#ch: all the leader the pack needs

[pursuitseternal]

Introducing “Love Me or Hate Me (for both work in my favour):” Enemies to Lovers, Gur!Tav x Astarion

Astairon x Tav (Katja) | E | 4k Chapter 1

Ask box fill from @thegoodwitchs-blog

Summary: Katja hates her circumstances of a tadpole in her head, but she hates him more. Gur by birth, monster hunter by trade like her people, it takes all her limited Barbarian control not to stake him in his sleep. As for him, she’s the same stock of vagrant that killed him all those centuries ago; punishing her should be fun and harmless… well, maybe just a little harmful.

CW: Enemies to Lovers, Hate sex, angry sex (DubCon?), manipulation, semi-public sex, jealousy, biting and mild choking, Act 1 spoilers

Ao3 Link | Astarion fic Masterlist

Ch. 1:Little Vagrant

Every single instinct in Katja’s body sat at high alert from the moment she met him. Since the moment he pulled a dagger on her, she should have disarmed him like her elders had taught her back in the village and staked him through the heart for good measure.

And that was before her worst suspicions had been confirmed.

Before she saw the after effects of his true nature, the morning after he bit her cleric.

Vampire… slave to sanguine hunger… monster…

Enemy.

But there were worse monsters to fight—Mindflayers. And he was too useful to dispatch, not while they had a healer to find and a Goblin camp to infiltrate and an Archdruid to save.

Katja would just have to let the monster’s undead heart keep beating at a dirge’s pace until she no longer needed him. His blades were too quick, his ferocity in battle unmatched, especially now that he could fight with knife and fang. She had to admit, it was thrilling to watch… his lithe movements, graceful and equally deadly as he fought. She understood why her people couldn’t let his kind live.

They were too powerful, too dangerous, and too beautiful.

Once, she stumbled on him bathing in the river, another gift of the tadpole to allow such a monster the ability to enter running waters without harm.

Pugh.

At first she had been revolted by the paleness of his skin and the scars on his back. It was… too disgusting for her to look away, she told herself. Too risky to leave him unobserved, unguarded. He could attempt to do anything… best to remain in hiding.

Crouching in the bushes, she heard him giggle. “Well, well, well. Our churlish leader…. You’d be a blight on your people if they knew you were… lusting after a soulless creature like me.” He turned those unnerving crimson eyes in her direction. “Likely they’d put your head on a pike just for thinking about what I look like naked, darling.” He smirked wickedly. “Tch, what a shame that would be to have one less Gur vagrant in the world.”

His lip twitched as she stood from her hiding place. Katja’s rounded human ears turned beet red in the dark, her long golden braids whipping her back as she spun on her heel and made for camp.

He won this battle. But she would win the war between them. His insufferable voice would quiet permanently someday, his shifting, crimson eyes would stare at her lifelessly. He would look so beautiful with a stake through his ribs.

He was a menace, and Katja was lucky by all the gods that he hadn’t killed her yet. She didn’t know why he had yet to drain her dry. Maybe his hunger was sated because he was drinking his fill from the Cleric every night. She rolled her eyes as she watched them each morning departing their shared tent. It made her sharpen her ax extra those mornings before battle. This day, they were headed for the Goblin camp, just beyond the village. And as they packed up camp, making their way over trails, Katja bristled as Astarion’s cold presence drew close.

“Are you alright, darling? Your pulse sounded this morning as if your feeble, mortal heat was bout to explode. I didn’t know that a Gur had a heart, much less that it could beat so childishly fast with jealousy,” he sneered down at her. Those sharp and sinister features were a good head and a half above her after all.

“Jealous? Pft,” Katja grimaced, shifting her pack on her shoulders. “Why would I be jealous of a creature with no soul, vampire?”

“It’s not my soul that interests you, I’ve noticed. It’s my body, and what I do with it…” his icy lips pressed nearer to her ear, almost touching, “and to whom I do said things…”

A dagger pressed into his ribs faster than he could draw a breath, a breath his undead body didn’t need. “Careful, monster,” Katja hissed. “Or I’ll be the one thrusting. You’ll be rammed on the point of my weapons, not unlike our poor Cleric whom you’ve beguiled.”

“She doesn't consider herself in such dire straits. In fact, she rather enjoys it. You should ask her, see what it is you’re missing out on…”

“I’d sooner skin a kobold,” she gagged. “The Cleric's choices are her own. If she wishes to sully herself with the undead, to damn her soul by feeding you her life essence, then so be it.”

Astarion paused in his tracks, laughing slowly. “Oh, I can’t tell if it would have been worth the risk to bite you instead.” He tilted his rumpled silver head, eyes assessing her every inch, noticing weaknesses in her hide armor, watching her fingers still twitching on her dagger’s hilt. “No, corrupting you and your narrow prejudices wouldn't be worth the risk of tasting your blood. I bet it’s sourer than vinegar and just as repellent.” He sneered so wide, she could almost see her reflection in the glint of his teeth.

“You try to bite me, and I will make a necklace from your teeth…” she hissed. “Once I pry them from your skull, Vampire.”

“Oh, I do like them feisty….” A single cold digit ran down her blushing cheek. Ice on her temper’s flames. A gentle caress, a lover’s touch. It made her whole frame go rigid in a second.

And it made Astarion chuckle, low and throaty as he continued on the path.

“Honestly, we could just leave the Druids and Tieflings to their own natural consequences,” the Vampire mouthed off as usual, complaining with his typical arrogance and selfishness. Leaning against the wall of the Shattered Sanctum, he gave his wicked half-smile to Shadowheart beside him.

Katja just shuffled her feet, switching the shoulder her greataxe rested on for a reprieve. “We can’t let a bunch of Goblins in league with the Absolute decimate a sacred grove,” she sneered, making that scar down the side of her left cheek twist. “But I don’t expect the Cleric of Shar and a fucking vampire to understand the sense behind it.”

Astarion raised his brow, his sinister smile turning to land on her instead. “Can’t you imagine just how wonderful the resulting chaos would be if we did?” He gave a deep and almost lewd sigh. “It would be… delicious.”

Rolling her eyes, Katja mumbled a curse in her native tongue, sure that neither of her least favorite companions would understand.

But given the way the vampire’s mouth curved down in distaste, she wasn’t so sure she was the only one in their midst to speak Gurri. Katja grimaced as she looked around the desiccated temple of Selûne, remembering all her childhood prayers to the goddess and ignoring the way the Sharran seemed to gloat at every violated shrine.

Honestly, they deserved each other, she decided with a derisive sniff. She had company enough with Gale, sweet and intelligent, and with Wyll, bold and legendary monster slayer himself.

Stuff of dreams and fantasies. The kind of man to make her tribe proud.

She should go and find him, the Blade of Frontiers, but her feet seemed frozen. If she left these two imps, what trouble would they get into… no. She needed to stay right where she was, even if it was vile and disgusting company.

“Shadowheart!” the Wizard’s voice hissed from behind a column, and all three of them turned around. Gale beckoned the Cleric forward. “We need to find where the Archdruid is being kept… but we also need to deal with a little… problem. This Priestess Gut seems to need a talking to, asking us about some brand and the worship of the Absolute. It’s your time to shine, Cleric of Shar, or… well, as a servant of the Goddess of Darkness, I guess you won’t shine so much as…”

Astarion huffed to interrupt the beginnings of another awkward and king ramble from their companion. “You can’t handle it, Wizard? Didn’t you used to fuck a Goddess and now what? Can’t handle a lowly Goblin priestess?”

“I’d be more than happy to handle this,” Shadowheart grinned. “It was getting a little too crowded in here for my tastes.” She shot a pointed glare with those green eyes towards their blonde Barbarian.

As the Cleric left with Gale, Astarion closed in on Katja, silently and stealthily until his body barely brushed her back. “You Gur always ruin all the fun,” he hissed in her ear. “Not the first time your kind has… spoiled my endeavors.”

She turned to face his glare, crimson and wroth. “I haven’t done anything to you, Vampire, not yet anyway. I’ve only found myself in the same predicament as you; such hatred for someone who could be your ally.”

“Or my sworn enemy,” he sneered, looking down this aquiline nose at her, this little Barbarian. “Don’t you have some throats to cut and innocents to swindle?”

“Or monsters to stake?” she sneered right back, unknowingly drawing her small and strong frame to stand toe to toe with him. Her face mere inches from his own, his breath washed down on her, cool and metallic in scent. And then that mouth twisted in a wicked smirk, opening to speak…

“C’mon,” a high-pitched, nasally voice giggled beside them as three Goblin children bolted past them. “That bear they captured is in the Worg pens. Bet we can make him roar!”

“Halsin,” Katja whispered, following the urchins at a distance as they weaved through the camp. She was small, but certainly not stealthy, and even as she managed to slip into the cells, the faint growls of a large animal’s rumbling in the distance, an ice cold hand shot out from behind her to pull her into the shadows.

A small storage room, just off the cell block, that’s where she was. Astarion’s hard, cold body pressed her against the wall, his finger over his lips to signal for her silence.

But her rage ignited, her nostrils flared, ready to burst. Quickly, his chilled palm closed over her mouth just in time to muffle the below of anger she gave. His frame crushed her, and that palm wasn’t enough to quiet her. Long, icy fingers closed around her throat, silencing her and shutting off her air.

Her breath ragged, she did the one thing her feral mind screamed for her to do. She bit him.

“You viper,” he hissed right in her ear. “Do you want us to get caught? Want to join the Druid in the cell?”

Katja only bit harder, struggling to fill her lungs.it made her body squirm against him, fighting to move to claw at him, but her arms were both pinned behind her back, already going numb. Writhing, she chased some unknown feeling… a blind need for release, her heart racing as her hips bucked against his thigh. His toned leg pressed harder between her thighs, the friction making her eyes tear as she struggled. She needed to break free, she told her brain, but her body, her core longed for a different release.

His laughter rumbled in her ear, the din of the dungeons thick enough to cover whatever little sounds they made in this small, neglected space. His thigh lifted her, pressing perfectly against her seam where she burned for more. Sparks of light crossed her vision, heat seared through her veins, and something pressed into her belly, something long and hard. His own icy, blood-stinking breath raced faster as he observed her grinding on his leg. And as she stared into his gaze, she watched as his eyes dilated, from crimson to black in seconds.

Shit, she cursed, unable to keep her body under command as she just squirmed more against that lean thigh and that protruding erection.

“Oh, little vagrant, you’re in trouble, aren’t you?” he hissed in her ear, rubbing that wet, cold tongue up its shell. “I can smell you, just how excited you are to be so close to your quarry. It’s a pity you chose a predator as your prey, darling. You see… you can thank the Cleric for her blood to sate my hunger, but she is rather closed off… or closed-thighed… when it comes to other hungers of mine.”

Fingers released her throat, his nails tearing into the laces of her breaches as she squirmed even harder. Cool, dank dungeon air made every hair on her now-bared mound and thighs stand on end as he tugged them down to her ankles.

“I know you want me, that you’re too proud and stubborn to seek it out for yourself. Allow me, darling, to show you what you’re miss—”

Silencing him, Katja freed one hand, launching it to close around his own scarred and pale throat.

A fang-toothed grin was his only reaction. “Oh, darling…” he rasped from beneath her knuckles. His fingers brushed the skin and curls of her mound and something untamed and hungry unleashed itself from within her. Her grip on his throat tightened, yanking that sneering mouth to hers. She wanted to devour him, to silence him and punish him in the only language he seemed to understand— the language of body and blood.

Jerking her shoulders, she freed her other hand, her nails tearing into the buttons of his own leathers. A growl in his throat, he gripped her ass, lifting her as if she were no more than a child to shove against the wall again. One hand squeezed around her mouth once more, keeping her moan muffled as he finally slotted himself inside her. The rough and ancient brick dug against her armor, padding her flesh from every jolting slap he made against her, his thrusts fast and punishing.

Air hissed through her nostrils, her dark eyes locked into his own, that crimson stare daring to do something. Kill him? Fuck him? Kiss him again? She knew not which. Her body cried out for all of them at once. Never mind the elders or the tribe or her gods.

Heat unlike anything she had known before coiled in her belly, drawn forth by his thick and cool cock inside her. Her teeth grinded into his hand again, drawing blood to coat her tongue. Making him smile. Making his tongue run over his lips, as if he barely bridled his own need to drink.

But her hand kept its place on his gullet, pushing to keep him at a distance once more. Careful not to risk his fangs and sell her soul to be his next meal.

His eyes rolled back and closed, his bone white fangs bared at her, inches from her flesh. Those thrusts grew hard and erratic, his breath whistling in time with hers. Pathetic, she grinned. The sight of him at her mercy burned itself into the back of her eyelids as pleasure burst from inside her, her body shaking as it squeezed him in wave after wave.

One last thrust and he groaned in her face, jaws snapping on air as if he wished it was her neck. Her hand gave one last punitive squeeze of his throat before she released him. Crimson eyes opened halfway, still hazy with lust. A sly snarl twisted his lips as he set her small and muscular frame down.

Disgust roiled in her belly as she ignored the way his cum leaked from inside her. No, she kept her mind on fixing her breeches, a hard task to do as she watched him do the same as he stuffed his half-softened cock inside those form-fitted leathers. Katja tried to swallow the drool that collected in her mouth as she straightened.

His hand ran through his hair, those dangerous lips parting to speak again when shouting sounded from the cells. The bear roared, iron bars clanged as then burst from their hinges and smashed to the ground. Before they could think about what passed between them any longer, monster and monster hunter grabbed their weapons and bolted towards the fray.

Gale turned, launching his magic missiles at the Goblins nearest them. “Oh good, there you both are,” he turned and fired off a few more in the opposite direction. “We thought maybe you had finally killed each other.”

“Something like that,” Astarion replied calmly, despite the smug glare he leveled at Katja. It made her ears burn beet red with hate again. But as she gripped her greataxe and launched into battle, she wasn’t sure if it was hatred more for him or for her own actions.

A few cleaving swings through Goblin flesh, and she knew it was hate for him.

For what he made her feel, for what he made her choose to do, she would hate him forever.

Wine flowed freely, but gods, what Katja would give for a flask of her tribe’s liquor, clear as glass and hotter than the Styx. Or a pint of mead. But neither was within reach. The green glass of her sweet red wine bottle pressed nearly constantly to her mouth. Anything to try to numb the feeling of his cum still dried to her thighs.

He would pay for this. But not tonight. Tonight they celebrated. Many monsters slain; many questions answered, even if those answers only gave rise to more questions. Halsin, the ancient and wise Archdruid loomed over her. More than anyone else. Gods, he could probably eat her in one bite as a bear. Good thing he was a Druid and no monster, she smiled to herself.

She let herself go numb, drinking and listening to the ancient elf talk about this Shadow Curse and the freedom of nature’s gifts… she ignored the way Astarion kept one hand on Shadowheart’s narrow waist, his face pressing into her neck where bite mark scars were beginning to form.

Trying not to gag on her wine, Katja rolled her eyes as they came closer. Halsin’s eyes scanning them all. “I should thank you all for coming to my rescue. It’s nice to be among friends. A wonderful balance to find, if surprising, to see monster and monster hunter as lovers…”

Katja spat her wine out at her feet. “How… the fuck…”

“Forgive me, my wild form tends to lend me heightened senses even in this state, and let’s just say, the nose knows, eh?”

Astarion’s eyes pinned on her, wild and accusatory. “I don’t know…” he started to shirk off the suggestion, even as the Cleric rounded on him.

“Oh, so that’s where you two disappeared to in the camp today.” Her vitriolic scoff hurt more than an arrow would have into Katja’s stomach. Actually she would have preferred the arrow. “No, no makes sense. You always claim to love a challenge, what better place to try to sheathe your little dagger than the one person who hates you.” She narrowed her green eyes at him, “I won’t worry then about keeping you well-fed or strong. Maybe I can find someone who enjoys my devotion to my lady instead of whining about your hunger every day.” The Cleric gave a nice, long, and dramatic sigh, “Well, if that’s over, I’ll be glad to save the spell slots from having to keep myself from being bloodless every day. Thank you, Katja, for doing me that favor.” The sarcasm in her tone lingered long after she strode away, losing herself in the fray of the party.

The glare that Astarion threw Katja shouldn’t have hurt at all, let alone more than the bitchy glares from Shadowheart, but it did. It was a piercing look of malice and disappointment as he strode after her, lies pouring from his thick lips to try to smooth things over.

“I… I’m sorry if that was a secret,” Halsin tilted his head as he watched the drama unfold. “Over three centuries in this realm and I can still be taken out at the knees by surprise.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Katja replied, wiping the stains of red wine from her jerkin. “It was a mistake, nothing more. I may have left with a stain on my conscience, but my soul is intact at least.” She pointed her finger at her neck. “I won’t be bitten, even if I’m fucked.”

Halsin shook his head, laughing. “I forgot how deeply superstitious your people are, little child of the Gur. To think that a vampire’s bite has any effect on your soul,” he smiled gently and chuckled, “you might feel a bit woozy, but by Silvanus’ beard, you won’t lose one bit of your warrior soul.”

Katja’s spine straightened, as if shot once again in the gut. “I’d call you a liar, but you’re a Druid…” she whispered, more fearful for own good.

Halsin’s own scarred face twisted in mirth as he gave a deep belly laugh. “Implying I can’t lie?” He chuckled harder, “a good thing that isn’t the case. But I assure you, a vampire has no interest in your soul. They aren’t fiendish, just hungry and often imprisoned by the whims of their masters.”

Katja tilted her head, considering. Their masters… she turned to scan the crowd for that mop of silver hair or a hint of glaring crimson eyes. If Astarion was a spawn, where was his master? That haze of hatred seemed to part for a moment, a moment of lucidity amid the burning hatred, and Katja realized what a poor hunter she had been. What were his weaknesses and ambitions? What would bait him into the open or control him enough to bring him to heel?

She’d have to get closer to him to discover that. And that thought made her stomach wrap tightly in knots and made her heart set at a galloping pace.

As if summoned by her loping heart, he stepped into her line of sight, browline furrowed, half his fangs bared as he smirked. A single finger crooked in her direction. And Katja made a visible point to check her dagger before crossing towards him. “You seem to be alone,” she smirked, tucking her weapon back home at her hip.

“Thanks to you,” he sneered slightly, the clench of his jaw a slight tell to the rage simmering beneath that cool, alabaster exterior. “You owe me…” he snarled, quiet and pressed from behind his clenched teeth. “Because you, you grub, didn’t have the decency to clean yourself after your little moment of weakness today, I’ve lost my tentmate and meal ticket,” his voice was cold and exacting, a none-too-slight of a threat hidden beneath that refined exterior.

She just tossed her long, blonde braids behind her. “Needless to say, it was your choice today to do that, too,” Katja rolled her shoulders, squaring up for a fight.

“Oh, little brat, always angling for combat,” he suddenly eased, a well-practiced, sultry smile on his handsome face, “it’s bad form to discuss such… personal matters in the open.” He cocked his head, looking down at her seething, defiant glare. “Let’s find a little piece of nowhere, a place to… discuss all this madness like two mature creatures.” His crimson eyes shimmered like the shitty wine in her near-empty bottle. Extending a cold, pale hand at her, he drew close, invading her space. “Truce?”

She just narrowed her eyes, disbelieving the sincerity of such a gesture. Refusing to take his hand in hers. “Where?” she snipped.

His predatory grin widened enough to bare his glinting fangs. “There's a secluded place nearby that will do nicely… far enough away so no one will hear you scream…” his voice scratching into a growl.

“You mean from when you try to kill me?”

Thick lips twisted dangerously as he took a breath. “Death… a little death… it’s all the same, little brat,” his gaze hardened, “isn’t it?”

Katja glared at him, her mouth twisting to hide her confusion, sure there was a hidden meaning in his words she failed to recognize. “I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” she sassed back at him, confident outwardly…. Only to be discouraged as his grin intensified and as he gripped her hand by force. One yank, and she was pulled against the hard planes of his chest. This time there was no armor to hide the feeling of his skin or to conceal that sharp, clean scent of citrus and herbs.

“Oh, but you do know, better than anyone now,” he growled into her ear before shoving her away again. “There’s a clearing,” he jerked his head to his right, “we can meet there, no weapons, no axes. We can discuss our truce with just the clothes on our backs, what do you say?”

Katja just stared at him, fuming and stoic.

“Or are you too cowardly to meet a monster alone?”

“See you there, asshole,” Katja snarled before turning away, wine bottle raised high above her little blonde head to drink. Draining the dregs of that disgusting vintage, she smashed it against a tree before entering the dark, moonlit forest.

[xoxomoonlightxoxo]

Somewhere Between Hello and Goodbye | Ch. 4: Strangers With Memories

a/n: more angst but at least they aren't as awkward, however, after this chapter, I fear it's only going to go downhill for my babies :(

The dreadful No Contact Rule. Difficult not to break when the relationship is over and even more so when the relationship comes to a sudden halt but the feelings are still brewing inside. When the distance is forced and fueled by the guilt of losing that person again. However, I would be lying if I said that Jungkook is no longer part of my life. That I have somehow completely barricaded myself from his presence. How could I, when not even a conscious stream of thought can overcome the yearning of a broken heart? One that still longs for his touch, his sweet smile, his laugh. One that has been holding on to the memories of our past despite the lack of recollection in Koo’s eyes. To him, we are simply picking things up from where they were left off. Not a complicated task in nature until you realise that our story left off with his first and last “I love you, Mira”. So, no matter how hard I try to push him away, the heartstrings of my own soul seem to pull us back together. Even if he sees me as just a friend, I am willing to fight for everything we could have been, until one day he finally remembers it all. Remembers me, remembers us.

Unfortunately, with school starting, everyone has been getting back into their routines, leaving little time or opportunity to actually hang out. Despite this, Jungkook has made a special effort to “build back what he can’t remember”. So, seeing him has actually become part of my daily ritual. Whether that be going on a morning jog or grabbing a quick coffee after class. Like the good old days, we are connecting as close friends, since everything began that way. Before anything, Koo was my friend, one who somehow filled the void of my family when we were separated by an ocean. For that, I will forever be grateful to him. 

Today was like any other. Tae and I met our new cohort leader, the head of the ER department in the local children’s hospital, who was this older gentleman who wasted no opportunity to crack one of his dad jokes. He absolutely adored Tae, said that he saw his younger self in him, and unless he was a sleep-deprived, broke college student, I’m not sure what the correlation was. To be honest, Tae hasn’t been having it easy either. His grandma was recently diagnosed with pneumonia, so he spent the entire summer working three jobs to send as much money as he could back home. Being the only man, and thus, the breadwinner in the family after the passing of his father, he constantly tells me about the guilt he endures being far away from his mom, younger sister and grandma. The three women in his life he would give up anything for. And, as I’ve watched him slowly run himself thin, I have grown to be protective of Tae myself. Although he is older, in my eyes he will always be like a little brother to me. One whose shoulders carry the weight of a whole lineage.

Packing up our staff after class, Tae recommended we try the new pastry shop that opened by our dormitory. One that he first mentioned when Jungkook was admitted into the hospital in hopes of cheering my numb self. However, during that period the aching pain in my heart wanted nothing more than to be by Koo’s side. So, seeing that this time Tae was the one in need of support, I made sure to take him up on the offer as we indulged in our daily debrief. At the end of the day, we might not know how to properly give an IV but you best believe that we know how to run our mouths. In the span of half an hour, we managed to cover every possible topic known to men, ranging from the rise in the cost of eggs to the hideous new haircut the grumpy librarian decided to debut today. Our conversation could have gone on for hours until it was abruptly interrupted by the buzzing of my phone. 

Koo: Will 20 minutes be enough for you to get ready?

Mira: Depends … where are you taking me? 

Koo: It’s a surprise, just wear something comfy ;)

“Who got you smiling like that?” Tae chuckles teasingly, seeing that his words have lost my attention.  

“Oh nothing, I’m sorry, it’s just Jungkook,” I say, nibbling on my lips to suppress the urge to keep smiling. 

“What did he say?” he leans forward taking a sip of his Americano. 

“I think he wants to go somewhere?” my words drag on as he searches my scattering eyes. 

“Now?” 

“Well, no you’re right, I’m just gonna tell him that I’m busy,” I try to comfort Tae with a smile, sensing the guilt of leaving him alone.

“No, I mean, don’t you want to freshen up? How much time do you have?” he mumbles, gaze softening at my flustered state. 

