#i like that they are TRYING to stay civil and friendly and it seems like there is still love there(i see those smiles and stares)

[cerealbishh]

"As excited as I am to have everyone see Kathy Bates deliver another incredible performance, I'm excited for people to be introduced- who don't already know how incredible Skye is." (x)

"I am having the time of my life and Jason Ritter keeps me laughing more than any human being on the planet." (x)

[cherrygirlfriend]

rafe and kook!reader that hate each other

warnings: smut, MDNI! i got this idea when i hadn't slept for like 48 hours but then when i finally got some sleep a few days ago i decided to write it !!! i just felt like i write a lot of "meek" readers so i didn't wanna do the same thing over and over lmao i hope you enjoy

you didn't know why you always had to come whenever your parents always had to drag you and your brother along when they visited the camerons. it's not like when you were a kid who needed to be babysat to make sure you didn't do anything wrong, but your mother wouldn't stop hassling you about it, saying how it would be 'so rude' of you to not show up, and it'd seem like you hated them. only problem was, you did.

well, pretty much just rafe. you had gotten along with sarah pretty well, but apparently she wouldn't be present. despite being the same age and both being from figure 8, you and rafe were like polar opposites. you were more into academics, and he was more into playing sports and getting fucked up with his friends. so, you never got along. but your families had been friends even before your birth, due to your respective fathers being in business together. so you had to pretend to be civil.

year by year, it went from hitting and kicking each other because someone took the other's toy, to when you started at the same middle school when he'd steal your books from your locker, to whenever you'd start dating someone in high school, they'd mysteriously end up breaking up with you the next week, and every time you asked why, you only heard one name.

rafe.

and said boy was standing in front of you now, next to his family, his arms crossed in front of his chest, with that same smug grin on his face you had last seen when you'd left for college. and you knew, that even though you were both older, he hadn't changed one bit, and it made you worry what kind of disaster tonight would bring, and if one of you just finally strangled the other to death.

after your parents had changed initial pleasantries, you all went into the dining room, and as if it had been some kind of cosmic joke, you had ended up sitting next to rafe. and so, while the people around you were chatting and eating, you sat there, occasionally taking sips out of the glass of wine and bites of your food, until you heard someone call your name.

"hmm?" you asked, looking up with a small smile.

"how's college been?" rose cameron asked, and it seemed like every eye was on you now. you swallowed the bite you were eating as you considered your answer and cleared your throat.

"it's been pretty good. difficult, and not a lot of sleep, but i seem to fit in. i really like the campus and my professors, and since i live in an apartment close to the campus i get there easily."

"your parents are always talking about how proud they are of you," ward cameron mentioned, "they're always saying how great it is that not only did you get into an ivy league school, but that you're also staying on top of your studies. must be nice to get a summer break, though."

as you were about to answer, you couldn't help but notice that the boy sitting next to you had stiffened, his jaw clenched tightly, and a part of you couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of self-satisfaction over the fact that your accomplishments seemed to be getting to him despite him always making fun of you for your commitment to your studies.

"well, the point of college is to study, even though i do try to let loose every now and then." you let out a small chuckle, taking a quick sip of wine before you continued, "and it's nice, yeah, but i also do miss school."

at that, you could heard a snort from next to you, and you turned to look at rafe with a feigned friendly smile, the look in your eyes basically egging him to tell you what his snort was caused by, "something you wanna say?"

at your words, it felt like the entire dining room went quiet, and for the first time the whole evening, rafe looked straight into your eyes, his piercing blue eyes cold as steel, even though the corners of his lips were uplifted just a tiny bit that if you hadn't sat next to him you wouldn't have even noticed it. he let out a small, demeaning chuckle.

"it's just... who would miss school?"

"i do. i just said i do, didn't i?"

"like... don't get me wrong, but don't you have any other life? just like in high school, is all you do just... study? that's really sad, you know. you should really do something fun. have you even tried to go out, or do you just coop up in the library because you think it's some kind of a replacement for people who give a fuck about you?"

"rafe-" ward was trying to stop his son from speaking, but before he could, you simply let out a small laugh.

"as opposed to what? staying on the same island i've lived on my whole life, doing nothing but living off my family's money, play golf and hang out with my friends until i eventually take over my dad's business and one day get married and have 2.5 kids who end up doing the same. sure, i could probably just start working for my dad, but the thing is i don't want to." with every word you say, the blood from his face is drained slowly, while you just smile at him, "i could be just like any other rich kid living off their parents, but i'm actually going to make something of myself instead."

after you finish speaking, the room is so quiet that if a pin dropped, it would sound like an anvil, the two of you staring at each other, while everyone's eyes darted from you to rafe, and back again like you were a tennis match, until you simply turned your head away from him, the boy still staring at you, while you cleared my throat. "rose, the food is really good." you said with a friendly smile before bringing the glass of wine to your lips.

eventually, the chatter started back up again, and the dinner went on, but still, every now and then, you could feel rafe glaring at you resentingly.

you were making your way through the halls of tannyhill, your phone in hand as you were texting, but when you finally found the bathroom, you pulled the door open, only to be faced with something you hadn't expected.

rafe was standing there, his head thrown back, and when you looked to the counter, you saw his credit card, a little pouch, and two white lines, in rafe's hand, a rolled up one-hundred dollar bill, and when you let out a quiet chuckle, he finally noticed your presence, and you could see the alarm bells ringing in his brain.

"damn, you've moved to coke? last i saw you, you were just into weed or occasionally molly, but this? shit, well, i shouldn't be surprised, i mean-"

before you could finish your sentence, rafe's hand was gripping your arm tightly, and the boy pulled you into the bathroom, locking the door behind him before slamming you against it, the door handle digging into your side, the blonde's pupils dilated to all hell, remnants of white powder under his nose.

"the fuck do you think you're doing?" you stared up at him while trying to push him away, but his muscular arm pressed against your chest, holding you against the door.

"you're a fucking bitch, you know that?"

"wow, that's really original cameron. what is this, fifth grade? you're pathetic."

"don't fucking talk to me like that," he said, his jaw clenched, his head leaning down to look at you. "you've always been such a fucking pain in my ass."

"i have been a pain in your ass? that's rich." you finally managed to push him off you, the boy stumbling slightly back due, "you've done nothing but made my life a living hell. when we were kids, when we were teens," you started walking closer to him, "even tonight, who was the first one to fucking snort at my comment and start talking about sad my life is, when in reality you're the one who's still acting like a teenager."

"it really seemed to hit a nerve. what's wrong, you still don't have friends, just like you didn't back in high school? let me tell you why that is; you act like you're so much better and smarter than everyone. sure, i might act like i'm better than some people, but you act like you're a fucking god. and that's why no one can stand you."

the two of you now stood in the middle of the bathroom, the bathroom filled with the noise of you both breathing erratically from all the insults you'd thrown, rafe glaring down at you, his gaze filled with ice, yours filled with fire, both of your words poisonous and knives meant to cut deep.

then rafe's lips were on yours, your arms around his neck, the kiss full of hunger, of craving, the both of you trying to consume one another. it was just like any another fight between you, but without any words, just with your lips.

rafe pushed you against the bathroom wall, his lips slowly trailing down your jaw and your neck while you ground your body against his, his erection pressing against your lower stomach, one of his hands on your neck, while the other was lifting the hem of your dress, your hands undoing his belt.

"i still fucking hate you..." you breathed out, tugging at his hair while rafe simply chuckled against the your neck, nipping at the sensitive skin, a gasp leaving your lips and you dug your nails into the back of his neck to get back at him, the boy letting out a groan before he continued sucking and kissing on your neck with his warm lips as you moved your hands down to undo his pants and letting them fall to the ground.

your head felt like it was in the clouds when his hands touched the waistband of your panties, slowly sliding under it, and when you felt his fingers travel deeper, you couldn't help but gasp, feeling rafe run two of his fingers over your folds, collecting some of your arousal onto his fingers, his lips detaching themselves from your neck. "you hate me but you're this fucking wet, huh?"

"you wanna play that game?" you chuckle, palming his erection through his boxers, rafe letting out a groan as you freed his erection from his boxers, spitting into your hand before you were stroking up and down on his cock, the red tip of his length already leaking precum, the boy letting out ragged breaths, unable to keep kissing you from the pleasure you were giving him.

his fingers were working your clit, your back arching against the wall, your head swimming as you continued stroking him, rafe brought his lips back to yours, your lips lazily and messily pressing against one another, both of you two too blissed out by the pleasure you were giving one another to even care.

when he pulled away from the kiss, he pressed his forehead against yours, your breaths mingling together as your hands worked in tandem, and it felt like it was the first thing you two didn't hate about each other, rafe's breath hitching with every stroke of his cock, a small whimper leaving your lips every time he touched your clit just right.

you closed your eyes, as you felt the heat building in your abdomen, you bit down on your lip, and you knew that rafe was just as close to coming from the way he picked his own pace up on your clit and how his breathing got more and more ragged.

and finally, when you felt the feeling in your abdomen just... stop, and your orgasm washed over you in a rapid wave, you heard rafe let out a glorious noise that was between a whine and a groan. you could feel cum rushing out of his cock as you kept stroking him, his fingers still working on your clit as the two of you let the other one ride out their orgasms.

your breathing was ragged and you were both blissed out when you finally took your hands off each other, still coming down from your orgasm, but when you finally did...

"fuck." you clamored, pushing rafe off you as you pulled your dress back down and made your way to the sink, washing your hands, while rafe was also getting dressed. you took a few moments to fix your makeup and hair, before turning to him, rafe looking at you in a way that didn't let you know what he was thinking, as usual. "this never happened."

and before he could even respond, you were out of the door.

[spideyhexx]

12 am thoughts with kit;

sfw; billy bonney

A deep voice calls out from a few paces behind you.

"You good up there?"

You stretch out your limbs on the grass, the heat burning down on your skin. The grass tickles your ankles, but it's nothing more than a friendly embrace to you.

"Mighty good," you reply, leaning up against your elbows and tilting your head to see the culprit of the voice. One mister Billy Bonney, outlaw extraordinaire as you liked to call him.

"I never find you in civilization," he says, his drawl sounds somehow thicker than you remembered it to be. He plops into the grass next to you and places his hat on the ground, arms resting over his knees.

"You don't know me as well you think you do if you're searching for me in town."

Billy chuckles at that and shakes his head, glancing down at you. His eyes squinty and his forehead a little wet from the heat.

It's probably been about three weeks since you last saw him. He stopped around and begged for some bread, which you gave him. If only he'd get a wasp's nest down from a tree near your home. Billy did it, no questions asked.

"How've you been?" He asks, and he's watching you intently. His gaze doesn't look out over the valley ahead, or at the sky where you're looking. Billy is watching you.

"Same old," you start, "Heard of you less."

It's true. He had rumors about his name going left and right for quite some time, but he's laid low enough for now that you've barely heard a peep.

"Tryin' to go straight," he tells you. And that's when his eyes look elsewhere, almost like he's embarrassed to admit it.

You lay back fully down, eyes at the sky, fingers absentmindedly digging into the earth. "I think ya could," you say, glancing at him, noting the curls at the nape of his neck that stick to his hot skin.

"Maybe I gotta be like you. Out in the middle of fuckin' nowhere," he chuckles again, a sound you could get used to. Without thinking, he grabs your hand, the one that's closest to him.

Billy's brow furrows, wiping away the dirt you willingly let hold your hand. It flashes you back to when you first ever met Billy almost a year ago, half of him was as dirty as a pig sty and you were scrubbing your tub for hours after he used it.

"There's dirt in your fingernails," he mumbles, mostly focusing on your hand, but he can't help but try to get the dirt from your nails too.

You let him.

"And you smell like you haven't showered in days."

Billy flashes you a small smile and then gently sets your hand back in the grass, giving it a pat before his hand return to himself, tapping to his thigh. He's jittery.

"'S a little hard to when you can't stay in one place long. I like it though," he says, inhaling, then letting out a deep breath, shifting to lay down fully next to you.

"Going to different places?"

He nods. "I don't know how you can stay here. In one place, I mean," then he adds, "how anyone could." Billy's hand rakes through his hair and he looks at you.

You return his gaze, and prop yourself on your arm to see him better.

Trailing your fingertips on the blades of grass in front of him, you find the right one, the one yearning for you, then pluck it, showing it to him, "all of the grass is the same on a first sight, yes? But this is still an individual blade. There is always something important about every part of the land. Something new to learn, to think about, all when you're not able to travel. Gotta use this..."

You knock your knuckles on his head to indicate his brain.

"And why can you not travel?" He asks out of curiosity. If anything, you would be a person who would want to travel all the time. See nature you've never encountered, discover everything new the way he has. That seemed exactly like something you would want.

"I think the trees here would miss me," you tell him, giving a little shrug. You expect him to laugh. To pry more. To question why that was your train of thought. But he doesn't.

Billy just nods, his expression focused as he replies, "I missed you when I left, so I think I can understand the trees' feelins'."

You should not let yourself smile as much as you do at his words, but it's hopeless. Billy reciprocates it.

"Missed me? You probably missed my jam," you say, deflecting his kind words.

He rolls his eyes dramatically, bringing one of his knees up and knocking his knuckles on it. Still jittery.

"I did miss your jam, you're right."

You place the blade of grass in his hair, then you turn onto your back again.

"Think I could stick around for a bit?"

Billy says it quieter, he might be unsure. Or nervous. His jitters don't tell you anything because Billy's hands were restless all the time, even when he was calm. You can usually tell with him, but you're not looking into his eyes. They always told you everything.

"I could use a ranch-hand," you mumble, pretending to mull it over.

The sun continues to beat down on the two of you, the clouds in the sky doing nothing to stop the effervescent power of the ball of light.

And when he nudges you with his elbow, waiting for your answer, you feel that ball of light accumulating inside the pit of your stomach. You will it away, gripping the earth at your side to push yourself more to the ground.

"I 'spose you could. Company would...," you glance at him and he's already grinning, "be nice."

[oreolemur]

Desperation- Choso Fanfic

Receiving letters from Choso sent chills down your spine. He kept trying to confess his love for you after you helped him fight off his bullies. The man was obsessed with you, but you didn't want him. You sat in bed, reading the numerous letters he wrote to you. The letters detailed his feelings in great detail. The one from this morning mentioned how much he missed you and that he couldn't wait to see you after school. Another from a few days ago mentioned how he thought about you all the time and wanted to be with you forever. There were several more with similar sentiments from the past weeks. "Why does he keep writing to me?", you said to yourself. "Does he not get the message?”. You had told him several times that you didn't want to be with him, but he didn't seem to get it. You tried to be civil by still talking to him in school, but he took any small interaction as a sign that he still had a chance. You tossed all the letters in the trash and headed to bed, trying to forget about Choso and his weird obsession with you. You fell asleep quickly, hoping that tomorrow would go by without any drama from him. 

The next day as you were walking in the hallway, you saw Choso. "Oh no", you said. You tried to walk the other way, but he saw you before you could get the chance to avoid him. Choso spotted you immediately and started walking towards you. You tried to make a quick escape, but he had you cornered. He walked right up to you and said, "Hi." in a low tone. "H-hey", you said, trying not to sound weirded out by him. Choso's gaze was intense, making you feel uncomfortable. The way he stood so close to you was also unsettling. You tried to keep your tone friendly, even though your heart was beating fast. You hoped he couldn't hear how hard you were breathing. "So...I...ugh got your letters", you said. Choso nodded and said, "Yes, I wrote them for you." His voice was steady, but there was a hint of desperation in his tone. He continued, "I was just hoping that if I wrote enough letters, you might change your mind”.

You decided to confess to him again. "I appreciate you having feelings for me, but...I'm not interested in having a relationship". Choso's face fell as he heard your words. The sadness was clear on his face, but he tried not to show it too much. He nodded and said, "I understand. If you feel that way, I respect your decision." His voice had a slight crack, showing his disappointment. Despite the rejection, he kept his composure and said, "Is it okay if we still stay friends?". You nodded. "Of course. That's all I want". Choso gave a small smile at your response. Clearly, he had wanted a different outcome, but at least he could keep you in his life, even if only as a friend. He said, "Thank you for being honest with me. It means a lot." Despite the rejection, he was trying to stay positive and continue to talk to you. 

You were glad that Choso understood where you were coming from, but you couldn't shake this feeling that something bad was going to happen. There was something about Choso's reaction that made your gut instinct act up. You couldn't help but wonder if he truly accepted what you told him, or if he was just hiding his true feelings. Something inside you told you to be careful around him, but you couldn't exactly explain it. You decided to change the subject and hope your gut was wrong. After talking with him for a minute, you and Choso shared your goodbyes. "I'll see you around, ok", you said. Choso nodded and said, "Of course. See you around." Despite the awkward nature of the conversation, he appeared to be taking the rejection well and was being civil toward you. You couldn't help but feel relieved that it didn't end in a worse way. You were still a little uneasy around him, but you brushed it off and started walking away.

❤~Time Skip~❤

Later that night, Choso was in his dorm, doing his homework. His mind was still flooded with rejection and he didn't like it. The man took out his special book that was filled with photos of you. He had been taking pictures of you without your knowledge, and keeping them here. He stared at the pictures, the emotions from earlier flooding back to him. The rejection and how you didn't want to be with him hurt him, which only made him want you more. Choso continued to stare at the pictures, growing increasingly obsessed with you. His voice grew cold as he said, "She's mine and mine only." His obsession with you had grown stronger, and he wasn't going to let you slip away. He was determined to make you his, no matter the cost. 

