#i also originally wanted to draw him holding a cup of tea but i couldn't figure it out and i can't make him hold a tea cup incorrectly

[normalcannibalism]

this was meant to be a quick doodle. it wasn't :') ddoes anyone else care about duke

[humanoidalien27]

This is Chapter 3 of the Wizard Hunt Original. I'm starting here because the first two are the same. There are pieces that are similar between both stories, but they're different ones. This one will be painful, heartbreaking and kick you in the feels (at least it did to me while writing it.) Once this one is finished, I will begin releasing Ominis's sixth year story.

Content warning: mentions of manipulation

.....

Chapter 3

Months Later

Sebastian was sent to Azkaban almost immediately, you suspected Professor Black just didn't want his own reputation taking a hit. That also meant you couldn't give him his wand back, so it wasn't snapped in two.

Things progressed pretty fast after that and days turned into weeks, then months.

Anne died of her curse and the weight of her grief shortly after Sebastian was imprisoned.

You and Ominis tried to help and comfort her, but in the end, couldn't do anything to help.

Watching her die stung as badly as losing Sebastian, the three of you had bonded closely because of it.

After Anne's death, Ominis ended up moving in with you in the Upper Hogsfield village to avoid going back home to his parents. Though you did annoy him at times with leaving things lying around in strange places, something you've tried not doing too much.

"I'm a bit concerned about school beginning soon. With Anne and Sebastian gone. It's not going to be the same," Ominis whispered, drawing your gaze.

"Yeah, I'm feeling that too," you agreed, eyes wandering towards your tea cup when his darkened further. "Have you settled on a career yet?"

"Well, I still want to run a clothing store. I did think about joining your career, but I-"

"What? Since when?"

He gave a slight shrug. "You're my last friend. I don't want to lose you too. So, if you want to go into a dangerous job, then I wanted to be there to make sure you survive it."

"That's not really fair to you, you know. Besides, everything is a dangerous job for me. I'm STILL being hunted by fragments of Rookwood and Harlow's rag-tag band."

He nodded. "I know, that's why I've been thinking about this for a while."

Staring at him, you frowned. "You're not asking for my opinion, are you?"

He mashed his lips together and gave a nod. "I am, but I did fill out the necessary paper work to go with you when you visit Azkaban today."

Tapping the cup, you sighed. You were grateful he wanted to watch out for you, but going to Azkaban with you for auror training? Not ever.

He gave a slight smile before he took another bite of his food.

"You're hoping to see Sebastian, aren't you?" That made him tense and lift his head so you could see his features twist. "I miss him too, but the people in that prison aren't the same as they were going in."

"I know, but I need to do this."

You didn't press further and ate the rest of your food in silence.

Auror Draken led you through Azkaban, showing you the worst of the worst prisoners, which slowly moved to the desperate ones.

You noticed Ominis getting worried and turning rigid as we continued.

"This cell holds a man named Felix Williams and Sebastian Sallow."

Your heart started to race, getting Ominis to shuffle closer.

"Both used the killing curse and were sentenced to life terms. Mr. Williams killed a woman named Mrs. Elizabeth Grimm."

The name struck a cord, making you knock into Ominis, who instantly turned his head your way.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"Elizabeth Grimm, was....my mother."

His fingers tightened on his wand as his expression pinched.

You weren't upset your mother was killed, not after what happened, but you never received a notification, though that was probably your own fault for going by a different name.

"Mr. Sallow killed his uncle during a duel. Both heinous crimes, thus they remain here in the expert care of this inescapable prison."

Draken started to lead the group away, but a familiar, albeit raspy voice called out.

"If it isn't my two friends. It's been so long, I almost didn't recognize you."

Sebastian moved into the light, showing how sunken his face was. His hair was flat, oily and down to his shoulders. But worse was the smile he sent you and Ominis. You could almost mistake him for the same boy you met nearly a year ago.

His eyes looked you both up and down before continuing. "You two have gotten closer."

