#i am simply too tired to be bothered to fix the sizing issues here

[most-fuckable-ff14-lady]

ROUND 1 MOST FUCKABLE FFXIV LADY

[astringofmadhousefloozies]

On Illness and Recovery, or: Sickfic, Baby!

You know the drill! Please let me know if you liked it, and check my Twisted Wonderland fanfiction tag if you want other shit I’ve done.

Contains coarse language and emotional whiplash.

~*~*~*~

Some things stay true no matter where you are; the truest, right now? Schools are disgusting fucking petri dishes, as your miserable cold will tell you. Your cough had only been getting worse as the days went on, with it came exhaustion and a chill that wouldn't leave your bones. You should probably be holed up in your dorm instead of going to class, but that had it's own issues that you were struggling to solve.

"Are you done yet? I want to eat." Grimm's nose, and little else, poked out from a pile of blankets on your bed.

"Nowhere close. Shh." You taped the last bit of plastic over the balcony entryway, and swapped the roll of tape for a heavy duty stapler. "Hold that right there."

The skull-faced ghost held a packing blanket over the plastic as you stapled it in place. By the time you were done, you couldn't see much, which at least meant you could no longer see your own breath. Maybe now, you would be able to feel your own fingers.

Ah, they joys of your own rotten, ancient place - you wake up with frost on your bedsheets and your washbasin shattered from the ice within it. There were other rooms in the place, but most had holes in the ceiling or were too big to heat effectively. So now, you were going to live in one room, that you'd yet to figure out how to run electricity to, and only leave for class or the bathroom. Even if you were ill, could anyone blame you for still going to class when your own home had a nasty quirk of being even colder than outside?

Anywho, it was time to do some homework. By the light of an oil lamp. In five layers of clothing. Curled up so close to a tiny fire you might as well be inside of it. While your not-a-cat complained the whole time.

Yaaaaaaay.

~*~*~*~

"You really should be resting."

You scoffed. "You just feel bad because you're the one who got me sick."

"You can't prove that, everyone's had a cold the past few weeks."

"No one else has been exploring my tonsils, dude."

Idia clapped a hand on your mouth, which you did not lick solely because you were wearing a cloth mask. "Quiet! That's secret intel."

"What? No it's not, everyone knows."

"I don't want to advertise. Then I'm a raid boss and you're the rare loot drop."

You elbowed him in his boney ribs. "No one's going to kick your ass out of jealousy. Just because I'm the hottest bitch in this place doesn't mean I've got universal appeal."

"You're still the only girl and people are weird about it." He placed the back of his hand on your forehead and winced. "You're too warm."

"How can you tell? You've got gloves on."

"That's how bad it is. I'll make some tea."

"I'm not drinking anything out of the damned lab equipment."

He frowned. "I've never had anything bad happen, it's cleaned correctly."

"You're smarter than that. One of these days you're going to grow a tail due to residue in the glassware, and I'm going to haul you around in front of god and everyone by it, going 'I told you so' the entire time."

He blanched, knowing that that was not an idle threat, and someone laughed. "I think I should make that happen, just so we can see that."

"Jade, no. No magic mushrooms for my man, or any other concoctionary bullshit either."

Idia looked ready to die, so to take attention off of him you leaned over and poked Silver awake before he fell face first in the potion he was working on. Logically, you know his narcolepsy was debilitating. Right now, you wish you could have borrowed it last night. You don't remember walking up during the night, but you must have, because why else would you be so tired?

He started up, mumbled "thank you" and went back to stirring as if he hadn't been about to drown in dubious magichemicals. God, you wished that was you right now.

"Idia, deal. You help me get through this class, I'll grab some hot food and go home."

He made a show of hemming and hawing before saying, "Grimm needs to let me hold him when I drop you off, and I will."

Ordinarily, you would have just said "Ask him yourself and don't be weird about it," and Grimm would have simply told him no until sufficiently bribed. But Grimm was still in bed at home, saying you kept him up all night, so instead you bumped Idia with your hip and said "What, you can't think to ask for better pussy to fondle?"

Of course, you just had to say something crass at the moment where everyone went quiet. Even Crewel raised his head and both eyebrows at you. The only reason you didn't get a riding crop to the face and a week in horny detention (where, you assumed, they punished you for being a bad girl indeed) was Idia, rapidly going through every stage of confusion and grief, with a few currently unknown to man. You'd intended to tease him, but that sheer amount of confused, horny misery on his face was just too much, and you laughed so hard you bent over.

And coughed. In a short time, there was no laughter left, only miserable coughing from the depths of your chest that left you on the floor with your eyes watering. Someone thumped your back a few times, and when you yanked your mask off to catch a proper, if shallow breath, your mask was full of a red-streaked, pus coloured slime.

A fur coat was draped over your shoulders as everyone made various noises of disgust. "Class dismissed. Let's get you to the nurses."

~*~*~*~

"How in hell are you still mobile."

"Pettiness and a desire to not freeze to death."

Crewel narrowed his eyes at you. "Both lungs."

"That is what double pneumonia means, Professor."

You could see his whip fingers itching. "Yes, well. You can't come to class like that. And... Is it really that bad in Ramshackle?"

Idia raised a hand. "It was really cold the last time I was there."

"Ugh. I told Crowley we should have razed the place for an expansion on my dog run." He looked at you with a curious mix of genuine fondness and even more genuine disgust. "I'm not putting you up until your place gets fixed, you'll leak all over my furniture. Anyone here going to babysit?"

"I've done perfectly fine in my own dorm, I don't need to become the pet of another dorm."

"Those little fairies said that if you don't stay on bedrest and stay warm, you will die. I am not filling out that paperwork." He looked to you classmates. "Speak up or I'm docking a letter grade."

Silver raised a hand. "I think we could do it but I don't think D- Lilia would let me. Malleus would end up trying to play nurse and skip class."

"Oh god, no, we don't tell him I'm sick until I'm safely ensconced somewhere, he would lose his damn mind and I'd try to strangle him after a week of it."

"There are no spare rooms in Octanivelle. However, I could try some experimental medicines I've been-"

"Jade, no."

Idia was quiet, before speaking up. "I... I don't know if Ignihyde has a spare room, or would be good for healing."

He'd not left your side since your collapse, and gone so full of writhing, barely concealed anxiety he'd broke through the other side and simply shut off. You didn't get it, it wasn't actually anything serious. The nurses had pumped you full of medicine, you'd be up and about a week or two at the most, instead of the month's worth of hospital rooms and bad food it would have been.

Crewel sighed. "Time to start checking the files to see where you can be squeezed."

There was a cough, from the fifth student so quiet despite his size. Everyone had honestly forgotten he was there.

When he spoke up, it was to you, and not anyone else. "There's an unoccupied room down the hall from me. I think the weather in the Savannahclaw dorms will be good for your health. You shouldn't have to stay where you won't be wanted, or get sicker. Would that work?"

You looked at him, assessing. You and him hadn't talked overmuch, and he didn't seem to mind. But as severe as he looked? You could see the sincerity in his offer.

"That should work. Jack, right?"

His ears flicked, and his tail twitched. "Yes."

"Thank you, Jack. You're very kind."

~*~*~*~

Easy to see why the room was empty. You suspected it might have been a storage room, or that there had been a monastic order in the dorm at one point. A single bed just fit the far wall, with a chair, a desk, a bureau, and little else. But the far wall had a large window, and the room felt... nice. And a hell of a lot warmer than than your room in Ramshackle.

"It'll make an excellent sickroom." You set your schoolbag and an entire case of tissues on the desk. "Thank you again, Jack. You sure it won't be any trouble?"

"I've already cleared it with our dorm leader, he said he doesn't care as long as you don't rub phlegm on his things." Jack was a solid block of frown and muscle in the corner. "The window does open, you should keep it that way for circulation. There's a bathroom down the hall, there's showers in there. If you need anything or anyone tries to bother you, please let me know."

"Will do." You were already unpacking the few things in your bag, trying to get them arranged before another coughing fit took you.

"I can help get your things, if you need?" For a dude who was very do-that-shit-yourself, he was being very helpful.

"Idia's grabbing Grimm and anything else I'll need. He'll know what I want."

"I see." Silence, and more interesting ear flicks. "So."

"So?"

"You and him are..." He made a guesture with interlaced fingers.

"Yeah. Jealous?"

He snorted. "No. Just curious. He's a bit..." Hand wiggle.

"I'm a bit too. It works. Would have been nice if he'd gotten the hint before I had a ghost turn me inside out in front of him and everyone else."

"You know that's why you're so sick, right?"

You made a noise that was hard to decipher, that he used as cue to continue. "You never smelled quite right after that happened. Even after the healing. You're always a little..." He moved his hands, trying to grasp the right simile. "Like when a flower's starting to drop petals. Overripe."

How in the hell were you supposed to take that. What do you even say to that? Does everyone know you smell? Does - 

"Oh god, you all know when I'm on the rag."

A single, curt nod, and you put your head in your hands and groaned.

~*~*~*~

A knock on the door

"Who is it?"

"Your worst enemy."

"Get your ass in here, Vil."

Vil had on... good lord. Mask, gloves, face shield. An absurdly fashionable CDC agent. "You look like shit."

"Thanks, Vil. Means so much coming from you."

He stayed by the door, ready to flee if a spare germ came floating towards him. "Heard you're out of commission. Thank the seven, I'll get some peace in my life."

You flipped him the bird, but smiled as you did. "Don't say that. I'll made a sheet ladder and mix sputum in your cold cream."

"If you do that I will personally burn your clothes and replace them with something decent that you will hate."

"Try. Come to gloat?"