Choso spent the rest of the night obsessing over you, planning ways to express to you how much you meant to him. He was no longer content to sit back and let you get away from him. He wanted to show you that he was serious about his feelings for you and wasn't going to let anything get in his way. "I have to have her", he said. "I have to make her love me". Choso continued to mutter to himself about how he needed to have you, how he needed to make you love him. You were all he could think about, and not having you would be unbearable for him. He was completely consumed by his obsession with you, and this thought made him grow even more determined to make you his. Choso decided that he needed to send one final letter to you, but this time it would be a warning rather than a confession of his feelings. This letter would make it clear to you how serious he is about you. 

Meanwhile, you spent the night in your dorm, getting ready for bed. "I'm glad he understands", you said to yourself. "Hopefully those creepy letters will stop now". You tried to put the whole situation out of your mind and hoped that he truly accepted your rejection. You were tired and just wanted to get some sleep, but something deep inside you told you to stay alert. "Why do I keep getting this strange feeling?". You tried to ignore the feeling, dismissing it as just your imagination running away with you. You crawled into bed, trying to get some rest, but the feeling continued to plague you. You tossed and turned, unable to relax or get comfortable. The feeling kept gnawing at you, making it hard to get comfortable or sleep. Just as you were about to head to bed, there was a loud knock at your door, which startled you. It was late in the night, and you weren't expecting anyone to visit you at this hour. You said, "Who is it?" but received no answer. You got off your bed, opening the door cautious as you wondered who could be there at this late hour. 

You cautiously opened the door and saw no one there. To your surprise, there was a letter on the ground that caught your attention. You saw that it had your name written on it and picked it up carefully, hoping it wasn't another love letter. You examined the outside of the envelope, then decided to open it. “I can't keep ignoring my feelings for you. I can't just accept the way things are and move on. I love you too much to just let you go. If you won't be with me willingly, then I'll have to make you mine. I know the best way to make you love me, and I'm going to use it. I'll see you soon ❤”. You were filled with fear as you read the letter. Choso's words sounded like a threat, and it caused your heart to drop. You realized that he wasn't going to accept rejection, and he was going to use some sort of method to make you his. The "best way" and "make you love me" part of the sentence was particularly eerie.

It almost sounded like he was going to use force or something sinister to get your affection. Your heart was beating fast, and you felt an icy chill go down your spine. You rip up the letter in a fit of frustration and sorrow. You couldn't believe that a simple rejection would cause someone to become so obsessed or even resort to threats. You didn't know what would motivate Choso to send a letter like that, but it didn't matter. All you could think about was his words, and how he planned to make you love him. You felt a surge of fear as you thought about what his "method" for making you love him might be.

You made sure to avoid Choso for the next few days, not wanting to interact with him. You didn't see him during your shared classes and decided that him not being there was a good thing. Your mind was still focused on that ominous letter, and you were anxious about what he might do if he saw you again. You tried to stay on your guard and told yourself to take precautions when going to your dorm or anywhere else where you might bump into him.  You went about your daily routine for the next two weeks and didn't see Choso once. Even though you were glad that he wasn't around, you couldn't help but feel that it was strange that you hadn't seen him at all. You had shared classes with him and would normally see him pretty often, so it felt odd that he was nowhere to be found. You kept wondering where he was, but you were also relieved that you didn't have to deal with his obsession for the time being. 

❤~That Night~❤

You were walking back to your dorm one night, hoping that the walk would be uneventful. You felt uneasy for some reason, and a sense that you were being followed suddenly crept over you. You stopped, looking behind you only to see no one there. No one was visible that you could see, but something in you told you otherwise. You got an uneasy feeling, like someone was watching you. "I'm probably just tired", you said, nervously. You tried to convince yourself that it was just your imagination playing tricks on you, but the feeling of being watched refused to subside. You felt tense and nervous, as if someone was hiding somewhere. You couldn't see anyone directly watching you, but you had a strong sense that someone or something was following you. The sense of paranoia grew stronger, and you found yourself looking over your shoulder and around you constantly. 

Just as you were about to open the door to your dorm, someone ran up behind you, putting a cloth over your mouth and nose. The sudden attack took you by surprise, and you struggled to breathe as you were forcefully pulled into a nearby alleyway. Your attacker was quick and stealthy, and you couldn't see who it was. All you could do was struggle and try to breath while the cloth was over your mouth. You continued to struggle and try to get away from your attacker as the cloth on your face made it harder and harder to breathe. You could feel your strength beginning to wane as the oxygen deprivation took its toll on you. After you start to pass out, your vision begins to get blurry and your body becomes weak as you struggle to remain conscious. Choso looks down at your unconscious body with a grin on his face. He looks completely unhinged and crazed, his mind consumed by his obsession with you. He drags your body back to his dorm, where he plans to carry out his plan. 

You slowly begin to regain consciousness. You're not sure how much time has passed, but you eventually begin to gain clarity. Your head is pounding and your vision is still blurry. Your body feels weak, and you're not sure where you are. You struggle to move and open your eyes, your breathing labored. As you come to your senses, the first thing you see is Choso standing in front of you. "Ch-Choso?", you said, weakly. Choso glances down at you as he hears your weak voice, a sinister grin spreading across his face. He looks down at you with cold eyes as he leans in closer, his face just inches from yours. "You're awake," he says in a calm but cold tone. Choso walks to his door and locks it, seemingly not caring that he just locked you in with him. The only sound in the room is you panting and his breathing. He steps closer to you, his body looming and threatening. "I'm going to make you mine," he says in a low voice, his eyes filled with obsession and insanity.

"What are you talking about?", you questioned. Choso continues to stand over you, his eyes fixed on yours. "I've decided that if you won't be my girlfriend willingly, I'm going to have to do this the hard way." He says calmly, not seeming angry or agitated in the slightest. He leans down even closer to you until your heads are mere inches apart. "I'm going to make you love me”. You looked at him confused. "You can't just force me to love you". Choso ignores your words and leans even closer to you until his face is just inches from yours. "Of course, I can't. But there are ways to make people feel things they otherwise wouldn't”. The way he said those last words made it sound like a threat. "It's simple, really. I just need to put you through an experience that will break you down and make you love me”. 

Choso's face remained calm and unExpressionate as he took off his clothes, revealing his muscular body. His body looked incredibly fit and toned, something he's probably been doing to impress you. Instead of making you feel attracted, the sight only made you feel even more scared. He ignored your words as he looked down at you with cold eyes. He continued to strip, stripping his pants and his top. As you desperately tried to scoot away, he grabbed your ankle and pulled you close to him. You found yourself unable to move and were helplessly trapped as he pulled you closer to him. He said nothing and just looked at you, a hint of madness in his gaze. He positioned himself, between your legs, reaching up your skirt. “Please, Choso”, you whined. 

He pulled and tugged on your panties, ripping them off. The cold air in his room hit your bare pussy. You tried to close your legs, but Choso stood firm between them. His lower half moved closer too, making his cock hit your cunt. He rubbed his dick against you, feeling how warm and wet you were. “Choso”, you whine again. “Please don’t do this. You don’t have to do this”. He pushed you further onto the bed, getting on top of you. “You know, y/n…”, he paused, shoving himself in you. You gasped at the sudden thrust, feeling your cervix breaking. Blood trickled down your thighs as Choso proceeded to fuck you. “I read your diary”. You tried to listen to him, but the pain kept distracting you. “I read all about how you fantasize about being raped and toyed around with”, he continued. “If that’s something you like…”, he grunted. “I can give that to you”. 

He threw your leg over his shoulder, fucking your tight cunt harder. Your body went limp as you laid underneath Choso. You felt disgusted. The pain you first felt started to turn into pleasure. “Why am I starting to like this?”, you asked yourself. “All that stuff I wrote was a lie. A mere thought I had when I was depressed”. Choso’s dick slid in and out of you at a slow but medium pace. His dick was huge, stretching your walls open with each hard thrust. His face was red and his breath was heavy. He enjoyed the power he had over you as he forced you to take him. “I know you like this”, he whispered. He leaned into you, grabbing your throat. He slightly choked you as he quickened his pace. “I love you so much, y/n”, he said in your ear. “I don’t care how much I hurt you, as long as you love me that’s all that matters”. He fucked you faster and harder, soon dropping his warm cum inside you. He kept himself in you for a hot minute, making sure that every drop spilled into your womb. “I hate you”, you said under your breath. Choso didn’t care. He knew that this was only the beginning. 

❤~One month later~❤

It had been a month since that dreadful night had happened. Choso’s attempt at making you love him didn’t work, but he still never gave up on you. He kept a watchful eye on you, meeting up with you every chance he got, which was every day. You couldn’t tell your friends about you and Choso’s forced relationship. You knew it wouldn’t end well. “I love you”, Choso said, laying on top of you. He just got done fucking you. You looked up at the ceiling with soulless eyes. He kissed your neck, marking your soft flesh. “Your skin is so soft”, he complimented. He looked into your eyes as he grabbed your chin, forcing you to look at him. “Till death do us part, my love”, he smiled. 

[batneko]

Okay, bowuigi soulmate AU on the suggestion of @scribeprotra

(sorry not sorry it came out angsty)

Though most people in the world of the Mushroom Kingdom speak English, they use a different alphabet from the "real" world, so for most of his life Luigi has had no idea what the first thing his soulmate was going to say to him was. He and Mario both looked, for years, but never found anything that looked like the letters on the back of Luigi's hand. Eventually Luigi just resigned himself to being alone for the rest of his life.

(Mario doesn't have a soulmate, which is not uncommon in this universe. It's not really a big deal and people without soulmates follow what we'd consider a more "normal" pattern of dating. Luigi doesn't know, but Mario made the decision to put romance on the back burner so he could support his brother.)

Then they fell into a warp pipe and landed in a world where they could understand everyone, but not read the signs. Luckily Princess Peach is the kind of person she is, and took it upon herself to help them settle in and look for a way home. On one excursion she ends up kidnapped, and Mario decides since she was only out there because of them, it's their responsibility to save her!

It all leads to Mario and Luigi in Bowser's castle, and though Luigi was reluctant to fight a giant fire-breathing turtle dragon, when he sees his brother in trouble he chucks a loose brick at Bowser's head and shouts "Hey! Big guy!"

Bowser turns around, sees a figure with a moustache and a stupid hat, and roars "YOU!" before realizing there's two of them.

They rescue the princess, they're celebrated as heroes, and Luigi and Bowser both more or less forget they spoke at all (Bowser more, Luigi less).

Years pass, including a lot more fights, a few team-ups, and eventually the agreement to try a few friendly competitions to keep things civil. When Luigi discovered his soulmate mark was the local alphabet he was excited, at first, but he's already used to disappointment and he's conflicted about the exact word. Is it angry? Surprised? What if he's doomed to get off on the wrong foot with the person who's supposed to be his partner?

Then one day, at one of those friendly sporting competitions with Bowser and his team, Bowser spots Luigi making a note to himself and suddenly grabs him.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"What you're writing. Where did you learn that?"

"It's just how we wrote back where Mario and I grew up, it doesn't mean anything bad."

Bowser suddenly rips the collar off his throat and points at the writing there. "What does this say?"

It says Hey! Big guy! And though Luigi can't be certain (it's been YEARS) he has a horrible horrible feeling that the exchange between his soulmate words and Bowser's is very familiar.

Bowser seems completely oblivious to any of this and just starts asking Luigi where he's from and how to get there. Luigi doesn't even realize why Bowser is asking until he says "I don't know how to get back, Mario and I decided to stay here," and Bowser does NOT like that answer. Luigi can't bring himself to say what he's thinking. Maybe it's not true? Maybe Bowser is right and his soulmate is still waiting for him in Brooklyn?

Bowser talks to Peach after the match is over and says he's sorry but he's finally got a chance to find his real soulmate and he's going to have to end their flirtation. Peach, ever the diplomat, says she understands.

Time passes. Bowser is doing research on his own on how to cross between worlds. But for some reason he keeps coming by and asking Luigi about it. He says it's just to make things easier once he gets there, but after a while they start talking about other things. They start to become something like friends.

One day Bowser mentions how much it hurts to hope after all this time. About how he'd resigned himself to being alone for the rest of his life. Luigi almost confesses then, but he's afraid of how furious Bowser will be knowing that Luigi hid it from him all this time. How can he admit he didn't tell Bowser straight away because he didn't want him?

[ash5monster01]

Getaway Camp : Eleven

Pairing: Charlie Dalton x OC!FemReader

Warnings: 18+, mentions of smut, dirty talk, slight foreplay, minor angst, language, mentions of death, fluff, lots of teasing.

Summary: Charlie and Valerie get away for the weekend, enjoying every second alone they get together. When Charlie comes back, he finds a surprise waiting for him.

word count: 3.1k

Masterlist

Ten ←→ Twelve

July 9th 1961

It’s hot when Charlie wakes up. The sun’s rays shining through the fabric above him and getting trapped inside. It’s immediately uncomfortable but Charlie ignores it as he reaches to his side, the blanket falling low on his bare hips. Yet his hand just meets sleeping bag. His eyes open to find the spot beside him empty and he sighs until he hears the clutter of a pan outside the tent walls. Sitting up he discovers his clothes from last night are gone and he has no choice but to pull on the green shirt and khakis he had packed with him.

Ever since the Fourth of July, Charlie and Valerie couldn’t get enough of each other. As predicted the great cabin shuffle was hard to recreate so the pair had to get creative. The boat house had become a common destination since Charlie knew there was a cot in there from rowing. When it came to the weekend, the couple was quick to pack everything they had and hike to the spot where they had their first date. A whole weekend that was just the two of them, in a tent, with nothing but woods around. Charlie would like to say he had connected with nature while out here but if he was being honest, he spent more time connected to Valerie than anything else.

“Morning handsome” Valerie smiles from her campfire set up, scrambled eggs in a pan. They seemed to be sticking to the pan more than actually edible but Charlie didn’t have it in him to mind. Especially since the girl sat in his blue shirt from the night before and only the blue shirt.

“Smells good” he tells her, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips, his hand grazing along the back of her head and to the base of her neck. Now that the pair had explored each other’s bodies she had found Charlie’s kisses to be less shy and more demanding. He had no issue positioning her anyway he wanted when his mouth met her own.

“You look cute” she says when he pulls back and despite the light blush on his cheeks he can’t help but laugh at the comment.

“I guess I should’ve packed more camp friendly clothes” he suggests, moving to sit in the seat across from her own and Valerie smiles, scooping some eggs on a plate and passing them his way.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. I plan on taking them off of you anyway” and Charlie grins a wide and devilish smile. He was not foreign to hooking up with a girl before but this was not that. He simply couldn’t get enough of Valerie which hadn’t ever happened to him before. Each time he found himself trying to out pour his appreciation for her. By the third time around he discovered he had been making love, not hooking up. The thought scared him, but he was obsessed with her more.

“Like you did last night?” Charlie suggests, eyebrows jumping at the reminder of how they had tried to eat dinner in this very spot last night. Yet Charlie had ended up with his pants pooled around his ankles and Valerie’s pretty lips wrapped around his cock as he watched the waterfall. Maybe he could convince her to leave civilization and stay with him in these woods forever.

“Anything’s a possibility” she tells him, sipping from her glass of water as he digs into the eggs. There is barely any taste but he eats them anyway, smiling at her, and wishing they didn’t have to head back to camp so soon. He hated meeting her in the boat house and then having to go sleep separately. Yet for Nate and Levi, that was their one time thing hooking up with those girls. Charlie knew Levi wasn’t mean about it in the way Nate was. Mia just happened to be a casual hookup that they both wanted to keep casual. Who would have thought? It also made Chrissy extra whiny and impossible to escape. Charlie officially felt Valerie’s pain when it came to her roommate for the summer season.

“You keep me hostage in these woods any longer and Ezra might send out a search party for me” Charlie tells her after a while and Valerie giggles, aware of how Charlie had been favoring her over anyone else these days. She had been doing the same, ditching Levi because she only had a taste for Charlie.

“I’ll make it up to him, I think he’ll understand though. I have a very attractive boyfriend” Valerie says but almost instantaneously after the label leaves her lips, the tops of her ears burn red. “I mean, friend-boy. Guy I date-“

She’s cut off by Charlie’s bellowing laughter, his hand falling to his chest as he tries to calm down. Yet his amusement hasn’t stopped yet, the cute and panicked look on her face making him laugh more. When it finally calms he gives a wide and comforting smile as he reaches for her hand across their mini pop up table. “I’m your boyfriend V. At least I better be cause I’d be pissed if you tried dating someone else”

“Same Ace” Valerie says with a shy smile, her cheeks still a soft pink from the conversation she hadn’t expected to have.

“I don’t have eyes for anyone else. Well I still favor Miss December but-” and Valerie is launching a piece of bread from her plate at the boy, Charlie laughing as he dodges it. He still had the centerfold of Miss December, his first ever read poem written on the back of it. Yet he found himself reading the words more than looking at the picture these days.

“I have better boobs than Miss December” Valerie claims and Charlie smirks, eyes dropping to her chest. How her nipples are peaked through the blue fabric of his shirt, the outline of her curves pulling the button in that spot taught. Valerie’s aren’t nearly as big as Miss December’s, than again is anyone’s? Even Charlie knew the image was unrealistic. Valerie was still big chested in all the ways that mattered and turned him on. He always had been a boob guy.

“Yeah they are, plus I’ve actually felt them before” Charlie wiggles his eyebrows and Valerie giggles, Charlie’s hand tugging her own, and indicating she join him on his side of the table. When she obeys and sits in his lap, Charlie discovers there truly is nothing under his shirt as his hand settles on her ass. It’s no surprise to either of them he’s already hardening beneath her.

“What, you trying to get me over here to grope my chest or something?” she teases but Charlie pretends to take it seriously. Fingers tracing through the fabric of his shirt on her form, slowly moving until his hand grazes inside, fingers brushing under her breast before cupping it gently in his hand. The perfect fit.

“Maybe” he grins and Valerie just rolls her eyes before kissing him. It’s not anything sexual but her tongue ends up in his mouth anyway and she wished they didn’t have to pack up so soon to make it in time for her afternoon shift.

