#everyone else gets torn asunder

[smalltimidbean]

Can I give take a hug and cupcake headpats

Do we really have to go through this again kjlgdjlkfdg

No, you cannot - Cake is very violent towards strangers, and Cupcake is always with her - Trying to give either affection, let alone approach them, is basically a death sentence

[seraphont]

I was going to ask if they ever figure out how to deal with "if I don't drink drone, oil I overheat and die" problem, but then I noticed V is still snacking on people casually lol

YEA, as much as I want to help the poor DD’s with their overheating/hunger woes, robot vampires are way too fun of a concept to get rid of right away!

the au is set directly after canon so, not much progress would have been made yet. The idiot squad is preoccupied with Tessas rehabilitation, and everyone else is focused on rebuilding after the whole planet was nearly torn asunder.

Thankfully they have a prodigy technician to help out once she figures out her own mess!

[dreamsinmoonlight]

Dude, you could do a fic where the reader goes looking for Yandere Alastor at the end of the battle with Adam (where is he mad? Insane?... You know in the last ep)... The reader was worried about Alastor, but found him At the worst moment, maybe Alastor will collapse and go crazy... Maybe because he saw that the reader is also hurt? Or there is a revelation for him where he discovers that he is in love with the reader...

It's up to you, I just want to see a fanfic about it!!

(Here we go, I was thinking a lot about this one because honestly I love me a good old fashion insanity moment because of invocation of the "berserk button is hurting that person" trope. Mmmmm~

Modifying it a little just because I lean into the going insane because someone you care about is hurt (also I have another ask involving finding Alastor after the battle). So instead of being when he gets to the radio tower...

How about we rewind and let it be, oh, during the battle? Hehehe~

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Characters: yandere!Alastor, reader, Adam

Pairing: Alastor x reader

Genre:

Summary: The fight is raging but all you can think about is one very dangerous deer....)

Reckless Abandon

Hazbin Hotel was not falling without a fight, not if the residents and their friends had anything to say about it.

There were exterminators everywhere, angels everywhere and anywhere you looked. It felt, to you, as if the sky itself was falling, was being torn asunder, and though you knew that there was a shield, a barrier you believed in more than you believed in anything else, still something in the depths of your gut couldn't help but worry.

Someone screamed your name and you narrowly avoided a sword coming at you from the side, the mad flickering face of the angel who had tried to kill you so close you could almost make out each pixel in the mask they wore. By instinct you struck out and punched them, though some part of your brain understood it would likely do little; still they didn't seem to expect it from you and it connected, throwing them for a loop and to the ground for a moment.

"Good job toots!" Angel called out with one of those friendly grins of his that you could never help but return; he leveled his tommy guns and continued to shoot away, trying to bring down as many of the flying monsters as he could.

"Thanks Angel!" you called back and looked around; Charlie, Vaggie, Husk, Cherri Bomb, Sir Pentious, even Nifty was running around stabbing admittedly already downed angels. But everyone was doing their best, fighting and honestly there seemed almost to be a chance, a small possibility, they could survive this. You could survive this.

You never meant to die and come to Hell, but no one ever did. Still in the years you'd been there you'd only ever felt actually happy at the hotel; Charlie was such a good kind person and Vaggie's devotion to her was heartwarming. It was never boring, never uneventful, and never anything less than a trip from the very day you came to their door, looking for a place to stay to get away from the far worse denizens than yourself. And somewhere deep down you'd admit, only to yourself, that what made you feel the happiest was the presence of one demon in particular.

You glanced up as you thought about him and almost immediately wished you hadn't. That shield that you believed so in, you saw with your own eyes it crack, you saw it break, and you saw the figure of the scariest of them all: Adam. He'd broken it down, he'd broken...

"Alastor's shield," you whispered, as the others saw it too, as it dawned on them what happened.

He was supposed to be able to keep it up, give them enough time to thin the herd more. No one expected Adam to be so powerful to be able to break something created by the Radio Demon, the Radio Demon. Alastor stood up to Lucifer, to the Vs, to other Overlords, he was the monster in the dark, the grinning Cheshire Deer Cat of Terror, and Adam had punched one of his barriers into nothingness as easily as he could have been punching a marshmallow.

That feeling of worry returned and it tasted of blood. You licked your lips and looked around. The others were worried too but all recovered, getting back to work, not letting this stop them. You tried to do the same, to remember the plan: if the shield went down then Alastor would take out Adam, keep him out of the fight largely so you all could handle the exterminator angels better. He was the most powerful of you, the most dangerous, the most vicious, he could handle this, he could do this, he...

He....

You looked towards the roof of the hotel, towards where you knew that cannibal Overlord was, where Adam had touched down and was now fighting him.

He was....he was too important. To you at least. You ripped a sword from a dead angel nearby and used it to cut through any other that got between you and the entryway to the hotel. You knew you were being stupid and reckless and silly because this was Alastor you were thinking about after all. But still, still, that bloody taste of worry had you and you couldn't get it to go away no matter how much you swallowed.

By the time you reached the roof things had reached a major head. Tentacles, shadows, a split second in which maybe, just maybe this would go better than the dread inside you predicted. But that colossal angelic asshole known as the First Man just had to be a dick and you stepped out in time to see him attack Alastor, breaking his staff and the confusion that filled you was matched by the unfiltered sound of the Radio Demon's voice. "What just happened?....Fuck."

"Alastor!" you called out and moved to try to get over to him.

What could you do? You were just a sinner, another of the souls trapped in Hell, prey to the angels, prey to the Overlords, prey to everyone. You weren't anything special, anything important, just another person who failed to be good in their mortal life and ended up down here instead. This was the greatest demon you knew and the most dangerous angel you knew of, and you, you were nothing.

But seeing Adam slash at Alastor, the Radio Demon go flying, be hurt, you narrowed your eyes and gripping tight the angel blade you'd stolen, you snarled with an intensity you weren't used to, an aggression you didn't know from within you. He stepped closer to Alastor, smirking, gloating, and not paying any mind as you came at him from the side, moving swift and deadly.

The blade dug in deep and the blood came a golden hue that should have beautiful if not coming from him. The grunt that came from Adam was less pain and more annoyance and he looked down at you like he might an ant. "What the hell bitch, you really want to fucking die first? Cuz I can totally do that for you."

For someone so big he moved quick. And his hand gripped around your throat tight, cutting off air and circulation very quick. Sinners shouldn't need to breathe, that was stupid, but you knew this sensation, you knew the feeling of choking and as he lifted you off your feet you struggled, let go of the sword to claw at his hands, to try to free yourself. His mask showed no more mercy than his troops did, the cruelty and sadism of beings who didn't even deign to show their faces when they came down to kill you; you reached out, wanting to at least see if you remove it, maybe scratch out his dumb eyes before he kills you. Give Alastor the time to get something done, to recover. At least you'd stopped this monster from hurting him.

Blood rushing through your ears as consciousness started to wane, you could have almost sworn you heard a chuckle, dark and familiar even without it's filter. Good. He was okay....

Adam was seconds from snapping your neck when a shadow tentacle lurched out and pierced his arm, forcing him to drop you. Already out like a light you fell limply but were caught by Alastor's own shadow that carefully held you in it's arms before returning to his side. The Radio Demon chuckled still, through the blood, through the pain, through the madness threatening to come forth as his form started to twist and deform, taking on his more demonic state.

"Have to disagree with you there," he hissed and smiled, feeling the changes, feeling the crawling of the Winter under his skin, the creature hungry, always hungry, and the chain that held him in place; the shadow moved to cover both of you as he continued, "Radio's not dead, but it is ending this broadcast."

Adam laughed through his own pain as the two of you were teleported away to safety and Alastor groaned as you reappeared elsewhere, hand over the gaping wound on his chest, trying to hold back the madness, the insanity, the Winter. His eyes slipped towards you in the process.

You should have not been up there, you were supposed to be out on the battlefield with all the others, with the fodder and the ones that mattered. You were a fool and an useless pawn, barely entertainment; you were not a monster, you were barely a sinner. You showed up at the hotel looking for sanctuary; you got along with them all and he found your presence....

Not unlikeable. Because you seemed to like him, knowing what he was, knowing who he was. You never treated him as anything less than a terror among demons but it didn't escape his attention how you perked up when he turned his usual gentlemanly facade towards him, as if he could ever be anything but to one of the fairer gender. But you never seemed like the type to try to face Adam knowing it could only be your death and the image of you moving at the much larger angel, sword in your hands, and your expression, it was burned in his chest.

You were not supposed to be there and you were not supposed to anything but something to throw at the angels to distract them, in hopes that Charlie would survive another fight. But the way you called out his name and the way your smile would shine when you looked at him, when he'd pet your head, when he'd tease and torment the other hotel residents, when he made all sorts of silly comments and puns. You, this stupid little sinner who didn't even really belong because what redemption was there for someone who wasn't even really a bad guy? What was your sin?

Alastor realized he didn't even know that one. It never mattered. You never mattered. But now you did.

The realization made his skin crawl more and he started towards the hotel again, arriving back after the battle, to his tower destroyed, to the rubble and debris and his own mind screaming.

He was a monster and he nearly died. He, the great Radio Demon, almost destroyed. For saving his friends. His friends. And then there was you and his mind raced more. No this could not be, no this would not be. The Winter and hunger under his skin crawled more and approaching his equipment he dug sharp claws into the metal, leaving gashes in his wake.

No.

No.

Not him.

But yes. And there you were, still asleep, still hurt; he turned to look at you and saw the bruises on your neck and thought of you clawing at Adam, ready to go down fighting. There because of....

Him.

An emotion he didn't recognize crawled up alongside the hunger and he tilted his head before reaching out with those sharp cruel claws to draw them, all too gently, along your cheek. His smile twitched, his eyes narrowed.

" 'Altruistist Alastor, died for his friends'," he mocked himself, "I'll find a way around this damned deal, just you wait. But tell me little one, what is this emotion I feel creeping up inside me? If you created it I expect you to explain it."

You didn't answer. Of course not. He took you from the shadow and cradled you carefully in his own arms.

Whatever it meant, whatever it was, it made his madness feel both better and worse. The hunger was dispelling a bit but now all he could think about was you.

How strange.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Everything Went a Bit Weird Allasudden

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

BL OLYMPICS! Week 2

I'll be passing out metals in various sporting events, as part of the weekly updates (through mid August) just for funzies.

Aug 2024 Week 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Rebound (Weds Gaga) eps 11-12fin - THE STAIRS ARE BACK and now they’re evil! Frank is truly great. He's out acting everyone else, but I'm just happy to see him pine. OK yes, the ending wasn’t awesome but I still really enjoyed this show. 

In conclusion: (deep breath)

This was a sports romance Thai BL pulp with everything I could have asked for given this sub genre. More, actually, since MeenPing are both great basketball players and the team component really did form part of the connective tissue of the show (vital in a sports romance). Meen has his shirt off within the first two minutes which is all I needed but he's still pretty great as the sullen secret keeper against Ping's cheerful survivor - childhood sweethearts torn asunder and now reunited. Then Frank sweeps in to give everyone a bad case of second lead syndrome. I always try to judge BL for what it is AS BL, and what it’s trying to do within its own territory and purview. This did exactly what it claimed on the tin: gay boys play b-ball and fall in love. That was all I wanted from it. Sure there was random kidnapping and a light bought of mass murder, but what’s a BL in 2024 without a touch of the mafia? You do you little pulp, I’m disposed to be pleased.

Thank you, Rebound, for being exactly what I wanted. Is this gonna be anybody else’s favorite BL of 2024? Probably not. But there is a real good chance it’ll be mine. Is it perfect? No. But for me, it got as close as a pulp can get, so I’m giving it 9/10.

My Love Mix-Up Th (Fri YT) ep 9 of 12 - Them being boyfriends is so damn adorable. Like PondPhuwin I think I could watch G4 just be boyfriends for 16 eps and not fuss about anything in life. They're my emotional support pair brand. Back to the show:

My goodness Atom is such a frenetic high strung babygirl. He is a near constant emotional pingpong.

Gold in Table Tennis

K is a teenage saint. The lights thing, and the hands to head (reminiscent of certain previous characters from this pair), all made me coo and laugh. 

However, this ep was mostly about the hets. It’s always funny to me when the gays have their shit figured out in a show but the hets are in chaos.

Also they're touted as "a teacher and a baker" but they're playing the gay dads of this narrative and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. More gay dads in BL!

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (Fri iQIYI) ep 5 of 8 - I’m just gonna say it, because no one else is, this pair kisses like they’re in a Taiwanese BL. There’s no other way to put it except there’s a whole body genuine interest and enthusiasm to the way they do physicality that’s comparatively rare in Thai BL. This kind of on-screen sexual maturity is my favorite, especially in grown-up characters like these. The side couple = awesomesause. JJ is a very appealing character. He hates Methas, he likes him, he loathes him, and also... he definitely wants to see him naked. 

All praise aside? I have questions about why half the hair in this show is so absolutely ghastly. Like bad enough for Japan. Enough of that now, Thailand. Tut tut. Cut cut. Style style. Please & thank you?

Then again who cares when we get...

They already won silver last week, but I guess they're going for

Gold in Weightlifting

Century of Love (Weds Gaga) eps 7-8 of 10 - Well THAT is an interesting take on a Faen Fetale. As expected, a somewhat doomy ep 7. I did enjoy the doctor punching San tho.

Bronze in Boxing

Meanwhile, that camel jacket is a sin against all things, especially Daou. But I eventually got a crying kiss. I love a crying kiss best in the world. Next week looks good! But I miss my nine tailed fox nod. Will we get back to that or was it just a brief weird thing?

The Trainee (Sun YouTube) ep 5 of 12 - It’s kinda great actually. The romance is the only bit that isn’t really hitting for me. Gun’s smile at the "oppa" is so adorable. His little dimples.

Sunset X Vibes (Sat iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - I really do not like the pet name in this one. Khun Dad is too weird for me. But I do think their relationship is ridiculously cheesy and endearing in a terrible way. These two are the equivalent of that couple that always speaks in baby talk. It’s a good thing they’re pretty because they’re not so bright. Wait! No Christmas music in my BL! That's far too weird. 

Bronze in Diving

I Saw You in My Dream (Weds Gaga) ep 3 of 12 - I’m liking this a lot better now. It’s still a little slow for me but since the bullying has stopped relatively quickly I’m not as upset as I was. Also, look at those eyes, our P'Seme is IN LURV. That said, I’m not wild about the sudden suicide plot line. That feels... weird.

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) - TutorYim are back and so far this is better than Middleman's Love - but that's not saying much. For a second there I thought they were going to open on the REAL blindfold scene from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. But then I remembered that that’s more Mame than anyone else. On a completely different note, I do like this pair. And I’m willing to give them ever more chances. That said this is very, I don’t know, weird? I’m not sure what is happening, and I’m confident that’s not my fault. I hope it makes sense eventually.

Knock Knock Boys (Thurs Gaga) ep 11 of 12 - Peak's dad is so completely frustrating and kind of psychotic. It’s annoying to watch. So I spent most of this episode upset. I'm glad he came around in the end but it was a lot, mostly unforgivable, from this side of the screen.

Love Sea (Sun iQIYI) ep 8 of 10 - It's committing the greatest sin of all (in the realm of entertainment). It's mind numbingly dull. I'd sooner be offended than bored. Trash watch

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

I Hear the Sunspot AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - I don’t remember the camping trip from the manga, but I really enjoyed it in this series.

Takara's Treasure AKA Takara No Vidro (Japan Mon Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - The bit with the kid was cute but I’m still finding this rather slow and the central relationship unappealing. I think the balance of power has to shift for me to engage, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

It's airing but...

Bad Guy (Korea YT) - yeah, erm, no thank you.

Sugar Dog Life (Japan Sun ????) 10 eps - OMG a uni student who looks too young and a... COP. GAH. The subversion and kink of it all. Please SOMEONE pick this one up?

4 Minutes (Thai Netflix/Grey) - A rich boy at uni suddenly gains the supernatural power to see four minutes into the future. I have a source, but I've decided to hold off and binge if it ends okay, since it's only 8 eps. I depend upon y'all to tell me how it goes.

Meet You at the Blossom (China) - it's your funeral (or, more likely, one of the main characters'). You can argue but... statistics. You know my feelings on this matter. MY BLOG, remember?

In case you missed it

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer IS COMING IN SEPTEMBER!!!!

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Coming Up This Month!

8/6 Cosmetic Playlover (Japan Tues Gaga) 8 eps - office romance around the makeup counter featuring a younger seme and sexual blackmail. I'm intrigued. DFTUJ (don't fuck this up, Japan).