"Just a bit." He set a large cup with a straw at the very edge of the desk, straining at arm's length as he did. "This should unfuck your throat somewhat."

"Such language!" You waited until he retreated to the door before you took the smoothie. It was... very, very purple, and smelled minty. "Trying to poison me, finally?"

He rolled his eyes. "When I decide to poison you, it's not going to be through something that obvious. You will never see it coming, and then I'll sell your corpse to Floyd and everyone will just think he finally decided to go full crazy and Riddle is next."

You snorted. "Honestly? I think he'd shit his pants if I actually returned the affection. One time I saw Riddle give him a genuine smile and he had to go sit down because he started shaking so bad." That might have been because the smile was caused by Floyd cracking his head on a doorway and falling flat on his ass, but the point still stood.

When he stopped laughing, he turned to leave. "Take at least an extra week to get better, for my sanity. And don't give the creature any, it won't agree with him."

"Shh, I just got him down for his nap-"

Grimm made a horrible snort from your feet and say up. "Food?"

You made a look-what-you-did guesture at Vil, but he left instead of helping you deal with your beloved yowling idiot.

~*~*~*~

You woke up coughing in the dark. It took entirely too long for you to figure out where the hell you were, and why, and you took the offered tissue with great-

"JaySUS FUCKING CHRIST" You jumped back so much it was only Malleus's grip on your arm that kept you from going through the open window.

"People are sleeping, please do not yell."

"Don't yell my ass, how long have you been there?"

He shrugged. "Since before sunset. Ortho was here first."

You leaned around Mal, to see Ortho sitting on the desk, scritching the belly of a drowsing Grimm. "Hello, Yuu. Your fever has gone down half of a degree since I took over."

The audacity of these idiots, you swear. "Both of you go home and go to bed."

"No. You need watching." Mal had not blinked once since you'd woken up, and how about that? His eyes glowed in the dark, or he had very strong eyeshine; either way, there was no iris around the blown out pupil. "You are very ill and need taken care of. I can do that, I took care of Silver when he was ill."

"Mal."

"Yes?"

"Do we need another boundaries talk?"

He frowned. "But you are ill."

"Mal, I will call Lilia and tell him what you are doing right now. I will personally write your grandmother and tell her you're neglecting your studies. I will get Leona down here and he will call you a simp until you go outside and fight him on compulsion."

"Those all sound terrible!"

"Ortho, don't kiss up because you're next. Why are you here and not home charging?"

"Idia wouldn't go home to sleep until I said I would let him know if you got worse."

You opened your mouth, and shut it again. Why's he so worried? You had to physically shove him out the door to go to his next class, looking like his heart would break, and he'd still skipped board games to fidget miserably in the chair Mal now sat in, looking ready to burst into tears every time you coughed.

Ortho seemed to read your mind. "He gets worried when people get sick. I got sick once."

Ah. That explained a hell of a lot that you were too polite to ask.

"... Okay, you can stay."

Mal perked up.

"You go home. I'll never go back to sleep if you keep staring all night, and you do need to sleep some."

Mal's face fell.

"You can come back tomorrow, after class."

He perked back up. "Goodnight, Yuu. I will see you tomorrow!" A brief kiss against your sweating temple, and he was out the same window he most likely came in.

"Hey, Ortho?"

"Yes?"

"If you can dim your lights a little, you can come lie down with me."

~*~*~*~

You were rudely poked awake by a giant asshole.

"Why are you in my nap room." Leona hovered over you with obvious displeasure.

You blinked and sorted yourself. Ortho was crammed between you and the window, hopefully dreaming of electric sheep, and Grimm was still dead asleep, the little bastard. "Jack put me up here because my dorm's a block of ice and I can't stay there on doctor's orders." Crewel might have a doctorate, it's not a lie.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"I did." Jack was behind him, his own link in a chain of hovering displeasure. "You said it was fine as long as she didn't make a mess. I brought yogurt."

"Thank you-" More miserable coughing, with now everyone either rubbing your back or passing you tissues. Except Leona, who simply held back and watched. By the time you were done, he just nodded.

"I'm not moving you, but..."

"What."

"I'm calling in a favour next time Cheka gets pawned off on me. He likes you."

You'd argue that, but you liked the kid. "Aight. Everyone get out, there's too many fucking people in here and I'm discovering new and interesting depths of claustrophobia."

Leona didn't need to be told twice.

"I'll be back after class with your homework. Maybe at lunch with something. Not before then. Stay put."

"Oooo, oo. I'm going with you, big guy." Grimm scampered over. "I'll get bored here all day. You can just nap."

You rolled your eyes "I can just nap. Jack, if he sticks with you, he's going to want to eat everything you do."

"I'll manage."

"Would you like me to stay?" Ortho was finally up, or maybe you hadn't noticed him exiting screensaver mode.

"I'd like you to tell your brother that I'm not going anywhere. Use those exact words."

He nodded, a faint whirr as he did.

"I'll see you guys later, okay? I need more sleep."

~*~*~*~

Someone gently shook you awake, and said someone was leaning in the window.

"Hey, Kalim." Why'd you have to be the center of attention when sick, and therefore couldn't kiss anyone to thank them for said attention.

"Hi! I asked Jamil to make extra lunch for you!" He set a covered dish on your knees.

"Thank you. Was he okay with that?"

"He was when I said it was for you. Everyone's heard that you're laid up!"

"News travels fast. Am I about to get even more popular?"

"You're always popular because you're great. Feel better! Jamil said he'll have extras tomorrow too. See you!" And off he went.

You needed to tell Jamil thank you, but he would probably just tell you to just stop talking about abolishing the monarchy instead. (Not because he didn't support the idea, but because he didn't want to be punished for not keeping the idea from Kalim.) What did he make, anyway?

"Oh, curry. Sweet."

~*~*~*~

The days progressed roughly the same. Drowsing most of the morning, lunch, more drowsing in between laptop stuff, maybe actual sleep. Coughing up far less gunk as the days went on. And entertaining an absurd fucking amount of people. Everyone seemed determined to check on you, even people who you'd never seen before in your life; Ruggie made something like 10k madol charging people to try and see you through the window before you cursed him out. Your Heartslabyul boys dropped in every couple of days to relate shit that they hadn't simply texted you (along with a pile of pastries from Trey and handwritten instructions on recovery from Riddle, the latter far less appreciated than the former). Floyd dropped in once to mostly complain about how you weren't around to eat the mushrooms he picked out of his food, tried to convince you to let him carry you over to the Monstro Lounge himself, and when you refused, kissed the tips of your fingers and left pouting. Jack, true to his word, dropped in at least twice a day to deliver food and homework, and once spent forty-five minutes glowering at anyone approaching the bathrooms while you took a shower that ached on your oversensitive skin.

Some people were far more regular. Every day like clockwork, Malleus perched in your window and was the world's friendliest, most affectionate vulture. Twenty minutes after that, Idia would come in, sit in the chair, and exude such concentrated grief that you were at a loss for what to do beyond asking if he wanted to talk about it, to which he would shake his head and simply resume sitting there, tapping away at his screens until the next panicked flurry of activity every time you made a unhealthy noise.

"You are allowed to go home. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm much better than I was."

He just shook his head.

"I will come get you if something happens," Mal offered.

More head shaking, and a "no" from his tablet, before adding, "Never again."

"I'll call Ortho and make him tag you out."

"I said no. And Ortho is with Lilia."

Lilia, small, beloved pest, has what you like to think of as a compulsive need to parent. He was god knows how old, had raised at least three of your classmates that you know of, and seemed to consider you his newest fledgling. After hearing about what happened, he'd taken it into his own hands to fix Ramshackle to... well, not OSHA compliance, but you wouldn't be cold.

"Does he know how much I appreciate it? Appreciate all of you, really?"

"Of course he does. He loves talking about you. He wears that shirt you made all the time."

"Which one? I've made him seven so far."

"When do I get one?"

"When they make T shirts that'll fit over your horns." Something drooped in the corner of your eye, and you looked over to see Idia shaking himself upright. "Hey, babe. When was the last time you slept?"

He took an embarrassingly long time to lie through his teeth and say "Last night" through his tablet.

"Yeah, no. Get over here." You took a moment to drag Mal's hand down before he could just do a sleeping spell, or something equally well meaning but deeply inappropriate.

"No."

"Please?"

You held your arms out until he couldn't resist, and soon you'd arranged his head on your chest.

"You hear anything more sloshing around in there?"

He shook his head.

"I am on the mend. I... don't really know what happened before. And I sure as hell don't know what you did to get him back. But I'm not going anywhere. So rest." 

He gave a faint nod.

"I will wake you, if need be?"

To both yours and Mal's surprise, Idia answered him with a pat on his leg.

"Thank you."

Idia was already asleep.

~*~*~*~

"Mal?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know what 'cyanosis' is?" You’d been stroking Idia's head for hours. Or minutes. Time flies, and you could not tell the difference.

"Not immediately, no."

"It's caused by a few different things. Hypoxia, hypothermia, that sort of thing. The blood in you doesn't have enough oxygen. So little that, instead of red, parts of your body turn blue or grey due to the lack of oxygen."

"I see." He looked intently, much as you did, at Idia's greyish nails and blue lips. "That doesn't seem survivable."

"Not if it's severe, no." The flames from Idia's head curled around your fingers, grasping at you even when he's not aware of it. "It's not something you see on someone as... lively as him. It's something I think about a lot. Whether it's to do with his magic, or that curse he won't elaborate on."

"I've heard rumours."

"Oh?"

"The Shroud family curse. Nothing concrete, for an origin. Madness, misfortune, and illness have plagued the family throughout history. Add in a trend of cousin marriage beyond the norm for upper-class families due to people not wanting to subject their loved ones to a cursed bloodline, and the tree is more of an notorious, ingrown shrub."

