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cartoonfanaticmonsterrobotalien · 1 year ago

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Solar Opposites in: Solar Monsters (by @avaveevo)

Ch. 10

That night, at the college, Rina got ready until, she sees a possessed Alice, now with a long blue-green hair, two fangs, her clothes are a bit torn and her hair is down also.

Possessed Alice: Hello dearie. approaches her slyly It appear you must’ve met a Mundane. Where is he?

Rina: We don’t know where is know, but we have our reasons. So, it’s a neighbor names Terry. We’re gonna try to capture him tonight an-

Possesed Alice: Bitch! throws Rina You and your friends meet up at the pier on the other side of town. Or else!

Rina nods relectuanyly as Alice flies off and leaves. Later, Beverly meets up the gang as the docs.

Beverly: Okay! David told us this is here! Let’s go.

Then, Beverly says let’s go but her friends are too reluctant

Beverly: Don't tell me you're getting cold feet!

Shelby: Bev, we don’t think this is right. I say we go back to David.

Beverly: Okay, the only reason why I need to do this, is so that I can get rid of the blue smart-ass slut. So, No! We need to get rid of that monster!

Nat: What makes you say that?

Beverly: Because he told me he saw Korey, who rejected his offer. BECAUSE IT RUINED MY CAREER AND GOT ME FIRED!

Rina: Wait, so Korey saw David? And rejects his offer

Beverly: Of course he did. David failed thanks to him.

Nat: Then count me in!

Beverly: Let's stop being delusional about being a family of stupid ass aliens. We're all screw-ups. And as much as I hate this scrubby, bullshit fanily alien, I don't wanna just sit around and watch it die at the hands of his monstrous husband, okay? Let's go and do the one thing that's been asked of us and kill Terald.

Rina: You know this is a really bad idea, right

Shelby: The worst

Beverly: Let's vote. Show of hands.

A vote of hands are shown which is shown Tyler, Rina, Shelby and Nat all agree.

Beverly: Let's do it.

Rina, Tyler, Nat and Shelby: Okay. Okay, let's go.

As they head to the docks, the scene then cuts to Mundane Terry snarling as he watches on top of a roof, looking at the city down below.

Mundane Terry then sees something that caught his eye. A child waking by.

The child is twelve years old by the way

Mundane Terry starts growling even more as his Mundane instincts starts to take over his sanity. Mundane Terry starts whimpering for a few seconds, be then he growls. As he stares at the child, picturing him as David as he finally snaps, lets out a roar and pounces on the child as he violently attacks him. The child helps but then gets knocked out unconscious by Mundane Terry as his face lays a huge scratch and a scar on his bleeding stomach. Mundane Terry then throws the child to window where it shatters as he roars pounds the ground so hard it created lava in half as it burned through so fast, which made everyone freaked out

Child’s Mother: MY BABY!

Mundane Terry snarls as he stares at the people looking at him. The people back away from in fear as he tries to get closer to them but then stopped upon seeing the injured child as Mundane Terry looks at the child, he feels bad. His sanity regains as he gasp silently and backs away from he just did as he leaps up and heads towards the beach as this song plays:

Then at the beach, Mundane Terry lands on the lighthouse and then on the sand. He roars in frustration as he pounds his fist in the sound and looks up at the stars and then cries as he starts walking besides the ocean

Mundane Terry: What have I done…?

Mundane Terry still kept walking as tears fall down and then looks at the ocean’s reflection

Mundane Terry: I’m a monster…

He then cries softly as tears streams like waterfall down his eyes as cries in his arms and curls up like an animal as he continues to cry. The scene then cuts Super Shlorpian Korvo tearfully crying as he looks around, flying.

Super Shlorpian Korvo: tearfully Oh my poor Terry! Where are you? Oh, I hope I’m on too late!

Back down there, the kids follow Korvo as Yumyulack, Jesse and Pupa transform into their human forms. Sonya was even still surprised that Korvo is a Super Shlorpian.

Sonya: I had no idea your daddy was a monster. Why didn’t you guys tell me?!

Human Yumyulack: We’re sorry. Korvo didn’t want to us to tell anyone because, y’know. The “Monsters are Bad Thing” to humans?

Sonya: Oh yeah. I forgot about that.

Human Jesse: Plus, it runs in Korvo’s family! It’s their life sources!

Sonya: WHAT?!

The kids then stop once they see traffic as they groan in annoyance. Human Pupa was even in wonder by the stop lights.

Human Pupa: reaching up Pretty.

Human Jesse: Aw man, looks we gotta call one of the grown ups!

Back at the house, Nova and Sherbet came by to how the Solars have been doing, as Nova knocks on the door.

Nova: Korvo? knocks again Terry? Are you guys home?

Sherbet: looks up and sees the hole on the roof and gasp Uh, mom?

Sherbet taps Nova on the shoulder as Nova turns and looks up and sees the roof as she gasp in shock.

Nova: What the fuck?

Nova looks under the mat and finds a key as she uses it to unlock the door. The two women then head inside and went upstairs to find their friends.

Nova: Solars?!

Sherbet: Where are you?!

Nova: Maybe they’re in their rooms.

Nova and Sherbet head inside Korvo and Terry’s room and gasp. They look around and see the claw marks and some of the stuff ruined. Sherbet picks up the broken picture frame of the family. She gasp once when she notice some of the frame’s glass pieces falling. She then sees a picture under there.

Sherbet: Huh? turns to Nova Mom! Come quick! I think I saw something!

Nova: Really? What is it?

The two ladies check under the bed while Nova uses the flashlight on her phone. But then, they gasp in horror upon seeing the Mundane pictures under the bed. They then see Terry’s bloodline sheet. As the two got out, they then see the still open-book and sees the page about Mundane. The two girls gasp silently as Nova shed tears after knowing what it means for Shlorpians.

Nova: tearfully Oh my God.

Sherbet: Mom?

Nova: Sherbet?! Call Kevin and his family! Quick! I’ll go get Cherie!

Back with the kids, Human Jesse picks up and the phone and calls Miss Frankie, who is painting a picture. Miss Frankie picks it up and grows alarmed.

Miss Frankie: You? What is it now?!

Human Jesse: Miss Frankie?! Hello?! We need someone to drive our bus and follow Korvo.

Miss Frankie: Wait wait wait! Slow down? as she hears what happened, Miss Frankie’s face develops into shock and surprise What? The fuck… that means… you guys are… faints

Human Jesse: on the phone Hello? Miss Frankie?

Principal Cooke: Honey? picks up Miss Frankie What happened?!

Miss Frankie: KORVO NEEDS US!

Principal Cooke: What?! gets grabbed by Miss Frankie What happened?!

As the couple leaves the house, they then see Jaime and Darcy and runs up to them.

Miss Frankie: Jaime! Darcy!

Darcy: What is it?!

Principal Cooke: I think Korvo might be in trouble! He probably needs us!

Jaime: What?! Tell us everything!

Randall sees the two couples running to meet up with the kids and follows them as he drops his poster. Back with Nova, she knocks on Cherie and Montez’s door as the couple, who were playing with Pezlie, opens the door and Cherie was surprised to her friend.

Cherie: Nova? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?!

Nova: I think Terry’s in trouble! The gang might want to meet up with us!

Montez: What?! Oh my God! Get the baby, quick!

Cherie: On it!

Pezlie: giggling as she gets picked up by Cherie

Later, Kevin and his family arrived at the house. Mia and Ms. Perez, who driving, see the commotion and drives over there. The two women got out of the car and heads over to Sherbet.

Ms. Perez: Sherbet? Kevin? What’s going on?

Mia: Where’s the Solars?

Sherbet: Okay, you guys are not gonna like but Terry is-

Human Yumyulack: offscreen Guys!

Human Yumyulack, Human Jesse, Human Pupa and Sonya runs up to them while Miss Frankie, Principal Cooke, Jaime, Darcy and Randall runs up to them.

Miss Frankie: Kids!

Darcy: What’s wrong kids! What happened?!

Human Jesse: We have to follow Korvo!

Human Yumyulack: Something’s wrong!

Jaime: What?! What happened?!

Miss Frankie: Korvo’s half Super Shlorpian! the rest of the gang gasp He might be in trouble! We have to follow him, where are the keys to the bus?!

Human Yumyulack: tries to find the keys Aw man, I think I lost them!

All: groaning

Nova: arriving with Cherie, Montez and Pezlie Kids! gives the kids kisses on their foreheads We were so worried! Where’s your father?!

Human Yumyulack: We have to follow him! But, we don’t know where the keys to the bus are!

Human Jesse: YOU LOST THEM?! I gave you ONE THING to do!

Human Yumyulack: Wait a minute! Duh! Pupa!

Human Yumyulack turns Pupa back into his normal self as he turns him over.

Human Yumyulack: SPIT IT OUT!

Then, Pupa spits the keys out, much to everyone’s disgust, but luckily, Nova cleaned it with a clothe. Pupa turns back into his human form as Yumyulack picks him up.

Human Yumyulack: What are we gonna do with you, little rascal? tickles Pupa’s chin

Human Pupa: giggling

Miss Frankie: Quick! Everyone! On that bus!

A few seconds later, Miss Frankie starts the bus as she drives it through out. She then sees Super Shlorpian Korvo flying.

Human Yumyulack: There he is!

Human Jesse: Follow him!

Miss Frankie: On it!

The bus follows Korvo as he looks down and then see the bus following him. He then notice the kids and their friends and family friend in there.

Super Shlorpian Korvo: What the? Kids?! What the?! Wait, kids! Don’t go anywhere near me!

Human Yumyulack: Korvo! Stop!

Human Jesse: Don’t hurt Terry!

Super Shlorpian Korvo: What?! No, I am looking for him!

Human Yumyulack: You are!

Human Jesse: Oh thank God! Sorry Korvo!

Miss Frankie sees a bus stop and stops there as Super Shlorpian Korvo flies down and lands on his feet. The human Replicants, Sonya and human Pupa run up to their father as they embrace him in a hug.

Human Yumyulack, Human Jesse, Sonya and Human Pupa: KORVO!

Korvo grows surprised but hugs his kids back. But then, he notices the rest of the gang staring at his Super Shlorpian in shock, wonder, surpise and dumbfounded.

Super Shlorpian Korvo: Yumyulack, what did you tell them?

Nova: I told them, Korvo. I’m sorry, Sherbet and I found out about Terry. We knew something is wrong. So we decided to follow you guys.

Super Shlorpian Korvo: You did? Shit…

Jaime: You’re a Super Shlorpian?

Darcy: Holy shit! This is so cool!

Kevin’s Daughter: Pretty!

Kevin’s Son: Are you a superhero?

Sherbet: picking them up Easy there you little rascals!

Super Shlorpian Korvo: Really? does a sexy pose Well, I do look faboo.

Human Yumyulack and Human Jesse: facepalms Oh God.

Cherie: Whoa whoa whoa! Guys guys! Give him some space. Korvo, what happened?!

Montez: Where’s Terry?

Super Shlorpian Korvo’s face then saddens as he takes a deep breath and turns back into his normal Shlorpian self while Human Jesse give him some clothes. Korvo puts them on as he frowns.

Korvo: I’m sorry you had to see me like this. But, I want to make sure Terry doesn’t hurt himself-

Suddenly, the gang hears a roar at the beach. They then see Mundane Terry heading towards the pier Beverly and her gang are at.

Korvo: No!

Nova: Don’t worry! We’ll find him! But first, we must check if he’s at the town first, he might have been there.

Darcy: That’s a good idea!

Korvo then turns into his human form as he puts his hair in a ponytail, but then he sees police sirens lights.

Principal Cooke: Oh no…

Human Korvo: Oh shit! Terry!

Cherie: Hang on buddy! Quick guys, to town!

Everyone heads back on the bus where Miss Frankie hands human Korvo the keys and they nod at each other. Human Korvo puts the keys in and he drives the family to town. The scene then

cuts to Beverly and the gang waiting for an attack. They started charging while screaming until Possesed Alice comes in and they all fall down thanks to her sonic boom landing.

Possessed Alice: Right on time…. Let’s play…

Then, it cuts back to beach where Mundane Terry is still sulking, until he heard something.

Mundane Terry: What the?!

Mundane Terry starts hearing something going on in the docks. Possesed Alice then defeated one by one Beverly and her gang one by one as the lights go out. Mundane Terry snarls and rushes over there. Then, it shows everyone calling out for Terry as Human Korvo keeps driving the bus.

All: Terry! Terry! Where the fuck are you?! Terry?! Mr. Terry?! Where are you buddy?! Come back home Terry!

Human Korvo then sees the entrance but then screams in horror upon seeing the damage Mundane Terry has done. The others gasp as well, while Human Pupa, Pezlie and Kevin’s kids hide in their parents’s chest.

Human Yumyulack: Holy shit! What the fuck did you do Terry?!

As Human Korvo drives the gang to the other side of town, he is horrified over the sight Terry has done in his Mundane Terry as they drive by the horrific, messy, bloody, injured and destroyed parts of the town.

Human Yumyulack: Holy shit.

Human Jesse: Terry… why?

Human Pupa: gasp

Cherie: Oh my God. What the fuck happened here?

Pezlie: whimpering

Cherie: soothing Pezlie It’s okay Pezlie. Mommy’s here.

Montez: Terry did this?

Miss Frankie: Oh my God. I think I

Human Korvo: I’m afraid that’s not Terry, but someone who is losing themselves to the darkness. Out of fear. Anger. Terry’s mind must’ve been consumed by so many terrible thoughts for a long time back in Shlorp. to himself Poor thing. He must’ve been so scared to tell me. Back to his family and friends I just hope we’re not too late. They might form an angry mob. Nova! You think you can find on an article on your news app about-

Suddenly, an notification of the news app pop out on Nova’s phone as she opens it and reads it.

Nova: Uh, hold on there. I just got a shocking text.

Mia: What does it say?

Nova: It says… “Local Maid of Rich Lady Disappeared After Her Master Was Knocked Out by Mysterious Bearded Man”… she becomes horrified as she reads down the article Oh my God.

Human Yumyulack: What?! What is it Nova?!

Nova: It says her, “Forty-Two Year Old Maid of Rich Billionaire Brandine, Alice Gingerwood, disappeared six hours ago right before police found Brandine knocked unconscious. She told the police that a beard man, that might be FBI’s most wanted escapee criminal, knocked her right before Alice disappeared. The only evidence that could find was a broken vile and the maid’s maid hat.”…

Horror and shock dawn on the gang’s faces as they began to wonder about something.

Human Yumyulack: Holy fuck. That must be the FBI Most Wanted Terry was talking about with Beverly the other day.

Human Jesse: Yay! That means Terry is innocent and… suddenly grows disgusted that selfish slut!

Cherie: What?! What happened?!

Human Jesse: So that’s why Terry left! Because, Beverly didn’t believe in him when he was talking about a criminal and he must’ve been so stressed, that he is scared of losing his mind and must’ve ran away to control it! All that stress and overwhelming anxiety must’ve been responsible for causing his rampage!

All: What?!

Human Korvo: Beverly… didn’t believe in… my sweet Terry? clenched his fist on the wheel furiously while shaded finger tips are shown

Miss Frankie: I knew it! I knew there was a reason to hate that fucking bitch! She’s a total jerk!

Principal Cooke: Oh shit! That guy must’ve been the reason behind the whole attacks for the past few days. Even the hellhounds!

All: gasp

Darcy: Oh fuck! Korvo?! What do we do?! We need to… suddenly Korvo doesn’t hear as siren lights are shown Korvo?

Human Korvo: … Oh shit!

A few seconds later, the child that Terry injured is taken away in an ambulance as the child’s parents scold Korvo for letting Terry attack the poor child while the kids and their friends and family friends watch.

Child’s Mother: I cannot fucking believe, you would let your goddamn husband do this!

Child’s Father: Do you fucking understand what he did to my boy, huh?

Child’s Parents: talking at once

Human Korvo: I am so sorry. He’s never done anything like that before.

Child’s Father: I don’t want to hear your apology!

Child’s Mother: He is a FUCKING ANIMAL!

Child’s Father: Alright! Monster is not here! Everyone go home!

As the Child’s father shut the door, Sonya notices a glowing light figure and runs to the pier to find out what it is.

Human Korvo: Aw man. This is not what Terry would do. H-he would never do any of this! voice breaking That is not the Terry I know!

Montez: Korvo?

Human Korvo: starting to cry He would never hurt a child, or maul a crook or-or even…

Cherie: Oh honey. It’ll be okay.

Human Korvo: M-my husband! H-he would never hu- gets hug by Nova as he cries in her chest

Nova: It's okay Korvo. We'll-

Human Korvo: You don’t understand! cries even more as Nova continues to comfort him, despite his outburst

Nova: I know I don’t.

Montez: notices Sonya not here Wait! Where’s Sonya?!

Human Korvo: dries his tears away S-Sonya?!

Everyone started look around.

Cherie: Where is she? Sonya!

Principal Cooke: Sonya!

Montez: Where are you?!

Sherbet: Sonya!

Human Yumyulack: sees Sonya heading to the pier Oh shit! points to Sonya I know where!

All: gasp in horror

Sherbet: Oh fuck! Sonya! Wait!

Nova: grabs Sherbet Don’t worry, we’ll go after her!

Principal Cooke: But guys! Terry is still in his monster form! He’s down there!

Jaime: Oh fuck!

Human Jesse: crying I want my daddy back! Human Yumyulack hugs her to comfort her

Miss Frankie: Korvo! We have to get down there and help!

Human Korvo: Right! Solars, roll out!

Everyone head back in the bus as Korvo starts the engines and drives the bus to the pier.

Human Jesse: Aw man, I hope Sonya’s okay!

Human Yumyulack: Me too!

Human Pupa and Pezlie hug each other as they both whimper and Sherbet sisterly strokes their hair softly. Human Korvo then sees the glowing orange light, and with a determination look on his face, steps on it and drives the bus as fast as it could, which then breaks the gates as “Shut Up and Drive” from Rihanna plays. Then it shifts over to Sonya heading inside it then heard noises where she sees possesed Alice tying up Beverly and her gang with fish nets.

Sonya: What’s going on?

Possessed Alice: Five little hunters tied up like fish… sees Beverly the leader?! Hello, leader! gets blown in the head but she didn’t fall and grins as Beverly snarls at her.

Beverly: Fuck. You.

Possesed Alice: So, let’s negotiate shall we?! Rina has lead to your deaths! You can go if you tell me one thing! Where’s the Mundane?!

Beverly: We don’t know

Possessed Alice: No scientist! grabs her face You don’t know but guess what?! One of you does! Now who could it be… eeny meeny miney… senses Sonya You!

Sonya: Huh?

Possessed Alice uses her staff to lift up the crate where Sonya is hiding behind as she gasp and Sonya gets levitate by Alice in horror as she screams.

Sonya: KORVO! HELP ME!

Possessed Alice: laughs evilly

Later, Human Korvo and the others arrived as Human Korvo parks the bus and everyone gets out, where they see the pier.

Nova: That must be where Terry is at! We have to hurry!

Human Korvo: Come on, let’s head in there before….

But before he could unlock the gate, Human Korvo looks at the reflection of his friends as he looks down sadly, realizing he should’ve told them the truth.

Jamie: What’s wrong, K?

Human Korvo walks over to his friends sadly as he takes a deep breath and sighs. He then looks at his friends remorsefully.

Human Korvo: Guys. I am so sorry for lying to you. And for not trusting you with the truth, and the real reason behind my skin condition. I had to keep it hidden because not only because of the whole monsters thing, but also because I was scared of how you guys would react… I’m really sorry…

Miss Frankie: Aw Korv…

Jamie: We know you didn’t mean it

Principal Cooke: To be honest, we were really amoured by your monster form! We loved it! Plus, you saved Darcy’s life

Darcy: Yeah. Thanks for saving me buddy.

Mia: Even if you had lie, you had very good reason. You were just protecting the family. Like a good father and husband should. And a good friend. Plus, you were just trying to protect us too.

Janice: suddenly appearing from the bus H’no, We still love you know.

Human Korvo: I…thank you…

Ms. Perez: We’ll still love you no matter what… Shlorpian or Monster, you’re still the same Korvo we know and love, also how did Janice get here?

Janice: Sorry, fell asleep and mistake this bus for my house.

Human Korvo: Okay?

Kevin: The main point is that you will always be our Korvo no matter what. And we get why you lied to us. You were scared of losing us too. But, Korvo, we will never leave you. We’re like a family.

Cherie: We’ll still be with you no matter. Because, you’re our Korvo, no matter what.

Human Korvo: smiling Thank you. Solars for life?

Cherie: Solars for life. hugs Korvo

Montez and Jamie: Solars for Life.

All: Solars for life!

The gang then gets in a group hug as Human Korvo sheds tears of joy. Suddenly, they heard Sonya screaming, which caught their attention as they gasp silently.

Human Korvo: SONYA!

Human Yumyulack: Oh shit! Sis!

Human Jesse: No!

Human Pupa: Sonya!

Darcy: Stand back! I got this!

Darcy takes off her right stelados and tightens it break the door lock apart, which worked as fall down, much to the gang’s relief.

Jamie: Yes!

Jamie romantically twirls Darcy around and kisses her as Darcy giggles.

Sherbet: Come on guys, let’s go! Terry and Sonya might be in trouble or something!

Human Korvo: Good idea!

Then Human Korvo goes Papa Wolf as he runs in first.

Cherie: Korvo! Wait up!

Montez: Wow. That is one tough Papa Wolf!

Human Yumyulack: That’s our dad for you.

Human Jesse: Quick guys! In there!

As, Human Yumyulack, Human Jesse, Human Pupa and the others rush in Human Korvo kept running desperately.

Human Korvo: Sonya! Sonya! Daddy’s coming!

Then cuts to Sonya struggling to break free as Possessed Alice smiles.

Possessed Alice: Tell them where is the Mundane. You can tell me now, sweetie pie. Or you can watch me kill someone… Let’s start with Nat!

Possessed Alice starts poisoning Nat as he cries out in pain much to his gang’s horror as Sonya gasp and starts breathing in and out anxiously and scared.

Sonya: No! Stop!

Possessed Alice: He dies in 3… 2…

Sonya: I’m sorry I don’t where he is!

Possessed Alice stops poisoning Nat as he breaths for air while Alice walks over to Sonya.

Possessed Alice: WHAT?!

Sonya: I-I’m sorry ma’am but, what’s a Mundane? I don’t even know where he is…

Possessed Alice: Hmm. Well, thank you for being such a weak brat. I’m sure the monster would to hear this story once I let you five live, well at least one of you

Shelby: What?!

Possessed Alice makes a sonic boom that caused a Kraken vile to fly out of Beverly’s pocket and onto Sonya’s leg as she flies out as she screams and falls into the ocean, much to Beverly and the gang’s horror.

Beverly: Shit!

Beverly and the gang starts screaming in horror and freaking out. Then, Mundane Terry appears after leaping on a roof, and then sees Sonya in the ocean as he gasp.

Mundane Terry: SONYA!!!

Mundane Terry dives into the water, but then grows horrified after seeing the wound on Sonya’s leg as it creates glowing swirls around her body as a light shines her and it goes boom like in Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken

Mundane Terry: What the?

Sonya ends up stop breathing as she falls into a concussion, much to Mundane Terry’s horror as he cries out and grabs Sonya as he brings her up to the surface as he gasp for air and puts her down on the deck. Mundane Terry looks at Sonya, and then whimpers upon seeing she hasn’t wakes up and puts his head over on her chest as he holds her close. He then sees Possessed Alice and puts Sonya down then safely as he crouched towards Alice like a monster in fury, going Papa Wolf.

Mundane Terry: roars in fury

Mundane Terry growls as he approaches Alice, with her staff.

Possessed Alice: So you’re the Mundane? chuckles Let’s play!

Mundane Terry bangs his fist and fights with Alice. Alice dodges Terry’s fist as Terry snarls and uses his hands to pound to the ground, which caused the middle of the pier’s bridge to crack as it makes a sonic boom and Alice leaps and lands on her feet.

Possessed Alice: chuckles Miss me. Though I must admit. You’re one strength of a brute!

Mundane Terry roars as he slaps Alice to the wall. The gang made it as they gasp upon seeing Mundane Terry fighting possessed Alice. Alice slashes Mundane Terry’s left arm as he screams in pain.

Human Korvo: Terry! Stop this please! I'm sorry I-

Mundane Terry: roars as he tries to punch Alice but misses as he leaps up

Human Jesse: Terry! Stop! Please, I want my daddy back! I know you’re in there Terry! Please stop! crying

Human Yumyulack: Aw shit! I think Terry has lost his mind!

Human Pupa: No! Terry!

Nova: points to Alice So did she! Look!

Cherie: It’s the missing maid! watches as Alice tries to ram her staff but Terry jumps up and roars

Ms. Perez: What happened to her?! She looks different!

Mia: Don’t worry, I know how! It’s that ruby stuck to her throat! We have to get it out of her! Somehow! Come on!

But when they try to get to her, Mundane Terry gets in the way as he pummels on Alice.

Human Yumyulack: Aw shit! Terry!

Human Jesse: sees Sonya Sonya! picks her up but then notices glittering fish scales on Sonya’s neck and that her hair looks different too, in bead braids and it has tentacle suckers on it Oh no! Sonya has been affected with some kind of virus!

Mia: Don’t worry! We have to get her home where she can be safe. But first, we can’t let anyone see her like this.

Back with Beverly, she sees the two and decided to take matters into her own hands as she runs up and gets out a serum. But then, Mundane Terry throws possessed Alice to Beverly as the two women shoved into each other and the serum hits Alice’s neck as it caused the ruby to fall out of her neck and shatter into pieces.

Beverly: groans but then gasp upon seeing Alice on the floor No! That wasn’t supposed to happen.

Alice is laying unconscious as the side effects from her possession fades away. The others gasp. Her hair, mouth and skin turns back to normal. She then started moaning.

Janice: H’no! I don’t think she is okay y’know.

Miss Frankie: Oh my God. She looks hurt.

Montez: Let’s make sure! She’s okay.

The others went up to Alice to make sure she is okay. But then…

Nova: I’ll check her blood temperature while you guys-

Alice’s eyes glow as she roars. Her skin turns green and scaly. Her clothes starts to rip apart as she grows bigger and stronger, and muscular too, her teeth becomes snake fangs, her hair turns into snakes that started hissing. Her voice also deepens as her lipstick turns yellow-green on her lips. Her fingernails grows sharper. Her legs turns into a snake’s tail. She open her glowing eyes and roar loudly as the human Solars and their friends covered their ears. Alice’s eyes stop glowing as she stops.

Miss Frankie, Principal Cooke and Jaime: Huh?

Darcy: What the?

Cherie: Is she okay?

Pezlie: cooing

Montez: Uh… might want to shield your eyes.

Alice looks around the pier and gasp upon seeing her reflection.

Medusa Alice: Holy shit! What happened to me?! Where am I? Oh dear, I- suddenly grows intrigued and feels sexy Ooh. I look sexy. notices the human Solars and their friends Wait?! Who the fuck are you people?!

Principal Cooke: trying to look away from the snakes Um-

Medusa Alice: Damn it! I knew it! I knew I should’ve listen to my mother about-

Human Korvo: offscreen Ahem?

Medusa Alice: turns to see Korvo Hmm?

Human Korvo: Okay, I know we haven’t met. But, try not to freak out over.

Medusa Alice: What? What do you mean by that-

Korvo turns back into his Shlorpian self as Alice gasp in shock.

Medusa Alice: What the fuck?! Aliens?!

The Replicants and Pupa turn back into their normal Shlorpian and Pupa selves as Alice grows shock.

Medusa Alice: Aw, what do you know? Miss Brandine wasn’t joking when she was talking about a little green guy. Aren’t you cutie? tickles Pupa as he laughs

All: gasp

Medusa Alice: What? What’s wrong?

All: sighs in relief

Medusa Alice: looks at her snakes Oh. Looks like they only turn bad people into stone. You all seem like good people. But, what’s going on here? How did I get here?

Korvo: I am so sorry about all this. You see, that monster that fought with you is my husband-

Mundane Terry then reappears after jumping out the water as the gang screamed, except for Alice who is startled.

Medusa Alice: Oh my God! That’s your husband?!

Yumyulack: Uh huh? That’s our dad.

Medusa Alice: Dad?!

Mundane Terry tries to attack again but then…

Korvo: TERRY! STOP THIS SHIT RIGHT NOW! AS YOUR MISSION LEADER, I-

Korvo then stops talking as he notice that Mundane Terry then stop growling and puts his fist down as it unclenches upon seeing Korvo, his expression softens into a sad one as he began whimpering in fear and begins to cry while tears streams down his face from his his eyes like a waterfall as the others grow worried and concern about their father/friend. Even Alice is concerned.

Korvo: Terry...I...

As he finally realizes how scared his husband is, Korvo turns back into his human form as he approaches Terry. The Replicants and Pupa also morphed back into their human forms as they look tearfully at their father.

Human Korvo: Terry...I...I'm sorry. I promise I won't hurt you, okay?

Human Korvo walks to his Mundane husband and then strokes Terry's face to soothe him as Terry continues to cry. The others are still worried about Terry as Alice smiles at the sweet scene and then began to turn back as Nova notices and brings a towel to cover her body while Sherbet bring an orange 60s kitchen dress and lady’s wear and a pair of orange sandals with hearts on them for clothing for Alice.

Human Korvo: I'm here. Sssh. Sssh. You're okay, my love.

As Human Korvo kisses Mundane Terry on the forehead, Mundane Terry’s began to turn back to normal as Human Korvo looks on. Sherbet then brings Terry’s clothes to him as Terry passed out in Korvo’s arms.

Human Korvo: …There’s my husband.

Human Jesse: Terry! Is he-

Human Korvo: Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be okay.

Human Jesse: cries as she hugs Terry Oh thank heavens.

Suddenly, as Terry moans, Alice is then fully dressed as she puts her hair up in a bun. But then, she notices Beverly and the gang leaving.

Alice: Hey! I think I see something!

Human Korvo: Beverly?! suddenly notices the stuff Terry was talking about earlier What?!

Terry then wakes up as Sherbet helps put his clothes on him while covering her eyes so she won’t see his private Shlorpian parts. She then finished by his orange shirt on.

Terry: Wh-what?! sees his friends Guys? What’s going on?! then notices Alice Who the fuck are you?! then sees the pier as he turns into his human form and looks at his reflection as he wipes away the blood on his his mouth Oh no. What have I done?!

Human Korvo: Terry! hugs him Oh thank God. We were so worried about you! kisses him

Human Yumyulack and Human Jesse: Terry!

Human Pupa: Terry!

The kids then embrace their father as he notice Beverly and her gang running away and growls.

Human Terry: You bitch!

Cherie: What is it Terry?

Alice: motherly What’s wrong, baby?

Human Terry: I’ll be right back!

