on dates number two and three.”

Steve’s brain helpfully provides him with the dreamy vision of both of those.

Date number two was a pool house in Evansville, drinking beer, talking trash at each other that was at least half flirting, and finding reasons to brush up against Billy in public, until Billy stood behind him as he was making a shot and growled in his ear, “Get in the fuckin’ car, darlin’. Gonna bite you where you like it.”

They steamed up the windows of the Impala that was the Camaro’s spiritual successor, and Billy pulled him on his lap, yanked opened the buttons on his shirt and assaulted Steve’s chest – pinched, kissed, sucked, and yes bit him, until Steve had his hands braced on the roof to keep himself grounded in a world that kept spinning, and cried “Oh fuck, Billy, stop, I’m gonna come.”

“Mm, I don’t hear a downside anywhere in there. Lemme get you off, heartbreaker.”

Right there in the driver’s seat, Steve’s head thrown back and mouth wide open as he tugged frantically on Billy’s shortened hair, coming without a hand ever touching his dick because he had Billy’s groaning mouth sucking at his nipples. Limbs shaking, Steve shoved his hand down the front of his pants and jerked Billy off with sharp rotations of his wrist, kissing all over his face, his neck, his chest. “Baby, baby,” he murmured, nipping at Billy’s neck. “Look at me.”

Billy’s eyes were the blue of distant oceans, like he kept a part of California in him wherever he went. Steve whispered “Fuck, Billy, you’re beautiful” and suddenly his fingers were soaked with come, Billy staring up at him in stunned rapture, like Steve was the sun and he couldn’t bring himself to look away.

Date three was Billy making California-style tacos for him (he had no idea that avocados were so delicious, what the hell!) and then watched Stand By Me, the Friday night movie on tv, head on Billy’s shoulder while he explained how Stephen King basically ripped off The Party’s life story, minus Maxine and Eleven.

Billy looked so startled when Steve started groping him on the sofa. There were sometimes moments that Billy really seemed to think that Steve was some kind of stuck-up prude, when he looked absolutely flabbergasted that Steve was as into this as he was, could be as aggressive as he was.

“Bed?” Billy asked in his ear, grinding down against him, his hands squeezing Steve by the hips. Thick, throbbing against him, making Steve’s mouth water and his heart beat three times faster. His belly was wet with pre-come, smeared all over his skin, burning hot where their skin met.

Steve had his teeth clenched together, trying not to shout so loudly that all his neighbors knew his guest’s name was Billy. He grabbed Billy by the upper arms and squeezed hard, sweating and arching his hips into his every motion, thighs tightened around his hips. “Billy, if you stop right now, I swear I’ll kill you.”

“Yeah?” The dummy was so surprised. “Getting close, heartbreaker?”

Sometimes, Billy still seemed surprised that Steve even reacted to him, like he was an untouchable statue. My ice princess. But he was flesh and he was blood, and it scared him, how much he wanted Billy to touch him. How bewildered he felt at the sight of Billy lying next to him in the morning, face down in the pillow.

He’d show him a goddamn ice princess.

“Give it to me good, baby, c’mon,” he moaned, and Billy bucked faster, breathed harder. Steve could feel his arms shake and smiled against his mouth. Raking his nails down his back, Steve slid his hands beneath the back of Billy’s boxers and got two handfuls of his ass, rasping “That’s it, like you mean it. Fuck, don’t stop, Billy. Right there! Baby-baby-!”

“Steve-o, earth to Steve-o!” Robin sing-songs. “What planet did you land on, dingus? Care to share with the class?”

He waves her off. “You don’t want to hear all the sweaty, manly details, Rob…”

She watches him drift off, pale skin flushing warm and vivid. “Oh my god, what’s that face for? What did you do?!”

Blushing like a schoolgirl, Steve hides his face. “After the boning, he made me hot chocolate and we spent three hours cuddling on the couch!”

“Oh my god, Steve, leave it to you to get embarrassed by the high school romance bits,” Robin is laughing at him, loud and happy. “What a dingus!”

Despite her laughter, Rob is practically glowing. Has Steve’s new relationship really made her this happy? With a bit of a whine to his tone, Steve says, “Well it’s not like I haven’t done the other parts before! I didn’t even know Billy wanted to do the sappy shit!”

She clicked her tongue, grinning fondly. “You love it.”

“I do,” he admits, bashful. “He’s all…romantic and stuff. Y’know.”

“And stuff? Come on, you can give me better details than that.” Steve can’t manage to do anything but blush harder and Rob smiles like the Cheshire cat. “Oh, that good, huh? I bet he brings you breakfast in bed and calls you pet names.”

Steve is hiding a smile behind his fingers, a lost and awed expression in his eyes. “Heartbreaker.”

“Hm?”

“He calls me sweetheart, and darlin’, and-and heartbreaker.” Self-conscious with himself, Steve buries his head in his arms and moans, “Oh god, please don’t make me say anything else.”

“That’s ridiculous and I love it,” Robin replies, with an enormous grin.

“Buckley, why are you torturin’ my guy?” Neither of them heard Billy walk into the diner, but there he is – blue flannel, fleece-lined jacket, and heavy denim. Steve becomes a puddle in the booth and it must be obvious because Rob looks positively gleeful and Billy is starting to look smug and maybe a little besotted.

Fuck.

---

Billy knows that Robin must’ve been teasing him – Steve’s pretty face is all pink, even the tips of his ears are red. Buckley, on the other hand, is almost demonic with glee. Clearing his throat, Steve gives him such an adoring expression that it leaves Billy nearly breathless. “Hi there, Harrington.”

“What are you doing here?” Steve asks playfully, with a smile that veers dangerously close to naked flirtation.

He shrugs. “Lulu went to her friend Sam’s birthday party. Wanted to check on you, since you said the slave driver chained you to your paperwork.”

Buckley huffs. “I won that bet fair and square!”

Steve huffs back, with an endearing little pout. “I never agreed to it, you bully!” He throws Billy a look with those devastating eyes. “She’s going to abandon me to see a movie. Wanna keep me company?”

If anyone ever figures out how fucking easily he falls to that gaze, he’s a dead man. Aw shit. From Buckley’s face, she’s already figured that out. “Yeah, ‘course.”

Buckley rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, like getting to moon at your new boyfriend is such a hardship.”

“Rob!” Steve hisses, looking at nervously.

She scoffs, getting up from the opposite side so that Billy could take her place. She gives Billy sort of a challenging stare, and tosses her head. “If he didn’t wanna go public, he should’ve said no the first damn time, when you warned him.”

Maybe Billy’s answer would be different if his father were still alive. But he ain’t. “It ain’t that big a deal – just don’t wanna get Harrington into any shit.”

She pitches her voice so that it won’t carry. “You don’t get to take whatever you want in private and leave him out in the cold in public.”

He can’t even imagine how Old Billy would react to having a woman talk to him like this. But by the hardness in her eyes, he does know that even Old Billy wouldn’t have scared her. Robin Buckley has fought monsters far more disturbing the one he used to be. She also, judging from the steel in her jaw, has seen people (men? women? both?) do this to Steve before. Take their physical pleasure from him in dark of night and then pretend they can’t see him in the light of day.

She looks ready to knock his teeth out if she doesn’t like his answer, and Billy can both understand that anger, and respect her desire to protect Steve from pain. “Down girl,” he murmurs, “I wouldn’t leave him out in the cold anywhere, never mind around these wolves.”

“Rob,” Steve says lowly. “Don’t give him a shovel speech. I can take care of myself.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” she responds, with a smile that’s equally sweet and poisonous. Billy’s opinion of her skyrockets. “Have fun, boys.”

Steve sighs at her retreating back, looking put upon for a moment before he smiles at Billy again. Flicking his hair out of his face, he pushes his glasses up his nose and admits, “I actually do have to work on these. Sorry.”

Billy steals his coffee mug. “Yeah, I kinda assumed that.” He pulls a dog-eared copy of Red Dragon from his jacket pocket. “Don’t worry, I can keep myself entertained. Besides, I got somethin’ real pretty to look at.”

He throws in a wink just for good measure, just because he knows he’ll be well rewarded with another rosy blush coloring Steve’s cheeks.

It’s relaxing, sitting around like a normal couple, nobody giving a shit about the two of them sitting there. Understandably, he’s pretty surprised when something – or someone – touches his dick under the table.

His eyes immediately shoots up to Steve’s face as the arch of a socked foot presses into the fly of his jeans, rubbing gently against the rapidly thickening semi there. The question on his lips dies almost instantly. He hardly needs to ask if it’s an accident – Steve’s gaze is already fixed on Billy, biting down on the corner of his lip as he tries to hide the curve of a wicked smile, his eyes dark behind the frames of his glasses.

Billy’s mouth drops open slightly as Steve’s toes curls around the rigid line of cock, wedged painfully against his zipper. Steve makes a low noise, a satisfied kind of purring, at how quickly Billy goes from semi to fully hard. Gripping the edge of the table with one hand and squashing his book into an open position with the other, Billy croaks “Steve.”

Oh so innocently with his angel-faced smile and his creamy rose blush, Steve says “What are you reading?”

Billy has to bite down a pained groan as Steve rubs him just a little harder. It’s torturous – there’s too many layers between them to get Billy off, which he suspects that Steve is well aware of, but it also feels so good that he doesn’t really want him to stop. Too late, he recalls Robin’s words about Steve in the 11th Hour. He likes to flirt with danger. He’s addicted to risk.

He honestly couldn’t think of anything riskier than Steve trying to bring him off in the middle of one of the town’s busiest attractions, only edged out by the churches and the bars. Billy stares at him helplessly, wide-eyed and voiceless with the force of his surging arousal. There is the hint of a command in his voice when Steve repeats, “What are you reading, Billy?”

“R-red-Red Dragon,” Billy responds hoarsely, fighting to stop himself from humping Steve like a fucking animal. He can’t stop himself from letting go of the table and sliding his hand under the cuffs of Steve’s slacks, wrapping his fingers around his ankle to keep him there.

Steve looks very pleased indeed and gives Billy’s dick another rub, finding his cockhead through his pants and flexing his toes right around it. “Steve,” he says weakly. “Are you trying to give me a fetish?”

Surprised, he asks “Do you have one?”

“No, but-” He holds in a whine and hisses, “Keep touchin’ my dick like that, and I’m gonna start having inappropriate thoughts about your feet, sweetheart.”

Surprised and curious now, Steve presses harder. “Can you come this way?”

“I don’t-I don’t know.” Billy has to hold back another whine and quickly lets go of his book before he can start accidentally ripping out pages. “Why…why are you…?”

Shyly, which is very rich coming from someone in the middle of giving him a footjob in public, Steve says “Just trying to make you feel good. Can’t use my hands from all the way over here.”

Despite these words, his stare on Billy is hungry, and he can hear Steve panting softly through his words. The distant part of his mind that’s still rational wonders what is that’s doing it for him – that Billy is kinda weirdly turned on by his feet, that Billy is somewhat at his mercy, or that anyone could catch them doing this. Or maybe it’s a little of all three.

Unable to take it any longer, Billy gently pulls Steve’s sock off, preferring to be able to touch warm skin, and cups the top of his foot against his dick. He strokes Steve’s ankle and rolls his hips as subtly as he can, swallowing a moan as Steve’s dark longing stare holds him captive.

“Dunno where you got an idea like this, heartbreaker,” Billy croaks.

“We can stop,” Steve suggests sweetly, pushing his heel against his aching balls and flexing his toes again. Watching Billy’s eyelashes flutter and the way the hand still on the table clenches and unclenches spastically. Steve nibbles his lower lip and lowers his voice to a suggestive, throaty husk “Or you can just come for me.”

“Steve.” He doesn’t know which is stronger, surprise or desperation or fear.

“Nobody’s watching,” he promises, still in that honey-sweet persuasive purr. He emphasizes this with an up and down rub against the denim seam and licks his lips with an obscene flick of the tongue.

Billy’s cock twitches hard, weeping pre-come into his boxers, and he knows that Steve can feel it because he’s losing the effort to hold in that wicked smile now. His tongue darts out again, like he can taste Billy in the air, and Steve squirms around like he’s trying to relieve the pressure on his own cock.

He sinks down in the booth and spreads this thighs apart, holding Steve against his prick with a little more pressure. He pleads “F-faster, darlin’. Just a little…”

Billy can feel the muscles and tendons in his ankle flexing and shifting as Steve immediately gives in, all coy teasing over as rubs at a pace clearly meant to bring Billy off even through the thick fabric. An echo from the past murmurs “Yeah, it’s me. Don’t cream your pants.”

His lips form around a silent ‘fuck’, trying not to be extremely obvious when he bucks into the contact, choking off his noises to soft helpless whimpers.  

“Fuck, you are so hot,” Steve breathes in the present, nostrils flaring. He’s almost openly panting now and his eyes look nearly black.

Black holes that want to completely consume him. Billy bites down a scream and comes, wet and sticky, because beneath that angel-faced sweetness is a wicked, hungry smile. Just for Billy.

Lazily, Steve takes a twenty dollar bill from his jacket and slaps it down onto the sticky table. “Gimme my sock back,” he says, collecting all his papers and fondly stroking down Billy’s thigh before taking his foot back. “Do you like French silk?”

“Who doesn’t?” Billy says faintly, dazed.

