#i guess using d-pad controls would be the best way to do it? but that feels like it'd be needlessly complicated

[puppys-rhythm-heaven]

i have very complicated feelings when it comes to ds' games in megamix because it's like. they definitely did their best porting them to button controls. but they just don't feel the same without tapping n flicking. especially when it, for example, makes cosmic rhythm rally really easy n boring when compared to rhythm rally 2. part of what makes ds' games so fun in my opinion is the flicking controls. most of them are fine without them, but they're still more fun in ds. i'd still rather play lockstep n frog hop 2 n fan club 2 n all those games in ds than in megamix even though they're ported fine and well. they did the best they could with what they were given but it just doesn't feel the same n isn't anywhere near being on the same level.

[anyasathenaeum]

Hey! Loving the content your putting out lately, your writing totally hits the spot haha. What do you think about a vash / wolfwood x reader that is on their period? Could totally use the comfort rn

A/N: I'm so sorry this is super late! But, hopefully, this'll help with the next time a period causes trouble :) Periods suck.

Warnings: Reader assumed to have a uterus that sheds its lining, mentions of periods, pregnancy, bleeding and cramping, swearing

Vash the Stampede

Vash is a smart and observant guy, so chances are that the man knows your period is coming before you do

He'd pick up on the smallest cues that indicate your period is on its way - from the way you carry yourself to the fact due to soreness in your body to that you exhaust quicker than before, even if only by a couple seconds difference

Vash already knows what's on the way, and so, he does his best to be prepared to handle the situation

He doesn't take anything you say personally, especially if you snap at him over something menial

In fact, when you do that, Vash is extra gentle and kind to you and does whatever he can to comfort you.

"I've got you, Mayfly, I promise. I'm sorry it hurts."

Lowkey he's a little panicked when you describe just how badly it hurts sometimes

Like man becomes pale and genuinely doesn't know how you live with that, and his respect for you? Through the roof

He's absolutely there to cuddle you and press both his flesh-and-blood hand and his prosthetic hand against your aching abdomen in an attempt to help, the pressure alleviating some of the pain

Whatever you need, Vash is getting for you

Warmth for your abdomen? Water's already boiling. Anything to control the bleeding? Pads or tampons or whatever you prefer on hand. Pain medication? He's already traded something for or bought medication.

Vash is there for you through the worst of it, ensuring you've got everything you need to get through this

You want cuddles? Vash is there, holding you close for as long as you insist you need. You want to be left alone? Vash respects that and leaves you be for as long as you need.

Anything for you to be comfortable and happy, as best as you can be during a literally physically painful time.

Nicholas D. Wolfwood

I feel like Wolfwood doesn't understand human physiology with respect to periods too well

He just knows that afab!individuals with uteruses bleed as part of their cycle and it apparently can hurt like a BITCH

His attempts at comforting you when said period arrives are also kinda poor at first.

"Oh, damn, er... sorry, I guess? At least you're not pregnant, right?"

The smack you give him in response to that comment and the smug smirk on his mug shuts him up so fast and he doesn't make a comment like that again, or at least tries not to

It takes time for Wolfwood to get used to understanding exactly what happens to you each month and why you're suddenly touchier, or more emotional, or snapping at him over things that didn't used to bother you

It would likely take him talking to somebody else, such as Meryl, about the situation for Wolfwood to start piecing things together

Meryl would give Wolfwood advice on things that are generally found to be comforting for people experiencing periods and things he could do to make the situation better for you

Wolfwood is the definition of "he's got the spirit but he's a bit confused"

You see the effort he puts into his gestures, even if they're not entirely correct

He'd try hard to remember what helps and what doesn't, and he might confuse those things often (such as getting you a cold pack instead of a warm one), especially near the beginning

But over time, Wolfwood figures it out - he figures YOU out

Once he gets to know you and your patterns well enough, Wolfwood would be much better at offering you comfort

Like wordlessly holding you when he senses you need physical comfort, or providing you with foods you're craving when he's figured out you're craving them

It takes time, but Wolfwood gets there in the end - for you.

[otakween]

Digimon Tamers - Episode 16

This episode was cute, but not much happened. Kinda a slice-of-life moment with an obligatory Devas battle. The best part was all of the gif-able moments of digimon frolicking :-D

Notes:

IDK why they bothered with that scene of Ruki throwing Renamon an energy drink at the beginning lol. It was like they realized they forgot to write them into the episode and tossed that in at the last second.

Ain't no way the teachers just missed a giant dinosaur out in the open like that lol. They were barely even trying to be sneaky, especially in that picnic scene where Guilmon was obscured by a convenient tree, but only at a very specific angle.

I was gonna say "Is this a thing that Japanese elementary schools do?" but then I remembered that my American elementary school definitely had a summer camp thing that everyone participated in lol. Very nice. I think every kid should experience camping at least once.

Lol @ every single child in Takato's class having an animal backpack. I feel like IRL those would not fit enough to be remotely useful on a camping trip.

I feel like HYPNOS is just totally useless to the point where their presence pisses me off. They literally just go "oh...there's a wild one" and then do nothing until the kids deal with it. Thanks for your contribution.

Guilmon, Terriermon and Culumon being the best of buddies was very cute and so was all of the kids' determination to make sure they were having a good time.

Impmon confirmed tsundere digimon

Really not sure what Takato and Jian hoped to accomplish by ignoring Sinduramon. Did they think he was just gonna go away or...?

Another pretty goofy looking enemy digimon, although I kinda like this one. Reminds me of Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg lol. So I guess these are all based on Buddhist/Hindu concepts and also coincide with the Chinese zodiac? That's cool, I like it when mons have a themed "series."

A little confused as to when the Devas started because I haven't really been paying too close attention. I believe this is only the 3rd one, but I guess I could have missed one (tiger, snake, rooster...)

What was up with the random evil owl? Can Sinduramon control animals or something?

I appreciated the dual-screen digivolutions and card slash sequences. Feels less like they're there for padding when they do that.

Not the male teacher creeping on Asanuma-sensei in front of the kids...gross dude.

[mythicamagic]

“Call it a truce”

(For the prompt if you’d like)

They'd crossed paths eight times now inside the godforsaken maze. Naraku had placed them under some sort of spell- Kagome wasn’t totally sure if her friends were also somewhere inside. It had all happened way too quickly. One second she’d been fighting alongside her comrades- the next, waking up inside a bizarre hellscape.

Sadly the only person she’d seen thus far was Sesshoumaru of all demons. When they’d first bumped into each other- blue and gold had narrowed- both quickly turning in the opposite directions.

Gradually, however, time wore on. A continuous mist obscured every corner of the black maze, its towering walls strangled by twisting, thorny vines. Red skies hung overhead, a barrier likely preventing Sesshoumaru from flying upwards, otherwise he would've escaped by now.

Kagome had just one arrow and one weathered bow. No food, and no water. Just the clothes on her back and strung out nerves, wits starting to fray at the edges. Her footsteps sounded too loud in the empty space. The mist kept rolling, making her paranoid- imagining salivating demons and evil spirits haunting her steps.

Am I going to die in here?

Gritting blunt teeth, Kagome let out a frustrated noise- wrapping her hands around the nearest thorny vines and letting reiki burst free from her fingertips. Maybe she could just blast her way through the wall. Pink light glowed like a signal flare, shimmering and giving her a brief taste of renewed hope.

“It will not work.”

She frowned, registering Sesshoumaru’s acerbic tone. Just as he’d said, when her holy light died, the thorns remained.

Kagome glanced over her shoulder, finding him closer than expected. She shifted warily to maintain some distance. They’d refrained from talking so far during their encounters in the maze. This was unexpected. And worrying. If Sesshoumaru was out of options, things were dire.

“Flying is a no go, I’m guessing?"

He stiffly nodded in response, head tilting back to gaze hatefully at the high walls. Kagome shivered, wrapping both arms around herself. “Damn it. I have no idea what to do. I can sense Naraku’s youki but it's everywhere so there's no chance of pinpointing him. It’s soaked into the air like gasoline."

"I am also unable to locate the wretch."

Kagome blinked, glad he was reciprocating conversation.

"We're locked in a spell or under a curse, I’ve got no doubt about that. I just don’t know if these are our real bodies or not…”

Were they trapped somewhere mentally? Caged like birds?

Sesshoumaru levelled a look down to her hands, gesturing with a claw. “The cuts do not hurt?”

Kagome blinked, flexing her fingers. She hadn’t even realised they’d been pricked by the thorns. “N-no.”

“Then it appears he has either somehow trapped us within a space that has absorbed our conscious minds or put us in an area that dulls the senses. Perhaps a keeper box of some kind," Sesshoumaru said easily, as though he did this all the time.

Kagome’s heart pumped at a dizzying speed. Keeper box. She'd been in one of those before. The face of sage Tokajin came to mind. “Crap,” she whispered.

"Unpleasant memories, miko?" a lofty, entertained tone brushed her hearing.

Kagome sneered half-heartedly, "it's nothing."

Sesshoumaru's eyes glowed, smiling. As if he could see right through her. "Hn."

“We gotta get out of here," she said dismissively. "Since this is Naraku we’re dealing with- I doubt just finding the centre of this maze will let us get outta here and break the curse, and knowing him there’s no exit.”

“Hn, and yet I can think of nothing else after trying everything."

Kagome gave him a sweeping glance over, swallowing. She hadn’t seen him since he’d nearly killed Kohaku- still thankful he’d released the mind controlled boy.

They were still technically enemies despite a shared goal of killing Naraku.

Steeling herself, Kagome took a breath. She then boldly stuck a hand out towards him. “Let’s work together. We haven’t got much choice. Call it a truce.”

Silence.

Kagome chanced a look at his face.

Sesshoumaru merely stared at the offered hand unblinkingly. Kagome giggled weakly. “A-ah, you shake it. It’s an ‘across the seas’ type of gesture to show we’re sealing a deal.”

Interest livened his animalistic gaze. He briefly seemed considering, perhaps wondering about her origins. Long fingers unfurled from his palm, clasping her hand strongly. The shock of skin to skin contact and sharp claws nearly jerked Kagome enough to rip her hand free. She forced herself to stay still, feeling a surge of something shoot down to her toes.

He was warmer than expected. It surprised her that callouses roughened his palm, likely from years of swordplay. She'd always figured he was too inhumanly perfect to have such a thing. Sesshoumaru blinked slowly, remaining locked in a stare. For a moment, Kagome dumbly admired his pretty white lashes.

She caught herself staring and briskly shook his hand, prying her fingers free before gesturing to several pathways, cheeks red. “S-so which way?”

Mokomoko’s soft fur caressed the bare flesh of her lower thigh in passing as Sesshoumaru stepped towards one. “I have yet to take this path. Stay close, troublesome miko," he threw over one shoulder. "I will not slow down for you.”

“Please don’t. You walk slow enough as it is,” Kagome griped, following.

---

Demons began littering the narrow, claustrophobic spaces within the maze. Kagome had to duck and weave around Sesshoumaru as he killed them with acid or fierce swipes of his claws. It forced them to get up close and personal, occasionally plastering miko and Daiyoukai together.

His scent wafted into her unwilling nose more than once- masculine and sharp, reminding her of thunderstorms. Since she couldn’t use her reiki with much finesse yet and the close quarters put her archery skills at a disadvantage, Kagome tried her best to be helpful.

“Behind you!” she’d yell, ducking under his arm before grasping his sleeve. “On your right!”

Sesshoumaru dispatched enemies without argument or complaint, calmly moving on once they lay dead.

As time dragged on, Kagome’s legs began to ache from the endless walking. Her stomach grumbled near constantly. Her limbs and body were becoming weak.

She didn’t breathe a word about it- though noticed Sesshoumaru’s lingering attention. Turning a corner, she stumbled, an arm catching her around the waist, steadying.

Kagome’s belly fluttered, and she quickly straightened. “Thanks.”

“Hn.”

They book occasional breaks, but respite was near impossible with the continued droves of enemies. After what she could only guess to be at least 17 hours- though it felt like days, they finally arrived at the centre of the maze. Exhausted, Kagome kept a hand buried within mokomoko to keep her upright, leaning against the stability he offered. They’d shed a lot of restraint about touch around hour 9 of their journey.

As first suspected however, there was nothing in the middle of the maze. Just a plain space with a single fountain. They hadn’t come across a single exit either.

Kagome’s knees quivered a little, “d-do you have a plan B?” she rasped, throat dry. What she wouldn’t give for some water.

Sesshoumaru stared grimly ahead, slowly lowering his calm attention to her. If she could hazard a guess, he was likely thinking he could survive. He’d weather the storm of hunger and dehydration much longer than she.

“I suspect the reason Naraku lingers is because he predicted I would kill you,” his velvety voice was completely at odds with his words.

Kagome stiffened, leaning slightly away from the warmth of luxurious furs. “...That would make sense,” the admission slipped out, “he’s a sadistic prick. He’s probably watching us right now, getting his kicks from seeing us struggle.”

Sesshoumaru turned to her, lifting a clawed hand. The sharp points gleamed. They could tear through her supple flesh and bones with ease. Kagome had witnessed it enough times to know.

Rendered completely exhausted though, she had little room left for fear. She stared at him blandly, falling quiet.

He arched a brow, resting those deadly claws against her flushed skin, gradually unfurling to hold her neck. “You will not resist?”

“I’ve never taken you to be the kinda guy who would take the easy way out,” Kagome muttered, raising her chin. “Am I wrong?”

Was it her imagination or did his pupils dilate a touch?

She shivered, feeling the pads of his fingers drag against the nape of her delicate neck, thumb resting at her throat.

“No,” he rumbled softly, gripping tighter and drawing her in closer. “But since we have an audience, miko,” his voice lowered, “let us give him a show.”

Blue eyes widened- seconds before lips crashed to hers. Kagome gasped- and a sinuous tongue took advantage, shoving inside to plunder her mouth. Sensation slammed into her gut. Suddenly she was immediately aware of everything. The warmth of his palm, the dry rub of his callouses along her neck. The goosebumps rising on her flesh. How his tongue skilfully played, twined and slid against her own- and she found herself responding.

His lips were hot and quick across her own, firm and yielding and then parting to meet her tongue with his anew. Kagome’s breath shuddered. Her entire body thrummed. She found herself touching the fine, soft locks of silver hair behind his ear, strands running through her fingers like water. Their mouths broke apart, and Kagome could only give a breathy gasp as he sucked along the bent arch of her throat.

“Behind me, to the left,” he whispered, kissing her flesh bruisingly hard.

“I know,” she panted.

It happened quickly. They moved in sync- Kagome reaching for her bow and nocking her single arrow while Sesshoumaru turned, angling her to fire at the faint ripple in the sky they’d both sensed the second they’d kissed.

While the blazing firework of pure holy energy streaked into the air, the Daiyoukai followed its progress, flying with Kagome in tow. She held on around his shoulders, praying with all her might it would break through.

Her arrow pierced the demonic barrier- shattering the weak spot immediately. Sesshoumaru broke through, leaving the world of red skies and unsolvable mazes behind.

---

Kagome sucked in a gasping, strangled breath, shooting upright.

“Kagome! She’s awake, guys!”

Putting a hand to her head, she looked to her side- only to be greeted with the sight of Sesshoumaru sitting up from the ground, both of them having been sprawled out. Around them, battle raged. Inuyasha was fighting diligently, swiping madly at continuous rounds of regenerating tentacles.

Miroku and Sango seemed to be on guard duty, having been defending their unconscious bodies. Shippo immediately buried his face in Kagome’s arm, holding onto her. “You’ve been asleep for a good hour after you were both hit by that attack! Naraku kept trying to kill you! Ah- I’m so glad you’re safe!”

Kagome comforted him with a few gentle pats upon his head, murmuring softly. The shifting of weight caught her attention, and she watched as Sesshoumaru stood. He sneered softly to himself, “I do not know why you saw fit to protect this one, but I did not need your aid, humans.”

“I told ya!” Inuyasha shouted from somewhere in the distance.

“We couldn’t let you be absorbed by Naraku or he’d be even more formidable,” Sango griped.

“What my friends mean to say is- you’re welcome, Lord Sesshoumaru,” Miroku amiably smoothed over the situation.

Sesshoumaru grunted, securing his swords in place. Then, slowly, his eyes lowered.

Kagome exhaled a shuddering breath. Her heart slammed against her ribcage, cheeks burning with all the voracity of a fever, chest light and heavy all at once. Sesshoumaru’s gaze fell to the subtle parting of her mouth, before looking her in the eye for just one more lingering moment. He then moved out from behind the protection Sango and Miroku offered, racing headfirst into battle.

He just did it to break the spell, that’s all.

He’d kissed her to help flush out a weak spot from their enemy, which had opened from Naraku's shock- having lost brief control of the spell. Thinking about it as anything more than that would be foolish.

Shaking herself, Kagome followed suit. She grabbed her bow and nocked an arrow, pushing down all confused thoughts and sensations that Sesshoumaru’s wicked mouth had elicited- entering the fray alongside her friends.

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LUNATIC PARADE ;; Ayato Route ー Chapter 3

ー The scene starts in the hotel room

Yui: ( Ayato-kun still hasn’t returned it seems... )

( I wonder where he went? Should I go look for him...? )

*Rustle rustle*

ー She goes down to the lobby

Yui: ( Ah, I recognize that back... )

Ayato-kun!

ー She runs up to him

Ayato: ...Chichinashi...

Yui: Where were you? I was worri...ーー

( ...Huh...? )

Hey, what’s wrong? You seem kind of tired...

Ayato: Shut up. I’m fine.

More importantly, are you well enough to be up and running again?

Yui: I’m fine, but...

Ayato: Mmh. Let’s go look for the locksmith together then.

Yui: Yeah...We have to find some sort of lead first though...

Ayato: I’ve got one. Seems like he’s hanging out in Saint Nore Park.

I found this person who spotted him there, you see...

Yui: Eh...?

( Then, could he have been looking around for the locksmith on his own this whole time...? )

Ayato: We might lose track of him again if we sit around too long. Let’s go.

Yui: Gotcha.

( ... )

ー She reaches for his hand

Ayato: ...Why did you grab my hand all of a sudden...?

Yui: S-Sorry...But...

( I was thinking of a way to say thank you and suddenly felt like doing this... )

Ayato: Hm, whatever. Anyway, let’s hurry.

Yui: Yeah!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to Saint Nore Park’s venue

Yui: It’s still as crowded as ever...

Ayato: Yeah, you’re right...

Yui: ( What to do? Even if we know he’s here, with this many people around... )

Ayato: Well then. Guess it’s time for these bad boys to make an appearance.

Yui: ...? Ayato-kun, are those...?

Ayato: Hehe. I figured out what the dude looks like while I was gatherin’ information on him.

I drew this portrait of him. Whatcha think? There’s just no way we won’t find him with this, right?

Yui: ( ...I thought it was an animal of some sorts...But it’s actually a portrait... )

( Ayato-kun seems very confident but...I’m honestly a little worried... )

Ayato: ...What? Got a problem with my drawing?

Yui: Eh? ...No, that’s not it, but...

Ayato: ...? But, what?

Yui: Well...

Selection

→ Beg the question

Yui: ...No, it’s nothing...

Ayato: ...Hmm. Well, whatever.

→ Praise him (☾)

Yui: ...No, it’s nothing. I just thought your art style is very distinctive...

Ayato: Hah, right? You’ve got a good eye!

Yui: ( Either way...I feel as if I’ve seen this face somewhere before... )

( ...Am I just imagining things...? )

Ayato: ‘Kay! Let’s go ‘round the whole park showin’ people this portrait!

*TIMESKIP*

Ayato: Che, fuck...We’re not havin’ any luck...

Yui: Yeah...You’re right...

( We’ve been walking around the park asking others for information, but we haven’t even gotten any clues... )

( I guess it’s impossible with just a single portrait... )

Ayato: Hm? ...Ah!

Yui: ...What?

Ayato: Oi, take a look over there...!

Yui: Eh...?

???: Hahaha, then afterwards...

Yui: ( For some reason...That man vaguely looks like...the portrait drawn by Ayato-kun...? )

Ayato: It’s definitely him! Oi, let’s go!

