#deprived of going in the sun for too long 'because they didn't want her to get too dark'

[masonscig]

It's like that Anon doesn't realize Colorism exist too.

DING DING DING EXACTLY

that's a huge point my friends and i discussed when i sent them a screenshot of that anon! like, you mean to tell me that you see NO issue in choosing to lighten m's skin? not at all? okay buddy seems you have some serious issues to unpack on your own time

[nectardaddy]

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN. . . single dad! meian + f!reader

✮⋆˙ notes/CWs - brief mention of parental death, heavy underlying emotions, meian's a flirt when he wants to be, typos probably

It was all too early for the man that morning, the sun barely even breaking the horizon when his alarm went off. He rubbed at tired eyes the whole morning, fighting off the urge to do nothing more than get back in bed. But he couldn't do that, even if he had the chance - he had more than just himself to take care of. 

His daughter, Himawari, always, without fail, fought him on waking up; and now that it was earlier than normal, it was a complete lost cause. She fought against waking up, fought against getting ready, and fought against going outside because she refused to wear a jacket. But the chill outside turned her off to the idea of going to school all together. Stubborn, and moody from the change of schedule, he had to all but drag her to get in the car - she fought against that too.

They had to get to her school earlier than normal, his schedule clashed with all other times to meet with her teacher - a prerequisite, of sorts, to meet all new families at the beginning of the year - and he finally bit the bullet and asked for a time before school. Thank god her teacher agreed; despite the coaxing and near begging the man had to do to get his daughter in the building to begin with. 

She walked beside him, arms crossed over her chest with a scowl; a rather adorable sight at how small she was and the Hello Kitty bookbag she adorned. (But Meian told anyone who would listen to not let her fool them, she was as devilish as they came.) He shortened his strides whenever he walked with his daughter, he was tall enough that one stride was about three of hers; so he opted for picking her up with a groan. “Come here, you're killing me.” 

She fought against being picked up as well, “put me down!” A loud whine that nearly echoed in the empty hallway, “I don't wanna’ be held right now!” He only sighed as she squirmed against him, but eventually gave up once she realized she was no match. 

“It's not my fault you walk slow,” he groaned, but the smallest of smiles peaked at his lips once he cut his eyes over to her. She pouted, huffed, and did anything she could to make him feel bad; but it didn't work. 

“Maybe you just walk too fast.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Hima.” 

The hallway was long, almost liminal as the doors seemed to never end. Each decorated, or not, which showed the personality of who occupied it. The school was basically empty, besides the few staff members who got to work early on their own free will, and quiet. Quiet enough to hear the small sigh of defeat from his daughter, and she now rested her head on his shoulder. “Dad, I'm tired.” 

“I know.” Good god did he know. “Maybe if you went to bed on time you wouldn't be so sleepy.” 

“But I can't sleep when you're not there,” she sighed again. He felt his heart drop at her words, even though he knew them all too well. Every babysitter he ever had loved the girl, but every single one had never gotten her to fall asleep. The girl refused every time; and if she didn't, she laid in bed until she heard the front door open and shut, and the familiar voice of her father. She would drive herself to sleep deprivation all because Meian wasn't there. “I miss you too much to go to sleep.” 

“I know,” he repeated, much more softly than the latter. Filled with care, and hinted with regret, though he knew he had no other choice but to not be home. Games were important, not like the stray practices he would miss here and there; and the games that were later in the day he unfortunately couldn't bring her to. “I miss you too.” There was a small moment of silence, not knowing what to say as he felt his daughter fidget with the sleeve of his shirt.

The man prided himself with his encouragement skills and wise words, but more often than not he couldn't find them for himself. There was a missing piece to his mind it seemed, gaping and dreary as he wished nothing more than to be a good father - but to him, he always fell short. There were times he wasn't home, important events like school plays and concerts missed from commitments to his team, he couldn't help her with her homework as he wasn't home when she got back because of practice, and the period of time away for nationals felt like a stake through the heart every time it rolled around. 

An optimist with others, but a pessimist with himself. Always falling just shy of what he thought a good parent should be and what a good parent should do. It was utterly exhausting.

Despite his aching heart and rattling mind, he gave her a small smile and desperately tried to change the subject - more for himself rather than her. “Why don't you tell me about your teacher?” 

He heard the girl hum before she lifted her head to look at him with tired eyes. “I think you'll like her,” a tone that finally seemed to melt away the prior attitude. “She's really nice, not like my teacher last year, and she makes crafts with us.” She smiled, the first time that entire morning, “yesterday we read about bunnies and we made plates that looked like bunnies.”

“I know, you brought it home.” He smiled at the reminiscent thought; he came home just after she did, and she all but knocked him down running to show him the plate with construction paper and pom poms glued to it. “I'm actually pretty jealous, ‘sounds fun making bunny plates.” He chuckled, “you think the guys would want to make them?” Hima was well aware of the team he played for, moreover his teammates. She often saw them at the handful of practices and games that he took her to, but more so knew of them through the stories he shared.

She laughed at his question, and he took a silent sigh of relief. “Mr. Hinata might,” she giggled, “but I know Mr. Bokuto would!” The child picked favorites, most definitely; however, her favorite, out of all of them, was Sakusa - and he still had no unearthly reason why other than the dry humor he offered. Every practice he ever brought her to was always met with Hima hanging off of the man, annoying him, and pressing every button Sakusa had - and Meian let her, a silent act of revenge for the consistent arguments he started with Atsumu.

“You're right, he would.” Bokuto was just as childish as she, if not more - he would probably beg the man to make one if given the chance. “Do you want to show him yours later today?” While he didn't plan to take the girl to practice, the sentiment of longing still lingered in the back of his mind; twisted and turned until he felt sick. The awful feeling of thinking he spent too much time away from her returned; and he hoped bringing her with him might mend how he felt, and maybe make her tired enough she would, for once, go to sleep on time. 

“Really?” She asked excitedly. The girl cheered just before continuing on with her child like rambles. Himawari could go on for hours, days really, if he let her (which he more often than not did). She enjoyed talking about just about anything, and would find side story after side story as she went on through her rants. But the man never minded, he found it endearing that the girl had picked up his outgoing attitude. 

He smiled as she continued on, rounding a corner to the hallway that her classroom was on. The school was quite big, a primary school that housed kindergarten through sixth, so every grade level was split into smaller hallways. The man surprised himself that he could remember where to go, as the only other time he went was when she was in first grade. 

“She's really pretty, y'know?” Meian cut his eyes towards the girl, still holding her within his arms, and scrunched his brows.

“Who?” The word laced with confusion as his daughter only giggled again.

“My teacher.” He couldn't help but let a small breath pass his lips, and fought against rolling his eyes entirely. Himawari was prone to talking up the people within her life; which was an admirable trait to have, he was happy the girl wasn't a bully. But she was apt to make the older women around her larger than life - to play matchmaker. The girl couldn't remember her birth mother, she had passed when she was only a year old, but Meian made it a point to consistently remind the girl of her. Consistently reminded her, and himself, they were never abandoned. 

That never stopped Hima from yearning for another woman's presence though. Didn't stop her from the small smiles she would give her father when talking about women much older than she, his age, with an err of playfulness that made him roll his eyes. So to her latter statement he only hummed, “and what do you say about me then, huh?” 

“That you're old.” 

“Ouch-” he rolled his eyes at her nonchalant attitude, “I'm not even that old, Hima.”

“Yeah, ok.” Her sarcastic tone made him sigh, and he thought to himself that maybe he allowed her to hang about Sakusa all too much - his blunt choice of words rubbed off on her in ways he couldn’t imagine. Never rude, but curt replies that never failed to make him groan. But he kept his mouth shut on the topic as he continued walking, and thanked the stars he was almost to his destination. 

“Put me down, put me down!” The girl began to squirm in his arms, desperately trying to escape him to go to her teacher’s room that finally came within their view. The man quickly caved, picking his battles wisely with his daughter’s already flighty mood, and figured it wasn’t all that bad for her to be excited for school - quite the opposite really. 

He watched as his daughter ran through the doorway of the open classroom, and heard a cheery voice greet her from the other side. The voice was light and airy, joy mingling amongst syllables with every word spoken. There was an intent behind it that felt sound, secure - a voice that most definitely belonged to a second grade teacher. 

“Dad said I can bring my bunny plate to his practice and show his friends!” 

“Really? That's so cool, I bet they'll love it.” A small smile peaked on his lips at the woman’s words; although he couldn’t see it just yet, he could practically hear the smile she wore. “Did you get to show your dad yet?” 

Yet. 

The word alone made his steps slow just before he reached the door, letting his pace taper off before completely stopping and he let out a silent breath. It was her job to care, to provide comfort and joy, to create a sense of security and structure - but Himawara had no structure in her life. And it was all his fault, or so he thought. The girl, frankly, never knew her father’s schedule, as it always dialed and changed according to the needs of the team. He desperately tried, at any given opportunity, to cling to time with her - and while he cherished every second, it was never enough. 

He couldn’t help her as much as he liked with homework - yet. He couldn’t pick her up from school most days - yet. And he couldn’t find it within the chasms of his mind to give himself grace - yet. 

“I did! He put it on the fridge!” He wished he could be more like his daughter - happy and unknowing in the reality of real life. A childlike sense of certainty that everything was fine, that one could find joy in everything if they looked hard enough, and an unwavering belief that her father did everything under the sun for her. He couldn’t help but smile softly at the thought, and allowed the burden of ‘yet’ to pass him. 

“Now that's where real masterpieces go,” she mused. “Did you tell him the book we read?” 

“Not the title at least,” he chuckled as he rounded the doorway. “Everything else about it? Absolutely. I could probably quote it to you at this point.” A joke that landed fairly well, as he heard the woman laugh in response, but the comedic energy the man once held was quickly replaced with awe as he leaned against the doorway.

Himawari was wrong, utterly wrong. Her teacher wasn't pretty - she was beautiful.

He felt his stomach lurch to his throat, a brief sensation but one that made him cough. The realization that the woman was his daughter's teacher made him feel rather small, stupid even, and wildly out of his element. He woke up that morning and simply got ready for practice - a slam packed schedule as the practice started just after this meeting would be over - and now he deeply regretted it. 

“‘Morning, Mr. Meian.” He felt like a puddle of the man he once was only seconds ago, before she said his name. A subtle code switch that he picked up on from her - a voice for talking to children, and a voice for adults. He felt his mind go blank and nearly asked her to talk to him as if he were a child, maybe then he wouldn't have been so enamored. 

He couldn't help but linger in the doorway to the classroom, the exposed skin of his arm leaning against the cool wood of the frame. Hands shoved into the pockets of track pants as he watched the woman retrieve papers from her desk. Only then did she meet his eyes and his breath hitched in his throat. She paused for a fraction of a second, her pace stuttering just before forcing her eyes to the ground and continuing on. 

This was terrible. 

“You can come in,” her voice was softer in comparison to her latter statement, nervous even. It made him second guess why he was here in the first place, despite the flicker of his daughter playing with a puzzle on the floor nearby.

“How are you?” He asked, trying to fight against the heat that wanted to surge to his face. He felt silly making small talk, the man always fell flat on his face when it came to it, but felt even sillier if he had said nothing at all. 

“Tired,” she spoke through a chuckle, and he could tell. Behind a, semi, forced smile was tired eyes and a look of exhaustion. It was only Wednesday, and he suddenly felt bad for making the meeting in the first place. “But I'm here. How about yourself?” 

“About the same as you,” he smiled. “Sorry again for wanting this meeting so early, it's the only time that worked.” An apology didn’t seem like it should be enough now that he looked at the woman. Albite pretty, she looked weary, burnt out, and he sensed a twinge of discontent - like she didn’t want to be there in the first place. Groveling may have been a better thing to do, but it wasn’t as if he had a choice in the time he chose. He exhausted all other options from a meticulous schedule that was downright impossible to change.

“Don't worry about it,” she shrugged, “I'm just glad you didn't want it way after school.” 

“Feels like a crime to make you stay that long.” 

“It should be.” She met his eyes again and smiled, one that seemed genuine rather than forced this time. And he watched her eyes flicker to the other side of the room after a moment. “We can sit back there,” she motioned towards a semi circle table in the back of the room. “It's a little cluttered, but it's better than sitting at a desk made for a second grader.” The table didn't seem cluttered in the slightest; occupied with stacks of papers and different containers, each having a different color that he only guessed was for ease of organization. 

She sat down, he followed, and began shifting the papers and containers over, now lining the edges with organized chaos than the latter neat piles. “Sorry,” she chuckled. “They come back here to work with me, so keeping everything neat is almost unheard-of.” 

He let a laugh pass his lips just before he cut his eyes to his daughter, then promptly returned his gaze to her. “Trust me, I know. She'll pull out everything and decide she doesn't even want to play anymore.” 

He felt his heart squeeze when she laughed in response, it was a laugh he could easily get used to, a laugh he wanted to hear more often than just at school. It was gentle, lighthearted, and voluntary - it didn’t feel like a laugh she had to force, as he suspected she did often. His mind kept circling back to the sound as she spoke; he didn’t even realize she had formally started the meeting just minutes ago. His thoughts were the furthest from where they should have been, as he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of her. 

Dazed, seemingly on cloud nine, he didn’t register that she spoke of grades, behavior, and reading level. He simply nodded along as he tried to memorize every detail of the woman in front of him: her eyes were dark and tired, she had smile lines on the sides of her lips, of which he guessed were from years of doing nothing but, her clothes were casual but nice despite the knowledge that children were frankly disgusting, and the side of her dominant hand was stained with multicolored marker, which he only imagined was the set up of a craft for later today. 