"That just sounds like shitty genetics and what happens to every family as the years go on, not a curse."

Mal shrugged. "is there a difference? Even in the sleeping curse my grandmother bestowed so easily, much of the power came for the fear of it. A girl grew up without her family because of the fear of it."

"True." You leaned down and kissed the top of Idia's head, feeling an unconscious smile as you did. "There must be a little hereditary something. He gets so anxious about this beautiful hair! He hates people looking at him, and he doesn't even realize it's because he's the most beautiful thing in any room he walks in."

"Thing?" Mal raised an amused eyebrow.

"Even the finest art in a museum doesn't have the benefit of being actually alive."

"Your capacity for love and beauty is enviable. Hunt would be jealous." He reached out and brushed a stray lock away from Idia's face, and you could feel another smile against your chest.

~*~*~*~

"Aight, so we've patched up holes in the walls, insulated the windows - Idia here," Lilia clapped Idia on the small of his back, causing him to make a distressed squeak - "smart boy, found some solar panels and we've got electricity up in your room, the kitchen and the bathroom by your room, not just the front room anymore! The rest we got the ghosts to help seal off to hold the heat in. I got you a space heater for your room, so you don't have to do a fire the whole time, and as long as you don't open the windows back up before spring, you won't freeze."

"Thanks, guys. One question."

"Yeah?"

"What did you do to my room."

Lilia smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a walking prank and can't keep out of there, what did you do."

"Nothing this time! I promise!" He held his hands up. "At least you can stay home for the next few days, Crewel says you gotta be back Monday or he's going to start making funeral prep."

"I'm literally better, but if he does that I get to help. Always wanted to plan my funeral, I have very specific ideas about what flowers to use and preferred corpse disposal."

"Maybe you should go upstairs and not talk about funerals and their associated things."

"Sure thing, dear."

After settling in your room, most everyone cleared out, even Idia. The only person still there was Jack, looking this way and that with a stern look.

"Hey, Jack?"

He grunted in assent.

"So like, why'd you put me up and help take care of me? We've hardly talked before then."

He sighed. "You've been very nice to me."

"You sure? I'd remember you."

"Uh."

"Jack?"

~*~*~*~

It was a beautiful day, if chilly in the wind. The sun was warm, the trees turning, and you just came across one of your best friends.

"Hi buddy! Are you lost today?"

The very large dog shook it's head and pressed into your knees.

"Okay, you wanna walk with me? Come on."

You'd found this enormous white Malamute wandering campus the first time a few months ago, and after checking in with a few other students who kept laughing when you asked if he was their dog, simply decided to enjoy your new friend and run and play. He was very smart, and initially standoffish, but could not resist a friendly face and good ear scritches. Today, you and Buddy here simply ran around like a couple of idiots after a lost soccer ball until it was time to go eat.

"I'll see you later, buddy. Bye!" You held out a hand, and after a firm shake, kissed the point where his snout met the rest of his face. "Stay safe, I love you."

Buddy made a low grumble and rubbed his paws over his face, and you went off to supper.

~*~*~*~

"You couldn't have told me?"

"How do you explain that? 'Hey, I run around as a wolf sometimes and you mistook me for a lost dog so you lovebombed me and I was at a loss and by the second time it was too awkward to say anything'?"

"I've been playing with you for months! I let you run with Crewel's dalmatians!"

"I run with them as a person, too, that's nothing special."

You pinched your nose. "Everyone must think I'm an idiot."

"I'll deal with them. I'm sorry, Yuu."

"I know. You are my good boy, after all."

His tail started wagging in spite of itself, and you laughed.

[silverisbestboy]

Sonic Boom x Reader

Requested by @blackace1993: Conversation was accidentally deleted but from what I remeber of it, they wanted hc for the Sonic Boom characters who has a partner who frequently gets into trouble and/or captured by Eggman. They didn't specify which character they wanted so I just did all of them minus Tails. Hope you enjoy!

Sonic:

There's no denying it

Sonic was smitten

The moment you set foot on the island Sonic was taken aback by you

To him, you were drop dead gorgeous with a great personality so I guess you could say it was love at first sight for him

This boy is a fool for you

It's actually quite funny watching him zip across the island at the slightest remark that you need something

"Man, you what? I'm feeling kind of hungry"

"Say no more!" He'll say as he zooms away and reappears seconds later with a chili dog in hand

"Uhhhh"

But, unfortunately for you, being in any sort of relationship with Sonic is not wothout complication

Eggman sees you as a new oppurtunity to best Sonic and ends up taking you hostage on a regular basis

The first time it happens, Sonic all but destroys Eggman's fortress looking for you

But after it continuously happening, it starts getting kinda old

"Greeting Sonic! I see you've come to rescue your little girlfriend"

"Yeah, yeah. Can we just we just get to the part where I clobber you?"

It gets to the point where Sonic starts teaching you how to defend yourself so you can hold your own against Eggman

Not that he doesn't mind rescuing, it's just he can't always be there to protect

With the amount of times they've had to save you, the team are already very familiar with you and consider you apart of their friend group

But as you get better is self-defence, Sonic officially announces you as part of the team and you start joining them on missions

While Sonic does tend to stick to your side more than his other teammates during battle, he's glad to have you fighting alongside them

After all, he's happy to spend as much time with you as possible, even if that means having to bash Eggman's robots to do so

Knuckles:

You're not a bad person

So what if you have anger issues

So what if you get into fights from time to time

So what if you've been in trouble with the cops before

Doesn't mean you're a bad person, it just means you've.... got some issues

One day you're not in the best mood and have already had a pretty shitty day, and you're just a ticking time bomb waiting to explode

So it's no wonder that when a big guy bumps into you and causes you to drop the tray of food you're holding, you go off on him

Unfortunately for you, this guy is huge, a tall red echidna with bulking arms that looks like he could punch you into next week

But you're not one to back down from a fight, you've beaten up guys twice your size before and you're not afraid to do it again

"Woah, hey, sorry about that, didn't see you there."

What, is he dense?! Who does this guy think he is barrelling into anyone he pleases just because he's big? You bet he was just gonna walk off without even helping you. Well, you'd show him!

Without warning, you lunged at the echidna with the intent of knocking him over the same way he almost did to you

But you underestimated his initial strength and reflexes and he caught you midair with your legs kicking and your hands clawing for his face

"Woah, dude chill! I said I was sorry!"

He just kinda holds you up in air at arms length with you kicking and screaming until you eventually tire yourself out

The echidna stares at you cautiously

"Are you good now?"

After a moment, you reluctantly nod, and he gently sets you back on your feet

He then carefully leans down without takong his eyes off you and grabs your burger which is still wrapped in foil and reaches it out to you

"How about we start over? I'm Knuckles."

You thought after that encounter, that was the last you'd see of him

But one day, you've gotten yourself into another fight, and to say you're losing would be an understatement

It's once again, a guy twice your size and he's absolutely beating the crap out of you

But by some miracle, Knuckles happens to be walking by and immediately notices you

He steps in to save you, and the guy you're fighting knows about Knuckles being part of Sonic's team and doesn't even bother attempting to fight him

Knuckles takes your half conscious body to Tails's work shop where they fix you up

After that, Knuckles refuses to leave you alone

Even if you try to leave, he always ends finding you to make sure you don't get into more trouble

He helps you find outlets for your anger by sparring and working out with him

You grow a soft spot for Knuckles that you'd never thought you'd have for anyone

He's your big goofball that somehow always manages to calm you down and get you out of whatever trouble your in

Though it's beyond you why anyone would want to put up with you, eespecially a lovable ray of sunshine like Knuckles, you're so grateful that you have someone like himin your life to keep you in check

A/N: Might make more hcs for that because I absolutely love the idea of big, strong goofball Knuckles having a little ball of pure rage as a partner.

Amy Rose:

Some would say you're a pacifist

Some would say you care too much

Some would say you're too nice

But you like to think that you're just trying to do good in the world

You're definitely the type of person that hates conflict and wants everyone to get along, and you're more often than not a bit of a pushover

You like to give people benefit of the doubt and prefer to see the good in people, although sometimes, this affects you negatively

A kindly looking (or at least in your opinion) wolf with a showman's top hat and a certain glint his eyes one day stops you in your tracks and asks you ever so politely if you would kindly lend him some money to help feed his family

Of course, you're quick to help, but little do you know that this is none other than T.W. Barker himself, and he's been watching you carefully for some time

He notices the way you jump at the oppurtunity to help someone in need, and he being a con man at heart, decides to take advantage of that

But before you can lend the man all the money you have in your pocket, a certain pink hedgehog decides to interfere

"Hey, you leave her alone Barker! Go find your own ATM machine!"

Amy Rose herself stands not far behind you, hammer in hand and ready for trouble

"N-now, now, let's not be too hasty. I was simply accepting a generous donation from this unsuspecting-- I mean self-less young lady."

"Yeah right. Beat it before I hammer you into next Tuesday, punk!"

You're in utter shock as the seeming wolf in sheep's clothing (pun intended) makes his escape

"Gotta look out for scumbags. Seems this village is getting more and more of them everyday. Anyways, I'm Amy, what's your name?"