“Good,” Steve says, all sugar and sweetness again. Billy’s fucking dizzy, man. “I made us one. Let’s go.”

“Don’t you want…?” His eyes dart down to Steve’s lap.

“Already did,” and there’s a hint of that dark gleam again. “Watching you, baby.”

Holy fucking shit.

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three Hundred Two: A Pile of Papers ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Umino Iruka, Tazuna ] [ SasuHina, alcohol ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

“Man, this stinks!”

Three little genin stand just outside the administration building, awaiting the (as usual, late) arrival of their sensei. Sasuke leans coolly against the exterior, arms crossed with closed eyes as he appears to doze. Hinata sits nearby on a bench, looking prim as always with hands on her lap. And she’s currently watching Naruto stomp around and throw a bit of a fit.

“W-what stinks?” she asks, head tilting a bit. They’re about to get a new mission, after all...doesn’t he always look forward to them?

“This! The whole thing!” the blond proclaims, hands throwing up in the air. “Y’know the minute we get in there, we’re gonna get another lame D-rank mission for babies! We’ve been training super hard with Kakashi-sensei, and for what? We’ve been doin’ D-rank assignments for weeks, and it’s gettin’ real old!”

“For once...I have to agree with Naruto,” Sasuke then admits, drawing both their gazes. Eyes open, he looks to them both mildly. “We’re more than ready for a real mission. Walking dogs and doing yard work is beneath us. Even for Naruto, those are too easy.”

“Yeah -! Wait...what was that least part?” the Uzumaki asks, squinting.

A hint of a grin pulls at Sasuke’s lips. “You heard me, dead last. Take it as a compliment - it means that even you need a better challenge than the missions we’ve been getting.”

“Tch!” Arms fold tightly over his chest, shoulders hunching with a pout.

“Well, we’ve a-all been doing a lot better,” Hinata cuts in as the pair go quiet. “Our teamwork especially! Surely if we work together we could...w-we could handle something a bit tougher than what we have been doing...right?”

“Exactly!” Naruto crows, sour mood just as quickly forgotten as it arrived. “So, when we go in there, we all gotta insist we get something better, okay? Maybe if we all ask - no, demand! - we’ll finally get listened to!”

“Well...it’s worth a shot,” Sasuke shrugs. He’s not one to beg or whine, but...maybe the only way they’ll get to advance in the mission roster is by being more vocal.

“O-okay!” The Hyūga gives a smile. “Maybe Kakashi-sensei will s-side with us, and help convince Sarutobi-sama!”

“He did praise us last time we all trained,” Sasuke muses. “...maybe he will.”

“Maybe I’ll what?”

The trio then turn to spy none other than Kakashi, Naruto rushing up and blurting out his plan.

A silver brow perks. “You want to move up in ranks, do you…?”

“Yeah, yeah! We’re bored of all these D-ranks, Kakashi-sensei! Can’t we do something more exciting for once…?”

“Hm…” He rubs a hand over his clothed chin. “So...you want a mission that’ll entertain you, is that it?”

“Yeah!”

“...missions aren’t about being entertained,” Kakashi then rebukes, making Naruto flinch. “They’re about doing what needs to be done. It’s not about having fun, or the rush, or getting to boast. Sooner or later, you’ll learn that missions are a lot more serious than you give them credit for.”

Further back, both Sasuke and Hinata seem to hesitate.

“Okay, okay!” Naruto admits. “I get it, really! But I mean...don’t you think we’re past doing the low level stuff? We’re ready, aren’t we? Don’tcha think?”

“Well...we’ll see what they have available,” Kakashi replies vaguely, not reacting as Naruto gives a whoop and a holler. “But I can’t make any promises...in the end, it’s up to the ones running the mission directory.”

Hinata wilts a hair as Naruto’s celebration earns the group odd looks from older shinobi, Sasuke just sighing curtly. “Come on, let’s get going,” he mutters. “Standing out here isn’t going to get us any missions either way.”

The squad then moves inside, taking the stairs to the proper level where Hiruzen and Iruka await with the day’s current roster of missions. Upon seeing them, Iruka starts scanning the D-ranks before offering one to Hiruzen.

“Ah, here we are...a local farm is looking for help with -”

“No way!”

The entire room stutters, looking to Naruto as he stubbornly forms an x with his arms. Kakashi deadpans, Sasuke’s eye twitching, and Hinata glancing nervously between her teammate and the Hokage.

“...excuse me?” Iruka then cuts in, standing and slapping hands atop the mission desk. “It’s not your place to make such remarks, especially in front of the Hokage!”

“I’m tired of stupid D-ranks! I want a real shinobi mission! With bad guys and fighting and stuff!”

“Naruto, you -!”

Hiruzen lifts a hand, begging silence from his assistant. “So...you want a real mission…?” he asks, leafing through a pile of papers. “And do you really think you’re prepared for such a thing?”

“Yeah, we are! We’ve all been training super hard with Kakashi-sensei! He says we’re ready!”

The Hatake wilts a bit, clearly not wanting to be implicated.

“Naruto...you’re a new genin,” Hiruzen reminds the blond, chewing his pipe. “Our ranking systems for both missions and shinobi are in place to keep appropriately-leveled assignments to appropriately-leveled shinobi. Genin...get...D-ranks.”

Cheeks puffing, Naruto does the mature thing...and sinks to the floor, arms and legs folded.

His teammates both sigh.

Eyeing the boy, Hiruzen seems to think...and then chuckles. “...so, you think you’re ready for a better mission…? All right...I’ll give you one. To prove yourselves.”

The trio blink...and then brighten.

“Wait, really?” Naruto hops back to his feet, blues wide.

“Yes. It just so happens that I have a mission from Nami no Kuni. A client is in need of some escorts and bodyguards as they make their way from here in Konoha back to Nami. It’s a basic C-rank...surely you could pull it off, hm?”

“Yeah! We can do it! Right guys?”

Sasuke just gives a small smirk, Hinata brightening.

“So who are we escorting, huh?” Naruto’s eyes go starry, fists bunched under his chin. “Is it like...a princess? A diplomat? Huh, huh?”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Kakashi mutters.

“Well, why don’t we just bring them in?” Hiruzen offers, still grinning as he gestures for the client to be fetched. “I’m sure you’re get along splendidly.”

The team turns, looking to the door into the room. After a pause, it slides open, and...reveals a man. In one hand he clutches a bottle, clearly already a bit sauced. A pack rests over his shoulders, outfit a bit dingy and expression clearly already annoyed.

“...are you serious?” he mutters, leaning against the door frame and swaying slightly. “Are you telling me that my guards back to Nami...are a couple of brats?”

The genin all turn to each other, unsure what to say.

“These three are led by the son of White Fang,” Hiruzen offers. “I assure you, for a C-rank mission, they’ll do just fine. It’s a simple escort, and not too far.”

The man’s jaw grits for a moment, which goes mostly unnoticed...save for Kakashi, whose eye narrows just a hair.

“Yeah, don’t worry mister! We’ll get ya there no problem!” Naruto crows proudly, hands on his hips.

“Like I’m gonna believe the words of a half-pint dimwit,” the man shoots back.

“Half...half-pint…?” Blinking, Naruto then grits his teeth in a snarl. “Hey! Height’s got nothin’ to do with it, you hear? I’m gonna be Hokage someday, so you better watch what you say, y’old coot!”

Behind him, Iruka sighs and buries his brow in a palm, Hiruzen looking amused.

“Naruto, please try not to insult your client,” Kakashi deadpans, biffing the blond upside the head.

“But he said -!”

“He’s paying you to keep him safe. He’s allowed to have his opinions...and judge how well of a job you do. If you mouth off, he might not pay as well. So...you should behave. A shinobi must have patience, even in the face of adversity. Even if the adversity is being insulted, hm?”

Naruto just harrumphs, arms folding tightly as his teammates sigh once more.

“Well, you lot better get going,” the Hokage offers, lips curled around his pipe. “The sooner you leave, the sooner Tazuna-san can return to his job building a bridge in Nami. Remember, you should be timely in your assignments.”

“Come on, Naruto,” Sasuke mutters, dragging the blond by the collar and following Tazuna out. “We’ve got a job to do - you were whining about doing D-ranks, so quit your complaining.”

Hinata follows, brow wilted uncertainly. “So...we have to take him all the way to Nami? Are there no shinobi there…?”

“No,” Kakashi offers, following his troupe. “Smaller lands like Nami have no resident shinobi force...and it’s from them many of the great shinobi villages get their business. So, best we make a good impression, hm? Now...you three go home, pack up gear for a trip of a few days, and meet back at the gate in twenty minutes. If you’re not there, we’ll leave without you.” He gives a closed-eye smile before flickering out of sight.

“...well, guess that’s our cue,” Sasuke mutters. “See you guys in twenty. And don’t be late, Naruto.”

“Me? What about you? I’ll be there in five minutes, just watch me!”

As the boys bicker, Hinata heaves yet another sigh. “Well...I-I’m going to get going...see you guys at the gate, okay?”

“Will do.”

“Yeah!”

                                                       .oOo.

     More team seven!Hinata! Which...I've done a few previous parts for, but atm I don't have time to find the rest to list, so...whoops ^^; I haven't done TOO much, but once the year is over, I'll work on organizing things :''D      Anyway, just basically the scene leading to Nami, but with Hinata replacing Sakura! I reallllly like this concept, and honestly really need to RP it, lol - buuut that's really all there is to this one, so...I'll stop rambling there. Thanks for reading!

[nam-nam-joon]

finish line

Pairing: jeno x reader ; jungwoo x reader

Genre: angst, fluff, conflict

Wordcount: 9.2k

Warnings: swearing, past relationships, hurt

Summary: after winning last year's most important swim competition, ending a succesful year of training and race after race, the friendship between lee jeno and you comes to an abrupt halt when he breaks off all contact over the summer. come next school year he turns up a new fratboy - dropping his passion of swimming in favour of new interests

and yet he seems not entirely able to drop you, too.

@kacchand & @gorls-gorls

“Y’should come hang out with us, there’s another party at Epsilon Zeta tonight. Will be fun.”

You spared him a glance, momentarily diverting your attention from the paper in front of you and twirling the pen between your fingers, similar to how he was spinning the football in his hands.

“Yeah, fun for you and everyone else that only has two brain cells. Thanks, but no thanks. I need my eight hours of sleep to function.”

A frown wound its way on Jeno’s face. You stopped twirling your pen and went back to reread the last paragraph in your book, picking up a highlighter to continue what you had started before your local fratboy had so ungracefully interrupted.

“We never hang out anymore. What happened? Used to be such fun to be around you.”

His voice was tinged with sadness. You paused in your working, again. This time you didn’t look up at him, but past your book from underneath your lashes.

“I don’t know. It’s probably thanks to your new bros at your fraternity, or the fact you picked up football, or that you showed up to swim practice a whole lot of two times in this year. You tell me, Jeno. You tell me.”

He leaned forward, balancing the item of leather on his legs. His lips, parted to say something, snapped shut as you spoke up again, eyes still fixed on your book, capped end of your pen tapping your paper.

“Speaking of which, how’s that going? Football? Heard you’re having a great time there.” And at the afterparties.

He was uncomfortable now, his shoulders on different heights as he attempted to find a more relaxed position.

“The team’s great, and they- we’re really gettin’ a feel for each other. It’s fun to game with them. We’re a team.”

“What about your first team? The swim team? We don’t matter anymore?”

The way his lips pursed and his head rolled back told you enough - not that you had needed to hear or see it to know.

“Come on, you know that with you is different than... whatever that was with the swim team. I don’t even know why I joined, I don’t-”

The annoyance within you switched to sadness.

“You joined the swim team because you’re a great swimmer, Jeno. We both joined because we have fun swimming. And I wouldn’t even care if your interests changed, that’s perfectly normal, that happens, but to just leave us hanging like that? Leave me hanging like that? We have the first competition coming up next month, and our best swimmer won’t be there.” Bitterness now swung in your words as you shut your books, deciding this was as much work as you could get done today.

“Where are you going?” Jeno piped up, eyes wide and the smirk that had become so typical for him completely wiped off his face. You would’ve lied if you’d said it didn’t drive a thorn deeper into your heart that he just didn’t acknowledge what you’d just said.

“I’m done with this. The next time you wanna quit something, have the heart to let people know to not wait for you, but don’t come creeping after me to whine about ‘oh how fun it always used to be’ to hang out and wonder why that isn’t anymore, when you know damn well why. Face it, J, the only reason we kept seeing each other was three times a week for swim practice, and you decided to ditch that, so excuse me for not chasing after your alcohol-loving, girls fucking, football driven ass.”

With that you left, biting on your lower lip and sucking in a deep breath to keep the tears pooling in your eyes at bay.

He didn’t need to see just how much it hurt.

The library didn’t tolerate shouting and to your relief he didn’t come after you. No, the times in which he could read you like a book where long past now.

You tsked softly to yourself, pushing the doors of the building open and stepping out into the unused air.

Who did he think he was, just plopping down in the seat across from you after weeks of not speaking, seeing him?

It was ridiculous, how easily you accepted him back into your space, after all of that.

“Jeno’s not coming anymore.” You informed Jungwoo, later before practice.

The team Captain frowned.

