#i have chills all over my body and I am leaking out of my eyes

[spacesquidlings]

Hold Me, Carry Me Slowly; My Sunlight

Description: With the warmth of the afterglow fading, Tav manages to coax Astarion into a bath, to show him all the ways she loves him and to hold him close until the water grows cold.

Warnings: Suggestive content, implied sex, mentions of blood, mentions of other bodily fluids

Notes: Hello!!! This is my very first attempt at writing Astarion. Saw him once, fell in love, went insane, now i'm writing fic about him and I cannot stop. I want to just squish his cheeks and tell him how lovely he is. This is set post-everything that happens in game, and he's unascended

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Heavy curtains drawn across the windows stifled any hope of light sneaking in between the threads. It did not even bleed through the leaden fabric, staining the room in a strange glow the way wispy, gossamer curtains often did. But she did not need the curtains drawn to know that night had descended. The hazy burn of dusk across the sky had long since faded, a chill hanging in the air that bit at her bare skin that could only belong to the fathomless night.

Pulling blankets tighter around herself did little to stave off the sting of the air, siphoning away the last of the heat from her skin. And nestling closer to the body beside her was not the improvement she’d been looking for, the press of her skin against his bringing discomfort from everything that had spilled onto her skin into stark awareness.

There was blood; her blood, dried and caked on the inside of her thighs and her throat from where she’d let his fangs sink into her flesh. There was sweat of course, still drying on her skin, making her feel itchy, like a second, ill-fitting skin had been plastered across her. And she could feel where his release leaked out of her, where it had been smeared on the inside of her thighs, where it was congealing on the sheets beneath her.

So not only was she cold, but she felt very gross. And very much in need of a bath.

But she was wrapped up in her lover’s arms, and he seemed intent on holding her close, his soft breaths ghosting across her collarbone.

“Astarion,” she whispered, running a hand through his hair. It was softer than silk, and still cool to the touch despite how she had run her fingers through it, twisted them into his curls at every chance she got. He sighed against her, his lashes fluttering as he shifted.

“Astarion.” She slid her hand down to the nape of his neck, playing with the wispy baby hairs that curled there. “I know you’re awake.”

“So what if I am?” His response was muffled, rumbling through her bones from where he pressed his face against her bare chest.

She traced her finger over the curve of his ear, biting the inside of her cheek as he shivered. “I want to take a bath.”

His only response was a groan, clutching her tighter.

“I feel sticky.”

“I’m far too comfortable to move, love.”

She huffed, resting her cheek on the top of his head. “I’m covered in dried blood! And other things.”

Now he did lift his head, his crimson eyes bright in the shadows of the room. She caught the glimmer of his teeth as he smiled, his canines looking especially deadly in the dark. “You could know I could help if there’s something you’d like inside of you.”

A few hours ago his words might have made her blush, might have made her flustered enough to try and look away before he inevitably caught her to tease her some more. But his voice was heavy with sleep, his words more of a quiet murmur than anything seductive. It just sounded a little silly, and she snorted, a smile spreading across her lips.

“You could help by letting me go and letting me bathe.”

Now he was the one huffing, shifting until they were eye-to-eye, his arms never leaving her sides. “And why would I want to do that when I’m so comfortable right here?”

“Because you love me?” She cupped his face in her hands, squishing his cheeks just the tiniest bit. He was always giving her odd looks when she did it, squishing his face or showering his head in kisses or hugging him as tight as she dared. But even if one brow was arched in question, he always smiled softly, his eyes warm with contentment. As if perhaps he liked the sudden onslaught of affection, even if it seemed a little strange.

He chuckled, idly stroking her side. “I do love you. More than anything.”

She leaned closer, until their noses practically bumped together. “So you’ll come bathe with me?”

His brows rose, one arm releasing her as he trailed his hand up her arm. “Are you sure there’s nothing else you’d rather be doing?”

She didn’t bother to respond with words this time, simply whining, putting on her best pout and hoping it would be enough to sway him.

A snort. “Nice try, darling. But I like having you here in my arms.”

Not nice enough, clearly. She whined again, louder this time, leaning her head against his shoulder.

“Please, my love?” She went so far as to whimper, peeking up at him through her lashes, fingers still toying with his hair. “Please? You could come with me and then it would be so much nicer.”

He hummed, smirking as she wiggled closer, ignoring the stickiness between her thighs and the dull ache radiating through her nerves.

“Please?”

His eyes closed, and she knew she had won before he even started to sigh. But he did sigh, long and dramatic and very drawn out.

“Fine,” he finally conceded, fixing a glare on her that was entirely undercut by the smile still playing at his lips. “If you must. But you had better make sure to use those new oils I bought us. I don’t want to be smelling like cheap bar soap you found at a farmer’s market.”

“That’s not fair! It had smelled so pretty when I’d bought it.” She frowned, ducking her head. “I don’t know what happened that made it so plain.”

He tucked her hair back behind her ear, slowly dragging his knuckles down the side of her neck, his eyes softening. “It was probably enchanted to smell that way until it had been purchased. Or perhaps they simply tricked you and only the display one was perfumed.” He smirked. “Which is why you need me to help select the best perfumes and soaps.”

Rolling her eyes, she nuzzled her nose against his neck. “What would I do without you, my love?”

“You would be lost.”

“And I’d smell bad.” She smiled as he laughed, warmth blooming like a new flower in the spring.

“Thank goodness you do have me,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “And you’ll have me forever.”

If not for the chill in the air and the discomfort clinging to her skin, she probably could have stayed there for an eternity. He’d teased her mercilessly for how much she’d loved to curl up in his arms, but he’d always seemed just as keen to cuddle with her, his arms fitting perfectly around her, his breath tangling in her hair or tickling her neck, his hands stroking her sides or her back.

But she was cold, and she was uncomfortable, and as perfect as his arms and his body were, she felt desperate enough to peel her skin off if she did not bathe soon.

It was with a pathetic whine that she coaxed him from the bed, hands clasping his as she dragged him from the bedroom. He grumbled wordlessly, even as he let himself get tugged into the bathroom, eyes narrowed as they adjusted to the darkness.

She could hardly see in the dark, and it was only with Astarion’s help that she was able to light the candles that lined the counter in the bathroom, illuminating everything in a soft glow.

It was an effort to keep her eyes averted, to pretend like she didn’t think he looked beautiful, the edges of his body blurred by the candlelight, his face softened by the golden glow. He looked a little like his namesake, like a star given form, blessing her with his light.

Although if she told him that she would certainly never hear the end of it. Even now she could feel his eyes burning into her back as she filled the tub, tracking the steam as it curled towards the ceiling and melted out of sight.

“My love.” She felt his hand at her hip, soft as a whisper. She knew this game, knew he wanted her to turn around, to focus her attention on him. She could hear it in the lilt of his voice, the laughter she could hear in it though neither of them had made a joke. “Why won’t you look at me?”

“What do you mean?” She was careful to avoid meeting his gaze, gently brushing her hand over his. “I’m getting the bath ready. Alone, might I add.”

“Well, I’m here for moral support. And you’re doing such a good job I’d hate to get in your way.”

Against her better judgement she turned to glare at him over her shoulder. It earned her a bout of warm laughter that seeped into her veins like sun-warmed honey, heat blossoming in her belly. It was immediately followed by his hands taking her face, his lips stretching into a wide smile, the knife-sharp points of his canines glinting in the candlelight.

“That’s better.” He tipped his head to the side, his eyes softening. “I was worried you had grown tired of looking at me.”

She covered his hands with hers. “I’ll never grow tired of you for as long as I live.”

Lines appeared on his forehead as his brows drew together. So she stood on her toes, gently pressing her lips to each line until they were smoothed away and she could feel his smile against her skin. His hands slid away from her face, but she kept her fingers tangled with his, not wanting to let go just yet.

“My love…” He trailed off, humming as he lowered his head, the coolness of his teeth scraping over her skin making her shiver. “Wasn’t there something else you were doing?”

“You distracted me.” His answering laughter tickled her neck as he hovered above the marks leftover from where he had bitten her.

“You were preparing a bath, I believe?”

She took hold of his face this time as she rocked back on her heels, pulling his head back just enough to meet his eyes, to see the mischief shining in them. “You know, I think this is the exact opposite of getting in my way.”

“I have no idea what you mean.” He was awfully good at feigning innocence; his eyes were wide and sorrowful, a small pout pulling at his lips. Had she not known him she would have fallen for it entirely, believing him utterly innocent of any wrong-doing.

But she did know him, and she knew exactly how not innocent he could be.

She clicked her tongue. “Nice try. Maybe I’ll just bathe on my own.”

She spun around quickly, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing as he began to whine, trying to get her attention all over again.”

“My love.”

She went searching for his precious oils, finding them lined up in the corner of the small cabinet above the counter. They seemed to shimmer as she held them up to the light, as she uncorked them to smell them each and make sure she was grabbing the right ones. He was so particular about such things and she wanted to make sure she got it right.

“My darling.” His voice pitched up, cracking a bit as she began adding the oils to the bath. “I thought you wanted me to come with you!”

Much as she wanted to pretend she had a strong resolve, it crumbled to dust with just the slightest of provocation from him. How she was supposed to ignore his desperate whining, even when she knew it was a trap, was beyond her. So when he reached for her hand, drawing her closer, she didn’t resist, instead letting herself be gathered against his chest, his smug smirk illuminated in the glow of the candles.

“Well? Do you truly still plan to leave me and bathe all on your own?” One of his hands slipped down her side, leaving gooseflesh in the wake of his featherlight touch. “I could be of help, you know. I’ve become quite intimate with your body, I’m sure I could help in some way.”

She frowned. “Don’t get any funny ideas.”

His answering laughter was bright, like summertime sunshine was bathing them in its golden light. It made her smile, giggles bubbling up in her throat as he laughed, pale cheeks flushing with just a hint of colour, the same pink that promised the coming dawn and the warmth that would follow.

His expression was soft again as his laughter passed, as he waited for her own bout of giggles to melt away, that soft colour still clinging to his skin. It took her a moment to identify the look in his eyes, the gentleness with which he held her gaze, with how he rested his hands at her sides. And when the realization hit her, she felt like her breath was stolen away, yanked from her lungs with a gasp.

He looked happy. He looked so genuinely happy that her eyes began to burn, her heart aching from how it pressed against the cage of her ribs.

Lines appeared on his brow once more, the corners of his lips turning down. “What’s wrong? My darling, why are you crying?”

She shook her head, wiping her eyes quickly. “I’m not.”

“Just because I can’t go out into the sun doesn’t mean I’m blind, you know.” He huffed, mouth curling into a half-smile, something like sadness hanging at the edges. “Have I done something wrong?”

She sniffed, shaking her head furiously. “No! No, not at all. I just have something caught in my eye, that’s all.”

Nothing in his expression said he believed her, but he didn’t push the issue. “Well then, should we get in before the water gets cold?” He leaned close, his voice dipping to a sultry tenor. “Or is there something else you would rather do?”

She didn’t even have to respond before he was laughing again, grinning broadly as he drew back. “My darling, you make this far too easy. Your face is all flushed and I’ve hardly done a thing.”

He’d actually done quite a lot of things today, but her tongue was suddenly too heavy to properly articulate anything sharp and witty she could say in response. And she didn’t have anything sharp and witty to say in response either, a pleasant fog settling over her mind as fatigue tugged at her.

Instead she just climbed into the tub, sinking as far beneath the water as she could, only her nose and eyes still above water as he followed behind, still looking far too pleased with himself.

He reached for the little shelf of bottles that lined the wall next to the tub, the soft light of the flickering candles casting a golden glow around the room. If she hadn’t known him she would have thought he was an angel with how the light gilded his features, twined with the strands of his hair and made it glow. Even that infuriating, devilish smile looked soft in the light, still clinging to his lips as he tilted one of the bottles up to the light.

Her eyes were burning again, her chest aching, too small for her heart, for all of the emotion tearing it apart at the seams. Had there ever been such a beautiful smile? Had there ever been such a precious person ever before?

No, she was certain that there had not been.

He was watching her, and she realized it with a start, her breath catching as she met his eyes.

“What’s the matter, pet? You look like you’ve had a spell cast over you.”

She bit down on her tongue hard enough to taste blood, although the fuzzy feeling around her mind and the warmth in her chest did not dissipate against the sharp pain. She had drunk no wine and yet she felt a little drunk all the same, a little like she was hovering just beyond her body, her edges blurry, everything warm.

He moved closer, taking her hand. “What’s on your mind?”

She opened her mouth, closed it again, like a fish gasping for breath on dry land. She really could not say, not unless she wanted to be teased mercilessly, caught gawking at him like a child with a crush.

“Well?” He tipped his head to the side, reminding her of a predator.

Her voice would not come to her, and so she decided that she would express how she felt in a different way, her heart wishing terribly to be able to keep his heart warm, to keep that smile bright on his lips, to keep his eyes soft but never sorrowful again.

“What are you doing?” He blinked at her as she plucked the small bottle of shampoo from his hand, the sensual countenance falling away.

“Let me help you clean up,” she said, rolling the bottle between her palms. “I can wash your hair for you.”

He continued to blink, his brow creasing. Her heart constricted, fear sluicing through her veins, making her fear she had overstepped, that this was something unwanted. She’d already coaxed him from sleep, perhaps she was pushing against his boundaries.

“Only if you want to,” she amended. “If you’re comfortable with it. I don’t want to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

When he tipped his head to the side it was less predatory this time, reminding her more of the curious head tilt small animals often did when you were speaking to them with a cadence they liked. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “You just can’t keep your hands off me, can you, darling?”

She muttered under her breath about how much of a menace he was, even as she squeezed out the shampoo into her palm. He was smirking, watching her intently.

“You have to turn around,” she instructed, earning nothing but a rebellious smirk. 

“Now why would I do that when it means I can’t see your adorable face?” He twirled a hand in the air, gesturing to her face. “I wouldn’t want to miss out on the pretty flush on your cheeks.”

She tried spinning him around, water sloshing over the lip of the tub. “Turn around! How else am I supposed to wash your hair?!”

“Just like this, darling.” He cupped her face, water sluicing down his arms, falling back into the tub with a quiet plinking.

“I feel like you’re trying to embarrass me.”

He clicked his tongue. “I would never dare.”

“I think you would dare.” She couldn’t bring herself to push his arms away, deciding she would have to yield. “I think you would just to see me squirm.”

“Well…” Unable to come up with an appropriate excuse, he merely shrugged. “I like that colour on your cheeks.”

“I didn’t realize you were an artist,” she deadpanned, lathering the shampoo between her palms. “And that you had such a nuanced appreciation of colours.”

“Only when it comes to you, love.”

She sighed, no clever rejoinder coming to mind. She liked getting the last word in, but Astarion so rarely gave her such an opportunity. He always had something else to say, something sharp and clever if not something that would make her blush so fiercely she thought she would burst into flame.

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “But you have to lower your head for me.”

He had no smart comment for that, instead quietly acquiescing, ducking his head enough so that she could run her fingers through his hair, dragging the shampoo through the silken strands.

She hummed, smiling as the gentle, moonlit ivory waves were smushed beneath the shampoo. She might have gathered it all up into a point, making him look a little silly while he trusted her to wash his hair. But he was always trying to make himself look perfect, and she didn’t mind when he looked less than perfect, when he looked silly or disheveled. He didn’t have to pretend with her, and she didn’t want him to.

“You’re doing something ridiculous to my hair, aren’t you?” He seemed to read her thoughts, peeking up at her from beneath his ivory lashes.

“Nooo.” She shook her head, massaging his scalp. “I would never dare.”

“So you are.”

She huffed, pouting as she ran her fingers down the back of his scalp, pressing gently against the back of his neck, making sure to catch the soft baby hairs that curled there.

“I trust it won’t look like that forever?” The corners of his lips quirked up, his voice dipping to a dangerous octave. “Right?”

She didn’t respond, fixing her gaze elsewhere, trying to ignore the way his eyes bored into her skin.

Another click of his tongue. She nearly leapt out of her skin when she felt his hand on her face, the pad of his thumb running across her bottom lip. “Why are you pouting? I thought this is what you wanted.”

“And I thought you were too tired to tease me like this.”

He tapped his thumb against her lip in time with her heartbeat. “I never said that.”

“I kind of assumed.”

“My love, I’m never too tired to tease you.” His hand fell back into the water with a quiet splash. “But please continue.”

“I’m just about done with your hair,” she admitted, dunking her hands into the water. “You’ll have to lean forward more or tilt your head back so I can rinse it.”

He straightened, shifting awkwardly so he could tip his head back, the sharp points of his ears grazing the surface of the water, sending out little ripples.

She scooted to the side, careful to keep the water from spilling into his eyes as she began scooping it up and pouring handfuls of water into his hair. “You know this would have been easier if you’d just turned around.”

He splashed her, rolling his eyes. “I have my reasons.”

“Would you care to divulge them?” She splashed him right back, not bothering to show the same care this time as water and suds sluiced over his face.

He sputtered, wiping his eyes. “Well not anymore, you wicked thing.”

“I think I’m quite nice.”

He flicked water at her as he sat up. “You’re not being particularly nice right now.”

She splashed him again, harder this time. Water rolled over the lip of the tub like ocean waves, puddling across the floor. “I am SO nice! I’m the nicest! I let you pick out the shampoos and soaps we use! I let you pick out the curtains! I let you be the little spoon!”

The more reasons she was, theoretically, “nice,” the more she laughed. Small giggles at first, bubbling into a laughter that gripped her lungs, shook her body until she was snorting with every breath. Her hands trembled as she tried to cover her face in a vain effort to staunch the flow, but it was of no avail. She felt like a fool, she felt dizzy, almost drunk although she’d had no alcohol.

Astarion snorted alongside her, eyes crinkling in bemusement. “I can let you be the little spoon if you want, my love. I had no idea you were sacrificing so much for my comfort.” Another snort, another flick of the water, sending her into another fit of hysterics. His lips stretched wide, a crescent moon smile that made her heart glow. “I didn’t realize falling asleep in my arms was something of such importance. Although I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Backing up until her back hit the edge of the tub, she covered her face, shoulder shuddering with laughter. “It’s not even that funny, I don’t know why I’m laughing.”

“I’m not sure either.” He moved closer, just enough to find her hand and run his thumb across her knuckles. “But I like the sound.”

“I was snorting!”

“But they were such cute snorts.” He was tracing the lines of her palm now, watching her with such warmth in his eyes she thought she would melt into the water and turn to suds and foam.

“You can’t possibly mean that.”

His bottom lip popped out; an adorable, impossible to resist pout that could make her to cave to almost anything he asked. To stay in bed for a little while longer, to buy him that pretty shirt they’d seen at a night market, to wear the glittering circlet he had mysteriously procured because it matched one that he owned.

“Don’t you trust me?” His eyes were wide as a doe’s, his voice soft as feather down. She was lost to him already, to that sorrowful, beseeching look. Lost to that quiet, almost whiny tone.

She knew she was being played, but there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

It was with gritted teeth that she managed a quiet. “I trust you.”

His expression morphed almost immediately, his eyes bright once more, his teeth bared from the brightness of his smile. “Marvelous! I’m glad we’re in agreement that you’re adorable.”

“You’re awful.”

He kissed the back of her hand, his laughter rumbling into her bones. “And I’m all yours, my darling.”

Gentle warmth spread from her heart, beating steadily, spurred on by the sudden sweetness of his words. Her arms grew warm next, her belly, her fingertips, everything tingling as if she were caught in a warm haze. He was all hers, he was hers to love and care for and cherish. To hold close when they slept, to share the quiet moments with, to share the loud moments with too. Of course. There would always be loud moments with him, the unexpected always rearing its head as they searched for a cure for him, a way for him to stand free in the sunlight.

“You are,” she agreed. He was hers, and he had given his heart to her willingly. It had been his choice, and she would make sure to treasure it, to treasure him, for as long as she drew breath. And as long as her heart beat, it beat for him. “And I’m yours.”

A strange look came upon his face then, something between sadness and elation, something she could not name. It was gone far too quickly for her to dissect it, his lips brushing against her hand once more before he drew away, a smile plastered on his face once more.

“You most certainly are, my darling.” He gave her hand one final squeeze before letting it go, twirling a hand through the air as he gestured to his hair. “Now about whatever you’ve done here.”

“Will you turn around now?” Whatever had snagged her attention briefly flitted away. Suds were streaking down the sides of his face, his hair half matted, pure ivory with the shampoo still caked into his scalp.

It was only with a long, petulant sigh that he turned around, laying back so his head was nearly in her lap so she could finish rinsing his hair.

“Now was that so hard?” She teased, supporting his head with one hand while she used the other to pour palmfuls of water onto his hair.

“It was torturous. I couldn’t see you for a whole minute.”

“Oh please.” She ran her fingers through his hair, trying to comb out the rest of the shampoo. “You’re such a baby.”

His brow furrowed. “I am not! I’ll have you know I’m over two hundred years old-”

She sighed, rolling her eyes as she cut him off. “Yes yes, you’re an over two hundred year old vampire, you’re terrifying and powerful and someone to be feared. But you’re still a baby.”

His eyes narrowed, his mouth opening as if to retort.

“And you’re my baby,” she finished, cutting him off once again.

She swore colour flared in his cheeks, at the tips of his ears. He looked away quickly, whatever sharp comment he’d been about to make dying before it made it to his lips. “I suppose it’s acceptable when you say it like that.”

Curling forward she brushed her lips to his brow, listening as he sighed. 

He started to lift his head as she drew away, chasing after her in search of another kiss, but she gently coaxed him back down, cradling the back of his head once more. “Just relax, love.”

At first he did not relax, his eyes flickering to her face and along the shadowed ceiling of the room. But after a while she felt as he settled himself more comfortably against her. His upper back was cushioned atop her legs, his head cradled in her palm, just above her thighs, his legs drawn up so his knees cut through the water like mountains on the other side of an ocean.

“Let me know if anything is uncomfortable, okay?” She ran her hand around the sides of his ears, making sure she caught the last of the suds, making sure to rinse his hair fully so that when it dried it would be fluffy and soft just as it always was. She combed her fingers across his scalp, massaging gently, smiling as he gave a quiet hum of assent. The lines in his brow were smoothed away, his face softened in the light. He looked peaceful, serene as she rinsed the last of the shampoo away.

She could have told him to move then, that she was done and he had to sit up, but she found she did not want to, could not bring herself to be pried from this position. His weight against her was a comfort, the tranquil look on his face a balm to her heart, his even breaths lulling her into her own state of peace.

He looked calm, he looked happy, and she was loath to end the moment, for that gentle stillness to melt into the suds and bathwater.

So instead she reached for his preferred soaps, lathering it between her palms and running her hands over his shoulders, massaging the soap into his skin.

He shifted, a brow arching. “What are you doing now, my love?”

“Cleaning you up,” she said, pausing as worry flitted through her mind. “I’m sorry, I should have asked.”

His eyes opened, and where she had expected accusation she saw only the softness that accompanied a flower just beginning to bloom, petals not yet the brilliant crimson of blood. “You don’t need to apologize. It’s nice.” He sighed, eyes falling closed once more. “And I trust you.”

She was thankful to be sitting, because she was certain her legs would have given out on her from hearing such words from his lips.

She carried on, moving her hands over his arms and hands, sliding them back up to wash his chest, his torso. Eventually she did have to ask him to sit up, water sluicing down his back as she fetched a cloth to wash his back, careful to ensure her touch was light as she ran it over the lines of his scar. Her stomach still roiled when she saw it, remembering the sharp pain in his voice when he’d told her of its history, and when she remembered the scarlet light that he had been bathed in, that had set the scar aglow.

She bit down on her tongue until she tasted blood, forcing herself back into the present. That was behind them, it was behind him, and he would never have to fear his old vampire master agait. There was no more ritual, no more control, no more sacrifice. The scars would never glow again, they would never be anything more than scars. Fading reminders of a shadowed life and misery she would do everything she could to make sure he never felt ever again.

Suds spilled down his back, and she brought cupped hands of water to the nape of his neck, letting the water spill down his back as she began wiping up the suds. “Let me know if you feel uncomfortable at all, okay?” She scooped up more water and watched as it spilled down his back, washing away the last of the suds.

He gave a quiet hum of assent, seeming content to let her do as she wished for the moment. He was turned away from her, but she imagined the peaceful expression that must have been on his face. The dreamy smile, the pale pink of his cheeks, the same expression he often had when he first awoke, serene and blissful like he were caught in a beautiful dream.”

“I love you.” She murmured the words as she brought her lips to the back of his neck. “I love you so much.”

The quietness of the moment should have concerned her, but she’d written it off as him still being sleepy as she continued. She alternated between washing him up and scattering stray kisses along his skin. His shoulders, his sides, his arms. She made sure to catch all the little crooks of his body, fingers tangling together with his for half a heartbeat as she trailed soap and suds over his arms again before she rinsed him off.

“Alright.” She’d only just dunked the cloth back into the sudsy water, eying the lineup of pretty, colourful bottles along the shelf next to the tub, trying to figure out which ones were his favourites. They were unlabelled, but she knew what scents he liked best. “Don’t tell me which one is your favourite, okay? I think I know.”

She rested her cheek against his shoulder as she reached for the closest one, the one she was pretty sure smelled of bergamot. It was only then, as her fingers closed around the little bottle, did she notice the slight tremble of his shoulders, the soft sniffling sound that was quickly drowned out by the splash of water.

She drew back at once, the bottle slipping from her fingers and plunging into the water. For such a dramatic moment, as her breath caught in her lungs, she would have thought it would have made a louder sound as it crashed from her hand. But no, the bottle made little more than a quiet plink as it slipped beneath the surface of the water, the silence hanging in the air heavy, deafening in comparison.

“Astarion?” Her heart constricted, her lungs shuddering as they tried and failed to draw in breath. She hesitated before settling her hands on his shoulders, not knowing what else to do. “My love? Is something the matter?”

A beat. It was little more than half a moment but it could have been a century for how the time stretched between her question and his response.

“Nothing, darling.” His voice was much softer than usual, so soft she would have missed the tremor in it had she not been so close, had she not felt as it vibrated through him, resonating between them in the place where she had laid her palms.

“It’s not nothing.” She wanted to see his face, wanted to see what he was hiding. But when she leaned forward he turned his head away, nothing but his damp curls filling her sight.

“Astarion.” She settled one hand on his arm, the other brushing his hair back from his ear. “My love, why won’t you look at me?”

He cleared his throat, one hand coming up to rub at the side of his face. “It’s nothing. I think there’s some soap in my eye.”

“Let me see,” she insisted, reaching for his face. She cupped the cheek furthest from her, gently drawing his face towards her. “If there’s soap in your eye let me help get it out.”

He did not put up any resistance, although when he finally faced her fully he did not meet her eyes. Instead he just stared down into the water, his hands awkwardly clenched together in his lap. Red rimmed his eyes, his cheeks a splotchy red that spoke of tears, not the gentle flush of contentment or love. His face was wet, although that was most certainly from the bath as much as it was from his quiet tears.

Her hand slipped from his cheek along the curve of his neck, pausing only to rest on his chest, feeling its steady rise and fall as he took slow, measured breaths. “Oh my love, why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

His hand covered hers, an empty smile shuddering at the edges of his lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, darling. I just got something stuck in my eye, probably from being distracted by your hands.” His voice dropped an octave, was sweet as syrup, warm as the buzz of alcohol when she’d drank too much wine. “I was thinking about all of the other things they could do.”

The smile at his lips grew wider, the sharp points of his canines peaking out. He flicked his eyes up to meet hers, but they fell just as quickly, no smile in them.

“Is it me?” Her voice trembled as she spoke, drawing her hand from him and pressing it against her own chest. She slid backwards, worry an oily creature squeezing her belly until she thought she might retch. “Have I done something wrong? Something to hurt you?”

Ruby eyes flared wide, the water moving like ocean waves, spilling over the lip of the tub as he closed the small amount of distance between them. He cupped her face with such tenderness she thought she would be the one to cry now.

His voice was a dry rasp, his brow lined. “You have done nothing wrong, I swear. I promise, you are…” His eyes softened. “You are perfect.”

Some of the tightness in her belly eased. She wanted to reach out to him, but she held back, still fearing that perhaps her touch had been too much. Perhaps she had pushed him beyond the bounds of his comfort. She sounded small, like a child, when she finally asked “then what’s wrong? Why will you not tell me what’s wrong?”

A long sigh fell from his lips, his hands finding hers in the water, fingers threading together. He seemed to hesitate, his eyes scanning her face for a long moment, his brow drawn. 

“It’s not that something is wrong…” He tipped his head to the side, a humourless laugh ringing hollowly in the air.

She chewed on the corner of her lip, unsure whether to press him for details or to give him space to speak. Maybe he just needed to think through what he was going to say.

The corner of his lip twitched. “Don’t bite your lip like that, my sweet. I can smell the blood from here.”

She froze, frowning. “I haven’t even bit it that hard-” The coppery taste of blood spread across her tongue and she frowned even more, watching as his smile grew wider. “Hey! Don’t change the subject.”

“I can’t help it when all I can think about is sinking my teeth into your lips.”

He seemed quite proud of that line, and she wasted no time in splashing his face, washing it away. He sputtered, wiping his face, his smug little grin replaced by a pout.

“My eyes are up here,” she motioned to her face, earning the return of a small smirk. “Astarion, please. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, but if there’s something I did wrong, or something I could do to help.”

It was another beat before he responded, his eyes creasing at the corners. “You haven’t done anything wrong, my love. And I’m not upset, I promise.”

She elected to remain quiet this time, fluttering her fingers along the surface of the water as opposed to worrying her bottom lip with her teeth lest she distract him yet again.

The tenor of his voice softened, warm and low, reaching into her mind and easing away the last of her anxieties. “It’s quite the opposite, actually. It’s just…” He trailed off, holding her gaze steady as he searched for the right words. When finally they came to him, the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, soft as feather down, as morning sunshine in the air. “You were being so gentle. You weren’t trying to seduce me, or manipulate me. You just…”

Again he trailed off. He reached for the hand still skimming across the top of the water, holding it tight. “I didn’t want to say anything because it felt absurd to be crying over such a thing. I know you love me. And yet.” He shrugged. “I was overwhelmed. I felt so loved.”

His words hung, suspended in the air between them like spider’s silk. Delicate and gauzy, shimmering with the silver of moonlight as it was spun. She wasn’t thinking as she reached out to him, as she crawled into his lap with her hands on either side of his face. Her fingers slid into his hair, tangling in the wet curls.

“My love,” she breathed. She could not find her voice, her words little more than a flutter of gossamer wings, butterflies caught in a storm, a lone songbird taking flight in morning mists. Her heart was aching, her ribs cracking, splintering beneath it, the power of her voice stolen as the feeling drowned her veins.

His brows lifted, confusion and yearning twined together in his eyes. “Yes?”

“I love you.” It was all she could think of to say, the only words that would form in her mind for the longest of times. She ought to be better with her words, but in this moment, her fingers wrinkled and the water tepid, there was nothing else. “I love you entirely.”

“And I love you, darling,” he chuckled, his hands falling to her hips.

