#finally someone to share with. someone to care for

[crystallinestars]

Just Confess Already! Part 2

Drabbles about Genshin men (or you) confessing with the help of a wingman. This is pure fluff.

Characters: Kazuha, Kinich, Ororon, Wanderer, and Cyno.

Part 1 here.

I apologize if the endings sound abrupt, I've edited and rewritten this many times, and at this point I just want to get this finally posted. I also apologize for the length, my writing style has changed since part 1.

🍁 Kazuha

Everyone and their mother at The Crux could tell you and Kazuha had a thing for each other. The way you guys spent most of your free time in each other’s company discussing poetry or music, the way Kazuha always volunteered to help you with your tasks, how you took care of Kazuha when he got drunk, and just the overall subtle romantic tension about your pair tipped off pretty much everyone.

Though Beidou didn’t want to pry into the love lives of her crew, she’d sometimes catch glimpses of you and Kazuha chatting up in the crow’s nest of the ship and noted that the way you smiled at each other was endearing. Otherwise, she paid little attention to it, thinking it was only a matter of time until one of you confessed and you guys became an official couple.

However, that time never came. The two of you pussyfooted around the topic of laying bare your feelings, and everyone at The Crux was getting a little annoyed that you were stuck in the pining phase. There was a limit to how long Beidou could tolerate watching you give each other pining glances without snapping and telling you two to get together already.

One time when you were out on an errand, Beidou and her crew invited Kazuha for a drink. The friendly and cheerful atmosphere prompted some members to share their life stories, and the topic breached romance. Someone asked Kazuha why he hadn’t confessed to you yet, and the drunken ronin answered that he treasured your friendship and didn’t want to jeopardize it in case you didn’t feel the same way.

Beidou could only scoff at his excuse. It was so obvious that you liked him back, and since when was Kazuha such a coward? He could go up against the Raiden Shogun’s deadly Musou no Hitotachi, but had his tail between his legs at the prospect of admitting he loved you to your face? Preposterous! Moreover, she had to tell her crew to settle down because they were creating a spectacle out of your crushes on each other and making bets on which one of you would confess first (she betted on you).

If Kazuha was too much of a coward, Beidou thought, then maybe you’d be braver.

That same evening, she happened to find you alone in your cabin and took the opportunity to bring up the issue of your longtime crush on Kazuha. Though she was no expert on romance, Beidou wanted to help you. She got you to open up and confide in her, patiently listening while you expressed your fears about confessing to Kazuha. You also didn’t want to ruin the friendship you had with him, so Beidou stated outright that he returned your feelings. If you didn’t believe her, then see for yourself.

With that, she pried open a window in the cabin. Over the gentle lapping of the waves, you heard the crew’s laughter up on the deck, and the faint sound of Kazuha’s familiar voice. It was a little difficult to hear what he was saying over the crew’s chatter, and his speech was slightly slurred, but you made out a few words. He frequently spoke your name while reciting a few clumsy haikus. But they weren’t just any random poems about the sea or sky—they were love haikus.

Beidou patted your shoulder and told you to have courage instead of wasting your life wondering about what-ifs and regretting not doing anything.

Over the following days, Beidou sent you and Kazuha out on joint errands in Liyue Harbour. The errands themselves weren’t all that important, but they served as good excuses to give you two some alone time. Kazuha was no fool and quickly deduced that Beidou was setting you two up on purpose, but he wasn’t about to turn down an opportunity to spend more time with you.

Beidou hoped something would finally change by the time you returned, and sure enough, when she spotted you and Kazuha walking back to the ship, she smiled. The two of you were holding hands and smiling warmly at each other, a good sign that your once-suppressed feelings were now in the open. Naturally, the rest of the crew noticed the change as well and grew excited when you confirmed that you and Kazuha were now in a romantic relationship.

That night, they brought out the good wine and food to congratulate you and Kazuha on finally getting together. Most of the Crux’s crew joined on the festivities, with some members being nosy and asking you for details on how it happened and who confessed first.

When you admitted to confessing first, Beidou smugly accepted her winnings and took a big swig of her drink before yelling out a cheer. Her crew followed suit in toasting and cheering much to your and Kazuha’s embarrassment, but it was all in good fun. Beidou made sure to make it up to you by distracting the crew with a drinking game and sending you a wink as she allowed you and Kazuha to make a quiet escape from the party. The Crux gang would have plenty of time to tease you in the future—for now, you and Kazuha deserved to enjoy this newfound relationship without others poking their noses where they don’t belong. Beidou would make sure of it.

🟩 Kinich

Kinich’s relationship with you perplexed K’uhul Ajaw. The Almighty Dragonlord couldn’t pinpoint when it happened, but something between you two changed. Recently, Kinich had been giving you discounts whenever you asked for his help, and sometimes even did things for you for free. Kinich the Malipo giving someone special treatment? Unheard of! And on top of all that, his servant had been visiting you more frequently during downtime, and there was also that strange glint in Kinich’s eyes whenever he looked at you, something akin to endearment—

Oh.

Kinich liked you.

Oh, this was going to be good!

Ajaw’s diabolical nature wouldn’t let him keep Kinich’s feelings for you a secret. The next time you came to hang out with their duo, the saurian waved his little stubby arms and ran his mouth as soon as you were within earshot. “Hey, human! Our lowly servant has developed romantic feelings for you like some sort of prepubescent schoolboy! Isn’t that a riot?” and cackled, thinking Kinich would be thoroughly humiliated and put in his place.

To Ajaw’s dismay, instead of looking disgusted by the news, you appeared… hopeful? A tad surprised by his outburst, but was that hope shining in your eyes? To Ajaw’s even greater dismay, Kinich lacked any sort of outward reaction to having his crush on you vocalized so brazenly. Instead, the saurian hunter told you to ignore Ajaw’s nonsensical words in his usual calm manner, before smacking the pixelated menace away for a timeout. Right before he got locked away, Ajaw managed to catch a glimpse of disappointment in your eyes when Kinich brushed the situation aside as if it were nothing.

That day, K’uhul Ajaw realized that Kinich’s feelings were not one-sided like he originally thought. You liked Kinich too. The mere thought of you two acting all lovey-dovey with each other was sickening, but the saurian figured poking fun at you and Kinich would be a good source of entertainment.

After that day, Ajaw became even more insufferable. Every chance he got, he’d swoop in with a taunting remark and make fun either you, Kinich, or both.

One time while accompanying Kinich through a dense forest, you slipped on a wet tree root and were sent falling towards the ground. However, Kinich swiftly caught you and pulled you to his chest to help stabilize you. Ajaw had a field day laughing and crowing about how scandalous you were for practically throwing yourself at Kinich like that. Were you that desperate to be in his arms? Disgusting!

The saurian also used every opportunity he could find to reveal all of Kinich’s secrets to you. Did you know Kinich gave you special treatment? No? Are you blind?! Can’t you tell he does stuff for you for free? Why do you think he brings you game and wild berries free of charge every once in a while--to show off how good he is at hunting?! Have you at least noticed Kinich smiled more and acted softer towards you, or are you really that blind? He doesn’t treat anyone else that way, you know! …And so on and so forth, though most of his attempts to out Kinich are interrupted by the man himself locking Ajaw away before the dragon reveals too much.

As fun as it was to watch your pair’s awkward attempts at showing signs of affection for each other, Ajaw eventually grew frustrated with standing witness to the mutual pining that never progressed anywhere. It made the little saurian’s blood boil with annoyance.

Whenever he and Kinich were alone, Ajaw would complain that the hunter should stop being a dimwit and a coward and just confess to you already! How could he not see that you obviously liked him back?! Seriously, how bad was his luck to end up with such an imbecile for a servant?!

Kinich coolly rejected Ajaw’s insistence for confessing his feelings. It was not in his nature to recklessly rush into the unknown—he needed to carefully analyze and weigh his options before coming to a sound decision. As such, his relationship with you was not to be rushed. This didn’t sit well with Ajaw, but no matter what he said, Kinich stubbornly refused to listen.

The Dragonlord’s patience reached a breaking point during one fateful day. It was getting dark, and Kinich had offered to escort you home. Once you were safely at your doorstep, you made the bold move of kissing Kinich’s cheek in thanks. For a split moment, Ajaw swore there was palpable romantic tension between you as your and Kinich’s eyes met (gross). Kinich glanced at your lips, looking as if he wanted to lean in and kiss you (doubly gross) and Ajaw prepared himself to make disgusted gagging noises, except… nothing happened. With a seldom seen blush on his cheeks, Kinich awkwardly cleared his throat and bid you goodnight, preparing to leave.

Ajaw exploded.

“This is painful to watch! You two were clearly made for each other—both equally cowardly and blind to each other’s feelings! Just admit you like each other already; you’re not fooling anyone! Kinich, you cowardly, brainless, insufferable insect—just lean in for that kiss, you obviously want to! And you! Stop waffling and just spit out that you like Kinich already! Agh, watching you two is torture! What did the great K’uhul Ajaw do to deserve this fate?!” he yelled, turning red in the face.

Kinich promptly locked Ajaw away, for which the saurian would later chew him out once he was free, but not before interrogating you and the hunter about whether you finally confessed. Once Kinich revealed that yes, you had talked it out and admitted your mutual feelings for each other and were now in a relationship, Ajaw could finally feel some sense of peace regarding the situation.

Feeling proud of his contributions, Ajaw puffed out his chest and told you and Kinich to pucker up and kiss his feet in worship, for only with the help of the Almighty Dragonlord K’uhul Ajaw has your relationship progressed instead of stagnating like swamp water.

Though the saurian relic continued to be an annoyance, even Kinich had to admit that Ajaw played a part in getting you together. Though not in the form of worship or foot kissing, Kinich did repay the favor by procuring some quenepa berries and other fruits that Ajaw liked, hosting a small feast as a thank you. Though Ajaw complained about being scammed, the snacks did the trick of improving his mood and keeping him occupied while you and Kinich had some precious time to yourselves.

🦇 Ororon

Ever since you and Ororon were children, Citlali observed that the two of you got along well. So well, in fact, that Ororon had developed a little crush on you. He would pluck flowers from a nearby meadow to give you, follow you around like a loyal puppy, and one time, Ororon told Citlali that he hoped to marry you one day.

Citlali couldn’t help but find Ororon’s crush on you adorable, and a part of her anticipated the day when you both grew up and got married. She had no doubt you would make the sweetest couple among the Masters of the Night-Wind.

Ororon’s attraction to you persisted into adulthood. At that point, Citlali could no longer call it a cute little crush— “Love” was a more apt description for how Ororon felt towards you, even if he tried to hide the depth of his attachment to you. He was content to stay as just your friend and not risk ruining the close bond you had in case you didn’t return his feelings. Citlali was a little frustrated that Ororon continued to pine for you without doing anything about it, but she knew better than to force the stubborn boy to do something he didn’t want to. If you were both happy with the way things were, then why change them?

However, during one of her rare trips to the market for some divination supplies, Citlali overheard a conversation between two tribespeople. The topic of conversation was about love, and one of the men bashfully admitted that he thought you were pretty and that he hoped to ask you out on a date soon. This news washed over Citlali like a bucket of cold water as worry seized her heart.

This wasn’t the first time others had expressed romantic interest in you. After all, you’ve always had a bit of a reputation among the Masters of the Night-Wind for being attractive, so it wasn’t surprising others had an eye on you. However, now that you were an independent adult, it wouldn’t be strange for you to look for a partner to settle down with, right? Knowing Ororon, the dimwit wouldn’t ever think to confess, and what if someone else confessed before he did and stole your heart?

Citlali didn’t want to force you to choose Ororon, but she didn’t want things to end without her beloved grandson at least taking a shot at winning you over. The last thing she wanted was for Ororon to be left heartbroken and disappointed all because he let the chance to be with you slip from his fingers.

With these troubled thoughts, Citlali sought out Ororon and announced that he needed to stop dawdling and actively pursue you unless he wanted to watch your heart get stolen by somebody else. Citlali’s sudden proclamation confused Ororon, so she explained that he’s not the only one who is in love with you and that there’s a risk of you choosing someone else to spend your life with.

As she expected, Ororon stubbornly refused to go along with her urging, saying that who you wanted to end up with was your choice and he would respect it. Though he said that, Citlali could see it on Ororon’s face that the mere thought of you falling for someone else hurt him, and she couldn’t help but feel bad for her grandson.

After much convincing and reassurance, Citlali got Ororon to agree to court you and promised to come up with a plan to help him in this endeavour. There was, however, one major problem: how were two socially awkward outcasts supposed to win someone’s heart? Having never been courted herself, Citlali had no past experiences to draw from when designing her plan, but it shouldn’t be too hard, right? She’d read a lot of romance novels imported from Inazuma, so maybe if she got Ororon to do some of the same things the male leads did, then it would curry your favour? Regardless, it was worth a shot.

The plan was for Ororon to prove his worth as a suitable partner by giving you gifts, compliments, and always being there for you no matter what it was. In Ororon’s opinion, he was already doing all of these things for you as a friend, but Citlali insisted that his actions needed to be infused with romance to distinguish them from gestures of friendship. Her grandson was still reluctant to actively court you, but he had promised to try and try he did. Except, his approach subverted Citlali’s expectations.

When it came to giving gifts, instead of presenting jewellery, woven scrolls, or useful gadgets, the young man gifted you game he had caught in the wild and the best selection of produce from his garden. Citlali could only facepalm when Ororon told her which gifts he planned to give you, but she also knew he put genuine thought into them. Ororon handpicked the nicest veggies he could find in his garden and personally delivered them to your doorstep instead of sending Ifa like he normally would. Citlali told him that giving gifts in person held more meaning, and Ororon appeared to have taken her words to heart.

Ororon also gifted you flowers much like he did when you were little. However, this time he didn’t give you flowers plucked from the wild. Instead, he gifted you potted plants that he had also grown in his garden. “They will live and look pretty for longer,” he told you, then received a flick to the forehead once Citlali found out what he did.

His compliments were no better. Saying things like his vegetables grew better whenever you visited his home and spoke to his plants or your presence being calming for the aphids, was the best Ororon could do. Citlali admonished him for these strange compliments, but to Ororon, that was the highest praise anyone could receive. After all, you were an amazing person, and even his plants and aphids sensed it.

Ororon’s courtship was unconventional to say the least, and granny Itztli worried whether her grandson made a favorable impression on you. To help improve Ororon’s image in your eyes, Citlali sought you out more often to put in a good word for her grandson and get you to see him as a man. She highlighted Ororon’s good points to you, commenting how Ororon is a bit peculiar, but he’s also kind, resourceful, accepting, gentle, and so much more. A truly good kid. He would make an excellent romantic partner, wouldn’t you agree?

Her pushiness flustered you, but it also allowed Citlali to gauge how you felt about Ororon, and she had to contain her excitement when she pieced together that you loved him back. In her giddiness, she urged Ororon to confess.

When the day of the confession came, Citlali hid among some trees while keeping an eye on you and Ororon. She didn’t intent to spy, but the anxiety over how the confession would go made her antsy and she couldn’t sit still at home. She watched as Ororon offered you a basket of his finest produce and finally professed his love. The confession came out awkward because he tried to recite what he practiced with Citlali a few days prior, and he seemed to realize this because Ororon then took your hand and placed it against his chest. Using his own words this time, Ororon explained that he genuinely did love you, and the racing of his heart should be proof enough that you were more than just a friend in his eyes. However, it was alright if you didn’t feel the same way about him.

Citlali had to clamp her hands over her mouth to hold back from squealing in giddiness as she watched you reciprocate Ororon’s feelings. She would later apologize for spying since she knew it was wrong, but it filled her with joy to witness the blossoming of love between you. In some ways, this was better than any romance novel she had read in all her years of living, and it warmed her heart to see you both so happy.

Even if it was a childhood fantasy, perhaps Ororon’s wish of marrying you was not that far off now? Citlali certainly hoped so.

☂️ Wanderer

Nahida was no expert on romance, but she had observed enough couples during her 500-year-long imprisonment to know what romantic attraction looked like. The strange air surrounding you and Wanderer must have been that, she speculated, as she watched Wanderer hand you a box of your favorite foods with the flimsy excuse of having made too much. For your part, you seemed genuinely touched by the gesture despite Wanderer’s grumbling, much to Nahida’s delight. Wanderer’s prickly personality pushed some people away, but not you. You stayed by his side and gave him the companionship he needed, helping Wanderer open up and heal from his trauma.

It was clear you deeply cared for the young man, and a little peek into your mind confirmed to Nahida that yes, you did love him romantically. She couldn’t read Wanderer’s mind since he blocked all her attempts to do so, but she didn’t need mindreading to conclude that he loved you too.

When she next spoke with Wanderer, she carefully asked if he loved you. Wanderer’s response was a gruff “No” and “Stop asking”, however Nahida could tell he wasn’t being honest with his feelings. If he didn’t love you, then why did he treat you differently compared to everyone else? His manner of speech is gentler when with you, and despite all his grumbling he still complies with all your requests no matter how irritating he may find them. Not to mention, he spends most of his free time in your company, goes out of his way to make you little gifts and cook your favorite dishes. Surely all these behaviours were proof that you were someone special to him?

Being effectively cornered, the puppet had no choice except to come clean about his hidden feelings. With scowl and a blush on his cheeks, Wanderer reluctantly admitted that yes, he likes you, but it was none of Nahida’s business and she’d better stay out of it.

Despite Wanderer’s warning, the Dendro Archon wanted to help get you together. She felt confident that if both of you put in a little effort, a beautiful romance could blossom between you. Still, she didn’t want to outright reveal your feelings for each other. She believed that each of you should relay these intimate feelings yourselves. All Nahida would do is give you a gentle nudge in the right direction.

To help her with this task, Nahida sought help from a few Aranara and asked them to keep an eye on you and Wanderer and report any meaningful details that could help her bring you together. Through her little helpers, Nahida learned the full extent of Wanderer’s affections for you, and she couldn’t help but smile at how sweet he was, especially when it came to you.

Using this acquired knowledge, the Dendro Archon frequently brought up Wanderer in your conversations with her to explain the thoughtfulness behind some of his gifts and words. For as frank as he usually was with people, Wanderer was more close-lipped about the true extent of his feelings, so Nahida had some work cut out for her in making you realize how much he truly cared about you.

For example, the next time Wanderer gave you your favorite food with the excuse that he’d made too much, Nahida revealed to you that he actually spent several days perfecting the recipe before finally giving the dish to you.

That hand-made bracelet he gifted you, saying he got it for free during an arts and crafts event he visited? Wanderer actually made it himself during that event and used beads of your favorite colors. The Aranara watched him spend a lot of time crafting that bracelet with the greatest care, but Nahida left that part out.

In addition, she would subtly drop hints for you to invite Wanderer to hang out more often. For example, the Zubayr Theater was hosting a play and Nahida heard there was a discount if you bought two tickets. Why don’t you go and invite Wanderer to come with you?