“You gonna see Ezra tonight?” she asks once she breaks away from his lips. She loved the taste of him.

“Yeah, if I don’t I’ll go crazy alone in my cabin without you” Charlie tells her, the hand once placed on her chest now tucked gently against her thigh and holding her in place.

“Cabin fever huh?” she asks and Charlie chuckles before giving her a genuine look.

“That must explain it, because I go crazy whenever I’m without you” and Valerie feels the words settle on her lips, yet they don’t come out. Her heart thrumming quickly in her chest because those three words may be simple but for her they hold so much weight. She had always been different from other girls, felt excluded in ways she couldn’t understand. She was used to boys, the careless and reckless ways they lived their lives. It was no surprise to her when she viewed them more as brothers than love interests. Love was never an option, and now suddenly it was everything.

“Then let’s hope summer never ends” Charlie’s affectionate smile quickly falls into a frown, not expecting such a harsh reality to be thrown his way. They had never had a conversation but he knew there was a timeline. He just hadn’t expected to put his feelings out there and suddenly find out Valerie has no interest in continuing this after camp was done. A harsh reality he was hoping to ignore for a little longer.

“Yeah, let’s hope” he agrees and she misses the sad tone of his voice as she lifts from his lap and begins to pick up their things. Charlie can’t even bring himself to admire the curve of her ass that’s been revealed to him or playfully slap it. Instead he finally feels sad knowing it’s not just him that feels there’s an expiration date to what the both of them have.

It only takes about an hour to pack up camp, the giant backpacks on both of their backs filled to the brim. The hike had gotten easier for Charlie too. Once he discovered it was worse saying goodbye to Valerie when they got back it felt like the walk wasn’t the worst thing he had to go through. He had kissed her goodbye for nearly twenty minutes before she finally pulled away because she would be late if she didn’t. Sometimes he wished she wasn’t so punctual.

Slowly he makes the short walk back to his cabin, uninterested in the rest of the day, until he eyes the small mail box nailed to the side of the cabin. It hadn’t ever changed since he got here, a layer of rust on the side, a bit crooked against the wood. Yet today the lid was propped open and the smallest corner of a yellowing envelope peaked out from inside. In a scramble he’s digging in, freeing the three letters addressed to him. He can’t help the way his stomach clenches as he reads the familiar return sender names on each. Suddenly he can’t get inside the cabin fast enough.

Quickly he plops down in the chair of the desk, shoving aside a few liquor bottles to make space for him to read. Not even bothering to find a letter opener, he’s tearing the seal open with is finger. Eagerly freeing the letter inside, the familiar chicken scratch making his heart leap. It had been so long, so long since he had seen any of them in person. Suddenly he wanted to cry, the yearning for his friends deepening inside him. In this moment he promises himself he will visit them soon, not waste another shared moment between them. Especially with how long it took to send letters back and forth from camp.

Dear Charlie,

It is absolutely no surprise that you’ve become king of the camp. Yet for some reason it’s hard to picture you sleeping in a cabin and swatting away mosquitoes. The same guy who used to have all his shirts pressed and the finest liquors hidden under your floorboards. Then again I’m sure you’ve found a supply to keep you occupied. Or maybe you’ve changed from the boy I once knew and now you’re embracing nature and all it has to offer.

The image of you on waterski’s will be enough to keep me going until the next time I see you. Even better the idea of you falling. After I made sure you didn’t get hurt of course. I’m sure you’re making the most of this summer lifestyle. This girl Valerie sounds like she makes it all worth it. Then again you always worshipped any girl you could find. Yet the way you refer to her leads me to believe you’ve finally found a soft spot. I would love to meet the lady who finally tames the wild and reckless Charlie Dalton.

Please write me back soon, no feeling in the world compares to the one I get when I see Charlie Daltons name written on the side of an envelope.

Love, Todd Anderson

Charlie chuckles, hugging the letter close to his chest, thankful Todd hadn’t lost that part of him. The confidence he found right before Neil had died. Neil was Charlie’s best friend but to Todd, Neil was his person. The one that changes the entire trajectory of your life. One that suddenly means everything and then gets ripped from you just as quick as you got him. It wasn’t fair then and it wasn’t fair now. Then again, nothing in life really was. You just had to make the most of what you got while you had it.

Charlie,

When I had heard you were to work at a summer camp I’m pretty sure I had to be resuscitated. Picturing you in a cabin, possibly with a roommate like Cameron, seems like the purest form of hell you’d ever endure. Then again I’m sure it’s nice to finally be away from your parents. What doesn’t surprise me is that you’ve found yourself a girl. This Valerie sounds like a real charmer, especially if she happened to lock down you.

I go to Harvard Law in the Fall and Chris is staying back at community college. I am already dreading when the day comes so I can’t imagine how you feel when the same happens for you.

What I can tell you is to fight for her. When I had read your letter it was the first time I saw a glimpse of the Charlie I knew before Neil had died. I’ve been waiting a really long time to have him back. Plus I’m sure Neil would’ve kicked my ass if he knew I encouraged you to let go of the first girl to ever get Charlie Dalton to settle down.

I miss you buddy, please keep in touch.

Love, Knoxious

Charlie shorts a laugh at the letter, eager to tell him that so far his roommate had been pretty cool. He should’ve expected the sentiment though. It was the romantic in Knox. Knox would beg him to stay with any girl if Charlie had even slightly mentioned her. It’s because as much as Charlie talks about girls there was never the idea of one.

Charlie,

It doesn’t shock me you’re working at a summer camp. In fact, I always had a feeling you’d give up on civilization and become one with the trees. Real life was never really meant for you. You’ve always been wild and free, I figure you fit right in. Probably friends with the animals and wiping your ass with a leaf. It makes sense.

Next week me and Pitts start early admission at Yale. Feels kind of crazy the days of college are already here when that’s all we used to talk about. Pitts says hi by the way, he agrees summer camp was meant for you. He saw no point in writing you since you’d probably be annoyed with his non legible handwriting anyway.

Charlie this is Pitts, I am happy to write you but Steven is a control freak who thinks it’s easier to send our letter combined. Miss you.

Anyway Charles, we miss you a lot. Come visit us at Yale someday, or maybe we’ll get curious enough to come visit the city. Please write soon.

Love Steven Meeks & Gerard Pitts

Charlie laughs loudly at the last one, his chest aching. He misses his friends, he misses the cave, he misses study group, he misses Welton. God he can’t believe he misses a place he hates so much. The very place he still blamed for every traumatic moment in his life, but it was where he belonged. Where he should’ve been for that last year and a half. He had missed out on so much but then he felt guilty knowing Neil was going to miss out on everything.

So Charlie gets to work, writing a handwritten letter back to each, and finally finding himself not consumed with thoughts about Valerie. He tells them about everything he’s done and everything that’s coming up. How Valerie is his girl despite the end of summer looming above them. He doesn’t leave a detail out because for once he wants to be there for them even if it’s only through a pen and paper.

It’s dark by the time Valerie makes her return. Charlie’s laid up in his bed, a book in his hand, while Andy lays on his own and listens to the radio. She doesn’t bother knocking, smiling at both of them before making her way to Charlie. Shes still in her red bathing suit, indicating she came right after her shift, and Charlie disposes the book as he welcomes her into his arms instead.

“Hey baby, how was work?” he asks, pressing a kiss against the top of her head.

“Fine, some thirteen year old boys wouldn’t stop staring and flirting with me though. I just wasn’t in the mood” she tells him and Charlie chuckles, remembering being thirteen and having way too many hormones to know how to handle. A pretty girl would’ve made him malfunction, especially one that looked like Valerie.

“I’m sorry honey, want me to beat them up?” he asks and this time it’s Andy snorting from his side of the cabin.

“You two make me sick” he teases and Charlie rolls his eyes, tightening his hold on the girl against him.

“Says you. I watched you beg Alice to stay for twenty minutes. It was starting to get weird and not just for me” Charlie calls him out and Valerie giggles against his chest, warming him over completely.

“I think it’s sweet Andy” she tells the boy and he tries to hide the smile that crosses his face when it comes to the girl he finally got to go out with him.

“Thanks Val, I like you more than Charlie” Andy says and Charlie quickly flips him off, Valerie laughing at their antics and the relationship neither of them will call a friendship yet. Dare she say they were each other’s best friends.

“Most people do” Valerie responds and Charlie gasps, pointing a shocked look her way and she smiles, wiping it off with a kiss to his lips.

“I’m hurt” Charlie pouts when she pulls away and Valerie smiles, lying back down against his chest, and wishing she didn’t have to go back to her own cabin. Wishing she didn’t have to go anywhere ever again.

“It’s okay Ace, I like you more than anyone”

Taglist: @eden-punk @octaviasdread @pursuedbyamemoryy @poetsinnyc @linmichea1

Comment if you want to be added to the taglist :))

[oneshotnewbie]

Cult Victim - Part 2

Criminal Minds x Reader

⚠️Trigger Warning for the whole series⚠️ This one-shot includes the topic of blood, kidnapping, torture, sacrifice, depression, needles, injections, drugs, and those plots are presented. If this triggers you too easily or you just can´t handle the subject, I urge you NOT to read this work. I am NOT embellishing this topic under any circumstance. Read at your own risk.

ᕚ---ᕘ

Your thoughts slowly returned from the darkness. A dull pain throbbed in your head and your body felt heavy and sluggish. You blinked several times to see the blurry world around you more clearly. The memories of your abduction came back like a paralyzing shock and you forced yourself to be alert.

You were no longer lying on the floor but on a wide, old-fashioned bed covered with a heavy bedspread. The room around you was silent and strangely familiar, as if it were a relic from a bygone era known only from books. The walls were paneled with dark wood and heavy curtains covered the windows, through which only a faint, muted light filtered. The room was filled with a hint of damp and cold that crept through the thick brickwork of the old building.

You forced yourself to stand up, your muscles protesting the movement and your wrists still bearing the marks of the shackles. You rubbed your sore spots as you took in the surroundings.

The room was tastefully decorated, if with a morbid sense of aesthetics. A massive dark wood wardrobe sat in one corner, next to an antique desk stacked with carefully placed notes and books. The furniture exuded a ghostly elegance, but what was really disturbing were the paintings and sculptures that decorated the room.

The walls were covered in eerie images. One depicted a dark forest with shadowy figures moving among the trees. Another depicted a woman trapped in a labyrinth while menacing figures lurked from the shadows. You stepped closer to examine the details, and it hit you that the images were more than just works of art; they were disturbing depictions of the Brotherhood's crimes. Each wall seemed to contain the screams of the victims, and a cold shiver ran down your spine.

In the middle of the room stood a sculpture depicting a fallen angel, its wings broken as if it had been swallowed by a hellish abyss. The intensity of the image was so strong that you involuntarily recoiled.

Slowly you began to realize that you were in a building of historical significance. It was more than just a mansion, it was a former sanatorium, hidden deep in the woods, far from any civilization. The place was surrounded by an unsettling silence, as if the walls themselves had absorbed the screams of the patients who were once treated here.

You felt a knot of fear in your stomach, but you pushed back the panic. You had to stay strong, keep a clear head to figure out where you were and how to escape. You couldn't afford to give in to despair.

A quiet crash and creak made you turn around. The massive locks on the back of the room's wooden door were opened, the door slowly pushed open as a woman entered. It was Lucien Kane, the leader of the Brotherhood you had already met. Her presence immediately filled the room and you felt the cold threat emanating from her.

"Good morning, y/n," Lucien said in her bright, calm voice, as if she seemed to be trying to start a friendly conversation. Her eyes, dark green and inscrutable, rested on you as she let the door slam shut behind her.

You stood up straight, your shoulders broad, your senses on high alert. "Where did you take me?" you asked sharply, watching every single movement and muscle twitch on her face.

Lucien smiled slightly, as if she was amused by your directness. "Welcome to the House of Silence, our humble headquarters," she said, spreading her arms as if presenting a stage. "It used to be a sanatorium, a place of healing and secrets. Now it serves as a sanctuary and a monument to our beliefs and goals."

You resisted the urge to back away, your jaw clenched. "Your beliefs and goals? You mean terror as a prayer and murder as a goal?"

The woman in front of you tilted her head as if hearing a particularly interesting question and answer she had never heard before. "We consider it more of a type of... art. A form of expression that changes the world. But enough of that, I hope your stay here will be enlightening for you."

You felt the anger rising in you again, your eyes flashing with deep disgust. "The only thing that will light up here is the barrel of my gun once I put an end to this whole thing."

She stepped closer and leaned in slightly, her voice just a whisper in your ear. "You underestimate me and overestimate yourself. You won't get out of here until you decide to be one of us."

You returned her gaze without blinking, the hardness in your eyes visible and impossible to break. "I will never be one of you. Never."

Lucien straightened up, an eerie laugh pierced the air and made the walls shake. "Your determination is admirable, but you are alone here. Think about how you could join the inevitable change. We could really use your intelligence here," she turned and walked through the threshold before stopping. "I will break you, y/n. And there is no one to stop me from doing so."

With that, the door slammed shut with a dull thud, the locks all locked, leaving you behind. You felt the effects of the drugs you had been given slowly creeping up. A dull numbness fought its way to the forefront and began to permeate your consciousness, and reality warped into a surreal nightmare. The walls seemed to breathe, and the shadows seemed to move as if they had a life of their own. The paintings on the walls whispered in a foreign language you did not understand, and the face of the fallen angel in the sculpture seemed to change in a constant expression of pain and rapture.

You tried to organize your thoughts, but the drugs blurred the line between reality and madness, making you woozy and disoriented. Images from your past kept resurfacing - old cases, unsolved crimes, faces of victims and perpetrators, all mixed together in a kaleidoscope of horror. The voices in your head began to whisper, scream, and laugh as you fought against the looming despair.

Lucien Kane came to you every hour to continue the psychological game she had started with you. Sometimes she would sit quietly next to you and watch you lose your mind, sometimes she would stand in the shadows, watching you from the darkness. Her goal was to break you, and she would take every opportunity to test your mental strength.

"How long do you think you can fight off the madness, y/n?" she asked that evening as she sat down at the desk with a cup of tea and her dinner in hand. Her gaze was intense, her words honeyed, yet full of venom.

You, holding your ground despite the drugs in your system, replied with slurring words and falling slack. "I have seen things in the four years of my service, Lucien, that far exceed your imagination. This is just another fight. And I'm not giving up."

"Interesting," she replied as she took a sip from her cup. "I think you're underestimating the power of the mind again, y/n. If you let it, madness can be liberating."

You knew she was trying to get into your mind to make you doubt yourself. But you refused to give up. The memories of your team, the cases you'd solved, and the victims you'd brought justice to gave you the strength to fight off the further craziness that captivated you.

ᕚ---ᕘ

At headquarters, Emily decided to search your apartment with JJ. They hoped to find clues there that they had missed in the office. After all, they had noticed several times that you took home various folders and pieces of paper that they had never seen before.

"Maybe she has something in her apartment that will help us," said the blonde as she opened the door to your apartment with a separate key that you had given her for security.

Your apartment was tidy, almost clinical, but when the two women entered your study, they immediately recognized the intensity of your obsession with the case. An entire wall was covered with notes, photos and newspaper articles, all related to the Brotherhood.

"Wow," Emily said quietly, stepping closer to examine the details, gently running her fingers over the red wool threads that crisscrossed the wall. "She collected all of this herself?"

JJ nodded, her eyes wandering over the wall. "She was apparently deeper into this case than we thought. It looks like she made connections we hadn't even noticed."

"She took it personally," Emily said, looking at a photo of Lucien Kane that was displayed in A5 format in the middle of the wall. "Maybe she discovered something we missed."

With that, she picked up a notepad that was on your desk and flipped through the pages. "She kept detailed records of the Brotherhood's movements. She knew they were more dangerous than anyone thought."

JJ sighed, her eyes wandering over the countless connections you had made. "That explains why she was so obsessed. She knew these people were a threat to all of America."

"We have to share everything we found here with the others," Emily said firmly. "She was close, and maybe we can pick up where she left off."

With the notes and findings from your apartment, the two returned to headquarters. They knew that the information they had found could be crucial to saving you and stopping the Brotherhood.

But the realization that you were so deeply involved in the case also made them realize that the danger you were in was even greater than they had previously thought. Now that they realized the full extent of your obsession, it was all the more urgent to find you quickly.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team had gathered in the FBI conference room, each of them struggling with the frustration and fear that came with your disappearance. The air was tense and the agents' faces reflected the gravity of the situation.

Spencer Reid sat at his desk, surrounded by a flood of files and notes from the last few months full of clues about the Brotherhood. He stared at his computer screen, tirelessly scouring for information that might point to your whereabouts. The pressure to find his partner was weighing heavily on him. He had let you go alone and not insisted on going with him.

"We need to find out how they could have fooled us. How they could have fooled y/n," Luke Alvarez said, staring at the map that marked the Brotherhood's known activities. "There has to be a clue somewhere that we missed."

"We're dealing with a group that is well organized and highly dangerous," Reid added, flipping through the report you had put together back then. "They managed to hack our system and lure her into a trap."

Tara stood with his arms crossed, his expression thoughtful. "We know that Lucien Kane is the leader and that she is a master manipulator. It is likely that she is using y/n as leverage against us."

"That means they are watching us," Rossi interjected. "Every step we take could bring them closer to their goal and force y/n to her death."

The psychological strain of the case was obvious to the team. They had all been through many difficult cases before, but the personal connection to you made this case particularly challenging. The constant fear that they might be too late haunted them in every decision they made.

"She's strong," Rossi spoke again, his voice determined. "We all know y/n. She's a fighter. But we have to find a way to find her before it's too late."

