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tuliptired · 6 months ago

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Ello! Hope Im not a bother, but i was hoping to make a one-shot request? I looked around and it looks like you are still taking requests as of the moment, very sorry if I missed something.

Anyways, if its not too much trouble, could you write Egon Spengler x Baker Y/N? I think that would be a fun dynamic!

If thats not to your liking, what about Egon x Shy Y/N?

Love your works, I check the ghostbusters tag daily to see if youve written anything new. Thank you so much, love ya have a great day and night!!!

How Sweet It Is (To be Loved by You)

Pairing: Egon Spengler/Baker!GN!Reader

It's never too much trouble...no idea if I've used this gif before

did yall hear about the SNL biopic btw oh my gahh...

Better formatting on Ao3! (italics)

Your relationship started with a cupcake. As the story goes, told lovingly by your now mutual friends, there was a bust at a retirement home, and one of the caregivers insisted on sending the boys home with a treat in addition to the hefty bill. Demanded, actually, practically shoving a metal tin full of pastry into Egon’s hands as he attempted to discreetly sneak away.

“Jackpot,” Peter leaned over, happily surprised as nimble fingers opened the lid. The smell of sugary sweets wafted through the car, prompting Winston to extend his hand to the backseat, palm soon full of muffin. Egon was patient, letting everyone take something for themselves, before finally deciding on a blue-iced chocolate cupcake, sweet tooth waiting to be satisfied.

“Where’d this come from?” Ray, Peter, and Winston stood in the kitchen, confused at the spread of different colored boxes and containers. Upon further inspection, they were full of even more cupcakes, each the same blue iced chocolate flavor. Egon sat with his hands folded on the countertop, unfazed at their reactions to his display like any true man of science would be.

He made a tick mark on a long list of names, clipboard somewhere in the organized, delicious chaos. “If you must know, I’m testing every bakery in the area to find the one I ate that evening. I’ve yet to find it.”

Ray shrugged, taking note of just how many locations he had procured food from. “Not the weirdest thing you’ve done for a result,” he admitted.

“Good food’ll do that to you,” Winston laughed, Peter reaching over to gauge how mad Egon would get if he tried to take a sample from one of his possible matches.

Egon didn’t look up, flipping to the next page. “Go ahead, those are the rejects. They'd end up in the trash, anyway.”

Peter peeled away the paper, going through the motions of ripping the bottom of the cake and placing it over the top of the frosting. “Rejects.” he parroted plainly. “What’re you gonna do when you find the right store? Stand in the window?”

He glared up at him above his glasses. “No, I’ll buy a half dozen and go on with my day,” he unfolded a wax lined box, “so if you could leave me to my research?” Research being, going down a line of cupcakes. They each exchanged glances, before filing out. Egon could be just as tenacious as everyone else, when he felt like it.

Except, that tenacity wavered in the face of unfamiliarity. The only reason Egon was willing to go in your bakery to begin with is because the others had forced him. “Don’t be a baby,” as Venkman had put it. He finally found the match, in fact he had found it a few days ago. But he took a glance at the bustling establishment on the day in which he set out on his own, and got cold feet. Especially when he accidentally locked eyes with the smiling artisan while he just stood in the window.

His friends had managed to shove him towards the counter without a second thought. The same person he’d seen through the tall window was behind the counter now, greeting them all kindly. The bandana you had used to keep your hair in check must’ve been failing to do its job, evident by the flour near your temple, caught in a few strands. Egon’s fingers twitched.

Peter flicked him on the lower back when he failed to respond like a typical customer, making Egon come-to and clear his throat. “May I get a half dozen chocolate?” he asked robotically.

“You may,” you grinned at his grammar, “but, chocolate what?”

Egon’s ability to speak stopped short at his misstep, unable to let out anything but unintelligible stammers, and Egon never stammers. “Cupcakes, please,” Ray spoke up for him, catching wind.

You nodded, moving to the display rack to place his order in a smaller, blue box. Peter wasn’t content with how smoothly this interaction was going as he watched on with a bored expression. “Funny story, actually,” he caught your attention through the framework.

You laughed at how it made him look like he was in a horizontal jail cell. “Yeah?”

Peter raised Egon’s stiff arm for him at the elbow. “We walk in one night and catch Egon with at least 20 different cupcakes, trying to find yours ‘cause he missed it so much.” he regaled.

He may have caught you blushing. Were you blushing? He shouldn’t stare at business owners when they were just trying to work. “Well,” you started folding the corners of the parcel, “assuming you liked them- and you guys are pretty important to the city…” You held them out to him with two hands. “Just take them. No charge.”

Egon felt like there was smoke rising from the top of his head, or the espresso machine, as he shuffled out, and you leaned over the counter to call after him: “Come back anytime, for whatever! On the house!”

The rest happened slowly, but surely, and you enjoyed it thoroughly. On an earlier morning, you and your pubescent employee were handling the typical rush you got around breakfast. Between prepping, a small burn from the oven, packing orders, ringing people up, and a quick trip to the corner-grocery for more milk, you finally had a spare minute to breathe, both hands pressing into the counter.

A blur of beige and a trail of smog put an end to your mini-relaxation, and you hurried over to the door. “Stantz! Spengler!” you beckoned before they could turn the corner.

Like children, they found their way to your storefront, though Egon looked rather apprehensive with a used trap dangling from his gloved fist. “Good morning, guys,” you urged them inside, “did you eat yet?”

“We really should get going.” Egon said after Ray greeted you. Most of the sickly smell from the trap was left outside, and it was too covered up by the scent of sugar and warmth that everyone but you swore clung to the bakery for you to worry about it driving away customers.

You ignored his protests, crossing behind the counter. “Eat in the morning or you’ll crash in the afternoon,” you started pouring two cups of hot coffee.

“There’s no need-” you interrupted with a hand. “We’re fine,” he continued anyway.

Ray’s stomach betrayed his friend’s wishes. “Something small wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Listen to your friend, Egon.” you warned, adding a bit of whipped cream to both cups to literally sweeten the deal. “You need to eat.”

He frowned, but you didn’t care much. “We have a Class lll in our hands, now is hardly the time for-” you cut him off again, stuffing his mouth with a blueberry danish. As he annoyedly chewed, you procured a paper bag from the back, wrapping his hand around the handle.

“Too bad I already packed for everyone,” you patted his knuckles when he acquiesced, catching sight of what was inside with a small smile. “You’re crabby when you’re hungry.”

Egon opened his mouth to respond, but the contraption in his left hand started beeping. Are they supposed to beep? You’d never seen them do so before. It seemed as if the two experts themselves hadn’t either.

You stood on your toes to give him a parting kiss, Ray grabbing both paper cups in the meantime before you could start shooing them out. “Go, go- don’t let that thing loose in here. And swing by later, okay?”

He followed your lips when you pulled away, but the ominous beeping drove him to the door and down the street. You sighed to yourself, already missing him. None of the regulars in your store seemed to pay any mind to the local celebrities- or the weapons they had strapped to themselves, as Egon floated in and out during different parts of his day at least once a week.

Egon knocked on the glass door, soft light and music slipping through as he got your attention. When you let him in, the distinct whiff of cookies enveloped him like the warm temperature of your little shop. It was his favorite part of visiting you, apart from actually getting to see you. “How was today?” he spoke over the soft jazz that you apologetically turned down.

“Better,” you were about to run a Crisco covered hand through the front of your hair before you stopped yourself, “better.” Egon only then noticed how many cookies you had managed to make for having only closed an hour ago. “I have more in the oven,” you said from the back wall with the smaller front oven while you hurriedly took out a hot tray with a mitt and put a cool one in.

It wasn’t just cookies, but brownies, sweetbreads, and cinnamon rolls. “Are you…restocking?”

You laughed, a quarter manically and another quarter incredulously, and started to peel cooked pastry off of baking sheets. “If anything, we have too much stock.” you paused your fervor, frowning at your display case’s abundance. “I’ll send you home with some- give them to your clients or eat them or something.”

You were barely done shutting the sliding glass when you popped up, clapping your hands once and frankly startling him. “Pies! I know what I need to make now! I’ll make some pies and maybe a cake and we can head home.” Before you could disappear into the kitchen, he stepped in your way, two soothing hands on your shoulders.

“You’re stress baking.”

Egon couldn’t hide his amusement at your familiar despondent expression, as if you were coming down from a high. “Was it that obvious?”

“Somewhat,” he stroked up and down your arm, steering you to the stool you kept tucked away behind the register and pulling up a chair for himself on the other side. “What’s wrong?”

He enjoyed the chairs you had because of their structural variety, and the fact they didn’t make him feel like a giant.

You slumped your head into your since-dried hands, groaning out of frustration. “It’s just the season, I guess. A ton of people come by, bringing their dumb boyfriends-” you paused, realizing what you said, “no offense.”

“None taken.”

“-And they come looking at our stuff to see if we’re good enough for, like, baby showers and weddings and all that.”

A car passed by on the street, definitely above the city’s speed limit for a business area. “I assume that’s a good thing?”

“It’s great,” you sat up, “we want people to pick us. But it means everything has to look great, and we have to get ready for half a million custom orders.”

That would be a partial reason for the sudden uptick in inventory, combined with the pressure to make a good first impression. But you were working so aimlessly hard that you looked crazed, all by yourself. “Your employees aren’t willing to help?” Egon questioned.

You stood, addressing the heaps of different cookies, the only creation of yours without a home. “They are. But they’re kids- I can’t work them that hard. It’s probably illegal, too. They won’t be around for the next couple of days anyway.”

He could sympathize with your plight- backed into a seasonal corner that business owners just had to get used to. “I’m sorry,” Egon offered, “I’m not as skilled in your trade, but is there anything I can do to make it easier?”

You smiled your first genuine smile since he arrived. “There is, actually,” your tone was excited as you moved to the freezer, “just let me finish these and I’ll fill you in.”

Egon would’ve stopped you from continuing to try to work, but he relaxed when you brought out pre-prepared bags of icing and miscellaneous confectionaries, knowing that decoration was the more relaxing aspect of the art.

He both sat in comfortable quiet as you put all your focus into icing, piping, and arranging. It was pleasant, knowing that you had something so ardent that you cared so deeply about, even if it was dismissed as a mere hobby while you were close to collapsing to exhaustion in the bakery you financed on your own. It was a mix of career and craft- one of the many reasons he had grown to give you his utmost respect.

You were eventually done, making the task of embellishing countless treats look effortless. You handed him a cookie, which he gladly took. “I need you to be honest,” you counted on his affinity for sweets. He took a bite, surveying the dessert after the initial pleasure your baking always brought him.

“Raspberry compote,” Egon took a second, “and coffee icing.”

“Good job!” you scribbled something down on a spare slip of paper after springing the register drawer open. “Rating?”

“10/10”

“Honest.”

“That is my honesty. But if you wanted the unweighted scale, 7/10. The two flavors balance each other very well.”

You passed him another, which he promptly ate without being asked to. “On the crumbly side. Is that intentional?”

A nod. “A little less butter than usual. Old ladies tend to like those.”

He put a hand on his chin contemplatively. “6/10- marmalade. A softer version would get a higher placement, it would be a shame to lose interest from those who don’t fit the demographic.”

You copied down what he said, seemingly happy with any sort of feedback. “And here I thought I’d have to help you cross the street.”

The night went on like that for a while, and Egon grinned to himself at the parallels he had only just noticed- another mix of career and craft, now inquiry and indulgence. You looked like a proper scientist- or, a food scientist, scrawling down notes and numbers that he’s sure only you would be able to decode. He felt the corners of his face dimple in a familiar smile while he watched you- something he’d found himself doing much, much more.

“What?” you raised an eyebrow, suspicious of his joy.

“Nothing,” Egon excused himself, “you just look incredibly nice.”

You squeezed the hand that he rested on the counter, silently appreciative. “Thanks- for that, and for helping me out. Let me get you home before you barf.”

He’d learned to live with the indecencies, helping you tidy up the best he could without breaching the system of organization you had. When you returned from the back with your personal things, he let you loop your arm around his for the semi-short journey home.

Egon only let you go so you could lock the door, and he stared at your back for the entire time that you did. “If I were having a baby shower, I’d come here.”

There were practically stars in your eyes. “Really?”

“Really.” You planted a gratuitous kiss to the side of his face, before setting off towards his apartment.

Over the course of a few days, your boyfriend showed up earlier in order to take you into work, and keep you company as you tried to quell the impending anxiety. When regulars faded out and new faces came in- possible clients, you assured him with a non convincing tone that he had a job, too. If your ego was bigger, you’d be bragging about the compliments and inquiries your store got, not to mention the referrals to friends regarding special upcoming events. But, entrepreneurship had taught you to be humble, so you were resigned to spilling it all over a phone call to the firehouse.

One morning, you forced Egon out before anyone could arrive, asserting that he had a day off and he should find a way to relax. He asserted that this was how he relaxed, but you had a key to the front door and he didn’t, so that solved that.

Not long after he was gone, you were hastily punching his number in, bouncing on your heels and out of breath.

“Hello?"

“Rich girl- eloping- needs a wedding cake- lots of money,” you forced out like you were out of air, already seeing dollar signs in tandem with the minutes you were losing. “But I have a crazy favor to ask.”

Very soon, “OPEN” was flipped to “CLOSED (sorry)” and you put on your serious business apron. Egon stood behind you, unsure of what to do as you jumped from here to there, double checking that you had absolutely everything you needed.

You only stopped when you realized that he wasn’t in the proper attire. “C’mon, Spengler,” you chastised him while cinching the strings of a smock around his waist.

“Game plan,” you led him to the back where all the industrial sized equipment was, “three tiers, green and pink, white cake. She gave me creative freedom, so I’m kinda flying blind.”

Egon’s eyes were on you as you laid out a few large bowls. “Have you ever…made a wedding cake on such short notice? I assumed they take days.”

“They do! And they’re the one thing I swore to never sell!” He looked disappointed in you, but you weren’t fazed, grabbing both of his hands. “$1,500,” Egon’s eyes widen as you continued, “think of what that could buy.”

He pushed up the bridge of his glasses like a flustered schoolboy. “That’s…a lot of copper wiring.”

“So many new mixers! And without the down payment! That’s why we need to start while we already have the time.”

Realistically, it was more of you starting everything while Egon was subjected to measuring or throwing away eggshells. But, you eventually gave him bigger responsibilities, as there was no way you’d be done in time for the impromptu-wedding if you worked one-by-one.

You turned from what you were doing after instructing him to mix the batter for the top layer, being met with his bare forearms, dress shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“What?” Egon noticed your commotion halting. “Am I overmixing?”

You didn’t answer, still staring at his toned arms. He should help out more often- your stand mixer cutting out on you must’ve been a blessing in disguise. Your blatant ogling was cut short when he stopped his ministrations, resting the whisk against the lip of the bowl.

“Don’t get distracted.” He tried to sound condemnatory, but it was hard to feel scolded when the scholar had on one of your teenaged employee’s spare pink bibs around his front and he was almost bent over the edge of the counter space in the midst of his focus.

You could breathe a little easier when the timer went off for the tiniest layer’s completion in the biggest oven. You took the searing pan out carefully, and your worry spiked again when you saw how dark the unfrosted dessert was along the top. You went through a list of things that might’ve gone wrong- was the oven at the right temperature? Setting? You definitely let it bake for the right time. It wasn’t until you saw a pair of little cylinders, tucked away in the havoc, that you put two and two together.

“Which one of these did you use?”

Egon looked like a mix of confused and concerned. “This one, baking soda.”

That’s how he got put out your kitchen for a considerable amount of time, until he knocked at the round window separating you both.

“Are you sorry?”

A pause. “Not anymore than I was 20 minutes ago.”

“I’m locking the door.”

He was allowed back in after a long and rehearsed apology. Soon, all tiers were baked, except for the base, and you were aching all over. The whole cake process never got any less demanding on you.

Egon must’ve seen how you stretched your arm across your chest before you tried to continue on anything. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’ll be fine- just sore.” you answered truthfully, before slightly jumping at the feeling of hands wrapping around your middle.

“Take a break,” he herded you to a folding chair you kept in there- the only chair. You were slotted in between his knees, thoroughly confused. He only got like this every blue moon.

It did feel great to be off your feet for a second, despite your cushy sneakers. “What’re you getting at?”

His strong hands made work of your tense biceps. “Nothing lascivious. I just think you should save your energy for the important part,” you stifled a noise at his doctoral tone and the way his thumbs kneaded at the space in between your shoulder blades, “and you’ve been working very hard.”

“Baking makes you a freak,” you scoffed, but hedonistically let him continue to dote on you.

Soon it was time to keep moving, attractive masseuse or otherwise. You put Egon in charge of coloring the buttercream while you ran out to the store for the second time in only a few days, making a mental note to use some of the bride-to-be’s payment to keep a consistent supply of the little things.

When you returned, though, it wasn’t as you had expected. You picked up the metal bowl full of neon icing incredulously. “I said green, not snot!”

“I made green,” he didn’t budge, not seeing how gaudy this would look in the middle of a reception hall.

You pushed a finger in between his brows. “You’re such a guy,” you remarked, regardless of your own gender, as you hassled him out of the way. “Watch.”

With a bit of red, the bright green dulled into a paler color, fit for a wedding. “Can I trust you with pink?” you asked as if he was a child.

Egon’s expression was unreadable. “No promises.”

Half of the green was shoveled into piping bags when he was finished, presenting the baby pink mixture to you like a project would be presented to a teacher. “That’s better,” you started, taking the bowl while he kept the spatula. You’d assumed that Egon was going to wash it or scrape off the excess or something, but your eyes squeezed shut as something cold and tacky hit your nose.

Frosting, pink frosting. His audacity. You took the green spatula, getting him back on the cheek. That led to him getting you back on the forehead, ear, chin, and eventually some strays ended up in the corner of your mouth, which he was more than happy to take care of. Baking really made him a freak, you thought. You probably shouldn’t be kissing over someone’s wedding memorabilia, but you shortly noticed that was the icing for each tier and its decoration. You lost an hour cleaning and starting from scratch on the buttercream, steering clear of each other in a respective corner each.

You had another hour to eat a late dinner while each tier chilled in the freezer, setting the white icing you painstakingly leveled to their surface area. When you returned, it was time for the assembly, the second most dreaded process. “I’m scared,” you confessed, just about to push down the first dowel.

Egon got eye level with the top, squinting. “You’re just about perfect.”

Your nerves got the better of you. “How can you tell?”

“I calculated.”

He was to keep calculating until all three cakes were secure on each other, bringing on the actually grueling part: decoration. You could design anything easily, after years of practice on your skills and ability to freehand- but a wedding cake was just so intimidating. That was part of the reason you vowed to never try again, how easy failure was staring you down in the form of little white fondant flowers. Egon let you take the reins on this, disappearing from your narrow field of vision. You honed in your knowledge of swirls, mini roses, and the drape style that was still in fashion among traditional couples. You were bent in all sorts of ways to make sure every bit of sugar that left the tip of the plastic bag came out perfect, for a perfect pair of newlyweds. Or newlyweds with perfect pocketbooks.

Time got away from you when the final detail was placed, and you stepped away like it was a bomb. “Is it done? Are we done?” you looked for confirmation. “How does it look?”

Egon’s torso stopped you from running off somewhere. “It looks perfect.”