Yui: Y-Yeah...!

( Way to go, Ayato-kun! ...I guess? )

ー They run up to the man

Ayato: Hey, Old Geezer! You’re the locksmith, right?

???: ...I can’t deny I’m the one and only but... ...! You’re that guy from yesterday...!

Yui: Eh? ...Ah! You’re...!

ー A flashback ensues

Vampire gentleman: I was shocked to find you passed out here! Did you come with someon...ーー

ー Ayato runs up to them

Ayato: ...Oi! What are you doin’ to her!? Back off at once!!

*THUD*

Vampire gentleman: Uguh!?

Yui: ...! Ayato-kun!?

ー The flashback ends

Yui: ( The guy who helped me yesterday...And who was kicked by Ayato-kun...! )

( Who would have thought he was actually the locksmith...! )

Locksmith: What do you want? I didn’t think I would run into you two again here...

Just when I was enjoying the Parade too...

Take a look! My smile has been turned upside down because of you!

Yui: W-We’re so sorry...!

Ayato: Che...For real? No wonder the guy struck me as familiar when I was drawin’ his portrait...

Listen, dude. I’m sorry for what I did yesterday...I was convinced you were...

Yui: Um, we truly feel sorry. It’s just, Ayato-kun honestly didn’t mean any harm. 

He just got the wrong idea and...Well...

Locksmith: Hmhp! A little late for those excuses now. Besides, I’m enjoying my vacation right now.

I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t disturb me. Now leave.

Yui: ...But...!

Ayato: Listen up. There’s somethin’ we wanna ask of you.

Locksmith: ...Of me?

*Cling*

Ayato: ...It’s this. We have to fix this key by the end of today, no matter what...

I’m beggin’ you. Can’t you please help us out?

Locksmith: ...And give me one good reason to do that!? The answer is no.

Ayato: Didn’t I say ‘please!?’ If not, she’ll...Yui will...

Yui: ...Ayato-kun...

Locksmith: What does she have to do with it?

Ayato: ...Long story short, we need your skill to be able to save her!

So stop complainin’ and help us out!

*Thud*

Yui: ...Ayato-kun! C-Calm down...!

Locksmith: Hmph! You should probably do something about that short temper of yours.

...Anyway, if I don’t fix that key, something bad will happen to the young lady over here, correct?

...I suppose I have no other choice then. Let me make you an offer then.

Ayato: An offer?

Locksmith: Exactly. I challenge you to a game of go-cart. If you win, I will help you out.

Yui: ...! Really?

Locksmith: Yes, I mean it. Hey, you. This is how you negotiate with someone. Take mental note.

Ayato: Che, the fuck? This locksmith thinks he’s the shit...I don’t like him.

But fine. I just need to beat you in a go-cart race, right? Challenge accepted! You better brace yourself!

Oi, watch me, Chichinashi. I’m takin’ this victory home for sure.

Yui: Yeah...!

( Good luck, Ayato-kun...! )

Explanation: The player controls the go-cart of the character. Hitting the obstacles will slow you down. By touching the arrow, you can speed up. Use the D-pad to alternate lanes and reach the finish before time runs out.

You can play this game in EASY, NORMAL or HARD mode.

Ayato: Awesome, I win!

Locksmith: I didn’t think you could win against me in a go-cart race. ...As to be expected of Karlheinz’s son.

Yui: Eh? You knew...?

Locksmith: ...Guess so. That’s exactly why I wanted to beat him.

Ayato: Anyway, you’ll fix this key as you promised, right?

Locksmith: Yeah, of course. You won fair and square after all.

Ayato: I did it, Yui!

ー He scoops her up in his arms

*Rustle*

Yui: Kyah!

( Gosh, Ayato-kun...! )

Ayato: Heh! Didn’t I tell you? Yours Truly never loses...

There’s nobody out there who can beat me. I’m always number one!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the locksmith’s shop

Locksmith: Well then, come on in.

*Thud*

Yui: ( Wow. There’s many keys I’ve never seen before... )

Locksmith: ...Well then, show me the broken key.

Ayato: Yeah. It’s this bad boy.

*Cling*

Locksmith: ...Hm, this is...

...

Yui: ( ...He went quiet. He looks a little troubled... )

Ayato: Oi, what do you say? You can fix it, right?

Locksmith: ...I can. However...I will need a special mineral to do so.

Yui: A special...mineral?

Ayato: You just have to attach one side to the other, right!? Then why not use whatever you have laying ‘round to glue it together!?

Locksmith: ...No, that won’t work. Well, let me just show you. For example, if I try to use this metal...

*Cling cling*

*Thud*

Ayato: ...!?

Yui: ( ...The metal bounced off...? )

Locksmith: ...See? This key has been manufactured in a special way and can only be fixed by using an identical material.

It’ll be difficult to repair the key without the right mineral.

Yui: No way...

Ayato: Then we just gotta dig up that mineral from somewhere, right!? Where can we find it?

Locksmith: Even here in the Demon World, you can only find it in a select few locations.

The closest site would be...Right. The abandoned mine on Smaragd Volcano...

That place used to be a goldmine for all sorts of minerals. I’m sure you could still dig some up to this day.

Ayato: The volcano, right? ‘Kay, gotcha! Oi, Chichinashi! We’re leavin’ right away. Follow me!

*Rustle*

Yui: Ah! Ayato-kun!

ー The scene shifts to Diamante Fountain

Ayato: That bein’ said, how are we gonna get to this abandoned mine...?

It can’t be helped...The Four-Eyes might just know a good way.

Okay, I’m gonna send him a message through my Familiar.

*Flap flap flap*

Yui: ( ...Ayato-kun’s trying his very best... )

( He barely got any sleep last night either, did he...? I feel kind of bad... )

( For one, I wonder if this stuff we’re doing right now is really what the Count expects from us...? )

( I won’t deny that we broke into his house and broke the key, but... )

ー A flashback ensues

???: ...Exactly. While everyone else is too preoccupied with the Parade.

???: ...I will act as the decoy. ...As for the location, is Zartan’s Mouth okay?

???: Yes, I do not mind. However, there’s a few issues...

ー The flashback ends

Yui: ( They were being kind of suspicious, right...? )

( I wonder what exactly that key is for...? )

( If those guys are trying to commit a crime using that key... )

( We basically aided them in that, no...? )

( In that case, the Count will... )

Ayato: Oi, what’s wrong? You’ve got a frown on your face...

Yui: ...Ayato-kun...

Ayato: I got a response from Reiji. That bastard really knows all the weird shit, huh?

But it saved our ass this time. It seems like we’ll need some tools, so let’s go collect them right away.

Yui: Y-Yeah...But...

Ayato: ...? What?

Yui: Shouldn’t you take a little break first?

You know...You haven’t been able to rest at all since yesterday, right?

Ayato: ...That’s what you’re worried about? I’m totally fine.

Besides, it’s my fault all of this happened in the first place, right?

You really think I can sit still and rest now...?

Yui: ( Ayato-kun... )

Ayato: The quickest route to the volcano is to take a gondola and go up the canal.

I’m sure you’re tired as well, but let’s push through a lil’ longer and rest on the journey there, ‘kay?

Yui: ...I’m fine. I’m much more worried about you...

Ayato: Didn’t you hear me when I said I’m fine? You weirdo. ...Let’s go.

Yui: Yeah...

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to Rubien Canal

Ayato: Accordin’ to Reiji’s message, there’s a lake at the end of this canal.

And the entrance to the mountain should be somewhere in the nearby forest.

Yui: ...

Ayato: ...? Oi, what’s wrong? You’ve been actin’ off this whole time, you know?

...You’re not feeling sick again, are you?

Yui: ...I’m not! There’s just been something on my mind...

Ayato: On your mind? What is it? Tell me.  You shouldn’t keep secrets from me.

Yui: ...It’s about that key...

Ayato: ...The key?

Yui: ...Yeah. I was just wondering what they’d use that key for...

Ayato: ...Well, it didn’t seem like they’re up to any good.

Yui: ...! You think so too?

Ayato: I mean, those dudes in the basements were obviously actin’ suspicious, no?

They were hella pissed we listened in on their conversation as well. I’m sure they’re up to something.

Yui: ...In that case, what we’re doing right now is...

Ayato: ...Hmph. But you know, what’s the point in worryin’ ‘bout that?

Anyway, it’s my fault the key broke...

If they won’t forgive me unless I get it fixed, then I have no other choice.

That’s all the Count told us. We don’t exactly have the time to worry ‘bout what comes after, right?

Yui: You’re not wrong but...

Ayato: Oh, seems like we’re here.

ー The scene shifts to Tilkeys Falls

Yui: ( Waah...What a beautiful place. )

Ayato:��‘Kay, let’s keep goin’. Here, gimme your hand.

Yui: Yeah.

*Rustle*

( Swan-shaped boats...Everyone seems to having a lot of fun... )

( I would have loved to come here on a date with Ayato-kun instead... )

( However, now’s not the time for that. )

Ayato: ...

*Rustle*

Yui: ...Kyah!

( Ayato-kun, out of nowhere...! )

Ayato: Why do you keep makin’ those gloomy expressions?

Don’t worry. Once we find the right mineral real quick and get the key repaired...

I’ll for sure retrieve your heart from the Count, okay?

Then afterwards, let’s enjoy ourselves here to the fullest before headin’ home. How does that sound?

Yui: Ayato-kun...

( Could it be, he’s trying to cheer me up...Right? )

Fufu. You’re right. We better hurry then.

Ayato: Yeah!

ー The scene shifts to the mine site

Ayato: Che, this place’s pretty slippery...Oi. Watch your step, ‘kay?

Yui: Yeah...

( It’s pretty creepy in here...It looks rather worn out as well... )

( It won’t collapse, right...? I’m a little worried... )

*Thud*

Ayato: There we go...Guess ‘round here should do. Let’s try diggin’ into the ground.

Yui: I’ll start over here then...

Ayato: No, you don’t need to help out. I’d rather not have you collapse on me again. Just sit there and watch, ‘kay?

Yui: ...But...!

Ayato: I just said it’s fine, right? Anyway, let’s get started! Heave...hoh!

*THUD*

*Rustle*

Ayato: Uwah!

Yui: Kyaah!

Ayato: Che, bats...? Don’t give me a scare...There...!

*THUD THUD*

Ayato: Reiji knew more ‘bout the mineral.

It’s some kind of magic crystal about the size of a fist which gives off a silver shine.

Yui: Silver...? 

Ayato: Yeah. That’s why the dark will work to our advantage! If it shimmers, we should be able to spot it right away!

*THUD*

*Rustle*

Yui: Kyah!

( Again...! Is something lurking around...? )

Ayato: Hah, whatcha pissin’ your pants for? I bet it’s some lower class Familiar again?

*Flap flap*

Ayato: Che, it’s hella noisy though. It keeps on distractin’ me. I’ll chase it away!

*Thud*

Ayato: Imma go take a look up ahead so you stay here, ‘kay?

ー Ayato walks away

Yui: A-Ayato-kun...

( He left...Will he be okay...? )

Ayato: Hm? The fuck’s this? ...Wait. Uwah!? 

*CAW*

Ayato: Uwaahーー!!

Yui: ...!? Ayato-kun!?

( O-Oh no...! )

ー She rushes to his side

Yui: Ayato-kun, what’s wrong!?

( ...He’s gone...? )

Ayato-kunーー!?

*Flap*

Ayato: Chichinashiーー!!

*CAW*

Yui: Kyaah!!

( Ayato-kun...! He’s been caught by a giant eagle!! )

( W-What should I do...!? I have to save him...! )

Ayato-kun! I’ll be right thereーー!

Ayato: Forget that! Look! Inside its nest!

Yui: Eh?

Ayato: You can see it right!? There’s a silver light! Couldn’t that be the crystal!?

Yui: Ah...!

( He’s right...! There’s various silver crystals inside the eagle’s nest...! )

Ayato: Hurry up and take one! Make haste!!

Yui: ( B-But... )

*Chirp chirp chirp*

T-The chicks have got their wings wrapped around them...If I get close, I’m sure... 

( The Mother bird will get upset...! )

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Ayato: Like we have the time to worry ‘bout that! Hurry up while I keep the big one busy!

Yui: O-Okay...

ー Yui runs over to the nest

*Chirp chirp chirp*

Yui: I-I’m sorry...I only need one, okay...

*Rustle*

( Those crystals seem very dear to them...Right, I’m pretty sure birds are known to like sparkly things... )

...

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Yui: ...Kyaah!

Ayato: Fuck! Seems like she noticed you!

What are you takin’ your sweet time for!? Just snatch one already! ...Uwah!?

*THUD*

Ayato: ...Ow...

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Ayato: You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me! Look! The eagle returned to her nest. Now it won’t be easy to get close to it.

That was our chance! What are you doin’...!? 

Yui: B-But...!

( I just can’t...! Even if it’s from an eagle, it’d still make us thieves...! )

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Yui: ( ...She’s wary of us... )

Ayato-kun, let’s go outside for now...

Ayato: Haah? Are you givin’ up? But why...!?

ー Yui walks away

Ayato: Oi, wait! Chichinashi!

ー The scene shifts to the entrance of the mine

Ayato: ...God, what are you playin’ at!? We were so close!

Yui: I’m sorry...But listen...

Those chicks were holding the stones so very dearly...

I just couldn’t bring myself to take them away...

Ayato: Haah? They’re eagles, remember? The fuck you sayin’...!?

Yui: B-But you know...We’re going around trying to clear our name so...

So don’t you think that by stealing something valuable from those eagles, we’d just be committing another misduct? 

Ayato: ...

Yui: Besides, when dealing with a human, we can always apologize and explain the situation to them.

However, when it’s an eagle, we would never be able to get their forgiveness, right...?

Once I realized that, I just couldn’t bring myself to steal the crystal...

Ayato: ...Haah. You really love to overthink stuff, don’t you...?

But well, whatever. No point in crying over spilled milk.

Let’s look for a different way for now. We still have to get our hands on one of those crystals no matter what after all.

Yui: ( Ayato-kun...He understood... )

Want to move locations and try digging along the tunnel? I’ll help this time too...

Ayato: Mmh. Well...Guess we have no other choice...

Monologue

In what followed, the two of us went on our way,

digging around the entire mining site,

but we were unable,

to find the magic crystal.

With both of us completely exhausted,

we had no other choice but to return to the city empty-handed.

ー The scene shifts to café Tarte Tatin

*Cling*

Ayato: ...So what are we gonna do now...?

Yui: ...Yeah...

( For real, what should we do? )

( We have to get the key repaired by the end of today...Yet, we weren’t able to find the crystal in the end... )

Ayato: Say, I’ve been thinkin’. Don’t you think that Count might have one of those crystals in his possession?

He’s been goin’ ‘round stealing treasures from all ‘round the Demon World, so he’s bound to have one or two magical crystals amongst his collection...

Yui: ...I can definitely picture it...

( We had no other choice but to steal from the eagle to repair the key...I’m sure the Count watched all of that go down as well... )

( He might just be able to give us some advice at least... )

...Good point. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask

Ayato: We don’t exactly have much other choice. With that settled, let’s quickly finish our meal and get goin’.

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to Rubien Canal

Ayato: Oh, oi! Check that out!

Yui: Eh?

Waah...!

Ayato: It’s the Water Parade. Seems like we got here just on time.

Yui: Yeah, you’re right. It’s really pretty...

Ayato: ...

Say, listen...

Yui: Eh?

Ayato: ‘Bout the eagle’s nest from earlier...I’m sorry.

You actually weighed your options, didn’t you? Yet I kept on givin’ you crap for it...

Yui: ...

It’s fine. I should apologize as well. 

Even though...You tried so hard to get that crystal...

Ayato: ...Hey, Yui. Lift your face.

ー He steps closer

Yui: Eh? ...Nn...

Ayato: Nn...

*Smooch*

Yui: ( ...What a gentle kiss... )

( It’s always as if his kindness is being conveyed to me... )

Ayato: ...Nn...

*Smooch*

Yui: ( I can tell even if he doesn’t say it out loud. That deep down... )

( He’s really thinking of what’s best for me... )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

← RETURN TO CHAPTER 2

→ PROCEED WITH MAIN STORY [CHAPTER 4]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #1 [W/ SUBARU]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #2 [W/ RUKI]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #3 [W/ KOU]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #4 [W/ YUMA]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #5 [W/ SHIN]

[leviskitten]

𝑵𝑺𝑭𝑾 𝒂𝒍𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕 ♡

Sugawara Koushi x reader(gn!)

Warnings: regular nsfw stuff, nothing dark tho

A/n: I love alphabets can’t you tell? Lmao. If there are any characters you want me to do alphabets for then lmk.

Original template Fluff version

♡彡 A = Aftercare : What are they like after sex?

• It depends really. I headcannon kou as a bottom leaning switch (ofc), so it depends on which role he took for the session.

If he was a sub, then he’d be very tired probably, and clingy. Would definitely whine when you leave to grab a wet cloth to clean him up, and would whine again when you get up to at least put a T-shirt on lmao. But besides that he’s very cuddly. Pet his head while he rests his head on your neck while calling him a good boy and not only he’d be a blushing mess but he’d also fall asleep with a little smile on his face 🥺

If he was a dom, then he’d probably treat you the same way he wants to be treated when he subs. Cleans you up as fast as he can so he can get in bed with you a cuddle a whole bunch 🥺🥺

♡彡 B = Body part : What’s their favorite body part of theirs? And yours?

• His favorite body part about himself is probably his chest. He likes how slim and soft it is, (and how it looks when you mark him up).

And yours, it’s probably your legs. He loves how they look when you wrap them around his waist while he fucks you, and how they almost suffocate him when you sit on his face. He could admire them for hours honestly.

♡彡 C = Cum : Anything to do with cum, basically

• He has an odd fixiation with his cum. There, I said it.

He likes cum play, wheter that is paiting any part of you with it, stuffing it deep inside you and watch it slip out, or when you overstimulate him and let it all pool on his stomach.

It turns him on tbh.

♡彡 D = Dirty secret : A dirty secret of theirs.

• He wants to have a foursome with the other third years. But not in the way you’d expect.

He wants to either let them all have their way with you and practically use you. Or he wants you to be controlling them and make them act like your little pets. No in between.

There’s just something about you being in charge of two large man and himself that just turns him on to no end.

♡彡 E = Experience : How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?

• I feel like maybe he’s had had a little bit of prior experience, but not really.

He technically knows what to do, and how to do it, but he’s never done it before. So it’ll be a little awkward at first, but he’s got the basics and he learns quick so it’s good don’t worry.

♡彡 F = Favorite position : self explanatory lol

• When he subs, doggy style. He likes to be spanked and to leave the sheets wet with his cum afterwards.

When he doms, mating press. He likes to able to see your expression as he fucks you senseless, and it also makes him able to really get in there y’know.

♡彡 G = Goofy : Are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous?

• He can be both really tbh. He’ll try to take it serious most of the time, but if something funny happens he’d definitely point it out and laugh at it. It’ll probably turn into a in joke between you two afterwards.

♡彡 H = Hair : How well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes?

• He’s pretty well groomed honestly. He likes the twink vibe, so he’d probably shave over there most of the time. However the carpet does match the drapes 100%, tho it’s a little bit more blondish in there for some reason.

♡彡 I = Intimacy : How are they during the moment? The romantic aspect.

• Oh he’s a hopeless romantic, so if he’s in charge he’d 100% have his little cheesy moments without a doubt (will hold your hand while you cum).

♡彡 J = Jack off : Masturbation headcannon.

• The only way he can get off without you, is with one of his dirty secrets.

However he will call you while he’s doing it so you can give him instructions, that shit really turns him on.

♡彡 K = Kink : One or more of their kinks.

• He’s a kinky bastard so I’m not gonna go into detail with all of them but here’s a little list:

— Pegging, both degradation and praise (depending the mood), choking and spanking, spit (kinda), overstimulation and edging, b r e e d i n g, cumplay, voyeurism, biting and scratching, and sensory depravation.

♡彡 L = Location : Favorite places to do the deed.

• Probably his bed, he likes to be comfortable in the meantime yknow.

♡彡 M = Motivation : What turns them on/keep them going?