“Oh, are you sure? I hate to pause our little hangout,” 

“There’s always tomorrow,” Tae assures with a boxy smile. 

“Okay, I’ll see you at breakfast, alright?” I say, packing up my stuff before we wave each other goodbye.

Thank God, the pastry shop was a short walk away from the dormitory as I suddenly realised how valid Tae’s suggestion of a shower was. Let’s just say that today’s clinical was one for the books. Not only did I spill a whole IV bag on my scrubs but I’m pretty sure that there are still some pieces of dried cream in my hair as one of the older patients refused to cooperate. So, as I finally managed to open the front door, I headed straight into the shower, washing myself free of the chaotic aftermath. 

Debating between a woven sweater and a cashmere pullover I settled on the one Koo loved the most. “Peaches, you’re so soft,” he used to say, pulling me into a tight hug as his hands caressed the delicate cashmere. I wore it on our last date before the incident, the one we spent on Oceana Beach talking about the future, our future. Miraculously, after all this time, it still had his scent, the sweet vanilla musk lingered like the memories of our past. I remember crying sleepless nights, holding the cashmere close to my heart as if it were the only thing left of Jungkook. With my eyes closed, I could almost feel his warm embrace. 

Beep Beep 

My reminiscing, however, was interrupted by Jungkook’s arrival. Quickly touching up my makeup, I grab my purse and phone before locking the door behind me. Maybe it’s from the actual physical rush or the fact that I get to see him again, but my heart sure is beating hard. I could practically feel it in my throat. And, the appearance of his bunny smile as our eyes finally met certainly did not help it either. 

“Sorry to make you wait,” I say out of breath, tucking some stray pieces of hair behind my ear. 

“No worries, I just came,” Koo assures softly, leaning back on his car. 

“So, where is this mystery destination?” I grin teasingly, folding my arms in front of my chest. 

“Surprise, remember? Ladies first,” he grins back, opening the passenger door, before helping me buckle up. And, just like that, my heartbeat went through the roof again. 

Driving down the bridge, we were in awe of the beautiful sunset that covered the sky in warm tones. Blasting our favourite song, Jungkook rolled down all the windows before pausing his phone just in time for the high note. And, as silence filled the car I could feel the flush rise up my cheeks from the sheer embarrassment that was my singing. It wasn’t just a voice crack, it was the complete demolishment of my dignity. 

“Yah, how could you betray me like that?” I scoff in disbelief, rolling the windows back up to shield myself from the passing cars. 

“I couldn’t help it, you looked so concentrated,” Jungkook chuckles, mimicking my singing face. 

“Okay, relax, eyes on the road bunny boy,” I smirk, turning the music back on.

“We’re here,” he says, turning into the parking lot. Looking around, chills run down my spine as I realise where we are. The Oceana Beach. This means that while I was fully immersed in our karaoke session, Jungkook unknowingly drove past the exact spot where he lost consciousness on that cold, winter night. All this time, I’ve been trying to avoid this place in hopes of erasing the image of Koo’s frail body lying on the side of the road. Now, I have to act like none of that happened, since he doesn’t remember any of it. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Jungkook’s voice pulls me out of the spiral, as my chest heaves up. Feeling his hand on mine, my body almost jolts from his touch, unable to hide the fear rushing through my veins. It all felt so surreal, to be looking at him alive in flesh but knowing that the Jungkook I once knew was no longer there. 

“Yeah, I … I just remembered something,” I lie with a nervous chuckle, unbuckling myself. Helping me out of the car, Jungkook looks concerned, eyes searching mine. 

“You sure, you’re alright? I can drive back jus…” 

“No, no don’t be ridiculous. I swear I’m all good,” I interrupt his sentence with a reassuring smile. Reaching for my hands again, only this time with slight hesitation, his worried eyes meet mine as his thumb caresses the back of my palms. 

“Mira, you’d tell me if something was wrong, right?” his words are layered with a tone of fear, uneasiness, and genuine worry. But, there’s a short period of silence, as my mind filters through possible replies. 

“Of course,” I manage a small chuckle, swallowing down the lie. With a nod of acceptance and a soft sigh, he intertwined his fingers with mine, taking the bags from his trunk before walking us toward a small spot by a campfire. Setting everything up, I was commanded to just relax, covered under a woven blanket.

“I used to love making smores when I was little,” Jungkook smiles, handing me a bag of marshmallows, before covering himself under the same blanket. Jimin was right, he could still remember the earlier years of his life, but nothing of the recent events. 

“Can’t relate, I somehow always burned mine,” I frown as he can’t help but laugh, scrunching his nose and letting that bunny smile come on full display.   

“Hey, don’t laugh,” 

“I’m sorry, but how does one mess this up?” he leans closer, nudging my shoulder before looking back at the sparks. If only time could stop and we could stay this way forever. If only he could feel the way my heart ached at that moment. 

“So, Mira, do you have a boyfriend?” his sudden question brought me back again, as my eyebrows visibly furrowed from the bluntness of his curiosity. 

“Why? Are you trying to pitch an offer?” I chuckle, leaning closer to the fire to warm my hands, before looking back at his teasing grin. 

“Just trying to figure you out,” he replies softly, eyes searching mine. 

“I used to,” 

“Oh, yeah? What happened? 

“He moved away. Long distance didn’t work out,” I reply slowly, allowing the fake story to play out without succumbing to the tears. 

“That sucks, you guys don’t keep in touch at all?” Jungkook’s curiosity is innocent in nature but naive to our past. I can’t even get mad at him for digging deeper, even if it hurts.  

“I’m not sure he remembers me anymore,” I sigh, replying almost defeated. 

“That’s a lie. Who could forget you?” he laughs, shaking his head in disbelief, blind to the irony of it all. 

“Yeah …” a little chuckle escapes me as well, as my eyes dissociate into the distance. “I'm pretty unforgettable, aren't I?” 

“Pretty and unforgettable,” Jungkook replies with a quick wink, covering my shivering body with his share of the blanket before taking a bite of my half-burned marshmallow.

--

Replaying our last conversation in my head, I felt bad for snapping at Jiah at the mall. It was totally uncalled for and simply a projection of the thoughts that haunted my mind. Not a fibre of my being meant it as we rarely ever fought or even came to a slight disagreement with each other. To be quite frank, during that time it seemed like every interaction I had was like walking on a minefield. With one wrong move, I was destined to blow up and take everyone else down with me.  

Not being able to talk to her freely pained me, as I grew to miss my best friend with each passing day. And if one thing was for sure, then it was that Jiah deserved an apology as she fell victim to my self-destruction. So, after a few hours of crafting a well-developed apology, I made my way to her apartment, which was literally a level below mine. Nonetheless, the walk there seemed never-ending, most likely due to the sheer panic I was experiencing. It wasn’t fueled by the fear of her reaction but the shame I felt from how I treated Jiah. However, none of it mattered anymore, as I stood in front of her door, hand ready to place a few knocks. That is until it suddenly swings open and our eyes finally meet again. 

“Jiah,” I mumble before she pulls me into a tight hug as tears stream down both of our faces. No words needed to be said. Everything was understood through the emotions we were experiencing. Melting deeper into her embrace, my face dug deeper into her hair as the sweet smell of coconut filled my senses, reminding my body of her aura. I missed her so much that I could physically feel the void in my heartache as my teary eyes searched her sad gaze. 

“Jiah, I’m so sorry,” I manage to let out as she gently wipes the tears off of my face. Holding onto her hand, I keep it close to my chest as my heart beats faster. 

“It’s okay, love. I’ve missed you so much,” she says softly, tucking a few pieces of stray hair behind my ear. And, just like that, we were back in each other’s embrace, making up for the lost time we were apart. Catching up, we spent the whole afternoon discussing everything that happened since our falling out. She showed me the emerald jewellery set Jimin gifted her for their 1 year anniversary and the pictures they took following their celebration. They looked so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling. If they ever break up then I’ll know that love isn’t real, because in my eyes they were destined for each other. No one understands Jiah better than Jimin and no one cares so deeply for Jimin more than Jiah. Simply put, they’re soul mates. 

Feeling lightheaded from all the tears we’ve cried, I suggested we go out to grab some late lunch, or early dinner before going on a walk around campus. Jiah was quick to agree as she changed into some jeans and a hoodie before grabbing her purse and keys. Stopping by my dorm, I quickly touched up my makeup in hopes of not scaring innocent civilians from the aftermath of my mental breakdown. And, as we rode the elevator down to the main lobby, Jiah and I were inseparable once again. That is until my eyes widened at the sight of Jungkook standing by his car, shuffling in place to keep himself warm.  

“Oh? Jungkook? What’s wrong?” I stutter, worried eyes searching his. 

“Sorry Jiah, but could I steal her from you?” he asks softly, as Jiah's face turns to mine. Hiding the way her chin was trembling, she didn't know how to reply before taking a deep breath. 

“Call me when you get back?” she nods, separating her hand from mine as I pull her into a hug.  

“I’ll bring you some pastry from the new shop Tae recommended,” I say with a reassuring smile before waving her goodbye. Making sure she got in safely, my eyes turned back to look at Jungkook’s bunny smile. 

“How did you know I was here?” I ask with a skeptical tone, slowly making my way towards the car. 

“You really don’t think I pay attention, huh?” he says teasingly before opening the passenger door. 

“You mean to tell me that you’ve memorized my schedule?” I scoff, looking up at his softened gaze. 

“Pretty much,” he replies with a grin, leaning onto the door frame before caressing my cheek with the back of his palm. 

“Hey, were you crying?” Jungkook asks, concerned, as I cover my red cheeks with my hair. Way to not be obvious, Mira! I guess, my attempt to hide the fact that I’ve been sobbing for hours failed miserably since he managed to notice it after one glance. 

“Oh, yeah, it’s nothing. I promise,” I shake my head with a soft smile before looking back up at his worried eyes. 

“Mira, you know you can always talk to me, right?” his words are followed by a deep sigh as he crouched down before my still form. 

“Of course, I know that, Koo,” I manage to let out a giggle, patting his head in hopes of making him feel at least somewhat at ease. In all honesty, however, I knew that he wasn’t fully convinced, but I also didn’t necessarily hate that. Because a small part of me hoped that maybe, his curiosity would somehow help him regain the memories he once lost.

“Anyways, where are you taking me this time?” I try to change the subject, as his eyes look back at mine. 

“I need your help,” he replies, buckling my seat belt before heading to the driver’s side. 

“May I know with what?” 

“A song. A love song,” his voice is abrupt, but still layered with tease. 

“I beg your pardon, a love song? Jungkook If you think I’m going to sedate you with some vocals then you are greatly mistaken,” I scoff with my arms folded in front of my burning chest. A love song? As if seeing him again isn’t hard enough. Now, he is giving me yet another reason to cry at night. 

“Shhhh, I’ll explain everything when we get there, just sit back and relax,” he assures me with a sly wink. 

“Mmhhm,” I nod, loosening up the seatbelt before crossing my arms over my chest. Navigating through all the turns, my mind is trying to piece together our destination, until we finally stop at a brick building near the campus gymnasium. 

“Koo, where are we?” I ask cautiously, scanning the premises as he opens the passenger door. 

“It’s a studio my buddy owns. Don’t worry the inside looks more welcoming than the outside,” Jungkook grins, locking the car as we make our way up the stairs.

“Be careful here, they’re still under construction,” he points to a hole in the wooden floor, grabbing my hand as I tip-toe behind him.

“Right, and this buddy of yours, you know how?” 

“He used to produce for the band the guys and I were in. The Bulletproof Boys,” he replies proudly until I burst into a cackle, which promptly faded the smile on his face. I couldn’t help it, I was still not over the first time he mentioned the infamous band name. The Bulletproof Boys. Peak comedy if you ask me. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you,” I try to regain my composure looking at his pouty lips. 

“I’m not laughing,”

“Okay, then I’m laughing at you,” I tease again, poking his side as he opens the door to what seemed like a small recording studio.  

“Hey, guys! Come on in,” a man’s voice welcomes us into the dimly lit room. 

“Hi hyung, thank you again,” Jungkook shakes his hand, before looking back at my flustered face. I’m usually not as awkward but something about being in a room with a stranger, Jungkook, and a hypothetical love song just did not sit well with me. 

“This is Mira, she’s going to be our female lead,” Jungkook smiles, giving me a sly wink. A lead? I really do hope he is kidding. Is today April Fool's or something? Where are the cameras? 

“Sounds good to me, who wants to go first?” the man asks the both of us, as I try my best to avoid his eye contact. Fiddling with my thumbs, Jungkook could sense that I was becoming more and more uncomfortable. So, he suggested that we go in together since it is my first time doing something like this after all. 

“Just follow me okay?” he says softly, helping me put on the headphones before handing me the lyric sheet.

“Alright, let’s just see how the melody plays out, okay? Jungkook, if you want to jump in with your vocals now, by all means. But, Mira, you can just use this take as practice. I want you to get comfortable with the lyrics,” the producer explains, giving me a thumbs up as I nod okay. 

Following Koo’s lead I tried to mumble the words under my breath, getting the feel of the song. And, to my and probably everyone’s surprise, everything was going somewhat okay? We were able to finish recording the intro in under an hour and have just gotten to the pre-chorus. After some practice, I was beginning to feel capable of managing this project, until my ears were pierced with a sudden “I love you,” projecting from Jungkook’s microphone. 

“Oh?” I let out a loud gasp, covering my mouth as my eyes shot up at his form across the booth. Searching my flushed face, he grins, pointing to the lyric sheet on my stand. Furrowing my eyebrows I begin scanning the lines with my finger, realising that he was singing one of the adlibs. However, what came after almost made me sick. Suddenly, it all felt a bit too real. Shutting my eyes, I tried to regain my composure, and within a second, I was back in that hospital room, sitting across from Koo’s frail body as his thumb caressed my palms. 

“I love you, Mira. I’ve been loving you this whole time,” his sweet words played in my head, as tears rolled down my face. Feeling the knot in my throat, I was practically screaming, but nothing came out. I couldn't do it, not then and not now. I couldn’t say the words he desperately deserved to hear. And just like that, I was back in the booth, only this time, my heaving body was plopped on the floor surrounded by both Jungkook and his producer. But, before they could ask me anything, I rushed out of the room, virtually sprinting towards the nearest washroom, where I hoped to lock myself from the outside world. Closing my eyes, all I could see were the replays of that scene before they were suddenly interrupted by the knocking on the stall door.

“Mira! Mira, open up, it’s me,” Jungkook’s voice is heavy, almost breathless. 

“Are you in the women’s washroom?” I yelp in disbelief, wiping the tears off of my face. 

“There’s no one here, come out, please,” he pleads softly, moving back as I slowly open the door. Lowering my gaze, I fold my arms over my chest before leaning back on the stall as if I didn’t just pass out in front of him. Taking a deep breath, I tried to explain myself before feeling his arms wrap around my shoulders as our bodies melted into a tight hug. Oh, Koo, if only you knew how much I missed your warm embrace. 

“Mira, please tell me what’s wrong,” Jungkook whispers, burying his face in the curve of my neck, as I feel his breath on my skin. 

“Koo, I told you, I’m fine,” I managed to lie, placing my hands on his shoulders to create at least some distance. 

“Fine? You dropped to the floor and were unresponsive,” he shouts, furrowing his eyebrows from frustration as his hands grab mine. 

“I … I think my period is coming soon. The days before are always killer,” I explain, trying to convince the both of us, before feeling his worried gaze search my scattering eyes. 

“Your period?” he confirms. 

“Mmhm,” I give him a few nods, feeling his grip on my hands slowly loosen. Tucking the stray hair behind my ear, Jungkook leans closer, tracing the trail of dried tears on my face before letting out a soft sigh. 

“Okay, I believe you. I’ll always believe you, Mira,”

Please, don't.

Previous l Index l Next

[angelsanarchy]

Alkaline: Euronymous x Y/N Series CH 4

Tagging: @ophelialaufey @madamemaximoff06 @forever-not-gonna-sink @ajmiila02 @liquidsmoothdomme @shady-the-simp

Oystein had been caught up with the band and his friends the moment they picked up Pelle. He was the perfect addition to their band and he couldn't help but feel like a revolutionary in the black metal scene as they put together new music. Y/n hadn't seen him around much and his sister informed her that him and the band got their own place about 30 mins away.

Y/n couldn't help but be a little bit bummed that she hadn't seen him but she knew he would eventually be too busy to entertain the idea of her. She figured wallowing in what could have been made the most sense when she walked into the packed bar. She squeezed between bodies until she was able to get to the bar top, bumping into someone with long blonde hair.

"Oh excuse me." The bump caused something to fall out of his pocket and Y/n was quick to pick it up. She realized it was decomposing rabbits foot.

"That's one way to keep luck with you." Y/n joked earning a silent smirk from the guy.

"I just cut it today." Pelle explained holding it in front of her face. He seemed almost surprised that she wasn't disgusted by it but Y/n grew up with two brothers and an uncle that was a butcher. Dead animals didn't faze her.

"You should change the metal cord out for string. As it breaks down, the cord will slice right through that like butter. String will give it some more time if you're trying to keep it around long enough to smell the death." Pelle looked stunned and nodded his head.

"Thanks." He held the foot in front of his own face as he walked away and Y/n shook her head. She ordered a drink and suddenly felt a hand on her back. When she turned she was surprised to see Oystein standing next to her with a smile on his face.

"Miss me?" Oystein asked smugly.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Y/n replied with a smirk. She must have missed him and his friends occupying a big table in the corner of the bar.

"You can admit it. My mom said you came by a few times." Oystein bumped her shoulder with his own.

"Just because you move out doesn't mean your family stops needing groceries." Y/n laughed.

"Maybe I should order some groceries for our new place. It's not too far out." Oystein leaned on the bar top.

"I don't usually do the orders that go outside of the perimeter but you can always put in an order and see who you get." She teased. Oystein's friends were loud and he glanced back at them.

"You met our new singer. His names Dead." Oystein pointed out the morbid blonde she had bumped into earlier.

"Wow...that's very fitting. Does he have an equally suitable name as you or?" She teased and he rolled his eyes.

"I would say his name is very fitting. He's a lot more fucked up than you can imagine. Living with him has been interesting to say the least." Oystein watched as she took another swig of a beer and couldn't help but stare at her throat. He wanted to wrap his hand around her neck tightly and fuck her until she was gasping for air and release.

"Don't let me keep you from your friends. I only came for one drink before I head home. It sounds like they're getting a little restless without their fearless leader." Y/n looked at his friends who gave her odd looks. They weren't sure exactly what someone like Euronymous was doing talking to someone like her.

"I don't care. Let them fuck off. I'm talking to who I want to talk to. I've missed seeing you." This surprised her. He was never upfront with feelings like this, especially amongst his peers.

"Really? I thought you would have forgotten all about me now that the band is taking off." Y/n kept her eyes on Oystein as he shook his head with confidence.

"When are you going to give it up and realize I'm not going to just piss off? I mean I will if you ask me to but not before that." He smiled, letting his hair fall into his face. Y/n reached up and pushed it away hearing a click of a camera from behind her. Oystein's smile dropped and the girl taking photos spun on her heel quickly.

"Don't let me ruin your image. You know where to find me if you're really looking." Y/n polished off her drink and Oystein seemed disappointed that their interaction was coming to a close.

"Do you want a ride?" He offered but she shook her head.

"No I'll be fine, thank you. Just try and get back to your place in one piece." She walked towards the door and he kept his stance at the bar.

"Oh and congratulations on the new place and the new singer. I'm happy things are going so well for you Oystein." The gang at the table started laughing and cracking jokes at him and he cut his eyes at them. She pushed out of the bar hoping he wasn't too embarrassed by her farewell. She had considered caving and calling him Euronymous but it just felt weird to her. She didn't see him like the others did. They didn't get to see the sweet, sensitive side that made sure to make it home for his mother's holiday dinner parties or who taught his little sister how to headbang. He made sure to always show her boss respect and even tipped him on holidays when the shop was usually dead. She didn't see him as this dark hero that they worshipped. She had nothing against that side of him but she liked him just the way he was.

"Y/n! Wait up." She spun on her heel and waited as he ran towards her with a napkin in his hand.

"Just in case you start missing me too." His friends poured out of the bar shortly after him and he ran after them before she could open the napkin. Once she did she saw a number scratched across it underneath his name: Øystein 

[rosethornewrites]

Fic: and sings the tune without the words, ch. 15

Relationship: Jiāng Yànlí & Jīn Zǐxuān, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Yànlí & Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Jiāng Fēngmián & Lán Qǐrén, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Niè Míngjué

Characters: Jiang Yanli, Jin Zixuan, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Lán Qǐrén, Jiāng Fēngmián, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Wēn Ruòhán, Wēn Qíng, Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín, Yú Zǐyuān, Nie Mingjue, Meng Yao | Jin Guangyao

Additional Tags: Epistolary, Food, Music, Secrets, Resentful Energy, Cultivation Sect Politics, Character Death, Politics, Assassination Attempt(s), Attempted Kidnapping, Hostage Situations, Mentioned Wei Changze, Disobeying Orders

Summary: Sect leaders correspond, and so do Jiang Cheng and Jiang Wuxian.

Notes: See end.

Previous fic in the series: “the thing with feathers”

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

AO3 link

-----------

Lan-xiangsheng,

We have reports that an assassination attempt on Wen Xu and Wen Chao was successful. Qishan Wen has fallen into chaos. 

Some have tried to demand Wen Qing return and ascend the throne and she refuses, saying she would likely be dead within the month. 

Smaller sects that were subsumed by the Wen have continued declaring independence, more as there has been a lack of repercussions. The Wen clan is too busy infighting over the sect leader position to do anything about it. 

As such, it should be safe to travel, but San-Niang has decided to go to the Cloud Recesses so she can be there to provide extra protection on the journey. She will be there a few days before you are to leave. 

We have prepared Lan Wangji’s room. Please let me know if any other members of the Lan clan will need accommodations, as well. 

Warmly,

Jiang Fengmian

----------

Didi,

A-Niang is coming to bring you home soon. Are we still going to be roommates? Or would you rather have your own quarters? Or if you’re used to rooming with Lan Wangji, that’s fine too. 

The other disciples miss you, and are glad you’re coming home. We’re all still pretty worried after what happened, and it’ll be good to have you back. You being here means less worry—I know the Lan are keeping you safe, but it’s easier when we can see you, you know? The disciples you picked from the street are doing well with their studies. 

A-Lian has grown since you left. A-Die says she’s not a toddler anymore, but a little girl, whatever that means. She’s missed you terribly. She’s starting to learn her characters some, but she keeps getting ink on her robes. She loved the little stuffed fish you sent for her. How did you know fish are her favorite animal?

Jiejie found out that Jin Zixuan isn’t supposed to write to her anymore. I guess his parents are mad about Meng-ayi and Mo-guniang and their sons, but he sent letters through someone else because he doesn’t want to stop writing to her, which made her happy. At least he properly appreciates her now. Otherwise I’d have to break his legs. 

I guess a lot of stuff is going on in Qishan, because I keep hearing A-Die and A-Niang talk about it when they think I’m not around to hear, and Wen Qing is super nervous. She’s not really talking about it, but that might be because our parents said not to.

A-Niang went on a night hunt and brought home a bunch of women. I guess she shut down another brothel and saved them, but I’m not sure where it was. She also brought home some street kids—I guess one of the prostitutes was feeding them and didn’t want to leave without them. I think you’ll like her when you meet her because you have that in common. She wants to be a seamstress and Meng-ayi is teaching her and the others to read. The kids are already doing okay, learning to read and settling into their barracks—they’ll move to apprenticeships if they can’t form a jindan, but for now they’re safe and fed. 

Anyway, Jiejie packed some lotus buns she made to accompany this package, so enjoy them until you can come home and have them fresh. And her soup—I’m eating your portion while you’re gone!

Stay safe, dummy. 

Jiang Cheng

-----------

Jiang-zongzhu,

This is dire news indeed. Wen Xu was only a teenager, and Wen Chao only about as old as Xichen. It would be prudent to send condolences, but to whom? Such letters may need to wait until the matter is sorted out and a new head of the Wen sect has been determined. 

While Wen Qing would likely bring peace under a wise ruler, that wisdom was in removing herself from the situation. Her assessment is correct—undoubtedly her and her brother would also be assassinated if she were to return to Qishan.

These smaller sects may be open to alliances, assuming they survive the Wen infighting. I daresay it could prove more widespread than we anticipate, given the size of the sect. Though it’s possible to take advantage of the situation for the profit of our sects, such an act could backfire in the long run. 