"We've already checked everything we have-" Luke sighed, and was immediately interrupted by a female voice. "Not everything," JJ said, throwing the files onto your empty desk. "These are y/n's personal files and information gathered from her apartment."

Garcia, who was working tirelessly on her computer, suddenly turned around, her eyes wide with excitement. "I have something! I found her GPS data from her car. It's parked in a remote area on the outskirts of town."

"That could be a lead," Tara thought, immediately setting off. "We have to go there, let's go. If she's in trouble, we might not have much time."

"It could be a trap," Rossi warned, but stood up to rush off as well. "We have to be prepared for anything."

The minutes passed as the team prepared to search the potential hideout. They were aware of the dangers that awaited them. As they left the building, each of them had the seriousness of getting you home safely in their eyes. But deep down they knew that every second counted.

When they reached the remote location fifteen minutes later, they saw your car parked abandoned from afar. The area was gloomy and surrounded by tall trees, giving an eerie feeling of isolation. "It looks like she just left the car here," JJ said, examining the ground around the vehicle.

Emily drew her weapon and signaled the team to stay alert. "Let's split up and check the whole factory. There must be clues somewhere."

Reid spotted the still open door to one of the factories and whistled the others over as he headed inside the building. "This way. It looks like someone went through there."

As they followed Spencer, they came across various machines. Not far from some footprints on the dusty floor, Reid spotted a syringe on an old box that was lying used in the middle. "Oh no..." muttered Emily, who had followed right at his feet and bent down to take a closer look at the find. "That would have disabled them..."

"Damn!" Luke cursed, clenching his fist as he continued to shine the flashlight into every dark corner. "We're too late."

Emily pulled on one of the disposable gloves from her pocket and picked up the syringe, examining it more closely. "We're taking it with us to be sure. But that means she  was here."

The team knew they were dealing with a threat they didn't fully understand, and that the price of any mistake they made could be their colleague's life.

But they were determined to overcome any challenge that stood in their way and free you from the clutches of the Brotherhood. The hunt had begun, and they would not rest until they had achieved what they needed to.

[bluestrawberrybunny]

Garth from @ask-marios-apprentice asks

I got some asks from some from some friends.

Mario: How does your Mario protect the Kingdom. Garth told me that he is not a SUPER Also congratulations on your wedding.

Peach: What is your Kingdoms government like. Is Peach doing a good job. What are relation with other nations.

Meggy: Meggy. Do you remember our mom and dad. Our biological parents I mean. I sometimes have trouble remembering who they were.

Shigeru Miyamoto: how is the Kopai doing. Does tears of the kingdom do well. We need to know if we can release it in tandem with the new switch in 2022

Ricardo (My dad): Ask if they need you also to kill the artist guy like in the universe with the mutants.

My dad was referring to how SMG4 in the @asksmg4hollowau wanted me to kill Axol because he was showing symptoms of an illness

SMG3: why would I ever want to marry that smooth brain knucklehead. I have me, eggdog, and a cafe i almost have a permit for.

Alice (The Fourth SUPER): ask what was the organized syndicate seem like in their 1950s. I want to know if their Alice stayed fully evil.

I'll see if I can find anyone else who wants to ask questions.

SMG4: Pfft. You would totally say that back then.

SMG3: Oh, shut up! ... baka...

SMG5: Ok, so... let's go question by question...

Mario: Okey dokey! Mario protects the kingdom by being Mario!

Luigi: ... he means the whole avatar thing...

Mario: That's what I said-donkey!

Luigi: Basically, the whole SMG4 crew works together for that. But Mario and I have some special abilities due to being our world's avatars.

SMG6: For the second question... um... our Peach here is... uh... we don't talk to her much after... the... um...

SMG5: Since SMG4 got possessed by a demonic keyboard in his pursuit of perfection and destroyed Peach's castle and kind of left her to rot down there for 2 years as some sort of virus mutant beast and then we snuck down there and then you got possessed by the demonic keyboard as well, and then we had to go in and save you and then we finally turned her back to normal but now she's taller and has 4 arms and white eyes and isn't exactly friendly with the crew anymore but will remain civil?

SMG6: Um... yeah... that...

Meggy: Um... no, sadly I don't remember our biological parents either. Sorry...

SMG5: What is Kopai...?

SMG6: I'll take this one, Bunny! It's doing. Although its more known as Nintendo around here. And Tears of the Kingdom is great! But... try not to... announce the title when the Queen of England dies. Yeah? Yeah.

SMG4: *wheeze*

SMG6: Wait! Controller drift! Get that shit fixed or I swear-

SMG4: Ok. That's enough out of you

SMG6: But Dad!

SMG4: Nope. Don't cus out random interdimensional Miyamotos. You can do that enough in our dimension.

SMG6: Ok...

Melony: You'd better not!

Axol: Yeah... I literally just got brought back from the dead a year ago... please don't kill me again...

SMG4: *laughing* Hey 3... wanna answer that last question?

SMG3:

SMG3: No

SMG4: Awwww... :(

SMG3: Listen, if other dimension me is asking why I'd marry SMG4 he's either lying to himself or has 0 feelings towards his SMG4, so... not answering

SMG5: SMG3 HAS HAD A CRUSH ON SMG4 SINCE BEFORE SNOWTRAPPED AND HE SAID THAT HE IS VERY IN LOVE WITH SMG4 AND WOULD DIE AND KILL FOR HIM AND THINKS HE IS ADORABLE AND ACTUALLY FINDS HIS JOKES FUNNY AND WANTS TO SQUISH HIS FACE AND KISS IT ALL DAY!

SMG3: ...

SMG5: I know. I read his diary.

SMG3: ...

SMG5: He also wants to do unspeakable and unholy things to him.

SMG3: I hope you die

SMG5: Damn. Rude.

[merakiui]

I saw your notes on the sk!Floyd piece you have upcoming and that it was nearly an arranged marriage piece. I'm suddenly very interested to hear your thoughts on our fav characters as partners in an arranged marriage! Riddle? Azul? Vil? Scara? Any others?

Oooh arranged marriage is always such a fun trope! I think Love me Not perfectly encapsulates how an arranged marriage with Riddle might go if you're an unwilling participant.

As for others, Azul is most definitely in love with you. The moment the two of you were paired together and you treated him warmly and friendly he fell very hard. >_< he's a greedy tako at heart, so the fact that you have been his since the two of you were young? That already makes everything so perfect. I think he tries his very best to make the arranged marriage work. He does what's necessary and tries his hardest to help you warm up to the idea. It's frustrating at times if you, in his words, "act like a brat" and refuse to sleep in the same bed as him or refuse to wear your wedding band. He pretends like it doesn't hurt and sometimes he treats your rebellion with vindictive pettiness. But mostly he just wants a happy relationship with you, so even if he has to pull some strings and use underhanded methods he'll do whatever it takes.

With Vil it's a process. He treats the relationship like it's in need of some major fixes (and it most definitely does if you're unwilling). From a social perspective, it would be best if the relationship looked wonderful to fans and the media. After all, he'd hate if people started spinning untrue tales about how he's a horrible husband or you're a bad partner or the two of you are a couple destined to fail. As hard on you and others as he can be, Vil genuinely cares. He loves you, even if he may not be as vocal about it in public. But you'll know he cares when he takes time to find common ground with you, to resolve any issues maturely and respectfully, to give you your space if you're upset or angry, to comfort you when you need it, and so on. He handles the arranged marriage perfectly, and hopefully you will come to see that this is a good thing. You will one day; after all, he's not going to let you take that ring off and you certainly won't get rid of him with something like a divorce. He won't allow it.

Omg arranged marriage with Scaramouche... he's insufferable!! So annoying and mean and >:( everything he does makes it seem as though he despises you—as if your very presence ails him in some horrible way—yet when you even allude to separating or leaving he becomes so vicious and demands you drop the subject or else. It's difficult to see any love or care in his actions when he's always so cruel, but there are rare moments in private where he does soften for you, where his voice loses its barbs, and he's considerably kinder. You should take advantage of these moments the most because there's no telling when you'll get to experience them again. Deep down, Scaramouche craves affection from you, but he never knows how to verbalize his innermost desires and he only knows how to terrify and harm others. He's learning how to be nicer with you as he goes (and only you; no one else is privy to the romantic, vulnerable sides of Lord Scaramouche). Of course he still defaults back to his usual defense mechanisms because human emotions are things he never wishes to feel often (yet he does; he always feels them when it comes to you). It's truly a great undertaking to tolerate him in a marriage because he makes it very difficult.

Arranged marriage with Leona is fun because he just doesn't try in the way you think he might. He lets you do your own thing because he understands that this entire arrangement isn't ideal or enjoyable. With him, it's a relationship where the both of you are on a mutual agreement to stay together but to be civil and respectful. He'll let you do whatever you'd like if you let him do his own things; he won't get in your way if you won't get in his way. But that doesn't last for long because Leona is drawn to you. It starts small; he challenges you to chess matches because no one in the palace is good enough to play against him (he always beats them) and you're fresh meat, so entertain him with a few games, yeah? But Leona realizes he likes playing with you a little too much and the following week he's challenging you to more games. If you point this out, he's rather blunt with it: "So what if I enjoy playing you in a few games? You're fun." High praise coming from Mr. Kingscholar. <3 (don't let his dismissive, teasing attitude trick you; he's falling in love with you hehe!!)

[moonlight-tmd]

can you elaborate more on the bee and bulk meeting thing? especially how bee feels when he finds out! pls and thanks ^^

Hahah yeah!

I've talked about this before here but i suppose i can do it again. <3

So, when Bee and Bulkhead met for the first time, the cadets were separated in groups and under the watch of the different officers/teachers (their's was Sentinel).

Bulkhead has seen small cybertronians but never a minibot/minicon. He was so surprised and confused when he heard one of the cadet's names being called out and instead a small yellow Sparkling stepped out of the line before saluting and going back in place. There were few other "Sparklings" in the group but he was most interested in the yellow one named Bumblebee.

The tiny Sparkling seemed distant and always trying to be on his own, the other Sparkling who's name was Wasp along with the bot Ironhide always seemed to bully him. One time he saw them bullying Bee he went over and kindly told them to stop it, only to be insulted with very adult words. Afterwards Bee only told him to frag off before going his way, which was very mean for a Sparkling.

One of the other officers came up to him later asking if he was good (he was sitting all sad and alone in the far end of cafeteria). He told him that he got treated badly by the Sparklings that were somehow running around the complex. That officer couldn't be more bewildered and alarmed until Bulkhead described said Sparklings and their names and the officer told him that no, those aren't Sparklings, those are minibots. Then Bulkhead couldn't be more bewildered when he heard there's a whole another type of frame outside of warframe and civil. To be honest he felt kinda embarrased thinking there was a Sparkling running around the military complex, the government wasn't that stupid.

So, knowing that Bee is not in fact a Sparkling, he has set it his goal to befriend him. He tried his best to appear friendly and said hi to him whenever he saw him. But Bee only told him to leave him alone and avoided him most of the time. That didn't stop Bulkhead from actively searching for him in his free time, few times he even stopped Wasp from doing something awful to him like lock him in the storage unit or splash him with something mildly corrosive. But Bee has never said thank you (rude), he only ran away as fast as he could.

Bulkhead was on his 147th streak of trying to find Bee when he wandered into an area he surprisingly wasn't in before. It appeared to be some sort of observatory on the far end of the complex, in his curiosity of the place he almost missed the tiny sniffles coming from an upper level.

Sure enough, he found Bee, sitting there all alone right in front of the glass and crying.

"Are you okay?" He gently asked as he quietly approached the minibot which took him offguard. "Do you not understand anything that's said to you- I said leave me alone!" Bee barked back while trying to rub his tears away.

"I don't think you want to be alone right now..." Bulkhead spoke softly, making tiny steps closer to Bee. "Yes I do! N-now get the frag out of my sig-ght!" Frag he was starting to cry harder again, he did not want for this gigantic idiot to stare at him pitifully while he's having another breakdown. He was sure he was gonne start laughing at him any moment...

But to his surprise, Bulkhead sat down next to him and pulled him into the gentlest hug one could give. He even pet his back when the sobs got too big for him to control. Bee pulled away as soon as he regained control of himself, Bulkhead expected him to tell him to frag off like he always does but surprisingly Bee stayed quiet.

Bulkhead initiated a small talk between the two, this time Bumblebee spoke to him. Wasp has gotten very cruel on him this time, going as far as breaking into his assigned room and wrecking a havoc. He even stole some of his things and threw them out somewhere. Bee just couldn't handle it anymore... what was the point of even sticking around if all he was getting is hurt?

"...You look like you need a friend." Bulkhead shyly prompted as Bee continued talking about how miserable he was, he still didn't know why or how he was telling this to a complete stranger. "Why?" Bee asked.

"People need friends! My carrier always said that if you're feeling bad you should always go and talk to your friends to feel better- and it's true! I can tell from experience." Bulkhead explained, the cheery side of him briefly appearing before going back to the more calm and composed expression.

"...I never had a friend." Bee confessed, it was true- he never made any connections with anyone that weren't business or to survive. He never saw any point in it, no one was there for him when he needed it so why would one person be different from the other?

"I can be your friend!" Bulkhead happily said earning Bee looking at him with an unclear expression. Bee glanced from place to place, almost as if he was considering it. Bulkhead... he wasn't like the other bots around the camp; he was friendly and looked after him whenever he could. He even took some hits from Wasp to defend him- something that no one has ever done for him.

After a moment of silence Bee returned his gaze to Bulkhead, this time there was a small glimmed of something hopeful in his optics. "...Will you be my friend?"His voice seemed even tinier than his frame.

Bulkhead only smiled warmly before answering. "Of course!"

From then on, Bee wasn't washing Bulk off everytime he saw him. He still was shy for a while but slowly after some time and talking Bulkhead started to see his real colors; how skilled he was, how funny the jokes he made were and most importantly- how talkative he really was. The sad and distant attitude he usually had was replaced by a jolly and sassy if not slightly cocky one. Bee also started telling him about the bad stuff that was happening instead of keeping it to himself, which resulted in them getting closer.

Bulkhead was surprisingly open about personal things with him. He told him about his life at the family farm and his sparklinghood and stuff he did as a youngling with some other young bots there. Bulkhead's Carrier was a warframe and his Sire was civil frame, which explained his size but not really combat build.

Bee didn't tell him anything from his more personal stuff until later on when they got out of boot camp. It was a slow process, getting to know Bee's past, but Bulkhead was patient and let him share things at his own pace. Eventually he got to learn the life Bee had before joining boot camp; that he ran away from a bad orphanage and lived on the streets barely getting by, that he eventually got a dream job he lost few stellar cycles later, that he never had any family or friends to rely on and Bulkhead was the first one he could call a friend- first one he could somewhat trust. It hurt to know that such awful things happened to such amazing person like Bumblebee- but now they were friends and Bulkhead would never willingly let anything bad happen to him again.

As for the 'Bee finding out what Bulk's first impression of him was' part; i think at some point after they get on Earth they would play a game like 20 questions with Sari and Bulkhead would confess the little secret he kept for decades.

Bee. could not. have felt more betrayed (in a way)- like, is he that bad at being an adult?? I mean of course he's not very adult-y and the youngest of them all (besides Sari) but he is a full-grown adult! The fact Bulkhead literaly NEVER saw a minibot is no excuse! Hmph!

Sari is just laughing her ass off in the corner, lol.

[homestuckreplay]

> WV: Invent Canscription.

(page 718-721)

If you journeyed into a mysterious bunker, and then found from a cryptic and powerful computer that in four hours and thirteen minutes a mysterious fate would befall you and/or the place you’re hiding out, what would you do? Would you leave immediately, for self preservation? Or would you make the most of every minute you have to stay out of the desert sun, drink a bunch of free soda and play pretend games?

WV has the right idea. They’ve even invented a few new cans for themself (p.719) – pickles, bamboo shoots, radishes, seaweed, artichokes, and a hat, which is definitely an empty can on some sort of base. I think it’d be really cute if HAT was part of a longer word on the can, similar to how WV turned MAYO into MAYOR, but the best I can come up with is CHATEAUBRIAND, and I honestly don’t see WV as a fancy steak kind of person.

Today’s page is a short but very fast paced animation of the Wayward Vagabond completely losing track of time, playing chess against themself and winning, interspersed with flights of fancy about Can Stuff. It’s good. They’re still guzzling cans of Tab, probably becoming more and more caffeinated, which accounts for the fast pace and the jaunty ‘Vagabounce’ theme. However, it’s much harder to notice everything that’s happening when the images flash by so fast, even on multiple watches – I had to take screencaps to really get some of the details. And I’m glad I did because the moment when a can of Tab goes ‘vroom’ as it rides down Can Blvd is a delight.

What I really want to do is slow this down to ¼ speed, write down all the moves WV makes, and figure out if they’re actually good at chess. I’ll probably do this later in the week – if chess is synonymous with war in Homestuck, then figuring out WV’s skill level at chess could hint at how much combat training they have and what their role in the war might have been.

WV’s part of the story is absolute tonal whiplash. Homestuck is this in general, but it feels more blatant with WV. On page 711 the narrator says, ‘It's not like emptying a can kills it or anything. They are just cans after all.’ as part of a beautiful statement of the radical inclusivity of Can Town, an idyllic place ‘based on mutual respect between the leader and its people’ where ‘everyone is friendly and happy’ (p.686). And then on page 720, the residential and commercial zones for up and coming young cans become an army training ground as all cans are forcibly drafted into the military by their ostensibly democratic leader, engaging in what feels more like a civil war than a training exercise since there’s really nothing to defend against.

