#cold-chain exhibition

[ref-24]

Efficient Solutions for Managing Temperature-Sensitive Goods in the Cold Chain

Ensuring the integrity of temperature-sensitive goods across the supply chain is vital for industries such as agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

Here are some effective solutions for managing the cold chain and ensuring the quality and safety of perishable products:

 1. Modern Temperature Monitoring Systems

Constant temperature monitoring is essential for effective cold chain management. Advanced systems equipped with wireless sensors and IoT connectivity enable real-time tracking and fast response to temperature fluctuations. These technologies minimize the risk of product spoilage and regulatory violations. Predictive analytics capabilities can also help prevent unnecessary recalls.

 2. Automated Cold Chain Management Software

Adopting software solutions that integrate data for runtime tracking, reporting, and comprehensive analytics can streamline cold chain operations. These systems optimize the use of assets, information, and logistics, enhancing productivity and traceability. In highly regulated environments and for consumer confidence, automated software is vital for ensuring accountability throughout the supply chain.

 3. Smart Packaging Solutions

Proper packaging is key to maintaining the temperature of enclosed goods. Phase-change materials (PCMs) and vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) help regulate container temperatures during transportation. PCMs absorb or release heat as needed, while VIPs protect against excessive internal temperature changes. These smart packaging solutions reduce the risk of temperature excursions, ensuring products arrive in optimal condition[.

 4. Reliable Refrigeration Systems

Reliable refrigeration equipment is essential for maintaining the integrity of the cold chain. Modern refrigeration technologies conserve energy while maintaining required temperatures. Regular maintenance and calibration, along with backup power systems like generators or UPS, guarantee continuous refrigeration even during power outages to safeguard temperature-sensitive products.

 5. Effective Inventory Control

Applying inventory control principles like first-in, first-out (FIFO) helps eliminate stock risks. Accurate demand forecasting enables precise inventory control, reducing unnecessary expenses and storage space. Effective inventory management is a key component of cold chain logistics.

 6. Staff Training and Best Practices

Well-trained staff who adhere to best practices for handling temperature-sensitive goods is essential for maintaining the cold chain. Providing emergency response training and educating workers on proper storage, temperature control, and room management helps avoid errors that could breach the cold chain

By combining advanced technologies, smart packaging, reliable equipment, and well-trained personnel, companies can effectively manage the cold chain and protect the quality of temperature-sensitive products. Refcold India, a leading exhibition showcasing cutting-edge cold chain solutions, offers a platform to stay informed about the latest developments in refrigeration and cold chain technology.

[refcold]

Choosing the Right Refrigeration System for Your Cold Storage Facility

Choosing the ideal refrigeration system for a cold storage facility is pivotal for effective preservation of perishable items. Key factors include facility size, product types, energy efficiency, and environmental impact. Understanding the facility's size and requirements is fundamental. The system should match the facility's scale, maintaining precise temperature and humidity levels for each storage area to ensure the freshness and safety of the goods. Tailoring the refrigeration system to the specific products being stored is crucial. Different products demand varying temperature and humidity conditions, necessitating customized cooling solutions. Prioritizing energy efficiency is essential to cut down operational costs and minimize environmental impact. Opting for energy-efficient systems, leveraging technologies like variable frequency drives and heat recovery, can significantly reduce energy consumption and associated expenses. Lastly, selecting eco-friendly refrigerants is important to align with sustainability goals, reducing the cold storage facility's carbon footprint. Overall, a thoughtful selection of the refrigeration system enhances product preservation, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility.

[gibberishfangirl]

WIND BREAKER | zoo date

Synopsis ✰ head cannons about how a zoo date would go between you and the boys

Characters ✰ Haruka Sakura, Hajime Umemiya, Hayato Suo, Akihiko Nirei, Jo Togame, Choji Tomiyama

Contains ✰ sfw! just cute content of the boys being happy boyfriends

Haruka Sakura ᡣ𐭩

𝜗𝜚 the zoo date was your idea but you were pleasantly surprised to see Sakura agree to it

𝜗𝜚 he’s secretly really excited about it, it’s his first time going but doesn’t tell you

𝜗𝜚 he LOVES it, is incredibly fascinated in the cutest way

𝜗𝜚 the day you two went happened to be incredible hot but it’s okay, neither of you complained

𝜗𝜚 one of the first exhibits you went to go see were the pandas

𝜗𝜚 “AWH! look Sakura! it’s us!” you giggled pointing to the two cuddling panda bears, he blushes at the comparison

𝜗𝜚 “hey, now that i think about it, you kinda do remind me of panda bears.” you murmured thinking aloud to yourself. “s-shut up! no i don’t!” he stammers with a furious blush as you giggle at him

𝜗𝜚 his second favorite animal to see were actually the giraffes he thought they were so cool for some reason, he stood there mesmerized for a moment

𝜗𝜚 his first favorite animal to see were the orangutans and apes, he seemed like a little kid in awe with his face up against the glass trying to get a better look

𝜗𝜚 you figured out after some time that this had to be his first time there

𝜗𝜚 in order to make the day extra special you went out of his way purchase him a panda plushie as a surprise and told him “i had to buy a plush animal that was as cute as you!”

𝜗𝜚 he grumbles a bit at the gift but accepts it and offers a small “thank you” with a light blush -> panda officially becomes his cuddle buddy after this day

𝜗𝜚 at the end of the day you two got sun burnt since both of you forgot to apply sunscreen

Hajime Umemiya ᡣ𐭩

𝜗𝜚 boy scout mode activated!

𝜗𝜚 he literally had every necessary item packed for the two of you

𝜗𝜚 once he found out you forgot to apply sunscreen before leaving the house he has you sit on a rock and applied the sunscreen on your legs and arms for you

𝜗𝜚 you struggled to catch up to him the whole day since his legs were so long, not to mention the steps he kept taking were massive

𝜗𝜚 you were exhausted the entire day by trying to keep up with him

𝜗𝜚 you took multiple pit stops in shady areas Ume found for you

𝜗𝜚 he was incredibly energetic the entire day as his pace never gave up, however, he did slow down after realizing you were struggling to keep up

𝜗𝜚 he offers you a piggy back ride which you happily accept

𝜗𝜚 thanks to his ability to carry you throughout most of the day you managed to get through the whole park

𝜗𝜚 you both saw every animal they had

𝜗𝜚 once he notices your face getting a little red, he takes off his hat and places it on yours

𝜗𝜚 he buys you water throughout the day to ensure you aren’t dehydrated

𝜗𝜚 you guys loved to do some window shopping at the end of the day

𝜗𝜚 he purchased a key chain and small animal plush for you

𝜗𝜚 funny enough you purchased the same key chain for him so the two of you had matching ones

𝜗𝜚 “this was fun, what should we do next time?” he asks at the end of the day before softly kissing your cheek

Hayato Suo ᡣ𐭩

𝜗𝜚 a complete gentleman the entire day

𝜗𝜚 he makes sure you have sunscreen applied before you two start walking in the hot sun

𝜗𝜚 he makes sure to walk at your pace and not leave you behind

𝜗𝜚 he ensures your hydrated the entire day by always providing cold water and drinks for you

𝜗𝜚 he buys you a plush of your favorite animal

𝜗𝜚 you two gushed over the cuteness of the koalas that happened to be sleeping

𝜗𝜚 you took so many photos with him

𝜗𝜚 you guys spent about half an hour in the photo booth taking photos

𝜗𝜚 he blushes when you refer to your plush as “our baby”

𝜗𝜚 “ah look so cute our baby looks!” you gushed as you put a hair clip on the stuffed animal

𝜗𝜚 “you know you can never leave me now right? i don’t want to be a single mother and you can’t become a dead beat father.” you said out of no where making him laugh “what a silly thought, i would never leave you.”

𝜗𝜚 you two actually ate at one of the restaurants to try it out

𝜗𝜚 it was both of your first times going to the zoo

𝜗𝜚 unfortunately you two didn’t see all the animals or get to cover a lot of the park

𝜗𝜚 “oh no suo, we didn’t see all the animals.” you pouted at him a little sad in all honesty

𝜗𝜚 he offers a hug and simply replies with “it’s okay, we’ll get to see them next time.” your heart fluttered at those last two words

𝜗𝜚 ofc he was already planning another date in his head from the first moment this one started

Akihiko Nirei ᡣ𐭩

𝜗𝜚 you guys were getting lost all day

𝜗𝜚 both of you kept getting confused by the map

𝜗𝜚 if you said go right he’ll go left, if he says go left you go right

𝜗𝜚 at least the two of you were getting lost together

𝜗𝜚 you both have fun regardless

𝜗𝜚 despite getting lost you guys would stumble across some of the animal exhibits

𝜗𝜚 one of the biggest highlights of the day was finding the petting zoo

𝜗𝜚 you both gushed over the cute animals

𝜗𝜚 “look we can feed them!!” you yelled in excitement after noticing there was food you can purchase for the animals

𝜗𝜚 Nirei couldn’t help but smile and take photos of your cute self feeding the animals

𝜗𝜚 until one of the animals starting nibbling on your sweater

𝜗𝜚 your sweater had a chunk get bitten off, “no this was my favorite sweater!” you whined

𝜗𝜚 not to mention the day you two went on happened to be chilly so you were cold without it

𝜗𝜚 after seeing you shivering Nirei took off his jacket and put it on you

𝜗𝜚 “can’t have my pretty girl getting a cold”

𝜗𝜚 you held hands all day and had so much fun watching all the animals

𝜗𝜚 whenever Nirei got cold you helped him out by cuddling him and giving him warm hugs

𝜗𝜚 you two happened to make your way back to the entrance around closing time

𝜗𝜚 you both were in shock when you realized you managed to get see everything in the entire park

Jo Togame ᡣ𐭩

𝜗𝜚 fortunately enough, you both were slow paced and kept up with each other

𝜗𝜚 you spent the whole day at the zoo being in no rush

𝜗𝜚 you guys took your time to explore

𝜗𝜚 despite it being so hot Togame kept holding your hand all day

𝜗𝜚 he would pout whenever you stopped holding his hand to wipe off your sweaty palm

𝜗𝜚 puts you on his shoulder so you can get a closer look at the animals

𝜗𝜚 he can’t help but smile whenever you’re in awe, “how cute” he would think

𝜗𝜚 he spent the whole day looking at you more than the animals his heart fluttering each time you smiled brightly

𝜗𝜚 “awh isn’t this so cute?!” you gushed talking about the sleeping koalas that happened to be cuddling. “yeah, very cute.” he smiled not even taking his eyes off of you

𝜗𝜚 to Togame there was no better view than you

𝜗𝜚 Togame had ice creams on hand throughout the whole day for the two of you to cool off

𝜗𝜚 he hadn’t realized how much concern he held for you until he saw you getting too close to some of the cages

𝜗𝜚 “wait! be careful, not too close.” he scolded out of pure concern, pulling you back into his chest by your waist

𝜗𝜚 “relax, i’ll be okay.” you pouted each time he pulled you back. “i just want to make sure.” he would say with a small frown

𝜗𝜚 Togame was on edge whenever it regarded your safety

𝜗𝜚 goodluck trying to convince him to let you feed the animals at the petting zoo

𝜗𝜚 would guard the bathroom doors whenever you were in there

𝜗𝜚 incredibly paranoid whenever you went too far

𝜗𝜚 “don’t go too far, what if i lose you?”

Choji Tomiyama ᡣ𐭩

𝜗𝜚 the zoo date was actually a surprise date that Choji planned himself

𝜗𝜚 he had the entire day planned out

𝜗𝜚 he knew exactly how the two of you would spend the entire day

𝜗𝜚 he also planned out the date to be on a day with the perfect weather

𝜗𝜚 he wanted everything to be perfect for you

𝜗𝜚 he was a ray of sunshine all day smiling and laughing at your cuteness and whenever you pointed something out about the animals

𝜗𝜚 you had so much fun! you both walked hand in hand all day swaying your hands back and forth with huge smiles

𝜗𝜚 he ensures that your hydrated by offering water to you all day, “you sure you’re fine? drink a little more water just in case.”

𝜗𝜚 he would steal glances at you being happy rather than looking at the animals

𝜗𝜚 whenever you were stuck in a trance of awe he would come hug you from behind and plant soft kisses on your shoulder

𝜗𝜚 the soft touch of his lips against your bare shoulder always made you blush madly

𝜗𝜚 “ah Choji this was so much fun! I loved it.” you squealed as you embraced him in a huge hug

𝜗𝜚 he would respond to your hug by picking you up and spinning you around causing the two of you to giggle

𝜗𝜚 “thank you for the perfect date Choji, it was perfect.” you said softly at the end of the date kissing his cheek

𝜗𝜚 he would blush at your praise and cup your cheeks before placing a soft kiss on your lips, “anything for you.”

[neon-kazoo]

Villains I dont see very often; mute. Mute villains are the best, nothing can convince me otherwise.

One idea thats been on my mind is a mute villain confessing to the hero, either through sign language, or a perfectly executed scheme. You’re choice :))

Not sure if this counts, but I ran with it. Might try this again after I gather some ASL knowledge. Hope you enjoy :)

A Silent Movie

It wasn’t exactly easy to get Hero sat in front of the cinema screen. In fact, the planning for this trap had taken over sixth months. Not to mention the money it took to buy this building off foreclosure, and the multitude of investments into Hero-proofing the location.

It was even harder to get said hero to stop yelling long enough to pay attention to the image being projected from the back of the room. Not that their sense of hearing was needed for this experience, but Villain imagined Hero would appreciate the lack of noise-based distractions, including sounds they themselves were making.