"Of course we have, we were dealing with a lot at the time. Solomon's death, your imprisonment, Fig's and Anne's deaths."

Sebastian gave Ominis a small nod before his eyes slid to you. "I always had a feeling you'd end up going the auror route."

Your eyes slipped to his cellmate as he walked over, staring at you.

"We should go Ominis," you whispered, not wanting to talk to Mr. Williams.

He nodded and started to lead the way, but Sebastian reached out and grabbed your wrist.

"I dropped my wand that night and you were there, do you happen to know where it's at?"

Not sure why he was asking, you shook your head. "No," you lied. "It's probably still in that crypt."

His hand slipped to yours as Ominis pulled you back.

"Too bad," he whispered, his thumb brushing over your knuckles, before pulling you against the bars to put his mouth beside your ear. "We need your help. Something bad is happening here and I have proof this time. I just need to get out of here."

You met his gaze, seeing how dull his eyes were now, even with determination.

"Is this just a trick to get me to help you escape trouble again?"

"No, I swear it, people are dying here, innocent people."

"There aren't any innocent people in Azkaban," Ominis shot back, moving closer. "Let her go Sebastian. We're done being played by you."

The hurt and frustration in his eyes reminded you of the night he realized he killed Solomon.

"I'm not- Ominis, please? I'm telling you the truth. I need your help or all of us will die."

Ominis bit his lip, but shook his head. "No. We've been hurt by your promises before." Ominis tugged you away from Sebastian, his eyes locking with yours in fear. "Come on, let's go."

He pulled you away from the cell door, but that expression burned into your brain, the helplessness and hopelessness.

Once you got close enough to the group where Ominis wouldn't hear you leave, if you were careful, you snuck back to Sebastian's cell.

When you saw him, he had his head in his hands.

"You better be telling me the truth Sallow," you hissed, getting him to look up and move over quickly. "This is the last time I'm ever going to believe you if you're lying."

He nodded as you handed him an invisibility potion and your wand, the latter making his eyes widen.

"You'll be defenseless-"

"Then you better not be lying to me."

You moved to catch up with the group again, but he caught the back of your coat.

"Thank you, I won't let you down again."

He let go, so you gave a worried glance before heading off to the group, carefully slipping back in as if you never left.

As soon as you and Ominis got home, you immediately grabbed Sebastian's old wand and put it in the place of yours.

It didn't seem happy, but it at least recognized you and wouldn't screw up any spells.

"You went back again, didn't you?"

Startled you looked back seeing Ominis's brows pinched.

"What are you talking about?"

He sighed as he crossed his arms. "How many times has he promised something and always ended up lying? How could you sneak back off to talk to him again?"

"I just needed clarification on what he thought was happening so I could investigate it myself."

"And he has you lying again. For months we've been completely honest and now look at us."

Rubbing your forehead, you stood up. "He was our friend Omni. You didn't see the fear in his eyes, but I did. He needs help."

"Sebastian always needs help and you jump at the chance to help. You know he manipulates you and you allow him to, why?"

"For the same reason I'd do the same for you. I love you both, you're my family and sometimes that means taking risks."

His heckles softened as his arms fell to his sides.

"I know, just seeing him today and the first thing he does is rope you into another one of his schemes. It's frustrating."

It also brought back too many painful memories which is why he lashed out, you knew this, not that you'd say it out loud.

......

Next chapter

[twiceasfrustrating]

To Have and Hold 1/2

Chapter: 1/2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Rape/Non-Con

Category: GN/M

Fandom: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!

Relationships: Diavolo/GN!MC

Characters: Diavolo, Main Character

Tags for these chapters: Not Beta Read, Yandere, Kidnapping, Non-consensual drug use, No Happy Ending

Summary: Love drives some people crazy and some can't stand to go without. You thought you'd found the perfect boyfriend in Diavolo, one who loved you more than anything else in the world. And, well, you weren't exactly wrong, but it turns out that he's one of the ones that can't go without...

