#everyone in the comments either hate me with a burning passion or defending me with their life

[beasalmeh]

fuck i won an argument with a 8 year old on tiktok and now their other 8 year old friends are ganging up on me😭

[infested-tea]

Bakusquad LGBT Headcanons

Whoops... haven’t posted in a while... whoops.

Anyway, for this I decided some Bakusquad gay hc. And maybe some shipping lmao. Now, BakuKiri is valid but I prefer TodoBaku. But both are great. For this imma go with TodoBaku and KiriDenki because preference. Also, if anyone starts fighting about ships in comments I’m coming for you toes.

Anyway, enjoy!

Katsuki Bakugo

This boy....

Oh god this boy

Three syllables

DISASTER

Oh yeah he’s gay

Gay disaster

Very angrily a disaster

Bakugo strikes me as a tsundere. As he does for everybody

But combined with his... tendencies...

He becomes a walking balm of internalized gay anger

He fears being outed because homophobia is fun

But since all of Class 1-A knows, they just don’t say anything

Only openly out to the Bakusquad, and Todoroki

Like I said, dating Todoroki

Or Kirishima depending on how I feel

Either way, he is a clingy, angry tsundere with both

Will avidly defend his friends and himself or anyone from any kind of bigotry

Very... passionate... lgbt supporter

May or may not have cried the night he came out to the bakusquad. Both before and after. And may or may not have been happy tears.

Also the kind of person who screams at you to die while absolutely showering you in love and trying to make you feel like the most valid person ever. But does it in his usual Bakugo tsundere way.

He has hit everyone in the Bakusquad and his boyfriend with their respective flags while shouting vaguely threatening words of love and validation at them. This has happened to everyone at least once. Todoroki, Jirou, and Denki are the most common victims.

Also. Trans Bakugo deserves rights

When it comes to being trans, Bakugo has no issue with it

Neither do his parents

But like with him being a filthy gay degen- *gets exploded* OW!!

Anyway, like him with his homosmexualness, he’s scared to come out about it

Mind you, his parents are also avid supporters for the gay community

But he himself has seen and heard things and it scares him

As well as those morons in middle school who he came out too (not willingly) but teased him about it and made stupid comments, they didn’t hate him but were more so ignorant

Has experienced actual hatred before, especially middle school (maybe projected on Midoriya a little...)

But, this boy was so relieved when he came out to his friends and especially Todoroki

Maybe the human population isn’t so bad after all, huh you angry ball of rainbows and anger

Also. Ace bb

Eijirou Kirishima

The resident sunshine shark puppy

He flips between functional and disaster depending on the day

Is extremely open about him being pan, since it’s the manliest thing to do

And he is the manliest

He is also avid supporter and defender of the lgbt

Since Kirishima is the other backbone of the Bakusquad, he’s great for when ya need some comfort

This baby boi just wants to be loved and will love you back tenfold

Best hugger in class 1-a fight me

Broken gaydar

Denki Kaminari

(This was the first gif... y’all really horny huh?)

The biggest bi disaster

Also chaotic

Unintentionally chaotic

Like, he goes in with intentions of chaos, then somehow it ends up being worse then it should’ve been

Goddamnit Denki, is now Bakugo’s favorite phrase

Best gay friends with Sero and Mina

Absolutely falls hard

Sure, he’s a flirt, but that’s just Denki being Denki

He’s so much worse when he falls in love

Not a flirt. No no. Absolute blushing mess

Bf do be Kiri tho

(Why is he the person I have the most ships with like damn...)

His gaydar is absolutely fucking broken. Like my god you could be Aoyama levels of obvious and it’d go straight over his head

Gaydar is so bad he usually ends up flirting with lesbians or already taken people

He never touches a dude because he doesn’t want people thinking he’s already weirder than he is

Bad social anxiety, so he stayed quiet about being bi

Than Sero asked... he denied it

It failed

Now he’s out and semi-proud

Does have sad days where he feels anxious and albeit ashamed

But he’s with the two biggest cuddlers with Sero and Kiri so it’s fine

Or if you want to be saucy, soft boy Shinso or Ojiro

Hanta Sero

This dumbass

Non-binary (he/they) demisexual biromantic boi

Since I hc as the most observant person (emotionally anyways) his gaydar is by far the strongest

He picked up on fucking Todoroki... that man looks straighter than his dad is sucks

Also the one who picks up the crushes before the people even do

Motherfucker could tell you who’s gonna end up with who before they even realize that they like each other

*cough* Bakugo and Todoroki *cough cough*

Poly relationship with Denki and Kiri. Fight me

Mina Ashido

Best girl

Ace lesbian

Makes a great chaotic couple with Mei Hatsume

Chaotic lesbian and she knows it

She is also disaster

Bad kind of disaster

She uh... once tried to bake a pride cake for pride month and nearly burned down the entire dorm

Denki was also there... that didn’t help

Also the resident shipper of Bakusquad and Class 1-A (alongside Hagakure and Ochako)

She absolutely got 8/10 couples together in 1-A... and also 1-B

ShinoMa anyone?

Absolutely has tricked Denki multiple times to wear dresses

Doesn’t have to trick Sero, he just does it

Adores Mei and is soft about it

Kyouka Jirou

Badass bi anyone?

Bisexual disaster

But very quietly dies unlike the other three on here

She can try and smooth it over and play it off

Doesn’t work all the time

Trans female

And I love her

Gay with Yaomomo

Hangs out with Sero and Bakugo a lot as trans squad and they end up laughing at the four other dumbasses they have sadly befriended

The head of the Bakusquad, especially at pride

Absolutely fucking listens to Against Me! and Jayne County and whatever other trans musician you can think of

Absolutely vibing with Sero while listen to Girl in Red, Cavetown, or the other two

And jams with Bakugo and Denki with those as well

On bad, dysphoric days, the squad bakes all her favorite foods, grab her girlfriend, and hang out and chill

Some general pride month headcanons

Like I’ve mentioned, vibing with Cavetown and Girl in Red

Also jamming with Jayne County and Laura Jayne Grace and whomever else Jirou found that week

At pride, Kirishima is at the bbq with Tetsutetsu (they have rainbow gay meat come on!)

Bakugo is trying to stop Todoroki from wondering off and getting lost, especially at first pride parade since it was his first time and Shoto is absolute dumbass

One year while still going to UA, Shoto and Denki picked up on an anxious Momo and sad Jirou and Sero just... announced how gay they were for each other.

Later that month, the two girls got together due to a party thrown just for them put together by Sero, Shoto, Denki, and Mina

It’s a tradition to watch whatever the gayest show out at the time is and finish it before the month is over as a group

SU is Denki and Kiri’s favorite.

Bakugo hates it cuz the diamonds piss him off

Soooooo, they have to stop halfway through the gay wedding episode

Todoroki joins in on the shows because he has nothing better to do (but really it’s because he’s lonely and craves affection... bb)

Also, when Bakugo came out. Sero won a bet with Mina. Not on him not being gay. But Mina thought he was bi.

Mina was wrong

And now it’s a tradition for Sero to make bets with the other squad members on who’s what shade of gay and then win because he’s right 100% of the time (and Bakugo just started betting WITH Sero because he got tired of losing. Denki and Mina do not give up however. And Kiri switches sides a lot.)

[pantheon-god-of-war]

If possible, are there any Pantheon skins that you wish to be Canon?

Just give us a Legendary The Warrior skin of Pantheon reborn.

Lore wise it could be after the Ruination. Atreus has expelled Pantheon from his body with his own gritty resolve, Pantheon requires a vessel to take form in mortal shape but the war of the Ruination has caused so much havoc and strengthened him so much that he manages to keep a corporal form for a brief while. He retreats to the peak of Targon and to spite Atreus revives his long-dead friend Pylas to possess and mold his flesh to the war gods needs. Pantheon is fully in control because Pylas has long since died, only using the body himself.

Now Pantheon pursues the interests of Targon and his own dark desires while Atreus tries to actively counter the War god. Both will still fight the darkin, but for different reasons. Pantheon will do so because they threaten Targon Prime and Atreus does so to save the humans that's would undoubtedly die in the wake of the darkin.

VOICELINES

Pantheon differs from Atreus in a few key aspects (heh) where Atreus is noble and stalwart, Pantheon is deliberate and ruthless, where Atreus anger towards the gods is a cold and determined hate Pantheon's contempt for mortals, darkin and all those who would face him is clearly made evident, he speaks with pride, being condescending to everyone he encounters, thirsting for another challenge to vanquish. His LoR voice lines already highlight his personality quite well and I think the sound effects work perfectly for him, that could all be ported from LoR into league to replicate the sound effect. Voice line wise he could have interactions with the following:

Pantheon (Atreus) - While Pantheon does not outright hate Atreus like let's say Aatrox for example he sees the mortal man as a failure of a warrior, knowing only defeat his entire life. Interactions would be more condescending.

Ascended Pantheon - Here Pantheon would see Ascended Atreus as a worthy challenge, something along the lines of "Perhaps now you can prove yourself worthy." Or something more condescending. "No matter the cosmic might you hold, you will always be a mortal."

Aatrox - He loathes Aatrox with a passion for what he did to him, but also realizes that the Darkin might be his only true equal combat-wise.

Leona - Pantheon would be fond of Leona, applaud her for her fine work, call her the daughter of Targon, and that the sun is proud of what she has wrought upon the Mountain. He would tell her that she is right, that she needs to defend her people from the coming darkness and not grow careless upon her golden throne. He would support the militaristic order of the Solari and goad on their zealous witch hunt as in the end all he cares about is war and the more carnage Leona causes on the mountain in the name of the sun, the stronger he gets.

Diana - Diana is the same as Leona, he would tell her to keep fighting, to hold on and think of her people. That he can see the cracks in the Solari foundation and that soon the moon will triumph. Much like Leona, these are sweet lies to goad both of them onward to fight harder and grow more reckless in their pursuit of victory.

Taric - Taric is the antithesis to Pantheon, championing love and life against his war and hate, He would call out Taric and try to kill the noble hero because he spits on the ideals Taric protects.

Soraka - Pantheon would be disappointed in Soraka, to have forsaken the stars for these mortals, he would never understand and while he is not hostile he also tells her that she is dead to him. Just another mortal.

Zoe - He would want to know how Zoe sealed the Darkin away, and if there is a way to make them disappear forever. He would also be annoyed by her childish appearance/demeanor since Myisha was a lot more mature than Zoe.

Aurelion Sol - He would remind Aurelion Sol that with his return the tether locking him to Targon grows stronger again. It has been Pantheon for ages to bind Aurelion to Targon and now with him returned Pantheon will make sure Aurelion is put back in his place.

Other Darkin - He would simply tell them that their end is nigh, that Pantheon has found them, and that they are about to expire.

Other Gods/Demi Gods - here it depends on how many interactions would be wanted, he could comment on the powers of the sun disc being borrowed from the Sun/Solari/Leona's aspect or challenge Volibear to a fight. Lots more here if interactions need to be stretched out.

Sion - Pantheon looks kindly on Sion, a beast revived for war, its very humanity dull and eroded where only violence and anger remain. Pantheon would call Sion his champion of War and tell him to go slaughter in the name of war.

Other Warriors (Garen/Tryndamere/Darius/Olaf/etc) He would salute them and challenge them to combat, noting how a death at his feet is the greatest honor they can wish for.

A cool idea for VO would be that he gets a Taunt like normal champs but then you get different voice lines for ally champions when you hit taunt.

Example

Enemy Pantheon - "Atreus, you come before me again, with my very own spear. Kneel boy. A dog should recognize it's better."

Ally Pantheon - "You feel the power, let loose Atreus, show me your rage and perhaps you will be worthy of my favor."

Enemy Aatrox - "Another one of your flesh puppets for me to rend Aatrox? Pathetic!"

Ally Aatrox - "You and me against them?! Who can stand against Aspect AND Darkin?"

Enemy Leona - "You say you burn as the sun does! So then, show me your fire girl!"

Ally Leona - "The daughter of Targon and War eternal who could hope to stand against such a phalanx of spear, sword, and shield?"

I always wanted to have more interaction with allies, since you only see enemy champions every now and then, and even if you do they mostly attack you and never let you enjoy the interactions. Whereas if you play with friends you can actually enjoy this content of ally interaction. Idk why Riot has not done this before.

MODEL

The base design doesn't have to differ so much from the Legends of Runeterra Warrior design. (KEEP IT RED) Red stands for hot-headed aggression, red stands for fire, red stands for blood. Red is a color much more fitting to war than blue and the argument that Pantheon's cape is blue to show his allegiance with the stars is null and void since LoR showed us all HOW GOOD red looks on Pantheon. It fits so much better.

Some small tweaks here and there perhaps but overall the base model looks great. If the cape would be longer and more flowing like Yoric it would be great, aside from that there could be small visual design changes for reaching levels 6/11/16. Also as a longtime Pantheon main I really love the aesthetic of his face being shrouded, I dislike the new post rework Pantheon skins for that very reason. Pulsefire, Ruined and even Ascended Pantheon are all marred by the face that they show his face, when his facelessness was something that made him stand out. In this skin he should absolutely not have a face since he is a divine being that helmet should be his face, the face of war, nothing else.

The colors get brighter and hotter, to signal that Pantheon is getting supercharged with the psychic energies of war, colors would go from red-orange to bright yellow, additionally, the number of spears in his cape could also increase from 2/4/6 at levels 6/11/16 with small edits like the passive fire on spear and shield and the fire plume increasing in sizes slightly.

ADDITIONALLY

There could be a number of smaller tweaks to make the VFX stand out. Like pulling a new spear from his cape after Pantheon throws it. Or that Pantheon doesn't even throw the main spear but shoots a spear forward from his cape as he can manifest them. Voicelines like "Unstoppable, War eternal an Invincible!" could be added to his E whenever he uses it as if he mocks whoever dares attack him. "Here mortal, or just Heel!" when he stuns you.

His ult could be Pantheon coming straight down where the spear lands, instead of in an angle, and the angle is then covered by either a spear storm or meteorite shards. The straight-down Pantheon landing being a homage to Grand Skyfall. He does not land sooner and he still shoots down a spear first, but this time he just lands from above.

As for the dance, either you give him some workout to flex on people or you give him the Ricardo Milos dance. Which let's be honest, everyone wants to see.

Lore wise I think Pantheon is very important. Currently, we have Pantheon (Atreus) Diana and Taric who are all outright heroes. Aphelios serves under Diana and Zoe does not really care she does whatever she wants. Soraka while a hero lives secluded. Targon only has Leona as a villain and the celestial Pantheon would fill that slot very well. He is the god of war, he would try to rouse them all against one another and also give them a reason to unite against him. To fight together, and perhaps even be incentive enough for Leona and Diana to lay down their weapons and join forces.

Additionally, all it takes is a skin to create a champion's worth of impact on the league universe. There doesn't need to be a new champion from Targon to push the narrative forward which means less time that needs to be invested on Riots part.

Thank you for your time, I will be sitting here on my mountain top, waiting and hoping that I started a fire.

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, part 5

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

It’s time to return to the first game for case 5, The Unspeakable Story!

Episode 5: The Unspeakable Story – Part 1

Prepare yourselves, this is a big one! So big, even, that I'm going to have to split it into two parts. Fortunately, we can skip over the entire Investigation segment, because virtually none of it is relevant to Van Zieks. In fact, we don't even learn Van Zieks is the prosecutor until we enter the courtroom and see him standing there. Somehow, no one thought to ask who Ryu would be facing. What we do learn during the Investigation is confirmation that McGilded was indeed a lying scumbag who murdered Thrice-fired Mason. He asked Gina to lie for him in a court of law, too. So indeed, Ryu backed the wrong horse in The Runaway Room and Van Zieks was right to suspect the defense of deceit. He was wrong in how he worded half his arguments, though.

An extra thing worth noting is that after the conversation in which the blood is found on Gina's coat and the truth of McGilded comes out, it's revealed that Gregson was hiding nearby in the shadows. He insists he didn't eavesdrop and only just walked in, but it's implied much later in the trial that he knew about the blood on the coat. This means that Gregson is, from this point on, holding the full knowledge that McGilded was McGuilty in the omnibus murder.

So into the courtroom we go, where it is shown we're facing Van Zieks. (And nobody is surprised, because who else would it have been? Auchi?) It is now two months after the Runaway Room and the two Clouded Kokoro cases, so immediately upon starting the trial, the judge basically asks Van Zieks whether he's gone insane- in his own words, that is. First he asks how many years it's been since Van Zieks retired, to which Van Zieks replies that it's been five. The judge notes that Van Zieks resurfaced rather suddenly two months ago, (then basically handled three cases in a single week,) and showed up again today.

HAH. I love how on the nose this judge is when it comes to dissing the prosecution. He goes on to state that Van Zieks used to deal exclusively in matters concerned with 'the highest echelons of society and government', yet today he's trying 'a simple case of burglary and murder'. We already learned this from Gregson in case 1-4, but it's nice to have it repeated again.

Van Zieks replies that there's two things he cannot abide: “Wealthy scoundrels who hide behind a mask of philanthropy-” (hi McGilded!) and... “Secondly- even more loathsome... Those wily scoundrels who masquerade as allies only to effect total betrayal in the final hour.”

So that settles it then. He's specifically taken on his three most recent cases because there were Japanese people involved. He's also outright admitting that which Ryu had already guessed: Van Zieks hates Japanese people and going by his wording (“betrayal”, etc.) he has some bad experiences. Ryu wonders whether that 'torrid look of hatred' in Van Zieks's eyes is directed at him or at all Japanese people. Frankly, I think that in a subconscious sense, it's neither. The way I see it, that torrid look of hatred is directed at a man who died ten years ago. But I'll get back to this when it's time to address the backstory. The judge finds that an “alarmingly scathing explanation”, but welcomes the Reaper of the Bailey back to court all the same.

I love the implication that Van Zieks can apparently just come and go as he pleases in terms of prosecuting. Retirement can just be upturned on a whim and he's allowed to choose any case he wants. Who even is keeping him informed on which cases are happening and who the defense is? Is there a Chief Prosecutor in play we don't know about or is Stronghart slipping notes into his letterbox? Or has Van Zieks been entering the prosecutor's office every day for the past two months, demanding to hear news of 'that Nipponese attorney'?

So anyway, Van Zieks lays out the opening statement, pours himself a glass of wine, accuses Ryu of jumping to conclusions and reveals that he has witnesses. Remember when he threw aside his cloak halfway into 1-3 and it was seen as a big deal? … Yeah. It's not much anymore, now. He gets rid of it before the first witnesses have even taken the stand. The guys called forth are literal criminals who happened to break into the scene of the crime and, according to Van Zieks, “will face trial in the very near future” for their “various trespasses”. Alright, so he's acknowledging he's called forth some sketchy witnesses, but considers the murder itself far more sinister than their burglary.

Ryu manages to prove the taller Skulkin brother fired a gun at the crime scene and in doing so, struck poor innocent (S)Holmes. (Ryu presents a picture of a blood-stained calendar with a bullet in it to prove this, yet ten minutes later, he'll present the exact same picture and the entire court will act as if they'd never seen it before. Awkwaaard.) Van Zieks pours himself another glass of wine, toasts to Ryu's incompetence and later has another micro-aggression:

Scumbag points! And also possibly hilarious foreshadowing if he's referring to either Asogi Sr. or Mikotoba here. Though it's hard to say how well acquainted Van Zieks was with (S)Holmes and his partner roughly 16 to 10 years ago. Anyway, Van Zieks flings another chalice and basically admits that he already knew these two criminals gunned down (S)Holmes, but made a deal with them not to get into that. Though technically, Ryu was the one who got into it by proving it in court, so Van Zieks didn't break any unscrupulous deals. And maybe he was even expecting Ryu to do so? Maybe that's why he was pushing Ryu to present evidence? Either way, Van Zieks now owes 'his Nipponese friend' a word of gratitude, since he helpfully confirmed the two brothers couldn't possibly have shot the victim. Only one bullet was fired from their pistol, after all, and if it hit (S)Holmes it couldn't possibly have killed Windibank.

Van Zieks proceeds to “take a moment to consider the aforementioned Great Detective, Mr. Sholmes” (KEEP THIS LINE IN MIND), and brings up the security cameras (S)Holmes planted at the pawnshop so that he can present a picture of the defendant waving a pistol at the victim. Why didn't he present this evidence immediately instead of asking two shady burglars to testify? Who even knows, man. He's being erratic, just as the judge said. The jurors have seen enough and vote guilty, so it's time for a Summation Examination! Van Zieks poured himself another glass of wine before Ryu even asserted his right to that, because he knew it was coming. He has to stand in silence and so he will drink.

(Juror No 1, aka Mr. Garrideb, proceeds to piss me off by oggling the maid juror. I thought the whole point of this character was that his wife misunderstood and jumped to conclusions; that she's been punishing him wrongfully since he does indeed love her and will stand by her side no matter what, but apparently not.) Some tomfoolery later, we require the prosecution's help to prove stereoscopes are just as cool as wireless telegraphy.

I honestly think it's hilarious that he's meant to stay silent but has broken that rule several times, so now we're taunting him by asking him a direct question during the Examination. So after it's been proven the two criminals moved some stuff around inside the pawnshop, four jurors vote not-guilty and the trial continues. The two witnesses get called back to the stand and---

… Okay. So he definitely is against perjury. He seems to hate it, even. He apparently keeps giving them the evil eye as they testify, intimidating Ringo into telling the truth. But I just can't shake the memory of him feeding a lie to Shamspeare in Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro. Also, the game very much caught me off guard during this testimony when I presented a piece of evidence which wasn't correct, but instead of leading to a penalty led me to a unique set of dialogue not found when presenting other wrong evidence. That is to say, I presented a picture of Gina holding the sole gun to disprove the testimony that both she and Windibank were wielding guns, which led to:

Isn't that what we often do in these games? Van Zieks clearly hasn't been paying attention. Anyway, the judge points out that so long as I couldn't prove that Gina was still holding the only gun some time later, when Windibank was shot, the evidence wasn't relevant. So I had to present the picture of Windibank's body (not holding a gun) instead. Ryu manages to point out through that picture that the Skulkin brothers were lying and-

OKAY OKAY. I GET IT. Van Zieks hates perjury with a burning passion and Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro messed up. The trial continues on to the point where Ryu manages to suggest that the Skulkin brothers shot Windibank and Gina then locked the door to save herself. At first Van Zieks is shocked at the notion, but after Ryu details his logic, he just puts his hands down on the desk and chuckles.

This is the first time we see something close to laughter from him, and it's not even really laughter. It's just a malicious, bitter little noise. In fact, we've never seen him smile. He's not even smiling now, as he cackles. That's a stark contrast from other prosecutors, who all smile/smirk as they gloat. Barok's facial expression barely changes at all. Are they building up to something? Anyway, the judge wonders why Van Zieks finds this amusing, as he found the argument quite persuasive himself. Van Zieks pours himself another glass of wine and says:

“But such blatantly malicious conjuring tricks amount to nothing more than inexcusable pettifoggery here. Because you see, it contains a fatal flaw!”

Scumbag points! He then proceeds to imply all the members of the jury are too dimwitted to count (as he flings his chalice). Bullets, that is. There were two bullets found at the crime scene and there were two guns recovered, each having fired one bullet. So if the Skulkin brothers had shot (S)Holmes, they couldn't possibly have shot Windibank as well.

