#i did not realise how much furries liked this guy until i looked it up

[monkeys-in-games]

Bonkers / Kirby series (from 1993)

[hebuiltfive]

The Mouse

This has been sitting in my drafts since last October. I never got around to finishing and posting it. Until today. It's still a little messy but I'm throwing it out there regardless.

Prompted by this post here.

Gordon faces his worst adversary yet!

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

“Penny! Help!”

Gordon’s shrills echoed throughout the house.

At first, Penelope had thought the worst; maybe he’d come across an intruder and ended up in an unfortunate situation, or that he’d injured himself trying to slide down the bannisters to one of the many staircases in her manor… again. Both options seemed plausible and neither filled her with much hope.

With those panicked thoughts she rushed out of the library and followed Gordon’s constant calls for help. Eventually she found him.

In the pantry.

On an old wooden chair.

With a broom in his hands.

“Gordon, what on earth—?”

“Be careful! It’s just gone under that cabinet there and it… There it is!”

His yell made Penny jump out of her skin.

Her eyes followed Gordon’s pointing finger until she came upon the little grey mouse, scurrying across the floor.

“Gordon.” Penelope breathed a sigh of relief, her attention back on the blonde on the chair. “I thought something terrible had happened to you. Don’t scare me like that again unless—”

“What do you mean?” His voice was a higher pitch than normal, fear laced every word he shrieked. “Something terrible did happen! I was attacked!”

“By a mouse?”

“Yes!”

Penny’s features hardened into a worried frown. “Did it bite you?”

“… No.”

Another fond, if exasperated, sigh. “Then you were hardly attacked, Gordon.”

“I thought you were rich, Pen.” He grumbled. “If you’re rich, why do you have mice scurrying around the place. Ah!”

His broom rose as the mouse darted around the legs of the chair.

“Because,” Penelope began to explain, taking the broom from Gordon and using it to hurry the mouse along and out of sight. “Old houses like these are prone to the little creatures. It’s just how it is. It will move on when it realises there’s no food for it here, which reminds me I must inform Parker so he can check the other larders and— Oh, Gordon, do get down from there before you fall and break your neck!”

Penelope stood the broom up against one of the pantry’s cupboards and offered her hand out to assist Gordon off the chair. He still seemed tense and Penelope tried not to chuckle.

“Are you sure it’s gone?”

“Quite sure, Gordon.”

His hand squeezed hers gently as he stepped onto the floor. He shivered. “Good.”

“What were you doing in here anyway?”

Gordon had one last quick look into the pantry as they exited. Satisfied he was now safe from the furry little invader, he relaxed and slung his arm over Penelope’s shoulder. “Duh, finding snacks!”

“We just had breakfast—”

“That did not count as breakfast. Geez, Pen, I know you were entertaining some uppity posh people,” his attempt at an old English accent had Penelope yet again biting back a chuckle, “but there was hardly anything on those plates! A guy’s got to eat.”

“So you thought you’d help yourself to the pantry food?”

“I thought there’d be something worthwhile in there, and I would have got away with it if it wasn’t for that dastardly rat!”

“Mouse, Gordon. It was only a mouse.”

“I could have died!”

“That’s a little overdramatic, don’t you think?”

Gordon shook his head adamantly. “Nu-uh. I could have died!”

“I’ll be sure to tell Virgil all about it.” With a gentle pat on his back, Penelope smiled a conspirator’s smile.

To which Gordon gasped, betrayed. “Don’t you dare!” 

“If you ‘almost died’ I should think they’d want to know about it.”

“Do not tell Virgil…”

“I could tell John? He’d probably be better. Yes, John would be able to file it away in the systems.”

“Penny…”

“It might be important to keep on file. Heaven knows I won’t always be there to rescue you from the menaces and—!”

The rest of her playful teasing was cut off when Gordon halted midway down the hallway, pulled Penelope into him and caught her lips with his. It was a surprising move, yet one she found she’d been hopefully anticipating. 

With his palms resting on her cheeks, Gordon eyes met hers when he pulled back. They were pleading. “How about we just keep it a little secret between the two of us?”

Penelope purposefully took her time to answer. His thumb swept across her cheek as he waited, surprisingly patiently.

In the end, she smiled softly. “Of course it can stay our secret.”

Gordon appeared pleased to hear her agreement.

“But, if you try to steal from my pantry again, Gordon Tracy,” Penelope continued, “I may be inclined to inform someone.”

His relief fell from his features. He couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. He arched a brow. “What if I was stealing something to bring to you?”

“Then that’s hardly stealing.”

“Noted.”

“Gordon—”

“No more talking.” He placed a finger on her lips. “I almost died and my life flashed before my eyes. so, if it’s alright with you, m’lady, I’d like to spend the rest of the morning with my favourite person.”

“I’ll be sure to fetch Sherbet for you right away.” Penelope joked once his finger released her lips.

Gordon chuckled. “You’re killing me here, Pen.”

“Funny, I thought that was the mouse…”

Their lips clashed again, effectively ending any further conversation for the foreseeable future.

[innytoes]

Can I request 3 + 6 for the werecat willex au, please? 🥺 (optional wereraccoon Willie)

Listen, when his parents sent him to an Christian summer camp at age thirteen in the hopes of curing the signs of queerness that they seemed to have picked up on well before Alex realised that he wanted to kiss boys (that was a revelation for next summer camp), Alex never suspected he'd come back a were-cat.

Like, all he'd wanted to do was get away from his very loud bunk mates for a little while, and sit somewhere quiet in the forest, and maybe be a little homesick (not to his actual house, but to Bobby's garage, where his drum set was waiting, and his friends were probably having a great times without him).

And then there this fluffy, cute black cat had been, and it had been so friendly, and let him pet it while purring up a storm. He'd told it he wished he could be that carefree, just chasing butterflies and snoozing in the sun, and then the furry little asshole had bitten him.

Listen, Alex had been thirteen, and gangling, and his voice had started to crack and go high pitched really embarrassingly. How could he have known what was just puberty and what had been the start of transforming into a werecat?

But in the end, it was kind of a cool thing. Being a cat was very relaxing. Nobody had any expectations of cats. They could be assholes and they were cute. They could be shy and they were cute. The could nap all day and be cute. It did wonders for his anxiety, just like playing the drums did.

So now, whenever he'd have a rough day, or he needed to relieve some stress, or sometimes just because a sun beam looked particularly inviting, he'd go into Cat Mode, and be a cat. He'd walk over walls and fences he'd be too scared to fall off as a human (cats always landed on their feet). He'd chase butterflies or his own tail or just have the zoomies before curling up to nap. He'd go over to his really cute neighbour's house and curl up in his lap while being stroked and adored.

So sue him, if he had to deal with being forced into being a cat every full moon, he was going to get something out of it as well. Including getting to know Willie as a cat, so when he finally had the courage to actually talk to him, he could be cool about it.

(He was not cool about it, because when he finally talked to Willie it was because the guy had crashed into him on a skateboard. But it did break the ice. And they did start dating soon after.)

So yeah, being a part-time cat was kind of nice. Sure, he couldn't tell anyone about it, but it wasn't the kind of secret he minded keeping. It was less 'pretending he wasn't gay' and more 'not telling everyone he liked to dance to Whitney Houston in his underwear while cleaning.'

Things were perfect.

Except for The Raccoon.

The Raccoon had been following him around for several weeks now. Whenever he was out and about, catting it up, preening while little old ladies called him Such a Handsome Boy, The Raccoon was never far. And it was always trying to touch him with its creepy little almost human-like hands.

So Alex had started spending more time indoors. He built himself the cutest little cat-sized blanket fort in his comfy chair, with his favourite toy mousie and a soft blanket and just the perfect view out the window so he could look at birds.

Except then The Raccoon started showing up in front of his window. And... waving? It almost seemed like it was waving. Super weird.

The final straw was, one afternoon when Alex was taking a nap, a human, on the couch nap, he woke up to find a comforting weight on his chest.

Except when he opened his eyes, The Raccoon was staring up at him adoringly, creepy little hands petting his chest.

"Wargh!" Alex shouted, sitting up so fast The Raccoon was flung from his chest into his lap, which wasn't much better, so he flailed until it was on the ground. "No, no, no, get out! Get out!" he shouted, like it could understand him.

Except it seemed to, throwing him a hurt look and moving away, and then... growing. And growing. Until Willie was standing at his door, looking heartbroken. "Fine," his boyfriend said. "I thought it would be cool to date another were, but if you're going to be an asshole about it, never mind."

"Wait, what?" Alex said. "Willie? You were The Raccoon?"

Willie paused, looking just as confused as Alex felt. "Um yeah, I'm a wereraccoon."

"You're a werewhat?"

"You didn't know?" Willie asked incredulously.

"No!" Alex shrieked. "I thought this feral raccoon was stalking me, like some kind of deranged Pepe LePew!"

Sure, Willie laughing at him was better than the hurt look on his face, but the gleeful cackles still made him all hot in the face and... well, wish he was a cat so he could curl up in his little fort and not come out for several hours.

Which is what he did. Since apparently Willie had known he was a cat the entire time. When Willie was done laughing, he crouched in front of Alex' fort, looking contrite. "I'm sorry," he told him earnestly. "I thought you knew. I thought it was like tag, you know. I didn't mean to freak you out."

Slowly, Alex stuck his head out of the fort, booping his nose to Willie's.

Turned out the blanket fort was big enough for a cat and a raccoon if you snuggled close enough. And that even as a raccoon, Willie's little hands gave good scritches.

[tasavvur-e-jaana]

Jhumka gira re

//

The main street running through the bazaar was crowded with people, the enlightened lanterns in each shop giving a rustic, festive look to the arena. The aroma of hot jalebis, sweets, and other savoury dishes dispersed with the dhup (incense) scent of various flowers which the shopkeepers lit to keep the mosquitoes and other insects away. The cacophony of the mingled sounds did not appear as bothersome to the two people swimming through the ocean of men, women, and children alike. 

Bheem was walking at a leisurely pace, unlikely for him, mostly because he was almost stopping at each halwai’s shop to take in the delicious aroma of the frying oils and mouthwatering delicacies. His legs halted at one such foodstall where the man was frying fresh jalebies, catering to a small crowd which had accumulated at the shop. Bheem saw the halwai - he was wearing a typical white dhoti with a vest and a gamcha on his shoulders which he was using every 10 seconds to wipe off the sweat from being near the big-ass, hot kadhai as he was pouring the batter and frying the jalebis in perfect little concentric circles. The curly haired man could just stand there and watch the process for hours. 

He donned a thick moustache, with furry brows which were concentrated on the action as he was humming an old song while working. Much to Bheem’s delight, he was healthy, the belly trying to defy the confines of the vest. Not to be offensive, but Bheem thought that the best of the halwais have to be on the healthier side, because then it meant that they really loved to eat and feed people. They truly would be passionate about it. 

“Kya mol hai jalebi ka?” (What price is the jalebi?) He asked. 

“Teen aana ser!” (Three aanas for 1.250 kg.) The guy answered. 

“Hmm…Bhabhi tum-” (Sister-in-law would you…) The older man turned to find his companion missing. His initial reaction was to panic, of course. Before he could have a tiny heart attack, fortunately he spotted his companion at a shop two shops away, standing far behind, at a shop of jewellry. 

The man heaved a sigh of relief as he skipped back, telling the halwai that he will be back. 

Seetha was staring, stiff as a statue at a pair of jhumkas hanging by the side. They were beautiful, oxidised silver maybe, with typical dome-like shape with intricately woven metal design and small ghunghroos in the periphery of the hemispherical structure. They shone just the right amount when the light of the lanter fell on them, making them look sparkly. 

She did not realise she had screeched to a halt dreaming about how they would look on her, until a hand on her elbow shook her out of the reverie. “Ohh! Bheem! Maaf karna mujhe main-” (Oh, I apologise I-)

“Kya hua? Tum achanak aise ruk gayi.” (What happened? You just stopped here?) Bheem looked at her, his worry morphing into concern as he caught glimpse of tears at the corner of her eyes. “Bhabhi, sab theek?” (Bhabhi, sab thik?) he asked gently. 

Seetha shook her head, conjuring up an instant smile. “Han bilkul! Chalo! Tumhe mila kuchh khane ke liye? Mili koi jagah jahan ki khusboo mein woh kashish ho?” (Yes, of course! Come on! Did you find something suiting your tastes? Did you finally find the shop where the aroma was intoxicating as you desired?) She teased, but the grin did not reach her eyes. 

Bheem thought for a moment how to approach her, having seen her line of sight where she had been viewing, still as a statue, with desire in her dark brown orbs. Maybe she wanted to buy something for herself? But he had never seen her wearing something fancy, mostly bare minimum with the most bland shades and simple attire. 

He stepped forward and took the same pair which Seetha had been eyeing in his hands, not taking it off the stand. “Kitna khubsoorat hai na ye jhumka?” (How beautiful is this earring, isn’t it?)

“Han! J    enny par khoob jachega. Uske liye le rahe ho?” (Yes! It will look magnificient on Jenny. You are thinking of buying for her, right?)

Ughh! She was more stubborn than his anna. However, the gond man was not the one to back off, and neither he was the one to mince his words. They were close enough now, after months of friendship and working in close quarters. “Main tumhare liye keh raha hoon!” (I was asking for you!) his voice took a slightly stern note. 

To his irritation, Seetha only laughed. “Tumne kabhi pehle mujhe iss tarah ke gehne pehne hue dekha hai?” (You’re being silly. Have you ever seen me in such fancy stuff before? This is too much.)

“Iska matlab yeh thode hi hai ke tum kabhi pehno hi nahi?” (That doesn’t mean you cannot wear it ever.)

“Bheem! Rehne do. Tum agar lena chaho, toh Jenny ke liye le sakte ho, warna chalo aage. Waqt zaya nahi karte fizool baaton aur fizool kharchi mein.” (Bheem! Leave it. If you want to buy it for Jenny, then please do. Or else let us not spend time on unimportant things and waste money.)

“Seetha! Uff! Tum-” (Seetha! Uff! You-)

“Kya?” (What?) she raised her voice a bit as well. “Main kya? Kuchh ghalat kaha maine?” (Me what? Tell me how am I in the wrong here.) She regretted the anger instantly, which deflated like a pack of cards, “Main us tarah ki ladki nahi hoon…” (I am not a girl who…)

But bheem was really irked now. “KIS TARAH KI LADKI NAHI HO? Jo apne liye koi bhi wo cheez na kharide jo use pasand hai? Jo kabhi apne kiye ek pal bhi na soche? Jo-” The man clenched his jaw shut because the next sentence he was going to say would have been extremely inappropriate. 

(A GIRL WHO WHAT? The one who does not buy a pretty thing forherself once in a while? The one who does not think about her happiness? The one-)

“Jo kya? Batao Bheem! Jo kya?” (The one who what? Finish the sentence Bheem!)

“Nahi.” (No.)

“Thik hai, main kehti hoon jo tumhare mann mein tha.” her tone went eerily calm. “Jo kisi ki mangetar ko kar bhi vidhva ke jaise jee rahi ho. Yahi kehna chahte the na?” 

(Fine. Let me finish it for you. The one who has a living, breathing fiance but still chooses to dress like a widow. This is what you wanted to say, didn’t you?)

“NAHI!” (NO!) He denied outright. Seetha glared at him. “Umm- bilkul un shabdon mein nahi.” He added sheepishly. “Lekin main yeh zaroor kahunga, ke iss tarah apni har ek hasrat ka gala ghotne ki zaroorat nahi hai.”

(Umm- not in those exact words. But I will say this, that don’t squish your desires like a bug in the night. There is no need.)

Seetha smiled at her companion. It was a short-lived, tiny smile. “Bheem, sach kahun?” He nodded his head. “Ab aadat si ho gai hai. Meri sari sakartmakta, mera vishwas, mera dridh nishchay, mera vishwas ke hum jeetenge, mera junoon, sab Ram ko sambhalne mein vyay ho gaya hai. Uske jaane ke baad bhi usi ke liye jiya. Uske na hone ka ehsaas jo pal pal mujhe khaaye jaa raha tha- Bheem! Tumne uske Dilli se likhe gaye khat nahi padhe, jab wo wahan bilkul akela tha. Main…” She brushed away a tear. “Main tumhari bohot bohot shukraguzaar hoon ke tum uski zindagi mein aaye.” 

(Bheem, may I be honest? It has become a habit now. All my positivity, my optimism, my perseverance, and my belief that we will win- all has been spent up on Ram. Even after he left, it felt like I was only living for him. This absence chipped away at me minute by minute- Bheem! You have not read the letters he sent from Dilli which he sent when he was utterly and completely alone. I… I am so very grateful to you that you found him and came in his life when you did.)

This time, her smile was genuine, grateful. Although Bheem was glad, the gratefulness did not settle well with him. Seetha should not be thanking him! They were in the middle of the bazaar and even though Bheem wanted to know more, and knock sense into his friend- very literally, this was not the right time and place. All the curly haired man knew was he was buying Seetha the pair. And one for Jenny too, he already had his heart set on the one next to it. 

Just as he turned to ask the shopkeeper how much they cost, there was another young man, his hands clasped with a young woman, radiating joy who asked to see that particular pair. “Ji woh…” (Umm those-) Bheem started politely, with Seetha behind him, “Woh darasal main khareed raha hoon. Aap koi aur kyun nahi le lete?” (Actually I am buying those. Why don’t you look for another pair?) 

The guy seemed disappointed. “Lekin Shobha, meri mangetar ko ye sab se zyada pasand hain.” he tried to argue. (But Shobha, my fiancee, she has her heart set on them of all!)

“Bheem!” A hand landed on his arm. “Theek hai. Shayad mere nasib mein nahi hain ye jhumke. Bhaisahab aap hi le lijiye.” (It’s okay. They are not for me anyway. Please you buy them for your fiancee.) She glanced at the couple, giddy in each others presence, and she could sense the love radiating off them in waves. A cloud of sorrow shrouded her once more and her face fell in defeat. It all happened in an instance and Bheem, in this moment, only wanted to run back to the village and punch Ram in the face. A couple of times at least. 

 “Dekhiye main yeh apni bhabhi ke liye khareed raha hoon, meri iltija hai aapse ke aap koi aur dekh lein.” (Look! I am buying this for my sister-in-law. I really beg you to reconsider.) The man looked at his fiance once who gestured it was okay. He shrugged, “Thik hai!” (Fine.)