A/N: I was originally planning to wait to post this fic until all 18ish chapters were done, but it's kind of... hard to wait without any feedback or interaction. So, you know, here are the first two chapters.

Going to try to post a long fic on Tumblr... See how well this works out...

Word Count: 3179

Barbatos always made the best tea and you felt spoiled every time he made any for you. That was even more so the case today because he and Dia had come to visit you all the way in the human realm. It was a surprise of the best kind.

"It's good to see you again." You said as you picked up the cup Barbatos had set in front of you, "I didn't think you'd come all the way here for me."

"The Young Lord has worked very hard to have the time to visit you." The butler stated, and you blushed.

You loved Dia. He was the light of the Devildom and you had no idea how you’d been so lucky as to get a boyfriend like him. The fact that he'd put so much effort into his work just so he could get the chance to visit you for an afternoon was endearing.

"Did you now?" You asked Dia before taking a sip of tea.

He nodded, picking up his own cup, "I wanted to see you. I've been missing having you around."

You chuckle lightly, "You're always free to visit me whenever you want."

"Barbatos won't let me." He had so much work to do that he rarely had the time to step away from his kingdom.

"Well, then maybe I should visit you." Although you knew the notion was pointless. You had no way to get to the Devildom on your own.

Still, the thought of you visiting made the prince's eyes light up, "Would you?"

"Hmm… I don't know…" You pretended to think about it while taking another sip of tea. Once you saw the kicked puppy dog look in his eyes, though, you relented, "If I could, why not? I miss you too. It would be nice to get to see you more often like we used to."

A large smile spread across his face, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that." He loved you so much and hearing you felt the same way made his chest heat up.

Your own heart fluttered at the sight of him so happy. However, you also felt something else. You put your hand on your head, feeling how it began to swim for some reason. You leaned forward, placing your elbows on the table to steady yourself as the world around you began to spin.

"Sorry." This was terrible manners and you knew it, "I think the blood must be rushing to my head." Although you hadn't done anything that would cause a blood rush, so you couldn't figure out what was really happening.

Diavolo leaped out of his seat and was at your side instantly. He reached out his hands to hold you up by the shoulders, "It's okay. I've got you."

You flopped your head over, leaning against him rather than the table, "Thank you…" Your eyes felt so heavy and everything was fading out of your vision, "Dia… I'm sorry, but can you take me home?" You must have been sick and didn't realize it; that was the only explanation. Everything inside of you felt awful.

"Of course. I'll bring you back home right now, so rest easy." He wrapped around you, drawing you into him and lifting you in his arms. Once he was sure you were settled into his grip, he looked to the butler, "Is it ready?"

