#he makes my teams stronger yes but that doesn’t mean i’m not pissed about it LOL

[akkivee]

i like the sparkle in dice’s eyes in his new hypdream card lol

[achilleslyre]

but that’s my point— he wasn’t pretending or trying to achieve heartlessness at all. isolating himself? absolutely, that’s a complete different conversation though. appearing heartless was never a goal of his. he didn’t care to work with his team since they slowed him down. he wanted to succeed as quick as possible, get power as quick as possible, to be able to be at itachis level as quick as possible. it’s because of his trauma he acted like that— he does anything to get stronger faster. i mean it’s canonical that he doesn’t even eat food he likes, he eats foods that make him stronger. him not wanting to initially work with team seven doesn’t have anything to do with attempting/pretending to be cold/heartless, it’s just about catching up to itachi. there was no facade he was ever trying to play. sasuke is an extremely up front and honest character. he’s blatant about his intentions and ideals at all times. he doesn’t play any charade.

i never said sasuke was less traumatized in shippuden? he’s literally more traumatized lol. but anyways cutting himself off from others and cutting himself off from his loving self are two different things. i wasn’t responding to his isolation, it was in response to his love. he never was cut off from that. also not that it’s important or even pushes a point but i just want to say that when you’re that young there is a huge difference between being 12-13 and being 16-17. you’re not mature at 16/17 but compared to when you were 12/13…. you’ve matured a *lot*. 3-4 years isn’t much in the grand scheme of things, but it is when you’re that young.

my chosen quote was not from after they established a relationship… it was from the academy days… literally some of their earliest days together before they were even team seven….. so i’m just gonna disregard that whole blurb lol

my point wasn’t intended to be that naruto is all consumed by his hatred, i was emphasizing the topic of the hatred inside him because that’s literally what the post is about. the point was is all his motives are based in the hatred/anger he had as a child for the situation he was put into, and that he’s not a character that is joyful or happy as a main characteristic. just that he has an actual human range in personality, but it all stems from his hatred. he most certainly is an empathetic character and exerts compassion and understanding to other characters (namely antagonists) with tragic pasts but.. the two of us definitely just view the way he interacts with his peers differently. the pranks and mischief aren’t done to gain laughter.. it’s to gain attention. he’s so attention starved as a kid that he does anything to garner it. often times his mischief doesn’t even result in laughter, just anger. so i don’t particularly see why you would interpret that as him wanting to bring joy/laughter to others. sure sometimes it does make people laugh, but it’s shown immediately in the animanga that he causes havoc which pisses people off. it’s always just been that he just wanted other people to look at him.

but he certainly isn’t only snippy and mean to authority figures. he is a major jerk to random people his age too, often times for no reason other than he didn’t like their initial impression. he teases, name calls and sometimes genuinely just tries to fight these characters. he’s just not a character that tries to bring happiness to everyone all the time. yes he certainly has empathy, and brings hope to people and inspires people and he cares deeply about the friends he does make, he’s a protagonist after all. but by observing his connections to people other than antagonists (when he has to exert his shounen protagonist model) he is often a jerk lol.

i feel that so many people seem to take the basis of naruto and sasukes characterization and switch them…. i see too many people infer naruto is made of happiness and love while sasuke of hate and anger but i have always seen naruto as a character that is full of hatred and anger and he has to let go of that with the love of others. sasuke as a character is so full of love yet he has to follow that through with grief and anger and learn to bear others hatred.

naruto never really had the heaviness of love in his heart until he went through the process of controlling kuramas chakra and had to confront the hatred inside him. frankly it says it blatantly that he had always held hatred in his heart for the situation he was forced into and the way the village treated him because of it, until he was able to accept and move past that hatred and have love for kurama and his dad and the people of his village. so i genuinely don’t understand where this notion that naruto is just pure sunshine and happiness came from. sasukes whole story starts out with wanting revenge on his brother because he loves his family and his clan so much. it’s a constant clear notion that he hurts so bad from his brother’s betrayal because he loved his brother, and that his rage against konoha is because he loved his clan that konoha sanctioned a genocide of. it’s constantly stated that the uchiha hold intense love in their hearts.

it’s sasukes connection with the people around him that formed his love where it’s the lack of that connection that formed narutos hate…. the way they expressed their emotions is very different because they’re both in insanely different scenarios no matter how much they understand the others pain. narutos hatred makes him want to finally receive the love that the village never gave him, but sasukes love makes him want the village to experience the pain that they inflicted upon him and his clan… maybe sasuke expresses his love more negatively and maybe naruto expresses his hate more positively, but that doesn’t change the fact that sasukes actions came from a place of love and narutos actions came from hate. they just needed each other to balance the other out….

[luimagines]

oooh i have an idea, how would dear reader reacts to the chain's secrets? they could be canon like wolfie being twi, or something you headcanon!

Masterlist

I procrastinated on this one admittedly because I had no idea where to take it but after writing out a list and appointing a secret to each boy. I have it done.

Some things are definitely headcanons.

Part one will include Hyrule, Sky, Warrior, Four and Wild.

Content under the cut!

Hyrule

The battle wasn’t necessarily hard to deal with- the monsters weren’t difficult to deal with and there weren’t a lot of them to begin with.

You slashed, dashed and kicked every enemy away from you and watched as they fell to your blade. Every new step revealed a new purple cloud as you danced around the battle field.

You saw Wild and Twilight fighting back to back with practiced ease and handling it as well as you were. Warrior and Sky was side by side closer to Time and Legend than the rest of the group was and Four and Wind were up in the trees striking the enemy down at a distance and no doubt scheming something while the going was easy.

The only one you had no idea where he was, was Hyrule.

And that didn’t take a lot to dive into your brain and wriggle uncomfortably until your own insecure thoughts pushed you to go look for him.

Between the monsters and the land mines of purple smoke, it was a little difficult to find him.

But when you do- he does something you don’t fully understand at first.

You manage to run into him in a clearing, but he doesn’t notice you at first. Instead, you see him take his sword and run it through his palm. His blood coats the length of his blade, and it drips down his hand onto the grass below.

He watches the monsters in front of him and dances for a minute around them before he takes a breath and kills them effortlessly.

You frown and step toward him. “Why did you do that?”

Hyrule jumps higher than should be physically possible and doesn’t catch himself on the way down. He falls flat on his butt and looks up at you with wide and startled eyes.

“Are you ok?” You kneels next to him and go to take his injured hand. “What on earth were you trying to do?

Hyrule jerks his hand back like you’ve burned him and you see the magic flow through the air around his wound- closing it like it never happened.

“Link?” You frown again and slowly place your hand in your lap. You’re confused and a little afraid for him. You know that blood magic is taboo for a reason and is typically avoided more often than not because of its’s dark nature- but you never thought Hyrule of all people would dabble in it.

“I’m fine.”

“Link.” You stress a little more. “What were you trying to do? I didn’t think you were capable of blood magic... At least you don’t usually use those kind of spells. Is that why you fight on your own for a while each time?”

“I’m not using blood magic.” Hyrule frowns and stands abruptly. 

“Then why-?”

“It’s not important.”

“Hyrule, you’re hurting yourself. I’d say that that’s pretty important.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Don’t make me get Time.” You threaten. “I’ll get Legend too. I bet they’ll get some answers out of you.”

“You won’t just drop it, will you?” He sneers

“Nope.” You stand and cross your arms. “What were you trying to do?”

“I was just checking something.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Like if a curse would work or something?”

Hyrule tenses and he crosses his arms- instantly looking away from you.

“WERE YOU ACTUALLY TRYING TO CAST A CURSE?!” You screech.

“THE CURSE WAS CAST ON ME!” He yells back.

You both still for a moment and wait for the forest to show any signs that others might have heard you.

The sounds of distant fighting continues and after a minute of waiting some more, no one shows up to check on either of you, so you’re safe.

You turn back to your companion and furrows your eyebrows. You lower your voice just above a whisper just in case someone might be on the way but now you need answers. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He scowls- a face you’re not used to seeing on him and throws his arms down his sides in anger. “Back home, Ganon cast a curse on me. The monsters need my blood in order to resurrect him and I can’t risk letting any monsters from my time getting to me. I need to check if the other monsters will follow suit.”

You blink, not expecting that answer but your anger flares up regardless. “So you go out on your own to check this curse because your blood is needed to resurrect hatred incarnate? What if you’re overpowered? What if they do react to it? How are we supposed to help you if you’re alone?”

“It’s my problem to deal with. I don’t need-”

“Shut up.” You scowl and grab him by the shoulders. You shake him roughly for as long as you speak. “We are your friends! We care about you! We don’t want to see you hurt! We’re going to help you! Whether you want it or not- we’re not to let you deal with this alone. Not while we’re here.”

“Stop shaking me.”

You let him go.

“I won’t tell the others because I know you wouldn’t like that.” You say. “But this stops today. You hear me? None of us are just going to let these freaks near you and this is not necessary while you have a whole team of heroes just as pissed about the situation as you are. You hear me?”

“Loud and clear.”

“How clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Good.”

Sky 

Sky wakes up one day with a far away look in his eye which immediately puts you on edge.

Not only that but to make it worse, he doesn’t stop looking at you.

He looks scared.

Every five minutes you swear you catch him looking in your direction only to look away in haste when you look back at him.

No one is saying anything and it doesn’t help your paranoia.

With some people walking ahead you, you step back and take a spot next to Sky. You notice that he’s tense and walking robotically, and trying to match your pace. “Dude, what’s up? You’re freaking me out.”

Sky trips over himself and finally looks you in the eye. “What do you mean?”

“You woke up like you saw a ghost. You’ve been looking over to me every five minutes and even now you look like you want to sprint away from me. Did I do something?”

“I.. Ummm...” Sky stutters for a minute before swallowing whatever lump was in his throat. “I just had a dream... is all.... I’ll get over it.”

“I’m assuming it had something to do with me then.”

“No, not exactly.” Sky’s quick to speak even if you can see the beginning’s of sweat collect on his brow. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Want to talk about it?” You tilt your head. “It looks like it really shook you up.”

“Oh, um, I-”

“Maybe you died and Sky freaked out.” Legend pushes you forward and away from Sky. “He doesn’t have to talk about it if he doesn’t want to.”

“Ok, my god, Legend slow down! Not everyone is as emotionally constipated as you! Talking about things is healthy and important!” You shout over your shoulder, trying to dig your heels into the dirt with little to no luck.

Legend seems a bit stronger right now that he usually is, you bet it’s his power bracelet.

If Sky actually looks a bit paler at Legend’s claim than neither of you notice.

The day passes a little calmer after that, Sky seeming to have calmed down enough to not be so weird and it something you’re quick to forget about.

By the time the afternoon hits, a bunch of dark and foreboding storm clouds roll in.

Somehow, Sky manages to find it in himself to walk next to you again and does his best to stay close.

You don’t mind it and even jokingly pull his sail cloth over your head when it begins to rain on your group. It’s not particularly strong and there’s not a lot of options to rest and take cover, so you bare with it. Sky lets you keep the sail cloth over your head surprisingly.

But then there’s thunder and you see lightning in the distance and bite your lip. “Maybe we should hunker down or something?”

The rain goes from gentle drops to a down pour within seconds and the group runs a bit to gain as much cover as you can in the nearby tree line.

Sky pushes himself in front of you and shoves you behind him with enough force that you’re fully knocked over. In one fluid motion he lifts the Master Sword skyward and charges the blade, tossing it away from the group in a glowing blue arc. It cuts through the grass and even splits the first tree it strikes in half before dissipated into the air. 

You would have been struck by lightning if he didn’t do that.

“Sky?” You get up and try to wipe as much mud off of your pants as you can. “Are you ok? How did you know that would happen?”

Sky gulps and takes a deep breath as he looks at you with wide eyes and understanding. “I saw it in a dream.”

“Oh...” You gasp and reach out to him shakily, putting your hand on his shoulder. “You have dreams then?”

“Yes.” Sky looks at his sword and hesitantly puts it away. “Sometimes.”

“Ok then...” You nod and look around the group. They’re all in varying stages of shock, surprise and concern.

Everyone is looking at Sky.

“We need to get out of the storm.” You say in lieu of changing the topic. ” Who knows if there’s more lightning on the way and there’s a lot of metal within the group.“

“Right.” Time nods and does a not so subtle double take in his attempt to leave it be. “Let’s go.”

You nod back and nod once more to Sky and wrap your arm around his shoulder. you lead him forward and lean into his space to whisper into his ear. “Thanks.”

“I’m just glad I made in time.”

“We’ll talk later ok?” You smile in hopes of alleviating some of the tension. “I have some questions if you’re willing to indulge me.”

“I suppose it’s only fair.”

Warrior

“He’s a cute kid.” Warrior mentions randomly one day. 

You startle and jump, nearly dropping the image. You scramble to catch it and successfully do so after playing hot potato with yourself.

“Warrior, a little warning please.” You sigh and attempt to clean your finger print smudges on the glass. “But yeah, my little brother is cute. I hope he stays that way.”

“I don’t think you have much to worry about.” Warrior shrugs. “He grows up to be a fine and upstanding young man. Good looks run in the family. ”

You scoff and roll your eyes. “Thank you, I’m sure they do.”

Warrior comes to stand next to you and gently turns the glass over to see the image better.

“Warrior?”

“Hm?”

“Am I doing the right thing?” You sigh.

“What do you mean? I’d say you are. Sacrificing yourself for the good of a better tomorrow- for your family- for your loved ones- but that’s not what you’re talking about are you?” Warrior lets you take the image back.

“But he’s so young... and I’m supposed to take care of him.” You gulp. “I just want him to be safe and sound and healthy but I can’t really do that from- from... I’m here instead.“

“Well... no said it was going to be easy.” Warrior offers lamely.

“What if he grows up to hate me?” You clench the glass tighter at the thought. “I just abandoned him, didn’t I? Oh my god-”

“Hey. He loves you.” Warrior takes your shoulders in his hands and shakes you somewhat. “He admires you greatly. You’re his hero. He looks up to you even now. He’ll understand when the time comes.”

“Even now?” You sniff. “What does that mean?”

“Years have passed and he hasn’t stopped looking up to you and how you did everything you could for him, for Zelda and he’s trying to make you proud-”

“Warrior he’s five, how do you know this?”

His mouth shuts with a click of his teeth.

“Warrior.” 

“Um... I... He...”

“Link.” You pocket the glass and face him head on. “When did you meet my brother?”

He stares at you for a moment and deflates. “During... during the war of my era.”  

“...What?”

Warrior hisses and brings his hand to scratch the back of his neck. “He showed up around the same time that Wind did but he talked about you.... and I guess you talk to him about me because he wasn’t really surprised at what was happening.”

“How old was he?” You bite your lip, already dreading the news.

“Older than me actually.” He offers with a tight smile. “I never asked him but if I had to guess I would have put him in his mid twenties. The oldest Link to start his adventure compared to the rest of us...”

“But he still...” You deflate as well and hug your arms around yourself. “He still has to go doesn’t he? I can’t save him from it. Even now, I... I can’t- I fail him in the end then.” 

“He doesn’t see it that way at all.” Warrior catches you before you fall to your knees in despair. “He admires everything you’ve done for him, everything you’re currently doing. You kept him from danger for as long as you could- until he was old enough to take on his destiny. That’s more than any of us could say.”

“I don’t want him to go through any of it though.” You sob and lean into Warrior for support. “That’s my baby brother Warrior- how am I supposed to be ok with this?”

“I don’t think there is a way.” He admits. “Nor do I think you should be.”

“I can’t keep him from it.”

“But you can and have been postponing it.” Warrior rubs circles into your shoulder as you cry. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you even more.”

“I miss him.”

“You’ll see him again.” Warrior grips you tightly. “He also did very well all things considered. He became an older brother to me and to Sprite and Wind... I don’t think Wind has figured it out yet that your brother and Lucky are the same Link though.”

You sniffle and calm down slightly. “Was he awesome?”

A laugh is startled out of him and he chokes on the snort and cough that tries to leave him at the same time. “I’d say he was better than me... And he claims to have never held a sword until then.”

“Good.” You nod. “He’s the best brother in the whole world.”

“Yeah, he was.”

Four

You’re walking on a random trail as the day dies down and you’re partner is Four for the hour.

The sun rests behind you comfortably and you talk about the different weapons from each others Hyrule. You’re no smith- but you do think it’s an interesting process and try to take notes where you can.

As you trade your notes and laugh at the more ridiculous stories from one another, you look down and notice something weird with Four’s shadow.

It almost looked like it was laughing along too... in the opposite direction that Four was looking in. But you blink and it’s as if it never there.

Maybe you’re tired.

You have been walking all day and perhaps it was a trick of the light.

You don’t think on it too much and go back to talking with your friend.

Hours later-you’d think that it would be the end of it but it isn’t.

In fact, you can’t sleep. And the way it moved was different than it should have been and the more you look into the memory there more obscurities than there should be. Not to mention that Four gets weird around shadows or whenever they are mentioned.

You stare up at the star filled sky as you think about the incident.

“I’m telling you I think they saw me.” A new voice says.

You’re thrust into the moment and attune your hearing to the direction it came from.

“I think you’re thinking too much into it. How could they have seen you?” It’s Four.

You close your eyes and roll over in the same direction, pretending to still be asleep.

The voices take a minute to pick up again when you do that.

They were watching you.

“They stared at me for a solid minute- how did you miss that?” New voices hisses.

“They were laughing-”

“You were laughing, you love sick fool. They looked at me. They saw me. I’m going to blow the secret and you’re not even listening to my warning.”

Your eyes snap open and you push yourself up as quickly as you can.

You instantly spot Four sitting by the fire, but you’re not surprised by that. What really takes your attention is the new person next to him- who looks uncannily like your friend.

But with purple hair...

And red eyes...

And darker skin...

“Four what the hell?” You blurt.

Four responds quickly and as intelligently as he can manage.  “Uhhhh...”

The person next to him curses and runs a hand through his hair. “I told you. I told you. I told you.”

You lock eyes with the new guy and introduce yourself.

He huffs and crosses his arms, his face darkening slightly- or again- maybe it was a trick of the light. “I’m Four’s shadow.”

“His... shadow...?”

“Yes. That’s what I said.”

You nod, wide eyed before turning to Four with a million questions in your eyes. He can see it and holds his hand up to his mouth, pressing his knuckles harshly against his teeth as he waits for them to start flowing out of your mouth.

“Love sick fool?”

“Shadow you snitch!” Four screeches and takes a swing at him.

His cry is loud enough rouse some of the others but only really wakes up two of them. You stare tensely as Time and Legend sit up fast enough to nearly throw themselves into the fire as they turn to Four.

“Sorry.” You whisper yell to save his honor.

Shadow is nowhere to be found.

Time and Legend turn to you as the only other one awake and each raise an eyebrow in tandem.

“Ni-nightmare. I yelled. I’m sorry.” You try to act like you just woke up as well and try to hunker down into your blankets.

Time sighs and wipes his eyes. “You ok?”

“I will be.” You try to smile but you’re too nervous and it comes out more forced than it should- but perhaps that helps you sell your little fib.

Legend for his part glares at you before he sits down with a solid thump and throws himself dramatically back into his bedroll. 

No words are exchanged between you two.

“Everything alright Four?” Time yawns as he also begins to lie down again.

“Yeah. All good here.” Four laugh nervously and waves him away.

Time nods, no longer paying attention and slowly... nearly half an hour later, you see that the two of them have fallen asleep again. Thankfully neither of them seem to realize that it didn’t sound like your voice at all.

Shadow appears again from somewhere and takes his spot next to Four. “Nice going.”

“Shut up.”

“Four, I have questions.” You sit up and make your way over to the two of them.

Shadow raises an eyebrow. “What’s there to explain?”

“Everything?”

“Ok. Ok. Both of you, don’t start. You caught us fair and square. Sit down.” Four sighs and gestures to the other spot next to him. “It’ll take a while.”

“Done.” You grin and nearly run over a sleeping Sky in the process. “Tell me everything.”

Wild

“Has anyone seen Mr. Champion?” You glance up after doing a supply check through your bag. You’re running a little low on rations and know the resident cook usually has some to spare.

But you haven’t seen him in a while.

“Didn’t he go to get fire wood?” Wind tilts his head.

“Wasn’t that at least an hour ago?” You respond, furrowing your eyebrows as you think about it more. Where did Wild go?

“He hasn’t come back yet?” Warrior sits up straighter. Now the rest of the group is a little more aware of their missing member and each start subconsciously checking the tree line as if he were about to come back that very second.

“I can go look for him.” You offer, standing up. “Maybe he got distracted. We are in a new area.”

“Oh great, he could be miles away and we’d never know.” Legend groans and throws his head back. “Just what we needed.”

“Have a little faith Vet.” You snort. With a quick jump and skip over the supplies, you begin to leave the camp behind. “Try calling him Wind, I’ll see if I can go find our missing chef before dinner.”

“Please do.” Time nods. “We’ll start a full search party if you’re not back within the next hour though. It’s getting too dark.”

“Noted.”

“I could find him faster.” You hear Twilight say but you’re already too far away to back down now.

Truthfully, you have no idea where to start- but you imagine that to find Wild- one must think like Wild.

You pick a direction and stick with it.

At some point maybe fifteen minutes in you reach a small creek and begin to follow to stream upwards.

It’s really more like you’re taking a hike than searching for your friend and you begin to feel a little stupid even if realistically there’s no other way for this to be done.

That is- until you see him anyway.

He’s seems to be frozen in place, staring off into the distance with his hands still held mid air, gripping the canteen he appears to have been filling up.

It confuses you and you stand there staring at him to move- to blink- to do something. But he doesn’t. “Wild?”

No response.

“Champion?” You call a little louder and begin to tip toe a little closer to him. You’re afraid that even the slightest snapping of a twig would break whatever spell he’s under and you don’t fancy a violent reaction out the man who can easily blow the whole area up with little to nothing.

But still no response.

“Link!” You hiss and eventually reach his side. He hasn’t once turned in your direction or even acknowledged your presence and you begin to doubt that he’s even conscious.

His eyes are open and he’s knelt beside the creek but maybe he got hit with some magic or something- you don’t know.

You gulp and place a hand on his shoulder. You shake him lightly but when that also proves to not do anything you begin to shake him more and more until you nearly throw him over-but he does not react at all.

“Oh boy... What on earth happened to you?” You bite you lip and begin to look around. He’s too heavy for you to carry on your own and also too far away to yell for help or assistance.

You should have dragged Twilight with you.

Suddenly he takes a deep breath and blinks rapidly, shaking himself back into the present. 

You freeze and tense up considerably as you watch him come back to himself.

Wild stretches and looks up at the sky before standing up. “Twilight’s not going to like this.”

“No. I don’t think so.” You reply.

He freezes as well and looks at you by only shifting his eyes. “How long were you here for?”

“A while...” You admit. “Maybe fifteen minutes. You were gone for over an hour. I got worried.”

“Oh. That’s not so bad then.”

“You ok?” You gulp and slowly drop your shoulders from your ears and unclench your fists.

“Yup. Peachy.”

You nod and continue to lower your guard- not trusting this one bit. “May I ask what that was?”

“Just a memory.” He shrugs and tries to walk past you.

“A memory?” You frown and turn on your heel to follow him. “A memory? I shook you head enough to nearly throw you into the water and you claim it was because of a flashback? I’ve heard of disassociation before but I think this is more like astral projection through dimensions. You were completely gone!”

“It happens from time to time. Nothing to worry about.”

“What if something came up behind you and killed you?” You argue. “I’d say that’s something to worry about. Does this happen often?”

“Everyone once in a while. Maybe once every other month. It depends really. It doesn’t happen as often as it did in the beginning though.” Wild admits and gestures for you to follow him.

You do- but you keep asking him questions.

“So this is normal?”

“For me? Yes.”

“For you?”

“I...” Wild hisses slightly as another thought comes to his mind. “I never told you did I?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’m going to assume that no, you didn’t.”

“I get memories from my old life from time to time when something triggers them. I used to have amnesia but I’ve got most of the my memories back at this point... By now it’s just filling in little blanks.” Wild shrugs. “Nothing to worry about.”

“Oh...” Understanding calms you somewhat. At least it’s not a magic spell or anything. “How did you get amnesia? Do you remember that?”

Wild stops in his tracks and looks at the ground momentarily before looking up again and walking forward. “I died.”

“I’m sorry what?”

“I died.”

“Huh?”

“I. Died.”

“WILD!” You tense up again and follow him without hesitation. “What do you mean you died? Did you heart just stop or were you like blow up or something- Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I’m being super insensitive right now, aren’t I? But I don’t understand! I don’t- Wild- Link- you can’t just drop a bomb like that. Are you like a ghost or something? No. Wait. You can bleed and I’ve seen you crash into more walls and rocks than I care to admit.”

“This isn’t exactly the reaction I was expecting.” Wild frowns and cuts you off. 

“ArE YOu oK?!”

“I’m here aren’t I?”

“But that’s not what I mean- How can that even make sense-”

“Where did you think I got my scars from?” Wild cuts you off once more with a barely restrained snort as he bites his lip.

“Oh my god.”

“I’m fine I promise.”

“Wild nooo....” You whine and Wild thinks for a minute that the information upset you so much that you’re going to cry. “Who did it? I’ll kill them with my bare hands. Who hurt you?”

Wild comes to a full stop again and sighs. Deep and tired but he tilts his head and offers you his hand. “Do you want the short story or the long?”

“Long story please.”

For the first time since this conversation started, Wild smiles even if it’s faint and subtle. “Alright, let’s take the scenic route back. This might take a while.”

Part 2

[afriendlyblackhottie]

Dance, Dance

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Summary: there’s been too much going on ever since you started messing around with your best friend.

Pairings: Colin Shea x Black!Best Friend!Reader

Warnings: minors dni, smut, angst, fluff

(A/N: yaaaay it’s done. This was a fun little series. I loved writing it. Titled after the song Dance, Dance by Fall Out Boy. Thanks everyone that enjoyed. Like, follow, reblog, and comment ☺️)

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You didn’t even know it was possible for you to fake smile for this long. As much as you enjoyed doing the whole music thing, industry shit was kind of the worse. You’d been overdue for at least a glass of champagne, but now you needed something stronger like whisky.

Things had been hectic lately. Just getting stuff ready and playing ball. The label that signed you was a smaller offshoot of a bigger one and so now you were here watching Colin take one for the team and schmooze it up since he knew the rest of you hated this part.

It wasn’t like you were bad at the whole thing. It’s just there was only so much you could deal with before finally reaching your limit. And all the old men ogling you was definitely something you could live without.

“Hey,” Ryan, your bass player, greeted as he sat beside you. It was kind of funny seeing the rest of them in suits and shit. You didn’t think they could wear anything but jeans and converse.

Hell for Colin clothing was already optional. Now he was there wearing a suit. Playing the part. And doing it well. You couldn’t lie, though. He looked good as hell. Obviously you weren’t the only one to notice. The woman whispering in his ear right no clearly saw it too.

“Hey,” you said with a sigh. This dress was scratchy as hell, but it was cute. It was probably worth more than your rent so you were really trying to not mess it up. Fuck you felt awkward.

So, yeah things had been a little weird since they’d walked in on you on Colin’s lap. Not that they could see that his pants had been undone from how you were but let’s just say the rest of the band had been doing this thing where they’d been trying to figure out your couple name ever since.

Still you didn’t know how to act around them. Especially since you’d left like your ass was on fire. Unlike with the whole girlfriend thing, the two of you didn’t get the chance to talk even a little after that. It felt like life was pulling the both of you in so many directions what were you even supposed to say. Sure the guys managed to squeeze their jokes in but other than that nothing.

You’d had photo shoots and meetings and just all kinds of shit. Sure this was definitely the life you wanted and you kind of appreciated the distraction. Didn’t mean you wanted to keep living in limbo with him. So it’s not like you’d been avoiding him so much as finding the time to have serious conversations was kind of not there.

At the same time it’s like were you even prepared for whatever he had to say. You don’t give a guy head and then make out with him for him to stop and start with ‘I just don’t think-‘ and expect him to say something not terrible. Especially not a guy like Colin. Even if you were holding out hope.

You knew his track record going into it. Which is why those rules had been in place. You’d been around a thousand Colin’s. You knew how it went. It was hit it and quit it every time. What made you different. If he really wanted to talk he would have. Nothing had ever kept him from telling you dumb shit all the time. Suddenly he couldn’t text?

Whatever. You didn’t even want to care. This was about the music. It was your fault anyway. You’d known better than to get tangled up in him but you’d done it anyway. You’d just have to live with that.

“So what are we doing tomorrow?” He asked.

You shrugged with a sigh. “I dunno. Was just thinking about keeping a low profile. I’m not really feeling it right now.”

Ryan frowned. “You know Colin doesn’t care,” he replied with a chuckle. “You know how he gets.”

“That’s fine,” you replied with a small smile with a shrug, bringing your glass of whiskey up to your lips. Thank goddess for an open bar, though, right. At least that would help you through the night.

“Okay so,” Colin said finally coming over to plop down beside you on a barstool,“how we feeling about an after party?”

You shrugged while him and Ryan started talking it over. If anything you’d probably go back to the hotel but whatever.

You rested your chin on your fists as the boys talked. It’s not that you wanted to be sad girl right now. You should be the happiest you’d ever been and you were but fuck this is gonna sound so lame but you missed your best friend. But no you forgot to wear underwear and now apparently neither of you knew how to act around each other.

“What about you?” He asked. “You know we’re no good without our fearless leader.”

“I thought this was a party,” you said setting your glass down. “I didn’t realize I was leading you into battle.”

Colin chuckled. “Oh it’s us against the world, Baby. There’s always a war.” He winked as he grabbed your glass. Not even phased when you protested and made grabby hands for it. “I’ll get you a new one if you say yes.”

“Eat a dick,” you grumbled then tried to get the bartender’s attention.

“Who pissed in your iced coffee?” He asked with a chuckle. “Come on. It’ll be fun. Better than whatever the fuck this is.” Can’t argue with that.

You shrugged. “I’ll see. I’m kinda tired.”

He pouted. “Don’t be a party pooper. Come on. Don’t you wanna hang with us. Keep us out of trouble.”

“Keep him out of trouble,” Ryan corrected making you laugh.

“Yes. Fine. Keep me out of trouble.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Come on. I’ll make it worth it.”

“How?” You asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well,” he started as he thought, “I’m already taking you out for breakfast tomorrow so that’s out.”

“You are?” You asked with a chuckle. This was news to you.

“Um, duh,” he said before poking your side. “Why wouldn’t I?”

You shrugged. “I dunno. It’s not that serious.”

Colin sighed, rolling his eyes. “Come on. I promise it’ll be fun.” He nudged you. Then his face softened. “Do you really not wanna go?”

No, but even though you were irritated with him you still felt like a lovesick puppy. And his eyes had gotten all romantic looking. It was so hard not giving in to him.

That’s how you found yourself out in the New York air. Crossing your arms in front of you. “What’s this?” You asked as you walked up to a limo.

“Our ride,” he said, into your ear.

“Hey, Colin,” the woman greeted him with a smile as she walked passed to get in. “You coming?”

He had the nerve to smile at you all brightly as he grabbed your arm. “Isn’t this cool,” he said as he sat beside her. You on the other side of him. Why didn’t you just go back to the fucking hotel when you had the chance.

