#hmm maybe if I squint at EN I can still see it...

[justanotherfanfolks]

Source: Ekala

*punches wall* GOSH DARN IT EN!

[layniapetrovnaaa]

“No boys”

 Request: @soytrash

Hey beautiful 🤍 how about a cute little moment between reader and Logan with Laura regarding a crush 🥺And Logan is just overprotective, but prior to Laura coming home from school and talking about a crush, Logan is trying to get some from reader 🥵 please and thank you hun let me know if that’s okay or not 🥰 (maybe with the baby from your family series too) sorry if it’s too much I love your writing 🥺🤍 

Warnings: Smut, swearing (if you squint).

A/n: Do you guys picture yourself when reading fanfiction? Cause I do and don’t haha. Typically when I read/write for Logan I picture myself as Scarlett Johansson in Match Point and The Island lol. I’d love to hear about you guys, so just let me know!

Reader is written as under 30 y/o, if you are older, just change the number :)

I hope this is good enough (I’m not really that confident in this one). Let me know if you have any constructive criticism. 

[The Howlett Family series] 

It was a particularly warm day in the Canadian Rockies, warm enough to open a few windows and have the cozy log house smelling of the fresh outdoor air. the window above the sink that you were currently standing at let a breeze into the house that tickled you just enough to have your body bear a small chill. 

As you rinsed one of the bowls you had used this morning to prepare breakfast, your hips swayed side to side in a fluid manor that matched the rhythm of the song that lightly boomed out of the speaker which sat by the fruit bowl on the counter. The reason behind the low volume was that Logan was currently trying to put your youngest daughter down for her daily afternoon nap. If the wails and grumbling coming from the baby monitor was any indication, it wasn't going very well.

You dried off your hands and picked up the monitor, holding down on the button that allowed your voice to come through on the other end.

“You need some help?”

“We’re fine. I just cant find her goddamn pacifier.”

“Did you check on the shelf by her changing table?” you spoke again.

Suddenly the crying stops and you smile knowing he found it.

He lets out a quiet “Thanks.”

You set the monitor back down and go back the the half a dozen dishes left in the sink.

“Kid’s quite the screamer hm?” you announce as Logan walks out from the hallway a few minutes later.

“Yeah she is, I think she got it from her mother.” he jokes walking around the island to be closer to you.

You let out a breathy gasp like-laugh.

“Oh really?” you say in an exaggerated tone, humor still consuming it.

“Mhm, and speaking  of screaming...” he places his hands on your waist and squeezes a bit.

“We can’t baby, Laura's gunna be home in like ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes is enough time. I can’t help it, you just look so sexy--”

Before he can finish you interrupt.

“Logan, you know damn well ten minutes isn't enough time.”

“I just need something [Y/N].” he says as his hands find your breasts and you let out a small moan, abandoning the dish towel and griping the counter.

He kisses your neck, sucking and nipping at the soft flesh, which brings forth light breathy moans from your mouth.

You turn your head to kiss him and you can feel yourself throb a bit when your lips meet. his hands dip into your top and pull your breast out of their confines, teasing your nipples with his fingers.

He continues to grope and kiss you as his dominant hand makes its way into your pants.

You moan loudly into his mouth as the pad of his middle finger circles your clit a few times.

His lips separate from yours so he can speak.

“Hmm, You like that?” he says in his breathy and gruff voice.

You can’t seem to make out any words, so instead you offer an almost whiny sounding “Mhm.” as his fingers inch lower.

You gasp, throwing your head back onto his shoulder, your right hand coming up to hold the back of his neck, as his middle and ring fingers enter your tight lubricated hole.His fingers curling in the classic “come hither” position, making you squeeze around his digits.

Even after all of the time you had spent with Logan, your body still didn't know how to handle the pleasure, that being evident in the way that your back arched and you sporadically bucked your hips back into his crotch with every jolt of pleasure that you felt.

Your moans were absolutely erotic as he seemed to push further into you, finding that spot that did in fact make you scream.

And the explicit squelching noises were making you even more desperate as he fucks you with his fingers.

As you let out another slew of loud moans, you feel his hand come up to cover your mouth.

“As much as I love hearing those pretty noises you make, baby, you gotta be quiet.”

Your eyes rolled back and fluttered shut at his his words and the vibrations from your moans bouncing against his cupped hand.

His thumb starts to circle your clit in the same rhythm that his fingers were moving in.

God, you were so done for.

He releases his hand from over your mouth before he asks:

“You gunna cum?”

“Mhmm” you let out in high pitched whine.

“Ouh! Don’t stop.” you pleaded as that marvelous feeling started to take over.

“That’s right baby, jus like that.” he speaks, egging you on until your mouth falls open and your eyes squeeze shut, your orgasmic euphoria taking over.

Eventually your body comes back down to earth.

“Look at that, you got three minutes to spare.” he coos in a triumphant tone.

Your breath is heavy and you whimper slightly when he pulls his fingers out of you.

You glance over to the built in clock in the stove before readjusting yourself and catching your breath.

Turning around, you plant your hands on the space where his shoulders and neck connect, and kiss him. Your tongues danced together sensually until you pulled away.

“I wish I could return the favor...” you hum and he kisses you again.

“You will later.” he says as the screeching of the school bus tires alerts you of Laura’s homecoming.

You look up at him and bite your lip, giving him a sensual smile as you nod.

You separate from him as you hear the front door open, going over to greet Laura.

“Hey honey, how was school?”

You could hear Logan in the kitchen, chuckling at your total change in demeanor. 

You turn slightly to roll your eyes at him, but the small amused smirk on your face gives you away.

You turn back to your daughter as she answers you while getting her homework and lunchbox out of her backpack.

“It was alright. We got to watch a movie in my english class, so that was  nice.”

You follow her to the kitchen where she sits at one of the bar stools at the dark wood island, slapping her purple folder and pencil onto the table.

You noticed something off with the young mutant, like she wasn’t telling you something.

When she looked up to see you and Logan analyzing her, she knew she would have to put on a better performance if she wanted to keep her secret. Fortunately for you, she wasn’t feeling up for a challenge today. And it’s not that she wanted to hide what her friends had told her was called a “crush”, but she knew how her parents would probably react.

“Laura, is there something you need to tell us?” Logan spoke.

“Sweetheart, you know you can tell us anything, right?” you squeeze her shoulder in a loving manor.  

She nods, taking in a breath before turning to you and muttering: No puedes decírselo a papá... (You can’t tell daddy...)

Hearing this concerned you. Laura and Logan had a pretty open relationship, despite their constant bickering.

Your eyes quickly flick over to Logan, who was watching you and Laura, his arms crossed while he leans against the kitchen counter.

“Que es Laura?”

Logan was accustom to yours and Laura’s more private conversations you had in spanish. He wasn't really a fan, only because when they would occur, he felt left out. But, he figured this must be important and waited patiently before asking you what she had just said about him.

“Hay un chico en mi clase que está enamorado de mí.” (There is this boy in my class who is in love with me). Her voice is quiet, but her tone sounds exasperated.

Logan's brows furrowed when he heard “un chico”. He didn't know much spanish, but he did know that un chico meant a boy, and he did not like the sound of that.

You snort, your hand quickly flying up to cover your mouth before you speak.

“Aww Laura!”

A shy grin spreads across her face.

“What did she say?” Logan speaks up

You bite your lip, trying to hold in your small bit of laughter. You look over at Laura and can tell that, although she is nervous for what her fathers reaction may be, it would be best to tell him about her dilemma.

“Laura has a not so secret admirer.”

“He wrote me a note.” she says, grabbing a crinkled white paper from her pocket.

You could tell by her humorous tone that she found the situation comical, and didn't seem to reciprocate the feelings.

Logan on the other hand had immediately gone into full protective father mode, snatching the note from her hand, and reading over it to make sure nothing obscene had been written/drawn on it.

After he is finished looking at it he crumples it up and puts it in the garbage.

“No boys until you are 30.”

“Logan don’t be ridiculous.” you say, walking over to fish the note out of the can.

“I am not being ridiculous.” he scoffs, incredulously.

“In fact, I think I’m being a bit lenient. 30 years old is a perfectly reasonable age to start being romantic with someone.” he says, and now it was your turn to scoff as you hand the paper to Laura.

She makes a disgusted face and holds the very corner with her pointer finger and thumb. You couldn't tell if it was because it had been in the trash, or because of it’s contents.

You turn back to face Logan and cross your arms.

“You do realize that we’ve had a baby together and I’m not yet 30, right?”

He retracts slightly, and grumbles:

“That’s different.”

“Uh-huh” you reply sarcastically.

“The feelings are not mutual by the way.” Laura finally speaks up. Deciding to clear the air before an argument started brewing.

“I don’t have a crush on him.”

“That’s my girl.” Logan says, and you chuckle.

“That conversation is not finished by the way.” you say while you walk over to the pantry to get Laura a snack, Logan grimaces, thinking of the conversation that would come later.

“Daddy?”

“Hmm?”

“How did you and Mama end up together?”

“Uhh, well...” he starts, glancing up at you, not sure if it was the right time to share.

Yours and Logan’s story was a bit controversial. The reason being that you were only 19 when you first “got together”, and Logan was your ex-teacher. And it wasn't exactly the most orthodox either. Instead of the typical flowers and a dinner date, it was more like neither of you could sleep one night, and one thing led to another, which led to you waking up in his arms in the morning. You had always had romantic feelings towards The Wolverine. Though they were never truly discussed, you both knew they were there, and you knew they were unbreakable. So, after that night, you two became exclusive.

“We met at Charles’ school, you know that.” you speak, setting the packet of crackers in front of the pre-teen, and walking over to grab an apple to cut up for her.

Laura sighs, knowing that she probably wouldn't get the answer she was looking for if you weren't willing to share it.

She rips open the wrapper, glaring at Logan when he steals a cracker from her.

“Well, how did you know you had a crush on each other?”

You chuckle lightly as the knife cuts into the ripe and scarlet colored fruit.

“We didn’t exactly have a crush on each other, Laura.” Logan starts, but a dry cough finishes the sentence.

You look up at him, asking if he was alright with your eyes.

He gives you a blunt nod as he lets out a deep breath.

You notice your daughters furrowed brow as she munches on the biscuit, and elaborate on Logan’s previous statement.

“Your father and I’s relationship is a bit complicated and unconventional, Laura. What he was saying was that we have and had a connection on a level so much more than a crush.”

She nods and pops another cracker in her mouth.

“But,” the crisp sound of the apple interrupts you slightly.

“usually when you have a crush on someone, you get the feelings of butterflies in your stomach whenever you see or think about that person. You smile when they smile, and laugh when they laugh. You want to be around them all the time, and you try to get their attention. You sometimes get nervous, and jealous of others that are close to them.”

You place the apple slices on a plate and slide it over to her, cleaning up the slight mess you had made and you glance over at her.

Laura sat starring at the plate as she thought of all of her symptoms you had just listed.

“Why were you asking?” Logan asks, his voice stern and suspicious.

She looks up, once again nervous.

You smile, getting an inkling as to where this is going.

“Well, there’s this-”

“No Laura. No boys, remember?” Logan interrupts, his custodial protectiveness resurfacing.

“It’s not a boy.” she mutters.

Logan blinks a few times, looking over to your grinning face.

“It’s a girl?” he asks, making sure that he wasn’t getting mixed up at all.

Laura looks up from the oxidizing apples a second time and nods.

“Well,” he leans back in his seat, breathing out.

“Tell me ‘bout her.”

She grins and you smile back, lovingly.

And then she doesn’t stop talking about the girl with the dark umber skin and curly caramel highlights until you have to remind her to eat her apple slices.

[ladyswillmart]

THANK GOD FOR SMALL MIRACLES Some Portal Microfic I literally just wrote, by Swilly

“Funny that you should mention clarity of vision,” said Doug as he began the highly delicate surgeon’s maneuver of removing as much of the wrapper as he could from this treasure of a Zagnut bar he found in Dr. Klasky’s desk. Zagnuts were notoriously brittle, sticky things, and after so many years spent in its sepulchral repose, no doubt a significant portion of its wrapper had now irrevocably transformed into a part of the unified Zagnut experience.

Though, after nearly five years of scrabbling for anything, literally anything edible from whatever Aperture Science Quantum Superposition Entanglements he could scrounge from the facility, the wrapper was looking at least as palatable as the candy bar itself, a petrified specimen that Doug guessed had been hiding in that drawer since the late Johnson era, or possibly early Caroline. It was an educated guess, based on the fact that he had to excavate several things, including a 1986 Ziggy Sax Symbol desktop calendar to get to it.

Anyway, clarity of vision.

“Did I mention clarity of vision?” said the Companion Cube.

“Yes, some time before this scene started.”

“Are you sure...?”

“We call this in medias res, it’s a narrative device that allows an author to bypass certain elements of the exposition so that we may begin with some passage of action instead, i.e., my trying to liberate this Zagnut bar, which I fear is going to end up becoming little more than a waste of an afternoon.” Doug sighed, surveying the mess of capybara-colored coconut shreds and bits of red foil in his lap. His left eye twitched.

“That sounds more like a self-fulfilling prophecy to me.”

“That too. Anyway, clarity of vision,” he resumed. “I had a dream last night.”

“That you can still differentiate such things from the waking dream that is your current reality is frankly impressive.”

“Thank you. It was a strange one, but very vivid. I was at my old high school.” Doug shook his head. After all these years, after everything he’d experienced and endured over the last half a decade alone, he still had dreams about doomed final exams and forgotten locker combinations. “It was the last day of school—or maybe the first, I couldn’t really tell—and I was trying to get to some class I didn’t even know was on my schedule.”

“Oh, that one’s a classic,” said the Cube. “Then you spend all day wandering around the building until you realize you’re 33 years old and you can leave whenever you want.”

“Right. But this time, I tried looking for help, so I found the guidance counselor.” Doug paused. “It was Cave Johnson.”

A man he’d never met, only interpreted through portrait and photograph and foyer sculpture and countless hours of perilously outdated safety films where he, like a flight attendant, would demonstrate the correct way to wear the latest and greatest model of helmet or rubber hazard suit that the company didn’t use anymore, and probably couldn’t due to a whole new rash of completely different safety problems arising from the usage of that particular model of helmet or rubber hazard suit.

The Cube sounded starstruck. “The big cheese, eh? Like meeting God himself.”

“Hmm. I don’t know if I would get that metaphysical about it.” Doug scratched his chin. “He had on this terrible orange plaid leisure suit and kept asking to see my report card. I tried to tell him I haven’t had a report card in 15 years, but he got really mad about it and threatened to fire me,” he said as he resumed exhuming his lunch. “Then he said something so weird, I can’t get it out of my head at all.”

“What did he say?”

“He said...” At the memory, the aperture of Doug’s cybernetic eye closed into a slight squint; his other eye followed suit momentarily. “He said that he would never ever forgive himself for dying before society got around to inventing N-F-Ts.”

“En Eff Tee...?” repeated the Cube, gingerly. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know! It was so clear, but... I mean, I’ve been wracking my brain all day to work out what it stands for. N-F-T. I can usually only get two of the three letters at a time though.”

“Well, whatever it means, if the words came from Cave himself, I guess we should actually be glad that he croaked before it happened, eh?”

Doug nodded, laughing. “Right you are,” he said, breaking off his half of the Zagnut bar, now sufficiently scraped clean. “Are you hungry too?”

“Oh yes, very much, thank you.”

“Alright.” Smiling kindly, Doug unscrewed the Cube’s top facing heart-emblazoned panel plug. “I’ll just... drop it in there, then.”

The candy bar hit the bottom of the box with a lovely hollow thunk.

[dr-habit-b]

Pesky pups and pretty ladies

No application, no warning, heck, not even an email! Kamal was already working on two other applications from the other night, and before he knew what was even happening, from the corner of his vision through the window he saw some Habititans gathering around the entrance to the ‘carnival’ area. 