The theater was notably large, probably the most expensive showing room of its day. That is to say, the upholstery was a little outdated. The popcorn had been swept off the floor, the swirling carpet surprisingly clean. The velvet of the seats did not appear stained, and the cupholders were absent of any discarded snacks or tickets.

The glow of the emergency exit lights were the only thing illuminating the room, and they revealed a dim image of the hero situated in the center of the third row, which was optimal seating in the villain’s opinion.

Clearly, Hero did not agree, considering how hard they were pulling at the restraints to try and exit their carefully selected theater chair.

It was futile, of course, and the hero finally stopped straining when the villain appeared a row below them, quiet as a mouse, standing with a finger pressed to their lips.

Villain retreated when the hero quieted, letting their attention shift to the screen and this special showing. Images flicked past, and Hero became engrossed in the story unfolding on the screen.

Shown was a news reel Hero recognized as the time Villain had crashed their Election Day speech. A zoomed out map of the city, marking City Hall with a red square. Grainy footage of two figures dancing around next to a dumpster. Once again the map appeared, now with two squares pasted on top. The pattern continued, and Hero was amazed.

It was an agglomeration of every moment they had spent together, every public battle, every nighttime-shady-alley encounter.

There was only one reason to collect these momentos, these reminders. It had all meant something to the villain.

The complete lack of kernels on the carpet certainly pointed to a level of dedication and commitment to this scheme.

Maybe, they were hoping it meant something to the hero, too.

Another scene zoomed out a final time, revealing all the markers spread across the city. Only, now, Hero noticed, a rather distinct pattern had formed.

Villain moved like a phantom, appearing again, this time at the hero’s side. The ropes at their wrists fell away like magic while Hero gazed at the awkwardly hovering villain. They presented the hero with a glittering object hung from a chain held loose around their fingers. It was a large ruby gem, expertly cut into the shape of a 3-D heart.

Stolen, no doubt, Hero suspected possibly from the large jewelry exhibition that had just entered town.

The screen flashed bright, and lit up the hero’s face as it contorted in surprise. They processed the scene as fast as they could.

A heart of red markers, a heart of ruby, a heart fluttering in their chest, a heart laid open in front of them.

“Oh,” Hero breathed, “Oh.”

Villain sucked in a breath.

This was it, this was the moment they got rejected because they couldn’t-

“I had no idea.”

Of course they didn’t know, it’s not like Villain had ever spoken about it.

Preparing automatically for the rejection, Villain started to withdraw their hand, cold-as-steel demeanor returning to them with all the familiarity of a security blanket.

It was so stupid of them to think that they deserved any kind of reciprocation, so stupid to think that the hero could possibly-

The hero snatched the charm from their fingers before they fully withdrew.

“I didn’t say no,” they spoke softly, and the villain’s heart skipped a beat.

They reached out their other hand, wrapping their fingers over the still-outstretched hand of the villain. Instead of elaborating, Hero pulled the frozen criminal closer, connecting their lips in a gentle proclamation.

Actions spoke louder than words anyway.

[applesooyoung]

Dominating jungwoo.

That cute face has to look good in tears right??

Crybaby - K.JW

Genre: Smut hehe | Wc: 560 | AFAB!Reader

Contains: sub bff!Jungwoo x dom!Reader, kind of established relationship?, pegging, choking, Jungwoo wears collar, degradation (just a teensy weensy bit just for the drama ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)), lowkey voyeurism and exhibition, petnames, mommy kink, dacryphilia, mirror sex

A/N: A short one... a quickie if you will mwhehehehe (｡•̀ᴗ-), hope u enjoyed this one, anon~! Luvlots ♡

[Now playing: Tinnitus — TXT]

🩷 ̇ ̟ ‿︵‿୨♡୧‿ 🧸‿ ෆ ̟ ̇ ︶꒷ ̇ ̟ 🍓 ︵‿୨

Dim lights and a can of unfinished coke. You tied your hair up as you pushed your best friend to the bed, as this only pushed him deep into subspace.

 

You always knew he had a thing for dominant women, just like every time you order something at a restaurant, he gets what you get. But every time you get suspicious of him being this submissive, he would know it—he could feel the tension of your suspicions, and as an attempt to cover it up, he would always just change the topic of your conversation.

 

But this time would be different.

 

All secrets are out now.

 

"H-Hey! What was that for?" he softly hissed as he rubbed his elbows. "Take off your pants."

 

Jungwoo can't help but complain, but he complies anyway. "What are you doing?" He tries to cover his bulge, but every time he does, you just swat it off. "You were never this shy when you were jacking yourself off my bed earlier, no?" His heart skipped a beat, you know.

 

"Going off on my pillow, moaning my name while the door is barely closed. What a perfect recipe for disaster, now I'm sure you're trying to be caught," you giggled as he swallowed his spit. "It's ok, baby, come on and go on all fours for me.".

 

"Yes, Mommy," he obeys as you smile at your new nickname, Mommy. You quickly turned to your closet to get your strap on, a bottle of half-used lube, and the one that caught Jungwoo's eye the most, the light pink collar on your hands. "Is that for me, mommy? You smiled and nodded. 

 

You clasped the collar around his neck while attaching the chain leash to the back of it. He looked so dainty and pretty; the pink complimented his copper-colored hair. You lubed up your silicone dick and started pounding him while slightly tugging his leash.

 

"M-Mommy, faster, please! I love this," he pleaded as you pounded him faster and harder. "God, baby, I could feel you clenching on my strap," you replied with your fingers tracing his spine. "You like this, don't you, you silly little slut? Moaning my name while playing with your cock?"

 

Jungwoo gulped from the overstimulation; he feels so embarrassed that you caught him. Now all he can do is cry pathetically as if that's gonna do something. He's getting fucked stupidly; he's getting fucked by his best friend until he can't think anymore. "You didn't even bother closing the damn door," you tutted as you jerked him off as you kept pounding him from behind. "Cute little puppy~" you cooed.

 

He looked at the mirror in front of him to see him getting ruined, tears staining his beautiful rosy cheeks. All of it was overstimulating him; the fact that he got caught, his best friend fucking him, the way your strap was rammed inside him, the coldness of the chains touching his skin, the way the collar hugged his neck. It drove him nuts and made his vision and memory all blurry.

 

You lifted his chin so he could look at himself; you found him drooling and with eyes that were oh-so glossy from crying. You'd be lying if you told yourself this wasn't the best view you've ever seen in your life. "It's gonna be a long night, Jungwoo... Long night"

© applesooyoung

[sludgevomit]

SludgeVomit’s Goretober Exhibition: Day 7

Deep Freezer

Arm was bent awkwardly at an uncomfortable angle as your body was pulled with force. Feet tripping over themselves as the speed was too much for your malnourished state. Having spent days filled with solitude in a closet with barely any care shown your way. Brain and flesh withering as each minute alone had sent you further into a pit of despair. With your psyche on the brink of destruction, you allowed Sir to direct you to the basement entrance. Tumbling down the wooden stairs with heavy, boulder-like thumps. Feeling an ache as the air deep in your lungs was exorcized. Lying limp, face contorting as a silent depression takes over. Howling with intense agony when a palms grasps onto the back of your head and neck. Sediments from broken bottles and erosion of the cement nipped at your skin; dragged along the ground as the man who now claimed you brought your figure to the side of the wall. The hands left your upper half, allowing you the opportunity to glance at the dented commercial chest freezer. Inconspicuous to others, but to you, you knew that this would become your new home.

The man lifted the top, cold and warm air mixing to create plumes of icy smoke. Rummaging through the packages of uncooked meat, animal and human, making room for the new piece to get comfortable in. Hoisting the body with ease, raising the back of his hand in a threatening manner when the body tried to fight for a moment to escape. Enclosing them in darkness, leaving the Meat with the sounds of chains locking them in. Sir wrapped his legs around an old folding chair, crossing his arms over the backrest. Allowing the time to pass, waiting with eager patience for the muscle to begin to freeze. For stiffening joints and tightening skin. Figure shaking as the heart slows with dying temperatures. Only then will the man release the being from the frozen cell. To bring it back to life with warm, heavy thrusts penetrating unconscious weight. Hole squeezing as pleasure takes over even while asleep. A piece of Meat now compliant to the man’s romantic abuse.

[mydarlingbat]

Detective comics #779 #780 #781 I just read it, and lemme say this is my kind of comic. I enjoyed theses issue so much, but you know what i really enjoyed how Batman was incredibly hostile with his villains in these issues. Not only with villains but civilians too. He was so furious that he causes people to cry like children, however with the Joker. It was so different.

I love, love, the fact that he was actually enraged in theses issues i read. It wasn't pretend neither. It wasn't him acting angry. He wanted to hurt the Riddler. He was furious with Two face. He was being just cold with the rogues, but with the Joker; this is how he shows up.

Ummmmm!!! Where's the anger Batman? Do you see the difference here? And on top of that it's the Joker who suggested to fight with Batman.

What the hell even is that Batman? 'You're going to tell me what happened to solane, and you're going to tell me now' The fakest shit i ever encounter. What are you two about to roleplay or something? You know something funny too? It doesn't stop there, It continues to go further.

Batman slams the Joker head into the snow. First of all Bruce you obviously desired to dance with him. You could have talk with him in the cell like Two face, you know? But obviously you needed this as much as him. This doesn't even exhibits violent. This is intimate. The way Batman grabs at his hair, and loosens his fingers, gently grasping a strand while speaking with him. The whispering in his ear. The flirting. I honestly think this is also a way Batman flirts with the Joker. Another thing is Batman's cape is all around this man, while he lays helplessly on the ground there's no reason for Batman to still be grasping at his hair. Batman actually said he likes to see the Joker helpless in a comic i read recently.

The Joker then realizes he's out of the chains already. Then Batman indulges in this little dance of theirs as always. He informs to the Joker that we can dance now, in so many words. The Joker inquires questions from Batman. Batman answers it with no problem. God, the way he plays around with this man. It's crazy.

There's no denying that Batman shows no contempt or anger towards this man. There's literally nothing there. He's just chatting with the Joker, and People actually say Batman treats all his villains the same.

This isn't done to hurt the Joker badly. It's to play with him. He just needs to give the Joker enough pleasure to collect information from him, even so the way Batman lays his body nearly on top of the Joker isn't exactly needed. He could have still put the weight on his throat with his upper body up, yet he chooses to position himself on top of the Joker in a very intimate way. Again there's no type of anger present on Batman's face, but look at the joy on the joker's face?

And then they play even more, which got me thinking Batman knows exactly what he's participating in when he hurts the Joker. He knows the Joker enjoys it, yet he doesn't mind giving him just that in their dance, even if it's not bloody. This dance their doing is simple and light. It's not the usual violent dance.

Yes, because Batman is always distracted with the Joker. That's why he asked the Joker too distract him. It wouldn't have worked out otherwise, and On top of that Batman still shows no anger towards the Joker.

[atriza]

The Broken Mask pt. 6 Yandere Five Hargreeves x Reader

Part 5

Summary: Y/N navigates the increasingly dangerous and manipulative relationship with Five. After enduring physical restraint, they appear to submit to his control, feigning obedience to avoid further harm. Five’s obsession deepens as he believes he has broken the protagonist’s will, transitioning from cruelty to a twisted form of tenderness. He allows them more freedom, trusting that they have accepted their place under his control. However, the protagonist remains determined to escape, carefully hiding their true thoughts and emotions behind a perfect mask of submission. As Five becomes more possessive, offering "rewards" for their obedience, the protagonist plays along, knowing that their chance for freedom is coming. They continue to play the dangerous game of survival, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Word Count:1,116 words

**Content Warning:**

This story contains dark and potentially distressing themes, including obsessive behavior, violence, manipulation, and psychological distress. It portrays a relationship that is unhealthy and toxic, where one character exhibits controlling and possessive tendencies that lead to extreme actions.

If you are sensitive to these themes or find them triggering, please consider skipping this story.

Have Fun Reading!

The cold bite of the metal cuffs still haunted your wrists, though they had been released hours ago. Your skin was raw and tender, a constant reminder of Five’s control, his obsession. The silence between you was thick and suffocating as he loomed over you,  watching with calculating eyes. His gaze lingered in your wrists, then traveled up to meet yours, dark and unreadable.

"See?" He murmured, his voice soft but laced with quiet menace.  "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

You forced yourself to remain still, not flinching as he reached for your wrists  again, rubbing his thumbs over the red, bruised skin. His touch once rough and demanding,  now held a gentleness that felt wrong. The lines between his lobe and his cruelty blurred,  twisted into something incomprehensible.

"No," you whispered, lowering your head, keeping your voice submissive. " It wasn’t."

Five tilted your chin up, forcing you to look at him.  His eyes searched your face, looking for any trace of defiance.  Bur yiu had become an expert at hiding it. Every ounce of resistance was buried deep, hidden behind a mask of obedience.  You had to play this carefully.

"You’ve learned, haven't you?" He asked, his voice deceptively soft. "You understand your place now."

You nodded slowly; allowing your lips to

quirk into a small, broken smile.

'I do. I'm sorry for defying you."

His lips curved into a satisfied smile,

and his grip on your chin softened.

"Good. Because I don't want to hurt

you, Y/N. But

will, if you force me to"

"I won't"  you promised, your heart

pounding in your chest. "I've learned my

lesson"

Five's fingers loosened around your

wrist, and he finally let go, stepping

back to admire his work. The cuffs lay

discarded on the floor, but the invisible

chains that bound you to him were

stronger than ever. He believed he had

broken you, that you had surrendered to

his control

And that belief was your

greatest weapon.

