#god i just wanna throw him off a skyscraper

[whumble-beeee]

Vaughn Verhulst (25)

(character intro 3 of 4 for The (Un)Official Guide Series!)

he/him, 5’10

Powers?: No

Occupation: Lead Scientist and Head of R&D at Supramed Research Corp.

(More info under the cut)

Background: Grew up your average upper-middle class childhood in the Netherlands, where he expressed early signs of various personality disorders, to this day undiagnosed. At first, he would only 'experiment' [read: torture] on himself, up until he was nearly impervious to pain by a combination of damaged nerve endings and mental blocks (some people might argue that this is a superpower, although it is not classified as one) and started experimenting on others instead to continue his ever-growing interest. In his doctoral program, he wanted to research on the physiological effects of pain, even going so far as to ignore the board’s decision that his chosen research path was wildly unethical, until he was discovered and barred from the school and faced demands to be diagnosed and treated for his disorders, as well as prison time. He fled the country and ended up in the US, where he has since worked for Supramed Research Corp. as lead scientist under his current girlfriend, Lana Moody. It doesn't seem the company has any problem with his tendencies, and in fact, encourage them, as they help with continued research on supers and their powers. Also very well known to take copious and well-organized notes.

Extra notes: 

Likes to play mind games and WILL hurt any person indiscriminately, seemingly with no motivation other than ‘fun’ or ‘research’.

Generally agreed upon to be rather insufferable to interact with.

Kinda reminds me of Jigsaw if Jigsaw wore stupid sweater vests.

His story!: The (Un)Official Guide to Hero-Keeping, a self-help guide for super-villains and bounty hunters

Taglist: @flowersarefreetherapy | @pirefyrelight | @cakeinthevoid | @painsandconfusion | @books-are-everything

@paperprinxe | @tippytappytyping | @chaotic-orphan | @notactuallyluska

[onebizarrekai]

Can we have Ds Randy lore pls pls 😣..

oh my god his lore is absolutely bonkers. have I ever ranted about it. I don't remember.

ya boy randy grows up in a Magic Nightmare Dimension that's meant to be like, a real nursery rhyme. that like, kids are told by their parents that they'll be snatched away into the Nightmare Dimension™ if they misbehave or act out or whatever, except the dimension is real. it's like, horrortale-esque, just without the entirety of horrortale. for some reason randy's name is dino and he works as the abused lumberjack assistant of a blacksmith and he's supposed to be like the most sentient person in the dimension who's the only one who questions his purpose because everyone around him has an innate desire to kill intruders, those being the children that fall into the dimension when they sleep at night.

then JR just, magically finds this extremely specific dimension, kills everyone, except randy because he's "really good at hiding" (amazing) and so randy's just. straight up the only survivor. he lives in this nightmare dimension for years BY HIMSELF and gives company to the children who still slip into it to try and make it less scary for them. and because core frisk is still an element of the story, they show up multiple times, they tell him he shouldn't be alone in a place like this. it takes a bit of convincing because randy is afraid of leaving it empty, but he eventually concedes. and the evil nightmare dimension disappears because it has no more inhabitants.

fast forward, randy, for some stupid reason, wants to do core frisk's job. he's like "I wanna save people from their timelines and give them a place to stay" and core frisk is like "no that's my job, go be a member of society" and randy is so upset that he breaks into the omega timeline's resident avengers tower (I don't know what it is! it's a skyscraper! my brain says it's a random skyscraper!) where they're keeping their experimental Dimension Traveling Fluid. randy splatters it all over his lumberjack axe that he still has for some reason, and you guessed it, tries to do core frisk's job. because this story loves being extremely over the top, randy accidentally rescues a like murderer rapist who hurts people and everyone in the omega timeline is like "oh my god! you bastard!" because apparently this random criminal is the only guy in the history of the omega timeline who's hurt anyone. and core frisk is all like "randy don't ever do that again" and randy is so ashamed and knows that everyone hates him and he just. leaves entirely. because somehow, even though they confiscated his weapon, he breaks BACK INTO THE SKYSCRAPER TO STEAL IT BACK. and core frisk purposefully does not go after him. I don't know. maybe they did it on purpose. maybe it's a mind game and they were trying to get rid of him. who even knows at this point.

and this guy just, he just does whatever for the next however long. my notes just say "he stumbled into JR one day when they had coincidentally rescued a bunch of children from a murder cult". and JR just immediately sees him in the cams, and they're like, who's that guy, so they bring him in, and randy's panicking because these guys killed off his whole universe. and they just put him a cell! for no reason! they're like "he's got classified technology in his weapon" and they throw him in jail, say they're going to "deal with him later" and bunny coincidentally happens to be in the cell next to him because when you are a traumatized baby teen and you're melting down because a bunch of guys in white army suits started killing everyone you know, they put you in a cell. and for some reason randy starts talking to bunny about being free from the cult despite this being way out of his depth, and despite him only knowing what he briefly overheard. and JR has waiting times like a doctor's office so like an hour passes before bunny will say a single word to him. and then like, they just start sort of talking, and there's a guard there, he just stops existing, stops caring that they're talking about breaking out and then some more guys come in and take bunny somewhere else and interrogate randy some more.

and here's the thing. I do not know how they broke out. my notes stop there. I don't know. I think bunny got away and stole his weapon back?? and they escaped together?? that's insane. oh yeah, this is the part where randy is like "I was just passing through" the guards are like "do you have any idea how high the security is here" and it just makes me laugh every single time. why is JR so incompetent. it's just funny at this point.

[buds-and-baubles]

(agent grayson 2014-2016 issue #19)

i thought using these panels to post my final review of agent grayson would be fitting.

i am aware that more of dick as agent grayson with midnighter being there is also in batman and robin eternal and the second midnighter series, so i will post reviews for those too in the near future.

all in all in regards to what it did for the characters in the series who existed before this (aka comparing their new 52 to their post-crisis or earth-50 selves)? yuck. i don't have a better word for it. helena bertinelli no longer being huntress. the treatment of dick grayson in regards to oversexualization and characterization.

tom king's patented xenophobia and racism continues unfortunately as always (which is unfortunately not an isolated incident regarding the comic industry. example: the treatment of the entire al ghul family).

just wanted to mention how ugh barbara being batgirl is and pushing for dickbabs in this in an incredibly ableist and misogynistic way. tao and grifter just being there? not only a shock but also them being background characters is... something.

my focus may have been on midnighter's treatment in this but by no means am i ignoring its variety of mistreatment of other characters.

so what do i think? as i've mentioned in my past reviews, midnighter is written out of character from himself. he before the new 52 was never a flirty loner.

i reiterate he would've never sexualized dick grayson or flirted with him like that. he would've never suggested harming an innocent baby. i could go on and on about how i'd change every line that has midnighter talk (especially in regards to dick grayson) but we'd be here all day.

apollo's single appearance in the series also was incredibly frustrating. i have already covered what my full thoughts were but apollo wouldn't have been like 'noo midnighter, we don't throw people off skyscrapers'.

he wouldn't have been surprised or bothered because of their original bond and history together. also, that's tame as far as things midnighter does. in addition to this, he would've found it hot because they're freaks like that. i don't know how they managed to mischaracterize him for his single page appearance but they did.

what would i have done to handle midnighter's appearances in the series? following my wildstorm to dc transfer idea, he would still be married and with his (and apollo's) original origin so there would've been no breakup for midpollo.

jenny quantum is there as the spirit of the 21st century and as their daughter who was never erased in the first place. the same is the case for swift and the doctor never being erased because fuck dc for that.

his presence in the story would be tracking down meta bio-weapons as he is also monitoring the various spy organizations with help from apollo and or the rest of the authority. the god garden (who did not create midnighter in my idea) would've been destroyed because anything trying to be like bendix's stormwatch has got to go.

it'd be entertaining in my opinion if he'd be trying to avoid agent grayson but 'the goddamn kid just keeps showing where i wanna be'. just trying to mind his business fighting for a better world and this one bat just keeps appearing.

helena bertinelli in my idea for this is also trying to infiltrate spyral like dick is but on oracle's behalf. a whole finger pointing meme when they realize eachother is there because helena has been there longer. this offers a unique juxtaposition of if helena would alert babs that dick is there or if dick would alert bruce that helena is there.

imagine a sequence of dick grayson going through it as he talks to the comm bruce gave him while really feeling the isolation that being believed to be dead and infiltrating spyral brings.

which cuts to midnighter smiling as he kicks off people's heads, fights alongside apollo where they kiss when they're all bloody, the quantum family being back at their apartment eating dinner, and the authority on the carrier talking about stuff they've been up to while they hang out.

how would i have handled all the other spy stuff? i have no idea but i wouldn't have done what the writers did, that's for sure. thanks for tuning in to another review!

[stayarmytinyzenmoa-l]

omg crys i’ve just realized that you never wrote anything related to NCT world 2.0 and now i wanna know if you had any ideas for anima in nct world 2.0 😭😭😭 IM SO INVESTED IN PROMINENCE AND ANIMA ITS INSANEEEEEEEE

OH I GOT YOU ANON AHHHHHH I do have this little crys talks [post] (read the notes in that lmao Rose added some GOLD to it) I made way back when but it's high time I add to that bad boy

NCT ANiMA/NCThree on NCT World 2.0

First thing's first, the boxes. As we all know each challenge was specifically tailored to each individual. So I can see Saeron's being something similar to Operation or like those arcade games where you have to get the hoop through the course without touching the guide since she's rather good with her hands. Maybe Jihyun's would be some intense memory based game since she's good at remembering things. We can throw Yeseul in a batting cage and have her hit the ball idk 5 times in a row before moving on. As for (Y/N) we could have her flex her hidden strength with one of those punch machines just for funsies (bonus if Johnny magically appears next to her and starts coaching)

What was next? Was it the teams? Okay, easy, (Y/N) would be in the skyscraper team just so Yangyang could fuck around with her (starting the shipping rumors pls save them), I can see this guy constantly trying to scare her and (Y/N) going into fight response, this was funny until they were on the bridge and Renjun yelled at Yangyang to knock it off ("why are you on her side I'm your best friend!" "I don't care you're going to kill us all!"). Yeseul was on the sushi team because that girl can EAT she's clearing sushi like it's nothing and the boys are in shock, they had this challenge in the bag (also one of the people who encouraged Jaehyun to eat because life's too short not to have good food). Jihyun and Saeron were on the photobooth team and, turns out, Jihyun's really fucking good at Tetris.

Then it was field day right? Oh boy, ohhhhh boy. Let's just say (Y/N) CARRIED her team in arm wrestling until she got to Johnny then she was like "Call and ambulance! Call an ambulance! But not for me" and proceeded to win. Johnny swears it's because she caught him off guard, but everyone knows the truth. That whole relay thing? Oh god, when Yangyang ran to her to hand off the baton it slipped, they both started arguing in English, Mark ran past them laughing his head off, Yeseul was censored but everyone heard the "RUN BITCH RUNN" affectionately referring to (Y/N). She tripped over those flippers so many times. Jihyun learned the secret to the flippers and ran backwards. It was chaotic.

Now it was the weird escape room-esque thing, right? Man, it truly was Jihyun and the seven fools with her for real. Jihyun started catching on to things so quickly while Hendery was behind her "looking for clues" her and Yuta were so on it that the staffs had to ask them to pretend to be clueless for the variety of it. Saeron was likely a part of that group that had to do the puzzle solving in the cave and was lowkey at a loss since none of it applied to ANiMA but her enthusiasm was so infectious. Let's not talk about (Y/N), she was too busy looking for clues in the piano. Yeseul absolutely was a queen in the whole thing, true MVP

But yes that's all I can think up of rn but I might add on more eventually hehe

[asset35-maya]

.When the party’s over.

>REINITIALISING…

>ALL SYSTEMS ONLINE

>WIRELESS CHARGING: 69%

>RK900 SYSTEM HEALTH: STABLE

>24H FILE RECOVERY: 45%

Nines slowly regained consciousness. He was lying on his side and everything around him was quiet.

>ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN IN PROGRESS…

>THREAT ANALYSIS IN PROGRESS…

Layers of fabric covered his body and something soft and warm was pressed against his face. Eyes still shut, he nudged it gently with his nose and it emitted a low vibration.

>2% THREAT DETECTED: FELINE SUBJECT

The cat sprang upwards and hopped off the surface that Nines was lying on. It was ostensibly a bed, but Nines didn’t own any furniture apart from a couch and work table. The logical conclusion was that he was not in his own apartment.

>RUN LOCALISATION PROGRAM: Y/N?

>Y

>ERROR: PROGRAM FAILED TO EXECUTE

>ERROR: MEMORY FILE CORRUPTION

Nines had no absolutely recollection of his whereabouts or how he had arrived. He had not been compromised as his system health was stable, so there was probably another reason for being completely disoriented. It was voluntary.

He had gotten the android equivalent of blackout drunk.

It was not the first time and he feared it would not be the last. Such were the hard-partying ways of his friends and colleagues. They were all terrible influences. He loved them dearly, but they were terrible.

At 6PM every Friday, Chen and Miller would start things off rather innocently. “Hey there’s a new brewery downtown.” Or “My bartender cousin just hooked us up with a thirty percent discount!”

From there it wouldn’t take long for the DPD’s resident frat boys Connor and Gavin to gather a steady crowd of officers and check out the venue. If the vibes were good (which they almost always were), Sixty would get wind of things. Then the rest of the frat house would descend and total chaos would reign until the break of dawn.

SWAT Unit 32 was famous for its particularly destructive brand of revelry. Skinny dipping in private swimming pools, scaling skyscraper rooftops and causing media scandals were all par for the course. The day after Captain Allen’s birthday, the DPD crew spent the entirety of their bonuses to repair the collapsed ceiling of the Eden Club.

Nines couldn’t remember how he exactly he was coopted into the madness. Probably peer pressure. Connor insisted that he try thirium alcohol. Sixty said that he would regret being a loser and not joining them. Gavin had just held out a hand and double-winked. That did the trick.

One night blended into another and soon Nines had worked up quite a reputation of his own. He was the Casanova of the homicide department. The handsome devil… the hunter… the sex god. People would actually come by his desk and congratulate him on Monday morning.

Nines hated it but he couldn’t stop himself from doing the same thing over and over. Perhaps it was the appreciative clap on the shoulder from Gavin the morning after Sixty posted photos of a high-end Traci model giving Nines his very first lap dance.

Life at the DPD was the epitome of work hard, play hard. It seemed like one big party but deep down Nines knew they were all just slaves to their compulsions. He wondered whether it was because they needed to celebrate every demon they vanquished or whether they needed to wipe the troubling memories of doing so.

In Nines case, there were definitely things he needed to kill within himself. Some were nightmare inducing crime scenes, but some were memories so heart-wrenchingly sweet that he thought he might self-destruct if he were to dwell on them too long. There were things he couldn’t have and things he needed to erase from his brain.

Something touched his face gently.

>PERIPHERAL OBJECT DETECTED: HUMAN HAND

>THREAT ANALYSIS: NON-COMBATIVE

The hair on his forehead was brushed aside and fingers ran over his features. A thumb swept over his bottom lip and caressed his cheek.

Nines couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes and come face to face with his most recent conquest. He lay still, frozen with regret as the hand continued to stroke his face.

The hand travelled down his neck and fell upon his chest. Nines caught it abruptly. It wasn’t even the month-end and his savings were badly depleted. He couldn’t afford round two. He retracted the synth skin down to his wrist and prepared the electronic payment credentials.

Fingers merely intertwined with his.

“Just take your money and go. I’ll tip extra if you delete everything from your hard drive.”

“What the phck are you talking about?”

Nines eyes flew open. Steel blue met storm green.

>SYSTEM ALERT: THIRIUM PUMP OVERLOAD

“Fuck!”

“Wow that’s flattering.”

Nines pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes in a vain attempt to remember what had led to this absolute, unmitigated disaster.

“What the hell happened last night?”

Gavin looked affronted.

“You ruined our housewarming for one.”

>MEMORY ARCHIVE SEARCH: housewarming, Gavin

>RESULT: TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM “G.REED” IN GROUPCHAT “CLUBBERCOPS”, 15:33 18 JULY 2040: Assholes. Party at our new place. Next Friday. From seven till LATE. Bring booze, bring bitches. Nah. Actually, don’t. Our landlord’s a bastard and we already got three noise complaints.

>RESULT: TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM “CONMAN” IN GROUPCHAT “CLUBBERCOPS”, 15:34 18 JULY 2040: Yeah we should keep this one PG. Bring food if you wanna eat. This mf can’t cook and I don’t care to. See y’all!!

Oh right. Fuck. Gavin’s housewarming. Gavin and Connor’s housewarming. His two closest friends who were somehow even closer to one another. Nines hadn’t realised until it was far too late and there was nothing for him to do but smother the bitterness with his favourite coping mechanisms: android alcohol and paid sex.

The circumstances definitely explained the state he was in, but things still didn’t add up.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Did we… did we…”

“No. Nothing happened between us. You were completely shitfaced. I just put you to bed to stop you from embarrassing yourself.”

Nines looked up at the ceiling, struggling to put the pieces together. His system offered him no useful prompts. The fermented thirium had done its job of code corruption extremely well. He looked back down and met the green eyes focused on him with deep concern.

“What did I do?”

“Sixty has videos, but I don’t think you want to see them. God, Nines… why didn’t you just tell me?”

“I’m really sorry, Gavin. I didn’t mean to ruin your night… and Connor’s.”

“He’s fine. He and Sixty moved the crew to Hank’s place. Which is what we should have done in the first place… there’s really no point throwing a party in this shoebox and telling people like Tina Chen to be quiet. Honestly if it wasn’t you it would have been her bringing the house down. Good thing they had all of Michigan Drive to tear up. Hank’s neighbours can sleep though a bombing.”

“What did I do?”

Gavin put his hand back on Nines’ face, his expression unintelligible. The human touched him often enough, but never like this. Never so intimately. Nines forced down the twisting sensation in his torso. He couldn’t get his hopes up. This was pity.

Nines braced himself to hear the worst. He prepared for the shredding of all his dignity and the collapse of his falsely extroverted and confident identity.

What came though was a soft press of lips to his forehead.

“It wasn’t pretty and I wish it hadn’t happened like that, but I think it was a long time coming… I’ve never seen you so emotional before. I’m sorry I didn’t notice anything all this while.”

“Gavin, please.”

“I’m going to focus on the positives, because really… there were a LOT of negatives. Oh boy. You… uh…”

“Gavin.”