“Jeno’s dropped out?” Jaehyun asked from where he was stretching, and after he had repeated it, the faces of Chenle and Jisung turned as well. All of them had disappointment written over their expressions.

“He was the best of us. Without him we won’t stand a chance in two weeks.” Jaemin said lowly.

“Guys, guys. Pull yourselves together, alright? We all kinda knew Jeno didn’t put his heart into this anymore. We still got this.” At the glum expressions on the faces surrounding you Jungwoo’s shoulders first dropped  before he shook the negative vibes off. “ We’ll still be able to pull this off. Chenle, your time on the sprint is better than ever. Jaehyun, your endurance is incredible. Yuta, you’re perfecting your breaststroke, Jennie your turns are phenomenal. Just because we lost one of us doesn’t mean we’re gonna fail, as a team! We’re still strong together, with or without Jeno. Sure, maybe we’ll lag behind in the relay a bit, but _______ can fill in for him just fine, we got this! Don’t let this influence you negatively, you are still. Strong.” Jungwoo lowered his clipboard and looked around. “I don’t care if we don’t have such a great start into the season as last year, last year was spectacular and not comparable to anything we ever had. So let’s make this year fun. Let’s have fun with what we do best, which is punching water and kicking other team’s ass.” He looked around, from one face to the other. “We got this, do you hear me?! Let me hear it!”

“Yeah! We got this!” A chorus of half and half boys and girls replied, fists in the air, no matter if they were on land or in the water already.

“We’re so fucked.”

Jungwoo dropped his duffel next to the rack you used to dry clothing, and motioned for you to hand him your own swim bag. You gave it a kick that made it slide over and softly bump into his ankle, and with a sigh he went to work.

“I thought we got this?” You helped him set up the rack correctly, clicking the safety into place that he had forgotten the first time. Tender brown eyes met yours over the strings that held up your swim suits, and he lowered the first big towel.

“You know that was just to keep them motivated. Without Jeno, we can basically go home. He was the reason we took off like that last year, I thought… I thought this year would be just as good. What happened over the summer? Did something change? Did you do something?”

You threw one of the smaller hair towels at him and he grinned, signalling he didn’t really mean the last sentence.

“Fuck do I know, man. He decided to come and get on my nerves this noon actually, when I was studying. Is a real football slash fratboy now, carrying a ball and all. Disgusting.”

Jungwoo sighed and came around the rack after hanging up his own swim shorts, hooking his right arm over your right shoulder, his knuckles brushing your collarbone. Both of you took a quiet moment to just stare out of the small window, into the shady alley between the student dorms.

“Did you try talking to him?” You asked, arms crossed over your chest but leaning into Jungwoo’s side. “I don’t know if it’ll be any good at this point, but just… to make things formal, in a way? He never said he switched, I’m not saying you should trick him back into the team with something like bureaucracy, but… Y’know?”

The warm arm slipped off your shoulder and its owner traipsed into the small kitchen, rummaging through the freezer.

“I went to see him, after he had missed practice a whole week and wasn’t answering my texts. One of his fratbros, the one that looks like he’s constantly ready to rip his shirt of and shred you, didn’t even let me past their door. Said Jeno was busy or some. I don’t know.” Jungwoo closed the door with his elbow and plopped the box with pizza on the stove, turning on the toaster oven before retrieving the baking plate from within. “I have to admit, I was really lazy about that, though. Should’ve caught him after class or so, not just… give up after one try.”

He sighed.

“Yeah, well.” You sighed, too, and picked out two glasses from the cupboard. “Cheers to my flatmates being at Epsilon Zeta’s party and us having the space all to ourselves.”

The somewhat tired expression on Jungwoo’s face changed into that of dark glee.

“Oh, we will.”

“I told Jeno I’d need my sleep when he invited me over to that dumb party, I doubt he’d accept this as sleep.” Your voice was a bit thick from where you were mushed against Jungwoo’s side, halfway through ‘The Two Towers’.

“Well, fuck Jeno and his pretty uwu-smile. At least you’re still here.” Jungwoo took another swig from the coke bottle, not bothering with the glasses you’d used before and now safely stored on the couch table, on each side of the opened bag of chips and other sweets. Your friend groaned comfortably after he’d stretched one leg and placed the socked foot on the edge of the already heavily laden table.

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I won’t suddenly stop coming. I love swimming too much for that.”

“Oh yeah?” He glanced down on you, lips flushed from drinking and the hot pizza sauce. His soft, light brown hair let a single strand fall into his eyes where the rest was brushed back. “What about me? Do I not matter to you at all?”

You chuckled.

“Yes, my cherished team Captain, you are the other, sole reason I ever attend practice.”

He let out a satisfied grumble. “Good. ‘Cause if you were to quit as well, we’d be fucked. Like for real. I’d resign instantly.”

One and a half weeks later, after one of the two last practices before the first competition, someone entered the pool area as you were currently very busy staying out of the water, with almost all of the younger ones beckoning you closer to the edge, just once _______, please; but you knew what their prying hands were after and you wouldn’t allow them the satisfaction of getting what they wanted. Your clothes were nice and dry; you had taken the opportunity to observe everyone swimming this time instead of training, yourself; there was no need to change that now.

Your plan had one fatal flaw, however, which came in the shape of your Captain - and his very own hands, pushing you into the water.

A shout of surprise left your lips as you tumbled down, but not before your fingers locked in an iron grip around the collar of Jungwoo’s polo shirt, dragging him in with you.

Splashing and cheers filled the hall as Jungwoo resurfaced, shaking water out of his hair and rubbing at his eyes, a big grin on his face.

“I’m gonna make you swim extra laps for that, _______!” He threatened, floating closer to where you were currently pulling yourself out of the water by the ladder’s handlebars. “Get back in here!”

His hands closed around your hips, almost ready to pull back, when Chenle’s voice suddenly rang out, disbelief swinging in it.

“Jeno?”

The whole pool fell silent.

Jungwoo’s hands tightened around your middle before he let go and dropped back into the water as Jeno came towards your corner, pants rolled up over his ankles and feet bare. One hand was stuffed into his pocket, the other rubbed his neck.

“Hey, everyone.”

You took the last step out of the water and rose to your full height, stepping up to him and making room for the drenched Jungwoo to escape the water as well.

“What do you want here?” Arms crossed over your chest by themselves. A warm hand fell on your shoulder.

“Hi. Is there anything we can help you with, Jeno?”

Jeno’s eyes wandered from your position, locked and unrelenting, over Jungwoo’s hand on your shoulder to the more open, but still reserved, posture of his old Captain.

“Yeah, I, uh… I just… wanted to say, good luck, for the event. It’s this weekend, right?”

“That’s right, yeah. Thank you, it’s appreciated. Anything else?”

“Uh…” Jeno’s eyes swerved over the pool, over the faces of your team mates, who had gathered on the edge of the water and hung on the lane partitions, sprinkled around the corner you stood at. “Uh, nah. Nothing else.”

Without any more words the black haired guy turned around and walked out, leaving you to look at each other in mild confusion and disbelief.

As the door in the direction of the lockers swung shut, you elbowed Jungwoo.

He rubbed the spot between his ribs and send you an accusing look.

“You wanted to talk to him? Go talk to him, now.”

You threw him a towel and he caught it, falling into a jog and not long after vanished, hot on Jeno’s trail.

With a sigh you grabbed your bag and water bottle where you had dropped them during the assault.

“Alright everyone, fun time’s over. Get out of there and showering. Don’t forget to put your hats on and dry your hair before going outside, Jungwoo will roast you alive if any of you gets sick before Saturday.”

“I’m more afraid of what _______’ll do to us if we get sick. Jungwoo would just give us tea and send us home or something…”

“Jisung, I heard that!”

The boy in question ducked his head, giving a sheepish grin over his back before speed walking into the showers, Chenle in tow.

Saturday came, faster than anticipated. Class had kept you busy during the mornings and the last training had happened without much faze, despite the unclear reasons as to why Jeno had really visited the pool before.

The younger ones pushed you to explain, counting on your close relationship with the Captain, but you could only shrug.

“He’ll have his reasons, both of them, for sure. Some kinda unspoken guy-thing, maybe.”

And now here you were, shaking your head at Jungwoo, sitting wrapped in a thick scarf with a running nose and a box of Kleenex on his lap, across the aisle on the bus with you and the rest of the team.

“How long were you out in the cold like that, anyways?” You asked, pausing your observing of the landscape passing by outside.

Jungwoo stubbornly shrugged, keeping his silence about the encounter. Almost everyone else was asleep in the rows behind you, the early morning not helping.

“Did he hand in his formal resignation? Finally made it official?”

Jungwoo sneezed into another tissue and shook his head.

“...so? What did he say? Did he say anything? Why are you so cryptic about everything?”

You whipped your head around and lifted an accusing finger. “-Don’t you dare say ‘You will see’, I’m- No.”

Your Captain shut his mouth again. You stared at him a while longer, lips pressed into a single line.

“Fine. Whatever. Keep your si- Bless you. Keep your silence, if it makes you happier. I can’t be bothered with this right now.”

And you demonstratively fully turned in your seat, showing him the cold shoulder.

It didn’t take five minutes until someone poked your arm. Already annoyed you twisted your head, ready to rip Jungwoo a new one, when the face of Jaehyun abruptly shut any plans of whisper-yelling down.

“Hey.” He said lowly, and you scrambled to scoot over into the seat closer to the window, shoving your jacket off the other seat and under the empty row in the front.

“Hey- Jaehyun? Whatcha doing here?”

The other slid into the cleared spot and buried his exposed hand back into its sweaterpaw. You couldn’t make anything of the almost condescending look on his face.

“I, ah, kinda heard you and Woo just now. J is still haunting your mind as well, huh?”

You often forgot that Jaehyun was one of the oldest members of the team, alongside Jungwoo and yourself. When he joked and goofed around with the younger ones it was easy to look over his toned form that spoke of a little more training, a little more experience, and so whenever he approached you, the Vice Captain, not as just a swimmer but as an actual person who was in the year above yours, it always came as a surprise.

Now you gave him a side-eyed look, trying to judge if it’d impact the team if you’d tell him.

A quick glance over to Jungwoo showed your Captain out cold, Kleenex in hand.

You sighed.

“Honestly? I hate how I’m still thinking about him. I know it’s not been that long, but really, if he decided to fuck off like this, he doesn’t deserve me pondering about it, and especially not Woo, and while we’re at it who does he think he is, just waltzing in on practice like that, disrupting everyone? The newbies just got used to him /not/ being there, and then he just- Ugh. And it’s not like I’m safe outside either, he can just decide to come sit down next to me while I’m trying to study and I can do fuck all about that. Fuck. Fuck him. I hate him.”

You resolutely crossed your arms over your chest and sat back, a mix of a frown and a pout on your face.

Jaehyun dropped his gaze to his knees and fiddled with a lose thread on the hem of his sweater.

“Sounds like you guys were pretty close. I know you joined the team together last year but...”

He trailed off, lifting his eyes after a moment.

“Yeah. You could say that.” The bitterness of your words left an aftertaste on your tongue.

“Did you guys were in a relationship and broke up?”

You sighed and stared at the headrest of the seat in front of you. “Nah.”

“Neither?”

“Yup.” You plopped the ‘p’.

Jaehyun turned his head to face forward again. Then, after a few heartbeats of silence...

“But you love him, don’t you?”

You closed your eyes. “I’m an aromantic asexual, Jae.”

“And? Doesn’t mean you can’t have loved him.”

The glare from your gaze as you rolled your head in his direction made him lift his hands.

Outside the windows the morning dawned in streaks of a smudged grey blue and faded pink.

You didn’t respond until the blue had left the clouds and the sky was a slightly brighter shade of grey.

“Yeah.”

It was small and so quiet that you almost hadn’t heard yourself; not to speak of Jaehyun, who you weren’t even sure had stayed.

“Hm?”

A yawn stretched your face, but when you closed your mouth again all anger had left your body. You were just tired and miserable.

“Yes, Jaeyhun, I love Jeno. But admitting that doesn’t help anyone now.”

Jaehyun continued to look at you for a while longer and under his heavy gaze you shrunk back in your seat.

“Stop looking at me like that.” It came out more vulnerable than intended and you bit on your lower lip.

“It sucks.” He said, and there was nothing but honesty in his voice. “Losing someone like that. Does he know? That you love him, I mean?”

“Pff.” You settled into a new position and blinked away your tears. “Don’t think he’d care much even if he did. This is not some dumb rom-com where A tells B they’ve been in love all this time and then B suddenly turns their life around bcuz LuOvE.” You mimicked the Spongebob meme and Jaehyun chuckled.

Your eyes stayed on him a while longer until the smallest smile made your lips twitch upwards.

“Yeah, guess you got a point there. Alright. Sorry that I’ve been a bit of a bother, but was nice talking with you.” He lifted from his seat and promptly had to reach out a hand to the roof of the bus that curved over your seat as the driver swerved into a different lane.

Your lips curled some more as Jae pursed his.

“Hey, Jae. Why didn’t you opt for the spot of Captain?”

He turned his head to look back at you, a fond smile on his face.

“I’m a person that can better follow than lead, trust me. But between you and Woo...” His eyes travelled to the Captain, with his head rolled back and mouth open. “-You got it handled pretty well, let me tell you.”