“Aapka bohot bohot shukriya!” (Thank you! Thank you so much!)

“Bheem! Kya kar rahe ho?” (What are you doing, Bheem?)

“Main khareed raha hoon yeh tumhare liye.” (I am buying them for you.)

“Iski koi zarurat nahi.” (No.)

“Hai! Tum meri bhabhi ho, kya ye rishta koi maayne nahi rakhta?” (YES! You are like a sister to me! Does that no mean anything to you?) The puppy eyes were at full attack. 

“Maine tumse kya kaha tha?” (What did I say to you about this?) Seetha stood there, crossing her hands. 

“Meri ye harketein sirf Ram aur Jenny par kaam karti hain!” (That the puppy eyes and emotional blackmail works only on Ram and Jenny.) He pouted. Seetha smiled at his adorable nature. “Lekin main sahi mein tumhe tohfa dena chahta hoon. Main ek Jenny ke liye bhi le raha hoon.” (But I really do want to gift you these. I am buying one for Jenny too!)

“Bohot khushnaseeb hai woh ladki!” (That girl is the luckiest!)

“Kya Ram kabhi tumhare liye-” (What? Ram never- for you?) Seetha shook her head. “Woh kehta hai tumhe jo chahiye tum khud laa sakti ho. Meri kya zaroorat hai?” (Well, he says I can buy whatever I need or want for myself. There is not need for him to be there.)

“Ughh!! Nihaayati bewakoof hain wo! Ghar pohonch kar unki khabar leta hoon main.” (He really is the dumbest person! I will knock some sense into him when we get home.)

Seetha chuckled out loud. It was the sweetest sound. “Main nahi rokungi tumhe!” (I would not stop you.) She jested. 

“Thik hai. Toh tay raha. Hum ghar jaa kar khabar le rahe hain unki.” (Good. Deal. We go home and kick his idiotic ass.)

He turned to the shopkeeper who was busy with other customers. “Bhaisahab, ye jhumke kitne ke diye?” (Mister, how much do these earrings cost?)

“Dedh rupiya pura.” (One and a half rupee.)

“KYA? Itna zyadam dam?” (WHAT? This is too pricey!) Seetha gawked from behind, nonplussed. “Bheem yeh toh bohot mehenge hain. Rehne do, chalo.” (Leave it, Bheem. They are too expensive.)

“Lekin behenji aap karigari to dekhiye. Itni baariq aur safaimand aapko kahin iss mol mein mile toh main dukaan band kar dunga.” (But madam, look at the ornate design. If you find such intricate and polished work elsewhere in these parts, in these prices, I will close my shop.)

Bheem too was stumped. Not only because of the price, but because he wasn’t sure he had that amount on him. They already had done the supply shopping, the heavy bags at the owner’s place which they were going to carry after taking a walk in the bazaar while returning. He quickly took out the remaining amount and counted. It was exactly one and a half rupees left. He would not be able to buy anything for Jenny, or get the jalebis if he got the earrings. 

Seetha peaked into his palm, taking out her own purse. There was only 5 annas left. “Bheem. Mere liye mat lo. Sirf Jenny ke liye hi lete hain.” (Bheem. Let’s just buy something for Jenny.) 

“Nahi! Main pichle mahine hi laya tha uske liye kuchh cheezein.” (No. I bought her some jewllery only last month.) He had made up his mind. The gond man offered the rupee and a half to the shopkeeper. “Ji de dijiye.” (Please, we’ll take it.) Seetha caught his hand. “Bheem!” 

He looked at her with determined gaze in the honey dipped eyes. “Agar tumhare liye zara se bhi pyaar hai mere liye toh aaj nahi rokogi tum mujhe.” (If you love me even a little bit, you will not stop me now.) It did not sound like blackmail. It rang like an ultimatum in the air, hanging between the two - the shopkeeper all the while watching this charade and getting frustrated. 

“Lena hai ya nahi?” (Are you buying them or not?) He finally asked. 

“Bilkul.” (Of course.) Bheem handed him the money. He took the paper wrapped packet and started walking with Seetha in tow. 

“Tumne mol bhaav bhi nahi kiya! Buddhu ho tum!” (You didn’t even bargain! You fool!)

“Tumhari khushi ka woh kya mol lega bhabhi. Dedh rupiya hi toh tha! Magar han, agar mol lagaata toh shayad yeh lazeez jalebiyan kha paata.” (Bhabhi, no one can put a price on your happiness. It was only a rupee and a half. But yes, if I had bargained, we could have left some money for the delicious jalebis.) They had reached the jalebi stall again, the halwai still making the delicacy. 

“Koi baat nahi mere pyare Bheemudu!” (No worries, my Bheemudu!) She linked his hand with her as she dragged him toward the food. “Mere paas abhi bhi 5 aane hain.” (I still have 5 annas left.) The smile Bheem gave her could have blinded a million suns. 

“Are waah!” (YAY!) He perked up immediately. “Itne mein to pet bhar kar dher saari jalebi kha sakte hain hum! Aur le bhi jaayenge sab ke liye…” (This is enough to buy so many jalebis for all of us!)

//

@ronaldofandom

[lejindaryikiki]

Chapter 2

Leena could not help but distract herself about the yeti which was in their apartment's roof. So, she thought of taking a stroll. Once, she went out of the room Nai Nai spoke up. "Oh! Leena, finally you're out of your comfort zone after a million years!" She let out a dramatic sigh.

"Nai nai, I was in for 5 hours. But now, I thought of wal-- hey. Where's the air conditioner?" Leena peeked through the window and looked up. Knowing where the wire led to she scurried off. "Bye, Nai nai." She hugged her and went, leaving her grandmother confused. She was about to go upstairs but she bumped into someone.

"Leena?" She looked up to see that person who called her. She was not surprised to see who it was. Peng found it amusing. "Jin?"

"Oh, look. Who finally showed up?" Jin said nonchalantly. "Shut up, idiot. I don't have time for you." Leena scoffed and stood up. They went together to the roof, Leena not talking to Jin as the latter was talking to his cousin. He opened the door and stopped when they saw Leena's sister being eaten by a big furry ball.

Peng was the first one to scream. Yi popped up her head from the yeti. "Hey, guys. What are you doing here?" Leena stepped up towards them but Jin grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him.

What the heck?

"Hey, get away from her!" He picked up his cell phone and grabbed a chair nearby. Peng stood behind him and Leena tried to yank the phone away from him, but to no avail. "Hello? Hello?"

Both the siblings tried to stop him and the yeti roared more. Once the call stopped, Yi turned to Jin. "What have you done? He's not dangerous." Yi told the raven-haired boy.

The yeti pulled Leena and Yi towards him and roared at Jin. "Look at him. He's a yeti." Yi stated. "He's so fluffy and cute." Jin chucked at Leena's reaction but his thoughts were snapped by Peng who replied with, "Cool."

"Wh-what? Yetis don't exist!" Jin snapped. A helicopter with the logo of Burnish industries  approached on the roof. "They are back. You have to go. Go. Run! Now! Go!" Yi cried and the yeti only saw her with pleading eyes. The wind caused by the helicopter blades scattered the postcards and the money Yi earned, on the floor. The violin and the flute were thrown on the floor. Yi and Leena picked up the post cards and their instruments but within a second, they were dragged away by the yeti.

"Yi! Leena!"

The yeti jumped from roof to roof, carrying them on his back. "He stole them!" Peng cried. "More like kidnapped!" Seeing the helicopters going after them, he told his cousin. "Come on, Peng."

Jumping from one roof to another, Leena held onto him as she was afraid of heights. Much to Jin's dismay, he asserted, "We'll never catch up with them."

Soon, Jin's girlfriends came, riding a scooter. "Hey, Jin."

"Hey ladies."

Taking their scooter, Peng and Jin raced to them. "Woohoo! How many girlfriends do you have?!" Peng asked, to which the latter smirked as a respond.

The duo of sisters were still hanging onto the yeti as he climbed from one building to another. Leena closed her eyes as she knew how heights were terrifying to her. She almost fell but Everest caught her. He landed on another building. The helicopters trapped them and the sound played, which indicated that something was going to happen.

"Hey Yi. What's the time?" Leena asked.

"8 pm. Why? Oh." Yi realised that it was the light show. The lights were turned on and it shone towards the helicopters. It distracted them and helped the trio escape to the dock.

After reaching the dock, Yi and Leena pleaded the yeti to get on the ship. "Don't stop. Don't stop until you reach your home." They told him.

Leena gave him a sign which indicated 'home'. The yeti jumped on a boat but was unable to hide. At the same time, Jin came running towards them. "Yi! Leena! Are you okay?"

Yi and Leena shared a determined look and this caused Jin to stop and realise what the heck they were doing. "Oh no no no! Leena, Yi, don't you dare!"

They both did not respond and despite hearing his protests, they ran and jumped on the boat.

"Guess we're coming with you, huh? Everest?" Yi asked. Everest nodded and smiled at them.

"Yi! Leena! Are you both crazy?!" Jin shouted.

"Wait for me!" Peng ran to them and was almost about to land into the ocean, but thank lord he was saved by Everest.

"Peng! I'm responsible for you!" Jin also jumped but landed on crude oil. He gasped at seeing his shoes dirty.

"No! Do you think this is funny? Do you know how much I paid for these?"

Peng and Everest laughed at his horrified reaction but stopped. Jin kept on blabbering about how Yi and Leena would put him into so much trouble. But they did not mind.

꧁༺༻꧂

The next morning,

"Beijing is um... great. The dorms are clean. Oh! Peng?" Jin looked to see Peng looking at Everest's teeth.

"Peng's fine." Jin said over the phone. Yi signaled him to let her talk, but Jin being Jin like any other Jin did not let her. Yi rolled her eyes at him and looked at her sister, who shared a look of 'he-won't-survive-this'.

"I wonder, despite being friends to enemies, you guys don't talk to each other. And by each other, I am talking about Jin and you, Cal. What happened? You just disappeared all of a sudden." said Peng.

"Peng," called Leena, "sometimes people change. I changed, your cousin changed and my sister changed. You are still the same Peng I know. I just don't like his haughty attitude."

"Fancy word." Peng laughed when she emphasized at the word haughty.

"I could easily forgive his pride if he had not mortified mine." Leena quoted Elizabeth Bennett.

"What?"

"Jane Austen? Pride and Prejudice?"

Peng tilted his head as he did not know any of those.

"Forget it. I'll explain it to you later."

Jin relaxed at the sight of Peng and Leena talking together. It has been a while since the black-braided girl started talking to everyone other than her family.

"Leena's here, too. She's with me."

[cleverthylacine]

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

Once I realised that I was going to have to make canon soup, I think I did a pretty good job of extrapolating different Cybertronian cultures out of the bits of some of the non-IDW canons I particularly like. Vos, Uraya, Kaon and Tarn had indigenous cultures that were nearly destroyed by the Quints, and then the Iaconian theocracy almost finished the job. The Convoys are a travelling people whose original city-state was obliterated.

The Chinese TV production of Three-Body gave me massive amounts of feels about what it must have been like to be a Decepticon during the period when Megatron went off his rocker and the revolution shat itself. I'd read the book but there was something about seeing the environment that Ye Wenjie lived in and how she moved through it that brought stuff home to me that I couldn't pick up from the book.

Right now I'm looking into the effects the Decepticon occupation had on Earth's scientific and cultural progress. I didn't really think about it much in the beginning beyond the fun I was having with Thundercracker's Zoom filters and Glit and Thundercracker both being on OnlyFans, but Thundercracker not really understanding that people don't go to OnlyFans to see what you're gonna do in your next screenplay.

(Glit understands this just fine and has a nice secondary income from his devoted fanbase of furries, robotfuckers, and people who knew that Kiss Players was a propaganda band under Megatron's occupation but still liked the music.)

I had taken the point from Astolat's Victory Condition that if Earth didn't get into space it was going to be doomed, because if Cybertron didn't fuck it up, the Galactic Council was going to.

But I didn't really think about how that would change Earth culture until I started watching For All Mankind, which I really love.

I started writing this because I was furious that Ravage had been killed off and annoyed that the fandom treats this character as a cat meme. About halfway through I realised that I didn't want to go as far with Atrocity Chicken as JRo and the other writers did, mostly because they couldn't decide if the Autobots were Designated Good Guys only in name or not, and that I didn't like that some of the characters I view as part of a team got broken up and put in entirely different cultures, and that the timeline was very heavy on stuff that happened 4 million years ago and stuff that happened in the 1980s-2000s, but largely ignored the intervening 4 million years.

So I've done a lot of work to make the history more coherent, somewhat less convoluted, and more interesting.

(Also I think it is ridiculous that Unicron should be able to eat planets and Primus is just a little guy. They are both just little guys, otherwise it isn't any fun.)

[writerman]

October 5th 

Prompt: “No, anything but that.”

Ship: Mentions of past AroxSulpicia and AroxGarrett

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: T for language, I guess? 

Summary: This prompt is written as a spin-off chapter for Don't Howl At The Moon And I Won't Cry Wolf! A chapter that was not written for the fic but definitely a scene that would have happened if the story had warranted it. 

Please enjoy! 

----

The rain came down in sheets, heavy and unrelenting. Each large drop that pelted Aro soaked into the fibres of his clothing leaving him soaked in a matter of minutes. 

With frozen fingers, Aro slapped at the buzzer of the apartment he was trying to gain access to, mumbling angrily about people being very slow on purpose. Impatiently, he buzzed again, several times in quick succession before the door before him swung open. 

Sulpicia looked at him for barely a second before rolling her eyes and walking away allowing Aro access to the warm and dry hallway, she didn’t wait for him as she returned to her apartment and Aro followed silently cursing her for making him wait. 

A soft warm towel smacked him in the face as he entered the apartment, with a muffled thank you he left it on his head as he peeled his jacket off and wandered into the bathroom to leave it dripping over the bath. 

“I know you’re not here to see me because you miss me, or whatever.” She isn’t taking much notice of him as she moves easily through the kitchen grabbing glasses, wine and a wine cork. “So I assume this is in order?” When she lifts the wine bottle up there is a smile plastered across her face. 

“Very much so, I have to talk to you about a man I met last night…” 

A grimace in response, along with a long-suffering sigh and a large mouthful of wine. Sulpicia took her seat on the sofa and threw another grimace his way. 

“No, anything but that, don’t you love me?” Another long drink from her glass until it was drained and she poured herself another before nudging the other full wine glass across the coffee table urging Aro to join her. 

Doing as he was told, he took the armchair and sighed as he sank down into it with the towel wrapped around his shoulders catching the cold drips of water sliding down his hair before they slid down his neck. 

“If I have to listen to you talk about women you can hear me talk about one man. Plus, you really are the only person I can talk to about it. Didyme is busy with studying and her ridiculously sad-looking boyfriend- where did she get him from? The dog pound?” Realising he was going off on a tangent Aro busied himself with drinking the proffered wine and kept quiet for a moment. 

“So, this guy has you wound up already?” 

“N-No-!” Aro nearly chokes on his drink which he hastily sets down as he gets to his feet to pace, towel still on his shoulders. “It isn’t anything like that I just feel bad about how we met and he… he’s a shifter he was in some kind of anthropomorphic wolf form that I've only ever seen in books and whatnot-” Aro stops when he sees the expression on Sulpicia’s face, she was on the verge of what could only be described as crowing laughter and before he can stop her she lets loose and the barrage of sound assaults his ears for a good 2 minutes.

“Are you done?” 

“You have the hots for a wolfman, I swear to GOD, Aro are you a fucking furry?” Sulpicia is on her third glass of wine now and the bottle has barely even dregs left at the bottom. 

His face is hot and he knows he is probably bright pink as he tried to tell her to shut up, but to no avail, she is still laughing quietly to herself.

It was a mistake to go to Sulpicia for advice, she wouldn’t have anything worthwhile to say, they weren’t close in a way that felt like a comfort. Even if she was his fiancee they were not going to get married, she was all he had at that moment and he needed her. 

“I don’t know what it is about him, and I don’t know what he looks like in his human form, I just feel something intensely strong for him. I haven’t experienced this before and it's unnerving, to say the least.” He retook his seat and pulled the towel tighter around his shoulders as he began to shiver, it was a truly awful feeling to have emotions so intense and new for a person he barely knew. 

“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?” The sudden change in her tone dragged Aro’s attention from his inward musings and he nodded. “Fuck, ok, well you know this is going to be difficult to keep under wraps from your family, right?” 

“I know that I know, but there is another problem… I don’t think he even likes me back.” 

[mochiable]

— how you met nct dream.

anon request: hello! i don’t know if you take this type of request but i would love a scenario on how you meet nct dream ot7 if it’s possible, thank you!

warning: one swear word

wc: 1.5k

₊˚✧┆𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞

you had been watching that cute boy on the badminton court playing with his friends ever since you had started working in the gym and you couldn't help but become more and more interested in him with each passing day. the noises he made when he hit the shuttlecock, the whimpers that came from his pink fluffy lips when he missed the expected shot and the way he frowned and puckered his mouth when his partner missed were some of your favourite things about going to work. yet you had never been able to strike up a conversation. never until this day, when his friends decided to take a break and go watch the football match, while he preferred to stay and practice a bit more.

"you're good," you complimented him once you approached him and threw him a bottle of water, which he managed to catch on the fly. "thank you," he replied flashing you a shy smile, causing his cheekbones to bulge. "where did you learn all that?" you asked sitting down on the bench at the side of the court. he turned to look at you nervously, setting the bottle down once he had taken a sip. "my father... well... he taught me, i guess," he replied, averting his gaze to anywhere on the court except your eyes. "and what do you like best about it?" you questioned him, watching the feather he was playing with bounce on the ground. "ahhh, i... i like badminton, i mean... i like it a lot, like... the... the... the rackets are really nice," he replied trying to find the right words, looking even more tender than ever and causing a smile to form on your lips. but just then his friends arrived, so you stood up and approached him. "nice to meet you, mark," you bowed your head and he copied you, failing to hide the blush on his cheeks.

₊˚✧┆𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗝𝗨𝗡

you snorted once more when the card of the hotel you were staying at wouldn't open the door. you had just taken a dip in the pool and were starting to get cold from wearing only a t-shirt over your swimsuit. you had already used every curse word the dictionary had and still the door wouldn't open. until suddenly you heard a click and it did, so you hurriedly tried to enter. however, something a little softer than the door blocked your way, making you bump into it or, rather, into someone.