The detective dipped his head and looked away.

“Phck, I shouldn’t be so embarrassed…

You told me you loved me.”

Nines closed his eyes. That was it. He should quit his job and move to another state. Hell, he should go to Cyberlife and request a factory reset on compassionate grounds.

“I’m so sorry. I… I should leave.”

He made to sit up, but was pushed back into the mattress. Gavin curled into his side.

“Nah. You’re good.”

“What?”

“You threw up on my plants and smashed Connor’s RA9 sculpture, buuuut you’re good.”

“I don’t understand.”

Gavin wrapped his arms around Nines and edged closer until the android was forced to turn on his side and reciprocate.

“What do you think, genius? If a guy like me doesn’t throw a guy like you out of the house after all that… what does it mean?”

“That you have a high tolerance for toxic friendships?”

“It means I want you to stick around, dipshit.”

>SYSTEM ALERT: THIRIUM PUMP RATE FLUCTUATIONS. OVERLOAD IMMINENT.

“You mean you like me?”

“Of course I do! I always have, but it never seemed right to bring it up. We’re actually really good friends. I didn’t think it would be possible when we first met but we have so much in common.”

“Bad habits for sure.”

“Come on, Nines. We’ve had a really great time together. Some of my best memories at the DPD are with you. Don’t ever quote me on it but you’re a phcking amazing partner. Can’t believe you thought I had something going with Connor when it’s always been you.

So yeah, I do like you. And I’m willing to try… I dunno… being with you. Like for real.

Stop drinking like that, though. I know I’m a hypocrite but you really scared me last night. I lost my Dad and I nearly lost Hank to the bottle. You might be this super advanced android, but that liquid courage shit is a death trap, man.”

>SYSTEM ERROR: THIRIUM PUMP AT MAX FLOW RATE. PUMP OVERLOAD. REDUCE PRESSURE IMMEDIATELY!

Nines nodded quickly and blinked away the tears that welled up in his eyes. Gavin grasped the android’s chin and tipped his face down gently. Their eyes fluttered shut simultaneously and their lips met.

>SYSTEM RECOVERY MESSAGE: THIRIUM PUMP FUNCTIONALITY RESTORED

They broke apart after several golden moments and Gavin hugged Nines tightly under the sheets.

“What am I supposed to say to the others? I don’t think I can look any of them in the eye ever again.”

“Are you serious? You got nothing on the insanity that bunch is capable of. Sixty thinks he’s hot shit with his blackmail material, but I got receipts that’ll glue his mouth shut for decades. Anyway, that’s what friends are meant to be like. You have dirt on each other but you’re not meant to use it.

The same applies to us too, by the way. Don’t feel like you gotta be… apologetic about what happened last night. Yeah, you better replace my fancy new plants but I’ll never judge you for what happened. I want you to know that I’ll always be in your corner, Nines.”

Nines hummed thoughtfully and ran a hand though Gavin’s hair, marvelling at the fact that he could now do so whenever he wanted. He didn’t say anything in response, and just settled for cuddling closer to the human.

>>RK900 SYSTEM HEALTH: EXCELLENT

[dirtykpopsnaps]

Tiny and Feisty - Johnny Suh smut

Warnings: This fic contains 18+ material. Anyone under 18 seen interacting with this fic will be blocked!

Contains: tiny!reader. feisty!reader. bulge kink. size kink.

Requested: yes

Words: 2, 367

———————————————————————

I stare in the mirror, taking in the sight of my slightly baggy t-shirt and ripped jeans. My hair is thrown up in a ponytail and it’s all over the place, but there’s not much I can do about that. I nod once at myself and head out of the bathroom, into the living room of the dorm. Several of the boys are all gathered in the living room, waiting for me to get back. Doyoung and Jaehyun are having a comfortable conversation, Taeyong throwing in comments here and there. From the kitchen, I hear my boyfriend, Johnny, clattering around. “You guys ready to go?” I ask. They all look up at me and Johnny pokes his head out of the kitchen.

“Just grabbing some waters,” he states.

In the living room, the other three boys get off the couches and stand by the door. Johnny comes back a moment later with five waters and hands one to me, throwing his arm over my shoulder. In his other hand, he’s holding a leather football (American). Earlier, we all decided that it would be nice to get out of the house and go for a walk to the nearby park. It’s not usually too crowded where the dorm is, so we’re hoping not to get mobbed. I move Johnny’s hand off of my shoulder and take his hand in mine, instead, entwining our fingers. Doyoung makes a gagging noise and I glare at him, smacking his shoulder. Jaehyun and Taeyong both laugh heartily.

Together, the five of us make our way down the flight of stairs and out onto the street. As predicted, not too many people are out and those who do just ignore us mostly. There are a few stares here and there, but we aren’t asked for any autographs. The walk to the park is fairly uneventful. We’re all just walking along, trying to bring as little attention to ourselves as possible. Obviously, a few eyes are drawn to us since there are so many of us, but we’re mostly able to go unnoticed.

At the park, it’s pretty quiet. There are a couple families scattered here and there, some people ride their bikes along the patches. However, the large field is open and almost completely barren. Johnny looks around at his friends, smiling. “Anyone wanna play football?” He asks, holding up the football in his hands. I look up at him happily and nod.

“Yeah, football would be fun!” I say excitedly. Johnny’s eyes drift down to mine and he has a look on his face that I can’t quite decipher.

“Uh...Y/N...are you sure you wanna play? You’re kinda...” he trails off. However, I know what he was going to say. I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes at him.

“Suh Young-ho, are you actually saying that I can’t play football with you guys because I’m *short*?!” I ask heatedly. Johnny stares at me with wide eyes, looking around at his friends for help. He knows that I only call him by his Korean name when I’m very upset.

In our group, Jaehyun cringes lightly at my tone. “John...it might be best to just let her play,” he advises softly.

“Ah, o-okay, yeah, sure. You can play with us, Y/N,” he laughs awkwardly, trying to brush off what he just said. I roll my eyes, taking the ball out of his hand and heading over to the open field. Johnny and the others follow soon after. Taeyong looks around the group, furrowing his eyebrows.

“How are we going to play? There’s an odd number,” he comments. Just as Johnny is about to say something, Jaehyun backs out.

“I don’t mind watching for a little bit,” he shrugs. Johnny’s eyes flit over to me and I smile sarcastically at him. I know that he was going to suggest I sit out.

“How about we do teams? Taeyong and Johnny versus Doyoung and I?” I suggest.

Instantly, Johnny gives me an betrayed look. Just by those team suggestions he can tell how frustrated I am. “Y/N, I—,” he starts, but I hold up my hand.

“Young-ho, I suggest you shut up before I get more upset,” I say sharply. Johnny snaps his mouth shut, walking a little ways off into the field with Taeyong. Doyoung and I talk a little bit about tactics before we walk back over to Johnny and Taeyong.

“Okay...those trees at the end there, and the edge of the picnic area are the two goals,” Taeyong says, pointing in either direction. I nod my head softly and cradle the ball in my arms.

After a few moment of talking, we set up to start the game. Doyoung and I start with the ball, and Doyoung is directly behind me. “Hut hut!” I call, throwing the ball through my legs and back to Doyoung. For the most part, the game goes pretty well. Everyone is working pretty well together and, after about half an hour, the score is 2-3, Doyoung and I. At around the 45 minute mark, something happens that makes me leave the game. Doyoung had just thrown the ball to me and I was running down the field toward our goal. Taeyong was right in front of me and I was about to swerve when he accidentally tripped and fell on top of me.

Instantly, I’m crushed to the ground, the ball still in my arms. “Y/N!” I hear Johnny shout. Taeyong is pulled off of me and I see Johnny kneeling next to me. “Are you alright?” He asks, giving me a very worried look. I sit up from the ground, groaning at the aching all over my body.

“Yeah, I’m fine, John,” I say plainly.

“Are you sure?” He asks, helping me stand up and then checking me all over as if looking for any injuries. I furrow my eyebrow and push him away a little.

“Yes, Johnny, I’m fine,” I say, firmer this time. Johnny finally stands to his full height and turns on Taeyong, glaring at him.

“Taeyong, you need to be more careful!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” He says, holding up his hands in defense. Johnny sighs, wiping his hand over his face.

“I know you didn’t, Tae, but she’s so—,” Johnny stops mid-sentence, his gaze flirting over to me. I narrow my eyes at him, crossing my arms.

“I’m. So. What?” I ask, gritting my teeth.

“You’re so...so...so...” Johnny stumbles for words, trying to think of what to say.

“So. Tiny,” I fill in.

Johnny tries to correct me, but finally sighs and hangs his head, nodding. I groan again and stomp my foot on the ground. “God fucking dammit, Young-ho! Just because I’m small doesn’t mean I need to be protected!” I exclaim. He starts to say something, but I just drop the ball on the ground and walk off.

“Jaehyun, fill in for me. I don’t feel like playing anymore,” I say coldly. Jaehyun jumps off the ground, obviously trying to avoid my wrath.

Taking deep breaths to try and calm myself, I walk over to the swing set and sit down. For a while, I sit and swing, keeping an eye on the game from afar. I slowly allow myself to calm down as I swing. After a while, someone comes up to the swing set. I slow down and look up at them. Standing at the edge of the swing set, his head hanging low, is Johnny. I sigh softly and stand up, walking over to him. Calmly, I cup his face in my hands and look up at him. “It’s okay, Johnny. I know you just want to protect me,” I say softly. He leans into my touch, sighing quietly.

“Let’s go home, okay?” He asks, looking up again. I nod my head, taking his hand in mine and entwining our fingers. Johnny smiles softly and we make our way over to the group.

On the walk back, everything is completely silent. The boys know that I’m not upset anymore (I made sure of that), but we don’t have much to talk about and none of us mind the silence. Heading back into the dorm, everyone breaks off to do their own things. Johnny leads me back to his bedroom and closes the door behind us. As soon as the door closes, Johnny stands close to me and kneels down, pressing his ear against my stomach. I giggle lightly, pulling my fingers through his hair. He looks up at me with wide, brown eyes. “Can I make it up to you?” He asks. I nod my head lightly, smiling down at him.

“As you long as you don’t treat me like I’ll completely break, we can absolutely have some makeup sex,” I giggle.

Looking up at me, Johnny shakes his head and stands up to his full height. “‘Like you won’t break’? Let’s be honest. The first time we were together, I nearly split you in two,” he says. I laugh loudly and hug him tightly.

“Not my fault my boyfriend is a 6 foot skyscraper,” I point out. Johnny shrugs it off, smiling proudly at his comment. Slowly, he leans down and connects our lips, resting his hands on my waist. I sigh into the kiss, leaning up on my tiptoes to kiss him properly.

After a few seconds we pull away and I pull my shirt over my head, throwing it across the room. Johnny stares down at me, my breasts almost completely bare to him. He leans down and unhooks my bra with ease. I let it fall off my arms and down to the floor. He sighs happily, reaching out and taking my boobs into his large hands. He rubs his thumb over my nipples and I sigh contentedly, leaning into his touch. Seconds later, his touch leaves my breasts and I peel my eyes back open in confusion. I’m just able to catch a glimpse of his shirt flying across the room to join mine.

Johnny steps forward, moving me back towards the bed. When I feel the bed dig into the back of my knees, I flop down on it. He chuckles and kneels down between my legs. I open them to accommodate his body. “I’m sorry, babygirl, I really am. I know I shouldn’t be treating you like you can’t take care of yourself,” he sighs, hanging his head. I smile softly, cupping his face again.

“It’s okay, John, I understand. It’s just frustrating sometimes, that’s all,” I admit. He nods his head softly.

“Honestly,” he mutters, “I kinda like how small you are compared to me. It’s hot.” I raise an eyebrow at him.

“It’s...hot?” I ask skeptically. He nods his head enthusiastically.

“Absolutely! And when I fuck you, I can see the bulge of my cock going in and out of you. I can’t watch it for too long, or I feel like I’m gonna blow my load right there.” I giggle lightly, opening my legs wider.

“Well, why don’t you show me what you mean?” I smirk. Johnny groans softly, his head falling back.

“What are you doing to me?”

Quickly, Johnny and I shed our jeans on the floor. I love further up the bed and Johnny joins me, hovering over me. He rubs his cock through my folds, gathering the essence there. A few seconds later, he lines himself at my hole. “Okay, just watch for a little,” he says slowly. I nod my head and he starts pushing into me. I feel the familiar stretch and my immediate instinct is for my head to fall back against the pillows. However, I keep my eyes open and trained on my lower stomach. Johnny slowly works his way in, taking shallow and shaky breaths as he goes. Finally, he bottoms out. “Th-There, s-see?” He asks, holding back a moan.

Looking down my lower stomach again, I see a small raised bump just were his cock would be. I give him a shocked look, looking up. “Oh, wow! I didn’t even realize that that happens!” I say honestly. He laughs shakily, his hair plastered to his forehead as he begins sweating.

“Y-Yeah, it does. E-Every time, sweetheart,” he stammers. I hum sweetly and wrap my arms around his neck, looking into his big brown eyes.

“Johnny, fuck me, please,” I say softly, pouting at him. He immediately pulls back and slams back in. I moan loudly, my head falling back against the pillows.

Slowly, Johnny’s rhythm starts building up. He progressively becomes faster and faster and I hold tightly to him. Once he finds my g spot, he aims for it and hits it almost every time. “J-Johnny, please, I need more. Play with my clit, p-play with nipples, please, something!” I whine needily. Johnny leans down and takes one of my nipples into his mouth, sucking hard. It takes all of my effort not to scream out in pleasure. The knot in my stomach keeps winding tighter and tighter until it’s about to snap. “Johnny, I’m gonna come!” I exclaim.

“Come for me, babygirl. Be a good girl,” he growls, pulling one of my nipples back into his mouth.

With one last suck, waves of pleasure crash over me. I can feel my cunt squeezing around Johnny’s cock and he groans loudly, throwing his head back in pleasure. “F-Fuck, Jesus Christ!” He moans, quickly pulling out. Over my stomach, he pumps his cock quickly and, seconds later, his load spills out and over my stomach. He takes in deep, shaking breaths as he slowly comes down from his high. I sit up a little and pull him in for a kiss.

When we pull back, Johnny grabs a t-shirt from off the floor and uses it to wipe of his cum. When cleans his cock a little, then comes back to bed and we both climb under the covers. “Johnny?” I ask softly.

“Yes, sweetheart?” He asks, grogginess starting to makes it’s way into his voice.

“I love you...a lot,” I say, pressing a kiss to his temple. He chuckles, nuzzling his face into my chest.

“I love you, too, babygirl...a lot.”

[opalescient]

haikyuu fic recs — the most beautiful, lovely, breathtaking masterlist (vol. I)

so i’ve been binging fics to cure my sadness, and i thought that these select masterpieces were too magnificent to not be plastered on every billboard ever. some tore my soul into shreds, while others melted said shreds back whole, but all of them made me feel some form of sheer, unadulterated love, so. please enjoy! 🥰⛅️���

note: all of these fics are exquisite and you should read all of them, but if you’re short of time, those with ☆ are my all-time favourites!

daisuga

butterfly in the subway by bigspoonnoya ☆ | T

Sugawara Koushi has no idea he's already in love with the man he's supposed to hate.

i lovelovelove how all the concepts tied in together like a perfectly wrapped gift

also very wholesome, made me feel so inexplicably warm. like, love can exist everywhere!!! despite everything!!! that’s just so inspiring

i revisited this many times, i think it was (one of) my first haikyuu fics and honestly. it set the bar so high and i have no regrets

you’d fit my lonely arms so perfectly by boxofwonder ☆ | G

“Oh. You're. Not Asahi.”

Calmed down enough that he can speak again, Daichi takes a deep breath, his smile settling on his face easily and wide.

“Not as far as I know, no.”

-

Suga accidentally calls a stranger instead of his best friend, tells him all about his burned batch of cookies before realising, and that particular mistake might turn out the best one he ever made.

major, major fluff

the buildup!!!

god this made my yearning for love so much worse

the perfect stranger by downmoon | T

There’s a man standing outside Suga's door.

Scratch that. Start over.

There’s a man he doesn’t know standing outside his door, holding his sleeping nephew in one arm, with another kid clinging tightly to his free hand.

so domestic please read the entire series from start to finish it has my whole heart

shoyou and tobio as their actual kids 🥺

these two parents are so in love it makes me wanna cry

asanoya

silica sand by lilien passe ☆ | G

Overworked, over-stressed programmer Azumane Asahi works on the top floor of a Shinjuku skyscraper. Nervous around his coworkers and terrified of the long drop on the other side of the window, Asahi falls into a miserable routine, only to have it broken one day by a simple message on the outside of the glass.

PLEASE. so well-written it makes my heart glow and ache simultaneously

made me ascend into asanoya heaven

such a brilliantly unique concept i love it A+

qué syrah syrah by loudlucy | M

Asahi wants to be a Master Sommelier. It's the highest honor in wine service, and the certification would allow him to live the life he's always envisioned for himself. Too bad the certification test is notorious for being the world's most difficult.

Most people fail their first time taking the exam, and Asahi is no exception, but he has more difficulty than most dusting himself off and getting back on his feet. Enter Nishinoya, a young man who shares his same dream, and who believes in their goals so fiercely it forces Asahi to embark on a delicious and sensuous journey of viticulture and validation.

AKA The Wine Tasting AU that literally no one even knew to ask for.

NOTE: You Do Not Need to Know About Wine to Understand This Fic!

another super unique concept!!! (´∀｀=)

my god their chemistry is amazing

the writing made me feel things ngl

stop my bones from wondering by cerasi ☆ | T

After graduation, Asahi hides from the world and needs help from a few sources to find his way back.

i want to write sonnets and sing ballads for this fic, it’s that beautiful

as always, Top Notch Writing *chef’s kiss*

no but i seriously... can i kiss the author? asking for a friend 😳👉🏼👈🏼

iwaoi

star-crossed by starlitcities | T

“I never thought I’d see the day that I’d envy a human,” Oikawa admits, showering himself in tiny suns, because he can actually feels those, like a fusillade of warm kisses on luminous skin that leave marks. To humans, they’d be freckles. Skin stars, Oikawa calls them. He didn’t make that up, a human did.

“Who created the rule that we can’t touch, I wonder,” Iwaizumi ponders, floating heedlessly through space.

“Maybe it’s because we can fly. Humans dream of flying, right?”

