#cus it's probably gonna be a lot harder to fall asleep

[luzwastaken]

guys guess what my invisalign come with RUBBER BANDS

(and the techs nEVER EVER TOLD ME I FEEL LIKE THATS A CRIME IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED TO ME I CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH-)

[baeklination]

Room 4

Date: 210621

Warnings: SMUT🔞, masturbation, mouth-fucking, standard fucking, voyeurism(-ish?)

Pairing: Baekhyun x F. Reader

WC: 1, 9k

Masterlist

¤¤

You whistle in jest when he comes out into the kitchen.

"I thought you were going to a fundraiser, not a hedonistic sex fest…"

Baekhyun's clothes are perfectly fine to wear where he's going, but he always makes things extra fine; his thin v-neck, nonchalantly tucked into the front his black leather trousers; a simple black blazer for a bit of class - and two silver necklaces for a little pizzazz. He's had a thing for the darker tones since he dyed his hair gray.

"If you don't hurry up I might bolt the door shut so you can't get out."

"As if you're not dying to have a night off", he smiles into the mirror, meeting your reflection while tidying his hair.

"I was..."

You can tell when he gets a feeling, just like now. He looks you straight in the eye - albeit via mirroring - with the tiniest narrowing of his eyes.

"Sleep in four tonight."

You lean back, happy.

"Phone..?"

"Off."

"Do you know what time you'll be home?"

"No. Late", he says, going to wiggle his feet into his shoes. "But don't stay up too long."

"I won't. Maybe I'll read Lee's dissertation on why dadaism really is the true impressionism…", you snort.

"Ooh, I know how you've been waiting to get your hands on that riveting read..!", Baekhyun jokes and gives you a kiss goodbye. "See you lat- tomorrow. Eight?"

"That's so long", you frown. “But okay.”

His delicate fingers push gently on the nape of your neck when he kisses you again.

"So touch yourself", he moans into your mouth before pulling away and leaving.

Having to wait until tomorrow to see Baekhyun isn't much fun, but knowing it's number four - actually - knowing that makes it worse, makes your underwear soaked as you keep replaying what you did last time:

“Where will you be?��

“I know you’ll keep looking over if I tell you”, he says. “You don’t know I’m there, remember?”

You skip clothes altogether save for a white satin robe; there isn’t much point in getting all done up when it’s coming off so quickly. And besides, Baek will no doubt assume you’ll be wearing something, panties at least, so he’ll choke when he finds out you aren’t.

You’re a bit jittery - pleasing yourself when you know he’s watching makes you a bit embarrassed, but it’s also what arouses you. Thinking about his cock getting so hard he has to release it and pump with a steady hand, careful not to come, as he looks on makes you slick and you can feel it as you walk around. You take a calming breath and open the door.

Luckily, you turned the light on beforehand, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see a thing. And trying to look to see where Baekhyun might be hiding would be impossible - it’s near pitch black in your garden. You give the daybed a shove so it stands by the wall and prop some pillows up before you lean back, play-acting as if you’re just having a quiet night in. You don’t have to look to know how swollen your clit is, how the thick strings cover it and everything else. It may have been Baekhyun’s request - but it’s your pleasure. Putting on a show for him, you pretend to be a little coy. Pretend you’re embarrassed at being so aroused you HAVE to touch yourself. The truth is closer to you by now having to pace yourself, closer to your core pulsating - almost hurting - ‘cus you want it so bad.

