#i want a dangerous job i want to risk my life helping people. its so lame to just wanna kill yourself. feels almost cringe yk

[dandelionjack]

walking into the sea’s gentle waves is looking real appealing right now i must admit

[thewordswewrite]

Be My Guest

Pairing | Kate Carter x Tyler Owens

Summary | One time Tyler stays in Kate’s guest room and one time she stays in his

Warnings | discussions of trauma/injury associated with storm chasing, SMUT 18+

W/C | 6.6k

A/N | We wanted to hop into the Twisters fandom before it took ao3 by storm and this is *so far* what we've come up with. So...if you feel it... -smoe <33

AO3 | Link

Donations | Link 

Hers

She came home for safety, familiarity, to find her way forward but instead, she found herself more lost than when she’d arrived. 

It was only supposed to be a week. Sure, Kate thought it would be difficult to be back in the field but she hadn’t anticipated this. She hadn’t anticipated him. It shouldn’t matter. She had a job in New York, a life, a stable, safe job, her own apartment–everything she needed. But was it everything she wanted? 

What Tyler had said crossed a line but that didn’t mean it wasn’t the truth. It was just something she probably already knew, deep down, and hadn’t wanted to accept. She was running away from the storm but she should know better than most that it would always catch up.

With an aggravated sweep of her arm, all of her past research was on the floor, pages floating around her before finding a place to land. She almost immediately regretted the mess but it had felt good. For the last five years, she’s avoided risk but now it almost feels hypocritical to say that she misses it.

Kate bent to gather the papers but only grabbed a few before stopping at her Cloud Physics notebook which had fallen open to a familiar page. She sat down in front of it and traced the impressions of her writing on the pages. It was too much to retrace her steps, to consider what had gone wrong. She needed to get out of her head and she couldn’t do that without getting out of this damn barn.

She knocked lightly on the kitchen door so as not to startle her mom. Being an adult, Kate felt an aversion to putting these things on her mom. Her mother had always been supportive, even when knowing her daughter’s passion was actively putting her in danger. Maybe she just didn’t want her mom to repeat the same sentiments as Tyler but she also knew she wasn’t about to come to any decision without some guidance. Just like seeing her middle school science project again, she felt like a child standing in the kitchen.

“Kate?”

“Yeah, it’s just me.” She sighed and pulled out the chair at the dining table that had always belonged to her. The smell of whatever her mother was stirring made her stomach grumble. “Where’s Tyler?”

“Oh, he drove pretty far so he’s getting cleaned up.” Kate could tell her mom was trying to sound uninterested, maybe for her sake but still she asked, “What’s his story anyway?”

“He’s just some internet star from Arkansas,” She explained, picking at a stain on the table. For a moment she thought about leaving it at that but the fire he had lit in the barn was still burning inside her. Sardonically, she added, “He’s made a living as a so-called ‘Tornado Wrangler’ but so far he’s only shot some fireworks into a cyclone and nearly killed the reporter signed on to cover him and his team.”

Her mom chuckled and replied, “Sounds like a man looking for a thrill to me.”

Again, she felt like a child relaying the latest gossip from the schoolyard but she couldn’t help but continue.

“And his whole team is this ragtag group of people who’ve never been to school for this either!”

“I see.”

“I mean sure he’s studied meteorology but they could get seriously hurt.” Kate had busied herself by fiddling with a napkin she’d pulled from the homemade holder. The shreds of it were getting smaller and smaller.  “They’re no professionals.”

Her mom hummed, acknowledging her annoyance but countered with, “Well he doesn’t seem too bad to me, he did drive all the way here.” Although her mother graciously spared her the ‘for you’ that they both knew completed that thought, she felt its weight. It was easier to make him seem unlikeable than tell her mom that it was her that was in the wrong.

“You’d believe me if you saw the shirts he sells, his face all sprawled across them.” Kate laughed, thinking of the cheesy slogans. It wasn’t lost on her that she had assumed the worst of him. She thought back to what Lily had said and felt ashamed. “Though,” She conceded, “the money does pay for food for the aftermath survivors. They were handing it  out at the last town we were in after the tornado hit.”

“Not all bad then?” Her mother turned fully to face her and Kate knew her teasing expression said all she needed to know.

“I guess not.”

_ _ _

Dinner had been passable, if not enjoyable. Kate had figured it would be awkward, that the dynamic between her and her mom would be offset by Tyler’s presence but it had flowed easily. The only gripe she had was that her mother had gone over her head to invite him to stay the night. In her ideal world, she would’ve ushered him out right after dinner saying a quick thanks for his concern but sending him on his way knowing that she’d never have an obligation to speak to him again. 

Tyler had, of course, helped her mom with the dishes, leaving her to watch awkwardly so as not to take up unnecessary space in the small kitchen. She’d shot him a tight smile as he’d excused himself to his room for the night. 

“Well,” Her mom said from the doorway, “I’m off to bed. Shut the lights, will you?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she made her way past the living room to her bedroom. 

Kate tapped her fingers sporadically against the table, the sound echoing in the quiet house. She hadn’t been fully present for dinner. Every time she looked at Tyler she could only think about what she was doing wrong, what she was missing. As much as she resented the fact, there was no way she could make peace with the past couple of days if she didn’t get in another word with him.

She flipped the last of the switches off and made her way up the stairs, avoiding the ones she knew were extra creaky. At the landing, Kate considered just going to her bedroom but her feet kept their integrity and trudged her towards the guest room.