“can i help you with something?” the boy smiled kindly as two others a little taller than him appeared from behind. you frowned, looking at the number painted on the door and then looking at the number written on your card. it was then that you realised your mistake, “shit! sorry, sorry. i've got the wrong room,” you apologised, trying to hide your embarrassment and nervousness. “is your room next door?” he asked leaning the side of his body against the door frame, to which you nodded, “i hope to see you again then,” he spoke, as the other two boys who hadn't moved yet tried to hide their laughter. you smiled still a little self-consciously and turned around with the intention of getting out of there. “nice outfit, by the way.”

₊˚✧┆𝗝𝗘𝗡𝗢

you were taking the dog for a walk in the park as you usually did, but this day was a bit different. you let the dog loose, trusting him completely, although you regretted it after a second when you saw how he ran away from you, starting to chase a boy riding his bike. you ran after him, calling his name and wishing you were born with more stamina, because your lungs weren’t strong enough for that. the boy slowed down when he noticed the animal running after him, who didn't think twice before jumping on top of him and knocking him off his bike, licking his face while getting petted. when you managed to get to where they were, you apologised repeatedly, getting several "don't worry" from the boy, smiling with amusement at your furry friend.

“i hope your dog doesn't attack me again,” he laughed softly, hopping on his bike and riding off, reassuring you that there would definitely be a next time.

₊˚✧┆𝗛𝗔𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡

in the summer you worked in a flower shop, you didn't get paid much but it was enough to pay for your studies. that day, your boss sent you to the most famous dance company in your city to deliver a bouquet with yellow sunflowers, something strange you had to admit.

leaving the lift you bumped into a handsome guy who apologized for not having noticed and almost destroying those beautiful flowers. as an apology he offered to guide you to your destination and you, a bit shy, accepted shyly. you could notice the look of confusion when you pointed out where you should deliver the sunflowers and, when you entered the room, he didn't hesitate to speak.

“so the flowers are for me, you’re the one sending them?” he approached them to smell their soft, fresh scent and then looked at you with a twinkle in his eye. you shook your head slightly, watching an amused pout form on his handsome face, “how bad, i would’ve wished to receive such a gift from someone so pretty.”

₊˚✧┆𝗝𝗔𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡

Songpa Naru Park was perhaps your favourite place to spend the afternoon when you didn't have too much to do. coming here, watching the almond blossoms swaying in the wind, listening to the swallows singing and watching families having a good time were your favourite images. you couldn't miss the photographs, you were nobody without your camera and your snapshots.

at that moment, watching the black and white ducks arguing over which part of the lake belonged to each of them, you felt a flash in your right profile, which made you startle and your camera, which was in your lap, rush to the ground. however, a big hand prevented that horrible disaster.

“forgive me,” the stranger apologised, “i didn't mean to,” he showed you his perfect white teeth as he returned the camera to your lap. “did you take a picture of me?” you asked looking in his direction, remembering that bright light. he looked at you with regret and put his hand to the back of his neck, scratching it nervously, “sorry about that too.” you gave him a tight-lipped smile and lifted your shoulders, “don't worry, it's all right,” you replied turning your gaze back to the lake, “it’s beautiful, isn't it?” you asked, watching him out of the corner of your eye. “yes, very pretty,” he replied, looking at your picture on his camera, which brought another smile to your face, a bigger one this time.

₊˚✧┆𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗟𝗘

you were definitely lost. maybe if you hadn't listened to your brother, you would now be at the restaurant where your parents were waiting for you. but obviously, he didn't want to use the gps as he had "memorised the way". and this is when he forced you to roll down the car window and ask some stranger for help.

“excuse me, could you tell me where Las Torres restaurant is?” you asked a handsome guy, wearing a loose summer brown shirt. he smiled at you and asked for your phone so he could write it down for you, which you readily agreed to. “here you go. i’ve drawn you the official route, but also a small detour that will get you there faster,” he explained, handing you back the phone through the window. after thanking him and saying goodbye, he gave you a smile with a wink, which caused a slight blush to appear on your cheeks. you soon learned the reason for this gesture. he hadn't asked for your mobile phone just to guide you, but to write down his number as well.

₊˚✧┆𝗝𝗜𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗚

you were having dinner with a friend at one of your favourite restaurants, celebrating the end of the school year and another year of your friendship. however, you weren't paying full attention to your friend, as you were busier watching the boy who hadn't stopped looking at you all night and who, when you looked back at him, looked away, blushing slightly. halfway through dinner you could notice his friend saying something in his ear, looking in your direction, and how the boy's eyes widened while he began to shake his head. but suddenly, the other boy stood up and, ignoring his friend's prayers, approached you with a mischievous smile on his face.

“good evening,” he greeted, interrupting your conversation and resting his hands on the table, “you've caught my friend's eye, but he's too shy and cowardly to come and ask for your number himself, so i’m here to make his dreams come true,” he addressed you with confidence and amusement, pointing to the sweet boy who was now covering his face with the tablecloth. you finally decided to write down your number on the napkin and your heart skipped a beat as the boy smiled shyly at you after receiving the piece of paper with your number written on it.

©️  MOCHIABLE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

requests are open!

main masterlist | nct masterlist

a/n: this is my very first multiple scenario and i have to admit i’m very nervous about it. i’d really appreciate it if you could provide me with some feedback and tell what do you think of it! hope you liked it, love you<3

[fleetingpieces]

My One in a Million CH 7

Y’all, this chapter got so out of hand and it’s so lOnG (or at least longer than any other chapter I posted) Thank you so so much @inloveoknutzy @knittingdreams @heyitssmiller and @donttouchmycarrots !! You all helped with this chapter in different ways and I appreciate you all so much❤️❤️

Tag list (let me know if you want to be added!)

@whataboutmyfries  @justdyingontheinside @heyoitslysso @sunflowerfox87 @hereforwolfstarr @potterlocked24-7 @cheekeebabe (i can’t seem to find your tumblr :( ) @domesticatedbeetlenamedjorge

CW: mentions of past animal abuse, emergency clinic, mention of needles

Masterlist

Ao3

Chapter 7 - Rough night

“Go home, son.”

Remus lifted his head from where it’d been buried in his hands for who knows how long and looked at the doctor smiling sadly at him.

It was well past any reasonable time, he’d probably been sitting there for hours, but Remus couldn't bring himself to move from his spot in the waiting room.

He didn't want to go.

He couldn't stand the idea of going back home alone, of Cocoa not being there with him. He felt as if he wasn't really there at the clinic, his mind was miles away in a deserted, foggy forest, where a furry little puppy was chained to a tree, barely keeping his eyes open, his ribs protruding like a black skeleton. How could he just go?

The feel of Cocoa’s body trembling with spasms in his arms as he’d carried him to the car was still fresh in his mind; how he’d whined pitifully from the back seat while Remus sped through the city until he reached the emergency clinic, how both their hearts had been beating a thousand miles per minute when he picked him up again and burst through the front doors.

The fear clutching at his heart had made him numb to anything else going on around him, to the way he’d practically screamed at the poor guy at the reception desk until someone came to help him. And even though he knew it was exactly what he’d come here for, parting from Cocoa and watching as they took him away had almost broken Remus all over again.

He would give anything to feel that heartbeat under his palm right then.

A hand settled heavily on his shoulder, grounding him back into his body. Remus didn't want to listen to those words again. Go. It sounded a lot like he was abandoning him.

"You need to rest. And Cocoa needs to stay in observation, but I promise we will take good care of him. You can come back tomorrow afternoon, he’ll probably be ready to go home by then."

Resigned, Remus nodded. He knew he couldn't stay and that Cocoa was in good hands, but that did nothing to quell his guilt.

He thanked the doctor, who squeezed his shoulder once, and walked numbly out the building.

The next half hour was a blur. Remus had no idea how he got back to his apartment building, he only had vague memories of getting back into his car and driving through the mostly empty streets.

All he knew was that he was now there, standing in front of his door, staring at the pattern in the wood without really seeing it, picturing the empty flat that was awaiting for him on the other side instead. Remus counted to ten and sighed. He figured it wouldn’t get easier any time soon, so he fished in his pocket for his keys.

Only to realise he didn’t have them.

He stared at his empty pocket as he replayed in his head how he’d dropped the keys to the floor when he’d gotten home earlier that day, and in his haste to get Cocoa checked, he hadn’t grabbed anything other than the car keys.

“Fucking fuck, just...fuck!” he slammed his fist against the door once, like that was going to solve anything.

Suddenly he felt exhausted. He’d been through way too many emotions in just one day and all he wanted to do was lie in bed, but he couldn’t do that ‘cause he was fucking locked out. Remus let his back hit the wall and slid down to the floor, hiding his head in his knees. Despite everything, part of him was kinda glad that he didn’t have to go in when he knew there would be no one there expecting him.

He’d left him at the clinic. Alone. Probably inside a tiny cage, with no one there to comfort him and those horrible intravenous lines piercing his skin. Remus knew first hand how uncomfortable those were.

His eyes burned as tears started prickling behind his eyelids and dampened the fabric of his shorts. It was his fault. Two years ago he’d promised he would take care of Cocoa, make sure he was happy, and look how that turned out.

“Remus?”

Oh, fuck. Remus tightened his grip on his knees as he heard fast footsteps approaching.

“Remus, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

The rustle of a bag thumping against the floor close by was the only warning he got before he felt someone kneeling next to him, but Remus refused to look up. What the hell was he doing out at this time? Remus was not sure he could deal with this right now. Not with the tornado that was Sirius Black.

He could feel the other man shuffling about, most likely not sure what to do, until he finally said softly, “Remus, please look at me?”

There was such a plea in his voice, and a level of concern he hadn’t expected. Remus knew he couldn’t stay this way forever, so he reluctantly raised his head, doing his best to dry his face on his clothes as he did. He just hoped his eyes didn't look as bloodshot as they felt.

Sirius' eyebrows were furrowed, worry written all over his face as he knelt there, his hands half-raised like he wanted to touch Remus but wasn’t sure if he was allowed to.

“What happened?” he asked quietly.

Remus stared into silver eyes, trying his damn best to school his features into a mask of impassiveness. “I...I forgot my keys.”

“Ok…” Sirius eyed him wearily. “Do you have any spares?”

“Leo does, but I can’t ask him to bring them now,” Remus shrugged.

“So what, you were just going to sit here all night?”

Remus didn’t reply. He just shrugged again, his gaze glazing over and drifting to the wall in front of him. He wasn’t sure he had many options, and his brain wasn’t cooperating to come up with a solution. Maybe he could force the door open. But then he would have to pay for the damages, and he might not be able to close the door again and leave it broken for the night.

A sigh brought him out from his unhelpful thoughts. “Why don’t you come to my place?”

“What?” his eyes snapped back to Sirius, who quirked an eyebrow at him.

“You can’t possibly spend the night here Remus. For one, it’s freezing cold and you’re only in your gym clothes. And for another, I won’t allow it.”

It did seem like a very reasonable option, but then Remus noticed just how close Sirius was from him, his warmth radiating from his body and warming Remus’ numb fingers. Suddenly, all he could think of was how he’d almost kissed this man just a couple of hours ago. What if Sirius was only asking because of that? Was he purposely trying to get Remus alone?

“Ah, thank you, but I can go to my Mum’s or...or I could sleep in my car.”

“Remus don’t be stupid. It’s the middle of the night. Your Mum lives far away and she’s probably sleeping right now, and seriously? What the hell are you thinking? Sleeping in your car? No fucking way, that’s dangerous, and I have Netflix, ice cream, and a perfectly good guest room just three feet away.”

Remus hesitated. Even if he felt more comfortable knowing there was a guest room available, he still wasn’t sure he could face Sirius and whatever had happened in that pool. Wouldn’t it be awkward?

But Sirius did have a point, he couldn’t go back home. And though he was reluctant to admit it, he didn’t want to be alone right now and Sirius’ voice was strangely calming.

“Are you sure?” Remus asked, biting his lip.

“Of course.” Sirius smiled and got up, picking up the bag that he’d dropped on the floor. It was from the shop down the corner, full of snacks and a pack of cigarettes as far as Remus could tell. He offered Remus a hand and helped him get up, then led the way to his flat without another word.

Remus followed numbly, using what was left of his strength to lift his feet enough not to drag them over the floor. Once inside, he glanced idly around, noticing a few more details now that there were no people partying everywhere. There was a weird mix of decor going on: some of the stuff was tastefully modern (and very expensive), while other things were the kind of trinkets you would most likely find at a thrift store or in a street market. A Queen flag hung from the same wall as a street sign that had clearly been stolen, right next to a huge telescope that looked out the window.

“Make yourself at home,” Sirius said over his shoulder as he went over to the kitchen.

Doors closing and the sound of ceramic clinking came from the place Sirius had disappeared to. Remus moved in autopilot to sit at the couch and glanced down at his hands. His brain felt like mush, his mind going completely blank while he waited.

He didn’t move an inch until Sirius came back a few minutes later, holding a steaming cup of tea that he offered Remus. It took him a couple of seconds to figure out how to move his arm again, and when he did, it was trembling so badly that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold the cup without spilling tea everywhere. He hoped Sirius wouldn’t notice, but by the way he frowned, he had no such luck.

Indeed, Sirius placed the mug on the coffee table before Remus could get a hold of it and sat down in front of him. He then reached slowly to clasp Remus’ hand in both of his.

“Jesus fuck Remus, you’re fucking freezing. Just how long were you sitting out there?” he asked in a reproachful tone.

Remus simply shrugged. He had no idea, and besides, he was too focused on Sirius’ big hands around his. He knew he probably shouldn’t, that the other man probably didn’t even mean it in that way, but he took comfort in that small touch, in how gently Sirius held him. It was as if he was scared Remus would break, or disappear in a cloud of smoke. He vaguely wondered if Sirius realised how long it’d been since Remus was touched like this.

When he spoke next, Sirius’ voice was softer. “Ok, this is what we’re going to do. You’re going to forget about that cup of tea, go take a hot shower and change into warmer clothes. Warming your fingertips and digestive tract is pointless if the rest of you is still freezing. And after that, we’ll get you sorted for the night. D’accord?”

A steaming shower sounded like bliss right then, especially now that Remus was painfully aware of how cold his shaking body was. Just accept it, he told himself, but all that came out of him was “I don’t have clothes to change into.”

His voice sounded dull even to his own ears, but Sirius kindly ignored it and waved a dismissive hand.

“I’ll lend you some. Now come on,” his tone didn’t leave room for arguing.

Remus was finding it harder and harder to look at his face, so he let his head drop. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Remus.”

Slowly, warm fingers extended towards him, touching lightly below his chin to make him look up. Sirius’ face was a wonderful mix of fierce and caring as he stared at him intently.

“You are not a bother. Ok? Not now, not ever.”

Remus’ throat closed up, and he didn’t trust his voice to sound steady, so he just nodded quickly. Sirius smiled reassuringly and brushed his fingers in a feather-like caress, and Remus found himself jutting his chin forward to prolong the touch, but, much too soon, Sirius let go and got up.

He guided Remus through a hall and into a spacious bathroom that had both a big bathtub and a shower cubicle. Sirius went straight to open the hot tap so the water would warm up, and then he reached into the cabinet under the sink, pulling out a soft looking white towel, which he placed on the counter. He turned to look at Remus.

“Toiletries are just in that corner, use whatever you need. I’ll just go get some clean clothes for you and be right back.” He smiled again and left.

With nothing else to do, Remus let his eyes wander around the room that was slowly filling with hot steam from the shower, until he looked on top of the sink and was startled at his own reflection in the mirror.

Damn, he was a fucking mess. His clothes were rumpled, his hair ruffled and dishevelled from all the times he’d raked a hand through it, and his eyes were red, puffy and a little bit dead.

“Here you go.” Sirius walked back in, carrying a pile of neatly folded clothes which he put next to the towel. “Call me if you need anything, d’accord? Take your time.”

Remus nodded and thanked him, not quite able to meet his eye. Sirius closed the door behind him and Remus took off his clothes and stepped in the shower. He hadn’t realised how taught his muscles were until the jet of hot water hit his back and he relaxed under the pressure. It was very soothing, standing there for a while, slowly working his body to loosen up, while thinking of everything that had happened that day and trying to calm down.

By the time he finished, he hadn’t succeeded completely, but felt a lot better all the same. He snagged the towel, draping it across himself, and went through the pile of clothes that Sirius had left for him, a warm feeling spreading through his chest.

The feeling extended to his cheeks when he picked up a small square of black fabric, only to realise it was a pair of Sirius’ underwear.

Oh God, was he really going to wear his neighbour’s underwear? His hot neighbour’s underwear? His hot neighbour whom he very much had wanted to pin against the pool tiles and kiss senseless?

He bristled and looked up at the ceiling. Well, it’s not like the air between them could get any more awkward, could it?

***

Sirius started tugging at his bottom lip for the ninth time since he’d sat at the sofa. Remus had been in the shower for a really long time and he was starting to get worried. He still felt slightly thrown off-kilter by the way he’d found the man sitting by the door, curled in a ball and hugging his legs as if his life depended on it.

And the despair in those amber eyes when he’d finally looked up at him… How the fuck was he supposed to ignore that? He never wanted to see that look in Remus’ eyes ever again.

He was just about to go over and knock on the door when he heard some shuffling, and his head perked up to see Remus walking into the room and stop by the archway awkwardly. Sirius tried to ignore how cute Remus looked in his sweats and hoodie that were two sizes too big for him. His wet curls were flopping over his forehead adorably, but damn, it was certainly not the time to be smitten by the man.

Remus was clutching his own clothes against his chest in a protective stance, like that could shield him from...Sirius had no idea what.

And that was exactly the problem, wasn’t it? This man was so open one minute and incredibly guarded the next; Sirius could tell he was desperately trying to protect himself from something. But he just didn’t know why.

He mustered up a smile, trying to make Remus feel more at ease, and approached him. “Hey there,” he eyed Remus’ face discreetly. He looked better, but still seemed to be a bit off and he held the bundle tighter when Sirius got close. “I can show you where the guestroom is if you want to lie down, and then I’ll make you another tea. I’m afraid I drank the other one while I waited. Both cold and warmed up tea should be a crime,” he said, trying to lighten up the mood. Anything to get Remus to drop some of his walls.

The corner of Remus’ mouth quirked up slightly, and, given the circumstances, Sirius took that as a success.