You undo the knot on the robe and let the thin fabric fall from your shoulders to expose your breast. Your nipples are hard pebbles in your fingers, sending jolts down in between your legs as you stroke and pinch them. For him you wet your fingers, pushing them in and out of your mouth a few times before circling your nipple again. You can’t wait any longer. You spread your legs and caress your thigh downwards with one hand, the other still stroking your breast, and pull at your folds for Baekhyun to see the state you're in. Lightly you run a finger over your ass. You’re wet all the way down. Reaching under one of the pillows your hand finds the treasure you’ve put there previously; smooth, metallic silver - a perfect fit in your hand. Without any playing around you put it to your entrance and watch as the top slides in. Your hips lift instinctively as you drop your head back and let the dildo fill you completely. There is no resistance at all, you can easily hold it with just two fingers. Almost completely lost in the moment your first thought is that you’ve turned the vibration on, but see the lit screen on your phone when you look down. A text from Baekhyun: “Call me, don’t say anything. Put me on speaker.”

He picks up, saying nothing, so you put the phone by your legs and continue. You put a little extra volume in your moan to make sure he hears it; Baekhyun gets excruciatingly turned on by everything that has to do with you masturbating. Knowing he’s out there listening to the wet sound of your pussy, agonizing over whether to control himself or to just let himself go and orgasm makes the dildo a rather futile replacement. But a replacement nonetheless, so you turn the vibration on - jolting with a moan - and push it up to touch your sweet spot over and over, your chest rising higher, hand squeezing your breast harder. You put it on max and thrust as quickly as you can. The muscles in your ass tighten until you’re pushed over the edge, shaking, muscles going on and off without control as your orgasm pierces through you, stopping your breath in your throat.

You ride it out, even more fluids running out and look at your phone: Baekhyun’s ended the call. And no wonder - you can already hear him tearing through the house. He opens the door, his torso already naked and shakes his head with a smile as he walks up and pulls the rest off; his cock barely sways, that’s how stiff he is.

“How was it?”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes in appreciation and forces his cock down for you to take it in your mouth. Holding your head in his hands, he fucks you. Not violently, as if trying to get a gag reflex, but unhurried, because what he wants today is to be in your mouth, not have you choke and stop.

“Oh, baby…”, he moans, stroking your hair. “Oh, baby, you looked so pretty.”

His length fills you comfortably, lets you appreciate the veins and smoothness, the hardness contrasted by the bounce of the head, pre-cum brushed out on your tongue.

“I know you just- mmh...I know you just fucked yourself, but I’m gonna be a bit rough...”

You meet his eyes to tell him it’s okay. It’s more than okay - who wouldn’t want a man who loses his shit over you?

“Just bend over here.”

The daybed is lower than your kneeling position, so you get a natural arch in your back with your ass high up. Baekhyun groans with pleasure when he gets down behind you, eyeing the bottom of your swollen clit and drenched holes.

“Fuck, you’re so pretty…”, he says, and fills you up with his cock.

Different from before, where he wanted to be wrapped up in every bit of sensation, this time he pounds, pulls - practically claws at - you. It takes a lot to brace yourself, even with him holding you, but you don't mind - on the contrary - because you know what's going on in his mind when he's like this: "...as if I just have to come in you. I need my cum to be in you."

"Ah, shit… Aish…"

He pulls you back, arm around your neck, pulling on your waist to meet his shattering thrusts as he finally gets to orgasm.

●

You're already wide awake and waiting when the clock strikes eight. The day is like the room: gray and beautiful. One of those days you'd drive down to the Farmer's Market and pick up homemade foods like bread and marmalade to cosy down with back home, safely sheltered from the rain undoubtedly on it's way.

You get a jolt when your phone buzzes. It's a snippet from Baekhyun, four seconds of him stroking and slowly pumping himself, hard as a rock. That's all it takes - would take if you weren't already ready. You make a painting of yourself, laying on your side, letting the blanket drape off your legs, just about showing a bit of cheek.

When the door opens you keep looking out the window. A gust of cool air hits your back when Baekhyun lifts the blanket and presses himself up against you.

“Good morning”, he whispers with a voice still husky from sleep, pressing his groin against your ass.

“Morning, B.”

“I’m throbbing”, he groans, dragging his teeth on your neck. “I want you so bad…”

You press yourself closer to him, press his ass closer.

“Why didn’t you come in last night?”