As for Wanderer, she discreetly told him that you once mentioned wanting to try out a new drink at Puspa Cafe but had nobody to go with, so why not be a good friend and take you there himself? Wanderer initially objected, but ultimately caved in and invited you to the Café while commenting that a certain annoying sprout said you wanted to try a new drink there, though deep down he glad for the opportunity to spend more time with you. Nahida could tell by the way Wanderer went out of his way to spoil you that day, buying you anything you wanted and keeping you company until the sun set.

Little by little, Nahida softened Wanderer towards the possibility of being in a romantic relationship with you, and helped you gather the courage to confess. Wanderer was unlikely to ever confess first, so the responsibility rested on your shoulders. She could tell you were nervous about laying bare your feelings, but she reassured you that things would go well. You only needed to take that leap of faith.

When you finally confessed, Nahida and the Aranara secretly observed the scene from behind a nearby corner, curious to see how things would go while also quietly cheering you on (not that you knew). When a flustered Wanderer accepted your confession, Nahida was overjoyed. She had fun guiding both of you towards this moment, but the satisfaction of knowing you could finally be together the way you always wished was rewarding in its own way. Even when Wanderer later confronted her about spying on you during your confession and scolded her for it, the little Archon’s happiness didn’t wane. She looked forward to seeing what your newfound relationship would blossom into, and had no doubt it would be something beautiful and pure, just like your love for each other.

👁️‍🗨️ Cyno

It was no secret to Tighnari that you and Cyno liked each other. He had known about your mutual crushes as far back as your student days at the Akademiya where you first met. You became fast friends with him and Cyno, but Tighnari couldn’t help but think Cyno was a bit more special to you than you let on. After all, you were one of the few who wasn’t intimidated by Cyno’s perpetual stern facial expressions and actively sought him out, and who actually laughed at his lame jokes.

Tighnari also knew about Cyno’s crush on you since his friend confided about it to him. Not that Cyno needed to say anything because Tighnari could see his attraction to you clear as day. Cyno’s eyes lit up whenever he saw you in the distance, he tried to act “cooler” in your presence in an attempt to impress you, and Tighnari swore that if Cyno had a tail, it would have wagged like a dog’s every time you laughed at his jokes.

Though he knew about your mutual romantic attraction to each other, Tighnari didn’t want to stick his nose into your love lives. He figured you guys would resolve everything yourselves in due time.

However, nothing changed even after you guys graduated. Your group remained close friends and saw each other regularly, but Tighnari was starting to lose his patience with how you and Cyno hopelessly pined for each other. He had already lost count of the number of times each of you came to him for advice on how to win the other over.

Cyno asked Tighnari’s opinion on a lot of things: Would you like his newest joke? Would you be okay with Cyno volunteering to be your bodyguard for your upcoming desert excursion? Which of his limited edition TCG cards best represented you? Cyno wanted to express how much you meant to him by giving you a card that reminded him of you.

You were no better. Tighnari had lost count of the number of times you approached him with questions about Cyno’s work schedule. Your excuse was that you wanted to plan hangouts with him, Collei, and Cyno during their days off, but Tighnari knew there was another reason why you asked about Cyno’s schedule in particular. He had half a mind to tell you to ask Cyno yourself because it was obvious that you just wanted to spend more time with the General Mahamatra. You also pestered Tighnari with questions about Cyno’s TCG deck. Much like his friend, you wanted to express your appreciation for Cyno by giving him cards he didn’t have yet.

Seriously, you two were a match made in heaven…

Tighnari would have found your mutual crushes on each other endearing, if only he wasn’t stuck being the middleman. As it stood, Tighnari wanted nothing more than to throttle both of you for pussyfooting around your feelings and getting him caught up in being your messenger. He was on the brink of snapping and sitting you both down to explain that your feelings were mutual, so just hurry up and get together already.

That’s why the next time Cyno approached him with another question about you, Tighnari took the opportunity to convince his friend to confess. He and Collei assured Cyno that you liked him a lot, and urged him to tell you his feelings. Cyno was hesitant but did seem to want some closure about whether you liked him back or not, so Tighnari gave him an incentive. How about the next time he played TCG with you, you guys set some stakes? Why not have a rule that the loser must tell the winner a secret? If Cyno lost, he would have to confess.

Cyno wasn’t fond of the idea initially, but agreed after some contemplation, acknowledging that this method would be effective in giving him that necessary push. Still, Tighnari could tell Cyno was nervous about confessing, so he volunteered to come along as moral support, much to Cyno’s gratitude.

That was how Tighnari and Collei found themselves at Puspa Cafe, sitting a few tables away from you and Cyno, hidden from your line of sight. Tighnari tutored Collei while Cyno played that fateful round of TCG against you, but the Forest Ranger kept a close eye on his friend. Though he didn’t want to get too invested in Cyno’s love life, even he couldn’t help but grow anxious as he watched the TCG match end with Cyno’s loss.

Although Tighnari was too far away to hear what Cyno was saying, he could tell the moment of confession had come. Now, the ball was in your court.

You looked stunned by whatever Cyno said, but soon smiled and said something that made Cyno mirror the happy expression on your face and reach out to hold your hand. Though he couldn’t hear, Tighnari knew you had reciprocated his feelings. Even Collei quietly fawned over how cute you both looked. It had been a long journey, but he was truly happy for his friend. Out of everyone, Cyno was happiest with you, and Tighnari hoped you would continue to make him happy for many years to come.

With everything ending well, Tighnari beckoned Collei and discreetly left the cafe before you or Cyno noticed. As happy as he was for you guys, he dreaded the possibility of Cyno coercing them into a TCG match. With how elated his friend must be right now, it was only a matter of time until Cyno called him and Collei over for a new game to celebrate you accepting his feelings. In Tighnari’s opinion, you guys deserved to have some proper time to yourselves to explore your feelings and new relationship without him and Collei serving as thirdwheels. That, and he just really didn’t want to sit through another hour of watching Cyno show off for you.

[indecisive-gm]

Well, I need to get myself to do some kind of writing. This one'll be in English, the next one in German

Deutsche Übersetzung: Nun, ich muss dazu bringen, ein bisschen zu schreiben. Dieses wird auf Englisch, das Nächste wird auf Deutsch.

Jamie woke up and looked around. The room was dark enough that she couldn't see anything. Her legs were asleep, but she could feel the cold metal of the chair on her arms and the rope tied around her wrists. What had happened? The last thing Jamie could remember, she had been on her way home from a trip to the store. Someone must have snuck up on her and abducted her. Maybe Ryla's advice about walking with other people at night in the city wasn't such a bad idea.

The lights turned on, blinding Jamie for a moment as her eyes adjusted. When she could see again, she recognized the face of the person coming in from the door.

"Roger!" she sighed. "It's you! How did you find me?"

Roger didn't speak. Not too unusual for him. He was polite--even pretty friendly once you got to know him--but he was quieter and often focused on getting to business. He immediately walked around behind Jamie's chair and started fiddling with the rope.

"Sooo, which one of them sent you to come get me?" Jamie jested. Roger glared in response. "Oh, I know you care. I was just messing with you!"

The knot in the rope tightened, and Roger took a step back. This wasn't right. Jamie knew Roger could tie and untie knots; he'd helped her tie her bike with a chain when she forgot the lock for it. It wasn't likely a joke either. Roger never had much of a sense of humor.

That's when another figure entered the room. Jamie didn't know him, and he didn't look friendly. He was followed by two other men, each with a gun visibly holstered. The man looked at Jamie and grinned. "You still got it in ya after all, Tim."

Roger grumbled, "Yes. did you think I didn't?"

"We had to be sure," the man in the suite responded. "What, with this running off and taking on a new name. We needed to be sure you were still part of the family." He stepped forward and put a hand of Roger's cheek. "We are, aren't we?"

Roger met eyes with Jamie. What was he going to do? Jamie had thought he was a nice person--even a good friend--up until now. When Ash's phone got a virus, it was Roger who fixed it and recovered the files. When Jackson fell down the stairs and broke her leg, it was Roger who had made a splint on the spot and instructed everyone on what to do to help her. When boys from one of the fraternities made lewd comments at Ryla, it was Roger who scared them off before things escalated. And when Jamie first came to the city, it was Roger who helped her get settled in in the group's shared apartment. After all this, was this really who he was?

Roger looked back to the man in the suit. "Of course."

The man chuckled and slapped Roger on the back. "Good to hear, my boy. I knew you were a smart one. Let's clean up here and go back home."

The men started to leave, and Roger followed. As the door was closing, Jamie heard the man speak again. "Timmy, you know better than to leave loose ends like this." The door shut, and Jamie couldn't clearly hear the rest of the conversation.

BANG! Gunshots erupted from the other side of the door. Jamie was too scared to scream. Silence followed, and blood pooled under the door.

After a minute or so, the door started to open again. Jamie closed her eyes and prepared herself for it to be over. Maybe Roger had held true for a final standoff, but that was over. And now her life would be over too.

She felt something tug at the rope on her wrists. "They shot my right arm. I'll need you to listen to my instructions to help get this rope off of you." It was Roger's voice!

"Roger! You're-"

"Alive, yes. Let's... not speak of this, ok?"

"But..." Jamie took a moment to think about what had happened. Roger's association with the mob would explain some of his skills, but it opened more questions. Where to even start?

Roger answered, "Ash and Jackson would just be scared if they found out, and Ryla has enough on her plate already. Besides," he gestured to the dead bodies just outside the door. "These guys won't be waking up any time soon, and the rest of the gang will be too shaken by the incident to come after me. There, now pull your left hand out."

Shaking the slight numbness from her left hand from where the ropes had decreased circulation, Jamie shook her head. "Fine, I'll try not to let them know." Looking over at the dead gunmen, Jamie said to Roger, "You're sure we shouldn't at least call the police?"

"And get myself arrested too? I'd rather not. Pull on that loop now. No, the other one."

The rope around Jamie's right hand fell loose to the ground, and she stood up. And immediately fell over. "Ow!"

"Yeah, careful. You've been sitting down for a while, and you took a pretty bad scrape when I knocked you out before."

Waiting a moment as she rubbed her legs and felt the prickle of feeling returning to them, Jamie thought about the situation. "Why wait until now?"

"What?"

"Why wait until now to kill those guys if you knew it was going to happen anyway? You didn't need to kidnap me like that!"

"I... wasn't sure what to do." Roger looked down in shame. "I thought I was free, so I was caught by surprise when they found me. I followed their orders up until now, hoping to avoid the worst." He looked up at Jamie. "But I'm not willing to do the worst to avoid the worst. I want to help people, and I want to be a good friend." They both stood in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry for what happened. It won't happen again."

Jamie looked around the room one last time. With the light and not having to fear for her life about the people in front of her, she could actually get a good look at everything, not that there was much to see. It was a small cellar room, almost like a closet. Just outside the door, she could see a water heater and a washer and drier. Fortunately, this wouldn't be the last room she would see. Roger almost killed her here, but things could have ended worse. Looking back at Roger, no longer entirely sure what to think of him, she offered, "Well, I guess we can go home now?"

"Ah, not just yet." He gestured to his right arm which had been shot and to the blood all over his jacket and pants. He walked past Jamie to the drying machine and took out a clean pair of pants. "If I could borrow that closet for a second."

Jamie waited a moment in the laundry room while Roger changed pants in the cellar closet. This wasn't what she had expected, but how much could she really blame Roger? He was in a bad situation and did what he could. He had been one of the kindest and most helpful people she had known up to now. Was she ready to throw that away?

Roger came out of the cellar closet in a fresh pair of pants and without his jacket. "I found this old gym bag in the corner of the room. It looks like it hasn't been used in a while, so I don't think the owner will miss it too much. It'll help hide the bloody clothes." With a t-shirt and fresh sweat pants, he looked more like himself--though the slightly bloody torn cloth wrapped around his arm was new.

No, Roger had helped everyone else when they needed it, Jamie wouldn't be giving up on her friend now. Roger had clearly been through a lot. He had definitely hurt people, but he was trying so hard to do better, and had become a reliable figure to look up to for others. This was a horrible day, but Roger had done what he could in the end, and Jamie couldn't fault him for that.

"Let's get you to a hospital for your arm."

"No," Roger replied. "I've dealt with this before. I'll survive."

"You've helped us, it's time I do something to return the favor. We can stop at home first to drop off your jacket and pants."

Today you just found out your roommate with strange hobbies, like knowing how to pick a lock, knows how every puzzle and cipher by heart, or how to commit tax fraud, and so many other things, wasn't a guy with ADHD, he was an ex-assassin and now you have a gun pointed at your face

[fishnapple]

Healing yourself & Helping others

We often talked about the wounds of Chiron in Natal chart, the pains associated with Chiron placements, but I think exactly because of those wounds that the native can obtain a deep understanding of the matters related to those wounds, and can sympathise with other people who experience the same kind of pain, understanding creates kindness.

Where Chiron is in your chart will always be a sensitive spot. Exactly because it's such a sensitive spot that we pour so much effort into it, always be mindful of it, we might excel at it, become a master, but might never feel good enough.

Through healing the other person, we, in turn, would also be healed, it's a kind of projection. There's often an element of unfulfilled dreams, dreams were thwarted or the feeling that the reward isn't worth the effort. In extreme case, this can manifest as projecting our failed wishes and dreams on other people and burdening them with the responsibility to make them come true. On a lighter note, we would want to see the other person success in our stead, to see that someone finally made it. And here is where our Chiron can actually help people, making us a great counsellor, a teacher or a cheer leader in that matter. We help people in the matters related to the sign/the house Chiron is in, the aspects Chiron makes to other planets. In turn, we are known to people by our Chiron. Yes, Chiron can be a fame indicator, not by shining on its own, but by helping others shine.

What about ourselves? will we forever have to endure that pain of Chiron? We might actually find peace and healing through the positive manifestation of the sign/the house opposite of Chiron. The two opposite ends of an axis always provide answer to each other.

So don't associate Chiron with just wound and pain, associate it with the gift you can give to the world and in turn, the reward you can receive through the act of giving.

The way Chiron in each sign/ house and aspect finds healing and helping others:

Chiron in Aries/ in 1st house/ aspecting Mars

The wound: being judged as too direct and aggressive, having trouble in asserting yourself and putting yourself first, wound about your appearance & sexuality, self-confidence issue, fear of accidents, physical pain

How you heal yourself: be considerate of others when asserting yourself, be direct in a tactful way, be in the company of people that allows you to be yourself without judgement, find an aesthetic that matches you and makes you comfortable, allow yourself to explore your sexuality and desires without judgement, practice prudence

How you help others: help others stand up for themselves, give people courage to take the initiative, boost people's confidence, make others feel protected, be a role model, spread body positivity, normalise "defects" in appearance, stand against bullies

Chiron in Taurus/ in 2nd house/ aspecting Venus

The wound: finding security and stability, being objectified, feeling lack, self-loathing, placing values on external validation, finding independence, over indulgence

How you heal yourself: focus on your inner life to find true stability within, financial independence, let go of unhealthy attachments, listen to gut feeling and body's response to everything, take good care of your body and health

How you help others: generous with your resources, understand the pain of "lack", fundraiser, be the rock for other people, have a stabilising effect on people, help people beautifying themselves, , promote mindfulness in spending and healthy consumption

Chiron in Gemini/ in 3rd house/ aspecting Mercury

The wound: voicing your thoughts, being unheard, not feeling intelligent enough, being too talkative or too quiet, mental/ physical restriction, being neglected, favouritism, being misunderstood

How you heal yourself: be honest & objective, explore diverse subjects, learn constantly, share your knowledge with others, travel frequently, widen your perspective, see life in good humour

How you help others: help people find their voice, spread awareness about mental illness, create a safe space for others to express their ideas, understand different viewpoints in a conversation, be the voice of people, soothing voice, humour, a good listener and a story teller

Chiron in Cancer/ in 4th house/ aspecting Moon

The wound: birth trauma, abandonment, being neglected, lacking care and nurture, feeling unsafe in your own home, unstable family environment, repression, being ridiculed for your emotions, mother wound & complicated relationship with motherhood

How you heal yourself: build your own family, emotional stoicism, assume responsibility for your own emotional and physical well-being, give yourself the utmost respect, find peace and safety in structure & order, let the desire to have children come naturally along with your maturity, look for stability and resilience in a life partner

How you help others: provide shelter and protection, create/support programs for children, donate to causes, charity, raise awareness about vulnerabilities, make others feel safe to express their emotions, "sensitivity is not a weakness", be present for other people

Chiron in Leo/ in 5th house/ aspecting Sun

The wound: struggle with feeling creative enough, discouragement of expressing individuality, being yourself is painful, self- confidence issue, feeling not appreciated (especially in childhood), invisibility, having trouble acting carefree and playful, father wound & complicated relationship with fatherhood, feeling unlucky in love, physical pain

How you heal yourself: find your own community that will welcome you, surround yourself with children, being unapologetic in expressing yourself, revel in weirdness & uniqueness, being your own audience and your own judge, detach yourself from your own creations

How you help others: promote creative activities in everyday life, nurture other people's creativity, give space to people to express themselves without shame or guilt, acceptance of other people's individuality, humble, caretaker

Chiron in Virgo/ in 6th house/ aspecting Mercury

The wound: not feeling good enough, feeling like you have to constantly perform well, perfectionism, being nitpicked, judgmental, being denied consistency and stable routine, exploitation, mental & physical health issue, overworked, feeling hard to relax

How you heal yourself: take good care of your emotional and spiritual health, good sleep, incorporate quiet moments into your routine, be kind to yourself and tolerate your mistakes, treat yourself with compassion like how you treat a vulnerable person, have patience

How you help others: tolerance towards mistakes, encourage people to notice small beauty in life, good at giving detailed and practical advice, help others build a more efficient routine and work process, excellent organiser, spread awareness about the struggle of illnesses, advocate for green and healthy lifestyle

Chiron in Libra/ in 7th house/ aspecting Venus

The wound: being indecisive, having to choose between asserting yourself vs keeping the peace, feeling unlucky in love and partnership, being betrayed, witnessing bad examples of partnership, being judged as superficial, not feeling beautiful and lovable enough

How you heal yourself: be direct and honest with your desires, practice interdependence in relationships, take good care of yourself first before attempting to take care of others, be bold in your style, setting boundaries

How you help others: be a mediator, independent, fair to people, polite, know when to compromise, try to make people comfortable, change beauty standards, relationship counsellor, make a team work, help people work together, take commitment seriously, fight for equality

Chiron in Scorpio/ in 8th house/ aspecting Pluto

The wound: witnessing deaths early on, fear of mortality, boundaries violation, experiencing paranormal activities that left scars and fears on your psyche, having the wrong kind of people attracted to you, sexuality exploration is considered taboo and restricted, having things taken away from you, having your secrets exposed, lack of privacy, trust issue

How you heal yourself: setting boundaries, emotional stoicism, surround yourself with stable and orderly environment/ people, minimalism, ground yourself/ connect with nature, practise your own brand of spirituality, listen to your body's response , explore your sexuality in your own safe place and by your own pace

How you help others: fierce protector, keep people's secrets, counsellor, fight against and spread awareness about abuse, allow space for others to explore their own psyche and sexuality