• Mainly moans and just being really vocal in general. He absolutely adores when you talk him trough it.

Also, being kinda rough. It awakens something in him lmao.

♡彡 N = No : Something they wouldn’t do/turn off’s

• There aren’t many things that he wouldn’t do tbh, he’s a pretty open person and he’s probably open to do a lot of things at least once y’know. However he can’t do public humiliation, or just very public stuff in general (like fucking in a park or something). It creeps him out a little bit, and he’ll probably be too nervous to proceed.

♡彡 O = Oral : Preference on giving/receiving, skill, etc.

• He doesn’t mind either tbh, I guess it’s really depending the mood, but he doesn’t really a preference when it comes to that.

He’s pretty skilled tho, and a very fast learner so it wouldn’t take him long to figure out what you like. And once he knows, he wouldn’t mind spending hours just eating you out and swallowing your cum over and over again <3

♡彡 P = Pace : Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? Etc.

• He can be both to be honest, it depends on the mood and what he’s planning to do with you if u know what I mean,,,,

♡彡 Q = Quickie : Their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.

• Not a big fan of them tbh.

He’d rather spend a whole night/afternoon just going at it. However he doesn’t mind a quick blowjob or handjob (for either of you), every once in a while.

♡彡 R = Risk : Are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? Etc.

• Oh he’s willing to take a few risks lmao.

He’s a very open and experimental person when it comes to sex, so don’t be a afraid to tell him anything new that you wanna try, he’ll probably say yes to everything lol.

♡彡 S = Stamina : How many rounds can they go for? How long do they last? Etc.

• If he’s subbing, he can go for hours. It’s almost as if he’s craving it (he is lmao).

If he’s domming, then he can go for a round or two, but it’s most likely for him to take a little break to check on you or just finger you for a little while.

♡彡 T = Toys : Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?

• Oh yeah he definetly does have a couple of toys. He’s most likely to buy an entire collection with his partner tbh.

He likes to use them himself and on his partner (or his partner use them on him lmao). Again, he’s very experimental, and he actually did grow a liking for vibrators and cock rings lmao.

♡彡 U = Unfair : How much do they like to tease?

• He’s a cheeky bastard. 100% will tease you to no end while you’re busy only so you can punish him later.

♡彡 V = Volume : How loud are they? What sounds they make? Etc.

• He’s l o u d. I said before that noise turns him on, so of course he’s gonna be very vocal in general.

He pants a lot, and when he’s being overstimulated he makes the sweetest whines and high pitch moans it’s just <3

Also, expect a lot of “Hmm you like it when I do that, don’t you?” “You want it? Beg for it” “Such a lovely little slut for me aren’t you?” When he’s on top.

♡彡 W = Wild card : A random headcannon for the character.

• When he’s jerking off alone, he likes to do it sitting down in front of his full length mirror in his room. Completely naked. And he does it until he cums at least twice.

♡彡 X = X-Ray : Let’s see what’s going on under those clothes.

• HE HAS SUCH A PRETTY DICK I JUST KNOW IT.

About average size and width, but it’s so pretty and perfect omg. Slightly curved upwards, and it’s pretty pale, with the tip in a soft pink (it turns more red when overstimulated oops). Also, it’s very sensitive on the head, touch it a few times with the pads of your fingers and he might cum just with that if he’s turned on enough.

♡彡 Y = Yearning : How high is their sex drive?

• It’s pretty high not gonna lie lmao.

But he keeps it undercontrol,,,, most of the time.

♡彡 Z = Zzz : How quickly do they fall asleep afterwards?

• If it’s been a long session, then probably pretty quickly (baby boy is tired ok 🥺), though he always refuses to fall asleep unless he gets to cuddle with you while you play with his hair and whisper some reassurance cuz y’know, sometimes degradation can take the best of him :(

[tinyrogue]

Thoughts on Metroid: Dread

As you probably expected, I pre-ordered both the Nintendo Switch OLED and Metroid: Dread because I’m a simp for all things Metroid-related and I feel no shame :)

My personal assessment: 9.5/10 — My excitement is through the roof! Half a point off for the fiddly controls (boo).

I played both on the console itself as well as on my TV (and destroyed my neighbours’ eardrums with the sweet, sweet sound of Plasma Beam shots which they might not have liked so much but who cares).

I beat the game just yesterday evening on Normal Mode and did the clean-up to 100% today. Took me about 9 hours of gameplay with 52% items collected to beat the final boss and 11.5 hours for the 100%.

I didn’t use any guides or YouTube videos to help me out, but as a Metroid-familiar I know the way of the mighty Power Bomb and its block-revealing powers lol.

That said, the game is amazing! The atmosphere is awesome, the backgrounds are vivid, bright and alive and I got super distracted at everything more than just once while playing!

It’s clear MercurySteam put a lot of effort into creating a lush, beautiful world and I think they outdid themselves! The deep caverns, magma chambers and underground forests all look incredible and they house all sorts of different flora and fauna.

The music changes drastically between areas depending on whether you’re exploring one of the aforementioned magma chambers or an underwater habitat.

There are a bunch of new soundtracks in the game, but I loved that MercurySteam incorporated so many of the familiar soundtracks! When I started my playthrough and the first thing I heard was the Super Metroid theme on my surround system, I was SOLD lmao

There were so many nods and call-backs to old Metroid titles — one of them for example against Experiment No. Z-57, whose entire fight was Metroid Fusion’s Sector 1 SRX in a nutshell, complete with the X-infected atmospheric stabilisers. Awesome!

The movement is incredibly smooth, especially the Slide feature is just Chef’s Kiss. Traversing the different areas felt quick and intuitive.

I was a bit trepid when I learned that the D-Pad wouldn’t be used to move Samus along and that I instead needed to use the left analog stick, but the controls are decent and respond well to my inputs.

In a former post of mine I mentioned that Nintendo had announced that Samus’ movespeed would be faster than in any other game before — and that’s noticeable! You’re quick and nimble and while I love the “heavily armoured and impervious to physical attacks” archetype, this new Samus feels surprisingly dextrous. No worries though, she still hits like a truck.

I do have some issues with the Free Aim (which is not usable while moving when you’re holding the L button!), but that might just be because I suck at aiming and shooting in general.

It gives you a lot of freedom to shoot wherever you please, but there were some situations (boss fights mainly, that require you to shoot weak spots or hit small targets precisely) in which I found the Free Aim simply frustrating.

And if you want to properly utilise the Grapple Beam (which is a recurring major pickup in the franchise), you might need to use up to three buttons to do so. Which is just, way too many in my opinion.

Same thing goes for the Omega Cannon.

The new Aieon Abilities are nice, but the Flash Shift definitely takes the cake. Next to the Storm Missile, it’s the best damn thing they put in the game, hands down. I don’t understand the purpose of the Spin Boost when the High-Jump would’ve also done the job, but ok I guess.

The Phantom Cloak is a godsend, especially in E.M.M.I Zones. Which brings me to the robots in question.

While I’m still of the opinion that the E.M.M.I. aren’t scary, they do employ an uncanny intelligence when pursuing Samus and I got caught quite a few times before finding a way past them.

They’re unaffected by Samus’ entire arsenal, meaning you need to use all of your major pickups to sneak by or outrun them and the chase sequences were a lot of fun!

I also liked the tricky puzzles you were presented with if you wanted to grab some power-ups and the way the game forces you to use all of your abilities in order to proceed.

One such instance that I remember is right after getting the Space Jump, which you conveniently find right before getting back into a submerged area, meaning that using it to fly ever higher isn’t an option as long as you’re below the surface :)

Speaking of puzzles, there are a lot of Shinespark tricks in the game that you need to pull off if you want some nice missile expansions or energy tanks. Some of them are pretty straightforward, but others...

Hoo boy, others are difficult. And I’m saying that as someone who’s been playing Metroid games for twenty years. Some of the Shinesparks are so very tight and they require precise input timing that I wouldn’t be surprised if some players will voice their opinion on that on the internet lol.

Story-wise there were things that I enjoyed and things that I disliked. But, since talking about any of those would be kind of a huge spoiler, I simply won’t :) Play the game and find out for yourself!

And with “play the game” I mean exactly that! The game is fantastic; it looks awesome, it feels great, and it does a commendable job at closing out the 2D Metroid era, all things considered!

Honestly, hats off to MercurySteam for creating this awesome video game! For encouraging the player to think creatively to overcome obstacles and find ways to their objectives!

Because that is what makes a good Metroid game in my opinion — that it gives you the abilitiy to proceed (literally), but doesn’t take you by the hand. You need to figure out the rest by yourself. You’re a BAMF Galactic Warrior (hehe) after all, so use what you’ve got and you’ll find a way forward!

I love Metroid ♥

[jingabitch]

Armed to the Fangs ch.12

SUMMARY: you grew up in the hunter’s guild, understanding that it is your sacred duty as a hunter to protect humanity from the vampires that lurk in the dark, draining the life from anyone unlucky enough to be caught. while making the rounds one night, you encounter taehyung, a fabled born vampire - not that you know that when he tries to entice you into a dark alley. next thing you know, you’re kidnapped and taken to their home, where you realise that all of them somehow crave your blood and seem to know more about your past than you do. finding out about where you came from might be the key to setting humanity free.

PAIRING: eventual ot7 x reader

WARNINGS: some description of violence, angst, pining, some shit goes down

RATING: T - slightly M-ish?

WORD COUNT: 3.2k

A/N: I have a new beta, @hesperantha​ , as Kura is no longer writing for BTS and has left her blog. :)

series index

If you’d thought that Hoseok’s attitude would change towards you after you’d saved his life, you were sadly mistaken. He immediately retreated back into his own room, only leaving to seek you out when he needed to feed. In some ways, you felt like a walking Capri-sun.

You didn’t let it bother you too much – after all, the others were more than willing to entertain you. Yoongi was teaching you piano, Jin was teaching you how to cook, and so on. You’d taken Namjoon’s advice to start exploring new things while you were still living with them, and he was right – all of them were so knowledgeable in the areas they were interested in that it was like talking to encyclopedias. It made sense, of course, since they’d all been around for so long that they’d been able to experience the evolution of their various fields firsthand.

It was only now that you had all the time in the world to learn about different things that you realized how empty your life had been in the Guild. It had been all you knew for the past twenty-odd years of your life. Life had been little more than learning the Code, physical training and all the emergency skills you would need. You’d held a gun before you held a pen for the first time.

With so much time now, you wondered what your life would have been like if you hadn’t been orphaned and taken in by the Guild. Maybe you would have become a writer, or a doctor.

Then again, everything came back to the fact that everyone lived in fear because of the vampires that roamed the night. Hardly anyone could be found on the streets at night, and even during the day, no one dared walk too close to the dark alleys where the vampires hid out. In a different life, one where you hadn’t had the benefit of extensive hand-to-hand combat training and a gun, you might not even have lived to adulthood.

With a sigh, you wrapped the throw around yourself more tightly as you frowned down at the book you were holding. Namjoon had recommended this, but somehow you weren’t in any mood to read, caught up in your maudlin thoughts.

The knock on the door provided a welcome distraction, and you shut the book as you called out, “It’s open.”

Hoseok stepped into your room, closing the door quietly behind him.

“Oh, you’re hungry again, aren’t you?” you said, thinking back to the last time he’d sought you out.

He nodded, and padded silently over to you. All of the vampires walked without making any sort of noise, and it had creeped you out a little at first, but you were getting used to it now.

The smell of blood, on the other hand, still made you nauseated. You usually held your breath for as long as possible while Hoseok was feeding, and he was considerate enough to close the wounds immediately after he was done. Still, this might never become your favourite activity.

That wasn’t an absolute no, though, because you had to admit to yourself as Hoseok came to sit next to you on the couch that the feeding was an almost erotic activity. The way he had to draw close, put his mouth on your neck… the line between prey and partner tended to blur in that instant.

It was ridiculous, you knew, and certainly a consequence of being touch-starved here at the manor. Back at the Guild, physical intimacy was just a way to scratch an itch, and hookups among the hunters were common. After all, none of you really expected to be able to get married, have kids, or any of that stuff – death in combat was the norm. Why not enjoy the time you had on this earth?

You swallowed as Hoseok sat down next to you, perched sideways on the couch. Putting your book aside, you turned to face him, trying your best to regulate your breathing and heart rate. It was all easier if you remained calm, you’d found out quickly.

Still, you couldn’t help but grit your teeth as your eyes followed his hand, reaching out to touch your neck. His skin was warm against yours, and he ran his thumb along the side of your throat, gently tracing his favoured spot.

As he leaned in, you tipped your head back to give him more room, your eyes focusing on the ceiling as your hands clenched into fists in your lap. This was normal for your feeding sessions, and initially it had been to stop yourself from pushing him away, but now you did it to hold yourself still so you didn’t do something asinine like pull him closer, which was guaranteed to make things awkward. After all, even though he was the only one bonded to you in this way, Hoseok was still by far the most aloof of the vampires.

He got close enough that you could feel his breath on your neck, and you sank your teeth into your lower lip to prevent any moaning, although you couldn’t quite stop the shaky breath you let out.

“I’m going to bite you now,” Hoseok murmured in a low voice, conscientiously warning you in the instant before it happened.

The subsequent feedings had been nothing like the first time, when he’d been almost savage in his hunger. He was gentle almost to a fault as he cradled the back of your neck to keep you from moving, carefully puncturing your skin with his teeth – and okay, this part did hurt a little, but no more than the blood donations you’d made every couple of weeks to the Guild infirmary – and then drinking. With how soft his lips were on your neck, you could almost forget what he was actually doing. You sank back into the couch cushions as he drank, feeling a little weak and dizzy… not that you hated it, the lightheadedness making you feel like you were floating, and it was only Hoseok, his body braced over yours, that was keeping you grounded.

When he was done and slid his tongue up your neck, over the puncture wounds, you couldn’t hold back the soft whimper, or the way your hands automatically flew to him, settling over his sides as your fingers curled into the fabric of the shirt he was wearing. It was like in that instant, instinct overruled all reason.

A second later, you realized what you’d done, and your cheeks burned as you yanked your hands away from him. He sat up and away from you, determinedly avoiding eye contact with you.

“Right, uh, I guess that’s that, then,” you said with forced cheer, trying to break the awkward silence that fell over the room.

“Yes, thank you,” Hoseok responded, standing up stiffly, his arms locked by his sides. He bowed perfunctorily then made his escape as quickly as possible.

Finally alone now, you let out a gusty sigh and tilted your head back to rest against the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling without really taking anything in.

How horrifyingly humiliating, you thought, shutting your eyes tightly and cringing. How could you have exhibited such a stunning lack of control?

Still, even though you didn’t want to admit it, you felt the ghost of his touch even till now. His body under your hands had been warm and solid; his gentle touch on your neck made your skin tingle.

There was definitely something there that shouldn’t be present.

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

It was like something clicked in your head that day, and for the first time, you realized that you were living with seven incredibly attractive men. It was terribly distracting too, especially since you were now spending more time in close proximity with them. Piano lessons with Yoongi, cooking with Jin, working out with Jungkook (it shouldn’t have surprised you that they had a full gym in the manor, but you’d been wowed by how comprehensive the equipment was anyway) – all these activities filled your nights with so much learning and joy that you’d never experienced at the Guild.

As the summer months stretched on, you took to sunbathing in the gardens sometimes during the day, after realizing that you were starting to get unhealthily pasty and were surely well on your way to a serious vitamin D deficiency. You were settling quite nicely into your life of leisure, you thought. Behind the manor gates, it was easy to pretend that none of the horrors happening right outside your little oasis were actually real. Instead, you occupied yourself with zoning out while watching Yoongi’s fingers dance across the keys of his grand piano, imagining all the nasty things his dexterous fingers could be doing to you instead, or watching Jungkook do deadlifts while shirtless.

One of your favourite things to do, however, was watch Jin cook in the kitchen. Not only did he make the tastiest food you’d ever tasted – not that you had much of a frame of reference – but watching him move around the kitchen, the muscles underneath his shirt rippling as he chopped vegetables or flipped the food in the pan, was strangely both soothing and arousing. It felt like domesticity, like home, like something you’d never even thought was within the realm of possibility for you when your life had been about killing as many vampires as possible before one got you too.

Would it really be okay, you wondered, leaning against the island in the kitchen as you watched Jin make something called mala stir fry, if you just embraced what was in front of you now? Put down the burden of protecting the people of Seoul from the vampires and just… what? Engaged in an orgy with all seven of them? Get passed around between them, one for every day of the week?

“I can hear your brain back there,” Jin said as he poured the mixture of spices into the wok. The smell of the Szechuan peppers immediately wafted up, and you sneezed a few times before sniffling.

“Can’t hear anything over the sound of me sneezing,” you bit back, and he laughed, impervious to the spice that was currently making your nose itch and your eyes water.

“Come try it,” he invited, scooping a piece of mushroom out of the wok and holding it out for you. You came to stand next to him, your hip leaning against the counter, and he held the spatula in front of your face.

“This is good,” you mumbled around the morsel of food, feeling your tongue and lips tingle and turn numb from the spice. You swallowed, then piped up again. “You know this is way too much food for one person though, right?” you asked, looking down at the food in the wok.

Jin followed your gaze back down then sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I keep forgetting,” he complained. “It’s so hard to cook for just one person.”

You laughed. “You’ve always been a vampire, haven’t you? How many people were you cooking for before?”

“Oh, tons,” he said, running his spatula through the wok. “Back in the day I had a restaurant, and people would line up ‘round the block to taste my food. It was the best,” he sighed wistfully.

“How come you stopped?” you asked, peering up at him as you held the tip of the spoon to your mouth, trying to get the last of the sauce. It really was addictive.

Immediately, Jin’s body language changed. His expression grew shuttered and his shoulders seemed to draw up closer to his ears, as if he was stressed. “A lot of things changed,” he muttered evasively.

Curious, you wanted to ask more questions, but he turned off the flame and started plating the stir fry. “Can you get the rice?” he asked, still facing the counter and not looking at you.

“All right.” You opened the rice cooker and scooped out the rice into a bowl, but you couldn’t forget about his mysterious words and the way his entire demeanor had changed. A vampire having a restaurant? That thought sounded too ludicrous to even imagine, but why would Jin lie to you?

Come to think of it, sometimes the boys would absently refer to a time “before” and drop references to a world that had been so different. Travelling, owning businesses, socializing with humans… what had changed? What was going on?

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

You were still mulling over it a week later. Before, you’d have picked up your phone and texted Jennie about it, asking what she thought about the whole situation, but now you sensed that was no longer an option. Instead, you turned the problem over and over in your mind, trying to examine it from all angles.

It was hard, though. You didn’t have much practice solving puzzles beyond the most efficient way to dispatch an attacking vampire.

Still, your focus on Jin’s mysterious words from that night meant that you weren’t focusing on other things, like the fact that you’d had an apparently uncontrollable craving for chocolate ice cream two nights ago, or the slight tenderness of your chest.

Could anyone blame you? You’d been on birth control that suppressed your period for the past few years, to minimize the disruption to your training and hunting schedule. Nothing put a mark on your back like blood leaking out of your vagina in the middle of the street while you were trying to be stealthy, after all.

You were going to regret missing all the signs soon, though.

As you felt safer in the manor, you’d started arming yourself less when you left the room. First the knives in your boots went, then the rifle on your back, and the various guns you’d kept in your coat and strapped to your thighs, one by one. Now you only kept a small revolver on you, more out of habit than anything else. Old habits died hard, after all, and you hadn’t been without a weapon since you were a child.

Dinner – or maybe breakfast? – with all of the boys (sans Hoseok, who usually ate… separately) was an almost nightly affair, and you’d come to enjoy the experience. Maybe it was something that the families from the books you’d read shared, you always thought, and the thought of doing something so normal made the lost little girl inside you happy.

This evening, you were dressed in your usual ensemble of a black T-shirt and black skinny jeans, and as you strapped your hip holster on, you thought absently that maybe you should get some new clothes. Now that everything in your closet didn’t have to be so functional, you could get some cute, pretty outfits, maybe something colourful…

With a small smile at your reflection, you turned and walked out of your room.