The giant thing was stowed away to wait until you were scheduled to drop it off the next morning, and a weight was taken off your chest. You let the faucet run over materials, mind somewhere else with the rush of running water.

“It’s so sweet when it’s all done,” you spoke up, scrubbing crusted batter off of a tin, “weddings feel so magical.”

You thought back to the agreement you made with your boyfriend of a handful of years: nix a big ceremony, celebrate with friends when the time felt right. The time always felt right to you; you’d drag him to the courthouse at the drop of a hat. Perhaps there was an even right-er time out there, written somewhere in your future.

Egon wiped down all the surfaces. “I agree.” he voiced from across the counter, taking a pause. “You’re not…angry with me? For taking as long as I am?”

You laughed at that, drying your hands. You crossed over to him, a hand on his chest. “Not at all. I trust you.” He had ditched the tie at some point after you had to make a new batch of icing. “If you’re offering…”

“Give me some more time to make it special.”

You brushed away some of his hair that had come loose in the heat of your scullery. “How much more time?” your voice was soft.

Egon thought about it for a moment. “What’s 5 more years?” He laughed heartily at the groan you let out, resting his head on yours.

“Really?” your voice broke over the phone. “I’m sorry…I’ve never- I don’t know,” you forced yourself to take a shallow breath, “I’ll work on getting your deposit back.”

You didn’t know what to think or feel when you ended the call, but thoughts of wasted hours, materials, lost profit, all flooded your mind as you attempted to calm yourself. You rested your head underneath where the phone was mounted on the wall, rubbing at your temples to sedate an oncoming headache.

“What happened?” Egon asked at your back, with you again in the early morning as he scored another day off. You didn’t turn to face him, trying your best to blink back embarrassing tears.

“She canceled. We made the cake for nothing- there’s no wedding, I-”

Egon was on a knee, in the middle of your homely bakery. Your frustration evolved into pure confusion. “What’re you-”

There was a blue, velvet box in his hands with a glinting band inside of it. Before he could get a word out, you were on the floor too, tears free flowing. “You can’t do this now,” you clutched the fabric of his pants when he moved to hold you. “I look horrible.”

His free hand dried your tears, though more would keep on appearing in their wake. “I’m sorry this is so overdue.”

Your hands gently held onto his jaw to know this was real. “When was the right time?”

“A long, long time ago. I just needed to find a way to make it special.” He looked hesitant before continuing, “I hope you don’t mind having made your own wedding cake.”

You blinked. “You’re the worst!” you joked exasperatedly, falling with him into a hug on the floors you were happy you mopped. “That was all you?”

“Why do you suppose her down payment was a multiple of 18?”

“They didn’t.”

“Consider it a group gift, I suppose.” Egon smiled underneath you. You sat in the giddy silence of two people, soon to be wed, when he gingerly asked the question

“Will you?”

Your boyfriend- fiancé, went through so much trouble to make the moment one you could look back on happily. Who could refuse?

“I will.”

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters 1989 #ghostbusters 1984 #egon spengler #egon spengler/reader #egon spengler x reader #egon/reader #egon x reader #oneshot #fanfic #ao3 author #ao3 writer #ao3 link #ask box #open requests

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manheeiim · 11 months ago

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chapter five: harsh words

-- a ghostly love masterlist

Although, there was really no benefit to me showering anymore, I’d always found it quite relaxing. The hot water combined with the silence was always nice to me. Whenever I was in the shower, my mind went blank and I didn’t really think about anything. I liked that.

The only thing that used to creep me out about showers was the possibility of someone killing me while I was in the shower. That whole fear originated after I watched Psycho and had always been in the back of my mind since. Well, I guess not anymore since it’s not like I can be killed again.

After I finished, I stepped out and dried my body first before drying my hair a bit and brushing it, my hair still being wet but not dripping wet like before. I then got into my uniform again, combed my fingers through my hair, and went to the mirror.

I knew that I could really just wear the clothes that I’d worn to school the day that I died and that were currently stuffed in my backpack in my locker, and I did think about that. But, truth is, the clothes I was wearing during the school day were so boring and I guess I figured that I’m dead, why does it even matter? In life but especially in death.

I was still standing in front of the mirror when the door suddenly opened. It wasn’t by a ghost though, it was by someone living. It was not only after school hours but it was also too late for people from clubs to be here so I wondered why anyone was here.

My mother stepped into the locker room though and I let out a sigh. I heard the principal say something outside of the locker room before shutting the door. My mother glanced around for a moment before going over to the lockers. I watched as she went to my locker and opened it, standing in front of it for a few moments and she looked at my backpack that hung solitarily in the otherwise empty locker.

My mother took my backpack off of the hook. She didn’t look inside of it or anything, she just took it and headed out. I followed after her and watched as she thanked the principal before heading in the direction of the main entrance.

I followed her as she went through the doors of the main entrance and walked over to one of the benches on the sidewalk. She sat down and I sat down next to her, watching her put my backpack on her lap and zip it open.

She looked at my things for a moment before taking out my binder and looking through it. It was all really just schoolwork. She put the binder to the other side of her, on the bench, before looking at my notebooks. I thought she’d finished before she looked at the bag and saw a piece of paper, folded up at the bottom. She took it out and unfolded it. Oh, I knew what that was.

It was a piece of paper that me and Chloe had passed to one another in class a month or so prior to my death. On the paper, I was complaining about my mom.

“I don’t get her at all sometimes. I swear that the only reason she put me in cheer was so that she could relive her childhood. I never wanted this. She knew that. It’s so fucking annoying.” I read aloud in my head. “Sometimes, when I’m really mad at her, I wish that my dad was the one to stay and that she wasn’t.” I then read. “But then I remember how he was, how things were, and realize that it’d be much worse than it is right now.” I finished.

My mom stared at that paper for a while before putting it in her pocket. She stuffed the other stuff in my bag before getting up from the seat and walking off to her car. I remained seated as I just watched her. I felt kind of bad, honestly. I know that she’d been a kind of bad mom when it came to certain things but she was still my mom and I knew that she was not expecting to find that in my backpack. I would’ve thrown that out but the bell rang and I had to hurry and get to the next class so I just shoved it in my bag unconsciously and completely forgot about it.. until now.

I stayed seated on the bench for a while after that with my face in the palms of my hands and salty tears escaping my eyes. I was alone there for a while. Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps on the cement sidewalk. I looked up and saw Charley walking over to me. He walked over to me with a comforting smile and sat next to me, putting his arm around my back and giving me a comforting side hug.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“Yeah, it’s just- I saw my mom again and she saw something in my bag that I wish she didn’t.” I say.

“What was it? Drugs?” He asked.

“Um, no.” I blankly say. “It was just.. a mean note I’d exchanged with my friend about my mom.” I tell Charley.

“I thought you didn’t like your mom.” Charley says.

“I don’t.” I responded. “But, she’s still my mom.” I add.

Charley sighs, “I get that.”

“Yeah..” I breathily say.

“Well, I’m here for you.” Charley tells me. “Thank you.” I say back.

“You’re welcome.” He says with a small smile.

#manheeiim #milo manheim #milo #milo manheim x reader #milo x reader #wally clark #wally clark x reader #wally clark x oc #wally x reader #wally clark imagine #wally clark fanfiction #school spirits #school spirits imagine #school spirits fanfiction

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squarebracketsmileyface · 18 days ago

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IMAGINE! High school sweethearts/early college Brim - personally i dont think Tim would be able to get on T until he can get a job to pay out of pocket (because you know the system isn’t exactly LGBT friendly) - so Brian gets to watch Tim’s t-dick grow the longer he’s on T over time aaaa

i get Sweaty thinking about Brian pushing Tim’s legs back to get a good view of his pussy, and seeing that cute lil thing get bigger and bigger and telling Tim he’s ‘getting to be such a big boy’ to fluster Tim and make him feel good about himself :D and then Brian comments about how much easier it gets to stroke/suck his dick as it grows aaa

Also, god forgive me, but something about the whole ‘getting to be such a big boy’ in terms of Tim’s dick just gives me DOPAMINE. like its that perfect dose of affection and dominance that kills me :D

Oooooooooooooo yes

I love Tim and Brian being highschool sweethearts so much, and them in college/uni is like, so perfect. Tim definitely wouldn't be on T til he could pay for it himself, you're right, I think it'd be once he was in his second year of uni that he started T, so (going off my made up Sorry, It's Locked timeline) during their first year, when they were helping Alex with his film project, he wouldn't have been on T until like, at earliest right at the end of that year I think.

Okay, rest of it's under the thingy since it's NSFW, in case you don't wanna see that

Anyway, whenever it happens, he goes on T after he and Brian have already been just quietly dating for a while, so Brian is veryyyyyy familiar with how he looks down there (Brian being very enthusiastic about giving oral is a huge headcanon of mine) and Tim starts seeing changes pretty early on, like bottom growth is one of the first changes he sees. And like, Brian's his boyfriend, so of course he's gonna tell him about it and wanna show him, because this is something he's wanted for ages, and he needs to know he isn't going mad and just imagining it because he's so excited for the changes he knows T can bring.

Brian's 100% on board, he'd never say no to being able to get his head between his boyfriend's legs. I think he'd definitely use it as an excuse to suck him off, like he'd make some dumb joke about "hmm I dunno, I can't see any difference... You should lemme suck you off, I know what your dick feels like better than I know what it looks like". Tim would find it horrendously endearing and would also laugh at Brian for the world's worst pickup line. He'd let Brian suck him off though.

I do like to think it'd go silly wrong just that first time tho, like not badly wrong, everything's fine. It's just like, y'know, bottom growth can be sensitive AF and Brian jumps straight into sucking Tim's dick and ends up almost getting kneed in the head because it's wayyyyyyyy too much and Tim ends up needing to pull Brian off and be like "okay I'm done, fucking hell, yeah no that's a lot I'm gonna need like two to three business days". They kinda have to refigure out oral as Tim's dick grows on T, especially since at first it's very sensitive just cos it's like, so new I guess, and the anticipation for it feeling different then makes it feel even more sensitive cos Tim's thinking about it so much lol.

At first they actually end up kinda leaving his dick alone as much as possible, like Brian will still look at it and compliment it and stuff like that definitely, but his actual effort is all focussed around eating Tim out rather than sucking him off, y'know? Like, if he accidentally bumps up against Tim's dick, that's fine, but for the most part it's getting his tongue inside him rather than his lips around him, y'know?

Eventually tho, Brian gets to suck him off properly for the first time, and he's fucking obsessed with it. Tim practically drowns him he's holding him in place with his hands and thighs so tight. Brian 100% uses that "getting to be so big" line right before he actually gets his mouth on him, and Tim pretty much dies, because it's so hot, and Brian's got his arms under and hooked round his thighs to pull him closer and hold him in place even while Tim's still shuddering trying to relax into it and get used to how overwhelming it feels.

Tim has the best night of his life so far and by the end of it he's so shaky it's actually laughable.

Like, Brian sucks him off, makes him cum like that, and then gets his dick inside him, and they're in a position that every time Brian thrusts in his pelvis smacks and grinds right against Tim's dick, and with how sensitive he is right now that makes him clench so tight around him. Like, Brian's in heaven, and he barely wiped his mouth before he started fucking Tim, so they're making out through it and Tim's just tasting himself.

Like, they both have the best time playing with Tim's t-dick after that, Brian develops a fondness for cockwarming him. Tim will be doing something in his room and Brian will just come in and push his legs apart so he can nose at his cunt, and Tim will just sigh like he's being a nuisance and push his trousers and pants down so Brian can get himself properly situated and just lie or sit there with Tim's dick in his mouth, sucking it gently every now and again.

He uses that "you're getting to be so big" line so often during that. Like, he jokes that it's just him keeping an eye on "how everything's going down there" and he'll make comments every time like he can actually tell the difference day to day. Like, logically, there's no noticeable size difference day by day, but he'll always say there is just to get Tim all flustered and to tell him to shut up all embarrassed.

Also Brian kisses the tip of Tim's dick every time he pulls off for the night.

They've definitely made the tips of their dicks kiss too, just because they thought it'd be funny. I think one of them would have taken a photo, just to have it. It's like the first and last photo of them having sex that they ever take lol, but they just both really love the look of Tim's dick next to Brian's.

#nsft #tim wright #brian thomas #mh brim #marble hornets #marble hornets fanfic #mh sorry its locked #fic/series rated e on ao3 #in case anyone would prefer not to read that #popping that there cos even tho this did start out meaning to just be general MH i used the SIL timeline so it works for SIL too #i should post that timeline at some point cos im pretty proud of it. It runs all the way from 2005 to 2014 and has full dates for everything #also goes back to when everyone was born as well as when Tim went into and got out of the hospital #i have exactly how old everyone is during specific fics too lol #ooooo looking at it now i havent put in when Brian “died/was killed by Alex” yet. i need to do that. the timelines a bit messy around their #uni years but i think Brian would “die” some time in 2007? unless theres a canon date he “died�� then i might have to try shuffle things #around to make that fit the SIL timeline. first half of 2007 kinda works i think tho? for SIL anyway. itd be like Alex going back to tie up #loose ends i think. then he can go back to his happy “im free of the operator” life with amy for a few years before entry 47 >:]

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allkordelia · 1 year ago

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Keep Me Near Your Heart VI

Jaenara was waiting in the great chamber staring into the fire for Aemond's return, it had been a rough few moons, and aemond had kept to his promise and taken Jaenara night and day as well as keeping her trapped in the solar. The last time she was out was when her nameday arrived just around the corner, jaenara was relieved, to say the least when aemond told her of the celebration that viserys wanted to throw for her. She couldn't help but be giddy, after so long she was finally going to see her family.

It felt as if a large stone was lifted from her back making her able to breathe again, nothing could deter her excitement, not aemond, no one. She was so excited to see alys again and her aunt, she had been sending letters but she had yet to have one sent back to her making her wonder if they were mad at her. She wished she could have visited them, she had tried to leave the solar once by breaking the handle of the door only to find Ser Ashford and Ser Krey there standing guard in the corridor.

She remembered the disappointment that spread through her heart and the anger that soon replaced it when Ser Ashford shut the door in her face with a sneer.

But, like everything else that goes bad in her life, a day before her nameday she got a letter from her mother telling her that their family wouldn't be able to make it. It put a damper on her mood, and she spent the whole night sulking at the table while all the lords and ladies danced and had fun.

Deep down Jaenara only wanted her family to come to console her aunt about aemond, and possibly take her back home to Dragonstone.

Jaenara sighed looking away from the fire, she put the palm of her hands against her eyes as she started feeling herself get sleepy. She shook her head trying to stay awake, she needed to stay awake for aemond, hopefully, he get here soon. She thought his lateness would benefit her, and prepare her for what she was going to tell aemond when he came, she hoped he finally is pleased with what she had to say.

The sharp snap of the door made Jaenara flinch, she got up and turned towards her husband, and a sick feeling made its way into Jaenara's gut as she looked at Aemond's callous face. Aemond walks further inside his attention on the letter in his hand, he looks disgruntled and a bit sad.

"Husband." Jaenara greeted softly.

Aemond didn't acknowledge her as he stopped and kept his gaze on the letter, jaenara bit her bottom lip anxious, she was curious to know what it was on that letter that made Aemond look so angry.

"Aemond...I have news." Jaenara says fidgeting with her fingers as she watches Aemond warily, but it seems Aemond didn't hear or just ignoring her, he does that sometimes, "Aemond--"

"What," He pique making Jaenara clamp her lips shut from his heated glare.

Jaenara didn't say anything as she dipped her chin, he was angry and whatever it was that was on the letter made him that way, she knew he was going to be in a sour mood for the remainder of his stay. Maybe, it was best to tell him tomorrow, when he calm down.

"Nothing." She looks up at him, "Just wanted to say, I wish you a goodnight, husband." She said walking up to him, Aemond watched her closely as if at any moment she might pounce, but she just walked past him a headed to her chamber.

She prayed he wouldn't fellow, pray that he was too angry to lay with her, she couldn't handle an angry aemond right now, especially during intercourse.

"Wait." He commanded, Jaenara stopped just a couple of steps behind him.

She turned to look at her husband to see him clenching the letter in his fist, Aemond was facing her when he began to walk toward her. Jaenara looked away from Aemon when she caught his eye, but Aemond's hand went to her jaw making her look at her.

"Do not think I forgot about you, dove." He said, sending a chill down her spine, "I expect you ready for me once I am finished." Jaenara swallowed as she wondered what he meant.

"I...Aemond, I do not feel very well--" Jaenara gasped when aemond's hand squeezed her jaw painfully, Aemond let out a growl as he stared down at his wife.

"Do not start, woman. I am in no mood for your perversity, nor am I in the mood for your griping." Jaenara stumbled forward putting her hand on Aemond's wrist, "Now, do as I say, and wait for me in your chamber." He finally let go of her, jaenara's hand went to her jaw looking at her husband as she rubbed her jaw, aemond didn't spare the princess another look as he looked back at the paper in his clenches.

Jaenara was in no mood to deal with him either, she didn't summon him here for his company but to finally put an end to this nightmare.

"Aemond--"

"Are you still here?" He asked harshly looking at her again, Aemond was already dealing with a pressing issue and it seemed this cretinous creature he had the misfortune of marrying was giving him a headache.

"I-I just thought since my condition, we would take a break and talk." Aemond raised a brow at her with an exasperated look, jaenara's teeth gaw at her bottom hoping that he take the bait.

"What condition." He grits out.

Jaenara exhaled softly before taking a step closer to Aemond, the young prince squinted at her before catching her wrist when she moved her hand up to push her hair behind her ear. Jaenara looked at his hand on her wrist before looking back at him, she swallowed the lump in her throat before moving her other hand to gently touch his wrist before rubbing her thumb over his pulse making him look down at the gesture.

"The maester visited. I would have thought he would have spread the news." Aemond looks at Jaenara expectantly with frown brows.

"And what news would that be." Jaenara gave Aemond a small smile, Aemond let go of her wrist as Jaenara pulled at his hand and placed his palm against her stomach, Aemond gulped as he looked down at his hand.

"He confirmed it." Aemond glances up at Jaenara, "I am pregnant with your child, Aemond." Jaenara watched Aemond carefully as he looked back down at his hand against her stomach.

Jaenara's heart pounded against her ribcage nervously as she waited for Aemond to say something, his hand moving along her stomach noticing the small curve.

"How far?" He whispered still looking down in wonder.

"3 moons." Aemond look at her making her give a bashful smile, "I wanted to wait a little long just in case..." She said looking down at her feet.

Jaenara flinched slightly at Aemond hooking his finger under her chin to make her look at him, the young prince surprised himself when he pulled Jaenara forward for a kiss, and Jaenara's eyes widened at the soft lips that were her husband's. She couldn't remember the last time he ever kissed her, that's a lie the last time he kissed her was at their wedding, but the gentle kiss had Jaenara leaning in making aemond wrap his arm around her shoulder pulling her against him. Jaenara couldn't help but melt into the kiss, this was all she ever wanted, her sweet husband, the man who captured her heart and showed her his tenderness and love.

Aemond pulled away making Jaenara stare up at him daze as she clung to him, jaenara fluttered her eyelashes as aemond brushed the tip of his nose against the side of her face.

"You have no idea...how happy you made me," He whispered after pressing a kiss to her hairline.

Jaenara was taken by surprise again when Aemond dropped to his knee to come face to face with her stomach, she couldn't help the smile that came on her face when Aemond gazed at her stomach in awe and cooed as he talked to their babe.