Chiron in Sagittarius/ in 9th house/ aspecting Jupiter

The wound: having your freedom restricted, further education is denied, feeling like a stranger in your own family, being chastised for being too honest/ too blunt, constant moving, being taught distorted views about the world, having problems with spirituality and religions, having your faith challenged, constantly being shot down, lacking boundaries and guidance

How you heal yourself: listen to different viewpoints, strive for diversity in your pursuit of knowledge, know when to get up and get out of situations, question various schools of thought before committing to one, take a light-hearted approach in communication

How you help others: setting an example for being truthful, support and advocate for the right to education, hype people up, make people have faith again, humour, stay open-minded and help people see a different perspective, make people feel accepted, guiding and teaching

Chiron in Capricorn/ in 10th house/ aspecting Saturn

The wound: being demanded perfection constantly, having to perform, stifle yourself to keep an 'image', being attacked/ criticised/ scruntinised openly, feeling that you have to do more than others to be recognised, having your goals and plans thwarted, being restricted in any form, father wound, trouble with authority

How you heal yourself: allow yourself to express vulnerability and emotions in front of others, keep your goals and ambitions close to your heart/ avoid discussing them too openly, act quietly, be kind to yourself when you're disappointed, allow yourself alone time/ away from public's eyes, place importance on emotional fulfillment when considering a life partner

How you help others: a pillar of strength that people can lean on, be exemplary, help others find authority in themselves, support and help others achieving success, build people up, give structure, show the importance of mastery

Chiron in Aquarius/ in 11th house/ aspecting Uranus

The wound: being considered weird/different, struggle with a sense of belonging, loneliness, being misunderstood, feeling excluded, bully, trouble building a long lasting friendship, sudden upheavals, feeling like you never get what you wish for, feeling like you are living a wayward life

How you heal yourself: have fun with yourself, find your own niche and focus on it, spend time for hobbies, express your individuality more but in a warm and nonserious manner, bond with people who have the same interests and hobbies, play with children

How you help others: make others feel welcomed in a group, bring excitement, acceptance of people's many quirks and unique self, fight against bully, encourage others to follow their dreams, strive to do good, support humanitarian causes

Chiron in Pisces/ in 12th house/ aspecting Neptune

The wound: experiencing losses early in life, being lost, lacking boundaries, boundaries violation, nightmares, solitude, struggle in feeling real, addictions, disillusionment, being betrayed and back stabbed, lacking a firm structure and guidance

How you heal yourself: practise meditation daily, setting up routines to follow (especially sleep routine), consider swimming, take good care of your physical health, muse about small beauties in everyday life, practise discrimination when you're asked for help or to do something, avoid sharing about yourself too much

How you help others: counsellor, provide understanding ears, charity, support humanitarian causes, help people find peace, soothing, empathise with people's suffering, provide spiritual guidance, create art that can speak directly to people's souls

About me | Masterpost

[aurumalatus]

two.

a short series in which you share a multitude of kisses with childhood friends to lovers!kinich over your lifetime.

your bedroom feels overwhelmingly hot.

the a/c is on, you know because your curtains are billowing from the cool air pooling from the vent underneath them. summers are always this warm, when the humidity grows high and sweat sticks to your skin in layers.

kinich is laying on your bed, fanning himself with a stray magazine he had plucked from your nightstand. on days like these, it's too hot for you to even make the walk to the park down the street, or to the skatepark. you'd be drowning in sweat before you made it there, you're sure.

"so you've never kissed anyone?"

you don't even really remember how the conversation started. all you know is that the two of you had been talking about things you'd never done before, and you'd arrived at this. the girls in the locker room had been discussing it—their first kiss—including who it was with and what it was like.

the mere thought makes you gnaw at your lip, tension filling the room.

"...have you?" you reply, glancing over to your best friend. he doesn't seem nearly as bothered by the subject matter as you are.

"nope. i don't really care though," he sighs, which is so typical of him, you think. unlike you, kinich cares very little what the other kids in your grade think of him.

but you care, and you're starting to worry that you're falling behind in that...developmental area. you've managed to deflect any questions about the topic from the other girls in your class, but you fear that you won't be able to keep it up for long.

kinich sits up, shuffling forward on your bed to stare at where you sit on the ground. his gaze is inquisitive, and you suddenly feel very vulnerable.

"but let me guess," he starts, tossing his makeshift fan aside, "you care."

as always, he has you all figured out. after a moment of hesitation, you nod.

"i do. i know it's lame, but i feel like the other girls will think i'm..."

"a prude?"

you sigh. "something like that."

another moment passes before kinich is crawling off the bed, sitting cross-legged before you. his proximity makes the heat worse, but you don't hate it.

"alright," he shrugs, scooting closer. "then i'll kiss you, and you can tell everyone it was me."

you flinch in alarm, head knocking against the drawer of your wooden dresser. kinich's eyes widen, hands already outstretched toward you, but you interrupt him with your own spluttering.

"wh-what?! what are you talking about? you can't just do that!"

he tilts his head. "why not? is it because you're embarrassed for it to be me?"

"no!" you defend instantly. you'd never be embarrassed to be around kinich. "but...don't you want it to be with a girl you actually like?"

"i do like you."

you shake your head. you know what he means, but you were implying a different kind of like. still, the thought of sharing your first kiss with kinich isn't...awful. it's a bit comforting to share it with someone you trust, even moreso when you know that he hasn't done it before either.

finally, after thinking on it a bit more, you nod firmly.

"okay."

kinich raises a brow. "okay?"

and then he's leaning in, and you don't know whether to close your eyes or leave them open. you're trying to remember every teen romance movie you've ever watched after your mother went to bed, but your memory fails you. but he's already so close, and you rush forward a little too fast and—

your lips bump together clumsily, and you wince at the feeling. it's weird, certainly, and you're honestly not sure if you're doing it right at all. you can feel kinich's lashes brushing against your skin, and the feeling makes you shiver.

it's chaste, so brief that it's over before it even really registers in your mind that it happened. your mind is racing by the time kinich pulls away, and you find yourself meeting his eyes far too quickly.

his gaze is warm. "that okay?"

you nod, wondering what the blooming feeling in your chest could mean.

"yeah," you reply, swallowing thickly. "it was okay."

[pinkslipxox]

Billie x momreader fluff?

omg yes, ofc! Hope you like it! 💞

——————————————————————————

In the softly lit apartment, the world outside was muted, the only sounds being the distant hum of city life and the gentle music spilling from Y/N’s speaker. The air was filled with the sweet scent of vanilla candles melting away the day’s worries. Billie and Y/N sat closely on the couch, tangled in each other's warmth and laughter. The chemistry that crackled between them had only intensified over their time together, drawing them closer in a tender connection that felt just right. Y/N's heart swelled with happiness; it was moments like these that made her feel truly alive.

As Billie leaned in, her breath brushing against Y/N's skin, they found themselves lost in a sweet kiss. Billie tucked a stray strand of Y/N's hair behind her ear and kissed her neck. Y/N let out a soft sigh, relaxed and safe in the embrace of the woman she adored. Just as Y/N tilted her head back, surrendering to the moment, a sudden sound broke their peaceful world. The soft padding of little feet could be heard, and a tiny voice called out, “Mama?”

The spell of their intimacy shattered, replaced by a rush of reality as Y/N’s four-year-old daughter, Ivy, appeared at the entrance of the living room, her big eyes wide with worry. It was clear she was still shaken from her nightmare, the remnants of sleep clinging to her like a fuzzy blanket. Y/N’s heart melted. Instantly, Y/N’s maternal instincts kicked in.

“Sweetheart, come here,” Y/N said gently, quickly shifting into the role of the caring mother. She opened her arms, her heart swelling as her daughter rushed forward, seeking comfort.

Billie instantly adjusted, her warm smile directed at the little girl. “Hey there, sunshine,” she said softly, moving to make space on the couch. “You okay?”

Y/N’s daughter climbed onto the couch, snuggling against Y/N’s side. “I had a bad dream,” Ivy confessed, her tiny voice trembling slightly.

As Y/N held Ivy close, Billie leaned in further, her face close to theirs. “Do you want to cuddle with us? I can keep the monsters away,” she offered, an endearing sparkle in her eyes that pulled Y/N in all over again.

The little girl nodded, her face lighting up at the prospect of having Billie join their cozy little trio. “Yes, please!” she chirped, settling down between her mom and Billie, who instantly wrapped her arms around both of them, exuding warmth and safety.

As they settled in, Y/N felt an overwhelming sense of love and admiration for Billie. She was so gentle, so understanding, treating Y/N’s daughter with all the care one could hope for. Billie playfully brushed her fingers through the little girl’s hair, glancing down with a bright smile.

“You know, you’re the bravest kid I know,” she said, making the little girl giggle.

Y/N couldn’t help but smile at the scene before her. Billie was incredible, embodying everything she had hoped for in a partner—someone who respected her time, her role as a mother, and loved both her and her daughter wholeheartedly.

Billie turned her attention back to Y/N, their eyes locking in a moment of shared understanding. Billie leaned in closer, her lips almost brushing Y/N’s ear as she whispered, “I love you so much, mama. And I love Ivy too.” The tenderness in her voice wrapped around Y/N’s heart like a soft embrace.

Y/N’s cheeks flushed with warmth, her heart swelling at the sweet declaration. She leaned her head against Billie’s shoulder, feeling safe and cherished in that little bubble they had created. Her daughter, nestled comfortably beside them, sighed contentedly, finally letting go of her fear.

In that gentle moment, as they all sank deeper into the couch, it became clear to Y/N that love didn’t have to be complicated. Here they were—a beautiful family in the making, woven together by affection, laughter, and an unbreakable bond that would only grow stronger with time.

[davinawritings]

Hi, i found your blog and see you open request so I'll try my luck here. Please if you wouldn't mind writing an alien x human (f! Reader) with forced kiss/forced makeout (or literally just the alien tongue-fucking reader's mouth) it doesn't have to be smut or having sexual intercourse but if you want to add it that'll be up to you.

Thanks ✨

Hello! Thank you so much for the request ❤️ I hope you enjoy 💕🖤❤️

Warning: Forced makeout, cheating

Aliens made contact with Earth four years ago, and the two different species have made a vow of peace. Over the last few years, many aliens and humans have participated in an exchange program of sorts. The alien and human will exchange lives for six months, giving each species the opportunity to learn more about the other. Your boyfriend decided to sign up, and within a month, the arrangements had been made.

It has been just over 2 months since your boyfriend left Earth, and Eltath has come to live with you in your boyfriend’s place. You have come to really enjoy Eltath’s company. He was always kind and loved when you taught or showed him new things about the earth. He also happily answered any of your questions as well.

Today was like many others. You took him exploring around the city. Most of the days were spent just walking and talking with each other. You had decided on a quiet night in with some movies, something Eltath had come to enjoy very much in his time on earth.

You had previously stuck to history and nature documentaries, wanting to give Eltath all the knowledge you could, but you wanted to give you both a break from learning. After flipping through your options, you finally landed on a romantic comedy, one of your favorites.

You both watched in silence, with the occasional laugh, until the end, when the two main characters finally got together and shared a passionate kiss.

You could hear the innocent curiosity in Eltath’s voice when he asked, “What are they doing? They are pressing their mouths together”. The questions catch you off guard. You had not considered the fact that aliens may have alternative courting rituals and displays of affection. Your cheeks warm with slight embarrassment as you attempt to straighten your thoughts and provide him with an answer.

“Well, Eltath, they are kissing. On earth, it is a way to show someone you like them, a form of affection that humans show each other,” you replied, trying to give a more simple answer.

He nods before asking, “So when humans want to show another human they like them, then just press their mouths together? And all humans do that”.

You fiddle with your hands as you attempt to explain better, feeling slightly awkward with the conversation. “Not all humans kiss each other. It is only with others that you like and one may give different types of kisses. A small kiss on the cheek can signify love or care, while a kiss on the mouth signifies much deeper care and likeness for someone. Then with the people you really like, you may have a deeper kiss using tongues”.

Within seconds, he has moved next to you on your couch and has your face cradled in his large hands. You open your mouth to question him, but before you get a single word out, his long tongue enters your mouth. His tongue is much longer and thicker than a human’s, and he uses it to explore the entirety of your mouth.

You whimper and try to get his attention by pushing on his body, but he just keeps you held firmly in place. You work on breathing through your nose as Eltath seems to have no intentions of pulling out to let you breathe.

Tears spring to your eyes as he moves further back, using the tip of his tongue to start exploring your throat. He pushes forward and pulls it back rapidly, essentially fucking your mouth with his large tongue. You whimper helplessly, knowing this is wrong. You have a boyfriend, and yet here you are getting tongue fucked by an alien. And worse, you can’t help but get turned on by his actions, feeling your pussy start to get wet from him using your mouth.

Suddenly, Eltath pulls away, and you gasp for breath. You stay still as you watch him smile and say, “I like you very much, so that is how we will show each other from now on. Good night. I will see you in the morning for breakfast, and perhaps I will show you how we show our affection on my planet,” he says before walking to the guest bedroom.

As you lay in bed trying to sleep hours later, you wonder how you will explain to him that it is only your boyfriend who should be kissing you like that, though kisses with your boyfriend had never felt so intense or gotten you wet as Eltath did. Eltath also said he would show you how his kind shows affection. You don’t want to confuse him even more on human affection before he can show you alien affection. It just makes sense to wait for now. Right?

🖤💕❤️❤️💕🖤

[lexirosewrites]

This is a famous Au, with rockstar A!Eddie and bodyguard O!Steve. Steve was always bigger for an omega and Robin helped him feel comfortable in his body. So, Steve felt able to keep working out and could even take down alphas if needed.

Steve's dad didn't like having such a strange omega son, when having an omega son was bad enough. So, Steve was kicked out and he panicked. He didn't want to force Robin to take him in or go to Joyce or Hopper about it.

Out of pure luck, there was an ad for a bodyguard. There would be a big background check and they would have to wear scent patches at work. Steve thought it was perfect. He could pretend to be something other than an omega and never let someone else tell him he wasn't a good omega.

Steve doesn't know the artist but soon enough he meets the alpha. Eddie is a wild but kind man. But more than that, he smells like Steve's mate. But even though he's right by Eddie, the man never really gets to know him. And Steve's had to push the others back who claim to be Eddie's mate. So, he doesn't say anything. It feels like rejection that Eddie can't smell him year after year.

Robin says he's being ridiculous because over the years, Steve's just kept his patches on longer and longer. To the point where even his house doesn't smell like him anymore. But Steve shrugs her off, his omega feeling beaten down after so long being close to his mate and not being able to hold him or be held by him.

Then there's an accident during a show where Steve covers Eddie with his own body to protect the man. And he loses his hearing in the process. Since it was Eddie's fault, Eddie feels guilty and spends time at Steve's bedside. However for the first time in a long time, Steve can't wear the patches. His scent is extremely weak and Eddie hears from the doctor himself about how patches worn for long periods of time hurts your inner designation. And that it seems like Steve never really took his off between being with Eddie, on call for Eddie, or only having a day here or there off.

Robin is there for Steve and she hates the alpha on principle for causing so much pain for Steve. Along with the fact that even after years and years of them working together, Eddie hadn't known his name. Like Eddie didn't care about his staff or anyone other than himself. Steve has no ill will towards Eddie because he sees Eddie as who he really is. He knows the man is kind and good, Eddie just forgets that sometimes.

As Steve heals, Eddie pushes himself to learn sign language and starts befriending those on his staff. He meets the kid at pyrotechnics, Dustin, who is a huge fan of Eddie but also basically Steve's little brother. He meets his make-up artist and costume designer the twins, El and Will, another one of Steve's kids. His soundboard techs, Max and Lucas, is almost more vicious over Steve than Robin. One of the people who help write his songs, who he actually did know, Mike, was surprisingly protective over Steve and angry with Eddie after the attack.

Eddie realizes that Steve befriended more of Eddie's staff than Eddie is. Eddie's guilty but Steve isn't mad. No, Steve never even accepted Eddie's apology. There was nothing to apologize for.

As time goes one, Eddie feels like shit but he's really trying, he just got swept up in performances and everything on his schedule. Soon he's escaping to Steve who finally got Eddie to understand that he hasn't stopped working in years. Every party, every show, interview, photoshoot, they were all performances. Eddie's never taken off that mask he started with and he's tired.

He finds comfort in Steve's scent and soon Eddie's basically living out of Steve's small 2 bedroom apartment that he shares with Robin.

“rockstar alpha eddie is lowkey an asshole” is an underrated agenda tbh!!! like yes he is self absorbed, but it’s not intentional and he has room to grow! in the meantime, steve will be a good enough person for both of them😭

also bodyguard omega steve 🥵🥵🥵

[icarusredwings]

Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik. Cuddly Cherik.

If Charles had taken the hint and asked him to stay, like genuinely, 'made him stay' but only so he could ask him to live with him.

To stay with HIM.

I imagine they're in bed, Charles is already half asleep, but Erik pulls him close and gives him a sappy nuzzle. Charles lets out a sleepy little chuckle and reaches back to put their foreheads together, but Erik steals a little peck. The chuckles turn into laughter as he puts his head back, both embarrassed and feeling so fluttery.

Erik thinks something along the lines of how nice it is to finally share a warm bed with someone who gets him, and (telepathically of course) Chuck tells him that he was just thinking the same thing. Squeezing him a little tighter, Erik can't help but smile like a moron, putting his face into his shoulder, letting Charles reach back to caress his head.

A couple moments later he moves just a tad, only for him to pull him closer. At this point Chuck looses it, becoming a giggly mess.

'Im not going anywhere,' he says to him, just moving his hand to hold the one around him, finally settling into the 4000 thread counted sheets, the heavy comforter over them both keeping them warm and snug. A relieved sigh comes out of him as he realizes just how happy he is with him. And how long he's wanted it.

He could drown in this bedding with Erik and wouldn't have a care in the world.

This happens each and every night, and neither of them would have it any other way.

And yes. Charles does adopt the habit of sleeping in while Erik is always up first, to bring him tea and go for his morning runs.

The X men tease them for it, how they're like an old married couple, but in reality, Hank is thanking god that their beach divorce isn't anyones problem anymore.... for now.