8/8 Monster Next Door (Thai Thurs Gaga ) 12 eps - I am so DAMN excited to see Big finally lead a BL. I can't even with this, one of my most anticipated of this year. He's a great kisser ya'll, he's kissed a lot of boys as second lead. I can't WAIT.

8/12 First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) 12 eps - About a singer with stage fright and his timid fan stars Charles (H4 the puppy one) and Michael Chang (the youngster in My Tooth Your Love), plus side couple featuring a Thai actor Jame (Koh in Gen Y) and Liu Min Ting (of Guardian fame). What a damn tean. I can't wait. With thier powers combined!

8/13 Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues YT) - supposedly Jinlo with air this on their YT channel. Stars August (Love Sick) so I'm excited despite Jinlo's poor reputation. From the trailer it looks like it's following the original pretty closely just Thai style.

8/16 The Last Time (Thai Fri YT) ? eps - Convoluted story of loss and possible reincarnation or something.

8/22 The Paradise of Thorns (Thai movie) theater release - Jeff Satur is back but this does not look like a BL (the gay lover's death is the inciting event). More in Goodbye Mother vein. Looks dark and dramatic. He opposite and extremely well known actor Toey Pongsakorn who has never done gay before.

Addicted Heroin (Thailand adaptation) is also supposed to release this month. GIVE IT TOO MEEEEEE. I don't care about anything else but August back on my screen. It's been almost a decade since he did BL.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

This is the kind of jealousy I like to see. Boys getting pissed about the stupid stuff.

Also, more counter making out. I'm not complaining, but babies the bed is way more comfortable.

All from Long Beans.

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.

Sports in Play (the jokes write themselves)

Boxing

Breaking

(That's Not) Cricket

Diving (yes, for that)

Fencing (yes, with those)

Handball (exactly what it says, no, read the word.. again)

Rhythmic Gymnastics (obvs)

Squash (snicker)

Surfing

Swimming

Trampoline

Table Tennis

Weightlifting

Wrestling

[an-idyllic-novelist]

100 Milestone Event - raiden taeemon with mitsuri!reader! short story 🍡

Here it is everyone, the milestone event for reaching +100 followers! This is also part two of another milestone on my yandere blog!

The link will be here, so definitely check it out first before reading this one! Special thanks to @deathmetalunicorn1 for helping me with the sections I was struggling to write. Not gonna lie, Raiden’s dialogue is a bit hard lol. So with that being said: sit back, relax and enjoy! :)

warnings: canon divergence of manga, violence, strong language.

The moment Raiden Taeemon witnessed the strength of a Hashira is a memory he would never forget.

In Valhalla, there were many activities to entertain the masses such as gambling or martial arts tournaments, but sumo matches have been providing just the right amount of spectacle and violence far longer than any known sport. Even gods had become sponsors to certain dojos, providing funds for more equipment and so forth. Raiden was content with his lifestyle, fighting against strong opponents, eating good food and followed by having some fun with a few girls depending on how much alcohol he drank that night.

Then sumo wrestlers began disappearing from the dojos, one by one. Their remains would be discovered the following morning, torn asunder and…half-eaten. The sight frightened the customers so much that they didn’t dare go outside unless they were absolutely certain that the matches would not last beyond the first rays of the sun setting across the hazy blue skies. Even the gods had begun to worry, believing there was a serial killer on the loose…if you can call withdrawing their sponsorships an expression of anxiety. The masters of the dojos even began restricting the fighters to a curfew, forbidding anyone from going out into the night lest they face expulsion.

But Raiden was tough. He had been the strongest sumo wrestler of his time. He could take care of himself. If someone wants to come after him, he’ll return the gesture wholeheartedly.

After an evening of drinking, he took his usual stroll back home when he heard someone call out to him. Confused and half inebriated, Raiden looked over his shoulder and saw a shivering, drooling, decrepit old man with a large lump on his head. At first he thought something was wrong with him…but that concern changed to alarm when the man split his body up into four younger versions of himself with fashionable robes, fangs, and possessed weapons. One of them even had wings and talons like an eagle!

One of them opened his mouth and released a loud screech with enough strength to make Raiden’s head spin and catapulted him into a building. As he stumbled to get out of the debris, the one wearing red robes thrusted his wooden staff into the ground, lightning bolts spitting from it. Raiden screamed, white-hot pain pulsing through his body.

“This is supposed to be the strongest one in this district? How lame!”

“Shut up and finish the job, Karaku! We cannot be seen or else they will come! We cannot go back to that place!”

“Come on, it’s been so long since we���ve played with our food~!”

For the first time in his life, Raiden felt fear. He did not know what these guys…this thing was, but he had to get away. He had to get away or he might die again.

“I’ll finish it. Do not worry, human, your death shall be quick and painless.”

Raiden’s eyes widened as the one dressed in blue charged towards him, wielding a halberd with an apathetic expression. Yet before the weapon could put a hole in his chest, it flew out of his bronze hands with a loud ‘crack’.

“Geez, of all the demons that had to be causing trouble in this place, it’s you guys again?!”

The sumo wrestler whipped his head towards the rooftops of the building, seeing a young woman with braided pink-greenish hair and dressed in black, [Eye Color] orbs narrowed and face pouting as she wielded….a whip? Behind her were two other individuals. A kid in a checkered haori…and a little girl with a piece of bamboo in her mouth?

He watched them leap into the air; the kid unsheathed his sword and went straight towards Red, the girl charged at the green-robed one he assumed was Karaku, and the woman targeted the blue one that was right in front of him.

Neither opponent was giving an inch in their fight, and Raiden had to admit that the kid and muzzled girl were doing remarkably well….yet it wasn’t their unusual sword style or hand-to-hand combat techniques that caught his interest. It was the woman who had torn off her opponent’s arm as soon as she flipped him over her shoulder, knocking him into the ground with a loud ‘crack’.

The blue-eyed demon opened his mouth to scream or release an attack like the yellow one, but she swung her whip across his neck, decapitating the bastard.

Wait, where is the yellow one? Hearing a loud screech, Raiden whipped his head up to the nighttime skies and saw the demon's mouth stretching. The wrestler watched in horror as sparks of electrified air were being collected into a whirling sphere. And the target of the attack was none other than the little lady.

Somehow, he’d been able to force his aching body to move from the debris and bolt towards her, pushing the lady as close to the ground as possible without crushing her, using himself as a shield to absorb most of the attack when it came at them.

The last thing he remembered were his ears feeling wet and the woman’s worried face and… she was saying something to him before he lost consciousness.

He didn’t know what it was, but he hoped it’d been a ‘thank you’. It’s not everyday he got to protect a damsel from a demon, even when she could stand on her own ground.

As Raiden slowly came too, feeling the familiar padding of his futon, he groaned deeply, unable to open his eyes. A headache throbbed painfully through his whole head, making him both dizzy and nauseous.

He couldn't remember the last time he had a hangover this bad as he was slowly able to open his eyes, wincing at the light peeking through his window. His other senses slowly came back to him as the throbbing in his head slowly dulled. Raiden shifted and instantly froze, feeling his whole body seemed to be on fire yet so heavy at the same time.

As the minutes ticked by, Raiden was slowly able to sit up, lifting a hand to scratch at the back of his head, but his movements were stiff, almost like he was restricted, looking down to see bandages all over his body. His mind drew a blank, not remembering getting hurt and like a switch was flipped at that word, hurt, what he could recall from the night before came rushing back to him, making him fall back against his futon as his headache returned full force.

Shit…what the hell even happened? All he remembered was having a good time and then the weird old man…

Raiden’s eyes widened. That’s right. The old man turned into four demons! And then there were those kids…and that woman. The woman with hair that looked like sakura mochi and had the strength of a bear.

Head spinning, heart pounding, his mouth stretched into a grin as the memories from last night came back in full force. He had a preference for the larger ladies, but he’s always been flexible~.

Rengoku had told you countless times that if you ever crossed paths with Hantengu in the Bifrost, never confront him alone. He nearly lost his life against the Upper Moon Demon at the Swordsman’s Village if it hadn’t been for Tanjiro, Muichiro, and Nezuko. In all honesty, he thought the demon would no longer exist once his head had been cut off. But he is still there, in the Bifrost, and he escaped through a tear in the barrier.

He tried to consume as many strong humans as possible to regain his strength, though his efforts drew in unnecessary attention and that’s how he got caught. Tanjiro was able to deliver the final blow to the main body, and everything else went well….although no one had anticipated the damage done to the sumo wrestling district.

Oh goodness, what was going to happen? You knew Tengen and Rengoku loved to go there and watch the matches, especially when Raiden Taeemon was participating, but now it’d take weeks to clean up the mess! Gah, you failed on your second official mission as the Love Hashira! One more strike, and the Master’s gonna be so mad he won’t let you be part of the Demon Slayer Corps anymore!!

You sighed heavily, trudging through the streets with a heavy heart as your crow flew high in the skies above. You had completed another shift in the Bifrost, followed by an investigation in regards to another possible demon sighting in the northern areas of Valhalla.

Although everyone had reassured you that no one was seriously injured that fateful night, it still bothered you tremendously. You had offered to donate the money made from selling honeycombs at the farmer’s market towards the reconstruction of the district, but the Master told you not to fret.

You did what you had to do, and minimized the casualties as much as possible. Rengoku has taught his apprentice very well. The compliment still made your face flush with happiness…though, to your embarrassment, not as much as when you brought that handsome fellow back to his dojo. Raiden Taeemon. You rescued Raiden Taeemon from a demon and treated him in his own room!

Oh, you were such an awful woman~!

Feeling your face redden in embarrassment, you slapped your cheeks together. Pull yourself together, [First Name]! There’s no need to reminisce about the past ‘cause it’ll make delicious food go sour in your mouth! And it’s time for lunch anyway, just think about what you’re gonna order and worry about everything else later unless there’s an urgent message from the Master!

Nodding to yourself, you quickened your pace and found a restaurant with the wisteria symbol stamped just beneath the sign. If a Demon Slayer needed a place to stay or to eat, the establishments that carried the Master’s symbol were trustworthy.

You could relax here without worrying about a demon or paying too much out of your pocket, although you secretly snuck in a hefty tip to the staff for working so hard to accommodate your…quirks. Yeah, quirks, let’s go with that!

Smiling brightly at the familiar faces of the employees, you greeted them enthusiastically and wished they had a good shift as you followed one of them towards the back of the restaurant. This place still catered to other customers, so you always reserved a room for yourself to enjoy your meal in privacy.

Being gawked at for having unusual hair or how much you ate on a daily basis brought back unpleasant memories.

You squealed joyfully at the lacquered oval-shaped table, covered with every single item on the menu plus their best-selling herbal tea! You thanked the staff member profusely for their hard work in the kitchen, promising to enjoy the meal to the fullest!

The employee - a kindly older man with four children and one grandchild - smiled serenely, saying it is the least he and his family can do for the people who saved them long ago, in life and death, from demons. If you need anything, just let him or someone else know.

Upon bowing to each other, he left, closing the door behind him. You wasted no time in giving your thanks to this lovely banquet and began eating to your hearts’ desire. But an hour later, however, a knock came at the door. It was the old man again, but he sounded…worried.

You blinked. Huh? You didn’t remember asking for thirds! You just did that ten minutes ago! Concerned, you allowed him to enter, immediately inquiring what was wrong, what could you do to help.

He swallowed. “That is….there is a man who insists on asking about the ‘cute little lady with hair like sakura mochi’. I told him I knew whom he was speaking about, but politely asked him to leave because you were not to be disturbed. But he is insistent on…sharing this room with you for lunch. What should I do, Lady Hashira?”

You frowned. It wasn’t too unusual to have some rowdy customers walk through these doors, but not to this extent. Perhaps…the person who is giving the owner such a difficult time is because the man has some information he would like to relay to the Demon Slayer Corps? It would make more sense to go directly to a Hashira than pass a message to a kakushi.

You nodded your head to the owner.

“It’s all right, let him come in. Whatever he wants to eat, please add it to my bill.”

The owner’s silver brows pinched beneath his hairline as he frowned. “As you wish, Lady Hashira.” He bowed and quickly left the room, closing the sliding paper door behind him.

Humming softly to yourself, you sat yourself back down in your seat. Some of the employees appeared from behind, quickly and quietly removing the empty plates and rushing back to the kitchens.You thanked each of them for your hard work, smiling softly as you began pouring tea into two earth-brown ceramic cups.

One for yourself, and one for your guest. In your humble opinion, there is no better beverage to have mid-meal than freshly brewed green tea.

Just as you finished pouring the tea into the second cup, the door opened again.

When you looked up to thank the owner for complying with your request, blood drained from your face and your heart somersaulted in your throat. Standing behind the quaking owner was a tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in a dark blue yukata and wooden sandals. White highlights stuck out of his dark brown hair, which was tied back in a ponytail. And he was grinning.

This is Raiden. Raiden Taeemon, the man you had saved from Hantengu and patched up his wounds like the lascivious criminal you were. Oh no, did he figure out what you’d done? Wait, did he even remember that night?! His breath smelled strongly of rice wine when you carried him back to his dojo! You thought for certain that he’d been too intoxicated to realize what happened!

“Hey, there.” He purred softly.

You swallowed. “H-Hello.” You said. “I hear that you wished to speak to me. May I inquire why?” You tried to keep your voice neutral and calm so as to not show that you were nervous. Your palms began to sweat as he took a seat at the table. Raiden beamed, his smile revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

“I wanted to thank you!”

But you did not hear him. You were still under the assumption he was angry as you quickly backed away from the sumo wrestler, your forehead and hands resting firmly on the wooden floor in the position of the dogeza.

“I’m so sorry!” You blubbered. “I’m sorry you got hurt! I wasn’t strong enough to handle the demon on my own and you got hurt trying to protect me!! And there was so much damage to the b-buildings! What if you can’t have matches?! What have I done?! I’ll pay for all the damages somehow, I swear it in my honor as the Love Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps!”

“W-Wait a sec, little lady -”

“But to make it even worse, I entered your home without your permission, and I even touched your body so I could patch you up! Oh, I should have done more! What was I even thinking about being a capable Hashira when Rengoku recommended me to the Master to take up the mantle! Now all the good vibes from lunch are gone!!”

You squeaked as you were suddenly lifted up from the ground, your face being gently cradled by calloused palms and being pulled towards Raiden’s face, chapped lips being pressed against your mouth. Raiden Taeemon was kissing you.

Heat immediately flooded into your cheeks yet you did not dare move, just staring at this man in disbelief. When he pulled away, he smiled at you, tilting his head to the side. “You okay now?”

Your immediate response had been knocking him back into an adjacent wall and turning away to hide your smiling, flushed face. To think you had your first kiss with a strong, handsome man! He did surprise you with a warm laugh, standing up and brushing the dust off of his yukata.

“Sorry about that! You were rambling and that was the only thing I could think of to calm you down!”

When you informed that he was in fact the first person to kiss you like that, he looked at you, completely stunned at your confession before grinning.

“You’re pulling my leg! There ain’t no way a woman as stunning as you hasn’t been kissed before!”

But you remained silent, unable to form any more words beyond the truth. You were never a very good liar. He then surprised you when he lowered his head to the floor, profusely apologizing for putting you in such an embarrassing position.

You quickly forgave him, saying that he did not know in the first place, and in fairness, you had believed that you would not see each other again after that fateful night. You did, however, emphasize that he did have to take responsibility for his actions.

He laughed warmly, jabbing his thumb against his chest. “I’ll do just that then! I’ll marry ya, if you’re willing to be with someone like me!”

You beamed. “Better yet, how about we have lunch together while we’re here? I did say that whatever my ‘guest’ would like to have would be paid by me! And the food here is absolutely delicious! You simply must try their spicy dishes and sweets, if you have a sweet tooth!”

The rest of the afternoon had been lovely, sharing dishes and sharing stories about each other. Not wanting to repeat your parents’ mistakes, you were upfront with Raiden about being a Hashira…as well as being the eldest daughter of the ocean god Poseidon. There were going to be risks if the two of you moved forward….including the possibility that you might not come back from a mission, or even a routine patrol in the Bifrost might get awry.

But to your surprise, Raiden wanted this. He wanted you, a woman who had once been told by a former suitor that only a wild animal could love someone with odd-colored hair and a big appetite.

He did not care if you were a human or a god; what mattered to him, more than strength and beauty, was honesty and kindness.

And you could not be any happier.

Bonus Content:

The last thread of Hades’ patience snapped when his little brother demanded to have [First Name] removed from the Demon Slayer Corps in his palace, after he’d just told Poseidon that she was doing well under Ubuyashiki’s watchful eye.

When he heard about his niece's promotion, Hades was obligated to tell Poseidon the truth about her whereabouts. Obviously he was not taking it very well.

However, Hades will not tolerate being disrespected in his own domain.