“I don’t think so.”

gsjsgsjshsjshsjsj star!iwaoi

they’re LITERALLY STARS

beautifulbeautifulbeautiful i love how the author conveyed the beauty of touch and humanity 🥺🥺

please bless yourself further with the sequel sun-kissed

conquering the great king by suggestivescribe ☆| E

Iwaizumi blinked his gaze over to Oikawa, "Last time was supposed to be a one time thing," he said, voice low, lacking some conviction.

Oikawa's lips twitched into a smirk and he brought them hovering just over Iwaizumi's, "One time thing, Two time thing, what's it matter as long as it's not a Relationship thing?"

yes.

in fact, this entire series (breaking the rules) features daisuga, kuroken, asanoya and it’s SO GOOD. every single one.

but anyway, character development!!!!! plot!!!!!!!!! writing!!!!!!!! i’m here for it all

tsukkiyama

campfire in your chest by deanpendragon ☆ | M

Kei realizes in their second year of high school that he’s probably been in love with Yamaguchi since they were ten. However hopeless he might be in handling that situation, Kei prays he’s at least not as hopeless as Hinata and Kageyama. But he just might be.

SO BEAUTIFUL

i am also a sucker for anything with stars, moons and all the love in between

no words to describe this work of art please just go read it and be blessed

under the lilac tree by raewrites | G

there’s a lilac tree in Kei’s backyard.

gorgeous in its simplicity

softtsukkisofttsukkisofttsukki

not as grandiose as the rest but the love written into every word, action and character is absolutely show-stopping

kagehina

saffron and cayenne pepper by dontsaycrazy ☆ | T

Cooking is hard. Even if you have your very attractive, very grumpy neighbor there to help you.

-

In which Hinata's lack of cooking skills are a danger to him and others. Luckily (or not), Kageyama is willing to teach him, if only for the sake of avoiding any burned down apartments.

the essence of their characters were captured so well and yet it’s like they’re completely new characters too? author, whoever you are, you totally owned this

this made me ship kagehina so hard

fluff! cuteness! lots and lots of cooing!

kuroken

the galaxy is endless (i thought we were, too) by cosmogony ☆ | T

soulmate

/ˈsəʊlmeɪt/ • noun

A person who was made from the same star as you.

-

// Kuroken AU where the last words your soulmate will say to you appear on your skin when you turn 16, and how Kenma and Kuroo learn what this means over the course of their lives.

ahhh here it is. beautiful, heartbreaking, soul-emptying agony. you want angst? choke on this, and your tears later on.

no but seriously please read this if you haven’t you won’t regret it at all i promise

written from kenma’s perspective so you experience every depth and multitude of emotion he does and it’s so raw and- brb imma go cry for a sec

knot in my heart by hearthope | T

There’s a picture. Kenma blinks, looking at the little calico cat, being held up next to the face of a guy with stupidly messy hair and a crooked grin.

Cute.

The— the cat. The cat is cute.

Just the cat.

-

Kuroo starts spending a lot of time at the flower shop Kenma works at. Kenma definitely isn't into him.

okay so i like it when authors unravel a normally stoic character’s full scope of emotion and give them depth, sue me.

anyway, back on the fluff train!

i absolutely f*ck with flower symbolisms, cats and bitchy best friends who have dirt on each other. the layers of romance, friendship and everything in between is so prettily developed 10/10

bokuaka

the jacket you never returned by daisuga ☆☆ | G

He leaned over, kissed Bokuto on the cheek, and smiled bitterly, eyes watery.

He will never remember. Not now, not ever.

What they were will now forever be forgotten.

-

"You used to call me Keiji, Koutarou."

YOU USED TO CALL ME KEIJI, KOUTAROU!!!!!!!!!!

i beg you to listen to Spiegel im Spiegel when it’s first mentioned in the story please

i read this and screamed through my tears for a solid 1.5 hours. i rarely cry.

no f*ckin regrets though i read this thrice already and it hurts so good every time

rules by conesofdunshire ☆☆ | E

In which Akaashi Keiji is an overworked accountant who stumbles upon Bokuto one night playing the piano in the lobby of his work. Bokuto is different, that much is obvious. But with such supreme musical talent and a smile so dazzling it rivals the sun, there's just something about him that brings Akaashi back every night.

this fic. this fic has my whole, broken, sobbing heart and laughing soul

gorgeous. breathtaking. magnificent.

bokuto is so WARM and akaashi is so STRONG and they both find the solace they need in each other and it’s all i want for me 😭😭😭

in another life by littleluxray | T

Sleeping didn't come as easy as it used to. Bokuto knew this, and now Akaashi did, too.

The hospital AU that no body asked for, but that I took upon myself to write.

this is a famous fic that i doubt any seasoned haikyuu reader wouldn’t know, and RIGHTLY SO BECAUSE, the PAIN. the pain. the pain.

i could feel my lungs shrivel up and my chest cave in on itself. fatigue and rest are things i struggle with too so this whole story resonated with me from start to finish, and it broke me. in like, the best, most revitalising way

i would read this again but it still haunts me at night. i need to heal from the first time before i have the guts to try one more time HAHAHA 😆💔😭

tea-stained polaroids by dalyeau | G

“I'm gonna date that,” Bokuto declares solemnly, and Kuroo throws a plastic spoon at his head.

mmmmmmm pretty photographer + personalised coffee cups + cute baristas = diabetic fluff fic

i smiled so much throughout this you have no idea. cheeks achey but so good

i may have squealed a little at the ending

kurotsukki

moonfall by batman | T

There is no unlearning Tetsurou, after all. There is only leaving him.

-

(Five things of Tetsurou's that ended up in Kei's home, and one that never left.)

the writing!!!!!! is pure beauty!!!! sheer grace!!!!!!! the construction of the AU and the romanticism and hsjsgsjshsj

didn’t cry but. heart ache and bittersweet smiles are another level of misery that is just as fulfilling

yea just pleasepleasepleaseplease go read it thank you and have a good day

hidden gem by realmSpinner | E

Things get complicated when everything you thought you knew about a guy changes, and they get even more complicated when you actually start liking those changes.

That guy working with you AND becoming your neighbor? That's just a cherry on top of the cake of confusion.

this AU was refreshingly different, and amazingly so

top!tsukki??? sign me the f*ck up

the whole plot, man. perfection.

pings by barfs ☆☆ | T

[5/02/16, 3:50:17 AM] Tsukishima Kei: Please wake up.

[5/02/16, 3:50:23 AM] Tsukishima Kei: I hate begging. You know I hate it.

[5/02/16, 3:50:34 AM] Tsukishima Kei: I bet you’re snickering at that, wherever you are.

[5/02/16, 3:50:53 AM] Tsukishima Kei: But, it keeps hurting and I don’t know why and it feels like shit and I know you could tell me why, but you’re not here and I would really appreciate it if you’d just wake up.

[5/02/16, 3:51:02 AM] Tsukishima Kei: You’re laughing at that too, aren’t you.

[5/02/16, 3:51:10 AM] Tsukishima Kei: Dying is probably up there in the list of top ten shitty things you’ve ever done, and you’ve done a lot of shitty things.

god.

you already know what’s coming, and yet. when it comes.

how the f*ck did the author make grief beautiful????????? (at the expense of me dying along with kei and everyone else i guess)

this fic will ruin you and bury you under all your pain (i hope you’re ready)

but also put you back together with the “sequel”

kyouhaba

close to the chest by darkmagicalgirl | T

It takes Yahaba thirteen years to realize he's different from the other kids, one to figure out how to hide it, and two more to learn to be happy just the way he is. Yahaba's journey ft. an extremely annoyed Kyoutani, best friend in the world Watari, and loads and loads of good senpai Oikawa.

cause i’m (not) alright with the slow, burn~

no fr, take slow and burn very seriously

overthinking yahaba? i understand. i do.

again, such an amazing fic; 10/10 recommend

safe here by crossbelladonna ☆ | M

“Raids are routine work,” Kyoutani tells to Yahaba before he can air the question. “Sometimes there is no sleep done until we accomplish something, say kill a certain ghoul. I guess they’re still going through the possibility that people in the accident are still alive huh?”

Yahaba quirks a smile, pushing his mask up his head.

“You’re alive.”

Kyoutani looks at him intently and all of the things that they’ve gone through for the past month seems to flash in his mind.

“Yes I am.”

i haven’t watched tokyo ghoul but i understood everything perfectly. such is the power of f*cking kickass writing

*cue ugly crying and a lot of unresolved angst*

like the grief??????? ruin me please thank you 🙏 (i think i’m a little masochistic)

rare pairs

mannequin men by surveycorpsjean ☆ | M

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo/tuskishima]

The modelling world is full of hungry wolves, constantly clambering over the other, snarling and desperate. They fight, and they kill, trampling over anything in their path.

In this case, Akaashi fell in love with the wolves.

i did not expect this to be good, and it wasn’t. it was SPLENDID.

akaashi is so enamoured with them from the get go i love it

a tiny bit of angst that stabbed me in the heart, but the happy ending soothed it (thankfully, because if there wasn’t one i will sue)

characterisation, writing, plot development; everything is great. can you tell i’m running out of synonyms for ‘beautiful’

feel like gold by heronfem ☆☆ | T

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo/kenma]

In which Kenma is unapologetic and comfortable with who he is, Akaashi learns a lot about himself in a short period of time, Kuroo is wildly in love and an eternal survivor, and Bokuto remembers that love doesn't cure mental illness, but having a support system sure helps a lot.

Or, the one where 4 young men get together, and are helplessly, hopelessly, utterly in love despite everything.

e.e. cummings?? poetry??? f*ck yes

so beautiful. i’m so star-struck by this fic it’s simply stunning

there are no words to fully capture how worth your time and heart and mind reading this fic is so please. do yourself a favour, and fall in love with this fic with me

the sky and guilt are the only feelings i have left by oopsthisisqueertoo ☆☆ | not rated

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo]

Akaashi is at his wits end. He feels nothing. He's quickly crumbling as a human being. He wants nothing but sweet release of death. In his fourth year of college he drafts a plan for his suicide. He is to graduate, publish writing for others to be inspired by, and slip quietly away. Shortly after, he meets a dog walker named Bokuto who asks him out and Akaashi reluctantly agrees. Nothing matters anymore and he treats Bokuto like an obligation. Until he's not anymore.

TW: SUICIDE ATTEMPTS & DEPRESSION

this was... this gutted me entirely and filled my body with too many shades of agony

arguably one of the best haikyuu fics i’ve ever read

so beautiful in the most painful way fathomable; strongly recommend

april to may by surveycorpsjean | T

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo/tsukishima]

They're an odd family.

The four of them? Parents?

But still, they're a family.

So they'll support each other until the end.

aaahhhhh third gym as parents 🥺

so much fluff. i also love april and may

they’re still so in love there’s love in every millimetre of this fic :”)

that’s it for now! i’ll add more if i come across anymore good fics. i hope you enjoyed this list! if you have any requests/fic recs, or if u just wanna chat, feel free to just ask! hehe 🥰 k aight bye~

[knockknockchicagopd]

❛ BLACK JACKET WITH WHITE LETTERS ❜

❚❙ REQUEST BY ANON: Would I be able to request prompt 16 “You're mine. I don't share”. With Hank voight where they go to one of those police events and she works in his unit and they are a couple with her being younger and they dont have to be in police uniform so she wears a really nice dress and as he introduces her and talks to other people he knows, some of the men check her out and try flirt with her and he notices. Could there be a bit of smut if not that's cool to ❤❤

❚❙ HANK VOIGHT MASTERLIST.

❚❙ WORDS: about 3k.

❚❙ Warnings: swearing, unprotected sex.

❚❙ A/N: this writing hasn’t been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I’m sorry about that. If you find a description about body or a word out of place, or something that makes you feel uncomfortable / unrepresented, let me know by a private message and I will change it delighted.

❚❙ GIF credits: to my amazing @sonsofeorl.

❚❙ General tag list: @melblacc @rebelwrites @skyofficialxx @sesamepancakes @scarletsoldierrr @mondefantastique @that-chick212 @enbyamaro @inlovewith3 @ocetevasgirl @destynelseclipsa @miahelen @jadakiss13 @mcgreads @graniairish @teller258316 @i-love-scott-mccall @tclaerh. Hank Voight tag list: @sophie-writes. If you wanna be added to my tag list, send my a message! ⚡

Fortunately, it's been a quiet day, otherwise, you couldn't deal with a Districts event like the Commanders call them. A meeting that reunites every officer, inspector, detective, and whoever who wears ‘the blue uniform’; including special agents from the FBI. These last ones are the kind of man who pushes you out of your good mood with all that quackery about serving the whole country, the unlimited resources, the missions. Every time you hear a fed talking about how passionate and exciting their jobs are, you just want to punch their faces. Mostly, they're behind a desk while cops like you are protecting the streets of Chicago in the firing line. But, as Burgess and Upton said, it's time to have some fun. And anything else.

Since you don't have to wear that horrible uniform you use at official events, you have chosen a breathtaking black silk dress that fits your anatomy to perfection, falling from your chest, with a spaghetti strap neckline, to your ankles. And a pair of skyscraper highlights on the same color, with the small difference that the heels are tremendously golden. Your back is almost bare, being crossed by four fine strips, knowing it's going to give Hank some trouble. Oh, you're going to have so much fun tonight. You are very sure.

The soft make-up delights your cute, but lethal, outfit on point ready to leave Kim's house accompanied by your friends. You've arranged to meet at the party with the rest of the Unit since your future husband and Antonio needed to be from the start of the event, which means the three of you are going to earn more than some gazes by assisting alone, with no male figures by your sides. As if you need some kind of protection. Men (...).

Stepping out from your car and giving the keys to the parking attendant, who seems he's having a heart attack after watching you walk with so much cockiness and sensuality, you come into the party. The look you exchange with Kim and Hailey as soon as you check the reaction of the assistants, makes you draw a triumphant smile while raising your chin in some kind of greeting. You aren't going to stop now, leading your steps straight to your partners. Ruzek chokes on champagne with his eyes over Burgess, while Hank looks at you over the edge of his glass of bourbon taking a sip.

“You should work like that every day”. Antonio opines welcoming the three of you in his arms.

“I second that, brother”. Jay quickly adds making a toast with his cup of red wine.

“Bet you'd be the one who wouldn't work”. Hailey replies palming his chest, making you giggle.

In the meantime they continue arguing about the dress code, a strong arm gets placed around your lower back to push you somewhat closer, letting his hand fall over your hipbone. You know exactly what it means. Hank isn't the kind of jealous man, who needs to mark his territory like a dog. But you know that sometimes he feels insecure because of the age gap. He trusts you blindly, that's a fact, but he's human; he has fears and you understand it. Putting your left hand on the back of his neck, you caress his scalp almost unnoticeably, tilting your head to leave a gentle kiss on his cheek earning a satisfied grin from him.

“You look really beautiful tonight”. He whispers, watching you sideways as if it's a secret between you two.

“Thank you, Sergeant. I always try to do my best”.

Hank chuckles against his glass about to have a last sip till emptying it. Taking it from his hand, you pull yourself away to go to the bar and ask for two more drinks. You're thirsty and too sober to be a Friday night. Checking some emails on your phone while the bartender serves your order, you can't help but listen to some backtalk about your career. A couple of suited men combed as politicians and wrapped on a strong scent that throws your stomach. You try to ignore them until they're close enough from your position to offer you a hand in a formal greeting.

“Johnson and Derrick. FBI”.

The blonde one looks like a senior official, while the other looks like a newbie. Turning towards both, you come into the forced polite mood to stretch his hand firmly.

“(Y/L/N), Intelligence Unit, gentlemen. A pleasure”.

“The pleasure is ours, detective”.

“Special agent”. You correct him inevitably, even if it sounds arrogant.

“Special agent, of course”. Johnson replies with a nod of his chin. “I've read your file lately. I have no words to describe it. Graduated with excellent grades in Yale, two years in the Army, another undercover in a Cartel… And you also know how to fly a helicopter”.

“If you weren't from the FBI, I could think you've been stalking me like one of your serial killers, sir”. The sarcasm in your tone of voice earns your Unit's attention, very focused on the conversation between the feds and you.

“Who catches a monster without becoming one, right?”

The man introduces a hand under his jacket to offer you his business card. But you don't take it, just looking at it for a second before raising your eyes towards his.

“In your academy shows you to have the big balls to disrespect a Sergeant or a Chief, by trying to steal their officers in front of their faces? Because mine shows us to serve and protect the citizens”.

His gesture changes suddenly in a sight, hearing some chuckles behind you coming from Hailey and Kim. Raising both eyebrows as you don't get any reply back, you just nod before grabbing the two drinks you have asked for when they interrupted you. Coming back to your friends, you can't help but wrinkle your nose in a gesture of disgust earning more giggles from your partners. But it doesn't seem funny for Hank, who you know he's killing them in thousands of ways inside his head.

As the night passes, you notice Agent Johnson's eyes on you with no shame, starting to make you feel uncomfortable. Although you would be delighted to embarrass him in front of everyone, he has had enough from you. But this doesn't end there. Excusing yourself, you step to the terrace almost emptied to have some fresh air, knowing he's going to follow you. Maybe, to insist a little more. He was so interested in recruiting you to miss the chance.

And as you thought, he's that predictable. You don't turn because of his steps coming closer, but because he pretends to clear his throat to claim your attention. Crossing your arms over your chest, you tilt your head to a side feigning curiosity with a forced smile showing up on your lips.

“I would like to apologize for my behavior. In my profession isn't habitual to find agents of your characteristics”.

“For sure, sir. It doesn't matter”.

“You could have an extraordinary career in the FBI”.

“I already have it where I am. I don't need schedules, cheap suits, and an earpiece to succeed”.

“I understand your relationship interferes in your decision, but you do—”.

“I'm sorry, you said what? Did you…? Oh, god, I can't fucking believe it”. You can't help but laugh shaking your head. “I don't have any relationship as soon as I wear my badge, sir. And you are starting to cross a line you don't want to cross. Believe me”.

“Ma'am, don't misunderstand my words, nor my intentions. I just think ma—”.

“Nobody asked you to think, Johnson”.

Raising your eyes over his shoulders, you can see your boyfriend sipping his glass of whisky, joining the talk as he tries to keep calm. You know Hank to perfection. If he wasn't your boss, he would have punched him already.

“If you continue pissing off my agent, we're gonna have a problem”.

The man just nods, alternating his gaze between the two of you. Seems that he has admitted his defeat.

“Beautiful and lethal. You're a son of a bitch with so much luck, Voight. Take care of this diamond. Or she will end up wearing a blue jacket with yellow letters”.