Since then, Amy keeps a close eye on you to make sure you don't become prey to anymore scam artists

Now Amy will never admit she has anger issues, but she does get... irritated from time to time

On more than one occasion, you're there to help her calm down and have a sleepover planned or a spa day for when things get particularly rough for her

Whenever she needs help choosing which paint to redo her wall with, or which dress she should wear to a party, she calls you up, because no matter what you're interests are or how inconvenient the timing might seem, you're ready to help a friend, even with mundane things

Amy has you become a part of the Sonic family, and while you never do join them in battles, you help keep the peace between the team whenever there's an argument

And Amy always makes sure your overly caring attitude isn't being taken advantage of

No matter the time or the place, Amy knows she can always count on you, and you know she's always got your back

Sticks:

Well this is quite the predicament you've gotten yourself into

A lot of people would descibe you as clumsy, but you knew you just bad luck

And to prove just that, here you were dangling upside from a rope trap after deciding to take a liesure stroll through the forest

What are we, nomads? Who sets out traps in the middle of the woods anymore?!

After about 20 minutes, the blood is rushing to your head and you're starting to feel faint

But just as you think that your bad luck will finally be the end of you, figure bursts from the bushes with a fierce battle cry

It's a badger girl with a boomerang clutched in her paw, ready for a fight

But after a moment she realizes just who's gotten caught up in her trap

"Hey, what's the big idea?! Why're you in my snare?"

"Why am I in your snare? Why did you put out a snare you loon?!"

After about 5 minutes of arguing, Sticks reluctantly cuts you down, begrudgingly explaining that she set out a trap for any woodland monsters

You run into her again on another walk, crossing a small stream before tripping on one of the stepping stones and almost falling in before a furry arm wraps around your waist

"You outta be more careful out here. The wilderness is no place to be a klutz."

"Hey, I'm not a klutz. I just have bad luck is all."

And what more to gain the attention of a superstitious badger than the possibility of supernatural forces at play

"You could've been hexed by a witch. Or worse, there could be a vengeful spirit after you! We gotta get you an exorcist!"

"I'm fine, I'm just unlucky. Always have been always will be."

"We should still burn some sage in your home just to be sure."

You let Sticks do what she wants with you, after all, her superstitious perspective is a nice change from everyone just thinking your clumsy

You think her attempts to "cleanse" you are endearing, she tries something new everyday, and you end up learning a thing or two about survival and the corruptedness of politics from her

Weeks later, her attempts slowly dwindle down, and she just comes to accept she's just gonna have to keep an extra close eye on you, especially when she sets out booby traps

The time y'all have spent together, although it was somewhat motivated by Sticks not wanting to get whatever curse you exposed her to, lead to y'all having a close bond

Everyone has their quirks, she's paranoid and you're clumsy, but you two always manage to work things out

And that's the beauty of a relationship

A/N: Sorry I haven't been that active lately, so take this as an apology. Four hcs for the price of one!

[jamielea81]

Just a Simple Lie

Chapter 3

Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader

Description: Having worked on small independent films for the better part of a decade, your friend tells you about an opening for a script supervisor with a large studio. Wanting to advance your career, you apply and get an interview. The only downside, they prefer to hire crew who are married. It’s just a simple lie, right?

Warnings: Cursing and Drinking

Word Count: About 3,000

A/N: This story is simply for fun. I know nothing about the personal lives of the two actors in this series and mean no harm. I am also totally guessing regarding the studio talk. Comments, reblogs, and likes are always welcome. Tag list is open, please send me an ask.

Internal thoughts are in italics.

Read chapter 2 here

Another week on set had passed as quickly as the last. There weren’t any late night meetings with either leading man, which was fine by you. Sure, you had worked with both actors throughout the week, but mostly on set, or a quick drop by in your office.

Since set life was pretty busy, your social life was suffering quite a bit. You hadn’t seen Joanna since the weekend before you started with the studio and she was pretty pissed.

“I work for fucking Sony, Y/N, and I make time for your ass,” she said flatly in the phone.

“Well, you like my ass. I mean, it’s pretty nice if I do say so myself.”

“You’re lucky you’re funny,” she added.

“Mhm.”

“Anyway…I’m picking you up in an hour.”

“Jooo,” you whined. “Sleeping in my bed sounds better. I just want to be lazy and watch a movie.”

“Too bad. I haven’t seen my best friend in weeks and we need to catch up. Besides, I have news for you.”

“Alright, you’ve piqued my interest. See you soon loser.”

Crawling out of bed and shimming out of your sweats, you dragged yourself into the bathroom to take a shower. Joanna’s idea of getting together usually involved alcohol, so you at least needed to look presentable.

Slipping on a cotton white dress with navy stripes and a pair of short brown boots, you called it good. The dress was comfortable and cute without much effort. You kept your makeup light, not only because you were feeling lazy, even after a long shower, but also because you were short on time. Running a quick hand through your hair a couple of times, your phone was buzzing with text messages.

Jo: I’m here!!!!

You let out a chuckle at her enthusiasm and tossed your phone in your bag.

 Joanna parked her SUV on the side of a street that was lined with boutique shops. It definitely wasn’t your normal area to drink or even shop, but who were you to argue? With work being as busy as it was and not to mention being the new girl, you had been pretty distant as of late.

“I just want to pop into this shop really quick, then we’ll grab some tea afterwards,” Joanna said.

Tea?

The two of you enter a cozy shop that you didn’t catch the name of as it was etched in the glass with curly letters. Your tired mind couldn’t decipher quite what it said. Inside is cozy whites, pinks, blues, and yellows. Your mind finally catches up when you see a row of baby strollers.

We’re in a baby store?

Joanna floats around the shop, squeezing stuffed animals, burp clothes, and blankets. Pretty much everything with texture. You follow behind her like a puppy, wondering why she needs to pick up something here. She eventually stops her searching at a table full of onesies. She picks up two, one in each hand. They are both white in color, but one has a giraffe on it while the other has a bunny.

“Okay. What gives?” you ask.

Still holding the onesies in both hands, she looks at you with wide eyes. “What?” she asks playfully.

Her eyes give her away and you can tell she’s messing with you. Raising your eyes brows in return, you cross your arms and pop a hip out.

“I probably shouldn’t say anything because it’s really early, but you’re my best friend and I need to tell someone.” She pauses for a moment and again your tired mind is just not following. “I’m pregnant!” she squeals. She drops the onesies on the table and shakes her hands in the air.

You stare at her contemplating what she just said. Pregnant. The word sounds funny in your mouth.

“Oh my god. You’re pregnant? You’re pregnant!”

She chuckles at your enthusiasm as you start to jump up and down. You pull her into a hug and then pull back slightly, not wanting to hurt her.

“You can’t break me,” she said.

“Shush,” you say, and pull her back in your arms. “Guess I’ll need to find new friends to drink with.”

Joanna smacks you on the butt. “Someone needs to drink with Ian.”

 Filming was on schedule which was surprising. Generally, a film of this size would be behind, especially early in the shooting schedule. Granted, this was the largest project you had been a part of. Credit was due to the awesome director. He was amazing at communication with everyone including you. He often asked for your notes between scenes and sought out both Monica’s and your opinions. Both Chris and Keanu were amazing, often getting the scene with one to two takes. There were only seven more shooting days before a week and a half break, then off to the cold of Vancouver.

 Your cellphone buzzed with a text, but that was nothing new between Monica, David, and the writing staff calling or texting all the time. Pushing away your laptop, you picked up the phone from your desk and leaned back in your chair.

Unknown number: Chocolate chip or peanut butter

“What?” you mumbled to yourself.

Y/N: Who is this?

Before you can even set your phone down, it buzzes again.

Unknow number: Just answer the question

“Who the fuck is this?” Apparently talking to yourself was your new thing.

Y/N: I need context here mysterious one.

Y/N: Ice cream, cookies, protein bars?

Unknown number: Cookies, obviously. This is serious.

You sighed and decided to play along with the dealer of sweet treats.

Y/N: Chocolate chip of course. But if frosted sugar cookies come into play, that wins.

Your phone rang not a second later with the unknown number.

“Hello?” you said.

“Sugar cookies?! Y/N, come on. No. Just no.”

“Who is this?”

“Chris,” he said.

“Chris...?”

“Seriously?” he questions. “Evans.”

“Oh fuck. Sorry. I’m sorry Chris.”

“You should be. Sugar cookies,” he scoffed. “Come on!”

You let out a giggle. “I like what I like.”

“So, chocolate chip?” he questions.

“Yeah. What are you up to anyway?”

I’m stealing a box from Craft Services,” he says it like it’s something he always does. Like it’s just normal to call you up and ask what you like.

“Okay,” you sigh. “Next question.”

“Shoot.”

“How’d you get my number?”

“I asked Monica. Figured you wouldn’t mind.”

This was something you had to get used to apparently. Chris Evans has your number and you now have his too. Not that you would call him.

You hummed in response.

“See you soon,” he said before disconnecting the call.

Chris is coming to your office. No big deal, he’s been here before, on your first day and one other time. This is fine. You can be normal.

You straightened up your small office. There wasn’t much to clean. Mr. Fern was thriving, although you’d have to find a babysitter for him when you were in Canada. You had no pictures or artwork on your walls, but you did have a framed photo of your friend group sitting on your desk, along with a jar of pens in various colors and styles. There were three sizes of notepads, one in a beautiful rose tone with thick aged looking paper. The other two were lined like the type you would use in school. You were a minimalist at work, what could you say?

Twenty minutes later there’s a knock at your door.

“It’s open,” you shout, just loud enough for the person to hear.

You knew Chris would be coming by, so you had time to mentally prepare, but he still makes you a little nervous. The man is attractive and he’s so personable. You’re nervous with Keanu too, but he’s so much more serious. When the two of you do chat, which isn’t a lot, it’s about national issues, who’s your favorite poet, have you tried this or that brand of green label coffee? Okay, that last one is pretty low key, but still.

 “I bring peace and good tidings, but most importantly cookies.” Huge grin on his face.

In his hand, wrapped in a napkin, are three chocolate chip cookies. His hand is outstretched for you to take the cookies, but you don’t. Eyes looking from his hand to his face and back again.

