#i made something long again? whaaat no way

[bee-wg]

Year 2:

“Jay! What the Flip?” It’s the ass crack of dawn, and Theo is already trying his best SpongeBob impression.

“Whaaat?” I yelled back with a mouth full of pancakes.

“You put your dirty clothes on my bed again!” He squealed.

”Dude, you asked for it. What are you whining about?”

“Boys, What did I say about yelling in the morning?” She yelled.

“Yewn, bwintow!” I think Dad was telling us to break it off, but he’s too lost in the Cream Cheese Danish.

Can’t blame him. Delicious and high protein? There’s nothing better.

Theo rushed down with a constipated face. 

“Ewww. They’re still wet to the touch. Wait. Is it dripping sweat?”

Okay. I overlooked the wet part, but he asked me to have it. 

I’ve been cleaning out some gym clothes that don't fit anymore, and Theo wanted some. I’ve decided to fully commit on football and my stocky phase, so I gave that shirt one last try yesterday. It was definitely not made for a more rugged build person. As I walked around the house, I unknowingly soaked it. I used to be disgusted with sweating. I would shower and wash the clothes by hand after each morning run. Recently I’ve been sweating a lot easier, but Dad told me to look at the bright side of things, and I do see it. Usually I would only sweat when I get a real good workout. Since it's easier to sweat buckets, that means I’m getting lots of exercise.

That leads back to this. I don’t feel as compelled to wash them anymore. They’re the result of my hard work on the journey back to being shredded. 

“No more pancakes in the morning for the month.” He said.

“What?…But…You can’t do that.” 

His face tells me, “Yes, loser. I can.”

***

“What happened, dude? Your cat died?” Brad asked.

This is supposed to be an easy practice because it’s the last before the summer. I guess Coach woke up and chose violence. 

I’ve been only doing a few yards of Quick Steps and Sumo squats. My lungs are now collapsing.

I’m only 230 pounds; there are players heavier than me doing better. I’m doing something wrong. It must be because I didn’t have protein pancakes for days.

“Dude, you there?” Brad asked.

Trying not to wheeze, I replied.

“Yeah, S’all good. I’m just hungry.” 

It would be an understatement. When you’re used to protein goods pumping your belly full of energy every morning, what does five English muffins and some hash browns even do?”

“Hahaha, classic Jay. You’re the man.” Brad answers with a slap on my back.

“Gosh, you’re getting sweatier than Aiden.” He said in disbelief.

“Oh, by the way. Aiden’s going to Costco to buy a speaker for our dorm. You mind giving him a lift?” Brad asked.

“Bad timing man, my dad broke the old Toyota. It’s taking a long time to repair.”

“No problem. I’ll see you next semester then. Take care!” Brad waved as he sprinted out of the field.

***

I felt like I could eat a horse when the bus arrived. I passed through the usual stops, and finally.

The warm smell of chicken nuggets invites me.

I pull out my phone and check. Ten consecutive days. I can definitely redeem a free meal today.

“Welcome, what can I get you?” The cashier asked.

“Can I have the Double Western Deluxe Combo?” “ I have the loyalty discount.”

“Thank you, here’s your number.”

After what felt like forever, they finally called my number. 

It’s a pretty big meal, but today’s situation calls for it. 

I’ve been doing pretty well sticking to a fries-only diet when I’m here. With some occasional burgers and soda thrown in, I’ve accumulated a few thousand points to have meals like this once in a while. The only downside is the bus here takes way too long. I guess it’s better than the neighbours knowing I’m a regular customer. 

As I finished the fries, I saw a guy wandering outside with my university’s gym bag.

Wait, is he from the team? 

Wait, is that Aiden?

No. Shit, Is Aiden waving to me?

He’s probably waving to someone else.

Then the door’s jingle chimes.

“Yo, I didn’t expect to see you here!” Aiden said.

My alone time is ruined.

“Yeah man, me too. What brought you here?” I asked.

“Just bought the speaker and couldn’t find any restaurants here. I thought Costco had a food court.” He looked down at my plate.

“Whatchu havin’? Oh Damnnn, that’s a chunky burger!” He said in excitement.

“Haven’t had them in years, my mom hates that shit.” 

I just wish to crawl into a hole at this point.

“Yeah, my mom hates them to-” 

“I should have one too.” Aiden interrupted.

”What?”

Then he came back with a smaller combo with a box of salad.

“Oh man, I’ve been wanting to have a taste for so long,” Aiden said with glittering eyes.

He got a few bites of the burger and fries, then moved on to the salad.

“So what are you doing this summer?” I asked.

“Oh, not much. Probably hang out with the guys. My dad wants me to go to a training camp though. It’s not like I will play football after college anyway, so what’s the point?”

Then we talk about dorm drama and who the coach is going to recommend to the NFL scouts.

He is actually quite chill to talk to. 

“You don’t like it?” I point down to his unfinished burger.

“No, it’s the best thing I’ve had in years. Definitely beating celery or carrots. I just have a diet going on, and I kinda impulse bought this.”

“I could finish it for you.” I offered.

“Really? Thank you so much dude!” He said.

“You’re actually pretty fun to hang out with. I always thought you had a stick up your ass.” He added unhelpfully.

By the time the last of his burger and fries disappeared in my stomach, I was ready to sleep it off when I got home. 

My phone rang, waking me up from sleep. It’s 2 AM.

Probably Number Seven. He always calls at an odd hour. 

I picked up the call.

“Duuuuuuude, I didn’t know you go to fast foods. I thought we don’t keep anything from each other.” Instead of number seven, Brad said.

“Jay, knock it off,” Theo grumbled on the other side of the room.

“Keep it down, Brad. What is it?” 

I knew shit would get out of the bag sooner or later. At least I had two weeks of peace.

“Next time let me join too!” Brad said.

What the hell is up with these people? 

“Fine, whatever. Let me go to sleep.”

“Thanks a lot, man. I’ve never had fast food before!”

I have the feeling that this is going to bite me in the ass later.

Brad is calling me. Again.

“Dude, what?” I asked calmly.

“Woah, no need to get so worked up.”

“I asked some of my mates, they all agreed to meet up at the mall’s parking lot,” Brad said.

What is going on? It’s only been five hours since he last called me.

“Don’t forget to bring your laptop and an empty stomach! It’s gonna be an epic summer.” Then he hung up on me.

I should be used to Brad’s bullshit by now. He’s been like this since high school.

The bus on the way there is as tedious as usual. 

Why did he tell me to go with an empty stomach? Didn’t he know that I get really grumpy without any breakfast? It’s worse now without pancakes.

He looks at me eagerly, like a dog finding its treat.

“What is it, man?” I asked as he led me to the back of the restaurant.

Then, no Harry Potter bullshit, he opened the wall.

“What the hell? There was a room back here all this time?”

“Wait, Brad. You rented a party room?”

“It’s sick, right? I thought we could chill here for the summer, and go to the river nearby when we’re bored. Oh, I also brought the guys here. And a projector!”

“How did you afford this? I didn’t know you were rich.” I look at the big ass room with my friends in there already playing video games. Even Aiden the snitch is here.

“Oh, I have a pretty successful OnlyFans account. I thought I could spend it on you guys.”

“…”

“…”

“Good for you, man. Gotta hustle in this economy.”

He ordered a party combo with a bunch of salad. Then we started playing video games. It wasn’t until I was on a losing streak playing Yoshi on Mario Kart, I realized. They were staring at me expectantly.

“What?” I asked.

“So…Can you help us finish?” Aiden said.

Oh no. Not again. I turned to look at Brad.

He responded with a toothy grin.

“Please Jay, you have, like, the biggest appetite out of all of us. Look at all this free food going to waste. I bet you’re still hungry.”

“There are five of you,” I said.

“Marcus can help,” Brad added.

“Wait, me?” Marcus said.

He’s the team’s linebacker. The only guy bigger than me.

“Fine. At least it’s free.” I said reluctantly.

The fact that all of the juicy meat is screaming for my attention might be clouding my judgment.

We continued playing games, watched some movies while I munch

It was pretty fun. I got to talk to the people I wouldn’t usually talk to.

For example, I didn’t know Braxton played piano or Oscar was a hardcore Pokémon card collector.

The rest of the summer continued and the guys would meet up about three times a week.

I should’ve said no the second time Brad asked. But how can I let the food go to waste when the guys need me?

Marcus doesn’t come often because he’s occupied with his boyfriend. So the guys developed a way for me to eat all of their share. I would drink a dubious amount of water to expand my stomach in the morning, giving me more space. 

It was incredibly stupid, but when the guys cheered me up while I devoured the last of the remains, I felt pretty proud of myself.

By the end of the summer, not wanting to waste the last of our freedom. Everyone has been scrambling for things to do.

That’s where Brad’s dad comes in. He organized a BBQ party by the beach and invited all the football Dads from high school who were still in their little group chat. Of course, we are invited too.

“Oh come on, Jay Jay. You have to go, or else I’m gonna be all alone.” Brad whined.

“No Brad. You’re gonna be with twenty people, you won’t be alone.” I replied.

“If you’re worried about not having any swim trunks that fit, you can borrow from my old man, or we could go shopping together.” Shit, he’s awfully insightful.

“Your dad is like, 500 pounds. I’m not that fat, dude.”

Then Theo asked me if he could join cause he had grown out of his swim shorts too. Whatever that means.

That’s how we ended up here with Brad showing me an ugly Hawaii print speedo with a blue Jay on it, and Theo laughing his ass off with him.

“No, I’m not going to wear that,” I said for the final time.

“You’re no fun, Jay,” Theo said.

“Right? This guy gets it.” Brad replied to him.

“So you’re the culprit who made Jay fat,” Brad asked.

”Dude, you don’t know the half of it. I basically sacrificed myself to advance his cooking career.” I added.

“I don’t know. I would think taking care of his laundry, dishes, and meals, just to have him burp in my face and snore at night makes up for it. If anything, I'm doing too much. I should stop doing the protein pancakes agai-“ 

”Theo! You’re literally the best chef in the world. I am honoured to be your Guinea pig for the rest of my life.” I said.

He smiled 

Yes! Crises subverted.

“Hahahahaha you two are so strange.” Brad, who is still listening, said.

The possibility of protein pancakes being taken away from me sends shivers down my spine. I try to refocus on Brad’s shenanigans.

He came out of the fitting room with a professional swimming Jammer.

Why did he even take his shirt off? Goddamn washboard abs.

“Don’t you think it’s too extra for the beach barbecue?” I asked.

“I think it fits him nicely,” Theo said.

“Theo, you get me,” Brad said, then winked at him.

Is he trying to rizz my cousin?

“It’s my turn!” Theo said, grabbing a few trunks he chose.

Then he came out, without a shirt too, wearing a bright orange swim shorts.

“I see you’re putting my gym membership to good use.” Goddamn washboard abs, where did that even come from? Now that I think of it, he’s been fitting my old gym clothes better.

“You look awesome, Theo. The orange fits you nicely.” Brad said.

“I guess it’s my turn,” I said without enthusiasm.

After struggling to pull it up my ass. I walked out with the ugly print forest green trunk that’s wedged between my inner thighs; with a shirt on, thank you very much.

“Woah, look at those hefty thighs,” Brad said.

I’m out of options, and there’s no way I’m walking into another swimwear store again. So we made our way to the counter.

The day for the beach finally arrives, and I can already feel the swim trunks digging into my ass.

What’s more annoying is that Mom and Dad are now angry at me.

I would be angry at myself too.

Now I’m in a car with no AC, listening to how I should make better life choices.

“Jay, I didn’t think you would sneak off for fast food without telling us.” Mom said.

She caught the extra burgers I sneaked in to munch on at night this morning.

“Jacob, don’t you remember what I told you about garbage food?” Dad asked.

He said my full name. He never says my full name.

“If you want fried chicken you could ask mom to make it. You know it’s healthier at home.” Dad said.

“Am I not making enough, Jay?” Mom asked.

“I’m sorry Mom, I know I shouldn’t go,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it, honey. We can get through this together. If you want more fried food, Theo and I will make lots of it at home.”

“I got you, Jay,” Theo said, patting my shoulder.

We finally got to the beachside. After finding a shade to park our car, Dad struggled a bit to get out of the car. It seems like the old Toyota is seeing its last days. We might need to upgrade the car soon.

I know Dad is probably not mad at me, but his disappointment was worse.

Hopefully he can forgive me after getting some barbecue in his stomach.

We started setting up the chairs with Brad’s dad as more of my high school friends and their dads started coming in. I haven’t seen most of them since we graduated.

Dad went to greet them and it looked like he fit right in.

He was the Dad everyone’s dad was jealous of but couldn’t help to like him.

I was pretty shocked when I heard Dad wanted to come because he always declined their barbecue invites. 

He was the fittest of the group, but it looks like he is one of the heavier guys here. Dad told me he’s almost 260 pounds now, so Theo and I will probably lose again this year.

I feel conflicted. I wanted to look like Dad before when he had chiselled abs, but I also want to look like him now when he has a much larger presence with the same amount of confidence. I can’t do either correctly.

“You daydreaming, bro?” Brad said.

“It’s nothing. Let’s get the boxes out,” I replied.

“Just so you know, you can tell me whatever you want, Alright?” He said.

“Thanks man, appreciate it.”

He’s too pure to know about my problem with how my abs or belly doesn’t look right.

We got the tablecloth pinned in place to withstand the wind, then set up some disposable tableware.

“Good job, son,” Dad said as he patted my back.

I smiled for the first time today.

Brad’s dad put us on watch duty for the grill while I fought not to drool on the food. 

I’ll get my share. Old people first.

“Jacob? You’re all grown up! You’re a big boy now, almost as big as me. I bet you made your father proud.” Mr. Lancaster said. 

“Mr. Lancaster, you’re here! I didn’t know you were coming.”

He used to take me to his house with Ms. Lancaster when my mom was busy, or when Dad was substituting for other teachers.

Avery and I used to-

Wait, Avery is here?

I looked around to scan everyone.

“Oh, my boy is having a problem with his car, so he is probably not coming.” Mr. Lancaster said.

“We have the same issue too; it’s been a mess. Say hello to Avery for me, eh?”

“Of course, good to see you, Jay.” He replied.

I sighed in relief. I don’t know what to say to Avery if he comes. I missed him, but I also ignored him a couple times when I spotted him at the fast food place.

We served for an hour and a half. I probably lost the 60weight pounds I’ve gained, and my stomach is definitely deflated now.

Note to self: If I ever need to lose weight again, just stare at tasty barbecues all day just to have none of it.

“Ahem. Woah cool! Look at that shiny thing over there. I’m going to go fetch it!” Brad said suddenly, then ran off.

“Wait, you still have your-“

He ditched me.

I tried to flip over both of our grills to no avail.

“You need help?”

“Ahhhhhh!”I yelped.

Ave laughs with his usual lopsided smile.

“I thought you were,” I said.

“Dead? No. I caught an Uber.” Avery said.

“Right. Long time no see.” I reached out my hand for a shake.

“Seriously, Jay? When did you start doing that shit?” Ave said.

Same old Avery then. I took my hand back and hid a grin.

He looked so different I didn’t know how to react. By the looks of it, he’s almost doubled my weight, maybe around 450s. 

“Haven’t seen you in a while. You look good.” He said.

“You looked good too.” Now that I see him closely, it suits him, makes him look sturdy. His ass is hanging out in the back like a bra though.

“What were you up to this past year?” I asked.

“Well you know, I screwed up the football scholarship. But it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to me.” He said.

“I was pretty depressed for a bit, so I decided to go on one of the self-searching trips to some countries and states...”

Then he told me about the kind people and assholes he met on the way, as we finally sat down with our share of Barbecues.

Ave said that he got to eat food he never imagined existed, learn about cultures that changed his perspective on things.

He said he has never felt freer of any emotional constraints than he is now. I couldn't stop my smile from forming. I’m really happy for him.

He has always been harsh on himself. When school didn’t work, he dedicated his all to sports. On his way there, I felt like I lost a friend.

We talked for hours about the airplane seats being a bitch and how he’s sorry for whoever sat next to him, or about how I am addicted to fast foods and pancakes. He’s probably the only one I know that can relate.

I was lost in the conversation, with Brad interrupting occasionally with strange looks of wiggling eyebrows or smug smiles. I really don’t know what he’s on.

It’s when Dad is folding up the seats, and Brad’s dad cleans up the grill. Ave asked me.

“Wanna do this again sometime? My dad’s coffee shop has a new brownie coming up that he’s really proud of.”

Yes, of course. I wanna learn more about you and be friends again.

“Sorry, men. School is going to be busy. I also need to focus on football more this year, or I will get too fat to play.” I said.

“No problem Jay. You know I’ll always be there for you.” Avery said.

I tried to one arm hug him and he fully embraced me. His body is so warm and unbelievably soft.

For a moment, I wished I was proud like him. But I’m not free like him

Gathering supplies Dad brought, I walked back to the car, forgetting to ask for his number.

The school year started without much fanfare. But the feeling of estrangement grew.

Hanging out with the team was fun, but playing the game just doesn’t bring me the same amount of rush and anticipation anymore, instead, I look forward to the meal after the game that brings me the rush. It’s not like I was playing the game much anyway; I’m a glorified Waterboy now. My job is to refuel the Gatorade or water, then squirt it into the guys’ mouths. After that, I just need to hand them the towel and sit back to finish my hot dog. 

I know the team appreciates me. I would keep doing it for them if not for Coach’s disappointing stares. He probably thought I would be a star player like Dad, but I ended up fatter than the linebacker. I would be disappointed too.

My decision was made following the buzzing call of our defeat.

