#everybody stop being boring. everybody stop being boring RIGHT NOW

[yellowocaballero]

I admire your commitment to writing tim drake as having spent his formative childhood years on a different awful forum in every universe. it fills a conspicuous void in the fandom ecosystem.

I want to put this ask on my wall. Thank you for understanding me. Thank you so much.

Look, I think there are reasons why characters act the way they do. So often when writing Batfam people put in 0 work into actually establishing why or how a character is Like That, which feels necessary when the character is the most Like That of all time. You end up with a father-son or brotherly soulmates situations and it's bizarre. Why are you adopting this child you saved, you save fifty children a day and there is nothing special about him.

Tim Drake is a fucking freak and there needs to be a reason for that. Child neglect isn't enough. Somebody like Tim needs a very specific thing to happen in their lives to get them to the point of making his decisions. He needs to be obsessive, to spend time in a place that feeds and validates his obsessions, to be in a place where he can easily collect a great deal of data to construct a pathway model, and for all of this to happen without leaving his room. It has to be the internet. Tim is a guy who the internet churns out. I know he's from the 80s but Tim as a person is somebody who is so chronically online in the weirdest way. Not chronically online how WE'RE chronically online. He's on the weird forums. Like those military simulator game forums where military personnel post classified blueprints for future military tanks in order to win an argument. Those kinds.

If you were a domestic terrorist in the early 00s you were probably on Something Awful. All I can say (Actually, technically the SA thing is an anachronism - it didn't actually pick up until the early 00s. But it was the website that worked the best, explained the most, and I fucking needed to make the 'But he wouldn't tell her what the awful thing was' joke, so here we are). This is also the reason for the other anachronism of NW. Homestuck.

[fandomizedtrash]

Unfinished Business

Remmick x reader

Ask and you shall receive! After almost 500(!) of you responded to my poll, I had to keep writing. Enjoy!

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

word count: 3.2k

Summary: After your parent's were killed when you were just a child, a secluded life in the Mississippi Delta has been all you have know. But when you stumble upon a stranger whose presence draws you in against your better judgement, you end up with more than you bargained for.

Warning: violence, blood, death, dub con elements!

Growing up, the Mississippi Delta felt like the whole world. The endless blue skies, forests that went on forever, rolling fields as far the eye can see, it was all you knew. It was home. Home to you, your friends, your family, your laughter, and your tears.

As a child, hot summer days and home-cooked meals was all you could think about. But while your mind was preoccupied with the beauty of the Delta, you remain completely unaware of the darkness that lurked deep within the trees.

***

“Do it again”! You demanded your father, who as far as you were concered, a magician. 

He chuckled to himself as he began the trick again. 

“Look at my hands.” His fingers were spread out wide while he turned his wrist around to show that there was nothing there. Then he reached behind your ear and took out a small coin. 

You clapped giddily at the site. Being just 7 it amused you to no end. 

“Give your father a break y/n”. You are going to bore him.” Your mother said, poorly suppressing a smile at the site of your glee as she placed the steaming meal in the center of the table.

“How about you help your mother with dinner?” Your father suggested. You ran over to the kitchen and carefully grabbed the plates from your mother’s hands. As you placed them in their proper position, a knock was heard at the front door. 

It was unusual. Your family’s home was at the edge of town and 50 yards deep into the forest from the main path. Most people wouldn’t find it unless they strayed. 

“Stay put.” Your father warned you as he cautiously approached the door. You ran to your mothers side, nervous at the coming of this stranger. 

When your father opened the door, a tall man with dark hair and an almost uncanny wide smile greeted him. 

“Howdy sir, I hate to intrude on this lovely night but I need someone to help crank-start my automobile. Would you be so kind as to help?” Being in a small town, almost everyone knew everybody. And even if you didn’t, you would have at least seen their face at the store or walking down the street. Even at your young age, you could pick out everyone in town from a crowd of thousands. But this was a face you have never seen before, and it unnerved you to no end. While his smile remaind, you knew in your soul that it was not true. 

“It’s just down the road, it won’t take but a few minutes of your time.” For just a split second, you could have sworn the man’s eyes flashed a dark red color. But in an instant, it returned to their original icy color.  

You wanted your father to say no, to shut the door, and turn back to you and your mother so your perfect night could continue; but kindness was always something that was preached in your household.

“It’s no problem mister.” Your father turned his head back. “I’ll be back in a moment.” He shot you and your mother a smile before leaving with the strange man, closing the door behiind him. 

“Don’t you worry baby.” Your mother said coddling you. “Your father will be right back. Now how about some dinner?” Your mother served you some chicken and beans onto your plate, but just when you were about to bite in, an ear-piercing scream came from outside followed by what sounded like when the town's stray dogs bit into a carcass. 

You and your mother’s eyes shot up from the table to the front door as the screams continued. 

“You stay right here!” Your mother demanded as she went outside.

“Mommy no!” You tried to stop her. Whatever evil was happening to your father was sure to happen to her too. 

But it was no use, she ran out. 

You ran to the wall of the door being a chair. Hugging your knees to your chest in a desperate attempt to protect yourself. 

“NO!” you heard your mother scream. Right after, the awful tearing sound continued. followed by silence. 

By this point, your cheeks are completely damp from the tears you didn’t even realize you have been flowing. Who was this man? What did he want? Why did he come to your home?

“Come out little one.” The man yelled from outside. “I saw you earlier in your mother’s arms. I know you want to join them” he said, taunting you. His voice changed, from what it was before. Some sort of accent you have never heard before. 

“Come on y/n, we both know you can’t hide in there forever.” 

Your breath got caught in your throat. He knew your name. How, you didn’t know.

“Your parents were sure kind people.” He began. “It’s a pity that it turned out to be their undoing.” Suddenly, a fight lit inside you. Your feelings of fear and sadness were firmly swept away as anger started to course through your veins. 

You shot up from your huddled position behind the chair and ran to the front door. Whoever this man is, you were going to stop him with whatever you had in you. 

After swinging the door open, you froze in your spot. The darkness made it difficult for you to make everything out, but you saw enough. The man’s eyes glowed red and his clothes were damp with what could only be blood. 

“Hello sweetheart” The man started, standing several feet from your pourch. “You can call me Remmick.” You shut the door, unable to confront the monster that stood behind it. 

“Don’t you worry sweet thing. I’ll be back for you.” 

The next morning, you discovered that your parent’s bodies were gone. Not even a strand of hair remained, leaving you with nothing but memories. 

***

The years have come and gone and now you live in the middle of town working at a local apothocary shop. You have done your besst to suppress the painful memories of that fateful night. The blood, the screams. While you couldn’t escape the Delta, you could at least forget. 

After all these year’s of waiting for Remmick to come back, you started to believe that he may have forgotten about you, and that maybe a normal life is actually possible. The thought that you will never have to encounter this devil of a man again makes you feel relieved, but also angry. That the closure, the revenge you so desperately want will never happen. 

“Hello y/n, got any cough syrups?” Thomas, one of your regular’s came in shooting you a soft smile.

“Sure thing.” You went to the back to collect the bottles. 

“Mighty warm weather we are having aren’t we.” Thomas said as you were cashing him out at the register. 

“It’s always this warm in the Delta.” You teased. “Lord knows we could use some rain. I’d do anything to cool off.” 

“Well if you need some relief from this heat, I’m more than welcome to accompany you on a night’s walk. The sun finally sets and the night air is rather refreshing.” Thomas flashed his pearly whites at you as you handed him his change. Almost every time he comes to the shop he comes up with some new scheme to ask you on a date, and while he was certainly a charmer (and not bad looking either), you couldn’t find yourself taking him up on the offer. 

“Thank you, but I think I can manage this heat just fine.” 

“Whatever you say little lady. Have a nice day.” He tipped his hat and left the store, the belle ringing merrily on his way out. 

As the day was coming to a close, you finished locking up the shop. After storing away the aliments, soaps, herbs, and medicine in all their proper place, you locked the shop door. 

“Hello miss.” The voice of a stranger startled you as you dropped your keys. 

Bending down to pick them up, the stranger beat you to it. Standing up, a man with dark hair and deep blue eyes, held the keys in his hands.

“I believe these are yours.” He said with a small grin. 

The man placed his hand on top of your palm to return the keys for you to then place in your dress pocket. 

“Thank you sir.” You responded kindly, blushing at the brief touch of contact. Being a yong lady in a small town meant that if a man had the chance to firt with you, he would. But none were certainly as good-looking as him. 

“Locking up shop all by yourself? It ain’t safe for a little lady like you to wander around after dark.” While he spoke with an air of caution, it came off more like a threat.  

You smiled at his sentiment, Living alone, you were no fool to the dangers the Delta held, but you’ve learned how to grow thick skin.

“I promise you sir, I can handle myself just fine.” You rolled your shoulders back and straightened your spine as a puny attempt to show you are stronger than you look. 

“Oh I have no doubt about that.” The man said, taking a few steps forward. 

You stood firm in your ground as he approached you. Maybe you would’ve backed down before, but there was something in the air that night that told you to stay against your better judgement. He soon stood close enought in front of you that if you reached your arm out you could touch his chest.

“Is there something I can help you with, mister?” You uttered carefully, daring yourself to take another step closer. He was attractive, no doubt about it, but it was often the things most gratifying to the eye that ended up being the most dangerous. Even so, your practical side wasn’t the one pulling the ropes. 

“Help me?” He spoke, brows raised. “A tempting offer, but I think I’m here to help you.” His voice became low and daring. “A lady like you shouldn’t be out all by herself, you never know what you may run into in the Delta.” 

“Believe me sir, no one knows that better than me.”

“Aren’t you a firey one.” He said while cocking his head to the side. “May I have the pleasure to escort you home?” You considered his offer. Any other young woman would have sprung at the chance for a nighttime stoll with a handsome mysterious stranger. However, you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. 

“I think I can handle myself just fine.” Spoken firmly and final. 

“Then I hope you’ll grace me with your presence some other night.”

“Maybe.” You cast your eyes down playfully, unresisting a smirk. “Only if the Delta’s dangers don't get to me first”. 

The man let out a short laugh at your cheeky response. “Believe me miss, I wouldn’t let them get to you even if they tried.” The reply was strange, nevertheless, you let it pass.

“And does this gentleman have a name?” You asked, wanting to leave with at least something to remember him by. 

“Let’s not be hasty now. All good things come with time.” Even more odd. 

Any girl growing up in these parts knew when something, or someone was trouble. Even so, like a moth to a flame, you didn’t turn away. 

“Well you have a good night mister. You know where to find me if you need anything .” You turned on your heel and strod off. 

“Don’t you worry miss, you already gave me everything I need.” You turned around to respond, but the stranger was nowhere to be seen. 

Odd.

Your walk home faced no difficulties. Nonetheless, you kept turning your head every minute, unable to shake the feeling you were being followed. 

***

The next day came and went with no signs of the mystery man from before. As did the next day, and the day after that. Eventually, it got to a point where you started to believe that your loneliness… and your desire, was starting to make you hallucinate. 

Just when you thought that the stranger was nothing more than a figment of your imagination, you ran into him once more. 

“Well if it isn't my pretty little lady.” You were on your way home from work, just reaching the town's edge. 

The man’s steps were loose and unhurried, salvaging the encounter. 

“Good evening sir.” You answered politely. “I take it everything is alright with you?”

“Oh everything just became perfect right about now.” The stranger has haunted your thoughts for long enough, you deemed. It’s about time for your mind to be brought to ease. 

“You aren’t from the Delta are you?” you challenged. 

“What gave it away?”

“You get used to seeing the same faces after a while down in these parts. So where are you from.”

“A place far more ancient than you can imagine.” You scoffed at the answer. Who did this man think he was? This was not your first time dealing with disagreeable folk, and certainly not you last.

Your interrogation continued, “And what brings you to this part of the country?” The question brought a smile to his face. You knew you were dancing with the devil, but at this point in this deadly waltz, you had no longing to stop. 

“I guess you could call it unfinished business.” The answer didn’t sit right with you one bit. 

“And what would that be?” You’ve seen his expression before when you encountered hunters in the forest, one who’s prey fell right in their trap.

“Many years ago I came across this wee little thing in the woods. Before, I wanted her for… well let’s just say other purposes. But now, after seeing her again, I’ve changed my mind. I want her for something completely different.” His answer sent a chill up your spine. 

He started to approach you slowly. “Come on y/n, don’t you remember me at all?” Your heart rate spiked up and your breaths became frantic. 

“No.” It came out barely about a whisper. The memories of that fateful night, the one you have tried so desperately to forget started to break its way back in. 

“Don’t worry, I don’t want to hurt you, at least permanently.” He laughed at his own joke. “All these years, and I couldn’t have imagined the pretty thing you would turn into.” And then, there it was, the flash of red. As he came closer, your survival instincts finally kicked in and you ran as fast as your legs could take you. 

Your house wasn't too far, but you have never been much of a runner, and who knows what he, what Remmick, is capable of.

“There is no point in making this hard.” You heard him say behind you, speaking like a parent trying to make a stubborn child eat their veggies. 

You didn’t dare to look back. All you could think of was getting home. And soon enough, there it was, your four walled sanctuary. 

By some miracle, you made it past the pourch and into the home, placing you back against the wall of the door. You waited a moment to let your breathing die down. But your moment of relief only lasted just that.

“You can pretend all you want, but I could smell how badly you want it.” His southern facade has vanished into that foreign sound you heard before. “It is just in your luck that I can give it to you.”

You paid his words no mind. Shutting your eyes tight, you prayed to whatever God there was to make this devil disappear. 

“I have to say, I feel a little dissapointed. Before you were a child, but I guess you were too weak then and too weak now.” And just like that, your eyes shot open. The fear inside you was replaced with pure rage. You knew enough folklore to know what he was, know his weakness. Grabing the silver kitchen knife, you ran outside screaming. 

Remmick didn’t stand too far from the enterance of your house, and in an instant, you stabbed the knife to the upper left side of his chest. You stepped back after your attack, expecting this to be the end of it.

All it seemed to do was irritate him. 

After he stumnled a few steps back, he pulled the knife slowly out of his torso and threw it aside. 

“I knew you were going to take some convincing but you sure do know how to put up a good fight.” He sounded almost amused. 

You stood paralyzed. Your only weapon now proving useless. In a flash, Remmick ran towards you, hand around your throat as the other pulled you close to him.

You let out a scream before he placed his hand over your mouth

“Shhh, we both know that won’t save you now.” Your eyes started to brim with tears. Whatever dark plan he has instored for you couldn’t be good. 

“There is no need to be scared. I’m about to give you everything you could ever want.” Your fear turned into confusion, and soon enough, his lips were on yours. He kissed with longing, with need. Like it was something he was waiting to do for a very, very long time. For all you knew he was. 

As the kiss deepened, he started to touch you in an area that in these parts was reserved for your husband, certainly not him. You couldn’t resist letting out a soft moan. It was hard to remeber the last time you have gotten such pleasure. 

“There we go.” Remmick whisphered in your ear. Slowly, his mouth widened to reveal his fangs. Once your eyes opened, you remembered exactly what you were doing, and exactly who it was with. 

You pushed yourself out of his grasp. “GET AWAY FROM ME!” You fell to the ground, picking up the discared kitchen knife and holding it in boith hands, pointing it towards him.

Remmick let out an exasperated sigh. "Just when I thought I had you, you had to act up.” 

Your hands trembled while clutching the knife. He won’t get me. He won’t. 

The devil in disguise took four long strides towards you before standing over you looking like he just caught your hand in the cookie jar. 

He crouched down slowly, taking the knife from your grasp steadily as you sat powerless to fight. 

He ran his finger up and down against your cheek. For a beginning as ancient as him, his touch was softer than expected. 

“You’re perfect.” He stated. 