The boys were already gathered in the dining room when you got there, and you smiled at them as you walked over to your seat. You’d been smiling more recently, Jimin noted, the tension in your shoulders loosening gradually as you became more comfortable around them.

As elated as he was by the thought, he wondered darkly how quickly you would run if you found out that every single one of them could hear your heart beating in your chest, the quiet sound of the blood rushing through your veins, coming so tantalizingly close to the surface of your skin in your neck, your wrists…

Still, he managed to keep the hunger from darkening his gaze as it followed you to your seat. He wasn’t the worst off of his brothers, and he looked over, concerned, at Jungkook. The youngest was the one having the most trouble, and everyone was concerned about him, but he seemed to be holding it together fine for now.

“Hi everyone,” you chirped as you pulled your chair out. Right before you sat down, though, a little glob of blood slid out of you, soaking into your panties. You didn’t notice at first, but the others sure did.

Jungkook, the worst off, immediately turned his head towards you, his nostrils flaring as he stared you down like a predator. Startled by the sudden movement, you looked over at him, your hands still braced on the table as you prepared to sit. “Jungkook-ssi, what’s wrong?” you asked, your brow furrowing in concern. He didn’t look so good, with his clenched jaw and wide eyes.

“Fuck,” he snarled as he launched himself across the table at you. Startled yells sounded from around the table as the others realized what was happening, but none of them were close enough to stop him immediately.

In a flash, you’d scrambled away, knocking the chair over in the process. “Jungkook, stop!” you screamed, abruptly terrified. He always seemed so harmless and lovable despite his hulking size, with his big doe-like eyes and wide grins, but now you saw the apex predator that he was.

He didn’t even blink in response, and your gun was in your hand in the next second. When the appearance of your weapon didn’t even slow him down, you fired a warning shot into his shoulder, unable to bring yourself to go for a fatal shot immediately.

He paused slightly, a pained snarl crossing his face as his opposite hand came up to cradle his injured shoulder. Then he readjusted, his gaze focusing on you once again with laser-sharp intent.

“Stop,” you said, your trembling hand moving the gun up. The next shot would hit him between his eyes. You could feel your heart pounding in your ears, the adrenaline coursing through your veins as the years of training that you’d thought were becoming obsolete in your new life roared back. The instinct to squeeze your fingers and end it warred with your memories of Jungkook, acting like a cute, innocent boy, so human, so like someone you had to protect. He was almost on top of you when you finally pulled the trigger, closing your eyes tight.

There was a loud thud, and then a moment of silence. You opened your eyes, lowering your arm to your side, your revolver dangling loosely from your lax grip. You expected to see Jungkook – or what was left of him, anyway – lying on the floor in front of you, his head exploded and a huge mess on the carpet.

Instead, you saw him on the ground, struggling against his brothers who were holding him down, still snarling and snapping at you.

“Y/n-ie, are you okay?” Taehyung, who was still standing next to you, reached out to touch your shoulder, but you flinched away from him, looking pale.

“Oh, God,” you breathed shakily, dropping the gun on the floor. It hit the carpet with a soft thud. “Holy fuck.”

Jin stood up, releasing Jungkook’s torso, and disentangled himself from his brothers, getting to his feet in front of you. He was the one who’d tackled Jungkook, you noted numbly. You could tell from his earlier position. “Y/n, you look pale,” he said, ducking down slightly to look more carefully at you.

You took a step back, putting some distance between the two of you. Then, without a word, you fled the dining room, sprinting back to your room and slamming the door shut behind you.

It was only when the door was shut, bolted, and barricaded with a chair that you felt safe, sinking onto the floor. Injeolmi meowed at you as he padded over, and you patted him absently.

You’d made the mistake of letting your guard down around them, and it had almost cost you your life.

[puckngrind]

What’s In a Name: Epilogue - J. Toews

Epilogue.

Where we left off: Jon and Bekah welcomed Lincoln into the world in 2020.

Warnings: smut, language

Word Count: 3,827

Series Masterlist ) Puck ‘n Grind’s masterlist

2025.

The rink has seemed like home for Bekah since meeting and marrying Jon. This morning it was a bit different as she kneels in front of her now five year old tying his hockey skates.

"Tight enough Linc?" Bekah asks and Lincoln stands to his feet.

"Yes, Momma. Maybe even better than Daddy does it." Bekah muffles her laugh from Lincoln's comment.

"Good. Now, let's get this jersey and your helmet on." Bekah stands and pulls over the house hockey green jersey over his pads. She feels someone staring but doesn't take her focus off the very squirrelly Kindergartener who doesn’t have the patiences for her to stop. Tapping his helmet she hands him the gloves and the eyes she felt moves closer.

"Hey there!  Do ya'll know you have the same last name as the Hawk's captain and your son is wearing his number too. That's cute." Her comment was laced with a sense of entitlement and Bekah bit the inside of her cheek.

"Yup. Heard his foundation bought the jerseys for the league too." Bekah replies and turns her focus back to Lincoln as she rubbed lightly along the JT foundation logo on his shoulder. The woman then got called by her own son and scurried off before continuing.

"Is Daddy going to be off work before my game starts?" Lincoln's voice is muffled with his mouth guard in place.

"He should be here any moment baby boy." Bekah leans down to reassure him. "Speaking of!" Bekah eyes Jon coming through the doors of the rink. He embraces Bekah as he does every time he comes home before turning his attention to the kids.

"Sorry I'm late but looks like you’ve got this covered." Jon whispers after his lips brush hers.

"We are all set. And the fake Louis over there thinks it's cute Linc is wearing 19 and has the Captain's last name too." Bekah smirks.

"Well maybe Scar should run by with her Daddy sweater on." Jon shakes the toddler's hand. "Hey baby girl!" Bekah laughs and goes to take Scarlett out of the toddler carrier attached to her back. The now two year old in her St. Patrick's Day Daddy jersey goes running after Lincoln who started walking to his team. "You would think she runs this place." Jon laughs grabbing Bekah's hand as she tucks the carrier into Lincoln's bag.

"She had grown up coming here. Linc has been taking classes since she was 7 months old, Tae."

"I'm gonna go save Linc from the relentless questions I am sure she’s asking him." Jon heads over to scoop Scarlett up and wishes Lincoln's team good luck playing their first game. The three walk up to sit in the stands and Scarlett starts cheering as the team takes the ice.

"Coot! Core! Let's go Inks!" Scarlett's chubby hands clap.

"You really think he's okay playing with these older boys?" Bekah's leg is bouncing on up and down and Jon's hand settles her.

"Yes. He's playing up because he's good not because he's our son, Beks. No one knows he's five." Jon whispers to calm his wife's nerves.

Lincoln's first hockey game started and even though he was the youngest on the ice by two years, you would never guess. The Toews genes evident in how he played. Bekah, Jon, Scarlett cheered as he scored his first goal and then laughed as he jumped up in excitement but didn’t land on his skates. Bekah looked towards the scoreboard and realized the same mom from earlier was staring at Jon. "I might never get use to people just staring at you." Bekah whispered not realizing she even said it out loud.

"I know Babe." Jon's lips kiss her temple. "Maybe you should bring your Louis with you next game." Jon chuckles knowing the Louis Vuitton collecting dust in the closet was never coming to the hockey rink.

"Funny Tae... funny." Bekah bumps her shoulder into his side. "Maybe if Scar decides potty training is actually something she's interested in I could bring a real purse with me." Bekah spins one of Scarlett's ringlets around her finger.

"She won't even be three until February." Jon bounces his mini-me on his knee and she laughs.

"Yeah, yeah. I know, boys and girls are different." Bekah knowing where Jon was going with the conversation and how she already had Lincoln trained by Scarlett's age. "There you go Linc!" Bekah shouts as Lincoln dives in front of a puck and Jon's laugh rings out.

"You would never know Momma wasn't really into hockey ten years ago. Would ya?" Jon kisses Scarlett's head.  “Now she’s rocking the hockey mom life.” Bekah eyes Jon and he mouths, “sexy at it too.” Bekah feels the heat in her cheeks but turns her attention back to the ice.

The game ended and Jon helped Bekah put Scarlett back in her carrier then met Lincoln and his team.

“There’s my boy!” Jon scooped Lincoln up with all his gear on. “You played hard. We are so proud of you.” Jon drops Lincoln down and the three of them start taking off his gear while Lincoln talks a mile a minute recounting the entire game.

“Did you see my double shift dad? See how I used my skate to kick the puck out of the corner?” Lincoln’s little voice sounding just like Jon and both parents laugh.

“We sure did Linc. Now let’s get home and get ready for Auntie Rin, m’kay?” Bekah feels Scarlett bopping up and down on her back while Jon tries to control Lincoln’s excited dance as he attempts to undress him the rest of the way.

The car ride home was filled with giggles of Brynn’s arrival and recap of the game. Bekah grazed her finger down Jon’s arm and he shifts as she moved to his leg. “What was that for?” She questioned and sees Jon smirk.

“Nothin’ Beks.” The sly smirk permanently graced his face for the rest is the ride. Bekah dropped it knowing if it was something he was hiding she’d find out soon enough.

The kids bolt inside the house as soon as they are unbuckled. “Don’t go too far Rin will be here in less than an hour!” Bekah called out and hears a door shut from behind her and spins on her heals to see her best friend rounding her car.

“How about like one minute? You should know my driving skills would get me here faster!” Brynn opens her arms waiting for Bekah’s embrace. “Now help me with these crazies!” She pulls open the sliding door to a choir of squeals.

“Hey kids!” Bekah leans in and unbuckles Derek and Brynn’s newest edition to their family. Morgan’s little fingers make grabby hands at Bekah. “Hey sweet girl. You taking it easy on your Mommy?”

“You lied about 18 month old girls, friend.  Lied.” Brynn answered.

“Mom’s right Aunt Beks.” Jack, the oldest, pops out and half hugs Bekah. “Morgan is giving her a run for her money as Dad says.” All three adults laugh and Jon scoops up Brynn’s middle son, Jameson.

“How about you boys take Morgan to find Lincoln and Scar. I’m sure they are in the playroom. Remember how to get there?” Both boys nod and run in the house with their sister in tow.

Jon and Bekah flank Brynn as she breathes out. “I love them but they can be a lot.”

“And you are doing a damn good job. Have you heard when Morgan can be adopted yet?” Jon moves to the back of her van to take out the suitcases.

“Caseworker says she’s different than the boys even though it’s the same birth mom. So in the land of foster to adopt... We shall wait.” Brynn laughs. Derek and Brynn decided to be foster parents not long after Lincoln was born. They took placement of Jack and Jameson not long after finishing all their paperwork. Jack was 3 and Jameson was a newborn. When the couple found out that the birth mom had another baby and she could either go into foster care with different family or them. There was no question. They needed to keep the siblings together.

“So glad you decided to spend the boys’ fall break here Rin. I’ve missed you.” Bekah slid a drink over as Brynn launches herself up to the kitchen stool.

“Me too. How do the kids get up here? I see the pictures.” Brynn laughs while taking a sip.

“Have you seen my children, they climb on everything! Scar swings her tiny self up there and then jumps down. It’s resourceful.”

“They are Jon’s kids, there is no denying that.”  Brynn laughs with a sip.

“Hey!  I should take offense to that but I might have to agree there.”  Jon presses his lips to Bekah’s temple and she leans into him.  The friends fell into easy conversation until they were interrupted by Morgan who wanted a snack.  Jon handed the toddler enough fruit snacks for all of them and she toddled back.  “I’ve wondered this for awhile.  Why is she not a J?”

Both women just look at him.  “Tae, I’ve never thought about it.  Jack and Jameson.  A J girl name makes sense.”  Bekah looks at Brynn who just shrugs her shoulders.  The caseworker said her and Derek could change any of the kids names but they decided to leave them for a few reasons then gave the boys new middle names when they were officially adopted.

“They are all alcohol brands, but is that just...” Jon questions and Brynn’s mouth drops opens.  

“I... how... ummm...”  Brynn starts and her eye go wide.  “At least they aren’t named after the place they were...”  Brynn looks down the hall then back to her friends, “conceived.” Her face lights up with mischief.  

“Rin, Linc and Scar aren’t named after that.”  Bekah answers with a puzzled look written all over her face.  

“Sure they are.  Lincoln was in your Lincoln Park place and still miss that roof, every time I come here...”  Jon starts laughing as he’s caught on.

“But Scarlett?  Are you saying she was in Columbus?  Like Scarlett and Grey?  Because that’s not the case.”  Bekah runs her hand over her face.

“Beks, we live on Red Maple.  R-E-D.”  Jon laughs while pulling Bekah into his side.  “And everyone in this room can do the math on Scar’s birthday and my last cup win.”

“Oh.  My.  No!”  Bekah responds sending both Jon and Brynn into a fit of laughter.  

“So if Jon makes the All-Star game this year, maybe we can expect a Seattle named baby to come out of the trip?”  Brynn snickers knowing she’s getting under her best friend’s skin.

“Speaking of trips.  I miss you coming with me.”  Jon seems to have changed the subject before hearing his name being called and he retreats to answer the kids.

“Bekah, you know you could go with him Wednesday.  They play in St. Louis.  I’ve got the kids and Kelly lives here now.  I’m sure she can help if something goes crazy, which I don’t plan on that happening.”  Brynn jumps off the stool and backs up to look down the hallway.  “Seriously, you should go.”  

Brynn was right.  After the shut down of the economy in 2020, Kelly and Zack made the decision to move back to Chicago where Zack started teaching at DePaul for help with future college tuition.  Bekah and Jon hadn’t gotten away as much as they had in the past without taking the kids.  Taking a day and a half to go watch him play and enjoy dinner alone did sound amazing.  

“You sure Rin?”  Bekah sounded giddy.

“Yes, very much so.”  Brynn had wandered into the living room that was now the Sedona inspired room.  Prints hung of Jon and Bekah’s first trip, wedding day, the first time they took each kid and a family picture from the past summer when both kids hiked most of the way up.  “I like the new one!”

“Speaking of new ones.”  Jon’s stealth like entrance made both ladies jump.  “I have something for you, Babe.”  As he spoke, he pulls out a puck from his pocket.  Bekah spins it in her hand and tears come to her eyes.

“Lincoln’s first game 8U game. October 18, 2025.”  She sees that Jon had Lincoln sign the top too.  “Tae.”  She squeaks out.

“We might need a Lincoln shelf.”  Jon wraps his arms around his wife and pulls her in.

“Tell him!”  Brynn breaks the couple’s embrace as she spoke.  Jon looks down with his eyebrows raised.

“How about I come to St. Louis with you this week?”  Bekah stands on her tippy toes to whisper in his ear, “Just me.”

“YES!”  Jon shouts out.  “Seriously, Brynn?  You are making this happen?”  Jon turns and pulls her into a hug. 

“You two lovebirds...” Brynn started and looked at how Jon lifted Bekah up in the air in so much joy about a few moments alone. “Still after all these years I’m happy as hell for you but also your passion for one another is...” she starts making a heaving motion.

With that, Bekah and Brynn soaked up their time together. Let Lincoln take a day off school on Monday to play with what he calls his cousins. And really with David’s kids living in Manitoba, Kelly and Brynn’s kids were the closest thing he had to cousins near him.

Monday night was a home game. Jon rented a box and invited Kelly and her family to join. The kids had so much fun cheering on the Hawks. After years of going to games they still loved the atmosphere. Tuesday morning came quick. Bekah left a giant list of instructions for Brynn which made her laugh. Jon took Lincoln to school before taking a morning skate. They flew out that afternoon. Jon interlaced his fingers in Bekah’s as the plane took off.

“You look like a first time flyer Beks. What gives?” Jon kisses her ear sweetly.

“Just worried about the kids and Rin and...” Jon’s lips land on hers to stop the rant swirling from her brain to her lips.

“They will be fine. Promise.” Jon pulled his arm around her and she breathed him in. The flight was short and the drive to the hotel was too. “You know you’ve never stayed here but could’ve all those years ago. New Years. Winter Classic.” Jon places her bag on top of his and grabs his wife’s hand.

“Yeah, I didn’t make the wises choices back then.” Bekah whispered.

“You are here aren’t you? We are here... so those choices lead to now.” Jon’s knuckle pressed the button. “And while it took some convincing..”

“Sorry.” Bekah mumbled as she pressed their floor.

“Baby, don’t be.” Jon kisses the top of her head as the door opens and leads them to their room. Opening the door he drops the bags as Bekah closes the door. His body pressing hers agains the door and lips locked together. Pulling at her legs to wrap them around him. They break and Jon’s lips slide down her neck. A moan escapes from her lips.

“Tae.” She tries to continue but Jon’s lips are on hers again. His hands tight around her with the door holder her up. “Tae.” She moans out again. Jon leans back a little to look her in the eyes.

“Ca va, mon amour?” Jon leans back and takes in his wife.

“I’m okay. Extremely turned on but also slightly worried about your teammates hearing us as they check in. Plus, there are things I would like to do to you that I cannot do pinned to this door.” Bekah leans to bite at his lips.

“Well for starters we aren’t on the team floor. I made sure of that. Now, what things are you talking about?” Jon pulls both of their bodies away from the door and carries Bekah towards the bed.

“First, Captain,  I’d like you to rid you of these clothes.”  Bekah wiggles free of Jon’s grip and stands to her feet.  He grunts as she starts to take off his clothes.  Running her fingers over his still well toned abs followed by her tongue until her teeth find his boxers.  She pulls on them with only her mouth and Jon helps with an approving grunt.  “When is the last time we didn’t have rushed sex Tae?”

“Too long Beks.”  Jon barely gets out as his entire body reacts to Bekah’s lips running along the bottom of his shaft.  “C'est cela.”  He moans out as he finds the edge of the bed.  Bekah continues until she wraps her lips around him and he stops her.  “I need you undressed and up here.”  He lifts her up and slides her tunic dress over her body then her leggings.  “Damn sexy Baby.  Damn Sexy.”  He stands to carefully removing her bra then underwear kissing her skin as more is exposed.

“Really?”  Bekah questions placing her hands over her breasts.  “Sorry.  Just feeling not as perky as I once was.”  Bekah doesn’t look up at Jon with her admission.  He pulls her chin up to make her eyes meet his.

“Rebekah, you are more beautiful and sexy than ever.  I’m so fucking lucky you are mine.”  He shifts her to lay her on the bed and hovers over her body.

“I’m lucky too.  I just went from confident at hell to catching a glimpse of my stretch mark in the mirror.”  She ran her hand over the mentioned mark from her last pregnancy.  Jon met her hand with his lips.

“This means you worked hard to bring our sassy daughter into the world.”  Jon moves up to her breasts and sucks one in between his teeth.  “And I’m glad I currently don’t have to share these.”  Bekah’s breath hitches then she laughs as he moves to do the same to the other.  He kisses down her stomach and moves his way between her legs.  Spreading her lips with his fingers he sucks on her clit causing Bekah’s hips to jump off the bed and her hand to land in his hair.  Jon hums in approval.  He moves his fingers to scissor deep inside her.  Bekah went to call out his name and bit her lip.  Jon looked up and kissed her thigh.  “Beks, no one to wake up.  Let me hear you.”  He moved back to circling Bekah’s clit with his tongue as she moaned out.  

“Tae.  Fuck.  Tae.”  Bekah feels her orgasm crashing over her.  Jon doesn’t let up as it washes over her.  Her legs tremble and toes curl up his back.  She loosens her grip and he quickly shifts up her body to press himself fully in her.  Both moaning in the familiarity and need for each other.  Jon presses his lips to hers and stays there.  “Tae, move please.” Bekah tries to press her hips up and Jon smiles.

“I love you Beks.” He simply says as he pulls out slightly and starts a rhythm making both moan and spill out affirmations in the moment.  Jon feels Bekah tighten completely around him and with a few more movements of his hips they both hit their high.  Jon crashing into Bekah’s body, chests heaving from the intensity.  They stay like this for a moment then a beeping sound starts in the direction of the pile of clothes.

“Tae, what is that?”  Bekah questions and Jon laughed.  “What?”

“I set an alarm to make sure we made it to team dinner.”  Jon moves to find his phone.  Turning off the alarm he looks at a notification.  “Oh, dinner on our own.  Fantastic!”  He jumps back in bed and wraps Bekah up.