“Do you have any questions?” The sentiment jerked him back to the present, and his fuzzy mind cleared quickly once he realized he didn’t register a single thing she spoke about. “Anything you want to add, maybe?”

“When's the next time you're doing these meetings?” The only query that made headway in his mind left his lips at the same time; speaking without thinking, and noticing too late what managed to tumble from his tongue. 

“Conferences?” There was a sense of confusion riddled in her voice; if he were listening, he would have known that his daughter was doing just fine - excelling even. 

“Yeah,” he nodded. And despite his better judgment, he doubled down on the sentiment entirely. “When's the next time I can talk to you?” He watched the woman’s eyes widen, and for a moment he felt like an idiot until he noticed a barely there, bitten back smile. 

“You could always email me?” It was a subtle change in conversation, but one that both picked up on quickly. He was convinced the woman was trying to make his heart stop when she locked eyes with him, a cheekiness to the once serious discussion now diminished. “I respond pretty quickly actually.”

“Do you, now?” He leaned forward slightly, enough to rest his elbows against the table. At first the distance between the two was vast, professional, but he closed the door to professionality and locked it when he leaned in closer to her. She bit the inside of her cheek, still fighting the smile that desperately wanted to bloom on her lips. “That's good to know. But, I feel like I get a million emails every day. I'd never live it down if I missed one from you.” 

“Things happen,” she shrugged with a gentle chuckle. “Did you have a better alternative though?” It was then he realized she wasn’t talking to him like a teacher anymore; instead, the tone had shifted again. This was actually her - not a teacher, not a professional - her. A coy change in the color of her voice that made his heart do flips, but played upon regardless. 

“Getting your number was one.” 

The battle between her and her ever growing smile ultimately ended in defeat at his proposition. Her lips pulled upward in an inviting smile and she cast her eyes to the table, a sheepishness washing over her at the man’s boldness - but she couldn’t deny that she liked it. “It's not every day I give a parent my personal number.” 

“We don't need to talk about school.”

“Then what exactly would we talk about?” 

“If you're free this weekend, or any weekend really?” The question left his lips with ease, despite the nerves that overflowed him when he first entered. He saw her eyes flicker back up to meet his own, catching his gaze once more, to which his heart hammered in his chest. 

“What did you have in mind, Mr. Meian?” 

“We don't have to decide that now,” a cheeky reply as he flashed her a smile. “We have until Saturday to figure that out.”

“I guess we do.” She looked down again, biting at the inside of her cheek, before reaching next to her at a stack of sticky notes. “You better not use this to ask me questions about second grade math,” she teased as she wrote the number down. Her handwriting was pretty and neat, a whimsy to it that matched her job to a tee. Once done, she took it off the stack and handed it to him, their fingers briefly touching as he took it from her. There was a pause when their fingers met; her fingers were cold against his own and it sent a shockwave through him. He could die happy if he was able to feel that again. 

“That sucks. Because I've been really struggling with adding and subtracting.” He broke the brief silence with a boldness, one that looked all too good on him, and he smiled again. She rolled her eyes and laughed at his statement, “I’ll text you later today.”

“I hope you do.”

taglist (open, send an ask)

@causenessus @softpia @renardiererin @kodzu-ken @phoenix-eclipses

@wyrcan @honeekyuu @wakashudou @wolffmaiden @eggyrocks 

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@jadeoru @hyunteru @kameyyy @nekozaki @sandwhitches

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[clarisse0o]

Camp Wieman - Part 14

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Word : 5k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Saturday, November 7th; 8:45 AM - Ona and Alexia's Room

I stretch in my bed when I realize that I won't be able to sleep any longer. I had already been tossing and turning for a good ten minutes now. I sigh as I see that it's not even nine o'clock on the radio alarm. This school is definitely changing me. It's Saturday, and I'm still stuck here. It's not such a bad thing if I think about what's waiting for me in Barcelona. My week went relatively well if you forget about my tardiness on Tuesday and the interaction with my teacher on Wednesday. I understood that Bronze didn't like it and wanted to punish me with this weekend. It only takes her disapproval for me to stay here. I also started catching up on my lessons in her office after my classes since Thursday. She's depriving me of a good part of my free time.

Well, at least I'm not alone this weekend. I learned that Bronze is also staying. We had dinner together last night and even ended the evening watching a movie. I had stupidly suggested it and was surprised that she accepted. She must have pitied my boredom. I realize now that I fell asleep during the movie and here I am alone again. She must have put away my laptop because I can't see it anymore. I don't worry too much about it and take my phone from my bedside table to check social media. I quickly get bored and decide to put my phone away and get out of bed. Too bad the rules remain the same on weekends. I never tried to take it outside since there are always at least two instructors staying. Today, one of them is Bronze, so I'm even less likely to take the risk.

I dress in jeans and a thick sweater. It's starting to get cold outside. The sun has disappeared for a few days, leaving clouds and a cool breeze. Needless to say, I'm not used to it! I brush my teeth and finish with some makeup and a brush through my hair. Before leaving, I make my bed neatly and put on my military jacket. I've grown accustomed to this jacket. It's practical and not so ugly if I wear it with regular clothes. It gives a certain style. Luckily for me, breakfast is served until nine-thirty on weekends. I have plenty of time to go. I hope to run into Bronze along the way... It seems I'm not lucky because I end up eating alone.

I go looking for her right after, as she told me she didn't mind spending the day with me. It's always better to be with her than to stay alone in my corner, twiddling my thumbs. Knowing her, she's already awake. I look in all the places she's likely to be. There's no sign of her presence. I even risked knocking on her room without permission, but no one answered. All that's left is her office... It's with relief that I finally find her there, deeply engrossed in paperwork.

- Hey, Bronze.

- Oh, hi Ona, she replies, looking up. Finally up?

- Finally? I chuckle.

- From what you told me, you don't get up early on weekends.

- Normally that's the case. This is the first time I've managed to sleep this long.

- I told you you'd get used to it quickly, she smiles. I came by your room around eight, but you were still asleep.

- Oh, sorry about that and for falling asleep last night too.

- No problem, she giggles. You needed the sleep.

- Can I stay with you?

- Of course. I won't be much longer.

I smile and quickly sit down across from her desk, on the chair that has become my spot. I watch her work and realize she's busy. I didn't know she worked on weekends too.

- By the way...

- Hmm? she responds without looking at me.

- I never had the chance to thank you for my birthday gift, so thank you. You're really crazy! What you bought me is expensive, but it made me really happy. How did you know it was my favorite gear?

- I didn't know, she smiles, looking up. I just asked the salesperson for advice and he recommended it. I'm glad you liked it. Have you used it yet?

- No, I haven't had the chance yet, but I brought it here since I didn't have anything else. Maybe I'll start using it one evening when I'm not too exhausted.

She nods before returning to her papers. I don't dare disturb her anymore seeing her so focused. She scribbles on each sheet, then flips it over to start the next one. I hadn't immediately noticed, but she's not wearing her uniform. It's the first time I've seen her in her own clothes. She's wearing a white shirt that suits her perfectly. It’s quite different from her camouflage jacket. Her hair is down in a naturally wavy style, very pretty. It's so strange to see her so... normal. She knows how to present herself. The few pieces of jewelry she wears complete her outfit perfectly. She manages to be both classy and chic. I notice her jeans fit her well when she stands to get a binder from the cabinet. My eyes widen when I see her heels. I didn't think she was the type to wear those shoes. I suppress my expression when she turns to me and frown when she hands me the binder.

- Since you're here, would you mind helping me? I need to make another stack.

- I guess I don't have a choice.

- You can say no. It just saves you from waiting around twiddling your thumbs.

- Well, you could have come up with a better argument. You're lucky I was going to say yes.

I take the binder from her hands. She sits back down and gives me the stack she just finished. I file them away without needing her instructions. I know how to do it from doing it so often. Meanwhile, she starts on the next pile.

- So, you managed to sleep longer? she brings the topic back.

- Yeah, my first "lie-in" in this lousy place, I replied, mimicking air quotes.

- Watch your language, she scolds me harshly.

- Oh, you can't argue...

- Yes, I can.

I roll my eyes, preferring not to respond. She won't let me have the last word, even though I'm sure she doesn't think any less of it since we discussed the school and Sarina with Leah and Engen. She doesn't like the new rules imposed on them, but she enforces them anyway. I'll never understand her.

- Do you have any plans today? she changes the subject.

- No... Maybe I'll take the opportunity to open a book.

- Hmm, too bad for you then... she smiles slyly.

- Why? I frown.

- I had something planned, but since you're busy, I won't disturb you.

I look at her, bewildered. I feel like she's teasing me. She should know I said that because that's what I would do if I had nothing else to do.

- Go ahead, propose.

- No, too late, she teases.

Since when does she act like this with me? I want to smile, but mostly, I want to know what she's thinking.

- Come on! Tell me, Lucy.

I try to stifle a smile as she raises an eyebrow. It's the first time I've used her first name since I learned it, and I wanted to see her reaction. I'm not disappointed. It's strange to call her something other than Bronze or commander.

- Don't call me that here.

- There's no one around, I roll my eyes.

- That's not a reason. You never know who's around.

- So, can I call you that elsewhere?

- No, she replies, making me smile.

- So, what did you have planned?

- I never said I was including you.

- You implied it!

- Until you told me you were busy.

- Oh, come on! You know very well that I'm bored here and that's why I said that!

She ignores me and continues her work with a smile on her lips. Damn... I think she's going to leave me in suspense. I hide my frustration to avoid her mocking me. To pass the time, I quickly finish the work she gave me while she finishes hers. Luckily for me, she finishes quickly. I watch her as she puts the binder back in its place and rummages through one of her desk drawers. I'm puzzled when she pulls out some keys.

- Come on, get up, let's go.

Her words catch me off guard. I stand up from my chair without asking questions. She locks her office door and looks around, as if to make sure we're alone in the hallway.

- You don't need to get ready? she asks, eyeing me.

I frown, not understanding why she's asking that. I shake my head. She smiles and dangles some keys around her finger.

- Why are you showing me that?

- Promise not to tell anyone?

- Tell what, Lucy? I ask, making her roll her eyes at the use of her name.

- Do you have any special desire today?

- I don't know. Why?

- I think it wouldn't hurt you to go out a bit after everything you've been through.

I remain silent, finally understanding her intentions. She wants us to go out?! I don't even dare ask her directly for fear of being disappointed.

- You realize you're going to break all the rules by doing this?

- If you prefer, we can stay here.

- Are you kidding?!

- Then shut up, she smiles. There are few staff members on camp this weekend. We can slip away without any problem, but I need your utmost discretion.

- Promise! I quickly reply.

- Good, let's go now then. We don't have much time.

- Not much time?

- Ingrid is handling the reception for an hour. Same for tonight, she informs me, looking at her watch. We have fifteen minutes. Come on, move!

Even Engen is in on this? I don't know if I should laugh considering the moral lesson they gave us again on Wednesday night. I quickly follow Lucy, heading towards the parking lot. We find her beautiful Audi... I'll never get tired of it! She asks me to duck down until we're out of the camp. I chuckle. I feel so ridiculous doing it, but it's for a good cause. I only sit up once we're past the reception where Engen wishes us a good day. We thank her, and then Bronze speeds through the streets. I start to recognize the road leading to downtown. I might be wrong, but it seems like that's where we're headed.

- So, any special desire? she asks again, pulling me out of my contemplation of the scenery.

- Why are you doing this? Why take me out of camp?

She glances at me. She shrugs.

- Actually, I don't know, she admits. I think you deserve it after your involuntary withdrawal and all that. Plus, I saw your dejected face when I told you you couldn't go home. I understood that you needed to see something else.

- Thank you... I murmur.

I lower my head and nervously play with my fingers. She must have noticed my change in behavior because she places her free hand on my shoulder.

- Hey, I didn't mean to make you feel bad like that.

- It's not that, on the contrary, I say, smiling timidly.

She removes her hand to shift gears. We don't talk anymore. We've just arrived downtown and we're already caught in traffic.

- I feel like I'm important to you, even if that's not the case, I say. It feels good to be taken care of like you do.

- You are important.

I look at her without hiding my surprise. She keeps repeating that I'm a student like any other. How can she say something like that now? She contradicts all the words she's upheld until now. She sighs, running a hand through her hair. I think she just realized what she said.

- What I mean is that you intrigue me. It's clear that you have a past you don't accept. I sense that you're not comfortable in your own skin, and that drives me to help you. I'll always respect your privacy and boundaries, but I enjoy learning about who you are, Ona. Plus, I have to admit that I also enjoy the little game we've set up between us. Many people, including myself, think it adds some cheer to the camp.

Her words sound so sincere. I don't know what to say or what to think. She must have sensed my discomfort because she changes the subject.

- Yeah... Anyway, it's eleven o'clock. I thought we could do a paintball session for an hour, she suggests. Then, we can eat wherever you want.

- Really?

- Yeah, and for this afternoon, we can still discuss it. I know several cool places we could go to.

- Paintball, then...? I murmur. Do you want to take me down or something? I joke.

- The idea is quite appealing, she says with amusement. But it could go both ways. We'll have a private field just for us.

- Seriously?

- Yes, I know the owner. Are you interested?

- Obviously! Like I'd miss a chance to beat you!