The lord of the underworld glared at the tyrant of the oceans. “She may be your daughter, but she is still the Love Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. You know damned well I cannot replace skilled soldiers at the flick of a wrist. It doesn’t work like that for this organization. I’m sorry, Poseidon…but you brought this outcome upon yourself. If [First Name] wishes to see you or talk to you, she will do so on her own terms. Do not push yourself into her life again, you’ll only make things worse.”

Hades admired his brother’s kingly qualities, he truly did…but when it came to matters about his eldest daughter, Poseidon was extremely overprotective of her. He could be…irrational.

It was a good thing he’d concealed the wedding invitation moments before Poseidon came here. The god of perfection would never allow his child to marry a human, even if he were the strongest sumo wrestler in history or treated [First Name] just as Hades treated his wife Persephone: with respect, love, and honor.

Poseidon could care less about Amphitrite. Reputation is all that mattered to him; and because he valued that so highly, the price had been paid with his daughter’s ‘disappearance’.

Too little, too late.

Taglist:

@potato-studez-hungryformore

@mallory-a-bond

@hansel-the-pierrot

@bre99-blog

@mortemorii

@myrisan-melodies

@nooneknows8976

@puffy-bangs

@onecantsimply

@nunezs-stuff

@praisethesuuun

@thatstrangesheep

@zodiacs-web

@the-dumber-scaramouche

@themoonisrising

Honorable mentions:

@deathmetalunicorn1

[c-optimistic]

Prompt for your consideration? Lena and Kara fighting post-reveal. Lena yelling "I lost everything," referring to Kara, her brother and all her friends, Kara saying "I lost everything too," referring to Lena.

In her heart of hearts, Kara thinks perhaps she’s broken.

(This is not an uncommon thought with her. She’s had it since the day Krypton died, the day her parents sent her away, the day she awoke as a stranger on a strange planet only to discover she wasn’t even needed.

She’s had this thought nearly every day. Wondering why it’s so hard for her to be like everyone else, to be normal.)

These days, the thought feels more aggressive. More accusatory even. It isn’t just that she’s broken, it’s that she breaks all of those around her as well.

Alex gave up her whole life to watch over her. All of the Danvers did. Everyone close to her got hurt. Everyone who had the misfortune of loving her was doomed to suffer.

And now, it’s Lena’s turn.

(Lena, strong and capable and oh so brilliant. Lena, with her quick wit and surprised smiles. Lena, who quickly made a home in Kara’s heart.

Lena, who has spent every night attempting unsuccessfully to quell her sobs.)

Kara touches down on the balcony, but doesn’t enter Lena’s office, content for a moment to just watch through the glass as the exhausted CEO crumples into her chair, head in her hands, elbows propped on her desk. For once, she’s not dressed to the nines—she’s in a simple pair of pants, comfortable looking shoes, a loose fitting top.

Kara wishes she could see Lena’s face. Wishes she could take Lena by the hand and—

“Go away, Kara,” the other woman says suddenly, in nothing more than a whisper than only someone with superhearing can understand, pulling Kara out of her thoughts. She doesn’t move from where she’s sitting, and Kara wonders, stupidly, how Lena could possibly have known she was there.

Kara pushes the balcony door open, taking a step closer.

“I just want to explain—”

“There’s nothing to explain,” Lena interrupts, though she makes no move to force Kara to leave as she had the last “I just want to explain—” times Kara had shown up. “Just…go.”

“Lena, please,” Kara starts, steeling herself and stepping fully into the office. Lena turns finally, and—

Oh.

Her eyes are red rimmed from crying, puffy, make up not immaculate. She seems…devastated. As though her whole world has been torn asunder, as though…as though she has broken.

(Kara wishes she could make Lena see. She wishes she could take Lena’s hands and let her touch the damaged and broken parts of her heart, beg her to smooth it back out again, ask her to risk the pain, risk the hurt, but to stay.

Love me, Kara wants to scream. Love me, she wants to plead selfishly. Because Kara is broken, destined to go on and on breaking others, but it would be okay if only Lena would hold her again.)

“Don’t you get it?” Lena shouts as she stands, eyes taking on a fierce gleam. “I lost everything! My friends! My brother!” She chokes on the last word, tears escaping despite her best efforts to hold them back. “What could you possibly say that would change any of that?”

Nothing. She could say nothing.

(Kara is fairly sure she’s broken. Everything she touches seems to crumble away to dust. CatCo, her family, Mon-El, and on and on and on…

This has always been yet another thing she was destined to lose, destined to break because of her own cowardice.)

She has nothing to say in response that can change anything. And so, she settles for the truth. “I lost everything too. I lost you.”

Lena just stares for a moment, then she shakes her head. It’s clear she understands what Kara hasn’t said. It’s clear she can tell it’s the first purely honest thing Kara has ever uttered.

And it’s clear, utterly clear, it’s not enough.

“You can’t possibly think that changes anything,” she says, but she’s not yelling anymore. She sounds practically breathless.

(And Kara wonders, just for an idle moment, what things would be like had she confessed to Lena when there had been no lies between them, no loss, no betrayal.

She wonders, for a brief but tantalizing moment, if Lena would have accepted her jagged and cracked heart, those deft fingers quickly piecing it back together.)

“No, but I…I wanted you to know,” Kara says, swallowing hard and looking down.

Lena doesn’t speak again, but when Kara chances a look at her before she leaves the office (the same way she came in, ashamed and uninvited), her fingers twitch as though she wants to reach out.

And for now, Kara finds that that is enough.

[leoramage]

my oasis

⊹ masterlist ⊹ taglist ⊹

⊹⊱ trigger warning - [sugardating, mentions of cheating, age gap, tolerating bad behavior, swearing]

⊹⊱ theme - [oblivious to love au]

⊹⊱ pairings - [bestfriend!lewis hamilton x sugarbaby!y/n]

⊹⊱ keywords - [complicated dynamic. "you did some things that you regret, still ride for you." ride or die relationship. "cause my heart belongs to you - i'll risk it all for you." older men are better. "and I can't pretend I don't want you all - 'cause I want you all." ]

In the dimly lit city, your heart ached as the world around you seemed to crumble. Lewis Hamilton, your best friend, had always been there to catch your pieces when life got tough. He was the one person who truly understood you, even the parts you kept hidden from everyone else.

He watched as you lived your life, a life that included sugar-dating older men, a fact that hurt him deeply but he chose to tolerate it, fearing that his feelings would shatter the fragile equilibrium of your friendship. He didn't want to lose you, he had a vacant space in his heart that he didn't want anybody to occupy but you.

"Our arrangement is over, Y/N. I've grown tired of you." You were left broken, vulnerable, and clutching the silk robe around you as if it were your last shield against the cold reality. The apartment felt suffocating, a constant reminder of the lies that had torn your heart asunder. The weight of his words crashed upon you, leaving your heart shattered. In a haze of tears, you packed your belongings and fled his apartment, the silk robe you wore offering little comfort against the cold reality.

Your sugar daddy, a man you had grown attached to in your own way, confessed to betraying your trust with another sugar baby. You stumbled down the stairs, the soft silk of your robe swishing around you as your tears continued to fall. You knew it was going to happen at some point but it all happened too fast like a sharp whiplash on your gut - you weren't able to recuperate properly.

With a shaky breath, you reached for your phone and dialed the one number you knew would never let you down. Sobbing uncontrollably on the sidewalk with your luggage, you waited for Lewis to answer the call, your voice quivering as you recounted the heartache that had befallen you.

Lewis was in the comfort of his penthouse with Roscoe resting on the bed with him when his phone screen flashed open, he saw the call and immediately answered it to find you on the line. "Hello Y/N?" He groggily answered and rubbed his eyes, It was already late at night but he was more concerned about why your voice was shaky as if you had been crying for hours.

You only sigh and keep walking. "Lewis... I'm outside his flat. He cheated on me. Please pick me up, I need you." It was the only words you were able to speak clearly as you were still caught up at the moment, your voice fading into a sob.

He didn't need two more words from you or ask where you are, he didn't spare a second to get out of bed and put on his clothes, and shoes and run downstairs - out of the front door to get on his car. This was you, after all, your safety is his concern. He cared too much for you - way too much for it to be called friendly. You seem to pull on his heartstrings with ease and he'll wear his heart on his sleeve.

He knew he was in love with you. Even if he wasn't subtle about it at times, happy to keep it buried for days, months, and years. But he is near his breaking point, he hates to see you cry over someone who is not worthy of your tears, time, and energy. He was disappointed in you, upset you chose this life and angry that you chose an old man. Only if you'd give a damn about reciprocating his long-simmering feelings and hint at him that you love him, he would be over the moon and never hesitate to give you the whole world if he has to.

"I'm almost there. Wait for me, Y/N." Lewis muttered under his breath, his senses was wide awake despite it being late at night and he was supposed to be resting. Turning the steering wheel and driving as fast as he can as if he was on racing track, his car reaching above miles per hour on some of the high speed roads. Speeding tickets were not of his concern, not at this time. Those fines can be paid later on, but if something happened to you he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

He looks desperately around and sees a familiar figure of a pedestrian on the side of the road. He stops and opens the car door, it turns out to be you. "Y/N!"

He hugs you tight, trying to keep you on your feet while the wind howls around and the car door is still open. Your sobs muffled against his shoulder. He held you, offering you a haven amidst the turmoil.

When you could no longer cry, he guided you to his car and drove you to his penthouse, the ride to his place was still and peaceful until you've arrived. He handed you a fresh set of his clothes and led the way to his living room, where you settled onto the couch then he disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a warm cup of tea that felt like a balm for your soul. Lewis just knew what to do, when to speak and offer you comfort.

"Y/N," he began softly, his gaze unwavering as he looked at you. "I—" his words were cut off by his telephone going off at this hour. He had no idea who would even call him at this hour, but you felt bad for disturbing his rest and now you're here in his penthouse.

"No." Lewis shakes his head, only a few seconds into the call. He sounded firm but calm, whoever was on the other line was not getting the response they wanted from Lewis.

"No. You had your shot and you blew it, I just picked her up off the street because she called me crying. If you can't fix your relationship with her by yourself then that's your problem, not mine." Lewis' eyes were full of disappointment as you discovered to whom he was talking to, there was no need to mention names. He was clearly talking to your former sugar daddy who regretted and is now trying to take you back after confessing he had cheated and had another sugar baby next in line after you.

"You better be sorry!" Lewis called out with a touch of sarcasm and resentment lacing his voice as he conversed over the telephone.

"You break the heart of someone as amazing as Y/N, who would go out of her way to make you feel loved, and now that she needs a shoulder to cry on you come to me?" He scoffs and continues articulating not allowing being talked over.

"You decided it would be better to lie with another woman. No chance do I let you speak to her alone. Not after what you've done to her." You were shocked by the blunt words Lewis was dropping every second, he didn't seem holding back himself by sounding spiteful of the situation.

"You don't get to cheat on a wonderful person like her and then get a second chance, that's not how these things work." These were the words you were happy to hear about - that he is being protective over your wellbeing in general. You were grateful for being best friends with Lewis but you weren't prepared for the next words he had spoken with so much decisiveness.

"She's not yours anymore. She is mine and only mine. I love her."

Not only were you taken aback by Lewis' words that struck you like lightning, goosebumps forming within your skin that were well hidden under the comfortable clothing that he made you borrow. His perfume wafted off the very fabric of the clothing - offering a burst of freshness, reminiscent of vibrant rose petals kissed by the spicy and woody undertones with morning dew, creating a harmonious balance between the floral and the robust. You were still - shellshocked in the comfort of his couch.

Lewis on the other hand was breathing heavily, knowing that you overheard everything he said during the call. With the telephone placed down, you found his chocolate brown eyes staring at you with fear in them - not because he was scared of you - he feared losing you because of his unspoken devotion towards you.

The tension in the air was taut between you as if you could hear a needle dropping against the floor. You heard what Lewis said... and that's how you're going to find out he loved you all this time.

"I've known you for so long, and I've watched you go through so much." He admitted as he took a step towards you with apprehension, observing your reaction despite the obvious.

Your tear-filled eyes met his, a mix of astonishment and bewilderment in your gaze from the revelation. "Lewis?"

He took a deep breath, and knelt in front of you as he sincerely gazed at you - still nervous to confess his long held feelings. "I've kept this to myself because I never wanted to jeopardize our friendship, but I can't hide it anymore..."

"I love you, Y/N. I have always loved you." He mumbled those words as the moonlight cascaded his features, waiting for your words that could make or break the moment.

Your heart skipped a beat as his confession hung in the air, the weight of his words sinking in. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as you processed the truth. Then, a small smile tugged at the corners of your lips, and you wiped away a stray tear. "Lewis," you whispered, your voice filled with emotion, "I love you too."

At that moment, the barriers that had separated you from each other crumbled away. Lewis's arms wrapped around you, holding you close as if he never wanted to let go. a promise of new beginnings and a love that had been waiting in the shadows.

Within a moment, his lips met yours in a soft, hesitant kiss, a sweet collision that sent sparks through your body. The warmth of his touch, the tenderness of his embrace, spoke volumes that words could never capture. The kiss deepened, a gentle exploration of feelings that had been buried for far too long.

Time seemed to stand still as your lips moved in flawless harmony as if they had been designed to find solace in each other's presence. The world outside faded away, leaving only the two of you, caught up in a whirlwind of emotions that had been building over time. Then flashes of memory backtracked in your head like a mixtape, all these times Lewis had cared for you. All this time he was making you special in many ways despite your troublesome behavior and rebelliousness, he was always there to catch you whenever you fell out of grace. He was your rock that you could lean on - one you could trust with your life.

As the kiss finally broke, you found yourselves resting your foreheads against each other's, your breaths intermingling. Lewis's eyes gazed into yours, and within their chasms, you saw not just the reflection of your own emotions, but the promise of a future you had only dared to dream of.

⊰⊹⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋄⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⊹⊱

Author's Note: This is oneshot fiction for Lewis that I had dreamt weeks ago. I have the draft of this in my dream journal so I decided to give it a try. For the Lewis girlies who I had shared my feelings about the lack of Lewis fiction. I hope I somehow fill a role and hope this was a nice content that I made, it would be heartwarming if you guys appreciate it through any kind of support! I will still have to patch up some dreams of mine and connect the puzzles to create a proper plot for the other drivers that I have dreamt of. Stay updated! 𔘓ฅ[⁠ᓀ⁠˵⁠▾⁠˵⁠ᓂ⁠]𔘓ฅ

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction created by the user in response to a creative writing prompt. Any resemblance to actual events, persons, or entities, whether living or deceased, is purely coincidental. The characters, events, and dialogue portrayed in this fanfiction are products of the user's imagination and are not meant to infringe upon any copyrights or trademarks associated with the Formula One sport or any real-life individuals. This fanfiction is solely intended for entertainment purposes, and the author acknowledges that the depicted scenarios are not endorsed, authorized, or supported by any official Formula One entities or the individuals mentioned.

[kichous]

✧･ﾟ:*   you could use me

summary. you're afraid that two weeks in a box is all that it takes to undo all of the progress you've made. series. a night of dark trees. bonus scene ! pairing. gojo satoru x gn!reader. warnings. none. word count. 1930.

Gojo’s different.

Ever since he emerged from the Prison Realm, he has been taciturn, morose, subdued. It’s disconcerting. He’s one of the liveliest people you know. It’s one of the things you love about him.

You’re still not sure how he says those little words so easily. Gojo Satoru’s world was torn asunder years ago, and he’d been dealt the same debilitating, staggering blow that still causes you to panic every time you hear the three syllables ‘I love you.’ Yet, somehow, some way, Gojo finds it in himself to voice that simple declaration to you. And he means it every time, with every fiber of his being.

It’s harder for you to speak it, your vocal cords uncooperative to an almost petulant degree, your subconscious locking the action away even in spite of your visceral protestations. You’re still searching on your hands and knees in the murky depths for the key. Only alcohol makes the search a little easier. But in your heart of hearts, you know it—it is a certainty that you love Gojo Satoru. A fact, as immutable as gravity (unless you were Kenjaku. Then you’d have to come up with another simile).

To that end, his absence hurt you. The moment you allowed yourself to fall for someone else, to finally move on from that one great loss, he was torn away from you. But it’s not his fault.

It must've been infinitely worse to be Gojo himself, stuck in what was essentially a cursed deprivation chamber for any duration of time from eternity to an instant. Not sure if eons had passed or but a second. Not knowing if the world burned his absence and those who remained rued his name, or if it had survived and everyone moved on without him. If anyone even bothered looking for a way to free him. You tried to put yourself in his place, imagining if he had gone and found a third love while you were trapped. You would’ve been happy for him, but you couldn’t deny that the simple idea of it broke your heart.