"Actually, I… I don't think I can sleep right now," Remus said, rubbing at the side of his neck.

"That's ok," Sirius reassured. "Do you want me to stay up with you? We can play games or watch a movie. Or would you rather I leave you alone?"

And then Remus had that look again, that seemed as though he was drowning, and Sirius prepared himself to be shut out without knowing why. But then again, Remus never seemed to do what he expected him to.

"I wouldn't mind some company, if that's ok," he said, before he hurried to add, "but don't feel like you have to."

Sirius smiled brightly at him. "My work schedule is fucked up anyway, so don't worry about it. Why don't you go sit on the couch? I'll get us something to drink."

While Remus nodded and sat down, Sirius went back into the kitchen and turned on the kettle. He was actually meant to be editing his last recording, even more now that he had more of a reason to do it.

He’d received Remus’ merch a few days ago, and had made a video using it for the sole purpose of imagining Remus’ face when he saw it on Padfoot’s channel. Usually, Marlene was in charge of doing the editing, but he’d asked her to let him do this one himself. He knew it was stupid, but even if Remus wouldn’t know, he wanted it to be something personal.

The eagerness to finish them tonight was almost consuming him; he was sure they would lift Remus’ spirits. But he couldn’t leave him alone right now.

The water boiled, Sirius filled two mugs with a nice aromatic tea, and, after a moment of hesitation, he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the cupboard and walked back into the living room. 

Keeping a safe distance between them, he sat on the couch next to Remus, who raised an eyebrow when Sirius placed the bottle at the table. He simply shrugged in response.

"I thought you might want some."

Remus narrowed his eyes and held his cup in both hands, but after taking two sips he seemed to think better of it and reached over to pour himself a healthy dose. He sighed when he drank next and stared ahead, his eyes getting that faraway look again. Sirius wasn’t sure he wanted to know where exactly Remus was at that moment. 

He’d been wondering for a while as to what could have gotten Remus in this state. The man was usually so composed, except for those few moments Sirius had gotten a glimpse of, when he could practically see him closing up. He hated that feeling, hated not knowing how to help him or avoid those reactions.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked after a moment.

“About what?”

Sirius raised an eyebrow even though Remus was not looking at him. “You don’t seriously think I believed for a second that you were crying in the hallway because you forgot your keys, do you?”

Remus flinched but still kept his head down, avoiding his gaze, and a horrible thought occurred to him.

“I...I don’t want to assume anything,” he started, feeling a weight drop in his stomach, “but if this has anything to do with… you know, with what happened earlier then I…” he fumbled for the right words as he gestured vaguely with his hands, and finally Remus looked back with a confused expression on his face. He frowned for a second and then realisation dawned on him and he hurried to shake his head.

“No, no that’s not it. I...Something else happened and I had to leave my flat in a hurry. It’s...it’s not about that.”

His face turned to a lovely shade of pink, and Sirius had the sudden urge to cup those cheeks in his palms and feel the soft skin beneath them. He balled his hands into fists to keep himself from reaching out.

“Ok,” Sirius said, relieved but still worried. Remus seemed uncomfortable, and though Sirius had a million questions he was dying to ask, he knew it was not the time. Instead, he added some whiskey to his own tea. “Well, I’m here for you, in whichever way you need.”

Silence stretched between them, and it didn’t seem like Remus wanted to talk, so Sirius found a silly movie that could take Remus’ mind off things and they sat in companionable silence. They sipped from their spiked teas while the movie rolled, and when those were finished they moved on to straight whiskey.

He could tell Remus kept stealing glances at him, and even opened his mouth a couple times, but ended up closing it back in the end. He gave him the time he needed and waited.

“Sirius,” Remus called after a while. When Sirius glanced at him from his spot by the armrest, he found soft eyes, warm like melted caramel, trained on him. “Thank you.”

His voice was earnest and loaded with emotions that Sirius couldn’t figure out, but it sent a flutter through his stomach. He smiled fondly at this gorgeous, unpredictable man that had stumbled in his life at such a dark time. “Anytime, Rem.”

Remus' face turned almost pleading, and it was becoming physically impossible for Sirius not to get closer and pull him into his arms. Not when he was clearly upset about something and possibly a bit drunk.

No, he didn't want to do it like this.

He raked his brain for a safe topic and said the first thing that came to mind. "So, you said your classes were going well?"

Remus blinked a few times and then made a vague gesture with a hand, almost knocking the bottle in the process.

Well, he was definitely a bit drunk.

"It's great. Everyone is very nice and welcoming. And it's amazing that I got to know Lily and Natalie. Although Nat can be a bit hard to deal with," he said, but there was no real annoyance in his voice. In fact, he seemed rather fond of both girls.

Remus stretched forward to grab the bottle again, his mug tilting precariously on his leg. Sirius wasn't sure it was a good idea for him to keep drinking, so he snatched it right from his fingertips and placed both mugs on the table.

“Hey!” Remus protested.

“You're clearly ahead of me, I’m just catching up,” Sirius smiled mischievously as he gulped down, the warm liquid burning his throat, and laughed when Remus scowled at him. “Tu es mignon,” he said before he could stop himself.

Fuck. Maybe he should cut back on the alcohol too.

But Remus didn’t comment on it, just stared at Sirius with those big eyes that somehow were so much like his pet’s. And suddenly something clicked in his head.

“Oh crap. Will Cocoa be ok?” he asked Remus, who just stared. “Y’know, with you being locked out and all.” Remus continued to stare, his hand flinching the only indication that he’d heard him. Sirius raised an eyebrow and watched, alarmed, as tears started welling in Remus’ eyes. He fumbled around, flustered, wanting to hug Remus but not sure if Remus would want him to. “Ok, merde, don’t worry. Maybe I can climb over to your balcony? But I don’t think I can get in unless you left the window open…”

Remus sniffed. “My dog…”

“Fuck, wait here. Maybe I can open the door anyway, I’ll just go-” he was already stumbling out of his seat, but stopped when he felt Remus pulling at his sleeve.

“He’s not there.”

“Not there? What do you mean?”

“He-” Remus sniffed again and his breath hitched, “he’s at the clinic.”

Sirius sat down slowly, his heart beating fast. “What are you talking about?”

“I… I got back home and he… he’d found some of my chocolate, I don’t even know where he got it from.” Remus paused to take a shaky breath. Sirius could just imagine the moment, and Remus’ worry, and his heart ached for him. For both of them. “He was all… trembling and stuff. I took him to the emergency clinic straight away.”

“Is he going to be okay?” he asked as gently as he could.

“I think so. They gave him something to absorb the toxins, but he had to stay in observation just in case.”

“That’s good news, isn’t it?”

Remus’ tears started falling harder; great, heaving sobs shaking his body. He was a wreck, eyes swollen, wet tracks down his red cheeks, and Sirius couldn’t help it anymore. He took Remus’ hand, who held on as though that was the only thing keeping him together.

“But I left him alone at the hospital! When I found him chained to that tree, I promised I would take care of him, that I wouldn’t abandon him just like his old owners had. Just like I was ditched too. And I just left him there!”

Sirius started at that. What did he mean ‘he was ditched’? Every new detail about Remus’ past that came to light felt like having his vision go clearer and darker at the same time. Some questions were answered, but a lot more appeared that were worse than the ones before. He didn’t understand why Remus’ mum or Leo hadn’t been at the hospital with him, or exactly why he’d been stuck in bed in the first place. But he knew it was still hard on Remus. He could only imagine what leaving Cocoa at the clinic would have done to him.

“It’s my fault he ate the chocolate in the first place…”

“Oh no, we’re not going to do that. This is not your fault.”

“But he almost died,” he said, with his head bowed in shame.

Sirius scooted closer and held Remus’ tighter, while he used his free hand to wipe the other man’s tears with his thumb, first on one cheek and then the other. He pressed his palm against Remus’ cheek and locked eyes with him.

"Remus, the way you reacted is probably what saved his life. That dog loves you, anyone can tell, and I know you would never do anything that would hurt him. Cocoa is going to be fine."

Remus’ breath hitched again as he leant into the touch.

"How do you know?" he asked helplessly.

Sirius smiled softly at him. "’Cause he's a fighter just like you are."

It was small, but slowly, an actual, genuine smile spread across Remus’ face, looking at Sirius as if he was seeing him for the first time, and Sirius felt his world stop.

It didn’t feel like the sun was rising after the longest night. It was more like coming up for air after being underwater without even knowing it. It was melting every barrier he’d ever built. It was wishing he could see that smile every day, because if Remus smiled like that, then everything was a little bit better.

Before he could get his mind riled up about how deeply enthralled by the man he was and the panicking that would ensue, Remus yawned.

"C'mon, let's get you to bed."

Stretching his arms over his head, Sirius stood up and turned the TV off. Remus tried to follow but stumbled over his feet and would have crashed over the table if Sirius hadn't caught him in time, draping a hand around his middle.

"Oops," Remus chuckled, and Sirius inwardly winced at how adorable he was.

He put an arm under his shoulders and helped him to his room, not bothering to turn on the light. He opened the bed covers for him, and guided him down; Remus’ eyes were halfway closed even when he was still sitting, and Sirius had to force himself to turn around and leave, but just as he did, long fingers slid into his hand, holding on to him.

“Don’t go,” Remus whispered, his eyes now on Sirius’.

What was he meant to do about that? They were both drunk, Remus had been through a lot, and he didn’t want it to look like he was taking advantage of his state.

“It’s ok, I’ll be in the room next door if you need anything,” he assured him. He tried to get Remus to lie down, but he held on to his hand and didn’t let go.

“I can play you some rain sounds?” he offered, a bit desperate, not quite thinking straight as the alcohol was making him a bit dizzy. Or maybe that was just the effect Remus had on him.

“No, you,” Remus pouted, tugging at his arm.

Sirius wanted to. He really, really wanted to lie down with him, tuck him close and hold on for dear life. But it didn’t feel right, Remus might not want the same thing if the circumstances were different.

“Please? I don’t want to be alone.”

The conflict in his mind dimmed and he sighed, defeated, ‘cause there was no way Sirius could say no to that.

Please, don’t regret this tomorrow.

He nodded, and Remus smiled and let Sirius tuck him into bed with the blankets up to his chin. Sirius removed his shoes and went to the other side of the bed, lying on his side on top of the covers.

Remus turned on his side as well, and then they were face to face with just a few inches between them. It was dark, but not dark enough that Sirius couldn’t see Remus’ face, his soft curls, the freckles over the bridge of his nose, those beautiful honey eyes, the curve of his lips...

How the fuck was he supposed to sleep with him right there?

It would be impossible. All he could think about was how only a few hours earlier they’d also been this close to each other, how their breaths had entwined, driving him mad. He’d been so sure that Remus was about to kiss him. And he’d wanted him to, fuck, he wanted it so badly. The need to be closer was becoming unbearable.

But maybe it was all just wishful thinking, considering the way Remus had ran from him.

He hadn’t realised he was still staring at Remus’ lips until they moved, just barely, to whisper almost inaudibly.

"Goodnight, Sirius."

When he looked up, Remus’ eyes were already closed, and a few seconds later the sound of slow, even breathing filled the room.

Sirius watched him sleep for a while; his face finally relaxed and more open than it’d been all night. Stretching slightly forward, he tilted his chin up to press a soft kiss on Remus’ forehead.

"Goodnight, Re."

[quinncupine]

Hiiii quinn! I never realised you did requests but if it would be fine (and also because its my sole goal) could you do a boom boom boi and izubby with having their own cat or dog as a pet??? I'm seriously thinking that boom boom boi would be both a cat and dog person, don't u agree? (Ily lots and don't feel pressured to do this if you have a lot of stuff going on!)

Hi Dorki! I'm finally making my way through my requests and I was really excited to write this one! Okay, hope you like it!

Quinns Masterlist

Wanna request something?

The Boys with Pets

Word Count: 1,750

Featuring: Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo!

Warnings: dogs, cats, cursing

Izuku Midoriya

Now Izuku loves pretty much all animals, but I can totally see him getting a dog. Dogs are loyal and full of energy just like a certain green-haired hero. The perfect duo.

He would probably rescue one from the pound, the one with the biggest, saddest, cutest eyes because how could he not? But someone has to go with him because he'd try to rescue them all if there was no one there to stop him. Once a hero, always a hero I suppose.

I'm thinking for names, he would definitely pick a name that reflects his favorite heroes. Don't be surprised if he names his dog something super cheesy like Mighty or Rocky…

Wait, okay, I've decided, he names his dog Mighty and that is the hill I will die on.

The life of a hero is quite busy so when he goes off on long missions, he drops the dog off at his mom's house. Inko has fallen in love with this sweet pup, so much so that she sometimes begs him to stop by with the dog for a visit. It's the closest thing she's got to grandbabies at the moment, she'll take what she can get :)

Now, this cute pup draws in the attention of just about everyone so he's gotten an influx of attention and a few numbers slipped in his hand during their walks, much to his flustered surprise.

Best wingman ever.

This dog goes on regular runs with Izuku and sometimes even helps him with training. I'm thinking a Collie or an Aussie would just be the perfect fit for him to keep up with his personality and lifestyle. He needs an active dog!

I can see it now, he goes on his daily morning runs with this cute Lil furry training buddy and they race the whole way! A few regulars on the trail know about this and it's become sort of a tradition to cheer the two on as they pass.

 ...

The morning air was crisp with the slight scent of the coming autumn, the perfect morning for a run. Izuku, dressed in his usual training wear, had a steady rhythm going for the last forty minutes, letting out even, controlled breaths. This was the easy part of the run, a warm-up if anything, and he hadn't even broken a sweat yet. The canine jogging by his side was enjoying the dewy morning air as well, tongue happily flopping out the side of her mouth. The shared morning ritual between man and man's best friend: Mighty.

Her tail picked up speed, wagging uncontrollably as they neared the bend where the giant jagged rock towered over the path. It was the place marker to start the race. A three-mile run to the top of the hill located at the center of the park. It was also Mighty's favorite part of the morning.

"Ready girl?" Izuku grinned down at the ecstatic dog who barked in reply.

The instant the two of them passed the big rock, they both broke out in full speed, leaving behind a cloud of dust. Happy barks filled the air as she gained the upper hand. Izuku laughed as the dog turned to look back at him lagging behind her. He always did these races without his quirk to assist him. It was only fair and it helped him work on his natural stamina in case he was ever in a situation where he couldn't use his quirk. Always good to be prepared.

He watched as she bounded up the first steep hill on the trail. There were a few small hills on this route, but this one was the hardest to climb and Mighty had the advantage with her four legs so she always managed to pull ahead first. She stopped at the top and barked him on before quickly disappearing over the crest.

When he reached the top, he stopped for just a second to take in his surroundings. This part of the park was a heavily wooded area with numerous trails that many people used to hike or run. It also served as a great view of the city skyline and he couldn't help but stop and admire the rising sun from between the foggy buildings every time. Then Mighty barked to pull him out of his thoughts.

"It's not over yet!" He called after her and raced down the hill, putting on an extra burst of speed to easily close the distance.

Tail wagging, she nipped playfully at his feet as they sprinted along the path, side by side. There weren't many people out this early so he usually had the trail to himself. The only sounds were the wind in the trees, the leaves crunching under feet and paws, Mighty barking beside him, and his own unrestrained glee as they ran together.

These were the mornings he loved. Just the two of them, away from the stresses that came with pro-hero work. He wouldn't trade being a hero for anything, but sometimes it got to be too much so coming here to clear his mind with a little run was always a cathartic release, only made better by the furry companion by his side.

The short bridge that arched over the creek signaled the last mile. Getting more serious, Izuku pulled ahead of Mighty, not able to hold back the giant grin as he streaked across the bridge, startling a few birds off the railings which Mighty barked at as she came up behind him.

Up ahead was a large open meadow with a small duck pond near the center. A few benches were scattered about the path and he saw the same elderly couple sitting in their usual spot with a bag of rice and seed to feed the plethora of ducks waddling around their feet.

"You got him this time Mighty!" The old man looked up as the two of them zipped down the path towards the couple.

"Show 'em what girls can do!" The woman cracked a smile, waving her hands.

"Morning Mr. and Mrs. Fujino!" Izuku waved as he passed. "Don't count me out yet!"

Mighty barked her greeting and took a detour, herding some ducks closer to the couple then with a quick lick to Mr. Fujino's hand, she sprinted back to catch up to Izuku.

The Fujino's marked the last leg of the race. The only thing left was to climb the top of the largest hill in the park to the old oak tree at the top. That was the finishing line. It was always a gamble as to who finished first every day, but Mighty sure had a competitive spirit.

Izuku pumped his legs as he steadily made his way up to the dirt trail, Mighty just behind him before she suddenly veered left and disappeared into the shrubbery. He was so focused on the tree that slowly came into view just around the curve as he neared the top that he didn't notice.

Just as the path leveled out, almost to the finish line, he glanced back to see no sign of his dog. The tree was a few feet away when a furry mass ambushed him from the side, knocking him clean off his feet. The pro hero landed in the grass with a heavy Oof. Sitting on his chest was Mighty, looking quite proud of herself.

"Cheater!" He laughed, trying his best to hold back the slobbery licks she was determined to give him. "Okay, okay, I'll call it a tie!"

 Katsuki Bakugo

Now Katsuki on the other hand would totally be a cat person. Not that he has anything against dogs, but cats are more his style. They don't need constant attention and are pretty much self-sufficient. Just the way he likes it.

That being said, Katuski would go all out on toys and the latest gizmos to take care of his cat. Has a self-cleaning litter box, a waterfall bowl, an automatic feeder, etc. You get the picture.

Oh, and toys galore. If he has space, this cat is getting a personal jungle gym that lets him walk up to the ceiling. S.P.O.I.L.E.D.

Doesn't like to tell people just how much he actually loves this cat because he's never been one to express emotions, but this cat just gets him to his core. They share the same wavelength and he appreciates that. The cat is the only one he trusts to open up to, so sometimes you might catch him ranting to the poor thing who just stares back with big wide eyes and occasional meows. Yup, totally gets him.

I see him with a super chill cat, like maybe a Ragdoll or a Russian Blue. Something that tolerates his constant screaming and explosions.

This guy is just as bad at names. It'll definitely be something long and dramatic like Lord Cat Explosion Demon God of Furballs. Yep. He doesn't take criticism so most people call him Lord Furballs, much to his disdain.

