#but yeah- im mainly taking my time with this as i dont wanna burn myself up too much

[notmyprey]

Guys, Im taking this into my own hands. There's not enough Ninjagº (sfw) vore writing, so I shall add to it :)

Context/Content Warnings

Contains: Some (SFW) Vore towards the end, a hella lot of g/t, bad injury (but not like- gory descriptions), and many many personal headcannons. One mainly being I kinda ship Zane×Cole. But if ya wanna see it as platonic, I have written it so it can be interpreted as such too.

This is very self-indulgent if you cant tell....

This takes place between seasons 4 and 5. I've not seen any season past season 10 or 11, I can't remember exactly, so yeah.

Also, important personal headcannon for this fic: Zane kept his more human looking form, not cause I dont like his titanium form. I just like my drawing design I made

Btw it's in first person, so it's hard to tell, but the person who is the pov is Cole-

Fic under cut:

It was a normal fight, honestly nothing special. Just defend the Bounty from a few wannabe villains. That's all we had to do. But it's never that easy, not for us.

Our ship wasn't soaring the clouds today nor parked near the city, but rather parked near a small mountain. We went there in search of a few caves that we were told housed a potentially dangerous artifact. Our plan was simple.

Get in, get out, and destroy the object.

But as we parked, and some treasure hunters flooded the Bounty, we didn't take the time to notice the ground beneath us, or rather lack of. That's where a large pit sat, unnoticed and waiting.

Among the commotion, I started a tussle with one of the bandates near the edge of the ship. She shoved me against the railing, knocking some air out of my lungs. I was quick to retaliate, sending a swift kick to her gut and sending her a few feet backward. Another swift kick, and she was out.

Before I had time to catch my breath, a panicked shout drew my attention. Zane had gotten cornered, 5 treasure hunters surrounding him.

I pushed myself forward, ignoring my still stinging lungs. Of course, they would go after Zane first, I thought bitterly. He was made of metal, and to them, an item practically begging to be sold. This is the third batch of these guys we've run into this week, and I still hated that was how all these treasure hunters and collectors saw him. I hated it with every fiber of my being.

As I got closer, Zane managed to kick one my way, prompting me to, instinctively, punch them, thankfully knocking them out. Now we were 2 against 4. This got the rest of their attention. I smirked. Something about it felt good, watching Zane fight back. It was almost like he was getting back at them in a way, but I knew that was very unlikely intentional. Zane had a heart of gold, with an intent to hurt no one if avoidable.

As these thoughts played in my mind, I didn't notice the large footsteps behind me. In an instant, someone behind me grabbed my shirt. They were much bigger, so much bigger than me. I couldn't even react before I was in the air. They flung me back but kept their grip on my shirt. I was slung forward, then their hand let go, and suddenly, I was flying in Zanes direction. Treasure hunters dove out of the way just before I landed on top of Zane, knocking him and I onto the ground. Due to the way I was thrown, my head took the majority of the impact.

My head started throbbing instantly. All of the aches and pains I had suppressed until now were showing full force. Each breath burned, making me think I broke a rib. I tried to get up, but I felt my consciousness slipping.

My ears were ringing, but I still managed to make out bits and pieces of Zanes' voice.

First, Zane muttered something I couldn't understand. But his next question was one I was all too familiar with.

"Cole, are you ok?"

I could only groan in response. With that, everything started to blur. I couldn't push myself off of him, and I knew the quicker he was back on his feet, the better this would be for the both of us. Thankfully, Zane understood what was happening and pushed me off himself. He didn't give me the grace of placing me down too gently, but I dont blame him. He had bigger problems.

Now that I was on my back, I could see bits of movement, a large figure was starting towards us.

I couldn't see anyone else, Kai, Jay, Lloyd, and even Sensei were all nowhere to be found. My blood went cold, and momentarily, my heart stopped beating. Had something happened to the others?

No matter how hard I fought to get up, how much I told myself I needed to keep fighting, I was starting to loose consciousness. My eyes started to close on their own, and I soon felt myself getting lifted into the air once more by the larger treasure hunter. The last thing I remember was falling. Between the pressure change and my pre-existing head trauma, I couldn't stop myself from passing out before I even hit the ground.

Where is Zane?

I shot open my eyes, a swelling sense of panic rushing over me, but to my surprise, I couldn't see anything. Where am I?

I felt terrible. I think I broke my leg, maybe my arm too. I rolled over, helping relieve the pressure off both of my most likely broken limbs. There was a light far above me, but I couldn't see anything else that would help me figure out where I was. I couldn't get up, I couldn't see anything, I couldn't even speak. All I could do was lie and wait.

For hours, the shadows jumped at me, making my heart race in my ears. I knew I couldn't do anything, and that made the dark that much more terrifying. It was sufficating, how dark and alone I felt. Seconds felt like hours, and hours felt like days. No matter what I did to calm my anxiety, nothing helped. All I could do was lie in the silence and pray someone found me.

"Cole?" I heard Zanes voice calling from above. My heart leaped out of my chest, tears forming at the corner of my eyes from gratitude. He had found me.

"Here." My voice barely even came out.

After a few long moments, I felt the ground beneath me shake, and a loud thud echoed beside me.

"Cole?" This time, Zanes' voice echoed through my very core. My good arm instinctively went to cover up my eyes and ears.

I felt the earth shake a bit more, then a gasp echoed somewhere above me. Slowly, a blue light was brought closer, one I recognized as Zanes eyes. I loosened up upon that realization, unfurling and opening my eyes once more.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust. I sucked in a quick breath once I could finally see again. Zane towered over me, his meer hand was about as long as I was tall. I wanted to move away, but seeing that about half of me was broken, that was not an option. Slowly, he crouched down. Then gently he put one of his hands down and softly plyed his fingers under me. He lifted me up a bit, then placed his other hand under me as well.

"Cole?" He paused, a bewildered expression plastered on his face, "Cole, can you hear me?" His voice was a wisper now, but even his wispering seemed to completely surround me.

Between the shock of this whole experience and my hurt ribs, I was finding it increasingly harder to speak. I couldn't find my voice. The only thing that came out of my mouth was a pathetic squeak.

His thumb rose and started to brush over me. He didn't apply much pressure, but once he got to my broken arm, I couldn't help but flinch.

Zanes must have noticed that, since his eyes narrowed a bit, something he mostly did when he was annalizeing our 'injury status', as he tends to put it.

"Im going to get you back to the ship, alright?" I was grateful that he continued to keep his voice at a wisper.

I nodded again, to which he started to stand up.

Curling his fingers over me a bit, he suddenly shouts upward, "I FOUND HIM."

This sudden blast of noise hurt, making me return to the covered position I was in before. Zanes shout echoed through the pit, making me shutter in pain a few more times before the noise finally weakened.

Soon, Zane was lifted up, and as a result, I was too. As soon as I was out, noises boomed around me. One question seemed to come through the commotion in unison. "Where's Cole?"

I heard Kai, Jay, and Nya for sure, but Lloyd, I couldn't make out. Did he get kidnapped again? I knew Lloyd was another one of us that the treasure hunters tend to objectify, and that only increased my worry.