The entire way to the party was filled with them laughing and talking. The entire time you were thinking say something, anything, but no you sat there awkward as hell. Ryan and your drummer James were sort of trying to include you while your rhythm guitarist Parker had decided to go to the hotel. You wish you’d just gone with him. You knew that’d be your first mistake.

You hated being in such a sour mood. Especially with so many people around. “You want a drink or something?” Colin asked into your ear, trying to talk over the loud music. You sighed, putting on another smile on as you nodded.

You tried to follow behind him, but this place was crowded. Looking back you saw that Ryan and James were no longer next to you either. Shit. Way to make this situation better, right.

Well Colin was right at least. This was better than that place crawling in suits. You walked along trying to find at least one of the men you came with and you were officially over it. Then you saw the balcony and decided to check out there next.

The fresh air was kind of nice. Maybe you just needed to clear your head for a minute. Hell you were ready to go to bed anyway.

Maybe tomorrow you’ll spend the day in the city. Doing whatever you wandered upon. No thinking about the next few months and how everything’s going to go from zero to one hundred. Not that you weren’t looking forward to it, but for now you wanted to welcome a little bit of peace.

Hopefully there’d be no thoughts about a certain guitar player either. That you doubt, but you could try. You yawned and groaned. Fuck it you’re leaving.

“Of all the people I thought I might see tonight,” a familiar voice said before you could get inside.

That voice made you stiffen. Then you started groaning as you turned to face him. “As if my night couldn’t get any worse. What are you even doing here?”

“What you think you’re the only one that gets invited to parties?” He asked.

When you’d parted from your last band, it wasn’t exactly the nicest situation. You always made your rule clear even if you’d broke it with Colin. Even with him it’s not like he did what Andrew did.

Things had been going okay with them, but it was nothing like now. This time around it felt so real. Like musically you were meant to be. Maybe that’s why you didn’t want to ruin things by blowing up even if Colin was sending you enough mixed signals to write an album about.

Back then though. It wasn’t like this. Yeah you liked your other bandmates back then, but with Colin, Ryan, and James it almost felt like a family. You all meshed. You all got along. Despite everything going on you loved them.

With Andrew’s band there was never a connection. You played. You went home. Over and done with. So the night he corned you, trying to kiss you it came out of nowhere. When you told the rest of them didn’t care. You were replaceable. Then you saw that flyer and decided to say fuck it and quit.

“What are you doing here?” He asked now, taking out a cigarette.

You shrugged. “That’s none of your business.”

He scoffed. “Heard you guys got signed. Who’d you sleep with to manage that?”

“Well, it wasn’t you.”

He rolled his eyes. “Who you here with? The new guys you’re blowing?”

You clenched your jaw before taking a deep breath. He didn’t know. Who the fuck cares. So you started walking away because you really did not give two shits.

“Yeah, my friend Dina was telling me you fucked her ex,” he said.

Your back stiffened as you stopped. Closing your eyes. God you wanted to scream at him, but he wasn’t worth the trouble. Wasn’t worth causing a scene. That’s what you told yourself last time and that’s what you were telling yourself now.

“Yeah said she walked in on you too,” he said coming up behind you.

“Dina doesn’t know what what she’s talking about.” You took a deep breath then bit your tongue, but still didn’t turn to face him.

“Well she sure had a lot to say. About how much of a whore you turned into after being a little tease.”

You closed your eyes suddenly feeling sick. You shouldn’t let it get to you. You knew it but fuck. This is why you didn’t do this. You didn’t need the drama.

“Dude, fuck off,” you finally said wrapping your arms around yourself as tried walking away again, trying to tune out whatever shit was spewing out of his mouth.

Promising yourself that you wouldn’t cry. Eyes finally catching Colin’s as he did a grin spread and then quickly fell from his face. Standing around the same girl from earlier. At least he managed to keep up with her.

He started walking towards you without a word and seeing his way was the only way towards the exit there was no avoiding him. That’s when you felt fingers grabbing at your wrist. Twisting your arm so you had no choice but to face him.

In between the, “you little sl-“ and Colin pushing him away from you, you’d ended knocking into someone. Beer spilling on the front of your dress. Way to make a shitty moment even worse guys. This was a fucking loan. Thanks for that. Fuck tonight just wasn’t your night huh.

“I’m so sorry,” a drunk girl slurred, putting her hands on your shoulders.

“No it’s okay,” you sighed feeling your eyes prickle with tears. Fuck you hated it. Your chest suddenly feeling tight. You had to get the fuck out of here.

As soon as you made it to the elevator you took a deep breath. Closing your eyes and leaning down the wall as the doors closed.

“What the hell was that?” Colin said. You squeezed your eyelids. The little bit of frustration that had left, coming back in an instant. “Did he hurt you?” He asked, grabbing your hand. “What the hell happened?”

“Stop,” you said, snatching it away. “Just… stop.” Your heart felt like it was sinking into your chest. You just wanted to eat and shower snd sleep. Fine fuck it. Shower and sleep. You’ll eat in the morning. You just wanted Colin to stop following you and for him to shut up.

“Hey!” He stopped you as soon as you got off. “What’s wrong? Just tell me what happened.”

You scoffed and rolled your eyes. “You don’t have to pretend to care okay.” You shrugged. “You weren’t thinking about me ten minutes ago.”

“What do you mean I was looking all over for you,” he said furrowing his eyebrow.

You rolled your eyes again. Ugh it felt like you couldn’t stop. “Yeah, it sure looked like it.”

“I was. You can ask Ryan and James. Alyssa was helping me.”

“Do you think I’m fucking stupid, Colin?” You asked raising your eyebrow. “I get it. We messed around and you’re a fuckboy or whatever. It’s not like I was expecting to be different or something. You do this all the time. That’s fine but you don’t have to pretend like you give a shit. And I’m the fucking idiot for thinking you would because I thougt-” your voice broke as you just shook your head and walked away.

Colin stood there looking stunned. Feeling like he was one second away from puking. Finally taking a deep breath when he realized that if he didn’t catch up to you know you’d get into a taxi without him.

“Wait, Y/N,” he called out.

But you didn’t turn around. Heart thumping in your chest. You blew out your cheeks and rested your head against the window. Feeling there was a lump in your throat.

You felt like such a baby. All teary eyed in a cab. Red eyed as you made your way to your room. Crying in the shower. Then not stopping as you settled into bed. And for what. You fucking up the one thing you always told yourself. Listening to your stupid vagina. And your heart as much as you hated to admit it.

Not only was it stressful to think about what this would do for the band, but you and Colin had really built up the best connection. Now what happens. You’re not gonna get that with someone else. And that was the worst part.

Your eyes were so heavy, but you were suddenly so awake. All that complaining about being tired. Now look you can’t even sleep. Your head felt too heavy. Nose too stuffy, too.

You scrolled through your phone. And may or may not have done a small dive into who this Alyssa girl could be. Then message after message started rolling in now that it was a little passed midnight. You’d get to them in the morning. You’d also stole his weed pen so you could relax a little bit.

So. Sucks to be him.

That’s when you heard the door open. Stomach flipping and mouthing, ‘fuck.’ Dropping your phone because if you could pretend you were asleep maybe he’d leave you fuck alone. Ugh he probably got the key from the front desk.

The television was still on and it’s not like he’d never walked in on you sleep in front of the TV before so he’d think nothing of it. Your back was facing the door so it’s not like he could see you. You’ll take your chances.

You heard crinkling and him shuffling a little, but you were mostly trying to be quiet. A few moments later you heard him getting down on his knees beside you. “Hey,” he whispered into your ear before kissing your temple.

Nope. Go away.

“I know you’re awake you little thief.” He chuckled, but then stopped when he realized you clearly weren’t giving in. Turning over away from him. Colin took a deep breath. “Babe, I’m sorry.”

Your eyebrow raised. Okay so maybe you weren’t expecting that.

“I’m sorry I lost you tonight,” he sighed. “I’m sorry for not talking about things sooner. And if I made you think there was anything going on with me and Alyssa. Who does not like me by the way. She’s into Ryan,” he added, with a chuckle.

You snorted out a laugh. “Seriously?” Finally breaking your silence.

“Uh huh.” He laughed. “I know right. They kept dragging me between them once he found out. I felt like I was in fucking middle school.”

Then it got quiet.

“I’m sorry if I made you think you were just a booty call,” he finally said.

Your eyes opened, but you still didn’t turn to face him. You weren’t really sure what you were supposed to say or do if you did.

“You have always been more than a booty call. I get that I’ve done things before, but I’d never treat you like that. Why do you think we haven’t had sex. I couldn’t have our first time be on that gross fucking couch.”

… fair.

Ugh.

UGH.

You wanted to pull his hair. Not even in the sexy way. He was so annoying. Why couldn’t you just have been asleep so you could have been mad at him for a little longer.

Colin didn’t wait for you to respond as he got in behind you. Scooping you into his arms from behind. “You’re my best friend, Baby. I’d never fuck us up. I don’t wanna lose you.” Then he started kissing your cheek softly.

“You’re so annoying,” you mumbled, but still didn’t turn over.

“Maybe,” he said. “But it’s cuz I can’t stand when you’re mad at me.” He sighed wrapping you up in his arms. “Remember that one time? And it was just over lyrics.” He chuckle. Then when he realized you weren’t laughing he sighed again. “I promise I’ll make tomorrow better. Well today. Or whatever. You know what I mean.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t run in here on some I have to be the first shit.” You finally turned to look at him and he was quick to kiss your forehead. Eyes ask puffy. Nosy really stuffy. He didn’t care. Just wanted to have his lips on you.

“I am, but now I can’t stop apologizing.” He chuckled. “I really am sorry.”

“We can work on your road to forgiveness plan.”

“As long as you’re the one paving it I’ll do whatever it takes.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re so corny.”

“Maybe.” He chuckled. “I’m just trying to get you to smile.”

You sniffled. God he was so annoying. “I know.”

He looked at you softly before swiping his lips across yours. “Okay now I’m gonna be the first person. Happy birthday, Baby.”

Another sniffle as you couldn’t stop yourself from chuckling softly. “Thank you. How do you know you’re the first?”

“Oh you’re cool because all our little fan girls are wishing you a happy birthday,” he said with a laugh.

“You’re just jealous.”

“Never. You deserve it.”

“Stop being such a fucking sap right now.” You whined pushing him away.

“Nope. I actually have a surprise for you,” he said, letting go so he could get out of bed. “No peeking!” Then he kissed your cheek again.

Of course you weren’t gonna listen, but since he wasn’t made of glass you couldn’t see. His body blocking whatever view you may have had. Just heard the flicker of a lighter.

“So, I was gonna go with the old fashioned flowers and chocolate for an apology,” he started. “But since it’s your birthday,” he said as he turned around with a little cake in his hands, freshly lit numeral candles on top.

As he softly started to sing happy birthday you felt yourself tearing up again. Of course he had to do something like this. Sappy asshole. Just had to make it impossible to stay mad at him.

Now you were sitting with your legs criss crossed applesauce across from him. Not being able to help the smile that spread across your face.

“Make a wish, Baby,” he said. As you blew out the flame he looked at you softly. That same stupid romantic look in his eyes. And it was like you couldn’t help yourself as you started to lean in. Lips connecting and it almost felt relieving. 

Colin pulled away for a minute to set the cake on the night stand. Going back to you he pull you onto his lap. Lips moving against yours as you wrapped your arms around his neck then put your hands in his hair.

He laid you down. Thumb stroking your cheek. Tongues finally meeting. Kisses deep. Now sleep was the farthest thing from your mind. You just wanted to feel him.

All of the thoughts about how that was it had melted away. If he was going to be serious about this than you wanted it. Wanted him. “Colin,” you whimpered. His lips going against your throat.

“What do you want, Baby?” He asked in a whisper.

“You.”

Clothes started to be removed. Hands and lips going to intimate spots. Like between your legs as he made sure your pussy would be ready for him. His mouth touching you just how you needed. Moans and sighs spilling from your lips.

“Y/N, Baby,” he whispered as he wrapped his arm around your leg so he could spread you open for him. Getting snug between your thighs as he lined himself up. “You sure? We don’t have-“

You cut him off with a kiss. He obviously got the message as he started to push into you. The head of his cock already making your head spin.

“Colin,” you whimpered against his lips.

“That’s it,” he said. “It’s okay. I got you.”

You nodded and moaned, foreheads resting against each other. Looking into those soft blue eyes as he inched in. “Ah,” you squeaked.

“You’ve got this,” he whispered into your ear as he finally bottomed out. Staying still for a moment so you could could used to him. Fuck he was big. You don’t think you’d ever felt this full before.

Hips rocking slowly as his lips went back to yours again. “Colin,” you whimpered again.

“So fucking beautiful,” he whispered as he looked down at you.

“More?”

“Tell me what you do want, Baby. I’ll do anything you want.”

“Harder. Please.” Fuck you felt desperate. He was just filling you up so good. Just how you needed him.

He pressed his lips to yours as he started getting deeper. Rolling his hips into yours. Then pushing your arm above your head with his hands holding yours down.

“Right there!” You pulled away with a gasp.

“Where?” He asked into your ear not stopping what he was doing before pulling your earlobe between his teeth. Nibbling on it. Making your eyes go blurry.

“Oh,” you let out another little squeak. That wasn’t good enough for Colin, though. He wanted you to scream his name.

He raised up off of you. Getting on his knees and pushing your legs up by your ears. Hands on the back of your thighs.

Every time he went in, your body bounced from the force. Pussy squeezing him tight. He looked between you seeing the way your wetness covered him. “Fuck,” he groaned. “Pussy even prettier with my dick in it.”

Why was he doing this to you. Was it not enough that he was about to turn you inside out? He had to talk to you like that too. Why was he trying to ruin you like this. He was fucking you like he wanted to be the only man to fuck you. Maybe he did. Maybe you wanted him to be.

“Ah, ah, ah, ah!” You cried out

“That’s it. That’s what I like to fucking hear. Doing so good for me, Baby,” he groaned. “Gonna fuck you all night. Keep you full a me. Want that?”

“Uh huh,” was all you could say. Your orgasm was hitting you so hard. “Colin. I’m cumming.” It was like you were weeping. “Oh my god.”

“Fuck yeah,” he groaned as your pussy tightened around him. Orgasm gushing out of you. “That’s my girl,” he said as he put his hand on your clit. Coaxing it out even more. “Keep cumming for me, Baby. That’s it.”

It happened so quickly. One minute he was fucking into you and then the next his face was between your thighs. If he was trying to make you squirt he got his wish. Your legs shaking, body spasming as he forced you there.

You covered your eyes with your hand just as he pushed back into you. Where he grabbed your arm to push it up so you were no longer covered. “Don’t you ever cover yourself, you hear me,” he said as he started fucking into you again. “I want you to look at me when I make you cum.” He put his lips against your chin.

Fuck. This was gonna be a long night.

You don’t know how many times you’d orgasmed. Just that it felt like once they started they didn’t stop. Just the way he was getting you there and trying to keep you there was almost too much. As soon as he came in you, you were ready to pass out. Your body officially worn out. But forced yourself to use the bathroom before bed even though walking really didn’t seem like a great option at the moment.

Then you got back in his arms. Snuggling into him. Colin holding you tight. It felt like where you were supposed to be.

As the sunlight broke, you were so worn out that you stayed like that for a minute. Him waking up first with your head tucked under his chin. Yawning and checking the time. Not that he cared. He’d stay like this for as long as you wanted him to.

When you started to stir, he nuzzled you with his nose. Kissing your forehead gently. “Morning, Birthday Girl,” he whispered in a raspy voice.

You moaned and stretched. Putting your head in his neck again. “Not yet.”

He chuckled. “We have to get to brunch.”

“There’s always dinner. I’m tired.”

He smacked your butt. “No, no, no. I’m not letting you sleep the day away. I gotta make up for yesterday.”

“Make up for yesterday by being my pillow. And we can have sex in between.”

Colin laughed softly. “As tempting as that is, we gotta get up.”

You took a deep breath out your nose. “Fine, but I get to pick off your plate.”

“When do you not?” He rubbed your back. Colin reached over to grab his phone to check the time. “Wait, what the fuck,” he chuckled.

“What?” You asked, with a yawn.

“James said, ‘I’m happy for you guys really but we’re going to breakfast without you if you don’t hurry up. Happy birthday y/n.”

You laughed. “What?”

“The one before it was stop having sex we’re hungry. Ryan said, ‘Colin stop being the Yoko Ono of this ba-‘I’m the Yoko On- oh now they’re fighting about it.”

You snorted. “They’re gonna argue about this all day, aren’t they?”

“Yeah probably.” Colin laughed.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

[supercorpkid]

There’s a first time for everything.

Supercorp, Kara Danvers x Daughter!Reader, Lena Luthor x Daughter!Reader

Word count: 2890.

“How exactly did this happen?” Jamie looks at the F in your test and you roll your eyes to the sight of it. This is bad. This is really bad.

“I didn’t have time to study. But it’s ok, I’ll study for the next one.” You say, agreeing with your head to make Jamie and Maya’s worried expression ease up a little.

“Babe, you should’ve told me you needed to study. We could have had a study session or something.” They’re still worried. You look at Jamie raising one eyebrow, so she knows there’s more to the story. It takes her a few seconds, but she seems to finally realize your life is more complicated than stupid French tests.

“Oh, it’s a one-time thing.” Jamie says dismissing it with her hand. “It’s good, now you know what the rest of us feel when we don’t go so well.”

“Yeah. It’s great.” You joke with a smile, and that seems to be what’s necessary to make Maya less worried.

“We’ll study together for the next one.” She says and you agree.

It’s just when her mom picks her up from school, that you can tell Jamie what was really going on with you.

“Ok, so what really happened?” Jamie asks and you breathe deep before starting.

“Ok, it all started the night before when Kara put her head inside my bedroom to ask me:

“Hey kid. What are you up to?”

I looked up from the books I was organizing on my table to start studying. And since I thought it was something fast, I answered. “Nothing.” While obviously ignoring the books in front of me.

Then she went on like “Well. There is a big commotion downtown, a bunch of aliens got together to destroy some things and the whole place is a mess.” And I just shook my head agreeing because I thought she just went to tell me why she was leaving. But, like, she kept going and she asked me: “Do you want to come with me? I figured we could use some help.”

I was beaming in excitement ‘cause you know it’s kind of hard for Kara to just admit she needs help, so I thought there was probably a hell of a mess there. Which means she really did need my help, right? So, I was like “Wait! Really?”

She smiled too. “Sure! Go put on your-” But I used my super speed to change and I was in front of her all suited up in a blink of an eye. “Suit.”

“Let’s do it!” I ran out of the bedroom feeling like I could fly away just by being invited to it. You know it’s all I ever wanted. Kara seeing me as a person who could back her up during trial times. I was almost out of the house when I heard Lena’s voice from the living room and I came back to kiss her goodnight. So, she was like:

“Where are you guys heading to?”

And Kara said, check this out:

“I need back-up for this fight.”

I mean, she literally said the words I was so eager to hear and my smile just grew wider.

“I’m back-up!” I said, beaming in excitement.

But, well, you know my mom. She immediately went like:

“It’s school night.” She looked at momma. “She needs a good night of sleep.” Like I wasn’t even there to speak for myself! But lucky for me Kara said:

“Don’t worry, love. She’ll help me stop the aliens and bring them to the DEO, and I’ll do the clean up part.” Kara assured mom, who let out a sigh, like she does whenever she knows she is defeated.

“Are you sure you want to go?” She asked, putting her hand on my shoulder. And honestly, I don’t know what she was expecting. Did she think I was going to say no? Anyways, I obviously answered:

“Oh my God, yes! Don’t worry mom, I can handle it.”

Then she was like: “Ok, then. Don’t take too long.” She kissed my cheek, and then Kara’s mouth. “Be careful. Both of you.”

Then I looked at momma, still smiling, and she smiled back super excited. I just couldn’t believe I was going out to have adventures with Supergirl! I always thought I would have to sneak out with Superboy to have them, but then like, momma invited me to it!

So anyways, I tagged along to fight some hellgrammites that were causing trouble downtown. And like, dude, Aunt Alex gave me an earpiece for communication and Rao it felt so good to be a part of the team!

And she would talk to me through it. Jamie, I swear it’s as fun as you can think. So, aunt Alex was like:

“Superkid, be careful with the spikes. They’re strong enough to penetrate metal, it could harm you.”

And Kara was like:

“They also possess superhuman strength.”

And I was like:

“Okay, guys. I know hellgrammites, just chill.”

But like, aunt Alex went on:

“If you can’t win, try using their own spike against them as a last resource, Superkid.” And I was like ‘ok’, And then I hit one so hard he was thrown to a post light, and it bent, and made the light flicker. It was so funny, but I obviously couldn’t say that, so instead I said:

“Sorry. I’ll fix that!” And I flew to him, looking at the spike on his hand. Then I made my voice sound stronger and said: “You can come willingly or I can make you.”

“Pff.” It was his answer. What a dumbass, right? So, I had to keep using my strong voice.

“Got it. I’ll make you.” And then I punched his face a few times until he was unable to recover, and put him in cuffs. And I was so happy I yelled: “Got one!”

I looked at Supergirl, who had already caught the other three. She gave me thumbs up and a smile. Well. At least I kinda helped, right?

“Bring him to containment at the DEO.” I heard Alex’s voice through the comm, and picked up his floppy body and made my way towards Supergirl.

I asked if she was ready and she agreed with her head. So, I picked one other guy up, throwing each one over my shoulders, and I flew into the DEO with Supergirl, putting all four of them in a cell.

Aunt Alex was looking proud of me, which is incredible. You know the feeling! And she went like. “Great work, kiddo!”

“Thanks! That was fun, it was like playing video-game!” I said making them laugh. But then Supergirl went:

“Ok, time to go home. I’ll go clean up the mess they made, and I’ll meet you back there in a bit.” And she was ready to fly away when I held her hand.

“I can help. Still early.” I said pointing at my watch, but I lied ‘cause it was already late. Supergirl narrowed her eyes at me, and I knew she was going to say no, so I said: “At least let me unbend the post light.”

So she went:

“Ok. Let’s go.” Supergirl flew and I flew behind her.

In the end, I ended up helping her clean up everything, and we had to sneak in home so Lena didn’t see what time we made it back home.

And then, when I laid in bed, I was feeling exhausted, but I was so tired that it was really hard for me to fall asleep, so I missed my first wake-up call with Kara knocking at my door, and when Lena woke me up a while later, I was so tired it was hard to focus. But I could never tell her that, ‘cause she would be pissed since she was right in the first place. So, I rolled out of bed and came to school.

The problem was that it takes a lot of effort to shut off my super hearing and pay attention to the test, and I wasn’t able to do that while feeling so tired, hence my F.”

“Well, at least you had a good time supering yesterday.” Jamie says after you finish your story and you agree with your head catching your breath.

“It was awesome! Even your mom looked impressed.” You lean over a pillar and look at her. “Except Lena will be so mad that I got a bad grade, because I was supering.”

“Oh, come on. You can’t do everything. Save National City and get a good grade the very next day.” She said and you think about it. No, you can’t do everything, but you’re supposed to. Besides, school is more important than saving National City since Supergirl could have done it all by herself, clearly.

But Lena doesn’t need to know, does she? It’s not lying if she doesn’t ask you about it, so there’s no reason you will run to tell her about it, right? Right. It’s fine. You’re fine.

But you’re not fine.

“Hey, babygirl!” Lena says when she walks in home later that day, your soul almost leaves your body. You jump so high in your chair; she furrows her brows at that. “What are you doing?”

“Having a heart attack!” You put your hand on your chest, and you feel your heart beating fast.

“You shouldn’t get scared so easily. You have super hearing.” She points out and you think about it for a second. She is right, you shouldn’t.

“I was distracted.” You defend yourself, and Lena comes closer to kiss your head. She looks at the books in front of you.

“Ooh, français. Très bien!” She jokes.

“Mhm, yeah.” You smile through the pain you’re feeling to just blurt it out right there. It’s very hard not to say anything. You hate keeping secrets from your moms. “How’s-How was work?”

“Oh, you know Fridays and meetings. They don’t usually go well together.” Lena says that grabbing a bottle of wine and a glass. “But at least we have family night today, right?”

“Right.” You smile and she excuses herself for a shower (glass of wine in hand), while you finish studying.

Kara gets home a while later with dinner in both hands, but she still manages to push your books out of the way so she can put them on the table. She ended up dropping all of your books on the floor, and you smile at her.

“Sorry, little one.” She bends out to help you with it, and you hear a loud gasp.

“What?” You ask surprised, and you look at what she’s pointing at. “Oh no. Oh no.”

“You got an F?” She yells in pure shock, and your eyes widen at the sound of that.

“Shhh! Will you keep it down, please?” You lower your glasses to make sure Lena is still in the bedroom and can’t hear you. Lucky for you that’s the case.

“An F!” Kara’s still shocked. She picks up your tests and reads it. “You were aware it was a French test, right?”

“Um, yes?”

“Because I’m pretty sure this is English, this is a math equation? And would you look at that! You wrote stuff in kryptonese! I’m not sure she could understand that.” She keeps looking at it, making you blush in embarrassment until you pull it out of her hands.

“I was… distracted.” You say, putting it inside of your book, and looking back at her. “Please, don’t tell mom.”

“Kid-”

“Please, mommy.” You try with your sweetest voice. “I’ll study harder for the next one and I’ll get an A, just please. Please. For me?”

“Don’t.” Kara looks at your pouting face and you can see she’s very inclined on hiding this with you. But she blinks twice looking away. “No, that won’t work. The pouting, and the ‘please for me’ bit. You know we don’t do lies in this house.”

“That’s not fair!” You cross your arms, upset. “Last week mom asked you if you ate all the chicken parm and you said no.”

“Are you serious?”

“You broke three glasses when you closed that cupboard a little too strong yesterday, and you told her nothing was broken.”

“Nothing important was broken.”

“Momma!” You pout again. “It’s not fair.” You hear Lena opening the bedroom door and making her way to where both of you are, and you raise an inquisitive eyebrow at Kara.

“Hey honey.” Lena says making her way behind the counter for another glass of wine. She looks at both of you having a stare down on the other side.

“One of us is going to tell her and she would rather if it was you.” Kara whispers close to your face, and you know Lena can’t hear her. You frown, and can’t believe Kara would do that. You can’t believe she won’t have your back about this.

“What’s-” Lena clears her throat, calling your attention back to her. “What’s going on?”

“Oh. Hi, love.” Kara makes her way to the other side of the counter and kisses Lena’s mouth. “Your daughter has got something important to tell you. I’ll go shower so we can have dinner and watch a movie.”

Kara leaves the kitchen and Lena raises her eyebrows at you, encouraging you to start. You don’t. You just look at her, and the book where your test lays inside. And you think about a lie. But you know you won’t lie, so it makes no sense for you to think of one in the first place. So, you get your test out of the book, and you come closer, holding on to it like it’s suddenly going to make it turn into an A instead.

“I, um, have something to tell you.” You sit on the other side of the counter, and she looks at the paper you’re clinging to so desperately. She does her eyebrow raise, and your heart feels like it’s going to stop with the thought of disappointing and upsetting her. Your mouth feels dry, your palms feel sweaty. It’s a whole ‘is this what a heart attack feels like?’ situation, before you can get your words out. “I didn’t do so well on a test.”

“Ok.” It’s what Lena says. She raises her hand at you, and you wince when you realize she will look at it. “Can I see it?” She pushes, once she realizes you’re still clinging to it, like holding onto a wrecked life-boat.

“Can’t you just take my word for it?” It’s your last desperate self-preserving act. Lena shows you her hand again, and you know that’s a clear ‘no’. “Ok.” You breathe out, handing her the paper. She takes it and looks at it, with furrowed eyebrows.

“Didn’t do well.” As in she’s saying that’s a very light way to put what she’s looking at.

“I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time, I promise!” You blurt out. “Please, don’t make me stop supering. Please. I swear it was a one-time thing. This won’t happen ever again.”

Lena puts the test down, goes around the counter and stops in front of you, while you still rumble your apologies. She doesn’t say a word which is very distressing. You wish she would just yell and ground you, just do something, instead of radio silent like right now.

“Ok.” She finally lets out. Ok? What does ok mean? “You’ll do better next time.” And then she hugs you. You take a few seconds to wire your brain and acknowledge what’s happening, before wrapping your arms around her, and letting out a breath you’ve been holding the entire time.

“So, you’re not mad?” You ask, still in shock. Lena gives you a chuckle and whispers softly in your ear.

“I’m not mad.” She tries to move away, but you hold her tightly.

“Still hugging, still hugging.” You say, earning another chuckle from her, and she doesn’t move away. “So, I can still go supering with momma?”

“You can still go supering.” She whispers again.

“And I’m not grounded?” You ask again, and you feel Lena moving to kiss your cheek. You smile, very happy.

“And you’re very much grounded.” She whispers, and finally lets go of you, with a bop on your nose. “But nice try.” Lena gets her wine glass and looks at you with a soft expression. “Can I just ask you a favor?”

“Anything.” You’re so happy she’s not mad, and that you can still go supering, whatever she says, you’ll do.

“That physics formula it’s exactly what I was needing for an experiment. May I steal it?” She smiles, making you smile back.

“Really? Wow, it’s almost like I wrote that for you.” And you have, in fact, because you were listening to her during your entire test. And you feel like she somehow knows that because the English part is the explanation she was giving about the experiment, then you wrote the formula she was trying to come up with, and the kryptonese part actually says ‘I love you, mom’. So, you figured she must have put two and two together and she possibly knows.

“Oh, and babygirl?” Lena adds, looking at you from her wine glass. “Khap ukiem rrip, inah*.”

Yeah. She knows.

Notes:

*Khap ukiem rrip, inah = I love you, daughter*

[still-a-morosexual-help]

OBEY ME! CHAPTER 51 DETAILED SUMMARY + THEORIES

MC goes out looking for them, in the music room the record player starts on its own. MC ends up wondering the empty house on their own, ending up in the library. They reminisce about a conversation with the brothers where they were debating who the real killer of the OG HoL family was. With Asmo & Beel (Beel because he can never imagine family killing each other despite how bad things get and Oh Beel you Sweet sugar plum welcome to the human world~ it be like that sometimes) saying it was the servant, Belphie saying it was a stranger (cause the oldest and the servant are too obvious, and maybe the oldest wasn’t killed cause he was not home at the time) and Satan & Mammon saying it was the oldest brother (with Mammon defending his choice by saying that as they are always the meanest and nastiest it’ll be in an oldest brother’s nature, but also that in the story the oldest never got along with his siblings), Mammon’s argument makes Levi join team oldest. MC chooses who the killer was (it was the oldest c’mon! the guy bought a gun days before a similar model was used to shoot and kill his entire family, and he was seeing arguing with the servant the day before the murder). MC then gets a call on their DDD, and you can choose whether it’s from Satan or Simeon.