Human Terry then follows Alice as his family and friends grow surprised and decided to follow him. Human Korvo then picks up the photos and then sees what Beverly and the gang has done and sees a photo of her with David as he crumbles it up in fury and follows his family and friends. Human Terry kept following Beverly while the others follow him, only for Human Jesse and Human Yumyulack stop when they suddenly went heaviness and notices Sonya is getting bigger and muscular as her skin suddenly starts into fish-like scales.

Human Yumyulack: HOLY SHIT!

Human Jesse: gasp Oh no! The lady must’ve turn Sonya into a monster!

Cue Sonya’s transformation sequence into a monster:

Human Korvo then stops his tracks and turns around, only to gaps in horror when he sees Sonya’s feet turning into three tentacles, her skin has turned into the colors of mermaid scales like the ones from the ice cream flavor her clothes rips apart into pieces as a result of her muscle growth and her voice starts to deepen while her eyes turn into sparkling purple auras as she growls and roars as she completes her transformation and starts glowing, like a night light.

Human Korvo: Sonya! No!

Sonya, now a Were-Kraken, then roars and makes a huge fist stomp in the water as the waves stops Beverly and her friends tracks as she growls at them, much to Human Terry’s surprise.

Human Terry: Jesus Christ!

Human Terry then looks at Were-kraken Sonya closely as he gasp recognize her in that form.

Human Terry: S-Sonya?

Human Terry got closer and starts to soothe Sonya’s face as he grows terrified over what Beverly has done.

Human Terry: Oh sweetie. What have they done to you?

Human Terry then goes over to Beverly while keeping the beast in as he takes a deep breath.

Human Terry: tranquil fury Beverly, what have you done?

Beverly: Don’t look at me! I didn’t-

Human Terry: Well, you did! Because, your recklessness is what caused all this! Now look what you have done!

Beverly: Grrr! It was your fault! We were supposed to catch until, one of your four brats showed up and ruined everything!

Then suddenly, Were-Kraken Sonya tries to attack as Beverly screams but then Human Yumyulack and Human Jesse hold her down while Human Pupa hugs her face.

Human Korvo: Hey! Leave him alone!

Beverly: Stay out of this!

Human Terry: sees Were-Kraken Sonya Korvo! Help Sonya!

Human Korvo: gasp upon seeing Sonya losing her mind Sonya!

Human Korvo comes over there as Were-Kraken Sonya tries to break free from her siblings but then Human Korvo touches her face softly.

Human Korvo: Sonya…it’s me. Your dad.

Were-Kraken Sonya then stops and her sanity returns as she looks down worriedly

Human Korvo: There. There’s one of my two sweet girls

Were-Kraken Sonya: Korvo… don’t be mad at me, be I kinda

Human Korvo and Were-Kraken Sonya: -got fused with a monster DNA.

Human Korvo: I know. Well, right now I just wanted to get you home, and keep you safe.

Were-Kraken Sonya: Korvo, look at me. starts crying I can’t even fit in my clothes anymore…

Sonya starts crying as Human Korvo gasp and comes over to soothe her.

Human Korvo: Sssh. I know. It hurts. But I’m here. You’re safe.

Human Yumyulack, Human Jesse and Human Pupa hugs their sister as she continues weeping. Human Terry then sees his daughter crying, and putting his hand on his heartbeat, he takes a deep while he feels his Mundane form in control and decided to stand up to Beverly

Human Terry: You fucking bitch!

Beverly: Terald, that’s en-

Human Terry: You shut up! It’s your fault my daughter is a were-kraken! If you hadn’t been sending those monsters thanks to FBI most wanted, I would've never a have monster in me in the first place! You turn into a bully because I never fight back, but that ends now!

Human Jesse: Hell yeah it does!

Jamie: Whoa cool!

All: Oh! Yeah!

Alice: Wow. What a brave man. No wonder you love your husband so much Kor- sees Korvo comforting Sonya -vo…?

Beverly: Listen, Terald. I’m sorry you-

Human Terry: I’m not done! You’re rude mean selfish and mean to my husband all the time! But, it’s because you’re jealous of him and we all know it!

Human Yumyulack and Human Jesse: Yeah!

Then it cuts to Human Korvo still comforting Were-Kraken Sonya as she finally calms down.

Were-Kraken Sonya: I’m really glad you and the guys are here Mr. Korvo

Human Korvo smiles and then sees a carnival that reminds him of something

Human Korvo: Let’s go. I gotta show you something.

Human Korvo takes Sonya to a view of a carnival where it shows people shouting.

Human Korvo: Remember when you and your brother and sister befriend and release three circus zebras and you fell in love the shimmering one

Were-Kraken Sonya: You mean Zoé Fudgetop?

Human Korvo: Yeah. How could I forget? He was pretty clinging on to you.

Were-Kraken Sonya: I ask if you if I could keep him…

Human Korvo: laughs Where would we even put a zebra?

Were-Kraken Sonya: suddenly starts shrinking down I don’t know. The basement. The manc ave maybe. I would’ve taken care of him…

Human Korvo: I know you would have…

Then, as Sonya keeps shrinking down, Human Korvo smiles because he knows one thing, Sonya is back to normal.

Human Korvo: Feeling better?

Sonya: Yes! I’m normal! gasp upon noticing herself with no clothes on Well, almost normal. Thank you Mr. Korvo.

Human Korvo: Anytime.

Human Korvo puts his robe around Sonya to cover her naked body as she hugs him and he hugs back. They then head back where they see Terry still confronting Beverly.

Beverly: Fine, Terald! I'll leave you and your family alone if you just SHUT UP!

Human Terry; Stop calling me Terald! MY! NAME! IS! TERRY!

The loud shout caused a huge echo which surprised everyone as Human Terry takes a deep a breath again.

Human Terry: Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to ruin my family’s life Beverly?

Beverly: Because, Terald, I am trying to get rid of that stupid blue oaf, who replaced me as the most beloved scientist at the laboratory until he came along. I knew once I get rid of him by trading off to David, I would finally regain the title that you and your family deserved. Because, I deserve it too. Plus, you’ve been lying to your husband, ever since you found you’re a Mundane! So, you deserve the same loneliness I do too.

Beverly’s eyes widen in shock upon seeing Human Korvo, the kids and their friends and frenemies hearing this, realizing in horror they have heard the whole thing. Human Korvo then notices what is wrong and begins to walk towards what looks like to Human Terry. Human Terry squints and is ready to take it but, but as he opens his eyes, no. He waking towards Beverly and the rest of her gang.

Human Korvo: I can’t believe you fucking people would use him like this?

Beverly: dumbfounded that he found out What?

Nat: lying But we didn’t.

Shelby: lying No, we never.

Human Terry grows shock as he runs up to the whole thing.

Human Terry: quietly What?! Human Korvo stops him

Human Korvo: I knew you were trouble. Putting all those thoughts into my husband's head, parading him around. Now he's lying, sneaking out! He attacked a defenseless child! You think this a fucking joke. Do you know how dangerous this is?

Beverly: trying to come up with a lie We didn’t mean to. It’s just that those monsters are evil and… it’s best if Terry should die-

Human Korvo: disgusted as he puts his fingertips on his head To die?! You're also the only one who refuses to trust us!

Beverly: WELL MAYBE EVERYONE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT A MONSTER LIKE HIM!

Everyone gasp in shock in what Beverly just said. Human Terry feels his heart breaking as he walks towards his family and friends.

Beverly: trying to take back what she said Terry… I-

Human Terry: I just… can’t talk to you.. right now…

Human Terry kneels to the ground as he breaks down in tears as Human Yumyulack and Human Jesse goes over to comfort their father while the others exchange outrage and disgusted faces at Beverly.

Human Yumyulack: Don't listen to her.

Sonya: Don’t cry Mr. Terry…

Human Jesse: You'll pay for this...

Cherie: YOU BITCH!

Montez: Cherie, stop! It isn't worth it!

Beverly then becomes horrified upon knowing everyone now knows her true colors.

Beverly: lying; panicking I’m sorry, I-I didn’t mean it-

Human Korvo: slaps Beverly’s face I don’t want to hear it! Terry’s a good man and a good husband. And you took advantage of him!

Beverly: gasp in horror; trying to get Terry to lie Terry! Tell him!

Human Terry realizes that Beverly wants him to lie to his husband, he looks shock and disgusts that she wanted to do that. He looks at Human Korvo, who looks back at Terry worriedly. Knowing he can no longer take lying to his family about his condition anymore, Human Terry hugs his husband.

Tyler: What?!

Shelby: No!

Beverly gives as Human Korvo looks back at her disgustedly. Human Pupa also hugs his daddy as he cries. Then…

Human Korvo: Come on Terry. held out his hand to his heartbroken husband Let’s go.

Human Terry then grabs Human Korvo’s hand as the gang heads inside their bus and drives off with this time Nova driving it. Beverly and her gang watches as the bus drives off. As the bus drives home, the Solars turn back into their Shlorpian forms as Terry continues to cry silently as tears stream down his eyes. Seeing this, Korvo puts a comforting hand on Terry’s as Terry looks back silently.

Korvo: Terry… don’t listen to her. You’re not a monster…

Terry: No. she’s right… weeps I ruined everything! The whole town hates me more than ever. tears continue to burst like a waterfall It’s all my fault…

Knowing his husband needs help, Korvo’s face develops into a brave.

Korvo: Terry, when we get home, I’m gonna help you.

Terry: What?

Korvo: Trust me dear. kisses Terry on the cheek It’s what I learned to do ever since I had my Super Shlorpian form. It’s gonna help you channel your powers. I promise.

Terry smiles meekly but looks down as the bus heads home.

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crygimethydgoode · 6 months ago

Text

Just Take Me Home chapter 6 - Tia Kofi x La Grande Dame, Plane Jane x Nymphia Wind summer in Italy college abroad/tour guide AU

“You want to see the real Italy? Come with me.” Tia’s laughter stopped.

“What?” She asked, letting out a somewhat nervous giggle that she had practiced over 1000 times in the mirror.

“I have a friend in the city with a car. I borrowed it from her last trip to escape this hell city,” Dada explained. Tia could only look at her. The once intimidating, dismissive French girl with the platinum blonde hair and long legs was now smiling expectantly at her, eyebrows raised, waiting for her answer. Tia looked out at the city again. Wondering if this was it. “Tia,” Dada muttered, voice warm. Tia’s head turned back to her. “Don’t say no.”

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55522132/chapters/144314515

Masterlist

Chapter six

run - rome

i’ll hold onto you while we run (and we run and we run and we run)

…

“Dada… Maybe we should’ve just waited to leave tomorrow…”

“Well… it is the hotel’s fault. Not ours.”

“Yeah…”

Dada and Jane were murmuring from the front of the bus, watching in horrified silence as everyone fought in line for the bathroom, the combination of getting blackout drunk on the beach then driving down winding Italian roads into busy Rome doing nothing to help with their forming hangovers

“TIA IF YOU DON’T COME OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW I WILL HAVE TO PUKE OUT THE WINDOW.”

“NYMPHIA FUCK OFF!” Tia groaned, followed by the unmistakable sound of her throwing up. Dada couldn’t help but wonder what possessed Nymphia to take that extra bottle of wine to the back of the bus, she could see the girls passing it around earlier in the bus ride and deemed them absolute idiots. And of course, here was the outcome.

“Okay… I’m pulling over at the next stop.” Gothy rolled her eyes, getting off the next exit within minutes and stopping at a gas station. “Go puke in the bushes.”

Nymphia and Crystal bolted off the bus, hands cupped over their mouths. Dada saw Tia was just laying across the back seats, eyes open but glazed over.

“Tia… come on. You need fresh air…” Dada rubbed her shoulder soothingly, Tia just swatted it away.

“Leave me here to die.”

“Tia, come outside, you will feel better.”

“How are you not dying right now?” Tia groaned, horrified that if she moved she would hurl all over Dada, which would not be a cute follow up to their kiss on the beach. Dada couldn’t help but smile as she grabbed Tia’s hand to help her up.

“Cause we have to take care of you. Come on.”

Half an hour later Gothy, Jane, and Dada felt safe enough to drive back to Rome. Hopefully the group would just sleep for the rest of the three and a half hours. Tia was laid across the two seats behind Gothy, Jane and Dada sat in the seats across from her. Nymphia slept with her head leaned against Crystal’s, too tired and miserable to act disgusted. All Dada wanted was to fall asleep, she felt absolutely miserable too. But she stayed awake with Jane and Gothy in solidarity, too tired to talk.

The rest of the ride went by quick enough, Dada was content to listen to Jane rant, ramble, and gush about Nymphia. She nodded along politely but swore she could still feel her lips buzzing. She knew they would all black out that night, but knew somehow she would never be able to forget today.

“The hotel’s about twenty minutes away, you might wanna start waking people up,” Gothy suggested eventually, letting out a big yawn. “Thank fucking god, honestly.”

“You did good Gothy. Kudos, sister.”

“Fuck you Jane. Never again. Never again.”

Dada and Jane started to wake the group up, going to the back first so Tia, Nymphia, and Crystal could sleep just a little longer. (Jane was scared to wake up Nymphia.) After patting a sobbing Vanjie’s hair, Dada moved further up the aisle to Tia.

“Tia… we will be at the hotel in twenty minutes… Tia. Tia… Bitch wake up,” Dada roughly shook Tia and she jolted awake.

“Why are you screaming?” She whispered hoarsely, sitting up in the window seat. Dada slid in next to her, Tia’s head immediately fell to her shoulder. “Twenty minutes? That’s so long…”

“Not really. Just sleep, I’ll wake you when we’re there.”

“Will you carry me in?”

“…no…”

Finally Gothy pulled the bus into the hotel parking lot. Jane carried Nymphia off the bus and into the hotel as Tia, Crystal, Dada, Gothy, and Vanjie stumbled in, arms linked together. Tia didn’t know why or when Vanjie joined them, but she was too tired to even begin to care. The girls stumbled up the stairs, Jane finally dropping Nymphia who just whined, too tired to get words out. Tia and Dada went into Dada’s room, Jane and Nymphia into Jane’s. Crystal and Vanjie decided to have a sleepover for who knows why.

Dada was glad Tia had changed into pajamas on the bus, she only had to gently push her towards the bed, guiding her to lay under the covers, still half asleep. After making sure a trashcan was on the floor by Tia’s head, Dada was quick to curl up next to her, passing out the minute her head hit the pillow, hoping her hangover tomorrow wouldn’t be too awful.

Tia woke up in bed the next morning to the sound of Dada running to the bathroom, hands clasped over her mouth.

“Dada???”

She winced as she heard poor Dada throwing up, hopefully into the toilet. “No… Dada…” Tia called weakly. She felt fucking horrible.

“Tia…”

She wanted to get up to help Dada but the second she moved she fell back into the bed like a ton of bricks. It seemed like none of the girls would be in very good shape that day. Tia couldn’t believe how ungodly drunk they had gotten the day before. While Gothy stopped at noon, their last drinks consisted of multiple rounds of aperol spritz’s at the restaurant, at some point in the bus ride Nymphia had snuck to the front to steal a bottle of wine from Jane while Tia was telling them about her and Dada because;

“You guys are literally making me crave red wine. Your story is just so beautiful…”

And that’s definitely when things took a turn for the worst. Tia cringed, barely able to remember how Dada basically tucked her in bed the night before. But her lips burned remembering how they had kissed just hours before. It was definitely because she was drunk. But not really. Tia was dead sober and couldn’t wait to do it again.

She found the strength to get up and wander into the bathroom where Dada was still bent over the toilet.

“I could get used to waking up like this,” Tia joked. Dada weakly laughed and let herself sit down, back against the bathtub. She was pale and sweaty but at least had half the mind to pull her hair into a messy floppy bun on top of her head.

“Yes this is all very domestic. I am never drinking again…” Dada groaned and her face was back in the toilet. Tia just sat next to her and rubbed her back.

“You’re doing great sweetie…”

Eventually Dada was able to stand up and rinse her mouth out with water.

“I have your room key. Gothy put her stuff in there last night. We are not leaving until noon so you can sleep in. I have to go make sure Jane is still alive.”

“Praying for you.”

Dada squeezed Tia’s shoulder, who was still sitting with her back against the tub. She slowly rose, following Dada out the door. Tia just wanted to kiss her but she knew her morning breath was insane, so she squeezed her hand and grabbed the key, wandering into her hotel room and collapsing on her bed.

And despite it being 7 am, a small giggle escaped Tia’s upturned lips, unable to believe the day before hadn’t all been a dream, unable to believe her lips had actually been that close to Dada’s. She couldn’t even bear to think about what Rome might hold in store for them. She fell back asleep, trying to ignore her pounding heart, wondering what Dada would sound like when she might finally whisper; “Are you bored? I’m bored.”

Tia woke again at 9:23, because now she really couldn’t ignore the pounding in her heart, the deep ache in her chest. Her heart was beating so fast now, it always did when she was alone in her room, fully allowing herself to think about Dada with wandering hands, every little fantasy she had. Whether they were innocently laying in bed whispering back and forth, or Dada was pulling Tia down a narrow alleyway, the both of them running, desperate to escape the group and find a secluded spot.

Fully awake and out of bed at 10:30, Tia gave herself an hour to shower and get dressed, taking her time for three days of “Rome done right.” Or that’s at least what Jane promised. She just hoped it wouldn’t be stupid and boring. This was probably where all the museums came into play, all the churches Dada had warned her about. But Tia was okay with that. According to Jane, history was beautiful and important and very interesting. And at least she let them sleep in a little.

Tia was early heading down to the hotel lobby, seeing Jane standing with only Nymphia and Crystal. Where was Dada? No way she was already calling another day of rest. Of course, Jane read her mind.

“Hey Tia! Dada will be right down, she just slept in a little. You excited for today?” She was enthusiastic but surprisingly calmer, maybe the fun (and stress) of beach day had finally worn her down. One could only hope. She was probably just lightly hungover.

“I’m pumped sister!” Tia fist bumped Jane, who looked a bit too happy about it for her liking. And then Dada was coming down the stairs, a light smile on her face.

“Good morning ladies,” she said almost sweetly, always in a good mood when they got to sleep in. Tia immediately put an arm around her waist, just because she knew she could. And because honestly, there was no going back from here. “Good morning Tia,” Dada added, just for her. God, she sounded like Jane now.

“Hey Dada,” Tia responded, nearly whispering for no reason other than she liked how soft her voice sounded, hoping maybe it would send Dada some sort of signal. Let’s get out of here. And then Jane was talking to the group, ready to start their first day in Rome.

“Alright! Today starts our three days in Rome, probably our busiest itinerary of the whole trip. There’s a lot to see here, so strap on your walking shoes and a good attitude, ‘cause beach day is over. It’s time to be travelers!” Tia hated whatever that meant. She looked at Dada, eyes begging her to elaborate on what Jane meant. What exactly were they doing? But Dada’s face didn’t give anything away, she just smiled at Tia, pretending to zip her lips.

“Jane looked up ‘three days in Rome perfect itinerary’ on Pinterest and chose her favorite parts, I watched her,” Nymphia said dismissively, unable to hide the smirk growing on her face. The group laughed, following Jane out of the hotel lobby, outside onto the bustling Rome streets.

If Tia thought Venice and Florence had been crowded, she soon realized they were nothing compared to Rome. It seemed to be the city everyone had to see, people from all walks of life strolling along the streets, looking around the city in wonder. Tia only looked at Dada, laughing as she cut in front of a young woman having an Instagram photoshoot. She could practically hear her saying ‘stupid tourists’ in her head.

The group grabbed a quick lunch, Jane leading everyone into a huge food court. It was so busy the five girls were lucky they were able to find a table together. Tia hated feeling so cramped, having to push against strangers to make her way to a pizza stand. And that feeling would remain all day, beginning with walking around the Galleria Sciarra, looking up at different scenes painted on the high walls, the glassed in ceiling letting the sun shine on them so beautifully.

“Oh look sisters, isn't this so beautiful??!” Jane yelled, trying to be heard over the crowds.

“Jane, you're only adding to the noise problem!” Nymphia said loudly.

“WELL NOW YOU ARE TOO!!! ANYWAYS, welcome to Galleria Sciarra, a true local’s secret, you know I’ve got all the tricks up my sleeve! This place is completely free and open to the public only during weekday office hours, thurs-slayyy!! But yeah let’s kill thirty minutes here, take some pics, take in the like… artsy architecture stuff. Okay fun!” Tia shook her head at Jane, laughing as she made eye contact with Dada, who was walking over to her.

“Tell me Jane found this place on Pinterest.”

“The article is called hidden gems of Rome. So obviously it is as busy as ever,” Dada giggled, sliding an arm around Tia’s waist and guiding her to one side of the room, pretending to look at the art on the wall as she rested a head on Tia’s shoulder. “Rome is too crowded, it is always my least favorite part of the trip.”

“Ohhh it’s not that bad,” Tia said, looking up at the glass ceiling. “At least I have an excuse to be pressed up against you all the time.”

“And your excuse the past two weeks?” Dada raised her head to look at Tia, quirking an eyebrow. Tia playfully narrowed her eyes, reaching to play with the tips of Dada’s hair like she had gotten so used to doing.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” she muttered, pretending to look away before turning back with a sly smirk.

“No?” Dada said back quietly, unable to hold back a smirk of her own.

“Nope. Not a clue in the world,” Tia giggled, her and Dada’s faces were as close as possible without being painfully obvious, if they were alone she would’ve easily closed the space between them, desperate to kiss her again after their drunken makeout session in Genoa. Thank god she wasn’t sharing a bunk bed in a room with six other people in Rome.

“What are you thinking about?” Dada asked.

“Honestly, I’m thinking about how relieved I am to not be sharing a room with six other people. You know?”

“Believe me. I know.” And Tia didn’t bother to hold back a wicked grin.

“Good.”

Thirty minutes later Jane led them to an even more crowded area, the Trevi fountain. Of course Tia recognized it as the most popular, most touristy thing to do in Italy. They attempted to throw coins over tourists heads into the fountain, the forever promise that they would return to Rome someday. Then Nymphia got overstimulated and made them leave. And maybe Rome did have its perks. Afterall, Dada was always right there pressed against Tia, letting the crowds push them closer together with no objection.

The Colosseum was a nightmare, they spent half the time just waiting in line to get in. And then of course Jane insisted on reading some boring stuff from her phone again. And if there was anything Tia hated more than listening to Jane ramble on about history she had no clue about, she hated pretending to listen even more, not even able to hear her over the loud crowds.

It wasn’t until dinner that Tia felt like she could catch her breath, getting to just sit at the table with her friends, sat as close as possible to Dada in the booth. Only fifteen minutes after getting their food Dada and Jane stood up from the table, plates only half touched, looking weirdly… guilty?

“Uh… Dada and I… are… going to pay the bill. And then secure the tickets for our next activity. So. Finish eating, we’ll meet ya outside. Bye sisters!” Jane said, and she and Dada were gone without another word. Tia, Nymphia, and Crystal immediately looked at each other, bursting out laughing the second they were out of earshot.

“Okay, where are they really going?” Nymphia asked once their laughter died down, arms crossed.

“So nosy, Nymphie,” Crystal cooed, Nymphia giggled as she finished her second glass of wine.

“Do you think they’re- well… no way…” Tia got out, watching Jane and Dada through the window, turning down a street. Crystal and Nymphia looked at her, waiting for an explanation. “What if they’re getting weed?” Tia leaned forward, whispering unsurely. Crystal and Nymphia burst out laughing.

“NO way! Jane’s a fucking pussy! And they totally would have smoked us up by now if they had it, no way they wouldn’t,” Crystal said, and that was the end of that.

“I bet Jane is getting me a present, something expensive,” Nymphia supplied, Crystal and Tia just looked at her. “Yeah no probably not. Maybe they just suck and Jane’s annoying,” and that was the easiest thing to settle on, so the girls finished their meal and met Jane and Dada outside. Tia was still unconvinced. “Where’d you go?!” Nymphia stalked up to Jane the moment she saw her, Jane just held up an envelope with what Tia could only assume were tickets to whatever their next activity was.

“I was getting us tickets, my love-”

“Stop.”

“-Sorry. I was getting us tickets to our next activity, A NIGHT TOUR OF THE CATACOMBS, GHOST EDITION!” Jane exclaimed, and Tia and Crystal were cheering, running up to her, shaking her shoulders. “YESSSSS!!!!!” Jane cheered too, and Tia figured she probably had way too much to drink at dinner, just like the rest of them. So much for never drinking again.

“EPIC!” The four girls yelled into the night sky while Dada just laughed, walking ahead of the group, pretending to be embarrassed. Tia followed after her, not taking long to catch up to Dada who had slowed down the minute she heard footsteps approaching, immediately knowing who it was. Who else?

“I know what you were doing,” Tia sang teasingly, unable to hide a burst of giggles. Dada kept her eyes trained on the street ahead, letting out a soft chuckle.

“And what was that?” She asked casually, pretending not to care at all.

“Getting druuuuuuugs,” Tia’s speech slurred. She was only a little tipsy but something about walking under the stars with Dada made her feel like she was drunk for the first time.

“You wish,” Dada said, giving nothing away. But where else could she have gone, as if she was really being a boring tour guide getting tickets? Everyone knew that Jane and Dada desperately wanted to smoke. Tia wondered how Dada would look high, so she hoped she was picking up weed. Maybe all the stars could align, right here in Rome.

“You can be honest with me, Dada. Mi amor. You can tell me cause I was a delinquent in high school. I was the first girl in the ninth grade to get a bong. I smoked all of my friends up for the first time, I was like a gateway drug,” Tia rambled and Dada exhaled through her nose at the last part. If only she knew.

“If you must know, we were getting a surprise for the group. You will have to wait, delinquent.”

“Well maybe I’m sick of waiting,” Tia said, a teasing tone in her warm voice.

“Tell me about it.” Dada gave Tia a deadpan stare. A wicked smirk grew on her face.

“So… about these catacombs…” Tia said warily, stopping to light a cigarette. “Hold on, I can’t get this lit,” she pretended to struggle with the cigarette, Dada just looked at her, amused. The rest of the group passed by, leaving them in the back like they usually preferred. “Anyways, these catacombs sound gross.”

“Don’t be like that. They are actually cool. And supposedly haunted. You were acting excited five minutes ago!” Dada laughed.

“Yeah well I’ve had three glasses of wine, if someone starts cheering, I’m joining in,” Tia continued to slow down her steps to the point where they couldn’t even see the group ahead of them. No one seemed to mind their absence already. “Anyways. I don’t really fancy looking at a bunch of old skulls in what will probably be a very moldy smelling dark underground cave. I mean, I’m good.” Dada could tell Tia was teetering around something, she had a feeling she knew what. Her heart started to race a little faster, the group had probably already arrived at the catacombs at this point. And here they were, in the middle of the street casually strolling like they had nowhere to be.

“Well then what are you suggesting, Miss Tia?” Dada grabbed Tia’s hand, pulling them down a narrow empty street. Tia instinctively leaned against a brick wall, of course Dada stood in front of her, too close.

“I am proposing an early night,” Tia breathed, eyes flicking to Dada’s lips.

“Oh, so you are tired?” Dada lifted one hand to play with a strand of hair that Tia had strategically pulled out of her bun that morning.

“Not at all.” Tia was smirking and it took everything Dada had not to break eye contact with her.

“Good. Let’s go then,” she whispered but neither of them moved. Then a loud laughing group of some teenagers turned onto the street and they jumped apart. Dada just chuckled. “Let’s go. But we’re stopping for a bottle of wine,”

“When in Rome…”

“The fact that we were dying this morning and are already going back in for more wine is so inspirational, honestly,” Tia giggled as Dada took the first sip of wine, the cheapest bottle of red they had at a convenience store. They wasted no time going into Dada’s hotel room, popping the cork out with Dada’s Swiss Army knife. (Tia couldn’t help but find it so hot that she had one… it was gold. That’s hot. God she was so gay.)

“Someday our hangovers will last days, I’m taking advantage of my youth.”

“Amen to that,” Tia grabbed the bottle from Dada, taking three long chugs, hoping it would help her know what to even say. They were standing in the middle of the room, Tia knew a move would be made soon, but she didn’t necessarily want to be the one to do it.

“And wine barely counts, so whatever.”

“It’s literally what gives you bad hangovers.”

“No, that's because I don’t drink water.”

Dada sat on her bed as Tia giggled, knowing she would follow. And of course she did, standing between Dada’s legs, resting her hands on her shoulders. Dada craned her head to look up at Tia who was smiling softly. “Tia Tia Tia,” she mused, unable to help herself. She pulled back slightly to take a swig off the bottle, handing it up to Tia, who moved to sit next to her. She placed one hand on the mattress behind Dada, leaning into her. Dada only had to turn her head and her nose was basically brushing against Tia’s. The wine bottle ended up on the floor, already forgotten.

“What?” Tia muttered unashamedly staring at Dada’s lips, so close.

“You know I can’t stand you,” Dada whispered, licking her lips.

“Bitch,” Tia smirked, Dada chuckled.

“You know what I mean.”

“I know.”

As Dada held Tia’s gaze she swore she could see the entire trip so far playing behind her eyes, she honestly couldn’t believe they had taken so long to get here. If it weren’t for her passing out in Milan, or them being forced to share rooms in Genoa, she had a feeling this would be a common affair by now, almost a second nature. Dada didn’t want to waste another second.

“Kiss me.”

And then Tia’s lips were on hers again, this time soft and gentle, trying to make up for their messy top-lip kiss from Genoa that was still utterly perfect. Tia’s leg slid up to brush against Dada’s, one hand cupping the back of her neck, pulling her in closer. Dada’s mind was blank but her heart was racing as she grabbed Tia’s leg that she’d been teasingly brushing against hers, pulling her to straddle her lap.

“Okay, Dada,” Tia tried to sound teasing but she was breathless, now running a hand through Dada’s hair, who was kissing a stripe across Tia’s collarbone, hands rising from her hips, up her waist, now traveling under her shirt to take it off.

“Lay down,” Dada whispered against Tia’s chest, taking off her bra. She could feel how fast her heart was beating. Dada didn’t know if she’d heard Tia not speak for so long, her usual quips and dumb jokes being replaced by quickened breaths and whispered signs. She was speechless. Of course Tia obliged, crawling to lay on her back with a giggle, leaning back on her elbows as she looked up at Dada.

“This is kind of crazy,” she whispered, letting out a breathy laugh. Dada just quirked an eyebrow, untying the string around her neck that had been holding up her black crocheted dress. She gave a wicked smirk as the dress dropped to the floor, as she felt Tia’s eyes scan her body, coming back up to meet Dada’s with an exasperated, desperate grin.

“Is it really?” Dada was on the bed now, crawling over to Tia, attempting to look sexy.

“Nope,” Tia muttered, grabbing Dada’s hand and beginning to pop off her press on nails. Dada was straddling her now, sure to rub her hips against Tia’s as she pretended to try and get in the perfect position.

“That’s what I thought,” Dada whispered as she crashed her lips into Tia’s, sick of beating around the bush, sick of wondering if things were gonna happen between them. And they didn’t waste another second.