“Can we still go get dinner?”  Bekah asks.

“Or order in.”  A sly smile crosses Jon’s face and Bekah nods.  “Hey, did you tell Brynn we were trying for a third already?”

“No, why do you ask?”  Bekah looks up at him.

“Well she mentioned the whole naming of kids thing and Seattle plus she suggested this trip...”  Jon trails off.

“Oh, no, but she’s Rin.  I swear she knows things without me telling her.”  Bekah jokes.  “Oh, shit.  What time is it?”  She looks at Jon’s phone.  “Get your shirt on, we need to FaceTime the kids!”  Jon heads to his luggage and quickly pulls out two Hawks shirts.  He starts to FaceTime and Bekah looks at her now sexed looking hair and quickly braids it to the side just in time.

“Hey guys!”  Jon waves at the screen seeing Brynn, Lincoln and Scarlett sitting on the couch.  Bekah notices Brynn’s face with Lincoln asked what they have done since they got there and Jon talked about getting to the hotel and checking in.  The family talked for a little and said their goodbyes.  Jon gets up to head to the shower and looks back.

“J’ai besoin de nous.”  Bekah whispers just looking at the floor.  

“Babe, did you just say I need us?”  Jon comes back over and pulls her up to his chest.

“Yeah.  That’s right, right?”  Bekah bats her eyes.

“It is.  You are picking up more French from my mom’s FaceTime lessons with Lincoln aren’t you?”  Jon kisses her cheek and she feels the heat rushing to them.

“Yeah.  Speaking of, he said, ‘j’ai mon voyage’ and also ‘tabarnak’ the other day.”  Jon starts laughing.  Hard.  “Shit, what did he pick up?”  

“Well, I had enough is basically what j’ai mon voyage means and...as for the other.  I’ll talk to my parents.  I’m sure they didn’t mean to teach him what some deem a cuss word.”  Bekah’s mouth hangs open.  “Babe, I’ll fix it, okay?”  He moves her braid and kisses her again.  “Back to the I need us.  Explain.”

“Just that.  I need us.  I love our family and our life and even this team but at the end of the day it’s me and you.”  She spins her ring around her finger.

“Well, Beks... J’ai besoin de nous too.”  Jon whispers.  “I told you hockey is almost over and then it’s just us being parents and husband and wife.”

“You really think you are done Tae?”  Bekah questions.

“Yeah.  Dach is ready to be captain.  I have four rings.  Kaner and I are talking about going out together.  This team has what it takes to win another one too.  Now, I would love baby number three to experience some of this hockey life.”  Jon rubs Bekah’s lower abdomen.

“Are you asking if you think that got me pregnant?”  Bekah laughs and Jon nods.  “Well, you might have to try harder Mr. Toews.”  She smirks and heads towards the shower.  “And if so... I’m not naming the baby Louis!”  

“Death of me Beks.  You will be the death of me!”  Jon scoops Bekah up and heads towards the shower.  

[busterkeatonfanfic]

Chapter 14

Buster caught it good from Natalie at breakfast the following morning. As soon as Connie collected the kids to wash them up and the room was empty, she let him have it.

He was made to understand that just before he reappeared inside the house after seeing off Nelly, Louise Brooks had exited the rear loggia, hair and dress rumpled and a nipple exposed, and dashed toward the bathroom. Natalie saw the whole spectacle and saw Buster too, strolling through the front door a minute later with a telltale smear of lipstick on his face. There wasn’t anything he could do to defend himself when she snapped, “I suppose you weren’t thinking about me at all when you went off with Louise last night? What everyone there would think?”

Oh, actually it wasn’t Louise, Nate, that was a crazy coincidence. It was this other girl, you see. Yeah, that’d go over like a lead balloon. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, after giving his answer some thought. “I really am. I had too much to drink. I didn’t know what I was doing.” There was nothing else he could say. Whoever had been out there with Louise, whether George or another lucky man, had either slipped back in unnoticed or left unnoticed, leaving good old Buster to take the fall. He wasn’t convinced that anyone had put two and two together concerning Louise and him, but that hardly mattered to Nate. All the elements to humiliate her had been in place.

“You say you care about me, but that isn’t true at all. Otherwise you wouldn’t be two-timing me every time my back is turned,” she said. Her beautiful eyes were shimmering with unshed tears and he did feel terrible looking at her. He wanted to comfort her, this woman he’d loved since the day he’d stepped off that train in New York and gone to seal their engagement, but he knew it wouldn’t do a lick of good, even if she had allowed him to gather her into his arms and hold her close, which he knew she wouldn’t. 

“You know about the two-timing,” he said. “I never lied about it.” He felt the futility of the argument as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

“Yes, but you said it wouldn’t be public,” she said, breaking into a sob.

“Nate, I fucked up, alright!” he said. “I don’t know what you want. What do you want me to do, put on the hair shirt and get out the cat o’ nine tails? Jesus, I’m sorry.” He pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. Now he was angry and couldn’t quite grasp why. Something to do with his stupidity and carelessness but also Natalie’s long-standing refusal to engage in the normal rules of marriage as he understood them. He was angry at everything. He shoved the chair so the arms struck the edge of the table, hoping they’d dented the table’s pristine finish, and stormed out. Eleanor was mopping the checkerboard floor and he ignored her meek hello as he jogged up the stairs and stalked into his bedroom. 

He yanked open his closet, pulled out a jacket, shrugged it on, and laced up his shoes. Before leaving, he collected his fishing poles and tackle box. 

He ended up driving out to Franklin Canyon Lake where he could be alone with his thoughts. He found an isolated spot and parked the Duesenberg, then set up. The absurdity of it didn’t escape him, sitting on the grassy edge of the lake getting the seat of his pants wet and dirtying up a $200 pair of leather shoes with a $9,500 car behind him.

He had been pretty drunk last night, but not so drunk he hadn’t known what he was doing when Nelly kissed him. She’d made the first move, but he’d been getting ready to beat her there. His thoughts had been returning to her all morning. He’d grown to like her and there wasn’t much question as to why. She was pretty for starters and she had a backbone, which he’d always liked in a girl. He was amused by her sense of pride. Her stakes also seemed very low. She didn’t want to be the leading lady in a romance or even the leading lady in one of his comedies, for that matter. No, it was fusty old Shakespeare she had her hopes pinned on. His first thought upon waking up, apart from lamenting how ferociously his head hurt, was that he wanted to see her again.

Nate’s sad, pretty little face at the breakfast table rose up in his mind and guilt gnawed. She deserved a husband who would be faithful to her; he did believe that with his whole heart, even though he couldn’t (Couldn’t or wouldn’t? hissed a part of him) make that sacrifice. It wasn’t fair of him to treat her the way he did, to be thinking of Nelly and how much he’d wanted her last night. Still, the selfish part of him objected stridently. He had needs too and didn’t he deserve to get them met? Hadn’t he tried his best to make things better before going outside of his marriage? Didn’t he still do his damndest to make Nate happy, what with the Villa and parties and letting her control the purse-strings?

The fishing was good as morning wore into afternoon and afternoon wore into evening, but he threw everything back. Gone were the days in Muskegon where Myra cooked everything he caught, frying the fish up in butter and cornmeal. Caruthers bought the fish and other meat fresh every day and it was usually exotic, skate fillets and swordfish and the like, not the humble trout and largemouth bass his line was currently fetching. When he tired of fishing, he got back in the car and drove home. He would miss dinner, but he wasn’t hungry. He parked in the garage and headed to the east wing, where he climbed the stairs to his balcony and let himself into his room, not wanting to come through the main entrance and risk encountering Natalie. He kicked off his shoes and tossed his jacket and trousers on the floor, and crawled into bed. The hangover had caught up to him and he fell fast asleep. 

When he woke up, he had no idea where he was or what time it was. It took him a few seconds to remember the fishing trip, the fight, and the party. He grabbed the alarm clock on his bedside table and brought it up to his face. Almost nine o’clock. He’d slept for over two hours. He sat up, feeling groggy and hungry, and pulled his trousers back on. He padded into the hall. The house was dim, Caruthers having turned down the lights for the evening, and no trace of the previous evening’s festivities remained. He wondered if Nate had decided to go ahead with the barbecue tomorrow in spite of the fight. Even though he would have rather inspected the kitchen for leftovers, he passed the stairs and went on to the west wing. The door to Natalie’s bedroom was closed and he tapped on the door to announce himself before pushing quietly inside. 

Natalie was sitting up in bed in a blue satin nightgown and a matching translucent wrap reading an issue of Colliers. She didn’t look at him as he sat at the foot of the bed. “Hi,” he said, giving her toe beneath the covers a friendly tweak. She withdrew her foot and turned the page of her magazine. The cover advertised the new Zane Grey novel and was subtitled A Story of Love and Adventure in Arizona. 

He knit his hands in his lap. “I know you’re angry.”

No response. 

“I’m sorry.”

Silence.

“I love you.”

Only then did Natalie put down the magazine and look at him. “A fine way you’ve got of showing it.” The expression on her face was cold.

He stood up and climbed into the bed with her, making himself comfortable against the mound of pillows on the vacant side. It was a risky move, but she didn’t object. “I wanna make things work.”

Natalie scoffed. 

Her king bed felt as big as a steamliner compared to his double. Even if he had been permitted to sleep in the same bed with her, with its size there would have been no danger of them ever touching.

“You know I still care for you. I’ve never stopped.” Cautiously, he stroked her arm.

“You humiliated me,” she said, not looking at him. 

“I know. I deserve to be castrated.” He didn’t think he deserved any such thing, but she was letting him stroke her arm, so he went on.

“Does the whole world know you’re stepping out on me? That I’m not enough for you?” Her voice was trembly. 

He sighed. “I don’t think anyone noticed last night. We came from opposite ends of the house.”

“Yes,” she said tearily. “It was very clever of you. But I noticed.”

“Because you’re my wife. My wife who I love very much.” He threw caution to the wind and moved into her space, putting his arms around her and laying his chin on her shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you.” She was rigid, but didn’t attempt to pull away.

“What will it take for you to treat me with respect then?” she said, reaching up to dash away a tear. 

Buster sighed again and nuzzled her shoulder. She smelled of flowers and baby powder. “I do respect you. You know what the problem is.”

The silence between them was heavy. After a while, Natalie said, “I could try again to like it, I guess.” She sniffled.

He looked at her, surprised. “Do you really mean that?”

She nodded. “I want us to be happy. I want Bobby and Jimmy to have a mother and a father. Under the same roof, that is.”

Apparently he hadn’t been the only one with the D word on his mind. “Okay,” he said, not quite believing she’d just said what she had. “Well, you know that would make me very happy.”

Natalie laid her hand on his forearm. “And you’d stay faithful to me, if …” She was so delicate, she trailed off instead of naming the unseemly act to which they both referred.

“Yes,” he said. “Of course.”

“I don’t want to tonight,” she said, sounding almost frightened.

“I don’t expect you to.” He leaned up and kissed her cheek. “We can take things at your pace.”

“Okay,” she said. He felt her relax in his arms.

She permitted him to linger cuddling her a while longer, and when she kicked him out so she could sleep it was with a kiss.

Standing in the kitchen eating a shaved-beef sandwich a few minutes later, he felt like the tide was turning just a little. The cutting of Steamboat was going well. The barbecue was still on for tomorrow and those always cheered him up. Natalie had done better than just forgiven him for his indiscretion, she told him she was willing to resume their marital relations. Even so, once he’d taken a bath and was lying between his sheets in his silk pajamas, he couldn’t sleep. He was thinking about the night before and the girl who had attended in her rented dress and had thrown away his flask of whiskey. He remembered too that she’d cried when he filmed the facade scene Notes: Thank you for your patience, Buster kittens, as I adjusted to some big life changes the past week. My therapy is this story, though, so I’m back at it again! A couple notes: Buster and Natalie had servants called Connie and Eleanor, which is a little confusing given that Natalie’s sister Constance was sometimes called Connie and Buster found his happily ever after with an Eleanor. According to Myra Keaton, Buster never stopped loving Natalie, and I do think that he genuinely wanted their marriage to work. What do you think?

[imjusthereforbatfam]

Never-Ending Encore, ch.6

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Chapter Summary: Best way to make a new friend in the most dangerous city in the world? Simple! Offer them baked goods as a thanks after they patch you up from almost dying in a knife fight!! So easy!!! :D

Warning: minor blood, minor swearing

---

“There you go,” Red Hood said opening the window to Eden’s fire escape from inside the apartment. She’d cautiously – and, in this instance, annoyingly – locked it earlier. “Back at Casa de Eden, safe and—”

“Don’t do that again!” she whisper-shrilled in his face.

Red Hood jerked back, surprised. The nerve! He knew full well he’d given Eden a heart attack vaulting off the fire escape like that. And he barely held on to the building while he checked her other window!

“You scared the livin' crap out of me! We’re on the ninth floor, for Pete’s sake!"

He scoffed. “Guess it’s a good thing you left the other window unlocked then, huh? Can you imagine? One little slip then, splat! No more Red Hood." He sniffed obnoxiously and wiped an imaginary tear from the eye of his helmet. "So sad."

“Oh please.” Eden rolled her eyes as she passed her groceries to him. “Like you wouldn’t have pulled out your grappling hook or something and saved yourself.”

“Oh?” He offered her his free hand, dropping the act. “So you mean I had everything under control? And you had nothing to freak out about? Imagine that.”

“Listen you,” Eden said taking his hand, allowing him to help her through the window. “You know well and good by now that I am a panicky person. The very least you could do is give me a heads up before you do something crazy like that!”

“Alright, fine. Don’t freak out, but I’m about to walk over to your table. So scary!”

She rolled her eyes again. "Yeah, I’m absolutely petrified, Mr. Hood.”

He let out a small amused sound. 

Cautiously holding her, he led her toward her kitchen table. Eden felt a little ridiculous, but he probably thought she’d keel over if he let her walk on her own. That's what would probably happen to a normal person who’d lost as much blood as her. So, despite being perfectly fine, she played along — totally not enjoying how close he was to her. Nope. Not even the littlest bit. 

But as he led her across the room, Eden couldn’t help but see her place with a fresh set of eyes. The kind a person only ever saw through when an unexpected visitor walked through their door — or, in this case, window.

Her apartment was so tiny and barren there honestly wasn’t much to see to begin with. But that didn’t stop Eden from noticing every flaw that was there. Every crumb and speck of dust. Every scuff and scratch that marked the fake wooden floor. The huge pile of “clean” clothes sitting on a chair next to her – thankfully closed – closet door. The walls void of anything but cracks, holes, and an old pair of coat hooks by the front door. 

Being in such a small space, and hoping to be able to afford something a little nicer in the not-too-distant future, Eden had decided early on not to fill it with any big or unnecessary furniture. It wasn’t like she needed much to begin with, and she didn’t want to deal with nine flights of stairs when she moved, so it had made sense.

Plus, it wasn’t like she planned on ever having guests. Even if she had people to invite over, inviting anybody to her neck of the woods would just be asking for trouble. Her neighborhood was far too… unneighborly. She’d feel tremendously guilty if anything bad happened to someone who shouldn’t be there to begin with.

But now that she had a guest, Eden severely regretted not trying to turn the rundown studio into something a little homier.

Her “living area” was a piss poor sight with only a lazily made-up mattress and a scratched-up coffee table to fill it. The mattress, which sat on the floor, acted as both Eden’s bed and couch; its sheets half sprawled, half bunched up in a way that Mama never would’ve allowed. The square coffee table – small enough for her to have carried onto the subway with only a little trouble – was absolutely covered in scattered piles of books, notebooks, and pens. Her laptop and headphones – the only things she’d splurged on with Frank’s money – sat on her bed, glaringly shiny and new compared to everything around them.

At least the tight galley kitchen was clean and tidy. She still swept and wiped everything down each night, just like she would back home. Even if the linoleum was unsalvageable in places and the counters worn down, it looked better to Eden than the living space. The colorful dishrags, oven mitts, and canisters of utensils gave it more character than any other space in the apartment. Made it more… presentable.

“By the way, please tell me that’s not your cellphone,” Red Hood groaned.

Eden glanced down at her phone, still on the kitchen table where she’d left it, right next to the tiny notebook of phone numbers. Then she looked up at him, confused.

“Of course it is… Whose else would it be?”

He made a gruff sound, stopping in front of the chair Eden had fled from... gosh, was it only an hour ago? She sat down as he set her bags in front of her with a loud thud. 

“Seriously? You went out this late and you didn’t even bring your phone? Do you still think you’re in Kansas, Dorothy?”

Eden frowned. “I know exactly where I am, Glinda.”

“I am not Glinda,” he argued.

“Then are you Elphaba? Or the Great and Powerful Oz himself?” She twirled her hand and dipped her head, giving him a quick, theatrical bow. “Your Oziness.”

He snorted. “I’m just saying it was stupid.”

“I know it was stupid, I just…”

Her eyes flickered down to the little notebook with all her friends and family’s numbers inside. Guilt pulled at her heartstrings. Then she looked to her phone.

Like her laptop and headphones, it was new and bought with Frank’s money. The same money she used to get here. The money he'd given her for trusting him with her “donation”. For agreeing to that stupid meeting in the first place. For thinking he was still her father after all these years.

What a joke.

“It doesn’t matter,” she huffed, snatching them up as she stood. “I’m just an idiot.”

She moved to the smallest of her kitchen drawers, her designated “junk drawer”. So far it only contained a few pens, a pad of post-it notes, a screwdriver, some scissors, and a hair tie. She tossed the phone and notebook in too and shut it roughly.

“Anyway.” She turned back to Red Hood. “What would you like for your thank you?”

Red Hood, who’d been watching at her intently, lifted his head slightly. “Huh?”

“What would you like?” she asked again, thinking it obvious. “I know you liked the cookies I made last week. I think it was snickerdoodles, right? Did you want some more of those or something else?”

“Or… Wait, what?”

“Or something else,” she repeated. “I know you’re keen on calling me that dumb cookie name, but I bake more than cookies, you know. Brownies, fudge, pie, cake — you name it! It doesn’t even have to be sweet either. The only thing I can’t do is make something with filling. I mean, I could but I haven’t bought a piping bag so I’d have to make do with a makeshift one; which, again, I could do, but it’d be a lot messier and I'm actually not that great at filling pastries either way, so I’d really rather not, but—”

“Wait, wait,” he said raising a hand and moving forward. “What are you talking about? Piping bags? Filling?”

“Uh, a thank you?” she said, again, like it was obvious. “You helped me a lot tonight and I want to make it up to you."

“You’ve already thanked me a few times,” he said turning his head a moment. “You really don’t have to—”

“Ohhhh no you don’t, Mr. Hood!” she said stepping forward and wagging her finger at him. “Don't you pretend you didn't go out of your way for me tonight. I know you did, and I know y’all aren’t that big on manners here, but it’s only right I go a little out of my way too to repay you for it.”

"But I can’t stay with you all night, Cookie Girl,” he teased, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter opposite her. “There might be some other dumbass buying eggs and flour in the middle of the night who gets in a knife fight. Can't leave them to bleed out on the streets, now can I?"

"I suppose not," she agreed. "Though I have to admit I'm a little disappointed." She pouted and fluttered her eyelashes. "You really don't think I'm a one-of-a-kind kind of dumbass, Mr. Hood?"

Red Hood barked out a laugh, making Eden grin.

“Oh hey, how about this!" she said jumping black to their original conversation. "I can make a batch of fudge and keep it until you have time in your very busy rescuing-total-idiots schedule to stop by again. Would that work?”

He rubbed the jaw of his helmet as he considered it, then turned to her again. “How good’s your fudge?”

She choked on a laugh at how serious he sounded and cleared her throat. “Pretty good, I’d say. Never heard any complaints and I’ve been making it about as long as I’ve been making cookies.”

He hummed comically loud, the distortion making it unharmonious. “Tempting. Very tempting."

“Annnnnd,” she said leaning forward, “it’d be another one of my Mama’s recipes. It doesn't get much better than that, Mr. Hood, I promise you.”

He hummed again. “I guess one batch of fudge couldn’t hurt.”