MC tells whoever calls what’s going on, while cats shriek in the background of the call (poor Simeon…) One cat is climbing and scratching Satan, Da Vinci and Michelangelo are fighting and the call is kept. They remember more times in the HoL; Lucifer trying to get Belphie to stop napping in the library cause it’s too cold and he’ll get sick, Asmo cooing over how adorable Belphie is asleep, Mammon & Levi arguing about money (Levi: give me my money back Mammon: Chill. Soon.  Levi: What’s soon? In 30s? In 1min? In 1min 30s? Mammon: is getting your money back on your bucket list and you’re wondering if you’re gonna croak soon?   I dunno I thought it was funny…), Satan yelling at them to find another place to fight cause he’s reading, Beel watching a gory horror movie and devouring snacks, MC is asked if they like horror movies. If they say they like it Lucifer says it’s good that they don’t scare easily, Asmo says they can handle any situation with cool and calm, Levi says they’ve already conquered 7 of the devildom’s most powerful demons so really what’s there to it, Mammon says that either way MC has nothing to worry about, Lucifer agrees adding that they’ll always have the brothers at their side (why is this so sweet?????). MC pines for them rn and tries to reassure themself only to satan to ask them what’s wrong and if they missed him that much (and this is the point irl where I would have taken the nearest solid object and chucked it at his head but MC’s made of stronger stuff)

Simeon is there as well and Satan is covered in powder (he’d been testing a new drink flavour which pissed all the cats and now he’s covered in the flavouring. Simeon says that wouldn’t have happened if there were no cats in the café in the first place. Satan says they are an improvement. Simeon – poor fellow – still has no idea why Satan thinks he wanted a cat cafe), MC screams wtf and they explain that Barbatos had dropped by and they’d asked him to portal them to MC and why hadn’t they done this in the first place? I mean ik they probably all wanted to spend time together via a mini vacation and all 3 of them are probably too scatter brained to think of Barbatos on their own but why did no one else suggest Barbatos? Barbatos had apparently being fuming cause he’d gone to the café to take a small break from his man-child of a boss and his other 24/7 duties only to be placed in charge of a café full of manic cats. Satan thinks being stuck in a cat café is heavenly, Simeon disagrees and says Barbatos will find a way to get back them. MC tells them calm the fuck down cause your brother and your son are missing! Satan says he is calm, heavily implying he was seconds away from losing his shit. Simeon changes the subject by saying that the imitation HoL looks like a carbon copy of the OG, Satan says the books in the library (where they currently are) are different to the ones back home and that the ones in this house are more to satan’s taste than the ones back home. Simeon notes that they all seem to be about art. Satan picks up an odd book out, it’s old and ragged with a picture of a pink geranium on it.  The title is Ma…14-31 with the middle part faded out. Simeon stresses that they should be focused on finding the others but both Satan & MC wanna open the weird book. Simeon manages to drag them away though to search for the others and come back to the book but when he opens the door out of the library they’re enveloped in a bright white light.

They end up in a brightly lit forest, with Satan wondering tf happened and Simeon saying he recognises the place, an unknown voice asks who’s there, revealing angel!Beel dncjndsjND is MC time travelling AGAIN!? How many times are they gonna fuck up history!? Also what about Satan!? Man’s gonna lose his shit!!? Also I desperately wish MC remembered their last trip to the past just so they could be like ‘lol hey guys long time no see’ and Satan & Simeon would just ???????!!!?? Beel (who’s a gate protector angel? Something like that) asks who they are and MC (who unfortunately remembers nothing) goes “Beel!? Tf you wearing” and he goes “tf are you”, Satan is stunned silent and Simeon soothes things over by being Simeon. Beel asks Simeon who MC and Satan are and he says they are his acquaintances – MC and Sully…….SULLY!! SULLY !!? SULLY!!!!? Out of respect to everyone named sully I won’t say anything, ANYWAY satan has the same issues with the name Sully as I do but Simeon whispers and tells him he doesn’t know if they’re in the past, in an AU or something else entirely so it’d be safer to keep the name ‘Satan’ a secret. Simeon asks what Lucifer’s doing and Beel tells him that he’s at the Celestial Palace, with Michael and the other higher ups which should include Simeon. Simeon says yes but “you see these two idiots here behind me are so fucking dumb they fell into a hidden pit and called me to rescue them because they were too fucking dumb to remember that as angels they have both magic and wings” Satan has the same issues with that excuse as I do. Simeon asks about the brothers, Beel says the same as usual. Levi’s holed up in his room cause he fears he’ll be made redundant with the end of the war (so this takes place around the same time as the last trip to the past). Satan mumbles about Levi being the same even back when he was an angel, MC asks whether Satan remembers anything from when his brothers were angels, he says he has broken fragmented memories from their times as angels because he only sometimes was able to see through Lucifer’s eyes (and I just realised how similar Satan and MC are? They’re both relatively newcomers to the family, biologically they’re nothing like the brothers and probably the rest of their species (Satan being born from Lucifer’s rage and MC having a fallen angel as an ancestor), they both accidentally became part of the family with Lucifer having no choice when all the others were picked by him, they’re both cool, collected and calm but hide destructive magic, from everyone else in the HoL they’re the more normal ones but are also up for stupid shenanigans, they’re both pretty considerate and seem to show affection through acts of service – with how they look out for the others and their needs and likes, neither are scared to talk back to Lucifer, neither have met any of the celestial realm higher ups or know the workings of the celestial realm, neither have really met Lilith, they both had some kinda beef with Lucifer, they were never part of the war between the demons and angels or part of the fight before the Fall, their few memories of the Celestial realm come from either what they saw through Lucifer or what Lilith showed them, they’re the only ones in the family who are biologically related to someone else who either is or was part of the family, they’re stubborn and hardworking, and because right after the Fall and after Lilith’s death I’d imagine Lucifer being broken and regretful of what he see as his decisions - fuelled by his anger - leading to her death and seeing Satan being created from all that overwhelming anger and pain…he probably saw it as everything he did wrong manifesting in the form of a person. As I said earlier I’m pretty sure Mammon’s the one who raised Satan considering he was the one doing a lot of the heavy lifting during the early days of the fall and Lucifer would only later come to acknowledge Satan, and as far as we know he’s only ever acknowledged that he’s technically Satan’s father twice and by this point after years of the two of them avoiding the topic Satan reacts to that acknowledgment with understandable anger but at some point right at the beginning I’d bet a much younger Satan wanted to be accepted and acknowledged by Lucifer, specially after all the others did so. What I’m trying to say is that MC and Satan’s initial relationships with Lucifer were probably similar too with Lucifer being mostly polite and even somewhat protective over them but also being distant and prickly while he tried to determine whether they were a threat to the rest of his brothers, while they resented him, butted heads with him and wanted to be acknowledged and accepted by him in equal measures after everyone else had already accepted them. Also in S1, specially towards the end, MC making pacts with the brothers became less about freeing Belphie and more about proving something to Lucifer – while Satan always seems to have something to prove to Lucifer. Overall, Satan and MC have a lot of similarities and a severely underrated friendship that I really wanna explore more of – I want them coming to each other for problems that the others won’t understand them having, to talk about the few memories they have of the celestial realm, to diss Lucifer, to talk constantly containing destructive power/anger in them, just I need more of them.  Plus would Belphie also have had issues with Satan, initially? I mean imagine your older brother coming to you and saying “so your little sister died in my arms but check out this other kid I just gave birth to”. I dunno Belphie’s grief and anger was irrational thousands of years after Lilith’s death when he blamed her death on the entire human race and you know not the people who actually shot the arrow that killed her (really need to talk about this too), so I can’t even imagine what he would have been like when the loss was still raw and not even a minute after her death Lucifer’s somehow found some new sibling for them.) Right enough rambling. Back to it. Beel says he’s looking for Belphie. Mammon turns up and asks who the shit MC and Satan are, Satan is once again speechless, Asmo’s with Mammon and calls the two of them cuties – poor Satan doesn’t like that one bit. Levi asks for their names and Simeon introduces them – Mammon seems highly suspicious of them, but Asmo accepts it in stride and says ‘Sully’ is an adorable name. Satan looks like he wants to throw hands. Simeon says that he has an idea where Belphie might be and that he & MC will go find him and has asks the others to look after Sully for him. Satan immediately protests but Beel agrees and Levi drags Satan along with them, while Mammon contemplates putting Satan to work to help with whatever they were doing which Satan complains more about (and isn’t this a topsy turvy world), Asmo helps to pull Satan along and Satan screams about where exactly Asmo is putting his hands – Asmo is merely flattered about Satan knowing his name. Satan screams for help as MC and Simeon turn to leave.

Simeon is giggling evilly about Satan’s face when they left him, MC notes he looked happy, Simeon agrees – shocked and freaked out but happy. Simeon said he didn’t leave him back just to be mean but instead because Satan was curious about his brothers’ celestial realm days. MC says “yeah sure you didn’t leave him just to be mean”, Simeon laughs and insists he’s “a nice angel” in the fakest way possible. Simeon says he loves the Celestial Realm air but that this doesn’t feel like the past. MC asks him what past Simeon would be up to – Michael and Lucifer were bossing him around and running him ragged, he says that hasn’t changed since then and that the both of them are sadists at heart who love making things harder for people (Luke vs Simeon’s view of Michael are so different it’s jarring but I also have the picture of someone who looks and acts like Lucifer’s complete opposite with a sweet, sunny personality hiding a cutting, cruel in the same was Lucifer is, even prideful person underneath it all. I just love characters who look and act kind but could and would murder you in cold blood if it benefited their cause),when he wrote TSL – he wrote it after the brother’s left cause he missed them. “No offense to Luke and Satan, who haven’t been born yet but this was the most fun period of my life,” says Simeon to a person who also hasn’t been born yet (also how are angels born? We know that all though there are lots of similarities between the Celestial Realm & the Devildom and Heaven & Hell they aren’t the same places at all, Lucifer refers to God as Father and I’m assuming the other brothers do as well but they’ve said before none of the brothers are actually related to each other, I always assumed God just poofed them into existence. But then how was Luke specifically born? Because it’s heavily implied that Michael is in charge of the Celestial Realm the same way Diavolo is, meaning God – like the Demon King – is probably maybe taking a power nap and Luke is only some hundred years old so he’s probably way after God’s time so how was he and all the newer angels created? I’m 100% sure most of the demons in the Devildom – Diavolo included – were biologically reproduced so did angels learn to do that? Does Luke have parents? But then Raphael saw a normal human party as immoral so, even after so long, I can’t see them promoting sex so then did Michael poof Luke? But if so wouldn’t Luke call Michael Father, the same way Lucifer called God Father? Or is there some cosmic magic energy that poofs out new angels? You guys ever watched that first animated Tinkerbell movie where she was still learning to be a tinker fairy? Remember how she was created? The little dandelion seed that was mixed with that gold glowing fairy dust & magic mixture until it spit out a person? that’s how I imagine OM! Angels are created minus the dandelion part. Swirling unknowable natural magic that mixes with emotions and cosmic matter it draws from its surroundings till it creates an angel.) Simeon makes MC stop and kick a tree as hard as they can (which they do without question) until Belphie falls out.

After Belphie is introduced to MC he asks if they’ve met before and MC very lowkey gaslights him for the sake of the already fucked timeline and Simeon tells him Beel is looking for him. (MC can also tell Belphie they live together and he now considers them a crazy person, unless they are the rat in the attic that’s taken a humanoid form in which case he’s gonna avoid them for the rest of eternity). Belphie says Lucifer had wanted him to do a job but he ‘lol noped’ outta there and now he’s recruiting MC and Simeon to help him with who knows what cause he refuses to explain when MC asks. Belphie is surprised that Simeon has two angels assigned to him and Simeon asks if he’s too much of a low level grunt to be given two angels and Belphie’s like “Dude you’re literally one of the highest ranking people here” and Simeon’s like “oh shit lol we’re in the past” and MC’s absolutely unhinged curiosity and unwillingness to let something go only strikes at the odd moment so they never bother asking how Simeon went from one of the most powerful people in the Celestial Realm to a low level grunt (fucking idiot). Belphie hears Simeon’s oh shit comment and asks what he said, Simeon lies through his teeth and MC comments on angels lying. Simeon gave us the whole white lies speech that our parents gave us at some point. Belphie insists that MC’s familiar and MC suggests in a dream, which Belphie takes cause when you spent most your time asleep reality starts getting warped. Belphie makes Simeon and MC carry 6 blankets, when MC asks what exactly Lucifer made Belphie do he says he made him go get blankets for 6 people & that Lucifer had just given them a list of stuff to get and none of them knew what for. Belphie says that Lucifer’s being gone a lot lately cause the prince of the Devildom keeps calling for him (and so this is definitely after MC’s first visit now and I loved the Devilgram about Lucifer & Diavolo’s first meeting but I need detailed backstory about every meeting since then, about how Lucifer started slowly warming up to Diavolo, how Diavolo was always in awe of him despite how much of a prick he was, how he slowly started doubting the celestial realm and seeing things Diavolo’s way, how he felt like the Celestial Realm was lying to him about how things should be, how he should be and that started building up his resentment and anger that would one day turn into Satan, how he felt more comfortable in the Devildom than he ever had in the celestial realm, how much guilt and anger towards himself all this made feel, I mean all this is briefly touched upon in the devilgram but I need it in depth pls someone come scream at me about this!) Belphie says today is Lucifer’s first free afternoon in a long while. Outside the door they hear Mammon yelling at Satan to catch something.

Outside Levi and Satan are trying to catch fluffy eggs (multi coloured eggs with wings), Levi calls Satan “Sully dear” when he tells him to watch his step which Satan takes great offense to. Satan makes a plan that leads to Levi catching all 6. Asmo comments on how despite just meeting they make a perfect team. They go to the brothers’ secret room where the others were making fluffy egg sandwiches on Lucifer’s orders until Beel let them escape. Beel says he didn’t mean to let them escape cause he only wanted to eat them and Mammon says that’s worse (love to see that Beel’s taken MC’s advice from their previous visit and is not trying to control his snacking). Mammon leaves MC in charge of making sure Beel doesn’t eat the sandwiches and asks Beel when he became so food crazy and he says lately he’s been getting more hungry than normal (I like to think that yeah this is Beel unconsciously following MC’s advice to give in to his urges but also Beel and the rest of the brothers unknowingly already starting their fall into being demons as they become more discontent living in the celestial realm during peacetimes). Satan tells Levi to put only thinner layer of butter on the bread and levi does so, Asmo says that there’s something about MC and ‘Sully’ that makes it feel like despite just meeting them that day it feels like they’ve all known each other much longer (I love how Satan just immediately fits into the group dynamics showing that even though he wasn’t there in the beginning he was always meant to be and how both this and last time MC’s just easily accepted like ‘yeah here’s this weird new angel they’re sticking with us now’). Belphie agrees saying he feels like he’s known them forever. Simeon asks MC and ‘Sully Dear’ if they heard that and that it seems like they all share a special bond. Sully dear takes extreme offense to his new nickname. Asmo tells MC and ‘Sully Dear’ that they’ve now been adopted into the family and that any attempt to resist will be futile. MC tells Asmo that it may not be possible. Belphie’s sad. Beels acts like they didn’t say anything and just repeats that they should stay with them. Mammon adds a ‘forever’ onto the end of that and that Lucifer will make it happen cause there’s nothing he can’t do (do you think if Lucifer stayed in the celestial realm he would have just kept on adopting random misfits and oddballs?). Satan’s daddy issues pop up at the mention of Lucifer and he says that even back then Lucifer was pompous with an over inflated ego (something I like about OM! Is how Satan’s deep issues with Lucifer are never resolved after one wacky adventure. They’re deep and old enough that it’ll take a long time to be fixed but progress is being made after each therapy session with Satan even if there’s the occasional regression. It makes it feel much more real). Satan’s annoyed enough about Lucifer that he doesn’t bother lowering his volume so the brothers end up staring at him silently. Probably shouldn’t have dissed Lucifer in front of people who think he’s the best thing ever. Period. Y’know since sliced bread probably hadn’t been invented at the time. Actually when was sliced bread invented? Wait. July 7 1928. Also apparently sliced bread is banned in the US? Is that true? Oh shit okay I actually read through the article and this happened during WWII and the ban was lifted 3 months later. Also it’s implied the saying “the best thing since sliced bread” originated from Americans pushing back against the ban. Look I don’t wanna start discourse about sliced bread but this one lady wrote to the new york times about how she had to slice 22 pieces of bread everyday to feed her family and like yeah I hate cutting bread too but like damn I’m not gonna write to the papers about it, some people are just so goddamned passionate but then again I don’t need to cut 22 slices of bread everyday – maybe I’d be passionate too in her circumstances)

Mammon, Lucifer’s #1 lil lapdog, says he has no idea what sully’s smoking to be talking about ‘back in these days’ but calling Lucifer ‘pompous with an overinflated ego’ is going too far, Satan’s dumbstruck by Mammon’s betrayal because despite everything Mammon’s always been there ready to badmouth Lucifer. Beel says Lucifer’s a good guy who always thinks about them and does what’s best for them (so it’s the same as now except he doesn’t try to hide all that behind 36 layers of assholery). Belphie says he can be easily misunderstood because he’s cold and blunt. Satan comments on everyone up here loving Lucifer (so it’s the same as now except they don’t try to hide it all behind 36 layers of assholery). Asmo asks why they wouldn’t love him when he’s their ‘beautiful, strong big brother’ and that they’re all proud of him (guys Satan’s seconds away from losing his shit and this is the last chapter dbksnkdsjksdnk next lesson the entire Celestial Realm gets reduced to rubble as Satan goes on a rampage rip). Levi says Lucifer looks after him even though he’s totally useless (he says it so casually too I don’t know whether to laugh or cry). Asmo & Belphie says they don’t know how well Sully knows Lucifer but if he knew him properly it’ll be impossible not to love him (honestly that’s true I hated him till we started learning more about him and now he’s my second favourite character! Guess who’s my first, I bet you can’t!). Satan’s absolutely dumbfounded by the suggestion. Simeon agrees with them saying it’s time to mend fences and maybe Satan can take the first step. Satan seems upset, realising that Simeon left him with the brothers in the hopes that they’d get through to him about Lucifer but then he gets pissed demanding if Simeon set up this whole journey to the past thing. Simeon denies it and tells satan to calm his tits. But Satan’s on a role now, asking if he’s doing it for the status, if he gets Satan and Lucifer to work things out he’ll get prestige amongst the angels which honestly makes no sense but anger rarely makes you rational so whatever. He goes on to ask if Simeon hoped he could control Satan, the same way Lucifer does (and hoo boy the issues. I like to imagine MC’s contemplating jumping out the window right about now.) Simeon tries to deny all of this but is cut off by Satan saying that Simeon thinks Satan needs to understand where Lucifer’s coming from and how he’s not so bad but that Satan doesn’t like Simeon telling him what to do and that he can’t believe Simeon created a whole illusion just to get what he wanted. And then he’s screaming about how if Lucifer is so precious to Simeon he should try being “Lucifer’s sweet, obedient little brother” (to be fair the idea of being micromanaged by your father who doesn’t even want to admit to being your father is very shudder inducing). The brothers obviously where no idea what the fuck is going on (MC has created a rope by tying blankets together and is now rappelling down through the window), Levi stutters and asks what Sully’s talking about, Beel asks if he and Lucifer have history, Satan looks shocked and sad for a second before he storms out (probably not a good idea considering what he is, where they are and when they are). Asmo seems upset he left, Mammon seems agitated and wonders wtf his deal was. Simeon says he hadn’t meant to set him off like that and that after all of MC’s therapy sessions Satan would have been more open to talking about everything but that he realises that Satan’s progressing at his own pace. MC knowing their job is never over (climbs back up through the window) offers to go after him. Simeon thanks them and says he feels terrible and will apologise but to spare Simeon’s head being ripped from his shoulders MC really should go smooth things over first. They find Satan in the woods looking sad and ask if he’s okay, he doesn’t reply. They can either hug him or take his hand. Hugging leads to a kiss there’s no choice (whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy let MC hug their friends and give the option to kiss or not instead of them both being to kiss). They sit silently together under the trees, holding hands and looking up at the Celestial Palace and this is the sweetest type of silent understanding that I love. After Satan’s calmed down he says MC can leave and go back to the others now. Just before they can answer they are confronted by Lucifer who asks them who they are and what they’re doing there. And that’s the end :))))))))))))))) Next Lesson’s either gonna be a long ass therapy session or a full out street fight can’t wait

[tooobsessedwithfandoms]

Heartbroken Chapter Three (Spencer Reid/Emily Prentiss x Reader)

Summary: Spencer is in love with you but he’s too late.

A/N: Hey guys this is part 3! I said I would explore Emily and Y/Ns relationship more so that's what this is about. I would really appreciate it if you guys gave me feedback because it helps me improve! This is also a lot longer than the others, and if anyone wants to be added to my tag list please let me know! This is also very loosely edited.

Words: 1.5k

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2

Master List

Warnings: Swearing, smut implied to have happened, CM stuff involving children, foster system and angst. If I have forgotten any please let me know!

Y/N couldn’t believe it, how did she not know? Once Penelope had finally caved in and told Y/N why Spencer had been avoiding her, it all made sense. She recalled back to the times she would be alone with the boy wonder, whether that be in the BAU or when they would frequently get coffee with each other and he would graze his large hands against her own. Or when he would gaze at her a little too long when they were on the jet after a hard case, Y/N thought nothing of it. He was her best friend, and despite him being a germaphobe, physical contact was common between the two. There was trust, and going past Spencer's physical bubble happened all the time. Not to mention that Y/N was a naturally physical person, she had even hugged Hotch on one too many occasions and like all the other profilers at the BAU, he would accept them with open arms. If anyone had a problem or simply just needed comfort, Y/N was the person to go to. So when Spencer would want to cuddle on the couch when on the jet, or anywhere else for that matter, Y/N would gladly accept and push away any ulterior motives to the back of her head. But now it all made sense. Did Spencer actually care about being her friend? Yes, yes of course he did. He just accidentally fell in love with Y/N along the way.

“Princess, you okay?” Emily’s groggy (yet somehow attractive) voice bringing Y/N back from her thoughts. Her hand combing through Y/Ns hair as they were both entangled within one another, just having made love to each other for the first time in a while. The last case had been long, and had taken a toll on them both. It had involved children, which were always the worst cases to cover. But now 8 children had to go into the system or go live with other members of their family due to the unsub taking their parents' lives. Y/N had forgotten all about the situation with Spencer until the case was over, prioritising her job and saving lives over anything else. But now as she was back in her small apartment, in her loving girlfriends arms, it all came flooding back to her. 

She looked up at the beautiful face above her, eyes full of love and lust locking like it was the first time they met. They were both very much in love with one another, and both fell just as fast and hard as the other half. Something about knowing that the other was constantly in danger had created an aura of protection around the couple, the threat had been a great catalyst in the progression of the relationship. They were both aware that one or the other could be hurt at any time during any of the cases and that made both girls love and respect for each other increase at a rapid rate. And so when they were together in that peaceful bliss of being alone, they fell even harder. 

But Y/N had to bring it up.

“Spencer-”

“What about him?” Emily's voice demanded, her demeanour switched completely. She kneeled up on the bed, sporting only the bare minimum due to the activity the two had just partaken in. Her eyes had flicked from love to anger and...was that jealousy? Her hair stuck up even more due to the rate at which she had changed position, she had gone from relaxed to defensive within a second and that had frightened Y/N. So much so she cowered away, her back pushed upon the head board even further. A pissed off Emily Prentiss was not to be messed with, and anyone who encountered her in such a way had learned not to annoy her off ever again. Y/N had seen her angry before, but Emily wasn’t angry. No, she was seething. How had muttering the name of someone the team knew and loved (including Emily) now caused such a reaction? 

“N-nothing Em, its nothing” Y/N reassured, both knew it was a blatant lie but Y/N just wanted to diffuse the tension and if dropping the subject of the one thing she needed to speak to her girlfriend about would do so, then she would. Y/N didn’t care about herself and her problems at the moment. However, she did care about the angelic yet intimidating form in front of her and why speaking such a name, a name of a close friend and work colleague at that, would make her love react in such a way. “Are” Y/N cleared her throat “Are you okay?”

“It seems like we both ask that question a lot…” Emily sighed, she was fed up and tired. Tired of thinking that her girlfriend would run away into the sunset with Spencer. She knew it wasn’t Y/Ns fault, and it wasn’t fair for her to take it out on Y/N either. But she couldn’t help it. Just knowing that there was a chance Y/N would decide Spencer was a much better fit for her and thus leaving Emily all alone made her heartbreak. She would totally understand if Y/N decided to leave her and she respected that. She would leave her alone, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt. Because it would. “Look, I understand if you want to leave me” Emily quietly stated, it hurt her to say such a thing but she respected Y/Ns choices. 

“Wait, Em what are you tal-” 

Emily made a noise, Y/N assumed it was to ‘shh’ her but it sounded more like a cry or wail. It didn’t take a genius to know that Emily's heart was cracking in two. “You wanna break up with me right? And I get it! I really do, because Spencers in love with you and we all know that and Penelope blabbed and told us all that you now know too, and i tried to take your mind off it with that mind blowing se-”

“Emily please!”

“No, please. Please just listen to me Y/N. Be-” A tear ran down her face “Because i really...really love you okay? Like, so much.” She stood up “and I want you to be happy!” She put on her clothes, all while Y/N sat on the messy bed in tears. She wanted to tell Emily that she wasn’t going to leave her and that she reciprocated the overwhelming love Emily felt for her but she knew that if she interrupted her broken girlfriend now, Emily would just leave. And that was the last thing she wanted right now “So, if you want to leave me for Reid, then okay. That's okay, just please do it now before I fall even harder.” She picked up her go-bag and walked towards the door. “I will come tomorrow for the rest of my stuff okay?” 

The smile that she gave Y/N was full of sadness and regret. Did she regret their relationship? This made Y/N finally take action and stand up from the sheets that she was settled in previously and run towards the woman she was about to lose. 

“Em, don’t go!” Y/N choked through a sob. Her shaking hands grabbing Emily’s own hand that wasn't grasping onto the bag she was about to leave with. 

Emily shook her head, her hair slightly falling back down from its mane like state into its usual place. “No, it's fine Y/N. I’m going home.”

Y/N let go of Emily's hand and reached up to grasp Emily’s face instead, having to slightly lean on her toes to reach eye level. “No! Let me speak please!” Y/N said  through a sigh of frustration. “I don’t like Spencer Em...Why would I? Don’t get me wrong he's smart and an amazing person. Not to mention a brilliant friend-”

“Sounds like you stated your reasons right there” Emily whispered in embarrassment, eyes trying to find interest in the floor. 

“Hey, look at me please. He’s not you  Em, he's not you and he will never be you. If one day he changes his name to ‘Emily Prentiss’, starts wearing heels and a black wig-” Emily let out a slight laugh through the tears. “Then maybe...maybe i would consider him as an option.” Y/N let out a big grin causing Emily to do the same. “But in all seriousness Em, I love you and only you. Nothing will ever change that okay?” 

Emily just stared. Why was she so stupid? She just nearly broke up with her girlfriend because of a false instinct. But she was also grateful, because it told her that no matter what, no matter the obstacle or barrier that gets in the way of their relationship. They would always come out on top. This reassured her that the love she gave was being given back and it made her actually appreciate this little argument. But even though they had sorted this out between themselves thus making their relationship even stronger. They still had to speak to someone, they knew Y/N didn’t like Spencer. But Spencer didn’t.

And they had to sort that out.

[thelastspeecher]

Stanuary ‘21 - Week Three: Crime

I decided to go with one of my favorite AUs, my Superhero/villain AU, and write a scene that I should have written a while ago, to be honest.  Namely, Ford convincing Stan to give up a life of crime and become a hero like he always wanted.

Shout-out to the ficlet “Farmer’s Market”, by @mythomagically-delicious, which takes place in an AU of the Superhero/villain AU.  I drew some heavy inspiration from it.  ;)

Enjoy.

———————————————————————————————————–

              Stan made a mad dash for safety.  He ducked into an alley just before the police following him rounded the corner and crouched behind a dumpster.

              “Think he went in there?” one of the cops asked, nodding at the alley Stan was hiding in.

              Shit!  Stan took a deep breath, trying to steady his breath.  No, stay calm, Stan.  It’s fine. You have a backup plan, remember? As if on cue, said backup plan went into effect.  There was a loud bang in the distance.  Stan didn’t want to look and risk being spotted, but he knew from experience that his distraction was producing enormous plumes of ash-colored smoke.

              “He’s a pyro, that’s gotta be him!” the other cop said.  The two rushed off towards the planted smoke bomb and away from Stan.  Still, Stan waited a few minutes to be sure.  Once he was positive the coast was clear, he emerged from his hiding spot.

              “Damn,” he breathed.  His smoke bomb was still billowing, filling the sky with gray.  “I mighta souped that one up a bit more than I needed to.”

              Not long ago, Stan had discovered he could use his pyrokinesis to enhance the effects of smoke bombs.  That discovery led to him learning how to make his own. Unfortunately, the method he’d used to improve store-bought smoke bombs didn’t work for his homemade ones, so he had to develop a new one.  All in all, he’d invested a lot more time than he’d care to admit into his smoke bomb research.

              At least it’s paying off now.  The smoke bomb showed no sign of slowing down.  Damn, I might have accidentally caused more smoke damage than fire damage.  Stan shook his head, dispelling those thoughts.  Get back to your car, get outta dodge before the cops come back and get a look at your face.  Stan trudged out of the alley.  He seamlessly joined the crowds that had gathered to stare at his latest disturbance.

              As he mingled with the rubberneckers, Stan’s ears picked up on a nearby conversation that, for some reason, stood out more than the background muttering.

              “What could cause that amount of smoke?”

              “A fire.”

              “Well, yes, but they put out the fire already! And the smoke isn’t coming from where the fire was.”

              “My lil brother used to prank our older brother with smoke bombs…”

              “Could a smoke bomb be responsible for this?”

              “Only if there’s a pyro behind it.”

              Stan ducked his head and picked up his pace, hoping to get far away from the two men and their eerily accurate discussion.  He quickly arrived at the Stanleymobile and got in.  But not until the town had faded into the distance, did he allow himself to relax.

              Okay.  Back to the drawing board.  Can’t use a smoke bomb that attracts that much attention.

-----

              Stan finally straightened his back, stretching to dispel the kinks that came from hunching over a desk for hours on end. He was back in his crappy motel room, trying to do something about his overeager smoke bombs.  So far, he hadn’t had much luck.

              The news blared on the TV.  After a lot of trial and error, Stan had found that the news was just loud enough to provide background sound, but just boring enough to avoid being a distraction.

              “In another blow to peace in the Middle East-” the newswoman began.  Stan grabbed the remote.

              “Nope,” he said, turning off the TV.  He stood and stretched.  “I’ve got my own problems, lady, I don’t need to hear about other peoples’.”  His stomach rumbled.

              …I could use a snack.  Just as Stan was heading for the place he’d stashed his bags of chips, he felt a tingling sensation akin to feet falling asleep spread throughout his body, starting at his toes and gradually reaching his head. Though it felt familiar, it took him a moment to place it.  He blinked, and he wasn’t in the motel room anymore.  But the dorm room he was in now looked just as bad.

              “Oh, thank goodness, you’re not nude,” said the man standing in front of Stan.  “It’s been some time since I summoned a person, and I was worried I might accidentally leave your clothes behind.”  Stan crossed his arms.  He raised an eyebrow.

              “You say ‘thank goodness’ now, Ford?” he asked dryly.  Ford looked away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

              “I might have picked it up from my roommate.”

              “Good for you.  Now, tell me where the hell I am so that I can go back to where I was,” Stan said.  Ford blinked.

              “You’re not curious as to why I summoned you after all this time?”

              “Nope.”

              “Why not?”