“How many more museums are we going to?” Tia whispered the next morning, standing in the back with Dada. It was only 11 am and they were already listening to the third museum guide of the day, explaining the history of these grand, iconic revered paintings that Tia gave absolute no shit about. She couldn’t keep pretending, she just couldn’t. Tia wanted to explore, adventure like they had been the past few days. She wanted to lay in bed, her legs tangled with Dada’s as she traced circles on her bare back like she had been earlier that morning. Unfortunately, it was found to be harder when in Rome.

“Do you not understand what a museum crawl is?” Dada whispered back, a tiny smile playing on her lips. Tia hated the bubble of laughter rising in her throat, she tried to hold back her giggle but it just felt so impossible around her.

“It’s not all day though, is it?” She asked. They were now slowly walking to the next exhibit.

“No, just two more, then lunch-” Dada began.

“Then lunch??”

“Late lunch, late dinner, that’s how they usually do it in Rome. Then we go to the Vatican City to see St Paul’s Cathedral,” Dada explained. Tia let out a groan.

“How many fucking churches are we gonna tour??” She whined. Dada just laughed, shaking her head. They were standing in a surprisingly modern hallway, the rest of the group had gone into a dark exhibition room.

“I don’t make the tour! Pinterest does!” Dada held her hands up in defense. Tia had to laugh too. They stood in front of a large window, looking out at the city of Rome. “Do you like Rome?” Dada asked, looking at Tia, who was still looking out the window, watching everyone walking on the streets down below.

“Yeah, it’s pretty. I can see why it’s completely flooded with tourists,” she said nonchalantly. She turned to look at Dada, who was fucking smirking.

“Nothing special, no?” She had this glint in her eye, like she knew something Tia didn’t.

“Am I crazy for saying yes?” Tia was grinning, and Dada let out a short laugh.

“No! Rome is crowded, basic, boring. Just pretty,” she said dismissively. Tia was silently laughing the whole time, she loved how much Dada claimed to hate Rome, trying to sound bored but her eyes still lit up, she was still trying not to smile as Tia laughed. “You want to see the real Italy? Come with me.” Tia’s laughter stopped.

“What?” She asked, letting out a somewhat nervous giggle that she had practiced over 1000 times in the mirror.

Tia’s stomach dipped, did Dada’s eyes have gold in them? Was that really Rome below them? What did Dada just ask her to do? Then they heard it, the group’s footsteps, Jane’s loud voice approaching down the hall, the exhibit’s exit must’ve been in a different spot. And Tia knew. This was it.

“Let’s go,” she grinned, taking Dada’s hand in hers, immediately leading them away from the group, eventually cutting left and going down the staircase, Tia a giggling mess the whole time. They sped walked out of the museum, looking back over their shoulders to make sure no stragglers from the tour group saw them leaving. Once out of the museum, all Tia and Dada could do was laugh.

“Hope they don't miss us,” Dada quipped.

“So, where’s this car?” Dada had dropped her hand at this point, but Tia didn’t mind, she couldn’t believe they were finally doing this, finally ditching the group like they had in Venice.

“It’s a short walk to my friend’s house. It is only ten minutes from the hotel. We should stop there first” Dada said nonchalantly as she took out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one for Tia before lighting her own.

“Oh do you wanna get changed? Should I wear a bathing suit? Can we go to the beach?!” Tia asked excitedly as she followed Dada down the busy street.

“Well, the car is small, we are tall. I should, um, get you out of my system while I can,” Dada said so casually Tia almost did a double take, her stomach dipping. “But yes the beach is also a nice plan,” she added, shooting Tia a wink.

“Jesus, you are trouble. And we’ll be fine, I’ve made it work in some cramped cars.”

“Well who is trouble now?” Dada looked back at her. At this point they had made it back to the hotel, taking deep drags off their cigarettes to finish them as fast as possible. As they walked down the hall, just about to go in Dada’s room, they heard a door opening and saw Gothy walking out of her room.

“Tia! Dada! What are you doing? Isn’t it #musuemcrawl day?”

“Yes, well, the thing is…” Tia tried to come up with a lame excuse but really couldn’t think of anything. Dada just laughed a little.

“We are ditching. It is #beachday. What are you doing? Hard at work?”

“You know it sister. I’m getting lunch real quick then right back to it. Tia, you’re gonna get sick of the beach. After Rome that’s basically all we’re doing,” Gothy pointed out.

“Believe me, I’m definitely more sick of museums. And ‘architecture’. How can you get sick of the beach?!” Tia asked incredulously. “That’s crazy…”

“Anyways, have fun at lunch Gothy. Tia, can you help me pick out a bathing suit?” Dada shot Tia a wink and promptly yanked her into her hotel room, slamming the door shut. As she immediately pressed her against the wall, licking a hot stripe up her neck, Tia could hear Gothy cackling down the hallway. At this point Dada was already on her knees, unbuttoning Tia’s jean shorts and pushing her back on the bed. Let Gothy laugh.

“Dada… it’s okay if there’s no car. I don’t mind that you were just trying to get me alone…”

“Tia! There is a car! We are going to the beach, I just need to… yes!” Dada was walking so fast she was basically pulling Tia down street after street, who was happy to oblige, still on a high from the 45 minutes they had just spent locked in Dada’s hotel room. “Here it is! I told you bitch!” Dada squealed, running to reach behind a flower pot on the stoop of a tiny yellow apartment building, the street in front of it empty besides a small dark blue car, a Fiat, which seemed to be the brand of car most Italians drove.

“Oh thank god. I really thought we were gonna have to spend all day cooped up in Rome.”

“No way. We are running away.” Dada unlocked the car, and opened the passenger door for Tia.

“It feels wrong sitting on the right, why do I feel like I’m American?”

“Because you are too western.”

The minute Dada slid in the driver's seat and shut her door Tia was yanking her head across the middle console and crashing their lips together. She of course returned the kiss eagerly, reaching over to cup Tia’s hip, sliding up under her shirt. Tia almost didn’t understand why it felt impossible to keep her hands off Dada, but she couldn’t care to ponder it as the French girl pulled away to start the car, instead immediately placing a hand on her inner thigh.

“Let’s go,” Dada grinned, fighting to push down chills as she pulled onto the street. Tia cheered, letting out an excited yelp as Dada rolled down all the windows in the car, reaching up to open the sunroof above their heads. Dada let out a whoop of her own when she took the turn that would lead them onto the highway and out of the city. “WE ARE FREE!”, she turned easily as she rounded a curve, one hand on the wheel, the other holding Tia’s hand on her thigh, nudging it to stray further up. Tia couldn’t stop the tiny smile tugging at her lips if she wanted to.

“Where are we going?” She asked deviously. Dada’s eyes flickered over to her for a moment, a teasing glint in her eye.

“No clue,” she said simply, looking at Tia again, unable to stop herself. Then the car swerved a bit and Dada was broken from the moment, but Tia wasn’t, still sat there, looking at Dada with a smile on her face. “Here, play music.” Dada handed Tia her phone, Spotify already open. “The car is bluetooth.”

“CANILOOKTHROUGHYOURSPOTIFY???!!” Tia immediately exclaimed. Dada let out a short, surprised laugh, then her face quickly turned to stone.

“No.” But Tia gave her that damn look, the golden sun reflecting in her eyes so beautifully. And Dada didn’t care. “Yes,” she conceded, shaking her head with laughter. Tia excitedly went to Dada’s library, looking through her playlists. And her music taste sure was interesting. Tia saw a lot of French music, weird stuff she assumed to be techno, old country Taylor Swift songs, and the perfect amount of Lady Gaga. And to her absolute delight…

“YOU LIKE CHAPPELL ROAN?! How have we not talked about her?! I LOVE HER!” Tia nearly screeched. Dada was grinning brightly as she yelled;

“PLAY RED WINE SUPERNOVA!” She bounced in her seat as Tia obliged, the opening notes playing loudly through the car. “I love Chappell! My roommates showed me her, they love her even more than I do. Our house is the pink pony club, just full of lesbians,” Dada explained it so casually, Tia wished she could pry more. Dada kept her cards so close to her chest, Tia really had no idea who she was other than some tour guide from France. That should’ve worried her but it just made her more curious, more intrigued. But she didn’t want to seem too nosy too fast, so she let out a giggle and played ‘Naked in Manhattan’ next. Dada turned it up and sang along. “This is so us, if only she said Italy.” She mused.

“Yes!” Tia burst out laughing, amazed. They both knew all the words, singing along in horribly high pitched voices, which had already grown hoarse from their rowdy beach day just two nights ago.

“We need waterrrrrr,” Dada groaned, getting off a random exit. “Hope this place has a petrol station.” She quickly found a convenience store, filling the car up with gas, her and Tia walking out of the shop with arms full of chips, chocolate bars, candy, water, and Red Bulls. Dada wasted no time putting the car in drive the minute Tia was buckled, turning out of the gas station.

Tia had never seen her like this before, brightly grinning as she stopped for pedestrians, a tiny smile on her face as she got onto the highway again, humming along to the radio. Her hand was on Tia’s thigh now, fingers drumming on her skin along to the music. Tia didn’t even think to feel shy, content to gaze at Dada with a dorky fond smile on her face as they talked over the music.

“Do you think Jane will notice we’re gone?” She asked, one knee pulled up to her chest in the passenger seat, resting her cheek on it as she faced Dada.

“Eventually. But she’s not good with attendance, I am always reminding her. So not for a while,” Dada said, so knowingly.

“You know Jane so well. You roll your eyes before we even realize what she’s saying.”

Dada let out a loud laugh. “No seriously!” Tia exclaimed. “You always know when to cut her off, before she says something stupid. I love her a lot, but I wouldn’t be able to stand her without you. Do you like living with her?” Tia said, watching Dada listen to her. She hoped she wasn’t prying too much, but she just wanted to know, know about Dada, her life.

“I love Jane, living with her is great. She is really one of my favorites. It is easy to know her, she wears her heart on her sleeve, just like you,” Dada said, eyes teasing as she waited for Tia’s reaction. But Tia didn't laugh or playfully glare at Dada because her stomach was doing somersaults. They were really driving alone towards the sea, just the two of them and an open road. They had really been foolish and desperate enough to ditch the group, for it to finally just be them.

All Tia could think about was Lido, how she had wanted so badly for it to just be her and Dada, even though the thought terrified her. The thought didn’t terrify her anymore, it just made her grin as she leaned over the middle console, leaving a light trail of kisses down Dada’s neck. And she felt like a silly teenager again, the both of them blushing and grinning, bodies flooding with relief.

“I do try to act mysterious, I just don’t think I’m very good at it,” she whispered against Dada’s neck, who just let out a laugh, one of Tia’s new favorite sounds from these past couple weeks.

“You talk too much to be mysterious,” Dada replied, and that made Tia burst out laughing, and God could the sun get any brighter? Had the clouds ever looked so dreamy and mystical, floating lazily through the air? And then ‘Padam Padam’ came up next on the queue. “Oh this is Nymphia’s song!” Dada exclaimed, Tia just burst out laughing. “What is so funny? This is her favorite!” She genuinely asked, Tia hated how cute she found her to be.

“Cause of course this is Nymphia’s fucking song!” Tia giggled uncontrollably.

“Do not tell, but I am very fond of Nymphia and Crystal. They’re good, funny girls,” Dada said, almost sweetly. She didn’t know why she was telling Tia this, why she was making it so easy for her to say every little thought that came to her head. Well, not every thought.

“Are you fond of me?” Tia asked like it was nothing.

“What do you think?” Was all Dada could think to say, eyebrows raised with a smirk. The car filled with music and bright laughter.

And for the next two hours Dada felt like a little kid again, screaming along to Chappell Roan and old Taylor Swift, driving with one hand, dancing with the other. She felt like a little kid again and she didn’t know why it was with the pretty British girl who was older than her. Tia, who was sitting in the passenger seat with her squealing giggle and grabby hands, eyes bright and glossy despite being dead sober. And Dada knew. This was it. She leaned forward, turning down the music. “Tia?” She began. Tia hummed in response, turning to look at her. “I lied to you,” Dada said, trying not to give herself away, trying to keep her poker face.

“...What?” Tia’s eyes narrowed, but she was amused, she could already see right through Dada.

“I’m sorry,” Dada said simply, unable to fight the smile growing on her face.

“What did you lie about?” Tia giggled, shifting towards Dada as much as her body (and seatbelt) would allow her.

“I’m sorry…” Dada said again, glancing at Tia. She looked away, almost ashamed. Then she looked back, an absolute shit-eating grin on her face. “I have weed.”

“YOU WHAT?!” Tia yelped, jumping in her seat, twisting towards Dada even more.

“I’m sorry!”

“I KNEW IT!!!”

“I only had a little! For the whole month! And Jane mooches so bad, don’t tell her I said that,” Dada confessed, and Tia was laughing too hard to even think about actually being upset.

“Well I don’t wanna mooch off you too! I’ll feel bad if I smoke up all your shit,” she said, and Dada gave her a sneaky look.

“You were right about last night. There is no surprise for the group. I have plenty.”

“I FUCKING KNEW IT!! Nymphia AND Crystal LAUGHED AT ME, BUT I FUCKING KNEW IT!” Tia was yelling and now they were both laughing so hard, Dada didn’t remember the last time her stomach had hurt from laughing all day like this, the last time her eyes had been filled with tears of laughter and maybe, just maybe pure joy. Feelings she had only come close to exploring Italy with Jane, Gothy, and her roommates. Or splashing in the waves with her cousins on the beach, playing mermaids and putting seaweed over their heads, singing like the sirens. But something about this felt different. Dada felt like this moment was just for her, something she didn’t have to share with anyone else. Except Tia, who was still laughing, and Dada could tell she was just so excited to smoke, but that it also didn’t really matter at all. Dada began to speak and Tia’s laughter died down, listening intently.

“Even if I didn’t get more, I do not mind. We can smoke my whole stash, then get more. I really do not mind, fuck Jane and Gothy,” she said. Tia looked at the sweet, guarded French girl who was unwinding before her, slowly but surely letting down her walls, letting her in. In just 17 short days, Tia had already managed to meet someone she knew she’d never be able to forget about. Good. She never wanted to forget this, who would?

“...Thank you. So. Where we smokin?” She asked. Dada was already getting off another exit, probably just like the first one she saw.

“No clue,” she said again, and Tia just laughed, hand on her knee. Dada reached over, her eyes still on the road, grabbing Tia’s hand, slowly lacing their fingers together. Wordlessly, Tia raised their conjoined hands, pressing a soft kiss to the back of Dada’s. She just glanced at Tia in the rearview mirror, a soft, hesitant smile on her face, cheeks light pink. “It is uh… summer. There will be too many tourists on any trails,” Dada managed. Tia nodded, grinning. “We can’t smoke in the car, it’ll smell up. Probably. It’s better off to find a small town with people who will turn a blind eye. That’s at least what we do where I live,” she drove the car up another narrow, steep hill. They passed a faded blue sign that read ‘Collepietro.’ Like most of the villages Tia had seen in Italy, it was surrounded by mountains, overlooking the long ridges, just as long and narrow as the streets of Italy. The town–well, the village was so tiny, Dada almost felt like she was back home, she craned her neck as if she’d be able to see her house on top of the hill, maybe she’d be able to hear her other roommates ringing laughter if she listened a little harder. She found the village center, parallel parking on one of the empty streets.

Dada had picked the perfect town, there was absolutely no one around. She figured everyone was either resting or getting ready for whatever evening plans they had. When she said this to Tia, she nodded with relief, nervous about getting caught, probably. “Weed is decriminalized here, you are fine. Besides I thought you were a delinquent?”

“Not when I’m in another COUNTRY!” Tia exclaimed as Dada parked on some side street, right in front of an alley between the town’s church and…

“Looks like a closed restaurant, the windows are boarded up. Even better,” Dada was out of the car now, standing on her tiptoes to peek in the windows. Tia got out but stood in front of the car, hand on her still open door.

“We can’t smoke behind a church? What the fuck??” She whispered. Dada just laughed, that adventurous glint back in her eye.

“Church is on Sundays, that is tomorrow. And there are no tourists ruining this one. Let’s go delinquent!” She revealed a joint from her bag, putting it between her lips, lighting it with a lighter Jane had whined about losing for a week now. Dada exhaled, the joint hanging lazily between her fingers as she cocked her head at Tia, turning around and slowly walking down the narrow alleyway. Tia rolled her eyes with a grin, quietly shutting the car door, following Dada as she ducked down another alley, now between the church and some other building.

“Gimme that,” Tia whispered once they finally came to a stop, leaning against either wall facing each other, their chests just inches apart. Dada flipped the joint, easily sliding it between Tia’s fingers.

Tia took her time, raising it to her mouth, just barely touching it to her lips as she slowly, gently inhaled, knowing her lungs had gotten used to tobacco and the fresh Italian air over the past couple weeks. She held the smoke in her lungs for as long as possible before exhaling sloooooowly, putting the joint back to her lips a second time, taking another long drag before handing it back to Dada. “You know Crystal told me, these are called spiffs in America. They flip it.” Tia said as she exhaled, smoke coming out of her mouth with every word.

“What does that even mean?”

“You know, we smoke joints with tobacco and weed. Spliffs are just weed. In America joints are weed only, spiffs are weed and tobacco. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Dada let out her own high giggle, they had passed the joint back and forth a few times now, Tia swore she’d never felt so high. And she didn’t think it was because of the tolerance break. She giggled and maybe she was floating, maybe her feet weren’t on the ground, maybe the only gravity that existed was between her and Dada. And then they heard a loud bang, a door slamming. Tia swore she could hear someone yelling. Dada had just raised the joint to her lips, frozen as she looked at Tia, the both of them too stunned to speak for a moment.

“Whatdowedo?” She asked quickly, like Tia would be any help in this situation.

“Uhhhh… RUN?!” Tia quietly shouted, taking Dada’s hand for the third time that day, now leading them out of the alley and to the car, sprinting with their hands still intertwined, the joint hanging loosely between Dada’s lips, still burning. They jumped in the car, Dada putting the key in the ignition and speeding off before Tia even had the chance to buckle her seatbelt. The joint had somehow ended up between her fingers. Tia raised it to her lips, taking a hit without a thought. They didn’t speak as Dada turned down a random logging road, stopping in front of a tiny pond that sat in front of a massive field, surrounded in all directions by long mountain ridges. As Dada put the car in park, she and Tia just looked at each other out of breath, sweaty from running under the hot Italian sun.

“So… I think we just ran for no reason,” Tia said quietly.

“Shut up. Running is better than jail. Or fines. Or taking away weed,” Dada was smiling at her so fondly, one look was all it took for them to promptly burst out laughing, neither of them buckled, the car filling with smoke despite the open windows.

“This is where we should’ve come in the first place,” Tia got out between cackles. The joint was still lit.

“We should have just smoked in the car, the smell will go away,” Dada replied, still laughing as she took a hit, causing her to let out a horrible cough, which prompted her and Tia to laugh even harder, foreheads nearly knocking. They had figured out how to get as close as possible in the car, both shifted in their seats, arm rests tucked away. Tia’s eyes were so beautiful, the afternoon sun peeking through the sunroof, enveloping her in a golden glow that Dada had a feeling only she would be able to see. Their laughter had died down, now just grinning at each other, Tia let out a soft giggle as she ran a hand down Dada’s arm, fingers lightly trailing down her hips and thighs before going back up to cup her waist. Dada took the joint from her mouth, wordlessly passing it to Tia, who was so beautifully, slowly, deeply inhaling, her eyes so focused. She put the joint in the car’s ashtray, little tendrils of smoke still coming up from it, weed wasting away. Tia didn’t care.

She looked up at Dada, wondering what the fuck was happening, wondering how the hell did she end up here? With the most confusing, exciting, everchanging girl from France who had run away to Italy for no reason in particular, the two of them somehow making all the choices to get to this moment, whether right or wrong. And Tia wondered if Dada needed her just as much as she did, wondered if this was gonna all come crashing down at some point, if this would be it. But looking at Dada, she just couldn’t bring herself to care.

Tia’s hand went up again, needier this time, pretending to play with Dada’s hair and sliding roughly down her neck, the side of her boobs to cup the small of her back, somehow pulling her even closer. Neither of them could help their quickened breath as they just looked at each other, grins growing on both of their faces. Dada chuckled, shaking her head as she muttered,

“Jesus…” and the gravity between them had finally grown too strong, Dada roughly caught Tia’s lips with her own, only having to lean forward a little bit to finally close the distance between them. And of course Tia intercepted her with ease, like they’d been doing this all summer. The car was hot, smoke pouring out the windows, the sun splashed across both their faces, lips interlocked, all confusion, fears, and past heartbreaks left in the tiny alley between the church and boarded up restaurant. Simply treacherous.

At some point they had to break for air, dissolving into laughter when they made eye contact again. Dada opened her mouth, saying the first thing that came to mind.

“So yes. We can smoke in the car. But… but nothing else,” she reached for the joint, just at the end, slightly burning her lips. Tia took a last hit too.

“Yeah right.” She quirked an eyebrow, throwing Dada a teasing smirk.

“What? This is my friend’s car!” She laughed. Tia joined her, not without pushing her arm.

“You think that I would… in this car?? I’m classier than that!” Tia exclaimed, laughing again. Dada just looked at her, dead serious, taking one final hit.

“You wish you were.” she said, and the joint was plucked from her mouth, dropped in the ashtray forever forgotten, and replaced by Tia’s lips again, and Dada wondered just how classy she claimed to be, because she couldn’t bring herself to believe one word Tia was saying, there was nothing classy about getting roughly pulled into the backseat, surprisingly having no trouble angling their limbs and hips just right for ten minutes of pure cramped bliss.

Mere seconds after Dada came up breathless from between Tia’s thighs her phone was buzzing, and of course it was Jane, noticing two hours later that they were gone. With a roll of her eyes Dada answered the phone, putting it on speaker. “Yes?” She sighed. Tia suppressed a laugh.

“Dada!” Jane exclaimed, and Dada had to smile. “Where the hell are you?” She only sounded slightly annoyed. Tia sat up in the back window seat so Dada could sit beside her, head leaned on her shoulder.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“On an adventure.”

“...With Tia?”

“...Yes.”

“OH THANK GOD I thought I lost you both. Why didn’t you tell me?” Jane sounded like she wanted to cry, Tia and Dada were trying so hard not to breakdown laughing. Dada was obviously doing a much better job than Tia.

“Why are you just now realizing we’re gone?”

“Well I figured you were with Tia…”

“I am. You are a terrible tour guide.”

“You literally ditched the group!”

“…I do not care...”

“Whatever. Bitch. I’ll see ya tonight?”

“I’ll see you at breakfast.” Dada hung up the phone and Tia burst out laughing.

“Oh my god she's the worst. I love her so much,” she cried. Dada laughed along, turning to look at the pond. “It’s so pretty here,” Tia murmured, Dada’s chin was on her shoulder as she gazed up at her, smiling. “Yeah, yeah, I’m pretty too, I know,” Tia said and they laughed, the two of them both taking it as a cue to pull their bikini bottoms and shorts back on, getting back into the front seats. Dada put the key back in the ignition, starting the car. “So, what now?” Tia asked, lighting a cigarette.

“We drive,” she grinned, pulling an epic three point turn. Tia chuckled, Dada’s phone in her hand, adding a few songs to the queue. She put the phone down and Dada’s hand was in hers again, and there they were again in the tiny car, all the windows down, speeding straight towards the sea. Tia looked out the window, the mountain's beauty always took her breath away, especially when Italy was at its peak, the trees bright green, clashing against the blue sky so beautifully.

“Have you gotten used to how gorgeous Italy is yet?” She asked for what felt like the hundredth time. Dada looked at her for a moment.

“Rome is ‘pretty’. Italy is beautiful. Nice is gorgeous,” she said, almost dreamily. Tia faltered for a moment, a little surprised Dada was bringing up France.

“You don’t talk about France much,” she said casually, really trying not to pry, but she was so nosey she just couldn’t help it. But Dada didn’t seem to mind, a smile still gracing her features.

“You don’t talk about England much,” she responded, Tia let out a chuckle.

“That’s because England is nothing. If I was from France I’d never shut up about it,” she said, and Dada was still smiling but Tia could see her deeper inhale, could sense her growing a bit more guarded.

“France is gorgeous,” is all Dada said, and Tia knew not to go any further.

“Okay,” she said happily. “How far away is the ocean? We didn’t swim at all yesterday, it was so stupid.”

“Only an hour, maybe a little shorter. What are you going to do in Perugia? It’s nowhere near the sea,” Dada pointed out. Tia just giggled, one hand hanging out the window.

“I’ll just go to that lake!”

For the next hour they continued their drive to the Eastern Italy coast. Tia played the weirdest eclectic mix of songs, trying to find good throwbacks she and Dada both knew the words to.

It turned out old Disney pop songs were the best way to go, they crossed country lines. Tia and Dada were like two little kids, screaming along, making up stupid dance moves, attempting to harmonize and hit every song’s high note. Truly the most vulnerable a person can be. And then Tia saw it, peeking just above the hot pavement, sparkling under the bright sun. It was like they hadn’t spent the past three days staying on the beach. She had never been more excited to see the ocean, so bright and vast, just for her and Dada. Tia couldn’t help but think this place was made just for them. Dada pulled over at the first beach she saw.

“Let’s GOGOGOGOGO!” Tia laughed, immediately jumping out of the car, Dada following not long behind. Tia wouldn’t know how long they stayed on that beach, splashing in the water, chasing each other, pretending to be mermaids and pirates and sharks. Of course they bodysurfed, attempting to ride the waves with gleeful laughter. They eventually found a spot to spread their towels, laying under the burning sun, basking in it. There were other people on the beach, old couples, moms with their kids. A group of teenagers were mourning the end of summer already, smoking cigarettes and burying each other in the sand.

But that didn’t stop Dada’s constant hand on Tia’s waist under the water, it didn’t stop Tia stroking her thigh, tracing the line of her bikini bottoms as they laid out under the hot sun. They knew it was time to leave when Dada could feel her back tingling with an upcoming sunburn.

They found the car in a packed parking lot eventually, laying down towels on their seats before climbing in. Tia had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, shivering as she waited for Dada to rub aloe on her shoulders outside. She looked up to see Dada’s small golden locket hanging from the rearview mirror, she must’ve put it there before they went swimming, not wanting it to get wet. Tia couldn’t help but admire how beautiful it was, glistening in the sunlight. She also couldn’t help but wonder what Dada would fill it with someday. It slightly shook when Dada closed her door shut, looking at Tia with an easy grin on her face, beach waves already starting to appear in her long blonde hair. Tia didn’t even want to think about what her own auburn hair looked like, probably a mess of tangled curls. “I am starving,” Dada said. Tia immediately nodded, letting out a laugh.

“I’m so hungry!” She agreed, and then Dada was pulling out of the beach parking lot.

“Off to the finest delicacy in the world, sandwiches after the beach!”

Dada found some random deli, getting them big sandwiches and big bottles of water. They scarfed down their food in the car, letting the AC blast over their hot skin.

“I love beach days, especially in the beginning of summer. Apparently the water is too cold in the beginning, but we do not care, me and the girls run into the ocean and wait for the ocean to numb us. We bring sandwiches and a lot of wine. And a lot of vodka. And chips. And I love it, even though the drive is far. But Jane is a good DD. For the most part. Once she brought a cocktail shaker to the beach and… well, that’s the first time Gothy had to sober up fast. Because Jane could not,” Dada explained. Tia was surprised she was talking about her roommates again. And again, she didn’t wanna pry, but…

“Classic Jane… I know you say living with her is good, but have you ever had drama with her? I need to know what Jane is like when she’s mad.” she said. Dada just let out a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief.

“No! No, because- you do not even understand. You need to meet the real Jane- well you have! You know there is a difference! Jane is only annoying and horrible when she is in front of a crowd. The rest of the time… she is the best. She’s just an Aquarius,” Dada said simply, and Tia burst out laughing. “We’ve barely fought, she barely gets mad. She is great. Except for August.”

“God bless that woman,” Tia didn’t know what else to say. So of course she landed on, “So, can I roll a spliff?” And Dada easily said;

“Of course. Just don’t tell Jane.”

So they drove back to Rome, straight towards the setting sun. Dada had her visor down, trying to shield it from her eyes. But Tia kept hers up, letting the warm glow wash over her body, not caring if the sun was blinding her. The last remnants of daylight were long gone and the stars were in the sky when Dada pulled over the exit going into Rome, locket swinging from the rearview mirror as she took the turn. Her hand was still wrapped in Tia’s, rubbing soft circles on the back of it.

“Today felt like a…” Tia began to speak. “Like a fever dream. It was…” she wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t know how to convey how much her chest was aching, how her cheeks had never hurt this hard from smiling like this, how she had never felt like this about someone she had known for such a short period of time, how she never thought this would happen, not ever in her wildest dreams.

“Today felt like a movie,” was all Dada knew to say, because it was the truth, and she was an honest person. Most of the time. “This… trip… ends the 31st. We have thirteen days left, of course we do. But yes. We have thirteen days.”

“Okay,” Tia said, because that was all she needed to say. They both knew exactly what it meant. She supposed it was time to embark on the reckless, fleeting summer fling she had always dreamt of. Dada parked the car on the same side street it had been on in the morning, which felt like days ago. After making sure they had cleaned everything up and had all their stuff, Dada put the key back in the flower pot and began to lead Tia back to the hotel.

“Okay… the girls will either be out tonight or doing their own thing…”

“Or waiting to pounce the second we get back…”

“We are not even manifesting that,” Dada giggled as they turned down a street. Tia couldn’t help but give the car one last wistful look, knowing she would probably never see it again. “That is a good little car.” Dada said fondly and she grabbed Tia’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

“You said it. Very little car,” Tia quipped. They laughed as they made their way back, giggling about everything and nothing. Tia could’ve thought she was drunk, but she was definitely just high. “Wait- can we smoke before we go in?”

“Smoke what?”

“Yes.”

Dada laughed and pulled Tia behind an alleyway, doing an okay job at trying to roll a spliff in midair. Of course Tia did nothing to help, going between making dumb jokes that made Dada laugh too hard to focus and running a hand down her side, massaging her hip.

“You are not helping me focus.”

“Sorry I’m just such a delinquent,” Tia murmured. At this point Dada had lit the spliff but it burned away as their lips crashed together, something about today had truly made them inseparable, there was some magnetic force Tia couldn’t bother to fight at all. “Okay wait we’re wasting weed I’m sorry.” She pulled away from Dada and grabbed the spliff, taking a long hit.

“It is your fault I swear!” Dada giggled, taking a hit herself. “I’m lighting a cigarette so our hands are always occupied. And to cover up the smell.”

“Smart.”