“Uh-huh”. He replies as you continue remaining silent.

Passing your boss away back to the party, leaving you alone, you can't hide the proud smile that turns your gesture into a funnier one. Taking short steps towards him, you steal the glass from his hand to drink from it under his attentive brown eyes.

“Blue isn't my color. Not at all. I'm more into black”. You whisper referring to the jackets you are used to wearing in the Chicago department.

“Hm…”

“Imagine having your badge hanging from your neck all day like a collar. Do I look like a dog? I prefer to have it on my belt. And I'm already used to the disgusting watered coffee we make in the twenty-one”. As you continue giving him more reasons, your forefinger traces a path up from his chest to his nape. “And I have so much fun driving my Dodge all around Chicago”.

“Anything else you wanna add?”

“Hm… no. Actually, not. That's all, sir”. You reply puckering your lips, pulling yourself away some inches with a playful aura wrapping you both.

“Now lemme tell you something here”. Hank says then, leaning over your ear. “You're mine, I don't share”.

His voice and his characteristic raspy voice gives you some chills down your spine bone. Biting your bottom lip unconsciously while he stands up, you know the party is over for you and it's time to go home. Holding your hand and taking back his glass of whisky, you walk inside to say your goodbyes before leaving the fancy place straight to the underground parking. You are not going to lie saying you don't love his dominant mood when the occasion demands it.

As soon as you reach your car, you can notice sideways Hank making sure you're totally alone. He doesn't usually take risks of being seen in public too lovey-dovey, but it's not about it this time and you can't wait for him to go ahead with his intentions. Of course, he doesn't make you wait for too long to push your back to the copilot door, attacking your neck in the meantime his hands grab your hips stealing you a low gasp. Hank makes himself between your legs, urging you to surround his waist with one of them to close the distance that separates you, feeling the need he has to mark his territory, as rarely he shows.

“Take me home”. You almost beg closing your eyes as his teeth are nailed on your most sensitive spot, earning a soft grunt that vibrates your body.

“I'm gonna take you here, sweetheart. Any problem?”

“Hell, no, sergeant”.

“Get in the car. Now”.

You don't complain, taking it as an order when he takes two steps back releasing your body and opening the back door for you. And the next minute passes too fast, rolling up your dress as Hank undoes his belt and unzips his pants. In just a sigh he's deep-buried between your legs. It's the first time you take this kind of risk, almost in public, and the horniness it produces is driving you crazy. With your lips almost touching the others, you moan uninhibited every time his hands on your lower back urge you to keep swinging your hips, sitting on his lap.

The way his eyes memorize every gesture drawn on your face has you breathless. It's a sensation you can't describe. Hank has some kind of power over you that you haven't experienced before, even if you think you're indomitable he always manages to make whatever he wants with you. And you know it. You let him do it. Just like right now, marking his territory with desirous bites and wet kisses all around your exposed throat. The most visible part of your body. He doesn't need to prove anything. He isn't the kind of man who needs to call out any other man who dares to lay his eyes on you. Everybody in this damn city knows you're more than his pupil and they're too scared to say hi, although there's always an exception to the rule. In this case, the FBI agents acting like carrion birds.

The mist clouds the windows, as the heat concentrated on your bodies makes you sweat slightly. Hank takes the control turning you under his body against the seat in a position that puts you to see the stars. Every move of his pelvis is accurate, hitting your g-spot, satisfied with how good his name sounds getting drowned between pleased moans once and again. With every push to your body, his dick is dug deeper through your tight wetness making him grunt into your ear, feeling more delighted than never before. And everything is because of the way you had to reply to that FBI agent in front of everyone, showing him how clear you have your preferences; not only because of your relationship, as Johnson pointed out. But because everybody in Chicago is aware that there's no better boss in law enforcement. There's no better Unit than the Intelligence one from the police department of your hometown.

As your legs get wrapped around his waist to pull him closer, one of his arms surrounds your middle back while his free hand flies straight to your throat. Keeping your eyes closed, the suffocating sensation within your lower belly continues growing with every thrust that steals the air from your lungs and races your heart over its possibilities. You're close. So close that your mind is a total blank, just focused on the way only he can make you feel. So good, so desired, so full of life. He knows it, he takes it in advantage. And he enjoys it more than anything.

“Oh, fuck…” Hank got you almost in tears because of the pleasure, traveling your hands to the back of his neck, nailing your nails there. “God… I'm gonna… Fuck, Hank, don't stop, please… Don't stop”.

“I won't, my love… Not till you give me what I want”.

His voice always plays dirty with your mind. The way he has to drag every syllable on his tongue with that husky voice that puts you to tremble, as he continues burying his hard dick inside you with no mercy, speeding up as soon as he feels your legs clung to his body slightly shaking. Because of the fewer insecurities he has about your relationship, he feels proud whenever he makes you reach that sweet sensation of the orgasm taking control of your anatomy. He doesn't care if he has to use his hands, his tongue… whatever. It's not only about sex between the two of you, of course not. But making you cum screaming out his name is an every-day-goal.

And you don't make him wait for too long, arching your back when a lash of heat hits your spine and the grenade inside your lower belly explodes. Your gasps fill up your car, while he continues fucking you harder than seconds before not showing any compassion to your exhausted body, looking for your lips to devours them desperately. His tongue starts a fight for dominance, winning over yours like every single time, in the meantime his fingers grips tightly your throat. Instinctively, you swing your hips in sync, provoking every move to go deeper among your shaky legs.

Hank can't hold it anymore, digging his cock to the limits of your guts, almost hitting your soul with a last strong lung. His warm seed fills you up completely, keeping pushing his body against yours, pressing both to the seat with his hands now placed on the headrest. It feels like a whole set of fireworks. Your moans complement his delighted growls to perfection.

“Don't move, please”. You beg with a thin voice thread, at the same time he rests his forehead on yours.

The two of you can barely breathe, trying to recover after an intense session of your favorite cardio workout. From nowhere, you can't help but giggle in unison. You can't believe you just fucked inside your car and with the risk of being caught in the act. A sergeant and one of his special agents. Even if it's your free night and you're in an established relationship, he's still your boss.

“I would miss working with you”.

“Huh?”

“If I get the FBI's offer”. You mumble, leaving clumsy kisses all around his face. “You're the best cop Chicago has”.

“You don't have to butter me up for a second round”.

Shaking your head briefly and laughing, you caress his scalp so gently as he sinks his face into your sweaty neck.

“Now you said so… maybe I have the fantasy of being bent over your desk”.

“Maybe?”

“Yeah, just… maybe”.

“Then maybe I could bring you to my office, before going home. There's some paperwork to attend to”.

[lavenderboneswrites]

Happy Shizaya week everybody! I, like an idiot, though this week started on the 12th. Luckily I had this one ready to go!

Snowdrift

Day 1: Gay Panic / Accidental Love Confession / Coffee Shop AU

Words: 1148

Rating: General Audiences/SFW

Tags: Shizaya Week 2021, day 1: gay panic, some swearing, fluff, gay panic, Shizuo is a big dumb gay, Izaya is pretty, snowball fights AO3

@shizayasweek

Shizuo had no idea how their usual fight had turned to this.

It had started loud. Spotting that ugly fur coat and smarmy smirk, followed by a beastly roar and the usual barrage of vending machines. The sounds of Shizuo’s fury blending into the busy nightlife. Though, the longer he had chased his prey, the quieter it had become.

The crowd had begun to thin, shops closing up as the trains made their last calls. Night and time swallowed into black. Soft snowfall falling ethereal against that same black sky.

They had left the heart of the city behind. Skyscrapers shrinking to apartments and then to houses. Many had already turned their lights out for the evening, only the pale glow of the streetlight was left to illuminate Shizuo’s way.

He could see his breaths coming out in a cloud of mist. Could hear his heartbeat in his ears, pounding in time with the drum of his steps. Each beat seemed so loud in the quiet of the night, and Shizuo realised that he had stopped yelling and throwing things a while ago.

There was something peaceful about it all. The lack of people, the night, the falling snow blanketing the world in pure white. Leaving all in existed Shizuo and him.

Izaya.

The flea leads him to a park. It’s not like the concrete patches carved out in the city, with gravel and a few meagre benches. No, here in the suburbs towering pines surround a grassy clearing, all blanketed in a thick layer of snow.

The streetlights don’t this reach far in, and yet the world around Shizuo glows pale moonlight on white.

It's a beautiful sight. Trees, grass, bushes, all covered the soft dustings of snow in the early hours when darkness still reigns. There’s something mesmerising about it, something quiet. Shizuo finds himself standing still, breath slowly catching up to him as he takes it all in.

His peace is shattered by an impact. Snow explodes against him and Shizuo takes a surprised step back, shaking his head like a dog as if he could shake some understanding into what the fuck just happened.

High pitched laughter reaches his ears and Shizuo’s head immediately snaps to the sound like a wolfhound.

Izaya stands there, eyes alight with mischief as he raises another snowball in gloved hands.

Izaya’s laugh is like sleighbells in his ears as he lets lose another barrage. Shizuo swats the projectile away with his hand, white power exploding from the force of impact as his smile turns feral.

You wanna play flea?

The silence descends into the cries of battle, that sound strangely a lot like laughter. Snowballs fly between them, and there’s this swelling feeling in Shizuo’s chest as he pelts the louse with the tiny projectiles.

It’s a lot harder to hit a target with such a small weapon, and for every hit that Shizuo lands he’s pelted ten times more from the flea’s side. Izaya’s aim is deadly, probably from all that damn knife throwing. For an annoying little bean sprout Shizuo’s honestly surprised at the force behind Izaya’s throws.

Though, they’re nothing compared to Shizuo’s own.

Ice hits like a bullet against Izaya’s side and he immediately hunches over.

“I think you b-broke my ribs beast.”

Shizuo ignores how Izaya still manages a smirk while wheezing the words out. Instead his smile turns wolfish, snowballs forgotten as he charges at the other’s dropped guard.

“Gonna break more than-,”

-Shizuo slips, an icy patch beneath his feet knocking his legs out from under him. His arms windmill, desperate to find purchase, and as if slow motion, Shizuo watches the way Izaya’s bright laughter at his downfall turns almost comical with horror as Shizuo grabs out for him.

They fall in a tangle of limbs and legs, Izaya swearing as Shizuo takes them both down.

His back hits the ground. Snow that looked soft and fluffy is like hardened ice as the air is kicked from his lungs not once, but twice; a weight slamming atop his chest seconds later.

For a moment there’s only the sound of their breathless panting mixing together, both struggling to catch their breath.

Izaya is straddling his hips, hands splayed on the ground next to Shizuo’s ears as he hovers over him.

Shizuo’s brain comes to screeching halt, swallowed obsidian-copper eyes looking down at him. Even in the shadow of the night he can pick out every speckled star painted in those stunning eyes. He feels like he is falling all over again, tumbling down into the depth of those dark pools.

He can’t look away.

A flash of pink catches Shizuo’s eye and his gaze is pulled down to pale lips.

Izaya’s tongue pokes out only for a second, the subtlest licking of lips and Shizuo can’t help but visibly swallow at the action.

It’s freezing. It’s the height of winter. In the middle of the night. And yet Shizuo feels like he’s on fire all of a sudden.

Surely the snow is melting around him, his body a furnace as his heart starts to drum in his chest. It’s nothing like before, the sensation is terrifying and dizzying, like his heart is going too fast and too slow all at once. Is Shizuo having a heart attack? Is he going to die?

Shizuo’s brain is finally catching up to their position, to the fact Izaya’s lips are only centimetres from his.

What the fu-

Izaya places his hands against Shizuo’s chest and pushes himself up. If Shizuo’s mind wasn’t currently imploding like a dying star all at once he might even notice the way the change in position makes Izaya’s weight shift directly onto his lap.

Izaya’s head is covered in a ridiculous beanie. It looks handmade, with little ear flaps and a pompom and everything. The colour matches the reddish tint of his cheeks, pale skin flushed from the cold. Shizuo can’t help but follow that pretty colour back down, to heated breathes visible between soft parted lips.

Oh.

Oh.

Fuck!

Too close. They’re too close. That flea stench is flooding his senses and something warm is pooling in his belly and Shizuo doesn’t entirely hate it and they’re too fucking close.

Shizuo blinks dumbly up as Izaya’s smile creepers wider, going crooked on one side as he stares him down. For a terrifying second Shizuo wonders if the flea can read thoughts and oh god, no, no, no, noooooo-,

Shizuo yelps. A fistful of cold snow is suddenly shoved down his top as manic laughter breaks through whatever mental crisis he was having.

Izaya is off him in a flash, laughter following him as he makes his escape.

Shizuo only lays there, freezing snow melting against the heat of his boiling skin as he his heart continues to race.

[minhothebunny]

Morning Kisses | Hyunho (Stray Kids)

Genre: Fluff, suggestive (happy ending)

K-pop Group: Stray Kids

Safeword: Sun☀️

Requested by: none ________________________________ TRIGGER WARNING: SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS, DEPICTIONS OF SEX (NO SMUT), CUSSING, HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP(S). (A/N: I'm tryna keep the homophobes away)

HYUNJIN'S POV.

I was aimlessly running, hoping I'll bump into one of the staff. 'He won't try anything when they're here, right?' Wrong.

I was running away. Running away from him. 'Not today. He is not catching me this time.'

"I think he's gone." I sighed. All of a sudden, I was picked up bridal style and carried away. "Ahhhh help meeee! I'm gonna dieeee! Manager-nim! Save meeee! Noooooo." I tried struggling but I was no match for the older, stronger male.

I knew struggling wouldn't get me anywhere.'Might as well check him out while I'm still alive. I have nothing to lose, anyway.' I looked up at the man holding me in his arms and my heart skipped a beat. 'Fuck, he's so hot.' I unconsciously bit my lip while checking him up and down.

"I know I'm hot, but I appreciate the reminder," He smirked. I didn't hear what he said, though. I was too busy thinking about how strong he is. Imagining him manhandling and throwing me around.

MINHO'S POV.

"I know I'm hot, but I appreciate the reminder," I smirked. He didn't reply so I looked down at him. He looked so far gone. 'I haven't even done anything.' I chuckled. "Baby, you in there? Helloooo," I waved my hand in front of his face but he didn't even blink. "Fine, you wanna ignore me? I'll show you what happens."

I carried him into a nearby closet, closed and locked the door, then slammed him against it. I expected him to get out of his trance and finally speak to me. What I didn't expect is for him to moan.

HYUNJIN'S POV.

I was too busy imagining him throwing me around with his strong arms. All of a sudden, I was slammed against a door and I moaned. I looked at my surroundings and found myself in a poorly lit closet pinned against the door by Minho. I looked up at him and saw that his eyes were wide open. Then, a smirk slowly took over his handsome features. 'Oh no...' I looked away from his burning gaze, my cheeks red.

"Aw, is my baby shy?" I shyly nodded, my eyes still on the floor. "Look at me, beautiful." When I didn't listen to him, he grabbed me by my chin and forced me to look up. My breath hitched. 'He's so close, fuck.'

MINHO'S POV.

I smirked. 'He looks so cute like this.'

"You're shy, huh? After moaning like that?" Hyunjin whined and hid in my shoulder. "Stop teasing me!" I chuckled and held him close. I didn't know he was into being manhandled. I'll definitely bring this information to good use in the future.

Unfortunately, our private session was cut short. "Lee Know! Hyunjin! Where are you guys? It's time to go home, the guys are waiting in the van!"

"Don't think I forgot about you moaning like that. You're getting a punishment for running away," I whispered. I knew he would whine so I smashed my lips on his. Right before he could kiss back, though, I walked out of the closet, leaving him stunned and needy.

Time skip: The Morning After. MINHO'S POV.

I woke up the next day and saw Hyunjin laying on my chest. My heart swells with joy at these moments, knowing I'm the only person that gets to see him like this. I turned my head and checked the digital clock on my nightstand that read 9:13 am. 'I'll give him 7 more minutes. He needs every bit of sleep he can get after last night.'

I chuckled remembering yesterday. The heat; his whiny, high-pitched voice; the passion. I smiled in content while running my right hand through his long hair.

I checked the time once more and saw that it was already 9:30 am so I decided to wake Hyunjin up. I pressed a soft kiss to his lips, nothing. Many soft kisses to his lips, nothing. Soft kisses all over his face, a giggle but he's still asleep. "I forgot how much of a deep sleeper you are," I sighed.

Mulling over methods on how to wake this skyscraper up, I grinned once an idea came to mind. I kicked the blankets off us and crawled down his body until I reached his torso. Then, I blew loud, wet, raspberries all over his tummy and chest. He started squirming but I continued my assault on his chest.

After way too long, he started laughing which was my sign that he finally woke up. Nonetheless, I didn't stop; the sound of his laughter is like a wave of youth washing over me.

"Hyung- hahaha wait stop I'm awake- eek!" He was breathing heavily and tried pushing me off so I stopped, letting him catch his breath.

"Morning, beautiful" I smiled, crawling back up. "Morning" Hyunjin said, stretching. My smile only widened. Why does everything he does have to be so cute? I couldn't help but press a loving kiss to his soft lips. I switched our positions so that we were on our sides, facing each other, and pulled him closer.

He broke the kiss for air and I pressed kisses all over his face, making him giggle. I couldn't get enough of him, I just love him so much. I caught his lips in another kiss. "I love you so much, baby," I said in between the kiss. "I love you too," he giggled. I pressed short loving kisses on his lips, separating each kiss with a compliment. "You're so beautiful *kiss*, you make me so happy *kiss*," I thread my hands through his hair, all while still kissing. "So smart *kiss*, the prettiest smile *kiss*."

"You're being so sweet today. What happened to you?" Hyunjin giggled, hiding in my chest. "Is it wrong to worship my hunk of a boyfriend?" I kissed his head. "I like seeing you smile, it makes me happy." Hyunjin giggled again and pressed a short but passionate kiss to my lips. "You're a great kisser, you know that?" I said, wiggling my eyebrow.

"Oh my god! Stop being a pervert and give me more morning kisses!"

"Say less, baby." ________________________________ I know Hyunho isn't a popular Stray Kids ship but I feel like Minsung is too overrated (don't come at me plz). I'm also a sucker for the underrated ships because they're that much cuter.

This wasn't requested by anyone, I just woke up with morning kisses on my mind and decided to write a story about it.