"So...Does this mean I can leave the solar, now?" Jaenara asked meekly, Aemond looked up at her with a look that she couldn't work out.

Jaenara became rigid when Aemond stood from his knee, she shied away when his hand came up to caress her hair.

"Yes, dove." Jaenara exhaled relieved, "You should be out feeling the sun and getting fresh air for the babe," A small smile made its way up to Aemond's lip as she looked down and rubbed her belly, "...I can't wait to tell Mother, she gonna be over the moon." He said slightly giddy.

Jaenara drone, she forgot that they had to tell Alicent, she didn't want anyone to know at the moment. It still felt too early to tell Aemond.

"What's wrong, dove." Jaenara looked at Aemond as he stared at her with a hint of concern, making something deep inside Jaenara flutter.

"I don't want to tell your mother or anyone else for that matter," Jaenara sighs lowly, "I don't want to give anyone hopes up, I was already contemplating on telling you today. I just don't want to be a disappointment again." Aemond frowns feeling a ping of guilt on Jaenara's crestfallen face, he moves his hand to cover Jaenara's hand on her stomach.

"If you wish to wait, we will wait."

"Really?" Jaenara asked surprised, Aemond nodded his head.

"Of course. My mother will understand, but for now, you get some rest and relax." Jaenara smiled gratefully at Aemond.

"Thank you, husband." Jaenara leans up on her tippy toes catching Aemond by surprise as she presses a gentle kiss to his cheek with the scar, when she pulls away she sees how his cheeks grow a light pink.

She bowed her head walking around him, Aemond watched her before looking down at the letter in his balled hand.

"Jaenara." He called looking up at her as she stopped by her door to look at him with a curious look, "Maybe. If you want...I could join you and we can think of names for the babe." Jaenara looked at Aemond with a surprised look before she smiled and nodded.

"That would be most appreciated, husband," Jaenara says trying to refrain from smiling even bigger, Aemond gives a small smile.

"You go ahead. I must take care of something." Jaenara bows her head before continuing inside her room leaving the door open for Aemond.

The young prince played with the balled letter in his hand as he walked over to the fireplace, he looked at the fire that laminated his face, Aemond opened the letter to reread the words his lover sent him.

...I will not return to King's Landing, Aemond, I will not continue to go back and forth from home and there just so you can fuck me and send me away. I deserve better than to be your whore, this a goodbye aemond...

Aemond's heart broke the first time he read it and it hurts still, he wishes she knew how much it pains him that he made her feel like just a whore. But, he had no choice but to have her come back and forth, his mother wouldn't allow her to live in the castle even though she would have been living in his chamber. Too risky, she said. If rumors of Aemond, the good child, being unfaithful to his wife got out, Alicent fears that it would make their house look bad.

Aemond sighs, he tosses the letter into the fire watching it slowly burn. He may never see his lover again, but at least he has Jaenara and the babe. They will distract his broken heart for now, hopefully by the time the babe comes, alys willing fold and come visit him in King's Landing.

「 ⊹₊♚₊⊹ 」

During the past four moons, Aemond and Jaenara have found themselves spending a lot of time together. With the news of Jaenara's pregnancy, their bond grew closer with each passing day. Aemond made a conscious effort to support and protect Jaenara, accompanying her on long walks under the pale moonlight, talking into the late hours of the night, and sharing moments of tenderness and care. Together, they ventured into the realm of parenthood, discussing hopes and fears for the future, and making plans for their growing family.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Aemond and Jaenara found solace in each other's presence during this time of change. Their shared experiences have forged a deep, unbreakable connection between them, as they eagerly anticipate the arrival of their child, unified by their love and commitment to each other.

Jaenara thanked the gods for blessing her with her child and making Aemond love her again, it took a while for her to truly let Aemond back in and she was happy she did.

So, when she woke up alone in bed, her heart sank reminding her of the last time she woke up alone, but she shook those thoughts away as she carefully got out of bed, jaenara puffed out as she put her hand on her large belly. She slipped into her flats before waddling to her door, confused and anxious, she walked to her door hoping to seek him out.

But, rather than seeing Aemond in the great chamber, she sees Enith holding a tray in her hands, "Good Morning, Enith. Have you seen, Aemond?" Jaenara asked standing on the threshold of her door looking at the solar for her husband before looking back at the woman.

Enith's hesitant demeanor made Jaenara furrow her brows as she watched her, a sick feeling in her gut made Jaenara sway as the silence was becoming deafening.

"Enith?" The handmaiden looks from the floor to Jaenara.

"Uh, I haven't seen him this morning, m'lady." She replied, walking up to Jaenara before sliding past her to get inside the room.

Jaenara narrowed her eyes and followed after closing the door behind her, she watched as Enith set the tray on the aemond side.

"Do you have a clue where he is?" She asked again, Enith took a short moment to answer making Jaenara grow suspicious.

"...umm, no...but I could ask around." Enith suggested nervously, jaenara glanced down as Enith played with her skirt before looking back at her.

"Where is my husband, Enith," Jaenara asked crossing her arms over her chest, Enith looked at Jaenara with wide eyes before shrugging her shoulders.

"I-I just told you--"

"What is wrong with you?" Jaenara asked causing Enith to become tongue-tied, "You are acting skittish, are you hiding something from me?" Enith gulped before shaking her head.

"Of course not--"

"Then, where is my husband, you must know something if your acting this way." Enith didn't know what to say, jaenara had become rather observant lately, and the young princess seemed more aware of certain nowadays, "Fine. If you won't tell me then I guess I will have to find out myself." Jaenara turned on her heels making Enith snap back to reality.

"No, wait." Enith nearly screams causing Jaenara to look back at her with a raised brow, Enith sighs sadly before rubbing her hands on her skirt nervously.

"He is in his chamber," Enith said dreary.

Jaenara furrowed her brows at Enith's words, her husband was in his chamber which wasn't surprising nor worrying.

Jaenara scoffed making Enith look at her mistress, "In his chamber? By the gods, Enith. I thought you were going to say something bad, in his chamber." Jaenara shook her head humorous smile as she walked to her side of the bed.

Enith bites her tongue not wanting to finish her sentence, she helps Jaenara onto the bed before taking a seat at the edge. She watched as Jaenara picked berries from the bowl and popped them into her mouth, soon Enith started up a convention trying to distract her mistress from her missing husband.

「 ⊹₊♚₊⊹ 」

After Aemond didn't come back to Jaenara's chamber, she couldn't help but worry about her husband and what he was doing. It was unlike him to be gone for so long without sending word. As the week passed, her concern grew deeper, and she found herself falling into a dark void of fear and uncertainty, unable to shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest.

She tried to convince herself that Aemond was simply caught up in some important matter or had lost track of time, but her instincts told her otherwise. She knew her husband well, and something felt off about his absence.

As the days wore on, Jaenara found herself spiraling, her thoughts consumed by anger and despair. She tried going for a walk to clear her mind but was stopped by Ser Ashford and Ser Krey, she was confined in the solar again on aemond's command, jaenara shook her head at the knights.

"For how long?" She questioned them impatiently, they both glanced at each other before looking at her.

"He did not say." Ser Ashford replied, jaenara scowled and crossed her arms.

"I can not stay in this solar, the babe and I need fresh air." She said.

"Open a window." Ser Ashford said tersely with an eye roll, he reached to close the door but Jaenara's hand caught the other handle.

"All I wish is to go for a walk, please, it won't even be for that long." She pleads looking between the men, Ser Krey gives a sympathetic look before looking at Ser Ashford, but the older man ignores the look Krey is giving him.

"No. The prince's orders." He said gruffly making Jaenara pleading eyes turn to glare.

"Well, I am the princess and I wish to go for a fucking walk." She snapped catching both knights off guard, Ser Krey looked between the princess and Ashford as they glared at each other.

Ser Krey stepped between the two and looked at Jaenara with a sincere look.

"I am sorry, princess, but not tonight, maybe tomorrow." Jaenara looked at Krey with a dangerous look making the young knight splutter, "A-And if you wish I can talk to the prince about letting you go for a walk, I am sure if I mention it's for the babe, he would do it, don't you think?" Jaenara thought for a minute, she glanced at Ser Ashford who was still glaring at her, and she sneered looking back at Krey.

"Fine." She said tersely, Krey sighed out of relief before he could say anything else, jaenara slammed the door in their faces.

After that whole ordeal, jaenara's anger turned to despair and desperation, and she missed Aemond lying next to her. She missed his soft kisses, his soothing voice when he read to her, and the babe in high valyrian, even though she was mad at him she still missed his presence around the solar. It seems the only thing that could get her to rest is crying herself to sleep, and she knows, she knows she shouldn't be worrying herself, especially with how close the baby is coming.

Jaenara wiped at her eyes as the door to her room was opened, she looked up to see Enith coming in with an emerald gown.

"What is that?" She sniffs.

"It's your gown to the jubilee," Enith says coming towards the bed and laying the dress out, jaenara frowns glancing at the dress before looking at Enith.

"Jubilee? When is it?" Enith looked at Jaenara with raised bows.

"Tonight," she drawls out, "Did no one tell you?" Jaenara gave her a look.

"And due tell who would have told me this news, Enith. The useless knights or my absent husband." Enith bit her bottom lip as she tried not to smile, she was beginning to like this jaenara, and she gave her mistress an apologetic look before taking a seat next to her, "Do I have to go?" Jaenara asked with a sullen look.

"The queen demands it," Enith says.

Jaenara rolled her eyes before looking down at her belly, she caressed the top feeling a flutter making her smile a bit.

"I can always tell the queen, you not feeling well, my lady." Jaenara drones glancing away from her belly to the emerald gown on the bed.

"No..." She starts, "I'll go but I'm not wearing that gown." She says scootching out of her bed with Enith following suit.

"Okay, what gown did you have in mind." Jaenara looked at the new gowns that aemond brought her, she looked through the various colors and fabrics before stopping at a pretty crimson one that reminded her of a portrait of rhaenys targaryen.

"I think this one will do." Jaenara pulled out the long gown before smiling over at Enith who looked at the gown in awe.

"I think it will do more than just do." Enith giggles taking the gown from Jaenara and heading toward the bed.

As Jaenara took a seat online one of the settees, her hand resting on her belly thinking, she wondered if she saw Aemond.

「 ⊹₊♚₊⊹ 」

Jaenara was proud of herself for choosing the perfect crimson gown to wear to the jubilee, the deep red fabric hugging her baby bump in all the right places. As she entered the great hall, every eye turned to her, admiring her radiant beauty as she made her way to the table where her extended family was seated.

But as she approached, Jaenara's smile faltered. Aemond, her husband, was standing next to a woman with striking black hair, engaged in an animated conversation. Jealousy and suspicion gnawed at Jaenara's heart as she watched the pair, and she felt a surge of discomfort as she realized just how close they were standing to one another.

Trying to shake off her unease, Jaenara joined her family at the table, plastering on a smile and exchanging pleasantries as she tried to ignore the way Aemond and the dark-haired woman kept stealing glances in her direction.

"Jaenara, you look absolutely beautiful," Alicent complimented making Jaenara give her a gracious smile, "But, what happened to the gown I picked out for you?" Alicent asked.

"Oh, you sent me a dress?" Jaenara asked pretending like she didn't know.

"Yes, a gorgeous green gown with jewels around the neckline and wrist, I gave it to your handmaiden." Jaenara made a show of realization before she took a seat beside her younger cousin, Daeron.

"Oh, yes, I saw it pretty dress, but I did not feel like it was for me." She said nonchalantly.

"Mmmm." Alicent hummed as her sweet smile nearly faltered, she turned away from the girl to take a sip of her wine.

Jaenara glanced away from her step-grandmother to look at Aemond and his guest, they were at the end of the table still talking. She glances away feeling her hands get clammy making her wring out her fingers, she distracts herself with Daeron, who pulls her into a conversation about her dragon, Vermithor.

"...I heard from Mother that you and alys went into Dragonmont to claim your dragons, were you scared?" The young boy asked making Jaenara smirk.

"I was terrified but Alyaena..." Jaenara trail off thinking about her friend, "...well Alyaena wasn't scared, she was brave and she saved my life." Daeron's eyes widen in admiration.

"Wow." He said wonderstruck causing a low giggle to come from Jaenara, "I wish I was as brave as her." Daeron said deflating a little, jaenara put her hand on Daeron's shoulder giving him a sweet smile.

"I'm sure there is a brave bone inside you somewhere, you just have to wait for it to show its face." Daeron smiled back at Jaenara before they were interrupted.

Aemond cleared his throat catching his brother and wife's attention, he glanced at Jaenara who was looking past him at the people dancing on the floor before looking at his younger brother.

"It's getting late, daeron. You should go off to bed." The youngest targaryen frowns at his older brother.

"But, I'm not tired." He whines making Aemond give him a look.

"Mother's orders." He said tersely, jaenara looked at Daeron who pouted, she leaned close to Daeron making the boy look at her.

"If I were you I escape before they start talking politics, I know I would give my left leg just so I don't have to listen to them talk non-stop about boring politics." Jaenara pulled a face making Daeron consider her words, he hated politics they always made him want to go to sleep.

"On second thought, I am feeling a bit tired," Jaenara gives a small smirk as she watch Daeron push back his chair and get up, "Goodnight, Jaenara. Goodnight, Aemond. And good luck." Jaenara covered her mouth with her fingers as she hid her chuckle, Daeron waved back at Jaenara and aemond as he was escorted to his room by a knight.

Jaenara turned her eyes away from the youngest targaryen to her half-eaten plate, a sudden body pressed her side making her glance at Aemond, she looked away trying to find the dark-haired woman he was talking to just hours ago. She turned her eyes to the floor to find her, she watched as the woman was being twirled by a man, jaenara side-eyed aemond to see him watching the dancers as well. She notices how he clenches his jaw before glancing down at his hand on the table that he flexes into a fist before opening his hand, jaenara sighs low putting her hand on her belly.

She looks at the dark-haired woman as she laughs and flips her hair, her heart skips when she makes eye contact with her, jaenara looks away before pushing back her chair. As she stood, Aemond's hand caught her wrist making her look at him.

"Where are you going." He asked, his attention still focused on the floor.

"My chamber." When she pulled her arm, Aemond's gripe tightened a bit before he turned his gaze away from the woman.

"You must stay and keep me company," He said with a glint in his eye, "Leaving now when I just took a seat seems a bit rude, don't you think." Jaenara raises a brow at her husband before glancing around.

"You know what is also rude, husband," Jaenara says looking back to Aemond find him staring at the woman again.

"Mmmm, what." He said remiss, a pit inside Jaenara ignited at his diversion, and she moved her hand over his wrist gently caressing it and making him look at her.

"Having a husband like you that abandons his pregnant wife for days on end, without a word." Jaenara dug her nail into Aemond's wrist over his pulse causing him to hiss before she shove his hand off her.

She absconded away causing Aemond to get up out of his seat with a scowl, he heard someone clear their throat making him turn to see his mother give him a look. Aemond swallowed down his anger and marched after Jaenara, it didn't take long to catch up with her, he grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of sight of the guests.

"Do not touch me." Jaenara chided pulling her arms away from aemond as they stood hidden away behind the pillars.

"How dare you--" Aemond growled.

"How dare I what?" She snapped looking at him with so much anger that could make even the dead shake in their coffins.

Aemond was taken back by his wife's tone for a second before his face twisted into a scowl and put his finger in her face, "Have you lost your mind, talking to me like this--" Jaenara gave an eye roll before turning her back to her husband, Aemond splutter at her action and grab her elbow before she could take another step.

Jaenara turned back slapping Aemond's hand from her arm, the young prince gave her a look that told her he was getting fed up.

"Jaenara." He grits angrily through his teeth, "Whatever is going on with you, you better fix it quickly before you make me do something I might regret." Jaenara scoffs a chuckles out making Aemond tilt his head to the side as he stares at her.

"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots." She mocked making Aemond clench his jaw, "I doubt whatever you do to me is not going to be worse than having me locked in a room all by myself worried sick about you."

Aemond stood quiet, he glanced away mildly ashamed. He didn't mean to leave her there all by herself when he got word that Alys returned to King's Landing. He couldn't help himself but go to her.

"Jaenara--" Jaenara put her hand up stopping him.

"I don't care. Whatever you gonna say I don't care." Aemond frowned slightly at the defeat in Jaenara's voice, "Just go back to your lady friend and leave me be." Aemond swallowed as he watched her walk away from him, he looked over at the crowd of dancers and saw Alys happily dancing with another man, oblivious of his absence.

Aemond caught up with Jaenara catching her hand causing her to snatch it away as if it were a hot stone, she looked back at him annoyed as she hid her sadness, why was he still bothering her?

"Aemond, I am not in the mood. Go back to the celebration--" She commanded, the tone hard and tense, making a stir appear in Aemond'a's stomach before he brushed it away.

"Not without you." Jaenara rolled her eyes.

"I told you I'm going my chamber--"

"Then, I will accompany you."

It was Jaenara's turn to clench her jaw, she didn't want him near her, why was that so hard for him to understand?

"As sweet as that is, aemond. I would rather return to my chamber alone." Jaenara glared at Aemond as he caught her hand again, he tightened his grip when she tried to pull away.

"For god's sake, jaenara. Stop acting like a brat." The words rang in her head like a bell, echoing in her mind, causing her to glare at Aemond once again.

"The only brat I see is you, my prince." She spat, "Why don't you go back to your whore, I'm sure she's missing you by now." Aemond's hold loosened making Jaenara pull her hand away.

His hand twitched by his side as a thought passed through his mind, Aemond swallowed down his indignant choosing to ignore what Jaenara said about his lover, and instead took a step forward making Jaenara take a step back, Aemond sighed and looked away before looking back at her with the sincerest look he could muster.

"Jaenara...she is no one." He says, making Jaenara roll her eyes before casting her eyes sadly away.

"I'm not blind. I see the way you look at her." She said quietly, "It's nowhere near the way you look at me, she must be someone really special." She looks back at him to see Aemond with a small frown.

"...she is--was...but she means nothing to me now."

Jaenara dipped her chin, she couldn't believe it or maybe she did, it would explain why he changed so quickly and where he had been in the last couple of weeks. Jaenara's heart grew heavy, she wondered how long it had been going on, was that woman the only one or did Aemond have more paramours around? Was it her name that he called that night during their rendezvous?

"Go to her." She whispered making Aemond furrow his brows.

"What?"

Jaenara looked back at him with tears in her eyes, a flicker of pain stabbed him in his heart at her distraught features.

"You love her, so go to her. I won't stop you." Aemond glanced away from her, jaenara took a step closer making him look back at her as she stared up at him with pleading eyes, "Just do one thing for me, please..." She asked making Aemond's frown deepen, "...let me go," Aemond looked at her dumbfounded, before staring at her with an uneasy look.

"Jaenara--"

"Don't please." She stopped him making him purse his lips, "I know what happens to a woman who is put into a loveless marriage, they become depressed, sad, angry, bitter, resentful individuals." Jaenara sighs shaking her head, "My mother..." Jaenara stopped herself as she trailed off, aemond looked at her worried before she continued, "My mother was a bitter woman, she resented my aunt and uncle's love for each other, and that made it hard to live with her." She looks at Aemond with sadness.