He let out a soft sigh, brushing his hand

through his disheveled hair. "You’ve

been good today," he murmured, almost

to himself. His eyes drifted to the table,

where an untouched meal sat cold.

"You didn't eat earlier. You should eat."

You glanced at the food and nodded

slowly. "I wasn’t hungry, but I’Il eat now."

He watched as you made your way to

the table, his sharp gaze following your

every movement. You sat down

carefully, your hands trembling slightly

as you picked up the fork. Every bite

felt like swallowing sand, but you

forced yourself to chew, to play the role

you had crafted.

Five walked behind you, his hands

resting on your shoulders. The weight

of his presence pressed down on you,

suffocating and inescapable. He bent

down, his lips brushing against your ear

as he whispered "Im proud of you, Y/N."

The words sent a chill down your spine,

and you suppressed the urge to

shudder under his touch. "Thank you,"

you whispered, pushing another forkful

of food into your mouth.

He lingered for a moment longer before

straightening up, stepping away from

you. You heard the soft creak of the

floorboards as he moved across the

room, giving you space but never truly

leaving. His eyes were still on you,

watching every breath, every

movement, making sure that his control

over you was complete.

You took a deep breath, fighting the

urge to scream, to push the plate away

and run. But you knew that escape

wasn’t an option-not yet. Not until he

was completely convinced that you

were broken.

The next few days were crucial.

As you continued to eat in silence, Five

leaned against the wall, his arms

crossed over his chest. "You’re doing

well, but I think you still need more

time. We need to rebuild trust."

You nodded quickly, swallowing the

lump in your throat. "I understand."

He gave you a small, approving smile.

"Good. I'm glad we’re on the same

page."

Days passed, each one blending into

the next. You played your part

flawlessiy-obedient, quiet, never

pushing back. You let him hold you,

touch you, kiss you. His

possessiveness grew, and with it, a

twisted sense of tenderness. He

believed you had surrendered completely, that you were his and his alone.

Every night, he held you close, whispering dark promises in your ear as you lay beside him, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist. And every night, you lay still, your heart racing with fear and determination.

"Y/N," he whispered one night, his voice soft in the darkness. "I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone the way | love you."

You swallowed hard, your voice small as you replied, "I love you too, Five."

He pulled you closer, his breath warm against your neck. "Do you really mean that?” His tone was almost vulnerable, a rare crack in his otherwise unyielding control.

"Of course,’ you whispered, forcing your voice to remain steady. "I’m yours. No one else matters.”

His grip tightened slightly, and for a moment, you thought he might doubt you. But then, he sighed contentedly and pressed a soft kiss to your temple. "Good girl."

The words made your skin crawl, but you kept your breathing even, your body relaxed against him. You were playing a dangerous game, but it was working. Slowly but surely, Five was beginning to trust you again.

Weeks passed, and your routine became almost normal. Five no longer locked you in the room. You had earned small freedoms—allowed to roam the house under his watchful eye, to sit in the garden with him, to talk to him without fear of punishment. But you were always aware of the invisible cage around you, the constant reminder that one wrong move would bring it all crashing down.

One evening, as you both sat on the couch, Five's hand resting possessively on your thigh, he turned to you with a thoughtful look.

"You've been good, Y/N," he said softly, his eyes flicking over your face. "I think you've finally accepted your place.’

You nodded, your heart pounding in your chest. "I have."

His fingers tightened on your thigh, a dark gleam in his eyes. "You're mine. Forever."

"Forever,’ you echoed, your voice barely above a whisper.

Five’s smile was slow, predatory, as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against your ear. "I think it’s time for your reward."

You felt a chill run down your spine as his words hung in the air, thick with dangerous intent. "My reward?"

He nodded, his hand sliding higher up your thigh. "You've been so good for me. | think you deserve something special."

He nodded, his hand sliding higher up your thigh. "You've been so good for me. | think you deserve something special."

Your heart raced as his hand trailed over your skin, his touch possessive and unrelenting. You knew what was coming, and you steeled yourself for it. This was part of the plan. You had to keep him convinced. You had to let him believe that you were his completely. "Let me show you how much | appreciate your obedience,’ he murmured, his lips ghosting over your neck as he pressed you down onto the couch.

You swallowed hard, your body tense beneath him as he hovered over you, his eyes dark with possessive hunger. This was the moment you had prepared for, the moment where you had to give in—at least for now.

And so, you did. You let him claim you, let him take what he wanted, his touch rough and demanding as he reminded you, again and again, that you were his.

But even as your body obeyed, your mind remained focused, cold, calculating.

Because while Five believed he had broken you, you knew the truth.

The mask you wore was flawless, and soon, very soon, you would be free.

You just had to wait for the right moment.

[quaritchsbunny]

Z-Dog/Zdinarsk as a Yandere (hc styled fic)

Wc: 4.9k (watch this flop because it’s so obnoxiously long idk why it just grew itself into a full blown pic)

Warning/Tags: yandere behavior, slightly toxic behavior, obsessive behavior, f!reader x zdog, medic! Reader, recom!reader, mature language, a bit graphic description of an injury including blood and flesh degredation, a bit of forced touch, i have no idea how actual injuries work please just go along for the purpose of fiction, zdog kinda being an asshole but she’s just been through it, unhealthy obsession, zdog is just in denial for half the fic, biting, enemies (kinda) to lovers?

A/N: My second fic ever and first time writing for a female character ahhh! I really don’t like the way I wrote this one but what can I say I really tried my best, I hope this is to your liking anon! Welcome to any comments and requests!

Extremity Scale : 3.5/5

Type of Yandere:  Obsessive, Worshipping (unknowingly), manipulative, slightly sadistic

- Zdinarsk is what others would call a heartless beauty

- Although masculine with her striking mohawk and exhibits of tattoos that spread like blooms throughout her newly blue body, the soldier had been endlessly pursued by RDA officials, scientists, comrades, male and female alike despite her cold attitude

- And one by one without a clench of her jaw on the monotonously sweet bubblegum she always seemed to be chewing, she had laughed callously before turning them away, mind focused solely on her occupation as a recom soldier

- On the battlefield, she was ruthless.

- Shots were fired without a second thought once she held her aim, and whether it was a gun, arrow, knife, or chain in her hands, her cold amber eyes didnt allow for a second of compassion before she made her kill.

- Zdog wasn’t afraid of pain, her many colored bold tattoos on various parts of her body displayed hours of needles that had penetrated her with ink, yet she adorned them like it was a part of her.

- It was all these qualities that made her a worthy comrade to officials and authorities like Quaritch and her trust recom team, valuing her professionalism, tolerance and bravery.

- Her cool exterior seemed to be impossible to break, it seemed to be part of her personality, even her closest comrades in the squad never saw her portray any emotion other than callous joy at the aspect of conquest or the neutrality she seemed to carry with her everywhere.

- Because she never saw a need to feel anything other than that, what was the point? Any other emotion wasn’t going to pay her, being soft or sympathetic like the RDA did for her cruelty when it was directed towards the natives. And damn a soul who bothered to try to entertain her romantically, that shit didn’t touch her heart or her body in the slightest, she stowed away the young part of herself that dreamed of connection with a person that can understand her and instead suited herself to a form in which she didn’t care for the affection of others.

- It was nothing more than a waste of time to her, Zdog had considered emotions to be consuming and useless, and when she wasnt out scouting with the recoms in the thickets of pandora, her little free time was easily passed in the thick leather sketchbook, her fingers thoughtlessly skimming over the thick sheets, nails digging in the cursed piece of charcoal (it was the closest thing to a pencil, the sick RDA officials only had office pens as an alternative) as thick lines formed into her next tattoo design

- As such, the only emotion Zdog really felt except for callousness and the joy of victory was minor annoyance.

- Annoyance towards anything that wasn’t needed, such as the resourceless parts of pandora, the tears of mourning that came with death, the lack of efficiency from any comrade, such things only wasted time and got in the way of the ultimate goal

- Which was why she particularly despised you.

- You were a recom too, but not a soldier

- You were a healer, just as you had been as a human, you had died healing the RDA soldiers that were wounded in the war between the navi and RDA

- And for whatever reason, the RDA had insisted on adding you onto the short list of people to recombinant for a new blue team on their return to Pandora, arguing that your healing skills were essential to survival

- Why did the scientists waste their time and resources putting you into a recombinant body, and then waste the fuel putting you in a cyro and shipping you all the way to pandora?

- Why were healers a thing anyways? Zdog’s scars always healed on their own, fuck the bandage or the cream. The only way to truly heal, as learned from multiple experiences Z-dog had, was to expose the damn bleeding scar to the air and let it bleed until it learned to close its own weeping mouth. The body has to heal eventually, it's why so many organs exist just to keep bood pumping.

- So the first time Zdog had unfortunately stumbled across a carnivorous plants in the thickets of the annoyingly damp forests of pandora, skillfully targeting her right bicep as it sank its teeth into the beloved inked arm of the unsuspecting soldier that was leaning across a tree, it was to both her and your misfortune that the colonel had sent her straight to you with commands of healing and treatment.

It was the first time you have received a patient since your arrival to the new RDA base, and your eyes widened when the outraged female was thrown into the ward, her upper right arm’s flesh seemingly curving inwards like the chunk of flesh was deflated from the bite.

“Colonel, I’m fine, a couple painkillers and it’ll be good as new” she barked, fangs bared as she tried to keep in her tears of both anger and physical pain, tearing through her like wildfire.

Colonel Quaritch only threw you a look of firm command as he commanded “do whatever you gotta do to get her arm good, and take your time, she’s not coming to missions for two weeks”, the colonel turned on his combat boots, leaving you alone with the hysterical soldier

Zdog whirled angrily, shocked and disoriented as she had never been off duty for that long. Reaching for the Colonel to come back before her head reeled from the fresh shots of pain up her raised arm, her blood dripping onto the bare silver floors of the ward.

You acted on instinct upon seeing the spurts of blood, rapidly bunching up gauze as you pressed into the wound, sitting her down on the bed.

Zdog hissed angrily, her body thrashing as her arm shook due to the huge amounts of loss of blood as she cussed incoherently, channeling her anger in attempt to stop you from wasting her time

“It’s people like you that make injuries worse, you don’t need to interfere, the body heals naturally, that’s the whole purpose for recombination, not that you would know, fucker who took on blue to do absolutely nothing”

“You’re right” you say calmly “the body heals naturally, just like how it was also that carnivorous plants nature to sink its teeth into your bare arm”

The glowering female soldier says nothing as she glares back, watching you as you unwrap the towers of gauze upon her wound.

You ignore her profanity and swiftly inspect the wound after pressurizing the opening to avoid amputation, the ink from her spilling out and blending with the dark blood as it swirled on her indigo skin.

Zdog cursed her heart as it beat rapidly, trying to look anywhere other than your knowing eyes that meticulously scanned her marks of injury, reassuring that her sweat and rapid shaking was from the physical shock and not the way your lips pursed together in expertise as you reached to grab disinfectant

Without warning, you poured the disinfectant on her wound after retracting as much blood as possible, the burn of the alcohol hurting almost more than the damn plant’s bite as it spilled into the marks, cleansing the indents from the vicious carnivorous plant

However the sear the disinfectant brought was a tickle compared to the rapid fire spreading amongst her heart, pumping blood rapidly at your firm touch on her arm and the whiff of sweet cherry she caught as your head whipped to place the disinfectant back on it’s shelf and disappeared behind a cabinet, digging through creams and bandages

Zdog had told herself it was only a natural reflex, her body trying to react to to pain as it sped it’s organs up, swallowing thickly as the your sweet scent left her surrounding, leaning forward from her resting position on the bed to catch it again

“What a medic, abandoning your patient like that”  Zdog scuffs, the popping of her bubblegum breaking the silence in the room

“Please lay back Miss Zdinarsk, rapid movement will cause more blood loss” you reply as you approach her again, her eyes immediately mellowing when your sweet scent invades her again

“No one calls me that anymore” she breathes out, biting back her huffs of pain as you press the q-tip of healing cream into the cleaned wound, circles rubbing along the raw flesh. “Z-dog, or Z works”

You nod, leaning back as you rest the q-tip on the silver tray as you reach for a bandage. “Well Z, luckily there's no signs of infection, I suggest regular icing to increase blood flow to the area and less intense use of that arm” you lay an ice bag by her non injured arm.

“For how long, this is the arm i shoot with, i’ve actually got shit to do”

“Depends on the speed of your muscle recovery, for humans though, it would be at least 3 weeks before you can do lifts with that arm again without permanent tissue damage” Your fingers worked nimbly, wrapping the bandage around her toned arm

Her relaxed form suddenly seemed riled up again as the words came out of your mouth, frown etching its way on her face as she growled. “I’ll be fucking damned”

“And because the bite had drawn your blood out of that part of your flesh, your tattoo ink had also leaked out with it, so that might be distorted, if not gone” the bandage was pressed with care before wrapped with another layer of gauze.

The cold buzz of the AC in the ward almost did nothing to combat the way her face heat up as your palm pressed the bandage in place with medical tape, before she remembered the proper emotion she was supposed to be feeling, rage, not whatever appreciation she was developing towards a person that only made her future work inconvenient by dramatifying the injury

“Listen Z, I’m only here to help, I know this is a frustrating situation, but the only thing you can do is to rest, and if there’s anything i can do to help in your recovery, please tell me” you say, your recited script towards angry patients such as her prepared as she kicks herself off the bed, stalking towards your form as you explain softly.