I felt Zane move his fingers again, this time unfurling them so that I would lay flat on his palm.

A series of gasps came from the group, and finally, I heard Lloyd. "What happened?" His voice, knowing he was ok, finally allowed my nerves to relax a bit.

"I dont know," Zane sighed in response, "but Cole is not in good condition. He has 3 broken ribs and a broken thigh bone. And his humorous bone is broken as well."

"Zane, now is no time for jokes." Jay piped up.

"The humourus is the bone in the upper arm, I am not displeased with Coles' humor." Zane said blatantly. I could hear the annoyance in his voice. If I had been able to speak, I would have tried to ease the tension, but unfortunately, I still felt too winded.

"Let's get him back then." Nya, the only one who seems to have more than half a brain cell most days, finally chimmed in. It was as if the same thought rung through everyones head, as everyone seemed to simultaneously start back towards the Bounty.

It was so strange. I never realized just how much I would miss the light until it was taken from me. I gazed up at the lamp above me, fixated on its lumosity. Most of my life, I had taken light for granted, but now, I couldn't be more grateful for it.

"How are you feeling?" The unexpected question made me nearly jump out of my skin. Zane must have come back into the room. It was only 15 minutes ago that he had left to take a well-deserved break, and honestly, I expected him to be gone for longer with how much work he put in to get me patched back up.

After I got back on the ship, Zane and Sensei both started to treat my wounds the best they could. With me being small, it was difficult for anyone but Zane to put my splints into place. He was the only one with such precision. Sensei, though he had tried, his hand kept shaking too much to do any good. This also was why they decided it was best for me not to get a cast since they could easily put it on too tight and hurt me more. They decided instead that no one would be allowed to handle me, but Zane.

This was something I found relief knowing. I had already started to imagine Jay coming in here to tease me over goodness knows what and getting too rough. It was strange how a part of me was now afraid of some of my friends. I didn't like it.

"Better." My voice was still weak, but at the very least, I had some painkillers now, so my lungs weren't on fire.

I had been set on top of a pillow, meaning I was a bit higher than I would've been on the bed. It wasn't too much higher than the bed, though it still allowed me a better view of the room. The pillow also meant I was more comfortable, which was a nice contrast to laying on the hard rocky ground in the pit.

Zane dragged his chair closer to me. He once again loomed over me, but in the light, now I was able to make out his face easier. I hadn't realized just how detailed his skin was till now. Even though it's not real, up close, you wouldn't be able to tell.

"Do you remember anything after you fell?" Zane broke the silence again.

"No," I shake my head, "I fell, and the next thing I remember is...." I fall quiet. Even the memory of how scared I felt sent cold dark shivers down my spine. "Waking up." I quietly finish.

"Is there anything that happened between you waking up and me getting there?"

"No..." I felt guilty for the fear I felt. Im sure they all were up on the bounty fighting, I shouldn't be pittied for falling in a hole. And I'm not lying, saying nothing happened since nothing did happen. But on the other hand, a lot felt like it happened. That fear was real. The pain was real. But neither of those should be anyone elses problem than mine.

Zane went quiet. He looked like he was thinking, but sometimes I can't tell with him. We sat like that for a while before Zane finally announced he was going to make dinner.

If I make a little in between part, I will link it here

Days passed. I was under strict orders that, until my bones were healed, I was not to leave the bed, save for when I needed to use the bathroom. It was long and boring. I couldn't play video games, nor could I even play board games. All I could do was watch TV and occasionally talk with one of the others. Zane came to check on me the most, but Jay made a point to seek me out a few times and mock me for my height. He made a point to remind me of the fact that I had called him short, and now the rolls are reversed and blah blah blah. I think he was trying to cheer me up, in his annoying Jay kind of way, but I honestly got tired of listening to him and zoned out most of the time.

The four days I lay in bed were practically tourture. I have never felt more lucky that my elemental powers also helped increase my bodies ability to heal itself. I may have gone insane if I stayed any longer.

Zane came in late on the fourth day of me lounging in bed. Once he announced that I could take both of my splints off, I did not hesitate to free myself from my confinement.

Once I managed to pry the splints off, it dawned on me. What was I going to do? I had been so focused on being able to leave this bed and the pillow that I hadn't thought much further than that.

Zane grabbed both of the splints I had set aside and placed them gently on the nightstand. Then, with a tired smile, he turned back towards me. "So, you're free now." He said with laughter in his voice, "Where do you want to go?"

"I dont know... I didn't think about it much."

"Well, I think I have an idea." A more sincere smile tugged at Zanes face, one that I wasn't sure if it was just friendly or one I should be suspicious of. His palm rested on the bed in front of me, but I hesitated to move myself onto it.

"I dont like that smile of yours. You're not bringing me somewhere to pull a prank on me, are you?" I narrow my eyelids, glaring right into his eyes.

He laughed at my suspicion, "No, no, I promise. This is a good surprise."

I climbed onto his hand, slowly, and still not feeling reassured. I found that sitting down is a lot less disorienting than laying down or standing, so I sit facing him.

I marveled at how large his hand was, even though he now had carried me many times, it was still something I could never quite get over. His hand so large that I could stretch my legs out fully and still have enough room to lay down.

He gave me a reassuring smile, then started out the door.

He carried me down the hallway and past a few rooms before turning into a doorway. I instantly recognized the room as the kitchen, even though it was now so much bigger. There was a delightful smell in the air.

"Mmmm, cake." I take another wiff, "Chocolate cake. " I specify.

"Your nose never ceases to amaze me, Cole." Zanes hand shook lightly as he laughed.

"I'm just that good." I smile, looking up at him.

A timer starts to go off, and with me turned towards Zane, I could see the exact moment he realized what the timer was for. He quickly placed the hand I was sitting upon on to the counter and gently nudged me off with the other. Wasting no time, he headed off, spinning around and rushing towards the oven.

Zane opened a drawer and pulled out two oven-mitts. I knew he didn't need them, and I'm sure he knew as well, but I guess it was a habit he had before discovering he was a robot. I also think that there's also a part of him that loves the oven-mitts since it was a gift we get him often.

Reaching forward, Zane opened the oven, sending a new wave of delicious chocolatey scents my way. I practically shook in anticipation as I saw him pull the source of the smell from the oven.

"One, Two, Three..." I mumbled as he took the tin of cupcakes out. He had made a total of 12 cupcakes. This means that if I take Zanes's portion, I get a total of 4 cupcakes! I big smile crept across my face.

I get up, still a bit wobbly from having sat mostly still for four days, and wander over to the cupcake tin. Zane was taking the cupcakes out and placing them on a rack to cool down faster.

"So I get all of them, right?" I give him the best pleading smile I could muster.

He rolled his eyes with a laugh, "No. You get two. Everyone gets two, or else they may need to make a movie about what happened when one of you got three instead."

Zane always had a way of making me laugh, "But I get your portion, right?" I step forward, closer to him and the edge of the counter.

"Not this time."

"Please tell me you're not giving them to the treasure hunters. You know they dont have a good bone in their body!" I joked.

"Ah, no matter how much I would love to see the look on everyones face at that, no. I am putting them away for when we get back to the city."