              “Look, Sixer, if you wanted a nice, brotherly chat, you would’ve summoned me back when Pops first kicked me out,” Stan snapped. He fought down the small amount of happiness he felt at seeing his twin again.  “But it’s been years.  Which means either someone’s dead or you want something from me.  And whichever one it is, I don’t care.”  Stan turned on his heel and stormed for the door.  As he put his hand on the doorknob, Ford spoke.

              “I know,” Ford said softly.  “You don’t care about me, about yourself, or anyone else.” Stan paused.

              “Why do you think I don’t care about myself?” he asked.

              “Because you’ve given up.”  Ford interpreted Stan’s continued silence as permission to continue.  “You’ve given up on the thing that gave you drive our entire lives.”

              “What?”

              “Being a hero,” Ford said simply.  Stan’s hand fell away from the door.  His heart pounded in his ears.  “I saw your latest arson on the news.  Actually, I saw it in person.  My roommate and I were shopping in the store next to the one you set on fire.” Stan looked over his shoulder.

              “You’re not gonna snitch on me, are you?” he asked.

              “No.”

              “Good.”  Stan fully turned around.  He let his hands burst into flames.  “It wouldn’t end well for you if you did.”  Ford didn’t react to the threat.  At least, not in the way Stan expected.  Rather than blowing up at him or scoffing, Ford just stared at Stan, evidently sorrowful.

              “Have you really gone that far astray?” Ford asked. Stan’s mouth went dry.  “Would you hurt your own twin?”

              “Where’s all this coming from, huh?” Stan demanded. “What, I set a building on fire and suddenly you’re worried about me?  After spending all this time pissed at me?”  He threw his hands, still aflame, up in the air.  “That was the secret all along!  I shoulda committed a crime in front of you years ago!” That got the reaction Stan expected. Ford’s worried frown twisted into a snarl.

              “I despise what you did to me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to throw your life away!” Ford snapped.  “Ever since we were kids, you wanted to be a hero.  You worked hard to follow in Mom’s footsteps. But now?  You’re perfectly fine with burning down stores and setting off smoke bombs?”

              “Why do you care?!” Stan roared.

              “Because I’m the reason you’re letting all your potential go to waste!” Ford shouted.  Stan stared at him in shock, the fire around his hands finally smothered. Ford’s eyes widened.  He looked away.  Stan stepped forward.

              “What do you-”

              “You heard me,” Ford said tartly.  He looked down at his feet.  “I- I hate what you did to me.  But I can’t deny my role in your current situation.”  Stan opened his mouth.  “And the reason why I summoned you now…”  Ford took a steadying breath.  “I started feeling guilty the moment Mom kicked out Pops for what he did. But I’ve been able to stifle that guilt under anger.”

              “Until today.”

              “Until today,” Ford repeated.  He took another breath.  “When I realized you had committed that arson, I knew you had given up on your dream of being a hero, and I couldn’t ignore the guilt any longer.”

              “Why?”

              “Honestly?”  Ford looked up at Stan.  He managed a weak smile.  “Because you’d be a damn good superhero, Stanley.  You could do so much, help so many people, save lives!  And that’s been your goal since we were children.”

              “Because I could help other people.”

              “Because it’s what you were meant to do.  Mom saw that in you, even before your powers manifested.  I saw that in you.  Hell, Pops saw it in you, too.”  Stan raised an eyebrow doubtfully.  “He saw it in you,” Ford insisted.  He rubbed the back of his neck.  “He just didn’t care about supers.”

              “You’re right about that,” Stan said.  He cleared his throat.  “And you might be right about the other things, too.”  Ford perked up.  “Everything’s not suddenly hunky-dory, just so you know.”

              “I know.  I have negative feelings towards you that have yet to be resolved.”

              “Yeah.  Same for me, but in a less nerdy way,” Stan said.  Ford rolled his eyes.  “But…” Stan trailed off.  He sighed.  “I turned to a life of crime ‘cause I didn’t have a choice.  But I never felt that great about it.”  A faint smile quirked the corners of Stan’s mouth.  “Call it Mom’s influence.  I couldn’t quite shake the feeling I was meant to follow in her footsteps.”

              “Of course not.  You were meant to become a hero,” Ford said.  Stan’s smile grew stronger.  “We both have issues to work out, between the two of us, but I don’t want you to give up on your destiny.”  Stan let out a bark of laughter.

              “Destiny, huh?”  He grinned at Ford.  “Well, when you say it like that, I can’t really say you’re wrong, can I?” Ford smiled back.

              “So you’ll give up crime?”

              “Yeah.”  Stan cocked his head thoughtfully.  “Not until after I fill up the Stanleymobile one more time, though.  She’s running low on gas.  Once that’s done, I’ll go back on the straight and narrow.  Just gotta figure out how to join the Defenders or whatever.”

              “There’s a newer team on the West Coast that I think you have a better chance at joining,” Ford said.  Stan shoved his hands into his pockets.

              “I’ll look into ‘em.”  Ford nodded in relief.  “Oh, by the way, remember our deal?”

              “Deal?”

              “Every time you summon me without warning, you owe me food,” Stan said.

              “Wh- we made that agreement when we were children!”

              “And I’m holding you to it,” Stan said.  “I’m guessing you brought me back into town when you summoned me?”

              “Yes.”

              “My motel isn’t too far away, so I’ll be back at 6 for dinner.”  Ford sighed.

              “Very well.”

              “See you then.”  Stan opened the dorm room door and strolled out, whistling.  As he walked out, Ford’s roommate Fiddleford walked in.  Fiddleford looked curiously at Ford.

              “Ya had a visitor while I was out?”

              “Yes.”

              “Was it a good visit?”

              “Yes.  It was.”

              “That’s nice.”  Fiddleford walked over to his bed and set his bag down.  “I found what I wanted at the library.”

              “What were you looking for, again?”

              “Blueprints.”

              “For?” Ford pried.  A devious twinkle appeared in Fiddleford’s eyes.

              “Haywood Hall.”

              “The building that all our school records are kept in?”

              “Yessir!” Fiddleford chirped.  He began to dig around in his bag.  “Surprisingly easy to get.”

              “I’m shocked that they even allowed you to check them out of the library,” Ford said.  Fiddleford hummed noncommittally.  Ford’s eyes widened.

              Wait, Stan doesn’t have the Stanleymobile.  How is he going to get back to his motel? Ford closed his eyes and focused. A surge of power flowed through him. There was a shout from outside.

              “What the fuck?!”  Ford walked over to the window and looked out.  Stan stood in the parking lot, staring at his red El Diablo. He looked up at the dorm.  After a moment, he lifted his middle finger.

              Ford snickered.

[crashingmeteorz]

zuko brings a lot to the table when he joins the gaang, especially the return of the ba sing se bimbos (jinjetsongko)

credit as always to @azenkii!

when they all eventually join team avatar, in my mind, it still happens after the Betrayal by zuko. this is obviously very Angsty and Intense, but that’s a post for another day.

song and her mother, through a series of Strange Events, make their way into the fire nation in disguise and end up in a village that the gaang passes through, just before the invasion. she and katara recognize each other, and song asks to go with them to help at the invasion.

at first, song positively Freaks Out at meeting aang and also at the fact that he’s ALIVE. katara eventually calms her down enough to ask, “are you comfortable going to the front lines of the invasion, song? we need healers, but this will get very dangerous.”

“oh, i think i’ll be alright,” song says mischeviously.

jin ends up at the boiling rock for trying (and failing, but not without a good hard fight) to free mushi/iroh. how does she end up in the crystal catacombs? idk yet, but she was there, and boy was she PISSED at lee. azula took her away before zuko had much of a chance to argue - he’s ashamed to say he didn’t try very hard.

of course, she meets suki, and has her own fan girl moment. she also develops a very quick crush. i mean, yeah, she’s the leader of the kyoshi warriors so of course sokka was obsessed but after meeting suki jin’s like how could you NOT fall in love.

jet, who has been brainwashed by the dai li, goes with them to the fire nation. he’s assigned to dangerous reconnaissance missions that azula plans, which she ensures that zuko finds out about, since she’s doing it purely as a way to test his loyalty. it works - because this, along with zuko’s other realizations in book three, is what makes him fully denounce the fire nation. when he leaves to teach aang, he drags jet along with him.

this trip is less than easy, because jet, who is, again, brainwashed, bounces between attempting to murder zuko for his betrayal, and treating zuko as his ward to be protected.

at some point on the trip, after an extreme mood swing, during which they both almost die, they’re breathing heavily on either end of the war balloon, and zuko says “you’re giving me emotional whiplash.”

“OH AM I, LEE?” roars jet, before collapsing with exhaustion. it’s a very song-like comment, and in spite of everything zuko really truly hopes his friends will forgive him one day.

when zuko first shows up to greet the gaang, jet is Not Well, and so zuko leaves him at the campsite. he also knows things between the gaang and jet did not end on good terms, so zuko figures it’s no big loss.

the second time, when zuko attacks combustion man, jet follows him on a Murderous Rampage, until he realizes zuko’s trying to help aang and the others, and then he joins zuko’s side.

“fucking prince, fucking avatar, I WAS A FREEDOM FIGHTER! I DID IMPORTANT THINGS, LIKE TERRORISM! NOW IM GONNA DIE, FOR WHAT? THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED MY GANG’S VIBES AND THIS TWIG-SIZED ROYAL MORON?” jet screams as he uses his hooks to hoist himself and zuko back up the cliff.

(of course, his anger mostly melts away when the others exit the temple after the danger passes, and song is there holding the duke’s hand. it’s the first happy thing that has happened to him in so long.)

song regards zuko/lee as a mixed bag because, you know, the obvious Bad Stuff, but also he saved jet? and he’s training the avatar now?

so she decides on the middle ground - forgiveness, paired with Never Letting Him Live Anything Down.

she hugs him, and tells him she missed him, and he’s so overcome with relief he almost cries, and then she says very loudly for the whole group to hear: “i forgive you, but i expect a herd of ostrich horses after the war.”

“song-“ he says desperately.

“you know. compensation.” she says.

“i only took the one-“

“zuko!” says aang, scandalized at the idea that zuko had personally affronted one his new friends even though it’s the smallest of his crimes.

“was it just one? i must’ve forgotten,” song says sweetly. “sure hope i haven’t been brainwashed. oh! like someone we know-“

“that wasn’t even my fault!” says zuko.

yeah, katara LOVES song.

when sokka and zuko go to the boiling rock, jet tries to go with them because he’s convinced zuko will betray sokka, but he’s still kind of out of it, and they try to convince him to stay back. he gets loud, threatening to tell everyone what they’re up to if he doesn’t get to come along, when a hand holding a rag comes up around his mouth and he passes out.

“it’s my turn to watch him tonight and i’m too tired to reason with him,” says song, dragging jet under his armpits back to the camp. “just go do whatever stupid risky thing you’re going to do.”

“that’s it?” zuko asks curiously. “no speech about how we shouldn’t go?”

“oh, i’m sorry, am i your mother?” song asks innocently. “i personally haven’t seen my mother since before the invasion, you know, the one we had to plan because SOMEONE’S nation waged a war-“

“okay, okay, i get it!” zuko snaps, and they go.

when they return with jin, however, song drops all the sarcasm and jet stops being so hostile. this is partially because they’re so grateful he brought her back, but mostly because jin is definitely the Friendship Glue.

she tells them all about how their daring escape, she mentions that everyone acted according to their sexy selves (hakoda, thankfully, does NOT hear this), but especially zuko.

“honestly,” jin says, “being the one of the first prisoners to escape the boiling rock has got to be the most legendary thing anyone’s ever done. i’m going to go down in history. so many fire nation prisoners are going to be like ‘who’s that pretty girl who escaped on the gondola?’ and they’re either going to be talking about me or suki, and it’s all thanks to zuko.”

yes, they have a ba sing se bimbo reunion hug.

“guys, you will not BELIEVE what i found out at that gross prison.” jin says at the campfire that evening. “the firelord singed his eyebrows off once, and now he has to draw them on every morning. also, he gets these little flames painted on his nails at the palace spa because he thinks it makes his firebending stronger, and, like, yes, guys who paint their nails are hot, but not when they paint them to look like a four-year-old drew them.”

“literally none of that is true,” says zuko, absolutely baffled.

“oh really?” jin says, rounding on him. “because i heard it from min, who heard it from the guard who shaved her head, who heard it from the watchtower guard, who heard it from the WARDEN HIMSELF.

“yeah zuko,” says song, “do you think you know more about the firelord than the WARDEN?”

“no offense, but you’re not exactly the expert on the firelord,” says jet, grinning because He Knows.

zuko says nothing at first. then he sighs, shakes his head, and asks happily, “so, is it all the nails, or just, like, the ringfinger?”

part two of this segment coming soon!

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  masterpost

[bouwrites]

Role of the Hero

It’s the Miraculous Ladybug/Tokyo Afterschool Summoners crossover. Daisuke goes to Paris.

I’ll be honest with y’all, if even one person asks me for more of this, or content like this, I may be forced to do it. I didn’t even get to the core conceit which sparked this crossover in the first place, so my inspiration bug for this is sleeping for now but one poke and I promise you it will be frothing at the mouth.

And honestly? I don’t know whether I want that poke or not.

Anyway here’s the story.

Ao3.

10043 words. Story under read-more.

Daisuke Ikusaba does not want to be here.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with Paris at all, it’s just that he has friends and a budding career and… and Taurus Mask back in Tokyo.

Daisuke gently rubs the horns of the mask, hidden in the bag at his side. He caresses them like an old and precious childhood toy.

It’s okay. Right? He can do this. All his friends, even the Berserkers, are all just a phone call away. He may not be able to see them in person anymore, but it’s not like he doesn’t have contact with them anymore. And… and he can bring Taurus Mask to Paris! He has the mask, after all, so all he really needs is to look for an opportunity. Or, failing that, make one himself.

There has to be someone else here interested in wrestling. Daisuke Ikusaba might not be able to stand boldly and do something as brash as make his own wrestling team, but Taurus Mask can.

And he will. As soon as Daisuke is settled in. So… so he should probably… do that.

…He has to go into the school to do that, doesn’t he? His stomach flips as he looks up at the gates. It’s worse than his first day at Yoyogi. Back then, he at least had the wrestling team. François Dupont doesn’t even have one of those, much less one that Daisuke knows anyone in.

Pathetic as it is, Daisuke wants little more in this moment than to run around the corner and call someone who can give him a good pep talk. Wakan Tanka is good at those. Or Horkeu Kamui. How can anyone feel bad when Horkeu Kamui is there encouraging them? Hell, he’ll take Durza at this point.

Actually, Durza is a good idea. Not to call – oh god, no (What time even is it in Tokyo right now?) – but her whole deal. I’m an athlete! Daisuke thinks. What am I going to do, let some stone walls beat me? No way! I’m going to march in there and win at… everything, I guess? But I’m not that smart, so I’m probably out of luck with academics. And there isn’t a wrestling team, so…

So… I don’t know what I’m trying to win at, but I’m going to win! I just have to go in there and do it! Yeah. That makes sense.

With a deep, shuddering breath, Daisuke steps forward past the school gates. Even though it feels like they should come crashing down on him, they don’t. In fact, everything is a little easier when he’s inside, if only because he’s not standing outside the door like an idiot drawing everyone’s attention.

But marching through the school courtyard feels very much like winning right now, so Daisuke is going to take what he can get.

But though Daisuke has fewer eyes on him inside the school for his more casual behavior, he does not go unnoticed. What he doesn’t know – can’t know with this being only his very first day here – is that this François Dupont is far more different than his old school of Yoyogi than he expects.

Timid though Daisuke may be, Yoyogi is a school which caters to his interests. It is filled to the brim with athletes, all of whom want to get better, stronger, and encourage their peers to do the same. It is a place where rivalries are synonymous with friendships, and that common bond of athleticism connects everyone regardless of sport.

This François Dupont, however, has no such common bond connecting the students here. There is not the same understanding underneath every conflict, lighthearted or serious, and there is not the same passion that is generated from such a large group of people with similar interests.

No, while Yoyogi is a school where everyone wants to be the best, François Dupont is one where the contenders for that position are much fewer and far crueler. After all, at a school of athletes, even those with the greatest drive to be greater than everyone else desire just as strongly to do so on fair ground. It is not a fair assessment of who is the best, they believe, and thus a pointless victory if they cheat to get there.

The queens of François Dupont have no such moral inhibitions.

Chloé Bourgeois watches with… something like interest when a new student enters the school. Down her nose, from her perch on high up on the second-floor balcony, she sees an older-looking student.

He only catches her attention because he barely looks like a high schooler at all and might fit in better at a university somewhere. Asian, clearly, and darker-skinned. Chloé wrinkles her nose at the scruff of hair on his chin. He’s not the only student here with unfortunate hair on his face, but he’ll soon learn to shave it off, if only so that Chloé doesn’t have to look at it.

(She might consider leaving it alone, except her daddy asks her to play nice for a while, which means that he knows a new student is arriving, and if the principal takes the time to inform her daddy of something like this, it can only be because this new student will be in her class. And if he is in her class, then that bush on his chin must go.)

Oh, and the green hair – if he must dye it, can’t he pick a better color?

Hair aside, Chloé notes his physique. Muscles like that don’t come easy and aren’t just for show. Even though he dresses modestly (and he’s going to need to work on that… fashion travesty) there is simply nothing he can do to hide the dense muscle on his frame.

Sort of like Ivan. Muscle like that has its uses, and if the way he ducks his head and fiddles with his bag strap is any indication, he’ll be child’s play to manipulate.

Well, he’s definitely not a threat. That’s something. He looks stupid enough to be dragged into Lila’s orbit, though, which is… fine. Lila isn’t making any major moves against Chloé, and Chloé thinks she knows her place, but Chloé also knows better than to trust a liar and Lila’s eyes look far too much like Chloé’s own.

It’s only a matter of time before they come to metaphorical blows. Whether this new kid is worth crushing under her heel, or whether she should allow him to fall under Lila’s… that’s the real question.

Then again, Dupain-Cheng does have a way with the cowards, Chloé admits in the privacy of her own mind. If we’re not careful, he might get attached to her.

A morbid curiosity wells up in Chloé’s chest. This is the first real chance for Chloé to see how her rivals will play when a new actor steps onto stage. Goody-two-shoes Dupain-Cheng will definitely do everything she can to protect the poor guy, and Chloé honestly can’t imagine him being smart enough to see through Lila, so… she wonders just how desperately those two will fight.

Dupain-Cheng pisses Chloé off, yes, but Lila… if Chloé doesn’t know any better, she’d say that Dupain-Cheng is her weakness. Spite, hate, just a true loathing that Chloé can respect. Chloé isn’t that different, after all. But Chloé… she isn’t the kind of queen who needs everyone to adore her. That he fears her, that he will listen when she speaks, that is enough for Chloé. At least, for now. Whether Lila can suffer him befriending Dupain-Cheng with that hatred inside of her… Chloé is very interested in finding out the answer to that.

If she plays her cards right with this new kid, she might just find the key to getting rid of Lila once and for all.

And wouldn’t that be glorious? Chloé sneers and turns away. She’ll have her fun, definitely, but by and large… it will be more interesting to stay out of this for the time being.

Chloé glides to the classroom, passing Dupain-Cheng with a knowing smirk. Marinette, perturbed by the bully’s expression, can only pray that Chloé will leave their new classmate alone just for a day.

Harried, Marinette hefts the papers and binders in her hands and continues her dash to the principal’s office. As class president, she is meant to greet their newest classmate and show them around, though she’s yet to meet this transfer.

She doesn’t need to wait long. She’s still muttering through everything, consulting with the principal, when the door to the office opens and her new classmate steps inside.

Marinette turns to him with a smile on her face. “Hello! You must be the new student. Ikusaba Daisuke, right? I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, your new class president.”

Daisuke is frankly surprised that she uses his family name first – he’s more than prepared for the fact that they don’t do that here. Is there a mistake on his paperwork? Do they think his names are switched?

He… isn’t sure he can correct them, if that’s the case. He might just be stuck with this. Not that it would be the end of the world, or anything. “Y-yeah,” he mutters. “That’s me. It’s- uh- nice to meet you.”

Her dazzling grin catches him off-guard. It’s… nice. It reminds him of Wakan, a little. It lets just a little bit of the tension fall from him. “I’ll show you around the school,” Marinette says, “and I can answer any questions you have as we go. Does that work for you?”

“Y-y-yes!”

Marinette smiles, and she cannot help but feel a little bad for this poor boy. He may be built like Ivan, but he’s clearly just as soft-hearted, if not more. She just hopes he’ll survive when the akumas start showing up. She hopes he knows about them, at least, though she knows simply knowing won’t prepare him for it.

Well, she’ll just have to do her civic duty and make sure to warn him herself on the tour.

But first, more logistical work. She’s his new class president and she has to help him get comfortable here at Dupont. Though her role as class president isn’t the same as the same title in the Japanese schooling system he’s undoubtedly more familiar with, she’s happy to help him in any way she can.

“By the way,” she says as they begin their walk around the campus, “what would you prefer I call you? I have another friend from Japan, and I just call her Kagami, but I understand if using your given name is a little too familiar for a stranger.”

Daisuke blinks in surprise. “D-Daisuke is fine,” he murmurs. “That’s how you do it here, right? S-so I’ve got to get used to it anyway.”

“That’s true,” Marinette admits, “but if you’d prefer something else, our class wouldn’t mind. Most of us, at least. I know Adrien still uses honorifics with Kagami when they’re in more formal settings. So long as you let us know what to say, we’ll all be more than happy to do the same.”

“That’s not necessary,” he says. “I don’t care much about that, anyway.” Ever since the transients showed up in Tokyo, that kind of thing has largely fallen to the wayside. This Kagami girl must be from an old family, or at least somewhere else in Japan. Probably the latter, if she’s been in Paris long.

Or from the Land of Wa. Yasuyori is such a stickler for etiquette. But Daisuke hardly expects to run into transients in Paris so that seems unlikely. (It’s… actually a little unsettling to see no transients around. He’s starting to desperately miss Yasuyori’s fluffy face. And Asterius’ horns…)

Marinette fixes him with a curious, earnest gaze, but concedes. “If you’re sure. Just let me know if you change your mind.”

Daisuke just can’t stop thinking about his friends in Tokyo. The hollowness in his chest aches keenly, but all he can do is gently touch the threads of rope around his wrist.

“Oh, and I don’t know if you’ve already heard or not, but I should warn you about the akuma.”

Akuma, Daisuke thinks. “I’ve heard about them,” he says honestly. He wishes he can say his friends are concerned about him moving to a place with weird things like akuma but… well, after what happened in Tokyo, akuma don’t scare any of them.

Then again, they don’t know I’m Taurus Mask, so they should be concerned, shouldn’t they? Unless… No, there’s no way. Only my soul brother knows my face.

It’s ridiculous to even consider otherwise.

“Oh! Good.” Marinette beams. “Well, if you have any questions or concerns, you can always talk to me!”

Daisuke eagerly agrees, sure that he’s going to need the help navigating a new place like this. Not to mention that, if he does decide to try to start a wrestling club, his class president is probably the first one he’s going to need to talk to. It’s good to establish some kind of rapport early on.

So, he does his best to participate in the tour, instead of running off to hide like he really wants to do. Marinette does wonders to make him a little more comfortable and distracts him by pointing out everywhere he’ll need to know on campus, and before he knows it, she’s leading him through the door of their classroom.

And the whole classroom erupts into chatters at once. Simultaneously, Daisuke is rooted to the spot, frozen and unable to draw breath with so many eyes on him, and confused by the complete lack of discipline here.

Sure, Yoyogi can be pretty wild, and Daisuke himself isn’t exactly a model of good behavior, but Yasuyori would be so disappointed in everyone here if he saw this. Just imagining Yasuyori’s disappointed face brings Daisuke nearly to tears.

The teacher makes everyone settle down, thankfully, and Daisuke somehow stammers through his introduction without bolting, then, as soon as he’s given permission, he darts to the back of the class to an open seat.

He sighs heavily as he sinks into his new seat. It could be worse, he thinks. I still wish Horkeu Kamui were here.

…I sound like a kid missing his dad, don’t I? Damn it, it was one time I called him that!

Mercifully, the lecture means that Daisuke doesn’t yet have to answer questions or field a room full of curious classmates. At least not right away. If there is one thing school is good for, it’s excusing him from social situations.

It’s too bad that this sanctuary only lasts until school ends, even if it also comes with math. To think that back in Tokyo, Daisuke could never wait for school to end. In Tokyo, the end of classes means club and guild activities begin. Here in Paris, Daisuke has neither a club nor a guild to be a part of.

He wonders if he’ll have the chance to escape or if his new classmates are going to ambush him. From the looks they occasionally send him throughout the school day, like Bathym eyeing up some new meat in the unranked arena, Daisuke has a sinking feeling that that’s not going to happen.

That’s why it’s no surprise when, after the teacher finally dismisses them for the day, Daisuke finds himself in a small crowd of classmates who want to talk to him.

It’s not hard, even when he’s just meeting these people and on the verge of an anxiety-induced panic attack, to identify the ringleader. While Daisuke thinks Marinette seems popular in her own right, she picks up from their tour that he’s uncomfortable with strangers, and keeps herself and a smaller group of their classmates away from him. (Bless her.) This other girl, however…

“Hello! My name is Lila.” She smiles sweetly, and genuinely. Daisuke unthinkingly rubs the threads of his Sacred Artifact around his wrist. “Your name is Daisuke, right? It’s so nice to meet you! I also transferred here not long ago, and everyone really went out of their way to make me feel welcome. If there’s anything I can do for you to pay that kindness forward, please let me know!”

Through his fluttering gut, Daisuke sighs with relief. At least they’re friendly. As much as he may want to avoid this kind of situation, he’ll never achieve his dreams if he can’t overcome this social anxiety. A group of friendly classmates is, logically, safe for him, as these things go.

So he grins, forced though it may be, and says, “Thanks! I really appreciate that. But you really don’t need to go out of your way for me.”

“Nonsense!” Lila says. “Nothing would make me happier than making sure that you feel as welcomed as I did when I started here. What do you like to do? We should all get to know each other better.”

When Daisuke hesitates, the other classmates in the crowd all start sharing their own answers. It’s really nice of them to do this, but way too overwhelming for Daisuke. He’s not going to remember much of what they’re telling him – he hardly even remembers everyone’s names.

Eventually, he has no choice but to answer himself. “W-well,” he says, “back in Tokyo, I was captain of the wrestling team.”

“Wrestling!” Lila exclaims. “Oh, no wonder you look so strong! Who’s your favorite wrestler?”

Daisuke blanches. This is the other reason why he isn’t looking forward to this question and answer “get to know each other” thing. Even though he’s known about this move for a while, he still hasn’t managed to figure out how to explain his near complete ignorance of broader worldwide trends.

Daisuke apparently takes too long to answer, because Lila starts talking about some famous wrestler who’s name certainly impresses a few of the more athletic-looking students around. Daisuke has, of course, never heard of them.

He chuckles awkwardly. “Sorry, uh… you might’ve heard that Tokyo has been pretty isolated for a while. I don’t know much about celebrities outside Tokyo, even in wrestling.” He smiles, satisfied at having answered without talking about the App War.

It will be such a pain to explain that to someone outside Tokyo. Daisuke doesn’t think he can even explain transients.

“I have heard about that!” Lila says. “Actually, I have a good friend in Tokyo. It’s been so long since I’ve seen them since they were trapped there by that terrible wall.”

The other classmates rush to console Lila, who is clearly the emotional type – already almost on the verge of tears just from mentioning that friend of hers – but Daisuke tilts his head.

Tokyo’s been cut off for his whole life. Sure, there are people who remember Tokyo before the wall, the transients, and it being cut off from the rest of the world, but those are old people. No one their age was born when Tokyo was isolated, so it doesn’t make any sense for Lila to know anyone from before the wall.

Unless…

No, there are no transients or Sacred Artifacts here. Lila being immortal or having some Sacred Artifact to make her appear younger than she is is an unrealistic thought at best. (The fact that both of those things are possible, and that Daisuke has seen them personally, notwithstanding, of course.)

Something’s off here. Daisuke’s gut says so. Daisuke may not be the most intuitive or intelligent person, and his Sacred Artifact may not work outside a battle zone, but he thinks that, after using his Sacred Artifact so much, he has some sense for this kind of thing.

To expose all forms of deception, unmasking all that which is concealed. That is the power given to him according to his Role. All in service of being like that man, the one who inspires Daisuke to take up wrestling. Of being someone who can touch the souls of others and wrest their true worth from obscurity. That is the Role of the Hero.

But without use of his Sacred Artifact, Daisuke cannot see the true self within Lila. She is lying about knowing someone in Tokyo, or at least knowing them for so long, but Daisuke can only assume that she lies in an earnest attempt to connect with him.

It’s sad that she thinks that’s necessary. Daisuke knows he’s shy, but he’s not unfriendly. If he could use his Sacred Artifact, he might glean some insight from what it uncovers in her – not that Daisuke ever used it for such banal reasons even when he could.

Still, Lila cannot possibly know that he is more social than his anxiety belies just as he cannot know that Lila has no interest in genuinely connecting with him.

Lila does, however, know that Daisuke is not so naïve as his shy, anxious new kid archetype implies. There is a certain look in his eye which Lila spots almost immediately. It’s a look she despises, because it’s the same look that burns behind the eyes of every single Marinette Dupain-Cheng Lila has ever met.

Of course, it’s only a gut feeling based on something as superficial as the glint in his eyes, so Lila is happy to give him a chance. But she knows to be careful with someone like him. She hopes he is meek enough to know his place, but that look in his eyes, the spark of someone who looks at problems not as obstacles but challenges… Lila’s gut tells her to watch him very closely.

It’s a quiet lie, a small one, and one that can easily be waved off as wanting to connect with him, but Lila sees how his eyes change. His reaction to the lie.

Firstly, that he recognizes it at all is a red flag. Though he’s not necessarily more perceptive than their other classmates, it does mean that he’s paying attention. That he’s looking for deceit puts Lila on the back foot from the start.

Then, it’s how he reacts to it. The raised brow, the subtle narrowing of his eyes, the look, not quite at her but into her, as if he is laying bare her soul and examining it like nothing more than a cheap, knock-off purse.

It passes. It’s only a moment, then it passes, but Lila notices it and puts Daisuke right to the top of her watch list.

He doesn’t say anything, though, which earns him some credit. It’s likely out of a mistaken belief that she’s just trying to make him more comfortable by fabricating things to have in common – a belief she will eagerly encourage if he does confront her in private about it – but he at least knows not to try to call her out. Marinette still hasn’t learned that lesson.

Even still, she will need to be careful around him. The feeling he stirs in her gut reminds her far too much of Marinette and her predecessors, the other problem children at previous schools and clubs Lila’s attended, so she is not yet convinced that pushing too far in his presence won’t turn Daisuke on her as well.

Despite his potential to be a problem for her, and also because of it, she can’t just leave him alone, either. He would quickly ally with Marinette, which Lila simply can’t allow. The other students have known Marinette longer than Lila – Lila’s influence with them is limited to an extent. She can manipulate and damage, but it’ll take a long game indeed to truly break those friendships. Daisuke on the other hand represents an interesting and unique opportunity for Lila.

She won’t let it slip through her fingers.

It’s a few days into his time at Paris when Daisuke encounters his first akuma.