“Perfect!” Eden beamed, clapping her hands together. “Any allergies I should know about? Nuts? Dairy? Special calorie diet? Please say no to that one; I hate dealing with low-fat nonsense. I'll do it, of course, for you, but I won't like it.”

“Nah,” he said, sounding amused. “I'm good with whatever. Go crazy, Cookie Girl.”

“Alrighty then. Oh!” She steepled her fingertips and drummed them together, grinning. “Oh, I know exactly what I'll make you... hehehe...”

“Uh, should I be scared?” 

“Not at all, Mr. Hood!" she said far too sweetly. "You said go crazy, so crazy I'll go.”

He shook his head at her, then tilted it slightly. “You might wanna take a shower before you go too crazy."

"Hm?"

He nodded to her shirt and Eden glanced down.

“Oh. Right.” She still looked like a crime scene. She looked up at him again, sheepishly. "Sorry."

He shrugged, unbothered. "Don't be sorry. I’m just not huge a fan of blood in my fudge.”

"That's fair," Eden giggled, grateful for the ease that came from talking to him. She looked at her shirt again, grimaced, and pulled at the bloodied fabric. “I should probably go do that now actually...”

“I'll get out of your hair then," Red Hood said pushing himself away from the counter. "Try not to get your stitches wet if you can help it.” Then he stopped and turned as if remembering something. Eden waited until he finally decided to speak. “You seem to be able to hold yourself up now.”

Suddenly, remembering the role she was meant to be playing, her body self-corrected and started to droop to one side. Eden corrected that self-correction by dramatically shifting her weight to the other side then back again — like she was testing her balance in a very, very bizarre way.

“Yeah," she said standing upright again. "I’m not as dizzy as I was before.” Which was not untrue. She’d been extremely dizzy when he'd first found her and wasn’t at all now, so, technically, not a lie. “But I’ll sit down if it gets bad again. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right?”

Red Hood nodded slowly, not saying anything. He slung the black medical bag off his shoulder and put it on the table next to her groceries.

“I’ll leave this in case you need it," he muttered.

Eden nodded, knowing she wouldn’t, then walked him to the window. “Thanks, Mr. Hood. I’ll try to replace whatever I use." She smiled. "I don’t suppose you could give me a rough ballpark on when you might come back?” 

“What,” he teased climbing back onto her fire escape, “miss me already?”

“No,” she said too quickly. “Of course not. Don’t be dumb. I’m asking for the, uh, timeline. For… fudge. Purposes. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” he repeated, kneeling in front of her window.

Eden’s cheeks grew warmer and she looked away. “Anyway," she mumbled. "I’m home by 7 most nights. But Sunday or Monday night would work best for me.”

“Alright, I’ll try to shoot for one of those.” Red Hood glanced over his shoulder and down the street. “I really should go now, Cookie Girl.” He stood from the window and pulled out his grappling hook. “Try not to do anything too stupid while I’m gone.”

“Yeah, I’ll do my best,” she scoffed. “Try not to do anything too crazy before you come back." 

He snorted. “I’ll do my best.”

Eden smiled, becoming more sincere. "I'll see you later then, Mr. Hood."

"Yeah. See you later, Cookie Girl." 

He jumped off the fire escape and Eden leaned out her window to watch him soar across the street. He passed several buildings before landing on a rooftop, where he paused for a moment.

He looked back at her and Eden jerked in surprise, nearly smacking her head against the glass. She sent him a small, shy wave, embarrassed at having been caught watching him go, and Red Hood returned it with a raise of his hand. It looked like he might be shaking his head, too.

Eden quickly ducked back inside and shut and locked her window. She spun around and leaned against it, trying to calm her beating heart and fiery face.

She was already being stupid, it seemed. She really had no reason to be so embarrassed! People watch other people leave their houses all the time! Eden had stood out on the front porch plenty of times back home to watch folks go — sometimes with a smile and a wave, sometimes with a scowl and a rifle in her arms. So how was watching Red Hood go any different? She shook her head and sighed.

That sigh acted as a signal and started a chain reaction.

With nobody else around, her body freely began to set off all kinds of alarms. It had saved her from another encore, yes; and now it demanded its due. She was tired, starved, and just flat out weak from her body's efforts to keep her alive. 

The sudden wave of exhaustion nearly brought her to the floor. “Okay,” she mumbled, forcing herself to stand up straight. “Food, then shower, then sleep. Then everything ’ll be better,” she promised.

She stagged back to the table to take care of her groceries. Aside from a few cracked eggs, everything was still intact and, considering the adventurous night she’d had, Eden counted that as a victory.

She could have turned on the stove and heated up some leftovers. She wasn’t so hungry that she was just grabbing anything and shoving it into her mouth. But sleep's siren call was loud and clear, and Eden was eager for bed, so she ate her food cold standing over the sink. The casserole dish was empty before her stomach was full, but it would suffice until morning. 

When she turned on the bathroom light and saw her reflection, she froze. Is this what she'd looked like all night? No wonder Red Hood had been so concerned! She looked like she’d caught the red death and was bleeding from every pore! Her shirt was completely soaked through, which she’d already known, but some of the blood had also seeped into her coat and even her pants.

She took a step closer to the mirror. “Holy heck…” Red Hood agreeing to see her again was nothing short of a miracle.

The blood had completely stained the skin around her neck and chest. Only the space around her stitches was clean. The top of her hair was wild and windswept while the bottom half was damp and matted with blood. Her cheeks grew warm as some silly part of her lamented over Red Hood seeing her so gross and uncouth. She tried to fix her hair – as if doing so now would somehow change how she’d looked before – but gave up shortly after beginning. 

She turned on the shower and peeled the wet, sticky clothing from her body. Stepping into the hot water, the leftover strain in her muscles eased further, making it harder to keep herself upright. Using her nails, she picked at the adhesive part of the band-aid Red Hood had, half-jokingly, stuck to her palm before bringing her home. The cut, little more than a paper cut now, stung as soap suds and shampoo found their way into the tiny cracks of her skin.

At first, she tried to keep her stitches dry like Red Hood had told her, but gave up quickly. She was too tired for all that. And whatever consequences there were for a normal person wetting their stitches, it likely wouldn’t affect Eden much. Besides, the constant stream of warm water on her neck felt amazing. At least until washed-out conditioner seeped into her stitches. Then Eden regretted everything.

When she got out, she rubbed the mirror clean of fog to inspect her neck. It was just as she’d predicted.

Though red with irritation, the cut no longer reached down to her collarbone and the once deep gash in the crook of her neck was now but a shallow slice. By the time she woke up tomorrow, she doubted there would be anything left of the wound at all. The stitches had been, as she'd known, completely unnecessary. And now she was stuck with them. And would soon have no slice, no cut, nor wound to justify their existence. Great.

Turning out the light, she took a long breath. Hopefully, her body would make short work of the stitches and they would dissolve quickly. But until then, she would just have to keep her neck covered.

---

When she finally crawled into bed, Eden snuggled into her covers and replayed the night in her mind. For as much agony as his stitches had – and would – put her through, Red Hood had transformed her awful, lonely night into something warm and wonderful. And now, she even had something to look forward to. As she drifted off to sleep, Eden found herself smiling. Maybe, somewhere in this big, dangerous city, Red Hood was smiling, too.

She giggled softly at the thought, hoping that maybe – just maybe – he was eager to see her again, too.

Chapter 7

Kinda short this time but I hope it was still a nice read!

As always, even the tiniest feedback is loved and appreciated 🥰💕

[gamergirl929]

You’re No One’s Shadow (Alex Morgan x Sister!Reader)

Anonymous Request: An Alex Morgan or I guess it could be the whole team but reader is her little sister and is just tired of like living in her shadow? Love ur imagines

Alex Morgan.  

Alex Morgan this.  

Alex Morgan that.  

Alex Morgan’s little sister, that’s what the world knew you as, the younger of the Morgan sisters, the sister who still had to prove herself...  

The sister that had always been Alex Morgan’s shadow, the sister that would always BE Alex Morgan’s shadow.  

“Hey little Morgan.” You feel a nudge, forcing a smile as you turn to Kelley, the defender grinning.  

“Hey Kel.”  

You can’t help but smile when the defender slips an arm around you, pulling you against her side.  

“What’s wrong kid?” She asks and you shrug, watching your sister on field, the ball at her feet.  

“It’s hard.” You whisper, the defender’s eyes darting from you, to Alex and back.  

“Being a Morgan?” She asks and you nod, glancing down at your bright pink cleated feet.  

“I just want to do my best, but I’ll never be Alex Morgan.” You whisper and Kelley frowns, pulling you closer.  

“You don’t need to be Alex Morgan, you just need to be the best Y/N Morgan that you can be.” She smiles and you shrug, tears prickling at the corners of your eyes.  

“I know... I just...” You shrug, watching as Alex sinks a goal into the back of the net, the fans screaming.  

“How can I live up to the Morgan name with Alex Morgan as my sister?”  

                                                           ***

Again, you were on the bench, another game going on before you.  

You wondered if Vlatko really questioned your abilities so much that instead of being Y/N Morgan, little sister to Alex Morgan, you were Y/N Morgan little sister of Alex Morgan who never left the bench.  

You sigh sadly, your head hanging.  

“Kel told us what you said...” You glance up, eyes wide when Christen Press takes a seat beside you, Tobin on the other, the two just having being subbed off for the second half.  

Your bottom lip juts out, the two women patting your back gently.  

“You know you’re not just Alex’s little sister.” Christen says softly and you shake your head.  

“I am, it’s just now I’m Alex Morgan’s little sister that rides the bench.” You mumble, glancing at Vlatko, the man out of earshot.  

“That’s not who you are...” Tobin says as she runs a hand down your back and you shrug.  

“It is... All I ever see, and hear is will Y/N be able to live up to the Morgan name, and the answer is no...”  

You watch Alex sink a ball into the back of the net, everyone cheering, clapping, except for you.  

“I’m proud of her, and I love her, and I want to be like her... But it’s hard... It’s hard being Alex Morgan’s shadow.”  

Tobin and Christen share a glance, both of them frowning, knowing that nothing they say will get through to you, but maybe someone else could.  

                                                           ***

“Looks like you need someone to talk to.” You hear a familiar voice and you swallow hard.  

You’d escaped dinner to hide on your room’s balcony, hoping that no one noticed you making your escape, but of course someone noticed.  

“What are you doing up here?” Alex says as she slips an arm around you, pulling you close.  

“Just, needed to think.”  

Alex frowns, attempting to swallow the lump in her throat. She could see it, see the toll that the Soccer world had taken on you, she could see the weight of what Kelley, Tobin and Christen had been telling her on your shoulders.  

Alex closes her eyes, blue orbs that had already began to fill with tears.  

“You’re far from my shadow Y/N...” She whispers and you abruptly turn to her, eyes wide when you see a tear rolling down her cheek.  

“D-Don’t cry.” You shake your head, bottom lip trembling at the sight of your sister’s tears.  

Alex shakes her head.  

“I love you Y/N.” She whispers as you snuggle into her.  

“I love you too Al...” You whisper, your sister tightening her hold on you.  

“I hate that I can’t control what the media says, I hate that I can’t control what the fans say, but I want YOU...” Alex pulls back, cupping your cheeks, ridding them of your tears with the pads of her thumbs. “You Y/N Morgan to know that you are NOT my shadow, you are one of the best damn forwards in the word, if they can’t see it, they’re blind, because I can.”  

Alex leans her forehead against yours.

“We’re going to prove the world wrong, together, okay?” Alex whispers and you nod, the woman tilting her head back to kiss your forehead.  

“I hope you realize this means we have to cuddle tonight.” She grins and you scoff.  

“Noooooo...” You whine, Alex grinning.  

“What happened to the little sister who loved my cuddles?” She pouts and you roll your eyes.

“She grew up.” You say, sticking your tongue out and Alex’s brow arches.  

“Oh, did she?” She asks, poking your forehead and you grumble.  

Alex watches you with a smirk as you shuffle around the woman waiting for you to cave.  

Eventually, you mumble under your breath.  

“I guess cuddles wouldn’t be too bad...”  

“You always cave.” She teases and you roll your eyes.  

“Shut up.”  

Soon after the door opens, a number of your teammates walking in the sight of the two sisters cuddling making them smile.  

“Looks like they talked it out.”  

Alex holds you close, you snuggling deeper into her chest.  

“Come on Mal, you’re rooming with us, let’s leave these two.” Tobin ruffles the girl’s hair, the forward smiling.  

Silently, they tiptoe out of the room, leaving you and Alex behind, neither of you aware of their presence, the two of you remaining fast asleep.  

                                                           ***

You jump off the bench, toes on the sidelines as Alex goes down, the Sweden player’s cleats digging into her ankle.  

“WHAT THE FUCK!” You yell, throwing your hands up, frowning when you realize Alex isn’t getting up.

“She’s not getting up!” You motion to the ref, who realizes, blowing her whistle soon after.

You knit your fingers together, placing them on the back of your head as you pace the sidelines like a caged animal, the medical team immediately surrounding your sister.  

The universal sign for a substitute is made and you swallow hard, Alex wasn’t going to be able to play.  

You turn around, jerking your vest off and marching towards Vlatko.  

“I’m going in.” You snarl, the muscle in your jaw jumping.  

Vlatko looks at you with a smile, nodding, the fans nearby cheering as you move to stand by the official, though you don’t wait to be put in, you rush to help your sister onto the side lines, the older Morgan leaning heavily on you.  

“I’m okay.” She whispers and you shake your head, turning to glare at the Swedish player who’d taken her out of the game.  

“You better be, or I’m kicking her ass.”  

Alex chuckles turning to kiss the side of your head.  

“Show then what you’re made of Y/N Morgan.” She whispers and you nod before darting back towards the official, popping your knuckles and jumping up and down on your feet.  

Kelley races by, holding her hand out.  

“Let’s go little Morgan!” She grins and you laugh, the ref blowing her whistle to let you into the game.  

You immediately rush on field, rushing to your place and giving your neck a crack, jaw set, gaze hard.  

You glance to your left, Tobin’s brown orbs on you, the forward nodding, same for on the other side, but instead of brown orbs, they’re green orbs belonging to Christen Press.  

Your eyes lock on the Swedish player in front of you and they swallow hard.  

“Yeah, you fucked up.” You mumble just as the whistle blows and the game is back on.  

                                                           ***

Even through the roar of the crowd you can hear Alex’s cheers as you tear up the field, tackling the ball from Swedish players left and right, but it’s in the 60th minute that you shine, the ball at your feet as you run down field.  

You fire an absolutely flawless cross, growling when instead of going where you wanted, a Swedish player knocks it out of bounds for a corner.  

Tobin heads to the corner, patting your back on her way by.  

You can feel it in your gut, this corner is yours, this corner is your first goal of the game, and it won’t be your last.  

The ball leaves Tobin’s foot and you see your opening, running in on goal.  

The black and yellow ball ricochets off your head and smacks into the back of the net, the fan’s leaping to their feet.  

You jump into the air, throwing a fist towards the sky as Tobin wraps her arms tightly around you.  

“YEAH!” She screams, ruffling your hair and you beam, your other teammates soon joining in on the celebration.  

“YEAH LITTLE MORGAN!” Kelley laughs as she jumps on your back and you grin.  

As you get into position, you point to Alex on the sidelines your sister grinning as she claps, her hands held high above her head.  

Her blue eyes shine as she sits back down on the bench, her grin massive.  

“You’re no one’s shadow Y/N.”  

                                                           ***

70th minute, the ball is at your feet again, fans on their feet as you race down field, towards Sweden’s goal.  

Alex is immediately on her feet, well, foot, the woman leaning heavily on Megan as she cheers. It’s a heel pass that has the crowd cheering even louder, you weaving your way closer to goal before Kelley fires the cross.  

You slide between players, your body down on the ground as you kick the ball into the net, your teammates dog piling on top of you.  

Eventually, you make it to your feet and run right towards the sidelines, throwing your arms around Alex, who holds you tight, kissing your temple.  

She cups your cheeks, leaning her forehead against yours.  

“Go get your hat trick.” She grins and you laugh, giving her another squeeze before running back on field, your sister watching proudly, tears in her eyes.  

                                                           ***

85th minute, it’s the 85th minute and everyone is gassed, Sweden, the USWNT, you, but you would be damned if you’d pass up that hat trick.  

It’s Julie Ertz this time who spots you racing down field, straight into the box, remaining onside as you do so.  

The ball, is slightly off, but leads to a goal that everyone would talk about when they mentioned Y/N Morgan.  

The ball knocks off the heel of your foot, slipping just below the goalie and into the back of the net.  

You leap to your feet, running straight to Julie and throwing your arms around her, tears in your eyes.  

“You got your hat trick.” She whispers kissing your cheek and you grin, the woman cupping your cheeks.  

“I think there’s someone who would like to celebrate with you though.” She winks and you immediately dart to the sidelines, throwing your arms around Alex, the woman’s cheeks lined with tear tracks as she pulls you close.  

“I’m so, so proud of you Y/N Morgan.” She kisses your cheek and you sniffle hiding your face in her neck.

“My baby sister just got a hat-trick.” She laughs, kissing the side of your head.  

You eventually pull back, Alex’s ridding your cheeks of tears before you make your way back out onto the field, wiping your tears away with the back of your hand.  

The whistle blows, signaling the end of the game not long after and again, you’re back in your sister’s arms, the woman not relinquishing her hold on you as camera’s flash, catching the moment between the two of you.  

You pull back, your older sister cupping your cheeks.  

“I’m so proud of you.” She whispers, kissing your forehead, tears streaming down her own cheeks. “I told you...” She whispers, leaning her forehead against yours. “You Y/N are no one’s shadow... Not even mine.”  

“Excuse me, mind if I get a word ladies?” A reporter asks and you turn to Alex, the woman grinning.  

“Of course, but Y/N is the real star of the game here.” Alex ruffles your hair and you grin, cheeks flushed.  

“What did you think of Y/N’s performance today?” The woman asks Alex, who grins.  

“I think she did amazing, she was the real MVP of the game...” Alex smiles at you proudly and you grin.  

“So, Y/N, a hat-trick, your first, how does that make you feel?” The reporter asks and your grin impossibly widens.  

“It’s unbelievable, I mean I couldn’t be any happier, and having Alex there to see it, it was just... Amazing.” You chuckle, your sister ducking to kiss the top of your head.  

“I’d be remissed to mention the fact that many refer to you as Alex Morgan’s little sister, what would you say to those people?”  

You turn to Alex, your older sister taking a step towards the reporter but her full attention is turned to the camera.  

“Y/N Morgan isn’t just my little sister, she’s one of the best players in the world, she’s Alex Morgan’s little sister, Y/N Morgan, one of the best forwards in the world, and eventually when I’ve retired, she’ll be the only Morgan that matters.”  

You bottom lip quivers as you throw your arms around Alex’s neck, the woman grinning.  

“Thank you for your time.” The reporter nods, though the camera stays on the two of you, the embracing sister’s that would become the talk of the game.

Y/N Morgan was the focal point of the conversation.

Y/N Morgan, not Alex Morgan’s little sister, but Y/N Morgan the woman who scored a hat trick in the second half of the game against Sweden.  

Y/N Morgan who was FAR from Alex Morgan’s shadow.  

[tagsecretsanta]

From @neuroticphysiologist

To @i-am-chidorixblossom

Secret santa does not own this work, full credit to author above!

With Brains busy with his project, Virgil volunteers to help John with the maintenance for  Thunderbird 5. 

Prompts: 

*Virgil spending time in Thunderbird 5 with John 

*Virgil looking after his brothers and them returning the favour when he needs it *Winter/snowy vacation with the Tracy boys 

********************************************************************************************** 

Virgil came down to Brains' lab to see what's up. 

"Hey, Brains." 

"Hello, Virgil." 

"Anything I can do to help?" 

"N-none, I'm afraid. But when I get to w-work on the new Zero X, I'll call you." "Okay, sure." 

He looked around the lab. It was quite organized; files piled up and tools all placed on  the desk. He stared at his calendar. 

"Well, it seems like you have something important to do." 