Just like that, not wasting a moment of time, his fangs pierced their way into your neck. 

You let out a scream, but soon, the initial pain started to fade, and in its place was something wonderful, something blisful. 

After Remmick pulled away, you looked at him and felt everything he was feeling. His love, his hurt, his desire. 

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” You smiled foolishly at him. How could you have been so disagreeable before, when right here, right now, was the man who would give you everything.

@spikedfearn

[thealtoduck]

THINK LATER

Peter Parker x Male Black Cat!Reader

Warnings: Smut, bottom!Reader, top!Peter, rooftop sex, masks stay ON, enemies with benefits (kinda), unprotected sex, spit as lube, riding, doggy style, fingering…

Male Black Cat!Reader: Masterlist

Summary: Peter feels conflicted about your friends with benefits relationship and vents his frustration to the Black Cat…

——

Peter’s pov

——

Peter knew that you two weren’t exclusive.

But hearing Y/n had hooked up with his neighbour still stung his heart. He considered if he had started to catch feelings for him… but decided he didn’t want to get into all that and feel even worse.

He needed a distraction.

He layed sprawled out on his bed thinking when it hit him. Duh, he was Spider-Man, what better distraction was there?… He got of his bed, changed into the red and blue suit, opened the window and climbed out.

Luck seemed to be on everybody’s side but his that night… for once Queens was just a boring place where nothing happened, no one needing his help in the slightest. So as he swung around Y/n still lingered in his mind.

Eventually he gave up, swinging to the top of a building he sat down on the edge looking out over the city. Maybe he had caught feelings for Y/n, he thought to himself as he watched the city streets below.

Suddenly his Spider-sense tingled making him swiftly turn. Only to be met with a familiar face… or rather mask.

”Hey Spider” the Black Cat said in his usual purring voice.

——

Your pov

——

Spider-Man just seemed to examine you, noticing you didn’t have any stolen goods on you. So he just remained seated on the building edge and said tiredly ”Not now, Cat, I’m not in the mood”.

This was the first time he ever seemed indifferent to you. You HATED the feeling.

”What’s got you all moody?” you questioned. Spider-Man turned to you confused. ”Why would I talk about my feelings with you?” he questioned suspiciously. ”Crazy concept, right?” you teased and balanced playfully on the edge of the building.

Spider-Man let out a deep breath and thought, what’s the worst that could happen.

”So there’s this guy, that I’m kinda… messing around with-” Spider-Man started.

”What?” you cut in. He just looked at you for a couple seconds before you said ”Sorry, go on”.

”…And he slept with this other guy and it made me realise that I kind of want us to be exclusive but I don’t know if he wants that too” He finshed explaining. You stood and looked at the spandex clad hero and what he had told you bothered you…

Some little boytoy was bothering him to the point of keeping YOU from being chased by your favourite Spider, keeping him from doing his job of chasing YOU a WANTED thief. You didn’t know why but the idea that someone else had their claws dug in to him like this bothered you.

The thought that he had a life outside of the mask that didn’t involve you at all…

Jealousy flared up inside you like a flash fire.

”Oh, come ON” you said loudly. ”You are Spider-Man, you’re really gonna let him walk all over your feelings like that? You know what you need? You need to show him that you that you’re not just gonna wait for him” you told him.

Spider-Man just looked at you and then questioned ”How do I do that?”.

”Jesus, Spider take of the damn purity ring! Do I need to spell it out for you?” you said and he understood what you were getting at.

You got off the edge of the building and made your way behind where he sat. You pulled the zipper to your suit all the way down. You pulled of the form fitting black suit of your body down to your hips showing off your upper body.

”I still don’t kno-…” he said turning but stopping mid-sentence as he saw your bare upper body. ”Liking the view?” you teased. Spider-Man got up and walked over to you ”Cat, come on”

You poked a finger on his upper chest ”You need to show him that you’re good without him”

”He can’t see us”

”Then show yourself that you don’t need him”

——

Peter’s pov

——

The sight was mouth watering to Peter, usually criminals weren’t his type but Black Cat just had a hold of him. Maybe there was a reason he hadn’t managed to catch him yet, maybe he wouldn’t let himself. He had started liking the chase.

Peter tried to think of Y/n but was like hypnotized seeing Black Cat’s upper body. Peter slowly reached for him, touching the soft skin of his stomach with his gloved hands. He let his hans wander Black Cat’s body.

”Liking it?” Cat asked.

”Yeah” Peter mumbled completely transfixed.

Black Cat leaned in and placed a kiss on Peter’s mask covered lips. ”Wanna lift this for me?” he asked and Peter let go of Cat’s body and lifted his mask slightly revealing his lips. Soon Black Cat’s lips crashed against his as their arms wrapped around each other in a passionate embrace.

——

Your pov

——

You ended up laying on your back against the cold rooftop, Spider-Man who was on top of you pressed a button on his suit making it turn loose around his body. He pushed it of his body revealing his own muscular chest to you.

”Not bad Spider” you complimented.

The two of you continued to make out and Spider-Man pulled your suit further down revealing your tight white underwear. He threw your Black Cat suit aside and looked at your stripped down self. It almost felt familiar to him.

You slowly pulled your underwear down while looking Spider-Man in the eyes. ”So, how do you want to do this?” you purred curiously. ”Why don’t you start preparing yourself and give me a show?” he recommended.

You did as told, spreading your legs and started playing with your hole, fingering yourself as Spider-Man watched. He had let his own suit fall down to his ankles sat down on his kness infront of you. He palmed his erection through his boxers as he watched you stretch yourself open.

Spider-Man then pulled down his boxers slightly, letting his erect cock feel the night air. He jerked himself off as he saw you add another finger inside yourself. He then crawled closer to you, soon you were making out again with him on top of you, your naked bodies grinding together.

You then suprised him by rolling the two of you over so that you were on top of him, you pinned his hands over his head and whispered ”You ready?”. ”Yeah” Spider-Man answerd eagerly. You spit in your hand and rubbed it on his length.

You then lined up his cock with your enterance and sunk down on it. You supported yourself with your hands on Spider-Man’s pecs as you felt him fill you up with his cock. You let out a soft moan and said ”You’re cock is quite impressive, Spider”.

Once all of him was inside you, you rested for a moment, letting him fully stretch you out. Spider-Man let out soft gasps, from feeling his cock clenched in your tight heat.

Soon you started moving slowly up and down on his cock, Spider-Man let out a satisfied groan which made you smirk knowing you could give him that pleasure. You took Spider-Man’s hands and moved them to the globes of your ass letting him touch them.

He grabbed your ass tightly helping you roll your hips on his thick length. ”Fuck Cat- so fucking good” Spider-Man said through groans, his mouth hanging open.

You sped up the pace as you bounced up and down on his cock, feeling it deep inside you. You both let out heavy moans, the people down on the street might even hear what’s going on up on that rooftop.

”Can I- Can I-” Spider-Man tried but was unable to get out, so you slowed down the pace. ”Can you, what? Handsome” you said putting a hand under his chin. ”Can I fuck you from behind?” He asked in a polite yet needy tone.

”It’d be my pleasure” you said repositioning yourself so you were on all fours. Spider-Man positioned himself behind you. He re-insterted himself into your ass and put his hands on your hips, he then started thrusting himself into you, the sound of skin slapping together filling the rooftop.

”Fuck Spider- Y-you don’t go easy” you said feeling his cock plowing you.

——

Peter pov

——

Peter enjoyed the view, Black Cat had the most perfect ass and the thought of stuffing it full of cum made it even better. Peter’s cock was kneaded perfectly inside your heat.

He sped up his thrusts, wanting to fuck the orgasms out of the both of you. The whines Black Cat made beneath him implied to Peter he was getting close.

Through heavy panting Black Cat managed to get out a ”I’m gonna- c-cum”, Peter made sure to fuck deep into him as he let out a big groan. Peter assumed Black Cat had just shot his load on the rooftop floor.

Peter then felt his own orgasm approaching and asked ”Can I cum inside you?”. Black Cat said softly ”As much as you want”. Peter then animalistically thrusted into him, losing a proper rhythm.

And with a powerful last thrust with his cock stuffed deep inside Black Cat, Peter felt his seed spurt inside the the man beneath him. Peter panted heavily feeling completely drained.

Peter pulled out seeing his cum leak out of the other man’s ass and down his legs. The two then layed down on their backs next to each other, both exhausted and looking up at the stars.

”Feeling better?” Black Cat asked.

”Yeah” Peter said, his stress about Y/n having vanished for now.

After a while Peter stood up and offered Black Cat a hand but he remained laying on his back.

”You know, I’ll think I’ll rest here for a bit longer… Jesus, Spider, I didn’t know you were THAT big” Black Cat stated, touching his streched out cum stained ass. Peter let out a small laugh, he went and got himself dressed up in his costume and also brought Black Cat his suit and underwear.

”You know I should really use this opportunity to arrest you, I’ve never seen you so tired” Peter joked.

”Wow and after all I’ve done for you tonight Spider, that’s rude” he said back. Peter then bid Black Cat farewell and jumped from the building, swinging himself home.

——

As Peter layed down in bed again, his mind was fully focused on Black Cat, his body, his ass, his everything. Peter felt himself growing hard again just thinking about him, he slipped a hand in his boxers and down to his cock and started rubbing it, and he spent the rest of the night fantasizing about the Black Cat.

[starsofang]

CALL OF THE SEA / PART THREE

pirate poly!141 x f!reader tw: NSFW, MDNI, mentions of violence, blood, injury, 141 are still mean pirates, very brief mentions of death masterlist

When a group of unhinged pirates invade your small village, you're whisked away from your peaceful home and thrown on to a voyage out at sea. Forced to obtain a new role as their medic, you have no choice but to accept your fate as you join their forces and aid them in their treacherous travels.

The words of Captain Price weighed heavily on your mind. With little distractions to guide you away from them, they were all you were left with. They replayed on a consistent loop, like a broken record player. It was taunting, the way your own mind betrayed you after pleading with it not to think of the cold dose of reality the Captain had given you. It denied your requests for soothing calm and gifted you with roaring waves of chaos.

The Captain had been right. Every last word was coated in nothing but bitter truth, and you hated it.

Your village was nothing but unkind to you, and you knew it. You tried to defend them, tried to reason with why they could have been so cruel to you, but with only yourself and the sounds of the sea to fill the abyss in your head, your defense was bound to crumble.

It wasn’t your fault you were different, at least compared to the traditionalists you grew with. Being born in a secluded hamlet separated from the bustling mainland meant the people were just as isolated. Hermits, they were. They sought simplicity through actions shown by the book. Marriage, children, with women to remain in their place at home. It was a dream to some, and a nightmare to you.

You wanted more. There was a vast world out there for you to mark your claim on, yet your own people disregarded your desires. They turned on you, taunting you as the village outcast, one that many continued to torment well into adulthood. You were one against many, and you only had yourself in the long run.

You worked hard for what you had. Despite the consistent abuse your people had given you, you sought out adventure like a moth to a flame. It called out to you. Learning of medicines and practices to become more of the miniscule woman everybody saw you as was your safe haven. You wanted to explore the world and take your practices to a place where you’d be accepted as one’s own.

Then those pirates had taken that away from you. Not only had they stolen your dreams, but they had stolen your home, people, and passion. Everything was lost at the drop of a hat.

Being a medic for a scroungy group of thieving pirates was not in your cards. Before, you hadn’t even known pirates were existent. They were a simple folk tale, something to  share on quiet nights when the village had grown bored. Never did you think you would come across one, let alone four who had taken it upon themselves to make you their problem.

You feared that you would never achieve your dreams of being a proper medic. Of never escaping to the mainland where you could begin a tranquil life consisting of you and your studies. Now, it seemed that you would never experience peace or independence. Your dreams were embezzled, lost in the foamy waves that lapped against the side of the ship.

The grieving of your loss didn’t stop, even during Soap and Gaz’s visits. They kept it minimal, presumably under the Captain’s orders, or because they simply didn’t like you enough to further interaction. Not that you wanted them to, anyway, though it would’ve made the aching loneliness a bit more bearable.

They noticed, of course. The way your eyes began to sink in, casting a grim shadow across your face, or the way you no longer bared your teeth at them when they approached. Pirates like them didn’t care for people like you. You were a pawn in whatever game they were playing, and you didn’t know the rules.

The sound of heavy footsteps on the deck above you rattled you awake. The cot was fairly useless in providing you comfort, but you had succumbed to your eventual exhaustion over the course of your capture that you had grown used to it.

Unlike normal days, where their steps were more quiet and calculated, this time sounded like a frenzy. Uncoordinated, merging together in loud pitter patter. It was unsettling, lighting an icy chill in your bones. Even in the seclusion of the brig, the air felt thick with tension, as if the pirate’s suspense had crept through the crack under the door and spread throughout the ship.

The floorboards creaked menacingly from above. Your ears pricked at every stomp, every slam of the soles of their thick boots against the old wood. It was as if death was stalking you from the shadows, creeping in, jeering at you. You were in the dark, unaware.

You wondered if other pirates had invaded the ship. Perhaps this was your end. You’d be found by enemies and treated much more unkindly in the hands of men who only saw you as a mere woman and not the potential to be a medic.

Though your pirates were just as cruel, they hadn’t harmed you. They hurt your people, but salvaged you to make use of your knowledge. They weren’t as terrible as what may have lurked the waters. Maybe it was simply the fear talking, but if what you thought was true, then you prayed to whatever god was listening that you remain in the safe hands that had yet to pose a threat to you.

Your prayers were answered by the harsh sound of the door opening. It wrenched open, slamming up against the wall with a crack. Dim light poured through, down to your cell, illuminating a faint glow enough for you to see.

Atop the stairs, a large figure lurked, blocking out the light. It cocooned around him, casting an eerie shadow and successfully masking away his face.

Fear shot through your veins, burning like a raging fire, lighting you up from the inside. It threatened to combust, inching you towards a scorching agony. It clouded your mind, fogging over the logic and replacing it with racing thoughts of choking terror. You thought of death, torture, being swept away from this brig, only to be placed in a more torturous one with strangers out to harm you. To be used for pleasure and entertainment by a group of savage pirates unbeknownst to you.

“Get up,” a voice barked at you. It was rough and throaty, exuding pure authority. It was also familiar.

The sound of metal clanking on metal filled your eyes and once you had pieced together your mind enough, you realized it was the key unlocking your cell. The door opened, the figure stepping into your cell and closer to you, where you lay on the cot. It loomed over you, shielding you away from escape.

“Get up,” he ordered again. A hand reached out to you, cold, rough fingers wrapping around your bicep and lugging you off of the cot and on to your feet. There was no time for arguments. You recognized Ghost’s stony mask, and you knew fighting him would prove fruitless.

“What’s going on?” you asked, legs straining to keep up with his pace as he tugged you up the rickety stairs.

“Captain’s hurt,” Ghost gruffed, only the narrow of his eyes peeking through the eye holes of the skull mask, giving you a glimpse of his disgruntlement. “Need a medic. That’s you, birdie.”

Your heart sank to your stomach for numerous reasons.

For one, the smallest part of you worried for the Captain. No matter his actions thus far, he was hurt and required medical attention, enough of it that Ghost had prompted you out of your cell after residing there for the past month.

Then there was the fact that they were asking you for help. Sure, you technically were a medic. One in practice, but you knew the basics of medicines. However, the problem arose that you didn’t know much beyond that. If the Captain truly was injured to an extent beyond your skill, you feared they’d throw you over the ship and into the murky waters once they deemed you useless.

The misty air hit you the moment you stepped out of the brig and on to the upper deck. It was chilly despite it being summer, with the ocean breeze curling into your dingy hair and across your cheeks. The feeling was nothing short of relieving, to breathe in fresh air that filled your lungs, clearing them of the musty tang of brig air.