“I did.” His breathing is so heavy behind your ear it’s only a matter of time before it gets damp with condensation. “The window. Look at it.”

It stirs deep in your core. Right in front of you there’s a translucent white stain, having dried in the midst of running down the window. So he was here last night. Probably pretending he wasn’t going to do anything, that he just couldn’t help himself when he saw you; he had to inch down those leather trousers and stroke himself. You could just imagine him leaning against the window while you were asleep...

"What got you so hot and bothered, Baekhyun?"

"I was thinking about how you couldn't keep your hands off this tight little pussy last time you were here…"

"If you'd come home earlier last night…", you say, opening your leg over his, feeling the cool air hit your juices.

Baekhyun runs his hand down your thigh.

"What did you do?", he asks in a deeper voice and slaps your pussy.

You yelp from the exhilarating pain.

“Always so dirty when you think no one’s looking...”

He nearly swallows you with his sloppy open-mouthed kisses before he moves on top of you, putting one leg over his shoulder, letting the other one rest between his legs. Holding on to your thigh, the angle allows his pelvis to push his cock deep inside, the head continuously landing in that pocket of pleasure: light as air, yet full at the same time.

“Don’t stop…”, you whisper faintly, stroking your breasts as you feel his thick length fill your inside over and over. “Fuck… Don’t stop, I’m gonna come...”

Baekhyun moans, picking up his speed, driving himself in hard and towards his own edge, but you get there first; the muscles in your lower body lock, spasming, to the beat of your chopped up whines. Baekhyun, being right after you, pulls you up to a half-straddle; leaning backwards on your arms you pray your shaky legs won’t give out from his pounding. Luckily, he trembles.

“Mm, baby...fuck”, he moans, keeping control of his tempo until he pulls you down on top of him, pressing tightly.

He lays his head against your forehead for a moment, before turning your face up to kiss you.

“Let’s stay in here today.”

[suitofvibraniumarmor]

Thinking of You

Summary: A tipsy text leads to an unexpected confession from Bucky.  Pairing: Bucky x Reader Word Count: 1705 Warnings: Smut, drinking.  Request: Hey, I have a Saturday night request: Bucky and/or Steve x Reader. Reader sends a tipsy text message stating her true feelings towards the guys. when she gets home they confront her on it. Smutty fluffy etc it’s up to you! Thanks so much! - @shield-agent78​ Square Filled: @buckybarnesbingo​ C3; Free Space. [Rating: M] A/N: First of all, I apologize I didn’t get to this last night, but I hope the full-length one-shot made it worth the wait! Smut hasn’t ever been my strong suit, so I hope I didn’t muck this up too terribly much. 

A night out with the girls. You had waited too long for this, and now that the outing had happened, you had celebrated with one too many drinks. You made it home, locked the front door behind you, then dragged your tipsy as through your nighttime routine. 

Once you were in PJ’s with a freshly cleaned face and your teeth brushed, you settled into bed and picked up your phone to check for messages from your girlfriends that they had all made it home safe. You set your alarm and then, without thinking much of it, you opened up a text message to your friend Bucky. 

Just got home for the night. Thinking of you. I think of you a lot. A lot more than I should. 

The liquor had lowered your inhibitions, and you didn’t even give the test a second thought as you pressed send and then settled in to sleep. 

The next day, you got up, had breakfast, worked out, and took a shower. Before you got to work on hair and makeup, you noticed you had a new text, from Bucky, asking if you wanted to come over for takeout and a movie later. 

Absolutely. I’ll pick up the food. You better pick out a good movie. 

Define good. ;) See you later. 

You chuckled and went on about your day. You have several errands to run, the last of your hangover to ward off, and a nap would probably be a good idea before you hung out with Bucky later. It took a few hours to get through your to-do list, but once you did, you took some over the counter meds and crashed for a late afternoon, two-hour nap. When you woke up, you washed your face, piled your hair into a messy bun, and donned a pair of comfortable shorts and a t-shirt. 