He didn’t think much of it at first, maybe the kids were trying to mess with Ronbo, he was the clown after all, but when he poked his head around the office’s big, clunky computer he saw-

Wait wAS THAT ANOTHER FREAKIN KID?

He bolted up from his chair and ran out to the balcony, gripping the railing as he leaned forward, squinting to see what was happening. In the middle of a few of the residents was definitely a new person, no doubt. Ohh god oh GOD what the heck? They definitely weren’t expecting anyone today, who..??? Geez, aw geez.

“Haaaaaabit! We got a! Thing!!!!” He called out from the balcony, his voice creaking with anxiety. He didn’t want to deal with this today!...

Kamal was staring down into the carnival area, rubbing his temples as Habit came up behind him, peering around to see his assistant’s face.

“Kamal? Whate’s the matter?”

He watched with curiosity and confusion as his assistant just gestured frustratingly down to the carnival, following his gaze. Oh! There was a little group down there, now what were they doing?

“Eye.. do’nt understand, whate is happening?”

He frowns a little bit as Kamal drags his hands down his face with a big sigh, looking up at him. The anxiety and worry was very apparent on his face... his hand twitches a little, wanting to hold his face, but he doesn’t.

“I dunno if you can see or not, but uh. The Habititans? Are? Around a. Uh. A kid. New kid. Like, ah, no application or anything I didn’t recognize them Habit oh my god what are we gonna do?!”

Kamal starts running his fingers through his hair and curling it around his fingers as he starts rocking on his heels a little. If this kid just showed up, without parents, or, hell, even with parents but no application, ohhh they’re gonna get in so much trouble.

He jumps a bit feeling big hands on his shoulders, looking up at Habit. 

“Kamal. It iz o.k. We wille figure thise out! Let us go ande greete theme!”

Kamal forces a little bit of a smile, taking a deep breath as he pats Habit’s arms, shaking his head as those big hands remove from his shoulders.

“Y.. yeah, yeah. Okay. That’s probably for the best anyways, uh, lets! Lets just go, yeah?”

Habit gives him a smile, just barely showing his teeth, and pats Kamal on the back as the two of them head down the elevator. They don’t say much, but Kamal can feel Habit staring down at him as he nervously fidgets and messes with his hair. He’s still really worried, but! But it’ll be fine, right? Right. They wont get sued, I mean, its not like Parsley is hanging out in the carnival. Its not like he’ll see this kid, coming in unannounced and unplanned, and think to sue them. Haha, right? Right?? That wont happen.’

Kamal doesn’t notice the elevator ding and open up at first, not till Habit pats his back and coaxes him out. Geez, okay, he needs to just. Breathe and take a moment to get out of his own head.

He takes their long walk down the long hallway to the boiler room to do just that, holding his hands together in front of them and staring down at them. He feels a hand on his back, Habit making sure to guide him and keep him walking. Its appreciated, to say the least.

By the time they exit that big door in the back of the boiler room, Kamal is at least calm enough to not be almost pulling out his own hair.

“Are u o.k?”

He didn’t jump at least, but as Kamal looked up at his boss, he took a moment to take in the worried expression on his face. They both stopped, just a few feet shy away from the door, just staring at each other. Kamal let out a weary sigh before finally answering.

“I.. I’m worried! A lot, but... but it’ll be fine, right? We’ll... figure it out... probably.”

A smile creeped up on Habit’s face and he nodded, giving Kamal’s head a little pat pat.

“Yese it will! Do note worri, if it go-es bad, eye will handl it. Thise is mine Habitat, after all.”

Kamal manages a smile back for him, but. His words both comfort and continue to worry him. But they weren’t going to figure out just standing here, so he decides to lead the way this time, with Habit following just a touch behind him.

The gathered Habitians had moved from the carnival gates into the middle of the courtyard, it looked like... Ronbo, Mirphy, Tiff and Jimothan were gathered by the new kid, talking amongst themselves and looking rightfully worried. They all turned their heads hearing Kamal and Habit approach, which made Kamal feel incredibly small.

Thankfully Habit took charge and stepped in front of Kamal, smiling with open arms.

“Hell-o evry-one!! I hear thate we have a new visitor two-day!” He clasps his hands together, gazing down at the awkward-looking teen in the middle of the adults. “Amd who mite you be, younge man?”

The boy just stared at him for a moment, probably taking in the height difference, before shaking his head and grinning wide with teeth covered in braces. He was a nerdy looking kid, to say the least, dressed up far too warm for this summer heat. But, Habit supposed he used to dress in a very similar way in his teen years...

“O-oh! Uh!” Wait, he clears his throat a bit, trying to keep his voice from so obviously cracking. “I’m Trevor Garbo! And I heard from a...” He gets all shifty eyed for a moment, before looking back to Habit with squinty eyes. “Reliable source, that you guys might have a Vampire lurking around here!! I had to come see for myself!”

Habit just blinked down at the kid, and he could feel how dumbfounded his expression looked. He glanced over to the adults around Trevor, who all seemed just as exasperated and confused. O-key... um. Hmm..

“Weel! I amn not knowing about thise, but... ah.. Trevor, did you come here... a-lone?”

He didn’t turn around, but he could feel Kamal behind him grabbing nervously at his coat. He could practically feel him begging for the answer to be no. And, well, Habit was hoping for that too of course. But if this kid did come here alone....

“..Oh, nah! Uh, actually. My mom dropped me off.”

Relief. Kamal practically melted into a puddle, and Habit felt a little weight off his shoulders too. Although...

“Dide she? Ah, iz.. she stille aroumd?”

The blank stare Trevor gives him does Not inspire confidence.

“Uhhh, nah? Nah, she left, for like. Work stuff I dunno. She heard me talking about this place and thought it’d be a nice place to drop me off while she did work stuff. Uh, that’s like. Okay, right? I mean, this is already way better than being alone at the house for weeks!”

....Oh god he’s sweating. What the heck? Okay. O-key, o.k, umm...

“Did... yew happ-en two fill out a app-licaton? Ate all?”

He’s trying not to seem too nervous, but he gets the feeling Trevor can tell anyways.

“Uh, nah. Was I.. ‘sposed to?”

A. Perfect.

Before he could even think of what to say next he felt movement behind him, and when he turned to look he saw his assistant hurriedly making his way to the carnival.

“Ah- Kamal! Waite!”

He started to follow only to stop, looking back at Trevor, who was starting to look just as worried as the adults. No, no that wont do. He squats so he’s not looking down at the kid, giving him a big, closed smile.

“Oh, do note worri, маленький, you hav no-thimg two be a-fraide of. We wille handle every-thing! Juste be nice two the others, o.k?”

When Trevor relaxes Habit stands tall again and gives him a pat on the head before turning quick and rushing after Kamal. He catches up with a few strides of his long legs and grabs him by the arm, stopping him for going further.

“Kamal. Pleaze, re-lax. Whate are you ev-en planning?”

His grip isn’t tight by any means, and he still feels badly about it, but he doesn’t let go. He can take a pretty good guess at what Kamal is wanting to do, but.. He doesn’t need to see his face to see how stressed out and worried he is about this situation, he can feel it in how Kamal trembles.

“If... if I can just. Just talk t-to, to Parsley, and.. and explain! What. Just happened! I’m.. I can fix this, and.. and get a handle on, on the situation, before... before it gets worse, so.. s-so let me go, doc, I can.. I got this.”

“No, Kamal, you do note.”

“AND WHY NOT?!”

Habit jumps slightly, hearing Kamal raise his voice like that, but he does his best not to waiver.

“Be-cauze you are verry stressed, rite now.” He feels Kamal start to tug his arm, just a little, and he reaches over to turn his assistance’s face to him. Once they’re looking at one another, Habit tries to give him a little smile.

“Liek I said, it iz o-key. Lemt me talk to Parslm. Parsm... Parsley.” He scrunches his face a little. Why did he have such a hard time with that name... regardless.

“Yew should staye and talke two Trevor a bit! Eye will handl the issue. Be-sides, we have an-other guest a-riving soon! U need to be calme so you can greete her, yes?”

Kamal’s intense gaze is able to make even Habit a little nervous, despite the disparity in their height, but he relaxes when he sees the other let out a tired sigh.

“I... okay, okay. Yer right I’m. Super messed up about this right now... I just... dont want you to get in trouble for this, y’know? You.. yer a good guy and this place is like, your dream! Sow hat.. what if...”

He gets cut off as Habit pats his head with a little laugh, blinking up at him in confusion.

“Welle! Thate is for me to worri about, note you. Go see Trevor, waite for our new Habitians, I will talk with Pars. O-key?”

Kamal just stares up at him for a second before letting out a little laugh, some of the tension ebbing away. He nods, patting hand still holding onto his arm till Habit lets go.

“Y.. yeah, ‘o-key,’ I’ll do that. Just uh... if! If you need me, I’ll, uh. Be.. not that far away, I guess, hehh...”

His face flushes a little as he starts to walk back towards the courtyard, but he tries to shake it off. That was a dumb thing to say...

-----

Habit watches him go with a smile before sighing himself, looking over to where Parsley was hanging out. He was sitting by that little tire fire.. wonder why he liked that area so much. But, well, not the time for that. He makes his way over, giving Parsley a wave when he notices him coming. Parsley doesn’t get up or anything, just stays sitting and hugging his suitcase. That’s fine, Habit will walk right over and squat beside him.

“...So, uh. Whats up, Mr. Habit? You and your assistant get into a ‘lovers quarrel’ or something? Haha.”

Habit shoots him a frown, and Parsley gives him an apologetic smile.

“Eye dont knowe if you saw, but... we got a new Habititian, a bite ago.”

“Oh? Sounds uh, fun. Why... are you telling me, exactly?” He cant help but frown a little at the nervous expression on this big man. Doesn’t sit well in his stomach.

“Weell.... He is younge, amd.. he tolde us thate, ah... his momther, juste dropped him off and left. We were work-ing on two applications a bit a-go, but.. they were note his. She didmt e-maile or anything, we have noo paper-worke for him.” His gaze drifts away from Parsley as he talks, and he rubs the back of his neck with one of his hands.

“Kamal is verri up-set. Worried thate eye will get in-two trouble for thise.. we were ho-ping yew could help us? You’re are a lawyer boy, amd may-b you could help make an application for him?”

He finally glances back over at Parsley, only to wince a little at the look of disbelief on his face.

“Ah... do you note truste me? We can go-”

“Oh, no no, you’re fine. I cant believe the nerve of that kid’s Mom!” He groans, and rests his forehead against his suitcase, grumbling to himself. Something or other about child negligence, and custody cases..

“Okay, OK, yeah. Okay. Dont worry, uh, doc, I got y’alls back. I aint no evil lawyer or anything, heh... Whats the kid’s name again?”

“Ah, I thimk he said... Trevor! Trevor... Garbo?”

Parsley hums a little bit, thinking for a moment as he drums his fingers against his suitcase.

“Hmm, Garbo, Garbo... Man, I think my firm dealt with a divorce with that name. All the applications are the same, right? I’m sure I can call someone, and get a hold of his information pretty easy.... Oh, uh, y’know. If thats all good with you and- uh...”

He looks up at Habit, whose looking right back at him with big teary eyes. Before he knows whats even happening he’ lifted up like a Child and hugged by this big crying green doctor, and. Well. Sure, why the heck not. It only lasts but a moment and when Parsley is put down Habit apologizes while wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

“Aw, uh, no worries. No harm. I’ll, uh! Get to you, when I get the information and stuff, kay? I’d uh, do it now, but...” He glances over to the other side of the carnival, past the gates where the small group of adults and Trevor were still located.

Jimmothan was one of them...

“Ah, do note worri a-bout it. Eye understand.” Habit gives Parsley a pat on the back as he gets up, giving him a smile.

“You juste re-lax, amd I will come check-in later. I wille go see how Trevor is doing.”

They wave at each other before Habit starts heading back over to the courtyard, feeling lighter and more relieved. That went. MUCH much better than anticipated! Thank goodness. Though.. one of Parsley’s comments did plant a pit of worry in his stomach, but. Well. Nothing he could do about it, Parsley was the lawyer, not him.

-----

If Kamal wasnt so stressed out right now, he’d be very entertained by how Trevor just kept going on and ON about vampires. It was impressive, actually, even if he had no idea what the heck he was even on about. But as it stood he was passively listening to keep the kid happy, all while his worries covered him like a heavy, heavy blanket. He keeps glancing over to the big front doors of the Habitat, keeps listening for a knock or the sound of a bus or something. It feels like time is going agonizingly slow.

“...your name again?”

“Huh?” Oh, shit, he stopped listening. He looked back to Trevor, giving him a nervous smile.

“Uhh, sorry pal, didn’t catch that. Whats up?” 

“What’s your name again? And, uh, the tall guy?”

Good, good, just a question. He lets out a sigh and tries to relax again.

“My name’s Kamal, and that big lug you saw was Habit. He’s my boss, and the guy who runs this place. He, uh... I mean, we’ll need you to fill out an application, later, since. Since yer mom kinda just... y’know.”

“Ohh.. I uh, yeah thats! Fair, probably, sorry about that.”

“Nah, kid, dont even worry about it. Not your fault. Is, uh.. the only reason you came cause of the. Vampire thing?....” Where did he even hear that? Far as he’s aware none of these other folk are really internet people. “You know this is a place for like. Sad people, right?”

“Really? Well, honestly, I wasn’t sure. I mean, I did look at the website, but...”

Trevor shrugs, and Kamal gives him another nervous grin. Maybe he should look at that website... Habit put it together when they were first getting things running, he cant actually remember whether or not he checked it before hand. Maybe he should... go and make some edits. Or at least add some information. Or just look at it- whatever that was for later.

His attention went back to the front doors, while Trevor went back to talking about vampires to the other few adults around, who were listening to him with confused but endeared expressions. He was a little weird, but hey, whatever makes this kid happy right? After he was just dumped off by his mom, it was the least they could do.

Kamal found himself just staring at those doors, everything else out of his focus falling away. He started sort of bouncing one of his legs anxiously, starting to fiddle with his hair with one of his free hands. He was so out of it that he let out a very undignified squawk when he felt something touch him, turning around only to be met by his tall boss. They stared at each other before laughing a bit, Kamal giving an embarrassed apology before straightening.

“S.. so, uh, how’d it go with-” Ah. He glances over at Jimothan, who was talking with Trevor, before looking back to Habit.

“How’d it go?”

“Goode! Eye thimk it went good. He said he would help! Help two get Trevor’s in-for-mation, for an application. He is, thamkfully, on oure side withe this. There is no-thimg to worri a-bout, Kamal.”

He holds his arms out a little, an offered hug, and Kamal is quick to take it. God he was so relieved he could melt into a puddle right then and there.

But there was still more to do. They all chat for a fit, and the others disperse as Kamal leads Trevor up into the apartment area, practically hugging the wall all the way up while Habit followed behind with Trevor’s bit of luggage.

With the weight of all that legal stress off his shoulders, Kamal was a lot more lively. That was good, Habit liked to see that. Seeing his assistant so consumed by stress and anxiety.. really hurt, but he knew the feeling.

Once Trevor was shown his room, he was eager to have everything set up and decorated just how he wanted, so they left him to it. Still had to wait for the new Habititans to show up... hopefully nothing happened, but those worries were ditched quickly as they got to the bottom of the stairwell.

“Ohhhh heyyyyyyyy!” A woman in a green dress and frizzy looking hair waved over to them, accompanied by a.. well, to put it bluntly, another very sad looking woman with long teal hair.

Kamal let out a breath of relief seeing them and straightened, putting on a big smile as he and Habit approached the two.

“Hello! And, welcome to the Habitat! We’re very pleased to have you both, you didn’t have any trouble getting here did you?”

“Ohh not at all! Hahaha, wowww, you’re soo sweet! I met Lulia here the the busss stop and we chatted so much we forgot the bus! Soooo we had to wait for the next one, but itssss okay, no worries.” 