It was still midnight, but the moon was bright enough to have your eyes squinting, adjusting. Even the feel of it on your skin was like sweet kisses after a period of solitude.

That wasn’t what was important, though. Ghost had your arm in a chokehold, and he was urgently dragging you across the deck and towards the front of the ship. None of the other men were found, but you’d quickly find them when Ghost yanked open a door leading to the Captain’s quarters.

Inside, Captain Price was propped up lazily against the side of a large table, covered in maps and quills. A small pot of ink had been tipped over and spilled, tainting the papers with splotchy black. Drips of his blood had swirled into the mix, and the sight of it made you sick.

Price’s hand was smothering a gnarly gash on his side, fingers seeping over with crimson blood. Soap stood beside him with Gaz, the two of them seemingly anticipating your arrival. The moment they locked eyes with you, they stood up straight, expressions impatient.

“Took ye long enough, Ghost,” Soap boasted snarkily. Ghost huffed from beside you, pushing you by your arm and sending you towards Price.

“Fix him up,” Ghost commanded, stern. You blinked at him before switching to look at the Captain.

Price was a bit paled, skin clammy with sweat despite the chill in the air. He seemed more annoyed than pained, face pulled taut with a frown deepened beneath his beard. His eyes bore into yours threateningly.

“I don’t—“ you stared, stumbling over your words. “I don’t know how to stitch, I told you, I’m not a professional—“

“Surely you’ve had practice once or twice, haven’t you?” Price reckoned, cocking his head at you.

“Only on injured animals,” you defended. “I don’t know how to stitch on people.”

Price clicked his tongue, a hint of agitation gesred behind it. “Can’t be much different. Allow me to be your experiment, dove. You want to be a professional? Figure it out.”

You stared at him, bewildered. You knew there was no room for argument, nor was there any time. He was bleeding into the palm of his hand, wound sliced open from what you assumed was a sharp blade. You didn’t have the chance to think about how he possibly could’ve been injured in that way.

“Well? Go on, dove, it ain’t goin’ to heal itself,” Soap urged in annoyance, giving a light shove to your shoulder. Not enough to move you from your position, but enough to snap you into order.

“I need my supplies,” you explained. “Surely, you kept them.”

“Tch. Not stupid, dove,” Price snipped. With his free hand, he clumsily fumbled for one of the drawers of the table he leaned upon. Yanking it open, it was sent to the floor with a crash, sending its contents scattering.

The action was savvy and if you weren’t in a frenzied rush, you would’ve had the mind to be irritated. However, you remembered your place, as well as the people you were being forced to serve. It wouldn’t be wise to bark back at them for throwing around your work so carelessly.

You were quick to drop to the floor and begin retrieving what was necessary. Supplies were scarce, seeing as you weren’t fortunate enough to grow up on the mainland where demand was much more accessible.

Making a mental note to ask for them to collect more items for you, that is if this was really going to be your life, you clattered the items on the table Price rested on, making quick work of tugging stitching thread through the tiny needle.

The job would be sloppy, especially with the way your hands shook. You knew good and well that if anything were to happen to these pirate’s Captain, you’d be first one off the ship, sent to God knows where.

All eyes were on you. It was unnerving.

Soap remained next to Gaz, both watching you like a hawk. Their eyes studied every movement of your fingers as they worked through the threads, preparing to stitch up Price as requested.

Ghost stood near the door leading to the deck, arms crossed and eyes piercing into you like a warning threat. And really, you knew that’s what it was.

Price was awfully calm for a man who’d been stabbed, and you briefly wondered if this was something pirates were used to. Harming others was one thing. Gaining injury themselves was another.

Lucky for you, the Captain wasn’t wearing any fabrics. He must’ve taken his shirt off when he returned to his quarters, which made things easier for you.

“Remove your hand,” you said, before adding on, “please.”

Price huffed out what could’ve been mistaken as a laugh, though you highly doubted it. He carefully pulled his hand away from his wound, slippery with blood. The sight was quite gruesome, though you were sure it was just the blood making it so.

Taking a deep breath, you positioned yourself in front of the Captain. You dug deep in your memory of the times you’d operated on helpless animals you’d found in the outskirts of your village.

Animals were easier. They were more pliant and obedient. Some were squirmy, though being much smaller than you gave you advantage over them.

Price, though, was significantly bigger. And human. He was far from any animal you aided.

With his arm out of the way, you had a showcase of numerous scars scattering his torso. They were white, indicating they were much older, but some were still risen with pink tissue that revealed being more recent.

You had your hands full. Truly.

“I’m going to begin now,” you told Price.

“Don’t need to narrate the whole operation to me, medic. Just do it.”

Price’s tone was sarcastic and a tad bit mean. If he was aiming to offend you, he was doing a poor job. You’d taken ridicule all your life.

Brushing it off, you used nimble hands to make the first insertion of the needle, threading through the first stitch. Price showed no discomfort, though the eyes of the others didn’t help your unease. You felt like a lab rat and they were the ones operating on you.

The stitching became easier the more it went on. He needed quite a few, though the practice was appreciated. Your hands became more steady and your heart was no longer in your throat.

The room was at a standstill up until the very moment you tightened the stitches, tying them off and pulling yourself away from Price. Your work was far from perfect, but it was doable.

“Finished, are you?” Price hummed. You nodded in confirmation. “Wasn’t so hard, was it?”

You bit your tongue to hold back mockery until the taste of metallic flooded your tastebuds.

“I’ve only worked on animals. It appears you are no different than one,” you bit back calmly, shiftingyour attention to organizing the supplies Price had so carelessly tossed to the floor.

Soap let out an obnoxious snort, while Price only cocked his head in faint amusement.

“You might want to watch your tongue there, dove. Ghost has taken out many,” Price informed.

That was enough to send shivers down your spine because you knew he was being truthful.

A quick glance to Ghost showed no indication of lies, so you quickly averted your eyes, opting to avoid him. You didn’t want to imagine the horrors Ghost had caused from his hands alone. He was a force not to be reckoned with, and you’d happily stay far, far away.

“I still need to apply an herbal balm and wrap it.” You changed the topic in hopes of forgetting your slip of tongue. You rather liked keeping it in your mouth.

“Very well,” Price sighed. With a gesture of his head, he signaled the other three men out of his quarters, leaving you alone in the room with him.

It was eerily quiet between the two of you while you worked a calming balm into the tender skin around his wound, careful not to touch the fresh stitches. The herbs were a mixed paste you had created back in your village from the supplies Mary had gifted you, and they proved futile now in a sensitive time.

You wished she were here to take you away from this nightmare fueled ship. Though, you couldn’t deny it any longer — you knew she was dead, just like the rest of the village. There was nothing you could do about it.

This was your life. This was your journey. Your opinion on the matter wasn’t valid.

“Quite the snippy one, aren’t you?” The Captain’s voice broke the tense silence, though it did nothing to calm you. “I heard from a little bird that some fortnights ago, you threw your porridge on to Gaz.”

Your shoulders pulled taut in a mix of embarrassment and shame. It was as if you were a child being scolded.

“I did,” you admitted quietly.

“And you do not feel bad?” Price questioned.

“No.”

“Hm.” A smile tilted on his face, lazy just as the other ones, as if he had no energy to display the true nature of a smile. “I will hand it to you, dove, he can be quite a brat sometimes. Perhaps he deserved it.”

You glanced up from his injury to look into his eyes. Your eyebrows tugged together in confusion.

You were fully expecting outrage, or perhaps the Captain to reprimand you for taking your anger out on his crew. Instead, he seemed almost like a jokester.

That couldn’t be. He was cruel and heartless, just as the others were. It didn’t matter how much Soap jested with you, or Gaz no longer glared at you. They were still pirates.

“I am all finished up here,” you explained, clearing your throat and taking a step back. “May I return to my cell?”

The cell was the last place you wanted to be in, but it was the only haven you’d found on the ship. You certainly didn’t want to stick around the other pirates for longer than necessary.

“Nonsense,” Price mused. “You have proven to have enough skill as a medic. You’re useful and resourceful. You won’t be able to work well in that dingy cell.”

You felt a pit of nervousness fill the void in your stomach. It did somersaults, making your mouth water with the need to be sick.

This was what you wanted, right? To be accepted into the crew so that you may plot your escape down the road when the time proved right. So why did it feel strange to be praised by the very man who had slaughtered your village?

“I will be staying in the upper decks, then?” you assumed, and he chuckled.

“We don’t quite have a cot set up yet, dove. We weren’t exactly expectin’ you to last, yet here you are.” He sounded almost prideful saying that, and you weren’t sure whether to feel comforted. “You’ll join me in my quarters for now. It only makes sense while I’m healin’ up, hm?”

That pit in your stomach turned into a canyon. To share a bed with the Captain of a malicious pirate crew, watching over him as his nurse? Perhaps this was your way out, or the start of your downfall.

Either way, you either ended up dead, imprisoned, or homeless on the mainland. Homeless, but free. You’d be an idiot not to play into the game.

You could do nothing but bow your head in silent agreement, unable to decide your fate once again. You were at the hands of the Captain and his crew, and those hands may be bloodied and mean if you said otherwise. hands may be bloodied and painful if you said otherwise.

[saturnbellfromhell]

Roasting your Moon Sign

Welcome back everyone to a little silly goofy post. I haven't been on the app for a long time because of my school, work and internship, but now I can proudly say I've finished a big chapter in my life and can't wait to be back writing, posting, chatting! Hope you all enjoy this easy-going post and don't take it to heart, it's just a fun time, not a serious time.

〰️ If you're easily offended by jokes and giggles don't read this post, most of my friends, family and people I know are some if these signs, so don't take it so far. In the end I will ne roasting myself as well. :)

➰️ARIES MOON

Why so explosive all the time? I know your emotions run wild, but being so dramatic won't get you anywhere. Take a nap sometimes will ya. No nobody thinks you're annoying all the time, just sometimes. We still love our divas.

➰️ TAURUS MOON

Sleeping again? Shopping again? Fighting over food with your significant other, aren't you? No, you can't get that puppy, you're too lazy to take care if it. Also, we get it, you love art and have the best taste in movies. You do have a nice decorated house, I'll give you that.

➰️GEMINI MOON

Yes, you're so different. Yes, we are all boring in your eyes. No, it's not cute to have an avoidant attachment style. Yes, your shoes are amazing, no, I wouldn't wanna go shopping with you. Why are you constantly buying new apps on your phone? Did you forget about your old friends again because you found a new group of people?

➰️ CANCER MOON

The moody bitch you are, always complaing about how stressed they are even though they cried 2 years ago. Do you always wake up and remember what food you didn't eat in a long time? I know for a fact you would be mad if I showed up at your house without an invitation. Do you also hate traveling because you're too scared to leave the safe place of your house or because you hate leaving your house?

➰️LEO MOON

We get it, you're always right. Yes you are loud yes you are annoying at times, but lovable aswell. Does everybody need to know your bf/gf treats you like a princess? Stop buying so much gold jewerly! You're moving in with a celebrity?

➰️ VIRGO MOON

So how was your day? No,no not work, not the new cleaning appliance you bought, how was your day? O the Turkish eggs at brunch were too cold when served and your dermatitis came back? And you deleted your "sad girl playlist? Damn that's harsh, but your eyeliner is still phenomenal, hope you have a good week even though I know you haven't had a normal week in a long time queen.

➰️LIBRA MOON

No I can't remember all your situationships, boy toys and playboys and wasn't Mark your ex in fucking elementary school, how'd you find him again? I know you're into pilates, you told me that 5 times already. No I don't want to get botox after 2 shots of tequila. Tramp stamp tattoos are cute, sure.

➰️SCORPIO MOON

Ok...yes your ex was a whore and that ex best friend really did lie to you. No don't get in your car and crash it into their house and than set it on fire and watch the flames feather out. Stop looking at me with those serial killer eyes! No, we will not stalk your boss because you think she's having an affair. Yes your knife collection is hot.

➰️ SAGGITARIUS MOON

We get it...you love porn. Yes we get it, you're so loose and easy going and so open and so talkative. No, blondy at the bar is not staring at you, she literally is sitting with her husband...You're moving to Malta? And you got a job in Thailand? And you're 2nd wedding is on the coast of rural Australia??

➰️ CAPRICORN MOON

Is your favorite movie still American Pyscho? O really, you still have the same routine as him, interesting. We get it, yes, you're an introvert. Yes people are gross, yes your cat is amazing. You got into Harvard Law?? On a random Tuesday and you got your Masters? Still fighting with your dad eh...yea, he's a cunt.

➰️AQUARIUS MOON

Can you stop being in your head for 10 minutes damn. And also can you stop talking about your feelings and just start you know...feeling them? Still trying to figure out why society is weird and you feel left out? You spent all your money on your library cards, are you serious..

➰️PISCES MOON

You broke up with your dismissive,back stabbing, crazy ex again? That's the 10th time this month. No, you don't love her, she's literally using you. No, we are not doing MDMA at a carnival to forget everything. Where have you been, why were you taking a walk for 5 hours?

That's all for now, hope you giggled a little. Love all my signs at the end of the day, we are all a little too much at times. Can you guess which I am...😅

[evilminji]

Oh... oh no it's all coming together ( o.o)

Ya'll remember my Danny haunts Space Games post?

That but MORE SO. Harder. Like... ZONE GAME DEVELOPER PASSION PROJECT harder. Because? Special Interest chemicals go brrrrr~☆

And you KNOW... you absolutely FUCKING KNOW! That Danny was minding his business, going about his life, hyped as FUCK for the new Space Game 5 (a niche game but so what? It has REALISTIC physics! It's set on THE MOON!).

Has NOT stopped rambling on about it.

Been driving everyone insane, because it won't be out for MONTHS.

When~?

Youngblood, probably, goes "So what? That sound BORING. There barely anything to DO in that! Not like one of OUR Super Cool ZONE Video Games™. OURS are way better! And we gave LOADS more options then THAT! Now can we get back to-"

Freeze frame, record scratch.

Wait. WHAT!?

Danny is violently answers out of that eternal child faster then you can say "Dude! Chill!" Got them manic Obsession Eyes. Oops. Youngblood forgot Danny is Space Obsessed. But also PROTECTION Obsessed. Meaning he can't LEAVE where he is protecting.

You know.... FOR SPACE.

He needs a work around to feed his Obsession. Video games do it. Since he can go INTO them, but leave at a moments notice, if trouble happens. It's like being both IN SPACE but also AT HIS POST! Double Obsession Feeding! Happy chemicals! Mmmmm, content ecto-goo~

But now? NOW?! He's learning there is BETTER Space?!

WHERE IS THE BETTER SPACE?! *kicks open the portal*

It? Is a terrifying time for everybody. Thanks A LOT, Youngblood. It takes like... five Amazons and Pandora herself tackling the little menace, to get him still long enough to get a semi-coherent answer out of him. Stop him trying to shake down random ghosts for answers they can't GIVE.

Youngblood is grounded.

DANNY has an Obsession-crash headache, is really embarrassed, but honestly no one blames him. No one acts their best when they're Obsession gets suddenly triggered that hard. It was a poor man offered El Dorado, a scholar all the secrets in the world. He got swept up in it.

That SAID, yes, there IS a video game shop near here. There are, of course, countless such shops. It's the Zone. There are countless EVERYTHING. It's the nature of the Zone. Just don't harrass any of the developers and all will be well, Phantom. They're not afraid to put YOU in time out as well.

Deal! ( /☆.☆)/ *grabby hands*

There? Are so, SO many games. For systems Danny's never even HEARD off. Alien ones, new ones, long dead ones. Zone exclusives. It's less a shop and more a sprawling maze.

His grin is FERAL.

Space. Gaaaaaaames!!!