Katsuki won't ask for attention from the cat, but the little furry feline is a total cuddler and will often find itself curled up in his lap or even on his neck if Katsuki's sitting on the couch. You better believe this guy won't be moving until that cat decides it's time to move. He's been late to meetings with friends because of this cuddly cat.

He's a hero so this cat is definitely being treated right. Katuski is no slacker when it comes to caring for his lil buddy. The vet is on speed dial should anything ever happen.

Did someone say a custom-made collar that matches his hero costume to a tee?

He's never loved anything more.

 ...

"Uh, hey Bakubro, why is your cat glaring at me?" Ejiro asked, staring down at the feline.

"What?" Katsuki didn't even bother to look up from his laptop.

"Your cat. It's giving me the evil eye. I thought it was supposed to be friendly." The red-haired hero frowned, not able to break eye contact with the cat. "I don’t think it likes me."

The small furry creature had lazily curled up in the sunspot next to Katsuki's feet, purring away without a care in the world. It seemed harmless enough, except for the heavy glare it was shooting Ejiro's way.

"Heh," Katsuki finally glanced down and crossed his arms. "He's not glaring. That's just his face."

"Ah," Ejiro nodded, "like father like son."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean!?"

Taglist: @thecindy @peachsenpie @awilddreamerwrites @miriobaby @kiyoobi @dragonsdreamoffire @amive2567 @justscar @kenmaskitten10 @freckledoriya

[siebenschoen]

the broken love I make to her

fandom: ikemen sengoku

pairing: mitsuhide x mc/mai, (implied hideyoshi x mc/mai)

warning: implied sexual content, suggestive language, unhealthy behaviour, self worth issues

a/n: this is part of my big, big draft pile and while I don’t think I’ll ever properly finish this or turn it into what I wanted it to be when I started writing it, I still like the parts I did write. so, I decided to polish it up until I was happy enough with it to post it - enjoy!

summary: mitsuhide gets the girl. and they nearly destroy each other.

She doesn’t usually stay. But tonight the idea of leaving felt strangely wrong. And so she remains, tucked beneath the thin blanket on Mitsuhide’s futon, bodies not touching, eyes staring far off into the distance. The moment calls for a cigarette like nothing she has experienced since she has jumped through time. A cigarette and a bed with a headboard to lean against. So she could sit there and give a bit more sense to her senseless staring - like a heroine in one of these dramatic European movies. Cigarettes after sex, she almost laughs, what a cliché.

She throws a quick glance at Mitsuhide next to her. His wild hair the only thing betraying his composed facade. She is sure that he would find it funny, if only he would be able to get the joke.

“Hideyoshi’s jealous, you know?”

“I do”

“Oh? So, does that mean our little mouse is going to run into the arms of her dashing hero and stop using me?”

“You weren’t complaining, last I heard.”

“Ah, but I was not.”

[...]

“He does like me, that much is true,” She chuckles, her lips brushing along his ear. “But how would he deal with my worst behaviour? He can barely handle me at my best.” She lets the words run over her tongue, tasting them, giving them meaning, before she lets them fall into Mitsuhide’s ear.

[...]

It doesn’t come suddenly. The weird possessiveness that fills him everytime he looks at her. It sneaks up on him, silently, on bare feet, overwhelming him before he has a chance to notice. He can’t help but feel like he has failed, somehow. It is his job, his worth, to know and notice things, so that this development escaped him is disappointing to say the least.

It doesn’t escape him, though, that there is a similar change going on in Hideyoshi. Mitsuhide noticed, even back when their dear mother hen still prided himself as Mai’s big brother. (Mitsuhide noticed and she noticed and for once that’s information he doesn’t know what to do with.) Hideyoshi does that less now. And the reason makes Mitsuhide’s blood boil. Calm, he tells himself, anger will do you no good.

So, he watches him watching her. And while he remains calm, he also hates himself. Hates himself for hoping that she might turn around and smile and blush for him. But Mai doesn’t, instead she walks down the hallway, off to see the seamstresses. The mouse does not love the snake. This is not a fairy tale, kitsune, a voice in him whispers. So, he walks past Hideyoshi with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smirk until the other man blushes indignantly, because that is what he does.

That night the door to his room slides open and Mai slips in, the same way she slips underneath his covers not much later as her hungry mouth devours his. And Mitsuhide delights in the fact that he knows what Hideyoshi doesn’t (not yet, at least). That their little chatelaine likes it rough. That he can handle her.

[...]

She comes to his bed more frequently after that, almost every night. And he teases her for her sheer insatiable hunger and basks in the fact that he can make her blush past her cheeks (all the way down). What does it matter that she avoids him during the day, when he has her all to himself at night?

But it is the delight he feels at the knowledge that she is hiding his - his - marks under her collar, that nearly frightens him.

(A man who has placed his worth in the shadows, should not seek to possess. For shadows can never settle, only wander along with the sun.)

[...]

It’s not that Mai doesn’t feel guilty. It’s just that she doesn’t let that stop her. And maybe, she wonders, that makes her a truly bad person. It also makes her realise that there is quite a difference between wanting to do something and actually doing it.

She knows that Hideyoshi has feelings for her. And she hates that she knows, because knowing makes her feel like she has a responsibility that she really doesn’t want to have. She also knows that she should talk with Hideyoshi, to let him down gently, to tell him that there is someone else if need be. (What does it matter, who that other person is?)

And she hates all this even more for the fact that there is a part of her that’s screaming. Screaming to consider, to think it through, because if she would just stop to think about it she would surely, surely realise that Hideyoshi is a great guy, loving and caring. And that she deserves to be with someone, who would never play games with her. (So, what if she desires the game?) But, ah, if matters of the heart could be so simple. If they could only be solved by thinking.

Then she would simply think her feelings away, the thought makes her smile. She would think Hideyoshi to not be in love with her. She would think Mitsuhide into an honest man. She would think herself to not be in love with him. Or maybe, just maybe, she would think him to love her in return. Her smile widens into a sad grimace. Putting it like this makes it sound quite tragic, does it not?

[...]

He is getting greedy. And that is always a dangerous thing. Greed is not meant for the ones like him. The ones who serve.

But the thing is, he can’t help it. The way he wants her, the pull she has on him. What is he to do? He is just a human and most days he barely feels like that anymore. He always suspected the crippling little part of his humanity that he seemingly does not manage to get rid of, would be his downfall. He just didn’t suspect a woman would be.

Well, he tells himself, it does make for a good story - a snake that finds itself a loving fool for a human woman and dies of his own fangs to please her. Maybe someone will turn it into a play, once all is said and done.

But all is not said and done. He still has a purpose, a master to serve. And he can’t rest, can’t fall, before the world they have worked so hard for can finally emerge - newborn and golden. So, he buries himself in work, in papers and missions. He eats little and sleeps less and vows to himself that he will send her away when she comes looking for him-

Only to find that he can’t. One look at his face - at the dark circles and tired eyes - and she is all soft and sweet to him and he cannot possibly deny her. Her fingers stroke over his cheeks and her lips flutter over his face and it’s all too much and not nearly enough at all-

And meant for someone else, he’s sure of it. Deserved by someone else. Oh, but he’s greedy. And that’s the problem, isn’t it? Greedy for something that couldn’t possibly belong to him. So, he let’s her give and give, though it hurts, and he takes and takes, as long as she still let’s him.

[...]

Masamune is the first to come to him. Of course, he is. Nobody is closer to him than the one-eyed dragon. (Except maybe Nobunaga. But Nobunaga would never advise, he would order.) And Mitsuhide expected him to, because he is still good at what he does, still one step ahead. (She doesn’t count, he thinks. She’s something else altogether.)

“Whatever you two are doing - you should get it under control. It’s not good.”

It’s amusing to see the ever so carefree, ever so wild Masamune serious. It’s even more amusing to see Masamune so serious in his concern over him. A smile sneaks on his lips, uneven and twisted. “Perhaps such a thing would be easier if you were to tell me what has you so concerned, my friend.”

“You know what I’m talking-” Masamune scoffs. His one eye focused on Mitsuhide. Equal parts furry and concern seem to be trapped in the dark blue. “I’m not joking, Mitsuhide. It’s going to destroy you. Both of you.” The one-eyed dragon pushes past him. “And the lass deserves better.”

The words hang heavy in the air as Mitsuhide watches the other warlord leave. His cheek hurts and when he brushes his fingers over his face, he finds that he is still smiling. He doesn’t stop. It feels carved into his features. Instead he stares at the spot where Masamune disappeared around the corner, thinking: she does, she does, she does.

[...]

He is so shocked that it almost shows on his face. Mai lies beneath him. Spread out on his futon, bathed in the late sun’s glow like a vision. She lifts her hand to his face, stroking his cheek. Her kiss bruised lips pull into a soft smile.

He has grown used to swiftly burning fires. Too hot passion that roughly burns. (And he can barely keep from scolding himself. To grow used to something is to grow predictable, to grow weak-) It’s so sudden that it almost feels like a punch in the guts, when she repeats it. “I would like you to be gentle tonight.”, her cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink, but still she smiles. “I would like you to make love to me tonight.” She leans up and kisses him - sweetly and fully on the lips - and Mitsuhide swears a part of him breaks.

But he gives in. Let’s himself break and heal together differently so that all his crooked edges might fit against her soft warmth. And he loves her. With all he’s got, with all he is.

When morning comes, she has left. Her scent lingering on the futon like the faint memory of a dream.

[...]

Maybe she put a spell on him.

[...]

It ends how it was always meant to. Because this could have never ended well and Mitsuhide knows himself enough to know this.

He is kissing her in the hallway, when it happens. It is greedy and lovely, with her hands in his hair and his around her waist, and it ends with the sound of books hitting the floor. He looks up to find Hideyoshi staring at them.

From the corner of his eyes he can see that Mai is flustered and pulling at her kimono. This was probably not how she envisioned her afternoon to go, when she had pulled him into the darker corner of the hallway earlier. This must be awfully inconvenient to her.

He debates whether or not he should say something, something teasing perhaps. But Hideyoshi’s shock never lasts long and his anger has always been quick. So, when Mitsuhide stares back at him, he sees that there is really no need for his teasing - Hideyoshi is already fuming.

And he can see why. Poor Mai having been seduced by the sketchiest, the unworthiest of all retainers. What a shock. What an injustice. A smile etches itself on Mitsuhide’s face. Hideyoshi oh so hates injustice.

Mai gasps loudly as Hideyoshi storms towards him. He can see her attempting to put herself between them - always too noble for her own good -, but she doesn’t succeed and then all Mitsuhide can see is Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi is slightly shorter than he is, but stronger without a doubt and so he presses him easily against the wall, collar clenched in one fist. The other, Mitsuhide notes, is trembling at his side. He will hit me, Mitsuhide thinks and he can’t stop smiling. Do it, a voice in him whispers and hopes that Hideyoshi can hear it, can see the dare in his eyes. Do it, do it, do it - please, please, do it-

He wants it. He wants Hideyoshi’s fist to collide with his face and leave him black and blue. It would only be fair, it would only be just. He is sick and tired of getting what he wants. He is sick and tired of injustice. So, let it end, he thinks. It was always meant to end after all.

Hideyoshi’s fist connects with his cheek, sharp pain and dull throb. And it ends.

[anthrat]

Like a Moth to a Flame

Shino Aburame/Reader

Shino has been away on a mission for the last couple of days, as his girlfriend you make the executive decision to start waking up early in the hopes you'll be able to welcome him back to the village

1785 words

It was another beautiful morning in Konohagakure, the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a faint orange glow upon the streets. You sighed heavily, thrusting your hands in your pockets as you made your way towards the entrance gate. Mornings didn’t really suit you. Unfortunately, being a ninja meant you had to begrudgingly abandon your dreams of being able to sleep until noon without interruption. You were secretly quite jealous of those who could handle waking up early without feeling like they’d been hit by a bus, mornings really made the world feel different somehow. Nothing quite felt the same, on the few occasions you were awake this early you always felt as though you were somehow out of place, disturbing the complete calm which enveloped the world. In just a few short hours the peace and tranquillity would be broken by the bustling of people as they went about their day to day lives. This was the third morning in a row you’d woken up early, as much as you hated the loss of sleep you had a very good reason to be up. It would be any day now that your boyfriend would be returning from his mission.

You and Shino had only been dating for a few months but by God, you loved that man. Everything about him made your heart skip a beat, maybe it was because you were young and stupid but you honestly couldn’t see yourself ever finding a better man. He was perfect, yet so misunderstood. People constantly mistook his stoic nature for ignorance or a lack of compassion but you knew first hand that wasn’t the case. Even before you’d started dating you couldn’t understand how people didn’t see him for the pure and gentle soul he truly was. Shino was a man of small actions, never one for grandiose displays of affection. That’s what you loved most about him, everything was genuine, nothing was for show. The little gifts he gave you every time you spent time together, things like pretty rocks, cicada shells and feathers which seemed worthless but weren’t. They were always gifted to you alongside a story of how they had reminded him of you. Even when his gifts had more material value they were always well thought out. You’d often come home to find small packages with the new book you’d wanted, your favourite snacks and even things like milk and bread which you hadn’t even realised you’d run out of. Your hand instinctively reached towards your neck, gently fingering the necklace he had gifted you before you’d begun dating. You smiled, remembering your complete and utter confusion when you’d first received it.

The necklace was adorned with a small moth pendant, at the time you’d looked at Shino, unsure of what to make of it. You knew he loved bugs but even then… A moth? Something like a butterfly or ladybug you’d understand but a moth seemed so unfitting. Sensing your confusion Shino had quietly explained the importance of the moth. “Why is it a moth? It’s because they are a symbol of determination. They always fly towards the light even when their efforts may prove to be futile. Just like the moth, I hope you always have faith in your own abilities and continue to have the strength to never give up.” You remembered the blush that had adorned his face as he said this to you, the intensity of his stare as he waited for your reaction. The warmth of his body as you pulled him into a tight embrace, hiding your own blush by burying your head into his chest as you thanked him profusely. It was after that day that you found yourself unable to rid your mind of Shino. No matter where you were or what you were doing, from that moment onwards you’d been bitten by a love bug.

You waved to Kotetsu and Izumo as you walked past, Izumo grinned at you “We were just wondering when you’d show up grasshopper. Don’t worry, you haven’t missed Shino”

You blushed profusely and murmured a thank you, slightly increasing your walking speed as you exited the village, trying to ignore the fading voices of Kotetsu and Izumo as they called after you. You’d made the mistake of telling them that Shino often gave you nicknames of bugs, they’d taken this as an invitation to only refer to you as some sort of insect. Finding the patch of grass you’d claimed as your own you slumped into a sitting position, your back pushing against the wall surrounding the village. It wasn’t the most comfortable position but it had served you well over the last few days. Pulling your knees towards yourself you rested your chin on top. Your eyes strained against the light of the sun as you tried to focus on the road ahead, hoping that you’d soon be able to make out the figure of Shino. It wasn’t long before you found yourself slowly drifting off.

You could feel something warm on your face, “Mmmf go away” you mumbled sleepily, wafting your hand to try and fend whatever the warmth was away. Instead, your hands made contact with something large and furry. Very confused and startled, you opened your eyes. To your surprise, your vision was almost entirely obscured by the nose and snout of a very large, white dog. “Hello Akamaru!” You grinned, scrunching him behind his ears and marvelling at how furiously his tail was wagging.

“Yo, Y/N!”

You looked up as three figures made their way towards you, hauling yourself up and wiping your legs free from any dirt you waved at them, a huge grin plastered on your face.

“Morning Kiba, Hinata and Shino, lovely day for a walk isn’t it? How was your mission?” You asked whilst gently patting Akamaru’s head.

Kiba gave you a goofy grin “It was great! Me and Akamaru absolutely destroyed these two ninjas and-”

“Uhm… Kiba…” Hinata mumbled, “Didn’t those two ninjas end up capturing you?”

“Hey, Hinata shut up!” Kiba shouted, “Getting captured was all a part of my plan so we could complete the mission” he explained to you, he opened his mouth as if to continue before he was interrupted.

“It wasn’t a plan. Why? Because you never plan anything, you just run in headfirst and put everyone else in danger” As he said this, Shino gently pushed his goggles further up his nose. You snorted as Kiba stuttered a number of insults at both his teammates, something about them being unsupportive of his fighting methods. You weren’t really sure.

“Well, whatever. Never mind me, Y/N what are you even doing up this early, and what were you doing on the ground?” Kiba questioned, clearly he was desperate to change the subject.

“Ah, well… I was actually waiting for Shino, I wanted to speak to him” you responded, turning your head to smile at the goggle-wearing shinobi. Although it was hard to see Shino’s face behind his large collar, you could have sworn you saw it turn a gentle shade of pink as you said this.

“Really? What do you even see in this guy anyway, he’s so quiet and-” “Kiba, let’s leave” Hinata murmured, pulling gently on his sleeve trying to guide him into the village. “Don’t worry about the report Shino, me and Kiba can do it ourselves.”

“What? That’s not fair! How come Shino doesn’t have to come with us? Reporting missions is such a waste of time! We’re a team aren’t we? We should always -” He paused as Shino glared at him. You shuddered slightly, Shino wasn’t even looking in your direction yet you could feel the anger within his gaze. Raising his hands in defeat Kiba turned away from you both, “Alright I get it you two. Have fun or whatever. Shino, you can count on us to report to the Hokage.”

You stood besides Shino and watched them leave, gently brushing your hand against his. As soon as the pair were out of sight you practically leapt onto him, burying your head into his chest and wrapping him in as tight an embrace as you could. “Welcome home” You murmured into him. You felt him initially stiffen, and then soften as he relaxed into your arms, wrapping his own around you and pulling you closer. You stayed like that for a while, his head rested atop yours, you listening to the quickened beating of his heart. He was the first to pull away, moving his hands to cup gently cup your face, lifting your chin slightly so you could meet his gaze.

“What did you want to speak about? Did something happen whilst I was away?”

You placed your hands on top of his and slowly pulled them away from your face so you could hold them. “Nothing in particular, I just wanted to see you. I missed you.” You smiled up at him, interlacing your fingers with his.

“I see,” he responded quietly. “I missed you too.”