[specialgradefckr]

tw: emotional incest/enmeshment, codependency, abusive/neglectful childhood

thinking about how satoru gojo could never be normal about having a twin, even just a fraternal one.

he's the six eyes. his birth is celebrated, it shakes the world.

you were just... born.

except the moment they take you to another room he starts crying and he won't stop. he can't even tolerate being put in a different crib. he has to be next to you at all times.

satoru gojo who is born with separation anxiety. you've always been be his side, even in the womb. he can't be away from you.

how you grow up together, going to the same special classes for jujutsu prodigies. satoru on a lonely journey to master the six eyes while you sit next to him quietly reading romance novels.

you have the family technique, of course. maybe your birth would have even been celebrated, if it weren't overshadowed by a power that comes around every six generations or so.

instead, all anyone can ever talk about - think about - is the legendary six eyes, reborn at last. he is showered with gifts and praises and expectations.

satoru gojo knows what he's worth to his family as soon as they plant ancient texts in front of him to learn from.

he's power. the confirmation of their supremacy over their rivals that they've been waiting for. he was born a winner, and the gojo clan is eager to claim their share of the winnings.

but to you? he's your one and only brother. for you, loving him is as easy as breathing.

you're not dramatic like heis, you don't burst into tears the moment you're separated. no one would care even if you did - it was always about what the young lord needed and wanted.

no. instead you're a silent shadow, washed out by his spotlight, ever-clinging and following wherever he goes, wordlessly.

satoru only has to look in your direction for you to share the toy or book you're carrying, offer his hand for you to hold, sit down so you can play with his hair.

he places a kiss on your cheek, or squeezes your hand, or hugs you when you go to sleep, and it wins him an easy smile, one that feels as precious as gold.

when he's with you, he's happy. warm. what those other people want and do doesn't matter. he only has to amuse himself, and you.

you're always with him, just like he's always with you. even if you're not looking at him, you're in his orbit, a constant presence that calms him as the years go by.

he doesn't follow you into the bathroom or throw a fit when you leave his sight, but only because he knows you'll return soon - you want to return soon.

satoru who sees his parents for the first time when they come to visit you.

he's a legend, and his parents weren't fit to raise someone like him. that was arranged from the moment of his birth, even if they were rewarded for producing him.

his rearing and training was of concern to the whole gojo clan, to be done by the best that money could by, with no room for attachments. they only suffered you so long by his side because he was inconsolable otherwise.

satoru who sees them meet with you, talk to you with eager faces, eyes glancing over him with hesitation and nervousness.

they're not here for money or power. they don't want anything to do with him. they want you.

you, a normal child, their child, who they could finally take home now that satoru was old enough.

satoru gojo who doesn't let them take you away. who doesn't feel bad, not even a little bit, when he sends his (your) parents away with a chilling, six-eyed glare.

the only family you need is him.

(you're the only family he'll ever have).

[blackenedsnow]

hi! i love your writing :)

i head canon that shadow volunteers for mental health organizations where they help people because he’s been there himself and wants to help people.

can you do a platonic shadow x reader one shot on that? reader is an extremely mentally ill person that shadow finds at the place he volunteers?

a quiet kind of hope

WARNING: Themes of severe depression, intrusive thoughts, implied self-isolation.

PAIRING: Shadow the Hedgehog & Reader

NOTE: Hi!! Oh my gosh, thank you for this sweet request. Shadow volunteering for mental health organizations is such a perfect headcanon—I love the idea of him channeling his past struggles into helping others. Thank you for trusting me with something so tender. Please take care of yourself. Sending love your way <333

SUMMARY: At a community mental health center where Shadow volunteers, he finds himself drawn to you—a quiet, lost soul in need of someone who understands.

The fluorescent lights of the community center hummed faintly above as you sat tucked into a corner, knees drawn to your chest. People came and went, their footsteps echoing against the scuffed linoleum floor, but no one seemed to notice you—or if they did, they didn’t stop.

You weren’t sure why you’d come here. Maybe it was the promise of a warm drink, or the idea that someone might listen without judgment. Maybe it was just somewhere to go when the walls of your apartment felt too heavy to bear.

Shadow walked past with his usual quiet purpose. He didn’t hover or pry, but his presence was impossible to ignore. He was there enough to seem imposing, yet somehow still approachable—his crimson eyes catching the light like embers as he glanced around the room.

It wasn’t until his third lap near your corner that he finally paused.

“You’re not here for the coffee,” he said, his voice low but not unkind.

Startled, you looked up at him. Shadow didn’t sit; he crouched down instead, resting one arm on his knee to meet you at eye level.

“Are you waiting for someone?” he asked.

You shook your head. Words felt too heavy to form.

Shadow tilted his head, studying you. There was no pity in his gaze—only patience. He knew better than to push for answers you weren’t ready to give.

“I’m Shadow,” he said after a moment. “I volunteer here. If you need anything—or if you just want to sit quietly—that’s fine.”

His presence was steady, like an anchor. You nodded hesitantly, unsure if he would leave or stay. To your surprise, he moved to sit on the floor nearby, keeping enough distance to give you space but staying close enough to show he wasn’t going anywhere.

For a long while, neither of you spoke.

It became a pattern over the next few weeks. Shadow never forced you to talk, never asked for more than you were willing to share. Sometimes, you’d sit in silence while he worked on paperwork or handed out supplies to other visitors. Other times, he’d offer simple observations—a comment about the weather, or a quiet remark about how the coffee was even worse than usual today.

He made it easy to exist without expectations.

One day, when the room was emptier than usual, you finally found the courage to speak.

“Why do you do this?” you asked, your voice barely louder than a whisper.

Shadow glanced up from his clipboard. For a moment, he looked almost surprised.

“I’ve been where you are,” he said simply. “I know what it’s like to feel… stuck. Like there’s no way out. I had help when I needed it. This is my way of paying it forward.”

His honesty was disarming. You stared at your hands, picking at a loose thread on your sleeve.

“It doesn’t feel like it’ll get better,” you admitted.

“It doesn’t, at first,” Shadow said. “But it can. Slowly. The first step is the hardest—you took it when you walked in here.”

His words settled over you like a blanket—not an instant cure, but a quiet reassurance. For the first time in weeks, the weight on your chest felt just a little lighter.

Over time, your conversations grew longer. Shadow never pushed you to share more than you were comfortable with, but he listened intently to everything you said. He remembered the little details—your favorite tea, the book you were slowly working through, the things that scared you most on bad days.

In his own way, he showed you that it was okay to take up space in the world.

You didn’t realize how much you’d come to rely on his presence until one evening, when the community center was unusually quiet. You’d been lost in thought, staring at the fading light outside, when Shadow appeared beside you with two steaming cups of tea.

“For you,” he said, setting one down carefully.

You blinked up at him. “Thank you. For everything.”

Shadow’s expression softened, just enough for you to notice.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “You’re doing the hard part. I’m just here to remind you that you’re not alone.”

But one day…

The space you usually occupied in the corner of the center was empty.

Shadow’s sharp gaze swept across the room again, as if expecting you to appear any moment, but the hours ticked by, and the door remained closed.

It wasn’t unusual for people to miss a day here or there—life had a way of pulling people in unpredictable directions—but this wasn’t like you. You came to the center every time it was open, like clockwork, even on the days when you barely said a word.

Shadow couldn’t ignore the heavy feeling settling in his chest.

“You looking for someone?” one of the other volunteers asked as she packed up for the night.

Shadow nodded, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “Yes. A regular.”

She smiled sympathetically. “Maybe they just needed a break. Sometimes it’s overwhelming for folks.”

“Maybe,” Shadow replied, but the doubt in his voice was evident.

He stayed a little longer than usual, tidying up stray cups and chairs as an excuse to linger. When it became clear you weren’t coming, he left, stepping out into the cold night air.

The thought of you walking home alone—head down, shoulders hunched—stuck in his mind.

The next day, you still didn’t show.

Shadow’s unease grew, twisting into something sharper. He tried to focus on his tasks, but his mind kept circling back to the hollow ache in his chest. He hated how familiar it felt.

When the center closed that evening, he made a decision. He wasn’t the type to sit around waiting for answers.

He remembered fragments of things you’d shared in passing—your neighborhood, the street you lived on. Shadow wasn’t one to pry, but he had a way of listening closely, piecing together the little details others might miss.

The streets were quiet as he walked, the night heavy with the kind of stillness that pressed against his ears. He found your building easily enough: a squat, aging structure with peeling paint and a flickering light by the entrance.

He climbed the stairs quickly, his footsteps echoing faintly.

When Shadow knocked, there was no answer.

He tried again, harder this time. “It’s me,” he called. “Shadow.”

For a long moment, there was only silence. Then, faintly, he heard movement inside.

“Go away,” came your voice, muffled and small.

Shadow’s ears twitched. You sounded exhausted—hollow in a way he hadn’t heard before.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.” he said, his tone firm but not harsh. “But I need to know you’re okay.”

Another long pause. Eventually, the door creaked open just a crack.

You didn’t meet his eyes. Your face was tired, your shoulders hunched as if the weight of the world was pressing down on you.

“I’m fine,” you muttered, but the words were unconvincing even to yourself.

Shadow’s gaze softened. “You’re not.”

The door opened a little wider, and he could see the state of your apartment—the cluttered surfaces, the curtains drawn tight against the light. It was clear you hadn’t been taking care of yourself, and the sight of it made something tighten in his chest.

“I didn’t want to go today,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t want to do… anything.”

Shadow stepped inside carefully, closing the door behind him. He didn’t speak right away, giving you time to retreat to the edge of your bed. You sat with your head in your hands, your breaths uneven.

“I know how that feels,” he said quietly, moving to sit on the floor near you. “Sometimes the world feels too big. Like you can’t face it.”

Your fingers curled tighter into your hair. “It’s not just that,” you said, your voice cracking. “It’s… everything. It’s all wrong, and I can’t fix it. I’m just—” You stopped, choking back a sob.

“You’re overwhelmed,” Shadow finished for you, his voice steady. “That doesn’t make you weak.”

Your breathing hitched.

Shadow leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “You’ve survived this long. That means you’re stronger than you think.”

His words weren’t flowery or overly comforting—they were simple, grounded in truth.

“Why do you care so much?” you asked, your voice raw.

“I told you before. I’ve been there,” he said without hesitation. “I know how lonely it feels. I’m not going to let somebody drown in it.”

Shadow stayed with you that night. He didn’t push you to talk, but he also didn’t leave. He tidied the room quietly, opened the curtains to let in the moonlight, and made sure you drank a glass of water before you finally lay down.

As you drifted off, his words lingered in your mind: You’re not alone.

For the first time in days, it felt like you weren’t.

[playboysaleen]

Through Ash and Iron (3)

Jinx x Reader x Caitlyn

Just keep letting me cook ok?

Summary: Through Ash and Iron plunges you into the heart of Piltover’s gritty streets, where you’ve always felt the weight of your family’s failures. Rejected from the Junior Enforcer Program, your anger burns brighter than ever—until one fateful punch changes everything. The eyes of Piltover’s elite may look down on you, but it’s the wild eyes of Jinx that truly see you. She’s chaos personified, and you’re drawn to the destruction she promises. But that’s not all. Caitlyn Kiramman, a poised enforcer with a soft spot for rebels like you, offers you a chance to rewrite your future—if you can control the rage you can’t seem to escape.Torn between the order Caitlyn represents and the dangerous freedom Jinx offers, you stand at the crossroads of two worlds. As your power grows, so does the tension between these two women. One promises a chance at belonging, while the other ignites a fire you didn’t know you had. But the choices you make will change everything—not just for you, but for both cities teetering on the edge of war. Who will you choose? And how much of yourself will you lose along the way?

Warnings: Violence duh, gay panic(lol), cursing, all that jazz (whatever you seen in Arcane is what you gon see here)This is also a slight AU.

Word Count: 4.4k

A/n: Reader is masc cause this was typically just for me to read but i decided to share it with you all so. Enjoy.

_________________________

Sevika pushed open the door to Jinx’s lair with more force than usual, the heavy thud echoing in the dimly lit space. Jinx sat cross-legged on her worktable, absently tinkering with a small device, her purple eyes glowing faintly in the shadows.

“Got news,” Sevika said, her voice unusually strained as she moved deeper into the room.

“Unless it’s about the moon exploding or Enforcers turning into frogs, I don’t care,” Jinx muttered, not looking up.

Sevika didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she paced, her metal arm twitching slightly. When Jinx finally glanced up, she frowned at the tension rolling off the older woman.

“It’s about Isha,” Sevika said, her voice low.

Jinx froze, her hands stilling on the device. Her eyes narrowed. “What about her?”

“She’s been taken. The Enforcers got her during the rally.”

Jinx’s face hardened, her fingers curling tightly around the small contraption in her hands. “And you just let them take her?”

“Wasn’t a matter of letting them, Jinx. It was chaos,” Sevika snapped, then sighed heavily. “But there’s more. A lot more.”

Sevika moved toward the balcony, nodding for Jinx to follow. With a huff of annoyance, Jinx slipped off the table, trailing after her. Stepping outside, Sevika leaned against the railing, nodding toward the empty courtyard below.

“Down there,” Sevika began, her eyes narrowing. “She’s been at it for the last twenty minutes.”

Jinx followed her gaze to see you in the courtyard, the remnants of your rage etched into the ground. Shattered crates and barrels littered the space, and you were pacing furiously, shouting into the void. With a guttural scream, you grabbed a heavy metal pipe from the ground and hurled it across the yard like it weighed nothing, the force causing it to embed itself into a distant wall.

“Damn,” Jinx muttered, her brows lifting.

“She went feral during the rally,” Sevika said, her tone grave. “I’m talking tearing through Embessa’s most advanced Enforcers. She ripped the armor off one like it was paper, Jinx. She’s got strength I’ve never seen—speed, too. But it wasn’t just that.” Sevika turned to face Jinx fully. “Her eyes. They sparked. Purple. Like—”

“Shimmer,” Jinx finished, her voice quiet but sharp.

Sevika nodded. “She’s got control… mostly. But when she loses it, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. She’s a weapon, Jinx. A dangerous one. But right now, she’s losing it, and if we don’t get her calmed down, someone else is gonna try and stop her—and we know how that ends.”

Jinx’s gaze lingered on you, something flickering in her expression—curiosity, concern, and something deeper she couldn’t quite name. “That’s her,” Jinx murmured, almost to herself.

Sevika frowned. “Her who?”

Jinx leaned on the railing, watching as you threw another heavy object clear across the courtyard with a shout. “The one I saw. She’s the key, Sevika.”

“The key to what?” Sevika asked, skeptical.

Jinx didn’t answer. Instead, her lips twisted into a smirk that didn’t quite hide her unease. “Doesn’t matter. She’s ours now. We’ll figure it out.”

Sevika glanced at her sideways. “Okay, great. But how exactly do we calm her down? Look at her.”

As if on cue, an unlucky soldier who had wandered into the courtyard to reason with you ended up hurtling through the air, slamming into the wall beside Jinx. The soldier slid down with a groan, leaving a visible dent in the concrete.

Jinx didn’t flinch, though her eyes flicked back to you. She sighed dramatically. “Guess it’s my turn.”

Sevika raised a brow. “You sure about that? She might throw you next.”

Jinx shrugged, already heading for the staircase. “I’m good at dodging.”

When she reached the courtyard, you were pacing, your fists clenching and unclenching as your breath came in ragged gasps. Your eyes flashed purple again, and Jinx felt her stomach twist. Still, she kept her usual banter in place.

“Y’know, if you keep throwing things, there’s not gonna be much left of this place. And I just cleaned up,” she teased, her voice light.

You didn’t respond, barely even acknowledging her. She stopped a few feet away, tilting her head as she watched you.

“Hey,” she tried again, her tone softening just slightly. “Look at me.”

Still nothing. Jinx hesitated, her fingers twitching before she finally stepped forward, grabbing your face with both hands.

You froze at the sudden contact, your wide eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, neither of you moved. Jinx’s breath caught in her throat as she stared into your eyes, the faint purple spark flickering like lightning in a storm.

Déjà vu washed over her, an overwhelming sense of familiarity she couldn’t place. Her grip on your face tightened slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s you…”

Your eyes flickered back to their normal gray, and your expression crumpled. The rage drained from you all at once, replaced by a deep, aching guilt. “I’m sorry,” you murmured, your voice breaking. “I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t save Isha.”

Jinx stared at you, stunned by the vulnerability in your voice. Her hands slipped from your face, and before she could think better of it, she pulled you into a tight hug.

You stiffened in her arms, the gesture so unexpected it left you speechless. Jinx swallowed hard, her voice uncharacteristically soft as she whispered, “We’re gonna get her back. All of us. You hear me?”

You nodded against her shoulder, the faintest tremor in your movements. For once, you didn’t have a sarcastic comeback, just a quiet, shaky breath as the weight of her words settled over you.

⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

Jinx tinkered with her weapons at her workbench, the steady clink and scrape of metal echoing in her lair. Across the room, you stood silently in front of Isha’s pillow fort, the light from her colored lamps casting a soft, almost melancholic glow over your face. Jinx watched you out of the corner of her eye, her hands slowing on the tools.

You leaned down, pulling off your long-sleeve shirt, revealing the toned muscles of your arms and back. Tattoos, intricate and vibrant, ran along your skin, telling stories of battles, losses, and survival. You stood in just a black muscle shirt, your chest rising and falling with deep, measured breaths as you stared at the fort.

“What did you mean?” you asked softly, breaking the silence.

Jinx looked up, confused. “Mean about what?”

“What you said out there. About it being me,” you clarified, your voice steady but low.

Jinx froze for a moment, her tools hovering mid-air. She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, her mind flickering with flashes of a distant past. A kid. A memory she couldn’t fully grasp.

“It’s… nothing,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “Just… a feeling.”

You turned away from the fort and approached her workbench, your sharp eyes scanning the arsenal. She held out a rifle to you, but you waved it off with a small shake of your head. Instead, your attention fell on a set of knives, their blades painted with vivid, chaotic colors.

“These’ll do,” you muttered, grabbing them and securing them in your belt. You pulled a black bandana from your pocket and tied it around your neck, adjusting it to hide the tattoos along your throat.

You turned back to Jinx, your expression calm but determined. “Let’s go save the kid,” you said simply, your voice carrying a cool confidence that made her pause.

Jinx blinked, momentarily stunned by the weight of your words and the effortless power in your demeanor. She swallowed, trying to mask the strange feeling bubbling in her chest, but the voices in her head were already stirring.

“Look at her… she’s too strong for you.”

“You’re getting soft, Jinx. Don’t let her change you.”

“She’s doing it already—you feel it, don’t you?”

Jinx clenched her fists, her breathing quickening. She slammed her tools onto the bench, her knuckles whitening.

“Shut up,” she muttered under her breath, her eyes darting nervously.

“She’s not like the others.”

“You’re changing, Powder. And it’s because of her.”

The voices swirled, and for a moment, Jinx’s head throbbed with the chaos. Then, a new voice, softer and steadier, broke through the din.

“She’s helping you, Jinx. She’s pulling you back.”

Jinx’s eyes widened, and her breathing hitched. She looked up just as you paused at the door, your hand on the frame. You glanced back at her, your gray eyes calm but piercing.

“You ready?” you asked, your voice cutting through the noise in her head like a blade.

The voices fell silent, replaced by an eerie calm. Jinx blinked, her lips quirking into her usual smirk to hide the vulnerability that had threatened to surface. “You’re really bossy, y’know that?” she teased, grabbing her gear.

“Someone’s gotta keep you in line,” you shot back, your tone light but edged with sincerity.

Jinx chuckled as she moved to join you, her usual bravado settling back into place. “Let’s see if you can keep up,” she quipped, brushing past you.

Together, you descended the stairs, where Sevika was waiting with her arms crossed. Her mechanical arm whirred faintly as she raised an unimpressed brow at the two of you.

“Finally,” Sevika muttered, eyeing you both. “We’ve got a port waiting. Let’s move.”

The three of you headed out into the depths of the Undercity, weaving through the dark alleys and tunnels toward the transportation point. The faint hum of the city buzzed in the background, a stark contrast to the tense silence that hung between you all.