I furrow my brow, "But we won't be back to the city for a while! I mean, we haven't found the object thing, whatever it was - yet. And we still need to fix this!" I gesture towards myself.

"We have been looking while you were healing, Cole. Nia thinks she may have figured out where the object is. We're going to go tomorrow to try and retrieve it." My sholders slump. They have been looking without me?

"I thought you guys would wait." I mumble, on one hand, I was a bit bitter about it. They all went cave searching, finding who knows what cool objects and stuff, while I had to sit here and be on bed rest.

But, I could also see their side of it. They needed to get this done. If we didn't find this mysterious object, someone else would.

"Im sorry, Cole." Zane must have heard me muttering to myself.

"Well, at least I can come with tomorrow." I flop down on the counter, forgetting about my newly healed arm and leg. I let out a small shreak at the surprise pain. Zane reached forward to grab me but decided instead to hover his hands, ready to help me if needed.

"Cole," as Zane says this, his expression softened, "you aren't going to be coming with us tomorrow."

My heart dropped, "What?"

"You can't come with us tomorrow, Cole. It's too dangerous, and we can't risk you coming while you're..." Zane paused, considering his next words carefully, "... like this."

"I can still help!" I plea, I can't stay back again. I need to help. I have to help. "I still have my elemental powers! I can move some rock still! What if you get trapped? Then what? I am the Earth ninja! That's what I do! I move rocks!" I could see it. My words were doing nothing to convince Zane, and as I tried to reason more, I found I was grasping at flimsy straws, "I can still help..." I wisper.

"I am sorry, Cole. It's not only me who thinks you should stay. Sensei, he was the one who made the final decision. You need to stay here." Zane gave a sorry smile. "Rest up, maybe once we get back, you will be back to normal, and you can help us figure out what the mystery object is."

I sat there, defeated. I couldn't believe that I was being left behind. How could I keep them safe? How could I save them from the bounty?

The cupcakes started to sound less and less appetizing the more I thought of what tomorrow would bring for my brothers.

I woke up early the next morning. I had to get a good head start. I shuffle to the side of the bed, clinging to the sheets as I made my way down. Finally, once I reached the floor, I encountered my first obstacle. The door had been shut the night before, and I didn't know if I would be able to open it myself. The crack under the door was too narrow for me to fit under, so that wasn't an option. The door had a lever handle, so perhaps I could open the door?

I look around in an attempt to find something I could use to pry it open. The problem now I faced was that I was small, and I couldn't see much around the room. I walked back towards the bed, prepared to have to climb back up it so I could just see what was around the room. Just a moment after I grabbed onto the sheets, I saw something shiny under the bed. There was a clothes hanger under the bed.

I hesitate, the eery and mysterious shadows taunting me. My heart raced, I couldn't seem to look away. If I looked away, then it may consume me, the dark. My reason broke through my anxiety, telling me I had to go into the darkness, if just for one brief moment.

Shakily, I inched forward, feeling for the form of the clothes hanger with my feet. Soon, I felt the cold metal through my clothes. I quickly grabbed it and drug it back out to the light.

I had the clothes hanger, now to put it to use. I headed back towards the door, bringing the clothes hanger along with me. Once I reach the door, I swung the clothes hanger up, stretching my arms out and standing on my tip toes to give myself any bit of extra height.

The hanger caught at the handle, and I pulled down while also moving backward to open the door.

Finally, I was in the hallway. Though it was darker than the recovery room, it had many dim lights that fought off the dark enough for me to feel safe. Besides, the dark was the least of my worries now. I scurry along the edge of the wall, carefully listening for footsteps. I never thought that I would have to be so careful in my own home. But I had to pay attention, both because I dont want to get caught, and also because what would happen if someone didn't see me. The idea that someone could come along and accidentally step on me was one that I ran through my mind as I sped down the hallway.

I stopped at one familiar door. This is what I was looking for, my brothers room. Im sure right now they were still asleep, which was good for me. Unlike my recovery room, I knew that this door had a chip in it.

I believe Kai had said it was from Jay 'borrowing' my scythe. Whatever had happened before, it happened to work in his favor now.

I slunk into the dimly lit room. The only source of light was from outside the window where the moon was now lowering in the sky. Although it was difficult to see, I knew this room at least, and as such, I still found my way around. I creeped along the edge of the bunk beds, careful not to make a single noise.

In a heap on the floor, I saw my long-term goal, Zanes ninja suit. I darted over to the cothing pile, picking up and moving stuff out of my way until I found one of his pockets. I crawled inside, squirming to get comfortable as I did so.

A quiet but relieved sigh excaped my lips. Im going with them, whether they like it or not.

My brothers were too predictable. They woke up late, of course. Nia had already gotten dressed and was ready for them to start their search. Everyone was scrambling to put on their gear. Even Zane seemed to be unprepared, seeing that he didn't notice that his suit was a bit heavier today.

I bounced around any time Zane made any kind of big movement, including running, jumping, and turning. All of those being things Zane apparently does often. When Zane finally sat down to listen to Nia's brief, my head didn't seem to care and just kept spinning.

I couldn't hear much of Nia's ramble, but what I could hear clear as day was Zane. Normally, I tune out a lot of these long, borning, and often too elaborate plans. But today, I found it hard to disassociate. Any time I would finally zone off, Zane would ask another clarifying question. It hadn't dawned on me how many questions he asked before going on a mission. I swear he could write an essay just about the mission brief.

It took a while, but Zane eventually ran out of questions. Now, I thought, we could get on to the fun part.

A cacophony of chairs screeched against the floors as everyone stood at once. Once again, I started to sway and bounce. At one point, I think they were climbing down a rope, but it was hard to keep track. Everything was so disorienting that it was hard to even tell where I was. Were we in the cave yet? Or are we still on land? Did we even get off the Bounty yet? None of my questions seemed to be answered by the lighthearted chit chat that started from the group.

Once again, I wasn't able to hear what anyone else had to say other than Zane, which made it hard to figure out what was being said. The more I tried to fill in the gaps, the harder it became to understand what was happening. After about 15 minutes of me trying to decipher the illogical code, I gave up.

Who knows how long I have been in this pocket now. So far, they haven't seemed to run into any blocked paths, nor have they trapped themselves inside a cavern, which was a good sign.

How much longer will this take? All I wanted to do is get back to the Bounty, tell everyone I was here the whole time, and reassure them I can go on missions still. Maybe I couldn't walk by myself, but I was small and able to go places most cant. Imagine if I was this small when we got locked in the cage that one time. I could have gotten us out. I could be helpful.

We have to be in the cave now. There is a musty smell in the air, and I have to suppress the urge to sneeze every ten seconds. This could not be a worse time for my allergies to rear its ugly head.

We passed a particularly dusty portion of the cave. My heart sped up, I can't be caught now! They will just bring me back and go on without me! I hold my breath, hoping that if I dont breathe in the dust, I won't sneeze.

I had to breathe eventually, and as soon as I caught my breath again, I felt the overwhelming urge to sneeze. It started to rise from my nose and through my mouth. I had to stop it, I tried, doing everything in my power to stop the sneeze.