Bucky answered his door when you arrived with a big smile. “Hey there, beautiful. C’mon in.”

“I hope you’re in the mood for tacos,” you told him in a sing-song voice as you floated into his apartment and set the bag of tacos on the coffee table. “Is there beer in the fridge?”

“Of course. How about Back to the Future?” he asked, turning on the TV. 

Popping open two beers in the kitchen, you called that that would be fine. “Didn’t we watch that not too long ago?” 

“What can I say, I can kinda relate to it, in a reverse, weird kind of way.” 

You smiled as you kicked off your flip flops and took a seat on the couch. Bucky sat next to you, diving into the tacos. He handed you one first, then helped himself. 

For the first thirty minutes of the movie, as you two worked through the tacos, that was about how things went. When they were gone and your beers were empty, you helped Bucky gather up the trash and dispose of it, then went into the fridge for a couple more beers. 

When you turned around, Bucky was standing closer to you than he had ever been. You jumped back a little, startled, then chuckled. 

“You scared me.”

“Sorry,” Bucky apologized sheepishly. He closed the refrigerator door behind you and took the beers from your hands, setting them on the counter. “Are we gonna talk about it, Y/N, or not?”

You frowned. “Talk about what?”

“The text message.”

“What text message?”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “C’mon. The one you sent me last night.”

You shook your head. “Buck, are you sure you’re not confusing me with another girl?” The look he gave you told you expressly that he was certain he wasn’t confused. “Okay, listen, I was three sheets to the wind, so if I texted you, you’re going to have to remind me what it said.”

With a frustrated sigh, Bucky stepped back and took his phone from his pocket. He cued up the text thread with you and handed you the device. You scrolled back from the texts you had exchanged about hanging out today and confirming the details - and then you saw it. 

“Oh my … Bucky, I’m so sorry. Like I said, I was drunk, and I clearly wasn’t thinking. I can explain.”

He nodded. “I’d like you to explain, actually. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

You bit your lip. Trying to play dumb was obviously out of the question. Scooting back so you could grip the edge of the counter, you looked anywhere at Bucky. You explained that you had always found him attractive, but as you got to know him, you had really fallen for him. He was fun to hang out with, wasn’t a complete dick like most guys you knew, and, most importantly, he made you smile even when you didn’t want to smile. 

“But your work keeps you busy and is something you need to focus on, and then there’s the whole past thing and —”

He cut you off with his lips against yours. The kiss was sweet and soft, just as you knew Bucky to be. His hand came up, a vibranium finger hooking under your chin. He pulled back, only a little, giving you a little smirk. 

“You should have told me sooner, sweetheart.”

He kissed you again, grabbing your hips and lifting you to sit on the counter. His tongue pushed into your mouth, but you weren’t complaining. You’d hoped for this, dreamed about it, for months. 

You grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and off of him before tossing it to the side. Bucky’s hands gripped the underside of your thighs, pulling you to the edge of the counter and pressing into you. 

“We can take this slower, if you want,” Bucky offered, “I’m not trying to push anything, but you’ve been on my mind forever, it seems.”

You pretended to think about it. “I think taking it slow is the last thing on either of our minds.”

“I think you’re right,” Bucky answered as you pushed your hips forward to grind against him. Bucky groaned, nearly growled, and pulled your legs around him before carrying you to his bedroom. 

He set you gently on the bed where you discarded your shirt and unhooked your bra. Bucky grinned and leaned forward to kiss you as he slowly moved the strap down your arms before ridding you of the garment and coming back to cup your breast. He leaned you back on the bed, kissing down your neck, over your collarbone, and sucked a spot dead in the middle of the valley between your breasts. You let out a slow breath; you appreciated his attempt to make this worth your while, but you had been so pent up over him, you needed to get this first time with him going — the faster the better. 

“Bucky,” you started, moaning as he slid a hand into your shorts and teased your wet folds for a few strokes before pushing to thick fingers into you. 