"Everything has been prepared, Young Master," was the last thing you heard before darkness and sleep suddenly overtook you.

~~~

It was soft yet firm beneath you as your eyes fluttered open. You sat up, rubbing your eyes and trying to recall when exactly you’d fallen asleep. Everything was a blur in your mind. You remembered waking up, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, someone ringing your doorbell, and getting a surprise visit from…

Dia!

You looked around in a panic, worried at how rude you'd been to fall asleep while he was visiting. He'd come all the way to the human realm and had even taken you out, yet you fell asleep talking to him. You could just crawl up and die from embarrassment. You would have to call him later and make sure to apologize, especially since he brought you back home and put you in bed.

Actually… now that you looked around more, this wasn’t your room…

Everything was the wrong color and the decor was completely different. Aside from the large, lavish bed you found yourself in, there was also a wardrobe, a vanity, a writing desk scattered with supplies, a full bookshelf, random decorations like potted plants and hanging baskets with cute stuffed animals inside of them, a few large windows, and two doors (one of which was open to show that it led to a restroom). Had he taken you to a hotel? The setup of the room certainly reminded you of a fancy hotel room at the very least.

You got up from the bed, making your way toward the window to try and see what time it could possibly be (though given how little light was entering the room, you assumed it must be around late night). As you stared out, however, you felt something catch in your throat. When you looked out, you saw the very familiar sight of the Devildom. Specifically, it looked very similar to the palace grounds you had grown so used to seeing whenever you visited Dia in the past.

Something was very wrong here.

Slowly, you step away from the window, turning toward the door to leave and try to find anyone to explain what was going on. There is confusion when you reach for the handle, only to turn it and get almost no rotation. The thing was firmly locked in place and no amount of pulling or twisting of the knob would open the door.

Instead, you switched to knocking on what you thought was wood. However, as you got out the first couple of taps, you realized it was too hard and dense to be normal wood. It was strange and you couldn’t quite put your finger on why…

“H-hello?” Your voice trembled, feeling the panic overcome you as fewer and fewer things began to make sense. This was like a horror movie come to life. Instantly, your mind began to run through all the things you’d seen over the years, trying to understand what situation you were in and how to escape it. But those were movies, where a writer set up convenient circumstances for the protagonist to get through any situation. You were not so lucky, especially since you knew nothing about your surroundings.

A shiver runs up your spine as the sound of the door unlocking fills the air and you jump back to give yourself space so you can punch whoever is coming in. If you deck them hard enough, maybe they will pass out and you can make a break for it. At least, that was the plan until you saw who it was that stepped through the door…

“Dia!” You throw yourself into his arms the moment you can make out his form in the doorway, glad to see one person you know. It’s so hard to wrap yourself around his broad shoulders, but you try your hardest and finally allow yourself to feel something other than dread. The relief washing through you was so overwhelming that you missed the small click as the door shut and locked behind him once again, “Thank goodness, I was so scared.”

He lays a hand on your head, running it calmly through your hair and gently rubbing your scalp, “There’s no reason to be afraid, My Love.”

“But I was alone and the door was locked and- Wait. Why am I in the Devildom?” You had to focus on one concern at a time or you would go crazy.

“Oh, that? You asked me to bring you home because you were so tired.” It wasn’t surprising that you had forgotten, given how out of it you were.

The sigh you let out is so deep that you almost asphyxiate, “I meant my home, Dia. I didn’t think you’d bring me all the way to the Devildom just because I said that.” But that kind of reaction was very in character for him. At least it put your mind at ease knowing that it was just Dia being strange that ended you up in this room. Speaking of the room though, “Why was the door locked?”

“That was for your safety, of course.” His wide smile painted his face so beautifully as he looked down at you, “I couldn’t stand the thought of you getting out.”

Huh?

Your eyes blow wide, gazing up at him and that beautiful smile, “What?”

His laugh is too cheerful based on what he just said, “Well, I don’t know what I’d do if you got out, so I had to lock the door to make sure you didn’t.”

Cold fire runs through your veins as a lump shoots up into your throat, “Dia…” You drop your hands from around him, taking a step back instinctively, “Oh, I get it. You were afraid I’d get lost, right?” Since you didn’t know where you were when you woke up in the first place. You were aware now that it must be somewhere in the palace, but this clearly wasn’t the room you usually stayed in.