“This isn’t a box of cookies. I expected a box of cookies.” You shake your head for added effect. “And not even a frosted sugar cookie insight.”

“Sugar cookie,” he says with such disgust. “Y/N. I brought you chocolate. You should be thanking me!”

The smart ass in you, despite the newness with him, can’t help but come out.

“You can leave them there,” you say pointing to a free space on your desk. Eyes fixed on your laptop, not bothering him a glance.

He huffs out a laugh and plops himself down on the extra stationary chair next to your desk. He sets the cookies down, but picks one back up and takes a large bite out of it.

You swivel in your chair to face him and roll your eyes. “Aren’t those mine?”

“You complained.” He shrugs his shoulders taking a second bite.

Rolling your eyes, you turn back to your laptop.

“This is new,” he said.

Sparing him a glance, he’s picked up your framed five by seven group shot. It’s from last New Year’s Eve. Jemma had just moved into a new apartment, free of her roommate from hell as she liked to call her. You all brought booze and she invited a few guys she knew and some ladies from her work. It was a good time and you ended up crashing in her bathroom. It wasn’t the best night’s sleep you’ve had.

“Yeah, those are my best friends.” A smile appears on your face.

He smiles and nods his head, eyes scanning over the faces. “Who’s who?” He angles the photo so that you both can see.

“Well, this here, with her lips attached to my cheek, is my very best friend Joanna.” You let out a giggle and he grins. “Next to her is her husband Ian. The gorgeous blonde is Jemma. And that’s Travis.” You rush through the last one, remembering you told Chris your fiancé’s name was Travis. Maybe he forgot. Hopefully.

“Travis? As in your fiancé Travis?”

“Mhm.” Tight smile on your face.

Moving the picture closer to his face, he hums. “Good looking guy.”

“Yeah, he is,” you reply.

“Looks kind of young though.”

Really? He is, but why bring that up?

“Are you calling me old?” you scoff, fake agitation in your voice.

“What?! Of course not. You make a lovely couple. Really,” he pleads. A sincere smile on his face.

You quirk your mouth to the side and sputter out a laugh. “I’m just fucking with you.”

Quickly covering your mouth with your hand. Can you say fuck to him? It’s so unprofessional.

“Me and my mouth. Sorry,” you say, cringing slightly.

He erupts in a deep belly laugh, head thrown back, eyes closed.

“Oh, my fucking god. You can say fuck all you want around me,” he says through bouts of laughter.

You let out a breath and relax.

“That was hilarious,” he sighs, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Yeah. Real funny,” you reply. “But yes, Travis is a little bit younger than me.”

He holds up his hands defensively. “I promise I’m not calling you a cougar; he just seems young.”

Truthfully, Travis did seem younger than he was. He was the serious film student, but on weekends, he was the eternal frat boy. Even now, seven years later he’s pushing thirty, but you wouldn’t know it.

The next few days brought other unrequested sweet treats to your office. Chris no longer asked what you would like, instead he’d show up with something he thought you’d like, or rather what he liked. One day it was a cheese danish, then caramel corn, and finally a monster bar, which turned out to be a Rice Krispies Treat with extra marshmallows and M&Ms. You started to skip lunch knowing you’d be eating something very unhealthy. The two of you would keep the conversation light, generally about music or movies. You wondered if he was this friendly with other members of the crew.  

 Washing your hair six times had done nothing. Jemma had promised the new color product she picked up was just temporary, but clearly that had not been true. You had been Jemma’s guinea pig since the day you met her on set of one of the first movies you had worked on. She was a hair stylist and anytime she received a new product, she was trying it out on you. This time it was a semi-permanent purple hair dye. She had assured you it was more semi than permanent, but after washing it too many times, it had only slightly faded. Your only saving grace is the dye was only on the underside of your hair rather than your whole head as Jemma had wanted to do.

Walking into work was a little nerve wracking for you. In the industry, there is a plethora of personalities and styles, so purple hair isn’t out of the ordinary, but it was quite the change for you. You wore your hair the same way every day. You dressed modestly and comfortably. Sneakers were the norm. You saved skinny jeans and cute dresses for your days off. Stepping out in purple hair was saying something.

A few wolf whistles from David and a couple of guys who worked in set design, you made it to your office relatively unscathed.

Today’s scene would have you working side by side with Monica. Most days you were both on set, but usually not for long. The two of you had met in her office most of the day yesterday going over today’s big love scene between Chris’ character William and Maggie’s character Sophia. Chris was a professional and the few scenes that you had watched Maggie in were great. The two of you had no doubt they finish strong, no pun intended. Except you were wrong.

“Cut!” Hugh, the director called.

It was the fourth take and everyone was starting to realize it just wasn’t working. There were no problems with the lines and the actors were both following the stage directions, but something just wasn’t right. The chemistry was just off.

“Y/N.” Hugh called, motioning you over to him. “You know this script better than anyone. What’s missing?”

You let out a long sigh. “It’s the two of them together. Don’t get me wrong, they work well together, but I’m not getting romantic tones from the two of them right now.”

Chris was watching you. His brow furrowed; arms crossed. Maggie was getting her hair touched up. Passionate hair took a lot of work.

“Will you go talk to him please?” he asked.

You nodded, clutching your script, you walked to him. Maggie was now occupied with makeup and Monica was currently speaking to her.

Chris uncrossed his arms and quirked one side of his mouth up. “It’s not working is it?”

“M’fraid not,” you replied.

He nudged his head to the left and took a few steps away from the rest of the crew. “What do you suggest?”

“Well, frankly, you just don’t look like you love her. You barely look like you like her.”

He shrugged his shoulders and gestured with his hand for you to continue.

You licked your lips and moved in closer to him. Lifting up your script, you tapped on a section of the scene. “When it says William looks into Sophia’s eyes passionately, you need to look at her like she’s the one you’ve been waiting for your whole life. Like if you didn’t have her right now, in this moment, you wouldn’t be able to breathe. And when it says he grabs her, don’t grab her by her shoulders.” You looked up from the page to see Chris watching you. “What?” you questioned.

He shook his head and smiled. “Don’t grab her by her shoulders?”

You could feel heat in your cheeks. You looked back down at the script because you had to look away. Him and those fucking eyes. Are these lashes even real?

“Yeah, that comes off more as angry passion, but that’s not what their love story is about. How about you try it with one hand cupping her cheek and one hand on the back of her head? But like, um. But maybe cup her cheek first and brush your thumb against it as well. And with your other hand, slowly slide it to her neck before the kiss.”

He nods his head again, his eyes downcast, thinking it over. “Like this?” he asks.

Suddenly, his hand is on your cheek and he’s staring in your eyes, thumb lightly brushing below your eye. His other hand softly touches the crook of your neck and he ever so softly brushes it to the back of your neck as he starts to lean in. Goosebumps erupt down your arms and you thank the gods you’re wearing a sweatshirt at this very moment so he can’t see it.

“Is this good?” The deep timbers of his voice making you swoon.

You nod slowly, not wanting him to remove his hands at that moment. “Um,” you lick your lips again. “Uh, ye-yeah. That’s exactly what I mean.”

He removes his hand and gives you a gentle closed lipped smile. “I think I got it.” He starts to turn around but then stops and turns back to you again. He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. “This is cute by the way.”

You give him a smirk and shake your head. “Go!” Crossing your arm, he salutes you with one hand.

Maybe you wouldn’t kill Jemma after all.

Tag list: @tanelle83 @pinknerdpanda @allaboutthebooz @estillion14 @panicfob @patzammit @heartislubbingdubbing @collinsstanharbour @twittytelly @thefandomzoneisdangerous @linki-locks11 @mywinterwolf @ab-baybay @rda1989 @chrisevansforever-blog @southerngracela @chrisevansfanfic @zsuzstyina @peach-acid @grtchnrs @hista-girl @trynnabemultifandom @symonlyjen5 @mrsshiddleston @tfandtws @xxloki81xx @heyyouwiththeassbutt @denisemarieangelina @evanlys19 @cheeseburgersstuff @linki-locks11

[pangtasias-atelier]

7 Contracts

Warning: This story contains fetish content, specifically male weight gain.

So I've been playing Ob/ey M/e! recently and I love the cast. Even if the game is pretty standard oto/me fare.

Did not feel like describing 7 characters appearance, especially since this was a sour of the moment thing that I'm not sure if I'll continue so here's an an image of what they look like lol.

Left to Right

Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, Asmodeus, Beezlebub, Belphegor.

Wg is kinda just there but not much. This was more of a silly thing

_______________

"So, any plans on fixing this?" Satan grabs his stomach, the fresh layer of pudge slotting itself in between his hands, and shakes it. "Cause last I checked, and last you checked, and last everyone else checked, that human had no ability to take advantage of our pacts," Satan vehemently spits out the last word, teeth clenching. He stares at Lucifer who merely continues to sit at his desk.

Lucifer puts his pen down, the metal utensil clacking against the wood. "I don't know how to fix this, Satan," Lucifer impassively stares back at Satan, his shoulders sagging. Lucifer puts up his hand as Satan goes to speak. "And no, I will not go to Lord Diavolo concerning this matter. Drop the issue," Lucifer the eldest and strongest, Satan bites his cheek.

"Doesn't matter if you go to Diavolo!" A new voice sounding through, Asmodeus cheerfully walks inside. Smiling, his skimpy crop top shows the noticeable bulge of his stomach, his booty shorts rising up on his ass. "The dumb human is too busy with stupid Mammon," Asmodeus puffs out his cheeks. "So I decided to see what other interesting things were happening,"

Lucifer stands up, glaring down at Asmodeus; Satan moves to the side, no longer in the way of a sudden tackle or blast of energy. "Asmodeus, explain. And quickly please,"

"Well, Diavolo made you make a pact with the human in exchange for forgetting about the whole matter of treason," Satan's eyes widen from Asmodeus' words.