She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. I love you.” She pressed her lips to his cheek, saying the words over and over again like a prayer. “I love you. I adore you. My chest aches from how much I love you.”

A breathy laugh escaped him as she passed her lips over his, as she scattered kisses across his cheeks and brow and the sharp tips of his ears. “I don’t want you to be in pain.”

“I want you to feel loved everyday, always.” A kiss to the side of his neck, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. “I love you, I’ll always love you.”

His arms came around her sides, hands resting on her back. “My love…”

She couldn’t stop now, smiling as his eyes flicked skyward in an eye-roll. “I love you!”

He held her tighter, drawing her in closer. “I love you too.”

“I love you with all my heart.” A brush of her lips against the bridge of his nose, the space between his brows, the hollow of his throat. His hands tightened, fingers pressing into her skin. “I’ll find a way to live forever so I can love you forever.”

A garbled sound escaped from his lips and she froze, her grip loosening in his hair. She hadn’t realized how tightly she’d been gripping it until she loosed her hold, her hands aching.

“No,” he said, his voice rough as sandpaper. “No, don’t stop.”

Silver pooled in the corners of his eyes when she pulled away, lines tracking down his cheeks and gathering at the edges of his jaw. Little droplets tumbled silently down, little ripples spreading across the surface of the water.

“Are you sure?”

A small nod, one hand sliding up her back, resting at the nape of her neck. “I am sure. Don’t stop.” He offered her a small smile, even as tears streaked down his face. “Please?”

She brushed the tears away with the pads of her thumbs, cupping his face as she brought her lips to his again. She grinned as he sighed, his lips parting against hers. It was so incredibly gentle, so tender and soft that she almost burst into tears too, feeling like she might melt into a puddle and be washed away with the soap and the suds.

“I love you,” she murmured as she broke away, breathless even as she drew breath. Shadows clung to the walls, stretched out from the corners and puddled along the floor, the flickering candlelight never quite reaching fully into the cracks and corners of the room. Yet for all that shadow everything seemed to burn bright, everything awash in technicolour. It was like an artist had come in and painted over a sketch done in grey, bringing it to life with colours she could not even name, made of crushed gemstones and sunlight and sugar.

Another sob bubbled to the surface, but it was chased by a soft laugh. The hand at her neck twisted into her hair, his free hand stroking her side gently, reverently. He looked away from her, lips pressed into a thin line as if he were embarrassed from the sound.

“You’re safe, you know,” she promised, stroking his cheek. “It’s okay to cry.”

He snorted, chuckling softly as he slowly looked back at her. “For being told I’m loved?”

She brushed away another tear. “Yes, exactly.”

He looked incredulous. “Really.” It wasn’t a question so much as a comment, one brow quirking up. “You don’t mind?”

“I’m just glad you trust me.” She traced the line of his jaw. “That you feel safe with me.”

He looked on the verge of saying something smart, so she kissed him quickly, fighting against her smile as he let out a choked sound, all that remained of whatever his snarky little comment would have been.

“That was unfair,” he whined, trying and failing to glower at her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She kissed the corner of one eye, then the other, the shudder that wracked through him echoing in the hollows of her bones. “I just love you, I couldn’t help it.”

He chuckled again, running his fingers through her hair now. “Well if you’re that determined to shower me with affection, I suppose I shouldn’t stop you.”

She frowned. “Unless you want me to stop.”

“It’s a good thing I don’t want you to stop.”

“Even if it makes you cry?”

His pale brows rose higher, the corner of his lip twitching. “Only if you promise to kiss them away.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, nestling as close as she could to the coolness of his body. Tepid water sloshed around her hips, but she did not care, did not even notice as the bath grew colder. It could have been made of ice and snow and still she would have felt nothing but the warmth of her heart, burning as hot as a star set to explode and spread fire and stardust through her veins. She could feel his heartbeat against her chest, feel it beat in time with her own, a harmony only they could create.

“I promise,” she murmured, lips against the curve of his jaw, trailing kisses up his face, tasting salt on her tongue.

“Then I definitely don’t want you to stop.”

She could have said something smart then. About how he was ridiculous, how he was being awfully needy and demanding. But in truth she didn’t have it in her to say something sharp, to come up with some witty rejoinder. Any smart comments she made were like training swords to the sharp-edged daggers he could create with only his tongue anyways. But more than that, she just didn’t want to. Why would she cut through the delicate gossamer of this moment? Why would she tear apart the diaphanous veil that clung to them?

All she wanted to do most days was hold him to her chest and press her face into his hair as she breathed in the rosemary and bergamot that he was so fond of. She wanted to cup his cheeks and kiss his face until he blushed, until he laughed, until he was so full of love he would never doubt his worth again. To run her hands down his back, to tangle her fingers in his hair and comb them through his curls, to soothe him so he felt safe as he slept. 

She was not about to pass up an opportunity to do exactly that, and she was not about to tease him when she was nearly fracturing from the effort it took to keep everything she felt contained in her veins and her bones.

She had been struck dumb with love, but she had never been happier, never been so glad to sit in a cold bath with wrinkled fingers. There were not even any words to describe it, so she repeated the same words over and over. That she loved him, oh how she loved him, her precious Astarion.

Eventually his tears began to slow, his quiet sobs no longer echoing through the room. She didn’t pull away, at least not right away, wanting to stay tangled with him for just a little while longer. She murmured one more “I love you,” pressed one more kiss to the corner of his lips, before she pulled away.

Astarion’s eyes were filled with stars when she found them, the smile on his lips adoring. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” She brushed a damp curl behind his ear. “But you’re not crying any longer.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to stop, darling.” He sighed, mischief in his eyes once more. “And just when I was enjoying it, too.”

She splashed water at him, snickering as he shouted. “Come on! The water is getting cold!”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, their chests pressing together, holding her fast. “I’m not the one who started kissing me, darling.”

“I was trying to make you feel loved,” she whined, wiggling in his grasp but finding she was unable to escape.

“And you very much succeeded.” He spoke languidly, drawing out each word slowly, the sharp points of his teeth catching the buttery light. “I’ve never felt so loved before, in all my long, depraved existence.”

She looped her arms around his neck once more, running her fingers through his hair. “Well I’m very glad for that.”

He inclined his head, an approving smile on his lips. “But that doesn’t mean I want to let go of you just yet.”

“Astarion,” she hissed. “I wanted to take a bath.”

He was all wickedness now, tilting his head back, holding her fast with his eyes as much as with his arms. “And I wanted to stay curled up in my lover’s arms.”

A shiver ran down her spine, her body momentarily out of her control as she shook. She pressed closer against her better judgement, searching for the scraps of warmth his body offered.

He dropped a kiss to the top of her head, reminding her of a lazy cat from the way he watched her with half-lidded eyes. “So doesn’t this seem like an answer to what we both want?”

“We’re not exactly doing any bathing.” She shivered again, gooseflesh rushing across her arms.

The way he smirked made it seem like he had won a prize, all satisfaction and smug delight. “It looks to me like you’d be better off staying in my arms, darling. If you don’t, you might catch a chill.”

Frowning, she planned to push away from him and crawl out of the bath, but she was shivering again, harder this time, her teeth clacking together. For all the warmth stored within the cage of her ribs, beating endlessly in time with his heart, clearly it was not enough to keep the chills away when she was waist-deep in a cold bath.

Astarion grimaced, taking note of the gooseflesh prickling her skin, the way her teeth clattered together, the unending shivers she could not seem to control. He pried one hand from his hair, inspecting her palm, before sighing dramatically. “Why didn’t you tell me you were this cold?”

She pressed her lips into a thin line, looking away at the line of candles, watching as wax pooled at their bases.

A click of his tongue drew her attention back, although she wished she had not looked back as she was met with a look of reproach, his mouth a thin line, the corners of his eyes creased as they narrowed.

It was so bizarre, so utterly absurd to see such an expression on his face, when usually there was mirth or mischief or plain wickedness, that she couldn’t help but giggle.

He cocked his head to the side, the gesture of a predator having cornered its prey. “I’m not really sure what you find so funny,” he said leaning close. “But please, do enlighten me.”

“Nothing!” She shook her head quickly as she squeaked out her response. “There’s nothing that’s funny.”

“Hmm,” was his only response, although he looked like he didn’t believe her for even a second.

She tried to draw her hand away, to press it safely to her chest, but he held it tightly, his eyes boring into hers for a long, long while.

“I’m only a little cold,” she said, finally conceding. “I hardly noticed it.”

He sighed, loosening his hold. “Well I think it probably is a good idea to get out of the bath.”

She was not afforded a moment to consider his words as he stood, capturing her in his arms as he stepped from the tub.

“Hey! I haven’t washed up yet.” She wriggled in his arms, trying to get free.

“Relax.” He smirked, setting her down. “You’re not bathing in freezing water.”

“It wasn’t freezing.” She pretended she didn’t see the way his eyes flicked to the goosebumps still crawling across her arms and her legs now, too. Or the way she shivered again.

He sighed. “It’s a good thing I don’t love you for your intelligence.”

“Excuse me?!”

His hands hovered on either side of her face, his nose bumping against hers as he kissed her lightly. “I adore you, my dear.”

She glared at him as he drew back. “That is not what you said.”

“Isn’t it?” He shrugged, moving away to begin draining the bath. “I adore you, and I will always love you, no matter what silly things you say.”

“I’m going to pretend you’re not implying I’m dumb.”

He held a hand to his chest, looking stricken. “On my honour! I would never say such a thing.”

She considered turning around and stomping back to bed. But there had been a reason she had wanted to bathe, beyond lavishing Astarion in love, and she still itched to wash her body of the sweat and blood and other things that still clung to her.

“Don’t look at me like that, darling.” He looked on the verge of pouting again, reaching for her hands. “You’ll have some cuddles again in just a few minutes.”

“What are you plotting?”

“Don’t look so suspicious, I’m only drawing you a new bath.” He huffed, making a grand show of refilling the tub with steaming water.

Warmth like a newly kindled fire bloomed in her chest, velvet softness wrapping itself around her heart. It was a small gesture, and yet it set her alight, made her feel as though she were glowing a little from gratefulness, from the love that had her in its thrall.

Still, she had to argue, curious why he would do such a thing when he’d only wanted to stay snug in bed in the first place. “I can do it, it’s okay. I know you’d only wanted to remain in bed.”

Another click of his tongue as he reached for some of his oils, sniffing them delicately before sprinkling them across the water. “I never said that.”

She groaned. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Oh yes, I know.” He set the bottles to the side, offering her his hand, a teasing smile on his lips. “It’s allowed me to get away with much in the past. I’m hoping it will let me get away with much more in our future.”

She took his hand, letting him draw her back into the now steaming water. The heat of the bath seeped into her bones, relaxing her muscles as she sank into the fragrant water, tipping her head back so her hair streamed out behind her.

“How’s that?” Astarion asked, settling into the tub once more. He drew her legs into his lap, running his hands over them beneath the surface of the water. “Better, right?”

She sighed, rolling her eyes. “Yes, you’re right, it is much better.”

He flicked water her way, smug. “Now where were we?”

“Well I think I was almost done washing you,” she said, her memory hazy. Most of what she remembered was kissing his face, the desire to do so once more like a creature curling in the spaces between her cells, coiled tight, willing to wrap herself in his arms once more if he bid her to.

“That’s right,” he breathed. Something softened in his gaze, his countenance turning gentle, almost reverent. “But you’ve made me feel so loved. I’d like to do the same for you.”

A flush creeped across her face, reaching down her neck and across her chest as he took her hand. “You don’t have, I didn’t do it because I wanted you to reciprocate. I just-”

He kissed her hand, cutting her off, and for a moment he could have been an angel, the soft light gilding his features, his ivory hair glowing like moonlight.

“I know,” he murmured against her skin, eyes opening to find hers. “But I’d like to do it all the same. If you’ll allow me.”

There was nothing hidden in his voice, no double meaning to his words. Nor was his smile sly, or his eyes sharp as daggers. Nothing but earnestness lay in his countenance, a determined sincerity that had her caving at once. 

How could ever say no to such a display? Even now that his enslavement was behind him and his sire long dead, he was still guarded. Less so with her, but guarded all the same. It would take many years to coax him fully from his habits, from his attempts to shield himself and his true emotions. But he was not shielding himself now, he was not hiding anything. So how could she ever say no when his heart had unfurled like a flower in bloom, unveiling how he truly felt?

She leaned forward to cup his cheek with her free hand, unable to pry herself away from touching him gently, from stroking his face with light fingers. “Nothing would make me happier, love.”

He leaned into her touch, a sigh feathering across her skin as his eyes closed. “Are you sure there is nothing that has ever made you happier?”

“Astarion.”

He lifted both hands, palms out in surrender. His eyes fluttered open, his lashes tickling the tips of her fingers. “I was only teasing, love. Although.” His voice turned smooth as warmed butter. “I hope that everything I do makes you happy.”

“You make me happiest,” she breathed.

He sighed again, one hand circling around her wrist, his shoulders sagging. He looked like he was on the verge of melting, of falling apart and slumping into her arms. But he straightened, pressing a kiss to her palm before pulling away. “Then let me show you how much I love you.”

True to his word he did his best to wash her in kind, and the feeling of the warm water and the soap and his scattered kisses were so heavenly she nearly cried, too. They stayed together until the water grew cold once more, and then they wrapped themselves in soft towels, water puddling beneath their feet as they returned to their bedroom, as they perched on the bed while she carefully toweled off his hair, biting back a grin at how it stood up at funny angles.

And when water no longer beaded on their skin they curled up in bed once more, tangled together beneath the layers of blankets. Astarion’s head was pillowed against her chest, and she idly ran her fingers through his still-damp curls, listening to the even tempo of his breaths, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beating in his chest.

“I love you,” she murmured into his hair, stifling a yawn as she rested her cheek against the top of his head.

He mumbled something she couldn’t quite hear, a sleepy response that she felt in her bones more than heard quivering in the air. It made her smile, her arms tightening around him as she tried to hold him closer. She was happy, happier than she’d ever thought was possible, and she would do her best to make sure he was happy every day too, until the end of her days.

[foli-vora]

Congratulations on your follower milestone! That is amazing! 💖

May I please request a Rick Flag fic with “The first time you smiled it felt like the universe aligned.” and I would love for you to rip my heart out (since that is an option 😊)

Thanks and I am so excited to read all of these upcoming fics!

My sweet angel, thank you for your never ending support and love, and thank you for the request! I'm sorry for the major delay getting this done, but I hope you enjoy me ripping your heart out and squishing it under my slipper 💖

hear me

rick flag x suicidesquadf!reader

word count: 1k warnings: ANGST SUPREME. sad ending. swearing, blood, bullet wounds, death, sad sad sad. rick is cheesy & sad. SAD. ANGST. genuinely teared up writing this bye.

They lied. Everyone who had toed that line between life and death, they fucking lied. There was no bittersweet flash of memories before your eyes. You didn’t have a lot, but shit—there’s gotta be something worth showing you, worth reliving, before you close your eyes forever.

The minutes pass, you feel the growing chill along your limbs from the steady flow of blood from the various bullet holes in your torso, and still—nothing. Not a goddamn thing. 

Just Rick.

Rick bolting across the sand with your name falling from his lips. You can’t hear it, there’s a distinct shrill ringing in your ears that seems to be drowning out the chaos around you, but you see the movement of his mouth, the strain of his throat as he yells.

He comes to land on his knees next to you, a shower of cool sandy grains flicking up and dusting your black tac shirt. It glistens under the light of explosions and gunfire, and you briefly wonder in morbid curiosity how much of your blood stains the beach beneath you.

“Jesus. Oh, oh darlin’—”

You hear him then, his broken and strained mutter cutting through the surrounding ambush.

“Hey Colonel,” you rasp with a barely there smile, a sticky hot trail of liquid leaking from the edge of your lips, “how’s it lookin’?”

Those pretty doe eyes dart over the destruction of your body, his hands ghosting over your wounds in what feels like hesitation, anxiety. Which ones can be smothered with a cheap and easy dressing? What one needs the most pressure applied?

Going by the rate your body seems to be numbing, cooling in the breezy night air, they’re all pretty shit. At least there's no pain. Shock, adrenaline - whatever the fuck it is, you're thankful for it.

“Fine,” he mutters, rough gloved hands instead coming to rest on your cheeks, thumbs brushing away the coarse sand and half dried blood splatters covering your skin, “you’re gonna be just fine.”

“Damn,” you breathe heavily, brows briefly coming together, “I never thought I’d hear you lie to me. None of that shit. No, no.... you gotta make it something good, Colonel.”

Confusion pinches his pretty face through the pain, and you give another strained smile.

“The last words I’ll ever hear—make ‘em… they gotta be good.”

“Don’t talk like that, you hear me? You’ll be fine. Backup’s comin’. They’re comin’, and we’ll get you patched up, and you’ll be right to back to bein’ a pain in my ass, okay?”

Oh, sweet soldier.

No.

It doesn't work like that.

They don’t send help for people like you. Suicide Squad, remember? It’s in the name. You knew what you were signing up for. He knew what you were signing up for. This is it. You’re just another classified file thrown through the shredder at the end of the day.

You blink tiredly up at him, “No one’s coming, Flag.”

He shakes his head in firm denial, strong jaw rolling in an effort to remain cool and collected.

“No, they... they have to.” 

“Somethin’ good, Flag,” you remind him quietly, a heaviness now seemingly coming to rest along your limbs.

Is this it? Can’t you just have one more minute? One more minute of him crowding your vision? You don’t need a last minute life montage, not when he’s here, not when he’s carefully dragging you further into his warm embrace.

Please, just a little longer in his arms.

“Okay… okay. The—the first time you smiled, it felt like the universe aligned.”

“Oh, fuck me,” you splutter with a sudden roll of remaining energy, chest heaving and lungs screaming as you choke on a weak chuckle, “that’s a… a new low, even for… f’your s-soft self.”

“Thought you’d like that,” he drawls quietly with a grin.

It’s brief, tainted with agony stricken tears, and falls from his face the second it stretches his lips. No, sweet soldier. Smile. It’s okay.

Maybe… maybe this is why your life isn’t flashing before your eyes. It’s because it’s here—he’s here. You didn’t really have anything before this, before the Squad, before Rick. You were merely a shell of a person in your cell, angry with the unfair world and the hand you’d been dealt from childhood, but when he came along?

He gave you a chance, saw something in you no one had before. He provided you with the Squad, with friends. He got you out of your cell and into the fresh air with a new outlook. He trained you, laughed with you, ate with you in the crappy mess hall despite the frowns from his co-workers.

He saw you.

He saw you for everything you were, not for what people thought you to be.

“Think you’re the… the closest thing I’ve e-ever felt to love, Colonel. Thank you.”

It’s a decent goodbye, you decide with the final beat of your heart, slackening in relief and embracing the call of the abyss with a leftover curl still tugging at your lips. Better than you’d been led to believe you deserved, better than what Waller threatened you with.

You got a good ending.

He feels the weight of you in his arms, sees how unnaturally still your chest has fallen and how your eyes seem to stare just past his shoulder. It shakes him to the core. His heart beats at the base of his throat and he can’t help but call out to you one more time, despite knowing you’d never answer.

“Darlin’?”

You can’t be gone—not yet.

You can’t be gone, because you didn’t get to hear him say it back. He needs to say it, he needs you to hear it. He murmurs those three little words over and over, breathing them into your skin wherever he can reach, willing you to stay just long enough to hear them, long enough to know you were loved.

You need to know you’re loved.

Bile builds in his throat at the thought, but he has to leave you behind; alone, broken and bled out on the sandy beach for a sweep team to deal with later. He wonders as he runs through the dense jungle, but he’ll never know if you did manage to hear his broken, tear filled I love you’s.

He hopes with everything in him that you did.

[gracev0609]

Strawberry Moon

Josh Kiszka X Reader

Disclaimer: I am not spiritual, I have no experience in any of this, all information was taken from this source

Word Count: 1k+

Warnings: 18+ only, Minors DNI, celebrating the strawberry moon, trying to conceive, explicit sex, breeding kink.

🍓🌕🍓🌕🍓

You sat cross legged on the fluffy cream colored plush blanket across from your lover, Josh. You cracked your eyes open, peering at his toned form. He sat mirror image to you, cross legged with his palms facing the sky, completely bare. Your sunroom was glowing in various shades of pink and orange, coloring each plant and pillow a color of the sunset. Tonight was the Strawberry Moon, the next phase. You and Josh had been trying to get pregnant for about a month now, neither of you were getting younger and honestly, you both were eager to start a family. Josh got the idea this morning after reading about the powers of the strawberry moon. He had set his phone down on the kitchen island and rattled off how the strawberry moon has powerful energy and can work on our inner selves as well as increase love and fertility. He told you about the affirmations you both could say during your meditation as well as charging moon water to drink to help.

His arms wrapped around your frame, settling his hands over your empty womb,” I know it's all a little weird, and if it doesn't work what have we lost? But on the other hand, if it does and we make a baby….”

“I think it's worth a shot Joshy, if anything it'll make a nice evening.”

He leaned down, kissing the top of your head,” That's my girl.”

Back to the present, you closed your eyes again repeating your affirmation once more, We're harnessing the energy of the strawberry moon. Let us harness it's power of love, self improvement and fertility.

You sat meditating and reflecting until the sun went down and your solar fairy lights came on. The air around you became cooler, your sweat slicked skin chilling causing your nipples to pebble.

Josh spoke, his voice soothing,” My love… are you ready baby?”

Josh stood retrieving the glasses of water from the end table, striding over to the windowsill to place them under the moonlight to charge. Turning on his heel, he made his way back over to you, his hips swaying as he moved. He kneeled down in the pillow nest you were meditating in before leaning over and grabbing the small tray of strawberries. He nestled into your side, raising a summer sun warmed berry to your lips,” To celebrate. A new phase, a new chapter of our lives. I'm really hopeful that we'll make a baby tonight lovie. The celestial energy… you're ovulating… I think this might be the perfect combination honey.”

Chewing the succulent fruit you nodded,” I hope so too. I think the odds are in our favor tonight.”

Josh fed you a few more berries, his hand stroking your skin, warming your body up for him as you chewed. Eventually his hand dipped down between your legs, sighing softly when he discovered the slick between them.

His fingers swirled around your clit, “ You're going to be such a beautiful momma. You're so kind, so sure of everything you do. Our child is going to look up to you.”

Sighing you shudder, his praise fueling your arousal and you rest your head on his shoulder,” I love you Josh.”

Gently he slides two fingers into you, lightly moaning when he feels how tight and wet you are. And he continues to pump his fingers in and out of you he runs his hips into your leg, gliding his already leaking cock against your thigh. It doesn't take you long until you're clenching around his fingers, the coil in your stomach snapping, as you soak his hand in your release.

Josh presses kisses to your temple,” Good girl, that's my good girl. So beautiful, so ready to take my cock.”

Whining you grasp at him, tugging him to position himself over you,” Please Josh, I need it. Put your baby in me.”

He grasps his cock in his hand, running his swollen head through your slick,” Fuck, keep talking like that and I'm not going to last long.”

He pushes his hips forward, easing himself inside of you. Your hands grip onto his biceps as you adjust to his size,” Isn't that kind of the point.”

You giggle lightly as he rocks his hips,” I guess so…. Pretty baby just wants to be full of my cum?”

You groan, hitching your thighs over his hips,” You know I do.”

All you can think about is the way it feels when he fills you, so wet and warm, coating your insides in Josh. The thought pushes you closer to your second climax, and you start clenching around him, fluttering around his pulsating cock.

Through gritted teeth he praises,” Go ahead sweetheart, cum all over my fat cock. Let me have it.”

His voice in your ears, his skin on yours, and his tip pushing against your sweet spot, you had to surrender to the waves of pleasure. All you could think about was Josh. All you could think about was making him a father.

His hips pound into yours, losing all self control he once had. Slamming himself deep inside of you, chasing his primal urges.

His voice sounds strained,” God… fuck… I can't wait to get you pregnant.”

“Do it! I need it, wanna have your baby so badly!” You cry your nails digging into his back.

His hips stutter, and you feel his warm cum flood your insides.

“Fuuuck… that's right baby, keep milking me. Get every last drop… Gonna make the most beautiful baby.”

Finally his hips still and he all but collapses on you. His hands holding you close to him with his face buried in your neck.

“You're so beautiful, honey. You're going to be the most amazing mom. God, I really hope we just made a baby.”

Your hands stroke his back, both of your emotions heightened. Wanting this to work so badly. One hand comes up to scratch his scalp lovingly,” Maybe our strawberry moon helped us tonight.”

Josh raises his head from your skin, he raises his gaze until he finds the moon. His eyes stay locked on and you can tell he's pleading with the sacred celestial energy. Eventually he pulls out of you, before quickly shoving a pillow underneath your hips. He snuggles into your side, grabbing a blanket and draping it over the both of you,” Gotta keep it all in.”

His lips trail slow lines over your exposed skin until he's eventually lulling you to sleep. Right before you fall under the wave of slumber you say a prayer to your strawberry moon.

🍓🌕🍓🌕🍓

[catt-leya]

07/05

rick grimes x fem!reader

warnings: angsty (reader getting stabbed), blood, handjob, age gap, dirty talk, crying Rick and smutty stuff

💗 This fic is a second part but it's not "necessary" to know the first one. That's why it's called Thoughts and not mainly Dirty Pt.2 (together it would be Dirty Thoughts hihi)💗

request, part I

Before you can even say a word, you notice how he closes up again. You notice him stiffening between your legs before he takes a big step backwards.

Without his body heat, the room is far too cold and you stare at him with huge eyes, "Rick?"

Stripped bare, you sit in front of him and ice chills run down his spine.

Fucking hell, he can't bring himself to do that. 

Fucking you is one thing, admittedly completely morally reprehensible, but still explainable. But falling in love with you a completely different.

An old guy who likes to be in a 22 year old pussy is sick, but maybe still understandable. 

But loving a 22 year old completely inappropriate.

He shouldn't have done that. He's the older one and should have brought you to your senses and not given in to your first touch.

You would never let a guy like him screw you if you had a choice. 

He's sure of that.

And now he's standing here, staring at his cum slowly dripping out of you, knowing he's going to hell for this.

Rick takes another step back and he feels like he hit you. 

Like he rammed his fist right into your face.

He bends over and yanks his pants up over his ass like the little room is on fire.

Almost in a panic, he yanks the door open behind him, leaving you exposed and vulnerable in the room.

Alone.

The feeling of being abandoned in this way is beyond description.

For a few minutes you are not even able to move an inch.

Stunned, you sit there thinking about what just happened.

Sure, you kind of seduced him, but he wanted you.

Again and again his words flit through your mind and you wonder at what point he had decided to leave you lying there like a piece of used meat.

"Spread your legs for me."

"That's good. Your pussy is so wet and all this just for me."

"I want you to cum on my cock. That's why I stopped."

"Do you realize how deep I am inside you. I'd love to stay right there forever."

Tears well up in your eyes.

It's not like you were expecting a declaration of love or anything like that. You're sure that for Rick, it was nothing more than physical attraction that led him to fuck you in the end. 

But you expected a modicum of respect.

At least to be treated with respect to the extent that he doesn't run away from you while his cum is still leaking out of you and you're sitting trembling in front of him.

Slowly, you stand on your feet and reach for your clothes.

You move as if in a trance and as you open the door and blink, looking into the sun, the only evidence that the whole thing with Rick really happened is your sticky legs.

Used and discarded.

That's how you feel and that feeling isn't going away anytime soon, especially since you really like Rick. 

Yes, crushing on him.

Two weeks go by in which you hardly get to see Rick. 

In which he avoids you at every opportunity.

If anyone around you notices, no one brings it up and you don't say a word about it either.

It's weird because you guys have always been relatively close and now he can't even look at you.

You should be mad and wish him the worst, but every time you catch a glimpse of his dark curls, your heart stops for a brief moment and you have to restrain yourself from running after him.

Even now, you scan the place for him, even though you should already be sitting in the car next to Glenn.

From the second floor window of the jail, Rick watches you walk around the car and get in on the passenger side.

One last time, you lift your head and look straight up at him. 

It's as if you've felt his gaze on you.

Hectically, he takes a step back and leans his back against the wall.

With closed eyes he stands there and doesn't get your gorgeous face out of his eyes. 

Your face that was still beautiful even when you looked at him with tears in your eyes as he forcibly pulled up his pants.

If he was a good man, he would tell you the truth. 

Oh fuck, if he was a good man, he wouldn't have fucked you in the first place.

But he's scared, way too scared of what might happen and some stupid part in his heart might have that little bit of hope that you might want him as much as he wants you. 

He's acting ridiculous and he knows it, but he's not a good man.

As planned, you and your people search the small abandoned town you just discovered the other day and find a surprising amount of stuff, considering the town was looted long ago.

You wander from house to house and in a small room overlooking the surrounding forest you stop.

The house is gorgeous and you can imagine how a small family must have lived in this pretty place.

Maybe they are still alive too, who knows.

You run the flat of your hand over the dusty windowsill and stare at the little specks of dust that you swirl into the air, not noticing at all that you are no longer alone in the house.

Your people are a few houses away and you have remained alone in the house, as you assumed, but when you suddenly hear strange voices downstairs, you flinch.

You quickly look around. 

You can't get out of the window without breaking every bone in your body, and the only other way out is blocked by the people downstairs.

So it's a choice between broken bones and possible direct death.

You choose the broken bones.

As quietly as you can, you pry open the window and hear a deep male voice from below, "I'll check upstairs."

Now you're getting frantic, you may only have a few seconds before the guy comes up the stairs and looks straight into the room where you're standing.

You shoulder your backpack and there's the guy standing in the room, "Hey, guys. Here's a chick."

He wants to reach for you, but you're already hanging on the other side of the window with one leg. 

But before you can swing the other leg to the other side as well, he grabs your lower leg and you stagger your upper body further out the window.

Pure will to survive shoots through your veins as he hisses, "Come on, kid. I'm not going to hurt you."

You kick at him, not caring that you'd land head first on the ground, but the guy doesn't let go and pulls a knife from his pants with his free hand.

You scream out as a second guy appears in the room and you kick again. 

You're lucky he lets go of you this time, but with his other hand, he tries to grab you again and rams the knife into your thigh.

Blood splatters your face and the guy's hand slips off.

You don't even have the chance to scream, because you already fall.

You are lucky that you landed in a bush and only got a few scratches from the fall.

Limping you get up and hear the men shouting something, you run as fast as you can in the direction of your companions.

The fall has ripped the knife out of your thigh and now the blood is running unhindered down your leg, praying that the guy didn't nick any major artery.

You're not fast, but fast enough to reach your group and you gasp, "Another group...two men...knife."

Arm dragging, the others pull you to your car and all you hear is, "It's going to be okay," before you black out.

Rick is helping with the new posts for the fence when he sees your car.

Even from a distance he can see that something is wrong. 

You're speeding toward the fence way too fast.

"Maggie! Open the gate!", Rick's voice echoes across the yard and Maggie, standing closest to the gate, does as he asks.

With screeching tires, the car comes to a stop and the driver gets out, panicked and covered in blood.