"I...I don't want to end up like my mother, I do not wish to turn my hatred onto our child because you couldn't love me back." Jaenara swallowed and reached to grab aemond's hand with both of her hands and placed them over her heart, Aemond looked at his hands and hers before looking at Jaenara," So I ask, no, beg you husband to spare me, spare me the heartache and misery, and if can not do it for me then our child." She gently begged.

Aemond was speechless. He couldn't form the right words to say to her, he loved Alys, she was his whole world but she left him and he tried to move on and when she came back it was like he was under a spell and he needed to see her. Aemond could understand what Jaenara was saying, after all his father did the same to his mother in a way, and his mother put so much pressure on him and his siblings.

Just look at Aegon, the man was a waste of space and didn't deserve to be considered to be next line for the throne. Then, there's Helaena, his sweet Helena, she had no choice but to marry their idiot of a brother just to make aegon seem more appealing to people. And finally, there was him, the good brother, the scholar, the one who lost an eye and became a hideous monster no one can love, until Alys anyway.

But, he couldn't go against his mother, out of everybody in the castle, he was the only one that she could depend the most on. He had to think about his family's reputation and his own, if he wanted to keep the peace between their families.

Aemond bowed his head so he leaned his forehead against Jaenara's, he let out a soft sigh as he brought his other hand up to cup her jaw. Jaenara closed her eyes, can't help but lean into aemond's touch, why was it so easy to melt into him?

Aemond brought his lips to her temple before whispering in her ear.

"My loyalty lies with you, not her not anymore--" Jaenara tried to pull back but Aemond brought her hands against his chest and his other hand mother to the side of her neck.

"Aemond--" She whined looking away as she tried to pull away not wanting to hear his lies.

"Please, dove." He begs to make me look back at him, he looks so genuine, "Please, let me escort you back to our chamber, let me be with you and our child." Jaenara stared at him thinking what she should do.

She didn't trust aemond to not break her again, she wanted so badly to believe him. But, he was with her. All this time while she was alone and worried, he was with her, doing things only they should be doing. While that woman gets the sweet and soft aemond, jaenara must endure the cold and mean him. How is that fair? How can he make love to his paramour, but fucks her like some whore he found in a brothel. None of this is fair. She doesn't deserve to be put through this--

"I love you, dove." Jaenara flutters her lashes as she snaps out of her daze to look at Aemond, "I am so sorry for being a fool and allowing myself to lose sight of you and our family, I will forever live in shame that I hurt you and brought you pain." Aemond's hand landed on her belly making her stomach churn as he rubbed it gently, "I don't deserve your forgiveness, but please let me earn it back, let me be the man that you deserve...that our child deserves." Jaenara couldn't help the tears that blurry her vision, she put her hands on her face trying not to sob, she didn't know why she was crying his words did little to assure her.

"Come now, let me take you to bed." Jaenara couldn't form words so she nodded, making aemond wrap his arm around her shoulder and guide her toward the exit.

As he was about to leave he looked over his shoulder to see Alys looking at him with a small frown as she stood in the middle of the floor while everyone else continued to dance, Aemond swallowed and turned his head away, guiding Jaenara out of the great hall with a clenched heart.

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adickaboutspoons · 1 year ago

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By the Neck; or, Pearls Mean Tears

I know we all love the idea that Ed snatched the pearl necklace from the neck of one of the guests (or possibly even the bride herself) on the wedding party boat, and how that ties in with his re-painted bride dolly and his longing to be Stede’s bride. I’ve been responsible for propagating the idea myself. So I hate to rain on our parade, but, oh my v. dears? We were wrong.

Stop looking at Ed’s soft, open mouth and beautiful, haunted eyes for a second, and take a glance at the bottom of the frame at what’s tucked up next to the left lapel of his big Blackbeard duster (srsly, how did I not notice those ridiculously oversized lapels in the trailer? I am so dumb sometimes). And lest you think that he, perhaps snatched the necklace sometime between unleashing “the kids” and the camera cutting back to him nonchalantly enjoying some cake? Here’s the necklace on “the day before that,” visible just under the curve of the top pistol on his chest:

And here it is again “the day before that,” two pearls on the strand just barely visible as he’s lighting his pipe:

So sorry my v. dears, but no. the pearls don’t represent his desire to be partnered with Stede. But that’s ok - we already have a piece of neckware that represents that: Stede’s cravat. Which Ed donned specifically so that he could die in it…

And we know that he did that, because he was only wearing the pearl necklace and his habitual gold chains from the first season just before he babygirled his way right into the path of the storm. (Also - since the crew were huddled in the hallway leading to the captain’s cabin just before they came out to find Ed angling the cannon toward the mast, do we reckon he already had it on him when he came out to take the helm? Maybe tucked away in his pocket? Where he used to keep his silk?)

But! When Ed gets to the Gravy Basket, only the pearls remain.

Similarly when he’s manacled to the railing after he awakens from his coma, he’s only wearing the pearls. There’s no good Watsonian reason to take the cravat and the chains, but LEAVE the pearls. If the characters were worried about him choking, it would make sense to remove ALL the neckwear. If Stede wanted his clothes back for some reason or Ed didn’t want it now that Stede’s back and he’s mad at him, removing the cravat makes sense, but why remove the jewelry that rightly belongs to Ed, meaning he’d still have his chains along with the pearls. If it was a matter of the crew taking Ed’s valuables as an asshole tax or something, then we’d expect chains AND pearls to be gone, leaving just the cravat. I can’t think of a single in-universe reason why only the pearls would stay.

That tells us that the pearls are SYMBOLICALLY significant to his character concept and, especially since they show up in the Gravy Basket where EVERYTHING is symbolic, integrated into his concept of self.

So if not all the bridal stuff, how ARE we meant to interpret them?

Well, first, pearls are tied to the sea, and I think it’s fair to say that in almost all iterations of his identity, Ed sees himself intrinsically linked with or near the sea (The Pirate Blackbeard, The Kraken, the Impossible Bird that never returns to land, Jeff’s Inn by the Sea, Blackbeard’s Bar and Grill and other Delicacies and Delights and Fishing Equipment, and Fisherman Ed). But various mythologies posit pearls are the tears of gods or goddesses, intrinsically linking them with expressions of sorrow. And beyond that, there’s What Pearls Are - an irritant that has to be smoothed over with layer upon layer of visually appealing cover to make it acceptable.

We know that Ed thinks he’s profoundly unlovable. He admits it to himself in as many words in the Gravy Basket, but we’ve known this from season 1 when he confessed to Stede that he’s not a good person, and that’s why he hasn’t any friends. We see plenty of people with whom he is on friendly terms, like Jack or Anne and Mary, or who respect or admire Blackbeard, like his crew and Spanish Jackie, and Jeff easily wins over the crowd on the French Party Boat, but Blackbeard and Jeff are protective personas he cultured like layers of nacre. They’re not Just Ed.

Just Ed made himself profoundly vulnerable and kissed a boy on a beach. Just Ed got abandoned on a dock. Just Ed got told that it would have been better if the English had killed him.

So I think it’s significant that he and Stede exchange their second kiss when he’s been stripped of his pearls in exchange for a cat bell.

This is Ed devoid of all the signifiers of his self-constructed identities - just like on the beach with his clean-shaved face and standard-issue academy uniform - no pretenses to hide behind. He’s able to be soft and vulnerable and honest - expressing desire and being receptive of it, clearly establishing his needs and boundaries. He’s able to be Just Ed and be loved and accepted for it.

So what does it mean that, once the cat-bell era is over, Ed choses to put the pearls back on?

I think it’s telling that, after a brief interlude with Ned Low, we start episode 6 with Ed in two scenes where he’s in a state of low-grade anxiety over the fruits of his Kraken era. First, we see him scanning a horizon for a storm that he can feel, but not see, which, as pointed out by @edsbacktattoo is more or less a premonition about the impending arrival of Ned Low, whom Kraken!Ed goaded into coming for him by breaking his consecutive raid record in a bid of passive suicidality. Then, we have Ed’s room of gilded guilt. All this represents, to Ed, tangible evidence of his inherent toxicity - the rotten core of him that has to be smoothed over.

I think it’s also significant that the pearls are there for the sex scene at the end of the episode.

Unlike the scene at the end of episode 5, this is NOT Ed giving and receiving love on his own terms. Ned’s appearance was his fault - the result of his recklessness and self-destruction, and Stede is the one who has paid the price for it. Ed consents to sex, though he wanted to take things slow, and is not really ready, but it’s by no means enthusiastic. It’s relenting. It’s a way of smoothing things over for and with Stede rather than addressing the underlying agitation.

Even though Ed rids himself of his leathers - the last trappings of his Blackbeard persona, dropped overboard just like the bride doll he painted in his image - he keeps the pearls when he assumes his “just a regular guy” guise.

Because this isn’t really Ed expressing and embracing his authentic self. Fisherman Ed is just another palatable persona (a whim borne on the back of one caught fish, because if the people in his life are going to keep telling him he’s whim-prone, he may as well lean all the way in and prove them right, right?). All the same underlying anxiety about being unlovable is still there, and it’s thrown into overdrive now that everyone wants a piece of Stede. After all, if he REALLY loves Stede, would it not be best to release him from the obligation of being tied to someone so fundamentally damaged? Let him find someone who can TRULY make him happy now that he can have his pick? So he picks a fight to push Stede away - tells him that their first time together was “a mistake,” tells him that he’s leaving (again), tells him that fishermen and pirates (read: Ed and Stede) have nothing in common.

So, while they are lovely, and he wears those fine things well, I hope that we might soon see the end of the strand of pearls. Because for Ed, pearls mean tears.

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd s2 spoilers #my modest contribution to fandom

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1moreff-creator · 13 days ago

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DROS CH2 Part 4 First Impressions

Looking at the Tumblr post for this part is funny because-

In addition to the Daily Life Trigger Warnings, the Deadly Life Trigger Warnings are also now available.

Well isn't that ominous! Let's just get ready for sadness, yeah?

CWs: Daily Life & Deadly Life

"Harper: Where’s Noah? Is he okay…?

Monoquin: Mr. Walker is fine." Alright he's not dead we're safe.

"Jeff: It is what it is. ‘Sides, isn’t it kinda unfair to the people who’ve already died if we stop it now?

Vivi: Isn’t it more unfair to give up on them…?

Robert: We’ve gotta come to a conclusion sooner or later, right? Otherwise, the game’s gonna make the decision for us…" The tensions are rising! Cool!

{Holy shit this is the most egregious case of my color coding being screwed I've ever seen xD. Three blue characters in a row??? Pain}

"Paris: But, like, did we ever sign up for the rules in the first place…?" Does this count as anti-mm? I feel like it's just on the border between lining up and not making sense, you know?

"It’s broken by the sound of footsteps as Davis runs out of the Movie Theater." Pour one out for my guy T_T

"Aidan: …Goddamn it.

Aidan runs after him." Is this a rare instance of Aidan... giving a shit?!?! Wild. This has to be a ship at this point yeah?

"Kennedy: Does it really matter [who the corpse is]? Someone’s dead who matters to him. What does it change if we know who?" I'm kinda surprised it's Kennedy of all people who's saying this. Mx. Conspiracy Theorist always struck me as the type to ask all the questions, regardless if the answers are immediately and obviously important or not. Maybe there's some personal reason she wants to protect Davis from speculation on this? Who knows.

"Jeff: Are we sure about Aidan’s theory that there are blanks in there? Not like I can come up with anyone who’d be in there for me, but it’s possible they got creative.

If Jeff’s saying that, then the likely truth is…" Alright! Another case of Ellis and me thinking the exact same thing. If Aidan's theory is completely correct and there aren't any shenanigans like "Cass and Antonia aren't part of the five blanks so there's more people who don't have a loved one to put in danger" or "Mark secretly has a loved one they'll remember when the corpse drops", then Ellis really does have someone!

"Ellis: …Kennedy. Any leads…?" Wow we've really hit rock fucking bottom with this one huh? Also what happened to "I'm just gonna coast off my luck and survive all the way to the end without caring about anyone", Ellis? Are you undergoing character development against your will? xD

In all seriousness, I'm guessing the angle is that Ellis just figured out she's not one of the blanks because of what Jeff said, so she's worried her loved one's gonna die. Even if they're lucky, if no one dies then the wheel will have no chance but to land on Ellis eventually, so. Then again, it's also possible that Ellis is just gradually growing into a more proactive "end the killing game" attitude based on the revelations he had at the end of the first trial. Who knows!

"Kennedy: …Give me the day to think. I’ll figure something out." Well that doesn't sound like a death flag in the slightest! Do we think if Kennedy dies Vivi will try to revive them, fucking up the investigation in the process by destroying evidence? I could see that happening.

"Why are the two people we’re supposed to rely on most the Conspiracy Theorist and the Mad Doctor?" Accept the Mad Duo supremacy!!! Especially because both of them are waving death flags the size of a mountain right now!!!

"Maybe part of me wanted a less vague reaction so that I could make sure Davis wasn’t just pretending, as a mastermind or traitor type. That’s kinda messed up, right?" Wow we are really diving into the Conspiracy Theorist rabbit hole huh? Not that Ellis didn't always have thoughts like this, because she did, but y'know.

[Robert FTE] Let's go!!!

"Robert: It’s sort of comforting to just… have a normal breakfast, even with everything going on.

Ellis: I can see why that’d appeal to you.

Robert: Oh, right. You’re not bothered by all of this, right…?

Ellis: Nope. Not at all." Yeah... this makes sense.

"Barring this whole mess, it’s probably cancer or old age for Robert." Fair observation. Does this mean Robert's safe, because dying in a killing game isn't "normal"? Then again, being in a killing game isn't exactly "normal", Tragedy notwithstanding, and Robert's talent didn't save him from that, so.

"Robert: I think it’s normal to be scared in a situation like this. I mean, here I am, surrounded by talented strangers who are being told to kill me, and there isn’t a way to get out unless I kill one of them…? That’s… terrifying, isn’t it?

Ellis: I… guess?

It’s hard to imagine how terrifying it is for all of these people who are actually going to die. What can I say…?" Well I guess we haven't exactly moved past this mentality yet lol.

"Ellis: If you need someone to hold you through the night, I’m always here." Never lets one go, you know this by now xp

"Robert: Well… what do you do when things normally get weird?

Ellis: Roll with it, baby.

Robert: Okay… I guess I can try…!" Let's go Robert, roll with those punches!!!

"...Robert announces that he’s “got to skedaddle"..." The fact Robert's always saying shit like this is honestly super charming xD

"I head back to my room, too, passing the time alone before hoping to find some others. Alive. Preferably. Although, I guess dead would speed up my exit ticket." This mentality is already twisting in on itself, I think it may not make it past this chapter chat.

"Taylor and Paris spot me as they’re chatting in the Lower Common Room. They’re wearing swimsuits.

Paris: Hey babe! You should, like, totally join us today!

FINALLY! Now this is what I’ve been waiting for." Lmao. I, for one, have also been awaiting Paris-Taylor content, so I'm with you on this one, Ellis. Even if it's for different reasons xD

"...it’s a nice, sunny day." You know, I hadn't thought about it, but the fact the air isn't post-apocalyptic level bad could imply this really isn't too far from the start of the Tragedy, right? Could be a fake sky, maybe. Or the bad air didn't fully spread to the US, or it's actually far after Junko's death and the air's actually cleared, hm... Too many possibilities, I say.

"Taylor: Well, we were going to do a bit of a photo shoot, too, but mostly just relaxing!" So this is the scene of the chapter announcement! I figured it was, but this makes it even clearer. Neat!

"Ellis: I’m sure I’ll enjoy seeing you work on your tan, too.

I raise my eyebrows at her.

Paris: Take as much of a look as you want~" Never lets one go, and Paris sure doesn't mind ;)

"Paris: How’s your day been, babes?

Ellis: Normal.

Taylor: Were you talking with Robert…?" Pfft-! Taylor immediately reaching that conclusion is genuinely hilarious what the hell xD

"Paris: Oh, duh! Did he say anything interesting?" Also Gossip behavior, ya' love to see it.

"Jeff: I’ve just been hanging by the Pool, as usual. It’s nice here; you see anyone who leaves the Hotel, and most people drop by for a quick word.

Paris: Wow, for real? I guess going through the Fountains means people all pass the same places…" This... sounds like a trial point. Maybe not for this trial necessarily, but for some trial in the future maybe.

"Jeff: Damn, you guys have been doing this too? Kinda wild that we never ran into each other out there.

Ellis: I was just thinking the same thing. I know I’d remember your faces around~

Taylor: I guess you all just missed each other…?" The oddity of no one but Noah and Harper knowing each other from before the killing game has been mentioned in the past, I think, so the fact it's coming up again is interesting. Maybe the killing game specifically picked people who'd never run into one another, just missing that Noah and Harper did? Or maybe it really is just coincidence.

"Ellis: You can find me everywhere, except at your guys’ sides, apparently. Worry not, for we can change that.

Taylor: Oh, thanks…

Paris: Now that we know each other, we’ll obviously be besties for life~" You know, maybe I was sketched out for nothing. Paris seems to be a pretty genuine friend for now. I'm not ruling out that she has sinister intentions with Taylor, but I'm more prepared to be proven wrong on that now. This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with this line, btw, this was just a gradual thought that fully materialized at this point :v

"It’ll be kinda hard once you’re all dead, but, maybe we can remain besties in death, too." Yeah that's also what I was thinking lol.

"I really underestimated how much hanging out at the Pool with some cool people– WITHOUT anyone judgily interrupting– would put a pep back in my step. Take that, Davis!

…Man, now I’ve made myself feel like the asshole." Lol. Lmao, even.

"Would Robert and Kennedy’s uniquely individual weird vibes ruin the pool party?

Harper definitely wouldn’t. Harper is chill." xD

"Kennedy: I’m getting closer. I’ll let you all know tomorrow." Kennedy put down the fucking death flag-

"Kennedy: It’s not going to be something we can act on before the next reveal, even if we do figure out the details. So for now, we’re using today as planning and tomorrow as time for action.

Robert: So… there’ll be another death tomorrow, then…?

Kennedy: Seems that way.

Isn’t she… worried?" Yeah, I wonder who their "loved one" would be if they're not really all that desperate to end it that quickly. The fact there is a plan is curious, though, I wonder if she'll live to tell it.

"Kennedy: I’ll do it tonight. By tomorrow, there’ll be a solution." I told you to put down the flag, Kennedy!!!

"Harper: I’m terribly sorry, I wasn’t focused on this conversation… What were you all saying?" Wow, ve is... not doing well. Still worried about Noah, I imagine.

"Harper: Apologies for sounding like a broken record, but… I’m still quite worried about Noah. How long has he been alone in his room now…? Two days?

Ellis: Wait, he hasn’t come out? I thought he was feeling better!

Harper: I’ve seen room service delivered to his room a few times, but no actual activity from him." Yeah... at least he isn't dead yet! ...Unless someone else is ordering room service to his room. Is that possible? Is this something I have to be worried about? I fear.

"Robert: Well… everyone here is really special, right? They’re rich for this, or they’re famous for that, and it seems like nothing can affect them. So, if you’re actually feeling things that are bigger than you’re used to, it could feel… daunting, I guess, to think about trying to explain it. It feels like no one’s gonna understand you.

Kennedy: Noah’s an Ultimate, too. He’s not different.

Robert: Still. There’s a big difference between your talent being a passion, or a career, and your talent just being… you." Interesting points brought up by Robert!

"Kennedy: What, think Noah doesn’t believe he’s good at parties?