"Of course, Lord Diavolo was kind enough to lighten-"

"Diavolo can discern the truth. He knew this was going to happen," Satan holds his head with his hand, staring at the floor.

"Lord Diavolo would never do such a thing!" Lucifer shouts, eyes on Satan now.

"I guess you're right," Asmodeus shrugs. "But!" He puts up a sausage finger. "We'll never know unless we ask Di-"

Satan preemptively turns around, barely flinching when he hears the crunch of the wall.

Lucifer holding Asmodeus' wrists, he pins him to the wall, a sizeable portion dented. "You are expressly forbidden to do such a thing," Asmodeus grins up at Lucifer. "Am I clear, Asmodeus,"

"Clearer than a sunny day!" Lucifer lets go of Asmodeus. "I'm sure we're all fine without any help, none of us are complaining~," Asmodeus winks at them.

"I've been complaining!" Satan denies.

"You only started once the human got bored with you," Asmodeus only slightly weaker than Satan, he dodged out of the punch thrown his way. "That's the way the cookie crumbles, sadly," Asmodeus frowns, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. "Us three don't exactly personify the best trait for what the human is doing to us," Asmodeus sighs as he rests his hand on his cheek, his other hand on his gut.

"Lucifer is pride, so it's no wonder he's still as slim as ever," Asmodeus ignores the spike of energy that surges behind him from Lucifer's glare. "You're wrath; which isn't bad but it's not good. But me! I'm lust! The human should be putty in my hands. It's not fair," Lamenting his cruel fate, Asmodeus melodramatically puts his arm to his forehead. Asmodeus turns from a hand placed on his shoulder

"Asmodeus, get out of my room," Lucifer commands, irritated. "Satan, you as well,"

"He's probably mad cause I pointed out how little time the human has spent with him," Asmodeus 'whispers' to Satan, Asmodeus barely bothering to lower his voice.

"He did form a pact last," Satan retorts back, the two grinning as they scamper out of Lucifer's room.

The door slammed shut behind them, the two look at each other.

"Well, I'm going back to the human!" Asmodeus announces, about to scamper off again before Satan grabs him by the wrist.

"I'm going too," Satan looks the other way, blushing. "And shut up, so what if I was jealous? So is everyone else in this damn house,"

"Glad you could finally admit it," Asmodeus gloats before rushing off.

Satan growls. Childish behavior expected of Asmodeus, he can't really share in his idiotic antics. Letting Asmodeus reach the human first, he follows him.

The human unaware of the two approaching demons, he simply keeps feeding Mammon.

Currently lying down, Mammon rests his head on the human's lap with his eyes closed. Gargantuan gut rising far above him, it spreads out far, his shirt too small to contain it. His pants busted at the seams, bits of his boxers are visible, Mammon's fatty thighs seeping through the tears.

Mammon lazily lifts up an arm, the effort taxing at his size, and pats his stomach. "It's great to see you appreciate how wonderful I am!" Mammon gloats, the occurrence often now. "The handsomest, smartest, intelligentest of us, I, the great Mammon," Leaving his mouth open, he closes it as the human lowers the grape vine.

"Boooring," Popping through the open door, Asmodeus frowns at the sight.

"I was thinking pathetic," Satan adds, snickering. "Stupid Mammon doesn't even know it's most handsome and most intelligent,"

"Hey!" Flailing, Mammon struggles to bring himself up, out of breath. His gut wobbles in the air as he remains stuck on his back like a turtle. "A little help here," He whimpers, lightly sweating.

Satan and Asmodeus ignore Mammon; instead, they keep their attention focused on the human who smiles at Mammon.

"You, you gotta be stronger than that!" The human's hands holding Mammon's he tugs to help him up. Mammon's gut in the way, he gives up. "Too tired, I need more food," He whines.

"Talking about nothing but food is Beezlebub's shtick," Satan rolls his eyes at Mammon's helpless state.

"He is the demon of greed; guess he went from being greedy for money to being greedy for food," Asmodeus giggles, hand brought to his lips. Walking up to Mammon, Asmodeus leans on him, digging his elbows into his stomach. "Good thing you're so dumb and left yourself helpless, cause we're taking the human for ourselves,"

"Get off of me!" Mammon continues flailing. "And like hell you will!"

"We will," Satan smiles, placing a hand on the human.

"It's supposed to be my turn," Waddling through, Leviathan struggles with the doorway, his hips getting themselves stuck. "And if you take away my turn…" Leviathan bares his teeth at them, shaking as he clenches his fists. Breaking himself free, he stands right in front of the door, blocking their means of escape. Obese, his body is pear shaped, his thighs clashing against each other as his bell shaped stomach sags halfway to his knees. In lounge-wear, his sweatpants cling to and accentuate his wide hips; his sweatshirt rests somewhat loosely on his body.

"Now Levi, just cause you're the demon of envy," Asmodeus backs away, hands up. "There's no need to be upset, besides, it was all Satan's idea!" Asmodeus hides behind Mammon.

"Hey! I'm not some inanimate object to do whatever you want!"

"Unless it's the human," Satan quips, smiling as Mammon gets red.

"He should be happy that I even offer to spend time with him, if-"

"Shut up!" Angered from hearing them talk about the human, Leviathan takes a step forward.

Satan pushes the human to Leviathan, hiding behind Mammon as well.

"What are-" Mammon ends up silenced as Satan and Asmodeus roll him over and help him stand up.

"You're stronger than Leviathan, so do something about him!" Asmodeus pushes Mammon, Mammon not even budging.

Leviathan meanwhile happily smiles at the human, his prize obtained. "I hope those brutes didn't dirty you in any way. I'd be no worse than stupid Mammon if they did,"

"That's not possible," Satan and Asmodeus reply, Leviathan agreeing.

"Do you want me to help or not?" Mammon sighing, he rests his hands on his knees. "I think I need to lie down…"

Asmodeus and Satan busy making sure Mammon doesn't quit on them, Leviathan ignores them.

"Let's go, you owe me a handmade bento just like in episode 7 of-" Leviathan bumped into, he glares behind him, tugging the human closer to himself.

"You're all too loud," Belphegor yawns, his doughy arms sagging as he lazily lifts them. Fat, he moobs bounce as he makes his way to Mammon's bed and lies down on it. Simply wearing boxers, modesty unimportant, his nearly nude body jiggles as he makes himself comfortable.

"The human is here, where's the food?" Beezlebub shows up after Belphegor, munching on pizza. Beezlebub's metabolism working against him, he remains chunky, his paunch of a stomach resting snugly in his shirt.

"Great, like we really needed sloth and gluttony here," Asmodeus murmurs to himself, talking about Belphegor and Beezlebub respectively.

"Too many people here…" Leviathan groans, clenching his teeth.

Everyone chiming in with their own complaints, the room ends up in chaos. No one paying attention, none of them notice the human chanting under his breath.

A black puff of smoke appearing catches all six of their attention. Lucifer summoned, he scoffs at seeing all of them.

"Are you all so pathetic that I need to fix your mistakes?" Lucifer grinds his teeth as their whining continues. "If you intend to act like children, then like children I'll treat you," Lucifer shouts, his voice booming throughout the room.

Everyone now quiet, they wait for him to speak.

"Everyone will get one day of the week with the human," He stomps his foot as the volume picks up. "No complaints,"

"And to end you're bickering for today, the human shall accompany me for tonight," Poofing away, Lucifer takes the human with him.

The two now alone, Lucifer lets go of them. "Don't believe that I'll prostrate myself before you like the rest of them," Heading back to his desk, paperwork from Lord Diavolo more important, Lucifer ignores the human as they leave.

Too focused on paperwork, it feels as if the human returns in mere seconds, a platter of decadent sweets in their hand.

Lucifer eyes them as they leave the platter on Lucifer's desk before leaving. Checking them for magic, he finds nothing. Sniffing a muffin, he glances to make sure no one else is in the room. Taking a small bite, he closes his eyes as the sweet chocolate melts in his mouth. Nibbling the rest of it as he continues his work, the platter ends up empty far too soon.

The day already near its end, having to wait a week to try more of the human's food sounds like an ordeal.

[twarda]

FireAlpaca and The Decimal Separator Crusade

The Solution Of A Problem Nobody's Aware Of

Have you ever had the problem with FireAlpaca not being able to apply the decimal separator (depending on where you live, it's the dot or comma in a number such as 13,5) when *typing* it to the brush size window? Probably not but I still have the good news: I found the solution to this! Oh, and feel free to skip the lenghty backround story, which is below, I just thought that including the really cumbersome process behind it may be interesting to read. It should be colapsed on your Dashboard view anyway.

Solution

Go to your regional settings (I have that in Polish but it should read “Formats”) and change your region to one of these countries which uses dots (although, if you read the story below, it may work for some European countries as well). I changed to Canada because it uses both "," and "." for separators, just in case. Then go to the additional settings and be sure to choose the dot in the first entry! 

Your date/time format may change after that, so if that bothers you, change that as well (remember to keep your current Location, so it can show you the correct time!). Note, some programs may change the language, so keep an eye on that.

PS. I already reported this on FireAlpaca website. And if you are curious, you can try doing the test by your own. It’s simple and here’re the instructions: https://www.deviantart.com/comments/62/16712505/4708682605

PPS. I remember Medibang had a similar issue, but I haven’t used the program for a long time! This fix should work for it too!