After he emerged, you stood by his side, your hand in his as he was informed of everything that had happened—everyone that had died—during his imprisonment. With every word, his shoulders sloped more and more, crushed by the weight of the world in each consonant and each vowel.

He won’t talk about it with you. When you kissed his temple and stroked his hair, uncaring of your audience in Shoko and Ino, he’d sighed and leaned a little closer. But he was silent as stone.

You wish you knew what to say to him. The way he and Geto bantered was so instinctual, an easy back-and-forth like a tennis match. You can hold your own with him, no doubt. But you’ve also got a history of deepthroating your foot where he’s concerned, so you can understand why Gojo’s a little hesitant to confide in you. He’s never had to before, why should he start now?

Oh, maybe because you love each other and that’s what supportive partners do—lean on each other? If only he’d stick around long enough for you to just tell him that.

Naturally, he refuses to make anything easy for you. Satoru’s hardly alone these days. You can’t even fault him for spending every waking moment training. If he’s going up against the King of Curses, he’ll need every advantage he can get, no matter how confident he is. You support him where you can in that regard, but you have no choice but to ambush him in between sparring with Okkotsu and sparring with Maki to actually get a word in.

“Hey, dumbass,” you call as you approach. Where it might’ve elicited an equally dry ‘What’s up, shitlips?’ once upon a time, it now earns a tired smile. Not the ideal reaction.

“I didn’t do anything,” protests Satoru, allowing you to soften the insult with a quick kiss. He’s sitting on a bench with his legs wide enough for you to step in the space between, and he wraps his arms loosely around your waist. “Why’re you being such a meanie?”

“Why are you overcompensating?” The verbal suckerpunch gets him in the solar plexus, causing Gojo to stare up at you wide-eyed with his mouth falling open defensively. You press a finger to his lips. Satoru goes a little cross-eyed trying to focus on it, and so you flick him on the nose to retrieve his attention. “I get it, if it’s for the kids. You’re their teacher. You’re everything they want to be when they grow up, they see you as a protector, blah, blah. But you don’t have to be strong with me. I know you. I know you. You don’t have to pretend, okay?”

“Don’t I?”

That stings, probably more than he meant it to. You don’t imagine Satoru ever intends to be cruel, because even at his worst, his sadism is meant for curses. But you’d thought he considered you an equal. Or as close as one could be without being a special grade, at least. It was foolish of you to think that the wall between you had crumbled any, at least as far as your skill level was concerned. It’s been years since anyone ever talked about how you could’ve become the fourth special grade if you ever managed to get a tighter rein on your technique. Okkotsu’s taken your place since then.

Your teeth sink into your lower lip as you move closer to tuck his head into your sternum. “No, you don’t. We’re partners, aren’t we?” you whisper, running your fingers through his hair. Something warm stirs in your chest as his eyes flutter shut and he hums a quiet, pleased purr. You’re a haven to him. “You love me and I—I love you. That means you don’t have to do this alone.”

He says nothing at first, simply nuzzling closer. There’s no sound but your shared breath, steady and even. His arms tighten around you. It’s a little uncomfortable having to crane your neck down to kiss the top of Satoru’s head, but the little sigh he gives is worth it. It’s the little things with Gojo. With such a bombastic person, large and grandiose efforts are commonplace, attention-grabbing gestures all Satoru knows. The strongest must be larger than life. So you end up treasuring the opposite—the way his long, spindly fingers fit in the slits between yours, the way his long lashes tickle your cheek when you kiss, how he loves to rest his elbow on your shoulder when you stand next to each other, the perfect roost. These tiny bits combine to make everything feel grounded, real.

After a moment, he pulls away, and light starts to creep back into his eyes. They look more like the sky again, rather than an iceberg field in the Arctic Circle. Good. “Does that mean I can tap you in during the fight?” Satoru asks cheekily.

You toss your head and give an exaggerated tsk. “I haven’t decayed from my Grade One rank, I’ll have you know! I may not be a spring chicken, but I can still pack a punch!” For emphasis, you smash your fist into your other palm.

“Not a spring chicken?” Satoru repeats incredulously. “We’re the same age! What does that make me?!”

You tug lightly on a few strands of his snowy hair. “A geriatric old man, duh.”

He raises a brow. “Oh yeah? Could an old man do this?”

Satoru’s up on his feet in an instant, one hand sliding up your back and the other wrapping just below your shoulders as he dips you in a kiss. He savors it, plying gently past your lips with his tongue. Satoru moans as you slip your fingers through his locks, a sound that makes your lips and extremities tingle. He steals the breath from your lungs, and you don’t hate it.

“Well.” Your voice is but a rasp when he finally pulls away. The man radiates smugness. Somehow, you find it endearing. “I’m sure Harrison Ford could.”

Satoru’s face breaks open with a full, hearty, genuine laugh. Pulling you upright to use as an anchor, he buries his face into your neck. His entire body vibrates in tandem with his giggles, the warmth of his breath a pleasant sensation on your skin compared to the wintry frost around you. Satoru blinks as you use your index finger to tip his face upwards. “What is it?” he asks, a little breathless.

“I love your smile,” you tell him honestly. “I love you.”

His cheeks grow pink. You doubt it’s because of the cold, your heart fluttering at the thought. You’ve managed to make Gojo shy. In lieu of a verbal response, he gently rests his forehead against yours. You’re aware you’re probably obstructing the walkway, and that if any of the students happened upon you, they would violently gag, but you can’t bring yourself to care.

Satoru is here, in the flesh. You thought you’d lost him when he got sealed away, and then again when he emerged sweeping the broken pieces of himself under the rug. That even if you could hold him, it wouldn’t be the Satoru you loved, nor the Satoru who loved you. Who saw something broken in you that was worth cherishing, worth putting back together piece by painstaking piece. Who never faulted you for giving up but encouraged you to try again, whose heartbreak echoed yours and stood as proof that there was a brighter tomorrow. The Satoru who taught you it was okay to be okay again. You’re sick and tired of lost chances, of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. Maybe that’s why the words finally, finally slip so easily from your mouth—so you wouldn’t ever miss the opportunity to tell him again.

Gojo rubs his cheek gently against yours, sharing his heat. He’s always run a little warm. “I promise that I’ll share my burdens with you from now on. Even if I can’t promise you won’t hate me by the end of it.” A solemn vow, the seriousness of his tone unfamiliar to you. But not unpleasant.

“I already knew loving you was going to be rotten work,” you tease. “That’s never bothered me. What you can promise me is that you’ll come back to me. Otherwise, I’ll bring you back as a curse when you die. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Satoru chuckles. “Will you at least make sure I look prettier than Rika?”

“She heard that.” You have no idea how long Okkotsu’s been standing there—what he heard or saw, whether he’s going to blab to any of the other kids. There’s a small bemused grin on his face, but it’s eclipsed by the overall chagrin of his furrowed brows. He’s embarrassed for you. PDA at your old age? His generation probably thinks you look like two skeletons mashing their teeth together.

Breaking out of your frozen shock, you and Satoru share a glance. Then, after a moment, you break the silence with simultaneous cackling. It’s hard to tell whether it’s the situation or the looks on your faces that sparks such an interminable fit. You fall against each other in your laughter, using one another as a column. He’s sturdy and solid and he’s there for you. And that’s what you’ll be for Satoru too. Steady and strong and unmovable. Unbreakable. Everything he’s been for the world, you’ll be for him.

Whatever it takes.

[ptn-imagines]

Can you do Suspect R x pre amnesia! chief? ik there's not a lot of content for her but they give such domestic married wives energy like

LOOK AT THIS. its fine if u dont accept, ther are PLENTY other ptn womens i thirst after so....

Oh, I will absolutely write for Suspect R despite her lack of content. In fact, I was hoping someone would ask!

Due to the lack of content on both her and Chief pre-amnesia, I ended up focusing more on the feelings they may have shared more than anything else, using the glimpses of Shepherd-12 we see in Shalom's interrogation as a guide. If this isn't to your satisfaction, feel free to send in another request! Praying that chapter 14 marks the return of the OG wife...

Suspect R x Pre-Amnesia!Chief

Once upon a time, her name was the one they loved the most. In a world where everyone wanted to use or betray them, she was the only one they trusted whole-heartedly. Shepherd-12 adored her.

As truths were unveiled and lies became unmasked and Shepherd-12 became more and more jaded to the world, she was the only one spared of hissing and biting. Only she could melt the icy protective layer upon the Shepherd’s heart, for only she could be trusted with it. Only she had pure intentions.

Secret trysts and rendezvous, the Shepherd was always so tense until the face of the nameless official melted away to reveal their lover, who perched on the edge of their desk like she belonged there. She did belong there. And the Shepherd abhorred the idea of belonging to anyone, anyone except for her. They would give themself over to her in a heartbeat, and they would drown in her, and it would be a sweet way to die.

They are a creature of Mania, but this Sinner is their salvation. She makes them feel human in a way that nobody and nothing else does, and they know that fate will never be kind to them so they relish these precious moments, and they love her eternally and devotedly and without regret nor restraint.

She loves them in kind for she knows this is what they need. They will never speak their thank yous aloud but she knows; how could she not? Even if the world should revile them, see them as monsters (and it did), the two of them would have each other. They need nothing else.

She holds them so close as though she attempts to meld their flesh as one. They greedily kiss her deeper, hotter, as though trying to exchange pieces of their souls with each entwined breath. She is both the untamed tempest that will inevitably drown them and the singular piece of driftwood that keeps them afloat in the storm.

Nothing else matters. Nobody else matters. Let the world burn to ash. The Shepherd would welcome it. The world is rotten to the core. So are they. Only she remains pure in an endless sea of filth. Only she is the truth among the lies.

“My dearest, your heart is becoming so black,” she whispered one night, and they didn’t know it then but this would be the final time they saw her like this. Her fingers caressed their face and they purred, leaning into the touch.

“They don’t deserve any more,” they breathed, nails digging into her back as though they were afraid they might slip through their fingers. “They can go to Hell for all I care. You’re the only thing that matters.”

She smiled at this and pulled them into another deep kiss. This one felt different, like a goodbye, but it was still filled with every ounce of passion and fire and desire and need and belonging they had come to expect. “You know it won’t end like this.”

“I know.” They detest the fact. She makes it bearable. She’s the only reason they haven’t torn the world asunder yet, because she is part of that world. “But you’ll be there, won’t you?”

She smiled. “Always. Don’t sleep for too long, or I might have to come and get you myself…”

…

Shepherd-13 always wakes from the dreams of these memories too soon, these ghosts banished with the rise of the sun over this corrupt city.

What was her name?

If they could choose anything to remember, it would be this.

[cyten0]

A Symphony in Crimson

Act 2: A Movement in White

Chapter 4-A

𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞

Entry ----- Date------

The recently named Starchild, Fa, has finally cleared the observation period, and fully stabilized. (Dad has been over the moon from that name. Mom however, is mixed. She did everything to keep you from getting named that, yet here you all are.)

Regardless, since they're safe for periodic exits from containment, you’ve been able to take closer notes on their Craft energy, and took a trip to talk to the Empress. Cleared out a few more monsters around there. That virus might be well off in Fa, but it’s baseline form sure is annoying. Least the mountains cold climate makes them chill out. And since it’s based on Arcana energy, you’re immune!

One of these days you’ll figure out how the blinding universe that dimensional portal works and make your own, so you don’t have to trudge back up here any time you want a conversation longer then two sentences. But there’s a distinct lack of alien spaceships to use as reference, and you can’t afford to break this one, so for now it’s fine!

Still, the trip was worth it. After sharing your results, The Empress seems pleased. You assured her it was child’s play… She didn’t get the joke, but as a reward, she shared some more knowledge on how primordial beings like herself, Chaos, and Fa are created. So you’ll take it!

Since wishcraft is not a universal field of study, ambient craft that would normally be used by it tends to coagulate and eventually begins to take form into a primordial. Or maybe just act as a shell to enter this reality? Sort of? The wording was unclear, so you suspect there’s more to it. Given the way they bend reality itself, it could literally be all of the above and more! But the energy is a critical part of it, and affects their nature upon completion.

Given your own results, You suspect that Fa was formed, and subsequently ripped apart by, the excess wishcraft energy Astravia was pulling toward itself. Literally made manifest by the people’s faith, and then torn asunder by it. Never got the chance to fully form, left half dead in a crater.

It would explain why their original state resembled much of Astravian mythos. Their eyes are that of the Empress Arcana, the seared off stumps of their Phoenix wings, the dark body of the night sky, their heart glowing like the north star your royal family is named after. The virus overtook some of those physical details, but it’s still present. You wonder is it had some effect on their personality? Astravia is a fairly cruel country, but they’ve been nothing but friendly.

...Astravia doesn't deserve them. The strong lording their power over the weak, punishing any that dare step out of line. And the people will stand by and just let them BLINDING DO IT. Because they’re scared of retribution from your family. Scared of tyrants that aren’t there! No matter what how hard your family and you try and give them chances, this blinding nation never tries to be better!

You almost wish you hadn’t saved it. But then. Your family wouldn’t be around. Fa wouldn’t be around. So it doesn’t matter. You’ll get to go to Vaugarde again later, once everything has caught up. Meet with your old family again. See how this new world treated them.

Fa kind of reminds you of yourself, back in that world. Lost. Alone. Their only anchor being their family. But so often abandoned by everyone else. Only getting the chance to live by luck alone. You don’t want them to suffer that. You want to make it so they can be happy! Blind it, they deserve it! Not this cruelty! Not this hatred!!!

...It’s fine. You can fix this. You can make it work. There MUST be a solution. You don’t think you can fix the kingdom. Dad, Mom and the others have been struggling enough with that as is. More importantly, the people will never accept Fa as they are now. Not with that constant hazard they pose.

… Maybe that’s an angle? They’re literally the embodiment of the faith. If they could be fully restored, instead of kept alive, made into a full primordial instead of a halfway biohazard… Well you have faith that would work. Wishcraft is your specialty! I mean, it can’t be harder then turning back time or rewriting a country into existence?

You’ll keep this idea quiet for now. No need to worry them over it, let them focus on more traditional methods. Pass it off as research into Arcana restoration, as there’s plenty of overlap. Stars, maybe they can help each other! Ones stuck in reality, one’s stuck outside it! Wouldn’t that be a pleasant surprise!

Yes. There is ALWAYS a solution. And you can find this one!

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

As you enjoy your breakfast, you contemplate what you read. These references to an entirely different world have been a surprise to you. And a worrying one.

From what little you can glean, apparently this isn’t the first time Astravia had a cataclysmic event occur to it! You have no idea what it was, but Siffrin apparently fixed it, somehow.

People had theorized Timecraft could do some interesting things, but apparently Siffrin took it to a whole new level! Even more then Fantasia did.

...Speaking of Fantasia.

...Literally born from faith. Was almost like Change or Expressions… No wonder Change took such interest in them. It’d be like watching a baby get kicked to the curb.

But one thing worries you. From what you gather, Astravia was a very unpleasant place to live for most. Brutal to a fault. If Fantasia was born from it… How did that affect them?

You remember how they acted that day in Dormont. Before they fought the king. How they changed to something cruel and callous on a dime. How they seemed scared after the fact. You remember Equinox, and how far they were willing to go to prove a point. How they nearly gouged out Bonnie’s eye for it….

Is there something under the surface they are hiding? Even now?

...Gems alive, you need to stop this.

You hate being scared of them. But you just can’t get those shattering worries out. But it's hard NOT to, given the whole 'eating people' and 'destroyed an island' things. Even if you know they would never willingly hurt you, you had partners in the day like that. Gems, YOU were like that...

But you also KNOW they’ve been hiding something. The others have been ignoring it, trying to keep themselves from worrying, but you haven’t.

How they sneak away every night, without fail. How when you fought a sadness day before yesterday, and they looked at you with this wild look in their eyes even after it was dead. How they've seemed weaker every day. How they put on a fake smile the second you or anyone looks at them. How they haven't sang a single song since Dormont.

Some of that could just be trauma, but the moment anyone notices, they pretend like nothing is happening. They are a terrible liar.

You wished for this shattering book so you could try and get some fears off your back. Figured being better informed would help. Make it so you’re more assured. Be ready for any troubles that might come up. Or at least give you SOMETHING to discard these theories! But it doesn’t! It hasn’t helped at all!

Hm. But you do know what MIGHT be useful. Or more accurately, who.

You turn towards Fa, enjoying their own breakfast nearby. They went hunting yesterday afternoon, but are enjoying Bonniface’s cooking none-the-less. Regardless, you should ask for a favor.

◆ “Fa, mind if I borrow that console a bit? I want to try out that ‘messaging’ they mentioned, and to see to see if the others have any advice on anything.”

✦ “Oh! um. Yes. Alright!”