“Listen up miss nurse, I didn’t need this. I’ll be going out to the mission and I’ll be doing whatever I like with this arm that you only damaged more with your shit medical proceudure.” She growls angrily, the blood loss from the injury and your scent making her head spin with confusion. 

Why did she have the urge to pull you into her, to feel your sweet scent closer, what is this strange undertone to her anger?

You say nothing as her non-injured arm slams her first into the wall behind you, her bubblegum scent ghosting over you as she towered, tail swishing excitedly as her tone said exactly the opposite things

“I didn’t ask for this, the recombinant bodies heal faster and I don’t need your false pity, and maybe you’d know if you actually did anything other than sit in your pretty little ward, so i’m gonna fucking show you now”

What she did next shocked you, it hadn’t processed in your brain that her single hand had somehow made it to pin both of your arms above her and you were only able to see the flash of her mohawk as a warm spotch bubblegum was spat out. And before you even had time to squirm in response, you felt fangs sinking into your blue neck much similar to the way the carnivorous plant had done to her arm, but with surprising tenderness

Zdog had no idea what she was doing, no. She did. She was doing this to teach you a lesson, to demonstrate how the recombinant bodies worked as you clearly had no idea. She wasn’t doing this because of how much she indulged in the fluttering in her heart and stomach when she tasted the softness of your skin, the addictive feeling of your flesh on her tongue.

No blood was drawn, her saliva connecting her to the bright mark as she pulled away, still glaring at you as she inhaled sweet cherry rapidly, savoring the sweet taste of your flesh and laughing against your collarbone as she heard your cry. Damned the way her body relaxed like a cat as she retreated.

“And you’ll be paying for that tattoo that i lost” she said matter-of-factly, boots sliding across the floor as she slammed the door to the ward, leaving you dazed, confused, and the mark on your neck burning as her brown queue swished out of sight, the ice bag chunks rattling like her heart on the way out.

You couldn’t deny that you had enjoyed your little scuffle with her, you couldn’t help it, feeling the magnetic attraction the soldier exuded from her built form and confidence. And even if deep down you knew it was wrong, you’d be stupid to report it to anyone in the RDA, the recom team was basically the backbone of all the physical operations holding the establishment up, they wouldn’t hear a recombination nurse out if it meant the best to them

Zdog returned to her quarters, jaw empty of the bright pink bubblegum that frequented her mouth as she rolled her tongue around her teeth, trying to memorize the way your flesh felt around them.

In her mind, gnawed a voice, telling her to apologize to you, to see you again, to thank you

Her head reeled with swirling new emotions that she swore were useless as she layed on her bed pried open her sketchbook, trying to sketch an image of you, memorizing every feature before she realized her dominant arm was in too much pain.

She huffed frustratedly, before throwing her head back to her pillow, and icing her arm

Whenever she had been injured before, her comrades had laughed at her weakness, taking it as a chance to demote her position or belittle her for feeling pain, along with the fact that she had been a female, it had caused her to be pushed around.

But you? No “get over it”s or belittling laughs, just words of genuine advice as your fingers pressed gently into her wound, smoothing over the years of mistreatment she had received, and whether it was rehearsed from years of expertise as a medic or genuine care, your sweet cherry scent made it all too confusing to distinct.

Now all that filled her head is the sound of your sweet voice as it reassured her and your form in the white medic robes that softly pressed against her cargo vest.

Reminiscing, she lifted the ice bag, tracing the bandage where your delicate fingers had graced upon her arm, and a smile made its way upon her face unknowingly.

A brilliant excuse to see you again creeped its way into her mind as she ripped off the bandage, admiring the way you had folded it intricately as she held it to her chest, her heart beating rapidly.

I need to see her again, I need to, and I will no matter what.

Deep down she knew it was not needed, but two weeks off with an injured arm called for routines out of the ordinary.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to just do something useless for once, the anger would be just as time consuming as the weird feeling of attachment she felt near you.

She slept disturbingly well that night, the cloth held close to her chest as she dreamed of tied hair, marked necks, and sweet cherries.

Despite not having duty, the responsible soldier still awoke early to send off the colonel and the rest of the team, still holding back her complaints when the colonel shook her head, telling her she wouldn’t be any good with her shooting arm injured before he assigned her to stay at the base.

As soon as the recom helicopter lifted off into to pandora sky, she skipped excitedly to the mess hall, where breakfast was being served, cherry red gum popping in her mouth as she scanned the room for a particular blue medic

Her heart seems to sink stupidly when not a single other blue form was seen in the room, her jaw tightening around the cherry gum as the flavor seemed to taunt her

That’s right, this is what you deserve for being such a impulsive asshole, indulging yourself in emotions that waste more of your time, and wasting even more energy walking around to find her

You see the agile female’s tail swishing curiously from miles away, you approach her, squinting when you realize she doesn’t have her bandage from yesterday

Zdog’s jaw immediately falls slack when she smells it, her heart racing, reciting your name, as it sends her stepping back towards the source, almost knocking into your form.

“Back so soon?” You tilt your head towards her bare arm, scar breathing without the bandage

“Looking for you nurse, just needed another bandage, you didn’t anchor it enough and it fell off when I was sending the squad off earlier” Zdog says fluently, rehearsed words from her practiced scenarios ready for whatever response you have

You only raise your eyebrows, chuckling as you led her back to the ward. Not that you were really a faster walker by any chance, the soldier made a strong effort to take smaller strolls to admire your beautiful form from the back, the sweet swirls of tenderness and affection filling her as her heart pounded louder and louder as you sat her down to bandage her, almost 10 times as intense as the way it had felt yesterday

Correct to Zdog’s assumption, the scar had indeed healed a lot faster than you had expected, though her arm was still sore and healing, the wounds had closed up a lot faster than expected

You raise your eyebrows when you see that her scar has healed fast, leaning back as your eyes scan over it

She gulps almost nervously, voice coarse and low as she mumbles “what’re you lookin at, nurse, get on with it”

“Maybe you were right, recombinant bodies really do heal much faster, i doubt you really even need the bandage” you say hesitantly, as if questioning your own healing abilities

Zdog’s eyes widen as she reaches out for you, fingers around your arm as she tries to sound as threatening as possible, but her words coming out as pleas instead ``Nope. You’re a medic aren’t you? So do your job and bandage me, or else I can get you fired and on your way back to earth” she had plotted this with so much meticulous thought just to feel your fingers on her arm again! It surely can’t go to waste, she was gonna go out and find another carnivorous plant if she had to

You smile softly, chuckling and the sound goes straight through Zdog’s ears into her heart. 

What is this fluttering feeling? Why won’t it stop?

“Where’s this compliancy coming from, you barely let me do anything yesterday, Ms. I have shit to do with this arm” you sit down and twist the cap off the healing cream, grabbing another q tip

Zdog rolls her eyes naturally, although she cant help but open it faster when she feels the rub of the soothing cream on her arm, amber eyes trained on your experienced movements

“If I really wanted to get back, maybe I should heal in the right way so I can do shit faster” she muses, fingers tempted to run themselves down your delicate queue and spine that was exposed to her as you leaned to heal her

You blink, sighing as you reach for the gauze “I think you were right though, maybe these procedures are only damaging it more, maybe it needs to just breathe. Are you sure you need the bandage?”

Zdog nods rapidly, her bold neck tattoos becoming a blur of black and blue as she spits out, trying to keep up her shell up and ignore whatever was swirling in her heart an brain “What do you think? Does that arm look anywhere near healed to you? Do you want me to walk around unbandaged and get a worse injury?”

It wouldn’t hurt to just indulge in the useless things a little bit, processes that only really waste time if it’s with you. It wouldn’t hurt to just have it on if it meant your fingers would grace my arm everyday

“Plus, I’m sure the only reason the lil nasty’s recovered this fast is because of your speed and expertise in treating it yesterday, don’t question your skill” The sentence hopped out of Zdog’s mouth almost unknowingly, and she almost wanted to bash her head against the wall. What did she say that for? You didn’t need reassurance, reassurance was for people who didn’t know anything, people who needed others to walk them along

Before her thoughts become more self deprecating, your laugh echoes through the ward, the cold silver and white walls suddenly becoming welcoming as you shake your head, anchoring the gauze in palace on your arms

“Flattering, but I really mean it when I say I think you may have been right about recombinant bodies healing faster” you lift your neck, bearing the mark that was violently purple yesterday, faded to a shade of lavender with the fang indents like marks of violet.

Zdog swallows, feeling both guilty and in a weird way, proud when she sees the mark.

“Yeah about that, that’s my bad, I was pissed and out of my mind because I’ve never been told to stay off duty yesterday, being out all day in that damp jungle heated my blood, and I may have been tryna prove a point about recombinants but that was completely fucked up and unnecessary”

she looks down at her lap, 9 feet body suddenly feeling like she was a young human girl in the marines again, disappointing her sergeant for not being as strong and capable as they expected

You set down the gauze gently and lean down to peer at her, her downcasted gaze unable to see the slight blush on your face “I’m not gonna say it’s okay to bite a medic that was trying to treat you, but you’re lucky it was me, I didn’t mind it that much, and it really did prove a point that recombinant bodies heal faster”

Zdog nods quickly, happy as she detected no anger in your voice. “Never trying that again for sure though”

“The world’s medical field is in danger if that's what you act like to everyone who tries to treat you” you chortle

For the rest of the day, Z-Dog spent time helping you maintain the ward as an extended apology to her behavior yesterday as she continued to indulge in the honey like emotion that came with being near you

- Through the next week, the ward seems to grow warmer and more homey every time Z-Dog visits (though by the first four days, her arm was completely fine, she found excuses) unknowingly, Z-Dog began to sink in the feeling of the previously useless emotions, letting it consume her until she was wasted in love

- Without knowing it, morning visits for rebandaging had turned into long conversations where Z-Dog healed more than the injury of her arm, but burns and bruises of her childhood and life as a female soldier that was constantly undermined, you saw that her hard exterior seemed to be a essential part of her that she needed for protection

- And to be honest, Z-Dog didn’t think really about what she said to you or how she said it, words just flew out of her mouth as the soft feeling of trust and affection drifted over her, your understanding gaze and comforting words binding you together like a web

- The bonding had quickly grown into something wordlessly essential and romantic, things Z-Dog always used to qualify as a waste, but now just like her cold exterior, the soft moments where your hands interlaced as she talked to you about her past seemed just as natural.

- She was almost always in contact with you, physically, whether it was the ways her eyes followed your every move or the way her hand was always by your hip, shoulder, head, it became a constant

- She followed you everywhere in the guise of protection in return for you healing her and never let her eyes off you

- And even when you were busy or actually did have other RDA matters, they seem to come cancelled last minute on short notice (because even the officials knew not to mess with a injured recom soldier that was defending the organization), and you couldn’t just leave Z-Dog alone, her words always seemed to have a way of wrapping themselves against you

- “You’re gonna leave your injured patient waiting alone like that when she’s in pain needing medical attention? Wow, I thought you cared about me” 

- “You still owe me for the tattoo, yknow, so it might be less financially burdening in the future if you treat me well right now”

- There were many late nights where Z-Dog had opted to stay in your quarters instead of hers, arguing that she slept better and healed faster, her sketchbook filling up with doodles and intricate charcoal lines with details of you. Her beloved muse.

- Back in her own quarters, folded along her sketches of you were her past bandages, as well as hairbands she stole from you, keeping everything that you had touched or interacted with like a piece of magical artifact organized like a shrine upon her nightstand as she put them under her pillow, sleeping well to the thought of you.

- Two weeks had passed by and her arm was as good as new, as the two of you only grew closer and closer,  the romantic attraction was undeniable, your blue tails tangled together as her arms sneak around your waist while you you documented her healing progress at the ward

- Until one morning the cool, brazen female soldier was gone, leaving you alone and confused in your empty bed before you realized that her duty had begun again. The past weeks had been nothing but a vacation and relaxation for her, and now that she is back on duty you could certainly expect to never speak to her again. It was all probably just a sort of short term association with her

- The day passed in a sort of a weird haze for you, strolling around the base without the sight of your certain badass soldier you were infatuated with

The night after her first day on duty, rapid knocks sound at your ward door as you’re working overtime, trying to distract yourself from your attachment with Zdog. Distraught and confused, you rush out of your seat in your white robes as you open it and see the female soldier, bright as ever

“Oh? Come to visit after ditching me this morning?” You say, a bit salty as you step back, suddenly noticing a bandage on her upper arm again

Z-Dog only looks at you, pupils filled with affection and joy as she laughs “Actually, I need help with my arm again”

You blink back an eye roll, used to the intentional injuries she sometimes did to recieve more medical attention from you as you wordlessly sit her down on the bed like many nights before where you guys had laughed, cried, kissed, and loved as your nimble fingers unwrap her bandage.