Her hand was poised to knock when the door opened.

“Kate?” The sound of his voice combined with the unexpected image made her jump. Whatever she had been prepared to say had left with her surprise but Tyler was already speaking again.  “Listen, what I said in the barn was out of line I shouldn’t have–”

“No you shouldn’t have…but you weren’t wrong either.”

Stepping back, he opened the door a bit more and though it wasn’t quite an invitation. It was a line she wasn’t sure she wanted to cross with his apology and her admittance the gist of what she’d hoped for. She promised herself that if he didn’t try to say anything else, she’d just turn around and walk away. He bit his lip, seeming to wrestle with something the same way she was.

“What’s the story behind you and Javi?” The question surprised her and she felt a vague excitement about his interest or rather the fact that he was interested at all. But the story itself was not something she was sure she could share.

“We met in college, he was friends with my…my boyfriend at the time.”

Tyler’s eyebrow raised in a silent question before he said, “And your boyfriend he was…”

She couldn’t stand in the hallway any longer where she was fully open to his scrutiny whether the story inspired pity or something else. Kate stepped past him into the room and started to explain,

“He was in the accident, along with two of my best friends.” She folded her arms across her chest, in a way trying to shield herself from the memories. “We were testing the polymer on what we thought was an EF1 but–”

“It was an EF5.” She nodded and his lips shifted into a sympathetic frown. Kate sat on the edge of the bed so that she didn’t have to face him head on.

She continued with, “So, I quit school and packed up to New York. Javi went back to Miami but because of the outbreak he thought he could use a second pair of eyes and invited me on.” From her peripheral, she could see the way he nodded along as she spoke, the genuine compassion still written in his features. She shrugged, unwilling to allow herself to feel the extent of the situation and the memories in front of him, “None of it matters though, I’ll be back in the city by the end of the week anyway.”

“You mean you’re giving up?” Tyler asked like it was somehow a personal affront to him or some greater injustice. Kate wasn’t sure what he cared. They’d only just met and he didn’t know her, not really. 

“I’m not giving up. I can’t live like this again, risking my life every day.”

“Because of the accident?” The way he said it, like it was only a passing moment and not something that monumentally changed not only her life but her, made her response sharp. 

“Yes, because of the accident.” 

He was unshaken by her hostility and placed a hand lightly on top of hers where it sat between them on the bed.

“Kate, I’ve seen people get hurt too, I’ve–” She couldn’t listen to this, couldn’t have him reduce her experience by comparison. If he thought this was the way to change her mind, he was sorely mistaken.

“Yeah, Tyler, well I got hurt. I watched people die, and I’ll bear those scars for the rest of my life.” Her body filled with tension of the memory as her breath began to quicken. She let the anger take over, the simplicity of it easier than the complicated truth. “I don't know why I even–”

 “Hold on–Kate!”

Kate could feel the air his failed reach created as he tried to grab her wrist to stop her. She was fast though, spurred on by the singular goal of getting the hell away from him. When she made it to the threshold of her room, she moved to shut the door. It almost slammed fully closed but groaned as the wood crashed into the foot he’d managed to snake in.

“Go to bed,” She demanded.

“So what, you’re going to help Javi line the pockets of Riggs for the rest of the week? The real estate shark that's directly profiting off the suffering of these people?” It seemed he couldn’t help, was adept at, pushing her buttons. If she were any bolder, she’d have already struck the self-righteous expression off his face.

“I didn’t know about that, I would have never–these are my people but this isn’t the way, the polymer didn’t work and people died because of it.”

“More will too, but only if you don’t do anything.” He tried to reach for her again but she shrugged away, “It could work. Together we could do this.” Tyler’s expression was pleading, his eyes urging her to make the right decision.

“Goodnight, Tyler.”

His

The flight was thankfully uneventful and much easier than her last flight to Oklahoma when she’d been dreading the very idea of her return. There were still memories that haunted the place she called home but now she could rest assured that they weren’t losses for nothing and that she may very well be able to save someone, hopefully many someones, from the same suffering she had endured for years.

Kate dragged her suitcases through the airport and the bustle of people coming and going made her feel oddly comforted. New York was easy to get lost in and for the time, it was exactly what she needed. But it had only ever been a place she ran away to and after a while she was running too fast to ever see it for what it was. Here, in Oklahoma, she was home.

She made her way out to the pickup lanes and was met with a calm blue sky, one that she knew–or maybe even hoped–wouldn’t last. At the five-minute mark, Kate was unbothered. By ten, she considered concern. By twenty, she was on the phone. It took three calls getting sent to voicemail before her mother picked up on the fourth.

“Hey, are you alright?” She tried not to sound too concerned but it wasn’t like her mother to forget an obligation or to not pick up the phone. 

“Oh, sunshine, I’m fine. It’s my truck that’s acting up,” Her mom replied. “I was on the road already when it decided to quit on me. I’m not sure how long repairs are going to take. You want me to call someone for you?” Kate sighed, more relieved by her mother’s well-being than bothered by the situation.

“No, don’t worry about it,” She answered, “As much as you don’t like it, I am a big girl. I can take care of it.”

“I know you can, baby. Don’t worry about making it here tonight, just take care of yourself.”