I breathed out once more, and the need to sneeze wad suddenly gone. I silently celebrated my victory.

I celebrated too soon. My sneeze snuck up on me. It was too late to stop it, so I tried to cover it up the best I could. But it was too late, I felt Zane come to a sudden hault.

"What was that." He asked, I heard the unease in his voice.

Some replies came from my brothers, but again, none that I could hear. My heart beat in my ears. Maybe Zane would write it off as the cave shifting. It does that sometimes, right?

An intense pressure shoved against my side for a moment before quickly disappearing. Zane gave an annoyed grumble above me.

Suddenly, a hand appeared, enclosing me in its grasp. It brought me up out of Zanes' pocket to be level with his face. He made sure to keep me facing towards him but didn't lighten his strong grip on me.

"Cole." The ice in Zanes' voice made my heart skip, I hardly hear him angry, and never is it towards me. His lips were thin, and his eyes were practically piercing through my soul. Normally, I can fight back, spit words, and defend myself. But his grip has become so tight that I was starting to struggle to breathe.

I wheezed a bit, doing my best to keep my composure. With my ability to breathe, slipping now, though, it remained difficult.

"Zane," I gasped in between desperate breaths, "Breathe. I can't."

The moment those words left my lips, Zane hand loosened, and so did his expression.

"What are you doing?" This was the Zane I knew now. He was annoyed, sure, but he wasn't the same as he was only a moment ago. He tilted me back a bit and set me down on his other palm.

"I -" Before I could get the sentence out, Lloyd brought up a finger to his lips. I turned to watch as Lloyd creeped towards a 90° turn in the cave. Just as quickly as he peered around the corner, he retracted his head. Turning back towards us, he wispers something. I couldn't hear it, I can't seem to hear anything lately. I turned to look at Zane, hoping he heard it. One look at his face told me he did.

I started to open my mouth to ask him to repeat what he heard, but shut it when I saw Zane already opening his mouth to reply.

(Start of events in comics here 1 + 2)

I watched as he didn't speak, but rather just kept his mouth open for a moment. One second, I was on Zanes hand, staring up at Zane. The next, I was shoved forcefully towards Zanes face. Suddenly, I was surrounded by a mass that glowed a light blue. Any time I tried to move, tried to reorient myself, I was pinned down again. I felt the confined space push me head first into another tighter tunnle.

The light followed me, and with this light came many new noises. There was a distinct ticking noise, along with the sound of what I assume was gears grinding together. Soon, blood started to run to my head, and my brain felt light.

(End of events in comic)

A few seconds after I thought I was about to pass out, I was pushed into a larger chamber. It was soft, and it had the same blue glow as the other one had before. It was definitely bigger and stretchier than the other two. That said, it was still very cramped. I was forced to lay down, as the ceiling was practically brushing against my hair, and the rest of my body was pressed into the sides of the room. Something about this place was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

A series of sporadic movements tossed me about a bit, but comparatively, it was not nearly as bad as it was in the pocket.

What would be my train of thought asking me where I am and what was happening got interrupted with a series of muffled shouts. I instinctively sunk into the rippling soft cloth underneath me, hopeful that it will keep me safe from this unseen danger.

The same sounds of gears and gadgets still were present but much more muffled now. The ticking was still audible too, but I had to strain to hear it.

There is where I stayed for a long time, trapped in the chamber. The pillow-like surroundings kept me in place for the most part, but every once in a while, there would be a bigger movement that caused me to fly into one of the walls. The walls, though, were soft and squishy, making the experience when I wasn't getting slammed into them actually kind of enjoyable.

After a while, the movement slowed down and finally came to a hault. Just as I started to bask in the peace, a loud voice from above brought me back. "He's fine. He's in my storage compartment." I recognized the voice instantly as Zane. I wonder who he was talking about? Who would even fit in his storage compartment? I have seen it before, it's small. No one was that small.

My breath hitched. I am that small. I felt the blood rush to my face as I realized just where I was. It was embarrassing how comfortable I had felt here. I lightly pushed at one of the folds around me, as if feeling it would help confirm.

I tried to push myself up, to put a bit of space between me, and what I now knew was Zane. My efforts were foiled as my back hit the top of Zanes storage chamber, and I flopped back down.

Zane started to speak again, "Is that all of them?" He must be talking to our brothers.

After a brief pause, where I assume someone had responded, Zane continued, "Then let's get moving again."

So they weren't going to bring me back. That was a relief. I can stay on the mission with them. Zane would let me out, and I could finally have some normalcy back in my life.

I felt Zane start to move again, this time, though it was more methodical, and the chamber only swayed slightly with each step. He wasn't making any sort of motion to let me back out. Did he forget?

I lightly knocked at the glowing pillow in front of me, "Um, Zane?" He didn't slow his pace. I waited for a few seconds, but he didn't respond.

"Zane?" This time, I raised my voice more in case he couldn't hear me the first time.

Zane started to slow his pace, meaning he heard me this time. "Yes, Cole?" He still sounded very annoyed with me.

"Are you going to let me out?" I poke at a spot next to me, hoping he would understand what I was getting at.

"No, I am not." He said matter of factly.

I'm a bit surprised. "What?" I scoff, not able to stop the word from coming out of my mouth.

"You not only disobeyed Sensei. But you also put yourself in danger and, by extension, could have put us in danger, and you still have no remorse for any of it." His tone reminded me of how he spoke to Lloyd when he was younger, something that hurt more than I thought it would.

"Im not a kid. I can handle myself just fine." The hurt seeping into my words.

Zane grumbled, a sudden pressure from the outside squeezed me to the opposite side of the chamber for a moment before releasing me once more. "I know you aren't a kid. But you need to listen to me, Cole. You aren't indestructible. You are putting yourself in more danger than I think you realize by being here. I dont want to lose you." He sighed, the previous annoyance in his voice fading. "There are bad people in these tunnels, and if you get separated from us all, it would take is for one to grab and toss you to..." The chamber pushed in again, "I can't lose you, ok?"

I couldn't think of anything to say to that. All the tension and defensiveness in me disappeared in an instant. How could I have been so neglectful. I know he cares about me. That's all he meant, and I should have known.

The pressure once again released, and I flopped onto the plush beneath me. I hadn't realized until then, but I had been tense. It had been exhausting, keeping that grudge. I relaxed, sinking furtherer into the pillow beneath me. Closing my eyes for a minute wouldn't hurt, right? I nestled my head down, and as I felt Zanes speed pick up to catch up with the others, my mind started to wander into the best sleep I have ever had.

[captainaikus]

hello love!

its not any fun if you push yourself to exhaustion, so don't worry about it! although, i wont stop you from making a 5th edition. just be careful if you do, okay? we dont want you overworking yourself!

back to convo: MY IN LAWS ARE OBSESSED WITH ME YESSSS <33 WHAT IS UP WITH LIKE ISEKAI AND REINCARNATION? LIKE ITS FUNNY BUT ITS INTERESTING EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING DOWN? Oh. its the hot men. oops. well even though its predictable, theyre still fun to read even though theyre cliche.