He’s still walking home from school, on the phone with Gunzo in this short period between him being free and his friends in Tokyo mostly still awake (the problem with all his friends being athletes: they’re health-conscious, and so usually go to bed at a reasonable hour) when his phone alerts him with a chime that, after leaving Tokyo, he never expects to hear again.

His blood turns to ice, and intellectually he convinces himself for a moment that it’s the alarm for that app his classmates recommend to him, which alerts to akuma attacks. He hasn’t heard it yet, so maybe it sounds like the other alert.

But a quick check confirms that the Akuma Alert app is still quiet. The chime comes from another app. A much more familiar app. The App.

A battle zone has opened over his location. He opens the App and nearly drops it when he realizes that he is not the only App user in the city. At the very least, his map shows a few others nearby.

It’s at that moment, while Daisuke is still trying to figure out how and why a battle zone might open now, and when the App spread to Paris (It must be new, he thinks, with some relief, but even then, where are the transients? The gateways?) another alert chimes from his phone. This one is the akuma alert he’s been told to get, and it takes only a moment for Daisuke to piece that particular puzzle together.

(He only manages it because of the map.)

In the exact same locations, moving in the exact same directions, the map in the Akuma Alert app notifies Daisuke of Ladybug, Chat Noir, and an akuma moving nearby.

The heroes and this villain… they’re App users. Daisuke gasps, Gunzo is getting frantic over the phone, worrying over what’s happening, and Daisuke doesn’t have time to explain everything in detail. He stammers that he’ll call back later with the details and takes off at a sprint towards where the battle is located.

Pausing for a moment in an alley on the way, hidden from view, Daisuke takes a deep breath and pulls his mask from his bag. This is App business, whatever the truth of the situation, and so this is something needing Taurus Mask, not Daisuke. The Ranked Berserker, not the still-unknown wrestler.

The horns are still comforting. That’s nice to know.

But Taurus Mask rushes into this battle with a mission. He doesn’t particularly care at the moment of the specifics, he just needs to know why the App is here in Paris, what these heroes and villains think they’re doing with it, and why… why everyone remembers.

Ordinarily, when a battle zone closes, anyone who isn’t a participant – that is, those without the App – don’t even notice. Everything is reset as it was before, so of course, they don’t. It shouldn’t be possible for a city without a significant percentage of App users to have heroes based on it.

Well, Taurus is resolved to figure it out. His Sacred Artifact may not give him insight into the System which runs the App or this world, but what it uncovers in the participants can still give him something to work with. He has to use his power on either the akuma or the heroes, or all of them, and work with whatever information he can glean from it.

It’s a long shot. It’s not like using his Sacred Artifact ever gave him an edge understanding the situation in Tokyo, after all. But it is possible. Most likely, he’ll just memorize everything he can and call someone better suited to this to figure it out. His soul brother knows a lot of really intelligent people who can help, he knows.

Evidently, the heroes of Paris are competent at what they do, since the akuma is defeated just as Taurus manages to arrive. That’s one possibility out, then.

This isn’t going to endear me to the heroes, that’s for sure, Taurus thinks grimly. But I have to figure out what’s going on.

Ladybug picks up a red, black-spotted object, and Taurus thinks that if that resets the damage, it may also close the battle zone and disallow use of his Sacred Artifact. He can probably open one himself if he’s against these two, but to be safe he rushes in. “Excuse me!” he shouts, disarming them just long enough to slip in close enough to stop Ladybug from closing the battle zone if she tries to use that power of hers.

With their attention, he grins. “Sorry to interrupt!” he bellows, in a voice fit to MC this grand event. “Ladybug and Chat Noir! Fabled heroes of Paris! I know you, so allow me to introduce myself. I am…” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Taurus Mask!”

“…Um,” Ladybug tilts her head cutely as her jaw drops in utter bafflement. “Can we help you?”

“Yes!” Taurus says. “In fact, I am in need of information which only you and your dastardly villain possess!” Quieter, he adds, “…Will you please answer a few questions?”

Ladybug and Chat Noir share a look, neither knowing exactly who this strange, masked man is or what he wants. Eventually, Chat Noir says, “…I suppose we can come back after we recharge?”

A flutter of panic wells up in Taurus when he sees Ladybug rear up to throw her Lucky Charm into the air and trigger her other power. The System in place, while close enough to work with the App, is obviously at least a little different, and Taurus doesn’t want to risk not having access to his Sacred Artifact. These are heroes, but… frankly, he doubts they’ll just tell him anything that will help him figure out what’s really happening. “It will only take a moment!” he begs. “Just a few questions?”

Their jewelry, which Taurus has read gives them their powers, beeps, and both shift uncomfortable. “I’m sorry,” Ladybug says, again hefting her Lucky Charm, “but we really need to go. If you can wait a few minutes, we’ll hear you out, but-”

“No!” Taurus reacts without thinking, reaching out and snatching the Lucky Charm from her grasp before she can use her power. He can’t let her close the battle zone yet, but already his gut is sinking.

He has a moment for the two to recover from their shock, and uses it to put enough distance between them to react should they come at him. “I’m sorry,” he says, “but I can’t allow you to fix everything just yet! I don’t want to cause trouble, but I need answers before that happens.”

Both brandishing weapons now, the heroes glare at Taurus. “I’ll give you one chance to hand that back to my lady before I take it,” Chat Noir growls.

“Who are you?” Ladybug asks. “Why would you…?”

“I swear I’m not trying to stop you from doing your jobs,” Taurus says as placatingly as he can while still holding the Lucky Charm close like a football, “but I won’t take no for an answer. I need to figure out what’s happening, even if it means wresting the answers from you by force!”

The heroes narrow their eyes. Neither trust him. In fact, a shared look confirms to each other that they both suspect he is simply another akuma. It’s happened before, though this is extraordinarily fast for another one to show up.

Even so, Ladybug asks, “What do you want to know?”

Taurus sags a little, relieved that dialogue is at least open. But how to ask this? Frankly, he’s not sure exactly what he can ask that will help, their willingness to answer notwithstanding.

Ultimately, the App War was a proxy war for gods of other worlds. Participants, including people like Taurus and the transients, with their Sacred Artifacts, infused with the power of gods and the System of the world which they originate, battle to establish a hierarchy of belief. Which Systems come out on top… determining that is the point.

Taurus wishes he were smarter. Then, he might be able to pinpoint why this situation in Paris is at all like the one in Tokyo, but unfortunately, he is not.

But he knows that the heroes and villains here have magical jewelry which grant them power – Sacred Artifacts, perhaps? – but where does that power come from? Gods? Just maybe… that would make sense.

“Why does everyone remember what happens after you reset everything?” Taurus asks.

Ladybug, completely taken aback by such an odd question, shares another look with Chat Noir. “Why wouldn’t they?”

When Ladybug answers, it’s Taurus’s turn to be taken aback. Maybe something simpler? Something absolutely necessary to know. “Are you using the App?”

“The App?” Chat Noir echoes, face twisted into confusion. “What app? Are you just trying to stall us?”

No App? Then… why is a battle zone open? Can I use my…

Ladybug and Chat Noir jump when their Miraculous beep urgently once more. Ladybug growls. “We have to go,” she says.

Chat Noir nods.

Seeing them both turn to take off, Taurus quickly does some mental math. If Ladybug recharges, then she can summon another Lucky Charm. That’s what he’s lead to believe, anyway. If she does that, she can reset everything and close the battle zone regardless of if Taurus hold on to the one in his hand.

“You can’t!” Taurus shouts. Seeing that neither are going to wait any longer, he groans. “I’m sorry about this, but I won’t allow you to escape!” They don’t listen, of course. Chat Noir is already in the air and Ladybug already has her yo-yo on some far structure to pull her away faster than Taurus can stop her.

Which leaves him with only one choice left. He doesn’t want to use it, because he knows they’ll interpret it as an attack – not to mention the possibility of learning more than he should – but the chance of it giving insight into the situation here in Paris as it relates to the App War in Tokyo is too important to pass up.

Besides… he has a mask on. This mask which means to Taurus to fight on. To never hide in the face of fear. He’s faced plenty of Sacred Artifacts with this mask, so it’s not all that frightening to do this now.

“Role of the Hero!” Taurus shouts. Ladybug and Chat Noir pause, clearly realizing that he’s trying to pull something to stop them from leaving. “Rule of Accession! Engrave mine name of Taurus Mask unto thee!”

“Careful, Ladybug!” Chat Noir shouts.

Taurus really does feel awful about this. “Alight!” He raises the arm where his Sacred Artifact sits on his wrist. “Corona Borealis!”

Ladybug gasps as the cords of the Ring around his wrist unravel and whip about. She tries to dodge, but it happens in an instant. Chat Noir manages to get between them only to be wrapped up in the ropes of the Sacred Artifact as well as Ladybug.

Chat Noir winces, but looks around, surprised that he isn’t restrained. The ropes entwine around him and Ladybug, as well as Taurus Mask, but don’t restrict his movement.

They sort of remind him of the ropes around a wrestling ring.

Well, if they’re not stopping their escape, Ladybug and he really need to recharge.

“A warning!” Taurus Mask shouts. “This Sacred Artifact made from the thread of souls will expose all forms of deception, unmasking all that which is concealed!”

Chat Noir and Ladybug both feel their blood run cold. It can’t be, Ladybug thinks. There have been other akuma that could out our identities in one hit, but…

“Whether my opponent is underground or invisible, it will form the path to allow us to duel! As a wrestler, I will take what I seek from you! If you won’t tell me with words, I will simply wrest the answers from your souls! Within this space, a wrestler has only their body to fight with – no puny tricks! It will be a battle so heated our very souls wil- huh? Oh!”

Suddenly, Taurus Mask pales and stumbles back. “Two?!” he gasps. “I haven’t seen more than one since… no, they’re not inside of you… not like them… but that’s not normal! Are you… Exceptions?!”

Ladybug honestly has no idea what this crazy guy is on about. She and Chat Noir silently debate the ethics of just attacking him while Taurus Mask himself scrambles with the revelations he does not truly expect his Sacred Artifact to grant him.

He can see their very souls. No masks stand up to Taurus’s Sacred Artifact. Of course, exposing their souls gives him an idea of the identities behind the literal masks, too – in large part the reason why he hesitates to use this option from the start, since he of all people knows how important a mask can be – but thankfully the physical mask remains and he’ll only know for sure if he sees their souls without the mask on to compare. Even so, seeing the souls in front of him now gives him guesses – good guesses, he thinks. But still that possible revelation takes a back seat to what he’s looking for in the first place.

Ladybug, Chat Noir, each bear two souls. It’s not like Taurus’s soul brother, who carries myriad souls inside of them. Instead, the two souls each of these heroes bear are simply intertwined, not inhabiting the same vessel.

And that’s remarkable enough, but not all that dissimilar to someone like Musashi. What truly throws Taurus off is that the two souls paired with these people are… beyond him. It’s one thing to find burning souls of passion and determination – which these heroes surely have – but it’s another entirely to find souls so unlike even the transients Taurus has seen that it can only be something outside the scope of reality itself.

Taurus does not comprehend half the souls before him. He perceives them, certainly, but even as he peers directly into the true selves of the people behind the masks of Ladybug and Chat Noir, the remaining two souls float on the edge of his mind, teasing at him, enough to surely drive him mad if he lingers but too much to have hope of understanding from a glance.

It’s as if something, the sheer enormity and gravitas of them perhaps, just can’t be grasped by a mortal mind.

But that utter lack of comprehension tells Taurus more than enough. These souls belong to beings outside the structured System of the App. Exceptions, too powerful and game breaking to be allowed to participate, or even gods themselves. Anything else, save for a Rule and Role opposing his, he would see just as he sees the human souls before him.

If these gods are granting Ladybug and Chat Noir power through Sacred Artifacts – the Miraculous – and they’re fighting someone else powered by another god supplying another Sacred Artifact… then no wonder the App reacts. Taurus can’t know where these gods come from, whether they’re from another world or this one, and if they all come from separate worlds or the same one, but it’s clear that battles between these Miraculous are essentially the same as battles with Sacred Artifacts.

Proxy wars for gods.

Taurus is wrapped up in this same thing again.

(Is he complaining, though? …No. He is a Berserker, after all.)

Ladybug isn’t sure what’s happening, but she has a minute at most left before she detransforms and she doesn’t think she can escape with this Ring around them. Ethics of attacking a distracted opponent aside, she’s out of time. With a signal to Chat Noir, she leaps forward.

And gets a Lucky Charm smacking her in the face in response.

“You’re out of time, aren’t you?” Taurus Mask says, sounding surprisingly sympathetic rather than taunting as Ladybug would expect of an akuma. She also doesn’t expect him to bow deeply to her and Chat. “I’m truly sorry about that! My Sacred artifact revealed what I needed to know, so… you can have that back!” Ladybug, dumbfounded, picks up her Lucky Charm.

What does he know? Ladybug struggles with the dilemma in her mind, again frozen in the face of such an odd encounter. Does he know her identity? What is he looking for in the first place? What does that power of his really do – is he honest about that? What was he mumbling about after he used it?

She has way too many questions and no guarantee that she’ll ever see him again to get them answered, but she has no choice but to run immediately as soon as she sees that Ring he summons disappear.

Ensuring Chat Noir leaves, she takes off as well, not having the time to afford to stick around and listen as he monologues.

It’s not hard to escape, surprisingly. Taurus doesn’t chase them, and she has just enough time left to duck into a hiding spot just a short leap away. Even so, when she transforms back and Marinette can afford to spare thought to the strange encounter, she panics.

She knows almost nothing, but even without confirmation, there is a chance now – a significant one – that an akuma has just revealed her secret identity. Marinette has no idea what that strange power does exactly, but if Taurus is to be believed, she doubts her identity holds up against “unmasking all that which is concealed”.

What am I supposed to do?! she thinks. She struggles for breath, hardly even capable of voicing her racing thoughts aloud as Tikki eats. Clutching at her hair, Marinette trembles. “He knows our identities, Tikki! Hawk Moth has won! How could I have been so careless?!”

“Calm down, Marinette!” Tikki frowns sadly. “It’s true that, if he knows your identities, that’s terrible, but first thing’s first, you need to find him and stop the akuma!”

“That’s the other thing!” Marinette exclaims. Despite the evidence: that weird power he uses, the mask and name, stealing her Lucky Charm and unmasking them, something about this situation isn’t right. Hawk Moth can send out two akuma in a day, yes, but not two at once unless he’s powered up into Scarlet Moth, and Taurus’ color scheme is green, not red. “Are we sure he’s really an akuma?”

Is he an amok instead? But that doesn’t quite seem right to her, either…

“Well,” Tikki says hesitantly, “I guess there’s no way to be sure until you confront him. Either way, if he knows your identity, you shouldn’t let him just get away!”

“You’re right, Tikki,” Marinette sighs. It’s not much, but it’s direction. It’s something concrete that she can do to try to make this situation better, so she’s going to do it. “Are you ready to go?”

With Tikki’s confirmation, Marinette transforms once more into Ladybug to return to the spot where she last sees Taurus Mask. Chat Noir obviously has the same thought, since they meet up on a nearby rooftop just before the location comes into view.

Ladybug isn’t entirely sure what she expects – to find no trace of him is probably the worst and most likely scenario – but she knows for sure that this isn’t even on the list. Chat Noir sends a puzzled look her way, motioning for her to listen closely, and Ladybug hears Taurus Mask even before she sees him.

“…told him, wait until I, too, become a pro wrestler and can join you as a teammate!”

A gasp. Ladybug peers over the edge of the roof, only half-surprised to see Alya there pointing her phone camera at Taurus Mask while he monologues into a microphone. (Where the microphone comes from, Marinette has no idea.)

“What did he say?” Alya asks, leaning in eagerly.

“Great question!” Taurus melodramatically performs for the camera, determination and solemn fortitude pouring off of him like a physical force. “He told me this: if I really won’t give up on my dream to become a pro wrestler… I should fight on. He said I must never hide in the face of fear. That is when I will truly know my opponent. Only then can I touch my opponent’s soul.” Downcast, but losing none of his verve, he adds, “I may be hurt at times, but that is also how I will meet the ones I can truly call friends.” Brighter again, and nearly shouting into the mic with his enthusiasm. “He said that if I continue on that path, one day, I will meet the one who shares my passionate soul! My soul brother!”

Alya gasps again, grinning widely, completely into the story. “How touching! I think I might cry!”

Taurus laughs heartily. “Ha! That reaction… I kind of want to be your friend now. I cried, too! He gave me so much courage that I swore! I swore I would continue to train for that day!”

“Amazing!” Alya cheers. “The Ladyblog wants to know, Taurus Mask; are you still training for that day? Did you ever find your soul brother?”

Taurus Mask’s smile turns a little goofy, the faraway gaze and expression of someone reminiscing about something not present. “I have!” he shouts. “My soul brother is the only person in the world who can see under this mask of mine!” Taurus Mask ducks his head, so Ladybug from her perch doesn’t hear it, but he adds, “Though, I still get embarrassed…” He shakes his head roughly. “But that doesn’t mean my training has come to an end! On the contrary, it’s only the beginning! With my soul brother at my side, it’s just a new chapter in the saga of the future pro wrestler, Taurus Mask!”

“Okay,” Chat Noir says quietly. “I had my doubts, but he’s definitely an akuma.”

“We’ll find out one way or another,” Ladybug growls. This guy jumps in out of nowhere, possibly discovers their identities, and almost stops Ladybug from repairing the damage of the last akuma. Eccentricities or not, akuma or not, he’s not someone they can risk running around unchecked. “Come on, Chat.”

“Way ahead of you, my lady.” Chat Noir grins and pounces ahead of Ladybug, landing not far from the interview with characteristic lackadaisical flair. “Sorry to interrupt,” he says, “but I’m afraid Ladybug and I are going to have to hold an interview of our own.”

Some of the light in Taurus Mask’s eyes dies out when he sees them, but he makes no move to run, or even any motion to fight. “Ah…” he mutters, “yeah, I thought you would. That’s why I stuck around. I’m sorry again for what I did – I hope you’ll understand once I explain the situation.”

“We’ll see,” Ladybug says. “For now, Alya, you should go.”

Eyes darting between Ladybug and Taurus Mask, Alya quickly assesses the situation. “Of course, Ladybug,” she says.

Alya keeps her thoughts to herself for now, but she intends to speak with Marinette about this later. Having talked to him for a minute, and having interviewed akuma before, Alya can’t convince herself that Taurus Mask is on Hawk Moth’s side.

And if he’s not on Hawk Moth’s side… then she might have just gotten the first ever interview – and backstory to boot! – of Paris’ newest hero. She’ll sit on the footage for now, until things between the heroes get sorted out, but… well, whatever way this ends up going, this is going to be interesting, and this interview will remain valuable.

With one last parting look, and humor in her chest that her look needs to be reassuring for Taurus Mask – the poor guy looks ready to cry with Ladybug and Chat Noir looking at him like an akuma – Alya takes her leave.

Alone, Taurus Mask shrinks under the expectant, baleful eyes of the heroes of Paris. The air is thick and heavy, crushing him under its heel.

“Well!” Chat Noir says casually. “Curiosity killed the cat, as they say. Why don’t you start by telling us just what exactly that power of yours showed you, then go into the whole situation, hm?”

Taurus Mask yelps at the interruption of the horrible moment, and sighs as he considers how best to answer. “Simply put,” he says, “my Sacred Artifact creates a forum for a fair fight.”

Chat Noir hums. “That sounds very different from ‘unmasking all that which is concealed’.”

“No, it does that,” Taurus says. “There’s no room for deceit and hiding in a fair fight. A real fair fight is a battle where our very souls trade blows. It’s Rule is Accession, and with my Role of the Hero it manifests in the power to touch the souls of others, to raise them to courage and power just like my own hero did for me.”

“But it means you know our identities,” Ladybug confirms.

Taurus Mask winces. “Not… exactly? I know your souls, and the souls entwined with yours, but my Sacred Artifact doesn’t give me the knowledge of what that means. I mean… I do have a guess, and I’m usually pretty good at figuring that kind of thing out with this power, but… I can’t say with a hundred percent certainty or anything.”

Ladybug shares a look with Chat. Taurus Mask has seen their very souls. If he’s so much as stumbled across them as civilians, it’s likely he can puzzle it out, and he admits to having a guess. While it sounds like his power doesn’t literally unmask them to him, it surely does away with the glamour magic at play that protects them from others.

“Okay,” Ladybug says, “so are you going to explain why it was so necessary to figure out our identities?”

“I wasn’t trying to figure out your identities!” Taurus yelps. “But… I’m new to Paris, okay? That was the first akuma I’ve ever seen. Where I’m from, something… similar, but different was happening. That’s why I have my Sacred Artifact in the first place. But my Sacred Artifact doesn’t work outside of a battle zone, and if you reset everything, you’d close the battle zone, and I knew you wouldn’t just tell some random citizen what’s going on here, so I did the only thing I could think of!”

Something like this happening somewhere else? Ladybug knows it’s not impossible, especially given the power Taurus Mask himself demonstrates. It’s clearly not a Miraculous, not if he uses the power and then sticks around in an interview with Alya while Ladybug and Chat recharge, and he keeps calling it a Sacred Artifact… “What is that rope?” Ladybug asks. “Your… Sacred Artifact? What’s a Sacred Artifact?”

Taurus blinks. “…Oh, um… how to explain it… it’s sort of like your Miraculous, I guess. It’s an artifact of another world which holds the power of a god- I know it sounds crazy! But listen, aren’t your Miraculous the same? Except Sacred Artifacts apply their Rules on the world, just like gods, and your Miraculous are inhabited by gods rather than just objects with similar powers. Right?”

Chat Noir’s eyes widen, then narrow into slits. “How did you know that?”

Taurus ducks his head. “My Sacred Artifact revealed it to me. I saw your souls, but I also saw two others, ones I can only assume at this point are the souls of gods. And they were inside your Miraculous, so…”

Remarkable. He may not even realize the details, but Taurus Mask just casually discovered the kwami. Ladybug… honestly doesn’t know where to go from here.

“And you’re…” Chat Noir says, “not an akuma?”

“No!” Taurus says. “I just come from somewhere else where the System is a little different. I’m trying to figure out how things work here, that’s all.”

Chat Noir hums. “What do you think, my lady? He sounds genuine to me.”

He does sound genuine, because he is. Ladybug may not be able to see through deceptions and masks, but she finds herself believing Taurus.

After all, even if he also wears a mask, his definition of a fair fight includes baring his own soul, too. Ladybug just has a gut feeling that he’s not a bad person. The identity issue still worries her, but she’s willing to believe that he’s not going to purposefully cause trouble.

But she is still the guardian of the Miraculous, and it is her duty to keep the Miraculous safe. If Taurus Mask has even an inkling of their identities, she needs full understanding of the situation. So, she drags both boys off to a more private location and has a long, long discussion about where Taurus comes from, how things work there, and, once she’s satisfied, just a little bit about things here in Paris.

(She would not believe his story about transients for a second if he didn’t have pictures of himself – still masked, of course – hanging out with a hulking minotaur and many other, even weirder, people on his phone.)

(The App, however, neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir need much convincing of, though Taurus shows it to them, too. Once he explains the premise of the App, both heroes of Paris understand much better why Taurus Mask steps in to figure out why it’s acting up again so far from other players. They also understand why the kwami in particular intrigue Taurus, though he doesn’t ask for too many details about the gods in their Miraculous just yet, nor do they tell him.)

With all the details, or at least as much as either side is willing to share, out in the open, Ladybug is equally convinced of Taurus Mask’s good intentions as his inevitable interference in akuma attacks. He’s a man with a secret identity, a superpower, the literal Role of the Hero, and, based on his brief stories about his guild, not an ounce of self-preservation.

(He’s friends with a tiger that wants to eat him? And Ladybug thought Paris is weird.)

There’s no way that Taurus Mask won’t run towards the akuma when everyone else runs away, whether Ladybug and Chat Noir tell him to stay away or not.

Plus, there’s still the identity situation… At this rate, Ladybug is going to get a migraine.

“I think that’s enough for today,” Chat Noir says eventually. “We all have a lot to think about, so why don’t we go get some rest, get back to our lives, and continue this another time?”

Ladybug sighs. “That’s a good idea, Chat. I have a lot of thinking to do.”

Taurus Mask sags a little. “Sounds good to me. I don’t do much here except school yet, so just let me know if you ever want to meet.”

Daisuke Ikusaba is dreading going to school.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong, exactly, but he’s pretty sure that Ladybug and Chat Noir are his classmates (and what are the odds of that?) and he’s not sure he can handle walking in there, looking at them and how they act, and confirming it for himself.

He takes a deep breath to fortify himself enough to cross the threshold and shuffle all the way into his classroom to his seat.

Marinette walks in, passes off something to Rose that Rose is supremely thankful for, hands everyone a macaron, and summarily gets in a fight with Chloé over some mean remarks towards Kim and Daisuke just groans internally because yes, this is definitely Ladybug.

There’s just… there’s just no hiding it.

Then Adrien, whom Daisuke has only spoken to once so far, walks in, cracks an admittedly hilarious pun, snickering impishly to himself while doing so, then takes in the argument and jumps in to defuse it expertly, and Daisuke drops his head to his desk.

He really doesn’t mean to figure them out! He’s new in Paris! He only knows like three people outside of this classroom! Even if his Sacred Artifact told him their names and faces, that still shouldn’t mean anything to him! There’s just no possible way to predict that the heroes would be two of the whole twenty people he knows in this entire city.

It’s ridiculous.

“Utterly ridiculous!” Chloé shrieks. As Daisuke curls up into his desk, Chloé huffs, plopping (gracefully!) down onto her seat. She has no idea why Dupain-Cheng thinks now is a good time to start an argument. Honestly, she doesn’t think her comment about Kim is even that bad, considering all the other irons she has in the fire that she knows Dupain-Cheng is aware of.

But Marinette is not thinking about Chloé. While it’s true that her comment about Kim bothers her, and that she’ll always happily jump in to her friends’ defense, Marinette doesn’t think it’s strictly necessary in this case. It’s a minor thing, just a mean, off-handed comment that the entire class (Daisuke, who’s new, excluded) has long since learned to ignore.

No, she’s not testing Chloé here, she’s testing Daisuke. Because if Taurus Mask knows her identity, or at least has a guess, then that means he must be someone who knows her. If he’s as new to Paris as he claims, then Daisuke is a good match in timing, and he looks similar, as well. That said, the mask he wears covers significantly more than a simple domino mask does, so although he has no magic glamour protecting his identity, it’s still not something Marinette can identify so easily through looks alone.

But Taurus Mask is a hero through and through. Taurus Mask would never resist rushing in when conflict arises. Daisuke Ikusaba is a socially anxious, muscled ball of nerves. That Daisuke looks over at her argument, clearly noting it, but doesn’t so much as utter a word is, in Marinette’s mind, evidence that he cannot possibly be Taurus Mask.

There’s no way this shy kid sitting in the back of her class can monologue about his backstory and persona so easily to Alya and the whole internet. Daisuke Ikusaba and Taurus Mask can’t be anything but two entirely separate people, Marinette thinks.

But then who is he? Marinette grits her teeth, struggling over the question for the whole school day.

Daisuke isn’t much better, tossing around in his head whether he should talk to Marinette and Adrien about it, whether he should talk to Ladybug and Chat Noir about it, whether he should tell them his identity… but he can’t tell them his identity! It’s not even that he’s strictly against doing so. Being seen unmasked is like… like public indecency. To tell them who he is just feels wrong.

But he knows them, through no choice of their own.

But will he even be able to get the words out if he tries? Last time, the only time he’s ever done something like this, he could hardly say a word to his own soul brother out of sheer embarrassment – and they already knew! How is he supposed to deal with these two?

He suffers through the myriad options, none appealing enough to even seem plausible. Marinette suffers through her compromised duty and endless questions about who exactly poses such a great danger to her, and in the very front row, Adrien suffers through exactly the same thing as his lady, with more thought spared to still processing the App, the System from which it comes, and transients.

It’s a tough school day all around, but though no answers are apparent to any of them, all three share a determination to find the right answer regardless. After all, all three of them are heroes. For whatever reason, they’ve all honed the ability to see problems not as obstacles in their path, but challenges to overcome.

It may take some time to sort through everything that this clashing of worlds has thrown at them all, but they all feel the pressure of their Roles and cannot possibly act counter to them. They will figure it out. They will overcome those challenges. They will grow stronger for that effort.

And though forces oppose them, though they have villains within their school and without, they will fight on.

Each one of them, for many, many reasons, is afraid, but they will not hide in the face of fear.

Each one of them faces the possibility of being hurt. Physically in the line of duty, or emotionally to support that duty. But each of them also know through experience that that hurt is also how they will meet their greatest allies, the ones they can truly call friends.

[lyranova]

A Fractured Diamond:

Episode 9: Neva vs Llyr

Hi guys! I’m so sorry its been so long since I’ve posted a chapter of this, I’ve been busy with other fics and series and haven’t really felt inspired for this lately. But I got hit with the inspiration recently and finally finished it 😁! This is the last part to this ‘arc’ so I hope you all enjoy~!

Taglist: @thoughtfullyrainynightmare @succulentsunrise @jovialnoise

Word Count: 4,528

Warnings: Violence

Neva rolled her shoulders back as she heard the announcer shout. This was it, she felt her nervousness from a moment ago slowly fall away. She needed to put Llyr and Langris out of her mind for now, she had to focus on the task at hand. She turned to look at Sonas and Lavis, they were just standing there, apparently they didn’t have any idea what they were supposed to be doing. She sighed and shook her head, they were useless.

“ Ok, since neither of you have mapping spells can you at least sense mana decently?” She asked as she crossed her arms, they would need to move soon before the other team discovered their location.

“ U-Um…not really.” Sonas muttered softly, Lavis shrugged his shoulder.

“ I’m decent, but not as good as most.” Neva growled in irritation.

“ Well what are you two good at?!” She snarled, she needed to do well, she wanted to be a part of the Royal Knights and she would be damned if she didn’t make it because of these two! “ Whatever. Just stay here and guard the crystal. I’ll take care of the other team.” She quickly equipped her Effervescent Armor and took off before either of her teammates could say a word.

“ Well she’s in a mood.”

——-

Yuno watched as Neva seemed to almost glide across the battlefield, she seemed to know exactly where the other team and their crystal was. Her mana sensing was quite impressive, but it didn’t help that the other team was already on their way to where Neva’s team was situated so she was at least a level 4. He watched as she summoned a crystal pillar to pierce through the other team's mode of transportation. Her armor disappeared and she began to use Diamond Shower to attack from long range and Diamond Palisade to block the team's attacks.

‘She has gotten much stronger.’ Yuno thought somewhat proud, the thing was; Neva didn’t realize how much stronger she had gotten in the past few weeks, anytime they trained she would always mutter how she needed to get stronger, how she was still too weak, how she couldn’t call herself a member of the Golden Dawn until she was able to beat someone with the same magic type as her. He shook his head slightly, she was putting too much pressure on herself. But the more he watched the more his suspicions were confirmed. These three mages she was fighting against, they were all decently strong and she was handling them with ease. Not a single spell was able to hit her. Suddenly, he watched as a single Diamond Arrow shot out of her hand went straight through the other team's crystal; they had left themselves wide open to an attack.

“ Crystal Destroyed!” Rang out through the battlefield, Yuno watched as the teams walked away from each other and climbed onto the small disks that would float them back up to where the other knights stood.

