#ch: i'll find the truth; i'll never stop

[rafeslvttygirl]

Belong To You - Rafe Cameron (CH. 3)

pairing ; bsfbrother!rafe x fem!reader

summary ; crushing on your best friend’s brother was off-limits, but resisting rafe cameron was impossible. you’re back at obx for summer break, and you must stay away from him — too bad rafe has other plans…

overall warnings ; mature content, bad language, teasing, lots of petnames (i love them, i’m sorry), sexual tension, insinuations of having sex (but not too explicit!), sneaking around/ lying, alcohol consumption (sometimes excessive), lots and lots of fluff

chapter warnings ; bad language, teasing, petnames, sexual tension, alcohol consumption, drowning

⋆˙⟡. “so not jealous”

YOU’VE BARELY BEEN BACK from the beach for a whole minute when you find yourself wandering through the winding halls of the Camerons' mansion.

Sarah has disappeared to shower, leaving you to your own devices, so you decided to explore. The Camerons live in a world so far removed from yours — while this house screamed luxury and wealth, you were left with debt your father had left since he ran away two summers ago.

You round a corner, lost in thought, when a shadow moves at the edge of your vision. Before you can act, you’re pulled against the wall softly. Your back presses against the cool wall, and a familiar scent of musk and a manly cologne penetrate your senses.

You know it's Rafe before you see him. It would be hard not to tell him apart from anyone else.

His presence overwhelms you, and you can't help but suck in a breath as his gaze locks onto yours. But then you remember him smiling at that girl, and all of a sudden you’re not so nervous anymore.

"What the hell are you doing to me?" Rafe places both his hands against the wall above you, effectively caging you so you can't escape.

"I don't know what you're doing, but-" Your response is cut off when his hand cups your jaw, your resolve crumbling under his touch.

Rafe chuckles softly, leaning in closer if possible. "You're terrible at lying, princess."

That nickname you’ve become so accustomed to somehow makes your whole body shudder. No matter how many times he calls you it, you can never seem to get enough.

He's silent for a moment, studying you. When he speaks again, his thumb lightly strokes your jaw, igniting a flame inside of you. "You were jealous today, weren't you?"

Your head snaps back to him, confused as to how he'd found that out. As much as it was true, you weren’t going to admit that to him, so you lie through your teeth. "What? I was so not jealous!"

Your tone wasn’t very convincing, and it was evident as Rafe tilted his head slightly, not buying anything you had said. "Oh, princess. I'm all yours, you know that."

You begin to feel your cheeks burn at his response, and you’re suddenly grateful for the dim lighting. "You're delusional if you think that," you say, attempting to push past him, but he doesn't budge.

"Admit it," he presses, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You hate seeing me with anyone else, don't you?"

"You're so full of yourself," you snap, though it lacks conviction. The truth is, he's right. Seeing him with that girl earlier twisted something ugly and unfamiliar in your chest.

His gaze drops to your lips, noticing your teeth grip onto your bottom lip like your life depended on it. That was proof that you were lying, and before you could stop, his face dropped to your ear. "Don't tempt me."

Your breath catches, and for a moment, the world narrows to just the two of you. His eyes hold yours, and tension is thick. You’re not sure who moves first, but suddenly the distance between you two disappears.

His lips brush gently on your forehead, like a silent promise to something. You’re not really sure what though.

"Tell me you don't feel this," he gestures between you and him. "Tell me, and I'll back off."

You open your mouth to respond, but the words won't come. Because in all honesty, you do feel it — every glance, every word he's said to you has been burned into your memory. And the idea of walking away from what could be, scares you the most.

Before you can try to think of anything to say, footsteps echo down the hall, and you both freeze. Rafe reluctantly steps back, his gaze showing something more than just teasing.

Like something real hits him. Like he's serious about whatever is going on between you. Or, at least you hope so.

"Think about it," he says quietly before slipping away, leaving you alone to marinate in your own thoughts. And slowly but surely, your erratic heartbeat stops fluttering uncontrollably.

Just on queue, Sarah walks over to you, a questioning look on her face at how bewildered you look. You brush off the encounter as if it didn't largely affect you, and head off into the shower too, letting the water wash away the thoughts of him that lingered.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Rafe was nowhere to be seen, and you were missing him a lot more than you’d care to admit.

Sarah and you were lounging around, as she was chattering away about plans for the evening; another party at one of their Kook friends' mansion. You don't know how they did it, partying nonstop until the crack of dawn.

And by the time the sun dipped below the horizon, you were dressed in one of Sarah's borrowed outfits — a white strapless dress, and a black denim jacket on top, pairing it with your white converse.

You smoothed down the material, trying to keep your mind from wandering to Rafe. It wasn't unusual that he was away for this long, tending to the business with Ward presumably. But it still didn't feel right.

The house you both arrived at was massive, even by Kook standards, with sprawling balconies and glowing lights illuminating the backyard pool. Music thumped as people were either sprawled out near the pool or inside.

Sarah was once again swept up, finding familiar faces in the crowd, leaving you on your own accord. You didn't mind it though, watching the ripples in the pool hypnotise you.

You decide upon grabbing a quick drink to ease your nerves, but upon getting to the mini-bar outside, your eyes spot someone familiar.

Rafe.

He’s stood near the pool, a drink in hand, laughing with a group of people. Like he didn't just fall off the face of the earth, leaving you to worry.

But it wasn't the laughter that made your heart sink. It was the familiar girl from the beach stood beside him, her hand lightly brushing his arm as she leaned in closer.

Your chest tightened. Of course. Of course he'd drag you into believing his lies yet again. He's so full of shit, you can't believe you almost thought you guys could be together. Even if it was a secret.

But then again, he was Rafe Cameron — arrogant, infuriating, and utterly unattainable. Especially to a pogue like you. He'd rather be with someone in his own league.

You tried to look away, tears rolling before you could stop them. You didn't realise you’d drained your drink until the empty cup crinkled in your grasp. Throwing the empty plastic cup on the counter of the bar, your feet instantly dragged towards him.

Even though you could hear Sarah's voice calling after you, you were on a mission. You don't know what you would say once you got over to him, but your feet wouldn't stop now.

Somehow, the contents of your drink had intoxicated you, even though that was the only drink you’d had all night. Before you could stop yourself, you stepped into his line of sight. "Can we talk?" You blurted, head spinning, your voice sounding higher than you’d hoped.

Rafe's eyes snapped to yours, holding you upright. "Are you okay, princess?" he stupidly asked, looking at you with that stupid gaze. As if he cared.

The girl behind him was furious that you’d gotten his attention, and you took note of that. "What do you think, asshole?" Your voice was meant to sound threatening, but your head was spinning like crazy.

And before you could steady yourself, a sudden shove sent you plunging into the cold pool. The world around you disappeared in an instant, and panic seized your chest as you flailed, desperate for air that you couldn't reach.

Desperate for someone to save you.

notes ; thanks for reading! plz comment and reblog for more <3

taglist ; @stoned-writer @cyberkitty1 (join here!) series masterlist next chap

[holly-fixation]

Fallen Silver: Ch 5

Summary: Sephiroth is MIA. Second Class Rhapsodos and Third Class Hewley are tasked with locating and finding him. The public does not know of this disappearance. No one was prepared for the truth. 

No one knew why the SOLDIER was in Midgar when the war was across the ocean.

Inspired by @altocat 's and @rottenpumpkin13 's posts.

Please enjoy.

Chapter 5: Ricochet

Sephiroth spent three days under foot of the gong, rocking between rapid muttering and incomprehensible screaming. Rarely did his voice lower to calm threats he himself would never chance in this lab. Threats unlike anything he ever spoke before. He clawed at his own skin, bleeding peels of flesh ripping off his body in a desperate attempt to ‘get closer’. Tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably. He had not cried from pain since he was a toddler, but he trembled now, failing to hide his sobs at the futility of the fight. 

Hojo predicted this method of endurance a failure, allowing the ringing to continue as he entered the chamber with nothing but a black sealed container. 

The Silver Soldier was on him in an instant, stealing the container out of the scientist's grip. He fell back to the ground as quickly as he stood, cradling the black box. 

“Mother…!” his voice hit the air, weak from exhaustion and ever present pain. 

Hojo would swear he did not hear the soldier correctly. 

“How do I make it stop, Mother…!? Talk to me…! Guide me…! Make this end…!” Sephiroth sounded nothing like himself, pleading to the inanimate object in his grasp, his voice raspy and broken. “I beg of you…! Please…!”

“Sephiroth.”

He barely flinched at the scientist's call. “Whatever it takes… whatever it takes… Make it end… Stop this…”

“I'll mute the gong as soon as you answer my questions.” 

His breath was calmer as he curled tightly, pained but calmer as he pet the box. “I have to be perfect… I must be- Don't take her away…”

“Are you hearing voices?”

“It’s not enough… Please…”

“What are you hearing? What are you responding to?”

“What can I do…? I can’t stop this… I need you…”

Hojo pinched his brow, a disappointed sigh leaving his lips. Could Sephiroth truly not understand him? Was his prized experiment so blatantly vulnerable and helpless due to a simple musical instrument, unable to present the tiniest bit of information in exchange for ending the suffering? Though the container calmed the soldier, it did not fix the problem. He hunched down and grabbed the box.

Sephiroth jerked out of the scientist’s reach. “No!”

“Stop being childish, Sephiroth. Give it to me.” 

“I won't let you take Her!”

“Boy.”

“Leave Her alone!”

“Listen to me, Sephiroth.”

Sephiroth screamed.

Hojo scowled. He turned on his heels, claiming his rightful place in the control room. 

“Professor,” a technician called, struggling to keep the many notebooks in their arms balanced. 

“Can't you see I'm busy?”

“Apologizes, sir. But you'll want to see this.”

“If it's important enough to disturb my work, it's important enough to explain.”

“Specimens are lashing out. All specimens under the Project J sub categories. We believe it has to do with the gong. We can't run any experiments until their behavior settles.”

“You know how to make them obey.”

“Professor, nothing is working. Any more repercussions and they'll start dying.”

Hojo glanced at the technician. 

“We need direction.”

“...Bring them in.”

“What?”

“You have your direction. Bring them in.”

With the flick of a few switches, the doors opened. Ten specimens rushed into the room.

If he couldn't react, could Sephiroth at least protect the box from attack?

The specimens circled the fallen soldier, their Nibel wolf DNA on full display as they acted as one. The pack shrunk their perimeter, closing in on the pathetic man before them. 

Without warning, they stopped. 

Hojo's eye twitched. 

Each specimen turned away, their backs to the whimpering weakling. They sat, watching the closed doors silently. The youngest laid against the back of the man on the ground. 

More switches. More monsters. But more of this worthless surrender as a result. 

Hojo commanded machines to cut down Sephiroth. The weapon appeared from a hole on the ground, disappearing before long to disorient their opponent. 

At every appearance, the specimens pounced. But project S remained untouched by any attack or defense, surrounded by the weakest creatures in the lab. 

Two days passed and results remained constant. Hojo removed the fiends before finally resting a hand on the instrument and sending the percussionists home. According to the technicians, the monsters came back to their senses almost immediately.

The silver soldier's panting slowed, breath becoming normal again, heart rate regulating, strength returning. Regret flashed in his eyes. He shakily placed the box down and returned to his feet for the first time in what felt like forever. 

Only in the silence did bags appear under his eyes, exhaustion beginning to rear its ugly head. 

Hojo returned, a clipboard in hand. “We'll monitor your condition tonight and begin the full endurance trial in the morning. You're positive you have absolutely no control over your reactions?”

Inhuman eyes struggled and failed to meet those shielded by black glasses. “...Affirmative.”

“Return to your room.”

“Wait,” Sephiroth interrupted before the scientist could leave. “Tell me. Has Genesis fully recovered?”

Hojo groaned but relented, “Within the day. They say he's doing wonders on the front now that you can't step foot near it.” 

The silver soldier turned away completely, the waterfall of mercury stagnant in the fluorescent light. 

“We will remedy this. No matter how long it takes.” 

Sephiroth left without a word, but he returned the next morning without question.

* * * 

Blood and tragedy claimed the ever growing war front of Wutai. From the splintered trees to the domesticated fiends with inhibiting, poisoning Lifestream that destroys all logic until truly captured by the enemy. But the fighting looked like children's toys from the sky beneath the chopping blades. 

Their helicopter held the Crimson Second, the growing Third, a single pilot, and bronze chains garnished with shackles. 

“Don't stop until we get to Midgar,” Genesis demanded with his rapier at his side. “And do not call in anything.”

The pilot nodded, eyes on the sky. 

Angeal paced in the back, the latest Shinra blade model in his hand and the Buster Sword prominently on his back. “No going back now.” 

“You said that this morning.”

“Well I mean it now.”

“He's been gone for a month. And no one has any information about his return.”

“Yes, and that his physical condition was fine when they healed you.” The dark haired soldier looked down. “But that gong…”

Genesis clenched his teeth. “I will burn that lab to the ground to free him.”

“Genesis-”

“And if they take you too I'll bring the wrath of the goddess down on them.”

Angeal looked away. Despite his friend's desire for the spotlight, fanclubs raving at the strength the Second possessed, the cursed nature of why it finally came to be never ceased. Genesis, who had pulled Angeal away at the black of Lifestream leaving the monster's body, was the only thing that kept Angeal from the bronze chains of their latest discovery. 

But Wutai, disregarding all caution, attempted to drag the Third into the dungeon regardless. 

They needed to end this war, but their loyalty to their friend stood second to none. Their loyalty to their men would not allow the opportunity to suffer such a terrible fate.

* * * 

Shinra Tower. The beacon of Midgar. The center of wealth and power. The throne of the world's ruler.  And the prison to their greatest friend. 

“We warned you before: you can't land here.” An elite trooper spat as the two soldiers jumped from the craft. 

“Really? I hadn't cared. The president can deal with the eyesore for an hour,” Genesis proclaimed. “We have a First to return to the battlefield.” 

“You're not authorized.”

Angeal grabbed the officer by the collar. “Look into my eyes. Do we look like we're asking permission?”

Even Genesis felt a chill down his spine as the officer shook his head and retreated from the grip. Angeal, the honor bound, known dreamer of SOLDIER burned a gaze into the employee with the strength to singe their entire bloodline. 

The two soldiers glanced at each other before drawing their swords and entering the president's office. 

“What is the meaning of this treason?” The president demanded, but neither stopped their march. 

“Sorry, would love to chat, but we need to find the First you so gratefully left in the hands of the science department long enough to kill him, set up funeral arrangements, bury the body, and even enjoy an anniversary dinner for.” Though they kept their gaze on the door, they felt the president flinch with every exaggerated gesture of the rapier. 

The science department waited only a few floors below. 

The Second and Third leapt over the escalators until they arrived at the sealed door. Genesis wasted no time with Fira floating in his glove as he scanned his unauthorized keycard. 

A camera appeared above the door, a red light beneath its lens. 

“State your business.” A speaker delivered the voice. 

“We're here to get Sephiroth. We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Angeal commanded, even as security reached their level and crimson dots littered him and his friend. 

“Stand down or we will use lethal force.” 

“Let us in or this entire building will get very toasty,” Genesis chimed.

A moment passed before the door opened and the troops were given the signal to back down. The two SOLDIERs barely noticed as they ran inside, weaving through hallways and rooms full of mako tanks. 

“SOLDIER Second Class, Genesis Rhapsodos. SOLDIER Third Class, Angeal Hewely. Stand down.” 

They halted, instantly at attention. 

Sephiroth. 

Mercury hair flowed just as perfectly. Long black uniform exceptionally smooth. Armor suspended on heavy shoulders. He looked exactly like the recruitment posters, with only a few exceptions those close to him could notice. 

His sunken eyes from exhaustion. His skin just paler than the day they brought Genesis in. A necklace that hung in the center of his chest, a spiked, silver cylinder that reminded Angeal of barbed wire to keep pests out of the apple orchards back home. 