Robert: I think that that’s nowhere near as useful in this situation as believing you’re good at theorizing or particularly lucky.

Ellis: Partying is always a useful skill.

Robert: Even when your mom dies?" Dude, Robert's going off this Part, goddamn!

"Normies aren’t supposed to clap back like that!!!" Yeah right?! xD

"Robert: …Aren’t you his friend?

Harper: What?

Ve tilts ver head.

Harper: Of course.

Robert: Then… be there for him, as his friend. As long as he knows you’re still there… he’ll talk to you if he wants to. And if he doesn’t, give him space. That’s all." I'll repeat the sentiment, Robert's been wilding this Part.

"Then again, believing in the power of Kennedy doesn’t really seem that much better [than believing in the power of friendship]." Yeah lmao.

"As I try to fall asleep, I can’t help but think of how Davis is doing. He was at dinner, unlike Noah, even if he was pretty quiet and reserved. Did Aidan say something to him? Did he say anything to Vivi?" Good questions, though at least it's good to know Davis is alive. Noah's still worrying me.

"In my usual seat, I wait for the drama to unfold, Kennedy’s or otherwise.

Before the lights dim, Kennedy seemingly sets out to prove it’ll be the former." Well, they're alive... for now.

"Kennedy: No! It means… the only thing I can think of to give us leverage is if we could make the gamerunners break a rule without breaking one ourselves." Ah, the Kyoko theorem! We know from canon this theory has legs. Why did this idea have to wait until morning, though? Gave me a heart attack for no reason, now that Kennedy's officially lowered the death flag :p

"The visual disappears. The lights raise. Is that… it? Did we get somebody with no loved one today?" Someone dead? Davis, Noah? Grace spoke, so not them. Everyone else should be in the room for the motive to happen. Gotta be Noah, right?

"Monoquin: Rest assured, Mx. Young, you’ve seen all there is for today. Mr. Walker is still alive in his room.

Davis: Then, what does it mean?

Aidan: It means I’m right.

Aidan looks triumphant." False alarm, we're chilling yet. Also I like Aidan feeling proud of the one theory he came up with, lol.

"Monoquin: The roulette wheel today landed on Ms. Hall’s placement." :O My jaw is honestly on the floor. There are extra blanks! I think? If Antonia and Cass don't count as blank, then we can have Ellis, Jeff, Aidan, Mark, Paris as the five blanks. Not gonna lie, though, the idea of Paris being a blank did cross my mind, but there were better candidates so :p

"Paris: …Oh, what a relief! They must’ve realized that I love all my followers equally, so they couldn’t choose just one that would wound me most~

Ellis: Hey, that’s my line!" Yeah they do not know how to bs their way out of this one, huh?

"Paris: …Or, y’know, my bestie Tay is right here with me! It wouldn’t be right to axe another contestant like that, so they must’ve been at a loss of what to do with me.

Taylor: Really…?

Aidan: That still means you don’t care about anyone back home.

Paris gasps, offended.

Paris: I totally care about everyone back home!" Man she is, uh, struggling here, huh? Bit of a knock on the Paris!MM theory, maybe? But then, this Part was also a knock on Davis!MM (maybe? I guess the fact we don't know who his person is yet could be seen as suspicious), so I'm kinda running out of my top mm candidates :v

Oh yeah by the way this is another point of suspicion on her relationship with Taylor. If she doesn't care about anyone outside, how could she care about Taylor? That might be why she's fumbling trying to come up with reasons for her not to have a person. Idk, kinda sus.

"Paris: You’re both so right. We’ve been letting this whole motive thing get in the way of our routines! We should totally all go eat breakfast like normal and just enjoy the gift that today is!

Shouldn’t she be, like… happier about this?

…Or sadder?

If there’s really nobody that it would distress her to lose, maybe she has no reason to care in the first place. What does that say about Paris, though? Whether someone came up for me or not, if it were my name that was spun, I feel like I would have a bigger reaction than this." Yeah, even with her kinda throwing a bunch of excuses, I feel they lean more to covering her ass rather than lying to herself to cope. Strange.

"Davis: It’s… sort of nice, to feel like things are a little closer to normal again.

Grace: Oh, yes, definitely normal." I concur with Grace- Davis your person died yesterday what do you mean "closer to normal" what.

"Kennedy: It means that we have to make today count! I’m off to figure out how to end this game. If anyone’s joining in, come now!

Mark: …Yeah, okay.

Kennedy: You’re in, Mark?

Mark: Why not? If it could actually work, it’d easily be worth it.

Kennedy: Then, we’re off!" Theory Trio!!!!

"Would I look sexy playing croquet?

Stupid question, I always look sexy. So, that’s a maybe." Yo why's he so funny for?

"Soon, I wind up by the Villas, where I’m surprised by some noises from inside one of them. Is that… crying?" Oh, oh... this is gonna be depressing chat!

"But, I guess there’s some possibility that somebody found a dead body and is crying all alone in there, and in that case, I should probably check it out to get things moving." Another example of Ellis thinking exactly like me. I was worried about the exact same thing lmao.

"Ellis: HOLY SHIT, IS THAT A GUN???" HUH???????? What do you mean???? Oh my god was Vanessa about to attempt suicide?! Surely not, right?! Was she going to murder someone?! What the fuck is happening?! I'm assuming she got it from the Costumer Service Desk but WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!

"Vanessa: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I can’t do it, I can’t do it anyways, please don’t be mad…" Vanessa are we good?!?!

"I hastily pick up the gun, and– aah, how do you put the safety on these things?! I’ve never held a gun before! I hold it behind my back, so that if it does go off somehow, hopefully it won’t hit either of us." Jesus fucking Christ.

"Vanessa: Toni… I thought a lot about what she said. That all you had to do was kill someone… but, but that’s a lot! It’s really scary, and really hard…" Okay, okay. Somehow this feels easier to deal with than a suicide attempt. Not that this is ideal necessarily, but you know. At least she's already regretting having the idea.

"Ellis: Uh, I mean, yeah… I wouldn’t… wanna do that… but you like, actually got a GUN for this?! Don’t you know how suspicious this is gonna be if we actually do have a Class Trial?

Vanessa: I-I…

She turns her face away.

Vanessa: I wasn’t… thinking about that part…" Oh, Ness...

"Vanessa: Maybe it didn’t matter that much." Nevermind there's the suicidal thoughts.

"Vanessa: …Breakfast this morning was really nice. I wanted to… to protect it…

Ellis: How was killing somebody supposed to help that?

Vanessa: Because the motive would be gone! People… people wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore after that, right?" Ness... I feel so bad for her... this is genuinely hurting a lot (in a good way) T_T

"Vanessa: I never said I’d be at the breakfast…" Vanessa...

"A loud thud interrupts us. It sounds like it’s from somewhere next door.

Vanessa: Wh-what was that…?

Ellis: Shit can not be going down out there when I’m holding a gun…!" Okay that made me laugh- this absolutely is the worst time to be holding a gun, because we know damn well shit's going down. The Deadly Life warnings are up, after all.

"I sigh, then slide the gun under this Villa’s couch." Oh, this is a horrible idea...

"Where we find Aidan, shoving the lifeless body of Robert Smith, the Ultimate Normie into a closet." HUH???????? ROBERT?????? Holy shit that came straight outta nowhere what?! What do you mean??? I was expecting quite literally anyone but him the hell???

"Aidan: Oh, great." Oh yeah also he's here xD This is quite a funny situation to find you in, Aidan. Good to know you're not the killer, though, given the whole "too obvious" clause and all.

"Ding, Dong, Bing, Bong!" Oh yeah also that. Although I've been wrong on this before, that should clear Aidan, Ellis and Vanessa, since the BDA rule excludes the killer in the count of three. I can't immediately think of any way to trick it here like Antonia did, but then, we really don't know shit about this murder yet, so.

"Vanessa: Why do you have a body?!" It's a valid question, I think.

"Ellis: Noah… Nice to… see you…?

Noah: …Yeah…" I'm gonna be real, Noah, I am shocked you are alive, but I'm also very glad!

[INVESTIGATION - START!] And the crowd goes wild!!!

Wow, what a fucking chapter! I'm still reeling from everything that happened, genuinely very exciting stuff here! From the reveal that Paris is a blank, the mysterious Davis person, Vanessa having a gun, and ROBERT??? He certainly stole the spotlight this chapter, what a guy he is! Or, was, I guess. What can I even say? I'm shooketh.

But while we're all mourning the most normalest guy ever, we also need to pull out our bingo cards, and play the prediction game! As you may know, there are four prediction boards I'm aware of in Tumblr dot com; mine, accirax's, Jonas', and bronze-ocs'!

(In case it's hard to see, mine is top left, accirax's is top right, Jonas' is bottom left, bronze-ocs is bottom right)

I’d put down Robert as the CH1 killer because I figured the whole “normal” shtick would be hard to make work for very long, and having the “normal” one being the first killer would drive the point home that anyone can kill, no matter what. Evidently I was wrong on the latter part, but maybe I wasn’t too far off with that first idea. Robert did have plenty of very interesting and compelling interactions in regards to his normality, though, so it’s not like he couldn’t have made it further while still being an engaging character. Alas, we won’t get the chance to see that. In any case, regardless of the reasons, Robert being the CH2 victim instead gives me 1 chapter point and 2 role points. Combined with the 7 I already had, I now have 10 points!

Now, back at the end of CH1, there was a three way tie between me, bronze and Jonas. And now… there’s still a three way tie between the same people :v Jonas predicted Robert as the CH3 killer, giving them 3 points as well. The tie with bronze is even more ridiculous, because they also predicted Robert as the CH1 killer. And for those keeping score, yes, this is the third guess in a row where both bronze and I guessed the exact same thing. Our boards aren’t exactly the same, so we’ll differ eventually, but it is surprising that so far we’ve predicted the same thing for all the dead people xp In any case, all three of us now have 10 points each.

Finally, accirax actually had the best guess this time around! She also guessed a CH3 death, but as a victim, meaning she only received 1 chapter point. Alas, she started this chapter with 13 points, so she now has 14, and is still in last place. However, the distance has closed!

Is this the start of the accirax comeback? Will the tie break at the end of this chapter, or will it continue? Or is it possible that we achieve the legendary four way tie? Find out more… in a few weeks!

Anyways, silly prediction boards aside, really enjoyed this part! Cannot wait to see the investigation next week, so I can do some murder theorizing. In any case, thanks for reading! See ya’!

#dros #danganronpa: one shot #ellis ortiz #paris hall #vanessa bravo #robert smith #kennedy rey

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hbyrde36 · 10 months ago

Text

Times Like These (The Anniversary Edition)

CH 1 CH 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9

Chapter 10: Focal Point

WC: 5138 | AO3 link

“Oh my god.”

The nail bat clattered as it hit the ground, slipping from Steve’s grip as he and Hopper spent several seconds just staring at each other. Eddie couldn’t tell who moved first but suddenly the two men had wrapped each other up in a fierce embrace.

He wasn’t sure if Steve and the Chief had been particularly close before the older man had been lost, but maybe having fought in the trenches together, and then thinking he was dead meant that didn’t really matter. They were brothers in arms—even if the age difference made them seem more like father and son—reunited against all odds just when they needed each other most.

That alone was worth a hug and a tear—or two.

Eddie bent to scoop up the fallen weapon, handing it back to Steve when they separated, and waved Hopper inside.

“Hey Chief,” Eddie said, dipping his head in acknowledgement. “Just, uh, heads up—there's like eight people right around the corner that are about to freak out when they see you.”

“Not the Chief anymore.” Hopper said, frowning as he looked Eddie up and down. “Do I even want to know how you got mixed up in all this, Munson?”

“It’s a long story, lawman.”

“I guess that makes two of us then.” Hopper sighed, taking a step over the threshold and throwing a desperate look at Steve. “Do you think I can at least shower this filth off before we play twenty questions?”

Steve grimaced in reply, scratching his nose.

Sure enough when they turned around, Robin, Dustin, and Nancy came tumbling into the hall, the others crowding in behind them in the archway, all staring—mouths agape.

Dustin rubbed at his eyes, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. “Is that?”

“Oh my god,” Robin breathed.

“But, I thought–”

“We all thought.” Nancy said, wrapping her arms around her waist.

For a moment Hopper just stood there looking at them all, a little stunned himself, staring as if they were the ghosts, his eyes swimming with unshed tears.

“Alright guys, let’s give the man a little breathing room.” Eddie prompted, knowing everyone but him and Steve were bound to be in a state of shock.

“I’m gonna take Hopper upstairs to get cleaned up before we bombard him with questions, alright?” Steve added, throwing a warning glare at the crowd of onlookers.

Dustin looked ready to push the issue, but thought better of it as the others nodded absently, moving out of the way to let them pass, still dumbfounded. Steve led Hopper towards the stairs, and Eddie followed without thinking, just second nature to be wherever Steve was, until he was stopped short on the bottom step, turning as Nancy caught him by the arm.

“Is this what you and Steve had to talk to Joyce alone about? Did you know he was alive this whole time?!” She asked, sharp eyes searching his.

He struggled not to squirm under the intensity of her gaze, glancing around for help, hoping Robin or Chrissy were close by but they’d both gone back into the living room.

“I knew it was a possibility, yeah, but I swear this is the first time I've been sure. I’m sorry, Joyce asked us not to say anything until—”

Nancy let him go suddenly, her face softening. “It’s okay. Eddie, I’m not—I know we haven't been especially friendly with each other, and I don't know if that’s typical of you and me in these loops or not, but—” She cut herself off, shaking her head. “I promise I believe you, and I-I'm not mad. God, I’m just glad he’s alive. I wanted to say thank you—for everything.”

“B-but I didn’t—”

“You did. I think you probably did more for us than we’ll ever know.” She smiled, stepping back and shooing him away. “Now go on, catch up with Steve. I'm sure he could use a hand, or at least moral support.”

Eddie gulped and did just that, taking the stairs two at a time to escape, wondering how the hell he’d managed to endear himself to goddamn Nancy Wheeler. He’d been a train wreck this loop!

He got to the end of the hall in a flash.

“So, what happened, why aren’t Joyce and the kids with you?” Steve was asking Hopper as he walked up.

The former chief glanced between the two of them. “I thought you might know something. You seemed… a little less shocked than I would have expected at seeing me alive. I take it the others didn’t have any idea?”

Steve shook his head.

“I would have done the same.” Hopper nodded approvingly. “And to answer your question, all I know is we were on the way to some underground bunker in Nevada when the flight crew got a message that it had been compromised. They rerouted here, dropped me off, and left again.”

Oh shit.

It’d been such a surprise to open the door and see the man standing on the other side of it that Eddie hadn’t considered the implications of him arriving alone. Clearly Steve had.

He felt like an idiot, unsure why he was even standing there. Steve didn’t need him. Eddie had followed out of habit, a base need to be around the other boy, wherever he was—proof that he’d let himself go too far last night, forgotten that he needed to stay away. He should have left that bathroom the second Steve was patched up, and he definitely shouldn’t have fallen asleep next to him on the couch.

“Alright, that’s enough for now. You uh… “ Steve trailed off, showing Hopper into his parents room. “Shower’s through there, and you can take whatever you want from the drawers or the closet. Come down when you’re ready.”

“Thanks, kid.”

As soon as they were back downstairs with the others, Robin rounded on Steve whispering at him rapidly, while Dustin pounced, pointing an accusing finger at Eddie. “What’s going on?”

“What makes you think I know anything?”

Dustin gave him a searing glare, unimpressed. “First of all, you’re in a time loop, you literally know everything. Secondly, do I look stupid to you?”

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

“You both obviously know something, so spill.” Dustin demanded, all but stomping his feet as he looked between him and Steve.

“Fine! Okay, fine!” Steve raised his hands in surrender. “I don’t know how he survived Starcourt and the explosion or anything, but Joyce got a ransom note from Russia right before all this started. She asked Owens to help this time around, and some of his people got Hop out.”

“Out?” Mike asked.

“They were holding him in a prison.”

Dustin took a few steps back, falling into the nearby recliner. “Jesus.”

Steve bit at his lip.

“There’s more, what is it?” Max asked.

Steve’s eyes flicked to Eddie briefly before he answered. “Hopper was supposed to meet up with El and the Byers first and they were all going to fly here together.” He paused, shaking his head. “Something’s wrong.”

Hopper finally joined them about fifteen minutes later, looking exhausted but clean. He’d shaved and was wearing, well—

Eddie snorted at the sight, all six foot three inches of scowling Jim Hopper wrapped in baby blue silk pajamas. The top had buttons and a collar and everything.

“Shut it. Munson. I’ve arrested you before. I’ll do it again.”

“Not the chief anymore, you said so yourself!”

“Watch me get reinstated just for the privilege,” Hopper growled. “It was this or a three-piece monkey suit, and I wouldn't want you to feel underdressed.”

“Sorry, Hop.” Steve interrupted, stepping between them. “I’ll find you something better later.”

The group gathered around, still looking at Hopper in awe until Mike stepped forward and threw his arms around the man’s middle, hugging him. It seemed to break some sort of ice for everyone else because suddenly they were all hugging him, Erica too, and the display reaffirmed for Eddie how much getting this man back meant to them all.

Eventually the former chief sat down and explained, in brief, how back at Starcourt he’d had to separate from Joyce to keep the Russians at bay, and wound up leaping off the platform he had stood on, narrowly avoiding the pulse of energy that destroyed everything in its path when Joyce had deactivated their machine, closing the gate. He was left untouched by the blast but he thought he must have hit his head in the fall and passed out. When he came to, he was immediately captured by the remaining Russian soldiers.

His captors “questioned” him for weeks, or so Hopper put it, though they all knew it was code for something much, much worse. Something that made Steve tense, and made Eddie want to reach out and offer him comfort, but he held back.

Hopper didn’t say much about the bulk of his time in the prison, either because he had no wish to relive those memories, or because he thought it was more than they needed to hear, and ended by telling them about the deal he’d made with one of the few guards that spoke English, who’d been the one to send the note to Joyce. The rest, they already knew.

“Now, can someone please tell me what the hell’s been going on around here, why my daughter is in an underground bunker in Nevada, and how Eddie Munson ties into all of it?” Hooper asked when he was all done, hooking a thumb in Eddie’s direction.

Eddie clenched his jaw hard enough to crack, squeezing his hands into fists at his side. It was nothing against Hopper really, they just had a generally special relationship, the kind lovingly built on years of Eddie running through backyards trying to escape parties that were being broken up, while Hopper tried to catch him.

The real problem was that he just couldn’t fucking do it again. He couldn’t go through the whole saga one more time—not when he knew he might have to do it again soon anyway If they didn’t make it out of this loop.

They were all looking at him expectantly again, but just the idea of it, coupled with the lack of sleep, all his stress and anxiety surrounding the Steve of it all, and the fact that he was on his umpteenth hour of having to listen to Master of Puppets on a fucking loop, all conspired to send Eddie right over the edge, feeling suddenly exhausted and overwhelmed.

As if he could sense that Eddie was at a breaking point, Steve drew the attention back on himself, assigning Dustin and Nancy to take the lead on catching Hopper up to speed, while announcing that he and Eddie would go to the kitchen and take care of breakfast for everyone.

Eddie followed, desperate to escape the spotlight and this latest retelling even if it meant trading one impossibly difficult situation for another.