Tia woke up the next morning to a knock on her door, confused when she saw the time on her phone was 6:03 am. Wake up call wasn’t till 7:30. What the hell? She and Dada had gotten back around midnight last night, and everyone was already asleep. Or somewhere else. Tia hoped Nymphia and Crystal weren’t mad at her. She knew they wouldn’t be the minute she told them everything that had happened between her and Dada. Dada, who had gone back to Tia’s room that night, keeping her up for another hour as they finished the bottle of wine from the night before, leaving their lips stained red and swollen. And Tia’s heart was beating so fucking fast even as they fell asleep, she wasn’t surprised it still was when she woke up. Or maybe that was because someone was knocking on her door and it scared her. Whatever.

She begrudgingly rolled out of bed, opening the door only because she realized Dada was gone and she knew that knock all too well. And of course there she stood in the hallway, half asleep just like Tia, dragging her suitcase behind her.

“Hello?” Tia whispered, rubbing sleep from her eyes with a smile. “Are we running away?”

“Hi,” Dada replied, voice hoarse. “I just wanted to get my suitcase. So we can get dressed together.” She was definitely too tired to be embarrassed, and Tia didn’t even think to hide her smile as she beckoned Dada in, pulling her in for a long kiss once the door was shut. Hopefully this was okay, hopefully her morning breath wasn’t too bad. Dada didn’t seem to mind, gently backing Tia up to the bed. She fell onto it with a plop, beckoning Dada to join. “I am going to sleep though, I am still tired,” Dada whispered, and Tia just giggled, curling up into Dada’s side the second she was laying in the bed next to her.

“This is so uhaul lesbian of us” she whispered with a giggle that Dada returned. They laid there, drifting in and out of consciousness for an hour and a half, until Tia’s alarm went off at 7:30. She groaned, Dada just slept through it. Once she silenced her alarm, Tia turned to the girl who was sleeping soundly in her bed, not a care in the world on her peaceful face. That was about to change.

“Dada,” Tia whispered, lightly rubbing her arm. Dada just groaned, burying her face in Tia’s chest. “We gotta get up,” Tia whispered again, running a hand through her hair. Dada actually responded, eyes still closed;

“No we don’t.”

“Yes we do.”

“Day of Rest,” Dada called, Tia rolled her eyes, rolling onto her back.

“Noooooo, cmon,” she said, getting up out of bed. She grabbed Dada’s hand, attempting to pull her out of bed. Dada just snatched it away, burrowing under the covers. “C’mon Dada, I wanna go see Rome. It’s not that bad,” Tia yawned through the last sentence, and Dada just stayed silent for a few moments, before saying tiredly, obviously falling back asleep.

“Rome is stupid, I am tired. You go, I rest,” she said finally.

“Bitch get up! Let’s go! Wear a little matching set, drink some water, eat some breakfast. You’re fine,” Tia tried to sound jokey but her tone was forceful and it actually made Dada laugh before getting up, playfully glaring at her.

“You are mean.”

“Yeah yeah. Wear something slutty.”

Tia got ready faster than Dada, who of course was straightening her hair for some reason. “Dada… breakfast is over in 30 minutes…”

“I know I know…” she muttered, trying to quicken her pace. “I need to look slutty for you!” She exclaimed with a grin, Tia just laughed as she scrambled around her room, shoving her wallet, portable phone charger, water bottle, and sunglasses into her daybag. “Don’t wait for me, go eat with the girls. Tell Jane I’ll be down. Will you save me a muffin or something?” Dada asked, her hair now halfway done.

“Of course! Don’t burn yourself, please. I’ll see you down there,” Tia wanted to kiss Dada before she left but that felt way too domestic, even for them. So she shot her a wink in the mirror, and then finally was out the door, meeting Crystal in the hallway and walking with her downstairs for breakfast. Jane and Nymphia came down not long after, sitting at the table with them. She could tell they were horribly hungover, only grunting at Tia in acknowledgement, like they’d puke if they opened their mouths. Crystal immediately fell asleep on Tia’s shoulder when they sat at a table. Nymphia took ten seconds to take a small sip of water, shivering. And all Tia could think was ‘God. They don’t even know Dada moved her suitcase in my room.’

That didn’t last long of course. After eating in a dazed, tired silence for a while, Tia said to Jane;

“Dada is still getting ready, by the way. She should be down soon. She told me to tell you.”

“What?”

“Yeah. She decided to straighten her hair, what a diva am I right?”

“The biggest one I know,” Jane said dismissively, not prying even though Tia knew she desperately wanted to. “That’s fine! You missed out on a really fun day yesterday, didn’t she, ladies??” Jane looked at Nymphia and Crystal, who just looked back at her boredly. “Ladies?”

“If we go to another museum on this trip it’s over. But we did go out clubbing and I thought I was gonna die this morning. Thank god this breakfast is bringing me back to life.” Nymphia said, and there was no other mention of what happened in Rome yesterday. As for other things that happened… “Now Tia. Spill. What happened with Dada yester- are you fucking kidding me Jane?”

Jane stood up, beginning to address the group that had finally all made its way down to the dining room and wrapped up eating. She was either trying to save Tia from having to answer any questions, she was trying to piss Nymphia off, or she just didn’t hear her and was oblivious. Tia had a feeling it was the third one.

“Alright guys, we’ve got a fun morning and a free evening, so let’s get goin! Oh Dada, there you are! Hi sister! I saved you a muffin!!!” Jane’s hangover seemed to be cured the second she saw Dada, who was grinning brightly, looking wide awake. If only Tia knew it was because Dada’s chest felt just as golden as hers did. Dada had woken up that morning, thinking about Tia before she even opened her eyes. She hadn’t expected to become so desperate for someone on this trip, but here she was, unashamedly moving all her luggage into Tia’s room on a whim, just wanting to never leave her. It felt corny falling this fast but Dada didn’t care, how could she when Tia had told her to “dress slutty”, when she could feel Tia’s eyes raking down her body, taking in the matching set Dada had opted to wear, a low rise golden silk skirt dangled off her hips with a twisted bandeau top.

“Do you like my outfit?” Dada cocked her head as Tia approached her, fingers going to trace the waistband of dada’s skirt, running over her hip bone.

“Ha. Yeah. You take direction very well.”

“Well you had a great vision.”

Dada put her hand on the small of Tia’s back and led her out, following Jane out the front door, a bitching Nymphia and a laughing Crystal right behind them.

“First point of business, welcome back to the tour Dada! We missed you so much sister. Truly. Now, I promise today will be chill. It was gonna be a lot busier but I don’t feel like it. So first stop, the Pantheon is about a twenty minute walk from here. As always, we’re taking the scenic route. Let’s go!”

The walk wasn’t too bad, Crystal and Nymphia dragged their feet in the back. Jane decided to go back and pull caboose with them, which meant Dada had to lead the group.

“If you get lost it is your fault!” She called behind her. Tia just giggled and laced their fingers together. They didn’t end up going inside the Pantheon, Jane just stood in front of it, reading a blog post from;

“A fucking blog called ‘Mama Loves Rome,’” Nymphia hissed, Crystal let out a giggle.

“The Pantheon is an ancient Roman building originally devoted to all Roman Gods and Goddesses, uhh… oh, Pan means all, Theon means God, in Greek. And now it’s a Christian church, so we’re not going in! The line is too long. Anyways… Over the course of centuries…”

Dada barely listened to Jane reading from her phone, and she knew Tia wasn’t listening either. Instead they smoked a couple cigarettes, straying far enough away from the group so they could whisper about nothing, laughing about an obvious tourists outfit, an old couple fighting in rapid Italian.

When Jane took them to another oddly fancy shopping mall, (Galleria Alberto Sordi) Nymphia, who had spent all her money in Florence and Milan, didn’t insist on dragging them into all the high end fashion stores, instead just pointing at a big book store.

“Looks fun?” She shrugged. Everyone just nodded, following her in. “Since when am I the leader?” Nymphia wondered out loud, making a beeline straight to the magazine section. Tia, Crystal, Dada, and Jane followed her again.

“Italy is so confusing because we’re in a shopping mall that’s basically a fucking palace but this bookstore is literally like a Barnes and Noble, fluorescent lighting at all. It just doesn’t add up.” Crystal said to them, Tia let out a laugh, flipping through what must’ve been Italy’s version of a J-14 magazine.

“That is Rome for you,” Dada piped up with a smirk, Tia rolled her eyes.

“I miss the palace mall in Milan, that was the best,” Nymphia sighed, Jane let out a cocky laugh.

“Don’t call it a palace mall, that is literally the worst thing I’ve ever heard! You mean Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II?” she said. Tia, Nymphia, and Crystal looked at each other , trying not to laugh. Nymphia turned to her.

“Listen to yourself pronounce anything in Italian, do some self reflection, and come back to me when you’re done.” and then they were all laughing, Dada burying her head in Tia’s neck. Jane just flipped Nymphia off and grabbed an Italian travel magazine.

“Look, Dada’s the translator! I’m just a tour guide. Just an amazing tour guide. You don’t even know where we’re going next.”

“Yes I do. Villa Borghese or something,” Nymphia said dismissively, flipping through a copy of Vogue.

“…how do you know that?”

“I went through your notes app.”

“YOU WHAT?! Nymphia- you should never go through a girls notes app!”

“Believe me, I regretted it.”

Jane’s jaw was dropped, she immediately got out her phone, Dada could see her opening the notes app. It was a little fucked up, Jane definitely had written really embarrassing poetry that was never meant for anyone else’s eyes. Dada caught Tia’s eye who was doing a horrible job at holding back laughter, her eyes wide in shock.

“Nymphia that’s horrible! Never look in my notes app!” She exclaimed, Nymphia just cocked her head.

“Yours is probably tame compared to Crystal’s.”

“WHAT THE FUCK NYMPHIA?!”

Luckily Gothy was parked in a parking garage not far from the mall, ready to drive them to the gardens of the Villa Borghese, where they basically just had a huge instagram phootoshoot, Nymphia directing all the poses and angles.

“Nymphia told me she’s doing special ones for Jane. For her Tinder bio when she breaks her heart,” Gothy muttered as Nymphia posed Jane in front of a fountain, trying to find the perfect lighting.

Later they laid out picnic blankets, Jane and Nymphia going up to buy lunch for everyone.

“Okay girls. Now that we’re all here, and I’m not hungover anymore… Tia…. Dada… We need to have a serious conversation,” Nymphia said as she unwrapped her sandwich. Tia and Dada had been pressed against each other on a corner of the blanket, their legs brushing and hands wandering, ignoring everyone with their foreheads basically pressed together, giggling about something. Gothy was fighting not to roll her eyes, Jane was trying not to grin too wide, and Nymphia and Crystal didn’t hesitate to make loud puking noises. Tia and Dada didn’t hear any of it. “Girls come on! You’re being annoying!”

“What the fuck Nymphia?” Tia finally turned away from Dada, who was laughing into her shoulder.

“WELL I’m just saying! You’ve disappeared TWICE now without telling anyone where you’re going. And Jane might not care cause she’s a terrible tour guide, but Crystal and I were getting really anxious, Tia.”

“That is because you three have deep rooted separation anxiety,” Dada giggled.

“I wish we had separation anxiety Dada…” Jane trailed off. Everyone was silent for a second before they burst out laughing, Jane included. “Sisters, you can’t be territorial over Tia like this! And where was this drama when Nymphia and I started-,”

“We had known each other for literally two days. Now it’s been two weeks and Tia can’t just abandon us!” Nymphia interrupted Jane.

“Wait what do you mean two days? That was in Venice, it had been nearly a week at that point?”

“Sure Tia, if that helps you sleep at night.”

“OKAY WAIT NOW I NEED A JANE NYMPHIA TIMELINE.”

“Over my dead body.”

They spent their free time lounging in the gardens, blowing through it the best way they knew how, chain smoking cigarettes (provided by Tia this time), and wasting the day away, quietly whispering about the funny people who walked by. Tia made a point to get up and sit between Nymphia and Crystal at one point, throwing Dada an apologetic look. She just rolled her eyes with a smile and talked to Gothy and Jane, winking at Tia.

Tia had almost missed hearing Nymphia complain about everything, a content smile on her face. And of course she missed laughing at her with Crystal, but she just wanted to be alone with Dada. After all, wasn’t the wait supposed to be over? Did Jane and Nymphia ever desperately want to run away from the group like Tia and Dada do? What do they even do?

As the gardens emptied and the air began to grow cooler, the girls packed up their little picnic and Jane led them to a huge terrace that overlooked all of Rome.

“Okay, sisters,” she sighed. Tia hadn’t even noticed the comfortable silence the group had fallen into, Dada’s hand in hers. The sky was just becoming a hazy purple, the sunset slowly on its way. “What are we doing for dinner? The rest of the group can fend- oh, they left. Okay! So what are we doing?” Tia instantly turned to look at Dada, a playful smile on her face. Maybe they could sneak away, just for dinner and then-

“Ohnonononono. No. Me, Crystal, and the fucking runaway are going to have some girl time. We never hang out alone anymore ever since you guys insisted on coming on the tour with us, I’ll find us somewhere to eat,” Nymphia said, taking out her phone. Tia was maybe a little disappointed as she quickly caught Dada’s eyes that also looked a little sad, but she was too amused by the bewildered look on Jane’s face to care that much.

“YOU literally harassed ME- AND why wouldn’t you ask me for a restaurant suggestion? I’m your tour guide.”

“You’re being an annoying and bad tour guide. You both have zero clue where the rest of the group is. Vanjie could be dead!” Crystal joined in. “And yeah, I’d like to hang out with my girls without their lesbian shadows.” The four of them all went to protest at the same time but realized the statement wasn’t exactly false.

“You know what. I want some time away from you Nymphia. I could use some time without you bitching in my ear. So Dada, Gothy, and I actually are going to get dinner without you three, huh? How about that?” Jane spat.

“That’s perfect. Go. Go. Go find the group,” Nymphia deadpanned, causing Tia to burst out laughing. Dada caught her eye and she was laughing too.

“I will see you tonight,” she muttered to Tia, squeezing her hand. And all Tia wanted to do was give her a quick kiss goodbye and hear Nymphia gag and Jane giggle. But instead she smiled and nodded, letting their hands slowly slip from each other as she was dragged away by Nymphia who was already complaining about Jane. And she would complain the whole way to the restaurant until they were sat. The second Tia opened the menu, Crystal snatched it away.

“What. Happened. Yesterday.” And Tia couldn’t help but giggle. Nymphia tried to look disgusted but was clearly eager to hear the full story. Tia just smiled slyly.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” She shrugged just as their waiter came up. Her leg bounced under the table as they all put in their drink orders, she couldn’t wait to see Nymphia and Crystal’s faces when she told them everything. The second their waiter left Nymphia and Crystal continued hounding Tia about what happened yesterday.

And she told them everything. Well, not everything. She didn’t tell them about Dada loving Chappell Roan, or how she talked about France and her roommates. These were little things Tia learned about Dada she wanted to keep, just for her.

But you can bet your ass she told them every other detail, stealing (borrowing) the car, driving around a random little town, them finally being able to be alone again.

“And like…” Tia trailed off. “She’s so fucking hot.”

And it was like two wine moms watching a romcom, Crystal and Nymphia were squealing, literally awwing as Tia continued to gush. Nymphia gave Tia an odd look at one point.

“But did you fuck in the car?”

Tia just shook her head laughing, burying her blushing face in her hands.

“No way. Italian cars are so tiny and you guys are two giraffes!” Crystal laughed as quietly as she could.

“They are very tiny…” Tia nodded. “But we were very desperate.” And then they were all laughing.

“You horny sluts!”

And Tia was so happy, she couldn’t even think to be embarrassed, all she knew was that she loved her friends and maybe Rome was beautiful, and she couldn’t wait to see Dada. But she was glad she got time with Nymphia and Crystal, who she really had missed yesterday. A little. Was that awful? She didn’t know what it was, but she forgot about everything that mattered when she was with Dada. There was no excuse, but she just couldn’t help it.

After Tia finally stopped talking about Dada it was back to whatever drama between Jane and Nymphia that she had missed yesterday. Tia felt bad for Crystal, having to listen to her and Nymphia yap about their summer flings when she was missing her girlfriend back home, but Nymphia didn’t seem to care.

“She literally texted me twenty fucking times. Twenty. About wineries. And I was next to her in bed!” Nymphia bitched as they began walking back to the hotel. Tia laughed along beside her, heart fluttering knowing Dada was definitely bored in her hotel room, waiting for her to come back.

“I’m going to go find Jane,” Nymphia huffed as they walked through the doors and up to their rooms.

“I’ll see you ladies in the morning! Have fun!” Crystal said with a wink before disappearing into her room. Tia grinned as she opened the door to her room, planning on taking a quick shower before going into Dada’s room, harassing her for the rest of the night. But to her surprise when she pushed open her door, there was Dada sitting up in Tia’s bed, a bright grin on her face when she saw her standing in the doorway.

“Tia!” She exclaimed softly, getting up out of the bed to meet her half way, hands already reaching towards Tia’s hips.

“Hey,” she beamed, attempting to close the door behind her but failing when Jane stopped it with her arm. “Oh-hi Jane- yes you can come in.”

Jane was already in the room standing in front of Dada, handing her a small purse that clanged slightly.

“Tia, sister. Over dinner Dada confessed that she smoked you up. I am totally fine with it, but that doesn’t mean you guys can run off with the weed and abandon me. I miss you both.”

“Shut up, you are a loser. I miss you too-” Jane pulled Dada and Tia into a hug. “Stopstopstopstopstop,” Tia let out a laugh and Jane quickly let go.

“With that being said, I’m going out with Nymphia so you can hold onto that for the night. Ugh. I love you. Goodnight.” And with that Tia and Dada were finally alone again, the door shut and locked, Dada just holding the purse with a wicked smile.

“Come on, let’s smoke.” And just as soon as Tia had entered the hotel she was leaving it, walking to find some secluded corner on the street. “You missed out on a thrilling dinner with Jane. We invited Gothy but she’s really busy with work. She’s lucky, all we talked about was Nymphia and whatever they’ve got going on,” Dada said as they walked. Tia gave her a knowing smile.

“Hmm… so you didn’t talk at all about anything or anyone else? Because I know what Nymphia and Crystal were grilling me about all night. But I did hear about whatever argument they had yesterday.” Dada laughed lightly, unable to meet Tia’s gaze as she responded.

“Believe me, I gave Jane as much information as she could handle,” Dada turned down an alley that was secluded and not too sketchy, lighting the spliff. “If I told her every detail I think she would cry every time she saw us. She’s a hopeless romantic.”

Tia took the spliff and inhaled deeply, a buzzing already settling behind her eyes. Jane might’ve been a hopeless romantic, but Tia didn’t feel hopeless as she passed the spliff back to the French girl who was stood in her shadow, taking a slow hit, eyes locked with Tia’s and a slight smile on her lips.

“C’mere,” Tia said sweetly, lips easily finding Dada’s in the dark, the only light coming from the tip of their spliff. And god, she could get used to this.

“I missed you,” Dada whispered when they parted for air, holding the still burning spliff to Tia’s lips. “I know I’ve been with you all day but… you know.” Tia kissed her quick before inhaling again.

“I know,” she giggled, wrapping an arm around Dada and leaning her head against hers. Soon enough the spliff was burnt out, so they lit a cigarette each before beginning the walk back to the hotel. They walked each with an arm around the other's waist, Tia’s head on Dada’s shoulder, stepping in sync. They walked into Tia’s hotel room both exhausted but not ready to go to bed just yet.

Instead they went into the bathroom, taking their makeup off and brushing their teeth together, shy eyes catching every so often. They both knew this was all too domestic, and almost scary how it felt all too right. And it felt too natural when they crawled into bed together, instantly beginning to recap their day and things they wanted to say but couldn’t with the rest of the girls there. What was this instant trust between them that Tia had never experienced before?

“And that thing Nymphia said about her and Jane being a thing from two days in? What the fuck was that?” Tia said, looking up to the ceiling bewildered. Dada laughed from beside her, playing with her hair.

“I know, what took us so long?” She wondered out loud. Tia was now laughing too, turning to press her lips to Dada’s, who sat up. She responded enthusiastically, tangling a hand in the back of Tia’s hair, holding her closer. Tia swung one leg over Dada’s, straddling her hips. She didn’t waste any time to pull off her thin tank top, revealing the black lacy bra Jane found in Milan. Dada threw her head back laughing, letting Tia pull off her own top, elbows knocking as she tried to help, causing them to laugh even harder. They sat beaming at each other like idiots, but god Tia swore they were both burning golden, and they may be forever. She grabbed either side of Dada’s face, pressing a quick chaste kiss onto her lips before reaching over to turn off the bedside lamp.

Tia and Dada fell asleep later that night wrapped in each other's arms, blankets kicked to the end of the bed. They had no clue what the rest of the trip would hold. All they knew in that moment was to hold onto each other tight, letting the sounds of the still bustling city lull them to sleep. And in the months to come, it was always this night, the very first night, that Tia and Dada would wish to travel back in time to.

Give me the keys, I'll bring the car back around

We shouldn't be in this town

And my so-called friends, they don't know

I'd drive away before I let you go

So give me a reason and don't say no, no

There's a chain 'round your throat, piece of paper where I wrote

"I'll wait for you"

There's a key on the chain, there's a picture in a frame

Take it with you

And run, like you'd run from the law

Darling, let's run

Run from it all

We can go where our eyes can take us

Go where no one else is, run

So you laugh like a child

And I'll sing like no one cares

No one to be, no one to tell

I could see this view a hundred times

Pale blue sky reflected in your eyes

So give me a reason and don't say no, no

And the note from the locket, you keep it in your pocket

Since I gave it to you

There's a heart on your sleeve

I'll take it when I leave

And hold it for you

And run, like you'd run from the law

Darling, let's run

Run from it all

We can go like they're trying to chase us

Go where no one else is, run

There's been this hole in my heart

This thing was a shot in the dark

Say you'll never let 'em tear us apart

And I'll hold onto you while we run (and we run, and we run, and we run)

And we'll run

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thecruelestjourney · 8 months ago

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I'm a traveler, and I am such a big fan of your blogs! What is a place that you would like to travel to someday?

I dream of visiting Italy every day, Since I was a little kid I’ve always wanted to go to Italy and just eat a big bowl of Italian spaghetti, Specifically I wanted to go to Milan I need to visit Milan before I die. I’m so interested in everything they have and do their beautiful culture, food , clothes , traditions and so much more I want to live there ,even study there! Its’ just such a mesmerizing city in Italy I’d rather be there, devouring food, than anywhere else! Just slurping cold coke, yummy spaghetti, and getting red sauce on the sides of my mouth , I literally love everything about Italy. I love their beautiful culture , food , clothes , traditions and so much more things.

I wanna live there, Even study there! It's just such a mesmerizing country. I would also love to go to the eye-catching Duomo Milano in Italy. It's such a charming landmark, and I think It would be such a blast to explore! Going to Milan would be like me stepping into another universe, It would be truly a dream come true, Everything there is just so appealing to me their landmarks, streets, beaches the people and everything my god it is gorgeous! I just wanna wake up one day and be in Italy , Italy is a place like no other id kill to go there.

#By : Fatema alshehhi 9C #Blog post 3

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evilminji · 11 months ago

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Coming back and doubling down, actually? I really wanna see? As the story progresses? And the Greco-Roman Gods are just... Like That(tm) to their kids and everyone else? Percy getting progressively more and more "...on THAT note, you know who WOULDN'T pull This Shit(tm)? *slaps down a 'The Celtic Gods And You' pamphlet'* I'm JUST SAYING. ADOPTION IS AN OPTION."

Like? Channel that feral energy Percy. Disown your Dad. Disown your ENTIRE extended paternal line. Kids leave crappy n toxic family situations all the time! Not saying it's EASY. But like?

Just because THESE assholes are the only ones who DIDNT agree to start being Hands Off with the humans to, presumably, stop tearing everything apart with Family Drama. Doesn't mean? You can't rock up to some Celtic temple or place of worship, some shinto shrine, and go "WAKE-Y WAKE-Y! I NEED AN ADULT! *bangs on the door*".

We already have PROOF the Egyptians have a pantheon!

They are not connected by Faith to the Greco-Roman's! Which means? Pick a Faith and start harrasing until you get a Respectable Adult(TM). Quest to find Responsibile Adoptive Parents. All you REALLY gotta do is be all "okay you gotta check out X and I'll look for Y, Percy? You go bother Sea Deity."

Then?

Let THEM yell at the Greek Gods.

Why is it PERCY'S job to say "hey! Stop being shitty to your kids and letting them DIE!" Why are creature even getting close enough that they HAVE too fight them? Yeah, maybe, if you were like? A great-great-GREAT-grandkid? But "my dad is A GOD"?

No???

Do YOU let wild animals into your nursery? Hunt your toddler for sport in the backyard? "Oh, we can't interfere" MY ASS. Yes you CAN! You just can't throw volcanos and obvious Divine Acts around! You "interfered" them into existence!

It's called a baby monitor!

A gaurd dog!

A pretty little GIANT FUCK OFF SIGN UPON THE SOUL that reads "Do Not." In your handwriting.

You let your kid grow up. You inform them of your Expectations. Do some parenting. And supermurder anything that touches them! Maybe your grand kids. Eventually you move on, as the bloodline becomes less You(TM).

Can't interfere MY ASS.

Sally should have been LIVING IN A HOUSE BOAT. A FANCY one. Paid for by Percy's father! Safe as can be, on the NICEST beach on the planet. Where his Domain was strongest. Percy growing up Suspiciously Beloved by local aquatic life. Fuckin attack dolphins and murder seals. Waves that WILL crush and drag you out too drown. All while Percy is just?

Doo dee doo~☆ Sure do love makin sandcastles! Man, I love living on the beach! Yay! Seashells!

But, nooooooooo! Certain God's can't and WON'T take responsibility, man up, a PARENT THEIR KIDS.

How dare you call yourself a Father. The other Gods are taking your kids. Go ahead and get mad about it. You might as well run off to that OTHER little city, of your OTHER CHILDREN, and hang around THERE until you inevitably "interfere" ANOTHER legion of children into existence. All of which you'll refuse to actually raise, no doubt.

*picks up the smol, feral, ocean child (along with his friends) and leaves.*

The lack of pagan Percy Jackson fics is downright criminal

Think about it. Sure there is the comedy of him being a Hellenistic pagan but what if he was literally any other kind of pagan.

Chiron: you are a demigod. The old gods abandoned by modern people are real.

Pagan Percy: old? Abandoned?

————————–—–—————————————–—

Chiron: and now we sacrifice some of our food to the gods

Celtic pagan Percy: oh! alight! I sacrifice this to Danu!

Chiron: not like that!

Danu the mother of the Irish gods: something just happened.

————————–—–—————————————–—

Annabeth: we need a god’s blessing to to do this!

Celtic pagan Percy: does it need to be a Greek god?

Annabeth: it was never specified.

Percy: *pulls out a candle and prays to Morrigan*

Morrigan the Celtic goddess of war: *shows up* yeah sure you have my blessing.

Percy: thank you lady Morrigan.

————————–—–—————————————–—

Jason: do you respect any gods?

Celtic pagan Percy: The only one in the Greco-Roman pantheon that I respect is Hestia

Jason: why did you specify Greco-Roman

Percy: I respect the Celtic gods

Jason: the what?!?

Percy: (:

Jason: D:

#percy jackson #and the Quest to get his ass divinely adopted #fuck you Dad #hes gonna get a step dad AND an adopted Dad #or mom #hes not picky #family POG!

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lifewithdavefarts · 3 years ago

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DaveFarts - Episode 20 “Camping (T)Rip” [Episode List]

Tim, Dave, Adam and Greg go camping together to relax and chill for a day far from any responsibility, enjoying the sounds that nature has to offer. Those sadly include Dave’s farts and belches however and things get even gassier when Tim has to share a tent with him.

POV: Tim

Camping (T)Rip

5:30 AM.

I hate waking up early on Saturday morning. Who does? Yet here I am.

We’ve been planning this for weeks but in the end we managed to choose a date which was suitable for everyone’s needs and didn’t interfere with any of our jobs. No girlfriends (not that I had any… obviously), just us guys being dudes in the woods… well not far into the woods but kind of. We all are kind of city slickers after all and while we do like camping, we don’t it as often as we’d like to admit.

I already took a shower and put some clothes on (a simple t-shirt and some sweatpants), so we don’t mess up the schedule. Dave was a heavy sleeper so I went into his room to wake him up.

“Yo, sleeping beauty. Are you waiting for you prince?” I said, as I stepped in.

Indeed there he was, lying on his bed on his stomach, basically naked, only wearing a pair of white shorts, his body figure still being quite a sight in the dimly lit bedroom.

“If you’re the prince, I’d rather just die here.” he joked, his voice muffled as he had his face buried in the pillow.

I clapped my hands like an angry housewife. “Come on. Get up. Rise and shine.”

His second answer wasn’t muffled at all instead.

Without moving, an enormous, airy morning fart erupted from his ass, surprisingly not tearing a hole through his white shorts. It was loud and proud, so powerful that I’m sure the neighbours were gonna hear it. As he ripped it, he couldn’t help but turn to me, his face still being visibly tired, but I could recognize his smirk, that silly-cocky smile he displays when blasting farts around me, knowing very well what effect they have on me. In fact, as the fart ended, he laughed, noticing the boner through my sweatpants.

“Bro if you wanna pitch a tent you could've at least waited ’til we were in the woods.”

I simply walked out of the room, hearing Dave’s laughter behind me. Truth is, yes, I found that hot, but I too was laughing on the inside, despite the utter embarrassment. “Fuck off.” I stuttered, to which he replied with a distant, short, loud rip.

I heard Dave getting ready upstairs as I waited for him. Our buds, Adam and Greg, were heading to our place with the former’s car, who agreed to take it as long as Dave was the one driving, ‘cause he’s not very familiar with the countryside and dirt roads -not that Dave was a rally driver or anything, but he had some relatives out of town living in some farm or something, so he should know how to deal with such roads, more than us at least.

Despite my bro/roommate’s oversleeping, we were right on schedule. Luckily we all packed our stuff the day before so we were basically ready. Finally, Dave joined me downstairs, wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of camo cargo shorts. And sunglasses: he looked like he was ready for a beach day rather than a camping trip. I probably stared at him for a bit because he is a good looking guy after all, and wondered how I got this lucky to have such a bro.

Before I could stare for too long, we heard some car honks coming from the front yard.

“You can stop staring, bro. Dumb&Dumber are here.”

Oh. I guess he noticed. “I’m so-“ I tried to say.

“Yeah yeah you can apologize for thinking that I’m a good lucking guy later. We don’t have time for this.” he said, as we both got our stuff and rushed outside.

Dave was very patient with me, that’s for sure. He wasn’t annoyed by my appreciation, but rather by me still being so awkward around him. Again very embarrassing for me, but I’m glad that at least he knows that he’s hot -as he knows that I’d never cross certain lines… despite him regularly planting my face into his farting ass!

“Hey ladies.” Adam greeted us outside, helping packing our stuff into the back of the car. Greg and Dave shared an ironic manly handshake as if the two were businessmen, while I set our destination on the GPS.