Chapter 3 ->

[luveline]

I always see people writing for a very shy/subby Jonathan, but I’d love to see shy!reader staying over at his for the first time (doesn’t have to be sexual!) & our girl being reassured by him & all of the cuddles

thank you for your request! jonathan x shy!fem!reader arriving for your first sleepover ♡

You think you might have lucked out. Your first boyfriend being Jonathan feels like a storybook tenderness you don't deserve, he's just… so lovely. It terrifies you even though he never could, because you're desperate not to fuck it up. You call him your sweetheart, internally, and not solely for pet names sake — he has a sweet heart. He's unbelievably kind, adorable, funny and smart and level-headed. It doesn't hurt that he's your favourite kind of handsome. 

He's waiting for you as you park your car, standing in front of the closed door with a smile already in place. You know he'd made sure he was the first person you saw to alleviate your nerves. If you knocked the door and his mom answered, you probably would've tripped over every word, giving a terrible first impression in the process. 

"Hey," he says happily. How lovely is that? He's happy to see you the second you're in view. "Is that all your stuff?" 

"Is this not enough?" you ask, looking down at your jansport, suddenly worried. 

He finds this super funny and starts laughing his awful golden laugh. He reaches for your bag, fingers brushing yours as he takes it, and leans down to close the small gap for a kiss. You're not used to kisses, and you don't turn your head up right away. He uses his free hand to encourage you. He doesn't make you feel stupid for it. Just murmurs, "There," and kisses you again. 

He smiles against your lips and pulls back. "It's only two days, so you'll be fine. And I'm not holding you hostage. You can leave if you need something." His hand rubs down your arm. He squeezes your fingers. "But you won't need anything." 

He opens the door and you follow him inside, stiff as a board expecting his mom and his brother, Will. 

It's totally silent. Your lips part in confusion. 

"They went to the store. My mom wanted to make sure there were 'ladies things' in the bathroom." 

"She didn't have to do that." 

"I know. She doesn't mind, she wants you to feel welcome. That's what I want, too." His knuckle bumps yours. "Can't murder you if you never let your guard down." 

He starts down the hall toward what you assume to be his room. Your laugh comes out in a gross little snort that he adores, you can see it in the way his shoulders roll and the smile he shoots you confirms it. 

"Jon, you can't joke about stuff like that," you chide, catching up. 

He pushes open his bedroom door. "I'm not gonna murder you," he assures you. "You know how long it took to clean in here?" 

He puts your jansport on the bottom of the bed and looks at you in the doorway. His cheeky smile turns genuine, and his eyes go soft. 

You're expecting it but still squeal in shock as he rushes you and hugs you so hard your feet lift off the ground. He bends under your weight, digging his nose in your neck. 

"You look so pretty today," he says, like he's mad about it. 

"Jon," you laugh, glad when your feet touch the ground again. "Don't, please, I don't wanna be all sweaty when your mom comes home, she'll think we were doing gross stuff." 

"You don't wanna do gross stuff?" he jokes, before amending, "She won't think that. I've already told her you get flustered at everything." 

"You… talk about me to your mom?" 

His turn to clam up. Jonathan widens the gap between you and avoids your eyes, a nervous, endearing smile on his lips as he says, "Whaaat?" 

He's not very convincing. 

You watch him until he meets your eyes again, your smile soft as warm toffee. 

"I talk about you all the time," he says finally. He breathes out, his shoulders rising and falling. "C'mere." 

He raises his arms. You take the half step required to be back in his embrace, hugging him automatically. He settles his arms over your shoulders, a more casual embrace, and looks down at you. He's quiet. 

"What?" you ask. 

"Sorry. Just… like seeing you here. And I have something to say to you, because I know you'll worry about it, but– it's–" His arm curves up and hooks you in. He fights off his own shyness to accommodate your own, and you hope he knows how valuable that is to you. "Okay, my mom, I'll spare you a rehash of most awkward conversation of my life, but she doesn't expect us to, uh, sleep with the door open." 

You go rigid. "Oh, my god," you say, lips barely moving. 

"I'm sorry, but I just wanted you to know now, I don't expect anything from you, okay? And we could leave the door open if that was what you wanted–" 

"What?" you ask, shocked. 

"Not like that!" He looks like he's midway between laughing and crying, his face a fuzzy shade of pink. "I want you here because I want you close, not because I want– well, I do want– I want what you want," he says, promptly shutting his mouth. 

You take a nice, deep breath, squeezing your arms from between your touching chests to cup his face carefully. You thumb his jaw. 

"You're worse than me, sometimes," you sympathise.

"Yeah," he says. "I am." 

You wrap your arms around his neck with a pleased smile, forcing him to grasp at your shoulders. You aren't expecting to do anything you aren't ready for tonight, but the fact that he'd know you were worried about it, that he would brave such an awkward stepping stone so you didn't have to, means the world. He squeezes you. 

"Shit," he mumbles. "I'm sweating. She's definitely gonna think we were doing gross stuff." 

It's funny until you hear the front door open.

[vickyshinoa12]

You’re with the ‘Family’ (A Sunday x OC one shot {NSFW})

(The content below mentions sexual content as well as emotional and some physical and sexual abuse, read at your own discretion)

[AN: ay guys! I came up with this after having a CAI with Sunday where my character somehow betrays the family and yes… we did smash… (even tho she isn’t in it >_>) it’s gonna be a long one before the spicy comes so…it will be crazy so here we go!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The air was tense as I stood in front of the head of the Oak family… or better known as the family as a whole. His golden eyes glared up at me. “You are probably wondering why you’re summoned here?”

“Yeah what’s the matter?” I asked annoyed a little cause March and I were about to eat at a cafe in the DreamScape. Sunday’s hands gripped one another. I can feel aggression build up inside of him. “Did I… do something?” I asked confused. He laughed, “Do something?” He closed his eyes, “Yeah you can say that…” I blinked, “What did I do? I followed the rules didn’t I?”

“You did. It’s something else you did.” What else did I do? I don’t know! I groan, “Is it the plushie spending?” Sunday made a noise of a sigh, “No.Its about the family.” My eyes widened, “What about it?” His eyes opened and he glared again, “You’re betraying the Harmony by being with the Express.”

“Whaaat?” My eyebrow raised, “I’ve never heard of that… let alone- did you say I’m betraying them?” I gestured to myself and Sunday looked aside, “Your path is of the Harmony, yes?” I nod and he looks back, “Hence why I am upset. You chose to go with the Express crew and leave soon. Which I will not allow.”

“Why not? I was with them before… plus I never was in the family-“

“The Harmony path is with the family no matter what. You should know this.”

“No I don’t.” I snap back, “I’ll tell you the truth, I’m not from this universe at all. I was from another one. The Aeon of Harmony gave me the path to follow and told me to go along my journey.” Sunday then put his hands on his seat and stood up. He walked over and I backed up into the table that was before us. “You think the Harmony will just let you join some group. You should have told the express to come here. Not stay-“

“How should I know that, Sunday? I wasn’t from here!” I yelled as he walked around me and the table, “If I knew, I would have. But the Aeon didn’t give me exact detail to come here to Penacomy and be apart of the Family.” Sunday stopped and had his hands behind his back like he usually did. “Still. Your path was Harmony and the Harmony is strictly for Family members.” I roll my eyes, “There’s others who are a Harmony as well, Sunday. They aren’t here either.”

“I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about you.” I was confused at this point. “Me?!”

“Yes you.” He made his way over to me again, “You’re new to the path. You do not know the full extent of what our purpose is to worship Xipe. So you will stay here. Forever.”

“F-Forever?!” I stutter surprised at that statement Sunday just made. “Just because I was new to the Path? Are you serious?!”

“Does it look like I’m laughing?” Sunday asked with his eyes gleaming down at me. “No…”

“You will stay with me until further notice.”

“I don’t want to! I’m with the Astral Express! That was my decision right? So I’ll stay with them-“ Suddenly Sunday grabbed my jaw forcefully and made me stare into his eyes, “Those crew members are not your friends. They are a distraction from your true cause.” I blinked, “What are you talking about?!” I asked and he let go, “You wouldn’t understand…” He mumbled and adjusted his suit, “You have a room for yourself down the hall. We will celebrate you being a new Family member of the Oak family.”

“You can’t force me to do that…”

“Oh I will. You might have the power of Harmony as well, but I’m more developed with the path.” Suddenly my head became dizzy as I heard him, “Obey little bird.” I grunted as I fell back onto the table, “No!” Then a snap of light came and Sunday’s eyes widened and I sat there trying to catch my breath. “What?! How’d you not be under my control!” He yelled and I looked at my hands, “I don’t know…” I then heard his footsteps walk up to me as he grabbed my wrist, “Insolent woman! Listen to me!” I glared, “No you! You can’t demand me to join your ‘cause’ or whatever! My family is the crew on the Express! They are better than you in anyway…” I thought for a moment before Jing Yuan came to my mind as well, “And Jing Yuan as well!” Sunday’s mouth tsked before he grinned and laughed, “The General of the Laofu? You seriously think that man cares about you?”

“Yes matter of fact, he did a whole lot more than you ever did!” I said and blushed a bit remembering my feelings for that General as well. He saw and his eyes darkened. “That General is all you ever talk to on that damn phone as well…” he gripped harder and then threw me onto the table. I gasped and turned to retaliate and he pushed me down to where my face hit the wood. I winced and growled, “Bastard….”

“I’ve been nothing but patient with you…. You always talked to that General day in and day out… I try to be there but you wouldn’t look my way…” He muttered in my ear and I shivered a bit. “Now. I’m done waiting for your approval.” He then stepped back and turned me over then played with the zipper of my jacket. I looked up at him horrified. “No… No!” His eyes looked at my face, “Should have kept your mouth shut… now I have to make a claim.”

“A claim- YOURE CLAIMING ME?!” I shout and he unzipped the jacket and threw it aside, “Yes I am. My bird needs to be taught a valuable lesson after all.” He whispered as he pushed my shirt up and cupped my breasts harshly. I gasped and bit my tongue, there was no way I was going to moan for this man… no way! He kneaded the two marshmallows and looked at me, seeing if I would react. What he saw didn’t please him one bit so he removed his hands off my chest and went for my shorts instead. I gasped as he unbuttoned them, “Nonono! Don’t!”

“You have no say in the matter.” Sunday said as he pulled them down with one swish and threw them in the corner of the office. “When you first arrived here… I felt something from you. I didn’t know what it was…” He muttered and grabbed my thighs gently, “Was it a threat to us? Was it an ally?” He gripped them hard, “No. It was a blessing.”

“It was not! I was not interested in you that much.. maybe a bit cause you looked nice… but still!” He chuckled and bit his glove off his hand and I gasped as he licked his fingers, “A choice of words that I would have loved to hear… but… this is where we are now…” He narrowed his eyes down at my bareness and lightly touched my core. I flinched and went on my elbows and tried to kick him, which he caught with the other hand, “No! Don’t touch me!” He gripped my leg and pushed it out, spreading me. “Afraid I will not uphold your command. Again, you have no say here.” He then grazed my pussy lips with his ungloved finger and I shivered, Nonono! I can’t! I saved myself for whenever I met Jing Yuan again… I can’t do this here! Not with Sunday! I begged as he put his middle and ring finger together and dove in, my body jerked and I bit my hand hard. “Little bird… I need to hear you.” He said against my cheek as he thrusted his long fingers in and out of me. I whined and closed my eyes, “I can’t! I’m… I’m saving this moment for Jing Yuan!” Sunday stopped his movements and glared at me, “You still think of that man?” He growled before he grabbed my throat and forced me down on the table with a loud thud, he looked down at me like I was an ant ready to be squashed. That Sunday I met the first time… he was nice… handsome as well… this… was a totally different Sunday… did he act during all that? Was this his true nature?

Sunday tightened his grip, “Answer little bird…”

“Yes… I love him… I love him a lot… I can’t… have this with you!” I cried as I bit back tears. Sunday looked down disappointed. He forcefully let me go and then stood back and undid his belt, “Seems like I have to prove myself.” He then let his belt wrap around his hand for a moment before flipping me on my stomach and tying my hands together behind my back, “Sunday?! What the hell are you doing?!”

“Your punishment.”

“Punishment?! Because I love another man?!”

“Yes. You… only belong to me. And me alone.” My eyes snapped over to him as he glared down at me, “You… you made all that shit up… didn’t you?!” He didn’t react as he let his white pants drop to his ankles. I squirm, “You wanted me all to yourself because I wasn’t interested and you think forcing yourself on me will change my mind you are dead wrong!” I yelled and he grabbed my hair and bit my neck with a full force. I gasped and felt his hand touch my right breast. His mouth pulled away as he held it on my shoulder, “You’re a naive girl… my love for you is endless… if only you came here sooner… we would have been wedded…” He’s insane! He’s like a crazy stalker! “That’s crazy!” I yelled and his hand that gripped my hair let it go and he pushed my back with it to where my ass hung out. “It’s almost time…” he whispered as he shuffled his boxers down and laid on my back with his chest, his length grazing my butt. Sunday nibbled my ear before whispering, “I’ll show you what you missed.” He then pulled back and grabbed my hips and guided me into his. It was super uncomfortable and I cried as his member slowly went in me, “Stop! Please stop, Sunday!”

“Sorry. I cannot.” He said and kissed my nape, “It’s for the best. Now breathe.”

“No! Sunday! I can’t- AUUGH!” I gasp as he slipped it all in with a thrust and I doubled down and laid flat on then table, “uuuuughhhh-“ I groan and he chuckles, “You took me in.” He said as he nuzzles his nose in my neck, I felt his wings on his ears flutter. This perverted bird man… I felt his cock drive back and slam back in. It knocked me forward and I whimpered and held my forehead against the table. Tears came out my eyes and dropped onto the table, Jing Yuan… I’m so sorry… I wanted to wait for you… but… things happened…. This happened… I said in my thoughts as I felt Sunday’s hand went back in my hair and force me up and he thrusted up into my pussy. I let out a slight moan and quickly caught it. Sunday however used his other hand to take it away and force me back down and roughly thrusted into me.

The whole office was sounds of wet smacking and groaning. Small whimpers from me came out. Even though Sunday basically took me when I didn’t want it… his cock felt so good… my head bounced on the wood as he thrusted and he wrapped his arms around my stomach and went deeper. My eyes rolled back a little, “S-Sunday…”

“That’s right. Say my name…” I heard him growl as I looked and saw his face flushed and his winged ears fluttering like he’s about to fly with them, his halo was also glowing brightly as well. If he didn’t do all things he did today… I would totally fall in love. Maybe… I bit back a moan as I felt him squeeze my clit with his hand. “I-I’m close… Sunday!”

“Good. I can feel you tightening around me.” He sighed as he went back to gripping my hips and increasing the speed, “Come on… come on!” He breath raspyly. I grunted and felt my pussy quake and squirt a bit. I banged my head on the table as Sunday kept going and going. Do angel people have intense stamina or something?! I asked myself as I looked behind me and saw his fucked out expression. I cursed at myself as I rolled one, my hands still behind my back as I wrapped my legs around his waist. “T-Tori?!”

“Shut up… it’s to only get you finished and I can leave…” I mumble as I thrusted to meet his hips. I rolled my head back and moaned slightly at the position and Sunday whimpered which caused me to flutter a bit as I sat up and rubbed against him. His hands went to my sides as he closed his eyes, “Hah hah… you feel… a-amazing Tori…” he gasps and clings to me while fucking me desperately. I wrapped my arms around his back and flinched as his cock hit my cervix over and over again. “I’m bout to…” I felt him twitch inside of me before hot liquid boiled inside my pussy. I whimpered against him and opened my eyes, “It burns…” Sunday sighs and nuzzles into my neck and bites a little, “I’m sorry… I had to…”

“Could have just asked before Sunday…” I muttered and tried to regain my breathing. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes before kissing me. His lips tasted nice. I pulled back. “Sunday…. I am sorry… I can’t-“

“I’ll fuck you until you do… but… I’ll let you decide it. I shouldn’t have done that… but the general’s name…” Sunday’s eyes narrowed and his teeth bared, “It makes me frustrated.” I looked aside before gesturing to the belt, “May I get free?” Sunday looked at me and reached over to untie me. I rubbed my wrists and Sunday sat down on the table, “I’m sorry again…” He mumbled, “But I still want you in the family.” He turned to look at me again, “Please. We can do so much more than this.” I felt my head ping a bit, which was stupid thing. I shake my head, “I can’t… but I will give it some thought.” Sunday smiled and made his body turn to me, “I’m glad.” He said and gently kissed me again and picked me up by my legs and held me up, “Even though you don’t like me back… I love you.” Sunday confessed and I blushed a bit, “Again… could have said that before…”

“My bad…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I rubbed my temples gently as I came out the building and March and Himeko ran towards me. “Tori you’re okay!” Marcy said and hugged me. My body was still sore from earlier…. We had another round and this time… I wanted to. I winced at the touch and she pulled away, “You okay? What happened? You look worn out.” I blushed and scratched the back of my neck, “I had a little meet up with Sunday.”

Himeko smirked, “How long?”

“A-A while… we had a disagreement but I think we are good now.” I stutter and went red. March noticed and put her hands on her hips, “What exactly did you talk about in there?!”

“March. It’s a bit private.” She blushed this time, “Oh…”

“Besides that. There has been murders around the dreamscape. We got worried you were also…”

I shook my head, “I’m fine… I just need to rest outside of that…”

“Okay. We’ll watch over you.”

“Yeah! Also I’m kinda jealous you were that way with Sunday…” March mumbled as we went back to the hotel.

[sirianasims]

I was near my due date when Griffin called a house meeting.

“Listen guys, as much as I love living here with y’all, I’ll be moving out in a few months. Daria and I are getting married, can you believe it? So we’re moving in together, probably buying a house in the suburbs where we can pretend that we’re real, functional adults.”