Gems, this new Fantasia is a lot more shy then Siffrin was. Sure, the old Siffrin was quiet, but they had this air of confidence and lightheartedness that Fantasia simply does not. Fair enough, but still.

Fantasia hands you the device. You’ve seen them use it a bit before, so it’s not TOO hard to figure it out. Especially since your wish lets you read Astravian rather easily. You find the messaging software, and find an option called ‘Scale chat’, which you presume must be them.

It’s supposedly like sending a letter, yes? Best treat it as such.

◆ {Greetings. This is Odile. I’m messaging to look for any pertinent advice and knowledge about Fa, or Fantasia as they have chosen. They are, as one would expect, uninformed about themselves. And given they only revealed their actual nature a few days ago, we have little and less to go off of. In addition, they have been acting as ‘Siffrin’ the entire time we’ve known them, further complicating knowledge. Any information about them, physical or personality wise, would be recommended.}

There. You believe you’ve gotten the message across. You wonder when- hm?

♯ {Hi Odile! Wow, how the stars do you know Astravian?!

♫ {Oh Fantasia’s such a neat name!}

𝄢 {My father would be proud. Also, how much you know?}

Oh. So, this is far more quick then you were expecting. Hm. Well, that works out well.

◆ {Fantasia taught us the Favor tree ritual, and I wished to know more about them. Got a copy of Siffrin’s lab notes and the ability to comprehend Astravian.}

◆ {Aside from that, only that their diet consists primarily of sadnesses and wildlife, that they can replicate entire organs (such as a stomach for normal food), and a rough idea of their capabilities.}

𝄢 {I presume that wish came with the ability to parse my brothers terrible handwriting. I've not read them myself, as he used them a bit as his own private journal.}

𝄢 {That said, how far are you? Approximately.}

◆ {Not very far. I've just learned how their star half was created. Only had it for a few days.}

♫ {Well, I can help with the food stuff! I’ll make a list of everything I know!}

Bonnie will be pleased with that. You’d best let them know.

◆ “Bonnie, Letting you know, you actually might be able to help Fa with food. They’re prepping notes now.”

✿ “CRAB YEAH!!!! Oh! Ask them if they got some cool recipes, I wanna know all of them! Especially ones Tay likes!”

✦ “Tay?”

✿ “Yeah, Fan-Tay-za!”

◉ “Gasp! The first nickname!”

▲ “Oh, nice one!”

You chuckle, and nod at Bonnie, and relay their request.

♫ {Of course! I’ll get Ti to throw in a few as well!}

♪ {Nille wants to know more about Bonnie cooking.}

◆ {Yes, they are quite the skilled chef. Don’t worry, we make sure they are responsible with cookware, though we hardly need to.}

𝄡 {I look forwards to sharing knowledge. Returning to the main question. There’s not much I can think of on the psychological front. Especially that would stick after so long.}

Right. The one thing you are most worried about. You need SOMETHING.

◆ {Anything is appreciated.}

𝄢 {Hm. Well, you mentioned their otherworldly nature. There is ONE thing about that which may still be present.}

◆ {Yes, I had theorized as much. I'd like details, if possible.}

𝄢 {While for the most part they are a fairly normal person for their circumstances, they do have some additional psyche’s that have formed from Astravian culture.}

Perfect, exactly what you need!

𝄢 {Have you seen their horn light up a particular shade before?}

Ah. Right, yesterday morning, where they were in that oddly simple minded state… That’s… NOT what you were expecting.

◆ {Yes. Darkless. How the gems is that based on culture?}

♪ {Oh that must have been fun. Hope you gave them pets.}

♫ {It’s based on the more benevolent parts of the kingdom! The Loyalty of the people, the blessings of the stars, and so on! There are some additional cultural implications as well, but that would be an entire essay.}

♪ {Yes, some symbolisim to it. White was synonymous with the best of Astravia. It’s unfortunately fitting that Commonfolk were not allowed to wear white.}

Hm. Well that’s good to know at least. Also, you noticed you instantly understood White is the same as Darkless, but with an extra connotation? Worth remembering.

You also remember their outfits, with that bit of cultural context. Mi was mostly lightless or dark clothing, but you noticed Aurola and Regulus had pure white armor over dark clothing. Further, Song and Titania’s outfits were mostly White. As is Fantasia’s now that you think on it.

What a strange class system. Though it does remind you of Ka Bue in a way.

𝄡 {There are two more Psyche’s like that one, but you might not see them. Regardless, They are all still Fa, and they can enter or leave said mentalities fairly easy, if needed and prompted. But they might not be aware of them otherwise. Worth noting ahead of time.}

◆ {Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.}

♪ {Just in case, Keep an eye out for Black. That one can get messy. Not as bad as it seems at first, but certainty messy.}

Ominous. Black means lightless, right? Maybe that is what occurred back then? You’d best keep an eye out.

You wait for Mi to send that list, then hand it to Boniface, who starts memorizing it instantly.

✿ “Woah! Oh that’s so crabbing cool! I gotta try that!”

Bonnie starts grabbing their cookware and trying some stuff out. Including using some craft? How odd.

Well, with that all handled, it’s best to start resuming travel. You help the others start to pack up, so you all can get back to the road.

>>>

Your cart begins to close into the next town. Réfroir, if you remember its name right? A frankly beautiful town. Known for its crafted glass, you remember when you visited it last time that you’d gotten to see it during night. The way light refracts throughout the entire town, only a handful of lanterns are needed, barely any on a full moon. You hope to see it again tonight.

Fantasia is a bit nervous going into a town how they are. Mirabelle makes a suggestion to use a hairband to pass off the horn as an accessory, to put them at ease. Fa does, however, change their eyes back to normal human eyes. You’d grown somewhat accustomed to their odd cat-like eyes, but it is nice to see they can do that.

After getting into town, you have Isabeau and Mirabelle see about finding you all a place to stay, taking Bonnie with them, while you and Fantasia see about getting the cart and Bayard taken care of. You find a place willing to hold your cart, and when you meet up with Fa, they are followed by… by...

A wolf. An unusual. Dark furred. Wolf.

◆ “...I have a few questions.”

✦ “Bayard didn’t want to stay in the stables, and asked if I could do something. I’d hunted some wolves earlier so…”

◆ “You changed a horse into a wolf?”

✦ “I had a few options, but they wanted wolf. Was curious how it felt.”

...Absolutely astounding. The surprises simply never cease.

◆ “The horse learned he could shapeshift and instantly indulged?...How Vaugardian of them.”

Si- Fantasia lets out a chuckle at that. The wolf lets out a light bark. They do seem to be enjoying the body, at least. They’re running around quite a bit, sidestepping, circling, jumping. Very excitable.

✦ “Yeah, wolves are really agile aren’t they?… Well they don’t have as much endurance, so it’s overall fair… Oh Bonnie would love that! Absolutely!”

Well, you suppose that is a nice bonus? Get to show Bayard the sights. They can even stay at the inn with you all, though they are still rather big. Wolf, not dog, after all. You scratch behind the ears, and they lean into it.

Bayard lets out a pleased rumble. Well, best to head to the others!

>>>

The lodge you all got was rather nice. Mirabelle had to talk UP the price a good bit, as the person was planning to just give them the place for free, but you managed to pay mostly fair. You don't want to exploit your savior status too much.

You’ll likely have to do some odd jobs for cash like usual, but given the state of Vaugarde right now, there’s plenty to work with, even after the king.

Sadness hunting would work well, but Fantasia typically does that in towns. Quite a few about still, even if they’ve been slowly returning to normal levels. With winter coming in, distributing emergency supplies is probably useful. And some people are probably desperate, so the defenders might need some help.

Heh. Working with defenders, that one amuses you. Would be QUITE the change of pace from back in Ka Bue! Well, at least defenders don’t kill you for breaking the law. And it’s not like you have for a while. Not since…

You hold the gem hanging off the left side of your head. Couldn’t keep going, not after worrying your father so much.

▲ “What’s up M’dame?”

Ah, time to leave that train of thought.

◆ “Considering what we should do to gather funds while in town. I might help the local defenders.”

✦ “Can I come with?”

Hm? That’s a little unexpected.

◉ “Really? I would have thought you’d go for sadness hunting like usual?”

✦ “Just. Felt like a change of pace!”

More of that fake smile… Well, you certainly wouldn’t mind, and you can keep an eye out for any other behavioral changes.

◆ “I’m not opposed to company. Anyone else?”

✿ “I’ma help hand out supplies! I can cook some meals for people, and I wanna try some of these new cooking crafts Mi and Ti sent!”

▲ “I’ll go with you! Many hands make light work!”

Bayard barks, clearly eager about something. Si-Fantasia turns towards Bonnie and smiles.

✦ “Bayard has volunteered to be Bonnie's noble steed!”

✿ “Oh CRAB YEAH! Aw that’s so crabbing cool!”

Given the wolf’s excited response, they seem to think the same!

◉ “I think I’ll go sadness hunting then! It um. Would let me have some space. To think.”

◆ “Very well! Meet you all back here then.”

A plan in mind, you all set out.

As you head out the door, and towards the defender’s building, you swear you saw something, out of the corner of your eye?… Nevermind. You are sure it’s fine.

>>>>

The defenders gave you the task of patrolling the streets, double checking for any disruptions. They trust you to take care of it should anything happen, given the whole ‘saviors’ thing. Even the rumor you both are assisting them will help a lot in keeping trouble down.

Fantasia is just taking the day easy. There isn’t much to worry about, for the most part. Had to settle a disagreement or two, but a stern word was all it took. They caught one pickpocket, but let them off easy with a firm talking to and sending them over to Bonnie and Isa. No worrying tendencies from them.

However, one thing has been worrying you... You SWEAR you are being followed. Two people, showing up every now and then. Watching you specifically, before vanishing. They have weapons, and by their stance, skill to use them.

And they’re Ka Buan.

It’s been years. Your bounty should be out of the picture. So what is their interest in you?

You see one of them try and hide off in an alleyway up ahead. Good, You need to address this NOW, before things get tricky and the others get involved. You wordlessly follow them in, Fantasia following behind you, somewhat confused.

You become equally confused, when they aren’t here. Gems. A Craft Mirage. It’s a trap.

㊊ “Well well well. Thought that would be harder.”

㊐ “Lost your touch with age, Madame Odile?”

Fa looks at the two, confused. But the moment the two men unsheathe their blades, it becomes very clear what’s happening.

◆ “You both are far from home. Mind telling me why you’re drawing swords on an old woman?”

㊐ “Lord Fuhai sends his regards. He’s paying handsomely for your head.”

Of course. That man would hold a grudge. Guess he finally got his council seat.

Fantasia puts themselves between the men and you. You ready your book, craft beginning to sizzle in the palm of your hand.

✦ “Look, I’d rather we don’t fight. Don’t hurt my friend, and go away. You get one war-”

Fa barely has a moment before they are cut in half in a single swing, straight from their shoulder to the hip!! Gems!!

As Fa falls to the floor, the two step over their body, pointing their blades at you.

㊊ “Any last words?”

◆ “Go shatter yourself.”

You fire off a powerful blast of craft at their face, only to find they sidestepped, and-

!!!!!

GEMS!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!! You! They just- Your arm! One stroke, and they’ve cut off your arm, and then-

HNG! A... blade through your heart. Gems… it HURTS!! You can feel the stiff blade against your flesh, before it’s ripped out.

Warm blood starts to pour from the wounds, as the air fills with a metallic scent. You… You can’t think…. Loosing blood fast… You can feel yourself…. fading…

But then….

You… Feel… something shift…. And… you smell…. Sugar?

《《《

㊊ “Any las- what!?!”

You take a deep gasp of air, as you suddenly feel your body refill with life, unharmed, the phantom pain barely letting you breathe.

What. What just…

Timecraft?

But you… You remember what happened? So do the men too apparently! But. How did?-

Fa.

Gets up.

There is a wicked smile across their face. Uncannily wide and cheerful. Their eyes glow that visceral shade. The remainder of their body twists and tears like fabric under strain, ripping apart in seconds. And from under their skin emerges a cacophony of fangs, limbs and tendrils. A strange laugh fills the air.

And their horn. Glows Black.

[verai-marcel]

Your Hearth Is My Home (BG3 Fanfic, Astarion x Female Reader, Part 1 of 27)

Summary: Not every adventurer wields a weapon. You, a hearth witch living near the banks of River Chionthar, are witness to a craft falling from the sky, and wondering if anyone needed assistance, ran down to find survivors. That was your first mistake. Going along with the survivors on their crazy adventure? That was your second mistake. Will you survive your next mistake of letting a hungry vampire bite you?

Author’s Notes: Full disclosure: at this point, I’ve only played through act 2 without romancing Astarion. So why the fuck am I writing some wholesome Astarion x F!Reader? Because I’m dumb and got spoiled on Youtube, and now I can’t stop thinking about the poor guy. Also this is heavily influenced by a couple of wholesome manga (“Life in Another World as a Housekeeping Mage” and “The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World”), but I won’t be writing an isekai. You (reader) are from Faerun like everyone else. I’m just here to have some wholesome feels and hurt/comfort. Let’s go go go.

Tags: wholesome, cozy camp time, Astarion x F!Reader, slow burn, good alignment, BG3 Spoilers

Chapter Word Count: 1,843

Ao3 Link here, Darling.

--------------------

Act I, Chapter 1 - The Beginning

You are a hearth witch, living on the banks of the River Chionthar, making potions and herbal remedies for the small villages nearby. For the past three years, you’d been happier than you’d ever been in your life. You loved helping people, but you made sure not to reveal your real name, nor why you always wore long sleeves and gloves, even in the middle of summer.

But the nearby villages had been emptying as of late. News of the goblin camp that recently appeared nearby had first scared off the traveling merchants, and then the locals. You realized that you too should leave, otherwise you’d either have no more customers or goblins on your doorstep. You only had a dagger and a few spells that did little in ways of actual damage, so defending yourself against a horde of enemies was out of the question. So you began to pack up, figuring out what you could bring with you, and what needed to be repurchased once you reached your new home, wherever that might be. 

On a warm sunny day, you decided that this would be your last day here. Your pack was filled, your cottage cleaned out. Tomorrow morning, you would take off to the east, following the river to the next closest town. For now, you decided to grab a few more ingredients for the road, and so, you were out by the river bank, gathering fresh herbs and mushrooms. 

A booming sound followed a strong gust of wind that whipped around you, twigs and grass flying everywhere. Then you saw a ship crash nearby, the land and water being torn asunder, debris flung in all directions. After the chaos died down a bit, you went to go check for survivors. You couldn’t, in good conscience, walk away if someone might need help.

That was a poor decision on your part.

The first survivor you found was a young, dark-haired woman, passed out on the shore. She seemed standoffish, but after helping her up and giving her a drink from your waterskin, you convinced her that the best thing to do was to get out of the area and rest at your cottage while she regained her bearings. 

A little while later, the two of you came upon the strange sight of a single arm, sticking out of a glowing purple rune. You and the young woman, Shadowheart, pulled the poor man out. He introduced himself as Gale, and also joined your party.

As the three of you continued back to your cottage, you came across another stranger. Skin as pale as marble and hair to match. Had some scars on his neck. Perhaps he got them on the ship? He seemed harmless enough. Another escapee of the craft that fell from the sky.

That is, until he tricked you into looking for something in the bushes.

If only he hadn’t touched your exposed neck with his bare hand. Then you wouldn’t have felt the fear, underlined by a desperation you knew all too well. 

The leash is cut.

It made you empathize. And that was one rule that had been burned into your mind at a young age. 

Do not empathize with the enemy.

Fortunately, Gale and Shadowheart talked him down from stabbing you. The man even apologized to you, though it seemed more for show than for sincerity. 

Astarion was his name. He introduced himself with aplomb and decorum, and your hackles raised at the sight. A noble.

After a bit more conversation, they agreed that their shared affliction was enough of a reason to travel together and find a cure.

Swallowing down your general prejudice against nobles, you ignored him and made small talk with the others as you led them back to your cottage. 

***

Your cottage had only one room, enough space for your bed, some storage for herbs and tools, and a work table for your alchemy. Most of your things were packed, but you pulled out enough to take care of your guests. 

The yard to the side of the building was set up as a small campground for travelers to rest. You had figured out a couple years ago that for a small fee, traveling merchants would gladly rest on your land where it was safe, while you made them fresh, nourishing meals and cast spells on their bedrolls to make them feel warm and comfortable. You even managed to get a small tub built in the back to provide a warm bath for an extra fee.

It had been a lucrative idea, one that made you enough money to be quite comfortable out here in the sticks.

You may only know a few cantrips, but you had manipulated them beyond what most people did. Your mending cantrip could fix whole swaths of cloth, your prestidigitation cantrip could keep bedrolls warm all night, or baths hot for hours. It was why you had several repeat customers, traveling merchants who would alter their routes to come to your place to rest. 