Jinx fell into step beside you, her teasing mask slipping just enough for a flicker of something softer to show through. You caught her glance but didn’t comment, the quiet resolve in your expression saying everything that needed to be said.

For the first time in a long time, Jinx felt a sliver of certainty—a steadying presence in the chaos. It was unnerving, but she couldn’t deny it. Something about you was different, and for the first time, she wasn’t sure if that scared her or gave her hope.

 ⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

        Caitlyn sat on the floor of her quarters, surrounded by a sea of papers, record books, and scattered files. A glass of whiskey rested beside her, the amber liquid half-gone as she sipped distractedly. Her usually meticulous living room was in disarray, evidence of her relentless search for answers. The soft glow of a single lamp cast her shadow against the wall, and her tired eyes scanned through the faded ink of yet another report.

The door opened, and Vi stepped in. She paused at the sight before her, crossing her arms with a raised brow. “What the hell, Cupcake? Did a tornado hit in here, or are you just redecorating?”

Caitlyn barely looked up, her focus pinned on a file. “Vi,” she muttered, her voice weary, “I’m busy.”

Vi stepped further into the room, crouching beside the mess. “Yeah, I can see that. What’s all this about? You’re running yourself ragged. What’s got you so wound up?”

Caitlyn hesitated, setting the paper down and rubbing her temples. She didn’t want to admit it—not even to herself—but the weight on her chest was unbearable. “I… I can’t stop thinking about her,” she finally said, her voice trembling slightly.

Vi’s brows knit together. “Her?”

“Y/n,” Caitlyn whispered, the name laced with something deep, raw. She closed her eyes as the floodgates began to open. “There’s something about her, Vi. Something I can’t explain. From the moment I saw her…”

Vi leaned back, tilting her head. “Go on,” she urged gently.

Caitlyn opened her eyes, her gaze distant. “Her eyes,” she started, voice thick with emotion. “They’re like windows to a world I can’t even begin to fathom. They hold stories—pain, loss, strength—that I desperately want to know. When she looks at you, it’s like she’s offering you a piece of herself, but only just enough to make you crave the rest.”

Vi watched silently as Caitlyn poured out her heart, something she rarely did.

“And her smile,” Caitlyn continued, her lips quirking in a small, bittersweet way. “It’s not like anyone else’s. It’s small, fleeting, but it holds so much power. It’s… tranquil, almost. Like for a second, everything’s okay in the world when she lets it slip.”

She paused, her hands clenching. “Her body… it’s like a temple, Vi. Not just because of her strength or the tattoos that tell a story of their own, but because it’s been through so much. It’s endured battles—some you can see and some you can’t—and yet it stands tall. She stands tall.” Caitlyn’s voice grew softer. “I feel her on a deeper level, and I can’t explain it. It’s like we’re connected somehow, but it’s not enough. I can’t just let her go down this path. She deserves better. She is better.”

She let out a frustrated breath, leaning forward and cradling her head in her hands. “But I don’t know how to reach her. I don’t even know where she is.”

Vi let the silence hang for a moment before letting out a low whistle. “Damn, Cait,” she said, her tone softer than usual. “You’ve got it bad, huh?”

Caitlyn glanced up, frowning. “What?”

“This isn’t just some passing thing,” Vi said with a knowing smile. “This is love at first sight, Cupcake. You’re drawn to her, and you don’t even realize how deep it goes. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before.”

Caitlyn shook her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. “It’s not love, Vi. I just… I care about her. I don’t want to see her get lost in this madness.”

Vi snorted. “Keep telling yourself that. But you know what? If you care about her this much, I’m in. Whatever you need, I’ll help you find her.”

Caitlyn blinked, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. “Really?”

Vi nodded, her face growing serious. “Yeah. And I think I’ve got a lead. Someone told me they saw her at the rally. You know, the one with all the blue smoke and chaos.”

Caitlyn leaned forward, her heart racing. “She was there?”

“Yeah,” Vi said grimly. “And she already got her hands on Rictus.”

Caitlyn’s brows furrowed. “Rictus? The enforcer commander? Why would she go after him?”

Vi hesitated before continuing, her voice low. “There was a little girl with her. Word is, something went down—Rictus overstepped. Hurt the kid. And she… lost it.”

Caitlyn’s breath caught as she pieced the puzzle together. She frantically searched through her scattered papers, pulling out reports of the rally, witness statements, and a picture of the blue smoke marking the chaos.

“She snapped because of the child,” Caitlyn murmured, her voice shaking. “She wasn’t acting out of malice… she was protecting someone.”

Vi nodded. “That’s what it sounds like. But Cait, if she’s spiraling, we need to get to her fast. Before this gets worse.”

Caitlyn’s resolve hardened as she looked up at Vi, her sapphire eyes blazing with determination. “Then let’s find her. Together.”

Vi leaned against the doorframe of Caitlyn’s quarters, watching her frantically sift through the scattered papers. “Alright, we know she was at the rally, but where would she go after that? She’s not exactly subtle, Cait.”

Caitlyn stopped, pinching the bridge of her nose. “If Rictus got away, he’d want revenge. He’d know she wouldn’t just walk away quietly.” She paused, realization dawning on her. “What if she’s been taken?”

Vi frowned. “Taken where?”

“To Stillwater Hold,” Caitlyn said, her voice sharp with urgency. “If she’s been captured, they’d take her there for interrogation.”

Vi nodded, her expression serious. “Then we don’t have much time. Let’s go.”

Caitlyn didn’t wait. She threw on her enforcer uniform, clipped her rifle to her back, and stormed out of her quarters, Vi following closely behind.

⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

The chaos of the Stillwater break unfolded in a blur of fire and steel. Alarms blared through the corridors, and shouts echoed as Jinx, Sevika, and you tore through the facility to free Isha. After a fierce fight and tense moments, the little girl was finally in your hands.

Jinx grabbed Isha’s hand, tugging her toward the exit, but stopped when she noticed you lingering behind. “What are you doing?” Jinx hissed. “Take her and get out of here!”

You looked down at the child, then at Sevika, who stood at the edge of the chaos. Your gray eyes locked on Jinx, steady and unwavering. “Sevika can take her,” you said calmly.

Jinx’s jaw tightened. “Are you insane?”

Your lips twitched into a smirk as you glanced back at her. “You don’t need me running off. Someone has to make sure your ego doesn’t inflate too much from a dramatic last stand. Besides…” You stepped closer, voice low and teasing. “Dying alone is so cliché.”

Jinx blinked, her lips parting in surprise before a small, begrudging grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. “You’re a pain, you know that?”

“I’ve heard,” you said, turning back toward the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching.

The clash with Warwick was nothing short of brutal. The monstrous figure moved with terrifying speed and strength, overwhelming even the combined efforts of Jinx and you.

You moved like a blur, your knives a whirlwind of flashing steel. But Warwick’s sheer power knocked you back, slamming you against a wall. You groaned, dazed but refusing to stay down.

Jinx fired round after round, her explosive devices lighting up the darkened room, but Warwick was relentless. He swatted her weapon aside and lunged at her, pinning her against the wall. His massive claws hovered dangerously close to her throat.

Just as Jinx’s breath hitched, you slid beneath Warwick’s massive frame, your voice tearing through the room in an animalistic growl. “Get. Off. Her!”

Your gray eyes sparked with an otherworldly purple light, burning with an intensity that froze Warwick in place. He turned, his snarling mouth faltering as his glowing eyes locked onto yours.

“Spark…” he whispered, his voice guttural and filled with something almost human.

Jinx stiffened at the sound of the name, her eyes darting between Warwick and you.

The name struck you like a lightning bolt, sending a sharp pain through your head. Your vision blurred, and the purple light flickered before you collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Jinx’s chest tightened as she stared at your unmoving form. Panic threatened to claw its way out of her throat, but she forced herself to act. “Damn it,” she muttered, crouching down and hauling you onto her shoulder.

She darted through the shadows, avoiding enforcers and other dangers as she dragged you to safety. Eventually, she found a small, abandoned safe house nestled in the rooftops.

Once inside, Jinx carefully laid you on a worn mattress. She sat beside you, panting and trembling as she looked over the wounds on your face and legs. Blood streaked your tattoos, the intricate designs disrupted by cuts and bruises. Jinx grabbed a damp cloth and began cleaning the wounds with surprising tenderness.

Her eyes traced over the tattoos that covered your arms and back. At first glance, they seemed like abstract patterns, but as Jinx looked closer, she realized they formed a map—a map of the Undercity. Her breath hitched at the realization. “What the hell…” she whispered.

Your face, despite the bruises, was peaceful in unconsciousness. Jinx’s fingers moved almost instinctively, brushing stray strands of hair away from your face.

The voices in her head returned, louder this time.

“Why are you even helping her? She’s nothing.”

“She’s everything, isn’t she? Look at her.”

“Shut up. You’re getting attached. You know what happens when you get attached.”

Jinx squeezed her eyes shut, her breathing unsteady. “Shut up, shut up, shut up…”

The softer voice returned, calm and steady. “She’s changing you. She’s helping you.”

Jinx opened her eyes, her trembling hand tracing along your jawline. The voices quieted, leaving her in a strange, almost serene silence. Her fingers moved mindlessly, tracing your features as if committing them to memory.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Who are you?”

Your chest rose and fell with each steady breath, offering no answer.

Jinx sighed, pulling her hand back and leaning against the wall. She glanced at the knives you had insisted on carrying, their colorful blades gleaming faintly in the dim light.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Jinx felt… calm. But that calm brought with it a vulnerability she didn’t know how to handle.

“You’re gonna make me soft,” she muttered, her lips twitching into a faint, rueful smile as she continued to keep watch.

Jinx left you reluctantly, her expression a mixture of determination and hesitation as she glanced at your unconscious form one last time. She had to deal with Warwick and get Isha to safety, but this wasn’t over. There was someone else who needed to see what Vander had become. Someone who would understand. She’d find Vi, and they’d confront this together.

⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

A day later, you found yourself limping through the polished streets of Piltover, your body aching from the fight, your mind clouded by exhaustion and anger. You weren’t sure why you came back to the family workshop—maybe to grab a few tools, maybe just out of habit—but the sight of the place brought a sinking feeling to your gut.

The bell above the door jingled as you stepped inside, hoping to slip in and out unnoticed. The familiar hum of machines filled the space, the smell of metal and oil hitting you like a punch to the chest.

But luck wasn’t on your side.

“Well, look who it is,” your father’s voice boomed from across the room, dripping with disdain. You froze mid-step, turning to see both of your parents standing behind the counter.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face here,” your mother added, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her expression was cold, the kind of look that had cut you to the core since you were a child.

“I just need a few things,” you muttered, keeping your gaze on the floor as you limped toward the shelves.

“Oh, no. You don’t get to stroll in here like nothing happened,” your father barked, stepping out from behind the counter. “You’re a disgrace. A failure. Everything we warned you about came true. The Undercity turned you into a monster.”

Your hands clenched into fists as you tried to tune them out. But their words kept coming, sharp and relentless.

“You’ve always been a disappointment,” your mother hissed. “We gave you everything, and this is how you repay us? Running off to the filth down below? You don’t even belong—”

“Stop it,” you snapped, your voice low but trembling with barely contained fury.

“You don’t even belong to us!” your father spat suddenly, his words slamming into you like a physical blow. “You’re not even our blood.”

The room spun. Your vision blurred, and a sharp, familiar pain erupted behind your eyes. The purple spark flickered in your irises, your breathing heavy and uneven.

“What did you just say?” you asked, your voice cold and trembling.

Before you could do something you might regret, warm arms wrapped around you tightly, grounding you in place. The scent of lilac and gunpowder filled your senses, and you instantly knew who it was.

Caitlyn.

Her presence melted the rage inside you, and you let yourself sag against her, burying your face in her shoulder. You hugged her back, gripping her as if she might disappear.

“Are you okay?” Caitlyn whispered, her hands moving to your face to tilt it up toward her. Her blue eyes searched yours, full of worry and something deeper.

You nodded but avoided her gaze, your voice quiet. “I’m fine.” You didn’t trust yourself to say more, didn’t trust yourself to let her in.

Your parents stormed out of the workshop, still spewing venom. “You don’t deserve someone like her!” your mother yelled. “She doesn’t even know what you are!”

Caitlyn stepped between you and your parents, her head held high. Her voice was calm but laced with authority. “I suggest you stop talking.”

They froze at her tone.

“You might think you know her, but you clearly don’t,” Caitlyn said, her voice icy and cutting. “She’s worth more than you’ll ever realize. And if you dare speak to her like this again, you’ll be dealing with me—and the enforcers.”

The sight of the enforcers behind Caitlyn was enough to send your parents retreating inside without another word. Caitlyn turned back to you, her hand gently wrapping around your wrist. “Come on,” she said softly.

Instead of letting her lead you to her quarters, you took her to the rooftop where you often found solace. You stood there silently as you changed, pulling on a clean shirt and adjusting your knives. Caitlyn stood in the corner, watching you with a mix of admiration and worry.

The tension in the air was palpable.

When you turned to her, Caitlyn stepped forward and held you close, her arms wrapping around you with a softness that made your breath hitch. For a moment, neither of you moved. The proximity, the heat of her body against yours—it was overwhelming.

Caitlyn pulled back slightly, her face inches from yours. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but instead, her eyes lingered on yours. The tension between you grew unbearable, and for a split second, you thought she might kiss you.

But you pulled back, the memory of Jinx flashing across your mind. You couldn’t explain it, but it was enough to make you take a step away.

Caitlyn’s face fell, but she recovered quickly. “I need you to stay,” she said, her voice trembling with urgency. “With me. You don’t have to do this alone.”

You shook your head. “I can’t. I need to leave. This place—it’s suffocating.”

She grabbed your arm, her grip firm but gentle. “You’re better than this,” she pleaded. “You’re good, even if you don’t see it. You have a choice.”

You snapped, her words cutting deeper than they should have. “Good? Piltover treats the Undercity like dirt. You talk about being better, but look around, Caitlyn. This city isn’t better—it’s rotten. Just like the people who run it.”

She stepped back, stunned. “That’s not fair.”

“It’s the truth,” you shot back.

Caitlyn’s voice rose, the hurt evident. “You don’t belong there, but you don’t belong here, either. You’re an outsider, and you know it!”

Her words sliced through you. Your face twisted in pain before you pulled away from her grasp. “I thought you were different,” you said coldly, your voice barely above a whisper. “But you’re just like everyone else.”

Caitlyn’s hand reached for yours, but you yanked it away, your heart aching as you turned and walked into the night, leaving her standing there with regret and sorrow etched across her face.

_______________

Aht aht ! Its slight AU, let me cook im marinating the chicken right now- it will all come together (I was so invested writing this and it is everywhere but you all gon see what im seeing once it start cooking- im talking about sizzling with the spices then you gonna look at me like 'ahhhhh i smell it- i see it') so sit there and look pretty while i cook this up <3

[localshe]

JEALOUSY k. martin

► sum. maybe dancing with a stranger on her birthday wasn’t really ideal. you had no clue she’ll be making you dance on top of her instead.

wc. idfk

warnings. fem! reader, escalates briefly, strap-on, dirty talk, masturbation, fingering, petnames, praise, breeding kink.

an. the long awaited fic has arrived. i keep rereading it and half makes no sense so im js posting this for ygs sake. you’ll see that in some parts i got lazy and whatnot, maybe even repeated shit (idk) but i hope you enjoy this mess <3

(this is not proofread)

•••

two warm hands found home on your hips, swaying against a crotch that you were unfamiliar with. you didn’t care tho, not when the alcohol tasted like chocolate, and not when the music got louder.

you let the alcohol take control over you, returning the favor by leading your feet to the dance floor with jada and gabbie, but that was ten minutes ago.

the both of them disappeared somewhere else when a man asked you to dance with him— which you of course were vulnerable enough to not say no.

and thats how your practically on the man, in a euphoric state while you smiled in bliss. the club becoming hazy at how fast your dancing, the both of you sharing small words to make this moment funner.

‘the motto’ by drake started to blare around the club, people immediately started to cheer, even monika, caitlin and jada joining you.

and when jada had suggested that kate should join in, you had just locked eyes with her.

her tall, vigorous figure — immobile, leaning against a wall. her eyes roamed both of yours’ bodies, especially counting the centimeters between your ass and his belt.

growing nervous, finally leaving the group, you amble to your girlfriend—found green-eyed and eager to brawl the guy who was presently trying to find you in the misty forest of drunk individuals like you.

you ignored the neurotic adulation spreading inside your stomach, going for a kiss just to get dogged, and you scoff. in utter disbelief on how someone can decline your lips, or how kate declined your lips with such dexterity.

“uh, what the fuck?” you furrow your brows, and almost instantly kate bit her lip, subtly shaking her head, not appreciating ur poor, drunken anger. instead—she gripped your forearm to her car.

confusion filled your mind.

what type of confusion? the type to swiftly snatch her firm hand away and stand still with crossed arms as you questioned out loud the questions that devised inside your brain rather quickly.

first it was . . “kate why don’t we just go back inside?”

second — “why are we- uhp leaving?”

then — “you didn’t even say bye to everyone.”

which led to — “hello? stop laugh-i-ing and answer me!”

through hiccups, you tried your best to get a point a-cross. only earning sarcastic laughter. “get in the car baby girl,” kate softly told you, eyes alleviated as she awaited for your future steps.

and even tho she had appeared to change into the natural kate that would never force you to do anything, there was a tiny ogle of sour in her smile.

so you decided to get in the car, choosing a safe path because it felt more secure. you didn’t know what would happen in the next minutes, you didn’t wanna know.

but oh, you knew when you were founded sprawled, back domed beautifully as the whet nail prodded at your bundle of nerves briskly.

it was so sudden.

she was stretching you out hefty, not letting you take any chances to take a deep breath.

“shiiiiit!” two fingers messaged your walls around and around and around, controlling your hormones that already felt like they were doing something to you.

but nothing like kate slowly taking her fingers out of you painfully obtuse, a splatter sound rumbling around the room, “tch, he made you this wet?” she queried, keened bitter emanated from her tone.

and that made you wonder . . was she jealous?

the mention of a guy left you confused, but you didn’t have enough time to operate her words when she stood up, sighing as she took off those suffocating, derided gray sweatpants that hung low the whole night, proudly showing off the sexy calvin klein boxers.

you felt a big throb nictate your red, cushioned clit when kate had gotten her strap ready.

“oh, you thought you were just gonna get a good fuck like that?” she pouted in pure sarcasm, snapping her fingers to dictate on how quick it could’ve gone, “after letting a stranger touch you? really mama?” smacking her teeth, shaking her head in lost disappointment.

now you started to shake your head, about to disapprove her own sightseeings when she met your lips, quickly covering her cheeks with your hands, a needy whimper radiating off your chest, missing the downy lips.

and even though you still felt confused, slightly getting distracted by the make out sesh, kate was leisurely steering your right hand to ur dripping core.

a sharp bite to her bottom lip from the abrupt surprise had gotten her to stand up, interrupting the kiss you craved since she had rudely dogged you.

she sat down on the rolling chair in front of the desk board, facing your hitherto broken soul that was struggling to keep calm on the bed, hardly ever accomplishing that when you felt her sullen hooded eyes paint all over you.

you didn’t need to ask what to do, it wasn’t the first time. although, it feels like it from the dull atmosphere that was very rare to be surrounded by.

you felt your walls tightening, a slow frenzy walking across your brain as her sharp gaze was attacking all of you. everything in the room dissolved when you converged eyes.

she was looking at you, nowhere else. not even at your hand that was rapidly doing the job. her eyes trained onto yours, like if it was the last time she was ever gonna see you.

you couldn’t look at her anymore, because if you did you’ll fall apart miserably.