Bye wine bottle, rip person sitting behind him. Van Zieks proceeds to slander Gina for being “far from a law-abiding citizen” and having “a past riddled with criminal misconduct”. To further illustrate his point, he presents a piece of evidence that the defendant attempted to steal the day beforehand, not with the subtlety of a pickpocket but by brute force and brazen impudence. Gregson loses it at this point, shouting out a loud “Hold it!” before losing his nerve and stammering his way through his protest. He mentions that there was a meeting with the prosecution service where it was agreed that piece of evidence wouldn't be used. Ryu is baffled and thinks this:

And now I'm baffled as well, because thinking back on it... Yes, Gregson has talked about Van Zieks before in Investigation segments and has been called in to testify, but as far as I can recall, he hasn't ever addressed Van Zieks directly. Fascinating stuff. Van Zieks says he's unaware of this meeting- probably because he found out Ryu's defending later on and snatched this case up at the last second. Perhaps even took it from the originally-assigned prosecutor with brute force and brazen impudence. Gregson insists that 'the government bigwigs' were very insistent about not using the disc as evidence, to which Van Zieks says:

Good gracious, Van Zieks is a loose cannon! … Or wait, maybe he's a reckless renegade? Or is he perhaps a prosecutor on the edge with nothing to lose? (Alright, put on a pot of coffee- we're gonna get to the bottom of this!) ...Either way, the prosecution thinks it's sufficiently made its case by establishing motive, opportunity and baseness of character.

OY! I thought you don't read third-rate detective stories! But Iris specifically wrote that line into existence, so he must have. Me thinks we've got a closet Adventures of (S)Herlock (S)Holmes fan on our hands, here. The jury buys into his slander, votes guilty, Iris accuses him of being mean and Ryu enters Summation Examination mode a second time.

Oh he knows what he's in for. He knows. Several minutes of talking about bullets later, the topic of (S)Holmes's waist pouch is brought up and Iris wonders whether perhaps the bullet hit one of the glass vials with flammable content. Van Zieks suddenly speaks up with an “If I may...”, catching the startled attention of Ryu in particular.

“I should inform the defence that I have the pouch in question in the antechamber outside the courtroom. As I understand it, when the police arrived on the scene and found Mr Sholmes injured, they removed the pouch in order to assess the wound. Since then, it has been in my safekeeping along with all other evidence relating to the case. I can personally vouch for the fact that it has not been touched since the incident occurred.”

This whole plotline cracks me up with how little sense it makes, considering the position of this pouch on (S)Holmes's outfit. But I'm not here to criticize plot-convenience of evidence, so let's move on and look at what's actually happening here. The defense is discussing possibilities with the jurors in hopes of changing their minds towards a not-guilty and instead of keeping silent, as he's supposed to during this moment, Van Zieks actively speaks up to admit he has a piece of evidence which may be of assistance. It's entirely possible that the pouch would have all three vials intact and thereby dismiss the theory that the bullet hit one of them, but... Regardless of whether he remembers seeing a broken vial with his own eyes, he's taking a risk by showing the pouch. He could've played by the Summation Examination rules, kept his mouth shut and then later when it comes out he had the pouch all along, just remind everyone he wasn't allowed to speak. That's what most prosecutors would've done. Naturally, it's revealed there was indeed a broken vial and some scorched leather, and even closer examination reveals a third bullet we can present to the jurors.

Scumbag point! So with all the confusion on the third bullet and the implication of there being a third gun, the judge does something pretty extraordinary. He doesn't wait for the jurors to change their leaning and instead actually suspends the Summation Examination until the matter is cleared up. This implies any judge has the power to overrule juror leanings, at the very least during Summation Examination, when they feel the case presented by the counsels is lacking important details. Anyway, closing argument on hold for now and the Skulkins return to the stand. Barok looks them straight in the eyes with his usual evil eye and asks them whether the third gun is one of theirs. When that's denied, he asks whether they had an accomplice, which is also denied. And it's kind of funny, because only a few minutes later when Ryu implies they had an accomplice, we get this line:

“Yet in all that time, there has been not a murmur of a third man. If this apparently wraithlike being exists...” pause for chalice crush... “The court must be shown hard evidence!”

But Van Zieks was the one who questioned the Skulkins about an accomplice earlier, so... Indeed, we don't have evidence, but the murmur was definitely already there. So now the prosecution wants two things: evidence there was a third person on the scene and their identity. The game prompts two options: Either present an answer to the prosecution's demands or, y'know, don't. Naturally I chose the latter option to see what happens and it goes about as well as you'd expect. Ryu stutters and trails off, Van Zieks notes the defense is unable to complete a sentence, let alone provide credible answers... Iris takes the place of Susato in telling Ryu off for faltering, so Ryu desperately tries to catch himself and push his argument. Van Zieks says: “So, my Nipponese friend, despite the swimming eyes you seem to think you have something to say...”

PENALTY FROM THE PROSECUTION, oh how I've missed you. Loading up the savegame and choosing the first option actually also leads to the exact same line of “so, my Nipponese friend, despite the swimming eyes you seem to think you have something to say...”, just with a slightly different posture and followed up with the words “this promises to be interesting.” Ryu presents the blood sample on the calendar once more and as I said before, the court acts as if they've never seen this picture before. Hilarious. Van Zieks asks why the blood is depicted as green and Ryu explains it's because of a new chemical (S)Holmes invented. The green blood is then linked to Eggert Benedict through the music disc. The court gets very excited, but much like the skin prints in case 2-2, this isn't admissible evidence. Van Zieks says “this has gone on long enough now. This flagrant ignorance of the mechanics of law.”

“The protagonist in a series of short stories for the vulgar classes. A god of detection or some such. And now you employ chemical substances devised by this fantastical persona in the highest court in the land? Do you expect us to take you seriously? The samples made by this plaything are not fit to be called evidence.”

These lines! I had a quick look at both Scarlet Study's and Taisa's scripts, and there Van Zieks outright accuses (S)Holmes of being a fictional character. He doesn't actually diss the stories themselves though, nor is there anything similar to that plaything line. He only says the chemical itself is 'rubbish'. What ultimately kills me is the “Yes, I’ve heard the name” as if this is the first time it’s being uttered in the courtroom. Let's be merciful here and take case 2-2 out of the equation. Yes, (S)Holmes is mentioned several times there, they establish the two have some sort of history and he even enters the courtroom at one point to address Van Zieks directly, but that case was developed after this one so accidental retcon is bound to happen. No, let's look solely at the cases in the first game. (S)Holmes has been mentioned several times throughout the course of this trial, even by Van Zieks himself. Even better, Van Zieks was the one to present photographs taken by one of (S)Holmes's playthings earlier on. OOPS.

Ryu enters despair mode because there really is no way to prove that the color green is unique to Eggert Benedict, nor would it be accepted as evidence to begin with. But that's okay, because much like the skin prints in 2-2, it was never about having it filed as official evidence. It was about influencing the jury and as Iris so smartly points out, the Summation Examination was suspended earlier. This means that technically, it's still going on. It doesn't matter what the prosecution or the judge thinks of (S)Holmes's invention, it only matters what the jurors think, as they now have the power to force the trial to continue. Naturally, the majority votes not-guilty. Van Zieks objects rather ferociously. “My lord, with all due respect, this is an outrage! The prosecution refuses to accept this decision!” (heehee, I really enjoy these lines. With all due respect, indeed.) The judge asks on what grounds the prosecution is objecting, and Van Zieks says:

“Then they are too ignorant to be trusted with the judgement of anyone's guilt!”

Gosh, he really doesn't enjoy how 'gullible' the jurors are, does he? Or rather, he gets frustrated when the jurors begin to think for themselves instead of taking the prosecution's word for it. The judge sets Van Zieks straight by basically reminding him that this is how the court works.

It is so satisfying to watch him squirm. Van Zieks wants us to play by the court's rules, so we're playing by the court's rules and now he's got no more comebacks. This is it folks, we're subpoena-ing Egg Benedict! He does indeed show up to court after a brief intermission and reveals his true name to be Ashley Graydon. Graydon expresses haughty dismay that the highest court of the land was swayed by some self-professed detective's homemade tincture. Van Zieks tells him it was the will of the jury, and their great British justice system demands that the jury's will is upheld. Graydon calls the jury members inept, as Van Zieks has done many times before, but agrees to testify. Ryu attempts to needle this guy several times by asserting he was definitely at the crime scene, but indeed, the blood sample doesn't count as evidence and Ryu doesn't really have anything else to back him up. Van Zieks oh-so-kindly reminds him that the obligation to prove the defense's assertion lies with, well, the defense. Eventually we do get there and Graydon starts making up some bullshit story about how he met McGilded in a gentlemen's club and bonded with him over unique music box music, so that's what that disc was. Van Zieks points out that Yard have indeed been gathering items believed to have been McGilded's property, presumably to aid their investigations. Gregson once again loses his composure here and tries to shut the conversation down.

Gregson and Van Zieks continue to banter back and forth about how Gregson is definitely not allowed to talk about these things and Van Zieks should also know better than to pry. Even Ryu thinks it's strange the two of them are bickering like that. Anyway, we're not allowed to discuss the McGilded stuff, so back to Graydon and his breaking and entering! Van Zieks asserts that if the police confiscated the disc beforehand and Graydon saw this happen, there was no reason for him to break into the pawnshop anymore.

Oooh, that's some tasty triumph over Van Zieks's ignorance! Ryu brings up the second item pawned by McGilded, a 'small box'. Van Zieks insists that no such thing was stolen from the pawnshop and he can prove it, since he has a picture of the shelves from before the break-in and one from after the break-in. You know, the pictures taken by that idiot detective's silly little plaything! Through the magic of stereoscopes (or the 3D Slider in the 3DS version), Ryu can see that a small box was moved.

It's absolutely hilarious that most of the court has to go cross-eyed to do the stereoscope thing and then there's Van Zieks, with a fancy stereoscope device that he just happened to have with him in a trial he couldn't possibly predict would require a stereoscope. He's so extra! Ryu asserts that if the box was moved, they have to raise the question of what was inside it and send the Yard to retrieve that thing at once. Van Zieks objects, saying that “some little box belonging to a man who died two months ago can't possibly be relevant to this trial.” The judge doesn't see it his way, though, and overrules his objection. Nice! So officers are dispatched to Baker Street to fetch the box and Van Zieks grumbles to himself about being hoodwinked by a farce.

The judge once again doesn't take kindly to Van Zieks's attitude problems and I love this. I can't wait for the prosecution to be penalized, because it feels like it's right around the corner here. Van Zieks elaborates that this whole thing is nothing but a smoke screen; a Nipponese specialty. Scumbag points for this one! I can't entirely connect this to Professor foreshadowing, I think it's just him being petty. Either way, he's going to jump through hoops now. Mere minutes ago he established that the Yard is still investigating McGilded's stuff and the 'aftermath' of his activities, but he's flipping it all over now. He begins to talk about how McGilded died two months ago, immediately after the trial in which he was found not-guilty.

“So I propose a toast. To my learned friend, and his most... insightful defense.”

So the logic being used here now is that McGilded was a fine, upstanding citizen and anything he pawned was truly innocent/ordinary, so why would someone want to steal it? The only way to prove that there's more to these items than might be apparent would be for Ryu to reveal that the acquittal was a mistake and the defense's argument was based on false information. They all suspected this two months ago, though. It was made abundantly clear that the only reason McGilded walked free was because nobody could say for certain whether the evidence was tampered with. Either way, Ryu's cornered now and wondering to himself whether Van Zieks knows the items in question are related to the omnibus murder. He probably does. He has access to the evidence, which means he has access to to the pawn tickets which hold some very specific dates on them.

The game gives Ryu an option whether or not to have Gina testify about what happened two months ago, but this option isn't real. If you choose 'leave it', Ryu still decides within two lines of dialogue that they have to uncover the truth. There's no penalty for stalling. So Ryu calls for Gina to testify and Van Zieks definitely knows what's up.

“In particular, the impact it will have on the accused's standing... And indeed your own.”

So this is a warning, clear and simple. Van Zieks knows shit will hit the fan. Or, as he later phrases it, it will bring the court down around Ryu's ears. But Ryu insists upon the testimony, the prosecution agrees and Gina is put on the stand. The judge tells Graydon he can step down, Graydon promptly sees this as an excuse to leave and bids them all a good day, but Van Zieks tells him to wait.

Oh, this... I like this. By now, Van Zieks has caught on to Ryu's little trick of watching the reactions from other witnesses during testimonies. He's purposely making Graydon stand there and listen to Gina's testimony just in case he reacts in such an overdramatic way, Ryu can pursue it. Iiinteresting! Now it seems as if he's on our side, but we're not quite there yet. Before Gina can begin her testimony, Van Zieks reminds her that if it turns out she willfully withheld information two months ago, she'll be prosecuted for perjury. That's just an intimidation technique to get her not to reveal what she withheld. … Which is weird, because you'd think Van Zieks would want her to spill those beans. Either way, with some encouragement from Ryu and Iris, Gina begins to talk about the lies she told. Aaand we're ending the essay here for now, because we're only about halfway into this disaster of a trial and the plot will only thicken from here on out. Stay tuned for part 2 of The Unspeakable Story!

[m-y-fandoms]

[SDR2 Girls] x selectively mute reader - imagines

Request: SDR2 Girls reacting to hearing a selectively mute S/O speak for the first time, please!!

Sure thing! Also, so that more people can relate and read this with themselves in mind, if you want to, you can read this as an s/o who simply doesn’t talk often due to shyness, idk. I wrote it with selectively mute in mind like the request says though. Also, some of these take place in SDR2, some in DR3 the anime, in Hope’s Peak Academy. - Admin Kokichi

Warnings: selectively mute reader, implied past trauma, self-hate and doubt, insecurities, mild and not in detail, always resolved with fluff.

Mahiru Koizumi

     “(S/O), what do you think of these ones?” Your loving, strong-willed girlfriend, Mahiru Koizumi splayed out a bunch of photos before you, carefully ordering them in a particular way and looking to you with an almost nervous anticipation in her eyes that was uncharacteristic of her. She stood behind you, looking over your shoulder anxiously. She valued your opinion highly, above most of the artists and creative minds she’d become acquainted with in her years of expert-level photography.

     Your eyes scanned the pictures thoughtfully, appreciating every inch, every focal point, every hidden meaning. You took in the composition, the symbolism, the saturation. Your girlfriend was so passionate, so gifted, and far too hard on herself. Slowly, your brows raised. She took this expression immediately to mean disapproval, and began to defend herself.

     “I know, I know. I was trying to do a series here. It was a new concept I’m trying... a bit too bold I think for now. I should stick to just quality headshots for the time being, that was my last concept. Following the first photo, the rest were suppose to connect and flow like a story but I understand if it’s not coming through-” you interrupted her speedy string of words, the shield she put around herself and her work.

     “This is the best one yet!” Your mouth hung open, lost in the colors. Your eyes swam, bouncing from polaroid to polaroid.

     “No, be honest because like-” Her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “(S-S/O)???” She spun you around to face her, tears at the corners of her eyes. She pulled you into her chest, nearly squeezing the life out of you. All doubts about her work went out the window. If it was good enough to make you speak, it was good enough for her.

     She left little pecks all over your cheeks, and insisted of taking a photo to remember this moment.

Peko Pekoyama

     Being rather quiet and reserved herself, Peko didn’t mind your timid nature. She knew of trauma, seeing much of it growing up in the yakuza way of life. She had trauma of her own, and had caused others great trauma in the line of duty, protecting her Young Master. Once she’d started dating you officially, she’d become your sword and your shield, quite literally as well as emotionally. She didn’t need words. She knew how you felt, when to back off, when you needed comfort. Being intuitive, preceptive, strong-willed and incredibly intelligent made her your perfect defender, your rock. 

     She was used to you pointing, signing, even drawing out your feelings at times, and didn’t need to know what your voice sounded like to love you, but when you spoke up, breaking your silence, for her sake nonetheless, she held back tears, eyes glistening.

     “Peko, I worry that you’re not happy sometimes… the Kuzuryuu’s overwork you. I want you to be happy.” You’d been sitting across from her in the dining hall, just the two of you all alone, Fuyuhiko having ordered her to fuck off for the day. Your voice was small, gentle, barely existent, but it was there. Her intense, scarlet eyes flew up to your mouth, sure her mind was playing tricks on her. She could tell from your posture and expression the past hour that you’d had something on your mind. Something was bothering you, but surely that hadn’t prompted actually speech?

     “(S/O)... did you just speak to to me?” Peko spoke concisely, purposefully like always. You nodded nervously. Maybe you’d overstepped by bringing up her line of work or the Kuzuryuu clan. It wasn’t your place. She’d been doing that far longer than you’d been with her.

     At your reply, the swords-woman merely closed her eyes pensively, almost appearing to be in a state of meditation. A small, barely noticeable smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She was elated, ecstatic that you’d chosen to speak for her, that you loved and trusted her this much, but she wasn’t one to make a big scene of things.

     “I appreciate your concern for me, but no matter how hard I work, being with you makes me happy, preforming my duties make me happy. I’m sorry if I ever gave you reason to doubt either of those facts.” Her steady, confident hand reached out and stroked your back lovingly. You smiled, leaning into her touch.

Ibuki Mioda

     Ibuki talked enough for the both of you. You found comfort in the way she could endlessly hold a conversation where you could not. She made friends with ease and people loved her. Sometimes you feared that you held her back, that your quiet personality and baggage from your past was a grey stain on her neon spirit.

     Despite your doubts, Ibuki never hesitated to show her love for you. She held your hand all the time, regardless of if you needed that physical comfort at the moment. She carried the conversations, easily rolling with your signing, gesturing, and nods. She never forced you, never pushed your barriers, taking you completely as you are. You’d seen her bite people, scream, pull people away into her manic fantasies and crazy ideas, but with you she was a bit more patient, reserved.

     “Ibuki... w-why do you go easy on me? You’re so wild and free with e-everyone else... I hope I’m not holding y-you back,” you stuttered, fighting back tears. You weren’t really in the mood to talk, but this question had been burning in the back of your mind for too long. Ibuki’s fiery eyes widened. Her hands flew to her cheeks in a state of amazement and awe. You smiled sheepishly at her, completely in love with how passionate and alive she was at all times.

     “Whaaaa?! (S/O)!!! Your voice is like, totally adorable!!! Ibuki love-love’s it!” She ran over to you and wrapped her arms snuggly around your waist before jumping up and down in place, ignoring your actual question completely. 

     That was your Ibuki.

     “But-”

     “You think Ibuki goes easy on you!?!?! Perish the thought, oh lovey dovey lover of mine! If this is going too easy on you, I can go harder!!!!” She pulled away, shredding an air guitar in front of you with her teeth gritted in false exertion. You could tell she was purposely ignoring your second comment, the one about you holding her back. Ibuki didn’t like to focus on the negative, and her not answering your silly, nonsense question was her was of saying it was in fact a silly, nonsense question. She loved you, and she wanted to be with you.

     No if, and’s, or but’s about it.

Mikan Tsumiki

     Mikan was rushing back and forth, cleaning up messes, doing paperwork, organizing her backpack. The nurse’s office would be a hell hole without her. Hope’s Peak wasn’t even paying her for her endless duties as the nurse’s assistant, which was an outrage in your mind already, but then she spent every day fretting over homework, her studies, her friends, her job, and your relationship with her. It was criminal, the stress life put on that girl.

     Today was no different. Mikan had been to class, the to the nurse’s office to tend to ill students, then back to class, then lunch, and now here she was again, nearly in tears as she tidied up the actual nurse’s files in-between writing her own notes and research. She never let up on researching and perfecting her ultimate talent, and feared letting down anyone in her life, whether they deserved her attention or not.

     You sat on a hospital bed behind your frantic girlfriend, watching her struggle with a lump in your throat. You technically weren’t allowed to just be here unless you were sick, but the nurse hardly ever did her job, so she would never find out. Mikan sat before you, her cheeks wet and a grimace seemingly permanently etched into her face. You couldn’t take it any more. You stood, walking over to her and grabbing the files and pen from her hand. She let out a small yelp of surprise, so entranced with her work that she didn’t even notice your approach. You placed the cursed objects down, and wrapped your arms around her tightly.

     “Mikan, please. You need to slow down. You can’t keep working this hard.��� Your voice shook, jittery as you buried your head into her shoulder. She jumped, startled by your actions. 

     “(S-S-S/O)! Y-you just spoke! You just spoke to m-me!” She froze, excited, anxiety-ridden, surprised, overwhelmed all at the same time. “Your voice is s-so cute! S-Sorry! Sorry if that’s weird to say!” Her bandaged hands reached up, grasping onto your forearms embracing her chest.

     “It’s not weird, but did you hear me?” It was imperative to you that she understood, that she agreed to pace herself, to put herself first from now on. You couldn’t watch her stress herself into an early grave any longer. With her already existing tendency to trip and fall clumsily, she didn’t need this constant stress and exhaustion to cause even more accidents.

     “Y-yes. Yes. I heard you. I’m sorry for not answering. I’m so s-stupid! I should’ve b-ben listening closer, eh!” She shook her head frantically, holding back tears. You only squeezed her tighter.

     “You’re not stupid. I love you, Tsumiki.” She stiffened up, then began to sob loudly, snot and tears rolling down her face. These words were so new to her, so unfamiliar. She didn’t feel like she deserved your love, but yes, she loved you, too.

     She loved you more than herself, more than work or school, more than nursing.

     More than life itself.

Hiyoko Saionji

     You loved Hiyoko, you really did, but she got on even your nerves at times. Your relationship with her started as one mutual respect, a kind of unspoken agreement that she would be little nicer to you than she was to others. She liked you, physically and mentally. She found you attractive in every way, and showed it the only way she could at first: by teasing, by bullying you, but you never responded, never gave her the satisfaction of a response. She liked that. Well, she hated it outwardly. It frustrated her to no end that she couldn’t get a rise out of you, but inside her admiration for you only grew with every exchange.

     She started to treat you like a best friend, an older sibling like Mahiru, and loved that you could keep up with her, that you weren’t intimidated by her, or at least if you were, you didn’t show it. She eventually pushed her pride aside enough to ask you out, wanting to make you hers before anyone else could, and you accepted, but again, it didn’t mean she didn’t get on your nerves from time to time.

     Today in particular, she was trying your patience. Everything you did, she complained about or belittled. She was teasing you, in some horrible mood today, demeaning everything move you made. You’d been spending the entire day together, and it was going a little something like this:

You went to the diner, she criticized your choice of food.

You went to the beach house, she made fun of the way you bonked your head off a surf board in the storage room.

You swam at the beach with some of your classmates, she pointed out the silly way your wet clothes clung to your body.

     Now you were back in your cabin with her, just shooting the breeze and making small talk, when she waltzed out of your bathroom with something in her hands. Something of yours.

     “What is this? I didn’t know you were this kind of pervert! Gross!” She cackled, holding up a pair of your underwear that were, let’s just say, maybe a more flashy and indulgent... not for daily or casual use. You’d discarded them just before your shower the night before, and forget that you’d simply left them on the bathroom tiles.

     You felt your cheeks heat up as she feigned disgust, swinging the garments around while continuing to comment and mock you loudly. You fists began to shake, and your blood felt like it was boiling.

     “Can’t you ever just give it a fucking break, you little troll?!” You marched forward, snatched the underwear from her hand, snarling inches from her face. A look of shock and horror crossed her face, and you both stood there, frozen for a few moments. Then, impishly, mischievously, her hand slipped up to cover her mouth, and she smirked devilishly.

     “Well, well, it’s about time you showed some back bone. Put me in my place, pervert~!” She giggled maniacally, stroking your cheek with one hand. “That was kinda hot.” Your cheeks continued to heat up, but now it was more from a flustered feeling in the pit of your stomach rather than anger

Chiaki Nanami

     You’d been dating Chiaki for a long while now. You guys went together like peanut butter and jelly. She was quiet, a bit lazy, low maintenance, and didn’t require you to speak endlessly... or ever really. She didn’t talk much herself, but she would when she needed to. You see, Chiaki could’ve been the ultimate empath, in her own right. She could feel for others, support them, comfort them, read their hearts, give the best advice. When it came to the things that really mattered, she was never one to slack off and be lazy. She was your perfect match.

     What’s more, her main hobby and passion, gaming, often didn’t require any speech, any communication at all. You either watched her play, resting your head in her lap silently, or during co-op, the game either guided you with tutorials, or Chiaki herself did all of the talking, looking to you for nods of confirmation. You two spent hours upon days upon weeks like that, just enjoying one game after the next. She often even let you choose the game, loving all genres herself.