"Oh, this?" Brains was referring to his current task. "Y-yes, it's very important." "No, I meant the annual maintenance for Thunderbird 5. It's on your calendar, Brains." "Oh, d-dear," he checked his calendar. "I should be working with John by now. T-thank  you for reminding me, Virgil." 

But Brains said he's completely in focus with his project. If he leaves now, the invention  would go critical. 

He has been so busy since they found out about what happened to Jeff. He proceeded  to work on the new Zero X, and he's also working on something to free the Mechanic  from the Hood's control. The said second project is one of his most difficult tasks to do, and he‟s still not done yet. He was making sure that the Mechanic won't get hurt. It took  him several tries but he failed. But he always knew that he's almost there. 

The new Zero X requires a lot of parts, but Brains and MAX cannot do it themselves.  The rest of the family comes down to help from time to time. Virgil also serves his  favorite brand of coffee to him; it's something to accompany him with his work.

But sometimes, poor Brains needs to have a break, but working on something scientific  and logical keeps him going. 

"M-MAX will be a great help for John, but I c-couldn't send him alone without my help." Virgil is concerned about Brains, so he spoke up. "I'll do it. I'll head to Thunderbird 5 and  help John with the maintenance." 

Brains sighed. "Thank you, Virgil." 

"But I think I'm gonna need the checklist for it." 

"Of c-course. Hold on." 

Virgil knew the spare parts Thunderbird 5 needs to maintain its functionality. He sends  them via space elevator. But being there with John, he will encounter doing the annual  maintenance for the first time. 

Brains moved his chair to the drawers to find the folder. Unfortunately, he didn't have a  soft copy for the checklist, but anyways, he passed the hard copy to Virgil. "John has an  extra copy, so if you n-need to review the ch-checklist before proceeding to Thunderbird  5, you've g-got that." 

"Thanks, Brains." 

Virgil headed to the lounge to talk to John. 

"What is it, Virgil?" 

"Hey John, I'm coming up there to help you with the maintenance for Thunderbird 5." "Thanks. Is Brains up for the job too?" 

"No, that's why I volunteered to help you. He's been so busy lately." "I see." 

"Can I use the space elevator, John?" 

"It's quite risky to use it, since my last mission with a rogue ship was a mess and it  almost broke a few of the space elevator's minor parts." 

"Brains was almost angry at you." 

"Yeah," John nodded. 

"You've been so impulsive at the time." 

"I had no choice. Alan got his hands full and I'm the only one who can help. Well,  speaking of Alan, you can wait for him to take you here. He's almost done." "Sure. I'll just review the checklist Brains gave me." 

"Take your time," John closed the call, and then proceeded to notify Alan. "Oh, hey, John!" 

"Virgil is planning to come up to Thunderbird 5 to help me with the maintenance." "What about Brains?" 

"He's busy at the moment. Virgil needs a pick up."

"FAB. Heading to Earth's orbit now." 

Virgil heard Thunderbird 3's engines, and when it landed on the launch pad, he brought  the checklist, geared up, and proceeded to join Alan. Thunderbird 3 launched again and  docked to Thunderbird 5. 

"Here we are, Virg. Wish you luck." 

"What for?" 

"Checking the external is probably the hardest of them all, but you'll get there." "Thanks, Alan." 

"No problem." 

******* 

Virgil brought the folder and entered Thunderbird 5. He heard John talking to Alan  through the comms. 

"Unfortunately, Alan, we have a situation." 

Alan's sigh was heard. "And what's that?" 

"Satellite in uncontrollable spin," John explained the details. "But I'll know you'll finish it  fast." 

"Okay, John, Tell the crew I'm on my way." 

When Virgil heard Thunderbird 3 leave the dock, he started floating to meet his brother. "John? I have the... whoa!" 

John went to the corridor to meet Virgil, who's currently seen floating upside down. "You  got an extra copy from Brains." 

"Yeah. There's a lot of work to do." 

John grabbed his arm to get him right side up. "I hope you'll get used to it, Virgil." "I'll get it, John. First time I've been here, I sent you half a dozen of chocolate cream  bagels. I wanted to send it to you personally because I left an important note." "From Virgil, with love?" 

"Not only that." 

"Yeah, I read the rest of it." 

Virgil opened the folder for a brief review. "So, where do we start?" "We're going for a spacewalk. We'll check the externals first before we head in here.  Alan, EOS, and I repaired the space elevator yesterday and right now it still needs  rechecking to see if it works perfectly." 

"Alright then." 

"Free float for a while, I'm almost done plugging the wires." 

"I'll help you."

******* 

"By the way, Alan reminded me of checking the externals." 

"Let me guess, difficult?" John glanced at his brother. 

"That's what he said." 

"Yes, it is, but today, we won't be long. I've started the maintenance two days ago,  pretty early because we weren't so busy, so just in case, I proceeded right away. Brains  and MAX helped me on the first day, then Alan and EOS on the next day." Five is the biggest of all the Thunderbirds; it takes a long time to do the general  maintenance, so it's checked annually. Some parts are checked if there are problems. It  is made sure if all the systems are functioning properly. 

John closed the control panel. 

"We'll get back to the processors later. Let's go, Virgil?" 

******* 

They hooked themselves near the airlock when they were outside. As Virgil observed,  everything is almost complete. The solar panels are in the right place, the gravity ring is  spinning normally. He remembered what he reviewed. Then he floated to the underside  to check the hidden control panels. John was in the opposite side to check the  maintenance hatch. They moved on to the next tasks when they switched places. It took  them about an hour and a half. Then they were back together when they reached the  space elevator. 

"Hey, John," Virgil started conversing. 

"What is it, Virgil?" 

"I was thinking if we could go out in the snow this year. Gordon and Alan were asking  me." 

"I think so. I don't usually like going out in the snow, but if the whole family will agree,  that's fine with me." 

Virgil climbed up to see his brother. "I miss it, John. Last time we went out, it was like  three Christmases ago." 

"Yeah, I remember. Was it because Gordon and Alan miss having snowball fights?" Virgil chuckled. "I guess so." 

"That would be a great idea, Virgil." 

They talked about their previous Christmases on Tracy Island. Decorating days were a  mess. Those include wrapping someone with a tinsel, ribbons, or gift wrappers and  tossing the Christmas balls and they end up being broken. The two youngest were the  hosts of that. There's also the time when Virgil borrowed John's digital single lens 

camera and rainbow colored Christmas lights from the box for an experimental photo shoot. He asked Kayo to be the first model and it went perfectly. 

Almost everyone helped Grandma when it comes to cooking. It was a good feast for the  family. Exchange gifts were also present in the tradition, and singing a few Christmas  songs. 

Last time they went out for Christmas, they went to Switzerland. They stayed for four  days and three nights in a hotel. They went snowboarding and built a snowman on the  first day, skiing and snowball fights on the second day, and snowshoe hiking and getting  warm inside the ski resort on the third day. It was the best. 

In the ski resort, the family met a South Korean tour guide, who stayed in Switzerland  for his job. He assisted them for the skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing equipment.  He was happy seeing them enjoy themselves with snow sports, not to mention the  bragging of the "maknae line", as he called it. When it comes to snowboarding, Mr.  Scott the Showoff and Alan the Awesome at Agility were the coolest at that. There's  also Kayo the Freestyle Skier. Gordon wanted to show his best too, but snow sports  didn't like him so much. 

Virgil was the best at making snow sculptures. He built around five unique ones. They  would've been good for display, but a crazy antic from the tinies ruined one of the  sculptures. They escaped from the big V with a sled. 

John always kept warm in the chalet, along with Grandma and Brains, the two youngest  were always up for a snowball fight, and Kayo was the lead at snowshoe hiking. 

Virgil wished they could go out in the snow again, after reflecting about those memories. 

"It's the 7th of December," he said. "We should plan it somehow." 

"Let's hope that we're all gathered together this week to talk about it." 

They were done checking the space elevator. They tested it when they went inside  Thunderbird 5. It worked perfectly. 

"All done," John noted. "Let's head to the processors." 

The maintenance was almost done, but Virgil wanted to talk more with John. It's been a  long time they haven't had pretty long conversations that were about outside the rescue  business. He thought about what he wanted to say to him.

When they started checking, he stared at his little brother. He always wanted to tell him  about his habits. John looked so tired. He looked paler, slimmer, and his bags under his  eyes looked pretty obvious. He was on duty for six consecutive days with little hours to  rest. 

"How long did you rest your eyes, John?" 

"Four hours. Why are you asking?" 

"I'm sorry, John, it's just, look at you. Grandma is so gonna send you back to Tracy  Island." 

John sighed. Yeah, he's right. "I'm sorry, Virgil." 

"We're not so busy after all. After the maintenance, we're going back to Earth together,  alright?" 

He just nodded in response. 

It was like, „here we go again, now faced with the other smother hen of the Tracy  brothers‟. Virgil always had to be sure that his brothers are okay. He would simply ask  with a pat on the shoulder. If one of his brothers is not in a good state, physically, he‟ll  take him to the bedroom (or to the infirmary if it‟s serious) to give the best treatment.  Emotionally, he would give a big hug. His hugs are the best. 

He helped Alan with some lessons that confused him. He also helped a stressed out  Scott to keep him calm. For Gordon, well, he has always been by his side. And John,  he'll help him with his work, such as the repairs in Thunderbird 5. 

But who takes care of Virgil when he's not okay? 

At times, stubborn Virgil hides his pain. He also hides in his room to let out his sadness.  When one of his brothers notices him, he would feel the same. They have returned the  favor. 

He remembered the time he faced one of the hardest decisions in his life. He was  offered a scholarship from a prestigious university because of his remarkable musical  talent. It's a great opportunity, but he was having second thoughts. He had International  Rescue business to handle, and he had to take care of his family. It took him days to  decide, until he finally chose to reject the scholarship offer. When he went back home,  he had regrets. If he chose to accept the offer, his family will still support him, of course.  He was stressing himself out even though he had made his choice. He was thinking that  he did something wrong. He wouldn't have the opportunity back. He sat down next to  the grand piano and nodded. When Scott came in to hug him, he couldn't help but cry.  Then his brothers followed. It was hard to set aside the musical career he wished to 

pursue ever since he was little. It would've been a dedication to his mother. But it  wouldn't upset her, right? If he rejected the offer just to help his family first? 

Oh, man. Even today, it still hurts him. But he knows he'll get there. He'll achieve his  dream of becoming a concert pianist someday. 

The moment was all in his mind while replacing the CPUs. He slowed down his actions  and John noticed him. 

“Are you okay, Virgil?” 

He went back in focus and again and quickly closed the board. “Oh, I‟m fine, John.  Nothing to worry about.” 

“Are you sure? Because you looked a bit upset.” 

“It‟s nothing.” 

“Here you go again, Virgil. Earlier, you were concerned about me because I wasn‟t  taking care of myself. At least I was honest about why. And you, you‟ve been hiding  again.” He stopped his work to talk to his brother. “What was it that bothered you?” Virgil sighed. “Remember the time I told Scott about the scholarship I declined?” “Yeah?” 

“That‟s what I was thinking. Still hurts me, though.” 

Yep, John had to get back home to see him. Seeing Scott comforting a sobbing Virgil  who was having regrets about rejecting a wonderful offer that would help him in his  musical career sure was painful to the heart. John always loved his big brother‟s  playing. He sits down and watches him play, and sometimes, he would accompany him  with his trumpet. He rarely plays the instrument. He enjoys it more when Virgil is there  to play with him. 

John puts his hand on his brother‟s shoulder. “I was sad about that too, wondering why  you did that. But I know you‟ll get to it.” 

“Thanks, bro. I always keep that in mind.” 

******* 

“We‟re all done here,” John picked up the tools. “Thank you, Virgil.” “No problem. Remember, we‟re going home together.” 

“Of course. Let me have a word with EOS first.” 

“Yeah, sure.” 

Virgil continued picking up the tools used to repair the processors. Minutes later, John  did a quick fix on EOS‟ systems and now he‟s ready to join his brother.

They rode on the space elevator and headed to their quarters to switch to their  comfortable clothes. But John, he took a shower first. Later on, he headed to the kitchen  to grab something to eat, a little more than his usual appetite while in space. Meanwhile,  Virgil talked to Grandma about John staying at home for a few days. When International  Rescue gets busy, then it‟s time for John to get back to work. 

John went back to his bedroom after having small talks with his brothers. He noticed  that the bed sheets were changed and the comforter was placed neatly. “Grandma changed that for you,” he heard Virgil. 

“I‟ll send her a personal thank you tomorrow,” John lied down and tucked himself in. “I‟ll turn off your alarm clock,” Virgil approached to the bedside table. “Virgil, that‟s already broken two months ago.” 

Virgil checked the alarm clock. The second hand was missing and the battery was  drained. 

“I didn‟t bother to fix it,” John explained. 

“Your phone?” 

“No alarm set in there.” 

“Alright. It‟s just that you need to get some sleep.” 

Virgil walked to the door. 

“Virgil?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Thank you, for today.” 

“Always happy to help, little brother. And… thank you too. We haven‟t had a pretty long  talk together, and it was nice to spend the time with you.” 

“You‟re welcome.” 

Virgil turned off the light. “Good night, John.” 

“Good night, Virgil.” 

-end-

[blazehedgehog]

Hey Blaze, what are your thoughts on the Sonic Storybook gameplay formula, both in concept and execution? If they were to reapproach this gameplay style, how do you think they should go about it? (Btw, I know you've stated you don't really remember the Storybook games' stories and don't really think Shiro Maekawa is a good writer. However, I highly recommend rewatching SatBK's cutscenes because Sonic's personality and philosophy really shine through and SatBK is among the best Sonic stories imo)

I don’t mind the way Secret Rings plays. Like I guess it’s the sort of thing where modern 3D Sonic is this weird half step where it doesn’t give you enough control.

But Secret Rings says, “No, the entire game is literally on rails and all the gameplay is based around the fact you’re running non-stop.” The worst levels in the game (Levitated Ruin, for example) are ones where they actually do force you to stop and lock you in a room with enemies or whatever, because maneuvering in that space is extremely awkward.

Obviously, I don’t like the grindy gameplay of Secret Rings, to be clear. Having replay each stage 10-20+ times doing different objectives and filling up an EXP meter sucks. Maybe if the objectives were better, but the classic example is “Break all the pots!” followed directly by “Don’t break any pots!” Just the cheapest, easiest, fastest-to-implement stuff they could think of, because they had a small budget and very little time.

I’ve often thought Secret Rings would probably work really well if they ported it to Android and iOS. Mobile platforms are getting powerful enough now that you can probably run that game just fine on the average phone or tablet, and they support gyro so you could have all of the tilt and thrust stuff, too. Different d-pad abilities could be mapped to swipe gestures real easily (swipe up for time break, down for speed break, tap to jump, etc.). It’d work very well, in my opinion. One of the things that’s annoyed me about Sonic Dash is that it actually didn’t inherit more from Secret Rings.

I don’t like Black Knight’s gameplay. The sword play is absolutely pointless and the whole game has a vibe to it that doesn’t feel very Sonic-y. They got all these American musicians to contribute music, so the tone of the soundtrack is super weird, they got rid of or changed a bunch of common Sonic items like rings, and the art style is this very odd generic fantasy setting with extremely forgettable orcs and stuff. It’s a game that makes me wonder why Sonic has to be in it at all. Feels like it would be better suited to having an original character and was just using Sonic to bank on brand recognition.

The story to Secret Rings is very unmemorable to me (partially because I never finished it) but I do remember the plot for Black Knight pretty clearly because it’s so weird and it takes such a turn. I actually kind of enjoy Black Knight’s story, because for the first 75% it feels like a very standard “Sonic fights the big bad and saves the world” plot, but then the final chapter twist goes unexpectedly dark and suddenly you’re in The Never Ending Story.

That’s the kind of stuff I like. Like a Kirby game, right, where 99% of the game is this bright, cheery thing, with cute characters just having fun.

But then you get to the final boss and it’s something legitimately kind of scary. The normally innocuous cutesy game suddenly has a credible threat, this moment of having to get serious and stop playing around because you were secretly fighting for something that was real and deserves to be protected. It gives weight to the cutesy stuff earlier on. That’s rad, to me, and Black Knight’s story kind of taps in to that energy a little.

[loadet851]

Pc Games With Character Creation Offline

Games With Character Customization Pc

Steam Games With Character Creation

One of the things I love most in a RPG (Role-Playing Game) is the possibility of creating my own character with tons of different options and add-ons. I made a research yesterday and found some interesting PC Games I already knew about, adding them to the titles I have or plan to get with the best Character Customization. I’m going to list them here for you guys also attaching a few videos so that you can see directly how they work and what kind of possibilities they offer.

It’s the main reason I enjoy games like Skyrim and Fallout. But there seem to be so few good (single player) games with decent character creation - and not just picking from a few presets. The character creation in Dragon Age: inquisition was amazing (although I struggled to enjoy the game) as well as Saints Row (which I really enjoyed). Addicting Offline Co-op Games For PC You’ll Want To Play. Dennis Patrick / Features / Best Co-op PC Games, Co-op, Cooperative. Sonic the Hedgehog is a staple video game character. Best MMORPG with Character Creation. Final Fantasy 14 has one of the most complex and sophisticated character editors. In this game, you can change the smallest details using different sliders, pick a unique voice, or add unique tattoos, accessories and facial paint. What Are Best RPGs With Character Creation? Role-playing games let us live out some of our greatest fantasies like slaying dragons, saving the world and owning a house. Whether your main character is dead, alive, or somewhere in between, these games will let you adjust your appearance and abilities to however you see fit. I've always loved games that give you the option to create your character before you start in the world. I enjoy the game even more when it has role playing or social aspects added to it, allowing you interact with NPCs, or other players if the game has a multiplayer feature. Just character creation would interest me enough to check any game out.

Follow me under the cut if you’re curious!

I’ve been introduced to this type of creation with a game I still keep in my heart and consider one of the best of all times; The Sims 2. Seriously, I’ve created so many 3D characters that if I could win an award I’d have 200 on my shelf by now.

With that said, here you are my personal list of PC games with their awesome customization in no particular order:

I tried this game myself (the free beta that is) a few times in the past and I swear the CC included in it is currently one of my favorite. Without the complete pack I probably didn’t have a lot of additional options available in terms of clothes, makeup and hair, but what truly mesmerized me at the time was the shaping tool, not yet common in games when they released EVE. You can grab and drag different parts of the head and body, modeling unique characters every time.

2. Black Desert Online

This game has been released recently with two different packages and it seems to be quite a popular MMORPG (Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) in Russia and Korea. I’m not surprised considering the quality this game seems to have and its customization is clearly no less. Just like EVE Online, Black Desert offers a good sculpt instrument to shape faces and bodies as much as you like, plus a beautiful variety of colors and combinations.

UPDATE: The game is also available on Steam!

This patch lets you play Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks with mostly non-touch based controls. The new control bindings are Control Bindings: D-Pad=Run Y+Dpad=Walk B=Wide slash B+Dpad=Long slash Y+B=Spin Attack A=Interact A+Dpad=Roll. Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks D-Pad Patch This patch implements non-touchscreen controls for essential actions in Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks. Legend of zelda spirit tracks xenophobia patched rom.

3. Blade&Soul

This is another Asian MMORPG with the classical ‘Anime’ style, you cannot freely reshape the character’s structure, only pick one of the available presets and play around with the sliders to modify the whole body. Andy mckinney molly hatchet. Still, I honestly like the bright colors, the races/classes and the fact that you can actually recreate other existing characters using additional content (just like this guy did with Cloud from Final Fantasy VII).

4. BLESS Online

Yes, another Asian online title. Hey, it’s not my fault if they look so pretty! Bless is quite recent and not yet released in its final stage, but judging by how the CC works you have as much freedom as in EVE or Black Desert and the same unmistakable Fantasy touch.

5. The Sims 4

Didn’t I mention The Sims 2? Well, looks like the latest title in the series has improved quite a lot in this area. The shaping/sculpting method is here as well, considering that we finally have more possibilities I certainly won’t complain!

Note: In this video I can see the woman has a few mods installed. If you decide to get this game (or even the previous chapters) I definitely suggest you to do the same if you don’t like the default character design.