You told them of the surrounding area and cooked a meal for them, a simple stew with seasonal vegetables and herbs.

The noble said he wasn’t hungry. You supposed your poor peasant food wasn’t to his taste.

He can suit himself.

While the others were eating, you set up the campground. While you were quietly casting the comfort cantrip on each bedroll, you sensed someone watching you.

“Yes?” you asked, biting the inside of your mouth to keep from being snippy.

Astarion stepped closer to you. He remained standing, looking down on your kneeling form. “What an interesting way to use prestidigitation.”

You shrugged. You had nothing to say to a noble. You finished your spell and started to shuffle over to the next bedroll, but he remained standing in your way.

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all, darling.” He didn’t budge.

You let out a short huff and crawled around him. One bedroll left. Ignoring the man, you began the cantrip.

By the time you finished, you looked up to see all three of them watching you.

“What?” you asked, a little disturbed by the attention.

“I hadn’t thought to use that cantrip like this before,” Gale said as he knelt down to touch the bedroll. “How long does it last?”

“All night,” you responded, feeling a little proud of yourself.

Shadowheart was already crawling into the bedroll. “This feels amazing.” She buried herself into the cloth. “It feels like I’m sleeping on a warm cloud.”

Gale shrugged and followed suit. “Gods, you’re right.” He sat up and looked at you. “I don’t know how you manipulated that spell, but it’s absolutely brilliant.”

You felt a zing of joy. Your little custom cantrip impressed a wizard!

The noble watched you for a few more moments before he too, crawled into a bedroll. His eyes widened slightly. “Oh. My, this is rather comfortable.”

You jutted out your chin, but refrained from being too catty about it. Instead, you switched to being polite. 

“Sweet dreams,” you said to everyone, and went about cleaning up around camp. By the time you were done, the three of them were fast asleep.

***

The motley crew thanked you and took off in the morning to explore the area, seemingly never to return.

You looked around at your unpacked things, and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to start off tomorrow morning instead.

Your plans were sidetracked once more, however, when the group returned that evening with a fourth member, grouchy and prickly as a threatened porcupine. After a couple of bowls of your herbal soup, she became a little bit less prickly. Lae'zel was her name, and she punctuated her Common speech with her Githyanki tongue. You found it a bit endearing, the way one finds a stray animal that always hisses at you endearing. 

You cast a warming spell on their bed rolls once more, burned incense to keep the insects away, and made sure they were all comfortable in your little camp area outside of your cottage before going to bed.

The next morning, you got up early to make breakfast for them before they left to explore the ruins that they had found the day before. As you checked your rabbit traps, you noticed one of them was tripped, but the rabbit within was a mere husk, as if it had been dehydrated. 

Curious. 

You reset your trap and returned to camp.

“What’s that?” Shadowheart asked when she saw the husk of a corpse in your hand.

“A dried up rabbit.”

“That doesn’t sound appetizing,” Lae’zel remarked. 

You shrugged. “I can at least sell the pelt later. Sorry, you’ll have to make do with another vegetable stew tonight.” You furrowed your eyebrows. “That is, if you’re coming back here.”

The four adventurers looked at each other.

“I think we’ve taken advantage of your hospitality long enough,” Gale said. We’ll start heading west from here.”

*** 

The group had finally left, and you had finished packing. You had been delayed by their arrival, but no longer. They truly seemed gone now, with the sun setting and no sign of their return. Tomorrow for sure. Tomorrow, early in the morning, you would set off—

You heard your name being called. Off in the distance, you could see Gale, waving sheepishly at you, followed by the others. 

You sighed. Biting back your annoyance, you smiled and waved back. A customer was a customer. At least this group was entertaining, and quite generous with their gold. And this time, they brought you back some boar meat.

There was one new face, a man with a stone eye. He introduced himself as the Blade of the Frontiers, Wyll. He seemed nice, charismatic even. Someone who had the manners of a noble but the heart of a commoner.

They set up camp once more in your yard, and you unpacked just enough of your supplies to make them a meal. 

"You look like you're ready to go on a journey," Gale commented as you all sat around the campfire, eating a boar roast with herbed potatoes.

"I'm moving. Many people have moved away because of the increase in goblins in the area, and a lot of my business has dried up. And having goblins this close doesn't make me feel all too safe."

“Any plans on where?”

You shrugged. “Not really. I was just going to travel until I found a place to settle.”

"Well, why don't you come with us?" 

Everyone looked at Gale in shock, but then they all looked at you. 

"You do make camp much more comfortable," Shadowheart finally said. 

“And one of us would be standing guard at camp as well, so you would be safe,” Wyll added.

You saw no reason to decline. You liked most of them, save for one snotty noble. A constant flow of income would be nice, for once. You negotiated a decent wage and agreed to head out with them at first light.

That, dear hearth witch, was your second poor decision.

--------

Chapter End Notes:

Yeah, I basically made up a “hearth witch” class as a combo of druid, wizard, and cleric, but hey, welcome to Dungeons & Dragons, where homebrew classes happen all the time. Hope you enjoyed the fic! I'm actively working on the next chapter!

Update 4/4/24: All chapters are here!

Act I - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12

Act II - Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | 

Act III - Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 (18+) | Part 28 (END)

[hrefna-the-raven]

Never anger a devil

Masterlist - BG3 masterlist

Words: 466

Summary: whatever it was that angered Raphael, it certainly was enough for him to lose control and change into his ascended form

Notes: seeing a few pictures of Raphael's ascended form made me wonder if there is a possibility of him being so royally pissed off that he'd actually turn into that form to let all his rage out 🤔 but no matter his form, we're still loving him so reader is not gonna take any of his anger issues 😂

You sprinted down the hallways, the savage shriek intensifying as you neared the bedroom. Debtors rushed past you, panic etched on their faces as they desperately tried to distance themselves from the piercing screams. As you rounded the final corner, you caught sight of Haarlep making his escape from the boudoir. He grabbed hold of your wrist just a few steps away from the room, while the air filled with more animalistic howls and the unsettling sounds of furniture being torn asunder.

"You don't want to go in there, little mouse", the incubus warned with a quivering voice, "he's not himself, he'll hurt you!"

You ripped your arm out of his grasp and cautiously entered the room. Haarlep's shouts faded into the background as you were transfixed by the shocking scene before you. The marble floor was strewn with shards of shattered vases, while remnants of torn pillows floated serenely in the pool. Wooden fragments, once part of elegant tables and chairs, added to the chaos. And at the center of it all stood a large and truly dreadful creature, its back turned to you.

"Raphael?", you whispered hesitantly.

The creature spun around, extending its wings in a menacing display while lowering its head, growling dangerously at your small figure. Your breath caught as the searing heat of its breath grazed your skin, but you stood firm as it drew near. You should have been afraid, everyone else in the House of Hope tried to get as far away as possible, you saw beyond the exterior. This was merely another form of your Raphael, albeit a frightening and enraged one. However, you knew him well enough to trust that he would not harm you. There even was a certain majestic beauty to his current form. His entire being radiated with an infernal flame, his four flaming horns gracefully curving upward like a demonic crown adorning his head. Two additional faces emerged from his visage, each mouth adorned with formidable tusks, while four glowing orange eyes peered directly into the depths of your soul. Instinctively, your hand reached out to make contact, but before it could reach him, he took a step back, shaking his head as one of his massive paws touched a fragment of wood, instantly scorching it.

You smiled gently at him before taking a seat on the only remaining chair. From there, you watched as he tilted his head curiously, his predatory gaze fixed on you.

"This is the most dramatic I've ever seen you", you chuckled, "don't even think for a second that I'm going to miss what's happening next."

Raphael let out a deep growl, his frustration evident as he threw his head back in annoyance, his tail slamming on the ground while his large wings folded back with a slight twitch.

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Teaching Evasive Maneuvers

Previous =-= Next

Author's note: More of Symith in mermay.

Summary: Symith and his younger brothers and cousins are patrolling, he spots a new arrival coming in. Realizes it's a Custodes and teaches rapid evasive maneuvers and gets them all back to base before the Custodes makes a splash.

Warnings: ... Let me know if I need to add more.

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams

Tagged: @sleepyfan-blog, @whorety-k

Tagged continued: @i-am-a-dragon34

Symith is with the same mixed squad of Ultramarines and Space Wolves, all of them younger than him by decades, how they got here, was usually due to battle- and the strange twist of circumstances that had them from one breath to another There to Here. He's not one to ponder who gets chosen or why, and from what he's heard, even Custodes have been dropped onto Ancient Terra, not many, Thank the All-father, for they are far more dangerous than even the worst of Rampaging Khornate Space Marines.

He's heard the stories of whole pods of Space Marines being torn asunder, Loyalist, Renegade, and Chaos, because the Custodes deemed them unfit for Life, or because they wouldn't listen to the words of the Loyalists, explaining when and where they are. He suspects that they are trying to seek out the much younger version of The Emperor. Which, well- he wonders if they'll find him or not. He wonders if them being here will effect the time line, or if they are now in a new timeline, or if this will just be a temporary thing and won't actually affect things at all. Or- one of the younger space marines swims over to him with a concerned frown.

"You're bleeding from the nose," The young Apothecary with them says in concern, "Did you hit your head or something?"

"Ah- just got a wicked headache," He says waving the youngster off.

He had been... thinking about- oh, bad nope, not going to try going to think or poke at what is for Witches and Rune Priests to deal with. He's good at teaching and protecting and fighting, among other things. Such navel gazing and thoughts of philosophy and causality and other fancy-smancy nerd shit is for those of a higher intelligence than him. He allows the young Apothecary fuss over him as the Warp wipes away his thoughts on things that he should really not try to think too hard about. It just is.

"You didn't have to fuss so much," He says with a mild grumble

As they continue to patrol this area of the seas, on Ancient Terra, there had been some Excitement, some Idiot Chaos Psyker had tried to do some Great Working and it had twisted and gone wrong, and potentially really cursed an underwater cave system nearby.

Exactly where, he's not been told, mostly so he doesn't go poke at it with his bolter and get bitten by something Nasty. Also, another thing, there was some rumblings about a Nurglite Infestation that had nearly destroyed a Coral Reef ecosystem, that too, was being handled by those who are qualified to handle it. He had his squad are to try and see if they can find other Strange Things that might be happening, or Chaos Bastards who aren't where they are supposed to be.

Also, he's unsurprised that the Chaos Marines are Up To Shit, and Causing Problems On Purpose for everyone else. It's what they do, they are, after all, Chaos Marines. He has Opinions on this 'armistice' between the two sides, especially since he knows that certain factions within the Chaos Marine pods and shoals aren't doing their part of the deal as well as they should. The larger Chaos Marine Pods would claim that it was smaller shoals that aren't a part of the Alliance that lies at fault, but he's got his doubts on that. Even odds on whether it's true or not. He swims to the surface and looks up- he'd spotted something glittering and sparkling above him and then swum fast down to where the Scouts are.

"Boys!" He calls sharply.

Gratifyingly they all turn towards him swiftly. "We need to move out of the area- a new Custodes is landing in these waters."

They all seems startled and start to whirl, "Move it lads! I don't want to become shark chum from a raging Custodes having a fit from their arrival. We also need to let the Chapter Masters in the area know so they can decide on the approach. Now- get moving!"

They are all loyalists, but depending on when the Custodes is from, what they were doing, and where they were before coming to Ancient Terra... being Reasonable is Not something that was designed by the Emperor within his Golden Host. So- they are swimming, fast and in the deep and in a circuitous pattern- he's barking out orders to them to help them with evasion and hopefully, staying unnoticed by one of those Stuffy, Uppity bastards who were more likely to kill, than listen to anything anyone said, or pull their weight and bully any and everyone who knows exactly what they are to their advantage, taking more in supplies and resources, and knowledge faster than they usually allowed new arrivals to have.

But such was the Custodes- catering to those bastards whims.  New Custodes, are very likely to be Unbonded. Trying to risk sending a message to one of the Bonded Custodes about their newly arrived brother, usually they would deign to speak with their brother and explain things. Which was a better way, in his opinion, let the Bonded Custodes deal with unbonded Custodes and leave them out of it.

He thinks it had worked, none of them are dead without realizing it, and he's not heard the whale song- and booming crooning calls of a Custodes on a hunt, when they decided to be noisy. Informing the Captain in deck of what was going on had been fun, but since he's done his job, and now that problem is so far above his paygrade it isn't funny. He grabs his squad of Scouts and tucks them into one of the shared nests to make sure they are all safe, alright, and most importantly, do not be stupid and try to catch a glimpse of a Custodes. His boys are safest where he can see them, scruffing the Apothecary and tucking him into the middle of the group.

[penny00dreadful]

Return of the King - Part 5

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 AO3

Eddie found himself out in his back garden again, sitting in the lawn chair he’d only vacated a couple of hours ago, the silence and stillness around him was a welcome reprieve from the complete and utter chaos that was currently taking place in his kitchen. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back towards the sky, breathing in deeply as the familiar sensations of relief washed over him all over again. 

It was like it was hitting him for the second time in the scant few hours since all this had started. Everything was so good already. Everyone was already so much more relaxed, so easy to bring a smile to, so weightless. Just from having Steve back. 

The kids were bright and energetic, Robin was talking a mile a minute, Nancy’s icy wall of defence had crumbled and everyone else in general seemed to be much closer.

He just… he needed a moment.

It wasn’t like he thought he’d failed, necessarily. He’d kept them all together the best he could under awful, terrible, unimaginable circumstances. But he could have never been Steve to them. 

No matter how much of himself he’d been forced to give away to keep them all above water. All the late sleepless nights on the phone or the walkie or even staying up to keep an eye on them. 

Just in case.

Because it’s what Steve would have done. All the mental and emotional toll it had taken just to try to keep them all in contact never mind pleasant to each other. 

He’d put up with all the hate and vitriol and tears and screaming from inside the group, all because they knew he was safe. He’d sooner die than abandon them all when everything was so delicate. They knew he was staying, so they could take all their anger out on him because he wouldn’t retaliate or leave. Because he couldn’t. Couldn’t bear the thought.

And now it was all over within a matter of minutes. 

Everything was back to ‘normal’.

Or as normal as everything could be given the current circumstances.

Not for the first time he found himself wondering what would have happened if they’d never switched that night a month ago. 

If he had stayed with Dustin and Steve had gone along to the Creel House. Would he have had the balls to keep the kid safe when the bats descended? Would he have been torn to shreds in Steve’s place? Would it have been his dead body Dustin was found cradling, would it have been Steve who’d had to drag him away and back into the Rightside Up?

In some ways it might have been better. If he had died in Steve’s place.

The Fellowship wouldn’t have been so torn asunder. They might have been able to get on the open gates and the cracks quicker. Robin and Dustin wouldn’t have shut down as severely as they had done. Nancy wouldn’t have gone on the war path. 

Steve would have been able to keep them all together.

It wouldn’t have been such a shock if he had ended up being raised again by whatever it was that had snatched him back from death. 

But, he supposed, that didn’t matter now. This was the way things were.

And he’d done his best with what he had so…

So no, he hadn’t thought he’d failed. 

He just needed a second to adjust.

And it wasn’t like everyone’s fucked up mental health was magically fixed, there’d probably be some major blow ups and breakdowns in the future but the thing that really got him, the thing he kept coming back to with hope blooming in his chest was that he no longer had to deal with it all alone.

The door creaked behind him and the clumsy sound of thump, click, thump repeated, getting closer, telling of the approach of Hopper and his cane. If Eddie was under any doubt about the identity of the fellow human joining him it would have been swiftly driven away by the groans and cracking of knees as the ex-Chief of Police lowered himself down onto the chair next to him, letting out a relieved exhale once the strain on his body was eased.

Eddie could hear Hopper grumbling to himself as he patted down his pockets and shuffled his cane around, clearing his throat with a ragged phlegmy cough.

“You got a light?”

Eddie kept his head towards the sky and his eyes closed as he dug into his jeans pocket and held his zippo out blindly to his side.

The lighter was pulled from his fingers and a second later there were the old familiar sounds of a cigarette being lit up. Eddie held his hand out again and his zippo was placed back into his palm. He let the silence around them fester for a few seconds, pocketing his lighter before he finally spoke.

“Out with it, Chief.” He rolled his head to the side and opened his eyes, expecting to see a glower being sent his way or some kind of disapproval at the very least. What he didn’t expect to see was a pensive and somewhat conflicted look on Hopper's face as he stared off into the far off tree line, flicking the filter of the cigarette with his thumb repeatedly as though he wasn’t even aware he was doing it. “What’s eatin’ you?”