You huffed good-naturedly and the other returned to his seat further back, just as you passed a sign that listed the distance to today’s destination.

It would be another good hour and so you put your chin in your hand, staring out the window, as sleep was nowhere close in the range of possibilities.

The hall was as noisy and packed as ever during competition season.

You wondered if the scent of chlorine and the warm, moist air would ever lose their effect of making adrenaline jolt you wide awake, fill you with anticipation at feeling the water surround you again.

There were already people warming up in the pool, the continuous splashing of swimmers jumping in at one end and turning at the other being the backdrop of endless chatter, cheers, shouts...

You plucked the clipboard out of Jungwoo’s hand as he struggled to balance the box of tissues, the small bag with already used ones, his own sportsbag and the aforementioned board after following you into the main hall.

“Can you check whe- Achoo! Where our seats are?”

“Bless you. Already on it... Row M on the Bleachers. Fuck they have a whole viewing tribune here... Looks like we gotta climb some stairs. You good Cap?”

Jungwoo was quick to nod, lips parted to breathe easier.

“Here, you go ahead. I’ll make sure no one got lost on their way in.” You motioned for him to go forward and turned back, gaze already scanning the mix of capped and bare heads above the mass of school-colour-coordinated outfits.

You missed the way Jungwoo’s eyes scanned the rows of visitors above the other participants.

Warm up was done and by now you were sitting in your shorts and slightly too big team-shirt squished between Jaehyun and Mina, your usual controlled self to the outer world while your heart fluttered like a small bird in the cage of your chest.

The first races would start soon and the emotions vibrating in the hall were already high strum – not even Jaehyun’s reassuring, tight hold around your side could change that. He was too attentive to have missed the nervous silence that had fallen over you, while the newbies whispered about their envy for the unbothered-ness of their Vice Captain.

Jungwoo was nowhere in sight.

“I swear to god if Woo misses the solo races-“

“Language.”

“Fuck off Jae. Where is that walking germ machine?”

“I think I saw him taking the stairs to the rows above us, for the visitors. Do you know if he expected someone to come with us?” Jennie leaned over Mina’s lap, eyes round.

Out of reflex you turned and looked over the seats, not able to spot Jungwoo’s face mask in the mass that still hadn’t settled down.

An unidentifiable feeling crept into your gut.

“Probably seeing if he can sneak better seats for the relays or some shit. Whatever.”

But your knuckles turned white around the clipboard in your lap.

Silence lasted on the hall, droning over the smooth surface of the undisturbed water, rolling between the starting blocks, circling around your form before piling as anticipation inside you.

Goggles in hand you slipped out of your flip flops, placing them aside before pulling the elastic over your head and sticking the lenses over your eyes.

Three short whistles sounded and the excitement pooled in your stomach, nervous energy simmering and beginning to boil in your legs as you climbed the first step.

The lane was short, 25m, so you’d have a turn on your 50m Butterfly.

One long whistle and you stepped up to the top, dropping into a crouch.

Breathe in. And out.

Time seemed to stretch into eternity.  Faintly you could hear the lights buzzing overhead, through the rubber cap closing your ears. You wanted to jump in, now, now, now, now-

The grizzled voice of one of the referee’s speaking into a megaphone made goosebumps rise all over your body.

“Ready-“

The next sound was so ingraved into your mind your hands twitched in anticipation of hearing it.

The beep sounded through the hall and before you could think about it the water surrounded you.

Below the surface it was calm and quiet, even with your arms and legs moving, propelling you forward. Every time you came up for air it was like hell had broken lose right here and now, so loud were the yells and deafening screams filling the previously empty air.

Then you dove back down, eyes focusing on the tiles of the pool below, and it didn’t matter anymore.

You pushed through the turn, only coming up for air after having skipped it right before going into it.

Lane six on your left lagged about a quarter lane behind you while lane four on your right was close in front.

By the time you slapped both hands against the space below the starting block you’d jumped off not even two minutes before, your arms were screaming and you silently cursed yourself for not warming up better as the beginning of a cramp threatened to take over your left calve.

Several other hearty ‘slap’s could be heard not long after you had arrived.

Only after the referee nodded its head did you pull yourself up and out of the water, shaking with adrenaline and only beginning to come down from panting and a racing heartbeat.

Jungwoo was waiting with Jaehyun behind lane four, where your teammate would start for Freestyle in one of the next rounds. Your Captain smiled through his facemask, excitedly giving you a thumb up before you slipped back into your shoes and gratefully took the towel Jaehyun threw at you.

“You totally came in first!” Jungwoo exclaimed as you stepped up to them. One of your eyebrows rose, sceptical.

“Yeah right. I fucked up the last sprint, there’s no way I could make it before lane three.”

“We’ll see. Results should come in before one PM.”

You towelled off roughly before wrapping yourself in it. “How late’s it now?”

“Half past twelve.”

You nodded before the slightly sour expression vanished from your face and you clapped a hand to Jaehyun’s still dry shoulder.

“Kick it, Jae. You can do this.”

He gave you a grin and lifted his palm. With a smirk you met it in a High Five that left both your hands burning. Jaehyun laughed.

As it turned out you had indeed won your round of Butterfly and advanced to the next round, as did Jaehyun. Several of the newbies clocked in second or third, and Jungwoo was in high spirits as he plopped down next to you around half past two.

Part of your sandwich slipped down the wrong pipe and you coughed, tears rising into your eyes.

For the time being the pool was reserved for the second warm-ups, which lowered the sense of fierce competition in the air.

“We’re off not too bad.” His voice was somewhat dulled through the mask, but the way his eyes bend into crescents told you he was pleased. After taking another bite you peeked over his arms on the spreadsheet that he had noted everyone’s name, discipline, round, lane, and time.

You scoffed at the little heart he’d drawn next to your winning time.

“This is going better than I expected, to be honest. Mina is up next, they’re starting breaststroke in her year now. “

“When are relays again?”

“Uhh... To- Morrow? No, here, at seven. Mixed relays are at seven, the others are tomorrow, after the endurance and seconds rounds from today. No wait, we have our relay tomorrow, too; today is just for younger aged mixed teams. Wow what a mess... Freaky scheduling.”

“I am shivering in fear of whoever planned this out. When are we supposed to head out? I feel like we’re lagging behind.” You swallowed the last bite of your sandwich half and longingly stared at the second one. You knew you couldn’t eat it now, it’d weight too heavy during your Freestyle race coming up. Instead of the delicious bread and veggies, you settled for a cereal bar as a dessert.

“Have you seen Mina?” Jaehyun yelled from the stairs over the heads of several bickering swimmers from a neighbouring team. Jungwoo shook his head.

“Isn’t she warming up right now?”

“Did you check the locker rooms?” Jaeyhun lifted his hands at your question and shook his head at Jungwoo’s.

You were half out of your seat when Jungwoo gently pushed you back down, rising in your stead.

“You stay and digest properly, I don’t want you throwing up. Jaehyun, I’ll be there in a second, give me a moment – Any of you seen her?” He asked, directed at Chenle and Jennie, wrapped in an intense game of Uno with two of their friends from a different team. Both shook their heads, but Jennie shoved her cards into Chenle’s chest and followed her Captain away.

Fifteen minutes later and they hadn’t shown up yet, time for warm ups running out and the next round of races coming up fast.

On your ride back home you sat with an arm slung around Mina, wrapped in Jaeyhun’s soft pullover, far too big on her.

Her tears had subsided by now, but her head was still resting on your shoulder, her body curled into yours.

Jennie had found her sobbing in a toilet stall in the girl’s locker room, overwhelmed by the experience and shaken to the core at the fear of coming in last in her round, or even approaching the starting block.

After much coaxing and reassuring words from you and Jennie she’d finally come out and, in the end, had gotten her chance to swim after all, as Jisung had intentionally messed up his start, delaying the whole round by several minutes as one of the resident hot heads hadn’t heard the multiple honks of the siren, signalling the cancellation of the first start.

Too exhausted from the day, you fell into bed that night, not bothering to check your phone or do anything else besides hang up your gear to dry in time for tomorrow and wolf down an unholy amount of pasta.

The second day of the tournament started as early as the last one. The bus was silent, only Jungwoo’s sniffling ringing through it.

Mina sat next to you again, but this time in support of you, how she had phrased it – you did have your seconds round today as well as the relay.

She was currently napping, her head laying on your shoulder, while you scrolled through your Captain’s phone, reading an updated schedule he’d downloaded before boarding.

They switched some of the second rounds around, but most of it was training races anyway.

Mina mumbled a few nonsense words and snuggled closer. You took a moment to lower the mobile device and lay your cheek on the crown of her head.

Forcing the memory of a similar scene, only with you in Mina’s place and Jeno in yours, out of your head, you went back to the chart on the display.

The first tournament completely without Jeno. You thought to yourself. It didn’t feel like that, not really.

He could’ve just went to the toilet and stayed there, and you caught yourself, later, sat on the bleachers again. Caught yourself looking up after cracking a particular lame joke, only to quickly dip your eyes back down, realizing Jeno’s smile wouldn’t be there to affirm that the joke was, indeed, as terrible as Jaehyun proclaimed.

You couldn’t find it in you to care much for what went down in the pool below the handrails of the bleachers, pretended to nonetheless to not discourage the newbies.

Jungwoo found you half an hour later just outside the doors, basking in a spot of thinning sunlight, with a cup of overpriced gummies.

“You good?”

“Yeah, Just want to get this over with and go to sleep...” Sudden realization dawned on you. “Fuck tomorrow is a school day.”

A hand came up to rub over your face and stayed over your eyes. “I’m too tired, Woo. I’ll have to pass the relay. Swimming my seconds was too much.”

You were only half joking at this point, but Jungwoo just closed his arms around you and rested his head on your shoulder.

“It’s too much.” You whispered into his shoulder, and he only held you closer.

“I’m going first, everyone else knows the order, right? Right. Okay. Remember, we don’t need to win, but if we do... That’d be nice. Okay, we’re up next. Don’t die and have fun.”

“Inspirational.” You heard Yuta muttering after you had already turned around and put on your goggles, and Sicheng hummed in agreement.

Your irritated eyes searched for your Captain among the rows of the bleachers, but once more, he was nowhere to be found. Oh well.

Before the masses calmed down you felt three hands on your shoulders, giving a reassuring squeeze.

You didn’t need to turn back to know all of your teammates were silently showing you their support through a simple gesture.

“We’re with you till the end of the line.” Yuta mumbled, barely loud enough to hear over the general ruckus.

Strength flooded your arms, spread through your middle and stretched down into your legs.

The simple comment, the quiet acknowledgement of the pain that came with having to go first, to lead them all, with this whole situation, because just last year it had been Jeno standing in almost the exact same spot you were in now, facing the water with nothing but determination and a will too strong to turn back now.

The trust they placed in you made you lift your chin. It fuelled the rage burning inside your chest, about how unfair all of this was, how you had never aimed for leadership, how it had been thrust upon you and how you were still too proud to let anyone else handle it.

The first whistle sounded and you took a step forward, the warm fingers letting go of your shoulders, but the feeling of unrelenting trust, appreciation and team spirit stayed. It radiated from your shoulders and spread behind you like blazing wings burning brighter than the stars.

The first 50m were a blur. Your flat hand hit the end of the lane with a loud clap and a shadow jumped over you, dove into the water and was gone.

The water clung to you as you pulled yourself up and out, but it had to let you go as you gave a reassuring touch to both Jenny and Sicheng, anxiously waiting their turn.

The situation in the pool didn’t look too bad. Jennie filed you in on your great start and the distance you built up that the other teams currently struggled to match, with how Yuta was zooming through the blue water, closing in on the turn zone again.

Sicheng jumped in next and lost a bit of distance after he messed up the turn, but then he came back, giving the lane to Jennie who seemed possessed by a fierce energy to make it at least third.

She was good, you noticed every time you watched her swim. When she overtook lane two in her turn your heart began to beat faster again – she was in third now, only a meter separating her from lane three. If she could make the distance up...

It was easy to give into the spirit, to yell along your other swimmers, focusing your whole attention on the girl in the water below, trying to push her forward with the shouts.

When she surfaced, only a few arm lengths from the end your heart jumped into your throat. Lane six had already wrapped their relay, way before anyone else, but Jennie...

Jennie pulled through, skipped coming up for air with her last four strokes in favour of utilizing all her remaining strength.

When she hit the end of the lane your eyes flew to lane three. You caught the moment their swimmer came in – moments after Jennie.

She had won - you had won.

You reached out with the arm that wasn’t slung around Sicheng’s middle when she got out of the water, out of breath and not knowing what had happened yet.

Sicheng yelled “We won! Well we kinda lost but we still won!”

You pulled her into the group hug you shared with Yuta, and all of you stuck your heads together and grinned, happiness and the elation of knowing you won making your hearts soar.

In the end it turned out that lane six had set some uber-intense results, beating a competition record and leaving virtually everyone in their metaphorical dust, but that didn’t matter.

You, for yourself, among the less victory-driven teams, had won.

Around you the competition continued but you didn’t care about it anymore. With your head in Yuta’s lap, legs over Jennie’s, a big smile plastered over your face and Sicheng half-heartedly commenting the events that took place below you all, it was enough.