***

I am known from notoriously using old, outdated versions of my art programs. It may look like a personal vendetta or something, but I have my reasons to keep them untouched. Let's talk about FireAlpaca's case.

FireAlpaca in my mind is a simple but very easy to use program, which makes it great. While I use other graphic softwares (GIMP, Clip Studio Paint, SAI, to name a few), I find it remarkably on spot to do what I need: development of my video game called Zniw Adventure. Almost all backrounds were made only with FireAlpaca, as well as the animations, 14k sprites and other assets. Zniw Adventure is kept in 90′s adventure game style with the resolution of 640x480. This forces the assets to be small but sharp at the same time. Especially if the player wants to upscale the game to fit their screen. Therefore, I'm really glad for FireAlpaca's quick access to disabling the antialiasing. All the sprites are made in, what I call, "hard pixel" mode which makes them look similar to pixelart (although most of them aren't really pixelart, that's why I prefer "hard pixel" to not confuse real pixelart artists over there).

If the game assets are tiny, then you can imagine that I need precision when dealing with brush sizes. FireAlpaca offers a slider, as well as (in the newer versions at least) a brush table. These are quick to access and work perfectly fine when drawing and painting, but the tradeoff is the... accuracy, which I much need for the tiny stuff! Afterall, difference in brush size between 2.4 and 2.5 is huge, not to mention between 2.4 and 2.6! Fiddling with the slider just to get that sweet spot just wastes time! Thankfully FireAlpaca comes with little window where you can simply type the size you want! That’s *the* selling point for me! And it worked perfectly until I updated the program: it stopped applying the input correctly! The horror! No more precision! The slider is unbearable! I can't work like that! What's worse, nobody seems to have experiening this issue besides me, and as of 2nd March 2019, there is still no information about it at all! No wonder though, as the issue is really niche and obscure; most people may not realize it at all, even if they have it. And that was the reason I stuck to ver. 1.4.1. for about 4 years (if not more!)...

A few days ago I became really tired of this, especially since I have been asked "why don't I update my FireAlpaca!" few times already. Discouraged, I shared the problem with a USA person (known as Moco13) and he said the program works fine for him. Suprised by this fact, I figured out that something is off here. And that English speaking countries (at least these countries which use dots as decimal separator) does not have this problem. I didn't realized fully the solution yet, so I thought: I need a test. I need a bunch of European people (most Europe use commas, just as I do), from countries different than mine (as I already tested it on myself and my peers). I needed to see how big this is and who is affected. The respond was rather limited and slow. But here is when @harukasartnebula enters. She did the test quickly and her results were suprising! It worked fine for her, even if her OS is Portuguese! With just this unexpected reply alone we got on the right track - and @crashpl figured it out: FireAlpaca reads the computer's regional settings, and for some reason it ignores the decimal separator for the Polish profile!

And thus, I changed my regional settings to Canada, corrected the date & time format to more familiar and voila! I can use 2.1.14. version of FireAlpaca! And boy, this is great! The only dowside so far is my old GIMP - it changed to English. I have been using it in Polish for like 9 years so it looks really odd haha!

And there it is, the solution to an overly obscure and niche problem nobody probably experienced, with a lenghty, but I hope interesting, backstory of it! Hope you enjoyed the reading!

[marifisco-blog]

Reuniting the RFA [Intro]

[Disclaimer: All Mystic Messenger characters belong to Cheritz. I am only a fan.]

“Mariko, we need you out there. They seriously screwed something up and you’re the best we have to offer. C&R is a powerful client that we can’t afford to disappoint. Please, I am begging you to go.”

The man on the other end of the phone was sounding desperate. and the young woman sighed with frustration. Could she not just enjoy dinner in peace? “I know, I know. But I just got back from the US. My schedule is full. Why can’t you send in your assistant?” Mariko looked around her dinning room. Her home was a humble one, just the perfect size for her and her special little one. Speaking of the little one, she glanced at the young girl sitting across from her. The girl was looking at her green beans like they were three headed aliens. Mariko held back her laugh. “Excuse me, sweetie. I’ll be in my office for just a minute.” She slid her chair back and made her way to her personal office. “Let’s take a look at my calendar...and just as I thought, I am booked.” Mariko sat in the computer chair, spinning back and forth lazily. Talking with her boss was always a ride.

“I know, we’ll have someone in the office take it over until you get back. This is way more important!” Her boss grumpily replied. He was a man in his late 20s and damn good at his job. If Mariko hadn’t been in the company from the start and his best programmer, he would have fired her for her damn attitude a long time ago. Secretly, he appreciated her distinct personality. But he would rather get run over by a bus then tell her that. “I know it’s really short notice, but you need to leave first thing in the morning. The presentation to the Chairman is tomorrow at noon. If you get there early, you’ll be able to fix it before we have to postpone everything.”

Mariko almost had to pick her jaw up off the desk. “Tomorrow?! That’s ridiculous! I can’t just pick up an leave whenever! You are seriously going to make me go bald.” She grumbled. The pen she was holding was being smacked off the surface of her desk loudly. Both of her monitors were covered in various work notes and programs. “Can’t I just fix it from here? Please?” The man sighed loudly. He was just as exhausted as she was. 

“No. There are too many files to send over in one night. It’s easier to just travel there early tomorrow morning. I’ve already taken care of travel. I can also book a hotel once you get there too. I know I’m asking a lot, but I promise I’ll get that vacation for you effective at the end of the two weeks.” Mariko rubbed her forehead with her free hand. A massive headache was coming on. She ran a hand through her long dark hair. Vacation sounded really nice, and she had been wanting to take a certain little girl somewhere for her birthday in two weeks. Mariko exhaled. It looked as if she had no real choice.

“Okay, fine, whatever. You better get that vacation approved or I swear on my mother I will-”

“Yeah yeah. Call me when you get there so I can book the nearest hotel to the other office. Or if you find other arrangements.” Click. Mariko put her phone down on the desk and put her head down. She just wanted to scream. Before she could, however, a soft knock at the door made her turn. The door squeaked open with the little girl standing on the other side. Mariko smiled gently at her, motioning for her to come in. Slowly, the girl walked over and looked at Mariko with questioning eyes. How would Mariko tell the poor girl?

“Mommy...? What’s going on?”

“Kaguya....Mommy has to leave for work again. It’ll only be for two weeks this time, but it’s really important that I go. I promise to make it up to you.” Kaguya’s face fell, her eyes falling to the floor. Mariko easily picked her up and gave her a huge hug. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed, sweetie? I’ll read your favourite story!” Kaguya’s face lit up at the sound of the story, and with a laugh she ran off. Mariko waved at her and turned back around. Begrudgingly, she picked up her phone and dialed a number all too familiar.

“Mother, it’s me. I need a huge favor...”

-

The early morning train could not go any slower.

Mariko hated taking the train. It was always dead silent and crowded. She was dead tired after scrambling around to get Kaguya around and packed. The woman blankly stared at her phone, looking though pictures. Some were years old, like when Kaguya was first born. But there was one photo from her high school years that seemed to sneak by her backup. She was at a party in the photo, smiling and kissing the cheek of her best friend from childhood. In her memory, she recalled it being a feat since he was so much taller than her. He looked surprised since she had pulled his ponytail to bring him down to her height. ‘Hyun. I wonder how you’re doing now...’ Shaking her head, Mariko looked out the window. She was almost to the big city. Her phone displayed the god awful time of 6:00. At least the app she had started to download was almost done...

The train slowly stopped at the station she was supposed to get off. As she exited the train, the app automatically opened. It looked like a chat room app, which wasn’t what Mariko thought it was. But she decided to check it out anyways. A username was required. Without thinking much of it, she simply put in “MC” and touched the next button. The screen was glitched for a second before putting her through to a person by the username “Unknown”. She decided to play along despite the blatant technical issues. She had some time before she had to meet with her coworkers.

Unknown: Hello? MC: Who is this? Unknown: I’m just someone who found this phone. It only had an address and this app.. MC: Then just turn it in to the police...? I’m not sure I can help you. Unknown: I’m studying abroad, so I don’t think turning it in will help. This is going to sound crazy, but would you go to this address and let the person know I have their phone? MC: Are you insane? I’m a complete stranger. Please just turn it in to the police. Unknown: I promise it won’t be scary! If someone is really mean, just show them my messages. Please? Mariko stared at her phone. What the hell was this guy thinking? She looked around, thinking that someone was just trying to prank her. Looking at the time, she had quite a bit of time to kill. Shaking her head at herself, she typed a response. MC: Fine. But if it’s super sketchy, I’m splitting right there. Unknown: Thank you!! Here’s the address... It wasn’t that far from her. It would only take her 5 minutes. She felt like an idiot, but she found that her feet were taking her anyways. This was shaping up to be interesting, and she hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

