#especially when the sky is kinda blocked out by it but the sun shines through the falling snow anyways

[purbiworl]

It was a mistake to start watching Shoresy /j I'm starting to long for the winter even though when it comes around we're gonna get the most pitiful amount of snow and it's not even gonna stick.

[stevielicious]

Can you write one where Sam and Colby are like filming at the beach or something and it’s just like Colby can’t help but be like really touch with reader because we look good in our tiny swimsuit but it’s just all fluff but a little bit suggestive like hugs from behind neck kisses and then like in the water Colby like gropes reader or something if not totally fine love ur writing

HOLY FUCK YES, I looove this idea omg, god I THRIVE off of fluffy horny shit. first request and hopefully more to come!

thank you so much, so sweet of you:)🍬x

-

𓆩⟡𓆪 Beach Babes 𓆩⟡𓆪

pairing- colby brock x fem!reader

summary- y/n & kat are taking time to relax at the beach, as the boys make a video, your boyfriend!colby can’t keep his eyes/interest off of you, especially his hands;)

word count- 1k ish? 

a/n- nothing against sams new girlie, I’m soo happy for him, just love katrina & her aura<3

also, kinda hate my writing in this but tysm for 260 notes on my first imagine ‘His Little Stripper<3’, i started writing this imagine when it had 90 so im just very surprised at the attention but so so grateful at the same time🥹

o==[]::::::::::::::::>

Glistening waves sounded softly against the sanded shore, making our surroundings complete bliss. The sun gently beamed down, making the entire beach a gorgeous, shining coast. A light blue colour painted the sky with a hint of orange, gracefully illustrated, hints of purple shining through as the sun slowly started to set. Subtly hinting the time of day, or should I say evening, almost.

The boys, you and Kat, had been here almost all day, gaining a bronzing tan while the guys worked on a video. As we lapped up the rays from the gleaming ball of fire, we faintly heard the pair making their way back to our spot. Peering over, you had slightly pulled the tinted Ray-Ban’s down to the centre of your nose, hoping to get a better look.

“Holy shit.” You mumbled, finding it hard to look at anything but your boyfriend’s incredible physique. He laughed at something Sam had said as they approached us, his body gleaming from the heat. Colby had picked up a tan and man, he looked so good. His pearly white smile giving you slight butterflies, his hair was slightly wet still from when he took a dip earlier, almost curling from the salted sea.

You laid back down, quick to get into ‘position’, as if you never saw them coming.

Kat chuckled, your face heating up as you hadn’t realised you said it loud enough for her to hear. She sat up, awaiting her boyfriend who gave her a loving smile.

As Colby finished up his conversation with Sam, he noticed just how radiant you looked. Lying there on an off-white towel. Your body almost bare, in your little baby blue bikini, so innocently with your boobs almost spilling out, leaving him gawking. Also his favourite colour on you, making your skin glow more than ever. Your bikini bottoms hugging your body so perfectly, cupping your ass in a way that made him want you all to himself. Tiny beads of sweat on your torso making your body shine in a delicate, glowing way. He had thoughts of other people getting a glimpse of your body that belonged to him, only wanting you for himself, making him feel frustrated at his silly, possessive little conscience.

He gulped a little, getting lost in his imagination with the thought of you with next to nothing on. He cleared his throat and proceeded, shaking his head almost to clear his thoughts.

“Hey ladies, caught the sun a bit, huh?” Colby smugly mentioned, looking you up and down, eyes lingering on your chest. He tore his eyes away from you to catch the bottle of water Kat had chucked him from the little freezer we’d brang. He ripped it open and chugged it, as you peered up at him. You only noticed his presence towering over you when the sun was blocked, making the area before you ever so dark in your sunglasses. He poured the bottle over his already sweat-clad body, spraying you slightly.

The cold pricks of water felt good, droplets scattering your body, making you take in a sharp breath after sweltering all day, but the sight of him getting wet infront of you was more than making you feel a little lustful. His hair stuck to the side of his face, almost connecting to his sleek jaw, faint love bites still painted his neck which hadn’t quite left his skin yet from your time together a couple nights ago. The way his chiseled body gleamed in the orange setting with the water reflecting made him look angelic in this moment, his confident aura beamed, making you want him bad. So, so bad.

“Wanna take a dip, sweetheart?” Your breath hitched in your throat, snapping out of your dirty little imagination. Promptly nodding your head, struggling to get the words out, you took his large hand, almost falling into his body. Both of your bodies crashing into one another, softly, making your heart flutter a little. With quick thinking, he’d caught you with his free hand, firmly planted on your waist, he chuckled slightly, teasing you, “Steady there baby, you really wanna fall for me again?”

You steady yourself with your hand pressed against his chest, him feeling tense already from your fall. You laughed softly, giving him a smile. Loving the way his voice was a little husky, possibly from being parched most of the day. You reach up to his ear, standing on your tip-toes, whispering, “I’d fall for you again, and again Cole, and you know it.”

With a brisk peck to the cheek, you began to jog towards the sea, giggling as your boyfriend stood there, taking in your words and your flirty little kiss. It didn’t take long for him to sprint after you, taking in your body. The way the waves crashed against your legs, the water spraying up your body, the colour of the sun set kissing your already tanned features.

You took your scrunchie out of your hair with one swift move, letting it gracefully wave past your shoulders, letting your body relax more. Colby worshipped you in this moment, the colours, the setting and the sound of the waves were completely blissful, but he couldn’t help just how good you looked.

As he approached you, he remembered how he had picked a hibiscus flower that reminded him of you, a little earlier on during the video they were shooting. Sam thought they looked pretty and Colby just knew how much you loved flowers, and because he thought they were pretty too. Its beauty was captivating, as was yours, he thought to himself. When Sam had walked onwards, he thoughtfully picked one, in hopes you would like the subtle gesture.

The boy pulled out the ruby painted flower, ever so carefully from his pocket, just before the water had reached his waist. Your back faced him but you could feel him near. Taking in the sunset, you closed your eyes, feeling the water swishing around you, subtle splashes from afar and near filled your ears blissfully.

Your breath hitched in your throat as Colby pressed himself against your behind. You mutter his name in a happy, sigh kind of way. As you turn your face slightly toward him, as if to lean your head back on his bare chest, he lightly brushes your hair over your ear gently, placing the pretty flower in your hair. A smile grows wide in your face, planting your hand on your chest close to your heart, feeling the sweetness of the gesture.

“Colby!” You say in complete awe, over the simple token. This time you do turn toward him, his blue eyes stare lovingly in to yours. He brushes your hair over your other ear, as if out of habit. The little splash sounded, as his hand broke the surface of the water, just to reach your hand to hold.

“You’re so gorgeous, Y/N.” The adoration radiates off of him, so much that you can’t help but wrap your arms around his neck and give him that kiss you’ve been dying to give him since he set off on that video with Sam. You melted into his lips, his hands making their way to your ass, cupping it firmly making you squeal. You squeal a little more as his lifts you, making you instinctively wrap your legs around him also.

Laughs and giggles escape the both of you as you have a small audience of two watching from afar. They wave as they catch up themselves, sharing a cuddle. Colby goes to wave too as he holds you with one arm, such a charmer. His laugh is music to your ears and vice versa, he’s quick to squeeze what’s his, as he continues to pepper your face in kisses, saying ‘I love you’s’ in between.

As you lap up all the affection, he begins to travel down your face, to your neck. Colby nips and sucks sweetly at the thin skin on your neck, littering you in kisses, and faint bruises. He loves marking you and that in itself is enough to turn you on. You love being his.

With a lot of restraint, you place a hand firmly on his chest. A little breathless, meeting his eyes. His eyes turn a little darker, hungry even. He wants you and you want him, “Save it for later, handsome. We have an audience.”

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

a/n, feel like I could’ve done way better with this, but I love having the thought of requests! I just started this like five months ago and have only just come back to it half done and with all the drama in the fandom I think I was just put off but it doesn’t mean I don’t wanna continue writing! I love a lot of characters and would love to write for anyone <3 (just give me a chance🥹)

[ellewords]

atsumu was like the sun. he shined and glowed and warmed people just by being near them. without a single thought, he was able to brighten the mood in ways that no one else could. even on his darker days or when his being felt too harsh, he left an impact that made everyone long for more. you couldn’t always see him, couldn’t always feel his presence, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there somehow, unseen but known.

by association, that sort of made you the moon. you could shine brightly and leave a warm glow and comfort others when they felt like they were in the dark. but all of that wasn’t possible without the sun. without atsumu.

people didn’t know you unless you were by atsumu’s side. they didn’t spare you a glance until atsumu brought attention to you. but you didn’t mind. all you wanted was to have him by your side, to support you when you couldn’t hold yourself up, to be brilliant beside him even if you would never outshine him. you were content in your current situation.

so why did it hurt so much seeing him continue to shine? why did his warmth suddenly feel so cold? why couldn’t you be as bright as him all on your own?

or, atsumu will always be the sun, you always the moon. maybe now it’s time to accept that you’re nothing without him so you can finally shine for yourself.

-💛

—  from elle ! 💛anon you never miss, do you? aaaa this was so good it lived in my head rent free ever since i first read it >_< i just had to write an addition to this for the way you made my heart actually ache. i hope i did your drabble justice :<< this just hit a lil too close to home ngl thank you for reading everyone, i hope you like this! reblogs are appreciated, they help a ton <3

fic notes / warnings : timeskip!miya atsumu x gn!reader, angst, fluff (-ish? kinda) ending, oneshot, wc: ~1.52k (!! my longest margins addition so far omg)

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

atsumu has a gravitational pull, that much has always been clear to you and everyone else; a pull so strong that you can’t help but orbit around him. every room he walks into, he commands the attention of everyone present. one can’t help but simply be drawn to him — with his bright smiles, boisterous laughs, and larger than life movements. it’s no wonder why everything seems to bend to his will, how the universe seems to revolve around him. 

you’ve moved around him for as long as you can remember, every now and then, he lets you borrow his light. the world has associated you with him and you don’t blame anyone one bit. 

his name has always come first. setter for the inarizaki volleyball team, miya atsumu. invited to the all-japan youth intensive training camp, miya atsumu. captain of the inarizaki volleyball team, miya atsumu. setter for division one volleyball team, the msby black jackals, miya atsumu.  

meanwhile, yours is treated as an afterthought, an attachment, a footnote in the awe-inspiring narrative of his life. you’re known as his childhood friend. his best friend, the one who cheers him on from the stands in every single one of his games. alleged significant other, according to whispers in the hallway and to the tabloids and paparazzi. his eventual confirmed significant other, ln yn. 

atsumu and who’s that with him? atsumu and his best friend. atsumu and his significant other. atsumu, oh, and yn’s here too. it’s always atsumu before yn; his name before yours. sometimes, you wonder if anyone would know your name if he hadn’t started dating you.    

you walk behind atsumu, not beside him, when you enter a room. fingertips loosely intertwined with his, you attempt to keep your head up as atsumu introduces you around. they spare you a quick “hi”, before beginning a conversation with your sun. 

though he’s not really your sun, is he? you’ve always had to share him with everyone else. everyone needs a little sunshine in their life, a little warmth; his brilliance is dazzling, like everyone else, you revelled in his glow. 

the world has always associated you with him, but it never worked the other way around. atsumu has always shined on his own; you needed him to have light for yourself. 

~

no one blames the sun for burning a little too bright; it’s simply the way it is. similarly, you’ve never blamed atsumu for being the way he is. he doesn’t know, didn’t mean to do it in the first place. atsumu has always existed for himself, lived life the way he sees fit.

you can’t blame him, no matter how much you wanted to. even if you forced yourself to. 

staring at the sun is fascinating, but do it long enough and it starts to hurt. the warmth is no longer comforting, but harsh and prickly. the light is no longer magical and dazzling, but blinding and terrifying. it took some time, but you eventually convinced yourself to look away. 

“ya sure ya wanna do this?” atsumu asked, immediately recognizing your hesitance. he doesn’t want to break up, he wants you to take your words back, he wants you to tell him that this was all just some sick prank. but right now, it doesn’t matter what he wants. what matters is how you feel, the emotions he didn’t realize you had been feeling. 

“no…” you mumbled. the intensity of his gaze makes your knees buckle, but you stand your ground. even in the chilling darkness of his living room, he radiates light and understanding, making everything all the more difficult. you bite the inside of your cheek, letting a few beats pass before your next words, “but i have to.”

“i believe in you,” atsumu nodded, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his jeans. he lets out a quiet exhale, eyes gazing on the suitcases in your hand, “yer gonna do so many amazin’ things.”

your grip on the bag’s handle tightened. it was the end of an era, one that you didn’t expect would be ending at all. but it had to be done. for the first time since you met atsumu, you finally began to think of yourself. a small smile plays on your lips, hoping that he picks up on the pure gratefulness of your tone, “thank you for lending me your light.”

his reply would play in a loop in your mind. even in a breakup, the darkest the night has ever been, atsumu offers you a little bit of light. as expected from the sun.  

~

the moon goes through several phases. some days are better than others. it’s a wave of several highs and lows, but you grow to understand that’s how things are. on some nights it’s as invisible as they come, the clouds blocking out what little light it already produced. though it glowed on other nights, you often feel like nothing has changed. but you learn to trust the process either way. 

gazing at the moon is calming, not dazzling and exceptional, but calming. it provides peace, serenity. you often gazed at the moon, especially on the nights where you could only toss and turn. a cold breeze would blow past you and send shivers down your spine, painting your bare skin with several goosebumps. leaning on the balcony railing and taking in the sounds of a city that barely slept makes you think of him. 

you miss the sun; you miss your sun. you miss his presence and the warmth he brings you. atsumu checks in every now and then, asking how you’re doing and wondering if you’d ever want to meet for a cup of coffee. you’ve never accepted any of his offers for fear of only getting pulled back in. 

you’ve never realized that you always had a gravitational pull of your own. atsumu spends most of his nights gazing at the moon. when his heart raced and his mind buzzed, the moon brought him tranquility — as did you, his anchor. 

[ miya atsumu ] : the night sky is nice tonight, it makes me think of you. i like that we’re always looking at the same one. 

[ miya atsumu ] : i hope you’re doing okay.

he’s right, the night sky does look nice. the moon is full and shining the brightest you’ve ever seen it shine. gleaming, enchanting, and breathtaking doesn’t seem to do its beauty any justice. perhaps the poets and artists had been right all along, the moon is the perfect muse. your thoughts almost convince you that its light isn’t artificial. but twinkling beside the moon are the stars, shimmering high above the world you know, their light completely their own.   

you’re not okay. being the moon may not be too bad, but you’ve already realized that you want to be amongst the stars as one. 

~

days turn into weeks, and eventually months. sometimes they blend together when nothing of interest or importance happens, though you strive for events that are worth remembering. you’ve found a job that you actually like, one that you truly excelled at. you’ve started to put yourself out there, to meet people that pushed you to be better than you had been the day before. slowly but surely, you began to create your own light.

some days your light faltered, some days are dimmer than others, but it was a light of your own. it’s one that didn’t need another’s glow to exist. soon enough, you find yourself accepting one of atsumu’s many offers for a cup of coffee.

he’s now brighter than ever. setter for division one volleyball team, the msby black jackals, miya atsumu, has turned into setter for japan’s olympic team, miya atsumu. his radiance is as blinding as ever, the largest grin on his face as he waves his hand out the second he caught sight of you.   

but you’re brighter now too, weaving through the cafe tables with your head up high. you’re more sure of yourself, standing taller, making each step towards him with purpose. you’ve lost the tension in your shoulders, the weight that built in your chest. and atsumu notices it too.  

“you’ve changed.” he smiles, much softer than you’re used to. his gaze is fond as you settle in the seat in front of him.  

“i know,” you reply, the corners of your lips twitching upwards, “but thank you for lending me your light.”

atsumu’s smile remains that same soft one that you’re not used to as he recognizes your words almost immediately. he leans back in his seat, gesturing a hand to you, “never gave ya anythin’, this is all you.”

he replies with the same words he said several months ago, the latter half of the sentence being the only addition. warmth fills your chest as he never lost a single ounce of sincerity. the only difference? this time you actually believe him. 

atsumu may still be the sun, but you’ve become a star in your own right; you no longer need him to shine. maybe someday you’ll shine bright enough to allow yourself to exist beside him. but for now, this is enough. 

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

send me a hc / or a scenario ! <3 |  written on the margins masterlist

taglist : @haikyuutothetop @crystal-lilac @tobioespresso @sushijimawakatoshi @itsmeaudrieee @pantherhappy @jesssobs @mysticstrawberryballoon @cloudedsky29 @sakusasimpbot @aoirohi @kokogxddess @livy384 @itachislut @crapimahuman @dkeela @duhsies @rmjace @atzuums @sanchooinc @sassyglassesbunny @cemeiia @nikiniki743 @savantsoulfinder @miyadarling @tooru--o @rinsangel @asaitashi 

join my hq taglist here. <3

[katsukikitten]

In which you find yourself fake dating Bakugou to appease his mother. Thank @bakugotrashpanda​ that I even write. Comment your thoughts below or if you’re shy leave me an ask! AGED UP/PRO HERO AU, and dolls there are currently no warnings.   Part on is HERE

Anger fuels your actions as you withdraw a knife, face twisted into a feral snarl as you close the distance between you and your not so lucky boss. He matches your disgusted features, closing faster than you can to keep your knife from finding purchase between his third and fourth ribs. He corners you out of sight, the woman who was attending to you turns away with a blush. Truly thinking the two of you were having an intimate moment when it was anything but.

"This joke isn't fucking funny." You growl struggling to keep your voice low as his vice grip on your biceps becomes harsher. 

"It's not a fucking joke." He hisses, before one of his hands runs through his hair. A sign of stress you noticed for the ash blonde, while the other hand sets blunt nails into your skin. You blow air through your nose as if you were a steaming dragon waiting for him to explain. 

"My mom won't leave me the hell alone about a girlfriend. Like I fucking have time for one." He starts and you break away from his grip.  

"Then we just pretend." A huff while he shakes his head. 

"But we have to make it look good. She will expect PDA, and a lot of it." You laugh at his statement while he looks away. 

"Please as if Dynamight is touchy feely." You tease making hand motions as you let your fingers play against his clothed muscles. He gives you a pointed look, something odd shines deeply in those dark eyes. Something like hurt, your smile falters for a moment as you watch him peek over a guarded wall. 

"Growing up I was. And still am with people I...know well. Plus she's already seen me in a serious relationship." 

"Then why aren't you bringing her?" The venom escapes you faster than you can stop it. Regret blooms in your stomach as you watch his guard blow sky high, burning sugar fills the air. His glare pure anger as he bites out 

"She only loved me for my Pro-hero money." 

He turns away from you to collect himself, angry that he's still angry over a bitch that should be long forgotten. Still your tongue was sharper than any knife on your thick yet fit body. He sighs, trying to let the tension free from his shoulders before he reluctantly offers you his large, ungloved hand. 

The thought of your bare palm touching his sends your stomach into a summersault before he grabs onto your hand himself, even interlacing your fingers. 

It had been years since you held someone's hand, let alone been close enough to smell them. A cold sweat prickles over your skin before he speaks. 

"Let's make this shit look good." 

With that he pulls you out of the store, setting off rhythmic short blasts so nothing but blinding light can be caught on film. Some camera's lose their lenses thanks to your sly hands as you shove them deep in Bakugou's jacket that he insisted you'd wear over your cute outfit. That his mom would take it more seriously that you wore his clothes that he might have offered to you. 

Your hand feels warm in Bakugou's as he guides the two of you down the street, eyeing jewelry through glass windows here and there. He tries to keep his focus on the way to the bakery instead of how small your hand is in his.

"So is there something special about tonight's dinner? Any sort of occasion?" You prompt, anything to avoid the squeezing in your heart. 

"It's her birthday today." He says nonchalantly as your anxiety skyrockets. 

"Birthday?! Baku-" 

"Katsuki." He cuts you off, sending you a glare, "It has to be Katsuki or some dumb pet name from now on, Princess."

You point daggers as you glare up at him, his slightly messy hair dances in the wind as his faded sides do anything to protect him from the biting cold. You think to offer him his jacket back, it felt three sizes too big. 

"Look, Katsuki a birthday dinner is a big fucking deal. She'll think we are serious." The two of you stop just before the bakery, he let's go of your hand to open the door for you, a habit he's picked up from Kirishima. You step inside the warmth and let the smell of mouth watering sweets over take your senses. The smell fights with the smokey sweet scent that rolls off of Bakugou as he crowds closer to you due to the busy cafe.

"Good. She needs to think we are. Before you say anything else it's one dinner. She won't remember by Christmas." He snarls, pressing his hand into your lower back to gently push you forward in line. Suddenly someone behind the counter waves to catch your attention. 

"Ah Dyna-" The clerk clears his throat before he causes a frenzy, most people already too timid of Bakugou to approach him, having you the tough as nails hero by his side makes him seem even deadlier. 

"Bakugou-sama. I just finished the decorations for the order. Would you like to approve it?" 

"Yea yea." He says cooly, eyes glancing over his usual cup of an iced americano, he taps the lid and the Barista gives him her full attention. Lashes batting as she practically squirms with pleasure beneath his weighted gaze, you fight to keep the disgust off your face. How could anyone fawn over this wet blanket?

"I need a toasted white mocha iced coffee with sweet cream." His voice is smooth and she begins to get to work even without his please but you're caught too off guard to scold him.  How did he know your coffee order? 

You always went to get the coffee with Kirishima and only then for an excuse to get out of the office and away from a pig headed blonde. 

"Trying something new?" She asks as she sets it down, her number clearly written on this cup as well. You keep your face blank as she ignores you. 

"Maybe." He says giving her little eye contact as the owner pushes her away to show off the cake.  He removes the lid of the box and before it is all the way off a genuine, although small, smile forms on his face as he stares at the beautiful array of flowers in icing. Another surprise that his face can go so soft before it changes in an instant. His normal cocky smile returning as he removes his wallet and over pays for it all. 

"This is too…" But the owner is cut off by a nasty vermillion glare before he passes you your coffee grabbing for his own and the bag. 

"See ya round." Is all he offers before slipping out of the ringing door. Stunned into silence you drink your delicious drink as you two make your way back to his car. 

"It's cold enough that the icing won't get fucked up. Are you cold? I want to get that hag one more thing. Not sure what though." He says gently placing the cake into the floorboard of the back seat. 

"Well for starters I'm sure she'd love it if you stopped calling her a hag. That's rude, dickface." You say finishing your coffee, body singing from the much needed energy. He rolls his eyes at your comment, grabbing for your trash as he tosses his empty cup as well. 

"Yea well, she pisses me off." He grunts, eyes shifting for cameras before letting his hand slide down your forearm to your hand. You jolt from the touch but absentmindedly lean into his warmth. 

"Mmhmm." You affirm with a bit of an attitude. He sneers down at you as the two of you actively look for anything that screams Bakugou Mitsuki. 

Although you aren't so sure you know what that would be. Your mind wanders to what his family is like as his molten eyes rove over window shops and glare at passer byers. Anyone with their phone out and aimed at him gets an especially intimidating look. 

"Do we have a background to our fake relationship?" You ask, curiosity bubbling through your bloodstream carried by caffeine. 

"Kinda explains itself doesn't it?" He prompts, "We work together a lot. She's heard your name before." 

"Oh." Is all you can say, would his mom ask for details? Well it wouldn't be too hard to believe that she would want the story most likely from you, hoping you'll gush over the details any other man would skimp. A sigh leaves your lips before your eyes catch an odd glint in the light, ahead of you two is a small woman beneath a parasol as if the lazy winter sun threatened the day. Your eyes blow wide as she turns, heart racing in your chest as you see the black kimono and fox mask slightly askew. 

Quickly you grab onto Bakugou's black dress shirt, backing yourself up against a brick wall, guiding him with you. 

"What are you doing?" He hisses as your brain panics, he sees a rare twinge of fear in your eyes. Setting him in high alert, his skin crackles as he tries to summon his quirk. 

"It's just...I think I saw my ex and I'm not ready to see him yet." A lie, a bold face lie as you fight the screaming need in your blood. To withdraw a knife, to send it through that bitch's third eye chakra. 

But if you did, then everyone would know. 

Bakugou would know. 

You gulp down the instinct. 

"Where?" He growls leaning closer to you to block your face. The busy crowd overlaps the petite woman in black before it parts again leaving you with an uneasy pit in your stomach. 

"I-" You catch your breath, smoothing his dress shirt as your eyes are fixated to the spot, "I guess I only thought I saw him." 

Your voice threatens to crack and in the three years the two of you have worked closely together, he has never seen you like this. Worried, disheveled almost. He leans in close, leveling himself to you as he stares into your eyes. 

"Did he…?" His eyes linger over your scars for a second, unknowingly and for the first time, Bakugou makes you feel weak. Your eyes screw into a nasty sneer before you give him a light shove. 

"No." You hiss, wanting to cross your arms but after what looked like a kiss, you gently relax your face, grabbing for his hand as you pull him along.  Suddenly tired of the easy stroll and knowing exactly what to get his mother.  

"A watch? Not a bad idea." He says as the two of you look over the case. 

"No, too old fashioned. Your mom would like this." A smile forms on your lips as your finger taps the glass case over a silver bracelet. In your head you've seen four different ways to take the bracelet without alarm or notice until it was much too late. Instead you flag someone down. 

"Do you all still inscribe in house?" You ask, earning a nod from the attendant, "Perfect. Now Ba- Katsuki you just have to think of something nice to say." 

He glares down at the bracelet for a long time before he writes something down on the form. After an hour the man returns asking Bakugou to confirm the writing after a nod and a few minutes the hot head is passed a delicate white bag. 

Time blurs together as your eyes search the crowd for a haunting fox mask while Bakugou guides the two of you to the car. Shutting the passenger door behind you and only then do you let out a heavy sigh of relief. 

The drive isn't long before Bakugou pulls up in front of a nice two story townhome, parking his black sports car.

"Get out." He states, slipping out of the car himself only to wait impatiently by your door. 

"This is turning into a lot more than half a day." 

"Make it through this dinner and I'll make it worth your while." He snarls, picking up the gift and cake before heading to the front door. He slides in his old key and opens the door to his childhood home expecting you to follow him in. Tentatively you do, slipping off your shoes much slower than him as he rushes to the kitchen. Your heart rushes in your ears banging against your ribcage as your mind races. You had never been in a home so nice before, well not invited anyway. You always had to resort to climbing through windows or picking the lock to reveal the shiny contents of inside. 

Was this what it was like to grow up in a home?

Your third thought only after mentally logging the windows and doors, listing the valuables in descending order. Your eyes wander over the pictures on the foyer table, you smirk to yourself as you see a tiny Bakugou with what must be his mother and Father. They are all laughing and for a moment your heart hurts as you think of your sister shivering under a piss covered blanket.

"Oi! Come here." Bakugou calls from somewhere within the house, you pass the stairs and small hall into the dining room with tatami doors that open into the kitchen. 

"Sit." He orders, pointing to the low dining room table. 

"I'm not a dog, I'm your 'date' Asshole." You snarl, "What are you doing anyway?" 

"What's it fucking look like? I'm cooking! Ma will be home by the time I'm done. Get comfortable, bitch face." 

"Wow what a great pet name." You hiss, collapsing into the pillows with a sigh, part of you wished this was a kotatsu so you could take a nap. Instead you stare at the ceiling mind wandering as the smell of something good floats through the house. You think of how warm the home feels compared to the blistering wind that whips outside, reminding you that maybe you should fix your hair before meeting his parents. 

"Bathroom?" You whine, still unmoving on the floor. The hot head sticks half his body over the threshold to stare down at you. His glare speaks a thousand words. 

"Yea yea hands to myself I got it." 

"Upstairs, to the right."

"Got it boss!" You fake salute from the floor before rising. Taking the stairs quickly, fully intending to take a right but the door at the top of the stairs is slightly open. A faint smell of caramel tickles your nose as you near closer. Peering inside you see what had to be Bakugou's childhood bedroom, seemingly untouched. Bed made, All might and singed villains hang from the walls, some long forgotten laundry in a basket and a bookshelf filled with a variety books. 

His room was bigger than your current studio apartment and all you can do is sigh. And wonder. Trying not to feel jealous over the nice life he clearly had growing up while you were kept in a dark room to "strengthen your mind" for days at a time. Still it's not as if it were Bakugou's fault, he was just lucky. And you wouldn't wish your childhood on anyone. 

Not even Bakugou. 

Your record mentioned your thefts but never your much darker past. And how could they? It had been drilled into you how to clean up after yourself.

Habit forces your hand for something, anything as you snatch a small keychain of Allmight and shove it into your jeans pocket. 

"You lost?" Bakugou yells through the quiet home. 

"No, a woman takes her time!" You shout back slamming the door. Staring into your reflection as you wish for the night to end. 

It doesn't end as quickly as you'd like but it goes by at a decent pace. Introductions come easy and Mitsuki smiles brightly at you which feels like a good sign. Dinner goes by smoothly, the food delicious as you even help yourself to seconds. 

Surprisingly the Bakugous are easy to talk to, it felt as if you'd always know his parents. Laughing over shared stories and even listening intently to their work and fashion. 

"So what did you think?" Mitsuki asks as Katsuki goes to clear the table. You try to stand to help only for his broad hand to land on your shoulder, forcing you back into a seated position. You straighten your back. 

"Ah dinner was delicious. I didn't know Katsuki-kun could cook so well." You smile as her face begins to sour. Uh oh.  

"KATSUKI ARE YOU NOT FEEDING HER? HOW HAS SHE NOT HAD YOUR FOOD NOT ONCE? YOU JERK YOU BETTER NOT BE SOME ASSHOLE THAT MAKES THE WOMAN COOK!" 