My theory, right now, is that WV is trying to overcome their programming. As a Sburb NPC, ideas like seeing the chessboard as the only logical pattern, believing that a community will always militarize, and the forces of darkness winning an eventual conflict, are all literally coded into WV’s design. The whimsy, the imagination, the love of a color that isn’t black or white, the interest in democracy, are unique to WV and are signs of a real consciousness. The sudden shifts in their focus and in the tone of these pages represent the shifts back and forth between these states of mind. The firefly encased in amber, which WV seems to have become attached to, represents who they want to become – its golden glow echoes the luminous planet, where they’d like to be, instead of the ominous planet they’re trying to escape.

Also ‘free up all the canpower’ and ‘your forces will be a well oiled machine’ (p.720) are both excellent puns. Yeah those cans are well oiled alright.

[alterrune]

Emperors Abyss

Mission 2 of 6: Golden Handshake

Details: The Toppat Radical’s had just torn up a city just so they could eliminate one of the Toppat Clan’s High Ranking Leaders, Édouard Labarthe. The city has been reduced to nothing but a warzone, and GEOGRAM Personnel is attempting to keep Édouard safe. We need the full support of the Toppat Clan for this mission. Édouard is in an armored vehicle and we are attempting to extract him by the beach via air transport. We will need 2 members of the Colorstreak Battalion in Aircraft, another 2 in Ground Vehicles, and 1 with the VIP Édouard in his personal vehicle.

Complications:

Enemies Unmarked: The Toppat Radical’s has used jammers to block out satellite links. Because of this, all allies and enemies are marked as unknown and difficult to identify to due toe time of day being night, let alone the massive storm taking place. You must manually identify Toppat Clan Members (Friendly), GEOGRAM Personnel (Friendly), and Toppat Radicals (Enemy). This goes over to ground personnel, aircrafts, vehicles, and boats.

Defend VIP: Édouard is valuable for the operation against The Toppat Radicals, he must be protected at all costs. If he dies, the mission is a failure.

Enforcers: Terence has equipped his people with protective armor and weaponry, they’re not screwing around just trying to kill Édouard, be careful and do not let your guard down.

CHAPTER 3, ACT 6: THE ABYSS DEEPENS

(Alter and Vi are in the air, Henry and Ellie are on the ground, and I'm in the VIP car defending Édouward. We marked all members of GEOGRAM and the Toppat Clan as "Friendly" before we left. However, this man is very---)

Hey! Do not ignore me! Why are you just staying silent, huh? Explain zat, mon ami!

(---yeah, that. Annoying. Annoying the ever-loving piss out of me. He's constantly trying to belittle me. And I'm about one insult before I---)

Are you deaf, you stupid fool?! I asked you to explain yourself!!!

(---y'know what? FUCK. THIS. SHIT. I immediately slam the breaks on the vehicle and turn to him with my gun aimed dead-center at his forehead.)

Unless you want to meet your maker right here and now, I suggest you shut your fucking piehole before I shut it myself.

Meep.

That's what I thought. Now, do us all a favor and SHUT UP ALREADY.

(I immediately turn the vehicle back on, but it seems as though Terence's lackeys have caught up to us. However, it seems Alter and Vi have a way to get us out of this.)

Kyle! There's a tanker up ahead of the Radical's fleet!

Shoot at it and they should scatter.

(Me, Henry and Ellie all shoot at the tankers...which EXPLODE, taking out the Radicals' vehicles. Luckily, the armored vehicles withstand the explosion and continue moving.)

Oh man, I thought it was a WATER truck...

Was that a refrence to Captain America: Civil War, Vi?

Hey, you're not the only one who can pull pop-culture references outta their ass!

Okay, we should be reaching the extraction point now! How about we have a little fun in the sun before we go?

Don't have to tell me twice, Henry! Let's go!

(Whoo boy, that took a bit, but we did it! And I got to give that snooty, hoity-toity, holier-than-thou fuckface a reality check, too, so I feel like this was worth my time. Mission accomplished, bitches.)

CHAPTER 3, ACT 6 COMPLETE!

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "Beach Party"

DISPLAYING EPILOGUE...

What do you mean, "Édouward escaped"?!

Just what I said, sir.

You bloke. I oughta choke you out and fuckin' replace you with someone who can do better.

Jerry. Why am I not suprised you're with him...?

(As if by magic, Earl Grey appears, who wasn't expecting to see his brother working with Terence, but isn't terribly suprised by it.)

Earl, get out of my sight. I am not your brother anymore.

Oh, trust me, feeling's fucking mutual. After you betrayed GEOGRAM the way you did, I have a hard time considering we were EVER related.

What the hell are you---

(Earl holds up his hand as if to say "Silence, I'm still talking.")

But, I digress. I'm here to deliver this to Terence. A note, courtesy of the Colorstreak Battalion. The five of them have asked you all to go fuck yourselves. Goodbye, Jerry, you disgrace of a brother.

(Earl leaves as Terence unfolds the note.)

Hey, Terence! We're currently enjoying a day at the beach, sipping some beverages and enjoying some food here, celebrating YOUR latest loss at our hands. If you really think you can win this, then buckle up, motherfucker. Because this ride's about to get real bumpy.

Hope to see you in hell,

Kyle Gibbons ✍🏼

Alterrune 🔺

Violet Wolfsbane 💜

Henry Stickmin 🔵

Ellie Rose 💕

(Terence crumples up the note in anger, then tosses it in his jacket pocket.)

GODDAMNIT! Alright, c'mere, Jerry. You're gonna initate the next part of our plan.

But, sir, we don't exactly know what's ahead of us and---

DID I STUTTER, YA DAFT FUCKER?! GET OFF YA FUCKIN' DUFFS, GET ON YA FUCKIN' KNACKERS, AND GET TA FUCKIN' WORK!

YES SIR!!!

(Jerry hasn't seen Terence snap like that before. Whatever is going on is leaving Terence in a worse mood than usual...but just what could it be?)

I SAID---!

YES SIR, I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!

(Finding out what it is, however, will clearly have to wait until Terence is in a better mood.)

END OF EPILOGUE

[aladaylessecondblog]

Red Mountain Waffle House, pt. 4 ("The Hand")

Sadara kept the corprus thing under wraps. She told Jiub--but no one else.

"Well if that doesn't suck shit I don't know what does," he said through the cigarette dangling from his lips, "You okay? Gonna need me to shank you before you go crazy? When did you get bitten, a couple days ago?"

"A few months, actually," she said, "That's the strange part, I haven't had any symptoms. Not a rash or a boil or anything."

There was a pause. He flicked the cigarette, opened the baggie before him, and set it on the table.

"You got the papers?"

"Do I have the papers..." Sadara scoffed. "With the week I've had I don't think I'll ever forget them again!"

She handed over the bag and Jiub set them out and started rolling their weed into joints.

"Makes me wonder why we ever decided to come here, y'know. We could be doing pretty good just killing cliffracers."

"Yeah, and sleeping outside and in all conditions...I don't want to do that again. Ever." Sadara sighed, and checked on the ash yam stew on the stove, giving it a few stirs before coming back. "Like it wasn't bad, and this time we were choosing to do it, but..."

"But you're sick of it and want a permanent roof over your head. Even if it's just this shithole."

"Exactly. See, you understand me so well."

It was a friendship that went back to when they were both young and hungry. Easier to be poor when you had someone to watch your back and help you out when you needed it. And though they'd parted a few times due to one thing or another, they usually ended up watching each other's back again. Sometimes people thought they were dating, and she'd asked him once, but Jiub didn't seem interested. Didn't like girls, but didn't seem to like guys, either...

He was always good to pretend he was her boyfriend to put off the creeps, though.

"Yeah, maybe I'm a bit tired of it too, I'll be honest...fighting and scraping and trying to heal up from all the fights with cliffracers...like...I can buy healing potions and all, but who's to say we don't get got by a pack of them at some point?"

"So we work at a restaurant where we only get shit from people on two legs."

It wasn't THAT bad, really. The corprus monsters left her alone now, and why that was she couldn't figure out. Maybe having it made them think of her as just another one of them?

There'd be time to debate over it. She'd just have to keep an eye on it, and pray it didn't get any worse than it already was.

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

"Hey, hey, Greg, how ya doing?" Jiub waved as the imperial walked through the door. "So you finally decided to join us in civilization?"

"Something like that," Greg laughed. He was a fairly jovial sort, and the one with a fairly large house (how he owned it inside the Ghostfence was a mystery to everyone) and thus the guy who held all the best house parties. To be friendly with him was always a good idea, even if they weren't entirely sure if he wasn't Sanguine's avatar or something. "You two gonna be free in two weeks? Say, Saturday?"

"What's happening saturday?"

"What d'you think's happening? We'll have ale and sujamma, but if you can bring a little green that'll be appreciated."

"Can't get ahold of any?" Sadara took his order for a waffle and some eggs and stayed at his table as Jiub went to work cooking. "Or you just want some to mellow out?"

"A little of both, it's been harder to get and Jiub's always had a way with the stuff. Oughta grow your own...or maybe you do already, in which case keep up the good work."

Sadara handed him the coffee and plate once Jiub was done cooking. "He's got a green thumb. Me...me, mine's pure black, inside and out. Except for that plant on the windowsill. The local cult leader seems to think I'm Nerevar returned because he was like that too."

"Is that so? Well, that guy's a bit isolated...he'll turn up to a party now and then, but mainly to--"

The door bell jingled and in walked a pair of ordinators. One of them same as Sadara had tossed out before, and she immediately tensed on sight of him.

"At least there's none of those things in here tonight," the mer said, "You'd probably welcome them with open arms."

She didn't respond.

Greg paid and left shortly afterwards, saying he'd give them specifics on when to turn up later. Sadara went over to the ordinators' table.

"And what will the two of you be having?"

The first one was muted, tired, and asked just for some sausage and eggs. The angry one glared up at her, "A Temple-fearing waitress would be a good thing to have, but obviously we're both out of luck now, aren't we?"

"To eat, sir." Her tone was icy, and she could see the temper broiling beneath the man's severe expression.

"Coffee, and eggs."

She took the order and walked back to her place. Shortly after, Ulen entered, and the ordinators tensed up.

"Ulen, it's good to see you again," Sadara said, "The sky looks like it's been threatening to rain all day, does that mean you expect to see..."

"Ah, not today, most likely," Ulen replied. "He has much to handle at home. Something has livened him up and we are all happier for it."

His gaze such as it was, turned to hers.

"YOU again," the ordinator snarled from the corner. When his food was ready a moment later, he was still seething. "I don't care if his money spends well, suppose the ordinators stopped coming here because you're obviously in with the Dagoths?"

"I'm not in with ANYONE," Sadara replied, "It's economics. They spend more than you anyway, it wouldn't be much of a loss."

"How DARE--"

"Can we not right now?" his partner said, "We're off duty, they're not violent, it's not worth the fight."

"The duty never ceases."

A groan.

Ulen didn't acknowledge them, and spoke instead to Sadara. "Your arm, it is healed?"

"Yes. Where did you--oh, right. He must've told you. Please tell me he doesn't have me watched."

"He DOES want to be sure his Nerevar doesn't come to harm."

"HIS Nerevar?" Sadara gave a laugh, and then not wanting to appear rude quickly added, "I'm sorry, it's just a ridiculous idea to me. Me, who's never been to Morrowind before the ship brought me here, and he thinks I'm the incarnate of Nerevar--"

"He thinks you're WHAT?"

The last sentence, spoken perhaps a bit too loud, had caught the ordinator's attention. He stood up so quickly his plate was turned over and clattered to the floor.

"The SHARMAT thinks you're Nerevar," the ordinator charged forward and grabbed her by the collar, "Now you've reached the point of outright heresy and that I CANNOT ignore."

"Get the fuck off me, you creep!" Sadara moved and kneed him in the crotch.

The ordinator let go, but slapped her with his right hand a moment later. "The Temple will know. And the Temple will do to you what they do to ALL those who think to call themselves Nerevarine!"

Sadara decked him then, and dragged him outside, hearing only a faint, "I tell him not to do this shit" from the ordinator's partner, who kept calmly drinking his coffee.

"I'm not Nerevar, but I'll damn sure kick your ass like I was!" She ducked a fireball from the ordinator and gave him another hit on the jaw. The fight that followed was confusing - she would recall afterwards getting cut by his blade, getting knocked in the head, sitting on his chest and punching his face bloody, but nothing more than that. What she did remember was going back inside to clean up.

Ulen came forward to heal the cut, and she thanked him. Gladly, the ordinator's partner left soon after, saying "he just gets like this" and both of them did not return to cause more trouble.

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

A few days later, Sadara's black eye had come in in full bloom, and she had to get a pair of shades to cover it up. The mail tracking app said the package was due to be delivered today, and she went out to the mailbox to check.

Except there wasn't one package, there was two. One was definitely the sunglasses marked "Tiber Mart", but the other was wrapped in postal paper, tied with twine, and marked only with "A Gift" in the most cursive, flourished, show-offy handwriting possible.

She brought them both inside, and after checking that the sunglasses covered up her black eye well enough she looked to the other box. A Gift. What in the hells?

Sadara pulled the end of the twine and tore off the paper. The box was neat and expensive looking, but the scent was horrendous, and for a minute she considered tossing it out. The ordinators might've sent her a stinkbomb, or something poisonous, maybe...

Against her better judgement she opened the lid.

And screamed.

There, within the box, was the bloody, rotten, bonemold gauntleted hand of an ordinator.

[huffle-dork]

Swap Across the CrystalVerse Chapter 12: The Facility

Read Swapboys | Crystal’s AUs| JSEFacility

Read SITCV | SATCV Masterpost | AO3 Link

Alt lands hard on the ground. He's in front of a row of doors with numbers on them--a motel, one of the ones where the room doors open directly into the outside. It's really run-down looking, with peeling paint and stains on the ground. A cracked asphalt car lot holds only a couple cars. The sky is alight, pink and orange with either sunset or sunrise. Distant traffic noises come from somewhere. It's not clear where, as the only sign of other civilization is a road heading left and right. 

Alt pushes himself up and groans, rubbing at his head. He looks around the area and cringes a bit. He recognizes a place like this… cheap motel for a quick rest on a dirty bed that probably smelt like cigarettes. He glitches to his feet and glances around the area, trying to see what else is around. He’s not eager to stay in a place like this.

Suddenly, someone leans through the nearest door. Leans through is the right way of putting it, as the door doesn't open at all and the figure passes straight through it. The figure is transparent, reminiscent of the ghost Chase they just saw, but completely monochrome instead of that strange white-tinted coloring. Even though the figure is a bit blurry and flickering, some details can be made out. The man has a thick mustache and is wearing a T-shirt over a button-up shirt. 

Alt screeches in surprise and slight fear as he glitches back, away from the figure. He stares with wide eyes at him and blinks rapidly, trying to process what he’s seeing. That’s- JJ.

The monochrome man’s eyes land on Alt and he smiles in a friendly way, giving a little wave before pulling back into the room.

But then he just- disappears back into the room. Alt just kinda stares at the door- wondering if that was an… invitation or just a coincidence.

After a moment passes, the door opens a little bit, just wide enough for a person to appear in the gap. It's a guy, with brown hair pulled back into a small ponytail, wearing a baggy red hoodie and a blue bandanna around his neck. His eyes are green. And there seems to be a slight green glow coming from the room, too. 

"Uh..." he says. "Where'd you come from?"

Alt glitches a bit in place and waves stiffly. “Uh- hi! I uh… kinda just… fell here. It’s a long story… sorry though, didnt mean to uh… loiter.” He blinks at the green light behind him and slightly points. “…I’m assuming you know your room is glowing-“

The man tenses a little. "Y-yeah, yeah, I know. Uh... hi. Hi. Um..." He looks back into the room for a moment, and then turns back to Alt. "My friend is saying you should come inside. So... come inside?"

Alt looks around and turn slowly nods. “Um.. alright.” He gingerly steps through the door, smiling awkwardly.

"Alright." The man steps aside. 

The room beyond is small, with just a little bit of walking space in between the two beds, the night stand, and a small table. At the back are two ajar doors, one leading to a closet and one to a bathroom. The patterned wallpaper looks like it's from the 70s or earlier, and has some water stains on it. 

The ghostly JJ is still there, and he waves at Alt again. Along with him and the man in the red hoodie, there are two others. A man with square glasses, wearing a blue turtleneck and a pair of gloves. And a man wearing a snapback cap and red scarf, the ends of his brown hair holding the remains of yellow-green eye. That man is holding a toy dart gun in both hands. He also has... scars all over his arms. Straight and regular. There's also one crossing his eye and one crossing his neck. Wait a minute? Where's the green glow coming from? ...Oh. It's coming from the guy in the red hoodie, who hurriedly closes the door. 

Alt’s eyes widen as he takes in all the people in here. JJ, Jackie he’s guessing opened the door and… that looks like Chase. So many scars… does he have as many as Bro? Or even more? 

"So," says the man in the turtleneck, fidgeting with his gloves. "Who are you, then?"

“Oh um… I’m Alt. Alt Brody? I’m a magician… from another world.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets and fidgets nervously.

"Another world?" the man in the hoodie repeats. "You mean like in comic books? So that's real?" 

The man in the turtleneck frowns. "Does that make sense?" 

"I mean... we've seen weirder stuff," the man in the cap says slowly. 

It's true, the ghostly man says. He and his friends appeared out of nowhere and they'll disappear just as suddenly. 

"I trust J3 on this," the man in the hoodie says. 

"It is just a bit hard to believe," the man in the turtleneck says, doubt clear in his voice. "What if this is a trick?" 

"I don't think it's any harder to believe than the rest of our lives," the man in the cap mutters.

Alt looks at the man in the turtleneck. “I mean… it’s not a trick. I’m from a parallel world… one where… I’m friends with people who look a lot like all of you.”

Alt looks between everyone as they talk, getting more and more confused. “Wait… how do you know we’ll … do that?” He asks the ghostly man. Then he looks to the hoodied man, “J…3?” 