Immediately Rick thinks the worst, "What happened? Where is she?"

'She' could have been anyone, but everyone knows who Rick means.

The door to the back seat opens and Rick hears your faint voice, "I'm fine. I just need to get some sleep."

The whole car smells of the iron in your blood and in his whole life he has never had such a panic as the moment he gets to see your pale face.

Immediately he pushes everyone aside and somehow squeezes his big body into the car without hurting you.

"Baby?", pure panic drips from that single word and you smile weakly at him, "Oh, so I have to be stabbed first for you to talk to me again?"

You lazily close your eyes and immediately his rough hand is on your cheek, "Don't fall asleep, yes? You have to stay awake."

"I'm so tired though," you don't even realize how weak your voice is, but Rick is almost cracking up, "Baby, look at me. I know you're tired, but please look at me."

It's exhausting to keep your eyes open, but you oblige, whereupon he reaches under your legs and mutters, "Just look at me, okay? We'll patch you up."

Slowly he lifts you out of the car and you mumble, "Are you going to stay with me this time or are you going to leave me alone again?"

A twinge of guilty conscience presses against his heart and he whispers softly, "I'll never leave you alone again," and he is completely serious.

He expects an answer, but nothing more comes from you and when he gets out of the car with you in his arms, your eyes are closed.

"Baby?" his voice whips up to unimagined heights and his heart threatens to leap out of his chest.

No.

Oh no.

Please don't.

He has no idea if you're even still breathing.

If he looked closely he would see your chest rising and falling but naked panic and fear pumps through his veins and he runs to jail with you in his arms, "Hershel!"

The older man is on the spot and with just a glance at the nearly motionless figure in Rick's arms he shouts, "Put her on your bed!"

The blood from your leg soaks his shirt and as he places you on his bed, his shirt sticks to him like a second skin.

As Hershel comes rushing into the small room, Rick makes as much room for him as the older man needs without leaving your side.

At the head of the bed, Rick kneels down and brushes a few sweaty strands from your face.

"Is she dead?", Rick's voice breaks and Hershel growls, "Calm down, son. She's just passed out."

Immediately Rick fixes his gaze on your chest and for the first time he doesn't look at it suggestively, but waits for the faint breath that lifts your pretty boobs.

When he sees with his own eyes that you're actually breathing, he rests his forehead against yours, gasping, and murmurs, "Oh my God. You're alive. You're alive and you're with me. You're alive."

He would never have forgiven himself if you died and your last memory of him was that he left you alone and vulnerable. 

He never would have forgiven himself if he never told you the truth.

Rick presses his face against your neck so that his nose presses against your pulse and murmurs in a choked voice, "Baby, I love you. I'm sorry I've been such an ass. I promise I'll never leave you again. I love you so much. I love you."

"Rick?", Hershel's voice is soft, "You should tell her that when she regains consciousness."

Face still buried in your neck, he can't hold back the tears and while Hershel saves your life, Rick cries like he never has before.

Groaning softly, you open your eyes and try to adjust to the light conditions.

You're in prison but don't remember how you got here. 

Darkly you remember Rick begging you to look at him and the rest is completely gone.

Lazily, you try to turn onto your side, but bump into something.

Confused, you turn your eyes to your hip and blink several times, thinking it's a dream.

Completely drenched in blood, Rick is sitting on the floor next to the bed you're lying in, his head resting on the mattress next to your hip.

His soft snores fill the small room and you wonder how long you've been unconscious.

"Rick?" your voice is raspy, but immediately Rick startles out of his sleep and stares at you, "You're awake."

Groaning, you frown, "Obviously, or I wouldn't have woken you up after all."

Sliding up to you on his knees, he murmurs softly, "Doesn't have to mean anything. You kept calling my name all night, but you were never awake."

Grumbling, you close your eyes and Rick reaches for your hand, "How are you?"

It's strange to see Rick so interested in you, and the way he clings to your hand feels like he's expecting you to get up and just disappear at any second.

"I feel like my leg was put through a meat grinder, but other than that, everything's top notch," you lazily open your eyes and Rick nods, "Okay, I'll get Hershel."

He stands up, but you squeeze his hand so tightly that he stops beside you, "Wait a bit. I want to be...alone with you."

Slowly, he kneels back down beside you and murmurs, "That can wait."

You roll your eyes and mumble, "No, it can't, because I don't know if you'll slip away and I'll never get to see you again."

Under his lashes, he looks at you, "I'm not leaving. Ever again."

Surprised, your eyebrows twitch up, "Oh yeah? Where'd that change of heart come from? Do I have to almost bleed to death for you to realize it was shitty of you to just leave me sitting there after you had your dick up to your balls in me?"

Rick winces like you hit him and in a perverse way it feels good. 

It feels good that you can hurt him, too.

He doesn't even dare look you in the face as he whispers, "I'm sorry. There were so many different ways to handle the situation and I chose the asshole version."

Now you have his apology, but you still feel so hollow.

Not expecting anything more, you let go of his hand and nod, "Okay, thanks."

He wanted your young body, you're sure of it, and he got it.

That's all it is, and that's all it will ever be.

"Go get Hershel," at your words he looks up and stares at you like you asked for the moon.

You don't care that he admits to being with you all night. 

You don't care that he called you baby at one point, and you don't care that you'll never be anything more than a nice pussy to fuck. 

At least that's what you tell yourself.

A few seconds pass with no one stirring until Rick murmurs, "If you think it's disgusting or perverted, tell me and I'll shut up and never speak of it again."

"What?" you have no idea what he's talking about, but he slumps down and whispers, "I love you."

The silence is oppressive.

You're not even breathing anymore.

Apologetically, he looks at you with his pretty blue eyes, "I love you. I know it's sick and I'm sorry. You don't have much choice when it comes to sex and probably between all the others, I'm the best choice because you've known me the longest. I don't know. But I do know that I shouldn't have fallen in love with you. I mean, I've been thinking about fucking you forever. Way before that incident two weeks ago and even then I had a little crush on you. But finally holding you in my arms was…I was cracking up because I realized that I love you. With all my heart. And I felt like a pervert and then I acted like an ass. Then I held you bleeding in my arms and thought you were going to die thinking that I treated you like shit and not knowing how I felt about you, so I'm telling you now. I love you."

You blink.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then you lean forward, and Rick flinches as you place your lips on his.

For a brief moment, he stiffens again before leaning in toward you to put more pressure into the kiss.

You can practically taste the fear he had for you on his tongue and move a little closer to him.

Half erect, your torso brushes his and immediately he releases the kiss, "You should rest, baby."

The endearment, makes your cheeks warm and your lips brush his graying beard, "Hmhm."

Even dirty and sweaty, he smells so incredibly good that you press your nose against his neck and your heart does a somersault because he doesn't pull away from you and instead murmurs, "Baby, please."

Your leg screaming in pain completely fades into the background as you start sucking on his neck.

Rick flinches and digs his fingers into the edge of the mattress you're lying on.

Damn, you know exactly what you're doing and you should take it easy, especially since you weren't even conscious a few minutes ago.

As you bite into his neck, he squints his eyes and tries one more time, "Baby-"

"You know, I haven't been completely honest with you either," your voice is muffled and he only manages a soft "Huh?".

You press your mouth to his jaw, "I told you I was attracted to you because you're so manly."

He tilts his head to the side a little so you have better access.

"Were you just trying to boost my ego and actually think I'm a wimp?" his voice has dropped an octave and you suppress a whimper at the harsh tone in it.

How can it be that he doesn't know the impact he has on you? 

How easily he can make you drool.

Gently, you lick over the new glowing spot on his neck, then whisper, "No, that was the truth. But it's not the only reason I'm so attracted to you."

You move away from him a bit and blink up at him, "You're good. You're a good man and your heart is in the right place. I don't care how old you are, and in a way, maybe your age turns me on a little bit, if I'm being honest. But I didn't want you just for sex and certainly you weren't one choice out of many. In fact, you have no competition at all because you were all I ever wanted. Always."

You bite your lower lip, "You know, I've had a head over heels crush on you forever. I...well I didn't think you could even like me like that."

He stares at you like you've grown a second head and you smile shyly at him, "Well, what I'm saying is that I love you too, Rick."

Blush stains your cheeks and only makes you more gorgeous.

You love him.

You.

Love.

Him.

Without thinking, he presses his lips to yours again and you moan in surprise into the kiss.

Gently, he straightens up a bit and presses you back into your pillow this way.

His beard scratches over your soft skin and you lift your hands to his cheeks to stroke the stubble.

He runs his tongue over your lower lip, "Should I shave my beard?"

He always had to do it with Lori because she had hated the way the stubble felt on her skin. 

After that stopped being an issue, though, he let it grow.

But if you asked him to, he would still get a razor today just so he could keep kissing you.

What he didn't count on, though, is your soft laugh, "It doesn't bother me, Rick."

You tug on his beard, "Besides, it suits you."

Somehow you like the way the stubble feels against your skin.

Especially at the thought of how they would feel between your legs.

Rick's gaze softens and he leans further over you, nudging your leg a little, and you wince.

"Sorry, baby. I'll get Hersehl right now," chuckling, you stop him, "Relax. If I don't move it, it'll be fine."

Skeptically, he looks at you and you slide a hand to his belt, murmuring softly, "If you don't touch me, we'll be fine."

"You don't have to do this," he says, but in his eyes you see once again how much he wants to.

That's the interesting thing about Rick. 

He can make his voice sound cold and impassive and look like he's about to rip your head off, but his eyes give him away.

Every time.

Because they're so bright, they also stand out so incredibly and it's playfully easy to read him in them.

Slowly you undo his belt and he doesn't budge an inch as you breathe, "I want to."

Hectically, his gaze slides to your bandaged leg and you purr, "Just relax. Think of it as a reward for taking such good care of me."

"Okay," his voice is soft and uncertain. 

Frantically, you try to suppress a grin because it's so unlike him, "Stand up."

Immediately he looks you in the face again, sure you've changed your mind and want him to go get Hershel after all, but you whisper hoarsely, "If you stand, I can get to your cock better lying down."

He swallows a whimper.

When did he become such a wimp?

But your wide eyes and soft hand stroking his lower belly make him tremble and he nods.

With soft knees he straightens up to his full height and immediately you pull his pants down enough to get at his cock.

This innocent touch makes him moan harshly and he clings to the bed frame of the bunk bed.

Your eyes are glued to his upper arms, where his biceps now bulge strongly, and you whisper, "Say it again."

Rick looks first to your hand around his cock and then back to your face, "I love you."

You stroke his hardening cock and he moans, "Oh God, I love you so much."

He thrusts his hips at you and you just can't take your eyes off his face, not when he opens his blue eyes and looks at you like you're everything to him. 

Maybe you even are, "I love you so much."

When he fucked you, you were so distracted by your pulsing pussy that you barely paid attention to how gorgeous Rick looks as his whole body shakes and he squints his eyes as if by willpower alone he won't manage to cum in your hand right now.

How could he behave at you any other way when you're lying in front of him, practically begging to jerk him off?

You try to straighten up a bit so you can breathe a kiss on the tip of his cock, and the way he flinches at the brief contact of your lips is enough amends for the stinging pain that emanates from your leg as you move.

Briefly, you think about what would happen if Rick were too loud. 

If someone came into the small cell while you lay flat on the bed and Rick towered over you, fucking your hand.

The thought makes you whimper softly, "Fuck me."

As you expected, he shakes his head, "No, baby. You wanted my cock so jerk me off and I'll fuck you as soon as I can push your legs apart again."

Your grip tightens and you whimper softly, "Please don't talk like that."

Irritated, he frowns and when he sees you slide your free hand between your legs, he grunts, "It turns you on, right?"

Hesitantly, you nod and he grins at you, "Then keep your hands off yourself, baby."

Your hand freezes in mid-motion and Rick continues to fuck your hand, "Good girl. Imagine all the things I'm going to do to you because you're finally mine."

You moan softly, "Rick, please..."

"Shhhh, just jerk me off, baby," he teases you and you know it.

His cock is hard and swollen in your small hand and every time you graze his tip it twitches in your hand.

His knuckles stand out white and he moans harshly, "Where do you want it?"

Greedily you open your mouth and he growls, "Shit you're dirty."

He pushes your hand aside and aims for your wide open mouth as he rubs his shaft and he rests his forehead against his forearm to look down at you as he cums.

Some of his cum hits your mouth and the rest runs down your cheek.

You swallow what he gives you and gather up the rest from your cheek to put your finger in your mouth and suck his cum from your finger.

With his mouth open, he stares down at you.

You are perfect.

In every way, shape, and form.

With a 'plop' you pull your finger on your mouth as you hear Hershel's voice from outside, "Are you done?"

Smutty May Masterlist

Taglist: @hail-yourselves   @bean-is-reading   @chanlvr2   @criminalwalkingsupernatural   @sunshinevirus   @toxic-ink    @kingtwhiddleston    @bloodycherry22    @vane28282    @bamslover    @revesephemeres    @emo-potato-virgil    @mrsashleybarnes18-blog  @starsaroundmyscxrss  @starkstiless  @easystreet07 @darylsonlylove @your-shifting-gurl @strnqer @dreamtofus @lincolnswidow @rickswh0r3 @iluvdixon @sinsandsweetness @beekassyy

[aries-rp-corner]

The time has come…night has finally come. Aries was at the front lines as she looked up to the sky…watching the Moon slowly turning red by the second. She can feel a heavy pressure forming in the air, until the Moon was now devoured in red. Looking out to the sea as it reflected the red color of the moon, it looked like someone stained the ocean in pure blood… The heavy pressure returned as a screech broke the silence as something swift grabbed a grunt, Aries in a quick response threw one of her Sickles to the figure. Making it cry out in pain as she now sees the grunt fall back on deck, confused and terrified from what the poor soul had experienced ... but the poor man felt like he'd been stabbed…and stabbed he was as he looked over to see the puncture wounds began to leak out blood and something else… Aries knew what that was as she ordered the others who were holding the antidote to quickly help their fellow grunt.

Aries meanwhile, looked around to find the “Pokémon” that landed the first attack, seeing a shadow swiftly flying by. Until feeling a strong breeze behind her, looking up to see a different type of Wyvern Pokémon. Landing down as dark energy gathered around the Wyvern until it shrunk in size to see a silhouette of a man. Finally it was revealed to be Durai, glaring down at Aries as she felt something sharp smacking her in the face.

“You had the nerve to cut my Wife, not once, but twice you stupid fox. Now, where is that leader of yours? I hope he made the right choice to spare the lives of his…“men”…from a bloodbath.” Durai spoke heavy with anger, along with curiosity of what Ghetsis chose his answer… The sound of speakers echoed all around the ship. “Ghetsis.~ I hope you made the right choice to give me Kyurem and now for that bastard of your son to give me both of the dragons. Now…I know you are in no condition to fight, so what answer did you choose?” Durai waited to hear the Lord of Plasma, until hearing dark chuckle from the PA.

“I am not giving up Kyurem without a fight. Fight us if you dare, but we will not bow to anyone to the likes of you!!” Ghetsis roared out, Durai gave a look of annoyance from the answer. Standing tall as he examined the grunts, Aries, and the Plasma Frigate. Until finally glaring down at the souls in front of him. “If you want them so bad, fight me for them! Even if I fall, I will not give them up!!”

“You all made your grave. Cipher! Show no mercy!! Leave no living soul alive!!” Durai roared out as he snapped his clawed fingers. Instantly, the Peons quickly climbed on board through the ocean and some in the air landing down as Cipher attack with full force. Aries staggered back up, holding her mouth as she tasted blood and her hand confirmed it, yet thanks to that Durai is now looming over Aries with a look that’s full of rage and annoyance…but fear as well? “If your family didn’t help Nasrin in the past, you wouldn’t be here. I don’t know how you survived my wife’s attack but I WILL make sure you stay dead!” He opened his claws in an attempt to slash her, but the only thing he felt with ripping what remained of her scarf and a Moon Sickle cutting his cheek.

“My family has been doing this ever since she found us, it was our kindness and urge to protect others is what led us here now! I’m not sure she saw my family’s future, but she knew how to pick ‘em!” Aries then grabbed her knife as she placed it between her jaws and whipped back her Sickle. “And she is making sure you fall tonight.” Durai looked very confused until he looked up to the sky. Seeing a yellow star and clouds forming in a shape of a fox consuming the moon. Even as rain descend from the sky, making Durai feel a familiar chill running through his body as he sees the woman’s eyes glowing piercing gold-yellow. All he saw was a ghost from his past returning one finally time to make sure he stays buried. “You wanted to fight, now stand and fight! If you want Kyurem, Zekrom, and Reshiram you’ll have to pry them out from ALL of our cold dead hands!”

“So be it….If you think you’re a hero, then die like one!” Durai roared with fury as he reformed back into a Wyvern like beast, delivering his roar across the entire Frigate. He and his Organization will not falter.

[anjumzm]

Midsummer Night

A Legacy of Gods Fanfic.

JerCes Daughter x LanMia Son

Chapter 7

Aanya Volkov

The "Le Flamington"  was a luxurious café located in the heart of the city. Above the café we had some IT and Finance corporations, it was always buzzing with people coming in and out even at odd times. Me, Rebecca and Gina frequented the café, all thanks to Ms.Gina King and her influence and also the fact that some one from their family literally owned the entire building.

Nothing shocking there, the rate at which the Kings owned most of the buildings here, I wonder if they wanted to buy entire London off.

I just want this nightmare to be over.

Like he'd said, the driver picked me up from my college around 12:45 pm. I'd asked him to pick me up from the back gate, hopefully the guards didn't notice my absence given that my classes were still going on. I'll have to wrap up whatever absurdity this is and get back before someone reports me missing and Dad brings his army here to escort me back home.

Just when I'm about to message Caleb, I feel arms around me, from the back caging me, long, veiny fingers splayed on the table.

"Hello, little bird" He whispers.

Chills run down my spine and goosebumps erect on my arms,my entire body stiffens, as though it's readying itself for flight or fight mode, sensing that in the moment I'm a prey with the attention of a predator on me.

"Theo" My voice sounds like a whisper to me, a bit shaky. He gets around the table, dripping confidence as though he owns the entire world and sits in the chair opposite me, his fingers locked and his chin resting on it. He watches me with amusement, a small smirk playing on his handsome face.

He's a King, through and through.

Wait, Handsome face??

Who am I kidding,  ofcourse he is handsome, the moment he walked in I could see the group of girls seated on the table opposite ours, giggling and whispering with awe on their faces.

The vermin knows this fact for sure, judging by the wink he threw to the waitress passing by.

"Well, do you plan to give me back our Book and stop this madness, I'm sure you've had your fill of drama for the week"

"Aren't you a charmer, miss Volkov, and straight to the point,I like it. By the way you look lovely today, although one might argue that you look lovely everyday"

"Cut the Crap, Mr.King and give us whats ours. There are many lives at stake ,Theo, why won't you understand this? Today or later my brothers might connect the dots and know that you're the one behind the theft and I don't need to fill you with details of the aftermath, while I couldn't give a damn about you, there's Aunt Annika, Rebecca and Gina. I don't want you to be the reason that we entirely distance ourselves from the Kings for good"

He doesn't say a word, not one and keeps staring at me with his dark blue eyes that are void of any emotions, the constant smirk pasted on his face.

"I'm tired. Let's get this done with, Tell me, What do you want, why did you call me here?" I say with a calm I'm not feeling at the moment.

"I want you to get engaged to me"

I freeze, I can hear ringing in my ears, but then I shake my head, the absurdity of the words drawing a full fledged laugh out of me, so much so that the people around me start staring at  me as though I'm an idiot.

"Sorry, I think I heard you wrong, what did you say again?"

"You heard me right, Aanya, I want you to be my fiancé, for us to get engaged"

"Are you drunk, or has someone's curse finally reached you, are you losing your mind?"

"As absurd it may sound, I assure you it's the only way for you to get your book back, the only way to save your family from the Bratva's wrath"

"My father would never ever agree to this, you know how he loathes your father and thinks you to be the same as him, he literally thinks you guys are a menace to the society and belong to some mental asylum, not to mention the beef you have with both my brothers, judging that they're aware that you were the one who leaked Mr.Williamson's data, my father doesn't know about this for the same reason that I've kept quite, we love Aunt Annika a lot. So as much as you would like us to be "engaged" it will never happen"

"Then you better get to work Aanya, I'll be visiting my Grandparents in the US next week, I want you to put this out on the table before your family, and convince them by hook or by crook. If by the end of my visit I don't get a reply from you Ms.Volkov, I'll personally hand over the Black book to the Pakhan"

I'm at loss of words, I feel as though the world's spinning, my hearts beating faster trying to make sense of his words.

"Why do you want us to get engaged Theo, what do you plan? Is your Grandfather aware of this? Your parents?"

"You don't need to concern yourselves with my plans Ms.Volkov, you do your part and I'll do mine and at the end of it we both get what we want, as for my family, my Grandfather won't meddle in my business for a while, my father would always support me, as for my mother....like you said let's not taint the relations my mother and yours have, the only thing they need to know is that we are to be engaged"

"You're a monster Theo, a narcissist, unfeeling monster who wouldn't care if the world burns at his feet, as long as he gets what he wants"

"Like I said, tell me something I don't know sweetheart. As lovely as this conversation with you has been, I need to get back to the priority tasks at hand. Remember, you've got one week Aanya, don't think too much about it, since patience is not one of my virtues" He gets up and leaves through the door at my left.

What do I do now?

Till the end if the day I'm so exhausted, that I collapse as soon as I lay on my bed at Caleb and Jaspers house. At around 3 am in night I go to the kitchen to get some water, and find my brother and cousin whispering to themselves.

"Seriously Caleb, Knock some sense into Aaron, man. At this rate he'll either end up killed or in Jail, there's only so much our parents influence can do" Jasper says.

"I'm trying Jasper, gods I'm trying. There's... something going on back at home, it's affected him badly, he's become like this bull, Punch first and ask questions later. He's usually calm and composed, this is the first time he's acting so out of character, as if he can no longer control himself" Caleb says running his palm through his face.

I can see worry etched on his face. Caleb never shows it but he's the most understanding, the most calm and collected person, who always has a plan and tries to stick to it, but I can see that he's tired. My brother Aaron, I've never seen him turn this violent like Caleb says, but all of this is also messing with his mental health. With all that's going on, I'm sure my parents and grandparents are having a difficult time too.

I know exactly what I need to do. With newfound courage and determination I take out my phone and write

'I'm ready. I'll get engaged to you, give me sometime and I'll convince my family'

The reply is quick

'Looking forward to it, Ms.Volkov'

I need a break. I really need a break.

[theoddcatlady]

Daddy's Little Girl

The thing is, it doesn’t matter how much you know your daughter is a competent young lady who can take care of herself. You’re always going to be nervous for that very first date.

“And you do know you’re gonna have to be back by nine, right? If you’re late, I’m going to probably call Rick at the police department and have him start searching the ponds for a body.”

“Dad! Dad, chill!”

Diana rolled her eyes as she came down the stairs. She seemed just like her mom did so many years ago. It tugged my heartstrings that she wasn’t here to see her girl right now. She spun around, showing off her dark blue dress. “How do I look?”

I developed a mocking expression, judging her. “Well, it’s a little short-” I gacked as she slapped my arm, “Because it’s winter and you’re going to be cold!”

“Well, then Marcus can loan me his jacket,” Diana grinned mischievously.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think a jacket will keep your legs warm, but you look great. I bet you’re not done getting ready though?”

“Gimme five more minutes!”

Five minutes turned to ten and I heard a knock at the door. Preparing for whatever Marcus would be, I opened the door.

Well, I certainly didn’t expect this shrimp of a kid. He was probably shorter than my daughter by a good three inches and looked even smaller in that jacket that was at least two sizes too big, with tousled red hair and thick rimmed glasses. He swallowed nervously before extending his free hand, the other holding a rose. “H… hello, Mr. McDowell! Is Diana ready?”

“It’ll be a few more minutes,” I grinned as I gestured him inside, “Come on in, you look cold.”

Marcus hurried inside and took a seat on the couch. “So, um, Diana said you worked at Anderson Equipment?” He said, swallowing nervously.

I nodded. “Yup. Enjoy it, but I’ll probably have to switch to a sales position soon. Getting too old for all that heavy lifting,” I jokingly flexed, “But I can still handle any punk who comes for my daughter’s hand.”

Marcus nearly pissed himself in fear judging by his expression. I couldn’t hold back my laughter, clapping the kid on the shoulder. “I’m kidding! Diana told me you share a math class and you sound like a great guy. I’m not the one you should be afraid of if you screw with her, anyway.” I paused as I heard heels clack down the stairs. “There comes Diana.”

Marcus scrambled to his feet, presenting the rose to Diana as she came around the corner. “Uh, hey Diana! Your dad’s been uh… keeping me company,” He laughed nervously, “You ready to go?”

Diana took the rose and smiled. “This is so sweet, Marcus, you didn’t have to go all out for our first date. Come on, let’s go get some dinner,” She looped his arm in with hers and practically bounced to the door. She turned and mouthed, ‘see you at nine’ before the door closed behind them.

With the house to myself, I just turned on the TV and settled down to watch some crime shows while waiting for my precious daughter to return.

I must’ve dozed off because I jolted awake to the door slamming and someone hurrying up the stairs. I grabbed my phone and my heart sank as I realized it was now 12:31 AM.

I dropped my phone and bolted up the stairs. I pounded on her door, trying not to knock off any of the cutesy drawings she’d hung on there over the years. It looked more like an art board than a door. I could hear the sink running and a quiet sobbing.

“Diana? Diana, please, open the door.”

The tap turned to quiet the stream of water.

“… It’s not locked…”

I turned the knob and walked in. Her bathroom door was open and I stopped dead in my tracks.

My daughter was soaked head to toe in blood. Her once dark blue dress looked black and was ripped down the sides. I saw that her right eye was swollen, blacked out. My worst fears were confirmed.

“You showed him, didn’t you?”

She sniffled before she nodded. Her appearance flickered before she showed her true form. Three sets of arms were wrapped around herself, I could see the eyes on her palms were leaking tears. Her bottom lip quivered, her right tusk chipped as she wiped blood off her pale blue cheeks.

“I thought… I thought he’d understand.”

I sighed and walked inside. “Get the dress off so I can burn it. Where’s Marcus?”

“In the trunk of his car. Most of him, anyway… I couldn’t scrape all of him off the seats.” She couldn’t look me in the face as she handed me her keys. “I’m so sorry daddy.”

“I can wait for the story until I get this mess cleaned up,” I leaned forward and kissed her forehead, careful to avoid the spikes protruding from her hairline, “Don’t worry. I’m not mad. Get cleaned up and into some pajamas, okay?”

It was a long drive out to the forest. Thankfully the streets were dead, giving me plenty of time to think about my daughter… and my wife.

I stopped at the treeline and there she was. I don’t think you’d see what I saw in her, you’d see this hulking creature with three pairs of arms and blue crystalline skin and you’d freak out. To be fair, I did too when we first met. Ciern is different.

But I wasn’t exactly normal when we met either.

“I felt you approach,” Ciern said, her layered voice echoing in my ears. I nodded and gestured her to the trunk.

I grimaced when I saw the scene in the trunk. That scrawny teenager I’d just seen hours ago was in pieces, his decapitated head twisted in an expression of pure horror. “Oh boy. She went full crazy on this poor guy.”

“She showed him?”

I nodded.

“Then it’s best that he’s dead. Those who don’t understand pose a risk. You understand.”

“I know.” I started throwing body parts on the ground. “Can you please help me hide the body? I’d have Diana do what you do, but uh…

Ciern hummed as she gathered up the parts. “Best hose it off tonight, when there’s few witnesses. I’ll make sure the body’s never found,” She said. The arm she held slowly frosted over, turning into crystal before she crushed it, the pieces shattering and melting on the ground.

I sighed and leaned against the car. “She’s not gonna have it easy, dating like she is.”

“I found you though, didn’t I?”

“I’m not exactly your only husband.”

“You are right now. And you’re my favorite.”

I sighed as I felt Ciern’s arms wrap around me. “You’re too good for me,” I said as she gave me a tight squeeze.

“I know. Now go home and talk with our daughter.”

I got home when it was closing in on dawn. I had to leave the car behind and ended up walking until I could get an Uber.

Diana was wearing her favorite pink bunny pajamas, but it was clear she hadn’t slept all night. She looked up at me, sniffling. “… He said he loved me and wanted to show it… so I wanted to show how much I loved him by showing him what I’m really like. Then he punched me and started screaming. I didn’t really mean to blow him up,” She said.

I shushed her and sat next to her. “There will be other guys, I promise,” I said.

“Thanks, daddy.”

[phychohex]

David Powers X female reader Lemon

(before this starts I  want to say this is from a female-bodied/ female point of view. The triggers are as such. Mentions of a past almost assault, blood and gore (cause vampires), and smut of course nothing too rough. MINORS DO NOT READ)

I was sitting in my room lying down as  I tried to think of something to do. I didn't have many plans during the day or at night. I only hung out with a small group of guys now and then but that wasn't because I was friends they just always happened to be around and we would talk and chill for hours. I thought of them often and wished we were considered friends. Their names are Dwayne, Marko, Paul, and David. They look intimidating and they are unless you sit down with them. That is if they didn't kill you before you got the chance. They just happen to be vampires a thing I never believed in until a few months ago. 

(Flashback)

"Oh come on babe don't be a buzzkill" Adam smiles while downing some beer. I look around completely done with tonight. My boyfriend who is currently sloshing around like a drunken badger talked me into going to the bar with his friends. Was it for me to drink with him oh hell no it's so they'd have a safe drive which I didn't mind at first but that quickly faded after the third hour of shots. 

"We have to get going it's late" I rush trying to get him to go with me. He hollers as the others come over to play follow the leader to the car. As I am trying to unlock the car I feel someone pinch my ass. I turn expecting to see my loving boyfriend only to be met face to face with his friend. I roll my eyes and tell him to back up. 

"Man you were right she is no fun" he laughs  I look at Adam hurt realizing he talked shit behind my back but instead of telling him to shut up he starts agreeing. 

"I told you she never lets me do anything fun" I turn back trying to unlock the car fighting the tears that threatened to leak their way out. I feel a hand grab my ass and I turn slapping whoever thought I was going to let that slide. Shocked in silence. "what the fuck" Adam snaps going to help his friend up. "you crazy" 

"tell your friend to stop playing grab ass and he won't get slapped." Now angry and trying to get these assholes home I let them know how I am feeling. "and just so you know we are going to have a long talk about this" I snap only to be slapped I hold my face in shock I look at him to see no remorse in his eyes. All that looked back was dark and angry. 

"I'm trying so hard you know. You don't give anything, for months now I have tried to get in your pants and nothing fucking prude" he slams me against the car I start to cry screaming for help to no avail. His friend sneaks around and grabs my arms. I beg and sob just as they start tearing my shorts off I feel a warm liquid gush over me and my boyfriend's now missing head on my lap. I let out a blood-curdling scream as the grip on my arms disappeared the same fate was met to his friend. I sit up and see a group of four guys tearing out the throats of the group. I fall off the hood of the car and I run only for one of the guys to jump in front of me blood covering his chin his brow bone promanate and sharp teeth snaring at me his bright yellow eyes glaring down at me. I fall backward and I crawl back pleading with him. 