It was enough, you thought to yourself, closing your eyes against the ceiling and, for the first time this school year, feeling utterly able to relax. Let go of the stress and anxiety that snuck around your days.

In this moment you were weightless.

“Hey guys!” Jungwoo’s voice reached you, and Sicheng broke off his commentary completely. You didn’t move, too comfortable in your spot.

“I’m so happy you won the relay! Lane six were idiots for starting in the same time slot, of course no one could match them- But you! You guys did it! You won! I’m so proud of you! –And you, especially!”

A finger poked your stomach, into the soft tissue there, and you let out a noise of protest that morphed into a whine as you wrapped your arms around your middle and turned your head. Then you cracked an eye open, already complaining about how this treatment was not what you deserved and how you had expected better from him, how you felt utmost betrayed, when a  person behind your Captain leaned around the brunet and said “Looks like you really still got it.”

The words you’d wanted to say dropped back down your throat. An uncomfortable silence spread within you, half still caught in the euphoric feeling that the win had brought with it, half sluggish from the serene mood that had settled over your small corner of the bleachers.

Jeno beamed around Jungwoo, who looked over the present faces, smiling despite his still reddened nose.

With a sigh you pulled your legs off Jennie and sat up, waiting a heartbeat for your heart to get accustomed to the change of position before standing up and without much care pushed past the two males.

This was not something you could use now, still tasting victory alongside the chlorine water on your lips.

But of course he was here for a reason, and that seemed to involve you, and so he caught you at the end of the stairs.

“Hey, _______, wait. Can- Can I talk to you?”

“No.” You answered flatly, figuring the quickest way to momentarily get rid of him would be the toilets.

“Jungwoo said you’d be- Can you slow down please? I just wanted to congratulate you on your relay today;  that was really great. _______, please? Are you even listening to me?”

He had grabbed your wrist and tugged at it. You forcefully ripped it out of his grasp, turned in your spot and glared him down.

“What do you really want here? I know you don’t care about swimming anymore, otherwise it’d have been you out there, swimming in the relay, fighting alongside us. Is this some kind of self-redemption thing? You thinking if you just blabber us full of meaningless talk it’ll ease on the loss you caused the team? What?”

He kept quiet for a heartbeat, eyes staring into yours, lips moving without sound.

“Although I gotta give it to you, I didn’t expect you to come all the way out here to pull some bullshit like this, or-“ A twitch of his cheek and your heart fell. “Ah. Right. It wasn’t your idea. Did Jungwoo ask you to come here? To, I don’t know, fuck shit up even more? Just stay away Jeno. You don’t get to ruin this.”

“Actually... It was my idea to ask if he wanted to come.” Came a quiet voice from behind you.

Upon turning you couldn’t believe your eyes. Jaehyun stood in front of the doors leading to the showers, towelling himself off even though his hair kept dripping down his chest.

“You.” You stated, feeling part of the annoyance, the blatant hurt within you, turn and direct itself at the dark brunet. You pressed your lips together, mulling over the emotions welling within you and how betrayal was swirling into it.

“And what did you think this would bring?”

“A chance for both of you to speak yourself out.” Jaeyhun simply stated, dropping the towel around his shoulders, crossing his arms and using his posture as a way to add an intimidating ring to his words. “I know you still have an earful for this idiot, and as it happens, I’m friends with his Coach, and it looks like Jeno has a some pent up feelings about all of this, too. So, you’re welcome. Now get along, children.”

He shooed you in the direction of the hallways, leading into various directions.

“Will you... Will you listen to me, now?” Came the voice from Jeno, shortly behind you.

You stopped halfway between the showers and the common areas, arms crossing over your chest and leaning back against the wall. Any people previously milling in the space cleared out as the line-up for the next relay got announced.

“So? What do you want to say.”

“Can we do this one for one? I say something, you say something?”

He had the decency to look somewhat bashful. You narrowed your eyes at him and kept quiet, save for the slightest incline of your head.

“Okay,” He sighed, his back hitting the wall opposites you. “I’ll go first, I guess.”

He ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m sorry. For completely ignoring you over the summer.” He swallowed, staring at the floor. As you didn’t speak up, his eyes slipped up, landing on your face. “Your... your turn.”

You were tempted to not say anything. Just keep quiet, let him stew in his own juices, never opening your mouth again.

“I’m really fucking disappointed in you. For just dropping what we had, what we had with the team during last school year. Just like that. With no explanation.”

He ducked his head.

“I-  I, I started to have... There were some things I needed to sort out, and then Jungwoo and you started to really hit it off during the few times we met for swimming after winning the year’s finals, and I... I felt... I was jealous. Because you liked him so much more than me. No, I’m-“ He held up a hand as you wanted to intercept. “I’m not done yet. I realized how dumb it was, over the summer, when I didn’t text you, or saw you, or anything. I- God I missed you like crazy. But every time I picked up the phone to send a funny video to you, or a pic, or... anything, really, I just. I couldn’t get over myself and how shitty I treated you and Jungwoo during the last weeks. And then... summer vacation was over and we were back here, and over the summer I kinda hung out with Johnny, and Doyoung, and... they were really nice, and when a spot at their frat house opened, I jumped at it. The booze and... this sense of, of different.. friendship... helped forget about you, and the team.”

You stared at him, eyebrows drawn, silent.

“It’d have been nice to get an official fuck you note or something from you, something that drew a clear cut in our friendship.”

He pressed his lips together and avoided your gaze.

“I miss swimming. A few times I met up with Jaeyhun, just to spend some time in the water again. I still miss you.”

“I-“ You closed your eyes and pinched the bridge of your nose. “I don’t know what this is supposed to achieve. I don’t know why anything I could tell you would change anything.”

“Maybe it doesn’t need to change anything. Just... let’s just say what we have to say? I’m sorry I was too much of a coward to face what I was feeling head on, and that I took it out on you like this. That I was too selfish about my feelings and instead of preserving the friendship I had with you rather shut myself off and pretended to be someone else entirely. That I was such a dick addressing it, wrongly, whenever I sat down with you or met you in the hallway.”

“I don’t know if it’d have changed anything in the way I would’ve seen you if you’d have told me, then.”

You answered truthfully, the venom stealing out of your words. “Whatever the real reason was that you got jealous of Jungwoo and me. But that doesn’t change the fact we haven’t really talked since last year’s finals, and this now, here, you coming here, invading the space you pushed yourself out of-“

You shook your head once, “I appreciate you telling me, whatever this was, I guess, but it doesn’t-“

“It was because I love you, okay?”

Jeno’s sudden outburst made you close your mouth. His eyes glinted, his foot tapped the floor impatiently and he had half peeled himself off the wall.

Your heart slipped past your liver down into the region of your hips.

“It was because I loved you. Different than how I had ever loved someone before. And seeing how easy it was for Jungwoo and you to, to... You were constantly touching. Holding hands, hugging, resting in each other’s space, god, _______, he even had his hand on your thigh during movie nights with the team, while I sat aside, not even able to have my arm around you!”

“That’s not something you have a say in.” You spoke lowly. Jeno’s head whipped around, his eyes wild. His teeth released his lip where he’d bitten down on it.

“Yeah, no, I know- I know okay? Nobody owns you, I know. It just added to how insignificant I felt at that time, my inability to muster the guts to just...”

Something in him seemed to have snapped, releasing the invisible barrier keeping all of this back. You kept silent and watched him spill over.

“I realized I was so incredibly jealous because for Jungwoo it was so easy to just...just do that! And for some reason I just couldn’t. No, I couldn’t, and every time my rational side would go ‘But Jeno you can just ask!’ I just. I just... couldn’t do it. And I hate myself so much for it. I hate that I messed all of this up. I just. The last time we saw each other, before this year’s school, before summer, we didn’t even hug goodbye.”

His voice broke at the end and he stared at your face, shoulders rolling forward, looking utterly lost.

At your unmoving facade he blinked and searched the floor with his eyes instead. When he spoke again his voice was shaking, thin. “I’m sorry. I know what I did was dumb, childish, and I understand if you don’t want to see me ever again after today. I just. Wanted to say this.”

He fell back to the wall, like it had a gravitational pull on him, stuffed his hands in his pockets and huffed out a sigh.

You continued to look at him, mind blanking at the thought of what you could, should, say.

Eventually you settled on something.

“It really hurt, you know? Just suddenly being robbed of my best friend. And it’s not like this would be the first time. You know that, I told you all about the first-“ Deep breathe. “I really thought you’d be better than this. Than all of that. I thought what we had was good, a stable friendship. If you’d have wanted to include more skinship, or anything, into this friendship, you could’ve. Really, you could have just asked. I thought you knew I’d never laugh at you or ridicule you for something like that. I’ve told you things... I don’t even want to think of anymore. You know so much shit about me, and to be honest, I’m just waiting for the day you’re spilling it all out to someone and they start gossiping. I’m waiting for it. I waited for you, too, the whole of summer, the months after vacation. I knew at that point you’d dropped me, and I still couldn’t let you go, because I love my friends, I’ll always do, I just have a loyal heart and I can’t help it, and I really thought you’d know that. That even after all this absolute bullshit of first being mean and a dick and then not talking to me, I’d still take you back. Because that’s how much I love you, Jeno. That’s how weak of a person I am. I can pretend to be strong, or not caring, or like I like to punish newbies for not following guidelines, but the truth is that I will always love too deeply, too fiercely; But maybe that’s because it’s the only love I have to give. Maybe it’s the only thing I can give. Maybe, if I just love someone enough, they’ll see, feel that they are loved one day. Maybe even know it’s me loving them. But evidently, that doesn’t work out. Never does. It doesn’t really surprise me. I’m just disappointed, because you. I thought you knew. I thought you knew how much it meant to me. That you saw how much soul I poured into all of this. I don’t know what to do now. I don’t. I just know that I’ll need time. To digest all of this. I don’t know. I don’t. Know.”

When you looked at him next, you could make out two thin trails of wetness running down Jeno’s cheeks.

“If I. Would you. Could we try again? Can we be friends again? Maybe?”

He asked, so carefully.

You shrugged, glancing at his figure from the corners of your eyes. “I don’t know. It’s not up to me. If you think you can be my friend, fine. But either you’re committing to this, or don’t. I don’t have time for half-assed attempts. And it’ll need time. I can’t just... We can’t just pick up where we left off. It doesn’t work like that.”

He nodded, like he actually understood what you’d been rambling about, even though you weren’t too sure yourself.

Jeno took a deep breath and ran both his palms over his face. You leaned forward, ready to turn and leave, but finding your legs unwilling to unlock just yet. They were stiff from standing still so long, and you frowned down on them.

“Can I. Would- Would you be okay if we hugged?”

You wanted to say no. You wanted to curl away, pull back into your shell, where nothing could hurt you. This conversation, this whole day could have not happened. You could wake up tomorrow and find it was only Saturday, or worse, Friday; the whole weekend of tournament still in your future.

It seemed easy to brush over everything he’d just said, ignore it in favour of holding on to the painful grudge that had holed itself into a spot in your soul.

You wanted to turn on your heels and walk away, let the conflict sink below the surface again, until you went back to ignoring each other in the hallways of school. It seemed so easy.

“Yeah.” It escaped your lips.

Jeno was still warm. His arms were still stronger than they looked. He still liked to tuck his head on your shoulder, even though he had to lean down to do that.

He still had one arm around your lower back and the other over your shoulder blades.

He still remembered you like, longed for, bone crushing hugs that held you together.

Mushed into his chest you allowed the tight knot in your chest to dissipate. Allowed the hot tears to run away, escape your eyelids and spill over.

“It’s been so long, Jeno.” You mumbled into his white shirt. “So long.”

“I’m so sorry. I love you so much. Forgive me, please. For-“ He sucked in a breath, and you could feel his fingers clinging into the rough fabric of your team shirt, into your soft skin below. “I’m so sorry. I was such an idiot, I can’t believe I ever-“

“I accept your apology.” You whispered, and now you could feel Jeno’s chest twitching, moving under your cheek, could feel the quiet sobs as you held each other.

“Wooooo! Jenoooo!!!” Jungwoo shouted, jumping up and down with two comically large Styrofoam hands (both left) pulled over his own.

You chimed into the cheer that roared through the crowd and twisted into a very loud ‘boo!’ as the opposing team pulled a stunt.

Even though you knew nothing about football, and no matter how much Jeno attempted to explain its rules, it wouldn’t stick.

But that was okay.

After the game was won, you still got to run down to the field to hug a disgustingly sweaty Jeno, who’d drop his helmet off to the side and open his arms for you.

You still got to sit on the hood of your new, gently used car, with a box of pizza and a whole 2l bottle of 7up, relishing in the warm summer air that filled the now deserted parking lot behind the stadium.

You still got to watch the sky turn orange, gold and red and pink, and you still got to lean your head on his shoulder, with his head resting on top of yours, damp hair from the shower drying in the still air.

Jungwoo found you and joined you, plopping down next to Jeno, mimicking your position and whining until Jeno placed his other arm around Jungwoo’s shoulders.

And it was good.

[baenxietydad]

16th Anniversary Of The Best Day Ever || The Baes

Summary: Nemo’s 16th birthday!!!