Yu-furen is welcome, as we will not have Nie-zongzhu for additional protection during the trip. Jiang Wuxian will be happy to see her, I’m sure. Though he is happy generally, he misses home and his family, which makes it more likely the boys will often travel between our sects. Hopefully as things settle and they age, they will need fewer people to accompany them. 

I appreciate your kindness in setting aside quarters for Wangji, but you may find that Jiang Wuxian and Wangji are inseparable—here they share quarters, as your son has nightmares at times and Wangji wishes to soothe them. I have no doubt they will likely continue to cohabitate at Lotus Pier, so perhaps that should be taken into account. 

I hope your other children are well.

Lan Qiren

----------

A-Cheng,

I’m so excited to see A-Niang! I’m glad she saved more women and kids, and I hope they’re settling in well. It sounds like the one auntie is super nice. 

The Cloud Recesses are really nice, but very cold in winter. They gave me extra blankets and Lan Zhan got me a warm cloak to wear and Lan-xiansheng got me warm robes to keep here. I’m allowed to eat more than three bowls, too, which is good because the cold makes me hungrier. 

I’ve gotten really used to sleeping with Lan Zhan. I mean, in the same room, but if I have nightmares he sleeps in my bed so I know I’m not alone when I wake up. Can we room together? It won’t inconvenience anyone, I hope!

I miss you too, Chengcheng. And everyone else, but especially you and Jiejie and Meimei. It’s good to know the Yunmeng street kids are doing well. I’m glad they have a home with us, and I think they’ll be good cultivators. 

Aw, my little lotus is growing up! I bet A-Niang had to get her all new robes, unless she’s still using Jiejie’s old ones. She got a spun sugar fish that one time, so I figured she’d love one. I chose the prettiest one for her. I’m sure she’s doing great with her characters! She’s our meimei, after all!

I didn’t know it was possible to feel respect for Jin Zixuan, though him writing letters to her in the first place was good. Maybe he’ll treat Jiejie the way she deserves. If not, I'll help you. 

I feel really bad because I guess the Wen heirs got killed without their dad to protect them. I overheard Lan-xiansheng discussing it with an elder. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, really! I bet Wen Qing is nervous—if they killed the heirs, who’s to say they won’t try to hurt her or her didi. 

Tell Jiejie her lotus buns are amazing! They make me want her soup, too. I guess I can’t stop you, but you’ll have to also share with Lan Zhan when we come home. He deserves some delicious soup, too!

I’m staying safe, promise.

Jiang Wuxian

—————

Scared about what the election results will bring, as I’m sure many of you are as well. Please know if something happens to ao3, like it being banned in the US, I will still try to find ways to post my fanfiction. VPNs exist. 

There are a few idioms scattered throughout Lan Qiren’s letter, or hints toward them. Like to bring peace under a wise ruler, and taking advantage of a situation for profit. 

a-die = dad

a-niang = mom 

ayi = aunt

didi = little brother

furen = madam

guniang = lady/young mistress

jiejie = older sister

jindan = golden core

meimei = little sister

xiansheng = teacher 

zongzhu = sect leader

[levi-venn]

The First Toothpick

Chapter Four: A Little Juicy Gossip

Gen Fic - Mentor/Protege

Summary: Cad Bane teaches Crosshair how to be a sniper. The kid picks up some other habits as a result.

Chapter Summary: Crosshair meets Todo 360 who does not know how to keep a secret.

Chapters: Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | Ch 4 | Ch 5 | Ch 6 | Ch7 | Ch8 | Ch9 |

Available also on AO3

“Great callouts, Hunter! You’re a natural leader. Wrecker, we’re gonna need stronger droids to handle your strength. Tech, you sliced those panels in record time! Now let's see," The lieutenant looked at his datapad, scrolling through the rest of the data. 

Crosshair waited for his turn.

The lieutenant kept scrolling, frown deepening.

A brotherly hand squeezed Crosshair's shoulder. He pushed it away. He didn’t need comfort. He needed feedback.

“Alright, pack it up, soldiers,” the lieutenant said, tucking his datapad away. “The final test of the quarter is tomorrow.” 

“Hey, wait,” Hunter said. “What about-”

Crosshair's elbow found Hunter's ribs, chasing the question away.

“Is there a problem, soldier?” The lieutenant asked, raising an imperious brow.

Hunter clutched his side. “No, sir.”

The lieutenant left.

Crosshair would have left too if not for his brothers surrounding him, blocking his escape. 

“You did great , Crosshair,” Hunter insisted. 

“You hit every single mark flawlessly,” Tech observed.

“Yeah! You’re wizard!” Wrecker shouted.

Molten anger heated Crosshair's cheeks. “It doesn’t matter what you think,” he hissed. “The lieutenant’s opinion is all that matters. They are going to retire me.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Hunter said.

“It’s not up to you, Hunter,” Crosshair said. 

“Bugger this,” Hunter sighed and grabbed Crosshair’s wrist, tugging him towards a nearby ventilation grate. "Recon time. C’mon.”

Crosshair thought about kicking him, but...the recon may prove useful.

“Aww, recon?! I wanna come, too!” Wrecker whined.

“This mission requires more stealth than you are trained to handle, Wrecker” Tech indicated. “Also your size would break the air vent.”

“Hehe, yeah, I’m a real tank,” Wrecker grinned, proudly.

Hunter hoisted Crosshair up into the air ventilation tunnel before leaping up behind him.  The tunnel ran in a dozen different directions like a many-armed rapthar, each path identical to the next. Hunter always knew instinctively where to go. It didn’t take long before they found the vent overlooking the lieutenant’s office.

There was another clone in the office with him. 

No...not a clone...

“Is that Fett?” Hunter whispered. “Last time Fett was here, they took Radar away.”

“I know,” Crosshair snarled quietly.

“Oh yeah,” the Lieutenant snickered below, taking his seat at his desk. “He's the best in the facility.” 

“Cut the sarcasm, Pynk,” Fett leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. “We need a sniper in this squad.” 

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good sniper, but we train good snipers every day. This squad needs someone extraordinary and he isn’t. It’ll save a lot of time and energy to just retire him and pick up a normal sniper for the team.”

A normal sniper…

Crosshair had heard enough. He shoved Hunter down the tunnel and followed him, angrily wiping his blurry, wet eyes as they went.

“Are they gonna retire Crosshair?” Wrecker whispered loudly to Tech as Crosshair climbed out of the vent.

“They will have to retire me first,” Tech said, adjusting his goggles, not bothering to lower his voice. “I won’t let them take him.”

“Yeah,” Wrecker slammed his fists together, “me neither.”

He ignored them both. He made a point to ignore them both. They were all idiots, thinking they could change anything by just wishing it wouldn't happen.

And Crosshair was an idiot for daring to think he could be extraordinary.

The next day, Crosshair earned the nickname “Misfire.”

Not long after that the bounty hunter, Cad Bane, took him away.

***

Crosshair couldn’t sleep.

The room was too quiet without Wrecker’s chest-rattling snores, too dark without the faint glow of Tech coding on his datapad, and even though Hunter was practically a ghost at night even when awake, Crosshair missed him, too.

Facing the fact sleep wasn’t going to find him, Crosshair slung his rifle over his shoulder, tip-toed down the hall past Bane's room, slid down the bannister, avoiding the creaky stairs altogether, and slipped soundlessly out the front door. The weather-beaten porch was barely held together by whatever rusted nails poked out of the cracked wood. He kept his steps light, but each footfall he could feel the threat of a creak beneath his boots. He leapt over the stairs entirely and landed in the dark soil with little more than a quiet squelch.

The moon was a meager sliver in the sky that didn't do much to illuminate the wheat field, but the way it moved in the wind reminded Crosshair of the black waves of a rarely calm nighttime Kaminoan sea. 

“Goin’ somewhere?”

Crosshair hadn't heard anyone approach. How was this possible? And yet, as he turned, he found that Bane had been sitting in a rocking chair in the darkest corner of the porch, only his red eyes, half-moons obscured by the brim of his hat, could be seen.

Crosshair refused to be rattled. He planted his feet firmly in the soil and and puffed up his narrow chest. “I’m going to scout the perimeter.”

“Got sensors for that, kid” Bane replied. “Ain’t a soul out there except for us n’ the Fabools.”

“Then I’ll go check on the Fabools.”

“You don’t gotta worry about them until tomorrow mornin’. Todo will show ya what to do.”

Crosshair had no response. Wrecker's clumsy question floated in his head.

Are they gonna retire Crosshair?”

He needed to do this. He needed to do...something.

Bane’s head tilted slightly.  “What?”

Crosshair didn’t respond.

I don’t want to be retired. I want to live… at least long enough to fight a real battle with Tech.

Bane let out a strained growled, his spurs jingling as his boots landed heavily on the porch. In the darkness his scarlet eyes cast harsh shadows against his scarred face. 

“You n’ me are gonna get along a lot better if ya stop bein’ so fuckin’ timid. You’re a soldier, right? You’re an elite sniper? You’re a tough guy? Then stop bein’ afraid of everything. I’m bein’ paid to train ya, but I may ask Jango for extra cuz I gotta go lookin' for yer spine first before I can teach ya anything.” Rows of sharp teeth gleamed in the dark. “Start talkin’.”

I want to live.

I want to live.

I want to live.

I-

“I…don’t want to be retired.”

The teeth vanished. The eyes dimmed. Bane leaned forward and into the meager moonlight, confusion etched into his scarred face. “What do ya mean ‘retired’?”

“If soldiers don’t meet their lieutenant’s expectations, they’re retired and their data gets erased. Radar and Pintsize were retired last year. No trace of them anywhere. Like they never existed.” Crosshair scrubbed his sweaty palms against his pant legs. He couldn’t stop talking if he wanted to, like trying to fight momentum down a steep hill. “Radar was redundant. Hunter’s tracking skills were sharper than his. Pintsize could barely hold a blaster with his tremors. The lieutenant said I’m not ‘extraordinary’ like the rest of my squad. I dropped my sniper rifle last test. They started calling me-”

The name seized in his mind. Tech’s magnified eyes glaring at him as if he was somehow holding onto the name. 

“That’s not who you are.”

“Jango knows about this? These retirements?”

Crosshair blinked. “What?”

“The retirements. Are they his decision or not?”

“It’s the lieutenant’s decision.” 

Bane rested his elbows on his knees, his unyielding glare boring into Crosshair. “Who’s this lieutenant? What’s his story?”

“A first generation clone. Lieutenant Pynk,” Crosshair thought about how to describe him. “He’s an asshole.”

Bane snorted. “Yeah, I gathered that much. So when you told me you’re the best in the facility that was his sarcasm I was hearing?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Well, fuck Pynk. We’ll show him what extraordinary looks like.” he extended his hand. “Gimme your rifle.”

Crosshair tightened the grip on his rifle strap. “Why?”

“Oh yer full of questions now, huh?” Bane sneered. “Official inspection, soldier. Give it here.”

With a small hiss of protest, Crosshair handed the rifle over.

Bane gave the rifle a little spin as if testing the weight. He looked through the scope. He ran his fingers over the stock and gave it a good shake.

“No wonder you can’t razzle and dazzle anyone,” Bane snickered. “This here’s a piece of bantha poodoo .”

“There’s nothing wrong with my rifle.” Crosshair said. “I clean it everyday. I calibrated it this morning. It’s fine.”

“Yeah?” Bane tossed the rifle back to Crosshair. “Prove it.”

Bane stood up, reminding Crosshair just how tall the Duros was compared to him. He was taller than Pynk and somehow that was comforting to know. In one swift movement, Bane hopped over the porch railing and with a crisp snap of his leather duster, he vanished around the side of the house.

Crosshair followed. At first it looked like Bane had simply disappeared, but upon a closer look, the side of the house was covered with a wide wooden trellis far too reinforced to withstand just the weight of creeper vines.  He looked up and saw a brief glimpse of the brim of Bane's hat on the roof. Crosshair slung the rifle over his shoulder and climbed. 

Some of the roof tiles were flatter and smoother than they appeared, leading to an ornamental bell tower half the size of Crosshair and far too small for Bane to fit. Still, Crosshair peeked into the bell tower and found...a short chute leading into a spy holodrama.

It was one part sniper tower, one part high-tech surveillance bowl filled with panels and devices similar to the simulation models Tech ran through to practice slicing communications and monitoring air traffic.

Bane sneered up at him. "C'mon in, kiddo."

“What is this?” Crosshair asked, hoisting himself into the chute and using the short ladder to climb down.

“Crow’s nest, watchtower, sniper tower, reinforced bunker, whatever we need it for. There are a couple of cots under the false floor if we get swarmed and have to lay low for a while.”

“Who would attack us?”

“The local authorities, mercs lookin' to even the score, raiders aimin' to steal the Fabools which can sell for a pretty credit on the black market.” Bane pressed a switch under his seat and the blank wall flipped over to reveal a pair  of LL-30 blaster pistols and a 773 Firepuncher rifle, the kind Crosshair had only seen in firearms databanks Tech sliced in for him.

Bane grabbed the rifle, charged it up, and checked the scope. “Don’t have to worry about any of that tonight though. Tonight, we’re doin’ some target practice...”

He dialed something into the control panel. A long opening slid 280 degrees around the tower at Crosshair’s eye-level, no taller than his fist, yet a screen flickered around the opening to reveal a holographic image of the surrounding area. 

“I can see everything,” he said.

“That’s the idea,” Bane replied. “Watch the field.” 

He flicked another switch and a blue light shimmered over the wheat field as the security shield went down. 

The grass started to quiver almost immediately. 

“What’s out there?” Crosshair asked, sliding the barrel of his rifle through the opening and peering through the scope. 

“Stalker lizards,” Bane said. “Lookin’ for a free meal inside that Fabool enclosure. Tell me what ya see.”

Crosshair toggled the heat sensor display on and off, watching the heat signatures from the lizards and the dark shadows of the landscape. “Lizards about a meter long coming from the southwest.” He scanned the enclosure next, remembering his training. Always check doors, corners, exits, and blindspots.

“We have blindspots.”

“Where’re the blindspots?” Bane asked, clearly a test. 

“South and East walls of the enclosure.”

“Already covered. Look again.”

The heat signatures didn’t change. The landscape didn’t change much either. Crosshair lowered his scope and leaned over the edge of the bell tower as if it would help. “How-”

Bane grabbed his jumpsuit and pulled him back. “Stay in here.” He pushed some monoculars into Crosshair’s hands. “Your little toy scope doesn’t have a range finder, use these.”

“It’s not a toy.”

“It surely is. You wanna be an extraordinary sniper? You gotta grow up n’ use a real sniper rifle. Now quit givin’ me that death glare n’ look at coords 233.32, 33.4.”

Fuming, Crosshair looked through the monoculars. “Coords 233.32, 33.4.” He repeated. 

Crosshair dialed in the coordinates and let the cursor on the display guide his movements.

There were several panels in various parts of the field. Each panel was painted with a shiny yellow number and embedded with silver reflective discs. “Are those mirrors?”

“Tell me which one to shoot.”

“What?”

“Can’t believe I’m sayin’ this, but yer askin’ too many questions. Just do it.”

Crosshair rolled his eyes and shifted his scope from mirror to mirror until the caught the reflection of a stalker lizard climbing up the fabric wall of the enclosure.

“Panel two, center.”

A blaster shot rang out, it ricochet off the mirror and the low-power stun blast knocked the lizard off the enclosure, driving it back to the treeline.

“Again.”

Crosshair aligned his vision. Another panel. “Panel three, top left.”

The blaster bolt fired, ricocheted, and hit its target.

“Keep callin’ ‘em,” Cad said. "Faster."

“Six, low right. Four, center. Two, top center. Two, top left, no wait-”

“Two, middle left,” Cad corrected and took the shot. 

“How do you see them without the monoculars?” 

Bane snatched Crosshair’s monoculars and shoved the Firepuncher into his hands. “Built-in rangefinder in the scope. Give it a try.”

Bane’s rifle was heavier than his, but it also felt sturdier and a lot more powerful. He did a quick procedural check of the power cell, the scope angle, and acclimated himself to the weight before sliding the barrel through the opening.  The scope was alive with readings. Rangefinder, coordinates scale, the crosshairs shifted as it looked for moving targets and returned to center when there was nothing. 

“This is cheating,” Crosshair grumbled.

Bane snorted. “No such thing in this business. Besides, you can spend all the fancy credits in the galaxy and it don't make you the best. Yer greatest mod is yer eyes n' yer instincts. Now shut up n’ start firin’. Lizards are startin’ to swarm.”

The heat signatures doubled and Crosshair took shot after shot, chasing the lizards away.

“Good.” Bane said.

Good, but not extraordinary, Crosshair thought.

Two lizards scaled the corner of the enclosure. Crosshair hit the leader and it landed on its follower, scaring both away.

He waited for Bane to praise him. It was an impressive shot.

Bane remained silent.

Another lizard leapt from a panel onto the enclosure wall. He shot one mirror and it ricocheted off another mirror and hit the lizard between the eyes, sending it sprawling backwards before scurrying off. 

That was impressive too. He waited for the Lieutenant...no...he waited for Bane to comment.

Bane said nothing.

“He’s a good sniper…This squad needs someone extraordinary.”

He took another shot. The blaster bolt bounced off the mirror and hit the tail of the lizard. It kept climbing. 

He took another shot. The lizard dropped.

“Sloppy,” Bane said.

Crosshair’s bolt hit the edge of the enclosure, wool sizzled. The Fabools inside bleeted and honked irritably.

“Shit shot.”

“Are they gonna retire Crosshair?” Wrecker asked, eyes wet with tears.

Another miss.

“Worse,” Cad said.

And another.

“Shittier.”

He shot a mirror, it ricocheted into the night.

“Now yer takin’ yer failure out on the mirrors, huh?” Cad snickered. “Try again.”

The rifle felt heavier. Like the hands of a dozen laughing cadets and one unimpressed lieutenant was pushing it down. 

“Look out, here comes Misfire.”

The heat signatures began to multiply through the scope.

“What’re you doing?” Bane asked. “I said try again.”

Shit shot…worse…failure…

The trigger refused to move. 

“Misfire…Misfire…Misfire…”

“Dank farrick,” Bane swore and grabbed the rifle, firing five shots in quick succession. Blaster bolts soared and ricocheted off the mirrors, scaring away the rest of the lizards. He punched the control panel and the blue shimmering shield spread across the wheat field again. “What was that about? You forget how to shoot?”

Crosshair's hand twitched. He didn't move. He stared at the rifle.

“What the hell, kid?”

Crosshair couldn’t feel his fingers.

Hands shaking, he managed to hoist himself out of the bell tower.  By the time he got to the bottom of the trellis he realized he had left his own rifle behind.

Tears blurring his eyes, he raced back to the front of the house, crashing through the door and stomping up the stairs. 

He hid under the covers.

In a bed that wasn’t his.

Without the rifle that he didn’t deserve anyway.

***

The next morning, the house seemed empty. Bane wasn’t downstairs, but breakfast was waiting for Crosshair. A plate of bacon and eggs on a warming plate.

He ate quickly and guzzled the apple juice, politely pushing away the black caf and wondering if it was only there because he knew Fett was never far from a cup of caf.

He wandered outside to the sun sprinkling the wheat field with golden light. It made him squint. Climbing up the trellis, he poked his head in the bell tower. Neither rifle nor Bane was there.

His heart dropped. He felt sick. If Bane confiscated his rifle, then Crosshair was probably heading back home today. He hoped he’d be able to say bye to his brothers before they retired him. Then again, he didn’t get to say bye to Pintsize and Radar.

Climbing back down the trellis, he walked to the Fabool enclosure punching in the code he watched Bane use the day before. The gate swung open and before he could fall into a cuddle pile of Fabools, a stout droid flew directly at him, nearly slamming him against the gate.

“Who are you?!” The droid asked, round, unblinking yellow eyes flashing with suspicion, his thrusters hissing angrily as he floated in front of Crosshair’s face.

Crosshair pushed himself off the gate. “Bane told me to take care of the Fabools with Todo this morning.”

“I am Todo 360,” the droid declared, spindly arms flailing. “Did Mr. Bane order you to spy on me?” 

“No. If I was going to spy on you,” Crosshair said, dryly. “You’d never know it.”

The droid’s three-fingered hand touched his non-existent chin thoughtfully. “Oh. Hmm. That’s…a valid point. Fine, you may stay, but I am in charge here and you will tell Mr. Bane that I am doing a perfectly good job and I don’t need any help.”

“Fine by me.”

“We’ll start with feeding practices!” Todo announced, shooing away the Fabools who seemed to hate the sound of his thrusters. They rolled towards Crosshair and away from the noisy droid. It was hard to worry about retirement when there were a dozen soft, bouncing balloons begging for his attention, and Crosshair decided to enjoy the moment, taking time to pet each one while Todo did all the work. 

“Well, you’re already proving yourself to be an adequate assistant," Todo said, cleaning the water trough. "It takes me three times longer to fill their troughs when they try to bully me into their cuddle piles.” Todo floated towards the hose and dragged it across the enclosure, straining between words. “Your...reaction...to them...is...far…different…from…Mr. Bane’s…first…interaction.”

“What do you mean?” Crosshair asked.

“Oh, Mr. Bane was terrified of the Fabools when Fett brought him here. Practically climbed up on the fence to get away from them. He was scared of a lot of things back then though.”

Crosshair’s jaw dropped into his lap. “Bane? Cad Bane?”

“Well he wasn’t Mr. Bane back then. Just Cad. He hadn’t chosen a surname. Some Duros culture thing. I never understood it.”

“How long have you known Bane?”

“Many, many years.”

Crosshair cupped a Fabool chick in his hands and pressed it against his cheek. It snuffled at him, inquisitively. “Why was he afraid of the Fabools?”

“He full of paranoia when we met him,” Todo said, lightly. “Just distrustful of everything, in general.”

"But..." Crosshair stared dumbfounded at Todo. “How did he get so…”

“...so very 'Bane' ?” Todo asked.

“Yes.”

Todo held up an authoritative finger. “By eating his vegetables, little boy,” Todo hummed and floated towards the food sacks.

Crosshair rolled his eyes. “What else do you know about Bane?”

“Oh, I know lots about him. I’ve known him for a very long time. I’m his most trusted confidant. I am sworn to secrecy though so I couldn't possibly share anything with you.”

Considering how much Crosshair learned about Bane in the thirty seconds he knew Todo he decided to just nod. “Okay.”

“But…” Todo floated forward, hands rubbing together conspiratorially. “...I do have a few juicy tidbits I could share if you’re interested.”

Crosshair made a mental note to never tell Todo 360 anything about himself. “Sure.”

“Oh goodie! It’s so rare I find someone to gossip with that aren’t Fabools. Bossk and Aurra tell Mr. Bane everything .”

Crosshair scooted forward, setting the chick down on the ground only to have two fabools bounce into his lap and a third bounce against his back. Somehow all of the Fabools reminded him of Wrecker, only cuter and less annoying. “What else do you know?”

“Hmm…oh! Here's something. He didn’t know how to use a blaster when he met Mr. Fett. Mr. Fett taught him everything he knew about being a mercenary.”

“I figured that much.”

“But did you know that Mr. Fett and Mr. Bane engaged in a bar fight before Mr. Fett left for his secret project?”

“Why?”

“Is it not obvious? Mr. Bane idolized Mr. Fett, followed him around like a fabool chick bounces after a feed bag. When Mr. Fett left mercenary work, he left Mr. Bane behind. Mr. Bane took it very personally, but I think it was the best thing that ever happened to him.”

“Why?” Crosshair pressed.

“Because that is when Mr. Bane found that cool confidence in himself. Mr. Fett was always there to lift him up, reward his victories, and tutor his failings. Mr. Bane had to figure out how to exist without Mr. Fett and it was then I noticed that confidence grow like a hmm…like a cactus blossom! He went from Mr. Fett’s shadow to being quite the opposing figure himself.”

Crosshair sat quietly, absorbing this fact. It was hard to imagine the Bane today cowering from Fabools or needing help from anyone.

Or starving for someone else's approval.

When he thought of Bane, he thought of the easy stance, arms relaxed and thumbs hanging over his belt buckle, a toothpick casually moving between his teeth, round eyes behind hooded lids that could see through a person with more accuracy than a scope. That nonchalant drawl, the cheeky turn of phrase, unrattled, and prickly.  