Her laughter makes me smile. This day is likely to be one of the best of my life. She takes the first opportunity to exit the main road to avoid the traffic. We continue driving for a few minutes before she parks in a lot. I observe the building, which looks like a warehouse with its metal facade. Lucy leads the way after grabbing a bag from her trunk. She seems to know the place well. We enter, and the decor takes my breath away. Everything is black, even the ceiling and floor. It's truly stunning! I linger on the fluorescent tags on one of the walls. They are very realistic and really beautiful. Lucy must have noticed my distraction because she calls out to me. I hurry to join her at the counter, where a man with an impressive build is standing behind it.

- This is Beth, a friend of mine, she announces.

- Hello.

- Hi, Ona.

She caught me off guard by calling me by my name. Bronze must have introduced me... or talked about me. I timidly return her smile. She seems amused by my shyness. At the same time, she is very impressive. I'm surprised by their friendship. I must be judging her by his appearance. She seems nicer than she looks.

- Well, you know your way around here, huh? she laughs. I'll leave you to it; you know the way. I've reserved room 3 for you.

- Yep, thanks.

- Have fun!

She winks at me. Lucy rolls her eyes and pulls me along with her. We arrive in a sort of locker room next to room three. I don't even know where to look. I'm really into the decor that is the same everywhere. I linger on every new drawing I see.

- Ona, are you listening to me?

- Huh?

- You're impossible, she mocks. Do you like it here that much?

- Totally! Have you seen the drawings everywhere? They're really beautiful!

- Get changed instead of daydreaming, she says, handing me a jumpsuit. I took the liberty of grabbing some clothes from your wardrobe this morning, she informs me. You need to be comfortable for this kind of activity.

I didn't even notice she took anything. I must have been sleeping soundly to not hear anything. She hands me my gray joggers and a black t-shirt. I feel like I'm back at camp.

- Even here, you're still giving me orders?

- Well, yes. Why would that change? After all, it's up to you if you want bruises.

I've never played paintball, but I've heard that it can hurt if you get shot from too close. Bronze is a regular here, so she must know what she's talking about. I get into a booth without complaining to put on my clothes, then the jumpsuit over them. It's so thick that I wouldn't be surprised if there's a bulletproof vest in there. I finish with shoes that look a lot like the boots I have at school. When I come out, I find Lucy equipped and loading our guns. A smile spreads across my face. I can tell I'm going to have a blast... Who hasn't dreamed of being able to shoot at a teacher at will? It's kind of the same thing here. She's not my teacher, but she's still my superior, my mentor, I'd say.

- Need help? I ask.

- I've got it, don't worry. Yours is ready.

She points to the gun on the bench. I pick it up and check that it's really loaded. You never know, maybe she wanted to cheat! I watch her skillfully load hers. She must come here regularly, it seems. We put on our gloves, and before we leave, she adjusts something on my outfit by zipping up my jumpsuit to my chin.

- It's uncomfortable and I feel suffocated like this, I mumble.

- But it's for safety, so you're going to leave it like that.

I roll my eyes but say nothing. We finally leave the locker room, which she locks, and head to our room right next door. My lips part as I take in the environment. I don't know where to look. This place is just getting better and better! The wall colors are still dark, but the lighting makes the room perfect. Small spotlights illuminate strategic areas without blinding us. We are on a height and can see the many walls covered with artificial foliage. The decoration is a mix between a maze and a battlefield. If there weren't some fluorescent traces on the walls, you'd think we were in a real training camp. The large room is filled with background music. It's just perfect. I follow her down the stairs.

- Well, she pulls me out of my contemplation. We're each going to our side, she points to the two flanks. All hits are allowed, but obviously, avoid the head.

- Okay.

- And also avoid close-range shots. You may not know it, but it hurts like hell, she laughs. We could end up with bruises for a long time otherwise.

- Got it, Bronze.

- Good, she smiles. May the best one win!

I watch her disappear to her side before heading to mine. I try to get my bearings. I don't know this maze, unlike Lucy probably. I try to stay alert as best as I can.

- Damn it! I shout.

I start running to take cover from the first shot I just took. Lucy's laughter echoes in the room. How did she find me so quickly? She just kicked off the festivities! I managed to find a hiding spot behind the fake leaf nets. My hideout is so good that she passes right by me without seeing me. It's funny to watch her search for me while staying on guard. It's clear she's better than me, but I can be sneakier if I want to be. I don't hesitate for a second to press the trigger several times before running away so she won't spot me.

- Well played, she laughs.

The game continues for a good while. We're literally playing cat and mouse. I admit that I'm often the mouse... We're both covered in paint, though she definitely got me more times. I'm jealous of how easily she handles it. She's so skilled at anything that requires endurance and tactics. I'm lying on my stomach, crawling to avoid being noticed. I've continued my trickery, which has successfully countered several of her attacks. She just passed by me without noticing, and I'm currently trying to find her.

- Can you explain what you're doing?

I stop dead in my tracks. I roll onto my back to see her beside me, her gun pointed at me. Damn! She mocks my warrior stance from a second ago.

- I think it's time for you to surrender, she says amused.

- Never!!!

We both start shooting at each other until I run out of paintballs.

- Is this a joke?!

- You see, all the signs are there to say I've won and you should surrender.

- Like I'd give you that satisfaction, I laugh.

I cry out in pain when she shoots me in the thigh from very close. I curse under my breath, dropping my gun to rub my thigh where it hurts.

- Okay, okay, I surrender!

I see Lucy's face change from worry to amusement. We both laugh before she slumps against the wall next to me.

- And you're the one who told me not to shoot from close! I groan.

- Sorry, it just happened, I didn't mean to, she giggles.

- Tell that to someone else, I laugh.

- Are you okay?

- I'll just have a great bruise, but I'm fine.

- I have some ointment in the bag, it'll help.

We look at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. I'd forgotten what it felt like to have this much fun. It's been a long time since I've smiled like this. We calm down, leaving a relaxing silence. She slumps next to me. There's just music in the background. It was really awesome. I briefly glance at Lucy and notice she's as euphoric as I am. It seems we both needed a moment like this. We forgot all our problems for a moment. I never thought I'd have a moment like this with her.

- Still, it was cheating... You have more training than me and you knew the layouts.

- I agree with the first point, but not the second. Beth changes the room layouts once a week.

- Damn, I thought I had an excuse...

- You did pretty well for a first time, she admits, which pleases me. Next time, we'll make teams with my friends if you want, and I'll show you how to better guard and hide yourself.

- Next time? I say, smiling

- Hmm, yes, why not. If the opportunity arises.

The idea is appealing. It would mean she'd want to spend more time together. I'd love that.

- I'd really like that.

She smiles back at me. We've made significant progress today. I feel her trust, and it's the first time she's suggested meeting her friends. I'd love to do that. Maybe I'll learn more about her true personality. I patiently await the day she'll want to open up to me like a normal person and not as my superior. I hope that moment comes sooner than I think.

- Can I ask you a question? I ask.

- Go ahead.

- It might be inappropriate, but... If one day I get a pass and you do too, could you show me around the city?

10

- Aren't you planning to go back home on your leaves?

- Yes, of course! I want to see my brother, but why not stay here once? I'd like to explore the city. I don't really feel at home in Barcelona anymore, I admitted.

- Do you think you'll like it here?

- I'm not sure. It's not necessarily the place I like, but the people. I said I wouldn't get attached, but I have to many people. Ale, Leah... Even with you or Ingrid, who I've started to find quite nice since the night we talked.

- I see, she smiled. Why not, then? I could host you for a weekend if you want.

- Really?

- Yes, but no one must know.

- I know, like today. I'm not that stupid.

- Well, she said, standing up. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry.

- Oh, yes!

My stomach growls to confirm my hasty response. I pick up my gun that I dropped earlier and get up with difficulty. I'm already dreading the soreness I'll feel tomorrow. We head back to the locker room, where Lucy lends me her famous ointment. I apply it when I'm back in the changing booth and come out wearing my clothes from this morning. Lucy is ready and is folding her jumpsuit.

- So, Ona, where do you want to eat?

- I'm really going to sound like a teenager... But I really want a good McDonald's. Is there one around here?

- Yeah, there's one right across the street.

- Yes!

Lucy helps me fold my jumpsuit properly, and then we head back to the reception area. Beth asks us how it went, and I tell her I'll be back. My answer seems to please her. We wish her a good day before leaving. The fresh air feels great. It was getting warm inside. Lucy wasn't lying when she said there's a McDonald's right across the street. I didn't even notice it when we arrived. So, we walk over. We order our meals, and she insists on paying for me. Actually, she didn't really give me a choice. That's when I realize I didn't pay for the paintball either.

- You don't have to pay for everything. I can afford it.

- Consider today a birthday present, then.

- You're really annoying! I grumbled. You've already given me gifts, and my birthday has long passed.

- Others would be happy in your place.

I grumble as I sit across from her at our table. She hands me my order since we only have one tray.

- Maybe, but I don't like feeling indebted.

- You don't have to feel indebted, it makes me happy.

I sigh, resting my head on my hand. I sulk, looking around for some distraction. There's no shortage of that in a McDonald's because there's always a crowd. Despite it being almost 1:30 p.m., there's still a lot of people in line at the counter. My eyes linger on a young girl who just walked in. She smiled at me right away. I smile back and allow myself to check her out as she continues to the counter. I must say she's quite attractive. I can't really do this kind of thing at camp. Not only are there not many girls to my taste, but I'm also observed by others. It's Lucy's throat clearing that pulls me out of my contemplation. I let go of my gaze to look at her. She has a smile on her lips and one eyebrow raised.

- Do you want me to help you, maybe?

My cheeks instinctively redden. This is what you call being caught red-handed. I wasn't discreet at all, and I feel embarrassed. It's not really like me to check out a girl. I still don't fully accept myself.

- I-... Um, sorry.

- You are way too obvious

- It's not what you think.

My cheeks heat up even more, uncomfortable with the situation. I

- No, sure, you totally weren't eyeing her.

- Shut up! This is getting embarrassing.

- Then own it, she smiled teasingly.

- There's nothing to own.

- Really. Your words make it clear you don't accept yourself.

- No, it's true. I don't, I broke down.

- I understand.

- I doubt it, I scoffed. No one can understand without having lived it.

I lift my head from my hamburger, faced with her telling silence. She continues to eat as if nothing happened.

- No, wait... Don't tell me you're a lesbian?!

- Okay, I won't tell you, she smiled, picking at a fry.

- No way! Seriously?

- Seriously.

She holds back laughter at my shocked expression. I didn't see that coming. I never would have believed it if someone else had told me. How can she say it so easily? To think I always talked about a guy when discussing her ex. She never corrected me. She probably didn't want to reveal too much.

- So, why don't you accept yourself?

- I don't know, I replied, shrugging. I consider myself as a lesbian the problem is I don't like the way people look at me because of it. I'm also scared of the reaction from those close to me... for what's left of them.

- But you already dated girls.

- Yes, obviously! Well, the first one to be honest... was Mapi...

- From what you've told me, you seem to have a good relationship. Why aren't you together anymore?

I sigh, running my hand through my hair. I hesitate. I don't like talking about myself, but even more so when it comes to my love life. On the other hand, she already knows a lot, and she just confided in me too. It makes me want to talk. I take a deep breath and gather my courage to answer her.

- Um, that's complicated too...

- You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

- No, no, it's fine... You know, I met Feli... I began, to which she nodded. I was still with Mapi at that time. It didn't take me long to fall into drugs after that. I completely changed and somehow pushed everyone away except Feli since she accompanied me through it all... I ended up cutting off all my relationships, even with Mapi, my family, or my friends. That's how we broke up, and I naturally got together with Feli afterward.

- I see. Do you regret your relationship?

- A little, but I can't blame her. I pushed her away. Besides, she's in a relationship now. I can't afford to ruin everything.

- That makes sense. How did you start talking again?

I hate interrogations, but I can't blame her for being curious. I'm the same way. My hand finds its way to my hair again.

- We have a little ritual... Well, I don't like celebrating my birthday. When she found out, we promised to be the first to wish each other happy birthday, no matter the situation between us. We've never broken that tradition since we met. She was surprised I answered her last year since I hadn't replied to any of her messages for a long time. So she took the opportunity to talk, and that's how she learned I was in a rehab center. When she found out, she wanted to support me, seeing that I wasn't pushing her away anymore.

She just nods, not digging deeper with her questions. I usually hate opening up, but with Lucy, it's different. Everything is easier.

- As for your loved ones, I can't answer that. It's up to you to decide when you're ready to tell them. As for the looks from others... she continues. I know it's not easy. It took me a while to stop caring. Eventually, I realized that no one has the right to judge a stranger. Everyone has the right to do what they want. It's our problem if we prefer girls.

- You're right, but it's hard to face...

- It's just a matter of time, don't worry.

I smile at her. I love how she reassures me in any situation. I also love how attentive she is to what I tell her. She shows me that she cares and will never judge me. That's why I like confiding in her. It's the first time I can do it so easily with someone. Normally, I'm always hesitant. Since my detox, I've realized everything she does for me. I didn't notice it before. I'm starting to trust her. After all, she understood from the beginning that all I needed was a bit of support. She was never intimidated by my attitude, quite the opposite. Even now, she continues to manage me and put me in my place when necessary. I can feel her influence on me. She's completely transforming me. Everyone around me, especially in Barcelona, notices it. Maybe I've finally found the person who will pull me out of all my troubles... The one who will make me feel better and become myself again. The road is still long, but I'm ready to move forward now.