Jessica squealed with excitement.

“Whaaat? You proposed to Daria?”

“Of course not. She proposed to me.”

I was stunned. I mean, it wasn’t like it was against the law or anything, but I didn’t know any other girls who had done that.

“Freya, stop looking like you’ve seen a ghost. Daria is a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to get it. Why should she wait around for me to stop slacking? It’s one of the things I love most about her. She takes charge. Everywhere.”

He winked.

Jessica punched him in the shoulder.

“Too much information, Griffster. It’s more than enough that we can hear you guys sometimes.”

“Sorry, I’d ask her to keep it down, but the gag makes it hard for me to speak, you see.”

“Griffin!”

“And the handcuffs make it impossible to remove the gag!”

We all laughed, but I couldn’t quite let the mental picture of Griffin and Daria go.

We had all been unfortunate enough to walk in on them by accident. It was definitely something you only did once before you learned to always knock, even if the door was ajar.

Samuel and I were quite the opposite. He was so careful with me, like I was something fragile, or an easily spooked animal. And not just because I was heavily pregnant, it had been like that since the first time.

And he wasn’t just controlled in bed. Sometimes, if he was frustrated about something, he felt like a tightly wound spring that could go off at any time, but he never did. Samuel was always measured, composed, and polite.

I wanted to make him lose that control, just a little. The sex wasn’t bad, not that I had much to compare with, but we had definitely never been at risk of disturbing the neighbours the way Griffin and Daria did.

That night, I was awakened by a dull ache in my back, much stronger than the small twinges of pain I’d been feeling for a few days now. I woke Samuel up.

“I think it’s time.”

“Is she asleep?”

“Yeah, seems like it.”

Samuel came over and put his arms around me. For a moment, we just looked at her.

Hailey. Our daughter. We’d made her and now she was here. Even though it had been almost a month, the thought still blew my mind. And scared me.

When I learned to drive, someone told me what to do and what not to do, and gave me a license afterwards to prove that I knew what I was doing. There were no licenses for babies. They just let you take them home from the hospital by yourself, expecting you to figure it out.

It was terrifying. And amazing.

“Samuel, I want another one.”

He let out a quiet laugh.

“Another baby? Freya, we just had Hailey. Not only would your body benefit from at least a full year to recover, we also need to figure out what we’re doing when Griffin moves out.”

“I know. But I want more, I want at least two or three. And I don’t want them to be ten years apart like me and my sister. I want them to be friends.”

“I get that, but still. And don’t you want some time back at work before we have more kids?”

I looked at Hailey. She was so tiny, so fragile. She depended on us for everything. Back to work meant endless training, weekends and evenings spent on matches. And Samuel would work long hours when he became a resident doctor. We’d be leaving Hailey with strangers for most of the day.

“No. Samuel, I don’t want to go back. Could we… could I maybe stay at home for a while? I don’t want to get a nanny or send her to daycare. I want to be there for her. And you’re going to be so busy when you start your residency, she’d never see either of us.”

“Freya, are you sure? If you skip out on your contract, you risk never getting signed again. What if you can’t go back? And how long would you stay home? Have you thought this through?”

“Samuel, this is really important to me. I don’t care about the contract. I want to stay home until we’re done having kids, maybe until the youngest gets ready for kindergarten. And if that takes ten years, then I’ll figure out what to do then. I just – I don’t want to abandon our baby.”

“Daycare is hardly abandonment. I know you have some issues, but I promise she’d be perfectly fine. But listen, this is your decision, your career, and I’m not going to argue. If you feel this strongly about it, we’ll make it work.”

“I do. Thank you.”

He put his arms around me again, pressing his cheek against mine.

“I guess I better look for residency somewhere affordable, then.”

beginning / previous / next

[avatarmerida]

Purposely Forgetful

Feels like it been forever since I’ve written some fluff, so here’s a little something I whipped up while I’ve been working on some other projects.

———

It was a lazy, casual day with the Emerald trio hanging out at Willow’s house. Gus laid on the couch, editing his human appreciation blog on his scroll while Willow and Hunter sat on the ground in front of him drawing up strategies for their next flyer derby practice. From the corner of his eye, Gus could see the pair getting closer and closer as Willow’s head was hovering over Hunter’s shoulder preparing to fall when-

“Well would you look at the time? I should really get going.” Hunter said as he started gathering his things to shove into his bag.

“Awh, so soon?” Willow fake pouted on the ground beside him. She was joking, but a part of her really was upset that Hunter was always the first to leave. Especially when they were getting so… cozy.

“Yeah I uh, told Darius I would… help him… organize his closet.” Hunter said, rising to his feet. “But I’ll see you later?”

“Oh I bet you will.” Gus said with a smirk. Willow missed the glare Hunter shot at Gus as she wrapped him in a quick goodbye hug.

“Message me when you’re back safe, k?”

Hunter nodded as he headed to the door and Willow leaned against the corner of the couch with a dramatic sigh. For some reason, planning new flyer strategies seemed less fun now.

From her seat on the couch, Willow spotted Hunter’s signature notebook resting on the armchair across the room. How had it gotten there?

“Oh shoot,” she said walking over to grab it.

“What did he forget this time?” Gus asked, not looking up from his scroll.

“It’s his- wait, how did you know he forgot something?”

“He’s been ‘forgetting’ things a lot lately,” said Gus, emphasizing his disbelief with air quotes.

“Has he really? Huh, I guess I didn’t really notice.” Willow realized, picking up the book.

“Yeah, ever since we were in the human realm, he’d forget a lot of stuff, especially in your room.” Gus said with an unmissable amount of sarcasm.

“Really? He must be distracted or something.” Willow shrugged, scanning the chair to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything else.

“Maaaaybe.” Gus went on. “All I know is, he would come down to the basement and look at the clock, wait a bit before saying he forget something and would rush back up with an excuse to see you again.”

“What? I don’t think that’s-.”

“Or you’d come down and bring it to him, either way it worked.”

“Hunter doesn’t need an excuse to see me,” said Willow, shaking her head.

“He does if he wants to see you alone,” countered Gus.

“What? That’s not-.”

“Either you’ll run out it to him before he’s too far away or he’ll come back to get it when everyone else has left.” Gus said plainly. “Am I wrong?”

Willow had to admit it did sound familar.

“Last week I watched him take off his jacket and set it on the back of the chair, and look straight at it before he left like he was making sure he left it somewhere you’d see it.” Gus said.

“Okay, well I do kind of remember that,” said Willow with a small smile. She had found the jacket after everyone else had left and tried it on, admiring his neeest collection of patches. She was astounded he still had room for more at this point. It was oversized on him but his height made up for it somewhat but when Willow wore it the sleeves far surpassed her fingertips and it was long enough where it covered her shorts. It was still warm somehow, and wearing it felt like an embrace from the sun. It made her feel very cool so she had taken a selfie in the jacket to send to Hunter to inform him that he had forgotten it. A part of her had hoped he wouldn’t ask for it’s immediate return.

“He made the picture of you in his jacket the background on the phone Camila gave him,” Gus said as thought reading her mind.

“Whaaat? He did not.” Willow scoffed with a blush.

“He definitely did,” said Gus with a dramatic sigh. “He’s always staring at it. He’d probably make it his scroll background too if he didn’t think you’d see it and think it was weird.”

“I wouldn’t think it was weird,” she said softly, not so secretly relishing the idea of Hunter wanting to see the picture often. She did look cute. “Why would he care if I think that’s weird?”

“Cuz he likes you,” Gus said simply. Willow was somewhat aware of this, well at least she had suspected it. She was more familiar with having a crush than being one, but her experience still help her deduce what she hoped to be true. But she also knew that crushes could fade, and she suspected that she might be Hunter’s first crush. She remembered how confusing and bubbly her first crush had been, but she also remembered how it was as short as it was intense. As much as she knew she returned Hunter’s (supposed) feelings, she didn’t want to rush him because she didn’t if he was still figuring it out or if he wanted these feelings acknowledged.

“Maybe.” was all Willow said as her finger traced the careful way Hunter had written his name on the bright yellow notebook Luz had given him. The spine was bent and the pages warped from writing and doodles, it never left his sight so when she received the message casually inquiring if he had forgetten it there she knew it had to have been left there on purpose. Otherwise there would be a panicky audio call or a separate message in all caps marked urgent in the group chat.

“Was that him?” Gus asked, already knowing the answer as he heard Willow’s scroll ding. She simply nodded as she took a picture of herself holding the book to confirm its location to which Hunter quickly replied that he would be back to get it later, if that was alright.

Later, she though. When no one else is around.

She gave Gus’ words some thought, remembering instances where he had come back to retrieve something or when she had brought it to him. It had just been them, but how had that made a difference?

“He saw it in a movie,” Gus offered, as though answering her thoughts again. Was he reading her mind??

“What?”

“A few movies, actually.” Gus said. “Where one person leaves something and when they go get it or the person returns it they have like a moment.”

“A moment? Like what kind of moment?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know what kind of moment Park,” scoffed Gus, still not looking up from his scroll. He didn’t need to to know she was wearing a smitten, goofy expression.

Had they had a moment and Willow just hadn’t realized it? Was that possible?

When she brought down the shopping bag he had left in the girls’ room months ago, she had ended up staying in the basement for an hour helping him arrange the patches he had bought.

After flyer derby practice when he came back to get his water bottle, they had ended up sitting on the bench watching matches on her scroll.

When he came outside looking for his umbrella he had allegedly left nearby, he had stayed with her in the garden and listened to her talk about how well the strawberries were doing.

They never did find his umbrella. Thinking about it now, Willow was pretty sure he didn’t even have one.

Those were moments. Small ones, sure, but they added up to Willow. Maybe asking her directly to hang out one on one seemed too forward in his eyes or too intimidating. This way, he had an excuse to leave just as much as he had an excuse to be there. Willow would be lying if she said when she noticed the things he left behind she insisted on being the one to bring it to him.

“Why doesn’t he just… ask me?” Willow said as though she hasn’t been wondering this in the back of her mind for months now.

“Luz and Amity made him watch period pieces, apparently they’re all about the slow burn.” Gus explained. “He also might think there needs to a chaperone? I don’t really know. But I do know the one time I went to bring him something he forgot, he looked disappointed to see me which has never happened before.”

“Woah, that is serious.”

“I’ll let him know I’m leaving so he can come over and gawk at you in private,” said Gus, getting up from the couch.

“Gus, you don’t have to-.”

“Nah, I’m meeting up with Matt anyway,” shrugged Gus. “Vee and I are gonna try and explain DVD’s to him. He’s gonna feel so embarrassed for thinking they’re food.”

“You also thought they were food.”

“Yeah, but I only ate like one and a half he’s eaten like six,” countered Gus. “Have fun with your little moment.”

Willow rolled her eyes endearingly as Gus made his way to the door.

“And if you still don’t believe me, if you look closely at the shapes he drew on with marker, you can tell they used to be little hearts with your initials inside,” said Gus, sticking his head back in one last time. “He tried convincing me it was a glyph.”

———

When Hunter did make his way back to Willow’s, he knocked gently on the door. Everyone else knew to just come in, but Hunter always insisted on doing things the formal way. Willow was realizing this was true about everything he did.

She was standing there, waiting for him holding his notebook tightly to her chest as she ran her plan through her head one last time. How could she be sure it was the right time?

“Thank you Captain,” he said, a smiling spreading across his face as she opened the door. He was clearing trying to seem as though he was relieved it was safe and not as though he hadn’t been totally certain this whole time.

“Of course,” she said. She was overly aware of how his fingers lingered as they brushed against hers, each holding one end of the notebook like an indirect hand hold. They had held hands before, on purpose, so why did this feel… like more? Was it because it was unclear if the contact was intentional? Was Hunter trying to create a moment or was he hoping to stumble into one?

Was he waiting for her like she had been waiting for him? Where they stuck in a never ending loop of “accidental” encounters, trying to collect enough moments to amount to something obvious? The familiar rush in Willow’s chest told her they had been in the strange loop for awhile now, unaware if progress was being made.

“Thanks uh, for having me over.” Hunter said leaning against the door frame, lingering in their farewell.

“Of course,” she said, twirling her braid around her finger. “Do you… have everything?”

“Um, yeah I think so.” He said, not trying too hard to make sure.

She fought back a wide smile. He would normally consult a check list to prevent being forgetful again. He was looking for an excuse to see her again. Alone.

“Well, actually now that I think about it, I did find something else that you left behind.” said Willow.

“You did?” Hunter asked, having always kept detailed track of his items and knew he had already retrieved the only thing he had “left” there.

“Yeah,” said Willow softly. “I mean, I’m pretty sure it’s yours at least.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“Hold on, lemme get it.” Willow pretended to search her pocket and come out with something in her fist. As Hunter reached out his hand to take it, she instead grabbed onto it to pull him down closer to her so she could place a firm and purposeful kiss on his cheek. When she went down from her tip toes to see his face, she was delighted to see it was a crimson mixture of delight and confusion. She bit her lip as he pretended to clear his throat and tried to remember what words were.

“I-I-I left that?” he sputtered, not sure what else to say but knowing he had to say something as his hand touched the spot she had kissed as though he was holding it in place.

“I think so?” Willow said as though they were talking about something common like a pencil. She could tell her face was starting to turn a matching hue to his as she pressed on. “Hmm, ya know what it might be mine actually. Buuut, you can hold onto it if you want and get it back to me when I see you next or ya know… whenever.”

“Yes, of course,” said Hunter as though she had handed him a satchel of diamonds for safe keeping. “I-I’ll hold onto it for you. Of course.”

“Okay then, great.” She said, her eyes darting to the ground as she kicked the invisible dirt.

“Yeah, for sure yeah.” Hunter was trying in vain not to stutter and sweat but his mind would not free him from the fresh scent of dirt and lilacs that her hair carried and the way it flooded his senses when she so effortlessly pressed her soft lips to his face. No romantic drama could’ve ever prepared him for this.

“And, uh, no rush, okay?” Said Willow as she rocked back and forth on her heels. “I was gonna give it to you anyway, so uh i-if you wanna keep it and don’t wanna return it I won’t be-.”

“Oh, did you want it back?” Hunter asked, a subtle sound of panic in his voice as he stepped down from the doorway onto the porch. Willow wasn’t entirely sure how to proceed. She had hoped she could leave the ball in his court, give him time to process the action and his feelings but now the part of him that was etiquette focused was pulling apart her messy metaphor. She did want it back, right? Or did she want him to keep it? What was the difference? Titan, this whole thing went smoother in her head.

“I uh…” she started, biting her thumb as she looked at him looking at her with wide, glistening eyes. She was trying so desperately to be cute and charming but should she just be direct? Had she left the loop too soon? Was Hunter actually just very forgetful, despite everything she knew about him suggesting the opposite?

“Do you wanna do something tomorrow?” He said quickly.

“What?” Willow asked, so caught up in her own internal spiral that she wanted to make sure she hadn’t misheard him.

“Do you… wanna do something with me? Like… just the two of us?” He asked again, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes looked to the sky. “Together.”

“Okay.” She said softly.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” She said, wishing that time could move faster for them.

“Cool! Great! Awesome! Yeah I’ll uh, message you? And we’ll figure out what we can… yeah okay. So I’m just gonna…I’ll bring your… thing with me too. If you.. um decide you want it back.”

Willow wasn’t sure if they had arrived at the same meaning with the metaphor, but she had high hopes for how Hunter planned to return her kiss to her.

“Promise you won’t forget it?” She asked with a mischievous grin.

Hunter returned her smile as he placed his hand to his cheek as though putting the gesture in to his hand and then put it in his pocket for safekeeping.

“I couldn’t if I tried.”

[kotegiris]

[Event Story] Cage of Black Raven

I'm just an amateur and it's my first time translating something this long, so there may be mistakes, but please enjoy! I recommend reading this while having the event story open on your device!

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Chapter 13: The Boy’s Name

Forest Area

-A few days after the Raven Master’s disappearance-

Liberta: Hah, hah…

Liberta: Phew… I’ve walked so much…

Liberta: I’ve somehow made it to the Western Lands… I have to keep going just a little more until I find the village…

Raven: Caw, caw!

Liberta: You’re right, Lily. Let’s take a short break…

Liberta: …Ah, that’s right!

Raven: Caw?

Liberta: Give me a moment…

Scribble, scribble

Liberta: Done!

Liberta: Ehehe… This is the first letter I’ve ever written…

Liberta: Lily! Deliver it to that person!

Raven: Caw!? Cawcawcaw!!

Liberta: Yeah… While you do that, I’ll keep walking…

Liberta: This is where we say goodbye, Lily.

Raven: Caw, caw!!

Liberta: After you deliver this letter, go back to Rondine.

Liberta: I’m already so far south from town…

Liberta: You’ll get sick staying in a warm place like this.

Raven: Caw…

Liberta: It’s okay! We’ll meet again!

Liberta: Boschi said so! As long as I’m alive, we’ll meet again!

Raven: …Caw!!

Flap, flap…

Liberta: Thank you, Lily! I’ll see you again!

Liberta: …… Off she goes…

???: Hm, You’re…

Liberta: Huh…?

Aro: Based on your clothes, you must be a human from the Central Lands. Why are you all the way out here…

Aro: Hmm, from the looks of it… are you an orphan?

Liberta: U-Uhm…

Aro: Come. I can’t take you in but…

Aro: There’s an orphanage on the border of the Central Lands. I can guide you there.

Grovaner Family’s Mansion

-A few days later-

Raven: Caw, caw!

Finlay: Hm… You’re here again.

Finlay: Now then… What lovely drawing will you show me today?

Finlay: Hm…? This is…

Letter: “to my friend whos name i dont know”

Letter: “thank you for everything.  this is my last letter.”