“Of course,” he laughs again, “If you got lost I would be worried.”

That was it! Of course there was a perfectly normal explanation, “That makes sense. I’m sorry to have imposed so suddenly.”

“You never impose upon me, My Love.”

“I’m glad.” It was good to get to see him again, but you couldn’t stay, “I should really get ready to go home though. Where’s Barbatos?” You would need him to open the portal for you.

Diavolo tilts his head toward you, “What do you mean? You are home.”

“My home, Dia.”

“This is your home though.” The light in his eyes seems to shift into something darker, making your heart pound as if it was a hungry tiger in front of you and not your boyfriend, “I told you: I don’t want you getting out. This is where you should be.”

“That’s not funny,” your voice turns stern as you take another step away from him, “I need to go back now.”

“No you don’t.” He reaches out to try and fidget with a strand of your hair, grabbing only at air as you pull away from him. His hand clenched into a fist before loosening and dropping it back to his side, “The room is all yours. I tried really hard to make sure it had everything you could need to keep yourself entertained and the bathroom is attached whenever you need it. Plus, I can bring you food too, so you never have to leave.” It was unnerving how matter of factly those words left his mouth.

“Stop joking, Dia! That’s creepy!” How could he even say those sorts of things? It was as if he expected you to find them comforting when all they did was make your skin crawl.

There was a moment of silence before he clicked his tongue, “I’m not joking though. I thought you’d like to live with me. Then we could see each other whenever we want and not just visit when we have the time.”

“You’re… not kidding, are you?” He had a strange sense of humor sometimes, but you knew when he was being serious, “This isn’t okay, Dia. I have to go home now. Please?”

“How many times do I have to say it? You are home.”

As soon as he says that, something inside of you snaps and you quickly pace backward to put as much space between the two of you as you can. Being trapped in such a closed space with him is suddenly the most frightening thing you can conceive of and it drives your fight-or-flight response absolutely haywire. Your feet stumble over one another, each one trying to outpace the other in an effort to get further and further away until you bump hip first into the cluttered writing desk.

“My Love, you’re going to make me feel bad if you react like that,” he says, taking a calm step toward you with his arms outstretched, “Don’t you think this is wonderful?’

Without an answer, you grab blindly at some of the things scattered on the writing desk and chuck them as hard as you can in his direction. They smack into him with little fanfare as you continue to grab anything you can and throw them without relenting. Even as your assault ramps up and you run out of things on the desk, he keeps heading in your direction with everything falling unceremoniously to the ground.

He shakes his head, “There’s no need for that.”

There are no words to respond to him, even if you wanted to. Instead, you shift over and grab at one of the small potted plants scattered around the room, lifting it over your head (ignoring how specs of stray dirt fall out) and throwing it as hard as you can at his head. It makes contact, shattering upon impact and causing him to finally stop. However, he doesn’t look even mildly injured. If anything, he looks as if he is in disbelief.

His eyes go wide with shock as he stares at you, “What did you do that for?”

It seemed like his demonic form was going to come out, but it was gone just as quickly as it had arrived. Perhaps a trick of the light? Maybe your own adrenaline-addled brain? You refuse to answer him as you reach for something else to throw at him, hoping the next item will actually do some damage. Instead, you feel something wrap around and pull back on your wrist. Your entire torso twists in motion with the jerk, forcing you to spin around so you are looking straight up at Diavolo and the way he towers over you.

“That’s enough. You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep throwing and breaking things.” There were already broken shards from the pot that had hit him in the head and he worried that you would step on them and hurt your feet. Someone would have to come clean them up before that happened.

Before he even finishes speaking, you already hand your fingers at work, trying to pry him off of you. Your nails dig into him, biting deep into his flesh, but he seems as unphased by it as he did everything else so far.

“Are you upset?” He asked, dumbfounded by your continued behavior.

“No shit I’m upset!” You shout as you try and fail to yank away from him once more, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Language.” That tongue of yours was very foul at the moment and it was unbecoming of you, “Maybe you need a moment to just breathe and calm down.”