[tranquilskies2]

Lord Shen X Fenghuang Headcanons

*takes deep breath* These two were my 2nd most favorite kfp ship with Tipo ofc being my most favorite. I started shipping them bc of a few fanfics & became obsessed with them since! I can't really explain what got me to stil be fond of this ship for years, but it somehow clung to me. It's the second rare pair I ever made fanart for. It's a shame that I could only find one Shenhuang fanart tho. At least I have the skills to do it now!

How slow is this slow burn? World's largest burning candle slow. Seriously, you have two stubborn deranged tsunderes who are heavily deprived of love & affection. There is no love at first sight between them. It's more like love at first fight-

They didn't like each other at first. Due to their unhinged, similar but clashing personalities, they initially fought and bicker frequently. These two could be mistaken for sworn enemies who despise each other for over a century. At one point, they have to separated from each other because they almost engaged in an altercation together.

Most of the time, whenever Shen is paired with someone (OC or canon), that someone submits to him and hey, ofc Shen would always want to be the dominant one in the relationship. However, Fenghuang would NOT take being beneath someone. This woman is a fierce free spirit who canonically destroyed & broke free from the owl-shaped cage that was built SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR HER (btw, Oogway built that cage). She can see right through Shen like he's crystal clear water in a glass.

Fenghuang will not put up with Shen's spoiled princely demeanor (which is why she gave him the nickname:"Prince."). In fact, she'll have the guts to call him out on his bs & put him in his place. She doesn't sugarcoat things, she delivers the truth on a cold silver platter. For sure Shen's ego took a massive hit like a tsunami due to being humbled for the first time.

However, Fenghuang is not without her own faults or blindspots. In can on, she lived in a mountain in isolation (I'm surprised she didn't go cuckoo) for who knows how long because she picked a fight with her own master (Oogway) & is too cowardly to face him again. Despite being humbled by Fenghuang, Shen is highly perceptive. So much so, he can easily pick up on Fenghuang's own arrogance & can swiftly knock her off her own high horse with one kick at the right opportunity.

They never publicly announced that they're dating. In fact, it took quite a while for their loved ones & those acquainted with them to realize they're dating due to being used to witnessing the two being at each other's throats. Most of their interactions consists of them quarrel like an old married couple. Understandably, it's easy for outsiders to see this as a toxic relationship. Despite displaying zero PDA, they prefer to be intimate in private.

Again with Shen being observant, he can easily take note of what Fenghuang likes & dislikes. However, the first time he tried picking out a gift for Fenghuang, he's in complete shambles due to being worried about whether or not she'll like & accept the gift. Doesn't help the fact that Fenghuang wouldn't be easily swayed by flashy gifts & gestures and that she generally is difficult to impress.

Has to be an accessory since he doesn't know her measurements (yet). Aha! This silver peony hairpin! No, not her favorite flower. Perhaps this tree branch hairpin? *shakes head* Unimpressive. Maybe this sun hairpin instead? *groans as he chucks the 30th hairpin in the discard pile*

One of their favorite things to do together is training. As they got closer, the sexual tension between them rises like champagne in a bottle with the cap eventually popping off like a rocket. Both wouldn't outright say it out loud, but they do admire each other's skills & abilities in combat. Shen is mesmerized by Fenghuang's flash flight speed & precise agility with her feather knives. In return, Fenghuang is captivated by the deadly elegance of Shen's tail feathers & use of his guan dao. It's a gradual build up to accept each other's feedback for their own skill sets.

In due course, they come to love playing with knives together...

Their favorite date locations are almost anywhere with little to no people. Private restaurant reservations, vip theatre seat access and flights across the vast skies (Fenghuang usually carries Shen). It's almost a 50/50 on who plans the dates. It took a while for Shen to not get carried away with overly grand gestures since he's an all or nothing type of person. In comparison, Fenghuang is more casual.

Without a doubt, these two love taking hot baths together. The bath will be smelling like a perfume shop due to fragrances & bath products they'll use & borrow from each other. They'll be conversing with one another as they wash each other's backs & tail feathers. The first time Shen saw Fenghuang drenched in water, he let out a howl of laughter before being splashed with water by her.

Do they get intimate during this time? Of course do! How intimate? That...will be left to your own imagination ;).

Who's more clingy than the other? Shen for sure. He's more demanding for attention than Fenghuang is. If he wants affection, he wants it now. Whenever he finds Fenghuang alone & he's certain that no one else is around, he'll walk up to her & wrap his wings around her. He loves it whenever Fenghaung strokes his neck gently.

Sometimes, Fenghuang is in need of attention too. Whenever Fenghuang has hunger for affection, she'll silently cling onto one of Shen's wings & nuzzle her head on his shoudler. She's quite pleased when Shen strokes her head tenderly as a response.

Since they are both birds, they can't really kiss like how most other animals could. As an alternative, they'll gently nuzzle their beaks in target areas. Shen's favorite area is his neck while Fenghuang prefers the upper back.

Who opened up to the other first? Fenghuang since she isn't as stubborn as Shen. As I said before, they despised each other at he beginning. As time goes on, they'll slowly come to realize that they don't differ much in character & empathize with each other's struggles & flaws. They have each other question their own character & motives. They test each other in a way no one else ever could. They gradually came to understand each other in a way not perceivable by others.

They almost broke up at one point. Yet, strangely, their psyches synchronize together in a strange but alluring pattern. Once they both do their own self-reflection & come to a great understanding, their love will become unbreakable like the blades they wield. Even though they never say:"I love you." to each other, they

[tough-n-dumb]

Fic Meme

13. “Ask me again.”

thank you! this one is show!verse, set while inej leaves with the volkvolny crew (or does she...) listen, this one is indulgent and probably exactly what you think it'll be but i Need to fix how the show left them

13. "Ask me again." (Kanej)

This was it. They would leave for Ketterdam tomorrow morning. He had his money; the Ravkan crown in his pocket; his revenge. He should have been satisfied. He wasn't. Because what was waiting for him back in Ketterdam now? A kingdom, yes, but a crooked one, now forever off-kilter. He would be a king without... without... He would be a king, and what else was there to want?

Kaz stood on the roof, leaning against the fort's parapet, overlooking the vast strip of barren land the Fold once dominated. The setting sun turned the sand a fiery, golden hue; an antithesis of the darkness that had reigned there for so long.

He had been up here for a few hours now, avoiding the jovial, adrenaline-fueled festivities in the halls beneath. He'd initially climbed to the roof to watch the small airship take off, transporting the Volkvolny's ever-growing crew to the main ship. He hadn't been able to, receding to the other side of the high walls at the last minute. Just as in the chapel, he couldn't turn around; he couldn't bear to watch her leave. Even the thought of her caused a prickle on the back of his neck, a shiver wrapping around his aching spine.

"Ask me again, Kaz."

Inej's voice was soft, airy, the syllables of his name turning sweet and lilting. It wasn't possible.

Kaz turned, and there she was. He must have been more sleep-deprived than he thought, the visage of her so startingly solid and real. But the way the sun caught on her hair—braided once more—and the light hitch in her breath when his eyes met hers confirmed that she was here: brightly lit and corporeal. Not some specter of loss like Jordie.

"Inej, what are you doing here?" His voice was hoarse and rougher than usual, even to his own ears.

"Ask me again," she repeated.

"What are you—" he began.

"No," she interrupted, drawing closer, the space between them quickly diminishing. "I'm here because I need you to ask me again."

Realization of what she wanted dawned on him and something turned sour in his stomach.

"Why?" he ground out. "So you can tell me no all over again?"

She only stood there, watching him, picking him apart with her dark eyes. He supposed he had been the one to teach her the patience of a thief, after all.

"You were supposed to leave hours ago," he deflected.

"Yes."

"You didn't."

She smiled, the quirk of her lips small and ambiguous. "It appears that way, doesn't it?"

"Why are you here?"

"I told you."

"I'm not going to ask you to stay, Inej. You already made your answer clear." If she wanted to humiliate him, he wouldn't bend.

"Just try."

She was looking at him with the sort of rawness and expectation she had when praying to her Saints—full of hope and belief in something divine.

Damn his pride; damn it all.

"Inej." He took a step closer to her, then another, until they were merely inches from each other. If he reached out, he might be able to touch her. "Don't leave. Come back to Ketterdam and stay with me. Please."

She was on him before he could finish the word, instead sighing it into her mouth that was now pressed against his. She met it with her own, a whispered, yes that buzzed hot against his lips.

Yes.

The word reverberated around his skull while she kissed him and kissed him. Her hands were balled in his coat, his own gloved ones pressed tightly to the curve of her waist. She was so alive in his arms, her lips so soft and warm, even the harbor waters were kept at bay.

Yes.

Too quickly, she pulled away, and he watched as a heavy breath left her pretty, pinkened mouth. Her eyes flitted all over his face, snatching at his tells. He couldn't imagine what she must have found, but it left her smiling big and bright up at him.

"Ask me again," he parroted, thumb brushing against the flare of her ribs.

"What do you want, Kaz?"

"You."

thank you again and thank you for reading!! does this totally fit and seem feasible to where we left them? probably not. but i will take any and every opportunity to me them kiss

fic prompt meme

[itsyagurlchip]

WAIT I SENT THE ASK TOO EARLYA AUWHAUDHDEKDVW

how is the original bone skeleton man doing?? OH OH AND is the setting the usual portal opening in the house and bam you've got new uncles or something else??? YAIOEPEPWLWKWPWBAOAV

buckle up, cuz this is super long yall 🥲

OKAY!!! THIS IS WHERE MY "INTERESTING" PART COMES IN 😁 monsters are just coming to the surface, and speciesism is as high as ever. after a year of this, queen toriel decides to open a human-monster program, something that also promotes her small school.

monsters adopt humans! ebbot was a bit iffy on it, but after realizing the benefits the mayor eventually agreed. (jk that nigga only wants the money 💀-) It was hard to get the program started, because many schools and orphanages werent as trusting, and the state wasn't fundinh it at all. So Toriel took a different approach.

Many monsters put their savings into it, considering their currency is literal fucking gold, and the program would allow each child to get $1000+ per month, depending on their age and needs. and yes giving kids thousands of dollars per year doesn't sound like a good idea, but shhhhh! the plot my dear!

The monsters who take care of them aren't allowed to use it themselves in selfish situations. Both the child and the guardian has rules.

one) you guys have to interact in some way. whether it be verbally, or even physically. two) NOTHING 18+, as all children being minors, that would be kinda weird. three) follow laws as follows- just dont be a shitty parent. four) the child has to want to participate as well, and cant do anything to hurt the guardian. including verbally (bc monster souls are made of feelings pretty much [thats another hc for another day])

id love to go deeper into the details, yet i however cannot bc i dont know how a parent-child program works.

and you have to be in the program for 1 month before you or the child wants to back out.

doesn't matter if its one-sided or not, when someone doesn't like it it immediately stops. id like to say that frisk and papyrus put most if their money into this, just so she can be adopted by toriel.

so when papyrus sees that gaster and sans have been stuck in the lab (not the basement!) for globs of hours at a time, sporadic sleeping, and overall exhaustion from work, he says the craziest shit

"SINCE YOU TWO ARE NERD BUMS, AND I CAN'T ALWAYS BE AT HOME FOR YOU TWO, I ADOPTED A HUMAN CHILD!!"

sans, in his sleep deprived state, promptly rose an eyebrow and fell out of his chair onto his side.

yea, its not that he didn't take the thing well, bro couldn't process it 💀💀

gaster just rolled his only visible eyelight and went back to work

....

well that worked well!!

reader arrived to the house the next day, and seeing that it was a two story house!?!?

AND there was an in-law suite? fuck yea! orphan kid made the jackpot 💥💥😼

they had fuckin steps too les goo!!

Your dark skin shined against the light of the sun, your brown eyes sparkling in excitement.

reader let go of papyrus's hand and ran inside immediately.

Careful as to not smudge your dirty shoes against the shiney floor, you looked around the house in amazement. This place had to have atleast 5 rooms!

and then the in law suite on the side looked like another 2 rooms!?? BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE!!

Not only did you have super nice guardians (you hoped), they were packed enough to keep you and themselves stabilized!! Hell, if theirs more people, they could support them aswell!!

Taking off your shoes, you looked around the living room. The long couch was green, albiet a bit patchy for a nice place, while the tan side couches could lean back!!

where those outlets on the sides? omg

"HAVING FUN DEAR HUMAN CHILD?" Papyrus smirked. He knew that the house of the Great Papyrus was enough to impress anyone, even of young ages.

"You guys are so rich!! wow- i mean, not that im tryna take your money or anything, but like- WOW!! Its so big!! Bigger than anything ive ever been to!" You were now flapping your hands and bouncing a bit. Your locs of hair bounced in it's pony tail no matter how small the fidget-hop was.

Behind the living room was a beautiful and lavish kitchen, and to the right there was the steps. To the right it looked like some like of master bedroom or guest bathroom.

But you didn't care about rooms right now, you wanted to see your other guardians!!

"Where are the other people im supposed to be meeting? Are you my only guardian or do they have to take care of me too? Are they mean? Are they bums? I hope they dont smoke or something, Do they have an addiction? What about-"

"THAT!, DEAR CHILD, IS GOING TO BE FOR INTRODUCTIONS!! DO NOT WORRY, WHILE THOSE TWO MAY BE GRUMPS, THEY ARE PLEASANT PEOPLE TO BE AROUND...EVEN IF THE LACK OF SLEEP TAKES THEIR PLEASANT PERSONALITY AWAY..." Papyrus concluded. You noticed that, despite the way he tried to talk to himself, you still heard it loud and clearly.