They exchanged ‘I love you’s before it sunk in that actually did have to take care of it. She found herself a spot on a nearby bench and tucked her luggage in beside her. Scrolling through her contacts, her thumb hovered over Javi before something urged her to keep going. Kate wasn’t sure if this was a bad idea but lately, she could handle a little risk.

“Hello?” She bit her lip, knowing this was her last chance to turn back. Still, he might not even be around or available to get her.

“Hey, Tyler?”

“Uh, yeah?” His voice was in performance mode, his uncertainty no match to his inherent charisma. Kate found herself filled with an urgent hope.

“It's Kate, Kate Carter.”

“Kate!” She could hear the smile in his voice. It was the first time she’d called him since he gave her his number and she was just beginning to regret not using it sooner. “What uh…what's going on?”

Her stomach flipped at the realization that she had to explain herself, that she wasn’t just calling him. Oh god, was this a mistake? Kate had thought there was something there when they were saying goodbye but maybe this was pushing it.  

“Are you in Oklahoma by any chance?”

“I am actually,” Tyler replied before he, with a hopeful tone, asked, “Are you here?”

“Do you think you could pick me up from the airport?” She fought the urge to cross her fingers like a little girl. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she had to call Javi but she couldn’t help but want to see where this path led.

“Of course!” Her chest tightened, a mix between excitement and worry. “Is everything alright with your mom?” Kate’s cheeks flushed, touched by his concern. 

“Yeah–truck just wasn’t starting, don’t worry,” She said, hoping she sounded nonchalant.

“Alright then, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” In the background, Kate could hear his keys jingling already and she smiled to herself.

“Thanks so much. Bye.”

_ _ _

Kate had been inside, sitting at a cafe when her phone buzzed in her pocket, Tyler letting her know that he’d made it. She tossed out her empty coffee cup before regathering her things and taking a deep breath. If she was being honest with herself, she was excited to see him but she didn’t want to endure the inevitable teasing she’d be subject to should she seem too eager to be in his presence.

The sliding doors opened and it took her a minute to spot the familiar red truck. Her eyes followed the path to where Tyler was busy basking in the attention of an adoring fan. What more could she expect?

“And did you want this signed cause I could definitely sign this for you.”

He didn’t notice as she siddled up, even with the rumble of her suitcases on the concrete. She shook her head at the display of his ‘Tornado Wrangler’ persona and thought better than to let him off the hook.

With the exaggerated voice of a dedicated fan, she implored, “Oh my goodness! Is that Tyler Owens? I am your biggest fan!”

“That’s me darlin’, what can I do for–Kate.” He cleared his throat and straightened out his posture, putting on the real Tyler at the sight of her. Kate bit her lip, sparing him the laugh that threatened to escape her.

“Tyler,” She said, “You look good.”

“Well, I feel good.” Tyler stood with his hands on his hips, the two of them alone now and it seemed neither of them knew just what to say. She laughed at his remark and began to heave her luggage into the bed. Before she could lift the larger of the two bags, Tyler was stopping her with a hand on her wrist. Kate looked up at him, confused. 

“Don’t make me make you get in the truck.” She glared at him, gauging whether or not he was serious. He only matched her expression. “Get in the truck,” Tyler repeated.

Kate rolled her eyes and climbed into the passenger seat. She couldn’t help but lean over toward the shift, running her fingers across the buttons. Her pointer finger landed on the tape labeled, ‘Kate’s Barrels’ and traced over his writing. When the driver's door opened, she jumped at the movement and tore her hand away. 

“Headed to your mom’s?” Tyler asked, fingers tapping a rhythm onto the wheel.

“Uh, no actually just any motel close would be good. Home’s a bit far and the flight was long. I just want to go to bed.” She reminded herself that that was the only reason.

“I’m close,” He told her. Since when was he close? “I mean you could stay in my guest room and I could take you back to Sapulpa in the morning?” The idea sounded as equally dangerous as it was appealing. With a motel, she was in control of the situation but his place? There was no knowing.

Clearing her throat she answered, “That…sounds fine.”

Tyler tipped his hat toward her and then he was making his way out of the parking spot. For a little while, they sat in comfortable silence, the radio filling the empty space between them. Once they were outside the city, it was comforting to watch as farmland made up her view. The word rattled in her head again. Home.

“So, how did it end up going with the investors?” He asked. “Good, I assume since you’re back in Oklahoma.” Kate couldn’t help but smile knowing well enough already how happy he’d be to hear. Not to mention how happy she was to achieve something she’d been chasing since the possibility entered her mind.

“Yeah, it went very well actually. We uh–we got a lot of people interested and the offers were so good…I quit my job and sold the apartment. I’m back, back.”

Tyler’s smile grew to a million watts as he exclaimed, “Kate! That’s amazing!”

“Thank you, we’re really excited.” She thought she saw his grin falter a bit but she couldn’t pin down why. Still, after a moment he let out a whoop, honking the horn at the expense of the car in front of them. Kate laughed, placing her hand over his to keep him from doing it again.

“So, where you planning on living? With Javi?”

“Actually I’m not sure yet. Javi has this new girlfriend from back in Miami and they’re pretty wrapped up in each other.” His eyebrows raised and she continued, “My mom's kind of out of the way too. Plus, she’s thinking of selling since seed prices just keep going up. Says she’s sick of the weather.”

Tyler’s jaw went slack, exaggerating his shock. “Sick of the–Sick of the weather?”