He nibbled on your ear. “Yeah?”

“I don’t wanna rush things, either but I … I …”

Bucky looked into your eyes; his pupils were as lust-blown as you imagined yours had to be. He must have seen it because he smirked, and you didn’t have to finish the sentence. He pumped his fingers into you only a few more times before standing and pushing away his pants and boxers. By the time he had found a condom and rolled it onto himself, you had pushed your shorts and panties down your legs. He put a hand under each of your thighs and pulled you to the edge of the bed, kneeling in front of you. 

“I won’t be long,” Bucky promised, “but I wanna taste you before we do this.”

You weren’t worried at all about Bucky taking his time with his mouth between your legs, but after a couple minutes of ecstasy, you pulled him up from the floor, wrapped your fingers around his dick, and guided him directly to your entrance. Bucky wasted no time in seating himself fully inside of you, the pace of his deep thrusts was slightly rough; you weren’t complaining. 

“Shit, this has really been building up for both of us,” you commented, your fingers digging into Bucky’s back. 

He pressed his mouth to yours. “I wanted our first time to be different, but damn it, Y/N. You turn me on more than I have ever imagined.”

You sat up and pushed him so that you were on top of him. Bucky gripped your hips so hard, you knew it would likely leave bruises, but you didn’t care. You smirked down at him as you rolled your hips over him.

“So you’ve thought of this before?” 

Bucky chuckled briefly. “Shut up and fuck me, Y/N.”

And you did, riding him like you had thought you’d only ever dream of doing. As the both of you neared the edge, Bucky flipped you back over, holding you close and speeding up his thrusts. The harder he pounded into you, the closer you got. Finally, you called out his name as you rode out the wave of pleasure that washed over you. Bucky’s orgasm was right on the heels of yours; your name left his lips close to your ear as he came. 

He fell to your side but stayed close, kissing your temple and cupping the back of your head to kiss you sweetly again. He apologized again that the two of you had rushed into physical intimacy, and that it hadn’t been the sweet, special thing he would have wanted for the two of you. 

“I don’t see you as just a piece of ass, I swear.”

He looked so nervous, and a little guilty, you found it adorable. “Bucky, I swear, I’m all right. The sweet and special will come. We got past the difficult part — we admitted to having feelings for each other.”

“That is true,” he ceded. “Will you at least stay with me tonight? I’ll play with your hair till you fall asleep.”

You smiled; there it was. The sweet and the special that you had known would come in a dating relationship with Bucky. 

[brilliantpride]

Yako stares at the clinic ceiling, still too sore to lift her head too much or, as she’d prefer to be doing, cause a nuisance for the clinic staff. After sleeping for hours (days, maybe? it feels like time is passing too slowly), she’s awake, for better or worse. Her body feels like the time she got knocked across a field with a broadsword. Breathing or shifting too much in her bed makes her muscles strain uncomfortably, and a sharp pins-and-needles feeling comes back. 

...Phew, it feels like she’s been through it. Most of it’s a muddled mess in her mind. She remembers... the labyrinth, walking endlessly, being alone. She thinks she had a visitor, no, a few, a bunch? since she got back home, but she was half-asleep, so it’s a little hard to recall. Did Cu and Connla pop their heads in, maybe? Did Mash? Ritsu?

...It’s quiet in here. It must be late. Or early...

“Ody?” she asks, quietly, but no voice answers her. ... “Ody,” she says, more insistently. Nothing. Yako sits up, searches for a terminal to tap on, despite the numbness in her arms. Her comms are gone... she must’ve left them in the labyrinth. Her jacket... where is it? She’s not wearing it. 

...

Yako rolls off the edge of the bed. She stumbles, bare feet on tile floor, feeling like she’s walking on knives. Even if someone drags her back, as long as she can be sure that everything’s fine...