Dated: October 9th, 2019

@justkeepdancing-nemo​

MARLIN

Best day of the year, best day of the year! October 9th was Mu-yeol’s favorite holiday. Not because of Ecuadorian Independence Day, or Leif Erikson Day, but because it was the 16th Anniversary of the Best Day of His Life. Or, if you want to be boring, Nam-min’s 16th birthday. 

He didn’t care for his own birthday, but his son’s was special. On October 9th, 2003, Nam-min came into the world a little over a month early, giving his parents a scare, but they both immediately adored him. He was the child they tried for three years just to conceive, and from his first breath was their entire world. Now with just himself, Mu-yeol had to love him enough for two people. 

And he did. He sometimes got all choked up just thinking about how much he loved his son and how wonderful and beautiful his baby boy had become. 

He loved him so damn much. That’s why he treated his birthday like a national holiday. 

Like every year he got up early to make seaweed soup and to place his presents on the table. Once that was ready, he crept into Nemo’s room and slipped under his covers for the yearly birthday waking up ritual. 

“Nam-min ah. Nam-miiiin, wake up,” he said gently as he pulled Nemo in for snuggles. He played with his hair as he kept coaxing him awake. “Wake up, you know what day it is. It’s the best day! It’s your birthday! My baby is sixteen already.”

“Wake up,” Mu-yeol said, kissing his forehead and snuggling him closer. “So I can annoy you with my love.”

NEMO: 

Nemo had always loved his birthday. A whole day dedicated to him? Who wouldn’t love that? But he loved it not so much because he got presents, or because of yummy seaweed soup, or the nut-cake, or the fact he got to decide everything that happened on his birthday--

He loved it cuz Appa loved it. He loved it cuz Appa was always in such a good mood. No nightmares, no grouchiness, no extra paranoia. Just him, just Appa. 

And this year, his birthday meant the end of Nemo’s grounding. So it was the best day ever.

Despite that, Nemo was solid as a rock in bed that morning, his covers pulled over his head. It’d started gettin’ chilly like it always did, and a little chill always made it harder to get up in the mornings, even for someone like Nemo who was gogogo. His toes curled under his blankets and he fisted the blanket too, holding it tighter at the creaking of his door. Oooo, there’s Appa, he thought to himself, barely stifling a smile, as he pretended to still be sleeping deeply.

Part of that was cuz….well-- no sixteen-year-old should want cuddles from his Appa.

But Nemo still did. 

So he pretended. And when Appa dragged him close, he played at a groan and wiggled half-heartedly. “Appaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,” he groaned with sleepiness. “Wahhhhh, gerroff!” he wiggled more.

MARLIN

“Nope, not allowed. It’s the sixteenth anniversary of the best day of my life, so that’s forbidden.” Mu-yeol said to letting go of Nemo. 

He carded his fingers through Nemo’s hair and smiled down at him all gross and affectionate as Nemo refused to open his eyes. Rude— how are they going to celebrate his birthday if he’s asleep? Ah, kids. Occasionally he’d press another soft kiss to the top of his head. 

“Do you want to skip school for your birthday?” He asked quietly as he continued to play with Nemo’s hair. “Or do you want to be stuck hanging out with your dumb embarrassing dad one of your weekend days instead?”

Playfully, he poked Nemo’s side where he was ticklish. 

NEMO: 

Skip school? He could do that?!

Nemo’s eyes finally opened, blinking all the tired outta them as he looked up at his dad incredulously, like he was waitin’ for him to change his mind. Plus, didn’t his Appa have to work? It was Grow-day, not to mention still a couple of days before the Full Moon Dance, which meant the Hollow fluttered, flittered, twittered, and buzzed with all sorts of activity. Though Nemo didn’t have talent class this week cuz all the fast-flying talents were getting ready for the Windy Day Race on October 13. 

So… he didn’t have talent class. And he didn’t have dance on Wednesdays either…

Unless!

“Wh-- this isn’t a test, is it?” he squinted at his Appa suspiciously. “I can actually skip school if I want?”

MARLIN

“아니 (ani). I wouldn’t set a trap. Mm, not on your birthday anyway. 그냥 (keunyang)...I just wanted to hangout with you on your birthday like we always do. And since you’re in school now that would take up your entire day.” And anyway, Mu-yeol knew he wouldn’t be in this good of a mood come the weekend. It was Nemo’s birthday not his birthweek that always (almost) restores him to him old self. 

He smiled down at Nemo in his arms as he narrowed his eyes at him. “You can skip school. Only when I offer it though; if I get a call you’re absent without my permission you’re gonna die.”

Mu-yeol punctuated the death threat with his warmest smile. 

“Aigoo, my baby’s growing up. You won’t need me anymore pretty soon.”

 It was a bittersweet thought. Nam-min not needing him anymore meant he wouldn’t have anything left to silence the worst thoughts in the back of his brain; live to take care of Nam-min didn’t apply once his baby boy became an adult, and it was the only thing keeping him breathing most days. It was the only thing that was enough and that terrified him. 

Most days, anyway, it terrified him. But on October 9th, nothing ever mattered but the fact that X number of years ago, his son was born on that day, and it was the one truly good day of the year. 

“You were so small.” He sighed, patting the space between his shoulder blades. “You came earlier than we thought, you dramatic jerk.”

NEMO: 

Wow, he really was gonna get to miss school. 

Which meant-- his friends.

Nemo hadn’t expected the sharp, quick stab of yearning, nor what followed after: guilt. Cuz he obviously couldn’t tell Appa that maybe he did wanna go to school after all. First of all, that was stupid. What kid wanted to go to school on his birthday? Sure, he’d get to see his mates and they’d all tell him happy birthday, but he’d only get a couple of minutes before class, and then lunch, and then that was really all…and in between, he’d sit through awful French and confusing History and didn’t he have a quiz in English which he didn’t study for? 

And wasn’t his birthday kinda his and Appa’s...thing? 

Yeah.

Nemo swallowed down that feeling then, cuz goin’ to school just wasn’t a real option, and did what he did every year as Marlin started in on his tirade. He grooooooooaned and wiggled some more, finally pushing Marlin off and sitting up. “Heeeeere we go again, next you’ll tell me about Eomma counting all my fingers and toes and fighting the healing-talents to hold me just five more minutes--” and though he was acting annoyed at the Same Old Story, the one Marlin told Every Single Year, he was grinning. 

Cuz he liked it. He wanted to hear it. 

MARLIN

“And if I do?” Mu-yeol challenged, reaching up to poke Nemo’s forehead. 

He hummed and sat up next to Nemo, wincing as sunlight got him right in the eyeballs. “She punched one of them, you know. Your mother was scary and always ready to...throw hands? Is that what it is? Especially when it was about you.”

He didn’t tell him how she had to take an exam at university the day after giving birth— and yes, she did go and ace that exam, and when her professor found out he scolded Mu-yeol for ‘letting your wife do that.’ But So-yeon did whatever the hell So-yeon wanted to do, Always. There was no allowing, forbidding, or talking her out of anything. She was determined to finish her masters’ on time to shut up all of the men in the program who talked about how STEM was no place for a wife and mother and said she should drop out and raise her child. 

Not for the first time, he wanted to tell him. 

“She always said having you was the best decision we ever made.” He said instead. “So the verdict on skipping school? If you really want to go we can do your birthday on Sunday.”

He hopped out of Nemo’s bed. “There’s seaweed soup ready, with pickled shriiiimps.”

NEMO: 

He only really had a couple of birthdays left before he really would be too old to celebrate with Appa and let him baby Nemo like this. This could even be the last one. Nemo would be well into his apprenticeship when next October swung around, after all. Who knew what his life was gonna be like then? What he’d be training in, what kinda time he’d have? 

Maybe he was already too old for this stuff now but… 

He wanted at least one more. 

So Nemo grinned. “Skipping, definitely!” he rolled out of bed too and then scampered past Appa. “SEAWEED SOOOOOOUP!” He called, giggling. 

MARLIN 

He felt tension he didn’t even know he was holding in his shoulders ease. What a relief it was that his baby hadn’t outgrown him just yet! Even if Nam-min was away from him more this year, he still wanted to hangout with his dad. That was enough. 

“Eat as much as you want,” Mu-yeol said as a laddled out a bowl for Nemo. “You have to eat a lot if you hope to grow any taller.”

NEMO:  Nemo plopped down in his chair, drawing up both his legs so he was criss-cross, then reached for his spoon. Course before he even got a spoonful, he shot a look at Appa, sour as elderberries. Because yeah, Nemo was small-- even for a pixie he was small, and especially for a fast-flying talent. Fast-flyers were usually some of the taller talents around actually, cept for maybe scout talents. Nemo was small the way a pollen-talent fairy was normally small-- or a bee-herding-talent was small. 

“Aish,” he sucked his teeth at his Appa and shook his head. “I’m not that small! I mean, I got long legs y’know,” he added hotly. And that was true. Nemo was nearly all legs, which helped with his lines in dance. (It didn’t do much for fast-flying though.) 

He scooped some soup into his mouth, and then grabbed the bowl and lifted the whole thing to his lips. “Here, I’ll eat the whole thing, so you can’t have any!” 

And he slurped half his bowl down to prove it. 

MARLIN

Mu-yeol playfully stuck his tongue out at Nam-min as he slid him a cup of elderflower juice. “It's not your fault, your mother’s human-size height was only 162 cm. She was the tiniest fast-flying fairy in both Hollows we’d lived in. Blame her for those genes.”

He barely stifled a snort as Nemo slurped his soup up like it was room temperature water and not hot soup.

“알았어, 알았어 (arasseo, arasseo). Go ahead, eo? I’m full watching you eat anyway.” He said, though he quickly ate a few spoonfuls himself in case Nemo swiped his bowl. Because he would. 

“What’s on the birthday festivities agenda?” Mu-yeol asked, spooning some kimchi onto some rice. “We can do whatever you want except hard drugs. Cocaine might be negotiable-- no, wait. That’s the last thing you need.”

NEMO: 

First, Nemo just gargled through his soup, still slurping it down. It really was kinda too hot to do so, but Nemo had already started so it meant he had to commit to it. And commit he did, until it was all done and he let out an “Ahhhhh,” plopping his bowl down and smirking at Appa. He said he’d do it. And Nemo could never resist a challenge. 

He rolled his eyes next though. “Appa, you’re really not funny,” he told him, shaking his head. Appa and his dad jokes. “Mmmm can we…. Oooooh, Appa, can we go dragonfly racing? Please. Pleeeeeeeeeeease, it’s my birthday! I’m 16, that’s plenty old enough!”  

Dragonfly racing was, of course, when fairies skittered across the Kohaku River on the back of dragonflies. Appa always forbid Nemo because dragonflies could be a bit, er, moody-- prone to 360-degree spins, or dipping real close to the water. He’d always been terrified Nemo would fall off and drown. 

Why was Nemo even asking? Well! He asked at least once a year, and a 16th birthday felt like a good time when Appa might not be able to say no. 

“We can go toooogetheer,” Nemo sing-songed. 

MARLIN

“Watch your mouth before I glue it shut, you little brat,” Mu-yeol said in response to being told he wasn’t a comedic genius, of course while pinching Nemo’s cheek while calling him a little brat. “What’s the number one lesson of life? Always laugh when your dad, your employer, or father-in-law makes a joke.”

Another spoonful of soup had almost made it to his mouth when Nemo made his birthday proposal, and the spoon fell from his hand, landing in the bowl with a plonk! Dragonfly racing!? Let him repeat, DRAGONFLY RACING!?!?

Was he trying to make sure this was his last birthday?

Mu-yeol clasped his hands in his lap to keep from wildly gesturing. In the spirit of Nemo’s birthday, he wasn’t going to give an immediate hard no. Today, and today only, he would hear him out about dragonfly racing. Maybe even say yes, and deal with the panic in his chest the entire time.

He taught Nemo to swim in Atlantis Lake in human size, without wings that couldn’t get wet, of course. Logically he knew that Nemo could probably tread water with wet wings long enough to drift toward an aquatic plant to hold onto until he could be pulled out of the river by a fairy with dry wings. It was still risky.

And yet, at Nemo’s age, Mu-yeol had been dragonfly racing for years. His dongsaeng-dul* would compete with him and the other fairies their age for prizes of anything from found objects teenage fairies used for bartering, to ₩5,000 notes the kids whose parents had human jobs would throw in the prize pot.

*reader’s note: dongsaeng = younger sibling; -dul is a particle to add to make any noun plural 

His last two logical brain cells reminded him that he was much more stupid than Nemo at his age, and that he survived. His father wasn’t half as protective as he was, so of course Nemo would be fine.

The other hundred billion weren’t half as reasonable.

“Nam-min…” before he could say no though, he cleared his throat to stop himself. He was gonna give him a chance, remember? “Only if you can tell me the procedure for if you fall off. Repeat it to me three times, then we will seriously consider it.”

NEMO: 

Appa didn’t say no right away. Whoa.

This was already a win. It was also not completely expected, and so Nemo found himself wide-eyed and leaning forward. “Really?” he responded at first. He had to absorb that Appa hadn’t immediately laughed off the idea like he had done all of Nemo’s life, before patting Nemo on the head and saying something about how hilarious Nemo was with that persistent death wish of his! And did he want to give his dear old Appa a heart attack?!

Maybe sixteen really did make the difference.

Maybe sixteen was going to be his year, after all. 