He froze for a moment when they were finally alone in the kitchen, watching as Steve pulled out pans and set them on the stove. It was too reminiscent of another very different morning, and an irrational anger began to bubble up in his chest.

He’d been trying so hard to keep his emotions in check—to keep himself under control, but Steve was unrelenting in his care and kindness, and the way he kept looking at Eddie like maybe—

No.

Eddie snatched his pack of cigarettes roughly up off the counter where they rested next to his keys and stomped past Steve towards the patio.

“I’m not your fucking damsel in distress, Harrington!” Eddie snapped over his shoulder. “I don’t need you to rescue me.” He didn’t wait to see if Steve had anything to say in response to his outburst, walking straight out the door and shutting it tight behind him.

Eddie leaned against the side of the house and lit up a smoke, inhaling deep into his lungs, wishing it were a joint rather than a cigarette but still hoping the nicotine would soothe some of his frayed nerves.

It didn’t.

“Fuck!” He shouted, ripping the headphones off his ears and kicking at the house’s concrete foundation.

He was doing it again, getting so caught up in his own bullshit when any one of them could die—and soon. The good feelings he’d allowed himself to indulge in the night before, bolstered by seeing the party reunited with the chief this morning, were rapidly fading, leaving nothing but a sense of hopelessness in its wake.

When he’d smoked his first cigarette down to the filter he stubbed it out, immediately lighting another. He wasn’t usually a chain smoker but he needed the distraction, he needed something to do with his hands, and he desperately needed an excuse to stay out of that fucking house for a while.

He was nearing the end of his second smoke when he heard the glass door slide open behind him. He didn’t turn, didn’t acknowledge that he’d heard anything at all, staring deliberately ahead at the pool, the yard, and the woods beyond.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked softly.

Of course it was Steve. He didn’t even sound pissed off that Eddie had yelled at him for basically no reason and stormed off, he just seemed concerned. It made Eddie feel both worse for being such an asshole, and more pissed off.

“I’m fine.” Eddie spat. “Don’t you have anything better to do than hover over me?” He tossed his latest butt to the concrete, grinding it out with the sole of his shoe before setting off at a brisk walk towards the tree line , not looking back once. He knew that if he did—if he turned around and looked Steve full in the face he’d never be able to hold on to this anger. And he wouldn't just break, he’d shatter.

“Eddie, wait,” Steve called out.

He ignored it, continuing to walk, but far from giving up Steve continued to chase him down, his footsteps crunching on the dry grass as he tried to catch up.

“You called me sweetheart—”

It stopped Eddie dead in his tracks. Time stopped—everything froze. He held his breath, he was pretty sure even his heart skipped a beat or two. Still, he didn’t turn around.

Steve kept coming, and Eddie begged his heart to restart, for his body to reanimate.

“Last night when you were—”

“Stop!” Eddie blurted out.

The sounds of crisp grass underfoot faltered, slowing.

“I didn’t—it just slipped out. It didn’t mean anything.” Eddie urged his legs to move, to put one foot in front of the other—to run, but he only managed a few stuttering steps. “Just… leave me alone, Steve.”

The footfalls finally stopped.

Good.

“Fine,” Steve said sharply, then sighed. “But—you know better than most what could be out there, don’t go too far.” He started to walk away then but paused, quietly adding, “and please put your music on.”

Eddie held his breath as he listened to Steve’s retreat. He had no intention of going very far, not sure how he’d even made it this close to the edge of Steve’s properly in the first place, it was like he’d lost time.

The second he heard the patio door shut again, and he was sure the other boy was really gone, Eddie’s knees buckled, and he slumped down against the trunk of the nearest tree. He pulled his knees to his chest, slid the headphones back over his ears, and wept.

He sobbed until his eyes burned, and his throat hurt, and his chest ached—and hysterically he started to think that maybe the him-dying-over-and-over-again thing was the easiest part of this whole arrangement. He’d take the bats right now over this.

It was a long time before he could bring himself to go back inside.

There was no way everyone hadn’t heard the way he’d snapped at Steve, hadn’t heard him ranting and raving outside even if they couldn’t hear exactly what was said. He was wrung out, embarrassed, sure that his puffy eyes were too noticeable to be missed, and avoided everyone's glances as he rejoined the group sitting on the floor in front of Chrissy.

It seemed as though they were done telling Hopper about the loops and were now on to catching him up on everything else he’d missed being away from the world at large for the last eight months. Eventually Eddie did look up, and of course instantly locked eyes with Steve, whose gaze was already on him, and he felt like such an asshole.

At first glance Steve looked pissed, his face hard, but underneath it all and in the depths of his eyes he looked sad—hurt.

Eddie had done that.

Steve got up abruptly, breaking the stare, and left the room with Robin in tow. Eddie looked back down at his feet just as Chrissy placed a hand on the back of his neck. Her cool fingers felt wonderful as they kneaded the tense muscles there, and he tuned out everything else for a few minutes, letting himself enjoy the touch, leaning back into her legs a little bit as he closed his eyes, only intending to rest them for a bit.

The next thing he knew the room around them was empty. He wasn’t sure where the kids had gone, outside maybe, but Chrissy did say that Hopper had gone back upstairs to get some sleep while they waited for a call back from one of Owens’ colleagues. They could only hope someone knew what was going on and if El and the Byers were okay—all of them clinging to the fact that this had happened before and they’d made it out alive. With any luck they’d done it again.

Eddie yawned and stretched, rolling his shoulders, and tried not to think about what a mess he’d made of things.

“You hungry?” Chrissy asked, nudging his shoulder. “We ate while you were outside but, um… Steve saved a plate for you in the microwave.”

He winced, another pang in his chest because even after all that, Steve was still trying to take care of him. He was starving, too. Nothing built up an appetite quite like a bout of hysterics, but he could also hear Steve in the kitchen cleaning up and Eddie didn’t think he could face him, promise of pancakes or not.

“Come on,” Chrissy said, rising to her feet and offering him a hand up, which of course he took. “You need to eat. I’ll go with you.”

Not only was Steve in there doing the dishes but Robin was helping, and Nancy was sitting up at the counter pouring over her notepad, their conversation coming to a screeching halt when he and Chrissy entered the room.

Eddie hesitated in the doorway feeling incredibly awkward, but Chrissy pulled him along, setting him up next to Nancy while she brought his food over, and proceeded to stand beside him like a tiny blonde guard dog while he ate.

After a while Nancy turned to him, clearing her throat. “So, uh, the three of us were talking, and I was thinking, no matter what happens we’ll still need access to a gate soon right?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“And Steve mentioned that he had planned to talk to Patrick yesterday, to try and help him, but after Jason showed up here, that obviously didn’t happen. So I think, not to be insensitive, but I think a few of us should take a ride out to Benny’s to see if there’s a gate.”

Eddie pushed his plate away at her words, appetite gone. He’d forgotten Patrick completely in the aftermath of the fight. He couldn’t even be surprised anymore at how much of a failure he was. If he had the capacity to think more rationally he’d be able to see it was Jason’s fault, if it was anyone’s, that the other boy had been lost, but rationality had parted ways with Eddie a long time ago.

Though he supposed Nancy had a point—and at least now they knew where to check for a gate. If it was there, and they somehow managed to pull off a win, at least Patrick won’t have died in vain.

“I’ll go,” Steve said, loud and abrupt. “Be good to get out of the house for a while.”

It felt pointed.

Eddie’s face burned as he kept his eyes cast down, staring at his mostly untouched plate of food as Steve and Nancy left together—though he did notice the way Chrissy and Robin shared a few pointed looks with each other over his head.

They were gone for a long time, and Eddie hated the way he seethed with jealousy thinking about the two of them in Steve’s car alone together. He had no right, and on top of that he’d been horrible, of course Steve wanted to get the fuck away from him, and wasn’t this what he wanted anyway? Some space?

He didn’t even know anymore.

Chrissy never left his side, and for that matter neither did Robin, though mercifully neither tried to get him to talk—allowing him to mope in silence right up until someone knocked on the front door.

All three of them froze, looking at each other. It certainly wasn’t Nancy and Steve returning, he wouldn’t knock at his own house, and everyone else was here. Eddie’s luck being what it was, the most likely scenario was that it was Jason coming back for him again—whether for Chrissy’s sake or to blame him for something else, it was honestly a crap shoot at this point.

“It's probably safest if I get it,” Robin said, following the same train of thought. “You two stay here.”

“No.”

No way was Eddie doing this again, he didn’t think Jason would stoop so low as to hit a girl, but he wasn’t taking the chance of someone else getting hurt on his behalf again. He went for the door first, swinging it open aggressively, itching for a fight, but it wasn’t Jason, or any of his buddies.

Eddie gaped. It was a short woman with long dark hair, two younger teens at her side, and Jonathan Byers—the only one of them he truly recognized—at her back.

The woman, who had to be Joyce, smiled at him brightly. “You must be Eddie. Honey, it’s so nice to meet you in person.” She stepped forward, wrapping him up in a hug that caught him completely off guard.

Like Chrissy she was small but strong, her grip around him firm and comforting. For the briefest of seconds he felt wholly safe, and he wondered if this is what it was supposed to feel like when you got hugged by a mom. It’d been long enough since he’d seen his own that he could hardly remember her face, let alone what her arms had felt like around him, but he doubted it’d been anything like this.

He hugged her in return, letting himself melt into it a little bit until she began to rub his back and he realized he was trembling. He backed off abruptly before he could turn into a complete mess in front of people he barely knew, and was thankful when the sound of thundering footsteps pulled everyone’s attention away from him and to Hopper rushing down the hall.

“Dad!” Eleven sobbed, rushing inside the house to meet him halfway, throwing herself at him.

Joyce gasped, grabbing at Eddie’s arm. He smiled down at her. “He showed up early this morning.”

She smiled back, moving to join them, and had her own sweet reunion with her lost friend.

More than a friend, Eddie corrected his own thoughts as the pair shared a passionate, if chaste, kiss. Mindful of the young eyes in the room no doubt.

Moments later Steve and Nancy reappeared, at almost the same time the kids came in from out back, screaming when they spotted the new arrivals.

Eddie stood back and watched it all unfold, the smiles, the tears, more hugs and pats on the back, and felt his own mouth turning up at the corners. It was impossible to be unaffected by it. Finally, after all this time, all the struggle to get here, the entire group of them was together again in one place.

When things had calmed a bit, Joyce explained that although the raid had happened ahead of when they expected it, Owens received an anonymous tip and was able to smuggle her and the kids out and into a helicopter before the underground lab was overrun. No one could figure out what had caused the change, and they’d probably never know. Hopefully it wouldn't matter.

Inevitably, Eddie’s eyes settled on Steve, as they always did no matter how hard he tried not to, and as had become just as common, Steve was looking back at him too, his brow pinched.

Eddie couldn’t stand it. He didn't want to leave things between them like this. At the very least he owed the other boy an apology. He held Steve’s gaze purposefully and tilted his head down the hall towards the office before setting off for it, hoping the other boy would follow.

He did.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” Eddie said as soon as Steve stepped into the room.

Steve crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s going on with you?”

“It’s nothing, I–”

“Don’t.” Steve said, clipped, before Eddie could even try to make up excuses. “Don’t do that. You—fuck, Eddie, I feel like I'm going crazy here.“ He huffed a wry laugh as he shook his head, running hands roughly through his hair. “One minute you’re—we’re—I don’t know… and the next you’re pulling away from me again. You tell me we’re friends but then half the time you act like you can’t stand being around me! It’s so hot and cold, and I’m—”

“What are you guys doing in here?”

The rest of Steve’s speech was lost as Dustin came barreling into the room. “I’ve been looking everywhere, come on! El wants to go over the plan!”

Steve looked at him questioningly over Dustin’s head. Eddie hesitated, he didn’t know what to say except the truth, and even if he was ready to own up to it, he wasn’t about to spill his guts in front of the kid. It would have to wait. Steve scoffed, shaking his head, and left without a word. Dustin looked between the two of them, confused.

“What did I say?” He asked.

Eddie ruffled the kid’s hair. “Nothing, Henderson, don’t worry about it. Let’s go see what supergirl wants to do.”

The plan was simple, and very similar to every other time they’d done this, with a few big exceptions.

None of the younger teens were going anywhere near the Upside Down. It was the one point at which Hopper had absolutely put his foot down, with Joyce’s support. The only exception was El, who insisted she needed to be there to face Vecna in person as well as inside his mindscape.

The kids were beyond pissed at being benched, again, apparently this had happened before, but oddly enough the biggest argument wound up being over timing. Hopper wanted to wait, to give Eleven—all of them, really—a night to rest and recharge, but he was overwhelmingly overruled.

Almost everyone wanted to go in now, tonight. They wanted to end this. Even Joyce who’d only just arrived was in agreement once Dustin pointed out that they’d never tried to go after Vecna this early, and with only two kills under his belt. It was the closest thing to an advantage they were ever likely to get.

Hopper relented, but quickly took charge of the proceedings from there, which worked just fine for Eddie. He was the bait, he knew what his marching orders would be, and was happy to let the older man call the shots, barely listening as the rest of the details were worked out.

“Alright, if my daughter is going into that place, then so am I.” Hopper said.

“I'm going too.” Nancy was quick to jump in. “I’m the best shot here besides you.”

“Me too.” Jonathan spoke up, “I know I can’t shoot for shit, but I'm not letting you go in there without me, or El for that matter. Not when I'm here. I’ll bring an ax or something.”

“Chrissy and I can handle the music and guard the gate at Benny’s.” Robin said.

“Okay that’ll all work fine,” Hopper agreed. “Joyce, I’d like you to go to the topside Creel house to keep an eye on Eddie, and uh, Steve you—”

“I’m going with Eddie.” Steve insisted.

“No.” Eddie forcibly pulled himself out of the hole he’d been sinking into to prepare himself for the inevitable, as the others had talked around him. “I mean, maybe you should stay here with the kids in case something happens.”

It was worth a shot.

Steve's face twisted up “What? No! We barely have enough hands as it is, I'm not staying behind.”

“You could join us in the Upside Down,” Hopper suggested. “The more weapons on this guy the better.”

“No, I'm going with him.” Steve said again, shaking his head at Hopper before turning pleading eyes back on Eddie.

“Eddie, you need a third person, someone to be with you while the other one takes care of the signals.”

Eddie was torn, he didn’t love the idea of Steve in the Upside Down, even if he had been several times before, but he’d never anticipated Steve wanting to go with him, especially not after today. He couldn't… he wouldn’t be able to say the things he might need to say to bait Vecna with Steve right there. He didn’t want Steve to see him like that again either! “There’s plenty of time for Joyce to make it upstairs, it’ll be fine. You should–”

“This is ridiculous, just let me–”

“You heard what Hopper said, maybe–”

“Stop!” Dustin shouted, silencing both of them. “Eddie, I don’t know what the hell is going on with you, but you know if I wasn’t being side-lined here I’d insist on going with you. Please, if it can’t be me, let it be Steve. He’ll watch out for you, don’t you trust him?”

“Of course I do,” Eddie rushed out. “That’s not–”

“Good, that settles it then. Steve goes with Eddie and Joyce.”

“Fine,” Eddie agreed, resigned. He turned away from Dustin to look at Steve again, but for the first time Steve wasn’t looking back at him, he was walking away.

Eddie sighed. At least it would all be over soon.

Chapter 11

Special thanks to @penny00dreadful for being the best beta, friend and cheerleader.

Reblogs are always appreciated, and if you want to be tagged just let me know! I'd be more than happy to do so 💜

Permanent taglist: @hitlikehammers @pearynice @penny00dreadful

Fic taglist: @cranberrymoons @thoroughlycollected @blubblesandink @finntheehumaneater @brbsoulnomming @estrellami-1 @hellion-child @manda-panda-monium @spicysix @kikidoesfanfic @dreamwatch @lawrencebshoggoth @stillfullofshit @lil-gremlin-things @mamafaithful @klausinamarink @starlight-archer

#steddie fanfic #time loop #pov eddie munson #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #stranger things #steve x eddie #steve harrington/eddie munson #steddie fic #fanfic #robin buckley #chrissy cunningham

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kogetaikid · 9 months ago

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TW! UTY pacifist Spoilers!!!

Before people think I’m turning into a reblog account, here’s some of my misinterpretations of UTY pacifist before completing the game (there’s only two but Vera with me

1. Ceroba wanted to inject Kanako with INTEGRITY.

(Drawing unrelated, but you’ll know why I put it later)

When playing the pacifist, I thought the Ceroba misunderstood Chujin’s final message before he died, and convinced Kanako to get injected. However, during the Ceroba fight, in one of her memories, we see this:

(Cutting through some emotional dialogue)

Through some of the dialogue I skipped (wasn't originally planning on making a post about this), Kanako offers herself as a subject for her father's (Chujin's) work. Ceroba shows hesitation as it goes against her husband's wish but goes with it so she doesn't ruin his legacy. It made me feel bad for both characters. Kanako was just some dumb kid who didn't know what the hell she was asking for/expecting. She was just grieving her dying father and felt it was her fault for his demise. Ceroba was grieving too, and therefore couldn't think straight, but made the awful decision of giving into her daughter's demand of being injected with INTEGRITY.

2. Clovercide (TW!!!)

(Image also unrelated)

(TL;DR: Due to traumatic reasons, what was just a just sacrifice from Clover seemed like suicide to me.)

Just a heads up! I'll put a "keep reading" (if you wanna well, keep reading) under this because this may get a little personal...

This is still okay to reblog as long as you put the right warnings!

When I first saw the game in general, I though the screenshots I saw of the pacifist ending were the neutral ending. I though Clover got badly injured, or fell ill causing their end.

When I found out the wasn't the case, and watched a short clip (with no other context) of Clover giving up their life in the pacifist, I thought nothing of it. It was when I was listening to the soundtracks and saw how badly everyone was grieving Clover, then going back to places like tumblr talking about how they were just a kid that I started to get the wrong message.

I started to think Clover was probably miserable and indirectly asked for an assisted suicide by Ceroba and it broke me. Especially as someone who was suicidal/had dark thoughts as a kid. (I haven't felt like ending my own life for four years and have been clean for over one year) I've also had to endure the sob stories of mentally unstable people. This all tying back to the very few things I new about the pacifist ending, I felt kinda bad, sad and a little angry at Clover. This is what I would think:

WHY DID THEY DO THIS!!!???

SOME OTHER FUCKING DUMBASS KID COULD'VE TAKEN THEIR PLACE BUT NO!!! IT JUST HAD TO BE YOU, DIDN'T IT CLOVER!!!???

How miserable are you...?

Waiting for that fateful day where I could finally complete the game felt like preparing for a flu shot. I almost didn't want the game to end. I was so mad at the people saying "It was just a sacrifice", and shit.

...and as it turned out, they were kinda right. (still not giving them full credit) I didn't get the best screen shots cuz my computer crashed, but it was Clover going through all their memories in the underground, and realizing that they can't just hide away in the underground forever as a human. Monsters have been trapped for centuries and no matter how many of the monsters cared for them, they needed to do what was would've possibly happened from the start: give up their soul.

What I then got from the ending was that Clover felt to guilty to stay alive, and in the end, the wanted to do what's right. It's kinda getting sad again now that i think about it. Any who, this concludes my post. Enjoy the random screenshots at the bottom that I could fit into the post without it proving my point /hj. I'm currently debating whether or not I wanna go back and do the genocide route. Even though it's a fangame, I don't wanna fuck up the timeline.