He pulled your hands towards his lips, leaving gentle kisses on each of your knuckles before grabbing your chin and pulling you into a deep kiss. You could feel yourself melting, you gently pulled his hood down and laced your fingers behind his head. You felt his hands trail down to your waist, gently stroking your sides as he pulled you in even closer. You withdrew from the kiss, panting slightly as you tried to steady your breath. Shino gently kissed your nose, a slight smile forming on his lips as you scrunched it in response. He wasn’t entirely sure if you’d ever be able to understand just how much this meant to him. He’d finally found someone who remembered him, someone who genuinely missed him when he wasn’t there. After years of feeling like a third wheel, years of feeling like his friends didn’t even know who he was he’d found you.

“Y/N?”

“Yes?”

“I love you” He didn’t even wait for your response, he instead pulled you in for another kiss, his lips crashing against yours. All your previous kisses had always been gentle, somewhat tentative and uncertain. This one was rough. You could feel the quiet desperation in the kiss, the years of repressed emotions spilling out His hands gripped your waist as his lips grew more frantic. You placed a comforting hand on his chest, pushing him back slightly.

“I love you too” you breathed, barely being able to catch your breath before his lips smashed into yours, hungrier than before. You smiled inwardly, questioning why it was only now you’d decided to start welcoming him back home from missions.

[charlottesmidnight]

31 October || The Marauders

Summary: From 31 October 1971 to 31 October 1981. Time really flies doesn’t it?

A/N: Another kinda messy fanfic for you guys which will probably be my last one for like a week because I have to back to school school :(

Word Count: 1.5k

31 October 1971 James and Sirius dashed down the hall of hogwarts in an attempt to beat each other. However, the person who beat both of them was the one and only Professor McGonagall, their so-called favourite professor. “Mr Black, Mr Potter,” she eyed both of them cautiously, examining their messy robes and untied tie. “I wish to remind you that the next time I catch both of you running in the hallways I will make you run laps on the quidditch field until your legs no longer permit you to run” She said in a voice laced with seriousness while she flicked her wand to fixed the mess that was Sirius and James’ uniforms.

Sirius and James nodded politely, gleaming at their favourite professor as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. Right as she turned her back, the young boys immediately resumed the race to the great hall. The quickly dissipating loud footsteps caused the professor to sigh deeply before she returned to what she was doing before.

The 11-year-olds dashed to the Gryffindor table, with Sirius throwing himself onto the seat just ever so slightly faster than James managed to. Laughter erupted from the table of fellow 1st years as Sirius stuck out his tongue to a sulking James who slumped down into his seat. “This is where I said I told you so.” Sirius gloated, a smile stretching from ear to ear. “I believe you do owe me something now…” Sirius said as he stretched his hand towards James. “You’ll get your lemondrops when we get back to the dorm” James rolled his eyes, slapping away Sirius’ outstretched hands

31 October 1974 They had been preparing for the full moon for what had seemed like forever. Since their 2nd year when they found out about Remus’ so-called “furry little condition” they wanted to come up with a plan to help him. Whatever it might take. Hence, they decided upon a plan that James himself had come up with: To become animagus so that Remus might never spend another full moon alone. After 3 years of sleuthing and researching, they finally managed to acquire the skill of becoming animagi. 

That night, the 4 of the marauders hiked out to the shrieking shack together. The moment they entered the shrieking shack, the danger of the situation began to sink in for all 4 of them. “This is a bad idea. You shouldn’t do this, I might hurt you. No scratch that, I will hurt you all of you. Please go.” Remus said, voice laced with insecurity and worry for his friend. He knew he was slowly beginning to lose himself and while he appreciated his friends’ attempts to help him, he didn’t want to hurt 3 of his best friends or do something even worse to them.

“No!” Sirius exclaimed exasperatedly, as he held onto Remus who was already losing his strength and control. “Remus, you are our friend, our brother, and we are definitely not letting you go through this alone. Not anymore.” James said with resolve as he glared back at Remus’ pleading eyes while Peter nodded, putting up as brave of a front as he could muster.

The marauders didn’t say much to anyone about what happened that night. A few people stared a little longer than they should’ve at a few of the new scratches and bruises the 4 boys gained that night but most assumed it was probably part of the many pranks they were pulling on someone. 

From that night onwards, all 4 boys started to disappear on nights of the full moon every month to somewhere no one else in the school knew about. 

31 October 1978 “Oh god please don’t tell me that there are more boxes,” Sirius gasped dramatically. James rolled his eyes as he replied, “No Sirius, there are no more boxes.” Exaggeratedly, Sirius threw his hand in his air, cheering. “Man-child he is,” Lily remarked sarcastically to Remus as she watched the two friends come into the house. 

Right as Sirius entered the room, he collapsed on the new sofa, still covered in white cloth.  “Hey! Butt off my sofa,” James exclaimed, lightly slapping Sirius on the head. Whining, Sirius was eventually dragged off the new sofa, landing on the carpeted floor with a thud, garnering a few chuckles from the rest of the group.

“Hey, what’s that?” Peter asked innocently as he pointed to the little black box placed at the side of the room. “Oh, that’s a big black box that has tiny muggles in them.” James replied confidently, causing Peter’s eyes to widen in both confusion and horror. Remus and Lily burst out laughing while Sirius furrowed his brows, looking around like a lost puppy in a park. “That's not-” Lily did not even have a chance to finish before Remus quickly interrupted her. “That’s exactly what it is.” Remus replied, smirking. 

Laughing, he crawled forward and toyed with the knobs, turning on the muggle television. Peter jumped backwards as the muggles began conversing with each other while James tilted his head slightly. “Wait, those really are tiny muggles?” He asked. “Yup, you see we can even control them by turning this knob right here.” Lily said, barely even able to keep her laughter in. Sensing right through her lie however, James lunged forward at Lily, tickling her at her sides. Sirius, still disturbed, quickly fiddled with the buttons and knobs of the television before finally managing to turn it off. This only left Remus laughing at his two confused friends who really lacked a brain at times. 

31 October 1980 “No, I’m fine here, standing perfectly still in the corner.” Sirius said as he leaned against the doorframe of the bedroom.

“Come on pads, you’re his godfather, you kind of have to hold him at some point!” replied James as he cuddled the little newborn swaddled in a blanket Molly had stitched for him.

“He’s so tiny… What if I break him?” Sirius replied, genuinely concerned and worried for the safety of his godson. He did not have the best reputation with kids after all. In fact he had close to zero experience with tiny humans like this one.

“At this point Harry’s more likely to break you.” sighed Remus exasperatedly causing Lily to snicker. 

“How am I supposed to hold the tiny human anyways?” asked Sirius causing Remus to roll his eyes dramatically. 

“You’ll figure it out.” James said as he practically shoved baby Harry into the hands of Sirius. 

After quite a while of uncomfortable shifting on Sirius’ part, he finally managed to figure out how to actually hold the little child. He eventually looked up, giving the rest of the marauders (and Lily) a lopsided grin which they all returned. For a first-timer, he sure was good with kids.

31 October 1981 Clambering off his motorbike, SIrius found the one and only Hagrid standing in the front yard of the Potter residence. Fearing the worst, Sirius rushed the Hagrid only then realising the bundle of cloth that stirred in his hand. Hagrid gave him a look of sadness and pity and Sirius shook his head, and rushed past the front yard, flinging the door open so hard it nearly broke. 

He saw only the back of a man, he collapsed onto the floor, head buried deep within someone’s chest. The scene felt all too familiar, nights of restless sleeps and nightmares all seemed to have hinted towards this: his greatest fear. He stumbled backwards, knocking into something he didn’t really care about anymore.

Startled, Remus turned around sharply, eyes swelling with tears. Sirius wished he hadn’t turned around because now there was an even clearer view of his friend his brother, pale and lifeless, dead on the floor. Sirius turned his head towards the stairs that led to the bedroom. He wanted to ask if Lily was alive and he opened his mouth but the words were unable to spill out because he already knew. 

Remus shook his head, tears already spilling out of his eyes, rolling off his cheeks. Sirius already knew Lily was dead because if she were alive, Harry wouldn’t be in Hagrid’s arms, he would be in his mother’s. Harry… He thought. Almost as if paternal instincts kicked in he barged through the same front door to get Harry. From behind he heard Remus attempt to follow but his body seemed too emotionally drained to function. 

“Hagrid, give me Harry. Now.” He said possessively which only made Hagrid sigh, his eyes softening. “I can’t, Dumbledore's orders” Hagrid said. “Bullshit, I’m his godfather!” Sirius spit. He knew Hagrid had no part in this but he was simply too tired and disoriented to talk politics. “I can't,” Hagrid replied.

“Why not?” Sirius fumed.

“You were the Potters’ secret keeper… Only one person could’ve told Voldemort their hiding place,” Hagrid stated in a soft voice.

This was when it clicked for Sirius. His eyes widened before they overflew with anger and rage. With resolve, Sirius instructed Hagrid to use his motorbike and get his godson to safety. Hesitantly, Hagrid nodded. Within the next second, Sirius had already disapparated away, leaving nothing but a couple specs of dust at the front door of the Potter residence. 

What Sirius didn’t know was that the next time he would see his best friend and his godson again was 12 years later.

[heloisedaphnebrightmore]

Love through potions [Remus Lupin x Reader] - Requested

Title: Love through potions Pairing: Remus Lupin x Reader Word count: 4.8k Published: 26 July, 2020 Author: Heloise Daphne Brightmore Notes: I got this request by khyati1379 on Wattpad a couple of days ago. I hope you will all like this cute little one shot. Summary: Remus gets to know you while looking around in your Potions shop. Soon you start helping the werewolf with his monthly transformations, involuntarily falling for the man. Request: [x]

Hi, can u please write a Remus x reader where, after Halloween of 1981 he meets the reader in Diagon alley and she's a potioneer and owns her own potions shop. As the marauders are not there anymore to help him during his transformations she helps him by brewing him the wolfsbane potion and thats how they fall in love and get married. And after 1993 when Remus and Sirius meet up again, Sirius is happy and suprised as well that his best friend found the love of his life. Btw I love your writting. Keep up the good work!! Thank you" - khyati1379 [Wattpad]

Harry Potter Characters Masterlist | Masterlists

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Remus Lupin was a lone wolf suffering through the loss of his pack. Since his best friends, James Potter's and Peter Pettigrew's death and Sirius Black's imprisonment, he was nothing but a sad man full of sorrow. He has been trying to keep himself composed, but losing all his friends at once was something he was struggling to get over. Understandably, of course.  

You didn't know much about Remus though. One afternoon, he walked into your Potions shop on Diagon Alley, right across Ollivanders. His eyes held deep despair, which was accompanied by a pair of deep black sockets under them. He seemed like someone who wasn't familiar with the importance of sleeping. He had a tall, lean figure, which seemed to be skinnier than a man of his height should have been.

It was the first time you have seen him in your shop.

He was looking around all the ingredients sitting on the shelves. He started asking about different kinds of plants and their preparations, however he wasn't subtle enough about his questions. You could clearly spot which ones he was interested in, while the rest were simply provided as a fill in, not to seem suspicious. At first you didn't understand what he wanted, until you realised the hopeful glint in his eyes, once he mentioned the ones he needed.

Aconite, in other words wolfsbane didn't necessarily get your attention as you knew its usage has been part of many potions. When he asked about pulverised Black Quicksilver, being rather interested in its price, it did get you a tiny bit suspicious about his needs. Then your conversation deterred to Giant Moonworts and by that time you were almost certain, that you knew what he needed the ingredients for, but you didn't state your findings just yet. As he has changed the subject to Myrrh and not just any kind, ones that have been pickled in carrow spider ichor, you were completely sure of your findings, knowing that the preparation of Myrrh in such way has only been used in the Wolfsbane potion so far.

He seemed rather disappointed by the end of your conversation, but you didn't understand why. You didn't let him know that you were aware of what he needed the ingredients for, nor did you look at him any differently.

"Is everything okay?" You asked as he held a tiny jar of Acromantula venom in his hand.

"Yeah..." He breathed, his voice defeated.

"Can I be honest?" You asked, trying to establish an eye contact, but he didn't look at you.

"Sure." He spoke weakly.

"If you walk into a potions shop, you might want to be more subtle about what you are interested in." You said casually. His head turned towards you abruptly, his eyes wide in shock.

"What do you mean?" He asked, still trying to cover up his furry secret.

"Wolfsbane is a very difficult potion, with its very particular way of brewing. It wasn't hard to understand, even between your numerous questions, what you actually need." You explained to him with a gentle smile, but his face stayed still.

"I have to go." He said as he returned the jar to you and headed towards the exit.

"I could help." You stated, making him turn around suddenly and for a second you surprised yourself too. You didn't know the man. As far as you knew, he could have been a Death Eater. And there was the price of the potion and its ingredients. How were you supposed to help by going bankrupt?

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking at you suspiciously. You kept quiet, trying to collect your thoughts. He didn't seem like a bad person and if anything, you had hundreds of deadly plants and potions laying around to feel protected enough.

"I could help you with the potion." You spoke, upon finding your words. He furrowed his brows at your unusually helpful words. He was definitely not used to receiving help from people he didn't know.

"What's the catch?" He asked, eyes squinting at you.

"I want you to help me out in the shop." You replied casually, trying to keep yourself composed. You have just asked a complete stranger to help you, while you'd help him not to go on a killing spree in his werewolf form. You officially concluded yourself to be mentally unstable, but didn't show any of it to the man.

"Why would you help a werewolf? Why would you let some unknown guy waltz around your shop when you don't even know anything about him?" He questioned you and you finally realised the weight of your sudden decision. You walked back behind your counter and fell back into your chair with a deep sigh leaving your lungs.

"I have no idea." You hid your face in your palms, covering your embarrassment. "But..." You lifted your face to look at the man. "if you were a bad person, you wouldn't be questioning my intentions. You would just accept it, instead of giving me time to think it through. Or even reminding me that I might not have made the most sane decision of my life." You tilted your head as if your statements were questions and you were waiting for an answer.  

"You never know. It might be a tactic." He replied with a simple shrug.

"I don't think so." You shook your head in disagreement. Silence fell upon your pair as you went through your thoughts once again, concluding that he seemed like a genuine person. "So? You need help and I could use an extra hand." You said. It was his turn to think. He looked out the window as if it helped him to collect his thoughts better. You waited patiently, until he finally turned back around, facing you.

"I guess it's not so bad of a plan." He replied nodding slightly. "You are not planning to poison me, right?" He added suspiciously, which made you chuckle.

"You are not planning on attacking me, right?" You returned his silly question, which made him smile just a tiny bit. "Then I think we are good." You confirmed and he nodded in agreement. "I will start brewing the potion tonight. Will you be able to start tomorrow?" You asked with a raised brow, knowing that you have given a rather short notice.

"Certainly." He replied, making you smile gently.

"Brilliant." You said as you stood up and reached for his hand to shake it. "Welcome to my shop." You grinned.

"Thank you." He spoke with a warm smile, accepting your hand. His kind demeanour made you question how such a sweet man could have such a dark secret hidden in his life, but oh you didn't even know the rest of his story.

"I'm Y/N, by the way." You introduced yourself.

"Remus." He replied, letting go of your hand, after holding it inappropriately longer. You cleared your throat, feeling maybe just a tad bit awkward and said your good byes.

That same night you started brewing the potion as per your promise to Remus. You knew it would take quite a while and as you have only done it once, you were hoping that your skills in potions would help you along your way.

The following morning, Remus arrived to your shop, waiting at the counter for you to join him. You were rearranging some of the jars on the shelves at the back of the shop, when you heard Remus calling your name. You came down the ladder and walked over to the man, welcoming him once again.

You showed him around the store and asked him to replace the ingredients at the front of the shop from the new order you have just received. He simply nodded and started helping you out without a word. You found his behaviour adorable, as he listened to each and every word of yours carefully.

He was working hard, not even complaining about the dust on the shelves causing a coughing attack to break out of his lungs or the heaviness of the boxes that he had to bring up the ladders. He was diligent and very helpful, making you smile as you watched him from behind a wall, poking your head out just enough not to blow your cover.

However his behaviour wasn't the only thing that caught your eyes. As you watched him concentrate on the jars, rearranging them by name, just the way you have asked of him, you could gaze at his handsome face, which might have been rather skinny, but certainly attractive. His green orbs were fixed on the labels, carefully reading each and every one of them, but your attention was on the way how those dark green irises kept changing their colour between emerald green and hazel, occasionally taking on a brownish undertone under the sun's bright rays.

You shook your head as you realised how you have been ogling at your new colleague. You were rather unhappy with your inappropriate behaviour, so you quickly headed back to your shelf that needed some rearranging too.

Weeks passed by and before you knew it, your gaze lingered over Remus more often than you dared to admit. It was the week before full moon and Remus has already started drinking the Wolfsbane potion you made for him. It didn't seem to have any side effects, confirming that your potions skills have indeed come in handy when meeting an unusual brewing.

After the full moon, Remus came into the shop, looking exhausted. His skin was pale, the dark circles under his eyes greater than ever. You walked over to him and stood firmly by the man with crossed arms in front of your chest.

"What are you doing here?" You asked.

"I came to work." He breathed, powerless.

"No, you didn't. As much as I feel bad saying it, you do not look too well. You should not be working today." You stated, trying to hide the worry in your voice.

"Today is not my day off." He shrugged, but you just grabbed his shoulders and forced him to turn around, before you nudged him towards the door.

"I am your boss and I am telling you, it is your day off." You chuckled sweetly, which caused a small smile to appear on his face.

"Are you sure?" He asked, not wanting to leave you alone.

"Do I look like I am not?" You asked playfully. He shook his head, before he took a deep breath and left the shop.

You were brewing a potion that you have been requested to do by one of your clients, when you heard the door open, indicating a customer's arrival. You quickly adjusted the fire under your cauldron and walked to the front of the shop.

"Can I help..." You wanted to speak, when you realised your visitor was not a customer after all, but Remus Lupin. "What are you doing here?" You asked, clearly remembering sending him home just about an hour ago.

"I thought if I can't work and you have to do double of the job, I would at least bring you some food." He smiled gently, making your heart skip a beat. He was beyond sweet to you and you couldn't stop yourself from giving a small kiss on his cheek, gratefully. You didn't miss the way a slight blush creeped up on his face though.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel awkward." You chuckled as he kept adjusting his weight from one leg to the other. "Thank you." You smiled happily as you took the boxes from him.

"It's fine." He replied with a smile growing bigger.