“ I told you; she doesn’t work well in teams.” Klaus muttered as he pushed his glasses up, Yuno turned to look at him.

“ But, she works well with us!” Mimosa argued, but everyone had seen it. She went rogue.

“ Yes. But the key word there is us, she knows us and has learned how to work with and around our affinities.” Klaus argued before they heard heels click against the stone ground, Yuno turned and saw the fair haired girl in question walking towards them.

Neva was breathing heavier than she would have liked, the battle really wore her out, it also used a lot more mana than she wanted. She shouldn’t have used her armor, but she wanted to get the battle done and over with as quickly as possible. She wiped the small beads of sweat off her brow with the back of her hand as she walked over to the others. Yuno’s eyes were narrowed slightly.

“ What’s wrong?” Neva asked as she stood in front of him.

“ Nothing. You did very well out there.” He answered simply, Neva quirked her eyebrow. She was sensing a ‘but’ in that statement.

“ But?” She pushed slightly, Yuno was a terrible liar or at least when it came to little white lies anyway.

“ But you need to remember this is a team test. You can’t just abandon them like that and go off on your own, that’ll most likely disqualify you if you do it again.” Yuno explained, his usual monotone voice held a certain sternness to it. Neva gritted her teeth, she knew he was right, but that didn’t mean she liked it.

“ Says the guy who told me to use them as decoys.” She threw back, Yuno blinked in surprise for a moment before he looked away in shame, he did tell her to do that didn’t he?

“ I shouldn’t have said that.” he admitted softly, causing her to sigh as well. Everyone in this test had been dealt a bad hand. Some worse than others.

“ What do you suggest I do then? Since I can’t go off on my own?” She asked him before crossing her arms, she watched Yuno think for a moment before he did a small half shrug.

“ Adapt.” He told her simply. Neva blinked, that was it? To adapt?! That was all the advice he could give her?! She shook her head before walking past him for a moment and coming to stand next to him, she watched as a small team cleaned the field for the next team.

“ Easy for you to say, you can adapt easily. I...I’m not so lucky.” She muttered under her breath, Yuno frowned, she was decent at adapting in his eyes. Sure she wasn’t as good as others, but she was still decent. Before he could open his mouth to argue his team had been called.

“ Looks like it's your turn.” Neva said as she turned to look at him, a small smirk on her face. Yuno nodded before walking towards his team.

“ Hey Yuno,” he turned as he suddenly heard Neva call him, his breath hitched in his throat slightly. She was smiling softly, like at the Star Festival. “ Good Luck.” All Yuno could do was nod in response before he turned and stood on the small platform that would take him and his team down to the small battlefield. He had seen that smile two times before, so why did it still make him feel...weird? Like he couldn’t breathe. He quickly shook his head, there wasn’t time for any of that, he needed to focus on the task at hand.

———

Neva watched silently as Yuno and his team entered the battlefield, she was nervous, even though she knew he would be alright. She didn’t really know why she was nervous for him though.

‘Maybe because you don’t want him to get hurt, hm?’ That little voice in her head teased. She quickly shook her head, no, that wasn’t it! That couldn’t be it! But a small part of her did wonder if that little voice could be correct, when Neva thought about it she was nervous when Mimosa and Klaus were fighting as well. She paled instantly, no, that was the complete opposite of what she wanted! She had to keep her distance, the walls needed to stay up, for everyone's sake. She heard the announcer begin the match and watched as Yuno and his team split up. He took charge almost as soon as they had landed on the field, he knew what he was going to do, and he expected them to follow.

Neva watched him in awe, the way he moved on the field...it was amazing! The way he used his affinity to carry himself, the way he was able to use both offensive and defensive spells at the same time without using very much mana. It was one thing when she fought alongside him, and another when she was watching him. She never noticed the way he flicked his wrist when he went to use one of his many offensive spells, or the way he clenched his jaw when his opponent made a counter move, or the way he seemed more comfortable in the air than on the ground. He carried himself differently on the battlefield than he did when he wasn’t, he was more confident, more comfortable here. This was his space. Neva hadn’t realized her mouth was slightly open in awe at him until she was snapped out of her thoughts by the one person she never wanted to see again.

“The Honest; always gives, but never takes.

A protagonist; never makes mistakes.

The honorable; always provides solace.

A leader; one that truly intimidates.

The true hero; the honest.

An honest man; is he.”

Llyr closed his poetry book with a soft ‘snap’. He came to stand beside Neva and watched as Yuno continued to dodge the lesser mage’s spells.

“ Are you trying to tell me something Llyr?” Neva asked in irritation, she hated his stupid vauge poems, ever since he was a kid he was always partial to that art form. He chuckled softly.

“ Maybe I am. But sadly, the message probably goes over your poor little head.” He sighed in disappointment. She glared at him.

“ Well I’m assuming the ‘honest man’ you’re referring to is Yuno, yes?” She asked with a smirk, she saw the genuine surprise on his face before he quickly covered it.

“ My, you have changed Neva. What a smart little girl you’ve become.” Neva growled, the way he was speaking to her, like she was a naive child, was really starting to piss her off.

“ You’ve got to the count of three to go away before I kick you across the field.” She warned, Llyr held his hands up in mock surrender before he laughed.

“ Aw don’t be that way Neva, I was only teasing. But you are correct, I was talking about Yuno.” He confirmed with a nod. “ May I ask you something?”

“ You’re going to ask anyway so I don’t see the point in you asking for permission.” She snapped, Llyr always did and said what he wanted, so why should he start asking for permission now?

“ How can you two be so close, and so similar, but yet be so different at the same time?” He asked, Neva turned to look at him in confusion.

“ What are you talking about? Yuno and I aren't very close.” She stated she didn’t think they were very close, or at least not closer than how squadmates usually were, he shrugged simply.

“ You sure? Because, it doesn’t look that way to me.” Llyr smirked slightly, causing Neva to roll her eyes at him. “ Y’know what I noticed? You didn’t deny that you were different, yet similar.”

Neva hmphed a bit, she had noticed their similarities a bit. Both were quiet, focused, and didn’t really want to make friends and yet they were different in the sense Yuno told everyone what he was thinking and didn’t have a problem telling them about his family, about the people back at his home in Hage village, while she, well, she didn’t talk about anything.

“ Crystal Destroyed!” Suddenly rang out, pulling Neva out of her thoughts, Yuno’s team had won and she missed it, because of Llyr!

“ Great thanks a lot.” Neva snapped, she had wanted to see all her squadmates' victories. The red haired man smirked and ‘tsked’.

“ What a shame you missed your boyfriend's overwhelming victory.” He tutted, Neva growled and she glared at him.

“ He is not my boyfriend!”

“ Whatever you say blondie, whatever you say.” He teased before walking away, she glared at the red heads retreating form. He was probably the most infuriating person on the planet, a small piece of her wondered how his fellow squadmates hadn’t killed him yet. She looked over when she saw Yuno and his team come over, Noelle walked past her to go speak with Asta and the other Black Bulls that had come to cheer her on while the man from the Green Mantis went over to be by himself, or that’s what Neva assumed anyway.

“ You did great out there.” Neva said with a smirk, she hadn’t gotten to see the entire match, but from what she had seen, and what she knew about him, it was probably an easy victory.

“ Thanks I guess. It wasn’t that difficult.” Yuno said quietly as the two watched a small crew begin to clean up again.

“ I didn’t figure it was.” She said with a small laugh, she figured most of these matches would be pretty easy for him, unless he went up against the Captain of the Aqua Deer or one of the Vice Captains. That would probably be the only time he would struggle.

The raven haired man and platinum haired woman stood in silence as the next team entered the field, neither really felt the need to constantly fill the silence with small talk like a lot of people felt they needed too, Neva had to admit it was nice not having to think of something to say. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw he appeared to be lost in thought, most likely about his next match. She sighed softly, she had been trying to think of a strategy herself, but considering her two teammates might as well be useful as a chocolate teapot in the middle of summer.

Neva blinked as suddenly the next team was already leaving the battlefield, what? When did she miss that? Yuno frowned as he looked over at her.

“ You alright?” He asked, he watched the blonde girl shake her head. The last time he looked at her she looked to be completely lost in thought, he shook his head, she was stressing herself out.

“ I’m fine, just...got lost in thought.” She laughed humorlessly, she frowned when Yuno made a disbelieving noise, but neither commented on it. She wondered why he had made that noise. Suddenly she watched his eyes widen and his mouth open slightly in shock. “ What’s wrong?” She asked before she followed his gaze up to the board. She gasped softly as her own eyes widened at the names.

The next two teams that would be going against each other were hers and Llyrs!

“Seriously?!” She said softly, why did the world have it out for her?! It wasn’t that he was stronger than her, it was that she had to deal with his personality on the battlefield. He was already annoying enough just speaking to him, she could only imagine how he was when you fought against him!

“ Well well well, if this isn’t a pleasant surprise.” Llyr laughed as he came up to stand beside Neva and Yuno, she gritted her teeth and glared at the red head who only smirked. “ I was hoping I’d get to test out your fighting skills today. Hopefully I won’t be disappointed.” He chuckled before walking towards his teammates.

Neva shook her head before she walked over to the small platform that would carry them down to the arena.

“ You’ll be ok Neva. You’ve got this.” She froze as she heard those words leave Yuno’s lips, she turned around to face him and he had his usual look on his face that she couldn’t read, but the look in his eyes showed he believed those words without a doubt. She smirked and nodded.

“ Thanks, Yuno.” She said as she stepped onto the platform with her teammates and floated down to the arena, she couldn’t help but sigh slightly in relief. She felt better knowing someone else believed in her.

———

Neva looked around, they had been dropped in a different location than before, they were in a small slightly worn down building that was surrounded by trees and foliage. She had to admit it was a good spot to hide in, well hidden, secluded. But it was also the perfect spot to be ambushed, so she made sure to keep her guard up. She looked over at Sonas and Lavis who just stood there looking around, she sighed in exasperation; these two were completely hopeless.

“ What’s the plan boss?” Lavis asked as he crossed his arms, Neva rolled her eyes; why did it always fall to her to come up with a plan? Did neither of them have a brain of their own?

“ I don’t know.” She confessed with a shrug, Sonas blinked and looked down at the ground.

“ L-Llyr is a really strong mage and his two teammates are as well, h-how are we going to beat them without a proper plan?” He asked nervously, Neva placed a hand under her chin thoughtfully.

Llyr was not dumb by any means, sure he liked to pretend he was dumb and aloof, but he was probably one of the most intelligent people she knew. She began to pace around the room as Lavis and Sonas watched her. Llyr’s main weakness was his pride, anger, and his ego. He believed he was more powerful than he actually was, now that wasn’t to say he wasn’t powerful, but she had gone against a lot more powerful people than him before. She smirked a bit as she was hit by a sudden idea, a memory from a previous conversation had popped into her head and she knew exactly how to beat Llyr!

“ I have an idea, but I’ll need you both to listen to me very carefully and follow my instructions exactly as I tell you. Do you understand?” Neva asked them, they both frowned but nodded.

Llyr sighed as he used his water magic to carry him, his teammates, and their crystal towards Neva and her team. He lucked out in getting a mage who had a mapping spell, so they were able to locate them pretty easily.

“ Huh.” The Blue Rose knight who was using the mapping spell suddenly muttered, causing Llyr to glance over at her.

“ What’s wrong? We’re almost there.” Llyr asked in mild annoyance, the girl frowned and looked up at him.

“ The group; they’re splitting up and going in completely different directions!” She exclaimed in surprise, Llyr smirked which only surprised the team more.

“ Ah, she’s taking a huge risk doing this. But is the gain really worth it?” He muttered to himself as he suddenly dropped the water transportation spell, he landed on his feet while the others landed flat on their faces.

“ She thinks she can weaken our team by separating us, making us all go in seperate directions.” He suddenly began to chuckle. “ But she forgets; it weakens her team as well. Where is the strongest mana coming from?” He asked the Blue Rose Knight, she looked at her mapping spell before answering.

“ Straight ahead. It’s a large concentration of mana but-.” She didn’t get to finish her sentence before he took off in the direction she pointed. “ H-Hey wait!” Llyr didn’t listen, he knew where there was a large amount of mana meant that Neva was there and, knowing her, she would be guarding the crystal herself!

Neva smirked as she stood in a small clearing, waiting for the red head to show up. She glanced at the crystal behind her, she hoped her plan would work, no, she knew her plan would work. She quickly faced forward before suddenly feeling mana approach her and saw Llyr flying towards her and her smirk widened; he brought his crystal with him.

What an idiot.

Llyr suddenly let out a yell as a wave of water came towards her, Neva quickly used ‘Diamond Palisade’ and a wall of diamond quickly appeared in front of her and blocked the water mages spell. Droplets of water splashed around her, some even landed on her cheeks, but she remained calm. There was no way he would be able to cut through her diamond.

“ Nice reflexes blondie.” Llyr smirked before he sent more and more waves of water towards her.

Neva either dodged or blocked them with her Diamond Wall, she would use her Diamond shower on occasion, but he was pretty fast himself. Llyr would dodge or capture it in a bubble of water before letting it drop to the ground. The more the two fought the more destruction they caused. Tree’s were being cut down, the ground was being destroyed. But worse of all; Neva was getting tired.

‘I...I used a lot more mana than I thought.’ Neva thought somewhat bitterly, she hadn’t meant to use so much earlier but she had no choice. She tried her best to defend the crystal, she couldn’t let him break it, that one thing held her chance at being a Royal Magic Knight!

“ Haha my my, the Diamond of the Golden Dawn is getting tired is she?” Llyr teased as he sent more waves of water towards her, that had been a title given to her shortly after she became a Magic Knight. She usually didn’t mind her title, even though it wasn’t used very much, but she absolutely hated the way it fell from his lips. Like he was mocking her accomplishment. She sent more Diamond shards towards him but again he dodged or captured them on bubbles. Neva began breathing heavily, she didn’t have much mana left.

“ Hah!” Llyr suddenly shouted, he sent a spear of water towards her and she made yet another wall, but as soon as the wall went down he sent a slash of water at her, but she didn’t have time to create another wall. The sharp edge of his water knife grazed her cheek before curving past her and cutting straight through the crystal. Neva heard the crystal shatter behind her and fell to her knees; this was it.

“ Hahaha! I can’t believe it, even after all this time you still can’t beat me and you’re supposed to be a part of the Golden Dawn!” Llyr laughed almost manically as he held his head high in triumph. “ At first I’ll admit, I thought you had really gotten stronger, especially since you’re in the Golden Dawn. But apparently, I was wrong. You’re still that weak little girl from many years ago who knew nothing about her magic and could only make little sculptures with it.” He stepped towards her and glowered down at her.

“ What a disappointment.”

Neva’s head shot up at that comment and Llyr’s eyes widened; she was smirking at him. Why? Why did she look like that? Like she had just won. That’s when it suddenly hit Llyr like a ton of bricks.

The announcer didn’t call out ‘Crystal Destroyed’. His blue eyes traveled towards where the crystal had sat only moments ago, he had destroyed it hadn’t he? So why wasn’t he being declared the victor? He growled as he looked at Neva’s smirking face again.

“ What did you do?!” He shouted in rage, and all Neva did was slam her hand to the ground and a diamond spear appeared behind him and pierced his team's crystal. He whipped around and stared as the shattered remains began to disappear. He gaped like a fish out of water, what the hell did she do?!

“ Crystal Destroyed!” The announcer shouted and Llyr felt his blood boil as the blonde stood up and held her head up high.

“ I listened to a friend's advice and used everyone as decoy’s.” She smirked as Yuno’s teasing words popped into her head. He had meant it jokingly, but it was actually a pretty good idea when she thought about it. She began to walk away from Llyr, he began to follow her and just glared at her back.

“ You see; I used my Diamond Magic to make 3 fake crystals that were nearly identical to the one we were given. In order to do that I had to use a lot of mana, plus I had to insert some of my, as well as my teammates, mana into them so your team wouldn’t be able to tell which ones were real and which ones were decoy’s. The real one was hidden in that old building behind me. I used your ego and against you Llyr, I knew you would come after me if the teams split up because you want to prove you're stronger than I am. Of course you failed because you let your pride get in the way of your intelligence.” Neva finished as she turned around to face him.

Llyr was pale. He had been played like a fool, and that made him angry. He began to shake violently, how dare she be so smug about this? How dare she think she’s better than him! He was able to beat her during their matches when they were kids, he was able to prove to everyone that he was better, stronger, and more capable than she was! He suddenly leapt forward to try and attack her, but Neva was quicker.

Without a second thought, the minute he got close enough Neva quickly kneed him in the groin, causing him to stop instantly and double over in pain. She shook her head and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

“ You’ll never be better than me, not in a million lifetimes. Sure you can get strong, but I’ll get stronger. After all, I was gifted with more mana than you,” she smirked as she lowered her voice even more. “ commoner.”

The word slipped off her tongue like a slur, she watched as Llyr’s body stiffened and she could feel his rage bubbling. But he couldn’t say a single word to dispute her claim. She was born a noble, he was born a commoner. That’s why he had taken so much pride in beating her as children, because who would have ever thought a commoner would be able to beat a noble. She quickly turned around and walked away from him, sudden guilt beginning to eat away at her. She never threw her status in someone's face, it wasn’t who she was, but Llyr...he needed to learn to stop being so cocky all the time!

She glanced up at Klaus and Mimosa and saw them beaming with pride and happiness, even Yuno seemed to be slightly proud of her. But all she felt was shame. ‘Llyr deserved it, he wanted to call me weak and put me down, he deserved a taste of his own medicine!’ She tried to justify to herself, she quickly looked away from her squadmates and stood on the platform that would take her back up to the others.

Neva had thought she would be happy she had finally beat Llyr in a battle, but instead all she felt was guilt.

———

Ah I apologize this wasn’t very good but I hope you all enjoyed and I’m so sorry for the wait 😅! Hopefully chapter 10 won’t be as long a wait! Anyway thanks for reading and I hope you all have a good day~!

[the-starless-sky]

cozmez x Akan Yatsura / “FAMILY” voice drama track 2

Part 1 | Listen through Spotify.

Reo: And? You woke up this morning and he's gone? Aren't you overreacting~?

Hokusai: It's still only afternoon...

Satsuki: Ain't he just gone to the convenience store or something? And went to the game center when he's at itー

Kanata: Haah!?

Satsuki: Don't get riled up at that!

Kanata: Nayuta won't ever do something like that! He's never went out without saying anything to me... and I can't get a hold of him too...

Satsuki, Reo & Hokusai: ...

Iori: D'ya have... an idea as to why he disappeared?

Zen: Waka...!

Kanata: Last night, we had a fight...

Satsuki: What the heck, so it was a fight.

Reo: Aah, so maybe 'cause of that he felt it hard to see you face to face? I know that feel, you guys are siblings after all!

Hokusai: Really...?

Zen: What did you guys fought about? If it's alright with you, would you please tell us?

Kanata: He told me... to go out. He told me to go out more, and meet more people. He said that'd make me stronger.

Zen: I see.

Kanata: But I don't need that...! I only need Nayuta. Even so, he...

Iori: But it doesn't seem like s'all it was.

Kanata: ...!

Iori: To ask for my help 'til ya bow yer head, something ya've never done, means there's 'nother reason, right?

Kanata: Sometime ago, right at the time we got the Paradox Live invitation, I was attacked in town. There were three of them, punks targeting my phantometal.

AKYR: Oh...

Kanata: 'Cause they were trying to lay their hands on Nayuta, I beat them to a pulp.

Satsuki: Seriously!? You're kinda strong even though you're lanky, huh!

Reo: Monkey, you're noisy.

Hokusai: Kanata, what happened next?

Kanata: That time, they probably remembered my face. If they found Nayuta when he's alone...!

Reo: You guys have the same face, so if they misunderstood, it wont be pretty...

Hokusai: Dangerous...!

Zen: I see. So that's why you came to our place.

Kanata: This kind of thing... I know that I'm not in the place to rely on you, but...!

Iori: Aight! We should help each other in times of need. Got it, y'all?

Satsuki: Yeah!

Reo: Can't be helped~! I'll help you.

Hokusai: I'll find Nayuta. I'm good at finding lost cats.

Zen: Then, let's immediately divide the work. Waka and I will stand by here. We'll gather information. Everyone else go out to town, and search.

Iori: Ooh~! Ya look the part, don'tcha, Zen~! Ya look like those police detectives on TV dramas!

Zen: Please don't poke fun at me.

Iori: OK. Sorry.

Zen: Cough. Just in case, the search team is to move in groups of two. Decide the assignment of area and get in contact as appropriate.

Reo: OK~! Then, I'm grouping with Hokusai~

Hokusai: Understood.

Satsuki: Then, Kanata's with me.

Kanata: Y-yeah...

Satsuki: Be at ease! With this Gaia-sama, fearful enough to silence a crying child, we'll find one, even two little brothers in no time!

Kanata: Y-yeah...

Zen: If something happens, immediately get in touch and wait for reinforcement. Don't force yourselves.

Reo: Roger!

Iori: Aight, let's go all out!

Everyone: Yeah!!

_

(Sounds of train passing.)

Reo: Aah, I'm tired~~! Jeez~ We've been walking around all day, my legs feel like lead!

Satsuki: You've got no stamina at all.

Reo: I mean, to top it off, Hokusai tried to ask cats...

Hokusai: If only I can speak cat language...

Reo: Kanata, how's it on your end?

Kanata: We've got nothing. We couldn't trace his steps after he got out of the apartment...

(Hokusai picks up a call.)

Hokusai: Yeah... yeah... understood.

(Hokusai hangs up.)

Hokusai: From Zen... he said they didn't get any leads too.

Reo: Eeeeeh, seriousyl!? Zen-nii's an ex-police detective but he's no good at all!

Satsuki: Don't diss Zen-nii!

Hokusai: This area isn't Big Bro's territory, so...

Satsuki: But like, it's impossible to look around this much and get nothing at all.

Reo: Siiiiigh. Then, what do we do from now on?

Satsuki: We've got choice but to continue, don't we?

Hokusai: Yeah...

(Sounds of train passing.)

(Kanata stops walking.)

Kanata: Enough already.

Satsuki: Eh?

Kanata: Enough already. I'll search by myself from now.

Reo: Haa? What the heck are you saying?

Kanata: I said, I'll go search for him by myself. You guys don't have to do anything else. Sorry for getting you all mixed into this.

Satsuki: You...!!

(Satsuki grabs Kanata by the shirt.)

Satsuki: Don't look down on our chivalry!! [1] Nayuta is your family, ain't he!? Big Bro acknowledged that and agreed to help you. Just because we searched a little and couldn't find him, there's no way we'd just say 'yes, okay' and run with tails between our legs!

Reo: He's your one and only important little brother, isn't he!

Hokusai: We'll definitely... find him.

Kanata: Eh... but...

Satsuki: No fuckin' 'buts'!! You were searching desperately, lookin' like you're gonna die, didn't you? You got us in this far, don't pretend to be tough now!!

Reo: That's right, that's right! At times like this, you should just meekly depend on us! Right, Hokusai?

Hokusai: Yeah, that's right. It's okay to depend on us.

Kanata: ...

Reo: Hey... when you came to our place, you said you investigated the Suiseki group, right?

Kanata: Yeah...

Reo: Then, you knew about the raid, didn't you?

Kanata: Yeah, just the gist of it. I heard that in just one night, the group got utterly annihilated by something.

Reo: ...would've died.

Kanata: Eh?

Reo: Me... Satsuki, and Hokusai, too. That time, if our timing shifted even a second, all of us would've died.

Kanata: ...!

Reo: A deep red sea of blood... everyone died. I couldn't save anyone. Not the boss, not my comrades...

(Sound of crows cawing.)

Reo: That's why, at that time, I swore. That I wont lose my comrades, my family, ever again.

Satsuki: ...We're family.

Kanata: Family...

Satsuki: Yeah. For ordinary people, we might just be thugs, but for us, we're family. I was always like this since I was little. I get into fights quickly, and I can't study at all. Both my parents and my teachers all gave up on me - I didn't even go to elementary school properly.

Reo: Haha. Satsuki-chan's completely an elementary school graduate, after all.

Satsuki: Shut up. Everyday, everyday, I'm always pissed. If I hit others, they'd get scared. I feel refreshed, and thought I'd rise up with these fists. At that time, Big Bro took me in. Big Bro and my comrades taught me, who was abandoned by my parents because they thought I was uncontrollable - How to use chopsticks, how to eat fish, greetings, manners, and the right way to fight... patiently, they taught me, again and again, without ever giving up. Thats why I decided that they are my family. I don't care what others say. No matter how useless they are, I won't abandon them. That's what family is.

Reo: ...Me, too. I chose my own family. My blood related family has... how to say it? Broken up, and I haven't seen them for years. I don't want to see them, either. But it's not like I hate them or anything. Papa taught me hip hop, and Mama... see, she gave me this cute face, after all.

Satsuki: You gonna say that yourself?

Reo: But you see, my family... all thought that they're the most important. They make debts that Papa couldn't pay back, lots of things happened, and my family broke up. Aha, pathetic, right?

Hokusai: Reo...

Reo: Yeah.

Hokusai: There, there.

(Hokusai pats Reo's head.)

Reo: Haha, Hokusai's so nice... Unlike a certain shitty monkey.

Satsuki: Who the fuck would pat your head, disgusting!

Hokusai: Me, too. My father is in prison. We probably won't ever meet each other outside anymore, for life.

Kanata: Eh?

Hokusai: I'm the son of a criminal. When everyone knew of it, they all left me. Only animals don't look at me with rose-colored glasses. They always stay by my side. But, Big Bro and the others were different. They treat me as Masaki Hokusai, as a different person than my father. They told me to raise my head when we walk together. To them, I'm not a shameful person, because we're family.

Kanata: Family...

Satsuki: Yeah. We're not related by blood, though.

Reo: We didn't have any other choice but to choose our own family. But, Kanata, you have Nayuta, right?

Hokusai: You have to protect... your important family.

Satsuki: Yeah! Don't look down on elementary school graduate!

Reo: Waah~ how embarrasing!

Hokusai: Fufu...

Satsuki: Wh--, Hokusai, you too?

Nayuta: Kanata?

Kanata: ...! Nayuta!!

Nayuta: What are you doing in a place like that?

Kanata: What, you ask--

Satsuki: More importantly, where'd you appear from suddenly!?

Nayuta: Kanata... these guys are Akan Yatsura's...? What are you doing together?

Kanata: You idiot! We were looking for you!!

Nayuta: Eh? "Looking"?

Kanata: Where were you all this time!?

Nayuta: Where, you ask... um, I couldn't think of a good lyric, so I went out for a walk, and then I got lost, and I was tired so I took a nap somewhere, then... What did I do next?

Satsuki: Are you a stray cat!?

Hokusai: As I thought, I have to learn cat language...

Nayuta: Haha, what? What is it? Kanata, too, making such a scary face.

Kanata: Stop messing around! How worried did you think I was!!?

Nayuta: Eh?

Kanata: Saying "go by yourself", and disappearing...

Nayuta: Eh? What?

Reo: Kanata was worried that you got kidnapped by some punks.

Satsuki: He even bowed his head to us.

Hokusai: And searched for you desperately, you know?

Nayuta: Ooh... Seriously?

Kanata: Yeah...

Nayuta: No way... but...

Kanata: Quietly disappearing like that... I won't forgive you.

Nayuta: Kanata...

Kanata: I don't have anyone else but Nayuta. Nayuta's my only family. That's why, that's why... don't ever quietly disappear... don't ever...

Nayuta: Kanata... It's okay. I'm by your side. Always, whenever, I'm always by Kanata's side.

_

(Sounds of them walking.)

Kanata: ...Sorry. I got you all to walk around a full day and you guys even treated us to food.

Reo: It's okay, it's okay. We put the tab on Big Bro, after all!

Satsuki: Raimen-tei's soo yummy, right!? Honestly, I thought that cozmez's detestable bastards with cocky music and attitude, but we actually get along, don't we?

Hokusai: Haha. Then, we'll part here.

Reo: Starting from now on, we're rivals, okay?

Satsuki: Don't get into a fight, 'kay!?

Kanata: U-uhm!

Reo: Yeah?

Kanata: If, if you guys were lied to by Suise-- no, your family, what will you do?

Reo: Lie?

Kanata: Yeah. If kept an important thing secret.

Satsuki: Ha? That's no big deal, ain't it? Even though we're family, we'd still have one or two secrets we can't say.

Reo: Like the place where Satsuki-chan hides his favorite erotic magazines~

Satsuki: HAA!?

Reo: On the floor below the closet, it's obvious!

Satsuki: You bastard-

Kanata: Not something like that! For example, if it has something to do with your lives...

Satsuki, Reo & Hokusai: ...

Hokusai: Even so... no, if so, I'd believe them.

Kanata: Believe?

Hokusai: If so, it's kept a secret to protect us. A lie to protect your family. I won't doubt it.

Kanata: ...!

Satsuki: Yeah, that's right! I'm satisfied if I had to put my life on the line for Big Bro.

Reo: Me too, when I decided to follow Big Bro, I've prepared myself, after all.

Satsuki: Right? Don't look down on our chivalry!

Hokusai: Yeah.

Reo: Well, that's that, so...

Satsuki: See ya! The next time we meet, it'd be on the stage.

Hokusai: We won't lose.

Reo: Prepare yourselves, okay~?

(Satsuki, Reo & Hokusai walks away.)

Kanata: Ah.

Nayuta: What's wrong, Kanata?

Kanata: I missed the chance to say thank you to them.

Nayuta: Hahaha...

Kanata: What?

Nayuta: You made friends.

Kanata: Ha!?

Nayuta: It means, you have people other than me that you'd say 'thank you' to.

Kanata: That's...

Nayuta: Kanata. Kanata, you can change. You can get more, way stronger than you are now.

Kanata: That's why I said that's...

Nayuta: I'm with you. "If the two of us are together, we're the strongest", right?

Kanata: ...Yeah. If the two of us are together, we're the strongest.

_

Iori: That so? Good that y'all managed to find him. Yeah, good job.

(Iori hangs up.)

Zen: Did they find Nayuta-kun?

Iori: Yeah.

Zen: The only thing we can do is to watch over them. It feels kind of vexing, isn't it?

Iori: Yer right, but cozmez's a strong opponent. Can't let our guards down on the next live.

Zen: Of course, I will go all out! I have no intention to lose!

Iori: Yeah! Becoming of Akan Yatsura, let's go merrily an' flashily!

_

Notes

1] As in the spirit of helping the weak and fighting the strong, generosity, heroism - usually a term used by the yakuza.

[mcytrabbithole]

The Crash (Prologue Pt.2)

The second part of the prologue for my new fic! This is a fic about what would happen if the members of the Dream SMP and Hermitcraft got thrown into a new situation together.

If you want to read the first part of the prologue, you can read it here   

Tags: @shineisalive , 

Warnings: Suffocation, vomiting, sudden muteness, SMP members feeling some pain

Word Count: 2473 

It was a...normal day on the Dream SMP. At least as far as their normal days could go, which was to say that it was the most chaotic thing possible. Todays chaos involved the fact that things had finally boiled over for the seventeenth time. Now it was time for another showdown, this time the showdown was going on right past the fear sign that was outside of Pogtopia.