"That's J3," the hoodied man points at the ghostly man. 

The ghostly man waves. He reaches up to his neck, grabbing the collar of his shirt-- 

"J3!" The man in the cap hurriedly steps in front of him. "We can't just--" 

J3 steps right through the man and shows Alt something. A tattoo on either side of his neck. A series of letters and numbers. 

J3110. 

And I know it will happen because I'll be there when it does, J3 says. 

The man in the turtleneck sighs. "You are just confusing him more."

Alt staggers back, eyes wide as he sees J3 step through the other man and show his neck. He’s at a loss for words. It’s like… a brand. “C-Can… can you see the future…?” He asks quietly.

J3 nods. In a way. I don't exist in just one time at once. I know it's hard to understand. 

"You just have to accept that he knows things sometimes," the man in the cap says. 

Alt blinks a lot more at this, “…woah. That’s… insane.” He says to J3. 

"You said We're friends in another world?" The hoodied man smiles and looks around at the others. "Do you guys hear that? We're all friends in another world!" His excitement is almost contagious.

Alt’s head whips to the hoodied man and he blinks almost comically at his enthusiasm. He laughs quietly. “Y-Yeah… you are. Are you… not friends now…?”

"Well, I think we are!" the man in the hoodie says. "I mean--we're sort of new to it. We didn't have that much time to get to know each other." 

The man in the turtleneck chuckles. "I think we are friends, yes. Even if M is being a bitch right now." 

"I'm just so happy to hear that we're still friends in other places," the hoodied man says, beaming. "We don't know an 'Alt' right now, but maybe we'll meet you someday!"

Alt can’t help but smile. “Well… that’s good to hear… I mean to be fair… I’ve only known my friends for like… a year or so? Maybe two? So… I get it.” 

Alt does seem to cringe a bit at them not knowing an Alt and grips at his arm. “I mean… do you … know an Anti…?” He asks quietly.

"Anti?" the hoodied man repeats. "That's a weird name. I mean--no offense." 

Alt laughs and shakes his head, “None taken. I made it up when I was like 4.” 

The man in the cap blinks. "That's... what A called himself... one time." 

The man in the turtleneck looks back at him. "What? When did you hear him say that, C?" 

"While we were leaving. Wh-when me and J were alone with him for a while." C swallows a lump in his throat. A moment passes. 

"Well that doesn't mean anything," the hoodied man says firmly. "Alt here is clearly different. He's not trying to stab us."

Alt listens to the others and sighs, “that’s what I was afraid of… my parallels in other places seem to be very… stabby. And fucked up.” He tries to process all of this and then looks up at everyone. “Wait.. do you all… just go by letters? All of you?”

"Heh. Unfortunately." C pulls away the scarf he's wearing, revealing tattoos reading C1104. "This is all we really have to go off." 

The man in the hoodie removes his bandanna next. J1007. 

Then, reluctantly, the man in the turtleneck pulls down his shirt, revealing H1509. 

"I'm J1, by the way," says the one in the hoodie. "J is someone else."

Alt seems to pale slightly, looking at all their tattoos. “N…no way. You guys don’t… even know your names?? Just a letter? H…how? How did that happen?”

"Well if we knew that we'd be calling each other our names," C mutters. 

J3 sighs. There is... a company in this world. A corporation. They like to control unusual things. Including people. But people prove hard to work with, so they remove their memories. 

"J3 was only a partial success, though," H says. "Due to his... state." 

But even though I know more about the world and what happened, I don't know any personal details of who I was before, J3 clarifies.

Alt looks heartbroken for them, his chest aching. Seeing versions of his friends reduced to just… letters and numbers. Things to control and… experiment with. Just like how SCLERA saw him and chase…! 

He’s quiet for a couple beats before he softly says, “…I could tell you… I could tell you your names. If… if you wanna know…”

The group falls silent, their eyes going wide in shock. None of them were expecting this. Even J3 seems a little surprised. 

"I... are you sure they are the same?" H asks. 

“Pretty sure…” Alt says. “I’ve been… to a lot of parallel worlds. I know all your faces. Every name has been pretty much the same…” 

C fidgets. "Um... s-someone called me... something once. It might... be true... So... I don't think it's fair that I might know and you guys don't." 

J1 takes a step back. "Um... I-I don't... I..." He shakes his head. "We should all be here when you do that. M and J aren't here, a-and only J3's shadow is." 

"And... it is strange, but... it feels like cheating," H says. "Perhaps... you can offer again, later. Perhaps things will be different then."

Alt nods but he looks… uncomfortable. It’s so strange to be around people who just… don’t even have names. “‘Course- wherever you guys want.” 

Alt does knit his eyebrows together though, “Okay then… random question. If this is J3 and you’re J1 … who’s J2?”

"Oh, there's not one," J1 says. "There's just J, J1, and J3." 

"They are nicknames derived from our subject identifications," H says, indicating the neck tattoos again. "There was never one starting with J2 at the facility." 

"Which is weird," C says. 

No, because the numbers are dates, J3 say. It just means they didn't pair up a J with someone they brought in on a 20th of a month. 

"Ohhh. Still weird. But less weird."

"Ohhh okay.... that makes sense," Alt says. He looks around the room again and then asks, "...so... why are you all just- holed up in a motel room? and you said that ...M and J weren't here? Any idea where they are?"

The group exchanges uneasy glances. J3 leans against the wall, waiting for others to do the talking. 

Finally, C sighs and sets the toy gun down on the night stand. “We… escaped from somewhere. A facility run by this corporation J3 mentioned. Th-they’re still looking for us, so we’re hiding from them. And running. We… needed somewhere to sleep, so…” He gestures around at the room. 

"Oh..." Alt mumbles quietly. "I'm... so sorry. I... kinda know the feeling but... not as bad as you guys have it." 

“J got left behind,” J1 says quietly. “He’s still back there. W-we we’re talking about going back for him. But, uh, when we brought it up…” 

“M started acting like a little bitch baby and left,” H grumbles. “He took the van we were using, too. J3 went with him—which I know is confusing considering J3 is right here—” J3 waves. “—but think of him as a version from the future, and our current J3 left.” 

“I mean… I don’t blame M for freaking out,” C says. “But still. Did he have to take the van?”

Alt sighs and rubs his head. "Well... it was nice meeting you all but... if you're in hiding I don't want to expose you all... I need to find my brother and my friend... and a dangerous man who's been brought with us here."

“A dangerous man…?” J1 says. “Ooo! We can help! We’re like—we can be superheroes, yknow?!” 

J3 nods. I know where your friends appeared. 

“Of course you do,” J1 laughs. “Where?” 

With M. 

“Of fucking course,” H mutters.

Alt blinks in surprise. "...that is like- super freaky. But... helpful!" He laughs. "If you guys wanna help... I'm all for it. Hey- maybe we can get you your van back." 

“Love to get the van back,” C mutters. “I don’t think M knows how to drive. I think I’m the only one.”

He then turns to J1 and studies him. "You said you're... like superheroes? What can all of you do?"

“Ooo! Well I am super strong!” J1 bends over and easily lifts up the end on the bed. 

“Careful, do not make too much noise,” H says. 

“I’m careful!… these days.” J1 gently sets the bed down. “I can also be pretty fast but I have to build up to that speed. And I glow, obviously, and I make people less sad! And then H can heal people while touching them, and C can’t die, and you know about J3’s time thing, and M, when we find him, can do a ton of stuff, he can move stuff without touching and make things suddenly appear and disappear and heat up things—well I guess it’s just those three things when you boil down to it—” 

“Jeez, J1, give him some space to talk,” C laughs.

Alt looks impressed and he laughs shaking his head. "Don't worry I'm used to that. Ch- My brother and... my friend are just like that. But, awesome! That'll all be really helpful. The dangerous man- his name is Magnificent... he's a dark magician from my world that is constantly looking for power and he doesn't care who he hurts to get it. Though hm... I dunno if what you guys can do counts for what he's looking for..."

"Ooooo, a magician," J1 repeats, looking excited. "It's really like in the comic books!" 

"Well, uh, if we don't count, then we might be helpful," C says. "It means he wouldn't be targeting us? Maybe?" 

Alt chuckles at J1's excitement. So much like Jackie... "Yeah... he uh... also goes after his parallels... which I'm pretty sure is M so... best we find them." Alt says quietly. 

"In any case, if your friends appeared near M, we need to find him," H says. "J3? Where did you guys go?" 

Turn right when leaving the motel and head straight that way, J3 says. And then, abruptly, he disappears. 

C blinks. "Just when the shadows start giving you good information, they fade away every time. Well. At least we know where to head."

Alt blinks too as J3 disappears and then laughs, "Guess that happens a lot then."

"Yeah, they don't tend to stick around," J1 says. "The actual guy does, who we'll meet soon if we're finding M." 

"Great. Let's go, then." H heads into the bathroom, reappearing with a small black bag slung over one shoulder. "We don't have much to take with us." 

"Yeah." C walks over to the closet and grabs a backpack from the floor inside. "Do you think we should be worried about M? If this Magnificent guy is going after him, I mean." 

"M can take care of himself," J1 says. "I think he can handle his own. Not sure if he'd win, though... so that's why we're going." 

"Hope you do not mind walking," H says to Alt.

Alt chuckles, "I mean... I can try to glitch us- but I dunno how close I can get if we don't know exactly where he is..."

J1 looks confused. "Glitch...?" 

"Do you... appear and disappear?" C asks. "Like--teleporting? And it looks all, uh, pixelly and stuff?"

Alt laughs and then glitches from one side of the room back to where he was, "Pretty much yeah~!" He smirks.

"Ooooo!" J1 gasps. 

"That can come in very handy," H agrees. 

C tilts his head. "A could do that too... but I think it mostly traveled through, like, electrical systems and stuff. And you can... take other people? Huh." 

"I can... kinda do that too. But, I try not to do it too often... messes with my brain and shit." Alt says, hunching up in his hoodie. 

"But we do not know where he is, so I do not think we could go right there," H says. 

C sighs. "You're right. We're gonna have to walk." 

"It's gonna be a nice day, though!" J1 says cheerfully. "So let's get to it!" 

Alt chuckles, "Walking's fine. Let's get going then."

----------- 

Bro and Jackie fall together, landing in a patch of tall grass. It looks like it's around sunrise. On one side of them are some scraggly trees forming a rough forest. On the other side of them is a long single-lane road. A van has pulled off the side of this road, parked directly on a dirt spot by it. It's a white van that looks like it had a logo once, but which was covered up by household off-white paint.

Bro groans and rubs at his head, blearily looking around at the surroundings. 

Jackie lays on the ground for a minute, sighing. "Dude... I'm so tired. I think after this I'm gonna sleep for like ... a week." 

Bro chuckles, "Maybe you'll actually fix your sleep schedule this time." 

"Doubtful." Jackie smirks and then pushes himself up. He looks around, squinting. "Why the fuck are we in the middle of nowhere?" 

"Near a freaking- creepy van too..." Bro comments, pointing it out. 

"... I hope they don't offer us candy- or a puppy." Jackie tries to joke.

The doors at the back of the van open up, and a man hops out. He’s wearing a white button up shirt underneath a blue T shirt, and has a thick mustache. His eyes land on the two of them, and he freezes. 

Then immediately climbs back into the van and closes the doors again.

Bro and Jackie blink at the sight of the man and watch him climb back into the van. They're silent for a second. 

"...that looked like Jay." Jackie says. 

"No yeah 100%." Bro replies. 

"...should we... I dunno... knock?" 

"I dunno- what's proper etiquette for trying to enter someone's van?" Bro makes a face, "...Now I sound like Jays." 

Jackie giggles.

The man doesn’t appear again. Nothing else moves.

After a bit of waiting, Bro finally sighs and gets up, moving towards the van. Jackie trails nervously behind him. 

Bro hesitates, then knocks on the van door. "Uh- hello?" Bro tries to call.

Suddenly, the van door bursts open again. A different person stands there, a man with shoulder-length hair wearing a loose long-sleeved shirt. He glares at Chase and Jackie. His eyes are strange. Normal blue, but with strands of white light dancing across the surface, like sunlight through water. 

“Don’t fucking talk to me C, J1!” he snaps. “I don’t care what you say! I’m not coming with you! I’m not going back! Sorry that you wasted the trip out here, but fuck off!”

Bro and Jackie both step back with wide eyes. 

Bro puts up his hands in a calming gesture. "Woahhh! Hey I uh- dunno who those... guys are? But- not them! I'm Chase- and this is my friend Jackie? We uh... saw someone we thought we recognize go into that van and so we uh... wanted to see?"

The man pauses. His eyes flick over the two of them, taking in the details. And he starts to look confused. He turns over his shoulder and looks back into the van. “It’s not them,” he whispers, too quietly for Jackie’s non-super ears to pick out. “I don’t know. Are they going to hurt us? Well go check!”

Bro tilts his head. He calls, "We're not gonna hurt you! We just... wanna know where we are. And uh... well- see if you guys can help us? We need to find some people but we're kinda lost?"

The man tenses, looking back at Bro. “Wha—no, you didn’t hear that! You didn’t hear that!” He suddenly closes the van doors. 

Bro balks as the door gets slammed in his face.

"...I think these guys might be a tad bit paranoid-" Jackie whispers. Bro tries to hide a laugh.

Then, a moment later, the doors open again, and now the man from before is in front while the second one lingers in the background. 

Can you understand me? he asks in sign language. 

Bro perks up as the first man pops back in. He nods, "Yeah I can! We both can understand sign language." He gestures to Jackie who is still lurking behind him, almost like a shy child.

The first man sighs. I’m sorry about my friend’s reaction. He’s not good with people, and you look like some guys we know who he argued with. If we can help, I’d like to. You’re looking for someone?

Bro deflates in relief and he smiles. "Yeah... we're looking for my little brother. Andddd someone... not so great. A villain. Tho we did just drop in so... I don't think he's gotten into too much trouble yet." He sticks his hands in his pockets. "We just... need to know where we can go to start looking for them. Cuz- I dunno where the hell we are."

We’re sort of isolated right now, the man says. But there’s a town back there. He points down the road. 

“The town’s called Mooridge, I think,” the other guy mutters. He brushes back his hair absentmindedly, and for a moment, the guys catch a glimpse of some sort of black mark on his neck. A tattoo of some kind. 

We haven’t seen anyone else, the first one says. But it is early in the day. We were asleep for a while. We could have missed someone.

"Ah, that makes sense." Bro nods. "Well- sorry to disturb you both. I guess we'll head that way." 

Jackie looks at Bro and then tugs on his jacket pulling him back to whisper to him, "What are you doing? Shouldn't we be... I dunno- sticking with these two? They're... kinda our friends. And they know how this world works!" 

"They clearly don't want to be around anyone, Jackie! I'm sure we can manage on our own..."

The two in the van stare at Bro, and the first looks at the second. 

“Can you check?” the second asks. “They’ve already seen my eyes.” 

The first one nods. And something flickers. It looks like a copy of him, monochrome and blurry, walks away from him and fades into nothing. Then another one of those copies comes back and walks over to him.

Bro and Jackie stop their conversation to stare wide eyed at the blurry copies coming and going off the first man. 

"...am I hallucinating?" Jackie breathes. 

"Nooo I see it too. W-What the hell?" Bro whispers. "Uh... w-what are you... checking, exactly?" 

I hope you’re not offended by this, but I was checking to see if you were telling the truth when you said you wouldn’t hurt us, the first man says. 

“And?” The other prompts. 

They’re not. 

The other man breathes a sigh of relief. 

The first one sits down, legs dangling out of the open doorway. Are you two really from another universe? 

“Wha—” the other man chokes in surprise.

The swaps exchange confused glances but kinda just shrug it off- until the first one asks his question. Bro and Jackie also choke slightly- eyes wide. 

"How... How did you know that??" Jackie asks, flabbergasted.

You’ll talk about it a lot in the future, the first man says. 

“J3, are you sure this is safe to talk about?” The second man asks. 

Yes, I trust the three of them.

"You can see the future??" Bro gasps, then smiles, "Just like Jair! Oh- that's really cool! ... I don't think you're an oracle though-" 

"Ohhh yeah!" Jackie blinks at the first man and then sheepishly smiles. "Well... since you seem to know so much about us and trust us now... can we get your names?"

J3 smiles sadly. Unfortunately, we don’t know our names. Our memories were lost. So we call each other nicknames. 

Bro and Jackie look shocked. “You don’t even know your names…?” Bro whispers in sympathetic horror. 

The second man sighs. “I’m M. This is J3. You are Chase and Jackie. Glad we’re all introduced.”

“Oh… well… n-nice to meet you then, M… J3…. Why the 3?” Jackie asks.

Because we know two others who also started with a J, J3 says. 

“You know even more people who don’t know their names?! And they- they look like us??” Bro looks absolutely flabbergasted. This whole situation… it’s making him feel… weird. And uncomfy. And he’s not sure why… 

Unfortunately, J3 says. Four others, to be exact. 

“I… thought you were one of them…one of the Js,” M mutters, glancing at Jackie and then looking away. “Thought him and someone else we know had come here to try and… talk to me. Convince me to do something.”

“Ah- that explains the yelling then,” Jackie says, crossing his arms. “Immm guessing you all split off?”

M fold his arms. “They wanted to do something stupid. Well if they want to do that, fine, I’m not going with though and they can’t fucking make me.” 

They might be mad that we took the van, though, J3 says.

“I mean- I’d be mad if someone took my car.” Jackie comments. 

Bro knits his eyebrows together, “…what did they want to do?”

"They wanted to go back to that place!" M snaps. "Back to the place we came from! The place where they--where we were--" He shudders, looking to the side. "We were... stuck in this... this facility. A-and the people there, they--they--" And he stops again. 

It was not a kind place, J3 signs slowly. But one of us got left behind in the confusion when we escaped. The others wanted to go back for him.