Maybe he had a hard time with volume control. meh.

Grabbing your hand and leading you towards the back door next to the kitchen, Papyrus opened the door. He had to lean down a bit in order to hold your hand, but he didn't mind.

The hallway was looooong. Instead of it being regular walls, it was glass windows of different colors. Which made you raise an eyebrow abit.

Seeing your reaction, the tall skeleton explained, "SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY, TOTALLY NOT BOMBS, MY BROTHER AND FATHER DECIDED TO LIVE IN THE SUITE!" He said, walking and talking.

You both reached the end of the hallway, hearing mumblings, ramblings, and overall terms that lowkey hurt your brain.

Getting too excited, you open the door to a glass-based lab. With the occasional plastic and metal equipment.

In the middle of the room there was an island counter filled was rainbow colored stuff ('gay as hell' , you sniggered), small green candies, and lots and lots if paper and pencils sharpened to the ends.

At one end of the room, there was a tall skeleton, a little shorter than Papyrus, who was more goop than skeleton. Infact, he looked like someone took a fire torch to his upper body, but you didn't say anything.

At the other end, there was a short skeleton, probably shorter than you (hah, being 5'0 did pay off), laying with his head on the desk, knocked out with blue slob. You marveled at the sight, wanting to know more about monsters at this revelation.

"FATHER! BROTHER! THIS IS THE CHILD I ADOPTED FOR ALL OF US!" Papyrus announced, grinning undauntedly. The smaller skeleton banged his head on the desk at the loud voice, while the other one barely flinched and turned slowly in irritation. "INTRODUCE YOURSELVES WHILE I MAKE LUNCH FOR THE GROWING FETUS!" He declared, marching out with a big smile.

If this plan went correctly, then his favorite family members would be mentally stable (as much as one could try- he thought to himself).

after banging his head on the damned table, sans sat up a bit disoriented.

why was there a human child in the house?

why was it in the lab?

"uhh kid, ur not supposed be here...uhh, its not safe and uh, you could die."

"WOW! Your so freakin cool! How do you talk without moving your face? Are you wearing a mask? I could die here! ooh shiney stuff, can i touch it?"

yea.. this kid has not had a proper friend in a minute

he was overwhelmed by the questions you asked at first, he didn't answer them at all in favor of watching gaster struggle to calm you down.

sans didn't mind how loud you were, it was moreso the curiosity that you brought along with you.

that wouldn't do.

"Hey! What's this?" the kid asked, walking towards the machine that could very much possibly cause the heat death of the universe, before getting snatched up by gaster.

"Enough! you are here to introduce yourself, and you will do as such" It was funny to see the man twitch like that. sans likes this kid already.

After knowing your name and age, sans was a bit surprised.

he honestly thought you were younger.

while introducing himself he tried to keep it simple and short. how old is he?

"how old am i old man?"

His blue slippers shifted from the movement of his ankle bones.

he thought you were just an average kid, but something about you was different.

oddly enough you always wore these earrings saying Y on the right and N on the left.

he wonder what it meant

Now its a week past since you came into the 'haunted house', aka the skele-dungeon

you two play pranks against gaster when he has free time. watching him bounce his leg in irritation every time he finds a lima bean in his notes is pure gold.

since you're virtual, due to your choice, he tries to take you places.

some of the most consistent ones are dance class every saturday and neighborhood walks you take by yourself.

I think of sans is the type of person to give less of a shit about his dad.

mostly because if the way he approaches things, iN tHE NaME oF sCIeNcE

it pisses him off everytime he tries to ask you for a blood sample

and it makes him even angrier when you say yes without a second thought.

but despite that, he cares about gaster.

but he wants to choke him out being his first son.

Despite being constantly sleep deprived, he makes time for this little new joy in his life.

Back then he's sleep at his desk, especially when his magic reserves were too low to shortcut.

But now, and you thought he didn't notice, you carry him to the living room of the main house and turn the tv volume down to 9 when you cant fall asleep.

another thing you both have in common

More often than not, you both find each other at the odd hours if the night.

since he can barely cook shit, it's mostly you making the midnight snacks

he appreciates the food you make for him, despite him initially coming to get a 10 1/2 ounce bag of chips

other times you guys will sit in the living room in silence

occasionally he'll find himself rambling to you about physics, specifically quantum, so he can keep his memory up.

sans likes the way you treat his brother.

as an uncle and not a childish cousin.

You may not be able to keep up with Papyrus's schedules and puzzles

but when you can, you two shine this wholesome light on the whole house that makes sans's soul ache lovingly.

Papyrus likes to take you out for walks more than him, or you'll both hang out in the backyard next to the glass hallway of the suite.

on his breaks, he'll find you two doing silly things

like rolling in the grass

or trying to carry each other.

without being able to admit it, sans and papyrus feel a new joy in their life.

and they got a cool kid to come with it :)

Gaster and sans were in the lab when his father said the most dumbest shit his nonexistent ears could ever listen to

gaster was never fully succumbed into the void, as sans had saved him before anything totally horrible happened.

hence his melted face and arms.

but he saw something, or rather somethings, that his meticulous little nerd brain has been hyperfiaxting on since the child came.

"Let's discover new universes!"

sans was just like 'naw, jit crazy'

so gaster fucks around with the machine for a while in secret while sans is frolicking with his newly adopted child.

ew, children.

but he guesses that she's okay, despite her adamant queries (hehe).

and soon enough, the machine made that man find out after he fucked around

Now that the machine stopped pouring in different variants of his children, this only made gaster more excited to use the machine.

sans on the other hand was fuckin freaking out.

the damn geezer did it

but not only that, there are aggressive ass versions of him who are willing to kill a child and that wont go.

sans is not gonna give on the things that bring him joy that easy.

*insert battle sequence*

ok so he got his ass whooped, no biggie.

and now his adopted child is befriending them. great.

annnddd now his brother is taking care of them. even better.

AANNNDD now his father is too interested in them to try and find a way to send them back. AMAZING!

bro wants to jump off a roof at this point

to be honest, he doesn't like the other versions of himself.

Theyre different possibilities of what could've happened currently and he already thinks about that enough.

but, reader likes them, so he gives them a pass.

but if they hurt her...or even worse, his brother...

he wont need the machine to figure out a way to take them out of this world.

KITTY!! THANK U SM!!! ✨❤️✨❤️✨🫣❤️🫣❤️ EKKK!! YOU GUYS BRING ME SUCH JOY 😋😋😋 YAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYATATATTATATATTATATATATATTATATATTATATATATTATATATA IM SO HAPPY!! YHSHABDGSIWKSBHSUWBWHAISNEGEYGSBAOWOAMQNWHUDBRYDUBJQIBSGATUWOWUEHRBXKMXBSYSJBSBZ-

i know the reader sounds super excited rn, which is sorta unexpected for an orphan centered fic, in the official thing you're gonna see a less than..nice attitude from them.

btw i wanna make a house plan to this can make more sense for your guys. ohhhhhhhh- IM TOO DAMN EXCITED 😋😋💕 i prolly gotta learn skeleton anatomy too-

@kittykittyanon @radicallxser @oleander-nin @towomatos @thealphagirl @ziipzeepzop-eez @amorvincitomnia-14 @spongejuice @cyb3r-st4r. if you would like to be added, check my blog. if you would like to be added, check my blog. SEE? I SAID IT TWICE!!

[alectoperdita]

18 for the put that guy in a situation asks??

From Put That Guy in a Situation(TM) Ask Game

18. Possession/Mind control

content warning: implied non-con at the end

Read on AO3

---

Jounouchi was quiet. Eerily so.

The only time Kaiba had seen the deadbeat shut his trap for this long, it was when his breathing stopped after Ra struck him. But Jounouchi remained upright, rigid as stone, his eyes wide open but distant and glazed.

The expression reminded Kaiba of another incident, the one at the docks involving chains, bombs, a hostage with a cyanide pill clenched between her teeth, and supposed mind control.

Kaiba shifted, once again becoming aware of the heavy weight within his white-knuckled grip. The Millennium Rod—that was what Yugi called it. It was the very same trinket Malik had waved around throughout the Battle City finals.

All Kaiba knew was it was an eyesore, just like the gaudy piece his rival perpetually wore around his neck. Kaiba wanted nothing to do with it. He would've been content to continue to ignore its existence if it didn't keep turning up among his belongings like a bad penny.

He was anything but amused to open his office drawer and find it sitting inside. He returned it the same evening, threatening Yugi over the unfunny prank. The second time it turned up inside his briefcase, he walked out five minutes before his next meeting, went down to the Turtle Game Store, and basically chucked the Rod at Yugi's head. And the third time, after appearing on his bedside table after an uneasy night of tossing and turning, Kaiba was ready to commit murder.

Yugi claimed no responsibility for one second, before switching gears and babbling some nonsense about destiny and past lives. And whatever Kaiba might think of Yugi's delusions, he never took his rival for a liar. So Kaiba held onto it, reluctantly, and shoved it deep into a desk drawer to bury it.

At least it stopped actively haunting him afterward.

But his troubles didn't end there. No. More turned up in his office one early morning, as the sun barely peeked over the horizon to herald a new day. Kaiba had been driven from his bed by vague and amorphous dreams he couldn't put a name to, only to discover an intruder rummaging through his things.

"What are you doing here?" growled Kaiba, slamming the door behind him.

Swearing, Jounouchi jumped, swearing as he spun to face him. Of course, he was a shitty thief on top of being a third-rate duelist. Nor should it surprise Kaiba when he bared his teeth without a hint of shame and snarled, "Helping Yugi get back what's his!"

After issuing the bold declaration, he yanked his hand out of Kaiba's drawer and hefted the Millennium Rod into the air.

"You think I want that miserable trinket?" hissed Kaiba. His head pulsed. From a migraine. From sleep deprivation. From a gradually building rage. "I was this close to stapling it to his forehead so it can't leave him like his stupid Puzzle."

Jounouchi's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. Yugi might believe you, but I know better. You stole it!"

Stole—as if Kaiba ever needed to stoop so low. Kaiba wanted nothing more than to be rid of the nuisance—both the Rod and Jounouchi. But he'd be damned if he overlooked Jounouchi's trespassing.

"That's rich. Considering you're the one caught stealing red-handed. I'm calling the police. We'll see who they believe."

He crossed the room in a few long strides. He reached directly for the phone on his desk.

"Stop!" exclaimed Jounouchi.

Perhaps the fear of law enforcement sent him into a blind panic, because he took a swing at Kaiba with the Rod.

Kaiba caught it with his hand. The sharp blades protruding from the specter's head dug into his palm, threatening to break skin. Did Jounouchi know about the blade hidden within the shaft? Was that what he'd try next?

Pain bloomed in his head and radiated down the arm holding the rounded end of the Rod.

"Let go!" he roared.

The deadbeat dropped it like it was hot coal. "What the hell?"

Kaiba felt it too. Underneath the pain, an electric sensation zipped through him, scorching his nerve endings. It was neither pain nor pleasure.

"Shit, did you do that?" asked Jounouchi. "Can you use—"

"Shut up," ordered Kaiba.

Miraculously, Jounouchi did. His mouth immediately snapped shut with an audible click. He opened his mouth to try again.

Kaiba denied him. "Not another word out of you."

Jounouchi choked while his throat convulsed, trying to spit words without success. His eyes darted wildly, terror growing in their amber depths as they frantically searched Kaiba's face.

Jounouchi didn't fear him. He despised Kaiba. He insulted him. On nauseating occasions, Jounouchi even pitied him. But he had never been afraid of Kaiba.

Until now.

A heady rush shot straight to Kaiba's hind-brain. Suddenly, he understood why people took drugs. He rearranged his grip on the Rod and tapped Jounouchi's clavicles with a sharp wing.

"Here, I thought nothing'd ever stop your yapping," he laughed. "This just proves what you need is a shock collar."

Rage blanketed Jounouchi's face. Since he could no longer express it verbally, he resorted to other means. Somehow, Kaiba already knew his intentions before he moved a single muscle. And he put an end to it as swiftly with a single command.

"Stop."

Stop moving. Stop fighting. Stop defying Kaiba.

Jounouchi froze. His defiance drained like blood from a slaughtered cow. His expression slackened, his eyebrows and mouth unfurling. As if a light snuffed out, his eyes went as blank as his face.

Captivated, Kaiba had stared at him ever since. At first, he wondered if this was part of an extended prank. To trick him into believing the Rod's power and how he could wield it. But as the minutes ticked on, Jounouchi stayed rooted to his spot without an errant twitch of his muscles, breathing slowly but steadily as if in a trance.

Kaiba was so clear-headed. His headache had receded. What remained behind was a deep-rooted instinct, the knowledge to bend Jounouchi's will to his whim.

Speaking out loud wasn't necessary. But it gave him a rush to issue the command verbally. "Down."

Gracelessly, Jounouchi dropped to his knees. A pulse of something other than power rushed through Kaiba's veins.

"Look at me," he said as his breath grew ragged.

Jounouchi obediently tilted his face up. He held it at the perfect angle so the sun's rays, streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, highlighted his bleached locks, brown eyes, and full lips.

He was quiet, and the storm raging inside Kaiba's head for the recent weeks dissipated too.