“What can I say, she doesn’t appreciate the beauty of the storm.” Kate sighed theatrically. Her hand went to her forehead in a ‘woe is me’ gesture. He chuckled, punching her playfully in the arm.

“On the topic of prices though, she is right.” Tyler sighed as he turned onto a new street.  “That’s why I bought land and started from the ground up.”

“Land?” She repeated. It hadn’t been that long that she’d been gone. When and more so why had he decided to put down roots and outside of Arkansas for that matter.

“Yes, ma’am.” His mouth quirked up in a prideful smirk.

“And here I thought I’d be sharing some shitty motel room.”

They pulled into a long dirt driveway, the grass surrounding it still young. While the house was clearly new, the style had a nostalgic feel to it. It was painted a fresh shade of cream and the white wrap-around porch just screamed summer nights. If she didn’t know better she’d think she was going to visit some sweet old lady.

“Here we are, home sweet home.”

Tyler opened her door for her like a proper gentleman and she stepped out into pleasant fresh air. The whole thing was picturesque. Kate supposed she shouldn’t really be surprised considering she didn’t really know his tastes but the whole thing surprised her nonetheless. 

She followed Tyler through the front door as he carried her bags inside. The interior was just as sweet as the exterior had been but Kate could see the signs that were uniquely him. There were various piles and pieces of gear strewn about that she recognized from having filled her mother’s house with. Even with the classic style, the appliances and layout were tastefully modern. She was impressed.

Kate stepped into the kitchen which seemed to be the most lived-in room. There were pictures of the Wranglers and what she assumed was his family stuck to the fridge. Her eyes drifted to a bulletin board hung up next to it and tacked up in the center of it was a page ripped out of their article from Ben, one with a picture of her. She could feel her cheeks flush even with him still in the other room. Though she wanted to, Kate knew she wouldn’t mention it.

“You hungry?” She jumped at the sound of Tyler’s voice.

“No, I couldn’t–” The same look that urged her to ‘get in the truck’ painted his face and she reconsidered her answer. “Starved.”

Tyler seemed satisfied. He pulled out a seat at the kitchen island where she could have a clear view of him whipping something together. The whole thing felt unnervingly domestic but she enjoyed it all the same.

“This place is really nice, Tyler,” Kate said. Gesturing toward his tricked-out home office–that was maybe a little too nice for a YouTube star–she pointed out, “Got a nice setup too.”

“Yeah, the team has pretty much paired off and they live here and there but we come back for a warm meal more often than not.”

“Not you though?” It had crossed her mind that maybe the sudden home ownership had been a response to some sort of serious relationship. She tried to sound casual since it wasn’t really any of her business.

Tyler smiled and shrugged. “Nah, a fearless leader has to hold down the fort.” Kate rolled her eyes and laughed at his cockiness. It was better knowing that it didn’t run deep. She thought better than to push it but still, she wanted to know what this whole thing was for.

“No, but seriously, why a house?”

“Oklahoma is the past, present and future of tornadoes. That’s no secret,” He replied like it was some well-known slogan. Yeah, the outbreak they experienced had put Oklahoma back on the map but Tornado Alley spanned a wide area, including Arkansas. 

“How do you figure?”

“Well you’re here, aren’t you?” Her stomach sank, trying to decipher the meaning behind what he said. His focus was trained on the pot in front of him like what he’d said was no big deal. What was she supposed to say to that?

Without an answer, Tyler clarified, “You’ve got better instinct than anyone I’ve ever met, better than any Doppler too.”

He’d turned to her and winked in her continued silence. Kate nodded with a smile like it was casual to her too. She shifted under his intense gaze and thought it was an apt time to break the tension with something she’d been tossing around in her mind. He laid a plate of spaghetti in front of her before sitting down himself. She cleared her throat.

“I was going to wait to bring this up but…I was wondering if you would consider being partners.”

“Really?” The excitement on his face was genuine and Kate could see the surprise too. It made her feel secure in her decision. 

“Javi and I both have stakes in it but he’s avoiding the field as much as he can right now. He’s got the business side under control but, like I said, he’s got someone at home who’d prefer he didn’t get blown away.”

Tyler stayed practically frozen in place. Maybe she’d overstepped her bounds after all. She could tell herself all she wanted that she wouldn’t be hurt if he didn’t want to partner with her but that didn’t make it the truth. 

“What do you say, me and you?” Kate asked, bracing for his answer.

“You and me,” Tyler replied genuinely and with what she hoped was a hint of awe.

They ate silently, half from hunger and half in consideration of their future. As much as Kate didn’t want to admit it, there were other questions lingering between them. When her plate was cleared, he insisted on taking care of the simple cleanup himself leaving Kate to sit idly at the kitchen table, unable to get anywhere else without his direction anyway.

With the dishes washed, Tyler turned his attention back to her but it seemed he had just as much of an idea of how to proceed as she did.

“So, uh…” She began, uncertain where she was going.

“I bet you probably want to get cleaned up. There’s an en suite in the guest room.”

“Yeah, great.” As much as she wanted to bolt, Kate got up from the table slowly as if she were as calm as could be. Still, she didn’t wait for any instructions as to where to go. She didn’t turn back to look at him as she climbed the stairs, internally cursing herself for adding to the awkward atmosphere.

“First door on the right!” Tyler called after her because, of course, she hadn’t asked.