Letter: “i am going somewhere far away. i am leaving that small room to live in the outside world.”

Letter: “i am taking the four leaf clover with me. i was very happy when you gave it to me.”

Letter: “i don’t know your name but… i love you.” 

Letter: “byebye.  from, Liberta.” (1)

Finlay: …I see. He’s leaving the bell tower.

Finlay: I’m glad.

Finlay: Farewell, my friend.

Finlay: You don’t know my name or status, so… I always looked forward to our exchange of letters. 

Finlay: I’m glad I finally got to learn your name…

Finlay: Liberta… The meaning of that name is “freedom”. (2)

Finlay: Fufu… I wonder who gave you that name.

Finlay: The Raven Master isn’t supposed to have a name… Just who named you?

Finlay: And who taught you to write when you’re not supposed to be able to read? 

Finlay: I have no way of knowing, but… I’m happy for you, Liberta.

Finlay: You probably don’t know the meaning of your name, but…

Finlay: Someone wished for your freedom.  That’s why they named you “Liberta”. 

Finlay: …Farewell, Liberta.

Finlay: My friend, who is freer than anyone else…

Rondine - Center of Town

-Same day-

We were still in Rondine.

Boschi: …Achoo!

Boschi: …Huh? It’s not even that cold, but I just needed to sneeze… 

Lono: Haha… Maybe someone’s talking about you behind your back?

Boschi: As if. Don’t be stupid.

Boschi: Anyways...

Flock of Ravens: Caw, caw!

Boschi: Hah… The ravens in town are going berserk.

Yuhan: Oh my… Could it be because Liberta is no longer here?

Bastien: Yeah, probably.

Bastien: The human in charge of them is gone, so they’re going crazy…

> By the way, Boschi…

Boschi: Hm?  What is it, Aruji-sama?

> You have your mask back

Boschi: Yeah, I had Flure prepare a spare one.

> So he has spares…

Lono: Anyways about the ravens going berserk…

Lono: Does this mean they’re gonna attack the carriage again when we go back…

> What!?

Boschi: Well, can’t be helped…

Boschi: Before arriving in town, just like how on the way here we were attacked by ravens…

Boschi: The town’s ravens will attack the carriage.

Muu: Whaaat!? Does that mean we can’t go back!?

> W-What should we do…

Boschi: Aruji-sama, Muu, calm down.

Boschi: The ravens being berserk should, at most, last for only a few days.

Boschi: During that time, I’ll repair the damaged carriage.  Then we can go back to the mansion.

Bastien: What if there’s an angel attack while we’re here?

Boschi: We’ll have to borrow a carriage and hurry back.

Boschi: Just have to hope it doesn’t come to that…

Lono: Uggh… I have to fight the ravens again when we go back…

> That’s a bit scary…

Bastien: Don’t worry, Aruji-sama.

Bastien: On the way back, I’ll protect you.

Lono: “I’ll protect you” my ass! Boschi-san and I are the ones risking our lives outside the carriage!

Yuhan: It’s tough being inside too…

Muu: Ah…! Everyone, look!

> What is it, Muu?

Muu: All of the town’s ravens are flying into the sky!

Flock of Ravens: Caw, caw…!

Flap, flap…

Lono: Woah…! The sky’s pitch black!

Boschi: The ravens are heading towards the bell tower.

> There’s so many of them…!

Yuhan: I wonder why… The Raven Master is no longer at the bell tower…

Flock of Ravens: Caw, caw…!

The crows dyed the bell tower black and then scattered.

Flap, flap…

Lono: Haha…

> Wow…

Bastien: Honestly, it’s a nice sight.

Yuhan: Yes. It’s like the moment a bird flies out of its cage.

Boschi: Yeah.

Boschi: The ravens must also be giving their blessings to Liberta.

Boschi: Blessings for the freedom of their master, the Raven Master.

The scattered ravens blended into the town until we couldn’t see them anymore.

Boschi: …Live and let us meet again, Liberta.

END

T/N: (1) Liberta wrote his letter in mostly hiragana, the most basic writing system in Japanese, so I tried to reflect this (2) Liberta means freedom in Italian (3) Rondine means swallow in Italian and swallows are usually symbols of good luck and positive change (4) If you're wondering who Aro is, he first appeared in the Captive Dolls event story (which has also been translated)

[euph0synee]

Ritual.

yandere devil! beomgyu × reader.

Nights are beautiful. The moon illuminating in the sky. The star spread out around the whole sky like glitters, sparkling and shining. The slow yet cold breeze that blows at night making one lose all their stressful thoughts and taking away all their worries.

Yes, nights are beautiful....for someone who has yet to face the sinister and darker side of the night.

You would also often praise the nights saying how much calmness it brought you and how you liked nights more than the days. Yet here you were sitting on your knees in your room praying to every God out there to make this night go as fast as possible.

You were sweating all over. Your face was a looking like a mess with all the sweat and tears mixed together. Your hair was a mess, strands of your hair sticking all over ur face and neck because of the sweat. Your eyes closed as your whole body shaked out of fear thinking how did you get into such a scary situation. Everything was fine a few days ago. Everything was okay until you decided to do something really stupid.

That day was just as normal as any other day in your life. You went to your work and worked till the evening and after work you went out with your friends. You all were enjoying your time after all you met your friends after a long time. While talking you did not realize when the topic changed and everyone started talking about some ritual to summon a demon that was going viral on social media. You had no idea what they were talking about since you kept yourself away from these things because honestly you were a coward and you knew that.

“what ritual are you talking about?“, You asked out of curiousity.

“whaaat? you don't know about the viral ritual everyone's doing to summon a demon?“, One of your friend asked with surprise and you just shook your head.

“well there's this ritual everyone's is trying on social media. basically you just take a coin, a paper and a pen. then write yes or no on the paper and write anything that you wish for on top of the paper and then put the coin on paper and say the spell before asking 'are you here?' and if the coin moves to yes then the demon is summoned and then ask the demon to fulfill your wish.“, Another of your friend explained in detail. It sent shivers down my spine but also made me curious. Would the demon really fulfill wisheswishes of the summoner?

“are you going to do the ritual y/n?“, Your friend suddenly asked.

“no why would i do that? i do not want to summon any demon“, You quickly denied.

“well the demon is supposed to fulfill one of your wishes“, Your friend said.

“omg you're right ! i heard that too“, Another one said.

“i might just do the ritual and ask for unlimited money at least i wouldn't have to go to office and see the face of my evil boss everyday. i'd rather see a demon's face than seeing my boss's face “, She said and everyone just laughed and the topic of your conversations changed again from demonic ritual to demonic boss. However, now all you could think about was the ritual.

Soon the evening with your friends came to an end and everyone left after saying their goodbyes. You made your way home as well. After reaching your home, you took a shower and ate dinner and went to bed but you couldn't sleep because your thoughts were filled with the ritual thing your friends told you today. You suddenly sat up and sighed.

You got out of your bed and bought a pen, paper and a coin with you. Sitting down on the floor of your bedroom you placed the paper on the floor in front of you and wrote yes and no on the paper. you thought for a while about what to wish for before writting the word 'LOVE' on top of the paper and placing the coin on the paper with your index finger on the coin.

You closed your eyes and said the spell before asking “are you here?“, however there was no answer.

“are you here?“, You asked again.

no answer again.

You tried a few times more and yet there was no answer so you just opened your eyes thinking the ritual was fake. You look down on the paper as a gasp leaves your mouth. The whole paper was now filled with the word 'LOVE' written everywhere on it. That scared you so you just picked up the paper before tearing it into pieces and throwing it away in the garbage.

You were so spooked that you couldn't sleep the whole night that night. The next day you woke up to see the piece of paper you tore last night was again back into it's original form lying on the same spot as yesterday on the floor of your bedroom. Your heart beat increased you picked up the paper and threw it in the garbage again. And went on with your day. However, throughout the day the feeling of someone staring at you kept you on the edge. You continuously felt a presence around you but you couldn't do anything about it and had to act normal or people would think you're crazy.

At night you would clearly feel someone laying beside you on as you would feel their breath on the crook of your neck but never did you ever had the guts to turn around to look what it was. Soon the activities became more evident as you now could see a silhouette following you or standing in the corner of your room from the corner of your eyes. You were scared. It was scary that no matter where you go it followed you.

Everything that was happening was driving you crazy. The doors of your room being shut by themselves. Light turning on and off. Feeling someone laying beside or sitting on top of you every night. It was all scary. The fact that it had now started calling your name at nights was even scarier. It would wishper in your ears the whole night. You were losing your sanity slowly.

Your colleagues started noticing this behavior change of yours. You would suddenly scream as if u had seen something constantly telling someone to leave you alone and being scared and paranoid. Slowly they started distancing themselves from you and started spreading rumors about you being crazy.

Now everyday at your work not only would u have to go through the constant torture of that demon u summoned but also with people constantly wishpering about you. You were alone completely alone when one of your colleagues approached you. He was a nice person. He was kind to everyone and never had he ever wishpered about you rather he stood there for you if he saw someone talking behind your back. Others thought he liked you. He really did.

He was the only one who would talk to you at work. He would eat lunch with you and accompany you home. You felt somewhat safe in his presence because at least there was someone being there for you.

Maybe you shouldn't have talked to him. If you hadn't then he wouldn't have died.

You had come from work today at your usual time and your colleague came to drop you off to your home as usual. You invited him to come inside the house but he just rejected and ran away. You didn't know why. Did he see something? You sighed and came inside and started doing your usual work at home when suddenly the power went off. You got scared. Honestly since all this started happening with you, you developed a fear of darkness. You wouldn't even sleep with your room's light off.

Suddenly behind you someone wishpered your name and you whiped your head back to see who it was but there was no one. Soon the wishpering got louder. Someone was constantly calling your name but there was no one. You covered your ears and ran into your room when suddenly everything got silent. You were breathing heavily. Now all you could hear was your own breath and sound of your heart beat.

Your whole house was pitch dark and only your room had a dim light coming in through your window from the streetlight outside.

From the pitch darkness outside your room you heard something roll. It was like a ball you couldn't see clearly until it rolled to where you were standing and stopped it in front of you. The light coming into your room fell on to and that's when u saw. It was the head of your colleague. You were horrified. A loud scream left your throat. You continuously screamed and out of reflex you kicked the head and it rolled back into the darkness outside your room. Suddenly a sudden burst of laughter came from outside your room. The voice so deep and scary that you started crying even more. Your whole body shook as you knelt down on the floor sweat in and crying. praying to every God there is.

“please what do you want please go away please“, You cried as you covered your ears once again.

You heard sudden footsteps coming from the outside. You open your eyes and look up. Your heart beating so fast you fekt you were having a heart attack. Your breath as heavy as possible. The footsteps came closer and closer. With each footstep you felt more and more dizzy.

Finally you saw silhouette of a man at the door of your room. Your whole body froze. You instincts were telling you that this being was something very dark and sinister and now no one could save you.

The silhouette moved closer and as the light fell upon him you saw his face. He was probably the most hauntingly beautiful man you had ever seen but that was what scaring you the most. He did not look like the typical demon you saw in movies and tv rather he was perfect, too perfect to a point that it was scary.

“i am here“, He suddenly said in a monotonous and deep voice as he leaned forward and gave you a child like smile. It sent shivers down your spine and sent you into an instant panic mode. You started crying hysterically and grabbed your hair pulling them.

He moved closer suddenly and you moved away in instant out of reflex. You moved away from him until your back hit the wall. Suddenly pale hands came out of the wall and grabbed you. You screamed loudly as you tried to break free but to no avail. Again two hands came out of the floor and grabbed your ankles. You kept screaming and trying to break free. Your throat had started to hurt from all the screaming and crying now.

The man just stood there and stared at you with an expression so unreadable.

“why are you crying? you called me here“, He said as he chuckled and sat down in front of your shaking form.

“little girls shouldn't play dangerous games you know“, He spoke as he lift his hands to caress your cheeks but you just flinched away.

“didn't your parents teach you that?“, He laughed loudly clearly mocking you.

He stopped laughing and looked at you again, “as i have already been summoned shouldn't i fulfill your wish as well?“ He said as he stood up again and you just looked at him confused. Your wish? What was it? oh yeah you wrote LOVE on the paper.

Suddenly in front of your eyes you saw people hanging from the ceiling of your room. You were horrified by this scene but what horrified you the most was it were dead bodies hanging from the ceiling. Dead bodies of your loved ones. You eyes were left wide opened seeing your family, your friends hanging from the ceiling.

“no no this can't be...t-this can't be happening oh my god“, You cried and screamed. The hands that were grabbing you suddenly vanished as you got up and ran to those bodies. You held the feet of your sibling as you screamed and cried. What had you done? It was all happening because of you.

The man who was watching your every move just titled his head and walked towards you before snatching your body away from your sibling's.

“why are you crying so much? isn't this nice? now you have no one who would love you except for me“, He said nonchalantly.

“wasn't that your own wish“, He said as he gave you a smile.

“what the hell are you saying? i never wished for this“, You screamed at him.

“go away get away from me you demon—“, You screamed again as you suddenly felt a force throw you across the room. Your body hit the wall as you fell with a thud. Your whole body was in pain now as you moaned with pain. Suddenly you felt your feets being grabbed and something dragged you again across the room and stopped where the man was standing.

He sat down in front of you, “you're a bit disrespectful aren't you? it's okay though i can teach you how to be respectful“, He said as he smiled sweetly.

“afterall you are to stay with me for an eternity now“, He said as his expressions changed to dark and sinister again and he stood up grabbing your feet and dragging you out of your room into the pit of darkness.

//I'M SO SORRY IF IT WAS BAD 😭😭 I PROMISE I WILL IMPROVE AAA ANYWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO UNCEASING PT.2 COMING SOON !!

[thecclover-fanfictions]

A Confession...The Grand Place Part One

Totally bugged Camilla tore open her door, threw her handbag somewhere into the corridor and disappeared on the loo. Two minutes later she scuffled out again, sighing rushed her hands through her hair and stumbled over her handbag.

Swearing she kicked it into the next corner, scuffled on into her room and just flopped down on her bed. Eventually she could relax, her feet ached like hell today after she had to stand behind her reception desk eight long hours. But this wasn´t even the worst…this bloody director´s secretary!! Such an annoying person, just out of a classic nightmare, Camilla moaned. Since days this lady is wrecking her nerves and…yeah, she really should look for another job now.

But today she shouldn´t think further about it, it wasn´t thaaaat important. She rather should think about how to spend the evening. Virginia would probably meet her new boyfriend, her other pales were very busy anyway and Charles had one of those endless and boring dinners. She really asked herself how he got through this without falling asleep most of the time.

But, maybe Annabel…Yes, she should call her sister later as she was in London too. Maybe they would have a nice evening in one of the clubs around or just sit here on the sofa and chat and giggle about “their men”.

Yes, this was a great idea. But first she should close her eyes and try to relax more. Languorous sighing she stretched her arms and legs and made herself comfy.

Were it the last sunrays of the day, still tickling her nose, or rather her own snoring that let her awake suddenly? Sleepy Camilla smacked her lips, before she realised it was the telephone that jarring rung.  

She let dangle one arm down and felt along the cable to the receiver. Actually the telephone always was placed on the cupboard in the corridor, but since knowing Charles she had collected it in her room, much to Virginia´s dislike. And meanwhile the cable was buckled where it was stuck in the door.

“Mmhh…?” Camilla mumbled into the receiver with squinted eyes. “Helloooo? Is there the most wonderful girl in the world?” Camilla chuckled and was suddenly awake: “No, sorry, Sir. You´ve dialled the wrong number.” “Whaaat? But I was sure!” Camilla grinned wide: “No, sorry. Can I do something for you, Sir?” “Oh yes. You could spend the evening with me!” Camilla crossed her legs and dandled her foot. “But I´m not the most wonderful girl in the world, Sir!” “Yes, but I´ve changed my mind. I want to spend the evening with the most wonderful girl in the universe.”

“Oh, darling…,” Camilla was speechless for a second. Why on earth was this little prince just so cute and romantic?! She almost heard Charles wide and happy grin, but suddenly it crossed her mind: “Say, darling, didn´t you have a dinner or something tonight?”

Obviously Charles leaned back in his chair and totally relaxed answered: “Yes, but it´s changed or cancelled or something. Don´t know, my secretary told me so.” He heard his girlfriend´s excited breath in the line, obviously she expected something. But he remained silent, and grinned.

“So, you´ve the evening off, darling?” She asked carefully with a low voice. She had pushed aside her plans to meet Annabel, to spend the night with her boyfriend sounded way more wonderful, as she hadn´t seen him for almost one week now.

Still calm Charles replied: “No, I don´t have the evening off.” Her corners of the mouth sunk down, but now he mischievous chuckled: “Didn´t I say before to spend it with you?” Camilla moaned and had loved to box him: “Oh darling! Don´t be so cheeky!” “I said, I want to spend the evening with the most wonderful girl in the universe! Do you think it´s cheeky?” His voice got very tender meanwhile and Camilla smiled happy again.

And suddenly he breathed: “Do you want to come here?” For a moment she was confused. This were rather simple words, nothing unusual between friends or lovers. But…”Darling?,” Camilla stuttered. Charles reacted as if this question was the most natural thing ever: “What?” “I…I…but…,” she didn´t know what to say exactly, or to think. Of course she wanted to visit him, but the circumstances…

“You never were here by now,” Charles voice got more begging. “I know, but…” To visit him “at home” sounded like to conquer a fortress to her, to overcome quite a few barriers, to watched and checked by thousands of people. “But how does it work?,” she asked insecure.

Charles laughed loud: “You come here, pass the door and come in.” Camilla was still speechless. To visit Buckingham Palace was a thing out of her mind, though Charles lived there. She never had even thought about it. That he visited her in her flat or they travelled to his uncle or to his rich friends, or sometimes to her family home, was perfectly fine.