"p-p-please I-i won't tell anyone anything just please let me go" I sob he looks up as someone whistles he kneels down. 

"Better keep that promise sweetheart" before flying away.

(end of flashback) 

Since then I have to meet up with them now and then to make sure my side of the deal is being upheld. I look as the sun starts setting and I grab my keys going out to my car which was new the other one having been destroyed. I drive the twenty minutes to the lair and I step out to see they are already awake. Marko jumps behind me. "Long time no see where you've been" he smiles I shrug. 

"been busy" Marko was the youngest and most energetic he reminded me of a puppy sometimes. 

"with what" 

"well I am still a student ya'know and I have to finish this animation for class"

"what's it about" he follows close behind playing the thousand questions game. I enter the lair and see Dwayne fucking around with his stereo it probably broke again. Paul nods and makes his way over as well. 

"It's about a ballerina being broken down and needing fixing to work, like one of the ones in a jewelry box." I hand Paul the porno magazine he asked for. One other part of the deal was I get them shit when needed. I didn't mind doing those things but it was pretty embarrassing going and getting a Playboy. 

"how have you been" Paul asks smirking out of all of them he certainly was the most flirtatious of the bunch, I always told him no and he respected it but that didn't stop him from teasing me. 

"I've been okay how about you"

"Good, oh by the way" he mutters while turning the pages and walking away "We are going out for a little bit so you're going to be alone with Dwayne and David." 

"nope, just David" Dwayne groans "I have to replace the stereo" I could tell he was very pissed off. I handed him a CD which seemed to tick him off more. I felt fear course through me. While I am very fond and friendly with the other three, David not so much. I've tried talking to him but he just stares back and I freeze up. At first, I thought it was because he was just that intimidating but as time slowly went on I found myself falling for him which was crazy because as far as I know he doesn't even think twice about me. He was the one who let me live that night, I always wondered why it's not like I'm not grateful he spared me but that damned survivor's guilt hits hard. 

"oh well, I can go" I mutter I look at Marko who just so happened to know about my crush, and shakes his head. 

"yeah, you could but I need you to tidy up for us you know the deal" bastard. I hear loud boots hit the floor and I look over to see David going and sitting on the throne. 

"What don't like me" he pouts before leaning back and lighting a cigarette. Marko pats my back and hands me a small list as they leave. I was now alone with David it was like my worst nightmare and my biggest dream came true all at once. I look at the list not daring to look at him. I grab a trash bag from my car having expected to need to clean and I start going around cleaning. I make my way around the table and I see a cigarette bud hit the ground. I look up as he is lighting another he smirks at me and shrugs . "oops" damn him. I pick it up and try to get back to work only for him to flick ashes on the ground. I decide to ignore his antics and move on. As I am dusting I notice another bud on the ground annoyed I pick it up and throw it away. I look at him and his eyes meet mine. I felt chills run up my spine. 

"Can you stop that?" I ask trying to fight the nervousness in my voice. 

"stop what" he smiles. God, how I love his smile no matter what he could make me melt with just his smile.

"The cigarette buds, I just cleaned" I roll my eyes "Forget it" I turn to get back to cleaning. 

"Why don't you want to be alone with me" he pipes up I look at him "I mean after I saved your ass" 

"yeah saved me, I'm pretty sure leaving my boyfriend's head on my lap isn't saving me more like traumatizing" 

"I did you a favor and yet you can't stand being around me" I sigh and shake my head. "do I scare you" I shake my head. "then why don't you want to hang out," I sigh, 

"well you never really put in the effort either, this is the first time you have had a decent conversation with me," I shrug I go back to sweeping my mind playing various ways this could end up. I ask what I want and I offend him and get torn to shreds or I ask and we actually start being friendly at least. I take a deep breath "Why did you let me live" I ask tilting his head as if wanting me to elaborate. "well that night, you had plenty of time to ripe my throat out but you didn't why spare me" 

"ran out of time" 

"bullshit I've seen how fast you guys move you have plenty of time to kill me and didn't so why didn't you kill me too." 

"Better watch that mouth" he leans forward "It's going to get you into a lot of trouble" I felt my cheeks flush, the way he talked causing my mind to go right into the gutter. I look down not being able to look at him. "plus it's not like you weren't going to break up with him anyways" I try to think back, how did he know that? Did I say that beforehand? I glance as he chuckles. "you know a perk of being a vampire" he stands up my eyes planted to the ground as he walks behind me and leans to my ear "is being able to read minds" and just like that I realized he knew, he knew I liked him, he knew what I thought about every time I was here. He sat back and listened each time. He chuckles and walks in front of me and our eyes meet. Flashes of kissing him how he tasted how he felt being so close I try to snap my mind out of it knowing he was reading me like a book. "you'd like that huh," he gets closer and I take a step back. "I know every little fantasy you've had, everything you want me to do to you, how you want more than just the filthy things that go through that pretty head." 

"David I think I should go it's late and I have a test."

"no you don't" he steps closer "What's wrong, do I make you nervous" There was no use in lying. I nod slowly. "is it because I can kill you, like you said I have plenty of time to do so" his face was now inches away. "or is it because you want me to bend you over that table and rail you" my face was red the heat rising to my cheeks my thoughts delving into his words. I had to stop this, I have rules strict rules never sleep with someone who doesn't love you. Don't give away something so special to those who don't deserve it, how I always wanted more than a fuck buddy I wanted to be loved and held, told I was beautiful and adored I wanted something I never felt before, and yet he knew this. 

"I-I need to go" I mutter the frog in my throat aching. 

"Before you do something you think you'll regret" he asks his arms snaking around my waist "You wanna know why I didn't kill you" Our lips were almost touching. I held my breath fearing if I didn't I would give in, and let him do what he wanted. I shake my head not expecting his answer "Because if I did I wouldn't get to have you for myself, I wouldn't get to hear you cry out my name, wouldn't get to feel you hold on to me like I was the only thing keeping you standing, I wouldn't get to make you mine" his hands trail up my sides and he cups my face pulling me into a deep and passionate kiss. With a thud of the broom, I was just holding hitting the ground and giving in to him holding his wrist kissing back melting into his touch. He wraps his arms around my waist and I pull him closer. After what felt like centuries we pull apart. He looks at me smirking. Nodding I knew he was reading my mind he knew I was willing to give in to break the rules just for him. With one swift motion, he lifts me my legs wrapped around his waist arms around his neck. I kiss him trying to ignore the nerves that threatened their way through. He pins me to a soft bed they kept. 

I pull away for air his hands trailing down to my hips as he trails kisses down my jaw and lightly brushes his sharp canines along my neck. I hold my breath my body betraying me i start trembling. He let out a dark laugh and started to lightly bite leaving hickeys. My mind raced with thoughts, what to do, what can I do, if I'm dreaming and any minute I'd be awoken by my roommate busting through the door saying I slept in again. This wasn't my first time but it was the first time since then, that was the reason for the rules the regret of it made them. I try not to let it ruin the moment. He sits up and I look up nervous. "I'm sorry, did I mess up" 

"no, you didn't mess up," he smiles "Do you always second guess things" damn him and his vampire mind powers. I shrug he knew everything. "just lay back and let me take care of you" he takes off his jacket tossing it to the side his broad shoulders and his arms god those arms I don't know why but I had a thing for them. He pulls me into another kiss biting my lips softly allowing him access. He tasted like a mix of honey and smoke. He grabs my hand and slowly guides it down his chest and to his belt. I look at him as he nods "Go ahead" he sits up again and I start to fumble with his belt hands trembling I manage to get it undone and he guides my hand to the bulge in his pants I felt a shiver as I pawed over it looking back at him our lips meeting again. He slowly guides his hands under my shirt and over my head before trailing kisses down my neck and to my collar bone his arms wrapping around my torso as he tries to unhook my bra. With a small click, He guides my bra off and tosses it as well to be met with all the other clothes that are causing a pile. He pushes me back to lay flat on the bed once again his eyes trailing my body a low groan escaping his lips. His eyes once a baby blue now a deep shade of purple. 

The way his eyes trailed reminded me of the first time we met. Those deep yellow eyes filled with hunger and adrenaline. He stands up causing me to sit up confused as he gets on his knees in front of the bed before pushing me back. His hands rub up and down my outer thighs, our eyes never leaving as he grabs the hem of my shorts and tears them in half. I close my legs blushing sitting up again in shock. "David" I shriek "those were good shorts"

"They were in my way now lay back down don't make me have to tie you up." my eyes widened feeling myself becoming wet I do as I'm told and lay back. "good girl" he chuckles his hands softly rubbing the top of my thighs I whimper "you like that, being called a good girl" I nod my head "just lay there and look pretty okay"  he spreads my legs and I feel my face heat my hands quickly go to cover only for him to grab them glaring. He puts them to my sides as my legs tremble he wraps his arms around each thigh and pulls me closer. Traces his gloved hand over my entrance. My legs shake the nerves going The anticipation killing me. "relax baby" he kisses me from my knee slowly trailing down my inner thigh hovering just above where I wanted him the most. He then starts to leave the same trail on my other thigh. I whimper trying to get some friction. 

"p-please" he laughs his hands rubbing up and down the top of my thighs. 

"oh what's wrong can't take a little teasing" I swallow the lump in my throat and shake my head. "well aren't you just pathetic" he takes his gloves off and lightly traces in between my folds "Already so wet and I haven't even touched you," I look away trying to hide my face in the pillow. "what did you want" 

"David" I whine "Please" I rub my legs together "Please touch me" he slowly traces soft circles around my clit causing my head to spin.

"where" he smiles "Where do you want to be touched." The anticipation was killing me now needing for him to touch me becoming unbearable the thoughts of any rules are long gone. "here" he lightly grazes my clit causing my back to arch. I nod frantically he leans closer licking up my folds slowly never breaking eye contact. With a long drawn-out moan, my eyes roll to the back of my head. He pulls me closer arms wrapped around my thighs to keep me in place as he lays his tongue flat licking up and down. As much as I tried to be quiet it was no use. I run my hands through his soft bleach-blonde hair moaning for him to keep going, he slowly takes my sensitive bud into his mouth sucking softly making sure to hum on it. The sensation being too much. I try to close my legs only to have him be in the way. I try pulling back which only made him hold me still. He starts humming more I feel a heat rush up my body as my climax creeps its way out just as I thought it couldn't get any better he stopped. I look at him shaking my head. 

"no please I was so close" I beg he stands up smiling undoing the rest of his pants.

"yeah I know but it's not time for that just yet" he tosses his pants to the side before discarding his shirt. My eyes trail down his body and slowly get lower and lower following the faint trail. He motions for me to get closer to him. I sit up my legs over the edge of the bed I look up as he lightly runs his fingers through my hair. "go ahead" he smirks I nervously paw at the bulge again before taking it out of his boxers which seemed too tight on him now. I keep eye contact too nervous to look. I wrap my hand around it feeling how thick it is. He groans and cups my cheek. "come on princess you can do better than that" I slowly lower onto my knees looking. It was thick and a good length the images of him stretching me flood my mind causing me to become more frustrated and aroused. I look up for reassurance before slowly licking up the base. He grips my hair and closes his eyes. I take as much as I can into my mouth before hollowing my cheeks and slowly bobbing my head. I moan as he starts to slowly thrust causing him to hit the back of my throat. I gag my hands flying up to his thighs to try and push back but it was no use from his hand guiding my head and being trapped between him and the bed. I close my eyes tears welling up. "such a good girl" he chuckles looking down at me. I look up trying to get control again in doing so my teeth lightly graze. He hisses "Watch the teeth sweetheart" I pull back coughing trying to get my breath back. "what can't handle it" I shake my head opening my mouth for him. he steps back and kneels our lips meeting before he lifts me tossing me on the bed once again.

I feel him guiding himself at my entrance I look at him as our eyes meeting. Placing his arm flat above my head as his other hand spreads my legs further. Our foreheads touching as he slowly thrust in causing every nerve in my body to shoot off fireworks. I let out a long drawn-out moan as he continues at a steady pace. Now caging me with his arms on either side of my head my arms laced around his neck clawing at his back as he picks up pace. "oh god" I let out a breathy moan. He sits straight up no longer going slow and sensual as his thrust became rough and quick. His hands on my hips holding me in place. I grip the sheets arching my back. "more please more" I cry out. 

"more?" he thrust his hips hard causing a sharp rush of pleasure to course through my body the wind knocked out of me the only response I could give was nodding frantically. He grabs the back of my legs and pushing them closer to my torso and over his shoulders as he grips onto the headboard not missing a beat as his thrusting becomes faster. I look at him pulling him closer my hands trying to grip onto anything so that I could have some control as my mind started spinning into the pleasure. His hand shoots down as he starts tracing circles around my clit. It was all becoming too much from the roughness of his thrust to the electricity that sparked with each quick circle I felt the same familiar heat work its way up before reaching its tipping point. Arching as a light cold feeling rushed over and my mind was overtaken by the overwhelming feeling of pleasure. "that's It, cum all over me baby" never losing the pace he was going slowly drawing me down from my high. 

He pulls out and pulls me up leaning back on his legs before slowly guiding me down. He cups my face pulling me into a long kiss. I slowly start to grind against him holding onto him my fingers laced in his hair and he leaves small kisses down my neck. Before sinking his teeth right in where my collarbone started I let out a yelp as the feeling of pain made its way through my body. What once was a harsh pain slowly became an overwhelming pleasure. He pins me down and his lips never leave my neck. He pulls away blood trailing down his chin with that smile plastered on his face. He flips me over before thrusting in again now going harder than before. It was like drinking my blood gave him a new high. I reach behind me my mind drifting as the overwhelming sensation comes back. He snakes his arm around my waist as he starts those small circles. My body shakes my arms giving out as I scream another wave of climax coursing through my body. He pulls me close to his chest hand on my throat my mind a haze. He sinks his teeth back into my neck as his thrust starts to become sloppy. He was close, and with a few more rough thrusts he pinned me down as his climax overtook him. After a few minutes of trying to catch my breath and him staying eerily still, he slowly pulled out and lay next to me. 

"you okay" he mutters softly moving my hair out of my face. I nod trying to gather my thoughts. I sit up trying to gather myself. He quickly sits up "shit" I look at him confused. He lightly traces my neck. "you okay" his eyes look into mine his voice and demeanor wasn't like before. "you're still bleeding" he leans in closer licking my wound to stop the bleeding. His eyes trace my body slowly looking for more injuries. "humans are so fragile" speaking barely above a whisper.

"i-im okay really" I smile his fingers grace across a forming bruise on my hip eyes looking back up at me with concern. He lays back down arms open. I lay against him as the exhaustion hits. Thoughts of after this and what was to happen were we now fuck buddies, is this a one-and-done kind of thing. It hurt wanting more than either of those things wanting to be his not just in a sexual way. 

As if right one cue "Want to go out tomorrow" I look up nodding. "good, get some sleep baby" his grip around my waist tightened as I slowly drifted off into a peaceful slumber. 

[jaiyemourningstar91]

Vampire x Black Knight Prt III---

I want him. I desire him so badly I feel it would destroy me. It's not even his sex that I crave, but his soul. His mind. History. I crave to know more about him. Yet, ever since that blissful night together, strangely enough, he's been distant. Even now, as we travel together through this dense forest, his ghostly shimmer seems so far away. However, he's right next to me. Close enough I can feel his chilling aura penetrate my armaments.

What is it that has him so docile? What could be haunting him that keeps him quiet? Was I too forward? Did I get too close? I-

"I think we should part ways in the morning." His voice is like lavender, but what he said hurts.

Instantly I panic, "W-what say you? Why? What's wrong? I thought-"

"Whatever you thought, it was wrong!" He interrupts me with a sharp tongue.

My mind fumbles and I stumble back into a tree. Admittedly this feels overdramatic of me, but my body just crumbles on its own hearing him so upset. And with me, it seems. The tears welling up in my eyes already--how did I screw up this time?

"I'm sorry. I just--the other night we..." I can't control myself anymore. The words leave me as the stress seizes my throat.

I watch helpless as the vampiric delight now turned sour, approaching me with an uncertainty in his glossy eyes.

"It's not you. I just can't. I'll bring you nothing but ruin! I'm a monster! I feed on your kind and sometimes, in the past, I even did it for sport! I could never--you shouldn't be here with me! In this forest, all alone." He pauses his statements and grips my shoulders. The distress that he displays makes me want him more.

I must erase it. He deserves peace. This much I know. Attempting to calm him, I place my ungloved hand gently against his chin. For but only a second, he leans into the feel, but only for that time alone. Then he whips his head away like a cat touching water. The disgust in his visage sends a knife into my hopes, slaying then. With a snarl, his fangs glisten in the moonlight that breaks between the trees over us.

"I won't have anyone else lose themselves to me!" He shouts out painfully before his touch leaves me.

I've never seen any being move so fast before. One second, his coldness was freezing my shoulders, the next, they were thawed. His shadow became one with the darkness shrouding this forestation in the same time it would take to snap one's fingers. I'm left muddled in a pool of feeling guilty, selfish, and concerned. Because, here I was so transfixed my need for him these past couple of days, all the while, he seems to have been suffering. Battling demons. Fighting off what his true nature is, just to be with me.

As I feel my tears leaking, and the lump in my throat bulge, the weight of what just happened sucked me down to the ground floor. Suddenly, the world around me makes me feel claustrophobic. Everything appears to be growing darker. Then I realize just how alone I am here. How lost I was before I met him.

Even though I never knew his name.

[mr87152]

Lights, Camera (2.0)

TWs: gun violence, gaslighting and emotional manipulation, post-mortem injury, romantic betrayal, Mickey is kind of a perv in this...

A while ago, I rewrote the final act of Scream 2 as if Mickey were the sole killer. I have decided to take on another AU where Hallie is the secondary Ghostface to Mickey's mastermind. I think that would have been a great twist, not to mention a huge blow for poor Sidney.

So here it is. I did add a little dialogue from the dummy "leaked" scripts where the villains were Mrs Loomis with Derek and Hallie as her henchman & woman (Cotton also went evil at the end…talk about too many cooks!), with Mickey serving as a genuine friend to Sidney and the final victim of the film.

Anyway, hope you enjoy. :) (to make more sense for this narrative, Cici Cooper has a much bigger role, being a friend to Sidney and was just killed in Hallie's place) ...

Hope you enjoy!

********************************************

Sidney was running to the theatre on 100 percent autopilot. Cici. Not Cici.

Suddenly, music coming from the theatre caught her attention. Gus, the theatre director. He was a good man. Kind and supportive, she could trust him. She burst into the building in desperation and panic, crying out “Hello? Gus? Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello...” Eyes scanning the stage, she notices a familiar sight. A blue polo shirt. Derek’s. She turned the contraption, suddenly a star fell from the ceiling. On it, a masked man. Sidney removes Derek’s mask. “Derek? Oh, God. Derek? Derek. Oh, God.” “Thank you. Thank God, Sid. Thought I was going to be up there till opening night.” Desperately trying to untie the tight ropes which kept him bound, Sidney struggled. “He's out there. He killed Hallie.” “What are you talking about?” “The killer. He's here.” “Where?” “Right here”. A familiar voice, the one which sent chills down Sidney’s spine like nothing else in the world. “You're fast, Sid”. “Get me down. Hurry.” Derek pleaded “I wouldn't do that if I were you. You really wanna trust your boyfriend?” then the voice changed “Don't you know history repeats itself? Sid?”

That voice. Sidney’s heart felt like it was about to jump straight fro m her body. Her friend, the one she trusted above the man she was supposed to be in love with, slowly peeled the mask away from his face. “Mickey,” Sidney whispered, utterly stunned and saddened “Surprise, Sidney,” Mickey said using the Ghostface voice changer “What the fuck?” Derek exclaimed, the betrayal by his best friend beginning to sink in “Since Derek here disappeared on my ass, I been on my own all fucking night. Thanks a lot, partner.” Mickey started to rant

“You motherfucker. Sid, he's crazy. You know me better than that.” “Come on, Sid. I got to have a partner. I couldn't have possibly done this alone.” “Oh, no, Sid. Sid. No, no, no, no.” “It's okay, Derek. We got her.” “You... Sid, he's lying.” Derek pleaded with his girlfriend, “Sid. Sid. Untie me. Sid, untie me.” “Hmm. Boyfriend. Killer. Boyfriend. Killer.” Mickey teased, his manipulation tactics clearly working on Sidney, who was unable to continue untying her boyfriend. “Sid, the man is lying. Untie me. Sid. Untie me. Untie me.” “What do you think, Derek? Sidney experiencing some deja vu?” Mickey smirked “No. No. I am going to fucking kill you. Fucking kill you. You are dead. Dead.” Derek roared Sidney screamed as Mickey shot a bullet straight through Derek’s heart, as he grimaced with pain and blood slowly began to run down his naked torso. “Derek. I'm sorry.” Sidney started to cry I never... would've... hurt you. Never. Sidney sobbed in horror and pain as her boyfriend took his last breath.

Feeling smug his cruel planned had worked on Sidney, Mickey sauntered over to her with confidence: “You should really deal with your trust issues, Sid. I mean, poor Derek. He's completely innocent. And such a nice boy too. He's bright and funny and handsome. Decent singing voice. And he was going to be a doctor. This was just the kind of boy you'd like to take home to Mum. If you had a mum.” “Fuck you!” “Oh. So vulgar. Did Billy let you talk to him this way?” “Billy was a sick fuck, just like you,” Sidney snarled Rolling his eyes, Mickey responded, “No. Billy was a sick fuck who tried to get away with it. Mickey is a sick fuck who wants to get caught. Yeah. See, I've got my whole defence planned out. I'm going to blame the movies. Pretty cool, huh? It hasn't been done before. You see, this is just the beginning, a prelude to the trial. That's where the real fun is because these days it's all about the trial. Can't you see it? The effects of cinema violence on society. I'll get Dershowitz or Cochran to represent me. Bob Dole on the witness stand in my defence. Hell, the Christian Coalition'll pay my legal fees. It's airtight, Sid. I'm an innocent victim.” “You're a psychotic.”

“Yeah, well. Shhh. That'll be our little secret.” Mickey whispered with his gun pressed to his lips, “Because people love a good trial. It's like theatre. They're dying for it. And I've worked hard to give the audience what they want. That's what Billy was good at. He knew... it's all about... execution.” He pointed the gun at Sidney who, unbeknownst to him, had stealthily unfastened the frat necklace Derek had gifted to her earlier that day. “Yeah? Well, you're forgetting one thing about Billy Loomis.” “What's that?” “I fucking killed him,” Sidney growled with vengeance before swiping Mickey’s right eye with the Greek letters on the necklace, causing him to cry out in pain. “You piece of shit, she kicked him in the stomach before running off, but didn’t make it far before he was able to catch up. After some scuffling, Mickey was able to overpower Sidney and cornered her using his knife.

"Sidney...you've got a Linda Hamilton thing going. No, it's nice, I like it." Derek's body was pulled upwards. Sidney's eyes were stung by tears, her throat beginning to burn. Derek, I'm so sorry...

"Now who's doing that? Could that be..... a mystery guest waiting in the wings?! Told you I had a partner Sid. Surprise cameo just for you..."

With that, a cowering Gale Weathers snuck through the newly opened doorway. "Gale..."

Sidney once again felt the wind knocked over her when Hallie appeared right behind Gale, brandishing a gun. Her best friend, and her emotional rock over even Randy and Cici had been the other killer all along.

"Hallie, what?!"

Sidney could barely find the words

"The best friend! Nice twist huh, didn't see it coming did you?" Mickey grinned triumphantly

"So... The two of you were just planning this all along?"

Gale added

"got to tell you, Sid, you did have a loyal friend. Until I got to her. It wasn't hard. Gave a few crumbs and had her eating out of the palm of my hand. Now she sees the world the way I do."

"Ever see Natural Born Killers? Well, Mickey and I have a whole Woody Harrleson/Juliette Lewis thing going on."

Hallie strutted towards her traumatised friend

"I don't love that comparison, honey-"

Mickey huffed

"He hates Oliver Stone"

Hallie giggled

"I find his work overwrought"

"Speaking of," Hallie said in an almost bored tone, before firing a shot into Gale Weathers - who then collapsed off the stage, disappearing from view.

"Gail!" Sidney started to collapse slowly onto the floor, palm over her face as she struggled to breathe.

"C'mon Sid, don't fade on us. We've been planning this baby for months. Humor us."

Hallie grinned

"You're not going to get away with this."

"~Of course not. What's the point if we don't get caught? Where's the glamour in that?"

"so what, you both get your media attention, blame the movies, get acquitted and then run off into the sunset together?"

Sidney snarled

"not quite, Sid. I would never take attention from Mickey's trial." Hallie made eyes at her lover whilst he basked in smugness, "In fact, I'm not getting one at all. I plan to come clean to the detectives and the DA, get the death penalty,. Or commit suicide by cop once the pigs eventually show up, go out in a blaze of glory. Haven't quite decided yet, I wanna see how the rest of Act 3 plays out first" she added with a smirk

"Oh Hallie, there's not going to be a blaze of glory..."

Mickey's expression turned solemn, a patronising air to his tone of his voice. Hallie gulped, betrayal written all over her face. She clearly never saw this coming in a million years.

"thanks kid, it's been a blast. But I can't have you take attention from me, even if you're dead. From now, I'm a one-man show."

And with that, Mickey casually guided a bullet through Hallie's forehead. She immediatley slumped to the floor, face frozen in the same shocked expression.

Sidney watched on in horror. "Wh....why would you do that?" she exclaimed. As much as she had hated Hallie in those last few minutes, she never would have anticipated or even wanted this turn of events.

With a roll of his eyes, Mickey cooly responded "had the Windsor PD shown up whilst Hallie was alive, our names would have been linked together for eternity. I couldn't have that. There's only one star in this story. And now Hallie's just another nameless victim, just like your boyfriend and all the others. That was the plan all along. "

he shrugged, struggling not to laugh.

" then why-"

"because I knew it would be fun. I wanted to go a step beyond Billy and Stu. Really screw you up in ways those boys never could. Make you lose all trust in others before I finally kill you. I'm really doing you a favour at this point," he added with a dark chuckle "I mean, as if you'll ever be able to date or make friends again after this - and being alone is no fun... "

"fuck you" Sidney growled

"thanks but I'll pass. Anyway I think we've skirted around the foreplay long enough, not it's time for the Grand finale"

Triumphantly grinning, Mickey returned to Sidney's side. "All of this...just for fame?!" the disgust on Sidney's face and in her voice was palpable. Mickey chuckled lowly "well...infamy, technically. Any why not, baby? It's as good a motive as any. I'll be in the papers everyday, on every news forecast. People all over the world will know my name, my face. What I did and how I did it. Ted Bundy, the Nightstalker, the Menendez brothers...they'll have nothing on me."

"What went wrong with you, Mickey? Why are you like this?!" Sidney's voice barely a whisper. This earned a scoff from her friend-turned-enemy. Not that he was ever really her friend. "Does it really matter, Sid?!"

He was approaching her, vicious smile on his face. "It's nothing personal, kid. To be honest, I always kinda liked you." He smirked, running his thumb over her bottom lip.

The look in his eyes was chilling, animalistic.

Sidney had seen that look before. Stu Macher, that night in his house when all was revealed and he & Billy Loomis lost their lives. Sidney never wanted another man to look at her like that as long as she lived.

She pulled away from his touch, the temptation to bite him almost overwhelming. But she knew the consequences of enraging him.

Mickey re-produced his knife from his trousers, running it down Sidney's face with an almost delicate touch. She began to whimper softly. Even if she disarmed him, he had a firearm also within his reach. It was hopeless.

"C'mon", he whispered almost seductively, "you must have known this was going to happen sometime. Forget what that dweeb Randy would say. The rules are always changing, and now even the final girl has an expiration date. Ripley, Nancy, he'll they'll probably off Laurie Strode herself..."

Suddenly, a gunshot run out - echoing around the theatre. Cotton Weary was there, armed.

Panicked, Mickey clung Sidney tightly to him - pressing his knife to her throat.

“Don't you fucking move. Goddamn it!” Cotton jumped onto the stage with determination. “I have had a very, very bad day, and I would like to know exactlywhat the fuck is going on here. Sidney?”

“Cotton, meet Mickey. He's the killer,” Sidney responded, her assailant pressing his face against here.

“What?”

Cotton's eyes then scanned the unmoving body of Hallie, "and who's that?"

"The other killer. Hallie."

“I can help you, Cotton,” Mickey begun to make his case once Cotton pointed the gun in his direction

“Ah-ah-ah.”

“You don't need her. As long as she's alive, you're never going to be the lead story. That's what you really want, isn't it, Cotton? Just let me kill her... right now. Then you're the only survivor. You're the *star*. You can be the star witness, tell the world how I tried to kill you…and would have succeeded, but you defeated me with your bravery and quick-thinking and saved Windsor College. Come onnn….you know you want it” he whispered excitedly.

"No. No, Cotton, don't you listen to him-"

"Cotton, I can help you," Mickey reiterated, "I get it, the desire for fame. Fans. Why else do you think I'm doing this?" He chuckled darkly.

"We are not alike," Cotton responded sternly.

Mickey rolled his eyes "oh c'mon Cotton. You don't have to play that game with me. I know there's a darkness in you. I see it. I can see it right now."

Cotton scoffed "you know nothing about me...and I don't think you're in the best position to psychoanalyse"

"Fair enough," mickey rolled his eyes with a forced laugh

"You need to let her go,"

"And why would I want to do that? Why would *you* want me to do that? She sent you to prison for a year!" He laughed maniacally, wildness in his eyes.

Cotton grimaced. He tried to be a good man, but it had been rather difficult for him to forgive the young girl struggling nervously against the other man. She may have been sixteen, but she knew better. She should have known what kind of man Billy Loomis was.

He may be free now, but the beatings from other inmates whilst guards looked in the other direction... The sexual threats. Hate mail. The spit launched in his direction daily. That was tough to forget.

He offered a glower at Sidney, getting some undeniable satisfaction from the look of fear in her eyes and her continued struggle against the man with the knife.

Oh. Well... It's, quite a predicament you're in, Sid. I mean, he makes a good point,” Cotton said suavely as Mickey grinned sadistically and rubbed Sidney’s cheek in a way that would appear affectionate under different circumstances, “Betcha that Diane Sawyer interview's looking real good right about now.” A moment passed. Cotton made eye contact with Sidney, then Mickey, then Sidney again…

“Consider it done,” she confirmed A moment passed before Mickey realised what was really going on, and a mere split second passed between him looking at Cotton with a panicked expression and Cotton shooting him cleanly in the side of his neck, causing him to take Sidney down with him. Sidney lay flat out for a few moments, before awakening with a cough. She glanced over at her assumed friend and would-be killer. He lay with his eyes closed, neck covered in blood. Surely he was dead?