She ruffles Kamal’s hair, which gets a nervous laugh out of him. Was.. was this woman. Drunk? She, uh, she was sure acting like it. Well its a good thing she said they took the bus cause Kamal wasn’t sure how he’d feel if she drove here.

“Okay! Okay, thats... thats good to hear, at least.” At least, he thinks so. “You’re.. Jerafina, right? And I suppose the other woman is Lulia?”

“Ding diiiiiing! Hahaha, I alllllmost forgot you knew my name, I was totally shocked at first.” She turns to look at the other woman standing behind her. “Yooour name is Lulia??? Thats sooooo pretty!!”

Lulia just sighs, brushing some hair behind one of her ears. It looks like she’s blushing, but Kamal cant tell what exactly from. She really did look sad, and, well... her application had him figure as much, really. She was probably the worst case here right now, and honestly, it... made him nervous! What a shocker, but really. She would have to be someone they keep an eye on, for sure...

While he was lost in his thoughts Habit approached them, giving them a friendly smile and offering his hand for handshakes. Jerafina took it and shook maybe a little too eagerly, while Luila just turned her face away from the offer. She didn’t seem like one to talk, even though Jerafina mentioned them having a conversation... though, maybe Jerafina was just talking at her. Who knows.

“Weel! You two muste be tired, yess?? Let us go two you’re rooms! I cam carry your thimgs!” Habit beamed as they both gave him their respective suitcases, and he thought it was cute how each one matched its owner so perfectly. He glanced down at Kamal, who was looking at the stairs rather nervously, and nudged him with his elbow.

“Do note worry, eye can han-dle theme from hear. Yew go back two the office o-key?” He doesn’t give Kamal the chance to answer, actually, and turns a heel and walks towards the stairs with the two women following suit.

Kamal watches them go, hand partially raised like he was going to say something, but after a second he drops it and makes his own way back to the office. Come on, its okay, everything worked out fine. Nothing to stress about.

-----

Jerafina continued to chat up Lulia the whole way up the stairs and to the apartment rooms, up until she was shown her own room and given her suitcase. She pouted and whined about leaving Lulia behind, but eventually left to her own devices after a moment. Habit was thankful when she did, letting out a little sigh. She definitely reeked of alcohol. Well! Good thing they the lounge, and Jimothan.

His walk with Lulia was significantly quieter, and Habit all too quickly missed Jerafina’s mindless chatter. He never knew what to say to people who didn’t want to talk, so... they didn’t. Lulia didn’t seem to mind at least. When they reached her room Habit set down her luggage and looked over to her, offering a little smile.

“Do note worry, miss Lulia. Yew can take as much tiem here as you neede. If there is any-thinge you neede, let me knowe.” His smile strains a little bit as she nods and continues to stay quiet, watching her step into her room. He lets out a quiet sigh through his nose. Well... he cant blame her. These sorts of things arent easy for everyone. Admitting you’re in a bad place, and need some kind of help..

“...You are a-mong friends, here. We are alll deal-img withe pro-blems. Big! Or small. Do note be a-fraid two talke to some-one. O-key?” He stares at the back of her head for a long time before smiling a little when she finally nods. He wishes her a good rest of the day and makes his way back down the stairs, and towards the boilers.

He hopes Kamal is okay. Today piled a lot of unexpected stress onto him, and Habit knew just how anxious he got about things... Well! No matter, he would make sure things ran smooth as they can go. Tomorrow he’ll check in with Parsley, and get to work on all of Trevor’s papers. Maybe see if... Parsley can get a hold of his mom. Or... something. Anything. That whole situation didn’t sit right with him..

When he reached the elevator he hit the up button and waited patiently for the ding, listening to the hum of the machine as it whirred to life. He was still lost in thought, but didn’t miss the quiet sound under the mechanical hum. He lifted his head a bit to listen more intently, looking around the empty room.

Empty? No, that wasnt right. His eyes widened a bit as his gaze landed on one of the corners of the room, where he spotted a small form, pressed against that corner and looking very small. His expression fell and his chest tightened painfully.

“Oh, лилия....” The words slipped out, just barely audible, and Habit turned to make his way over to that small form as the elevator dinged and opened behind him. He stopped just shy of the other, and slowly sat down on his knees in front of him.

Kamal was sat so tucked into that corner and into himself that he looked so, so much smaller than normal. Habit could see the way he trembled, even in the dim room, and could see the uneven rising and falling of his breathing, despite him being utterly silent. He reached out to him, only to stop just shy of touching his head. He hesitated for a long while, thinking over what to do.

“Is touche o-kay?”

For a while, Kamal didn’t give him a response, verbal or otherwise, but he eventually nodded. Habit breathed a sigh of relief and started to gently stroke the top of his head, lightly dragging his finger tips through his hair.

“I ame... so sorry, Kamal... I should note hav left you a-lone.” Especially when the way up to the office was so... dark and spooky. He should really try getting some lights down here sometime, he thinks, but- no no. That wasn’t important right now.

What was important was the fact that he let his assistant, his friend, get so anxious like this. He’s sure he could have done... something better along the way.

He continues to comb through Kamal’s wavy hair with his fingers, not sure what to say next. Not sure what would or wouldn’t make it worse.. but he knew being down here wasn’t going to make it any better, thats for sure.

Gently he started to coax Kamal into uncurling.

“Here, lemt me carry you two you’re room. Yew wille be more comfy there.”

Eventually Kamal let Habit pick him up, but he hid his face in his hands the whole time. That made Habit giggle a bit, which seemed to relax Kamal a little. Good! That was... a little progress, at least. He carried him up and into the elevator, pushing the up button. Kamal, being his assistant, shared a room right across from Habit’s. Easy to get to and from the office quickly.

As the elevator came to a slow stop and dinged, the doors sliding open, Kamal finally found his voice as Habit stepped out.

“Imm.. ss-sorry...” His voice was quiet and cracked easily, giving away his crying. It really tore up Habit from the inside out, hearing him like that.

“Kamal no no, you do’nt haf two be sorre for an-y thimg....” He nudged Kamal’s door open as he reached it, thankful it wasnt closed all the way, and went to go sit on the bed. Still holding him close.

“Bu.. but I. I-I didnt... ee-even help!.. I was,, ss-so useless...” And that was it, wasn’t it. He tried so hard all the time, he worked so hard, all the time. Did everything his parents wanted him to, studied and made perfect grades even at the expense of his well being, got into a good college, then went to a good dentistry school, kept studying hard and making perfect grades-

But god, god, life throws one unexpected thing at him and he totally falls apart. Just one! And it wasnt even that bad! So- why??

He flinches a little bit as his hands are pulled from his face, and he stares, teary-eyed up at his boss, who looks back down at him with worry and pain.

“You are Not use-less. Kamal.” Habit closes his eyes for a second to take a breath, and when he opens them again, his gaze is much softer.

“Yew are wonderful. So.. smarte, and hard-workeing, all the time! Even whene you do’mt haf to be. You check and re-cheke ev-ery-thing so thate you are sure it is all in-order! Thate everything is o-key! Yew hav re-membered manee little de-tales I do not, and have fixed mine mistakes thate I missed. Ande yew care a-bout the Habititans as much as I do.” He gives Kamal a warm smile, gently wiping a few tears away with his thumb.

“Far from use-less, in mine o-pinion.”

Kamal cant help his face flushing as Habit speaks, glancing away when he starts touching his face. It does bring a little smile to his face, and he cant help but.. laugh? Just a little bit.

“Y... yer.. such a sofie, y.. y’know that?” He doesn’t look back up at Habit, but he does put a hand over top the one still touching his face, as if to say ‘keep it there.’

Habit just stares down at Kamal with a little smile on his face, staying quiet for a bit before letting out a little laugh of his own.

“Hah, may-b! Thate is a good thing, no?”

Its only now that Kamal finally looks up at Habit, giving him a small smile of his own.

“Yeah... yeah I, I think so.”

They stay like that for a long while. Habit moves so that his back can lean back against the wall, and Kamal stays in his arms. He feels like this should be... way more weird, I mean, he was. Being held by his boss? After having a mini breakdown. In his own room??? On his bed??? But... it was just. Nice.

They talked about nothing in particular for what felt like hours, till Kamal stopped getting answers back. He glanced up, only to see that Habit was starting to doze off. He felt his face flush again along with this warm, but also nauseous feeling in his chest. At first he thought he might be about to have a panic attack, but this feeling still felt more.. pleasant than anything, pleasant and nervous.

...Wait a second.

Ah,

[leiascully]

Fic:  Baseball Metaphors (10/?)

Part One  |  Part Two  |  Part Three |  Part Four |  Part Five |  Part 6 |  Part 7 |  Part 8 |  Part 9

Why if it isn’t my new friend, Colonel Angus.  We’re going to call this Mature/NSFW.

+ + + +

Scully will never believe that she's psychic, but Mulder isn't so sure, because after Thai food and two beers each, they end up at Ethan and Jenny's house, getting the official tour, ooh and ahhing about the various shades of beige that have been carefully selected to wring the maximum of sunlight out of the south-facing windows or something.  Mulder's never really cared much about houses.  Also, it's night.  The south-facing windows are illuminated by a streetlight, but nothing else.  Most of the rooms are empty, except for the nursery, which is a shade of yellow that's probably nice in the daylight, but just looks dingy at night.  There's a crib there and something that looks like a dresser but probably isn't.  He's learned that baby things are almost never what he thinks they are.  For example, there's a trash can that he quickly learns is some kind of state of the art diaper bin.  

"It's lovely," Scully says, leaning against him.  

"Cozy," Mulder adds.  That seems to be the right response.  Ethan and Jenny both beam.  

"Our little nugget is going to be so happy here," Jenny says.  She pats the quilt draped over the crib rail.  "He's going to grow up so big and strong."

"We just found out it's a boy," Ethan says proudly.  

"Congratulations," Mulder says.  "What are you going to name him?"

Jenny whiffs her hand at him playfully, like she would slap at him if she were close enough.  "We can't tell.  It's a tough world out there when it comes to baby names.  Competitive."

"Maybe that's why my parents went the route they did," Mulder jokes.  "Nobody else was going to poach 'Fox'."  

"Solid reasoning," Ethan says with a grin orthodontists must have loved.  

"You have to see the master bedroom," Jenny gushes.  "It has an en suite bathroom and it just gets the best light in the morning."

"Lead the way," Scully says.

The master bedroom is another masterpiece in beige.  Mulder pretends to care about crown molding, nodding as Ethan points at the various features.

"Can't you just imagine it?" Jenny says, cleary in raptures over the vision in her mind.  "The bed just here, and we inherited the nicest bedroom set from my grandmother.  The dresser here, the vanity there."  She gestures, boxing off space in the air with her hands, painting a picture in her own mind.

"It sounds perfect," Scully says.  

"Just wait until you two have a place of your own," Jenny says.  "You'll feel the same way."

"I'm sure," Scully says.

"It's too bad my lease isn't up for another six months," Mulder says, trying to fill his voice with regret.  "You know, the market just moves so fast.  There's not really any point in looking yet."

"I was going to tell you," Scully says to Jenny, "but, um, we were having so much fun discussing it."

"Aww, well, I'm sure there will be plenty of great places when you're ready," Jenny says.  "I hope you're just as lucky as we were."

"We can only hope," Mulder says cordially.  At least he got some manners out of his abbreviated attempts at charm school, or whatever it was his mother sent him to.  Obviously the rest of it didn't take.  

Scully stifles a yawn with one hand.  "Oh, look at the time," she actually says, glancing at her watch.  Mulder has to cough so he doesn't laugh.  "We have an early flight," she goes on.  

"No rest for the watchmen," Mulder says.  "Is that how that goes?"

"Do you two work together all the time?" Jenny asks.  "I thought you were in different divisions."

"Most of the time," Scully hedges.  "Every now and then they remember that we're assigned outside our specialties."  

"We just clicked from the first case," Mulder says smoothly.  "They can't justify keeping us apart.  Our solve rate is just too good."

"Don't you work on those special cases?" Ethan asks suddenly.  "Z-Files?"

"X-Files," Scully says, and there's something wry and wary and fond in her voice.

"They let us handle all the weird ones," Mulder tells Jenny.  "All the ones no one else can solve.  That's how talented we are."  

"Well, don't let us keep you," Jenny says.  "I wouldn't want you to miss your flight when you're so important!"

"A force for justice," Ethan says.  "Good for you both."

"Let us know when you get back," Jenny says.  "Maybe I'll cook, if I can still get around the kitchen."  

"Don't sell yourself short," Ethan says, nuzzling at her.  "You're an amazing cook and just as light on your feet as ever."  Jenny giggles.

"Can't wait," Mulder says.  "See you when we get back."  He steers Scully down the stairs and out of the house with the arm around her shoulders.  She lets out a long breath.  

"'Oh, look at the time'?" he teases as she unlocks her car.  

"I didn't see you doing much better," she mutters.  "God, Mulder, there was a time in my life when crown molding mattered to me."  

"Maybe there will be again," he teases, "when we get our own place."

"It had better have south-facing windows," she says.

"It will," he promises.  "Only the best for my sweetheart."

"Hypothetically speaking," she says as she climbs into the car and turns the ignition, "what would we be looking for, if we were getting a place together?  Obviously two bedrooms at least."

"Obviously," he says.  "I mean, there are two of us."  

"That and we have to look like we're planning for the future," she says, squinting at him as she stops at a light.  "Whatever that future might be."

"Right," he says.  "Because obviously they assume we're sleeping together."

"It would be strange if we weren't," she says.  "Ethan knows I don't have any hangups about premarital sex, and you don't strike me as the type to save yourself."

"Until marriage?" he asks.

She smirks.  "At all.  From any situation.  Everything happens to you."  She glances over at him.  "But in particular, yes, I suspect that like Oscar Wilde, you can resist anything except temptation."

"I've resisted you!" he protests.

"Have you?"  She raises one eyebrow.

"We haven't...done everything yet," he says.  "Considering how, uh, tempted I was, I've basically shown a superhuman ability to resist."

"What was it when the painters finished?" she asks, her thumb rubbing idly around the curve of her steering wheel.  "Third base?  'Everything but', as I believe your unhelpful definition ran?"

"I think that's what we said," he says, as if he hasn't been thinking about it all day.

"Hmm," she says.  "Maybe I would want crown molding.  It lends a certain dignity to a room.  We never had anything like that in base housing."

He'd have intellectual whiplash if he weren't so used to the switchbacks and callbacks of their conversations.

"I think it all comes down to the kitchen," he says.  "That's what I hear, anyway."

"Maybe three bedrooms would be better," she muses.  "Then we'd have a guest room."

"When would we have guests?" he asks.  "It was just the other day that we were talking about how we don't have any friends."

"Fine," she says reluctantly.  "It can be an office where you keep all your esoteric news clippings and weird samples."

"I like to think of them as our clippings and samples," he jokes.  

"After more than three years, I suppose that's fair," she says.  

"Joint custody of our collection," he says.  "It's a big step."  

"Is it?" she asks.  "I've always been assigned the responsibility for it."

"Feels like a big step," he says.

"Bigger than taking off our clothes together?" she asks without looking at him.

He breathes in sharply.  "I don't think that's third base."

"And yet it seems like the inevitable conclusion, given the way our relationship with Ethan and Jenny is developing," she says.  "I don't anticipate having any less need to decompress."

"Is that...okay?" he asks.  

"I'll keep you updated if anything changes," she says.  "For now, I'm...relieved."

He shifts against the seatbelt.  "Relieved?"

"It seems like a healthier outlet than drinking the stress away, for example."  She shrugs, the motion limited by the stretch of her arms.  "Less addictive.  Less damaging."

"Plenty of people get themselves in trouble that way," he hedges.

"I think we'll be just fine," she says, her lips curling up at the corners.  "If we couldn't help ourselves, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Makes sense," he says.  "We would have already just let it happen."

"Exactly," she says.  "Maybe years ago.  Who knows."

"A surrender to the inevitable," he says.  

"That's what they'll say," she muses.  

"All that matters to me is what you say," he says, letting his head loll on the headrest.  