They went out to clubs or restaurants, to the cinema or polo matches, or they simply had a ride out in Windsor Great Park, the private part. This was the closest she ever got to the private estate of the Royal Family, and she never expected or wished for more. Despite visiting Charles´s grandmother in Clarence House recently, an event Camilla still gulped by thinking of. And…she had pushed it aside: they would travel to Birkhall in two weeks. So, yes, maybe…

“Darling?,” Charles asked. Camilla insecure smiled. He wistful purred: “I really want you to come here. I need you here…it´s just, you know…it feels all so empty to me. And if I know you walked around here, touched this and that, sat on my chair, my sofa,” he chuckled now, “and laid in my bed…it won´t be so cold any longer. I will feel better by coming home if your smell hangs in the air and I know you were here.”

Camilla had stopped breathing for a second. Once again it almost knocked her off when Charles told her from the ground of his heart. He was the only men she knew who didn´t make it sound ridiculous or cheap. She felt it was the naked truth and tears almost flooded her eyes, as she was very moved now.

“Alright, I´m coming,” she gulped. Charles cheered in the line and excited asked: “Shall I sent you someone to pick you up?” “No, no!” The imagination to be driven through the gates of Buckingham Palace in a huge car, and she just knew Charles would sent a Bentley or something, scared her. She still was Milla from Plumpton and this wouldn´t be right. It would be just ridiculous.

Charles was a bit disappointed: “So you will drive by your car?” Oh god, this was impossible too, Camilla panicked. She just imagined how she made her way through a bunch of curious tourists who would watch her and even believed she was someone special. “No, I will go by Tube.” “By Tube?! Why?” Camilla arched her back in laughter: “Why? Because it´s the most natural way to move in London, darling!”

Charles hated the imagination that she had to travel jammed by lots of people and to scramble cross the London underground, but he knew she did regularly and, she wouldn´t change her mind anyway. He had never tried out until now: “Will you show me this one day, darling?,” he asked in earnest and totally serious. Camilla laughed, as this never will happen: “I would. But, you know, we will be photographed to death and appear on the front of all papers!” “I wouldn´t mind,” Charles replied wistfully.

She had to promise him to come over as soon as possible, but Camilla was aware her next problem. Nail-biting she stood in front of her open wardrobe and helpless watched her dresses. What was the right thing to wear if you had to visit your boyfriend in Buckingham Palace?

She could wear the Bruce Newfield-dress she extra had bought for visiting Queen Mum! No…at least for Charles it would be overdressed. Or maybe just a pair of flares and her favourite shirt? No…no way! What, if she would meet someone very important out of the blue, or if there was a dress code at all? She had forgotten to ask Charles, but maybe she could ask her mother.

Camilla run over to the phone, but pressed down the receiver again. Her mother would suffer the next fainting fit, if she would tell her. Well, she will suffer also if she´ll tell her afterwards…

Scratching her head Camilla took one dress after another in her hand and watched her mirror image. Somehow each of these dresses was too short for this courtly house, not to mention the cleavage. But deep down in her wardrobe she found a cardigan, made from her grandmother. If she would button it up completely than she would at least pass the gates as a good girl…hopefully.

X

„Next station is…Victoria. Please exit here for Buckingham Palace.“ The voice out of the noisy loudspeakers sounded creakily, but pushed and shoved a bunch of tourists to the exit door of the tube train, though it was already after 8 p.m.

Ruthless many of them edged aside the commuters, anxious to miss the exit point and exited pushed the “door open” buttons even before the train stopped. Just the young lady neatly dressed in a mint green cardigan with a matching summer dress, ending a palm above her knee, hesitantly got out of the train.

She had tried to arrange her dark blond waves into a decent hairdo, but a few cheeky curls had already made their own way. Camilla didn´t notice, and she also didn´t recognised the young man who tried to flirt with her. Confused she watched him as he got very near to her and asked the corny questions, if she was from London and if she ever was here before.

Disappointed he turned away and out of a side exit, and just right now Camilla noticed what happened. Amused she giggled, but…no. For the rest of her life she wouldn´t be interested in other men any longer, her heart was already conquered from two gentlemen and brought her heavy pains now and then. No, she was full of love, gave all her love and earned all the love she could ever imagine.

A second later she had forgotten the incident as the walls of Buckingham Palace appeared. There still were a few yards to walk, and it wasn´t the first time she had visited the building. Of course, just from the outside. But today it wasn´t an object of sightseeing any longer, it was the fortress she had to conquer.

“Camilla Shand from Plumpton is about to visit The Prince of Wales in Buckingham Palace,” it flooded her mind again and again.

Camilla grabbed her handbag tighter and her corners of the mouth sunk down in her nervousness. No, it was rubbish. It was just: Milla is about to visit her darling boyfriend in his overdecorated home. Yes, if she would repeat it in her mind she would have a better chance to pass the gate without embarrassing herself.

The gate Charles had described her to use, the gate she obviously now stood in front of. It wasn´t even half as pretentious as the front of the house, it was just an unremarkable, guarded entry.

Inwardly she squared her shoulders, but slowly and with a shy smile walked towards the gatehouse.

But not just the gatekeeper had spotted her. On the second floor, a few windows afar, a young man flattened his nose on the pane. Obviously he had waited for her and now he excited waved and knocked. And he heartily laughed by watching her face. He couldn´t see it clearly, but he was sure her eyes had this special fluttering gaze they always had by being incredibly nervous. Her hand rushed through her hair and, of course, she didn´t notice him.

“Hel..uumhh…good evening,” she cleared her throat. “I´m Camilla Shand and I´m…” “Oh,” the gatekeeper interrupted her, “I know…” Twinkling to her he took his phone and dialed a number. He just said a few words and made a sign then to the doorman. Smiling and waving her through the guy let her pass.

Camilla just followed their instructions, her heart pounded like mad but she wondered if it really was so easy. She had imagined a much higher effort, but suddenly she was inside the palace, without any strain.

Confused she stood in the entrance hall, it also wasn´t half as pretentious as she had pictured it. In fact, it looked very much like Hall Place, the house of her grandmother. Lots of wood panelling, a few lustres and paintings, and a huge precious carpet. But nothing golden, nothing overstated, nothing that would scare her any longer.

A servant in a red uniform appeared out of nothing and greeted her perfect in form. Silent she followed him up the steps and into the next great hall. Well, lots of steps to do here, Camilla smiled. And suddenly, on the opposite, a door flung open and the most precious little prince of the world stepped out. Run almost.

She felt so relieved suddenly and was about to overrun the servant. They hadn´t seen for almost one week now and, in this surrounding it gave her back her confidence to see him, nothing accidentally or embarrassing could happen any longer.

But she remembered her good manners and just grinned happy to Charles the nearer he got.

Her boyfriend in the opposite sped up his steps more and more and called excited “Daaarling!” cross the room. His face was blushed in excitement, his eyes beamed with happiness and his grin couldn´t get wider.

Camilla had no chance for a veto, as he grabbed her and placed a huge smacker on her lips. Under the eyes of the servant, who respectful had turned his gaze aside but was fully aware of the scene.

Camilla blushed heavy and looked down on the floor, but Charles laid his arm around her tightly and nodded thankfully to the servant for bringing her up to him. With a happy smile, more than proud, he added: “This is my girlfriend.” Camilla bit her lips, the servant said nothing, just bowed and nodded to both of them.

Not even ten minutes later the story had made its round in the house.

Charles didn´t let loose of her, if even possible his proud and content smile god wider and wider. He knew she wasn´t very confident of changing caresses in public, in this case she was a very much a private person. But she looked even more beautiful to him with her blushed cheeks and adoring he kissed her tip of the nose.

Feeling much safer in his arms Camilla poked her elbow into his ribs, but grinned at him with the mischievous smile he loved so much. Like a trophy he almost carried her back to the door he just came out.

Camilla turned back her head, the huge hall was empty again and Charles almost stumbled as she stormy flung her arms round his neck and happy squealed: “Hello, my darling!” into his lips, while kissing him over and over.

[sapphicwhimsy]

Hi hi! Shiny duo for the win >:3!!!!111!!! As for a prompt, “stargazing.” I hope we win :]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE have some cute stargazing in return for your fight

"You know," Gem said as she laid back underneath the stars, staring up at the beautiful display above them, "after last season, I didn't think I'd ever be able to enjoy stargazing again."

Next to her, Pearl made a noise in the back of her throat. It was something between cat-dunked-in-water, and a whimper, and she felt Pearl's grip tighten as she squeezed her hand. Last season was hard to remember for everyone, not just Gem, and she knew Pearl didn't entirely like talking about it.

"Sorry."

"No, it's-it's alright," Pearl tried to soothe her, and she heard the grass rustle on the alien terrain as Pearl looked at her. She tilted her head as well, meeting Pearl's gaze, and gave a sheepish grin to try and soothe the pained look Pearl gave her in return. "I didn't think about… It just seemed like… I…"

When Pearl floundered for her words, Gem's free hand came up to stroke her cheek. She thankfully melted into her touch, closing her eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

"Hey," Gem murmured softly, rubbing her thumb over her cheekbone, "it's okay. I know you weren't thinking about last season. I wasn't either when you asked me to come out here with you, ya know? I just thought it could be fun. And it is!" Pearl's eyes peeked open at her, as if she truly wasn't sure if she believed Gem, but Gem smiled brighter at her, hoping to chase her fears away. "I mean it! It's fun. You're fun."

"Don't say it like that," Pearl whined in the back of her throat, and even in the pale moonlight, she could see her blushing at the admittedly silly compliment. Pearl tried to look back to the stars, but Gem scooted closer, close enough to bump their shoulders together, and that seemed to make Pearl's poor brain melt.

"What abooout… You're cute instead?" she asked, and Pearl's cheeks shifted two shades darker.

"Geeeem…"

"What?" she asked, snickering at how flustered Pearl had gotten over something so simple.

"We're supposed to be star gazing," Pearl said, in what was almost a pout, her bottom lip sticking out in the cutest way possible. Gem hummed in response, looking up towards the sky for a moment, before turning her attention back to her wonderfully flustered girlfriend, who was doing her best to look annoyed but mostly looking like a kicked puppy trying to gain sympathy.

"Nah," she said, sliding her hand down Pearl's cheek to tilt her chin. She leaned in, then gave her a quick peck on her lips, feeling Pearl stiffen momentarily before melting against her again. She was so cute. "I think I like the view here a lot better. Besides! I'm still looking at a beautiful Moon!"

That got a yelp and a flustered almost-laugh, before Pearl was burying her face into Gem's shoulder, as if she could hide away from her compliments and love.

"Ge-he-hem!"

"Whaaat? I'm being serious! You're the most beautiful Moon I've ever seen!"

For a moment after, Pearl fell silent. She wondered if she had pushed her too far, if Pearl needed a moment to breath, and she allowed her such because she didn't want to upset her. They laid like that, though it wasn't truly for long, before Pearl had lifted her head up and pressed a quick kiss to her lips in return, as if to attack her when Gem least expected it. And, she had to admit. It was cute, and she couldn't help giggling over it.

"You're cute too," Pearl mumbled, puffing up her cheeks, and Gem couldn't stop herself from giggling more as she pressed their foreheads together. Oh, void, she loved her so much.

"I love you too, Pearl."

[triglycercule]

no funny little thoughts today. have this instead,,,,,, mtt fighting shshahsgahagsgaa CHOKES ok i lied maybe i DO have funny little thoughts below where the reference is :3

this is SUCH a cool composition shot i had to draw something based off it (ignoring the erm. the flashing,,,,, this game came out like 10 years ago just ignore that)

anyways triglycercule what are your thoughts??? funny you asked triglycercule allow me to illuminate :3 so ive been remembering that one ask from like 3 or 4 months ago where i answered like well i like to consider the trio to just have met one day and then decided oh hey we should like totally explore the multiverse together (my excuse to draw them in any possible situation possible (mtt at an amusement park when) (soon (probably not))) and recently i was like WAIT i could probably like totally find a way for them to meet because just saying they met (is a totally valid use of my creator powers BUT) is uncreative and vague,,,,,

so i was like damn. how COULD i get them to meet 🧐🧐🧐 so i was like ok so dust beats human. done and done. but like bros BOUND to get bored. like if he gets bored from not having the human to kill then he's gonna seek out SOME other form of entertainment. so dust is like ok how about i work on some old ancient machines i made b4 to pass the time and one of these ends up being like a universal traveler thingy. and to his own surprise he actually MANAGES to get it done???? (i totally didnt steal this idea from myself,,,,, whaaat youre saying there's another triglycercule dust that came up with a universe hopper machine??? NO (sorry mania))

and oops instead of staying in dusttale like he intended dust accidentally gets chucked into horrortale (bro just wanted the sense of accomplishment not to thrown into some random world.) and then cue like horror and him meeting and its all tense and confusing and then horror paps comes around and hes like OMG ⁉️TWO BROTHERS ‼️‼️ and then invites dust over for a nice sweet little bowl of human spaghetti. unfortunately for dust the little teleporter device is no longer connected to dusttale's core (because hes not IN dusttale) so he just kinda has to suck it up and deal with it until he can find a portable power source

dust's not trying to get KILLED out here so he asks horror (who sadly cannot push dust into blue snow because paps is very enthusiastic about his appearance) where he can find like batteries or something. and horror makes some off hand comment about like power sources and his eye being in the core and how theres like no power and oh why did dust immediately start listening once horror mentioned his eye,,,,,, dusts not gonna rip horror's eye out (he has no reason 2 if theres a perfectly good 1 @ the core!) so he tells horror what he needs the power source for and then hes like i can help you get food for your buddies if you help me help you. ok? ok

and then they sneak into the core to get the eye and oops dust didnt you learn your lesson last time!! the little teleporter thingy brings them to another world AGAIN (and now horror's PISSED because this wasn't in their little deal) and guess where is is,,,,, you already know its something new. and i guess to make things uncomplicated this is a something new where killer already killed his chara but he hasn't tried to reset the world and kill himself (and therefore attract nightmare) yet (he's getting there!)

not like they think the au is anything other than just a wasteland because there is literally like nobody around but they stumble into killer and it doesn't even take like more than a minute before a fight breaks out (i probably need to think more about what happened and why they started fighting but knowing the trio its BOUND to happen) and lowkey killer is getting his ass beat what the hell??? he has never experienced a fight where he's been on the losing end in a long ass time & mindgames arent working because they keep seeing through his shit??? (because horror and dust somehow even though they barely know each other and horror's pissed @ dust have like craaaazy synergy and coordination & killer hasnt faught them ever before + yk yk inner turmoil at seeing other versions of yourself) so he gets annoyed and pulls out the blaster to end it

dust and horror don't DIE outright (not like they would be able to tank killer's blaster) because killer decided to be like hey these guys are new and cool and interesting. i should keep them around instead of killing them off and see how much i can play around with them :3 so he just blasts them until theyre at like 0.0000000000000001 HP :3333 and then idk thats it 4 now,,,,,, i think this is silly and fun and cool and i can imagine it in my head and OH NO THE VOICES (make a comic) THEYRE GETTING LOUDER (you should draw this) NO WAIT MY MOTIVATION (coooomic would be a perfect medium for this) im sorry inner voices i cant,,,,,,,

[unrooms]

You wait to see if there will be any kind of response, ready to open up your notes app... instead, you find yourself getting up to go check behind the hexagon door.

“Whaaat, come on,” you mutter. You guess you are genuinely curious about what’s behind it, but you were hoping for a message.

Well, I guess maybe it can’t communicate with me. Or maybe it’s got different priorities. Or it can’t actually hear my thoughts.

You quickly set another alarm for near the end of the hour, then go ahead and open the hexagon door. Behind it, you’re surprised to find a room that’s made of similar stone bricks to the pool room. All the other rooms have had different aesthetics and materials. The bricks here are different though; bigger, less uniform, and made of what seems to be another, lighter stone. There are also seemingly decorative marble pillars along the walls. All the other rooms have been the same size and shape, and this one’s no different. In the middle, there’s a big metal slab, and what look like various tools on it. There’s also the shape of another door at the far end, with a keyhole but no mold like in the water room. The flesh room also just had a keyhole, and you couldn’t see past the tree in the other room. You guess the mold was probably just part of the water room’s puzzle. Checking the back of the door just in case, it indeed has the same symbol as all the others.

You close the door, wander back into the pool room, and then you feel the urge to write something in your phone. You open the notes app, but you just don’t have the words. Something about... the elements, and worry about danger... But it’s all vague, and when you try to write anything in particular, you draw a blank.

...Huh.

Okay, well... message not really received, but I got a little of that. Not sure what to do to improve communication ability, sorry, you might have to figure that out on your end.

After sitting there a minute just to make sure the message isn’t going to become any clearer, you sigh and move on. You move over to the flesh door and tap your fingernails against the stone, thinking.

How do I convince it? I think that the uh... whatever... might have been trying to tell me to be wary of it? I mean, if it wants to hurt me, I’m not sure what I could do about that anyway...

And besides, you’re getting kind of anxious to get another key. You’d rather not be stuck here for eternity. And you’re a little tired of being cautious.

It’s not like I’ve got forever to consider. The flesh is creepy, but it really doesn’t seem malicious, I don’t think.

So, you open the flesh door again, and step inside.

“Hi again.” You’re not really sure what part of the flesh to look at. You settle on the mouth it seems to usually use to talk.

“Hello.”

“So... about you and the key... the idea is to get, uh, some of your flesh to become the key, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that... hard for you to do?”

“Oh, not particularly.”

“So why not just do it?”

“You’re supposed to have to convince me. It should take at least some effort.”