“I am fine. Return to your posts and I will join you soon.”

“Bullshit,” Genesis countered. “What are they doing to you?”

“Professor Hojo developed a defense for the feeling. The gong no longer incapacitates me. We're running through the final scenarios to ensure everyone's safety when I return to the front.”

“And if they find out this solution didn't work? How long will you let them do this to you?”

“As long as it takes,” Hojo's shrill voice broke through the air, approaching with a clipboard at his side. “Though I very much doubt we will have any issues. You're welcome to watch the next examination if it gets you out of my lab as soon as possible.”

Sephiroth's head fell. Not a word left his lips, as if replaced by a statue simply to be observed.  

Angeal looked at Genesis and shook his head. 

“We won't stoop to your level,” the crimson soldier spat. 

Hojo simply rolled his eyes, the motion obvious even behind black glasses. “Come now, you leave your posts, nearly committing treason for the purpose of,” He gagged, “your ‘friend’. And you're giving up now? I thought Soldiers saw things through to the end.”

Genesis and Angeal couldn't shake the same feeling, but the scientist insisted. Hojo, the scientist that barely treated them like people, insisted. They had no idea what Hojo was thinking, but they found themselves and Sephiroth following.

Soon Angeal and Genesis stood in a control room, the keyboard and light indicators clashing with the only necessary instrument for the examination.

Sephiroth waited in the arena with his bangs blocking his eyes. 

“Begin.” 

A professional struck the gong.

Sephiroth immediately stumbled. In an instant, he grabbed the necklace as if his life depended on it. Crimson blood dripped from the thick leather gloves. 

Then the fiends entered, flying through the air and circling him. Through shaky breath, Sephiroth swung Masamune with a violet beam claiming both of their lives. 

The gong was muted, and Sephiroth relaxed, releasing the spiky metal. Thirty seconds ticked by, and the flow of blood ceased entirely. 

“What is that thing?” Genesis couldn't help but ask. 

Hojo surprised them again with an answer. “The device that prevents the gong from taking hold.”

Angeal ran to Sephiroth's side, trying to confirm what the scientist said. But the First confirmed only enough to make him more concerned, but with no participation, the two friends couldn't save their hero from the lab. 

They returned to Wutai with heavy hearts. 

A week later, news electrified every soldier. Sephiroth returned, a known weak point on display for all the world to see: the necklace that decided if he could keep fighting. However, like the open chest in his uniform, it taunted his opponents. The fear toxin no longer affected him. The gong no longer stopped him. Who would dare to strike him dead on?

The necklace was far more than an instant injury. A small colony of J-cells lived and multiplied inside the cylinder. When crushed, the cells are released through the tips of each barb directly into Sephiroth's bloodstream, preventing the loss of Reunion. Only Hojo knew the whole truth behind the simple mechanism. Sephiroth simply accepted it as his only way to return to his purpose. 

Despite his strength, Sephiroth was notably slower, more calculated, and more precise. He never again strayed far from his unit, the slightest hint of hesitation still bubbling beneath the surface of his movements.

The Silver Soldier, the invincible soldier or Shinra, had fallen to the risks of a Second Class SOLDIER. His first and only message to Midgar beyond his report were recommendations for First Class: Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley for their excellent work on the battlefield during the crisis that claimed his confidence forever. 

.

.

.

.

Thanks for reading!

Chapter List

Author's Note: Well, this is it! It's been a long time coming. I had the first scene with Hojo nearly finished for months, but I wasn't sure if I should make this incredibly angsty fic a fix it, or if I could continue the bittersweet endings of the previous chapters. But the necklace came to me recently, and stopping Angeal and Genesis with Sephiroth's voice, not Hojo's, kept running through my head. This is the end! Hope you enjoyed it!

[riahlynn101]

Can u do one where Gregory is taken away from the mimic? (Don’t have to if u don’t want to-)

I had so many ideas for this. I'm not super proud of this one, and I'll probably do a few more versions of this at some point. The next one will be a more literal version of Gregory being taken from the mimic.

Thank you for the request ✨✨✨ I had a lot of fun trying to come up with scenarios. So much fun, in fact, that it was hard to pinpoint a single scenario.

Trigger warnings: Murder, blood, mild gore, a child in distressed, implied abuse, forced isolation, mentioned/implied child death, and the Mimic being itself.

@gregorysarmy

--

“I hate you.”

The Mimic can feel his internal processors working overtime, struggling to process his son’s words. His two main objectives battle each other - something that hasn’t happened since he first brought Gregory home - and he’s not sure which one is going to win this time. 

Mimic takes a step back. “No,” he says, shaking his head. “You don’t.” Because he doesn’t. Because his son can’t. 

“I do,” Gregory insists, hands clenched at his sides. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate-”

Mimic lunges for him. Whether to get him to stop or bring him closer for comfort is beyond even him, but his son doesn’t stay to find out. Gregory ducks his arm and dashes out of the room. By the time his internal processors have caught up, his son is long gone. His footsteps, already so quiet, are distant.

He whirls around, hurrying after Gregory. 

“Gregory!” Mimic calls, covering ground faster than he ever has before. “Gregory!” Anger wells up inside him, and the worst of his two objectives is starting to win over his better judgement. 

He can’t pinpoint the exact moment his son’s adoration turned to hatred, but if he had to guess, it had something to do with Vanny’s latest murder.

A child, around Gregory’s age, had gotten too close to finding out the truth. Which was a shame, because his son really seemed to like the kid. He got this sparkle in his eye whenever he talked about the kid’s antics, and his son had been listless following him being pulled from yet another school. 

But the kid got too close. He stuck his nose in family matters that didn’t concern him, and no matter how happy Tony Becker made his son, his very existence threatened The Mimic’s family. And that was reason enough to destroy him. 

Gregory, of course, hadn’t taken kindly to this. He raged - louder than he had today - but never at Mimic. No, he turned his attention to Vanny who eventually buckled under the pressure of a persistent pre-teen. She point-blank refused to come down into the sinkhole, making herself busy to avoid seeing Gregory. 

The Mimic allowed his son to rage, sensing his grief. He remembered his own grief. How empty the factory felt in the weeks and months following David’s absence. How quiet everything was. How inbetween the silent moments he could hear Edwin, David’s father and his creator, cry out in anguish. 

But that rage quickly turned on him. Their home was only so big, and he wouldn’t allow Gregory to return to school. They tried several times before, and all it did was cause heartbreak for his son and a headache for both Vanny and him. He hadn’t wanted to send him to school anyway. Surely, the Pizzaplex’s sufficient enough. 

Gregory hadn’t agreed, which led to him yelling some very unkind things at Mimic. Things he never expected from his son, but, like a good father who understands his son’s plight, he allowed his son to vent his anger out. Petty words couldn’t hurt him, but then his son had to go and say the very thing - the only thing - that hurts. 

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

Gregory suddenly screams. For a minute, he freezes, listening intently. And then, his son screams again and doesn’t stop. In an instant, Mimic’s mind goes blank. He’s already heading in the direction of the scream before he can formulate a plan. He doesn’t know why his son is screaming, and he doesn’t care. All he knows is that his child needs him - whether he wants to admit it or not - and every second he’s not there, protecting Gregory, is a second that he could be hurt. 

That every second Mimic isn’t there is another chance for his son to leave, just like his best friend. For him to find his child’s body. Another chance for him to learn exactly how Edwin felt. 

He finds Gregory, still screaming, being held by one of the Pizzaplex workers. One of the technicians (judging by the man’s uniform). 

Gregory sees him first, because the technician has his back turned to The Mimic. “C’mon, kid,” he says, almost begging. “We know you did it. If you admit it now, I’m sure the company will take it easier on you.” 

The Mimic sees his son, looks into his big, terrified, amber eyes, and chooses violence. 

He rips Gregory from the man’s arms. The man screams, staring at The Mimic with the same terrified expression his son had just a moment ago. 

The Mimic carefully places his son down behind him, ensuring the man across from him won’t have the opportunity to grab his son. Gregory bows his head, looking a lot like a disobedient puppy. 

The Mimic takes a moment to pat his son’s head, allowing himself the privilege of knowing his son’s still here. Gregory lifts his head, and while he looks appropriately terrified, there’s also relief there. Like a child who’s just woken from a nightmare and found some much needed comfort.

“Who- what the hell are you?” 

The man’s grating voice fuels The Mimic’s fury. He turns away from his son, but not before nudging his son to face the wall. While he isn’t a stranger to making his son watch a murder, especially as a punishment, this one time he didn’t want Gregory to watch. 

He advances towards the man, taking a perverse joy in how the man seemed to tremble. It seems for every two steps the man took back, he took one step forward. It feels like a dance. 

One step forward. 

Two steps back. 

The Mimic holds his arms out in front of him, limiting the man’s space even more. 

“No!” He shouts, sending little glances over his shoulder, trying not to get boxed in. An impossibility given that the only way out is through the door, which he would have to pass Mimic to get through. He holds his hands up. “Listen, man, I didn’t know the brat-”Any joy he finds in the moment instantly evaporates. He crosses the room in mere seconds, gripping the man by his thinning hair, and beating him into the nearest wall until his face was the consistency of hamburger meat. 

SPLAT!

He leaves the man there to rot (at least until Vanny disposes of him), returning to his son. 

Gregory stares up at him, shaking. “I…I’m sorry.” He’s standing so close to the wall it’s almost like he’s trying to become one with it. 

The Mimic laughs; his anger a distant memory. He strokes a finger over his son’s cheek, leaving behind a red streak. Gregory stiffens, feeling the familiar sticky warmth, but he doesn’t react further. 

“Oh,” he mutters. “Sorry, Gregory.” With his other, cleaner hand, he wipes the stain away. “Guess I got a little carried away.”

The smile his son gives him is strained. “Thanks for saving me,” he murmurs. 

“Anytime.” He straightens. “Now, time for bed.” It has been a long day, and he’s sure the week will be even longer once Gregory learns he’s not to leave the sanctuary of the sinkhole until The Mimic says so. If he’s lucky, that’ll happen around Christmas - of next year. 

His son starts to pull a face, but stops himself, looking down at The Mimic’s clawed hand, still dripping with blood and brain matter. 

“Okay.”

[zombubble]

From In Memory; In Truth Ch. 21:

(Gentle reminder, for those who may have forgotten, Xie Yuan is the alias Wei Wuxian is using while he's in the Mortal Realm uwuwuwuwu.)

If Lan Zhan wants any sort of genuine connection with Xie Yuan, he first must stop hiding parts of himself from the man. He knows, agonizingly well, what such concealment does. He knows what hiding things has led to in the past, and he… He can’t, anymore. Falling in love with Xie Yuan was never the plan—had been actively upsetting at the start—but now that it’s happened, he wants to do things right. Lan Zhan wants to start with honesty, about both his feelings for Xie Yuan, and about his feelings for Wei Ying because he can’t hide them forever. If they’re going to be a problem for Xie Yuan, he’d rather know right away, so he doesn’t get any more involved than he already has. Because if Wei Ying is a dealbreaker for the god, then Lan Zhan… can’t. Falling in love isn’t a betrayal of Wei Ying, but to thoroughly reject him just to keep that love… That is. He won’t betray Wei Ying again. “Hanguang-jun!” Xie Yuan runs through the crowd, looking around until he sees Lan Zhan step out from behind a lantern vendor whose wares had been hiding him. Hurrying over, Xie Yuan grins. “Look, they’re rabbits!” he says, holding up spun sugar candy on sticks. Indeed, it’s a pair of rabbits, one standing tall and proud and the other curled up on its back. Xie Yuan holds out the one standing. “Its posture befits the esteemed Hanguang-jun,” he laughs. Ears hot, Lan Zhan takes it. It really does, and he looks at it, the rotund shape of his body, the lines of it up to the head with its cute little ears and a ribbon tied around its— The rabbit has a little forehead ribbon. Cheeks growing warm, Lan Zhan looks at Xie Yuan. “Did… Did you—” He points to the ribbon, right above the bunny’s cute, inquisitive eyes. Laughing even louder, Xie Yuan nods. “I asked the good grandfather making the candy to add that,” he says eventually. “Do you like it? It’s cute, huh?” Lan Zhan looks away. It’s… so cute. He can’t eat such a thing; that’d be terrible. Meanwhile, Xie Yuan’s bitten off one of his sugar-rabbit’s feet. “We should buy lanterns,” Xie Yuan says, “and go over to the river.  The grandfather said that lanterns float down from upstream, too, and it’s really a sight.” “I ought to make an offering,” Lan Zhan says, looking up at the full moon. “Does Chang'e have a preference?” “Never met her,” Xie Yuan says around a mouthful of sugar. “Don’t hear much of her, either, but I imagine a goddess as old as her would be gracious about anything.” Nodding, Lan Zhan looks around, and sees a fruit vendor selling little bundles made for offerings to people as ill-prepared for the festival as Lan Zhan. Going over, he quickly purchases one of those, and then some wine (with extra for Xie Yuan, to whom Lan Zhan’s been… wanting to make an official offering), and finally, he finds a lantern. A rabbit, curled up, within the full moon’s gentle face. With these, he makes his way back over to Xie Yuan, who’s chewing now on the sugar-rabbit’s tail, and takes a breath. He can do this. He can talk about his feelings. And he needs to.

Mid-Autumn Festival time!!! And they're spending it together.... what could happen?

Who knows? I certainly don't.

Thanks for reading, I'll see you next week!!

[keen-li]

CLAWED | JJK | CH 02

Synopsis: "do you honestly think I want your help? I'm desperate " you can still see the hatred he has for you in his eyes, but you can also see the desperation.

Genre: e2l, angst, fluff, smut-ish. Convict jk x police officer reader

Fem reader x jk

Warnings: cussing.

______________________

Last night you let jungkook, you even hate saying his name, into your house. You despised him but you weren't that soulless.

"How long are you staying here for?" you ask avoiding the eyes of the man walking around in your robe after you let him shower in your bathroom.

"4 days maybe" maybe?? He says prancing around your house and going through your fridge like a raccoon. He's definitely gotten comfortable very quickly.

"Damn, you don't have food in your fridge" he rummages through your cupboards now.

"I didn't think you'd take my 'stop eating' jokes serious"

Jokes, you chuckle not amused by that.

"Please stop going through my house" you say sternly.

He rejoices when he finds the packet of ramen you you didn't even know existed. You hope it's expired as you see him start to prepare them. You hate how he always tries to make things about him or how he feels entitled to everything, it doesn't surprise you though it's always been this way. Hes always been like this, towards you atleast.

When you were in the Police Academy together and you'd get praised he'd always find a way to make you feel invalid. He'd always hide behind saying it's a joke but you definitely knew that those weren't jokes.

"What happened to you" you say pointing at his bruises and cuts. Your tone is more of a I don't care but I just wanna know type.

"Bar fight" he says too quickly to be the truth, you try to analyze his face. You're not sure if he's being honest but his coming here seems a bit off to you but don't want to question him just yet.

"But what are you doing here, haven't seen you in a while you just appear at my door in the middle of the night while it's raining." You decide to finally ask after a while.

"So you missed me?" He smirks and you roll your eyes at him. Where in your sentence did he get that from. The thought of missing him disgusts you.

"I never said that, you're changing the topic" you cross your arms over your chest trying not to feel intimidated by his god-like build.

"I can't tell you why I'm here but just know I'll be out in 4 days"

______________________________

"We haven't seen you in a while so we came to visit you" your friend Soni says after you ask what she and jinsyu, your other friend, are doing here. You didn't expect them to come over but it makes sense since you told them you had a free day today. But you still wish they had called. So you could hide jungkook.

"We were worried about you" jinsyu says as they walk into your home behind you.

It's their first time being in your house, so they look around in amusement. "oooh this is a really cute place" jinsyu says touching everything she sees.