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alwritey-aphrodite · 8 months ago

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ok ok I’m gonna send one more pookie before I hog all of them 🙏🙏

could I possibly get beach trips with sejanus? I know you’ve written on this before and I loved it soso much - if you don’t want to be repetitive pls pls ignore this one though!!

THANK YOU SOSOS MUCH I LOVE YOU!!!

(ps: sejanus rant making its way to your inbox in a while😋)

This is… much longer than all my other blurbs so far <3 I just love Sejanus (and pookie) so much

2024 Summer Blurbs

Summer so far out in the Districts has always been a struggle, but this year has been a particular kind of hell. You can’t think of a single day that was a reasonable temperature, spending all your time sweating no matter what you’re doing. It’s practically impossible to sleep in your crowded little bedroom, but you keep the windows open and wear as little clothing as possible in a sad attempt to keep you from melting.

“C’mon, we’re takin’ a trip,” Lucy Gray says after you emerge from your room, taking care not to step on any of your cousins spread out across the floor, where they swear it’s cooler than sleeping on a mattress. You can tell where she wants to go just by the glimmer in her eyes, so you make sure to pack yourself a bag with everything you think you could need and wait for everyone else to wake up.

It doesn’t take long, the heat making it unbearable to sleep any longer than you need to, and right before you’re about to leave, Coriolanus and Sejanus are making their way down the path to your front door. You wonder if Lucy Gray invites them or if they have a knack for always showing up right on time. Either way, you’re not mad about it, embarrassingly desperate to spend any time possible with Sejanus and his pretty smile and beautiful eyes.

As much as you’d love to talk, you’re all mostly silent during your trek to your destination, focusing on breathing and not dying from the heat. The only thing keeping you moving is the knowledge that soon you’ll be getting some needed relief from the stifling air, and that you’ve got nothing ahead of you but a day spent with Sejanus, which is your favorite kind of day even though you’d never admit that to anyone.

By the time you’ve made it to your hidden gem, you’ve sweat so much that your shirt is clinging to your back, and you’re too busy fishing around in your bag for the water you’d packed to take in the views. It’s a quiet little lake, closer in size to a pond, that you and Lucy Gray had discovered years ago and you’re convinced no one else knows it exists. It’s farther out of the way than the big lake, more difficult and more time consuming to get to, and you’re sure no one else cares enough to go looking for a private little beach.

Beach seems like a generous title when it’s just a small ring of sand to transition from scraggly grass to the water, but it’s quiet and hidden and blessedly cool. Sejanus has set his belongings next to yours, and you try your best not to ogle as he peels his shirt off. As much as you’d like to stare at him for hours, you turn your back to change out of your own clothes, desperate to get into the water.

The water is just as cool as it looks, clean and perfect and undisturbed by anyone except you and your cousins, and now, Sejanus and Coryo. You can’t tell if your little group is exceptionally loud with the joy of finally cooling down or if this part of the forest is simply always silent, with any noise sounding out of place and foreign. The depth of the lake is perfect, your feet safely on the sandy bottom with your shoulders fully submerged and your head clear above the water line, as if the lake was made with you in mind.

“Are you hungry?” You ask, swimming over to Sejanus and practicing the words in your head because something about him makes you so absurdly nervous, especially now when he’s all smiley and sunkissed, that you don’t trust yourself to form words on the spot. “We should eat before Maude Ivory realizes I brought snacks.” Sejanus matches your grin and follows you out of the water, trying as hard as he can not to stare as you swim gracefully towards the shore, water and sunlight surrounding your movements like a halo.

Luckily for you, Maude Ivory is far too busy trying her hardest to wrestle Coryo under the water while Lucy Grah just laughs to notice you and Sejanus slip from the water. You settle onto one of the blankets you’ve brought to protect your bare legs from the grass and you rummage through your bag until you find the food you’d brought.

“Don’t tell Lucy Gray, I think she was saving this for something special,” you tell Sejanus with a self conscious sort of giggle, unused to his bare skin being so close to yours and a little nervous at the idea of any of your cousins looking over and seeing what you’re eating.

“I think this is pretty special though, don’t you?” Sejanus asks casually as if those words didn’t make your heart stop, as if he doesn’t routinely send you spiraling when he smiles or laughs or even just looks at you.

The moment comes to a screeching halt when Lucy Gray looks away from Maude Ivory and Coryo just for a second and realizes that you’d been hiding snacks from them all, and suddenly it’s all chaos and shouting and uncontrollable laughter as you and Sejanus try and defend yourselves. With everyone caught up in the insanity, you don’t notice the way you’ve flopped over onto Sejanus’s legs when you’d doubled over in laughter, far too distracted with the look of pure betrayal plastered on Maude Ivory’s face.

Finally catching your breath once everyone has been nullified with a share of your snacks, you look up to see Sejanus already looking down at you with an unnamed emotion plastered all over his face that makes you want to get up and run. Instead, you look back at him, almost certain your expression is a mirror of his own.

#sejanus plinth #sejanus plinth x reader #sejanus plinth x you #sejanus plinth fanfiction #sejanus x reader #sejanus x you #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #the ballad of songbirds and snakes fanfiction

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immoralimmortals · 6 months ago

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Songs for Akatsuki Partnerships

What it says on the tin! Songs I think describe the pairs within the Akatsuki and explanations why. Enjoy!

Sasori and Deidara: Touch Tone Telephone by Lemon Demon

In particular, in my head this is especially about Deidara's view. He respects Sasori to high hell, even if in constant disagreement. TTT is a song about someone- a mad scientist type- desperate to convince not just the world but one specific, perhaps understated person that he is right, he is worth listening to. I think of the radio dj (whom the song is sung to) as someone in the bottom of their radio tower, hidden in machines and wire- a hermit. Sasori is similar, a hermit in a traveling puppet shell. Deidara tries to reach out to him, beg him to listen because he is the only one that could possibly understand his genius. It is not reciprocated.

Zetsu and Obito: You're Gonna Go Far, Kid by the Offspring

Zetsu has known Obito since he was a child, molding him up into someone who in turn can reshape the world. Zetsu made him who he is and let him go, like spinning a top or bouncing a yoyo. Obito is passionate, cutthroat, and most of all: the used and the user.

Itachi and Kisame: Moonshine by Caravan Palace

These two are arguably the most genuinely human out of the entire batch, yet here they are, hearts aching and in vastly different ways hoping for something more. They latch onto one another on lonely but parallel paths to self destruction and better futures. The song's music video depicts a man traveling to the ends of the earth to become someone else's prey.

Pain and Konan: Hymn for a Scarecrow by Tally Hall

In particular this feels like Konan watching Nagato from afar in their transition from comrades to those of God and angel. The distance increases not only from other humans but from each other. I don't think she likes to think about it- it is a sin to doubt your god, after all- but it can't be helped. Guilty questions about what he is now, if he was ever himself to begin with, what he may think about his own life's worth.

Hidan and Kakuzu: Pathetic by Blame Candy

These guys fucking hate each other. I think maiming is their form of foreplay. They're made for each other in the same way that a bonesaw is made to cut your leg off. Nails and chalkboard. Anyhow. They're so sick of each other's shit and think the other has all the power to make life so much easier if only they'd play ball. It's tiring and disrespectful, but it goes on.

#akatsuki #akatsuki headcanons #deidara #sasori #kisame #itachi #nagato #konan #Obito #zetsu #kakuzu #hidan

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riddle-me-ri · 2 years ago

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Heyo, I'm hoping your still doing requests, been on a mad riddler rampage as of recent, always like the guy. I had some one fantasy of a nightclub singer reader, most likely an Iceberg Lounge one that catches his eye. I love BTAS Riddler preferably but if you want to do several that be cool. Love suggestive content, especially as I see reader in a very revealing dress. K THNXX!!!!

A/N: omg yess, such a classic set-up I love it! Also also, for that sweet soundtrack vibe lmao, I listened to a bunch of Clairy Brown and The Bangin’ Rackettes music for this fic, especially songs like, “Love Letter” (where the title comes from lol), “Good Problems”, and “Walk of Shame”, but honestly all their songs are bops.

Trigger Warnings: none really, just heavy flirting

Word Count: 1.5 k

"Edward! So glad to see you can make it!" Oswald came up behind Edward and patted his shoulder in a friendly greeting.

"I appreciate the invite." Edward said.

Oswald chuckled at the mention of his false name. "But of course! I couldn't possibly allow you to miss out on one of the best acts I've acquired for the lounge."

Edward hummed, intrigued. "That's some mighty high praise, Oz. Just who or what is the act?"

"Ooh, I shouldn't dare give it away, I'll just let you have a listen, old friend."

Oswald got up, but not before tipping his hat, almost knowingly at Edward.

Before Ed could ponder too much on the subject, the lights dimmed as the live band warmed up their instruments.

Edward was silently sending gratitude to Oswald for reserving a front row table for him. He had a perfect view of the stage.

Soon the curtains pulled back and there was a beat of silence before the band began playing the music. An upbeat, jazzy number.

There you stood in a gorgeous sleeveless dress with a sweetheart neckline. The satin dress was cut from the bottom all the way up to your mid thigh on both sides of the dress.

Heat rose up Edward's neck and caused his face to flare a bright red at his cheeks.

Now he was sort of regretting being so up close, he hoped you couldn't see his flushed red face. He tried taking a couple generous sips from his drink, but it did very little.

Nothing could prepare him for when you actually began your musical number.

You captivated and kept your audience engaged, not a single person didn't have their eye on you. You were extremely personable. You smiled, waved, and even teased the crowd with some playful dance moves.

Despite being caught up in the music, song, and overall provocative performance you put on…you didn't miss the new and handsome face in the audience.

Oswald mentioned something about a good friend of his visiting. Which is why he came to see you backstage and gave you an extra elbow nudge of encouragement.

You found yourself…compelled to bewitch this friend of Ozzie’s.

You swung your arms out for the grand finish, before ending the show in a graceful bow.

Edward was still frozen in a state of enchanted awe. He barely was able to compose himself long enough to applaud you.

Ed adjusted his collar and swallowed a lump in his throat as you looked straight at him. You sent him a wink and nod of acknowledgement.

Edward had very little time to recover before Oswald came up behind him once again.

“W-Who is she?” Ed asked, breathless, almost dremaily.

Oz chuckled. “Brilliant, isn’t she? An absolute siren! I’ll introduce you to her!”

Right on cue, you made your way through the adoring crowd giving you high accolades. You were polite enough to acknowledge who you could but you were on a mission.

Edward’s eyes turned into saucers as Oswald’s smile morphed to a wide grin as you walked up to them.

"Oswald!" You greeted your boss and friend as you stopped in front of them.

"Hello, my dear! You were absolutely amazing tonight, as always! I believe you may be due for another performance in a moment." Oswald chuckled.

"Hopefully not too soon, Oz." You shifted your eyes up to meet Edward's. "I want to meet your friend first, it's not every day I get to see them!"

"Oh of course!" Oswald introduced the two of you.

Edward was slowly but surely able to have his brain reboot and start sending actual functions from his brain to his body and voice.

He even managed to somehow bow a little to kiss the back of your hand. Even you were taken aback by the gesture, but was more than pleased to see him loosen up some (even if it was just to wind him back up again).

Oswald perked his ear, as if listening for something. "Ah, I'm being needed elsewhere, please enjoy yourselves!" He winked and waddled off.

Ed became tense again, unsure exactly what to say or how to carry on a conversation with you looking like an actual goddess.

Edward just tried to stick to what he knew. How to be a gentleman.

He pulled out the chair that was opposite his seat with his beverage and you smiled at the invitation before sitting down.

"How did you like the show, Mr. Nygma?" You asked.

Your warm sultry voice caused him to short circuit, but only for a second.

"I, um..oh I enjoyed it very much! I-I must admit I was impressed…I thought Oswald was having a laugh by..getting me more excited than necessary." Ed chuckled nervously.

You giggled softly. "Glad to know you were excited…it was…exciting to see a new handsome face in the crowd."

You giggled some more as you heard the almost comical gulp Edward made.

"Ah, well thank you…do you not get a lot of newcomers in the audience I suppose?"

You shrugged. "There's definitely the regulars and their dates or…their new dates for whatever day of the week it is…but you.." You hummed. "You are just so adorable, you stood out. I'm glad Oswald introduced you to me."

Edward nodded. "I-I, yes, I'm grateful too!" It may not be the first time he was called adorable, but he had to admit, the way you said it made it seem even more special.

"Well, you know what I do for a living. What do you do, Mr. Nygma?"

"Um..er..please…call me Edward..erm..Ed.."

"Eddie?"

His face lit up as he looked at you with a bright cheeky grin. "Yes?"

You tried to stifle your giggles from passing your lips. "Eddie..what do you do? If I may ask?"

"Um…well…"

You saw an opening and took it. You put your hand on top of his, and gave him a reassuring wink.

"It's okay, if it's not…exactly…a blue collar job." You teased.

Edward's face fell in relief, he gave you a small smile. He found himself grateful to find someone that understood, granted you did perform for an underground crime boss but details…details.

Slowly, Ed gained more confidence and felt more comfortable with you. He even divulged his background with Competitron and Mockridge which lead to his Riddler escapades.

You hung on to every last word, genuinely enthralled. You knew that ultimately, even dabbling in any affiliations with the infamous Rogues Gallery was going to make things messy to say the least. You couldn’t deny though, there was a certain flare and intrigue that you just couldn’t pass up.

“You mean I got to perform for a man who is as intelligent as he is handsome?” You inquired. “How did I get so lucky?”

Edward hummed. “If anyone’s the lucky one here, my dear, it’s me.” He grinned.

You giggled. “Could you tell me a riddle?”

You tried not to give away that you noticed a twinkle in his eye when you asked. You always enjoyed the random ones you heard throughout your childhood. You were curious which one he would throw your way.

A lightbulb went off figuratively in Ed’s brain when he came up with the perfect riddle. Well, at least one that fits the mood.

“Riddle me this…What did the paper clip say to the magnet?”

You leaned back into your chair, letting the riddle toss around in your brain for an answer. You really hoped it would have been something simple, but you were determined to figure it out.

“Let’s see…” You pondered out loud to fill in the silence.

Paper clip and a magnet…paper clips…magnet…magnets can pick up paper clips because most clips are magnetic. What would it say to the magnet?

Oh…OH

You smiled when it finally came to you. It excited you to know Edward was just as capable of flirting as you were, even if it was in his own unique way. It made things more…fun!

“I find you attractive.” You grinned victoriously.

Edward gasped playfully, “so forward, but I must admit it is a mutual sentiment.”

“Hey! What…that’s…that’s the answer Eddie! You tricked me!”

Edward snickered. “Yes, you are correct, but was my assumption wrong?”

You shook your head, bashfully. “No, not at all.”

You two looked into each other’s eyes. A lull comforting silence fell over you two, but it was interrupted by your boss.

“I’m so sorry, dear!” Oswald apologized. “I hate to cut your meeting so short, but I’m afraid some of the crowd is getting restless and would like an encore…"

You sighed understandingly. “I’ll be right there, Ozzie. I understand.” Before Oswald walked off you asked to borrow his pen in his jacket pocket.

Edward perked an eyebrow as he saw you write something vigorously on a napkin. As you got up to make your way back to the stage you handed Edward the napkin.

“Until next time, Eddie?” You asked, hopefully.

Ed nodded before vocally confirming there will indeed be a next time.

You handed Oz his pen back and slowly, hesitantly walked back to the stage.

Edward took a glance down at the napkin and his face flushed red once more.

Eddie <3

It was a pleasure to meet you. I cannot wait to see you again. Call me when you can and be prepared with more riddles! I’ll let you slide without giving me a reward this time, but I am definitely expecting a prize next time ;)

#ri writes #btas riddler x reader #btas edward nygma x reader #batman the animated series riddler x reader #batman the animated series edward nygma x reader

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ihatemyselfandwanttodiexxx · 2 years ago

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Light Yagami NSFW headcanons

I will say, I think he's pansexual, he seems like someone who dgaf about looks and gender, just wants someone to rule the world with

He's definitely a top, could never see him as a bottom

I feel like he'd want to take his S/Os innocence, you're his, and only his

He loves when you call him your god in bed

On that none, praise just turns him on so much especially if you're underneath him while he bucks into you and tell him how amazing he is he'd just groan and groan

Speaking of groans, he wants you to be as loud as possible just showing that nobody else could make you moan like he does

Light has a really high sex drive just wants sex all the time, at the task force he'd ask for nudes over text while you're at home and masturbate in the bathroom there

With the cameras I'm his room, he'd invite you over to have sex, to both put on a show and make the detectives think that's what he's hiding

If he's mad about L he'd go to your house and take out his anger I'm talking degradation choking edging you on

But if he had a good day he'd invite you over, go slow, kisses every 5 seconds telling you how good you are for him

I can't decide what's better

He'd be open to sex anywhere any time

I feel like if he had sex with Misa and you were upset he'd say "she's not as good for me as you are, I only did it so shed shut up, I'll get rid of her soon, then I'll be all yours"

If you spend too much time with L...he'd punish you;)

He has a 8.7 inch dick, don't ask how I know I just do

He wouldn't write your name in the death note, or threaten to EVER not even if you ask for a kink, he'd never hurt you

Also Light smut coming soon, crazy I'm posting again right?

#death note #fan fiction #lgbtq #amane misa #gay #panseuxal #light yagami x you #light yagami #smut #death note smut #mdni #maybe i'm a masochist #headcanons

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9leaguesofmirrors · 1 year ago

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How It Feels To Hate (a Ross Gaines x Joseph Lisgoe fanfic)

I don't know if this will ever see the light of day but, if you're reading this, that means it has and I've lost the small amount of shame I was clinging onto. Mad respect to smut-writers, because this was difficult!

WARNINGS: Hate-sex, knife play, very light choking/breath play

Ross Gaines and Joseph Lisgoe despised each other, it was obvious from a mile off. In the rare moments the two of them were together there was calm chaos, like two electrodes coming together to create a spark that threatened to set them both alight

Yes, they really did despise each other

Which is why Lisgoe hated the fact that Ross would continuously fall behind on his debts, forcing him to take time out of his day to sort it out

"What the fuck," he emphasised the question by pushing Ross hard against the door as it shut behind him "is your problem?"

"Not even a hello? What a shame."

That's another thing he hated, the fact that Ross seemed to take great pleasure in being a smarmy prick. Especially so, since his wit was quick enough to prove a challenge

"Why do you insist on making my life difficult? My freetime gets pissed down the drain because you'd rather play silly buggers!"

"You don't have to come, surely your subordinates could take over. Maybe not the fat one, but that tall man could easily take your place."

Ross expected the silence to follow, and the hard glare Lisgoe frequently gave him. What he didn't expect was the patronising smile it ended up contorting into

"Something tells me you wouldn't be too fond of that."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not stupid, Ross. You're not the kind of person to forget their debts this many times," as Lisgoe spoke, his voice became more condescending, hands on his hips "you're usually so good."

Ross hated the way that tone made his stomach turn, in a way that he couldn't equate to sickness. It was the type of turn that settled deep within up, his lower stomach... and somewhere else below. For a split second, he moved his head away and suddenly felt his chin being grabbed and tugged back with such force it almost knocked his glasses off

"Fucking look at me when I'm talking to you."

"I tend to tune out of conversations that bore me."