The white gauze falls away and under the soft glow of your examination table light and your eyes are busy scanning for cuts, violet reds or blood, or dark bruises that you almost miss it at first

Black, bold, yet slick and elegant letters curve around her blue skin, replacing the faded and distorted tattoo that had once been there, thick and bold as the ink is fresh, you can almost still see the puncture of the needles that she so willingly sat through and for hours before she had rushed up to your door, the shock in your eyes blurs your vision until you focus in and make out the letters of your name, with a tiny, clumsy heart identical that you had doodled on her sketchbook nights ago next to it

“Z- what is this” You breath in awe

“Well, you were the person that helped my arm heal the fastest, and parts of my heart as well, so why not dedicate the new area of skin to you instead of redoing a boring old tattoo” She chuckles matter of factly, pulling you into her lap as you continue staring at in awe

“Oh Zdinarsk” You gasp, tears blurring your vision as you look at the huge bold letters

“You never paid me back for the one I lost though, so how about a deal” She looks up at you playfully, true unfiltered joy in her once callous eyes

“Be my girl? My personal nurse, hm?” She asks cooly, thumbs smoothing over your ears as if her own heart wasnt pounding through the heavy cargo vest she wore for duty

And when you nod happily as she pulls you into a kiss of many to come, she realizes in the moment that yes, love wasn’t entirely necessary, and neither was her tattoo, or opening up to you, or the feelings that overtook her when she held you to herself proudly the next day as she introduced you to the squad, arm still firm around your waist as if to mark you for herself

None of it was necessary, and yes, maybe she was wasting her time, her love, her emotions. But even love was nothing more than a waste of her time, she would gladly waste it all on you, over and over again.

[vallification]

toji fushiguro / ☀️ capricorn / 🌙 libra / 💫 aries

☀️ - sun in capricorn makes toji strong-willed, practical, money-minded, honorable, and a survivalist. at face value, toji seems materialistic, apathetic, and cruel, but lying below the surface is toji’s true capricorn nature: he’s someone who does what he has to do to survive. toji is enigmatic, it’s extremely easy to mischaracterize him by his actions instead of his intentions, but capricorn sun rings true to who he really is rather than who he’s perceived as. toji’s experience with the zenin clan warped his view of sorcerers, the world of sorcery, and even the world itself, which mangled the expression of his sun in capricorn. capricorn suns, like toji, are strong-willed in whatever they choose to be their ultimate goal. in toji’s case, that’s making money and the ridding of jujutsu sorcerers, both of which he’s able to do as an assassin. his gambling may seem impractical, but to him it’s just a way to possibly come into more money and to stay entertained. his practicality manifests in the way he carefully selects his every move; while toji is extremely bold, he’s not reckless, repeatedly showcasing his ability to make calculated decisions to get the advantage in almost every situation. his boldness and calculated moves also display his survivalistic nature. toji is not survivalistic in a primitive, desperate, vulnerable way, rather, toji is survivalistic like an apex predator who does what he can to stay at the top of the food chain.

“honorable” may not seem like a word that describes a man like toji, but if we shift our perspective, toji is an honorable man in his own way. after his defection from the zenin clan, toji was cruel, cold, and seeking retribution for people like him against the world of sorcery. however, meeting his wife and having megumi, he changed. this doesn’t negate the fact that he abandoned megumi after megumi’s mother died, but he did it because he believed he could never be the father megumi needed. it’s an extremely warped idea, but the intention was not out of apathy or malice. his next intention, selling megumi to the zenin clan, was also not malicious; toji believed that the zenin clan would provide a good future for megumi as a sorcerer, who would inevitably inherit the abilities of the zenins sought out in their families.

however, toji mainly exhibits the two main negative attributes of sun in capricorn: bitterness and mistrustfulness. toji’s bitterness about the way he was treated by the zenin clan is carried with him and, in the end, it’s what kills him. that’s not to say he’s wrong for being bitter, but the fact of the matter is that it controlled his life. his career, his actions, his ideas, his morals, all aspects of toji’s life are characterized by his hatred of sorcerers, which directly stems from his experience. it’s his achilles heel.

🌙 - moon in libra is what makes toji seem so charming. toji’s libra moon carries very little weight in his personality due to his unbalanced and unstable capricorn sun, but it definitely leaves its mark, especially in ways that complement his capricorn sun. libra moons often have attractive personalities, characterized by friendliness and flirtatiousness, giving them an air of charm. moon in libra may also be a factor in toji’s ability to stay level-headed in dire situations, like what we saw in his fight with gojo. toji’s strong-willed nature from his sun in capricorn is amplified by his moon in libra, as libra moons enjoy “winning” things, especially things considered frivolous and petty.

💫 - aries rising complements toji extremely well. aries risings are known for being bold, assertive, commanding, charismatic, fearless, and arrogant, all of which toji showcases on arrival. toji has an aggressively commanding presence, demanding all eyes on him the moment he makes an appearance. unconsciously, toji asserts his dominance amongst any group of people. there is just something about him that screams that he’s in charge, although he usually tries to keep a low profile. toji’s charisma makes it hard to see him as nothing but a villain, creating an air of attractiveness about him despite his grittiness. aries rising allows toji to recognize his presence as one of intimidation, which not only boosts his confidence, but may even increase his chance of success against someone who may not be as confident. aries risings are known for having distinct facial features such as structured jaws, high cheekbones, striking chins and noses, strong smiles, and (occasionally) distinctive scars. this doesn’t always mean aries risings are handsome, but toji definitely is.

[refcold]

Choosing the Right Refrigeration System for Your Cold Storage Facility

Uncover the coolest choices for your cold haven! Delve into a world of refrigeration systems designed to keep your storage at its prime. Whether it's vapor compression, absorption, or evaporative cooling, we've got the lowdown on what suits you best. Save on energy, think sustainability, and stay ahead of the chill game. Get ready to freeze time, literally!

[desultory-novice]

Bonus Talk: Storycrafting for Noir and Apologies

So, I keep thinking how funny it is how this whole thing started. I had a chain of ideas at dinner one night: "What if the Master Crown really WAS trying to transform Magolor into Dark Matter? Would he be 'Dark Matter Wizard?' But then, what was Swordsman before he was Swordsman? Hmm. There is that one piece of human concept art he has... and you know...maybe it's the retro anime look or the fact that this series doesn't have hardly any humans in it but he looks just enough like Adeleine that one could think they're related-..."

Back then, "Noir" didn't really exist. I just drew up a quick sketch in Adeleine's notebook that I hope looked recognizably like the human DM concept art. He wasn't in color but given Dark Matter's palette, he probably would have had dark hair, and poring through the wiki - I found at least one Dark Matter incarnation with a purple eye. I also had Ado drop a line that her brother was "bad at making friends" because of that one JP guide and that was IT.

But then... I thought it was sad to draw this poor guy only to kill him off in the backstory without even fleshing out what he looked like (and I was afraid Adeleine's pencil sketch made him look blond XD) so I drew up a quick color pic of him, rendering Swordsman's gear as a normal scarf and coat. Before thecrashman said anything, I hadn't even considered the two of them as living on Shiver Star!

As soon as he said that though, everything started to come together...Now DMS was an overprotective brother taking care of his little sister in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Of course he was. No wonder he couldn't bond with anyone. He was straining under the weight of his responsibilities. He's older. He's supposed to be the protector, so he could never bring himself to tell his kid sister about the things he was going through. He focused on her joy to his own exclusion. A destructive pattern. A fatal flaw for this tragedy.

Twitter readers asked after the first comic how Adeleine's brother even became Dark Matter Swordsman, some suggesting perhaps it was because he died in battle against Zero? I thought a big human-led global effort against Zero and Dark Matter seemed too complicated in scope, so my solution was to go back to where this idea started: he would be the same as Magolor - looped in by a bad ancient artifact that parasitized him before he knew what was happening. Only he doesn't have a Kirby to save him...

At this point, I had to give him a name. I wanted something French-sounding, so he sounded good alongside Adeleine, and remembering the origin of Adeleine's name, I thought to choose something in FL-ese. I combed the lyrics of "Welcome to the New World" back and forth in both English and Japanese. (I was lucky as the song is sung as a one-to-one Japanese audio cypher and I speak Japanese.)

It wasn't easy though. I wanted a "strong" word but almost everything in there was about food or naps. XD I finally found a phrase in the Japanese lyrics, "邪魔できな���"/"unable to be interrupted"/"unstoppable" and matched it to FL-ese.

Noruruwa. Sounds kinda like "Noir." And with Dark Matter being "Matiere Noire" in French, well, it seemed all too perfect...!

The rest all flowed pretty naturally from there. If our setting is Shiver Star and Shiver Star exists at the same time as the New World, and it resembles our Earth's globe while the New World doesn't, perhaps Shiver is an "abandoned earth"? One with an angry, betrayed populace and two kids doomed by birth to die a cold, miserable death in a place utterly neglected by the rest of humanity.

Now "Noir" had a good reason to seek out the power that would be his undoing. While I'm at it, why not tell the story of how Adeleine gets her brush? That's magical(?) too. It's no Drawcia's Paintbrush, but neither is Dark Matter Blade equal to Galaxia. So now, we've got the idea for "off-brand artifacts" - found in an abandoned exhibit, perhaps? Maybe Noir wants to get Adeleine a present? He grabs the sword on the way out without even thinking because...it's a dangerous world out and he's got a young sibling to look after.

(Although, similar to the Master Crown, it's hard to say whether it was originally entirely his choice to pick it up...or the sword's.)

But wait, why do the artifacts do the bad things they do? Now that I'd introduced the New World into this story, I had Fecto Elfilis/ID-F86 on the table. The concept that the Shiver Starians were sooo angry at the New Worlders when for all we knew, the New Worlders weren't even ALIVE anymore made me think, "Do we really expect powerful, angry psychic Elfilis was passive that entire time? While they were being tortured? What if...they sabotaged everything?"

I'd already speculated that Elfilis and Void are two of a pair, and you can trace their offshots throughout the entirety of Kirby lore. (If you buy into my Galactic Nova is based on Fecto Elfilis theory.) And seriously, at least half those artifacts have led to serious tragedy. Now, we had a reason for Noir to be doomed by the narrative.

I do HC that everyone who has ever had their soul consumed by an Ancient Artifact had some red in their ledger - and so, I conceived of some for Noir. I didn't and don't ever want to write/draw a "humans are a disease" story, which is why 99~100% of anything "bad" implied to be going on in their lives on Shiver Star is entirely background. That was purposeful for several reasons. One was simply to demonstrate the degrees to which Noir was protecting Adeleine. He would build up more stress and more pain and more trauma while she remains the same throughout. Two is I just didn't want to go into detail about what wretched scenario would force Noir to take another person's life, but it is still a part of his character history.

(I write Kirby fan comics after all! I try to stay within the bounds of what I consider acceptable content to show. Best I can ^^; )

Noir was also just pushed to the brink, despairing in his life and the world around him. He wanted more than anything to escape this life. Of course, Artifacts have this funny way of twisting your wishes in the WORST way. (Screams of joy > screams of pain.) So Noir's artifact transforms itself into a collar he can't remove, with an unspoken time limit to do anything his newfound power could do for him - at the end of which, his body and soul become forfeit to the darkness. Now he has lost all escape routes. Even death only delivers him to a fate of serving Zero, robbed of independent thought and choice and memories of the one bright thing in his life.

Adeleine...

Adeleine still needed to escape though. She has to get to Popstar. This was the most complicated part for me to logic out. In the end, I went with the simplest, quickest, and most brutal method of getting that done. Quietly imply that Noir, resigned to his fate, killed as many people as it took to secure Adeleine safe passage off the planet and then lied to her about everything with a gentle smile.

Perhaps it's because the Dark Matter Blade has affected his mind and dulled any emotional responses the normally gentle (if sharp-tongued) Noir would have to harming people (as again, artifacts tend to twist people in the worst possible ways; Noir is verbally abrasive but his nature is defensive. Now he has only violence to rely on to get his wish) but I also think the look of calmness on his face throughout "Brightest Star", in spite of the blood on his hands, is because he's just honestly happy - relieved, for once in his life - to have at least saved Adeleine. He was already consigned to hell, doomed from a simple mistake born from the desire to do good; to protect. (*) But Adeleine doesn't have to carry either his mistakes or his sins.

His was a character who took everyone onto himself. And he succeeded at that. His and Adeleine's past and their traumas will be buried underneath the unending snowfall of Shiver Star...

...Adeleine departs and Noir dies, his human body dissolved into Dark Matter, rising up into the aether right as the first flakes of snow began their long task of erasing all that has happened...

-

Rest now, Noir...

...it's The Swordsman's turn.

-

-

-

-

(*) I consider Dark Matter Swordsman be in a very small group with Joronia and Max Haltmann as the only sympathetic characters to be permanently dead In Kirby canon. Which is another reason why I crafted Noir's story explicitly to resemble theirs. We had a pair of (potential) lovers whose story ends in tragedy and a father and daughter tragedy but no siblings whose story has ended tragically. By fanon, that's arguably Swordsman and Gooey, but that just made him more fit to be this story's tragic brother figure...

In which case, Noir basically HAD to be someone who had a simple wish (to keep his only family safe) ran afoul of an ancient artifact almost by accident in the midst of trying to do good and suffers an inevitable, horrifying physical and mental transformation that would end with his only option for salvation to be put out of his misery...

Curse you, Dream Land 2! :cries:

[Apologies AU]  “Apologies”  “One Sneeze”  “Summer”  “A Walk in the Snow”  “The Swordsman” “Wonderful Gift” "Damnation" "Salvation" "Unstoppable" "Brightest Star"

[Bonus Illust] “Ugly Scarf”  [Bonus Illust] "That's...Funny..." [Bonus Illust] "Full Regalia" (DMS "Gijinka") [Bonus Illust] "Was I A Good Brother?" [You Are Here] [Bonus Illust] "You Won't Win..." [Relevant] “Vestige” (script-only)

[Bonus Text] Noir Facts!