The more realistic the BETTER. Give him that living vicariously like an Astronaut DREAM. But fantasy maybe! Or in the future! Or deep space! Alien mayhaps! There are a few. The blended Obsessions that are kinda like his. Space and video-games instead of Space and Protection.

And? Oh~

Oh they are so SO realistic.

Impossible to play on any Earth computer, too. Not a single chance. Wouldn't even TRY and run. But! He is a Fenton! And he WILL have his Space Games! If his parents can make a portal in their basement? HE can make a Bank of Ectoplasmic Supercomputers in his spare room! Or Bedroom! Depends on renting prices!

He GUTS every landfill for MILES for usable parts.

"Liberates" parts from Rogues, left and right. Fuck their evil plans! He has computers to build! The Justice League? Baffled. Alarmed. Nooooot his problem!!!

He completes his works and? Oh~ the smile is both terrifying and fangy.

Spaaaaaaaace~☆

He starts College. On line, of course, he refuses to leave Amity. And Online can be done at his pace, at his hours. So? For once? He's actually doing WELL. Even BETTER? It helps him remember to leave them games every once and a while. Eat something. Be human.

But... well... it's like a slow flip of his Obsession starving. Now that he has all the Space he could ever want? He... suddenly finds Amity... peaceful? Which is GOOD! It's... it's GOOD.

.........just not for him.

He can almost physically FEEL him mind unclenching it's death grip on the town. Finger by finger. Hands releasing, letting go, as they... reach for something. As he starts taking NOTE of crime rates in major cities. Alien attacks and Rogues, Heros spread too thin, people getting HURT.

In need of PROTECTION.

He... he doesn't WANT to be that fickle. He LOVES Amity! It's his HOME. He wasn't protecting it just because he craved something to protect! In the end, he drags it out longer then he probably should, argues with himself, ignores the problem. Is STUBBORN.

It's only after Dani starts talking about coming back to Amity to stay with him, do the college thing like he did, that he realizes...

Amity's not his Haunt anymore.

They talk. She's excited to help him find a nice shit hole of a city to protect, but also worried because he looks really gaunt. He may LOVE Space... but...

It's the GHOST in him that loves Space. The Astronaut. The Kid who refused to die, who ate a PORTAL TO THE EVERYTHING and crawled out still exsistant, who told Death not only "not today" but "not EVER"? That kid had something to protect. Was and is and always will BE, protection. Himself, his friends, his family or the town. Doesn't matter WHAT it is.

He refused to go, so he could protect them.

The part that DID, though, was starlight. And yeah, he needs it. Feeds it desperately. But it... doesn't exactly support his human half, you know? Doesn't anchor him. Make him want to eat and sleep, be human and alive, connect with people.

Space makes him ghosty.

Dani ultimately convinces him, after spraying him down with a hose and shoving a cheeseburger down his face, to move to Metropolis with her. They get ALIENS! Have Aliens HEROS! BIG DESTRUCTIVE FIGHTS. With lots and LOTS of people who need help! Plus? Gotham is within a day trip!

And UNLIKE Gotham, the Ecto isn't RANK AF in Metropolis.

Seriously, it smells like a burst sewer pipe over there.

Danny agrees. Can totally afford a modest lil place thanks to some patents. Makes one HELL OF A SCENE moving in. With his giant, ominous, futuristic, weirdly day glow green glowing bank of super computers... in this, "we love our Alien Blorbo" Metropolis.

Cause Green and Glowing sure ain't welcome round these parts! No SIR! Somebody call the COPS!

Danny isn't even half way through, when Superman lightly touchs down, a forced grin plastered to his face. The "please, God, not another Rogue. Not a new one. Please!" all but RADIATING off him.

Hmmmmm....

Danny... kiiiinda forgot not everyone was as "I see fuckin NOTHING, man" as Amity natives. Awkward. Welp! Fenton Oblivious Gene's, ACTIVATE!

"Oh, HIIIIIII~☆ Superman! What brings you round these parts? Gosh, it's an honor! Dani! Come meet SUPERMAN!"

Clark knows what he's doing. Danny knows, Clark knows what he's doing. They are both from the Midwest. They ain't gonna break first! You kidding? Clark still has to ask. Inserts himself by INSISTING on helping. A welcome to Metropolis! Ha ha! (How long we gonna lie for, kid? How long? I can do this all day.)

Clark? Learns that Danny has become ABSURDLY knowledgeable about terraforming, spacecraft, aerospace engineering and anything else related to Space Survival. Thanks to... his "games".

Which Clark is PRETTY sure? Are creatively set up, alien, training programs. Cause both of the Fentons are DEFINITELY at least partially non-human. But, eh. Who is he to judge? The "mad scientist" vibe, though... THAT is his to judge. Which he does.

Routine check ins!

And pasta bakes. Because good lord, Fenton, you are skin and bones! And? If it helps with both Watchtower maintenance AND some killer articles? Because Danny is a fountain of Space related knowledge who loves to share it? That's between Clark and the weird, semi-feral, gremlin he's adopted! (Yes, honey, he KNOWS Danny is a grown man. But I did it with BRUCE-)

@hdgnj @babbling-babull @legitimatesatanspawn @hypewinter @mutable-manifestation @the-witchhunter

[sodaequalsbubbles]

One thing I really miss from Inquisition is the Game Over screens. I loved how they weren't just plain "your party went down, reload your save" screens. They were a little more like Bad Ends in an RPG horror game for instance, as it shows a bit of the aftermath if the Inquisitor dies or fails a main quest in some way. Even if they are just a single drawn panel with text on it, it's still pretty eerie to see the consequences if you fail.

The standard game over slide you get ( if you got party wiped while exploring for example):

______________________________________________________________

If your court approval goes down to zero during 'Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts' the Inquisitor is kicked out of the ball and is unable to save the Empress. Leading to Corypheus conquering Orlais:

______________________________________________________________

If you fail to escape the twisted future that Alexius's spell sent you into during 'In Hushed Whispers', it cuts to a screen where Cullen, Leliana, and Josephine stare mournfully at the Inquisitor's empty throne:

______________________________________________________________

During 'Champions of the Just', if you take too long in investigating Therinfal Redoubt the templars are overrun. And you see Ser Barris being held down and about to be executed by his former brethren, now corrupted red templars:

______________________________________________________________

Another game over in 'Champions of the Just' is if you die to the envy demon. The game over screen shows the Inquisition completely unaware that the real Inquisitor is dead, and that the envy demon has taken their place:

(I got these screenshots from FluffyNinjaLlama on YouTube, the link is here you wanna see all of the game over screens with the music attached.)

If I'm not mistaken DAI was the first (and I guess only da game) to have unique fail states. I really was hoping to see more of this in Veilguard, but we ended up getting just three endings (not counting the "secret executioner" ending crap ugh). And while it's obvious which endings are worse than the others, they can't be considered "fail states". They are just ENDS.

There is no possibility of true failure in Veilguard. No matter what decisions you make or who dies, Solas and the Evanuris are stopped regardless and the Veil stays up. Which is honestly pretty boring in my opinion, because it removes all of the stakes from the story.

I can't actually fail to save the world or make choices to change the world, so do my decisions really even matter? No matter what I do the world is going to be just fine and stay as it was. It made me completely uninterested in replaying this game, because I was going to see the same sequence of events that lead to basically the same ending over and over.

But of course, they were considering having fail states or maybe alternate endings in datv. But they ultimately never made it into the final product.

For instance, there was going to be a fail state if you were unable to stop Solas from completing the ritual, and he tears down the Veil.

______________________________________________________________

Another fail state that would occur is if Rook was unable to sever their mental connection with Solas. And that would lead to Solas actually killing Rook.

But I guess that all comes down to me feeling that Datv just does a horrible job in realizing how serious this whole situation is. Solas and the Evanuris are trying to destroy the world as they know it. The apocalypse is right at their doorstep and the odds are stacked against them in almost every way, and yet there is no such thing as a true bad ending in this game. Or at the very least choices that affect the outcome of the ending far more than "everybody is alive and we saved the day :)" and "everybody is dead but we still saved the day :/"

[bitchesgetriches]

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[jade-jini]

omg thank youuuuu g!p loser reader x sana pls 🥺💕

(Perfect moment to bring Sha-rich AHHH)

Daddy’s rich girl who “works” at the company as well with you. Unlike her, you worked your way up to an important position in the company. You invested time, worked and studied hard, and had a position almost as important as her. Almost. Of course nobody could ever have more power than the owner’s daughter, right?

However, the fact that you were able to have such position already spoke a lot about how smart you were. Not a lot of people, specially at such a young age, could get there. If they didn’t know who Sana was, they’d wonder how tf is she technically your superior. Specially when you’re the one who basically does all the work for her.

“Y/n-ssiii” she called in her respective animated tone. You were talking with some coworkers in their desks when you quickly looked at her and gave her all your attention, feeling already cheered up at the sound of her pretty voice.

“Yes, Ms. Minatozaki?” You answered sweetly with those heart eyes you could hardly hide from others, happy to see her already ‘cause you were wondering when was she gonna get to the office (lost puppy behavior-). You knew it was common for her to just show up at any time she wanted to.

“Father has assigned me some hard hard work.” She said with a pout as she showed you a folder. “and I need the help and guidance of the smartest person here, Aka you. No offense, ladies.” She said as she gifted a charismatic smile and wink to the young secretaries you were previously talking to.

Everybody knew that when Sana said “help her”, it meant that you were gonna do all the work for her.

You, of course, would have gladly accepted right away, but you were full of work too, and wanted to take things slow this week rather than having to focus on working hard on your and her work as well. Again.

“I’d love to, but I also have this project and I act-” you tried to explained but she stopped you, already feeling bored hearing the excuse.

“Ah! This is important, y/n. You wouldn’t want our ceo to be missing such an important part of his presentation for this week, presentation that I remind you, you’re part of, right? Or is it that you can’t handle being part of it? ‘Cause If you can’t I can find somebody else that-” now it was your turn to interrupt.

“No!” You quickly said grabbing the folder from her hands. For some reason the idea of somebody else spending time with Sana like that made you horribly jealous (territorial puppy?). It felt like it had more than one meaning. It was more than just somebody helping her with work. “I can do it, ma’am. I’ll have it ready as soon as possible.”

“Sounds great! See you soon in my office.” She said with a big smile as she softly touched your forearm before leaving. You simply sighed, wondering why was it so hard to resist her. You turned around once her silhouette disappeared, just to see your coworkers looking at you and shaking their heads. You shrugged, and excused yourself to your own office to start working.

Some people would think Sana is using you to look good in front of her daddy and his important partners. You had coworkers looking at you with sad eyes, feeling empathetic about “the poor sunbaenim who is too good to say no and has to work so daddy’s girl doesn’t show how unprepared she actually is for this business”. Most of the people in the company liked Sana though, she was charismatic and that’s something that can get you far in life as well. You appreciated her qualities, and saw beyond. But of course there were always those few employees…

“Y/n sunbaenim should be the one with her position”

“Seriously, she’s so qualified. How unfair” some coworkers would whisper. What they didn’t know is that Sana was compensating you and very well for your help with her job.

In her own particular way.

“y/n! Oh my god. y/n~.”

Sana’s moans were getting loud to the point you were starting to concern that some people might be able to hear you guys from outside her office. But being drunk in her taste, you couldn’t care less about that. And Sana didn’t care at all when she was feeling this good, at the end of the day she (her dad-) owned this place. Who was gonna fire her?

You were almost naked, your upper body exposed, your wrists tied behind the chair you were seated on. Your pants were still on though, and your boner was already hurting but you didn’t dare to complain, focus on the task given to you. Not any important report that she needed to have on her daddy’s desk by the end of the week, or any structure analysis of who gives a fuck. No. right now the only thing that mattered was Making Ms. Minatozaki come in your mouth.

But how did you even get here today? Let me explain, it’s easy.

“Ms. Minatozaki, I brought you the latest report as you asked, with updates about last week’s movements in the graphs that our investment teams have been working on.” You said as you entered the woman’s office, several papers in hand battling not to fall as you fixed your glasses how you could.

Right as you stepped a foot on her office, she closed the door with your back against it and locking it behind your back, making you drop your documents and gasp in surprise “w-what’s going on, Ms. Mi-” but you couldn’t finish your question, as she started kissing you like she hasn’t seen you in years. You were caught off guard, moaning in her mouth as you grabbed her forearms. You always loved when Sana kissed you, sometimes you just wished she’d warn you before doing it out of a sudden.

“Ma’am, please, w-wait” you asked, feeling her hand traveling down to palm your dick over your pants “oh god…not there please…”

“Why not? I’m sure it misses me.” The older woman teased with a smirk, trying her best not to laugh. She went to leave wet kisses on your neck, biting it and grabbing your cock more ‘till she was basically masturbating you over your pants.

“Ms, Wait- fuck~ wait! Sana, wait!” You moaned, feeling weak in her hands, containing yourself from simply surrender to her touch was such a hard task, and slowly your brain almost forgot why would you even try to do it anyways.

“You have no idea how much it turns me on when you call me Ms. Minatozaki.” She whispered next to your ear, to then let out a mischievous giggle. “Although my name sounds just as good when it comes from your pretty lips, baby~” Sana teased, and went back to your neck, undoing your tie and shirt. Your trembling hands slowly tried to go to her lower back, but she had other plans “Ah Ah! You’re not using those right now, come here puppy.” Sana guided you to a chair she had in her office, and softly pushed you until you were seated. As she straddled you and went back to kissing you deeply, you didn’t realize that she tied your hands behind your back with your own tie until she stepped up to get something from her drawer and you tried to move.

“Sana? What’s going on?” You asked as you tilted your head, confused but clearly excited, already feeling your member pulsating, needing attention and missing the pressure Sana was giving it when seated on your lap. She was right. Your whole body missed her. Even when you guys hooked up very often you always wanted more of her.

“Nothing we haven’t done before, pretty puppy” she said as she showed you the leash and collar she bought just for you, with a blindfold as well, biting her lip clearly as eager as you were to start.

Oh.

“You wanna do that here?!” You asked her, clearly surprised.

“What, are you gonna tell me you don’t want it?” She asked back giving you a “you know damn right” look. Sana knew, you could never tell her no.

“… no ma’am.”

And that’s how you ended in the position you were in.

“That’s it baby, keep going like that. I’m gonna come~” you heard the older woman say as you basically fucked her pussy with your tongue, and you wished you could see her facial expressions but again, you didn’t dare to complain, not wanting to be punished. Even though you couldn’t see her, all of your other senses were very awake. The taste of her pussy against your tongue, making you drool creating a mess on her cunt as you felt some of it on your chin. The sounds of her voice moaning your name, as praises also filled the air. The sensation of the leash being pulled, keeping you as close as possible to her. Everything was having you on edge. You felt you could almost come untouched just by pleasing this woman.

Just as she stated, Sana came in your mouth, holding the leash and your head in place as she grabbed your hair a little too hard, sending a little pain, but not too much that you were uncomfortable.

“Fuckk your mouth feels so fucking good…” she moaned as she moved your mouth all over her cunt, helping herself ride the last highs of her orgasm. “It’s time to help you now, isn’t it puppy?” She asked in a cute tone, teasing you over your pants with her bare foot. With how neglected your cock felt, your hips automatically moved towards her foot, desperate for friction. This made the older woman laugh, you were such a cute needy puppy for her. “aw don’t be weird, puppy. I’m not using my feet for that. Got something better for ya.”

And as the seconds feel like ages, with the uncertainty of the darkness, you felt her hands slightly moving your pants to let your member free, and you felt how it hardly slapped against your own stomach. The sensation of your own precum making you groan, but you didn’t find it bothersome actually. The fact that it was still coming even when Sana wasn’t stimulating you at all in any ways made her hungrier for you.