KRJDJSB YOUR LEAST FAVORITES LMAOOO 😭 THEYRE EGOISTS BUT THEYRE HOT? THE ONLY EXCUSE TBH. but your last two, tbh theyre not that hot in my opinion... i totally get it 😭 nothing like being a camera/women whore to make us angry.

YES PINK <3 I SAY ITS THE BEST COLOR OUT THERE! i myself am more of a reddish-pink but like- really light yknow? pastel, but its really cute! painted my room a piglet pink for that :) the other pastels are cute too! even orange, which is the worst color. guys can hate on me but i hate orange. if you like orange youre WRONG 🤬 (ofc guys im just joking please dont get offended 😰)

THATS SO CUTE? EXCUSE ME? A LITTLE SAFE HAVEN MANSION PLEASE AND LIKE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST? GOALS? <33

about me, huh? umm its a little long sorry

my favorite songs are bug, fragile, & airhead(vocaloid). my aesthetics are softcore, cottagecore, kawaii, & japanese school aesthetics! basically anything pastel, pink, beige, plant, or japanese! i looked up softcore to confirm my suspicions and um... i got p*rn. uh guys make sure when youre searching up softcore that you search up 'softcore aesthetic' instead because.. i mean unless you wanna get p*rn. that's fine ig?

my top favorites animes/manga are toilet bound hanako kun, bungo stray dogs, hunter x hunter, & blue lock :) mainly because they contain my favorite characters: aoi akane, ranpo, killua, & nagi :)

i love sweet food, as well as asian food (especially basic beef pho)! i cant handle spicy, but im fine with the burn. its the pain that comes with it. ouch. BUT IM ASSUMING YOU HAVE HIGHER TOLERANCE 👀 like jalapeños? you can eat them without dying, right? please tell me some good spicy foods for beginners! i can handle like... pepperoni and like... spicy barbecue sauce, and hot doritos? 😭

AND THE PANTIES DISCUSSION? THERES MORE. INTIMATE THINGS? NO. GET READY FOR:

loincloth

undies

underpants

underclothes/clothing

long johns

underthings (did u already list this? 😭)

skivvies

I KNOW THAT SOME ARE FOR GUYS BUT I CANT IMAGINE WRITING A SMUT FIC AND PUTTING: "take off your long johns babe, because it's gonna be a long night." LIKE PLEASE? WHAT? 😭😭 I CANT???

also im sorry im not calling you belle! im used to calling people love or lovely! if youd like me to instead call you belle just tell me! its ok if you dont like the nickname :)

DESPITE ALL OF THAT i hope today's a great day/night for you as well! byebye lovely! <3

- 🌸 anon

ty for understanding doll 🥹 so yeah there would be a 5th edition but I'm taking my time with it Don't even get me started on the hot men in webtoons (got a woman in there too) - I’ve read a lot of Manhwas too (some BL)

i started reading one today - the boxer (still on chapter 3 - but so far it’s going good) my moods in two panels

one of the comments really said “albino Bakugou” 🥹😭

they certainly are hot v.v adam disappointed me. There was so much potential in there the beard n aura but no. oliver is kinda a whore my whore pink is also said to have a calming effect compared to other colors. imo- yellow is the worst color out there, but I've gotten used to it haha yeah the Budapest hotel is my mansion :) ooh vocaloids! i listen to them as well (esp the wowaka's album) n deco! (i listen to a lot of genres tbh, phonk, classical n all - you name it but i think my writing gives lana del rey vibes cause it is tragic n ambiguous at times?) oh yeah there have been times when i have seen nsfw things on tumblr when just scrolling through for some blog aesthetics 0v0 i have one too many fav animes but here we go :

• jojo's bizarre adventure

• kamisama hajimemashita

• Hanayori no dango (its boys over flowers - the original one)

• tokyo ghoul (it was one of the first anime series i watched but after season 2 i wasn't a fan of it)

• death note

• devilman crybaby

• black butler

• slam dunk n knb

• haikyuu

• maid sama! (one of my personal favs)

• ouran high school host club (i watched it a few months ago n it was good)

• free!

• beastars

• jujutsu kaisen

• promised neverland - the first season was good the second.. we know happened to that

• bsd was one of my favs too! i have one too many favs from there

• yuri on ice (contemplating to watch it again)

• blue lock (manga wise - anime i don't keep up with the eps)

• vinland saga (yet to catch up on season 2)

• the ways of a househusband i was watching the time i got reincarnated as a slime (good watch imo), baki (v interesting too-) yeah there are a lot of animes to name

hentai too jalapeños... yeah i eat those. not spicy for me tbh, apart from that the real spicy stuff is the samyang noodles confused crying how do people even eat ghost peppers 🥹 i like enough spice in food to trigger my palette n brain but not spicy enough to burn my stomach or intestines i'm not the best person to ask spicy food for beginners cause some people can't handle spicy food well - depends on the kind of food you grew up eating n the kinda diet you have as it could trigger your body ; but i added chilli powder to bland foods - including Szechuan sauce or sriracha n now that's my go to for spicy food or making fried rice i feel like if uncle roger saw this he's gonna make sure my cooking career goes up in flames loincloth 💀 underthings? 💀 long johns 💀 how... where do you even get these words - i don't even want to know how do they invented these i read that sentence in the most victorian woman voice ever.

actually same here, i tend to call ppl doll, angel, pretty, lovely at times- cause it makes a person smile (i say girlie pop too, honey, gem, sweetness) but at times i hesitate cause idk if the person is comfortable with me calling them that and please! feel free to call me love or lovely! idm it at all 0^^0 i hope you have a great morning / afternoon / evening too doll ! <3

[chocosvt]

hey! i dont wanna make this too long but i LOVED honeyboy so much im actually so speechless about it. a friend recommended this fic to me and when i saw the word count i went :0 bc in all my years of reading on tumblr ive never come across a fic that was over 25k and although thats a bit disappointing because im a sucker for long fics, this one was 54k words of pure amazement? wonder? goodness? idk, all i know is that it was so good im just so ..yeah

knowing this is a really really long fic that you surely put your blood sweat and tears into, i knew i had to sit and read this with absolutely no interruptions whatsoever so i did whatever i had to do and sat my ass down and 3 and a half hours (maybe more maybe less) later im here writing this (its currently 6:27am if you want a time check) and those 3+ hours did NOT go to waste im telling you

i loved the story from the beginning to the end and i love reading slowburn bc it just is so good you know? ive really been in my mingyu feels ever since in the soop and ive just been feeling it with this story like my heart HURT a lot throughout this fic. usually when i read long stories, i take a break every now and then because i have a low attention span or i wanna prolong the story (thats mainly cause most of them are obviously way shorter), but this one? i literally am not kidding when i say i read it through and through without a pause in between because its just so captivating and so good like amongst these 3 hours i felt myself becoming attached to the story and i went, dang what should i do with my life when i inevitably end this one. i just love long stories with impeccable writing like that.

i really like how you made your characters so loveable! i thought i was gonna dislike jane but no shes so <33 and i have a burning hatred for suri and her puppy blair in all their cowardice and if i ever see them its on sight fr !!! you really evoked a lot of emotions in me and i mean, im a reader who likes to fall into the world im reading and feel everything through and through so you could imagine how much times i almost teared up or felt embarrassed or blushed and even when the smut came up i was 😵 going through it. author you know how to make my heart flutter with having mingyu say good girl like . im still blushing

another point i wanted to make before i forgot and went into detail about something completely unrelated! my name is cheyenne and i go by chey often right. imagine my utter surprise seeing one of your passing characters go by chey i really think that was the only moment i paused and went– (・o・) wait a minute..– chey is not a common name so seeing it made me ?? and i also have purple hair! when two worlds collide i guess.

i dont want to make this any longer than it should be because i have a lot of words to say about this amazing fic but i dont have enough words for it so in conclusion!!! i really really loved this story and the long ass word count was definitely a cherry on top and seeing the relationship grow between mingyu and mc and how he gradually grew to like her (dont get me started on the necklace scene- it was too good) and just everything about it!? all the anger and resentment and tears and happiness and growth really was something enjoyable so thank you for releasing this amazing work!!!