Without releasing the Rod, Kaiba cupped Jounouchi's jaw, feeling the faint scruff of a hasty shave job. Jounouchi didn't fight him or try to throw off his touch. But he didn't lean into it either. Right now, he was no different from a doll, and dolls didn't react. They didn't want. They were merely expected to sit there and be pretty.

Kaiba pressed his thumb to the corner of Jounouchi's mouth, squeezing until it parted. Jounouchi's wet tongue grazed against his finger pad, warm but still.

He wanted him to suck. This time, Kaiba didn't have to speak aloud before he felt the answering wet suction. Jounouchi's lips closed tightly around his thumb, his cheeks hollowing as he obeyed.

Docile was an unexpectedly good look on Jounouchi. If nothing else, it was a rarity few people saw.

Before he knew it, his hand settled over his fly. His groin throbbed each time Jounouchi sucked. The rhythm was as regular and robotic as a toy, no stuttering and no mistakes.

Perfect.

Kaiba could have this and more—a secret desire not even he wanted to admit to himself. The forbidden fruit had fallen right at his feet. His sins were innumerable. His ledger ran red. So what was one more?

"Open."

Read other prompt fill ficlets here

[whumpcloud]

Things End | People Change - Natural Instinct

masterlist

taglist: @whumpsday @whumpycries @whumpwillow @why-not-ask-me-a-better-question @whumpshaped @suspicious-whumping-egg @chibichibivale @melancholy-in-the-morning @zillastar13

content: whumper turned whumpee, vampire whumpee, bad caretaker, references to torture (sensory deprivation and sun burning), starvation, begging, muzzled whumpee, dehumanisation

Clary's feeding him now.

Well, maybe that's a stretch. She's still keeping her distance, and Cai is still the one that removes the muzzle, but she's there, and that she's even worked up the courage to be there means the world to Vincent.

She knows it, too, and it makes her avoid acknowledging him at all. She goes down, she stands there, and she goes back up. And it makes him so happy.

Clary screams into a pillow. She hates him, she does, for ripping her away from the world and making her terrified to even step out onto the porch at sunset. She saw exactly what the hunters did to him and she has a violent urge to do it all to him, a thousand times worse. Chain him up and make him scream for mercy.

But he would do it and thank her, and that's the part she can't stand.

Because nobody should ever suffer so deeply that they'll thank you for the pain?

No, it's because she wanted to make him that way. Not anyone else. She wanted to break him down to this shell and then keep breaking. Didn't she? Doesn't she?

She feels dizzy.

Cai raps her nightstand and tries to offer her a smile when she looks up. "I'm going to feed him. Coming along?"

Clary sighs, and nods.

Vincent is somehow beginning to look worse. Clary thinks it's that he's fed - his newer injuries have bled a little, and she isn't sure Vincent knows that she's noticed it. He's bruised, too, around the wrists and throat and ankles. Vampires need blood to heal, same as a human, they just do it much faster.

Cai's figured out that he can thread a straw through the basket muzzle so that he doesn't have to take it off, and something about that nags at Clary, but she ignores it. This is what she wanted.

"Thank you," Vincent says, half-smiling.

She watches him, the way he holds and drops the bag. Better than anyone she knows Vincent can't control his strength, and he's been progressively clutching it tighter, leaving marks in the plastic. He's not so weak anymore. She finds herself unable to be afraid even so.

"Cai, I want to be alone with him," she says.

Her brother turns towards her. "What?"

Vincent freezes. This is it. This has to be it. She's finally realised that he wouldn't dare fight back and she can do whatever she wants to him. At least there's warning. A moment of preparation. Unlike the hunters, where they deprived him of his senses until he didn't even have the privilege of hearing their footsteps coming towards him.

"Just go, I'll be fine," Clary says.

"I'm cuffing him," Cai signs sharply.

"I don't need you babying me," Clary replies. "Go."

"I'm not-" Cai groans and takes a deep breath. "Please. It's for your safety."

"I'm perfectly fucking safe!" Clary snaps, then shuts her eyes and clenches her fists when Cai recoils. "You've been getting close to him for days and he hasn't done a thing. This is my trauma. I get to handle it how I want."

Cai hesitates. "I know. I'll… go."

Vincent whimpers when Cai turns back, and shakes him by the collar of his shirt.

"Hurt her and you won't even be able to beg when I'm done with you," Cai hisses. "Got it?"

Clary seems annoyed, but she doesn't step in. Vincent nods, and Cai lets go.

They're alone. She's alone with Vincent.

"Is he outside?" she asks.

"H-Huh?"

"Cai. Is he outside the door? You can hear him, I know you can."

Vincent listens. He's gotten used to the sound of Cai's heartbeat. He nods.

"So if you do anything, he'll know."

"I understand," Vincent says. "B-But I won't. I promise you, I won't even touch you."

She stands there, for what seems like a long time, saying absolutely nothing. Vincent shifts on his knees and she flinches. He keeps still after that.

"How did you get caught?" she says, and it's quiet, but it sounds loud in this room.

"I was careless," Vincent mumbles. "I picked one off a group. It was my bad luck that they were a group of hunters."

Clary scoffs. "Don't be stupid. You think I'm gonna believe that?"

"It's the truth."

She searches him, for any sign that he's making it up to seem weaker than he really is, but she can't sense it in the slightest. He attacked a group. Why would he even contemplate it?

She takes a step closer. "Why did you keep asking for me?"

"I missed you."

"Like hell you missed me," she growls, and he flinches. "You left me to die and you wanna say you missed me?!"

"I'm sorry!" Vincent whimpers, and presses his forehead to the floor. "I know, I know I'm awful, I shouldn't have done that to you, I'm sorry--"

"Shut up!"

Vincent digs his nails into his palms but he keeps his mouth shut.

"You abandoned me!" Clary snaps. "You got bored of me and left me bleeding out in the woods and you expect-- you expect what?!"

"...C-Clary, I didn't…" That isn't what happened, is it? Vincent doesn't remember clearly. "I wasn't bored of you. That's not what happened."

"Don't just tell me that's not what happened," Clary snarls.

"I d-don't… remember. I'm sorry. I should remember, I'm so sorry." Vincent can hear her getting closer. "But I didn't… I didn't want to. I never wanted to."

"I was a plaything to you."

"No, you weren't," Vincent whispers. "I'm sorry, I know I… I used you, but you were always a person. Even when I said you weren't. I didn't mean it, I-- you were everything to me, Clary. You still are. I wouldn't lie to you, not now, please."

There's no way she should believe him.

He holds up his hands, keeps his head on the floor. "I-If you want to hurt me, I'll… I'll bleed, now. If you want that. Is that what you were waiting for?"

He sounds almost fucking hopeful. He clearly doesn't actually want to feel pain, she can tell that much. But he does want her to hurt him. He's practically desperate for her to hurt him.

"Just… get up," she mutters. "Stop doing that. You look like an idiot."

Vincent sits up, forcing himself to do it slowly. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

She kicks him in the chest, more out of blind frustration than anything. It doesn't hurt that much, but Vincent whimpers like it does. He's gotten good at that. Screaming louder than normal, whining on purpose, begging incoherently when he could easily form the words please and no and stop. Sometimes it made them stop sooner. Mostly it did nothing, but it was worth trying, because it made them smile in that skin-crawling way and tell him he was taking it so well, bloodsucker, maybe I'll only leave you in the sun for an hour instead of two and he could hope.

Vincent jumps when Clary's hand is placed on his cheek.

"I-I'm sorry, I'll stay still," he murmurs.

Clary doesn't reply. She's shaking, of course she's shaking, but he keeps his mouth shut, regardless of the muzzle. Is she going to slap him again? That's surely far less than he deserves.

Her hand creeps behind his head. Her eyes are locked to him. Watching like a hawk. He doesn't move. He stares straight ahead.

He feels her pulling at the muzzle, and then it falls from his face onto the floor. He wants to stare up at her, but he tenses and forces himself to be still.

Her wrist is in front of his face.

"Nnh!" Vincent opens his mouth on instinct and promptly shuts it. Her pulse, he can see and hear and almost feel her pulse under her skin. He never once fed from her wrist, but he has a few times in years past, and he's sure he could do it.

Vincent tries to pull back, but Clary holds her wrist up against his lips and his teeth scrape her skin and he could drink human blood again if he just pierced her skin and took it.

Animal blood is not enough. It will keep him from starving, but just a little human blood will make him feel almost alive.

Clary watches. Clary says nothing.

"C-Clary," he whines. "Clary, please, it-- can I? Please, can I? Please, please. Only a little. P-Please."

Permission. He wants permission from her. Clary grits her teeth. She wanted him to take it, to prove that he's exactly how he is in her fractured memories.

Vincent didn't change. His captivity just brought one side to the forefront, the side of Vincent that cried as he held her, that brought her almost anything she asked for in an attempt to make her happy, that might have even cared, if Vincent was capable of doing that, if she believed Vincent was capable of doing that.

"I hate you," she hisses.

Vincent lets out another soft whimper as Clary locks the door. Was that a test? But she acted as though he failed by not feeding from her. Did she want him to? Surely not.

He brings his knees to his chest and hides his face in them. Was it because he begged? Was it because he considered doing it at all?

Natural instinct is no excuse. He should've been better than that, after all of this, after all of this pain. It wasn't enough. It might never be enough, but he'll happily submit. He won't be a monster. Not ever again.

He clutches the muzzle. He doesn't know how to tie it, but he presses it to his face, and holds it there. He won't bite. Please, he won't bite.

[bilightningwhumper]

@ailesswhumptober 2024- Day 12

Sensory Saturday: Isolation, sensory deprivation, “Can you feel me? I’m right here, whumpee.”

<<Previous . My AI-less Whumptober 2024 Masterlist . Next>>

"Picture Perfect" Masterlist --- TNEI Tumblr Masterlist

Summary:

Excerpt for "Picture Perfect" (Rapunzel + Hansel and Gretel combo retelling) Leslie attempts a reunion with Josh after the first one didn't go so well

Notes:

Characters: Leslie- Rapunzel Amalia- Gretel Josh- Prince

Ao3 link

Word count: 474

Leslie PoV

Leslie quivered, doing her best not to shake next to Amalia as they sat on the edge of her nest. What if this went wrong? What if she could never be in the same room as Josh again, only ever able to talk over the phone?

"Hey, look at me." Amalia took her chin and turned her head so they locked eyes. "No matter what happens, it'll be okay. We'll figure this out. No matter how long it takes, we'll be with you every step of the way."

Tentatively, she nodded, crawling over to curl up in Amalia's lap. She felt safer, having at least one of her pack holding her. Mama had rarely done that for her. Barely ever in a way that made her feel more at ease or loved.

"I'm going to put the blindfold on now, okay?"

She nodded again and sat still as Amalia wrapped the soft cloth around her head, tying it to cover her eyes.

"Ready?"

Heart thrusting, Leslie nodded a third time.

"You can come in!" Amalia called out, voice raised slightly and she held Leslie closer to her chest as the door creaked open.

Leslie wasn't sure what to do as she heard the familiar footfalls coming into the room, the door shutting in their wake. Did she say hello? Stay quiet and let Josh speak first?

Then it hit her nose. His scent. Josh’s scent. Evergreen and fallen leaves. He smelled like home, especially when his scent mingled with Amalia’s scent of baked bread and afternoon sun. This, this is where she belonged. Home was the two of them, wherever they were.

She couldn’t help it. The heartbreak of having missed him so much and the deep relief of finally having him here hit her all at once.Tears soaked through the blindfold as she started sobbing, clutching Amalia’s shirt as the other woman gently started rubbing her back.

Uncertainty started intruding on his hopeful tinge in his scent and she heard him stop. Fear griped her, thinking he was about to leave. So she let out a whine, reaching for him from Amalia’s arms when she couldn’t form the words.

He must have understood, of course he understood, because he took her hand. “Hey, Greenie. Is this okay? Can you feel me? Just let me know if you’re uncomfortable.”

Crying harder, she laughed, too, his rambling so familiar and anything but uncomfortable. Tugging his hand, she wanted him closer.

The bed dipped slightly as he joined them in her nest. While he was careful putting his arms around her waist with Amalia’s, Leslie couldn’t hold herself back from throwing her arms around his neck. His hold tightened in response, his tears getting her shirt wet as much as she was probably drenching his.

“I’m right here, Leslie.” he mumbled shakily. “I’m right here.”

TNEI Taglist:

@scoundrelwithboba

[lexisism]

the moon always circles back with the sun

for the end of the ebg, i thought i'd relish in some kavexis content <3 oh how i missed him (selfship fic)

SEEING HIM was like an avalanche melting above her, stopping the suffocation and cold in favor of leaving her crying the water that flows from the melting snow. Oh how she missed him ever so, it was almost unbearable to see him and be away. She got off the boat and immediately jumped into his arms.

"I missed you, I missed you, I love you so much, I'm sorry, I'm sorry--" before she could continue he cut her rambles off with a kiss. The kiss was deprived and far too long set off, she herself was starved of him, his taste, his everything. It hurt ever so to be away from him so long. She gasped for breath once he pulled away, and while winded she didn't wish to stop. She wanted to kiss him to make up for all the time lost, until she's satisfied and remembers she's back with him again.

"I missed you too, more then anything." he whispers gently, which causes her dam to break, shatter into a million pieces as she sobs into his chest. Arms wrapped around him so tightly it seems impossible to drag her away. In no time tears drip from his eyes too. 