You wanted to scream more, but you just felt very tired. All the panic and rage was catching up to you all at once and you were losing the will to continue fighting, especially feeling how tightly he gripped your wrist and knowing it was only a fraction of his strength.

Finally, you let your body go limp as if you would somehow be able to melt into the floor as some desperate last escape from him and this entire situation. You couldn’t however. In fact, it was clear just how little you could fight back against, as he continued to hold you to keep you from completely collapsing.

“Someone is going to come for me.” You glare up at him through burning eyes, feeling the dam of tears threatening to break forth from behind them, knowing you are unable to hold them back any longer as stress and resignation start to settle into your bones. You couldn’t fight him with your own strength, “You can’t keep me here forever.”

His eyes almost turned sympathetic as he watched your chest heave trying to catch your breath after your futile resistance. He takes pity on your pathetic state and lets go of you at last. Even as he does so, however, the way his fingers slowly uncoil from around you makes it clear that he is not conceding any amount of power in the situation to you, “No one knows you’re here. You’re supposed to be in the human realm.”

Your fist clenches and your side before loosening again. The thought of trying to punch him just to make a point crosses your mind, but you decide against it for the moment. Instead, the best option is to bite your tongue and keep him from proving just how much power he really has in this situation. Plus, you have pacts that you can use to summon the brothers. He can’t hold you as easily as he thinks he can and you will prove it. All you had to do was bide your time until you could safely call the others.

“I promise,” he bent at the knee, placing a hand against your cheek and making your stomach jolt forward and a feeling of bile rush up to your throat, “you’ll love it here. I’ll take care of you and you’ll never want for anything.”

You slap his hand away, refusing to roll over like a dog so easily even with your new strategy in place, and speak with venom in your voice, “I want to go home.”

There was a pause in the air before a heavy sigh left his lips, “You should sleep. Perhaps in the morning you will be thinking more clearly.” And perhaps you would understand the situation you were in after waking up to realize this wasn’t a dream that would go away once you woke up.

He stood from his spot and went toward the door of your brand prison, “Feel free to look around.” He was excited for you to see just how well he’d provided for you. Maybe once you saw how much he cared you would finally understand. Oh, except for one thing, but that was your fault, “Please avoid the ceramic shards. We’ll have to clean those up as soon as possible since they are dangerous.”

With that, he opened the door and stepped through it. As soon as it was closed behind him, you heard the sound of the lock turning into place from the outside. Your breathing turned erratic again and you wailed as you crossed your arms to hold yourself and try to calm yourself down. Everything was finally hitting you in full force all at once; fear, anxiety, panic, rage, sadness, disbelief… Every single emotion danced in your mind and threatened to switch you from screaming to sobbing to violence and back again at a moment’s notice.

You must be having a nightmare because there was no other explanation for this situation.

[rocksandrobots]

Of Rocks and Robots Ch. 10 - Gogo

Disclaimer:  So, this story is PG. Basically anything you might see come up in an old 90s sitcom, like Boy Meets World, Fresh Prince, Save by the Bell ect, is liable to show up along with anything that the parent shows cover. Nothing unsuitable for family entertainment, but clearly covering more mature subjects than the original source material, including today’s chapter which discusses alcohol.

Varian was hot. The sun beat down on the back of his neck and sweat began to trickle down his forehead. He couldn't remember experiencing a hotter day. In Corona the temperature wouldn't rise more than a balmy 15 degrees Celsius normally, but today, here in San Fansokyo, it had to be close to 20 or more. His phone said it was 73 degrees Fahrenheit specifically, but he was still getting used to the different measurements Americans typically used. All he knew was that he had worn the lightest clothes he had, a tank top and athletic shorts, and he was still burning up. 

Unfortunately, there was nowhere to escape from the oppressive heat. He was standing on the sidewalk next to a stranger's house while Gogo worked on their car. She did repair work on vehicles as a side job. Often exchanging her services for a cheaper price to other students which in turn gave her more flexibility in what jobs she took and when. 

Right now she was helping out another student whose car wouldn't start and didn't want to call a tow to take it to a mechanic. Varian had expressed an interest in learning how automobiles worked, so she had agreed to letting him come along and teaching him some basics. However, there was nothing for him to do at the moment. Gogo was under the vehicle on a rolling board and there wasn't enough room for both of them down there. So all Varian could do was standby and watch, which was difficult as he couldn't really see what she was doing from the position she was in now. 