This was it, another battle for Pogtopia, another battle towards gaining their freedom. At least, it was looking like it was going to be another. The whole server was there, some watching, some ready for a fight. Niki and Eret were watching, because Niki didn’t have enough armor and Eret just couldn’t bring himself to fight. Seeing the people who are your home fight for the right to go back to the place they once called home isn’t something that many people would want to see. 

Through out the day, as time led up to the battle, things had been...odd. Not just normal SMP odd either, odd like things had been going weird odd. Dream had noticed this as he always did, because as the admin, or the ‘god’ as he was jokingly referred to, he had to know what was up with his server. So if that meant sometimes he had to watch the chaos a little bit before he understood what was going on, then so be it. 

Tommy had lost his pickaxe twice, even though he and Techno both knew it had been in his bag, and it reappeared in a chest that was by the potato farm. They hadn’t even been near the potato farm. Well, Techno had been but Tommy hadn’t been down there so they didn’t know how it had ended up there. Dream knew Tommy had had the pickaxe in his bag, he had seen him with it, so he knew that that had to have been a glitch. No biggie, one glitch isn’t a problem.

Then Dream had had the weirdest glitch he had seen in a while pop up.

Nihachu has burnt to death

The_Eret has burnt to death 

The_Eret: Me and Niki weren’t even near one another and I wasn’t near any lava so I don’t know what just happened

Nihachu: I was just working on fixing some holes in a wall and then I just died? Dream could you take a look and see what happened?

Dream: Yeah, did you guys lose anything?

The_Eret: Nah, it says I burnt to death but all my stuff is where it was when I died 

Nihachu: Same here. 

Dream: I’ll take a look at it 

Dream sighs as he reads over the messages a few more time, he didn’t really use his admin powers for much besides getting people their stuff back and giving people the supplies they needed. He double checks to make sure that he’s alone, which he was considering he was by himself in his house, and then he takes off his mask, allowing himself to see the code and take a look at it. 

He didn’t take his mask off a lot for many reasons, but it was mainly so that he wouldn’t have to focus on the code that he could see thanks to being an admin. For some admins it was a case of needing something so they could see the code, for others it was a case of needing something so that they couldn’t see the code. 

As he looks over the code to try and figure out what was wrong, he frowns. Everything looked right, but something just felt...wrong. It was like that itch at the back of your throat that you get even when you feel healthy as can be. Maybe he just hadn’t looked at the code in a while, maybe it was just the nerves that came with every battle that he fought in. Just because he’s a good fighter doesn’t mean that he doesn’t get nervous before a fight. Especially one like the one that was going to go down outside of Pogtopia, because that fight meant a fight against his friends. 

He checks the time, the frown remaining on his face as he realizes how little time he has left until the fight. Dream takes a deep breath, taking one last look at the code before he puts his mask back on. Dream begins to make his way over to Pogtopia, trying to ignore that feeling at the back of his throat. It was just nerves, just his connection to the server being a bit stronger because of what was about to happen. 

When he arrived, he saw that the sides were slowly beginning to form. Seeing Fundy, George, his team, fight against him wasn’t something he wanted, but he was willing to put aside his feelings. Dream looks over to where Wilbur, Tommy, and Techno were standing; they were quietly talking about something. Dream acted like he was middle ground, standing in between the two groups that had begun to form. 

He couldn’t help but listen to the Pogtopia side of things, being an admin allowed for these moments. Allowed for him to listen in, figure out what people were saying and feeling without having to let himself get close. Some might call it rude, but he knew he needed to hear how the people he was going to fight alongside were feeling, even if he couldn’t reveal that he was fighting alongside them yet. 

“Wilbur, are you sure you can handle going up against him? He’s still your son, even if he’s a traitor.” For once, Tommy wasn’t yelling and screaming. He was worried, worried for his friend. Wilbur sighed, taking a deep breath,” I can handle this, Tommy.” Though Dream could tell, Wilbur hated doing this. Going up against his son, it was something Wilbur never pictured happening. “Wilbur,” Techno spoke, using that same voice, but they could tell he was serious,” Am I allowed to hurt him? Cause I don’t wanna accidentally stab your kid if you’re not cool with me stabbing your kid.”

“Techno,” Wilbur looked at Techno, he sounded tired, looked tired,” If you absolutely have to, then stab...and if there is no other option, go for the kill. He’ll just respawn and be a bit pissed at you, or me...probably me.” Techno nods, he was always glad to go into another fight, but he also didn’t want to be the one that killed the people that they didn’t wanna kill. 

Dream decides to stop listening to the conversation and just take a second to look around. He wouldn’t listen to the Manburg side, not even what Fundy had to say right now. Dream could see that those who were watching were the ones who couldn’t fight, though if they end up needing them, he’s more than willing to drop the gear that Niki needs or that Eret may need. 

Finally, after quite sometime, the sides have spoken quietly to each other and now the real talks could begin. Dream stayed where he was, in the middle, but he was fully prepared to make a break for it and run for the Pogtopia side if he had to. The talks began calmly enough, with Wilbur saying,” Are you lot quite sure that you want to do this?” And Schlatt actually laughed, being far too arrogant for a man who didn’t wear armor,” Oh we’re quite sure, Wilbur.” 

Dream sighed, looking between the two sides. He figured taking a shot at one last civil conversation was worth it. “Before you guys decide to go all out and murder one another,” He glances between the two groups,” One last chance to change sides, one last chance to talk things out peacefully, like adults.” He takes a deep breath and freezes at the sudden tightness he feels in his throat. 

Both groups had been paying attention to Dream, so when he suddenly stopped talking, they all noticed. Dream tries to take another breath, but he can’t, and suddenly he’s gripping at his throat hoping to god that he’ll be able to breathe again. He’s gasping for breath, and people are trying to figure out what’s going on. 

“Dream?” George says his friends name, concern for his friend running through him just as it did for everyone else, besides Schlatt. “He’s just faking it to buy time.” Schlatt says this easily enough, but everybody looks at him like he’s just snorted a bunch of blaze powder. Dream could swear that he was starting to see spots, unaware of the fact that he had started to shake. Fundy almost took a step, but he was sure that Dream would be fine.

Then it hit Dream again, and he hit the ground, landing on his hands and knees. “Dream!” George, Sap, and Bad went running towards their friend. Schlatt puts an arm out to stop George,” Don’t.” George just gives Schlatt a look,” He’s my friend and I’m going to check on him.” Then he pushes past Schlatt and heads over to Dream. 

Dream was gasping for breath, trying to get in any air at all, but it just wouldn’t happen. “Dream, can you hear us?” Bad asks this, carefully crouching down next to his friend. “Does anybody have any water?” Sap looks towards both groups, war bedamned, his friend is in pain and he doesn’t want to see him in pain. Niki digs around in her pockets, finding a glass bottle,” I’ll get some water from the river!” She went running towards the river, Dream was a good guy and he needed the help.

Dream manages a nod, he could hear them, but things were getting faint. “Can we take the hood off of your head?” Bad was doing his best, so he figured yes or no questions were the best ones to ask right now. Dream nods again, getting the hood off might help. Bad carefully pulls the hood off of Dream’s head, and it helps for a moment, but then the pain comes back a thousand times stronger, causing him to let out another gasp. He could feel the lack of oxygen getting to him, could feel the bile in the back of his throat from how much the pain made him want to vomit. 

“Dream, I think we’ll need to take the mask off of your face.” Bad says this carefully, knowing that Dream hated taking his mask off around people. Dream manages to think about it for a moment, then manages to shakily lift one of his hands, moving his mask just enough for his nose and mouth to be uncovered. That did help, allowing him enough air to breathe for longer than a moment. 

Then suddenly, the pain stopped, and he was breathing again, though right after this, he does vomit. Bad rubs his back as Niki comes running up with a bottle of water, which she hands to George, cause she still doesn’t want much to do with Sapnap. George thanks Niki for the water as she heads back over to the sidelines where she and Eret had been. 

Once Dream had stopped vomiting, George handed him the bottle of water and Dream practically downed it. Once he had finished the water, he went to thank George for it...and couldn’t speak. He frowns, trying to speak, but nothing comes out. Dream couldn’t talk, he couldn’t talk, oh this could not be happening. George frowns,” Are you having trouble talking?” Dream nods, sitting up as best as he can. 

“What on earth is happening?” Wilbur seemed confused, concerned for Dream, but confused. “I think he can’t speak anymore.” Sap frowns, this was weird. Dream never felt any level of bad, so for him to have something like that happen...what on earth was going on? 

Dream tries to speak again, but nothing comes out... and the pain comes back, except now it was in his chest. He doubles over, hitting the ground on his back this time. “Shit!” Sapnap and George both looked like they had no idea how to help and Bad was so freaked out that he didn’t even bother to say language. 

Wilbur decides he’s going to take a step forward and see if he can help...and then the pain hits him straight in the chest and he hits the ground. “Wilbur!” Tommy is at his friends side in an instant, Niki running over to see what was going on. On instinct, Fundy reacts,” Dad!” He takes off towards them, Schlatt tries to stop him, placing an arm out and saying,” Don’t. Let him suffer.” Fundy responds to that by whacking Schlatt upside the head and ducking under his arm. Unfortunatley the pain to hit him a moment later and send him to the ground not too far from the midline of what had been the land between the two groups.  

Schlatt frowns,” What kind of display of weakness is this?” Was this some sort of weird trick? Surely this was the only reason Dream and Wilbur would both be doing this. They had to be playing some sort of trick on him, that was the only thing that made sense. 

Tubbo saw Tommy hit the ground and he almost went to him, almost went to his friends, but he didn’t want to risk it. Then he sees Eret hit the ground and he runs over to see if he could possibly help him. Right now, Eret was technically neutral so surely helping him wouldn’t be a bad thing. As he reaches Eret, the pain hits him and he ends up on the ground near Eret. 

Then it starts to hit them all one by one, eventually everyone had hit the ground from pain...the only one left standing was Schlatt. “Ha! Look at all of you acting so weak! What kind of weird trick is this?! You think you’ll get pity from me just because you’re all in a little pai-” Before he can finish his rant, which was probably something about how strong he is, the pain finally hits him and he hits the ground. 

As the pain hits them, they all shut their eyes, hoping that the pain would stop. That’s when they felt the change, the shift, the feeling of their code suddenly being moved somewhere else. Dream felt it the most, felt the way the server changed, he could practically feel it in the very beginnings of his code. 

Suddenly, the pain stops, and when they opened their eyes, things were very different. Some were in an open field, others were separated from one another...but no matter where they had ended up, they weren’t alone. All they knew was this was not the SMP that they knew, at least, not entirely...and the people they saw were definitely people that weren’t in the SMP. 

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: King-Size Annual Avengers #11: In Honor’s Name!

August, 1982

“Why do the AVENGERS battle the Defenders?”

I dunno, man. Is it Tuesday again?

“And who is the mystery woman Nebulon has fallen for?”

Nebulona? She’s clearly just him but a woman.

Oh, hey Beast. So this is where you got to after quitting the Avengers.

Soooo.... Annuals, amirite? Pain in my butt. I actually forgot to cover this one and #12 is going to be somewhat plot relevant soon so I’ll shove this in wherever.

Its a blast from the past of the previous year.  Back when the Avengers were fantastic but only numbered four: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Wasp.

And the Defenders seem to number many so this isn’t a very fair fight at all.

This issue starts with a PRELUDE

(J. M. DeMatteis again? Is this going to be weird?)

Nebulon the Celestial Man and damn fine dresser fades onto a hilltop shaking his fist and yelling that someone can’t do something to him.

Nebulon is mostly a Defenders villain and the major thing I know about him is that he’s supposedly exceptionally handsome but the handsomeness is a ruse and that the Squadron Sinister stopped helping him destroy the world once because they discovered he wasn’t as handsome as he was letting on.

Goes to show where their priorities lie. Also, the experience was so jarring that the evil Nighthawk decided to join the Defenders much to their chagrin.

So basically I know nothing about Nebulon. Hi, Nebulon.

An angry yelly fish head with the Rocky Horror Picture Show lips inside its fish lips shows up (I think this is what Nebulon realy looks like) and tells Nebulon that his punishment for constantly dicking with Earth is to be stranded on Earth with his powers reduced to half and stuck in his handsome-to-some-but-grotesque-to-fish body.

Okay. That clears things up.

Although I wish all of space would stop using Earth as their place to dump stuff or exile people. Its bad enough when Asgard does it. Its worse enough when there’s a whole crossover about all of space deciding to make Earth its supermax jail. And its a medium amount enough here.

But apparently the shouty fish people have a Prime Directive and Nebulon keeps breaking it, specifically on Earth. But a Prime Directive that also lets them dump troublemakers on planets where they’ve been troublemaking.

Nebulon tries to defend himself that, hey, Earth makes you do crazy stuff. But the yell fish is hearing nothing of it and just tells Nebulon to kill himself if he doesn’t want to be on Earth so bad.

... Eesh.

In his rage at being stranded on Earth, Nebulon teleports inside the Sanctum Sanctorum and starts yelling at Wong.

Wong tells him, dude, Dr Strange isn’t even here. So Nebulon starts beating up Wong.

How dare you, sir. Wong is a great guy!

Nebulon: “Then Wong shall die -- just as your master shall soon die -- and his accursed Defenders with him! They shall all pay for bringing this tragedy down on my head! For, if they had not risen up to thwart me. If they -- if they... Listen to me. Listen to the words of -- a fool! Forgive me, Wong! Neither you, Strange, nor the Defenders are responsible! The blame belongs solely to -- NEBULON!”

And then he teleports away, no doubt leaving Wong very confused.

CHAPTER 1: IN HONOR’S NAME!

Later, Thor flies over the Himalaya mountains and over the chapter title.

He has come for some peace and quiet sitting on a mountain away from the bustle of mortals but what does he find but someone already in his thinking spot!

Thor lands to see who would be sitting on a mountain with no pants on and its Nebulon, of course.

But I have to say. He’s sitting and hugging his knees. That’s advanced brood. That’s, in fact, verging on pout.

Although lets not let the fact that Thor flies out to the Himalayas to be alone sometimes slip on by uncommented.

Thor asks what brings the guy out here and Nebulon has a dramatic exile speech ready to go.

Nebulon: “For hours now I have sat, lost in thought, pondering that very question! What is it that brings any creature to the depths of despair, the edge of doom, but... himself?”

And since he senses a kindred spirit in Thor, one who is as different from the Earthly masses as Nebulon is, he unloads his full story onto Thor’s ears.

Upon hearing all about this dude who tried to take over or sell the world multiple times, Thor is like ‘this guy has got to meet the Avengers!’

Nebulon thinks Avengers sounds like Defenders and he’s not into that but Thor says that the Avengers are way cooler than the Defenders.

(Ooooh, shots fired, Thor)

Thor: “No, my friend -- there are none in all creation to compare with the Avengers! A hardier band of warriors hath ne’er been assembled! Where else could a god walk among mortals and find -- his equals?”

If Nebulon has truly repented of his past deeds, the Avengers will help him make a home on Earth.

And with a manly armclasp, like the one from Predator, Nebulon accepts and Thor takes him AWAY!

While the person who looks like Nebulon but a woman and with better boots watches them go and disappears in a bright flash of light.

CHAPTER 2

Yes, already.

“Avengers Mansion... Over the years, many fantastic beings have walked through the doors of this august Manhattan townhouse: Gods, mutants, androids... even a were-woman. But, of all these unique individuals, few -- if any -- have been more honored, more respected... More willing to serve the cause of freedom, wherever the place, whenever the time.. than the living legend whose only powers are his wits, his daring, and his years of hard-won skill... Captain America!”

And we see Cap leaping and gamboling about the exercise room, exercising.

Cap: “Ah -- there’s nothing like a good workout to make a man feel truly alive! It might pay to run through it once more, though --- my timing was a hair off on the parallel bars!”

Wasp comes in to... well, its Wasp. She comes to eye the eye candy and flirt a little, in a friendly fashion.

Wasp: “I see you’re here early for our meeting -- as usual! Don’t you ever slow down?”

Cap: “I seem to remember catching a few winks back in 1942 or so!”

Wasp: “Why, Cap -- that was two jokes in a row! I didn’t think you had it in you!”

Cap: “Oh, come on, Jan -- I’m not really that serious a guy, am I?”

Wasp: “I was just kidding, handsome.”

Cap: “Oh.”

Heh.

So, Thor called a super special emergency meeting of the Avengers to introduce his cool new friend.

Iron Man (secretly Tony Stark, true believers) is a little tense about the meeting because he had to cancel three business conferences, an address to foreign stockholders, and two dates.

Geez, for one meeting? You ever consider your calendar is way too packed, Tony?

Thor arrives with his cool, new pal and introduces the Avengers to NEBULON -- THE CELESTIAL MAN!

And Iron Man lunges out of his chair to get into better pointing distance.

Thor: “What irks thee, comrade? Why art thou so angered?”

Iron Man: “What irks me, Thor? He does! Haven’t you ever bothered to study our computer-file on alien threats? Your ‘newfound ally’ almost totalled the Earth -- several times!”

Nebulon: “Don’t you see, Thor? They react as I predicted they would!”

Also, geez. I know Tony is frustrated about all the schedule juggling he’s had to do but in this and the Black Knight two-parter he’s a lot ruder to Thor than you’d expect considering how close they are.

Some writers just don’t get the Avengers, I guess.

Cap and Wasp try to get Iron Man to calm down.

Wasp: “I’m sure there’s a darn good reason why Thor brought Nebulon here -- isn’t there?”

She’s downright staring daggers at him when she asks that.

We’ve jumped back in time a little from where I was covering but Jan is still the chairperson of the Avengers. It happened right when she returned from her divorce related hiatus and this four person group has to take place post-Tigra leaving and pre-membership drive.

So, she’s the boss and she just gave angry boss eyes at Thor. And Thor did his default squinting always-looks-pissed look back at her.

Thor tells Nebulon’s whole sad story off-panel.

And damn if it doesn’t hit the Avengers right where they live.

Wasp tells him that they all know what it means to lose something precious “whether it’s an entire world... or the love of one person -- it makes no difference! It hurts to suddenly find yourself -- alone!”

And Captain America sympathizes because when he was defrosted after twenty years, it was like a strange new world!

They’re both on team ‘give Nebulon a chance!’

Iron Man is more reluctant but decides to give Nebulon one chance.

Then the Defenders bust in.

Beast, Valkyrie, Silver Surfer, and Gargoyle who is not Etrigan at all.

And they’re here to kick Nebulon’s ass. Which is entirely fair considering that they’ve been the ones who keep having to stop Nebulon’s planschemes.

Since the Avengers seem to not be beating up Nebulon, obviously they’ve all been mind controlled. Nebulon is clearly planning to blow up half the Earth and use the Avengers to control the rest.

Cap: ‘what’

Silver Surfer: ‘HE’S MAKING A HOSTILE MOVE!’

And then Silver Surfer blasts the floor, sending all of the Avengers sprawling every which way.

MEANWHILE, IN SPACE

There’s a huge spaceship, in space. And within the huge spaceship in space, the lady who looks like a lady Nebulon watches the fight on a screen and cries.

Hey, I get it. Doing the Avengers vs Defenders Again But Worse makes me sad too.

CHAPTER 3

See, that’s more of the length for a chapter. You could learn something from chapter 2, chapter 1.

Anyway, the clock winds back a little for the Defender’s side of the story.

Valkyrie returns to the Sanctum Sanctorum in a good mood and also on a flying horse.

For a long while, Valkyrie’s status quo is that she was inhabiting the body of Barbara Norris, a woman that Dr Strange accidentally drove insane. But she’s gotten her original Asgardian body back so she’s stronger than ever and also not bodyjacking someone else.

She flies into the window, alarming Gargoyle, Beast, and Wong.

Gargoyle tearfully flies up and hugs Valkyrie saying that he thought she was leaving for Asgard forever.

Hey, um, who dis?

-wiki- Ok so he’s an elderly man who was trapped in a gargoyle body by some demons who he broke an agreement with. Cool, cool, cool. I would have guessed much younger based on how he acts here.

Valkyrie also smooshes Beast’s hand when he gives her a handshake hello, because she’s much buffer than she was when she left. Also, she talks more like Thor.

Valkyrie: “I am, at long last, the true Valkyrie! What more need be said?”

Then the Lady Nebulon teleports in and introduces herself as Supernalia. She tells the Defenders that she’s here to save the world from the evil of NEBULON!

Beast doesn’t recognize the name but Valkyrie definitely does. What with all the existing history that I keep alluding to.

Supernalia: “Indeed! I am a bounty hunter from Nebulon’s homeworld come to bring him to justice! He has fled to your Earth, taking sanctuary among the so-called Avengers! Using celestial mind control, he has usurped their will, and -- after decimating part of your world with four pre-set anti-matter bombs -- he plans to use the Avengers to take control of the surviving population!”

Beast goes ‘uh cool story but i’mma verify this real quick by ringing them up’

But then he remembers he already did do that and they were very rude to him!

He remembers this interaction very clearly even though it didn’t happen at all.

Ironically, the Defenders are the ones who are being mind-controlled into accusing other people of being mind-controlled. Yes, I’m pretty sure that’s irony.

Wong suddenly remembers that Nebulon rushed in the previous night but he can’t remember how that interaction actually went.

AH HAH, decides Beast. Clearly proof that Nebulon mind-controlled Wong. Lets go half-cocked everyone.

No, no. Beast decides they’ll need more than just the three of them and wonders who they should call to bolster their numbers to a whole four Defenders. Dr Strange is busy chasing Daimon Hellstrom and Namor soooo...

Valkyrie suggests Silver Surfer because he kicks ass but they have no way to get in contact with him.

Supernalia goes hey allow me.

Supernalia: “Although my planet’s laws forbid direct involvement with alien cultures -- and thus my need of you Defenders -- I can help!”

And she baps Valkyrie in the forehead and instantly transmissions Silver Surfer right to the Sanctum to his existential annoyance.

Silver Surfer: What force has swept me halfway ‘round the world? Who toys with -- the Silver Surfer?”

Valkyrie explains off-panel because this is very much “let me explain! No, there is too much. Let me sum up” kind of day.

CHAPTER 4

We cut back to right after the Silver Surfer knocked everyone on their ass with a warning shot.

Thor: “Surfer -- art thou mad?! Thy ‘warning’ came close to slaying us all!”

Thor gets up to kick Norrin’s rad ass but Valkyrie grabs his arm. She tries to convince him to trust her that Nebulon is controlling the Avengers. She appeals to their shared history, their shared love.

Thor: “Brunnhilde -- thou art truly the one blinded... by thine own prejudice! Because, once, Nebulon stood as thine enemy -- thou takest him for that again!”

Valkyrie: “Thunderer -- once I loved thee -- but now I see -- that thou art -- A FOOL!”

Then she just up and tosses him.

It’s pretty great.

Thor just rights himself midtoss by helicoptering his hammer and tells Valkyrie that she’s the fool. And also that because she fucking threw him, now he knows that its her group that are under some kind of control.

Nebulon starts yelling too because he’s not going to sit by while other people fight his battle so he’s like ‘come on if you’re hard enough, dickfenders’ and Beast is like ‘ok.’

Wasp, team leader, thinks Thor is onto something re: the Defenders being against some kind of influence and asks Iron Man to create a distraction so the Avengers can skedaddle.

Iron Man has the perfect distraction and fires the UNIBEEEEAM. At his own roof, collapsing it on the Defenders.

Iron Man: “Wait till Tony gets the bill for this!”

... so depending on the time frame, either only Nebulon or both him and Wasp are the only ones who don’t know Iron Man is Tony so who are you putting on a show for, Tony?

Or maybe you’re just so used to grousing about the Avengers breaking your shit that you do it even when you do it.

Anyway, since Thor has a hunch that the Defenders are being controlled, he decides that the best thing is to teleport somewhere safe and make a plan.

So Nebulon teleports himself and the Avengers to the Himalayas where he and Thor first met.

The effort nearly kills Nebulon, since his powers have been curtailed by the yell fish. But now they have some space.

Wasp: “And don’t think we don’t appreciate it, Nebulon! But couldn’t you have zapped us to a more temperate climate -- like the Bahamas... or the French Riviera? It mean, it’s COLD here!”

Cap hopes that the Defenders won’t find them somewhere so remote and isolated but Thor, whose idea this was by the by, isn’t so sure because they don’t know who is pulling the strings.

Iron Man: “Good point! Are we dealing with one of our old foes -- one of the Defenders’ -- or perhaps someone out for Nebulon’s head! Let’s face it: we’ve got a wide field to choose from!”

Annnnnnd thennnnn, the Defenders just show up anyway so trying to get some breathing room was a waste of Nebulon’s efforts.

Beast: “Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Jan! You’re all my friends... more than that -- you’re family! So why won’t you believe me when I tell you that this nut’s gonna wipe the whole planet out in a matter of hours! Please -- hand him over or --.”

Nebulon: “Or... NOTHING!”

Then he shoots an energy blast at the Defenders.

Which sadly arcs to the ground with a SHOOOM! and does little more than splash some snow on the Defenders.

But awwww, Beast considers the Avengers family! Shame that once the X-Men pull him back into their orbit, he only hangs out with them and decides never to ask the Avengers for help, either when Professor X gets shot by Stryfe or when trying to solve the Legacy Virus.

I think that social group is a bad influence on Beast. He never broke time or pretended to be gay to dunk on his ex when he was an Avenger. He just got high, practiced polyamory, and yukked it up with his bffsie Wonder Man.

Anyway, Silver Surfer gets up and disses Nebulon for his sad laser blast.

Silver Surfer: “Like all who seek conquest, Nebulon -- you refuse to recognize truth! You alter reality to serve your own malefic ends! But the power you no wield, tyrant, is as nothing compared to that which you once had! You are weak -- as Supernalia said you would be!”

Nebulon is aghast to hear that Supernalia is the one behind all of this. And also aghast when Gargoyle shoots a bio-mystic bolt at him.

Apparently, Gargoyle can shoot bio-mystic bolts. Are there mystic bolts that are not bio? Shrug.

CHAPTER 5

Hey, some of these chapter divisions feel arbitrary. We go from the fight to the fight. At least some other chapter divisions had scene or temporal shifts.

Cap begs the Defenders to fight off Supernalia’s influence. Or the Avengers will fight off Supernalia’s influence for them. Probably via punches.

For whatever reason, this makes Valkyrie go stickycaps.

Valkyrie: “The hour of Earth’s doom draws ever closer -- and, to prevent that doom, we will do whate’er we must! wHaTeVeR wE mUsT!”

Mystifying.

Anyway, with both sides thinking the other side are dumb easily mind-controlled doodoo heads, they both get to the slugfest that neither side wants but thinks there’s no other way to reach the other side but by punching some sense into them.

This panel feels like a microcosm of a lot of Marvel events.

And as this goes on Nebulon just watches the fight with calculating eyes.

I’m sure that’s fine.

Thor and Valkyrie continue sparring verbally, as well as with punches. Valkyrie asks how Thor can let Midgard be destroyed when they both love it so much. And Thor is like ‘for the last time, there’s no danger except from your mysterious new golden pal’

Meanwhile, the Defender’s mysterious new golden pal Supernalia is monitoring the fight from her spaceship. And monitoring the Defenders’ brainwaves.

Thor is actually making Valkyrie doubt. And Supernalia can’t have that.

Supernalia: “I cannot afford to lose control of the Defenders now! For honor’s sake, their rage must grow! And more -- they must retain a psychological surety that cannot be breached! In Valkyrie’s case, the introduction of something... familiar -- something to increase her confidence -- would seem appropriate!”

So Supernalia teleports Valkyrie’s sweet flying horse Aragorn to just. Appear on the Himalayas. Between Valkyrie and Thor.

Valkyrie doesn’t know how her horse suddenly appeared but she’s not going to look a gift teleporting winged horse in the mouth. She jumps on his back and takes to the air.

Thor gets pissed and hammerflings himself after her.

While Thor is chasing Valkyrie around the sky, Iron Man squares up with Silver Surfer.

Silver Surfer tells Iron Man that “you see to halt one who has outraced comets! Soared faster than light itself!” and basically that he rules, Iron Man sucks. And then to prove it, he blasts Iron Man with the power cosmic.

Just that one attack nearly tore Iron Man apart and he’s pretty sure that Silver Surfer was holding back. Oof, that’s some power gap.

BUT MAYBE just maybe if Iron Man puts all of his might into one staggering punch...

It’ll do jack shit to the Surfer.

Well, damn.

Gargoyle fights Wasp but says its not proper for a man to fight a lady. Wasp points out ‘hey you’re fighting me anyway so maybe someone is making you do it.’

Gargoyle: ‘.... NUH UH’

Cool. Good talk.

Supernalia: “This Gargoyle is too... soft! His mind accepts -- but his heart rebels! These beings are not like us! Their minds are filled with too many questions! Their souls overflow with conflicting emotions!”

I can’t believe humans (and Asgardians) have too many feelings and emotions to be easily controlled.

Well, I can believe. It really checks out.

So Supernalia increases the celestial mindwaves to shore up her control, even if it means burning out the Defenders.

Rude.

Thor blasts Valkyrie off of Aragorn with lightning and then catches her, saying he won’t let her fall. So, reasonably enough, Valkyrie elbows him in the face for treating her like a damsel.

They both fall toward the ground. Aragorn catches Valkyrie and Thor catches... a cosmic bolt from Silver Surfer.

You had one job, Iron Man.

And that job was to sneak up on Silver Surfer while he’s self-flagellating for doing a shameful opportunistic attack on Thor.

Iron Man uses those... hip... power pod... things. To zap Silver Surfer’s temples and siphon off some of his power.

And with that power, Iron Man tips a chunk of the mountain on top of Silver Surfer.

This doesn’t keep the Surfer down for long. Despite the fact that trying to contain the incredible surfing energies he absorbed threatens to damage his armor, Iron Man absorbs more when Silver Surfer blasts him, to try to turn the energy back at the Surfer.

Instead, they both explode.

Double KO.

Elsewhere in the fight, Gargoyle blasts Wasp with his bio-mystic bolts, knocking her into the snow.

Gargoyle panics because his bio-mystic bolts are supposed to drain off a fraction of a person’s life-force, not up and kill them.

So Gargoyle shouldn’t have been surprised when Wasp pops back up and zaps him in the chin. And Wasp shouldn’t have been surprised when Gargoyle zaps her back.

She passes out. But so does Gargoyle, to his confusion. His hide should be tough enough to take a truckload of punishment, yet he suddenly feels so weak.

I mean. Wasp is strong enough to blow up a house with her own zaps. But this is probably intended to be Supernalia’s mind control burning him out.

I choose to believe that its Wasp’s cool house-blowing-up might. She’s kicked bigger ass than Gargoyle.

Wasp’s defeat scream momentarily distracts Cap from where he’s fisticuffsing with Beast.

Beast: “Holy cow! I hope she’s not badly hurt!”

Cap: “You hope she’s not -- ?! You can still say that after all you’ve done today? After all the pain this Supernalia has driven the Defenders to cause?”

Beast: “We’ve caused? You’re the ones harboring the lunatic with the anti-matter bombs --.”

There’s no guilt-tripping some people.

Cap throws his mighty shield but Beast must not have heard the song because he not only doesn’t yield, he also catches the shield with his feets.

Then he sleds on it down a snowy incline and tackles Cap.

Beast: “It’s time we quit all this clowning around!”