_ _ _

The warm water had been just what she needed, especially paired with the time away from Tyler to think. As much as there had been a sense of tension between them, her feelings had settled on contentment and maybe even excitement. They were partners now and they had plenty of time to figure everything and anything else out. They’d been through hell already and he would help her through it again.

She stepped out of the shower, her feet hitting the plush bath mat, and reached for a towel. Her hand grabbed only air. Upon further inspection, the towel rack was completely unoccupied. Shit.

“Um, Tyler?” Kate called. She waited a few minutes for his response and when it didn’t come she yelled louder. “Tyler!” She let out a breath when she heard his footsteps on the stairs.

“Yeah?” 

“There are no towels in here!”

“Shit. My bad, no one has used that bedroom yet,” Tyler explained. His feet were already causing the wood floor to creak when he assured, “I’ll grab you one, be right back.”

Kate couldn’t believe this was happening. There was a good chance that she’d expose herself in the exchange. She’d even left her clothes on the bed, choosing to strip before going to the bathroom.

A few minutes later there was a hesitant knock on the door.

“Here, I brought you a few. I don’t know what you prefer,” Tyler said.

She had to assume that he was smart enough not to look. He’d been nothing but polite after all. When she opened the door, his eyes were covered by the palm of his hand, and his other arm was extended out to her. Kate tried not to laugh at the look of him.

“Thanks.” 

Kate wrapped the largest towel around herself and used another to dry the excess moisture from her hair. She pulled the door back open, assuming he was gone but she was met with his figure, eyes still shielded. Nearly bumping right into him, she let out an involuntary sound something between a squeak and a groan. Tyler echoed the sound and quickly flipped his hand so he could see her. She had to assume that his subsequent turning around was motivated by her state of undress.

She didn’t know what else to do besides starting to dress. It seemed he wasn’t done talking to her just yet. After a moment, he spoke.

“Uh, Kate…I, uh, realized I didn’t say thank you just then for considering me.”

“Who else could I possibly consider?” She winced at her own words. By no means did Kate want to sound like she was unhappy, she just didn’t want to make it a big deal between them.

“Well, right, I guess there’s not many storm chasers to begin with and especially not ones who’ve studied meteorology.” Kate could hear the slight hurt in his voice even as he tried to tease and she couldn’t blame him. She’d said the wrong thing. She quickly finished pulling on her pajama pants so she could focus on the conversation before she said something else she regretted.

“Tyler,” She said softly. He still had his back considerately turned to her. Like a kid trying to pass notes in class, Kate tapped his shoulder to get his attention. Tyler smiled as he faced her and it gave her the boost she needed to say what she wanted.  “You’re the reason I’m doing this in the first place. You believed in me even when I didn’t. We’re going to be helping people and that’s because of you.”

He was shaking his head before she’d even finished.

“You can’t believe that, it's your polymer, your idea–”

She took a confident step forward, the action effectively shutting him up. The closer Kate got the more she angled up at him, his height towering over her. Her hand found its way to his jaw, cupping it gently, her thumb brushing over the stubble of his skin. Before she had the chance to close the distance, Tyler took his chance to capture her lips with his own.

It started slow, hesitant to the possibility of too much too fast but quickly gained momentum as they threw caution to the wind. It had been years since Kate had done this, never quite feeling able to move on from Jeb and the accident but now with a sense of closure and Tyler’s guiding hand she felt ready.

His mouth was eager as their kiss deepened, Tyler’s tongue painting the inside of her mouth, almost as if he was committing it to memory. Their heavy breaths filled the air and neither of them seemed willing to break the kiss as the minutes went on. It wasn’t until her fingers played at the hem of his shirt that he broke off, looking down at her through hooded eyes, his mouth swollen and flushed.

“Kate…”

The sight was too much and she couldn’t help but bring her lips back to his skin. They found purchase at his pulse point, kisses littering his neck as she made her intentions known to him with every touch.

Taking a step back, Tyler’s hands cradled her face and he searched her eyes, looking for what she wasn’t sure but when he seemed to find it a smile broke across his face. It was the same smile he sported every time the wind picked up and the radar lit up red: a man ready to face a challenge.

“You still wanna stay in my guest room?” He asked, though his joking town was limited by his heavy breathing. Kate knew he was teasing but he was just as eager as she was.

“If you keep up with that attitude I just might,” She replied, smiling ruefully.

“Honey,” Tyler beamed, “all I’ve got is attitude.”

A chuckle escaped her lips and his face turned from cocky to sincere before he leaned in to steal a kiss once more. His hands moved from her face to grasping her own as he led her to what she assumed was his room.

Kate struggled to keep up as he held his hands behind him for her to grasp. She held them awkwardly as the unusual position did not grant her a good grip. The playful air gave her butterflies but also made her feel a sense of safety, knowing that things didn’t have to be heavy between them.

Tyler turned, pulling their hands over his head so that Kate twirled around with him. He used the momentum to guide her backward into his room with his hands on her hips, attempting a cheesily seductive smolder. She used her heel to kick the door shut behind them.

Kate walked ahead of him to go sit on the edge of his bed. She could tell he was watching her closely to consider his next move but she enjoyed the idea of playing coy with him. Ignoring him, she took in the space which was surprisingly sparse especially compared to the ground floor.

“Wow, real homey in here,” Kate joked, feigning awe at the blank walls

“Oh, hush,” Tyler chided, “It hasn’t been that long since we finished construction.”