“eyes on me, sweetheart.” she murmured, tiling her head slightly.

you mewl as ur clit becomes nervous, tensing from time to time as you deny your own orgasms, waiting for the permission you await.

“mh’ aren’t you just so nice,” she flashed you a small smile that almost instantly disappeared, “so nice you practically let a man’s dick poke that ass.” she chuckled, a noise brimful of tenebrous.

you can’t blame kate for being sarcastic, i mean — why would you let a man even dance you away? you have a whole girlfriend that can dance wayyyy better than him. and frankly better in general.

“i couldn’t find yo-“ “bullshit sweetheart, we both know you didn’t even try to ask me.” kate cut you off, smiling with hoaxed pride.

she didn’t wanna hear your taciturn excuses that had no big impact on her. only helping the envious hunch brainwashing her good.

“all fours.” she demanded, rough tone ringed to your ears as you found trouble trying to prevent your legs from shaking. your clit was swollen, denied, and abused just now and you were sure kate isn’t that jealous, right?

you felt a little tap, and before you could comprehend, kate was dumbing you down relentlessly.

one hand clasped your right hip as for the other one was buried in your hair, yanking it to pull it back, giving her a hint of how dumb you instantly get on her vastly lubricious strap — soaked of your juices.

“aw, fuc’ kaaayy..” you whine, hopeless underneath her firm will, handling what felt like the worlds hardest thrusts in ancient history, or a somewhat record. it didn’t matter much when you felt her grin peck ur spine with no mercy.

she nearly chuckled, “atta girl,” she grumbled, soflty smacking your ass, jiggling all over her face. pushing out til the tip annoys your other lips, her thumb gathering every single drop of ur mess, “mmmh she’s s’ wet,” she purred, savoring ur sweet precum that was almost spilling from her hand.

every drop of energy was gone, letting ur chest repose while the woman behind you was in less than five seconds gonna make you (s)cream. just by not giving you any warning, she had rammed into you. hard and sharp.

it was almost life changing.

kate even hissed, ur tight warm walls pawed her strap, fueling a sudden wave of urge to fucking bite ur fresh unmarked neck.

licking a stripe on your earlobe, “on my birthday too?” you heard the intensity plop from kate’s tongue, soon to be chuckling as she pulled out, letting you breath for only a split second before she gasped a deep thrust out of you.

you had no pulse to feel guilty, kate was giving you a taste of her own medicine.

her right hand slithered up to your neck, grasping it with little force unlike her yawned plunges impacting your g-spot greatly.

“i’m s-sssorry—kate- fuck,” pathetic.

there was no use to apologize, you were done for.

she shook her head once again, pulling out to leave you whining, the emptiness making you push back for any friction. although, kate was sitting low against the headboard now, manspreading as she called for you with two fingers in the air, pursuing you to get in between her aroma.

you heel sat, submitting to the woman currently rubbing ur jaw with the thumb she used to gather ur sweet juices. her head slightly tilted, and with siren eyes she scrutinized the hell out you.

biting her lip subtly, she dragged her thumb in your mouth, forcing you to suck on it. you comply without any questions, eyes forum as ur tongue twisted all around.

kate smirked, “cute.”

she muttered, nodding mildly, a silent way of letting you know that ur doing well for her.

you beamed, and just then — she nudged her thumb far in your throat. no warning as you slightly chocked, coughing as tears brimmed your eyes.

looking up at her with shocketh, “making you practice for later ‘s all.” she shrugged, thumb no longer in your mouth.

“cmon, ride me.” kate instructed, nodding down as she spied you, gripping ur hips to help you steady on her standing strap, soon disappearing inside ur warm, damp pussy.

you cried out, sinking into the trap of kate martin.

you leaned back, one hand on her lower torso as the other one comfortably rested on kate’s right knee. swaying your hips back ‘n forth, presenting all of you.

“f- fuck,” you huff out, already starting to feel the plunging heaves of your stomach commence. aligning yourself immaculately on her cock.

feeling your slick cunt maneuver itself against her vexed reddened tip makes her head slightly toss back in the feral torture.

she brings her hands to your hips, messaging them softly, tracing the word ‘mine’ with her cold fingers. she watched you eagerly make two solid taut bucks against her.

“what? don’t tell me she’s already tired,” a weepy reproachful tone echoed from kate, and you started to whine in embarrassment.

“i- no- pleeeeassssse” you sang, both lungs ready to collapse. she’s huge - just barely you started riding her and you could already feel your pussy starting to throw a fit of tantrums.

from that, you try to slow down — only proving yourself adored failure when you go nimble. it was clear your own body was betraying you. your motivation to not disappoint kate furthermore was faint. 

you were sure—just one more single hard thrust and you’d probably break, “aw, your legs are gettin’ weak so soon. tappin’ out, princess?”

“ kate, ‘m cummin’,” you blurt out when she pinned her thumb on ur clit, rubbing small hasty circles, collecting every face you make. strings of glowy drool depart from your lips, letting her thrash the swollen tip against your g-spot.

“you gonna let me cum in ya?” kate slurred, her hot breath fanning over your bouncy boobs that had been giving her a show she wanted to watch again.

you sobbed a throaty moan, the insanity to have her cum inside you was something you craved.

immediately you had nodded, head thrown back as the idea of having kids with her cranked you up to make her cum.

“yea- yes! pl’pl’plea’!” you let off a plethora of sweetened fusses as her cock scrapes its way through your gummy walls onerously before you abruptly squall. “f- fuuuuck!”

a pretty, glistening geyser sprays out between your thighs, and your expression is priceless.

kate remained inside you as she watched you whine out those needy raw sobs, that alone impacting her to gush out her load, thrusting up as she breathed out a groan, your tightness bringing her extreme pleasure.

you couldn’t think straight—you could only taste the treacly sweet tang of fresh cum on your bud as your head flops onto the bed. “o- oh my god,” you puff, feeling your wobbly thighs soak with slimy molasses of yours’ sweet.

“m-mh’- don’t lay down, darling, m’ not done with you.”

an. feedback & reblogs are v appreciated!

[alexandraisyes]

500 FOLLOWERS

Wow. 500 of you. That number feels surreal, especially after everything these past few months. (Don't scroll away there's a surprise at the bottom of the post.)

In July, I faced harassment over a rumor about being hired as a TSAMS writer. In August and September, it escalated—stalking, harassment, and widespread slander over SolarNexus, a ship I don’t even ship. October brought betrayal as someone I trusted turned out to be a predator, slandering our friend group, faking their death, and running away upon confrontation. Last month, I had to take a stand against someone sharing NSFW with minors, leading to more slander and harassment.

Now it’s December, and honestly, fandom discourse feels inevitable. But you know what? I don’t care.

This community has been so supportive to me throughout this. I have grown close with friends, made new ones, and gained so many supporters and I don't know how to say thank you enough. I've reached so many of my goals for this year, and there's always going to be more work to do.

I'm starting a new fic. I'm updating my old ones. I'm making art for a voice actor. I'm a mod in the community server. And I'm finally working on a project again that I started in August.

I’ve been really hesitant to show this project off on main, beyond reblogging things here and there. I won’t reveal which character I specifically play—though it probably wouldn’t be hard to guess.

This project started as a way to support the mod who plays Lunar, who was receiving harassment simply for enforcing their boundaries. Yes, you read that right—they were harassed because they didn’t want to post negative confessions. When we saw that happening, my friends and I got together, and I said, “Haha, wouldn’t it be so cool if we just made a bunch of confession blogs to dunk on the haters and roleplay and shit?”

Within 24 hours, two new blogs popped up. One hasn’t done anything to hurt me, so I won’t name them, but we all know who they are. The second? Biased-tsams-confessions—a blog that was one of the leading forces behind the harassment I faced in August. They would flip their lid if they knew I was the leading force behind TSBS CVAU and remain its head administrator and manager. Honestly? That makes me even prouder of this project.

Of course, I couldn’t do this alone. A huge thank you to my partner in crime, @lyrical-hue, who has been my rock throughout this journey. They’ve helped smooth out the bumps along the way, making sure I don’t handle everything solo.

I’m so excited to finally share this project with my fanbase publicly. We’re expanding our world and currently looking for new members to join the group! If you’re interested, you can apply here:

Okay so now the real question. How am I celebrating this milestone? The past two times I made a post like this I did a raffle (one of which I'm still finishing the artwork for). This time I'd like to do something different.

I want to make some free emotes for the community. My community. To give back some of the support I've been given.

To be applicable for this, reblog this post with references of your character designs, AU designs, OCs, or sonas. As many as you want. They can be your own characters, or personal designs for preexisting characters. Or even just. Characters. I will literally just take canon designs of characters too. I'll even take requests for my own designs. As you can see there are a LOT of emotes there, so I need a LOT of characters from the community.

RULES:

Characters must be submitted through REBLOGS

You do not get to choose which emote is made, I do, I'm doing this for free after all

You HAVE to be following me, this is an event to celebrate my followers after all.

And uh, yeah that's kinda it. If you want to join the discord you can join here:

[starrieisdelusional]

How the Paopu Fruit Relates to Sora and Riku

a Soriku Endgame KH4 prediction

This is part of my soriku endgame kh4 prediction series, a series where i'll try to dissect all of the arguments made about soriku, and what it means for future installments. In part 1, we will discuss about how the paopu fruit relates to sora and riku.

This started out as screaming at soriku twitter, and when i finally connected the dots, i can't help but make an analysis about it because i haven't really seen any blogs that discuss about the paopu fruit + soriku in depth.

I assumed you have somewhat a prior knowledge of soriku as I'll be taking a lot of arguments from theories and deep dives. I'll try to make this as brief as possible and try to make this easy to read for all of us who have ADHD (me).

But if you want the short version:

From the evidence given, the paopu fruit is a symbolism for riku-sora-kairi love triangle. However, this analysis argues that the context of the paopu fruit for sokai is platonic, while for soriku it is romantic.

Because of this, i believe that one day, soriku will share 1 paopu fruit with each other as sora's final answer to the love triangle.

With that being said, let's finally talk about the paopu fruit

Start of Theory

paopu in a platonic context

The paopu fruit, is a fruit that intertwines destiny if two person decides to share it. Kind of like a soulmate cheat.

" Selphie: Hey, Sora. Have you heard about the legendary power of the paopu fruit? They say if you share it with someone you really care for, it binds you together forever and ever, through eternity! (sighs) It's so romantic. I gotta try it sometime. "

The paopu fruit has somewhat been considered as the series staple for romance. However the paopu can be viewed as romantic or platonic depending on the situation. Kingdom Hearts never said that paopu is meant to be romantic-only.

An example of paopu being platonic, is when it was used by Aqua to metaphorically describe the wayfinder charm, that binds Terra-Ventus-Aqua together, just like how the paopu works.

Aqua: Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit... and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You’ll always find your way back to each other. Technically, I think you’re supposed to make them with seashells, but I did the best I could with what I had.

important keywords

The paopu fruit is related to a few things which includes:

Desitny: a fruit that binds destiny (or fate)

Star: The paopu fruit is in the shape of a star, which can also symbolize destiny.

Promise: a reminder of the promise that you made with that person you share your destiny with

A good luck charm: to ensure that no matter what, you won’t ever be separated, because your destinies are intertwined

Sea: a fruit that is native to Destiny Islands, that can be replicated by thalassa shells to make a good luck charm

kairi's relation to paopu fruit

At face value, the fruit is obviously related to Kairi, given how Kairi’s character is related to destiny, the star symbol, a promise, a good luck charm, and her name that translates to sea (海). Further elaboration of kairi's relation to the fruit:

Kairi came to destiny island by a meteor shower (or shooting stars)

Sora and Kairi’s cave drawing (star crossed lovers)

Oathkeeper (the blade is the shape of a star) or 約束のお守り Yakusoku no Omamori Promise Charm

Destiny’s Embrace (the keychain is a paopu)

Thalassa Shell Charm (in the shape of a star)

Separation and the promise never forget

Wayfinder Trio (owns a charm inspired by the thalassa (star) and came from outside of Destiny Island)

And finally, does the act of sharing the paopu fruit with sora in kh3

sokai kh3 mistranslation scene

sora-kairi's relationship in the lens of a paopu fruit is considered to be platonic with the argument: The act of sharing the paopu between kairi and sora in kh3 if you take the scene in a japanese lense:

it is kairi who initiates the thing

if anything, Sora looks so taken aback when kairi shoved the fruit in front of his face (he was looking at riku), but calms down once Kairi assures him that this is just a good luck charm to ensure that they wont be separated in battle

TR What’s R*ku doing all by himself?; TR Here!

Serves as a wrap up to sora and kairi’s arc as the realization of sokai's cave drawing

There’s even a version where this doesn’t exist at all?! (based on an interview done with their VAs, nomura made them take two takes, one with paopu, one not with paopu)

speaking romantically, if this is considered as their tie the knot scene it feels like it came out of no where because why didn't they just follow it up after kh1? why wait about 20 years to do it when there's multiple instances to develop sokai's relationship over the years aside from good luck charm

Serves as a wrap up to sora and kairi’s arc as the realization of sokai's cave drawing

There’s even a version where this doesn’t exist at all?! (based on an interview done with their VAs, nomura made them take two takes, one with paopu, one not with paopu)

speaking romantically, if this is considered as their tie the knot scene it feels like it came out of no where because why didn't they just follow it up after kh1? why wait about 20 years to do it when there's multiple instances to develop sokai's relationship over the years aside from good luck charm

if you squint, the legend says when the person shares 1 paopu fruit, so why does sora and kairi shares 2 here?

the thalassa, the crown, and the paopu

Now, going back to kairi's strong relationship with the paopu. (Notice how i say kairi's strong relationship with the paopu? ) There are multiple instances of the paopu being related to just kairi, when sora is not present (see kairi's relation to paopu fruit above) Therefore, the paopu fruit is more of a representation of KAIRI ALONE, not sora and kairi.

If anything, SORA AND KAIRI is represented more by the variant of the paopu: the thalassa charm, that is unique to sora and kairi only, as the only time the thalassa shell appears is if a scene involves Sora, Kairi, Xion, and Roxas.

Which parallels SORA AND RIKU crown necklace 'good luck charm', that is exclusively unique to them (necklace theory). Which is why Oathkeeper has the thalassa charm, not a paopu fruit.

Unlike how the paopu fruit is treated (pluck, eat/throw), both the thalassa shell (that came from the sea) and the kingdom crown (that came from land, riku 陸 shore) has been carefully and uniquely modified to sora.

The paopu fruit also grows exclusively on destiny islands, on a beach, near the shores where water and land met. And unlike the thalassa shells and kingdom crown that can be made on their own area, paopu fruit cannot exist without water and land.

Both the thalassa shells and kingdom crown are either rarely appears or never mentioned (like at all...) outside of SORA AND KAIRI and SORA AND RIKU, the paopu fruit is used more frequently, appearing everywhere, anywhere, and is used by every person in the game... including riku.

See what I'm getting here? Paopu fruit is the embodiment of riku-sora-kairi love triangle. Not a symbol for Sora and Kairi. It is important to also note that the paopu's dynamic only reflects

riku->sora and kairi->sora.

Namine's fake charm also contributed to this (if we are going by the believe that she's trying to insert herself to kairi and riku's messy love triangle, pls necklace theory and aitsu). Namine turns sokai's thalassa charm into a fake paopu fruit. So this charm became a mutant variation of Kairi's thalassa and Riku's crown.

And now where I'll back up aitsu and necklace theory: Again the form that came up is a paopu fruit. if we were to delete those theories into our narrative (meaning that namine is only inserting herself as kairi), it does not make sense, because why would she conjured up a paopu that has a messy relation with sokai?? why not a variant of a thalassa shell?? why not a drawing? a painting? why the paopu specifically? where no one else can be involved other than riku->sora?

riku's relation to paopu fruit

Unlike kairi, the use of paopu fruit with riku is almost to none (which is probably the reason why no one had really talked in-depth about this) so here are a few instances that it appears:

Terra and Aqua just so happen to find SORA AND RIKU on Destiny Islands after interacting with paopu fruit back in BBS

Riku 'teasing' Sora about who gets to share the paopu with Kairi

Sora and Repliku's fake paopu charm

GaybladeTM COMBINED: Isn't it odd that the key chain turns to paopu fruit when sora and riku combine their hearts together?? even though Kairi had 0 thing to do with it?? Even though this is an exclusive SORA AND RIKU thing? Even though we agreed that the paopu rarely ever appeared alongside riku?

*presence of kingdom crown

Note that all of the instances that i've jotted down, always rarely occurred, and has only been present.... when SORA AND RIKU are around.

One reason alludes that paopu only appears whenever soriku are in sync, another is because of riku's forgotten VOW (chikai) (see necklace theory, chikai & don't think twice, to sum it up chikai or vow is riku's version of kairi's promise (yakusoku), chikai in another context is the kh3 music that came from riku POV to sora).

A third is because Riku is the opposite of paopu, his whole identity defies destiny. He is an oathbreaker (opposite of kairi's Oathkeeper). He litterally destroys destiny island, altering sora and kairi's fates. The opposite of sea...

So following that logic, the paopu should be viewed as romantic when viewing Riku->Sora

soriku and the paopu

we finally arrived to the final chapter of my lengthy analysis. so, how does this affect soriku in future installments?

i believe that one day, soriku will (either in KH5 or KH4) share 1 paopu fruit with each-other, and it will be Sora who offers the fruit to riku as his final say to the triangle. The reasons why are:

a nod to kairi who initiates the offer to sora in kh3, with sokai's case, sora is technically the first who propose the fruit via cave drawing that he done in secret at the beginning of KH1. It wasn't actually until the end of the game that kairi saw that drawing and realized: WOW! Sora wanted to share the fruit, with ME??? (because the drawing is hidden in a cave...?)

this parallels to how Riku 'jokingly', not so smoothly, try to rizz Sora at the beginning of KH1 (nearly identical timelines) and basically try to trap sora into sharing the paopu with him. Notice that in this period, soriku still aren't 100% in sync and are still dancing around / masking their feelings for the other(it isn't until kh2 that they started to re-bonded, being more affectionate and honest)

that scene is also an interpretation of how paopu should be viewed as romantic (following riku->sora = paopu romantic), notice how i always stressed riku->sora, kairi->sora, and never kairi<-sora, riku<-sora?

despite being the center of it all, sora's relationship with the paopu fruit is neutral to say, not really leaning torwards one or the other (maybe kairi but it slowly changes)

it's Sora's final answer to riku-sora-kairi love triangle war that had been going on for 20 years, sora had already rejected kairi's romantic advances, choosing to stay as friends, a slot for a gf is still available....

i have a theory this is soriku leaning because sora had been abusing the power of waking that he got to mess with reality, (check sleeping realm) so now he's leaning on the defier-of-destiny side

soriku sharing ONE NOT TWO fruit to finally do the legend as intended, because in sokai's beta-testing (the cave drawing), it's sora give kairi, kairi give sora.