-

Alone. It’s cold. It hurts. She’s alone. It’s so cold. It hurts so, so bad. Burned to a crisp and then exposed to the freezing cold of the outside. There’s no one here. The hallway goes on forever. She was supposed to have reached the elevator by now. 

There’s windows. ...It’s supposed to be snowy. Chaldea was snowy. Yako stares out the giant windows, the ones that run from floor to ceiling the size of a cathedral, so big it makes her feel like Fou; the world outside is... 

...space.

Twinkling, vast, the stars paint the universe, glittering and surrounding. Her breath catches and she presses her face to the glass; but she falls through, no glass to catch her, and finds herself tumbling out into the depths beyond. ...With no air to yell, she uselessly tries to swim backwards, but there’s nothing to push herself against. She floats, drifting away, even colder and more alone than before. The chill stings her scars, feels like the white-hot inferno she’s been bathed in before. 

...

...How long is she like this? Staring out at the billions of stars she can’t reach, so beautiful but too far away to grasp. 

I am Ananga. I am Atanu. I am Manmath and Kusumashar... 

Yako turns her head, trying to find the source of the voice. It feels like it’s coming from everywhere at once... 

Born from the mind. Lacking a body. No, my body was burned away. All because I did what that nagging goddess asked me to do, and interrupt her husband’s meditation just so she could get it on with him. Talk about throwing a tantrum. Why was I punished for doing something I was supposed to do? 

...Hey, just why are you here? Do you want to steal a peek at me that badly? I’m not in the mood, so get the hell out.

She’s back on solid ground again. This is... her high school?

White-painted brick walls covered with posters. A chalkboard that just had a smart-board installed in the last year. Metal desks and tile floor, and herself, a weighty backpack over her shoulders. She shrugs it off and drops it on the floor, and sinks into a desk chair, even though there’s no one here. She stares out a window, at a clear-blue sky with a ring in it...

...

She hasn’t thought about this place in a while. It wasn’t a very great place for her. Of course she threw all she had into it, but it was like things went in one ear and out the other, no matter how many times she tried reading textbooks or taking useless notes---the things she focused on were never the things on the tests, or she knew an answer but forgot it as soon as she stared at a quiz... All she really had to look forward to was chatting with her friends at lunchtime, though it felt like they were better friends with each other than with her. After school she would sit with a book, wishing the world, and her monotonous everyday with it, would just disappear, and she’d exist like that right up until the time she was supposed to be applying for colleges, suddenly remembering she was expected to fit herself into a world that wasn’t made for her, find something to ‘do’ and stick her identity to for the rest of her life, make something of herself so she didn’t disappoint her parents (though she’s sure that ship has sailed already)---but just what are you supposed to do when you’re not good at anything? 

It was, in a word---

---so lonely. 

Someone sits next to her. She doesn’t try to talk to them. Who is that, anyway? Where’s the teacher? The rest of the class? It’s too quiet... Did she come here on a weekend by accident? (Then how did she get inside?) 

...Oh, right. She’s not in school anymore. She graduated, things happened, and then she thought she’d gotten her first job, when...

...

“It’s not much to look at,” Yako pipes up, resting her chin in her hand. “I have more interesting memories.” She doesn’t look away from the window. It doesn’t matter who it is. “Unless you’re trying to find something that makes me insecure? ...Yeah, then I guess you found it.”

She sinks down in her seat, folds her arms on top of the desk, leans her head down. “Being trapped. Being stuck. Being forced to play a role that I just can’t. ...I can’t even think of what I thought I was gonna do. I think I thought I’d take a gap year that would turn into being a high-school grad with no future hopping between part-time jobs because it felt better than trying to... do something with myself. And then... here I am. Saving the world. Giving up a normal life altogether just because I haven’t figured my shit out by eighteen. Makes me kinda feel like an ungrateful asshole... My parents just wanted to make a good life for me, and that’s how I repaid them.”

She waves a hand dismissively. “Maybe it’s the atmosphere that makes me want to talk. I don’t really care.”