“Hm... well- do you, I mean, do you have any objection of your own? Or is it just because it’s what the... damn it’s a long name... the walls the floors the ceilings and everything within them... uh, wants you to do?”

“...I don’t really have opinions about it myself. Although...”

“...Although?”

“...I suppose I do like you. Still, that’s not enough reason.”

“Oh. Huh. Thanks. Mm... look, I guess I’m just not sure how I’m supposed to convince you if you don’t really have a reason to go either way? I don’t know, is there something you want?”

“Not particularly. I suppose I see what you mean. The walls, the floors, the ceilings, and everything within them don’t have any specific thing in mind to change my mind...”

“Hm...” You stick your hand in your pocket, wondering if you have anything the flesh might like. “Oh, hey- do you know if you like candy? Strawberry hard candy, specifically.” You hold up the couple of candies to show it.

“...I’ve never had any. I’ve never eaten anything, as a matter of fact. I am somewhat curious, now that you mention it.”

You straighten up triumphantly. “Then, what do you say? I’ll trade you this candy, and you’ll let me have your key. I’m giving up something you want, so that should be convincing, right?”

The flesh hums consideringly, the sound filling the room.

“...Alright. I think that’s okay. I agree to this trade.”

A hand comes to pluck the candies away. You watch with fascination as it unwraps one, long limbs shifting, and pops it into one of its mouths (not the talking one). Its eyes widen.

“Oh! I like that.”

“Yeah? I guess most things made of flesh tend to like sugar.”

It’s an odd sight, but you smile as the flesh closes its many eyes in pleasure. You think it’s the first time you’ve seen it express a strong emotion. Any emotion?

“Thank you for the candy. Here...”

It sticks a finger into the keyhole, and the skin shifts in the same fluid way the glass did in the water room, until flesh disconnects from flesh. You go to pull the new key out of the keyhole- it’s kind of disturbingly soft and warm, but hey. You’re not gonna complain.

“Thanks, uh, flesh.”

“Are you going to leave for the other keys now?”

“Well I actually wanted to ask you some other questions about this whole place, and the elements and stuff... assuming you don’t mind, anyway.”

“I don’t.”

“Okay. ...Also... um...” You try to find the words to tell this strange body horror entity that you think its creator may be a bad parent. I mean, it said it was only a part of a greater whole, but it definitely seems like its own entity to you. Like, you may control your arm even though it isn’t exactly you, but you’re also pretty sure your arm doesn’t have a mind of its own. Unfortunately, you’re also not sure how the walls, the floors, the ceilings, and everything within them would feel about you trying to sway the flesh to your side, and although it hasn’t previously responded to any of your attempts to talk to it, it seems likely that it’s listening in. “...Hm... well, um, nevermind for now. Can you tell me, like... what you know?”

“Know about what?”

“Well, the world in general, I guess.”

“Hm... I don’t know very much about this world outside of the walls, the floors, the ceilings, and everything within them. I know you are from a different world, but I don’t know anything about that one. What I know is that this world is made up of the five different elements-”

“Five?”

“Yes. Water, flesh, plant, and stone, in that order, and separately, void.”

“Can I ask, what does the order mean?”

“...I don’t know as much about the elements other than flesh. The order is something about... changing... how much they change, perhaps?”

“Do you know why void isn’t a part of that order?”

“No.”

“Hm. Okay, go on.”

“Well, water is supposed to be fluid. Flesh is unique because it has agency and a mind. Plant only changes in certain ways, I suppose, and stone is solid and largely unchanging. Void is... strange. It doesn’t follow the same rules. That’s my understanding, at least. Most things have a little of several elements, but the amount of each determines their nature. The walls, the floors, the ceilings, and everything within them is largely made up of stone, and a significant amount of flesh, but as you’ve seen, it has a little of each element.”

“Does that include void?”

“I believe so, though I’m not sure where.”

“I mean, do you know what it’s like outside this room?”

“A little. I know the general shape of the rooms, and a little of how the walls, the floors, the ceilings, and everything within them feels, and of what it thinks.”

“Oh. ...What’s it feeling now?” You shift uncomfortably, feeling a little creeped out thinking about how the walls themselves are aware of what you’re doing.

“It’s pleased you gained another key, I think.”

“If you’re that connected to it, can you like, talk to it?”

“It can hear anything said within its walls. But I don’t think it likes conversation.”

You sigh. “That’s convenient, cause I’d really like to just talk to it.”

“It doesn’t sound convenient, in that case.” You snort.

“No, sorry, I was being sarcastic. It’s definitely not convenient. ...Hey, thanks for telling me all of that. It’s nice to feel like I understand the situation a little better.”

“You’re welcome. I think I like conversation.”

“Well, if I have the time, I’ll definitely come back to talk more later. But for now I think I should go try and get the rest of the keys.”

“...”

“Um... bye. See you later.”

“Goodbye.”

You leave the room, though you’re honestly kind of sad that you don’t have the time to talk to it more. It’s definitely not what you were expecting, but you feel like you’ve made a friend here.

Glancing at the pool, you see it says something again.

“ANOTHER KEY GAINED, WELL IN TIME | MY FLESH IS STRANGE TO ME | BUT YOU SEEM TO KNOW FLESH WELL | PERHAPS FLESH AND FLESH GO TOGETHER WELL”

“...Do you know that it’s kind of really annoying how you talk, but you never respond to me?” You sigh. No apparent response, unsurprisingly.

Now that you know more about this place, you feel kind of weird about sitting on the pool, but hey, your feet are tired. If it didn’t want you to sit on it, it shouldn’t be holding you captive. You sit and update your notes, then think about how apparently you’re in a completely different world than your usual one, with different laws- at least assuming the flesh is right. If it is, then how are you, like, existing here at all? ...Whatever. You decide not to think about that.

The fact that you didn’t really get enough sleep before waking up here is starting to get to you. Plus, presumably, all the stress, and lack of food or water. Or coffee. You plan to get home and then take a really good nap. You do actually have a class this afternoon that you would presumably be able to get to- if your phone is right about the time, anyway (and also assuming that warping between universes doesn’t also time warp you 100 years in the past or something)- but like hell if you’re not calling in sick after getting back from a completely different dimension.

Before too much existential dread can set in, your phone alarm goes off. Huh, you guess you were talking to the flesh for a while.

Okay, guy in my brain; like I said, I dunno how this works anyway, so if you do actually want to communicate with me, I dunno what would be helpful. ...I wonder, if you’re part of this world, what elements are you made of? Flesh, probably, since you seem like you’re some kinda person. With emotions and reasoning ability and all that. I really don’t know enough about the elements to guess, besides that, though.

As has become tradition, you watch your phone until the hour ticks over. It’s 6:00 am.

What now?

--HOUR FIVE--

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Father knows best pt.2; Matt Murdock x teen reader

*Author’s note*

Okay so this is it, the final part for my Guardian Devil series. Thank you all sooo much who gave this story some love and I hope to write some more Matt Murdock fics in the future cause lord knows we need to TONE DOWN THE SMUT AND GET WITH THE FLUFF!! Especially if it’s some DARE-DAD fics. 

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@queen-paladin​

@queensdivas​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@gay-and-ready-to-cry​

@your-not-invisible-to-me​

@austynparksandpizza​

__________________________________________________________

Back in the Kilgrave (as it was now called) manor, security were out and about throughout the inside and outside the lodge while inside (Y/n) and Kilgrave were sound asleep together in her room.  One guard was on patrol outside when something hit him at his head knocking him unconscious.

As another guard came walking by and he saw the other guard knocked unconscious, he quickly raced over to him and radioed.

“Ryder’s down. East wing send in….” suddenly the guard was whacked in the back of the head and standing over him was Matt with his club in his hand.  He heard the sound of footsteps racing toward him and he extended out the club to knock out the light just above him sending his area in complete darkness.

The guards all gasped and readied their weapons as they tried to see through the darkness.  One by one Matt took them all out, dodged their gunfire before disarming them and continued on his way, each time knocking out the lights until the entire outside of the lodge was nothing but complete darkness.

*My POV*

I awoke to the sound of gunfire coming from outside.  I stood up from my bed and looked outside but I couldn’t see much of anything except for the sparks from the bullets that flashed through the night sky.

“Father. Father!” I said as I raced back over to him and shook him awake.  He groaned and turned away.  “Father wake up!”

“Whaaat!?” he groaned tiredly.

“Someone’s outside.”

“Don’t be stupid there’s no one out…..”

‘Sir! We have a situation here!’ his walkie talkie sounded off. He groaned and shot up out of bed and grabbed his walkie talkie and pressed the button.

“What is it Gregory!? What could possibly be more important that you had to wake us up and frighten my daughter!?”

‘I apologize sir, but someone’s found your location. More than half of the security is down.’

“Then fire the rest and get more trained personal here now!”

‘Yes sir!’ Father growled lowly and I said to him.

“Father, is—everything alright?”

“Of course darling, everything’s fine. Listen to me, hey.” He came up to me holding my face between his hands.  “Remember no one is taking you away from me ever again. I’m your father and I will protect you till my last dying breath.” I nodded. “Okay now follow me.” He grabbed my hand and we left the bedroom and headed down the south wing towards the back entrance.

But just as father opened the door there stood a man in what looked like a red suit? The horns on the cowl made me think I was looking at the Devil himself, and the red framing around the eyes didn’t help my heartrate any better.

And his posture—dear god his posture was so intimidating as each breath he took was sharp and heavy.  Father hid me behind him and he ordered the man.

“You will leave this cabin, forget everything you’ve seen and never bother us again.” But the man stood firm in his spot.  I noticed how father’s face was shocked to see that his powers hadn’t worked. “Did you not hear what I said?! I said you will leave—” the man threw something long and metal at my father right at his head knocking him down to the ground motionless.

“Father! Father! Father wake up.”

“(Y/n).” the man said to me.  I looked up at him fearfully and watched as he slowly walked closer to me. I looked around and found his weapon and threw it at him but he caught it instantly before setting it as well as the other stick down.  “(Y/n) it’s alright. I’m not going to hurt you, you know that.”

“No I don’t!” I whimpered.

“Yes you do. Your mother and I were friends. I know you’re scared but you don’t have to be afraid of me.” I ran towards the main living room and grabbed an ashtray, some pens, a couple of gaming pieces from a chess board, pillows, anything I could grab and just started throwing them at the Devil.

“Get out of our house! Get out! Leave us alone! You’re not welcome here!” unlike last time when he caught his own weapon, the man shielded himself and took the hits I was tossing at him.  If he was such a threat that he could knock my father unconscious, why wasn’t he fighting back with me.

“(Y/n). Wait, please, (Y/n) stop. I’m not…..STOP IT!!!” his sudden outburst made me stop my throwing and I quickly raced over to one of the grand pillars and hide behind it.  “(Y/n), (Y/n) wait I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to shout I…..”

“Please don’t hurt me.” I whimpered as tears ran down my face. The man stood there stunned as he said as he slowly approached me.

“I would never hurt you. I-I would never, ever dream of hurting you (Y/n). I’m…..” slowly he reached up for his cowl and removed it to reveal a man with dark hair and brownish eyes.  He set the cowl down on the table and turned to me, but I noticed something strange about the way he looked at me.

Normally when you look at someone, especially with the way his voice was trembling, there is direct eye contact.  But this man wasn’t looking me directly in the eyes, he was looking in my general direction yes but not directly into my eyes.  Was he blind? No he-he couldn’t be. How could a blind man do what he had just done?

“I made a promise to your mother, I promised her I’d take care of you. Please (Y/n), I don’t know what he’s said to you but you must remember. Look at me, remember my little hobbit.” Little hobbit? That’s what my mother used to call me.

“Take him down Bobcat!” as soon as Father’s voice said that command, my fear suddenly turned off and all I saw was red.  I ran at the man and pounced on him, wrapped my legs around his neck, and using my momentum I managed to flip him down onto the ground. I got off of him and got into my Bobcat attack stance (which was get low to the ground, right leg extended outward, one hand on the floor in front of me and my right hand outward with my fingers curled inward like I had claws as I growled lowly).

A growl that was inhuman as I glared up at my prey.  The man slowly got up and looked at me in shock.

“Quit playing with your food Bobcat and kill him!” Father’s voice shouted.  I leapt out at the man and the two of us rolled across the floor until I had him pinned to the ground, my hand over his head exposing the jugular vein.  I knew where to take him down from here, all I needed to do was deliver the final bite.

But the man put him a good fight by trying to keep me away from his neck but I would claw his hands or arms with my nails before trying to lean back down to his neck.  This prey proved more than my last victims but he still needed to die, he couldn’t live anymore.

“Let him go Bobcat.” Father’s voice soon said.  I stopped my attack but refused to get off of my prey.  I roared animalistically at him, baring my teeth at him as I roared and Father ordered me again, “Back off!” reluctantly I got off of the man and came back over to Father’s side putting my hands behind my back and standing at attention.

Father stroked down my hair before brushing his fingers across my jawline and he said.

“Go out to the cliffs and wait for me there.” I turned and walked out of the lodge and headed towards the cliffs.

*3rd Person POV*

Kilgrave turned to Matt and walked up to him as Matt slowly got up.

“I must say I am impressed. Not only can you resist my power but for a blind man to do all this damage, who would’ve thought? Unless you’re not really blind cause if you are that’s just plain wrong.” Matt refused to answer him as he looked up at him and glared daggers at him.  “Strong, silent type. Well no matter. Tell you what, let’s have a little chat about our girl, ehh?”

“What did you do to her?” Matt asked.

“I haven’t done anything. She’s my daughter and she was just trying to protect her father.”

“You’re lying!” Matt hissed.

“Oh right yeah you’ve got that umm….what is it? Echo-location or whatever so you can tell when a person’s lying. Yeah my baby girl told me about that when we first met, so…..yeah you’re right that was a lie. But like I always said, children need discipline, and my daughter’s the most obedient child there ever will be.”

“She’s not an animal you can control to your whim! She’s a living, human child! With feelings and flaws!”

“Well of course I know that. But it is nice to have a little insurance. And when I first saw her as the Bobcat, ohhhh it was perfect leniency I needed.”

“You made her kill that couple, you set this all up.”

“Surprise!” Kilgrave mocked cheered.  At this point Matt wanted to strangle Kilgrave and end his life but there was a pull at his head that if he did, he could call (Y/n) back and he couldn’t dream of ever hurting her.

“What was all this for?”

“I’m glad you asked, you see ever since (M/n) took every legal way to ensure I would never see my daughter again, I began to wonder what if there was a way to surrender one legal way over to me? After her death, I knew there was one way that the law would have to get me to my child again. And that’s where you come into play, Mr. Murdock.” Kilgrave explained as he walked over to the main desk and pulled out some files and set them down.

“You…..want me to sign away my legal Guardianship.” Matt replied.

“She did name you legal Guardian over my daughter. So what you say Matt Murdock? From one father to another.” Matt finally stood up and said.

“I would rather be hang from a gibbet and left to the sports of the crows than surrender (Y/n) to the likes of you.”

“I was really hoping you wouldn’t say that because I really didn’t want to do this but if you don’t, you leave me no choice.” He then pulled out a small remote and he continued, “Our girl has a bluetooth device in her ear, at the press of this button a recording of my voice will play for her to jump off the cliff to her very death.”

“You wouldn’t…..”

“Not only that but one of my security guards will then shoot me dead right in the head. Symbolizing that we will be together even in death as a father and daughter should be.”

“You’d be willing to throw away her life just so no one can have her! Jones was right, you are a deranged psychopath.”

“I’m willing to do anything to be with my daughter again, I’ve missed 16 years of her life and no one will take her form me again!” Kilgrave’s voice gradually got louder before he screamed out the last part of his confession. “But if you sign these papers, she will live.”

Matt honed in on Kilgrave’s heartbeat and found that he was actually telling the truth.

“You must also be aware that once you do sign them, you can never be with her again. No amount of your lawyering practice or whatever alliance you have with the good cops, (Y/n) Kilgrave is mine and mine alone.”

“I know the laws of how guardianship and legal rights to parenting work.” Matt said.  He walked over towards Kilgrave who held out a pen with his free hand while the other one holding the remote kept a steady hovering presence over the button to play the recording.

Matt took the pen and reluctantly began to sign his name at the bottom of the braille line.  As he paused mid-way he just had to ask in order to stall for time, but he also knew from Jessica that Kilgrave did like to brag about certain things.

“Her mother. What happened to her that night on the bridge?”

“Such a cause, a true mother to the end. She really did love our child even though she had my blood surging through her veins. But it was all worth it, when I made her cut off as many of her own limbs before she died.” Matt then began to picture his best friend, his partner and co-worker being forced to cut her own limbs one by one.

A slow, agonizing death.  Probably even being forced to not scream as she did it or not die before she was found in the manner she had been found.  Now the killer finally had a face, after almost 4 years he had his partner’s killer right before him.

As he felt Kilgrave take the papers, with quick reflexes, Matt stabbed Kilgrave with the pen just short of the junction where his neck met his shoulder.  Using this moment of his pain, he then grabbed the arm that held the remote and he twisted it behind him forcing him to release it.

“Her name is (Y/n) Perry and she will never be yours as long as I am standing!” Matt growled before he stomped on the remote breaking it. Kilgrave snarled before exclaiming.

“Shoot him! Shoot him now!” next thing Matt knew, gunfire was going off as the glass windows of the lobby began to explode and the rapid gunfire continued.  Pressing his hand against his injury, Kilgrave made his escape into the woods leaving Matt to fend for himself, or in his hopes be dead while he took care of his daughter.

*My POV*

The sound of the water crashing below the cliff’s edge rang through the early morning sky.  The soft wind blew across my face when I heard Father’s voice say.