"LISTEN YOU HA-!" He stops himself and glances at you causing you to quickly intervene. 

"Oh Bakugou-san…" 

"Mitsuki-san." She inturrpts, suddenly level headed as she looks to you. 

"Mitsuki-san, Katsuki and I have only been dating officially for a month. We haven't had the chance for a home cooked meal yet." You lie with a sweet worried smile that Mitsuki buys. 

"I see, so what is it that you like about my bullish son?"  

Nothing, is what you want to say, looking at him to buy you time as you think. Slowly the words come to you. You think of how he knew your coffee order, how angry he looked on your behalf when he thought the person who carved you up was someone you once loved. 

"Underneath all that brutish attitude is a really nice guy. He can be kind and caring. He is heroic despite his mouth." He looks as surprised as his mother when you speak before she smiles. Bakugou keeps his eyes trained on you as he returns from the kitchen with the cake and gift. 

"Here." Bakugou sets the small gift box in front of his mom, who tears into it immediately. She smiles looking down at the bracelet as she turns it to see the inscription inside. Her eyes water as Masaru smiles reading the words aloud. 

"Family first." He rubs Mitsuki's back as she quickly wipes away a stray tear. 

"I think it's time for the photo album." 

"NO!" 

"YES!" She slams the old book down, flanking your other side to look over the pages with you.  Awkwardly you offer a smile as Katsuki groans beside you. 

"Mooooom!"

"Hush ungrateful brat! It's my birthday!" Mitsuki says as if it's final, Katsuki grumbles in defeat. 

She pours over the pictures, pointing out things here and there, after a while you begin to smile. Relishing over the fact you're probably the only person who's seen their boss' embarrassing baby pictures. 

"I should blow these the fuck up!" Bakugou growls, reaching for the album. You grab onto his poppin hand to stop him. 

"No, you're so lucky you have these…" Fuck, you're about to make things super awkward, there will be a dreaded question and no matter how many times you answer it, even if it is a lie, it hurts. Feeling as though an icy hand cradles your heart as it beats, fingers becoming an uncomfortable vice. 

"Why? Did something happen to your photos?" The pity in Mitsuki's voice digs beneath your skin, you sigh. 

"They were lost to a fire." An easier lie to the actual truth. Honestly you weren't even sure if you had ever been photographed before. 

Maybe just your mug shots. 

Still you couldn't stomach the thought of telling Mitsuki that you didn't know whether your parents died tragically or if they left you and your sister to die in the streets. 

After a moment Mitsuki presses her hand to your back, a brief rub before she presses into your shoulder blade, as if you remind you she was there. 

"Well, you always have family here dear." She smiles softly, your heart flutters. The Bakugous, even if it was supposed to be pretend, felt like family to you.

"Thank you." You smile back as Mitsuki allows you to flip the page. Your smile forms into a smirk as you see a smaller version of your hot headed boss standing next to a boy with curly emerald hair. 

"You and Izuku used to be good friends huh?" You tease, "What happened?" 

Bakugou doesn't react as you expect him too, he is not raging and cursing instead his face is calm, open. 

"Pride got in the way." His words somber, "But Deku's over it." 

A small silence falls over the room from Katsuki's honesty, Mitsuki glances at her husband who gives a small nod. Still you stare at the ash blonde who starts to crowd you, something odd sitting on his face. 

"Are you?" The question falls from your plush lips. Bakugou grits his teeth

"Turn the fucking page." And you do, the next picture his graduating glass and you are elated, excited to see your newfound friends in their youth. 

"Eijoru-kun! Gods look at his hair. It was so short then! Look at how close you guys are!" 

The next hour is shared over cake and memories. It feels good to be "family" if only for the night. 

"It is getting late Mitsuki dear." Masaru says softly, pulling a sigh from his wife. She stands and everyone follows. She gives hugs out by the door, squeezing you especially tight. 

"Oh Katsuki! The two of you should have Christmas dinner here, we are having fried chicken!" Mitsuki exclaims, immediately Bakugou shuts it down giving you a look as if you gave her the idea  

"No! We havta work." He shrugs his shoulders, holding out his jacket for you to slip into. Slowly you slip your arms in as you watch disappointment wash over Mitsuki's features. 

Don't say it, don't say it don't say it. 

You ignore the voice in your head and say it anyway. 

"Actually, Eijirou forced us off Christmas remember? Since we've worked so many in a row." Bakugou bristles, obviously agitated as he roughly places the jacket on your shoulders, resting his hot hands there. 

"Come on we didn't have any plans right?" 

A part of you does it for the money, another part of you does it out of loneliness.

He glares at you, squeezing you so hard you're sure it'd be bruised. 

"Fine." He bites out while Mitsuki grabs at his ear. 

"Don't act as if we are a chore!" She taps her bracelet, "Family first!" 

"Family first." He growls and you're learning this is what they say instead of 'I love you'. He tries to guide you out to the car but his mother grabs his sleeve. 

"It'll be just a moment dear." She smiles at you, Bakugou goes into his pants pockets for the keys for you but you are already dangling them with a devilish smirk. His eyes harden as you turn to give him your back. Hand smoothly removing the old All Might keychain to attach it to his keys. A part of you will wonder if he will notice. 

Meanwhile Mitsuki gives Bakugou a deadly look before an even deadlier hug. 

"I really like her." She pulls away allowing Bakugou to step outside, "Don't fuck this up." 

[jaemincrossing]

YUNHO // Stargazer

Genre: fluff

ATEEZ Yunho x GN! Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Warning: House Party - drugs/alcohol

My part of “15 Ways To Say I Love You” collab by @kpoppwriter. Prompt 7. “Don’t move - I’ll get it for you.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You stand on your toes with your arm extended fully above you, grabbing desperately for the book near the top of the bookcase. You let out a small grunt as you continue to reach for the book, your arm getting tired.

You let out an exasperated sigh as your hand drops to your side. Staring up at the book with frustration. You're about to try again when you see a hand pull it off the bookshelf.

You turn around confusedly only to be met with someone's torso. You gasp causing the torso to back away, giving you room.

"Is this what you wanted?" A deep voice asks, holding the book out in front of you. You nod, looking up to see your savior's face.

My jaw drops when my eyes land on his beautiful face. The sunlight shining through the big library windows behind him making him look ethereal. You feel butterflies in your stomach when your eyes meet his dark-brown ones.

"Wow.." You gasp out, slapping a hand over your mouth immediately after, your face heating up. You see his perfect lips curve up into a small smile just before you turn away in embarrassment. He lets out a low chuckle causing your face to flush even more. You snatch the book out of his hand and run off, unable to stay there another second.

You run to the nearest restroom, shutting the door swiftly behind you before leaning up against. You squeeze your eyes shut and let out a loud groan, slamming your face into your palms.

"Great going, Y/N!" You scold yourself, absolutely mortified. "There goes one more boy you can never talk to again."

You wallow in your frustration and embarrassment for a minute or two before walking over to the sink and staring at your beet-red face in the mirror. Wondering why you're like this.

It's not that you're completely socially inept, you're actually quite good at starting and holding a conversation with people you've only met seconds prior, but for some reason when it comes to cute boys, you become a blushing, stuttering mess, that is, if you're even able to speak. It doesn't matter how well you know the guy, if he's cute, there's no way you're able to have an actual conversation. That's why you try to avoid them as much as humanly possible, even if it means switching groups or just working alone on projects. Cute boys are kinda just one of those things that are only nice when observed from afar. Like polar bears. Cute as hell from a safe distance, but your worst nightmare up close.

You turn on the faucet and splash some water on your face to cool down. You then dry your face off and spend a few more moments calming down before exiting the restroom, peeking your head out to make sure the coast is clear. Then you hurry out of the school as fast as you can.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You stop right in front of the library doors and quickly fix your hair and clothing, all ruffled from you having to run all the way here after sleeping in and missing the bus. Once you're ready, you enter the library quietly and make your way to the tables in the middle of the giant room.

Your friend smiles and waves at you once you're there, beckoning you over to the table. You gladly walk towards them only for all that happiness to evaporate upon seeing him.

His perfect hair, his charming smile, and his dark yet warm eyes are exactly the same as the guy you saw yesterday. Even the way the sun is hitting him is the same!

It takes everything in you to not just suddenly run away. You try to not let your panic show as you sit down in the only seat available at the table, which is, unfortunately, the seat next to him.

You avoid all eye contact with him and instead look to your friend with a confused look, thinking the only people in our group was her and her boyfriend Mingi.

"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you." She realizes upon seeing your confusion. "The TA said we need four people in our group, and since he missed class that day and he's a friend of Mingi, he's in our group now. Sorry I didn't tell you, it kinda slipped my mind. But you don't mind, right?"

You just smile and nod, not wanting to cause problems, but definitely going to tell her to ask you before making decisions like that in the future.

She smiles back at you before starting the session. You're barely able to focus, too distracted by not trying to even look at Yunho. Still too mortified from yesterday. You just play with your pencil, completely removed from the conversation.

"Y/N?"

Your head immediately turns to your name being called, and you realize the mistake you made too late.

Your eyes meet his and your breath hitches in your throat. Time seems to stop as you stare into his deep brown eyes, completely captivated by them.

"What do you think?" Yunho asks, snapping you out of your trance. You turn away, clearing your throat, and focusing your eyes on your blank notebook instead.

"Yeah. Sounds great." You say, nodding your head, not even knowing what you agreed to. You briefly look at him to see him smiling, only to look away swiftly.

"Great. Then let's do that." He says to the others who nod their heads in agreement, actually knowing what he was talking about.

The time flies slowly as you pretend you know what's going on and glance over at Yunho every once in a while. Especially appreciating when his head is down while he's writing something in his notebook, you practically drooling over his side profile and focused expression on his face. Soon, the session is over and you all gather your things to leave.

My friend stops you at the exit and pulls you aside.

"Mingi and his friends are having a party tonight, and I've noticed it's been a while since you've been to one because you're so busy studying all the time. So.. will you go to the party with me?" She asks. You think it over in your head, realizing it has been awhile since you've been to one. But if it's Mingi's party then that probably means Yunho's gonna be there.. "Pleeeaassee? I promise I won't leave without you! I'll even take you out to eat afterwards!"

"Fine! But you better not break that promise, or I'm never going to another party with you again." You say sternly, and she nods quickly, holding her pinkie out. You wrap your pinkie around hers to seal the promise and she smiles at you.

"I'll see you later then!" She waves back at you as she goes to join Mingi, who was waiting for her by the end the of the hallway.

You wave back and set off back home to get ready for the party.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You and your friend walk into the house already filled to the brim with drunk college students. You're immediately reminded of why you stopped going to parties when you spot a couple making out in the corner, and, probably a med student, chugging alcohol as if their life depends on it, as well as the unmistakable smell of weed coming from upstairs.

You could point out so much more going on at this party that you despise, but decide to just summarize it with one word. Hell.

You push through the crowd and to the alcohol table, grabbing some alcohol in a red plastic cup. You then make your way to the backyard, already feeling suffocated by all the sweaty, smelly bodies around you.

You take a seat on one of the pool chairs and watch as some of the boys play around in the pool, taking sips of the liquid in the cup.

"Shit!" You curse, your arm being knocked, causing you to spill you drink all over yourself. You stand up immediately, only to be met with someone's, very toned, bare torso.

Your eyes trail slowly up his torso and rest on his face, and of course, it's Yunho.

His hair is wet and slicked back, only a few loose strands falling over his face, and he's wearing just swim trunks. He's covered in water droplets from having just been in the pool.

"Oh- shit. Sorry." He apologizes upon seeing your angry face. You don't even say anything you just let out a sigh and sit back down on the chair. You reach out to pick up the cup but he grabs your wrist before you do. "It's my fault. I'll clean it up."

He's already squatting down and he picks it up, setting it down on the glass table next to the chair. He then looks up at me, noticing the damage he's done to your clothes.

"Wait here. I'll be right back." Yunho says, running off into the house.

While waiting for him to come back, you realize that was the first time you didn't totally freak out in front of him. Granted, you were pissed, but you weren't avoiding eye contact or a complete blushing mess.

He returns with some clothes in hand and stands in front of you.

"Here. Wear these." He says, holding the t-shirt and sweatpants out in front of you. You take it from him and cock an eyebrow at him.

"You want me to change out here?" You question. Yunho immediately gets flustered and scratches the back of his neck, wondering how that never crossed his mind.

"I- uh- n-no.." He stammers, blushing at his thoughtlessness. "Here."

He suddenly grabs your hand and pulls you up the stairs. He takes you down the hallway and to his room.

"You can change here. I'll stand watch outside." Yunho says, and you nod at him. He closes the door behind him and you quickly get changed. Once you're done, you open the door to see Yunho leaning against the wall outside, staying true to his word. He immediately perks up when seeing you and smiles at you in his clothes.

The t-shirt practically engulfed you and you had to roll up the waistband his sweatpants three times just to get them not to fall down.

"I wanna go home." You state bluntly. Yunho's face drops and he clears his throat.

"I-I can take you home if you want." He offers and you decline.

"It's just a couple blocks away. I can walk., I'll be fine."

"Then let me walk you home. It's the least I can do after spilling your drink on you." He persists. You ponder for a moment before nodding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You stare up at the night sky, admiring all the flecks of light illuminating the otherwise dark sky.

You both decided to ditch the party and instead stargaze in your backyard. You told him about it when you noticed how visible the stars were tonight. You told him about your love for astronomy and he must be the first person to actually seem interested in what you were talking about. Usually people get annoyed after about five minutes of you talking about it, but he seemed to actually want to listen and understand what you were saying. He even asked to join you in stargazing and you happily said yes, this being the first time someone’s actually wanted to do that with you.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" You ask Yunho, who's laying beside you, staring up into the sky.

"It really is." He whispers, staring adoringly at your side profile, not once looking at the stars. The whole time, he's been focused on you. Finding you far more beautiful than any amount of stars in the sky.

You turn to look at him, surprised when you see him staring at you and not at the stars. Your eyes meet his, but this time you're able to hold his gaze.

You both stare at each other, the stars completely abandoned in favor each other’s eyes.

A single flower from the blossoming tree in your backyard lands gracefully on the side of your face. You’re about to take it off when Yunho stops you.

“Don’t move - I’ll get it for you.”

He flicks it off softly and pushes a strand of hair out of your face. Resting his hand on your cheek, caressing it softly. He slowly moves his face closer to yours and stops just a few centimeters away.

He pauses, pondering whether he should do it or not. You get impatient and make that decision for him, closing the gap between your lips.

You kiss him softly, your lips melting against his. He kisses you back just as sweetly, gently rubbing his thumb against your cheekbone. You both pull away, staring into each other’s eyes before connecting your lips again. You kiss underneath the stars, lips moving in sync. The kiss slow. Both of us taking in the dream-like moment marking the start of something new..

[pokeexehasstoppedworking]

Love Doesn’t Do Encores Ch14 Battle Gym Leader Bea

You two had found yourselves out of Hammerlocke by sundown that day. But not before you went back into the town and stopped by that cafe you both had passed earlier, and each gotten a free piece of cake and small cup of tea from those coupon things that Applin Boy had given to Gloria as thanks for helping him. Cake and tea weren't exactly what you would call dinner but you weren't going to complain about free food. Your drizzilie sure tried sneaking it from you but settled for the small bag of fruit you tossed at it after you told him no.

"So," you asked Gloria after taking another sip of the tea you received, "You mentioned challenging Bea next right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Remember how I told you there was four gyms that gave the same badge?" You nodded. "The Fighting Type and Ghost Type gyms give the same badge. While the Ice and Rock gyms give a different badge from the Ghost and Fighting gyms, they give the same one as well. So either someone can just chose the Fighting or Ghost type gyms then move on and chose either the Ice or Rock type gyms. But I plan on stopping by both. The closest one just happens to be the Fighting Type Gym run by the Gym leader Bea. Not only is she the top fighting type pokemon trainer, but she's been the winner of the Galarian Martial Arts Championship seven years running undefeated. They say she can go bare fists with her machomp and win."

"Wow. She sounds really strong."

"She is. Which is why I think that's why Hop's going there too." She frowned stabbing at a piece of her free cake. "He said he wanted to become stronger. Challenging another strong gym leader right after defeating Kabu but loosing to Bede sounds like he's trying to conquer another hard challenge to prove he's strong. ...I'm worried about him."

"I know, but don't worry," you assured with a smile. You remembered enough about the game to know Hop would definitely bounce back, and after hearing him speak the other day, you knew he'd be fine. "He's a strong and has enough determination in him to move a mountain if he felt like it."

...She smiled at you. "Thanks Y/n.  I knew I made a good choice in my traveling buddy."

You paused a moment...before blinking. "That reminds me. Why did you want me to come along with you back in Postwick? I mean it's not that I mind, but we were practically strangers then."

She shrugged. "I really don't know. I know it's gonna sound weird, but there's a really good atmosphere around ya. Like...You just give off good vibes, and my gut feelings are usually spot on anyways. An' I wasn't wrong!" She smiled. "You've been a great friend ta us!"

You smiled. Well that was strange. It was almost like what Sonia said about your 'good aura', but you weren't going to complain about the nice compliments.

"You're one of the gym challengers endorsed by Leon, aren't you?" Both of you looked up and blinked at the sight of an older woman, who looked older than Kabu, dressed in a blue and pink outfit with accessories, an umbrella in one hand, was pretty tall for someone you'd expect, and aquamarine eyes looking at Gloria curiously. Stunned that you two hadn't noticed noticed her walk up to you before now, both you two looked at each other before Gloria looked back to the old woman and nodded. She hummed for a moment before suddenly holding out something to her you recognized right away. "My name's Opal. If you want to know more, have a look at my league card." Gloria's brown eyes stared at the card for a moment before taking it from the lady. "I'll keep an eye on you, Child. I want to see what you can do when you go all out."

Both of you watched silently as she silently just...turned around and walked right out of the cafe. Like nothing had just happened. Leaving the two of you sitting there looking after her blankly before looking at one another with blank faces wondering if that actually happened.

Eventually you blinked as Gloria looked at the card handed to her. "Who was that?"

"According to this..she's Ms. Opal." She looked up to you holding up the card in her hand, "And the Fairy Type Gym Leader from Bellonlea!"

"What?" You held out your hand as she offered it to you. "Lemme see that." And true to Gloria's word, it was an official League Card with the picture of the very same elderly woman you just spoken too on it. "Huh." You handed it back to her. "I wonder what she was doing all the way here in Hammerlocke then?"

She shrugged before pocketing the card. "The same thing as Lee? Like maybe she's seein' the Chairman too? Or maybe traveling since I don't think anyone would challenge her yet. March is almost over so it's still pretty early in the year for anyone to gather many badges."

Wow. Almost three months had passed already? You must've lost track of time from traveling so much. You weren't too sure but shrugged. "Who knows? C'mon. Let's finish eating and hit the road before it gets too dark outside."

After the meal the two of you headed back out on Route Six as the sun nearly set in the sky making everything lightly darker but had enough light to still see. The lights of Hammerlocke shining out as the two of you left the dragon town. You were a bit nervous about running into Raihan or that Mr. Rose again, but you ran into neither as you left the town. Thank goodness. You and her then fell into the familiar routine of walking, camping, and more shaking of berry trees as you passed by them by chance. Only this time Gloria seemed to pick back up her hobby of taking pictures for her dex challenge again. The photos Victor had given her had filled up a good sizable amount of the book already but there was still more photos needed for it as well as for that curry dex challenge book she needed. It was a bit random but you were glad she found something to keep herself occupied on the way there, and photography was a pretty neat hobby. Although she didn't seem to be as into it as Victor was. If she wasn't doing that, she battled a pokemon here n' there as you either watched or gathered food or some other needed thing to be done and like before you traveled past a few small towns, houses, or other travelers heading in the opposite direction. No signs of the boys, but you were glad not having any more run ins with those Team Yell grunts as days passed as you two slowly made your way towards Stow-on-Side.

"So how long until we reach Stow-on-Side?," you asked one day while walking.

Gloria hummed for a moment before whipping out her phone and flipping through the screen once it turned on. Lately the region around you had started to get rockier with more and more hills and cliffs jutting out of the earth until it slowly consumed both side of the path the two of you walked. "According to Rotom we should be there sometime tomorrow if we keep on goin' down this pathway." That was great news! "Also accordin' ta this, there's another historical wonder protected by the Galarian Conservation Society! ...Hmm. I wonder if she'll be down here too??"

You rose a brow at her. "Her who?"

She looked at you. "When I was chattin' with Sonia at the vault I showed 'er some old pokemon fossils I picked up. Useless really. Ye find 'em sometimes and see 'em in your science classes n' museums and the like. I was gonna give 'em to Hop as a gift since he's into that kinda stuff but she told me an old scientist friend of hers was in Stow-on-Side trying out this new fossil restoration or somethin' like that. But she couldn't find any fossils to try 'em out on."

......You blinked. "Since when did you get fossils??"

"I found two by accident back when we 'ere in the Wild Area. Y'know. When I fought that wild diglett in the cave." You groaned remembering that experience. "And then some bloke traded me two he didn't want at the pokemon center for the applin I was gonna put back when the red-headed bloke didn't want it. I completely forgotten I even had them til I remembered just now."

"That reminds me. Whatever did you do with those other pokemon you were given? Especially that baby toxel. It looked pretty young."

"Ah! I sent it to Mum to take care of! She mentioned being lonely without us there so I thought she'd like raisin' the wee tyke!"

You rose a brow. "Can she handle a toxel??"

"She sent me pictures of the lil thing sleepin' with Munchlax so I think they're doing just fine!"

"If you say so."

The both of you traveled until the sun went down and you set up camp under a shady ledge before quickly packing up the next day at day light and going to travel again. Until coming to a bunch of bright stony ledges and cliffs in a dead end where the path ended just a few yards in front of the cliffside. .......Which left the both of you confused looking around.

".....Does this mean we're at Stow-on-Side?," you asked pressing you hand against one of the rocky hills before yanking and waving it back from the heat of them sitting in the sun all day. Speaking of which it was hot as you traveled. Must be entering summer territory. Your f/c eyes scanned up and down the cliffs surrounding you all and a hand pressed above your brows to block the sun. "Or did we make a wrong turn somewhere??"

"Can't be! We followed nothin' but Route Six all the way here!" Gloria had already brought out her phone giving it a little shake. "Accordin' to this Stow-on-Side's just up ahead!"

"So either your phone's broken or we have to suddenly learn how to rock climb." Your eyes scanned the ledges more. They looked a little too dangerous to just be climbing without any professional gear or unless you were a rock climbing expert. To which you had neither...."What about that corvisquire you have?"

"It's not big enough to fly either of us up these mountains!...*sigh* We might have ta just call a flying taxi at this rate."

Yeah. That might be the best option either of you two had at this point. ....Your Drizzilie, which had taken to fully putting itself into your pack with just his head peeking out from under the lid to avoid the sun, suddenly gave a look towards something shiny. Before it's eyes widened and it gave a loud chirp poking it's head out fully to the both of you. You looked over your shoulder as it continued to make noises at you. "Whoa! Hey. What is it boy?" It's arm popped out and he pointed his hand towards the other side of the dead end you were at. You both looked over and you blinked at something against the cliffside shining in the sunlight. "Hey! What's that over there?" You pointed and began walking towards it...Gloria blinked, before putting her phone away and quickly following after you. You approuched the shining thing and soon discovered it to be a- "It's a ladder!" Walking forward more it was indeed a metal ladder. Secured and bolted to the cliffside and going up until it ended at the very top of it. "....What's a ladder doing here?"

"That must be how people get ta Stow-on-Side from 'ere," Gloria reasoned. "Ya think they'd actually make this more easier to get too."

"You'd think so. Good Boy!" Drizzilie gave a huff before returning to it's spot inside your bag. Ok be tsundere. Pausing to look at it for a moment you grabbed it before immediately letting go from how hot it was. "...You really think this is the way?"

"There's no other way around here other than a taxi, and what do we have to lose? The worse case scenario is that we'll hit another dead end or just climb to the top and hail a cab like we were thinkin' anyways."

She had a point. And if you did end up just going to the top of the cliffs here you could get a better look of your surroundings. So reluctantly you nodded. "Alright. But let me go first to make sure it's safe."  Slowly and with a sigh you grabbed the metal ladder wincing in pain when the hot metal stung your hands lightly, and began to climb up. It wasn't too hard or high of a climb, and you were fast to release the ladder as hard as you can also considering the weight on your shoulders, it made it a bit more difficult. Once you reached the top however and climbed up all the way, you noticed there was nothing but more ledges, dead grass, and...another ladder leading somewhere ahead of you. Standing up, once you deduced it was safe, you carefully looked over the edge to Gloria looking up at you and waved. "It's safe! And I found another ladder!"

Gloria didn't even hesitate after that. In her excitement you weren't sure if she just didn't notice the pain or bared it to climb up but you were there to offer a hand and pull her up with you once she was there. And you two wasted no more time and got climbing. Not baring to stand in this heat anymore. The second ladder you climbed up lead to the top of one of the larger clifftops, a small pond of some sort, and another much longer ladder leading you further and higher into the mountain sides and you two went. Your muscles were sore and tired from the extra weight of your Drizzilie who peeked out and down from your bag every so often, and your hands burnt under the ladders' metal. You were sure it wasn't enough to be badly hurt for a long time, but it sure stung, and you were paranoid that at any moment you would fall. But luckily you didn't and by some miracle forced yourself NOT to look down before making it to the third ledge and ..another ladder. Gloria right on your heels. Rinse and repeat. Climb, pray to whoever heard you that you wouldn't fall, get to the top, and then do it again. The both of you must've been on your seventh or eighth ladder and ledge at this point and you were resting on your knees exposed to the hot sun tired, breathing heavy, and shaking your sore hands. Gloria doing the same with her hands before reaching up to wipe her brow and look around ...Before spotting and pointing to yet another ladder.

"Hey look! It leads up to a tunnel of some kind!"

You looked to the giant black whole that the ladder lead into and groaned. "Oh PLEASE tell me this isn't going to be another mine."

"Only one way to find out!" She happily bounded towards the ladder, and with another groan, you slowly forced yourself to stand and followed after. Where does she get so much energy? And in this heat? She was already half way up the ladder by the time you got there and began slowly climbing, grip so hard your knuckles turned white to keep yourself from falling. Gloria making her way right into the tunnel and disappearing from view as you got closer to the top yourself. "Y/N!!" She suddenly shouted echoed by the tunnel. "Ya gotta see this!!"

"I'M COMING!!," you strangled out in a shout still making your way up.

Gloria was waiting for you when you finally got to the top, letting her grab your arm to pull you with a grunt into the shady tunnel with her. With a sigh as your sore hands touched the cooled floor of the cavern, you twisted your legs around, and just sat there breathing and wiping at your forehead from the long trip you two had suffered. Gloria was kind enough to let you catch your breath, considering it must've been harder for you with your Drizzilie being no help, for around five maybe ten minutes before you turned your head..and blinked at the light coming from the other side of the short tunnel. Gloria went ahead and started walking towards it...and you again forced yourself up and walked after her. But slower this time considering how tired and sore you were. She stopped by the cavern opening and once you caught up, your eyes widened.

"Holy smokes!"

Carved into the cliffside was the BIGGEST statues you had ever seen! The stone digletts stared out blankly onto the horizon and were blocked off by a chained fence embedded into the stone ground below it. Was this the historical landmark Gloria spoke of yesterday? She started walking forward and after a moment you followed staring up at the massive stone beasts before you. A flash of light going off as she snapped a picture of it while passing....Before she turned and with a gasp that had you snapping forward pointed excitedly.

"Y/n! Look! We found it!" What was unmistakeningly a stadium shone brightly in the sunlight as you looked and blinked, and before it was a couple small buildings, one including that classic pink pokemon center. You two wasted no time in jogging towards it past the statues and up a small flight of stairs carved into the stone floor, past under a wooden gate of some kind and over to the buildings ahead. Where you saw people. PEOPLE!! Walking around doing their everyday lives as usual! You two had successfully found Stow-on-Side! The tall two story buildings were all carved from stone as well with a couple small tables in the pathway you two walked that had a few people yelling at passerbys to come and bye from them as they sat under umbrellas from the hot sun. As you walked past everyone Gloria took out her phone again and after a few taps on it nodded in glee. "This is Stow-on-Side alright! Apparently the diglett statues we saw are part of some famous ruins including an ancient mural up the path by the stadium! We should go check those out once I'm done with the battle here!"

"Once we rest first!" You sighed and again reached up to rub your temple. "I'm beat from all that walking and climbing! And it doesn't look like this place has any inn or public place besides the center we can rest up in."

You both turned right still walking along the path towards the stadium.

"Yeah? Well I can check on my regional map of Stown-on-Side. It should tell u-" She stopped. Freezing like someone paused her on tv. Her face suddenly drawing a blank. Curiously, you stopped too and turned around to give a raised brow at her suddenly blank expression. Before you turned to look where she was looking. A whine coming from your backpack as your Drizzlie poked it's full head out. And you under stood why she stopped. IT WAS THE BOYS!! Both were talking to each other walking down from the stairs leading to the big stadium, until they happened to look down towards the both of you and stopped. The four of you staring at one another in surprised silence...Before Gloria straight up BOLTED towards them both! "HOP!!"

"Glori-AH!!" The poor boy didn't even get a chance to finish talking before he was glomped by the brunette nearly knocking the both of them over in the process.

"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!! YA PURPLE HAIRED LOONEY PONYTA!!," she shouted with a smile. "YA HAD ME SO WORRIED!! DON'T DO THAT!!"

"N-Nice to see you too!," he forced out strangled by the crushing hug, "M-Miss Y/N help!"