"Right now I'm saying that I could use a stiff drink," she says, clearly amused with herself.  "Or something."

"I can provide that," he tells her.

They park in front of his building and make their way up to his apartment.  As soon as they're inside he picks her up.  Her legs wrap around his waist as her mouth meets his.  She twines her fingers through his hair.  He has one arm around her hips and the other under her ass.  He is endlessly thankful for the fact that she's been wearing skirts on these dates that aren't quite as constricting as the ones she wears in the office.  

"How would you like to take the edge off, Scully?" he murmurs.  "We have a number of options."

"Can I confess something to you?" she asks, kissing her way across his cheek to nip at his earlobe.  

"Of course," he tells her.

"I've always been intrigued by your oral fixation," she breathes.  Her tongue traces the shell of his ear and he shivers.

"How Freudian of you," he says.  

"Take it as you will," she says, and he knows that his grin verges on feral.

"Oh, I will," he says, and lays her out on the couch.  She pulls him down on top of her, kissing him lingeringly, her hands smoothing down his sides and over his ass.  He braces himself over her and lets himself melt into her mouth.  She makes soft little noises and slips her tongue against his. He feels the shock of the contact all down his body.  Scully could map him, he's certain, charting the impulses of desire through his bones and his nerves with her deft fingertips, but he has his own promises to keep.  He kisses down her throat and between her breasts, rubbing his cheeks against the plane of her stomach and the dip of her flank.  It takes the better part of half an hour, or so he imagines.  Around Scully, he's always losing time.  He plants himself between her knees, the leather cushions creaking under his weight.  She reaches down and helps him draw her skirt up over her thighs.  He hooks his fingers under the hem of her silky peach-colored panties and eases them down.  

"These aren't the sensible briefs I remember," he teases.  

"I had other expectations for tonight," she says.  

"Lucky you," he says in a low voice calculated to make her shiver, which she does.  His college education was good for something after all.  He gazes down at her: knees canted gently together, pale thighs, auburn curls.  He rubs his palms slowly up and down her calves.  She shaved for tonight and her skin is smooth and soft.  

"Third base?" he says, using one finger to nudge her knees apart.  She lets them fall to the sides and fuck, he wants her so badly.  

"Step up to the plate," she says, and now he's the one shivering.  He tries to lie down on his belly, but he's too tall, and the arm of the couch jams into his thighs.  He grunts and sits back up.

"What?" Scully says, and he puts his hands around her hips and lifts her over him as he lies back.  She takes the cue and balances over his shoulders.  He eases himself down underneath her and helps her settle over his face.  The fabric of her skirt tents his head and shoulders, but all he cares about is the curls tickling his lips, and then the soft folds that his tongue teases apart, and then the slick heat of her under his mouth.  

She gasps quietly as he explores her.  He's taking his own fucking time, savoring her.  She is everything he imagined.  He reaches up to tuck her skirt into her waistband, and reaches further to caress her breast.  She fumbles the rest of her skirt away from his face and rakes her fingers gently through his hair.

"Mulder," she says like his name is a prayer.

"Mm," he responds, concentrating on the salty-sour tang of her and the way her clit firms at the touch of his tongue.  She presses her hand to his, lacing her fingers between his over the swell of her breast.  They caress her together.  She shows him how hard to squeeze, how to pinch her nipples as he flicks his tongue against her clit.  Impatiently, she disentangles her fingers from his and drags her shirt over her head.  She unhooks her bra and tosses that onto his coffee table.  He lets go of her hip and reaches up with both hands, and together they stroke and knead her breasts.  She dips her head and lips at his fingers, sucking them into her mouth.  The wet heat of her mouth, the strength of her mouth, is the same warmth and tension he feels when he thrusts his tongue into her cunt.  He groans into the space between her thighs and circles her clit with his tongue, slowing his pace deliberately.  God, what he wouldn't do for four hands, for multiple mouths, to take in and slide into every part of her at once.  

Her hips are rocking against his face now and he has to let one hand slide from her breast to steady her.  He wants this to last.  She's slippery and frantic against his mouth, but he won't let her rush.  He holds her, slows her, makes her feel every last delicious ounce of friction.  She's gasping and groaning and he can feel the shivers running through her body.  He adds his own vibrations to hers, moaning against her delicate skin, letting her feel how much he's enjoying her where she can understand it best, right at the root of herself.  -

"Please," she gasps, and he gives in, letting his tongue and his fingers move faster, strumming her to a high-pitched jangle of sound and sensation that he can almost feel in his own body as she shakes and shivers, pressing his knees into his shoulders.  

"Oh," she says, "oh, oh, Mulder," and she collapses, catching herself on the arm of the sofa.  He helps her climb off him, steadying her as her legs shake, and shifts on the couch to make space for her.  She sits next to him and he's going to be thinking of her bare skin on his black leather couch for a long time.  He pulls her close with one arm and kisses her head as she catches her breath.

"Curiosity satisfied?" he asks smugly.

"For now," she says.  "I'm sure you'll have ample opportunity to satisfy me again."

"Good to know," he tells her.  

Her hand slips toward his belt and he catches it and kisses her knuckles.

"No?" she says.  

"Next time," he promises her.  "This was about you.  I don't want to complicate that."

"I want to," she says.  "I want you."

He groans and kisses her.  "I want that too.  Next time."  

"What if next time is their housewarming?" she asks.  

"I'm sure we'll have more than a week's notice," he says.  "And if it is, I enjoyed myself plenty tonight, believe it or not."

"I believe it," she says, smirking.  She leans in and kisses him again, and he's tempted to pull her into his lap and forget all about their careful rationing.  But he's made it this far.  

"I'd invite you to stay, but" - he gestures to the couch - "there's not a lot of space."

"Then you'll have to drive next time," she says, "although I'm sure the couch is pretty central to your fantasy."

"I can create a whole new set of fantasies based in your bed," he assures her.

"Good," she says, leaning forward and gathering her bra and panties.  She looks at her bra and then bundles it into the waistband of her skirt, but she steps back into her panties, steadying herself on Mulder's shoulder.  He drags his fingers up her leg, unable to resist grazing her clit with his thumb one last time through the damp fabric of her panties.  She shivers.

"How many innings in a baseball game?" she asks.

"Nine," he says, certain she knows that.

"Maybe some weekend we can play a full game," she says, her eyes half-lidded and dark with desire.

He whistles "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" and she smiles.  

"See you Monday," she says, kissing him one last time, and then the door shuts behind her and he collapses back onto the couch, unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his pants as fast as he can.  He wraps fingers still damp from her mouth around his cock, caressing himself, and he can't remember the last time he came so fast.  He slumps backwards, panting, and then cleans himself up with shaking hands.  

"Fuck," he says to no one.  The fish in their tank gape at him.

[crackmadhi]

Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel

Wednesday, 26 December 2029

Apollo stretched his arms lazily as he entered the living room. Christmas dinner with the Wrights had been… excessively much and he still felt full. So, he gladly had taken Klavier’s offer to stay over with him for the next few days and just lay around and do nothing at all in the man’s house.

Or well, almost nothing, if you know what I mean…

Anyway, Apollo petted his beloved cat that had greeted him. It was nice to feel Mikeko’s fluffy fur, but he was actually on the look out for his boyfriend, who had been yet to be found. With a frown he straightened up and said to his cat: “Well, apparently my quest on finding my prosecutor is far from over. Are you going to accompany me on my noble journey, my honourable feline fellow?”

Mikeko flicked his eyes and looked to the side. That was good enough for Apollo and he went downstairs to the private recording studio. Klav did not use it much these days, or at least no longer in its original purpose. He still played music down there, but he had also installed a home cinema with a projector to watch movies and series.

As Apollo went down the stairs, Mikeko following him closely, he heard an endearing melody play. It was nothing Apollo knew, but he guessed that it was film music. It sounded soft and tinkling and somehow it reminded Apollo of the snow in the mountains. Curiously he entered the room, slowly opening the already a crack open door and glanced around in the room.

With his back turned to the door Klavier sat on the couch watching the projection on the wall. On it a young woman riding on a horse through a wintery forest. She was wearing a simple dress, probably made for a maiden and Apollo got the impression that he was looking at the protagonist of a fairy tale.

Suddenly the music stopped, as the woman got down from her horse and three men in ridiculous clothing appeared on the screen. One of them had a hilarious looking red hat thingy on the head and Apollo could no longer contain his curiosity.

“Okay, what is the deal with this film?”, Apollo asked, flopped down on the couch and stared at the red tights one the red hatted man was wearing. “Wow, that’s really a horrible fashion style that dude got there. How old is this?”

A bit surprised at Apollo’s sudden appearance Klavier looked at him stiffly. But quickly his surprise faded and with a bright smile and his eyes back on the movie he answered: “Mid-seventies, I believe. It’s a fairy-tale film made in a Czechoslovak and DDR cooperation and kind of a cult Christmas film in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. And some other countries I believe but I don’t know for sure… Oh, and Herr Red-Tights there is the price. The girl’s going to shoot a snowball at him, so he’ll miss the deer.”

And there flew a snowball through the screen. One of the men said something snarky in German to the shooter and Apollo raised an eyebrow. Apparently, the three men now decided that they had to chase the girl.

“Ah, a classic Aschenbrödel move. I love that girl”, Klavier commented and smiled at the young woman.

“Aa-sh-en-brod- what? Is that her name? How the heck did you pronounce that?”, Apollo asked making a staggered grimace.

Klavier laughed in pity and nipped him in the side.

“Aschenbrödel. Don’t try to pronounce it again that was horrible. Yeah, it’s her name. It’s the German version of Cinderella. The film’s name is Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, which translates to ‘Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella’. She’ll get the three nuts from an old friend of her father, who found them by accident. They are magical and every one of them contains a dress that she needs right then and there. It’s a really nice film. Even though I grew up here and my mother did not really maintain any rituals from her homeland, she always watched this film with us around Christmas and I became to like it quite a bit over the years.”

The blue eyes were yet again locked on the screen and followed the three men, who miserably failed to catch the little girl. Intrigued Apollo watched his boyfriend’s expression and slowly laid back. The prosecutor had not been this relaxed in a while and somehow Apollo enjoyed him explaining the dialogue and the story to him. So, he leaned to Klavier’s side, put his arm around his shoulder and watched the movie with him.

And eventually the film found its end. The prince had figured out that Aschenbrödel’s sister was not her and could solve the little riddle she had given him. And so, they were riding over the snowy fields to the castle with the pretty melody from earlier.

The whole thing was actually quiet entertaining Apollo found himself thinking and softly squeezed his boyfriend’s arm.

“The music was really pretty, and the girl was very expressive. I liked her a lot”, Apollo reviewed to his wide grinning prosecutor and pecked his cheek.

“Mhm”, Klavier hummed, “the music is truly great. And the actress is candy for the eye. She is a beauty and her dresses were astounding. They did an awesome job with this film.”

“It is good for what it is. I can’t argue with that. Maybe I should see the whole thing sometimes.”

“You definitely should! I’d love to watch it again with you. Maybe I find a subtitle version from it somewhere. Anyway, what did you like best of it?”

Apollo tapped his forehead in musing and looked up to the ceiling.

“Probably that part where the stepmother fell into the pond with the daughter. That was good. Also, when Ms. Ashen-thingy was snarky with the prince and the stepmother. That was really good.”

Klavier giggled and covered his mouth with his hand.

Apollo winked at him and asked amused: “What did you like best about it, though? You must have seen it a hundred times, huh?”

“Ja, I did in fact. Hmm… I think it’s the ball scene I like best. It’s not the thing they filmed best but I like the atmosphere, and they gazing at each other, and the king being clueless and impatient to learn the mystery woman’s identity. Also, I like all the animal scenes in the film and in general the interactions between Aschenbrödel and the price. It’s just too cute.”

The ex-rock star’s voice was mellow, and his hand clasped in Apollo’s, as he ended with his analysis Apollo realized. Fondly he tilted his head to the side and softly brushed Klavier’s bangs behind his ear.

“It’s cute how much you like this movie”, Apollo smiled and kissed Klavier, as he looked at him.

Klavier enjoyed the feeling of Apollo’s peachy lips on his but cautiously broke the kiss of with a smile. He had something else on his mind right now. But – it was not the time for that.

“Well, it is a good movie after all. But not perfect. I mean, there are things I would have liked to see in it but weren’t there”, Klavier brabbled and looked to the side.

That particular behaviour immediately got Apollo’s attention. Klavier did not tell him something and Apollo now was determined to find out what it was.

“What does it lack then?”

The hint of a blush was showing itself on Klavier’s cheeks and he started fumbling around with his bangs.

“Ach, well. It’s a bit cheesy, you see. Promise you won’t laugh, would you?”

Apollo smiled amused and said: “I promise. Now go on! I’m getting impatient!”

“Schon gut! I’m telling you already. So, you know normally in fairy-tale movies it’s quite common that you see the happily-ever-after-couple marry on screen. And they don’t show that here and it always gets me that we won’t see their wedding. I mean, look at them! They are so perfect together and their wedding would be beautiful, especially with this music and the dresses and – Hey you promised you would not laugh!”, Klavier whined and hit Apollo in the upper arm as the latter one had started to giggle.

Defensively Apollo lifted his arms to protect himself from other attack of the prosecutor and said still laughing: “Oh come on Klav! I’m not making fun of you! You’re just too pure and a hopelessly romantic. I love it.”

And with that he caught his boyfriend’s hands and kissed the blond’s cheek. And there Klavier felt his heart rate speed up. He lost himself in Apollo’s grand brown eyes and realized that a spurt of courage was welling up inside of his chest. He blinked confused for several times, ignoring Apollo’s slightly worried look, and then suddenly knew that he was about to say something that he had not planned to say until tomorrow.

“Uhm, it’s – it’s okay”, Klavier said putting his hands in his lap and relaxing his shoulders a bit.

“Klav…? Are you okay? I really did not want to offend you and I’m sorry if I did. I’ll be more considerate in the future.”

Klavier cracked a smile and took Apollo’s hand to calm him.

“No, no. It’s alright. I knew that you’re not the romantic type, so I guess weddings are rather… silly to you.”

Apollo furrowed his eyebrows and subconsciously shook his head as he heard that. With conviction he said: “That’s simply not true!”

At that Klavier raised his eyebrows in disbelief and Apollo puffed his cheeks as a response.

“I’m sorry but I know few people that are even less romantic than you, Schatz.”

“Well, okay”, the red lawyer said and threw his arm in the air, “I’m not really romantic, true that. But I don’t think that weddings are silly. I mean, maybe a little, but they lead to marriage and that’s something pretty awesome. I mean it can be really awesome, if the right people-“ “Like us”

“What was that?”

“Nothing! Go on!” That had not been smooth Klavier Gavin. Not at all.

Apollo squinted his eyes and slowly continued: “And as I said, if the right people find each other and are willing to work together, then marriage can be something great. So, and now what did you say and why are you talking about weddings?”

“Would you believe me if I’d tell you that the lack of the wedding scene in the movie just railed me up a lot?”, Klavier tried with a hopeful grin.

Deadpanned Apollo lifted his wrist and pointed to the golden bracelet. Dammit. Klavier let out a tired huff and scratched his neck, while shyly glancing at his boyfriend.

“I have been thinking-”

“That’s never a good starter.”

“Oh, just let me finish! I have been thinking about marrying and stuff. I know it’s completely inappropriate right now, you being in Khura’in and staying there for the time being, me being here and us being together for not even a year at this point, but I’m still thinking about it. Ich liebe dich über alles, and I appreciate our time together more that I can explain – He started fumbling with his rings and glanced up between them and Apollo – I believe in us and I do not want to let go of you ever again. The idea of planning a ceremony for the two of us, celebrating our future life together with all our friends, it sounds so appealing and perfect to me. But I know I overdo it and I can’t just phantasies about it, since it is your choice as well and I feel silly for it and-“

“You were thinking about our wedding?”, Apollo stopped him.

Klavier looked at him and cautiously nodded: “Yes, I did.”