Hopper didn’t answer immediately, continuing to stare off into the distance. He took a long pull, inhaling deeply and exhaling gently.

“You want a smoke?” 

Eddie decided to be gracious and take the deflection for what it clearly was. “Marlboro’s right?” At Hopper’s nod, Eddie let out a soft ugh but conceded with a shrug. “A free smoke is a free smoke.”

He wasn’t expecting the short and light chuckle he got in response  to that but took it as a good sign as he lit up his own cigarette.

The silence hung around them heavy and waiting, only cut through by birdsong and the raucous sounds of conversation inside.

Eddie was halfway through his cigarette before Hopper finally spoke and what he said nearly made Eddie choke.

“I need to apologise to you, kid.”

“Wh- what?” Eddie coughed and wheezed through the smoke. “What for? Did you beat Wayne in poker again because he can be a bit of a pissy loser but he doesn’t mean anything he says.”

“No. And I won that game fair and square, he knows that. But no, it’s nothing like that.” Hopper took another large drag, still watching the trees, seemingly trying to collect himself. Eddie decided to take the pressure off, letting his own eyes drift out to the forest. He knew his gaze could be a bit intense sometimes whether he meant it to be or not. According to his uncle it could get downright unsettling, though Eddie liked it that way if he was being honest.

Hopper tapped his cane in the grass a few times. “Myself and Joyce… we haven’t been here for you in the last month. We shouldn’t have left you to keep this family afloat by yourself. We tried. We really did try to talk to the kids and get them to open up to us. We tried to take some pressure off but...” he heaved out a heavy sigh. “They don’t trust us like they trust you. You and Steve. Maybe they never did. Maybe we got complacent with Steve taking on the kids, taking on our… responsibilities so often without complaint. And that carried over to you. 

“But this was worse, so much worse. The kids lost him and we’d already put so much distance between us and them, trying to force them out of danger, there was no way they’d turn to us. So they turned to you. And again, we left you there to handle it on your own. In addition to that you also had to keep Nancy from burning the world down and Robin from…” Hopper chewed on his cheek, a gruff man trying to choose his words delicately, “getting lost. I don’t think we really understood just how badly we’d failed until today.”

“Oh.” Eddie replied dumbly, at a bit of a loss for words. It’s not like he didn’t appreciate what Hopper was saying, nor could he deny how true it was but he didn’t expect for it to be seen after all this time. “I don’t think it’s that they don’t trust you. It’s like… you’re the parents, right? So-”

“Exactly.” Hopper cut him off sharply, finally turning to look at him. “We’re the parents. We’re the adults. The kids are our responsibility. Not yours. Not Steve’s. You two are barely legal adults yourselves and it was not a burden you should have been forced to bear, especially after such a loss. Do you hear me?”

“Yeah, Chief, I hear you. Listen,” Eddie leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “the kids have been at this Upside Down fuckery for years. You can’t protect them from everything and you can’t protect them from this. They’re already marked by it, it’s too late for that. Trying to hold them back is patronising at best. They’re the ones who’ve been figuring this shit out. They’re the ones who understand it best. They’ve been fighting against this thing longer than any of us and they’ve usually had to do it in secret because the adults consistently sideline them, meaning they have to sneak around to save our asses. And they have been saving our asses. Time and time again. They’re going to be involved, they’re going to do what needs to be done and the best thing you can do at this stage is be there to gently steer them away from any truly naive ideas but support them and stand with them when in the shit. 

“They’re not a sack of flour you’ve been given in health class and told to keep alive for a week. They’re your fellow fighters and trying to keep them from the shit only leads them to going into the shit behind your back. I understand why you and Joyce have done what you’ve done, thinking you’re making the best decisions for them but that’s the problem. You’re making these decisions for them. Do you get what I’m trying to say?”

Hopper’s expression was unreadable but his gaze was downright piercing. Eddie found himself wilting internally but kept his intent firm on the surface. Hopper’s eyes searched both of his before he let out a heavy sigh, leaning back against the lawn chair again. “Yeah, kid. I hear you.”

Anything further Eddie wanted to say was swiftly lost as the back door was thrown open with a shout from Dustin.

“He’s a vampire?!”

Eddie tilted his head back the whole way so he was looking at Dustin upside down.

“That’s the prevailing theory.”

“Dude!” The next second Dustin had disappeared back inside.

Sitting back up straight again, Eddie glanced over in Hopper's direction.

“A vampire? Really? You’re encouraging this?”

Eddie raised his hands up in surrender. “I’m just calling ‘em like I see ‘em, Hop. The boy’s got fangs. He drinks blood. He’s not dead anymore.”

“Whose blood?! Did he bite you?”

“I wish.” He muttered but evidently not quietly enough if Hopper’s scandalised expression was anything to go by. “No, he didn’t bite me. He stole some cows' blood from the butchers.”

Hopper groaned as he heaved himself up from the chair and let a loud exhale go. “I don’t know why I’m surprised by anything anymore. Fuck it, fine, he’s a vampire. Just another god damn Tuesday in Hawkins.”

“Eddie!” Dustin called from inside the house, the door barely open enough to poke his head out. “Back inside, we need you.”

“For what?” Eddie answered, pushing himself to his feet.

“Scientific experimentation. You’re the guinea pig.”

“I didn’t agree to that!” He could hear Steve shout from inside.

“Why am I the guinea pig?” Eddie pushed his way back into the kitchen. They kids were no longer latched onto Steve who was standing in his signature ‘mom pose’ but they were all still close.

“Because you’ve already been previously exposed.” Dustin had whipped a notepad and a pen out of nowhere, outlining columns as Lucas, Mike and Will listed off standard vampire tropes for him to note down.

Eddie shot Steve a look, silently asking how much did you tell them?

Nothing like that. Steve responded with his own silent gaze.

“We’ll act as a control group.”

“Uh,” Eddie blinked, wondering how no one had put it together yet. “Sorry to break it to you boys but no one here can act as a control.”

Every head in the room turned to look at him. 

“How do you think Stevie here appeared out of nowhere when he called out to you, Dustin?”

“You can cast Invisibility?!”

“Not exactly.” Steve answered. Eddie’s eyes drifted back to Dustin but Dustin wasn’t looking at him, he was now staring incredulously at the fridge. 

Eddie blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to focus back to where Steve had stood. Had he stood there? Something about all of this felt vaguely familiar.

Everyone else around the room looked like they were feeling that same sort of hazy confusion except for Dustin who was scribbling in his notebook and Robin who just shrugged at something across the room and said “I dunno. Soulmate privileges, maybe?”

When Eddie looked back to the fridge, Steve had reappeared.

“Woah, that was freaky, dude.” Argyle smiled like it was the most entertaining thing that had happened to him all day.

“Okay, Steve warn me next time so I can take proper readings.” Dustin said, scribbling frantic notes. “Wait, why was Robin unaffected?”

“I don’t know.” Steve answered, looking just as confused as Dustin did.

“Okay.” Dustin muttered, flipping dramatically to another page. “That’s going to have to be a whole different avenue of experimentation.”

The kids were absolutely relentless with the tests and it only got worse once they found out Steve could Command anyone to say or do anything, but Steve was still wary, unsure about going any further than making people say “These are not the droids you’re looking for.” And acting out I’m a little teapot.

Robin was completely immune to his Command as well as his Invisibility, so matter how hard he tried, she continued to snigger and point at Dustin and Eddie shouting “They're the droids! There they are! I’m looking for them!” No one could figure out why nothing was working on her, aside from calling it some weird soulmate twin thing. 

Steve put a stop to the Command experimentation when he was finally pushed to try something a little more strenuous than just repeating words. He’d looked Eddie dead in the eye and told him to Sleep. 

Apparently Eddie had dropped like a sack of potatoes and in much the same way he had done with Robin, Steve had darted forward at inhuman speed to catch him before he hit the ground.

Eddie was pissed at himself that he wasn’t even conscious to experience it.

But the whole thing had sent Steve into a blind panic because he couldn’t wake him up. He’d all but begged El to go into his head to check on him, only calming down when she gently assured him he was just sleeping and he’d wake up in a little bit.

Eddie came to a full forty minutes later, curled up on the couch and completely disoriented from the deepest sleep he’d ever experienced.

Steve shuffled into the room alone while Eddie was scrubbing at his face, looking like the most guilty man in the world. 

It was adorable, really.

Eddie just smiled at him as he tried to apologise over and over and held out his hand. He allowed Steve to pull him to his feet but as Steve backed out of his space Eddie followed until he was crowded up against the closed door.

“Kiss me?” He asked, pushing in again so they were pressed flush chest to chest.

“You still want that? After- after I-”

“I do. Do you?”

“Of course I do. But you… you shouldn’t-”

“Let me make my own decisions, sweetheart. Please?” Eddie traced his fingers along Steve’s jaw, unable to keep his eyes off his mouth.

“Okay.” He gave a small nod.

“Okay.” Eddie smiled as he leaned in, winding his arms around Steve’s neck and kissing him softly. 

It didn’t stay soft for long.

When they came out of the sitting room ten minutes later, rumpled and red faced, Robin just rolled her eyes at them. Thankfully no one else noticed.

Forced to move on from Command experimentation, the kids focused on working out how Steve’s Invisibility worked.

No matter how much any of them kept chanting in their head where Steve was before he disappeared, none of them could remember where he had been standing or what precisely they were supposed to be remembering once they had the spell cast on them.

Eddie found himself in real honest to god danger of spontaneous combustion as the sunlight dipped and the kids all ushered Steve outside to start tests on speed and strength. 

Nancy refused to fire her gun into the woods to see if Steve could race the bullet. Something about firing a gun off unnecessarily in a residential area was a line she wasn’t willing to push. Even if the town was mostly abandoned. Maybe it said something about Hopper’s career as a police man that he hadn’t said anything about it before Nancy did, or maybe he lost his last fuck to give in Russia. So they all settled for throwing things at different ends of the large garden to see if he could catch them in time. 

Where Eddie was really in danger was when it came to the strength tests. The kids all latched onto his arms at the same time and Steve swung them around effortlessly, looking like the most super of super dads and Eddie could swear he was getting hit with a case of the vapours.

Then, oh Jesus, then Steve yanked their wood chopping block, a giant stump still buried by the roots into the ground and just straight up tore it out of the earth. And that wasn’t all. Then the fucker decided to place it against his chest, dig his fingers in and effortlessly rip it clean in half.

Eddie’s knees buckled and he had to latch onto Robin’s shoulder to keep himself upright.

“Down boy.” She muttered.

“Me next.” He practically whimpered right back. “Oh god, Robbie, I wanna be that stump. Tell him to do me next.”

“You’re pathetic.”

“What about it?”

When he glanced back over in Steve’s direction he found those honey brown eyes burning into him with such a ferocity Eddie felt like he’d actually been lit on fire in the best way possible.

Robin leaned in close to his ear but continued to stare at Steve. “If you two don’t calm the fuck down I’m going to get the hose.”

Wet Steve.

“Please get the hose.”

She grabbed him by the upper arm. “I’m taking you inside and sticking your head under the tap.”

He allowed her to drag him back inside, the sound of Steve’s laughter following them through the door. While she didn’t stick his head under the tap like she’d threatened, she did stick a cold can of beer up his shirt while his back was turned. 

By the time the group had followed them back inside, the kids had started an argument in between themselves, about whether Steve met the criteria for Kas.

“What’s a Kas?” Steve asked, his hands on his hips and his shoulders slumped. Maybe it was just the light, but he seemed to look a little paler. His eyes were lightening from their usual honey brown back to that cat like yellow a little more every time Eddie looked at him.

“Vecna’s most brutal soldier.” Will replied, tapping his fingers against his crossed arms. “Blood thirsty-”

“-literally.” Mike jumped in.

“-and power hungry. He betrays Vecna.”

“Just one problem there, kiddos.” Eddie said, slowly making his way around the group of them, throwing an arm around Steve’s shoulders. “Stevie-boy here was not turned by Vecna.”

He could just barely make out an indent on Steve’s bottom lip, something that looked suspiciously like a fang was tugging just from the inside of his mouth. Eddie’s blood lit up, thudding through his body with horny abandon.

Steve exhaled, long, measured and slow. “Stop that.” He whispered, barely a breath above silent.

Eddie grinned and muttered “Hungry?”

“Are you hungry?”

Whoops. Maybe he hadn’t said that as quietly as he’d hoped. He unwound himself from around Steve, making sure to give him a little squeeze of reassurance first, just to make sure he knew Eddie wasn't backing away because he was scared or anything. Honestly, he was putting some distance between the two of them so he wouldn't bare his whole entire throat to him in front of God and Joyce Byers.

Steve's eyes began darting to everyone around him, catching on Dustin who looked like he could give Dr. Frankenstein a run for his money with the manic look in his eye.

"No." Steve's voice was firm and commanding, more so than it ever had been at any point previous. It was in a low register and laced with a deep rumbling it reminded Eddie of the first time he'd seen Steve last night, that primal animalistic fear that had washed over his brain, locking everything that wasn't an urge to survive that danger away.

And yet it was different again this time. The want to follow was still activated but it wasn't out of fear of being pounced on in a very unsexy way. It was more of a desire to appease, but still with their own free will available to them.

"Woah." Dustin had pen to paper again. "Did anyone else feel that?"

"I think the whole room felt that." Lucas was staring up at Steve like he was the most fascinating puzzle from his seat at the kitchen table.

"I am not drinking anyone's blood."

"But-"

"Dustin, if you say 'avenue of exploration' one more time I'll shave your eyebrows off."

"No one is drinking anyone's blood!" Hopper commanded, punctuating the statement with a tap of his cane.

Spoil sport.

Steve’s eyes cut to Eddie almost instantly with a flash of want and damn hunger before he looked back over the room and Eddie thought it was the most unfair thing in the world.

To have his man look at him like that even if it was just for a fraction of a second and there was nothing he could do about it because the room was full of the parentals and damn children. 

Joyce very diplomatically and in a genius move suggested Steve try out some regular food first which immediately had the kids switching tactics and raiding Eddie's fridge and cupboards for anything even remotely edible.

Though apparently everything just tasted like unseasoned boiled chicken to Steve and though he could keep it down it didn't make any of the hunger dissipate.

When Dustin tried again to suggest some kind of blood letting circle or something Steve finally snapped, maybe being a little meaner than he needed to be when he told them the kids blood just smelled wrong.

Everything in him was telling him not to go near it, not to touch it and it would be a cold fucking day in hell before he ever drank anything like that. The kids were all sufficiently cowed, maybe a little more acquiescent than they would have been in the past and Eddie could tell it was left over fear that Steve would somehow disappear again.

But they’d be fine, everyone would be fine, he just needed to get Steve to calm down a little first.

“Steve, can we talk?” Eddie jerked his head back towards the sitting room. Steve glared at him, still fired up but didn’t answer.

“Eddie, we need-”

“Fine.” Steve snapped, cutting Dustin off and storming out of the kitchen. “Let’s talk.”

“But-”

Robin stuck her hand out, stopping Dustin from following Eddie out. “Leave your parents to talk, Roast Beef.”

With a glance back Eddie saw Hopper’s mouth pulled into a hard line and Joyce wringing her hands, their own lack of responsibility being brought into sharp relief again by Robin’s words but they didn’t correct her and they didn’t try to extend any authority that would clearly be unwelcome.

Eddie closed the door quietly behind him. Steve was sitting on the couch with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, a space left open next to him for Eddie to sit but he’d be damned if he started doing what people expected of him now.

He took Steve by the shoulders, pushing him back and crawling into his lap, slinging his arms around his neck.

“How is this any different from last night?”

“Eds, this is so fucking different from last night.”

“How?”

“I could kill you, for one.”

“You could’ve killed me last night.”

“I-” Steve sighed, tipping forward to rest his head against Eddie’s chest. “I could hurt you. I might not be able to stop.”

“I dunno about you but what we did the night before was pretty intense. And you were present the whole time. I didn’t feel unsafe. I knew you’d be able to stop if I needed you to. This is the same thing”

“No, this is different… this is…”

“Listen, I get it alright? I do. You’re scared and you don’t want to hurt anyone but we’re not suggesting this out of some kind of duty to you and I’m not offering myself up because I feel like I have to. I want to.”

Steve snorted against Eddie’s t-shirt. “Yeah, I know. I know you do, I can tell. And you were pretty eager for me to do it last night too. You got this terrible little pout on your face every time I said no.”

“And I’ll do it again if I have to.” Eddie dragged his nails lightly over the back of Steve’s head. “But seriously baby, I don’t do things out of obligation if I don’t want to. Actually if I feel like someone’s telling me I have to do something, chances are my brain will immediately want to say no. Look, you don’t like taking people’s right to choose away with your Command and I understand that. But this is also my choice. I want you to…” Eddie puffed out his cheeks, exhaling. “Jesus I don’t know how to put this without sounding insane.”