     Today was the day: you were going to finally tell her how you feel. You were going to work up the courage and speak your heart. Of course, Chiaki knew you cared about her, and you knew she cared about you... but was it love? Did she really love you, or were you just comfortable, easy to deal with, her little outlet for social interaction? Were you just best friends, platonic soul-mates with the false label of a romantic relationship? Today you’d find out.

~

     You and Chiaki sat in her dorm as usual, in the dark with only a screen lighting her face gently. A soft blue glow softened her adorable features, and you felt your heart flutter. God you loved her so much...

     Scooting closer to her on the ground, you placed your head into her lap, heart beating at the speed of light.

     “Chiaki?” You spoke quietly, gently, anxiously.

     “Hmm?” she hummed in acknowledgement, her fingers never halting their rapid movements on the controller in her hands.

     “I... I love you.” You inhaled sharply and held that breath, heart thrashing violently against your ribcage. You waited eagerly for a response that you both desperately needed and were terrified to hear.

     Chiaki simply smiled warmly, the sounds of gunshots and a level-up in your ears as you waited. She didn’t make a big deal of your speaking. She knew it would come eventually, when you were ready and comfortable.

     “I love you, too, (S/O).” She gently stroked your hair with one hand, reassuring and calming you, masterfully owning the battlefield with just one spare hand.

Sonia Nevermind

     “I just don’t see why the others won’t try it out with me! You’d think even one of them would be interested!” You sat across from your regal lover, watching her throw her little tantrum in her unique and particular way of speaking. You loved the way she put accents on certain syllables, the way she messed up common lingo or phrases at times. It was so adorable. You couldn’t expect someone who knew dozens of languages to be perfectly fluent in all of them. “You know what I mean?” You nodded enthusiastically, lost dreamily in her eyes.

     She stood, beginning to pace back and forth in the dining hall on the second floor of the restaurant, a clear nobility to her strut. It was clear in her tone that she was used to giving orders, to speaking with purpose so that others would listen with fervor.

     “I mean, all I wanted was to try cosplaying, just once with everyone. Father never let me at home. He says it’s a silly past-time, and gets in the way of my royal duties!” She paused, fists in front of her chest in a gesture of exasperation. You nodded, eyes trailing up and down her milky skin. Wow, how did you get so lucky? “Hajime said he’d feel silly dressing up, Mahiru said she is busy, but I know she is not! Akane said it just wasn’t her thing. How does she even know unless she tries?!” You nodded, watching her chest rise and fall passionately. “I need at least five people to do this! It’s a group cosplay! Why don’t they understand? And Chiaki is nowhere to be found! She’d say yes, I know it!” She stuck one finger out matter-of-factly. Her eyes met yours, and she frowned slightly. “I’m sorry, I do not mean to sound ungrateful. It means a lot that you said you’d do it with me-”

     “You are so beautiful when you’re all riled up...” You spoke, your head resting in your hand lazily. You felt in a daze, so enraptured were you with her aura, her energy. Her eyes widened a bit, before she rushed over to you, cooing and giggling like a fool. “S-Sonia!” Your princess, so strong and bold despite her demure and innocent appearance, scooped you out of your chair and into her arms, twirling you about in the air.

     “Ahaha! My, my! I will have to get riled up more often if I get to hear your voice as a reward, my love!” She nuzzled her button nose against yours, setting your heart aflame.

Akane Owari

     You sat in your room, crying, weeping softly into your blanket. Today had been a horrible day. Not only were you suffering the normal anxiety about being in this killing game, but you were already a naturally stressed person despite that, and today, your insecurities and self-doubt were at an all time high after a savage bullying session from Hiyoko. Your pillow was now soaked, and your body was shaking. Hiyoko really knew how to wound a person at their very core.

     “(S/O)! Check this shit out! Teruteru-” Your lively, protective girlfriend, Akane, came bursting into your room, startling you half to death. She halted in her tracks upon seeing the tears streaking your face and the pink puffiness of your eyes. On her own face, numerous crumbs from various fried meats and sauces from what were no doubt extravagant dishes were displayed proudly, sticking to her chin and cheeks. In her hand was a silver platter of what was unmistakably the offending feast. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Who do I need to beat the shit outta?!” She set the platter on your bed, rushing to your side and hugging you to her ample bosom. You looked up at her, shaking your head softly and wiping some crumbs from her cheek. “Who is it?!” 

     She was starting to get frustrated. You shook your head again. Akane didn’t mean to get mad at you, and truly, she was more upset at the situation than at you. You knew that. Akane was simply a fire-brand: strong, short-tempered, loud and opinionated. You never took her outbursts seriously.

     “So you’re just sad? It’s one of those days? Nothing happened?” You nodded. “Something did happen?” You nodded again. “Gahhhh this is so hard without you talkin’ and shit!” She threw her hands up in the air, fuming until she saw your lip start to tremble, a wetness glossing your eyes. She sighed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. “Look... you know I love ya, (S/O). I’m sorry for being a loud-mouth asshole. I’m not mad at you.” She squeezed you tight enough to break a bone, but then pulled you away, looking into your eyes deeply. “Who?” Now she was dead serious.

     “Hiyoko...” You nearly whispered, but it was there. Your voice was there. Akane blinked once, twice, her head tilting slightly. Had she heard that right? She was looking for an answer, but she’d never actually prepared for one. Slowly, her shock, rounded out lips turned upward into a devious smirk. She stood, walking briskly toward the door. “Akane-!” You reached out after her. She spun on her heel, hands on her hips.

     “I’m gonna go give that little shit a piece of my fist!” She turned to leave again, a shit-eating grin on her face. Pausing, she twisted around again to face you, pointing her finger toward you with gusto. “And when I come back, I’m gonna ravish you, babe! You better be ready!” And she sprinted out the door, leaving it wide open in her wake.

     Your cheeks had never been so warm.

[serendipityseulgi]

a love that burned so deep.

— jeon jungkook

･*:༅｡ the one where loving jungkook was easy. but for him, he just didn’t know how. 

aka, fwb!au, f2l, and an unhealthy relationship with an excessive use of the word fuck.

EDIT: i would also like to note in no way am i saying this relationship is healthy. as some of you know, i tend to write from some personal experiences or things i’ve been apart of/seen in my life, so although i understand this isn’t the most conventional relationship, it is very real thing that happens. the reader and jungkook have an established fwb relationship. he has real feelings for her, he is not using her, but he also doesn’t know what it’s like to be in a relationship with someone thus why he acts out the way he does. yes, i understand this causes emotional strain for the reader because i have been there. and yes, jungkook is not the most considerate, and can be kind of selfish in this story. that was what i was trying to portray.

the point i was trying to make was that these two people love each other. not that this was an ideal relationship, or healthy for that matter. you do crazy things when you love someone that much, regardless of the other factors. this was a small portrayal of that kind of relationship. that is all i want to say before you read it, just so you understand what i meant when i wrote this.

when you love someone so deeply you start to realize the things you would for them that you wouldn’t even dream of doing for anyone else. when you care too much for someone they become a piece of your heart that breaks every single time something happens to threaten that connection with them. when you love so deeply, and care too much, your emotions get the best of you, and sometimes that doesn’t always turn out to be a good thing.

one thing everyone knew about you and jungkook was the immense love you felt for one another. it was strong and it was passionate, and it was a love that was so rare and genuine. that kind of love burned deep.

it was a mystery really. none of your friends knew why you and jungkook never made things official. your feelings for each other were so painfully obvious that it irritated everyone beyond belief when you both denied the significance you both held to one another.

jungkook wasn’t your boyfriend, and you weren’t his girlfriend. you were just a girl who he considered his best friend, who he slept with again and again, but never had the balls to make you his, and only his.

he had commitment issues. and you knew that.

that didn’t stop you from falling deeper and deeper in love with the boy, and though you knew he felt the exact same way, he still went out of his way to distract himself with other girls. he may not have slept with them but he surely did some, ungodly things with them. he flirted hard, and made them catch feelings for him. he lead them on, and broke their hearts. because every single time, he would always come back to you.

jungkook never denied his love for you. but he never confirmed it either. and though it was an unspoken understanding between you two, it just didn’t seem to be enough.

no matter how strongly you both felt for one another, there were still times where you both wanted to rip each other to absolute shreds.

you loved jungkook, and he loved you, but no one infuriated the both of you more than each other.

“he’s such a fucking dick,” you seethe as you push your way past the crowd of drunken people on your way to the kitchen.

“y/n, calm down, what’s the matter?” jennie called after you as she and rosé followed right behind you.

“i’m gonna kill this motherfucker,” you exclaim, downing the shot you grabbed from the countertop.

“who? are you talking about jungkook?” your best friend questioned.

“who else would fucking piss me off at a party that i’m supposed to be having fun at!” you throw your hands up in exasperation. “nobody fucking told me he was gonna be here.”

“taehyung brought him last minute, said jungkook had a change of plans.” rosé said, pouring a shot for herself.

“it’s because he found out y/n was coming to this party so he decided to show up hoping he would get his dick wet tonight.” jennie stated. “we all know how fucking crazy he is for her.”

“no, no he’s fucking not.” you shake your head. “he’s practically dry fucking sana on your couch right now, jen.”

to that comment, your best friends look outside the kitchen watching the way sana was grinding down onto jungkook.

she had been glued to his side since he walked into this party and you never even got the chance to talk to him. the only form of acknowledgement he gave you was a small smirk and a wink in your direction as you watched the way he gripped sana’s waist as she planted kisses onto his neck.

you felt your heart sink knowing very well jungkook had been with you the night before. cuddled up in your bed that he begged to stay the night in, whispering sweet nothings into your ear and telling you how much you meant to him. though you knew he wasn’t lying, he clearly had other things on his mind as well.

you hated him for making you feel this way.

jennie rolled her eyes and muttered a ‘disgusting fucker’ under her breathe, and rosé scowled in disgust before averting her eyes away from the scene.

“what the fuck?” she spoke. “y/n, why don’t you tell that ass to get his shit together. you guys have been a thing for like, fucking ever, you can’t let him do all that gross shit in front of you. it’s not right.”

you laughed bitterly, downing another shot as you felt the way it burned your throat. “he’s, he’s always been like that. he can’t do commitment. i have been friends with that douchebag for years, he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet till you bring up relationships around him and suddenly he doesn’t know how to fucking act. all i am to him is a good fuck and a friend to hang out with. he’s not my boyfriend i have no control over him.”

your heart hurts because you know no matter how much you want him in that way, he’ll never want the same thing.

“but it’s so fucking obvious that he’s in love with you!” jennie proclaimed. “this is the kid we’re talking about that always gets jealous when our guy friends are too close to you, the kid who picks you up after work and drives you home, and buys you coffee the next morning before your lectures. and he’s the kid who defends the shit out of you and takes care of you more than any of his other friends! he doesn’t do that shit for any other girl and that’s because he fucking loves you!”

“he may fucking love me but he doesn’t know how to show it.” you state, slamming your shot glass down onto the counter. “and you know what i fucking realized? i was so fucking stupid to think i would be the one he wanted a relationship with. i should’ve known better than to sleep with him and fall in love with him. we should’ve just stayed friends. i’m never gonna be able to get over how i feel for him but i am gonna have to accept the fact that he is the way he is and no one is gonna change that except for him. i’m done. i can’t, i can’t fucking do this anymore.” you remarked, leaving the kitchen in a rush.

your vision was slightly blurred and all you wanted to do was go upstairs and sleep your sorrows away.

fuck this party, and fuck jungkook you thought.

as you were making your way towards the staircase you bumped into a large figure as you looked up at the man. “oh, hey taehyung.” you greet with a nod.

“y/n! i was wondering where you were this whole time!” he chuckled as he pulled you into his arms. you returned the gesture, wrapping your much smaller arms around his body.

“i’ve just been, around,” you state. “um, i’m not feeling too well, i’m actually gonna go upstairs and lay down.”

“what, really?” your friend pouted. “you seem upset.” he observes.

“i’m.. okay. really. just need to lay down,” you nod.

“i’m gonna keep you company.” he states firmly.

“oh my god, no, you don’t have to!” you assure. “you’re the biggest part person i know taehyung, i don’t want you to miss out on the fun.” you chuckle.

“yeah, but you know what,” he begins. “i’ve been to enough of these it won’t hurt me to miss just one, and you’re my friend and i love you, and i’m not gonna let you sulk at this party alone. so i’m gonna go upstairs with you and you don’t have to tell me what’s wrong, but i’m not gonna leave you alone till i know you’re actually okay.”

taehyung’s kindness was both a blessing and a curse. though you would be just fine left alone, you still appreciated how much taehyung cared for you. so without much of a fight, you nod your head with a smile, grabbing onto his hand and leading him upstairs.

that did not go unnoticed by jungkook however as he pulled apart from sana for just a split second to see your hand intertwined with his best friend’s. his jaw hardened as he clenched his teeth, no longer interested in the petite girl he had in his arms.

what the fuck, he thought.

“so what’s the matter?” taehyung asks as he takes a seat next to you on the bed.

you shrug, but you can’t tell if he’s able to see you amidst the darkness in the room. “it’s stupid really.”

“and that’s how i know it’s about jungkook.” he chuckles.

“that obvious huh?” you breathe out.

“it’s just that i know the both of you really well, and i’ve been around the two of you for so many years that i understand the whole weird dynamic between you guys.” he explains. “i know you guys are in love with each other. everyone knows. but i also know you both never really had to confront those feelings till you started sleeping together. that whole thing just complicated everything.”

“you’re so observant.” you remark.

“it’s because i’ve been around the two of you the longest. it’s just something i came to notice when i spent all this time with you guys.” taehyung adds. “and i know you always doubt if he even loves you. he’s a dick, we all know that. but he does love you. so much. he just doesn’t know how to express it towards you other than sex.”

you let your head drop on taehyung’s shoulder. “i just want to be with him.” you whisper. “but i feel like he’s just using me at this point. he hurts my feelings too much, it doesn’t even seem worth it anymore.”

“you’ll only know if it’s worth it if you try talking to him.” taehyung answered.

a comfortable silence filled the atmosphere and you closed your eyes for just a second. that moment didn’t last too long however as you heard the door slam open.

the sudden crash of the door slamming onto the wall startled the both of you as you jumped apart. you watched as jungkook made his way inside the room before finding your arm easily and grabbing it.

“dude what the fuck!” you hiss as you tried to pull away from his grip.

“taehyung i fucking warned you not to touch her,” jungkook seethed.

“kook, we were just talking.” taehyung reassured his friend calmly.

“my fucking ass!” jungkook bit back harshly. “back the fuck off.”

you pulled your arm aggressively out of jungkook’s hold. “who the fuck are you to say that?” you fumed. “i was just fucking talking to him!”

“yeah, about what? huh?” jungkook pressed.

“it’s none of your business.” you scowl at him.

“because you were gonna fuck him weren’t you?” he hissed. “right? that’s what you two were gonna do behind my back?”

“oh my fucking god, you’re unbelievable!” you threw your hands in the air in disbelief. “no i wasn’t fucking him, jungkook, i’m not you.” you exclaim, and you notice his slight flinch at your comment. “and even if i was, you shouldn’t fucking care anyway, i’m not your problem to worry about!”

“what? are you serious right now?!” jungkook scoffs. “you are my fucking problem, you’re always my fucking problem!”

“kook, seriously you need to relax.” taehyung interjects, sensing the obvious tension in the room. he softly pushes jungkook back away from you which irritates the boy beyond belief. jungkook retaliates and shoves taehyung roughly away from him. “dude! calm the fuck down i didn’t do anything!” taehyung growls, shoving his best friend back in response.

“how many times did i fucking tell you to back the fuck off of her!“ jungkook snarls.

“and i did just that, jungkook! i wouldn’t fucking go behind your back like that!” taehyung defends.

jungkook pushes his elder once again, even harsher than the first time. “you’re a fucking piece of shit! you’re a shit friend taehyung! you know how i fucking feel about her and you’re gonna betray me like that you fucking asshole!”

that pisses off taehyung immensely as he grabs onto the younger’s boys shirt, shoving him roughly against the wall, the impact loud and clear as it echoes in the room. you stand there stunned, and all you can do is watch.

“listen to me you little shit,” taehyung hisses in jungkook’s face. “she’s my fucking friend. and i was talking to her. about you, for that matter. you’re the fucking shit friend here jungkook. you don’t fucking own y/n. she’s not your girlfriend. you don’t even act like you give a shit about her anyways. it’s only when she gets your dick wet that you seem to want her. but i fucking know you like her more than that. so either man the fuck up and tell her before you lose her, or leave her the fuck alone. i’m not trying to take her from you jungkook, but someone else will and you won’t ever get the chance to have her the way she deserves.” with one last shove against the wall, the older boy walks away from his friend.

taehyung walks over to you and places a hand on your shoulder. “fuck, i’m really sorry about that y/n.” he smiles sadly at you. “i should probably go downstairs. i’ll talk to you later okay?”

you nod your head. “i’m sorry too.” you murmur.

“are you gonna be okay up here?” he asks as he spares a glance at jungkook who’s still pressed up against the wall, catching his breath.

“yeah, i think i should talk to him.” you assure. “i’ll be okay.”

with one last nod he makes his way out the room, closing the door behind him. suddenly you’re hyper aware that it’s just you and jungkook in the room, and the tension thickens as the seconds pass.

you look over at the boy and your heart constricts in your chest. “are you okay?” you ask him, finally breaking the silence.

he sighs. “no.” he shakes his head. “taehyung’s right. i’m a fucking piece of shit.”

you walk over to jungkook, grabbing onto his hand and leading him towards the bed.

“we need to talk this shit out.” you state.

“well, i guess lets just state the obvious fact here, i’m a fucking asshole.” he acknowledges.

“yeah,” you say quietly. “you can be.”

you hear him let out a deep breath. “fuck, i screwed this up”

you hum in acknowledgement. “you mess a lot of things up.”

jungkook sighs.

“yeah i do.”

“you know i love you right?” you ask.

“yeah.”

“and you hurt me all the time. and i don’t know if you realize what you’re doing. because i want to think that, maybe, you know, you aren’t really aware of how much you affect me.” your throat burns as you talk. “and i know you just wanted sex at first. and i was willingly to give that to you. but i... i realized deep down i had feelings for you for so long so when you gave me the chance to be something with you, as more than friends, even if i wasn’t yours, i took it. but you never wanted the same things i did, yet i still let you hurt me over and over again because i love you that much.” your eyes blur and the moment you blink, you feel the tears run down your face. “i would do fucking everything for you. i put up with so much shit that i would never, ever let anyone else do to me. that’s how much i fucking loved you. even when i mean nothing to you.” you conclude, and you quickly wipe the tears off your face.

“that’s not fucking true, y/n.” jungkook exclaims, but his voice is quiet and on the verge of breaking. he swallows the lump in his throat before continuing. “you mean everything to me.”

you chuckle sadly. “you’re so back and forth, jungkook. i never know what you’re actually feeling. one minute you want all of me, telling me that you’d fucking die for me, and do everything for me, and the next thing i know you’re five seconds away from fucking another girl right in front of me when you know it fucking kills me inside.” your voice breaks and your practically sobbing. your heart feels crushed, and you feel defeated.

jungkook turns to you. “fuck, y/n, i’m so sorry.” he cries. “i don’t, fuck, i don’t know how to show my feelings properly. and that’s a shitty fucking excuse but i’ve never loved anyone before. never loved anyone before you. but you have to believe me when i say i do fucking love you. so fucking much it hurts me. i love you beyond words, y/n. but i don’t know how to be with you. i don’t know how to be with anyone and i don’t want you to suffer because of that. i don’t know if i’ll ever treat you properly, or be the kind of boyfriend that makes you happy. and you’ve been my best friend for as long as i can remember. i could never live with myself if we were together and i wasn’t able to treat you the way you deserve. but i don’t want you to ever think i don’t care about you when you are the person i care the most about in this world.”

“but you doing this hurts me just as much.” you whisper. “you make me feel like i’m not enough for you. that i’m not enough for you to want to be with just me. that you need other people to fulfill the things i can’t.”

“fuck no, no, no, that’s so fucking far from the truth.” jungkook shakes his head. “you’re enough. you’re always gonna be enough for me. i’m just a fucking coward. i couldn’t face how i really felt for you, and i got scared to be with you. i’ve never had the chance to be with just one person. and i know i wouldn’t be unfaithful to you, i just don’t know if i can be the guy you’d want to be with for the rest of your life. i can’t disappointment you like that, y/n. i care too much about you to let you down.”

“but i do know what i want, jungkook.” you answered. “i’ve always wanted you. but i can’t be with you if you can’t change. i want you so bad, and i love you so fucking much but i need to know if you’re willing to try for us because if you aren’t then i’m wasting my time loving you.”

jungkook lets out a deep breath.

you speak once more. “if you want this you have to tell me or i’m walking out this door and i’m done for good. i can’t wait my whole fucking life to realize what you want. i deserve better than that jungkook. and if you don’t want to try then that’s fine, but you can’t lead me on like this. i can’t keep doing it anymore, it’s tiring and it hurts me so fucking badly. so tell me what you want or let me go.”

no words are said for the next few minutes, all that fills the tense atmosphere on the room is your heavy breathing and jungkook’s sniffling.

you’re patient with him. you let him think of what he wants. you don’t force it, and you don’t rush it.

you know you’re either gonna leave this room with a broken heart, or a heart that can learn to heal properly with jungkook by your side.

and after what feels like an eternity, he speaks up.

“i might not be any good at this. and i don’t fucking know if i’m any good for you, but, i want to try.” he says. “i’ll do everything to change. i promise. i’ll try so fucking hard to do things properly.”

you look at him. “you don’t have to know right away jungkook. i’m not asking much from you. i’m not expecting you to be the perfect boyfriend for me.” you murmur. “i’m just asking that we try. we figure things out together. if you love me, and i love you then we’ll figure it out. i just want to know if you actually want this. i just want you to be sure.”

“i am sure.” he reassures you. “i want this so fucking badly, and i know i was so shit at showing you that i love you but i can’t lose you. i want to be with you and i’ll fucking do whatever i have to to make sure you know that. i want to change, y/n. and i will. if it means i’ll have you always then nothing else fucking matters to me.“

jungkook gently pulls your face closer to his, pressing his lips firmly onto yours. his right thumb is rubbing small circles on your cheek, and the other hand is placed onto your neck as he pulls you further into him. you sigh in the kiss, relaxing into his hold as you bask in the feeling of his warm lips against your own. he pulls away slightly before muttering an “i love you.” and you return it just as quick.

the worries you both had suddenly vanished, and the two of you felt an utter sense of relief, a huge weight lifted off both your shoulders.

jungkook was less than perfect, but he had the most redeeming qualities that made you love him beyond words. one thing you loved the most about jungkook was that when he promised to do something, he kept it, especially if it was you he made that promise to.

it was difficult for him at first, to learn how to be with just one person. he wasn’t use to the sudden attention, and the sudden desire to want to be around you all the time. to be truthful it scared him a lot to show his sole dependency on you, and it scared him even more to acknowledge how truly strong his feelings for you were. but he realized just how important you were in his life and that this feeling he was experiencing was quite possibly the best thing that could’ve happened to him.

there was still a lot of learning both you and jungkook had to do. but being with one another helped your love evolve even stronger than ever.

that was the rare kind of love. a love that stems so suddenly, but rooted deep within the both of you before either one of you could realize it. it was a powerful love that no one else could break between you two. and it was the kind of life that burned so deep, nothing in this world would get in the way of that.

[rosedavid]

Short prompt of Tj and Cyrus in a relationship but the GHC + Jonah doesn’t know yet. Tj pulls Cyrus around a corner (Cyrus’s back is against the wall and Tj’s has him pinned) and the GHC walks by and can only see Tj’s back at first and with “someone” so Buffy makes a comment only for the GHC to see its Cyrus Tj was kissing 💚 haha love to hear their reactions

“Teej!” Cyrus giggles, “Someone might see.”

TJ laughs, a sound of sunshine and love. Pure, complete adoration shines through his eyes. He glances around briefly. They’re outdoors, just around a corner which TJ pulled him around to partially hide them away from the public eye. A smirk forms on his face as he swoops in quickly and pecks Cyrus’s cheek. 