“(Y/n) darling come back to me now.” Suddenly my demeanor changed from Bobcat back to normal.  I turned around and raced towards Father and embraced him but felt him groan in pain.

“Father, you’re injured what’s happened?”

“I’ll be alright darling, it’s just a small prick.”

“Did that man do this to you?”

“Like I said, it’s nothing you need to worry about. In fact I don’t think we’ll ever be seeing him again.” He brushed his fingers against my cheek before he said.  “But I’m afraid this isn’t a safe haven for us anymore my darling.”

“Where will we go now?” I asked.

“Just follow my exact directions, okay?” I nodded.  “Turn around and I want you to walk until your feet are just towards the edge.”

“But—”

“Do as your father commands my love.” He said calmly but kept a strong eye contact with me.  I turned around and followed his orders.  I turned to face him but he told me again, “Don’t look back darling. Just straight ahead.” I walked and walked until I was just at the edge of the cliff, the tips of my feet just barely skimming the edge.

“Father, I….I don’t like this.”

“It’ll be alright darling. And you know Father knows best.” Suddenly I felt myself being pushed over the edge and I fell down the cliff screaming as my body scrapped and slid down the rocky cliff until what felt like halfway, I was miraculously saved by a hanging tree that caught my right arm and my feet were able to stand on just a bit of rock.

The sound of rocks and pebbles falling off the cliff and heading down the rest of the way toward the rushing water.  I slowly twisted myself around and gripped onto the rocks that were above me as tightly as I could and tried my best to not look down or even move fearing that one slip would send me the rest of the way down toward the rocks and the rising water.

“Father?” I called up to him.

“It’ll be okay darling, this is the only way we can truly be together.” Slowly I looked up to see father standing over the edge with a large rock in his hands as he slowly raised it up.

“Father please, please no…..” a yell was soon heard as I saw my father being tackled by the man in red once again.  I heard them scuffle with each other and I heard the man say down to me.

“Hold on (Y/n)!”

“Shut up!” Father screamed at him as he tackled the man and the two of them continued to scuffle with each other.  I gripped onto the rock and slowly began to pull myself up and inch by inch I slowly climbed up the cliff’s edge until I was almost at the top.

As I pulled myself up, I saw Father hit the man in the head with a large rock and roll over on top of him but just before he could slam the rock into his head, the man dodged it and punched Father right in his teeth.

“I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you fucking bastard!” Father growled deeply as he began choking the man but the man held him back and managed to roll him over.  Both men trying to overpower the other by being on top, but what they both didn’t know was that they were heading for the edge of the cliff.  

I pulled myself up and ran towards them and just as they both screamed about to fall to their deaths, I reached out and grabbed both of them. The two of them hanging over the cliff and I was their only lifeline.  I looked at the man in red and seeing his face from the faint light of the early lights of dawn rising, something was starting to click in my head.

“(Y/n). (Y/n) darling, you need to let him go.”

“No I….I can do this! Hang on!”

“He’s not your family, (Y/n) darling. I need your other hand.”

“No (Y/n) please!” the man said to me.  I turned to him and his blind gaze held fear and heartbreak as he looked at my general direction.  “He’s using you, I know you’re not a killer.”

“He’s not your father (Y/n)! Remember, Father knows best. Now please love, give me your other hand.” I looked between the two of them and I could feel the man in the devil’s suit’s grip beginning to slip.  I tried to hold onto his glove tighter but ever so slowly he was starting to slip.

“No. No!”

“(Y/n), I love you darling. I need you to help me please.” Father said.

“(Y/n),” the man said to me.  “I…..I’ll be okay.” Those were his only words.  He didn’t even try to plea or beg for his life, the only thing he could say in his potentially final moments were that he would be okay. I turned to father and whimpered.

“Father…..” as the tears slid down my face I let him go and used my other hand to grab hold of the man in red.  My father’s screams echoing throughout the cliff’s side until they were silenced.

I let out a cry as I heaved the man up and over to the cliff’s edge.  With his help, he managed to help me help him up, once he felt his foot was up along the cliff’s edge, he pulled himself up the rest of the way and stood close to me, our arms still wrapped around over each other as we looked down at the water.

As the first rays of dawn began to hit the earth, I could see the faint body of my now deceased father being washed away by the currents. I wept but felt the man embrace me and turn my head away from the water.  His left hand stroking through my hair while his right rubbed soothing circles along my back and I heard him softly hum the Shire theme song.

The last thing I heard before I felt myself pass out from exhaustion was the sound of a car being driven up toward us.

*3rd Person POV*

After the whole Kilgrave manor lodge incident and the authorities taking down Kilgrave’s death as a manner of self-defense, (Y/n) was resting in Matt Murdock’s bed, her body almost appearing child-like with how small she made herself.

“Whatever she went through with Kingpin, it’ll be nothing compared to what Kilgrave did to her. Plus she’ll have to live with the fact she’ll forever have the knowledge that she’s his daughter.” Jessica said to Matt.

“He may have been her birth father, but he was never her dad.” Matt said.  “(M/n) knew that much, and now she can finally be at peace knowing her killer has been put down.”

“Never thought I’d hear you say something like this Murdock.” Jessica poked at him.

“Like you said, Kilgrave had the power to control anyone he wants. No amount of legal force would be able to stop him. Took him 16 years to try when he first sought her out. And he planned this whole year and a half to get her again and he nearly succeeded.”

“Fortunately he didn’t count on one thing.” Jessica said as she took a swig of one of Matt’s cheap beers.  “She had a Guardian Devil on her side. And hell hath no fury than a father’s loyalty.” She stood up and walked out of Matt’s apartment.

Matt turned back to (Y/n) and walked towards her before sitting right beside her.  He adjusted the blankets back over her until she was completely covered once again but just before his hand left her shoulder, he felt her grip onto his wrist.

From all the times he’s been with her and seen her in this position since her mother’s death, he knew just how broken yet desperate her facial expression was for human contact.  Without a single word, Matt got onto the other side of her and she cuddled up close to his chest as Matt’s arms wrapped around her.  He kissed the top of her head as he proceeded to rub her back up and down in the soothing motion he knew she liked.

“Nin meleth le ada.” He heard her softly whisper.  Matt was stunned.  Sure he took on the mantel of being the father-figure she needed but never has he heard her actually call him ‘dad’ before.  And to hear her say it in Elvish, that was something truly special.

(Y/n) only ever spoke to her mother in Elvish and referred to her Naneth which was mother in Elvish.  Now to be called ‘ada’ by her, it warmed Matt’s heart.

“Nin meleth le, sellig.” At hearing him call her his daughter, he felt (Y/n) bury herself deeper into his chest and grip him a little bit tighter.  He kissed her forehead one last time before once again humming the Shire theme song.

[squishy-lombax]

Fortitude (ADJL fanfic)

Yay, another fanfiction to satisfy ya'll while my comic is on hiatus. This takes place before the events of my comic. I have a lot of personal head-canons when it comes to the ADJL universe. Mainly, I envision the dragons as larger and more animalistic. Specially, this story references events from the Hong Kong Longs.

Jake was stuck babysitting Haley once again. He was idly flipping through the TV channels, desperately trying to find something good to watch before he started eating dinner. It was warmed up leftovers from a meal his mom made yesterday: Char Siu with broccoli over rice. Haley, whom he was only vaguely keeping on eye on, was in the other room at the kitchen table. Haley had been irritable lately, probably because she was so tired. After a heated argument amongst her children one day, Mom admitted to Jake that Haley had been having nightmares lately. Jake was still pretty pissed because he'd had his fair share of nightmares after becoming the American Dragon, too. Susan urged him to be sympathetic towards Haley and asked him to babysit her while they were away for the weekend. Apparently, Haley had been spending almost every night in their parent's bed. So, although she didn't outright say it, Jake had a feeling they weren't even going somewhere fun. They were probably just booking a motel and getting a good nights' sleep.

If he were honest, he was surprised. It had been a while since his parents went out for a date. His family had been on edge ever since the Dark Dragon incident. Their shared trauma almost overshadowed the joy of Dad finally being in on the dragon secret which, in of itself, was both a blessing and curse. On one hand, they no longer had to lie to him and figure out ways to sneak around. On the other hand, the once normal man's world had been turned totally upside down. There was now an entire world full of dangerous creatures that he learned were his son's enemies. Not to mention he almost fainted when he found out Haley had also started her dragon training. She was only meant to be a back-up for Jake. So, she was rarely in the field. However, the fact she had already been in the battlefield on multiple occasions upset Jake too, he had to admit. Yet, it was a lifestyle she had to get used to. It didn't take long for him, so he knew Haley would be just fine.

"JAKE!" Haley yelled from the kitchen, jolting the namesake up from the couch.

He put his food down in a panic, but that short amount of time allowed him to process that her tone of voice was demanding, not destressed.

When he got to the kitchen, Haley, not even looking up from her homework, asked, "What's seventy-two divided by eight?"

"Whaaat? Haley Long, Miss 'I know everything', needs help with her homework?" Jake responded.

"Just answer the question," Haley demanded, finally looking Jake in the eyes. Her glare deadly.

"Woah woah, chill," Jake said, sitting down at the table. "Aren't I supposed to help you and not just say the answer?"

"Whatever, you probably don't even know the answer." Haley dismissed him, going back to staring at the paper. Her eyes had bags under them, and her pencil shook ever so slightly in her hand.

Jake's initial instinct was to retort with another insult, but he knew that wouldn't help the situation right now. "How about you take a little break and come back to this later?"

"Do you know what time it is already? If I don't get this done, my grades with drop! Then Oliva Peers will have something else to hold over my head. Heck, I may even be kicked out of my school! It's for gifted children you know! I can't just skip homework like you do," Haley's rant probably would have continued if Jake didn't pick up said homework and burn it up with his dragon fire.

Leaving Haley to her horrified screaming, Jake returned to watching TV in the living room.

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

There was more yelling involved and quite a bit more fire-burnt items before the two settled in their own rooms. Jake occupied himself with his DS but soon grew bored and sleepy. Glancing at the clock, Jake was startled to see how late it had gotten. It had been two hours since he last saw or even heard from Haley. Jake hesitated since he was still a little heated from their argument. However, he took some deep breaths and tried to keep a level head. The words his mother spoke to him a year ago always stung him in moments like this, "She looks up to you, Jake." He was a magical defender and mediator for crying out loud. He knew he had to be the bigger person.

Jake wasn't mature enough to admit wrong-doing though. Not yet at least. Instead, he gathered what he needed to get ready for bed. He knew once he left his room and headed to the bathroom, Haley would make her appearance. They would have their traditional race to the bathroom. Jake would let her win, they'd throw some friendlier insults at each other, and then they would depart ways. Jake didn't know how to explain why that substituted as an apology, but he knew Haley would get it.

However, this isn't what happened. As a matter of fact, nothing happened. Jake got his PJs and headed to the bathroom. He made it there completely uninterrupted. Staring in the direction of Haley's bedroom door, Jake attempted to coax Haley out. Just in case she had headphones in or something. "Yo, giving me all the hot water tonight? You shouldn't have!" He teased loudly.

Haley not responding immediately sent him into a panic. He wasn't sure why exactly, but having a life full of danger and crime-fighting probably didn't help. "Ear of the dragon," he whispered to himself. He didn't need to say his powers out loud to use them, but it did help him focus; the actual important factor in using dragon abilities. Jake expected to hear the muffled sounds of a struggle or the wind blowing through an empty window. Instead, he heard crying. There was a tense couple of seconds where Jake didn't know what to do. Haley might be a kid, but she was a tough kid. He wasn't used to seeing or hearing, in this case, her crying. He was sure she cried plenty, but he wasn't usually the person she wanted to cry in front of. That thought stung.

Mustering his strength, Jake approached Haley's door. Releasing a sigh of tension, he opened the door. The lights were off so the room was dark. Jake didn't initially see Haley nor did he hear her cries anymore. Using his dragon powers, Jake was able to quickly find Haley hiding under her bed. She was curled up in dragon-form and turned away from him. "Haley?" Jake said, reaching to touch her. She let out a soft hiss when he touched her shoulder. "Come on Haley, you can't still be made at me?"

Haley rolled over to face Jake. "Of course I'm still mad, but that's not it..." she trailed off.

"Huh?"

"I stopped being mad-mad awhile ago, but I didn't want to be the first to apologize. Then, I thought I saw something in the closet. I'm sure it's nothing, but I froze! Can you check it out?"

"Come on out and let's check it out together," Jake said, extending his hand to his little sister.

"O-okay," she hesitantly took it and crawled out from under the bed.

Her closet was located on the other side of the bed from where the two stood. "Dragon-up!" Jake exclaimed as he transformed into a dragon and leapt over Haley's bed. Landing on all-fours, he used his tail to whip open the closet door. There was nothing in the closest except for Haley's perfectly color-organized clothes. Jake knew Haley was mainly worried about Shadow Demons, so he stuck his head in, illuminating the small space with fire-glow from is nostrils. "Cost is clear partner," Jake stated as he closed the closet door.

Haley's little dragon head was peering over the bed at him. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned on her bedside lamp. "I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Nah, well, maybe a little- but it's cool," Jake interjected as he climbed his large dragon form onto Haley's bed.

"No, it's not! I can't sleep, I can't eat, my grades are suffering! I was trying to nap a little bit ago because I was so tired, but I couldn't! How do I fix this? How am I ever to be the American Dragon if I can't handle even one battle without being helped or becoming traumatized!"

Jake winced at her use of words like "suffering" and "trauma." He felt like he was the only person in the world with an 8-year-old sister who used such language seriously.

Haley paced as she continued her rant, "If I don't get my grades up, I'll be kicked out of my gifted school, and if that happens, how will I get a scholarship for college?! Will I even have time for college? One of use has to go to college-"

Her last statement cut off by a pillow smacking her across the face.

"JAKE!" Haley screamed, grabbing the pillow and throwing it back.

But he deflected it with another pillow that he already had in his claws.

A short pillow fight broke out between them that ultimately ended in Haley's near suffocation. After Haley finally cried uncle, Jake let her up. They were both laughing as they ignored the total mess that was caused by two dragons having a minor war. Haley was apparently ready for round two though when she flicked the end of his snout with her tail and grabbed her PJs, running towards the bathroom. "Hey!" Jake yelled as he chased after her down the hall.

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

When they came back in the room, Haley collapsed on her bed. They had deformed back into humans when they got ready for bed. He could tell she was exhausted because she kept having to blink her eyes open while she was brushing her teeth earlier. Jake chuckled as he picked up the toppled over lamp on the floor and placed it back onto the nightstand. Seeing Haley's body dangling halfway off the bed, Jake grabbed her by the ankles and tossed her body further onto the bed. Haley laughing the whole time.

Turning off the lamp, Jake started walking toward the door.

"Wait!" Haley yelled as she sat straight up in bed.

"Geez Haley, do you know how many heart attacks you've given me today?" Jake said, recovering from the sudden mood shift.

"I know I need to get over it at some point, but-" Haley trained off, obviously embarrassed and Jake felt like he knew why.

"Okay, okay. Don't need to get sappy. Be right back," Jake shrugged as he left the room, returning a moment later with his blanket and pillow.

Squeezing onto Haley's small bed sounded like a nightmare, so he came up with a brilliant idea. "How 'bout we make a fort?" He asked as he begun pulling at Haley's sheets. She seemed unsure at first, probably hesitant to ruin her perfectly made bed. However, whatever fraction of childishness she had left in her took over. She got down off the bed and pulled over her lounge chair from the corner. Jake was impressed she had the self control to keep it clean instead of using it as a laundry basket like he did with his.

Haley's perfectionism turned Jake's sloppy tent idea into a legitimate fort with a comfortable pillow nest inside. "It's just like in old storybooks," Haley said, willing her form back into a dragon, "See? A pillow hoard!"

Jake was thoroughly tired at this point. It being way later than when they usually go to bed. However, he couldn't help but smile since It'd been a while since Haley said something that suited her age. Jake played along and morphed into a dragon as well. Pushing Haley aside and curling himself into a ball in the middle of the pillow bed. Haley protested lightly before jumping in the middle of Jake's curled body. It wasn't long before she was purring in her sleep. Jake's tail swished up and turned off the lamp.

[tabswrites]

7 Snippets, 7 People

Tagged by @writernopal here! Thanks, Nopal 💜

Tagging (no pressure, as always!): @theroseempress @writinglittlebeasts @hd-literature @j-1173 @clairelsonao3 @gummybugg

Silver Sentinels tag list (please ask to be added/removed!): @outpost51

Silver Sentinels, Ch. 3

Adrin gave the girl an encouraging smile as she set down a pail of water and a folded piece of linen beside him. “Just tell me what you can remember.” Before she could set the bottle down, Davis snatched the spirits out of her hand, causing her to jump back. Adrin felt a surge of annoyance rise up inside of him as he watched the man take a long sip with his free hand.

“All I know is, Henrietta was talking to her one moment and the next that crazy bitch was attacking me!” he exclaimed, wiping drops of liquid out of his beard.

Henrietta stiffened at his words. “It was a misunderstanding.” she said, so softly Adrin had to lean towards her to hear.

“How so?” he asked.

“She thought he was trying to hurt me-”

Davis slammed his good hand onto the table. “Hush, girl!”

“Hang on,” Adrin squeezed the injured hand as a small warning. “Do you mean to say the exile was protecting you?”

Henrietta opened and closed her mouth, eyes darting between her parents. The tension in the room was stifling. Adrin found himself unable to speak as he considered how to proceed. They hadn’t covered how to mediate uncomfortable family meetings in guard training.

S.S, Ch. 3

An older guard close to his father’s age saluted the captain from his post at the end of the hall and stepped aside to let them through.