Apollo remained silent for solid twenty seconds. Then he opened his mouth a few times without making a sound. And then he finally managed to say: “You feel silly because you think that I do not like weddings and you want one? I – Where is this coming from? And why did you not just ask, if I am against marriage? I mean it’s not like I would leave you because of this question–“

“Then you could imagine marrying me?”, Klavier said with hopeful puppy-dog-eyes.

“Yeah, one day, sure. I love you and I want to be with you just as much as you do, so you don’t need to worry about it any longer. But why were you worrying about it in the first place? We were nowhere near wedding stuff the last time we talked about us, right? Or was I oblivious again? Oh, please tell me I did not miss something important!”

A bit forceful Klavier squeezed Apollo’s upper arm and told him: “No, no! You overlooked nothing. It’s – it’s just been on my mind lately. Because of Herr Edgeworth’s wedding plans with your ex-boss and the movie, I guess. But it didn’t leave me. The thought stayed with me and I really started thinking about it and started to plan some stuff and now – He let go of Apollo and stood up to walk in circles and scratch his forehead in disbelief – that planning was for naught. I feel so childish right now.”

Klavier walked over to a drawer, where he usually put notes and music sheets and all the stuff he was working on and opened it. Apollo could not see what he was taking out of it, but it did not bother him anyway. He was way too focused on making sense out of Klavier’s words and said: “Wait, I don’t get it. You planned to ask me about my opinion of marrying? Why would you want to plan that?”

And with that Klavier turned and stared and Apollo with a blank face. Had he… had he actually not understood that Klavier was…

“No, I planned to propose to you, Herr Forehead.”

With a sigh Klavier looked to the floor and did not notice how Apollo stood up and started to walk over to him.

“I mean, I now I know that you are not against it, but not now, what is fine. I mean, I would not have wanted to get married now that you are thousands of miles away, but I really had a plan laid out for tomorrow with a nice dinner at home, because I would not want to pressure you with other people watching us in public, so I could ask you, if you want to marry me” - “Yes” - “I had a song prepared, a menu. I had even written some possible things for saying to you” – “YES” – “But now this is just embarrassing and –“

Violently Apollo cupped Klavier’s cheeks to make the man finally stop monologuing. Confused Klavier looked at him, not sure what was just happening. His boyfriend was smiling widely, something awfully shiny glimmering in his eyes. Wait. Had he – While he had been talking –

“Klavier, you’re as fucking dense as I am!”, Apollo laughed and saw Klavier’s eyes lighting up. “I said yes! Yes, I wanna fucking marry you, you idiot!”

Eagerly Apollo stood on his toes and kissed his stupid, blond now-fiancée. And after a second of pure delight and shock Klavier kissed back only to start laughing shockingly. Apollo tuned in and pulled him back to the couch, so he could sit down and calm himself a bit.

After several moments and some soft and slightly misguided kisses on various parts on everything above the neck Klavier had found himself saying: “But I thought you weren’t ready for marriage right away? You just said one day, didn’t you?”

Apollo laughed and answered, while caressing Klavier’s arm gently: “Yeah, but you said it yourself. We are not going to get married as long as I’m in Khura’in. I know it will take a while until I come back, and when it the time comes, I’ll be ready. We’ll be ready. And Holy Mother, I did not think I’d be so fucking excited to know that this day would be coming.”

They laughed and let their foreheads touch. Eventually Apollo laid back and raised his eyebrows teasingly.

“For somebody who had planned everything for proposing to me, you forgot a pretty important part.”

“And that is?”, Klavier asked playfully shocked.

“The ring, genius.”

And there it was. The so much dreaded smirk of Klavier Gavin. Slowly, he lifted his left hand and Apollo spotted a small, black box.

“What did you think did I get out of the drawer, mein Sonnenschein?”, Klavier teased and opened the box.

A thin, golden ring was in it. Wide eyed Apollo gawked at it. Then he looked up at Klavier who looked smugly at his fiancée and winked victoriously.

“Are you gonna put it on me or do I need to stare at it until it hops on my finger?”

Klavier chuckled, took the ring out of the box and grabbed Apollo’s hand. With a amused huff he slid the golden ring on Apollo’s finger and whispered lovingly: “You’re absolutely terrible, Apollo Justice and I love it.”

Link There are three more chapters.

[bedbellyandbeyond]

Update 

Story Post

“You're pregnant?!” Camilo was in complete disbelief when Nathan came into Korsgaard's office for their meeting. Nathan rubbed the back of his neck. “With twins. I don't know if I'm keeping them, though.” “Scared?” Korsgaard asked. Nathan nodded and sat down. “Yeah. Terrified.” Korsgaard nodded. “Okay to be scared.” “Yeah.”

Camilo sat beside Korsgaard reading through Reid's update. When he was finished he looked up at Nathan. “‘Dawson Grace is the suspected father'? When did you have sex with Dawson Grace?!” “Cam,” Korsgaard said in a warning tone. “Calm.” “Three months ago, apparently,” Nathan answered, feeling really embarrassed just thinking being intimate with the bear man. “It happened when I was the wolf though… I don’t remember it and I didn’t have control.” Camilo tried to calm down. “I just… I can't believe that could even happen… You have a uterus but in this form, it's just not attached to anything?” “Yeah, I guess,” Nathan said. “No way out.” Korsgaard took the tablet from Camilo and looked through. “Reid says he'd do a C-section. If you’re human when you give birth.” Nathan nodded. “Yeah.” “Okay. Noted.” Korsgaard said. “That's it?” Camilo asked. “Just noted?” Korsgaard shrugged. “Medical stuff. Not our business. Just good to know.” “We're not going to talk about Dawson Grace's involvement in this?” Camilo asked. “What it can mean for Nathan if he keeps these kids? How this pregnancy will affect our research?” “Nathan talked to Grace,” Korsgaard said pointing out the note. “And Reid's handling the pregnancy research.” Camilo frowned and looked to Nathan. “Did he hurt you at all?” Nathan shook his head. “No, but I don’t remember anything. I mean, I can’t say my feelings were left unscathed when I talked to him today, but… Yeah.” “Well, he'll be gone in a few days. You won't have to worry about him upsetting you,” Camilo said. “Yeah,” Nathan said, though he really didn't know if Kent leaving was a good thing. “Plans for Nathan,” Korsgaard said nudging Camilo and handing him the tablet. “Right…” Camilo opened up their research. “So, we know from Grace that there is a pack of werewolves with an alpha female leader. He says that if the alpha bites a human then their wolf form will be female, regardless of their actual sex. We can only assume that's the truth since we see that kind of transformation in you. And then we have our footage of that female who attacked you. It's possible she could be the alpha trying to kill you to fix her mistake. Do you remember at all what the wolf that bit you had looked like?” Nathan shrugged. “Honestly, I don't… I remember it being big but that's all.” “Hmm… Well our plan is to locate and arrest at least one of these werewolves and interrogate them,” Camilo said. “They may have information on a cure.” “I don't know…” Nathan said. “Don't you think if they had a cure, they'd use it for themselves?” “I said ‘information on a cure',” Camilo reiterated. “It's possible they too have looked into it. They might be further into finding the answer. If so, it might be our technology and resources that bridge the gap to a cure.” “Oh. Yeah, I guess…” Nathan said. “But I'm not involved in this, am I?” “Not if you don’t want to be.” “I don’t want to be.” “Then you won't be.” Camilo marked it down in his notes. “How has sleeping over been for you?” “It's fine, I guess,” Nathan said. “I don't wake up in my backyard anymore which is nice. I'm a lot hungrier now though I guess because I can't hunt. But I get to have big breakfasts in the morning which is nice. The cafeteria bacon is a lot better prepared than I would expect. Prices aren't half bad either.” “Good. Have you visited the common area?” Camilo asked. “Not yet. Just the cafeteria,” Nathan said. “I'm kinda surprised… I expected the aliens to be more… I guess, less humanoid.” “Yeah, it's a galaxy thing,” Camilo said. “Nearby planets will typically have similar looking species.” “I guess that makes sense…” Nathan said nodding. “I guess since I'm used to Yulinians, I expected to see more of them down there but really weren't any…” “Yeah, Yulinians are really good at keeping up with immigration standards and requirements,” Camilo said. “You won’t likely see one get deported. Most of them are here on business and peacekeeping, too so they're not looking for citizenship.” “Lots of Eclulo,” Nathan said. “They're nice.” “Nice, but not familiar with taxation,” Camilo said. “Their planet is a very fend for yourself kind of place so when they get here they don't want to contribute to the wellbeing of strangers.” “But isn't the fact that you guys are helping them paid for by taxes?” Nathan said. “Yeah.” Camilo shrugged and looked through the Nathan's information. “So, it seems like that's it for now. If you're comfortable staying over night at APID then you're room is still reserved for you. Dr. Gardi made a request to examine you tonight to check in on the pregnancy…” Camilo rolled his lips. “You know, if you ever want to talk about the pregnancy, you can talk to me.” Nathan shook his head. “It's okay… I'm already talking to the doc about it and we're handling it.” “Okay…” Camilo smiled and passed the tablet to Korsgaard. “Then, I believe that's it for our meeting today. Oh, but how's work going? Korsgaard was one of the staff who really pushed for the school to be built. We're really excited to see how it's going for the kids.” “It's great,” Nathan said. “On the first day, I could tell the kids weren't used to being around other kids except siblings and it took a few days to get them out of their shells, but they're really getting used to it now.” “Woulda liked a school like that when my kids were little,” Korsgaard said. Nathan blinked looking at his caseworker. “Are you…are you not human?” Korsgaard huffed in the form of chuckle. “I am.” He turned around a picture frame on his desk to show a picture of a teenage boy with a baby girl in his lap. They both had dark skin and bright coloured hair, but with very European features and pointed ears. “My wife was en mørk elf.” “Oh.” Nathan leaned in and took a look at the pictures, figuring Korsgaard meant dark elf. “…Was?” “Lost her a couple years ago,” Korsgaard said. “I'm sorry.” “Mm.” Nathan squinted at the picture. “Have I seen your son before?” “Maybe,” Korsgaard said. “Korsy works here,” Camilo said. “But he does field work so he's often out on missions.” “I see,” Nathan said. “His name's Korsy Korsgaard?” “No,” Korsgaard stated. “First born Korsgaard’s all go by their last names,” Camilo said. “Regardless of gender. Weird tradition.” “Not weird,” Korsgaard corrected. “Family pride.” “I see.” Nathan put the picture frame down. “He looks exactly like you. Dark elf recolour.” “Yeah, he's very proud,” Camilo said. “Well, if you ever have grandkids, I'd be honoured to teach them,” Nathan said. “One day,” Korsgaard agreed. Nathan smiled. “I guess I'll get going. Is there anything else I should know about?” “No, I don't think so,” Camilo said. “Then we're all good here, I think. I believe, having Grace these late couple weeks has ben a benefit to our research for sure and we can be sure that progress is happening.” “Alright. Thanks, guys.” Nathan stood up and shook their hands. “When do you think we'll meet next?” “While we're in the wolf period, I believe we should meet weekly,” Camilo said. “You'll get an email,” Korsgaard said. “Okay. See you then.” “Yes. See you, Nathan. Stay strong.”

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

One Punch Man 13 (S2 Ep 1) | Afterlost 1 | RobiHachi 1 | Kimetsu no Yaiba 2 - 3 | BSD 25 - 26 (S3 Eps 1 - 2) | King of Prism - Shiny 7 Stars 1 | Shield Hero 14 - 16 | Double Decker! EX 3 | Sarazanmai 2

The shows that have made it this season will be getting their tags...soon. Because I fell behind early in the season, trying to read ahead is nastier than it really should be...

Update: I forgot to roll out the tags...! Sorry about that.

One Punch Man 2 1

This season’s name…sounds counterintuitive, to say the least.

I love how Genos is carrying a box of hijiki (which looks like hair) and Saitama’s wearing a shirt that says “hair” (in kanji) all over it. It’s funny for a bald man and his “work of modern art”.

I never knew Genos was so blunt. Maybe because the last season was a good 2 – 3 years ago…and was by Madhouse and Shingo Natsume, and so this feels slightly different.

Oh, Sonic…! I didn’t realise how much I missed you! (Not to mention, you look hot with the off-the-shoulder shirt, y’know?)

“Enoki” is a type of mushroom.

Oh, Garou!...Oh wait, there isn’t much more of the episode left, is there…?

Afterlost 1

Oh great…this is the second time the subs don’t work on my device of choice. Then again, it seems to be a problem with the ad blocker and not the video…Okay, fiddling with the ad blocker worked.

Let’s play Spot the Main Character Amongst All the CGI Guys! Yay! (obviously sarcastic)

Without the volume…this OP is, to not put it lightly, s***.

Shoumetsu means “extinction”, not “lost”.

And the reward for Jankiest CGI this season belongs to…

Okay…this is stupid…if it f**ks up even more, I’m out of here!

I know the horned owl is your mascot, but that doesn’t mean you needed a real owl.

Waittttttttt…how did the scientists know Yuki’s father was responsible for this stuff anyway?

I feel like Takuya was shoehorned in. I mean, there’s a better example of this character type in Naofumi (Shield Hero).

This guy’s name, as we know it, is Geek. Wow (sarcastic). Also, I find it funny Takuya has a “ta” on his licence plate.

“…she’s just a package.” - Welp, you don’t get any more blatant than that for female denigration! I think Anime Feminist had a field day with this one.

Come to think of it, I saw some helmets back at Geek’s place but Takuya never seems to use one…

You had one job, Takuya…*sigh*

I swear I said a few previews ago I don’t like 1st person cam…no one ever listens to me, do they???

Not dis shitto agen!

Okay, enough complaining. It seems Yu-no wasn’t bad enough, so they had to produce something like the Chaos Dragon and Seisen Cerberus of old…

RobiHachi 1

It’s Takamatsu being Takamatsu again. Also… I forgot to mention this earlier, but…Taiga Umatani seems to be related to Kurari Umatani (who is credited for Boueibu), so…I wonder if it’s a collective writer’s name for Studio Comet, like Izumi Todo for Toei? The only thing that goes against that is the fact “Kurari” existed during the Diomedea days of Boueibu. Also Isekandar seems to be related to Yamato’s Iscandar (which Takamatsu seems to like, based on the fact he once used Matsumoto metres as a shorthand for being in space). If you don’t understand, Yamato’s endgoal contains a place called Iscandar and that’s by Leiji Matsumoto.

Okayyyyy…what are these rabbit creatures…? But yes, it does smack of Boueibu simply because the episode layout’s the same.

Hmm…? So Robby seems be En (the do-nothing life) in spirit, but Kinshiro in background, but also he runs away from his fortune. “Hmm” indeed.

Oh! That’s what this string of misfortunes reminds me of! The monsters of the day from Boueibu.

Acrymalide.

Hatchi is a Kinshiro in looks but an Atsushi by being a goody-goody.

Hmm…they actually bother to show girls now…apparently Takamatsu went to a boys-only school, which is why his original works focus on dudes (as in, you can pick out when Takamatsu is adapting someone else’s work because it has a heavier focus on girls as supporting characters).

Mechs and spaceships are probably two of the only ways I accept CGI…and you, Takamatsu sir, have just done it (the latter)!

Aw! Lookit his (Hatchi’s) face light up like a Beppu’s! It’s cute!

Hatchi getting out the hatch…lame, but still somewhat effectve on me (because that’s my wordplay game you’re playing, Takamatsu…!).

LOL, it’s a transforming mech. It seems my words from a few comments earlier were basically foretelling the future.

Kimetsu no Yaiba 2

Yikes, “Sakonji Urokodaki” has a lot of strokes…

My Little Sister Lives For Headpats…hey wait, don’t all anime kid sisters do that(?)

For some reason, I know the “Don’t Lose Your Way” meme from Kill la Kill and yet I’ve never…watched KlK…?(!)

I swore that was Giyu (it’s the haircut, I swear), but it’s a random demon…

When all you have is a hatchet…use your head. (LOL)

Ooh, nice eyecatch!