Instead he surveyed the street and surrounding buildings. There were the tightly packed three story townhouses behind them and on the other side of the street were clothing shops, apartments, a bank on the far street corner, and a single restaurant that read ‘Maggie’s Pub and Grill’. Varian licked his lips at the thought of drinking something cold and wet to stave off the blistering heat. He dug his hands in his pockets to check if he had any cash. He still had a fiver leftover from the twenty Wasabi had given him two weeks ago at the mall. 

“Hey Gogo, I’m going to go get a drink, you want anything?” He loudly asked the girl lying under the car.

“Uhhh, a soda would be nice. Maybe some Mr. Pep.” Gogo yelled back at him, never leaving her position or stopping her work. 

“I don’t know if they sell that there, but I’ll ask” and with that he walked away and headed across the street. 

“Just knock on the door and ask Ashley if she has any...” Gogo said distractedly, not noticing that Varian was no longer there. After a moment or two without hearing an answer, Gogo suddenly rolled out from underneath the vehicle. 

“Wait.” She said to no one in particular as she stared up at the sky and began to put together what had just happened.

---------------------------

Varian squinted his eyes as he walked into the dark pub. The establishment was empty save for the barkeep at the other end wiping down the counter. This surprised Varian. In his world a place like this would be packed at this time of day, filled with field workers and sheepherders stopping to take their mid-day break. Practically his whole village would be gathered at the local tavern to eat, drink, and share gossip before going back to work. Varian had figured it would be even more crowded here given the larger city and the heat of day. 

He shrugged his shoulders. Oh well, maybe the food here wasn’t all that good. Didn’t matter, all he wanted was a drink. He walked over to the bar. 

“Hi, do you sell any, what was it she asked for,” Varian waved hello at the man on the other side and then cupped his chin in thought as he tried to recall what it was Gogo had wanted. “Pep?” He finished.

The large man didn’t answer him back, only to wordlessly reach under the counter and pull out a can of the soda and set it down. 

“Oh, yes, that’s it. Also I’ll have your darkest ale, please.” 

“I.D.” The man said deadpan. 

“Excuse me?” Varian asked, not sure what the man was requesting. 

“I need to see your officially licensed identification.” The man explained tiredly, as if he had to recite this often. 

“Uh, I have my student I.D. if that’s what you want.” Varian said, confused, as his hand went back into his pocket to dig out his wallet and money.   

The big man gave a heavy sigh and pointed to a sign placed in front of the cash register. ‘In Accordance to Federal Law all Patrons must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol and must show valid I.D.’ It read.

“You need a government issued license or passport, kid.” The barkeep said with annoyance, clearly believing Varian was there to try and pull some scam.

Varian, however, could only stare at the sign in bewilderment, still frozen in place with his hand in his pocket. His mouth hung open in astonishment as he tried to process what was going on. The amount of reliance on forms and identification in this world was odd enough but now there were laws against beer? That was practically all anyone drunk in his world. Coffee, tea, and cocoa were expensive and meant as a treat, and the only drinking water to be had were from the community wells, the river being brackish that close to the sea, and you still had to take time to draw the water. Which you didn’t want to do every time you were thirsty. And while this world did have running water, less expensive hot beverages, and that sugary soda in abundance; he still couldn’t figure out why that would be the cause for preventing anyone from buying an ale, let alone people under such an arbitrary age. 

“But… but why?” He whined in confusion. 

Just then Gogo burst through the door, stormed to up to the front counter, and before Varian could complain to her about this dumb rule, she grabbed him by the ear and proceeded to drag him back outside.

---------------------------

It wasn’t until they had made it back across the street did Gogo relinquish her grip on Varian. 

“What were you thinking!” She whirled on him angrily.

Varian only stood there and looked at her, still befuddled and ruefully rubbing his ear where she had pinched it.  

“You’re only sixteen!” She yelled, as if this was the most obvious explanation for her righteous anger.  

“So? You’re only eighteen.” He retorted back. As if she had any right to berate him in such a manner when she was only two years older. 

“I’m an adult,” She explained. “But that’s not the point. You’re a child. You don’t need to be drinking or trying to trick bartenders that you’re older.”