The interrogation room was a cold, uninviting place made of four solid granite walls. The only light came from the two torches hung on either side of the door–Adrin supposed there was no need for comfort in a room so few ever saw.

He guided Henrietta towards the table and pulled out a chair. She sat down slowly, her dark brown eyes reminding him of a frightened doe as they wandered around the room. He joined Hollowar on the other side of the table.

“Why was Mara Wilkes at your home, Miss Rameau?” The captain placed her arms on either side of the chair and straightened her posture, staring down at the girl with a thinly veiled look of displeasure.

Henrietta swallowed, shifting in her seat. “I’m not sure, ma’am.” she squeaked. Her hand drifted up to her hair and tugged at a random curl. “She arrived shortly after sunrise, asking me to deliver something for her.”

S.S, Ch. 3

“Ramsby, escort Miss Rameau to a cell.”

Adrin stopped his pacing and spun to face her, his cape whipping around with him. “Captain, is that necessary?” His heart ached at the sight of Henrietta’s small frame slumped over the table. There was something so honest about her, a natural sense of freedom in the way she expressed her emotions. It reminded him of Sophie, he realized. “Look at her. She’s hardly a threat.”

“That is not your decision to make.” Hollowar growled in response. “Let’s go.”

Adrin was left with no choice but to obey, glancing down at the bracelet on his wrist. Nothing about the situation felt right, but he figured couldn’t do a thing for Henrietta if he was in a cell, and he was already in shackles, so to speak. He followed the captain back to the main hallway and through a heavy set of wooden doors.

S.S, Ch. 4 (whaaat? Chapter 4 already? Go me!)

The still of the silence revived her. Mara opened her eyes to a clear blue sky and exhaled, knowing she had once again evaded death. As she sat up and looked around, she wondered if it might be too early to celebrate.

Ascension, Ch. 2

Callie opened her eyes to a sky full of stars, a peculiar observation due to the fact that she was indoors.

It had been just over a week since her brother had left, the same amount of time he had spent working on her parting gift. The mural covered the entire space over her bed. It had a background of the deepest blue and tiny stars in glistening gold.

Kiran had traded a quarter of his cattle for the paints, insisting it was worth it. She was still very cross with him for leaving in the first place—they hadn’t been apart for more than a day since he had arrived in Atharis ten years prior.

“Oh, come on Callie,” he implored her with a taunting grin. “We’ve shared the same air for most of our lives. Could you settle for sharing the stars?”

Ascension, Ch. 2

“Ah, Your Highness!” Duke Overly exclaimed, clapping his hands together as she appeared. “So kind of you to finally join us.” He took an agonizingly slow sip of ale.

Callie curtsied to her father before turning her focus to the duke. “It takes time to be presentable in accordance with the court’s impeccable standards.” she replied with a beaming smile. “Perhaps if the court would reconsider my request to wear less formal clothing from time to time, my morning routine could be considerably shorter.”

Ascension, Ch. 2

News from the border was never good. It usually meant Aleksander had grown bored once again, and was starting an even more infuriating game with them. Kiran had mentioned just before he departed that Atharis was reaching its limit, and their father was uncertain about how to proceed. One thing was clear—they could not survive another escalation.

[azurefishnets]

Personal Demons

I thank you, as always, @arbuthnotblob, for you to have indulged me yet again with your prompts for my most beloved FFVI/GT AU for @fyeahghosttrick's Ghost Swap 2023. Four years we've been doing this (Really???!) and I still owe you my life every time!

AO3 Profile Fandom: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Words: 1139 Summary: PREVIOUSLY: Cabanela, Pigeon Man (Cidgeon in the AU), & Jowd have made their way overland to find the abandoned ruins of Mobliz, along with their old friend, the esper Sissel. Sissel has thrown himself into raising and caring for a litter of kittens; reluctantly the rest of the group agrees to leave him there and move on.

But, before they go, does Sissel need a little help getting food for the kids? Cabanela knows a few tricks of his own that can help.

Cabanela walked out of what had once been the Mobliz post office, looking for Sissel. The esper had made it clear already he wasn’t coming; Cabanela couldn’t blame him seeing who Sissel had become in order to protect the last fragile children of Mobliz. Kittens were small, vulnerable, too easy to overlook in world where monsters roamed free. It would have been nice, though, Cabanela conceded, if only to himself, to have had a little more time to talk with the esper before the world had come to this. They really had never gotten to know each other despite their short time travelling to Narshe over a year prior.

It wasn’t a way to convince Sissel to join them that Cabanela sought, not really. It was more a feeling, an odd kinship with a being utterly alone and unique in the way he experienced the world. And, hard as it was to admit, even to himself, Cabanela longed to explore, even for a short time, that kinship. Cidgeon was taciturn at the best of times. Jowd barely spoke, and that mostly to the Professor. Cabanela was ready to talk, to anyone, just to hear the sound of a conversation that wasn’t built on regrets, unwillingly broken promises, or the remembrance of mutual sacrifices made both willingly and under duress.

For now, there was an odd feeling in the air, like ozone or static electricity, just waiting to shock the unwary soul. Cabanela looked toward the river, and walked carefully down the muddy bank to the edge where Sissel sat in his feline form, ears swiveling to catch any unusual sounds. “Hey there, baby,” he said. “Miiind if I join you?”

“Sure,” Sissel said, and returned to his human form. “Did you need something?”

“I belieeeve that’s my line,” Cabanela said. “We’ll be headin’ out soon—thanks for the tip about the chocobo stables, we’ll be stoppin’ by for sure—but I wanted to make sure you had what you needed for the kids before we go.”

“Yeah.” Sissel pointed at the river. “As long as I’m careful, the fish here are decent and there’s lots.”

Cabanela grinned at him. “And you’re OK with gettin’ a little wet, baby?”

Sissel waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to let them go hungry when I can catch food easy.”

“Sure, sure.” Cabanela peered out at the river. “Lots of fish out there at the moment, huuuh?”

“Mmm.” Sissel looked at the water. “I slow them down so they get bunched up. It’s easier to catch them that way.”

“Ah! How about I give you a haaand with that, and we can help you set them up to dry so you have a stockpile. Fish for daaays, baby! What do you say?”

“What’s your plan?” Sissel looked Cabanela up and down. “I ‘m pretty sure I remember you don’t care to get messy either.”

“No muss, no fuss!” Cabanela pointed at the river. “Little localized lightning, float ‘em on up to the bank. Easy-peasy.”

“Uh…” Sissel looked back and forth from him to the river. “I don’t know. That sounds…risky.”

“Whaaat’s the risk?” Cabanela said. “You need food for lots of hungry mouths in there.”

“I suppose. It’d be nice to have the help.” Sissel still sounded dubious. “But I don’t think we should be out here for long. Let’s make it a little quicker at least”

He cast a spell and Cabanela found the movements of his limbs sped up, arms and legs blurring into double their usual speed.

“That’s the way!” he said, grinning, and cast a weak lightning bolt at the surface of the river. Fish began to float to the surface, and together Cabanela and Sissel cast Float to bring them up to the shore. Just as the pile began to grow, a roar echoed through the air.

“Crap!” Sissel hissed and morphed back into a cat. “Get back! Phunbaba’s coming!”

“Eh?” Cabanela had just enough time to hear Sissel’s threatening yowl before the Esper leapt in a blur towards a large green creature that rose from the water. Sissel hissed and scratched, biting at the thing and leaping away.

“I can help!” Cabanela cried, and began to call the lightning.

“No!” Sissel yelled, and left off the attack to knock Cabanela out of the way of a spray of needles that shot from the thing’s back in reaction to the thunder magic gathering in the air. “He’s too strong for you! I can drive him away, just... stop helping.”

He turned back to the thing, the demon of the river, and hissed one more time, baring his fangs and tearing at it as he blurred in and out of the thing’s reach. Finally, it let out a kind of burbling grumble and jumped back into the river, kicking at the pile of fish as it went in a fit of petty malice.

Sissel stayed on the river bank, back in his human form in order to better catch his breath. “You see why I have to stay?” he said. “That demon takes everything I can throw at it and keeps coming back. I can’t beat it; I think it’s being powered by the guy in the tower somehow.”

Cabanela made a noise that sounded rather like an inelegant grunt but let it go. “Sorry, baby,” he said instead, ruefully looking over the mess that had been made of their operation. “Didn’t get nearly as many as I thought we would.”

“It’s plenty,” Sissel said. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate it. I just think you’d better go before you call it back. It always comes during storms… I don’t know why I thought magic would make it act any different. I should have known better.”

“Nothin’s the way it should be,” Cabanela agreed, and turned back to the fish. “…Guess I can’t use magic to get them away from the water, huh.”

“Nope.” Sissel bent down and grabbed an armful. “But it should only take a couple of loads.”

“You know what, baby, I’ll just go grab Jowd,” Cabanela said with even more alacrity than he would have had he been Hasted. “He’s got… bigger arms. For bigger armfuls. Of fish.”

Sissel gave him a jaded look. “Mhm. I’ll be here.”

Cabanela backed up the bank and fled, but not before Sissel called out to him one more time.

“Hey, Cabanela,” he said, and smiled. “You’re not a bad guy. Thanks.”

Cabanela blinked at him, oddly touched. How long had it been since someone had thanked him, sincerely, without seeing someone else? Too long, he decided. He needed to work even harder to make sure he was the only Cabanela people looked for.

He nodded at Sissel and sped away, wings on his feet and just a little lighter of heart too.

[solartranslations]

AF2 Arcana Academia: Pace

Pace: [Now that La Primavera is over, spring brings more new changes to Regalo]

Pace: [Arcana Academia]

Pace: [Sparked by the lord’s plan to turn the island into a center for learning, Arcana Famiglia aims to establish a school]

Pace: [With a goal to promote learning among the citizens]

Pace: [Today, everyone in the Family is once again busily fulfilling their young Donna’s wishes]

~*Scene: Vivace Plaza*~

Pace: Ugh, Debito sure is good at running away even without his powers

Pace: I thought he could actually help me

Pace: Ah, so what should I do…

Liberta: Pace! What’s with the long face?

Pace: Oh, just some minor problems

Liberta: Problems? Is it…the same as mine?

Pace: You have the same ones?

Liberta: Yeah. I’ve been thinking a lot, but still haven’t found an answer

Pace: Hmm…

Pace: Oh, Jolly!

Jolly: …

Liberta: Why’s he ignoring us!

Jolly: …What

Pace: Perfect timing, Mr. Advisor!

Jolly: Now’s the one time you bring up my title?

Pace: Come on, don’t say that. Can you give us some advice?

Jolly: No

Liberta: Hey! We didn’t even say anything yet!

Jolly: I already have a good guess. The Academia is opening soon, and you don’t know what to teach

Liberta: That’s Jolly for you…!

Pace: How did you know…!

Jolly: Based on current events that might cause you two distress, that was the most likely

Pace: Then you must know a super easy solution

Jolly: Don’t be naïve. Figure it out yourselves

Liberta: We wouldn’t be asking you if we knew what to do!

Jolly: …Hmph. If you can’t even do that, then you’ll never be able to stand on the same level as our Donna

Liberta: Huh!?

Pace: Whaaat!?

Liberta: N-No way I’d ever give up on Ojou!

Pace: Neither will I!

Pace: Ahh, I still don’t know what to do…

~*Scene: Vivace Plaza*~

Pace: Ugh, so what now? I just can’t think of anything good

Pace: I doubt thinking harder is going to get me anywhere

Pace: Ugh, forget it, I’m hungry! I wanna see Ojou!

Felicita: Pace…what are you doing?

Pace: Wah! Huh, Ojou!? How long have you…!

Felicita: Just a little bit… But you seemed worried, so I thought I should check on you…

Felicita: Then you just started yelling

Pace: Ehehe, sorryyy. I just wanted to a little bit

Pace: Anyway, Ojou, are you hungry? Let’s get some lasagna

>Not right now

>I don’t need any

Pace: Don’t say that. Let’s go, Ojou

Felicita: I just ate

Pace: Just a little. Please?

Felicita: You’re so persistent

Pace: Aww, you’re so cold!

Felicita: If I go with you, I won’t be able to stop eating

Pace: No you won’t. Let’s go!

Felicita: No, I won’t

Pace: Uwaaa, that’s cold! I love that about you too, Ojou

Felicita: But, I won’t say no to some dolce

Pace: Huh, really!?

(*shine) Pace: I’m so happy, Ojou…! That’s what makes you our Donna!

>Yeah, yeah

>You’re exaggerating

Pace: But it’s true! It’s really what I think!

Felicita: That’s enough to make you think that?

Pace: It’s because you’re you, Ojou!

Pace: No, I’m not! I really am happy right now

Pace: Being able to make me so happy is what makes you a great Donna!

Felicita: …Thank you

Pace: Hold on one minute. This gelato has been my favorite recently…wait, ahhh!

>What’s wrong?

>Did you find something?

Pace: I got it. That’s what I’ll do!

Pace: Huh, what?

Felicita: Didn’t you just find something?

Pace: Yeah, I guess I did!

Pace: What now, Ojou!

Pace: I just got…a super awesome idea!!

Felicita: ?

Pace: Sorry, I gotta go!

Pace: Oh! Are you free tomorrow, Ojou?

Felicita: Y-yeah

Pace: I’ll take you on a date to make up for this! See you tomorrow!

Felicita: ???

Love

~*Scene: Felicita’s Room*~

Pace: Ojouuu, are you awake?

Felicita: …?

Pace: Oh, asleep already?

Felicita: Pace…what…?

Pace: Don’t you remember? We made plans to go on a date yesterday

Felicita: It’s still nighttime…

Pace: It’s morning….sort of

Pace: Ehehe, I couldn’t sleep since I was too excited so I came to see you. Can I stay here for a second?

Felicita: …What did you have planned?

Pace: Right. You know, I was thinking yesterday. About what I could teach in the Academia

Pace: I just couldn’t think of anything. Then you showed up

Pace: And I suddenly got an idea of what I wanted to do

Pace: It’s all thanks to you!

Felicita: I didn’t do anything. You figured it out yourself, right?

Pace: But, I couldn’t think of anything until you showed up

Pace: So I wanted to thank you… Thanks, Ojou

Felicita: Pace…

Pace: Anyway, I wanted to practice for my classes today

Pace: Let’s get some milk from Mrs. Cow in the morning and make gelato!

Felicita: Gelato…?

Pace: Yeah. I wanted to find out where my food came from and how it was made

Pace: That way, everyone will find food more fun, right?

Felicita: Haha, that sounds like you, Pace

Pace: I hope you like my answer, Donna

Felicita: Yeah. Everyone will love it

Pace: …Sorry it’s so early. I’ll stay for a little longer, but you can go back to sleep

Pace: It’s still nighttime, right? I’ll wake you up in the morning

Pace: So get some rest

Felicita: …Okay. Thank you

Pace: I should be thanking you. …Sweet dreams, Felicita

Felicita: …Zzz

Pace: And if you dream of me, I’d be really happy

Pace: …*kiss*

Pace: Or not. *yawn* Now I’m getting sleepy too

Pace: Maybe I can sleep here…just for today

Pace: Good night, Ojou

Laugh

~*Scene: Felicita’s Room*~

Pace: Good morning, Ojou!!

Felicita: Good morning, Pace

Pace: Your smile is as radiant as ever! Looks like you’re ready, so let’s go

Felicita: Um…about our plans for today…

Pace: Hm? What is it?

Felicita: Well, it’s just…

Pace: Ojou?

Liberta: Ciao! Ojou, are you ready?

Luca: Ojou-sama, preparations are complete

Pace: Wait, what? What’s going on?

Liberta: Huh, Pace? What are you doing here?

Luca: Right. Today, Liberta and I—

Felicita: I had a lot of other plans

Pace: Huuuh!?

Luca: Did you happen to have plans with Ojou-sama too?

Pace: That was the plan, but…?

Luca: Ojou-sama’s schedule for today is to head to the market with me and Liberta, then go shopping with Debito in the afternoon—

Pace: W-wait a minute! I thought this was Ojou’s day off!?

Luca: It is though?

Pace: Then why all the plans!

Luca: Obviously because everyone wants to spend time with Ojou-sama!

Pace: N-no way…

Luca: We all made our requests ahead of time and came up with this schedule

Pace: What!? I had no idea!

Luca: We decided on this a long time ago!

Liberta: I think you were napping at the time and didn’t hear it

Pace: You should have told me if you knew!

Liberta: It’s your fault for falling asleep

Luca: Well, anyway her schedule is full for today. You’ll have to wait until her next day off

Liberta: If she has an opening, that is

Pace: What, that’s awful!

Luca: It’s because Ojou-sama is kind enough to want to spend equal time with us!

Felicita: Sorry, Pace. I promise we can go next time

Pace: Ojou…!

Luca: Anyway, that’s how it is

Liberta: See you, Pace

Pace: Ojou! Next time! We’ll do it next time…!

(*door closes)

Pace: I can’t believe this! …Right, isn’t this what we have an advisor for!

~*Scene: Alchemy Room*~

(*bam!)

Pace: Jolly, you gotta help me!

Jolly: Can you remember to knock?

Pace: I just can’t believe this!

Jolly: …What

Pace: I just realized Luca and Liberta did this on purpose since I didn’t know…!

Jolly: Pace…if you’re not going to talk, then get out

Pace: Huh? I have been talking though!

Jolly: Then explain it in a way I can understand

Pace: Like, I, said!

Jolly: What

Pace: Liberta and Luca pulled one over on me, and…

Jolly: There is nobody who can follow what you’re saying

Pace: Ah, I just got a great idea!

Jolly: Now what?

Pace: Sorry, Jolly. I gotta go, see you!

Pace: Wait for me! Ojou!

Jolly: Hmph… What was that…

~*End of Scene*~

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