Cap: “That’s right, Hank! This is serious business -- so hit me! Hit me, blast you! HIT ME!”

Beast: “Hey! wHaT tHe HeCk Am I dOiNg?”

Cap: “Coming to your senses, I hope!”

Beast realizes that Cap dropped his guard and let Beast beat the shit out of him on purpose, let Beast almost kill him.

Cap: “You’re no killer, Hank! And no force, however great, could make you kill! I counted on that fact to snap you out of it!”

Wow, good going, Cap!

Out of everyone here, you’re the only one who successfully snapped anyone out of anything. Although I think Wasp coulda if she had played possum and let Gargoyle think he killed her instead of popping up to zap him.

But Cap has insight into Hank. That probably helped.

Me and Jan know jack about Gargolye.

CHAPTER 6

With exactly two people conscious but not fighting anymore, Nebulon is like ‘hah eat shit Supernalia’

So Supernalia appears.

Beast feels like he’s about to keel over even though he beat the shit out of Cap and Cap feels weaker too. They blame Supernalia because its very easy to blame someone whose fault everything is.

But Supernalia blames Nebulon.

Nebulon slams a drama bomb in response.

Nebulon: “Do not seek to reclaim the upper hand with more lies, Supernalia! Such sophistry is unbecoming in... my wife!”

I heard that in Borat voice and I hate myself a little.

But now that Supernalia’s relation to Nebulon has been established, Nebulon is like ‘but why are you trying to ruin my exile?’

Supernalia: “You were convicted of high crimes, my husband -- and the sentence was a choice of honorable death by your own hand... or ignominious exile! In 500 generations, none of our people have ever chosen exile! All have proudly faced extinction! But you, lacking courage, brought shame upon your wife and children!”

HE HAS KIDS??

Anyway, she came to Earth to just. Kinda. Kill him. To restore honor to their family.

But when she got there, she found that he had already made friends and decided well I need some pawns of my own. So I can kill him.

Nebulon isn’t really impressed because in his one day as an exile, he’s had some epiphanies.

Nebulon: “Unlike you, I have traveled far across this universe! I have learned to see in new ways! Our concepts of honor are archaic! Our laws are cruel! I now dare to dream higher dreams, for I have learned what it means to have -- friends!”

Supernalia: “I have been your friend... and much more! Since our childhood betrothal have I stood by you -- despite your constant avoidance of responsibilities! Despite your failure to achieve glory or rank!”

Oof, imagine if your childhood friend and spouse told you that being exiled on Earth taught him what friendship really means.

I have to imagine that Cap and Beast are just listening to this like ‘god why do cosmic people always have to dump their relationship baggage on Earth?’

Supernalia then tries to tell Beast and Cap that Actually Nebulon is up to no good.

Beast is like yeah nice try.

But this time Supernalia has actual proof evidence.

She dispels the invisibility cloak hiding the Ennui Device that Nebulon left on a prior trip to Earth and is now using to drain energy from the Avengers and Defenders to beef himself up.

Now, Cap and Beast turn to Nebulon like ‘but buddy, why?’ and also to punch him a little bit, in a friendly manner.

Nebulon: “I did what I had to -- to survive! Believe me -- I truly wanted the friendship you offered -- but observing the unfolding battle, I realized I could never find peace on this or any world -- without the POWER!”

And this rude boy who doesn’t understand what friendship means punches both Cap and Beast.

Beast sprawls right at Supernalia’s feet completely burned out and goes hey feel like stepping in??

Supernalia: “I can do nothing directly, Beast. I am not permitted to interfere!”

Beast: “You... stupid... self-deluding... idiots! Don’t you understand that all this has happened... because you already have... interfered?!?!”

Supernalia: “So           I              have!”

And since now she’s done the big bad transgress of the Prime Directive, she decides that unlike her shitbird husband, she’s going to do the honorable thing and kill herself.

I. Have no words. At this entire exchange.

Its too much.

Nebulon is distraught so slaps the gun out of her hand and begs her to instead of killing herself, not do that. She could stay on Earth and rule at his side!

This latest bout of cosmic interpersonal drama gives Cap the opportunity to muster his strength and throw his mighty shield.

It deflects the ray emitter of the Ennui Device so it hits Nebulon instead of the Avengerdefenders.

Except, oops, the Ennui Beam was calibrated for “humanoid physio-psycho energies” so instead of draining his energy, the Ennui Beam just straight up starts killing Nebulon.

Amazing how you can stretch vocabulary to encompass humans, Asgardians, mutants, power cosmic imbued Zenn-Lavians, and whatever demonic biz is going on with the Gargoyle.

It sure is amazing how it affects all these different things as intended but its accidentally fatal in a way that will help wrap up the story.

Beast wet noodle jumps to try to redirect the beam and save Nebulon but Supernalia shoves him out of the way and then jumps into the beam herself.

Supernalia: “Thus, I join my husband -- in oblivion!”

Geez, when she sets her mind to killing herself, she sticks with it

.__.

Nebulon agrees that Actually This is the Right and Correct Course for them, I guess because couple counseling is a hassle.

Then the Ennui Device overloads and explodes and Nebulon and Supernalia turn to their true forms of giant weird fish people with Rocky Horror Picture Show lips inside fish lips.

Beast laments that Supernalia didn’t just let him save both of them but she’s like ‘HONORRR’ and then dies.

Thor: “I called Nebulon friend and he decieved me! Yet now -- Thor mourns his passing!”

Silver Surfer: “What manner of beings were they, to cherish honor so much... and value life so little?”

Cap: “Perhaps, Surfer -- not so different from us. Not so different -- at all!”

Okay, shut up your face, Cap.

First off, I don’t think much of an honor code that says its okay to mind control and lie to people and use them as pawns in a way that could kill them but then also goes ‘this is an honorable death’ when you stupid yourself to death.

And neither should you! Don’t put a poetic, poignant spin on things! This whole affair was a weird couples spat that two space weirdos forced you to participate in!

Follow @essential-avengers​ because I went back and covered an inconsequential annual and now I can’t go back and not do that. I wasted my time for you. Also, like and reblog. I need positive reinforcement. It makes me happy.

[itscalledbisexualcrisis]

Scrap Metal - Chapter 7

Happy Holidays everyone! Here’s an update for my Kuvira fic! I’m working on requests right now so please send more my way!

CRASH

“Kuvira! Again? Are you kidding me?” “It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!” 

Yes it looked bad that her little feet were next to the shards of pottery. She was the obvious suspect to blame, but that didn’t mean she was the one to break the vase of flowers. “Oh really? Then who knocked it over?” She shook her head frantically letting her braid whip around.

“I promise, daddy it wasn’t me!” She clutched her toy doll to her chest. “I was playing with my doll, I didn’t touch it!” Her father rubbed an exhausted hand across his face, not bothering to look at her anymore. Her stomach filled with guilt.

“Kuvira, we’ve talked about this. You’re an earthbender, which means you have to control yourself more than other people,” he exasperated.

“I don’t know what that means!” she cried out, feeling the tears welling in her eyes. As far as she knows, she can control earth and move it sometimes. But she doesn’t know what being an earthbender means or how these things just happen sometimes without her control. Kuvira didn’t understand why things around their home were suddenly falling or getting thrown into other rooms.

“What are going to do with her?” her mother asked her father, looking down at her with disappointment. She brought out a dustpan to start clearing away the shards, carefully from around Kuvira.

“Mama, I’m sorry,” she muttered under her breath. She genuinely was, but there was still a hint of bitterness laced in her little voice. She was always getting blamed for things she didn’t do, or at least didn’t mean to.

“We can’t keep doing this.” Her father’s solid voice brought her attention and she looked up at him in surprise. It was different than all the other times she messed up. “We aren’t benders, we can’t teach her to control this.”

Her mother finished sweeping up the broken glass and looked up at Kuvira’s little face. She regarded the seven year old with tenderness, but also fear. Kuvira was a very powerful bender ever since she was an infant, and as she grew older, she knew that her daughter would only get stronger. If she was this strong of a bender without meaning to, who knows what she could do...or become. And it scared both of them to find out.

---

Kuvira jerked awake, her body sore and aching. Her neck slightly hurt from falling asleep in such an awkward position and she could feel a headache coming on. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cave, realizing she had slept through the morning and judging by the way the light was shining in, it was probably afternoon now. Their cave was actually quite bright, as sunlight reflected off of the rocks and she had to squint to adjust to the glaring light. 

She was sat up leaning against the craggily wall of the cave. Her back ached when she tried moving around and cracking the joints and bones. She realized the weight on her lap was Hiro’s head resting on it, her entire body jerking in her sleep as she fought off a nightmare.

Her heart began beating faster and she felt the flush come up her cheeks. Suddenly she didn’t know what to do with her hands. Before she woke up, her hands were tangled on top of Hiro’s messy hair, but that seemed too inappropriate now that she was awake. Was she allowed to touch her? Does she even want to?

For a moment, Kuvira slips away back to a time this sight was familiar to her. Hiro used to live in a small apartment in Zaofu. There were plentiful cold winter mornings cuddling on the couch together, Hiro’s tea is usually abandoned and left cold while Kuvira sipped on her coffee. Her other hand would slip down and pet her head tenderly as it rested on her lap. She’d let it travel down Hiro’s body, adjusting the blanket to cover her shoulders and rubbing soothing strokes across her back.

Kuvira’s breath hitches and her body tenses up. No. She wasn’t that person anymore who got to lounge around winter mornings. The weight of the world was literally on her shoulders now.

It was as if Hiro could feel her unease and she startled jostling more in her sleep. It was clear by the furrowed brow and scrunched scowl that she was having a nightmare. She was practically whimpering in her sleep and Kuvira grew anxious. Hiro’s body curled in a ball off of Kuvira’s lap.

Kuvira backed away, unsure of what to do. It was awful really. She was sure of everything she did, but with Hiro she didn’t know the first thing to do. Every decision she made seemed wrong or out of place. And it pissed her off to no end.

She clenched her jaw tightly before shaking the other girl awake, calling out her name. 

---

“Hiro! Wake up! Hiro!”

It was Kuvira’s urgent calling that brought Hiro out of her nightmare. Her body was huddled in a small pile on the floor of their cave. Kuvira kneeled over her as she tried catching her breath, her hands pressed into the ground for some type of stability. Hiro squeezed her eyes shut tightly, feeling the cold sweat trickle down her neck. She was very aware of Kuvira’s eyes on her and she felt the shame well up inside her.

Kuvira’s voice got very quiet as she soothed her. “Breathe.”

Hiro shakily exhaled, the tears were free flowing and her body was stiff as a board. Kuvira’s face frowned with worry. Her hand warily lifted from her lap and she gently touched Hiro’s back, barely grazing the fabric of the uniform.

Carefully, she begins moving her hand in tentative patterns along Hiro’s back.

“Slower.” Kuvira’s face twitched, startled by Hiro’s voice and familiarity of it all. She stoned her face and nodded once even though Hiro couldn’t see her.

It was purely a move based on instinct as Kuvira silently traced circles along Hiro’s back. She was apprehensive, only letting the pads of her fingers gently graze across the fabric. But she thought she could feel every breath and shake withering through Hiro’s body.

Finally Hiro sat up, wiping her face from her leftover dried tears. When she looked up, Kuvira had quickly scooted farther back and was regarding her very seriously. She looked so diplomatic like that, with her back held upright and her chin tilted slightly forward to show off her cheekbones, and hands firmly on her lap. If they weren’t the only ones in the cave, Hiro might’ve thought it was someone else’s silky touch that was soothing her.

Kuvira was at a loss at what to do next. She knew how to comfort people, she’d done so plenty of times. When people were starving, give them rations; when people doubted her plans, show them her strength; when people were anxious, give them security; and when people were desperate? Give them hope. That’s how she won over so many of her military and Earth Empire citizens. She gave them a future away from anarchy and replaced it with a commitment to stay strong and prosperous. The Fire Nation people had their honor. The people of the Water Tribes are heavily spiritual. And the Earth Kingdom was unyielding through even the most desperate of times. Giving hope to the Earth citizens was comparable to precious jewels.

But when was the last time Kuvira opened herself up to comfort others? When was the last time she let the sturdy walls fall to empathize with another? She doesn’t know why she was feeling this way. The twinge of anxiety and unsteadiness built up like bile in her throat. Realizing that the faint feeling of doubt creeping up her throat was approaching, her walls hardened. Her eyes shut tightly and so did those weak feelings. Kuvira wasn’t weak. And she won’t let stupid feelings make her weak. 

She abruptly stood up and walked outside of the cave and on to the ledge, radio in hand, demanding an update on her team’s rescue mission.

For a while Hiro only focuses on getting her breathing to steady. The anxious feeling inside her won’t go away, but at least she can try to minimize it.

She finally looks over, seeing Kuvira pacing outside their cave and talking frantically to Anjij. She’s giving orders, her movements stiff and with purpose like a general. As much as she tried to fight it, Hiro needed Kuvira right now. It was like her body was instinctively drawn to the woman. Maybe it was the lingering anxiety and the need for some comfort, or the fact that she realized how cold the cave has become, but Hiro took a chance. Any apprehension about approaching Kuvira was gone, replaced with a search for security.

She made her move when Kuvira sat down on the edge cross legged. Her back was hunched over the radio as she gave last orders to Anjij before the line died. Hiro sat down a few feet away from her with her knees tucked under her chin.

“Anjij and the others are on their way. They should be here soon,” Kuvira reports. “When we are rescued, you will return to Zaofu. I’m sending you to work with Baatar on his latest invention. Commander Anjij and I are continuing our goals onward to Omashu.” Hiro squeezes her eyes briefly, pushing out the haunting tone in Kuvira’s voice. She doesn’t want to know what Kuvira had in mind for Omashu, she didn’t want to know what consequences the people would face. “We must move forward and deliver what rations survived the attack. There, I will ensure a smooth transition to Anjij’s command, following-”

“Please, Kuvira,” Hiro cut off. She knew it wasn’t wise to interrupt her and Kuvira was rambling on more for herself than for Hiro’s sake. The way Kuvira wore the cloak of a commander with ease was something that she was familiar with, but right now Hiro didn’t need a military leader rolling off reports and duties. Hiro needed a different kind of reassurance. “I just don’t want to talk about this.”

Kuvira pressed her lips together, albeit a little ticked off for being cut short. “We do not have to speak then.”

“I mean, we can talk...just please, not military stuff.” The statement clearly caught Kuvira off guard and she raised a curious eyebrow towards Hiro’s direction, finally turning to look at her. Hiro looked considerably smaller curled up on the edge of their cliff against the backdrop of thinning white fog. It was getting lighter out now, and they could see more of the mountains that surrounded them instead of the thick fog. What should’ve been eerily quiet, actually put Hiro at ease. It felt like they were the only two people in the world, the moment forever suspended in time. Maybe this would be the only time they’d ever be truly alone together, and oddly enough, Hiro liked that privacy it gave them.

“What do you want to talk about then?” Kuvira asked apprehensively. Hiro gnaws on her lip, eyes darting around Kuvira’s face, searching. It felt stupid to ask her something as trivial as ‘how’ve you been?’ or another banal topic. She could make a joke about the weather, but really probably isn’t the time for jokes or light heartedness. And Hiro knew she definitely didn’t want to discuss her recent nightmare. So instead she chose to ask about something that had subtly been poking the back of her mind.

“When did you cut your hair?”

Kuvira paused. It was ridiculous enough that Kuvira almost burst out laughing at how random Hiro’s question was. Hiro swore she saw a faint shadow of a smile grace her otherwise pursed  lips.

“Not long after you left.”

“So I was right then?” Hiro retorted with a hint of amusement lacing her voice. Kuvira’s long hair had always been a favorite feature of the former guard. It’s not even that short now. Sometime after the fall from the train, Kuvira’s hair had come loose and had been in messy wisps resting on her shoulders ever since. It still lay well-past her collar-bones, but Hiro remembers how beautiful it looked cascading down her back.

Now Kuvira had to let a ghost shadow appear.

“I suppose. I didn’t have time to braid it anymore.” The maintenance for her hair was something Kuvira quickly grew out of the older she got. 

“Between you and me, I still think the bob would look nice,” Hiro commented, her voice a lot softer than when she first woke up. Her head rested on her knees as she studied Kuvira’s hair more, imagining how the bob would look on Kuvira’s shoulders and how it’d frame her already angular face.

Unbeknownst to her, Kuvira was giving her a look between soft and uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to being studied like this, that is as not a political leader. Not even by her fans when she visits villages. The way Hiro was studying her, made her feel admired like a painting in a museum.

“Why did you cut your hair?” she burst out, trying to get the attention off of herself. Hiro’s eyes shifted to meet Kuvira’s briefly before they fell down to the ground, clearly having hit a nerve.

“Not long after I left.”

The air turned slightly tense and Kuvira drew in her eyebrows, curious at how the topic had made Hiro’s demeanor change entirely.

“It suits you.”

“Thank you,” Hiro let a sigh escape her lips and running a hand through her short locks. “Sorry, it’s just…. I got it cut after I saw my family.”

Kuvira hummed, letting the newfound information sink in , “I had a feeling you would return home.”

“I didn’t, go, go home.” Hiro chuckled bitterly to herself before explaining further. “My grandmother didn’t even let me inside.”

“How come?” Kuvira gently pushed after a moment of silence. The topic of family was always tense for both of them.

“You remember when I sent them the letter about our engagement?” Kuvira nodded, anxiously listening to Hiro’s words. “Let’s just say, my grandmother wasn’t happy when she found out I was marrying a woman.”

“That’s why they stopped writing back?” Hiro nodded solemnly. She remembered the glare from her grandmother standing in the doorway of the small home. Her brother looked on with disdain from his place behind the old woman, shutting the door firmly on her. She wasn’t even allowed up the steps. She was shut out in the rain, forced to trudge through her old town and sleep in an alley that night. The chill blowing through the cliff reflected how cold and empty she felt that night. “It was either I leave you and go home, or I lose them. I picked you.”

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Especially looking at how everything turned out. Kuvira wasn’t worth all this trouble. She wasn’t something to lose family over. As someone who was abandoned by her own family, the thought of someone leaving theirs for her sake annoyed her. Hiro shrugged, looking outside their cave as the wind picked up again. She debated returning back to the cover under the cave, but right now the cold numbed her body and relaxed her nerves. 

“I can’t change what I chose, and I wouldn’t change it, now.”

“Why?” To Kuvira it seemed stupid for Hiro to decide to stay with her when this would eventually be their outcome, potentially dying on a cliff together.

“It was years ago, but I remember, I couldn’t picture my future without you in it. I would’ve given up anything to have been with you,” Hiro reminisced carefully.

Kuvira paused before asking again, “Why?”

“Because you were my person. And I cared so much about you,” Hiro sighed. She was looking at Kuvira’s eyes now, completely open and unabashed. “Maybe it was a naive dream, but at the time all I wanted was to get married to you and live in Zaofu for the rest of our lives. Looking back, I don’t know if marriage was something I truly understood then, but I know for sure how I felt about you.”

Kuvira closed her eyes and turned away from Hiro, making her sigh. She sounded so fucking stupid. Why was she being so vulnerable to Kuvira? She was too hopeful and naive. Clearly the only thing she’d done was make things awkward.

The radio crackled back to life and Anjij’s voice rang through the air, making both women jump. Kuvira scrambled to grab on to the radio, nearly knocking it out of her own hands.

“We think we’re getting close!” At that moment, they felt the mountain above them rumbling. Kuvira could clearly sense strong distinct movements coming from above them.

“We can feel you,” Kuvira responded urgently. It was only a matter of time now before they were rescued. Hiro let out a breath of relief. The sun was nearly completely gone and their cave had chilled exponentially. “Keep going down, you should be reaching us soon.”

“Confirmed!”

With that the line died once more, but the rumbling didn’t stop. It was clear Anjij was getting very close now, and freedom was within their grasp. Hiro fell on to her back, and sucked in breaths to calm the joy radiating in her chest.

“For what it’s worth,” Kuvira spoke up. Hiro turned her head to look at her. Kuvira was standing now, tall on the ledge with her back facing Hiro. She was preparing to greet her Commander and fellow soldiers when they arrived, gathering her hair in a somewhat presentable state. “I may have done some regrettable things in our relationship, but the way I felt about you was always true.”

Hiro let her eyes close one more time, feeling the heat growing in her chest responding to Kuvira’s unusually gentle words. It gave her a tingling feeling down to her numb toes, and at the same time make some of the anxiety return. In her mind, the Pai Sho game continued, but who was winning was becoming less clear.

[sunriserose1023]

Another Try [3]

SUMMARY: He was supposed to return the Infinity Stones. He used them instead. WORD COUNT: 2063 PAIRING: Steve Rogers x Female Reader WARNINGS FOR THE SERIES: Language, canon divergent, timeline delineation, explicit sexual content, canon-typical situations/injuries, more warnings will be added/removed as the series progresses

“You want to tell me what the fuck that was about?”

Steve raised his eyebrows as he looked across the gym at his best friend. God, Bucky looked fantastic. He looked … healthy. His hair wasn’t as long as it once had been, but it wasn’t short like it had been in the Forties, either. Steve watched as Bucky gathered it into his hands, pulling a hair tie off his wrist and tying his hair into a bun. His left arm was shiny, not the dark vibranium arm he’d gotten in Wakanda before the snap, but the same arm he’d had during their tussle when he was the Winter Soldier. Steve felt a twinge of pain deep in his gut when he thought back to that, when they’d fought and Bucky had shot him multiple times before they’d fallen into the water. 

He wondered if they’d even had that fight in this timeline. It didn’t seem that way; Bucky was too … free here. Too comfortable in the compound. 

Maybe that meant … he didn’t kill Howard and Maria?

Steve shook his head, making a mental note to research that along with everything else later, and Bucky tossed his metal arm out towards the door. 

“Why’d you kiss her?”

Steve shrugged his shoulders, walking towards the pull up bars. 

“Why not?” “Why n—the fuck you mean, ‘why not?’ Steven.”

Steve used his arms to lift himself up, lowering his body before lifting himself up again, settling into a rhythm. Bucky shook his head, moving to stand in front of the bar, head bobbing as he watched Steve move up and down. 

“Seriously, though. What the fuck, man?”

Steve gave an exasperated laugh, shaking his head, dropping to the ground. He’d lost count, anyway. He brushed his hands off, laughing again when Bucky gave his shoulder a shove, nodding at his best friend as he spoke. 

“Do you want to kiss her?”

Bucky made a face. 

“No!” “Then why does it matter?”

Bucky blinked. 

“Because, Captain America, you don’t go around kissing dames like that. Especially not in front of the team.”

“Careful, Buck. Your ‘40s is slipping out.”

Bucky had always had a tendency to dip into ‘40s slang when he got going, something that clearly hadn’t changed and made Steve smile. Bucky narrowed his eyes, and Steve’s smile widened. He leaned over and gripped Bucky’s flesh shoulder. 

“Have I somehow tarnished your view of me? Did that kiss scandalize you, Buck?” “Get off me.”

Steve laughed as Bucky wrenched away from him. Bucky shook his head as he spoke. 

“It’s not my fault you put off that star-spangled virgin air. It’s just … weird. You don’t show affection like that.”

Steve nodded. 

“Maybe I’m gonna start.” “Why? Did something happen while we were gone?”

Steve sighed, walking towards the free weights. Bucky followed him, sitting on one of the benches while Steve picked up a couple seventy-five pound weights. He started lifting them, shaking his head. 

“Nothing happened. I just … got my thoughts in order. Gained some perspective, I guess.” “Perspective.”

Steve nodded, inhaling each time he curled the weight up, exhaling when he relaxed his arm. 

“What the fuck kind of perspective are you talking about, Steve?”

Steve sighed, setting the weights aside. He turned to straddle the bench he was sitting on, facing Bucky. 

“I like her. I’ve liked her for a long damn time, and I ain’t done nothin’ about it.” “Why not?” “Because, as you so eloquently put it before, I’m Captain fuckin’ America.”

He shrugged. 

“Everyone expects me to be so goddamn patriotic and pure all the time, and I’m just tired of it. Tony’s got Pepper. Nat’s got Clint. You’ve got … whoever’s bed you’re bouncing in this week—“ “Hey!”

Steve ignored the self-righteous exclamation, continuing to speak. 

“Why can’t I have someone, too?”

Bucky was quiet, and Steve finally dragged his eyes from the ground to his best friend. Bucky was studying him, gray-blue eyes the slightest bit stormy, shaking his head. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” “Yes.” “And nothing happened while we were gone?”

Nothing you need to know about, Steve thought. He shook his head. 

“No.”

Bucky nodded, leaning back. 

“So you just … want a girlfriend?” “Maybe. If she’ll have me.” “Don’t punch me. Do you really want a girlfriend or do you just need to get laid?”

Steve swung before he thought, Bucky easily catching his hand. 

“I said don’t punch me!”

Steve narrowed his eyes and Bucky let go of his hand. 

“I’m not trying to piss you off. I’m just genuinely curious. When was the last time you … ya know.” “We’re not having this conversation.” “Oh, come on!” “Nope. Not going there.”

Steve stood up, taking the weights back to their places, shaking his head as he started for the door. Bucky jogged after him.

“Has it at least been since you came out of the ice?” “Fuck you, Barnes!”

Bucky stopped in the middle of the floor, tossing his head back laughing when the door burst open and Sam, Clint, and Tony filed in. Steve raised an eyebrow and Sam stepped forward. 

“Sorry, I held ‘em off as long as I could.”

Steve furrowed his brows, looking back to Bucky. Bucky shrugged, tossing out his metal hand. 

“I didn’t get very far anyway. I’m stuck at does he want a girlfriend or does he just need to get laid?”

Tony’s eyes were on fire when he looked to Steve. Steve raised an eyebrow and Clint laid a hand to Tony’s chest. 

“Easy.”

Steve stared at them and Clint sighed as he turned to face him. 

“Look, as much as we’re dying to know what that was all about … some of us have a few … concerns.”

Steve raised his eyebrow again and Tony shook his head as he stepped forward. 

“Not her. Go get any other woman on this planet, just not her.”

Clint sighed, muttering under his breath. 

“Or we can just jump right in.”

Steve shook his head. 

“What's going on?”

Tony stepped even closer. 

“I get it. She’s gorgeous, she’s nice, she’s fun. But she … Steve we need her around here.” “What, you think I’m going to run her off?”

Tony didn’t answer, and Steve shook his head. 

“I’m not going to fuck her and never call her again, Tony. I’m not—“ “Watch what you say next.” “Not cool.” “Don’t even go there.”

Steve closed his eyes and pressed his lips together at the chorus of voices that cut him off and overlapped. Steve sighed, looking them all in the eyes. 

“I’m not in this just to get a quick lay. I’m not even thinking about me here. I don’t know why you’re all jumping all over me with the need to protect her, even though she’s probably stronger than all of us put together.”

The men exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. Steve shook his head. 

“I’m not going to hurt her. I promise. I won’t run her off or put her in any danger. I just …”

I love her. 

He swallowed, shaking his head again. Tony nodded, taking hold of the front of Steve’s shirt. 

“If you hurt her, I will shove that shield places my father never intended it to be. Got it?”

Steve’s eyes widened and he nodded, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Tony smoothed the shirt over Steve’s chest, patting it as he turned away. Clint cleared his throat, crossing his arms over his chest, lifting his chin to look Steve in the eyes. 

“Ever had an arrow shot up your ass?”

Steve’s eyebrows raised and he shook his head. Clint nodded. 

“Let’s keep it that way.”

Steve couldn’t stop the smile then, and Sam stepped up and gripped his shoulder, smiling at him. 

“Just take care of her, alright?”

Steve nodded, and Bucky patted his back as he followed the rest of the men from the gym. Steve closed his eyes, lifting his head and letting out a long breath. 

You paced around the conference room, shaking your head at every turn. Natasha was sitting in one of the chairs, feet propped up on the table, watching you with an amused look on her face. The two of you turned at the quiet knock on the door, and Wanda poked her head in. 

“Jarvis said you wanted to see me?”

Natasha nodded. 

“Come on in. Have a seat.” “What is going on?” “We’re just watching Y/N have a breakdown.” “I’m not having a breakdown.”

You muttered Russian curses under your breath and Natasha snorted as she rolled her eyes. She rolled her head to look at Wanda. 

“We needed more estrogen in the room.”

Wanda slowly nodded, taking a seat a few chairs down from Natasha. You finally stopped pacing and turned to Natasha. 

“Sex pollen.” “No.” “I’m putting off some pheromones only super soldiers are affected by.” “If that was true, Barnes would have jumped you long before now.” “Oh, good point.”

Natasha nodded, rolling her head to look at Wanda again. 

“She got kissed by the Captain in front of God and everyone.” “Captain Rogers?”

Natasha nodded and Wanda sat up straighter. You groaned, shaking your head. 

“There’s no … no. There has to be a reason.” “There is.”

You looked to Natasha and she shrugged. 

“But you’re clearly looking for an explanation other than he wants to jump your bones.”

Yours and Wanda’s cheeks flushed and you shook your head. 

“That’s not it.” “Then what is it? Because everything you’ve thrown out so far has been bullshit and you know it.”

You ground your teeth together as Wanda sank lower in her chair, a small smile playing at her lips as she watched you. Natasha uncrossed her ankles and spoke again. 

“What’s so bad about that?”

You pushed a hand through your hair and sighed. You grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the table, sitting down across from Natasha. 

“Nothing. Just … he doesn’t seem like that kind of guy.” “What kind?” “A one night stander.”

Wanda hummed and both women rolled to look at her. She shrugged her shoulders. 

“Captain Rogers does not strike me as a …” “One and done kind of deal?”

Wanda nodded at Natasha, who looked back at you. You shrugged. 

“He does seem monogamous. Long-term relationship monogamous.” “The wife and the picket fence and the two-point-five kids.”

Natasha nodded as she began swiveling her chair back and forth as Wanda looked at her hands, speaking softly. 

“Would that be so bad?”

Natasha went still, following your lead and looking to Wanda. Wanda shrugged her shoulders and met your eyes. 

“You don’t think it would be … enjoyable?”

Natasha looked to you with a wide smile on her face, a smile playing at Wanda’s lips as your cheeks flushed. Natasha giggled in her chair, going back to swiveling. 

“Go talk to him. See what’s up with him and if it’s something that might be up with you. Or in—“

“Nat, don’t.”

She giggled again, and you shook your head. You let out a breath, laying a hand against your fluttery stomach. Wanda cleared her throat. 

“Just to clarify, you want to see what is up with him or not?”

You swallowed, then nodded.

“I do.” “Why?”

You shrugged your shoulders. 

“Because. Because he’s … kind. Smart. He’s funny, and he doesn’t really try to be. He’s a deep thinker, but he’s not above fighting dirty. He’s got such a sensitive soul, but he’s so strong and have you seen his arms? Or his face? Or—“

You stopped yourself, looking from a grinning Wanda to Nat, who looked very much like the cat that ate the canary. You felt your cheeks flush again and Natasha nodded, pulling her feet off the table and standing up. 

“Go talk to him. And try not to fall into bed with him until he buys you dinner first.” “Screw you, Romanoff.” “No, no. It’s Rogers you want to screw. Not Romanoff.”

She cackled when you grabbed a pen off the table and threw it at her. She caught it in one hand on her way out the door, tossing it back to the table. You caught Wanda’s eye and she smiled at you, sliding back from the table and following Natasha out the door. 

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