I'VE HAD THIS ASK IN MY INBOX FOR LIKE A MONTH NOW AND THE ONLY REASON IS BC I COULD NEVER FIND ENOUGH WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW THIS MADE ME FEEL ;_;

but i have read ur ask so many times and it gives me some sort of crazy endorphin rush from all the sweet, thoughtful things u said!! you are a wonderful human and i just can't extend enough thx for ur reading and ur enjoyment! AND I AM SO HAPPY YOUR NAME GOT TO APPEAR AS A SIDE CHARACTER LOL. i actually try to choose names i don't regularly hear?? but chey came to me bc my sister's best friend in high school was named chey and she was a kool kat!

anywho-- thank youuuuu!!!!!!!! x infinity!!! that fic was most certainly a challenge for me but i always get such a fulfilling feeling knowing how it impacted someone or made them feel something! I TREASURE THIS SO MUCH WORDS CANNOT EXPLAIN :_) and ofc ty for taking the time to elaborate so beautifully!

[khaleesiofalicante]

JBKUGXUHDFVUH SIZZY

“There is a prince of hell on the loose,” Georgia pointed out.

“And that’s why we need to make every minute count,” dada replied with a cheeky grin.

i love them so much

ah yes everything that happened with the tlh gang 😄

All the princes of hell were still very much alive. All nine of them.

right? what's their problem

like die already

it's literally 1 28am im tired

Her parents had been to Edom. They had been to hell more than once actually.

God, they were so cool.

haha sure..

is going to hell and getting traumatised the new cool these days?

nice. let's go my self perseverance is basically not there at all

i have not forgotten the "alec has a heart attack"

im scared

She hoped no one else would die. She was running out of white clothes to wear.

i like her.

Also if lexi is dead how did gigi not feel it???

“Rafael was no doubt a skilled fighter,” the woman said gently. “But fighting is not always about weapons. Sometimes, you need to fight people. You need to fight systems. Rafael was very good at that too. Just like his father.”

why you so adamant on making me cry

no

oh my god

THE NOTHINGNESS

THE DARKENESS

THE SAME THAT GIGI FELT

I WAS RIGHT SHUT UP

IT'S MIXING

Oh my god the way i gasped

the cohort

fuck

but how are they infecting the people...?

when zara came here all that time ago?

well not that long ago but like

TESSA AND JEM

“Lexi is not dead!” Georgia insisted. “I would know.”

YEAH HOW DID SHE NOT FEEL IT???

i know she's alive

mainly because i spoiled myself so

knew it

YES GIGI TELL THEM

because they both are alive...

the poison doesn't kill

wtf do you mean she lost her soul??

make it make sense buddy

im gonna fucking cry someone hold me

OH MY GOD ALL OF THEM DOING THE THING

IM GONNA CRY

LEXI OH MY GOD LEXI

alright get david and rafael's souls back now

michael is sus

she doesn't remember going to the institute...?

Michael’s eyes sharpened at that. “No one is allowed you take you from me.”

well that doesnt seem all that healthy

Michael didn’t grow up the way Selena did. Michael didn’t have the best of role models. It’s okay.

yeah you see it is not

oh my god selena is possessed isnt she?

“They are going to execute me,” Michael said in a whisper.

WHAT

“Dearest,” Michael said gently. “You have given me the world. You gave me everything.”

SHE'S A KID WTF HOW CAN YOU EXECUTE HER???

selena no

wait omg

if selena is possessed then what if this is just a long scheme to get her to idris so they can use her

it's not asmodeus you fucking dumb dumbs

oh wait they dont know it's not him it was max who had that convo

nvm

JULIAN STFU

no they are all going to know about michael no no fuck

they are gonna know...

oh my god

she would never hurt anyone. especially not rafael and not david

but it makes so much sense for her to be possessed

rafael texted her about raziel, she knew where david and max's date was going to be

and michael...she's a ploy to bring her to idris

idr the convo that took place between zara and her wait i need to reread that

michael and selena's relationship is borderline toxic

michael seems psychotic

i can not read on nope nope

zara didnt want selena to come to idris

why

SHE CALLED RAFAEL HER BROTHER

Y'ALL I WILL CRY SHE WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT EITHER OF THEM

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH EVIDENCE

WHICH ONE OF YOU DID THIS

OH SHIT

WDYM EVERYTHING WENT BLACK

WTF

To be very honest, he had no idea what was going on around him.

me every minute of my life

whose pov is this?

OH ALEC

selena wtf

the dark like the poison dark?

FREAKING OUT

belial

fuck fuck fuck

Selena looked down at herself. “She doesn’t much look like a child, does she?”

I'LL BURN YOU ALIVE

FUCKER

“Oh,” Selena’s face went soft. “Rafael. There is no need to worry about him. He is just sleeping.”

“Well, wake him the fuck up then,” Alec snapped.

Yes I have loud music and cold water here let's do it

huh

she was blessed by the angel what does that mean

MAGNUS AND TESSA

WHAT DID YOU DO

WHY DO YOU WANNA RAISE RAZEIL

oh

oh oh oh

the only time the blades didn't work was in the presence of selena

fuck fuck fuck

so many questions

Max was standing at the entrance to the infirmary, his hands stretched out. “What did I miss?”

same energy as to of my friends arguing about something armys did on the gc and my other friend going "YO DID YOU SEE WHAT ARMYS DID??"

yes jae we did.

“I don’t know,” Lexi said. “To fucking breathe?”

same girl same

“Magnus. I think...I think Rafael isn’t dead.”

what gave it away?

BESTIE YOU JUST WITNESSED BELIAL SAY THAT

OH I FORGOT MAX WAS IN EDOM

HI MAX

I FORGOT YOU EXISTED FOR A SECOND ILY BABY WELCOME BACK TO EARTH

but then what about his decision...?

oh my god HE LIVES IN IDRIS

of course he does...

he would have needed lake lyn to raise raziel

im actually so scared im gonna cry

no you didnt destroy the body

max tell them

i cant see them in pain

oh thank god they know

so close to breaking down and sobbing i am

max just answering their questions like that lmao

idk why that's so cool but it is

“Two?” Uncle Julian spoke up. “We are dealing with two princes of hell?”

yeah just split up and deal with them you'll be fine the tlh gang did it

add some miscommunication, fake relationships, and gay

oh my god they already have that

gasp

not at their inside code being a pancake ingredient i love them

THE DAMN CINNAMON SUGAR

“But now you must leave this to the adults.”

ew no

when have they ever gotten shit doen?