You walked on over but didn't need to pry them apart thankfully as she let go and let Hop breathed and clutch at his chest by the time you got there. Victor looking annoyed opening his arms. "And what am I? An invisible Sobble?" Gloria giggled before giving her brother the expected hug he wanted.

"We thought we'd miss you guys here by how long it took! Were you here that long?"

"Sadly yes," Hop answered rubbing at where Gloria nearly crushed him to dust. "Turns out there was a few people here itchin' to battle Bea before going on to harder gym leaders like Kabu, so we had to camp out for a bit for an opening."

Gloria paused...slowly retracting her hug from her brother and turning to him, face concerned. "Does...D-Does that mean you didn't win?"

...He smiled. "Took me two tries! But I managed to get my fighting badge!"

"You did!! Hop that's amazing! I told you, you could do it!"

He chuckled....before his face turned back to a neutral one. "But...Glory." His hands came to stuff themselves into his pockets. "I'm still not too sure what I should do about all that stuff I told you before. About me being weak and dragging down Lee's good name and all, yeah? "..He smiled again. "But the only thing I can do is get stronger right?"

With a sigh Gloria gave her own determined smile, reached over, and made him blink as she flicked his nose. "That's what we've always told you, Hop. I never lost doubt in ya."

He paused for a moment gold eyes blinking and looking cross eyed at his nose, before his face went pink again and he chuckled. "Y-yeah! A-Actually I was hoping for a b-battle with ya the next time I saw you." Your Drizzilie whined more. "Vi-Vic's been battling me and helping me build up my team and come up with new s-strageties on how to battle upcoming gym leaders. So I'm gonna try out all kinds of different things against you and see what works!..If you wanna battle that is?"

"Do you really need to ask? You're on!"

"Then let's do this! I bet an all out battle with my true rival will help me get my head on straight-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH-"

A screech that pierced your eardrums interrupting Hop from saying anything else. Immediately all your hands shot up to your ears and you all made some kind of cringed face or closed their eyes from the scream that came from directly behind you. You forced yourself to turn around at your drizzilie's head poking out from your bag. Mouth open wide and yelling at the top of his lungs before he abruptly stopped upon noticing you had looked at it in utter shock.....How could such a small thing make such a noise!! Slowly, the others uncovered their ears as well giving the three back and forth looks, before also looking in the direction of your bored looking drizzilie.

..........Victor blinked and pointed at your backpack. "What the absolute Arceous was THAT!?"

"I......have absolutely no idea." You eventually managed to get yourself to talk. "I've never heard him make a noise like that before."

"Could there be something wrong with him?," Hop asked rubbing one of his ears, "It is pretty hot and he's a water type. Maybe he's gotten dehydrated from lack of water or something?"

You jumped. YOU HADN'T EVEN CONSIDERED THAT WHILE TRAVELING!? WHAT THE HECK!! YOU WERE AN AWFUL TRAINER!! "I...." You swiftly turned nearly nailing Gloria in the side with your back pack in a panic. "I-I gotta get him back over to the center just in case! You two go ahead and have your battle!"

"I'll come too!" Victor stepped forward. "I meant to stop by anyways to grab some potions from the center."

If you heard him you didn't pay him much mind as you practically stumble-ran your panicked self back down what few steps you had climbed up towards the stadium and RAN towards the center with Victor right behind you. You nearly tripped and slammed in your haste turning the corner and RUNNING past the vendors calling out towards that bright pink building. The people inside jumping and looking on in surprise when you practically ripped the doors off their hinges bursting inside and without missing a beat flew to the wide eyed nurse joy standing behind the counter, swiftly turning your back where your drizzilie still bored looking despite everything that was happening right now, and in panic DEMANDED she'd take a look at him NOW!! Surprisingly no one moved, too shocked to really know how to react. It took Victor coming in and explaining calmly to the startled Nurse Joy what the drizzilie did and politely asking her to look him over did she finally react accordingly. She took her sweet time in the next ten minutes pulling your water pokemon from it's hiding place, making it sit on the counter as you watched a nervous wreck with Victor assuring you he was ok, and slowly and carefully examining him as a doctor would a patient during a physical....All to just smile at you and tell you essentially......Your Drizzilie...Was throwing a tantrum akin to that of a moody angsty teenager during puberty. ....You blinked and had to be explained to again as, even though Drizzilie was a little dehydrated from the hot weather, he was actually throwing a tantrum because he was hungry. So you, worried you might have let something bad happen to your pokemon without knowing, had panicked over nothing and rushed him over here to be told he was acting like a toddler not getting their way because he was hungry......WHAT!?

"He's perfectly healthy, you probably just haven't fed him today yet and he was just expressing that to you in what way he thought you'd understand. Although in this heat he is naturally a little dehydrated, and you yourself look it too and exhausted. My advice to the both of you is to rest here for an hour or two out of the weather and have you both drink some water. I'll lend you some and some pokemon food so it doesn't happen again. After all we don't want anyone dropping from the heat."

You sighed. Relieved Drizzilie wasn't really hurt, but annoyed he had scared you for no reason. You shot a scowl at the pokemon standing next to you and as soon as it made eye contact with you looked embarrassed to the floor. Nurse Joy was nice enough to give you some bottled up water and a small bowl of pokemon food for the two of you and you thanked her before Victor was nice enough to help you carry them over to the table and chairs in the corner. You gladly plopped yourself down in one chair exhausted, sighing as at last your muscles got a chance to rest among the cool ac of the center. Victor sat across from you as your drizzilie plopped itself on the floor by your feet with it's newfound food and water to make it happy.

".....Hey. Y/n?" You hummed from where you had laid your head against the table. "Are you ok?"

".......Yeah."

".......Would you like some water?"

".....Yeah."

He was nice enough to hand you a bottle of water which you chugged down before resuming your position of laying against the table silently resting. Even when the other two finally caught up to you and entered the center.

"My strategy goes right to the pot when I've got all these bad thoughts running through my head," Hop's voice came as you heard the door open just didn't look up.

"Yeah. But I also barely won. I blame the heat. 'Sides you're gettin' better!," Came Gloria's voice right after him.

"Hrmmm. I tried switching my team members in and out to max out their potential in every match up but we just couldn't get it together somehow. Maybe that's why I'm still so weak?"

"Call yourself weak again n' I'll drag ya ta Lee myself kickin' n' screamin' and have him talk ye out o' that crazy mindset!"

"Ok! Ok! I won't! No need to go all charmander on me, Mate. .......Oh! Y/n! Hey!"

"......Hi," you mumbled to Hop.

"So how'd it go? Is everything ok?"

"Oh yeah. Turns out he was just throwing a big whiney fit cuz he was hungry like a big baby, but he should be fine now. How was your battle?"

"OH! That's good to know he's not hurt or anything. It was fine thanks. I got to see how my tactics work on the battlefield and what to improve on. In fact I think we're ready to move on. Are you ready to go, Victor?"

"What?! You mean you're both leavin' us again?!" This time you did force yourself to look up. More out of concern than anything as Gloria stared at the two boys, and you noticed Victor had stood up from his seat. "B-But we just caught up with you!"

...Hop sighed. "I know, and I don't really wanna split up either but I still have some things I need to work out myself. And I wanna make more good choices when it comes to battling and strategies for them. .." He smiled. "But Lee really is the greatest trainer, and I don't want people laughing at him all because his little brother is rubbish. It's not enough. I've got to try harder and harder and hard 'til no one's laughing!"

"But....you're not rubbish to me."

Hop paused again before sighing again. "I know...That's why you make such a good friend and rival, Glory."

"............Hey Hop." The three looked at you and you hesitated for a moment. Would this change the game's story events?? Well it wouldn't hurt to give him some words of encouragement like you gave Sonia. "Listen. You got the Fighting Type badge right?" He nodded. "Then you're not rubbish! You said it yourself that there was a few other gym trainers were here because they didn't want to challenge Kabu yet. But you did. And you won against the guy that supposedly makes their numbers drop."

He blinked wide eyed, not really expecting that. "Yeah...But just barely. And not exactly how I would've liked."

"So? That didn't stop you from winning on your FIRST try either way. How many trainers besides you two have those bragging rights?? The dude's so powerful he personally says congrats to anyone who does beat him. A guy doesn't do that unless only a few actually manages to get past him. Sure Bede may have beaten you. Sure he said a bunch of stuff about you and your brother, but he's just doing it because he's trying to get under your skin. He's trying to make you doubt yourself. He's trying to make you lose." You pointed to the wide eyed looking boy. "Hop. You CAN'T just be calling yourself weak. Leon and you are both strong. Just in different ways and Leon sees that in you. Why else would be agree to sponsor you in the first place? Haven't you seen what you've been able to do so far?" You gestured to his back pack. "In there somewhere is four badges ok? Four badges that you won on either your second or even first try. Do you think I could have done that? Absolutely not. You have four badges and you just need eight to compete at the end of the year! It's been three or four months and already you've come farther than most of your rivals in the challenge." You smiled. "That's not rubbish or weakness Hop. That's your true strength plain and simple."

Hop continued to stare at you with those bright gold eyes for a long moment, before the biggest smile you had ever seen on him came through. "...Yeah...YEAH!!" He pointed at you. "You're absolutely right! ...I...Still need some time to think about a few things, but I appreciate the words."

You smiled and nodded. "You'll figure it out eventually. Until then, just keep calm and work hard and you'll get there. Don't worry yourself over what Bede said because Gloria's right about him being wrong."

With a nod, Hop turned back to Gloria who blinked back at him. "I'm off, mate. Off to find the kind of pokemon that I can really draw the strength out of."

She frowned. "We'll meet up with you later tho...Right?"

"Oh you know we will! I still have to beat you sometime. I'll see you around. Ok?"

....Gloria nodded and the two of you watched as they bid farewell and after a moment they were gone. You two looking after where they left....before you looked over at Gloria's sad face. "Hey. Are you alright?"

After a second or two she nodded. "Y-Yeah." She inhaled. "Yeah I'm good. It's just a bit unfair y'know? Gah!" Her hands came up to grip her head. "I wish I could just get my mind off all this!"

You opened your mouth to speak- "That child." And practically yelped, jumping up, as the both of you whirled around face to face with....Opal. The elderly woman staring at where they boys left. "Gym Challengers should battle for the sake of their own pokemon. Why worry about saving the Champion's name? We all know he's unbeatable."......You exchanged a look with Gloria. "Anyway, here's a little something for letting me watch your battle." To your surprise what she handed out (more like put in Gloria's stunned hand-) was another league card. "Now on you go, Child. You're headed to the Stow-on-Side Gym next, no? The Gym Challenge is about having fun."

You both watched silently as she once again appeared out of no where, before ignoring anything she just did, and just...Left! Gloria finally blinked before curiously looking down at the card in her hands. Slowly turning to you as she rose a brow. And looked up to you. "..This is Bea's League Card."

....You blinked. "You mean the gym leader from this gym?" She nodded. "Why on earth would she have that?"

"I'm more confused on why she's here too."

"I'm more impressed she managed to do all that climbing required to get here. Wouldn't be surprised if she did the smart thing and grabbed a taxi....But she's got a point." You pointed to the card in Gloria's hands. "We came here so you would challenge Bea. If you want to get your mind off things, then a battle against her would be the best thing to do just that."

Gloria stared at you a moment. Before looking down to the card in her hands a determined look coming over her as she inhaled and pumped a fist into the air. "You're right again! I came here to challenge the fighting type gym and it's leader! I didn't spend days travelin' and climbing an unholy amount to just quite now! Hop plans on challengin' me 'n the finals! I owe it to him to at least try my best to get there with him! If he can do it then so can I too!" She turned, her mind dead set and seeming to forget you. "Look out Bea! Cuz 'ere I come to get that badge!!"

"You can do it!," you called after her as she suddenly ran out of the center, fist still high in the air. And leaving you sitting there by yourself. After a moment you sighed and leaned your cheek back down against the table. You were too tired and sore to move at the moment and your back could use a rest from days of lugging that troublemaker aro- The chair in front of you creaked as Drizzilie climbed onto it, before pulling itself onto the table and sat there next to your head, careful to not sit on your hair spilt over on the table behind you. After a moment it gave off a questioning sound and tapped your head as if expecting an answer outta you. You blew out a breath. "I get you're used to being carried around by now, but now you're bigger and heavier. And it's starting to strain my back out." It made another squeak noise. "That means you're a big boy now. One day you're gonna be taller than ME!" You were right that Inteleons were genuinely taller than most humans if you remember right. "What then? You can't expect me to piggy back ride you everywhere. It tires me out. So after today, how about you start giving walking a try?" Your answer was a few pats to your head. "I'll take that as a yes. Because there's NO way in heck I'm trying to carry you back down those ladders."

It was...mostly a blur right after that. It was almost embarrassing how fast you were to fall asleep sleeping half way on a table, but you must've been more tuckered out than you thought. You weren't even too sure how much time had even passed. All you can remember was waking up to a flash of light from behind your retinas making your sleeping body flinch....And your hearing picking up giggling from a far distance. And the feeling of something pressed against your neck. It felt like a cool water balloon just laying again your neck, not that you didn't mind being inside from the heat and all that, but you definitely shied away from the something that was shaking and as COLD AS ICE sniffing at your cheek. With a groan from being deep in sleep for so long, your eyes slowly blinked open to blurry yellow-....Yellow?? You blinked back more in your sleepy stupor as your drizzilie laid lazily like a cat in the crook of your shoulder and next as you yawned. Reached a hand up to rub at your eyes. And looked at the yellow dinosuar as it tilted it's head at you curiously. Blank faced you sat there and stared at it. ......It blinked and gave a small noise. And you yelled up immediately shoot up to your feet as the thing gave a scared sqawk like a parrot and dove itself to cower behind Gloria shaking. Drizzilie chirping in annoyance at being disturbed from it's spot of rest on the table next to you! Everyone in the center was either hiding behind the counter or like you pressed against the walls away the scary looking pokemon who looked like a giant yellow dinosaur trapped in a blue upside down acorn. The thing gave a sad noise as you stared at it, body pressed against the wall, your chair knocked over in the process of getting up. Gloria was already cooing at it soothingly and patting it's head, camera slung around her neck and a picture in her other hand........You pointed.

"WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING!?"

"Calm down, Y/n. Ya gonna scare Arctozolt even more than the wee babe already is," she said calmly patting it's head.

......You blinked. "I SCARED HIM!? Gloria what IS that?!"

"Oh this?" She gestured to the thing glancing around nervously. The only ones not so freaked out about it was apparently her and your Drizzilie who looked more annoyed it's nap was cut short. "Remember that scientist las I mentioned before? Well I found 'er wonderin' around with the weird contraption in hand. You were still sleepin' when I went back out for food so I figured why not give it a try? This is only one of four new wee ones I've got....But I wanted to come to you straight away because...well..." She looked nervously at you with a strained apologetic look. "I think we might have ta make a run for it."

.........You blinked. "....Run from what?''

She hummed making a rolling motion with her now free hand. "That scientist lady may be lookin' 'round for me cuz I ran off with her 'research'." She gestured to the pokemon who pressed it's nose against her arm curiously.

......"Gloria." You peeled yourself from the wall finally. "PLEASE tell me you didn't steal those pokemon."

She scowled stuffing the picture into her pocket. "I nay stole anything! Especially since it was mine in the first place! They were my fossils she just did some science whatcha-may-callit to 'em. It's not my problem she throws a fit once she sees me flee with 'em. 'Sides. Do ya really want them cooped up in some lab being studied like statues?"

....Well...You couldn't argue with her there. So with a breath in you breathed out calming yourself and held up your hands. "Right." You quickly moved to grab your bag, Drizzilie taking the hint and hurrying to climb off the table to join after you. "Ok then. Let's leave. And put that thing in it's ball-" You paused. ".....hey. What about Bea?"

"I told you I came for the Fighting Badge didn't I?", she asked pulling out a pokeball, in a flash of blue the light the thing was gone. "And I walked out with it as well! No need to worry ye head off!"

You nodded already going to the door. TIME TO LEAVE!! The last thing you wanted was to be arrested by a scientist for tampering with her research or stealing or-...Or whatever Gloria did while you were out cold. Darn it you had to stop being such a deep sleeper! You should've went with her instead of sleeping in! "Which is the fastest way out of Stow-on-Side?" You asked speed walking to the doors with your pokemon at your heels easily keep up with Gloria in tow behind you.

"The fastest way out is the back path leading behind the stadium." She said pointing as you sped walked out into the hot sun. "It's up that long stairway past the mural!"

You nodded. Sounded good to you! And your body was well rested from that powernap so you had the energy now to spare. Footsteps slapping against the stone pavement the three of you sped walked past people who looked like they'd seen a ghost. Oh no. Don't tell me Gloria paraded whatever ancient thing that was on the way there! Looking around, you peeled your eyes out for any sign of an angry scientist with a machine or anything the like. And you did run into a scientist. Just not the one you were fearing. As you two made it up the first flight of steps that lead to the stadium and path to the mural, a dash of yellow side lined you.

BARK!!

WHOA! You yelped and swung your arms out as you stumbled a step, only saving grace was Gloria who thanks to her quick reflexes grabbed onto your pack and pulled you back upright. Catching yourself back onto your feet as the yamper culprit wagged it's lightning bolt tail and panted happily at the both of you before giving off another loud bark. ....Wait a second. A yamper?? What was a yamper doing all the way up here? That could only mean one thing.

Footsteps rapidly approuched. "I'm so sorry!" You both turned. "Is everyone ok?"...Yep. It was Sonia. You both sighed in relief to see her. Thank goodness! It was just her. The red headed scientist quickly approuched scowling at the happily panting pokemon before wagging a finger at it and placed one hand on her hip. "Bad boy! You know better than to run off and scare people like that!" The dog pokemon tilted his head at her but otherwise didn't change it's expression as she turned to you two apologetically. "I'm so sorry about that. He can get easily excited. But it looks like my yamper really likes you, huh?"

"Sonia." A hand on your chest as your headed tilted back with a smile of relief, "Thank goodness it's only you."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to come examine the ancient ruins and mural around Stow-on-Side after flipping through all those history books in the Hammerlocke library." They had a library?? "I thought maybe something was here. Anyway, we've run into each other at a good time." She happily turned and gestured up the way towards the stairs you two were about to run up anyways. "You know the mural here in Stow-on-Side I just mentioned? It's said to tell the story of the hero of Galar as well. Though what's there today is actually a replica of the ancient art that used to be here."...She paused...and you blinked as she turned to Gloria with seemingly a bright new idea in her mind. "Say. You tend to have surprisingly sharp eyesight, so I was wondering what you might think when you see the ruins?"

Gloria blinked..her hand coming to rub her arm embarrassed. "Uh..Actually I haven't see the ruins or m-mural yet."

She blinked taken a back. "Oh really?,'' she asked surprised. Gloria nodded embarrassed and Sonia held up a hand in assurrance. "Hey that's alright. There's a first time for everything. Since you haven't see it yet, how about we go together since I'm heading there anyways?"

"Would we!?," Gloria beamed and you coughed to gain her attention.

"Aren't you forgetting we're supposed to be leaving town for something?," You pressed raising your brows.

"Yeah. We're still going the same place anyways. But don't ya think running would make us look more suspicious?"

You opened your mouth...but closed it. She had another point. It's make you both look suspicious if either of you just ran outta here like a ghost was chasing you, it'd make you look like you were fleeing the scene of the crime. Acting along with Sonia like tourists would probably help you both blend in here a little better with the other people walking up and down the stairs...You nodded. Alright. You'd do that but then you two had better skedaddle while you had the chance too. Sonia looked please at your answer and would've probably expressed it too, if it wasn't for the earth rattling KA-BOOM sound that went off like a bomb somewhere above all of you. The echo of it boomed across rattling the sky, and you and the other two girls, and a whole bunch of other people looked up in alarm at the frightening sound. Which had come in the direction of the very place you were about to head off too. Sonia's yamper made a distressed bark sound and scampered behind the woman's legs. Drizzilie too seemed mildly surprised at the sound. The best you would describe it as a far away grenade or a firework going off, but who'd have either of those around here!?

"Wha...What in the world was that!? What's going on up there?!," Sonia managed to asked out before another ka-boom noise had you all more startled. "Sounds like it came from the direction of the ruins, too!"

"Maybe some of the old things are collaspin' in on themselves from age?", Gloria suggested.

That made a worried look come over the young scientist and a hand came up to her cheek. "Oh no! That's not good! Those are historical sights we're still studying!"She gave a look to the pokemon still cowering and shaking behind her heels. "Let's have a look! Come along, Yamper!" Her heels left loud footsteps in her wake as she turned and ran towards the stairs the yamper whimpering like a scare dog before quickly running after it's owner.

You yelped as Gloria suddenly grabbed you too and yanked you into a run after her. "Come on! We gotta see what's goin' on too! That's are way outta here remember!?"

You didn't argue with that. Only willed yourself to ran with Gloria after Sonia who was already ahead of you running up the flights of stairs as fast as her legs could carry her. Without the extra weight on your shoulders anymore it was really easy to keep up with them as you all ran past people who were looking with concerned, confused, or scared faces up towards the top of the stairs. One little boy even gripping the pants leg of who must've been his grandmother sobbing in fright. Sonia was the first to reach the top of the hot weathered stairs and stop facing what must've been the source of the sounds because ANOTHER giant boom noise echoed throughout the sky. Your heart raced in your throat, and your lungs heaved as you picked up the place. The second one to get there was Gloria and then a minute later you right behind her and then your Drizzilie who had resumed to running on all fours just to keep up with the lot of you. And the source of the noises were laid at your all's feet. No it wasn't a grenade. Or fireworks. Or even ruins collasping in on themselves from old age. It was a HUGE elephant looking pokemon who must've been the size of a large soccer mom's mini van who had it's trunk halfway stuck inside the cliffside where this strange but beautiful looking hand painted mural was drawn onto the cliffside. A giant hole was in the mural sadly disrupting it's beauty as many spiderweb cracks surrounded it as the elephant thing forcibly pulled it's trunk out of it scattering rock dust and tiny fragments at it's base. And the white haired boy encouraging it on as he pointed.

"Yes! Destroy it! Destroy it all!," he shouted to the elephant pokemon in absolutely frustration, "We're going to find those Wishing Stars!" Your eyes widened in absolute SHOCK. Holy heck!! It was BEDE!! What in the world was he doing!? The others must've been in shock too because they didn't react at all staring in horror as the thing raised it's trunk again and with a sickening crunching gravel sound slammed it's trunk back into the whole it created. More cracks slowly forming across the pretty painted picture. "We've got to bring the chairman more wishing stars if we want to please him! Copperajah! If you're truly the chairman's pokemon then you should feel grateful for this chance to help him find wishing stars!" The thing gave out another elephant sound and repulled it's trunk out from the now slightly bigger hole it made.

"BEDE YA BLOODY KOOK!!," you both jumped as Gloria finally found her voice, hands flying to grip her head as she stared horrified at the destruction before her. At the sound of her scottish accent Bede let out a high pitched wail of surprise and whirled around back pressed to the pokemon's side as his wide purple eyes stared. Surprised no doubt to see Gloria there. She threw her hands at him and his mess. "WHAT IN THE WHOLE STUPID HAIRBALL BRAIN SCHEME OF YERS ARE YE DOIN' NOW!?"

Bede continued to stare at her wide eyed for a moment, before instantly righting himself and dusting himself off. "Oh my. You again." He was WAY to calm for this to be normal. "So you think that you can start collecting wishing stars now and get in the chairman's favor? That's the way of things, is it?!"

Gloria blinked and looked at him like he was stupid for accusing her of something so...so...Well stupid too. "Have ye stumbled and hit your head on somethin' or is your head so stuffed full of that fluffy hair ya can't see what you're doin' right there!?" She pointed even more at the destroyed mural. "And what are ye goin on about wishing stars for!? Like I give a ratatta's arse 'bout lil rocks when I already have the one I need!"

"I see. So you have some cunning in you. But I won't have it!," he growled pointing back at her in anger. "I won't allow anyone to stand in my way! I have to win this for the chairman! Do you really think I'd let you keep me from everything I want!!"

"Did ya even hear what I just said!? I don't want ta git in your way! I want ye ta stop damagin' that thing! Are ye deaf!?"

He chuckled without any happiness. "Oh yes. My partner's move is simply splendid, wouldn't you say?" He held up his hand and with a snap the copperajah as he called it gave a giant elephant roar before lifting it's trunk back up and striking back into the same place it had been before hand. "Now leave me be until I can figure out what to say to you officially!" He turned back around. "I have work to do."

"What do we do!?," you turned to Sonia in a panic as she as panickedly looked back to you as you helplessly pointed at the GIANT elephant thing. "I can't take that thing on with Drizzilie! I can barely beat my own sleep time!!"

"I-I-..." She stammered looking around panicked hands lightly shaking not sure what to do herself before whipping to the stairs to everyone there. Sweat on her face. "SOMEONE GET THE GYM LEADER!! SOMEONE GET BEA NOW!!"

Good idea! Bea would absolutely be able to stop this but by the time she got up here that mural would've been nothing but rubble- ?! "GLORIA NO!!!" Your hand snapped to stop the girl but she was too fast as your hand grabbed empty air.

Gloria had dropped her bag to the ground. Her hands gripping her camera so hard her knuckles were white as she charged forward with speed you hadn't seen her use before. The copperajah pulling it's trunk back again to slam it for the hundredth time back into place in the crater it made in the rock as Bede persisted in barking at it to do so. It's trunk lifted high to the point it was about to slam it back down, when Gloria slid her way between them and the mural, before holding up the camera- "SAY CHEESE!!" And a flash of bright white shot out. The copperajah gave out a pained wail as it turned itself away from the flash quickly shaking it's head. The trunk that was raised to strike the mural more instead coming to it's own body to rub at it's eyes. Bede himself flinching back with a angry cry followed by a growl and gritted teeth as he was stopped.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?," he cried out angrily to her arm wiping at his eyes before blinking wide purple eyes full of confusion at the scowling girl. "I'm doing this for you! I'm doing this for everyone in Galar!!"

"What you're doin' is destroyin' Galar! Not helpin' it ya dummy! Why would I want ya doin' this for me!?" Bede stopped seeming stunned and...it might've been your panicked mind but he looked a little hurt at her words as she glared and held up her camera at him like a weapon. "Now stand down before I get more evidence of yer crimes!"

"...I...But why? How can this be?" ..He numbly pointed at her. "How could someone like you get in my way? I was the one chosen by the chairman! I was the one to defeat the champion!" He cried out at her. "I'm one of the elite! Someone who can shoulder the future of the Galar Region!" He pointed at her. "YOU EVEN AGREED WITH ME!!"

"Since when did I agree with destroyin' ancient sights for bloody sparkly rocks!?"

He didn't get time to anwer. In fact none of you did as a group of footsteps made their way from from behind you and your Drizzilie chirped in surprise before diving in front of your legs to avoid being swarmed by a few people in police suits like you'd often see Officer Jenny wear, a few gym staff people in white suits, and at least three pokemon that you supposed was to help restrain the culprit. You and Sonia looked around yourselves surprised but relieved to see the police coming FINALLY, and Bede suddenly looked even more panicked hands at his sides and lookig around widely as he was affectively surrounded.

"Make way for the Chairman!" Hey! You recognized that woman's voice. And turned just in time for the Chairman himseld and an angry Oleana part their way through the crowd. But instead of feeling relief anymore, a bad feeling pooled at the end of your stomach. "Challeger Bede!" She yelled and just when you thought Bede couldn't have gotten any paler, his skin turned such a white the bright white of his hair could've been considered darker than his skin tone. "I wondered what you were up to when you asked to borrow Chairman Rose's copperajah.I can't believe you'd try to use the chairman's pokemon to destroy a historical sight!"

Wait wait WAIT! HOLD UP!! They actually let Bede borrow THEIR pokemon without asking what he was doing and surprised about this!? ..A low rumble noise came from the wall as a piece of it slid away between the cracks around it. A few pebbles falling from it and landing right behind Bede's feet. No one noticed but Gloria who was still standing between Bede and the destroyed mural, blinking and looking up at the stone wall. You all were too busy watching the show between Bede and his sponsors to notice.

Bede had stood there stunned for a moment before scowling and pointing at her, but his tone was obviously scared. "Who cares for some ancient ruin when the next thousand years are at stake!? Did you stand in the path of a pokemon's simple beam or something?" Wrong move. Oleana looked even more angry now. "How do you expect to support the Chairman with that sort of thinking!?"

More pebbles fell down and Gloria looked right up, twisting her body around as she took a few steps back staring at the wall.

"Bede." Bede Froze. Absolutely. Freaking. FROZE as the Chairman addressed him holding a hand up to Oleana who immediately stood down at his motion. "Young Bede." His hand was slowly returned to his pocket, the chairman's eyes scanning his pokemon who still shook it's head and the absolutely destructon of the once beautiful mural. And shook his head. How was he so calm about this? "It pains me to say this but I am truly disappointed."

".....W-What?"

"It's true that I'm the one who found you, back when you were all alone." He sighed reaching a hand up to rub his head. "I saw talent in you. You reminded me a little bit of myself back when I was young. That's why I sent you to a trainer's school, to give you a chance at success. But trying to destroy the mural, part of Galar's history! You show no love toward Galar!" He looked back up to the boy who by this point was lightly shaking. Just staring at him like a little scared mouth. "You are clearly not a worthy challenger for the Gym Challenge."

"W-W-WHAT!?," Bede shouted at him. "B-B-But all I have ever done was for you!" He placed a hand to his chest. "All I have ever done was for Galar! Y-You must be joking right!? You're disqualifying me from the Gym Challenge?! But you're the one who endorsed me! T-T-There are a hundred different ways we could sort this out!" He insisted more desperate. "Why are you chosing the worst possible option?!"

Mr. Rose just held up a tired hand again. "I don't want to hear anymore from you, Bede. We will decide what to do with you later. For now you will return to Hammerlocke with us."