Don't forget to like if you liked the oneshot and send me requests if you have any! Have a good rest of your day and stan Stray Kids for eternal youth. -Nina <3

[twistedsinews]

'Neath Neon Blue Clouds

Cyberpunk 2077; Jackie/V/Misty; PG-13 (AO3 Flavor)

“And what is this?”

“This is me, taking you for a ride.”

“A ride to where?”

Propping an elbow on his knee, Jackie leaned forward to meet her gaze at eye level, over the rim of his sunglasses.

“It’s a surprise,” he told her, “C’mon.”

V hesitated, but curiosity itself won her over, and she slid onto the back of the motorcycle behind him.

 The city passed them by in a blur, growing brighter as the sun fell low in the sky behind them and the skyscrapers cast deeper shadows over the streets.  It wasn’t until they turned off the city freeway that V fidgeted behind him, all at once sharply attentive to their surroundings as the steel and concrete turned to sand.

Her hold on him tightened when they veered off the main road and into the brush, but whatever her suspicions were, she didn’t pry.

Not then and there.

Jackie didn’t even know what he was looking for until he found a sandy patch of desert, a stones throw or three from a craggy outcropping jutting into the sky, which seemed as good a place as any.

V slid off the bike before he’d even killed the engine.  Jackie followed at his leisure, packing away his sunglasses and falling to watching her.  She cased their surroundings, then turned back to him; her hair was still tousled from the ride, and her eyebrows scrunched, one quirked just a little higher than the other, as she tried to puzzle him out.

“What is all this?” she finally asked.

Jackie forced an easy smile.

“I... um...”  He scratched his neck.  “I thought maybe you and me, we could use some you and me time.  Just the two of us.”

Shrugging one shoulder in response to her bewildered expression, he lost the smile and opted to avoid her discerning stare by digging around for the blanket he’d packed instead.

V grabbed a handful of it as it unraveled, and before he could throw it down.

“Look... it’s...”  She sighed, glancing across the desert wasteland, and back to him.  “We’re ‘onna be exposed here.”

Jackie frowned in thought.  They hadn’t seen anyone for miles.

“Where’s better?”

V scraped her lip between her teeth, and glanced back towards the city.  Even if the set of her shoulders suggested she thought maybe he wouldn’t, he trusted her to know what she was talking about.

Still, there was a worry in his mind that she’d tell him they ought to go back.

Instead, her gaze fell on the worn little mountain of rock nearby and she angled her head that way, and moved to collect the motorcycle.  Folding the blanket and draping it over his shoulder, Jackie stepped up to take over from her as she passed him.  He rolled along behind, and watched her dart ahead to lead the way.

Closer to the rock, the desert flora had grown in thicker and were thriving, to even a few stunted trees.  An oasis, with no water.

Maybe a little rain now and again.

Too small to be a proper mesa, far too big to be a boulder, it offered cover and, as V found them, a small, flat little terrace of stone and sand and clumps of desert sage – big enough for the blanket and the bike both.  The sun had set, bleeding color into the clouds above, while Night City glittered on the horizon.

Jackie threw the blanket down, and eased down after it with a sigh.

For a few long seconds, V paced as though hesitant to follow.  Then she dropped down at the edge of the blanket, kicking off her shoes, she sent her socks flying right along after them.  Draping her arms loosely around her knees, she shoved her bare toes into the warm desert sand.  The faint, nostalgic little smile that touched her mouth was tinged with something else.

Melancholy, maybe.

Misty might’ve been right.

“So...” Jackie picked at a loose thread sticking out of the canvas of his pants.  “Misty and I were having this talk, and... we agreed, kind of...”

Sighing, he scratched the back of his head.  Like that would help make his thoughts work.  “Misty was thinkin’ you might be having second thoughts, or... maybe somethin’.  And I was thinkin’... well, I been thinkin’.”

A part of him wished Misty were here, because she was better at these kinds of things, but she’d insisted that V might open up to him more readily.

“Oh,” V remarked.

“You wanna elaborate on that?”

She shrugged.  “Guess I’ve been feeling a little inadequate lately, okay?”

“Not to me it isn’t.” When she didn’t answer, Jackie prodded, “Inadequate, how?”

“Inadequate as in, it’s hard to live up to perfect.”

Oh.

Shit.

Just like that, it clicked into place.  For a moment or two, Jackie full on forgot to breathe.  And the absolute worst part was, she didn’t even sound angry about it.

She sounded resigned.

Jackie swallowed.

“And...” he ventured, “Misty is perfect.  She’s cute, she’s smart, she’s clever, and she’s got this... amazing perspective on everything, and she’s so full of love it’s unreal.”

“Thing is, thing you gotta understand is... hardly no one walks out of Heywood, and if they do, they don’t get to do it without having blood on their hands.  She did – I don’t know how, and I’m not about to ask, but it’s... she fuckin’ did it, like some kind of miracle.  She got out and she’s clean.  She’s pure.  She’s... she’s damn near divine, is what she is.”

“By rights, she should never have even looked twice at a guy like me, let alone been interested...  And if it wasn’t for you, making it happen, I... I still don’t know...”

Sure, Jackie knew a thing or two about inadequate.

“But V, I gotta tell you – you’re the one on the ground with me carving out a living every single damn day.”  He chuckled.  “You, you came crashing into my life, and when the dust settled... it wasn’t my life anymore.  It was ours.  Us.”

“You understand me in a way she never could – a way I hope to God she never does.  And I... you know, I feel selfish even being grateful for that, because maybe I oughta be wishing you didn’t either, but you do and I am.  Not like I ever claimed to be a good guy or anything.”

“And V?  I am running my mouth over here, do you think you could say something?  ...please?”

Her arms were still wrapped about her knees, and she was staring at the sky.  The color was gone from the darkened clouds, which only served to obscure her guarded expression further.

“I wish the stars were out,” she remarked at last.

“Brightest one’s already down here, sittin’ right in front of me.”

V’s gaze fell to the sand beneath her feet.

“You know, I thought at first you were trying to say you....”  she struggled with the words.  “That you....  That this... isn’t what you wanted... Anymore.”

Ah.

Jackie winced.

He sidled over to her side of the blanket.

“That’s not what I promised you,” he reminded her.

“Forever is a long fucking time, Jackie.  Not like I’d hold it against you if you changed your mind.”

Jackie paused, his hand hovering over her back.

Thinking better of it, he dipped his head close to her ear.

“I didn’t.  So there.”

She didn’t answer.  For a handful of moments, he loomed behind her, and nothing seemed to move.

Tentatively, Jackie reached to draw her hair back behind her ear.  She followed the sensation, ever slightly towards him, and he blew a soft puff of air across her skin.  Drawn that much further, she peered up at him over her shoulder.

His fingers brushed her arm, and he froze.

“Christ,” he swore under his breath.

Where was his head even at?

Sitting up straight, Jackie shrugged off his jacket.  He’d dragged her out into the badlands on a motorcycle with her wearing nothing but jeans and a tanktop, of course she’d be cold.

And say not so much as a word.

He offered her the jacket.  V blinked, then huffed, then – at his solemn, determined insistence – twisted into it.

It left her with a little less cover than she’d had a moment ago, but she didn’t seem to mind.  Rather, she beat him to it; her fingers skimmed his skin, settling over the back of his neck, and she tried to pull him down toward her.

Tried to.

He put up just enough resistance to tease her; not enough for any doubt.  Just close to almost touch, but not quite.  Just until...

She breathed his name, softer than any prayer on Earth.

Jackie groaned, nuzzling her jaw.

With a startled gasp, V flinched and glanced down.  Following her gaze, without so much as a second thought, Jackie shot a hand out to cover hers.  The sting grazed him, and with a twist of his hand, Jackie caught the scorpion by its tail.

It dangled, practically helpless, as Jackie leaned back onto his other hand.  Squinting at it incredulously, he scoffed.

“...can you believe the brass on this guy?”

V followed him to his feet, but she lingered behind, glancing down and around the blanket.  Far enough away, Jackie found  a decent growth of cover that followed the incline further upwards.

“Off you go, amigo,” he told the scorpion, tossing it into the brush.  “Go show ‘em off somewhere else.”

Brushing off his hands, Jackie returned to the blanket. 

“You alright?”

He reached for V’s hand, raising it between them and turning it this way and that. 

“I-...” V sighed, but admitted, “Only that I feel like maybe I’ve spent too much time in the city, and that I-... you-... Yeah.  Fine.”

Not finding even so much as a scratch, he ran his thumb over her knuckles.  She twisted her hand in his, wincing at his marred skin under her fingertips.  She looked up, thinly-veiled alarm kept in barest check, and Jackie smiled back, calm and confident.

“Toxin screen’ll filter it out.”

“...you’re sure?”

“Mhhm.”

Sure, he’d had it installed for hangovers and it’d never actually worked for those, but it’d caught everything else so far.

He brushed her hair behind her ear.

“Where were we?”

V laughed.  Almost.  It was a raspy little sound, torn around the edges.

“Are we going to skip right over the you just saved my life part?” she asked, raising his thumb to her mouth.

“Tch.  Happens every other day, doesn’t it?  Gotta be a fact of living by now.”

Between two in particular of the soft little kisses she was pressing to the pads of his fingers, V rolled her eyes.  Even in the dim light, he caught that much.

Jackie fought back a wry smile.

“Or if you wanna get into it, sure, but how about we also go over all the ways you save my soul?”

Her movements slowed, and he reclaimed his hand to brush his thumb along her jaw.  His fingers slid behind her neck, and V swallowed.

“Is that... what you want?”

“V, dulzura, right now all what I want is to throw you over the back of the bike and do things my mamá wouldn’t approve of.”

There was a soft, lurid sound in her throat.

Jackie’s smirk faded as she fell into his arms; he caught her in a tight hug, and sighed deeply.

“I’m trying,” she told him.

“I know, chica.”

The tension in her shoulders eased, and he pulled back just far enough to kiss her cheek; only on his retreat, V captured his mouth, insistent and determined, and dragging him right back down into the thick of it.

Not that he was complaining.

Not in the least.

[imjusthereforbatfam]

Never-Ending Encore, ch.5

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Chapter Summary: Okay, listen. Listen. Eden may have agreed to this, but are we absolutely, positively sure she needs stitches? Yes? Er… Okay. But are we, like, SURE sure or...?

Warning: swearing, blood, describing injuries, mending injuries (on a wuss) 

Also!!! Apparently, you’re not supposed to use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on cuts cuz their chemicals are too harsh and can damage muscle tissue. I grew up using peroxide on my cuts and didn’t know you weren’t supposed to until after I’d already written the majority of this chapter, so like… don’t do this irl. I’m just lazy and using alcohol works really well for the story so blah

—

Chapter 5:

Eden leaned her head back on the low wall behind her and stared up at the clouded sky. She huffed for what felt like the hundredth time. At this rate, she was going to be completely healed before Red Hood even got back...

She took another peek at her sliced palm. The cut was about a third smaller than it had been. Would Red Hood notice? Probably. It was hard to miss.

Should she— she shuddered. Should she try to reopen it a little with her nails?

She moved her hand away, gagging at the thought.

Nope. No way. Forget that. If it was noticeable to Red Hood, she would just play it off somehow. Distract him or something. Play dumb. Cry. Whatever it took but she was not going to reopen it. It shouldn’t heal much more before he got back, anyway. He promised it would only take a few minutes for him to get what he needed and get back. And, despite feeling like she’d been sitting on this rooftop for hours, Eden knew that wasn’t true. She was just getting antsy.

She put a hand to her neck, gently moving a finger across the gash there. It was fairly long, running from the dip between her shoulder and neck down to the crook of her collar bone. The knife nicked her jugular on the way down, too. That was how she’d become so lightheaded so quickly. Even now, her shirt was still wet with all the blood she’d lost.

She was lucky her body healed the way it did. The process was by no means instant, and sometimes it was too little too late, but more often than not it was just enough to save her from unnecessary encores.

Actually, still running her finger along the jagged cut, Eden was a bit surprised. Usually, an injury like this would be far more healed by now. Yet, somehow, the cut on her neck didn’t feel any smaller than the first time she’d touched it. True, it wasn't as deep as it had been – Eden could just… tell it wasn't – but on the surface, it was mostly the same.

Was it her? Had she gained some control over this part of her power without realizing it? Maybe. Or maybe she'd just lost so much blood that replenishing it was more important than mending the rest of her body. Or maybe her body magically knew that healing too fast wasn’t a good idea this time. Or, maybe, it was just mending itself like this, like a snail trudging across a bone-dry desert, because she hadn’t eaten anything since lunchtime.

Her stomach growled on cue, confirming her suspicions. Eden groaned. Now that she wasn’t drowning in her own thoughts or missing a remarkable amount of blood, she was fully aware of her body’s needs. And, boy, did it need food.

 “Would you—”

Eden shrieked in surprise as Red Hood announced his return by swiping her hand away from her neck.

“—stop messing with that?”

“What in the—!? Where in the heck did you come from!?”

“Hell, obviously.” He knelt down in front of her, taking a small black bag off his shoulder. “Couldn’t you tell?”

“Oh, of course,” she said rolling her eyes. “I thought I recognized the accent.” She smacked her forehead theatrically. 

Red Hood let out a small, amused sound as he unzipped the bag. Inside was a swath of medical supplies. He dug around a moment then pulled out a white cloth and bottle of rubbing alcohol.

Eden eyed the bottle as he unscrewed the cap. “I hear the weather’s lovely in Hell this time of year,” she continued, hiding behind the joke. “Good time for a visit.”

“Nah," he said playing along. "It’s hot as balls right now."

She chuckled. “Ain't it—” Red Hood turned to her urgently and Eden quieted.

He said nothing. 

“Um…" She shrank down a little, unnerved by his wordless stare. "Everything okay there, Mr. Hood?”

He studied her another moment then eased back. “Yeah. Sorry. You started laughing so I thought you might…” he drifted off, looking at her neck. He shook his head and went back to prepping the cloth. “How do you feel?”  

She shrugged. “Fine. Better than I was.”

“No more gagging fits?” He glanced over at her and Eden shook her head. “Good.”

She eyed the drenched cloth in his hand, thinking back to all the times she'd put alcohol on someone else’s cuts and scrapes. She’d never had to use it herself, not even when she was a kid, so she didn’t know what it felt like. All she knew was that other people often hissed or groaned when they used it. Even Nate, arguably the toughest of her semi-siblings, would wince if alcohol went on an open wound.

“Is that going on my neck?”

“Yep.”  Red Hood brought it closer.

Eden leaned away. “Is it going to hurt?”

“I mean.” He gave a half-shrug, half-nod like it was obvious. “Yeah?”

“Okay, but like…” She slunk down against the wall, growing quieter. “How bad is it gonna hurt? Like… bad or… really bad?”

Red Hood tilted his head in thought. “How’s your pain tolerance?”

"My...? Oh. Well, it's... um..."

No matter how she got hurt, Eden was always fine in the end. But in the moment? When it was actually happening to her? Or, if it was a trade, when it felt like it was happening to her?

“Not great,” she decided. But, then again, who didn’t experience excruciating pain while dying? “It’s hard to say. It might be normal but… I’m not really sure. I certainly don't like pain, if that helps.”

“Alright, better question: have you ever used alcohol to clean a cut before?"

“No,” she murmured sinking into her shoulders. “Never.”

Red Hood turned his head upward and let out a deep noise, something between a hum and a sigh. He glanced toward the little black medical bag, then down at himself, then around them. Searching for something, perhaps.

“Look—” Eden straightened herself up, drawing his attention. “Look, why don’t you… Why don’t you just do it, okay? You being all,” she made a gesture, “this is freaking me out more. Just throw it on there and if it hurts, then—”

“When it hurts. I’m not just slapping it down," he told her. "I have to actually clean the cut.”

“Oh, okay!” she said in a much higher pitch. “Great! Wonderful! Then when it hurts, I’ll just— I’ll— I’ll kick you or something! And it’ll be fine!”

Red Hood cocked his head. “After all I’ve done for you, you’re going to repay me by kicking me?”

Eden blinked at him. “What? Oh! No, no! I didn’t mean— I wasn’t really going to kick you! Of course not! I wouldn’t actually— Okay, I mean, maybe in like a knee-jerk kind of way, but not on purpose or anything! And even if I did do it on purpose, I’d probably hurt myself more than I’d hurt you, Mr. Hood – I think we both know that – ‘cause it would just, you know, be like a, uh, little baby kicking you or something. More sad than anything, really; just downright pathetic, and, honestly, you'd probably feel bad for me and have to pretend it hurt 'cause I'd just be holding my foot and crying, and—” 

Red Hood snickered loudly, cutting off her senseless jabbering. He turned his head and covered the place where his mouth would be but his shoulders kept shaking.

Eden’s whole face went up in flames. He'd been joking. And now he was laughing at her. Again.

“Oh, for goodness sake,” she grumbled turning away from him. She pushed her hair out of the way and offered up her neck. “Will you please just get this over with before I make a bigger fool of myself?”

“Hold on.” Still fighting back laughter, he reached for the bottle again. “I need to add some more.”

“More!?”

"Yeeaah," he said shaking his head oh-so-solemnly. "It dried out while you were talking." 

“Uh-huh, yeah, sure." She turned and pinned her eyes on the skyscrapers in the distance. "Go on and tease the panicking person, Mr. Hood. Very kind of you. Very classy.”

"What can I say? I'm such a kind, classy guy."

A laugh nearly tumbled out of her but Eden quickly fought it down, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. The sound of fresh alcohol spilling onto the cement wiped her suppressed smile clean away.

“Oh god.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “This is really happening, isn’t it?”

“You’re gonna be fine, Cookie Girl.”

“I am not gonna be fine!” she threw back. “This is awful! This is horrendous! This is— This is torturous!”

He scoffed, close to her neck now. “Don’t be such a baby. I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“I know! That’s what’s so awful!”

“Do you want to hold my hand or something?” 

Eden knew he was mocking her. She did. She just didn’t care. Her good hand clutched at the fabric of his leather jacket. The other wrapped around the exposed skin between his glove and tight, armor-like sleeve. Her mending palm warmed quickly against his skin.

He cleared his throat. “I was joking.”

“Well, that's too damn bad, Mr. Hood! Don’t go making offers you don’t wanna bank on! Now, would you puh-LEASE just get this over with!? I’m seriously starting to freak out here, and I really don’t appreciate the whole ‘Let’s draw this out as long as possible ‘cause it’s funny’ shtick, ‘cause it’s not funny, and I for one really don't appreciate—”

“Okay, okay! I’m doing it, I’m doing it. Sheesh.” He moved forward and ran the cloth over her torn skin in one quick motion. Eden shrieked and clutched his arm.