“See? It’s fine. Nobody’s around,” TJ promises.

It’s been almost a month since TJ and Cyrus declared mutual feelings for each other. Both nervous about their newly formed relationship, they decide to keep their relationship a secret until they feel completely ready. With TJ still coming to terms with his sexuality, and Cyrus navigating his feelings for the boy, it’s taken them both a while to get comfortable as a couple. Now, though, the boys finally feel more happy and at peace than ever before. 

They’ve been meaning to come out as a couple to their close friends. TJ knows how crazy Cyrus has been going recently with having to hide something so important from his two best friends. Although Cyrus swore that he’d wait as long as they both needed, TJ can tell he’s getting antsy about it. He plans to talk to Cyrus soon about the situation. 

For now, though, their blissful, secretive relationship continues. It’s kind of fun, Cyrus has to admit. The sneaking around, secretive heart eyes, and uninterrupted time together gives Cyrus a thrilling feeling in his gut, a dance with danger. 

“You are ridiculous,” Cyrus says, rolling his eyes. 

“But you still like me!”

Cyrus looks up at TJ through his eyelashes as he leans back against the wall. TJ’s hair flops around, free of hair gel, just how Cyrus prefers it. He wears the hoodie Cyrus bought him a week ago from a thrift store. It’s too big on him, but Cyrus finds it even more adorable that way. Cyrus’s eyes travel down to his lips which part slightly. 

Cyrus wonders, “How are you so cute?” 

TJ blushes, scarlet tinting his cheeks. One of Cyrus’s favorite pastimes is making his boyfriend blush, which he found out is actually easier to do than he thought it would be. Of course, Cyrus blushes even easier, and at TJ’s next compliment, his whole face burns a deep red. 

“How are you so beautiful?” 

A large hand cups Cyrus’s face, thumb stroking along his heated cheeks. Suddenly, they both forget about the world around them. They feel as if they’re encased in their own little bubble. 

TJ braces his forearms on either side of Cyrus’s head, effectively pinning him against the wall. Cyrus chuckles at his antics, reaching up and lacing his hands behind TJ’s neck to tug him closer. 

Finally, TJ’s lips capture Cyrus’s in a searing kiss. It’s soft yet passionate and brutally sweet. They both taste like mint toothpaste and the pastries that they ate for breakfast. So engrossed with each other, they fail to notice the footsteps falling against the pavement that get closer and closer. 

“Is that TJ?” A not so quiet whisper pops TJ and Cyrus’s bubble.

“Ew, who is he kissing?”

Hearts thudding in fear, TJ and Cyrus yank apart as fast as possible, but the damage is already done. A trail of spit connects their mouths as the separate, which they both wipe away with embarrassment. 

Suddenly, Cyrus’s eyes widen, and TJ turns to see what has gotten Cyrus so freaked out. Right behind them, staring with gaping mouths, stand Andi, Buffy, and Jonah. 

“Uh...” TJ trails off, scratching his neck as he tries to come up with something, anything, to say. 

“Cyrus?!” Andi exclaims inquisitively, still trying to accept what she just saw. 

Awkwardly, Cyrus waves from his spot against the brick wall, which currently he wishes he could disappear into. “Hi.”

“What’s going on?” Buffy asks, eyes narrowing. “Are you two dating?”

Cyrus frantically attempts to cover up their secret, wanting to protect TJ. “No, definitely not. TJ was just, uh, giving me mouth to mouth?”

“And why would he be doing that?”

“I got hit with a ball?”

Buffy groans, cutting him off. “For god’s sake, Cyrus, we’re not dumb.”

TJ is freaking out inside, but on the outside he appears just as calm and collected as always. He sends a reassuring smile toward Cyrus along with a nearly indecipherable nod. 

“Okay, fine,” Cyrus sighs. “TJ and I have been dating for almost a month.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell us?” Jonah asks. 

Not wanting them to be angry with Cyrus, TJ takes a step forward. “It was my fault. I didn’t want to tell anyone about us because I was scared.”

Everyone, including Cyrus, seems surprised by TJ’s sudden admission of emotions. 

“It wasn’t just him,” Cyrus defends. “I was nervous, too. I hated hiding it from all of you, but I guess I just needed some time. We both did.”

The nerves in Cyrus’s voice are evident in the shakiness of his tone. Familiar with this, Buffy’s features soften, and she steps forward to encircle Cyrus in a hug. She feels his body quivering in her arms. 

“It’s alright, we’re not angry,” Buffy reassures him. “Surprised, but not angry.”

“Yeah, Cyrus, we understand,” Andi agrees. “We’re just relieved that it was you TJ was kissing. We could tell how long you’ve been pining over each other, even before you started dating a month ago.”

TJ and Cyrus look at each other with embarrassment but also adoration. A heavy weight lifts off both of their shoulders at this admission. Although they enjoyed keeping their relationship a secret for a little while, the immense feeling of relief that washes over them makes them both glad that it’s out in the open. Finally, TJ can take Cyrus’s hand while they’re with their friends instead of gazing longingly and dreaming of what it would be like. 

“Even though this is sweet and all, I never want to see what I just saw again,” Buffy admits, fake gagging. “And in public too? You guys are worse than Marty and I?”

Jonah raises an eyebrow. “So that wasn’t you and Marty I saw the other day kissing at The Spoon?” 

Buffy blushes, a rarity to see. “Shut up!”

They all laugh, everyone much more calm and relaxed after the initial revelation. 

“Speaking of The Spoon,” Cyrus starts. “Anyone else craving some baby taters?”

Andi laughs, “You always crave baby taters.”

“Guilty as charged.”

The friends make their way to The Spoon. TJ and Cyrus joyful recount some of their memories from the past month, holding hands that languidly swing between them. Nothing has ever felt so right

Send me andi mack fanfic prompts!

[lilyofthevalley825]

Broken Cal X MC

Wanted to try writing a little Cal X MC. A little sappy, but I wanted to practice writing a more sarcastic character to get a feeling of the flow. It was much harder than I thought and I am not sure I did Cal justice, but here it is all the same! My MC’s name is Kai. Enjoy!

*****

The door slammed shut behind them as they stormed into Cal’s bedroom, away from prying eyes that were entirely too curious about the fight that was brewing between the both of them. 

“Despite what you keep claiming, it was idiotic of you.”

She gasped, fury in her eyes as she rounded on him. “That was idiotic of me? What about you! You practically threw yourself into the way of the demon!”

“Yeah, to save your ass!”

“My ass had it well in hand, thank you very much! Even Darius said so!”

He rolled his eyes. “Darius. Well, there is a reliable and trustworthy source.”

“Just shut it, Cal. Stop deflecting.” She pointed her finger accusingly into his chest. “You were the one that insisted the team teach me how to defend myself so I wouldn’t be.. what did you call it? Oh yeah. So I wouldn’t be ‘dead weight’.”

He reached over to his shelf, and tossed a book at her. She caught it and looked down. A dictionary. Of all the smart ass things to do. “Operative word there is defend, Kai. Taking the first shot is called going on the offensive.”

God, she wanted to wipe that smug smirk from his face. To say their relationship was complex was an understatement. Cal was notoriously emotionally unavailable and hid beneath a web of smirks, casual insults, and snarky comments. She had learned to enjoy their banter over the past few months, knowing that there was never any real malice behind it, but she had no patience for it now.

There had been four demons. Wrath and Malakai were busy ganging up on the particularly nasty lead demon, who clearly understood how to fight. Darius, had been playing with a second demon, toying with him while Cal and Onyx teamed up to take on the third, which was proving to be a tougher fight than they anticipated. The fourth demon, a smaller petite woman like her herself, had been accidentally left to her own devices in the melee, and Kai had quickly assessed  the situation and recognized the demon had a direct shot at Cal and was moving to take it.

Something twisted heavily in Kai at the idea of Cal getting hurt. Before she had time to think, she reacted, incorporating the training that they had given her and grabbing a twisted piece of metal on the ground. She raced towards the blonde demon, grabbing her attention before she could hurt the lanky irishman.

She swung the metal at the top half of the demon’s body, connecting it to her skull with a loud thwack. The demon momentarily stopped the attack, grabbing her head and stumbling backwards. Kai surged forward with her improvised weapon, her adrenaline pumping with urge to keep the Sloth assassin safe.

Suddenly, a blur appeared in front of her, and pushed her body away from the demon. The metal clinked loudly on the pavement and she watched as Cal pulled his gun, shooting the demon point blank.

It was immediately after, when all the demons were disposed of, that Cal rounded on her, giving her the third degree. They had been bickering the entire time since.

She dropped the Websters dictionary to the floor. Her eyes were watering and she hated it. “I don’t even know why I bother.” Kai’s voice cracked, and she turned, walking back to his door, shoulders slumped, the fight suddenly out of her.

She started to turn the knob to leave, and she felt the warm, lean muscle of a chest pressed against her back, as well as the large calloused hand of a marksman grasping hers on top of the knob.

Kai froze. Her and Cal had always kept a certain amount of personal space between each other. This was definitely a new development. The undercurrent of longing she had held for months now was flaring up for the sarcastic jerk, much to her frustration.

His warm breath brushed her earlobe and a quiet and sincere voice advised, “I did it because I can’t stand to see you hurt. Alright? I… care about you.”

She instinctively turned her body to face his so she could respond, and… oh. The lack of distance meant that the front of her body was pressed up solidly against his and she looked up, a look of torturous desire on his face. “Cal?” 

He lowered his head to hers, several of his stray brown curls sweeping against her forehead before his lightly chapped lips descended against hers, kissing her softly, before pulling away.

Kai could see the pink flare up in his cheeks, an uncertain looking passing through his eyes.

She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. “You kissed me.”

Cal shifted his eyes away from hers. “Yeah. I’m sor-”

Before Kai could think on her actions, she grabbed his tie and pulled his mouth down to hers again. Even though her eyes were shut tight, she could practically feel his wide eyes burning a hole through her in surprise at her action. And then, everything she knew suddenly shifted.

He brought his hands to rest on each side on her checks, responding to her kiss fiercely, his lips crashing down on hers with a passion behind it that she did not know Cal to be capable of. Kai gasped in pleasure, returning the kiss with equal fervor. 

She ran her hands down his chest, grabbing a fistful of his favorite shirt, attempting to pull him closer. He responded by pushing them against the door with a loud thud, his lips trailing down the slender column of her throat, finding a spot that elicited several moans from her. “Cal…oh, God…”

A few more minutes passed against the door, before Cal slowed down, kissing her several more times on the lips, softly and sweetly, the passion being replaced by lingering kisses that reflected emotions that Cal often hide deep down within his soul. 

Their foreheads touched, eyes closed, still embracing the other. So many emotions swirled through her, but for now, she was content to be in his arms, relishing the feel of his hands resting solidly on her hips.

“Kai…” his voice interrupted, although neither made any attempt to move for the position they found themselves in.”I’m not good at this. My feelings. I. Don’t. Do. Feelings. I do sarcasm, I do biting comments. You deserve romance and...“

“I know who you are.” she interrupted, softly. “I know you much better than you think I do.”

“Then you know I’m broken. Everyone knows that.”

Kai pulled away, resting her palm on his cheek. He leaned slightly into the caress and she drew his eyes to hers. “Don’t.”

“Don’t?’ he questioned, unsure what she was telling him.

“Don’t say that. You’re not broken. You’re Caleb North and you have… well, you have quirks, but who doesn’t?”

He chuckled bitterly and grabbed her hand lightly from his face, squeezing it before placing it at her side. “You deserve better.”

“I get to decide that, Cal.”

His hands clenched lightly as he talked. “I need you to understand what you are getting into. I’ve had these obnoxious feelings for you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I’ve insulted you at every opportunity, trying to push you away, and you kept getting under my skin.”

“Thank you, I guess?”

“What I mean is, I want you. But I’m not good at this. You deserve someone like Malakai or Onyx. Why would you want me when you could have someone like them?”

She had seen the way he treated the people he cared about. Avi was loved beyond all measure, he was the best caretaker that anyone could have asked for. He would move the moon for the boy if he asked it of him. As for the troupe, there were so many small gestures he made to show how he cared, and everyone on the team knew that his comments were the way he showed his concern. Despite his insults, it was clearly apparent that he respected each and every one of them.

She glared up at him. “If I wanted Malakai or Onyx, I would have gone after them. It certainly would have been less frustration. But I can’t control who my heart wants. And my heart has been telling me that it wants you, despite all your annoying attempts to get me to do otherwise.”

“But…”

“No, buts. Cal, don’t make me fight this anymore. Either you choose to be with me, or we part ways now. Do you want me or not?” 

He smirked, looking down at her, and lovingly caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “It’s your funeral. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll try to remember.” 

*****

They walked out of the room, hand in hand, only to be attacked by a sudden boisterous round of applause, hoots, and hollers when they turned into the living room.

“Finally! It’s about time!” Onyx gushed, smiling from ear to ear.

“I thought it was never going to happen.” Malakai confirmed, clasping a hand on Cal’s shoulder before moving to the bar to fix a drink.

“Wrath, you owe me ten bucks. I told you it would happen before the year was out. Pay up!” 

Wrath had the decency to look ashamed as she reached into her pocket and handed Darius a crumpled ten dollar bill.

“You… you… were betting on us?” Kai looked around at all of them and then finally at Cal waiting for him to make a sarcastic remark at their shenanigans.

Instead, to her amazement, he just smiled, tugged her closer, and kissed her.

[im-whatchamccallit]

Bookworm//Mark Tuan (Got7)

Request: Hello there! I just read your Mark imagine and it was sooooo good! I really enjoyed the character development. Do you think you could write a college boyfriend Mark imagine? Where he’s popular but his girlfriend is a shy, quiet bookworm but he really loves and adores her? Please make it really fluffy. College life is rough, if Mark were my boyfriend I’d graduate with a 4.0 deadass. Thank you so much!! Have a nice day 🥰

Pairing: Mark Tuan x Reader

Genre: Fluff, College!Au

Warnings: Greatly planned out in my mind but horribly executed cdiknjv

Words: 3.43k

“Are we really going to Brian’s party? He gives me a bad vibes.”

“You’re just upset he beat you in a dance competition almost 6 years ago. Let it go already.” Dahyun said to Yugyeom as he tried to defend himself from the truth, leading to a chorus of laughter and arguing from the others following beside them.

Mark ignored the group of ten as he held onto the paper bag in his hand, filled with a chicken club sandwich from a local deli you loved. He knew you had a free period now and that you always sat on a bench by the large tree in your campus’ atrium, so he scanned the area closely until he saw the distinguished catalpa tree. The talking grew muffled as he focused in on the sapling, its slim trunk bent although its crown of leaves grew perfectly, a person’s frame sitting just beside it as their hand turned what seemed like a book. That was definitely you. Mark knew it.

“I have to go. I’ll text you later.” Mark said with a wave, not waiting for any goodbyes as he eagerly jogged towards you.

His feet began to slow down as his footsteps grew small, trying to hide his presence as he inched closer and closer, a mischievous grin on his face as he stood onto the large box shaped marble planter that held the tree and its soil to stand just above your back before jumping down and placing his free hand onto your shoulder, a loud scream escaping your lips.

Mark was certain he’d gotten you, knowing you hated being scared, ready to laugh and apologize as you turned to glare at him. Except, it wasn’t you. It was a woman that he’d never met before, standing angrily with her fist clenched.

“I-I’m so sorry. I thought you were someone else.” Mark apologized, stepping away slowly as she continued to burn his flesh with her stare.

If that wasn’t you, where could you be? It was your free period and the final class of the day for everyone else. You never went to your dorm right after class ended though. You would wait for Mark so you could walk to either of your dorms together, that was your routine. But everything was off. You couldn’t have left so soon, could you?

Mark sighed and grabbed his phone from his back pocket, going to his recent calls to see your name at the very top, instantly pressing it and bringing the phone to his ears, only to be met with your voicemail. He was starting to get worried. He knew your entire schedule and habits like the back of his hand yet he was stumped. There had to be some clue as to where you might be. Mr. LeBeau. You said something about seeing him some days ago. But what exactly was it?

“Wait, so he’s trying to heal his father and a fairy’s helping him?”

“No, it’s his mother. And he took the fairy hostage so he can get a ton of gold and a wish from her.” You explained as Mark stared down at you from your position on his chest, your eyes scanning over the pages of the book you had read so many times.

You sighed and closed it, placing it gently onto the empty side of Mark’s bed, the hand wrapped around your waist massaging you softly.

“I’m sorry, (Y/Nickname). I’m just not understanding it.”

“It’s not you. I just wish I could talk to someone about these kinds of stories. I feel lonely having to think about it all by myself.” You admitted, starting to pity yourself for your antisocial mannerisms but also your very outdated taste in literature.

“Why not join a book club?”

“Where would I find a book club?” You grumbled, beginning to sulk before your eyes lit up, your body sitting up to face your boyfriend who had no idea what he’d just done.

“I can start a book club! At school! It can be after school on Thursdays. And Mr. LeBeau wouldn’t mind if I used his class. He loves me. And we can even read ‘Brand New World’! I think he has a few copies and I have my own!”

Mark couldn’t help but smile at you, your wide eyes growing wider as you continued to ramble on about your plans for a book club that had yet been approved or existed. It was one of the things he loved most about you. Your shyness was never strong enough to hide your passion, your body bouncing with excitement like a child in a candy store, the mention of various books you had sitting on your shelves but had yet to read making you smile brightly, finally having the opportunity to socialize in your own element. Your own safe space.

You had tried going to parties with Mark, trying to befriend his friends, but it was never for you. The only friends you truly had were your roommates and even they were social butterflies. Mark knew you always felt bad telling him you wanted to stay home, his instincts to comfort you kicking in as he joined you for a night in, taking away from the time he could be with his friends. Even though he never minded it, he was happy to see you so happy, ready to support any and everything you did.

“So, when’s the first day of your book club going to start?” Mark asked amused, watching as you finally calmed down, your bright smile falling slightly as you thought about it.

“I think I have to ask Mr. LeBeau if he’ll allow me to use his class first.”

Mark panted as he rushed to the school’s third floor, knocking on the vacant classroom’s door before entering, Mr. LeBeau sitting at his desk with his feet up and phone in hand. For such an old man, he was laid back. Even more laid back than some of the younger professors.

“Mark. How can I help you?” Mr. LeBeau asked as he set his phone down, crossing his arms as he waited for him to catch his breath.

“Have you seen (Y/N)? I can’t find her anywhere.” Mr. LeBeau raised an eyebrow before taking his feet down, sitting up right.

“I haven’t. She actually texted me earlier saying she wanted to talk when she was free, but she hasn’t showed.” Mark sighed, his brain spinning with different possibilities of where you could have gone. Overall, he just wanted to make sure you were safe.

His eyes widened as he finally realized the most obvious place he missed, saying a quick goodbye to his former teacher before sprinting from the room and into the halls, clutching the now cold sandwich tighter in his hand as he headed for the stairwell, luckily only having to go to the second floor this time. Of all the places to check, the library should have been his first guess.

Mark calmly walked in, bowing to the librarian who nodded to him, his body not stopping as he walked by a series of bookshelves, looking between them to make sure you were there. He almost reached the last shelf when he saw a sullen figure in the window, knees curled as they held a book in their hands and pressed the side of their head to the window. If this wasn’t you, he was sure he’d scream.

He slowly approached you, making sure to get a good luck at your face and bookbag to see it was really you this time, sighing as his steps become more confident. You didn’t realize he was there, your eyes too focused on the practically ancient literature, your hands flipping the fragile pages as you saw a male body sit just by your feet, your eyes not daring to meet theirs.

“’A Study in Scarlet’? Sounds like a good book.” Mark commented, smiling as you glanced up at him before diverting your attention back the revamped story.

“It is. My boyfriend searched everywhere to get it for my birthday.”

“You’re damn right I did.” You couldn’t help but chuckle at him, finally looking up at him to see a sympathetic smile on his face.

“I thought you were gonna talk to Mr. LeBeau about the book club today?” You glanced away briefly, looking back to your book and then him, feeling your chest tighten with sadness.

“I realized how stupid the idea was.”

“What? But it’s no-“

“I walked out of class so happy about it but then I realized no one would want to join. Even literature majors wouldn’t want to join. They study it almost every day for four years, the last thing they want to do is read in their spare time.  I don’t need a book club, I guess.” You sounded so defeated, your eyes focusing back on the book you were once so excited for but suddenly left you feeling indifferent.

Mark slowly pulled the book from your grasp, replacing it with a crinkled brown paper bag, your brows furrowing as he flipped back to the first page and adjusting himself so that his body could also fit in the long but narrow window sill.

“We don’t need a ton of people to start a book club. It can just be us.”

“Mark, you don’t have to.”

“I want to. Besides, I think I should start reading books on my own instead of having you do it. Even though I like your voice better.” Mark always complimented you during times like this, when you two debated about something of this nature, making you feel so flustered and shy that you dropped your rebuttal.

As much as you wanted to protest, to tell him you already felt burdensome for keeping him from his friends, you couldn’t help but smile. Mark was never one to go back on his word, even if the situations changed and it seemed impossible, he still kept his promises. Even if it was only you two, the fact he would put in effort and time to help you find some happiness or comfort was heartwarming, the need to cry tears of joy while squealing like some fangirl was overwhelming. Instead, you opted for a simple kiss on his cheek, watching his lips curl upward at your random display of affection as he continued to read the detective novel.

The next day, Mark stuck to his word. Once Mr. LeBeau’s third class of the day let out, Mark asked to use his classroom after hours on Thursdays and possibly some Wednesdays for book club, receiving an automatic yes. He knew Mark was a great person and he was an even better student, so he knew his classroom would be in good hands.

With his free period, Mark decided to use that time effectively. He stood by the library’s oversized printer, watching the various flyers fall into the tray before the machine went quiet, his hands immediately grabbing the hot stack to analyze his simple but eye catching design.

“Thanks again, Ms. Oh.” Mark said politely, causing the woman to smile at the acknowledgement.

“You’re welcome. I’ll have some of the student assistants bring the cart of books to you.”

“No thank you. I’ll be back to get them.” He bowed and exited the library, making his way down the occupied but not so busy halls.

One of the things Mark liked most about his overall popularity on campus was that it gave him a chance to befriend everyone, even people who seemed like complete opposites to him finding his presence enjoyable. So it was no trouble for him to move around campus, handing flyers out to passing by students with a bright smile and pinning them to bulletin boards across the halls. He even had time to stop by the art department, filling them in on how his girlfriend wanted to create a book club and how, despite her social awkwardness, she put in a great deal of effort with planning it, subsequently gaining their interest.

Mark sighed in content as he finally taped the last flyer to a light pole just outside the school, just in time for classes to end and students flying out to head to who knows where. His phone began to vibrate excessively, his hand quickly grabbing it to see the familiar photo of you trying to eat a large spoon full of rice in one go. He was tempted to just stare at the embarrassingly cute photo but answered anyways, bringing the device to his ear as he began to head back inside.

“Baby!” You couldn’t help but giggle at Mark’s outburst, trying to keep the grin off your face as you exited your classroom, not wanting to draw attention to yourself.

“Are we still meeting at the library?”

“No. Head to Mr. LeBeau’s class and I’ll meet you there.” You were about to ask why the sudden change when he hung up, a small sigh leaving your lips as you made a left down the hall.

You were actually excited for today, yet you didn’t know why. Most days, you’d be sulky and anxious at the thought that you were keeping Mark from his friends. But, at this moment, you were more than happy to take his company. For once, it didn’t feel like you were forcing Mark to enjoy the things you did. Although, you would miss reading to him and hearing his cute ‘Huh’ every time he got confused by the sudden plot change. But you were curious to see what he had to say about the book so far.

An actual discussion with Mark about a book you both read? You couldn’t contain your excitement at that point.

You happily knocked on Mr. LeBeau’s door before entering, allowing the door to shut behind you as you walked further in, multiple voices being heard and your smile fell. Did Mr. LeBeau have some other after school club going on there?