There’s silence. No... maybe she just can’t hear? Outside the window, it’s turned to night, the stars glittering beautifully. The lamps in the schoolyard parking lot look kind of like little suns.

“Not like any of this is gonna help you. I don’t have any doubts about what I’m doing. I know it’s the right thing, and I’ll keep going, no matter what. ...But I have regrets, yeah. I wish I’d tried harder. I wish I hadn’t given up like that, or become such... a shell. If you showed me a picture of who I looked like when I graduated, I’d ask you why her eyes look so dead.”

...It was only natural for me to become like this.

“I got here. I learned magic existed. I learned I could do magic. I learned I was chosen because I could do magic. I thought I found an adventure made just for me. And then--- I... ran away. I knew it would disqualify me. I’d be sent home. I was afraid I’d screw it up. I hid in a bathroom, and I think... that’s the only reason I’m still alive...” (Is she crying...?) “I remember prying open the door and the metal burning my hands, but I just kept going, because I was desperate, I didn’t want to die here. I remembered I was supposed to be able to do magic, so I used a reinforcement spell, even if I didn’t know what that was, and I pulled open the door and got myself out. I should’ve run away. Instead, I ran towards the core... the Rayshift room. I tried to get people out. Everyone in there was dead already. I wanted to save someone... just one person...

“...but the smoke was bad, and there wasn’t enough air... and I realized I would die in there if I stayed, but I wanted to help someone... and then a hole opened up and I heard screaming and there was the Director and she--- ...and then I...”

The feeling of dizziness and suffocating as smoke clogs your mouth. Flames licking at your skin. If you don’t want to die, form a contract with me. 

"All this place does is remind me of how useless I used to be. ...And still am, in a lot of ways. No matter how many times I tell myself I’m stronger now, I can take care of myself, I still find ways to cause problems for everyone. I keep having to get saved. I told myself I’d practice, I’d learn, I’d put more effort into this than I have anything else in my entire life, but I’m still lagging behind.” 

And maybe she always will be. Maybe she’ll never be enough.  Those thoughts will always stick with her, even after all the progress she’s made.

"...But the funny thing is... Yeah, I’m frustrated, but it just makes me want to try harder. Like if I just stretch out a little more, maybe I can grab those stars outside. It’s weird, right? I feel kinda like I should want to give up... but I just can’t. I want to keep going. I want to get stronger. It’s not even in an ‘I’m gonna prove myself wrong’ way, it’s just... natural. It feels good. If nothing’s a challenge anymore, then what’s the point of living? I’ll just go back to being bored all the time.”

She sits up again and turns her head, meeting a face she doesn’t quite recognize. She smiles, then she laughs, feeling a bit vulnerable.

“So even if you want to tell me it’s useless and I should give up, all I can say is... sorry, I’m too dumb to know when to count myself out. I’ll just keep going, getting stronger, getting knocked down, and getting back up again. See, the thing is, the more times you peel yourself off the pavement, the faster you get at it---and the less it hurts.”

-

Yako stretches and yawns, the pain in her body lessened somewhat. It’s probably the medicine, sure. She doesn’t feel as feverish, but she still feels like her muscles are made out of marbles... Man, it’ll suck if she needs to build up her strength again before she can head out in the next Lostbelt. 

“Ody?” she calls, absentminded. From a terminal by her bedside, a sound chimes.

[ Good to see you again, Yako. ]

“Ody! I was worried about you. What happened?”

[ The computer systems had been compromised, so I isolated my program from the kernel. ]

“Well, I’m sure glad to hear from you again! Just you wait, once I’m out of the clinic I’m coming for the sim! For some reason, I’m feeling really motivated!”

[ I’ll be sure to take your physicians’ recommendations into account. ]

Aww, seems like she’ll have to take it easy for a while. Ah, well. She’ll just have to find her momentum again! “Hehe. Sounds great. Let’s do our best together, okay?”