"B-B-But-.." He looked around in a blind panic around himself at every staff, policeman, and other adult there watching him. More pebbles falling and Gloria's eyes widened in danger. "I-I REFUSE!! THERE WAS A MISTAKE!!"

"Challenger Bede," Oleana stated firmly, "I'll be taking those wishing stars you have gathered. And you WILL be returning with us to Hammerlocke."

"I- N-No wait!" He was grabbed by two men in those white gym uniforms and his purple eyes shrank as Oleana walked towards him.

That's when the Chairman turned towards the rest of you and smiled apologetically. "AH! Sonia! And Gloria and her friend too!" You both turned to the Chairman as Gloria paid no attention to you, the Chairman, or Bede's shaking form as Oleana collected what looked like more sparkling gems out of his pockets. "Terrible shame all this." he gestured to the seen before him and you wanted to hurl at how disgustingly calm he could POSSIBLY be about all this! "An absolute disaster." OH YOU THINK!? "I never wish to see us lose challengers for this sort of reason. Yet we do what we must do to keep things fair and sportsmanlike."

"Then why did you lend him your copperajah without watching him?," you found yourself saying with a frown, "Or have a young boy collect stones from possibly dangerous mines?"

He fell silent, giving you a look that could have been surprised at what you said as you still stared at him. The reality of what you had said not catching up to you then and there because on top of what just happened something else struck. The sound of cracking walls and moving gravel made everyone look up as the cracks and wall of the cliffside moved ever so slightly under the weight of the lose boulder as it slipped free and fell down towards the earth. Down right towards the scrambling and screaming people. Right towards the frozen form of Bede as his mouth opened in a silent scream at the heavy rock barraling towards him as he stood in it's shadow- Well the rock did made contact with the ground, shattering into lots of tinier pieces on impact. Everyone yelped and cowered, arms flying up to shield their faces or turning away as the tinier rocks flew everywhere. Bede and Gloria laid upon the ground sprawled out from where she tackled him out of the flying death maker's way. Both groaned out before sitting up. Bede once again freezing at the sight of Gloria being so close and pulling him up into a sitting position with a scowl!

"Ye alright?"......he slowly nodded. "That's good." Before she began shaking him. "WHAT THE ABSOLUTE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU!? NOW DO YA SEE WHY IT WAS A STUPID IDEA YA DUMMY!? YA COULD'VE BEEN CRUSH BY A STUPID FLYIN' BOULDER!!"

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?" A loud female voice cried out and if you thought Oleana's loud voice was scary it was nothing compared to the slightly smaller than you woman who stomped her way through the crowd barefoot, angry, and with at least three fighting type pokemon behind her. Just how many people were going to show up here!? And how could she stand walking around barefoot on the hot ground!? The grey haired woman looked absolutely shocked at the state of her town's mural and all the debry around the ground from it, but unlike everyone else who stood around taking a long time to react, her reaction was instant. Anger flooding her features and her face looked like a tea kettle ready to pop as it turned beat red. An accusing hand was pointed at the destruction caused. Wait. She looked familiar. "WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!?"....Oh right! You saw her on the card Opal had given Gloria! It was Bea the gym leader of this place!...And she did NOT look happy to see what happened. Even more unfortunate for Bede some people around him pointed him out to the angry woman and once she snapped his gaze to himself still half held by Gloria, you could tell he was just one more heart attack away from fainting. "SO IT WAS YOU!!" She pointed right at him. "IT'S BAD ENOUGH YOU INSULTED THE TRAINER I ENDORSED BUT NOW YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY OF RUINING MY TOWN'S SUPPLY OF INCOME TOO!? WHERE DO YOU THINK SOME OF THE MONEY TO KEEP THE STADIUM RUNNING COMES FROM YOU LITTLE PUNK!? I SWEAR BY THE TIME I'M THROUGH WITH YOU YOU'LL BE GLUING THE ENTIRE THING BACK BY HAND WITH NOTHING BUT A LITTLE CHILD'S GLUE STICK!!" By now Bede looked pale enough to pass as a ghost.

"Bea now, now." The Chairman held up his hands to her in a calm manner. "Calm down. I'll pay for all the damages and repairs to be fixed. We'll have an exact replica of the mural back up in no time at all. It'll be like this never happened."

"WHAT?!" She snapped a look towards the chairman. "AND LET THIS LITTLE TROUBLEMAKER GO UNPUNISHED FOR ALL THE TROUBLE HE'S ALREADY CAUSED!?"

"I never said he wasn't going to be punished. We were just about to figure that out just now I assure you."

She huffed crossing her arms. "Oh yeah? Is that right? If you ask me you should take away the gym badges from him-"

"NO!!" Bede gave off an 'Oof' as Gloria suddenly grabbed him to her in a protective manner and his face hit her shoulder as he blinked confused. The adults looking at her in a way that made you nervous just standing there watching.

...Bea got a look of realization over her before she pointed at Gloria. "Hey. I know you. You're the trainer that I just badge the Fighting type badge too. Are you in on this too?"

Gloria shook her head no. "NO!! Are ye kiddin' me?! I'd never do somethin' as stupid as this!" Her hand pointed at her. "BUT YA CAN'T TAKE AWAY HIS GYM BADGES!!" She then pointed at the Chairman who blinked at her. "AND NEITHER CAN YE!! BEDE WON THOSE FAIR N' SQUARE!!" Bede blinked and looked up to her in shock. "YER RIGHT THAT HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR DOIN' WHAT HE DID!! BUT GYM BADGES ARE A SYMBOL OF ALL THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN AS A POKEMON TRAINER JUST TO GET THEM!! ONCE A GYM LEADER GIVES THEM TO YA IT JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU IMPROVED AND GROWN FROM THEN!! IF YOU TAKE THEM FROM HIM THEN YOU'LL BE DOIN' NOTHING BUT TELL HIM HIS WORTH AS A TRAINER IS NOTHING AND I WON'T ALLOW THAT!!" Her grip on him increased slightly. "Punish him for what he did to the mural if you want, but don't you DARE take his gym badges from him!"

You weren't sure whether you wanted to bury yourself under a rock or be proud of her in that moment, but her words got the Chairman to stare at her a moment. Humming and eyeing her protective stance frowning at him before he sighed and nodded. "She's right Bea. I won't tamper with the progress he's already made thus far, but he sure will be answering for the mess he's caused everyone today." He gestured back down towards the stairs. "Come. Lets discuss what we can do about the mural out of the hot sun alright? Ms. Sonia I don't suppose you could stand by until my team gets here could you?"

Sonia blinked."...OH! I-i-...Sure."

The two of you stood there as everyone and their pokemon trickled out of the destroyed area and back down the stairs after the chairman and gym leader who shot a nasty glare at Bede before she left. ...Bede slowly pried hmself away from Gloria falling back onto his bottom as she blinked. He got up shakily, dusting himself off in the process, before looking back to her. The two of them silently staring at each others for the longest time.

"Bede," He jumped and turned to Oleana as she stood there waiting for him expectantly, "Come along. You're aware the Chairman doesn't like to kept waiting." Bede paused for a moment looking between her and Gloria exactly once, before turning and started walking towards her. She turned and walked away from the three of you as Gloria slowly stood herself. Bede not sparing either of you a head glance as he walked past the two of you head down without a word.

The three of you stood there watching everyone leave down the long flight of stairs silently ...before you finally broke the silence by looking at the mess as the copperajah lumbered past after it's owner. ".....Well I can say for certain that this so fair has been the most eventful day I've ever had in my life."

"Tell me 'bout it!" Gloria grumbled dusting herself off as she walked over to you to which you looked at her.

"Hey. Are you ok? You're not hurt are you?"

She shook her head no to your relief as she still deeply frowned. "I know the show ponyta was a looney but I didn't think he'd have the gall ta pull somethin' like this."

You hummed. ".....Somehow I don't think that was exactly all his fault."

"Whatcha mean by that?"

You went to answer her but was cut off yet again by voice. "Now that I think about it..." Both of you looked to Sonia who hummed. "You know. During one of Bede's matches, I heard the announcer say that Bede has no family. Apparently it was Rose who took Bede under his wing, and so Bede was battling for the Chairman's sake." Gloria looked between you two surprised, but you were more angry than surprised at this point gaining a frown. You had pretty much picked up on that by now. "*sigh* But that's a story for another day." She looked to the destroyed Mural. "Oh poor Bea. What an awful turn of events. I hope the mural survived all that."

"I doubt that." Gloria kicked a decent sized rock away from her at the mention.

And then that's when the rumble started. Just like the sound of the rock that nearly crushed Bede, only there was a lot more of it! The three of you looked up in horror at the cracks in the once pretty mural finally giving away under the strained weight, and it fell apart.

"LOOK OUT!!"

You quickly grabbed Gloria and yanked her behind you as your Drizzilie once again ducked behind your legs for cover as the rocks fell away and crumbled to the ground in a heap. Sending smaller rock fragments and dust everywhere making the three of you cough up a storm. But it's when you looked up however, is when the REAL mystery began. Because when the two of you looked up....your eyes widened. In place of where the mural used to be was a pile of rubble and a hole in the cliffside. But in the hole ..was a couple of statues. Two of which were two GIGANTIC dog looking pokemon holding a sword or shield in their mouths, and behind them were two kings carved into the stone.

"...Hey." You glanced at Gloria shaking dust from her hat and Sonia walked up wide eyed to the statues. "Are you ok?" She nodded before plopping the hat back onto her head. "Good. What about you Sonia?.....Sonia?" You blinked and looked over to the orange haired woman gaping up at the statues...Huh. Why did they seem familiar to you?

"......Not a brilliant turn of events, but the ruins were brought into the light for us to see!," Sonia finally said after a long moment of silence. "What does this tell us about Galar's legends?"

"Uuuuh." You rose a brow up at the statues. Not really sure if she was talking to you or not. "A....sword and shield?" You guessed based off what the things were holding in their mouths...Hey. Wasn't this whole game's thing revolved around a sword and shield or something??

She nodded. "Right! More than any hero, there's those things that appear to be pokemon that stand out! Not just that, but those pokemon appear to be holding a sword and shield as if they were using them! Anything else look interesting to you?!"

"Uuuuh. ...Those two guys there." You pointed to the two king statues. They're the same as the tapestries aren't they?"

"I didn't notice that! Oh good observation! There really were two heroes. But if that's the case then why only the one statue at Budew drop inn?"

You shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe whoever built it didn't feel like making two giant gold statues."

She hummed. "More than any statue of a hero or old tapestry, these ruins made in truly ancient times must show us the real truth! Which means that....."

"....The sword and shield are pokemon?"

"YUP!!" She snapped with a smile to you making you blink. "I was thinking the same thing! Seems like at some point in history the sword and shield were combined with the two actual pokemon and treated as the same thing!" She hummed looking back to all the rubble. "But then what? They just faded from history? Two young heroes. The sword and shield were actually pokemon. But why would the truth of these ruins be hidden when their stories were depicted in artwork?"

"...Maybe they had something to do with it?" She looked at you and you pointed to the human statues. "The kings or whoever they are. They went through a lot of trouble hiding this..maybe it was to protect the things that protected them."

She hummed. "Possibly. We won't be too sure until I get Mr. Rose's approval to study it more. Thanks! With your help I really feel like we made a big discovery here!

"Not sure how I helped but your welcome!"

"..So there was history being covered up by all that over stylized artwork. I'm gonna have to look into this some more. OOHH!! IM SO EXCITED!! NO RESEARCHER HAS EVER MADE SUCH A DISCOVERY-" A bark caught both of your attention as Sonia looked down at her feet in time for her yamper to drop something white at them. And she blinked. "Hey boy. Whatcha got there?" Not a bone you hoped. She quickly reached down as you leaned over to look and she stood up with a white mask in her hands. It was covered in does and a bit yellowed with a few scrapes, and had three black holes in it presumably for a person's mouth and eyes. "Well would you look at this. I dont think this is from the ruins. ...It kinda reminds me of the one's Allister wears."

"Who?," you asked trying to see it. Sonia handed it over to you and you grabbed it from her to get a better look.

"Allister. He's the boy who's in charge of the Ghost type Gym just down the road there." She pointed towards the exit path from Stow-on-Side. "It's located by the Stow-on-Side cemetary, but it'll take a full day just to get there from here. I just mentioned it might be his since the only one I've ever seen with that kind of mask was him at the Entrance Ceremony....But I guess you'll be headed to Bellonlea next, right?"

You opened your mouth- "Y/N!!!" You were nearly knocked to the ground when Gloria ran up to you and grabbed you suddenly. Yanking you forward hard enough to send you stumbling a few steps as she panicked. "It's that restore scientist lady! She's headed up the stairs this way!" She pulled you into a run away from Sonia as she watched bewildered down the path away from here. Your Drizzilie running at your heels.

"Bye Sonia! Good luck in your research!!," you called back.

Guess you'd be able to finally leave Stow-on-Side.

[leo-gold-hotchner]

Come Rain or Come Shine

Writer’s block, especially with the Sinner series..  And I really should work on S03 Hotch gifs..

It’s the same AU with ‘I kissed a boy’. And I thank all of you for liking it XD

Summary: Hotch can’t concentrate and you’re upset about something. Hotch comes to rescue you?

Aaron Hotchner X Male Reader

I kissed a boy AU

Warning: blood

Word: 2.1k

It’s been a slow day for the BAU, catching up every paperwork while joking and eating snacks with others. Morgan threw a popcorn to Prentiss who were whispering to JJ and Garcia. With an irritated look, Prentiss mouthed ‘what’ to her friend. Morgan, who was sitting on Reid’s desk gestured towards Hotch’s office with his chin. 

“He’s not working is he?” Prentiss raised her brows knowingly. 

“He was looking at his phone when I went him,” JJ shrugged. 

“Usually, he’d come and say we have to give him the reports by now,” Reid checked his watch, “but it’s been 43 minutes 23 seconds he hasn’t ask for any reports.” 

“I hope it’s not about Jack.” Garcia glanced at her boss worriedly. 

“Nah, if it was about Jack, he’d be frantic and would’ve left already.” JJ shook her head, thinking she’d do the same if anything happens related to Henry. Their eyes went to Hotch, then Rossi who was standing still in front of Hotch. “How long he’s been standing there?” 

 “3 minutes and 48 seconds,” Reid replied automatically. 

Hotch looked down at his phone once again, a deep sigh escaping his tight lips. His phone was showing the time, 19:44. Something happened? Why wouldn’t you call him? You always called him after your work. It’s been 44 minutes and Hotch was still waiting for your call. 

“You could always call him.” A dry yet amused voice said, startling Hotch. Rossi smirked as he could hear his friend’s heart running fast. The usual stoic man’s eyes were widened, his jaw tightened and wincing in surprise. 

“When did you come in?” 

“Ask Reid.” Rossi shrugged, his hands in the pockets. “If you’re worried, call him.” 

“What do you mean?” Hotch quickly busied himself with the files and papers that were in front of him, shoving his phone under the yellow folders. 

“We all know you’re dating with the young man from the club,” the older man rolled his eyes as Hotch stopped moving. “As a profiler, you’re not that discreet about dating the fella.” 

Hotch sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “What if he’s still working, just late?” 

“You could always check his home and wait and surprise him. You’ve been there, aren’t you?” 

“Once.” 

Hotch wondered if his mentor was insinuating if he slept with you at your home. It never happened, not yet as Hotch hoped. You two were just watching a late-night movie and Hotch just drove you to your home, that’s all. Although, you did invite him to have a coffee which Hotch refused and off. 

“But I don’t have time, I have to work and go to Jack.” Hotch said dismissively at Rossi. 

“I can take Jack with me, I’m sure Henry will love to have Jack sleepover.” JJ said from the door. 

With his mouth ajar, Hotch looked at his team who were looking at him expectantly from his office door. Everyone except Rossi was looking at him with their heads only popping out from the door frame. 

“And, those guys will still be here when you return tomorrow,” Morgan pointed the files on Hotch’s desk. 

“Since when all of you were interested in my personal life?” Hotch muttered drily. 

“Every time, every day,” Prentiss grinned, “you don’t have to be a profiler to see you’re looking like a lost puppy looking for his owner.”

Hotch huffed, his brain kept screaming he should stay and finish the paperwork. But his hands were already stacking the files and papers, preparing to leave to see you. 

“Atta boy,” Rossi smiled as Hotch was ready to leave. 

Hotch left to see you while calling Jessica to inform her that JJ will pick up Jack. Garcia offered if JJ needed a hand to look after the boys, Prentiss quickly joining her friend to go to JJ’s home. Reid wanted to see Henry, though Morgan put his arm around the younger man’s shoulder, saying they need to go to the night club again. But Morgan’s wish dissipated as Rossi rescued Reid with an offer they couldn’t refuse. With a wink Rossi offered the team to have a sleepover at his mansion, giving Hotch some privacy to relax. 

                                                       -Hotch-

As Aaron entered your neighbourhood, the Sun was already set, and the Moon was beaming along with the stars in the night sky. He immediately recognised your car in the driveway, and the engine goes silent as he parked behind your car. As he descended from his car, only thing he could hear was crickets playing their autumn instrument. 

He briefly inspected your home, all curtains were drawn, no light visible in your house. He wondered if you’d fallen asleep, and his visit would wake you up. Should he turn back? Just like from his office, his legs were already walking towards your home, his eyes fixed on the door. Aaron stood in front of your home, the light on the porch brightening the area. His hesitant hand hovered around the doorbell as he bit the inside of his cheek. What if you were just busy and couldn’t call him? What if you just fall asleep after returning home? What if…? Okay, he wasn’t about to think about the worst scenario. He shook his head, and exhaled deeply. Grab your sense, Hotchner, you’re not a teenager. You’ve done this before, dammit. 

For a brief moment, he didn’t hear anything after he pressed the bell. There was little light flash next to the security camera, and he had to move his face to avoid the light. He didn’t hear your voice through the security, but soon the door opened abruptly. You stared at him through the steel security door, eyes blinking. You were wearing a blue extra-large box t-shirt, and inappropriately Aaron was thinking whether you were wearing shorts or not. 

“Aaron? What’re you doing here?” 

“Good evening to you too,” Aaron gave you a small smile. 

You opened the security door for him, and Aaron enters your home. The living area was dark and cold without any light, only the glittering light coming from the upstairs. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” You asked, gesturing if he wanted any drink. 

Aaron shook his head gently, telling you he wasn’t thirsty. “I was, but,” he gave you a little pout, pushing his lips to the side, “I was worried because you didn’t call me.” He hoped he didn’t sound like he was being a worrywart or even possessive. 

You gave him hearty laugh at that, leading him to the upstairs. You didn’t say anything other than laughing, but Aaron could see something happened. Even with a merry smile, sadness was lingering on your face. 

                                                      -Hotch-

You entered a large room where the blinking light was coming from, Aaron could hear voices from the television, but he wasn’t sure what you were watching. He momentarily hesitated to enter your room, entering your private room. 

“Come on in, Aaron,” you called for him. As Aaron entered the room, he realised the room wasn’t your private room, but merely a small living room with couch and television. “It’s kinda weird to have sofa and telly in a room, isn’t it? Not in the living room.” 

“Everyone has their own style,” Aaron shrugged, standing by the door awkwardly. 

“Really,” you rolled your eyes, “come sit next to me,” you lightly patted the couch, “you weren’t awkward at the club.” You insinuated the kiss from the club when you first met.

Aaron huffed and sat next to you, thinking the first time when you two met. They haven’t kissed after that night, hell, they didn’t even hold hands or hugged yet. He stared the television, but he didn’t recognise the program at all, though he thought one of the actresses looked like JJ. You rested your head on his shoulder and he automatically moved his arm to make you comfortable. 

“So, I made you worry?” 

“You didn’t call me.” Aaron replied simply, but amused as an actor who looked like Gideon appeared on the television. “You called me every night after you finished your work, or texted me for the last two weeks.” 

“I was?” You frowned as you replayed your memories in your head. “’m sorry if I worried you,” you mumbled an apology. 

“No need to say sorry. You can tell me anything, you know.” Aaron looked down at your head, you blankly watching the television. 

“You already have lots in your mind. I couldn’t burden you with mine.” 

The silence quickly folded them around, and Aaron thought deeply if he should ask what was in his mind or not. Maybe you’d be more comfortable if he was really seeing you.

“Before I could ask you anything, are we in a relationship?” Aaron asked bluntly, and you snapped your head with your mouth ajar. “You look like a goldfish,” he laughed softly. 

“Like a boyfriend?” 

“’Boyfriend’ sounds juvenile for both of us,” Aaron replied drily, cocking his brow. 

You stifled your laugh, hiding your face in his broad chest. “It sounds better than ‘manfriend’ isn’t it?” 

Aaron snorted laugh, kissing your crown. “’Boyfriends’ or ‘manfriends’ or whatever you want to call us, I want to stay next to you. I want you to share your joy and sadness with me, talk me anything you’re worried about.” You brought his free hand into yours, and started to rub his fingers with your thumbs. “I’ll be with you as long as you want me to.” He brought your hand to his lips, and kissed your knuckle. “Now, am I yours?” 

“Yes, and I’m yours,” your lips quirked in a small smile, gazing at his chocolate orbs. 

“Good, now tell me why you didn’t call me. I know you acted surprised, but you knew you were calling me every night and deliberately didn’t call me today.” 

“But it’s really nothing. I don’t wanna bother you with a trivial thing.” 

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.” Aaron’s voice was gentle, his chest rumbling with his voice in your ears. 

“I,” you sighed, looking at the television and turning if off. “I was called for a car accident. I’m fairly new, but I was told many stories and I always prepare myself for anything. But this was different than I thought,” you shuddered and his grip on your shoulder tightened to comfort you, “it was teenagers. The boy probably was drink driving, smashing into woods after going over the guardrail. I don’t know the detail, but it was so obvious from the scene.” You paused and Aaron waited patiently for you to continue. “The driver’s chest was plunged with a tree branch, blood looked so black in the dark,” you looked very ill, the event so vivid in your memory, “and his friend, he, he,” you gulped, “he was thrown over, and his head, oh gods Aaron.” You shut your eyes, burrowing into your boyfriend’s chest. Aaron gently murmured into your ear, chanting everything was fine and he was with you. “His skull was totally cracked, I could see the inside despite the blood. The brain, Aaron, it was dripping with the blood. His eyes were looking at me.” You nearly howled. “There’s nothing I could do, they were already gone.” 

“It’s not your fault,” Aaron rubbed your back. “You were there to help them, you did everything you could.” 

“I know, but I can’t get out the image of his eyes looking at me.” 

“Were you late?” 

“No,” you shook your head, “everything gone smooth, every car moved aside so we could pass through.” 

“Did you try to help the boys?” 

“Yes,” you nodded your head vigorously, “we just knew we were late to revive them, but we tried still.” 

“See? You tried everything you could do. You did your best, you shouldn’t feel guilty.” Aaron knew you couldn’t just believe what he was saying. Because it also happens to him all the time whenever he couldn’t save people from UnSubs. “You’re the bravest man I’ve known, and trust me I don’t say this very often,” he inhaled your scent, burying his nose in the crook of your neck. He was trying to distract you. “Trust me with this, F/N, I’m in your position most of time. I know how you feel, but you can’t let that have you.” 

“It’s going to be hard,” you said in a quiet voice. 

“I know. It’ll come back to you as soon as you let it have you. It’ll never go away, you’ll have to learn to live with that.” He didn’t say anything for some time, letting everything sink into you. 

Everything around you were quiet, only thing you could hear was your boyfriend’s heart in his chest. Without a warning, he let you go and stood up, leaving you who was frowning at him. 

“They say when you’re sad, you should have something sweet,” he stretched his hand and you grabbed his. “Let’s go to a chocolate cafe, and I’ll tell what I did today.” Although, Aaron could easily imagine you pouting hearing he only did paperworks today.

“Who’s they?” You asked with a smile, your heavy mind lightened a bit after telling Aaron what happened. 

“My friends,” Aaron gave you a soft smile. “You’ll see them, but not tonight. You and I are going to celebrate our first date as boyfriends.” 

“Boyfriends sound so juvenile when it’s coming from you,” you laughed. 

“You insisted, boyfriend.” Aaron smirked.

[bookwormsid1015]

BNHA: Midnight Clouds

A CloudNight Oneshot

The wind combs through his hair gently, and Oboro lifts his head to greet the darkened sky. With the sun long forgotten beyond the horizon, all that remains is the faint chill lingering in the air and the silvery brilliance of the full moon above him. Up here, where the sky is endless, the air is colder, and yet it’s also much easier to breathe. Nothing can touch him so long as he remains on his cloud cruising above the shining city of Musutafu, not even his invisible fears and anxieties.

Today had been a particularly taxing day, with his teacher drilling the importance of quick time reactions in himself and his classmates. Oboro’s head still aches from where a baseball had struck him, and although the cut it left had been reduced to nothing but a small red blotch thanks to the nurse’s efforts, Oboro can still feel the ache of it just above his right eye. It was nothing more than a standard exercise, one where he and his classmates had to utilize their quirks to react to having balls thrown their way, and yet Oboro can’t help but think back on it pensively. While his friends Yamada and Aizawa were able to pass the exercise with little to no issue, Oboro struggled so much more, especially since all he could think about was the wellbeing of his peers.

“It’s good that you think about others before yourself, but that type of thinking is dangerous in hero work,” his teacher had told him sternly after class. “If you want to become a hero, you need to figure out how to balance your will to save others with the need to save yourself. You can’t save anyone if you can’t look out for your own skin.”

Those words struck a chord with Oboro. It resonates in the back of his mind, even after the school day ended and he was allowed to go home. It followed him all throughout his time studying, eating dinner with his family, and even as he played video games with his friends.

In the end, Oboro decided to take a flight, just to take his mind off things.

He’s always been that type of person, Oboro supposes. Ever since he was little, he never had much thought for his own wellbeing and instead focused on others. He remembers being no older than six, getting beaten black and blue on the playground for standing up to a bunch of bullies for harassing a kid he didn’t even know. He remembers playing sports in middle school, and somehow always coming home with a sprained ankle or bloody nose, having taken a ball to the face whenever he’d try to save his teammate. He remembers his online friends laughing at him, people jokingly calling him “meat shield” since he never failed to sacrifice his own avatar for the sake of others. It’s always been like that. Self-sacrifice is second nature to him; it’s part of the reason why he wanted to become a hero. Where else would such recklessness be celebrated?

Oboro utters yet another sigh, and cold air rushes to greet his lungs. He’s happy he’d brought a jacket and a pair of goggles with him, in addition to his cozy plaid blue pajama pants and white tee shirt. As amazing as his night flights are, it can get pretty chilly in the air, especially at night.

Oboro glances down from his cloud, and to his surprise, he finds himself cruising through a familiar neighborhood. Kayama only lives a few blocks away from him-- the close proximity of their homes is part of the reason the two became such close friends-- and Oboro’s azure eyes widen slightly at the figure sitting cross-legged on one of the tiled roofs.

Kayama is sitting on top of the roof of her house, her back facing him as she stares up at the dark sky with her glittering cerulean eyes. Her short black hair falls in spikes around her shoulders, and she’s clad in Tinkerbell pajama pants with bunny slippers and a black tank top. Her thin black glasses sit on the bridge of her perfectly angular nose, and Oboro finds himself entranced by the strange stillness surrounding her. For as long as he’s known the girl, she’s been this bright, glowing ball of energy, flaunting her glory everywhere she goes without a hint of shame. Seeing her so still, so quiet and thoughtful just catches his interest somehow, as if this sight that he’s seeing is akin to a wildlife photographer honing his lens in on a majestic deer. 

Before he knows it, Oboro is directing his cloud down to her.

“Hey, Kayama!” Oboro calls to his senior, and Kayama jolts in surprise at the sound of his voice. She turns around to look up at him, and Oboro flashes her a bright smile as he descends toward her. “I wasn’t expecting to see you out and about this late at night! It’s rare!”

Kayama smiles and tucks a stray raven lock behind her ear. Her hair, Oboro notes distantly, is more of a deep indigo color instead of true black. “It’s not being ‘out and about’ if I’m just chilling on my own roof, Shirakumo,” she replies. “Besides, I could be saying the same thing to you.”

Oboro shrugs and his cloud disappears beneath him with a small pomf. “Fair point. Mind if I chill with you for a bit?” he asks, already walking over to her. The red roof tile is cold beneath his bare feet, but Oboro doesn’t pay it much mind. Kayama is his only center of attention right now.

The older girl utters a pleasant laugh. “Sure, sure. It’s nice having some company every now and again,” she says, and pats the roof tiles beside her. Oboro wastes no time in plopping down right next to her.

For a long moment, neither of them say anything. They just look up at the infinite dark sky above them, and Oboro revels in the beauty it has to offer. The night sky isn’t completely dark, he notices with awe, but instead it’s bright with the stars twinkling distantly and the full glow of the pale full moon shining down on the world like a flashlight. Clouds also drift lazily in the heavens above them, and Oboro traces their shapes in amazement as he notices them fade between grey and white, depending on their proximity to the moon.

The night is full of silvery brilliance, and Oboro breathes it in contentedly.

“Ever notice how expressive the sky is?” Oboro finds himself saying. “Like, I know it’s just oxygen and shit, but I just like to think weather is just the sky showing off it’s different feelings. Like, sunny days are when it’s happy and full of energy, while rainy days are when it's feeling down and wants attention. Nights like this are my favorite, though. It’s sleepy, but at the same time it wants to see how us little people are doing.”

Kayama glances away from the sky and back at the teenage boy beside her. Her lips quirk up into a smile, and Oboro quickly realizes with a grimace just how lame he sounded. “Gah! Ignore me, I dunno why I said that,” Oboro rambles, his face heating up in embarrassment.