This is really black comedy, in a sense. (I remember this demon fight from the manga which is why I say that.)

Hmm…this wispy stuff wasn’t in the manga.

Come to think of it, I don’t know how Tanjiro got his scar…

If you squint really hard, you can see CGI Urokodaki and Tanjiro…

He probably has no footsteps because of his shoes. Or the fact he’s a ninja. Were there ninja in the Taisho era…? Update: Tanjiro has the same kind of shoes…oops.

Come to think of it, Daisuke from DN Angel had to dodge traps every day before he became Dark…(thinking of this because I reread the first volume of DN Angel recently)

Oh! Manga panel preview! That’s quite fun, really.

Kimetsu no Yaiba 3

I just really like how Tanjiro’s eyes grew larger with what was clearly resolution before he closed the door.

Why do the non-descript hunters look like Giyu too…?

I’ve never seen KnY so comedic…and that’s coming from someone who thought the Head Demon fight from last episode was funny.

Welp, this is…kinda interesting (<- says a fan of Touken Ranbu).

This letter writing…it reminds me of Kekkai Sensen somewhat.

This realistic water…it’s beautiful, but it looks like it came straight out of Niagara Falls. Is that…too realistic for anime?

“No matter…”

It’s a fox version of Speed of Sound Sonic! Then again, the real Sonic is around this season and probably won’t be happy about that comparison…

Is “that guy”…Giyu? Or the demon who slaughtered Tanjiro’s family?

Spider lilies! I didn’t mention it last time, but the symbolism of the spider lily makes the ED real cool.

Bungou Stray Dogs 26

I’v read the wiki page for Chuuya enough to know the next few eps involve the LN Fifteen, so even though I haven’t read a translation of the source material, I know some of the ins and outs of it already.

Ooh! Kitty! (If you’re a manga reader, you’ll know the cat’s significance.)

I think at this point in time, all viewers are used to Dazai’s bulls*** by now.

Is it just me…or did Bones use CGI for the city? It actually looks kind of good…! Sasuga Bones!

I have a fic that predates Fifteen and could be set in the same period (the fic’s vague enough that it could’ve been them at 15, 18 or even 12)…and basically the only thing I got wrong was the fact Chuuya doesn’t have his hat (because I wrote Chuuya as having his hat in the fic). Also, the banter is tenser than I imagined it, but that’s subjective and something only I, the fic writer, can compare.

I wonder who the yellow-tinted Ability holder is…? Update: That’s Randou. Spoke too soon.

There was a box in the subs…I wonder what symbol that might’ve been.

“…closest to the explosion.”

BSD 3 2

Oh, so that’s what Randou was for! I see now.

Chuuya may be OP, but he’s one heck of a fun character…also, he’s not as OP as Saitama, so…yeah.

Oh, the ED from last time is the OP. I should’ve known.

I like the almost storybook-style of this episode!

I thought Dazai was faking releasing the hostages…I was wrong.

Face-stealing aliens return! (They were around last ep too, I think, but they were harder to see then.)

Again, watch for the cat!

Well, with only one suspect (or 3, if you count the Sheep kids), it was quite easy to figure out one of them was behind it. I kind of suspected Randou, anyway, considering what I’ve learnt from all the mysteries I’ve read.

Because I was watching this episode with the volume down low (so I could hear the OP and ED), the volume really did work wonders for the plot this ep…!

King of Prism – Shiny 7 Stars 1

This is the final debut of the season, so basically how this and Shield Hero perform will decide what will stay and what will go. Oh, yeah…apparently this is the companion to a movie, but the movie and TV series have slightly different content.

This dude’s (the one at the very start’s) so grumpy.

…welp, I didn’t expect it to be that much CGI.

This chunk of exposition…makes me feel like I missed something. It was probably in the previous movies, come to think of it…

Basically, this is…uh, Makura no Danshi or Room Mate all over again??? I’m noping out of here…! Bye!

Shield Hero 14

I’m putting this on the chopping block…just so you know.

…uh, age gap romance? It’s hard to tell at this stage, but they (Filo and Melty) sure act like it is romance.

Welp, this survived the chopping block. “Raphtalia backstory” is a good enough reason to stick around for, isn’t it?

Double Decker! EX 3 (FINAL)

I always miss the OP when I’m not watching Double Decker, but I miss the ED even more…

I can’t believe they tried to get away with a Spirited Away parody…!

I can’t believe I get to see Dr Apple all buttered up like this…

I love how Kirill is censoring himself. (At least he can prove he’s not a girl, unlike Valery/Milla, whose entire shtick is the confusion between genders.)

Oh! I think I know the answer to the case already! It was Kirill’s soap, so Doug is the “killer”. But then…why is it Derick, of all people???

LOL, the angles were so reminiscent of Detective Conan…

Underwear-stealing sextuplets…? Why does that kind of sound like Osomatsu-san…?

Ahh…I really am going to miss this ED. See you next time!

Shield Hero 15

I never thought Raphtalia would be so angry…that’s Naofumi’s job.

Okay…it’s the age-old question: do demis listen with their animal ears or their human ears? Do they even have human ears??? (That’s 2 questions, isn’t it…?)

Uh…CGI dinosaur, much?

Shield Hero 16

…and of course, the Queen is a loli. Of course (<-sarcastic).

“Why’d I even have to feed this KFC farm?” – LOL, but I wonder what it sounded like in Japanese…? (i.e. I didn’t listen to it and when I try to do that, there’s always something over the top of it…)

Sarazanmai 2

I wonder if I’ll ever get used to watching Ikuhara on a weekly basis…?

Kappamaki…geddit?

Wait…y’mean, Keppi’s breath smells like cucumbers? Uh…okay, TMI.

Enta’s Japanese house kind of looks like the one in Mawaru Penguindrum.

Wait…why does the Japanese word for “Fish Buffet” (Osakanazanmai) end in –zanmai? Does that mean Sarazanmai is…Dish Buffet?! (LOL)

Notably, one of the signs said “Union” in katakana. It must be an English play on words…y’know, trade union and union = connecting with each other? I’m surprisingly enjoying myself a lot with Sarazanmai, by the way. I didn’t think I would, but I am!

I think that might be Irohassu water. Or Dasani. I saw both those brands in Japan, but I don’t remember which had the green flowers.

Oh…my goodness! Nekoyama (Cat Mountain) Mokichi (written with kanji for “hair” and “luck”). It’s a Boueibu monster! Frick, I’m laughing too hard!

It’s very small and very thin, but the word next to the cat in the eyecatch is neko.

“…Meow God!” – It’s a pun on “Oh, My God!” but with a “meow” in it. It’s pretty forced, but it does get the nuance of the joke across…

Why the heck did the subbers choose “herb” as the word for weed in this? “Weed” is sufficient, right? Right…?

Well…if that spurt of water wasn’t symbolic…I don’t know what is.

The title translates better as “…but I want to steal”. Y’know, add a little force into it.

The two As and the “sara” below it seem to make a zombie face, huh?

Ooh, that ending…

[prplzorua]

Hey, can you write Thomas, the sides and friends taking care of trans Verge with cramps? Mine are really bad today :(

Oh man, really sorry your cramps are bad, I’m suffering with you tbh, uteruses suck sometimes. I’m also sorry for this but I don’t write Trans characters. Nothing against my Trans peeps, it’s simply that I myself am not Trans and I do not wish to “romanticize” it. I write everything I do based on either my experiences or a close Irl buddy. I have no such friend nor experience as a Trans person and I refuse to write something where I’m banking on clichés that may possibly be offensive. So until I have an Irl friendo who is Trans and they wish to share their experiences and check what I have written then I won’t be writting any Trans characters.

Buuut this happened to my best bro so you still get Virgil suffering with us ;)

Tw: nightmares, slight gore?

—-

He was running.

Running as fast as he could.

His breath burned in his throat as his breathing grew more and more ragged. His exhaustion grew as well but he couldn’t stop now, the creature was right behind him.

Virgil couldn’t tell you how he ended up here nor could he tell you where he was or what exactly was chasing him, all he knew was that he had to get out and make sure as hell that thing didn’t get him.

He didn’t take much backward glances for fear of it catching up to him, but from the few glances he did take he knew the thing was tall, freakishly so with shadowy skin, a huge face and rows upon rows of sharp teeth. It’s eyes were a terrifying yellow and it’s claws- oh god, they scraped the ground as it ran. Long, sharp and drippy with some time of ooze, one he could only assume was a type of poison.

He didn’t know why it was chasing him but he wasn’t going to stick around to find out. So he booked it. Only realizing that the landscape was completely different from what he was used to.

He was running in a sick, perverse version of a dead forest. The trees were old, leafless and decrepit. Almost all of them looked the same, with little holes in them that had little yellow eyes blinking at him.

Virgil kept running.

He wasn’t going to bother climbing a tree or hidding, the creature was tall enough to spot him and if not, one of those things in the trees would surely get to him. His only option was foward, so he ran in an off zig-zag hoping to throw the thing off.

It seemed to be working but he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep that up for long. The thing was still coming.

Gritting his teeth, Verge pressed on, forcing his shaky legs to move, he may not know where he was but he damn well was going to figure out how to get out. He was following the direction of the wind, this may have been a crappy forest but there was bound to be a sea or lagoon close by.

He figured that with the thing’s height it wouldn’t be able to swim and if it could it wouldn’t be fast enough to catch him. He could dive down, swim to shore and book it in the opposite direction and get out of what ever hell he was trapped in, well that’s what he hoped.

His assumptions payed off when just a little distance off he was meet with a black sea. The thing was still chasing him, it’s claws grinding in the dirt and rock, making god awful sounds as it approached. Virgil redoubled his efforts and used all his might to sprint down towards the water.

He made it to the shore… and that was as far as he had gotten.

Just as he was about to jump in the black sea, the creature teleported infront of him. Terrified Verge jumped back only for the thing to smile at him.

He felt himself being lifted and was now held at the monster’s eye level. It was only then he realized that the creature’s cold claws was through his abdomen.

The thing chuckled, all of it’s teeth rattling, and in one swift moved it pulled the dark trait’s intestines from out his body.

And dropped Virgil to the ground below.

But before he felt the impact he felt a tug, and the next thing he knows is ice.

—–

Virgil shot up on his bed with a gasp, cold sweat covering his body, as his heart raced and he subconsciously squeezed his midsection.

He felt extremely dizzy and the adrenaline had yet to wear off. He felt another cold tug and realized too late what it was.

—-

“Virgil!” Shouted Thomas.

“Do you want me to go get him kiddo? He was in a pretty deep sleep when I checked on him this morning”

The host scratched his head, “uh, sure Pat, but I guess I can try summoning him one more time? If it doesn’t work you can go get him”

“And of that doesn’t work?”, asked Roman.

Thimas shrugged, “Well if he’s that tired it doesn’t make sense to force him. I mean, we all know what happened last time-”

“Yes, he was unable to read his script with out squinting or say his lines without stuttering or yawning in every frame”, interjected Logan.

“True, but it was a good addition to the Bloopers vid-”

“Yeah Roman but not as good as Talyn’s Vetal Mike!” Piped Joan from somewhere in the kitchen. The three sides and Thomas turned to look at the datemates.

Talyn was red faced with a poptart in their mouth. They bit into it and held the rest menacingly at Joan, “You’re not getting the rest”

“What?! Tal come on, just a bite?”

“No”

“Taaaaaal!”

“No way, you shouldn’t have brought it up!”

By now Joan was chasing Talyn around the kitchen but the smaller friend was using their height and speed against the beanie lover, effectively evading them.

Thomas chuckled at his friends antics before turning back to his sides with a shrug, “we’ll I guess… I should call him again?”

The others just shrugged, so he attempted to summon his youngest trait once more.

“Virgil!”

“Gahh!” Said trait landed on the bottom of the stairs with a non to nice ‘Thud’.

Everyone stopped moving.

—-

Virgil gripped his head, the impact caused it to spin and his dizziness to increase, more so than in his room.He sat up only to groan in pain and hug his middle.

“Verge? You ok kiddo?”

The dark trait lifted his head in Patton’s direction. “I don’t-”, he cut himself off by slapping a hand to his mouth. Everyone could practically see what little color the emo had, drain from his face.

He gagged, “I don’t feel so-”

To this day Thomas will thank Joan for saving his stairs and floor with their quick thinking.

They had grabbed the empty garbage bin from the kitchen and quickly carried it over to the dark side. Virgil didn’t hesitate, he grabbed the bin and heaved.

Patton was the first to move over to help the younger, gently he kept Virgil’s bangs out of his face with one hand, while rubbing his back with the other.

It took a bit for Verge’s stomach to leave him be, but once it calmed, Talyn handed him a cold water bottle and he rinsed his mouth with the water before spitting into the bin.

—-

“What could have caused this?” Inquired Logan.

“I don’ know!” Groaned Virgil from his pitiful curled up state on the couch. Roman had carried him there and Verge didn’t even bother putting up a  fight.

“Did you eat some bad food?” Questioned the fatherly trait from somewhere beside the emo.

Virgil just shrugged, still holding his abdomen.

“Or maybe too much food before bed?” Supplied Prince.

“Probably”, mumbled the Dark trait.

“ You know, that gives you nightmares right?”

Well he knew now.

Virgil groaned again.

—-

“Well its obvious that you have stomach cramps Virgil, nothing a simple analgesic won’t be able to fix. Do we have any Advil Thomas?”

“Uh, let me check Logan”, the host then turned and shouted down the  hall, “Hey Joan, we got any Advil?”

Joan came out with a first aid kit and a frown, “we’ve got absolutely nothing in here”

“Oh shoot!”

Virgil groaned again, whether from pain or dread, no one knows.

Talyn pat the emo gently on his shoulder, “welcome to a preview of what everyone with a uterus goes through every month”

Verge scoffed, “what with the vomiting too?”

“Yep, well for some atleast, so yeah. Really all you're  missing is the other pains and the blo-”

Thomas cut his shorter friend off. “Nope! Let’s not go there Tal, we don’t have any painkillers for him-”

“I’ve got some Midol in my bag”

“Ha.hah, very funny Tal”, mumbled the prone Virgil on the couch.

Thomas shook his head at the multi color haired friend. He then drew a sympathetic gaze for Verge. “Joan and I are going to go get you some pain meds-”

“And  restock this first aid kit”

“Yeah, Joan, that too, good thinking”

“May I go with you Thomas, I do believe three heads will be able to tackle this task sufficiently-”

“I’m going too!”

“Why?”

“Well I can’t let you have all the fun nerd, besides I’ve been on adventures and quests, I know a thing or two about what to have in a first aid kit”

“So…”, started Takyn, “I guess I stay and babysit our emo in pain?-”

“Thomas, no Talyn’s gonna kill me!”

The host shrugged, “yeah, sure-”

“Dude-!”

“I’m staying too kiddo, gotta make sure my little shadowling gets back on his feet”

“Is it too late to ask for death?”

Chuckling at Virgil’s remark, Thomas, Joan and the other two left to get the supplies, leaving Talyn and Patton to take care of the pained trait.

—-

“You sure you don’t want it? I mean it  ‘Midol-en’ you’re pain”, chuckled Talyn from th kitchen.

“Noooo”

“Aww come on kiddo, Talyn was great!

“Staaahp”

“Nah, I don’t think so dude-”

“Damn it Tal, your the worst-”

“Am I? And to think I just took my time to get you a warm cloth to put on your stomach”

…

“I take that back”

“Sure you do Verge”

Patton meanwhile was chuckling at the antics of the two.

——

“Roman we don’t need that many bandages!”

“You never know Logan!”

The Logical trait sighed. “Fine, just get one one the big rolls and let’s move on!”

“Heh, knew you’d see it my way, did you get the hydrogen peroxide?”

“Yes and the rubbing alcohol and the bag of cotton”

“Hmm, did you get Vicks?”

“Why, would we-?”