She put up her hands in surrender and replied, “Sure, sure.” He rolled his eyes at her and then his expression became soft again. Tyler walked forward, kneeing her legs open and standing between them. With just a tilt of her head they were kissing again and this time when she grabbed his shirt, he let her take it off of him. Kate paused a moment to take him in, the image one she intended to commit to memory before pulling her own shirt over her head.

The rest of their clothes came quickly but when it was time for her to remove her jeans she hesitated.

“We don’t have to do this.” Tyler reassured her, misreading her reluctance. Kate shook her head.

“It's not that it’s–” She huffed in frustration and rather than continue to overthink, pulled her pants down in one swift motion, hoping he’d move past the interruption rather than linger on the issue.

Instead, his eyes moved immediately to her lower half and zeroed in on her leg…her scar. Kate’s stomach began to churn. She knew that he knew the story but she hated that it had to be part of this moment between them. He had been part of making it possible for her to redeem herself, to make sure the losses were not worth nothing. Still, the memories and the physical signs would never leave her. It made her insecure but if he had a problem with it, this wasn’t worth continuing.

“Is this from…”

“Yes,” Kate replied flatly. She didn’t have anything to prove and she wanted more than anything to move on from this as soon as possible. Tyler looked up from the marred skin on her leg and cupped her face with one of his hands. His eyes were filled with pure admiration.

“You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.”

Tyler’s lips were on hers again as he leaned her back into the bed, his body sculpting to hers. She felt a hand trail down her body, over her ass, before he hoisted her leg over his shoulder, his face turning towards her thigh and kissing over her scar as he lined himself up with her entrance. He looked at her until she realized he was waiting for her cue. She grabbed onto his upper arms and nodded, making it clear she was ready.

He was slow with her, caressing in all the right spots and making sure she was comfortable until he was finally fully inside her and they moaned in unison at the feeling. She hadn’t felt like this in a long time and when he took a moment to brush the hair from her face it made it all that much sweeter so much so that she laughed. Tyler looked at her, concerned but when she kissed him, he smiled into it catching her drift.

As he began to grind into her, he coaxed mewls from her lips, her hips meeting his instinctually at the pleasure. The way he watched her carefully for her reactions made her heart soar. He made it evident that they were in this together, that he cared about making her feel good. One of Tyler's hands still held her leg while the other found her clit, circling it while keeping pace and she couldn’t help the words spilling from her mouth.

“Tyler,” Kate pleaded, “Don’t stop.” He listened to her demand but she could see how it made him falter. His expression was that of awe as if he couldn’t believe that he was here with her, that she was enjoying what he was doing for them. She curled an arm around his neck and played with the hair there in a way that caused him to flush.

“I gotcha,” Tyler promised, somehow pressing them closer together, “I gotcha.”

She could’ve been embarrassed at how fast she came but Tyler didn’t give her a chance, instead riding her out through her climax and continuing to thrust even after. It was almost too much as tears of pleasure pricked her eyes and her moans filled the room. Her hands gripped the sheets, his arms, his hair, anything that she could reach to keep hold of her senses as they were overwhelmed. All she could think or comprehend was Tyler.

“I–I’m close,” He stammered, the tremble in his voice radiating throughout his body, “Kate, I–”

Her vision went white when she came again, though she could hear Tyler moan her name like a mantra, his head buried in her neck. One hand reached into his hair while the other traced absent circles on his back. It took him a minute but eventually, he came back to her.

“Hey,” He said, letting out a breathy laugh. 

“Hi.”

Tyler pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, clearly savoring the moment. Kate didn’t want it to end either but she was confident that it was only beginning. They both let out their own versions of a disappointed noise as he pulled out.

When he disappeared into the ensuite, she pulled his comforter up around her, the scent of him enveloping her as well. He came back with a damp towel and once helped her clean up, he flopped into bed beside her, pulling her into his side.

Kate placed a hand on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat under her palm. Tyler pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She wanted to bask in the moment a bit longer but before she knew it she was beginning to yawn. 

The last thing she remembered before she fell into a peaceful sleep was the sweet kiss they shared and the soft rumble of his voice.

“Goodnight, Kate.”

[solxamber]

Hi! Loved your villainess series and i can't wait for a Jamil chapter! In the meantime, do you mind if I request Jamil x a reader whom the Asims are absolutely terrified of? As in they're one of the most genuinely kind people out there but they could eradicate you with a snap of their fingers when pissed (though they only do that in extreme situations and are pretty reasonable). So as soon as Jamil starts dating them, everyone in the Asim household starts walking on eggshells around him cause they don't want to be eradicated off the face of the earth. He still has to do his job but the more dangerous aspects or any extra work is delegated to somebody else. Basically, Jamil can now be as overachieving as he wants since nobody has enough of a death wish to risk pissing off his lover.

Jamil Viper x Intimidating! reader

thank you for waiting <3 i hope you like it

The moment Jamil starts dating you, the entire Asim household becomes a drastically different place. It’s not like you’re a tyrant or anything—you’re the sweetest, kindest person they’ve ever met.

You’re always smiling, polite, and helpful. But everyone knows about that side of you. The side that only shows when something pushes too far, and you go from warm and gentle to terrifying in the blink of an eye.

It doesn’t happen often—really, it only ever happens in extreme situations—but one close encounter was more than enough to put the fear of you into the entire Asim household.