“Aww, poor you. That probably hurts, doesn’t it darling?” She cooed. You nodded, a pout decorating your lips as soft whimpers started to leave them. An almost too loud moan escaped you once she started to slowly jerk you off “Shhh it’s ok, I’ll take care of it.” She said as her palm was now all over your tip, playing with the precum. You thought she was gonna make you come like this, until you felt the overwhelming and warm sensation of her tight pussy. God it felt like heaven. With how sensitive you were, and the desperation of not being allowed to touch her with your own hands. You felt you could come in any second.

Sana started riding you at a steady pace, knowing you were close but also not wanting you to finish too soon. She was playing with the pace, torturing you and enjoying the sounds you’d make when she slowed down robbing you of your own orgasm. If only you could see that damn smile she had on her face. “Sana, please… stop playing with me.. I need to come, please.”

Ouh she loved the sound of that. How you desperately begged her, knowing she had full control over you in every aspect. She needed to hear it more. “Hmmm ask again baby. Ask again and I’ll think about it.”

“Please, please, I’m begging you ma’am, please..” you sobbed, needing your sweet release, unconsciously thrusting your hips up, fucking her as fast as she was fucking you.

“Fuck..! Just like that, baby. Keep fucking going like that. Fuck me good.” She moaned between teeth in your ear, feeling herself getting close to her second orgasm as well. As you came, the sensation of your seed inside her drove her crazy, jumping even faster on your cock making you sob and ask her to please slow down, feeling overstimulated. But of course Sana didn’t stop until she was making a mess on your cock, making you fill her up even more.

———————

For somebody with her own office, she surely enjoyed rather going to more dangerous and small corners of the building.

“Wait, they’re gonna hear us…” you whispered with the little reasoning that was left in your mind as she quickly unbuttoned your pants while you were against the door of a janitor’s closet.

“No, I don’t think they will.” She said as she took her panties off and made you take them into your mouth before getting on her knees.

“Sana, we have a lot of work to do, please.” You said, taking her small piece of clothing out of your mouth for a second.

“Then let’s make it quick, and put that back in your mouth, now.” She said and before you could argue, she started sucking on your tip, moaning at the taste. Your eyes almost went completely white, getting already watery ‘cause of how sensitive you felt and how good Sana’s mouth was. You couldn’t help but to thrust your hips a little, hoping she’d get more of you inside her warm mouth. “Hey what did I tell you, hm? If you wanna fuck my mouth, you ask for it.” She scolded, teasing part of your shaft with her teeth “Understood?”

“A-ah~ yes ma’am. Can I please fuck your mouth?” You almost begged her, your voice coming out muffled ‘cause of her panties and you clenched the edge of the table next to you to try and have some self control while you waited for her answer.

“That’s better, yes you can baby.” She answered as she put her tongue out, giving you more access to her mouth, eagerly waiting for you to use it as your own fuck toy. And of course you did, getting deep inside her throat creating such wet and impure noises that would make whoever walks outside that closet turn around and leave the whole floor. Sana took it out of her mouth as she tried to catch her breath, replacing it with her hand instead. However, you were quick to put it back in, grabbing her head firmly.

“Nu-uh, we can’t risk it falling on your clothes. We can’t go to our meeting all dirty. You’re gonna swallow it all, aren’t you, baby?” You told her looking straight into her eyes, and she nodded, knowing she had no other option. She looked so cute like that, giving you those puppy eyes. People thought nobody could have more power than the owner’s daughter. Yet here you had her, on her knees listening to your every word and letting you use her mouth. People could call you a pathetic loser if they wanted to. As long as you could enjoy Sana. Not so long after, you came in her mouth almost making her choke. Still, she made sure to take everything you gave her, licking your dick clean, and getting a little too excited that you almost were starting to get hard again. However, you grabbed her arms and pulled her back on her feet, you guys had an important meeting and you were almost already late. She groaned, complaining and clearly wanting more “I promise after this meeting we can go wherever you want and do whatever you say, but please let’s go. We worked hard on these papers, remember?” You told her with a pout, a surprising switch on you that Sana was still trying to get used to.

“Ugh, fine..” she sighed as she rolled her eyes, and you both carefully got out of the closet (be who you areeee) after making sure you were presentable.

Getting to your meeting like nothing happened, clearly in a better mood than earlier that day, your cheeks red and sometimes stuttering as Sana continued eye-fucking you, fantasizing about what you promised earlier and impatient for the day to end to take you home,but she had the biggest smile planted on her face ‘cause there’s nothing she loves more than playing with you and having you around her finger during office hours.

A lot of people thought she was just flirting and playing with you, making you nervous or dreaming about a chance with her just so you would do whatever she wanted, but never actually batting an eye your way. The way Sana thanks you for your help (which she very much enjoyed as well, so it was a win-win for her every time), you could honestly say it was very fair tho.

Now, Sana was no idiot. She knew damn right what it was told about her and the way she treated you. She knew some people thought she was taking advantage of you and manipulating you ‘cause you were too good and innocent. You looked so shy and well behaved. “If only they knew” she thought. Yes, you were sweet, but innocent? Impossible, and if you ever were then she was sure she already broke you ‘cause with how easy she made you hard, and with how hard you pound on her, it was impossible to consider you innocent. Well behaved? Of course tho, you were so obedient for her. Just for her<3.

Continuation here <3

[gunwoo-bh]

The Night Shift - Part 3 [Min Yoongi x f!Reader]

MIN YOONGI x F!READER UniStudent!Yoongi AU SUMMARY: You chose a boring, quiet job at your campus’s 24-hour library for a reason: it kept you away from drama, gossip, and parties. It was positively uneventful. Until it wasn’t. Warnings: definitely swearing, no smut, the word fucked being uttered, teasing, such slow burn A/N: EVERYBODY. Let me start by saying how much I love Y'ALL so much for the love these two chapters have gotten. This one is a tad shorter but finally reader and Yoongi are interacting. I have created a masterlist and I will update links tomorrow, but it's late right now. I hope you enjoy this. I'm so excited to keep writing this for as long as you'll have me!

THE NIGHT SHIFT

PART 2

“I’m not giving a daily shift report, Eunji! That’s ridiculous!” 

Your shoulders are shaking, amused by your friend’s silly request. As you walk the halls to the library, you say hi to some students you know, your phone held precariously between your shoulder and ear. You stop by a display case, checking your reflection and your outfit. You’d been putting more attention into your outfits recently. You always did care to look put together, but you did have a pretty low-key, low-maintenance style, which, with your busy schedule, was of the utmost importance. Except when you were hoping to bump into a certain someone.

“Anyways…I should go back. I never leave the desk unattended for this long. I’ll see you in a few hours. You sure you still wanna go on a run?” You ask, lowering your voice while swiping your ID at the turnstiles. 

“Yes, yes, and yes! I swear I won’t flake on you this time.” You hear the guilt in her voice, lips curling.

“I know you won’t. Okay, gotta go for real this time. Go to sleep.” You playfully order.

She teasingly mocks your tone, “Yes, mom!” Both snorting, you finally say goodbye as you return to your post. 

A couple of weeks had passed since the Tangerine Incident, the term your friends had so affectionately decided to codename your encounter with Yoongi. Since then, no more fruit-related surprises have been left at your desk. You don’t even think you’ve seen him since, making you think this was a one-off. You don’t hide your disappointment, but in all fairness, you know that you could have reached out, too. Something you do notice about the man, though?

Min Yoongi is elusive as fuck.

You’ve been keeping an eye out for him in the library, but since that day? Nothing at all. You even saw him around campus beforehand, but no glimpse of him at all. It’s like he disappeared. 

“Fuck it.” Whispering the words to yourself, you decide you’ll talk to his friend Namjoon tomorrow. What’s the worst that could happen?

You wipe your hands on your jeans for what feels like the hundredth time this hour. You never anticipated being nervous like this.

Your class is almost over, and any moment now, you have to speak to Namjoon. Right when your shift finished, you skipped sleep to go to the store. And whether it was lack of sleep or not, you got the idea to make Yoongi a ‘thanks for the tangerine’ gift. Didn’t consist of much past a note and some tangerines neatly arranged in the smallest of baskets, a tangerine plushy also tucked in the middle of it all. You hid the gift in a simple bag sitting discreetly at your feet. 

You snap your head up to the front of the class when the teacher announces a quiz next class, effectively ending the class, and this is your cue. You quickly pack up and grab the bag at your feet, and you’re just lucky Namjoon is talking to a classmate as you approach. 

“Hey, Namjoon?” The man in question turns his entire body in one swift movement, and you know he recognizes you because he’s not even surprised. “Hi.”

His face lights up, “Hey!” He says your name as if to make sure he’s remembering it right, and you can’t hide the shock on your features. You never expected him to know you. 

You’re honest with him, “I didn’t think you knew who I was…to be honest.” 

He laughs, and what’s even more shocking to you is that it’s earnest, “I do know who you are…”

You huff a laugh, “Seems like it…”

You both laugh, and you appreciate his social awareness because he waits until everybody has left the class, leaving the two of you only.

“What can I help you with?”

Oh yeah, I came here for a reason. You quick glance to the bag in your hand and back to him, “I’m not, like, keeping you from anything, am I?” 

He smiles at you, seemingly enjoying your nerves, “Nah, I’m all good…”

“Okay…” trailing off, you inhale deeply before handing him the bag, “so, I was wondering if you could pass this on to your friend…”

You see the quirk of his eyebrow before catching on, “Oh! Uh, Yoongi. It’s for Yoongi.” You spot the way his lips curl into the smallest grin. “He uh, he’ll understand, I think, what it is.”

You’re grateful Namjoon doesn’t check what’s in the bag, just takes it from you and looks up to you, grin still ever present, “Can I ask why he’s getting a gift from a pretty girl?” It’s light teasing, you know that, but it doesn’t stop you from feeling heat rise in your cheeks. 

“It’s not…it’s not what it looks like…” you’re stuttering, completely caught off guard before straightening yourself out.

He reaches out to grab your shoulder with his free hand, eyes gentle and apologetic, “I’m teasing…I’m sorry.” He puts his hand to his chest, keeping his eyes on you.

You release a breath you’ve been keeping, laughing softly when you realize everything is fine, “Okay, truth is, he was nice to me the other night, and it might be much, but this is me saying thank you. I just…I haven’t seen him around to give it to him.”

He looks like he’s contemplating your words but shrugs, “I’ll make sure he gets it.”

You sigh in relief, your entire body finally relaxing, “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

You both stand there in silence for a moment before you grab your bag, “I should go. I have one more class before heading off to work…”

You give him a quick bow and thank him again, turning to walk away before he calls out for you. You whip around with eyes wide, and he smiles, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.” 

This makes you smile, nodding and thanking him. You walk down the halls to your next class with relief washing over you. It’s done. Now, whether or not you ever speak to Min Yoongi is all up to you, him, or the universe. And that brings you relief like no other. 

It’s finally Friday. 

You stretch in your chair, bones cracking and sighing, a smile stretched onto your lips. 

This week has felt particularly long; the pressures of school building the further into the semester you got. You look at the essay you just finished after days of constantly rewriting it. Eunji and Hwayoung even had to pry you away from your laptop the day before because you nearly threatened to throw it at the wall of your shared apartment. 

What’s even more surprising is that because of an exam you prepared for, you got the day off, meaning your Friday night was actually free for once, and yet, here you were in the library. But for school work. 

You really never leave this place.

You get up to stretch your legs, grabbing your phone and earbuds to listen to music while walking around. You glance at the time, keeping track of it before you need to meet your friends at a restaurant to celebrate Eunji’s birthday. You appreciate how well they know you, choosing to do dinner with you and clubbing in Itaewon with just the two of them afterward. 

You return to your floor, and as you round the corner, you are startled into a full stop at seeing Yoongi standing next to your table. He looks up at that moment, and your gaze shifts to the familiar orange fruit in his hand. A blue post-it is in his other hand, and you mouth the air, removing your earbuds as you step closer to him. You both feel caught, but you’re the first to smile, albeit shyly. 

“Hi?” You sound unsure, but you stand across from him, the table between you.

He licks his lips, his eyes never leaving your figure, “Hey…”

You glance down at the tangerine, nodding in its direction, “Is that for me?”

“Mhm.” You watch how he lets it go, shoving the post-it in his pocket. Damn it. You really wanted to know what he’d written on there. “You working tonight?”

You shake your head, “Birthday plans.” He perks up, prompting you to correct yourself. “Not mine, though. No, that passed already.”

Silence falls on your conversation, but it’s not uncomfortable. You don’t know what is going through his head while he’s watching you, and you don’t want to be the girl reading too much into it. But you can almost swear he was actually taking all of you in. And you have to be honest with yourself, too. He looks handsome in his grey hoodie, light blue loose-fitted jeans, and pair of Air Jordans. His backpack slung over the one shoulder, half-open. 

“Did Namjoon pass on my basket?” 

The question seems to hit him like a freight train because he suddenly blushes, mouth hanging as he mouths the air. His eyes flit about the table, like his brain is processing how to answer your question. He’s not embarrassed about the basket, but he’s embarrassed about something. 

“You didn’t have to do that.” Your eyebrows quirk, an infectious grin plastered on your lips.

“I wanted to.” He breathes out loudly at your words. “You didn’t have to leave that tangerine that night either…” You remark. 

He opens his mouth to speak, shutting it when the words don’t come as easily to him as he hoped. His cheeks are pink, and he’s licking his lips nervously the entire time he thinks of something to say.

But he seems to settle for accepting his fate, “I wanted to.” 

You snort softly, a giggle following as you cover your mouth. You don’t notice how his eyes soften when you do that, the way he relaxes. God damn it. You’re completely charmed by his seemingly standoff-ish but caring nature.

“Then,” you reach forward to grab the tangerine on the table, “thank you again.” You maintain eye contact with him as his gaze follows the length of your arm to your eyes. “Do I get to know what that post-it said?”

Right away, he says, “Nope.” 

You snicker, and he tilts his head as you shake yours, “Okay. I guess I’ll have to settle for that for now.” 

“For now?” 

“Oh, yeah, for now. I will find out what’s on there.”

Yoongi is delighted at your confidence, gazing at you getting ready to leave. He feels an incredible amount of fondness for your interaction. You never let go of the tangerine, slipping your jacket on and slinging your bag over your shoulder.

“I guess I’ll see you around.” You say, smiling fondly. 

You start turning when he calls out to you, and how your name slips from his mouth causes your heart to skip as you look back, “Yes?” God, do you have to sound so eager?

“Gimme.” His outstretched hand makes you frown until he steps close enough to take the tangerine out of your hand. And what he does surprises you. He starts peeling it for you. You watch his fingers work at removing it, entirely focused on his task, and you take this moment to truly look at him up close. 

When he’s finished, he keeps the peel in his hand, giving you the tangerine back as you gently take it from him, “Thanks. Again.” He grins at that, holding your gaze.

“Go, don’t be late for those birthday plans.” 

You’re nodding as you start walking away from him. He’s close behind, and when you leave the building, you notice him headed in the opposite direction. Glancing over your shoulder to watch his back retreating, you summon confidence from God knows where and call out to him this time. You’re giddy with his amused look when he waits for you to speak. 

“I don’t bite,” his jaw goes slack, “don’t be a stranger, mhm?” 

You bite your lower lip while walking backwards, giggling when you twist your body around at the last possible moment and leaving Min Yoongi completely and utterly shaken to his core. And fucked. So fucked.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY!

Post separator credit to @hyuneskkami

[inzuinzudesu]

Please zoom in to see small Kakashi! 😭 He kinda disappeared 😭😭😭

Text translation: "Infinite Tsukuyomi" (無限月読)

Drew these in mid-July - when I started doing digital again actually 🤔

Took inspo from the Balut - a street food in my country; I hear a lot of people are grossed out by it?? Don't know if this is controversial, but I personally love the dish. Essentially grew up with it after all!