You're place is nothing fancy, in your opinion it's kinda dull and boring cause of its multiple use of whites, nudes and greys. But you kinda liked it like this, simple and modern.

"Can we go upstairs" Soni says already rushing upstairs and jinsyu following behind her. You didn't even have a chance to give them permission, you didn't mind though. You follow behind them to keep them in check. It's almost like you're the mother of these two.

You don't know where jungkook is and the last thing you want is for your friends to see him. You know that if they see him they'll never let you hear the end of it. They would start calling him your lil'boyfriend when the last thing you want is jungkook as your boyfriend.

Your friends didn't know jungkook, cause you met him whilst training. Soni is a creative director at some fashion store while jinsyu is a training Doctor.

You follow behind them and watch them as they look around your bedroom. You lose focus on jinsyu and she sneaks into your bathroom. You're focused on something else when you hear jinsyu.

"What are these" you hear her exclaim. So you and Soni follow where she is. Immediately you catch sight of what jinsyu is exclaiming about.

And laying there on top of your laundry basket is a pair of grey boxers with Calvin klein on the band, jungkook's boxers.

You immediately rush over to flip the lid of the basket and drop them inside without touching them. You can feel Jinsyu and Soni's eyes on you . And their cheeky and mocking grins too.

"It's not what yo-" you begin when you're interrupted by your friend's squeals.

"Y/n, why didn't you tell us you're seeing someone." soni says smiling from ear to ear.

"That's cause I'm not" you defend yourself.

"Lies" jinsyu follows up.

Your friends barely see you with guys, so they get really excited by the mere thought of you being in a relationship or even talking to a guy.

"I think we should go downstairs now" you say dragging them out of the bathroom ignoring all their little comments and nags.

This makes everything more stressful for you because you don't know where jungkook is. You really don't want your friends to see. You hope he's fallen into a ditch or something wherever he is.

You walk downstairs not noticing the shirtless man in black shorts in the kitchen making himself a sandwich.

"Oh" you hear your friends say and pull your eyes to what's got there attention.

"Is that him" soni says grining widely at jungkook, his muscles contract and relax as he chops up the cucumber. He seems so focused on such a simple job. You're friends watch intensely almost drooling at the mouth.

"Where the heck were you?" You ask hushed approaching jungkook.

Jungkook ignores you and looks over at your friends who walk into the kitchen behind you watching you two interact.

" you should have told me your friends were coming over I would have put on a shirt" he says jokingly but not really talking to you. You know that even if he knew he'd still not wear a shirt.

"That's not-that's not a problem" Soni says and jinsyu bumps her with her elbow.

"you have a boyfriend" jinsyu whispers to Soni and she shrugs her away.

"not one built like that."

"So you're the one keeping y/n from us?" Jinsyu says while soni still drools over jungkook. Her tone is very playful.

"You two are like dating?" Soni says finally out of her trance.

"NO" You and jungkook say like it's the worst thing that could happen in the world.

"He'll no, but she wishes that though." He turns to are you mocking you with an eyebrow raise as he finishes making his sandwich.

"Fuck off, i'd rather die" your eyes are still locked into each other as you say this, he smirks at you probably mockingly. Definitely mocking you.

"I'll leave you ladies alone now" he picks up his plate and eyeing you one more time leaves. Your friends eye him as he leaves to go back outside.

You hated when he stared at you like that it always made you feel small and tiny.

_______________________________

For the past 3 days jungkook has been sleeping on your couch. Your house did have a spare bedroom but it wasn't furnished because you never expected to have visitors, you moved in recently.

"I'd appreciate it if you got off my bed" jungkook says to you who's seated on the couch watching your show.

"I wanna sleep" he adds as he throws the pillow and blanket you gave to him on the couch.

"In my house?" You state reminding him who the house belongs to.

He stands there just watching you as you ignore him for your show.

"Why didn't you run to your own house" you mumble with no care in the world as you rest your head against your palm.

"Last time I remember you had a house when you worked at the station." You continue to spit out like the words are fire on your tongue.

Your comment causes jungkook's jaw to clench and smile to drop. You don't notice but his body and muscles tense up thinking about what you just said.

You slowly turn your head to look at a tensed up and uneasy looking jungkook. It was a blow to the gut you suppose, and that causes you to smile at him happy you could cause him such discomfort.

The jungkook you know would have spit out a comeback seconds after your comment. You begin to feel a little bad due to the way he seems to linger on your comment and the silence that consumes you.

You want to speak but he speaks before you "I lost the house"

You don't know how he lost it so you don't conclude on how to feel but that doesn't stop you from feeling kinda bad. When did this happen? For how long?.

For a moment you forget the jungkook that used to always have something to say about you as his character falters.

Your thoughts are brought to a halt as you hear a knock at your door. You get up quickly to answer the door and to avoid the tension in the room.

Jungkook doesn't bother going to the door, it's your house isn't it. But you notice the worried look on his face when he hears the knock on the door he almost looks like a deer caught in headlights.

When you open the door you see the familiar face of your neighbor, yoongi, his long dark hair up in a man bun. He wore his hair like this often when he got back from work or when he's chilling at home.

You hate to say it but you're noticed this when he takes out his trash and you see him through your window, like a creep. It honestly became a habit to wait for him to take out his trash and watch his shiny black hair bounce in its bun and the loose strands brush against the back of his neck.

One day as you were carrying out your usual, he turns to face your window and it felt like you made eye contact. But you doubt that he saw you. Maybe he saw your curtain move. If he did see you he sure thinks you're a creep but by the way he greets you sometimes you doubt he saw you, or maybe he doesn't mind that you're watching him. Maybe it flatters him.

"Oh hi yoongi. What are you doing here?" You ask fiddling with the zipper of your jersey as you look at yoongi, he's in his usual 'I'm at home look'. A black T-shirt and navy blue shorts which off his smooth and pale legs.

He stands with the box of brownies in his hands.

He reciprocates the greeting and adjusts the box in his hands.

"I brought you this box of brownies I made" he stretches the box and you gladly take it analyzing the box cautiously and happily.

"I've been trying to bake a needed a woman's opinion"

He's confident and clear as he says this not faltering one bit, yoongi's aura always makes you feel somewhat vulnerable and relaxed like you could just let go and be yourself. He still had you on your toes though.

You've only had two serious interactions with yoongi and the rest were just hellos. But from those interactions you've come to the conclusion of how yoongi would be as a boyfriend.

You hum "I'll definitely try them and let-"

The sound of a plate falling gets you and yoongi's attention and shortly afterwards a small 'sorry' follows.

Even if it's small and soft yoongi can definitely notice that it's a man's voice. You slap yourself mentally as yoongi turns to look at you.

"Didn't know you had someone over" he chuckles not intimidated one bit and not trying to interrogate or make you feel bad about it.

"it's just a friend" you release a nervous laugh and yoongi simply notes not pressing it any longer.

"Anyways thanks for bringing these over I'll let you know what I think of them after I've had them."

"Alright I'll be waiting" yoongi says still wondering about the man in your house.

You share your goodbyes and you stand there watching yoongi walk away. You try and collect your thoughts before you go in there and cuss jungkook out.

__________________________

Prev | next

[shallyne]

The Diary of Feyre Archeron Ch 9

(Romantically)

Chapter nine! So exciting! Some relief from the insanity of the past chapters. I hope you enjoy! Full Fic on AO3

Words: 1.1k

June 15th

Dear Diary, 

I still haven't burnt it. I will, I need to. I do, I know. I will. Soon. 

Although, the worst of the cases for Amarantha, Tamlin and Rhysand's father is over. It's been a hectic few months but we managed.

I have started therapy, too. It's been ROUGH but absolutely necessary. I'm glad Elain and Nesta pushed me into this direction, it's…I don't know how to explain it. I just feel so grateful for my sisters. We definitely had a rocky road and a fair share of fights over the years but when we needed it, we were there for each other, through our worst times. 

Since the accident, that's what I'm calling it now, Rhys and I have not spent one day apart. If it's work or just hanging out, he is there. Another wonder of the past months that I am infinitely grateful for. I have missed him a lot. I forgot how much of a rock he was for me. 

Something is definitely different between us now, though, but I am not mad about it. We became adults. He is some kind of criminal mastermind now (can you believe I say that casually? I would have RAN nine years ago!!) and I, well, I don't know what I am but I will find out. It's going forward, in baby steps. But baby steps are still steps! 

June 18th

The nightmares were bad again last night. After turning and tossing after an especially nasty one I called Rhys in the middle of the night. He actually picked up. That's insane, he should have been asleep. What did he even do at 3am? He refused to tell me. Not because he doesn't trust me but because he wants to focus on me. His words. It's kind of cute, right? 

I asked him to tell me about constellations because he LOVES astronomy, he's always getting super nerdy about it. 

For a moment I imagined him polishing his gun while telling me all about Orion and I kind of, I don't know, it was very attractive. It shouldn't be, right? That's wrong. That's SO wrong. 

I shouldn't get wet at the thought of him doing crimes. 

But I do. 

I should feel bad about it. 

But I don't.  

Haters can die mad about it. A wise woman once said “Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate”

Anyways, I'm going to meet Rhys in an hour, I have to go now. 

June 19th

Nesta said Rhys and I are going on dates. Romantically. That's so not true! We are not going on dates. Romantically. I'd KNOW if we were going on dates. Romantically. This is absurd! And Elain agreed with my sister!! We never gave any signs that we would even date. He kisses my forehead to calm me down, nothing romantic about it. I enjoy it, yes, but that's a ME problem. And we only hold hands to not lose each other in crowds or to keep my hand warm. I get cold hands easily, even in summer. And we hug frequently but that's what friends do. They hug. People hug all the time. 

Nesta just gave me the Sure, Jan look and went back to reading her book while Elain stayed silent. 

Fine, if they want to think we are going on dates (romantically) then I can't stop them but this is not the truth! 

Rhys will also think it's ridiculous when I tell him over dinner later. 

Anyways, I can't decide if I should put on my wine red lipstick or my crimson lipstick. I'll decide on a whim when I'm done curling my hair. 

June 20th

What. Is. Happening. 

I

I don't know what is happening. 

Something is happening. 

Something GREAT is happening. Something amazing and equally terrifying. Oh god, it's definitely happening. I don't know what's happening. No, I know. I know what is happening but I just can't believe it. Maybe I'm still in that coffin and I am about to die and this is just a daydream and–

God no we're not going down that route. I definitely have to talk about this in therapy. But I digress. 

Okay, so, Rhys and I met for dinner yesterday and I told him about my argument with Nesta about her saying we go on dates (romantically) and he got that weird look, like, I was so sure he was about to agree with me that it's ridiculous. Spoiler, he didn't. He agreed with NESTA. He thought, well no, he hoped we were going on dates (romantically). I was flabbergasted. Absolutely shocked. I think I freezed for a moment, I'm not sure. Why was so sure about these dates not being romantic? I don't even know! I wore the sluttiest lipstick I have, that I bought for our dates. I'm so blind, oh my god. 

Anyways, he asked me if we are dating. I said yes. I cried. In the middle of the fanciest restaurant in velaris. I am dating Rhysand. This feels like a dream. And we kissed! I swear this was the most swoon-worthy kiss EVER. I'm blushing just thinking about it, I feel like a damn teenager. 

But, Rhys and I are only dating for now. I am not ready to throw myself into anything just yet and Rhys was, of course, respectful of my boundaries. We didn't have sex yet, either. I thought about it but I couldn't. Not yet. He said he's waiting as long as it takes. 

It was the perfect evening. 

June 28th

I just came from therapy and I have to write this. There is something I have to do and I will do it tomorrow. I am nervous. So god damn nervous about it but it's time. I feel ready, finally. So, it is time and I will do it no matter how hard. I will also ask Rhys to come with me, my therapist said I should take someone with me that I trust and I trust Rhys. With my whole life. I want him to be with me when I do this step and if I'm being honest, I need him to be with me. 

There is this quarter in Velaris, a quarter I never stepped foot into because I couldn't. There were times when I stood close but turned around, I never was quite ready. It's called the Rainbow, it's the Artist's quarter of the city, which Velaris is actually quite famous for. There's all kinds of arts strewn throughout the whole quarter, everyone finds their place there and there is also an art school people dream of attending, it's quite famous. 

I never took a look at it, or anything. But I want to. So badly. 

And I will. 

Tomorrow.

With Rhys. (I hope) 

Feysand Taglist:

@captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship @starfall-spirit @rhysiedarling @corcracrow @sydney-fae25 @tothestarsandwhateverend @aayo-whatt @dreamlandreader

[coffeandmidnights]

NOBODY'S SOLDIER: Ch 4: Spill the guts

also on ao3

Sayu sat on one of the chairs, while Hide positioned in front of her. He sighed, hesitant about how to start. The buzzing of his mind from before suddenly fell quiet, disappearing into the mist.

"You can start by telling me something about yourself." Sayu proposed, waiting patiently for him.

"Well, like the tradition here, I'm the son of a dead investigator." He laughed, but Sayu didn't give in to the joke, crossing her legs in silence.

"I...I thought that by following his footsteps I could've changed things. I was so sure and Kaneki believed it too. " The smile faded and his voice fell sullen.

"Who is Kaneki?" Sayu asked, leaning curiously towards him.

"He is...was my best friend." He sighed, then retorted: "No, he still is. It's just that he no longer knows it."

"What do you mean?"

Hide looked around, feeling observed all of a sudden.

"I'm sure you’ve heard about the Quinx. Their leader, Haise Sasaki, didn’t always have that name. He used to be Ken Kaneki. A terrible experiment turned him into a ghoul, and..." Hide stopped, brought back to the first time he saw Kanou, the terrible unease he felt. "I knew something was wrong, I knew he was changing. I only wanted to help him, all I ever wanted was to help. But the more I tried to reach him, the more he slipped away like he was being swallowed by something, becoming a ghost. I couldn't fathom where he was or everything that had happened to him, and I couldn't do anything." Another silence hung in the air, while Hide was caught up in the memories. The months spent following the steps of his friend, the web of lies he fell into and how he just wanted to talk to Kaneki, telling him everything was fine.

"The last time I saw him..." Hide rolled up his sleeve, showing the metallic arm to Sayu, who stared at it like an alien object.

"Did he attack you?" Sayu whispered, her voice filled with a mix of shock and disbelief.

"That's what everyone thinks. They think I'm afraid of him, but I never was." He bit his lip, preparing for the bomb he was about to cast. "I asked him to eat me." Sayu didn't answer and, for the first time during the session, she lowered her eyes. Hide stood silent, waiting for her to speak again.

"Why would you do that?" She inquired after some endless seconds. "He was injured, delirious." Kaneki's screams echoed in the room, and for a moment, Hide's arm shivered; "He needed me. It was the only way to help him." Sayu observed Hide as if trying to crawl inside him and understand the twisted thoughts that made him sacrifice so much.

"And now? Do you think he still needs you? After all, he’s an investigator just like you now," she posed gently. "I don't know anymore. He’s safe, but he’s not himself. I keep wondering where the real Kaneki is. I wonder if I’ll ever see him again."

"Whoever he is now, does it change the fact that you want to help him?" she asked softly.

"No," he replied firmly.

"Then it would be best to find the best way to do that. Somewhere inside, your best friend is still there. He might just need support now. He may not remember your name, but the affection built over so many years doesn’t simply disappear." Hide stood silent, amazed by her immediate understanding, as if she was already in his mind.

"Well, I never thought of that. I'm afraid that if the truth comes out, we'll both be in danger."

"But if he's your friend, he won't get you in trouble."

Hide let those words sink into his heart, pondering on them. She was right: he spent so many years trying to help his friend, and no fake identity or warnings from Akira could change that.

He got up, dazed by the conversation and she did the same. "I guess it's enough for today. But I wish you'd come again. We have a lot to discuss."