All the things Crosshair wanted to be. 

“Has Bane ever had an apprentice before?”

“Not to my knowledge. Mr. Fett’s request is unusual, but Bane would do anything for-”

“Kid, get up.”

Crosshair startled, whipping his head back to find Bane leaning against the wall, arms folded, toothpick rolling lazily in his teeth. How long had he been in the enclosure? A Fabool snuffled at his boot, lost interest than bounce against Crosshair's head.

“Come with me.” Bane left the enclosure without another word.

Crosshair didn’t move at first. Not because he was covered in Fabools, but because he knew this was the end.

Retirement…

He’d finally find out what happened to Pintsize and Radar.

“Nice to meet you, Todo,” he said, standing up and gently rolling the fabools away who happily bounded towards the droid.

“Oh! Well nice to meet you too, um… ‘Kid’.”

“Sit down,” Bane said, pointing to the rocking chair on the porch before going into the house.

Crosshair sank onto the flower-patterned cushioned seat, trying and failing to rest his boots on the railing. It was too far away. He sighed and drew his legs up, hugging his knees. He watched the skies for a ship to come and pick him up. 

Bane came out a few minutes later and sat in the other rocking chair, boots landing with a jingle of his spurs on the railing. Crosshair’s rifle was in his hands. It took all of Crosshair’s self-control not to lunge for it, hug it, and promise he would never abandon it again.

He hugged his knees tighter.

“Doesn’t take a genius to know why you ran out last night,” Bane began, tilting his hat up to look Crosshair in the eyes. “You crave praise like a dying man thirstin’ of jocola . I don’t reckon you get a lot of positive reinforcement at the facility n’ ya know what? Tough shit. The sooner ya realize the galaxy ain’t gonna give ya validation is the day ya actually become the extraordinary sniper I know ya can be.

“This is the last and only time I’m gonna say this," Bane continued. "Yer real fuckin’ good, and yer gonna be the best. I ain't ever wrong about shit like this. Now...you hold onto that praise because after this conversation, I ain’t gonna be nice to ya anymore. Yer gonna get pushed n' pushed hard, yer gonna get shaken, and I’m gonna do everythin’ I can to get ya past this bullshit worry about what everyone else thinks. Maybe you’ll hate me, hell ya might even shoot me in the back, but it’ll be worth it because it’s gonna send ya past that kraytshit extraordinary standard Pynk’s got for ya.”

Bane offered the rifle back to Crosshair. “I promise, by the time ya get back home, yer gonna be tougher than a reek’s horn n’ twice as deadly.”

The moment Crosshair’s fingers touched his rifle, he knew it was augmented. It felt like a Firepunch. Better scope, heavier stock, a weapon for a real sniper. He peered through the scope. 

“Whoa,” Crosshair murmured, scanning the field with his scope, toggling between more scanners than he knew existed. “Wizard.”

“Listen kid, in this galaxy there’ll be plenty of people tryin’ to put you down, break your spirit, break your bones. Only person you gotta trust is yourself. Yer all ya need, you understand me?”

Crosshair realized it was a lesson Bane had to learn when Jango left for Kamino. It would be a lesson Crosshair would carry with him the rest of his life.

Even if Bane was hired to train him, to be this mentor, it meant something to Crosshair. "Understood."

“Go clean up. Food’s in an hour. Beef stew minus the carrots. After that you start yer real trainin’. Deal?”

Crosshair hopped up, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. “Deal.”

“One more thing, kid.”

“Yeah?”

“What did you and Todo talk about this morning?”

Crosshair didn’t bother lying. “You.”

Bane growled quietly. “That gossiping little shit. What did he say?”

Though Crosshair didn’t intend to lie, he also didn’t feel like ratting Todo out. So he was honest about the thing that mattered most. 

“He said you’re better off without Fett around.” 

The words seemed to splash cold water on Bane’s face. The mercenary  looked away, out to the golden field, too bright in the noonday sun. 

“Is it true?” Crosshair asked. 

Bane’s glare didn’t skewer Crosshair as sharply as he expected. In fact, it looked like he may even answer.

“Target practice starts at dusk. Bring your A-game, kid. Not holding back on you. Now get outta here.”

And with that Bane sank into his rocking chair tilted his hat forward over his eyes.

The conversation was over.

Crosshair was happy he asked.

[dansconcepts]

Rise of the "Archons" + One Adeptus + Two Other Immortals

Aka an introductory excerpt of a Rise of the Guardians-inspired Genshin Impact AU from my archives.

Roles to Note:

E. Aster Bunnymund: Xiao (guardian of safety; protector of purity)

Jack Frost: Venti (guardian of fun; protector of freedom)

Sandman: Morax (guardian of duty; protector of responsibility)

Toothiana: Lumine (guardian of memory; protector of growth)

North: Aether (guardian of ambition; protector of dreams)

Pitch Black: Childe

"...Tartaglia?" Lumine hisses. She averts her gaze, landing on the closest figure to her. Her eyes trail to Morax, whose lips are pressed in a thin line with a hand tightly clasped around his tea cup. His eyes reflect exactly how she feels- that tinge of disbelief, with the added aggravation of a lingering foreboding. 

She can't help but attempt to swallow the dread slowly rising within her. With a hardened gaze, she asks, "He was here?"

Aether nods. "I saw water creatures made of black. There was black water everywhere, actually-"

"What?" Xiao interjects. "What do you mean by water? I thought you said you saw Tartaglia?"

The Abyss leader frowns, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh. "Well… Not exactly."

Xiao scoffs. "Tch. We've all gathered here for something you aren't even certain about. This is pathetic!" 

"Oh, c'mon Xiao! Give me a break."

"Rex Lapis. Is what he's saying truthful? I feel I need a more verifiable source."

"Hey!"

The surprise from such a childish argument occurring has Lumine giggling slightly at their antics. 

"Paimon was there! It really was Tartaglia!" A small fairy chimes, stomping a tiny foot into the air. She whines loudly, scolding, "Aether, you big dummy! You forgot to talk about how the water literally formed a silhouette of Tartaglia!"

"Oh yeah, that's right! Whoops." He chuckles sheepishly. "Oh-ow!-Paimon!-stop-OW!-hitting-me!... just why does your tiny fists pack such a punch…!" 

In the midst of it all, Morax hums. It causes everyone to trail off, and even Paimon ceases in her hits. 

"And… are you able to confidently swear that, within this very establishment, you saw Tartaglia?"

The blond nods, any ounce of a smile ripped completely off his face. 

"I understand it sounds like speculation, but I- and Paimon too- are confident in what we saw. The water was too familiar. The darkness? Equally so. And the figure forming into the man himself was just as telling."

He breathes. "Tartaglia is back, and he's up to something."

Morax hums once more before going back to his tea in silence.

Xiao rolls his eyes. "Rex Lapis may be satisfied, but I am not. You dragged me away to provide, what, a half-assed warning that you could've sent, I don't know, your fairy to deliver?"

"I'm not some carrier pigeon!" Paimon feebly protests. 

Paimon is easily ignored.

"Well, I'm sorry I thought it was of grave enough importance that we all meet up here or you wouldn't believe me otherwise!"

"I'm here and I still don't believe you!" Xiao spat. "Do you have evidence?"

"Are two people's words not enough for you? We're being serious!" He shakes his head at the adeptus, turning toward his sister in solace to cool his head. "Lumine, you've been quiet. What do you think?"

"Ah, well… you know I trust you Aether. It's just unsettling to think that Ch-Tartaglia would be back after all these centuries…"

It grants a nod from Aether, where he turns to his fellow guardian with a smirk. Xiao snarls, low and feral, igniting a battle of wits between the two. As their heated words fill the otherwise gnawing silence, a distinct brightness shines through the fairly already illuminated building. It reflects harshly off the fake purple neon lighting. The movement ceases and settles right in front of Morax, soothing and gentle. 

Yet he is the only one to notice, as Lumine's eyes are downcast while Xiao and Aether bicker like children.

How did he get here? He wonders to himself solemnly.

"Everyone." He speaks. They ignore him. He raises his voice, repeating the same word. They're too off in their own little worlds to notice. The absolute gall of these children.

Fine then. 

The floor beneath them begins to shake and it rumbles an affronted roar. Lumine is the first to gasp in surprise. She nearly stumbles and instinctively shoots out her arms, stamping her feet to the ground as a way to keep herself upright. Xiao and Aether, on the other hand, repeat the action when the floor starts to make them sway. 

Their heads immediately snap to the source of it all, who stands in the chaos with not even a hair out of place. 

"Done?" He chastises. "Do look up now."

Altogether, their eyes spot the natural beams of light. 

Lumine's eyes sparkle. "Oh! The Welkin Moon! Zhongli, why didn't you say anything?"

"I clearly did."

"No, all you did was shake the ground. You could've just shouted 'moon', you know."

"...Why, yes, I suppose I could've…"

"Well, moon, what did you want to say?"

A silhouette of a cloaked figure with a staff waves excitedly before it's whisked away, revealing the familiar profile of-

"Tartaglia. It really is him." Xiao spits out. "Oh, when I get my hands on that Fatui scum-"

Aether shoots him a pointed look, before turning back to the moon. "Okay then moon, what do we do?"

The cloaked figure points to Lumine.

"Huh? Me? Why-" Her eyes cloud shut. They flutter open just as quickly. 

"Ah." 

She nods, before beginning to form constellations from her hands, letting the moon's whispers guide her. A small pedestal is created, and she lets the stars fly out from the top in a wonderful light show. They use her subconscious memory as a base, beginning to create the form of-

"A new guardian? Ah, we could use the help." Aether concedes with an amiable nod.

"As long as it isn't that popsicle or another annoying pest, I won't complain."

They slowly take in the formation of clogs… legs… shorts… corset…? ...a… lyre?

Before them was none other than Venti, the wind spirit.

"Venti." 

The stars twinkling around the image droop in a mock faint. 

"Huh. I didn't know there could be a horrible answer. I see I was wrong."

"Wha- guys!" Lumine scolds. "C'mon! As long as he helps out, it's no big deal, right?"

"Venti? Helping? All he's ever done was prolong danger and nearly makes me lose it every. single. time. He blows the demons away from me and laughs a storm about it. He isn't trustworthy."

"Well, now he's a guardian."

[shadowsandshapes]

FFTB | CH 2: Trial by Fire (Dabi/F!Reader)

Summary: Dabi doesn't think you've got what it takes to join the League. He approaches Shigaraki with a request: he wants to test your abilities and see what you're capable of. Contains: Swearing, Canon-Typical Violence, Power Fantasy Elements, A Series Of Very Unfortunate Events, Reader Is A Villain Who Does Villain Things

↞ Prev | Chapter Index | Ao3 Portal | Next ↠

This was ridiculous. Shigaraki had to be out of his goddamn mind if he thought a girl like you could benefit the League in a meaningful way. You weren’t cut out for this – Dabi could see that in an instant. Back at the gambling hall, he had only caught glimpses of your abilities, but he was certain you wouldn’t be able to keep up. Recruiting you was like tossing a bunny rabbit in with a pack of ravenous wolves. They would eat you alive. He watched you make your introductions with the rest of the League, scrutinizing your every move. Pretty little thing. Soft features and curves – all smiles and sarcasm. No substance.

There was no way you’d last a week. Let alone long enough to repay your debt.

Thanks to Twice’s disastrous Overhaul introduction, the LOV was short one member and Mr. Compress was out for the count until he could get a new arm. Having fresh meat on board wouldn’t be too bad. That’s why they visited the casino in the first place: recruitment. However, the raid had thrown their plans into disarray. You showing up to mess with the cops definitely helped but, at the end of the day, you were nothing special. They needed frontline fighters. You were a disaster waiting to happen. Not exactly what they were looking for.

“Shigaraki –” Dabi called, motioning for the other man to move out of earshot of the others. As soon as he was certain no one was paying attention to them, he leaned in close and continued. “Let me test ‘em,” he grumbled – nodding his head in your direction.

“C’mon, Dabi…” their leader protested half-heartedly, rolling his crimson eyes at his companion’s overly cautious attitude. Tomura really wasn’t in the mood to argue right now. Not after all the shit they just went through. “What makes you think she’s not a good fit?”

“Look at her.” Dabi deadpanned. “She looks like a fucking pastry. Sweet and fragile. We gotta know what we’re dealing with here. Didn’t you have beef with some other villains? Let me take her to them – see what she can do.”

Shigaraki pressed a thoughtful finger to his lips as his eyes landed on you. Dabi had a point. You didn’t exactly look like the part of the evil villain. As far as he was aware, you could have been bluffing about your Quirk. They knew nothing about you – other than that you had hilariously humiliated those loser Heroes at the casino. Still, those guys were small fry compared to what the League was facing now. If Shigaraki wanted to get even with the Shie Hassaikai he would need strong allies. Whether or not you were one remained to be seen. Dabi was a harsh judge. Maybe this was the perfect opportunity to find out. 

“Alright,” he agreed, giving Dabi an affirmative nod. “Take her downtown. There’s a group of thugs who leaked our info to Overhaul’s men.” Shigaraki pulled out his phone and quickly typed up the address. “Make them pay, rough ‘em up – and find out what she’s capable of.”

“You got it, boss –” Dabi checked the location. A warehouse. Remote – most likely abandoned. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. He’d be able to test your mettle and the authorities would be none the wiser. This was perfect.

Time to give you a proper introduction and grill you a little. Just for fun. 

Dabi strolled up and inserted himself between you and Toga. He slung an arm over your shoulder and pulled you close. The other girl protested but his icy glare was enough to send her slinking off to join the others quietly. In contrast, the grin Dabi was giving you struck you as dangerously venomous.

Just what was he up to?

“Hey, Lucky –” he started, “the name’s Dabi – you and me are going for a ride first thing tomorrow.” His finger shamelessly dipped into the hem of your neckline, giving it a small tug and allowing it to snap back. “I suggest you get some more tactical clothing cuz this get-up you’re sporting isn’t gonna cut it where we’re going.” Oh – the way you blushed when at his touch was delightful. What a peach.

Yeah – he was gonna enjoy breaking you in.

“I have a name. It’s (Y/n).” This Lucky-shit better not stick around – you hated being called that. Bastard. He seemed so very pleased with himself for making you uncomfortable – it was pissing you off. You shrugged his arm off your shoulder dismissively, glaring as he chuckled and raised his hands in mock surrender. There was no way this charmer was getting off the hook so easily: you hadn’t forgotten the shit he pulled earlier. For now, though, you decided to play nice. “Sending me on a mission that quickly – what’s this about?”

“Trial by fire, newbie. I’m gonna find out just how lucky you are.”

Aside from asking about the mission details, you didn’t talk much – but Dabi did notice you glaring at him every now and then. 

It was hard not to. Your face seemed to be permanently stuck in a seething expression. Sure, being forced to join the League wasn’t a walk in the park – but most villains would be thrilled to gain some notoriety. It came with the territory. Reputation could get you a long way in this world. Considering how many recruits Dabi had turned into burn marks on the pavement, you should consider yourself – well, lucky. 

You walked by his side, keeping pace as you made your way toward the rendezvous point. Despite your reservations with the man, you had listened to his advice – leaving the cocktail dress at home for the day. You really, really didn’t need him getting a free show of your sexy bits if you happened to get into a fight. The memory of his finger on your collarbone kept replaying in your mind – which incidentally was why you kept glaring at him. Among other things.

“Your face is gonna get stuck like that, grumpy. Lighten up, will you?” he said, unable to suppress a grin at your pouty expression. “If we’re gonna start teaming up, ya might as well get used to lookin’ at me.”

“Not the biggest fan of my current company,” you admitted. “Can’t say I’m looking forward to working with the guy who left me for dead yesterday. Do you know how many cops were on my ass? I’m still picking glass from my hair.”

Dabi barked out a laugh. “You still sore about that, babe? So that’s why you were being such a sourpuss.” He could have guessed. His first impression hadn’t exactly been a favorable one. Still – that was hardly Dabi’s most pressing concern right now. “I told you: it was nothin’ personal. Crusty said to block the exit, so I did. You were just collateral.”

“It’s not fair. I tried to help you and you let me take the fall. I mean – yeah, you’re villains, but did you have to be dicks about it?”

He shrugged. “Life’s not fair, sweet thing – the sooner you get used to that, the sooner we’ll start getting along.”

You sighed. This was going to be a long fucking day, wasn’t it?

You couldn’t have been more right.

The thugs you were sent to dispatch were pussies but the sheer number of them was overwhelming. Dabi was no help. Intentionally, you reckoned. This was your test after all. He spent most of the fight up high – away from the action as you barreled towards certain doom.

Your confidence was admirable. Stupid and reckless – but admirable nonetheless.

Improvised weapons were one of your favorite things to use in a fight. In this case, you’d gotten your hands on a rusty lead pipe. A crude-looking thing. Heavy and wide enough to do some serious damage to human skulls and kneecaps. Perfect for dispatching a pack of low-lifes, really. At first, Dabi thought you were nothing but a bumbling buffoon, stumbling from one disaster into another. He expected you to go down in the first five minutes of the fight but you were still standing. More than that, you were actually pretty good. Someone must have trained you.

After a while, Dabi started to notice a pattern. What seemed like utter chaos was actually far more contained. Every slip-up you made actually worked in your favor. It was almost comical how you skid across the ground – slipping between the legs of one of your attackers to emerge on the other side and crack the pipe against the back of his head. You could influence your luck but its effect was dependent on what you had to work with. Objects, people – anything you could touch was fair game. If he were to put you in an empty room, for instance, Dabi figured nothing would happen. You simply wouldn’t have anything to influence. The way he understood it, Luck was better suited for defense which is why you had invested time in combat training. There was potential in you – Dabi could see that now. Guess Shigaraki was right – maybe you could earn their respect just yet.

With the loud crack of bone and groaning cartilage, you brought the pipe down on a thug's knee. He howled in anguish, dropping to the ground like a cement brick. “Hey hotshot –!” you called out. Dabi perked up – snapping out of his thoughts. “Can you get down here already?”

“This gettin’ too much for you?” the villain questioned – descending from his metal scaffolding perch by sliding down the rafters. “You can say it’s too much, I won’t snitch to the boss – pinkie promise.” He jumped the last gap and wasted no time catching up, ducking past oncoming attacks to reach your side with one quick sprint. 

“It’s not that.” You rolled your eyes, taking a moment to wipe the blood from the pipe on your jeans. “I’ve never taken on this many guys at once –”

“Yeah – I bet,” Dabi smirked, positioning himself to cover you as the thugs regrouped for a counterattack. “You look like a real good girl with that pipe in your hands.”

You shouldn’t have laughed – but you did. “Shut. up. Fuck me – you’re unbearable.” For the first time today, you didn’t sound all that pissed off. Rather, amused. Almost like you were actually having a good time despite the circumstances. Dabi took note of that, eyeing the smile you were so desperately trying to hide from him.

So you did have a sense of humor after all. 

He felt you press your back against his to make sure no one could take advantage of your flank – surveying the remaining pawns on the field. The rest of the fight was an outright slaughter. Your opponents didn’t stand a chance once the two of you were actually working together. The matter was settled within minutes – blue flames sweeping up whatever bloody bits you and your trusty pipe had left behind. When the dust had settled, you and Dabi were the only ones left standing. Breathless but unscathed.

“Not bad, newbie –” Dabi admitted, reaching up to ruffle the top of your head. “Guess I was wrong about you. You’ve got spunk. One more thing –”

“What – is there a written exam too?”

“No –” Dabi laughed, shaking his head. “Just a question, that’s all.” You know – maybe this guy wasn’t so bad after all. He was kind of tolerable when you were actually on the same team. “Don’t get me wrong – you kicked ass just now but – how’d a pretty little thing like you end up like this?”

“Like what?”

“A villain.”

You became quiet then. There was something there. Behind your eyes. A sadness. Anger – a festering resentment. Dabi could see it all. He knew those feelings intimately. Still – you shrugged and tossed the lead pipe into the grass – pretending the question didn’t bother you. You were a good actress but Dabi saw right through you. 

“Life’s not fair,” you quoted him. “I got used to it.” He wasn’t satisfied with your less-than-masterful deflection, you could see that clear as day. Regardless, Dabi didn’t seem interested in pressing you for an answer. For that, you were grateful. That was a can of worms you weren’t willing to pop open with a stranger just yet. Maybe one day you’d be able to talk about what happened – for now, you settled for quietly boiling yourself alive with these feelings.

Dabi, for his part, only concluded one thing from your conversation: you had motivation. Something every member of the League needed. That was enough for now.

A/N: Heheheheh Dabi you black cat of a bastard. We're gonna get some actual bonding in the next chapter but the crumbs have been strewn 👀The next chapter does need HEAVY editing, so that one will take a while to come out

Taglist: @kelin-is-writing @dynamars @dabislittlemouse @simpysheep @ohnoitsthatonekid

↞ Prev | Chapter Index | Ao3 Portal | Next ↠

[fireemblems24]

Azure Gleam Ch 13

Alright guys, we're getting close to finishing this thing - like 10 years later, but still here.

MAIN STORY

Ok, guys, the hard battle is over. Dimitri stomping everything is all I have left to do, I hope.

I wonder if I dislike Claude now. He's here and on our side, but I think "ew" and "ugh" when I see him now.

Claude suspects stuff.

Seteth is lecturing Hilda for whining lamo.

Seeing Claude, Rhea, and Dimitri all fight on the same side is cool, even if I find Claude annoying as fuck right now.

I wish Rhea would lead the knights herself, but instead she just gets sidelines so hard in AG. Hopes as a whole tgh.

Oh! No side battles! Not all that mad. Bc that means this'll speed things up a bit lol.

MAP/SIDE BATTLE

Sylvain is admiring Dimitri and Felix and how good of leaders they are. He's hoping he gets his act together soon too lol.

It's cool seeing Byleth and Jeralt around. Rhea's here too. The camp is packed with little blue and yellow dots.

There's a letter from Glenn on the table :(

Seems a bit cheap that Byleth only supports Jeralt and Shez, but can reach A with everyone. Like a cop out.

Honestly, neither of them have a ton of supports (Jeralt or Byleth). A bit bummed, but I guess you get them kind of late. Too bad this game never got a DLC. Byleth/lord supports would've sold that.

ANNETTE & DEDUE B

Annette needs help using Crusher. It's too heavy for her.

Annette thinks she needs to gain weight, but Dedue says that's not everything and is willing to help her out.

He helps her train with a bag of rocks and credits him with the motivation to try.

Dedue hesitates a bit when replying to her though, making Annette curious.

Pretty much a set up for part 2.

ANNETTE & DIMITRI B

Their only support this game.

Annette creates a disaster in the kitchen (or training grounds, unclear). With Dimitri's help. So . . . they tried cooking together? Yeah. That was never going to end well.

Dimitri and Annette both blame themselves. Dimitri "wins" though.

Dimitri wishes he were better with magic, but it runs in the family. He wanted to be a mage when he was younger.

"An old friend of mine would give magic demonstrations." - probably Edelgard?

Annette is willing to help Dimitri learn magic. She wants to get better at teaching. Dimitri really wishes he could learn magic.

Annette really wants to be a teacher.

She encourages him not to hold back. I think he made another explosion. Poor Annette has her work cut out for her lol.

INGRID & MARIANNE B

Horse girls final support.

Ingrid's been trying to figure out what her horse is thinking/wants based on behavior but is struggling.

Unlike Marianne, but, you know, she has help lol.

Ingrid's horse doesn't want to move again, so Marianne comes to help.

The horse/pegasus doesn't want to go to the battlefield because she's worried about Ingrid (and remembering Scarlet Blaze, that sucks, Fuck SB for killing Ingrid)

Ingrid is getting better connecting with her horse, and now will go get to save her friend.

When Ingrid's leaving, Marianne starts wishing for something but doesn't say what, Ingrid guesses horseback riding together and guesses right.

Ingrid credits to spending time with Marianne and getting to know her.

So Ingrid and Marianne are friends now. Good for both of them.

SHEZ & RODRIGUE A

Rodrigue is looking for a book on mercenaries.

When Shez asks why, Rodrigue skirts around it and Shez calls him out.

After a tough battle with Jeralt and co, Rodrigue wants to read up on mercenaries to make sure he understands their tactics better and avoid potential disaster.

Shez is impressed with Rodrigue for still studying after so long.

Rodrigue says he's not as smart as Gautier or courageous as Lambert, so he has too.

Shez says Rodrigue and Felix are close alike than either would admit - they both always want to improve themselves.