[Dark Matter Painter AU] "It wasn't supposed to go this way...!" "You're a good knight!" "The Body Remembers"

[the-fiction-witch]

Well find her P5

Media - The Queens Gambit Character - Benny Watts Couple - Benny X Reader Reader - Y/n Watts Rating - Sad AF! Cute AF Word Count - 2613

warnings - SA / abuse/ homophobia/ religious extremism/ horror/ blood/ gore/

The room fell silent as Mr Whitemore's words lingered, leaving a palpable stillness that hung in the air. Eventually, Miss Peters turned her focus back to Violet.

"Miss Watts. When you awoke in the basement of Mr Whitemore's Corner Store, what did you find there?" Miss Peters began again,

"A cupboard,"

"A cupboard?"

"It was a small room, with bible pages on the walls, crosses everywhere, the room was too little to lay or really sit. Just enough to stand in." She said, "I screamed but begged for help but ..."

"None came,"

"No,"

"Exhibit C, a small cupboard designed for a water heater in the basement of Whitemore Corner Store. Not the walls lined with bible scripture, copper and silver crosses and the door labelled with a phrase." She explained, "Mr Whitemore, for the court. What is that phrase?"

"The Christ Closet," he answered,

"And pray tell Miss Watts, what would happen in the Christ Closet?"

"Mr Whitemore would push me inside, lock the door from the outside. He would do so whenever he told me I was being sinful, he'd leave me for hours, days even, without food, water ... the bathroom,"

"what was the longest time you remember being locked in there Violet?"

"... the longest, without water was three days, the longest with him giving me water three weeks."

I squeezed Y/n's hand almost to the point of hurting her but she did the same her nails digging into my hand as we listened... to our little girl, our sweet baby girl, explain what that man did to her. He is so lucky. so very very lucky. cause the first chance I get that man alone... he's dead.

"In total, you were his prisoner for two years?"

"Yes, Two years," she nodded, "But... it felt like so much longer,"

"Exhibit D, The basement of Whitemore Corner store,"

The picture came up, the walls a grey brick, lined with shelves of merchandise, a mattress on the floor with a TV, blanket, a radiator and a bucket,

"The basement was full of items for his business, Miss Watts was chained to the radiator for days at a time with no access to water, no access to the toilet, the only light that of a 1967 17-inch Zenith TV." Miss Peters explained, "And what was plaid on this TV Miss Watts?"

"It didn't get a signal, so the TV had an old 70's VCR. The tape he plaid was for a large-scale mass church service, the tape would play day in and day out the only break when it would reach its end and the machine would rewind it and start again."

"That sounds hellish... but that's not even the begining of what was done to you Miss Watts, if you have the strength. I'd like for you to tell the court sparing no details. What happened to you while under Mr Whitemore's abduction."

Violet sighed gathering her courage,

I did my best to prepare myself. I knew what had happened to her but I had never pushed to know the gory details. I wasn't sure I could handle it, but I needed to know, I wanted to know. So I can go to him with the knowledge of everything he's done and punish him accordingly,

"Mr Whitemore... is a horrible man. He's a monster. he took me and hid me away from my family, no matter how much I begged him to let me go home, or even just to call my parents to tell them I was alive. I offered him to ransom me back to my family but he said the money was not his gain. He was going to keep me until I was better or so he said. When I behaved I was his 'good girl' a term that still makes me shiver even now, when I was less behaved he called me... a monster, a demon, a creature of sin, dike and other such things. He made me wear a dress for a little school girl, He would make me work unpacking boxes for hours, he would starve me until I begged him for food, and if I stole food he would strike me with an old copper pipe, he would take a spray bottle and fill it with ice cold water to spray at me like a cat, he would isolate me never letting me see the sun, speak to anyone but him, and playing that horrible tape over and over so I lost all track of time." She explained, "But the worst of it... was his 'Conversion Therapies', he said I was a monster for being gay, said I was broken, sinful, filled with demons and hellish ideas, that I had been possessed and corrupted by satan."

"What were these therapies, Violet?"

"He would lock me to the radiator and force me to watch adult tapes. Made me watch porn only heterosexual porn, hit me or spray me with water if I looked away so I had no choice but to watch them, he'd make me say how much I liked them even if I lied. If he suspected I was lying he'd... put his hand up my dress and check if I was aroused. When he played these tapes he'd sit and he'd touch me with his hands, 'Arousal therapy' he called it, trying to force me to be aroused whenever I watched them. He'd touch me other times, at night or when I was working trying to make me attracted to him, and aroused to his touch, like I was supposed to be he said. He'd chain me to the bed and have his way with me forcing me to tell him I enjoyed it. He was trying to change me, he said if I gave up my hellish ways' he'd let me go. I tried to lie but... he never believed me." She wiped her tears,

"As I said at the start of the trial, I need not prove his guilt merely to let you see the monster this man is."

So did many others in the courtroom including the judge and Y/n but I didn't cry I wanted to, but I was so full of rage.

"Thank you, Miss Watts, I think we have all heard enough. I shall adjourn court for a five-minute break, I think all of us need a moment to breathe and collect ourselves." The judge explained,

Everyone slowly filled into the lobby, Us included taking the time for the bathroom, getting some water, and changing Sterling. When she came back from drying her eyes I wrapped my arms around Violet so tight I may have been crushing her, Y/n cuddled her too even little baby Sterling laying his head on her.

"You are... the bravest girl in this world, do you know that?" I told her, "You didn't have to do this, you could have sat at home and just sent your statement but you did it. We are so proud of you." I told her,

"We really are Violet," Y/n reassured,

"Thanks, Mom, Thanks Dad," She nodded,

"Hey," I smiled, "Anything you want for dinner, you pick the place we're going." I told her kissing her forehead, "And ice cream after."

"soft serve?" she asked,

"Nope, scoops. And you can pick as many flavours as you want." I smiled, "You ready to go back in?"

"Yeah I'll go grab our seats," She nodded heading back inside,

I sighed, "I am gonna-"

"I know." Y/n smiled kissing my cheek, "He's very lucky he hasn't gotten a high heel to the cranium."

"Or a knife to the cock. Good, we're on the same page,"

"Umm," She nodded, "Daddy?" She giggled holding Sterling up to get a cuddle from me too,

"Aww, hi little boy," I cooed kissing him,

"Daddy, can I and Mommy get ice cream too? Of unlimited scoops?"

"... I'll think about it," I smirked kissing her as I took Sterling, "Come on let's get back and get this over with. I wanna watch him burn."

We headed back in and took our seats again now it was his turn to sit in the box and answer his memories of things,

"The Police came to check your store, Mr Whitemore, due to reports of fake tobacco products," Miss Peters asked him,

"Yes, a routine check. Not my issue. The supplier." he nodded,

"And yet then doing this inspection they found Miss Watts?"

"They did yes,"

"So you admit you hit her, and dragged her to your basement, and you admit they found her in your basement two years later? Sounds like kidnapping and forced entrapment to me, Mr Whitemore."

"I never denied that,"

"You don't deny you held Miss Watts against her will?" The judge asked,

"No, I do not Your Honour,"

"Then how can you claim not to be guilty? You kidnapped a minor and held her against her will in your basement for two years even if you say you did not harm her, that is still kidnapping Mr Whitemore." The Judge explained,

"I did what I had to do."

"Care to explain yourself, Mr Whitemore?" Miss Peters asked, "Explain why you feel you are not guilty,"

"They must be made to listen..." He said, "That is the good word the lord passed to me when I was but a boy, I am one of those sweet sheep with a mind clear enough to listen to all the love and all the words he sends to us, the good lord told me that they must be made to listen to all those who harbour a demon, all those whom sin and think vile thoughts, all of them must be made to listen to the word of god. To see the light, see the error of their ways, and be brought back to the kingdom of heaven. And that fine day... The good lord sent me a message that this sinner must be made to see the light. She must be made to understand her sinfulness. She was only a child, still as innocent as the mother Mary, but she was still able to be saved. So Our father told me, he spoke to me and told me I should be the one to cure her."

"You claim Mr Whitemore, that god spoke to you and told you to Kidnap Miss Watts to cure her homosexuality?"

"Yes, he did."

"You don't deny this?"

"I do not."

"You don't deny that you kidnapped her?"

"No."

"That you abused her?"

"No."

"That you raped her!"

"No."

"For what reason Mr Whitemore!"

"Because she is a monster! All of them are monsters! And you are all monsters for allowing it! Everything I did I did in the name of god! And I would do all of it again if it would mean one less of these demons on our streets! I did for the lord so there are no rules that need apply to him,"

"But you Mr Whitemore are under the rules and laws of our country and of human decency!"

"I am doing God's will!" He shouted, "I take my words from god as there is no higher authority!" He yelled getting to his feet,

"Sit down Mr Whitemore!" The Judge demanded,

"Even if you punish me for following his word, he will reward me for what I have done!"

The officers forced him down again,

"I have heard enough. We will return when a decision is made,"

As they forcibly dragged him away, he continued to shout in protest. The judge and jury solemnly exited the room, leaving us waiting anxiously for what felt like an eternity, uncertain of the outcome. I held Violet close, feeling a mix of emotions as I pondered what fate awaited him. The weight of the situation left me torn, as none of the possible outcomes seemed adequate.

Let him go? Never.

Lock him up? He'd still eat, talk to people, and maybe get TV. too good for him.

Injection? To quick, he should suffer for what he's done to her.

I wanted to watch him die, horribly, slowly, and painfully. I wanted to beat him senselessly, torture him, burn him alive, take him off just before he died, half drown him, waterboard him, and bury him alive. Even that didn't seem enough.

But finally, they returned, they brought him back in and made him stand as the judge explained his fate.

"Jacob Abraham Whitemore, You stand here on this the 20th of May 1987 inside Brooklynn East Court House. Accused of Kidnapping, Rape of a Minor, Abuse of a Minor, Sexual Abuse of a Minor and other offences. In not denying your crimes you have saved this court time and money, however, your non-guilty plea has wasted time, and emotional distress for your victim, her family and everyone here today. The jury and myself have deliberated over your fate and the decision has been made." He said, "The crimes you have committed are horrific, the fact you feel your god had ordered you to do such acts to your fellow human being and that you hide behind the umbrella of your religion is shameful, despicable, and insulting as a Christian. You are to be sent to Bakersfield Maximum Security Prison where you will be incarcerated in a solitary cell, but this will only be temporary, While you await your execution but electrocution." He said, "You are officially sentenced to death by electrocution."

The sound of the bang echoed out across the courtroom,

"God will forgive me for this! he will reward me!" He swore and screamed as he was dragged away but I didn't listen I just held Sterling, and Y/n in my arms so thankful that this would be over. I looked at Violet and saw her reaction, strangely she didn't have one.

"Are you okay sweetheart?"

"Yeah." She nodded a tear slipping from her lips, "I'm so happy," she nodded hugging us tightly "I love you guys so much,"

"We love you too, we both do," I reassured her,

"Come on, let's all get out of here," Y/n smiled putting Sterling in his pram and holding Violet's hand as they headed out, "Any thoughts where you wanna go for dinner sweetheart?"

"Mr Watts?" The judge said as he came up to our seats,

"Oh uhh Hi," I smiled, "Thank you, I can't even begin to explain how happy she is, and we are."

"I'm glad, but I wanted to speak with you." He said, "I always do a bit of digging into cases before the day, and I must say you and your wife... it very rare a couple will fight for their child's search as long as you did, kept their toes to the fire I must say."

"We always knew we'd find her. We never lost hope for our little girl to come home."

"That's commendable," He nodded, "Most marriages don't survive a child going missing either,"

"... I admit, things were hard between us for a while," I said looking back to Y/n as she cradled Sterling and chatted with Violet as they waited for me, "She shut down when we lost her, for a while I didn't know if I'd ever get the woman I married back. I almost lost her more than once... But truly there is nothing I wouldn't do for those girls." I smiled,

"I wish you only the best Mr Watts, you and your family."

"Thank you, judge," I nodded,

He offered his hand so I shook it before I turned heading out to meet with the girls,

"Hey, we decided?" I smiled taking Sterling and giving him a little cuddle,

"Yeah, Pizza Hut." Violet nodded,

"Pizza Hut?" I chuckled, "Alright if that's what you want, unlimited breadsticks, pizza and we'll get ice cream on the way home."

Everyone agreed so we headed out the court, putting this whole mess behind us focusing on the only thing that matters. Our family. 

[nanabrainrot]

Dulce de Leche Glaze: Lotería

Summary: You had been chained up by Marco and Leonel for ten months. You just want to make the best out of the worst.

WC: 3592

Based off the Leonel Salamanca x Dulce!Reader x Marco Salamanca by @richeeduvie  - their work really got my creative juices flowing <3 check ‘em out!!

Warnings! NSFW (18+), kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, and MMF threesome. Reader has an internal conflict about how to feel as a kidnapping victim. Proceed with caution.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Your relationship had been a slow burn, increasing lingering touches that made you burn hot were becoming more common. 

At first, you were furious with yourself for allowing it to progress so far. Your time with the boys was filled with tentative touches that left your blood running cold. It’s worse that they’re both standing next to you - their towering frames hovering and casting a shadow over you from the dim glow of the staticky television behind them; Legally Blonde was neglected. The shortness of your breath only emboldened the men. You had entertained lingering touches, letting them cuddle you at the same time on the sofa. Your hips pressed taut to Leonel’s hips while you laid your head on Marco’s chest more times this month than you could count like it was a nightly routine.