The first time it happened, one of the servants had accidentally endangered Jamil by not paying attention. Nothing too serious in hindsight, but in the heat of the moment, you had stepped in, voice cold and eyes sharp as you reprimanded the poor servant with an intensity no one expected from you.

You didn’t yell or make a huge scene, but the weight of your words and the terrifying calm in your expression was more than enough to send everyone scattering. And now, that incident has taken on a life of its own, becoming a whispered legend among the staff.

Jamil, however, is a little too amused by the whole situation. He’s never seen you lose your temper with him, and he finds it kind of satisfying watching everyone tiptoe around, desperate not to cross you.

Not to mention, it’s made his life a whole lot easier. Suddenly, all the extra dangerous or exhausting tasks that used to be piled on him are conveniently handled by someone else. No one dares to risk upsetting you by overworking him.

As you walk into the Asim estate one day, the staff noticeably scatter, heads ducked as they try not to make any mistakes in your presence. You exchange an amused look with Jamil as he walks beside you.

"Did I do something to terrify them today?" you whisper, half-joking.

Jamil smirks, clearly enjoying this more than he should. "No, they're just smart. Nobody wants to be the one responsible for angering you."

You roll your eyes, nudging him with your elbow. "I’m not that bad."

"Tell that to the servant who accidentally put me in danger last month. I think he’s still recovering," Jamil replies, his voice teasing.

You blush, feeling a little guilty. "I didn’t mean to scare him. He just needed to be more careful."

"Oh, you didn’t scare him. You petrified him," Jamil says, his smug grin growing wider. “Now, everyone’s scrambling to make sure I don’t get stuck with anything that could stress me out, all because they don’t want you to get upset on my behalf."

He’s not wrong. It’s like there’s an unspoken agreement among the staff that keeping Jamil stress-free is the key to survival.

Tasks that used to involve risky magic, late nights, or heavy lifting are reassigned before they even reach Jamil’s to-do list. And it’s not just because Jamil’s Kalim’s right-hand man; it’s because of you.

The thought of you unleashing your wrath is enough to keep the household running smoothly, with no one willing to take chances.

Jamil stretches, looking relaxed for the first time in what feels like years. “I could get used to this,” he mutters, clearly reveling in his newfound freedom from extra work.

You shoot him a playful glare. "You’re enjoying this too much."

"Can you blame me?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve got more free time, no one’s shoving dangerous tasks my way, and I have the best motivation to keep it that way.” He leans closer, his voice dropping to a soft murmur, “That motivation being you.”

Your heart skips a beat at his words, warmth flooding your chest. Jamil isn’t always one for open displays of affection, but when he does say things like this, they hit hard. You can’t help but smile, reaching out to take his hand as you walk together.

"I didn’t mean to turn the whole household into a bunch of scaredy-cats," you admit, squeezing his hand.

Jamil chuckles softly, pulling you a little closer. “It’s not your fault they’re terrified. You just have... a certain presence when you’re angry.”

You snort, shaking your head. "I’m sure you’re not complaining, considering all the benefits."

"Not one bit," he says, his voice smooth and teasing. “Though I’ll admit, I don’t need them to be scared of you. I can handle my own problems.”

"Uh-huh, sure," you reply, narrowing your eyes at him. “And here I thought you were just enjoying the luxury of not being overworked.”

Jamil leans in, his lips brushing your ear as he whispers, “I enjoy being with you more.”

Your heart flips, and before you know it, you’re turning your head and pressing a quick kiss to his lips, unable to resist the moment. He seems a little taken aback, his smug exterior cracking for a second as he blinks in surprise. Then, a slow, satisfied smile spreads across his face.

"Keep that up, and I might start making excuses to slack off even more," he teases.

You laugh, shaking your head. "I can’t believe you. I’m not your excuse to get out of work."

Jamil grins, his eyes softening as he looks at you. “Maybe not. But you’re definitely the reason I’m a lot happier these days.”

He says it so casually, but the sincerity in his voice makes your chest feel tight with affection. You glance up at him, your hand still in his, and you realize just how much he’s changed since you started dating.

He’s still the same hardworking, overachieving Jamil, but now he’s more relaxed, more at ease. And you’re glad you can be a part of that.

Meanwhile, the staff is still scattering like leaves in the wind as you and Jamil stroll through the estate. Kalim, of course, is the only one who remains blissfully oblivious to the atmosphere.

"Hey, guys!" Kalim shouts, bounding over with a bright smile. “I just heard about a new event happening tonight! You two are coming, right?”

Jamil exchanges a glance with you, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You know, Kalim, I think I’m going to take the night off. We have plans,” he says smoothly, pulling you a little closer.

Kalim grins, not missing a beat. “Oh! That’s awesome! Have fun!”

You can’t help but chuckle at Kalim’s eternal optimism, but as you walk away, you notice a few of the servants letting out relieved sighs. They clearly appreciate that Jamil is taking a break, but you’re well aware of what they’re really relieved about: keeping you happy.

Jamil’s smirk returns as you head back to your shared quarters. “I think I owe you for this.”

You raise an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For making my life a whole lot easier," he says, his voice low and teasing.

You roll your eyes, but there’s a smile on your lips as you lean into him. "Just don’t get too cocky."

Jamil grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Too late.”

You laugh, shaking your head. Maybe the Asim household will always be a little terrified of you, but if it means keeping Jamil happy and safe, you can live with that.