(and that Dimitri and Sylvain are like their dad's too)

Rodrigue still feels he doesn't measure up to the other two though :( But I'm happy Shez had such nice things to say about Rodrigue.

MERCEDES & ASHE B

Ashe turned pale while training. He plays it off as nothing, but Mercedes calls him out.

He got a minor injury, which reminded him of seeing a ghost.

Oh, poor Ashe, Mercedes starts playing 100 questions with him - wanting to know what it was wearing lol.

Ashe tells the story - he went looking for herbs to help his sick brother and saw a ghost in the fog. While running away, he got a similar injury.

Mercedes isn't scared of his tale. She's heard it before. In her tale, it wasn't a ghost though, but a shadow. Making Ashe think he saw his own shadow too.

Now Ashe thinks he lived in fear of his own shadow, lamo.

Ashe is like, you should hear this guy's story, and there's no one there.

But this isn't Ashe pulling on Mercedes, but him thinking he found another ghost because there was never anyone else around, lol.

FELIX & RAPHAEL A

Raphael wants to work out. Felix yells at him for being loud and giving him away.

Felix is boar hunting lamo.

Raphael talks about how Petra taught him a special technique. So now we have a Deer and Lion training, talking about an Eagle.

The boar they're hunting is wounded, but Felix is still weary of it.

Felix failed to hunt a boar before.

Dimitri once hunted so many animals that they couldn't fit them all on the sled lol. Felix struggled to get one.

Raphael gets confused when Felix is talking about boar, if he means a real boar or Dimitri lol.

Raphael wants to help Felix get revenge for the boar that got away.

And he attacks head-on, much to Felix's dismay, but he got it. Felix is a bit stunned it went down so quickly.

Felix admits that maybe working with friends helps sometimes. And Raphael is happy Felix called him friend.

This was actually way more entertaining than I thought it would be (Raphael supports can be . . . you know . . . dull or amusing, this one was amusing)

Plus I love hearing the story of Dimitri being an apex hunter as a child and Felix grumbling off trying to bag his own boar and failing lamo.

RODRIGUE & FELIX A

Rodrigue wants to talk. Felix tried to brush him off. And Rodrigue's like shut up and sit down, boy. But nicely.

He wants to talk because neither know when they'll die and don't want lingering regrets. Which, knowing what happens in Azure Moon . . . :(

Rodrigue apologizes for what he said about Glenn. Which I find a bit stupid because he was a grieving father so . . .

Thankfully, Rodrigue gets to explain his thoughts behind it. Acknowledging Glenn's agency in his decisions too.

Felix denies Glenn's agency and can only get Dimitri to say he caused Glenn to die :(

Rodrigue acknowledges that, but asks Felix what he would've done. Let Dimitri die and run away to save himself or do what Glenn did.

Felix gets angry at the idea that saving your own life is cowardice and that, when the time actually comes with something like that, you don't think - only act. So . . . he walked into Rodrigue's trap lol, who'll say then Glenn acted and choose to act that way.

Felix is such a dunce, saying "we'd both survive." Rodrigue rightly accuses him of wanting it both ways lol.

Felix says he understands Rodrigue's way of thinking, but dislikes Glenn's death being glorified.

Felix apologizes too, for his own bad behavior. For hitting Rodrigue.

Felix can't stand dealing with feelings anymore and leaves lol.

I'm sooooo glad this game let Rodrigue have a voice. It was always obvious to anyone with a shred of media literacy what Rodrigue meant, but Hopes let him spell it out.

DIMITRI & YURI B

Yuri's staring at Dimitri. Same. Same.

Yuri's impressed/confused at how quickly Dimitri blended in.

Dimitri's now thinking about the best way to help the poorest (we stan a good king, guys). It's something he's thought a lot about.

He thought medical facilities or investing more in the church (who do more to help the poor than anyone else in this game) would be best, but being around them made him realize that they should get the chance to take charge of their own "destiny."

He wants rulers to actually listen to what the people need best and actually do it rather than what's best for himself.

Yuri says education for everyone is necessary. Dimitri agrees.

But then Yuri makes the point that people won't care about education if they're starving or homeless. (so really, his earlier goals of building medical facilities where people get free/cheap healthcare isn't too far off).

So Dimitri wants to improve quality of life, then build educational reform on top of that.

But of course Edelgard's warmongering is draining money, so Dimitri can't make lives for the common folk better and needs to end the war fast so he can focus on helping people and not keeping little miss imperialist away.

Yuri says if money's the problem, he can use Yuri who can connect Dimitri to merchants and hitman lol. Dimitri's like "no working evil in my name!" He's also cautious about working with Yuri because he's backstabbed people in the past.

Yuri says he promises to honestly work with Dimitri, even protect him, because working with Dimitri will help his dream come true too. So he believes in Dimitri's leadership and vision.

Dimitri says he's grown to trust Yuri too.

Man, I need a sequel game where Yuri and Dimitri work on improving Faerghus together.

SHEZ & FELIX B

So . . . I had no idea I hadn't seen this support yet. I have their A unlocked for a while now too, though, I'll wait to see it since I'm getting support fatigue at the moment.

They're training. Felix insults Shez's footwork. What a typical Felix support lol.

Shez says she has a lot on her mind. Felix calls her a worthless partner if she's training distracted.

And then explains how Shez can't afford to do that on the battlefield (like a mercenary needs telling that lol).

Shez is surprised how much Felix has a read on her.

Felix wants to know where Shez learned how to fight because it's not like a knife or a mercenary.

Shez had a lot of teachers and just picked up stuff here and there. She doesn't use the playbook that knights or mercs usually use.

Shez says she has her unique style which is to her benefit. Felix wants her to teach him. But Shez thinks it's too reliant on the sword Felix can't use. Felix is like try me.

I can agree or refuse to teach him. Obviously I'm agreeing. (I would totally be an ass if it was character I didn't like lol).

Shez comments on Felix's style too - reacting to the say things are playing out.

Shez thinks she'll get stronger too.

I seriously can't believe I let these two sit at B for so long.

ANNETTE & DEDUE A

Annette comes across Dedue training. She insists he takes a break, but he insists on training still because he's not strong enough.

He feels inadequate because he can't use a hero's relic.

He admits he's jealous that others can use such powerful weapons.

Annette's surprised that he opened up, and appreciates that he opened up around her after he tried to dial back and apologize.

Annette talks about how impressed she is with him - his ability to cook and sow where she can't, and his sheer strength despite not using a relic. She thinks he'd be too good if he could use one lol.

Dedue talks about her strengths too - her optimism and how that lifts everyone up around her. Annette is happy if she can help anyone even a little.

Annette made dinner. The bottom of the pot fell out, but she insists that dinner still tastes great.

Someone tell Annette she's not destined to work in marketing lol.

Dedue still goes to eat dinner after hearing that. Brave man.

BYLETH & JERALT B

Definitely one of the supports I was looking forward too.

Byleth has a lot of blood on his clothing and is trying to wash it out and is failing.

Jeralt says washing blood out is more work than it's worth. Proof that man's never had a period.

Jeralt says Byleth reminds him of Sitri when they first meant. She had the same quiet composure and would rather clean a handkerchief she was cleaning than throw it away.

She never laughed or cried either, like Byleth, not at first at least.

Byleth asks why Jeralt is talking about all this now. Jeralt says he's feeling guilty of the lifestyle he's given Byleth - no home, no friends, always battles.

He says life would be different if Sitri was still alive.

Byleth doesn't regret his life and likes having Jeralt around.

It's nice to learn more about Sitri.

JERALT & SHEZ C

Jeralt comes across Shez fishing. Shez is weary. Jeralt tells Shez to relax, but Shez isn't used to it.

Jeralt is like, we're mercs, life happens, it's not personal.

Shez brings up the beginning where Jeralt's Mercenaries wiped out Shez's old company. Glad they're addressing this.

Shez is still upset about it. Jeralt understands now.

He asks if Shez has a grudge. I can choose yes or no. I'm gonna choose yes. I think this Shez would admit to attachments to other people, plus the conflict is more interesting, I think.

Shez talks about how much she liked that group and shares her goals of defeating the Ashen Demon.

Jeralt's like, you just have to let that go now.

Shez admits she's partly relieved because she couldn't defeat Byleth. Jeralt is like, that means you think you could beat me? Shez is like, well, I'd have to try first.

Then Shez helps Jeralt untangle his fishing string and comments on his lack of dexterity.

Jeralt then apologizes about what happened to Shez's mercenary company, especially since it was just too minor lords spewing.

He says he didn't originally plan on killing them, but she (the old captain) came charging in trying to use Jeralt to make a name for herself.

Shez understands, but still seems regretful.

Def hope I can unlock their A in time to see how this resolved (they don't have a B support).

MAIN BATTLE

No side battles this chapter. Onto the showdown at Ailell. Which means fire ground. Ugh. Gonna make everyone a flier that it makes sense for.

They're run into the Black Eagles. The Emperor's personal force.

Claude is there. Man, I gotta play Three Houses again. Every time I see him I'm like "ugh." I did NOT used to think that way.

Wait, is Edelgard actually here? I thought she was some kind of zombie whatever.

TWSITD is there (or mysterious dark mages). Claude is like "you know these people?"

Man, why is Dimitri trusting Claude. Telling him "don't let your guard down." Dimitri wants Claude about the mages. I wouldn't count on Claude's support if he was the only person left.

Even though this IS the only route where Claude's actions make any sense lol. It's definitely in his best interest to put a stop to the Empire's warmongering.

Arval's like, maybe we can learn something this time!

Arval's not upset if they never learn the truth and promises to be with Shez always regardless.

I gotta defeat Duke Aegir and Edelgard. Interesting that she's actually there.

Ohh, persuade Death Knight. They were setting him up to be here, but I didn't know I could recruit him. Makes way more sense than in Houses where you can't. Not surprised you need Mercedes to do it. I always bring her anyways.

Dimitri took out Ladislava right away lol.

Death Knight showed up. I'm beyond seeing him as a scary opponent though lol.

Mercedes defeated the Death Knight as an NPC. Is that automatic or just funny coincidence?

Aegir and Edelgard ran away. Really wish I could've killed Aegir. Killing Edelgard would stop the war too.

I killed Caspar and Bergliez so fast the dialogue didn't even finish lol. Dimitri too strong. They both ran away. Honestly, couldn't care less about killing this version of Caspar.

Oh, cool cut scene. And, ok, it's cool to see Claude and Dimitri fighting back-to-back.

Claude tells Dimitri to run after Edelgard while he holds off the Empire here. Not sure I trust him at all, but like I said, this is the only route where his choices make any sense.

Dimitri has 74 strength lol. No wonder he kills everything so fast.

Cool to get Jeritza though.

xxx

[charmingsoa]

■ Gunslinger ■                     Ch. 4

✶ Jax Teller/OC multi-chapter story ✶

🀰 Taglist available🀰

@cindsvibes @sweet--catrastrophe @stephv213 @itspdameronthings @neverland14353​ 

Cara Cara was still offline.

It had been weeks since the raid, Luann going into hiding, no longer answering anyone’s calls. Some of the girls, Ima and her crowd, decided to find work elsewhere. Rumor has it, she was working for Darby to earn extra cash. I had learned in the past to put money aside, never knowing when something like this would happen or when I would grow tired of the profession. The shutdown was actually beneficial – giving me more time with my daughter. We played at the park, visited museums, even having a beach day one weekend. The worry that Georgie or one of his men would show up at any moment still lingered in the back of my mind. After the last encounter, I made sure to keep the gun loaded, vowing to just take them out if they were to approach again. I had confided in Lyla, herself having a run in with the creep as well. The only thing different between Lyla and myself was that she told Opie. I didn’t dare tell Jax – I was able to take care of myself.

I looked down at my cup of coffee – thanking the waitress as she refilled the cup. Madison was at dance class, giving me an hour to just pounder. I hadn’t spoken to Jax in days, only a few words over text about his weekend with Madison. I had her little bag packed in the car, ready to give her over once the class was through. Since the studio was shut down, the guys didn’t have anything to do over the weekend. There were no release parties and the actresses were all out doing whatever was needed to survive. The only females that were around the clubhouse were the dried-up hang-arounds that everyone had turns with.

“What’s a gorgeous girl like you sitting all alone for?”

I looked up, my eyes rolling as Darby took the empty seat in front of me. Ernest Darby – leader of the Nords, Charming’s local skinhead brigade. “I’m not in the mood for company, Darby.” I took a sip of my coffee. My past with Darby was seedy to say the least. Before I started working for Luann, Earnest Darby was my boss and supplier. I worked at the strip club the Nords owned, getting high enough to step out on stage and try to earn enough money to either get dinner or a motel room for the night. Darby always offered to let me stay at his place but I never accepted the offer. He was a slime ball.

“Heard Luann’s having a rough go at it.” His arm leaned against the back of the booth. “What’re you doing for money, Carter? Or are you living off of Samcro’s dirty dollars?”

I leaned back, my eyes trained on his bald head. “I don’t need Jax’s money, Darby. I’m managing just fine on my own.” My face showed of an annoyed smile.

“Some of your little co-stars are sure hurting – well maybe not anymore since they’re running the streets for me. You know how men are – find out they can pay money to fuck the porn stars they’re watching on tape – I can’t tell you how well business has been lately.”

So, the rumors were true. “I could always use one more.” He whispered. “No one has to know-“ He reached for my hand. “It’ll be our little secret.” I quickly pulled away as my anger started to rise.

“Eat shit and die, Darby.”

Before he could respond, sirens wailed as they raced past the diner, stopping short in front of the motel a couple blocks down. Fear and annoyance etched onto Darby’s face as he stumbled out of the booth. “Fuck.” He muttered as he raced out of the restaurant. Just by his action I could tell that his little prostitution ring was being raided at this time. I slowly walked towards the window, watching as the John’s scattered out of the rooms, trying to redress as they police chased after them. The girls were next- each barely dressed and most belonging to Cara Cara. Ima and one of her friends were carted out in handcuffs, Eglee moving her towards the awaiting car…

“I have two of my girls sitting in the police station and Jax won’t do a damn thing about it.” Luann had finally reached out to me once she heard the news of her crew’s arrest. “You need to talk to him, Carter. I can’t have Ima and Tiffany just sitting there on prostitution charges – you know how bad that looks on me as well?”

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, already knowing that Jax would take no part in getting the girls out of holding. “He’s not gonna budge, Luann.” Her eyes darting. “Ima already called him and he turned her down – told her to find her own way out of the cell.”

She paced around the room – a lit cigarette handing between her painted nails. “Maybe you can talk to Unser, see if he can cut them some slack of something.” I suggested.

She stopped to look at me, “Why don’t you talk to Unser.” She repeated as she walked towards me. “You’ve always been a favorite of his – almost like a younger Gemma.”

“It’s not my busin-“

“Your career is on the line, Carter!” Her voice raising. “If we don’t get those charges dropped then there is no way I’m gonna get my studio back. The feds will shut me down permanently.”

“They were working for Darby, not you.” Reasoning was no use at this point. “He would be the one getting charged.”

She took the seat next to mine, pulling my hand into hers. “Carter-“Her eyes welling up with tears. “Please?” Her hand trembling. “Please just do this for me – just this once.”

“Fine…”

I managed to speak with Unser later that day, telling him of Luann’s concerns. He had informed me that Ima and Tiffany told the officers that they were working for Jax at this time. He was the one that was sending them to the different places to meet with the men. Unser already knew this to be false, knowing that Darby was the one pimping the girls out. Samcro may have been involved with Cara Cara but they weren’t in the prostitution business. Unser explained that the girls were bailed out by an anonymous person – an out-of-towner. He didn’t know who the person was, saying that it was probably a client of theirs.

I spent the rest of the day at home, Madison spending her night at Gemma’s. She practically begged for her to stay over, pulling the “I never get to see here anymore” card. Jax was supposedly on a run with Opie and Bobby – more than likely posting up at Jury’s whorehouse. The event coming out of nowhere seeing as he was free hours before. I had the house to myself but the worries of Cara Cara’s fate halted me from enjoying myself. I thought about what I would do if the studio did close for good. I didn’t have an education to fall back on – I had a high school diploma and that was it. I didn’t want to rely on Jax and the club to keep me afloat just because I was the mother of Jax’s child.

I decided to go to bed early – the sleepless nights lately draining the life from me as each hour passed. I shut off the TV and turned the lights off before moving upstairs. I already had my pajamas on, simply slipping into the covers and resting my head against the soft pillows. I was out within minutes – the sound of the security chime ringing out without my knowledge…

I winced as the sunglasses laid against the cuts – the surprising coldness that California hides most of the year whipped through my bones as I waited at the paint-chipped door. His bike sat outside the door, the lights of his small home shining brightly through the blinds. I could hear movement as I looked around, my anxiety heightened tenfold.

“What the fuck do you wa-“

Tig’s sentence cut short, the beer bottle falling from his lips as he took in my state. “Holy shit, Carter.” His face paled as he ushered me into the house – his guest for the night looking up from her drink. He motioned for her to get out, basically throwing her out the door before joining me on the couch.  

“I didn’t know where else to go and you are the closest person and I didn’t want to go to Gemma’s because my daughter will see me. I don’t want her seeing me like this, Tig. I can’t have anyone seeing me like this.” I rambled as tears fell.

He enveloped me in his arms, quickly pulling away as I winced in pain. The jacket I wore hid the dark bruises that littered my arms – Tig’s eyes burning with fire as he looked me over. “I’m calling Jax.”

[naushtheaspiringauthor]

~Child Of The Storm~

Nikolai Lantsov x OC

Image by - @brokendreamtale2

Warnings- none

A/N- Let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist!

Taglist- @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @sirisuorionblack @nadeleine123n @marauders-wife

Ch-32 ~Old faces~

As the crowds of pilgrims grew, they became harder to control, and soon Alina was forced to ride in the coach. Anaya was asked to ride nearer. Some days Mal accompanied Alina, but usually he chose to ride outside, guarding the vehicle with Tolya and Tamar. 

Nikolai only joined her on their way into or out of every village, so that they'd be seen arriving or departing together. He talked constantly. He was always thinking of some new thing to build, a contraption for paving roads, a new irrigation system, a boat that could row itself. He sketched on any piece of paper he could find, and each day he seemed to have a new way to improve the next version of the Hummingbird.

Anaya would ride her horse with a continuous grimacing expression that made her features hurt after a while. The boy seemed to never shut up.

                                                          .............................................................................................

Anaya was extremely tired of this voyage. At times, she was offered to it in the coach with Alina but she chose to remain on her horse, the whole journey was already excruciating and she did not wish to sit inside a packed coach through all that. By now, she'd gotten used to every new bit of wisdom Nikolai wished to impart. 

                                                            The less you say, the more weight your words will carry.

                                                        Don’t argue. Never deign to deny. Meet insults with laughter.

                                                                  Weakness is a guise. Wear it when they need to know

                                                                       you’re human, but never when you feel it.

                                                           Don’t wish for bricks when you can build from stone. Use

                                                                       whatever or whoever is in front of you.

                                                            Being a leader means someone is always watching you.

                                                         Get them to follow the little orders, and they’ll follow the big ones.

                                                                It’s okay to flout expectations, but never disappoint them.

                                                                  ........................................................................................................

Anaya was standing near Mal at a close distance from the Prince and Alina. Anaya's attention drifted towards the exterior of one of the houses when she suddenly heard a loud cheer from the crowd. She turned around, not being able to figure out what had been happening. She looked at Mal who seemed as his eyeballs were going to come out because of how wide his eyes were open. She followed his gaze to see Nikolai kissing Alina.

Royals, the things they do for attention, she thought to herself as she rolled her eyes

Mixed in with the cries of “Nikolai!” and “Sankta Alina!” was a new chant, Sol Koroleva, they shouted. Sun Queen.

                                                                 ...............................................................................................................

The night before they were to enter Os Alta, they stayed at the dacha of a minor nobleman who lived just a few miles from the city walls. Alina was provided with an elegant bedchamber on the second floor. Anaya shared the adjoining room with Rabeah and Tamar and Tolya and Mal were boarded across the hall.

Nikolai had asked the Fabrikators at the Little Palace for keftas to be sent for the Sun Summoner and two Etherealnik. Anaya and Rabeah had been given similar Tidemaker keftas with pale blue embroidery. Talk over dinner centered around the latest plays, the possible whereabouts of the Darkling, and happenings in Os Alta. The city had been swamped with refugees. Newcomers were being turned away at the gate, and there were rumors of food riots in the lower town.

Anaya and Rabeah had been offered to sit at the table with Nikolai, Alina and the other nobles. So they'd chosen to sit in a corner, not making much conversation with any of them but Rabeah spoke with Anaya about whatever came to her mind throughout the whole dinner. They nobles too, were busy enough with the Prince and the Sun Summoner to think much of the two girls sitting near them.

After dinner, they were herded into a parlour where the Count and Countess sang a duet accompanied by their daughter on the harp. Dessert was laid on the side table, honey mousse, a walnut and melon compote, and a tower of pastries covered in clouds of spun sugar that wasn’t meant to be eaten so much as ogled. There was more wine, more gossip. Alina was asked to summon light, and she cast a warm glow over the coffered ceiling to enthusiastic applause. When some of the guests sat down to play cards, she pleaded a headache and quietly left the hall.

                                                            .......................................................................................

Rabeah and Anaya had went back to their quarters when they were suddenly alerted by Tamar. “There’s a group of people at the gate demanding entry. They want to see the Sun Summoner. They're claiming that they're Grisha.” she spoke in a hurry

Anaya quickly slipped her kefta back on and rushed outside with Rabeah following her. They soon reached the gardens were Alina and Mal were enjoying their private moment together. Tamar informed them as they stepped out.

“Pilgrims?" Alina asked

Tamar shook her head. “They claim to be Grisha.”

“Here?"

Mal placed a hand on her arm. “Alina, wait inside, at least until we see what this is about.”

 A shout rose from somewhere near the gates, catching everyone's attention

"We have to act quickly" Anaya spoke

“No,” Alina said, pulling from Mal’s grasp. “If they really are Grisha, you may need me.” Neither Tamar nor Mal looked pleased, but they took up positions on either side of Alina and they hurried down the gravel path.

A crowd had gathered at the dacha’s iron gates. Tolya was easy to spot, towering above everyone else. Nikolai was in front, surrounded by soldiers with their weapons drawn, as well as armed footmen from the Count’s household. A small group of people were gathered on the other side of the bars, but they couldn’t see more than that. Someone gave the gate an angry rattle, and a clamour of raised voices could be heard.

Anaya and Rabeah quickly took their place besides Tamar “Get me in there,” Alina said. Tamar cast Mal a worried glance. “Now. I need to see what’s happening before things get out of hand.”

Tamar signaled to Tolya, and the giant stepped in front of them, easily shouldering his way through the crowd to the gates. Packed between Mal and the twins, with antsy soldiers jostling them from every side. Anaya could see Nikolai arguing with someone at the gate

“If we wanted to talk to the King’s lackey, we’d be at the doors to the Grand Palace,” said an impatient voice. “We came for the Sun Summoner.”

“Show some respect, bloodletter,” barked a soldier. “You’re addressing a Prince of Ravka and an officer of the First Army.”

Anaya ushered out of the crowd, attempting to get a closer look of the situation. That was when she saw a Corporalnik kefta and a familiar face standing beyond the iron bars. “Fedyor?” her voice echoed throughout the loud clamour.  Alina seemed to notice him at the same time.

His long face broke into a grin, and he bowed deeply. “Alina Starkov,” he said. “I could only hope the rumors were true.” "Anaya Nasrazeen" he smiled, his attention turning towards her, "I'm pleased to know you're alive"

 He was surrounded by a group of Grisha in dust-covered kefta, mostly Corporalki red, some in Etherealki blue, and a smattering of Materialki purple.

“You two know him?” Nikolai asked.

“Yes,” Alina spoke. “He saved my life.”

He bowed again. “It was my great honor.”

Nikolai didn’t look impressed. “Can he be trusted?”

“He’s a deserter,” said the soldier beside Nikolai.

There was grumbling on both sides of the gate. Nikolai pointed to Tolya. “Move everyone back and make sure that none of those footmen get it in their heads to start shooting. I suspect they lack for excitement out here amid the fruit trees.” He turned back to the gate. “Fedyor, is it? Give us a moment.” He pulled both Alina and Anaya at a short distance from the crowd and said quietly, “Well? Can he be trusted?”