There was something about Ross' eyes that gave Lisgoe the creeps. They were blue, but reminded him less of skies and oceans, and more of ice. Yes, they struck through him like icicles and he hated the fact he couldn't pull away

"You have no fucking idea," Lisgoe tightened his grip on Ross' chin, stepping closer in a sharp movement "how much I fantasise about dragging a knife across your chest."

"Fantasize?" Ross repeated, looking him up and down with a glint in his eyes "What an interesting word."

"What that means," his hand moved from Ross' chin and wrapped slowly, almost teasingly, around his throat "is that nothing brings me more satisfaction than imagining every single way I could hurt you."

Ross hated the way his pelvis dropped when he heard that

"You wouldn't do that." He showed no signs of being affected, keeping his face as neutral as possible

It was the exact face that pissed Lisgoe off

"Is that right?" He replied in a half-whisper, pressing gently against Ross's neck "And why's that?"

There was something oddly amusing in all of this. Toeing the line, hatred boiling into something else. Something that rested deep within both of them, and this was all part of the game. How long before the fire started?

"Because," Ross' voice came out hoarse, but didn't lose it's smugness "I don't think you hate me half as much as you claim to."

He managed to move his knee between Lisgoe's legs, taking the breathy groan that slipped up from the bottom of his throat as a small win

"I think you're full of fucking shite." Came the retort "I hate you just as much as you hate me."

"Then show me."

That wasn't what Lisgoe expected to hear

Hell, it wasn't what Ross expected to say!

"Show you what?"

Regardless of the unexpected demand, Ross kept his demeanour calm and collected

"You talk a lot about the pain you want to inflict on me, but you're yet to actually do anything about it. It's not as if I don't have plenty of knives for you to play with, but if you don't have the guts-"

"Cut the shite, what are you on about?"

"Show me how much you hate me."

Lisgoe's jaw tightened, considering where this could go. If he were more collected, perhaps more logical, he'd have thought about how this would further complicate whatever strange relationship they had

But Lisgoe was never good with logic

"Right." His lips were brushing against Ross' ear, murmuring into it "This is what's gonna happen. I'm heading for the kitchen, you're can either wait here or leave. I don't give a fuck what you do but, if you decide to run off, god help your sorry arse when I find you."

As soon as he felt Ross nodding slightly, he was off

Ross knew he'd be in deep if he left, but then again, he didn't really care. It's my house, he reminded himself and he invited himself here. I can do what I like, who does he think he is? With that, he took his keys off the hook beside the door and left. Part of him wondered whether he should lock Lisgoe in to teach him a lesson, put him under citizen's arrest, but he quickly decided against it. He hated him, why would he want him in his house for that long?

So Lisgoe came back to nobody

"That bastard!" He snapped, fully prepared to turn the whole house apart before he noticed the unlocked door, which he swung open and stormed right out of

"Come out, you fucker..." he muttered to himself, making his way to the back of the house - where he saw Ross at the other end checking, presumably, for him

Wasting no time, he darted over and grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulling him into an iron grip. His torso was pressed against Ross' back and he had a knife under his chin

"I just want to talk." His voice was unnervingly soft as his eyes trailed the length of Ross' throat, meeting his eyes with a hard stare "Why do you have to piss about?"

"You're talking way too much, it's like you're overcompensating for-"

Ross was cut short by teeth running up his neck and his shirt being unbuttoned. Before he knew it, his back was slammed into the brick wall behind him. Despite the growing feeling of heat through his body, his face was unmoving

"As I was saying, it's like you're overcompensating. You're stalling." At this point, his face contorted into one of cold arrogance as he leaned towards Lisgoe, peering at him "You're scared."

"Scared, am I?" Was the response, in that dangerously soft tone "You have a lot of fucking nerve." He took his hand to Ross' throat, using it to push his against the wall again

The cold tip of the knife met Ross' lower stomach, but in a way which showcased a rare gentleness. It hovered slowly up his torso, barely touching his skin, and sent a sensation which caused him to lean his head back and sigh. It wasn't long before he could feel the bladed edge at the side of his neck

Each stared at the other. Eyes fixated, as if neither was able to move in that moment. Perhaps they didn't want to. There was something electric which had somehow become magnetic

They hated each other, but they didn't hate this

All at once, Lisgoe's mouth was on Ross' and his other hand was following the path his knife had taken, this time moving down the body until it reached his belt and-

Ross' right hand was shielding the buckle. He broke the kiss and stared at him with a cold expression, as if he wasn't being held at knife-point

"The fuck are you doing?" Rasped an impatient Lisgoe "If you didn't want it you should've said-"

"I do."

Lisgoe lowered the knife in his confusion

"I want this, but I'm not sure you do."

"What the fu- I'm the one that fucking started it!"

"And I'm not convinced by you. At all."

"OK? What am I meant to do about that?"

"Beg me."

That caught Lisgoe completely offguard and he moved back slightly. Once the shock had melted away, he couldn't help but laugh

"You're taking the piss, me? Begging you?" He brandished the knife in front of his face "I don't need to beg you for anything."

"I'm the one that's put in most of the work," Ross shrugged, as if he were discussing business plans with a colleague "you just waved a knife around and got a little violent." He pushed the knife away with a look of superiority "If you really want it, convince me."

Lisgoe's smirk melted into a sneer as he grabbed Ross' right wrist

"We both know I could rip your hand off if I wanted to."

"But you won't, because that's boring."

"If you don't shut your mouth, I'll leave you high and dry."

"You won't do that either."

Ross' eyes showed no signs of intimidation, and it was pissing Lisgoe off. To ask such a thing of him with such little shame, it was unheard of. The worst part was that he couldn't say he disliked the push-back

He moved closer, one hand gripping at Ross' wrist and the other grabbing the collar of his open shirt. He was close enough for his mouth to brush against his neck

"You're a thick bastard if you don't think I want this." He muttered sharply, running the flat surface of the knife down his throat "So cut the shite and just..." by the time he reached his collarbone, he felt something in him slipping and he let his hand rest over Ross' right hand "Please Ross, put me out of my fucking misery."

A smarmy remark brewed in Ross' head, but ultimately died there when his brain realised just how nice it sounded to hear the slight hint of Lisgoe's need slipping into what was clearly meant to sound like a demand. He moved his hand away from his belt, felt a hand move down his trousers, and everything blurred. It was just heat, friction and breath. Lisgoe's mouth pressed hard on Ross' and their heavy breaths syncronised in a way that made them both light-headed, breathing in each other's exhales until they were both pleasurably dizzy. It was like, if Ross didn't dig his nails hard into Lisgoe's back (which tore out someone quite nice from the pit of his throat), he'd end up falling. Clearly, this was a shared feeling; as Lisgoe had dropped the knife and his free hand was against Ross's jaw, his fingers gripping the back of his head like an anchor

As soon as Ross ripped his head away for air, Lisgoe took the opportunity to go for Ross' neck, but was stopped

"Work tomorrow." He panted, leaning his head back against the wall "I don't feel like explaining it to them."

"Would make you more interesting."

Ross retaliated by moving the collar of Lisgoe's shirt down and biting, hard, at his shoulder. The sound that followed send shivers through Ross' whole body and resulted in him being grabbed by the throat and held there as Lisgoe's hand pumped faster. The bitemark was prevalent, even now, despite the top of the tattoo sleeve on the man's arm

"Suits you." He breathed out

Lisgoe didn't respond, he was too busy watching every movement on Ross' face. He was trying to keep composed, it was obvious by the way his jaw clenched, showing all his teeth. And the way, every so often, he'd bite down on his lower lip to muffle any sound that might come out. He leaned in close, his breathing heavy against Ross' ear

"Next time, I'm marking you."

"Next time?" Ross raised an eyebrow, somehow not losing his smugness despite what was happening "I thought you hated me."

"And?"

"Why would there be a next time?"

This got a breathy, slightly gutteral, laugh from Lisgoe and he pressed a kiss to Ross' mouth, pulling his lower lip between his teeth

"Let's not be fucking stupid."

A/N: DONE IT'S DONE! I hope you all saw that because I will NOT be doing it again... or will I? /hj

#league of gentlemen #the league of gentlemen #joseph lisgoe #ross gaines #gainsgoe

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dontspillthefrijoles43 · 1 year ago

Text

Lost Hero- XII Breisa

Inconveniences

Warnings: Teenagers being teenagers, demigods not getting a break, weird dreams, fluff if you squint

Word count: 800

Summary: Another thing after another, being a demigod sucks— especially being a Hecate kid

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Breisa realized that there were three things inconvenient to being a Hecate child.

The first thing was that magic required a lot of skill and patience for it to work. She had neither of those qualities.

The second thing was how intrusive to another person's privacy. She would rather not know why Cal wants to bash in demigod faces.

And the last was how scary and unpredictable it can be.

How did Breisa come to this conclusion? Just pure frickin’ coincidence.

Take the argument that occurred in the hotel room. Leo’s anger had hit her point blank with a vengeance— there was something underlying in it. A spark. But not magic like hers. It was different. And powerful.

Unfortunately the spark wasn’t the only thing. His anger caused a vision.

Briesa saw pieces of it on the way to the palace, but his anger made it clear:

White embers bursting from Leo's hands.

The same steel doors shut close to garage in flames— the sign on top of it said “Espranza’s” burning from both ends.

Dirt women with that same sleepy smile.

Leo had fire abilities.

That killed his mom.

That was the big secret.

Knowing this was the worst. She had no right to pry into his mind and learn of this secret. Even if she kept pressuring him to tell. Only he could have given her that right to know.

If it wasn’t for Breisa’s powers she would have been blissfully clueless.

So yeah being a Hecate kid had major inconveniences.

But, there were some advantages. Like making mini snowmen to entertain Hockey buff. Who in turn let Leo reactivate Festus.

“Fight Fight!!” Cal cheered at the snowmen as they pushed and shoved at each other.

Breisa stood above the snowmen, moving her fingers like a puppeteer. Purple aurora (mist?) twisted along her fingers, some of it floated to the limbs of the snowmen. They moved with her fingers.

“How are you doing that?” Leo spoked suddenly. He had been quiet since the hotel room.

Festus clicked at the snow, he seemed curious as well.

“Dunno.” She shrugged as nonchalant as possible, “Just thought what would entertain a big dumb violent Jock—fighting. So I thought about action figures. And well these guys came along. I guess I summoned them?”

Leo was about to ask another question, when footsteps were heard from the stairs. “Oh meirda. Here they come.”

Breisa stopped moving her fingers causing the purple to fade and the snowmen melted into the ground.

“Awe.” Cal pouted.

“Sorry.” Breisa muttered and quickly put her attention to Khione leading Piper and Jason down.

At the bottom step, Khione turned to Piper. “You have fooled my father, girl. But you have not fooled me. We are not done. And you, Jason Grace, I will see you as a statue in the throne room soon enough.”

“Boreas is right,” Jason said. “You’re a spoiled kid. See you around, ice princess.”

Khione’s eyes flared pure white. For once, she seemed at a loss for words. She stormed back up the stairs—literally.

Halfway up, she turned into a blizzard and disappeared.

“Be careful,” Zethes warned. “She never forgets an insult.”

Cal grunted in agreement. “Bad sister.”

“She’s the goddess of snow,” Jason said. “What’s she going to do, throw snowballs at us?”

Breisa stuck in a breath. She had a feeling that the snow goddess was more than capable of causing a couple of storms than snowballs.

Leo looked devastated. “What happened up there? You made her mad? Is she mad at me too? Guys, that was my prom date!”

“Seriously? Killer frosty as a date?” Breisa scoffed, but quickly caught herself. “Whatever man. Anyone want to share what the hell happened up there?”

“We’ll explain later,” Piper promised, sharing a look with Jason.

“Yeah,” he agreed after a beat, “We’ll explain later.”

Breisa gave a look to Leo, and he looked just as confused as her

“Be careful, pretty girl,” Zethes said to Piper. “The winds between here and Chicago are bad-tempered. Many other evil things are stirring. I am sorry you will not be staying. You would make a lovely ice statue, in which I could check my reflection.”

“Thanks,” Piper said. “But I’d sooner play hockey with Cal.”

“Hockey?” Cal’s eyes lit up.

“Joking,” Piper said. “And the storm winds aren’t our worst problem, are they?”

“Oh, no,” Zethes agreed. “Something else. Something worse.”

“Worse,” Cal echoed.

Breisa wondered what that meant.

“Can you tell me?” Piper gave them a smile.

This time, the charm didn’t work. The purple-winged Boreads shook their heads in unison. The hangar doors opened onto a freezing starry night, and Festus the dragon stomped his feet, anxious to fly.

“Ask Aeolus what is worse,” Zethes said darkly. “He knows. Good luck.”

He almost sounded like he cared what happened to them, even though a few minutes ago he’d wanted to make Piper into an ice sculpture.

Cal patted Leo and Breisa on the shoulder. “Don’t get destroyed,” he said, which was probably the longest sentence he’d ever attempted. “Next time—hockey. Pizza. And Fights!”

“Come on, guys.” Jason stared out at the dark. He was eager to get going. “Let’s go to Chicago and try not to get destroyed.”

Now gliding through the air, Breisa hoped and prayed that whatever was in Chicago would be easier.

After hearing about the interaction with Boreas—threats of being turned to ice, his personality flipped from Greek to Roman, and how their quest humored him— it didn’t seem likely that the ride would smooth over soon.

Leo passed Breisa some sandwiches from his pack. She passed them back to Piper and Jason making sure she gave Piper the vegan one.

Leo had been weirdly quiet ever since they’d told him what happened in the throne room.

“I still can’t believe Khione,” he said. “She looked so nice.”

“I think you’re mistaking niceness for bitchiness.” Breisa grumbled from behind him.

“Trust me, man,” Jason said. “Snow may be pretty, but up close it’s cold and nasty.”

“We’ll find you a better prom date.” Piper smiled, but Leo didn’t look pleased.

Neither him or Breisa mentioned much about their time in the hotel.

With what Breisa knew, she wondered if Leo would ever open up about his powers.

But it seemed like that vision memory might be imprinted in his brain at the moment. She still felt awful for causing it. And deciding to deal with their issues later— Breisa they would break into arguing again.

His mood seemed to be affecting Festus, who grumbled and steamed as he tried to keep himself warm in the cold Canadian air. Happy the Dragon was not so happy.

Nobody talked.

They were all in a mood.

Breisa spaced out and stared into the starry sky. Snow flakes fell, landing into her curls. You could never get this view in East Los.

Her eyelids were getting heavy. She realized how tired she really was.

But how could she possibly sleep right now? It would be better on a comfortable bed.

“Deberías dormir.” Leo looked from the corner of his eye. “It’s a long way to Chicago, you know…It wouldn’t be good if you’re a delirious zombie when we land.”

“I'm the kid of a night goddess.” She argued, “I can stay up.”

“Tell that to the bags under your eyes.” Leo remarked, “You already did a night watch. It's your turn to get some rest. Besides, they’re already passed out.”

Breisa looked to see that he was right. Piper was leaning back on Jason. Both were sound asleep.

With them looking all snuggled up– her whole body began to wear down.

She yawned. “No me dejarás caer.”

“Can’t let you go splat,” Leo said. “Who else is going to manipulate dumb jocks with magic tricks?”

“Hmn.” Breisa hummed. Then leaned down and rested her head on his shoulder with her arms around his waist. Her sleep deprived mind was completely unaware of her actions.

The warmth that Leo radiated was cozy, safe. And he smelled like cinderwood and cinnamon. Surprisingly the army coat added to comfort, it almost felt like a pillow.

The world began to melt away, and she began to dream…

—

“¡Aye, No!” The voice of her Tía cried. “That girl is in so much trouble when she gets home!”

She was in the tiny dining room-kitchen of their small apartment. Pacing between table and stove.

The window above the dining table was open a bit—That meant she just had her cafecito and conchas. Tía Celia liked to enjoy it with the calming scenery of downtown. Especially since Christmas was coming around the corner.

Although right now she is not so calm. She still had her work uniform on. So she might’ve also just gone off.

The home phone was in her grasp. Which meant that she either got a call from Breisa’s school or her own half ass voicemail.

Neither would be considered good news.

“Por Dios.” Tía sighed, “Mateo, you gave me a lot to work with. She’s exactly like us when we were young. Getting into trouble…¿Qué puedo hacer?”

Breisa felt guilty. She didn’t mean to worry her so much.

“I know she’s a good kid.” Tía spoke aloud tearfully, “Was sending her away the right thing? I hope this would’ve helped…Am I a bad person?”

‘No!’ Breisa wanted to scream. ‘You aren’t a bad person, Tia! It’s my fault! I’m…I’m sorry.”

Her aunt paused. Like she heard her.

Then she shook her head. “I can’t stress myself out. You wouldn’t have wanted that. Neither would Mija. I need to figure out how I’m going to find her. Especially if she’s staying with a friend.”

She began to dial a phone number. It rang.

Oh boy. Breisa thought. Tía Celica would not be happy once she figured out that she was across the country. Could chácalas travel that far?

She just needed her to stay away. At least until she could get home. And explain everything.

Breisa wished that Tía would just trust that she could handle herself.

The strangest thing happened. Tía paused again. She looked around the apartment. Her eyes landed directly on Breisa's. They held eye contact for a brief moment, before she looked away.

Tía hung up the phone. “I’ll wait. I can’t jump to conclusions. Not like last time…I just hope she calls soon.”

Before Breisa could react the dream shifted. The world spun. And she was submerged in darkness. It was like murky water, but more goopy.

She looked and moved around trying to adjust. But she only sank in.

“It will do you no use, little witch.” That familiar voice rumbled. Her accent stronger and more prominent than before.“You will not find much here. Not if I allow it.”

Bresia breathed uneasily. “What do you want? Why are you here?”

The voice cackled in delight,“To warn you, little witch. See my companions are coming after you and your friends.

If you stick with them, you’ll surely die…but if you choose to leave them. Betray them, so much better. Walk away.

I’ll give you back the life you deserve. You are so much better without them. With your loving aunt, who won’t worry any more. Maybe you’ll reunite with your father.”

Breisa hesitated for a moment. But she shook her head. “No! I’m not letting you get in my head. I won’t walk away. I won’t let you hurt them. We’ll stop you.”

“Strong willed are we?” The voice growled, “Why do you protect? High and mighty sky prince can not recognize his namesake. How do you know he is not dangerous? The girl is manipulative and she hardly knows you. She could easily use you.

And that Fire boy. You think he would forgive you for learning of his secret? And the things you have done to him? Surely the hate will drive you apart.”

“Shut up!” Breisa snapped. Then she regretted it, but she held her ground. “I won’t leave them. You’ll have better than words.”

The voice snarled, “If that’s your choice. They only hold you back. Hope you have a nice trip demigod.``

Breisa felt cold breeze on her neck, the dream world spun—

And she woke up to everyone screaming.

Breisa was free-falling through the air.

—

(A/N: Five months is a long time 😅, but I’m back. Posting slowly, trying to get to the meat of this this story. Hope you all enjoy this, editing for a really long time. [As well as other chapters before] Also it’s ✨Christmas season🎄✨ figured it be the best time to post this.)

Translations for the chapter— coming soon

#leo valdez #leo valdez x oc #leo valdez x fem! reader #poc oc #spanish speaking oc #heroes of olympus #lost hero #pjo tumblr #jason grace #piper mclean #Breisa Alessandro #Hoo #fem!oc #pjo

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