"That's enough for today." Ordered Haise, while Mutsuki got up from the plastic training mat. Saiko, near to him, was instead face down on the floor, sighing and whining.

"Saiko, come on. I'll cook something tonight." smiled Haise and she stood up in a second, the fatigue of the training already gone.

The rest of the Quinx squad followed him to the kitchen, impatiently waiting for the delicious meal. "Where is Urie? I thought he would be back for dinner." Shirazu shrugged. "That brat wants to train alone. We shouldn't wait for him." Haise didn't answer, focusing on the meal, and Mutsuki added "He wants to be prepared for the case. It's something big, and he wants to impress the other squads."

"Speaking of which" Shirazu grinned, leaning on the kitchen counter. "What's with Nagachika? Everyone gives him special treatment like they feel guilty for something."

"Did you really know him before?" Mutsuki mumbled. Haise crossed his arms and scoffed, "As you've seen, Nagachika sacrificed much for this job. Whatever his past holds is none of our business. He's a brilliant investigator and that's all that matters." The room fell silent for a few seconds until Saiko broke it with a squeaky voice "Why are you angry, Maman?" Haise now realised how stiff and harsh he said those words and flashed a kind smile. "I don't want to talk about work right now. Set the table, dinner is almost ready!"

He turned to the pot, stirring the food with too much strength: it wasn't anger like Saiko said, but more like fear: Hideyoshi Nagachika felt both like an old friend and an explosive menace. There was something about him, a bittersweet memory locked somewhere, too secret and precious to be touched and yet, dangerous enough to be scared of. Something broken and still hopeful sealed into that prosthesis.

Who are you, Hideyoshi? What have I done to you?

[miikishii]

To Hold the Sea | Ch. 7

main masterlist

series masterpost | previous chapter | next chapter

synopsis: conflict(ing feelings)

warnings: angst and fights!! yay!!

When you wake up, the night comes back to you in a blur. You can’t recall many details, but you know you’re not in your own apartment. When you roll over and see Ango, seemingly about to wake up, your heart drops. You shouldn’t be here. You’re disappointed in yourself, but yet, somehow, you’re glad to have fallen into his care and no one else’s. You sigh heavily and by now he’s opened his eyes. 

“What am I doing here?” 

“You were drunk last night. You called me to pick you up on the side of the road… You didn’t want to go back home so I let you stay. Nothing happened.”

“Why am I sleeping in your bed?” You give him an aggravated look,

“You asked me to! I didn’t-” he purses his lips as he pauses, “I didn’t want to leave you alone. You really should quit drinking. At least for now.” His sternness takes you by surprise. You take a deep breath to calm yourself. 

“I can handle myself, thanks.” You make an effort to be cold. Truth be told you’re not upset with him for helping, you’re upset with yourself. You wish you could stamp out the part of you that wants him back. You wish you didn’t have to feel so guilty for still finding comfort in him.

“You know I’m just trying to help. I don’t jump at every opportunity to worm my way into your life. I know my place.” His voice is angrier than before. The stern tone it took on is less intent on scolding you, it aims now to convey his hurt. 

“I know,” your voice is firm, “ I don’t need your disapproval-” he cuts you off quickly,

“It’s not just disapproval, it’s concern! I’m worried about you, I’m worried about Dazai too! Just because you don’t want me to doesn’t mean I’ll stop caring about either of you!” His voice cracks under the pressure of his words. He’s upset. He’s angry. He’s hurt. You feel guilty.

“I just want you to stay out of it, okay?”

“Stay out of it? When you’re the one who called me? The two of you can’t rely on each other, I know that! You both have such a tendency to let yourselves go it’s-”

“I was drunk! I shouldn’t have called! But what can I do, hm? I can’t take it back now, Ango.”

“I’m not asking you to take it back! I just- God- I want you to accept my help! We both know you need it!” You look away dejectedly, but he doesn’t back down, “I can’t just let you destroy yourselves… we both know it’s not what he would’ve wanted.”

“You don’t get to say that,” You bark, your vision growing blurry with tears, “you don’t get to say that.” Ango lets the silence sit. The weight of the room pushes down on him. He looks down at the sheets piled up in his lap, a blank but regretful stare stuck on his face.

“I’m sorry,” he finally says, “I never wanted it to happen. It was too late to stop it when I’d finally figured it out, you know it was Mori’s doing.” Silence sits between you again. After a few moments, you get up to gather your things and leave. 

“Please, wait!” he untangles himself clumsily from the sheets, trying to catch up to you. You just continue down his hallway, when he walks up behind you, he reaches out to grab your shoulder but stops before it touches you. You turn around and face him. He readies himself to hear something he figures he won’t like but, instead, you wait for him to speak,

“Please, just take care of yourselves. I’m just a call away.”

Ango watches as you turn around, staring longingly at your back. Tears well in his eyes just as they did the night you split. For a while, he stares at the spot in his living room where you stood, unmoving. It is the last memory he’ll have of you for quite some time.

note: sorry this one's so short! I'll prob post the next pretty soon :p

[babybatscreationsv2]

Marked ch 4

Marvel | Starker

When Tony's soul marks first appeared he was afraid he wouldn't be good enough for his soulmate. When Peter's marks appeared he was afraid of what the blood and bruises meant. Now they're left dealing with the consequences of a dangerous lifestyle and a lot of distrust.

Warnings: violence, murder

It felt weird inviting the man into his apartment. He was a complete stranger and yet sitting across from him felt like the most natural thing in the world. Their souls really did know each other. Peter was nervous, sure, but it felt right to be here with him. Yet, it felt so strange. Truth be told, he didn't know how he felt. He felt too many things all at once.

Peter looked at Tony from across the coffee table. He looked so out of place on his faded second hand couch. Him and Ned had gotten it off of Craigslist. Same with most of the other furniture here. The stained coffee table between them held a stunning bouquet of flowers. Nothing about the scene added up in Peter's head.

"How did you find me?" He asked. His voice interrupted the silence, but it did nothing to dissolve the tension.

"It's what I do," he answered plainly. Peter could see how guarded he was. Even his voice was masked. Just the way he sat as if claiming the couch, leaning casually against the arm, it was all calculated to give a certain impression.

"You find people?" Peter raised his eyebrows. "What are you, a detective?"

Tony smiled. "Not exactly."

Peter took a breath. He clasped his hands together. "Everyone thinks you're trouble. Ned and Mr. Octavius. I don't even dare show my aunt the bruises."

"I'm sorry about that. I'll try not to get punched in the face next time." He smiled apologetically.

"Did someone attack you?"

"Would that bother you?" His voice remained measured but Peter caught the excitement in his eyes. Still, he didn't know this man and he wasn't going to be talked in circles.

Peter scowled. "Has anyone ever told you that it's rude to answer a question with a question?"

Tony smirked. "It's a good way to get answers though isn't it?"

"And I suppose you're in the business of getting answers, too?"

"Now you're getting closer."

Peter ran his palm down his thigh. He hoped he wasn't visibly sweating. They weren't getting anywhere and if anything the tension felt worse. "Yeah, it would bother me. Just like it bothers me when they all tell me you're trouble. But that's crazy because I don't even know you."

Tony sat back. "I feel the same way. Only I know a lot about you and I guess that's not really fair is it?"

"No, it's not."

His mouth twitched like he might smile again. He was an awfully smiley person for someone covered in scars. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Why don't we start smaller scale?"

"What do you do for work?"

"Something else."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Fine. Where do you live?"

"Manhattan," he answered too simply.

Peter narrowed his eyes.

"I have a condo," he relented. "I've lived there about six years, it's a fairly new building. Of course I move around a lot anyway."

"For work?"

"You're not ready to know what my job is, Peter." The first real frown crossed his face.

"You're an assassin?" He said it like he was teasing, but he half meant it.

Tony leaned forward. His expression was firm, serious, urging Peter to take him in. "I'm never going to lie to you. So I need you to stop asking for now."

Peter sat back in his chair. "So they're all right about you then. You're not a champion boxer."

Tony laughed. "Is that what you thought?"

"It's what I wanted to believe, but I'm not stupid. I wanted to believe it was paint on my hands, but I know blood when I see it. And you're covered in a lot of it sometimes."

"You know a lot about blood, do you?"

"I fall down a lot."

"Is that how you got that scar on your knee?"

He nodded. "Tired to jump a staircase." He grimaced.

"Why?" Tony laughed.

Peter shrugged. "One of my friends said I couldn't. Guess he was right."

"Sounds like you need better friends."

"Do you have many friends?"

Tony thought for a moment. "Not many, but the ones I keep are loyal."

Peter huffed a laugh and shook his head. "Everything you say is so ominous."

He smiled softly. "I'm not making a very good first impression."

"No, it is good. You seem like someone who doesn't usually get nervous." But he was nervous about talking to Peter and nothing could be more flattering.

Tony just looked at him. He looked as if Peter had seen into his soul. Maybe he had. Maybe that was how all of this worked. He wanted Tony to see him, too.

"Let me take you out."

"Like a hit?" Peter drew back in mock surprise. "I was right!"

Tony smiled. "I'll pick you up tomorrow after work. We'll have dinner."

Peter crossed his arms. "Will we?"

Tony held out his hand in appeasement. "Excuse me. Would you please join me for dinner tomorrow?"

Peter smiled. "I would be honored, Tony."

----------

He had to make the right impression. Something impressive, something honest, something Peter would enjoy. He was used to simple things. That didn't mean he wouldn't enjoy a grand gesture. Besides, Tony liked expensive things. Dressing down and taking the guy out for a cheese burger wasn't his regular type of outing. Not if he was looking to have a good time.

He put on a suit, but left the tie behind as a compromise. The restaurant he'd made their reservation at didn't require them, but he was certain it was still a nice place. Definitely outside of Peter's budget. He had to admit it was thrilling to know he had the honor of treating his soulmate to all the things he'd been missing in life. Fancy food, expensive clothes, he'd give him everything. But he had to do it right. Desperate wasn't a good look on anyone. Or was it? Maybe Peter was into that. Damn, he hadn't been so nervous since he had to tell his dad that he crashed the Ferrari. At least this was guaranteed to have a better outcome. They were soulmates after all. He'd never seen soulmates that didn't work out in the end.

Tony took a last look in the mirror. The sight of his aging face made him hesitate. Peter was giving up a lot by choosing an old man. What could they possibly have in common with an almost 30 year age gap? Yikes. He sighed. His head fell forward, hanging down between his shoulders.

On his forearm little black lines began to appear. They swirled around and twisted into the shape of a rose. Then a sunflower. He couldn't help but smile. Who was he to decide for Peter that he wasn't good enough? He was happy. He was excited for their date. That much was clear. So, what the hell?

He took the elevator down to the garage. Steve and Bucky were hanging out, two of the few allowed anywhere near his home.

"Good luck, tonight," Steve called.

"I look alright?" Tony did a turn before he passed them.

Bucky looked at his watch. "You got time to change?"

"Watch it, Barnes."

"You look great, Tones. Go get him," Steve called. "Just don't lay it on too thick. You'll scare him off."

"Glad you're both so supportive," he scoffed.

"Happy to help, boss."

Tony climbed into the car and started the engine. He wrapped his hands around the wheel giving himself a moment to relax. It was practically a done deal yet the anxiety wouldn't leave him. He'd dreamed about having a soulmate once and he'd given up on it. He couldn't mess this up.

He left early. Maybe too early. Peter wasn't outside yet when he pulled up in front of rec center. A few kids were wandering out the door. He hoped Peter wasn't far behind. He found a spot to park on the street and sat with his leg bouncing impatiently. The awkward phase couldn't last forever, right? He couldn't believe he was nervous, but then again when was the last time he actually wanted to impress someone?

When Peter came outside, Tony's heart skipped a beat. He grabbed the handle of the car door and stepped out. Peter smiled when he saw him. He had a gym bag on one shoulder and his hair was damp. The outfit was barely going to make the dress code for the restaurant, but no one was going to say anything to the man on Tony Stark's arm. Still, he was gorgeous.

Tony walked around the car and met him on the sidewalk. "Ready to go?"

Peter nodded. His cheeks were blushing the prettiest pink. "You look great," he said.

"You look amazing," Tony answered. He took a step back and grabbed the door handle to open it for him. It was so sweet the way he blushed and ducked his head as he clambered into the car.

"How was work?" Tony asked as they pulled away from the curb.

"The kids wanted to play dodgeball, today." He laughed. "There's always the one kid, Grayson, who's afraid of getting hit."

Tony smiled. "Sounds like a sweet kid."

"Yeah, they're all great. Some of them have problems at school. Or at least their parents keep saying they do, but I don't see it. They're good kids."

"Maybe you bring out the best in people."

"Nah, I don't think it's me," he said, but he turned his head towards the window as if he were embarrassed. "What did you do today?"

Tony hesitated, realizing that the honest answer was wait for you to get off work. "Lots of boring phone calls."

"Must be nice to get out of the office then." He caught Peter looking at him, trying to gauge his reaction. He couldn't help but smile. He was too curious for his own good.

They pulled up to the restaurant and Peter gaped. "Here? I've never been here before."

"I thought a first date deserved something special."

"I'm not really dressed for this place. Don't they have a dress code?" He looked at the crowd walking into the building. "Everyone's wearing a tux. I can't go in like this."

"Hey, am I wearing a tux?"

Peter looked at him. "Well no, but still..."

"Trust me, alright?"

"Okay..."

Tony stepped out of the car and left the door open for the valet. The man greeted him and stood patiently to the side as another valet ran to open Peter's door. Tony offered his arm to the blushing young man. Even dressed down as he was, he was still far more beautiful than anyone else there. Even as they entered the building and walked beneath a dazzling gold and silver chandelier and over white marble embedded with gold and past a water fountain with shimmering orange and yellow fish, Peter was the most beautiful thing in the room.

The hottest spotted Tony and quickly stepped up to greet them and lead them to a table. Tony preferred the tables that were tucked against the far wall. There was a fire exit nearby if needed and they were more quiet than the tables at the center. She led them over to one before disappearing, only to be replaced by the sommelier. He'd barely spoken when Tony realized how overwhelmed Peter was.

"We'll pass on wine for now, thank you," Tony said. The man gave a small bow and hurried away. Peter visibly relaxed.

"You don't drink?" Peter asked.

"I thought you might like a moment to settle in. Someone will be by with fresh bread, they won't mind taking our drink orders."

"I'm okay, don't worry about me."

Tony reached across the table and took his hand. "You don't have to be anything you're not Peter. If this is too much for you, we can leave right now."

"No, I love it! I've just never been to a place like this before." He ducked his head a bit. It was so enticing watching him speak with his lips nervously bitten red, looking up through his lashes. He was beautiful in pictures, but in person he was enchanting. "Maybe you could order for me?" His laugh was self-deprecating. "I can barely read the menu, it's all in French."

Tony paused, debating whether or not to tell him that it was actually Italian. He looked so uncomfortable already.

"You're in good hands," Tony promised with a squeeze to his fingers. He took his hand away as the promised bread arrived. The comfort of warm bread seemed to help Peter relax. Tony led the conversation, keeping to light and easy topics. Peter talked so easily once he was relaxed and his inability to stay on topic was charming. He said every thought that came into his head and he didn't seem to know how unusual that was. No wonder everyone adored him.

They were getting their meals in front of them when Peter frowned. He was looking over Tony's shoulder.

"Do you know that guy?"

Tony turned to look. His heart caught in his throat. Fuck. That cheap suit and greasy hair. Quentin's people were here. He turned back and spared the dining room another glance. Sure enough, three more pairs of eyes were on them. Mother fucker.

He took out his phone and sent Happy a quick SOS. On the outside, he kept his expression calm. He put his hands flat on the table so they wouldn't shake.