“Excuse me,” You pulled yourself from your thoughts as an obvious first-year student approached you, holding onto a sheet of paper tightly as she stared at you with a small smile.

“Y-yes?”

“Are you here for the book club? We’re waiting on (Y/N). She’s the one that started it.” You looked from the woman to the people behind her, your eyes quickly calculating each of them to see there was 15 people there. 15. For your book club.

“I’m (Y/n). But I-I don’t remember making p-posters for the book club…”

“Mark came to our classes to hand them out. He told us all about you wanting to start a book club and I think it’s so sweet how much he’s helping you out with this. Plus, to be honest with you, the English majors are kinda sick of reading ‘Othello’. This would be a good break for us.” She said over your small voice, your ears perking up at the mention of one of your favorite tragedies.

“’Othello’ does get frustrating after a while. I think the biggest flaw is within the characters. Even though the story progresses, they seem like they’re still in the same spot personality and maturity wise.” You commented, not noticing your feet had begun to move as you inched further into the room.

“Please. The theater department has been reading the script for ‘Romeo and Juliet’ so much, we even started questioning how it became such a classic. Every character acts purely on emotions without logic. I even found the side characters more bearable than the main ones.” A guy leaning against Mr. LeBeau’s desk commented, a small chorus of agreement following from who you could only assume were other members from theater.

“Maybe the problem is Shakespeare.” You jumped at the sound of a voice so close behind you, turning to see Mark pushing a cart covered in 3 cardboard boxes, all obviously heavy as he used all of his strength to move them.

It only took about five minutes for everyone to settle in and, surprisingly, everyone seemed to be enjoying their time there. Although you didn’t read anything the entire time, just discussing the books you previously read and ones that you hoped to read in the future, it was amazing.

Mark leaned against a desk as he wrapped his arms around your waist, your body leaning into his as his head rested on your shoulder, watching you smile and laugh at your potentially new friends before giving your own input on George Orwell’s ‘1984’.

He didn’t have to do any of this. He actually preferred if it were just you two. But the thought that when he went off with his friends, you’d be alone, with little to no one to talk to or hang out with, made him sad. Sure, you accepted his proposal of a two person book club, but he wanted to make sure that for the days he couldn’t be there, you didn’t have to be alone. And, even if he was there, you’d be surrounded by bookworms just like you.

“So we’re meeting here again next Thursday?” A guy, who you learned as Jisung, asked as him and the others began to collect their bags, your eyes widening as you scrambled to stand straight, Mark following you as he refused to remove you from his grasp.

“Uhm, yeah. If that works for everyone.” Everyone nodded in agreement as you smiled awkwardly.

“I actually didn’t have a book picked out for us to read. I’m sorry.” You said awkwardly, feeling embarrassed that the sudden change of plans left them without anything to read, probably wasting their time with all of this.

Mark looked at your face, watching your eyes wander to the ground while your eyebrows furrowed, something you usually did when you were overthinking, typically when you were beating yourself up over a minuscule mistake. He inconspicuously released you and headed towards the large cart, as he had made sure he was one step ahead of you, opening one of the boxes before pulling out an unfamiliar book.

“How about this one? It’s ‘The Calligrapher’s Daughter’.” Mark said as he passed the book to you, watching carefully as you read the synopsis aloud, everyone intrigued by the plot. A fictional nonfiction story with hints of history inside? They were sold.

Everyone grabbed a copy as you skimmed through the book, calling out for them to stop at page 38 before excitedly waving goodbye, watching closely as they all left until it was only you and Mark in the room. Mark was caught off guard as you suddenly leaped onto him, your arms wrapped around his waist as you thanked him profusely, the feeling of your large smile on his chest causing him to hug you back just as tightly.

“You’re the best boyfriend in the world.” You muttered, pulling away just enough to see his face.

“Of course I am. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be able to make you smile.”

That comment alone caused you to pull away, looking down as you tried to hide your grin as your face grew hot. If Mark never thought you were cute, he definitely did now.

“Come on. I need to return these books to Ms. Oh.” He said, moving back to the cart and waiting until you were at his side to begin walking.

“I’m happy you did this for me, but I’m gonna miss reading to you when I have free time.” You admitted, holding the large door open so that he could get through easily, your feet moving fast to catch back up with him.

“You can still read to me. That way, next Thursday, I’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.” You raised an eyebrow at the statement, already skeptical of his words.

“Really? Are you going to actually listen this time?”

“Yes! I’m always listening.”

“Okay, then tell me the plot to ‘Artemis Fowl’, since you’re always listening.” You challenged, holding your book close to you as his face contorted in a mixture of confusion and shock, probably realizing he had no clue what story that was, despite it being one of your childhood favorites that you mention almost twice a week.

“I know this! The boy is a fairy and has to find gold to save his father!” Mark spoke with so much confidence, his courage dying down as he turned to see your lips pursed as you tried to subdue the fit of giggles threatening to spill.

“No. That’s not it at all.”

[i-own-your-wifi]

Endings and Beginnings

My first ever Mean Girls fic! Cady x Regina where Regina’s in love with Cady and doesn’t realize it

[AO3]

It ends the same way it begins. The two of them at the same table in the cafeteria. Regina supposes she should’ve seen it coming. Cady isn’t like Karen or Gretchen, she can’t spend too long under Regina’s control. Regina hates that Cady blinded her to what was really going on.

 She waits for someone to defend her. For Gretchen, god even Karen, to stand up for her and tell her to stay. Karen stays quiet, a smart move, but Regina knows Karen wasn’t thinking of that.

 “You can’t sit with us!” Gretchen’s voice is panicked, her words quick. Regina hates it.

 She doesn’t know where to go. She thinks, briefly, that she could join Janis and Damian at the Art Freak’s table where Karen and Gretchen go when they’re kicked from the table, but the idea of being rejected by the social outcasts is more than she could handle. Instead she ends up in the bathroom, blinking back tears and looking in the mirror, wondering how she became this person.

 Two girls come in, freezing when they see Regina. She wants to scream at them, tell them to get out, but instead she takes a shaky breath and turns back to the mirror. One of them stands at the sink beside hers, and Regina hates that she doesn’t cower from her. Regina clenches her teeth as a tear rolls down her cheek and she furiously wipes it away. Her mascara is running and Regina wants to scream. She sees movement out of the corner of her eye. The girl is offering her a tissue. Regina wants to slap it out of her hand and tell her she didn’t need her pity, she’s Regina fucking George after all. Instead, she gives her a small smile and takes the tissue, dabbing the makeup off under her eyes.

 Regina doesn’t want to go back to the cafeteria. She doesn’t want to face the crowd again, but she wants to see how they fared without her. The cafeteria goes silent as she walks in. She grabs the box of Kalteen bars off the table, trying to look like she wasn’t just crying alone in the bathroom to save some of her dignity.

 “Almost forgot these.” She starts to leave when Cady’s voice stops her.

 “Regina, I’m sorry this had to happen.” Cady sounds apologetic, but Regina knows it’s a lie. Cady doesn’t react to her glare, doesn’t cave like she’s supposed to, so she fixes it on Gretchen and Karen. They shrink under the weight of it, and Regina relishes in the fraction of control she still has.

 “See you in eight minutes.” Regina says as she leaves. She doesn’t look back at Cady.

 ***

 That wasn’t really the end. That was more of the beginning of the end. The true end came later, after Regina found out about the Kalteen bars and the revenge plot, after she released the Burn Book, after Regina started to get her power back.

 It ends in the gym. Janis is making her apology, telling everyone how her and Cady created this plan to take Regina down. Regina expected it from Janis, it was bordering on cliché, but Cady, she never saw coming. She hates it. She feels like she can’t breathe, like she’s trapped. Cady is looking at her from across the gym, tears in her eyes. Regina feels anger then, pain too, but she pushes it down. She can’t stay in the gym anymore, can’t look at Cady anymore or listen to Janis describing her downfall. She runs out of the gym, out of the school, away from the stares and the whispers. She can hear Cady running after her, apologies falling from her lips. All Regina wants is for Cady to shut up.

 A bus travelling at 40 miles per hour gives Regina what she wants, in a way. She supposes Cady probably doesn’t stop crying or apologizing, but Regina just can’t hear her anymore.

 ***

 Regina wakes up, alone, a few days later in the hospital. She’s in a neck brace, surrounded by flowers and cards, and she’s in pain. She can’t move very well on her own, so she’s forced to wait until someone comes to check on her to move into a better position. She hates it. She hates relying on others. Regina George is independent, she doesn’t need anyone’s help. A whimper falls from her lips and she thinks that maybe she isn’t Regina George anymore. There’s a knock on the door and when Regina looks up, Cady is standing in the doorway, nervously shifting from foot from foot. Regina can’t look at her.

 “How are you feeling?” Cady asks. Regina hears her sit in the chair beside her.

 “I got hit by a bus.” Regina says. Cady starts to apologize and Regina cuts her off. “I was hit by a bus, and my friend, my best friend, plotted to ruin my life and I’m in this stupid brace and I can’t move and I’m in pain all the time.” Regina doesn’t look at Cady, but she knows the other girl is crying. “I created you. I gave you what you wanted. You wanted to fit in, you wanted Aaron, you wanted to be like us, and I gave you everything. Everything you are is because of me. I gave you everything I could and you still tried to ruin me.”

 “I didn’t want to be like you.” Cady whispers. “I don’t think I ever wanted Aaron either.”

 “Maybe I deserved it.” Regina says quieter. “Maybe I always deserved it.”

 Cady doesn’t respond to that.

 They sit in silence then, broken only by Cady’s sniffles and Regina’s laboured breaths. Regina wants Cady to leave, but she doesn’t want to be alone. She doesn’t know what she wants, but she knows she hates having Cady there, hates how she feels with Cady there.

 “Gretchen and Karen came to see me.” Regina says. “Gretchen cried. She told me it was all your fault.” Regina scoffs. “I don’t think I believe her. And Karen, Jesus, Karen told me everything would be okay because I got hit by a bus but I didn’t die, and you took me down but everyone feels bad for me now. They’re just pawns, they’re not like me. Or you.”

 Cady leaves then, and Regina cries. She won’t tell her mom why, won’t tell her about Cady’s visit. Her mom assumes she’s in pain, and the nurses give her more pain killers. It doesn’t stop her crying, but she can sit comfortably now, and maybe that means everything will be okay.

 ***

 She doesn’t see Cady again until Spring Fling. It’s in the bathroom and Cady’s wearing her mathletes jacket and Regina hates that she likes it. Cady apologizes again and Regina just wants everyone to stop apologizing for the same thing. She tells Cady it wasn’t her fault, even though it was, in a way. The revenge party, the betrayal, that part was, but the bus wasn’t. It feels normal, talking to Cady. Regina can almost pretend none of it happened. She realizes why it hurt so badly.

 “Turns out Percocet is kind of a truth serum for me.” Regina says. Cady makes a comment about her being a bitch, and Regina decides she doesn’t want to fight anymore. “You know what they’d call me if I was a boy?”

 “Strong?” Cady asks.

 “Reginald.” Regina says. “That’s what my mom would’ve called me, so I’d rather be a bitch.”

 It all seems worth it to see Cady’s smile.

 ***

 Cady wins Spring Fling queen, and Regina can’t bring herself to be mad about it. Cady makes a speech, and when she starts breaking the crown, Regina knows it’s another apology. It’s not to her this time, which Regina is grateful for. When Cady tosses her a piece, she puts in her hair and smiles.

 When Cady’s done and they’re all on the dance floor, Cady pulls Regina off to the side. She starts to apologize again and Regina wonders if Cady knows how to shut up. Regina does the only thing she can think of, the only thing she’s wanted to do all year. She grabs Cady’s face and kisses her. She’s tired of forcing her real feelings down, tired of hiding. The instinct to push away everyone she cares about is gone, washed away with plastic crowns and truth serum. Cady doesn’t pull away, but she doesn’t kiss back.

 Regina’s the one who ends it. Cady is flushed, Regina’s still holding her face, and Regina thinks she’s the most beautiful person in the entire gym. Cady doesn’t react right away, and Regina can feel herself start to shake. She wants to pull away completely and to run far away and pretend it never happened, but she forces herself to stay. Her hands tighten in Cady’s hair and she holds her close, waiting. She can feel Cady’s breaths against her cheek and uses it to ground herself. Cady smiles, her smile taking up her whole face, and she’s kisses Regina again. It’s passionate and messy and Regina can feel her lip gloss smudging, but as she laughs against Cady’s mouth, she finds she doesn’t really mind.

 The beginning, the real beginning, comes after the end. And as Regina looks into Cady’s eyes, both of them swaying to the music around them, she finds herself hoping Cady never shuts up, never stops squeezing her hands on Regina’s hips, never stops pressing her lips to Regina’s, but most of all, Regina hopes it never has to end.

[forgetmenotsandroses]

The 4 Times Baz Tried to Say I Love You and the One Time He Actually Did

This was inspired by the Carry On Countdown day 24  prompt ‘ways to say i love you’, but life got in the way and it’s a little late :(

Big big thanks to @slightlystalesushirolls for dealing with me as I wrote this!!

1.

Baz looks into the face of the boy the Crucible has brought to him, his supposed mortal enemy. But instead of the Mage’s pet, instead of a hateful creature, instead of whatever vile things Fiona’s said about the kid, Baz sees himself. To clarify, he sees another boy, terrified, and thrown into the deep end, but ready to fight. So he takes the hand extended in front of him. And stares into the most beautiful, ordinary pair of blue eyes, framed by thick, dark lashes. Eyes that he’s failed to notice, lost in thought as he is. And curls the colour of bronze. And a sprinkle of freckles, like fairy dust on golden skin. The chosen one is… handsome? Attractive? Incredibly lovely? This is completely unexpected. No one warned him about this. For once in his short but meticulously and carefully planned out life, Baz is flustered. Stunned. Gobsmacked. He tries to form words. Nothing comes out. He tries again. This time, a faint syllable emerges.

“I…”

This is more difficult than expected. What is he even going to say? Baz is hit with a realization, one that takes awhile to process. He has somehow become absolutely smitten with this boy he barely knows. But if he can just get the words out, the boy before him will know just how he feels. Maybe he believes in love at first sight too (not that Baz would ever admit to believing in love at first sight, he’s far too old for that fairytale nonsense). For a split second, Baz feels brave.

“I think…”

But the weight of his family and their legacy press down on him. How could he do this to them? After everything they’ve worked for, after his mother gave her life for his. The weight is heavy, far to heavy for the small shoulders of a young boy.

“I hate you!”

2.

Baz is fifteen years old, and busy daydreaming up a world where he doesn’t have to pretend he hates the chosen one, where he is happy and light and free, where Simon Snow loves him back. His peaceful dreams of a flat lit by the soft beams of the afternoon sun and making out by the window (he is a teenage boy) are immediately interrupted by said chosen one himself storming into their room.

“Aww Snow, is something wrong?”

Simon scowls. “Fuck off, Baz. I’m not in the mood for your sinister nonsense.”

Internally, Baz sighs. He would like nothing more than to comfort the idiot before him, soothe his worries, make sure everything will be okay. But even if he did, Simon would definitely think he was joking. There’s no point. As Simon crashes around the room, Baz continues his daydream. Risky business, he knows, but what Simondoesn’t know won’t hurt him, and there’s nothing wrong with a little self indulgence, so long as no one ever finds out. Not like there’s mind readers in here anyways. 

He’s so caught up in his domestic daydreams that he almost misses it when Simon leaves. In fact, he’s so caught up in his daydream that he forgets, for just a second, that they’re mortal enemies. He forgets that Simon doesn’t, wouldn’t, could not love him under any circumstances. Baz’s brain goes blank, and for a blissful moment Simon is just leaving their flat to do some errands, maybe get some groceries. When he comes back, Baz will kiss him and they’ll be happy together. For now, though, Baz bids his boyfriend adieu.

“Love you!”

A very frustrated Simon turns so forcefully that there are probably skid marks left on the floor, and Baz is snapped back into reality.

“What did you say?”

Baz backtracks furiously. Fuck. “I said that I loathe you! Whatever’s going on in that thick skull of yours doesn’t mean you get to treat our shared space like trash! Have some manners!”

During the fistfight that follows those comments, Baz feels a combined sense of relief and regret.

3.

“You like her too, don’t you. But that’s too bad, because I’ve already asked her out!”

Baz looks up into Simon’s gleeful face.

“What are you talking about?”

Simon’s grin stretches wider, if that’s possible. “Agatha, obviously! I see you look at us whenever we’re together. I can tell how jealous you are!”

Baz swallows. He is jealous, but not of Simon.

“So, when I asked her out, and she said yes, I made sure to come up here and rub it in your stupid, plotting face!”

Simon continues talking, but Baz’s mind is elsewhere. His heart sinks. Hard. It was inevitable, obviously. The school’s golden boy and golden girl getting together. He’s pretty sure that there’s a pool going on whether Agatha is going to ask Simon first or Simon will ask Agatha (although that’s been resolved now), and everyone knows how perfect they would be together. Agatha Wellbelove, the sweetest, loveliest girl in all of Watford known for not just her beauty but her kindness, and Simon Snow, the handsome, dashing hero, the mage’s favourite, the chosen one. They fit together like puzzle pieces, her softness smoothing out his rough and both of them bathed in golden light. Like Barbie and Ken, made for each other. Yet, in a small, secret corner of his heart, Baz has unconsciously held onto the tiny hope that maybe, just maybe, this could work out. That after the war was over and the dust settled, Simon would turn to him. That Simon would choose Baz the same way Baz would choose Simon. In a heartbeat. After all, haven’t they been through everything together?

Doesn’t Baz know Simon the best out of anyone, and vice versa? Baz is certain he cares about Simon more than anyone else in the world, more than the idiot mage or Agatha Wellbelove or even Penny Bunce, who clearly loves Simon dearly. There is no one else on the planet that Baz loves with such passion, but when he opens his mouth, his heart beats too fast and the words get tangled up and he says nothing at all.

4.

It’s mid-October, and Simon Snow walks into their room looking like a used punching bag. He’s shaking slightly, his face is bruised and cut up, he has a limp, and bandages cover his left arm. He looks worn and weary, far older than his seventeen years. Baz wants to gather him up, find out what happened. Baz wants to take whoever’s responsible (probably the incompetent mage) and beat them within a centimetre of their life. Baz stares for a moment too long at the beautiful boy in front of him and wonders for the millionth why the world let someone so perfect become so broken.

Simon snarls, voice cracking. “What are you looking at?”

‘You’re beautiful.’ Baz thinks. ‘I love you’, he wants to say desperately. ‘I love you and I’ve loved you since the day we met, when the Crucible brought us together and even if you killed me I’d love you still. I want to kiss the tears from your face and hold you in my arms and tell you that darling, everything will look better in the morning because you, Simon Snow, are a fucking miracle, and the world rights itself around you. My world rights itself around you.’ Baz inhales, exhales deeply.

“I was looking at your stupid expression, Snow. Your mouth was hanging open so wide I thought your jaw might fall off.”

5.

Everything is on fire. At least, that’s what it feels like to Baz. Watford is under attack, children’s screams echo into the night, and the world around him burns. Tonight, everyone else seems to be just as flammable as him.

As he runs through the gates to face the oncoming horde of monsters, several of Baz’s classmates fight alongside him. It’s funny that the Mage, supposed protector of the school, isn’t there to help. He’s probably fled in his cowardice. Despite this, the staff are fighting from the towers, casting protection spells and shooting down the occasional beast as they evacuate students. Of course, on the front lines, there’s Dev and Niall, his trusted friends and loyal compatriots. Unexpectedly, there’s also Bunce, Rhys, Elspeth, Gareth, Trixie, and Keris. It’s strange, to be on their side for once. He thought it might end the other way around, but here they are, coming together as one to defend Watford, their home. And come together, they do. Waves of magic hit goblins, chimeras, numpties, and other assorted creatures, while spells fly through the air like lightning. In fact, actual lightning flies through the air as well. It’s starting to storm, with rain lashing over the faces of the fighters and lightning crackling and thunder sounding in the distance. As it pours, Bunce, ever resourceful, casts a ‘keep clear’ onto her glasses. The rest of them copy her, using various spells to defend themselves from the weather as well as the beasts they’re fighting. As the battle intensifies, he feels his fangs emerge, but he doesn’t care, and no one else does either. Why would they care about something so trivial, when they’re winning?

As their opponents retreat, Agatha Wellbelove runs out of the Wandering Wood with Simon on her tail, yelling. The battle shifts. The forest is on fire. Suddenly, Keris screams as Trixie collapses into her arms, and Baz can’t tell whether or not she’s alive or dead. He can hardly make out anything through the rain, smoke, and bodies. As other move to cover them, magic and sparks dance together, intermixed with ashes blowing from the slowly smoldering forest. Every hair stands on end. Baz is covered in blood, so much blood, and he can’t even tell if it’s his. The pace speeds up, because if they’re going to win, they need to win now. Alistair fucking Crowley, this is cutting it close.

There is a seemingly endless stream of monsters, despite their efforts. It feels more and more like their reserves are dwindling while the numbers of the enemy stay the same. As merwolves emerge from the moat and they’re besieged on both sides, Baz casts spell after spell trying to find one that works. He finds the right words in an old Christmas carol. As silver bells rain from the skies above, the merwolves hiss and retreat.

In the midst of the battle, Baz sees Simon. He doesn’t care anymore if else anyone sees them. This could be the end, so fuck it. As he navigates himself through the sea of combatants, he sees Simon doing the same. Soon, sooner than expected, Simon is within reaching distance. They fight back to back.

“Snow, Simon, I—” what if, after tonight, he never sees Simon again? The thought is terrifyingly real. Visions of the chosen one dance in his mind’s eye, a bloodied body broken for good, bronze curls buried in mud, soft blue eyes unseeing. There is so much to process, so much to say, and far too little time. So it slips out in a bare whisper.

“I love you.”

He tries again, louder, more forceful. Trying to cut through the screaming and muck and grime. “Simon Snow! I love you!”

Simon stops for a moment, shocked. Time stops, and it’s just the two of them.

“I’ve loved you since I was eleven, and I think I’ll love you forever! If this fight doesn’t go our way, I want you to know that I died loving you, because you’ve been my light all these years and if you go, I’ll go too because there’s no bloody way I’m going to live in a world that you’re not in!”

Simon looks at him again, tears in his eyes. He turns and takes a step towards Baz.

“Baz,” he says, “Baz I feel the same—“

And that is where Simon, sweet, impulsive, stupid Simon, makes a mistake. You never turn your back on the enemy in battle. The goblin he was fighting stabs, fast and dirty, at Simon’s back. As he collapses, Baz lets loose a cry and lets go of every primal, feral urge he’s been holding back. Fury and adrenaline aid his movements and he slices through with spells and brute strength. He carves out a rough patch for him and Simon, enough to breathe and check if he’s alive because there’s no way in hell this is how it ends. Simon looks so small.

“Baz,” he whispers. “Baz, listen.” Simon goes into a coughing fit, and his hands are splattered with red when he stops.

“Shh. It’s alright. You don’t have to talk.” Baz is all tenderness now, even as the horde creeps in around them. Nothing in the world matters more than this.

“I need you to hold my hand, right now. I’m going to give you some of my magic.” Simon is curled up now, blood flowing fast from his back. That much magic use will surely damage his shattered body more than it already is.

“Simon—“ He looks again around him; the gate is breaking. Monsters surround the walls. Watford is almost done for.

“Baz, now!”

Baz hesitates for a split second before grabbing Simon’s hand, and promises to himself that he will not let go. No matter what happens.

The spell comes to Baz, almost laughable in its simplicity. He holds hands with the boy he’s loved forever, and feels magic greater than he’s ever know well up inside of him. His blood sings, filled to the brim with potential and fire.

“Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.”

A flash of white light and the battlefield stills. Slowly, slowly, the monsters disappear, like photographs developing in reverse. As the swarms fade from view until they’re nothing more than dust motes in bright light, something stirs behind Baz. He turns. Against all odds, against everything, Simon Snow is alive.