Meanwhile in soriku's beta testing ('riku's pathetic attempt at rizzing')

riku: *yeets the fruit to sora*

sora: *throws fruit away*

(sokai 2 fruits soriku 1 fruit, sokai 2 fruits soriku 1 fruit, sokai 2 soriku 1, SOKAI 2 SORIKU 1)

THE END!!!!

Okay we have actually reach the end!!! great job sorikus!! tysm for listening to my ted-talk!! i hope you like it

[nausicaamusiclover20]

How’s Dating James Hetfield?

How you met?

★You met James at a backstage party after one of Metallica’s concerts. You were hanging out with mutual friends, and you didn't even realize who he was at first. He struck you as approachable and down-to-earth, someone who didn’t carry the usual “rockstar” arrogance. You talked about your shared love for music, and when you mentioned your love for the classics, his eyes lit up. There was an instant connection.

First impression

★His first impression might make you think he’s reserved, maybe even a bit distant, but in reality, he's just more of a gentle soul than anyone expects. You’re not just another fan to him; you’re someone he genuinely wants to get to know. His warm smile catches you off guard—it’s genuine, not forced. There's no arrogance in his manner, just the kind of humility you don't expect from someone who's performed in front of millions.

Despite being one of the biggest rockstars in the world, James somehow feels approachable and real. His presence is calming, not overwhelming. You quickly realize that what makes him stand out the most isn’t the fame, but his ability to make you feel like the most important person in the room.

First confession of feelings

★One quiet night, as you were driving together, James opened up. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he confessed, his voice soft. You felt the same, and it was clear that this connection wasn’t just physical—it was emotional too.

What James loves about you?

★ James loves that you see beyond his rockstar persona. He appreciates that you’re not intimidated by his fame, and you never treat him differently because of it. You’re genuine and have this calm presence that balances out his intensity. He loves your sense of humor, especially when you can make him laugh during tough days, and how you always know when he needs space to recharge but also when he needs affection.

What makes him happy?

★Seeing you genuinely happy is what makes him the happiest. Whether it’s watching you perform a small act of kindness for someone else or catching you lost in a moment of joy, it fills him with warmth. And when you’re with him, you make him feel like everything in the world is right. He loves making you laugh, and nothing makes him happier than seeing you smile.

What he loves when you do something for him?

★James isn’t someone who asks for much. But when you surprise him with something thoughtful—like cooking his favorite meal after a tough day, or taking care of him when he’s under the weather—he becomes incredibly soft and appreciative. The way you make the effort to look out for him melts his heart, and he can’t help but adore you more for it. When you show up at his concerts to surprise him, or when you pick out something you know he’ll love, it makes him feel deeply cherished.

Pet names

★James isn’t one for cheesy pet names, but he has a few sweet ones for you. He might call you “love or babe" in a deep, gravelly voice when he’s feeling affectionate. When he’s being playful, he might say something like “hottie” or “princess” But it’s the way he says them—soft, almost like a secret between you two—that makes it special. And when he’s feeling particularly romantic, he’ll call you “my love.”

Would he teach you play the guitar?

★Absolutely! James would love to share his passion for music with you. He’d patiently teach you basic chords at first, encouraging you even when you struggled. He would make it fun, cracking jokes to keep the atmosphere lighthearted, and showing you how to play some of his favorite Metallica riffs. When you finally nail a tricky part, he’d beam with pride, and you’d know he was more than just teaching you an instrument—he was sharing a part of his soul.

Singing to you when you're sad

★James is surprisingly in tune with your emotions. When he notices you’re feeling down, he’ll do everything in his power to cheer you up. One of the things he might do is quietly pick up his guitar and play a soft acoustic version of one of his songs, singing to you in a voice that’s comforting and intimate. Sometimes, he’ll just sit with you, humming along to the melody, or even singing a completely random song to make you laugh. His way of making you feel safe and loved through music is one of his most touching traits.

Shower together

★When you’re both exhausted after a long day or tour, James loves the idea of unwinding together in the shower. It’s both funny and intimate—he’ll make you laugh as he tries to avoid getting soap in his eyes, and you’ll both jokingly fight over who’s taking up more space. But it’s also a moment of closeness. James will run his fingers through your hair, wash your back for you, and even steal a kiss here and there. It’s a simple, yet profoundly intimate moment of connection.

Sleeping together

★James has a surprisingly soft side when it comes to sleeping. He’s not overly clingy, but he loves being close to you. On most nights, he’ll be the little spoon, enjoying the comfort of your warmth. He’ll bury his face in your neck and often fall asleep to the sound of your heartbeat. But there are times when he wants to protect you, and you’ll find him being the big spoon, holding you close as you both drift off to sleep. Either way, he always makes sure you’re comfortable, often tucking you in and making sure you have everything you need before settling in.

How he reacts when you're sad

★When you're upset, James is an emotional rock. He won’t try to fix everything right away, but he’ll listen to you talk about what’s bothering you. He knows when to give you space and when to comfort you with a simple touch. If you’re crying, he’ll pull you into his arms, rub your back gently, and quietly reassure you that everything will be okay. His deep voice murmurs things like, “I’ve got you” or “You don’t have to carry this alone.” He’s the kind of partner who doesn’t just want to help you get better—he wants to help you heal.

When you're sick (and when he's sick)

★When you’re sick, James becomes incredibly protective. He’s the type to make you soup, get you medicine, and stay by your side to make sure you’re comfortable. He may grumble about how much he hates seeing you unwell, but deep down, he’s genuinely concerned. He’ll even skip band rehearsals or cancel plans to stay home and take care of you. If he’s sick, though, he’s way clingier. He’ll want you around all the time, asking for cuddles, extra attention, and comfort. When he’s not feeling his best, he just wants you close, and he’ll complain about everything—from his stuffy nose to his sore throat, but he’ll also be extra sweet, asking for your company more than usual.

Is he protective about you?

★ Absolutely! Though James Hetfield may appear tough or intimidating on stage, in reality, he's deeply protective in every sense when it comes to someone he loves. He’ll always make sure you feel emotionally safe, listening intently when you need to talk, offering comfort when you’re upset, and stepping in quickly if anyone disrespects or hurts you. He’s physically protective too, guiding you through crowded spaces, keeping an eye out for potential threats, and making sure you're never in a situation that feels unsafe. Whether it’s standing up for you or just quietly being your shield in stressful moments, he’ll always have your back.  His protectiveness isn’t just about grand gestures—it’s in the little things, like holding your hand, checking in on you, and making sure you're okay. With James, you always know that you’re safe, cherished, and never alone, no matter what the world throws at you.

In bed

★James is passionate and tender. During intimacy, he’s not just about the physical connection but also the emotional one. He checks in with you during and after, making sure you’re comfortable and feeling good. “How are you feeling?” he’ll ask softly, always making sure you’re enjoying every moment.

[osunari]

⚠︎ s i l e n t t e m p t a t i o n s ( 18+ )

—ch.7

➤ s t a r t

Mr. crawling x MC

— h o m i c i p h e r 𒌧

“Fingers, Feet, and Lies”

+ slight NSFW

You were leaving the domain, but this time, it was with someone you trusted—someone who had proven himself time and again, even when you didn’t fully understand the depths of his feelings for you. As you walked toward the elevator, the doors slid open, with the two of you stepping inside. The metal doors closed with a soft hum, sealing you in the small, confined space.

Mr. crawling, who had always been so attuned to the oddities of the world around him, looked around with a mixture of curiosity and mild concern. His body lowered instinctively, his hands on the floor as if he feared the machinery might collapse on the two of you. You laughed softly at his antics, the sound light and genuine. The whole situation was absurd, but you couldn’t help but feel a little lighter. The anxiety that had clung to you for so long, the weight of your past decisions—it was lifting.

For a brief moment, the reflection in the elevator doors caught your eye. It was ms. bride, standing at a distance from beside your own reflection, waving a small handkerchief in the air. Her figure was framed by the soft, warm light, a fleeting moment of connection before the door closed completely. You felt your heart tighten as you looked back at her. Without words, you gave her a quiet look of thanks—an acknowledgment of everything she had done for you.

Mr. crawling, noticing her as well, waved his arms high in the air, his hands flailing with a kind of unrestrained enthusiasm. It was an odd sight, but it was heartfelt. A simple but sincere “thank you” from him, a sign that, despite everything, he wasn’t just letting you go—he was grateful for the journey you’d shared.

As the elevator began its slow ascent, you realized that for the first time in a long time, you felt peace. You weren’t running anymore. You weren’t hiding from the things that had haunted you. You were simply moving forward, side by side with the one person who had remained by your side. And you knew, without a doubt, that this was where you were meant to be.

You and your companion were finally transported back to the overworld, the familiar, fresh air of your homeland greeting you like a warm embrace after a long time away. You couldn’t help but inhale deeply, taking in the clean scent of nature, the absence of the metal scraps and the lingering, acrid stench of blood that had become so common in the otherworld. It was a strange contrast, almost jarring—how quickly you had become accustomed to the odors and sights of that place, but now that you were home, you found yourself rediscovering the simpler, purer air of your own world.

Looking beside you, you could see that your companion seemed to be adjusting to the surroundings as well, but his eyes still carried the curious wonder of someone who was experiencing this new world for the first time. You were excited to share your home with him, just as you had shared the otherworld with him. You knew that despite the strangeness of it all, he would find comfort here, and you could already imagine the bond you two would continue to build together in this peaceful place. It felt right.

Later that day, as you sat beside the tub, scrubbing your companion’s long hair with the care and precision you had learned over the past few hours, a sense of contentment filled you. His hair, so fine and seemingly endless, drained the tub of the Fino hair mask you had used. You had been at it for almost two hours now, but the process was oddly satisfying. He was completely fascinated with the foreign feeling and cool sensation of the water, his body almost weightless in the tub, you couldn’t help but laugh to yourself. You tried your best to ignore the temptation to peek at his athletic build—though it wasn’t easy, considering how little he seemed to care about modesty.

“This is for my bedsheets… this is for my bedsheets…” you muttered under your breath as you scrubbed his skin with the loofa—your eyes closed tight to prevent any awkwardness. The words were a quiet mantra to calm yourself as you worked diligently, trying not to let your gaze wander. His bare body, innocent in its own way, didn’t bother him, but you couldn’t help but feel a slight embarrassment. You raised his arm gently, scrubbing underneath, trying to focus on the task at hand. Surprisingly, he was obedient, listening to your gentle directions as you worked to clean the layers of grime from his body.

“几ㄚ(me) 千乃几卩(feel) 山ㄚ几(good) ! 几ㄚ(me) 千乃几卩(feel) ㄚㄥ山几(clean) !” he chimed happily, clearly content with the bath. His simple joy made you laugh, and you couldn’t help but mock his words as you continued to scrub more and more layers of dirt from his skin. “Yeah… you clean,” you said with a chuckle, trying to ignore the fact that you were practically bathing him like a pet, but in a way, it felt comforting.

After his bath, you quickly wrapped him in a towel, his damp hair still dripping slightly as you ushered him out of the bathroom. You left him to wait outside while you took your turn, and as you bathed, you felt a sense of relief you hadn’t known in a long time. The familiarity of your own bathroom, the space where you had once lived without fear, was like a balm to your soul. Unlike the otherworldly washroom, which had been stained with both physical and emotional trauma, here you felt at peace. You glanced at the reflective faucet, checking for the all-too-familiar sight of the red umbrella, but it was gone. It was just you now, and for the first time in what felt like forever, you were truly alone, free from the terrors that had haunted you.

A sigh of relief escaped you as you wrapped your body in a towel, drying your hair with a microfiber towel. The trauma had left its marks, but for the first time in so long, you could breathe freely. You walked to the door, curious about how your companion was doing. You opened it, only to be startled by his tall figure standing right in front of you, his torso exposed and his hair damp. A towel hung loosely around his neck, and the sight of him, so unexpectedly lean yet muscular—took your breath away. He had always been strong, but seeing him like this, with his bare upper body revealed, you couldn’t help but admire. The fact that he had spent so much time crawling had surely built his core strength, making his body look even more athletic than you had anticipated.

You quickly shook your head, cheeks flushed a bright red as your eyes refused to meet his, focusing instead on the floor. You clutched your towel tighter, trying to cover up your flustered state. “Wh-what you doing here?!” you stammered, trying to hide your obvious embarrassment.

“几ㄚ(me) ㄒ乃ㄩ几(wait) 几ㄩ(you) , 几ㄚ(me) 山ㄚ几(good) ?” he asked, his eyes shining with an innocent hope, waiting for your approval. His words were so simple, yet so endearing, and for a moment, you couldn’t help but feel your heart skip a beat. The way he looked at you, with that quiet devotion, made it impossible to say no. You nodded quickly, though you still couldn’t keep your eyes from darting around the room. “You good…” you managed to say, sweatdropping as you finally met his gaze.

He giggled at your reaction, feeling your heart stop for a moment. The sound was so pure, so innocent, yet it made you feel something strange—a fluttering in your chest that you couldn’t quite explain. I guess he’s just like other guys, wanting to be called a good boy… You thought, though it was strange, coming from him. But as you looked at him, standing there with that goofy smile, it didn’t feel strange at all. In fact, it felt just right.

Later, as you both finally settled into bed, the world outside seemed to fall away. His newly cleaned, silky hair served as your blanket, and he spooned you from behind, his warmth wrapping around you like a shield. You couldn’t help but feel safe, despite everything. His body, once strange and otherworldly, now felt like a comfort you didn’t want to live without. He was easy to care for, obedient, and surprisingly gentle. It felt like he had been waiting for moments like this all along, for you to be the one to care for him in this way. You had clothed him in your oversized clothes, but even those weren’t enough to cover his broad frame. So, you had gone and borrowed some of your dad’s clothes, dressing him in a loose, oversized white tee and baggy sweatpants that barely reached his ankles. Somehow, it suited him, and he wore them with a strange, innocent pride.

As you lay there, nestled into his warmth, a thought crept into your mind. What if the same thing happens to him? You remembered how, when you entered the otherworld, you were human but slowly turned into a something less the longer you stayed. What if that was the same for him? What if, the longer he stayed in this world, he would change too—become something different, something… more human? You weren’t sure, but the thought lingered, a shadow that you couldn’t quite shake.

But, despite all the uncertainties, you realized that it didn’t matter right now. You were content. In this moment, you were with him, and that was enough.

. . .

From the shadows beneath the bed, mr. gap peered out, his sharp eyes catching sight of you and someone cuddled together in the dim light. His lip curled into a grimace, the sight of your contentment gnawing at something inside him. He preferred you troubled—lost in fear or doubt. This… this happiness didn’t suit his taste. Saltiness filled him as he whispered, “Psst. ㄚ几乙(give) 卩爪山乙(finger) ?” His raspy voice cut through the silence, hoping to get a rise from you. But you were deep in sleep, completely oblivious to his presence.

“Psst… 几ㄚ(you) 卄乃几(hear) 山乙尺(gap) ? ㄚ几乙(give) 卩爪山乙(finger) . . 卩爪山乙(finger) ㄩ几卩(fun) !” he tried again, his voice a low croak as he stretched his head forward, yearning for attention. But you remained still, your soft breathing the only reply.

Just as he leaned closer, grumbling to himself about the lack of reaction, a faint shuffle caught his ears. His gaze shifted, watching as a dark pool of hair began spilling from the bed above, draping onto the floor. His brows furrowed in confusion. She had long black hair all along? The thought lingered for only a second before he realized the gruesome truth. Mr. crawling’s distorted form came into view, his long fingers dangling dangerously close to the floor.

Mr. gap recoiled, muttering, “几ㄩ(you) ? ! 卄ㄚ乙(how) 几ㄩ(you) 几爪ㄩ(here) ? !”But before he could retreat, a sharp jab, a claw-like finger—collided with his eyeball.

“AH! 卄卩爪几(hurt) ! ㄚ乃(no) 千尺乇(fair) !” he cried out, clutching his face in pain. The searing sensation was too much to bear, forcing him to vanish in an instant, retreating to whatever dark corner he called home, muttering bitterly, “几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃(no) 尺ㄚ乃(fun) . . . 几ㄩ(you) 卩乙ㄚ(harm) !”

Your room was a cozy chaos of your interests. Posters of a certain anime character lined the walls, their smug, cool expression practically daring anyone to challenge their allure. Figurines of the same character stood proudly on shelves, their carefully painted features practically glowing in the soft light of your lamp. And on the couch, nestled against your chest, was a plushie of said character—a squishy, adorable version of your fictional favorite.

Mr. crawling sat on the floor, watching you in silence. At first, he seemed content, his head tilted as he observed you hugging the stuffed toy with a dreamy look in your eyes. But the longer he stared, the more his brow furrowed, the faint pout on his lips deepening. His glowing eyes darted from the plushie to the posters on the wall and then to the figurines.

Finally, he broke. “ㄚ几卩(why) . . . 尺几ㄚ(who) ㄒ乂匚(this) ?” he grumbled, his voice sharp with annoyance.

You blinked, surprised. “Who? Who what?”

He gestured wildly around the room. “ㄒ乂卩(that) !” His clawed finger pointed to the posters, the figurines, and finally the plushie in your arms. “乃ㄩ(that) . . ! ㄚ爪卩(why) ㄚ乃(him) 山乙乂匚(everywhere) ? ? ㄚ爪(why) 卩几ㄩ(hug) ㄚ乃(him) ? ?” His glowing eyes darted from the walls to the shelves and back to you, his expression a mixture of confusion and frustration. His claws tapped against the floor as if he was trying to vent his annoyance without saying too much, but the way he kept glaring at the plushie in your arms gave him away. It was clear that he didn’t understand why this particular “him” had your attention—and worse, your affection.

You tilted your head, amused. “You jealous? Of my anime husb—”

“ㄚ乙乃(yes) !” he interrupted, scooting closer to you on the floor, his sharp knees clinking slightly against the hardwood. “几ㄚ(me) 山丂尺乙(jealous) . . ㄚ乃(him) 爪几(no) 乂ㄩ千(real) , ㄚ乃(him) 爪几(no) 卄乂爪(talk) . ㄚ乃(him) . . .” He trailed off, looking for the right word before motioning toward himself. “ㄚ乃(him) 爪几(no) ㄚ乃爪(like) 几ㄚ(me) .” he added, fueling his one-sided beef with the fictional character.

Your jaw dropped, equal parts stunned and entertained. “Wait, you jealous him?” you pointed at the various merchandise of your favorite character, your head turned to the sulking figure of mr. crawling—an amused expression creeping up to your face.