6. Fallout 4

Another recent (and quite famous) game. Apparently you can only work on the face here, but once again we see the sculpt tool in action. Even if the hair options are a bit limited you can still customize your character and create unique features playing around with your cursor.

7. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Who knows me is well aware of the fact that I am completely OBSESSED with this game, thus I couldn’t really leave it out. The hair options are definitely questionable and just like in Fallout 4 you do not have any body morph nor slider to alter, but as you can see from this video example you are still able to personalize your Inquisitor in a good way, also using real people or other characters as reference. To be honest I like some of the default presets too, if you don’t like spending two hours working on a face (I do that all the time, but I am a basket case so please ignore my madness :P), you can pick those and get a good result nonetheless.

And don’t forget about mods! 😉

8. Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls V)

This one has been around for a very long time and it remains probably the top 1 Fantasy game out there. If you’re not into mods at all and want to keep your game vanilla be sure that the overall quality is not as improved as the current generation, you can see that from the low-res hair and general textures. The reason why I’m including this CC in the list anyway is because even if old, Skyrim looks quite good compared to other games where you only get 3/4 slider options.

9. APB Reloaded

The last game I’d like to mention (and I literally just discovered it) is this not so new title which has a kick-ass Character Creator. Not only it shows some quality graphics there, but the level of customization is unbelievable! You can make hair shorter, beards longer, create beautiful tattoos (and place or rotate them wherever you want!), add patterns to clothes and even get your personal car! 😀

Chose one serial + PILIH Salah satu WORKING 99% per 13 Januari 2013 1330-1971-4830-1762 1330-1912-2628-0850-0232-4869 1330-1148-0472-2735-6555-0617 1330-1544-4195-8131-3034-5634 1330-1886-0283-4688-9152-2034 1330-1118-3174-6558-8260-5378 OR 1330-1971-4830-5668-6067-1762 1330-1912-2628-0850-0 232-4869 1330-1148-0472-2735-6555-0617 1330-1544-4195-8131. The serial number for Adobe is available. This release was created for you, eager to use Adobe Cs6 master collection full and without limitations. Our intentions are not to harm Adobe software company but to give the possibility to those who can not pay for any piece of software out there. Adobe cs6 master collection activation key wondershare.

There are of course many other games with a Character Creator, but they all seem pretty similar or not good enough to be mentioned in my list.

What do you think about these? Let me know with a comment if you like!

Those late-night multiplayer sessions can be really fun sometimes. Surely, everything is better with friends, they say and you’ll agree with that at some point. However, after a long day of work and studying, I like to relax with offline games. Sometimes, it’s satisfying to let yourself indulge in a great single-player story and forget about any problems bothering you. So, if you are like me, then welcome to the club! Below is my list of 20 best offline games for PC and I hope you’ll enjoy them.

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

W2k16 pc download. Well, you’ve guessed it! The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes first place on the list with its epic setting, characters, gameplay, and those breathtaking visuals! It’s a compelling game that will offer you more than a hundred hours of non-filler gameplay, and there’s always something to explore. The game looks amazing, and the combat system is great. This open-world title is everything you need on your free days! Combine that with the great RPG elements and fun dialogues with NPCs, and you got yourself a pretty good offline game! Go and play it now, it’s a must-play.

2. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Wolfenstein series has been once again revived with Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. The positive reviews flashed all around the globe, and this game quickly became one of the best shooting games of 2017. B.J Blazkowicz is such a badass protagonist and the characters surrounding the game are interesting. You’ll quickly start to care about each and every one of them, making this game a worthy offline title. Bethesda said that they won’t be focusing on multiplayer, so they can bring an immersive single-player experience. Well, you nailed it, Bethesda; great job!

3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda is one of my favorite companies when it comes to gaming, at least they were a few years back. A few years back, this masterpiece called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released and it took the Earth by storm! This offline open-world title offers hundreds of hours of exploration and you’ll probably never get bored of it! The combat system might be dated, but it’s damn fun to play and explore every corner of the game. After six years since its release, I’m still eager to give Skyrim another go. It’s that great!

4. Fallout 4

Games With Character Customization Pc

Fallout 4 is one of those top offline games that you either like or dislike. It’s a great single-player experience, as you explore a huge world of fictional city Commonwealth. I mean, the story here is scattered here and there, and our protagonist is in search of his abducted son. However, the game often steers away from that and let you have some freedom and exploration. It’s a fantastic reboot of the series, and it’s surely the best game in the franchise. If you are up for that Stalker-ish feeling, then give this a try!

5. Hitman (2016)

Hitman isn’t a strictly offline game, but I included it because it has a great single-player campaign. While the previous entry in the series Hitman: Absolution relied more on linear, claustrophobic, and confined experience, Hitman (2016) went in a different direction. Here, you’ll experience a vast, open-world with lots of stuff to do. The levels are not that numerous, but they are as big as hell! You can complete your missions in various ways and earn certain rewards and points for doing so. Hitman is a challenging stealth experience, but once Agent 47crawls under your skin, there’s no going back!

Steam Games With Character Creation

6. Nioh

Nioh is a less-known offline game released this year, and I feel like this game is very underrated. It’s a child of Dark Souls and Bloodborne series, which can tell you much about this game. It has a single, crushing, and unforgiving difficulty that will leave you begging for mercy. It’s hard, and you’ll need some blazing fast reflexes and huge gaming skills to finish it. There are more than twenty bosses in the game, and every single boss will kick your ass! Don’t expect to finish this game in a few days; you’ll need weeks to finish it and it will be painfully slow as the bosses shame you every little time… you helpless gamer!

7. Nier: Automata

Another underrated game – Nier: Automata. How could the gaming community overlook this game? Are you blind, or what? This game offers thirty hours of a pure, refined, and amazing experience! It’s a hack-and-slash title that mergers several genres with it. The open world in this game is huge, and the post-apocalyptic environment looks depressing and feels like a void. Nier also introduces RPG elements so you can now level yourself up, upgrade weapons, buy stuff, etc. On top of that, there are some 2D sections that feel like a great platformer, and that’ very unique! Nier: Automata is better than most AAA titles and costs double the less of that price, which is one more reason to get it.

8. Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls series got a fantastic reboot with Dark Souls 3. Just if it wasn’t enough for the previous games in the series, and now we got this punishing game. What can I say? Prepare to die a LOT in this game, as it’s created to kill you. I’m not joking, the whole game is against you, and you can’t do anything about that except fight like a lunatic. Even when you die, the enemies around you respawn and you must fight again and again, which is really frustrating. However, if you have the balls to play it, and manage to finish it, then you deserve a medal, Sir!

9. Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite is the newest installment in the Bioshock series. This cheap game can give you a huge value for your buck, especially when the Holidays come. I mean, for just a couple of bucks, you can get a fantastic FPS game, which campaign isn’t short and definitely isn’t boring! Bioshock Infinite continues its tradition with great shooting mechanics, various powerups, and that fast-paced shooting in a beautiful environment of the game. Get ready to cause mayhem!

10. Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation is that PC offline game that will haunt your dreams every time you try to sleep. It’s a horror game in which you try to stay in one piece and escape that damn space station called Sevastopol. Sounds similar? Well, that’s because the game is based on Alien (1979) movie, which was a very disturbing experience at the time. It’s an intense game that makes your palms sweat and your heart beating so fast that you’ll think it’s gonna come out of your chest! Try this horror if you dare, and watch yourself getting swallowed by the Alien, in a single bite!

11. Far Cry Primal

Elephants are cool, but mammoths are so badass! In Far Cry Primal, you can hunt mammoths and even ride them when you get to higher levels! How cool are you from zero to riding a mammoth? This beautiful-looking game is set 10,000 years BC and no, you aren’t going to shoot guns, but bash the hell out of your enemies. The arsenal of weapons might not be that huge, but the combat is great and requires more thinking, as the enemies are sometimes overwhelming and can easily kill you. If you have the luck to tame a sabertooth tiger, you may survive in this harsh world!

12. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

There is something special about that claustrophobic feeling, especially when it comes to horror games that you can play without internet. That sense of dread and despair when you don’t have much space to move is priceless. Don’t think of me as a psycho, but I LOVE the horror genre! RE7: Biohazard is a game that caught my attention as soon as it was released. This bad boy will provide you with a horrific experience that will leave you scared to death! As the game plays from the first-person perspective, it’s much easier to get yourself immersed, but also scared.

13. Outlast 2

Outlast 2 is yet another offline horror experience, where the developers decided to leave your powerless. There aren’t weapons for you to use, and surely no means to defend yourself. So, what are you left with? Well, a camera and a journal should do the trick! The game does a damn fine job of melding the horror and the dread with stealth and great storytelling. In the end, you may feel a little let down by the ending, but I know you’ll enjoy it until the very end.

14. Dead Space 3

Cat et 2015a factory password generator. While the past games in the series focused more on that horror experience, Dead Space 3 is more of an action-horror game. Sure, there are Necromorphs and they are vicious and all, but the action part is more prominent. Needless to say that Dead Space 3 is an amazing game and I’m very sad that Visceral Games is closed by EA in October. This survival horror game is hugely underrated, but it’s awesome and I recommend you to play it. It’s just a couple of bucks for this experience, don’t be a niggard!

15. Portal 2

There’s something awesome when it comes to Source Engine. The games made with this engine looks amazing, yet they run smoothly. How did Valve manage to do that? Well, as I am not a game developer, don’t ask me! But ask me about Portal 2, which is Valve’s magnum opus, and a compelling puzzle game. The whole point of the game is to use a Portal gun in order to create portals and pass through them. However, the game isn’t that simple and requires some brain skill to finish it. Grab your Portal Gun, and let’s go on a venture!

16. Limbo

This 2D game is straight-up terrifying, dark, and misanthropic from the start to finish! In Limbo, you are a little boy that needs to survive this colorless world of the game as he overcomes various obstacles and escape scary monsters. I like the game’s artwork and the atmosphere is simply top-notch here if you like the dark ambient in the games. It’s a must-play for every offline Indie games lover!

17. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Speaking of the atmosphere, very few great offline games can replicate the atmosphere as it is in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. That post-apocalyptic atmosphere of Pripyat looks great, and the game isn’t colorful, which is the whole point. Everything has that grey-ish tint, as this town suffered greatly when the Nuclear Powerplant in that area exploded. It’s based on a real-life event that occurred around 1989, which gives the game a certain weight and meaning.

18. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

With MGSV: The Phantom Pain, Hideo Kojima proved that he still has what it takes to create such immersive PC games without internet. This stealth game is challenging and full of stuff to do, due to its open-world nature. The characters are badass and the game feels somewhat dark, with a very serious tone. Oh, and not to forget that plot twist at the end that’s worth those thirty hours I’ve spent on this game!

19. SOMA

Horror fans will be pleased that I mentioned another horror title here. SOMA is an absolutely spooky and nerve-wracking experience! It creates that atmosphere that’s very unique, and with the story being told in the shape of various documents scattered through the game, it’s even more badass! You are all alone here and you’ll fight for your life, only to find out that you aren’t actually alive! A truly wonderful offline game for Windows.

20. Superhot

Superhot is a cartoonish-looking offline game that revolves around time. To make it simple, the time in the game moves when you move, so if you are standing still, nothing will happen. Vice Versa, if you are moving and shooting, then the enemies will do the same. It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of challenges too. I played it with some of my favorite death metal albums, just to ensure that I’m hardcore enough to beat it!

As we are approaching near the end of our journey through the offline PC games, I’m here to ask you a question. What is your favorite offline game for PC? I tried my best to count some of my favorite offline games, and although I’m maybe going to start a war for not including some of the games, I stand behind my words. Oh, and why don’t you tell me what game did I miss? Do you have any favorites besides these 20 games? Please, let me know, and don’t forget to do some gaming today!

[chromium7sky]

Four-eyes| one shot damirae

A/n: I'm trying to stretch up my writing muscle before continuing other work. Sorry for crappy idea and crappy sketches.

Either her reason is to cut off from social interacting or just the aesthetic, Damian can't help find himself staring at her as she held her book close up, almost buried her face in it.

'What's with the pose?' Damian mumbled as he seen her sit at the living room, while other member interacting, playing even asking question while she simply choose to isolate herself by reading book way to close as if she literally pushing everyone away from her.

Damian as usual goes to the table which situated near the window and put down some document and report for him to finish and compiling. Other than patrolling, working on clerical stuff makes him busy.

Growing up training to kill, social were never be in his dictionary but it seems Raven's effort in social distancing is a bit...annoying as he seen her at the corner of his eyes while studying the statistic of how many times someone try to mess up banking system at the city then he decided to focus on his paper.

-------

He remember when the first time he was sent to teen titans by his father much to his dismay, the member seems to display a tiny of fear as they look at him like seeing a nightmare but for raven, she keep calm.

He thought she's different perhaps because she's the daughter of demons (the worst one), she takes no judgement. But still, he need to be cautious towards her.

Perhaps it is one of her trait where she tries to calm down her team mates if there's inner tension happening. If Starfire unable to calm down the fight between two boys especially when involves with him.

One thing he can't be control is him being hard head and stubborn to the point Raven almost sent him to another dimension. Raven's patience are not infinite and he definitely not going to be overboard with his attitude. Therefore, it train him to tolerate some of member attitude as well as how to cooperate and using other member's ability to achieve the objective of the mission.

He does prepare some plan and blueprint towards the teen titans member for tactical study. Beast boy and Wally simply scoffed as they skim up the document like it was nothing. They prefer to wing it in, as what they told Damian which almost makes him lectured them about preparedness and failure is only for people who don't prepare for any consequences.

However, Raven told him, he should lose up a bit and she does say the others are learning from him being better in tactical as she let him to observe the other member closely when they conducting some mission that involved less threat. She pat on his back, simply said " Don't worry, they got it. They learn it from you. " She smiled.

He felt something after he heard it. What is this flutter feeling in his chest?

His face felt some heat. what is happening?

Trying to avoid Raven from seeing his vulnerable state , he simply let out the sigh and step away from her. At the corner of his eyes he saw her face from pleasant smile to surprised.

Sometimes he cursed his past for not knowing the meaning of emotion. All he learn is vengeance and angry. Only those two. As soon as he move in Gotham, he start to learn respect, family love and worries. The feeling after being praised? He still figure it out what is it.

As time goes by, he eventually try to bond the team, helping them become better. "Dude, even though you'relike some sort of gremlin, I guess you are a good person after all!" Beast boy cracked then turn into a Macaque hugging Damian's face much to his disgust after he improved the shapeshifter's suit.

He sighed.

--------

After two years later, he's begin to be comfortable with the team and almost memorize their attitude and personalities. Somehow, he still haven't figure out Raven. When it comes to accomplish the mission, she glide through the air, launching attack and be as enigma and Raven-y as she can, casting fear towards the enemy. He swore he has seen the method before.

As soon as the mission over, she open the portal pulling the team back into teen titans tower like a worm hole short cut and after that the team disperse at the launching pad, getting rest or shower.

At night the team leisuring in living room but Raven spend her time in her room. But this time, Kori ask him to call her because it is the night of mandatory fun.

Damian keeping his composure, nodded and walked towards her room. He knocked three times, then he heard footstep walk towards the door. " What is it, Damian?"

Damian perhaps jolted a bit as he wonder how could she guess him but quickly discarded as he forget that she, is Raven who can read minds and an empath.

"Its Kori. She said it's Mandatory night." Damian simply state the business. Then he heard silent for a while.

"C-could you tell Kori that I'm not coming?" She spoke behind the door.

"I'll inform to her then." Damian nod and walk away. He inform to Kori about it.

"Ah, too bad. I wanted to show this new movie. Guess it's just us then." She smiled.

"I'm not coming too, Kori. I'm afraid if there's any emergency mission, I don't think she could handle it alone." Damian crossed his arms.

"Raven handle a case during valentine day when she was alone." Said Jackson as came up with casual clothes.

"Which she end up crying after she's back from the mission." Damian sneered at the Aqualad.

"I never knew Damian would care so much for a team mate or...are you planning something else?" Beast boy came up after putting his best clothes and his grin.

"Yes, I'm planning to take over the world, once you're back from outside please do inform me how it went so that I could proceed my plan." Damian said sarcastically.

"Ahah, don't worry, D. We'll buy something for ya." Wally pay on his shoulder.

"Just go." He shoved all three of them as Kori are about to leave the room.

---------

Damian now at leisuring room playing cheesy Viking 3 console mode to passed the time. The tower really quiet as four of them gone out excluding Raven and he really appreciate the moment of silence.

Suddenly he heard a fridge door open. Quickly he put the game on pause, and went to the kitchen.

As he coming to the room he saw the girl with bob hair style with dual color hair consist of navy blue with manogany red ending.

' That's must be Raven.' his heart spoke. As he pulled the chair at the kitchen the table, the girl froze.

"Who's there?!" She spun and held her hand that enveloped with purple energy towards him.

Damian simply stood there and so was she.

Both of them froze.

A moment passed, then another.

And...

"You ... wear glasses?" He rose his brow.

Raven with sweaty face, blink a couple of times as she adjusted her glasses with her other hands.

"Damian, what are you doing in here? I thought you follow others to Mandatory day?" Her hands with energy start to dispersed.

"That explain everything." His lips tug aside.

"What?" Raven confused with the answer he gave.

" The book, the pose, the distance." He chuckled. Then, he looks at flustered Raven.

"What do you mean? you still haven't answer my question, Damian Wayne." Raven getting confused.

"Ah, nothing. I decided to stay just in case of emergency mission and all. I Wouldn't let you handle the cases alone." Damian crossed his arm as he sit at the kitchen counter.

"So...you're doubting me?" It was Raven turn arched her brow.

"I'm not saying you're not capable. I'm saying that you'll need some back up. Two heads are better than one, wouldn't it?" Damian lean back at the chair.

"Never knew you would thought of that, that's very kind of you." She smiled. " An improvement too."

Damian clicked his tongue and looked away, but pink tint start to visible on his cheeks and his ears. Ah, again with this feeling.

He clear his throat a couple of times, then a mug set in from of him. "Peppermint ice tea?"

His eyes looked at Raven as she seat in front of him, with glasses and book on her hands. The Flowers of evil, as he observed the title. "Thank you."

As he sip his tea, he stared at the book. "Flowers of Evil?" As he pointed at the book.

"Yeah, might try to read something like old poem." as Raven looked at the book title.

"I could recommend Robert Frost."

"I did read some of his. The Road Not Taken." As Raven sipped her tea.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

Raven blink her eyes as she heard his recitation the last verse. "So, do you take it?"

"Take what?"

"The road less traveled by."

Damian looked at her. " This is the road less traveled by." He smirk as he sip the cup.

Raven try to understand that line but Damian simply silent. He's quite enjoy the company he's having now.

"All these time, I've been wonder what's with burying your face in the book." He rest both of his elbow on the table as well as his chin on his propped hand. " Never knew you were actually Four-eyes, metaphorically."

"Are you, mocking me?" Raven furrowed her brows as she put her cup on the table.

"I found you looks more professional in those glasses." He smirked as he stared at her which leads to Raven unknowingly adjusting her glasses as she looked away.

"The glasses is expensive. I lost mine as I bought to mission when I first join the titans, so I tend to leave it at room and I had to use some of my powers to adjust my visions."

"But you could heal them?" Damian's begun to curious.

"Only limited time."

"Did you know there's is laser treatment for that?"

Raven surprised as she heard it. She seems to be thinking but then she put down her cup.

"I'd rather wear glasses than risking my eyes to go blind." She sighed. "Unless I end up become Bran the third eye Raven."

Damian chuckled. She's indeed full of surprises.

"If you lost your glasses again, do tell me. I might know some excellent optometrist to do excellent job."

"Uh, n-no. You don't have to. I.."

"That's what team mate for right? Helping each other?" He smiled. A genuine smile.

She seems stunned by him. Smiling. Damian Wayne is actual smiling.

"Besides, you in glasses, is a rare opportunity and quite pleasant to the eyes." As he get up and goes towards the sink to wash his empty cup. At the corner of his eyes, Raven were blushed hard then adjusting her glasses.

Shit. He cursed under his breath. She IS adorable IN glasses.