In all seriousness, how was he supposed to tell Steve that the idea of sustaining him, the idea of being the only one who could give to him, the only one he’d allow was like some terrible possessive beast inside him that he wanted to let free. It was weird, it was downright unhealthy and it definitely wasn’t something he could put into words, but somehow Steve seemed to catch on anyway because of course he did.

Perfect, perceptive and irritating man that he was.

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” Steve smirked up at him, tightening his grip on Eddie’s hips and Eddie couldn’t help the flush of red that came to his face. 

“Shut up.”

“No, no I don’t think I will. You like the idea of being the only one who feeds me?” Steve nuzzled his nose into his neck and Eddie could feel his breath becoming shorter. “You got a bit of a green streak? You gonna get all jealous if I drink from someone else?”

Eddie huffed. “Well if I knew I’d get my way by making it a sex thing, I would have made it a sex thing before now.”

“You tried to make it a sex thing last night.” Steve’s teeth, his human teeth were scraping the skin of Eddie’s neck in a downright teasing manner and Eddie had to keep thinking of Ms. O’Donnell and his time spent in Reefer Rick’s boathouse to stop himself from becoming stupidly, outrageously horny.

And it wasn’t damn working.

He was rapidly fighting a losing battle with himself, trying not to think that everyone else could wait, maybe the two of them could sneak off upstairs for just a few minutes.

Instead he gulped down his lust, or at least tried to and said “I wasn’t in charge last night.”

“Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do when you’re in charge? Force feed me?”

God damn it, someone needed to come interrupt them immediately.

Eddie leaned down and whispered almost directly into Steve’s mouth. “Don’t give me ideas.”

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 AO3

@romanticdestruction, @darkwitchoferie, @justforthedead89, @didntwant2come, @estrellami-1, @warlordess, @goodolefashionedloverboi, @weeennussy, @studentlife-with-sassyaf-friends

[us-the-voices-and-more-voices-2]

firestorm idea’s

feversick best idea ever (I feel anemic)

okay you know how firestorm usually is only Ronnie and stein?

what if mikhial (Russian guy from the firestorm 80s cannon) was also there?

And what if mikhial was also a linguist. I think it’d be interesting

also they are all kinda fused together they can change their form but that’s about it, when they split up they can’t be very far from each other or else they start dying.

also I’m aging up Ronnie to be 20, bc like then it’s not weird.

basically in this new cannon I’m proposing mikhial got kidnapped by anti-nuclear terrorists to translate, Ronnie was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and stein was manning the nuclear plant.

They get fused together as firestorm and promptly freak the fuck out because neither one of them is them anymore just this one guy and they are so confused.

Ronnie figures out transmutation by accident bc he can just.. see molecules now, stein is like “WHAT WAIT WAIT CHANGE THOSE AROUND” makes the fire into water, everyone is okay!

yay, but now these 3 guys are one guy and are so confused.

they fly up in the sky but yk they freak out.

firestorm mostly looks like Ronnie bc he’s the strongest of them all being Ex-football star, that’s why he was at the nuclear power plant he kinda just was going around since he was going to apply for a management position.

anyway they are in the sky super confused since they can all kinda see their hands and body but no one is exactly controlling it, it’s kinda a group effort and all that.

Ronnie is the first to speak out loud, and he just starts vigorously swearing. He basically just died and now he’s this fire guy???

mikhial also joins in and cries and swears as well and stein just starts sobbing.

firestorm is kinda just having a full on meltdown and mental breakdown, everyone inside is going through the 5 stages of grief since they LITERALLY DIED

and eventually they calm down enough to reassure themselves they aren’t dead and are alive and all that.

then they start screaming over being completely naked and having fire hair and also a weird ass core thing in the middle of themselves.

they get over that and just keep slightly sobbing.

stein is like “guys I know how to make clothes for us!” They make clothes that are radiation proof.

Ronnie brings up that his dad probably thinks he’s dead and they all panic

and Ronnie takes over firestorm for a bit, and heads home. He also thinks this is a bad idea and all that and kinda wishes they were separate. Then all of a sudden in a blink of red and orange light all three are separated again.

they instantly became nauseous and feel like shit but they are ALIVE AND SEPARATE PEOPLE YA-HOO!

Ronnie’s dad opens the door to 2 forty something’s and his son, he hugs his son and questions the 2 completely random strangers.

Ronnie steps in and says “these are the guys who saved my life and also offered me a job” wink wink nudge nudge.

they collaborate the story and Ronnie’s dad invites them in, they have a wonderful time and stein and mikhial go to leave but suddenly feel like their entire beings are being torn asunder at the seems and stop their way out and ask Ronnie to come with. Ronnie feels the same feelings and literally feels like he would DIE if they left without him follows him.

Ronnie’s dad reluctantly lets them go, since Ronnie lives alone and whatever these guys seem like good people and fast friends.

Ronnie, stein, and mikhial look at each other, and start talking after they are out of earshot.

“What was that. WHAT WAS THAT” “RONALD I DONT KNOW”

and mikhial is just having a panic attack, they all start hugging each other bc it feels nice and they accidentally form firestorm again.

they feel INSTANTLY BETTER, well rested and happy.

and just split apart again, they test what happens when they go apart and they start feeling incredibly weak and sickly again.

they do a few more tests and realize “oh fuck we can’t actually stay apart or we start dying.” They all start trying to think how the fuck are they supposed to work or do anything like this.

“So I think we should get a joint account”

“RONNIE!”

“No no, I think Ronald is right I think we should probably start living in the same house and going to the same workplace”

“I HAVE THINGS TO DO!”

“We all do but I don’t think we can live like we used to anymore, you know how it feels when we go apart!”

“Why are we holding hands, it makes me look like your son lol”

“Oh I didn’t even notice, your right why are we”

they try to not hold hands but it just feels better when they do

“Well okay now we look like weirdo’s”

“Mikhial! Don’t say that”

anyway they all end up crashing at Ronnie’s house since it was closest and also they had ZERO energy to deal with catching the subway to stein’s.

Ronnie’s place is very humble, it has a small kitchen, a couch, a tv, and one bedroom with a king sized bed.

they all look at each other and are like “no we are NOT sleeping in the same bed I will cry.”

Ronnie takes the bed, mikhial takes the couch and stein takes the floor in Ronnie’s bedroom.

mikhial actually hates being that far away and starts to feel sick again and just throws his hands in the air and sleeps on the floor in Ronnie’s room aswell.

the next morning - 2pm

they all wake up at the exact same time which was weird?

Ronnie checks the little digital clock he has on the bedside table and says to them all “hey so it’s 2:34pm do you guys have like work?”

mikhial looks at Ronnie and starts ranting in Russian and some other language Ronnie and stein can’t make out.

he grabs them all and they rush out the door still in their dirty clothes from yesterday as well as their shoes since yesterday was such a fucking disaster!

he fills them in that he had a important client coming in today, but was rudely interrupted yesterday when the terrorists kidnapped him.

Ronnie asks what in the world he does for work and he says “oh I’m actually a architect, but my firm would fire me if they caught me what’s it you kids say ‘slacking’ anyway we have to be there by 3pm or I’m getting fired”

stein asks “but aren’t you a linguist?” Mikhial laughs and says “yes yes, but I work at the firm because being a linguist does not pay me well, and I am out of linguistic work” he chuckles.

they all ask Ronnie if he has a car, he says yes but it’s really small a three seater. They all sigh in relief.

Ronnie grabs the keys and while holding stein’s hand rushes to the car.

he turns the keys and they are on their way, mikhial puts the directions in the gps and they all follow them.

mikhail tries to call his boss, but his phone is super broken.

Stein gives him his, and calls ahead.

it doesn’t go through and they all just hope they get there in time.

thankfully they are only 2 minutes late, mikhail rushes them all in.

the security guard is very concerned and confused, mikhail just says these are his friends and it’s okay they will play nice!

the firm is a very pretty building, there’s a glass staircase in the middle of the room with a elevator in the middle of it.

the whole place was made of glazed glass.

mikhail appears in his own office where his client is sitting, mikhial mumbles out a bunch of apologies and starts showing the client the new drafts.

”who.. are these people” the client says

stein and Ronnie are holding hands while mikhail is looking at the client “friends” he says.

the client is very confused but takes it, they talk for a couple hours.

Ronnie shows stein some memes, they catch up on the news, and play Tetris while they wait.

Eventually the meeting is done, and they all look at each other and sigh. “So, how are we going to make this work?” Mikhail says.

stein is like “oh yeah so everyone thinks I’m dead and you actually, they are also going on about this guy with fire hair?”

Ronnie facepalms “prof, we are the fire hair guy” “what” “yeah”

anyway stein ends up selling his apartment, and making a joint account with Ronnie and mikhail since he’s technically dead. And he updates his Will so they can kinda fudge it and all that.

they all decide that Ronnie’s place is probably not going to cut it, and mikhail has a place and seeing as he’s the only one with a job they all kinda agree on that.

Everyone is SO confused by Ronnie and stein, like is Ronnie stein’s kid with abandonment issues or something? Why are stein and mikhail always holding hands and are inseparable?

Like they moved in together it’s weird, stein makes the claims he needs to revive his identity at some stage. And tries to do remote work 👨‍💻 fails a couple times and then realizes he can just be a nuclear physicist at home Facepalm and doesn’t need to do weird odd remote jobs.

Ronnie has been learning about nuclear physics because he cannot go anywhere without the other guys.

and starts online school, they also form firestorm in between everything. Accidentally beat up green lantern, set a couple places on fire by accident, and get inducted to the justice league somehow.

and manage to have a semi normal life, until one day on a justice league mission.

they get split apart and promptly freak the fuck out, stein gets kidnapped and they all instantly start dying.

Batman, and Superman literally gape at the scene and cannot believe their eyes.

Ronnie and mikhail try to fork firestorm but they make a weird half firestorm and start going to grab stein.

Still in shock Superman goes after the villain who has stein.

stein almost dies they grab him and firestorm is complete again and they sigh in shear relief.

the justice league is super confused by the development but the boys finally just let down their guard to the rest of the league.

they kinda can’t believe that firestorm is actually three guys.

they ask for a salary bc they cannot afford to miss their work they live literally paycheck to paycheck.

they are like “nah” they insist on a salary. They get it the second time.

stein and mikhail learn about Ronnie’s dad being beyond abusive and horrible and kinda step in as Ronnie’s dad’s bc they already live together why the fuck not?

anyway a lot of crazy shit keeps happening, duplex tries to kill them way too many times. They become best buddies with plastic man booster gold and blue beetle (jamie)

Ronnie gets a job as a journalist, stein is able to get back to his work, and Mikhail gets to work as a linguist with the justice league.

They also die a few times, and accidentally fuse with a few other people, go on a legion arc, almost die again and the cycle continues

prev | current | next

[antigonenikk]

-to the state fair-

Fandom: The Pacific

Pairing: Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge

Summary: the mortar squad adopts a mini-horse as their mascot in the first months of okinawa.

“Instead of replying, afraid he might start screaming, he keeps his silence. Head buried in Myrtle’s side, he lets Snafu rub his dirty hand over the nape of his neck, just like he would with the pony. Tender and with too much force. Like he’s not used to gentleness. The panic inside of him does not pass.”

Warnings: bittersweet, mini-horses, tender homoerotic moments

Burgie is the one to find her. She’s tiny. Maybe the tiniest horse Eugene has ever seen. Her head comes up to Gene’s elbow, and her coat is a silky smooth brown. The color of the deer he used to spy on in the forests near his home as a child. At first, no one knows what to do with her. Burgie looks just as lost as the rest of them, holding her wooden bridle, standing in the middle of a muddy road on patrol. But with no fighting going on in those early days, it was quickly decided that she could be allowed to stay at camp with them.

She grew on them quick. Burgie was prone to reading to her before they had to head to their foxholes for the night. Jay, hesitant at first, was constantly checking her feet for injuries, hovering like a mother-hen over her shoulder the minute she seemed thirsty or hungry or tired.

Snafu, Eugene thought, had taken to her the fastest. He seemed to have a supernatural connection to old Myrtle, as they had lovingly dubbed her. In the morning when they all sat down for chow, Snaf could be found leaning against her hide, whispering french into her ear. Before patrol he would pat her on the nose. Once for good luck. Then run back a second time for a quick kiss. The other’s might have razzed him for it, but Myrtle had become their mascot. And each of them loved her with a fierce devotion you reserved only for the dearest of pets. She wasn’t just sweet, but strong too. She would carry boxes of ammo strapped to her back for the squad, meandering down steep inclines with dogged determination. Eugene had never liked horses in particular. But Myrtle was special. She reminded him of a character from an old Jack London story. Hearty and full of love and hope, navigating a world torn asunder by man’s sickness.

One night, he joined Myrtle and Snafu at the cliffside by their camp. Artillery fire could be heard from halfway across the island. But for now, things were peaceful. The sun was setting, gusts of cool air were blowing through the pine trees and into their faces from the Sea. They took turns feeding her sugar rations, petting her muzzle, and talking about home.

‘My mama took me once, to the State Fair. Had a pony like Myrtle there. Not as brave as our gal o’course. But I remember sitting there for an hour. With the goats and sheep and ponies and all. Everyone else, my brothers, went on to the rides. But me and mama stuck together….”

It was said in a lilting drawl. With stops and starts. As if Shelton was scared Eugene was going to judge him for a simple childhood memory. He could feel those eyes on him. Blue and wide and lovely like a girl’s. He wanted to fidget. Wanted to touch. Wanted to be anywhere else. Wanted to move closer to Shelton’s wiry body, radiating heat.

Eugene had never been to the State Fair. Just the circus. But he can imagine going there with Snafu, the two of them. Eating funnel cakes and riding the Ferris Wheel and letting themselves get trampled by little barnyard animals. The thought makes him so homesick he could cry. He feels a bit like Dante, overlooking the entrance to hell. Nowhere to go but down and down and down. He doubts, deep in his heart, that he’ll ever get to see something as simple as the circus again.

Snafu must be able to tell he’s upset. Because when their hands brush over Myrtle’s coat, almost touching, Snafu moves to place his calloused palm on his wrist. Eugene exhales, inhales the scent of pine again. When he turns to look he sees an expression on his friend’s face he knows all too well. More than affection, less than grief. Something beyond loss or desire. Beyond spoken words.

The sky is purple, red and pink striations marking out the warmth of Shelton’s skin. Eugene looks down to Myrtle and wishes they could bring her home together.

‘I’ve never been to the State Fair.’

Snafu cracks a grin at his admission.

‘Yeah?’

He nudges Eugene’s shoulder.

‘I could take you, if you like. When all ‘dis is over.’

He chokes on his own tongue. Lets the moment rest. Can’t let it rest.

‘You think we’re going home?’

A look passes over Snafu’s face then. And it makes Eugene regret ever bringing it up in the first place. Myrtle whinnies and Eugene presses his face to her flank, chilled by his own fatalism.

‘You’re going home, Sledgehammer. You’re going home.’

He says it with such conviction that Eugene can’t possibly contradict him. He says it like he knows it’s true. Like he’s willing to do just about anything to make it happen. It doesn’t make him feel less afraid. He doesn’t want to let go of Shelton. He doesn’t know what he would do if the other man died, especially trying to save him. Because that’s what he means. Shelton doesn’t think he’ll make it. Because he’s determined to die to make sure that Eugene does.

Instead of replying, afraid he might start screaming, he keeps his silence. Head buried in Myrtle’s side, he lets Snafu rub his dirty hand over the nape of his neck, just like he would with the pony. Tender and with too much force. Like he’s not used to gentleness. The panic inside of him does not pass.

Two days later Eugene stares Myrtle down, her black eyes wide open and beseeching, full of uncomplicated love. He gives her a single sugar cube ration. And feels himself tearing up. They march out again today. And everyone has agreed. It’s not safe for her anymore. Not with them. The others have gone ahead, each giving her their own private goodbye. Snafu stands waiting for him, machine gun over his shoulder, a living ghost. Eugene pats her once and places his face to hers. If he closes his eyes, with Myrtle in front of him, and Snafu at his rear, he almost feels like he’s home. Like there is hope for the future. Possibility. He imagines the scent of powdered sugar. The sound of children laughing and carnival rides. The flashing neon lights of a game being won. And then he opens his eyes and the moment is over.

He and Snafu walk in silence, down past the cliffside where they sat together what feels like a lifetime ago. Time bends, and snaps, and comes back together. For a moment, Snafu’s pinky hooks together with his own. Then they separate again, and continue marching. Eugene hopes beyond anything, beyond his own will to live, beyond his desire to see Snafu through the war, that that damned little pony doesn’t die. At least not where he can see it.