That slow grinding, you had felt Leonel’s cock strain through his pajama pants as it pressed into your ass for the first time when you first turned on the movie. His hot breath in your ear as you clutched at Marco’s chest with small gasps. It was demeaning to do this, to not just let them touch you but to… but to want it. It had been a long pleasureless ten months with them, a lot of fits of anger and throwing gifts in their face. It was sickening when you realized the gentleness they exhibited with you; that there was in fact care there. The wordlessness became a part of your routine as you adapted to what it meant to be comfortable with them.

It was beyond comfort, what you felt now, looking up at them from where you sat at the end of the sectional with your sock clad toes with the frills and ruffles at the ankle like a girl at communion grazing the plush rug on the floor. The tented fabric of their cocks in the navy plaid pajama pants were big, intimidating to see. You had done some … dry humping with them in moments of weakness where you just had these demented needs to be fulfilled and promised yourself it wouldn’t happen again only to wind up in the other brother’s lap not even ten minutes later; you felt beyond debauched at this point. You would never do something like this back home.

But nothing else derived pleasure. Even before they took you away, you had a long dry spell without sex and any sex was mediocre and unsatisfactory. Briefer than brief, never long enough to make you cum.

Nonetheless, the growing tension despite anticipating mediocrity remained. It was a pleasureless ten months and you had the choice to make it into a pleasureless lifetime; they had zero intention of letting you out and their clever nature made it sure that any lapse in their common withholding protocol was intentional (made sure by the numerous times they had left something unlocked only for you to turn a corner and find them anticipating your escape attempt). The escape attempts lessened as time droned on. It was useless and you only had the option to make the best of it and make amends with them. It removed a lot of worry from your life if you looked on the optimistic end of things; you never had to worry about a bill or your next meal like you did when you scraped by at Casa Tranquila. It was a humble salary and you never lived above your means as they allowed you to. Everything you asked for was always followed through wordlessly, something you never enjoyed outside of the walls of their compound. Nobody really stuck to their word with you except them, who ironically rarely said any words.

It only complicated the looming feeling of affection blooming in you. You had started not just accepting their touches but seeking them out, inviting them in, leaving the spaces on the sectional you sat on open unlike how you used to sprawl out to prevent them from encroaching on your private space. If only the woman you were when you first got here, fussy and belligerent, could see you now: eager and submissive. You would’ve wept for all you were worth. You wouldn’t believe what you were seeing.

Their shirts discarded, the tattoos lining their chests and the shadow of the bulging muscles highlighted by the dim shadow of the quiet playing of the DVD that just barely tuning out the hum of your own heartbeat in your ears as you stared up wide-eyed at the duo that were palming their cocks looking down at you from where they stood. The sectional is like a sofa bed you note, anticipating something more than just a blowjob after so many months of them waiting for you to give the go ahead. Given they were kidnappers, you were thankful in some way that they never forced you into something you didn’t want beyond the holding you hostage part. Everything else was tailored to try and give you comfort. Each complaint was rectified the next day be it a new blanket, pillow, or DVD of an old classic. 

Just… this is just a thank you. It’s more for you, you reason internally trying to bite down the burning lust in you that wanted to just strip bare and beg them to do what they want and hope that the feeling just goes away so you can be normal again and go back to hating them. You want so badly for the feeling to go die down as you reach out with both hands to take each of their erections in your hand to palm at through the pants. Their circumference was thick, you could tell that much from circling it (or trying to) with your hand over the pants and you couldn’t gauge the length from the fabric keeping it restrained. You were curious, nothing more, you reason even further in spite of the pooling slick in your dolphin shorts. You didn’t really wear panties anymore, they kept vanishing anyway, so you fretted if these shorts would be ruined. At least the boys would follow through if you asked them to get you new ones. You’d have five new dolphin shorts with varying colors and designs by dusk tomorrow if you asked.

You can tell they’re good at reading you, which gives you some comfort that they didn’t try to push you more. Marco’s hand is gentle, petting your hair when you pause at their waistbands looking unsure, while Leonel’s hand comes to rest on your cheek and stroking your face with his thumb. This is too gentle for you. It’s only complicating the fuzzy feeling that moved from your pussy to your chest, stomach turning uncomfortably at the affectionate touches. You sigh, a deep breath to reset your breathing as you tug the waistbands down: they both spring up, the warm beige skin hitting the strip of hair that went from their belly button to the groin.

 Long. Scary, you think. It’s bigger than you ever had really seen besides those pornos you stumbled on back in high school, the ones with some tiny skinny lady with a six-foot something monster of a man toting a member thick like a coke can. It didn’t even look like it felt good, you remember as you try to swallow the lump in your throat. It had been a really long dry spell, busy with work and school and the Albuquerque dating pool was not something you wanted any part in anyway. You can barely circle them with your palms granted how much smaller you were but, you try. You really do try, staring hard at Marco’s and glancing at Leonel’s with flitting eyes like you were nervous and they could tell it. The petting of your hair ceases as Marco’s hand flattens to a palm at the back of your head and pushes it toward his twitching dick. Was this even gonna fit in your mouth? Your jaw hurts just looking at it… 

You still pump at Leonel, who was trying to stroke your face and console you as the anxiety was becoming obvious to them both. Your face draws closer to Marco’s dick, but you don’t open your lips as you get close to it. Your lips settle on the tip and Marco doesn’t push further, looking down at you as you whimper a little and look up at him with puppy dog eyes, all glossy and watery. Your lips twitch a little, still trying to figure out if it’ll hurt your jaw; this was bigger than anything you had ever seen in real life (not that you were really experienced given your schedule). Your hand settles at Marco’s base, as you look up and smile nervously and kiss the precum off his tip. I can do this, you think, I can do this. 

The first inch is a bit difficult but you just try not to think of how it’s stretching your mouth as you take him in a little over half to meet your fingers closed in a fist at his base, still giving Leonel slow pumps as you focus. Not that hard just go up and down and suck, you think as you bob your head while listening to the small breaths of Marco above you from where you sit on the sectional sofa bed’s end. A couple of moments pass before you move to Leonel, feeling brazen and considerate given how soft and sweet Leonel’s stroking of your face was. It was repetitive, switching back and trying to both get them wet enough to do… to do whatever. You didn’t even wanna think of the words. It was too fuzzy in your head anyway to even think anymore: you didn’t want to think, only wanted to do. 

You let them go, the wet gleam of your saliva on their shafts reflected in the dim light of the television, and a long line of spit follows Marco’s tip to your lips before breaking and landing a line of spittle on your pointelle camisole as you scoot to the head of the sectional sofa bed. They pause, wondering if it was pushing you too far, but their eyes widen a little bit as you strip off the camisole and discard it. Followed by you nervously pulling down your dolphin shorts which had a large dark mark at the groin where your wetness was accumulating a humiliating amount, more than you ever had done in your life. You only sit at the back of it, palms pressing into the puddle of your favorite blanket that had been left at the sofa back and spilled down the arm to the plush rug on the floor. Your hair was a mess. Drool was on your chin and your hands were wet with the amount of gagging you had done on them. 

Dressed only in your frilly socks, you glance between them and swallow. Gulping, all nervous, like trying to get something out of your throat. Legally Blonde is going to end soon. “I started with Marco so - so Leonel, y-you can go first. C’mere, Marco…” you mumble in broken soft words, spreading your legs and reaching your arms out to Marco to have him come near your mouth. You hadn’t done it in so long and never with two guys at once. Inside, you had no ounce of shame around the situation. It was trying to scratch an itch, making the best of the worst. You just hope it’d feel good. That they’d be gentle.

The pair of navy pajama pants pooled on the floor by the television, left behind by both as your attention turned to Leonel. He was climbing over you on the sofa, hard breaths cut off as he went to kiss your forehead. The greatest way to tell them apart during this moment was the way Leonel always sought out these small ways to soothe you whereas Marco tended to be more emboldened to go the next step with you. You grip Marco in your left hand, pumping him as your eyes stare down at the part where you and Leonel are about to meet. He’s nudging the hole, seeing it was already sopping wet and ready, and your breath catches in your throat as he pauses to look up for confirmation that it was okay.

“Ju-just… gentle, okay…” you breathe like the wind was knocked out of you. He nods with a low hum and pushes forward, just enough to slip the head in but it’s enough - the way you yelp makes him pause as you lean back, hands moving from Marco’s cock to hold his waist and bury your face into the skin between his hip and belly. You grip at his hips, seeking Marco out to have to hold onto as Leonel inched in, his dick still hard and pressed on your cheek as you let out a choked sob into his skin all muffled. His right hand goes to the back of your head again to console you as his left starts to brush up and down your arm, grazing it to ground and reassuring you that you were safe. You hiccuped a bit as he slid in a little deeper, your hips bucking pathetically as you tried to take it without complaint. When he bottoms out, you breathe a long sigh into Marco’s side as you pull back with tearful eyes and look to Leonel while still gripping Marco’s sides as he keeps at his movements to console you. 

“You - you can keep going, ‘m okay now… just l-let Marco use my mouth ‘til you’re done…” you murmur, eyes glazed over without thought and only considering the pleasure. His veins pushed into your walls as you squeezed him with your twitches, your heartbeat clear as day in your pussy, as you went to bob your mouth on Marco with a nod to show him you were okay. It’s bliss for them both, the way you use both hands and holes for them. Your mouth worked at Marco’s shaft with a bobbing motion as you sucked at it, pumping the base of it that you couldn’t reach without gagging, while moaning around it in high-pitched whimpers and squeals when his tip nudged your cervix. Your right hand was gripping the back of Leonel’s neck, to keep him close mostly. You looked spent and you had just started. It had been a long ten months in Leonel’s defense when he suddenly drew back and spilled his spent all over your belly quicker than he would’ve liked. He looked down at the pooling milky liquid glazing your skin and glanced at your hole: it was twitching and still asking for more. He glanced up at Marco with a nod, who tugged your head back by the hair (gently) to get you to pull back. The string of spit is lewd, your eyes half-lidded and foggy with pleasure, lined with watery tears at the size of him and the sensation of tending to two men at once. You whined at the emptiness of you, almost huffing as your mouth and pussy were suddenly both empty. You look at Leonel with a quivering lip and hold your arms out to him when you realize Marco was going to replace his spot in your pussy, almost like you wanted an innocent hug. His heartstrings tug a little at the sight of you giving into your base needs from where you used to be so combative and belligerent. It was like winning the lottery after playing the same number over and over.

Leonel doesn’t stand like Marco, but instead drops to his knees next to the sofa to kiss you, your chest pressed against the sofa’s arm to meet his lips over it. You squeak at the sudden movement only to grab his shoulder with a vice grip when Marco suddenly dips into you and sets a harsher pace than he did. You moan into his mouth, the air from your nose panting in short hard breaths as you gripped his biceps with eyes screwed shut. Unlike Leonel, the force of Marco’s thrusts were enough to make you bounce a bit. Leonel probably only started slowly to see how well you could take the length and Marco went to work seeing how hard you could take it. Clutching Leonel and panting in his mouth aren’t enough, you need something sweeter: you pull away and nuzzle into Leonel’s shoulder, kissing at the nape of his neck with peppering pecks that you struggle with as you feel your insides twitch more and threaten to spill - spill something. You pull back from peppering kisses along his neck and stare at him with tense and knit brows, eyes big as you try so hard to verbalize the feeling. It felt - you weren’t sure. You didn’t know how to say it; no, you just didn’t want to admit what was happening: the first time you were cumming is because you let both your kidnappers fuck you at once.

“Le-Le-Leo-” you breathe in a strained voice that trembled with each of Marco’s thrusts, “think ‘m gon-gon - aahh, ‘m cumming…” your voice trails off as you dip back into his shoulder to hiccup pathetically, your hips shaking and bucking under the loud squelching sounds it was making as he kept scraping his cock along your walls and prodding at your cervix with his deep hot huffs of breath that grew strained. He didn’t need to keep holding it in if you had already cum: they got what they wanted.

More cum pools on your belly, dribbling translucent white splattered across your tits, chest, belly, and groin. So much it was dribbling a bit. You had to be cleaned up after being coated in two loads of two sexually frustrated men. Empty again, you still twitched as Leonel peppered kisses along your hairline as you whimpered into his shoulder trying to settle the aftershock of what had just happened. Many months ago, you had been beating their shoulders as they dragged you back in the house after testing if you’d run away for the third time, crying feverishly and yelling about how much you hated them as they secured the chain around your ankle in the basement again. You had been behaving lately and were able to join them upstairs (albeit on the living room chain) and it set you back again. It was never going to end. 

It was a pleasureless ten months. It is making the best out of the worst and although a part of you still wants to feel that regret or hate coming back up as Marco tenderly collects the cum off your midsection with a washcloth as Leonel presses warm kisses to your cheek, the regret never comes. It’s washed away in the riptide of pleasure and gone in the deep sea. It was like a message in a bottle to be swallowed up by some sperm whale and never seen again. You hum happily into Leonel’s shoulder and reach out to stroke Marco’s hand when he comes back clad in his pajama pants. 