Bro's eyes widen. That... sounds like what Alt told him about... about that place- SCLERA. He shudders and holds his arm. Then, after a beat he says, "...M-Maybe... we could help. We could help you get him back?" 

Jackie looks at Bro like he's crazy.

"What?! No! We're not going back there!" M shouts. "I-I don't want to--I really don't want to--I--" He turns around and walks farther into the van, disappearing after sight. 

J3 watches him go with a sad expression. Then he sighs and turns back to the other two. I do think we should go get our friend, but... M's experience there was... terrible. I don't blame him for not wanting to go back. But I don't want him to be out here by himself, so I'm staying with him. But... we may be able to help you find YOUR friend, maybe?

Jackie nods, “That’s a good idea. We’d really appreciate that. We don’t wanna get too much into things that don’t involve us.” He slightly nudges Bro. 

Bro glares at bit at Jackie but then slowly nods. “Yeah… okay. We need to find my brother, Alt. …god I hope he didn’t end up in this- facility place…”

Hold on, I can check where he appeared, J3 says. Another one of those monochrome shadows stands up and disappears. He nods. You said his name was A-L-T? He didn't appear there. He showed up with our other friends. 

M comes back just in time to see this. "You're fucking kidding."

“Heyyy that’s handy!” Jackie grins. 

Bro sighs in relief. “Okay… at least he’s safe. Can you… help us get to them? Even if… you don’t wanna see them. Sorry, M.”

M groans for a long time, staring up at the sky. "Fine," he finally says, shortly. "Get in. I'm driving. We can meet them halfway." He climbs out of the van and walks around towards the driver's side door. 

Thank you! J3 says. That's so kind! 

"Yeah, yeah."

Jackie laughs. That was such a Marvin-ism. Takes him back. 

“Thank you!” Bro calls too. Then him and Jackie climb into the van.

The area in the van is mostly empty. There's a pile of clothes in the corner and a handful of blankets and pillows in the center. Clearly a crude sleeping area. Sitting on top of one of the pillows are three plush animals. A purple llama, a rainbow elephant, and a black and white seal. Part of the llama's fur is a bit burned. 

As soon as the two guys are in, J3 closes the van doors, leaving the area dimly lit. 

M pushes open a window that connects the main body of the van to the part where the driver sits. "J3, can you hand me Lia?" 

J3 nods. He picks up the llama plush and passes it to M though the window. 

"Thanks." M takes it. A moment later, the engine starts up.

Bro and Jackie look around and then try to find a place to get comfy. Bro sits up against the wall of the van. Jackie sticks close by. 

Jackie smiles when he sees the stuffed animals and M grabbing one. “aw those are cute. Remind me of one’s my daughters have. Do the other two have names?”

"Yeah well I'm not a child!" M snaps. Then he pauses. "Sorry. That was... you weren't implying anything. Didn't mean to shout." 

Another pause. "Ella and Seth. That's the other two. They're... very important to me."

Jackie blinks in surprise then laughs nervously. “Oh.. well- those are nice names! I’m… um- glad you have them.” 

“They’re very cute.” Bro adds with a smile.

"Thanks. I think so, too." M slowly turns the van around and starts driving down the road. 

Slowly. J3 knocks on the window. You can go a bit faster, you know. 

"Oh, but last night you were complaining about me going to fast." 

There has to be a middle ground. 

Jackie laughs, “yeah- that middle ground is usually called the speed limit.”

"You know, I don't think I drove a lot before this," M says. "This all feels new. C was driving us before, he said that driving felt familiar. I don't feel that." 

C came from somewhere else, like H did, maybe people over there drive more than here, J3 says.

“…are you saying you haven’t driven before??” Jackie asks, suddenly nervous. “I-I have my license if you’d like! I could drive just steer me in the right direction!!” 

Bro chuckles, “Hey they’ve gotten this far- seems like he’s at least decent.”

"I-it's just a straight line, it'll be fine," M says. "But, uh. You could come up to the passenger seat if you want. And tell me how I'm doing."

“…yeah sure why not. Practice for when my kids get older I guess.” Jackie mumbles. 

Once the car stops he makes his way over to the passenger side and hops in. Bro tries his best to hide his laughter. 

M nods at Jackie as he climbs in . "Good to h-have you here," he says, suddenly a bit nervous. Lia the llama is sitting on the drink tray between the two seats. The driver's cabin is pretty generic... except for the world 'AMBREL' stamped across the dashboard. "Now let's keep going." He puts the van in gear again and keeps going. 

Still a bit slow.

Jackie smiles encouragingly. He watches for a while before leaning over, “You can step on the gas a little bit more. Try to press with just the front of your foot instead of putting your whole weight.”

"Just the front... okay." The van lurches forward for a moment before M figures out a good speed. 

Jackie clings to his seat in slight for a second before he gives M a shaky thumbs up. “That’s good!” 

There's someone else who came from your universe with you besides your friend Alt, right? J3 asks. I heard him talking about someone else, and you mentioned someone earlier. 

Bro blinks at J3’s signs and then nods. “Yeah… there’s also a… a dangerous guy here. His name is Magnificent. He’s a seriously messed up dude- who can do all sorts of messed up mental magic and like control people.”

J3 shudders. We know something like that. They called it A1010. It can put people in a trance or make them see things. But it prefers to be more... direct. 

"Do you think A1010 is still at the facility?" M asks J3. 

J3 nods. 

"Well in that case, at least we won't have to worry about him as well as this Magnificent guy."

Bro shudders, "Yeah,,, I'd hate to have to deal with two people like that... Mag is bad enough." He can't help thinking about the King and Mag working together. Yeah he'd really like to avoid that if he can.

----------- 

Magnificent appears in a room that's entirely white. Walls, floors, ceiling, all white. But the lighting is red, so it's all bathed in crimson. A single door leads into the room, made of metal and halfway slid open. The main feature of the room is a glass wall. Or, three, actually, making a room within a room. Inside the glass is a set of furniture, like you'd find a bedroom, all generic and metal. Cameras are scattered across the area outside of the glass, on the ground and on tripods, cables connecting them all to a corner of the room where the plaster has been torn away, with the cables feeding into the resulting hole.

Magnificent awoke as they fell and so he falls into the room and has to push himself up, his face aching. He growls and bares his teeth, "Fucking... Brodys- both of them! I'm gonna rip that hero into fucking shred-!" He pauses as he realizes where he is and his stomach slowly drops as he pushes himself up to his feet. "W-What... what is this...?" He breathes. Then, his anger spikes and he throws himself at the glass, trying to break out of it.

The glass is surprisingly--unnaturally, in fact--sturdy. 

"Um..." A man pokes his head out from around one of the furniture pieces--the free-standing wardrobe. He's wearing a black hoodie, and the sclera of his right eye is bright green. "Who... are you?" he asks timidly. "How did you get in here?"

Magnificent screams in rage, ready to strike again when the voice gives him pause. He straightens up to look back at the other man and tilts his head. He narrows his eyes. "...You can call me Magnificent. As for how I got here... I have no earthly idea. Usually the device doesn't put us in such... situations." He glares up at the ceiling and crosses his arms, trying to hide how unnerved he really is. "... suppose the universe is having a laugh at me." He then sighs and looks back at the man. "Who are you? What is this place?"

"I'm, um... J? J0702. That's what they call me." The man pulls aside the edge of his hoodie, showing that sequence tattooed on his neck. "This is... a facility, I guess? The location is called JSE2012. I-I don't know where it is. Sorry." J gives a small, nervous laugh. "You... got in here with a... device?"

Magnificent makes a face seeing the man's tattoo. "Huh... a facility." He then snorts and waves his hand, "Yes- some device my cub picked up. It takes us from our own world into others. Appearing in a new world is random... hence... my being... here."

"You're from another universe?" J asks. "I... guess I've heard weirder. There are probably things to help you travel to other worlds here." 

Suddenly, the sound of static fills the room. Red lights start blinking on all the cameras. 

J tenses, staring in horror. "Oh god." He scrambles backwards, glancing around wildly for somewhere to hide. The closet isn't deep enough for him to fit. There's a chest, but it's also not big enough for a grown man to fit. The only real option is the attached bathroom, which is just big enough for a toilet. 

"I--If you can get out of here, you should. Or--if you can hide somehow, you should."

Magnificent raises an eyebrow, looking back at J. "And... why is that?" He glances at the cameras and bares his teeth at them. He could always try teleporting out of here.... how did he forget that? He blames Fantastic for scrambling his brain.

A mass of black stuff pours out on the lens of a camera, something grisly. It glitches, breaking into green pixels and broken static. 

“Because of that!” J says, running into the bathroom and sliding the door closed. The mass pours onto the ground and then rises again, forming a humanoid shape. And then the figure shifts, turning into… a perfect image of Magnificent himself. Well, almost perfect. The right eye is dangling from the socket.

Magnificent still looks confused then watches the camera thing glitch and- "What the hell?!' He growls at the copy and lights magic in his hands, baring his teeth. "What kind of joke is this?!"

"You see your own face and think it's a joke?" The other him laughs and tilts his head. "That's not a good way to think of yourself." He walks up to the glass, pressing his forehead against it. "Have you trapped yourself in there? Are you too afraid to try and get out?"

Magnificent snarls at the copy. "I can get out just fine!" He tries to teleport out of the glass to attack this cheap imitation!

He can teleport out just fine but- he ends up barreling past the copy and skids on the floor. He seems temporary relived there was no magic barrier or anything keeping him in.

The copy laughs, twisting around to look at Magnificent--first the head, then the torso, then the legs. "You're not that smart, are you?" it says. "Never have been. And not as powerful as you think. Otherwise you wouldn't keep getting knocked out every time you fight someone in these worlds. Maybe you're just a bit... o̴u̕t̴ ͟o̢f̶ ̀y̢o̕ur͠ ̨dep̛th̶.̕"

 A knife appears in the copy's hand and it rushes for him.

Magnificent makes a disgusted face and staggers back. Then, he yells out in rage and tries to block the copy's attack but he gets sliced across the arm. He grunts then whips out to blast fire its way.

The copy screeches as the fire burns him. He loses concentration, dropping Magnificent's appearance and returning to a black skeletal look. He crouches close to the ground and shifts again--now looking just like that man from before, J0702. Still with that dangling eye, and with the addition of a slit throat weeping blood. He looks up at Magnificent and laughs. "Always so blunt. Except for when you're not, and even then, you are." 

The air behind him flickers, glitches and colored static running together, forming... a spiral.

Magnificent backs up more, watching this thing with wide eyes. "W-What are you?!" He cries. He then watches at the spiral forms- but soon enough he growls, not being pulled into its thrall. He starts to laugh madly, "Fine! You wanna copy each other?! I can do that too!" He spreads out his hands and an array of magic knives appears above him in an arc. He shouts and sends them all flying at the creature.

The creature glitches wildly, avoiding most of the knives--however, a couple hit him, and he screeches again. He disappears and reappears inside the glass wall. And, smiling, he gives a smug little wave. "You ask me what I am? I am ▒A░n░t░i▒, and I am the only one like me in this world."

Magnificent hisses at the creature then laughs, "You call yourself that then? Pity- I know far greater Antis then you. Ones that don't cower behind glass."

"Cower...? Do you think it matters to me where this body is?" All at once, the cameras in the room turn towards Magnificent. Electricity sparks along the cables, turning the floor into a minefield. "This facility is mine now," A hisses. "You will not escape it." 

He reaches up towards the lights in the ceiling. His form becomes electric and disappears up into it. The half-open entrance to the room shuts and clicks, sealing itself closed.

"What?!" Magnificent gasps, he tries to run towards the door- seeing if he can try to teleport out of it-! He can't be trapped here, he can't!

He appears on the other side of the sealed door in a long hallway, all with equally sealed doors. There's a hole in the ceiling, through which dangle wires and metal parts sparking with electricity. The ceiling creaks, like something heavy is moving on top of it.

Magnificent tries to keep his panic back as he rushes forward, trying to look for another way out.

Every single door is sealed shut. The only ones that aren't are ones that aren't all that important, leading to janitor closets or electrical rooms that are so full of loose electricity that he can't step inside at all.

"No no no!" Magnificent hisses. Okay... maybe there's... power around here? Something he can use? He tries to look around for any source of magic or power nearby.

Yes, there's power all around, though it feels slightly different than what he's expecting. It's hard to describe. Like someone was recreating a recipe but got the ingredients slightly wrong. It's mostly... above him? On the higher floors of this facility.

Magnificent purses his lips at this. But, at least it gives him a goal. He stops his running and tries to teleport up higher.

The next floor up is exactly the same as the one below--though some of the walls are knocked down, revealing large, featureless rooms beyond. 

And inside one of those rooms, a large creature is moving...

Magnificent tries to focus but... what is that thing? He... He's too curious not to get a closer look. He approaches the creature with a tilted head.

That thing turns out to be a giant animal. A raccoon, to be specific, The thing is about ten feet tall, sniffing along the edge . There's a collar wrapped around its neck, on which is written, in massive letters, S1707. It raises its head, looks at Mag, and growls.

Magnificent is startled by the raccoon. "What is the world??" He asks and then shakes his head and looks around for that source of power.

There are several sources around... and the closest is, indeed, the raccoon. But the second closest comes from some way down the hall. It seems like it's actually two sources close together.

...he doesn't want to chance being mauled by a raccoon. He heads towards the other two sources.

In one of the smaller rooms with the walls broken, there's... a cat. A cat right in the middle of the room. It's a very fluffy white one, and it's batting at a ball of purple string. Seems like the power is coming from both the cat and the yarn ball. Oh... it's such a pretty cat, too.

Magnificent inherit love of cats has him softening slightly at the sight. He chuckles and starts to approach the cat, kneeling down close to it and offering it his hand. "Well.. hello there beautiful!"

The cat looks up at him with big green eyes. There's a collar around its neck with the ID W3012 on it, along with a small black box. It meows gently and bats the yarn ball towards him. It misses, and just keeps rolling. It's unraveling... and unraveling... and unraveling... the ball doesn't look any smaller but the string trailing from it is now about ten feet long. Heh. How funny.

Magnificent watches the ball roll with increasing concern. "What... the fuck...?" He shakes his head then tries to pet the cat.

The cat sniffs his hand, then flicks her tail and sits down, purring, allowing herself to be pet. For some reason, Magnificent is reminded of something... Some time when he last felt... content... 

How long ago was that...? 

...too long. It's been far too long. 

Since he became... this- he always yearned for something more. For power... for magic.. for souls. Contentment isn't something he's used to anymore. 

So... the last memory that comes up into his head is... uni. He's sitting in the living room, excitedly telling Jackie about a new spell he learned as he works on a costume for class. Jackie is laughing, his cheeks red and Mag feels his own cheeks flushed, having an easy relaxed smile. ...how long has it been since he smiled like that? 

He gasps and pulls away from the cat, feeling a... wetness in his eyes. He trembles back from her, his voice caught in his throat.

"Aw... isn't that s̀w̕eet̛?" 

The cat's head snaps to the side. It yowls and suddenly bolts. Away from the figure who suddenly appeared. 

The black, skeletal figure that soon transforms into... Jackie, just as he looked in that memory. 

Magnificent stiffens and then scrambles away from the creature- but his breath is taken away as he sees Jackie. Just how he remembered him. 

But that cruel smile ruins it. 

"You know you can't go back there," A whispers. Blood starts to leak from his eyes as they roll back in his head.

A choked noise comes from Mag’s mouth at A's words. But, then he growls and shoots a bolt of magic at him. "I know I can't! I-I don't need to!"

The bolt hits Jackie square in the chest and he screams, falling backwards. He lands hard on his back, the front of his shirt burned and smoking from the impact. "M...Marvin...?" he breathes. "Wh-why...?" 

And then he breathes out and stops moving.

Magnificent stands there, frozen, his hand still outstretched. He feels like he can't breathe. Part of him knows- knows this isn't Jackie- but the other part of him, that part of his heart that still beats- still convinces him he's human- its screaming. 

He backs up, another choked noise of confusion and suppressed pain escaping his lips.

Moments pass in silence. Jackie lies there, unmoving. 

Until... "Fascinating," a voice whispers behind him. "I thought you were heartless."

Magnificent shudders and then moves to slash behind him, breathing heavily. "S-Shut up! S-Stop messing with me!"

His claws scrape across A's chest--once again in the form of Magnificent himself--and he falls backwards, laughing. "But it's so fun, isn't it?!" he shouts, still laughing. "And you'd better get used to it! Because you'll be here for a while." 

And then his body disperses into pixels and disappears.

Magnificent huffs, a mix of rage and sudden exhaustion. He takes a second to compose himself, breathing deeply. Then, he rubs at his eyes, growling to himself. He shakes his head and goes to move forward... he needs to find a way out of here.

[ghoastixx]

hihihihi

i have a request for you!!

Labyrinth

jareth x aromantic male reader

where it’s just the reader doing the labyrinth but their having so much fun rather than stressing like sarah did !!

so yknow when jareth asks sarah to stay with him? (i haven’t seen the movie in a bit but i think this happened) the reader just agrees because they’re having so much fun and actually enjoy having jareth as a friend 💅

Jareth x aromantic male reader

Author’s note: hi!!! Thank you for the request :)))) I love when I get requests, it makes my blog a lot more lively in my opinion. Writing for aro readers is something that I have never done, but this simply thrills me. I’d be more than happy to do this! I’m more of a romcom reader myself but would absolutely devour a friendship fic if there were more.

Like- oh my god I love this prompt so much?? This is so fun???

Warnings: none at all, just tooth rotting fluff

———————————————————————————-

As soon as Jareth sees that you are not showing a bit of interest in him, he lays off.

He may be a hopeless romantic, but no use hitting on someone who has not shown the slightest bit of romantic interest in him.. but he’s still very curious about you.