“He’s here.” He whispers, and Baz is at his side in an instant.

“Who’s here, darling?”

Simon raises a shaking hand, and points. The air around them changes, and he sees his celebrating, mourning classmates and teachers stiffen. Magic is draining rapidly from the land, leaving Baz feeling parched and dry. There’s a little boy on the field now, maybe eleven or twelve years old, bouncing a red ball. Baz starts, but as the child walks towards them, it’s clear that he only has eyes for Simon.

As he approaches, the stares of everyone rest upon them. No one moves a muscle, save the child and Simon, who is starting to push himself up, though he’s pale with loss of blood. Baz tries to help him, or stop him, but he’s paralyzed. The kid is eerily familiar, and it’s only when he speaks do the pieces click in Baz’s mind. A younger, dirtier Simon Snow is before them.

“Hello.” He says. “I think you’ve been expecting me.”

Simon looks at him, stares for a second, like his eyes need time to focus. Baz wants to scream, but time seems like syrup and the air is so still.

“I know how to stop you. I wasn’t sure before, but I’m sure now.”

The boy sneers at that.

“What are you going to do? Stab me with your little sword? Use a big, powerful spell? I’m the Insidious Humdrum. Fighting me is pointless.”

“No,” rasps Simon. “I’m not going to fight you. I’m giving back what I took from you.”

The Humdrum has reached them now. He’s not angry, not disdainful anymore. He seems inquisitive, and when Simon extends his trembling hands, he takes them. Simon closes his eyes, and Baz sees the strain in his face. It takes him a second, but everyone on the grounds seems to start realizing what’s happening. Simon is pushing his magic into the Humdrum, who’s accepting it willingly. All Baz can do is stare as Simon weakens, wringing out every last drop of magic from his tired body for what seems like hours but could be minutes, even seconds. Time passes strangely when everyone is frozen in place, unable to tear their eyes away. Suddenly, he collapses against Baz. It’s over.

Miraculously, the dead zone lifts. Magic returns to them, flooding in as if some gate has opened, and Baz starts to cast every single healing spell he knows. Simon is non-verbal, looking up with blind eyes and all Baz can think is I’m losing him.

“Hold on love, I’ve got you. Keep your eyes open and it will be okay. Just keep your eyes open…”

Bunce comes up first, followed by Wellbelove and Dev and Miss Possibeif and a torrent of other students and teachers. They form a healing circle, frantically trying to stem the flow of blood. Nothing seems to be working, either because their magic reserves have been depleted, or Simon is too far gone. Baz can’t tell. In the chaos, the Humdrum has slipped away into nothingness.

This is Baz’s nightmare, his personal hell. He’s dreamed of fire and blood and the sting of bitter tears, but it’s always been Simon standing above him, while Baz dies looking into those perfect, ordinary eyes. It’s not supposed to be like this; the chosen one in his arms, the little life he has left draining rapidly from his bruised body.

“Please,” he whispers. “Please.” The word echoes in his skull, and Baz is reminded of the old lullaby. He owes it to Simon, he figures. To sing him to sleep, to comfort him this last time. He prays that this will make up for each time he couldn’t, wouldn’t, didn’t say anything when he knew Simon was hurting. He knows it isn’t enough.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey…”

Baz is crying now, fat teardrops running down his face. He hasn’t cried this hard since he was a child. He lets out great, gasping sobs, hardly able to get the words out, but he owes this to Simon. Everyone around him has gone silent.

“You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you…”

They’re too young for this. Far too young  to die in a war that isn’t theirs. Simon Snow deserves to be more than a faded flower, a name in the history books. He deserves to be alive and vibrant and so bright it hurts to look at. With this thought in mind, Baz sings the last bit of the song. He puts everything he has into it, desperately hoping it will be enough. A last-ditch effort to save the one he loves.

“Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

But the chosen one is silent and grey from blood loss, his face smudged with ash and dirt. Carefully, gently, Baz wipes the grime from his face, smooths out the unruly curls like he’s always dreamed of doing, though not like this. Never like this. He silently places a kiss on Simon’s cold lips. How long has he imagined this moment? How many times has he wished and hoped just to brush his lips against Simon’s? But he always thought that his lips would be warm. Right now, it’s like kissing ice. He looks at the face of brilliant, golden boy he’s been in love with since the beginning, with no tears left to cry. Then Simon opens his eyes, and kisses Baz right back.

For a moment, it’s just them. Just tongue and lips and teeth and Simon and Baz just like it should be, just like it’s always been. The battlefield and everyone in it melts away and Baz wants to stay like this forever. 

Bunce’s screams puncture the space first. As he opens his eyes, he can’t even be mad, because Simon looks so happy to see her. They’re crying big, dripping tears, and she embraces both of them, hugs them so hard that Baz wheezes and Simon cries out and everyone around them starts, remembering that Simon is still injured. With renewed energy, healing spells are cast, potions conjured, and bandages are wrapped. Despite this, Simon can’t feel his legs. Baz carries him as everyone walks back to Watford, together and triumphant. Simon muses that maybe it’s permanent, but losing the use of his legs seems a small price to pay for his life. He grins, and Baz smiles fondly.

“What do we do now?”

“We carry on, love. Just like we always have, just like we always will.”

Simon smiles wider, if that’s possible, and leans in for another kiss.

[creativebloon]

Not From Around Here (Part 5): FINALE

Rating: T

Word Count: 3513

Other Notes: WOOHOO!!!!! It is finally finished!! The KSS18 gift for @lupizora Not From Around Here has finally ended. An adventure of mutual pining (per @nsart‘s words;) ), discovery, and angst all rolled into one little story. The NFAH series has gathered a total of 9,915 words!! This is such an accomplishment for me, such a prideful time. Thank you everyone who has read, liked, commented, and reblogged. I may not have responded to everything but just know that I love you all and thank you a million times. 

>>Coming soon to Ao3

>>>Links for the other parts will be added later. If you haven’t read the other parts, either ask or search on my blog for #kacchako au

HAPPLY READINGS!!!!

She jumps. Hairs rising all across her body, Ochako turns to the direction of the familiar booming voice. I’m dead.

“That is for you, young Ochako.” Jumping again, the girl faces the old mage. Her heart is in her throat and an old fear of her parents nearly chokes the life out of her. She realizes she is beginning to panic, but she can’t do anything about it. All she has ever tried to do is keep up the facade, act like the ideal daughter they want her to be; to make her mother and father proud. If no one else, their opinion of her has always mattered most. If they find her here--not only having left in the middle of the night again, but with Bakugo and Yagi--They are going to kill her. Or worse, put her on house arrest again. This time, for the rest of her life. Which means she definitely won’t be able to see--

“Ochako.”

Like a warm blanket, Bakugo drapes an arm around Ochako’s shoulder. He pulls her close to his side, immediately dispelling the cloud of panic and anxiety in her mind. She looks up in dazed wonder, dark eyes steady on her.

For a few moments, it’s just the two of them. He is the bubble of safety protecting her from her worldly worries, his arm reassuring as it slides down her arm to wrap around her waist. He is as hot as ever beside her; yet, she doesn’t feel overwhelmed in the slightest. “Are you alright?”

Distantly, Ochako hear her parents, a clamor of their voices growing closer to the tidy house of Yagi. Instead of turning to their calls and walking out the door to the familiarity of her family, Ochako stays beside the boy who hasn’t left her side, and answers both his question and the wavering concern in his eyes. She can only stand to stare into his eyes for so long before a familiar bit of sadness grips her heart, forcing her eyes to look away.

“You’ll be leaving soon,” she whispers back. Ochako hopes this isn’t the part where she cries. She’d hate to do that. Not because it’d be Bakugo bearing witness to the part of her heart no one else has seen before; rather that this would be what he remembers her by. Sobbing her heart out because he is leaving and she just may not be able to follow him home.

When Ochako finally musters enough courage to look back up at him, Bakugo’s eyes are closed, his breaths deep. For a moment, he stays as he is, nose now buried at the top of her head, his fingers tapping rhythmically against her side. She does her best to remain still. Yet the soft taps against her side are a slight tickle. “I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted someone to travel with me.” He says after a long moment, his voice deep and low.

Without missing a beat, Ochako replies. “I know.”

He drops his chin from her head so that his eyes meet hers, the same glow of comfort from before greeting her. She struggles to catch her breath when more than just the careful watch of steady dark eyes find her own.

“...Y--Come with me, Ochako. I thought I was being smart earlier; not telling you more of where I’m from. Who I am. I thought--that I was protecting you somehow. I don’t know how, and I know that I was...wrong.” Bakugo unwraps his arm from Ochako. He takes a small step to fully face her, his head bent to the point that the soft locks of his hair begin to tickle her nose. If she weren’t so captivated by his confession, Ochako would be a giggling mess.

“You don’t need to be protected. And I hate it because--well fuck. Because, Ochako, I--”

“Ochako!!!”

The next moment is a blur of bright clothes, loud noises, and tight, choking hugs. There are words she can’t hear, things she can’t understand. She is aware that it is her parents who are holding onto her; Yagi huddled in a corner, trying to press himself out of sight (though as a mage he can just turn himself invisible or something right?). But what about--

“What are you doing with my daughter?” The dangerous undertone to her father’s tone snaps Ochako back into her situation. Hairs on the back of her neck rise.

“I just need--” He’s still here! With her mother still holding tightly onto Ochako, and her father standing behind his wife, the girl can’t see much past the emerald silk of her father’s robe. She stomps down the threat of letting out a moan of frustration. Where is he?

He had been about to tell her something. After all that has happened tonight--meeting him by the pond, the rooftop, finding Yagi, the kiss on her forehead, holding hands and all the emotion in his eyes, almost about to say something--this is what happens?? Her parents barge in, interrupting something very important. Not even that, but they’re attacking Bakugo as if he has done something wrong--which he hasn’t! She understands that, at first sight, he seems strange. Showing too much skin and wearing odd pouches across his skin like a dark mage ready for the kill. But she has walked beside this boy; she has stared deeply into those eyes and seen things she is positive no one else has ever witnessed before. She trusts him to the ends of the world.

She has only known him for four hours but she will be damned if anyone attacks Bakugo without giving him a chance to defend himself.

Breaking free of her mother’s grasp with a surprising burst of strength, Ochako rounds her father until they are face-to-face. She has never yelled at her parents. Never glared, bad-mouthed, or mocked them. True enough, she has gotten frustrated with them. She has gone out of her way to avoid them when they have their rare bad argument. But this time is different. This time, she has more to defend than herself.

“What’s his name?”

A baffled expression crosses her father’s face. He looks to Ochako’s mother over her head, then back to his daughter. “What?”

“What. Is. His. Name? You always ask a gentleman his name first. Before you ask who his family is, where he is from, or what he does. You shake his hand and ask for his name. Father, did you do that? Or did you assume he was some sort of rogue and deranged man from lands far away?” Which can’t be entirely untrue, from what I’ve heard so far.

The silence following after Ochako’s small portion of a rant is enormous. If she weren’t so angry, the flush on her cheeks would be for a different reason.

The curiosity mixes with shock in her father’s knowing eyes. He stares down at her for what feels like a long time. She bears witness as realization, pride, and amusement fill his eyes, bringing forth a different kind of light in them. Without another word to his daughter, he turns, scanning the boy Ochako has defended so fiercely.

Before her father can get a word out of his mouth, Bakugo raises both hands in mock surrender. “There’s no need.”

The Uraraka’s stare back with identical looks of misunderstanding. At least until realization dawns on Ochako. He is careful to avoid Ochako’s piercing gaze as he continues. “I won’t be here much longer. Right, old man?” Head tilted in Yagi’s direction as an indicator, everyone looks at the old mage, still huddled in the corner.

Yagi nods. Ochako, on the other hand, shakes her head. She takes a step towards him, only to be stopped by his outstretched hand. Let me, his eyes plead.

So she takes a step back. She doesn’t return to her parents, inbetween the only family she has ever had, and her future.

His eyes slide along to meet hers. When they finally do, Ochako isn’t sure the longing in them is something she can bear. “I can’t understand why I feel so connected to you, Ochako. How a single thought brought me to this world--to you. These past couple hours have been exactly what I’ve been missing; what I have been longing for for so long. I...I want to protect you. I want to continue to make you smile and laugh and show you all the amazing things I have seen throughout my lifetime. I want to spend the rest of my time with you. Every single moment.” An indecipherable look flashes across his features before he continues, this time with a renewed passion. “I can’t promise every place I go will be safe; that there are dangers unknown to myself that I can get through alone. I’m strong, the strongest of my realm and many others.

“But I swear on my doragon that I will be nothing without you by my side. Just as you have been this entire night, greeting me as someone you have known for lifetimes rather than hours. Ochako. Omae. Will you come with me back home? Will you be my queen and rule my land beside me?”

Her gaze flickers. Her breathing becomes shallow and the ring passed down in her family for generations begins to slightly burn as she spins it around on her finger.

She opens her mouth, strangled words coming out in an incomprehensible mess. So she shuts her mouth. She stares wide-eyed at Bakugo. He has poured his heart out to her. Forget saying “I love you”; he has said those words and so much more. He has asked her to spend the rest of her life with him, the two of them together. To be more than his queen, more than a partner. He has made more than just a declaration of love. He has done more than just appear out of nowhere in her life. Bakugo has filled a hole Ochako has always felt. He has made her feel a safety and comfort she never believed anyone would be able to provide for her. When she was at her most desolate hour, he was there.

It brings is a better feeling than when they jumped off the bakery’s roof, weightless and free for just a few short seconds. This is something she just told her father off about, a person she may have only just met but has known forever deep in her soul. She continues to stare as the tears well up in her eyes and the boy with blond hair begins to blur. Her heart is a bubble of joy, growing larger by the minute.

“Ba--Bakugo!” It’s all she can say at the moment. Yet the way he perks up seems to be just enough for him.

Not two seconds after calling out for him, Bakugo takes the few long strides across the room to Ochako to close the gap between them. He gathers her in his arms, nearly picking the girl up off her feet. She leans into him. She wraps her arms around his neck and holds on with all her might--not as if this bothers the already muscular boy from another world.

As her tears fall onto his bare skin, Ochako remembers her earlier reservations not to cry. She didn’t want to. But a part of her knew it would happen anyway. Except at the time, she believed it would be because Bakugo would leave her behind, alone yet again. Nothing would change when he left save for the hollow place in her heart he had filled so quickly. Now, she cries out of delight. A strange, bursting sort of happiness. Yet happiness nonetheless.

After a while, she calms down. The soft circles drawn on her back as he holds her up are an added comfort. Her hands slide down from his necks until they grasp his wrists as she pulls back slowly out their embrace to get a good look at his face. If she hadn’t known him, she wouldn’t be able to recognize the shine to his eyes, a wavering glimmer in the peeking light of the moon.

She gives a short laugh, wiping a stray tear. Bakugo wipes her other eye before his warm hand comes to rest at cradling her cheek. She leans into it, closing her eyes briefly. “You are all I ever wanted, Bakugo. I refuse to let you go this easily. You didn’t even need to ask, not when you know that I want to go with you anyway; more than anything in this world. I want to see Batu, meet your doragon, live in the world you love so dearly. Bakugo, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can’t even begin to explain how long I have been waiting for you, what it has felt like to be so utterly alone all my life.” She stops short. Of course you do. She is hit with the memory of the wonder in his eyes as he stared up at the moon long before they met Yagi; the strange loneliness darkening his beautiful gaze as he stared at her under the silver moon. He had been ethereal then, almost untouchable. Now she can’t stay away from him. Not after being so close and seeing so much.

Her voice drops to a whisper, unaware that even at her quiet tone in the dead of the night, Bakugo won’t be the only one to hear her speak. “You aren’t leaving me behind, Bakugo.” Her eyes search his for a few frantic seconds. “I love you.”

Coughing erupts behind her. Ochako turns in horror. She forgot about her parents. When she looks, her father is pounding on his chest, and her mother is looking back and forth between Ochako and Bakugo, even as she helps her husband.

“Go--where?” her father demands between coughs.

“Fa--”

“Hush.” Giving her father one last hard pat on his back, Ochako’s mother silences him swiftly. She is still looking between Ochako and Bakugo, a look of understanding in her eyes. “How long have you known him, Ocha?” she asks softly.

Ochako, not knowing she had been holding onto Bakugo until he gives her a reassuring squeeze back, sputters out a response. “Four and a half hours? Five? At most? I mean, I just--He just came out of nowhere a couple hours ago tonight. Not that--What?”

“What she means is, I appeared out of nowhere in the dead of the night and asked her to take me to the old man over there.”

Ochako glances up sharply. “You did not “ask” me to take you to Yagi. You demanded!”

The tinge of amusement in his gaze brings forth a grin to her lips. “You did it anyway.”

“Only because you said that you’d go breaking things until you found him.”

“You are such a smartass, angel face.” Taken off-guard by being called a pet name again, Ochako’s retort dies on her lips. There is a victorious smirk on his face she would love to knock off.

Her mother calls her name again. This time, there is more than motherly understanding. There is worry, and another emotion she isn’t sure she is ready to face. She faces her parents, a different kind of sadness wrapping around her heart.

“I had no idea you felt this way,” her father laments. His eyes are shining with unshed tears.

“Neither of us did. We--We always thought you would do something big, Ocha. But this…” Eyes flickering to Bakugo, her mother shakes her head sadly. She takes a shuddering breath and it breaks Ochako’s heart.

Letting go of Bakugo, Ochako runs into her parents. They envelope her in a hug. She hadn’t thought about this part, and feels disgusted with herself. This is the man and woman who have raised her, who have loved and cared for her her entire life.

But as she holds onto them, she knows that this doesn’t mean they would have been able to understand her if she tried to convey the gripping loneliness. They love her but they wouldn’t understand. They would still expect the best from her; a life she can’t provide. Someday the time would come where she would have to accept being another man’s bride. The very same man that she would bear children to, maybe far away from her home. Someone who is not Bakugo.

Cutting off a sharp gasp, Ochako snatches herself from her parent’s grasp. She loves them. Loves them so much. But the life they have planned for her and the things they want her to do have never been something she has desired. Especially not a family with a complete stranger. Her gaze naturally slides back to Bakugo, who had been looking away. He is leaning against one of Yagi’s many bookshelves, arms crossed with a slight frown on his face. When their gazes meet, it’s as if a bit of stubborness is erased from the crease in his forehead. She can’t help but frown as well. What would life be like with him?

Bakugo sighs. His gaze flickekrs around the room. “What if you came with us?”

Ochako stands quickly. Shock freezes her muscles. “Bak--” His dark eyes flit to her. For a brief moment, there is no words between the two of them. Not that she would need to hear him speak to understand what he’s doing. She turns back to her parents, a small smile gracing her lips. She grabs one of their hands, holding onto both of them just as she did as a little girl. “Will you?” she asks.

Ochako’s parents look at one another. They share a familiar silence conversation, heads tilting just the slightest as in indication to one thing or another. When they both shake their head at the same time, a hope Ochako didn’t know she was holding onto drops in her stomach. She lets go of them.

Her father wraps an arm around her mother. He smiles, lines of tiredness more visible than before. “We have what we need here, Ocha.”

“Go with him. Live your life.” Her mother continues. She touches Ochako’s cheek, an insurmountable warmth in the one touch alone. “This was going to happen anyway, my love. All we ever wanted--was for you to be happy.”

Don’t cry, Ochako pleads. Don’t cry mom. Don’t be sad. Please.

Ochako pulls her parents into a hug one last time. She commits the loving look in their eyes one last time, memorizes the slight tilt at a corner of her father’s smile before it happens, her mother’s bright eyes shining with happiness. “M--” Before she can finish her sentences, she is hushed by both her parents. A hand of each side of her face, her parents stare, eyes flickering across her face as if committing the same details to their own minds.

Without another word, her parents let her go. They make their way to the door, though not before her father gives Bakugo a hard look. Bakugo stares on, nodding almost too small to notice.

Then they’re gone.

---

Yagi reappears in the room, both teenagers having forgotten about him. He prepares for them to leave. All the while, Ochako remains at the window, watching as the moon makes a creeping descent in the sky.

“Is there anyone you want to say goodbye to? Friends? Classmates?”

Ochako shakes her head. She gives Katsuki a small glance in the corner of her eye. She likes the ring to his first name. Ever since he told her after her parents left and he kissed away her tears, she has stopped calling him Bakugo. Katsuki is much better. He likes hearing her call him that anyway. “I was never really close to anyone here. My parents will tell them I left early this morning to start a life somewhere far away.”

Katsuki stays silent beside her. He stays with her by the window until Yagi calls them over to the center of the room. He begins to walk over to Yagi, until he notices Ochako lingering. “Oi,” he calls softly.

She shakes her head. She can’t understand why she can’t move away from the window. She has been waiting for this her entire life. She has already said goodbye to her mother and father. There is no one else in town that she had gotten close enough to in order to really care about whether they would be saddened by her leaving. Yet and still. This will be the last time she will be here, home, in this realm--Yagi told them this. The rest of her days will be spent with Katsuki and his adventures; she will be travelling through his world and meeting those close to him. She couldn’t be happier.

Releasing a breath as if it has been weighing her down for a long time, Ochako nods once, and holds tight to Katsuki’s hand as they step through the mirage of a new world, leaving her own familiar place behind for good.

[outofmvlimit]

Rip My Heart Out: Part Three

A/N: Well hello. I wasn’t planning on doing a part 3 for this because I lost motivation for the storyline, but you guys are so nice and it was really needed apparently lol! Sorry this took so long, enjoy.

Here’s part 1 & part 2

Paring: Y/N, Luke Hemmings, & Calum Hood.

Word count: 1,478

Warning(s): Swearing

Gif credit to owner

It was difficult getting over the fact that you had given up your job for a guy who saw you as nothing more than a game. This situation had burned a hole in your heart that kept you from moving on, but that wasn’t the only thing holding you back.

People wouldn’t stop questioning you.

“Is tour over?”

“Why are you back home?”

“How are the boys?”

And not to mention the comments/messages on every social media platform you were on. You hadn’t really expected anyone to take notice in you leaving in the middle of their tour. After all, you were just there to take pictures. For what seemed like weeks now, everyone kept the attention on you; people wanted answers you wish you had.

...

“Y/N are you working on something bigger? What happened to 5 Seconds of Summer? Did you get kicked off the team?”

Paparazzi, journalists, and reporters were nothing foreign to you, but the spotlight was never for you nor did you ever want it.

“Hello. Would it be rude of me to ask for some space while I get my coffee?” you questioned politely.

Ever since people realized you were missing from the group, it had been constant interrogation and unwanted pictures and headlines. You couldn't figure out why people cared so much.

“What about you and Luke?”

“Have you seen Luke’s new girl?”

Your heart ached. Now you knew exactly why everyone seemed to be so interested in you; Luke moved on rather quickly and with no shame.

“Haven’t gotten the chance to meet her. Good for them though, I’m sure she’s lovely,” you smiled even though your insides burned as the statement rolled off your tongue.

You entered the coffee shop, ordered your drink, and sat in a booth in the corner. You immediately opened Twitter to see if there was any evidence of Luke and his new girl. Luckily, texts stopped you from what would’ve caused you more harm.

Text from Calum

It’s been weeks now. Please just answer me, I can see my messages being delivered.

Text from Ashton

Daily checkup xx Please text me back.

Calum, Ashton, and Michael hadn’t stop trying to get a hold of you since that night. The sad truth was, you were waiting for a message from Luke. Even after what he had done to you, he still owned a piece of your heart and you would do anything to change the current situation and you hated yourself for that.

You declined every call and every message you received from the guys and anyone who had contact with them. You swore you were on the verge of changing your number until your phone started ringing.

Incoming Call: Luke <3

You nearly choked at the sight of his contact name on your phone.

Your hands were cold.

Your heart was racing uncontrollably. 

You wanted to decline the call, but your fingers moved faster than your mind could process your initial decision.

“H - hello?”

“Oh my fucking god Luke, she actually answered!” You heard laughter coming from Luke and the girl on the line. “You have her whipped holy crap.” 