“I don’t know.” Alina spoke.

The last time Anaya had seen Fedyor had been was before she'd left for the journey to cross the fold. “He was stationed at the southern border. He was a high-ranking Heartrender, but not one of the Darkling’s favorites.” she remembered

“Nevsky is right,” he said, nodding toward the angry soldier. “Grisha or not, their first loyalty should have been to the King. They left their posts. Technically, they’re deserters.”

“That doesn’t make them traitors.” Alina spoke

“The real question is whether they’re spies.”

“So what do we do with them?” she responded

“We could arrest them, have them questioned.”

Alina turned to look at Anaya but she only shrugged, "Your call".

“Talk to me,” Nikolai said.

“Don’t we want the Grisha to come back?” Alina asked. “If we arrest everyone who returns, I won’t have much of an army to lead.”

"She's right, if we only arrest those willing to join us, what army are we going to have?" Anaya added

“Remember, you’ll be eating with them, working with them, sleeping under the same roof.”  Nikolai said “And they could all be working for the Darkling.”

Anaya looked at Fedyor waiting patiently at the gate.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t think these Grisha are any more or less trustworthy than the ones waiting at the Little Palace.” Alina explained

"We can no longer trust anyone, whether its the Grisha, the King and queen" Anaya slightly glanced at Nikolai, "or anyone else"

“That’s not encouraging.” Nikolai responded

“Once we’re behind the palace walls, all communication will be closely monitored. It’s hard to see how the Darkling can use his spies if he can’t reach them.” Anaya reasoned

“All right,” Alina said. “Open the gates. Anaya and I can speak to Fedyor and only him. The rest can camp outside the dacha tonight and join us on the way into Os Alta tomorrow.”

“You’re sure?” Nikolai asked

“I doubt I’ll be sure of anything ever again, but my army needs soldiers.”

“Very good, Just be careful who you trust.”

“I'll make sure of that” Anaya casted a short glanced at him

[theplanetprince]

Schrodinger's Adolescent || CH.24

Fic: AO3 || FNN

Fandom: Danny Phantom

Rating: Teens and Up

Word Count as of update: 175k~

Relationships: Dash Baxter/Danny Fenton, Sam Manson/Tucker Foley, Ember Mcclain/Ghostwriter 

Characters: Danny Fenton, Dash Baxter, Sam Manson, Tucked Foley, Cujo, Johnny 13, Ghostwriter, Sidney Poindexter, Mr Lancer

Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Slow to Update, Canon Rewrite, Post-Reality Trip, High School Setting, Fake Dating (Kinda), Unrequited Love, It's requited but they're dumbasses, one-sided attraction, fluff, I know the content warning is extensive, but I promise there's fluff, tooth-rotting fluff, Danny Fenton has PTSD

Summary:

“Schrodinger put his cat in a box with a bottle of poison. He closes the lid. The cat is alive or dead— In this state, the cat is neither. He leaves the box closed. You are the cat.” Everybody wants to be normal, especially Danny Fenton. That idyllic high school fantasy of being prom king and the football captain never really fit him. The youngest in a family of ghost hunters— Danny wasn’t born to be normal. Then upon receiving his supernatural abilities in freshman year, that distant dream of being normal only seemed to get further away while Danny crafted a new identity for himself as the local legend— The Phantom of Amity Park.

Dash Baxter, a rising star athlete in the making, needs no introduction— leader of the pack and golden child of Casper High. Danny’s antithesis. He’s perfect . . . or so everyone would lead you to believe. No one suspects that Dash is being haunted.

Brought together by a misunderstanding, Danny believes he exposed his ghost powers to Dash, but he discovers something more.

Maybe, normal was never an option for them.

Content Warnings: Self-harm and Suicidal Ideation, Gender and Body Image Negativity, Bullying, Paranoia,

Chapter Summary: It's a Girls' night-in with Dash and Paulina. Though Dash is beginning to suspect that there's a party crasher in his home.

Author's notes:  The next couple of chapters I'm pretty proud of. It's still a shame that I couldn't keep up with my real life and my workflow enough to participate in invisobang this year, but I'm hoping that you guys will be okay with a long boy chapter in its place. All this couldn't have been possible without my editor, @galaxy-beast, and my partner @the-storming-sea, giving me nothing but support and encouragement the whole way. -Voorhees ✌️

[Reblogs > Likes... Thx]

[madmarchhare]

I have failed to give you updates on my other stories as I took a break from them, as my brain skipped tracks onto another story I had to get down. So here is an expert in an early-ish part of that one.

It is set in 1908 norther Japan. This is a small excerpt a while after the characters have already been introduced. I hope you all enjoy it. It is called :

The Monk and the Traveller

“I shall come with you to the next town then, I have some letters to send among other things,” he declared, moving to collect all of his belongings back into his rucksack. Cherry spun round to look at Collier, a flustered expression on his face.

“W-why?!” Cherry managed to force out, at a near total loss for words. Collier swung the now packed rucksack back over his shoulder, next to his Lee Speed and Type 35, taking a moment to adjust them then strode forward, ahead of the monk.

“Not everything needs a reason my good sir! Often just being mildly interesting is enough!” he called back in a boisterous yet sagely tone, Cherry staring after the whirlwind that had just blew past him. He took a second to grumble then stormed forward to the man. Even if his company could be… interesting, he was more likely to get a bed and a meal. Collier marched forward at a confident pace, not a single item on his person rattling, near silent as he strode forward a talent he had learned on his travels. It unnerved the monk. Cherry regarded the man oddly, like one would a spirit that had sat beside you for a meal.

“By they way, Cherry,” Collier began in a curious tone, thinning rain pattering off his bucket hat, “why do you dress like a Shinto priest despite being Buddhist?” Cherry looked up at him with a plain expression, less surprised the foreigner knew the difference than he might’ve been before.

“My-the leader of my temple decided to change our vestments and some our rituals to more closely match Shinto traditions around the time the government began to favour it over Buddhism. He thought it would make our temple more appealing to officials and the locals… He was right for the most part, annoyingly,” Cherry explained drolly, a note of annoyance in his voice as he begrudgingly acknowledged the plans’ success. Or more accurately that that man’s plan succeeded. Collier looked at him with an interested but respectful expression, deciding not to pry in his acquaintances life so soon.

“What about you?” Cherry queried in a sober tone, Collier looking back at him with an enquiring expression, “How do you know so much about Buddhism and Shintoism? You are a foreigner after all,” he finished bluntly, glancing back at the man as the rain finally died away, abandoning the light breeze that had accompanied it.

Collier wore an easy expression, one that seemed to say ‘oh is that all’, “I often spend time in the Raj for hunting and other things. I spent a while at some of the old Buddhist temples and monasteries to learn their teachings. Though I went to other ones as well, I spent some time with Islamists for about a year and two with the Sikhs up in the North-west frontier. I cannot encourage you enough to travel there. Beauty beyond dreams…” Collier trailed off wistfully, staring out ahead of him as he walked, holding his hands behind his back as Cherry looked at the traveller with a stunned expression. “As for Shintoism,” he brusquely resumed, “I came here to Japan a while ago, just after your war with Russia. I mostly stayed in Hokkaido and southern Karafuto[1] hunting with the Ainu, but I also learnt a bit about the Shinto faith from a temple further north. Though I should add that I learn most of Japanese before the trip, just enough to get by,” he added flippantly taking a long stride to get past a small stream that had cut across the path, its source likely having flooded due to the rain. Cherry looked at Collier with a bewildered expression as the hunter outpaced him, leaving the monk to watch the back of his head, or more aptly his hat.

He was strange. That was what Cherry decided, influenced by his sour disposition against the man. He followed on nonetheless, he saw no reason to put much effort in avoiding the man. The journey was not long now, and having traveling companion with loose purse strings could be helpful. Especially considering how the monk was nearly always skint. The sky was grey for a while, exhausted rainclouds lingering in the sky like a now silent orchestra. When the sky broke out into sun, around quarter to eleven, the forest glowed with beauty. Though, it had been so before as well.

Collier’s eyes would dance between flowers and trees glittering from the dew like a child in a sweetshop, grinning as he saw animals busy past. He stopped every so often to pull out a book to jot something down or sketch as he observed some odd bit of flora or fauna. Cherry would begrudgingly wait nearby, taking a moment to pray, occasionally hearing the other man mumble to himself in English as he worked, along with one or two other languages he couldn’t identify. Other times he would walk while he jotted down shorthand notes, not that Cherry could read them.

He spoke in long, drawn out tangents about various animals or other things, denoting how he had seen them when he was out hunting or had gone out specifically for them. He rambled about this that and otherwise while the monk occasionally chimed in, mostly tuning the man out when he spoke. And yet, so much of the journey was silent, the golden atmosphere shining under the summer sun. It was in this silence that Cherry noticed another thing about Collier, how he seemed a presence near you. Distinct and clear. Yet, he walked silently, indeed none of his equipment rattled or made a distinct noise, bar from the swish of fabric or his deliberate steps, somehow light despite his heavy boots and height. He had the presence of a hunter, even as he stood by you smiling like you were a decades old companion, he felt like a hare watched by a kitsune.[2]

They walked for a long while until they came close to the town, encountering a pair of young men with nets draped over their shoulders, one walking barefoot while the other wore sandals. Both wore plain yukata’s the one who wore sandals having his much more finely adjusted.

“Good morning my dear sirs,” Cherry declared, bowing to them as he offered a prayer to them, Collier smiling at them as he tipped his hat to the two men, who bowed in response, the barefooted man ducking out of it before the other and staring at Collier curiously. “I am currently traveling in hope to bring aid and enlightenment to myself and any I may meet. I am looking for Aisuge, am I correct in assuming it is this way?” gesturing with his staff as he smiled at the men, a wide Cheshire cat grin once again fixed on his face.

The man in sandals nodded, pointing down the path before he spoke, “yes, if you just follow this path, you will find it shortly,” he instructed, his words stilted as if he had trouble talking, though his face seemed quite intelligent.

“Thank you for your kindness, may the Buddha bless your endeavours,” Cherry bade them, a grace like that of a priest surrounding him as he did, bowing as he offered them a prayer. He spun and continued down the path determinedly while Collier stopped to talk to the, as he discovered, fisherman. Cherry walked on while Collier chatted to the two men about fishing spots, and what they recommended as certain baits for the area or where waterfowl tended to be. The town was much larger than the last one, the streets being paved and a few western style buildings rising out of construction sites, though not many. He smiled and waived at a few people as he passed, offering brusque but sincere prayers to them as he dashed to the post office, near single minded in his search.

He found it after a while, a rather small building made of wood constructed in a western style, comparatively new compared to the buildings that pressed against it on either side. A post man was walking out of the entrance as Cherry approached, tipping his hat to greet the Monk, rushing off to his deliveries. He pushed open the door and walked in, the clerk looking up from the newspaper he was reading with a surprised expression. He was a young man dressed in a postman’s uniform, a dark blue hakama with white kanji characters on it denoting his job, a white scarf pattered with flowers at the tips wrapped around his neck seemingly his own personal touch. His hair was done in a bowl-cut but with a trimmed back fringe, pitch black like ink. “Good afternoon,” he muttered weakly, offering a nervous smile to Cherry.

“Good afternoon,” Cherry replied kindly, smiling at the man with a look of zen on his face, “do you have any mail for a Nekomata Sakuranbou?”[3] He leaned over the man as he asked, a pensive smile pulled over his features.

The clerk seemed to settle down, and nodded jerkily, “yes, I do believe we have some mail for that name. I was wondering why the address was so strange,” he replied, rifling through a assortment of letters then picking one out, “but I suppose a wandering monk wouldn’t have one would he…?” he trailed off weakly, smiling at his own joke. His voice was frail, thin, seemingly straining just to be audible though he smiled at Cherry. His face then shifted into a harder expressions he pulled the letter away, almost shielding it with his person, “you are Nekomata-san? Aren’t you?” he questioned sternly squinting at the monk.

Cherry smiled at him still, rolling his eyes underneath his eyelids, “yes, I am, why else would I ask for that name?” Cherry responded, forcing his words to sound sweet, cocking his head at the man while he gripped his hands together, balancing his staff in the crook of his arm.          

“You could want to know his information so that you could rob him,” the clerk offered innocently, Cherry cursing that the man didn’t get that the question was rhetorical, “or you could be trying to steal his identity, or wanting to curse him for despoiling the shrine you work at… Or you could be a yokai!” the young man cried excitedly, smiling giddily.

“I am not a yokai! I am a monk!” Cherry snapped indignantly, waiving his staff at the young man, who flinched back in response.

“A tanuki then? Though you being a Nekomata would be more obvious…” he again muttered weakly, still recoiled like a frightened cat, his arms splayed ahead of him.

“No!” Cherry again snapped, then calming down and sighing, “I’m just here for my mail please, I’m not a yokai, I am the Nekomata the letter is mean for,” he droned exhaustedly, wanting to move past the charade quickly.

The young man blinked then relaxed, “oh, yeah sure,” holding the letter out for the monk who quickly snatched it from his hands and tore it open, pouring over it quickly, panic in his eyes. Then he saw a specific line on the letter and visible slackened, his face relaxing significantly as he read on at a more leisurely pace. When he finished the letter he lowered it, a relived expression on his face as he tucked it into the sleeve of his robe.

“They’re alright,” he muttered serenely, smiling to himself as he turned back around to the clerk, now back by his desk. “Do you happen to have a piece of paper? I need to send a reply,” Cherry asked levelly, smiling slightly at the man.

The clerk flustered for a moment, “oh, yes, sure,” he babbled quickly, sifting through shelves to grab a piece of writing paper and an envelope before shoving the former towards the holy man.

“Thank you,” Cherry replied dignifiedly, drawing the piece of paper closer while he pulled out a yatate[4] from his belt, a beautiful piece made of shakudō[5], the metal having darkened into a deep black-indigo colour. He opened it and withdrew the brush from it, the smoking-pipe shaped piece holding it in its neck, and snapped open the lid of the ink box with his little finger before he pressed the brush’s bristles into the oil-damp cotton that was sat inside it. He pulled the genkō yōshi[6] paper under his pen and began writing.Cherry’s witing was somewhat scruffy, often taking liberties in how he would form kanji or katanaka where he assumed the letters recipient would know what he meant. His prose, however, was not lacking. The words he wrote were quite eloquent, though he flip-flopped between formality and closeness depending on who he mentioned in the letter. He finished after a moment, washing and drying the brush before slotting it back into its compartment and snapping shut the ink box before hiding it back around his belt.

“Please may you deliver this,” pressing the paper towards the clerk who was ready with an envelope, “to Nekomata ­­__ , they live at the Buddhist ­temple near Yamagata. If you can’t find it, give the letter to Akisei Makoto, he’ll get it to her,” he instructed dully, seemingly used to giving these orders.

The clerk flashed a cheeky smile at his customer, “a letter to a fiancé or wife?” he asked slyly, but received a look of horror and disgust from the monk in response.

“It’s for my Onee-san[7],” he responded insulted, seeming to cringe away from the clerk.

“Ah, sorry,” the clerk blurted out flustered, looking somewhat hurt at his won joke reception regardless. He sealed the letter in an envelope and pulled stamp from a drawer in his desk, “Alright, that’ll be six yen,” the clerk declared, moving the stamp and letter towards Cherry, though keeping his hands on both. The skint monk looked at him silently for a moment, before shifting his staff to his other hand.

“My dear sir,” he began darkly bowing his back to he was closer to eye-level with the man, “I have neglected to inform you until now, but I believe you may be possessed by a spirit,” he fabricated, though the other man seemed to twitch at that, his scarf fluttering from the movement longer than it should’ve, though Cherry decided to put it aside for the moment. “But, I am more than willing and qualified to aid you. I simply need six yen to begin the exorcism,” he finished grandly, again his eyes being caught by the scarf around the clerk’s neck, now seemingly tighter than before. The clerk tugged at the scarf with one finger nervously while he smiled at Cherry, and uneasy smile on his face.

“N-no, I’m fine, thank you,” he replied, stammering slightly.

“Are you sure?” Cherry replied in slight surprise. Though how much of it was a show was anyone’s guess.

“Yes! I’m quite fine, but I don’t mind paying for your stamp! It’ll be delivered as soon as the postman comes back,” he babbled out nervously, squirming in his own clothes under the monk’s gaze. Cherry looked slightly perturbed in response, narrowing his eyes at the man to study him further.

“Very well… But, I must insist that you call for me if you need help with spirits or if you simply wish to talk,” the monk offered sincerely, a stern faced look on his face.

“Thank you for the offer, Nekomata-san,” he called back nervously as the monk moved to leave, chuckling slightly, “I’ll, uh, keep it in mind.”

“Thank you…” Cherry began to say as he left, trailing off as he came to the unknown of the clerks name.

“Okade,” the clerk blurted out, trying to rush out the monk.

“Okade-san, again I am more than willing to help. May you find great fortune,” he called as he spun to leave, waving to Okade with one hand as he gave his blessing. Okade stared out after the Buddhist as he left, placing a shaking hand on his scarf which shifted under his touch.

Cherry strode calmly out of the post office, glancing down at a cluster of young children who were playing near the patio’s edge. When the first one spotted him his face twisted into the shock horror of a student seeing their teacher outside of class, turning tale and running before he even considered telling his friends. A few other boys looked up, taking on similar looks and dashing away like petty thieves who spotted a policeman. They abandoned the rest.

“Children seem to take after sparrows”, Cherry muttered to himself, sauntering over to the remaining boys, along with one girl who had not been warned. He loomed over them watching what game they were playing. Marbles, it seemed. They had quite a few, ranging from dull clay to beautiful pattered glass. After a moment, the girl seemed to notice the shadow that now hung over them and looked up at Cherry, the other boys looking up as well. They all again stiffened, worried they would be told off or cursed.

“Who’s winning?” Cherry asked simply, a deadpan expression on his face, bar a slight smile at the corner of his lips. They looked perplexed at first but seemed to brighten up once they realized he was not there to scold them.

“I am!” the girl piped up in a boisterous tone, smiling a widely, revealing a pair of missing teeth, one on the left of her top jaw, the other on the right of her bottom jaw. One of the other boys, this one with shirt cropped hair, turned to her with an irate expression.

“That’s because you’re cheating! I’m winning really!” the boy accused her, looking up confidently as he finished his retort.

“No I am not!” the girl snapped shoving her face into the boys with a snarling expression.

“Yes you are!” the boy disputed. They continued on returning shots to each other as if passing a ball while the other boys looked at them boredly, likely having seen the performance multiple times before.                                 

[1] Japanese name for Sakhalin, an island to the North of the Japanese Island of Hokkaido and to the East of the Russian region of Siberia around Vladivostok. Fully controlled by Russia after the Second World War.

[2] Kitsune, a type of Japanese Yokai (Spirit or monster), that looks like a fox. Some may have multiple tails.

[3] Cherry’s full name. Sakuranbou, his given name, means Cherry, which he prefers to be called. But, in Kanji it literally means ‘a deranged monk’. Nekomata, his family name, means ‘Cat Spirit’.

[4] A portable Japanese writing implement

[5]

[6]

[7] A Japanese honorific used to refer to ones older sister, or a female friend you are friendly with, with their permission.

@thewormsheep @ninety-s-kid @mimigoey @https-true-egoist @httpghostface @psycho-zom-atic @jemimacatclover @sleepy-gry

@shax-lied @shandzii @shark-smuggler

[here4theheartbreak]

Leader of the Pack ch.8 (Date Night)

Relationships: Bangchan x Changbin   Genre: smut | angst w/ a happy ending | werewolf au Rating: Explicit   Chapter Word Count: ~7.7k Tags (not all tags apply to all chapters; these are full fic tags): DD:DNE, Smut,  Friends to Lovers, Werewolf AU, Angst w/ a happy ending, Fluff, Werewolf Bang Chan, Idolverse, Minor Violence, Side Pairing Felix/Minho, Bickering, Bottom Changbin, Top Chan, Werewolf Smut, Knots

Summary: Secrets are hard to keep from those we love. This was a fact that Chan  knew all too well. He loved his members and he shared every piece of  himself with them - except the biggest, and most vital. Chan was cursed.  ​ A/N: Fic will be updated Mondays as schedule allows; Please note that fic will include smut while member is in wolf form; he is still sentient and able to communicate, which is the reason for the dead dove tag; please do not proceed if not comfortable with this.   Read on AO3! | Read on Asian Fanfics

“Hey, Chan?” Felix’s voice was gentle. He stuck his head past the door, peeking into the room.

Chan glanced up from where he was staring at a spread of potential outfits for his date tonight. He smiled, motioning for Felix to enter.

“Good, I need your help.”

Felix nodded, stepping into the room and shutting the door. “What’s up?”

“Which of these looks nicest?” He motioned toward the bed. “I’ve been staring for an hour and can’t tell.”

“What’s the occasion?” Felix asked, looking over the outfits.

“Just hanging out with Changbin tonight.”

Felix looked over at Chan, cocking a brow. Chan tried to keep his expression neutral and casual.

“You’re trying to dress nice for a… Night with Changbin?” Felix pressed. He held up on of the pairs of jeans Chan was considering – one with styled rips in various locations. “Kind of nice for that, don’t you think?”

Chan shifted, shrugging. “No, just wanted to…” He scowled and pulled the jeans from Felix’s hand. “What did you need?” He asked abruptly.

Felix pouted. He cleared his throat then and sat down on the bed, pushing the clothing to the side. “I wanted to talk to you about something… But I’m worried you’ll be mad.”

Chan straightened up. He pushed his clothes to the side, sitting next to Felix. He turned to face him, giving him his full attention.

“I won’t be mad. What’s going on, Lix?”

Felix sighed. He worried his hands together on his lap, chewing his bottom lip. “So… Um… You know me and Minho. Have been… Together. For a while.”

“Yeah, I know. Did something happen?” Concern bubbled up suddenly. “Did he hurt you?” He asked a little sharper.

“No!” Felix looked up, shaking his head. He smiled softly. “No, he’s… Perfect,” he admitted.

Chan relaxed, nodding. “Good. I would’ve had to kick his ass if he’d hurt you.” He half teased. “So what’s wrong?”

“Nothing really. We just… We’ve been together for a while now and it’s great but… We think it might be time to come out to the rest of the group and the company. Not the fans or anything, of course but… Take the next steps to being a serious couple.”

Chan reached over, setting his hand over Felix’s. “You thought I’d be mad about that? You know me better than that, Felix. I’m proud of you two.”

Felix looked up, his mouth turning up into a cautious smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah!” Chan squeezed his shoulder. “Of course. I support you guys, fully. Though… You know most of the group I think has already figured it out.”

Felix’s cheeks lost some of their color, his eyes widening. “What? Who?”

“Well, Jisung knows, but I assumed Minho told him. Changbin has a pretty good idea too. And I think Hyunjin might have an idea too. He does share a wall with Minho.”

Felix groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I thought we were being so careful.”

“Ah, things happen. But they clearly don’t mind, since nothing has changed. That should give you confidence. Do you want me to be there when you two talk to the boss?”

“We’d really appreciate it,” Felix whispered, dropping his hands again. “He intimidates the hell out of me, and while Minho is great, I know you have a better relationship with him, so…”

“Of course. I’ll be right there with you guys, no matter what. Just tell me when, okay?”

Felix’s shoulder slumped. He flung himself forward, hugging Chan tightly. “Thank you,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have to thank me, Felix. I’m your friend. And the leader of the group. I’m glad to be here for you with this.”

Felix pulled back. He looked at the pile of clothes and then at Chan. He grinned then, nodding as if in response to something said. “I’ll help you pick your outfit for tonight.”

“Yeah? Thanks.” Chan smiled softly.

Felix touched the clothes for a moment, chewing his lip. “It’s not just friends hanging out between you two anymore, is it?”

Chan’s throat closed up. Though he knew Felix would be one of the most understanding of any of the members, panic gripped him. “I—”

Felix rolled his eyes up, looking at Chan through his bangs. “How long’s it been?”

Chan swallowed past the lump threatening to choke him. “A… A month about. A little over.”

“The retreat. When we went back to film it.”

Chan nodded. “Were we that obvious?”

“I don’t think so. I thought something, maybe… I noticed Changbin had a bruise on his neck a couple of weeks ago when we were changing after practice.”

Chan closed his eyes, his cheeks boiling like he’d just stuffed his mouth full of peppers. “Oh God.”