After we finished stuffing Adam’s vehicle with things that we’re probably not even gonna need for our short trip, we got into the car. Adam and Greg in the backseat, I was on the passenger seat, as the navigator. And Dave, as said before, was the driver.

“It shouldn’t take long.” I commented, staring at the GPS screen. “Around 1 hour at least.”

“Thank you. What about the weather?” Dave replied.

“Well it’s gonna be… you don’t give a shit, don’t you?” I didn’t notice his sarcasm.

“You two can solve your sexual tension in the tent later by the way.” Adam said, annoyed that we were still parked in our front yard.

Finally, Dave got the car moving and our trip officially began.

Being the driver, my bro/roommate (broomate?) was also in charge of the music, some indie rock junk but luckily we all kind of had the same tastes so it’s fine. Me and Adam got into a silly argument about a singer while Greg wanted to convince Dave that today’s music is all bad no matter what. He had some good points, but as usual we chose not to listen to him in the end.

According to the GPS we were halfway there and honestly it was all going well. Greg fell asleep (it was early morning after all) while the three of managed to stay awake. We were just casually chatting and making jokes, until I heard that familiar sound, a sound that you better get used to if you’re friend with Dave. However, much to both of our surprise, as we shared a puzzled look, it wasn’t him: it was Adam.

I turned around, and indeed it was him, just ripping a huge, almost Dave-like one, the sound kind of muffled by the seat, the fart rumbling through his cargo shorts.

“Sorry guys.” Adam apologised. “The pizza we had last night is kind of messing with my stomach.

“Yours too?” Dave simply replied, with a cheesy grin, and leaned a bit, keeping his hands on the wheel.

Now THAT’S the sound I’m familiar with. It was like my bro took Adam’s rip as a challenge to prove who's the alpha so he made sure to up the game as he usually does. The rip echoed in the car and woke Greg up, who thought we were gonna crash. Dave’s alpha gas earned him an applause and our amused (and immature) laughters, even mine. Despite everything, despite the kink, one gotta admit that he got some mad skills. And while driving on a dirty road, nonetheless!

It didn’t take much for him to hot-box the car, so we promptly rolled our windows down to let some fresh air in. As far as my fetish goes, I too appreciated breathing some clean air after that short competition. We then all resumed talking as usual, and Greg, perhaps mad because we interrupted his nap, started once again ranting about modern music and singers.

—

It took a bit more than 1 hour, but in the end we got there alive and well. We got the stuff out of the car and I started setting up our camp, the “camp” being literally two tents, one opposite the other, and a small fire pit in the middle, which we’re gonna use to do some BBQ later. We allowed Dave to have a beer already ‘cause he’s been driving the whole morning so he deserved some rest.

“I was wondering…” Greg said, looking around, as if he just now noticed we were in the middle of the woods. “what if a hungry wild animal bumps into our camp?”

“Don’t be a pussy.” Adam simply commented, annoyed. “Animals are idiots. Just make some loud noise and they get scared as fuck.”

Even though I was busy with the tent, I could sense Dave taking that as a cue, an opportunity, from which end I still didn’t know. My bro took one long sip of beer and stood between Adam and Greg, as if he was there to save the day.

“Better safe than sorry, right?” he said, staring right into the woods, and emitting a long, loud belch, which echoed all around us. Whether Adam’s theory was true or not it didn’t matter: anyone would be scared of hearing that, human or animal. A master air-bender from both ends, as usual.

He earned some very immature compliments from all of us and he was himself pretty proud of that. He even made a flock of birds fly away, like earthquakes do. Impressive indeed.

—

After a few hours of drinking, playing some sort of football for idiots, and just chilling, we finally got hungry.

To be more precise, we were starving, as we didn’t have breakfast, if we exclude a sandwich that we shared in the car.

Despite the pizza that Adam mentioned earlier, he was the one who fired up the BBQ first, being, as he put it, “the hungriest he’s ever been”. We all chose how we wanted our steaks cooked, knowing very well that our friend was gonna cook them all “well-made” anyway.

“This fuckin’ fire.” we heard him hiss at the BBQ.

“You ok there?” Dave walked to him.

“The BBQ won’t start.”

“Maybe I can help.”

He looked so serious, so professional, we truly believed him, but we shouldn’t have trusted him.

All he did was turn around and rip another one of his blasts through his camo cargo shorts, right next to the BBQ, like he was trying to use his fart to fuel the flame… and to be completely honest we did see some sparks here and there, but we couldn’t be 100% sure. Still, I wouldn’t mess with Dave’s talent so I chose not to say anything.

Either way, that wasn’t helpful at all, despite the fart lasting 12 seconds. He did make Adam mad though, with the risk of also making our steaks taste like, well, ass; so we all cleaned up the BBQ and started over just to be sure, we were all a bit tipsy anyway so we couldn’t even be mad (though we had all the rights to be).

In the end, we managed to have our steaks and sausages (I’ll spare you the very mature jokes we all made that afternoon) well-made, as predicted, despite Adam insisting that they were all perfectly cooked rare like we asked.

More hours passed and we did some more activities, even some hiking here and there around the woods, without going too far however, for laziness of all things, plus we were all drinking non-stop, as 75% of the car was probably stuffed with beers, and going to an adventure was the last thing we needed in these conditions.

We had another BBQ in the evening as we could finish our food, then just chilled around the fire pit sharing stories and half-drunk chatting about the most non-sense stuff, such as “What does light taste like?”.

In the end, we started to feel tired, and so we went to our tents: Greg and Adam had their own, while I shared mine with Dave.

—

In the tent we had no sleeping bags because it was a warm night, so we just laid down on some sheets and pillows and called it a day. The tent wasn’t big but we both of us fit nicely into it. We were lying next to each other, actually quite close of course, but Dave didn’t mind (and neither did I…). My broomate was still wearing his camo shorts, too tired to take them off, but was lying down shirtless, exposing his hairy chest and pecs. Again, Dave wasn’t an athlete, but he did sport a very nice body figure, which I certainly appreciated.

As I laid down next to him, checking some stuff on my phone, we heard Greg and Adam bickering like an old married couple in the other tent. We couldn’t fully understand what they were even talking about, but knowing Greg he was probably still rambling about today’s shitty music which, whether you disagree or not, at one point it gets tiring to hear the same thing over and over again.

But since I’m a hypocrite, this wasn’t true for Dave’s farts, which immediately made our tent shake. Instant boner.

To ease the blast out, my bro cocked his leg up, the one closer to me, showing off the loudness of his blast. The stench that engulfed me was pretty bad, as it tasted like the meat we had before, just rotten. The gallons of beer he chugged certainly acted as bonus fuel too.

7 long, loud and proud seconds and then once again silence.

“Looks like we’re gonna make some noise too.” he laughed, a bit tipsy from the alcohol but perfectly aware of his cruel teasing.

But I did laugh too, like the hopeless idiot I am.

I tried to focus on what I was reading, but next to Dave it was impossible let’s face it. The guy didn’t move but his leg was still up, and his ass wasn’t done talking.

A second fart erupted, very dry and (fittingly) meat-y sounding. Manly, basically.

I’m pretty sure Dave couldn’t smell his own raunchy farts, because there already was a sever lack of oxygen in that tent. And after the 8 seconds rip, he turned to me sporting his well-known cocky smirk.

“I’m just… you know…” he said, leaning a bit more on one side, fully pointing his ass at me. “…trying to scare wild animals.”

And he made sure to scare me as well with a sudden loud rip. This time he was gonna tear a hole in those shorts I swear. That morning fart from hours before was nothing compared to the raw power I was witnessing. This third blast was however shorter (for his standards) than the ones before, ending at “merely” 5 seconds.

“Fuck.” I heard Adam say from the other side of our small camp. He sounded genuinely impressed. “How does Tim survive that?” he joked. Or maybe not.

“Yeah, Tim.” Dave turned again to me. “How do you do it?” he jokingly asked, with a smirk.

He then smiled, the smile of someone who knew he was brewing a big raunchy one. I heard his hand pushing me closer to his ass; I let him do it, as pretending to hate that was silly at this point.

My friend adjusted his position as my face got closer to his butt, and lifted his ass a bit… only to fully rest it on my face once I was under it. Despite everything, he wasn’t crushing me, as he was slightly leaning on one side, but believe me my nose was planted in his camo ass. Good thing Greg and Adam could hear us but not see us...

I went camping to hear the sounds of nature, and indeed what I heard right all over my face was the roar of a beast, so I guess it counts.

The fart was insanely big, one of his biggest ones yet, and made my head shake due to its power. The stench, which was already terrible due to his previous blasts, got even worse. As he ripped that monster fart, Dave cocked his leg up a bit more, once again to ease the fart out and also push my face deeper into his camo ass. He was having no mercy that night, as he made sure not a single particle of gas polluted the tent now, my face acting like a dam.

Silence followed that 16 seconds blast and I felt his ass bouncing on my face, a sign that Dave was laughing like an idiot.

“Bro you ok?” he whispered, without moving however.

As I breathed all that gas in, I didn’t know what to say. It’s hard to get used to this, to Dave being such an alpha but also ridiculously chill about my kink.

“Tim you ok there?” Adam shouted from his tent, laughing at my (to him) terrible situation. The fact that they could hear Dave’s farts so clearly from there was yet another proof of my friend’s insane skills.

“Hold up, let me just…” he said, as he adjusted his position.

He then fully lifted one leg, kind of letting me go, but that didn’t mean he was done. I didn't move in fact, and kept lying there, closely inspecting Dave’s camo ass. And indeed sound came out of it… or rather, “came in”. He was sucking air in, supposedly brewing a massive one. I sometimes forget that Dave can fart on command; he rarely does it, not that he needs to anyway.

But when he does, it's like going beyond his own limits.

“This one’s gonna melt your skin off, dude.” he laughed. “I hope the tent doesn’t explode."

I could barely hear him over the sounds of the air going into his camo ass, but I guess he was truly saving the best and biggest for last. I was shaking, as I said I’ll never get used to it. He closed his eyes to force some last bits of air in. He was done.

He then looked at me and winked.

For an instant I’m pretty sure I went deaf and blind, as if a flasbang blew up right in front of my face. I quickly got snapped back to reality, my face right in front of my friend’s camo ass erupting one of the loudest farts I’ve ever heard, period. The roar of a beast, a beast forcing me to bow in front of it, and inhale all of the stench.

Dave was truly the alpha, there’s really no other ways to say it, and I was more than happy to have a chill friend like him blasting me, once again realizing how lucky I was, ‘cause Dave got it all.

The fart kept going strong and made me sweat, my bro now just casually holding my head still, not that I was wanted to go anywhere anyway. 15 seconds and the beast was till roaring, with Dave spreading his long legs wide to make the sound even louder and the rip somehow even more powerful.

I feared that the tent was gonna turn into a hot-air balloon because of the amount of gas coming out of his ass.

10 more seconds and the beast finally went dormant. Almost 30 seconds in total. It was too much even for me.

I simply leaped again on Dave’s side and laid down before he could say anything, the fart still echoing inside my ears. Dave did the same and just turned to me, making fun of me with that stupid smirk.

“Nature’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he joked.

“Fuck off.” I said again, this time unable to hide my idiot laughter.

Dave simply punched me on the side in response.

“I’ve never seen a tent inside a tent.” he then said.

Took me a moment to realize, but yes, I pitched a pretty big tent in my sweatpants, but I can’t be blamed because I was sharing the tent with a fart master.

My bro simply turned his back to me, and went to sleep, muttering “My work here is done.”, not caring at all about my boner, ‘cause after all he knew about my fart kink, and the fact the got nothing out of all this was insane.

I tried to fall asleep as well, hoping to “get rid” of that boner tomorrow morning, before anyone could wake up. Despite my bro’s farts, Adam and Greg also managed to fall sleep eventually, and I finally heard them, the sounds of nature, the wind, the trees dancing to the breeze… and Dave snoring right next to me.

End of Episode 20

#fart story #eproctophilia #fart kink #davefarts2 #malefarts #gay farts

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themoontaxi · 2 years ago

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hellooo, i love your café so much i just couldn’t stay away ☺️

🍷cyma - detailed moments where time/life doesn’t feel real (i.e. leaving the cinema; going outside at night while it’s snowing and hearing absolutely nothing while there’s a pinkish-orange hue to the sky, visiting the gas station at 1 am, etc) thought that would be a little different for ya ;)

🍷cyma - as studio ghibli movies if you watch them, if not, then just animated movies

🫐 category: interests/hobbies

take your time with my order and feel no pressure to serve little ole me. you have the right to refuse service after all 😌

tiana!! i finally did it! those were so original, i loved wracking my brain! beware of the madness under the cut <33

🍷 - cyma detailed moments where time/life doesn’t feel real:

you as deep talks that come at such random moments so neither you or your interlocutor are prepared but the convo is so good you end up putting your whole schedule on hold and never reget it even if you stood in the middle of a doorway for two hours and caught a cold from it

@ropoto as waking up in the morning having to fact check if any of the weird stuff you dreamed actually happened, realizing it didn’t and then being half glad half disappointed about it and having to continue with your day as if your existence wasn’t just turned upside down by your weirdly imaginative subconscious

@emforevermore as ascending into orbit thanks to a particularly otherworldly tune that makes you see stars and breathe in fairy dust while your body is lying motionless in bed not being able to cope with anything and if someone would speak to you you’d probably not notice

@sadgirlml as having just finishing a book that sucked you so far into another world that you feel disoriented for the rest of the day and try to decide if you wanna keep it to yourself and treasure it quietly or tell the whole world about it cause you’re so glad to have felt these emotions that you feel like others should too

@temilyrights as night walks alone in the city enjoying the peace and quiet and discovering how the streets look when only illuminated by lamps and moonlight while also always having to watch your back and thinking that every little sound is a bad omen

@originalvampireslut as driving at a deserted highway alone at night being able to finally forget just how many people there are on this fucking planet and using this opportunity to blast music on full volume and maybe even scream out all the pent up frustration

@ssabelova as days spent at the beach that simultaneously feel like an hour and like a whole lifetime spent watching people of every generation interact and enjoy their lives for once while the waves keep you grounded rhythmically crashing onto the shore and being sucked back into the ocean

🍷 - cyma studio ghibli movies:

i gave y’all some thoughts i had on them and how i feel they relate to you, then a letterboxd review i loved at the end that encapsulates the movie well and added some scenes to give you a general aesthetic in case you’re not familiar with the movies :)

you as the tale of the princess kaguya. the divine one. protagonist is from the moon. gets many marriage proposals but would rather stay alone with her garden. has a kind childhood friend who wants to run away with her. very cunning, sometimes a bit cold but feels deeply. review

@originalvampireslut as castle in the sky. the punk one. protagonist is an abducted princess. gets chased by pirates but later befriends them. has a cool friend who’d literally die for her and follow her anywhere. damn fearless, has trust issues but not regarding her own instincts. review

@ropoto as the wind rises. the sober one. protagonist is a kind workaholic. gets send to another country but returns for their loved one. has a talented partner who loves them unconditionally. determined, usually stoic but with a soft heart. review

@sadgirlml as my neighbor totoro. the tender one. protagonist is excited by everything. gets told to not be selfish but is a misunderstood selfless sunshine. has nice neighbors who’ll always help her out. busy bee, cutie pie and very very soft. review

@temilyrights as spirited away. the weird one. protagonist is on an acid trip. gets forced into labour but really only has to work for a day. has a friend who’s a dragon but also a river they once fell in as a child. open-minded, very shy but grows more confident in the process. review

@emforevermore as kiki’s delivery service. the sanguine one. protagonist is a witch. gets stranded in an unknown city but makes friends right away. has a lil black pessimistic cat who balances out her personality perfectly. very eager to learn, kind and generous. review

@ tiana my guess is that princess mononoke is your favorite so i refrained from assigning that to anyone hehe. i’ve only watched 11 ghibli movies as of now so this is not conclusive but i do feel like they fit quite well. let me know your thoughts!

🫐 - a bingo witht the category interests/hobbies:

ahhh i finally did it! thanks for sending something in, it was a blast! the movies were so good ugh thanks for making me appreciate them again or for the first time <33

#tiana 🧸#maybe my most seen customer?#definitely one of my favs <3 #café lounge #wildcard wine 🍷#blueberry bingo 🫐#cyma #sam 🏔#jas 🥀#em 🎭#mely 💐#katie 🌗#nat 🪐#inbox

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stxrshxpxd · 3 years ago

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dating 90s brett would include

<3 ok i have this concept in my head specifically for brett that sounds so silly but it makes me weep. just being with them when they’re doing a small intimate kind of acoustic gig (kind of like this one) and just watching brett from the little backstage area or just from the side. watching him interact with the fans and make little jokes in between songs. and he’d look over at you occasionally and crack a little smile. my heart is crying ok.

<3 little getaways over weekends to small coastal towns or the countryside. literally ~~~long walks on the beach~~~ lmao but seriously that would be magical. going to cafes and small restaurants and cute bookshops and record stores!!!!

<3 omg record shopping. browsing through an almost empty shop and glancing over at each other on occasion, or excitedly calling on each other when you find a good record. “shut up” brett would mutter and scurry over to you when you’d show him one he’s been wanting forever. he’d mindlessly snake an arm around your waist when he’d make it over to you and he’d start examining the record in detail, and youd watch his cute excited face

<3 also sneaking away while on tour and not telling anyone would be a favourite activity of yours for sure. just disappearing for a few hours and exploring whatever city you’re currently in. and brett would most definitely always end up being late for soundcheck lol

<3 a quiet evening at home curled up on the sofa with cups of tea and probably a quite shit tv show on, but it would be wonderful cause you would have barely seen each other for weeks.

<3 but also. getting absolutely hammered together at the local bar, where you know everyone and everyone knows you. i feel like early on in the relationship, in the eeaaarly 90s, you’d get drunk together like every other night in pubs and clubs. that might even be how you start dating. you’d be inseparable partners in crime at parties and pub-nights, and then one drunken night brett would probably finally snap and kiss you outside some bar at like 4 am. (bye i kinda wanna write this as a fic) !!!!!

<3 waking up on brett’s hot chest the morning after a night out, both hungover and exhausted. his sleepy voice in your ear as he mumbles something and hugs you closer into him. i would actually kill for this.

<3 playing with his hair as he lays with his head on your lap, lightly strumming a guitar

<3 lots of teasing and inside jokes. and play fights. that fucking smirk of his and a little wink as he fires a witty comeback at you.

<3 ok but hhnnnggbczxx his body. ummm kissing down his naked torso in the morning as the sunlight paints his skin golden and warm. and looking up to see his eyes are closed and his lips smiling lightly. teasing him with slow wet kisses on his lower stomach. “you’re so good at that” he mumbles under his breath and he smiles wider

<3 just in general so much praise during sex. “you feel so good” “oh you’re beautiful” “i love it when you say my name” “so wet for me hmm” he whispers in your ear as he shoves his hands into your pants

<3 okay ummMmmMM im gonna die so let’s talk fluff again instead UUH hand holding :’))) pda :’))) innocent kisses on street corners and intertwining fingers :’’))) ahhhhh :’((

#taking advantage of my brett phase!!!!#this one’s for my brett girlies ik you’ve been waiting for some content 😩#90s #britpop #suede #brett anderson #bc #headcanons #brett anderson x reader #smut #fluff

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erisdiamas · 10 months ago

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She stared out the sleepy boy with a fondness twinkling in her eyes.. giving him a gentle nudge on the back- “Goodnight, Steven.” Finally, the woman tore herself away from the house- taking a moment to drink in the beach again.. remembering thinking that this was gonna be the last time she was ever gonna step foot on these sands.. the princess couldn’t stop the grin that creeped in at the thought, it was rather selfish really.

Bloodied hands gripped tightly around the stirring wheel dripping down onto a seemingly matching white skirt or you would assume it to be.. oh yea, stockings included according to the red that drenched her bare legs- Eris was honestly not having a fun time and having a miscarriage actively on the run wasn’t like going to the Mardi Gras, for starssake, she looked like she was fresh out of.. what’d Earthlings call it? A thriller! She proceeded to slam her fist into the wheel, trying to refrain from allowing the emotions rising to manifest outside of her- “I can’t heal anymore! I can’t think and I have no one now.. I-I can’t do this alone, I can’t do this anymore..” The last time she truly felt safe, a sense of warmth, outside of the people that died.. there’s a few that are still breathing.. the few she left behind.. it was her final resort and yet..

The scene changed once more, the green haired man had his arm wrapped around the taller woman’s waist as they stared at a painting that look eerily like Eris.. in all her glory with a visible bump, tears streamed down her rosy cheeks looking at her lover as if she could poof in this very moment- teen mother wasn’t on her roster nor in the bingo cards for life yet she fell in love with the idea all the same- the idea to be cosmos better than her own mom.. defiantly against making the same mistakes and scaring them.. she kissed the man with a renowned passion as teens with hair matching their respective condiments gathered around to congratulate the pair.. except for Pepper, who stopped in the doorway to stare- a stare that made her forget the melancholy bliss that began to surround the room- Eris felt her throat close, her body tensing.. she didn’t have to say a word because she already knew the look of disgust.

“I dont understand why you wanna stay, why you still fight for them- we’re about to have it all, the family we dreamt about, why risk it for a war you shouldn’t have supported to begin with! Why do you trust her?! Does our child have to die for you to wake up?!” To say Relish was downright vexed was a severe understatement, the patients in their hut started to scurry away.. knowing how intense their arguments can be- Eris was on his tail, fiery in her eyes- “You think I don’t see the fact you hate her? Why would you stoop so low to the point of accusing her of being a threat to our children? You know how many kids we help out here- she wouldn’t do that if she didn’t care about our cause!” It was always like this after missions, it was always this very same point in every issue they have- it always comes back to Pepper.

Yet, there the former princess was in a stolen vehicle after watching her lover be dismembered merely a few hours prior.. one moment they were wrapped up in safety and then the man was gone.. she felt like she was missing a shard from her Gem at the thought of the man being gone from her life.. it reopened the painful ache of Greg and Pearl’s deaths.. the miscarriage.. it all was so much hurt in what appeared to be little time in Gem culture anyways.. if they were gone, she thought she might as well have been too.. her hands were bare but she could still see the bloodied gloves.. she set course for the familiar beach city.. slowly taking her foot off the breaks.. letting the car drive itself.

Then the TV lit on fire and light flooded the room once more, the familiar chirping of seagulls and the smell of the seaside resurfaced.

Welcome Home | @erisdiamas | Continued

Gem Steven was watching interaction, but it seemed muddled, confused... corrupted. He looked over in his absentminded petting over Eris' curls to see if there were any horns or extra eyes or anything out of the ordinary, but all he could see at the moment were her taunting bruises, all he could feel was the pain she had gone through, before the memories playing on the screen seemed to crackle like the feeling of pop rocks hitting your tongue with the accompanying sounds of rats gnawing at your brain. A bright flash of light came from the tv before it became so much stronger to the point of being blinding he had to shut his eyes. As the bright light faded. He opened one eye curiously and looked around to see Eris was no longer sleeping by his side, there was nothing around him, before the fussy sounds became so much more clearer as the conversation played out and the colors brightened enough to where he could see Eris as she was standing out on the balcony having a conversation with the young Classic Steven. He knew that he couldn't interact with her, these were just memories, he couldn't change anything, but that didn't mean he couldn't learn what had happened that night.

"I guess so... the weather's pretty fair on the beach this time of year... but I get the feeling that you're not just sitting on the porch to enjoy the night air..." Classic Steven replied, scratching behind his head. "Do you want to talk about things? It could help take some troubles of your mind."

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sadiestarlight · 2 months ago

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"Everybody dies alone" isn't true. I mean I probably will, but definitely not everyone.

#haha #touch starved #i legit have cried in my bed alone every night for the past month #i hope when i die i wake up in beach city #god i dont wanna make it to 33

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missyasf · 4 years ago

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Game Of Hearts

| 3 |

↳ Summary: Your life is in monotonous tones of grey, day in, day out. Nothing matters besides your sister, the only thing you remember is seeing fireworks before waking up to Tokyo abandoned . Soon enough you are properly introduced to the deadly Borderlands where you must fight for your life in Games to survive. When things can’t possibly get worse soon division arises and rivalries are made. No matter what though, you are constantly plagued by a blonde who, no matter how hard you try, just can’t seem to go too far without.

↳ Pairing: Chishiya/Reader

↳ Genre: Angst, smut, thriller

Word Count: 9.5k

Previous | Next

Trigger Warning: ⚠️ much like the manga/Netflix adaptation this will be a dark fic which includes mentions of prostitution, attempted murder, child ab*se, sexual harassment, heavy grief and attempted suic*de among other things. Additional warnings will be added for chapters when triggers are brought up. Please read with caution if these are triggers for you or just skip all together!

3rd Day Sojourn

“Looks like we got a smartass here don’t we?”

You felt torn on whether to intervene or not. Chishiya, was by no means a hero or a prince charming. You didn’t need to know him to know he was going to be the last person to save you out of good will. Not like you needed saving regardless but you couldn’t help but wonder what his motive was.

Chishiya still had that cold smirk on his face, as if extremely amused at the furious Niragi you had held him up by the jacket, even face to face he not once had a change in expression, as if he just genuinely didn’t care about whatever Niragi felt.

“Probably because I am smarter than you.” Chishiya lifted his chin a little a devious icy smile on his lips like he was getting a rise out of the way Niragi simmered and growled at him, his hands tightening around his jacket and you were briefly worried if Chishiya didn’t shut up that he was going to be beat into a pulp. No matter how smart he was, he couldn’t outwit his way from getting throat punched. Although...you wouldn’t deny a secret part of you would find that mildly funny. You also wanted to throat punch him on certain occasions.

“I believe that’s enough Niragi.” Everyone paused at the sight of someone new arriving, Ryu had gotten out of the pool to stand next to you and Hiroko as he whispered, “That’s number three, Kuzuryuu. He often keeps everyone in their place when Hatter isn’t around.”

Niragi stuck his tongue as he began to cackle, letting go of Chishiya. Breathing in relief you relaxed a little as everyone did the same. Just within a split second though you could hardly comprehend the sight of Niragi immediately decking Chishiya right across the jaw who was knocked off balance. People were already intervening as you stood there gaping. You didn’t think Niragi would actually punch him.

You had thought Chishiya’s expression would’ve changed but much to your disbelief it was as if he was even more settled into his resolve, grabbing his jaw as a viscous smile appeared on his lips, spitting out blood as he goaded, “So you agree then? Anyone with half a brain would be able to reply instead of resort to violence.”

Did this man really wanna die on his first day in the Beach?

Niragi was pulled away and back to his group with steam practically pouring out of his ears, attempting to get back to Chishiya before he was yanked back by perhaps the most physically intimidating man you had ever seen, “That’s number 2, Agni, the leader of the militant sect.” Hiroko clarified to you but it fell on deaf ears as you hurried over to Chishiya, now feeling immensely bad that regardless of his intentions he was hurt for what? Gloating? Was his ego truly that big, “God are you insane!?” You cried out in a whisper kneeling down, your maternal instincts on overdrive as you grabbed his face immediately checking for any bruising.

Chishiya almost like a cat that didn’t want to be touched pulled away from your grip unappreciative, “I don’t like annoying or stupid people.” He replied immediately, his eyes leering ungratefully, “And he was ruining a perfectly good day for me. If you think I’d care for someone like you then you’re more delusional then you look. Besides it’s just blood, it’ll go stop.”

Ouch.

You rolled your eyes at him deciding to not take his words to heart though a tiny part of you wondered if he only said that due to the conversation you both had last night. Or maybe he just really didn’t care. Regardless it didn’t matter, “He had a fucking rifle!” You whispered angrily, “I get it, we aren’t best friends but I don’t wanna see you get shot you asshole.”

“We aren’t friends at all,” Chishiya replied coolly, his eyes analytical and calculating, his gaze like ice that glared you down as if you were his new target for a reason unknown, “We aren’t even acquaintances. We’re just strangers and I’d prefer to keep it that way. I don’t need your concern or care, so stay out of my way.”

You felt thoroughly indignant at his words as you clenched your jaw, “You know what? I doubt you’ve ever had anyone care for you and I can see why. I hope he hits you harder next time you jerk.” This man drove you utterly insane! And you couldn’t even understand why. Chishiya was so cold and for no reason…!

Walking back to your pool chair you snatched your shorts, “Y/n…! Y/n! Are you okay!?” Nanami hurried to your side, you had forgotten all about your sister being in full range of the horror show she had just finished watching between you and Niragi. Probably too scared to try and intervene and you didn’t blame her. Had it been anyone else besides your sister in your shoes you would’ve kept to yourself as well.

“I’m fine, I’d say you should check on Chishiya but apparently he doesn’t need anybody!” You flailed your arms before plopping down on the seat still mad, “What a…! A…! Pathetic, bitter way to live! He’s so conceited!” You curled your fists as you pulled your shorts up before buttoning them as you grabbed your sheer cover up jacket.

Nanami frowned as she grabbed her hands, “Well…” You whipped around in anger, silently staring at her, just daring her to try and come up with some excuse for this guy. Nanami, was a soft hearted person, she never wanted to judge a book by it’s cover and always gave the benefit of the doubt. You admired that about her, but you sometimes wished she was a bit more….realistic with people, “I’m sure he’ll come around.” She decided to not pursue her original words as she offered a weak smile.

“You can deal with that if you want, but I’m done with him. Anytime I try to be relatively nice, I just get spit in the face.” Huffing you crossed your arms, “I’m going on a walk.” And true to your words you did, you needed to be by yourself for a while to clear your head after what had all transpired just minutes ago.

“Originally I helped run a ranch but I wanted to see all the sights so I moved out of my pops and came here to the city!” The music was loud in here and so many people were dancing, makeshift stripper poles had been made and honestly. You understood the Beach was supposed to be an escape, but that didn’t make it a bit of a pathetic sight to see people attempting to swing around and accidentally break it. Multiple times.

You were currently sat at the table with Akari, Hiroko and Ryu everyone having a fairly good time and the longer you talked to Hiroko the less intimidating she became, “I don’t really remember much to be honest,” Akari scratched her head as she hummed, “Just that after I finished putting groceries up I saw fireworks out of my window.”

You straightened up in curiosity, you had seen the same thing! “Yeah we all did,” You slumped at Ryu’s words as he frowned, “Nobody can remember anything after seeing them except waking up here in the Borderlands.”

“What were you guys before this…?” You asked, not wanting to linger for long on just where you were, in a city that was a replica of Tokyo with only a handful of what? A hundred people, maybe a little more? You didn’t have the mindset right now to even try and grasp what was going on or what had happened.

“I was a lawyer,” Hiroko answered first, her expression clearly proud and you’d imagine why, this meant she was older than you! “I did quite a bit of traveling around and dabbled in attorney work for awhile...That’s what my dad wanted me to go in as,” She rolled her eyes, “But I found I’m better at building a case.”