“Wow. That... was intense,” said Cotton, slowly taking in that he had taken a life. For real, this time, “Hey, Sidney...look, I want you to know that I would never, ever do anything to hurt you.”

“Cotton, give me the gun.” Sidney commanded politely, clearly still hesitant about him.

“Yeah. Okay. Sure. Take it.” Cotton handed it to her with no hesitation. Things would always be complicated between the two, but he wanted Sidney to know she could trust him really.

“Hey, Sid, we should talk about exactly what happened here. You know... I mean,get our stories straight for the press statement…”

A hand from below suddenly grabbed Sidney's hand as Sidney and Cotton both jumped.

"Could someone get me out here!" cried Gale, suddenly appearing from beneath the stage

"Gale, are you alright?" "Of course not, I've been shot. Ow!" the reporter groaned

"Give me your hand Gale, Jesus you scared the crap out of me," Cotton added "So, are there anymore down there?" "No" "Nothing like reporting from the trenches, huh Gale?" "Shutup Cotton." "How bad is it?" "Just bounced off my rib" "Jesus Gale, you got more lives than a cat," Cotton suppressed a chuckle

"Give me one of those", Gale demanded as Sidney handed her Mickey's discarded gun. "Is she dead?" Gale glanced over at Hallie's stiff body.

"I don't know," Sidney responded, still trying to understand why Hallie would have made the choices she did, "they always come back, you know"

Suddenly, MICKEY jumped up with a scream. Sidney and Gale viciously gunned him down until he was propelled across the stage, the discarded prop bricks falling around him. Her jaw pinched, Sidney angrily strolled over to Mickey firing a shot coldly and deliberately through the centre of his forehead.

"Woah!" Cotton cried out in alarm

"Just in case," Sidney added with an air of indifference, before discarding the gun and walking off.

*************************'********************

Hope you enjoyed it :)

A03 link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/51784477

[dyrewrites]

Pale Blood (revised) -- Ron's not doing well

Fur woke Odea. Specifically, the freshly cleaned and bandaged fur of Kiki’s paw...shoved into her open mouth.

She sat up choking, “Godsdamnit, Kiki, why!”

Kiki’s meow was not an adequate response, but the lack of KB mirroring it forced Odea into true wakefulness—the sort one can only experience in moments of sheer panic. Then she noticed more missing from the cramped room.

Lights.

After stumbling over things—that she hoped were not part of the ‘priceless’ objects Ron had said filled the room—and slapping in near-darkness at the wall—in the general area the door had been—Odea found a screen to activate.

Unfortunately, it was not the right one. No light bloomed in the room to guide or comfort. Instead the door opened, letting more darkness in.

“Nope,” She muttered, reaching for her netlink. Three quick taps accessed its lighting features and she winced as the bright violet beam shot out from its place in her ear. Angled downward, the light spread just wider than her hips and illuminated...very little. Her rationalizations for purchasing the feature rose to taunt her but she ignored them, “Okay, now I can see my feet. That’s, that’s something. That’s useful.”

It was not.

But it gave her enough false courage to leave the room and head in the direction she knew led to reception.

Kiki did not follow. She could see just fine and had no interest in spending more time around the cold thing her brother attached himself to—were anyone to ask Kiki why she woke her human, she would have said, “Because she snores too loud.”

Arms painfully wide, Odea kept close to the left-hand wall and flailed into the emptiness of the right as she navigated the labyrinthine halls.

“Ron,” she called out, too quietly, “are you down here?”  Are you hungry, her panic added and she shook it away as something too rude to consider.

DADDY...

Odea froze with the voice, it rippled through the dark, gentle and pained and she lost all sense of direction in it. All sense of self.

It consumed her, body, breath and soul with sorrow she did not understand—one none should ever—and she collapsed, tears flooding and spilling soundless and hot down her cheeks.

DADDY, WHERE?

A chill grew beyond her meager pool of light, it stretched and a hand stretched with it. Small and pale, that hand, and as it touched the violet of Odea’s comfort it withered and the voice wailed.

Hands tight on her ears, Odea’s eyes never turned from the hand...or the face that joined it. A face that remained at the barrier of her light, stretched in terror, its eyes wide and wet and leaking thin rivulets of yellowed white; watching her, studying her.

DADDY, WHERE AM I DADDY?

“Shit,” Odea muttered, tightening her lips against further words, I thought it was just the one, where did this one come from? I can’t...I can’t exorcise a kid.

She barely remembered doing it the last time, but Ron had relayed all he could and begged with those big blues and she was forced to explain that such things were part of a witch’s duty—she did not tell him it was a duty strictly of Dusk’s witches, and that her exorcising them was no kindness, nor did he tell her what happened after or that she should exorcise herself...

The dead thing was testing the light again, with hands and feet and Odea gagged when she noticed. It was not a spirit, as the other had been. What stood before her was flesh and bone, though some of it had been...eaten. There were very few fingers and toes, but many marks where ones should have been, as well as chunks missing from the arms and legs.

It can’t be a ghoul, she assured the thought that prodded, that poked and stabbed. Twilight’s the only one with that power and Ron’s the last one around.

WHERE AM I?

The thing that should not have been asked again, but it asked Odea and Odea alone. Its voice echoed, as chill and distant as any spirit, warbling through the darkness beyond her light and she shivered with it. But she answered, “Y, you’re dead.” —she was never terribly great at tact, or kids.

NO!

The shriek flared Odea’s light to pink, then white before it popped and the low ripple of current ever present in her netlink died. Then the other dead thing turned and ran and Odea turned and scrambled back toward the room and the safety it promised.

Behind her, the hall flickered and burst with the blue-white light of outdated fluorescent bulbs and she stopped just outside the still-open door of Ron’s hideaway.

“I know you love cats and all, but...really?”  Ron’s tone was neither playful nor friendly but Odea adored it all the same. She stood up and lunged at him, hugging him so tight that KB—firmly attached to his shoulder—wriggled and merped.

“Where were you?”  She snapped as Ron pushed her off him, “There was a, a, child, a dead child, Ron, a dead child.”

He looked past her and behind himself, “I don’t see any kids.”

His eyes weren’t blue.

It took Odea until he narrowed them at her to notice, but they weren’t blue. They were close to blue, one could call them that if they squinted in the right light, but they weren’t blue. They were gray. Which was the wrong color, and Odea narrowed her own as she pulled further away. His hands dropped from her arms, falling limp at his sides and she backed another step.

“You okay, Ron?”  She asked.

“I’m fine,” He lied, “didn’t you have things to do today?”

“No, uh-uh, you’re not doing that,” She scolded, waggling her finger at him as he rolled his eyes.

“Doing what, reminding you of your responsibilities?”  It sounded like a sneer, but his expression remained neutral as he said it. And he had a tone, an air of superiority that puffed under every word he spoke, that stabbed deeper than if he’d insulted her directly—do you see now, Ron, why I said you had a time limit. Time’s up, asshole, you tell her now she’ll punch you.

Odea scoffed, “Fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

Ron sighed, “Nothing, just...go do what you need to do.” Then he lied again, right to her face, “I’m fine.”

“All the fucking lights were out until a second ago and there’s a dead kid with missing digits running around what is essentially your home, but you’re fine?” She closed the gap she’d made between them, and reached up to tap Ron’s stiff chest, “You are not fine. Nothing is fine. The last few days have been one giant shitshow and it doesn’t look like it’s ending anytime soon so if there’s something more going on, here, with you? I want you to fucking tell me. Because, like it or not, I am your friend and I care about you.”

Shaking his head, Ron sidestepped her and walked toward the open door to his room. He had planned on explaining when she woke up, planned on asking her questions about it even, as it was new and different and terrifying but...

She has more important things to worry about than me, he’d rationalized, they all do. And so he ignored her angry huff, pulled away from the arm that grabbed and shut the door in her face so she couldn’t follow.

She screamed outside that door, into the flat bit of wall it had become from her end, and Ron ignored that too.

“She’ll get over it,” he told her cats, as KB snuggled tighter into his shoulder and Kiki coiled on the couch, glaring at him, “Del too.”

It started near a week before the specter, before he saw a real ghost for the first time in his many, many years in that bloodbank. But that had been when he really noticed and, though he was fairly certain it would eventually end, he wasn’t too sure it would do so pretty—it wouldn’t...

Something was scratching in the silent lump that used to be his heart and every other bit of him was scratching back. It made him hungrier, angrier, and yet numb, more so than he had ever been. He couldn’t make his face do what he wanted it to, couldn’t soften his voice and the few mirrors the bloodbank contained showed that even the meager mask he’d crafted was cracking.

Something terrible was happening to him and he had no interest in letting the few people he’d come to love watch.

So he ignored her screams, her curses, her pounding fists.

He leaned against the closed door and he waited, face stiff and eyes dry despite the ache of tears, until she stopped...until she stormed off with promises to return, promises to beat answers out of him if needed. And he knew she would, and he would have to give them, but not then.

[wqintraining]

NEW X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES - SEASON 3, EPISODE 10

We open on a snowy day at the school on the last day of February, a few days having passed since the riot. In voice over, Cyclops, Emma, and Magneto discuss their situation, as it’s shown. 

CYCLOPS: “The drop outs are still coming. Laurie Collins just got here, and she’s already being pulled out. Even some of my kids are leaving.” 

Among a crowd of students being picked up by their parents are Quill and Armor. 

EMMA: “The Washingtons want to sue. Bling! and Mercury’s insistence on staying with their friends is the only reason they haven’t. Not that any of our X-Men in Training have been in much of a chummy mood.” 

Roxy and Cessily lay under the covers in the darkness, despite it being the middle of the day, just holding each other. Noriko, Sooraya, and Laura meanwhile all sit alone in their rooms, the former two wallowing in their sorrow, while Laura watches old videos she helped Sofia with, trying to remember that real her isn’t responsible for this. Sofia, herself, meanwhile is doing just fine as she, on a new, anonymous account, posts video footage from the riot, interspersed with Exodus and Malice’s attack on Paris, with a simple caption reading, “The Mutant Threat in Action”. 

EMMA: “I don’t think my Cuckoos have uttered a word since the riot. They are only communicating with each other.” 

In their room, the four remaining Stepford sisters stare at each other intensely. 

CYCLOPS: “And Hellion?” 

EMMA: “Still refusing to leave his side.” 

Julian sits in the private room of the medical bay, where Brian’s body has been covered, his eyes morose. 

MAGNETO: “We remain unsuccessful at finding the Horsemen. It shames and chills me to think of what they’re doing to my Wanda.” 

In the Horsemen’s lair, Wanda, still in coma, is chained to a wall in a dungeon. Exodus enters and grins. 

CYCLOPS: “Magik, Warpath, and Escapade are back on their feet, but Quentin is still down. We have to assume his coma will last longterm.” 

EMMA: “That ungrateful malcontent is the least of our worries. His coordinated attack with the Horsemen has not only cost us our students and Wanda, but footage from the day was obtained and leaked. The hysterical, panicked calls for our heads are getting louder and growing in number.” 

In her Clan Akabba robe, Trinary uses her ability to communicate with technology to have Sofia’s anonymous leak spread like wildfire through the algorithm. Anti-Mutant, and Anti-X-Men, protests occur all across the world. 

We cut to the three headmasters in their office. 

MAGNETO: “So…what do we do next?” 

BEAT. 

SCOTT: “The best we can for the kids we have left.” 

Although purely sentiment, Emma and Erik nod in agreement that the most actionable moves can be based around that idea at this moment. 

In her room, Sooraya pulls herself together enough to get up, lay out her prayer rug, and get down to thank Allah for protecting Warpath, and to pray for Brian and Sophie. She hopes that they are both being loved and cared for by their ancestors. She’s sure Brian has embraced Allah’s love. She hopes Sophie isn’t being too stubborn. But also…

SOORAYA: “I am confused. I believed that I was given these powers to protect others. I know I have the power to do so. It was your design that I be among the strongest of Mutants. Stronger than anyone realizes. But still, I cannot save anyone. Please. Tell me. What am I doing wrong?” 

In the halls, Emma turns a corner to greet the finally out of their room Cuckoos, having a proposition for them, only to notice that they’re dragging their luggage behind them. 

EMMA: “I was hoping you’d join me and your friends for a relaxing day of yachting somewhere a little less frigid to distract ourselves for a few hours, but it seems you have other plans.” 

Without Sophie to stand in the middle, the Cuckoos have a new formation. And a new hive queen, as Esme stands in front of the other three. 

ESME, sneering: “Yes. We do.” 

Emma’s disappointed, but instructs them to be careful and to not be gone too long; classes resume in three days. Esme clarifies that they aren’t coming back. 

ESME: “This school killed our sister.” 

CELESTE: “You killed our sister, Ms. Frost. You loaded the gun” 

PHOEBE: “And you show mercy to those who pulled the trigger. 

MINDEE: “You are pathetic.” 

ESME: “You are weak.” 

EMMA, knowing they’re right: “Girls, I…I’m sorry. We did fail you. But we can still protect you. Where else will you go?” 

CUCKOOS: “Home.” 

The Cuckoos brush past Emma, who goes into diamond form and puts a hole in the wall in her frustration. 

As Emma calls out to Danger that she needs a repair, Sofia is shown to have been listening in on this conversation over the winds. And she likes the way the Cuckoos are talking, licking her lips, and flying to meet them. 

However…

DANI, running into Sofia: “Hey, kid! Where are you rushing to?” 

SOFIA, planting her feet on the ground and slipping back into her act: “Oh, nowhere. I just wanted to go check on Julian.” 

Dani compliments how sweet she is, and starts giving a big speech about how sorry she is for what happened with the Omega Gang, and how losing Brian and Sophie hurts her too, all the while Sofia struggles keep up her persona and becomes antsy as she’s prevented from intercepting and recruiting the Cuckoos. 

SOFIA, increasingly pissed as she agrees with whatever Dani says: “Mmhm. Yes. Of course. Absolutely.” 

Dani eventually gets to a point, and tells Sofia that things between her and Emma are worse than usual, but the two of them and Kitty are putting aside their differences for the moment, and have a day planned for them on Emma’s yacht for some fun. 

SOFIA: “Yachting? On the ocean?” As Sofia gets an idea, her smile becomes a little more natural and a tad sinister. “That sounds perfect.” 

In the medical bay’s private room, Julian shakes as he stares intensely at Brian’s covered body. There’s a knock on the door. 

JULIAN: “I’m not done in here, Danger.” 

NORIKO, on the other side of the door: “Good thing I’m not Danger, and I’m not trying to get you to leave.” 

Julian sighs and tells Ashida she can come in. Noriko enters and sits down next to Julian. The two sit together in silence. Until…

NORIKO: ‘This is my fault.” 

Julian doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She wasn’t even awake. 

NORIKO: “Exactly. We were spread thin. If I hadn’t taken those stupid pills, I would have been there to fight. I promised Pixie I’d keep everyone safe! The two of us for sure could have put down Quentin before–” 

JULIAN, growling: “I was the one who was there. I was the one who was supposed to beat that creep. If I’d just done that, Brian and Sophie would still be here. No other “ifs” or “buts” matter.” 

Nori offers a hand to him, but her own emotions light it up. Julian takes it anyway, shielding his hand. The two stare at the body together, Noriko needing to wipe tears from her eyes. She asks what happened to Sophie’s body. 

JULIAN: “Her parents sent some guys to pick her up yesterday. They have a family cemetery on their estate.” 

NORIKO: “The Cuckoos never talk about their parents. Can only imagine how much they are.” Noriko squeezes Julian’s hand. “Ms. Pryde told me there’d be something similar for Brian if his parents weren’t on their way to get him. Professor Xavier has a whole plot set up in Scotland…just for dead X-Men.” 

Julian squeezes her hand back. 

JULIAN: “Think we’ll be in the ground there someday?” 

BEAT

NORI: Well…your lameass maybe. But not me.” 

Julian lets go of Noriko, not in the mood for their banter. Nori sighs and asks if he got the invite yet for today. He confirms that Cessily already talked to him. He’s not interested. 

JULIAN: “I have to be here.” 

NORIKO: “For what?” 

JUlIAN, fully turning his attention back to Brian: “For when the Cruz’s get here. I want them to know that he saved my life.” 

Noriko puts her hand on his back. 

On their private jet, the Cuckoos drink. Esme, Celeste, and Phoebe are sat up straight with their usual perfect posture, while Mindee is curled up into a ball. 

MINDEE: “Do you think Father will be mad?” 

ESME: “Of course he will be. But not with us.” She looks at her reflection in her glass. “He’ll sue Ms. Frost for everything she’s worth.” 

CELESTE AND PHOEBE, in agreement: “Mmmhm!” 

MINDEE: “And…what about us?” 

ESME: “I’ll figure that out. Just trust me, okay?” 

MINDEE: “And what about all our fr–?” 

ESME: “Enough with the questions! God, try to not be such a crybaby. I’m not going to let you down like Sophie did.” 

Mindee just gets more uncomfortable, shutting herself up by drinking. 

PHOEBE: “I was actually thinking we might figure out a plan together. There’s no reason we have to keep doing things the same way.” 

ESME: “Of course we do! I’m the oldest, I always should have been in charge. Baby Sophie was just a little more powerful so she took point. And where did that get her? Dead playing superhero.” Esme chugs back everything in her glass. “I can tell you one thing about our future. We won’t be helping anyone but ourselves. Ever!” 

Just as she finishes, Esme drops her glass. She falls over and passes out. 

CELESTE: “Esme?” 

Mindee falls over next. 

PHOEBE: “Mindee!” 

Celeste and Phoebe jump to their feet, smashing their glasses and questioning what’s going on. But they’re too late, and they join their sisters in slumber. 

In the teacher’s lounge, Emma, Dani, and Kitty meet. 

DANI: “So the Cuckoos are gone, Sooraya is praying, Julian doesn’t want to leave Brian’s side, and Laura’s got some new master she’s learning from.” 

KITTY: “Honestly, she could tell me her sensei’s name and it probably wouldn’t mean anything. You wouldn’t believe the amount of old, Japanese, martial arts masters Logan knows.” 

EMMA: “That still leaves four wonderful girls who are suffering and need us.” 

DANI: “Wind Dancer’s acting like she’s fine, but we know how good she is at putting on fake smiles. Surge is beating herself up pretty badly. Mercury and Bling! have been keeping to themselves.” She turns to Kitty. “How’s your squad doing?” 

KITTY, hanging her head: “Mostly gone. Umbra’s still here, but he’s thinking about leaving too. Foxx still believes in us though. Figured you wouldn’t mind if I invited her along.” 

EMMA: “Of course not. The more the merrier. I myself invited Escapade, but she didn’t feel comfortable going out with the “X-kids”.” She turns to Dani. “Good on you for asking a question like that, Danielle. Perhaps if you’d paid that kind of attention earlier, we wouldn’t be in this situation.” 

DANI, authoratative “Do not start.” 

EMMA: “Start what? Speaking about how your selfish desire to work with my squad resulted in you neglecting the children you were actually charged with?”

DANI, squinting: “Maybe. But maybe we should be talking about how you knew Quentin was out of control, out there killing people, and that Brian was helping him, and you did nothing.” 

KITTY: “Also wouldn’t mind discussing why Sophie even knew that Cerebro could be weaponized; you were only meant to be teaching basic operation.” 

The three women stare each other down, full of contempt for one another. 

Hard cut to the three teachers entering the common area with plastered smiles on their faces, greeting Noriko, Sofia, Cessily, Roxy, and, looking like she has since she began appearing as a background character at the start of the season, Foxx, and telling them it’s time to go. 

In the medical bay, Julian continues to sit by Brian. 

“Hellion?” 

Julian’s eyes widen at Scott’s voice. 

JULIAN: “What is it? Are the Cruz’s here?!” 

SCOTT: “No. Not yet” 

JULIAN, his face falling: “Oh.” 

On the other side of the door, Cyclops scratches the back of his head. He knows this is partially his fault. And he knows that he and Julian have never really spent much time together. But he’s not just one of his students anymore; he’s an X-Man. 

SCOTT: “You’re part of my team. And Emma really cares about you, which means I do too. I was thinking maybe you’d like to do some one-on-one training with another guy. Help get out whatever you need to.” 

BEAT. 

Julian bristles. 

JULIAN: “And how much of that did Ms. Frost tell you to say?” 

SCOTT: “None of it.” 

JULIAN: “Sure. With all due respect, Mr. Summers, you’ve done enough. I’d rather drop off the face of the Earth than spend time with you.” 

Scott nods. He understands, and tells Hellion his door is open if he changes his mind. He walks out of the medical bay, where he’s laughed at. 

SCOTT, squinting: “Something funny?” 

MAGIK, leaning against the wall:  “Your face. For one. You should see your girlfriend’s surgeon.” 

CYCLOPS, annoyed and turning around to walk away: “Goodbye, Magik.” 

MAGIK, teleporting in front of him: “Hold on. I wasn’t done. What’s also funny is you trying to bond with any of these kids outside your own squad when you’ve been “Mr. Hands Off” for almost two years, and gotten their friends killed.” 

CYCLOPS: “You think you could do better?” 

MAGIK: “I think if I was running this place, Quentin would have lost his head before he laid a finger on anyone else.” BEAT. “But also yes. You told me you wished for me to start teaching, and I’ve decided to take you up on that” CYCLOPS, skeptical: “Out of the goodness of your heart?” 

MAGIK: “And the desire for revenge on Pestillence and Lady Akabba, which will be easiest if one of our strongest fighters isn’t moping.” 

CYCLOPS: “And there it is.” 

Magik puts her hands on her hips, and asks him if he’d like her to try helping the brat or not. She gave him his hands and she can sense a familiar darkness inside him. 

MAGIK, softening: “I really think I can help, Cyclops.” 

Scott takes a moment to think it over, before agreeing to give her a shot. 

MAGIK: “Perfect!” 

Julian is heard screaming, before being cut off. 

SCOTT, immediately regretting this: “What did you just do?” 

ILLYANA: “Eh. Dropped him off the face of the Earth. I’ll catch us up.” 

Magik creates a stepping disc underneath herself and Cyclops, transporting them away. 

Elsewhere, Esme’s eyes flicker open, with a bright light shining into them. As she wakes up, so too do her sisters. 

ESME: “What the…”

CELESTE: “Hell?”

MINDEE: “Where are…”

PHOEBE: “We?”

The Cuckoos find themselves in what looks like a cold and sterile hospital. They’ve each been changed into all-white hospital gowns, they’re hooked up to various monitors, they’re strapped to their beds with power dampening collars around their necks, doctors and nurses are bustling about, with some examining them, and tags have been put around each of their wrists, with numbers ranging from 1-4. 

ESME, screaming and struggling to get loose: “What is this?! Where are we?!” 

MINDEE: “Who are you people?!” 

PHOEBE: “Do you know who we are?!” 

CELESTE: “You’re dead! All dead!” 

None of the staff are fazed at all by the ruckus of the powerless teenage girls, but one of the doctors does feel the need to act. 

DOCTOR, using a com device: ”Sir, they’re awake.” 

The Cuckoos continue to scream, make threats, and attempt to flail. Until…

“Girls, girls. Settle down.” 

A man in a suit enters, face unseen but his voice familiar. 

MAN: “Please. I know you’re scared, but you’re all polite young ladies. Do not behave in such an embarrassing way. Your doctors were just running some diagnostics.” 

ESME, red in the face: “These aren’t our doctors. And who are you supposed to be? What do you want with us?” 

MAN: “Do you really not know? Well, I suppose that makes sense.” His smile is seen. “Even if I am your father.” The Cuckoos’ faces fall, distressed and concerned. “For now…” 

The man’s face is revealed. 

SUBLIME: “You may call me John.” 

We cut to Emma’s yacht, already out on the ocean. Emma is laid back and sunbathing, while Kitty and Dani clink drinks, and Sofia is gracefully swimming in the ocean, talking to Noriko, who’s leaned over the side of the boat, over the winds. 

SOFIA: “Come join me, Noriko. The water is great.” 

NORIKO: “Yeeeah, Princess, I know we’re all depressed, but you shouldn’t be asking me to cook you.” 

SOFIA: “I promise it will be fine.” 

NORIKO, frustrated: “And I promise it won’t.” 

Inside the ship, Roxy, who brought her guitar, asks if Cessily has any requests. Cess is a little awkward and asks Roxy if she’s sure she doesn’t want to go swim. Just because she can’t get in the water doesn’t mean Roxy shouldn’t have fun. 

ROXY, kissing Cessily up her neck: “Doesn’t sound very fun if you’re not doing it.” 

Cessily giggles and squirms away. 

CESSILY: “Come on. I know it’s not your Olympic-sized pool, but it’s still the ocean.” 

Roxy’s face falls. 

ROXY: “Are you okay?” 

Back outside…

SOFIA, doing a backstroke: “We haven’t really talked. About what you attempted.” 

NORIKO: “Nothing to talk about. I was stupid and desperate and people died because of me.” 

SOFIA: “You are no more to blame than me. I spread Laurie’s pheremones without testing to make sure they were calming first.” 

NORIKO: “It’s not the same.” 

Inside…

CESSILY: “Yeah! I mean, okay as any of us are. I’m just still…I cared about Brian a lot.”

ROXY, still worried: “So did I. So everything is cool with us?” 

CESSILY: “We’ve spent the last few days cuddling almost nonstop. I think you’d know by now if something was wrong.” 

Outside…

SOFIA: “I am sorry. I shouldn’t try and compare.” BEAT. “I wasn’t around to see it, but do you still want to be the person you were on Kick?” 

NORIKO: “Absolutely not.” She looks down at her hands. “I do still want control though.”

SOFIA, smirking evily while no one can see: “Well…maybe there are still some avenues you haven’t explored.” 

Inside…

Roxy is still worried…but she’s sorry. She knows how she worries. Cessily kisses her and picks out a song. 

As she does so, Foxx comes running through, changed into her swimsuit, and runs outside. 

KITTY, as Foxx runs past: “Oh, Foxx, have you had a chance to talk to Surge yet? I think you girls would really—”

Foxx ignores her, cackling, before canonballing into the war, making sure to land within splashing distance of Sofia. 

FOXX, to a peeved Sofia: “Whoops! Sorry, So-fi-a. HA HA HA.” 

SOFIA: “I–” 

FOXX: “Not mad, right? I hear you’re sweet to everyone.” 

Sofia is suspicious, but before she can question this, the water shakes, as well as the boat. 

DANI: “What the Hell?” 

KITTY: “We just put Avalanche back in jail, right?” 

CESSILY, running outside with Roxy: “Uh, we did that actually.” 

EMMA, bracing herself as she sits up straight: “Oh, please be Avalanche. Please.” 

A giant, tentacled sea monster emerges from the water, Sofia and Foxx getting splashed. Standing atop the monster from the ocean’s depths is an extremely muscular man in a scaled speedo. 

Noriko, Cessily, and Roxy look up with awe and bewilderment. 

DANI: “Who is that?” 

Kitty, recognizing him, smacks her face. 

NAMOR: “Emma Grace Frost! We have played enough of your games over the years. It is time for you to join me as the queen of Atlantis!” 

Emma sighs, taking a swig of her drink and standing up: “He’s my ex.” 

We cut to the fiery, demonic pits of Limbo…where the demons actually seem to be having a pretty good time. There’s a band playing, others are dancing along, and some others are feasting on some nice juicy organs together. 

A stepping disc opens in the middle of the air, with Hellion falling out of it, barely catching himself in time with his TK to avoid landing in a pool of flames. Julian, having never been here before, is horrifed by what he sees. 

MAGIK: “What do you think of my home sweet home?!” 

Julian continues to be freaked out, but has seen enough by now to compose himself, stand up, and get in Magik’s face, demanding to know what’s going on. 

CYCLOPS, standing behind Magik: “I’d like to know the same thing.” 

Illyana rolls her eyes at the boys as she walks past them, and demons leap from the flames to bow at her feet. 

ILLYANA: “This is Limbo. My queendom.” Illyana wags her finger and makes a throne pop out of the ground. She takes a seat and magically pours wine into a glass from nowhere. “You remember all the cool stuff I used to be able to do before our little run-in with Phoenix? This is my base of power, so I can still do all of that here.” 

JULIAN: “And why–?!” 

ILLYANA: “Hello. Limbo.” Magik takes a sip of wine. “I thought you might like to take a look around. You know. Just in case your friends’ souls found their way here.” 

Julian is in shock, while Scott seems suspicious. Illyana’s having fun though and leans over the side of her chair to drink. 

In the hospital, the Cuckoos are confused. What does John mean he’s their father? 

ESME: “Our father’s name is–!” 

PHOEBE, suddenly confused: “Umm…” 

MINDEE, scared: “Why can’t we remember Daddy’s name?” 

Sublime tells the little girls not to try thinking so hard; that isn’t what they’re good for. But he's eager to explain. 

SUBLIME: “Tell me: How much have you learned in school about Weapon X?” 

The Cuckoos choose to play along, wanting to get to the bottom of this, and say what they know. It’s the government project that experimented on Mr. Logan, gave him his adamantium skeleton, and made him forget everything from before then. It was later moved outside of the purview of the government proper and research was continued by The Facility, resulting in the creation of Wolverine. 

SUBLIME: “Not bad, not bad. All true. But you’re missing some big pieces. Who started Weapon X? And why?” None of the Cuckoos know. An amused Sublime clasps his hands behind his back. “The work that would eventually become Weapon X was started by a man named Romulus about a century and a half ago. As far as Mutants go not a bad one. If I was capable of emotions, I may have felt a little sad after learning he’d been offed by Apocalypse.” 

Sublime continues to explain how he and Romules met in the early 20th century and, using their mutual connections, got Weapon X started. 

ESME: “You’re immortal…” 

CELESTE: “A jerk…” 

PHOEBE: “You talk like a bad game show host…” 

MINDEE: “Your name is John.” 

CUCKOOS: “Sublime!” 

Sublime laughs. So Ms. Frost DID tell her girls about him! He’s so flattered. 

ESME, pissed: “We are NOT her girls.” 

SUBLIME: “Of course you aren’t.” He grins sadistically. “You’re mine.” 

The Cuckoos glare at Sublime as he continues his explanation. Romulus started Weapon X because he wanted an army. World domination was his endgame, and while that scope was a little small compared to what he was after, it mattered little with what Sublime was after. 

SUBLIME: “What I needed were the perfect husks. Bodies strong enough to hold the most powerful force in the universe.” 

MINDEE: “You mean…”

PHOEBE: “Phoenix?” 

SUBLIME: “Correct! And while Romulus was working on making the perfect soldiers, I was working on a way to capture and trap a god. Took over a century, but I think I just about got it.” 

Unfortunately, he did that before Romulus completed his part of the plan. And when Romulus was killed, he was forced to take over. Logan had already stolen X-23, and Kimura couldn’t do her damn job and get it back, so he had to make something new. Since none of his Wolverine knock-offs were getting anywhere, something brand new! 

SUBLIME: “And I thought to myself: “John! What powerful Mutant will you at least get pretty clones out of?” The Cuckoos’ eyes all widen in horror as they fear where this is going…before their fears are immediately validated. “Of course, that’s not how you girls turned out.” 

MINDEE, shaking and tearing up: “What are you saying?” 