“Nobody else caught it as far as I know,” Felix said quickly, setting his hand on Chan’s leg.

“How’d you know it was me that gave it to him?”

“I didn’t right away. But you and him have been hanging out a lot more. Plus, Hyunjin told me you and he both went out together on your night off. That’s pretty big, you don’t let any of us go with you. And pretty much every time I come over to visit, he’s either in your room or leaving it. Or you two are huddled up somewhere talking quietly which is… Weird for Changbin.”

Chan chuckled at that and nodded. “He’s different than I expected. I’ve seen a new side to him, dating him. I thought we were doing a better job at hiding it.”

“I don’t know if anyone else has seen it. Minho, maybe. But I don’t think he cares.”

“Jisung knows. He was the one that forced us to talk that night at the retreat. We had a pretty nasty fight when I got him out of the woods, so…”

“A fight?” Felix’s smile faded. “What about?”

“Nothing big,” Chan waved it off. “It’s old news now, we’re a lot better. We’ve made a lot of progress. As friends and… More, now.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised. You two have always been weirdly connected.”

“You’re not the first person that’s said that. Jisung mentioned it too. I guess I didn’t realize how obvious it was.”

Felix shrugged, smiling. “You never see what’s in front of you, I guess.” He reached out and picked up the pair of stylishly torn black jeans. “If I were going on a date, I think these would be great. Are you guys going somewhere nice?”

“Uh… Not really fancy but not not nice. It’s a restaurant that I like on the edge of the city. Casual.”

Felix nodded. “Will you walk around outside much?”

“Not so much, a little probably though, it’s pretty quiet there so it might be nice to get out and maybe not be spotted by fans.”

They both chuckled at that and Felix rose, pulling open Chan’s closet. He dug around in the drawers for a second before making a noise of success. Straightening, he turned around, holding up a deep red sweater.

Chan laughed. “How did you even know I had that?”

“I’ve seen you wear it maybe once. But I really liked it on you when you did. This with those jeans. You should be warm enough and you look really good in it. I bet he’ll like it.”

Chan rose, taking the sweater and holding it out. He examined it for any holes or dirt before nodding. “Yeah, this’ll work. Thank you.”

Felix nodded.

“Hey, when do you think you want to talk to the group?”

“Soon. I wanted to make sure you thought it was a good idea first. Minho and I need to decide a few more things first.”

Chan nodded, watching Felix head to the door.

“Whenever you’re ready,” he said. Felix looked back and smiled, nodding. “You too, you know. I’ve got your back with you and Bin.”

“That means a lot, Felix. Thank you.”

“Have fun tonight. Don’t get into too much trouble.”

Chan chuckled as Felix opened the door, nearly running into Changbin as he stumbled in. He grinned sheepishly.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

Felix squeaked, stepping back and laughing nervously. “Hi—I’m leaving.” He said quickly. He turned to the side and slipped out of the small space between Changbin and doorframe, hurrying away at nearly a run from the sound of his footsteps.

Changbin looked back, then at Chan, his brows furrowed. “Uh… Did I miss something?”

Chan shook his head, smiling. “No. He knows about us. I didn’t tell him, but he noticed so… I’m sure he’s feeling a little shy about it.”

Changbin nodded. He pushed the door shut. “He okay with it?”

“Oh yeah, he’s happy for us. I’m about ready to go, just need to change.”

Changbin smirked. “Can I watch?”

Chan snorted and rolled his eyes. Changbin’s idea of flirtation was so off base that it was almost offensive sometimes – but that’s exactly what Chan loved about it. He took a moment to put away the other outfit ideas, choosing not to respond.

Changbin only allowed the silence to stretch for a few moments before Chan felt his arms around his middle, Changbin’s mouth immediately finding that one spot on his neck that made his knees go weak no matter what. He grumbled, leaning into Changbin’s broad chest.

“Not fair.”

“Don’t be a tease then,” Changbin murmured against his neck. He kissed along the tendon slowly, gently nosing Chan’s ear.

“How was I teasing? I was just putting away my clothes.”

“You aren’t wearing anything under your sweats.”

Chan barked out a laugh, straightening up and turning around. “And how do you know that?”

Changbin smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. He’d chosen a tight button up shirt, and it stretched tightly when he did. Chan blinked, forcing himself to focus on Changbin’s face, despite the muscular distraction only a few inches below.

“I know what your ass looks like in underwear versus not.” Changbin said, shrugging.

“Just how often do you stare at my ass to know that?”

Changbin’s smirk grew. He stepped closer to Chan, dropping one hand and sliding around his hip to squeeze his ass. “More than you realize, probably. I was right too… No boxers.” He tsked. “Naughty. Tease that way and we won’t make it out of the apartment tonight.”

Chan gritted his teeth, his body reacting aggressively to Changbin. He loved this – and hated it. He’d never been so easily flustered by someone before, especially not someone he knew so well. His eyelids fluttered a moment before he took a deep breath, straightening back up and gently pushing Changbin back.

“I need to get dressed,” he said firmly.

“Nobody’s stopping you,” Changbin snarked. He flopped down onto the bed, folding one of Chan’s pillows under his head.

“Seems like you’re doing a great job of that,” Chan argued. He finished putting away the other clothes and grabbed his intended outfit, looking pointedly at Changbin.

Changbin scoffed, sitting up. “I’ve sucked your cock and seen you naked numerous times, and you’re still making me turn away while you change?” He asked, one brow cocked high.

His wolf grumbled contentedly, images and sensations filtering into his mind at the mention of that night. He stuffed them away before they could get the better of him and cleared his throat. “As a wolf. I’m far more brazen then.”

“Yeah, says the guy always showing his belly on stage.”

“That’s not entirely my choice.” Chan pouted a little, folding his arms around his middle. “The stylists hate me, I swear.”

Changbin rose, shuffling toward the door. “You are the weirdest guy,” he commented as he did, pausing to fiddle with a pile of things the shelf under Chan’s television.

His shirt was tucked into his jeans, allowing Chan to see the outline of his torso and the swell of his ass as he stood with his back facing him. Despite their regular teasing; Changbin’s frame was enviable. Everything about him was strong and firm; Chan wished he had the confidence to bulk the way Changbin did.

“Hey?”

Chan shook his head, blinking. Guilt pulled a smile onto his face when he realized Changbin was staring at him. “What’s up?” Changbin asked.

“Uh… Nothing. What did you say?”

“I called you weird. I was talking about you being shy when you’re an idol but now I think you might just have holes in your brain. Why were you staring?”

“Um… No reason. Just… Your outfit looks really good tonight. You look good in it, I mean. It’s handsome. Or, you’re handsome. I—” He sighed and shut his mouth, his warming ears and neck signaling that he was talking far too much.

Changbin stared in silence for a moment more before hissing, tilting his head quickly to the side. “You really are losing it, leader.”

Changbin left as Chan rolled his eyes, not dignifying the snark with a response. He changed out of his sweats and into the clothing Felix had recommended, smiling a little. The red was a nice color, when he really looked at it. He added cologne and ducked into the bathroom to make sure his hair would cooperate for the duration of the night.

 Changbin was sitting on the couch, hunched over with Hyunjin and Felix as they watched something on Hyunjin’s phone. Chan cleared his throat. He smiled when the three looked up in sync.

“Can I steal you away?” He asked.

Changbin hopped up, nearly toppling Hyunjin as he did. Felix met Chan’s eyes and smiled. “Have a good night.”

“Will do. You staying over?”

“Thinking about it. Depends.” He looked at Hyunjin, who pushed out his bottom lip and shrugged.

“I’d be cool with it.”

Chan nodded. “Well, then we might see you later.” He clapped Changbin on the shoulder. “Come on.”

 ***

 Though Chan had worried this date would start as awkwardly as their first had, none of the original tension seemed to be present. The two talked easily about a variety of things; events of the day, stories from their childhood, how their families were doing. Dinner finished without any awkward silences or uncomfortable moments and the two decided to walk along the river, edges beginning to frost over in a sure sign of winter setting in.

 “Are you cold?” Changbin worried. He wrapped his arm around Chan’s shoulders.

“I’m okay,” Chan said. “Th sweater is warm. But this is nice.” He leaned into Changbin’s side, shifting his step pace to match his. “Dinner was really nice tonight,” he commented.

“I thought so. We don’t get to do this often, just the two of us.”

“Speaking of… Will you be joining me when I change this month?”

Chan felt Changbin nod. He grunted. “I thought I would. Unless you don’t want me there.” “I do.”

“Your wolf?”

“Always.” Chan looked up at him, smiling softly.

Changbin returned it. He kicked through a light dusting of snow in their path. “Snow will be sticking pretty good by then though. What do you do when it’s snowy?”

“There’s a little area protected by the trees near to where I drop my clothes that I sleep in when it’s super snowy out, it doesn’t get much snowfall. But that won’t work for you, you don’t have the fur I do, my winter coat is in by now, I’m nice and warm except my nose and paws. It might make sense to have you go home.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone in the middle of the woods,” Changbin argued.

“I’ve been alone in the woods for years. I’ll be okay.”

Changbin pouted visibly, his chin dimpling as he did. “Just because you’ve been alone in the past doesn’t mean you should have to be now. Aren’t I your mate?”

Chan felt his heart stutter, his wolf doing a happy little spin inside his mind. “You are,” he whispered, the joy he felt at the casual use of such an important label making his voice crack. He cleared his throat. “But that means that I have to make sure you’re safe and cared for.”

“And I have to do the same.” Changbin squeezed Chan’s shoulders a little tighter. “I want to do the same. I’ll wear a heavy coat and layer my pants. And I bet I can find a tent in one of our closets. That should work just fine. Maybe even bring along a little heater, make a camping night out of it.”

Chan had to stop walking. It took Changbin a moment to realize, his arm slipping from Chan’s shoulders. He stepped back, looking concerned. “You okay?”

Chan nodded. He grabbed Changbin’s hand and squeezed it in both of his own. “I’m great. Really, really great…”

“Why’d you stop?” Changbin pressed.

“You know… You’re an amazing guy.”

Changbin grinned broadly, snorting. “No shit, of course I am. You’re just now noticing?” He teased. Chan shook his head, ignoring the joke.

“I mean it, Binnie.”

Changbin’s smile faded into something a little softer, more natural; that sweet, gentle smile that he reserved for quiet moments behind the camera. He shook his head but Chan whined.

“Don’t say you aren’t. You don’t know how much you’re doing right now. Trying to learn about me, wanting to be with me, the lengths you’re going to. Really, Changbin. I don’t say it lightly, and I’m not playing around right now.”

Changbin relaxed a little. He looked around, searching for any people or cameras. He leaned forward quickly, pressing a kiss to Chan’s mouth before pulling back.

Chan whined again. He went forward, hugging Changbin tightly and burying his face in his neck. Changbin’s mouth was warm on his own neck, lips curved into a smile as they embraced by the river. “Let’s get a snack, then go home,” Changbin murmured, his warm breath tickling as he spoke.

They walked in silence back toward the area lit with shops, far too close for two friends to be walking. They stopped at a snack cart, and Changbin bought them a few orders of hotteok, thanking the cart owner before they headed leisurely back toward where Chan had parked.

Once in the car, Changbin leaned over, pulling gently at Chan’s sweater.

“Come here,” he murmured.

Chan chuckled. “Someone could still see.”

“The windows are tinted, we’d notice. I wanna kiss you.”

Their lips met gently at first, sweet from the dessert they’d eaten. Chan’s body warmed, unrelated to the heat of the car, when Changbin’s tongue swiped over his bottom lip. They pressed closer together, leaning over the center console as their hands roamed one another’s bodies, gripping familiar muscle and tracing lines hidden under the fabric of their clothes.

Changbin pulled back first, pressing his forehead to Chan’s. “You should get us home.”

Chan breathed out a laugh, nodding. He kissed Changbin once more and leaned back into his seat, taking a moment to gather himself.

“We fogged up the windows.”

Changbin laughed once, reaching out and tracing a little heart shape on the fogged glass of the passenger side. “I’m just too hot.”

“Too full of hot air, maybe,” Chan argued. He reached forward and wiped the windshield with his sleeve so he could see to start driving.

His heart was thrumming against his ribs, desperate to escape its cage even as Chan tried to focus solely on the road and not on the man next to him. His white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel and slow, measured breaths did nothing to cut the tension in the small confines of the car. Quite the opposite, in fact; as with each passing minute as they drove closer to the dorm, the air thickened a little more, and the deep ache in Chan’s stomach grew. He could feel his wolf in the back of his head, full of nervous energy and a primal need.

Despite the distractions, Chan managed to get them home in one piece, parking the car a bit haphazardly in his spot. He turned it off and grabbed Changbin’s shirt, dragging him forward into a desperate kiss. Changbin squeaked in surprise and grabbed Chan’s shoulders, tensing for a moment before relaxing against him. Chan guided the kiss, nipping at Changbin’s bottom lip.

Changbin groaned softly, opening his mouth and brushing his tongue over Chan’s. He dropped one hand onto Chan’s thigh, squeezing before sliding it up and cupping his crotch. Changbin’s touch was firm, pressing and rubbing with just enough force to feel both perfect and not nearly enough against Chan’s hardening cock. He spread his legs further, sighing softly against Changbin’s mouth.

“Chan—” Changbin murmured. He pulled back, his lips kiss swollen. His eyes were dark, pupils widened and full of need. “We need to get inside,” he panted.

“Kiss me again,” Chan argued. He leaned forward, brushing their lips together, but Changbin pulled back and shook his head.

“Now.”

Chan pouted, whining in a voice that wasn’t entirely his own human one. Changbin smirked in response. He pressed his palm a little more firmly against the bulge in Chan’s jeans. “Now,” he said again, softer. “I’m not gonna suck your cock for the first time in the driver’s seat of this car. So we need to get inside.”

It was Chan’s turn to grin. He moved forward, brushing his cheek over Changbin’s as he leaned in to whisper to him.

“Second time you sucked my cock, isn’t it? Or did I dream filling your mouth full of my come last month?”

Changbin pressed again, just past painful enough to make Chan hiss. He laughed softly. “I still remember that taste,” Changbin muttered. “You’ve got some big pawprints to fill there, Channie. I might prefer sucking off your wolf if you don’t.”

Chan growled. He nipped the exposed soft flesh of Changbin’s neck, moving back and grabbing the keys. He scrambled out of the car, nearly tripping over his own feet as he adjusted the sweater to hide his obvious erection. Changbin circled around, his own coat easily hiding his crotch. He slung an arm around Chan’s shoulders as they walked from the parking garage to the elevator.

“Hope the others aren’t still up… Don’t know if I can wait to get into the bedroom to touch you again.”

Chan’s eyes fluttered shut at the heavy promise of Changbin’s words. He nearly missed the button for their floor, his hands shaking. When the elevator began moving, Changbin pressed him against the wall of it, kissing him hard. He ground their crotches together, letting Chan feel that he was just as hard.

They kissed until the elevator stopped, pulling apart just as the door opened. Changbin grabbed Chan’s wrist and yanked with a surprising force, rushing toward their apartment door. Changbin’s hands roamed his body as he unlocked the front door, his breath coming out in hard pants.

The dorm was dark, thankfully, and quiet, save for a soft music filtering from the far end of the hall; Hyunjin’s room. Changbin pushed the door shut and pinned Chan against the wall next to it, kissing him again. He began to undo Chan’s jeans, the clink of his belt loud as a shot in the quiet apartment. Changbin paid no mind, sliding his hand into the front of them to stroke Chan through his boxers. Chan gasped at the coolness of his grip and the brazenness of the action, keenly aware that they were fully exposed in their shared living room. He pushed Changbin off him reluctantly, biting back the whine that threatened to escape when Changbin’s hand left his cock.

“Room,” he murmured. They kicked off their shoes and hurried forward, sharing quick kisses as they slipped down the hall. Changbin pushed Chan’s door shut and shoved him hard once they were in Chan’s room.

He yelped in surprise, tripping backwards and landing on the bed hard enough that it squeaked. Changbin climbed onto him, straddling his hips as he attacked his mouth in a desperate kiss. Their clothes came off in a rush, hands batting one another out of the way and their mouths only parting to remove an item of clothing that was too stubborn to come off in any other way.

Chan reached up, turning on the light above his bed when Changbin leaned back, catching his breath. He was fully naked now, and Chan took a moment to admire his body. He pushed Changbin back enough to sit up, sliding his hands up his thighs and hips. He touched his stomach, soft but so well-muscled, and rubbed his palms up along his chest, pausing to thumb over his hardening nipples. He reached Changbin’s firm, broad shoulders before wrapping his hands around the back of his neck and pulling him forward into another kiss. This one was just as deep and desperate, but slower, each taking their time now that the pesky clothing was out of the way.

They made their way back into a lying position, side by side. Their mouths slotted together as well as their hips, gently grinding against one another, teasing their cocks with just enough stimulation to make them desperate.

Changbin pushed Chan onto his back, lying on his side next to him as he kissed along his shoulder. He brushed his fingertips down Chan’s sternum and belly to where his cock rested. He brushed the sensitive tip, his mouth curling into a smile when Chan gasped, his hips twitching. The same finger gently traced the firm underside to his balls then back up. Despite the gentleness of the touch, the sensation was similar to a knee-jerk test at the doctor’s office, except the nerve endings were spread through every inch of his body rather than just his leg. Chan’s body began to shiver, his hands forming fists at his sides.

Changbin kissed Chan’s cheek before finally wrapping his hand around his cock, jerking him off slowly. His hand was warm and gentle, gripping Chan’s cock with the perfect amount of pressure as he stroked up and down.

“I had a wet dream last night, you know,” Changbin murmured against his ear. “So intense I actually came in my sleep - I haven’t had one of those since I was a teenager.”

Chan moaned softly, his hips twitching. He reached for Changbin’s cock, whining softly in the back of his throat when Changbin pushed his hand away.

“What was it about?” He whispered.

“You, of course.” Changbin rubbed his thumb over the tip, smirking against Chan’s jaw when he moaned. “First you had me on my knees. You tasted so good… Pulling my hair, you held me there and fucked my mouth.” Changbin moaned as he spoke, rubbing his cock against Chan’s hip. “Then you shoved me onto my hands, right there on the floor… You forced your cock so deep inside me, it was amazing.” His throat clicked. He began to gently hump Chan’s thigh, still stroking his cock. “You fucked me so deep.”

Chan groaned, grabbing Changbin’s arm. “Please—“ He panted.

Changbin began to stroke faster. He nipped his earlobe before continuing. “Then it was your wolf. I could feel you scratching my hips, you made me scream, it hurt so good… Fuck—“ He moaned against Chan’s neck. “It was back to you at the end… You were moaning my name and calling me dirty things. I came so hard just from your cock fucking into me.” He bit Chan’s shoulder with some force, dragging another moan out of him. “I woke up with my shorts full of come, I was still so hard I had to jerk off again.”

“Changbin, please!” Chan gasped, grabbing for him to pull him closer.

Instead he pulled away, rising up onto his knees and moving down the bed. Chan was panting, forcing his eyes to stay open. Changbin moved between his legs, forcing them open as he leaned down. His breath was hot against Chan’s oversensitive cock, goosebumps rising along his belly and thighs from the delightful tickle.

“I’m gonna suck your cock,” Changbin said matter of factly, “and I’m not going to stop until you come in my mouth, understood?”

Chan wet his lips and nodded quickly, not trusting his voice to speak.

Changbin stroked his fingers up the length of Chan’s cock before lifting it straight and lowering his head. Moments before his lips brushed the oversensitive tip, he paused. He rolled his eyes up to look at Chan.

“And you can be rough… I like it.” Changbin sank down on his cock, engulfing it in the warm heat of his mouth down to the base.

Chan slapped his hand over his mouth to muffle his shout when he felt his tip bump the back of Changbin’s throat, an obscene little gulp slipping out as he took it down easily. He hasn’t intended to be rough; he’d never risk hurting Changbin, but his hips jerked on their own volition.

Changbin’s shoulders jerked but he swallowed, holding Chan’s hip with one hand.

“Christ, Bin!” Chan gasped. He buried his fingers in Changbin’s soft hair, looking down in amazement.

His eyes were watering from the intrusion, lips stretched around Chan’s cock as he bobbed his head gently, letting Chan’s hips do most of the work.

He shifted, opening his mouth a little wider. The wet, gulping noise grew as Chan pumped his hips upward, obscene and sexy. Chan could feel him drooling down his cock, slicking his shaft as he let him fuck his mouth. Changbin slipped his tongue out, letting Chan’s cock glide along it.

Chan moaned softly, his head falling back into the pillow. He tightened his grip on Changbin’s hair, beginning to push his head down to meet the thrusts of his hips. Changbin closed his lips around his cock once more, groaning low in his throat. The sound vibrated against Chan’s cock, forcing his balls to draw tighter to his body, pleasured goosebumps rising up on his bare skin.

“I’m gonna come,” he warned, screwing his eyes shut.

Changbin took over, bobbing his own head rapidly along Chan’s cock. He sucked hard on the shaft as he did, flicking his tongue along it.

Chan muffled his scream with his forearm as his orgasm hit, cock pulsing in the warmth of Changbin’s mouth. He coughed but stayed down, a little trickle of come the only sign that he was caught unaware. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, his hand clenching and releasing against Chan’s hip.

Chan whined softly, Changbin’s mouth urging his orgasm further. His balls ached as they tensed, trying to futilely to release more.

“I can’t!” He finally gasped, pulling Changbin’s hair to get him to stop.

Changbin pulled off his cock with an obscene slurping noise. He slid his tongue out of his mouth slowly and caught the trickle of come that had escaped. Chan’s belly ached with arousal despite his unwilling member.

“You need to finish,” he whispered.

“Almost there already,” Changbin admitted. He went up on his knees, revealing his other hand rubbing and stroking his cock. “I’ve wanted to suck you off for ages - I almost came while you did.”

“Well, you have sucked me off,” Chan reminded him, smirking. Changbin’s grin grew. “Totally different.

Chan pouted. “Is my wolf’s cock better than mine?”

“No way.” Changbin leaned over, kissing Chan gently. “Both are amazing.”

“Lemme suck you,” Chan offered.

“No, not tonight… Hold your mouth open… Stick your tongue out.” He straightened back up.

Chan obeyed, feeling a little silly. Changbin nodded, a lusty smile on his face. “Perfect.”

He moved up, his knees on either side of Chan’s neck and leaned over, bracing a hand on the shelf above the bed. He began to stroke himself faster, letting the tip of his cock slap gently against Chan’s tongue.

Chan smirked, getting his own idea. He quickly wet his fingers before reopening his mouth as Changbin had requested. He gripped Changbin’s ass, spreading it open and sliding the first spit covered finger over his tight hole. Changbin gasped, his eyes fluttering shut.

“Yes—“ he choked out.

Chan slid it in, gently massaging and tugging the rim. Changbin shuddered, his mouth falling open as little gasps and grunts slipped from him.

It didn’t take too long for his body to relax, allowing Chan to slide the second finger in. He didn’t dare go too rough; the spit wouldn’t ease the way for too much, but this seemed to be enough. He found Changbin’s prostate and began to rub it gently, grinning when Changbin whined, jerking forward hard enough that he nearly fell.

“Gonna take you soon,” Chan murmured. “Just like you dreamed, baby. Make you come just from being inside you.”

Changbin swore softly, and Chan heard the wood of his shelf creak from the grip Changbin had on it. He opened his mouth, leaning up to swipe his tongue over the silken tip. Changbin hissed, his ass clenching tight around Chan’s fingers. His cock began to spurt, the first rope catching Chan across the cheek. He laughed and lifted his head, wrapping his lips around the tip and sucking gently, rubbing the underside with his tongue. He continued to milk Changbin’s prostate, a little surge of pride rushing through him at the delightful sounds of pleasure it caused.

Changbin’s body sagged as the final few spurts dribbled from his softening cock. Chan let his mouth relax, opening it to show the come to Changbin before he swallowed.

Changbin swore again. He carefully swiped the streak across Chan’s cheek with his thumb before sliding it past his lips, moaning softly when Chan sucked and licked it off contentedly. He grinned up at him.

“Feel good?” He asked, carefully freeing his fingers and squeezing Changbin’s ass gently.

Changbin nodded. He moved over and down before flopping onto his back, jarring the bed.

Chan sat up, “I’ll be right back.” He kissed Changbin gently and rose, tugging on his boxers before slipping into the bathroom to wash his hands and face.