Wanted to draw something that feels a bit creepy but still has a sense of mysticality to it???

Meh, don't know if the feeling got across or not

I thought since Halloween is coming up, might as well post this haha

About the process of drawing these!

These were very fun to draw! I messed around a lot with photoshop to achieve this glowy dusty effect?? From the brushes to the blending options, and maaan the filter gallery 😭😭 Such fun tools to play with.

The main brush I used to achieve the dusty effect is called "KYLE Bonus Chunky Charcoal", in the Kyle Dry Media brush set. If you can, I recommend checking it out! There are definitely other ways to achieve this sort of effect, though. You can probably just use some sort of scatter texture brush and it'd work just fine. Studying is all about trying things out, right? This is like my first experiment with this type of effect, and I was happy at the time. Now looking back, these could most definitely turn out better, no? I really went overboard with just the effect and forgot everything else. The blood and the plate looks horrible man. If you look closely, you can see the sketch lines haha! I got lazy!

Also, for Obito's pose, I relied heavily on a reference I found on pinterest 😭 I wish I'd changed the pose more tbh, it looks really boring.

And I gotta say, these just look underwhelming in this smaller size. Like reaaaaaally underwhelming. Would love to show you the big version, but oh well! 😭😭😭

Brain vomit time!

I love the prospect (??? is that the right word) of Obito being all god-like and powerful after Tsukuyomi, having control over everybody's dream worlds?? And like he jumps from dream to dream, but stops at Kakashi's and picks it apart???? Observing and tormenting Kakashi with his childhood form that has both sharingan???????

Kakashi would probably be confused with Obito's appearance at first, asking questions like "What are you up to this time, Obito?", but then wouldn't receive any answers??? Like little man would just stare at him creepily, and Kakashi would push this to the back of his mind for a while???

Umm below is the technical stuff, I guess??

My headcanon is that the time span in the dream world is the same as the real world. Meaning, 30 years in the dream world feel incredibly real, with no gap of memories. It's essentially a different timeline. Whether this makes sense or not, who knows haha!

Let's talk about the dream events and how they affect Kakashi! Due to Sakumo and team Minato still living, this Kakashi probably wouldn't be as lax nor sad as in canon?? The relationships and personalities would be different huh???? I'm having a headache thinking about this, so let's just say that: 1. Sakumo lived because the villagers weren't as harsh, but the animosity still remained. Kakashi still developed this obsession with rules, but he doesn't blame his dad as much. 2. Kannabi happened, Kakashi was given the sharingan, along with Obito's ninja way. Team Minato thought that Obito died for a while, but Obito is 'rescued' by Madara, same as canon. 3. Rin would still be targeted by Madara, but Obito came in time to help with the situation, blocking Kakashi's chidori from connecting with Rin's chest, but also knocking Kakashi away. Then, a Mist enemy took advantage of the situation to attack Kakashi, injuring him gravely, to the point where everybody thought he died. With this, Obito activated his Mangekyou and exploded on the Mist enemies, killing them all. Meanwhile, Rin tried to heal Kakashi, just barely saving him. As Obito had dealt with the enemies, there was no need to rush back to the village, and the Sanbi wouldn't be released till then. And so, they waited for Minato to come and help with Rin's seal. (About Obito's Mangekyou activating with Kakashi's death - would that be too far-fetched? My reasoning is that Obito would think that it was his fault Kakashi died, because it was Obito who knocked Kakashi away into the enemy, no?) 4. Because there's no one to become 'Madara' now that Obito came back to the village, Naruto is born, Minato and Kushina live.

5. The Uchiha massacre doesn't happen.

(Everything is incredibly convenient, because I don't have the brain power to make it otherwise, please help 😭😭) -> In conclusion, this Kakashi resembles the Kakashi of the real world, but less depressed and self-destructive??? He loves his living comrades. My man still has a massive obsession (more like crush lol) with Obito by the way, just like in canon. He just doesn't show it.

-> About Obito of the dream world (I'mma call him Dreambito), he is all sunshine and brightness, but he exhibits some dark thoughts and deep rage from time to time due to the residual effects of Madara's seal on his heart. The seal has been removed though. And he has this obsession with Kakashi's safety, as he almost pushed him to his death once, albeit accidentally.

-> I was debating whether to just start this dream world at the point where Obito got crushed, or to start it at the beginning of Kakashi's life. In the end, I went with the latter, cuz ya know, I like the idea of Kakashi living through a whole life all over again, just to finally come to the realization that it's all a dream. Does that make any sense at all??

Obito (child form - 13) first appears in front of Kakashi at the start of the Naruto series, when Kakashi has officially become the teacher of team 7. (Let's not change this okay, my brain would fry haha I'm not gonna deny that the idea of Obito and Kakashi becoming co-teachers of team 7 isn't incredibly fun though)

After the first encounter with this child Obito, Kakashi begins to have flashes of memories from the real world, and he hallucinates about people's deaths - mostly about the members of team Minato. This young Obito is always in the corner of his vision, most of the time silent, sometimes saying things like "You trash" to Kakashi whenever he encounters Rin, who is whole and grown up in this world.

Kakashi exhibits more destructive behaviors as this goes on, the line between the dream events and the real events slowly blurring. He takes more dangerous solo missions out of the village, and shows strong signs of PTSD, just like in canon.

The two Obitos would contrast each other?? Like Dreambito would be all concerned with Kakashi's decline in health (both mental and physical) and goes to confront and comfort him, many times over because that's how it is with them??? Dreambito might even move in with Kakashi, being the obsessive and protective Uchiha that he is. Meanwhile young Obito would be an absolute asshole, saying all these horrible things to poison Kakashi's mind haha

At this point, Dreambito'd be in the last stage on the journey of becoming Hokage, gaining the all the trust from the Uchiha clan, the village elders and the villagers as a whole. I don't know about Rin, though? Should she be romantically involved with Dreambito or no? Would Kakashi dream that??

I think Kakashi's dream would somewhat focus more on Dreambito being happy and satisfied, to be honest. I know there's Sakumo and team Minato as a whole, but as a degenerate shipper, I love the obsession between them🥺

I don't think Obito would directly interfere with what Kakashi is dreaming about, i.e. changing Dreambito's behavior, or like the political situation of the villages (?). But he would most definitely insert himself in Kakashi's psyche, no? Mess it up real good.

Kakashi would slowly realize that he is living a dream world, after all the flashes of memories that Obito generates in his mind. He would most definitely deny it at first though, I think? And then it would reach a point where Kakashi remembers everything from the real world, but he has also lived through 30 something years of the dream world, meaning he'd be in his 60s?? Does that make sense or no?

And so, while Kakashi now knows that everything is a dream, his feelings for everybody in the dream are real. If that's the case, is it really that important anymore that he escapes the Tsukuyomi? Can this dream world really be called fake at this point? Is there even anything in the real world for him to return to?

What's to say 'the real world' isn't a dream at this point?

-> Kakashi would completely close in on himself after this. He still does things that he would normally do, but it'd be all an act. He would feel completely isolated.

-> Dreambito would notice and confront him again, now that they live in the same house??? Kakashi would like say everything is fine and try to act more convincingly, but Dreambito would still know something's wrong????

-> Obito is observing from afar, who knows what his motivation is at this point.

Because this is Kakashi's dream world, I suppose he would have the power to change this world to his will, now that he's aware? This is like a lucid dream situation???

The people in the dream have their own will up until this point, but Kakashi can somewhat change their behavior if he really wants to, whether it's subconsciously or not??? Example: He can probably will Dreambito to kiss him or something lol

So on and so forth!

Man, I'm having waaay too much fun imagining the pain. There are probably like a thousand things that doesn't make sense haha! I do wonder how this sort of storyline should end though, does anybody have any ideas? Personally, I prefer slow burn with a (sort of) happy ending, but ya know, angst all the way is good too! I can't write, but I love thinking about all the things that could happen 😭😭 English isn't my first language, so this might have felt weird to read at some point haha

If anybody wants to develop this, please feel free to do so! And if you've read this far, thank you for reading this absolute brain vomit of mine! I love to yap, as you can tell haha Have a good day!

[midnightarcheress]

Simon has a new assignment.

pairing: bodyguard!ghost x actress!reader 1 | gold rush masterlist.

after years exhausting his body in the military and too many losses to count, Simon decided to retire. goodbye extensive deployments, food and sleep deprivation, constant adrenaline pump in his veins, hours spent washing the blood off of his fingernails. except he didn’t truly retire. life as a civilian again was too strange, too boring. he thrives in following orders and being the best at it. he missed having a purpose, even if it’s far from saving the world.

so, because of that, he agreed on joining a private military company as a contractor. never takes the dirty, mercenary-like jobs though – despite being rusted, his moral compass is still there, so he usually sticks with the security, training, bodyguarding type of work. easy enough to not take a toll on his body, and to not strain his conscience with the worry of ending innocent lives to cover up some bastard’s filth, but demanding enough to keep his mind out of his own life for a while.

the guy on the other side of the line doesn’t tell him much about the new task. bodyguard for an actress, indefinite time, details via e-mail. a few minutes later, the computer screen lights up with the case information and his eyes skim through the text; famous actress, has been receiving threatening letters and who ultimately has a stalker. a seemingly uncapturable one, as the police have not been able to trace them for months. incompetent wankers. in his prime he would locate terrorists with ease; nothing he couldn’t do right now, but his contract was strict – keep her safe and keep to yourself.

he doesn’t recognize the name, but the small picture attached to the message is slightly familiar, maybe from one of the times he spent hours flicking through the channels on the telly while battling a crippling insomnia. his brows knit together when he peers at the set of rules that accompanies the e-mail. no talking, no touching unless extremely necessary, must keep distance at all times.

in the months he’s been working in the company, he never had a job with an actual celebrity – mostly politicians and businesspeople, extremely straightforward and simple to execute, usually for a short period of time. he’s convinced that it will be the longest mission of his life, probably dealing with an entitled rich woman who’s used to having everybody begging at her feet.

dread fills his mind as he watches the trees quickly passing by his window on the car. the drive to the meeting is short enough to contain the rate of the antipathy brewing on his chest, but long enough to make him question accepting the assignment.

he pulls up on the driveway and walks towards a tall, modern building, filled with frantic people walking from side to side. glancing at his phone, he re-reads the details of the reunion; second door on the 23th floor, her manager will be expecting you. his fingers tap on the side of his thigh as the lift raises to the office level, eyes glaring at the mirror in the back of the platform. the image on the glass differs from the one on his past – military buzzcut and skull-printed balaclava replaced by messy blond locks and a neck gaiter, still covering a bit of his face even after all this time. old habits die hard.

the doors pry open right after the number appears on the screen and he walks down the hallway to the office, stopping on his tracks as he notices a feminine voice coming from inside the room. “i’m scared just as much as you, but is this really necessary?” she’s in there too? wasn’t the meeting only with the guy?

“yes, princess, it is necessary. do you want to make the front-page news as a corpse?” another voice can be heard responding, this time, male. must be the manager.  “in case you've forgotten, i’m also your friend, and i’m merely concerned about your safety. we cannot let that stunt from last week happen again.” stunt. he recalls part of the information on the file, depicting how she was almost assaulted by a weirdo that followed her on the street; however, the creepy prick was cleared from being the stalker and left the station on bail. great justice system. 

“we’ve already increased the security on your house, he was just hired to keep you safe on the outside.” he decides to stop eavesdropping and knocks sharply on the door. “must be him.” the man says, and he listens as footsteps approach the entryway.

“well, hello there. please, come in,” he steps aside, allowing Simon to enter the room. the office is fairly average, leather couch on one corner, portraits on the wall of what he assumes are the man’s clients, but all of the attention goes to the large windows showing a perfect view of the city. “so, i’m Daniel, the great manager as you may know," he smugly speaks, "and of course you already know her.” he gestures to the woman on the armchair.

the woman from the picture. the woman from the late night movie he was absentmindedly watching on a late night. you. you look the same as he'd seen before, but somehow entirely different. the warm sunlight coming through the glass shines on your skin when you stand on your feet, golden flecks twinkling in your irises as you offer him your name and extend a hand to greet him, sweetly mouthing “and you are?”

he shakes your hand with a firm grasp, stirring away the sudden void in his brain and swallowing the lump on his throat that hindered his words. “Ghost.” easy detachment. his gruff voice reverberates in the space as he repeats the orders in his head, the sense of doubt starting to cloud his judgement. keep to yourself. maybe the job won’t be as bad as he thought.

been a bit obsessed with this idea so i decided to write it and see how it goes.

[mvrkieboo]

Old Bloodhounds

P53 | i'm here now

Mark came all the way from taking his final paper directly to your hospital. He liked to shrink away from your gaze, blend into the background, and always stayed quiet when visiting you—but he still visited. Why? Mostly because…he needed the reassurance that you were still alive and awake. He needed it like he needed air to breathe, to see that you had the second chance to live past Yoonsu, among your loved ones once more.

But he—he wasn't ready to be included among those people yet. He was in love with you, and he was aware you somewhat loved him too, whether romantically or not didn’t matter to him at the moment. He was just sure that you loved him regardless—but he could never forgive himself for what he did to you. That’s why he shrinks himself, making it as if he’s not even there in your room as you entertain your other visitors.

So imagine his surprise when he realised he was your only visitor for today. At 2 PM in the afternoon, just after lunch hour—you were looking straight at him, and his hand still held the door.

“Mark! Oh, thank god, I was starting to get bored.” You sighed in relief, albeit a little too…theatrically?

Not even Yuno was here? Your dad? Not even Geonwoo and Woojin?

Was this a—

“Everyone set you up so I can finally have a heart-to-heart with you.. You either close the door on your way in or way out, Mark. But be advised, one of those two choices is gonna make me cry.”

This was a set up.

He begrudgingly closed the door, walking over to the chair on your bedside that faced the window.

“...hi.” He croaked out.

“Hey, Minhyung.”

He froze, gripping on the bed rail, squeezing his eyes shut at the way you called his name.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He spoke with a shaky voice, feeling like there were only just the two of you in this world right now.

“I know that wasn’t your intention, but it still stung.” You told him in earnest, then reached out your hand to touch under his chin, tilting his head up so he could directly face you.

“Minhyung, just talk to me. It’s the least you could do.”

“I don’t know how.”

“What do you mean you don’t know how?”

Mark’s face fell at your question.

“I don’t know how to speak to you without thinking about how I don’t deserve being here with you. I treated you like shit! I was a fucking asshole—”

“So was everybody else! Everyone was an asshole to me, everyone treated me like shit back then, but they got over themselves.—you should too!” You cut him off swiftly, raising your arms in frustration at his stubborn behaviour.

“I’ve been an asshole to you since the beginning. Ever since you took my order at your pop up coffee shop, and you’ve always been so understanding, it just..” Mark trailed off, feeling his tears rolling down his face, “You’re the most selfless and bravest person I know, and I’ve been nothing but shitty to you. You…you deserve better than me, Y/N.”

You took hold of his face, both of your hands framing his face and pulling on him slightly. He held the railing again, not exactly resisting or pulling himself away, but was displaying a little caution with the way you came closer to him. He glanced at the spot where you had been stabbed, hoping you didn’t hurt yourself doing this.

“Y/N…”

“Stop putting me on a pedestal, Minhyung. Don’t you realise you’ve been treating me like a martyr?”

And you’ve never seen him look so horrified before. The horror Mark felt at this moment was comparable to the horror he felt on the night you got stabbed.

“You visit me without speaking to me, you just stare at me, bring me fresh bouquets every time you come—it’s like you’re visiting my grave, Minhyung, but I’m alive. I’m awake. I’m here breathing and living with you, so why can’t you look at me without looking like you’re grieving over me?”