The burn was intense— sudden— unlike anything she’d felt before. Her eyes misted as she forced herself to breathe through clenched teeth.

Every so often, Red Hood gave her small words of assurance – that she was doing fine, that he was almost done – but Eden could only focus on the pain. Liquid fire bubbled and seared its way deep into the wound. She dragged the soles of her shoes against the cement, desperate for relief. Eventually, she tore her good hand away from Red Hood’s jacket and pounded her fist against the floor. She grabbed his sleeve again and held it tightly, trying not to cry.

When he finally finished, Red Hood carefully removed her good hand from his sleeve and put it on top of the cloth. “Keep this here, alright?”

“I don’t like this,” she sniffed, her voice wavering. “Why do we have to do this. I hate this. This is stupid.”

“You’re doing fine, Cookie Girl,” he said softly.

She half-huffed, half-whined in disagreement.

Red Hood turned back to his little black bag and dug around with his free hand. He made no indication of needing his other hand, so Eden didn’t let go. Every time the frothing, stinging burn flared up again she dragged her heel across the floor and gave his arm another tight squeeze. If it bothered him, he didn’t show it.

“So.” He pulled a small pouch from the bag. “What kind of trouble are you in, anyway?”

The furrow in her brow deepened. “What do you mean? I’m not in any trouble…”

“Right.” From the pouch, Red Hood took out a curved needle, some thick tweezers, and what looked like a spool of blue fishing line. “Because only someone not in any trouble would beg someone like me to patch them up instead of going to a hospital.”

“Hey now!" She let go of him and pointed to herself. "I didn't beg for nothin'. I just refused to go to the hospital. You're," she jabbed her finger at him, “the one who’s insisting on doing this nonsense.”

He scoffed and swiped her hand away as he threaded the needle. “Would you rather I didn’t do this nonsense?”

“It feels like the devil himself is pissing on my shoulder right now, so... yeah, to be completely honest, I’m kinda wishing you didn't.”

Red Hood stopped. Stiffly, he turned his head toward her. Eden shrunk back from the sudden, severe emotion coming from him. The heat of his hidden gaze, amplified by the glaring eyes of his helmet, was hard to meet.

“I’m sorry,” he said harshly, “did you want an infection in your fucking neck?”  

“No,” she said quietly.

“Then what about having a huge scar for the rest of your life?”

Knots formed in her stomach. “I’m not worried about scars,” she mumbled stubbornly.

“No? Then how about that cut reopening?” he shot back. “How about bleeding out a second fucking time when there's no one around? How about fucking dying? Are you worried about that?” he hissed. His distorted voice was sharper and more searing than Eden had ever heard it.

She sank further down the wall. It wasn't hard to understand why Red Hood was so worked up about this. She glanced down at the slick, sticky river of blood that had flooded her shirt and pooled down her torso. She'd lost so much so quickly... If she were a normal human being and the cut did reopen, there wouldn't be enough blood left in her body to survive it. She would bleed out and die just like Red Hood said.

But Eden wasn't normal. The cut wouldn't reopen. And even if it somehow did, it wouldn't kill her. Her body had already made up for most of the blood she'd lost — she could feel it. And even if it hadn't, even if the damn thing did kill her, it's not like she would stay dead anyway. The universe would demand another encore from her, just like it always did, and her heart would start again. Just like it always did.

Eden eyed the needle in Red Hood's hand apprehensively. He was going to put that into her skin. Into her cut. He was going to sew her up like an old ragdoll and she didn't even need it!

What would it feel like? Would it be small but sharp like getting pricked by a sewing needle? Strange and agonizing, as if she were being carved up by a tiny knife? Quick and exasperating, like getting her ears pierced again before they finally understood why the holes kept closing up? Or, would it feel like something she’d never experienced before — like the molten, frothy sting of alcohol on an open wound?

And, even worse, the stitches would eventually have to come out. Her body would be perfectly healed within a day or two – at most – and would leave no scar. There'd be nothing to suggest she’d ever even needed stitches in the first place. Even if she could find a way into a hospital without alarming her mother, how would she be able to explain that? She wouldn't. She'd have to remove them herself.

She could just... tell Red Hood her secret, of course. Avoid the whole kerfuffle that way but... But that was stupid. Yeah, he was trying to help her now, and, yeah, he’d save her before, but being a metahuman wasn’t something you just… told people about. Not even heroes. Eden wasn’t that stupid.

In fact, the only people she’d ever told were the “cousins” she considered siblings. And even then, unless they actively needed her powers, she only told them after years of knowing and trusting them. It was her greatest secret, and, as far as she was concerned, only family needed to know it.

Well. Family and whoever the hell Frank told, apparently.

Eden was still upset about that. People – people she didn’t know; people her mother didn’t know; total strangers – knew about her powers now. Frank had told the people he worked with about her without her knowledge or consent. He swore they were trustworthy, that they were merely interested in the science and what it could do, but that didn’t mean much to Eden. After all, he wasn’t even family. Not anymore.

She'd thought he wanted to be. Despite all the years of silence, of absence, she’d hoped he wanted to be when he suddenly reached out and asked to see her again. But when they finally did meet up, after all the backflips and hoop-jumping they’d gone through to keep Mama from catching wind, he’d treated her more like a business venture than a daughter.

That stung more than alcohol ever could.

“Well?”

Eden glanced up at Red Hood. Waiting, with needle in hand. Likely angry, or at the very least upset, with what he must’ve thought was a very stupid, very weak, very ungrateful little girl. He certainly wouldn't be the first.

She looked away again and let out a slow breath. Carefully, she removed the cloth from her neck, hissing softly as she did. She wordlessly offered up the wound a second time. He shifted closer, putting a hand near the cut. Eden flinched and he stopped again.

“Sorry,” she said quickly, softly, sure he was getting more irritated by the minute. “I’m sorry, I just…” She shook her head, fighting the shameful urge to cry. “I’m just," she choked. "I'm just no good at this stuff."

Red Hood said nothing. Eden wondered if silence was how he showed his disappointment.

After a moment, his free hand moved from her neck. He held it in front of her, his palm up. She stared at it, unsure of what it meant.

“It doesn’t hurt too bad,” he said gently. Eden's eyes lifted in surprise. “It does when the needle goes in," he continued, still soft, "but it’s more weird than painful, I swear. If you need to, you can still…" Red Hood looked to the side and started mumbling. "Y'know.” He bobbed his hand. “Hold my hand or whatever...”

A rebel tear ran down her cheek. Eden sniffed and quickly brushed it away. 

This... This was Gotham’s most-contested vigilante. The mob boss. The murderer. The one everyone and their mother had an opinion on. The one they said could never, should never, be considered a hero. This guy. The one who insisted on helping a stubborn, panicky, annoying civilian all night. The one who got downright pissed when she tried to brush off life-saving care. The one who did not rebuke her for being so pathetic, so weak, but instead shyly offered her comfort.

She couldn't wrap her head around it. People called Red Hood bad, immoral, unforgivable, but how? How could anyone think of him like that? Even if he'd done awful things... Even if he still did awful things... Red Hood clearly wasn't an awful person. He was thoughtful. He was kind. He was good.

Had any of the people who said those nasty things actually met him? Did they know how tender he could be? How sweet? Maybe they hadn’t and his rough reputation simply preceded him. Or maybe Eden was a fool who couldn't see the true cruelty hidden beneath a masterful facade. Or... maybe she was one of the lucky ones who got to see past the facade, who got to see the heart hidden underneath.

Eden gingerly took his hand, so, so grateful. “Thank you, Mr. Hood,” she whispered, hoping the words would be enough to convey at least a small fraction of what she was feeling.

He grumbled something back — his voice garbled more than usual. 

Eden smiled and giggled softly, feeling outstandingly lucky.

“You ready now?” he muttered.

She nodded. "Ready."

He moved forward again, slowly this time — giving her enough time to stop him if she needed it. She squeezed his hand in anticipation. He took it as a go-ahead.

There was a sharp prick at the base of her collarbone followed by a strange sliding sensation. Like he’d said, there was a sharp, shooting pain each time the needle went in or out of her skin, but it wasn’t too bad. The real issue was the silk-like thread. The slick feeling of it running in and through her skin, tugging pieces of herself together… It was off-putting. Nauseating, even.

Eden tried not to squirm too much. When the needle pierced too thin a piece of skin, she squeaked and scraped her shoe against the ground as Red Hood muttered an apology. When the tugging made her nearly gag, she zeroed in on the scruff marks along his jacket, breathing slowly as she counted them up.

When none of that helped, she would squeeze his hand, silently begging for strength. He squeezed back, readily giving it whenever she asked.

“There,” he said pulling the needle through one last time. He tugged the thread firmly. “Can I have my hand for a second?”

Eden let go and watched as he tied off the string and cut off the excess.

“So…" she tried. "How do I get them out?”

“They’ll dissolve or fall out in a few weeks��� time. No hospitals necessary.”

She nodded slowly then let out a breath of relief. "Thank you," she mumbled.

Red Hood studied her a moment. He lowered his head slightly and stayed that way, something clearly on his mind.

Then, as if forcing himself, he reached for her cut hand. Eden jerked it close to her chest.

“Are you gonna put stitches in my hand, too? That would hurt worse, wouldn’t it? Since it’s my palm?” She snuck a glance at the cut as she spoke.

The first time she’d looked at it, it ran clear across her palm from end to end. There’d been thin cuts across some of her fingers too. She honestly couldn't remember when it had happened in the fight or how, but she must’ve grabbed for the knife at some point and been holding it by the blade when it was roughly pulled from her grasp.

Now, the cut was much smaller. Only about an inch and a half over the center of her palm. She couldn’t even tell where the smaller slices on her fingers had been. She imagined the skin there still looked a little irritated, but – because it was dark and her hand was still coated with blood – she couldn’t see it.

“I might not have to,” Red Hood said holding his hand out for hers. “The neck was definitely worse, but let me take another look at it.”

Nervously, Eden took one more glance at her palm then handed it over.

Red Hood inspected it a moment then tilted his head. "Huh."

She panicked. “What!?” she shrieked, startling him enough to look away from the cut. “Is it bad? Do I need stitches? Please don’t say I need any more stitches, Mr. Hood, I really don’t think I can handle going through that with my hand. Please say I don’t. Pretty please?”

He glanced down at it again. “You don't.” Very gently, he ran a thumb over the cut. “It’s a lot smaller than I remember…”

“Oh, thank goodness!" she said in a fast voice. She started tugging her hand away. "So we’re all good then, right? No more patching up? You can just take me home now?” 

Red Hood let out an amused hum and started packing up his supplies. “You trying to get rid of me?” 

“No, not at all! But," she brought up a finger, "if you bring that alcohol crap anywhere near me again, I really am going to kick you.”

He scoffed and batted her hand away. Then he paused and dipped his head. “Actually," he teased, reaching for the bottle. "Now that you mention it—”

“No. No, no."

“We really should clean it."

“Nope. No. Don’t you dare.”

“Aw, c'mon, Cookie Girl,” he said waving the bottle. “Just to be safe?" 

“Mr. Hood, I will kick you and I will do it hard.”

He laughed, stood up, and offered his hand. "You gonna cry when you do?"

"No! ...Maybe." She took his hand. "Shut up."

—

Feedback is always appreciated! 🥰💕 

Chapter 6

[suupernovalight]

Addictive Drug

Ushijima W. x Reader

Masterlist || Previous || Next

15) Unexpected Crime

Tadashi’s lips curved into a smile as Hayashi told him the plan over the phone. The way his eyes dialated with bloodlust could scare anyone.

“She will be mine...” Tadashi whispered shutting off his phone. “That Ushijima guy will die.”

A Week Later (at the agency)

It’s been a week since the whole casino thing. Tendō’s bruises and cuts were starting to heal up pretty fast. While that was happening, you and Ushijima had a chat about your past.

“So that’s what that scumbag did to you?” Ushijima said clenching his fist.

You sighed and took a drink out of the soda can you had. “Yeah, still can’t forgive him for that.”

Ushijima nodded. “What about that Hayashi guy. You mentioned him didn’t you?”

Your eyes widened. You knew you had to tell Ushijima eventually but you didn’t want to. “He’s just like Tadashi. Some guy I used to work with. Now he wants me back.”

Ushijima walked up to you and looked right into your eyes. “You’re acting like this isn’t a big deal”

“That’s cause it isn’t. Well to you it shouldn’t be” you said looking back at him.

Ushijima frowned then walked away from you. “This all connects the dots”

“What do you mean?” You asked.

Ushijima stopped walking then turned around. “Well you told me that you were framed for a murder you did. When you told me about your past you also mentioned getting framed, both men, Tadashi and Hayashi framed you... didn’t they?”

“Where are you going with this?” You asked.

Ushijima titled his head. “Nowhere, I just wanted to know about your past. All I’ve ever known was that you have made many crimes and took responsibility for it.” He then leaned against a nearby wall. “Ever since I’ve met you I’ve been observing your behavior.”

“Like what.” You said crossing your arms.

“Like you acting weird when Hayashi was mentioned. You acted like you didn’t know the fool. Another thing is when you were modeling, you didn’t want to associate with us. Was it because you knew about Hayashi from the start?”

“If you’re worried about me betraying you, you are wrong, all I really want is revenge and to get Hayashi the punishment he deserves.” You said smiling.

Ushijima felt his body tense up at how happy you looked. He walked up to you and ruffled your hair. “You will get that revenge soon, I promise”

After staying still for a bit, you guys gave each other space and continued talking.

“Were you actually worried about me betraying you and the agency?” You laughed.

“Well...” Ushijima trailed off. “Women like you are unpredictable”

“I guess women like me are” you shrugged. After a moment of silent you decided to ask something. “Well since we are opening up to each other...”

“Go on” Ushijima said looking at you nervous face.

“Well... when you were drunk. You said something about me” you said now looking away.

Ushijima’s face was filled with obvious confusion. “What did I say?”

You drank some more of your soda then spoke. “Well you said I make you feel weird.”

“Oh did I?” Ushijima said slightly moving. “I don’t remember a thing”

“Of course you don’t...” you mumbled. “Another thing I wanna talk about is when I...” you then corrected yourself. “Actually when we did it.”

Ushijima looked away. “Yeah what about it.”

Everything around you felt tense. The atmosphere was very thick.

“Well during it, you said that you loved me...” while telling him this, you knew damn well he said that because he was in the heat of the moment but you need to know if it’s true.

You looked up at Ushijima for his answer. His lips parted slowly to give it up until the door of the room was slammed open.

“Agent Ushijima!” A man said holding a tablet.

“Yes?” Ushijima said quickly averting his gaze at the man. You also did the same, slightly frustrated at how he couldn’t answer.

“There’s been an outbreak over at Hyōgo City 3 hours away from here. The boss wants you and Y/n to go over to the scene immediately and to take down the culprit who started this”

“We will be there shortly.” Ushijima said grabbing this things.

“Wait!” You said to the man. “What about Tendō?”

“Tendō? Satori? He’s still in the process of healing ma’am, he has-“

“I thought he was fine though” you asked grabbing your keys.

“Well his condition isn’t terrible, it’s still a good idea for him to rest. I’ve heard he has many cuts and bruises that are still bad” the man said.

“Damn it, okay... thanks.” You mumbled running out of the room and towards the elevator to get to the garage. Ushijima followed after you.

“The boss said he gave us the location on our gps.” Ushijima said.

“Wait- don’t tell me.” You said rolling your eyes.

“We are taking my car. I can’t risk you getting hurt when we already have a guy down.” Ushijima said getting into the elevator and pressing the button.

“How bad is this going to be?” You asked him.

Ushijima pulled out his phone and typed something up on it. He then showed you the live news cast.

On the phone showed many destroyed buildings and a lot of men shooting their guns. Behind the men were the two behind it all.

“Hayashi and Tadashi.” You glared. “Should have known.”

“Yeah so we need to get there as fast as we can.” Ushijima said putting his phone away.

“Yes sir.” You said getting ready to run to the garage.

Hyōgo Japan

“Are you sure this won’t flop?” Tadashi asked his boss.

Hayashi took out the cigarette from his mouth and stubbed it with his foot. “I’m sure of it, if our men can keep this up, surely Y/n will come. In the meantime, how bout we have some fun”

Tadashi smiled. “Yes of course”

Tadashi and Hayashi were on top of a skyscraper in the middle of a construction site. Many of the men that Hayashi hired were scattered causing some harm to the city.

By now enforcements have been trying to get them but failed to.

On The Road

You and Ushijima managed to get into his car and immediately drive to the city. While getting driven there, the ride was awfully quiet.

“Ushijima...” you whispered.

“Yes y/n?” Asked Ushijima. “Anything the matter?”

You wanted to know his answer. You wanted him to tell you if it was a fluke or not.

“Back at the agency, what were you going to say?” You asked looking out of the car window.

Ushijima sighed. “We can’t talk about this now, we have a mission we gotta focus on”

You nodded and stayed quiet for the whole ride. To you, it was obvious that him saying that he loved you was a fluke. So was the time when he was drunk.

~~~

After 3 hours, you guys arrived into the scene. You quickly got out your gun and started loading them.

“Y/n, I know you got armor on and stuff but I have to tell you one thing” Ushijima said.

“What Ushijima.” You said looking up at him.

His stern face morphed into a softer, vulnerable one. “Be safe out there. Will you promise me that?”

You held in your laugh. “God damn it Ushi, you’re such a loser. I promise I will be.” You said staring into his eyes for a bit. You then got out of the car and ran into action.

Quickly, you shot the people who stood in the front of the constitution site and ran towards the elevator. You also had backup with you.

“You must be-“ you cut off the swat guy with the cock of your gun.

“L/n F/n, please to meet you” you said running out of the elevator to go on the next level of the whole building.

“Men! Shoot any foe with no remorse, this is a battle we are in” you said shooting your gun like there was no tomorrow.

“Yes ma’am” the swat men all said shooting theirs.

Meanwhile, Ushijima was getting out of the car and running towards the swat chief.

“Ah Ushijima! You’re here, I also saw your girl run out of the car straight to the scene” the chief said.

“There’s no time, what’s going on” Ushijima asked him.

The chief pointed towards the building in front of them. “In that unfinished building, there are two men who are behind it all. I heard that they are actually standing at the top of the building”

Ushijima looked at the tall building and followed it up to the top.

“If you can make it in time, they won’t be able to escape. Many of my men have died already, you and that girl are our last hope” The chief frowned.

Ushijima nodded and got out his gun. “I won’t let you down sir.” He then ran towards the scene.