You headed to the back where a small table was placed in a corner with two chairs next to it. You put the food on the table, opening the boxes, whilst Remus took a seat on the chair closer to him. You picked up two sets of cutlery and gave a set to Remus, while you kept the other for yourself.

"I'm glad you brought me food, I am starving, but you could have gone home and just rest. You had a difficult night yesterday, or rather today." You said, letting your worry take over you.

"I really am fine. And your potion helped a lot." He smiled softly.

"I'm glad I could help. I guess we made a good deal." You joked happily. It was an idillic moment as you both sat over the table, eating together, talking casually. You could have gotten used to it. He was a good company. He was sweet and funny, certainly more helpful than anyone you have ever met and he seemed to care about you, even if he only meant it as an employee.

Halfway through the lunch, you got up to check on your potion. You stirred it a couple of times before it finally took on a vivid green colour. You removed the cauldron from the fire and started pouring its content into small little vials. As soon as you finished, you put them all in a small box and placed it into one of your drawers.

You walked back to the table to finish your food, when you saw Remus' hunched form over the table. You walked closer to check on him, realising he fell asleep. His breathing was even, occasionally letting out a small sighing noise. His lashes laid flat against his cheeks, his lips parted involuntarily. You watched him for a mere second, admiring his handsome face, before you grabbed a blanket from one of your cupboards and placed it over his back, leaving him to rest.

Weeks went by and you were at a tipping point. Remus' kind behaviour got under your skin. You felt like you were a mere friend, a colleague, noone that really mattered to him. You wanted more though. You wanted him to feel the same feelings you have been harbouring for him. You kept watching him on every occasion you could get a sight of him and if you couldn't, you simply made it happen by leaving your job to creepily spy over him.

By the time you realised you have fallen for him, you were giving up. He did not show any interest towards you and it was killing you. He was just as nice as always and you hated how it gave you false hope.

You were sitting in your chair right across the entrance, behind the counter. Remus was at the back, bringing out some boxes, but you couldn't care less. You were holding your head in your palm, sighing deeply every few seconds, annoying even yourself with your love-sick behaviour.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he listened to another sigh leaving your lungs.

"Yeah..." You replied dreamily.

"You don't seem alright to me." He frowned at your unusual behaviour.

"Actually, nothing is alright, but I can't do anything about it." You sighed again, still halfway lost in your daydreaming about Remus.

"Can I help you?" He asked kindly, but you just scoffed, making his frown grew deeper.

"Actually, you could. But you could only help if I told you what bothers me. But if I told you what bothers me, you would leave. In conclusion, I don't want you to leave, so I don't need your help." You heaved a deep sigh and placed your forehead on the edge of your table in defeat, closing your eyes. You were cursing yourself for falling for Remus. You wished he could see more than a friend in you, but for some reason, he just couldn't.

You looked into the mirror more often recently, than ever to check if you looked okay. You didn't need to be perfect, but just an okay. Still he clearly didn't want your okay look. He was just not satisfied with you and it hurt you to know that you weren't enough.

You turned your head to the right and opened your eyes, when you met a pair of green orbs, forcing you to shot up in surprise.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He spoke, his tone light and gentle. As soon as you calmed down, you placed your head back against your table and kept your eyes on his, not caring about how inappropriately you have been staring at him. "Look, I really didn't understand anything you said. Why would I leave, if you told me how I could help you?" He asked curiously, making you pout at the thought of your unrequited love. At this point you wanted nothing, but letting your feelings out. But you stopped yourself.

"Just ignore me." You told him as you turned to your left. You could hear him move and in seconds he was crouching beside your left side.

"Talk to me, please." He spoke softly.

"No." You said harshly as you jumped up from your seat and forced yourself to concentrate on your previous tasks. You walked up the ladder and started rearranging the vials of ingredients in alphabetical order. You didn't even realise when Remus appeared, but when you looked down he was standing beside the legs of your ladder.

"Y/N, something is clearly bothering you. Just talk to me." His tone was more forceful than before.

"I don't want to talk about it." You said shrugging, your lips pouting like a little child's. You kept your attention on your task, up until you felt your ladder move. The next thing you saw was Remus walking up the steps, right before his eyes were finally levelled with yours.

You could feel his breath against your face, he was so close to you. His green irises wondered between your eyes, searching for something. But you couldn't have possible concentrated on that. He was way to close and you couldn't understand how he couldn't see the effects he had on you. Your eyes wondered down to his pink, plump lips, before they returned to his eyes.

You could feel the deep breath he took as he exhaled. His tongue darted out of his lips to lick across them, making your head feel dizzy at the inappropriate thoughts your mind was harbouring. You gulped loudly trying to get rid of the picture you have just witnessed, replaying the motion of his tongue across his lips in your memory.

"Just talk to me." He spoke in a low tone and you weren't even sure, if a simple note could leave your lips, let alone a complete sentence. You cleared your throat, trying to compose yourself, but you just badly failed as he accidentally slipped on the step of the ladder, grabbing on to your waist to steady himself. He involuntarily pulled you closer to him, your nose touching his. You couldn't do this anymore. As if a confidence boost took over your mind, you placed your hand behind his neck and kissed him.

You could feel the hesitation in him as he forgot to kiss you back. You pulled away, feeling tears collect in your eyes at the harsh rejection. You just wanted to run away, forget that you have dumbly took a step you should never have done. The grip around your chest became stronger, the lump in your throat grew wider, almost suffocating you. Your will to disappear heightened by the second. But unfortunately for you, you were seated on top of the ladder, Remus right in front of you, closing your only escape route. You gulped loudly before deciding to speak.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Your head dropped forward, fearing to look into his eyes.

"Why?" He asked simply.

"Because I kissed you." You explained, feeling even dumber.

"No, I mean why did you kiss me?" He clarified his question. You just scoffed in a reply, feeling as if he tried to make fun of you. Although you knew he wasn't that kind of a person, you were still hurt by his rejection.

"Why do people kiss each other?" You asked as you played with your hands nervously.

"Because they like each other?" It was more of a question than a statement, so you nodded in agreement. "And you like me?" He asked softly, making you feel even worse. He was supposed to be angry at you for doing something he didn't want. Instead of answering though, you nodded as a reply. "I can't hear you." He said, his tone more confident this time. Your blood was boiling that he didn't think of you as a potential partner, still he was trying to get you to confess to him.

"I love you. Are you happy now?" You asked in anger, feeling desperate to just get out of that awkward situation.

"You love me?" He asked, uncertainty clear in his voice.

"Are you kidding me?" You lifted your head, your expression distraught. "Are you trying to make fun of me? I get it okay? You don't like me. It's fine. But it's cruel to make me suffer through this unnecessarily awkward conversation. Please just let me down." You didn't even realise when your tears started rolling down your cheeks. You stood up, trying to push him to the side, to get yourself out of there, but before you could have gone anywhere, he got hold of your waist and gently pushed you back into your seated position.

"I didn't want to hurt you." He said as he removed your tears with his soft thumb. You could feel his warmth radiating through his skin.

"But that is exactly what you are doing." You told him weakly.

"I was just surprised, Y/N. I didn't think you had feelings for me." His voice was light as a feather, perhaps trying not to scare you away. "I might have reacted badly, but I didn't mean to hurt you." He spoke as he caressed your cheeks, painfully getting your hopes up. "I wish I could turn back time and act differently, but unfortunately I can't do that." He smiled softly, making you frown. "But if I am good at something, it has to be trying. Maybe we could try that kiss again?" He asked, your eyes growing wide at his words.

"Why would you want to do that?" You questioned, completely lost in what was happening.

"Maybe because I might just love you as much as you do?" He asked smiling sweetly. Your lips parted involuntarily, your face showed clear shock. You were unable to get any words out. He chuckled at your dumbfounded expression and without waiting for an answer, he closed the gap between you, capturing your lips with his own soft pillows. You didn't need to be told twice to kiss back, you have been waiting for it since forever.

His kiss was sweet and caring. He massaged your lips like noone has ever done before. You tried to keep yourself composed, but you just wanted to melt into his arms, enjoying this perfect moment, wishing for time to stop.

As he pulled away, he looked into your eyes with an unusual grin across his face. He seemed more confident than you have ever seen him. His cheerful expression forced a smile to spread across your face too, before he captured your lips once again, this time more passionately, more aggressively. You honestly felt like you were kissing two different people, but if anything, it just made you fall for him even more.

Your breath was running out on you. You pulled away from him and placed your forehead against his, breathing heavily.

"If you kiss me like that, I will fall for you even harder." You giggled lightly. He let out a wholehearted laughter, throwing his head backwards. You watched his carefree behaviour, which you haven't really seen before, but enjoyed even more.

"I really do love you." He spoke as his laughter died down.

"I love you too." You smiled at him lovingly, before capturing his lips again.

*

Years passed by and you and Remus were stronger than ever. After a couple of years he proposed to you and you married in a small, intimate ceremony. It was sweet and cozy, not the typical big wedding with big families, but you loved it even more. Remus was the only person you needed and he was right by your side.

As Remus was offered to go back to Hogwarts to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, you encouraged him to do it. You believed in him more than anyone and you wanted him to know that. You were always there to support him. Except when he made stupid decisions, but you always made sure to let him know.

You read about Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban and although you knew he was once a friend of Remus, you couldn't feel relaxed assuming Sirius would go after Remus. You knew all about their times as Marauders in Hogwarts and the relationship they had after they left school and joined the Order of the Phoenix, but he was a convict you were terrified to see around your husband.

One night, upon receiving a letter, you shot up from your bed to open the window for Remus' owl. You opened the letter and started reading with shaking hands, knowing he wouldn't mail you at such late hours, unless there was a problem. Your heart quickened as he explained how he forgot to take the Wolfsbane potions you have prepared for him. As you continued, your breath hitched, reading about his meeting with none other than Sirius Black. Your thoughts were swirling, terrified to read the letter any further. But you were glad you did. Remus explained everything from how Sirius was accused of the murder even though he was innocent and how Peter wasn't even dead, but lived in his rat form with the Weasley family. You finally felt relieved when you read Sirius escaped the Dementor's Kiss and he was in hiding.

On a warm summer night Remus invited Sirius over for a little dinner, to take back some of the time they have lost. Sirius might have been a bit late, but you didn't mind. You walked behind your husband and wrapped your arms around his torso, placing your face against his back. He got hold of your hand and gently pulled you in front of him.

"Thank you." He whispered with a loving smile, cupping your face in his big hands.

"For what?" You asked with a frown across your brows.

"For loving me. For being by my side. For supporting me. For being you." He breathed as he hinted a small peck on your lips. You smiled warmly at the love of your life, wrapping your arms tighter around him, hiding your face in his chest, enjoying the warmth his body provided.

The door bell rang and Remus hurried to open the door, engulfing his best friend in his arms. They exchanged a few words, before finally heading towards the dining room where Sirius stopped right in front of you with a huge grin across his face.

"So that's the infamous Y/N." He smirked. "I have been hearing a lot about you." He said and reached out for your hand. You accepted the offer and shook his hand.

"Welcome, Sirius." You smiled gently. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Indeed." He nodded in agreement. "You know, Moony..." He started as Remus led him to a chair at the table, while you prepared the food. "I never thought you would get married. You were always so reserved when it came to love. But honestly, I am glad you are happy. You deserve it." He smiled, patting his friend's shoulder proudly, which made your smile grow even wider.

You were happy that Remus got his long lost friend back. You were happy that you finally met Sirius. You were happy that you were having a relaxing dinner, even though war was coming your way. Things were chaotic outside, times were dark, but you were happy in that moment with your loving husband by your side and his best friend who he finally found his way back.

Notes: If you enjoyed it, don't forget to like and/or reblog the chapter. Thank you :)

If you enjoy my stories, please consider donating and supporting me on Ko-fi. Of course, it’s completely your choice, I will continue updating for free anyway :) Thank you <3

[theres-an-impulstor-among-us]

That last one was just amazing- by the way, if you ever want to directly address me for whatever reason, call me Raven!

Now, from the two among us Zed oneshots you’ve written, I think I can draw a conclusion. Zedaph is a hacker. His next hack would probably be a more wholesome one, just to balance the horror his friends have witnessed recently. Maybe he gives himself the jester role, or makes the impostor role different. Maybe he switches it to the werewolf impostor, and who else to have fun as a werewolf with than Rendog himself? :D

Thanks for being my best requester Raven! I love your ideas :D Also I couldn’t choose between the jester and werewolf mods so I went with both :)

…

  When Zedaph first arrived on this ship for his first ever round of Among Us with his friends, he had assumed that his ability to hack into a game’s code would be utterly useless here. Or, at the very least, that it would take a long time for him to gain access to all the different modifications he knows exist within the game.

  Now he knows how wrong he was. 

  He senses after a while that the others might be getting bored of the same old routine. Sure, every round is unpredictable. But perhaps it might be time for a slight deviation to make things more exciting and bring back the spark that his friends have for the game.

  When the last round ends, Zedaph dives into the library of mods, looking for some roles that might make a fun combination. He immediately spots a role he desperately wants, along with an imposter modification that will definitely make the game more interesting. Already grinning at the possibilities, he selects them and leaves the game’s code.

  There Is One Werewolf and One Jester Among Us

  Everyone stands around the table, staring at each other in confusion over the different and rather worrying message. 

  Grian is the first to speak up. “Wh-What is going on? What’s with the werewolf? And what the hell does jester mean?”

  “The jester is the officially assigned third imposter,” replies Zedaph, grinning. “Their job is to act sus and get voted off. If they do, they automatically win.” 

  Luckily, nobody questions how Zedaph knows this. He figures they put it down to his enthusiasm for the game. 

  “And the imposter is actually a werewolf,” he adds. “They- Well, I guess we’ll see what they do, huh?”

  “This is gonna end badly,” groans Skizzleman, “This is gonna end SO badly.”

  “Let’s get on with our tasks,” Grian says. “There’s only one imposter, apparently, so they should have a harder time than usual.”

  Zedaph watches his friends split up to do their tasks. He smiles; already, there seems to be more of an air of anticipation surrounding the group than at the start of the previous round. His plan to make things more exciting seems to be working already. He’s very happy that somehow, the randomised game has given him the role of jester right off the bat.

  However, unbeknownst to Zedaph, the game sensed how much he wanted to be the jester and assigned him the role accordingly. He also doesn’t know that the game has a sense of humour in who it chose for the werewolf role.

  Ren finds a new option alongside “kill” and “sabotage”. Surely an option with this long a cooldown can only be something spectacular. 

  So he risks it and waits.

  He kills Scar in communications and quickly leaves, passing Bdubs in shields on the way, before activating the werewolf option.

  Immediately, his vision increases; he can see way further than he ever could. When he runs, he’s extremely fast, zooming at least three times as fast as he could before. Some unknown energy is fueling him. 

  He makes it all the way around the right side of the ship and over to medbay without meeting anyone before his werewolf boost runs out. The cooldown is painfully long, but at least his kill cooldown is almost over. 

  Spotting movement in medbay, he heads inside and finds Etho and Skizzleman inside. He senses an opportunity here. 

  He kills Skizzleman as the latter is standing on the scanner.

  Just as he expects, Etho reports. “I just saw Ren kill Skizz right in front of me.” 

  “Hey, I was nowhere near you,” Ren retorts. “He’s self-reporting.”

  “Can anyone vouch for your movements, Ren?” asks Grian.

  “I saw him in shields not that long ago,” Bdubs says. “And he was heading up to nav. I highly doubt he could get all the way from there to medbay in that amount of time.”

  Ren frowns, wondering how Bdubs had not discovered Scar’s body. Then he realises. His vision had increased, so the crewmates’ must have decreased. 

  “Nice try, Etho,” Bdubs snickers. “Next time, pick someone who wasn’t halfway across the ship when you murder.”

  Etho starts to protest but he makes eye contact with Ren and stops. 

  “When the game doesn’t end, you’d better vote Ren out next,” he says. 

  Bdubs shakes his head. “It literally COULDN’T be him. He was on the other side of the ship.”

  Ren grins to himself as Etho is ejected. He has this round in the bag, he thinks.

  But he has forgotten about the jester. 

  Zedaph decides to follow Ren this round. He knows the powers of the werewolf almost as well as he knows Etho; the cyan crewmate wouldn’t make up such an obvious lie, especially when he’s already known as a self-reporter. 

  And if the game’s sense of humour made a joker like Zedaph the jester, why wouldn’t it make Rendog the werewolf?

  He follows Ren discreetly to electrical and watches him kill Tango inside. As Ren leaves the room again and heads for storage, Zedaph ducks inside electrical and waits for a few seconds before leaving.

  As he hoped, he passes Grian just heading into storage, moments before their vision decreases again. Ren has activated werewolf mode. Zedaph can no longer see Grian; he can only hope that the red crewmate is heading for electrical. 

  Sure enough, the body is reported a few seconds later. 

  Before Grian can speak, Zedaph blurts out, “I saw Ren vent.”

  “Wait, what?” Ren blinks at him. “I didn’t vent!”

  “I saw you vent into shields while I was doing my task,” Zedaph says calmly. “I ran off towards the button but the body was reported before I could get there. You guys need to vote him off; Etho was right about him.” 

  Ren doesn’t understand. He’s the only imposter; why is Zedaph accusing him of venting when he didn’t? 

  “I didn’t vent into shields!” Ren protests. “I didn’t vent anywhere. I wasn’t even near shields; I was in reactor. I don’t understand why you-.”

  He breaks off as Zedaph makes eye contact with him, and that’s when Ren realises what is happening. His friend is the jester and he’s in control of the situation completely. If the crewmates believe Zedaph and vote Ren out, he loses. If they don’t believe Zedaph and HE is voted out, he wins. 

  Zedaph has created an unwinnable scenario for Ren. 

  Now the question becomes… which ending is preferable?

  After less than a second of thought, Ren decides to fight. If he’s going to lose either way, he’d rather Zedaph win through his own intelligence than the crewmates receive a victory they didn’t earn. 

  “Ren?” Grian prompts.

  “Zedaph is lying,” Ren says. “He’s trying to frame me. Where’s the body, Grian?”

  “Electrical,” Grian replies slowly, eyes flickering from Zedaph to Ren. 

  “Did you see anyone around?”

  “Yeah…” Grian hesitates. “I saw Zedaph around the area.”

  “There, see?” It pains Ren to do this, but he knows it’s the best option. “He knows you saw him around the spot where the body was found and he decided to cover his tracks by accusing me of venting.”