- Mariko was in front of the door, confused. A key lock? No one had answered her various knocks. Her phone vibrated in her pocket.  Unknown: Is there a key lock on the door? MC: Uh...yeah, actually. I don’t wanna know how you know that, I think I’m just gonna go. Unknown: WAIT! Unknown: I’ll give you the passcode. I really need to know if the person inside is okay... MC: What the hell, dude? I can’t just enter a stranger’s house. You’re freakin’ nuts. Unknown: Please? I promise it will be fine. Here’s the code. Mariko couldn’t believe she was about to do this. She cussed under her breath as she punched in the code. The door opened and Mariko stepped inside. “Hello?” she called. Of course no one answered her. She realized she had been phished. She was about to turn and walk out, but her phone once again vibrated. Unknown: Good luck in the RFA... The screen glitched back out and redirected her to another chatroom. 5 people besides herself were there, chatting about various things. Jaehee Kang, Yoosung, 707, Jumin Han, and ZEN. Mariko sighed. She couldn’t stand how she had been so easily tricked. She was about to close and uninstall the messenger before some of them had started to freak out about an intruder. A hacker.  Yoosung: AN INTRUDER?! WHO IS IT. 707: NO WAY! I had everything covered, I swear! MC: Er....hello? ZEN: ! Yoosung: It TALKED! SEVEN DO SOMETHING. MC: I am not an it, thank you. What the hell is this? It’s too early for this crap. Jumin Han: Feisty attitude for people you just met. Jaehee Kang: Seven, please do something. 707: I’m working as fast as I can! 707:...Oh. This IP can’t be right... 707: It says that whoever MC is is currently in Rika’s apartment. Who the hell is Rika? Mariko was seriously annoyed. They talked amongst themselves about if she was harmful or not. If she should reveal her identity. Mariko wouldn’t have even bothered if it weren’t for Zen’s next response. 707: I’m checking her background now. 707: she’s cute lol ZEN: It’s a girl? 707: lol ya ZEN: If that’s the case, then here. ZEN had sent a photo of himself. Mariko’s eyes widened with surprise. It was a face she knew all too well. Hyun Ryu. She’d know him even if that iconic hair of his was gone. All the memories she had with him came back in an instant. The chat was moving too fast for her to realize exactly what was going on. Someone by the name of V was there. Should she tell ZEN who she was? Would he even believe her? She left without a trace. He would probably hate her. She decided it best not to tell him. V: I’m here. 707: What do we do about MC? MC: What do you mean? I have no idea what’s going on. I was phished into finding the owner of a phone. Jumin Han: Don’t listen to strangers. Didn’t your mother teach you manners? Jaehee Kang: Regardless, she has the messenger. She’s in Rika’s apartment. I am ready to call the police. MC: The last thing I need is to be arrested. Look, I’m in the city for business. I apologize for walking in on....whatever this is. Yoosung: This is the RFA. It’s a...charity group founded by a very kind and caring person. Jaehee Kang: Yoosung, don’t reveal that information. V: Seven has determined that she’s safe for the most part. I think we should give her the option to join. Yoosung: You don’t think...? V: I think we can host the party again. Rika must have sent her there. ZEN: Are you serious? 707: well if she doesn’t join she’s going to be arrested for trespassing lol MC: ... V: MC, I know this must be difficult for you to process, but RFA is honestly a good organization. We raise funds for those in need.  V: Jumin. Jumin Han: ? V: I suddenly have to leave. Take care of this for me. V has left the chatroom. Jumin Han: As V was saying, RFA is a charity group. We used to hold parties to help raise funds. But... Yoosung: Rika used to handle the guests. But she is no longer here...so we haven’t been able to hold any parties. ZEN: They were really fun and helped so many people. Jumin Han: ...I will not force you to join, but you will never regret it. It may be some work, but with the right luck, I believe you’d be able to succeed. Jumin Han: To wrap everything up, I’ll ask you a simple question. Jumin Han: Will you join the RFA? MC:....I don’t think I have a choice. So reading back...I need to help organize guests. Okay, cool. As long as I can still do my day job, I should be able to help, MC: I’m only in the city for about two weeks, however. 707: You can stay at Rika’s as long as you don’t touch any of the documents there. I designed the computer program for Rika to be able to handle everything without them, so use that. ZEN: We have a cute girl as a member!! Yoosung: New member!! Glad to have you aboard, MC! Jumin Han: I think I need to get ready for work. Assistant Kang. Jaehee Kang: Yes, Mr. Han? Jumin Han: Please answer all of MC’s questions if she has any. I need to prepare for a meeting. Excuse me. Jumin Han has left the chatroom. Jaehee Kang: I think everyone has other obligations....MC, nice meeting you. I am always available to answer questions. MC: Thanks....I suppose. This is weird. Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom. ZEN: I need to go to rehearsal. Catch you later MC *wink* ZEN has left the chatroom. MC: I need to get to work. Thank you guys for not roasting me. Later. MC has left the chatroom. Mariko finally looked up from her phone. “Today is going to be a long day...” She sighed. She glanced around the one bedroom apartment. It seemed it would be her home for the next two weeks. The time was 6:28. She needed to leave now or she would never be able to present to the Chairman at noon. Mariko placed her luggage on the bed. She adjusted her coat and stood up from the chair she had been sitting in. Memorizing the code to the lock, Mariko headed back out. What in the world did she just get herself into? [Thanks for reading! I promise the chats will be set up better next time because they won’t be from the actual game. Look forward to more! <3]

[where-the-wind-is]

A Little Birdy Told Me

The Arcana

Masterlist

Chapter 15

Every time someone yelled near you you jumped.

You always expected it to be the Quaestor, pulling you aside to punish you for your disobedience. Or one of your tormentors, demanding you acknowledge their accusations.

But the fallout never came.

You managed to get someone to fill in checking on Lucio, the last thing you were in the mood for was more of his begging you to stay. Not to mention with the latest complications you were expecting to be pulled off that assignment for good any day now.

But days past and... nothing.

Eventually you couldn't keep making no. 062 substitute, you could avoid the count no longer.

Riding the metal lift up as you'd gotten so used to doing, you stretch your arms over your head. After the impossible softness of the counts bed, the cots in the facility were near unbearable by comparison. You still slept there without complaint, but your neck and shoulders ached each morning in protest.

The walk to his room was as uneventful as ever, though it smelled worse. After the Asters in your mask rotted beyond recognition you had to throw them out and you still hadn't gotten a chance to get new ones. Now you could smell old blood in the dank staircase leading to the library. At least you hope it was the staircase, if you were the smells origin you were loathe to think how the count even put up with such a stench. Much less relentlessly pursued you through it.

Shaking your head you come to his door and hesitate as you did the first day.

Will he beg more? Will he hate you for abandoning him? Will he want an explanation? Swallowing the lump in your throat you open the door.

0Lucio stared impatiently at the door.

He didn't know who the crow was that had been checking on him in his birdy's stead, and frankly he didn't care. It never even occurred to him to ask to see their face, or to try to strike up a conversation. It never occurred to them to ask him if he could walk. All he did was wait and stare at the door. For the last couple days his patience had been rewarded with disappointment, but he never once doubted that Birdy would come back. His bird cared about him, and he wouldn't just abandon him.

So today he waited and stared at the door, just like yesterday and the day before. He didn't bother to steady his breathing when the handle started to turn. He hated the phrase "don't get your hopes up", he'd get his hopes as high as he damn pleased thank you. High hopes proved you're alive, not just a mummy left to rot in a room.

So with high hopes he watched the handle turn and the door stay shut in a very familiar hesitation.

0You open the door to find saucer-sized red eyes are already upon you. Lucio leaps off the bed immediately, grabbing his cane and hobbling as fast as he can physically manage in your direction.

"Birdy! You came back," he throws his arms around you before you even cross the room's threshold. His cane clatters to the ground, forgotten as he leans all his weight on you. Metal arm careful not to squeeze you too tight around the middle.

"It's my job" you try to sound neutral, but you fail. Your arms circle his shoulders to return his hug, your sentence breaks as you feel his hair brush your neck.

You missed him.

"Bird" he pulls away, looking you frantically up and down. "Have you been punished? Is that why you haven't been here? I'm so sorry Birdy really, I tried to tell them it wasn't your fault. I should've known that shifty doctor would go against me–"

"Woah!" You hold him by the shoulders and steady him. "Actually no one's said anything, it's like it never even happened" you placated, but Lucio just looked more confused.

"Like it didn't happen? But...but then where have you been? Why'd you send that crow to check on me?"

"Crow, what..? Oh! You mean no. 062." You stoop to retrieve his cane from the floor for him. He remains silent, expecting you to continue. When you don't he just grows more agitated.

"You didn't answer any of my questions."

"I didn't? Well I don't know 062 well but she was the only one who let me approach her about filling in for me. I don't think she believes the rumors about me–"

"Not that one" he levels you with a typically impatient stare, but the intent behind it is forign. He isn't usually the straight-forward one.

"I'm getting there" you say at length. "What I was saying is that she's a very accomplished doctor and I sent her here because I knew she'd be nice to you."

You pause to gauge his response, but he doesn't give you one. He simply sits on his bed and steeples his fingers. Nervously you continue.

"She...well I didn't want you left alone again just because I was having issues."

You pause again but he just stares some more.

"I thought I was going to be fired, Lucio. Or at the very least taken off this assignment. I had to make sure you weren't going to be mistreated cause…"

You're starting to tear up under his intense gaze, you don't know if he's ever gone so long without saying anything. Your voice is cracking as you continue your explanation.

"I didn't know when I'd be allowed to see you again or if I'd ever see you again… and I couldn't live with myself if you were left with an awful doctor because of my mistakes. I felt so helpless Lucio…"

You think you may have gone off track, but that long since stopped being the point of the explanation. Now words were pouring out of you. You were pacing and gesturing with the cane as you spoke.

"I don't know what people are gonna say or what's gonna happen cause you always make it worse and you don't even know you're doing it. I can't blame you for that because you're just like that and I really like that about you. So I did as much as I could in case I couldn't come back, and I avoided you because I left in such a rush the other day and that probably hurt your feelings. Then I thought maybe you deserved it, but that's a horrible thing to think. I don't want to hurt your feelings but you've really hurt me multiple times, but you didn't know you were doing it and it's not like you could've fixed it."

You drop the cane on the ground and turn back to where he still stares at you. His expression hasn't changed.

"I...I'm just so tired and I miss you so...here I am" you end lamely. Gesturing vaguely to yourself with your palms up.

Is he angry? Relieved? Indifferent? The red eyes fixed on yours reveal nothing.