You felt a wave of humiliation drown your body and you hung up as fast as your fingers allowed you to.

Embarrassment. Mortification. Indignity.

You collected your stuff and quickly walked out of the coffee shop, not wanting to embarrass yourself more than you just had. Your tears blurred your vision as you sped walked to your apartment that was ten minutes in distance.

Why did he find pleasure in your pain?

As you got closer to your apartment you saw someone standing at your door. It was Calum and you knew exactly why he was here.

You quickly turned around and started walking in the opposite direction hoping he hadn’t seen. 

You felt a tug on your arm.

“Oh no, you’re not walking away this time. Please just talk to me.”

“Calum, what do you fucking want from me!? I am asking you nicely to please just let me move on.” You spat at him.

“Y/N, please listen to what you’re asking of me, of the guys. You’re asking us to forget you. Forget years of friendship, family, and memories. What Luke did to you wasn’t in our control and I am sorry it happened, but please come back to us, to your favorite thing to do.” 

“What Luke did to me wasn’t in any of your guys’ control nor was it any of your business, but it is mine. I choose to forget, I choose to drop years of friendship if it means I get to stop hurting Calum.”

“Y/N listen to yourself! You’re giving up your life for an asshole.”

“Choose your words wisely, you guys are not my life. I love all you guys deeply, but I do not depend on you guys for anything. I was once your photographer and now I am not. I have so many other opportunities to fulfill my passion.”

“So that’s it then huh? You were just our photographer?”

“It was made pretty clear, yes.”

“It’s sad you think so little of yourself because you’re worth so much more.”

“To who Calum? To fucking who?” You started walking the small distance back to your front door.

“To me Y/N, and it’s more than just friendly feelings. Why can’t you see that?”

You stopped and turned to him.

“Leave.”

“But I-“

“You think you could just come here and tell me you like me so that I can go back to a stupid job? Is this how you were expecting to get me to go back? What the hell were you expecting to gain from th-”

Calum shut you up by pressing his lips against yours. And if things weren’t bad enough, Luke was the one who drove Calum here; therefore, he was the one who had to pick him up.

“Well, well, well. I guess my judgement was pretty spot on wasn’t it? Except it wasn’t Michael, it was Calum.” Luke said pulling up.

“Luke, please.” Calum started.

You felt used; anger took over your body.

“H - he drove you here?” You asked Calum with tears in your eyes.

“Y/N, I left my licen-“

“That’s why you guys are best friends because you guys are equally the same,” you laughed. “Out of all the people in this damn world, you chose Luke. Have you never heard of Lyft?”

“He was the only one available and I told him to stay away! We are in your home town for a show and I wasn’t going to leave without fixing this,” he defended himself. 

“Fixing this?! You have a strange way of mending things because the only thing you seem to keep fucking doing is making things worse. This is far from fixing.”

You looked at Luke in hopes of receiving some type of remorse; he showed no sign of it.

“Y/N, nice chat earlier,” he smirked.

Luke knew exactly what he was doing.

“Chat?” Calum questioned looking at you.

“Yeah mate, not even three rings in and she answered.”

“I thought you said you wanted to move on. Why would you answer one call from him but ignore every damn phone call I have made?”

You didn’t know how to answer Calum. You wanted to know why Luke loved hurting you and what had changed between the two of you. You stared at him for answers.

“Don’t look at me babe, I’m just here for the entertainment,” he winked.

“Yeah I get it because evidently that’s exactly what I am to both of you.”

“Y/N answer me.” Calum begged. 

“If only you could understand how it feels to be led on for two years only to be left in the dust when they got tired of you. If only you knew how it felt to be told ‘I like you’ just so you could come back to a fucking job.”

“That wasn’t my intention.” Calum tried reaching out to you. You moved away from his touch.

“And what was? To make me the slut of the band? ‘Oh Luke is done with her, guess it’s my turn now!’ Fuck you Calum.”

Luke laughed.

“Oh and Luke,” you lowered your head into the car window. 

“How are you not finished yet?” he added.

“Take a moment to find yourself; you are lost and far from being found. That boy I used to know isn’t you. Do me a favor and spare your new girl a heartbreak. Look for who you used to be, and never for a second think that I am here for your entertainment. Delete my number.”

Your tears had dried up by now. You turned around, not looking at either of them, and walked away from what used to be a source of happiness; the boy who ripped your heart out.

A/N: Oh hell nah this is so trash I am screaming. This is the final part for this imagine she’s dead now thx!

[lazyneonrabbitt]

Little Thief [ Pt.4]

Sweet Pea x Reader

[Pt.1] [Pt.2] [Pt.3]

Requested by Anonymous: -Can u make a little thief part 4 we’re she goes to school as a full serpent and hers and Sweet peas relationship -I wonder where she would put her serpent tattoo...

The next morning started out great. You woke up to a surprisingly empty bed and an amazing smell coming through the door that was slightly ajar. Sweet Pea was making breakfast for the two of you and didn't notice you walking into the kitchen. "Morning, you." You said wrapping your arms around him and softly kissed the back of his neck. "Damn princess, why are you out of bed already?" He had hoped to surprise you with breakfast in bed. "Ahw sorry, babe. Couldn't stay away from that delicious smell. We can still have a nice breakfast together, just not in bed." You gave him another small kiss and moved over to grab plates and other necessities to put on the kitchen table after cleaning some stuff off it first. After you finished breakfast you took a shower and got ready to start the day and mentally preparing for the fact that today you were getting your first tattoo that was nothing less than a gang symbol. When you got back from the shower you could hear Sweet Pea talking to someone on the phone, since he didn't sound happy to be having the conversation you decided to leave him be for now and ask him about it later. You were halfway back into the bathroom to check on your hair and makeup one last time when Pea called out to get your attention. "Yeah?" You said walking back into the kitchen and into his view. "I can't go with you, babe." He apologized carefully. "FP needs me for something and he doesn't want to bring Jughead." You knew that with this it was all said. You couldn't go against FP's word and if he needed you then you were going. You grabbed your phone to text Toni about the situation but before you could get a message out, Pea had grabbed your phone already, offering to drop you off at the Wyrm. "Toni's probably there already anyways." He looked at your defeated self, handing you back your phone and pulling you into his arms. "Princess, I'm so sorry."

Arriving at the Wyrm you saw that Toni was indeed already there, together with FP and the crew he had rounded up which, sadly, now also included Sweet Pea. You talked to Toni for a bit while FP discussed his plans once more with the group. When they got ready to leave Sweet Pea stopped by you one last time to say goodbye and apologize once more. Toni saw the sad smile you gave him as he let go of your hand and walked out the door and put a drink in front of you. "On the house, girl." You smiled at her knowing that she's not supposed to give out drinks but since there was literally no one around besides the two of you, she let this one slip. "Since the cleaning was done yesterday night, I could do your tattoo." She offered. She knew you wanted to share this moment with Sweet Pea but now that you couldn't she still wanted this moment to be shared with a friend. You loved how great the Serpents had been treating you and this only made you feel better. "That would be amazing, Toni! "

Most of this morning's sadness had disappeared when Toni had everything set up and you told her where you wanted your mark. You hadn't told Sweet Pea where you were getting it, he hadn't asked about it either so it was all your decision now. She had grabbed a couple of pre-made stencils in different sizes and put them down on the counter in front of you. "So where do you want it, cutie?" "I was thinking on the side of my thigh?" You put your hand on the spot to indicate where exactly. "It's easier to hide and Sweet Pea will like it if he's almost the only one who gets to see it." You and Toni laughed about what his reaction would be when he'd find out where you decided to put it. "You think he'd be jealous that you got to see me without pants again?” You laughed together between strokes of the tattoo machine. "Sweet Pea? He'd probably find it hot. You know how boys are." 

It was around 2:30 PM when you were done and spent the rest of the day at the Wyrm with Toni behind the bar. To kill some time she agreed to teach you some bar tending basics and showed you some of the most popular mix drinks when more people started making their way into the bar. You had a great day with her and it only got better when FP and his crew walked in and seeing Sweet Pea again. He was happy to see Toni treated you well. You walked out from behind the bar and ran to hug him like he had been gone for weeks. "Missed you too, baby." He picked you up without any trouble and kissed your cheek before putting you back down again. You didn't stay at the Wyrm for too long since you had school tomorrow. While the others didn't mind that much, you preferred to get a good night's rest before Monday.Sweet Pea agreed to head back home with you when you wanted to leave, not wanting to risk waking you up in the middle of the night when he'd come back. Back at your trailer you went trough your stuff and packed your schoolbag for tomorrow while Sweet Pea got ready for bed. You were brushing your teeth when Sweet Pea walked up behind you, poking random spots on your body to see if he could find your tattoo. Starting with your arms and shoulders, your chest and then your back. He hadn't found it yet when you were done and you walked back into the bedroom leaving him standing there wondering. "Didn't you get your tattoo?" He asked walking into the room and saw you standing in just pants and a bra. "I did, Toni did it and it looks amazing." You were happy to officially have a home and a family that truly cared for you. "Come on babe, show me." He said as he walked up to you and put his hands on your hips, causing you to jump a little because he got so close to the freshly inked skin. A wide smile appeared on his face as his hands moved to the elastic of your sweatpants and stopped for a moment, waiting for you to approve of his plan. "Go ahead, you idiot." You laughed at his sweet gesture. It only took a second for your pants to drop to the floor and Sweet Pea to be practically drooling over your new ink. You walked over to the desk and picked up the tube of ointment you had to apply and had it snatched from your hands pretty quickly. "Lay down, princess. I know what I'm doing." You obeyed his request and laid down on the bed and let him do his thing. He loved treating you like a princess and you let him whenever he did. 

The next morning Jughead came to pick you up and to head to school together, he had some stuff to arrange with Betty and the Blue&Gold. You still weren't fond of walking around alone on the North side, especially now that you were a Serpent. But that didn't stop you from wearing your new jacket with pride just like everyone else. Sweet Pea was still in the process of waking up when you walked out of the door and into the day. You already felt all eyes in you when you got closer to school grounds but it only got worse when you really arrived there. Even with everyone expecting you to change sides for good eventually, it still seemed to surprise a lot of people that it actually happened. You and Jughead walked into school, both sporting your Serpent jackets and holding your heads high, not letting anyone's comments put you down. In the student lounge Betty greeted her boyfriend with open arms but you were mostly ignored. Only Kevin dared to speak up, complimenting your jacket but not much else. You knew he had been dating a Serpent as well some time ago so maybe he was okay with all this as well. Running into the Bulldogs was a whole different story. Yes, everyone disliked you before already, but they were always looking to get their hands on girls for their dumb play book that, even with the old one burned, still went on with a clean slate. They just started over but were now a lot more careful about it all. People had tried to complain but they never found any proof so it was all pushed aside again. You were now worth a lot more than before when you were just the 'bad girl' in school, now you were a Serpent as well en even while they all hated them with a burning passion, they were still willing to get the points and earn the title of king of the play book. It was all disgusting but you couldn't do anything about it because if you got into any trouble now, it was gonna be blamed all on you and no one else. You took all their gross words and shrugged them off. Of course they still hurt, but you could take it, you weren't gonna let them walk over you. 

It was a long day, even with Jug at your side defending you and you were all too happy to be back home again. Sweet Pea wasn't there yet so you decided to start cooking something already for when he got here. It wasn't long before he got home and before you even had the chance to say Hi, he was behind you with his arms wrapped around you lazily and kissing your neck. "Smells great, princess." He loved how natural this all felt. He and his girl, living together and being happy. After dinner you both crashed on the couch, talking about your day and laughing about the show on TV. "I love you, princess." You turned to him and giggled. "You really like to call me princess, do you?" He pulled you closer to him and kissed your forehead. "Of course I do! I mean, you are my little Serpent princess. At least until I can make you my queen. Maybe by then we can start thinking about having our own little prince or princess."

[lore-a-lie]

Chapter 2, Act 6: The Masked Grave’s Ritual

Deadly Life

Kaede still didn’t want to believe it. She thought she was finally regaining some control of their situation. That things were going to get better. How could this have happened?

Maki was no stranger to bloodshed so who could have possibly killed her? (Was she killed trying to defend herself or did this happen because she attacked someone else? Would Maki really do that?)

The fact this was Kiyo’s lab was a smaller area of concern. Unlike Angie’s lab, his didn’t have any locks so anyone could have done this if they weren’t complying with the student council’s nighttime curfew.

While Kirumi told her and Maki that Kiyo wasn’t Kaede didn’t think this was his doing. Something about how the artifacts were being treated didn’t line up. He was too protective of them before. (Not unless that was an act. Make you think he cared about others damaging them so him abusing them is unlikely.)

His surprise at seeing Maki’s body looked genuine enough when Kaito brought him for questioning. At least Kaito was suspecting him less now than when he first rushed down to see if this was connected to Maki wanting to pay him a visit last night. Not that it was saying much, Kaito’s still quite clearly a wreck.

Ryoma was trying to help ease Kaito’s nerves but he was also too shaken to be of much help. No one objected when the two excused themselves to see if there was anything else around that could be connected. She figured too many felt ashamed of how they treated her and Ryoma before to complain.

“For the sake of our investigation does anyone have any complaints if I go over Maki’s body? Unless Gonta would rather try, as he might be more used to corpses than I am. Not human ones of course.” Kirumi calmly asked. Kaede couldn’t help but notice Kiyo kept glancing at her like he had an objection, but he must have thought better of it as he resumed looking into what else in his lab might be involved here instead.

“Gonta can’t! Gonta not… Not smart enough to be useful like Kirumi. Kirumi smart so she do good. Besides, it not proper for gentlemen to touch a lady without her permission.” Gonta was trying to hide a light blush that came with his explanation, an odd contrast to the tear tracks that still stained his face.

“It is a bit late to ask her about that sort of thing I’m afraid. Particularly if we think we should check her for injuries that may be unrelated to the fall. I doubt anything else could be the cause of death, however. You can see where the banister underneath her broke off from even from where we’re standing.”

Kaede had to crane her head up to see what Kiyo was talking about but he was right, on the highest level there was a break in the rails. With little prompting Tenko made her way up the stairs as quickly as she could to see if there were signs of a struggle or any other clues as Angie followed, hopping all the way. (I’m impressed they have the stamina for that, since that’s on the fifth floor. Why is this so damn tall?!)

While the two were up there, Kirumi informed everyone that she kept finding some sort of ashes on Maki’s body she couldn’t explain. Kaede thought better of bringing up the candles she sent Ryoma and Maki to collect, as she didn’t want Angie to be made aware of her attempt at sabotage, and as neither he nor Angie were here no comment was made about it possibly being the Necronomicon.

This might get messy if it needs to come up in the trial though. Was Maki’s death an accident her killer tried to undo? I don’t know if someone other than Angie and I knew how this motive worked.

Nothing else seemed out of place though, no weapons or injuries on her that didn’t make any sense. Except for that weird stone mask that was laid over Maki’s face, modern looking in all but its medium.

“Why would someone want to drag poor Sun Witch ♪ Esper Ito into this anyway?!" Tsumugi bemoaned, looking torn between whether or not to pick up the mask before Kirumi waved her off to spare her the dilemma. After a depressed sigh, she got a curious expression as she looked around the lad. "Actually why is her mask even in here? It can’t really be culturally relevant right? Beyond like normal festival masks I mean.” (Leave it to Tsumugi to know what the heck that thing was or where it was from. It really is out of place.)

“You aren’t wrong about what it is, but what it represents is a fair bit different." Kiyo began, despite Tsumugi's brief attempts to assure him that he didn't have to. But there was no retracting an excuse for him to lecture. "This is the mask most associated with the serial killer Kirakira Seigi or “Sparkling Justice” who supposedly came from Spain. Naturally given the title and style of their trademark mask I am inclined to doubt that theory, as it’s too distinctly Japanese to think they would consider Spain to be their only point of origin, but they do make for an interesting modern connection to both cultures as a result. Being a serial killer who exclusively kills others of their ilk in poetic gruesome recreations of the targeted serial killer’s preferred methods also taps into various other figures and notions regarding popular concepts of “Justice” and “Karma”.” (Right, that thing again. He talked at me about it before too. It has no right to look this cute with what he says.)

For all her early objections the lesson stirred Tsumugi's geeky interest enough that she was simply bubbling with questions, as if they weren't still talking in the middle of a murder scene. “Is a stone mask really their trademark? What do you mean “they”, is there more than one person who uses this name? Do you think it’s related to that other Kira-”

“No. For all of those things." Kiyo sternly cut her off, but he obviously enjoyed having peaked her interest as he lead her off to a side of the room to continue without bothering anyone's work. "First off, the person known as Sparkling Justice is elusive so their gender is a point of debate, though I do lean in favor of that person being male myself, so I tried being as neutral as I could. Second, typically the mask they use is of the common cheap plastic affairs so I can’t really explain why this is was made to be so much more permanent and without any of its common colors either I’m afraid." And with his more basic deductions done his tone soured. "Third, I just told you they were thought to be Spanish so any similarities this has to a certain older manga are likely coincidence.”

Kaede tried to give Tsumugi a sympathetic smile at seeing her flinch at Kiyo’s surprisingly harsh response before asking a question of her own. “So do you think this mask was used to accuse Maki of something? Or mock her because of her talent? I mean an assassin and a serial killer would be kinda different right?”

“The irony is highly possible if the Kirakira connection to this design is known, and they are distinct enough that all of Kirakira ’s confirmed kills did what they did out of passion rather than a paycheck.”

“Should we be concerned by how our biggest suspect knows so much about niche serial killers?” Kokichi piped up from the second floor, staring down at them with his chin resting on his folded arms. Something felt off about him though. He was smiling like a cat toying with a mouse but there was a new cruelty to it.

“If you want to be that’s your own prerogative I’m sure. I merely felt it best to be aware given how often I travel and get considered to be either highly suspicious or a person of interest in dangerous situations.” Kiyo called back up to him, looking annoyed by how loud Kokichi was to make sure he was heard.

Kaede felt a tugging at her skirt before she looked down to find Monodam looking up at her at a loss. But much like his siblings, he’s also had a slight change in appearance. While he still hardly had any shoulders to speak of unlike the others he had somehow managed to attach Monokid’s shoulder pads to his chassis. (What? If he hates others being afraid of him why is he wearing the clothing of his victim like a trophy?!)

“Why-Did-This-Happen-Again-Miss-Kaede? Did-We-Do-Something-Wrong?” He retracted his arm as he turned to look at Maki, visibly depressed over what he was seeing. “Did-Miss-Maki-Deserve-This?”

“No. I’m not sure your motive even had anything to do with this. I mean all we found are some ashes, and that could have been anything. But don’t worry, we’ll figure this out.”

“Kaede, stop being buddy-buddy with a member of the beer-stain bears! Unless you think the ashes matter for something?” Kokichi paused for a moment to look up and theatrically held his hands to his mouth before calling up to the highest floor. “HEY ANGIE YOU STILL GOT THAT WEIRDO BOOK ON YOU?!”

Angie’s head poked over the broken railing looking for Kokichi before she replied, both ignoring Kiyo's seething down below. “Nooope, It went missing sometime yesterday! Why?”

“Any reason why someone might have wanted to burn it beyond it being obviously evil and stupid?”

“Oh? Did someone find an effigy of Maki with ashes on it?”

“Depends, does her fucking corpse count as an “effigy”? ‘Cause this is one duuusty cun-”

And that last bit of vulgarity proved to be Kiyo's last straw. “Can you both please stop yelling?! You’ll find the room carries sound very well on its own.”

“Hey we’re being helpful Kiyo, stop complaining!" Kokichi yelled back down, making everything worse as per the usual. "This isn’t even a real library, Jeez.”

Kiyo's eye actually twitched as he struggled to restrain himself. “Allow me to rephrase then: If you don’t settle down I will come up there and tear out your tongues. ”

“Kaaeeeeeeeeeeeede Kiyo’s threatening meeeeeeeee~” (Oh for the love of-! Isn’t Kirumi your mom?!)

With a hand to her face, Kaede muttered some curses as she shook her head before trying to settle Kokichi's latest mess. “I’m sorry Kiyo, just bear with it for now. Trust me I know how bad loud noises can be. Or maybe you can check out one of the other rooms? Like if the book went missing maybe Angie’s lab has something.”

“Oh yes, because leaving these relics unattended with Kokichi and Angie around is a simply  marvelous idea.” He replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“They are far from unattended." Kirumi was quick to assure him to help de-escalate the situation. "I will do my best to keep them from causing harm to any of your other pieces Kiyo. Feel free to help Ryoma and Kaito if you think it may be of more benefit to us.”

The look she gave him a look that was hard to tell if it was understanding or pity as Kirumi returned the mask to its proper place in the glass case. Kiyo looked reluctant, almost angry, to follow her suggestion but he hardly had any reason not to do so with how much stress seeing his room so crowded caused him.

With Kiyo out of the way, Angie continued to confirm it was probably the Necronomicon that was burned, though she didn’t think a body would count as an effigy in this case. That would explain why Maki was still obviously dead at any rate. Unless the ritual never had a chance at succeeding.

Kaede also felt a bit more at ease going around the room now, and quickly found another distressing detail. The golden katana was gone. The sheath wasn’t, which was why she didn’t notice at first, but the blade was nowhere to be found. When she asked Kirumi confirmed she didn’t see anything that looked like it had been hit by a rusty sword, which only made its absence all the more suspicious.

Seeing nothing else of note Kaede left to see if anyone else had made any progress. Aside from Monophanie’s efforts at repainting parts of the floor with her own puke, which she only just caught before she was going to step in the mess. (EWWWWWW, as if this floor wasn’t bad enough already!?)

Trying to be a bit more pragmatic she phrased things a bit differently. “Are you alright Monophanie? Can’t you just leave this to the others? Who would have the Monokuma file in this case anyway?”

“No! No, nothing's alright! This floor is gross, the body is gross, we can’t stop daddy’s game even if we try, and we still can’t agree on anything! It’s all just making me sick. In more ways than one. Monosuke’s the only one who really likes daddy’s game so he’d have it, but why bother? Nothing here is changing!”

It was odd to see one of her captors driven to such a manic state, even Monotaro’s scarf seemed to be acting in accordance to Monophanie’s frustrations. Things being as they were she was probably also assuming that like the two times prior either she or one of her brothers was going to die soon too.

She wasn’t really paying attention to Kaede though, so she just left the bear to her own devices. With a real horrifying situation on her hands going to Angie’s lab didn’t seem nearly as stressful as before, but she didn’t even have the chance as she saw the three boys were heading back already.

“Did you guys find anything?”

“You mean aside from the wax museum thing she had going on? Not much, Kiyo saw some gold leaf might be missing from her art supplies and Angie’s probably a bit loopier than we already thought.”

“Now now Ryoma, making mementos to honor those that are gone is a common response to grief, and I find her attention to detail to be rather touching. Obviously, they lack the particular beauty that comes with bearing the human soul but she matched their likenesses to an otherwise astounding degree yes?”

“You mean she made things that look like they crawled right out of the uncanny valley of robotics man!” Kaito argued, which given Ryoma's sigh wasn't the first time he made his discomfort over the figures known.

As Kiyo shook his head with a shrug he paused as a thought came to mind. “... I do hope you won’t use such a phrase within earshot of Kibo, that could be considered most rude.” (Actually where is Kibo anyway? Or Tsumugi? Did they go to find Monosuke for the file since it’s late? There’s a better question to be asking here though. We’ll see both of them soon enough I’m sure.)

“Why would gold leaf be missing?" Kaede asked to help address the more relevant evidence. "It’s not like money matters in here or anything. Do you think it could be related to the anthropology lab’s katana? I couldn’t find the blade and it’s the only gold thing here.”

“Huh? You sure Kaede? Kiyo, you didn’t say anything about that!” Kaito said.

“Didn’t I? Must have slipped my mind, my apologies. Besides, it struck me as a more personal issue, given how Kirumi hadn’t mentioned finding rust in any of her injuries. The blade hasn’t been taken care of well at all, so I can’t see how something that rusted could be used here, and had someone recently held the handle or sheath we’d find gold on their hands from where the leaf coating tends to peel off.”