Kayama just laughs. “No, no it’s okay. Don’t worry,” she assures him with a gentle pat on his shoulder. “I never thought of it that way. I don’t usually look at the sky and look for some hidden meaning; I just take it for what it is.” She flashes him a glowing smile, and Oboro’s heart seizes up in his chest. “I like that about you, you know that? You have a refreshing perspective on things.”

Oboro chuckles awkwardly. “Do I?” he asks.

Kayama nods her head. “Totally do. It’s nice.”

They sit again in silence, though this time, Oboro’s attention isn’t on the sky above. Instead, he sits there for a moment, just watching her as Kayama turns her attention upward. The silvery brilliance of the moon illuminates her high cheekbones, the curve of her nose, and highlights her full, plump pink lips. It reflects silver in her dark hair, and her blue eyes glimmer under its elegance like twin sapphires. Here, under the moonlight’s kiss, she looks like a goddess, even more so than usual.

It’s common knowledge that Kayama is beautiful. In fact, Oboro is willing to go as far as to say she’s one of-- if not-- the most beautiful girl in UA. There’s just something so wholly compelling about watching Kayama strut her stuff down the school halls, her chest puffed out and chin held high, walking forward without a wink of hesitation nor shame. When she speaks, it grabs his attention, and when she looks at him, his heart forgets to beat. Even Aizawa and Yamada-- who clearly have different romantic tastes-- agree that Kayama is undeniably attractive.

Sometimes, it surprises him that he’s one of her closest friends.

Kayama turns to look at him, and all thoughts in his head die the second her stunning blue eyes fall to his azure ones. “Shirakumo?” she asks, and her smile suddenly turns mischievous. “Why are you looking at me like that? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re checking me out.”

Steam literally explodes from around his ears (damn his quirk) as his face turns fifty shades of pink. “NO! Nope, no, nuh-uh! I wasn’t doing anything like that! I was… uh…” he turns his brain around in a panic, looking for anything else to say. “I was just thinking about class today! Haha, yeah! Just kinda got lost in thought and stared off into space!”

“Oh?” Oboro isn’t too sure if he’s imagining the hint of disappointment in her voice or not. “Well, how was it? I know Hokiko-sensei is a real hardass. Or he was when I had him last year, anyway.”

“Yeah, he was. He…” Oboro redirects his attention away from the beautiful girl sitting right next to him down to his hands clasped together in his lap. He utters a heavy sigh. “We, uh, well, we did some exercises today about quick time reactions. Basically, he threw shit like baseballs at us, and he assessed how quickly we would react to them. It was supposed to be an easy class, but I got knocked around more times than I would’ve liked.”

“Why?” Kayama asks, her cerulean blue gaze becoming thoughtful and serious.

Oboro shrugs. “We were all getting assessed simultaneously, so while I had to make sure I wasn’t getting pelted by baseballs, I also had to make sure my classmates were doing fine. Ya know, and vice versa,” he explains.

Something clicks together in Kayama’s stare as realization washes over her pale face. “Let me guess: you were so preoccupied by your classmates that you forgot to look out for yourself?” she guesses, and Oboro balks at the accuracy.

“I-is it that obvious?” he whines.

Kayama’s laugh is somehow reassuring. “It’s obvious because I know you, dummy,” she tells him, and lifts a hand to gently flick his forehead. “It’s how we met, after all. Don’t you remember that time when we were in middle school? Some girl was making fun of me and you came over to chase her away? Even though we didn’t even know each other?”

Oboro’s chuckle is shaky, and he can’t help but cringe in hindsight. “I must’ve looked like a white knight or something… Ugh, and they called us boyfriend-girlfriend for the longest time after…” he recalls with a shudder.

Kayama laughs. “Yeah, it was a little weird, but it was also super sweet. It takes guts to help a person out like that, especially if you’d never met them before.”

Oboro turns to her fully, his smile wide and hopeful. “Then you agree with me, right? Me looking out for everyone else isn’t a bad thing?” he says.

Oboro’s confidence wavers at the clear disapproval in the other’s eyes, and Kayama redirects her attention back to the dark heavens above them. “That’s the thing, Shirakumo. Society has conditioned us to believe that certain traits are black or white, when in reality, they’re a moral grey,” she tells him sagely. “At times, anger isn’t always a bad thing, and while envy is an ugly way to feel, it isn’t always derogatory. They can help us cope with situations that are unfair to us or hurtful to others. In some ways, even kindness can be bad. Unhealthy even. It’s always the good people who are taken advantage of.”

Kayama turns to face him, and Oboro’s heart stills as she offers him a gentle yet firm smile. “There is no good or bad when it comes to our feelings and habits. You wanting to help others can be helpful, but if it comes at the cost of your own health, then it’s definitely not something you should be brazen about.”

Oboro sighs deeply and runs a hand through his cloudy hair, his expression crumpling into a grimace. “I know, I know, it’s just… I don’t know,” he mutters. “Ever since I was little, people have told me the true essence of being a hero is putting others’ needs before my own. And it always made sense, you know? Like, I know you’re right, and I know that my habits aren’t healthy, but…” Oboro utters a resigned sigh. “I don’t know what else to do.”

Kayama scoots closer to him and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You’re too down on yourself, you know that? I know you, Shirakumo, and I know that you have all the tools you need to become an amazing hero. The only one who doesn’t see it is you,” she tells him, and adds with a small laugh, “Besides, Aizawa and Yamada look up to you, you know? You don’t know it, but you’ve been a really good influence on them. Especially Aizawa.”

Shirakumo lifts his head and turns to face her, his azure eyes wide with disbelief. “Damn, Kayama, how do you do it?” he asks, his words taking the other aback. “You always seem so confident and self assured. When you’re serious, you can spew some amazing wisdom, while I…” Oboro looks away with a sigh. “I’m all about the fake stuff. I’m not even confident most of the time, I just… force myself to act and say things I don’t even completely agree in. It makes me feel like such a fraud.”

Kayama’s smile doesn’t waver in the slightest. “What can I say? Not all of us are perfect, besides…” the light in her eyes dims a bit. “If you really think I was always this way, then maybe you are dumb.”

Oboro scoffs, though his lips betray a smile. “Gee, thanks,” he says wryly, causing the other girl to laugh.

Kayama stands up and stretches her arms over her head. Shirakumo pointedly turns his attention away as her tank top lifts just a bit, exposing a glimpse of her toned stomach. “All this talk about insecurity is kinda draining. Come on, ” Kayama extends a hand out to him, “my mom made cookies earlier. There should be enough left over for you and me to split.”

Shirakumo stares at her hand in awe, temporarily taken aback. Usually, Oboro is the type of guy to keep his insecurities and fears hidden. He wants people to know he’s reliable and helpful, and he wants to be this pillar of reassurance for those around him. And yet, whenever he’s around this girl, he just feels more… vulnerable. Like he can finally look at these hidden parts of himself-- parts that he’s disgusted with-- and somehow feel just a little more content with them. Looking at Kayama now, Oboro can’t help but realize just how amazing she is. Not only is she beautiful and smart, but she’s confident and reliable; she genuinely cares about the people around her, and while her mannerisms are a little weird, creepy even, it also makes her so much more… her.

And Oboro wouldn’t change her for the world.

“I love you,” the words stand at the edge of his tongue, the temptation to risk it all becoming more and more overwhelming by the second. “You make me want to be better. You inspire me. I want to see you become an amazing hero, and I want to be beside you when you finally achieve your dreams. I love you.”

But he doesn’t.

Instead, Oboro reaches up and takes her hand. “Your mom makes the best cookies,” he says with a smile. “My mom has been asking for her chocolate macadamia nut recipe, by the way. Think she’ll be willing to share her secrets with me?”

Kayama laughs as she pulls him to his feet. Although he’s several inches taller than her, she doesn’t seem bothered at all having to smile up at him. “Maybe, maybe not. No promises, though,” she says. Kayama turns around and clambers down to the edge of the tiled roof, where she steps onto her window sill. She smiles back at him. “Come on! I managed to get my hands on one of Bon Jovi’s limited edition albums, the other day, and I’ve been waiting to listen to it with you!”

Oboro laughs as he follows her lead down to her window. “Immaculate taste as ever, eh, Kayama?”

Kayama’s giggles are music to his ears, “What can I say? It’s a living.”

[wolfcha1k]

Flood and Flame /// Guy x Eep Fanfic

"You're the fire and the flood

And I'll always feel you in my blood

Everything is fine

When your hand is resting next to mine

Next to mine

You're the fire and the flood"

"Something wrong?" Guy inquired.

She shook her head before resting it on his shoulder, getting comfortable. "No, not really," Eep told him, seeing he didn't look convinced despite all she could really see was the curve of his jawline. "What about you? I have a feeling that it's not just itchy feet bothering you tonight." 

Guy and Eep take some time to sort out their feelings, surviving The End of the World itself can take its toll. There's also matters of the heart... /// Guy x Eep /// Post!Croods but before A New Age ///

You can also read it on Ao3 or FF.net here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29494047

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13821005/1/Flood-and-Flame

- <3 -

Author's Note: I'm always fascinated by the development of Guy and Eep's relationship that we don't see leading into "A New Age", since they start off rather new to each other. I also like to explore just how the family processed surviving The End since I'd imagine that was a very traumatizing experience. Especially for Eep who had nearly lost both her father and Guy during all that, two people she cares deeply for. So this is a little "what if" into that scenario.

This is also just a little distraction from "A Tomorrow of Our Own" as I sort through my writer's block. I had wanted to post this before Valentine's Day hit but what can you do, can't rush quality. The picture here was drawn by me and I hope you like the story and artwork. Some warning, kinda steamyish near the end, skip right to it or over it, your choice. If it makes anyone feel anything, then I did my job despite my virgin awkward boyfriendless ass feeling differently, haha. Ngl, took me several days just to write the kiss because I got so much second hand embarrassment yall gotta read that.

Eep couldn't sleep but then again, how could you catch a wink after surviving The End of the World itself? Her blood was still pounding in between her ears and it thrummed through her veins. The energy hummed under her skin, desperate to burst alongside the burning that sent her nerves ablaze. It was barely a few short hours ago they'd outlasted certain death. For those short moments, all had seemed lost.

In-between the restless twisting and turning amongst the sleep pile, Eep gave up trying to sleep. The dark around her didn't help matters much, even if Eep prided herself in her courage. She hunted for light all her life, eyes drifting towards the remains of the embers that still glowed upon the ground. It gave little comfort.

Her father's words echoed in her memory, the whole ordeal still fresh as a wound. Never be afraid.

Perhaps it was easier said than done, green gaze finding the hulking mass of fur and muscle that was Grug. She almost lost her father without never telling him she loved him. It haunted her when she waited on the other side of that chasm, bordering The End and waiting for a response she knew was never coming. The anxiety came like an unwelcome stranger, knocking persistently at her skull. Giving a soft frustrated groan, she sat up and crossed her arms.

She looked up at the moon and the night sky that held all the Tomorrows, the sleeping suns shining like beacons of hope. Eep tried laying down again, cuddling close to a nearby snoring mass she assumed was her little brother Thunk. There was Chunky's loud rumbling purr, Gran's thunderous snoring and Ugga's gentle murmuring to seek comfort from. She counted each breath, in and out and shut her eyes… How did the tiger fly? Her voice echoed, reminding her of caves and the canyon that once defined her existence.

And then he stumbled into her life, well, more like she pushed her way into his with persistence rivaling the most stubborn of beasts. He held the sun in his hands and showed her there was more than darkness. She jumped on the sun and rode it to Tomorrow.

Her nerves, taut as a bowstring, nagged for release. Like the tiger in Guy's tale, she was ready to fly.

I gotta move around, she thought. Eep gave one last look at her slumbering family silhouetted in the darkness. Instinct was something she knew innately, it kept her alive.

She wiggled free of the tangled bodies around her, rolling onto her hands and knees. Eep quickly felt the crisp night time chill turn her skin to goose flesh. She shivered, partially regretting the choice to leave the warm safety of the family sleep pile. Her body was too tense for sleep though, reminding Eep of the static feeling the air got before lightning struck.

She shrugged the feeling off and like a cat on the prowl began to creep away from the slumbering clan. Eep made distance and in-between trotting along her knuckles, she sprang up onto the balls of her feet gracefully. Muscles rippling under her tanned skin, she just let loose. The lush green jungle and its many colorful flowers rushed past her in a blur of color. Breaking into a run once Eep knew she was far enough away not to make noise, she relished in the freedom the night brought her. Eep breathed in the air deeply, feeling it expand her lungs and suddenly the cold of it felt good in comparison.

Her feet carried her towards the edge of the jungle, white sand expanding far as the eye could see. The ocean was shining bright, so blue she wondered if it was even real. The moonlight reflecting on the ocean called to her in a whisper yet was loud enough to deafen her ears. Eep wondered perhaps if she dipped her hands into the water she would scoop up a shard of the moon. Eep paused at the edge of the treeline. A familiar scent blew in on the breeze upwind, Eep flaring her nostrils.

Guy, she would recognize his scent anywhere. He smelled of wind and freedom, like innovation and firewood. He was also tinged in ash from The End and the burning scent of the tar he'd been stuck in with her father. It was thick and pungent, making her tense. Again it reminded her how close she had nearly lost everything. Eep without another thought was quick to seek him out, a part of her worried about him being alone out here.

It was silly to worry, there was no danger here now. Besides, Guy had survived alone long before he ever met her and her family. However she couldn't shake it, especially when today she saw him lose hope in that moment. Guy was a dreamer and always knew how to escape the worst of dire situations. Full of ideas that seemed endless, he'd had no solution to when the earth broke into pieces around them. It had broken her heart seeing him like that, all her faith was on him and she'd never thought he could lose that spark.

It didn't make her regret the journey though, she would have always followed him to The Ends of the earth. Despite how short she'd known him, it felt like forever somehow. Were soulmates real? She hoped so.

Come with me.

She found him quickly thanks to her keen sense of smell. Seated on a tall rock on the shore, his back was to her. His knees were curled up to his chest, long arms wrapped around him. Eep crept towards him and he perked at the sound. He turned his head, squinting to see passed the dark. He relaxed when he realized it was not danger, a sigh rattling his thin, lanky frame. His smile could radiate light as he gave her one. It made her insides melt.

"Hey," he greeted, already scooting over to give her a spot on his lonely little ledge.

She didn't hesitate to plop herself next to him, quickly cozying herself into his side. "Hey you," she chirped back.

Guy didn't seem to mind the affection, if anything he was just as eager to meet her half way. He leaned his head comfortably against her temple, breathing in her scent.

"What are you doing up?" Eep asked him after several moments, needing the time to enjoy having him to herself for once. It was one of the first real time being alone together since getting stuck in the canyon.

"Just wanted to explore a bit, I couldn't sleep," he told her, turning his face to nuzzle her cheek. If Eep were a cat, she would have purred at the affection. "What about you?"

"I'm too wound up I think," she said. "I can't sit still for long anyway."

He chuckled fondly, pulling away to look at her. Eep practically whined at the loss of contact, looking into his eyes. "You do have a severe case of wanderlust, I must be contagious."

"Hey, so long as it's not the common cold I'm good."

"I'd never want to make you sick," Guy promised her. "I'm healthy as a horse fly, I swear."

Lovesick seemed to be a fitting description though, Eep batting her eyelashes as she swooned at his affection. He grinned at her.

"How did you find me?" He asked her suddenly, returning to nuzzle the soft skin of her cheek and jaw.

"I sniffed you out," she exclaimed, sounding proud of herself.

"Do I really smell that weird to you?" Guy teased her, gently lifting a finger to boop her on the nose. She went cross eyed, amused.

"A bit, I've gotten used to it though," she teased right back.

He gave her a lopsided boyish smile at that, chuckling low in his throat. Guy made himself more comfortable on his perch on the ledging. Eep watched Guy turn away from her to look towards the sky, his brows furrowed. Something seemed to be on his mind, Eep's curiosity pricked under her skin and she shuffled her weight. Feeling her shift, Guy turned back to her, questioning.

"Something wrong?" Guy inquired.

She shook her head before resting it on his shoulder, getting comfortable. "No, not really," Eep told him, seeing he didn't look convinced despite all she could really see was the curve of his jawline. "What about you? I have a feeling that it's not just itchy feet bothering you tonight."

He sighed, merely cuddling her warm body as he put an arm behind her back. "Bad dream," he confessed at last, looking up at the slumbering suns above them again. Guy's face was solemnly drawn, forlorn as seemed to search the heavens for answers. "Today was a lot."

"Yeah," she agreed quietly, mind blanking as she thought back to what had happened just barely a day ago now.

Eep looked at her arm where a fresh wound was, the blood long since dried. She'd gotten it after Grug threw her across the chasm, her bicep had grazed a sharp rock when she landed. Eep had a feeling it would scar, it wasn't like she was scared or ashamed of those though.

This one though felt different, sure, she had survived but it'd been a horrifying day. It was something that would take time to forget and feel pride in.

Guy followed her eyes and gently nudged her, drawing her from her thoughts. "What about you?" He echoed the question. "I know it's not only me who's reflecting."

"What is there really to say?" She shut her eyes, returning to the darkness that had suffocated them in dirt and ash. "I nearly lost my dad." We all almost died.

They fell into a tense silence as both Eep and Guy continued to digest all that they'd experienced today. Guy idly peeled at a piece of dried tar he couldn't wash off successfully with his finger nail. She lifted her head a little and Eep watched him, green eyes flickering between his face and the splotch of black tar.

"I know the feeling," he murmured at last and he hesitated a long moment, steeling himself as he lowered his head. "I… um… I lost my parents when I was a little boy."

Eep drew away to properly look at his face, seeing the old hurt there. He wouldn't look at her, trapped somewhere in his mind she was unable to follow. She reached out to cup his cheek to turn his head towards her, rubbing her thumb tenderly against his face.

He leaned into her touch, lifting his hand to cover hers. He pulled it away slightly in order to press his nose into her calloused palm, a gesture of deep fondness amongst cave people. Did he know that? Eep wondered. It made her ears burn despite the weight of what they were talking about.

"Guy… I'm sorry," she said finally, it was the only thing she could really say. It had been an obvious conclusion for why he was alone, so young yet wise beyond his years. His experience spoke volumes of the world he had to face.

She once couldn't imagine living without her father, no matter how much Grug frustrated and smothered her. After today she knew though at last and it was the worst feeling in the entire universe, no kind of wound she'd ever gotten could come close to comparing to it.

"The tar pit with your dad really picked at an old wound for me," he went on, voice beginning to warble a little. "They had drowned in that stuff. I guess… I guess I wasn't as over it as I thought I was. I can't forget that awful smell, it suffocates you."

Eep didn't think it was a thing you could get over, part of her didn't want to meet the person who had forgotten it that easily. She wasn't sure what to say so instead she wrapped an arm around his waist, hoping her presence would be enough comfort.

"I'm not alone anymore though," Guy continued despite how sad his voice sounded. "I got you and your family now."

"And Belt," she added helpfully and it made him smile a little bit as waned as it was.

"And Belt," he agreed. "I think my family would have wanted me to go on this crazy road trip with you."

"Log ride and all?"

"Maybe sans the log ride," Guy admitted, twisting his face up in a pout. Eep pulled him closer so she could hug him better.

They fell into a companionable silence for a time, listening to the wind as it blew over the beach. Her thoughts wandered again to places she didn't want it to go, that buzzing unused energy beneath her skin returning with a vengeance.

Eep knew thinking about things wasn't going to be helpful for either of them, her gaze jumping between Guy and the ocean. The tide rumbled softly as it eased in and out along the coastline. She tugged on his elbow, gesturing with her head in the direction of the ocean.

"Wanna go for a swim?" Eep asked, knowing the shift in topic would be welcome. They would drown their fears in the water. She idly flexed her muscles in preparation of the activity to come.

His expression lightened despite his eyes still looking sad. It was progress at least. "Yeah, sure," he relented with a small smile.

Eep beamed at him in girlish glee, separating herself from his side to spring to her feet. "Last one in is a rotten egg!" She shot off, leaping off the ledge onto the sand gracefully.

Guy scrambled to rush after her and nearly fell face first off the rock, calling out accusingly, "Hey! That's cheating, Eep!"

"No, you're just a sore loser!" She called back, turning around as she ran backwards a moment. She saw him running as fast as he could, long legs extending forward and back. Eep made it to the shore line and leaped into it in a cannonball, climbing a nearby series of rocks as a kind of diving board.

There was a dark shape distorted on the surface of the water before suddenly it crashed down after her. Eep moved to avoid being crushed and saw it was Guy. He grinned at her, paddling about skillfully. Eep was still learning this whole swimming thing, he was like a swan to water compared to her. They were deep enough that they could see the bottom yet not far enough for it to be a problem returning back above the sea. She swam after him when he went further down, showing her some coral and undersea plants that were eye candy. Some fish swam passed them, their scales rainbowy and glistening in the lowlight.

Her lungs began to burn for air and she could see Guy was beginning to feel the effects too, for he started upwards with a strike of his feet to the sea floor. Eep could see the mottled light shining above her on the water, casting the belly of the sea in an ethereal sort of glow. She kicked her feet down, paddling her way up to the surface with a gasp. She moved a clump of wet hair out of her eyes, grinning when she saw Guy resurfacing next.

She splashed him merrily, Guy lifting his arms in a feeble attempt to protect himself. He swatted water back at her afterwards childishly, Eep giggling as she began to crocopup paddle away from him. Guy followed her, easily cutting her off to dunk her when he grabbed her around the shoulders. Eep sputtered as she resurfaced, seeing the wide mischievous grin on his face.

"Two can play at that game!" Eep declared, sucking in a breath dramatically before diving back down.

She could see Guy's body twist and turn as he attempted to peer down to see what she was doing. Eep swam under him and hefted him onto her shoulders, she heard his surprised gasp as he clutched around her neck for support. She promptly tossed him head over feet before scrambling to the nearby rocks again before he could get her back.

His head popped up above the sealine, Guy wiping his face away the water and spitting salt from his mouth. He looked around for her before his dark eyes found her standing proudly on the rocks.

"What are you doing now?" Guy asked her, swimming near her suspiciously.

"I'm the queen of the rocks!" Eep called out, puffing her chest out. "And you're the dirty dung beetle," she added, her teeth shining from her wide playful smile.

"I'll show you who's the dirty dung beetle," he said, beginning to climb the rocks after her.

Eep pounced to a higher one as he got closer, her balance better than his as she lowered onto all fours. "You gotta try harder than that to dethrone me, Guy."

Guy scrambled on the wet slippery stones but found his balance before he could plummet back into the ocean. He got to her perch and the two of them began to wrestle for the spot, Eep getting him into a headlock as his arms went around her torso.

He attempted to shove her with all his might, looking rather pathetic as he went red in the face from exertion. "You're like a rock!"

"Complimenting me won't get you anywhere!" She shifted her weight, ready to throw him.

He saw an opening and Guy swept his leg against hers, forcing her to stumble as her foot slid from underneath her. Suddenly, Eep lost her footing and yelping out loud began to fall. She didn't release him, if she was going down he was going down with her. Guy gave a similar shout and the two crashed in a heap into the water.

He let go of her and Eep loosened her grip from around his neck as the two swam back to the surface, gasping for air. Eep pulled him up with her, arms loosely draped on his shoulders and back. Guy had a sopping mop of hair drooping over his forehead and eyes, his smile wide. "I win."

"That was hardly a fair victory," Eep accused him without any real bite, lightly kicking his leg. "You fought dirty!"

"You're just a sore loser," he teased her, echoing what she'd called him earlier.

She just huffed, floating there with him. She looked at his face, amused. He looked so funny with his hair covering most of his face, it reminded her of the shaggy mop sabrebunnies had. She was suddenly hyper aware of how close together they were, his face nearly touching hers as his breath came out huffing. She could feel it fan her lips and a chill that wasn't just the cold this time made her shiver. His torso pressed against hers, their knees touching and chests close together.

It reminded her of when they'd set the trap together back in the tundra with the weird rocks. They had gotten tangled together like this before, faces touching and limbs ensnared tightly. This time there was no turkeyfish or Grug to break the tension.

She swallowed, her throat felt tight. Guy brushed aside the hair from his eyes, his laughter stilled and the smile on his face fell away slowly. His eyes fell to her lips for a moment. He suddenly realized their position but he made no move to pull away.

"Eep?"

She felt like she had butterflies inside her stomach yet somehow it didn't seem to matter at all right now. Eep only wanted to hear him say her name again like that, softly and wrapped with warmth. Only he could make her name sound like one of the most beautiful things in the world.

"Yeah, Guy?" It took her a moment for her brain to catch up to reply, she wondered if she sounded as breathless as she felt.

He was quiet, a seriousness she wasn't quite used to seeing when she thought of Guy. He was usually so goofy and strange, in a good way, of course. It was easier on her nerves though when he was stammering and a little nervous of her. Now she was the one feeling a little frightened but she also couldn't care less about that right now. It was a fear that reminded her of when she tried something new, nervous energy that fell away into satisfaction when it proved her fears wrong.

"I think I love you," he confessed after hesitating, needing to collect his thoughts. His words were soft and gentle, the fondness there even without him directly telling her. They came out of nowhere practically, yet it just felt right. Guy gauged her expression which must have been surprised because he reached for her hand as it trembled. "Are you okay?"

"It's just the cold," she mumbled with a sheepish look, attempting to ignore the gooseflesh erupting across her skin. Eep smiled.

He seemed as nervous as she was, resting her palm on his chest and covering her hand entirely. His heart was thundering under her fingers and he shivered. She felt it through her hand and arm, Eep blinked at him with concern. "Just the cold," Guy murmured back with a small grin.

"My heart feels like that too," she chuckled, shutting her eyes tight as she sucked in a deep breath. "Is that normal?"

"Yeah, it is," Guy assured her, squeezing her hand with a gentleness she wasn't accustomed to. Used to rough handling, it was something she was still adjusting to. "Least I think so. I've never… felt like this before."

"Okay," Eep murmured. "Hey, um, can I…?"

"Can you…?" He encouraged her softly.

She decided it was easier to just do it than elaborate what she wanted because something about it felt too intense to put into her voice. She forgot what words were but that was okay, they seemed unneeded. Not thinking was becoming easier, Eep closed the distance between them, not that there was much left to begin with anyway. She pressed her forehead against his, holding her breath as she waited for his reaction. He was so warm, his breath stuttering against her lips at the contact.

He was tense under her touch for a moment before relaxing, brushing his nose against hers as he tilted his head at a more comfortable angle. His touch thrilled her, a feeling she'd never experienced before until meeting him. Nobody had ever touched her like this, vulnerable and intimate. It was a long drawn out moment, Eep hearing the soft exhale of his breath.

"You need to breathe, Eep," Guy reminded her in a low voice.

"Oh," she managed to say, sounding rather pathetic as she let it out.

Guy nuzzled his nose against hers, brow against brow. "I like this."

Eep found what she wanted to say again, pressing her palm against his heart. His fingers tightened around hers. His pulse raced under her, pounding like thunder in a storm. It fueled her resolve and gave her relief that her feelings weren't something fleeting. It wasn't just because Guy was new that he fascinated her endlessly, her feelings ran deeper than that. "I... I think I love you too, Guy."

There was a hitch in his voice. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

They breathed together for what felt like forever, his breath fanning her face. Guy moved, she felt it in the water around them. Eyes still closed, they widened when she felt the gentle press of something against her lips. His fingers brushed along her jawline tenderly, tilting her head further. A rush of heat made her skin feel more alive than it ever had before, touched by sunlight and fire all at once. It burned her blood and pounded in between her ears. His mouth moved against hers, each movement making her heart skip a beat. He pulled the slightest bit away, lips hovering above hers. His chest heaved a bit as he caught his second wind, Eep realized she was just as bad. It felt like the rush she got from hunting or when he taught her something new, invigorating and alive. Guy seemed to be waiting for something, what that something was, Eep wasn't sure.

A shiver ran down her spine despite how warm her entire body felt, Eep gathered her resolve. She leaned back towards him, hesitating for a heartbeat before tentatively closing the distance between them. He pulled her closer, which was somewhat difficult due to being in the water. He let go of her hand to tangle his fingers in her hair, Eep stroking the indentation between his pectorals. He trembled like a leaf under her touch as it roved over his skin, her hands moving from his chest to his shoulders, kneading the sinewy muscle there. His hand gently stroked the slope of her neck and down her muscular back, tracing scars in a awed sort of way, like she was precious.

She felt the soft flicker of his tongue against her lower lip and she couldn't help but startle, pulling back the slightest breath away. He didn't chase after her lips, just shut his eyes and breathed out a long, drown out exhale like he was pained. Her face leaned closer to his again and shyly she copied him, gliding her tongue along his lip to show her what he wanted.

And show her he did, tentative and gentle as always when he sensed her hesitation. He would never push her, though once Eep found her courage, she turned the tides on him with her typical ferocity. Guy gave a sound that was nearly a growl, thrilling her. She'd never been wanted before, her palm cradling his cheek. Her other arm went to wrap around his neck as his hand fell to squeeze her waist. He gripped the furs at her hips, pulling her closer yet still feeling too far away. She wanted him closer, like prey being hunted she felt cornered but it was exciting. Emotions she never knew before raged within her, Eep couldn't help but whimper against his lips as they spiraled down.

He paused, pulling away at the sound to take in her flushed face. His chest heaved, Eep feeling it more so than hearing it now. "Are you okay? I'm um… sorry." Guy was suddenly sheepish.

"I think I forgot how to breathe," she said between breaths, exhilarated.

He swallowed thickly, gathering his wits as he gently pushed her away. "Me too." The words seemed to remind him what was at stake here, that there was more than the burning in their blood.