Somehow...you weren’t surprised, you smiled regardless wrapping your arms around yourself, the more you talked to them the more comfortable you began to feel, “One morning I was late to getting to the courthouse and this idiot ended up spilling coffee on me,” Hiroko’s words may have been harsh but she looked Ryu with the softest expression you had ever seen her wear.

Obvious fondness in her eyes, “It was by chance he did that I like to think it was by fate I ended up meeting him again except he was behind the counter at the coffeeshop I always went too.”

Ryu’s cheeks dusted pink as he gave an awkward smile, “I worked evening shifts but got switched over to mornings, best decision I ever made! I’m currently in my last year of college for being an art curator!”

“A cure what now?” Akari cocked her head to the side and for some reason the three of you busted out laughing at her as she parted her lips, “Hey don’t laugh! I’m being serious! Is that some kind of professional coffee maker?”

You closed your eyes giggling as you shook your head, “What about you Y/n? What were you before all of this?” You paused for a second at Hiroko’s question as the table quieted down, suddenly your memory swiped back to the night of the fireworks. What happened at work, how you were supposed to go to class the next day. How your night ended early.

“Ah…” You rubbed the back of your neck as you sheepishly smiled, unsure of where to even begin. It wasn’t that...you were ashamed of your work you just- felt often misunderstood by people. Anytime you said you were a sex worker you either recieved wild looks and suddenly you were treated lowly or people- men in particular would begin to send you uncomfortable innuendo’s.

“Ah…! Y/n!” You straightened up at the muffled screech that sounded like your sister as your eyes shot around the room only to find Nanami fumbling towards you with a whine, suddenly hiding behind you as you frowned standing up, “Good! Good! I’m glad you’re here!” She chuckled nervously as your expression contorted.

“Where is that bitch!?”

Oh...why did this seem vaguely familiar, “What did you do?” You hissed as you turned to Nanami as she rubbed her neck sheepishly only for you to whirl back around again at the sight of a raging woman, the most notable feature her breasts nearly spilling from her loose bikini top as she pointed an accusing finger at your sister, “Why don’t you stop being a slut trying to get with MY boyfriend and take it up with me!”

“Nanami!” You hissed as she cowered behind you, her lips tugging into a pout as she poked both her pointer fingers together with a frown. You had an obligation as a big sister to at least try to defend her before feeding her to the wolves, “Maybe you should give that energy to your boyfriend...Wasn’t he the one supposed to stay loyal?” You raised your brows as you spoke.

You shrieked as you ducked down, a beer bottle flying above you as the girl raged on.

“That’s Kokona, resident miss possessive.” Hiroko leaned back in her seat as she sipped her drink, obviously this wasn’t too odd of a sight as she shrugged, “You might wanna run.”

You brows raised at her words only to see Kokona gathering three other men around as Hiroko snorted, “She’s got a whole pack of guys willing to do her bidding.”

“Y/n…!” Nanami whined, grabbing your arm as you watched the three men approach, you looked between Nanami and them as your lips parted in a half sincere apology.

“...Sorry Nami that's what happens when you try to sleep with someone's boyfriend!” You shoved past her as you heard her yelling at you as she split off on the other side of the room. People did nothing to effort to try and move out of your way as you shoved between them, ducking down as weaved through the crowd in hopes of attempting to lose them, you really didn’t want this to become a reputation for you and your sister.

Diving into a booth seat you felt the stares of two men as you offered an awkward smile, “Don’t mind me, I’m just trying to not get killed…” You offered a quirked smile as you grabbed the long island tea off the table, tipping it towards them as they all bubbled out cheers as you took a long sip, your eyes carefully watching over the crowd as you spot the one guy that must’ve been sent after you.

After all you weren’t the one that Kokona wanted to kill, it was a pretty common occurrence you had experienced except...at least the woman before wasn't psychotic enough to actually try to kill you. You supposed the Borderlands were different. Very different.

“Hey you should totally hang with us! We got your back babe.” You looked up at the dorky grin of the man you had sat next to your lying figure, which you were trying to use the table as coverage, “No extra cost needed beside a good laugh!”

You offered a weak smile, “I’m Y/n!” You introduced, endeared at the oddly innocent smile on his face as you awkwardly shifted, “My sister tried to sleep with someone's boyfriend and I somehow got dragged into it.”

“Kokona’s a mean one,” The guy across the table hiccuped as he lifted his glass, “I’d stay away from her if I were.” You lifted up onto your elbows as you glanced up at him, his eyes heavily dilated before you realized he had obviously been as high as a kite and drinking...No wonder they looked so out of it.

Watching the three men rally back together you quickly pressed back against the seats as you closed your eyes, “Yeah, I can tell...Is she like this with everyone....?” You grabbed the glass once more for another sip, needing something to take the edge off of this whole day. If your sister wasn’t so horny you wouldn’t be in this position right now!

“Nah, mainly girls.” The one beside you waved a hand, “She’s pretty cool otherwise, a little ruthless though. She gloats about her speciality being hearts a lot so she thinks it makes her automatically superior since most of us are spades or clubs players.”

Sitting up a little you tilted your head in confusion, holding the drink you now claimed as yours as you drank it once more, “Specialty? Are venues specified towards…? What? A certain type of suit?”

“No! No! Nothing like that, specialty just means what you naturally have a knack for! All games are still random at each venue,” The guy beside you sloshed his drink, obviously semi drunk himself as he explained, “That's why Hatter sends a team of four or three where each person has a specialty in each suit- except there isn’t a lot of hearts player, because we haven’t really encountered any…”

Jiggling your drink you looked down at the ice that was slowly melting as you hummed, “Okay that makes sense.” You nodded remembering Hatter mentioning this was well, it would only be natural that the longer you survived you’d have a preference for a suit.

“Hey aren’t you new?” The guy across the table pointed a sluggish finger at you, “Shouldn’t you be a little more...freaked out…?”

You offered a weak smile as you glanced away, “Oftentimes in traumatic situations hysteria doesn’t always hit first, it’s likely that my psyche is still in shock and hasn’t fully processed what I’ve seen the past day…” The guy across the table squinted his eyes as he nodded with his lips parted as if in awe at your words, “It’s a mental thing,” You waved at your head, “To try and keep the psychological state of my mind in one piece.”

You wouldn’t deny, there was a certain part of you that felt numb to everything and a smaller part of yourself wondered how you could intake all this information without going hysterical. But...the way you saw it was if this was your reality now, there was nothing you could do to change it. It was better you just got as much information as you could and try your best to adapt if you were going to live on.

Glancing out over the crowd you noticed the men had disappeared once again as you offered both the guys a smile, “Thanks for letting me stay! But I’d better get going.” You gave a small nod, getting up as you held the glass, looking down at it as you frowned...You really hoped this wasn’t laced with anything or else it was going to be a very long night.

Pushing through the crowd you couldn’t find Nanami anywhere but you did spot the girl you had sent three guys after you both like a fucking dog. Squeezing the glass you took a long drink as you approached her, “Kokona,” You called out with a smile as you waved, her eyes sharp as she immediately glared you down, “Listen…” You approached her with an easy smile, “I’m not here to make enemies, my sister is young and she probably didn’t realize it was your boyfriend…But like I said, you don’t really want a guy like that around…”

“Listen here you walmart knock off barbie,” Kokona pointed a sharp nail at you making your lips part a little in surprise at just how aggressive she was, “I don’t give a fuck. I don’t have the time or patience, here of all places. I’m sure you understand right?” She offered a gritty smile, “So tell that bitchy little sister of yours to stay out of my sight if she doesn’t want her hair ripped out.”

Pressing your tongue to your cheek you looked away for a second before down at your drink...Well, she asked for it.

You without a second thought held the drink up before splashing it all over her, “Say what you want about me I don’t give a fuck,” You stepped closer to her as you offered a gritty smile of your own, “But don’t ever say anything about my sister. I’m sure I’ll see you later.” You waved a hand as you turned around, walking back to the table where Akari, Ryu and Hiroko looked like they were all preparing to duck for cover at the show Kokona had put on for them unknowingly.

Setting the glass down at the table you collapsed in your chair as you whined, “Why are women so unfriendly here!?”

Hiroko snorted as she shrugged, obviously not bugged like you were about it, “In this world it’s either kill or be killed, a lot of people don’t have time for niceties anymore. You’ll get used to it. Besides, Kokona is just a bitch to everyone. Don’t take it so personal.” She shrugged, “While you and Nanami were getting chased down we were talking…”

You frowned as you looked up at all three of them as Akari smacked the table, “We should all go out for a game tonight! I know! I know, counterproductive especially with our visa’s stocked for the next few days but I think it’d be fun!”

“Fun!?” The three of them paused as you sat up in your seat, looking at them all like they were insane because they obviously had to be, “Fun!?” You repeated again with even more emphasis, “Guys…! You- you could die!”

“We could die just trying to breath here,” Hiroko scoffed as she shrugged, nonpulsed at your reaction as she picked her nails, ‘Besides you don’t have to go, I get it. We were all like this when we were new too. But I figured we’d make a good team logically. My speciality is diamond, Ryu’s is clubs and we just found out Akari is spades. And we have you, our wild card to figure out what you’re good at. It’s unlikely we’d die. By statistics at least.”

You rubbed your neck, feeling a little more at ease with Hiroko’s rationality as you mumbled, “Well what about Nanami…?” Your eyes washed over the crowd, finally spotting your sister against the wall sipping something trying to act like there weren't three guys after her.

“I doubt you’d want her to go?” Hiroko raised her brows, “Besides she still has three days left on her visa, she’ll be fine. Again, I’m not gonna pressure you into going, if all you’re gonna do is panic you probably will get lynched.”

Her words made you puff your chest a little as you looked back to Nanami before back to the table, well...if they all had a strong suit then why not? “Alright, I’m in!” Who knows when you’d get the opportunity again to get more days on your visa in a considerably safe group.

“I get it you’re like a walking model but seriously?” Hiroko leaned against the bathroom wall as she sighed picking at her nails, “You weren’t even in a full bikini.”

“This has nothing to do with vanity and everything to do with comfort!” You called back, pulling up the loose sweatpants, “I’m not going to possibly go into a game that makes me run while wearing swimwear, I don’t hate myself that much!” You pulled the loose t-shirt over your head before pulling out the maroon jacket as you walked out, stuffing your swim attire in the bag. You had been at the venue for the past five minutes now, having not crossed the threshold but you still have time before it closed.

“How many people have showed up?” You asked as you stood next to Hiroko who dropped her hand as she looked at you rolling her eyes as she sighed, standing up as you both walked to where Akari and Ryu were discussing the possibilities of what the game would be tonight.

“Eh, like four? Maybe? I think that guy you know is in there.” Hiroko shrugged casually, “Looks like a good setup for a spades game, they typically have a bigger group number.”

“What?” Your brows furrowed, what guy? Your mind drew a blank briefly as Ryu stretched out with a nod.

“Well if we’re all ready to go then let's head inside it’s almost six.” Ryu nodded once more as everyone followed behind him, you tossed your bag against the wall, it’s not like you had to be worried about anyone stealing in this climate. Your heartbeat picked up as you crossed the threshold.

Noticing indeed four other people here before your lips parted and your face screwed into irritation, “Really!?” You muttered under your breath, immediately turning away from the familiar white hood as you stubbornly crossed your arms, “Hiroko why didn’t you say it was him!?” You hissed a whisper to her.

Hiroko looked between you and Chishiya who was on his phone, earbuds in and ignoring the outside world before she tried to hold a laugh, “Did you two fuck or something?” You immediately flailed at her words making both her and Akari start laughing at both your misery and anger as you glared at her in unappreciation.

“You think i’d fuck someone like him!?” You hissed out, “No, he's a total jerk! I…! Why can’t I go anywhere without him showing up!” You groaned as you crossed your arms, “Whatever, maybe he’ll get his guts ripped out tonight.”

“Ouch, that’s a little harsh.” Ryu frowned, innocent as ever as he held his hands together, before offering a cute smile, “I’m sure he’ll come around, we’re all a part of the beach after all.” You sourly crossed your arms as you looked at the clock, striking six just in time for you to get tonight started with whatever death trap awaited.”

Somehow, you doubt Chishiya held any loyalty to any of you at all just because you all slept in the same hotel…

The TV on the wall lit up as everyone's attention turned to it, obviously nobody was new here tonight as no one spoke to each other.

Game

Difficulty: 3♡

“A heart's game?” Ryu mumbled, his brows furrowed as he looked between you all as you gave a little shrug, your face twisted in concern as you wrapped your arms around yourself, “Well at least it’s a low difficulty! I’m sure it won’t be too hard to solve!”

“The game you will be participating in is Blind Man's Bluff. Everyone will be required to wear a blindfold for one minute where the tagger will pass their tag off,” The screen depicted a faceless man passing quite literally a name tag off to one sitting down “Tags pertain to who is a player and who is the tagger. You will have twenty minutes to complete the game. It’s a Game ‘Clear’ if the tagger is discovered before the end of the last round, it’s a Game Over for the players if the tagger remains undiscovered.”

Rules:

After each tagging sequence players will remain seated to take off their blindfold and find out if they have been selected as the tagger.

Blindfolds must be worn and kept on for the whole minute during the tagging sequence or it’s a Game Over.

Violence against other players is strictly prohibited and will result in a Game Over.

Players must remain seated for the whole time period of the tagging sequence or it’s a Game Over.

Game Clear conditions: If the players find out who the tagger is before the time runs out or it’s a Game Over for all players.

Tension had risen in the air a little as you felt your throat become dry, everyone immediately looked at each other somewhat suspiciously as the doors opened to the school gym, it was dark and empty outside of eleven chairs lined in a circle, all backs facing each other.

“It could be worse.” Hiroko whispered to you as everyone grabbed a blindfold off the table that stood off in the distance, “As long as we just keep passing the tagger off to someone else we should be fine.”

“Unless one of us gets picked by the end?” You quirked a brow as you rubbed the back of your neck, chances of that happening was one in ten but still, “I don’t like those odds Hiroko.”

Hiroko only snorted as you both walked up, grabbing a blindfold as your eyes darted to the tags that laid out. Your brows furrowed at the stuffed bear with a blindfold on, his name tag ‘Rikku’ that took up his whole stomach, grabbing a tag as you turned back to face Hiroko.

“All we have to do is get a confession out of the tagger, it can’t be that hard.” Hiroko shrugged as she grabbed her blindfold as you puffed a breath of air, you hadn’t known her for long and despite knowing she was a lawyer before all of this...it was just still hard to imagine unless she was pressuring. Not exactly your method of going about stuff like this.

Walking to a chair towards the left side of the room you sat down, crossing your legs as you looked up at the two clocks, one at twenty minutes that began ticking away and another holding at one minute.

Looking towards your left your gaze immediately snapped back forward as your lips curled a little at the insufferable sight of blonde hair who made no effort to try and speak to you.

Was he just sitting here purposely to annoy you? Because if you got tagger you would most definitely put it on him next.

“The one minute for the tagging sequence getting ready to begin, blindfolds on.”

Putting on your blindfold you tied it in a loose knot as you relaxed back into your chair, not being the tagger was perhaps the boring part of this game, the whole minute passed by and you briefly felt something press against your blindfold before it left.

“Blinds off. Ten second cool down starts now.” Taking off your blindfold you flipped it over only to find the tag player stuck on it, attached magnetically as you pulled it off, proceeding to wait the ten seconds before the scoreboard went off and everyone stood up.

“Maybe we should start easy and just show who has a name tag?” Ryu coughed a little as he scuffed his shoe against the ground, rubbing his neck as he frowned, everyone, as if it was possible, became all the more tense.

You looked around at all the blindfolds that were being held, “I don’t think that will work, we've most likely all been provided a nametag, the only odd man out is the one with tagger. But they’ve most likely hidden it. All we can do is just take a guess of who it could be.”

Nobody spoke for a moment making Hiroko heave a sigh as she cracked her neck, “Alright I’ll do it, I’m used to this in court. What about you!” She suddenly pointed to a shorter girl who had been fiddling with her skirt, suddenly jumping at the accusation.

“What!? I’m- I’m not the tagger!” She squeaked out, nervousness suddenly on her expression and many of the wolves of the group were definitely preying on her right now as Hiroko puffed a breath crossing her arms.

“Then why do you look so nervous?” She raised an accusing brow, making you shift in your spot, crossing your arms, you couldn’t agree with Hiroko’s approach to this that was just stoking fire to an already stressful atmosphere where everyone was quickly beginning to pin the blame on each other.

You could only stand there and watch as everyone began to argue as you pinched the bridge of your nose, “We’re never gonna get anything solved if we go about it like this.” You muttered to yourself as you sighed.

“If you’re that confident in doing better then you should assert yourself more.”

You turned to Chishiya who was also standing not quite close enough for you to say he was next to you, but close enough. Your eyes squinted into a glare as you spoke, “Right and how do I know you’re not the tagger?”

“Because I would’ve tagged you next if I was.” Chishiya shrugged casually making you clench your fists as you let out a noise of irritation, you hated that…! Annoying smirk of his! Despite not knowing him for long you could get the idea he obviously got off on annoying you and it only fueled your irritation that much more.

“The feelings are mutual, stranger.” You hissed as you crossed your arms, “And I’ll have you know I am not going to insert myself into...that!” You waved your hand at the sight of two of the men now shouting at each other, the taller one immediately grabbing the other by the shirt, “Because at that point you’ll just be accused with any sort of logic.”

You puffed a breath as you wrapped your jacket around yourself, “And besides, this chaos is a great scapegoat for the real tagger to just sit back and watch everyone pick each other off-” You paused as you turned to Chishiya as you silently berated yourself, why were you even rambling to this guy!? He was a total jerk and you were not about to let go of this morning where you were only trying to help, “Why are you even talking to me? Didn’t you want us to...what? Stay strangers?”

“I’m...not talking to you?” He raised his brows, his lips quirking into an infuriating half smile as if he had a point making your lips pucker together and your jaw clench in effort to try and keep your obvious anger to a minimum, “It’s not my fault you won’t shut up.” He had the audacity to shrug.

You couldn’t help but stomp your foot as you glared at him, “You know what!? I get the feeling if you didn’t care you would’ve gone and sulked in the corner the whole game. In fact, I bet you like listening to me ramble. After all the whole day and a half I’ve known you that's all you do other than instigate unnecessary fights!”

Chishiya’s gaze narrowed a little and you watched his body coil a little away from you at your words, “In what world would you think I care to listen to you?” His lips twitched into cruel smirk as he spoke, “Besides your irrational anger and blabbering, you don’t have an ounce of sense or logic in your body. You're probably best suited for hearts because all you do is spill emotion.”

“That is not what hearts are about!” You retaliated as you threw your hands even more frustrated, “Why are you so defensive the moment I say anything in relation to you possibly not being some emotionless humanoid!? I get it,” You flailed your arms as you spoke louder, “I was a total dick for comparing you to a sociopath! Okay? I can admit that, and usually I can understand where people are coming from but- but you!? I genuinely don’t get you! At all! One moment you wanna pretend like everything's cool between us and then the next you wanna act like a total asshole! And that’s not cool!”

Chishiya had looked away from you heaving a loud sigh making you stomp your foot again, here you were exerting all of your emotion into him and he really…!

Your fists curling only to realize just how silent it was...you turned to look at the crowd of people who all had stopped fighting and...Oh...you felt your face become hot as you wrapped your arms around yourself in embarrassment...Were you really that loud…

“If you and your boyfriend are done arguing we have more important things to solve!” A man pointed a finger at you with a hiss making you curl away, your ears burning at his words as you snapped back, “He is not my boyfriend! Besides you aren’t getting anything done just yelling at each other,” You turned away from Chishiya now unable to even look him in the eyes at the moment, “The real question is who has been silent up until now? The tagger would obviously sit back and watch because why would they insert themselves when you’re doing a great job at killing time.”

“The one minute for the tagging sequence getting ready to begin, blindfolds on.”

Clenching your jaw you sat in your chair as everyone proceeded to do the same, it was now silent as you put on your blindfold, now angry and not even at the game. You wasted your whole time, not even arguing with Chishiya which somehow made you feel even more angry.

It was like talking to a wall.

Crossing your legs you curled up against yourself, mad just...Why were you even mad? You shouldn’t be letting someone like this get under your skin. You briefly wondered why it bothered you so much. Come to think of it, you supposed it was for the exact reason you said.

Chishiya, puzzled you to no end and you had never experienced that with someone, ever. You couldn’t figure out what he was thinking nor find an understanding as to why he was so back and forth with you. Maybe it was your misinterpretation? But...You shook your head a little despite your gaze darkened from the blindfold, it wasn’t that.

It was obvious, for whatever reason, he was holding himself back, From what? You didn’t know, but for now…

“Blinds off. Ten second cool down starts now.”

Pulling off your blindfold you looked at it, the same tag remaining of Player on it. You needed to focus on finding out who the tagger was, really this was like a game of hot potato, chances of the tagger getting killed was just as high as all the players dying, and who would want to take that chance?

Maybe some, you stood up after the scoreboard went off and the original clock resumed as you turned around facing everyone to judge their reactions, Hiroko and Ryu were the same and so was Akari to your knowledge. Your eyes briefly flickered to Chishiya who had remained seated, his hands in his pockets, he also...You doubted yourself briefly, you couldn’t rule him out.

“Who here wasn’t talking last round?” You asked, looking around at everyone, who obviously everyone immediately began speaking much to your frustration, you couldn’t expect someone to answer honestly which only meant...Puffing a breath, “Alright, how about this, let’s all trace a conversation with one person we talked too last round.”

...You’d just have to manipulate the tagger into confessing

First you’d need to trace who was absolutely not the tagger and narrow it from there, “I’ll go first as an example since everyone seemed to hear last round,” You looked away briefly, a somewhat awkward smile on your lips, “I was talking to Chishiya about why he’s such an asshole. You don’t need his confirmation given everyone saw it, but typically you’d need someone to vouch for you in order to confirm you were talking. Now to those that didn’t talk, it doesn’t make them guilty, just more suspect.”

“Me and Ryu were talking to each other about who the possible tagger was.” Hiroko spoke up, pulling a hand around Ryu’s waist who looked a little flush as he nodded, semi shy as you nodded yourself. That answer wasn’t too surprising.

“Well I was talkin’ to this fine gentleman here about how I wasn’t the tagger.” Akari waved a hand to the guy beside her, who still leered but nodded in confirmation which cleared the both of them. You had hoped...this would keep civil, but as everyone went around, there was bound to be some who just genuinely didn’t remember because they were arguing with everyone, and those who were lying…

Which meant by this deduction things were narrowed down, for most people the chance of being found out you were the tagger is too stressful to be worth possibly being the only one to live in the end, thus handing it off, which meant there was...what? One in third chance each round the tagger was someone new? There were a few people you had to suspect that could have held the tagger without giving it up.

The guy towards the middle who was very strangely calm during all of this with very empty looking eyes, and then there was the other man more towards you left who had been calmly de-escalating the situation but you didn’t miss the undertones of manipulation. It was one in third chance they could be holding it. Which meant you’d need to make sure they weren’t.

Walking over you stood more near Hiroko and Ryu as you watched two guys begin arguing again, “Every time I think we’ve made progress, it always ends up getting disturbed.”

“Well that is the way of the world.” You kept a straight expression at the man who offered a smile that looked so unnatural to his empty eyes, you couldn’t help but feel a bit creeped out at how...insanely calm he was. You could get a sense of tension from at least Chishiya, granted it was most likely from you.

“I’m Y/n,” You introduced, “Sense we should all be working together I figured it’d be best we at least learn each other's names.” You offered a sweet smile as you wrapped your jacket around yourself in effort to try and look unsuspecting.

“I see how much anger you have inside you know? It’s quite obvious, from the way you lash out at others when you don’t get the response you want to the way you feel entitled to everyone's feelings, that’s not good for your health you know?” Your lips parted a little at his words, not even offended because...while he was right in some ways...he was very wrong in others, “But I understand your nature is tedious and complex, for all we not the same way?” Okay...this guy was definitely a psychopath, “I’m Sunato Banda, pleased to meet you.” He offered another smile.

Empty eyes, disturbingly calm demeanor, even with your lives on the line he wasn’t disturbed at all, it wasn’t that he didn’t care. He just wasn’t affected, at all, like this could be a walk in the park for him.

Psychopath, definitely.

You’d need to be careful if tagger got in his possession otherwise he’d lie straight through his teeth and he’d never blink twice about it and you and everyone else would be unsuspecting about it.

“Well, us humans are very complex,” You nodded offering yet another smile making effort to look almost starstruck at his very poor deduction skills, again, somewhat correct, otherwise wrong. Afterall, how could someone who feels no remorse, truly understand the complexity of human nature? “Do you by any chance know who the tagger would be?”

You’d need to make yourself look weak, pliable, if you were to get any use out of this guy, all he knew was how to do was take advantage of people, obviously, Banda offered a sly smile as he looked out over the room, his eyes washing over everyone, “Him,” He pointed a finger, “He keeps adjusting his coat as if he has something placed in there that’s uncomfortable.”

You followed his line of sight to what looked like a business man in a suit and bowler hat, he did in fact, look quite nervous, “And why not call him out?” You asked, tilting your head exaggerated as you brimmed with curiosity.

Banda turned to face you, a bright smile on his face as he closed his eyes, “Well I personally hope he’ll tag me next, I quite enjoy seeing a large build up in bodies.”

..Oh...oh wow…

You gave a small nod, forcing a smile as you held yourself before excusing yourself from him, well, at least it definitely wasn’t him for now. Otherwise you’d be in trouble right now. And now you had a prime suspect. Some could overthink that and argue that perhaps he was lying just to get you off his trail. But personally? There was no way it’d be him, he wouldn’t do something like that. You got the feeling Banda, was a simple man.

You turned to find the two guys from before who were tussling suddenly growl, one throwing a punch and before he could even fully hit the guy a deep red laser broke through the ceiling, you were frozen for a half a second at the sight of it shooting through the top of his head. Everyone was quiet as they looked down at the sight of a now dead body.

Right...that was a rule, violence was prohibited.

“The one minute for the tagging sequence getting ready to begin, blindfolds on.”

You scurried back to your seat, sitting down as you pulled up your blindfold, “It’s that guy wearing the dumb bowler hat.” Your head looked towards you left despite not being able to see, Chishiya’s voice was quiet as he spoke, “While you were busy wasting time, I watched the real tagger- that school girl place it in his back pocket.”

“The tagger can do that during the round?” You whispered back perplexed at the idea, how could you have missed that? Unless...she placed it right as you approached Banda? Thus him seeing the man realize he had been tagged and now nervously adjusting himself?

“There aren't any rules stating otherwise, makes it fair game.” Chishiya replied, he immediately quieted at the sound of footsteps tapping on the floor, they were definitely on your side of the ring. Your breath hitched a little at feeling something press against your forehead. Oh shit before the sound of footsteps walked away.

“We just need to watch for him next round.” Chishiya spoke once more as you leaned back in your seat, trying to find a reason for why you just felt what you did.

“Blinds off. Ten second cool down starts now. Final round will be next round”

You hurriedly took yours off as you flipped it over looking down at it,

Tagger

Motherfucker.

You quickly grabbed it off, at first trying to push it into your pocket only to realize they were fake. God you hated women’s clothing, your eyes shot to the clock that only had five seconds left, with nowhere to put it you shoved it down your bra as you collected yourself. Okay you...you could make this work.

But now you were presented with a plethora of options. You honestly didn’t think it would be passed off to you. But now...you...you could keep it...You stood up as the scoreboard went off, but...Everyone else would die. Or...you could confess and you’d die. These options were not great. Next round was the last round, so if you gave it up...you’d be reassuring someone’s victory.

You stood next to Chishiya as his eyes kept with the man from before with the bowler hat, “He might have gotten it passed back to him.” His eyes narrowed a little onto the guy.

Do you find a way to discreetly tell him? Or would that also count as a confession…? It wouldn’t be a confession if you made yourself suspect. But...you couldn’t honestly trust Chishiya, not after his unstable display of distrust in you.

“He could be,” You replied, leaning in a little as you watched him, he appeared relieved once more, he was the one freaked out about this after all...you felt a brief wave of guilt inside you at what your mind had suddenly come up with.

With Chishiya’s suspect still on the man, all you needed to do was plant it back on him and pressure a confession out of him next round.

You were very much going to hell after this.

“He was the one that started accusing last round too and made someone die,” You hummed as you stuffed your hands in your pocket, “That guy also thought it was him. He’s definitely good at reading people,” You thought back to the way he tried to read you, which was somewhat accurate, but people like you and him, you couldn’t always accurately read each other. Except you weren’t insane like him, “At this point we don’t have much to lose.”

You could see the cogs turning in Chishiya’s head as he stared menacingly at the man who looked at him and jolted a little at such an intense stare, “If I were the tagger by this point,” You were treading on very thin ice at the moment, “I’d keep it just for myself, instead passing it off. He’s gone this far without anyone really pressuring him. It’d be the smartest move by now.”

“Then we’ll settle on him.” Chishiya replied, his gaze cold as he glared down at the man who mindlessly fixed his tie, trying to look cool despite being intimidated, clearly. He had a weak mentality, if you couldn’t break him next round, Chishiya most definitely would.

“The one minute for the tagging sequence getting ready to begin, blindfolds on.”

You supposed he was good for something even when you couldn’t trust him.

Sitting down in your chair you put your blindfold on and waited a second before taking it back off, standing back up as you carefully stepped as quietly as you could, pulling the Tagger out of your bra before you walked over to the man who had just tagged you before pressing it against his blindfold, you watched his lips quiver as he let out a quiet, “Please…!”

Your expression went cold as you turned around, glancing at the clock before you walked away and sat back down in your chair, putting your blindfold back on as you waited for the announcer once more.

“Blinds off. Ten second cool down starts now. Final round.”

You took the blindfold off, looking down feeling content at the Player tag as you stood up along with Chishiya who’s eyes went between you and the man before he pushed his hands back into his pockets, “If you’re all done pointing fingers and wasting time,” His gaze became a little more cool as he spoke, “Then we should go ahead and show who the real tagger is.”

Both you and Chishiya glanced at the man who was now looking insanely nervous, sweat dripping down his neck and if this wasn’t life or death, you would’ve felt a little bad...Some parts of you still did, but it was either all of you or just him.

“He does look pretty nervous.” Hiroko narrowed her eyes on him and from this moment forward you knew it was game over for him, quite literally. With all three of you there was no way he’d survive, crossing your arms you lifted your chin a little, “Say, weren’t you the one who got really defensive when the finger got pointed at you last round?”

“I’m…!” He flailed a little, wiping his brow with his hand as he suddenly pointed an accusing finger at you, “It’s her you want! She’s a manipulative bitch!” You pressed your hand against your chest in fake hurt as you raised your brows, “She’s the one pitting everyone against me when she’s really the tagger. She’s going to leave you all to die.”

The majority of eyes fled to you as you shrugged, “Why would I do that when I could just give it to you?” You gave a wickedly sweet smile as you giggled a little, “And watch it all go down. I mean, you must be agreeing now?” You raised your brows as you goaded, “About being the tagger?”