~~~

While Tadashi and Hayashi were enjoying the view of the chaos they created, one of their men came up to them.

“Boss, the lady is here, the one you’ve been looking for” The man said.

Tadashi and Hayashi looked towards the guy. While Hayashi’s eyes stayed the same, Tadashi’s lit up with joy.

“Cut off all the exits, we can’t let her escape” Hayashi order.

“Wait sir” the man said. “That other guy is here, Ushijima Wakatoshi”

Tadashi’s eyes fell down to dark pupils. Around him surrounded a dark aura. “Ushijima...”

Hayashi looked at the sky to gather ideas on what to do next. “Get a group of your men to take him down, he excels in reflexes and strength so be careful”

“Yes sir.” The man said returning back to his duties.

After he was gone, Tadashi got out his guns and loaded them up. “Will you stay up here?” Tadashi asked him.

Hayashi nodded. “I’ll be here just in case everything will go wrong, that’s when we launch plan B.”

Tadashi’s eyes widened. “Plan B... by that you mean we explode everything up?”

“Correct Tadashi. Now go make yourself useful.” Hayashi spat.

Tadashi quickly got up with his guns and ran into the scene to catch you.

“Y/n... you will be mine” Tadashi whispered while blushing.

~~~

The day was getting darker. Time was passing really quick. Most of your swat men were slowly dying.

“Shit.” You cursed while reloading your gun. For now, you hid behind a nearby metal pillar.

“Ushijima...” you whispered. “Where the fuck are you.”

As the shooting kept going, you tried to keep your group of men in composure. It was all going downhill. That was until you saw someone throw something at the corner of your eye.

Everything around you then became smoky. As you tried to see through the smoke, you saw a hand reach for you.

“Ushijima?” You asked grabbing the hand. The hand then held you tight and pulled you into someone’s body.

“You got that right.” Said a deep voice.

“Ushijima!” You said while hugging him. “Where were you, I was freaking out”

Ushijima ruffled your hair. “I’m here now, let’s get back to business shall we?” He said as you pulled away from him.

You smirked and showed him your gun. “We shall”

The duo was then back. While the bad men couldn’t see in the smoke, you and Ushijima took this as a chance to slaughter them all.

“Y/n there’s steps that we can take to go up to the next level of this building” Ushijima said.

“I get you, let’s defeat these men first” you said shooting your gun.

As the smoke slowly cleared up, the bad men could see you and Ushijima. Most of them though we’re dropping like dead flies. When the last guy was standing, you shot him dead center in the head.

“Let’s go” you said running towards the steps. Ushijima followed after you.

As you guys ran up the building, more bad men came out from hiding. They were expecting to see you guys.

“Where is Tadashi!” You yelled at the men.

“Oh he’s here” one yelled back. “He’s coming to get you actually”

You took a breath then continued to shoot at them.

Back At The Agency

Asami was doing her daily routine. Checking out the lab, finishing up her work, then finally going to check on Tendō. When she did check on him though, she found him not on his bed.

“Satori?” Asami said looking around in fear.

“Over here...” said a depressed voice.

Asami looked to her right to see Tendo standing right by his window, looking at the view. She slightly smiled and hugged him from behind.

“How are you feeling?” Asami asked.

“Not good. I just heard that Ushijima and Y/n are in battle right now without me.” He then sighed. “It seems serious too.”

Asami frowned at her boyfriends expression. “Tendō stop worrying about them and rest... you still have your bruises and your-“

“Okay? And? I can still fight... shit if they are gone then it’s on me” Tendō said putting his hand on the window.

Asami let go of her boyfriend and caressed his cheek. She then placed a kiss on it and backed up. “If you want... I can go into battle to help them.”

Tendō’s eyes widened. “You can’t fight though- have you even had proper training?”

Asami laughed. “I mean yeah. The boss trained me before and I was pretty good. My speed is super fast and I can use my lab stuff as weapons”

Tendō smiled then looked out the window. “I know you’re just trying to help me feel better but really, I don’t want you going.”

“What if I want to.” Asami said looking out of the window too. “Your friends are possibly in danger and there’s no one else except for me to save them.”

“I said I could fight-“

“No you can’t. You were badly beaten...” Asami then looked at Tendō. “Let me do this for you...”

Tendō looked back at his girlfriend and slowly wrapped his arms around her. “I know you’re strong... I know you can do it... I just don’t want to loose you”

“Tendō, let me do this for you... for once?” Asami asked him.

After a moment of silence, Tendō agreed. Asami being super excited bolted out of the room and to the boss of it all. As she left, Tendō held his hands together and prayed that you, Ushijima, and Asami would be alright in the end.

Back At Hyōgo

As you and Ushijima got closer to reaching the top of the building, you guys came to a sudden halt when you came across someone you didn’t want to see.

Everything around you felt tense. The air felt colder as you saw him. His eyes and his aura was just enough to make you frightened of him.

“Hello again... y/n” Tadashi smiled while cocking his gun.

“Tadashi... are you ready for a round two?” You smirked doing the same to your gun.

“Let us dance” Tadashi said shooting his gun towards you and Ushijima.

Taglist:

@toaster-stick @ashydoesdumbstuff

[itoshit]

'Doll listen I'm sorry. I know I fucked up earlier and I wanna make up for it. But first I'm gonna bring you back home and take of-'

Cutting me short by pushing me away, you stumbled again. Sighting with despair I could only see you struggle to stand still.

'Vee-'

"Veenus"

'For god sake stop acting like a child!'

I didn't care anymore, your tantrum had me pissed off and I didn't even hesitate pickin you up and throwing you on my shoulder.

'The keys?'

I could only hear your mumble and I didn't understand a word. Putting you back on the ground right after only to hold you by the waist I took your chin in my hand, forcing you to look at me.

'Vee... the keys baby?'

Digging through your pockets for a while, we seemed to come at the same realisation.

'You forgot them inside didn't you?'

Only nodding at me you leaned against your front door and sliding on the ground, I could see your body shaking.

'Are you cold? Here take my jacket'

Carefully drapping it over your shoulders I crouched at your level.

'Hey, it's alright. You're drunk, I acted like a fucking bastard earlier, I'm sorry. I should have remembered and even after I should have hold you back. The best would be for you to come back with me yeah? Remember you have a bunch of your stuff in my room so you won't need anything. Come with me? Please?'

But your head was hanging low and I knew what that meant, you were ready to cry.

Patting your head I took you in my arms and holding you close I could feel wetness of my shoulder.

'Don't cry baby please. You know what? We're gonna spend the day together tomorrow yeah? Sounds good?'

Feeling your hands tightening the hold on my tees I only sighted with content, head on top of yours.

'Come and let's get you all cleaned up alright?'

Supporting you while putting my helmet on your head - your safety will always count more than mine- I picked you up by your waist and put you on my bike.

'Am gonna sit here, you know the drill. Hold on tight Vee. If you're not feeling well just tap on my stomach. I won't go too fast'

-Draken

The last thing I wanted to do was go with him, it really was. But I had stupidly locked myself out of my own house to see his dumbass. Only purpose I had for coming down here was to tell him to block my number and now look at me, clutched to his back as he sped through the city.

I didn’t dare open my eyes, even though I loved doing it on bike rides with him. All the lights, the skyscrapers, made the city—no, the world—feel so big, and everybody below them so small.

Now, with my swirling stomach, it only serves to make me feel sick. I don’t bother telling Ken that though, still mad and too stubborn to push it back down and be reasonable. I know when we get to his place, he’ll want to talk, but I don’t want to forgive him. He has an entire life with a girlfriend and friends without me— one he didn’t bother to include me in. Why couldn’t he leave me alone to let him live it? Was he not happy enough in his own life that he actively sought to bring misery to mine? Was I even really his best friend?

I shouldn’t have let one bad thought come, because the rest flood over me, threatening to push my heart straight through my chest at the force of the waves. My eyes burn, regardless of how hard I clench them right. I spend the entire ride praying the wind carries all evidence of my tears staining the back of his shirt away.

[mrsunderhill678]

The last one liners of 2020!! Let’s go!

“Discoveries of self are only grand so long as they give you a deeper meaning, but all mine have done is haunted me.” - Calliger Cougar

“Justice that harms the innocent is no justice after all.” - Calliger Cougar

“I fear I have yet to meet all of me, and if this sinful being is what I have met, I fear what I have not.” - Calliger Cougar

"I've spent life searching for a deeper purpose, only to realize, all I had to do, was be me.” - Espekarla Killovitch

“It took so long to accept myself, so long, that I believed no one would ever accept me.” - Espekarla Killovitch

“Life can beat you down and make you someone you don't like, but soar above that. See the stars, burn in the sun, become ash so long as it's you.” - Espekarla Killovitch

 “I am such a crime against myself.” - Duke Marston

“Loving me, I imagine, is a death sentence. Hold my heart only if you wish to place yourself on death row or the electric chair.” - Duke Marston

 “I am no brave little mouse, I am no Desperaux, it is as if I am Borticelli, a sewer rat, feasting on my grime, throwing the brave little mouse to the crowd, allowing them to cheer as the cat bats at him like yarn, watching him bleed, watching him fight, if only to keep my throne." - Duke Marston (If you get this reference I will fucking love you)

 How I yearn to be something other than this twisted creature, sitting upon a throne of other's blood and bone. But I never leave this throne, I never knock this life studded crown from my head. I guess that makes me haunted queen of the hill, fearing the descent yet staring down at the bottom, wondering what it would be like... To fall. But I fear my sister would catch me, deny this death wish of mine. She'd snag a cigarette from my lip if she knew it burnt my lungs. I fear myself, but she loves me, I'll never know why, I'm just a beast, a wicked creature of broken tusks and teeth. And my brother, he would carry the crucifix on his back and nail his palms to it's oak if he knew it'd spare me the trouble.” - Carlota Calico

“I am a cruel woman, my eyes glazed over with glossy regret, and yet all I do is weep the blood that I've spilled. I am a haunting of every grave I've dug, every life I took, and try as I may, it is never my blood I'll weep, but the blood of another.” - Carlota Calico

“My regret is spoken so much louder than my rage, it leaves me to wonder how my rage leaves more glasses shattered than my regret, when it's my hauntings that raise the decibels? They say to roll with life's punches, but what can a man do when the fists are his own?” - Max Tripp

“It was I who took my life and set it on fire. And everyone watched from the pyre as my ship sunk, and you know what? When this ship sinks, and I with it, I'll cheer along with those on the fucking pyre.” - Max Tripp

“I won't make it to heaven. I'd never pass the first step to the pearly gates, let alone a mile from the stairwell.” - Max Tripp

“I'm a gambling man, and I gambled this life of mine for a rusted lie and a nickel. Worth bout as much as me, I suppose.” - Max Tripp

“Raise a glass to the loveless man, raise a glass, for this shot of my tears and regret never runs dry.” - Max Tripp

“I'm tangled between my little flaws and my love for my children, I imagine my love for them heals me, I just... Wish it would heal, them.” Violetta Flint

 “Is the world, perhaps, just as self destructive as we are, causing pain to those who love it?” - Violetta Flint

“I wish I could've protected my boy, but life took him down the beaten path too soon. I was supposed to protect him from the thorns on the rose, but he gripped it before I could. He bled before I could bleed in his place.” - Violetta Flint

“Life can be so terribly cruel to the kindest of people, but don't let cruelty make you cruel. Remember that kindness is never forged from an easy life.” - Violetta Flint

“Revenge is a luxury I can't God damn afford, yet here I am, payin' the fuckin' price.” - Andraak Flint

“With a single snap 'a my fingers I killed the light that basked my soul, stepped on my own back ta reach heaven, just ta kill the man who claims himself a god above others. Oh he's above others alright, but when I meet him eye to fuckin' eye, sins on my wrist, with my rage and love he stole from my still tremblin' hands, he ain't gon' be nuthin' but below me.” - Andraak Flint

“You must inflict pain to know my wrath, and for a man that's inflicted more pain than the end 'a times, I reckon I ought to be more wrathful than the God that decided it fit for him ta live.” - Andraak Flint

“Revenge is a luxury I can't afford, because the price is this life I've lived and the corpse 'a the man I hunt. Ta pay the price, I got ta die, cause ain't no man damned as I am, seein' more sunrises than the devil he seeks. So be it, may the sun rise without me, so long as it rises without Quentin." - Andraak Flint

“Sometimes, crime is survival, and you can condemn me all you want, but all I'm tryin' to do is stay on the topside of the concrete. An old friend always said his corpse had already dropped, that he was already buried beneath the skyscrapers and subways, that he was just another corpse of New York. And I agree. We're all just corpses of New York city, because this place in of itself is a corpse of dead concrete goliaths and lost souls once filled with hope.” - Angeles Vance

“We are the revolution, built of scars and corpses of New York, and maybe one day, they'll hear our battle cry and call us heroes. But it's more often than most that heroes are labeled lawless and cruel, before ever, they put an end to the very tyranny that labeled them, enemy of the world." - Angeles Vance

“Evil is often a torch, passed down from one ruler to the next, but I've found, that we only take the torch, for we fear he who holds it, only to fear our own hand, in the end.” - Theodore Malrosa

“All you'll ever need in a kill or be killed world is a six shooter and your sins on your sleeve.” - Theodore Malrosa

“I'm a ragged bone man, with fur drenched over my shoulders like a tattered cape, but in the shade, all they ever see is the silhouette of a hero's torn cape. Shade hides all, my friend, even the most damnable of offenses.” - Theodore Malrosa

“He who mocks the peasant will find himself bowing to his feet miles down the road, just ask the brother's of Joseph. For they mocked his dreams only to realize always was he a prophet, in all his glory, and his coat of every color only aggrandized his robe of dreams and prophecies to be.” - Theodore Malrosa

 “I could drown in holy water and still, I'd be damned, all the holy water would do is grant me a painful death of scalding flesh and boiled blood. I wear a cross round my neck if only to remind me, I was once holy. But he who is nailed to the crucifix is often bled dry before ever he is forgiven.” - Arrow Holloway

“I sling these bullet casin's like regrets and charms, never knowin' what it is I'll get from this chamber. There's a spark in my chest, and I's long since learned, the spark in me chest and revolver are one in the fucking same.” - Arrow Holloway

“I am a hail of bullets in the crossfire, hittin' every soldier, I am the blood spilled and the bodies that drop. I suppose I'm everything death every grew, if only to be reaped for my simple existence. But it ain't simple, is it? Never were I 'spose, always was this life complex and bloody.” - Arrow Holloway

“I could face myself in a draw fight and still I'd lose.” - Arrow Holloway

“Take this ride 'a mine as you will, one of a wicked outlaw or a deputy corrupted by crimson burnin' justice, either way you spin the tale, you get blood spilled and bullets flyin', so I spose it don't matter which path ya take. It all ends the same. No matter what road you go down, there's a cliffside, a steeple or a river, and ain't none of em leadin' you ta salvation. Cause the biggest lie the preacher ever told is, "You're forgiven." - Arrow Holloway

“What is hope, really, but a single shared delusion of the human race? We cling to it so desperately, but it was never there, we were always battling ourselves and callin' a damn peace treaty. Cause when we fire against our selves, what do we call it? Freedom or murder of the highest degree?” Elliot Terminus

“We're either lambs or wolves, and only those with stained teeth'll make it through. We're already in hell, my friend, the demons are huntin' the angels and the sheep are bein' led to the slaughter. Ain't no sheep makin' it out with a white coat.” - Elliot Terminus

 “I'd gladly wash myself in the blood of the lamb if it meant soakin' the fields.” - Elliot Terminus

“You think the flock is safe just cuz there's a shepherd? He's as mortal as the sheep and he who protects the weak should be weary of the strong.” - Elliot Terminus

“This crucifix of secrets on my back weighs me down like the thought of my casket, I fear I shall carry this weight on my back for miles, only for none of it to ever matter in the end.” - Mason White

“It's often secrets lurk in those who have been silenced. These days, you can't cut off a man's tongue to prevent the truth from spilling out, but threatening all he loves does the same damn thing. When a man dares silence you, shout to the heavens, maybe God will listen and smite him down, render him speechless. No man can disarm you of your voice, it's the strongest weapon you've got.” - Mason White

 “For all who come for my sorry hide, tomorrow's an empty promise at best, and a threat at it's worst, cuz steppin' up to me is a losin' fuckin' battle. You wanna step up ta this plate? Then prepare for them pearly gates, cause ya meet the lord today, and ya don't got time for a fuckin' confession.” - Rafe Linton

“Honor ain't nuthin but a lie soldiers use ta steal the advantage, I'd rather cheat than die, and I'd rather scarper on my mah knees than be the poor sod bein' shot at point blank range for sins deemed worthy 'a death.” - Rafe Linton

“A man offers ta count ta three, shoot him at two.” - Rafe Linton

“Steppin' up ta me is a losin' fuckin' battle because I cheat, I lie, friend, only truthful word that ever come from my mouth is, I'm alive. I'd light a match and tell ya it's cold, I'd shoot a man six times in the chest and say he's breathin' just fine. The pearly gates await ya because you choke on all your truths, when a lie's the only thing that'll save you, these days.” - Rafe Linton

“The act of raisin' the dead is a simple act 'a redeemin' a man who's coffin lid is nailed shut. Yet for a man like me, it's complex as can got damn be.” - Alaric Alistair

“There was a time I believed the good guy always caught the thief, and the sun always rose, but look at me now, sittin' in the dark.” - Alaric Alistair

 “You could cut me down and I imagine I'd laugh, cause I can't imagine sumthin' darker than my life other than the end 'a it.” - Alaric Alistair

“I'm just roadkill on the highway that's risen, my antlers are broken, my fur matted and bloody, and I'm just fated ta pretend I'm still breathin'. But the breath from my lungs is stained from the blood on my teeth.” - Alaric Alistair

“In the end, it don't matter who ya were, what ya did, cause hell don't exist and devils were only myths of us.” - Alaric Alistair

“All I ever do is follow orders. I bark when told ta, I bite when aggravated or let off my leash, but the sad thing is, even the leash stabs inta me. The bruises and scars round my neck tell the sorrowed tale of a barkin' dog forced ta bite. This blood on my teeth tells the pain soaked tale of a dog, skinny and starvin', all because he bites, if only ta put another down." - Alaric Alistair