“So Angie’s missing supply could just be someone trying to replace the older gold leaf that came off when they messed with the sword without permission?” Ryoma suggested. (Or a sign someone was setting something up.)

“I could believe that, the sword has been missing since at least last night and I suspect it was taken when I spoke with Kaede yesterday. As its uses as a weapon are limited I didn’t feel a need to worry anyone, given how Maki’s lab allows for equally easy access to a wider array of much more effective tools to use”

“Seriously man? You still shoulda said something so we could help you find it!” Kaito said though Kiyo seemed to just brush him off.

As Ryoma and Kaito continued to ask about the missing antique, Kaede saw Tsumugi and Kibo come out of one of the classrooms Maki and Ryoma took candles from before. It wasn’t clear how long they tried investigating in there, but without the candles Kaede assumed they’d be pitch black so she was confused.

“Hey, aren’t those rooms a bit too dark to be checking? Or are the candles back now? Kirumi did say something about finding ashes on Maki’s body so I’m not sure where else a fire could be from.” Kaede asked them, trying to hide her involvement in the candles being moved to avoid concerning Angie later.

“Not to worry, my new flashlight function was more than sufficient enough to be most thorough in our investigations!" Kibo happily informed her. "Kirumi had said she saw Maki remove a set of candles from this area before, and they are indeed still missing. Aside from that, we didn’t see anything unusual though, so this is unlikely to matter.”

“Even if it is kinda pink for a flashlight…” Tsumugi softly muttered behind him, looking kinda embarrassed for how improvised this "function" was.

“Would you have rathered I used a different color? I should have a more traditional yellow too.”

Before she could get dragged into a debate over Kibo's abilities Kaede quickly tried to excuse herself. “I don’t think that’s the issue, but that’s still good to hear! Now if we could just get the Mono-”

And speak of the devil, there he was. Monosuke’s pacifier was still absent, but he at least had the file in hand that should narrow down when Maki was attacked last night. Or it was a file at any rate. The pad in his paws did look a bit different, like some yellow stripes were doodled on the black half of it last minute.

“No need to get your panties in a twist toots, the Monosuke file’s right here! Just had to get some kinks for it worked out. Nice to see even without using a motive you bastards are still more than bloodthirsty enough on your own to keep this game going! Even when we got some brats insisting on playing house.”

Monophanie was near enough to still overhear him and was none too pleased about his snipe from the look of things. As if to complete the set Monodam came out from Kiyo’s lab too, trying to see what the noise was about which just led to the three bears bickering again. Seeing Monodam wearing Monokid’s shoulder pads did seem to intimidate Monosuke some, though if she noticed Monophanie didn’t care.

As it quickly proved to be just another petty power struggle, and one that didn’t concern the case at hand, Kaede and the others returned to Kiyo’s lab so everyone would have access to the file’s contents.

At the very least it did confirm the fall was what killed her, so the missing katana could be unrelated. She was also killed at midnight which with the council’s curfew further narrowed down their list of suspects.

Being shoved through the railing could also make this look like her killer acted in self-defense. But Maki doesn’t like swords and if she had it then it’d still be here. There’d be no reason for anyone to have hid it, it’s not like we can test blood or anything. Unless they just didn’t want us to know there was a fight?

“See? Atua was right after all! Had Maki heeded His warning like the rest of us she wouldn’t have died-”

Angie barely had time to blink before Kaito’s fist was only inches away from her face, as Gonta stopped him mid-swing. Kaito’s face was more distressed than angry though. Like he couldn’t believe he just tried to hit a girl, but he also wasn’t regretting the attempt if it was enough to make her stop talking like that.

“Bull-fucking-shit! You can’t go blaming the victim for this! It’s not like the killer was following your rules either. Cut the crap with your “divine protection” shit already, you know we’re all in danger right now!”

Despite his words she didn’t seem phased at all. Only a bit of surprise and disappointment showed on her softly smiling face. Kaede could swear she caught a flicker of fear in her eyes, but only for a moment.

“But it’s the truth, isn’t it? Atua said the next victim would die after nighttime again and here we are.”

Ryoma’s eyes were dark and cold but there was no doubt he was nearly as angry about her accusations as Kaito was. Angry enough something about him made him seem larger than he actually was. Tenko was responding badly to it at any rate, but she was posed to try striking at him if he acted against Angie first.

“That doesn’t prove anything. Murders happening when the least people would be out is just common sense on the killer’s part, to limit witnesses, and your rule only made it easier for this to be the case. Don’t go trying to make this sound like this was somehow Maki’s fault. Not without some proof for it.”

That gave her some idea as Angie put a finger to her chin in thought, before turning to Kiyo with a broad grin. “Hey-hey~ that’s an idea! Kiyo said something about wanting to perform a seance before right? Sooo why don’t we just try asking Maki herself?”

“I’m sorry, I thought you were under the impression no one was ever actually killed in this game yes?” Kiyo pointed out, looking suspicious at her suggestion.

“Exactly! So either we can reach Maki, so she is dead and we can just ask her about what happened, or we can’t reach her because she isn’t dead and you and the others will have proof that Atua was right!”

“Or we can’t reach her because Kiyo’s seances are also full of-” Kokichi wisely shut his mouth at seeing the glare Kiyo started sending his way, but Angie’s grin just got larger at the prospect of Kiyo failing too. (Am I seriously watching some sort of occult pissing contest right now? Do we really have time for this?)

“I assure you if all the steps are followed it will work. And we do have all the supplies needed for the Caged Child seance already, we merely need to pick a darkened room to have it performed in first-”

“Why not use a seance you’ve done before huh? Experience would make it easier to work right?”

Kaede was pretty sure Kiyo was pouting as he gave Angie a look. Even his zipper seemed to be frowning. “Well, where’s the fun in that? And besides, I don’t have the supplies for any other seance that would be this… Non-invasive, I suppose you could say. Unless whoever we pick as the medium wouldn’t mind risking some… “Physical changes” while Maki speaks through them.”

“... What sort of changes are we talking about?” Tsumugi looked really nervous over the notion before getting lost in her head again with a finger to her lips. When she came back it was soon replaced with an aura of excitement as a different question occurred to her. “Are you telling me the way Maya and Pearl would change when Mia possessed them wasn’t just a silly excuse to give them her big boobs?!”

“I would say it’d be best for a girl to act as the host to minimize any such risks, but it’s not out of the question no. Though given Maki’s build I’m fairly certain it would have the… Opposite effect on you. However things like the changing of one’s eyes or hair color are typically the more common reactions.” (“Minimize” the risk? Does this happen to guys too? How the fuck is that even supposed to work?! WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS?!?)

“Awww, never mind then. I’m not really sure a plain girl like me would work anyway. Even if red eyes and black hair are the best combination, if I don’t have my blue hair anymore I’ll be even harder to notice...”

“Unless she would have a personal reason to take issue with you I doubt Maki would mind. Any other volunteers? In addition to the host and myself, we need three other people to perform it correctly.”

“What exactly would everyone else be doing?” Tenko asked, looking a bit nervous and guilty as she twiddled her fingers. “‘Cause even if Maki and I kinda look alike I don’t think I’m up for something like being a host either. L-like just in case she’s kinda mad when she comes back.” (Makes sense that if Angie was onboard for this plan the rest of the student council would be too. So I should probably offer to help.)

“Even if she was in a volatile state the medium would be under the iron cage and the dog statue so there no danger of her lashing out at anyone aside from potentially the host herself. Unintended suicides may be something of a... “side effect” in a worst case scenario, but I don’t think Maki was that sort of person. Everyone else would merely be there for the summoning ritual itself, like placing those two objects.” (SIDE EFFECT ?! KIYO STOP BEING SO CALM ABOUT HORRIFYING THINGS. Ugh, I don’t want to do this...)

“Wow~ Kiyo you’re really bad at convincing people aren’t you? But I’ll help you guys out, it sounds fun.”

“Would you rather I lie about the dangers that may be present Kokichi? This was Angie’s idea, not mine.”

As if the terrified look on her face wasn’t answer enough Tenko gave him her most honest of replies. “ YES. TENKO WOULD HAVE GREATLY PREFERRED THAT THANKS. This was creepy enough already...”

“... Ah.” He obviously wasn’t expecting an answer that blunt. “So should I start doing that now then?”

“I’m sure it’s fine. As long as the spirit we get is Maki everything should be okay. She wouldn’t hurt us. Would the medium have to do anything other than just sit there? I could do that I think, but not help.” (Even if Tenko could lift those things by herself I’m not sure I could manage anything else this spooky.)

Kiyo really brightened up at Kaede’s unexpected suggestion, which was nice to see at least. “Yes, I do believe you’d work quite well. Being one of those she was closer to should also make the process go more smoothly. Not to worry, some forms of possession do come with memory loss surrounding the act so if the situation’s setting proves distressing for you it would only be but a... momentary discomfort.”

It almost looked settled, before a solemn but determined looking Kirumi chose to interject.

“No, I think I’d be better suited to this Kaede. Kaito’s still in a rather delicate state and I’m not sure you being involved with this too would help put him more at ease at all. I’d be happy to act as the medium.”

Kiyo was conflicted for a moment as he considered her offer, but even though his eyes indicate he’s still smiling under his mask Kaede couldn’t shake the feeling there’s something crueler about them now.

Maybe he’s disappointed I won’t be a part of this now despite knowing how much I hate this stuff? I mean I am on better terms with him than… basically everyone else, so he might just miss having a friend. Ugh, now I feel kinda bad. This wouldn’t be a problem if Himiko was still here, she’d be up for this.

“On second thought this may be for the best, thank you Kirumi.”

“Are you sure Kiyo? I could try to help with something else if you need me to.”

“No, I think this’ll be just fine. Unless you were exaggerating before about how you thought Kagome, Kagome was “terrifying”, given the Caged Child does have an associated song which it is similar to-”

“Hahaha no, we’re good! You all have fun with that, call me if Maki needs me or something!” (NOOOPE. NOT A CHANCE IN HELL. At least he remembered this now instead of later. Thank you sooo much Kirumi.)

Kaede did her best to ignore the sound of his chuckling and the feeling of Kirumi’s confused stare as she beelined her way out the door to find Kaito and Ryoma. Because she was definitely not running away. She was just trying to help investigate whatever else she could. Absolutely anywhere else.

Besides, finding Ryoma was a good idea anyway. He should know where the candles that belonged in those rooms were which would probably be helpful to have back now. Even if he doesn’t know where Maki left the candles she took, if they split them evenly Ryoma should have at least one for each room.

She found Kaito and Ryoma at the end of the hall, past the three empty classrooms Kiyo wanted to use, into the area that looked more mechanical. Kaito probably took off the second Angie said “seance” as he was clearly having some sort of panic attack again, while Ryoma was comforting him where he could.

At least that’s all she thought Ryoma was helping with before Kaito turned to look at her.

“K-Kaito, are you okay?! You’re bleeding!”

“I know, nothing to worry about. Just bit my tongue wrong earlier, it’s nothing I promise.” Kaito assured her, but Ryoma obviously didn’t buy it which made it hard for her to believe his words. But if he doesn’t want to talk about it there’s probably nothing she could say to convince him otherwise right now.

“Are they seriously going to waste their time on that ghost stuff Kaede?”

“That’s the plan, but I don’t want to call it a waste. I mean I can understand if Angie and Kiyo think it’s the only way they can really help investigate right now. It’s not like we have a whole lot of evidence yet, or any ideas where else to look for some. Speaking of, they probably need those candles back now.”

“Humpf. Likely right about that. Maki and I just put those things in our rooms so I’ll get them. If her’s is locked they’ll still be enough to put one in each room for now anyway. I’ll be right back.” Despite his attempt at an aloof attitude Ryoma was gone in the blink of an eye. It was still a shock to see how fast he could be when he took something seriously, especially up close unlike when he avoided Tenko before.

And this is him being “rusty”, not in his prime or anything! The world of tennis must be super impressive. Maybe I should try asking him more about it some time. He’s mostly just hung out with Kaito, Maki, and Kiyo as far as I know so branching out a bit more might be nice for him. Especially with Maki gone now.

“What are you two talking about?” Kaito asked, but not with suspicion despite their situation. That didn’t make Kaede any less nervous as she decided to answer him honestly, since Angie wasn’t in earshot.

“When I joined the council I was able to look at the motive the bears gave us. It couldn’t be used if Angie couldn’t burn it, so to be on the safe side I asked Maki and Ryoma to hide any sources of fire we could. Since they were the closest to her the candles were the first things to go. Just to buy us a bit more time.”

“Hmm, good thinking then. Ya coulda tried telling me earlier though, I wasn’t going to talk to her.”

“I know, I just didn’t want to risk being overheard or overloading you or anything. Are you really alright? I mean your health wasn’t the best before and now Maki’s…”

“I told you, I don’t need you worrying over me! I’m fine. Guys are tough ya’ know, just focus on yourself.” Kaito tried offering her a cheesy large grin and a thumbs up as if to prove his words, but she knew better. She could see he was pushing himself, but returned his grin with a weak smile and nodded back anyway.

He’s too stubborn to accept anything else from me right now. He’ll just need some more time. Then when he’s ready I can only hope he’ll seek me or Ryoma out. I’m not ready to try fighting with him about this.

Kaede helped Kaito take refuge in the computer lab when she saw Angie, Kirumi, and Kiyo come out of his lab, heading towards the three classrooms. Given what they were saying it sounded like they were just checking to see which of the three should be used for their ritual, to see if any of them “felt” right.

When Kaito insisted he’d be fine there alone Kaede went back to wait for Ryoma and the candles, but she couldn’t tell who went into each room. But Ryoma was true to his word as it was only a matter of minutes before he got back with five candles in hand. Not six. So one room would be short a candle.

She tried asking him about the missing one but he only said he couldn’t find it in Maki’s room. He assumed she may had it with her when she died and then someone else took it, as with the warehouse locked there wouldn’t be that many other sources of fire to burn whatever made the ashes on her body.

Angie’s timing couldn’t be better as she walked out of the middle room at that moment, so Kaede was able to give her the fifth candle to return it to that. Luckily she was too grateful to them for “finding” it to ask how they managed it in the first place, but Kaede couldn’t help but notice her hands had some gold flecks on them that wasn’t there before. At least she thought it was gold, with how they caught the light.

Rather than comment on it, given how messy making art could be and how she just may have missed them before in the lab’s lighting, Kaede took her two candles and headed towards the one on her left as she faced them while Ryoma took the remaining two to the side room farthest right.

She had no idea what a mistake that would turn out to be.

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[kiwisfics]

Vampires and Assassins - Chapter 2

A/N - With my renewed passion for becoming a published writer, these past few days have been a trip. Allowing my grandma to read the beginning of my original novel, deciding that this is how I plan to support myself or at least attempt to. Anyway, throughout my editing I’ve begun adding a lot more plot and I hope everyone will enjoy it.

Summary: Kady Lason wasn’t brave, not that she was going to let anyone other than herself know that. Her actions far from reflect her internal dilemma, leading her on escapades in the middle of the night, far from her turmoil-fueled family life. Which is exactly how she ends up kidnapped and sold into a world that few know exist: a world of vampires. If the shock and fear isn’t enough, she ends up with a target on her back, just her luck. The past is easy to forget when facing threats most saw as myths, but, somehow, everything always ends up connected, doesn’t it?

  The scalding hot water raining down from the shower head received no response, its attempts to be a distraction doing little to nothing to draw my attention from the yelling on the other side of the door. They'd been at it all day. Medication could only do so much to soothe the sickness of anxiety—even with double the prescription—not that the burns on my arms were solving the problem either.   As I stood and exited the shower, the red marks on my body began to sting, the cool air overpowering the numbness. I jumped, breath catching in my throat and chest clenching in the beginning stages of an attack, as the sound of glass shattering reached my ears.   My clothes were on in an instant and the bathroom window opened. I didn’t hesitate.   I never hesitated.

  Unlike the other women, still standing in wait for their new owners, I was instantly approached by the silent guards that had stood watch throughout the violent bidding war.   Comparatively to me, they were giants.   But I wasn't going without a fight.   The moment my feet were released, I swiveled, jumping and slamming my forehead into one of the men's noses. The dull pain in my skull did nothing to lessen my fury and I turned once again, charging the auctioneer with all the furiosity of a threatened beast.   The strain on my wrists when the rope was grabbed tore a hiss from my throat. The pain was just as quickly forgotten as I spun on my heel and aimed my head toward another face.   Before I made contact I was jerked away, my target taking hold of one of my arms while another kept me from attacking once again by taking hold of my other arm.   As they pulled me after the retreating form of the man who had bought me, I began kicking and dragging my feet. Muffled shouts tore from my throat, but I was paid no mind.   Behind the tape, I muttered and whimpered as I fought to get loose, my attempts made all the stronger by the fear brought by the gender of those restraining me. Though I knew my attempts were useless, I refused to go without a fight.   I hadn't learned how to defend myself just to tuck tail the moment the need for defense arose.   I wasn't getting thrown into a man's possession without hurting someone and I didn't care who.   The man in front of us walked leisurely, as if he had no cares in the world, and it brought my burning anger to the forefront of my mind, bypassing any and all remaining fear, where it peaked, pushing my blind panic into submission.   I jammed an elbow into each of the men behind me, satisfaction flooding my chest from just the bruising contact. To my shock, I successfully sent them falling back, bringing a proud grin to rest on my face.   Thank God my distrust of men made me paranoid enough to ensure that I could at least make a quick getaway if ever needed.   I shot off toward the wooded area that enclosed the auction, thanking God again for the flats I'd been given in contrast of the heels most of the women wore. Still, I had only taken a few steps before one of the men tackled me, his aggressiveness making clear the rage he felt at being bested by one of his products.   I slammed against the ground with no way to break my fall, rocks slicing cuts into my face and legs. The man jerked me to my feet with no concern for the now bleeding cuts, not that I had expected any.   Had I been able to use my words, I would have commented on damaging the merchandise, even as my legs began to shake and pressure built behind my eyes.   I had been bought.   Who knew what this man was going to do to me, but I had my reasonable assumptions and they made me sick.   I found myself wishing he had left me to die.   I continued my earlier attempts to escape by thrashing, but as it became clear that my attempts weren't working, I brought one leg forward before slamming it back into the crotch of the man holding my right arm. His already bruising grip on my arm tightened and resulted in a loud cry from my throat, the sound muffled, but audible even through the duct tape.   When I was shoved into an expensive looking limo-like vehicle, I was momentarily stunned into paralysis. Clearly, this man had money.   Of course, rich people weren't rare enough to shock me on their, but we were still close to my small town—and all the other small towns around us—as far as I knew, and there were no rich people anywhere in our rural area, none with a limo. They could spend all the money they wanted on a kidnapped person, but a limo? No way would that, or a convention of "richies" go unnoticed. Now that I thought about it, I could almost swear I had seen some of the people in the crowd before.   Was I even in my town anymore?   I stayed frozen for only a few moments. There was no time to waste on pointless thoughts. I had to get out of this situation.   I pulled my knees to my chest. In my position, alone in the back of this vehicle, I had no reason to hold back when I began slamming my feet against the limo door as hard as I could. Grunting as the pressure shot pain up my calves, I grew more and more frantic as a dent appeared around the door's handle.   Just as I was about to slam my feet against the window, hesitating only in fear of the glass getting in my eyes—a stupid reason in reflection—the limo jerked to a stop, sending me rolling to the floor.   I shook my head as I sat up, already feeling a growing bump where my head had hit, as I wondered what was going on. It was only a few seconds later that the door opened and a man climbed in beside me.   He was taller than the man who had bought me. Taller by at least three inches and broader, bigger than even the men who had dragged me to the vehicle, and he didn't look like he was amused with my pathetic attempt at escape. I scooted as close as I could to the other side of the car, remaining on the floor as I trembled and tried not to let tears fall.   My legs burned and the cuts from the harsh tackle stung, but nothing hurt as much as the pain of fear clutching its icy claws into my heart.   I was shaking. Fear and the obvious burning out of my adrenaline both equal culprits.   I thought a nap sounded like heaven before.   The man didn't say a word, he hardly even glanced at me, while I didn't dare glance away, and he barely moved at all until the limo once again came to a stop.   I peeked out the window to see a large mansion, surrounded by thick trees. The trees would be an easy way to escape, however, getting past the tall fence, which was identifiable as electrified by the caution sign, would be the exact opposite.   An electrified fence?   How extra can these guys get?   The man who had sat in the back with me walked around the car and jerked open the door before he grabbed and lifted me almost effortlessly. I immediately began thrashing as best I could, banging my bound fists against his back—it was easy enough to slip my hands in front of me without much movement, and it was a welcome distraction—and knees against his chest, a well-aimed knee to the face caused him to drop me. Despite the pain—did my wrist just break?—and loss of breath from the fall with no chance to soften it, I immediately shot up and ran toward the trees. Exhaustion had nothing on my will to live.   Though death was a secondary fear at this point.   God men were terrifying.     My path was blocked by yet another man. Unlike the hooded men with fancy leather and metal - something I only begun to question upon his appearance - he was wearing a simple white hoodie and jeans and it took his clothing to remind me that I wasn't in some alternate time or dimension. "Look, just relax." I paused in my fleeing, but hadn't the slightest intention of relaxing; I wouldn't have paused at all if he hadn't bee in front of me. "Just let us explain."   I let a huff out of my nose, glaring at him with all the hate I could muster with my eyes—both for this situation and the fact that I'd been proven right. I knew every bad experience in my life led to dying at the hands of some psychotic man—or men, as it was.   Let them explain? Let them explain why I was kidnapped, or why I was treated like an animal? Or maybe why they thought they had the right to buy me, or anyone for that matter? I tried to convey all the anger I felt through my glare, but it wasn't nearly enough.   Not even a fraction of enough.   And the fear, that was surely peeking through.   My eyes were focused on him so intently and my blood was pounding so loud in my ears, I didn't notice someone else coming up behind me.   A blade pressed itself against my throat as a rough voice spoke against my ear, "Keep running and we'll have to put you down." My panting stopped as I held my breath, lest that blade find its way under my skin.   Explain. Yeah, right.   I tensed, from the presence of the blade, yes, but farther from the way he had phrased that—even farther from how close he was. What gave him the right to talk to me like an animal? I'd never once regretted dropping out of the fighting classes I had been enrolled in before, convinced I knew enough to keep myself safe. I'd much rather spend my time sleeping or being lazy when I wasn't working—save when I needed to get out—but I regretted it now. I regretted it more than I would have ever thought possible.   Tears finally escaped my eyes, running down and hitting the duct tape. The man behind me immediately pulled his blade away and lifted me, as my chest began to heave with my sobs, the day's events finally ushering tears from my eyes.   He shushed me.   The action was so juxtaposed to the situation, so foreign to what I knew, that it threw me for a loop, halting my tears for a moment as my brain struggled to regain some sense of reality.   Because this man, that had been holding a knife to my throat seconds before, did not shush me with all the gentleness someone would award a crying child.   And, more urgently, I was not wanting to relax. I did not want to trust them.   I was so tired. I was so drained. I was so terrified.   I was sobbing again, but I'd grabbed his shirt, fists tight in the fabric.   "Relax," he muttered under his breath as he attempted to get the duct tape off my mouth while continuing to restrain me. I wasn't running now. I was hesitating. "I'm guessing he over-estimated how much of a fighter you are, hm?"   When he finally managed to get the tape off—muttering an almost silent apology as I let out a yelp—he shoved the crumpled piece in his pocket. "There we are, now you can yell all the profanities you want."      I didn't respond, sobs still coming from my throat as he lifted me, bridal style, with ease that I momentarily questioned  Like I was a feather.   Even if I had answered, I wasn't much for cursing, I just didn't do it; it didn't line up with my beliefs and far be it from me to start now when I needed that lifeline the most, not that I'd dare yell at the man who just held a knife to my throat at all.   Finally, I sobbed my first unhindered words against his chest,  "Please don't hurt me."   "Wouldn't dream of it, love."