“I’m not a child!” Varian responded, properly angry now himself. “What makes you any different?” 

“I can hold down a job, pay rent, buy groceries, I can vote.” She began to list off what she thought were requirements for adulthood. 

“Sooo can you drink?” Varian interrupted as he pointed back to the bar. 

“Well, no.” She admitted, temporarily tripped up by that question. However, the smug look on Varian’s face renewed her annoyance with him. “You can’t even buy a hamburger without someone’s help.” 

“Just because I’m new to this world, doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” He said, deeply offended by that last remark. 

“Oh really, and when’s the last time you had to buy your own food, or clothes, or live on your own?” She asked skeptically.

“I’ve been on my own since I was fourteen!” He snapped. 

Then just as suddenly he stiffened with surprise, he hadn’t meant for that to come out. Both he and Gogo stared at each other, herself equally in shock by his revelation. He quickly turned his head away, bit his lower lip, and stuck his hands in his pockets. He just stood there awkwardly unwilling to look her in the eyes.

For Gogo’s part, she felt her heart drop the moment he had said it. What did he mean ‘on his own’? Who’d leave a fourteen year old to fend for themselves? Didn’t he say he had a dad? But before she could ask for some clarity, Varian spoke again. 

“Look, I’m sorry,” He said defensively, “I didn’t know about the alcohol rule. It won’t happen again.” He put his hands up in defeat and then walked away from her and the conversion. Making his way back to the car, he picked up a wrench and began to tighten a socket. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing but anything to keep himself busy and to avoid any more uncomfortable arguments. 

Gogo watched him with increasing worry. She wanted to know more, to help him, but she could tell from his stance and his behavior that he wasn’t willing to talk about it. She knew all about avoiding feelings and bottling up one’s problems. Not that long ago she had been a moody teenager who shoved people away, too. Heck, she still was a moody teenager that shoved people away. Though she had gotten better since she started college. It was amazing how much difference only two years could make. 

Before she had met Tadashi and her other friends, she had been a pretty lonely person. Constantly bullied in grade school and struggling with depression, she was considered the weird emo kid that always sat quietly in the back of the class. However, no matter how bad things had gotten, no matter how many fights she got into at school, nor now many times she cried into her pillow at night, she had always, always had her dad to turn to. Even now she still relied on the man, rushing to him to bare her soul when Tadashi had died, unable to bring herself to talk to anyone else about her recent loss. 

Who did Varian have? She wondered. If his father wasn’t there for him, then who did he turn to for help? Why had he even been left alone? 

Her thoughts were broken when Varian let out a yelp of pain. He had burned his hand on the hot metal and proceeded to stick his fingers in his mouth to suck on the injured digits, still not looking at her, embarrassed by his clumsiness.   

She let out a weary sigh. He was a mess. But so was she, and she didn't know how best to reach him. What would dad do? She thought. Try to get her to open up about a subject that she did enjoy or distract her with a project, she decided. 

"Sooo, Wasabi tells me you want to learn how to drive." Gogo said, changing the subject while she slowly made her way over to stand next to him. 

"Yeah." Varian agreed quietly, keeping his eyes on the engine, still choosing to not look at her. "But because I just moved here I wouldn't be able to get my license for another six months. I'm not sure I'll still be here by then." And with that he ducked back under the hood. 

This didn't sound encouraging to Gogo. If he truly was on his own then what was he going back for? But she knew bringing her doubts up would only push him away further. 

"Well, if you are still here in six months, you'll need a car to drive around in." She suggested instead. 

This grabbed Varian's attention and he finally stopped to look back at her. "Whatd'ya mean?"

"Well it's just, if you want to still learn how cars work, then perhaps we can build one, together. That way if Wasabi helps you get your license then you'll have your own vehicle to ride in." She continued slowly.

"You… you mean it?" Varian hopefully asked. 

"Sure, we can work on it in our free time." She said encouragingly. 

"Yeah? Yeah! That... that’d be great. I'd really like that." Varian agreed. 

He smiled appreciatively at Gogo and she returned it in kind. 

"Of course the first thing you'll need to learn is what socket you need to tighten or not." She gently teased, pointing to the socket he had busied himself with for the past few minutes to no avail. 

"Oh, right." He laughed in embarrassment and finally stopped trying to use the wrench. 

"Here, let me show you how to check the oil." She said and thus the day passed without further incident, just the two of them laughing and bonding over cars.