Receiving letters in the mail and having to tear them hurt more then anything, tearing any piece of Kaveh was worthy of the world falling apart for her. But she's back, back with the other half of her soul.

her sobs turned into laughs as she looked up at Kaveh, meeting the crimsoned ruby eyes she missed so much. The jewels she spoils herself with in his eyes, she's forever captivated by. His touch she doesn't admires, as she rubs her thumb along his palm, hands intertwined as she kisses him gently.

"I heard from a couple birdies that you missed me ever so..." she murmured with a giggle, "who thought you'd become such a introvert without me? Hm?"

Kaveh flushed before sticking his nose into her hair, mumbling and grumbling words she could barely make out.

"Oh, Kaveh don't pout now. I missed you just as much, you probably didn't hear anything about it because I wasn't allowed to show it like you did."

"shut it..." he murmurs embarrassed which causes a light chuckle out of her. Though it was entirely true, he did show it a lot more then she thought he would. From the excess time spent in the tavern Alhaitham has mentioned to her about (she'll have to talk with Kaveh later about that), and how he shied away from everyone? oh how she was shocked to read that on letters.

But for now, she'll just revel in today, in the time she is back with him. Because she never wants to leave his side again. Her hands move to his hair, as she stares gently at her beautiful husband she missed so much. Her partner she adores like the moon and sun. If she can prevent it she'd ensure she'd never go another morning without waking up by his side.

She locks that thought in with another passionate, long kiss.

[joseopher]

Joesopher Fanfic Masterlist

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and the sun must go on rising by rainbow_kitten_5

Callum Nova died alone.

And in death, he found treasure that mortals rained carriage to obtain: knowledge. It cast the past few years in a sour light, didn’t it? The initiate's lives were swallowed up by a violent pursuit of what was in front of them the entire time. Because the solution to the equation of the universe could not be found in the library. It was found in others. In those cherished and adored along the way.

Callum Nova died alone but that all changes when he wakes up.

Fluffy novacaine fix-it/revival fic because I am foaming at the mouth for them

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He keeps a knife in his pocket and peels an apple right in front of you by rainbow_kitten_5

This is not a tragedy.

1993, the apple falls from the tree. You may know him as the beautiful, wealthy and eerily charming Callum Nova. His gaze was hypnotic, his features were compelling and his attention was sweet as a needle to the vein. But this creature was missing one key component to life: a comprehension of love. And he was hungry for an answer.

Told through poetic verse, prose and journal entries, "He keeps a knife in his pocket and peels an apple right in front of you" is a story of one person's search for love throughout his life. From the darkened shadows of Cape Town's luxury homes to the dining room of The Alexandrian Society, twisted and deprived characters—neurotic princesses, starving beasts and sacrificial sons—attempt to understand love and if it makes life worth living.

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lay my curses out to rest and make a mercy out of me by rainbow_kitten_5

Roy's life is frankly shit. Stuck in a dead-end job and plagued with what she claims to be a "curse" she is begging for the fairytales of her childhood to ruthlessly end her suffering. Her situation escalates when two strange patrons enter her coffee hellscape. One is flamboyant, the other is reserved. One won't stop flirting, the other won't stop insulting. One is philosophizing about life's meaning, the other has given up. What she isn't aware of is that they both will change her life and even each other's. That is if they can stop being sarcastic for more than a minute.

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Now that fate has brought me what so long I so desired, it is too late, I am too tired. by rainbow_kitten_5

“You think I could ever kill you?” Callum mused. “You think I would ever harm the real you?”

Six magicians. Two former friends. One knife.

The construct of the magicians' initiation is not secret. It is a dream, both literally and figurately; they will be shown their greatest desire only for it to be snatched away from them at the last moment. It is not a not a test, nor a torment, but a formality. However, it doesn't feel that way for Callum Nova, the magician with the reputation of desiring nothing. When he is forced to face to face with his former confidant, Tristan Caine, he has no choice but to confront the conflicting feelings in his heart. But between Callum's cold demeanour and Tristan's stubborn one, can anything between the two of them ever truly be fixed?

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Peace and Quiet by rainbow_kitten_5

A chip on one's shoulder: A deeply ingrained grievance or feeling of resentment, often deriving from a sense of inferiority and marked by aggressive behaviour.

Tristan Caine had been told his whole life that he was weak, that he was useless, that he was not someone who mattered. Life in the Society's manor was no different and it made him want to scream until someone viewed him as anything more. But he didn't. Tristan was as resigned to his fate as he could be (fucking seething and ready to burst at any moment), all he wanted was some quiet time by himself but then came Nico de Varona, sunshine and youth personified. It seemed every time Tristan wanted to be alone Nico was in front of him screaming at the top of his lungs. But when Tristan realized he had more power than he once believed, he was forced to turn to Nico to help and surprisingly found someone who might believe in him. But will he dare to let himself hope or fall back into his typical cynicism?

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The five times Nico was loud and one time he was quiet.

Break the lock if it don't fit by rainbow_kitten_5 (The Waltz of Decay Part 1)

Nico de Varona is rotting. He's lost some part of himself, or maybe he's been losing little parts for a long time. Either way, he is not the same person he used to be. But god he wants to be. He'll do anything to feel a little bit more like himself, such as biting off more than he can chew when he decides to bother Tristan Caine until he gets a reaction.

In this fanfic, Nico de Varona goes to extreme lengths to regain his past self leading to unexpected results regarding a handsome yet stoic (potential) physicist.

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Ship of Theseus by rainbow_kitten_5 (The Waltz of Decay Part 2)

There's something musical about what Nico and Tristan have, yet also practiced and precise. It's a dance, each step vibrating with desperation and loneliness. Nico pushes and pushes until Tristan's supposedly impenetrable walls crack and Nico's given what he wants: Tristan's attention. Even his mere gaze is enough to halt the rot in Nico's body and his touch, god his touch, is enough to breathe fresh life back into it. But Nico can feel himself twisting into something foreign. If he even can be called Nico anymore…

In this fanfic, Nico has to battle the question of who he is all while trying to not make a wrong move and shatter what he has with Tristan. But will happen when Tristan makes a move that changes their waltz forever?

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Dead To Me (Coming Soon)

Callum Nova is villian and Tristan Caine is a hero. Or Tristan Caine was a hero before he died. How pathetic and tragic. Callum doesn’t care. Why would he care that the only person who saw him for who he truly was is dead?

He wouldn’t. Because Tristan betrayed him, Tristan left him, Tristan means nothing to him.

But when Callum is given a chance to discover what happened to his former nemesis, he takes it. Even if it means working with Libby Rhodes, the most annoying person in the universe. 

In this upcoming fanfiction, Dead To Me, Callum must confront his own feelings and insecurities while haunted by memories of the past. Will he succumb to tragedy? Or will he discover dared to kill his hero before him? 

[youcantdateosmosisjones]

Sparrow is such a tragic figure to me.

Despite spending most of their childhood in the slums, they still had moral building blocks and dreams for the future- only for Theresa's plan with Lucien to fuck up so exponentially that Sparrow is traumatized for life... but whose pain is steered back to be utilized to support Theresa's agenda. One way or the other. Wether or not she cared about Sparrow doesn't really matter, because she still got what she wanted in the end.

Right? So Sparrow spent years of their life dedicating themself to their quest for revenge (oblivious to Theresa's plan); sacrificing their own life in the process; only to not only loose everyone along the way, but also get stranded by (potentially) the only semblance of family they had left.

How you play the game morally, and the wish you make at the end is super important to your own interpretation of Sparrow- but in MY game Sparrow literally cannot break from what their motivation drilled into them. Duty; sacrifice; destiny; all that crap... But, like, it goes beyond the mission. The one time they committed to something purely because they wanted to and they could (having a family), they were 1) separated from them for the majority of the time because of the mission, and then 2) Lucien straight up had them killed. Same with her dog. So yeah no their entire life experience fucked them up pretty good in terms of how they view pursuing personal desires.

So, naturally, when it comes time for them to make the wish they're still committed to the 'greater good' because that's what a hero is supposed to do. It's how they were raised, and the only thing that makes sense to them. So many people suffered like Rose did at the hands of Lucien, and the only way Sparrow believes they can make up for the lose of their lives is by sacrificing their own. They truly do believe that if they are whatever the people need forever that one day the guilt from loosing whatever life they, Rose, and everyone else could've had will one day disappear- as if it's a debt to be repaid.

But, like, that's not Sparrow. That's the hero figure they turned into. Sparrow is the fucking shit. Living it up in taverns, "fuck it, we ball", and going on silly little adventures was Sparrow's whole thing. And then the Spire happened and they got all weird- but that's a whole other discussion for a whole other post.

Sparrow gets left behind with no compass or proper resolve, but is also a grown ass adult... now what? They go about the next few years just doing quests and favors for the people, right. It's a simple life that fills the time, and hey; maybe one day they'll finally reach inner peace. Get a small farm in the countryside, learn to live off the land, and enjoy the small joys of nature as the world no longer needs you. You did a good thing, and now you can rest- NOPE, NEVERMIND. THERESA'S GOT SUN TO SAY.

So yeah those barely processed feelings from before and the mindset that caused them so much difficulty resurfaces and they spend literally they rest of their life dedicating themself to a half-thought out political campaign for... some reason they don't even really understand. They still help out the people and try to help the kingdom wherever they can, but like... they don't understand why? They don't even know how to run a kingdom. I feel like they would've found it amusing if they allowed themselves to feel the sense of joy and pleasure they've been deprived of for so long (especially since Rose's dream of living in the castle rubbed off on Sparrow all those years ago), but they just... can't, anymore.

I think having a family again helped. At least a little bit. It was... different. Sparrow was constantly terrified of the future awaiting one of the two, but tried not to let it affect them too much. I mean, they didn't grow up in the same place that they had, and that's enough to being them a little bit of relief. They'd do all the could to leave behind a promising start to them- knowing that they wouldn't be there to guide them. God, they hope they have an easier time than they did.

Sparrow dies relatively young, and without internal peace or resolve. They never got to truly feel proud of the good they did, even about their greatest personal triumph. They will only exist as how they impacted the world.

[summertimemusician]

Hylia fans, enjoyers, critics, slanderers, folks who like Linked Universe but are mine's, Legend's and Time's spirit animals in wanting to vibe check a goddess for what she did with them and First, an idea/sleep deprived headcanon for y'all. Just an idea that will be completely obliterated by Tears of the Kingdom but hey I can dream.

Hylia, but she purposefully uses the appearance of each of the Zelda's depending on who she's dealing with, but just a bit... Off, Lullaby, but her head moves like an owl's, too bird like in nature for it to look normal (alluding to her connection to the Loftwings), Dusk, but her lips don't move when she talks, her voice booms like thunder but is as soft as a breeze, Flora, whose words feel scorching like an inferno and sitting near a crackling fire at the same time, just a bit grating but you can't help but be comforted, wanting to get close, wanting to stay close. Artemis, but her eyes are blank, not even how the Light Spirits portrayed the Interlopers in Twilight Princess, straight up no iris or pupils, because 'eyes are the window to the soul' an deities wouldn't leave theirs, if they even have any, open to anyone to use, her looking at you makes it feel as if you have just been flayed open from neck to gut, your organs on display, a bone deep cut of too much knowing, does she know it? Knows your deepest secrets? Your deepest fears and insecurities? The things you would want no one to know? Will she execute you for them or will she accept you for a it?

Just saying, if y'all don't want to go full on monstrous (though if ya ask me monstrous Hylia is PEAK), uncanny valley is always a good idea as any, maybe have her wear a bird mask to 'hide' her identity so that it gets harder to tell, make it so that her voice and speech patterns are all of rh Zelda's melded together. Remember, Hylia's form in the manga was as close to a human as she could make it probably because she didn't want to scare First/The First Hero off (because ya know, deities are basically living concepts, they can have multiple forms and usually looking at their true ones is a bad move, hence why many of them shape shift in myth), Sun/Skyward Sword Zelda is her human vessel, but who's to say after so many years from there some things wouldn't start slipping through the cracks? It's in the subtleties, the very, very subtle differences that tell anyone the Zelda's aren't human, but the vessels or something much bigger than them, something which is always on the edge of time, waiting. Watching.

Also, if we go the Tears of the Kingdom theory route, or a ghost Chain in general, I also proposed Ghost Zelda's, all of them by Flora's side, but she could only really see or talk to them after she unlocked her powers and the differences between them and Hylia is very, very obvious once you start looking at it.

Plus, if we are possibly seeing the 10.000 years ago Zelda, then I propose we just leap and see them all after so long. Or that BOTW Link/Wild also can see the 10.000 years Catalyst Hero, or the rest of the Links and/or dives into their memories for maximum emotional damage, in this essay I will-

[farasen]

OC lore

So about the OCs that I posted earlier. I'm kinda fixating on them right now so I wanna ramble about them a bit. I wanna name this universe "I sleep with an axe". The events are happening in the beginning of 2000s on the South of Russia. There's no holistic story so far, but in my head it's like a psychological thriller and drama. Main characters do have some lore tho. Before I continue, some TWs: grooming, pedophilia, rape and murder.