“Trust me, Vicks fixes almost everything”

Logan rolled his eyes, “if you say so, now can we go see what Thomas and Joan picked up?”

“I think we got everything we need from this isle so why not?”

—-

By the time the four had checked their items to make sure they weren’t buying extra, it was already 3:00pm. They reached home around 3:20 only to find Talyn playing on their phone while a curled up and sleeping Virgil was on Patton’s lap, with the fatherly trait gently rubbing his back.

“He doing ok?”

Talyn spoke up.“He’ll be fine Thomas, you got the stuff?”

“Yep”, the host held up a white plastic bag.

“Did you get him to eat?” Asked Logan.

“Not really? Uh, you uad some left over Halloween candy so I gave him a Reese’s cup”

Roman’s brow quirked. “Why? You’d give him candy before food?”

“Chocolate’s great from cramps man, it’s a godsend during those times”

“Huh, go figure”

—-

Something was shaking his shoulder.

“Virgil~”“Virgil~”

“Ngh”

It was definitely Dad.

“Come on kiddo, we got you the Advil and we need you to eat something”He lifted his head just to look at Pat before laying back down. “Noo”

“Come on lazy bones, up!”

“Don’ wanna move”

“You’re not going to feel better unless you eat, son”

“Nooo”

“No whining Sport, come on, don’t make me carry you to the table”

To everyone’s surpris, Virgil slowly sat up and held out his arms. Shrugging Patton easily picked up the darker trait and carried him to an empty chair at the table. Where the emo proceed to lay his head on the cool wood.

“Dramatic much”, questioned Roman good naturedly to the younger.

“You’re one to talk, Princey”

“Roman stop teasing him”, scolded Thimas lightly, “here Verge”, he said as he handed the emo to Advil pills and a glass of water.

“Thanks”, mumbled the Dark trait as he took the pills in his mouth and downed the whole glass. He then promptly put his head back on to the table, but thus time he made sure to have Talyn in his sights.

“If you guys have to deal with this shit and worse every month…then I gotta admit you guys are more hardcore than I thought”

“Damn right we are!”, exclaimed Talyn proudly before suddenly smirking, “but chocolate helps”

Virgil sat up instantly.

“You’re not gonna let that go are you?”

“Nope!” Smiled the shorter friend.

“Dad!”

“I’m sorry kiddo”, chuckled Patton as he brought the younger a small plate of food, “but it was pretty funny”

“It was not!” Huffed the emo indignantly, he then turned to his host, “you see Thomas? You left me with them!”

Everyone started laughing.

—–

Tag list: @thuriweaver @randomslasher @cefmua56 @tinysidestrashcaptain @justanotherpurplebutterfly @anxietyandlogic @pantasticpanini @trashsinsunrelenting @pretty-mr-sanders @princeyandanxiety @prinxietyhell @remmythepegasis @k9cat @velocifoxy @notallpotatoesarefrenchfries @sanspie122

[vanderlinde-moved]

a bitter truth (part three)

Jyn gets some help from an outsider. Cassian receives some unpleasant news about one of his friends. 

part one / part two

read it on ao3!

“It’s quite clear that nothing that I do is working–“

“Oh, took you this long to notice it, did it?”

Krennic continues on as if Jyn didn’t interrupt him. Her head is spinning and the dim lighting in her cell suddenly seems brighter than it’s ever been. She has to squint her eyes just to see him standing in front of her. “Lord Vader has decided that I am not, ahem, capable to getting information from you–“

“You needed Vader to tell you that?” Jyn laughs, throwing an arm over her eyes from where she’s propped up against the wall. Eventually, her laugh turns into a rasping cough. At least this time she doesn’t throw up blood.

“Miss Erso, please –” Krennic tries again, clearly frustrated. Jyn doesn’t care–she’s the one locked up and getting tortured every day, not him.

“It’s Jyn,” she mutters. Why does her head hurt so much all of the sudden? It feels as if it’s going to explode. “You’ve been kriffing torturing me for weeks. We should be on a first name basis, Orson. It’s Jyn, yeah?”

“I am done! ” he snarls, bending down to meet her gaze. Jyn removes her arm from her face to look him in the eyes, but other than that, doesn’t react. “This Star Destroyer is en route to Coruscant. Lord Vader wants to interrogate you himself.”

“You’re giving me visitation rights now?”

After that quip, Krennic swoops down and grabs her by the throat. He lifts her almost completely off the ground with one hand around her neck. Jyn’s hands feebly scrabble for purchase, trying to claw her way out of his grip, but he doesn’t relent.

“For Galen’s sake, I offered you an easy way out. I would have let you live , do you understand me? Even after what he did, I still would have shown you mercy in his memory. You chose this, Miss Erso. You did. This whole situation you’ve gotten yourself stuck in?” He waves free hand in the air with a sniff of disgust. “All of this is your fault.”

“Don’t–“ she rasps, black spots dancing in front of her vision. She can’t die, not now, not when Krennic is still alive–

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you have something to say?” He taunts, tightening his grip around her throat. “Spit it out, Jyn.”

Jyn wheezes. Her back arches as she tries in vain to pull his hand from her throat, but he doesn’t let go until she’s almost unconscious. She scrambles backwards, panting for breath. One hand flies up to her throat, the other to her necklace.

“Don’t–“ she manages, then stops in a coughing fit. Once the coughs subside, she wipes her mouth and continues on, glaring. “Don’t talk about. . .my father.”

“Who, Galen?” he mocks, crossing his arms across his chest. “Does that bother you, Jyn? That I knew and loved your father more than you ever did?”

“You killed him!” she shouts, but it comes out as a strangled gasp. It sets her off into another coughing fit. This time, the coppery taste of blood fills her mouth. “If you hadn’t. . .come to Lah’mu all of those years ago, he would. . .he would still be alive!”

Krennic laughs, but there’s nothing humorous about the situation. The sound bounces off the concrete walls of her cell, making it sound louder than it really is. When he speaks again, she flinches at the harshness in his voice, “The Rebellion killed your father. And you, being a part of that organization, played a part in his murder.” He looks down at her fondly, but she knows he’s remembering Galen and not seeing her. “I never would have harmed the man I loved.”

“You killed my mother,” she says coolly. “And then you took him away from his family, locked him up, and forced him to build your machine. If that’s your idea of love, then you’re a sick fuck. My father would have never loved a man like you.”

He loved Lyra, the almost Jedi, the geologist. He loved her, his Stardust. And from what she can remember, he loved Lah’mu too. Even though he never had been good at farming, Jyn thinks he loved it because they were all together as a family.

(she had loved it too.)

Apparently done with their conversation, Krennic turns on his heel and leaves the cell. Jyn smiles grimly in having the last word until he calls over his shoulder, “Lord Vader will not be as kind as I have been. Do remember that, Jyn.”

The sick feeling returns to her stomach, but this time she knows it’s not from the concussion. No one she’s ever heard of has gone through an interrogation with Vader and made it out wholly intact.

She’ll just have to kill Krennic before the week is up.

 Hoth is, in almost every possible way, different from Yavin 4. It’s cold, barely hospitable, and makes all of his old injuries ache. Still, it’s preferable from the heat of Yavin. Fest is a freezing planet; he’s used to this kind of temperature.

(he’s used to being alone too. he had lead a team for about a week before he went and got them all killed.)

He hasn’t exactly been cleared from the medical bay, but he can walk well enough using crutches, which is, in his mind, a good enough reason to leave. After the final surgery on his back three days ago, the nurses had took the last of the bandages off and told him that he should be on bed rest for another day or two to make sure he recovered fully.

Cassian had rested for about two hours before making a break for it. So far, no one has come to drag him back to his bed yet. (Once they did, however, he’d be going straight back to medical. He doesn’t move very fast on crutches–there’s no way he could slip past them.)

He stands in the back of the hangar, watching the pilots fly in and out. Not many people are looking too closely at him; they’re all caught up in their own business. The ones who do don’t say anything and continue on their way–he’s still a captain and in some people’s eyes, a hero.

(the looks he gets from the others, the looks from those who lost someone on scarif, he makes sure to meet their gaze to share the burden.)

“Captain Andor!” Someone in a bright orange flight suit comes jogging over in his direction. So much for being unapproachable. “I’ve been looking for you!”

Cassian sighs, but straightens his back. If it weren’t for his crutches, he’d be in a snappy salute right now, though he doubts Skywalker cares about such formalities. “Commander Skywalker.”

The kid–despite only being a decade older at most, Cassian can’t help but think of him as such–frowns slightly at the title. Cassian notes the sweat beading his forehead and the helmet tucked underneath his arm. He suspects he’s come straight from a mission, which is confirmed when his beeping astromech droid rounds the corner.

“Not now, R2!” Skywalker chides, then turns back to Cassian. “It’s Luke, please. I’m new to this whole Rebellion thing. I’m not really the commander-type.”

“You’re the one who blew up the Death Star. That has to count for something, hmm?” Cassian remarks drily, a small smile tugging the corner of his lips despite himself. He can’t remember a time where he was as young and naive as the kid in front of him.

(he’s been in this fight since he was six years old. there was no time for him to be a child.)

“Yeah, well,” Skywalker replies, clearly flustered. He rubs the back of his neck as a pink hue tints his cheeks. “You were the one who got the plans for it in the first place. It’s not like I could have done it without you.”

“I didn’t do it alone,” Cassian says softly. For a moment, both of them are silent, and Cassian takes the time to remember the people who didn’t make it off Scarif. Kay, Bodhi, Chirrut, Baze, Tonc, Melshi. Jyn.

When he glances back at Skywalker, the kid’s got a thoughtful look on his face. Cassian wonders who Skywalker’s lost. There isn’t anyone in the Rebellion who hasn’t experienced sacrifice in some form or another.

“Anyway, I didn’t think you’d be out of the med bay so soon,” Skywalker says suddenly, looking Cassian up and down. “Senator Mothma comm-ed me on my way in and said to grab a wheelchair and to bring you to command before I went to my debrief. Are you even supposed to be out of bed?”

Cassian’s already moving before Skywalker finishes his statement. The kid rushes to catch up with him, though he’s not going very fast on his crutches. The astromech trills, following behind them. “Wait, if she said to bring a wheelchair, you probably shouldn’t–”

“What did she say, exactly?”

“I don’t know–here, let me help you–something about a Dameron? Kes, maybe? I don’t know him.”

“I’m fine,” Cassian mutters, lurching away when Skywalker tries to support him. When Kes’s name is mentioned, Cassian’s heart leaps into his throat. “Are you sure that’s what she said?”

“No, I’m not sure!” Skywalker exclaims, but they’re already at the doors to command. “I already told you that.”

“Thanks for the escort, Commander. Luke,” Cassian says quickly, giving the kid a nod as he enters. He’d give a more formal goodbye if he had the time for it, but there isn’t any. He needs to know what Mothma has to say first.

Whatever she has to say, it can’t be good.

 Hours later, Jyn’s fallen into a fitful sleep with one hand curled protectively around her throat when alarms start to go off.

Immediately, she scrambles into a sitting position, warily watching the door. There’s a small window at the top, and in the hallway she can see flashes of red that flash in time with the shrill wailing.

Huh. This is a new development. Hopefully the alarms signify something other than a crash landing, though it’s not like she’d know. In all of her time spent here (which could be days or weeks), the alarms have never gone off.

(besides, she’s going to kill krennic herself. she doesn’t want a malfunction to do all of the work for her.)

She winces as she drags herself to her feet, leaning heavily against the wall. She wraps one arm around her stomach and rests the other on the wall, ignoring how the bruises on her throat pulse in time with her heartbeat and how her leg looks crooked underneath her. But she stays standing. That’s all that matters.

She wipes one shaky hand over her forehead, trying to get the sweat off of her feverish skin. An empty bottle of pills lies in the corner of the cell, but she can’t remember the last time she took any of the antibiotics. For all she knows, it could have been this morning–she has no real construct of time here, counting hours solely through when she is tortured and when she isn’t.

The window is too high up for her to get a good look out of it, and when she presses her ear up against the door, she can’t make out if anything is happening outside. The alarms are the only thing she can hear, loud and blaring, and she knows that her ears will be ringing for hours after.

Still, she stays standing, eyes locked on the door. If someone is going to come in here, whether or not they’re hostile she wants to be ready for a fight. She keeps her guard up, bracing herself for a fight.

(if she’s up on her feet, then she still has a fighting chance. saw taught her that, all those years ago. and jyn’s never been one to roll over and accept death.

when death comes, it’s going to have to put up one hell of a fight to take her with it.)

Her stomach growls, but she ignores it. Just like the pain, she pushes her hunger aside in her mind to focus on the more immediate issue. It doesn’t matter that even standing for this long makes her dizzy or that her ribs stick out farther than they should.

(the last time she was this hungry was right after saw abandoned her. it’s been too long since hunger has last made her delirious.)

Briefly, momentarily, she allows herself to hope that the Rebellion has finally come for her. But that illogical thought is pushed back almost immediately, locked into a box in the cave in her mind. She doesn’t know how long she’s been locked up here, but if the Rebellion had been planning on rescuing her, they would have done it by now.

She doesn’t have the chance to dwell on the thought much longer. When she strains her ears, it sounds almost like the door to her cell is being opened.

And then it does.

 “Captain Andor.”

“Senator,” Cassian says, panting slightly from the exertion it took to get him to command. His armpits ache where the crutches hold him up. “Commander Skywalker said you requested to see me, ma’am?”

Command is busier than he thought it would be, but nobody chastises him for being out of medical. Draven stands off to the side, glancing over a data pad, but Cassian knows better than to think he’s not listening in. Leia stands behind Mothma, hands gripping the chair she’s standing behind so tightly that her knuckles are turning white.

“I did,” she says, clasping her hands in front of her. “It’s regarding Sergeant Kes Dameron. You are listed as one of his emergency contacts, right after–”

Shara Bey bursts through the door and without any formalities whatsoever, thunders, “What in the Force’s name kriffing happened to Kes?”

An amused look flashes across Mothma’s face despite the interruption before she schools her face back into something more neutral. “Right on time, Lieutenant Bey. As I was saying to Captain Andor here, the two of you are listed as Dameron’s emergency contacts.”

“Cassian, we’re basically brothers,” Kes says, shoving the papers in his direction. “Listen, if I’m in trouble, I want you and Shara to know about it as soon as possible, okay?” He lets out a short laugh. “Or else the Alliance will tell you I’ve been killed weeks after I’ve died.”

“Kes–”

“I’ll sign yours too, okay?” Kes continues with a small smile. “You and Shara are basically the only family I’ve got right now. And I want to know when something happens to you, so. . .”

A lump grows in Cassian’s throat and his heart constricts. Swallowing it down, he accepts the papers from Kes with shaky hands and looks down at them.

“All right. Let me go grab mine.”

“What happened to him?” Shara demands, eyes flashing. Cassian doesn’t think he’s ever seen her look this frightened.

“On their way back from their last mission, the Pathfinders got intercepted by a Star Destroyer,” Mothma replies, sharing a look with Leia. “Their comms went out a couple of hours ago. It is, ah, unlikely that they’ll–”

“Don’t you dare finish that statement, ma’am,” Shara says evenly, crossing her arms over her chest. “They’re not dead yet. Send a team to go after them.”

In any other situation, he knows that Shara would be reprimanded for how she’s talking to her superiors. This is different. Her husband is either dead or will be soon enough, and the Alliance isn’t doing anything to help him. By the looks on Mothma and Leia’s faces, he can see that they know it’s their fault.

“That would be a suicide mission and you know it,” Leia interjects smoothly, stepping forward. Despite her harsh words, her eyes are kind. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant. We can’t afford to lose anyone else. There’s not much we can do now except hope.”

(rebellions are built on hope. but what good is hope in this case, when it will do nothing to save the people they love? )

“That’s a load of bantha-shit and you all know it,” Shara hisses, shaking her head. Her mouth opens as if to say something else, but she decides against it. Before she turns on her heel and marches out of the room, she gives a mockery or a salute.

Leia turns to Cassian. “I’m sorry. I know the two of you were close.”