"Peter, listen." Peter's eyes met his. He watched them wide slightly as he caught on to the grim energy surrounding them. "Remember how I can't tell you what I do for a living?"

He nodded.

"That's because it's bad. I didn't want you to think less of me before you even got the chance to know me. But I need you to trust me now. Can you do that?"

Peter glanced behind him again. "Tony what's going on?"

"Don't look at them, look at me." He paused while Peter turned his eyes back to Tony's face. "Can you trust me, Peter?"

"Of course. But what-"

"Get under the table," Tony cut him off. There was Quentin. He'd been sitting at the back of the room hidden behind a woman in a wide brimmed hat. He stood now, sharing a slimy smile with her as he walked towards their table. They were surrounded.

"What?"

"Down. Now!" Tony pulled the gun from his jacket, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He upended the table and Peter sunk down, using it to block them both in. Their backs were to the wall and either side was Quentin and his people.

Tony shot the guy at the back, the one Peter had been staring at. The first shot was good, but the panic in his heart had the second going wide as he shot at the next guy. He'd never felt like this before. Was he having a panic attack?

He looked at Peter, crouched low, trying to make himself small even though he was all gangly limbs. He wouldn't let anything happen to him. Not to him. No matter what.

Shot hit against the table and the wall behind them. Tony took a breath to slow his racing thoughts. There was a fire exit behind Quentin. He would have men at the door in case Tony got out. And a car for a quick getaway. Getting out wasn't going to work. But Tony had loyal bodies in the kitchen. That's why he came here.

He grabbed Peter's arm. Peter looked at him with terror. "Listen to me, you listening?"

Peter nodded. It worried him that the man wouldn't speak, but there wasn't time for worry.

"I'm going to draw them away. When you see an opening, run for the kitchen. Tell them Tony Stark said they're to protect you. Understand?"

He nodded again. Then he swallowed. "Yeah, okay."

"You'll be alright. I promise." It hurt to fail like this. To fuck up such an important moment. He didn't know how he was going to fix this, but he'd find a way. For now, he just had to get them both out alive.

Tony looked over the table. A shot grazed his forehead and landed in the wall behind him. He fired once at the guy left blocking the kitchen and he went down. Then he looked at Quentin. Just him and three of his men. None of Tony's had made it in yet. There must have been fighting outside.

He vaulted over the table and used the next to jump over the dividing wall that separated the back dining area from the front. A hail of bullets followed him just a hair too slow, but he swore he felt the heat of them at his back. He spared a glance to make sure they followed him, but he didn't dare look at Peter and risk reminding them that he wasn't alone.

Another shot, another one down, but he was still outnumbered. Where the fuck was Happy?

[j4c3r0s3]

MINE (Dark Bucky Barnes x reader) CH. 2

Minors DNI

Warnings: light smut (noncon), cunnilingus, yandere-ish, metal arm kink (if you squint), mention of y/n. Strong Theme (please be mindful, and don't read if this could upset you!)

Word Count: 1.3k

CHAPTER 2

Morning. You wake up staring at a cracked off-white ceiling. ‘This was just a bad dream. That’s all it was.’ No way in Hell was it just a bad dream. Your body is aching as the events of last night came back. You start to remember the previous events. You remember the chains, the knife, the fear, Bucky. You start to shake uncontrollably as your body is now wrecked. Was it even last night, you can’t remember. Everything is different. The room you're in and the bed you’re strapped to, is all new. ‘How long has he been planning this?’ You ask yourself. You turn your head ever so slightly and see your phone. ‘Did he forget my phone? Or is it a trap?’ You struggle to reach over, after some amount of tugging against the restraints, not even caring about the fresh red marks on your wrist. You managed to grab the phone and unlock it. Seeing worrisome messages from Steve, asking where you went. Before you could do anything the door opened.

“I see you've found your phone. I wanted to make this an enjoyable experience.” Bucky says in an amusing tone. His hand slowly traces up your leg and snatches the phone outta your left hand. You’re frozen in fear. “You’re trying to ask for help? No one knows where you are. No one cares where you are. Except me.”

“Steve cares.” Your voice is quivering and raspy.

“Steve? He isn’t worried about you.” Bucky smirks. “He is a fool. He doesn’t know anything.” Bucky's metal hand effortlessly shatters your phone to pieces. “I'll be the only contact you have now. No one will come and save you, dear. You just have to accept the fact that I will be the one to take care of you now. I will be the only one to love you now. You’ll come around.”

“I will never love you!” You scream out not caring about the toll it's taking on your already damaged vocal cords.

“Shhh, shh, baby. You will learn to love me. I will make sure of it.” His tone started to sound sick and twisted once again. His eyes trail up your nude frame. You knew what he was about to do. “All I wanted you to do was give in to your lust for me. I know it’s there.” He bites his bottom lip. “You are mine and there is nothing you can do about it. Accept it. Your body belongs to me.”

“No! Do you even know how sick you sound right now? You raped me. You kidnapped me. I want to kill you!” Your voice is raw and strained.

“That is only what you think happened. But think about it. Look deep within yourself and find the truth. You didn't fight back. In fact, you even enjoyed it. Y/N, I know you want me as much as I want you.”

“Didn’t fight back? I couldn't! You restrained me, and gagged me!”

“Shh, darling. Do you see the way I caress your face? The way I look at you with lustful eyes? I want you. I want you so badly. Bucky leans down, places his lips against your neck. “Please allow me to make love to you again. You deserve another chance. I know you liked it.”

“No! No, I hated it and I hate you!” The anger subsiding in you and the fear resurfacing once again as Bucky says.

“That’s okay, darling. I don’t care if you hated it. We both know you enjoyed it. And we will have sex again.” He moves to place a pillow under your head and another under your back. His fingers start tracing down your body. Stopping to pinch and twist your nipples ever so lightly, causing a whimper to escape your lips. They continue to trail down reaching your womanhood. The glint in his eyes and the lice of his lips, told you he was hungry, and you… well you were his feast. “We are going to be together, forever.”

The tears brimmed and burst down your cheeks. “Please… please don’t do this again. Let me go and I won't tell anyone. Not even Steve. We can pretend as if this didn’t happen.”

His sickening laugh. “Do you really believe that I am going to let you go? No. You belong to me.” His tone shifted to something wicked. “Give in to the inevitable. You know you can’t stop yourself from wanting me.” He leans in once again sucking and biting at your pulse point, on your neck. Making sure to cover more of your body in his new artwork. His teeth graze and bite your nipple, sending a small scream from your dry mouth. He switches after a moment giving attention to the next nipple. He kisses your torso, saving the best meal for last. He is face lined with your cunt, he looked up to you and smirked. “Do you smell that? Your body is starting to want me again.” He holds up his metal arm, running a finger through your slit. Thinking that maybe he might… never mind… there is always next time. Instead his tongue latches onto your pink bud. Licking, sucking, teething on your sensitive bud, sending sensations through your entire body. You hate every single minute of it, you hate how your body easily betrays itself. But Bucky wasn’t finished. He pulled away, and your body ached. It was so close to releasing the tension inside you, and he knew that. He blew cold air onto your pulsing bud. His tongue then dipped down, plunging right into your core. Tongue fucking you. You didn’t even have time to think, before you released your juices all over his face. Bucky, licked his face, and lapped up the cream still spilling from your entrance.

“And you say you don’t want me?” His dark chuckle comes out as he moves on top of you. Forcibly kissing you. You can taste yourself on his lips. It makes your insides twist, wanting to repulsively vomit. “I know you’ve been thinking about me. I’ve been on your mind since that first day we met.” He roughly grabs your hair with his flesh hand, while his metal one grabs your chin forcing your mouth open. Bucky starts kissing you sloppily and protruding his tongue into your mouth. He pulls back. “Your body has already admitted it to me.” He whispers against your ear, nibbling on, ever so lightly.

Bucky climbs off of you, stripping himself of his clothing. He tries to be more considerate this time. Lubing his length. He climbs back on top of you, lining his dick up with your entrance. He eases in better this time than the last. You cry, scream, and try to fight him off of you. Only hurting your chained wrist and legs in the process. Salty tears ebbing down your face. After some time his thrust becomes sloppy and erratic, he’s close, as well as you. Before you coil snaps, he finishes. Pulling out and forcibly opening your mouth once again, cumming inside it. He holds your mouth shut until you swallow the cum. Bucky's face is right back at your cunt. Wanting to bring you over the edge again with his own tongue. Wanting to taste every drop of your sweet and salty release. You’re debilitated. Bruises, bite marks, plus tiny cuts around your wrist and ankles from pulling too hard at the chains. You think to yourself. ‘Death. Sweet death would be better.’ You eventually pass out. Time becomes a concept that sounds so foreign to you.

[tealenko]

WIP -Sleep Cycle

I haven't written anything in a month, I wake up today and boom: a whole chapter.

To be fair, I've been reading a lot (someone help me for I'm in the Queen's Gambit vortex once again T-T) so... I've been inspired to write... But not my usual stuff soooooooo...

Here's a wip of the first chapter of my post-post-ME3 fic lol (it's in that point where calling this a wip is a strech... But I still have to revise it for mistakes so, technically, it's still a work in progress)

I think @sillyliterature tagged me for a wip (among many things, which I'm doing btw... love to do them, I just lack the time sometimes XDDD) And as always, thanks a lot for the tag <3 <3 <3

Okay, I'll shut up now XDDDDDDDDDDDD

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

Through Hell and Back series -> [link] A Chance at a Happy Ending - Ch.1 Sleep Cycle (WIP)

All her body aches.

That’s usually a literary sentence used as a hiperbole to get quickly to the point of view that an author wants to convey. 

Nevertheless, in this case it’s not only true, but it’s also been true for many years now.

No matter how well they resembled her after Alchera. No No matter how well they resembled her after the Citadel, after the war. The countless hours of doctors, training and therapy are only successful at keeping her alive, for it was their main objective they ever had, to keep her alive. No one stopped to think about the pain.

She turns again in her bed. And again. And again.

Every position hurts a different part of her body. 

So she turns one more time.

Carefully, of course. She’s always careful in her moments for, no matter how bad it hurts, it would be worse for her to wake up her bed companion.

Watching his sleep is even therapeutic in itself, which usually marks the position she finally chooses after hours of turning around on the right side of their bed, when the morning sun is starting to rise and there’s enough light in her room to be able to see something.

In desperation, she closes her eyes for a second, sighs and says to herself: if I’m not going to sleep… I should choose at least the better (sight).

So she turns one last time, completely ignoring the jaw dropping Vancouver sunrise that’s always featured through every window in their bedroom, and rests all her weight on the right side of her body, despite being the position that hurts her the most, and just stays there.

Frozen for what seems hours instead of minutes, staring at the man that sleeps next to her and trying her best to control her breathing.

God… He’s stupidly beautiful.

She thinks inside her head.

It’s not always that sentence, but it always conveys the same feeling. A mix of adoration and disbelief that masterfully hits her feelings without a fault.

After keeping the posture for a while, the pain starts to ease. Not because it gets better, but she starts to forget about it.

That’s another literary cliché for you. She mumbles inside her head, but that doesn’t make it less real for her.

Because, despite the fact that it is indeed an overused plot in thousands of novels and dramas, there’s no point denying the truth. 

The truth being: she loves him so much everything else disappears.

She laughs in disbelief. 

He mumbles something in his sleep, probably about her, but he keeps sleeping nonetheless.

Even after so many years, she still doesn’t believe it.

There’s always people who don't believe in true love, or just in love at all. There’s people who idealize it too much, looking for something that does not exist.

And then, there’s Mio, who always thought it existed, for she had seen it many times, but never expected she’d be able to deserve it, nor to find it.

And yet… Here we are.

She stares at Kaidan while pain fades, replaced little by little by the deep and increasing beats of her heart against her chest, by the intense breathing that fills her lungs every few seconds and by the many memories she treasures of him, flooding her mind and soul to make her forget about anything else.

The travel usually starts at the first time they met, always dedicating a second to laugh at her oblivious past self, who had no idea this is where the road was leading all along.

He blushes when I flirt…

She remembers thinking back on her first days aboard the old Normandy, before Saren and the reapers, before the council and the specters, back when her life, complicated and damaging as it was, still had a resemblance to something she could process and understand.

He’s cute when he blushes like that.

So she kept flirting with him.

And, as her life started more and more convoluted, as the few reasons she had to smile and keep going started to fade, and the weight of the entire galaxy (reacaía) on her shoulders, the flirting became first a distraction, then a routine, and later on, a trap on it own.

She cannot pinpoint exactly when her heart decided to surrender to what initially was only a pastime, but she still remembers the moment she realized her mind was no longer in control of her actions.

She can almost see it, as it was yesterday, and although she can no longer recall after which mission it was, she knows it was after a mission.

Chucked her equipment in record time, showered as fast as able and, still with her hair wet, maid it to the less lit area of the common space of the ship, where Kaidan always was, keeping himself busy with maintenance and repairs to distract himself from the many noises of the Normandy.

She liked when he stopped working right away the moment he noticed her presence, knew he was full with anticipation for the few seconds that he could spend with her outside of work, and that day wasn’t any different.

The focus of their conversation has been lost in the forest of her memories for a while now, but the end of it, she knows, is scorched to her soul in a way that will be impossible to forget.

Kaidan smiled at her, and she lost track of everything. It wasn’t the first time he used that power against her, but it was the first time she noticed. And, just like she does now as he sleeps, he found herself staring at him for a few seconds, before she was able to excuse herself and walk away.

Didn’t make it too far though.

In retrospect, she should have gone to her quarters, but to be fair, she wasn’t able to think that much at the moment. So she just got as far as possible, to the stairs that led to the main deck and, before losing control from her own mind, she made sure that she was alone.

And just like that, she realized. But how couldn’t she.

Her breathing had never been so intense, her heart had never beat so far and, to be honest with herself, the only reason her legs hadn’t failed her is because she was resting all her weight against the wall in order to avoid falling to the ground.

“What the f…”

She never finished that sentence, for she already knew what was happening, despite the fact that her mind was a few seconds behind in the process of being aware of it.

But the truth was that, after many flirts, after many smiles, her meetings with Kaidan had gone from casual to intense little by little and, what was once a routine, now was the only thing she looked up to in her entire day.

It felt good, felt right, to spend time with him. And, by the time she realized she could no longer call it anything as remotely as casual as mere friendship, it was already too late to run away.

That was her M.O. If you cannot kill it, run.

There’s a reason she had survived up to that date, afterall. 

Nevertheless, there she was, captured, against all odds, by her own trap.

And here she is now, lying in their bed, still mesmerized by Kaidan, even after so many years later, the same way as she was the first time.

She gets lost in her memories of him for a while.

When they met, when she walk up in the medbay and found him next to her after touching the beacon, when she realized he had fallen for her, that she had fallen for him, the night before Ilos, the way they stared at each other in between missions, when she got to see him again in Vancouver, when he came back to her crew… When he came back to her.

The confessions, the I love you, the i’m the luckiest man alive.

A tear falls as she lands in the moment when she woke up in a hospital, after the end of the war, and found him there, sleeping by her side as he does now.

Always at his side. 

Always.

And the always hits her soul, as it always does, and with all the good comes the bad to invade her mind.

The don’t leave me behind, the many moments she thought she’d lose him, the medbay of the Normandy after Mars where, this time around, they switched places so that the universe could torture her with the idea of a life where Kaidan is no longer alive. Alchera, and the look of his eyes when she ordered to leave, mortified by it till the last second as she suffocated alone in space, with the unavoidable force of the planet pulling from her.

She takes a pause, a second to breath, but her mind swifts now to different kind of torture, sinking her even more into the darkness of her memories.

Horizon.

She no longer minds the confrontation with Kaidan, no longer curses him for his words, no longer curses herself for her replies, nor for the way she broke her hand after hitting the wall in anger and anguish.

What still gets her, it’s the before.