The distance helped her heart time to finally stop its frantic beating. It found itself a much more manageable rhythm, one that thankfully didn't make her feel like she was dying. She caught her breath, lifting her hand out of the water to see it was pruned. "Wow," she mumbled, surprised.

"We've been in the water too long," he said, looking at his own fingers. "I think I'm actually cold now." Guy shivered, teeth chattering for a second.

Eep giggled with a sheepish grin. "Me too."

Guy began making his way towards the shoreline, padding through the water. Eep followed him as she crocopup paddled. Once they reached the soft white sand, the couple flopped together on their backs. Eep wiggled into his side, curling up into a ball. With the warmth of the sun gone, there wasn't much of a way to chase off the chill.

He wrapped an arm around her, rolling onto his side to get closer. "We can't stay here, you know," he mumbled into her hairline.

"Too cold, don't care," she rebutted. "Make me warm."

Guy chuckled, pulling his hands away despite her whining protest. He blew hot air into his palms and rubbed her chilled skin vigorously. They stayed like that for a moment, trading body heat until the cool night air on their skin felt tolerable. Eep pushed herself to her elbows after pulling away, gazing at the sky. Guy followed her eyes towards the sleeping suns.

"I'll never get tired of seeing this," Eep said aloud, turning to face Guy. He finally sat up, draping his arms over his knees as he crossed his legs.

"Me either," he said, relishing the beautiful sight. "I've followed each sun for so long," Guy continued, closing his eyes with a peaceful look on his face. He turned to face her, a smile quirking the corner of his mouth. The fondness in his dark eyes made her feel shy, something she hadn't known she could be. "They lead me to you."

"I should thank them," Eep decided, getting to her feet. She stretched her arms above her head, hands attempting to reach for the moonlight. "Thank you, Tomorrow!" She called out, smirking at Guy who laughed.

He found his legs, standing up next to her. "Yeah!" He shouted, cupping his hands to his mouth so the sound carried. "Thank you!"

She giggled, giddy as she pressed into his side. He rested his head against hers, grabbing her hand to affectionately smooth his thumb over her knuckles. Guy raised her hand to his lips after, placing a featherlight kiss on each finger. "Your dad would so kill me right now," he mumbled against her skin.

"I won't let him," she quipped, practically glowing in her warmth. "Though, he might hunt you down if we don't go back to bed."

"Yeah," he sighed, sounding reluctant as he let her hand go. Eep instantly missed the warm of his calloused palm and fingers around it. "We probably should."

"We can still take advantage of the sleep pile though," she said with a slow grin, hands behind her back coyly.

He copied her expression, keen on the sneaky plan. "Not like Grug can really lecture us, everyone moves like an earthquake in there."

She toed the ground, shaking her head with a snort. "Yeah." Eep nudged his shoulder and looped her arm through his. "C'mon, it's late and I think I'm worn out enough to sleep now."

Guy nodded his agreement, seeming to suppress a yawn suddenly as he muffled his mouth. "Yeah, I'm all adventured out." He gave her a sly little look, Eep innocently blinking up at him as if not knowing what he was insinuating. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"Anytime," she quipped.

They began to make their way away from the beach and into the jungle, hearing the snores of the slumbering family through the thick foliage. Eep tugged Guy down besides her to practically curl around him. Guy wrapped an arm around her waist, shimmying into a more comfortable position before sighing. Eep closed her eyes with a low hum, listening to the soft beating of Guy's heart.

She felt something soft press against her forehead, a kiss, she realized. She idly kissed the spot where his heart was in response, lovingly without a word but he knew its meaning. His breath hitched a little and he tugged her closer.

She was asleep faster than she thought possible, content and cozy…

Of course the awakening was less so when morning came, a disgruntled and shrill sound reached her ears. Yup, everything seemed back to normal, its natural balance. Guy could do nothing more besides retreat away as the familiar broad form of Grug seemed ready to skewer him with a nearby branch he grabbed. Of course he had assumed the worst, having awoken to see Guy's body draped over Eep's, pinning her beneath his weight

"Belt!" Guy shouted as he pelted off into the forest, ducking and weaving.

But the sloth only raised his long arms in a sweeping dramatic gesture. "Dun, dun, dun!"

"Ah, young love," Gran crooned, resting her fist on her chin as Eep got up to go save her boyhog. "I doubt he will kill him, we still need his fire."

Fire indeed, Eep thought with a burning blush.

[haxorus-imp]

Planet of the Megafaunas - Part 3 - Among Us & Reader fic

-Summary-

You work as a game warden and try to make sense of what you witnessed yesterday...however, you're about to get more than you bargained for. A/N:  “ I also want to say that the rangers are equally gender neutral and you can make them look like anyone you want.”

-Chapter 3: The Warden-

You let out a sluggish yawn as you rub your eye and walk into your kitchen.The early dawn sunlight shines through your kitchen window as you finish your early morning warm drink to start your day off right. So far, everything seemed to be going okay today..The only thing that was bugging you were some nagging unresolved thoughts.

Yet, you couldn’t help it.You really couldn’t shake off what you witnessed yesterday morning.

At first, everything was as normal as it could be. It was just like any other day.You got up, began your routine for work, and due to you waking up a bit earlier than usual, you decided to relax in the rocking chair on your front porch until it got a bit closer to your shift..

Then, it happened.

A large flaming object descended from the sky, followed by a trail of inky black smoke and what appeared to be burning pieces of shrapnel. You nearly spit out your drink while you watched the spectacle on your lodge’s front porch.

You kept your eyes on it and it eventually fell out of sight somewhere over the darkened horizon, a distant ‘boom’ resonating from an unknown area some miles away.You remembered the incident vividly, as it went down somewhere over the range in the distance and you hurried to get dressed and go searching for the mysterious object.At the time, many thoughts were going through your mind. A fallen satellite, a meteor, even an alien spacecraft crossed your mind. Your curiosity and concern pushed you to search for it.You spent the most of yesterday searching for the crash site.Despite you finding no evidence of the object at all yesterday, you still had a feeling that you weren’t going crazy or that you weren’t hallucinating while half asleep.

Even while being stationed up in the mountains, you were not too far from civilization enough to go crazy within a few months...let alone go crazy at all.

Yet, what you had witnessed was nothing short of baffling.

Still, being a Game Warden, you couldn’t really dwell on such a thing for too long. You had rangers, land, animals, campers, and townsfolk to oversee.

You already wasted a day by searching for the object and finding no results nor conclusions on what it was. Unfortunately, the search for it would have to be postponed until you got a day to yourself again.

Until then, it would be an unsolved mystery.

‘I’m certain I saw SOMETHING fall out of the sky yesterday...but...maybe I am just imagining things. I haven’t really found any evidence for what I witnessed anyway. But it just seemed so...real.’

You mentally mumble as you slip on your belt and holster your gun to get ready for the day. With the finishing touches being you slipping on your badge, your logo embroidered hat, and snatching up your packed lunch for the day.

You walk out of your lodge’s kitchen and into the foyer. Finally finishing with grabbing your work files on the small desk by the entrance before heading out the front door.

You exit your home and stand on the porch for a moment. The soft morning springtime winds blow the small windchimes that hang from your patio around, providing a soft jingling sound to fill the atmosphere.

You smile and turn around and with a quick turn of a key, your lodge is safely locked up. You then face away and approach your government-provided vehicle with slight disinterest. You decide to take a moment as you open your car door to take a glance at the sky. You could already see the next sunrise coming up over the snow-capped mountains. Painting the snow on the peaks a bright orange while the surrounding forest were turned into bright golden pillars.

The sunbeams were cutting through the early morning mists and the cool breeze was filling your lungs with fresh crisp mountain air.

You let out a sigh of bliss as you get into the car.

With a quick few adjustments and a turn of the keys, the car starts up and you begin to pull out and away from your home. Going towards the little town at the base of the valley for some supplies and to visit the office for your daily share of paperwork.

The drive there was primarily uneventful.

The car radio was playing music on low volume, providing some background noise. Meanwhile, the radio that was provided by the administration that you work for remained silent.

Nothing really happens in the morning...especially since lockdowns were still in effect. It made your job easier and much less hectic.

While on the way, you quietly observe the scenery as you pass by. Despite seeing it multiple times a day, you doubt you would ever get tired of looking at it.There were large meadows that spread throughout the valley. With small lakes spotted all throughout. Glittering like melted gold as the sun scattered it’s light across the surface of the distant lakes.

The horizon was populated by a healthy amount of mountains and large forests. Showing the sheer distance and the beauty of this place that you happened to have the fortune to call your home.

Eventually, the winding roads cut right through a larger mountain ridge, the road having cleaved the gritty steep slopes into two. Driving through them blocked out most of the wonderful scenery, but once they passed and a slightly distant drive later, the valley town slowly came into view.

The distant radio tower shone like a beacon over the trees and the buildings in the distance, already beginning to be bathed in the growing sunlight.

You look at the visual of the small settlement and a sense of warmth fills you up from the inside.

It didn’t look like much, but this place was all that you needed in the world. No large obnoxious corporations, noisy highways, blinding neon signs, or any disruptive construction. Just a small local town with people living peacefully with nature.You just wished everywhere was like this little town.With your growing approach towards the town, you passed over a concrete bridge that had a large waterfall putting on quite the show this morning. With a large rainbow showing up in the mists that the waterfall provided. Glowing vividly as the early morning sunlight sparkled and danced along with it in the water droplets.

You smile at the sight as you drive past, continuing on your way.

Shortly after that, you finally arrived at the outskirts of the town.

You take a brief glance at a sign you’ve seen many times before while passing through on your visits to the local settlement. It’s decorated edges and wooden charm just heightened the colorful yellow and red flowers growing at the base and gave the words on the sign their true meaning.

‘Welcome to Emberwood: A cozy little town with a heartwarming populace.’

Ah. It was always such a sight to see when you pulled into town.

You drive down the streets you practically know by muscle memory and pull into the headquarters lodge parking lot.

Once parked, you gather up your equipment, work files, packed lunch, and necessary identification before getting out of the vehicle and closing the car door.

With a brief stretch and yawn, you pull out a pen from your vest pocket and begin to finish signing some papers and reading what material you have to finish before entering the office.While working, your remaining senses catch the atmosphere of the nearby surrounding environment.

There was the smell of fresh breakfast being prepared from the nearby local diner. Along with the scent of cozy campfires filling the morning air from the nearby campgrounds. The early risers were jogging down the sidewalks for their daily exercise. Some even had the decency to wave at you while they passed by. Which you reciprocated.

The morning birds sang their songs while the wind rustled the nearby tree leaves and cooled your skin from the rising sun’s rays.You could even hear distant children already playing near the community playground and the sound of a distant dog barking. Finalizing the sense of a community surrounding you.

You wouldn’t openly admit it. But sometimes, being up in the mountains all by yourself was kinda...lonely.You take a brief glance around as you finish sorting your paperwork before approaching the office door and going inside.

With a happy greeting to the receptionist at the front desk, you hand in your paperwork, show your ID, and go to your assigned office to pick up some more papers to work on.

However, the moment you go inside and see the large stack of papers on your desk, you let out an agitated huff before walking inside and sitting down at your desk.

Knowing fully well that this was caused because of your extended absence from yesterday. Already beginning to look them over, you could tell that a lot of these papers were going to need to be carefully looked over and filed appropriately.

‘So much for an easy morning...’ 

You internally grumble.

--

The day continued on as you filed and worked tirelessly to get the stack of papers dealt with and turned in. A couple of fines, ignorant trespassers, and about one unlicensed fishermen were documented and filed in the cabinet of your desk appropriately. Most of them were numerous litter reports and complaints from tourists and it was enough to whittle down your patience. To save you from your torment, the lunch bell on your phone finally went off and granted your reprieve. You let out a sigh of relief as you sit back in your office chair. You stretch and groan as it was lunch time and the stack of paper STILL wasn’t conquered. You look at the remaining files and decide to take a break and deal with them after your lunch break. You stand up, pick up your packed lunch that was sitting next to your desk and you decide to head outside to the picnic area to eat in peace. “I’m off for lunch! I’ll see you in an hour, Debra!” You call over to the receptionist, who nods in understanding as you head out the exit. With your lunch in hand, you walk out the entrance and away from the parking lot and to the picnic benches that were stationed in the grass next to the building. With a seat picked out, you sit down and begin to munch on your packed lunch. While you were eating, you pulled out your smartphone and began to idly click through headlines and various other media for any sort of news or entertainment to pass some time. Most of the news was typical political stuff, celebrity drama, and the typical conspiracy theory that is only believed by absolute nutjobs or gullible idiots. However, one headline did happen to catch your eye and stood out amongst the rest of the nonsensical boring titles. ‘Satellite mysteriously thrown off course and knocked offline. Space debris supposedly at fault.’ Huh. A satellite was knocked off course yesterday. Maybe that was the thing you saw falling from the sky? A falling satellite? It was kinda disappointing, really. It killed your hopes of anything interesting happening, plus that also meant that there was some litter left out in the forest somewhere. You huff as you just turn on your music app and decide to drown out your thoughts with some of your favorite music and a mouth filled with food. It was about a few minutes later that you then suddenly heard the sound of a car pulling up to the lodge. You turn your head towards the source and see a cruiser similar to yours pull up. Instantly, you recognized the numbers on the side as one of your own personal fleet. It brightened your day to see a car that was in your ranger's possession pull up to the hub. Despite being a leader of 8 different rangers at various points in this national park, you barely get to see them that often. Usually, you all meet up at least once every two weeks to exchange information and update each other on events that have been going on around the park. Over time, you’ve grown to know them. Maybe even bonded with a few of them. As if they’ve become almost like a family to you. Which you certainly didn’t mind. Judging by the cruiser's numbers, you figured that your youngest ranger was going to be the one to exit the car. Like clockwork, the familiar face of your most recent recruit steps out of the car, along with his unexpected taller partner. Both dressed up in their ranger uniforms and holding their own respective files while they got out. Both seemingly getting ready for their own respective lunch breaks. While you weren’t expecting your tallest ranger to be with the youngest member, it wasn’t uncommon for rangers to carpool or share rides around the park. It both saves gas and brings comfort in knowing that you have a partner watching your back. They both were quick to notice you and wave at you, which you returned wholeheartedly. They both approach as you turn down your music, then the youngest ranger engages you in conversation. “Ey, chief! How are you today?” The youngest ranger greets happily. “I’m good, Alex. I’ve just been swamped with work...as per usual. How are you and Dakota doing this afternoon?” You inquire, smiling at your two fellow rangers. “We’ve been good. The lakes have been quite deserted, so our neck of the woods have been rather peaceful over the last few days.” Dakota speaks up, his shorter partner nodding in confirmation. “Yep! Just a few adventurous canoeing campers and some licensed fishermen. Nothing too notable or worthy of reporting to you and headquarters.” Alex chirps. You smile at them both. “That’s wonderful. What about Kegan and Greer?” You continue. “Haven’t really talked to them much. But I bet that shorty, Kegan, is still watching the forest. Especially with the wildfires afoot more than ever. Meanwhile, I think Greer is still keeping their eyes on the plains. But they’re not very talkative. So it’s kinda hard to tell...” Alex replies. “And Paton and Sage?” You press. “Paton is carefully watching the fish with a crane’s discipline down by the rivers. They were the one that caught that fisherman trying to scoop up the shads and crayfish without a license recently.” Dakota answers. “And Sage is still at the repair shop fixing up some of our broken down cruisers. They’re working hard to get them fixed, though!” Alex pitches in. You nod. “What about the siblings, Shay and Clay?” You question. “Shay has been carefully watching the bird populace with a watchful eye, as usual. No signs of poaching and the breeding program seems to be going really well this year! Shay says we’ve been having our highest clutch of eggs ever laid since the last 3 years!” Alex happily announces. “And Clay has been taking care of the security and communication firms at the radio tower. Everything seems to be going well on their end too.” Dakota finishes. You let out a sigh of relief. Thankful that not a single problem has been reported as of yet. A rather favorable outcome compared to what you have to deal with on a spring break weekend. “Man, this lockdown has been a blessing. I haven’t had one death report or animal attack in the last year and a half, I shouldn’t get used to it though. I’m actually starting to have faith in humanity again.” You dramatically say, much to the amusement of your two rangers. “Hehehe! Yeah! Me and Dakota might as well be on vacation.” Alex jokes.Even Dakota lets out a brief chuckle before nodding along. Then, Alex takes a look at their watch before gasping. “Oh! Well me and Dakota were just coming by to drop off our papers and say a quick hello before we headed out to lunch. So we better hurry along before we have a late lunch! Sorry for such a short visit Warden!” Alex explains as the two of them turn away and begin to wave at you. You were about to wave them off before a sudden question came to your mind. “Hold up you two!” You suddenly say, causing the both of them to stop in their tracks as they turn to face you in slight surprise. “Uh...is something the matter, chief?” Dakota questions carefully. “I just wanted to ask you two something before you go to lunch.” You explain. “Did you two happen to notice anything... unusual yesterday morning?” You continue. The two rangers both looked at each other and shared a confused look before focusing back on you. Both of them shaking their heads in response. “Not really.” “Nope.” They both reply in near unison. You allow a downtrodden expression to cross your face. “Oh. Well, that’s alright. Just be sure to ask the other rangers if they saw anything weird yesterday morning if you happen to see them today, okay?” You say dismissively. Alex and Dakota share another glance. “Is...something bothering you chief?” The tall ranger cautiously inquires. “Yeah. You’re looking really worried about something. Do you need to talk about it?” Alex offers. “Well…” You sigh before continuing on. “Yesterday morning, right at dawn, I swore I saw something fall from the sky. It was on fire and I remember watching it fall until it disappeared out of sight. I spent all day looking for it to find out what it was...but I didn’t find anything. I don’t even know if what I saw was real or not. Nobody else seems to have seen or witnessed it either.” You confess. The two rangers look at you in silent astonishment. “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa...so was it like...a meteor or something??” Alex questions. You could only shrug from your place at the picnic table. “I don’t know. It was too far away for me to see, but I do remember hearing a distant boom shortly after it fell out of sight. I have a hunch that it landed somewhere. But, I also saw in the media that a satellite was impacted and compromised since yesterday. I just don’t know if it was a satellite, a meteor, or whatever. I just know that something landed out there… somewhere. ” You surmise. “Ooooh, maybe it’s a meteor that is holding an alien parasite or something and it’s gonna pick off our lovely townsfolk one by one…” Dakota says darkly, which earns them a punch in the shoulder from Alex. “Don’t say stuff like that, Dakota!” Alex chides as Dakota could only laugh in response. You could only roll your eyes at their antics. “Alright...just don’t worry about it for now. We’ll talk more about it later. Sorry for holding you two up. Go take your lunch breaks!” You softly order. Then, the two of them realize that they were probably now REALLY late for their lunch breaks and both turn and begin to walk away. With Alex waving back at you. “It was nice talking to you, Warden! We’ll be sure to ask the others if they have seen anything odd since yesterday morning! Have a good day!” Alex calls back to you, while both of them disappear into the lodge. You turn back towards your unfinished lunch and idle music playlist that was now playing a random song. Once more, you were alone with your thoughts. You got back to eating your meal while your mind focused on the strange event you witnessed once again. Those unresolved thoughts from this morning resurfacing.It was kinda strange how nobody else saw what you witnessed, but hopefully you didn’t come off as crazy to your rangers. But...what if what Dakota said had some truth to it? What if it was a parasitic-alien-carrying-meteor and life in this little town will never be the same ever again? What if some people really do die suddenly and without reason? What if something bad really does happen? How would you even be able to cope with a situation like that?? You decided to briefly close your eyes for a moment to clear your head a bit. Instead, you focused on your breathing. You focused on the warmth of the sunlight on your skin...the feel of the wind sweeping through your hair...the scent of smoke drifting through the air...the comfort of the picnic table...the flavor of the food in your mouth...everything else but what was going on in your head. A moment of blissful silence passes. Then, you shake your head from side to side slowly. No. That was silly. Not impossible ...but silly . What are the chances of that anyway? Dakota was just messing with you. For all that you know, it could’ve been just a hallucination. It probably wasn’t even real to begin with anyway. Instead, you open your eyes and hurry to finish your food and you check your phone. Just in time, your lunch break was going to be over in the next few minutes. And a stack of papers were still waiting for you to file them on their desk. You let out a disgruntled groan as you put your phone back into your vest pocket and begin to get up from the picnic table. With the trash cleaned up and the food eaten, you begin to head back inside the lodge. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take you too long to finish filing what you needed to do. Without any further delays, you walk back into the lodge to settle your remaining paperwork. And with every filing and every piece of paper read carefully through, the hours of the day quickly ticked on by.--You let out an exhausted sigh as you finally conquered the stack of paperwork. The piled up behemoth was finally filed away and that meant that you were ready to go back to your private lodge up in the mountains. You stand up from your desk and with a final stretch, you begin to gather up your things and head out the door to your assigned office. You wave at the equally tired Debra as you walk by, she looked as if she barely had the focus left to wave back, but it didn’t bother you much. The sun was beginning to sink over the horizon as you walked out of the lodge. The cool night breeze welcomes you as you approach your car and begin to get inside for the drive back home. With a similar routine to what you did that morning, you turn the car on and begin to head out towards the mountains. Watching as the pedestrians you saw awaken earlier that day slowly begin to make their way back home. The shops, local restaurants, and even the local clinic were shutting down for the night as your car passed by the welcoming sign. Your trip was the same as before or similar to any other day. You would get up, file paperwork some days, patrol on others, or sit at your lodge. Paperwork days were obviously the hardest. Thankfully, tomorrow you will be able to lounge at your lodge in peace or go for some small partrols. Maybe you would even go searching for that mysterious object. The drive back was similar to the drive over. Music softly plays on the nighttime radio as you drive back up the winding roads. However, once you were approaching the ridge that was divided into two segments, the setting sun illuminated something strange on the cliffside that managed to catch your eye.You lay off the gas and slow down to get a good look at the side of the mountain as you creep up on the divide. You worriedly eye the road ahead as you take notice of lots of loose gravel and distirbed rocks that remained askew on the cliff. There was even a noticeable trail in the gravel that went down towards the road further ahead. You stay focused and remain cautious as you continue on. At first, you figured that a rockslide occurred while you were down in the city. It was certainly not a rarity, but it was very uncommon for this road to be impacted by a rockslide…thankfully, this road wasn’t really traveled down that much. Finally, you gasp and halt the car while throwing up your caution lights as a fairly large log comes into view.It was laying on the road near where the shoulder of the road and hillside meet. Some stones, small boulders, as well as some other various debris lay around the impact sight.You quickly reach over and fish your flashlight out of your glove box and you set your headlights to high beams for better visibility. Then, you exit your car to investigate. You walk around the front of your vehicle and turn on your flashlight, shining it down on the pile of debris. At first, it looked like nothing more was amiss other than some large logs. No large boulders that would be proven a problem to the safety of the road, blocking the way, or anything else amiss. With a quick scan of your flashlight, you visually scan the mountainside and scope out where the log came loose. You hum to yourself as you look back at the pile on the road. Then something ominous grabs your attention suddenly… You didn’t notice it at first...but something was dripping out of the pile and forming a small and shallow puddle near the center of the heap...just right in between the gaps where your flashlight could shine through. Something… Red. You blink and realization quickly dawns on you as you approach the pile for a closer look...then you finally see it. A small human-like hand was buried under the log.You couldn’t hold back a surprised gasp. Someone was BURIED UNDER THERE!You react quickly, your rescue training rapidly coming into play. Setting your flashlight off to the side, you hurry over and begin to throw the smaller obstacles out of the way. Your fear grew more and more as the objects were continuously removed, the more of a small body you could see. Your anxiety increased drastically when you realized that this was most-likely a child, as well as if the possibility of the victim was still alive or not. Finally, with the branches and smaller rocks out of the way, you found a scene that made your blood grow cold. The small human child was pinned underneath the large log that fell from way up the mountain’s slope. Blood was pooling around their legs as the log could be seen pinning one of their legs to the sharp rocks that lined the bottom of the slope. With adrenaline beginning to flood through you, you could swear that you saw the head move slightly, but it quickly went limp again. You wasted no more time and rushed to grab the log. Using your strong legs, you manage to lift the log up and off the unfortunate victim and throw it off to the side with an impressive show of strength. Now that the object was removed, you could see the full extent of the damage to the victim’s leg. It was enough to make you visibly cringe. The wound that was present then began to gush blood as you hurry over and worm your way under their unconscious form. Carrying the victim fireman-style, you rush over to the passenger side of your car and open the door with your fingers. You set the victim in the passenger seat and then you open the glove box and fish out the emergency first-aid kit that you kept in there for moments like these. Popping it open, you snatch up the gauze, diaper pin, and scissors.With a quick flurry of moments, you wrap the gauze around the injured leg and begin to wrap it tight enough to slow the blood flowing from the wound.Finishing the wrappings with a hefty knot, you pin the wrappings in place with the diaper pin. The finishing touch was buckling the victim’s passenger seatbelt. After that, you rush around to get your stuff and flashlight from the shoulder of the road before rushing to get back into the driver seat. Your mind was racing as you tried to figure out what to do with the unconscious person next to you. What should you do in this situation?! This was completely unexpected! The drive back to town was quite a ways away and the clinic in town was closed for the day. I mean, you could radio your medical emergency crew, but would they even get here in time?! They were losing so much blood! The kid needed medical attention now!!With your options not good enough for the situation, you put your car in gear and punch the gas. Your tires let out a loud squeal as your vehicle rockets down to the road. With a flip of a switch, your emergency sirens come on and you race back to your lodge at near reckless speed. Not wanting to waste any more time from getting this ‘kid’ medical attention. Your unconscious charge sitting limply in the driver seat as you do so. Silently urging you to get back to your place as quickly as you could.--With your speeding vehicle and the blaring sirens, you arrived at your lodge in record time. The little fairy lights hanging from your porch and the garden in the front yard came into view as the lights of your front porch illuminated the way to your dwelling. Like a distant beacon of hope, you floor it and the revving of your engine could probably be heard from miles away. A quick few turns of your steering wheel and you enter the driveway that leads to your home. You finally lay off the gas and a sudden stomp on the brakes brought the vehicle to a stop in front of your lodge’s garage. You toss your seatbelt off and hurried to exit the car. Leaving your files and equipment inside. With a quickened pace, you race to the other side of the car and open the door. Unbuckling the small human, you carefully pick them up and take a rapid glance at their wound. Already seeing the bandages turning red, you grunt as you haul them up into your arms. A rough kick to the car door shut it and you rushed onto your front porch. With a bit of fumbling with your keys, you finally get the door unlocked and hurry into your home. Another kick to the door closed it as you hurried over to the den’s couch. You lay the victim on the furniture and speed off towards the bathroom. Ripping open your medicine cabinet, you grab the bottle of antiseptic, bandages, thick gauze, scissors, and a tweezer. As well as stuffing some clean towels under your arm. You quickly come back to the victim and set the stuff on the ground. You then adjust the position of the poor soul and you then kneel before them. You don’t even pay attention to what your injured charge was wearing, you just quickly take off the boot from their injured leg and wince at the ‘discoloured’ skin that was revealed. It nearly made you want to hurl, but you endured. Using the scissors, you cut off the ‘pants leg’ of the victim and finally reveal the wound. You grit your teeth tightly as the injury was covered in large splinters and dried blood. As well as fresh blood that continued to seep from the wound. You grab the tweezers and get to work. You pulled out thorn-like splinters from the main part of the injury. Even pulling some out that even the victim visibly whimpered to. You felt horrible that this little person had to go through so much torment for so long! This was probably going to be so painful when they woke up! With a quick and careful pace, you scraped, pulled, and removed as many splinters and debris as you could. Wiping down the afflicted with the antiseptic fluid to kill off any bacteria or growing infection. You even checked the depth of the wound, which didn’t go down to the bone. But the accident did injure some muscles and break some vessels. Thankfully, it missed the arteries. The wound was still seeping blood, however. But you were about to help alleviate that with a useful survival skill that was taught to you during your training. Instead of letting it continue to bleed, you got up and ran to the kitchen for some unique supplies. Coming back in with a soft-tipped butter knife and a lighter. For a moment, you heat up the knife with the flame from the lighter before kneeling back down to be level with the sore again. With the grace of a trained surgeon, you use the hot tip of the knife to press down on the bleeding vessels in the leg. The poor kid lets out an audible subconscious whine as you cauterize the wound. Thankfully they weren’t awake for this procedure. You didn’t really have any painkillers or morphine on hand. Which probably would’ve been a lot worse. With a bit of careful and tender care, the vessels that were leaking the precious blood were closed up and the blood loss was greatly reduced. You let out a relieved sigh as the ‘child’ was finally stabilized. You finish the process by disinfecting the opening again, checking for any more splinters, and finally wrapping the thick gauze around the area. Finishing up by wrapping the leg in bandages. With the emergency situation finally under control, you sit back and finally take a moment to breathe and allow the adrenaline that was coursing through your veins to dilute. Now that you are beginning to relax, you finally take in the appearance of the strange ‘child’. You didn’t pay any attention before, but now that you could look at them, they seemed to be wearing an astronaut suit. Which was strangely adorable, but didn’t really answer your questions. How did a child wind up at the ridge? What caused the log to come tumbling down and nearly crush them?? Where were their parents?!? You rub your temples with your thumbs as you observe the unconscious being in front of yourself...I mean...you think they’re unconscious. It was hard to see through their little helmet and visor... Speaking of which...you may need to see if anyone filed a missing person report lately. Maybe revealing their face will help give you a description and see if they fit any. And while you’re at it, you may give the parents a few choice words while you are at it! So, you stand up and loom over the much smaller figure. Reaching out, you grab their helmet and give it a twist. It popped off with no resistance and you removed it. . . . You were completely stunned as you suddenly dropped the cracked helmet in surprise as your eyes struggled to process what you were seeing.In front of you, was a little humanoid-like being with greyish skin, white speckled spots, sharp teeth, and green-colored ‘hair’ that almost seemed to sparkle in the artificial lights of your abode. You took a few steps back and your mind drew a complete blank. The only thing you could think of to say seemed to shoot past your lips faster than your brain could process. Despite the low volume of your voice, it carried all the surprise you were feeling at that very moment. “What the fuck?!” (First) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)

[angelicichor]

Hello happy 2020! How are ya? Can I request some Nsfw Thomas Hewitt content? I love him so much, ❤

I’m kinda okay, just very disorganized lately, too nervous about school stuff and all ♥ But always willing to write for big boi Tommy uwu

N//SF//W

MISSED YA

♥ It has been a goddamn week.