 The bedroom was empty when Chan returned. He scowled, sticking his head out the door to listen for Changbin. No way in hell they just got intimate like that and Changbin left to sleep in his own room; Chan considered kicking his ass at the thought of it. He padded through the dorm, relaxing when he saw a light on in their kitchen. There was a small clatter and Chan heard Changbin swear. He hurried out to prevent any damage – to his boyfriend or the kitchen.

Changbin was standing near the counter, holding a frying pan upright and staring intently at the bottom of it.

“Problem?” Chan asked.

Changbin looked over. His brows furrowed and his chin dimpled as he pouted, mouth turned down in a scowl that Chan knew meant only one thing.

“Changbinnie’s hungry. Make me something?” Changbin whined in the most childish and obnoxious tone he could manage.

“Changbinnie needs to learn to make his own food,” Chan said patiently, taking the pan from Changbin and placing it on the stove. That tone was like nails on a chalkboard to him on the wrong day, but tonight he could find nothing but affection for it. He turned and pulled Changbin into a hug, leaning back just far enough to meet his gaze.

“What do you want to make?” He murmured.

Changbin’s pout changed to something a little more thoughtful. He rolled his eyes up, pursing his mouth.

“Meat.”

“You always want meat, I need more than that.” Chan argued. He pecked Changbin’s lips and released him, going over to the fridges to figure out what food they had.

Changbin’s arms slipped around his middle, his groin pressed tight to Chan’s ass.

Chan grumbled, standing up right and tilting his head, letting Changbin place kisses along the curve of his neck.

“Changed my mind. Let’s order and go wait in bed.”

Chan chuckled. “Why the change of heart?”

“Your ass.”

Chan snorted, elbowing Changbin lightly in the side, but not moving out of his grip. “I can cook just as easily,” he murmured, his body tensing a bit when he felt Changbin’s teeth clamp down lightly on his shoulder. A spark of arousal lit in his stomach. “Watch it,” he growled without venom.

“What?” Changbin pulled him a little tighter, pointedly pressing himself against Chan’s ass.

“Dangerous to bite a wolf. Might get the wrong idea.”

“That so?” Changbin smirked against his skin. He bit down a little more at the base of his neck, huffing a laugh when Chan gasped.

The strength of the bite increased, sending little sparks of pleasure-pain through Chan’s body. He reached up, gripping the back of Changbin’s neck in warning. Changbin grumbled, sucking on the spot he was biting. One hand slid down from Chan’s stomach to his boxers. He slid his fingers along the band before dipping into them and gripping Chan’s cock.

“Changbin—” Chan grumbled, his hips pressing forward against his hand.

Changbin ignored his plea, sucking and licking at the spot he was biting. Chan knew he’d hear an earful from his stylist if Changbin left a visible bruise, but at the moment he couldn’t bring himself to care. He pressed his hips back, rubbing his ass against Changbin’s hard length. He could feel his wolf grumbling in the back of his mind and an ache in his bones that told him he wanted out – he wanted a part of this. Chan drew in a deep breath, trying to soothe the beast inside him. He could be satisfied in this skin too, even with Changbin teasing in just the right way.

“Get off,” Chan growled, his voice taking on a deeper, warning tone. Changbin’s cock throbbed against his ass. He released his jaw, licking the tender spot he left behind. Chan pulled Changbin’s hand off his cock and turned quickly, using the surprise of his movement to gain the upper hand. He grabbed Changbin’s hips and spun them, slamming him against the counter. Changbin hissed, grabbing the counter where it dug into his lower back. Chan got in his face, nostrils flaring. He ground their hips together, baring his teeth. “I told you not to bite a wolf,” he grumbled.

Changbin’s eyelids fluttered. He licked his lips, shoulders relaxing a little. “Why? Puppy afraid of a little competition?”

Chan growled, reaching down and squeezing Changbin’s cock warningly. “You don’t know what you’re doing, Seo Changbin.”

Changbin smirked. He slid his hand up Chan’s bare chest and placed it lightly on his throat. “I know more than you realize. I can see him, you know,” he murmured, stroking the soft skin behind Chan’s ear with his finger. “Your wolf… He’s right below the surface, you know? Your eyes flash gold. Your voice changes. It’s subtle… I wouldn’t have realized it’s him if I’d not seen him… It’s hot as hell.” He wrapped his other hand around Chan’s waist, pulling him closer. “I know exactly what I’m doing Bang Chan.”

He leaned forward and licked the spot once again, his breath hot. “You might be the pack leader, but I’m making sure you know just how strong of a mate you have,” he whispered against Chan’s ear. He bit down again, hard enough that Chan yelped.

Changbin released his shoulder and kissed him hard, groaning when Chan bit his lip, reaching up to fist his hair. He pulled, tugging Changbin’s head back and breaking the kiss. Changbin’s lips were parted, his eyes dark with lust.

“Be a good boy,” Changbin growled breathily, smirking. “and suck my cock.”

Chan’s knees turned to jelly. Changbin’s tone was aggressive and firm. Even his wolf, desperate to be freed and put his unruly mate in his place, backed down at the dominance in his voice.

Chan closed his eyes, releasing his grip on Changbin’s hair. He opened his mouth, breathing coming in quick little pants.

Changbin grabbed his shoulders, squeezing gently before applying pressure, pushing down. Chan let himself sink down, guided by Changbin’s grip, until his knees hit the cold tile floor. He looked up at Changbin, mouth only centimeters from the obvious tent in his boxers.

“You look good like this,” Changbin murmured. He set his hand on the back of Chan’s head, pulling him forward gently. “On your knees. Strong brave leader.”

“You talk awful big for a man about to have his cock exposed to my teeth, Binnie.” Chan warned.

Changbin’s smirk widened. “You’re not gonna bite me. Not any harder than I’d like.” He ran his fingers through Chan’s hair. “Good boys don’t use their teeth.”

Chan closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Changbin and that stupid pet name – he had to realize what it did to him at this point, and he was taking full advantage. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against the tent in Changbin’s shorts.

“What if we get caught?” He murmured.

“Everyone’s asleep. I’ll be quiet if you will.”

Chan smiled deviously, a little thrill running through him at the idea of doing something so publicly. He slipped his hand through the slit in the boxers, his gaze locked with Changbin’s as he gripped his cock, stroking once before pulling it gently from the hole. Changbin glanced around the quiet dorm before looking back at Chan, nodding. He pressed his hand a little more firmly to the back of his head, and Chan opened his mouth, letting Changbin guide his head forward.

His tip was silky and smooth against Chan’s tongue. He closed his mouth around it, sucking gently. Changbin gasped, biting his bottom lip. His eyes fluttered shut. “Good boy,” he whispered.

Chan stroked his shaft, his fingers gliding along it only lightly enough to tease. He slid his tongue around the flared base of the head before sinking down another inch. Shifting his head, he let the tip bump the roof of his mouth, pressing his tongue against the underside to add a little pressure. It twitched, rewarding him with a little trickle of precome as Changbin whined softly. His fingers tightened in Chan’s hair, an obvious sign for more.

Chan slid himself a little closer to Changbin, slipping more of his shaft into his mouth. He stroked the part he couldn’t fit, rolling his eyes up to look at Changbin in a way he hoped was attractive. He pulled back, licking around Changbin’s spit slicked tip. “I’m sorry I can’t go deep like you,” he mumbled, his cheeks warming in embarrassment. “Gag reflex…”

Changbin’s smile returned, gentle. He stroked his fingers through Chan’s hair.

“Don’t worry about that,” he breathed. “You’re doing great, it feels amazing.” He pushed his hips forward, bumping his cock against Chan’s bottom lip. “Your mouth is so good… Keep sucking it, please?” Chan opened his mouth, letting Changbin slip his cock past his lips once again. He thrust gently, holding the back of Chan’s head but careful not to drive his cock too deeply and choke him. He took as much as he dared, closing his eyes and focusing on pleasuring Changbin. His own cock ached between his legs, and he could feel his wolf getting restless, eager for more.

Chan was finding a rhythm when a yelp from behind them startled him. He went forward, gagging before yanking his head back and shooting to his feet. At the same time, Changbin hurriedly tucked himself away.

Jisung stood a few feet away at the entrance of the kitchen, covering his eyes with his hand. His hair was mussed from sleep and he wore only crumpled boxers, a clear sign he’d only stumbled upon the situation due to a sleepy accident.

“Are you two decent?” He asked, spreading two fingers and peeking out.

“We’re decent,” Chan mumbled, hiding his own red face in his hands. “I am so sorry, Jisung.”

Jisung grunted, sounding surprisingly calm for someone who’d just witnessed his friends in such a compromising position. He entered the kitchen and used his hip to bump Changbin’s so he could get into the fridge.

“It’s cool, I didn’t see much.”

Changbin snorted. “Nothing you’ve not seen before anyways, right?”

Jisung laughed, and Chan scowled, looking at Changbin then at him. “Am I the only one traumatized by this?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“Yep.”

Both answered at the same time. Chan’s scowl deepened. Jisung shrugged, going to the other side of the two to pour himself a glass of juice. “Honestly, is it really a good, fun relationship if you don’t horrify at least one of your friends with a sexual scene they didn’t want to see?”

“Yes!” Chan cried.

Jisung hmphed. He leaned on the counter, sipping his juice with a thoughtful expression. “Though, why is it always me?” He asked nobody in particular. “I was treated to an eyeful from our other resident lovebirds last two weeks ago.”

“Because you’re nosy,” Changbin said simply. “And you barge into rooms without knocking.”

“To be fair,” Chan argued, relaxing a little now that he realized Jisung wasn’t entirely furious at what he saw. “I was sucking you off in the kitchen. It’s kind of a shared space.”

Jisung snorted. “It is! I have every right to come out here and not be assaulted with your dick down his throat.” He tipped the remainder of the glass into his mouth before turning and rinsing it out. He added it to the dishwasher and clapped Changbin on the shoulder. “I’m going back to bed. You two have fun. Maybe in a place with a door that closes next time.” He winked playfully before walking back down the hall.

Chan laughed, his shoulders slumping as he looked at Changbin. “Well, that killed the mood.”

Changbin chuckled. He pouted then, looking around the kitchen. “I’m still hungry,” he whined.

Chan sighed heavily, smiling. “Well, I’m not, so I’m gonna go to bed.”

Changbin’s pout deepened. He furrowed his brows together. “You’re not gonna stay up with me?”

Chan shook his head. “I’m beat, Binnie.” He pressed a kiss to Changbin’s pouting mouth. “Come cuddle with me when you’re done. I’ll save room in bed.”

Changbin sighed. “Jerk,” he mumbled with no real venom.

Chan smirked. He kissed him again, reaching around to squeeze his butt. “You’ll be fine. Don’t start a fire.” He left the kitchen and entered his room.

As Chan stripped out of his boxers and slipped under the blankets, moving over to give Changbin enough room when he came back. A small smile crossed his face as he heard the cupboards opening and closing while Changbin hunted for food. He felt better than he had in a long time because of this relationship, and he hoped Changbin felt the same.

[chaoticgoodlawyerwrites]

Oof okay I'm looking at what would be the final length of the bingliushen fic first chapter and it's like... the length of a novella. So I'm not doing that.

This means I'll be sharing it much sooner than I expected and there may well be two updates for it this month. With that in mind, here's the tumblr preview for the first chapter. As much of it retreads DYK ch 1+2 because it's supposed to be understandable if folks jumped straight from "Can't we just skip to the end?" I'm going to focus on the parts I've added to start the butterfly effect of the very very different conclusion this story will have from DYK. Short preview, but I hope you enjoy anyway!

___

Shen Yuan had had a trying day, to say the least.

He had done his best to ignore the stares and whispers from his fellow Peak Lords that kept turning to him despite the packed if tedious agenda for the day’s meeting. Then again, their attention may have repeatedly strayed back to him precisely because the meeting was so dull that they felt the need for a distraction and not everyone was as blessed as he to be able to secretly message a friend. It certainly didn’t help that the most interesting and scandalous part of the day happened first thing in the morning, giving people all day to ruminate on the revelations surrounding Shen Qingqiu.

His lack of interest in the working women (and men) in the brothels and apparent virginity.

A virginity that was lost after dual cultivation with a grown disciple.

A disciple that he had previously lived with and admittedly had feelings for.

Feelings that may or may not be connected to the fact he and Luo Binghe may be fated lovers.

Fated lovers who had somehow earned the ire of the Sect Leader who had rather publicly gone out of his way to separate them.

And that was before you threw Liu Qingge and his open support of Shen Qingqiu into the mix.

Which… was actually the most shocking thing of the day. Liu Qingge had been his friend for a while, but he never expected that level of vocal dedication. He ended up hovering on the edge of his vision for most of the evening, Shen Qingqiu suddenly aware of the man in a way he hadn’t been before and it unsettled him. 

Shang Qinghua, with whom he was now able to communicate using the System’s direct messenger, was adamant that it had to do with LIu Qingge liking him. But that was silly! Liu Qingge wasn’t gay and certainly not interested in him! He was just very loyal and felt bad for him being under so much scrutiny!

His fellow transmigrator had given him a look and Shen Qingqiu decided to ignore it as much as he could. Things were confusing enough as it was, okay!? He had just had his sexual history put on trial by his colleagues, was dealing with going from having a fully-grown husband to losing his beloved disciple in his home, and had to, you know, save the world and stuff!

There was a lot on his plate! And he hated being confused, especially when it came to emotional stuff!! It was all too much!!! 

With everything combined, dinner had been unbearable without chemical assistance, and, despite his known low tolerance, Shen Qingqiu had turned to the free-flowing wine for help in maintaining his composure.

It had probably kept him from decking Wei Qingwei, which would have been out of character and caused even more fuss around everything. The last thing this disaster needed was more fuel to the fire. There would be more than enough of that once Mu Qingfang’s notes from his visit the day before leaked.

[the-trinket-witch]

Practically Perfect Ch. 7

(Ch 8|Ch 6|Ch 1)

  “Sorry ‘bout that, You got a sec to hear us out?” Cater interrupted. He wrestled a hand over Grim’s mouth to try shutting him up. As the two struggled, Al ran to rejoin the group, bag in hand, and out of breath.

“Sorry, everyone-I had to make a stop, quick,” He huffed. “Is this the ‘Jack Howl’ we’re looking for?”

Everyone nodded, further confusing the white-haired beastman. 

“What do y’all want? What’s this about protection? This some kinda mob racket?” He growled.

     “I’m incredibly sorry, it seems we’ve got off on the wrong foot. We’ve been doing some…investigating into some accidents that have been happening, and signs point to them not being so accidental. We suspect you might be targeted next if they’re intentional, and we’d like to offer-” Al rattled off.

“No. I don’t need any ‘protection’. I’m just fine on my own,” Jack barked.

>It might be more dangerous by yourself

>Isn’t there strength in numbers?

“‘Said no. Now, you’re cutting into my running time,” He huffed before dashing off again.

“Well that was rude of ‘im!” Grim spat.

“I mean, you kinda started it,” Ace said.

“OI YOU!” A voice called behind the group. A few more residents, clad in leather jackets, strode up towards the troupe. 

     “What’re a buncha Heartslabyul wimps doin’ on our turf? Looks like one’ve ya brought an offering. Consider us the Welcoming Committee. Hand it over-and we’ll welcome you to the door,” One sneered. 

Ace groaned, noting the pattern of ‘greetings’ they’d been getting all day.

“Hey! Knock it off,” Another voice roared. Everyone’s eyes turned towards the voice, finding another tall, tan beastman. 

“S-sorry, Leona; we’re just roughin’ them up a little, having some fun. They’re mozying in on our territory anyway!” one explained.

“Wait-aren’t you the guys from the cafeteria?” the small blond asked. 

“And aren’t you the mince-katsu-guy?” Grim replied. 

“Tasty-soundin’ name, but I have a real one: Ruggie Bucchi,” Ruggie said. "Thanks for the trade, by the way~"

     “Hang on-You,” The lion pointed towards the middle of the pack, pointing Yuu out. “You’re the herbivore that stomped on my tail earlier.” 

Some residents expressed surprise, terror, then rage. The small pack began to close in, looking to exact some form of revenge. 

“Quit your barking, mutts,” Leona commanded. “It’s on y'all if your actions get us kicked out of the Tournament.”

“What-are we supposed to just let trespassers walk all over us?”

“I said nothing about letting them walk all over us.” His green eyes darkened with a fanged smirk.

Cater muttered, “We weren’t planning on anything, Leona. I think we mighta caught you all at a bad time.”

     “We seem to have interrupted important work. If I may, As one Dorm Leader to Another, I’d like to actually bring this to your attention,” Albert started. He opened the bag to reveal sport-drinks and meat buns, and began passing them around. “You’re all the athletic types, and you especially, Mr. Kingscholar, have been the most adamant about having a shot at the Magift Championship. I thought, as a greetings from my dorm to yours, I’d bring some things for your training regimen.”

     “Really, now?” Leona started. He strode over, grasping at Al’s shirt and tie to yank him off the ground and in close. “We don’t take handouts or charity here, Fresh Meat. A bribe, maybe, but Nobody offers something unless they got something they’re wanting in return. Heh, it’s not like you’d be able to do anything about it if you were looking for payment. No sense letting food go to waste, though, so how about this? How ‘bout a round of Magift? Work up our appetites for us.”

     “I-I’m not one to start fights if I can help it-especially one I know I’m not going to stand a chance at winning. I sincerely apologize for causing offense!” Al stammered. By this point his feet barely touched dirt with how far he’d been hoisted by Leona. 

“HEY. What’re you all doing?” Jack yelled. He stomped towards the crowd gathering, parting through them to find his Dorm Leader holding another. 

“Awe, come now, Freshman; we’re just havin’ a little fun between Dorm Leaders. Establishing a pecking order, if you will,” Leona answered.

“Looks more like picking on newbies than anything-can’t stand stuff like that.” Jack growled.

     “Psh, buzzkill,” Leona spat. Ruggie giggled at the display, mocking Jack and his ‘chivalry’. “I do admire your guts, though, talking to your upperclassmen like that. This is boring, anyway. C’mon, Ruggie,” Leona yawned, releasing Albert. The impact kicked up a bit of dust, but otherwise he scrambled back upright to rejoin his crew. The group watched as Leona strutted off, bag of food in tow. 

     “So much for great first impressions,” Albert muttered. He managed to scoop up one of the lingering bottles of sport drink and one last packaged meat bun. “That was…rather embarrassing. It is nice to see, even here, someone willing to stick up for the ‘little guys’. This probably also probably looks even worse, looking back at how we approached you to defend, earlier…Thank you.” He sheepishly offered the two scraps to The Wolf.

     “Yeah. It kinda is. And it’s not like I was trying to defend you guys or anything-one thing I hate seeing is someone picking on someone weaker than them just because. I get trying to find allies, but this isn’t the time, or the dorm to do that. Just…go.” Jack explained. He accepted the food before turning back to his training. 

Albert turned back towards the group, everyone agreeing it time to just call it a day. 

     “Myahh, This day lasted way too long. We got anymore of those meat buns you let those Savanaclaw take from us?” Grim whined once the trio had come back to their dorm.

     “Sorry, Grim. I can cook up something similar, but I’m still kind of beat from ‘playing tag’ earlier with those twins,” Al groaned as the three made for the kitchen. “One damn-near grabbed me.” He reflexively rubbed at his neck at the thought. 

>I’m gonna go walk around for a bit before dinner…

>I’ll set the table but I need to go out for some air, quick…

     Albert nodded, bringing Grim along to help prepare dinner. Both watched the fireflies dance outside of the window. Between preparation, Al caught a couple of glances at someone talking with Yuu. They noticed the horns, but couldn’t quite put a finger on who was supposedly known for such a feature. The rest of the night consisted of the three coming up with an idea as to where to go next. 

“If it's not too prying, who was it you’d met, outside?” Albert asked.

>He didn’t tell me his name but…

>He was ok with me calling him ‘Tsunotaru’...

     “Tsunotaro?” Albert asked. Yuu blushed under their ringlets, explaining the joke and outing themselves as what they called an 'otaku'. It only sent Albert reeling. “I can’t imagine it being the most appropriate name for someone straight out of the gate. Of course if they seemed fine with it then no harm, no foul. Who has horns, though, here on campus?” 

The crew finished eating, but with a little bit of time before bed, they made conversation to let dinner settle. 

     “We really need a name for this dorm, if we’re to eventually be offered an opportunity to be in the tournament,” Al mentioned. “I’ve taken some time trying to come up with some, but I did want your opinions as you both are the only other two as members of this dorm.” He pulled out a notepad with scratches of different names listed, all themed around ghosts or hauntings. “Let’s see, we have Pentergeist, Scarrack, Phantomicile, Phantomhive-wait, that sounds like that one toy company-Boorracks, Wraithidence, Spectrestead, Pieddeterror…”

>I kinda like…

“What about you, Grim?” Al asked as he passed the notepad over. Grim had looked over the page, mulling over the different options. 

“I’m kinda likin’ ‘Pentergeist’,” Grim said with a paw on the name. 

     “Interesting…If we can all agree tonight, I can sort out the paperwork and we can actually establish ourselves as a dorm. It’ll be interesting to hear the crowds potentially cheer this name if we somehow make it to the tournament…”

[lazynull]

Transformers Outcasts - Ch 1: A Predacon awakening.

On the planet Cybertron everything was still recovering slowly after the war. Of course it was still thriving with new life and some cybertronians returning from across the stars. But of course this isnt what the story is about. In the dark caves of Cybertron there were four decepticons exploring the area. There is Ex the leader, Blip the small repairman, Duo the mute scout, and finally Thief the spy and well Thief of the group. They were mining the caves for energon. "Ugh how long is this going to take it feels like we've been in here for cycles." Thief said leaning on the cart of energon. "Well this would go alot quicker if you weren't complaining, besides he said that it was important to have this stuff." Ex says dropping cubes onto the cart. Thief rolls his optics. "What would that crazy scientist want with all this energon?" Blip steps in with more cubes. "Maybe its for another one of his crazy experiments, well what do you this Duo?" Duo shrugs while mining for more energon. "Nothing gets pass him always the silent type." Thief says showing a smirk. As the time goes by they pack up the rest of the energon. "Alright everyone this should be enough for him." Said Ex. Blip transformes and hooked up the cart behind him. The rest of them transform and drive out of the cave and towards Shockwave's lab. After an hour went by they make to his lab finding him tinkering with something. Ex transforms and moves the cart towards Shockwave. "Here you go Shockwave we got the energon you wanted." Shockwave looked up from his table give his usual cold stare. "Ah yes thank you for your efforts you and your group have done well." Thief steps in crossing his arms. "So whats all this energon you made us mine for gonna be used for?" Shockwave stared at him. "Hush now you'll see in a moment." He walks towards his table revealing a metalic dragon body. Everyone had a shocked look on their faces. "Is that what I think it is?" Ex asks. "That's right this is a Predacon." Said Shockwave. Blip tilts his head in confusion. "I thought they were all a thing of the past." Shockwave gave a nod walking towards the body. "Correct they were until I revived them with bones of their remains. The energon I sent you to retrieve is so that I can revive this one. Now hand over the enegon so that I may revive this best." Ex steps foward with the cart of energon. "Here you go." Shockwave takes the energon and connects a tube from the cart of energon to the Predacon body. "Now rise my beast rise from you eternal slumber." Shockwave pulls a lever which the energon flows to the Predacon's body. The rest of the back up a bit just in case. "Is it a good idea reviving this beast?" Ex mutters to himself. Suddenly the screens flashed error. Thief steps in having a concerned look. "Uh is that supposed to happen?" "Negative but we cannot stop now that we're so close." Shockwave says trying to fix the problem. Blip also has a concerned look. "But the machine looks like it's gonna expl-" Suddenly the screen flashes more errors. "Interesting it seems to be overloading the machine." Shockwave says staring at the machine. Ex rushed towards Shockwave. "Shockwave you need to shut it down before-" Before he could finish the machine explodes knocking everyone back. Everyone slowly gets back up slowly recovering. "Everyone alright?" Asked Ex.

Thief shakes his head. "Yea im still online."

Shockwave walks towards the machines. "Hm it seems I made an error most illogical." He stares at the Predacon body. "Well I suppose its back to the drawing board." After he said that the Predacon woke up lets out a load roar having a ton of electricity flying everywhere. Shockwave steps back aiming his cannon. "Well this is intriguing."

To Be Continued

(Ps this the first time I ever made a story so feel free to give your opinion of it)