Like- who is this guy??? Why is he not panicking??? Does he not understand the intensity of this situation?????

why are you having fun??? >:|

You confuse him.. he likes you.

“He’s reached the gates.. he shouldn’t of made it this far, he should’ve given up by now.” “He’ll never give up!” “Will he?”

You’re just being so nice??? So happy?? Like- this is just a normal Tuesday for you??

Once you beat him, he gives out his little speech. “Fear me, love me, do what I say, and I will be your slave.”

Much to his dismay! You agree to stay!!

You don’t want to be his king though </3

He throws a little tantrum about it at first but eventually gets over it.

(Please we’ve all seen his hair, he’s a drama queen and we all know it)

You now play a very important part in his labyrinth. You are his court.

He’d come to you with propositions, issues, royal stuff.

He’d probably try to get you to help lure humans away with your friendly nature.

“Yo Jareth!” You stormed into the room flooding with goblins. Usually this would get the king riled up, but he didn’t care.

“Yes, Y/n?” He hummed, sitting haphazardly on his throne.

“Your runner fell through one of the holes you have in the maze.” He looked at you.

“Which one?”

“How many are there?”

“A lot.”

“Well shit-“

“Did they say anything important?” He looked at him, he seemed tired and fed up, but holding a civil conversation was very nice.

“Uh- no. Not really. Mostly just “I have to save Cleo! Oh naurrrr!” Jareth put a hand on his face and chuckled a bit.

“You have way too much fun with this-“

“I can’t help it!” He sat on one of the windows and watched the goblins run ramped, as they harassed the kiddo.

“Jareth?”

“Hm?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask- why is there a chicken in here?” Jareth looked at the other male very sternly.

“The goblins like to throw things at it.”

“HOW DID IT GET HERE!”

“I DON’T KNOW, IT’S VERY OLD.”

If he ever has time off, let him show you around the labryinth

He’d show you little secrets to lure other people through.

Look- he’s gotta make this fun for the both of you. Work is work, he’s allowed to have fun with it to.

He likes to watch you lead the runners off path, it’s very fun. You’re very convincing.

THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL TO THE RUNNER IS AT THE VERY END.

Jareth and the runner are face to face and all of a sudden, you, Jareth’s right hand man come lurking from the shadows.

Runner: shocked

Jareth: smug

You: having way too much fun.

“You’re working with him!? How could you?! I trusted you?!”

“Eh-“

You’re not evil- you did help the runner, a lot. But you need to have fun too, right?

Jareth would be a very good partner in crime.

__________________________

-Ghoastix

[girldragongizzard]

Chapter 1: A battle without honor or humanity

And as I step up to him, I then notice his eyes.

And our eyes meet as I plod by, heads turning to maintain contact.

I can’t exactly say that we’re not transfixed, but we’ve both got lucid control of the rest of our bodies, despite how rigidly locked our gazes are.

“Hello, Meghan,” he says in an odd, almost mechanical male British voice.

It’s a strange tableau.

I am now standing fully outside the door with my body half turned toward him, raised onto my hind legs so that both my eyes can be level with his. And he stands just inside, half turned towards me, holding the door open with his body. And we’re at the Fairport branch of the Washington State Department of Licensing, or what people locally still call the DMV.

Inside, there are people waiting in chairs for their numbers or names to come up in an atmosphere of banal boredom and anticipation, and Daniel Säure in his best human disguise.

Outside, there are cars in a parking lot, glinting in the sunlight allowed by the parting of clouds, and me, a blue dragon with a magical flame orange purse.

And we’re not moving.

“Stay,” Säure says in that clear AI voice he’s imitating. “Please. We. Talk. First. Business.” He manages to tilt his head toward the inside.

He’s just slightly more articulate than I am.

I want to attack him. Bite him. Claw him. Engulf him in my coils and wings and drag him to the ground. Tear chunks off of him, and swallow them whole.

“Okay,” I say, and move to go back inside.

He takes a number and then finds a seat near the aisle where there’s a spot for me to settle down, breaking eye contact first. I follow, feeling slightly more relaxed, but more suspicious.

“I. Renew. License,” he says to me, quiet.

The whole atmosphere in here has changed with the two of us in it. People notice, but studiously do not look our way. Like they can feel the tension and want to be no part of it, but are stuck by their circumstances and their need to jump through bureaucratic hoops to satisfy the State of Washington and continue driving where they need to go.

I try a word just to see if it changes how everything feels. I do mean a different word, but I haven’t learned it yet, so I say the near synonym, “Peace.”

“Yes,” he says.

A few of the people around us do seem to relax a little.

“Coffee,” I say.

“Yes. After. This,” he replies with a human smile, flashing teeth. 

That’s not a friendly expression to a dragon. Especially with the number of pointy teeth he displays.

He’s playing human. It’s meant to look friendly to the humans around us, at least. I don’t let it escalate my own reactions. Though, that’s hard.

I’m imagining dragging his bloody corpse around the room and whipping my head to smash it into things. It’s what I actually want to do.

I calmly pull out my tablet, put it in my mouth, place it on the floor, turn it on, and pull up my app. We have the time.

“I have questions,” I say.

“Later,” he responds, speaking with his own syrinx again, showing off his vocabulary with every utterance. “This. First.” And he gestures at the counter. “I. Drive.”

I’d had the thought that conversing over coffee would be the civilized, non-combatant way for us to talk at length, and I’m thinking I might have to blow off therapy to do this. So I had said the word “coffee”. But now I’m wondering if I really want to drag this asshole into my coffee shop where I think I’ve left my own people, my friends, fairly traumatized about my own nature.

I did, yesterday, after all, tell them just exactly what I thought I was.

And, it’s pretty clear that this individual, this Daniel Säure as I’m sure he is, is the same kind of dragon that I am.

Two of us on my home turf is a bit much.

Perhaps a review of our situation is in order before it gets any more tense.

For starters, this is a billionaire I’m sitting next to.

He’s not on par with the hundred-billionaires, but he’s still got control of more money than the rest of the county can dream of.

With his land holding Morning Glory Corporation, if anyone can be said to own the county, it’s him.

But there’s more.

“You. Busy,” he says.

“Later,” I tell him by knuckling my tablet screen.

“Okay.”

—

A little over a month ago, dragons started roaming the Earth, and I’m one of them.

Before that, most of us, if not all of us, were still dragons. We just thought we were stuck looking like humans like the rest of humanity.

I was a 50 year old deeply closeted and deeply dysphoric disabled trans woman living in the Magnolia Apartments in Fairport, Washington.

The transformation into our true forms was involuntary and apparently irreversible. Even now, though I can choose to resemble a human, it’s not comfortable to stay that way and I don’t really look human. Same with Säure, whose truly emerald eyes with slits for pupils give him dead away. And we both are unusual in this ability. I haven’t heard of many dragons who can do this.

When I first dared to step out of my apartment as a full dragon, the people I knew somehow still recognized me. In fact, they recognized me even more readily than before, and congratulated me on obviously “feeling much better lately.” “You look good!” was a common phrase I heard.

Something metaphysical is at work there in the minds of the people. It seems like we dragons are supposed to be here.

I thought I was the only dragon until three days later when a fellow named Joel who looks like a cross between a bat, a hippo, and a velociraptor came crashing through my apartment wall in a direct challenge for my territory.

It turns out that maybe 1 in 2,000 people on Earth are actually dragons. That’s four million dragons out of 8 billion people.

And, because of the way population densities and demographics work, we dragons, like humans, are concentrated in cities.

This is stressful, and while it may go over well in little localized family and friends groups, it’s not great on a municipal, national, or global level. There’s been violence.

There’s a lot more to tell, but not a lot of time to divulge it.

Next important thing.

Through my intense first month of being out as a dragon, and conferring with my fellow dragon expert Chapman, here is what I learned and believe is happening.

Dragons have existed at least as long as humans. But maybe not physically. Maybe spiritually, if you believe in spiritual things. Or memetically, if you don’t. We’ve been an idea. We’ve been living and even thriving in human imaginations and in the deep, instinctual centers of the brains of maybe all vertebrates.

Humans helped us evolve into what we are today, and we have definitely shaped humans. It’s hard to say who parented whom, if you want to think in those terms.

And something happened on August 24 of 2024 that made us manifest physically from the human vessels we were inhabiting or using as disguises.

We don’t know what that is.

But what we do know is that dragons are not strictly governed by physics. Before we must obey the laws of physics, we must first obey the laws of narrative expectation. Or something like that. And if the laws of narrative expectation disagree with the laws of physics, the laws of physics lose.

I just learned this last Saturday, so I’m still ironing out exactly what it means.

I mean, I’ve sort of expected it since I was in college and reading about dragons in the university library every chance I got. But now I see it as a real thing, because I’m it.

It goes back to where we come from.

In the beginning, before there was even the word “dragon”, we were unique monsters or celestial spirits, each crafted to play a specific role in our own story. Originally, our stories were actually the stories of heroes. Human heroes. And we were usually there to teach the hero a lesson.

Skipping the details of that for expediency, what happened over time is that we dominated our stories.

Over time, the stories that were about human heroes began to be known as stories about dragons.

And, over the millennia, this apparently escalated to the point where we “hatched.” And now we walk the land, scream at each other every morning, and buy groceries.

Or renew our state IDs at the DMV.

But what this means is that, unlike with humans, you can tell a dragon’s story and purpose by looking at them.

This sounds like it is rooted in white supremacy, because white supremacy sure loves its phrenology, and it is probably heavily influenced by it. Especially in the case of Säure and I, unfortunately. We’re both “European dragons”, and fancy ones at that.

But the reality is that we’ve been heavily shaped by human imagination and expectations, and the roles we’ve played in their stories.

And the dragons that look more like what humans think of as nightmare monsters are nightmare monsters. The more unique a dragon is, the more creative their physiology, the closer to the subconscious needs of humanity they are.

I haven’t fully tested this theory, mind you. But it’s where my studies have taken me, and what little evidence I have has supported it. However, I’m willing to change my mind on this.

But, I’m thinking that, with dragons that look more standardized, that look like they may be part of a species, they are more connected to the social desires of humans. Such dragons are often tamed, mastered, ridden into battle, befriended, sought out for their wisdom, depicted in movies and role playing games, worshiped, married, and even successfully mated with. At least, in the stories.

But we are our stories. That’s where we actually come from.

And I look like one of these more modern dragons. And I think Säure probably does too.

But Säure and I share at least one other distinctive trait, and that’s that we can magically disguise ourselves as human.

There are obvious tells, of course, such as our eyes and tongues, and the fact that we speak with our syrinxes with limited vocabulary.

And while his human disguise comes with a very nice suit that would make any other billionaire’s eyes bleed with envy, mine comes with the gown and tiara of a fairy princess.

They’re conspicuous for disguises, and I think that’s a clue.

I don’t think that all of this means that we are special, on the global and historical scale of things.

But what I do think is that, here, now, locally, this means that Säure and I are destined to interact as if we’re royalty. Rivals, more than likely. I know we’re rivals now, and I like it that way.

But in some stories, we’d end up being married. Either politically or out of passion, depending on who’s writing it.

And that maybe has me on edge more than anything. I feel like that outcome would mean he wins.

Our hoards certainly don’t compare in any way, though.

He’s hoarded land and money, like a classic dragon.

I’ve hoarded garbage, books, and people. 

My people hoard is growing, and I’m pretty proud of it, but it’s slow going.

I think his hoard grows without him putting in any effort now.

And I want to plunder it.

For my people.

This isn’t a great footing on which to start the new phase of a story. The twists are likely to turn the wrong way.

—

I’m focusing on my growing sense of doom because I kind of think it might be my slim chance at salvation, actually. But I don’t want to jinx it.

It might be better to be less meta about my life and just embrace my draconinity.

I watch as Gavin, the clerk operating the camera, solemnly and professionally takes Säure’s photo and issues him his temporary diver’s license.

At one point Gavin said something about how it was good that Säure was using his human form for the photo, since he would be using that shape when driving. It was the kind of a statement that had the subtext that Gavin wished it was otherwise for some reason. Maybe just being slightly negative in the face of someone like Säure.

Gavin, with whom I shared moments of silent knowing trans solidarity and giddiness while I was getting my photo taken, doubtlessly knows who Säure is, and isn’t a sympathizer with the rich.

He might not be privy to Säure’s involvement in my kidnapping and very temporary relocation to the Pasayten Wilderness a couple weeks ago. Though, Säure did make a public statement about it, denouncing the action of his company before dissolving Equisetum Wildlife and firing its employees for the act. It’s always possible Gavin doesn’t pay attention to the local news or gossip.

I myself am hoping to learn something about all of that today.

I occupy myself with more visions of defeating Säure in physical combat to the detriment of the DMV, because my instincts demand it, and then he’s here with me and gesturing toward the door.

“My. Car,” he says. “Come.”

As imperiously as I can muster, I follow.

It’s a fucking Well Known Electric Vehicle.

Look. I’m not going to describe the car. I don’t want to advertise it. Suffice it to say, it is an unusual set of colors and very shiny. Obviously a custom job.

It does have a vanity plate, I notice. It reads “88MPH” and I spend a couple seconds wondering why this car, which is not a Delorian, has a Back to the Future reference on it. And I wonder if it could mean something else. It’s a weird plate.

I’m reluctant, for so many reasons, to get into the vehicle, and he stands with his door open, hand on the top of it, watching me impassively.

In order to get into the car, I’m going to have to put on my human disguise, which means tipping my hand to him. And I’m thinking about that.

My plan had been to hide how I do this, so that he might underestimate me.

In my purse, I have a magic pendant created by the Artist Chapman, that will turn me into a human if I wear it. I can’t talk at all with it on, because it gives me a larynx that I don’t know how to use anymore. And I will be naked if I wear it. And I’ll look quite a bit like Chapman.

Daniel Säure almost certainly knows I have it, but maybe doesn’t know exactly how it works.

My plan had been to make a public appearance with Mayor Chisholm in my own natural disguise, which makes me look like a 50 year old trans woman playing fairy princess. Which I do like. I’m reasonably comfortable in that outfit. And I was hoping he’d think, not seeing me transform, that I needed the pendant to do that.

Then I could, in an emergency, use the pendant to look like someone else.

If I use either disguise right now, he will learn how these things work with me, and I will lose that edge.

I expect the entire day may be filled with tests like this. And I’m hoping I can turn some of them to my advantage. Or even set one or two of them up. Though, like always, I don’t know how.

He tilts his head subtly toward the car, with the homeopathic presence of a smirk, indicating that he’s eager to see me get into it.

I take a step toward the repulsive-to-me vehicle and tilt my head.

Either I get in the car and reveal to my rival one of my secrets, or I fly away and lose this round entirely.

I could demand we take the bus, or that we both fly.

I don’t think he’d accept that. He’d take that the same as a retreat, shrug his shoulders, get in his car, and drive away.

I relent.

I choose the trans princess because she has clothes.

He watches me fold myself up and step into my protective coloring like I’m pretty sure he did before getting into his car this morning. And he smiles and presses a button and the door opens.

I have no idea if that’s standard with Well Known Electric Vehicles, and I don’t want to know.

I let the vehicle engulf me as I side step into it and sit down, and I dissociate a little, staring out the windshield.

(Girls, ladies, enbies, boys, gentlemen, everybody – don’t do this – it is occurring to me as I do this that I’m being extremely uncautious by getting into a strange person’s car, even if I’m pretty sure he is a locally well known billionaire. The fact that he recognizes me and knows my name makes it creepier. But, in my case, what’s done is done.)

“Mine. Or. Yours,” he says, after sitting down and letting both doors close. I’m certain he means choice of coffee shop.

I change my mind about something, and pull out my tablet to type out my response, “Flounder Sound Brewpub.”

“Oh. Beer. Yes,” he says, and pushes another button and starts driving. If this car has self-driving capabilities, he’s not using them.

And with my tablet in hand, I do realize that I momentarily have an advantage over him.

If he uses his phone to talk more eloquently, he can’t do that while he’s driving. He’s stuck with his animal mimickry of speech, like I am without my tablet.

At the moment, I can talk circles around him with my thumbs, and I can take command of the conversation.

“What is your favorite place to talk?” I ask.

He glances my direction suspiciously, obviously perturbed by being asked a question that requires more complicated words. Then he looks back at the road and says, “Top. Of. Tower.”

Either he’s lying, and The Top of the Tower isn’t his favorite place, just the easiest to say. Or, he’s memorized the name of his favorite place. I gain nothing but the momentary implication of my current social edge. Which he acknowledged.

This is kind of fun.

Maybe I can make him pay me back a little bit for making me transform in front of him.

“I like Flounder Sound Brewpub,” I say, tapping away cheerfully and hitting talk after every phrase. “Good people. I worked there for half a year and almost enjoyed it. Their food is filling and half their beer is too hoppy. But the other half is divine.”

Giving him useless tidbits about myself while showing off. Very petty, but I enjoy it.

“I feel very at home there. But it is not my territory,” I say. I look over at him and type, “Do you know Joel?”

Joel is the other dragon that Equisetum Wildlife kidnapped. I want to see his expression at the question. I don’t know if he’ll recognize the name. Not many people know it. But I think I'm clearly asking about a dragon, and there’s one other dragon besides me who has unfinished business with Säure. At least that I’m familiar with.

He glances at me and tilts his head up in acknowledgement.

It doesn’t take long to get to the brewpub from where we were, even though it’s literally across town. We’re maybe a third of the way already. I want to use my time as wisely as possible.

I think for a block about what to say next, but he beats me to the punch.

“Meghan Estragon Draconis,” he says my full legal name with his whole chest. I can’t even say his nickname. It is not lost on me the implications that he knows that name and can say it. He looks back at the road and engages with it through the wheel of his car, “Lets. Talk. Business.”