“For a man who's lost everything, I sure got a lot. My whole life I been swallowed by the fires yet remaining un-scorched, because all my life I've had love. For my wife, for my sons, for the lord, and even if many I knew are now nuthin' but a memory, I still find light in the intricacies of their smiles, cause I see em in my own.” - Balthazar Pennington

“We're beautiful creatures, really, holdin' one another ta show love, speakin' in languages so complex that not a word has ta be spoken to say, "I love you." - Balthazar Pennington

"Go on, kill us, kill us by the fucking dozens, Mr. De Niro. But you will find that the human resolve is a helluva lot stronger than your God damn conscious." - Cody Scarrow

"Oh I don't need savin' from me, brother. I may not be perfect, hell, I ain't even decent. But I can be damn proud of the fact, that I ain't you, and I never God damn will be." - Cody Scarrow

[riverboundao3ff]

Riverbound, Chapter 21

Your name is KARKAT VANTAS and you can’t stop thinking of that video John showed you that one time with the human gamer yelling “CAPTAIN! LOOOOOK!” even though this is very much real life and there is a fucking enormous pirate ship barrelling right at you.

You barely have your sickles out before Vriska comes barging out of her cabin in full pirate ensemble, sword strapped to her waist and fangs bared. “Eridan, take the lead with me! Aradia, Terezi, and Karkat follow. Try not to get yourselves killed. Micah, up to the crow’s nest and see what the enemy is doing. Feferi, keep us at full clip in a circle.”

“I’m not a very good captain!” Feferi yelps as she almost snaps the wheel in half.

“Don’t worry about it, the 8rigantine’s been through some serious shit. She can take a rookie at the wheel!”

Micah zaps up to the crow’s nest with the eyepiece and trains it on the enemy ship. Despite your bloodpusher hammering away in your chest cavity, your feet carry you over to Aradia and Terezi, both grinning ear-to-ear like the maniacs they are. Both are amazing fighters, and you are… very small. Small, and not very strong.

If Crabdad could see you right now you know the old guy would shit himself on the spot.

“Why am I here,” you mutter, gripping your sickles for all they’re worth. “Fuck, fuck, fuck--”

“Shouldn’t Feferi be giving the orders?” Eridan mutters to Vriska, scowling.

Vriska sneers back at him. “My ship, my rules. If you don’t like it you can swim back to shore.”

“I’ll throw you overboard first, bitch.”

“Good to see some things never change,” Aradia snickers, but you can’t bring yourself to rib Eridan for his black crush as you watch the other ship pull right up against the 8rigantine.

“What’s it look like?” Terezi asks.

“Big. Probably one-and-a-half times the size of the 8rigantine…” You trail off as you see the hostages on board and do a quick count. “There’s about fifteen lowbloods on board. Most of them are rusts and bronzes. I see one gold.”

“A psionic?”

“Yep.”

“Dibs,” Aradia calls.

“He’s all yours,” you mumble, beginning to regret being hatched.

Well, it’s too late to back out now. Aradia lays out the plank with her telekinesis and sends a massive shockwave across to the other ship before the terrified hostages can so much as try to rally together.

“Aradia! Don’t hurt them!” Micah wails in protest.

“Sorry!”

She doesn’t look very sorry, but Vriska and Eridan are already charging across the plank together with fearsome battle cries, Terezi right behind them with swords drawn and Aradia bringing up the rear. From the crow’s nest, Micah yells something about the violetblood captain being in his cabin.

“Oh, I am so getting grounded for this,” you tell nobody in particular, and then you bound across the plank in four quick strides, ignoring the dark, churning waters below, and fling yourself into the fray.

Some bronzeblood takes a swing at you the second your feet hit the deck, but you can tell her bloodpusher really isn’t in it when she scrambles back as you knick her cheek with one of your blades. You dodge around a pair of unarmed rustbloods, sweep the feet out from underneath another bronze, and end up back-to-back with Terezi.

Not too long ago you would have been losing your mind at the thought of fighting alongside the girl you crushed on for a pretty sizable amount of your miserable existence, but at the moment you kind of want to smack her upside the head for letting Vriska drag you guys into this. “Where’s your crazy-ass moirail?”

“Looking for our target! Micah said he’s in his cabin,” she yells over a rustblood girl’s furious screeches as Terezi is able to deflect every blow.

You swipe at a boy who tries to lunge for your arm. “Well I wish she’d hurry--”

A shockwave knocks your flat on your ass before you can finish that sentence. Your ears ring, and you roll over with a groan to see Aradia and the goldblood psionic circling each other, both crackling with invisible energy.

“Back off! Back!” the psionic shrieks, blasting yellow sparks at Aradia. “He’ll kill us all if we lose the session!”

“Nobody’s dying today,” Aradia tells him calmly.

“What?!”

“Just keep fighting. We’re here to help.”

Some of the other hostages obviously overheard the whole thing, because you see several stop circling a hissing Eridan to turn and stare at her. None of them have even tried to attack him. He uses the opportunity to break free and roundhouse the psionic into the mast, knocking him out cold and sending cracks up the wood.

A nearby zap alerts you to the cavalry’s arrival. “Eridan!”

“He was attacking Aradia-!”

“Micahlookout!”

The mast splinters apart at the base and comes down through the deck, before toppling over towards your alien friend. They teleport out of the way just in time, reappearing to grab the unconscious goldblood and disappearing again.

The bronzeblood boy you’ve been swatting at scrubs furiously at his ganderbulbs. “What the-- did I just-?”

“Yeah, they do that,” you explain.

“I wanna go home.”

“Same.”

The sound of glass breaking has everybody jumping back as Vriska and the violetblood dude come tumbling out of the cabin window, screaming and clawing each other up with no mercy whatsoever. Serket’s metal arm is making progress in tearing a gash in the violetblood’s side, but he’s still way stronger than her and just as angry.

“You fucking bitch! This isn’t how you play the game!” he snarls, kneeing her in the gut so hard you hear something snap.

She spits blue blood into his face. “This isn’t a game anymore.”

He kicks her off him and springs to his feet, only for a blast of energy to carve a perfect hole through the center of his chest before he can so much as cuss her out again. There’s no blood, no bits of flesh dangling down into the gap. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Eridan lower his rifle, brows drawn together in concentration.

You stare in shock as Vriska kicks the still-standing corpse overboard.

The following splash is the only sound to be heard for the next couple of moments. You and Micah make eye contact and stare at each other for a little bit. Eridan and Vriska high-five and start ushering the hostages across the plank to the 8rigantine. Aradia just shrugs and helps a bronze girl with a bad knee to her feet so they can go, guiding Terezi along with her other hand.

“Well, that was quick,” you mumble, making your way over to Micah.

They don’t show any outward signs of distress, but the way their gaze doesn’t focus on anything in particular once you both make it to the other side tells you everything you need to know. You want to throw Serket overboard as well; for fuck’s sake, she knows humans are fragile about these sort of things!

They look over at you. “Guess that’s one way to do it.”

“Yeah.” You look out at the horizon, where a pod of skywhales are surfacing to breathe. “I’ll be honest. This rebellion stuff is way less fun than I thought it was gonna be.”

“Me too. Wanna get out of here once we get the hostages back to shore?”

Oh, fuck yes. “Sure. Can we get some of your weird human food?”

“Ask Dave, my guy. I’m broke as hell.”

“Fine.”

You wait impatiently as Micah helps the others down to the beach once the 8rigantine makes it to shore, but you can’t help but feel a surge of warmth when you see the dawning realization on the former prisoners’ faces when they realize that they’ll be going home. You’re smiling as a few of the younger kids grow brave enough to give Micah hugs, which is understandable given that the alien is very soft and huggable. It’s no surprise to you that they’ve managed to land in somebody’s diamond.

“Nothing like trauma to help bring people together,” they say as you watch the group walk off together towards town. “One of them said that they’re gonna make a group chat and call it ‘Hostage Gang’.”

Everybody gets a good chuckle out of that, and most of the tension leaves as you guys head back to Vriska’s hive. Terezi and Aradia start arguing about what blood caste has the thickest skull bone, with Terezi in favor of seadwellers and Aradia insisting it’s the indigos.

Micah bumps your arm. “Ready to go?”

“Yep.”

“Cool. Lemme grab my backpack.”

They zap away and are back in the span of two seconds, backpack slung over their shoulder. You have to tell yourself not to stare, even if you’re still definitely not used to your weird alien friend’s wacky spacetime powers.

Vriska’s face falls. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna bring Karkat to Earth to hang out. I’ll be back soon,” Micah tells her.

“... Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Aw, missing your lusus already?” Eridan taunts, before hightailing it back up the path to Vriska’s hive with a furious pirate girl on his heels. Terezi takes off after them with a shriek of delight, with Feferi begging them not to start a fight and Aradia waving back at you as she pelts sand at the back of Eridan’s head.

“Good god,” you mutter.

“Love those assholes,” Micah says, every word laced with affection. They hold out their hand, and with a lot less caution than you used to, you take it.

In the blink of an eye, the both of you are outside Dave’s apartment building with the sun going down behind the skyscrapers in the west. It’s hot as fuck, even for you, and teleporting never fails to make you a little dizzy.

You look up and down the alleyway. Cool, no other humans around.

Taking a running start, you kick off the dumpster underneath the fire escape and grab on to the last rung of the rusty ladder. You pull yourself up with a grunt and start hiking on up to the top floor, concentrating on the horizon to calm down your tilting vision. A bang of boot against metal lets you know Micah is right behind you.

“Why don’t you just teleport up?” you ask.

“Do you want me to take you up?”

“No. It makes me dizzy.”

“Sorry, dude.” They yank off their hoodie with a huff. “I need the exercise.”

“Don’t let Equius hear you say anything like that. For my wriggling day last sweep he gave me an exercise regime and video-called me to personally ensure that I was doing it. It was fucking terrible. Every time I see a stretching mat my ass clenches up so hard I taste shit.”

“... Do you think he’ll come around?” they ask.

You snort. “Who knows. I like the guy, don’t get me wrong, but… he’s pretty set in his ways about the authority of the Empire and the hemospectrum. If Nepeta can’t get through to him, nobody can.”

“Eridan decided he wants to change. So did Vriska.”

You bite your tongue before you can tell Micah that they unwittingly became the lusus-figure of those two jackasses the second they waltzed into their lives. “Yeah, well. Equius is a whole other hoofbeast, pun intended.”

By the time you reach the top level, your thighs are burning, you’re out of breath, and Micah has to brace themselves on their knees while sucking in air like an upright mechanical cleaning device. The usually pale skin is flushed red, and they’re making absolutely no attempt to cover themselves.

All humans have red blood, dumbass. Get over yourself. “How come you can go for three hours straight on Just Dance but get winded going up a few flights of stairs?”

“Man, shut up. You’re breathing heavy, too,” they wheeze.

“Barely.” You pull out your palmhusk and shoot a quick text to Dave, telling him to check the fire escape. Your palmhusk is barely back inside your sweatpants pocket before the window you and Micah are under slides open.

A messy head of blonde hair pokes out, and your gastric tract does a flip when a smirk lifts up the corners of Dave’s mouth. “Two aliens, chillin’ on my fire escape, five feet apart ‘cause they’re not gay.”

“I regret ever letting you in on the incredible gift that awaits this world that is Vine,” Micah sighs. “All those iconic seven-second videos, all those memes that have yet to define Gen Z as a culture… and some greasy millennial Texas kid gets the first crack at it?”

“Micah. Mickey. Mickaroonie. Gen Z was born at the start of 1995. I was born in 1996. I barely made it, but I made it. Slipped right in there like the intruder through Annie’s window, RIP Michael Jackson. Vine is my birthright, same as yours.”

“It will be your birthright.”

“What the fuck is a Vine?” you demand. Stupid humans and their stupid human culture. You still have difficulty believing that their planet is divided up into thousands of different sectors, each with their own laws and languages and governments. How come they just can’t pick one thing and go with it?

“Hush up and get inside, Karkles, both of you are letting all the cold air out,” Dave drawls, backing away from the window so you and Micah can hop in.

You do so and almost immediately eat shit when you land on a pile of comic books that slip out from underneath your feet. “Fuck!”

“Keep it down, bro, the walls are thin.” Dave chucks an empty juice bottle into the trash can across the room. “Thin as a rin-tin-tin, gotta keep on silencin’, can’t let the haters in from the world that keeps on burnin’--”

“If you shut up we’ll tell you about the rebellion that’s happening on Alternia. Past Alternia, that is,” you offer.

That gets his attention. He turns to you, brows drawing tightly together. “A revolution? On your hellhole of a planet? Isn’t that, I dunno, really frickin’ risky? You’re not in danger, are you?”

“Not in my time period, dummy,” you say, crossing your arms to block out the surge of warmth inside of you that has nothing to do with the Texas heat. He cares about your safety. “It’s like, ten sweeps ago? Fifteen? I dunno, Micah’s the one who’s actually in it.”

“Yeah… I don’t know, either. Alternian measurements of time are confusing. But yeah. Me and a bunch of my friends are gonna overthrow the government,” Micah explains.

“Hell yeah, stick it to the man. But, like, be careful.”

“I will. Time shenanigans are kind of my thing.”

“Can we get food now?” you demand.

“Hell yeah we can.” Dave glances behind him, but there’s nobody there. “Yeah… let’s see, Bro’s not gonna be back until Saturday, so we’re good.”

Micah glances over at the calendar on the wall and frowns. It’s Tuesday. You’re not sure what Tuesday is in relation to Saturday, but they don’t seem happy about it.

The three of you end up sneaking around downtown Houston until you locate a McDonald’s. It’s weird, how much safer you feel on Earth in comparison to Alternia. These aren’t your people, and this isn’t your planet, and yet when a group of teenagers pass under the tree you and Micah hide in while Dave goes inside to order you don’t even flinch. It helps that the sun has gone down and you know that humans can’t see in the dark.

“So…” they say, eyeing you thoughtfully. “Do you want me to leave you guys alone? You know, city lights, fast food, two teenagers sitting together under the stars…”

FUCK. You slap at them with a furious hiss. “No! I-- what, no! Who told you? Was it Sollux? It was fucking Sollux.”

“It wasn’t Sollux. You’re pretty obvious, dude,” they remark.

You scrub your face with your hands. “I… he’s just so great, which is stupid because he pisses me off, and he’s an alien, and it’s just impossible. A-And he’s human-heterosexual!”

“Hey. Look at me.”

You look at them.

They smile at you, and your racing bloodpusher calms as you remember that this person is one of the few you can trust with your life. “No relationship is ever easy. You know this. But what you don’t know is that people always find ways to come together. My moirail is an oliveblood assassin, and she’s easily one of the top three things that’s ever happened to me.”

You can’t help it: you smile a little. “What are the other two things?”

“Rice bowls at Chipotle. Meeting you guys.”

“You’re a sappy fuck,” you tell them, even as you snort into the crook of your elbow.

“I sure am, hotshot. Oh, hey, here’s Dave--”

“--eeeeeEEEEEE here it is! Help me up,” a familiar voice announces. You look over the branch you’re stretched out on and reach down to help Dave up while Micah grabs the bags of food from him. His palm is just as warm and sweaty as yours, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Once everybody is settled in and munching away on shitty, delicious human food you break out the big guns. “Micah has a moirail.”

“Which one is that?”

“They have a girlfriend. Ew, can’t believe I’m resorting to highblood slang.”

That gets his attention. “Oh, real shit? Is she hot?”

“Yes, Dave. She is hot.”

“What’s she like?”

“Kind. Shredded as all hell. Loves sappy romance novels. Lowkey murders people for a living. Gets embarrassed easily. Like, I’ll say something like ‘I’m gonna shooshpap the anxiety right out of your soul, honey-bunches’ and she absolutely loses her goddamn mind--”

You shriek and slam your hands over your ears, trying to not blush and give yourself away. “No, no, noooooooooo, Micah I’m under nine sweeps old please-!”

“I don’t get it! Why is talking about feelings so sexy?” they yell, throwing their hands up while Dave loses his mind. “Damn! I touched my friend’s cheek the other night ‘cause he was messed up about my ribs being broken and he just about exploded.”

“Slut,” you wheeze.

“Your ribs are broken?” Dave stops laughing and starts poking at the other human. “What? Are you okay? How did you even climb this tree?”

“I’m fine now, buddy, Alternian medical tech is pretty great,” they assure him, ruffling his hair as he swats at them.

“Wack. One time I was in the ER ‘cause I needed stitches and the nurse didn’t even numb me up, she just frickin’ went for it. Big-ass needle, big-ass thread, screaming six-year-old, I think I scared the whole McFrickin’ clinic half to death--”

You want to hear everything about Dave’s bravery in the face of a mediculler, but before you can ask for more details a beam of bright light hits Micah right in the face, making them reel back with an arm thrown over their face.

“What are you kids doing up there, huh?” a deep voice calls.

You look down and almost shit yourself.

Underneath the tree are four fully-grown adult males, all big and with guns strapped to their belts (seriously, why the fuck do humans run around with so many weapons on them when they’re so stupid?) and wearing blue uniforms.

Oh, shit. Dave told you to never trust the ones with the blue uniforms.

“We’re eating McDonald’s in a tree, officer,” Micah explains cheerfully.

“Can I ask why?” The one in the front glares up at you. You shrink back into the foliage as much as you can. Dave grabs your hand, squeezing tightly, and you squeeze back.

“Why not?”

“Can I see some I.D?”

“No. We’re not breaking any laws. This is public property.”

You stare in disbelief as Micah pulls out a fry and munches on it without a care in the world. Were they really not afraid? Did humans just… not fear their authority figures?

They can teleport. Of course they’re not afraid, you remind yourself.

“How many of you are up there?” another one asks.

“Three.”

“Are any of you armed?”

“No, sir.”

“Can you come down, please?”

“No, thanks. We’re fine where we are.”

“You guys want a cheeseburger? The lady who took our order gave me an extra,” Dave offers. “It’s got onions, though. Onions are nasty.”

The one farthest to the left says something into his walkie-talkie. Micah grins.

You know that grin. “What are you--”

“Hey, officers! Wanna see something cool?” they yell. “Watch this!”

They push off the branch they’re leaning on and lunge towards you and Dave. You barely have time to yelp before they’re grabbing your arm and zapping you guys out of there.

Delighted peals of laughter fills the whole apartment as you land face-first into Dave’s bed. You spit out a dirty sock that somehow ended up in your mouth and shove them off the end of the mattress, but you’re laughing too. You’ve never seen anything like that.

Dave looks over at you, gorgeous red eyes twinkling behind his shades and a big smile lighting up his respiteblock, and just for a moment, everything is perfect.