You had a lot of dreams about a beach during your stay there. Waking up in a cold sweat tied to the radiator, you often started off dressed inappropriately: overheating in hot sweats. You were alone and a lot of the time it looked like a storm was rolling in. You were starting to hate the beach, not that you went there often, and only sometimes you would wake up to one or both of the boys looking at you with those hard faces of concern as you mumbled and rolled in your sleep on the futon in the basement. Their faces made you wake with a start the first few months, a yell or a push, then a holler at them to leave you alone or you’d start another hissy fit of tears and pleading. The past three or four months (you had no calendar to know what day it was or a window to gauge how much time had passed), the sight of them in front of you didn’t drive you to tears after the dream of the dark beach in your sweats. Staring back questionably, you would just turn toward the wall to not look. Only recently you started letting them console you… reaching out for them to sit with you. It’s dim in the basement even if the chain is long enough to go to the lamp and make it brighter, it’s more comforting to feel someone else’s warmth. When you doze off, the credits of Legally Blonde, the beach is sunny and bright with cool waves and you feel the perfect water on your toes nice and warm. It’s a sundress, a maxi one that’s thin and colored a deep maroon. The ends get wet with your feet. You look down, but if you look up there is no land for miles, marathons away, stretches of isles to never be explored beyond the island. It’s just you and this beach, forever. It is making the best out of the worst. 

You wake up on the futon already consoled by Marco, your head in his lap, as Leonel silently folds your favorite blanket. You nuzzle into his lap and don’t even remember there is a chain tying you to a radiator: there is something that changed in the room and it was not the furniture nor was it the boys.

[im-poe-dameron]

NEVER BREAK THE CHAIN

➢ 01. WORLD GONE WRONG

a/n: guess who watched too many jurassic park movies and then took one look at din with an idea.. this was just a funny fic at first and then it kind of became something else entirely. i had been plotting it for a long time, but i'm finally ready to write it. hopefully y'all enjoy!

dedicated to: @softanon for listening to me ramble about this fic and working some kinks out of it. you're amazing babes. thank you!

summary: years after you lost contact and parted ways, din comes back into your life. in the most drastic way possible. all starting with the offer of a new position as head of a genetics lab.

word count: 2.8k+

pairing: din djarin x f!reader

warnings: not explicit, angst, broken hearts, alcohol, bad explanation of genetics/science, the beginning of the end.

next chapter | series masterlist

“Can anyone tell me what the difference between genomes and genes are?” Twirling the pen between your fingers, you watched the students raise their hands one by one, each of them exhibiting the same amount of confidence. 

Others refused to meet your eye, suddenly finding other aspects of the lecture hall far more intriguing. You didn’t blame them. Back when you were in their spot you wouldn’t be the first to answer the question either. Too afraid of what might happen if you did. You picked at random—a younger man who funnily enough wore a dress shirt and pants.

“Genes are a segment of DNA while genomes are the entire genetic material of an organism.”

“Correct!” you said. “Now, we’re talking about genes specifically today, because the lab I’ve constructed for next week allows you to pick apart and study aspects of DNA from different species.”

A single glance at the clock told you that time was almost up. You reached for the stack of worksheets you printed out—almost killing the staff printer in the process—and handed them to the first student you came across. You couldn’t stop yourself from glancing at the man sitting towards the door. A briefcase on the desk in front of him and his tie dutifully pressed down along his shirt. You weren’t sure why it took you so long to realize that he wasn’t a student, but there you were—attempting to identify the symbol on his bag.

“Professor?”

Your attention snapped back to the class. “Yes?”

“Will this be a part of the midterm?”

“No. This is just something we’re looking over.”

The man had yet to leave, his eyes watching you as you maneuvered around the room and a thought in the back of your head told you to run. Once class is over you should grab your things and take off with the rest of the students. But like an idiot, you decided to do the complete opposite. Dismissing the class, you answered questions here and there for those that needed clarification about the upcoming class. All of which you were happy to answer, but the man still had yet to leave and he’d begun to make his way to the front of the room.

Heading directly towards your desk.

“Do we have to bring anything extra to the lab?”

You couldn’t recall the students name, but you recognized the denim jacket she wore. “No. We’ll be heading down to the campus labs for this one so everything will already be there.”

She nodded. “Have a good rest of your day professor.”

Waving, you felt the weight fall on your shoulders as no one but you and him remained. He stood quietly beside your desk, the symbol on his bag much clearer and yet still a mystery; it would help if he talked, but something told you that he was doing this on purpose. 

So, you chose to ignore his presence. Instead focusing on the task at hand, which was shoving all the ungraded papers into your bag—your hot cup of coffee having gone cold. If you had the chance, you’d escape to the cafe across the street, but it seemed you wouldn’t be so lucky.

He dropped a packet on the desk in front of you, jolting you out of your numerous escape plans. “You are the only certified geneticist that works on campus, correct?”

Some fucking decency would have helped his case. Dropping the remainder of your papers into your bag, you shoved it onto your shoulder—intent on leaving him here. You knew his pitch before he even said it. First they confirmed exactly who you were so they didn’t look stupid when attempting to recruit you. And then they started their grandiose rant. Going on and on about how their company wished to shape the world; how they were a year away from issuing needed change. Half of the time you never listened to what bullshit they were spouting—like a hose that never turned off quite right.

“I’m not interested,” you said, turning on your heel and heading directly towards the door.

He blocked your way out. “I promise what I have to say is worth your while.”

“I don’t want to hear what you have to say.”

“Can you please let me—”

“No,” you stated. Fixing him with what you hoped turned out to be a withering stare.

“You’re one of the top geneticists in this country; graduated with a doctorate degree in the field before coming to teach here. You could have applied your skills at a lab but you—” Shoving past him you made it five steps out the door before he ran in front of you again. “Please. Just hear me out.”

“I don’t see why I should.”

Maybe you were being harsh, but after years of turning down offer after offer, people didn’t seem to understand that you didn’t do this to change the world. Half of the time change ended in disaster. So you chose to offer your knowledge to others who might need it more than you—students that could actually apply their skill somewhere. You were never one to take orders lightly. Never one to follow the rules. Working for a company would only hinder you in the long run than help you reach your final goal.

“We were given a recommendation to come recruit you.”

You sighed, stopping to finally regard him. “Look, I don’t know who put in this recommendation, but that won’t make me change my mind. I’m happy being a professor.” 

Thankfully he allowed you to walk past him this time, but you didn’t get very far.

“He told me to tell you that it came from Rook.” Freezing, you whipped around to face him, the disbelief clear on your face. “He said…you’d know what that meant.”

“He put in the recommendation?” How was that possible? The last you heard from him was…the night before he left—the night that everything changed and life shifted entirely. “He’s…working for you?”

“Well not yet,” he replied, grasping for a small envelope in his bag. “He still has to go through the final stages of training, learning what his job will be, but when he asked if we’ve hired geneticists your name was the first one up.” He handed the dingy looking white paper off to you, a scrawled out name on the front clearly marking it as his handwriting. “He said to give that to you if I found you.”

The breath caught in your throat as you looked down, the name Bishop written across the front in pen. You knew that handwriting better than you knew your own, having seen it on small notes you found scattered across your shared apartment. Fuck it was nearly a decade ago and still…you felt your heart twist violently in your chest—the memory of him, so real that you swore you could touch it. He’d always been there in a way. At the back of your mind and for so long you figured you’d never encounter him again.

Given that his path led him across the oceans to a different country. While yours left you to remain right where you were. Living on the campus where you met him, teaching the same classes you took with him—connected to him even after he couldn’t promise you forever.

“Why?” Your voice had gone soft, eyes tracing over every curved letter of his writing.

“You’re the best. That’s all he told us.”

Typical of him to give the simplest explanation possible. You wanted to bet that if you opened the envelope you’d find nothing but a few words written on the paper. Even when you were with him he didn’t talk much about what he wanted for himself—more about what he wanted for the both of you. A house, a family. Hell, maybe even a dog. You were both lost in the fantasy land of falling head over heels for one another that you never stopped to think of the all too crushing reality.

It swept you away from him faster than you could call out his name and…that was it. He was never to be heard from again.

So why now?

“Where do you work?” you asked, hesitant about even considering this job. Changing positions now would make it a nightmare for the students.

“G.I.” He fumbled for the business card in his pocket. “Genetics Incorporated. Which was founded—”

“Yeah I know about G.I.” It had been your dream job ever since high school. A chance to finally put the science you found so fascinating to good use. “I can’t believe you bastards are still around.”

The man’s pale skin flushed red. “Well…we made it somehow.”

“Don’t you mean you made it by stealing ideas from other scientists in order to make your name worldwide?”

Their history was dark and it spread throughout the years. Part of why you didn’t join their ranks was due to their previous court cases. Being sued over scientific ideas that were stolen never shed a good light on the company, but there they were. What the fuck was he doing working for them in the first place? He must have known their history—their past with the scientific community. You turned around and ran when they first offered you a position; already knowing what side of history you preferred to be on.

“What exactly are you working on?”

The man stumbled over his words, referencing the now slightly crumpled packet in his hands. “It’s highly classified material, but they told me to tell you that they are attempting genetic splicing with different organisms.”

“Gene splicing?” you exclaimed, snatching the packet from him. “That’s never been attempted before on anything except plants.”

From what they gave you it seemed like a bullshit version of a professor’s published paper. They wanted to give you as many flowery and enticing words as possible with little to no information. So when you joined you felt like you made the right choice. You’d seen it so many times it was hard to keep track, but as you turned to the last page you noticed a different type of genetic code. One that wouldn’t be seen necessarily in plants but in…animals.

“What would they need the DNA of reptiles for?” you asked, glancing up at him.

“Ah…I’m afraid that’s above my pay-grade.”

Reading through this packet wasn’t what you really wanted to do. But you couldn’t open his letter here. Not when you were on the brink of actually running away from yet another job prospect. You know why you chose teaching as your profession, why you still remained someplace where life was good. Fear kept you here. Except the mere idea of seeing him again, of getting a chance to finally hash out the past both of you ignored for so long—it made you want to say yes without an ounce of hesitation.

Only you were never that person.

“Can I think about it?” You already knew what your answer would be; you just needed his final push.

The man nodded. “Of course! The number is on the business card when you’re ready to talk more.”

You left before he could say anymore, his letter clutched in your hand and a new feeling in your heart. One you weren’t sure you particularly liked very much.

After a grueling drive home, you finally shut the door on your apartment and nearly slid down to the ground. The work day kept you on your feet for hours at a time, but receiving this letter…it tipped you over the edge. Yanking off your shoes, you walked barefoot to the fridge and pulled out a beer, needing a bit of alcohol to entice you enough to open the letter. Liquid courage is what he used to call it.

His voice was still in your mind after all these years. His words now echoing back to you, whispering in your ear and telling you not to be such a chicken shit. To take the leap for something you’d wanted since you were practically a kid. Swallowing the beer, you collapsed on the couch and let out a breath you’d been holding in since seeing his scrawled handwriting. It didn’t hit you until that moment that…you missed him. As mad as you were at him for leaving, you still longed to be in his presence.

“No time like the present,” you whispered, turning the letter over and ripping open the back.

A small folded paper was pulled out, nothing on the back except a small ink stain. Your hand shook slightly as you opened it up, terrified of what you would find yet excited all the same. Only he could give you that rush—still after all these years.

Bishop,

It’s probably strange hearing from me after all these years, but you were the first person I thought of. I’ve got no idea if you’re still pissed at me, or if you’ve moved on. But this isn’t about that. This is about that dream you told me about. A chance to change the world.

Well…we’re in a world gone wrong and the way I see things, what they’re doing here could make it right.

So why are you still overthinking this? Don’t give me that look. I know your looks better than you do and you’re giving me that one. There’s no need to be afraid. There never was. It’s you and me Bishop—always has been.

Take the leap honey.

I know you can.

—Din

You scrubbed at the tears that fell, hiccuping as you read and reread and reread his words. You knew that if he were here, he’d tell you to finally live your life the way it was meant to be lived. A part of you wanted him to be here in person, just so you could fight with him, but he was only there through his words. Even after all these years your heart still fluttered as he called you that nickname. Bishop. It felt silly that one small word could become your entire world.

All because of him.

“Fuck,” you whispered, glancing at the business card on the coffee table in front of you. “What have you gotten yourself into Din?”

You understood the discrepancy and secrecy that came with a job this big, but the fact that they refused to even let you in on a little piece of it made you uneasy. Secrets were one thing. Keeping the entire mission for a company large enough to cause real world change under wraps was something else. Normally you would have ripped up the papers by now. On the very principle that you stood by your morals no matter what.

Din working there changed things for you though.

He must trust them to some degree to recommend your name among the many that they no doubt cherry picked from graduating classes. You weren’t a young bright-eyed scientist anymore. Those days passed the second you watched him leave you—making a choice that impacted the both of you without even asking. You understood the harsh reality of the world now. Even if you didn’t want to.

Agreeing to this—leaving your stable job for this, meant you were choosing a man over your beliefs.

If the younger version of you could see you now, you were sure she’d cuss you out without question. But you weren’t choosing just any man. You were choosing Din. The man who was always meant to be your future. Funny how the universe continued to pull the both of you together.

Glancing down at the letter still clutched in your hand, your eyes traced over the three words he used to say to you when you were terrified of making a choice. Take the leap honey. You rarely took the leap anymore. Why bother taking chances on things that could more or less go horribly wrong? What was the point in the end? But Din pushed you to take chances, to stop obstructing your own path and focus on the future you were meant for.

Perhaps this was his way of doing just that. You wanted to ask him. Confirm that…yes he was once again nudging you in the right direction. Except the only way you could do that was if you saw him in person again, and the only way that would happen was if…you took the leap.

You smiled, wiping the last tear off your cheek before reaching for your phone—the business card laying beside it.

“Even when you’re not here you’re still annoying Djarin,” you muttered, staring at his words one last time before dialing the number you knew would seal your fate for good. 

The phone rang, breaking the silence in your small apartment and striking nerves through your heart. “Okay Din,” you breathed, shutting your eyes for a moment. “It’s you and me.”