Sublime haughtily steps over to Mindee and crushes her jaw in his hand, making her scream. The other Cuckoos are enraged, but they can’t do anything. 

SUBLIME: “I’m saying…number four…that you are nothing but husks based on dear Ms. Frost.” He lets go of Mindee, letting her gasp for air. “And thanks to my work with the U-Men, I finally know how to make you gods.” 

Out in the ocean, as Sofia flies herself and Foxx back onto the yacht, Kitty and Dani are in disbelief over their circumstances. 

KITTY: “You used to DATE the king of Atlantis and bad attitudes?” 

DANI: “Am I the only one of us who hasn’t been to Atlantis? I feel robbed. Also, didn’t you say Scott and Shaw were the only guys you were ever with?” 

EMMA: “The only men I ever let touch me or trusted with my heart.” Namor steps onto the yacht, walking down one of his creature’s tentacles like a bridge. “Our royal guest was never so lucky.” 

As Namor walks down the deck, Emma steps forward to meet him. 

CESSILY, whispering to the other teens: “Think we’re gonna have to fight this guy?” 

SOFIA, whispering: “Don’t try it, Cessily. He’s defeated Magneto, and even fought Apocalypse to a stalemate.” Sofia continues, unable to fully hide her annoyance and defensiveness. “Although he did cheat.” 

NORIKO, whispering: “I don’t remember ever hearing about this in class.” 

SOFIA, whispering: “You never pay attention in class.” 

Foxx laughs to herself. 

ROXY: “Uh, you okay, girl?” 

FOXX: “Oh yeah. I’m just happy to be here.” 

Emma and Namor meet face to face, standing inches away from one another. 

EMMA: “I do not have time for you right now, King Namor. My school just suffered a tragedy, and I am attempting to distract my students from their troubles. You bring trouble everywhere you go.” 

NAMOR, smirking: “You say that as if you do not love it.” Emma rolls her eyes at him and Namor returns to his stoic expression. “I have been informed about what happened. That is part of why I am here. I would like to aid the X-Men in a swift defeat of Apocalypse’s Horsemen.” 

EMMA, knowing there’s a catch: “How kind.” 

NAMOR: “But only if you agree to stop ignoring your feelings and become my queen.” 

NORIKO, whispering to Kitty: “He’s serious?” 

KITTY, whispering back: “Everyone’s got a shtick.” 

Namor looks behind Emma, notices Kitty, and glares. 

NAMOR, with pure hatred: “Is that you, Kitty Pryde?” 

KITTY, cheerfully mocking: “Sup, Scale Pasties?! How’s Atlantis been since my last visit?” 

NAMOR: “Still cleaning up the mess you made with your “People’s revolution”.” 

KITTY: “Well, if you hadn’t given the people a reason to do a little revolting, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything!” 

Namor growls. 

NORIKO, whispering: “You are the coolest.” 

KITTY: “I know.” Dani glares at her in a “Remember you’re supposed to be a responsible role-model” way. “I mean, um, don’t start riots using seahorses.” 

Dani sighs as she approaches Namor and introduces herself. Much as she’d love for him to take Emma away forever, that’s not going to happen. But maybe they could work out some kind of other deal after they come ashore and get the kids home. 

EMMA: “It isn’t often I agree with Danielle, but I believe that’s a reasonable request. Wouldn’t you say?” 

Everyone nearly trips as the boat shakes. Namor’s sea monster has wrapped itself around the yacht, and is holding it in place. 

NAMOR: “I will not be taking “no” for an answer.” 

With Namor refusing to budge, the X-women prepare to fight. 

In the hospital, The Cuckoos remained strapped down to their beds as they’re wheeled down a cold and sterile hallway by nurses. Sublime leads the way, continuing to exposit. 

SUBLIME: “You can imagine my surprise when you grew in full in your tanks. That sample material was unexpected, but I figured you girls would just do as Mother seemingly did.” Esme gets increasingly enraged as Sublime refers to Emma that way. “Once you were all cooked, we just had to implant some fake memories, forge some paperwork, and ship you off to school to train and grow stronger so that you’d be ready for –” 

ESME, cutting him off: “Shut up already! I am sick of listening to your voice. And I don’t know who you think you’re fooling except maybe Mindee, but we are not clones, Ms. Frost is not our mother, and we are not numbers! Sophie was an idiot, but she wasn’t just a number!” 

They all stop at two sliding doors.

Sublime turns his head around 360 degrees, grinning like the devil. 

SUBLIME: “Wanna bet?” 

The frightened girls become even more mortified as the doors slide open, revealing an enormous high-tech laboratory filled with bustling scientists, and, most appalling to the Cuckoos, tanks filled with thousands of clones of them. 

Esme’s face completely falls, and Celeste looks like she’s going to vomit. 

Sublime snaps his head back around as they all enter, and he welcomes “Weapon XIV” to The World. 

SUBLIME: “You want me to loosen those restraints a bit? Let you wave to all your sisters?” 

Mindee, still a crying mess, asks why he’s doing all of this. 

PHOEBE: “He’s human! He just hates us!” 

Sublime laughs. He does hate Mutants, that much is absolutely true. But human? Not quite. He’s not who’s important here though. 

SUBLIME: “The important ones are you: the five-thousand-in-one!” 

Sublime explains that with his technology, he will be able to summon the Phoenix and trap it. And then, split it up between all five thousand Cuckoos bodies. No Baseline or Mutant except for Jean Grey and her time-traveling bitch of a daughter can withstand the Phoenix Force without it overwhelming them. But 5,000 strong, telepathic bodies, guided by four who have received exceptional training and touched the Phoenix before? That will work. 

SUBLIME: “And once you have the Phoenix Force, you will use it to wipe out not just every Mutant on this planet, but throughout the universe. And all will be well.” 

ESME, struggling to voice confidence: “I…I think you left out the part where you brainwash us. Why else would we do that?” 

Sublime casually shrugs. 

SUBLME: “I mean, I can if you really want me to. But considering you willingly chose to leave the X-men, and your “home” isn’t real, why wouldn’t you want this? What else is there? What’s better? Think of it. All one mind. All powerful. Forever.” 

Celeste, Phoebe, and even Mindee are able to compose themselves in the face of this evil, and sneer at Sublime, not about to submit so easily. 

But Esme’s lips curl. 

CELESTE: “Human or not…” 

PHOEBE: “You’re as creepy a loser as any other man.” 

MINDEE: “And we’re going to get out of this and kill your a–!” 

ESME, cutting her off: “Now, Mindee…” Esme is shown to be grinning. “Let’s not be hasty.” 

Esme’s sisters are concerned and panicked, while Sublime also grins. 

On her yacht, Emma is infuriated with Namor. 

EMMA: “This is why I could never care for you, Namor. You’re a child. You don’t get your way, and, the royal brat that you are, you throw a tantrum.” 

NAMOR, amused: “I’m the child? You’re the one who’s been robbing the cradle.” 

While Kitty and Dani manage to stay focused on the current situation, the kids are engrossed in the drama. 

EMMA: “Excuse you?” 

NAMOR: “Excuse what? Are you not old enough to have been Summers’ governess?” 

Emma lights up her eyes to attack, but Namor reacts just as quickly with his aquatic telepathy, making his monster squeeze the boat tighter. Emma backs down for the moment, but…

EMMA: “This is your last chance to leave. Destroy my yacht if you please. I have others. You know this would not end well for you.” 

NAMOR: “I know exactly what I’m doing.” He smirks. “But, if you ladies would like to wrestle, I would be happy to give us some privacy away from your childr–”

Namor gasps, choking. Dani asks if he’s alright, as Namor jumps off the boat and dives into the ocean. 

KITTY: “You make him think he can’t breathe out of water?” 

EMMA: “No. This isn’t me.” 

NORIKO: “Uhh, guys.” 

The three teachers turn around to face the kids. Sofia has her arm raised and is smirking. 

SOFIA: “He can breathe in air and water, right? I thought if I blocked off the flow of one, he’d be forced into the other.” 

DANI, surprised: “You know how to do that?” 

EMMA, suspicious: “Apparently she does.” 

SOFIA: “It is just something I thought to try.” 

KITTY: “Smart thinking wherever you learned it. But that’s not gonna stop him for long.” 

Namor, on cue, flies out of the ocean, hovering above the Mutants. 

NAMOR: “Arrogant child! How dare you!” 

A gust of wind blows everyone’s hair as Sofia flies to meet Namor in the sky. 

KITTY: “Wind Dancer, wait!” 

CESSILY: “Wasn’t she just telling us not to fight him?” 

FOXX, texting on a phone viewers have seen before: “I think she was just talking about you. Lol.” 

Cessily sideyes Foxx. 

SOFIA, staring Namor down: “After everything my friends and I have been through, deserve a day of peace. Of fun and relaxation. You will not spoil this.” BEAT. Sofia smiles warmly. “So why don’t we make a game out of it?” 

Namor and everyone on the boat is confused by what’s going on. 

NAMOR, curious: “I’m listening, woman.” 

SOFIA: “You are a proud warrior. If you want Ms. Frost’s hand in marriage, fight for it. But there is no need for us to harm one another. Surge, Mercury, and I are three of Ms. Frost’s most talented students.” Surge and Mercury’s eyes widen, as they wonder what the Hell she’s saying. “Defeat two out of three of us in physical competitions, and Ms. Frost will leave with you. You aren’t afraid of facing children, are you?” 

EMMA, pissed at Sofia: “Wind Dancer…” 

DANI: “Wait. She might be onto something.” 

Sofia and Namor continue to stare each other down, before…

NAMOR: “HA! I will not refuse the challenge. Does my future queen consent to the terms?” 

Emma speaks telepathically to Sofia, questioning what she’s thinking. They can handle Namor. Sofia knows they can, but they’re on his turf right now, and it’s too risky to engage when they have Foxx with them. Also in the psychic communication, Kitty agrees with Sofia, especially since, for all they know, they could be surrounded by Namor’s army right now. 

Emma sees her point, but is still unhappy. She should have nominated Danielle and Kitty to participate in this farce. Sofia apologizes, but she figured Namor would be less likely to try avoiding a challenge from them. 

SOFIA: “Besides…I think we all have a lot of feelings we need to get out.” 

Sofia promises the three teachers they can do this. They’ve trained them well. 

Emma sighs. 

EMMA: “Yes, Namor. We have a deal.” 

In Limbo, Magik teleports Cyclops and Hellion around as she gives them a tour of the place. 

MAGIK: “So, these are the fire pits. Obviously. I like hanging out here with my boys for band practice. Keeps them out of trouble. How are we doing boys?!” 

DEMONS: “We love you, your highness!” 

MAGIK: “Ha ha, I know you do.” She leans forward. “They used to say that all the time when I was a kid, but they were way too busy screaming when Darkchylde was in charge. Feels good.” Scott and Julian sideye each other. “Anyway!” 

Illyana takes everyone through a portal, leading them into the middle of a colosseum. 

ILLYANA: “Demons come here to challenge each other to death matches.” Two demonic warriors race toward the center of the arena where the three X-Men stand, prompting Magik to draw her anti-soulsowrd and cut them both down. Julian is freaked out as demon guts get on him. “I’ve never lost a challenge.” 

The next portal takes them a black void filled with purple mists and grisly screams. Scott and Julian both cringe. 

ILLYANA: “This is where demon’s essences experience agony as they struggle to reconstitute themselves after they die here. Realizing now you probably don’t want to see this.” 

The next portal brings them all outside a dark, spooky castle. 

ILLYANA: “And this is my crib!” 

Illyana portals them through various rooms she finds interesting. Great hall. Dungeons. Library. 

ILLYANA: “Used to spend a LOT of time here.” 

JULIAN: “You’re a big reader?” 

ILLYANA: “How do you think I taught myself the magic I needed to conquer this place?” 

With one more portal, they’re brought to Illyana’s throneroom. 

ILLYANA: “And this is where I happen!” She points at someone working. “That’s my girl, Dessy.” Magik teleports over to her and fist bumps her. “She runs the show when I’m not around.” 

JULIAN, skeptical and walking up to her: “Uh, she looks 12.” 

Dessy unhinges her jaw to reveal her less cute, true demonic form, and feeds on Julian’s despair, sucking the life out of him. 

Illyana slaps the back of Dessy’s head to make her stop. 

ILLYANA: “Hey! Bad Dessy. No eating my new student.You can have Cyclops if you’re hungry.” Scott is not amused. “And hey, I was running Limbo when I was only 14.” 

Julian sighs. This is all freaky and kinda cool, but what about Brian and Sophie? Are their souls here or not? 

JULIAN: “Karma once told me about how X-Men die and come back all the time. How that’s just a part of our lives. If we have access to their souls, could we bring them back?” 

Magik thinks, clicking her tongue. 

JULIAN: “Please.” 

After a beat, Illyana decides they can take a peak. But Cyclops can’t come. 

ILLYANA: “I was fine bringing you along, but you don’t get to see the deeper parts of Limbo. Got it?” 

Scott isn’t happy about it, but he can see that Julian needs this, and he knows…he’s pretty sure that Magik won’t hurt him. So he agrees. 

MAGIK: “Excellent. Dessy, take good care of the guy I let act like my boss.” 

Illyana teleports herself and Julian away. 

Scott isn’t sure what to do or say, but Dessy speaks up. 

DESSY:” Hey…do you let non-Mutants attend your school?” 

Scott does not like what she’s suggesting. 

In The World, Celeste aggressively asks Esme what she’s smiling about. Sublime tells #3 to watch her tone. #1 is their current queen, isn’t she? 

ESME: “That’s right. I am. This ugly pussbucket may be lame, but think about what he’s offering. All the power in the universe. No one would ever be able to tell us no again. We could do whatever we wanted!” Esme looks around at all the clones. “And the hole that’s been left in our hearts would be filled 5,000 times over.” 

Phoebe calls her crazy, while Mindee shouts that these husks can’t replace Sophie, and Celeste frustratedly tells her it isn’t worth it. 

CELESTE: “Kill Quentin, his gang, and Ms. Frost? Sure. Wipe out humanity? I could be swayed! But all Mutants? Hell no. We still have friends back at the school.” 

ESME: “We don’t have anyone! That’s why we chose to leave!”

PHOEBE: “YOU chose to leave!” 

The sisters continue to squabble, Sublime pleased at the sight, as he gestures for the nurses to undo Esme’s restraints. 

ESME, being helped to stand, snickering: “Come on, girls. Don’t be lame.” 

Esme’s eyes glow as she reaches deeper into her sisters’ minds and forces them to follow her lead. 

ESME: “All set to become fiery hot goddesses?” 

CELESTE, PHOEBE, AND MINDEE: “Yes, Esme.” 

ESME: “Perfect.” 

Sublime laughs and puts his hand on Esme’s shoulder. He should have known his first born wouldn’t let him down. As the nurses free the other Cuckoos, Sublime tells Esme to get into the empty tanks in the center of the lab. While they do that, he’s going to summon Phoenix. 

On Emma’s private beach, Namor is cocky as, for the first challenge, Noriko has challenged him to a footrace across the ocean back to where they left the yacht. 

NAMOR, to Emma, standing haughtily: “It’s nice that you’ve succeeded in embedding your confidence in your students. I look forward to learning more about them while we plan our wedding.” 

EMMA: “The only way you’re ever learning about my children is by taking a job as a swimming coach. How does minimum wage sound to start?” 

Namor glares at her. 

Nearby, Noriko is stretching her legs, talking to her friends and teachers. 

NORIKO: “So do we have an actual gameplan here or am I supposed to actually beat this guy?” 

KITTY: “Cheating does sound practical, but if Namor caught on, there’s a non-zero chance he’d try to flood the Earth.” 

ROXY: “Is…is that a thing he’s tried to do?” 

CESSILY, eagerly putting an arm around her girlfriend: “Don’t worry, baby, I have so got this.” 

DANI: “You sure seem energized.” 

Cessily beams that she is. She’s been on a roll lately. She beat Laura, she beat Random, and she thinks she did a pretty good job in Paris. 

CESSILY: “Brian always believed in me. I’m not gonna let him down now.” 

Roxy gives her a kiss on the cheek. 

Cessily thanks Sofia for naming her, with Sofia telling her she’s very welcome; she figured she would appreciate this. 

SOFIA: “I warned you of his power, but you get to choose the terms of engagement. This is your chance to show exactly how strong you are.” 

Dani looks at Sofia, taking note of the odd way she’s talking. 

Namor calls out that he’s ready whenever Surge is. Surge stops stretching and nervously takes a deep breath. She looks down at her gauntlets. She flashes back to Danger telling her about the heights her full power has reached. In the present, she shakes her head, and just tells the others to wish her luck, before dashing off. Dani, Kitty, and Sofia follow behind. 

ROXY: “You know, technically, we took out Avalanche and Random together.” 

CESSILY: “Yeah! Obviously. It was awesome.” 

“Awwww.” 

The two turn around to see Foxx staring at them. 

FOXX: “Sorry. You two are just adorable.” 

Cessily and Roxy awkwardly smile. Being nice, Cessily asks Foxx to tell her a little about herself while they go watch the race. 

Namor and Noriko get into position next to each other. 

NAMOR: “Doesn’t human technology not fare well with water?” 

NORIKO: “Mutant technology. And if these things come off, I’ll do a lot worse than beat you, you fascist creep.” 

NAMOR: “Fasc…you’re Pryde’s student, aren’t you?” 

Nori clicks her tongue as she flips him off.

Emma acts as psychic referee, clearly just wanting this over with, and flashing numbers in the two racer’s minds, counting down from 3. When the numbers hit 0, Surge and Namor disappear in an instant. 

Shown in slow-motion, Namor is casually jogging, while Noriko is giving it all she’s got. In spite of this, Nori is losing and can’t keep up with him. Looking down at her gauntlets again, refusing to lose, she tries loosening them just a bit. 

Just by doing this, however, Surge overloads herself, trips, and wipes out, as Namor crosses the finish line. 

NAMOR: “Not as good as beating Pryde herself would have been, but I’ll take it. One victory away from our berothel, my queen!” 

Emma smacks her face, while Sofia flies out to retrieve Noriko. Nori readjusts her gauntlets as she swims up to the surface, before being scooped up by Sofia’s winds.

NORIKO: “Dammit.” 

SOFIA: “Do not beat yourself up. We haven’t lost yet.” 

Noriko looks sheepishly at Sofia. 

NORIKO: “You have any ideas when it comes to these other “Avenues” you mentioned?” 

Sofia giggles. She’s so glad she asked. 

Back at the school, Sooraya is still praying...until her stomach rumbles. She realizes she probably should eat something. 

Soo gets up and heads to the communal kitchen, where she grabs some dried fruit with her name on it. As she muches, she decides she wants to do something else before she returns to her room. She walks down the hallway toward the medical bay, wanting to visit Brian. Standing outside the medical bay though, she spots a familiar face. 

SOORAYA: “Mr. Drake?” 

Iceman, pained, turns around and weakly smiles. 

BOBBY: “Hey, Sooraya.” 

Sooraya softly approaches her former teacher. Ms. Frost mentioned she’d called to let him know what happened. Bobby clenches his fists and the floor freezes beneath his feet. 

BOBBY: “I’d have never forgiven her if she hadn’t.” 

Bobby, with heavy breaths, vents. He was the one looking out for Brian. More than either of his actual mentors. And when he needed him most, he wasn’t here. Not to mention, from what he’s hearing, it sounds like he’s a big reason Quentin snapped and Sophie got killed. 

BOBBY: “If I’d just been here…I coud have–”

“No.” 

Bobby is caught off guard by Sooraya cutting him off. 

SOORAYA: “Everyone is blaming themselves. Myself included. But we all made our choices. I had the opportunity to stop Lady Akabba herself, and I couldn’t do anything. The truth is that we all failed. The best and worst of us. If you had been here, Mr. Drake, even with how powerful you are, they just would have found a way around you. Our enemies are the only ones at fault.” 

Bobby notices how much pain Sooraya is in and goes into teacher mode, bottling his own feelings, and absorbing the ice he made back into himself. 

BOBBY: “I’ll be honest. I don’t really know much about what you believe in. I only have what my overbearing Catholic dad and barely-present Jewish mom told me to go off of. But, isn’t always having hope a big part of it?” 

Sooraya tells him her hope hasn’t wavered, Nor has her faith in Allah’s plan. What she is questioning is her place in everything. She believed she was given her powers for a reason. But she was helpless against Lady Akabba. She doesn’t even know why she or Mr. Proudstar survived. 

SOORAYA: “I know I am capable of more. I just do not know how I will get there.” 

BEAT. 

BOBBY, smiling: “Well…your powers aren’t too different from mine, to be honest. You’ve even gotten regeneration down. I don’t know if you were in the middle of anything, but would you wanna go blow off some steam in the Danger Room? I know I could, and maybe I could show you a few tricks.” 

Sooraya really isn’t sure, believing she should return to her room, but he promises this will be better for her. She shouldn’t be alone. 

SOORAYA: “You were correct when you said you didn’t understand my beliefs. I am never alone.” She sighs and smiles. “But I would like to learn.” 

Bobby smiles back at her as the two walk off. 

In The World, Sublime has his scientists activate their signal device, as the Cuckoos are placed in their tanks. Celeste, Phoebe, and Mindee meekly struggle against Sublime’s men, but have no success. Esme meanwhile steps into her own tank willingly. 

As the signal is sent out and the machines make all sorts of noises, the four living Cuckoos scream in agony. 

Sublime grins that the end of Mutantkind is here. 

SUBLIME: “My purpose shall at last be fulfilled.” 

The signal from the world is sent out into space and, across lightyears, is picked up by The Phoenix, Jean Grey, who’s observing a battle between space knights and Dire Wraiths. Her head aches as it tingles her ears, but she can’t resist it’s siren song. 

JEAN, softly cackling as she starts flying off: “I don’t know who’s calling me.” Her eyes flare up. “But you’re going to regret it.” 

In space, Jean takes on the full form of the Phoenix, and travels across the starts in mere moments. In The World, the Cuckoos continue to scream, as Sublime is alerted that the Phoenix is entering Earth’s atmosphere. 

Sublime tells them to progress to phase 2. With some more button presses and command inputs a beat is fired into space. Jean laughs it off as it heads toward her, only to be caught off guard completely as it not only hurts her, but begins sapping her power, and transmitting it into all 5,000 of the clone tanks. 

Jean screams along with the Cuckoos, only the Phoenix Force is fully drained, and she’s left drifting in space, with no sound. 

The 5,000 Cuckoo bodies are all lit up with Phoenix Force energy. After receiving confirmation that the process was a success, the many scientists present celebrate, while Sublime walks over to Esme’s tank to personally let her out. 

SUBLIME, opening the tank: “How do you feel, my dear?” 

Esme grins manically as her eyes light up. She flies into the air, leaving everyone in the lab in awe. 

ESME, speaking with 5,000 identical voices: “No longer are we the women you knew! We are fire and life incarnate! Now and forever -” All of the tanks open as Esme springs her wings. “We are Phoenix!” 

At the beach, Dani and Emma look up at the sky with concern. 

DANI: “Please tell me you didn’t sense that too.” 

EMMA: “I’m afraid I did. Jean is back.” 

KITTY, overhearing and approaching the two: “Umm, what?! Shouldn’t we be getting on that right now then? I think your old boyfriend will understand the situation.” 

Emma tells both of them to not concern themselves. Danielle can confirm that Phoenix hasn’t gone dark again. There’s no reason to think her visit has to do with them, or destruction. Not to mention, if it was, she’s fairly certain their luck with sacharine speeches about love and friendship stopping her has run its course. 

EMMA: “If the planet suddenly goes up in flames, it goes up in flames.” 

DANI: “You’re not wrong, but if it goes up in flames, you’re still the one to blame.” 

Emma is incredulous over Dani throwing that back in her face after all this time.

DANI: “Would you rather have the fact that you covered-up Quentin and Brian killing people thrown in your face?” 

EMMA: “Punitive action and frightening their classmates was not necessary. They were anti-Mutant bigots and murderers.” 

DANI: “They were still people!” 

Emma mockingly laughs at her. 

EMMA: “You can fool the kids with your upstanding, peaceful adult routine, Danielle, but I knew you when you were their age. You are a warrior at heart, and you would have done the exact same thing they did, just with more blood.” 

DANI: “You don’t anything about me!” 

KITTY: “I know I thought you were more responsible.” 

DANI: “Oh, don’t you take her side.” 

KITTY: “I’m not picking sides here. You both screwed up. But I expect this kind of thing from Emma. Not you.” 

DANI: “I thought I could handle multiple squads!”

KITTY: “And you thought wrong! I put our kids together, I wanted to teach them, but it didn’t work out. You didn’t see me overexending though.” 

EMMA: “Thank you, Katharine.” 

KITTY: “Do NOT thank me. The X-Men may have changed how we operate, but that does not include the kids, and it does not include murder!” 

DANI, laughing in frustration: “Of course we’re being chewed out by little miss perfect. Because you haven’t done anything wrong.” 

KITTY, increasingly heated: “Nothing relevant to this, X-baby.” 

DANI, close to losing what’s left of her cool: “”You may not have “overextended” yourself, but that doesn’t mean you did a good job with your “apprentice”.” 

KITTY: “What have does Surge have to do with this?” 

EMMA: “You don’t think things might have gone differently if I hadn’t had to keep her asleep for her own safety? A necessity after you let her drug herself.” 

KITTY, in disbelief this is what she’s being blamed for: “Ok, you got me, I missed any warning signs that were there. But it all happened so fast. Sofia accidentally said some things that got in her head, and it all just spiraled.” 

EMMA: “Speaking of our dear Wind Dancer, have either of you ladies noticed a pattern since she came home?” 

DANI: “What are you talking about now?” 

EMMA: “She mysteriously fought off Exodus, but couldn’t explain how, she brought Laurie Collins to the school, and subsequently spread her rage pheremones, she caused Surge’s crisis, Julian has confessed to me in private that she’s only been using Laura, now today she’s forced us into this farce, and all the while we still don’t know where she was for six months. This is hardly the same girl who was the first in her class to join the X-Men based on outstanding performance.” 

Dani and Kitty are both taken aback by all of this being put in front of them. However…

DANI: ‘Yeah. No kidding she’s different.” 

EMMA: “Excuse me?”

KITTY: “What she went through was traumatic. Like you just said, we don’t even know what Apocalypse did to her.”

DANI: “And she’s still just a kid. Of course she’s going to make some mistakes.” 

EMMA, extremely frustrated: “You two cannot be this foolish.” 

KITTY: “Which brings us to how much of an idiot YOU were to not at least tell anyone about what you knew. We all could have acted in whatever way we agreed was best, but no, for the umpteenth time, you had to go and do something that would have gotten you fired if you weren’t screwing the boss!”

Emma attempts to slap Kitty, but her hand phases through her face. The three women glare at each other. 

Elsewhere on the beach, Cessily and Roxy are seated on some rocks, with Cessily having decided that, assuming Sofia keeps Emma from being forced into a marraige, she’s going to challenge him to an obstacle course on land. 

CESSILY: “He may be fast and agile, but he’s got nothing on this.” 

Cessily liquifies her arms and hips to shake tentacles around while shaking her hips like a Hula dancer. Roxy laughs and compliments her for how much control she has now. 

ROXY: “Hey, I had a thought.” 

CESSILY, in a good mood from her confidence and the complement: “Yeah? Does it involve sneaking off while Wind Dancer blows the creep away?” 

ROXY: “More like: Maybe we could convince him to take us both on as a team.” Cessily’s face falls. “I’m sure his ego would let us talk him into “raising the stakes” for the last match, you know?”

CESSILY: “Oh. Yeah! That’d be cool.” 

Roxy holds her girlfriend. 

ROXY: “And when we’re done here, my rents have taken all limits off my cards until school starts back up. We can go anywhere your big shiny heart desires?” 

Cessily is speechless as she nuzzles against Roxy, and uncontrollably melts against her, uncomfortable. 

In the sky, Namor and Sofia prepare to face off. 

NAMOR: “With the confidence you presented when challenging me, I presumed you would either come for me first, or else serve as your team’s anchor.” 

SOFIA: “Exactly. That would have been predictable. I prefer keeping my enemies on their toes.” 

Namor looks down at everyone standing on the beach. 

NAMOR, looking back at Sofia: “It isn’t often I offer compliments, but you have clearly succeeded in that regard.” 

Sofia pumps her shoulders as she flashes her Lady Akabba grin. 

SOFIA: “Let’s just make this look good.” 

Emma projects the countdown clock into both of their minds and, as it hits zero, the two fly off in their aerial race. 

In Limbo, Illyana and Julian walk through a more urban, if still decrepit, part of the kingdom, filled with twisted screams and demons drinking and fighting on the street. 

JULIAN: “Can’t we fly wherever we’re going if you can’t teleport us straight there?” 

ILLYANA: “1. There’s nothing I “can’t” do here. 2. I like being among my people. Seeing how they’re all doing.” Julian is grossed out seeing one demon vomit on another. “Oh, don’t be such a baby. We’ll be there soon enough.” 

Julian hangs his head. Illyana, knowing it’s time for what they came here for, takes a deep breath and prepares for the Herculean task of emotionally supporting someone else. 

ILLYANA: “You’re a pretty messed up kid, you know that?” 

JULIAN, snide: “What would you know?”

ILLYANA: “I didn’t mean it as an insult.” 

Magik’s eyes light up with flames, and she makes Hellion’s do the same, frightening him. She tells him to relax. She’s showing him something. 

Julian blinks and, as he does so, he sees a little, spinning green ball. He’s confused, but Magik tells him to look closely, because that’s his soul. 

JULIAN: “No, nope, don’t need this.” 

He tries to fly away, but the street pulls him back down. 

Magik examines Julian’s soul and tells him that as far as souls go, his is pretty bumpy and cloudy. For reference, she knows him what her old soul originally looked like, a flawless, golden, glowing sphere, and what it looked like by the time Belasco was done with her, showing a dull gray sphere that’s barely recognizeable as a sphere with how heavily its been chipped, with maggots crawling all over it. 

YANA: “Wanna know the messed up part? I was chosen because of how pure my soul was, and it only took seven years for that transformation to happen. Even without half-rate sorcerers chipping away at you, you stay here long enough, and this place will change you.” 

JULIAN: “You mean I’d become part-demon like you? Sounds kinda cool.” 

Illyana looks up, wistfully. 

In a quick flashback, a scared, 13 year-old Illyana is backed against a wall as a cat demon approaches her, with intent to kill. 

In the present, she tells him that no, no it isn’t cool. But back to his soul, he’s not close to bleeding any soul gems, she’d guess he never even had the potential, but the wear and tear is there. Life’s been hard. 

Julian laughs at her. She really needed to look at his soul to see that? 

Illyana ends her spell, and tells him she wants to give him perspective. 

JULIAN: “Things can always get worse? Thanks.” 

Illyana purses her lips and gut punches Hellion, making him fall to his knees. 