An eternity of finding frozen people while desperately searched for him, looking in every single nook and corner not knowing what it would be worse, finding him frozen ot not finding him at all, mortified by the fact that there were her best options, praying to every deity she didn’t believe so that she wouldn’t find him dead in every corner she took and every room she entered.

The fear of losing him in Horizon tortures her to this very day, and brings along with it the pain of everyone else she’s already lost.

She closes her eyes, and begs for it to walk away.

Big mistake.

As if she was Alice, falling through the rabbit hole to Wonderland, she falls into the darkness, surrounded by her well known forest of personal memories and horrors.

The whispers, the voices, the regret. Everything in this hopeless realm joins forces to bring her back to the ground, and the many voices of those she’s lost during her life, fill the air that surrounds her without leaving spare time.

The ones she’s lost under her command at the Normandy are more prominent at the beginning, usually followed by the ones that died by her side, mostly members of her squad back in Akuze, the two friends she had for a few years after she runned away from the orphanage.

There’s a special highlight, now and then, where she hears Anderson talk to her, in a loving tone, as his voice morphs little by little to become her father’s, replaying the few memories she keeps of him before he died.

And when she thinks she can no longer hold any more pain inside of her, that’s when his voice hits her, as loud and clear as when they met on their first day as Alliance trainees, as when got drunk together, as when she surprised him on each one of his birthdays and he used all his forces to pretend he didn’t know when it was hers. 

The laughs, the mission… She, explaining to him how to shoot even better, and him teaching her the best ways to get through a written test. The way they celebrated when she finally got her high school degree, and two years later, graduated university.

His neverending yabber and the way she could be silent for days and he wouldn’t mind.

His jokes, her jokes… His kindness. His heart.

His nervousness as they were on their way to Akuze, as if his body already knew what was going to happen.

“Dee, listen… Please… Do not let me become an anchor.”

He told her, once they knew there was nothing she could do to save him, bleeding slowly into his demise as they awaited for the help that would not be there on time.

And then, as she always does, she hears the last thing he whispered before his eyelids started to become too heavy for him to keep his eyes open for much longer.

“How about a song?” 

He’d usually teased her, every week when they were on leave, from the moment he heard Anderson say that she had the voice of an angel. 

And she always refused.

Except for once.

Except that day.

With his last breath he asked her to sing and smile and, for the first time, and last, she complied and started singing.

He passed as she was mid song, with a smile on his face, and holding onto her hand. And as she noticed his grip losing all its strength, started crying, for the first time since she was little, and kept singing through her tears until the song was over.

Took a minute to breath, planted a kiss on his forehead and, she saw the message of the ship that were coming to aid her she softly said: 

“Okay.” As she sealed a promise to his late friend, and to herself, to keep moving forwards, even if it was only for him.

She wakes up abruptly as always, and the time on her clock hasn’t moved too much, which means revisiting all that suffering was for nothing.

“Okay...” She repeats now in the present, with a whisper, before taking the time to calm down. “Okay.”

Kaidan is still sleeping peacefully, as always, and she doesn’t want to disturb him and wake him up, as always. And, as always, she fails to do so.

She lasts around three seconds, before her body and heart, completely ignoring her better judgment, seek for comfort where she always finds it and, as if they have a life of their own, her arms quickly move to find Kaidan and embrace him.

Still half asleep he returns the hug, smiles a little and, as he comes back to reality, his eyes search for her, knowing what this type of waking up means half of the time.

Kaidan is not surprised to find tears on her face, for he’s seen them before and he also knows her past and knows that no one, not even Mio, could live free of pain after enduring so many horrors.

“I’m here…” He tells her, tightening the embrace even more, giving her a soft kiss on the top of her head.

She replies something incoherent and falls asleep in his arms, and now he is the one staring at her.

But Kaidan doesn’t feel pain. Not anymore.

The nightmares and regrets were left behind the moment she walked up in the hospital after the war, completely vanished, once he knew she would be okay.

Every stone in his path, every obstacle… Every loss. Everything he’s had to endure in his life had led him to her, right into her arms, and he’s well aware that he would’ve sacrificed even more without even blinking if he knew the end result was this one.

“Love you…” She whispers in her sleep,and he sighs a little as he feels his heart melting inside his chest.

“Always.” He replies, following her into a deep slumber.

[plumblossomcafe]

Ch.79: Cry From the Eleazar Hospital(1/2)

Note: I know I'm off season but for my Halloween Special that I was working on, I'm deleting them and changing it to head canons instead, I'm so sorry, I wanted to keep that short but I failed so when October comes, I'll re-do the special. Again, sorry

Paimon: Let's get some food in us, and then we'll— Whoa! Where did you come from?

Alhaitham: Well, as you can see, I am merely sitting here and reviewing what we have deduced thus far.

Paimon: You were gone for ages, and now you're suddenly sitting here musing to yourself? Where have you been, anyway?

Alhaitham: ...

Paimon: Hey, what's with the silence!

Alhaitham: You never think things through before asking questions. I'm giving you some time to make up for that.

Paimon: Huh!? Argh, Paimon's so mad! Paimon's gonna give you an ugly nickname!

Aether: Go ahead, I won't stop you.

Paimon: Uh, um... Never mind, Paimon's got nothing... There's just nothing super obvious to pick with this guy... It makes it so hard.

Alhaitham: Well, you've heard nothing to suggest I left this whole time. So clearly, I stayed in the village to investigate. Anyway. You plan to leave Aaru Village and keep searching for the truth of this matter, yes?

Paimon: Yep, we're not gonna find out anything more by staying here. So we thought that we might as well take the search elsewhere.

Alhaitham: ...

Paimon: Enough with the silent treatment!

Aether: Maybe he's giving us time to think...

Alhaitham: No, I'm just surprised that you decided to team up with him.

Cyno: Alhaitham, you haven't helped us out at all ever since we arrived at Aaru Village. Bold of you to question our choices.

Aether: That's true.

Paimon: Yeah! You're all talk!

Alhaitham: While you were investigating, I had my own work to do, which I've now finished.

Paimon: Really? Paimon doesn't believe you.

Alhaitham: To be honest, we aren't really a team, so I have no obligation to inform you of my whereabouts. Not to mention that going separate ways allowed me to find some important information that you all had missed.

Paimon: Huh? Right here in the village?

Alhaitham: Correct.

Cyno: What did you learn?

Alhaitham: I'm going to take you to someone. But before that, you need to understand where she's coming from.

Paimon: What does that mean?

Alhaitham: How do you think the residents of Aaru Village feel about what we're doing?

Aether: ...

Alhaitham: In other words, do you truly believe every single word the villagers tell us?

Aether: ...!

Paimon: You mean... some of them lied to us?

Alhaitham: Hiding the truth does not necessarily equate to lying. Again, these people have their reasons. Remember what Candace said? Most people in Aaru Village don't necessarily care which deity is in charge of Sumeru. That's because whether King Deshret or the Dendro Archon has power is of little significance to them. By contrast, the perils of their daily lives are ever-present concerns. They won't simply share everything they know with you without good reason. That's why you believed there was no further information to be found in this village.

Aether: So you're saying we can find new info from someone we've already spoken to.

Alhaitham: Glad you're following along. Among those you have talked to, there's someone who was consciously keeping you out of the loop. In fact, she's been observing your every move since you arrived. The reason being... To someone who only wants to live their life in peace, any external factors introduce unpredictability into the equation.

A flashback begins

Shani: Whaaa! Those eyes, those fierce eyes! Y—You look like a real fighter...

Cyno: Don't change the subject.

Alhaitham: It's quite obvious that she's intimidated by Cyno's authority and strength.

Shani: R—Right! You were asking about the Vil— I mean, the mad scholars.

Alhaitham: She corrected herself mid-sentence because she's aware that there are King Deshret fanatics in the village. If she sounds too friendly towards the Village Keepers, she could easily make herself the Radicals' next target.

Shani: I think it's been a few days since I last saw them? I usually go to bed pretty early, so I'm not too familiar with what goes on at night.

Alhaitham: Remember? She made a point of denying her involvement in anything that occurs at night.

Shani: But honestly, I feel quite sympathetic towards them. Even though they act a little strange, they've helped me in the past. If it weren't for them, my house would've collapsed long ago.

Flashback ends

Alhaitham: After speaking to the village chief, it became clear that the Village Keepers had protected Aaru Village at night. In other words, the young miss was very much awake during that time.

Paimon: Then why would she lie?

Alhaitham: By getting involved with an outsider, she risks drawing unwanted attention to herself. As for why she might be so wary about all this... Maybe you should ask her.

Cyno: I'll pass on this one. You said that she was afraid of me. If so, it's best if I stay out of this.

Paimon: We're on it!

Upon arriving and knocking at Shani's door

Alhaitham: Miss Shani, as we discussed earlier, I've brought someone with me.

Shani: ...Mr. Alhaitham, I'm aware of where you stand, but... How can I make sure that your friends think the same as you?

Paimon: Huh? What do you mean? We need to clarify our stance or something?

Alhaitham: Go ahead and talk to her, Aether, Paimon. You'll get the answers you want. Go on, earn her trust.

Paimon: Is it really that simple...?

Shani: Um, may I call you "Aether"?

Aether: Sure thing. Hi, Miss Shani.

Shani: Hi, Aether. I want to ask you something. Do you think the resurrection of King Deshret can truly change Sumeru for the better?

Aether: ...No.

Shani: Why's that?

Aether: Because it'll only result in conflict.

Shani: That's very similar to what Miss Candace says. I know you two are friends. That's why I'm willing to talk to you, even though I do have some reservations. Before, I wouldn't even have the courage to ask something like this. Aether, do you believe our lives will get better?

Aether: ...I can't promise anything. But I'll do the best I can.

Paimon: Yeah! We came here from another nation, so it isn't wrong of you to be wary. And... we aren't really residents of any one nation... But even so, we've met lots of people from different places, and we've always fought for what we believed in. We have friends in Sumeru, and we want to help them... That's why we decided to stay here for a while.

Shani: ... *exits her house* I... want to trust you. My apologies for posing my questions like that. To be honest, I didn't expect you to come back for more information.

Paimon: Alhaitham told us you have your reasons. It's okay, we understand!

Shani: The fact is that I'm... Only one side of my family is desert folk. I don't really fit in anywhere in Sumeru. Some believe in the Dendro Archon, while others believe in King Deshret. I don't belong to either side, and neither side would want me.

Paimon: Speaking of which, the Radicals mentioned that they despise traitors... Do they just think that anyone who's different from them is a traitor?

Shani: Yeah... Some people can be so narrow-minded when it comes to bloodline and beliefs... It makes no difference what I say or how I behave, I'll always be suspected of having ulterior motives. Slowly, I just stopped talking to people. I pretended not to hear or see anything. All I want is to live my life in peace......And then it happened. The Village Keepers who had helped me disappeared with no explanation, and I didn't dare breathe a word about it to anyone... until now.

Alhaitham: You can tell them. I'm sure he'll keep your secret.

Shani: Alright. I'll tell you what I told Alhaitham. I actually have a sharper sense of hearing than most. Sometimes... I hear strange crying sounds in the night.

Paimon: Eek! There are ghosts!?

Shani: Perhaps. I'm not sure. It's faint, but it's definitely the sound of crying. It comes from far away in the distance and always carries very raw emotion. It used to be louder and more frequent, but ever since you arrived in the village, it doesn't seem to happen as often, and when it does, it's much quieter. I have to focus really hard to make it out.

Alhaitham: I confirmed this with the guards on night duty. They also have someone with a good ear, and he's heard similar sounds at night. But because we're in the middle of a desert, he would rather believe that they are the cries of beasts than ghosts.

Aether: Could you make out where the sounds were coming from?

Shani: There's really nothing around these parts... except for an old hospital not far from the village.

Alhaitham: I think they used to use it for treating Eleazar... But it's been abandoned for years.

Aether: We need to check out that hospital.

Paimon: Yeah, let's go!

At the hospital

Paimon: Is this the place? It's in terrible shape... and there's sand everywhere.

Alhaitham: Empty and forgotten. An ideal place to hide people.

When they were about to enter the abandoned hospital, they found out how the place was filled with monsters

Paimon: Aaah, monsters! Watch out!

After defeating the enemies

Paimon: Phew... They were easier to deal with than Paimon had expected.

Aether: What were you even expecting?

Paimon: Uh... super strong bandits? Or monsters taller than buildings dropping out of the sky? Or y'know, something like that.

Alhaitham: ...

Paimon: He looks super serious... We gotta stay on our A-game, too!

Alhaitham: ...This is the one.

Alhaitham's Vision flashes, and the Dendro Monument is activated as the barrier on the hospital entrance disappears

Paimon: Aaaah!

Alhaitham: Let's go in and take a look.

They carefully search the abandoned hospital...

Paimon: Heeey! Alhaitham, we haven't found squat! Are you sure we aren't wasting our time here?

Alhaitham: Patience. Shani says she only hears the crying at night. We have time to burn. Until then... *sits down* I'm taking a break.

Paimon: And just like that, he sits down... Wait, he even brought a book to read!? What are you reading? Let Paimon see!

Alhaitham: Okay, sure.

Paimon: ... *looks at the book* Uh... Umm... "The 'natural position,' which is the positional propensity of an entity in 'natural motion,' in contrast with an object in 'forced motion'... Huh? When free from external influences, every entity... displays the tendency to follow its natural trajectory..."

Alhaitham: So, you got that?

Paimon: Paimon gives up! You keep reading your book... See ya! How is he so relaxed? Look at him, reading an impossible book in a creepy place like this.

Aether: You know, it wouldn't kill you to read a book once in a while, either.

Paimon: Hey, Paimon's yours and Y/n's Teyvat travel guide! Paimon knows plenty of useful stuff already! And anyway, it's not Paimon's fault that the books people read in Sumeru are so complicated...

Aether: Okay, okay, Paimon's the best. Maybe it's time to spread your wings and become learned.

Paimon: Hey, what good is that gonna do for you? You're acting like one of those annoying grown-ups who go around nagging people to focus on their studies!

Aether: The more you learn, the more money you can earn to support me and Y/n.

Paimon: Hey, what gives? Shouldn't you guys be the ones providing for Paimon!?

Aether: Isn't that what I'm doing now? In fact, when it comes to housework, Y/n is the one who does the work the most. We should really find a way to thank her

Paimon: Oh, right... Okay then. Um, thank you for working so hard and earning so much Mora... If it weren't for you or Y/n, Paimon would probably still be floating around in the ocean somewhere... Hehe. Thank you!

Aether: You're welcome.

Paimon: You know Paimon misses Y/n... Paimon especially misses her lullaby. It helps Paimon go to sleep or relax when she gets a nightmare

Aether: ...

As the two talked their minds drift off, they especially centered on the memory of Y/n singing her lullaby under the dark night sky illuminated by the moon and stars:

When the lilies bloom at night, when you see the stars up high. Shining for you~ hmm~

As the years start passing by, you will keep the strength you'll try, I'll watch over you. hmm~

Though the nation's people change. They'll depend on you, my brave. Feel as they do~ hmm~

Dust to dust I may remain~

May your heart find love again.

May joy find you always~

The lullaby brought them a sense of peace despite the current situation as the night time finally rolled in

Paimon: *yawn* Paimon's getting so sleepy...

Crying sounds come from the hospital

Aether: Talk ...!

Paimon: Huh? What was that sound?

Alhaitham: There it is. It's coming from that direction.

Paimon: Is the sound coming from here? Paimon's not seeing anything.

Alhaitham: ...It's from below.

Paimon: Huh?! But there's no way we can get down there!

Alhaitham: Something is off about the interior here. *opens a hatch to the basement* Hmm...

Everyone proceeds downstairs to find another barrier

Alhaitham: As I thought. There's a hidden structure.