“Of course, she will be okay. Losing a twin is such an overrated trope,” Lexi pointed out. “You know how I feel about overrated tropes.”

“Uh, you are literally fake dating someone right now.”

can we please get to that line where olivia said she likes lexi for real

It seemed her fake dating slow-burn was coming to a very tragic end.

did you forget to add the happy ending tag?

why is she burning up...

PLEASE JULIAN-

oh i forgot about lexi hurting liv

“Oh,” Lexi replied – because she was good at communication.

BYE-

no no no julian knows they are not fake dating lexi she really means it

WHY

raziel holy fuck

WHAT WHAT WHAT NOW

im so confused

he called himself her good friend im gonna cry

what was up with that note which said alec gets a heart attack though??

honest to god, you are such a fucking mood *screams*

also - that heart attack was a metaphorical one. I was fucking with yall :)

[all-hail-the-witcher]

Story time?

okay so

this was in June right

so I had to make a video for history about the progression of music and fashion or something and I dont know anything about making videos but my sister does so I was like “hey if I make the whole script find all the audio and the pictures can you put it together for me?” and she was like lol sure and my mom didnt really care cause it was the end of the year and like there was no way I could have done it but in exchange I had to do her science project for her which was building a bottle rocket

now I had done w=this project when I was her age, literally within 48 hours before it was due with one of my friends in her basement. the rocket itself was terrible and only went 29 feet in the air cause we didnt put the fins on right or give it a point at the nose cause we couldn't figure it out (we were in honors science and were graded on how high it went and everyone else went like 80+ feet) but it looked amazing cause it was painted as starry night. so im like alright this is my chance to redeem myself.

so I ask her what she wants it to look like and like the mean girls soundtrack had just recently come out and we were both obsessed (her more than me) so she says “mean girls” and im like cool okay I got this. so I painstakingly glue the bottles together perfectly straight (and I got a nice hot glue gun burn from that on my forearm cause I cant use a hot glue gun, its a perfect circle and looks like a cigarette burn) and then I sand them and mix the paint together to achieve Mean Girls Pink and paint “on Wednesdays we wear pink” in the lettering on the side, glue on pink glitter, make a pointy piece for the top, measure the fins to the perfect proportions and slap em on there like I spent a good 5 hours on this thing. so they launch the rocket at school right and guess how many feet it goes? 534 now im no math expert but thats way higher than 29, so I redeemed myself.

anyway though my sister is still editing my video and it ends up taking 20 hours, she was up until like 2 am on several school nights finishing it and im like hmmm this isnt exactly a fair deal here cause shes like hecking pissed at me for making her do this even though I made a fantastic rocket but whatever

so im like wellll see she wanted to see mean girls and I did too kinda (although mainly cause ben Iain and denarius but thats cause I saw all of them in newsies) and im like alright its coming up on summer I got some cash saved up for my laptop fund lets see if I can find some cheap ones

so I search and find some cheapish like 70 dollar ones for some Wednesday in the end of august that were way back in the mezzanine and im like cool okay yeah I can pay for this

so im like “yo dad my sister put way more work into my video than I did into her rocket and I wanna buy her mean girls tickets as a thank you” and hes like “...... okay ill look into it”

keep in mind at this point the video isnt even being done edited.

so my dad has given me approval for this even after a few days and hes kinda talked with my mom about it so im like “hey cool” and the video gets done being edited and its great I got an 88 on it, didnt have to take the final, everyones happy

and so im like “dad mean girls tickets I wanna buy them soon before the prices go up” cause the Tony awards were like that weekend and if they won anything they were gonna be more expensive

and hes like “yeah so we've been thinking it would be way easier for you to go see it that weekend where were already in the city”

so I thi k at this point it was like idk, June 13 maybe ?? and I was gonna be in the city the 23, 24, and 25 cause I had a show and we were gonna be staying overnight

and im like “dad, thats gonna be expensive”

and hes like “yeah I know but it makes more sense this way cause then we dont have to pay to get into the city and parking and all that stuff and me and mom decoded that we can pay for it” which, for all you who dont know, its a 25 dollar toll to get into ny plus like 30 to 50 dollars parking plus food and all that other stuff and its just kinda a hassle

so im like “alright cool” and so literally the night before the Tony awards me and my dad are sitting picking out tickets. they were in the mezzanine, left side, 4 rows from the bak on the aisle, but its a small theater so like dossent matter.

so we got the tickets and the next night me and my sister watch the Tonys and shes like freaking out cause “oh my god mean girls is amazing I wish we could see it” and im like “holy shit were going to see this” cause it was a surprise for her

and so for the next week or so I have to keep this a secret from my sister which was so damn hard cause it was all she would ever talk about

and so then its time to tell her

and its the last day of her school (mine got out 2 days before) and my mom knew I was gonna tell her that night so we got to target and I pick her out this cool outfit it was like flowy pants and a shirt and a necklace and I think we got her a bag and I had bought this cool jumpsuit a few weeks ago and im like getting excited cause its Wednesday and were going Saturday

so shes in the shower and I cut out all these letters in various shades of pink that say “I see stars, so many stars Saturday night” cause like we were going Saturday night and like stars like broadway stars get it and I hang them up in the kitchen with the tickets and the outfit and surprise her and she was essntially like “oh my god whats happening”

and then

the day

so I had a show that weekend with my company in the city thats why I was there and on Saturday we had to take a class from 5;30 to 7 and then there was going to be a show that night that we were going to so I get special permission to miss the show and go to mean girls cause like d u h and so it was literally so insane I got out of my class, grabbed food, me and my sister and my dad ran up 11 city blocks to out hotel quick ate showered got changed and made it to the theater literally at 7:56 

and then the show started and I cried and it was so amazing and just me and myself sister went so like we were squeezing each others hands really tight the whole time and Iain young was swinging and our dad let us stage door and just holy hell it was amazing

and the next day I had a rehearsal at 8 am

and that is the story of how I saw mean girls

[jem-2096]

Neighbour - part 4

(Marleys POV)

I shut the door to my bedroom and offered him a seat on my bed beside me. I took a deep breath calming the nerves in my belly and let out a sigh. He looked up at me opening his mouth and closing it several times trying to come up with the right words to say. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you and Im sorry that you found out the way you did. I was meaning to tell you…I really was. Every opportunity I got, you talked of us spending the summer together and I felt that I was going to crush you if I told you.” He said distraughtly looking away. “Then why didn’t you answer my texts or calls? Why didn’t you run after me and apologize before you left?” I blurted out with slight anger. “Hey! I did answer your texts but you never responded…” He stated, throwing his face in his hands and laying back on my bed in frustration. I stood up digging through my bedside table and dropped my old, still leaky phone on his chest making him sit upright quickly. He chuckled shaking his head in disbelief. “It fell in the pool the day you sent me a message..” I whispered shyly, scooting closer to him. “I was so stupid…. ” he barley whispered looking down at the waterlogged phone in his large hands. “I thought you would need some space the first few days.. I didn’t think of it as a bad thing until I realized that you needed me, like I needed you when me I broke up with Vicky.“ I took his shakey hand in mine and gave it a small squeeze. “I realized how hurt you were by it later and what I would feel like if it was the other way round.” He spoke sadly. “I wish I could have a do over…I wish I could do over this whole summer. I just have so many regrets. I felt so awful after I thought you gave up and started ignoring me.” His voice began to shake, becoming more choked up as he spoke. “I felt sick and just horrible that I could have just lost my best friend…” he began. I suddenly sensed my heart drop at those words and I could see his eyes were beginning to water which made it even worse. I gave up holding back my true feelings and wrapped my arms around his waist pulling him in. He instantly buried his head into the crook of my neck letting out a small sob. “Hey..Lu.. it’s okay, I’m here.” I whispered into his ear. 