“Don’t, your Highness,” he says, shaking his head. The last thing he needs right now is empty words from someone who’s damned his friend. “Senator. General.” With that, Cassian hobbles out of the room after Shara.

(he’s not sure he can handle the loss of another friend so soon.)

 The door opens to reveal a stormtrooper. Jyn doesn’t even think–she uses the last of her strength to charge forward and tackle the ‘trooper to the ground. The two of them fall in a tangle of limbs, and when they hit the floor, Jyn moves to straddle them.

(this might be your only chance. make it count.)

Just as she’s winding her arm back for a punch, the ‘trooper cries out, “Stop! I’m not with the Empire!”

Jyn narrows her eyes and punches him anyway, her hand meeting the plastic of their helmet with an unsatisfying smack. Her knuckles ache on impact and she’s pretty sure that her hand is going to be bruised once this is all over, but she’s not going to let this ‘trooper trick her into letting him go. “Don’t try that with me.”

“Fuck –” he swears, pushing her off of him. She sprawls backwards, panting and trying to refocus her vision. She blinks a couple of times before she can make out the sight in front of her. The ‘trooper is on his knees with his helmet off, looking at her incredulously. “What part of ‘I’m not with the Empire’ didn’t you understand?”

“Couldn’t be too sure,” Jyn replies, trying to sound nonchalant but her voice isn’t much louder than a dull rasp.

“Right. Well. Like I was going to say before you attacked me–you’ve got a pretty mean right hook, by the way–anyway, I’m not an Imperial.”

Jyn meets his gaze, trying to gage if he’s lying to her. “Neither am I.” Obviously.

The man tilts his head, tapping his chin. “You know, I was going to hide out in here until the alarms stopped ringing but I’ve got an idea. Want to get off this ship?”

So his mission isn’t to get her the hell out of here, then. She’s an afterthought, a means to an end. Still, it’s an opportunity and she’s not going to let it pass her by.

“I have business I need to take care of first,” she says evenly, trying to push herself to her feet. The man moves to steady her and she bats his arms away, growling. But it’s no use. When she tries to walk, she collapses back to the ground.

The man sighs, then runs a hand through his hair and glances behind him. “Look, we don’t have much time, okay? You can’t walk and we both need to get the hell out of here. I’ll help you with whatever you need me to and you help me escape. Deal?”

“Fine,” Jyn grits out, accepting his hand to help her back up. The sudden movement makes her gasp, tugging at her wounds unpleasantly. The man holds her up until the floor stops spinning. “Let’s go.”

“Right,” the man says, looking down at her dubiously. Wordlessly, he grabs his helmet off the ground. Before he puts it on, he says, “I’m Kes, by the way. Kes Dameron.”

“Liana Hallik,” Jyn grits out through clenched teeth, trying to will her injuries to hurt less. “You with the Rebellion, Dameron?”

“I’m not with the Empire,” he says offhandedly, but Jyn can see a liar from a mile away. She lets out a weak laugh–that’s a yes, then.

The alarms stop. Jyn glances behind her, but Dameron’s already got his helmet covering his face. “They must have finally grabbed the rest of my team,” he mutters under his breath, prodding her forward. Once they’re out in the hallway, he grabs one of her arms as if he’s transporting a prisoner. In reality, his grip is the only thing keeping Jyn upright.

“How’d you get away then?” Jyn whispers after a couple of steps.

“A ‘trooper boarded our ship. We knocked him out, I took the armor–” they reach the end of the hallway and Kes opens the door silently. When there’s no one immediately on the other side, he continues, “–and promised my team I would get them out of this.”

Jyn sighs. How the hell did she get stuck with a Rebellion soldier with a hero complex? But if push comes to shove, she’s killing Krennic and getting the out of here, with or without him.

They pass a squad of stormtroopers who don’t give them a second glance. When they’re safely away, Jyn can practically feel Dameron’s relief.

“Okay. This is working. Stay calm.”

“I am calm,” Jyn retorts, jutting her chin up slightly. This is hardly the worst situation she’s been stuck in.

(scarif had been worse.)

She imagines that if Dameron’s helmet were off, he’d be shooting her a look of exasperation. “I was talking to myself, Hallik.”

Force.

 “Shara, wait!”

As soon as he calls out to her, she whirls around to face him. “We’re going after him, aren’t we?” she snaps, getting into his personal space and poking a finger at his chest. He’s considerably taller than her so she has to crane her neck to look up at him. “Come on, Cass. Kes needs us.”

“Shara, we can’t,” Cassian says softly, remembering what Draven said about going rogue again. His heart aches. “You know we can’t.”

“Why?” she asks, her voice cracking on the last note. “Why not? He needs us!”

“A pilot and an Intelligence agent can’t take down a Star Destroyer alone,” he reminds her gently, watching as anger crumbles. “And I’m in no shape to fight stormtroopers right now.”

“I can’t lose him too, Cassian,” she whispers. “I can’t. . .” She pauses, bites her lip uncertainly, then closes the space in between them and buries her face in his chest.

He wraps his arms around her, crutches be damned. They clatter to the floor as he presses his lips to the top of Shara’s head. They’re standing in the middle of the hallway, but Cassian can’t bring himself to care. “I know, Shara,” he whispers, tears welling up in his own eyes. “I know. I’m sorry.”

(how much longer until the rebellion takes everything from him? )

[readbookywooks]

There was a click, the thwack of sinew against metal, a zip of air, and a groan. The groan came from Cutwell. Mort spun round to him. 'Are you all right?' he said. 'Did it hit you?' 'No,' said the wizard, weakly. 'No, it didn't. How do you feel?' 'A bit tired. Why?' 'Oh, nothing. Nothing. No draughts anywhere? No slight leaking feelings?' 'No. Why?' 'Oh, nothing, nothing.' Cutwell turned and looked closely at the wall behind Mort. 'Aren't the dead allowed any peace?' said Keli bitterly. 'I thought one thing you could be sure of when you were dead was a good night's sleep.' She looked as though she had been crying. With an insight that surprised him, Mort realised that she knew this and that it was making her even angrier than before. That's not really fair,' he said. 'I've come to help. Isn't that right, Cutwell?' 'Hmm?' said Cutwell, who had found the crossbow bolt buried in the plaster and was looking at it with deep suspicion. 'Oh, yes. He has. It won't work, though. Excuse me, has anyone got any string?' 'Help?' snapped Keli. 'Help? If it wasn't for you —' 'You'd still be dead,' said Mort. She looked at him with her mouth open. 'I wouldn't know about it, though,' she said. That's the worst part.' 'I think you two had better go,' said Cutwell to the guards, who were trying to appear inconspicuous. 'But I'll have that spear, please. Thank you.' 'Look,' said Mort, 'I've got a horse outside. You'd be amazed. I can take you anywhere. You don't have to wait around here.' 'You don't know much about monarchy, do you,' said Keli. 'Um. No?' ' She means better to be a dead queen in your own castle than a live commoner somewhere else,' said Cutwell, who had stuck the spear into the wall by the bolt and was trying to sight along it. 'Wouldn't work, anyway. The dome isn't centred on the palace, it's centred on her.' 'On who?' said Keli. Her voice could have kept milk fresh for a month. 'On her Highness,' said Cutwell automatically, squinting along the shaft. 'Don't you forget it.' 'I won't forget it, but that's not the point,' said he wizard. He pulled the bolt out of the plaster and tested the point with his finger. 'But if you stay here you'll die!' said Mort. Then I shall have to show the Disc how a queen can die,' said Keli, looking as proud as was possible in a pink knitted bed jacket. Mort sat down on the end of the bed with his head in his hands. 'I know how a queen can die,' he muttered. They die just like other people. And some of us would rather not see it happen.' 'Excuse me, I just want to look at this crossbow,' said Cutwell conversationally, reaching across them. 'Don't mind me.' 'I shall go proudly to meet my destiny,' said Keli, but there was the barest flicker of uncertainty in her voice. 'No you won't. I mean, I know what I'm talking about. Take it from me. There's nothing proud about it. You just die.' 'Yes, but it's how you do it. I shall die nobly, like Queen Ezeriel.' Mort's forehead wrinkled. History was a closed book to him. 'Who's she?' 'She lived in Klatch and she had a lot of lovers and she sat on a snake,' said Cutwell, who was winding up the crossbow. 'She meant to! She was crossed in love!' 'All I can remember was that she used to take baths in asses' milk. Funny thing, history,' said Cutwell reflectively. 'You become a queen, reign for thirty years, make laws, declare war on people and then the only thing you get remembered for is that you smelled like yoghurt and were bitten in the—' 'She's a distant ancestor of mine,' snapped Keli. 'I won't listen to this sort of thing.' 'Will you both be quiet and listen to me!' shouted Mort. Silence descended like a shroud. Then Cutwell sighted carefully and shot Mort in the back. The night shed its early casualties and journeyed onwards. Even the wildest parties had ended, their guests lurching home to their beds, or someone's bed at any rate. Shorn of these fellow travellers, mere daytime people who had strayed out of their temporal turf, the true survivors of the night got down to the serious commerce of the dark. This wasn't so very different from Ankh-Morpork's daytime business, except that the knives were more obvious and people didn't smile so much. The Shades were silent, save only for the whistled signals of thieves and the velvety hush of dozens of people going about their private business in careful silence. And, in Ham Alley, Cripple Wa's famous floating crap game was just getting under way. Several dozen cowled figures knelt or squatted around the little circle of packed earth where Wa's three eight-sided dice bounced and spun their misleading lesson in statistical probability. 'Three!' 'Tuphal's Eyes, by lo!' 'He's got you there, Hummok! This guy knows how to roll his bones!' IT'S A KNACK. Hummok M'guk, a small flat-faced man from one of the Hublandish tribes whose skill at dice was famed wherever two men gathered together to fleece a third, picked up the dice and glared at them. He silently cursed Wa, whose own skill at switching dice was equally notorious among the cognoscenti but had, apparently, failed him, wished a painful and untimely death on the shadowy player seated opposite and hurled the dice into the mud. 'Twenty-one the hard way!' Wa scooped up the dice and handed them to the stranger. As he turned to Hummok one eye flickered ever so slightly. Hummok was impressed – he'd barely noticed the blur in Wa's deceptively gnarled fingers, and he'd been watching for it. It was disconcerting the way the things rattled in the stranger's hand and then flew out of it in a slow arc that ended with twenty-four little spots pointing at the stars. Some of the more streetwise in the crowd shuffled away from the stranger, because luck like that can be very unlucky in Cripple Wa's floating crap game. Wa's hand closed over the dice with a noise like the click of a trigger. 'All the eights,' he breathed. 'Such luck is uncanny, mister.' The rest of the crowd evaporated like dew, leaving only those heavy-set, unsympathetic-looking men who, if Wa had ever paid tax, would have gone down on his return as Essential Plant and Business Equipment. 'Maybe it's not luck,' he added. 'Maybe it's wizarding?' I MOST STRONGLY RESENT THAT. 'We had a wizard once who tried to get rich,' said Wa. 'Can't seem to remember what happened to him. Boys?' 'We give him a good talking-to —' '— and left him in Pork Passage —' '— and in Honey Lane —' '— and a couple other places I can't remember.' The stranger stood up. The boys closed in around him. THIS IS UNCALLED FOR. I SEEK ONLY TO LEARN. WHAT PLEASURE CAN HUMANS FIND IN A MERE REITERATION OF THE LAWS OF CHANCE? 'Chance doesn't come into it. Let's have a look at him, boys.' The events that followed were recalled by no living soul except the one belonging to a feral cat, one of the city's thousands, that was crossing the alley en route to a tryst. It stopped and watched with interest. The boys froze in mid-stab. Painful purple light flickered around them. The stranger pushed his hood back and picked up the dice, and then pushed them into Wa's unresisting hand. The man was opening and shutting his mouth, his eyes unsuccessfully trying not to see what was in front of them. Grinning. THROW. Wa managed to look down at his hand. 'What are the stakes?' he whispered. IF YOU WIN, YOU WILL REFRAIN FROM THESE RIDICULOUS ATTEMPTS TO SUGGEST THAT CHANCE GOVERNS THE AFFAIRS OF MEN. 'Yes. Yes. And . . . if I lose?' YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD WON. Wa tried to swallow, but his throat had gone dry. 'I know I've had lots of people murdered —' TWENTY-THREE, TO BE PRECISE. 'Is it too late to say I'm sorry?' SUCH THINGS DO NOT CONCERN ME. NOW THROW THE DICE. Wa shut his eyes and dropped the dice on to the ground, too nervous even to try the special flick-and-twist throw. He kept his eyes shut. ALL THE EIGHTS. THERE, THAT WASN'T TOO DIFFICULT, WAS IT? Wa fainted. Death shrugged, and walked away, pausing only to tickle the ears of an alley cat that happened to be passing. He hummed to himself. He didn't quite know what had come over him, but he was enjoying it. 'You couldn't be sure it would work!' Cutwell spread his hands in a conciliatory gesture. 'Well, no,' he conceded, 'but I thought, what have I got to lose?' He backed away. 'What have you got to lose?' shouted Mort. He stamped forward and tugged the bolt out of one of the posts in the princess's bed. 'You're not going to tell me this went through me?' he snapped. 'I was particularly watching it,' said Cutwell. 'I saw it too,' said Keli. 'It was horrible. It came right out of where your heart is.' 'And I saw you walk through a stone pillar,' said Cutwell. 'And I saw you ride straight through a window.' 'Yes, but that was on business,' declared Mort, waving his hands in the air. That wasn't everyday, that's different. And —' He paused. The way you're looking at me,' he said. They looked at me the same way in the inn this evening. What's wrong?' 'It was the way you waved your arm straight through the bedpost,' said Keli faintly. Mort stared at his hand, and then rapped it on the wood. 'See?' he said. 'Solid. Solid arm, solid wood.' 'You said people looked at you in an inn?' said Cutwell. 'What did you do, then? Walk through the wall?' 'No! I mean, no, I just drank this drink, I think it was called scrumble —' 'Scumble?' 'Yes. Tastes like rotten apples. You'd have thought it was some sort of poison the way they kept staring.' 'How much did you drink, then?' said Cutwell. 'A pint, perhaps, I wasn't really paying much attention —' 'Did you know scumble is the strongest alcoholic drink between here and the Ramtops?' the wizard demanded. 'No. No-one said,' said Mort. 'What's it got to do with—' 'No,' said Cutwell, slowly, 'you didn't know. Hmm. That's a clue, isn't it?' 'Has it got anything to do with saving the princess?' 'Probably not. I'd like to have a look at my books, though.' 'In that case it's not important,' said Mort firmly. He turned to Keli, who was looking at him with the faint beginnings of admiration. 'I think I can help,' he said. 'I think I can lay my hands on some powerful magic. Magic will hold back the dome, won't it, Cutwell?' 'My magic won't. It'd have to be pretty strong stuff, and I'm not sure about it even then. Reality is tougher than —' 'I shall go,' said Mort. 'Until tomorrow, farewell!' 'It is tomorrow,' Keli pointed out. Mort deflated slightly. 'All right, tonight then,' he said, slightly put out, and added, 'I will begone!' 'Begone what?' 'It's hero talk,' said Cutwell, kindly. 'He can't help it.' Mort scowled at him, smiled bravely at Keli and walked out of the room. 'He might have opened the door,' said Keli, after he had gone. 'I think he was a bit embarrassed,' said Cutwell. 'We all go through that stage.' 'What, of walking through things?' 'In a manner of speaking. Walking into them, anyway.' 'I'm going to get some sleep,' Keli said. 'Even the dead need some rest. Cutwell, stop fiddling with that crossbow, please. I'm sure it's not wizardly to be alone in a lady's boudoir.' 'Hmm? But I'm not alone, am I? You're here.' 'That,' she said, 'is the point, isn't it?' 'Oh. Yes. Sorry. Um. I'll see you in the morning, then.' 'Goodnight, Cutwell. Shut the door behind you.'