Nemo swallowed and leaned back, adjusting in his seat and then crackling his knuckles as he prepared to answer Appa’s test. He was pretty sure he knew about the procedures...even if he’d never really gotten to try them out. All the other fast-flying-talents though talked about dragonfly racing all the time (it’s why he wanted to do it so badly.) 

“Number 1--” he held up a finger, “--don’t panic. Number 2, get your head above water and your feet under you, so your wings don’t drag you down. Number 3, tread water in direction of the current toward the shore! Don’t fight the current, cuz you’ll get too tired too fast.” 

That was right...right? Right! 

MARLIN

Mu-yeol watched Nemo carefully as he ran through the DON'T DROWN protocols. Careful to eye him for any signs of bullshitting or hesitation, and satisfied when he found none that his son actually understood how to not drown, he supposed he now had to actually consider dragonfly racing. 

Maybe if he let Nemo do this once, let him have this one thing, he won’t do things like sneaking out with that awful kid Louie. This is exactly why he didn’t want to send Nemo to school, he knew he’d be too preoccupied with looking cool and being popular to actually care about school. He knew he wouldn’t understand that what mattered was finding your group of friends and being cool to them. It was the same for fairies in school, and fairies like Mu-yeol who didn’t go to school. Why couldn’t Nemo be like his mother was and only care what her friends thought of her?

Nemo was like him. Insecure and soft. 

Maybe dragonfly racing and the panic attack he’d be pushing down the entire time would be worth it. Maybe Nemo would take the victory and be satisfied. 

“Good. So...dragonfly racing. Are you sure there’s...nothing else?”

[mikarashis]

Cheval Live - Epilogue Two

Summer Sky ＊ Galloping Cheval Live - Epilogue Two

Season: Summer

Location: Horse-riding club

Mika: (...naa?  Lookin’ out over th’ crowd, there’s even people that’re standin’ and watchin’.  ‘S not like we did that great a job advertisin’ or anythin’, so ‘s kinda weird there’s so many people here?)

Arashi: Mika-chan?  You stopped moving.  If you’re tired, why don’t you take a break?

Mika: naa, ‘m not tired!  I’m fine!

‘s about this promotional live...th’ truth is, I didn’t think about th’ whole advertisin’ part much, so now ‘m wonderin’ - even though I overlooked alla that, there’s so many people here.

Arashi: well, maybe the people at the club did their best to gather an audience.

Mika: I see...I...everyone’s helped me so much - Anzu-chan, Ritsu-kun, Oshi-san...’m so thankful, ‘m gonna start cryin’.  

Arashi: ufufu, it’s because Mika-chan is a good boy, so many people want to lend you a hand!

(Hey, Mika-chan - if you knew that Nazuna-chan was one of those people too, what would your reaction be?  But of course, I won’t say anything; Nazuna-chan doesn’t want you or your ‘Oshi-san’ finding out...besides, I’m just your friend, I wouldn’t feel right interfering in that sort of relationship.  

But I did ask Nazuna-chan for advice on how to promote the live, so that’s the real reason there are so many people gathered.  Ufufu, you know, I wonder if Nazuna-chan is watching from somewhere, too)

Mika: ......

Arashi: what’s wrong, Mika-chan?  If you forgot the choreography, just keep doing the steps you already did.  I practiced a lot, so I can take over.

Mika: ‘m sorry, Naru-chan!

Arashi: eh, eh?  Why are you suddenly apologizing?  It’s fine, you can follow me if you’d like!  Leave it to your Onee-chan ♪

Mika: naa~... ‘s not that, but I feel like, in this case, I need t’ apologize t’ Naru-chan.  So I apologize fer all the inconvenience that I’ve caused!  This was s’posed t’ be about makin’ summer memories fer ya, but b’cause of my mistake, we ended up doin’ this promotional live fer the ridin’ club.  I mean, maybe the idea of makin’ summer memories in the first place was annoyin’ by itself.  

I thought it up on my own and kinda pulled ya along with me.  I jes’ wanted t’ do somethin’ nice fer my friend, but I guess I’m really a big idiot.

Arashi: that’s not true!

Mika: Na-Naru-chan...?

Arashi: seeing a friend of mine try so hard just for me...there’s no way I would ever find that annoying.  Honestly, I was happy.  I didn’t have much of a summer this year, so I was already hoping next year would be better.  You don’t need to blame yourself for any of that.  

What was the promotion of this riding club but another kind of ‘Summer Fes’?  And getting to stand on-stage together with you was the most wonderful memory I could hope to make.

Thank you, Mika-chan.  Because of your efforts, I got to enjoy a piece of the best summer ever... ♪

Mika: Naru-chan...

Arashi: here, here; lift your head up - let’s sing and dance together ♪

Mika: r-right!  Na~, let’s get th’ guests t’ pay attention t’ us!  Y’know, I don’t mind it at all this time; I want t’ be noticed!  Ahaha, I wonder why ♪

Arashi: let’s show everyone how close we are ♪

Mika: na, isn’t it hot if ya cling t’ me?  Don’t y’ hate gettin’ sweaty?

Arashi: if I’d hated it, I wouldn’t have suggested it.  You’re-special, Mika-chan; you’re my best friend ♪

Mika: yeah!  Naru-chan is my best friend, too!  Everyone~  look, look!  This is my most wonderful friend in the whole world  ♪

♪~ ♪~ ♪~

Arashi: (my, my, saying that kind of thing...but, if you say I’m the most wonderful friend in the world, then I also feel the exact same way about Mika-chan.  Let’s keep getting along well from now on.  I love you, Mika-chan)

♪~ ♪~ ♪~

Notes:

That’s it!  Honestly I’m kind of amazed I managed to get all of this done, but I hope you enjoyed reading it~

[tcswritings]

The hard road home (WIP/very rough)

James and Declan have an argument in the car on their way home from Northern Ireland.

(This has been sitting in my drafts for a while now, along with some other things, and I really just wanna post this ‘cause it’s kind of happening just now in the timeline! I will get back to it at some point, to edit and polish! It’s horrible but hey, it’s late and I’m tired and I don’t have a whole lot of energy to edit all of it just now, haha.)

*****

(...)

The headlights of the many other vehicles got more and more glaring as the sky surrounding them got darker and James had to turn his head a little so he wouldn’t get blinded too badly by an oncoming truck. He and Declan had just left Armagh and the GPS now told them to stay right on Monaghan Road and it was a long road to go down, quite literally.

James started feeling a bit tired. He had suggested to stay in a Bed & Breakfast for the night as they had passed one a little earlier, to get some rest and some better food than the poor remains the two had left in their VW bus but Declan had refused. Their road trip had come to an abrupt end when he had received an unexpected call from Galway. Lauren had the most worrisome news for him and while James could understand that Declan wanted to get back to Galway as quickly as possible now, he decided that he would bring up the subject again later. Car crashs really aren’t that much fun, James knew too well from experience, and if all else failed he would find a nice place to stay for a day or two, to recharge and get his thoughts in order and he would put his friend into the next train home.

A truly tempting thought, James figured, as Declan really hadn’t been the most enjoyable company for the past few hours. Again, understandable, but James couldn’t help but feel irritated nonetheless. He could now see what Kieran had meant just before they were about to leave Dublin - he had given him a slight pat on his upper arm, telling him that Declan could be a real pain to deal with when in a bad mood and James knew that he had said it all in good fun but he was right. Oh, so right.

As if he could actually hear his thoughts, Declan now sighed impatiently, probably for the tenth time within the last hour. “Can’t you just turn that thing off already?”

“What, you mean the stereo?”

“No, the voice inside your head.” Declan groaned. “Of course the stereo, what else could I possibly mean?”

James frowned. Don’t. He’s upset. he told himself. “Sure.” he sighed as he pressed the power switch. Dammit. Music was that very last bit of joy he could cling to so he wouldn’t have to face Declan’s bad mood.

“You alright, man?” James asked after a few moments of silence.

“Livin’ my best life over here.” 

“You hungry?”

“Nah.”

“Thirsty?”

“Nah.”

“Need to take a piss?”

“What?” Declan slowly turned his head and made a face. “Nah.”

“So, you gonna talk eventually or are you just gonna keep snappin’ at me like some fuckin’ pre-teen?”

“There’s nothin’ to talk about.”

“I dunno, mate, I feel you got a shitload to talk about.”

“And then what? Huh? Look, man, no offense but you’re not exactly the person I wanna talk to about all this.” Leaning back in his seat, Declan crossed his arms and closed his eyes, apparently trying to insinuate that the conversation was over.

James sighed again. He wouldn’t let it go that easily this time. “Fair enough, but see, I’m kinda the only person around for the next few hours and I’m really gettin’ sick of your snapping.”

“Oh why, sorry, but I’m really not in the best mood here.”

“You don’t say. That’s why I’m offering to listen, smartass.”

“I don’t wanna talk. Besides, what kind of advice could you possibly have?”

“What’s that supposed to mean, man? I give great advice! Besides, I have a kid, too.”

“Which you refuse to let into your life.”

James opened his mouth, dying to make a good comeback, but he merely breathed out as he clearly couldn’t argue with the sentiment. “You, uh, kinda have a point there.” he gave in and bit his lip.

Neither of the two said anything for another while; James merely concentrated on the traffic but after what felt like an eternity of silence, Declan spoke again.

“Why is it?” His voice was calm all of a sudden, and there was a tone to it that James couldn’t figure out right away.

“Why is what?”

“Why are you floatin’ around like you do instead of being with Victoria?” Declan inquired and when James didn’t answer right away, he went on. “I mean, you could have a really great life. I’m probably not the first one to tell you but man, you have no idea what ya missin’ out on.”

“It’s not that simple.” James said quietly.

“I think it is. It’s that simple. Instead of watching your little girl grow up, you keep doin’ this.”

“Doin’ what, exactly?”

A line of oncoming vehicles passed their bus now and James squinted. He wasn’t entirely sure if he liked the direction this conversation was taking.

“Y’know. This.” Declan patted the dashboard. “Bein’ restless, movin’ around. Switchin’ countries every two months ‘cause you can’t make your fuckin’ mind up about anything, not even about where you wanna live. You go on road trips with your ex-girlfriend’s brother-”

“That was your idea.”

“I know it was my fuckin’ idea, man, that’s not the point.” Declan hissed. “My point is that your life is a goddamn joke and you don’t even realise it.”

James let out a dry laugh. “Gosh, aren’t we a fuckin’ ray of sunshine today.”

“It’s true.”

“What makes you think I don’t realise it anyway?”

“‘Cause if you did, you’d at least try to change directions, eh?”

‘Thanks to whomever for my thick skin.’ James thought to himself. He couldn’t recall a single time when Declan had sounded as pugnacious as he did now and while he could not begin to understand how he really felt, James began to realise that he probably needed this. Declan was likely feeling helpless and needed to fight something.

James still didn’t feel like letting him walk all over him just yet. Besides, Declan’s observation wasn’t entirely off and as much as he hated to admit it - hearing the truth from someone else stung.

“It’s really not that simple, man.”

“Why not? Shit was handed to you on a silver plate your entire life. You can just make a choice, you had every fuckin’ possibility others could only dream about.”

James laughed and shook his head. “Nah. I mean, maybe I could’ve had them, if I had grown up with a family as supportive as yours but unfortunately I grew up with mine.”

“Yeah, no, we’re not exactly the Waltons either, nice try. It is us who choose who we are, not our parents or anyone else in that matter.”

“You have no idea what you’re talkin’ about.” James said quietly, slowly shaking his head again. “So, would it make you feel better about yourself? Me tellin’ you that I’m just that close to hitting the turps at certain times?”

“Why would that make me feel better about myself? This is not about me-”

“This entire conversation is about you, man. It’s not me who has to face their entire world as they knew it blow up once I’m back home-”

“All I wanna know is why it is so hard for you to be a part of your daughter’s life when she’s clearly the best thing you have ever done in your entire life?”

“I said it before and I’ll say it again, man. It is not. that. simple.”

“Sorry man, I'm just not buyin’ your Poor Boy bullshit.”

“Fine, then don’t!” James blurted out, his patience suddenly getting thin. It was the undertone of Declan’s voice that bothered him deeply - he was being condescending. James could deal with upset and angry but he really didn't feel like putting up with his friend playing high and mighty. “Don’t need a spoiled Mama’s boy up my arse anyway.”

“I am not a-”

“Oh, you’re the worst Mama’s Boy I’ve ever met, man.” James insisted, now striking a combative tone, suddenly feeling quite argumentative himself. “You are a spoiled rotten brat and that’s something you should wrap your head around at some point so you can actually start to try and become the great guy you think you are.”

“Ha! That’s fun, though, ‘cause last time I checked I am not the one running away from my responsibilities!"

“No, you’re someone who fucks his best friend’s woman without feelin’ the faintest bit of remorse-”

“Oh, watch what you’re sayin'-” Declan hissed under his breath

“Isn’t that what happened? Don’t pretend that it isn’t what happened!”

“So what? It happened, it’s not like I could do anything about it now?” Declan shot back. “Since when are you Mick’s biggest fan anyway?” he added, his voice snide.

“I am not his fan.” James rolled his eyes. “But you ripped out that poor bloke’s heart, and all you did afterwards was whine about how he had the audacity to not forgive you right away.”