“ㄚ乙乃(yes) . . .” he said without hesitation, his pout deepening as he stared at the plushie. “ㄚ乃(him) 乃几(no) 乙ㄚ几卩丂(deserve) 几ㄩ(you) . 几ㄚ(me) ㄒㄚ乃卩(better) , 几ㄚ(me) ㄚ乃乙(here) , 几ㄚ(me) 山丂几(real) .”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Pff… you know him not real—”

With your sentence cut short, he turned and sat on the edge of your bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. His movements were unhurried, deliberate, as if he had all the time in the world to make his point. He glanced at you, his nonexistent eyes narrowing slightly, gesturing for you to come closer without a single word spoken. You hesitated, clutching another one of your stuffed toy tighter to your chest as if it could shield you from the intensity of his gaze. But before you could think to step back, his hand shot out, gentle yet firm—and caught your wrist. The contact sent a jolt through you, and with a soft tug, he pulled you forward, your balance tipping precariously.

In one swift motion, you found yourself perched on his lap, your knees framing his hips as your body instinctively sought stability. His claws rested against your waist, warm and solid through the fabric of your clothes, keeping you steady yet holding you firmly in place. The proximity was dizzying, your breath catching in your throat as you felt the heat radiating off his body, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. His hands, one settling possessively on your hip and the other lightly brushing the curve of your thigh, sent a wave of warmth through you that made it impossible to look anywhere but at him. He tilted his head slightly, his nonexistent eyes scanning your face with an expression you couldn’t decipher—something between amusement and quiet intensity.

You shifted nervously, trying to adjust, but the subtle movement only made his grip on you tighten, his claws pressing against your skin in a way that was neither painful nor entirely innocent—as if a signal not to move too much. “丂山几爪(stay) .” he murmured, his voice low and rough, the faintest hint of a growl curling at the edges as his thumb drew slow circles just at the smooth surface of your thighs. The heat between you was suffocating, his closeness making it impossible to think of anything but the way he held you—as if he’d been waiting for this moment and wasn’t about to let it slip away. “ㄚ乃(him) 几乂(no) ㄚ乃卩(need) 几乂几卂(touch) .” he declared, his voice firm and final. “几ㄚ(me) ㄚ乃卩(need) 几乂几卂(touch) .”

“几乂爪(now) . .” he said, his glowing eyes locking onto yours with an almost childlike determination, “几ㄩ(you) 卩几ㄩ(hug) 几ㄚ(me) , ㄚ几乃卩(please) ?” You felt his hands come in contact with your lower behind, pushing you closer to him as he urged you into giving in. Your breath hitched at the closeness, his face inches away from colliding into yours. The slight pout on his lips was somehow both endearing and maddeningly smug, as if he knew he’d just won whatever one-sided competition he imagined he was having with the stuffed toy.

“T-tch… you being ridiculous.” you said, trying to sound stern, but your voice wavered.

“ㄚ乃(not) 乙乂ㄚ几卩(ridiculous) .” he replied firmly, his clawed fingers flexing slightly against your sides. “几ㄩ(you) 乃乂几(hug) 丨几乙(toy) , 几ㄩ(you) 乃乂几(hug) 卩爪几山(poster) .” His voice dropped to a grumble as he glanced at the walls. “ㄚ几爪(why) 几乂(not) 几ㄩ(me) ?”

You could feel the heat of his body against yours, and without thinking, you pulled yourself closer to him, your hands instinctively wrapping around his neck, fingers curling into his hair. The movement caused your hips to shift, making your body press more fully against his, and with the clumsy jolt—you noticed his body budge slightly under you. With his breath, a little quicker than before, brushed against your skin. You realized the slight squirming of his body—It was almost as if he was struggling to maintain his usual composure, and that gave you an idea. You moved your hip again, moving it with a slight rhythm this time and repeating the same motion twice. Your hands hovered above his nape, grabbing a handful of his hair and lifting it upwards away from his shoulders, you shifted your body just a little more—then there was that shudder again. His eyes flickered down, watching the friction happen closely, the way his bulge grew was probably still a mystery to him. You couldn't help but let a smirk pull at the corner of your lips. You saw the intensity of the situation in his gaze—how badly he wanted to stay still, yet couldn't help the way his body reacted to you. The control he usually had seemed to slip, just a little, and that realization fueled something inside you.

Without another thought, you leaned in close, your breath mingling with his, and instead of a simple hug or a teasing touch, you lifted your hand and cupped his chin, tilting his face toward you—giving him a sensual yet passionate kiss. The gesture was gentle, yet heated, a silent promise passing between you as his body stiffened in surprise, his face flushing a deep shade of red. For a moment, you both sat there, eyes locked, and you pulled back just slightly, taking in his befuddled gaze.

“You okay, baby?" you whispered, your voice playful but laced with something more intense. As soon as the words left your mouth, you felt a slight heat rise to your cheeks. Calling him a word he didn’t understand felt so out of place, yet the moment it slipped out, you couldn’t help but feel a little stupid for doing so. It wasn’t that you thought he would understand the meaning, but somehow it felt like a slip-up, a word too human, too intimate for someone like him.

Still, despite your brief embarrassment, it was oddly fitting in the moment—something about the way his eyes softened under your touch made it feel like a small, tender connection between the two of you. His confusion didn’t matter; it still felt cute, and as ridiculous as it was, a part of you liked it. Even if he didn’t understand the weight of it, you did, and that made the moment feel real in a way that words couldn’t fully explain.

Your fingers traced down his jaw, grazing down lower to his shoulder, caressing the muscle there with a soft, lingering touch. The air between you thickened, charged with anticipation.

His eyes narrowed slightly—following your fingers as it caressed his shoulder, his voice came out low, unsure, as he repeated the words you’d just said, “You okay… baby?” The way he said it caught you completely off guard—his accent was thick, his pronunciation clumsy, and it felt more like a rough attempt than anything that resembled what you had said. Yet, despite how off it sounded, it somehow added a layer of sweetness to the moment, his curiosity trying to mimic your words.

You blinked, caught between laughter and surprise, unsure whether to explain or just let it slide. The sound of him saying the word, with that little mix of innocence and confusion, made your heart flutter for reasons you couldn’t quite place. It was cute, but it also made you feel strangely protective, as if you didn’t want him to get it wrong, even if it wasn’t something he could truly understand just yet.

As you adjusted your position slightly, trying to find a more comfortable way to sit on his lap, his large hands suddenly found its ways on your bare hips. “You okay… baby?” he repeated once more, as if experimenting with words, his hands copying the same motion you used as you caressed him in the shoulder earlier. It seemed like he’s already learnt a lot from you. The touch sent a shiver down your spine, surprising you a bit as his grip felt a little too aggressive—shooting him a look.

“Careful with those.” you warned.

“几ㄚ(me) ㄩ乃乙卩爪(careful) .” he promised, his voice low but earnest. “几ㄚ(you) 卩爪几尺(soft) .”

Your cheeks heated, and you turned your head away, biting back the embarrassed grin threatening to surface. “You’re impossible.” you muttered in your language, despite him not understanding the half.

He tilted his head, his expression tinted with curiosity. “Impossible . . ? ㄚ几(it) ㄚ乃几乇(good) ?” he questioned, still continuing the motion with his hands on your hips—this time a bit more gentler.

You couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped your lips, a little breathless. “Maybe.” you said, avoiding his gaze as you quickly averted your own, trying to hide the way your face was flushing, the warmth creeping up your neck and spreading to your cheeks.

Beneath him, you could feel the growing problem in his pants, the pressure of his hands on you, it made everything feel more intense, more real. The sudden awareness of how close you both were made the situation feel even more overwhelming, your heart racing in your chest as the flush deepened on your face. You couldn’t quite understand what you were feeling, but you were certain it had nothing to do with teasing anymore.

From the corner of your eye, you noticed him glance at the stuffed toy on the couch, his smug smile returning. “丨几乙(toy) 几乂(no) 卩爪ㄚ(come) 乃ㄒ几(back) .” he said firmly, pulling you a little closer. “几ㄩ(you) ㄚ几卩爪(mine) .”

You giggled, shaking your head at his jealousy. “Fine. You ridiculous.”

But deep down, you didn’t mind at all.

. . .

“几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃乙(lie) .” he began, his voice calm but laced with something colder, something displeased. There was no mistaking the weight of his words—they hung in the air like a heavy stone, threatening to break apart the fragile truce they’d held. “几ㄩ(you) 山ㄒ乃(say) ㄚ乃(she) 卄几乇(safe) ㄚ乃山(with) 几ㄩ(you) .” he scoffed, the word rolling off his tongue with a bitter edge. He took a step closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers, as though daring her to deny it. “ㄒ乃几(then) . . . 乂乙几(why) ㄚ乃(she) ㄚ乃山(with) 山乙ㄚ丂爪(somebody else) ?” His voice grew darker, every word cutting deeper than the last.

The tension in the room had built up to a boiling point, every movement more consuming than the last. Mr. scarletella’s usual poise had given way to something darker, a growing fury beneath his cool exterior. His gaze, sharp and unforgiving, never wavered from ms. bride as she stood across from him, arms crossed defiantly. The space between them crackled with an almost tangible animosity, but beneath it was a layer of confusion and disbelief on mr. scarletella’s part, a confusion that only fueled his anger further.

Ms. bride’s nonexistent face twisted with anger, her composure faltering as the truth finally surfaced in front of her. She stepped forward, her heels clicking against the floor as she closed the distance between them. “ㄚ乃(she) 乙几爪乇(safe) ㄒ乃几(with) 山乙ㄚ丂爪(somebody else) !” she spat, her voice a mix of frustration and fury. “山乙ㄚ丂爪(somebody else) ㄚ乃几(take) ㄚ乃丂爪(good) 山乙几(care) 卄爪 (of) ㄚ乃(her) ! ㄚ乃(she) 卩几乃丂(should not) ㄒ乙(be) ㄒ乃几(with) 几ㄩ(you) !” Her words were sharp and cutting, each one landing with a thud, meant to pierce him, to drive home the betrayal she was now admitting.

“几ㄩ(you) ㄒ乃几(think) 几ㄩ(you) 爪卩尺(know) ㄒ乙几乃(better) ?” Scarletella’s voice was low, dangerous. His fists clenched at his sides, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he took another step closer to her, his every movement controlled, restrained. “几ㄩ(you) 乃乂ㄩ几(always) ㄚㄒ(in) 乃乙几(the) 山卩爪(way) ㄚ爪(of) 千丂卄乃(others) ? ㄚ乃(she) 几ㄒ卩(was) ㄚ乃几(mine) . ㄚ乃(she) 山乙(was) 卄ㄚ乃(happy) ㄒ山几(with) 几ㄚ(me) .” His eyes darkened, there was a cold, controlled edge to his stare as he ate her up, the weight of his accusation pressing down on her with each passing second. “几ㄩ(you) 乃卄几(help) ㄚ乃(them) , ㄚ山乃(now) ㄒ乙乂(they) 山卩乃几爪(together) . ㄚ乃几(leave) 几ㄩ(you) 乇几乃(here) , ㄩ丂乃丂ㄖ(alone) .”

Ms. bride’s anger flared, and for a brief moment, she looked as though she might strike him. But instead, she took a deep breath, visibly forcing herself to calm down. “几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃乇(need) 几乂(stop) ㄒㄚ卩(talking) .” she snapped, though there was a sharp edge of regret in her voice. “几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃几丂卩(unsafe) . 几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃(not) ㄒ卂卩(take) ㄚ乃卂(care) ㄚ尺(of) ㄚ乃(her) .” Her hands gestured around the room, her frustration with everything that had happened now apparent. “几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃丂(make) ㄚ乃(her) 山ㄚ乂几(suffer) . 几ㄩ(you) ㄩ几ㄖ(desire) ㄚ乃(her) ? ㄚ乃(she) ㄚ乂卩爪(afraid) ㄚ千(of) 几ㄩ(you) .”

The anger in Mr. Scarletella’s eyes flared again, stronger this time. “乃几爪卩(bring) ㄚ乃(her) 千几乙(back) ㄚㄒ(to) 几ㄩ(me) .” he demanded—the words were like daggers, each one aimed directly at the heart of the situation. His voice was laced with desperation, but the cold fury behind his words was undeniable. “几ㄚ(me) 山ㄚ几乃(want) ㄚ乃(her) . 几ㄚ(me) 几ㄚㄒ乃(need) ㄚ乃(her) . 几ㄚ(me) 卩乂几ㄒ几(desire) ㄚ乃(her) .” His gaze hardened as he took a step toward ms. bride, the tension in his body tightening with every word that passed through his clenched teeth.

Before he could further his steps, ms. bride’s hand moved, her gloved palm landing sharply against his cheek with a loud squeal that echoed in the otherwise silent room. Despite his presence being an illusion of his own delusions, ms. bride’s fuming impact somehow breaking the barrier of his protective essence—made him pause at the oddness of the moment. The force of it shocked him, but it wasn’t the slap itself that stung. It was the truth of her betrayal, the sting of losing you from someone he had trusted.

She didn’t wait for him to respond. With a huff, she turned on her heel, her gown swishing as she walked away from him. Her hands clutched at the fabric as if to steady herself, but there was no turning back now. Mr. scarletella’s gaze fixated on the ground, his anger seething beneath the surface, but the hurt was there too, deep down. He had given the person he cherished the most, trusted someone he shouldn’t have. And now, in this moment, your whole being was with somebody else—worse of it, it had been his foe. Even trusting the bride hadn’t been an easy decision for him, it took him time to build trust—all for it to come tubling down. Was it just a thing with girls? Was he really that wrong when it came to their ways? He never understood.

With one last glance at the hallway where she had turned, mr. scarletella’s chest tightened with fury. It was all so blatant now—the bride had played him, used his feelings to manipulate him into giving up what he held dear. And now, the worst part of it all was that, for a moment, he had actually believed her. Why had he not realized before? The realization hit him like a ton of bricks; nobody but himself had been the fool all along.

.

.

.

psst.

.

.

.

For a moment, mr. scarletella’s rage-filled thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound. A raspy, quiet whisper broke through the suffocating tension of the dimly lit hallway. “Psst.” It was almost too faint to register, but his sharp senses caught it. He froze, his void-like eyes narrowing as they scanned the flickering shadows. The sound came again, a little louder this time. “Psst.” His head snapped toward the source—a vent nestled in the corner of the hallway, where darkness gathered like a secret waiting to be uncovered.

From behind the slats, a familiar figure emerged. The dim glow from the hallway light cast eerie shadows across mr. gap’s gaunt, twisted face as he pressed himself partially out of the vent. His hollow eyes glimmered with mischief, his wide, unnerving grin was painted across his pale face like a haunting mask. “Scarletella…” Mr. gap hissed, the syllables of his name drawn out in a rasp that sounded like nails scratching against metal. “几ㄚ(me) . . . 卩乇几爪(know) ㄒ乙几(where) ㄚ乃(she) ㄚㄒ(is) .”

The air in the hallway shifted as mr. scarletella turned fully to face him, the weight of the moment crashing over him like a wave. For the first time since ms. bride’s betrayal, a flicker of hope pierced the cloud of fury and despair that had consumed him. His void-like eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the shadowy figure before him. “山卩几爪(show) .” he said coldly, though his voice betrayed a flicker of urgency.

Mr. gap chuckled, a low, rattling sound that echoed in the quiet. “几ㄚ(me) 乃几卩爪乇(special) , 乙乃(yes) ? 几ㄚ(me) 山丂卩爪几(travel) 乙ㄚ乂几(easily) . . .” He tapped his spindly fingers against the vent for emphasis. “ㄚ乃几ㄖ爪卩(overworld) , 几乂ㄚ丂(ghost) 几卂ㄩ丂几(apartment) , 几ㄚ(me) ㄒ乃(go) 丂ㄩ乙几乂(everywhere) . 几ㄚ(me) ㄒ乙丂(see) ㄚ卂卩山爪乙(everything) .” His grin widened, teeth glinting in the dim light. “ㄚ乃几(know) ㄒ乙乂(where) ㄚ乃(she) ㄚㄒ(is) . ㄚ乃几(know) . . . 山卩爪(what) 几ㄩ(you) 几ㄒ几乃(want) .”

Scarletella’s composure cracked just slightly, his hands flexing at his sides. “几ㄩ(you) 乙ㄚ乃卩(sure) ?” he demanded, stepping closer, the force of his presence bearing down on the smaller figure. “几ㄩ(you) ㄚ乃爪卩(bring) ㄚ乃(her) ㄚㄒ(to) 几ㄚ(me) ?”

“几ㄚ(me) 乙ㄚ乃卩(sure) .” Mr. gap crooned, tilting his head. “乃几卩(but) . . .” His voice trailed off, his grin widening, eyes narrowing with devious glee. “几ㄚ(me) 尺乃ㄒ几(want) ㄒ乙乃乂几(something) 千爪ㄒ(first) . . . 卩爪几卂(trade) , ㄚ乃(yes) ?”

Scarletella’s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding audibly. He hated being in the hands of others, especially someone like mr. gap, whose trustability was as stable as the flickering lights above them. But desperation clawed at him, the thought of her being out of his grasp was unbearable. “ㄚ乃几ㄒ(alright) . 卩爪几卂(trade) .” he allowed, his tone sharp.

Gap’s grin grew impossibly wider, his crooked teeth gleaming. “卩爪丂ㄚ几(simple) 尺乃几卩(things) , ㄚ乃几爪(easy) 尺乃几卩(things) .” He began listing them off with a casual air, as though discussing the weather; “千卄乃几(head) . ㄚ乃丂几(exactly) 64 乃ㄚ乂几丂(fingernails) . 2716 ㄒ乃乂几(strand) ㄚ尺(of) 尺卄山乃(hair) . 4 千尺卩几(pair) ㄚ尺(of) 几爪乂(feet) . 几ㄒㄚ(and) . . . 千ㄚ乇卄几(tongue) .”

The request was grotesque, macabre, and entirely in line with mr. gap’s nature. Scarletella’s expression didn’t waver, his inky eyes burning with resolve. If that was the price to pay, then so be it. “卩爪乇几(done) .” he said without hesitation, the word a cold knife slicing through the air. “几爪卩(but) . . . 尺千(if) 几ㄩ(you) ㄚ丂乃(lie) . . .”

“几ㄚ(me) 几乂(not) ㄚ丂乃(lie) .” Mr. gap interrupted, his grin never faltering. “几ㄚ(me) 几ㄩ(your) 卩爪匚乂(last) ㄚ乃几乇(hope) . 几ㄚ(me) 卩爪乙卄乇(savior) .” He tilted his head, his voice dropping into an almost mocking tone. “几ㄚ(you) ㄒ乃几(want) ㄚ乃(her) , ㄚ几(yes) ? 乃几ㄚ(then) ㄒ尺几爪(trust) 几ㄚ(me) .”

Scarletella didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. The deal was struck, the thought of seeing her again, of reclaiming what was his—overshadowed the horror of the bargain he had just made. With a finishing chuckle, mr. gap disappeared back into the vent, his unsettling laughter echoing down the hallway, leaving scarletella standing in the dim light, his shadow stretching long and dark across the floor.

—ch.7

➤ e n d

“Fingers, Feet, and Lies”