“I…!” He struggled with his words, now glaring at you as you raised your brows once more as you shook your head, “I…! Now you’re just doing this on purpose! Trying to get into everyone's head and make everyone die! Can’t- can’t you see what she’s doing!” He cried out as he backed away from everyone.

“I dunno’ you seem pretty guilty to me.” Akari shrugged as she poked her tongue into her cheek, not looking the least bit remorseful for the guy as she leaned her weight onto one side.

“I get it,” You shrugged as you laughed a little, “You’re probably that kinda guy who’s never really stood up for himself, you probably got bullied as a kid and let yourself get run over by people all the time, even now, and now in desperation you attempt to hold your own and yet...” You tilted your head with a frown as you mocked, “You still can’t do anything right. I guess that goes to show, that people like you just never have a spine. If you can’t assert yourself now with your life on the line, you might as well die now. Because let’s face it, people like you only end in two ways, either spineless pathetic existence or you become the abuser out of a sick need to regain what you lost as a kid.”

Reverse psychology, worked in the most simplistic ways.

That seemed to get him to snap, you watched his eyes dilate and pure unfurled rage cross his expression as he shrieked, “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You know nothing about my life! You know nothing about me! And because I’m the tagger I’ll get to watch all you pathetic people die! Who’s in control now!?”

It’s a shame he couldn’t take control of his life in any other circumstance.

Everyone paused and even he himself paused at the realization, his eyes welled with tears that made something deep in your heart lurch, your eyes squinting a little as your expression wilted a little as the red laser broke through the roof shooting him straight through the top of his head. His body crumpling to the ground.

‘Game Cleared’

Everyone was still for a moment before you looked down at the blindfold and then to your hands, the memory hazy yet the memory of red staining them still so clear as you felt ringing in your ears and your vision blur for a moment as you let the fabric slip through your fingers. Running a hand through your hair you wrapped your arms around your jacket as you walked past the body, briefly looking at the once timid man who obviously let others run his life.

“Sorry.” You whispered quietly as you stepped over the corpse, “Come on, let’s go. I don’t wanna stay around here.” You looked towards the other three who nodded, also looking semi apprehensive as well.

Now that the moment was over, the cruel reality was back to remind you that you just gaslit someone into admitting their own suicide. It was hard to not feel innately disgusted with yourself despite your reasoning that you and all of your friends would’ve died if you had. Still, what you did was okay. You were supposed to help people like him, not encourage them to snap.

If you didn’t feel conflicted before you certainly felt conflicted now, looking at the register you ignored the visa print as you grabbed the playing card off the table.

And as if mocking, this was only a three of hearts. You couldn’t imagine what higher level games looked like with this. You’d definitely need to be careful in the future, “Y/n! Come on, let’s go!” You looked behind at Hiroko nodding towards the exit.

“You guys go on, I’ll catch up later.” You looked down at the card again, Hiroko frowned at your figure, wanting to say something but she understood, the first few days of the Borderlands were never easy. With that, she left. Besides you needed to get changed before you headed for the beach again.

Walking out of the exit you grabbed your bag that was, just as you anticipated, still against the wall, leaning down you opened it up as you began digging through to try and find your bathing suit top. Stuffing the card inside you furrowed your brows, why did the electricity have to go out so soon?

“You could’ve kept the tagger and won but you didn’t. Why?”

You paused your search at the sound of Chishiya’s voice, sounding like he was- not interrogating you but definitely investigating. You resumed once more as you shrugged, “I could’ve.” You agreed, and it did cross your mind after all, “I thought about it,” You admitted right after as you pulled out the swimsuit top, “But maybe to some degree you were right,” You stood up as you turned to face him, “I am spilling emotion constantly. And if there was a chance I could’ve saved all of us in turn for one? It didn’t seem like that big of a reach to do really…” You looked away from him as you grabbed your neck, feeling a bit sheepish, “It was by chance you had spotted him before and it was by luck that I was given tagger for the last round. I knew all you needed was just mutual confirmation in your assessment before initiating the end.”

You sighed as you looked down at the elastic material in your hand as you frowned, “For what it’s worth, I would’ve probably done it to him regardless of whether he had been the tagger or not. It doesn’t take much to break the weakest link. That’s probably the saddest part to be honest.”

You grabbed your backpack off the ground as you looked up at Chishiya before back towards the entrance where others slowly began to filter out, “I doubt he even realized the trap I set him up for,” You smiled wryly as you shook your head, “People are so easy to mislead, I forget sometimes, the power that can hold.”

You turned around, intending to go change, “What were you before all of this?” You looked back at Chishiya, his gaze cool as ever and his eyes scanning over you as if in search for an answer that didn’t exist. Briefly your heart jumped in nervousness, did you dare tell the truth?

Laughing you let out a sigh what was the use in hiding in this world? There were no laws and honestly, who could judge you? “I was a prostitute.” You looked away, feeling somewhat bashful as you awkwardly rubbed your neck, you could tell that was not what Chishiya had been expecting you to say.

“Oh…!” Your lips parted suddenly feeling even more stupid at the realization that was not what he meant by his question, “You...You probably meant what I’m majoring in...sorry. Uh-” You gave him an apologetic smile that was more out of your sake of humiliation as assuming. Clearing your throat you turned back over your shoulder as you gave him one last look, holding up the three of hearts as you answered, “I’m a major in psychology ♡ ”

#alice in borderland #aib imagine #chishiya x reader #chishiya x reader smut #chishiya shuntaro #aib x reader

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fanfics4all · 4 years ago

Text

Not One Of You Anymore: Part 28

Request: Yes / No

Requests are closed <3 Have a nice day/night

John Murphy x Fem! Griffin!Reader

Word count: 2086

Warnings: Getting robbed I suppose?

Y/N: Your Name

Summary: You weren’t meant to be born but you were so when you were ten your mom and the Chancellor sent you to the ground as a test for the 100

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(Not my photo, credit to whoever made it!)

John and I packed some things and left to meet Jaha at the Dropship. John was determined to get us to the city of light. He wanted us to have a life without judgement. I was mostly curious to see if it’s real or just a rumor like everyone says it is. I thought about Lexa a lot during our trek. I understood why she left me in the mountain, but if she found out that I was weak and fell in love she would kill me.

“Sir, do you recognize anything?” One of the guys asked.

“The tent was near here. I’m sure of it.” Jaha answered and I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah right, it’s all just sand.” I mumbled and John sighed.

“What’s the matter? You guys got some place better to be?” John asked as he pulled me along.

“You have a point.” I sighed and he smirked. He stopped by Jaha and looked around.

“You see anyone?” He asked. Jaha walked towards the wagon.

“Bak op o ai na frag yu!” (Stay back or I’ll kill you!) A woman said and jumped up with a knife.

“We mean you no harm.” Jaha said and John held me behind him.

“Do you speak English?” Jaha asked.

“What do you want?” The girl asked.

“Nothing. It looks like you could use a hand. What are you doing out here along?” He asked and I looked around, something didn’t seem right.

“My brother and I were on our way to the City of Light… when Wastelanders attacked.” She said, removing her face mask.

“They took our horse. All our water, everything. They killed him. This cart is all I have left.” She answered.

“Give her some water.” Jaha said and John started taking his bag off.

“No, no, no. We barely have enough for ourselves here.” One of the men said.

“Touch me again and I’ll end you.” John threatened, but I held him back.

“I don’t trust her.” I whispered.

“You don’t trust anyone babe.” He said and pulled me along. John pulled his water bottle out and handed it to her.

“It’s okay.” He said and I kept my eyes narrowed at her. She took it and desperately drank it.

“We’re on our way to the City of Light as well. What’s your name?” Jaha asked and I looked at him with wide eyes.

“Emori.” She answered and I looked back at her.

“Everyone in the Dead Zone is looking for the City of Light. Almost no one finds it. I can get you there.” She said and that’s when I noticed her covered hand. She’s one of the freaks…

“If you pull my cart.” She added.

“Done.” Jaha said and I gripped John’s arm.

“We can’t trust her.” I whispered.

“Caspian, you’re on the first shift!” Jaha shouted.

“Then just trust me.” He whispered.

“Thanks for the water.” She said, handing the water back to him.

“It’s uh- It was no problem.” John said and I narrowed my eyes at her. All of us were walking through the Dead Zone, pulling Emori’s cart.

“So I gotta ask, what made you ditch your home and risk your life to cross the beach from hell?” John asked her. I was walking ahead of them because I didn’t want to be near her.

“It doesn’t matter.” She answered.

“Come on, take my mind off all the fun we’re having.” John said in his usual sarcastic tone, making me smirk slightly.

“It wasn’t my decision to leave.” She answered and I perked up slightly.

“Kicked out? Okay, now I’m interested. What did you do?” He asked.

“If I told you, you would not look at me the same.” She said.

“Maybe. Then again, I might surprise you.” He said and I glared slightly.

“What about you? How did you end up in the Dead Zone?” She asked him.

“I could tell you the gory details, but since you’re one of the few people on this planet who doesn’t hate me at the moment, I don’t think I wanna blow it.” He answered and I felt my heart break slightly.

“Now I’m interested.” She said with an obvious flirty tone.

“Okay, you really wanna know? I killed two people. Tried to kill two more. I had my reasons, but nobody cared. I’m the bad guy.” He said and I frowned.

“Told you I’d blow it.” He said after a moment. I looked back and saw she was showing him her hand. It was mutated.

“My people saw me as a stain in the bloodline, something to erase.

“Then screw them.” John said and I looked at him with a furrowed brow.

“I wouldn’t cover it up. I think it’s pretty badass.” He said and my eyes widened slightly.

“Ai don get in yu were won kom emo.” (I knew you were one of them.) I growled, walking up to them. Emori took out her knife and I took out one of my swords.

“Y/N! Stop!” John said and Emori’s eyes widened.

“Yu laik Heda’s ait meika?” (You’re the commander’s right hand?) she asked, still holding her knife to protect herself.

“Yu beda na stedaunon!” (You should be dead!) I growled and went to go attack her, but John stopped me.

“Calm down Y/N!” He said holding me close to him.

“Let me go John!” I growled.

“No, not until you tell me why the hell you’re attacking her.” He said.

“She’s one of those freaks! Heda said they die.” I said.

“You’re not with Lexa anymore. She left you to die, remember? She left you with Cage.” He said and I shuddered.

“Don’t you dare mention that name!” I said and shoved him away from me. I could feel tears well in my eyes as the memories that didn’t happen that long again resurfaced.

“Come here.” He said and pulled me to him, taking my sword from my hand and put it in its sheath.

“For Heda’s right hand, you’re weak.” Emori said and I glared at her.

“I’ll show you weak!” I shouted, just John pulled me back.

“She’s been through a lot recently.” He said and pulled me away.

“Don’t kill her, for me.” He said and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Why? So you can flirt with her more?” I spat.

“What? I wasn’t-”

“Save it.” I cut him off and walked off.

Now it was Jaha, John, Emori, and I pulling her damn cart. It was hot, and hard to pull the cart through the sand. I was still annoyed at John for flirting with her and then lying about it, so we weren’t speaking right now.

“Dei de’s far pleni!” (That’s far enough!) A man on a horse said, holding a large gun.

“Chancellor, look out!” The guards shouted and held their guns at the ready.

“Non gon mov!” (Nobody move!) He shouted.

“Hold your fire!” Jaha said and Emori grabbed John and held a knife to his throat.

“Wait!” John said as she pulled him along. I pulled my sword out and was ready to kill her and the asshole on the horse.

“Everybody, put your weapons and supplies in the cart and nobody gets hurt.” She said.

“Natrona! Heda was ait hashta bilaik kind!” (Traitor! The Commander was right about your kind!) I growled.

“En em looks like Heda was wrong hashta yu.” (And it looks like The Commander was wrong about you) She said with a smirk.

“If we give you our supplies, we’ll all die out here.” Jaha said.

“If you don’t you’ll die right here.” She said.

“Say the word and I’ll kill her before he could even think about pulling the trigger.” I growled.

“No, do as she says, now.” Jaha said. Everyone put their stuff in the cart but me.

“Dula op em don eni techin?” (Do they have any technology?) The man on the horse asked.

“Oso’ll dig au.” (We’ll find out.) She called back.

“How’s your faith holding up, Chancellor?” John asked.

“Shut up.” She said.

“Unwavering.” He answered.

“You don’t want to do this.” He said walking towards her and I rolled my eyes.

“Stop walking.” She said.

“We all came out here searching for a better life, same as you. Maybe we can find it, if we work together.” He said.

“She’s not to be trusted.” I growled.

“Shut up Y/N.” John said and I narrowed my eyes more.

“Thanks. But no.” She said.

“Emori, hos op!” (Emori, hurry up!) The man shouted.

“Now, Y/N put your stuff in the cart and everyone back away and get on your knees!” She shouted.

“Do as she says Y/N.” John said.

“Fine.” I growled and put my things in the cart and backed away with everyone else, also getting on my knees. She turned and put John on his knees as well.

“What a surprise, you’re just like everyone else.” He said. She whispered something in his ear and I glared at her.

“Good luck, John.” She said then knocked him out.

As soon as they left I rushed to John’s side. It was getting dark and we decided not to move until he woke up.

“John.” I whispered, trying to wake him once again.

“Come on John, we need to get going.” I whispered. John coughed and reached for his head.

“There, he’s up. It’s about time.” Caspian said.

“Quiet, Caspian.” Jaha said.

“Are you alright?” Jaha asked and I helped him stand up.

“If he’s not, we’re leaving him here. His little girlfriend too.” Caspian said and I glared at him.

“Say another word and I’ll kill you.” I growled.

“Easy Y/N, I’m okay.” He said.

“It’s time to go home.” Caspian said and Jaha looked at him.

“And where exactly is that?” He asked.

“Sir, I know you’re trying to take us to a better place, but look around. We’ve got no food, we’ve got no water, and no idea how to find it.” Caspian said.

“Due North.” John said and we looked at him confused.

“She said due North.” He added and I rolled my eyes.

“What is due North, John?” Jaha asked.

“She was talking about the City of Light.” He answered and I scoffed.

“Did she say that?” Caspian asked.

“No.” He answered.

“Doesn’t matter what she said, we can’t trust her!” I said.

“Did she say how far due North?” Jaha asked.

“No, she didn’t, but she wouldn’t be sending us there if we couldn’t make it.” He said.

“You honestly want to trust the bitch that just stole all our stuff?” I asked.

“Sir, I really hope you are not considering this.” Caspian said.

“John, we have no weapons and no rations. If we go North and you’re wrong, then all of us will die. If we turn back now, we live.” Jaha said.

“So that’s it? We’ve reached the point of no return? You wanna give up?” John asked.

“I didn’t say that.” Jaha said.

“You didn’t not say it either.” He said.

“That is the North Star.” Jaha said pointing up at the sky.

“After you.” He said and motioned for John to go first. John looked at me.

“You coming?” He asked and I sighed.

“You’re lucky I lo- I mean yeah.” I said and grabbed his arm, heading North. My cheeks were heating up as we walked away from the group.

“The rest of you need to decide for yourselves, but either way, we’ll come back for you when we find it.” Jaha said.

“Sir? This is a mistake! You’re not gonna find it! You’re not gonna make it!” Caspian shouted.

“So… What was that you were about to say?” John asked walking backwards in front of me with a smirk.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said, obviously playing dumb.

“Really? Because I think you were about to say the L word.” He said, his smirk growing.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to.” I said and he furrowed his brows.

“I believe this is what they call having faith, John.” Jaha said, catching up to us as we climbed the hill.

“Faith? Nah, we just have nothing better to do, right Y/N?” He asked me and I bit my lip.

“I suppose so.” I said and walked ahead of them. I can’t believe I almost told John I loved him! I could never say that to him, otherwise I would be weak and I will not be weak again.

Tag list: @theschuylersistersss @iamaunicorn4704 @riverdalehoeeeeeee @imaginehuntress @tiannawashere @teenwolfbitches2 @mockinghijack @genius2050 @hollandechart @somethingdawn @j-a-valls @moonstarsandsongs @rascal-20 @ginger-haired-queen @les-bio-lie @tashy-bear @ashwarren32 @hollie-blogs-blog1 @schisbro87 @lover-of-books-and-teas @nerdygaloresposts @teenwolfbitches2 @genius2050 @drw0301bieber @lady-of-lies @ravenmoore14 @ravenempress101 @cillianchamp @rowanthomasknapp @rachelxwayne @emo-godess-loves-you @now-imagine @bruisedfists-and-splitlips @vanessa-kom-skaikru

#The 100 #the 100 imagine #the 100 season 2 #john murphy #john murphy x reader #the 100 john murphy #john x fem!reader #john x reader #john x griffin!reader #john x fem!griffin!reader #john murphy x fem!reader #john murphy x griffin!reader #john murphy x fem!griffin!reader #clarke griffin x sister!reader #fanfic #not one of you anymore #part 28 #Emori

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shinsoukokuvalentine · 4 years ago

Text

What the Water Gave Us

Hi all! Time for a fic! This one was part of a zine and can also be found on Ao3. Warning for graphic depictions of violence.

The screaming. The screaming wakes him, shrill and agonized.

Ryuunosuke’s eyes shoot open, and in one swift motion, he jerks upright in bed and tosses his thin sheet to the side, chest shaking as if he had just experienced a nightmare.

But the nightmare’s claws remain deep in his mind, for he can still hear the screaming. It cries out again, very real and very loud, echoing from the cove. It almost seems to call to him, and shivers travel down Ryuu’s spine every time it splits the night. He’s never heard someone scream like that.

Swiftly reaching into his nearby chest, Ryuu grabs his clothes before even making it completely out of bed. He rushes through his motions, the screams piercing his ears, hurrying him as he throws on his trousers and boots.

The bright moon guides his path. He runs out the door of the mill, plain and modest, leaning a bit in its old age. He runs down the trail, through the thick pine forest, nightingales ceasing their calls in fright as he darts past their trees. He runs, and the screams grow louder, drawing him closer.

He reaches the cove as his heart, pounding in his ears, nearly drowns out those screams. Squinting, he looks down to the small, rocky beach, encircled by high cliffs. With the moon’s aid, he can barely see a figure writhing in the sand.

Ryuu wastes no time in running down the stairs carved into the cliffside. The screams compel him, even in their wild dissonance, begging for him, pleading for him.

Soon Ryuu can only see the figure. He has eyes for nothing else, charging straight towards the hurting man, the glass-shattering cries. He feels ready to give his life for-!

He stops. The illusion breaks as the man’s struggles slow and his screams die down. His voice quiets, dropping the spell, trading his cries for dry rasps and gurgles as he coughs up blood.

And Ryuu’s once-enraptured gaze quickly becomes one of pure malice.

“You,” he snarls.

The siren stares up at him with its mouth hanging open and its body convulsing. Ryuu instantly sees the source of its pain: a harpoon embedded deep in its side, fresh blood still flowing from the wound, turning the sand dark and wet beneath it. The siren’s scaled tail lashes, glittering like hundreds of opals, and its wide eyes stay fixated on Ryuu, deep purple and vibrant gold. It gasps for air. Ryuu scowls.

“You picked the wrong man to come to your rescue,” he snaps. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t wait here and watch you die.”

The siren only stares, twitches. It whimpers, possibly the only noise it can make, a far cry from its seductive song or its calls for aid. Ryuu scoffs.

“You’re pathetic,” he says. “Your song has haunted my dreams for months, and this is how you choose to show your face again?”

Its wide eyes reflect the moon, its choppy hair shines in the silver light. And it stares. It wheezes, it trembles, blood drips out of the corner of its pink lips, and it stares.

With a growl, Ryuu reaches down, scooping the monster into his arms in one motion.

“I swore to kill you, siren,” he snaps. “Not some fool with a harpoon.”

The siren’s eyes close as Ryuu carries it home, harpoon and all, holding it close even as its blood begins to stain his clothes. Its tail drags on the ground as he walks.

When they first met, Atsushi hadn’t eaten a human in moons.

His stomach growled as he stared up at the ship from the ocean floor. The bland taste of the fish in his hands still lingered on his tongue, its blood dissipating into the water around him, its dull scent unappealing even in his hunger.

Flashing lights to his right drew his eye, and floating there, Dazai raised one eyebrow.

“If you hate it that much, why keep eating it?” He asked, the bioluminescent stripes along his tail lighting up in patterns so he could “speak” underwater. Atsushi’s shoulders sagged a small bit, relaxing at the familiar presence, sinking deeper in shame.

“Because I don’t have to promise it anything to catch it,” he flashed back, dim lights flickering among his scales, an aquatic equivalent to mumbling. “Have you ever considered how bad that sounds? Seducing someone just to kill and eat them?”

Dazai, ignoring him, swam closer. His dark hair flowed around his face as he moved past Atsushi, and he looked at the ship above with growing hunger in his eyes, his scales lighting up to say, “I wonder how many humans it holds.”

Atsushi shrugged, continuing to nibble on his fish. It tasted like coral and sand ground into a paste.

“Wanna look with me?”

Dazai’s lights drew Atsushi’s attention once again. He stared at him, at the eager but cunning glint in his smirk, the way his tail wagged slightly. And Atsushi sighed, the gills on his neck ruffling.

“Just one look,” he flashed back. Dazai grinned and darted upwards, with Atsushi following in his wake. He left his half-eaten fish behind.

Their heads only barely broke the surface. The ship’s hull creaked as they looked up from its side, careful to stay in the shadow cast by the sails. Dazai’s eyes immediately resembled angelfish; large, bright, and flashing like diamonds.

“Atsushi,” he whispered, staring straight at the ship. “Those flags.”

Following his gaze, Atsushi saw them too; black flags, marked with a skull and crossbones.

“Pirates,” he breathed. Dazai nodded, but his following smile almost appeared giddy.

“Do you know what this means, Atsushi?”

Atsushi only stared forward. He watched the men on the ship, those he could see, scrambling back and forth like rats. Even with sea salt filling the air, he could still catch their scent when he opened his mouth.

“With the pirates around, less ships have been coming to the island,” Dazai said. Atsushi could see him from the corner of his eye, looking back and forth between him and the ship. “Less ships, less humans, less food.”

Atsushi closed his mouth when it began to water. Despite the fish in his stomach, it still growled when he began to imagine biting into a human again, its blood dripping down his chin, its bones crunching in his jaws.

He clenched his fists as if that could silence those thoughts.

“We wreck this ship,” Dazai murmured, “the humans - the food - will come back.”

Atsushi shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He could still smell them.

“We don’t have to eat humans,” he stammered. His body quaked when he heard Dazai’s low chuckle.

“Oh, but Atsushi,” he said, “you really want to.”

Atsushi’s eyes snapped open, his gaze whipped upwards to the ship again, and he breathed in their scent. His stomach growled again, louder.

“When was the last time you used your song?” Dazai asked. Sympathy oozed from his words as he cooed, “When was the last time you tasted human meat?”

Atsushi said nothing, eyes darting from man to man, as if tearing his gaze away from one would make him less hungry for the next.

“Why fight your instincts?”

Suddenly Atsushi’s eyes stopped. They stared, fixated on one man, unwavering. The man stared back.

He looked over the prow of the ship at the sirens. His mouth hung open, his white shirt billowed in the wind like sails. His gray eyes, like storms over the ocean, bored into Atsushi while his black hair danced around his face. They seemed to stare at each other for moons.

Then the pirate screamed.

“SIRENS!” Rang his warning cry. Atsushi’s song filled the air before the pirate even finished.

The next few minutes happened in a blur, whirling past Atsushi’s head in a song-filled bloodbath. He only remembered Dazai joining his melody, lending his voice, causing men to tumble into the sea as if begging to be devoured. He remembered the ship crashing into the rocks, splinters flying, more men screaming. He remembered many of them dying by his fangs.

He remembered the taste of man. Sun-hardened skin squished between his teeth, hiding large, juicy muscles beneath it, their bones and organs bursting with flavor in his mouth.

But none of them were him.

When his high finally fell, like a wave building to its peak only to break, he stared at the remains of his meals. He couldn’t fathom eating so much, but he felt full for the first time in a long while.

Even so, he was hit with the realization that his prize had escaped; the man he had truly wanted, the man who had raised Atsushi’s song from his throat. He was not among the dead, the loose body parts floating in the water like shark bait. Atsushi couldn’t smell his blood.

“Didn’t know you had it in you, Atsushi,” Dazai flashed his scales, beaming as he gnawed on a leftover bone, picking it clean.

But Atsushi only looked up at the surface again, watching the wreckage sink. The sky above had begun to turn dark.

His heart pounded, his stomach ached; his prize was still out there.

Their attacks increased in number. It became Atsushi’s addiction; eating whatever humans he could whenever the craving arose, although they could only satisfy him temporarily. None of them were him, and his cravings all but consumed him.

“Hello? Earth to Atsushi.”

Atsushi jumped a little when Dazai’s hand clapped onto his shoulder. The other siren grinned, rubbing his thumb on the fabric of his stolen tunic.

“We’re not here to think about him tonight, okay?” He said. “You’re relaxing if I have to force you.”

Atsushi nodded, faking a smile for him. His insides felt as if they were tearing themselves apart, collapsing inwards, but he smiled.

“And you like this place?” He asked as his eyes began to dart around. The humans walking around the port city each smelled delicious, and he had to resist opening his mouth, tasting the air for their scent. The days when he resisted eating their meat seemed years ago.

But none of them gave the pair of sirens a second glance, not when they looked completely human, even though Atsushi still wobbled on his new legs. A siren’s shapeshifting abilities could only provide the form, not the skill.

“Trust me,” Dazai said, holding onto his wrist to drag Atsushi’s tottering body alongside him. “Travelers pass through this town all the time. No one will bat an eye at this tavern.”

Atsushi’s lips flattened into a tense line, but he only nodded as Dazai pulled him into the inn. The sign above the door, reading “The Bucking Seahorse,” swung back and forth in the evening breeze.

Warm light filled the tavern, lit by a fire at the left wall and candles hanging from the balcony above. Tables sat scattered around the ground-level floor, with various townspeople and seafarers clustered around them, some laughing and grunting, others keeping quiet.

“You haven’t tasted human ale yet,” chuckled Dazai, pulling Atsushi to a table near the fireplace. “You’re in for a treat tonight, Atsushi.”

Silent, Atsushi could only nod. He let Dazai order, trying to ignore how his stomach growled, how the scent of humans filled his lungs until it nearly stifled him. When his tankard arrived, he chose to drink instead of breathe.

He couldn’t be sure how much he drank. It tasted vile at first, yet the more he downed, the better the ale tasted. It poured into his head and overpowered every feeling except a strange, warm buzz, spreading numbness from his fingers and up his limbs. It felt like drowning and breathing deeply all at once.

And for a moment, he forgot.

Then, like a bell ringing all around his head, he remembered when he smelled that scent once again.

Immediately his senses were flooded. He opened his mouth, breathing it, sure of it over the scent of alcohol and tobacco.

“What’s wrong?”

He heard Dazai’s voice, but he didn’t respond. The noises of the tavern filled his ears, loud and boisterous, growing rowdier and the night grew longer and the tankards emptied. Atsushi only stood and looked towards the door, eyes struggling to focus.

It was him. Atsushi could pick that dark hair out of a crowd, his storm-like eyes from a sea of gray.

He seemed paler than before as he walked forward, into the tavern, his hair pulled back in a small ponytail, his white-tipped bangs still hanging around his face. Eyes traveling, distaste pricked at his expression, his lips in a frown.

He bumped directly into Atsushi. Either because he hadn’t been looking where he was going, or because Atsushi’s body moved without his consent and he stepped in front of him. The man snarled.

“What do you think you’re-?!” He began to snap, immediately grabbing Atsushi’s shirt, but he stopped when he saw his face. Just like before, he stared.

Despite the ruckus of the tavern around them, everything seemed to silence. Atsushi could finally see his face up close, with his fair skin and pale, thin lips. Atsushi’s lungs held his breath captive.

Then the man’s features darkened. His brow furrowed, his lips turned downwards in a deep scowl, and hatred like Atsushi had never seen flared in his eyes.

“You,” he snarled like a wild dog.

Atsushi’s hands seemed to move on their own. They settled on the man’s cheeks, stroking them. They felt softer than sea moss.

And before the man could sputter out another word, Atsushi’s voice filled the space between them.

His mouth formed words, notes, a song spilling from him before he understood its meaning, and

the man’s eyes and body began to relax. His expression softened, almost melting in Atsushi’s hands. A smile even formed on his ever-so-slightly parted lips.

Atsushi reveled in it. He wanted him to keep smiling, to stay content in his touch, in his song. The look in his eyes almost seemed hypnotic, unfocused and turning upwards.

“Atsushi!”

Though he still sang, Atsushi turned ever so slightly to Dazai, who stared at him and grabbed onto his shoulder.

“What are you doing?!” He hissed.

Atsushi couldn’t answer without breaking his song. But as he looked back at the man’s face, to his own hands, he could see the scales forming on his skin, watched as his claws grew longer.

“Your transformation’s breaking,” Dazai snapped.

Atsushi could feel his breath hitch. His song faltered. In that split second, he saw everyone else in the tavern watching him with that same vacant look on their faces. Each of them had fallen under the spell of his song.

But he didn’t stop. If anything, his voice grew louder. He just wanted to watch his one human, watch the contentment and happiness on his face. Atsushi’s voice alone seemed to cause shudders of pleasure all throughout his body.

Atsushi’s mouth began to water again. He opened his jaws wide, fangs extending as his transformation shed off his body like dead skin. The trousers he had been wearing fell to the ground as his legs turned back into his long tail, and he leaned forward even though he struggled to stand, bringing his mouth to his human’s neck.

He jumped when the gunshot rang through the air. His voice broke, his song ending abruptly as he tore his gaze from his human and to the door where armed guards suddenly stood, guns in their hands..

“I TOLD YOU I HEARD A SIREN!” One of them shouted at the man directly beside him, wax filling their ears to block out Atsushi’s song.

Paralysis shot through Atsushi’s body like a lightning bolt. His human began to stir, Atsushi’s spell wearing off as he looked directly into the barrel of a gun.

Dazai scooped him into his arms and ran before the bullet flew through the air, bursting from the gun with a deafening bang. Atsushi covered his ears as Dazai jumped out the nearest open window, landing in the alley, tumbling to the ground.

“I can’t leave you alone for a minute, eh?” He huffed as he sprang to his feet, hurtling onto the cobblestone road. Atsushi clung to his neck like a hatchling.

People in the street began to scream, shouting and pointing at Atsushi as Dazai darted past them, Atsushi’s tail failing.

“THEY’RE RUNNING AWAY!”

Heart pounding, Atsushi looked behind them. He watched as the guards burst back out of the tavern, their boots pounding on the cobblestone street, their bullets flying past the sirens’ ears.

“We just have to make it to the ocean,” grunted Dazai, scrambling in and out of alleyways to avoid the guards’ bullets. Atsushi could only nod, panic and confusion and dizziness overwhelming his body, flooding his head. He couldn’t taste anything but ale, couldn’t smell anything but his human.