Zhenya

Okay then, let's start with the main character - Zhenya, Zheka or Eugene. He lives on the outskirts of the town in a small house with his grandma. He has a mother, but she's been deprived parental rights due to alcoholism. Father, on the other hand, has been absent from his very birth and Eugene doesn't even know if he's alive. After his mom lost custody of him he had to move to another town to his grandmother. He was around 12 years old at the time. The problem is, Zhenya is very shy and it's hard for him to make new acquaintances. Thus, he didn't have any friends, and, despite grandma's efforts, he still felt lonely. That is until he met Andrei - a teacher in his new school who happened to be his neighbour. Now, look what we have - a lonely boy at the new place with no father or male figure at all in his life. And the man was acting friendly and protective of the boy, almost like a father. The day Eugene met Andrei was a turning point in his life. The man would act weird and often make Zhenya uncomfortable, which didn't prevent them from building a bond and later having secret "relationships". As if that hasn't been bad, later on Andrei would drag him into ever more sinister activity – something that almost made him paranoid and actually made him sleep with an axe. Some side facts about him: he likes American films and wants to move there one day. He's the best at English classes because of that. He also like to be called Eugene, but everyone (except Asya) calls him Zheka anyway.

Nastya

Moving on to Nastya. She's a year older than Zheka and is in a higher class. Unlike Zhenya, she hits it off almost with everyone she meets. She hangs out with the guys more often, they consider her "the bro", but she gets along with the girls too. Eugene met her a lot of times at school, but never dared to talk to her. Asya is chill and easy-going, but has some bad habits such as drinking and smoking. Well, it's also part of her way to befriend people - go to outdoor sprees. Although she gets along with people, she never managed to find deep, meaningful connection with anybody. Well, at some point she and Eugene happened to bump into each other and that's how their friendship started. She’d gain a good friend, and he’d overcome his social anxiety with her help. She also has a younger brother Yura, that she'll fight and bite for, because it's the only important thing that's left of her family. No, she's not an orphan, it's just that her parents always fight, Nastya grew up in this chaos and hatred and she doesn't want the same for her little brother. Her biological dad died when she was 5 and a year after her mother got married to her stepdad and gave birth to Yura. Soon enough, their relationships started to go down. Yet, they live, or more like, coexist together to the point of the events of the story. Some side facts about her: she has a lot of moles on her body that she sometimes covers with patches to hide it from the sun. She could wear long-sleeves or something, but it's too hot for that. And her short name isn’t pronounced as ''Aska’’ in English, it has soft ‘’s’’, that’s why I mark it. Also I have a headcanon on her voice:  Твоё нежное безумие - Спазмы памяти.

Yura

Yura is an 11-year-old boy and a little brother of Nastya. Kind of bratty and sometimes acts simply out of spite, especially when his sister started to hang out with Zhenya. He used to get more attention from Asya before this boy appeared in her life, so he’s a bit salty about that fact, but his behavior really gets on Eugene’s nerves sometimes.

Yura has always been close with Nastya, but as the time went on, she stared to talk to other people more and spend less time at home. Furthermore, she’d tease Yura quite often. Of course most of them were just friendly sibling jokes, but due to his age the boy took them close to heart. He was pretty lonely at school too and would often wonder around the town till evening.

Some side facts about him: he likes sharks. He’s grades are bad, except PE and crafts classes. He can study tho, he just doesn’t want to.

Andrei

Oh, and the creep of the story – Andrei. A man in his 40s doesn’t have any family, which confuses people around him because he seems to be pretty nice and hospitable. But that’s only a face that he wears to manipulate others, once you really get to know him you’ll realize that he has a really nasty nature. If you look up the translation of ‘’Твоё нежное безумие - Всегда один’’ you’ll understand what I mean.

Even though, he’s just an English teacher, he fought in Afghan war previously, where he made a lot of helpful acquaintances, plus he receives social payments. This sort of makes him privileged in terms of the town he lives in, because he’s able to get something others can’t. Adults often come to him for help and kid wanna see all the cool stuff they’ve never seen or listen to his stories. But as it was already mentioned, this friendliness is only a mask to deceive others. Like Eugene, for example. In reality Andrei has always been a sadist and a liar. He groomed the boy into thinking that their relationship is normal, though should be kept a secret. He uses a lot of tactics to keep him at bay, mostly threatens him with his connections, but also blackmails him with telling others about his bisexuality, which was very shameful in Russia at that time (and still is sadly). He deprives him from making new friends, which is also the reason why Zhenya didn’t tell him that he started to hang out with Nastya, he thought he’d shut it down instantly. And Andrei probably would, but he did a different thing.

So what was that that ‘’sinister thing’’ I’ve mentioned while talking about Eugene? Well, I think you all understood that he has a thing for younger boys and, apparently, Eugene was not enough. He’d kidnap boys for his own pleasure only to kill them later, but Andrei wouldn’t do it by himself so when he found out Zhenya hangs out with that girl he got mad, sure, but it also gave him an idea. Since that girl knows pretty much the whole town and most likely introduced the boy to her friends, he could bring some guys to him. Of course the boy refused at first, but the man reassured that if he does what he’s told, nothing will happen to him, or his family, or Nastya. That’s how he got dragged into series of rape and murder, even though he never participated in the crime outside of bringing future victims to Andrei’s house.

Side facts about him: he has scars on his arms and palms.

Designs and some story elements may change since I literally started working on this universe like 4 days ago

[dumbass-tumbler-cryptid]

Would Spider in the games use a bow as his weapon of choice, like in the movie, or an ax, or maybe something else? And what about Kiri's weapons? (If they decided to fight instead of hiding)

So I went back and rewatched Hunger Games last night (and wow did I not appreciate that movie as a kid. I'm so excited to rewatch all the other movies now) so I've got a lot of new ideas for the Hunger Games Avatar A.u.

First I learned from an explainer video that kids aren't actually allowed to train for the Hunger Games. The career tributes get away with it because they're training to be peacekeepers but everyone else is just out of luck. So every character I mentioned training would have to do it in complete secret. So for Spider, since his parents live in victors village and are filthy rich after winning the games, they have a training room in their basement. It's not nearly as fancy as anything from the Capital. In fact Quaritch built most of it himself. And if anyone asks Spider isn't allowed down there. The training room is just for mom and dad. The room is stocked with every weapon under the sun, so Spider would be well versed in any weapon that could be put into the games but yeah he'd prefer a bow over anything. I could also see him with a knife or a spear but I think an ax might be too brutal of a weapon for him.

I think Kiri would also go for a less brutal weapons, bow, knives, those sort of things but really I think she'd get by more like Peeta, and Rue. Making alliances, using the environment to her advantage (I'm thinking of the trackerjackers here, which even though Katniss was the one to cut down the nest it was Rue who gave her the idea) and basically just surviving since they said in the movie that most kids die from exposure, dehydration and starvation.

Also after watching the movie I realized they kinda couldn't just hide the entire time because the gamemakers would push them towards the action. I guess the scene with Katniss and Peeta in the cave just took up way more of memory then it did the actual film. So yeah let me revise hiding to being stealthy, camouflaging themselves to blend with their surroundings, setting traps for career tributes but never going after anyone that's not down with the child murder games. I could even see them setting out food and clean water for less capable tributes.

Bonus thoughts you didn't ask for but I forgot to put in my original post because I was insanely sleep deprived when I wrote it:

In my head like how Katniss was nicknamed the girl on fire, I thought of Paz being nicknamed the spider queen after her arachnid trap won her the games. The Capital is obsessed with the fact that she named her son Spider ( and as I write this I'm realizing she pretty much named her son after herself instead of Quaritch which I kinda love) and low key I bet all the kids would be mini celebrities.

I started watching Catching Fire and in that Haymitch says flat out that the show never ends. That each family would get dragged out every year, there lives constantly watched for entertainment. Which was kinda what I was thinking when I wrote about the quarter quell. The citizens of the Capital would have watched each of these families grown. They would have seen the parents grow from teenagers to adult, probably cheered for them as they had their kids and built "happy" lives (i remember in an explainer video that averaged capital citizens actually didn't like the 75th Hunger Games too much because they had such an attachment to the past victors. Now imagine that, plus you watched their kids grow up, and now you're probably going to watch those kids die. I imagine the emotions of the watchers would be at a fever pitch)

Anyway this was a really long winded way of getting to what I really wanted to say and that is that I had outfit ideas for Spider and Paz's chariot entrance in the quarter quell, lol. They wouldn't be dressed up like trees or lumber jakes like most tributes from district 7, they'd be decked out in opulent spider motifies. I imagine Paz with a spider web vail fixed to her long dark curls by a silver circlet that has one ruby teardrop that hangs in the middle of her forehead, blood red lips, sharp red nails, and a tight black dress. Spider is high key uncomfortable because he can see everyone lusting over his hot mom, and he matches her, like her little spider prince, with an off the shoulder spider web capelet, a spider shaped cravat with a ruby in the center, and fitted black suit (like world war 2 dress uniforms. I couldn't find a better name for it) his hair pulled back tight and tucked into his collar. He fucking hates it and so does his mom but they have to play nice for the cameras soo...

I'll probably get more ideas for this au as I keep watching the movies so if you like this au send me ideas! I've got some thoughts on how to go about an ending now (who gets captured, who dies (though I don't want anyone to die)) but I do want to actually watch Mockingjay so I can fully form these ideas.

[penguin--person]

Solstice (srs/lttm from rain world)?

im so fucking normal about them you have no idea im so fucking normal im so normal you have to believe me i swear im normal i fuckings wear man im normal im so fucking normal

going along with the popular 'suns is treated like a god in their colony' headcannon, i dont think suns liked being worshiped - but, i do think he misses it. he knows it wasnt healthy, but he still does. this isnt me saying he wants moon to worship him, No, he Doesn't . and i mean that. slash serious. in my headcanon, moon's colony was religious too, but unlike suns' 'we can indulge in wordly pleasures as long as suns is ok with it and as long as its for him', there were more monks there. didn't starve themseleves, no, but. they did deprive themselves of lifes joys n shit . like the typical ancient. so. nothing irregular.

i think they'd date before the events of the main game

they meet through pebbles, maybe. suns mentions talking to pebbles not long after he was activated in one of the broadcasts in spearmasters campaign. maybe when pebbles talked about moon, how he wanted to be independent n all that, he went and spoke to moon herself.

and! while he understood pebbles' frustration. i think. m. he foud moon's kindness comforting. sweet lady. i headcanon them to be somewhat of a group senior, too, though maybe like.. not the oldest. moon gen1, suns gen2, smth. so. i think he'd find her comforting. and. he'd keep talking to her.

he'd maybe mention it once to pebbles, but wouldn't mention how their friendship is turning into a romantic one !! though like. qpr. ive got so many thoughts on how iterators perceive relationships you dont even know... like, i think the lines are blurry for them, what is platonic and what romantic. so i think it's not comparable to any relationship any human being has had.. though, maybe.. in the neolithic age n shit.. broken femur... "life is cruel but i'll stand by you and love you even when you're doing bad" n shit. whateverrr no one look at me. though efel free to ask me about my thoughts on the iterator relationships:3

so !! so . i think. moon would find him silly. she'd be happy pebbles has someone as kind as him as a friend, tutor.. . she'd see that suns is hurt, that they're depressed, don't see much point in trying to find the solution, but still try, because, what else is there to do? i think she'D try to help them see the joy in life. and maybe she'd succeed a bit. but, you can't drag a person out of depression on your own, ya know? not to say moon doesn't have her own problems - she also defineely has some kind of depression, i'd bet all iterators do, even if they don't know it. they've got mental illnesses we can't even fahtom.

so !! m. i also think they'd just be silly. moon would give a lot to the relationship, but, she's bad at setting boundaries, yea? like. take the whole pebbles thing as an example. she didn't force communicattions until she absolutely had to . i think she lets a lot of things slide, but, she's not oblivious! she just. i dont knowww i dont wanna mischaracterize her. shes not stupid. shes not dumb. she tells suns if he goes too far. but i dont think she's mean about it. moon never kills the slugcat. i don't think she'd ever really get angry with him - upset, yes, but she understands what he's going through.. and, as group seniour, even though they're not in the same group (but considers him part), wants to help him get better.

i don't think it'd be interely healthy, but, it'd be interesting! like. like. when you're climbing out of depression, you sometimes latch onto something that brings you joy soo much that you don't even care about the side effects. like. you don't fcare if you're depriving yourself of sustance, you don't care if you're harming yourself or the thing, or if the thing is harming you, you don't care if its unhealthy. it brings you joy! and joy is so hard to come by. for me, at least. this is filled with so much projection and self indulgence if u couldnt tell lol

but. they do love each other! they care for each other!! suns isnt using her, and moon isnt stupid and ignoring his faulst ! she knows they are there! but she trusts he'll get better. and suns hopes he will, too.

he'd help moon, too. he'd listen to her frustrations, encourage her to share her feelings. and she would. i dont think suns would know how to help her, really, but he'd listen - and sometimes, even that is rlly helpful.

he sends spearmaster to her, one cycle, with a pearl. an engagement:) old ancient way, exchanging jewelry.

he feels even shittier when the main events of the game happen. because. they weren't publically engaged/married/dating/qpr/whatever the fuck theyve got going on. so he can't. talk about it that much. he does tell nsh eventually n they're like, "why didnt you tell us. like literally its fine. i get pebbles would be upset, but, its fine" . and. m. so. relationships were tabboo in ancient culture, yes? ties you down to the cycle, turns you into an echo and shit. karma three, family and friendship. moon wouldn't be as aprehensive - she knows the local group wouldn't shun them, or at least would come around eventually. but she respects suns' boundary !! i think. he'd be scared. that the ancients would be disapointed in him or something. that iterators would shun and hate him.

i can't explain more of that without evolving this into a longer rant than it already is. so i wont. but feel free to send more asks:3