I rubbed his back trying to calm him down. He held me closer as if he was going to lose me if I let go. I was surprised by how his feelings were so wound up in this and realized how much he must care for me. He’s usually not the type of person to talk about or begin to think of articulating his feelings. I rarely ever saw him cry like this when we were growing up so I was in a state of shock. He pulled away looking into my eyes. “I’m so sorry Lee…” he whispered genuinely. My stomach did flips; mainly because of the name he had called me. No one ever called me that besides him and I haven’t heard him use it in years. He wrapped his arms around my body again pulling me in for comfort. We sat like that for a while and I rubbed his back again. I wanted to grab his face and kiss him so badly but I decided it wasn’t the right moment to dump all my feelings on him. I took his hand in mine giving it a reasuring squeeze. “You know I forgive you no matter what happens. Your my best friend Lu..” He shook his head. “I dont deserve to be forgiven-” he grunted pulling away and plopping on the floor, leaning his back against the bed frame. He began mumbling incoherant sentences as he began to cry into his hands. I slid down beside him, wraping my arms around his shoulder pulling him closer as he cried into my chest. “Listen to me. Please Luke. The people who surround us, help shape us into the people we are. I may sound crazy right now.. ” My breath hitched as I began to feel tears brimming. “..but thank you for making me struggle and for giving me a hard time this summer.” He looked up at me as if I had three heads. “So..your not mad at me? And your letting me off the hook? -why?” He asked curiously. “I’ve had a lot of time to myself this summer and I found that without you leaving, I wouldn’t have been able to find true happiness within myself.. ” I gave him a light peck on the cheek. “Try to focus on the here and now and try not to dwell so much on what has happened.” I whispered only loud enough for him to hear as I played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Lu..are you okay to go out there again?” I asked curiously. He looked up at me and quickly gained composure, nodding. “Better than ever!” He smirked, eyes still red and puffy. “Not so believable.. lets give it a few more minutes.. yeah?” I joked giving his shoulder a nudge.

.

When we came outside, our dads were standing at the bbq, grilling up burgers and hotdogs. My mouth salivated at the smell. “Hey you two! We’ll be eating in under an hour!” My dad said. We nodded and walked towards the pool, jokingly complaining about our hunger. I squinted up at the giant that stood beside me who was just blocking the sun. “Wanna swim?” I asked curiously, noticing the other boys had left. He threw his shirt off and waddled over to the pool. "It’s freezing!“ He whined dramatically dipping his toe in. I giggled pulling my oversized t shirt off and went to the pool ledge to dip my toe in the water. "You liar-” I felt his arms wrap around my waist as he threw us into the pool making a giant splash. 

I saw him push off the bottom as I gulped down water and flailed my arms. I watched him swim toward me. He grabbed my waist and pulled us up to the surface. I coughed trying to clear my airway. My nose burned from once being filled with water and I felt my bikini top was loose. “Marley, are you okay?” He asked concerned while carrying me to the shallow end so I could stand. I nodded through my cough attack. His eyes widened, and immediately took the strings of my top turned me around to tie back up my bathing suit that was slowly falling down. My cheeks started to burn with embarrassment. “It’s okay Marley, I don’t think anyone saw your nip slip.” He whispered smirking. 

I crossed my arms over my chest and started to get out of the pool, not feeling in the mood for any more swimming. He tugged my arm and dragged me back to him. I turned around to see our parents faced toward the house at the bbq and sitting on the patio. I let out a sigh of relief and doggy paddled over to Luke. My cheeks turned rosey when I looked at him and I hid my face. “Marley, quit hiding, I can see you…” he spoke softly. “I’m not hiding, I’m embarrassed Lu…” I mumbled through my hands. He let out a sigh. “Lee, look at me.” He whispered. I slowly took my hands away from my face and looked up at him into his blue pools. “Look… You saw me bawling my eyes out not even a half hour ago. I think were even. You can even see my man boobs if itll make you feel better.” He said squishing them together. “I’m self conscious about them..” he said jokingly. I giggled. “They are a little perky…” I joked back, flicking his nipple. His face fell and he sunk deeper into the water. “Luuuuuke..! You don’t have man boobs. I honestly like your chest.” I spoke trying to compromise with him. A small smile crept up on his face. “Wish I could say the same without sounding like a perve…” I thought I heard him quietly mumble to himself as I began to swim away. My heart did a small flip. I drifted off to the other side and grabbed a beach ball in the pool and threw it towards him. We played catch and goofed around until dinner was called. 

Luke’s pov

After dinner I went home to shower and get changed before going back over to Marley’s. While I was in the shower, I thought about how awesome it was to see her and sort things out today even though I cried infront of her. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. The way she handled everything today was way better than I had expected. She also told me not to dwell on my past mistakes which I will take note of for later. But now we’re back to talking and being friends and I have hope that someday she might be mine. I guess I never thought of her that way until I couldn’t hug or hold her anymore because it would be considered cheating by my crazy, controlling ex girlfriend. I realized she wasn’t mine and could become somebody else’s and I took note of it.

Maybe im maturing myself. I was able to open up and tell her how legitamaltey feel without having to hide certian feelings to protect my masculinity. With her I can just be me. Before I left, my mom commented on my mood and said I looked better. I told her I felt better as well.

Marley came to the front hallway, after hearing her dog Finn blowing my cover by whinning for me to play with him. She was wearing a familliar sweatshirt and pajama shorts. She looked so effortlessly beautiful without makeup and her wavy long mop of hair cascading down her shoulders. She said she was rushed a little and I looked really nice. We watched cartoons on the sofa in her basement and played a few card games. I let her win a round becuase she wasnt the best at crazy 8s. Her happy dance was too fricken cute. I think she caught me staring once or twice. Woops. We do flirt a little sometimes, but nothing serious in my opinion. She left to go to the bathroom and came back swaddled up in a blanket with her teeth chattering, complaining that the basement was freezing. I wanted to cuddle with her so badly and hold her in my arms. I noticed her inch closer and closer to me every few minutes until we quit playing card games all together and she was resting her head on my lap, tucked up in the fettle position. After all she was really cold.  I mean I think she was doing this in a friendly way. We are just best friends.. right?