They wound around paths, the smell and roar of the ocean growing nearer, yet still too far. The world seemed to spin around Atsushi, blurring in front of his eyes.

Then he could see it. Dark, glittering in the moonlight. Dazai gave a small, strained smile before a cry of pain split the air.

Dazai stumbled. His lips turned downward in a grimace, but he still hobbled out onto a pier, gripping Atsushi to his chest. The scent of siren blood began to spill from him.

Atsushi didn’t have the chance to see where he had been shot. Before he could even ask, Dazai tottered off the pier and into the ocean.

The cold water slammed into Atsushi, petrifying him. He could only see bubbles, could only hear the roar of the ocean, could only see tinges of red in the water. His head seemed to spin in circles.

He gasped when he broke the surface, looking around frantically.

“DAZAI!” He shouted, eyes darting back and forth. Nothing rose from the water.

One glance behind himself, and he saw they had been followed. The guards ran out onto the pier, pointing their guns at the water, shouting orders to the nearby ships.

“FIRE ON THE SIRENS!”

Atsushi dove back under the surface, darting back and forth. His blurred vision trailed behind him as panic rose in his throat like bile.

“Dazai!” His scales flashed.

That had been his mistake.

Pain suddenly flared up from his side. He screamed, bubbles pouring out of his mouth. The smell of his own blood mingled with Dazai’s.

He thrashed, whipping around to the harpoon buried in his side. Instinctively, he sunk his teeth into the rope, tearing into it easily before it could pull him back to its ship.

He could hear his own heartbeat now. Blood trailed behind him. He only thought of swimming, of swimming far away from the gunshots and guards and ships.

He swam until the pain overwhelmed him. His body fell still, feeling as if fire flared from both of his harpoon wounds, piercing beneath his ribs and out of his back. Only the tide moved him as he cried out, a sound absorbed by the sea.

He only knew he had washed ashore when he could clearly hear his own screams.

He wove his song into his cries. Perhaps instinctively, perhaps desperately; he couldn’t be sure.

He couldn’t tell how much time had passed. He simply blinked, and the sky changed, the stars moved. Blackouts washed over him with the frequency of the sea, rushing over and off his body, stinging his side with every salty wave.

Atsushi’s voice slowly gave out. Rasps and choked noises replaced his screams, and his wide eyes stared upwards. Dreams began to pile on top of him, dreams of seeing his human, of hearing his voice.

He stared upwards at him. Even if this were a dream, Atsushi only wanted to see his face, to imagine him standing close once more. He gasped for air when he meant to speak to his illusion, remembering the low tones of his voice in a faroff mumble.

Everything grew dark again as warmth wrapped around Atsushi. His head rolled back, the pain overwhelming his body until it enveloped him, pulling him down into itself. But at the same time, he thought he felt himself lifting into the air, something like arms holding him tight.

If only his human would truly hold him that tenderly, thought Atsushi as he could no longer keep his eyes open. Maybe that’s all he had wanted.

Maybe if he lived, he could fix things, he mused as his cruel dream carried him away, taunting him with his human’s voice, his touch. Maybe they could just be happy together. Maybe his human would forgive him.

Atsushi smiled sadly as darkness overcame him. Dreams could be cruel.

#shin soukoku #sskk #atsuaku #akuatsu #siren au #mermaid au

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creepycute-puppy-gf · 3 years ago

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Not perfect and doesn't include all of my favorite artists BUT this is Gabby's current top 100 songs. All subject to change by the minute but rn I am happy with it. Something like #1 to #100 top to bottom.

High Glow - JES

Ordinary Joe - Nujabes ft. Terry Callier

Black Bullet - The Kidney Thieves

Black No.1 (Little Miss Scare-All) - Type O Negative

Of Longing and Otherness - Hannah Fury

Fragments of Memories - Nobuo Uematsu

Crimson Clover - Sieben

Left - Devil Doll

Ghost - JES

Zerospace - The Kidney Thieves

Gabrielle - Cradle of Filth

Fate - Boy Harsher

Cherry Scented - Jack off Jill

Morning...Grey - Lacrimas Profundere

Bed of Lies - Diva Destruction

The Blood Is Love - Queens of the Stone Age

Blasphemous Girl - My Ruin

Your River - My Dying Bride

Bukowski - Modest Mouse

Upwards Over The Mountain - Iron & Wine

In The Air - Morgan Page

Uncle Jonny - The Killers

The Garden You Planted - Seawolf

Before Today - Everything But The Girl

Exodus '04 - Utada

Just Like Heaven - The Cure

Bright Lights, Big City - Takeshi Nakatsuka

Backseat - Bali Baby

Craze - KMFDM

Radical - 69 Eyes

Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz

My Mescaline - Lacrimas Profundere

Never Forgive Me, Never Forget Me - Akira Yamaoka

Cycling Trivialities - Jose Gonzalez

Self Control - Laura Branigan

New Bodhum - Origa

Theme for Scanty & Knee Socks - TeddyLoid

In The Pretend World - Scarling

A Walk Beyond Uttter Blackness - Xasthur

Virgin In The Green - Sieben

On Most Surfaces - The Gathering

Modal Soul - Nujabes

Keaton's Song - Soko

Fun Tonight - Lady Gaga

Romance - Ex:Re

The Ocean - Tegan and Sara

Elephant - BoA

Violent Dreams - Crystal Castles

Don't Wake Me Up - Helalyn Flowers

S+M (A love song) - The Kidney Thieves

Destroy Me - Unter Null

Heart of Chambers - Beach House

Video Kid - The Birthday Massacre

Lua - Bright Eyes

Something About Us - Daft Punk

Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie

Living In The City - Richard Jacques

I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis

For The Widows in Paradise, For the Fatheless in Ypsilanti - Sufjan Stevens

Not Even Jail - Interpol

The Dazzler - Ex:Re

Colourless Colour - La Roux

Guitar Hero - Amanda Palmer

Lecher Bitch - Genitorturers

Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

Don't Talk About You - Geowulf

Love You Like I Do - HIM

No One's Gonna Love You - Band of Horses

Jolene - Dolly Parton

Raining - Devil Doll

Remember - Emilie Autumn

Violet - Hole

Judea - Exist Trace

The Nothingship - Lacrimas Profundere

Weary Memory - Iron & Wine

I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend - Ezra Furman

Lucky Star - Madonna

Swollen - Jack off Jill

You and Me Belong - JES

Make It Right - Anathema

Kangaroo - This Mortal Coil

The Necklace of Marie Antoinette - Hannah Fury

Black Sheep - Metric

Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush

From Off to On - The Knife

You and Your Friend - Snake River Conspiracy

Heart To Break - Kim Petras

Destroy Everything You Touch - Ladytron

Truth Doesn't Make a Noise - The White Stripes

Leaves In The River - Seawolf

How Low - Jose Gonzalez

Lazy Love - Tanukichan

Simple and Clean - Utada

Painted by Numbers - The Sounds

Apathy - KMFDM

So Happy I Could Die - Lady Gaga

Creepy Green Light - Type O Negative

We Share Our Mother's Health - The Knife

Paradise Is You - La Roux

AMY - Macross 82-99

#Also basically a music rec list but EVERYTHING IS TRIGGER WARNING because I like music with heavy subject matter #okay to reblog

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andrewmoocow · 3 years ago

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Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 22: Pumpkin Patch (originally published on August 9, 2021)

AN: At long last, the homestretch of Part 3, which I have already dubbed the Tearjerking Three last time. And for our first entry into this trilogy, we finally get an update on the relationship between Peridot and Lapis, which I found to be done so dirty in Future as a Lapidot shipper. I mean, they didn't even interact with each other even when they were in the same episode together! Plus, Pumpkin just disappeared into thin air once the movie came along, leaving the only hint of where she is now are those similar gourd puppies from The Future. But enough griping, let's get my personal answer on what really happened, and maybe a big surprise that I no doubt have already spoiled on DeviantArt anyways.

Synopsis: Steven, Peridot and Lapis reminisce on the anniversary of Pumpkin's death.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven, Pumpkin

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Ocean Jasper

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Jeff Bergman as Farmer

Featuring Billie Eilish as Turquoise

"Maybe I'll find myself smiling on that distant shore," Steven sang to himself while gazing at his watch as the oven timer counted down in front of him. "Maybe I'm not alone."

The timer beeped, notifying Steven that whatever he had in the oven was ready. After putting on some oven mitts and opening the oven, Steven pulled a pumpkin pie out and set it on the counter to cool. "This one is for you two, guys." He said before gazing at a nearby calendar that read June 7th. "I remember it like it was yesterday." Steven then began to reminisce on the aftermath of his visit to Homeworld.

A few weeks the Crystal Gems have successfully convinced the Diamonds to help them in healing the corrupted Gems on Earth, these Gems now needed somewhere to live. As far as Steven knew, there was no way they could expand the Temple to make room for all of them, and he's sure none of the newly healed Gems wanted to return to Homeworld, so the Crystal Gems decided that their only choice now was to build them their own little town. They had some basic ideas down, but all they needed now was a name.

"How about Peritropolis?!" Peridot suggested as she wrote down her choice of name on the whiteboard, with little sketches of her face surrounding the name for emphasis. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"How about something that won't stroke your ego?" Steven frowned at the idea.

"What about Barnstantinople?" Lapis proposed. "We are building it around where the barn used to be after all."

"Speaking of which, how's clean-up on that going?" Amethyst asked, looking out the window to gaze at the wreckage that was once Lapis and Peridot's barn house home. "I think some bits of it might be useful somehow."

"I say we put that on hold." Lapis stated. "That old barn caused just as much harm to Peridot and me as much as it did good."

"You serious about this?" Peridot asked her blue roommate. "I mean, we had so many good memories in there."

"Yeah, and a lot of those memories were you just bending over backwards trying to keep me happy." Lapis added. "I know you're still sad about me jumping ship and coming back with only a "Hey", but I still got things to work out, y'know."

"OK." Peridot said just as their pet Pumpkin opened the door. "Oh, hey Pumpkin!"

In contrast to Peridot being excited to see Pumpkin, the little canine fruit let out an exhausted bark before sitting down to nap, revealing wrinkles around her eyeholes.

"Hey, is your little buddy there doin' alright?" Bismuth asked. "I barely know a thing about the lifespan of organic creatures, but even I know she ain't doing so hot."

"Oh, I'm sure she's just tired!" Peridot assured Bismuth. "Just needs to rest, that's all!"

"Don't be so sure Peridot." Garnet advised the little Gem. "Pumpkin was brought to life with magic, which means she's probably lived longer than a pumpkin normally does."

"Just let her be happy Garnet." Pearl whispered into Garnet's ear. "She's already been through so much recently, and I don't think she can take anymore."

"You sure she's OK Dottie?" Steven asked Peridot regarding Pumpkin. "Nothing lasts forever, you know."

"Oh, she just needs some extra time in the Sun!" Peridot laughed. But despite her insistence, that wasn't how the story really went.

"Okay, a little to the left!" Peridot commanded Squaridot as the eye Gem Peridot levitated a lifeguard chair around while Bismuth, Ocean Jasper & Teal Zircon dug up the ground to build a swimming pool. "No, your other left!" she corrected herself. "Wait wait, your other OTHER left!"

"There's no such thing as an other other left!" Squaridot yelled and grumpily set the chair down next to where she was standing. "How's this?"

"Perfect." Peridot gave her fellow technician a thumbs up before turning around to see the Lapis twins walk towards the construction site. "Oh, I see our lifeguards wanna start early!"

"Why was it necessary for us to dress in these?" Laz wondered while modeling the red one-piece she was wearing. "I don't think red is my color."

"I don't know about you Laz, but I make this look good!" Zuli declared while flaunting her body in a matching outfit. "We look just like the hotties on Coast Patrol or Destiny from CPH season 3! By the way, where's Lapis? She's head lifeguard, so shouldn't she be out here with us?"

"She still has the suit, but she's not coming out because today is a special day." Peridot stated. "It's the anniversary of a certain something."

"Hey, I think I can see Steven's car!" Ocean Jasper cried out as she peeked out of the hole to find Steven disembarking from his Dondai Supremo and walking over with the pumpkin pie in hand. "And he's got a pie, maybe as thanks for our hard work."

"Naw, I don't think it's for us Ocean." Bismuth said just as Steven walked over to Peridot. "I think we should leave them alone for a bit and get back to work."

"Aw, but I wanted a pie!" Teal Zircon complained.

"I see you got the pie." Peridot said to Steven while gazing at the pie in his hands. "In case you're wondering, we worked on a new meep morp last night dedicated to her."

"Okay, why don't you show me?" Steven offered.

"I'd be happy to." Peridot smiled before turning back to everyone at the in-progress pool. "Keep up the good work everyone, I'll just be taking the rest off!"

"Yeah, take some time for yourself, Peri." Bismuth replied while Squaridot used her burgeoning ferrokinesis to lift the blacksmith out of the pool. "Just don't get too teary-eyed and fill up the pool early."

"Yeah, we're planning on filling the pool for our opening ceremony!" Teal called while struggling to get out.

"And I'm just gonna catch some rays." Laz declared as she sat down on a lawn chair, pulled some sunglasses over her eyes, and began sunbathing. However, her moment of peace was cut off by Zuli loudly blowing into her whistle and laughing.

"So, who's the pie really for Bis?" Ocean Jasper asked as she climbed out the pool before helping Teal and the two sat down next to Bismuth.

"You two got a moment?" Bismuth asked, and the Jasper and Zircon nodded in affirmation. "Well, the pie is actually for a friend of theirs."

Steven and Peridot kept walking away from the pool and eventually found themselves in front of the Little Homeworld house that Lapis & Peridot shared. It looked like a smaller version of the barn the two Gems once lived in, but instead of being decorated with a mishmash of items around the barnyard, it now looked like Peridot did most of the construction with bits of metal and advanced technology sprinkled onto a simple-looking two-story cabin.

"Hey Lapis, we're here." Steven called out to Lapis as he and Peridot entered the cabin to find Lapis napping on the couch with a manga on her lap and a red one-piece hanging on a clothes hanger nearby. "Lapis, wake up."

"Agh, don't go with her Pierre!" Lapis yelled as she woke up from her nap and rubbed her eyes to find Peridot & Steven before her. "Sorry you guys, I was trying on my lifeguard uniform, but then I got bored and decided to relax a little."

"You still remember what day it is?" Peridot asked while Steven presented his pumpkin pie.

"Yeah, I still do." Lapis declared sadly. "Want to see the meep morp we've been working on, Steven?"

"Sure." Steven replied before the two Gems took him upstairs to their shared bedroom & workshop, where a very large sculpture of Pumpkin stood, a big smile permanently etched onto the front beneath a pair of innocent eyes. "Almost like the real thing. Except bigger."

"Showing this to you makes me miss her even more." Peridot began to hold back tears. "I still remember how I coped with it too."

The groundbreaking ceremony of what would soon become Little Homeworld went quite swimmingly for the Crystal Gems, thanks to the support of their Beach City friends and the Diamonds. But amidst the rejoicing of a new beginning for Gems on Earth, there was some bad news that flew right under everyone's noses.

After Peridot marked the giant pit where the barn once was with Little Homeworld's flag, Pumpkin came strolling up to her green owner looking far wearier and more decayed than she did previously, a sight which worried them greatly. As soon as the ceremonies ended, Pumpkin was rushed back to the beach house.

"Please Steven, you gotta do something!" Peridot begged Steven while Pumpkin laid before the trio with a heavy sigh emitting from her mouth. "Pumpkin doesn't have much time left, surely you must have the solution like you always do!"

"I'm really sorry Peridot." Steven said regretfully. "As much as I would love to help you and Lapis out, Pumpkin wasn't long for this Earth anyways. Death is a perfectly natural part of life. It can be real sad and scary to watch someone you treasured so dearly go, but ultimately, their time will come all the same."

"So, she was going to die regardless?" Lapis said apprehensively while stroking the living gourd's rotting body. "I don't really see how this is possible since you did bring her to life with your powers, but I can deal with it."

"Well, I'm not!" Peridot objected tearfully. "It's not fair! I've already been through so much, why does the universe have to keep nailing the hammer into the coffin?!"

"Peridot, I know you're upset, but you gotta listen." Steven tried comforting his little green pal. "Death is completely natural, even if it's scary. I mean, my dad might die someday, and so might Connie. I'm not sure if I can die like a human though."

"Well, your race is different." Peridot declared. "None of you will ever know what it's like to live forever!" With that, she stormed out of the beach house to vent, leaving her two friends to worry for Peridot.

"I don't think I want to know where this is going." Lapis muttered.

"If it's anything like what happened to Peridot after you left Earth, I don't think she'll take it very well." Steven agreed.

Using a trashcan lid, Peridot flew far away from the general area of Beach City and into the countryside, where farmlands were very prosperous. Farmlands like the ones she and Lapis tended to together in the past, and the ones where Pumpkin was born. The very sight of all these fresh crops made her more miserable. What gave them the right to grow so healthy while Pumpkin looked so withered?

"Rackum frackum produce, I'll show you what for!" Peridot mumbled as she touched down in front of a pumpkin patch and swiftly got to work on destroying them. "You walked so Pumpkin could die!" she yelled as her green body became covered in orange pumpkin insides. "Why can't anything go my way for once?!"

"Hey, get offa my crops ya gremlin!" a farmer yelled at Peridot while stomping over to her with a pitchfork in hand. "You got any idea what it's like to work so hard on a great harvest, only for it to be ruined by a bunch of punks?!"

"No, but I'm sure you don't know what it's like to love someone only to lose them!" Peridot argued with the farmer, a retort that stunned him a little before he tried to look more sympathetic.

"Coping, eh?" the farmer said. "Look, you have every right to get mad, but that don't mean you can just stomp all over someone else's hard work! You gotta find better ways to vent, ya know!"

"Look, sir, I literally just ran away from home, I don't have time right now." Peridot coldly rejected the farmer's advice.

"Well, looks like you left me no choice." The farmer shook his head before reaching behind his back and pulling out a scary mask to frighten Peridot with. "BOOGEDY BOOGEDY BOOGEDY!"

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Peridot screamed loudly before flying away from the farm on her lid.

As soon as Peridot returned to Beach City, she soared right towards Steven's house, where she found him making a grilled cheese sandwich, and began pounding on his window.

"Steven! Steven!" Peridot yelled from outside, getting the half-Gem's attention. "Let me in, I wanna talk!"

"You know you can just come in yourself." Steven suggested before opening the door for his green friend. "How have things been going?"

"I got an idea for you." Peridot stated. "How about in exchange for helping me with Pumpkin, I'll do something for you in return. Just name your price, I'll do anything!"

"Peridot, are you trying to bribe me into saving Pumpkin?" Steven asked. "Didn't I tell you earlier that death is a natural part of life?"

"But you managed to save Lars from death with your crying!" Peridot objected. "Why can't you do the same to Pumpkin?! Why does she have to die while so many other pumpkins have to live?!"

"Pumpkins?" Steven asked. "What other pumpkins?"

"I vented my frustrations by whaling on some farmer's pumpkin harvest." Peridot confessed innocently. "He didn't take too kindly to that."

"I think I know where this is going." Steven realized. "Five Stages of Grief, right? First was anger, now you're bargaining. Which means depression might not be too far behind." Just then, as if on cue, Steven's phone started ringing with a message from Lapis that he readily picked up. "Hello?"

"Steven, is Peridot there?" Lapis asked from the other end of the line. "Ever since she fled the house, I took Pumpkin back to our place, and now she wants to see us both before, you know."

"See what I mean?" Steven declared to Peridot, who was now on the verge of breaking down because now, she finally realized it was too late. "Do you want to see her?"

"Yes please." Peridot began to sob and hugged Steven tight. "Promise me that you won't ever leave too, Steven."

"I promise." Steven stated, hugging Peridot back.

Meanwhile, at the massive construction site that would soon become Little Homeworld, Lapis gently watched over the slowly dying Pumpkin, whose normally bright orange skin now had splotches of grayish-black, as she let out a weak yip. "Don't die yet, sweetie." Lapis assured Pumpkin. "Peridot will be here soon, I know it."

And right on cue, Peridot and Steven soared right towards Lapis on the trash can lid to see Pumpkin off one last time. Peridot raced as fast as she could towards the groundwork for her and Lapis's new home and tightly nuzzled her pet gourd, unaware that it wasn't in the mood for such a tight hug.

"Peridot, let her go! She's in pain!" Lapis yelled while prying the sentient pumpkin from Peridot's embrace, much to the green Gem's agony.

"No, please!" Peridot cried. "Just let me hold her!"

"I'm sorry Peri, but I don't think she can take much more!" Lapis argued while on the brink of crying just as much. "Pumpkin's already dying. She's so scared right now, so let's just-"

"Don't try to argue Lapis." Steven solemnly interrupted Lapis. "Peridot's already having a breakdown as is."

"I'm sorry about that." Lapis quickly apologized before she turned to Pumpkin. "Pumpkin, if you can still hear me, I want you to know that you and Peridot were the only things keeping me sane here, even when I ran off to the moon." She said to the dying fruit. "I can't thank you enough for brightening my day with your cute little smile, your barking, and all the days we spent playing together. Even if we find a replacement, none can ever replace you, little guy."

"You want a turn, Peri?" Steven said to Peridot.

"Fine, but I won't like it." Peridot sniffed loudly as she walked up to Pumpkin. "You were like an offspring to us, Pumpkin." She said quietly. "When I first saw your little carved face, those adorable stubby legs, it filled my heart with so much joy. Figuratively, of course, since we naturally don't have hearts. But every step we took together, every struggle, kept me grounded here on this crazy planet. Oh stars, now I won't know what to do now."

"Mah, mah," Pumpkin barked weakly with her last breath. "Mommy."

"I promise you," Peridot declared while her gem touched Pumpkin's forehead. "I'll never forget."

And with that, Pumpkin gently shut her eyes, allowing herself to pass on with her mothers and her creator by her side.

The funeral that followed was a private affair, with only the other Crystal Gems, Connie and Greg in attendance, and Pumpkin buried outside Peridot & Lapis's house. However, it was after the funeral when trouble began brewing. Just like when she had first begun living with the Gems, Peridot began hiding away in the bathroom for the next week to grieve the demise of Pumpkin and seemed resilient in refusing to come out, no matter how much they tried.

"C'mon P-Dot, open up!" Amethyst called while pounding on the door. "If you're planning on flushing yourself down the toilet again, let me tell you again, I tried that once and it didn't work."

"I think I know what to do." Greg proposed his idea and held up a boombox that began playing a song he knew she would recognize. "I look up to the sky, that's full of stars-"

"I'm trying to mourn here, leave me alone." Peridot despondently declared.

"I say we should respect her wishes." Garnet stated before she turned her gaze to Lapis. "Unless…."

"You think I should go in there?" Lapis asked.

"You are quite possibly Peridot's closest friend." Pearl agreed with Garnet.

"Closest friend?" Bismuth raised an eyebrow. "C'mon, we all know there may be something more than that!"

"Well, okay then." Lapis finally accepted with a shrug and slowly pushed the door open. "Wish me luck." She then said before entering the bathroom and closing it behind her. "You still in here?"

"So, they sent you in now." Peridot observed hoarsely. "I may have lost all hope, but I can still hear you know."

"They do say we're the closest." Lapis said before she sat down on the edge of the tub where Peridot had hidden herself away beneath a cocoon of Steven's bedsheets. "Come on now, get up and sit next to me."

"Okay, if it's you, I'll talk." Peridot succumbed to Lapis's offer and rose from her comfy shell to talk with her barn mate. "I'm sorry for worrying you all this past week, it's just that Pumpkin was basically our baby! Watching her die was like watching a child die!"

"Except the child wasn't human, it was a magical living pumpkin." Lapis remarked, which caused Peridot to glare at her. "No offense."

"But still, outside of our relationship, why did you volunteer?" Peridot wondered.

"Well, because I wanted to return the favor." Lapis answered. "Remember what happened after that boat trip I took with Steven and his dad?"

As soon as Lapis dropped Steven and Greg off at the docks following the boat trip gone wrong, she needed someone to lean on in her time of need. It didn't matter who, it could be any of the other Crystal Gems, or one of Steven's human friends. But right now, there was only one person, or rather Gem, that she could turn to.

Lapis could now see the barn in the distance, and as reluctant as she was to admit it, Peridot was the only one who could understand her regarding a certain Quartz. "Peridot, are you there?" she called for her green housemate. "I'm back!"

"Lapis, so glad you could make it!" Peridot exclaimed while racing out of the barn. "I discovered that I can move spoons with my mind, I made some decent progress on my Camp Pining Hearts essay; though I'm still stuck on the poutine theory, and-" However, she realized a bit too late what Lapis was feeling. "Is something the matter?"

"Steven and I found Jasper during the trip." Lapis said morosely. "She wanted to fuse with me again because she says I changed her. And to be honest, I think it was kind of my fault. Unfusing with Jasper drove her mad and I even said I missed taking all my frustrations out on her!"

"Lapis, are you serious?" Peridot gasped in alarm.

"Yes, I'm serious." Lapis declared as her eyes darkened and she turned away from Peridot. "Go ahead, run off and live with the Gems again so you don't have to be another one of my victims. If Jasper says I'm a monster, then I guess I really am one, especially after the way I treated you when we first moved in together."

"Okay Lapis, I don't want your garbage right now!" Peridot yelled, briefly breaking Lapis out of her funk with the almost exact words she described the tape recorder she broke. "I can see you're very stressed out. You want to scream so bad, to hit something, to let your anger out! But whatever you do, don't lose it on other people."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Lapis asked.

"I'm mostly just repeating stuff I read online," Peridot admitted. "I think what you need is a way to vent healthily, maybe on a perfectly defenseless object."

"Like what?" Lapis raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"One second!" Peridot exclaimed while walking into the barn and coming back out with an alien plush wearing a top hat and bowtie that she gazed at with a solemn expression. "I'm so sorry my sweet." She said softly to the stuffed toy before presenting it to Lapis. "Go ahead, hit it as hard as you can. Or maybe something else violent, whatever."

"Okay." Lapis sighed as she began feeling around the toy for something to do before grabbing at the bowtie and ripping it off the alien's neck, causing some stuffing to spill out of the hole she created. "Whoa."

"So, how did that make you feel?" Peridot asked as the alien dropped from her grip.

"Good." Lapis muttered in awe of what she just did. "I feel so much lighter now, like a real adrenaline burst."

"See, as I told you." Peridot smiled happily. "You just needed healthier ways to relieve stress."

"You're right." Lapis agreed when she got an idea. "Now, how about I try something a little heavier?" She then glanced over to a nearby pickup truck and used the water from Peridot's makeshift pool to lift it into the air. "How about this?"

"Yeah, I think that could work." Peridot nervously replied before Lapis suddenly tossed the truck into the air. "NO WAIT, THAT'S A LITTLE TOO-" she screamed and covered herself to avoid getting hit, but the truck instead crashed into the wall over the barn entrance, creating a massive hole that the vehicle filled. "Hm, guess I was wrong."

"Well, if we're gonna be living here together, why don't we make ourselves at home?" Lapis laughed and put a hand on Peridot's shoulder.

"Yeah, I think this is a good start." Peridot agreed while wrapping her arm around the taller Gem's waist and the two began brainstorming ideas for remodeling the barn.

"Yeah, I really was there for you back then." Peridot realized with a grin. "And from then on out, we were so close."

"You bet." Lapis replied and cupped Peridot's face in her hands. "Let me be a shoulder for you to cry on this time. I love you Peridot."

"I love you too Lapis." Peridot responded happily before the two began to kiss, and their gems started glowing as they began to fuse into a tall, slender Gem with turquoise hair, dark cyan hair in the shape of a maple leaf, Peridot's glasses, Lapis's top with a bright yellow star on it, a skirt with a bronze ribbon around her waist and dark teal sandals with bronze accents.

The new, accidental fusion of Peridot and Lapis looked around the bathroom and gazed down at her four hands. Feeling around her body, she felts the gems of her components on her forehead and back before coming to a shocking realization and let out a loud, confused scream. "AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"Is something wrong?!" Steven exclaimed as he barged into the bathroom to discover the fusion before him and started screaming as well, but this time in joy. "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" the new fusion continued screaming and covered her face in alarm at Steven as the two continued shrieking at each other.

"But was that fusion really an accident or maybe something more?" Peridot asked while she, Steven, and Lapis walked outside to her and Lapis's garden in their backyard.

"Maybe a mix of both?" Lapis answered with a shrug. "I mean, we did kiss each other after saying "I love you" to each other, but the fusion part came out of nowhere."

"Still, we were all so happy to see you two fuse at last." Steven said. "Words could not describe how long I've been waiting for that moment."

"I couldn't shapeshift, so I just assumed I couldn't fuse as well." Peridot observed before they happened upon a makeshift tombstone that read 'In memory of Pumpkin. A good girl to the end.' "You know, all this talk reminds me of a song I've been writing for the past few days. It may seem a little short and I pulled from other sources, but it's the best I got."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Lapis suggested eagerly. "Sing for us."

"Yeah, we never heard you do a solo before either." Steven agreed with the ocean Gem.

"Okay, if you insist." Peridot declared before she cued a nearby Robonoid tending to the garden to start playing jazzy music, and she started to sing. "My sweet little pumpkin o' mine, a living gourd with a smile so fine. You made us smile with your bark, your stem's like emerald, and filled with seeds of gold. You were our most beloved work of art."

Almost as if Pumpkin was coming back to listen to Peridot's eulogy, many similar living produce like additional pumpkins, some gourds, and squashes, began coming out to watch. "You saw fields of corn, sandy beaches too. In summers so warm, it was just us and you." Peridot continued singing. "And I think to myself, what a wonderful pet."

Soon, Lapis began to join in on the song as well. "Though your time was short, like all things are." She joined Peridot in singing with her own solo. "We'll always think of you, when we look at your star."

"Our sweet little pumpkin of ours," the pair finished the song and embraced each other. "You were a wonderful pet."

With that, the two Gems fused into Turquoise, this time on purpose while surrounded by living Cucurbita, and smiled.

"Thank you for coming today, Steven." Turquoise said to Steven. "It really means a lot to us."

"Nothing to it girls." Steven smiled while rubbing his finger on his upper lip.

In Memory of Thea "Muriel Bagge" White

June 16, 1940 – July 30, 2021

"What courage you have."

So ends the first installment of the Tearjerking Three. In comparison to what will come next, I'm pretty sure this will be tears of happiness at these two dorky barnmates basically becoming an item at last and even fusing too (also, I totally took Turquoise's design from @artifiziell, she makes some amazing stuff, go check her out). But next time, we move on from someone being dead for real to someone being dead to Steven. Can you guess which one? Oh who am I kidding, if you watch me on DeviantArt, I basically spoiled everything after this.

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #steven quartz universe #peridot #lapis lazuli #pumpkin #garnet #amethyst #pearl #bismuth #teal zircon

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