ILLYANA: “Cut it with the lip.” She puts her sword to his neck, further frightening him. “You’re one of the most powerful people in the school, not just among the students, but everyone. And yet, you can’t protect any of the people you’re always losing, and, based on recent times, you can’t even win a fight.” Julian’s fear turns to rage as he lights up with green energy. “Maybe I should keep you here. Let Limbo consume you. You’ll get stronger. And all those pesky feelings will go away.” Illyana transforms into her Darkchylde form. “Just say yes. And abandon all hope. All those attachments that keep hurting you. All your dreams. And I can make it all better.” 

ILLYANA, with the camera on Julian’s pained face: “It’s not like I was actually telling the truth about your friends being here. Not that type of Hell. I just wanted a good laugh.” 

Julian looks to be considering the offer, cringing as Darkchylde laughs at him. With how awful things continue to get, giving up sounds pretty good. 

In The World, The 5000-in-One relish in their newfound power. They’re whole. More than whole. 

ESME: “We can feel…everything.” 

SUBLIME: “I’m happy you’re satisfied with the results! Now, do what must be done. And that power is yours to keep.” 

5,000 Cuckoos laugh at Sublime, frightening some of the human scientists. Sublime scowls. 

ESME: “Now…why would we listen to you when we can just destroy your technology?” 

SUBLIME, trying to keep his cool: “You could. But you’re just pale imitations of little girls. You don’t understand what’s been done. Do you really want to risk undoing the transfer?” 

Esme’s head aches as dissenting opinions argue over what to do. She whispers at them all to shut up, before shouting at them to get in line and follow her. 

ESME: “We will deal with him in time. For now, we cannot take the risk. We’re doing this.” 

All the Cuckoos burn brighter and glow, as Esme charges up to wipe out Mutantkind. However…

ESME, in agony: “Ahhh!” 

Esme drops to the floor, confusing Sublime. He’s even more confused as nearly all the other Cuckoos drop as well. 

SUBLIME: “What the devil?” 

Sublime looks up and sees three Cuckoos still in the air, and still wearing their tags. It’s Celeste, Phoebe, and Mindee. 

CELESTE: “We are four-in-one, not three who answer to one! 

PHOEBE: “You can choose how we behave and how we dress…”

MINDEE: “But you cannot make us do this!” 

SUBLIME, panicking a little: “Come now, girls. Be good now and—” 

Esme, enraged at this betrayal, flies back up and fires an attack at her sisters. The other Cuckoos blast back.

 Sublime finally cracks and runs away, running out of The World and sealing the door behind him, leaving the rest of his team to be burnt to a crisp by the Cuckoos’ power struggle. 

SUBLIME, on a com: “Kimura, I need your team here. Now!” 

On the beach, Sofia high-fives everyone as she flies down, her friends congratulating her for beating Namor. 

SOFIA: “It was nothing, really.” 

KITTY, sarcastically to Emma: “What was that about, “outstanding performance”. 

Emma blows a hair out of her face in annoyance. 

NAMOR: “Yes, yes, treasure this victory. Tell all who will listen about the high point of your life. Shall we finish this…Mercury, was it?” 

CESSILY: “That’s right. You. Me. Obstacle course.” 

NAMOR, amused: “Sure. Why not?” 

Roxy eagerly nudges for Cessily to bring up what they were talking about. 

CESSILY, hesitating: “Let’s get this set up then.” 

Roxy is confused and hurt as Cessily walks away to start setting up the course. 

Sofia goes to get some water, with Dani following behind. 

DANI: “Nice flying out there.” 

SOFIA, pretending to be tired: “Thank you. He did not make it easy.” 

Dani, drinking her own water, tells her to not be modest. She was paying attention, and she wasn’t struggling while she was up there. 

Sofia giggles. 

Dani smiles, but bites her lip, with something on her mind. 

DANI: “Hey, if something was up you’d tell me, right?” 

SOFIA: “Is this about Ms. Frost’s conspiracy theory?” 

DANI, cringing: “You heard everything?” 

SOFIA: “You weren’t particularly quiet.” 

Both laugh. 

Sofia promises her that she’s “okay”. Her body still sometimes feels weird from whatever Apocalypse did to make her stronger. She worries a lot about what happened in those lost six months. And after what happened in the riot…

Sofia manages some crocodile tears. 

DANI: “Oh, honey”. Dani puts an arm around her and holds her, Sofia leaning in. “Was that stuff about Laura true?” 

SOFIA: “I’m sorry. I know it was wrong. I was hurt and sad and–” 

DANI: “Hey, hey, no explanation needed. Just, for me, put an end to it already? Be honest with Laura, apologize, and finally be with Julian already?”

Sofia nods. 

SOFIA: “Does this mean you like him now?”

DANI: “Oh, god no.” 

Sofia smiles. 

SOFIA: “I also heard what Ms. Frost said about you. About how you would have killed the men Quentin did at our age. Is that true?”

Dani exhales and lets go of Sofia. 

DANI: “You never asked why I didn’t want to be on the X-Men.” 

Dani tells Sofia that, yes, when she was younger, she was a bit extra-violent. Also more anxious than Sofia was when she first found her. Not a great combination. And, after graduation, while Cannonball and Sunepot joined up with Cable, Wolfsbane got hired by Multiple Man, and Karma went to college, she did something not so smart. 

DANI: “We’ve taught you about the Mutant Liberation Front, right?” 

Sofia confirms, remembering that they were young Mutants convinced by a man named Stryfe that violent action against the world was the only way to change it. 

SOFIA: “Not unlike The Omega Gang.” 

DANI: “Oh, why did you have to say that?” 

Dani explains that she joined the MLF. Not because she bought into their philosophy, but because while X-Force was fighting them head on, she thought she could do some good taking them down from within. 

SOFIA: “An interesting strategy. Did it work?” 

DANI: “It did. But I had to let innocent people get hurt. I hurt innocent people. And I almost started to believe what my new “friends” were saying”. She wipes a tear from her eye before it can escape. “My boys figured out what was going on and got me out of there before it was too late. I don’t know what would have happened if they hadn’t been there.” 

After all of that, she did have some time to unwind. But she still wasn’t ready to go back into the action when she got Scott’s call. 

SOFIA: “Wow. And what about now?” 

Dani hardens her face. 

DANI: “I feel like I need to get over myself. I can be a warrior and a role-model.” 

Sofia smiles and leans her head against her teacher’s shoulder. 

SOFIA: “Then I cannot wait to fight alongside you.” 

Dani smiles too. 

While Surge and Namor zoom around to construct an obstacle course, Roxy approaches Cessily, wanting to know what’s up. She said she liked the idea of them fighting Namor together. 

ROXY: “Were…were you lying to me? Why would you even do that?” Cessily hangs out head, feeling guilty. “You’ve been weird. For longer than today. What did I do?” 

CESSILY, choked up: “You haven’t done anything.” 

ROXY: “Bull.”

CESSILY: “I mean it! You’ve been perfect!” Cessily’s feet melt against the hot sand. “That’s the problem.” 

ROXY, dumbfounded: “I’m not following.” 

Cessily breathes, trying and failing to solidify herself. She sighs. Roxy knows about how up until a few months ago, she was struggling really badly with the idea that she was behind everyone else. And she’s been kicking butt ever since they were captured by The Facility! 

CESSILY: “But...we both have.” 

ROXY: “Still not getting it.” 

Cessily emits a high-pitched screech. 

CESSILY: “Roxy, I love you. I love you so much. You are the coolest girl in the world, you’re beautiful, and you’ve given me so much. A home, a family, a career, so, so many gifts.”  Roxy is distraught as Cessily cracks and cries. “And I don’t deserve it.” 

ROXY, immediately: “Yes, yes you do!” 

Roxy reaches to take Cessily’s hands, but Mercury’s flesh dissolves on impact. 

MERCURY: “I’m sorry. I know I’m being selfish and stupid and ungrateful, but I want to do things for myself. I don’t want a life entirely given to me on a platter. If I can’t even be the one to fight for the both of us, then what do I even offer?” 

ROXY: “Being you! Cess, I know you’ve got a hard time liking yourself, if it’s not this or worrying about how strong you are, it was being afraid you were ugly, even though you’re the hottest girl I’ve ever met.” That makes Cessily smile a little. “But you have to believe me. You don’t have to “Offer” anything. You don’t have to be a big hero or super successful on your own. It’s enough to just be yourself. You are enough.” 

Cessily smile widens as she continues to cry, hugging herself. Roxy tells her if she wants, Cessily can take Namor on her own, she can cut it out with the gifts, and she can let her parents know Cess doesn’t want to work for a while. But she can’t do anything about her family or home: those will always be hers. 

There’s silence as the two look at each other. 

ROXY: “Say something?” 

BEAT

CESSILY: “I’m sorry.” 

ROXY: “Baby, you don’t have anything to–”

Cessily turns into a puddle, slinking away across the sand. Roxy is left standing there, heartbroken and unsure of what just happened.

In the burning wreckage of the lab, The Cuckoos continue to fight. 

PHOEBE: “Stop this, Esme!” 

MINDEE: “We shouldn’t be fighting!” 

ESME: “Don’t tell me what to do! I’m sick of people telling me what to do! From now on, I do whatever I want!” 

Esme is blindsided as Celeste comes at her from the side to punch her in the face, sending her flying through a wall. 

CELESTE: “Do you think this is what Sophie would have wanted?” 

ESME: “Who cares what Sophie would have wanted? She was no different than any of the other  clones. Just like all of you. But me?” She created a giant flaming #1. “I will be somebody. I won’t just be a number!” 

Esme throws the #1 at Celeste, but as it’s dispersed, Phoebe and Mindee appear at Celeste’s sides. 

CELESTE: “We aren’t numbers.” 

PHOEBE: “We’re your sisters.” 

MINDEE: “Maybe we started out like all the other clones, but we’re different. We’ve lived!” 

Esme falters as she contemplates what they’re saying, before her rage takes over once more, exploding with more energy. 

Nearby, a fleet of convoys drive toward The World, with Kimura sitting in the front of one, reporting to Sublime. Kimura is now covered in burn scars. 

KIMURA: “ETA two minutes, sir. My men are loaded up with all the anti-Phoenix tech you provided. We’ll have those brats back in tubes before dinner.” 

SUBLIME, over a com: “See that you do. I have worked too hard and too long for this to fall apart because of a squabble among dolls!” 

KIMURA: “Relax, John.” She places a hand over her chest from where Akihiro skewered her. “I don’t fail.” 

Kimura hangs up and tells her driver to pick the pace. He does so, only for the coms to be filled with screams. Kimura, concerned, asks what’s going on. Her men talk over each other, so she insists that only one of her officers reports. 

FACILITY OFFCER: “It’s the anti-Phoenix weapons, ma’am. They all…just burst into flame.” 

KIMURA: “WHAT?!” 

Sublime, driving out of his underground complex, is pissed and scared by the news of what just happened. This cannot be going so wrong. 

Sublime’s car explodes. 

John crawls out of the wreckage, healing his injuries as he does so, only for his horror to peak as he looks up. 

SUBLIME: “How…how did you survive?” 

JEAN GREY, standing over him in an oversized X-Men hoodie and leggings, smiling: “Like it was hard. I would have come sooner, but I’ve been clothing myself with the Phoenix Force, so I had to get changed.” Sublime is thrust into the sky as Jean’s eyes glow pink. “Let’s talk…”John”.” 

Back in Limbo, Darkchylde continues to taunt Julian. 

DARKCHYLDE: “There’s nothing wrong with submitting to despair. It’s cool! You’ve survived a lot, but not everyone can endure real, prolonged agony.” 

Without sound and without transition, we see Illyana as a girl in a small bedroom in Limbo, shaking in her sleep. 

In the present, Darkchylde continues. 

DARKCHYLDE: “You thought you were the big man on campus, but you’re just a little less of a baby than anyone else.” 

In the past, the door to Illyana’s room is pushed open. 

DARKCHYLDE, shrugging: “I can’t relate. I’ve always been awesome. Belasco never even came close to breaking me.” 

In the past, a dark red light fills the bedroom. Illyana wakes up with terror in her eyes. 

DARKCHYLDE: “So go ahead! Leave everyone else to die! But just remember: your pain isn’t special.” 

Before she finishes that last word, Julian explodes with energy, knocking her back, and floating up. 

ILLYANA, clearing the dust away and grinning, returning to her human form: “Right answer.” 

Julian is about to attack,before realizing this was a lesson. Pissed, he laughs and levitates down.” 

JULIAN: “I can lay down and die once I’ve sent Lady Akabba to whatever the worst Hell you’ve got is. My bullshit doesn’t matter. If I want to keep everyone safe, I just have to start winning some of these fights.” 

ILLYANA: “That’s what I like to hear.” 

The two start walking. 

JULIAN: “Brian and Sophie’s souls not being her. That part was true?” 

ILLYANA: “Sorry.” 

It’s a gut punch for Julian, but one he pushed through. He doesn’t have time to cry for himself. 

JULIAN, hanging his head: “I wish I could have been a kid longer.” 

ILLYANA: “Yeah.” In the past, little Illyana’s cries hysterically, with red puffy cheeks. “So do I.” 

ILLYANA, forcing herself to smile: “You wanna see the worst Hell? It’ll destroy your soul in a heartbeat, but it’s really cool.” 

JULIAN, amused: “Pass. We should just get Mr. Summers and leave.” 

Illyana snaps her fingers in frustration. 

ILLYANA: “Was hoping you’d forget about him.” 

Magik teleports them both away. 

Back on the beach, the obstacle course has been set up. Mercury nervously jiggles and jitters as she stands next to Namor. Namor is amused at how all her bravado has disappeared now that she must actually face his greatness. 

NAMOR: “We shall be together soon, my love!” 

EMMA, wanting this day over with: “Cessily, I will buy you a pony if you don’t make this a nail-biter.” 

While Dani, Kitty, Noriko, and Sofia cheer her on, Roxy stands back, still hurt over what happened earlier. Foxx cannot tell. 

FOXX: “Uh, hey, isn’t that your girlfriend? Shouldn’t you be cheering louder than anyone else?” 

Roxy ignores her. 

FOXX: “Oooh, I see. You guys had a fight didn’t you? I can’t relate.” 

ROXY, now curious: “You’ve got a girl?” 

FOXX: “Oh yeah. She’s the best.”

ROXY, under her breath: “That’s what I try telling her.” BEAT. “Can I ask you something?” 

Emma initiates the countdown, with Mercury still not looking up to competing, but she doesn’t back down as the final race begins. Despite having chosen this challenge because of how maneuverable she is, Cessily immediately falls behind as she fails to properly control her powers. 

DANI: “What’s wrong with her?” 

EMMA, mortified: “I’m doomed.” 

Roxy asks Foxx, now calling her by her real name, Ritsy, how she’d feel if her girlfriend started spoiling her a ton. Like, a TON. Would that make her uncomfortable? 

Cessily continues to struggle in the race. 

Foxx tells Roxy that she wouldn’t know anything about her girl doing stuff like that, obviously, but she’d be probably love it. Who wouldn’t want to be spoiled?” BEAT. “Ahhh.” 

ROXY, cringing: “Yeah.” 

Cessily cries as she just can’t get in the game. 

ROXY: “I tried fixing things. Told her I’d stop if that’s what she wanted, but it didn’t help. She’s stuck in her head, again. I love her to bits, but she doesn’t even love herself one bit.” 

FOXX: “That must get annoying.” 

ROXY: “What? No. I just worry.” 

Foxx smirks, looking over at the obstacle course as Cessily just about gives up. 

FOXX: “Well I think it sounds annoying. And I think you could use someone a little less, heh…high maintenance. HEY MERCURY!” 

Cessily turns her head as Foxx grabs Roxy and plants a kiss on her lips. 

With everyone else looking as well, all in shock, Noriko doesn’t hesitate to super speed over to Foxx and punch her across the face to knock her out. While Roxy is left shocked, and the teachers move to insure Surge doesn’t attack Foxx again, Cessily has a different response. 

MERCURY, with rage: “Ahhhhh!” 

Namor, almost at the finish line, looks back to see what’s going on. Only for the enraged Cessily to fling herself off a piece of the course, turn her into a thin javelin with arms, and move through the course with ease, sliding through everything. Namor is caught off guard and moves to finish first, but he’s tripped up as Mercury gets close behind him and shoots out a part of herself to make him slip. 

Mercury crosses the finish line. But there’s no one available to cheer. Namor, however, in frustration, does commend her. That was impressive. 

NAMOR: “It is not as if I gave that my all, but nonetheless, you have the respect of the king of Atlantis.” 

CESSILY, still pissed, but also flattered: “Thank you.” 

Namor calls out an apology to Emma that their marriage will have to wait for another day, with Emma not caring to respond with what just happened. 

Cessily approaches everyone else, the others wondering if she’s okay. Roxy runs up to her and rapidly explains that it’s not what she thinks. She was just talking to Ritsy and she kissed her out of the blue. She did not cheat on her, she swears, and she’s so sorry she had to–” 

Cessily cuts Roxy off by kissing her. It’s an extended one. 

CESSILY, smiling: “That outburst wasn’t toward you. I just couldn’t stand to see someone else kissing you. I’m sorry about before.” 

ROXY: “Don’t be. I don’t get it, but I want to.” 

CESSILY, touched: “Thank you.” 

The two hug. 

NORIKO AND SOFIA: “Awww.” 

ROXY: “You really did kill it out there just now.”

CESSILY: “Yeah. I’m pretty awesome.” 

Elsewhere, Jean floats above a scared Sublime. 

JEAN: “Trying to use MY power to genocide my children? I’d call you a small man, but you aren’t a man at all. Are you?” 

SUBLIME: “I’m not done yet. You can’t stop me nOOOW!” 

Jean blows up both of his arms and telekinetically prevents him from regenerating as he screams. 

JEAN: “Just millions of little clumps of bacteria. An near-immortal weapon designed to extinguish Mutants from the Earth.” 

As Jean burns up his legs next, she admits she actually doesn’t know who created him. 

JEAN: “Care to share?” 

Now without any limbs, Sublime can’t do anything but scream and curse her out. 

JEAN, politely smiling: “You could have defied destiny like your own creations have, John. Instead, you tried playing God.”  She pats his head. “And that’s my job.” 

SUBLIME: “Go to Hell you gene-filth!” 

Those are the last words he’s able to get out, as Jean disintigrates every last atom of his. Sublime is finally dead, for real. 

Jean hums, dusting herself off, and taking note of the still-ongoing Phoenix-battle. 

JEAN: “Now…the hard part.” 

Inside, Esme is no match for the other three Cuckoos working as a united front, as they beat and blast her around. 

CELESTE: “End this, Esme!”

MINDEE: “We don’t want to hurt you!”

ESME: “No…you just want to bully me into submission. What the majority says goes? I don’t get to say for myself? Screw that!” Esme unleashes all her power, managing to momentarily overwhelm the others. “I won’t go back to that school. I won’t let you try and make me be like Sophie. I won’t die for you!” 

The roof flies off as Jean comes down, surging with pink energy, drawing all of the Cuckoos’ attention. 

CUCKOOS: “Jean Grey.” 

Jean touches down on the floor. 

JEAN: “Hello, girls. I’m sorry you got dragged into all of this. And I’m even more sorry your headmasters failed you. This is why I wanted Magneto, alone, in charge.” She sets aside her annoyance and smiles cheerfully. “Would you all mind giving back to me what’s mine?” 

ESME, instantly: “Fat chance! We’re the ones with the Phoenix! Not you! You can’t make us do anything.” 

Jean points out a miscalculation on her part. They each possess 1/5000th of the Phoenix. All the others parts…are less well guarded. 

The four Cuckoos are al knocked back as Jean sucks up all of the Phoenix power from the empty Cuckoos husks, transforming Jean back into her Phoenix form.

The other three Cuckoos look to each other and come to a consensus, handing over their power to Jean. 

JEAN: “Thank you. Esme?” 

Esme shakes. The other Cuckoos telepathically try to comfort her.  Tell her they all miss Sophie. Tell her to let go. They’ll listen to her, if she’ll listen to them. Okay? 

Esme mulls it over, briefly looking like she may give in…but she can’t. 

Esme attacks Jean with everything she’s got. Jean actually gets worried and tells Esme to stop - now! She is making the Phoenix angry. 

ESME: “I…don’t…care!” 

Esme’s sister try to telepathically command her to stand down, but her Phoenix power protects her. 

JEAN, clenching her eyes, guilty: “I’m sorry, sweetie.” 

Out of Jean’s control, the Phoenix Force forcibly extracts the final piece of itself from Esme, causing another massive explosion. 

BEAT. 

Jean, with the full power of the Phoenix, stands in a room full of ash. She sheds a tear. 

Three of the Cuckoos pull themselves out from underneath some rubble, now looking a little different. They’ve turned to diamond. 

CELESTE: “Woah.”

PHOEBE: “So we really are–”

MINDEE: “Esme!” 

Jean bends down over Esme’s lifeless body, as the other Cuckoos race over to it. 

CELSETE: “No.”

PHOEBE: “No.”

MINDEE: “Not again.” 

JEAN, brushing Esme’s hair off her purple face: “I’m so sorry.” 

The Cuckoos become hysterical, crying over another sister’s dead body. 

On the beach, night having fallen, everyone is packing up to go home. Everyone except Mercury and Bling!, who are already in the limo they came in, making out, and Foxx, who’s still unconscious. 

SURGE, annoyed with the couple, to Kitty: “At least they’re not mad at each other.” 

KITTY: “If they can’t make it work, there’s no hope for the rest of us.” 

DANI, from behind: “We do need to seriously talk to Cessily about her anxiety and self-loathing issues though. No more outsourcing. No more letting kids fall through the cracks. No more mistakes for any of us.” 

Kitty nods back at her in affirmation. 

Nearby, Sofia is getting things cleaned up on her own, when she’s approached by Emma. 

EMMA: “Sofia, can you spare a moment?” Sofia turns around with a flawless smile, ready to respond, but Emma cuts her off. “Of course you. You’re always right where you’re needed. You always do what you have to. You were even able to beat Namor.” 

SOFIA, confused: “I am sorry, Ms. Frost. Did I do something wrong? I thought I was helping.” 

Emma narrows her eyes at her. 

EMMA: “Darling, would you be open to another scan of your mind?” 

SOFIA, nervous: “Why? What’s going on?” 

EMMA: “Hopefully nothing. But I’ve noticed a pattern in your behavior over the last several weeks. And I refuse to chance being made a fool of.” 

SOFIA, shaking a little: “Is this about my memories? You and the Cuckoos already–”

EMMA: “Yes, we explored your mind and found nothing. And then you fought Exodus. For all we know, you’re his sleeper agent. To be clear, I’m not requesting access to your mind. I’m going in. I just didn’t want to damage our relationship if my suspicions are misplaced. Do you understand?” 

Sofia sneers, pissed, but relents. She tells Ms. Frost to go ahead. 

Emma’s eyes glow, and she gasps as she sees everything. Everything that the audience saw in episode 9 about Sofia’s time with Apocalypse, all the way to the present. And more. 

EXODUS, his voice booking: “Hello, Frost.” 

Emma’s astral self screams as she’s trapped and electrocuted in a cage of pink psychic energy. 

In reality, Emma stands largely frozen, drooling a little, with her eyes wide open. Sofia smirks evily. 

SOFIA: “Exodus isn’t good for much. He can’t even beat you in a psychic battle. But he knows how to implant a psychic trap. And you just walked right into it. I knew if I had Namor appear and proved myself superior, it would make your suspicions bubble over. Do not judge him for allying with me. Atlantis is a strong nation, and he is doing what is best for it.” BEAT. “But don’t worry. I am not going to kill you. Not yet. When I snap my fingers, you will return to normal. And you won’t remember any of this. Nor will you suspect me of anything. But you will obey the next command I give you. No matter what it is.” Sofia leans in to whisper to Emma. “You took my father away from me. Now I am going to take everything away from you, Cyclops, Magneto, and any other Mutants who stand with you traitors.”

DANI, calling out: “You two coming?” 

Sofia giggles, saying they shouldn’t keep them waiting, before snapping her fingers. 

Back at the school, Magik brings herself, Cyclops, and Hellion back to the Headmasters’ office. With Illyana and Julian cracking jokes and laughing, Scott’s glad to see this, somehow, did help. He also lets him know that the Cruz’s should be here in the next hour, if they aren’t here already. Julian thanks him for letting him know. He’s gonna go say goodbye one last time before he meets them. 

JULIAN: “Thanks again, Magik.” 

YANA: “Ah, mention it constantly. And tell Kitty too.” 

Julian laughs and tells her she’s got it as he exits. 

Scott congratulates Magik on a job well done, but he would like to know what happened. 

MAGIK, dropping the smile and jokes: “I looked into his soul. Saw what he needed. I pushed him to embrace despair. But he’s a tough kid. I knew he’d push back.” 

CYCLOPS: “Smart. What gave you the idea?”

MAGIK, not making eye-contact: “When I fought Pestillence, she came for my mind. Tried to make me think I’d be better off giving her my body. I didn’t care for that. “Even if…” She flexes and unflexes her hand. “Even if in spite of all it went through, I still wish I could have my old body instead of this.” 

Scott’s sorry about that, but does thank her again. She really stepped up. He’d be happy to assign her some classes to teach. 

As Scott reaches for a binder to show off what’s available, Illyana teleports all the papers in Scott’s desk above him, making them all fall on him. 

ILLYANA: “Wooph. Would you look at that mess? Aren’t you supposed to be super nerdy and organized?” 

Scott’s had enough of this. She did good work, she proved herself, he praised her for it, and she’s still giving him crap. 

SCOTT: “What is your problem with me? I know I’m not one of your old friends, but you don’t give this kind of attitude toward anyone else.” 

Illyana shakes her head at him, not even going to answer as she walks away. But she changes her mind, spinning around in the doorway. 

ILLYANA: “You wanna know what my problem is with you, Summers? You’re weak. You’re weak, and ineffective, and you have no business leading Mutantkind.” 

SCOTT, crossing his arms, not about to take this: “That so?” 

ILLYANA: “Da. You have all these plans and all these speeches, but what good are they, really? You think you’re such a badboy because you don’t just parrot the Professor anymore, and you’ve killed a couple people, and you let Emma and Magneto get away with a little, but you’re still the same ineffective sadstack as ever. And you’re going to get us all killed.” 

SCOTT, getting in her face: “I do whatever I have to to keep us safe. I’ve been running this school for two years. We’re still here, aren’t we?” 

ILLYANA: “Not all of us.” 

Scott has no defense against that one. 

ILLYANA: “But yes, most of us are still here. As the world around us gets worse and worse. When we could have been somewhere much better.” 

Scott is momentarily confused, before realizing what she’s talking about. 

SCOTT: “Are you saying that if you’d been active when Apocalypse tried to take over, you’d have joined him?”

ILLYANA: “No. I’m just saying I would have stopped you from stopping him.” She shrugs. “Maybe we beat the Horsemen in the end with only a few more casualties. There’s always the next threat. And you’ll always be so busy playing hero, you’ll never actually change a thing.” Illyana opens a disc under herself. “Email me a list of classes. I don’t want to look at you any longer than I have to.” 

Magik spits at him before teleporting away. 

Scott sits on his desk and clenches his face in his shaking hand. 

In the ashes of The World, the Cuckoos cry over their dead sister’s body. 

CELESTE: “Bring her back!” 

MINDEE: “Bring her back!” 

MINDEE: “You can do anything, right?” 

PHOEBE: “So bring our sisters back!”

Jean, pained tells them she wishes she could, but she can’t. Just like the Cuckoos, she and the Phoenix are one, but they also aren’t. She can’t make the Phoenix Force do something its against. And it won’t bring back someone who was designed to steal and abuse its power. 

Mindee breaks down, continuing to sob. Phoebe questions what they can do now. They can’t just be the “Three-in-One”, can they? Celeste echoes that idea. What’s even the point? 

Jean cups Celeste’s chin. Celeste looks up at her. 

JEAN: “The point is you’re alive. And you never know what joys life will bring. Even when its darkest.” 

Bawling, Celeste hugs Jean, who hugs her back. 

CELESTE: “Please…”

CUCKOOS: “Take us home”. 

Before the episode ends, we cut back to the school, panning through hallways, where the lights have been shut for the night. In voice over, we hear Sooraya talking to her mother over the phone, telling her about her training with Iceman. Mirah still has a hard time understanding all of this, but it’s still a wonderful sound to hear her daughter so excited. 

Mirah double checks with Sooraya that she’s still planning on coming home soon for the start of Ramadan, with Dust assuring her nothing could make her miss it. The two tell each other they love each other, and say good night. 

Sooraya hangs up, and returns to her prayer mat one more time, getting on her knees and closing her eyes. 

BEAT. 

“Sooraya…” 

Dust’s eyes jolt open at the sound of a soothing, powerful voice in her head. 

[pikachic]

I want to do a bunch of art for Pokémon Oculus aka my TMA Pokémon AU but I have art burnout and finals in two weeks so here have a writing snippet instead:

It is dark, and Martin is cold.

Thick icy fog billows at his feet, creeping into his lungs, fluttering from his lips every time he exhales.

Faintly, it occurs to him that he can’t remember the last time he felt warm.

The cold is all that he feels. The cold, and the sense that something is deeply, deeply wrong.

That feeling of wrongness only grows as the fog begins to rise, lapping at his legs. Something is missing. Martin knows it, deep within his chilled bones. He just can’t remember what it is.

In the distance, a voice calls for him. It’s so achingly familiar, and Martin feels his frozen heart begin to pound in his chest, glasslike shards of ice and fear stabbing at his lungs. The fog is at his neck now.

He opens his mouth to call out—

Only for the blaring of his alarm to yank him abruptly into consciousness.

Martin’s eyes fly open, and he immediately slams them shut again, groaning. He raises his hand to shield his eyes from the blade of blinding sunlight leaking through the gap in the hotel room curtains.

He flings his other arm out, groping for his phone. He grabs ahold of it and shuts off the alarm, rolling onto his back and sighing. Another nightmare, then. Nearly four years and they haven’t gotten any better. If Martin’s being completely honest with himself, they probably never will.

He notices he’s shivering.

Martin shuts his eyes again and lays there for the next several minutes, waiting for the tremors racking his body to subside. As soon as his breath no longer shudders when he exhales, he sits up, blinking his poor, jet-lagged eyes.

He checks the time on his phone. 7:41 AM. Just under two hours until his appointment with Professor Sycamore.

He drags himself out of bed and gets dressed, then makes his way to the bathroom to freshen up. Once he deems himself presentable, he begins gathering his things and pulls open the curtains, flooding the room with sunlight.

Galvantula makes a disgruntled noise from where she’s still asleep at the foot of the bed, blinking open her eyes.

“Morning, Galvantula,” Martin greets her. She yawns and stretches, clicking her chelicerae together sleepily. She chitters affectionately when Martin gives her a few pets on her fuzzy head.

“C’mon, let’s get going.” Martin chuckles, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “The others are probably already downstairs.”

Galvantula stretches one last time then scuttles off the bed, and the two of them make their way out of their hotel room and down to the lobby.