  “Nuh uh!” The slightest hint of a grin is visible on Zedaph’s face. “Don’t try and throw me under the bus, Mr Werewolf. Just look at those furry little ears on his head!” 

  “That’s a coincidence and you know it,” says Ren, internally sighing as he finally realises the irony. “Guys, you have to believe me; I’m not the imposter. Zedaph was literally seen around the area the body was discovered AND he’s trying to claim he saw me vent when I was nowhere near him. It’s obvious he’s the imposter.”

  Zedaph shakes his head. “No, it’s Ren. I saw him vent.”

  Grian, Bdubs, and Impulse exchange looks. 

  Zedaph watches them make their minds. He’s not worried. If Tango was there, he would be; Tango knows him far too well. But Impulse, despite their long history, isn’t quite as familiar with the inner workings of Zedaph’s mind as Tango is. 

  Finally, Grian says, “I think it’s Zedaph.”

  “No!” Zedaph protests immediately. “I literally saw Ren vent! It’s not me.”

  Impulse doesn’t seem quite as convinced. “I dunno, guys. Zed might be the jester, remember.”

  “If he was the jester, surely he wouldn’t be fighting so hard to make us believe that Ren is the imposter,” Grian responds. “Plus, we already established Ren couldn’t have killed Skizzleman like Etho said he did.”

  Zedaph snickers internally. He can almost hear Tango’s groan from the afterlife. 

  The timer is running out. Everyone locks in their votes. 

  Zedaph and Impulse have voted for Ren. Grian, Bdubs, and Ren have voted for Zedaph.

  Frowning, Impulse turns to Zedaph. “Zed, I’m sorry.”

  Zedaph pats his friend on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”

  He waits until they’ve put him in the airlock before he grins and says, “Thank you for your help, Ren. That was so much fun.”

  Ren chuckles and shakes his head. “You deserve this, man. Well done.”

  Grian and Bdubs exchange confused frowns but Impulse nods, turning away so he doesn’t have to see his friend being ejected. Their exchange can only mean one thing: a rare scenario has occurred. 

  The imposter AND the crewmates have lost.

[melon-wing]

Dread Part 3

[PIRATE AU MASTERLIST] Doc had been restless for days now. He was short tempered with everyone around him and except for Ren everybody was trying not to cross paths too often with him. Every day he hoped news would reach him. He had sent more money than usual to his spy in the navy to make sure he'd find out everything he could about Grian. They should have rescued him by now. They should have found Bdubs by now. Why hadn't they? According to his informant the navy was still searching near the northern sea. And according to Doc's network of informants Bdubs was nowhere near that area. Why the hell where those idiots still searching in the wrong part of the world? If they had just saved Grian by now, Doc wouldn’t be such a mess.

Doc had been so close to giving the order to follow Bdubs. He had seen the hope in Ren’s eyes every time he had stepped out of his quarters about to change course. He had held back every time. No one was worth the lives of his crew. They were his family after all. They had always been there for him. They had been by his side through all the bad and good times when everyone else had abandoned him. He just couldn’t bear the burden of getting one of them killed, even if it meant losing Grian.

Sure, maybe their latest adventures had been only in the southern part of the sea, but that was just... just... Oh fuck, who was he trying to fool? He knew why. He wanted to be close by in case he decided to change his mind and sail straight into Bdubs’ trap. He didn’t want to endanger his friends, but a little voice had kept telling him that he should risk it. Or at least part with his crew and run in alone, try to bargain for Grian’s release if he himself stayed back as Bdub’s prisoner. He had always managed to suppress those urges, though he knew that his resolve was crumbling bit by bit every day without news of the navy rescuing Grian.

The door to his cabin flew open and Doc composed himself a little, slowly turning around to face Ren, whose face was as white as a sheet, his fist balled around a piece of fabric.

"Are there any news?", Doc's voice was strained. He had been asking that question too often lately. And he dreaded and hoped for news at the same time these days.

"Etho... Etho and False met with one of Bdubs’ men today."

Doc nodded, his lips a thin line. He should have known his crew wouldn't hold as still as he had ordered them to. He should have stopped their dangerous plans, but he had let them go on, because deep down he hoped it would help. "What did they find out?"

Ren hesitated and then held up his hand and what Doc had thought was just some old cleaning rag unfolded.

Doc’s eyes widened, his heart seemed to stop and then begin to race like crazy. No. No! This couldn’t be… But Doc would know that shirt anywhere. He'd spend so much time watching Grian…

The fabric on the back of the shirt was hanging in shreds and completely stained with blood. Doc took a step back, leaning against his desk, when he felt his legs beginning to shake. He could feel his breathing starting to become faster and he grabbed onto the desk hard, trying to calm himself. He took a deep breath, but every time his eyes travelled back to the blood, it felt like someone stabbed his heart, making it hard for him to stay composed. He knew Bdubs’ methods. He knew what the state of that shirt meant for Grian.

"Doc...? We have to-"

"No. No we don't." Doc's voice was shaking and so much higher than his usual commanding tone as he replied and he took another breath to calm himself, trying to push all his emotions down. He finally averted his eyes from the bloody shirt, knowing that looking at it would stop him from thinking rational. "We really don't. I don't want to see your clothes full of blood next, Ren. I can’t... Tell the crew to set sail. We are heading north. As far away as possible from them."

He just couldn't. He couldn't let his emotions win. No matter how much he wanted to. He was a Captain. Their Captain. He alone carried the responsibility to ensure the crew’s safety.

Ren stayed silent for a while and Doc sighed, lowering his gaze a little, not ready to face the disappointment he was sure to find on his friend’s face.

Suddenly a knife whizzed past Doc’s head, grazing his hair and cutting a few strands before burying itself into the wall behind him.

Doc's gaze snapped up and he looked at Ren furiously, his furry mirrored back at him on Ren’s face. “Now you listen, you little piece of shit-”, Doc growled out, but he was soon interrupted by Ren’s raised voice.

“No, Doc. You will listen to me. I’m gonna be blunt and talk to you not as my Captain, but as my friend.”

"Don't you already do that all the time?", Doc huffed, still annoyed.

"Doc. We will sail south. I will give the crew the order with, or without your permission. You are welcome to kick me off the ship once we rescued Grian. I know you want to protect all of us, but we don't need to be coddled. We all want you to be happy!"

"I am happy."

"Yeah... yeah you are. But you are happier when you are with him. Stop trying to pretend your feelings don't exist!"

"I..." Doc shook his head. "It's not like that."

"Stop lying to yourself. I know it, you know it. We all know it here. You love Grian. You're in love with him."

Doc’s anger faded from one second to the next, his eyes widening at Ren’s statement, all of his thoughts coming to an abrupt halt.

“What?”

Ren’s face softened as well, the anger all gone from their conversation. “Doc… You can’t tell me you never realised. You are treating nobody like him. The way you flirt with him.”

“I flirt with a lot of people!”, Doc protested. Sure, he was rather fond of Grian and enjoyed their time together. Grian was a pretty attractive guy and he wouldn’t mind having some fun with him, but in love? That was going a bit far… wasn’t it?

“Not since you met him. Every other conversation we have is about Grian. Since he’s been captured you’re falling deeper and deeper into a hole and it pains us all to see it. Doc, you are like a brother to me. All I want is for you to be happy, even if it means we are risking our lives.”

Doc couldn’t stop thinking about what Ren said. The word ‘love’ was constantly repeating in his thoughts. His gaze travelled to the fabric in Ren’s hand again and a cold realisation washed over him at the same time as dread grabbed his heart. “I love him…”

Doc paused and then pushed of the desk, a determined expression on his face as he walked up to Ren and took the shirt out of his hand, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Doc stepped past his First Mate and out of the cabin. Everyone on the deck stopped to look at him, waiting. Doc lowered his gaze, looking at the shirt. He took a deep breath, raising his head again, pressing the bloody shirt against his chest where his heart was beating in excitement.

“Set sail! We are heading south. Prepare yourselves for a battle!”

~

Grian was awoken with a sudden start, as a bucket of water was dumped over him. The water ran down his back and it cost him a lot not to scream, as the saltwater got into the wounds. He bit down hard, forcing himself to stay completely silent until the worst of the pain passed. Slowly he turned his head a little, looking into the smiling face of one of Bdubs’ crew members. It was someone else than before, so they must be watching him in shifts. He felt like he had seen this one's face before, but he really wasn't sure anymore. This torture had been going for hours now. The sun had long set, but every time he managed to fall asleep in this uncomfortable position, still tied to the mast, kneeling on the floor, someone inflicted pain on him to wake him once more. He felt like he was losing his mind.

"Wakey, wakey, little prince. No sleeping for you on the Captain's orders. He wants you broken beyond repair before you die."

Grian managed to glare at the pirate out of tired eyes, but kept his mouth shut. He knew that talking back only meant more pain. He had given up talking back after the second hour. It made him feel like he was failing. There was a hand on his back, fingers pressing painfully into his wounds and then nails were scratching down his back. He began shaking once more but kept quiet.

"Such a pity that we have to get rid of you. You are a good fighter. You could have been part of this crew. The Captain could have broken you and build you up again into a perfect little puppet. But since you won't be... You know I never got my revenge for you making an idiot out of me in front of the Captain."

Grian almost groaned in annoyance at his luck. That's why the pirate's face had seemed vaguely familiar. It was one of the men that had attacked him when he'd been with Keralis. Or rather one of the guy that Grian beat up without even breaking into sweat.

"It's your own fault, you got yourself into this situation, really. Getting involved with our Captain's former lover... Never a good idea.", the pirate taunted and looked even more amused when Grian's eyes widened. "Oh, little boy, don't tell me you didn't know? Our Captain and your lover boy go way, way back. I'm glad he decided on Keralis in the end. That weakling Doc wouldn't have been worthy of our Captain's attention."

"Doc... He and Bdubs...", Grian repeated, his voice raspy from the amount of screaming he had done. But he just couldn’t keep it in.

"Oh so now you can speak? Gotten curious?" The moment Grian opened his mouth again, those fingernails pressed deep into one of the worse wounds and Grian screamed loudly, his body shaking even harder. "Got you there, our little songbird. But try not to be too loud. The Captain and his Mate want to sleep. You wouldn't want to disturb them now, would you? Keralis is really moody when he doesn't get enough sleep. All he has done so far will seem like gentle touches compared to that."

Grian swallowed and shut his mouth once again, not daring to risk another sound passing his lips. The pirate grinned smugly, as if he was taking Grian's silence as a challenge. "It's a pity I'm not allowed to break you too bad. That honour goes to the Captain. But what do you say about playing a little game?" The sound of fabric rustling and then Grian flinched when cold metal touched his back. The blade of the knife gently traced over his back, not pressing down deep enough to break any more skin. Still Grian's breath hitched and he tried to press himself closer to the mast, to get away from it. "I will ask you a few questions. For every wrong answer I'll leave a mark. For every answer I don't like I leave an even bigger mark. Understood?"

Grian didn't react and the pressure on the blade increased, making his heart beat faster.

“Understood?!

"Yes...", he whispered against the mast, trying to steel himself for what was about to come.

“Do you have any navy secrets that could help us?”

“Most likely not more than the guys Bdubs is paying”, Grian shot back, his expression darkening at the thought of the traitor in their midst. If he could control the search efforts for Grian he must be pretty high up the ladder.

The pirate behind him only laughed in amusement. “Well that would be true. Isn’t that lucky for you? No secrets I can torture out of you.” The pirate didn’t really sound like he thought it was a good thing. He seemed to be rather disappointed. That was, until another question came to his mind.

"What's Doc's weakness? Despite you of course."

Grian pressed his lips together. His mind flashing back to his countless battles with Doc, to all of their interactions. To the way he went feral, when one of his crew members was in serious trouble, blinded by fury. The blind spot he had when Grian attacked from a certain angle.

"He has none. You weaklings won't stand a chance against him", Grian spat out and then pressed his lips together, knowing very well what was about to come.

"Wrong answer." The knife dug into his skin at his side, blood flowing as a straight cut was made downwards. Grian pressed his teeth together almost painfully hard, but he managed to stay silent.

"What a nice game you two are playing. I also have a question..."

Grian froze when he heard Bdub's voice and steps coming closer. They must have woken him up. Oh shit, he really was in trouble now. Because while all of the pirates here were cruel, they still held back. The pirate behind Grian stepped back, but it only took about a second for the blade to appear at his back again, this time lower, right above his waistband. Before he even asked a question, Bdubs already started carving, a straight line and some curves. He chuckled darkly and then stopped for a second.

"I’ve always wondered. Tell me, Grian. How come you are alive?"

Grian turned his head, trying to look at Bdubs in confusion.

"What...?"

"Wrong answer."

The blade moved once more, another straight line and a curved, like he was tracing some pattern. Grian whimpered in pain and he hated himself for once again showing this much weakness, but he refused to shed any tears, no matter how much his body wanted to betray him.

"I... I don't know what you are talking about. I really don’t!"

Bdubs huffed, sounding almost annoyed that Grian hadn’t gotten his vague question. His free hand caressed the cuts he just made in a mockery of gentleness, smearing the blood over Grian's back. "Let me refresh your memory then. Ten years ago. On Gedwyld Island." Grian's breath hitched and he could hear the smirk in Bdubs voice now. "Ah, so you do remember. How interesting. Your name is not a funny coincidence then. I had my suspicions, but I wasn’t sure until now. You really did grow up there."

"Why do you know about that? How...?"

"Oh Grian, isn't it obvious? I was there. I was part of the crew that raided your island. I was standing guard outside the orphanage where we were looking for the boy."

Grian's mind flashed back to the fire and the screams, to the pirates roaming the streets, to the two pirates guarding the main entrance of the orphanage. He couldn't remember anything about them. He hadn't even been able to see their faces, so focused on trying to hide. Could one of them have been Bdubs? How else was he supposed to know about all of this?

"Funny thing you know. We found a lot of kids there, searching for our target. And one of them told us his name was Grian. Pretty black haired boy. Real hero, making sure all his little friends escaped, promising to bring us who we were looking for if we let them go. My mate put a bullet through his heart. Tell me... How did you survive that one?"

Grian froze up completely. "What?" he asked, his voice breaking and unnaturally high.

"You heard me the first time, pet", Bdubs huffed as if he was speaking to a little child, carving one more curved line into Grian's lower back. Grian sucked in air and whimpered in pain. It wasn't as bad as the constant whipping. He could suppress his screams easier, but it still hurt like hell. "How did you survive?"

Grian swallowed. His mind racing with images of that day. The pirate and Taurtis standing in that room. Hadn't the pirate said something about Taurtis being the boy they were looking for? And Taurtis had agreed to that. Grian had always wondered what that had meant and why someone had been after Taurtis.

Did that mean...?

"Answer me now, pet, and you better not be lying." The knife was resting against his skin, the threat clear in Bdubs’ voice.

"They shot my friend, not me", Grian whispered, his voice shaking as it dawned on him that he had been the one meant to die that day and not Taurtis. "He... Oh god. He pretended to be me?"

Bdubs made a thoughtful noise behind him and thankfully didn't continue carving right away. "So we got the wrong one, huh? That guy really was an idiot believing some suicidal kid. If it had been me in there, I would have asked for prove. Still, what a foolish boy, dying for someone else. Was he your boyfriend or what?"

Grian froze, his heart racing, his breathing becoming quicker. The locket against his chest was feeling heavier than it had ever done before. Bdubs behind him was silent for a few seconds and then he burst out laughing.

"Oh you poor thing. Always loosing. No wonder you are not falling into Doc's arms already, playing the strong soldier. You are scared to lose him. Well too late, pet", Bdubs said, humming to himself and then the knife was back against his skin, just resting there.

"Now tell me, Grian. Who did you piss of so much that they sent a whole pirate crew after you?"

How was Grian supposed to know that? Up until a second ago he hadn't even known that the attack had been directed at him. He didn’t even know what he was supposed to think anymore. He stayed silent for a second too long and the blade dug into his skin again, carving a straight line and two curved ones and Grian gasped, at the realisation what Bdubs was doing behind him. That gasp turned into a whimper. It wasn’t just some random pattern he had been carving.

"No... Don't do that", he pleaded, earning himself another smug chuckle from the Pirate Captain.

"Finally noticed? Took you long enough, pet. We both now I can't stop now. We are almost done after all. But depending on your answer I might make the cut a little less deep."

Grian pressed his lips together, his whole body trembling. He wanted to cry so badly, but he couldn't show more weakness then he already had. Once he gave up, he'd break. And if he was to die, he at least wanted to die in dignity. Or as much dignity as he had left right now.

"I don't know why, I swear. I didn't even know that they were supposed to kill me. I'm... I'm just an orphan. I wasn't even in the navy back then. I know nothing about...", Grian trailed off, his voice growing quiet as he almost inaudibly whispered the last words, "... my parents."

"Oh?" Bdubs sounded even more interested now and Grian wished he had just kept quiet. Bdubs being interested in something would only be more pain. "What about your parents? Were they some big names in the navy?"

Grian shook his head, remaining silent and the knife broke through his skin once more, going deeper than before. While Bdubs had been quick with his cuts before he took his time now, slowly dragging the knife along in a curvy line. Bdubs other hand was also back at his back, fingernails digging into one of his open cuts. "Tell me what you know."

Grian wanted to resist, he really did, but he was tired and his back felt like it was on fire. And what good was resisting anyways? He was about to die in a few days. His information would be useless to Bdubs and not worth being in pain over it. The voice in his head telling him to hold on was getting smaller and smaller. Resistance wouldn't help him. There was no hope left.

"I don't know my mother... But my father was a pirate. The navy tried to keep me a secret for whatever reason”, he finally replied, his voice sounding empty, even to his own ears.

The knife finally left his back and a hand was back, tracing the lines on his back. He could hear the smirk in Bdubs’ voice. "See. That wasn't so hard. Now. Do you know by any chance who your father was?"

Grian shook his head, his whole body tensing, expecting another wave of pain to hit him for being unable to answer. The pain didn't come. Bdubs bent forward, his lips close to Grian's ear, making shushing noises, while gently caressing his back.

"Shhh. It's alright, pet. You did well. I'm proud of you."

And while he had held back during the torture and through all the pain, tears were now running down his face. He suddenly felt dirty and so weak. The hand on his back moved lower to the freshly made cuts, tracing them carefully.

"My name does look really pretty on you, my little pet."