♥ A week with both you and Thomas running errands, his staying at home and yours? 

♥ Well, you’ve been forced to stay in the middle of the road for GOD knows how long, trying to catch somebody’s, ANYBODY’S attention to bring them back home for dinner, but you were pretty sure that Hoyt just wanted you to wither and die out there, leaving you with only one big water bottle for the whole day, standing in the hot Texas sun, the sunscreen barely helping your skin not turn into bacon strips as you awaited another group of people to pass you, only to fool them into getting you home.

♥ And the sense that Hoyt could easily pull them over for no reason instead of you standing here, alone, didn’t help.

♥ It also didn’t help that you’ve been standing here, hungry, thirsty, sweating and bored out of your mind, your mind able to go only to a few places before coming back to Thomas, his adorable, expressive eyes, his strong, rough hands, his broad shoulders shifting underneath that shirt he always wore, though in this heat sometimes he’d bless the world with taking it off, revealing his beautiful chest and that monstrous bicep and… that brought you to your last problem.

♥ Being too horny for your own good.

♥ And there being no big-ass thick butcher man to fuck you into the ground.

♥ And yes, that was A HUGE PROBLEM.

♥ Your whole body was being too needy, only adding to your agitation and the need to choke Hoyt’s lights out for making you do this, but you couldn’t do anything about this, the family needed to eat.

♥ You sighed at the sky, eyes watching the moving sun and you guessed it was around 4 o’clock, the old bastard was bound to come for you any time now and maybe finally, FINALLY you could rest.

♥ But your prayer was thrown in the gutter as the loud bass of a guitar rolled towards you, cutting the otherwise quiet ambiance of the drylands you’ve been forced to stay in. Your eyes did their best to tell what was coming, the waves of heat not helping your focus, your vision literally melting, but you could tell what it was just by it’s size, a big ol’ black jeep, full of teens in nothing but tank tops and t-shirts, rocking along in the vehicle to some loud music. Rock n’ roll, you could tell that much, but couldn’t tell what band, a shame, but maybe Hoyt would let you keep their discs with you after they’re fresh meat.

♥ Putting on your sweetest smile you started waving at them and noticed one girl pointing towards you, excited, it seemed, and sure enough once they stopped she was the first to run to you, a tall, dark skinned brunette, beautiful and just shining in this weather, it was really such a shame. “Hiya, babe! Whacha doing here lil’ thing?” She asked you, clearly enjoying some new company and eager to hear your story, and you weren’t gonna disappoint.

♥ “Ah, I live here, sweetie. Well not HERE, ya know, but in these here regions, but my dumbass of a daddy left my ass here so he could go grab some smokes from the city, while I wait here to faint in this damn heat and not tell ma’.”  You scoffed and she gave you a long moan of worry, ruffling your hair. “Ah, baby, we’ll get ya home, don’tcha worry!” she cooed, before turning to the group of boy promptly starring at her ass. “Right, y’all?” she asked and they roared in confirmation.

♥ It was really a shame for those guys, but as you walked out towards the porch, catching the glimpse of Thomas’ hair in the window, all the guilt faded to the second plan. Trying to hide the haste in your voice you invited the 5 people inside, for dinner, something cold to drink and so the girl, Hannah, as you’ve learned, could scold your “papa”, something you were willing to see for sure, especially after crying to “mama” that “pa” had left you on the road to get smokes and Luda Mae slammed a tray of full glasses of water onto the table, shaking her head in disbelief, playing around with you. She did that rarely, but if it meant Hoyt getting an earful from a victim for no reason before they’re meat, then she’d be more into the idea. You both somehow loved Hoyt, but God, was he an asshole.

♥ There were no problems with the group, except for the boys getting rowdy with the tools in the shed, but Hanna told you she got them under control, you doubted that, but that let you slid into the basement, the chill of the room sending pleasant shivers down your spine, as did the rhythmic thuds of a cleaver cutting a block of meat clean off, once, again, and on repeat, as you leaned onto a wall, away from the pool of bloodied water right in front of the stairs, starring unashamedly at your dearly beloved’s arm tensing as he lifted the knife, only to lower it with enough power to create a small draft, making the metal tools above the bench clack against each other.

♥ ‘What a beast…’ you thought, a small smirk creeping onto your face, warning the world that you were up to no good.

♥ With another huff the cleaver stopped, getting locked into the wood and you saw his huge body shifting, slowly, cautiously, one brow cocking up at the sight of you, questioning why were you standing there like he didn’t notice you.

♥ His gaze made you shrink back, like a scolded child, but soon enough that deviousness took over, making you shuffle towards him, gently, shyly, coy, and straight away he knew - dangerous, but he stayed still, letting you have your fun. He could always tie you in the corner if things got too wild. He had work to do after all.

♥ With a tiny giggle you closed the distance, running your hand against the width of his covered back, before ducking to escape his grasp, instead jumping before him, your grabby hands clinging onto his apron in a light embrace, unable to circle him fully, joyful eyes focused on his expression, as his head bent slightly down, eyes squinting and brows furrowing with interest, the smirk on his lisp barely visible through the dark leather, asking - What are you doing?

♥ Your cheek nuzzled into his chest, eyes closing, with a happiness painting your face, comfort and he was about to hug you, realizing that you missed him.

♥ But you ducked again, leaving his hands to hang in the air, his head going even lower, air inflating his chest to flow out a second later in a longer, slightly frustrated breath. He had work, (Y/N).  

♥ Your smug smile didn’t help his frustration. His hands rested on the workbench, gaze focused on you, watching you giggle and hide under his apron, confusing him completely. 

♥ That is, until he felt your hand creep it’s way up from his tights to crotch, squeezing ever so lightly. Oh. OH.

♥ Thomas allowed his shoulders to relax, a warm chuckle rumbling through his body, his eyes closing to better feel your touch, feeling the lingering ghost of your fingers undoing his belt, listening to the small clack of the buckle, the small creak of pulled leather, then the clicking of the zipper coming undone in a slow motion, a deep breath moving through his lungs and out in a huff.

♥ He shuddered, feeling your breath on his boxers, your soft lips pressing onto his hardening length, welcoming it after a long time, trailing up, kiss by kiss, till it reached the tip, pressing a bit harder, a devious chuckle sounding underneath the man as he started breathing just a bit heavier, feeling his underwear becoming more and more uncomfortable. 

♥ You let one of your hands slide under his balls, stroking them lightly, while your other worked him up and down, letting you feel his member’s growth and Thomas’ growl above you let you know that he was getting impatient with your teasing. It was a good thing he couldn’t see your eye roll or vicious grin, you’d certainly get in trouble for that.

♥ Deciding it was unwise to test him any further you pulled his boxers down, just enough to free his raging cock, already leaking some pre-cum. It was nice to know he missed you too. 

♥ Your tongue trailed a long, slow line from his sack up to the tip, enveloping it with your soft lips and licking it gently, slowly making your way up and down, not taking him fully, while both of your hands trailed the muscle of his tights, firm and thick. The groan above you letting you know that he enjoyed the touch.

♥ Showing him mercy you pushed him down your throat, taking as much as you could, feeling the sting of his spread in your muscles and the slight reflex of his tip touching the back of your throat, then pulling back slowly, letting yourself calm down before setting a nice pace, feeling his body heat up, muscles twitch under your fingers, him trying to hold back, to lean into your touch instead of breaking your rhythm and his temperance lead out a moan from your lips when his tip hit your back again, the man sighing in pleasure as he felt the trail of your tongue pressing on his underside.

♥ With one of your hands massaging your heat now and the other stroking his balls, you knew the time for your control would be running short and Thomas’ hand pressing on the back of your head only confirmed your speculations. 

♥ The pressure shifted from your head to you the nape of your neck, gripping around it tighter, a harsh shove, making you gag, the depths of your throat collapsing around him, letting him groan in pleasure before pulling away, and you were forced down in a coughing fit, but not for long as his arms surrounded you, lifting you up and onto his chest, his back bending slightly so your eyes could met his.

♥ With one hand still holding up he trailed the other one to your cheeks, wiping away a single tear that dared come out when your reflex struck.

♥ Gently he placed you atop his work bench, leaning in to allow you the reach to his mask, a silent question if it was okay to go without it and your fingers tangling against it assured him, that it was just fine. There was no worry as it was left on the wood.

♥ And gently your lips touched his, letting him taste the saltiness of your skin, mixed with the bitter taste that he left on them, and both of you were ready for the next part… Except you’d have to wait for that.

♥ “Thomas! Come here boy!” Luda Mae called from upstairs and you could hear the sound of a gunshot soon after, right, the people. 

♥ You heard growl against your shoulder, where his head rested, his hands making the wood creak under his annoyed grip. 

♥ “It’s fine, go get them, darling. I’ll be waiting.” you laughed, letting your finger trail the scars covering his jaw. He rolled his eyes, an unsatisfied pout crooking his disfigured lips. “Don’t give me that attitude. It wasn’t YOU who had to stand on the sun for a WEEK to get them here! Do your part, Hewitt.” you scolded him and his face was unimpressed to say the least, chest puffing up in an angry sigh, a tongue poking out from his lips to taunt you. And you gasp. “How rude! You kiss your mother with that mouth?!” 

♥ He laughed, pressing a soft kiss on your lips - No, but you? Yes.

♥ You blushed at his boldness and watched as he picked up his chainsaw, the loud revving of it filling the otherwise silent basement. 

♥ “Good luck.” you hummed and he nodded, leaving for his hunt.

[fifteenskies15]

Twisted Kaguya Hime

(Tokito Muichiro x Demon! Reader)

Summary: Demons and humans never belong together, so does demon slayer and their enemy

Admin's Note: Wow, clearly I'm on roll today, I published two stories in one day, anyways, I have come back with Muichiro's content to feed to you all Muichiro stans, this might be kinda angst since reader will be a demon unde Kokushibo control but they manage to develop a feelings for Muichiro, but let's pretend that Koku had met Mui and that Muichiro have grown up now (approximately 18-20 y/o) here, as per usual, this story is gender neutral

Also, Muichiro might be a bit lovestruck here

"Muichiro...let me tell you a little story..."

"What is it mom?"

"This is a tale of a beautiful princess called, princess Kaguya... Once upon a time... There was an old and poor bamboo cutter called Taketori no Okina, he and his wife didn't have a child and they live in poverty..."

"One day, the old man Taketori found a shining bamboo stalk he cutted it and do you know what he saw? It's a baby girl in size of his thumb, old man Taketori was so elated, he and his wife raised her like she was their daughter and not only that, there's a small gold nugget inside, so... Taketori and his wife is no longer live in poverty, and their daughter, Kaguya has grown up into a woman with an extraordinary beauty..."

"This is the part where Kaguya get her lover, right mom?"

"Many hopeful youngsters did wanted to take Kaguya as their wife, but alas she rejected them all, even with five princes lined up to offer her hand of marriage, she rejected them all regardless, the emperor Mikado is also fell in love with the beautiful princess Kaguya, but alas she's also rejected him, saying that she cannot stay in the palace, but they stay in contact together"

"But do you know, Muichiro? Every summer night when it's full moon, Princess Kaguya is always crying, her adoptive parents were greatly concerned about her, but she was unable to say what's wrong to them, until she revealed that she was not of this world and must return to her people on the Moon..."

"So that means she had to left her parents?"

"Sadly yes... Kaguya hime loves her parents and her friends in earthly being friends, she was very sad but this has to be done...the Earth is not where she belongs, however, the capital of the moon is where she belongs..."

"Even so... Kaguya always missed the protectorate and the kind humans that see her of who she is..."

------

"Muichiro..."

...

"Muichiro..."

...

"Muichiro, my dear...are you okay?"

Muichiro tear his gaze away from the moon and turn his attention to you.

A demon...

But you're more than just a demon to him and he's more than just a human to you, even though you're a demon, a being he should be hated, obliterated and sent to hell, you manage to develop a feeling towards him

...Somehow...

Somehow he manage to grow something inside you, inside your soulless and supposed to be numb body

It's none other than love...

It's been quite a while since you feel something like this, or maybe because it's the first time you feel this, all emotions you could ever remember is sadness and rage especially what your family had done to you back then...

"Fufu... You have been gazing upon the full moon, is everything okay?"

Muichiro just give you a smile "Ah, just remembered the tale my mom used to tell when I was a kid..."

"Enlighten me..."

Muichiro rest his chin on his hand, smiling at you "The tale of Princess Kaguya"

A warm smile spread on your face "Ah, I have heard that story from an old couple I met once, it's sad that Princess Kaguya had to go back to the moon to join her people..."

Muichiro nodded, looking wistful "If she's real, I wonder what she's thinking about the humanity now..."

You didn't care much about humans (except for him, of course) but you know exactly what he meant "I don't mean to be presumptuous, but she could be weeping at how humanity change in a terrible way..."

Muichiro nodded and sighed "either it demons and people the Earth is not the same as she remembered, it's quite sad when you think about it..."

"Mmh... My so called parents are one of those people," you said laying down on the grass while looking at the moon "Poor Kaguya had to face the reality of how this world is soiled"

Muichiro lay down next to you, his mint colored eyes find your (E/C) ones "Say (name) if you are Princess Kaguya and I'm the lucky man who manage to have you as my wife/husband, but you're still had to go to the moon what will you say or do?"

You looked at him with a smile and looked at the moon "even if the heavenly beings told me to stay with them, I will not listen to them, that's probably sounds bold and too forward, but what can I say?" You grabbed his hand as your fingers intertwined.

"I'm head over heels for you, and if I'm being forced to go to the moon, I will make my way just to see you even if it means I had to rope the Earth closer to the moon"

Muichiro smiled warmly at you as he gripped your hand tighter "I would too... I know you're a demon but I can't help but having strong feelings towards you..."

He sighed and looked at the moon again "It as if it was yesterday I almost killed you, I mean, well, you did almost slaughter entire village, I don't even know what came into me and... Well... Here we are, being closer and didn't care about who we are..." He said, his face illuminated by the moon.

"If...if there is a chance you could become a human again...(Name)...will you..."

Muichiro stopped, he seems unsure about continuing his word and this is so not like him, is he...being nervous? Agitated even?

"Will I... what, Muichiro?"

He took a deep breath, he sat up then look at you, directly into your eyes "I know it's been a half of year since we met but... I have been thinking... I don't want to lose you just yet, so...will you marry me?"

You widen your eyes, and you have strange feeling inside your chest...

Was it your heart beating?

...How?

How is it possible?

But you couldn't help it and you smiled...

"Muichiro..."

"Well, isn't that sickeningly sweet?"

All too familiar voice cutted you before you could say yes, and to see upper moon one.

Your creator, Kokushibo.

"Kokushibo-sama!" Your body went autopilot and bowed at him, Muichiro just froze, but it's obvious his eyes are gleaming with rage

"Now it's clear why you have been disappearing lately" his eyes looked at Muichiro who looked like he's veins about to pop, Muichiro gritted his teeth as he saw an upper moon in front of his eyes "You have been doing some disgusting thing with my descendant, I see... That behavior is clearly not something to be forgiven"

Kokushibo slowly unsheathed his sword and glaring down at you "You're awfully aware that his Lordship is not pleased with your tomfoolery, (name)..."

You gulped and freeze in fear, you have once got the taste of a punishment from your Creator and you can't imagine when his master knows about what have you been doing behind his back, before you know it, his grotesque looking sword were swung towards your head and to be blocked by Muichiro.

"Like hell I would let you touch her/him, I don't care if you're an upper moon, but if you touch her/him, I won't hesitate to fight you here and now..."

"M-Muichiro..."

Kokushibo looked at his descendant in amusement, he manage to parry his attack, causing Muichiro backed away from the impact.

"How valiant, you think you have what it takes to defeat me?"

Muichiro disregard him and looked at you "(name), are you alright, my dear?" You just nod, a warm tears trickle down from your (E/C) eyes, Kokushibo just clicked his tongue and hit Muichiro's pulse point

"Muichiro!!"

He nonchalantly stepped over him and grabbed you by your collar, as he glared at you

"(Name), I'm sure you're aware that this place is not for you and no longer your home, and on the note, humans and demons doesn't belong together..." He said as he glowered at you, you swore you could hear venom dripping from his words "...and whether you like it or not, you don't belong to him" Kokushibo said pointing at the unconscious Muichiro, and pointed his sword on his chest.

"Even though he's my descendant, my kin, he's the enemy of his Lordship, I won't hesitate to kill him right in the spot" he pressed the tip of his sword as if he was going to pierce his sword through Muichiro's beating heart.

"I'm still merciful enough because I like you (name), it's your choice... Come with me and I'll let him live... For now...or..." He pressed his blade slightly harder that blood sapping out, slowly tainted his uniform "No, no, no!! Don't kill him, please!! I will come with you, but please spare him, Kokushibo-sama!"

Kokushibo looked at you then put his sword back to his sheath, walking towards you with a smile, it's rather mocking... "It wasn't so hard now wasn't it?" He said as he put his hand on your cheek

"And I am a man of my word, I won't kill him, at least for now, and you..." He paused for a bit "...you will stay with me till that day comes" he turn his heel and looked at the sky, "The moon is beautiful, but as beautiful as it is, in few hours the moon will sink and the sun will rise, we better go unless you wanted a worse death than being killed by his Lordship"

Honestly you would rather die because of the sunshine than come with him (despite the fact he's your creator) but if it means he kept Muichiro stay alive...

Then you had no choice

You looked back at Muichiro's unconscious form and teared up slightly, and dropped something in purpose as you followed Kokushibo to fortress of infinity...

"I'm sorry, Muichiro..."

----

Few hours pass, Muichiro came back to his senses, he jolted awake and looked around "(Name)?! (name)!! Where are you?!" He winced when he felt sting on his chest.

"That bastard..."

He looked around for you and to see something gleaming under the moonlight

It's your amulet necklace...

He took it and looked at it, it has (F/F), hollyhock and ginko leaves symbol on it, he remembered the day you showed it to him

"See this amulet, Muichiro? I made it myself, I added the ginko leaves because for some reason it reminded me of you..."

"Oh really? And I could guess that (F/F) is your favorite flower... Is that supposed to be the symbol of our unification?"

"Maybe? Okay, yeah, maybe it is..."

Somehow he could feel sadness radiating off the inanimate object he's currently holding.

He knows...

He knows that you won't see each other from now on.

"(Name), my love..."

A single tear fell on the amulet as he gripped on it, sadness replaced with rage as he gaze upon the imposing, full moon

"Just like princess Kaguya, you left me to be somewhere you belong to..."

He looked at the amulet as he remembered that tonight is the last night he see you

"Just like princess Kaguya, someone take me away from you just like how they separate her from the emperor..."

He put the amulet around his neck and gripped his sword

"Of all the things had happened, I will twist the tale, just you wait, my dear..."

His once full of life mint eyes turn back into his lifeless one but it gleamed with desire and vengeance

"I will came to you, and make sure you fall into my arms once again..."

----

Admin 15: Oh damn, Mui is a lovestruck yandere in the end,....and I kinda live for it, maybe I should make something with yandere trope for my next story, hehe

Anyways, I'm so sorry that this story make no sense, I might be on roll but I guess I'm being overexcited about it

[fanfictionandmore]

The Kreizler Institute | The Alienist + Mphfpc

[Chapter Two | Tales of the Peculiar] 

Jade's POV:

The dinner with Caleb Carr and my uncle was lovely last night. I got to get to know one of my favorite authors, and he gave me great writing tips! After our guest left my uncle and I were up until midnight washing dishes as well as cleaning the kitchen. So it wasn't a surprise when both of us slept in a little late.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched before getting out of bed. Once I got dressed I walked downstairs to find my uncle just starting to brew a pot of coffee. "Good morning, Jade. I hope you slept well." He said with a small smile. "Good morning. I slept great. I don't think I woke up once during the night; I must have really been tired." I replied with a slight laugh.

He decided to cook breakfast and I looked out of the kitchen window, which overlooked my uncle's small flower garden in the back yard. The sky was a beautiful blue with fluffy white clouds floating around. A golden sun was shining brightly as well, making everything really look like spring. The best part was that the temperature was a little warmer than yesterday.

'Maybe Alfius will want to join me on a walk today or something.' I thought inside of my head as I noticed the coffee had finished brewing. I poured both of us a cup before I sat down at the kitchen table where I are dinner with Caleb Carr last night!! I honestly don't think I'll ever get over that as long as I live.

"Could you go and get the newspaper off of the doorstep, please." My uncle said, taking me out of my thoughts. "Sure." I replied. I walked over to the front door and opened it to find a rolled up tube of newsprint laying on the doorstep. When I reached down to pick it up I suddenly got the strange feeling that I was being watched. So I looked around to see if I could spot out anyone in particular that was looking on my direction.

After a few seconds or so, I realized that I didn't see anyone really watching me. Everyone was going on about their daily business; but I still couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching me. I pressed my thoughts to the back of my mind before I stepped back inside and closed the door behind me. When I entered the kitchen breakfast was ready. So I filled my plate and joined my uncle at the table to eat and make small talk.

"So... what do you think we should do today?" I asked him curiously after a few moments of comfortable silence. "We could go for a walk. I'd love to show you around the city a little, especially since it's such a nice day." He replied with a small smile. "That sounds wonderful." I replied happily. After we finished eating I chose to get ash the dishes as he read the newspaper.

When everything was cleaned and put away, I quickly brushed my teeth before we got ready to head out. This was my first time in New York, so I was feeling excited and a little nervous as well. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The only thing I've seen so was is Stuyvesant Park and the inside if an old book store. What happened yesterday suddenly came flooding back to me.

The memories of meeting Caleb Carr completely pushed the events of earlier that day out of my mind, until now. I remembered the young man in Victorian clothing who was standing in the window of one of the houses on East Seventeenth Street. 'Wow, I can't believe I actually remembered the street I was on.' I thought to myself as I got into my uncle's car.

To be perfectly honest, I thought I'd be seeing New York through the window of a cab. But I didn't mind having the privilege and comfort in being in a private owned car. He took me all over the place. I got to see the most touristy spots as well as the more local gems that get ignored by visitors. Alfius was my own personal tour guide, which made me feel a bit special. I got to see some things that only a handful of tourists ever get to see.

For lunch we stopped at Cafe Lafayette, which was quite fancy. It put me out of my comfort zone but the owner seemed to know my uncle, so I kinda understood why he chose to eat here. We got a table that was secluded from the other patrons as well. I didn't much appreciate all the sideways glances I was getting from the customers. They were all dressed in expensive clothing while I was wearing a Marilyn Manson t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans. Not to mention the worn looking combat boots.

Alfius introduced me to the owner and explained that it was my first time in the city. He said that he would tell the chef to make something extra special for the occasion, which gave me anxiety. Extra special sounded like extra expensive to me. I might be an author, but I don't sell enough books to live the high life. I'm more of a bare bones sort of person when it comes to that kind if stuff.

I like to live comfortably not extravagantly. But there wasn't any way I could protest against what was happening. I was the one paying for the meal, and I didn't want to come off as rude since my uncle is friends with the staff. So I just sat there and sipped on my glass of water. "What do you think of New York now that you've seen most of it?" My uncle asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, I really like it. It has charm and beauty." I replied with a small smile. "Good, I'm glad you like it." He said happily. Eventually a couple of waiters came with out meals, and we dug into the delicious looking food. After we ate my uncle spoken to the chef and owner of the joint. I just sort of lingered in the background... watching. The pair of them gave me great ideas for characters in a book, but I tried not to think about that too much.

Especially when the characters started to resemble some characters I've already written about. 'I wish I could get some inspiration for new characters.' I thought even though I knew I wouldn't be able to write anything. The writers block seemed as if it was here to stay, and it scared the hell out of me. Nothing is worse when you can't create when creating is you're everything.

"Alright, you have a wonderful evening. I'll see you guys sometime later this week." My uncle said, taking me out of my thoughts. He had paid for the meals and it was time for us to leave the cafe. We got into the car and I suggested a walk around Stuyvesant Park. I found it absolutely beautiful, and I wanted to appreciate it now that it wasn't cold and raining.

Since the weather was nice there was a bunch of people milling about. Some were playing with their dogs, others were watching their children have fun, and a few were reading books or newspapers. I was there to enjoy the park and people watch. I also hoped that the ducks I saw last time were there again today, which they were. When we decided to head home I spotted the house I noticed the last time I came to the park.

"Alfius, what can you tell me about that place?" I asked him when we had to stop for traffic. I wasn't sure if he knew anything about the house, I was just sort of hoping he did. "Number 283, East Seventeenth Street. Well, it belongs to my good friend Caleb... actually." He replied. "It does? Is... is there anyone staying in the house?" I asked with slightly furrowed brows. My first thought was that he had to have someone staying in the house if I saw someone inside it. Unless he has squatters.

"No. He gave up trying to rent it out a long time ago. I think it's because the locals think it's haunted." He said with a very serious look on his face. Usually I'm the only one who believes in spirits and ghosts, but I guess that's something I inherited from Alfius. It seemed like he too believed the house was haunted. "Does Caleb think it's haunted?" I asked. "Well... not exactly. I mean... he thinks something is there, but he doesn't believe that it's ghosts." He said, giving me a sideways glance.

Chills ran up my spine as we began to move again and headed back to his place. I'm not sure why, but I got the feeling that he wasn't telling the whole truth. I didn't wanna mention what I had seen yesterday and something told me I didn't have to, because he already knew. But if the house is haunted then why try to hide it? I pressed my thoughts to the back of my mind as we got closer and closer to our destination.

When we got home he parked his car in his garage and I headed upstairs to my room. Now that I had some time to myself I decided to check out that book I bought at the second hand book store yesterday. I took the book off of my bedside table and opened it. The pages were elegantly illustrated with flourish and gold foiling. The page after the title page had 'To Alma LeFay Peregrine. Who taught me to love tales. - MN'

Then there was a quote in a language I didn't understand. At first I thought it was Latin but I could have been wrong. But what was the most chilling and interesting was the forward that was printed just after the table of contents page. It said:

"Dear reader,

The book you hold in your hands is meant for peculiar eyes only. If by chance you are not among the ranks of the anomalous --- in other words, if you don't find yourself floating out of bed in the middle of the night because you forgot to tie yourself to the mattress, sprouting flames from the palms of your hands at inopportune times, or chewing food with the mouth in the back of your head --- then please put this book back where you found it at once and forget this ever happened. Don't worry, you won't be missing anything. I'm sure you'd only find the stories contained herein strange, distressing, and altogether not to your liking. And anyways, they're none of your business.

Very peculiarly yours,

The publisher"

I sat there for a few minutes wondering if this was some kind of joke the publisher decided to put at the beginning of the book, or if it was true. 'Am I peculiar?' I wondered curiously to myself. After a little while I decided that I was going to read the thing regardless. After all, I spent money on the thing and I was curious to see what tales the book held inside. What were a few strange and unusual tales going to do to me? Besides, I myself am strange and unusual.

So I continued reading and found the first three tales very interesting. Especially the tale about The Splendid Cannibals and The First Ymbryne. As I began to start on the fourth one, my uncle knocked on my door and asked what I'd like for dinner. "It doesn't matter." I replied. "If that's the case, grab your jacket, I'm taking you to the best pizza joint in town." He said, which made me smile.

I sat my book aside before I got up off of my bed and slipped my jacket on. I was heading out of my door before something told me to hide the book underneath my pillow, and so I did. "I hope you weren't writing anything. You're on vacation, you need a break from work." He said as he locked up the house.

"I wasn't writing anything. I was reading." I replied. When we got into the car my stomach churned like I was going to be sick. But it soon faded away as we headed down the street. I desperately hoped I wasn't coming down with something.

++++++++++++++++++ A/N: Thanks for reading!!

[iliveonmylaptop]

Disappeared

(In which my I wish my DM took obvious plot hooks so I could play my secondary character oh well guess I’ll do it myself)

To say the heist went off smoothly would be a blatant lie, but it was actually successful in the very least so they couldn’t do too much complaining about it in the end. 

One tense, waterlogged night later, and Amir had his mech and his anti-scrying necklace, Navryn had a new charm to stave off her illness a little while longer, and the rest of them had some new bruises and a good amount of money.

Now the night later, Amir had bid them farewell and vanished to supposedly start avoiding Ravenwatch. Meanwhile, Gilther had nabbed a small amount of funds from the Bank of Miry and practically commandeered a nearby tavern to throw an impromptu party to the success of their mission. 

That’s Gilther for you, Alwin figured.

The others had joined in, though Nav had bowed out early to retreat to her room in the inn they were staying in. Alwin suspected that she was still feeling the effects from such a high-intensity adventure. She’d been coughing a lot more in the past few hours, waving off his concern when he asked with just a weak smile. So he had let it go. 

Alwin wasn’t really a party person in general, but tonight was going especially poorly for him. He still hadn’t had the chance to meditate yet and was nursing a nice new scar on his upper left arm; courtesy of a Child of Athos’s lucky dagger strike. So here he was. Outside the festivities, by himself. As usual. 