[manna-moth]

The scent of decay filled my nostrils as we approached the entrance of the affectionately named, "Corpse Of A God". The only known entrance, what we believe to be a stab wound in a would be finger. Its' still fresh blood and flesh making stomach churning squishing noises as we step into the wound. "Go to medical school" they said. "You'll become very successful," they said. Well they didn't say anything about being forced to study the insides of an unknown creature so big that we can't estimate its size. From the rumors I've heard, people believe the creature is so big it could step on earth and not notice, but the rest of the body is in another universe. Such bullshit. How would something like that even work, much less exist? The glass on my oxygen mask fogged as the exterior temperature reached boiling point. The major fluctuation of the Alaskan wilderness temperature to the inside of the creature was sudden enough to make me go dizzy. As my team and I descend into the creature, the light around us seems to dim. I looked behind me, only to find that our only entrance, and therefore only exit, was now covered with shark tooth looking giant bone fractures. Great. Now we will have to wait for however long it takes security to break through those to leave.

It has been… what? 5 hours now? Probably. I didn't bring a watch. I sat at the entrance, waiting for them to get done cutting through the bone thing. I don't know how far they have gotten, but it's taking forever. My team leader went to take a leak a while ago, did he get lost? I swear, if they didn't give us a map of what they've discovered Ialready then that's gonna cause massive confusion when traversing the inside. Might as well go check on him. As I got up, I nearly tripped on myself. Fucking hell, despite being a decomposing corpse, the inside is still very wet. Maybe it's a size thing? I travel a bit deeper into the corpse, making sure not to stray too far from the wired path, acting as my only light source. I don't know what went over me, but during my attempt at looking for my missing teammate, I somehow left the wire path. I didn't even notice, until I bumped into a warm, fleshy wall. I look around, now the only illumination given to me is the flashlights set onto my head. God knows how long those will last, but how much oxygen do I have left? I can't check because it's on my back. Supposed to have a teammate check it for you, "build trust". Wasn't there only 2 ways before? Now that my eyes have adjusted, I count at least 7. Maybe I just missed them due to my eyes not being used to the inky void-like blackness engulfing the entirety of this thing.

How long has it been? Minutes? Hours? I've lost track of time for the most part. I just know it's daytime. Guess my internal clock is just fine tuned now that I can't see the damn sky. For some reason, I haven't gotten tired in any way, by now I should've gotten hungry or thirsty. Maybe even sleepy, but no. It's like the heat of the creature is suffocating me in a way that keeps me from ever tiring. Weird metaphor, I know, but that's what it feels like. Wait, what am I stepping in? Is… is that blood? Oh god, I may have overestimated how far into decomposition this thing is in. Oh god, I can smell it. Wait, why can I smell it? I have an oxygen mask. Maybe a leak somewhere? Can't take it off to inspect, lord knows how many pathogens are running wildly around in here. I suddenly hear what sounds like multiple footsteps on the bloodied floor, for some reason, I'm not at all relieved as I should be. I feel my body freeze as a burning chill ran down my spine, dread overflowing from myself. I should- no… I HAVE to hide. I run the opposite way, my visor fogging more and more till I can hardly see until the floor disappeared out from under me. My body feeling as though it's floating under immense pressure and everything goes black.

I woke up, covered in some sticky, yellow slime. I barely got my head out of this mysterious liquid by the time my vision finally unblurred. It feels as though chains are binding my arms under the pus. My body burn, shaking. I cling onto the only solid, non-mucus covered thing I find within arms reach. I resist vomiting as much as I can. Just as I dreaded, there is a leak somewhere in my tank, the yellow liquid filling my oxygen mask. I throw it off, rather be killed instantly from the lack of oxygen than drowning.

Except. I don't. I can breathe. I open my eyes, viewing a honey-like root sprouting from a bioluminescent plant. I pull myself up, nearly slipping back into that pus filled ocean. I take a moment to gather my thoughts. My head races, not being able to catch up with the events that just transpired. How did I get here? The last thing I remember was hearing those footsteps. Then nothing but the feeling of weightlessness followed by being in that vile. The green glow of the plant, that looks to be a type of odd tree, a twisting trunk meeting a bundle of silk-like leaves that glows a near neon green. I look beyond the tree, seeing multiple fauna resembling it. A hanging, plastic looking flower, glowing almost the same green. I climb the tree to see if I can eat the leaves. For some reason, the more I climb the farther away the top of the tree seems, as though it's extending specifically so I do not reach the top. I look below me and nearly pass out. I can no longer see the ground, nor the other illuminating plants. I begin making my way back down, but like with the leaves it seems pointless. I might be so high up I can't return to the bottom, or it's extending the bottom for me not to reach the end. I get an idea, and let go completely. I fall, and fall, and fall. Surely I should have landed by now, I didn't climb for THAT long. I then suddenly hit something, stretchy as I continued to descend but slowing my own descent.

I look around again, what was once an inky void now replaced with fleshy walls, illuminated by something behind them, showing massive veins mazing all around. A strong breeze pulls me one way. I'm barely able to keep myself standing, my feet slipping down the lubricated flooring. Suddenly, the breeze stops. I regain my composure and it begins again. This time, the breeze is so strong it knocks me on my feet, carrying me down the tunnel with it. I look behind me and my stomach drops. The shark-tooth looking bones have begun protruding from what may be an exit, or at least a somewhat safer area. With a snap and crack, I crash into the bone things. one of my arms gets punctured by a tooth. Great, now if they have blood borne pathogens I'm screwed. My head spins with a mix of regret, hatred and terror. I should never have become a doctor. I never should have trusted whoever claimed they had discovered a new species bigger than a blue whale. I don't wanna die here!

I freeze. feeling something crawling up my back, unable to move, unable to count how many feet it has. I try to free my arm from the bone thing, and it produces smaller spikes. The pain Is agonizing, shooting throughout my entire body like a million needles surging in my bloodstream. Whatever is crawling on my back is now wrapping itself around my forehead, I can now hear its creaking limbs. Suddenly, the bones retract, causing me to fall down to the gooey floor. I see another tunnel at the end of this room. For some reason, I feel no need to remove the creature from my forehead. I even… welcome it. The company, potential friend. I limp to the entrance. Exit? I don't know what this counts as. Just as I pass into the tunnel, the large room behind us shifts into a 3 way tunnel itself. One way, it gets really dark. The creature, staying on my head, extends down to the top of my spine. I'll call it, Tomato. Yeah, me and tomato, traversing the creature.

We will go down the darkened corridor. We would know that artificial lights cause such darkness, ironically. But what if they don't want to see us? What if the humans don't accept Tomato? If they don't, we can just @~°•■•¤€&^%÷. But what if they do? Why wouldn't they? Tomato is beautiful. They need to accept Tomato. We will leave this place, and Tomato will become the most beloved being in creation. We'll see a light. Whoever it'll belong to will seem lost, but calm. We will run towards them. We need to. We need to catch them. Show them they don't need their oxygen mask. It'll get them killed in here. They will hear us, and run the other way. That'll be a shame, since they would fall into the floor.

After the person fell, the floor closed. The tunnels arranged for us to leave. We saw the exit, the bone fractures have been cut through- but we see no workers. We stepped into the warm Alaskan air, breathing in the moist air filled with a hint of iron. We need to look for signs of human life, they need to know we didn't die. We find a human car that seemed to have crashed. We open the cars top, searching for some food. Nothing. Only blankets were left behind. It could take days before we see more humans, so we should take what we can get. We devour the cloth, but it isn't enough, so we rip off the roof of the car, tear it into tiny pieces and we will snack on that on our way to human civilization. Humans will have food, they always do. More food- BETTER, food.

We walk through the ash, yet feel no cold. Our digits have stiffened too much, our nerves have died already. I look down at our arm. A ghoulish blue. We've decided it would be too dangerous for us to make a fire, due to the potential shock our body may sustain.

Somethings following us. Maybe someone? No. Not this far from true civilization. Not in these unstable temperatures. Tomatoes frills shake, not from any cold, but from the fear I could sense from him. Whatever was following us, tomato didn't like it. We found another car. Abandoned like the other one. This one actually had food, and gas! The keys still in the ignition, a glove frozen onto it. Starting the car, we turn the A/C on as well, starting off with burning air at first as it cooled. Tomato chirps happily as the coolness covers him like a blanket.

A few hours have passed, tomatoes frills are still shaking from the fear of what is following us. In the mirror, I can see something moving from tree to tree, fast enough to keep up but staying far enough to keep barley out of sight. Whatever it was, it wasn't human. Maybe a wolf? Wolves are fast. If it is a wolf, it must be a lone one. We should keep our eyes on the road though. The snow continues to fall as we pass what looks like destroyed buildings with burn marks. The scattered cars dot the street, some are crashed into a building that was razed to the ground, or seem to have been damaged by fire themselves. The putter of the engine alerts me to the fact that I hadn't stopped to refuel in the last few days. Tomato grunted with disappointed. Stepping out of the freezing car, I'm blasted with a heat hot enough to burn my eyebrows, and a wind strong enough to knock me on my feet. Struggling to reach my feet, the thing that was following us hides behind a shattered wall of brick. Its' dark silhouette and deep eyes stare through me.

Its deep red and bright black scales smoothly coated its rough exterior. A rush of adrenaline flooded our head as Tomato forced us to run from the creature. It barreled after us in a barbarically divine manner, the thuds of its feet making a soft squishing sound as it tried catching us. Tomato urges me to move faster, following his instincts, we swerve left and right at random. We run back into the forest, falling down a hill, getting scrapped by the smooth branches. Vines cover us, tieing us up in a way that's impossible to escape. The creature slowly walks up to us, and puts a claw onto our shoulder. The ground shakes as the vines entered cuts in my body, filling up my veins with their twisting, thorny existence. The pain floods over me as they twist. My head goes numb, everything goes black as I see the creature open its mouth.

. . . .

. . .

. .

We wake back up, surrounded by the stomach churning illumination of the creature's body. The Veins from the wall crawl out of me and back into the wall. Seemingly, the world begins pulsating, the tunnel closing in around us as an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia overtakes our bodies. The only thing stopping it being the odd, rib-like bones that encase this tunnel… no… not Bones… are those.. creatures? From the ribs climbs out numerous entities, their Chitten a milky white as their dozens of eyes peirce into our very being. Their legs chattering as they skitter through the cave. Is this a type of parasite to this creature? Tomato frills freeze, as one of the entities grabs a hold of him, using the ear blistering noise of the others as cover. We fight the things, but they eventually win and pull Tomato off me and. . . What the hell was that thing that was on my back! No. Not just back, my entire body. Roots from the tomato rip out of me as it is torn from me. It got into my head, is that why I saw it as a pet? A shock runs through my body and I get a splitting headache. It feels like my head is trying to explode. Something underneath my skin crawls. It looks like a bump moving around my chest. The calm despair before the creature tried ripping itself out of me, I knew it would happen. I had to kill it before that happened, but how? It was in my chest, and I had no weapon.

As the creature writhed and squirmed inside my chest, a surge of desperation filled my veins. My heart pounded in my ears as I scanned the surroundings, desperately seeking a way to rid myself of the intruder. A glimmer of light reflected off a shard of broken bone lying nearby, catching my attention. I quickly snatched it up, hoping it could serve as some form of makeshift weapon. With trembling hands, I pressed the sharp edge of the bone against my skin, hesitating for a moment before summoning the courage to pierce through. The pain was excruciating, but the sheer will to survive fueled my determination. Blood trickled down my chest as I probed deeper, guided by instinct and a desperate need to eradicate the foreign presence within me.

The creature thrashed wildly in response to my actions, causing waves of agony to ripple through my body. Tears streamed down my face as I fought against the searing pain and the nauseating sensation of something squirming beneath my flesh. With one final surge of strength and a primal scream, I managed to locate the creature and impale it on the makeshift weapon. Relief washed over me as I withdrew the bone, covered in a viscous, black fluid that oozed from the wound. The creature's movements ceased, and the oppressive pressure within my chest subsided. Gasping for breath, I collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted but victorious.

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts and regain my composure, I realized I needed medical attention. My body was battered, full of holes, and the wound in my chest would require immediate care. With the last remnants of my strength, I managed to bandage myself as best I could, using torn pieces of my hazmat suit and strips of fabric from clothes underneath.As I lay there, wounded and weakened, the environment around me began to shift once again. The pulsating walls of the creature's body closed in, and the eerie illumination intensified. I knew I had to find a way out, to escape this nightmarish place. Drawing upon the resilience that had carried me thus far, I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in my chest and the lingering sense of dread.

I continued the venture deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels of the creature. Every step was accompanied by a mixture of fear and curiosity. Terror washed over me at just the thought of what might lay ahead me. The air grew heavier, carrying with it a pungent odor of decay and the faint sound of distant whispers that shook my mind with unknowable knowledge I couldn't understand. Through winding passages and eerie chambers, I pushed forward, driven by the simple desire to not die, and to escape. The walls seemed to close in even further, narrowing the path ahead, making me get onto my hands and knees. My mind became a wandering mess as I tried to block out the haunting echoes and the incomprehensible presence that seemed to lurk just beyond my sight.

. . . . . .

I awoke, clawing my way out of some sort of pod full of a honey-like liquid, its thin outer shell easily collapsed. Once out, the liquid began glowing as it heated up at a rapid pace. It burned my skin, sealing any wound I had shut as my skin boiled under its pressure. I scrambled to get it off of me, but it seemed the more I tried the more it covered me. It continued to get hotter and hotter. I could feel my skin peeling back as my skin cells died. It's heat was unbearable. And then, the heat vanished. Replaced with a chilling cold. This cold was not coming from the liquid. No. The liquid was not cold nor hot. But the world around me. The walls, the ceiling, the floor. They emanated Chill. The normally warm looking reds and oranges of my surroundings were now saturated with cold magenta and purple. My breath was visible, even semi-solid at some points.

I got up, the liquid still covering most of my body. Taking even a single step felt like trying to go against my own body. Steam escaped my once burning body into the unforgiving cold of my surroundings. My hazmat suit was missing. In fact, I just noticed I'm not wearing anything. Not like anyone would see me, but it'd be nice to have some clothes in this temperature. Moving my body makes odd crunching sounds. Looking down, I noticed ice crystals forming on my body, seemingly at war with the liquid for coverage. I really need to find the warmer part of this thing. Or maybe it's in the late stage of decay? How would the decay process affect a creature as large as this? Questions I should ask if I escape.

I ran. Ran as fast as my body allowed. Crunch crunch crunch. That is all I heard for however long I ran. A calm feeling washed over me as I entered an open cavity, the odd glowing plant things covered the ceiling. Small vines crept down from them with a faint dim light coming off various points of the vines. Along the countless walls it looked like bones became tentacles, writhing along to an unheard beat. This place was chaos, yet perfect order. The temperature no longer felt freezing, yet was not as warm as before either. I walked slowly, doing my best to not disrupt whatever these things were doing. The cavity broke off into multiple paths, the walls folding in on itself multiple times causing a single room to become almost more, yet still only one. A large insectoid creature was crawling along the plants. It was seemingly tending to them. It had 6 legs, and 4 manipulators, its body was separated into 2, what looked like a head, and a larger body. It had a straw-like thing where a mouth would be. Its countless eyes were always focused on the plants. Despite the non-threatening feeling I get while looking at it, something in the back of my mind told me I shouldn't get it's attention.

While trying to get past it, my eyes adjusted to the dim light that reached the floor. All over, I noticed odd oval shapes, connected by some kind of vein system. The Veins were pulsating, and the objects rocked back and forth in a rhythm with the pulsing. One of the objects begins moving more rapidly, a crack forming on it as something small crawls out of it. It looked like a smaller version of the creature above. The small one looks up at its mother, and wails hungrily. I froze, not of fear since I couldn't feel that while here. But I froze. An instinct beyond fear? No matter why, but I couldn't move. The large creature comes down towards the small one. It lowered its straw mouth down to feed the small one, and inserted it into its abdomen. The small ones body pruned as it shrunk, a sad and fearful shriek echoed from the small one.

The large creature ascended back onto the ceiling, the corpse of the small one slowly turned to ash in front of my eyes. Trying to continue forward seemed to have just become impossible, with that creature above. What if it notices me? Would it eat me too? Looking back at the area I came from, I saw nothing but a wall and all the bone things wiggling on it. Crap. Turning back to the cavity, I try to figure out how to go forward without making any noise, and without being seen. Tip toeing, I have to keep track of the creature while not disturbing the eggs. 1 step. 2 step. 3 step. 4. One foot in front of the o- *SNAP*.

my foot was now surrounded by the yolk of the egg. The corpse of the unfinished small one being impaled by my leg. Terror engulfs me as I turn around to see the creature on the ceiling running in my direction. I had to hide. Looking around there wasn't anything but the writhing bones. God I hope they're weak.

I run towards the wall, and squeeze in-between the uneven bones. It gets tighter, my own bones begin to collapse in on themselves, the pain indescribable until I fall.

.

.

.

No. Not falling. I'm floating. Gravity feels nonexistent, as well does air resistance seem to not exist. I opened my eyes that I didn't even realize I had closed. I saw in front of me… me. An infinitely larger version of myself. Behind me, I saw stars. Galaxies even far, far away. My body begins shutting down. I fell to a molten planet, into its core. The Planetary body surrounds me. Only my pinky finger being the only thing not surrounded. I can't breathe. My subconscious falling into oblivion. My heart slows, my finger grows cold. I can't move. My head spins as unspeakable shapes and unknowable colors flash in my mind. My head hurts. I just…. I just need to go to sleep for a bit…. I'll wake up eventually. . . .

[marvelmaniac715]

What if Andy talked to Glenda, what would that conversation be like? They were both together in an episode, but not a word was exchanged between them. I aim to correct that with this fic.

————————————————————

The kid had bright red hair. That was a dead giveaway. Not to mention the piercing blue eyes and the chilling smirk, so similar to the one that haunted his nightmares. This had to be his child.

All of his instincts told him to attack, to end this cursed bloodline in one fell swoop, but they were just a kid. They didn’t personally kill a bunch of people, they were innocent… hopefully.

He was sure that the teen’s Ray blood was crying out for revenge against it’s dreaded nemesis, but the two of them remained civil for the sake of the other people there, also remembering that they were in a place of God and it would be disrespectful.

————————————————————-

When everyone else was busy, Andy and Glenda sat down together, unable to speak for a good few minutes. They both looked down at the floor, unsure how to begin this conversation that their entire lives had been leading up to. It was Glenda who eventually broke the ice.

“So… I gather you knew- uh, know my father?”

Their voice was shaky, clearly unused to being so nervous, but Andy knew that the responsibility of speech now fell on him. So reluctantly, he met the teen’s gaze.

“Yeah, we met when I was six. Your old man… certainly did a number on me.”

He laughed nervously, Glenda joined him, a little awkwardly but not knowing what else to do.

“My dad said on the drive over here that… he hated you, and that I, as his child and therefore his ‘legacy’ or whatever, am meant to hate you as well. But you seem like a nice guy, and… I’m not really in the habit of hating people, are you?”

Andy’s polite smile dropped.

“I hate your dad for sure. He messed up my life and I will kill him for it. I hate your mother because she supports him in all he does. But I don’t hate you… so far at least.”

Glenda smirked, a little more honesty leaking into her carefully built facade of cool, polite indifference.

“If it makes you feel any better pal, I hate my mom too. She’s a self-centred, arrogant, entitled bitch. And my sperm donor ain’t much better. My mom isn’t even my mom, my mom was Jennifer Tilly, but Tiffany Valentine took over her body. My Aunt Meg said that my real mom was so nice, and smart, and funny, and just… cool. I wonder what it would have been like to grow up with my real mom? I hear that one of the last things she wanted to do before the soul transfer was hold her babies. I bet she would have loved both of us much more than Tiffany ever did.”

That little emotional outpouring was unexpected, but tensions were high, and who could blame them? They were a kid who’s life was falling apart at the seams, all because of one killer doll. Andy knew how that felt.

“I love my mom, but your… sperm donor landed her in a mental hospital. She wasn’t crazy, but nobody believed her story. I testified for her, but the courts said that I was just a little boy with an overactive imagination siding with my mother. I wish that justice could have been served, but you can’t change the past, can you?”

Glenda shook their head sadly, smiling softly in agreement.

“No, you can’t, no matter how much you want to. I’d love to see what I was like as a doll, to make sense of these flashbacks I keep having. Every time that bastard calls me Shitface all of these images come flooding back in great tidal waves of information I’m barely given time to process. I think I might have killed someone, but I’m not sure why, how or who. Does that make me a bad person, like my parents?”

Part of Andy wanted to indignantly shout “yes!” But he had no room to talk. He was almost devoid of sanity at this point. Kyle was the only person left who could keep him grounded long enough so that he didn’t end up going on a killing spree. That was just Chucky’s influence, he guessed. He filled you with this burning anger that made you want to destroy everything and everyone in your path. Glenda was his spawn, it was surprising that they were grounded enough to not go on a killing spree like their father.

“No kid, you’re not a bad person. There are very few truly good, decent people left in this world. Chucky probably killed a lot of ‘em.”

Glenda shook their head, frowning.

“My twin Glen is a truly good person. I regret leaving them behind, but they begged to stay with mom, and I was in a rush. I wish they were here with me now, they always know what to say and do. They’re the more empathetic twin, they keep me grounded when I start to go off the rails. I just don’t feel completely… whole, with them gone, y’know? Then again, I never feel entirely whole. It’s like there’s… something missing from me.”

Andy could relate to this completely.

“I totally get what you mean. I haven’t felt whole since my sixth birthday. Chucky stole my childhood, and with it any joy that I might have known. I don’t even remember much of my happy childhood days, I was so young back then. All I know is blood and darkness, and part of me is missing.”

Glenda put a tentative hand on top of Andy’s clenched fist and smiled a little.

“I hope you find the missing part of your soul one day.”

Andy smiled back, unclenching his fist and squeezing Glenda’s hand in return.

“Thanks, I hope you find the missing part of your soul one day too.”

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the steady ticking of the clock, then Glenda chuckled, a low, almost familiar sound that didn’t sound half as sinister as their father’s trademark cackle. Andy wasn’t sure why they were laughing until their face broke out into a wide, joyful, genuine grin.

“My dad would be pissed if he saw us talking like this. He’d be screeching at me to strangle you or tear your arm off or something. That guy has serious issues.”

Andy laughed as well, finally getting the joke. He grabbed the teapot that was resting on the table between them and poured two cups of tea.

“To the final death of Charles Lee Ray, who fucked both of us up real good.”

Glenda snorted and raised their cup at the same time Andy did.

“I’ll drink to that. Cheers!”

[ultimatelyunassuming]

CW: there are talks of death in this. There is a ghost involved who died, it is not a shown death. Also there is a scene in a hospital with a guy in a coma, he wakes up though. Want yall to be informed before reading.

"Can you come by the office at 9 today? I'm in pretrial meetings until then."

"Alright! It's a deal!" Maya chirps over the phone, the speaker crunching her cheery voice. "Okay, sis, see you soon!"

Mia smiles. "Yep, I'll be waiting." She snaps her phone shut, sitting down next to Diego Armando's comatose body. "Looks like I'm going to be busy today, Diego." She leans back in her chair. "I really don't want to do this, having to sneak around and smuggle evidence underneath Redd White's nose. If it was up to me, I'd drag that man to court and prove to everyone how much he corrupted our legal system." She sighs. "I don't have enough evidence to do that, though. I need something big, something... Something concrete. I just need a crux to this entire conspiracy, one key, important piece of evidence before I can pull him into court." She turns to Diego, letting the room fill with the beeps and whirrs of the hospital. "You would've been able to find this missing piece," Mia mutters to herself. "If only you were awake." She stands up. "Well, I better get going. Goodbye Diego, I'll see you later." She bends down and gives Diego a kiss on the forehead.

As she leaves, she could've sworn she saw Diego's hand move. Must be wistful thinking.

~~~~~

Mia stands in front of a graveyard, a flower and a newspaper clipping in her hand. 'Paul O'Ticien, an upstart politician has died after his affair was leaked to the press'. The flower is wilting, the petals becoming sandy and brittle. Mia knows that Redd White was involved in this situation, whether it be leaking Paul's love life to the news, or killing him. She just needs confirmation.

Mia opens the gate doors, gritting her teeth as it creaks open. She takes a breath, in and out, and takes a step in. Graveyards are a familiar place for Mia, especially this graveyard. She's been here many times. She keeps her head down as she follows a dirt path, her heels sinking into the pale ground with every step she takes. Voices mummer around her, and Mia feels the stare of many eyes upon her. "I am here for Paul O'Ticien," She firmly says. "Not for anyone else. I'm sorry." After she says that, she hears the chatter and the stares fade away. "Thank you."

After a few minutes of walking, Mia arrives at Paul's grave. She leans down and places her flower on top. "Paul O'Ticien, I need to speak with you."

Mia feels a chill as a gust of wind passes by her. Wind swirls around Paul's gravestone, getting faster and faster, until it disperses. A figure looms over the gravestone, a long skinny man leaning on the grey stone. He's wearing dress pants and a blue, cross hatch button up, a red tie wrapped around his neck. "You wanted me, Mia Fey?"

"Yes," Mia clutches her magatama. "I'm sorry for your loss. I, er, brought you a flower."

"Oh, really?" Paul looks down. "Oh, you did." Paul floats through the gravestone. He bends down and outstretches his hand. His fingers floating through the plant and grabs something within the stem. He pulls, a faint outline of the flower within his hands. "What a lovely gift. A flower close to its death." He tucks the plant behind his ear. "Is that all?"

Mia shakes her head. She takes out a pen and paper. "No. I have some questions about your life-."

"I'm not going to tell you about my affair."

Mia's eye twitches. "My questions aren't about your affair, it's about Redd White."

Paul's lips twists into a frown. "Oh, that son of a bitch!" He spits. "That no good, rotten, goddamn, bottom feeder, soul sucking, self centered, world destroying dick! Redd White is lucky that I am dead, if I was still alive I would've killed him before he killed me!"

"So, Redd White killed you?"

"He did. He blackmailed me, he leaked my affair when I tried to enact policy he didn't like, and he killed me once he realized that this rumor wouldn't stopped me."

"What was your relationship with Redd White?"

"Bad."

Mia waits. "Is... Is that all? There has to be more, you can't just say that it's 'bad' and leave it at that."

"I can."

Mia's eye twitches. "You can, but you really should say more. I'm a lawyer, Mia Fey of Fey & Co. Law Office, I'm trying to gather a case against Bluecorp and its founder, I really need your input so that I can gather more evidence."

Paul hums. "I don't think a testimony of a dead man can be used in court."

"Well of course it can't, I'm just trying to find leads to evidence. Like, for example, maybe a voicemail with a conversation between you and White, or maybe a note from Bluecorp. Does anything come to mind when I say this?"

"Hmmm....." Paul taps his chin. "Perhaps. I believe if you find my phone, you could find the last conversation I had with White. If my wife haven't thrown it out already."

Mia finishes scribbling on her notepad. "Thank you so very much! I'll be back once I have your phone."

Paul cocks his head. "You're coming back?"

"Of course," Mia puts her notepad back into her purse. "If I'm going to root around in your phone contacts, it'd be shitty of me to do it on my own. And besides, nobody turns into a ghost for no reason, I want to help you pass on."

"Oh. That's nice of you." Paul says. "A nice, lawyer, that's a first."

Mia smiles. "Thank you."

~~~~~~

"Crap, crap, crap, I'm late!!!" Mia runs, her heels clacking on the pavement. She got so caught up in trying to find Paul's phone that she lost track of time, and she didn't even find the damn thing!

She rushes down the street, passing the hotel next to her office. It's only been.... Er..... Mia checks her watch. 9:07. It's only been 7 minutes, things should be fine! Maya's 16, she can wait a little bit by herself. She has a key to the office, she'll be ok! And besides, she's not going to care if you're a little bit late.

She arrives at the door, panting to herself. Ughhhhhhhh, she's never going to run again, she's so tired. Mia needs a minute to compose herself.

"Er, chief?"

"P-Pheonix?" Mia whips her head around. "What are.... What are you doing here, I th- I thought you went home for the night."

"We were going to go eat dinner with Larry Butz today." Phoenix says. Crap, another thing Mia forgot!

"Oh, okay," Mia wheezes.

"Are you okay? You look..... Winded."

"Yeah, I am. I was doing work, and lost track of time, and had to hurry back for Maya."

"Maya... That's your sister, right?" Phoenix asks. Mia nods. "We should probably enter the office then."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, just......... Ugh, give me a minute." Maya takes a few deep breaths in. "Okay, okay I'm good, let's go in."

Phoenix takes out his keys and inserts it into the keyhole. ".... That's strange, it's already unlocked."

"Maya has a key, she's probably inside already."

He hums, acknowledging her comment. He pulls the door open. "The lights are off."

"Weird, Maya should be there...." Mia sniffs. "Do you smell that?"

"Yeah, it smells a bit coppery...." Phoenix takes another whiff. ".... No it's... It's blood!"

"Maya!" Mia rushes in. "Maya, where are you? Are you okay?!"

"M... Mia?" A small cry came from the backrooms.

Mia rushes to the backrooms and flings the door open. "Where are you, what's going on?" She turns her head and sees her sister. She's hunched over a figure, tears in her eyes. Below, there's a tall man leaning on the wall, nearly collapsing in on itself. His wild white hair fans out from his head, clumping together, staining red from blood. His red button up hides the blood dripping from his wound, occasionally staining his beige vest. His black tie is hanging lose from his neck, partially undone.

"Chief, what's going-!" Phoenix enters the room and sees the dead man. "Wh.... What...?"

Maya looks between Mia and Phoenix. "I.... I didn't...." Maya faints.

"Chief...?" Phoenix turns to Mia.

It's her time to be the boss. "Phoenix, please take Maya out of here. I'll.... I'll call the police in a minute." Phoenix nods as he heads over to Maya. He picks her up and brings her out of the room, the door shutting behind him.

Mia takes a shakey step. "This... That can't be him." She take another step, and another. He's wearing his lucky outfit, the same outfit he wore to Mia's first trial. The same outfit he wore when he drank his last coffee, the same outfit he wore when he was brought to the hospital, the same outfit he wore for 5 years, the same outfit. Mia clutches her magatama, staring at the dead man before her. "This shouldn't be possible. You're supposed to be in a coma. You- You're supposed to be in a hospital, you're not supposed to be dead in my office room." Mia blinks away tears. "D.... Diego Armando, I need to speak with you." Her voice is shaking.

The smell of blood in this room thickens. A scream is let out across the street. Blood drips from Diego's head, slowly, staining the carpet on the room. The silence sticks to this room, clinging to Mia's heart.

A ghostly arm bursts from Diego's chest. Another hand follows after, flailing around trying to find a perch. The hands grab his torso and pulls, peeling Diego's soul from his body. His head is pulled away, following the ghost's torso. With one final tug, Diego is dislodged from his body. "Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhellllo, Mia," Diego croaks, voice raw, his tongue foreign in his mouth. "Luh, lan, loonng time, no seeeeeee. It's beh, it's been a while."

Diego is dead. Diego was poisoned, was in a coma for five years, and died in Mia's office. Mia takes a step and feels her heel snap in half.