One of his hands went up to hold yours, shaking his head in your hold.

“No, I’m not—”

“Then come back to me.”

Your voice broke, your tears fell—you’ve been so happy celebrating your reunion with everyone else, why did he have to be the one reunion that tore your heart apart?

“All those times I suffered under Yoonsu, all I kept thinking about was how happy I was gonna be once I get to reunite with everyone I love—but now you’re pulling away from me, and I don’t how else am I gonna bring you back to me. I can't lose you—what do I have to do to bring you back to me?”

Mark’s hands now held your wrists. Even as you cried over him, you still wiped away his tears. He was hurting you, but you still tried to soothe him and comfort his aching heart.

He needed to get over himself.

He needed to be there for you.

Mark’s hands went to hold your wrists as he finally leaned in to your hold on him, pressing and pushing his face against your open palms, warm with life, blood still pumping underneath your skin. You were alive. You were awake. You were here, returned to him.

Now he had to return to you too.

“Okay. Okay, I’m here now, Y/N. I’m here now, with you. You don’t have to do anything—I’m sorry that it took me so long to come back. I'm sorry.”

You immediately pulled him into a tight hug, and he gladly wrapped his arms around you too.

“Stay. Stay this time.” You begged him.

“I'm not going anywhere else. I'll always be here. With you.”

prev | masterlist | next

A/N : let the record show i wrote this entire chapter while listening to a ludwig livestream on twitch

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

taglist <333

@spiderm444rk @morkiee @xiuriii @thevirginsuicidenotes @neozon3nha @herebyaccident0 @injunnie-lemon @mystverse @dearmonamour @v-6893 @sehunniepot @bee-the-loser @gomdoleemyson @luluvhs @sunghoonsgfreal @docilismo @neocrashed @soobinbunnie5 @cigarettesafterjae @dudekiss3r @kittydollzz @urlocalbeaner5 @polarisjisung @conwunder @wonupuppy @jae-n0 @413ktz @kimsaerom @meowtella @aerivrs @swanyvess @morkleesgirl @sthwaaberry @nominzn @grassbutneo @spicyryujin @koizekomi @sunflowerhae @markeroolee @tinyelfperson @leeymws @sullkyoonz @pandagirl753 @momo-peachy @lycheecheeseyogurt @gukuwii @johnuskglasses

[cosmerelists]

If Rosharans Were Obsessed with Mean Girls...

Stormlight characters watching Mean Girls requested by @idontknowwhatnametouse :)

Mean Girls is a movie about a high school girl infiltrating the popular girl squad to take revenge on them. It spawned a lot of memes. What would happen if it not only came to Roshar somehow, but also became something that everyone watched?

1. Dalinar: Tries to be hip with it

Dalinar: On Wednesdays, we wear Kholin blue. Dalinar: ... Dalinar: Also on every other day. Dalinar: Because that is what the codes say.

2. Navani: Tries to be hip with it

Adolin: Are you, uh, wearing a glove? Navani: Yes, I'm wearing a glove instead of the full safehand sleeve. Navani: I'm not like a regular mom. I'm a cool mom. Navani: ... Navani: Cool aunt? Adolin: Maybe we should stop talking now.

3. Stormfather: Likes the bus scene

Stormfather: The movie shows that if you hit someone with a bus, they become nicer. Dalinar: I...do not think that is the intended message. Stormfather: When I tried to blow all of you off of the plateau, maybe I had the right idea. Dalinar: ... Stormfather: Maybe *I* am the bus. Dalinar: Perhaps movie night was a bad idea.

4. Pattern: Takes some of the lessons to heart

Pattern: No mating! Pattern: You WILL get chlamydia and die!

5. The memes

Lift: If Drehy is married, then why is his butt so good? Wyndle: Oh my god, mistress, you can't just ask why someone's butt is good! Wyndle: Wait, what does his being married have to do with it? Lift: D-Did you use a meme? Lift: I'm so stormin' proud.

6. Listen, the memes though

Shallan: If that guy is a herald, then why are his eyes brown? Kaladin: Oh my god, Shallan, you can't just ask someone why their eyes are brown! Shallan: Y-You were surprised too!

7. Moash: Figures anything is worth a try

Moash: And why should Elhokar get to stomp around like a giant while people like us get crushed underneath his big feet? We are just as cute as Elhokar, right? We're just as smart as Elhokar (well, way smarter), and you like me way more than you like Elhokar. When did it become okay for one person to be the boss of everybody? We should totally just STAB ELHOKAR! Kaladin: ... Kaladin: Are you trying to get me to commit regicide by quoting Mean Girls? Moash: Is it working?

8. Bridge 4 would quote it all the time

Skar: Kaladin... How do we begin to explain Kaladin Stormblessed? Rock: Kaladin Stormblessed is flawless. Lopen: I hear his hair is insured for ten emerald broams! Drehy: I hear he appears in fashion magazines... In Kharbranth! Sigzil: One time he met the Herald Taln... Leyten: ...and Taln said he looked strong. Moash: One time he punched me in the face... It was awesome.

9. Adolin could make "fetch" happen

Adolin: That is so fetch! Sadeas (sounding bored): Stop trying to make "fetch" happen, Adolin. It's NOT going to happen. Jakamov [in the distance]: Wow! So fetch! Danlan: I know, right? The fetchiest! Sadeas: NOOOOOO

10. Wit: Thinks the Burn Book could be improved

Wit: See, the issue with the Burn Book was keeping it secret. Wit: I'm just writing down my insults as I say them, in front of everyone. Wit: Then I leave the book on display, and anyone can revisit my best insults at any time! Wit: See? Elhokar: Wit... None of us men can read. Wit: ... Wit: Every day this planet tests my patience.

[pandora-writes-one-piece]

The Meet-Cute - Zoro's Story - 2

Source for pic

Trouble 2

Word Count: 4550

Tags For The Whole Story: Fem!Reader; Protective!Zoro; Soft!Zoro; Sexual Tension; Teasing; Flirting; Mature Audiences (I'll always tag the NSFW chapters); Modern Day AU; Reader is being stalked; Fear; Paranoia; Angst; Rom-Com Vibes; Mild Gore-like Descriptions; Blood; Dead Animals Mentioned; Reader in a terror-like state; Fluff; Romance; Banter; Manipulation; Miscommunication; Frustration; Reader is very clumsy;

Special Warning: English is not my first language, I apologise for any possible spelling or grammar mistakes.

Summary: After moving away from the hustle and bustle of Grand Line City to help your father around the property following a horse-riding accident - and in the hopes of healing your broken heart after your asshole ex-fiancé cheated - you settle into the country calmness of the Calm Belt. You and Zoro are slowly returning to your easy friendship filled with banter and flirting and you actually begin to glimpse a future with the green-haired cop. But then you start to receive weird gifts. They quickly escalate to manipulative texts. And now you're stuck in a spiral of terror and there's no way to get help because the Stalker, whoever he is, is threatening something other than just your life.

Notes: Chapter 2 is here! Please enjoy while everything is light and fluffy 😋 Maybe the author will quickly turn this into angst and horror! Who knows? 😯

Masterlist | |Chapter 2| | |Chapter 3|

Saturday comes in a heartbeat, and with it, a lingering anxiety. Zoro assured you that you had nothing to worry about, and deep down, you know he’s right. But that still does nothing to stop the churning in your stomach or the maddening pounding of your heart.

Luffy had long since left his grandpa’s house, your neighbour, but he had traded the farmhouse for a nice, cosy home not too far away, and with a backyard big enough to host weekly gatherings, as Nami had filled you in. 

One that’s standing right in front of you.

Your shaky breath does nothing to soothe your lingering nerves, and you clutch the strap of your bag tighter as you fidget with your hair. Then you stop, tempted to turn back around, deciding that perhaps this isn’t a good idea at all.

Who, in their right mind, would want to hang out with someone they haven’t seen in forever?

Are you boring company? Are you actually fun to hang out with? They remember you from when you were a teenager. Years have passed. Will they still like you?

“Oi? Are you coming in or not?” Zoro’s gruff voice is enough to ground you, and you nod, taking two shaky steps forward before you regain your stride. “You’re late.” He grumbles from his leaning position on the front porch where, apparently, he was waiting for you.

“Fashionably late. It’s a thing, google it.” You quip back, a quick grin spreading with the easiness of your and Zoro’s banter. 

“How can you say that with a straight face when I just witnessed you wavering in the front yard, pissing your pants from meeting your oldest friends?” Zoro gives a thumbs-down and blows a raspberry. “Shaaaame!”

“Shut up! I thought your bad sense of direction had rubbed off on me for a second, and I was lost.” Climbing the steps, you meet his gaze with a look of defiance, but he merely snickers at you. 

“I’ll pretend to believe you, Trouble.”

You take a deep breath and face the closed door, licking your lips nervously as you fidget with your hair again. 

“There’s no need to be nervous. We’re all friends, and everybody’s missed you.” Zoro nudges your shoulder with his, and you chuckle. 

“Right.”

“Ready?”

“Let’s make an entrance.” And damn it, if your words aren’t a prediction. As soon as you open the door, you stumble on your feet, almost falling face-first to the floor, if not for Zoro’s steadying hand around your upper arm.

“That’s one way to do it…” He mumbles through clenched teeth, and you grimace. But there’s no more time to counter-argue or to say anything else, really. All you see is a red blur, and then you’re being held in a tight hug. Luffy’s arms grip you as if he’s made of rubber, his smile so wide it’s contagious, and you can’t help but smile and hug him back. 

Why were you nervous, anyway?

-*-

Everyone is as friendly and welcoming as you remembered them to be. Nobody treats you as an outsider, as you feared, and the evening goes by smoothly. You meet new people: Vivi, Nami’s beautiful girlfriend, and you bond instantly since she’s such a kind person. Then there’s Chopper, the youngest of the group. Apparently, they’ve been classmates since junior year of highschool - after you left - because he skipped a few years, being practically a genius. A very shy, adorable genius. Barto, a very punk-rock-looking man, seems to follow Luffy around and indulge him in all kinds of shenanigans. 

Sanji is the most recent addition to the group, but he blends in so well that it's almost as if he's always been part of the gang. You all get along like you’ve never left, and you’re having the time of your life. 

At one point, the groups separate casually: Robin and Nami are huddled on the sofas, gossiping about a party at their office and the ensuing scandal; Kaya and Vivi are secretly shopping for a gift for Nami’s birthday on the front porch; Sanji is preparing more food with Luffy and Barto hovering around; and Chopper is playing a videogame with Usopp. You travel from one place to another, throwing your two cents when asked, but you notice the casual way Zoro follows you around, almost like he’s hovering, expecting you to need him at any given moment.

You don’t think he’s doing it on purpose, though. As Kaya and Vivi return to the living room, you sit with the girls and notice Zoro leaning against the doorframe, closing his eyes as if he’s resting them, but his stance is alert. Then you go cheer on Chopper, who seems a bit overwhelmed by Usopp’s prowess in the game, and Zoro follows you, lingering in front of Usopp long enough to make him lose the game. 

When you go to the kitchen, Sanji is leaving with more food, and you decide to tidy up the dirty dishes before joining them, feeling a bit overwhelmed yourself. After a few seconds, as the warm water from the tap relaxes you into an easy smile, Zoro appears, leaning casually against the counter, facing you. Close enough that you can smell his strong cologne.

“Hey, Troublemaker. Making trouble?”

A smirk tugs at your lips as you rinse a glass. “Not this time. I’m sitting pretty tight. Didn’t even bump into any chair for about half an hour.”

“That’s an improvement right there.” He teases back, and you chuckle. A small, comfortable silence lingers as he takes a sip of his beer. “You don’t have to do that, you know? If the cook sees you doing that, you’ll give him a stroke.”

“Sanji is being very nice by cooking for all of us. I can lighten his load by cleaning up. Besides, I needed a little space.” You let out an exasperated sigh.

“The crew’s too much, right? You’re not used to it anymore, Trouble?”

Shaking your head, you rinse the last glass and turn off the tap, wiping your hands on the clean rag that’s hanging by the counter. “Not used to it at all! But it’s… refreshing.” You turn fully towards him and realise he’s even closer now. 

“And don’t you feel silly now?” He laughs, and you roll your eyes.

“Extremely. I don't know what I was afraid of.” You take another step, being pulled towards him like a magnet. There’s just something about Zoro’s steadying presence that makes you feel safe and secure. 

“We’ve missed you.” He whispers, his smile dropping at the same time as his eye lingers on your lips as you wet them with your tongue. “I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah?” You ask, nonchalantly. There’s no denying that there’s attraction between you and Zoro. Heck, it’s always been there, even when you were teens. Is now finally the time when you two can act on it?

“Hey, have you seen– shit! Sorry!” Nami curses and turns away when she sees you and Zoro practically over each other. You and Zoro fall apart quickly, a blush spreading fast on your cheeks.

What were you two about to do? Isn’t it too soon for this? You can’t do this! You and Zoro are friends, you don’t want any relationship. 

“Nami! What did you want?” You ask with a squeaky voice as you turn to arrange a plate of snacks. 

Nami chuckles and exits the kitchen. “Nothing, nothing, forget I was here! Carry on, carry on…” She sing-songs, and you grunt. Zoro just chuckles, and the moment passes. 

-*-

Night falls down pretty quickly and Sanji decides to fire up the grill in Luffy’s backyard. You’re not sure how anyone can eat another bite, but then again, Luffy is always ravenous and Sanji likes to please. So food keeps appearing and disappearing in a heartbeat. There’s a slight chill in the air so someone lights up Luffy’s backyard fire pit, and Nami is already petitioning for the games to turn into drinking games. 

Sanji finishes up grilling the meat and sits down to complete the circle. Nami giggles when Zoro sits on the arm of the lounge chair you’re sitting on, but you try to ignore her. You can almost feel the body heat leaving him and trailing up your skin, though, no matter how close to the pit - and Zoro - you are, you can’t help shivering slightly.

Zoro raises a brow at you and sheds his jacket, draping it casually over your shoulders without another word. Your face raises to meet his, but his eye is back on the fire pit, hand clutching the bottle he brought for himself. You can’t help but feel your cheeks warm up as you snuggle against the warmth of his jacket. “Thanks.” You mumble and he grunts back at you.

“Marshmallows!” Chopper exclaims excitedly when Robin passes a bag around along with some skewers. You giggle and reach for one, but Zoro steals it away before you have a chance to grab it.

“What are you trying to do, Trouble? Skewer yourself or get burnt? I’ll roast you a damn marshmallow.” He says between grumbles and positions himself in a way he can roast the sweet, though his attitude is a stark contrast to his annoyed words. 

“Hey! I can very well roast my own sweets!” Crossing your arms, you pout and scowl at him, but that only manages to make him smirk. 

“Yeah, I bet you can. I just don't think the sweets will be the only thing roasted when you're done.”

“Mean!”

“Truth teller!” He counters and you jab him in the ribs to coax a laugh out of him, instead of those annoying snickers and chuckles, but it doesn't work, it only manages to make him wince. 

It takes a bit of back and forth for you two to notice Nami staring at both of you with a knowing smirk, her arm laced around Vivi’s waist. When you see her, you swear even your ears turn red as she begins to laugh. 

“See, honey,” Nami leans towards Vivi, “aren't they cute?”

“The cutest.” Vivi quips back and you sink in your seat. Zoro seems unfazed, though, as he squishes your marshmallow between two crackers and a piece of chocolate. 

“S’more. Take it.” You mumble a thank you and immediately shove the thing in your mouth, trying to disappear from your friends scrutinizing gaze, since Zoro's attentiveness only makes them snicker more. “It's still hot so don't–” Zoro turns and sees you huffing and waving at your open mouth, a deadpan look crossing his features. “You just had to, didn't you? I should've known…”

That just makes Nami and Vivi cackle more. When you finally manage to swallow the s'more, there's tears gathering at the corner of your eyes, so Zoro pulls out the bottle he's been nursing the entire evening and reaches for a glass, filling it with two fingers of the crystal clear liquid and handing it to you. 