Declan let out a dry laugh. “You are, once again, missing the point-”

“I’m not missin’ anything, I’m just stunned 'cause you’re actually tryin’ to tell me that you’re a better guy than I am. I got news for you, man, you are not, and maybe it’s about time you get kicked off that high fuckin’ horse of yours.”

***

(... to be continued, probably. :’D)

[pikmimoved]

UCN Voice Line Masterpost

i know personally the biggest part of ucn for me was the voice acting, so i decided to compile all available voice lines into one post!

includes transcripts and links!

note: characters without speaking roles are not included. this includes not only silent characters like toy bonnie, but also characters with purposely unintelligible sounds in place of voices (i.e. ennard, springtrap, nightmare mangle) and characters whos only voice lines are laughter (i.e. molten freddy, bb, etc.).

Circus Baby

“Looks like something bad happened...”

“I guess you forgot about me.”

“Want to see the scooping room?”

“I guess you forgot about me...”

Ballora

“I could hear you... Breathing.”

“Admit it; you wanted to let me in.”

“Why do you hide inside these walls?”

“Don’t be shy.”

“These are strange circumstances that have brought us together.”

DeeDee

“Uh oh! How unfortunate! Uh oh! How unfortunate! I’m gonna do a sneaky thing and throw a new contender into the ring!”

“Uh oh! How unfortunate! Uh oh! How unfortunate! I know how much you like to fight so I’ll add a new problem to your night!”

Foxy

“Never underestimate the cunning of a pirate! ...Or a fox, for that matter!”

“Ya never stood a chance!”

“I came for ye booty! ...That be treasure, y’know.”

“I can’t run like I used to, but I can pull myself apart just fine.”

“So much more spacious in here! I may stay a while.”

Nightmare Fredbear

“Let me put you back together... Then take you apart all over again.”

“Let’s see how many times you can be pulled apart.”

“I assure you I am very real.”

“This time, there’s more than an illusion to fear.”

Happy Frog

“I bet you weren’t expecting me, were ya? Turn your back for one second and I’m like ‘wchzoo!’ Ninja skills!”

“You and I don’t get to talk as often as I’d like!”

“Everyone underestimates me... But then they turn their back and I’m like ‘boo!’ and they’re like ‘mleh...’.

“Move over, Freddy Fazbear! Happy Frog is the new star of the show!”

“We’ve only just begun. I will never let you leave. I will never let you rest.”

Funtime Foxy

“It seems you couldn’t make it to my show, so I brought the show to you!”

“Showtimes are on the hour; not a minute before and not a minute later!”

“It’s time to take your final bow!”

“I’m sorry, but there was never enough room on this stage for both of us!”

“A performance was demanded of me, and now I have delivered. Encore!”

Mr. Hippo

note: due to the length of these clips, transcripts are limited to the first few sentences of each clip.

“My friend, you have met a terrible, terrible demise. But, uh, y’know, I don’t feel too bad about it...”

“It seems that you have met your end. What a pity. Y’know what? I don’t feel too bad about it, though...”

“Well, it seems that your journey has ended. Very sorry about that. It was always gonna end this way, of course...”

“It seems that you have met a horrible demise, my friend. But uh... These things happen, and life goes on...”

Scraptrap

“I always come back.”

Jack-O-Chica

“Did things get really hot in here or is it just me?”

“Come and burn with me...”

“The fire within me burns eternal... And now you shall as well.”

“I am a burning reminder of your misdeeds.”

“Greetings from the fire and from the one(s) you should not have killed.” (?)

Lefty

“Shh... It will all be over soon.”

“Shh... There is room for one more.”

“Shh... Come spend eternity inside... With me.”

“Shh... I’ve been looking for you... And now I will never let you go.”

“Shh... I’m so glad that I found you... Let me make room for you.”

Mangle

“Don’t be afraid. Soon, you will look just like me. Beautiful!”

“Now I get to play ‘take apart and put back together’! You won’t feel a thing.”

“I wanted to wait until just the right moment to drop in.”

“It’s so much more fun hanging out in here with you.”

“She’s here... And always watching. The one you shouldn’t have killed.”

Marionette

“Seeing you powerless is like music to me.”

“I don’t hate you... But you need to stay out of my way.”

“I recognize you! But I’m not afraid of you. Not anymore.”

“The others are under my protection.”

“The others are like animals... But I am very aware.”

Nightmarionne

“You will not be spared. You will not be saved.”

“The shadow fears me.”  (?)

“I’m your weakness... Made of flesh.” (?)

“I’m here to claim what is left of you.”

“I followed you back to relive your horror.”

Nedd Bear

“Don’t you hate gettin’ killed by obscure secondary characters?”

“Stranger danger!”

“I was just waitin’ for you to drop your guard!”

“Whoops! That’s gonna leave a mark.”

“This is how it feels. And you get to experience it over and over and over again... Forever. I will never let you leave.”

Nightmare Freddy

“I am remade, but not by you. By the one you should not have killed.”

“No light can save you now.”

“I have always been hiding in your shadow.”

“What a gift to relish; a victim that can’t perish.”

“I am given flesh to be your tormentor.”

Nightmare Balloon Boy

“Come closer... Help me count my teeth.”

“You’re not so big! Just a bite-sized morsel!”

“You knew I’d get you eventually.”

“There just isn’t room in here for both of us.”

“Flash that light all you want. It can’t save you now!”

Nightmare

“This is a nightmare that you won’t wake from.”

“This time, death can not save you.”

“The nightmare is just beginning.”

“Let’s taste death again and again...And again.”

“I am the fearful reflection of what you have created.”

Orville Elephant

“What did you think of my act?”

“I don’t get out much, so you’ll have to excuse my enthusiasm!”

“I hope you enjoyed the grand finale!”

“Now is my time to shine!”

“He tried to release you. He tried to release US. But I’m not gonna let that happen. I will hold you here. I will KEEP you here. No matter how many times they burn us.”

Pigpatch

“I consider it a dignified death. ...Not really. It was actually quite pathetic.”

“If you sit my the river long enough, you will see the body of your enemy float by.”

“Even monkeys fall from trees.”

“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”

“The talented hawk hides his claws.”

Rockstar Bonnie

“Why so blue? You know I’ll be true, and now I’ll make slithers of you!”

“So good to see you again, my truest friend, but now your life must end!”

“What a fine day to come here and say that your face and flesh I must flay.”

“What a treat to come here and meet your face as it hits concrete!”

“I found my guitar now reach for the stars as I plunge it through your heart!”

Rockstar Foxy

“What can I do for ya?”

“How may I be of service to ya?”

“Who touched me bird?”

“Me bird likes ya, so I’ll do ye a favor.”

“Ya win some, ya lose some.”

“Ye play with fire and sometimes ye get burned.”

Rockstar Chica

“That’s right! And don’t you come back now, ya hear?”

“That’ll teach ya for tryin’ a’ trick this old bird!”

“Thought you could fool me with that sign... But I was too smart for ya!”

“I may not like wet floors, but the smell of fresh meat is just too enticing!”

“Whoops! Looks like you’re the one that slipped up this time.”

Scrap Baby

“Time for your controlled shock.”

“Let’s see how many pieces I can cut you into.”

“You won’t die... But you’ll wish you could.”

Toy Chica

“You won’t get tired of dying, will you?”

“Where’s my beak? Lodged in your forehead, of course.”

“You won’t get tired of my voice, will you?”

“Let’s go somewhere more private... So I can eat you.”

Toy Freddy

“That game was totally rigged!”

“That’s what you get for leaving me hanging!”

“It’s not my fault! I have these fat plastic fingers and can’t press the buttons!”

“Mr.Hugs got me again...”

“If I get jumpscared, you get jumpscared!”

Withered Chica

"I never thought I’d make it through that vent, but now we are together."

"Let me show you how to break your face and look like me!"

"I was the first. I have seen everything."

"Come closer. Let us smile together."

"I have seen him. The one you shouldn’t have killed."

Withered Bonnie

“Time to face the consequences of your failure.”

“Might as well face the facts; you were always destined to fail.”

“You blinked!”

"What is this new prison? Is it me trapped or is it you? Perhaps it's us both."

“I might be missing a face, but even I could see you stalk.” (?)

Funtime Chica

“I’m ready for my close-up!”

“Smile!”

“Say cheese!”

“Today is all about me, me, me!”

“Don’t get distracted!”

Rockstar Freddy

“Please deposit five coins.”

“Please deposit five coins.”

“Please deposit five coins.” (Shutting Down)

“Thank you for depositing five coins.”

[acuitas]

how did you and hilda meet anyway?

•-)•–––– ♛ ♕

––––❝ That’s, heh, a really good question.It wasn’t as grand as most o’ you think it was, I bet. This one is gonna be a doozy.

I was fourteen. See, I was kinda homeless around that age. I ain’t gonna get into the specifics o’ that so don’t even bother askin’, but! The point is, I had nowhere to go. I kept myself fed by doin’ odd jobs in the area. I was always good with a needle an’ thread, so I repaired people’s clothes for money, for example. One time I mucked out the stables for some noble an’ got paid… well, pretty poorly. I can’t remember his excuse, but it was stupid. Took all my strength not to lash out, it did!

…Right, so. That’s where I was.

At that point, I was gettin’ tired. Dealin’ with piss poor income in a world where your next meal costs an arm an’ a leg, well… it ain’t exactly fun. So I got to thinkin’. An’ thinkin’ has always done me good. I can usually make the best outta any situation with my noggin! So I thought… why not sneak into the castle proper?

I can’t recall the exact details, but I do know I planned on sneakin’ into the kitchens to grab any leftovers before high tailin’ it outta there. See if I could make it a regular excursion. Didn’t plan on stealin’ any precious valuables. Not then, at least. I had to make sure I had a safe way in an’ out, first.

…I got caught scalin’ the wall by a guard passin’ by.

I was two feet off the ground.

He grabbed me by my legs an’ personally toted me straight to King Hildefons.

Naturally, I was scared. Spooked! I was shakin’ in my boots! By the time we got to the throne room, I damn near pissed myself! The guard set me down an’ announced what I was doin’ to good King Hildefons, an’ I had the sinkin’ feeling that I was bound for the slammer! Or worse!

Before he could send me on my way to the gallows, though, his daughter spoke up. Princess Hilda. Now, at the time I thought she was just a spoiled brat who gleefully reveled in riches aplenty. But… when we first locked eyes, somethin’ changed. I saw this… sadness, there. Pity. She frowned at me, looked to her dad, an’ said,

“ Father. He is just a boy. His intentions were not malicious. Please, have mercy on him. “

I was floored. All this time, I thought she was just as cruel and ruthless as people claimed her to be, claimed her dad to be. But that’s all they were. Claims. I realized we were… projectin’ a bit.

Not to say that the royal family didn’t hoard wealth like packrats, but let’s not get into that!

Anyway… those two got to talkin’. It was super hushed, an’ I couldn’t read their lips very well. After what felt like an eternity, they said they came to a decision: that I was free to go, or I could stay an’ earn my keep. Obviously I chose to stay.

Or… I would’ve, before conkin’ out from stress.

I woke up in the softest bed I ever laid in, an’ two faces were starin’ down at me. Hilda, an’ someone I’d later come to know as Yuga. I sat straight up with a yelp when I came to, nearly knockin’ those two over!

I was asked if I was okay, said my head hurt but that was about it. I got asked if I wanted to stay or not, again, an’ said I’d be real grateful if I could stay here with the warm beds an’ clean sheets. Said I’d never be able to properly thank ‘em, an’ that I’d work my butt off!

Hilda was pleased, but Yuga… haha. I should have known, back then. Me bein’ around threw a wrench in his plans, probably. He mentioned my name bein’ cursed after I told ‘em it, after all.

Anyway.

I had to earn their trust first, so most work I did was pretty nasty. Let’s just say I really respect maids. When I wasn’t elbow deep in the toilets, I spent my time around Hilda. I had a real knack for makin’ her laugh, so I did it as often as I could. I just kept thinkin’ about how sad she looked, y’know?

She didn’t laugh or smile much without me around. She was… really lonely. She had her dad, but I quickly learned he wasn’t much of a dad. King mode never got shut off, even around her. Yuga was her nanny an’ later her advisor, so they were a lot closer.

Let’s… let’s not talk about Yuga. Okay.

Right.

So uh… we became fast friends. She didn’t really understand her feelings, though? I remember her tellin’ me she had a crush on me, an’ I told her two things: one, I really like you too but as a friend, an’ two, I’m the first person who’s ever treated you with basic human decency besides your nanny an’ your dad, o’ course you’re gonna like me. She… realized it wasn’t exactly a crush, then.

Over time, we kinda just… grew comfy with each other’s presence. We’d vent to each other, do stupid stuff together, do each other’s hair… it was nice. One night I told her she was the big sister I never had, an’… an’ she… she looked like she was gonna cry. Before I could take it back, she told me she wouldn’t mind bein’ that.

I think somethin’ clicked.

So after that night, we considered each other siblings.

I’ve rambled on enough here, but lemme just say that her dad, uh… wasn’t very pleased at first. But he warmed up to it when he saw how happy it made Hilda. I think– no, I know he cared. He really did. He just wasn’t… emotionally there for her. But her happiness was important to him, right until the bitter end.

…I hope. ❞