Paimon: Whoa... It's like they tucked another hospital into this one... It looks like there are other mechanisms around here. Let's keep exploring

After exploring for a while, they found a person

Paimon: Look, there's someone over there!

Aether: We need to be careful

Paimon: Good idea, let's approach him slowly without alarming him...

Alhaitham: Wait... You're...

???: Ugh... Argh...

Paimon: He can't speak, and his eyes are unfocused... But he looks too young to be anyone's grandfather. Also, why's he the only one here?

Alhaitham: Didn't expect to see him here.

Paimon: ...You know him?

Alhaitham: He's Razak, a senior of mine at the Akademiya.

Paimon: He's a scholar, too? Is he the kind that holes up in a forest and mumbles stuff about training?

Alhaitham: No, and that's the problem. Razak was never involved in any of those things. He never trained in the forest, let alone reach Satyavada Life.

Aether: So how did he become like this?

Alhaitham: Leaving that question aside for the moment... him being here alone means that we might be too late. Looks like they've already taken everyone away. For whatever reason, they left Razak here — perhaps they simply didn't have time to come back for him. Hmm... There are drag marks on the ground. They're clearer by the doorway. Someone was forcefully drawing a cart that was loaded with something heavy.

Paimon: ...Loaded with... people?

Alhaitham: That is one possibility. It looks like they were in a hurry, as if they were afraid of being caught. In their haste, they failed to notice Razak hiding in a corner.

Razak: Aah... Ugh, uhh...

Alhaitham: The symptoms are identical. Looks like we've found "living proof."

Paimon: Huh, why do you say that?

Alhaitham: Allow me to jog your memory. Recall your time at Port Ormos. Don't you think his symptoms look familiar?

Aether: ... *recalls the memories of what occurred with Mizri* The Eremite guy who went mad!

Paimon: Oh! Now that you mention it... They're acting the same way!

Alhaitham: Correct. The Akademiya is behind all of this. It isn't difficult to deduce their rationale. First, the Akademiya spread a false rumor of King Deshret's resurrection, emphasizing the role of the Village Keepers — the mad scholars who were exiled to Aaru Village. These rumors were all the persuasion that the Radicals needed, and those based in Aaru Village leapt into action. Unbeknownst to them, of course, through rounding up the scholars, they were actually helping the Akademiya. As well as being able to exploit the Radicals for their own ends, this scheme has one further advantage to the Akademiya: All the risks and responsibilities are offloaded onto King Deshret's followers. Life for the desert-dwellers has been brutal ever since King Deshret's death all those years ago. Beneath the surface, feelings of desperation are widespread. Many would give everything they have for the prospect of something better. Anyone looking to exploit that for their own ends simply needs to make a few empty promises. Even if complications arise, people will see that those involved are all followers of King Deshret, and look for no further explanation than differences of belief. A deep-seated mistrust of the desert and everyone in it by the rest of Sumeru will make sure of that. The notion of an Akademiya plot wouldn't even cross their minds. It may seem like a simple strategy, but it is able to work wonders under Sumeru's current circumstances.

Paimon: Ohhh, that makes a lot of sense. It's in line with the village chief's theory, too! But there's still one very important question... Wasn't it the Akademiya that brought the scholars to Aaru Village in the first place? Why does it want them back now?

Alhaitham: Throughout this process, one thing has changed: the scholars' identity. First, they were "scholars." Then, they became "lunatics." After that, they were "exiles," and finally... they become "missing persons."

Aether: I see...

Alhaitham: An exile is still patently a living, breathing human being, but when someone becomes a missing person... that is brought into question. If you can't find someone, you have no way of knowing what exactly happened to them. That makes missing people an ideal resource.

Paimon: "Resource"? For what, exactly?

Alhaitham: One possibility is that the information in their brains could be extracted into Knowledge Capsules.

Paimon: Extracted... You mean Canned Knowledge comes from people's brains!?

Alhaitham: With the technology of the Sumeru Akademiya, it's entirely possible. Perhaps the process caused them great suffering, which is why they cry out in the dead of night, when no one is watching them.

Paimon: So the human brain— Nope, nuh-uh, Paimon doesn't wanna think about this...

Aether: How did you learn of this technology?

Alhaitham: I'm the Akademiya's scribe, after all. I'm familiar with their projects. Anyway, judging by Razak's state, the contents of a Divine Knowledge Capsule were extracted from his mind, but something went wrong in the process... Or perhaps, his curiosity got the better of him, and he used such a capsule for himself.

Paimon: Paimon's a little confused... Can they just use anyone's brain?

Aether: "No, that can't be right. Most of the mad scholars had made contact with the "divine consciousness" in the forest... That's what the Akademiya is after. It's also safe to assume that... this knowledge has something to do with the Fatui, The Doctor, and also The Balladeer. They're using Divine Knowledge Capsules to turn The Balladeer into a god."

Alhaitham: The look on your face tells me you've realized the answer.

Aether: The Akademiya needs people who have been exposed to the "divine consciousness."

Alhaitham: That's right. To some scholars, gaining knowledge about the gods is their entire life's pursuit. Extracting Canned Knowledge is just one of the extreme measures they turn to. However, I can't help but wonder: What do they seek to gain from divine knowledge? The Akademiya is going out of their way to look for forbidden knowledge, but what is their ultimate goal? And why do they need the blood of Y/n? I've spent quite some time trying to analyze the contents of the Divine Knowledge Capsule, but to no avail. It seems like my way of thinking is too different from theirs.

Paimon: You mean, you're not even slightly interested in getting your hands on this forbidden stuff?

Alhaitham: All scholars seek to expand the horizons of knowledge. But I'm not particularly interested in gods, so I don't share their degree of zealotry. Extracting information from people as if they were lifeless objects... If this is the direction of academic progress, then the Akademiya may as well shut its doors.

Paimon: Sounds like you're really against all this...

Alhaitham: Of course. The Akademiya's actions run contrary to their rules. Whether it be academics or knowledge, everything has its boundaries. If those lines are crossed, the rules and order that govern everything in the world will be destroyed. This matter needs to be corrected, just like fixing a typo in a book.

Paimon: Wait, didn't you step in to help because you felt sympathy for those poor people?

Alhaitham: Not to be callous, but no. My criteria are a little more restrictive than that. There is no shortage of suffering in Sumeru, and the same can be said for the rest of Teyvat as well. What do you plan to do about that? Save every last person?

Paimon: Um... Probably not... Paimon's not sure...

Aether: Your motives are more specific and personal.

Alhaitham: You can say that. Simply put, I don't blindly place my faith into strength or heroism. I do what I want. The Divine Knowledge Capsule is something I want to investigate in full. That doesn't mean I'm willing to take action for the sake of a few strangers.

Aether: "...Though he rejects the notion of greater moral responsibility, he justifies his actions because they are true to his personal motivations. Someone like him... might actually make for a better ally, but I need to be wary of him."

Paimon: Paimon's been wanting to say this for a while. There are a lot of bad guys in the Akademiya, but you're not one of them... You're their weirdo!

Alhaitham: ...You're probably right. Though I must say, I quite enjoy this feeling of being the odd one out. Uniqueness is also an asset, is it not?

Paimon: Wow, that's a great way to think about it. Paimon's really impressed! If only Miss Shani had a similar mindset, her life would definitely be a lot easier...

Alhaitham: I'm just a more likable person than her in general. There's nothing more to it than that.

Paimon: ...

Aether: Uh, so what do we do with him?

Alhaitham: He won't last long if we leave him here. Let's take him with us. We'll work out our next step after we return to Aaru Village.

At the village chief's house

Paimon: We're back!

Candace: You must be tired. You should rest and take some water.

Cyno: What's the situation?

Candace: *noticed the shaking man* Hmm? Who's this?

Alhaitham: Unfortunately, somebody who is too young to take on the role of Isak's grandfather. Nevertheless, he's one of the people we're trying to find.

Aether told everyone what they saw in the abandoned hospital and shared their current theory.

Cyno: So, at one point in time, the abandoned Eleazar hospital served as the Akademiya's site for extracting Divine Canned Knowledge.

Paimon: Yep, pretty much.

Cyno: Their plan must have been implemented at some point before we arrived at Aaru Village, since Divine Canned Knowledge has been in circulation for a while now. Yet, they fled once we were headed to the village, almost as if they knew we were on their trail. Why is that?

Paimon: Hmm, yeah, why is that...?

Candace: We may have a mole in our midst. One of us could be secretly revealing our whereabouts to the Akademiya.

Paimon: Huh? Are our friendships that shallow?

Cyno: ...

Alhaitham: Looks like none of you have realized wherein lies the issue.

Aether: Care to share your thoughts?

Alhaitham: Cyno, you're the reason why they can predict our movements.

Paimon: Wait, what's that supposed to mean!?

Cyno: Choose your next words very carefully.

Alhaitham: It is simply a logical inference. I have my reasons.

Candace: So what you're saying is... Cyno's the mole? Interesting. And here I thought you were the most suspicious one, Alhaitham, since you were always acting alone.

Alhaitham: I know. You have a point, but I realized something as we were returning from the hospital — Cyno isn't like any of us.

Cyno: ...What are you trying to say?

Alhaitham: Do you still remember who you are, General Mahamatra?

Cyno: ...

Alhaitham: As a matra, you are no doubt privy to certain kinds of information. Before you can take action against someone, you are required to have all the facts available, including the less-than-savory details. Simply put, the Akademiya has traditionally allowed you access to a wealth of sensitive information. Knowing their modus operandi, wouldn't you expect them to take precautions against you? If you want to raise a vicious wolf, you need to make sure that you can avoid its bite.

Cyno: The Akademiya is monitoring me?

Alhaitham: It's not that simple. The Akademiya has eyes all over Sumeru, but they have a special protocol for dealing with you. Every so often comes a Jnagarbha Day. On this day, the Akademiya enters new information into the Akasha through Knowledge Capsules. I remember seeing the thick notebook next to the control panel once. Its contents were all about the General Mahamatra — his activities throughout the day, preferred methods of enacting judgment... everything.

Cyno: You're saying that the Akademiya entered my information into the Akasha, too?...But what's the point in doing that? My actions aren't important enough to be added into the Akasha.

Alhaitham: The Akasha is capable of computation.

Cyno: ...!

Alhaitham: The Akasha's algorithms are entirely capable of predicting your movements using the data entered. When you would depart, the route you would follow, your destination... it knew all of this.

Cyno: It predicted my every move...!

Alhaitham: The Akademiya has been watching you longer than you think. However, the fact that you resigned is proof that their suspicions were well-founded.

Candace: So that's how it is... Cyno adheres to his principles so strongly that he's actually a thorn in their side. Tenacity of will and steadfast faith are worthless to the Akademiya. They need scholars who are easily pliable and mindlessly go after anything they can profit from. Cyno, don't take it to heart. This just proves how much of a trustworthy ally you are.

Cyno: ...They escaped because of me.

Paimon: Don't blame yourself! It's not like any of us would've known!

Aether: Exactly.

Cyno: ...I have an idea. If they've predicted my movements... then I might be able to guess where they went.

Dehya: Whoa, you bounced back fast!

Alhaitham: There is always an opportunity for safety after danger passes.

Paimon: Ooh, so that's how it is! Paimon gets it now! If the Akademiya is trying to avoid Cyno, then the safest place would be...

Aether: One step behind him.

Paimon: Yep, that's right!

Cyno: They'll want to proceed in the direction opposite of where I'm going.

Aether: You're getting smarter, Paimon

Cyno: I must go.

Alhaitham: There's also something I want to investigate.

Paimon: Let's go, guys! After 'em!

Isak: Please, wait! I wanna go, too!

Candace: Hmm, you want to go, too? If so... you have to promise you'll stay safe.

Isak: I wanna find Grandpa! I promise I'll be careful and not cause any trouble.

Candace: Everyone, I leave him in your hands.

Aether: Alright.

Paimon: Yay, let's go! Remember to pack some food with you! Paimon feels like we're missing someone, though... Hmm...

Song Y/n sang

[crystals-and-cosmos]

{ficlet} Somewhere I belong

Twin ficlet paired with I'm Here.

Characters: Yuna D. Kaito, Akiho Shinomoto Rating: T Tags: hurt/comfort with glimps of happiness, lots of introspection, painful memories and firm resolutions Warnings: mention of seizures Summary: A moment of Akiho and Kaito's life. Based on canon (set 3 weeks after chapter 80), and on the assumption that, differently from what the ENG translation said in ch. 80, in the JP Sakura affirmed that thanks to his stopped time, Kaito wouldn't be hurting more than that...this means that his seizures would continue, just they wouldn't get worse than what we've seen till now. A brief journey inside Kaito's head and his complex feelings. Word count: 1099 A/N at the end of the ficlet. English is not my first language; keep that into consideration.

Excerpt:

“I’m sorry...”, I blurted out, in a whisper. Every time we ended up in this situation, I would apologize. And she would never reply to it.   Maybe an apology wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but I had yet to find out what were the right words to say.

Kaito's POV

I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it. 

The way she looked at me when they told her everything, that night.  The way she had slowly turned her head and kept her gaze fixed on me, while the British magician rattled off all that my plan had entailed, down to the way it had affected my body. He had recovered all the previous memories, and he knew Akiho-san needed an explanation more than anyone else, but he also knew I was in no condition (neither mental, nor physical) to give it to her. I could feel her gaze piercing through me, while someone was helping me sitting down, as I couldn't even stand up. 

Her hands gripped the tablet tightly, shaking. Her blue eyes, usually crystalline and bright like the Caribbean Sea, darkened several shades and turned into a raging storm. They once again glazed over with emerging tears, but she probably held them back, because not a single one trickled down her cheeks. 

And I felt so weak. My guilt, growing again each passing second.   I would've given anything to remove that hardened gaze from her and bring back the soft features I've always known. But you see, that was my problem.   Giving everything the way I did before wasn’t the correct answer. And I had finally bowed my head in front of the truth, that night.  But I didn't know any other way. If there was something I understood over these last three weeks of rest and slow recovery, it’s that I simply didn't know how to express how important she was to me without pushing it to an extreme, and that was exactly how we had gotten to that point.  

I don’t know when exactly I started to hear that voice inside of me, telling me that I wanted to connect with her. 

I could hear it every day, before I carried out my plan. Louder and louder and louder. Kicking and screaming inside of me. I tried to fight it for so long, forcing myself not to hear it. But when she asked Sakura-san to bring me back, and she stated that she refused to keep living a fabricated life, wanting to go back to what she had before with me, I suddenly grew so tired. So, so tired. I was exhausted. I didn't want to fight that voice anymore. 

I've fought countless magicians ever since I was a little boy and defeated every single one of them. People kept me at a distance because of that. And yet, completely oblivious to all of that, she was the one who defeated me every single time.   Even this time around, she won. She won over that brutal, devastating desire to disappear forever that had consumed my life to that point. She won over my guilt and self-loathing that I, quite frankly, haven’t got rid of yet. 

So here I was, now, clinging to her like a lifeline in the kitchen, while I waited to regain control of my breathing. I had tried to hide it from her, the first couple of times after I got back on my feet, following that fateful night. But she found out every single time and made it very clear that if we wanted to live together from now on, this kind of behavior had to stop. I didn't know what to do with myself anymore. Why was I fighting it again?  So I did as she requested and, by now, this was already the third episode of seizure she had witnessed.

I didn't know...how any of this worked. But I wanted to learn. I wanted to try. 

I was slowly starting to get it. Why I caved in and agreed to go back to her, that night, despite how confused I was and how much I still despised myself for making her cry like that.   She made me feel wanted.  Made me feel accepted. Made me feel like I finally belonged somewhere. I hadn’t realized how much I actually had yearned for that, all this time. 

I thought I was nothing to her. I thought that she could've lived perfectly fine without me, without remembering anything of what we experienced together. Because, in the end, who the hell was I? Just her butler. I embarked on that mission with the full understanding that I would've always been just her butler, and I played that part till the end at the best of my ability. An expendable tool to let her achieve the happiness she deserved.  