“Here, this will help.”

Wiping your tears you accept the glass. The ice floating in the - almost pale golden - liquid, seems like paradise to your scalding tongue, so you swirl it a bit before sipping slowly. It's like tasting silk. Smooth, delicate and floral-like in its flavor. You've never tasted sake as delicious as this one. 

You hum in contentment, your tongue still aching, but much more at ease. “This is exquisite, Zoro. Where did you get this sake?”

He smirks, proudly, resting the bottle against his chest as if it's a prized possession. “Daiginjo Sake. The best there is. Mihawk, my Captain, gave a case of it to me some time ago, for an achievement.” His eyes focus far away but he doesn't elaborate and you don't press. 

“I can't believe this!” Nami says, irritation dripping from her words. “I've been begging you to let me try it for years, Zoro! Years!”

She seems genuinely annoyed and you open your mouth, clearly caught in the midst of a battlefield of an ancient war. 

“We've been through this, Witch, you don't appreciate good liquor. It would be wasted on you.”

Sanji gasps like he was the one personally offended by the comment and your eyes jump from Zoro to Nami to Sanji. “Take that back, Mosshead! Apologise to the lady!”

Mosshead? Your eyes linger on Zoro's head and there's a flicker of recognition when you connect the nickname to the why of it. Zoro growls at Sanji, shoots you a warning look, as if daring you to tease him about the nickname, and gets up with clenched fists. 

“Wanna start, Curly?”

Curly? Oh! The Vinsmoke brows. Dang, that would've been a good quip to throw at Ichiji way back when. 

The two men face off, faces inches from each other, and Nami sighs. You shrug and offer her the glass. “Want to try it?”

She shakes her head, a silly giggle dancing on her lips. “Girl, I tasted it the year he got it. He just never realised it. I'm such a good thief.” She throws her tongue at you while Vivi shakes her head. “I just said it to rile him up. Aaaaand to prove a point.The drink is special, and he just shared it with you.”

Nami lets that thought linger in the air as she grabs Vivi’s hand, pulling her away from the scene. Then she stops near Sanji and Zoro and exaggerates a faint. “Oh, what I wouldn't give for a warm, soothing drink.” 

Sanji perks up, stops fighting with Zoro, and with a swirl and a declaration goes off to give Nami and Vivi a warm beverage. Zoro keeps grumbling as he sits on the arm of your chair again, his brows furrowed and lips pursed. 

“Thank you.” You say after a moment of silence when he sticks more marshmallows on a skewer, probably imagining swirly brows in each and every one of them. 

“For what?”

For what? Everything… “Making me feel like I'm still part of the crew? Giving me a s'more? Your jacket? A taste of your prized booze?” You chuckle nervously. Nami has been pointing at it the entire evening, but is she right, though? Does Zoro think you're special? “Choose…”

You don't look at him and he doesn't look at you. The fire suddenly seems much more interesting. 

“It's nothing.” He answers after a while. But glancing at him from the corner of your eye, lets you know his ears are red and his frown turned into a slight smile. 

-*-

“Come on, Nami, aren't we a little old for that?” Zoro grumbles as she boos him. 

“You're never too old for a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’, right, gang?”

There are boos and cheers all around, but eventually, the crew agrees to play the game. Mainly because it's cold and Usopp found an old bottle of whiskey that Garp had given Luffy when he bought the house. 

“I'll start: Never have I ever… drank until I passed out!” Nami starts with a giggle and sips her drink. Everybody but Luffy and Chopper takes a sip and agrees. 

Usopp is next, and he snickers, eyeing both Luffy and Chopper, who are now behind on the game. “Never have I ever eaten so much meat - or sweets - that my belly got bigger!”

Luffy and Chopper whine and sip their drinks, a tiny sip, followed by a big chug of cola to mask the booze flavor. Barto also takes a sip, and the crew laughs at that. 

It's your turn, and you see Zoro yawn from the corner of your eye, so you decide to mess with him. “Never have I ever fallen asleep during work hours.”

“Damn you, Trouble.” He says, amused, before sipping the drink.

“How did that happen, officer?” You smirk, quirking your brow, waiting for him to brush you off, but he becomes rather serious. 

“Murder investigation, way back. I found the body, so I assisted the detectives. Pulled shift after shift, barely resting until we caught the culprit. Had to find effective ways to rest in between.”

You weren't expecting that… 

“Wow, Zoro, I don't think you've ever graced us with that much explanation on why you did something…” Nami says nonchalantly before staring at you, deadpan. “Looks like someone's special!” 

There she is again, hinting at that. But are you really? 

The game continues with silly exclamations and serious ones, and after a while, nobody feels cold anymore, and laughter comes easily around the circle. 

“Ohhhhhh, I've got a good one!” 

“Nami…” You whine at your friend, somehow already anticipating some form of embarrassment from her sentence. 

“Never have I ever…” her eyes glint mischievously as she locks her gaze with everyone before setting her brown eyes on yours with a smirk. “Had a crush on someone sitting in this circle.”

You freeze. Shit. Almost everyone takes a sip, but your hand seems frozen. Will it be obvious who your crush is? It probably already is, anyway… so, with a sigh and blazing cheeks, you sip the drink. 

Zoro does, too. 

And chaos ensues. 

There are wolf whistles all around, cheers and whoops, and you don't know if you should giggle or feel mortified. 

But Nami strikes again before you have a chance to do either. “Wait, wait! I can figure this out… so, Usopp and Kaya are obviously each other's crush, as are Vivi and me. Sanji has a crush on all the girls in this circle…”

She sighs as Sanji flushes red, babbling in agreement. 

“Chopper has been infatuated with Robin since he met her–” Chopper squeaks, and Robin smiles sweetly at him. “Barto has had a weird thing for Luffy since forever, platonic or not…”

Barto just shrugs as Luffy laughs out loud, and you begin to sweat. Damn Nami! Is she a sleuth, or just a witch, as Zoro calls her? She's got dirt on everyone! 

“Now I'm actually curious about these two…” Her gaze sends hot flashes through your neck and up your face. Zoro seems unaffected, though, at least from what you can tell from the corner of your eye, since you refuse to look straight at him. “Who's your crush, Zoro?”

Zoro grunts, you stifle a squeak, and Nami beams.  

“Is it Sanji?” She begins, earning an outraged cry of ‘sacrilège’ from the blond and a curse from Zoro. “Or maybe…”

“Just drop it, Witch.”

“What if I don't want to?”

They both stare intently at each other before Vivi places her hand on Nami's and she relents. “Fine, I have another anyway.”

“It's not your turn, Witch.”

“Never have I ever let someone drink from my prized bottle of sake.”

“Witch…”

You start to sink lower into your seat as Nami remains relentless in her teasing. What is she trying to accomplish? Embarrass you to death? Because it's working. 

“Or maybe, never have I ever had a crush on someone since high–”

“Blergh!”

Chopper suddenly throws up into the fire pit, startling everyone and putting an end to whatever was going on between Nami and Zoro, as everyone rallies to help poor - not-used-to-drinking-at-all - Chopper. 

Zoro sighs on your left and takes two sips of his drink before getting up to help Chopper. 

-*-

“This was so fun. Thank you guys for having me.” You smile at Nami while Luffy hugs you for the tenth time in a row. He’s already made you promise to return next weekend since, apparently, they have gatherings like this almost every weekend. 

You say another goodbye and turn around, looking for Zoro to give him back his jacket, but he appears next to you before you can call out to him, hands in his pockets and his usual scowl in place. “Let’s go, Trouble.”

Tilting your head, you raise your brow. “What?”

“I’m walking you home. We just got you back. You think I’m going to let you fall into a dark abyss, a cliff, or, God forbid, a large pothole, just because you can’t see what’s in front of you?”

If looks could kill, Zoro would be squirming on the floor. “You’re terrible.”

“And you’re terribly impaired to walk safely home. Let’s go.” His tone leaves no room for argument, but, truth be told, there was none to have anyway. Once again, you find yourself craving more of Zoro’s company, more of your quips and jabs, more of your back and forth.

Is it flirting? Is it just banter?

Whatever it is, it makes you happy. 

Your house isn’t that far from Luffy’s new home, but the night is pitch black and there’s barely any light along the way. You’re secretly glad Zoro is walking home with you because, once again, you feel that weird prickling in your neck, a shiver that doesn’t come from the cold, but from a deep unease, and you don’t know why.

The silence surrounding you is quite comfortable, and it’s only broken by Zoro’s grunts and mumbles of ‘careful’, or ‘watch it’ as he steers you away from trouble, something you attract without even meaning to. 

“How are you feeling, Trouble?” He finally asks, a lightness to his tone, almost like he knows what you’ll answer.

“I know what you want me to say.” You tease and bump his shoulder, barely making him budge but getting your point across.

“Then just rip the band-aid off. Say it.”

“Nope.” You stretch the ‘p’, and shake your head, skipping two steps ahead, away from his reach.

“Is it so hard to admit, Trouble?”

“Hmm, hmm!” You mumble, ears turning bright red as you turn to him and walk backwards, making him curse and reach out to you with another warning of ‘careful’, like he’s constantly watching your step, afraid you’ll fall and hurt yourself. “Fineeeeee!” You roll your eyes and turn forward, making him sigh in relief. “You were right…”

“I barely heard you.”

“You were right, Zoro! I had fun, I didn’t feel left out! There!” You give him what he wants just as you reach the steps of your porch. The darkness of the night finally illuminated by the weak light of the door lamp. 

“Was that so hard?” He asks as you climb the steps with harsher stomps than necessary and hear him chuckle behind you. 

“No…” The words leaving your lips are barely a mumble.

“I can’t hear you.”

Instead of climbing another step, you turn, ready to tell him again, louder and angrier this time, but he’s right there, a few breaths away, and you can almost feel his heat against you.

“I…” The words get caught in your throat as you stare down at him. Zoro is standing two steps below you, making you slightly taller than him. His eye is staring right at your lips, and you gasp. “You…”

He climbs another step, and you hold your breath. He’s at eye level now and you feel like leaning in. It’s just a peck, how wrong can that be?

Is it because of the alcohol you’ve been drinking? Maybe… Or maybe it’s just because you and Zoro are attracted like magnets. He’s drawn to you as much as trouble is…

Wait…

Perhaps Zoro is trouble…?

“You were saying?” His breath feels hot against your lips, and you can feel the ghost of his touch against your waist, where his hand lingers, not touching yet, but inching closer by the second.

“I…” What were you saying? Maybe there’s nothing to be said… 

Your eyes drop to his lips and you lick yours slowly. Zoro releases a soft grunt and leans. 

It’s happening.

You can almost taste the sake on Zoro’s tongue, you’re so close… so close…

BANG!

You gasp and pull back, startled by the loud noise coming from the barn. Zoro’s hand shoots to his back, where he probably has a gun, and he looks around, alarmed. 

“Get inside.”

“But–”

“Now!”

You don’t make him repeat it, and fumbling with your keys, you enter the house and close the door with the loudest click ever before drawing the curtains to keep an eye on Zoro. He only moves after he makes sure you’re inside the house, and you watch him draw nearer to the barn with carefully measured steps. 

Your heart thrums against your ribcage, and you fight to calm it down. It was already under stress because you and Zoro were about to kiss, but the noise that disrupted the moment almost made it jump out of your chest.

It takes a few minutes - that feel like forever - for Zoro to come back. You quickly open the door, an alarmed look on your face, before he chuckles with a shrug. “It was just the barn door. It was unlatched and banged with the wind. There was nothing inside the barn but scared cows and half-asleep horses.”

You nod, but your face doesn’t relax. “That’s strange, though… I latched the door myself.” You always double-check the latch, lest the animals go off wandering into the night. It happened once when you were younger, and the scolding was so big you never forgot it again. 

“Maybe the gust of wind was so strong it unlatched it on its own?” Zoro tries, and you look at the trees. At the unmoving trees. There’s barely any wind. “Is Mr. S. home?”

You sigh and take the phone out of your pocket. “He sent me a text ten minutes ago saying he was leaving the bar where he went to see the game, so he must be almost home.”

Zoro nods. “I’ll keep you company until he arrives, okay?”

You nod, your eyes still lingering on the barn door as that familiar shiver courses through your spine. Was it really just the wind? 

What wind, though…?

Or did you really forget to latch the door properly?

You never do…

“Oh!” You shed Zoro’s jacket and hand it to him when he climbs the steps to join you. “Your jacket, thank you.” 

Zoro waves his hand. “Keep it. I don’t need it, I’m already hot.”

His line is so ridiculous that it diffuses the tension and gets you giggling. “That was so lame, Zoro.”

“Made you laugh, didn’t it?” Another chuckle leaves your lips as warmth spreads through your chest again, chasing away the lingering fear from the earlier fright. Zoro is so easy to be around. He always was. 

You can’t help but think that, maybe if you hadn’t left town, you and Zoro might’ve been something together. High school sweethearts, perhaps? The kind of couple that gets together early and just knows they are meant to last?

Or perhaps you would’ve just remained friends…

But you still left. And now all the possibilities are opening up again. Are you willing to embrace them, though?

But before the moment builds back up again, Shanks’ car enters the property and you and Zoro sigh at the same time. 

“Your dad’s here. It’s my cue to leave. Take care, Trouble. Stay safe.”

You snort and turn around to open the door again. “Right, I’ll be really careful climbing the steps to my room. Thanks for the tip, officer.” When he doesn’t answer, you turn to see his gaze still lingering on the barn before he says another quick ‘bye’ and goes to talk to your father before leaving.

Tags: @rosidaze @beachaddict48 @armiliadawn @jintaka-hane @sprinkklz @baby5555 @hopelesslover06 @mars-mizuko @sleepykittycx @nerium-lil @eustasscapitankid @ren-ni @jqperi @lycoriskalmia @daydreamer-in-training @iloveyoushanks

|Chapter 3|

[estrellami-1]

Pay the Price

In which Steve needs Eddie’s help stopping the boys’ asshole behavior towards Lucas. He didn’t think he’d get anything more than a tentative alliance out of this, but best laid plans and all.

Part 1

“Eddie Munson,” Steve starts. “Heard you’re the man to talk to about teaching someone a lesson.”

A pause. “Uh,” Eddie says, “I mean, I don’t really do anything physical? But I won’t tell either, man, to each their own, I guess, unless you mean withholding weed, because that I can do. Depending on the lesson being taught.”

Steve chuckles. “No, nothing physical, and no weed withholding, either. Or at least, there shouldn’t be, considering they’re kids.”

Eddie sighs. “Okay, I get it. Prank call, right? Ha-ha, very funny, wanna get your laughs out now before I end the call?”

“Not a prank call,” Steve says evenly. “‘S about the kids I babysit. They’re in Hellfire. Mike’s being a little shit to Lucas.” A pause, “Dustin too, kinda, but Mike’s definitely the ringleader, y’know?”

“What the actual fuck,” Eddie says slowly, “is happening?”

Steve chuckles. “Like I said. The kids’re being shits to Lucas and I need your help curbing their behavior.”

“Who the fuck are you, man?”

Steve chuckles again. “Tell you what, ‘cause I doubt you’re gonna believe me unless you see me. You busy for the next hour or so?”

“You’ve piqued my interest. I’ll bite. No, I’m not busy.”

“Y’know Loch Nora?”

“Doesn’t everybody?”

“Last house on the right. Twenty minutes. See you then, Munson.”

Steve puts the phone back on the receiver and breathes out a sigh as he grins. This is gonna be fun.

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