It was dark and cool out. The sun had set several hours ago and the taverns lights were still shining brightly, thanks to the party. Alwin sighed, resting against the stone blocks that made up the wall behind him. He was definitely feeling last nights exertions. His whole body ached with a low ambient pain and he had that exhausted swirl behind his eyes that marked him being all out of spells for the moment. 

He took one last glance at the tavern, smiled tiredly, and pushed off the wall. Maybe a walk would clear his head. 

Tent Town was quiet, even for this time of night. Alwin breathed in deeply, taking in the sour stench of misery wafting below the cooler tones of the salt air. Nethis was a city like any other. Still, something about it felt… off. It was so crowded with people, overflowing with poverty and general unrest. The city seemed to press in on him, almost suffocating in its size. It’d been a long time since he’d been this anxious about his surroundings. 

Maybe it was his upbringing talking. Trees aren’t nearly as noisy as people.

Alwin paused at the end of a row of tents, rolling his shoulders and wincing. Damn. Maybe walking wasn’t the best choice when he was still this tired. He instinctively went to tug on his bracers, getting a flicker of surprise and then irritation when he remembered they weren’t there.

He wasn’t used to roaming around without his armor on. But it had gotten soaked on the previous mission and it needed some drying out in his room before he could re-treat the leather and be able to wear it again. 

Alwin sighed again, claiming a seat on a nearby stump. He was being ridiculous, wasn’t he. Oh well. 

“Got anything to say?” he murmured, glancing up at the moon. It was a mere sliver in the sky at this stage, forcing his night vision to work for every foot of sight he got. “Am I still on track for you, Goddess? Are heists in your grand cosmic plan?”

The moon, predictably, did not reply. Alwin laughed, a soft huff in the still air. “Didn’t think so.”

“You’re out late.”

Alwin flinched with a full body motion, spinning in his seat with hands instinctively raised. What the fuck…?

Amir stepped out of the shadows, eyebrow raised. Alwin blinked and relaxed a hair, bringing a hand over his chest.

“Damn, you scared the living stars out of me,” he said. He shook his head, squinting back at the thief. “Kinda rude, actually. Weren’t you supposed to have scampered off with your prize?”

Amir chuckled. He tugged at a cord beneath his hood, giving a silver glimpse of the charm they’d stolen for him. 

“I have a passage on a ship leaving in an hour or so. My cargo is already on board, ready for some insurance. Ravenwatch won’t be finding me anytime soon with this, anyways.”

Alwin nodded, leaning back in his seat and rubbing his eyes. Something was buzzing in the back of his head, an old suspicion to not trust any thieves guilds. Amir seemed… alright, though. He hadn’t done anything super shady so far, and he was doing his best to get away from Ravenwatch, something Alwin could appreciate at the very least. 

“So, other than doing your best to put our party’s rogue to shame with your sneaking skills, what are you doing out here?”

Amir smirked, casually claiming a seat next to him. 

“I have to wait somewhere, don’t I?” He said while Alwin wondered if it would be overly rude to shift away. “Besides, I wanted to thank you.”

Alwin snorted, fiddling with his gloves. “Yeah you already did that. The gold is nice.”

“I meant you, specifically.”

Alwin paused, giving him a steady look as his instincts sang in warning. Amir’s face was still mostly hidden in the shadows of his hood, making his face hard to read at this angle. 

“Why?” He asked flatly. “You didn’t seem so thrilled about the rest of us tagging on. You only wanted Thora; for the heavy lifting. What makes me so special in your eyes all of a sudden?”

“That is a question, isn’t it,” Amir mused. “Who are you, Alwin? The wandering vagabond? A rogue cleric on a mission from his goddess, as you claim?” His voice dropped. “Or are the rumors true?”

Alwin flicked his eyes around them. It was quiet, with no one else in sight. This was… not great. He curled his fingers against the rough wood, missing his staff and wishing for maybe an extra five or six spell slots. 

“What rumors, exactly?” He finally said. Amir seemed to smile at his tight tone, a glimmer of white teeth peeking out from the shadows. 

“I may not be part of Ravenwatch anymore, but they do deal in information. Now imagine my surprise when some old contacts had a significant amount of information on you. You’re a long way from home, te’krula.”

Alwin stood up, heart hammering. He knew it this was foolish he knew people would know why didn’t his party take him seriously-

“This conversation is over,” he snapped. His hands were shaking from nervous energy, and he shoved it down. 

“No, I don’t think it is,” Amir said, soft. Alwin snarled as Amir’s hand shot out, grabbing his elbow. He whirled on him, already summoning a handful of arcane flames. 

“Don’t even think about it you piece of- ” Alwin gasped, stumbling momentarily as a sharp pain bloomed in his rib cage where Amir had buried a needle-like dagger in a lightning-quick movement. 

Amir tried to back up after his strike, but Alwin grabbed a handful of his cloak as leverage to punch him directly in the face with his flaming hand. The thief stumbled backwards with a curse, hand immediately going to the seared flesh across his cheekbone. Alwin yanked out the dagger after a moment, barely even wincing at the trickle of blood. He threw it aside with a contemptuous motion, the metal disappearing into the scraggly grass. 

“I’m not gonna give you a second shot, asshole,” Alwin spat. He reached for his magic, the beginnings of thorns growing out from the ground beneath his feet. His hands trembled, which he ignored.

And Amir- laughed. 

“I don’t need a second shot.” He wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his hand, grinning. “The first was enough.”

A wave of dizziness spun over Alwin and his eyes went wide in realization. The trembling in his hands stilled, along with the rest of the movement in his body.

“Fuck,” he rasped, swaying as his joints and muscles locked up. “What the fuck- did…”

“A paralytic poison,” Amir said, watching Alwin struggle uselessly against his own body with a distinct amount of satisfied interest. “ Don’t worry- it won’t kill you. It’s not strong enough to stop your heart.”

Breathing was hard, but it was all he could focus on as his body stopped answering to him. Alwin screamed internally as his jaw locked up with the rest of him, stopping the verbal component needed for his spell-casting. The vines shriveled away, disappearing with the last of his magical capabilities. 

He collapsed. 

I knew it, his frantic thoughts said, swirling around in his frozen head. I knew it I knew it I knew this would happen- 

Amir knelt next to him, cocking his head curiously. 

“I’m always surprised by how quickly that poison takes effect. Still,” he brushed a lock of hair out of Alwin’s face, calmly meeting his furious gaze. “Can’t be too careful when dealing with spellcasters. Especially not ones of… your caliber,” he chuckled. 

Fuck you, Alwin wanted to scream, but all that came out was a strangled growl. The instinctive terror of once again being helpless, flat on his back, burned into rage at Amir, at the world, at himself for once again letting his guard down when he had just started thinking that maybe he’d be ok, that just maybe he’d finally found some people he could stay with. But he couldn’t say it- just stare upwards at the man who was casually going to take it away. Amir seemed to get the message anyway. 

“You’re probably wondering what this is about,” the thief continued. He was currently rummaging through his bag, pulling out some loops of rope and something leather that Alwin couldn’t make out, frozen on the damp grass as he was. “To put it simply- you’re my insurance.” A firm hand pushed him on to his side, so Amir could start the process of binding his hands behind his back. “You’re worth a lot in certain circles. Alive, again, so don’t think that I went through all this trouble just to kill you.”

Alwin’s breath hissed through his teeth, unable to answer- not that he wanted to at this point. Amir only hummed from where he was, pulling the ropes tight with practiced ease. 

“Someone in Athos will be very happy to have the sole heir to Terranith at their disposal,” Amir said. He finished on Alwin’s wrists, moving up to his shoulders. Alwin shuddered as the rope looped around his chest, the act of breathing starting to escape him as the poison ran its course. Amir appeared to notice and paused as Alwin’s vision starting swimming into black.

He patted his captive’s shoulder, clicking his tongue sympathetically. “But that will be your problem- not mine.”

Alwin finally let go, world fading into darkness, and he knew no more.

--------

So the storyteller in me is screeching right now.

 Also- I write these for me. But if even one person enjoys reading these, I’ll continue posting them here on tumblr. (My Burn Scars comp seems to have gotten deleted? I guess I’ll have to repost the whole thing.)

Hey if you want more Alwin and the Inhumans stuff, how about leaving a like or a reblog? (Or an ask I talk way too much about everything and will yell at you for like an hour about it)

[imaginetonyandbucky]

And Still, You’re Next To Me - Chapter 4/4

Once Bucky stopped freaking out about his relapse, he noticed the only one freaking out was him. No shrieks of horror from the civilians, no glares from the Avengers…Wanda was even smiling at him for fuck’s sake! He knew the Soldier wouldn’t listen to that agent, no matter how many trigger words he had in store for them. Murder’s just not in his nature anymore. He knew, but still freaked about it because in all honesty, he expected Clint to riddle him with arrows the second he snapped into the Soldier.

And then there was Tony, who witnessed the Soldier in his new element many times by now and wasn’t fazed by him coming to the surface at all.

So it took a failed HYDRA attack for Bucky to realize a lot of…interesting things. Concerning Tony. He can’t sleep through the entire night after the attack, mulling over the revelation and devising his next move.

The Avengers beat him to it during breakfast.

Steve approaches him first, apologizing for not supporting him more in the past few months.

Being half-way through his sandwich, he doesn’t really know what to say, completely caught off guard by his absolutely devastated looking best friend so he just nods and waves him off.

“S’not a big deal.”

“Yes it is!” he widens his eyes and keeps apologizing for the remainder of his meal until Bucky finally persuades him it’s fine and forgiven.

Because it is. Since Tony subtly inserted himself in between him and the Avengers’ bullshit – quite literally like a knight in the shining armor – Bucky decided not to dwell too much on it anymore. Of course it hurt. And it was so unfair on so many levels. But with Tony in charge of damage control, the Avengers were slowly coming around and he also shifted his demeanor onto the positive side as a result.

Natasha whips around the corner at one point, giving him a challenging look. “I was a real bitch to you. Wanna spar after lunch and kick my ass for it?”

“Uh…,” he frowns and her look intensifies a hundred fold which is just damn scary. “Yeah, sure.

“Cool,” she nods in approval and disappears again.

One by one, the other members approach him to say sorry – each in their own specific way. Except for Wanda, who is probably not in the apologizing stage quite yet, but at least she’s not all up in his business anymore.

And then there’s Clint, who mandrops on him from the vent in the hallway leading to the elevator some time later.

“Yo, Barnes!”

He’s lucky Bucky doesn’t scare easily these days. No need to let him know that he caught him completely by surprise though. God forbid he’d grow an ego. “Lemme guess. You wanna say sorry by…challenging me to a cook off. Oh wait, no. That was Vision. So, what are we gon’ do?”

Clint’s the surprised one now. He takes a step back and squints. “Guess I’m the last one, huh? Well, I was thinking I’d take you on a tour de Compound, show you all the secret paths and hideaways so we could do some serious spy off later…while profusely apologizing.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he grins at the archer and takes a step forward, but Clint blocks his way.

“Great! So in the spirit of apologizing, you might wanna know that Tony is in the workshop…as usual.”

“O…kay? Why are you - ”

“He’s in the lockdown mode…meaning that he won’t be coming up anytime soon and nobody’s making it past the doors inside either. Unless you know the supersecret password of course,” he smirks. “Which I can tell you.”

“Becaaause…?”

“Because you were heading there anyway? And because he only ever goes into lockdown mode if he’s either in the middle of a scientific breakthrough, or in the middle of a personal crises. My money’s on the second one this time. So you might wanna go…lift his spirits.”

Oh. Who knew Birdbrain - as Tony so loves to call him - was this insightful? He actually thought Hawkeye doesn’t even like Tony very much, and yet…

“Dinner would…lift his spirits. Or a movie night. He likes movies. Especially bad sci-fi ones, those entertain him to no end.”

“Uh, a’right? Why would I - ”

“Because I’m not blind? And only half-deaf, so make a move, Snowflake, before he either drowns in self-doubt, again, or someone else will. Make a move. If you know what I mean.”

Maybe too insightful, for Bucky’s liking. “Okay, fine, give me the damn password, Birdbrain.”

Clint’s shit-eating grin as he tells him the password is probably going to stick for days, that’s how strong it is. But Bucky can wipe if off for him later when he totally owns him in the spy off.

He’s got a date to plan and a man to dig out of a workshop first.

(read-more ahead!)

“This doesn’t look right, DUM-E,” Tony inspects the bot’s handy work. How hard can it be to sort the tools in alphabetical order?! In DUM-E’s case real damn hard apparently, otherwise the welding stuff wouldn’t be put first and the hammer wouldn’t be all the way over there with the screwdrivers. “Wh…why is U and Butterfingers in here too?!”

DUM-E, the little shit that he is, just beeps happily and considers his work done, rolling away from the scene. 

“We’ll be talking about that later young man! You can’t think of your brothers as t - ” he yells after him, but cuts himself off as soon as he spots one very much present Bucky Barnes sitting on the table opposite of the workbench. “Tools. And we’ll be going over your alphabet! You little…should have left you in the Tower,” he mumbles when the only reply he gets is another happy beep that seems to be aimed at Bucky anyway. “How did you get in here?” he looks between the definitely password protected entrance and the…grinning supersoldier. Nope, he’s beaming. He’s been smiling more lately but this is…a suspicious increase by a ton.

He looks happy. And hell if that sight doesn’t do weird things to Tony’s brain.

“Through the door,” he answers, grin widening.

Tony glares at him, folding his hands. “It’s password protected!”

“Yeah,” he nods, still smiling. “One, two, three, four, five is a real good password.”

Son of a…okay, the password is the worst but he didn’t expect the tech illiterates here to crack it and anyone with any tech knowledge would never guess his password to be this shitty.

“Clint gave it to me. I bet he’s spied it off from the AC vent over there.”

“Son of a bitch!” he grumbles out loud this time. Usually, he would go inspect the vent…and rig it with deadly explosives, and then have Fry change the password to something more formidable this time around, but he can’t tear his eyes off of the man in front of him. “What’s with the…,” he waves a hand at the whole of him, realizing he doesn’t know how to describe what he’s seeing. It’s a bit weird to ask ‘oh hey, why are you looking so damn happy?!’. And what the hell is he wearing?! A beige shirt?! Since when does he own colors other than black?! And those jeans he totally got from whoever Steve stole his pair of the all too fitting ones years ago. What’s with supersoldiers never wearing their actual clothing size?!

He’s dressed to kill. Not the assassin kinda killing.

“All the…what?” he smirks and that’s it.

That’s the end of Tony, right there. “The uh…you’re…smiling. Like…a lot,” he stutters out, willing his thoughts to behave.

“Had a good day. A really good day,” he adds.

“Yeah?”

“Uh huh,” he hums an octave lower than should be legal and continues to just stare at Tony. “Had five club sandwiches for breakfast along with seven heartfelt apologies from the team and then Wanda took me shoppin’. And didn’t kill me on the way there or back so yeah, that’s my definition of a really good day.”

Tony’s brain takes a minute to stop conjuring dirty thoughts and then processes what he’s just said. “Wait…apologies? They apologized? The team?” he shakes his head, holding a finger up. “No no no, never mind that, but Wanda took you shopping?!” he blurts out and Bucky nods. “Wanda…are we talking about the same Wanda? Are you sure? You’re not hallucinating or anything?” he asks but the man only gives him more nods and wider damn smirks. “Am I hallucinating? Or drunk?”

“Your haven’t drunk anything, boss,” FRIDAY reassures him. “Including water, by the way. And I can confirm that Sergeant Barnes did actually go shopping with Ms. Maximoff. Without any incidents.”

So if he’s not drunk or losing his mind…that means the Avengers really did apologize to Bucky and Wanda took him shopping…what?!

He decides solving the mystery behind those actions is not the priority right now and focuses on the result instead. The happy, grinning result standing just over there and looking at Tony like he’s the Sun and Bucky’s the Winter and he can’t get enough of the warmth.

Yep, his brain is so done for. 

He relaxes his tense posture and slowly cracks a smile of his own. “Wow…was about time they got their heads out of their asses. You better not be letting them off too easily, especially the SHIELD twins.”

“Nah,” he shakes his head. “I’m happy with the way it turned out…no vengeful thoughts in mind. Yet,” he shrugs. “Besides, I’m gonna be too busy anyway.”

“Busy?” he tilts his head to the side, eyebrows raised. Busy doing what, looking like a new deadly sin?

“Yeah. Busy inviting a guy to dinner to thank him…for a lotta things.”

“Oh?” Oh…okay, sure. A thank-you dinner. Awesome. Very…friendly. And appropriate. And is it too late to fly into a black hole in the sky and disappear forever? He hopes not.

“And when the thank you’s part is done, I’m thinkin’ we forget the food and just…make out. Hoping the Soldier won’t go berserk because of the spaghetti he’s made are going cold in the background,” he says with a flare of confidence Tony didn’t think he possessed.

“Oh really? S’what you’re thinking?” he asks, trying to look and sound uninterested but failing miserably. He can’t stop the excitement and he can’t stop the smile.

“Unless I got this all wrong…me and the whole team, by the way…then yeah. That’s what I’m thinkin’.”

Tony’s brain snaps back into action and with one swift motion to the side of the workbench, he shuts down the project he’s been pretending to work on through the night. “Why don’t we forget the thank you part and just make out on the way up to the kitchen and eat? Wouldn’t wanna make the Soldier angry, would we?”

“That’s a great idea,” he chuckles, leaning away from the table.

Tony walks up to him with a smirk and winks. “Been full of great ideas lately.”

“Yeah, you have,” Bucky’s grin eases into a gentle smile and it’s the final thing that wipes all the fears and doubts away from Tony’s mind.

They move in for the kiss and Tony has to quickly forget about the damn Birdbrain, who he’s gonna have to thank for all this later. And then promptly kill him for spying on people from the vents.

But for now, he’ll enjoy the moment, the kiss, the dinner and the man whose smile is definitely gonna be the death of him.

~Fin

[lovely-bangtan7]

The Little Mermaid And Her Human Prince | 7

Pairings: Taehyung x reader

Genre: Mermaid!au; angst, fantasy, fairy tale

Words: 2,4k

Warnings: p>

Summary: Your father, the king of the merfolk, has forbid you to come in contact with the humans. But as you see a ship with humans in need of help, you forget his rule and try to help. Unfortunately, you put yourself in danger and got saved by a beautiful human boy. Since the moment you lied your eyes on him, things have changed.

A/N: Hi! 

<<previous chapter | chapter 7 | next chapter>>

You woke up in your room. Did you dream? Was your wish to go back and find Hobi projected in one of your dreams?

You moved yourself to a sitting position, groaning that your bones were hurting with every move you did.

“Hey easy there!” A manly voice next to told you and pit you by your shoulders down, back on your bed. It was Namjoon who waited next to your bed until you woke up.

“Why are you here?” You asked him confused and Namjoon sighed.

“Everyone searched for you the whole night!” He said in an angry town which made you wince. You wouldn’t have thought that Namjoon could speak in such a way, he was usually very calm. “Taehyung found you on the beach, unconscious. What were you doing there? What happened?”

You didn’t know how to explain. He knows that you are a mermaid, but does he know about your stone and how you could turn into a human? Taehyung believed you back then when you explained it to him and Namjoon is a very intelligent human, but still you were scared.

“Well, I was searching for something.” Namjoon was now raising one brow, waiting for your explanation. “You know, to turn back into a mermaid I need to find my stone!”

“No I don’t know, you never explained it to me.” Namjoon told you before he sighed again. “Okay, you should rest for now, you don’t look good. You can explain to me later if you want to. But now sleep some more and when you wake up I will call Patricia to bring you food.” With these words Namjoon left the room.

“Have you found her?”

“No, Your Majesty, I am sorry but there is no sight of your daughter or her friend.” A guard of your father’s castle said.

The king rubbed his eyes, he hadn’t slept since the day you didn’t come home. He knew that you were on one of your many adventures with your friend, but he never expected that you wouldn’t come home. The whole kingdom, Atlantis was searching for their youngest princess.

“Don’t stop searching. Search under every shell, behind all stones under the sea until you find my daughter!” He roared, frustrated. His shouts were heard in the whole ocean, every merman and every fish could have heard his words.

“Dad, let us help search for her. Azalea and I want to do something too!” Your oldest sister, Nerissa pleaded. Your two older sisters were as much worried as your father was and wanted to search for you too, but your father had forbid your sisters to leave the castle.

“No, how many times do I need to explain to you two that it is too dangerous! Especially for two young princesses!”

“But y/n left the castle many times before, too!” Nerissa argued back and angered her father even more.

“That was before she and her friend went missing!” He screamed but immediately regretted it as he saw the faces of his daughters covered in fear. Your father sat down on his throne, his face buried in his face.

“Nerissa, Azalea you should leave your father alone for a while. He is tired.” Your Mother said way calmer than everyone else.

After their daughters left their parents, Queen Diana and King Poseidon were left alone.

“Do you think Siren has something to do with this all?” Your mother asked more to herself than to your father. She was also very tired, it was clearly showing on her face. Her eyes were red from the lack of sleep and the shine of her long blonde hair has also was also less than it usually was.

“She would have let us already know, if she would be behind this.” Your father said, being in deep thoughts where you might be. “But I think I know where she might be.”

Your mother looked into the tired eyes of her dear husband, she didn’t want to even think for a second that you might not be in the ocean anymore, but somewhere else.

While the kingdom under was searching for their princess, the kingdom on land was preparing for a magnificent ball, in honour of the King’s birthday.

Once again the stafff was rushing around and everyone was in stress to clean the whole castle.

Even though your head was dizzy and you felt very tired, you wanted to walk around the castle and see if you could help, you didn’t know how to, but were sick of being in your room all day to ‘rest’. Unfortunately the staff there either ignored you, too busy with their tasks or turned you down in a kind way. Some of them appreciated your helpful side, but they said they weren’t allowed to let you, especially you, work.

Since minutes you were just walking through the halls of the castle, taking every detail, every sculpture and every colour in. Someday this all will exist only in your memory, for you, when you go back home. On one side you were excited to go back to your family which you miss with all your heart and finally see Hoseok again and go on another, much safer adventures but on the other side you were sad to leave this place and their people, that you had let you come in your heart. You learned so much from them and you always had a good time with Seokjin, Namjoon, Patricia and Taehyung. You will miss them for sure.

As you let your thoughts wander and passed by a crooked door leading to, you assumed the dance hall, you heard a soft tune play and two people laughing softly, a laugh filled with so much love it made your heart grow with even more love.

You decided to take a small glimpse at the two who were listening to the music. You expected that either Taehyung and Amanda were in the room since they were engaged, even though Amanda was always harsh to Taehyung and other people, even to you, you guess he must feel something for her otherwise she wouldn’t be his future wife but you weren’t met with the sight of them, nor with the sight of a woman and a man. There was Jungkook dancing with Amanda’s brother, Jimin.

The two were holding their hands and moving on the floor in fluent moves, looking at each other with adoration and love. But from time to time Jimin focused more on the dancing than on Jungkook, because his partner made a few mistakes.

“Why are you staring at me?” He asked him “Focus more on the dancing!”

“How should I focus on the dancing when I have you in my arms?” Jungkook said with a dreamy smile on his lips, his eyes wandering down to Jimin’s lips and back to his eyes.

Jimin shifted in Jungkook’s soft grip, his ears burning hot from the words of Jungkook. “Stop that or-”

But before Jimin could finish his sentence,Jungkook cut him with a kiss on his lips,

In that moment you slowly closed the door, trying to be as quiet as possible and leave the two alone. It made you happy that among all this mess of preparations you could still find love in a few corners of the castle. It didn’t matter if the love was between two lovers or between family members or between the staff who worked here, that helped each other and treated everyone so nicely.

You continued your little walk through the castle, watching how the humans were working and still trying to help them. Your way found to the outside, the gardens to be exact. It was a sunny day with a warm weather. Feeling the warm sunshine on your skin was still strange to you. You were used to colder temperatures and dark places, but this was completely different. You took a halt to look up at the burning ball in the sky, the sun. It was so bright and it started to stung your eyes, nevertheless you didn’t want to look away, you were too fascinated at the strange and unknown thing shining brightly down at you.

Suddenly two large hands covered your eyes,blocking the sun from your face. You couldn’t figure out who it was until that someone started to speak.

“It’s dangerous to look up, you will go blind by the sun.” A soft, deep voice spoke. You turned around, rubbing your eyes blended by the sun, until you could see again and recognize that it was Taehyung standing behind you and protecting your eyes from the sun.

“Oh Taehyung, hello!” You said with a bright smile. You hadn’t seen him since two days now, he was too busy with many appointments with his father and with Amanda.

Speaking of her, she was also there and made herself noticed with her speaking up.

“Are you guys done yet? I have no time to waste.” She said in a harsh voice. You greeted Amanda too but all she did was scoff at you and roll her blue big eyes.

“Y/n, I wanted to ask you something.” Taehyung started to get your full attention back from Amanda to himself. “Will you attend my father’s birthday as well? I would be happy to see you then.”

You smiled at him, adored the fact that he asked you and made sure that you will be there at the huge ball as well, it made you feel welcomed and cared by him.

You quickly nodded your head and he started to talk again. “Oh that’s good to hear! You will like it. There is so much food to eat, many people to talk to and a lot of dancing!”

Dancing? The same movements Jungkook and Jimin did in the dance hall?

Amanda started to growl and took Taehyung’s arm to drag him back to the palace. “Come on, darling! We have things to do!” She said, sparing you one last toxic look before she showed you her back completely. Taehyung on the other hand was looking at you with an apologetic face, screaming a “See you then!” and left you by yourself.

You suddenly felt empty after Taehyung was gone, it was a very strange feeling. It kinda made you sad that you couldn’t spend as much time with Taehyung as you did before. But you suppose that time changes and there is nothing you could do. People change.

After your lonely walk in the garden, you went back to the castle and made your way to the library. Maybe you could find Namjoon there and help you with a little problem you had. How to dance.

Namjoon was a very smart human and you thought that maybe he could help you but as you entered the empty library you found nothing but the silence. Everyone was busy with something or someone.

You sat down on the couch that was located in the room to let your legs, which grew tired, relax. It was the same couch where Taehyung had read you from the fairy tale book, which was still laying on the couch. You had to smile at this memory, it was still the beginning but at this point it felt like you knew Taehyung much longer.

You took the book in your hands, feeling the roughness of the old pages, your fingers tracing the symbols written on it. You actually really wished to learn how to read and discover what these books had to say. But will that small wish of yours ever come true?

The sound of the door opening and closing had brought you, once again, from your thoughts and Namjoon entered the room. He also looked exhausted, a few times you saw him and Yoongi rushing through the halls either talking about preparations and other stuff. You felt sorry not only for him but everyone here who had to work so hard.

“Finally, peace…” He noticed your presence in the room and smiled at you. “How are you, little one?”

“Good.” You held your answer short, trying not to bother him but the way you answered him wasn’t believable for him.

“Hm, it doesn’t look ‘good’.” He said as he took a seat next to you. You looked up the tall man in confusion.”Your smile. Where is it?” He said then.

You just shook with your shoulders, looking down at the book in your hands, which. Namjoon had noticed. He took it in his own hands, examining it. “You miss him, right?” Your eyes widened at his question and Namjoon started to chuckle. “Don’t worry he misses you too, a lot actually.”

“Have you talked to him?”

“Not often, but as soon as I saw him he asked me how you were doing and if you were doing good. He always looks so tired, he really has a packed schedule and it prevents him from seeing you. Poor boy.” He explained to you while looking down at the floor, his face fallen in a serious look.

“I saw him, minutes ago. He was very tired, but still smiling.” You said with a smile “Looks like he has someone who makes him happy.” Namjoon had only hummed as an answer, still looking at the floor.

“But…” you started again,unsure how to use the right words to ask Namjoon to help you. The people here were already busy, you didn’t wanted to bother them more than you actually did. “He mentioned the ball… and dancing.” The word dancing brought Namjoon’s full attention on you, his eyebrows furrowed as if he already knew what you were going to ask. “I don’t know how to dance, I never learned it, you know” and you both were laughing for a second before you took a deep breath. “There are so many things I want to learn. I really want to learn dancing, for the ball and I really really- like really really want to learn how to read these books!” You said in one breath and Namjoon started to laugh again.

“Okay I get it. You want some help right? Well, I can help you with your big wish to learn how to read, I will do that gladly my dear, but…” But? Namjoon made a weird face and started to speak slowly “ I kind of can’t dance.” Your hopes that he could help you fell apart. You were excited that he would teach you how to read, but it looks like you were left on your own on how to dance.

“But -don’t look so sad,we could still try! Come on!” With these words Namjoon dragged you out of the library.

Minutes later you were in the hall with Namjoon and Jin and they were trying to explain to you how to dance. These two were showing you where to put your feet and how to move but you couldn’t understand what they were trying to tell you and the moves these two do are much different than the moves Jungkook and Jimin did.

From minute to minute you were losing hope on learning how to dance. But felt bad since Jin and Namjoon tried to help you as much as they could, even though they had barely time. As the two were showing you different moves you heard someone behind you laughing hysterically. You turned around in your spot and saw Jungkook laughing and next to him a very confused Jimin, trying to figure out what the hell Jin and Namjoon were trying to do.

“I am scared to ask, but what are you doing?” He asked the three of you.

“They are giving me dance lessons for the ball.” You answered Jimin, who nodded in approval.

“Well, this is no dancing.” Jungkook commented between laughers and earned a dirty look from Jin. Jungkook came up to you, but his hands on your shoulders and whispered in your ear “Let you teach you dancing from a professional.” And turned you to Jimin, standing there frustrated at the dancing attempts from the cook and teacher, but the young boy, probably the same age as Taehyung, sent you a confident smile.

“Don’t worry, I will teach you dancing.”

Next Chapter>>