But I wasn't just her butler. I wasn't, and I couldn't see that. I could only finally realize it that night in the most harrowing way possible, causing that face I wished to see eternally smile to be tainted with burning tears, as she poured out all her pain. Pain that I had caused. This wasn't the kind of support she wanted from me, and I had failed her terribly. 

I was willing to do anything to make things right. So when she asked me, no, rather demanded not to be kept in the dark whenever I had one of my seizures, I had no choice but to comply. That was what she wanted, and there was no way I could refuse her. 

But now that the medicine was finally starting to kick in, and my breathing stabilized to a more normal rate, I raised my head to look at her worried face and I couldn’t help but think how unfair all of this was to her. She was so young, and she didn’t deserve to endure all of this because of my choices.

“I’m sorry...”, I blurted out, in a whisper. Every time we ended up in this situation, I would apologize. And she would never reply to it.   Maybe an apology wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but I had yet to find out what were the right words to say. 

She helped me stand up and supported me all the way to the couch, where I finally laid down and released the tension from my stiffened muscles. Seizures usually left me completely exhausted and sore.  

She sat down on the floor next to the couch, and we exchanged a long, wordless stare. Her eyes were clear and bright again. Before I drifted in a dreamless heavy sleep, I remember I felt so grateful to have her by my side.   I didn’t deserve it.   But the warmth I felt in my chest, contrary to before, felt so nice.  

And I was pretty sure she was the cause of it.

Author's Note:

This is the second Kaito x Akiho / YunaAki ficlet that is paired with I'm Here, the first one I wrote from Akiho's POV. Please read that one first so you can have a better understanding of the situation!

The setting here is the same as the first ficlet, but Kaito's thoughts drift all over the place because....well, he's Kaito. He's been officially named as the "overthinker" by CLAMP, so I tried to reflect that in my writing. The sentences are shorter compared to Akiho's POV, they're more concise, but they're like a raging storm. Let's remember he's an introvert, after all, and a lot of what's going on inside his head doesn't find a way out on his lips.

As you probably noticed, while Akiho thought to herself without problems that she loved him, you didn't see Kaito thinking that, here. This is a very early stage of their new life together and he's still far from acknowledging any of that, but he's starting to come to terms with things, at least. He knows he's messed up big time, the guilt is still eating him alive, but at least there's a fire inside him fueling his will to take the second chance he's been given and make Akiho happy in the way she asks him to. This will be relevant in my future fics as well.

Writing for Kaito proved to be very difficult for me. First of all, because he's a male character and I struggled to put myself in his shoes, since I had decided to write these two ficlets in first person.

But also because once you get the hang of it, it tends to become an angst-fest, and you have to be constantly aware of how his mind works... I caught myself writing contradicting things at least twice, and while one might think it's typical of Kaito since contradiction is his thing (he kept his distance from Akiho but at the same time he was giving his life for her), I didn't want to play that game here because I hope that after that night he got at least SOME of his shit together. 😅 As a result, this one might be a bit more angstier than the other POV, again because this is Kaito we're talking about. His self-loathing won't disappear overnight. But I hope that the finale comforted you, at least. ❤️

[cherryeoo]

Echoes of Love Ch 2

If it takes you apart, That's not love. Love puts you back together. – Catherine Ryan Hyde, Pay It Forward

It had been a week since my ex had told me he was breaking up with me. He'd set up a romantic dinner, only to drop the bombshell at the end of our meal. Two weeks before Christmas. "Merry Christmas to me," I thought bitterly. I had believed he was the one, but after two and a half years together, fate had other plans. I knew, in that moment, I'd never love again.

My sister, Blondie, kept telling me not to let him control my emotions, especially after she saw how deeply affected I was. I nodded, promising her I wouldn't let it anymore, but the truth was, I was still crushed. My routine became predictable—wake up, work, get my usual peppermint mocha and blueberry muffin, go home, eat, watch TV, or read. I never went out. The only time I saw my friends was when they came over, checking in on me. I felt guilty for worrying them, but I was broken.

Then, one evening, fate decided it was time to change things.

It was late, and I was following my usual routine, heading to the coffee shop and bookstore I frequented. I stepped out of my car, tripping on the curb and groaning as I dropped my keys. I scrambled to grab them, shoving them into my purse, and then pushed open the door. The familiar scent of brewing coffee and fresh pastries greeted me, along with the sight of Blondie standing behind the counter, smiling in my direction. Yup, she was the owner.

"Hey, Blondie. How's work today?" I asked, approaching the counter.

"Same old, same old. Are you getting your usual today?" she asked, tapping on the register.

"Nope. I'm trying your new white chocolate raspberry mocha with skim milk. Make it the biggest size, and a blueberry muffin," I replied, scanning the menu.

Blondie started preparing my drink. "Busy day?" she asked.

"Yeah, you could say that. Lots of customers kept me late," I said, watching her pour the steaming drink into a cup and top it with whipped cream and raspberry drizzle.

"Well, you're off now, so relax. I'll join you in a bit." She slid my drink and muffin over to me with a smile.

"See you in a few," I said, turning to find my usual spot. I sank into the oversized chair by the fireplace, the warmth of the space welcoming me.

As I took a sip of my coffee, I watched people pass by the frosted windows, rushing to finish their last-minute Christmas shopping. I still hadn't started mine. Snow began to fall heavily, and I felt the peaceful atmosphere around me. Reaching into my pocket to snap a picture of the view, I realized my phone was missing.

I began frantically patting myself down, scanning the area when I heard a voice behind me.

"Lost something?" I turned to find a man holding my phone, smiling at me. He was about 5'10", with dark brown hair and warm, brown eyes. His dimples appeared as he grinned at me.

"I think you left this at the register. Or so your sister tells me." He nodded toward Blondie, who was watching us, grinning.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Thanks," I said, smiling at the man as I took the phone and slipped it into my pocket.

"No problem. Glad I could get to it first," he said, his cheeks turning slightly red.

He started to leave, but before I knew what I was doing, I stood up and raised my hand, as if to stop him.

"Wait," I called out.

He turned around, surprised. "Yes?"

"I see you're sitting alone. Would you care to join me?" I asked, feeling anxious as I played with the fringe of my scarf, awaiting his response.

A bright smile lit up his face. "I'd love to."

I watched him settle into the chair beside me, and we quickly lost ourselves in conversation. Laughter filled the coffee shop as we shared stories, our connection easy and natural. His name was Zhang Yixing, or Lay, as his friends called him. His life was full of excitement, making mine feel dull in comparison. But in that moment, I felt alive again. He made me feel warm, like a candle slowly flickering back to life in the depths of my soul.

Eventually, Blondie signaled that she was closing up, and I felt a pang of disappointment. I didn't want the night to end. Yixing noticed the sadness in my expression and asked if I was okay. I nodded and forced a smile.

"It's time to go," I said, my heart sinking as I grabbed my things.

We made our way to the door, and I paused just outside.

"Today was fun. Thanks for finding my phone," I said, glancing at him.

He smiled again, those dimples I'd grown to love so much showing. "You're welcome. I'm glad it was me who found it. I'd like to do it again."

My heart fluttered at his words. "I'd like that," I said, smiling as I entered my number into his phone. He did the same with mine, and we exchanged a few more smiles before I turned to leave.

As I walked home, I felt a warmth in my chest I hadn't felt in a long time. Blondie, noticing the look on my face, asked what was going on.

"Yixing," I replied, still in a daze.

"What about him?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"He...he hugged me. And kissed my cheek." I flushed, feeling my cheeks grow warm at the memory.

"You like him, don't you?" she teased.

I nodded, smiling. "He makes me feel alive again."

Blondie linked her arm with mine. "I'm glad. I've missed my old sister."

That night, as I lay in bed, I thought of Yixing, his warmth, his gentle touch. It was the first time in weeks I felt at peace, and as I drifted off to sleep, I smiled, knowing he was the reason.

Weeks passed, and every day after work, Yixing and I would meet at Blondie's coffee shop, our usual routine. We would share drinks, laugh, talk about everything, and spend hours together until Blondie was ready to close. When we weren't together, we were texting, calling, or FaceTiming.

One night, Yixing opened up to me, telling me how he'd experienced his own heartbreak around the same time I did. I shared my story too, and as I finished, I broke down in tears. Yixing held me tight, whispering that I would never hurt again, that he would always protect me. When I pulled away, he wiped away my tears with his thumbs, and kissed me softly.

Our kiss was everything. Our lips fit together so perfectly, like they were made for each other. I knew in that moment that I was exactly where I was meant to be, with him.

Christmas and my birthday came, and Yixing and Blondie had planned a surprise birthday party for me. It was a celebration of love, life, and healing. I had also met his family, who welcomed me with open arms, just like him.

But one day, after I had finished work and went to the coffee shop, Yixing was late. I tried calling, texting, but nothing. An hour passed. Anxiety crept in, and I decided to go home, but just as I was about to turn the corner, I heard a familiar voice shouting my name.

I turned around, ready to scold him, but then I saw the scrapes on his cheek. I rushed to him, my heart in my throat.

"What happened?" I asked, worried.

He explained that he'd been in a minor accident, but he was fine—just a few scrapes. He apologized for being late, but I hushed him. The relief was overwhelming.

He came home with me that night, and I stayed up watching over him as he rested on the couch. But in the middle of the night, I woke up to find him holding my hand in his sleep. I smiled, feeling his warmth spread through me as I nestled back into the chair.

The next morning, Yixing and Blondie walked in, and Yixing brought me breakfast.

"This is for last night," he said, nervously. "And your sister might have told me about your past."

I felt the old wounds open as memories flooded me. Tears stung my eyes. Yixing, noticing, draped his jacket around my shoulders, pulling me close.

"Listen," he said, his voice soft and serious. "You deserve nothing but happiness. I promise you, I'll never hurt you. I know we haven't known each other long, but I'm in love with you."

His words left me speechless, but deep down, I knew they were true. I looked up at him and smiled. "Yixing... I never thought I'd love again, but I do. I love you."

He smiled, his dimples appearing as he leaned down to kiss me. It was everything I had longed for, and more.

"I think I love you, too," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine.

And in that moment, I knew I was whole again.

[squirenonny]

how is pidge with clothing textures?

[Autistic fictional character asks]

1. How are they with clothing textures? are they fine with fashionable but uncomfortable clothes or do they prefer casual & comfy? or other?

Most fabrics are okay--not always great, but at least tolerable. Pidge tries to stay away from wool and lace because they itch, but otherwise they can pretty much ignore anything else.

But Pidge. Hates. Tags. Not a single shirt has escaped a pair of vengeful scissors (except for those beautiful little unicorns, the tagless tees.) They’ve even cut holes in a couple of shirts because the stub still bothers them. (Matt had a magic touch--Pidge swears by his ability to remove offending flaps of pestilence and death.)

As far as general clothing choice, Pidge is casual and comfy all the way. Fashion is just. Not a consideration. They don’t avoid fashion, they just don’t pay attention to it at all when they buy clothes. Loose-fitting is better than tight, and they like sweatshirts and other thick/heavy tops for the pressure of it.

[ficreadergirl]

Dangerous Inquiries (ch.15)

You sat there completely speechless. No words came to your lips. You were stunned. After a moment of silence you managed to stammer out a question. "How do you know that?" you asked. Both of them glanced at each other and then turned to look at you again. "Because… y'know. Bruce kind of helping Batman and we heard from him." Dick said slowly, unsure of what reaction you would have. You remained silent for a few seconds before turning your gaze back onto the table. "Are you sure about that?" you whispered brokenly. "We're pretty sure Y/n. I'm so sorry." Dick apologised earnestly. "So… my father was…" you said in disbelief, not being able to finish your sentence. Tears formed in your eyes. Dick put an arm around your shoulder and squeezed you tightly. "Y/N, we will find out the truth. Never doubt that. Okay?" he said soothingly. "It's true isn't it then?" you said shakily. "My father did… something he shouldn't done." You felt Dick tense up beside you as though trying not to cry. "We're going to find out everything." Dick said quietly. You could tell how much pain he was going through. "Okay." you said quietly. "Look, if you ever feel unsafe or upset, you can always stay with us. Just stay away from Jason and that white haired woman. Please." Kory pleaded. "Thank you both." you said softly. They gave you a sad smile in response. You stood up and hugged them both. "We love you sweetie." Dick whispered before letting go of you. "Love you guys too." you replied, giving each one a tight hug again. You were tired, emotionally and physically drained. "Guys I'm really tired." you mumbled weakly. They nodded in understanding. "Alright honey, we'll see you tomorrow." Kory told you warmly. You smiled and waved goodbye at them both. As soon as the door had been shut, tears began falling down your face. You sobbed into your hands desperately. What were you gonna do now? You thought to yourself, shaking with fear.

You stood up, dried your tears and went into your room. You picked up your laptop and began browsing various online sites. One caught your eye. A site where people post stories and posts articles related to Gotham's murders and serial cases. You were looking for Red Hood's cases, hoping to find evidence to link them to your father's murder. You found nothing else but victim's victims curses on the internet. "Damn!" you exclaimed. You slammed the laptop closed angrily, causing several pictures to fall onto the floor and shatter. "Shit!" you cursed under your breath, quickly picking up the pictures, putting them back together and walking over to the window and looking outside. You were beginning to feel like there was no hope for your father's innocence. Not anymore. He may have been a criminal, but he was still your father. You closed your eyes tightly and took a deep breath. You sighed deeply and opened your eyes. You wanted to calm down, but this was not getting any easier. Your emotions had been running high for so long now. You wanted to call Jason and hear him tell you Red Hood wasn't the murderer. You wanted to stop seeing those images in your head. After calming yourself down you decided to call him. You needed to talk to someone. Your finger hovered over the number before finally pressing the call button. It rang once before Jason picked it up. "Y/n-" he started but you interrupted him. "Hey Jason. That white haired woman-" you started to say. "I'm at your door Y/n. Could you open it?" Jason cut you off. "Wait! Where are you?" you questioned.

"In front of your house right now." he answered simply. "Oh okay. Yeah I'll come let you in." you responded. You hung up the phone and made your way towards the door. Once you opened the door, you noticed Jason standing in front of your door. "What happened?" you asked confused. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." he answered. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Is something happening?" you asked concerned. Jason hesitated for a second before responding. "Can we talk inside?" he requested. You looked at him, wondering why he sounded so nervous. "Yeah, sure." you answered hesitantly. You stepped aside and allowed him to enter first. He followed you into your living room and closed the door behind him. He stood in the middle of the living room for a minute. "Is everything alright? Is there something you need to tell me?" you asked him carefully. He stayed quiet for a while as he looked around your apartment, searching for something. "Could you bring me water please?" he finally asked, glancing over at you. You walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. You handed him it. "Thanks." he replied softly. He drank some water while you started talking. "You remember that white haired woman I told you about. Right?" you asked him. He nodded as you continued, "Well, I learned that she is work-". You were cut off abruptly by Jason's lips against yours, effectively shutting you up. Your eyes widened slightly but you recovered quickly. When he pulled away you were blushing madly and couldn't form any words.

"Jason… What-" you began confused. "Y/n I need to explain myself." he interrupted you gently. Your heart skipped a beat. "Go ahead." you breathed. He stared at you intently for another moment before continuing. "I gotta go." he stated suddenly heading for the door. You stood frozen watching as he disappeared. Your mind was spinning trying to process what just happened. Had it just really happened? Did Jason Todd just kiss you? Your cheeks burned brighter red as more questions filled your mind. Did you just let him kiss you? Was that okay? What should I do now? Why am I even thinking about this stuff right now? you wondered frantically. You took a deep breath and tried to push all thoughts out of your mind as you headed towards your bedroom. You needed to rest now and think about it later.

Read more