Masterlist

[lucrativesoul]

Espionage

summary: working in an underground crime syndicate, your job gets risky, but, the more risk, the more reward. you jumped the gun on your thievery through an art museum, and come across one certain guard who is adamant on stopping you in your path.

pairing: guard!leon kennedy x female reader

word count: 11.5k

warnings: smut, fingering, choking, slight degradation, dom leon

a/n: yall know i had to do one with tactical gear leon i mean come onnnn look at him!!! (patrick voice) i went a little wild with this one LOL i really thought it was gonna be my shortest work yet and here we are. the plot of this was inspired by Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig! if you guys liked the idea of our mc's job here, i suggest you check out that book, its a really great young adult read! i had so much fun with this one, i really hope i didn't keep you guys waiting. i hope you enjoy, thank you endlessly for the support, and I will see you soon :)

Taking a deep sigh, you reclined yourself back as far as you could in the stiff chair, which wasn’t much. The light above you was flickering, to your annoyance, but you kept quiet about it, focusing instead on the rapid typing on the keyboard from the man in front of you. The room was cold, and you pulled your sweatshirt tighter around you. You knew to come prepared this time.

You hoped you would get out of here before the traffic rush. You hated having to come all the way out here, but, after all, it was your job.

To explain how you came into this would take too long, as you tell everyone, so simply put: Some connections in your life led to other connections, and those connections allowed you to quit your two part time jobs and become a full time criminal. Literally.

You met this man, Carlos, at the gym where you liked to spar with some of the trainers when they weren’t in sessions. Simulating a fight was not something you had expected to find a lot of entertainment in, but when you got up there in front of someone and were forced to defend yourself with blocks and punches and kicks, it introduced a whole new adrenaline into your world. Keeping up with your physical shape had definitely aided in your ability to be nimble, and your history of (attempted) gym consistency helped build muscle. 

Carlos had pulled you aside after a sparring session with another trainer, impressed by your moves, and had told you he wants to see you put it to the real test. He offered you a spot in the gym he frequented (which was, to your horror at first, the sketchiest building you had ever seen in your life from the outside), paired you with a trainer who wasn’t afraid to throw real punches, and before you knew it, you could fight an array of builds and heights. 

From there, you kept talking to people who knew people who knew Carlos, and he weaseled you into his line of work where he trusted you to go on the scene of whatever was the target, and sold all of your loot. He was your fence, you were his robber. Quite simply.

A real threat of danger hung over your head on every job, and you knew this well enough. There was always the chance of getting caught, considering every location had guards 24/7. There was always a chance you could get hurt; fall from a high location, the failure of equipment, get shot for fucks sake, but you loved the adrenaline it gave you. You felt on top of the world, and in the back of your mind, you knew this would surely be considered an addiction, but you didn’t care. Every new job upped the ante, and you needed more.

The second deep breath you took expanded your lungs, the stretch feeling good after not moving for several minutes now. You rolled your head side to side, hearing the crack, and turned your attention back to Carlos, who finally started talking again.

“I have buyers in Europe lined up for these.” He looked down at the desk, an array of shiny stones and metals bent in intricate shapes and chains laid out in front of him. Courtesy of yours truly. “A few are interested in the same piece, but they can argue with themselves, I’m only going to sell it to them, I’m not the mediator.” He sighed and pushed back in his rolling chair, pulling open a file cabinet and a manila folder.

“Where in Europe? Can we hand deliver?” You couldn’t help but grin slightly, and Carlos didn’t have to look up from his papers to know you were.

He shrugged. “If you want to risk receiving a chest cavity the size of a gold ball, knock yourself out.” He knew you were joking, and you knew the rules well enough. Knowing who your buyers were, and going within any sort of vicinity of them while knowing their identity was strictly off limits. He turned his head towards his computer again. “Venice. Nice.” He turned towards you. “Budapest. The usual.”

You nodded. You were expecting some sort of answer along the lines of that, so it wasn't too much of a surprise to you. Oh, how it would be nice to be in Europe, though.

“Here’s the deal.” Carlos put the folder of papers down in front of you, and you lazily scanned it, knowing that most of it was going to look like gibberish anyways. Carlos was the man in between here, you simply stole things. You didn’t deal with the numbers and the logistics. “The man who is in the battle for our largest emerald is willing to step aside and let our Venetian buyer take the cake, because he reached out with another job that he and only he wants to be in the running for.”

You scoffed. “Dude must be loaded then. A solo job?”

Carlos cocked an eyebrow. “He gave me parameters for the job, and I almost turned him down without even running it by you, to be honest.”

You sat up straight. “The fuck, Carlos? Give it to me, I can take it.”

He sighed and slouched back in his chair. You were honestly surprised that Carlos was not the one in your spot. He was insanely built and could easily take down four armed guards at once, but you never found out why he chose to be behind the scenes. At least you knew he trusted you enough not to put you in anything that would be instant death.

“There’s apparently an heirloom to this guy’s lineage sitting in a chamber room of the gallery downtown. He’s been trying to find a means to reach it and claim it back for years, but, according to him, the museum won’t budge on letting him anywhere near a buying price.”

You let his words sink in. “What’s so bad about that?”

Carlos sighed again. “It’s an art gallery.” He stared at you, waiting for you to get the point. “They have armed guards posted day in and day out. Alarms at every possible entrance and cameras watching every square inch of the place. It’s just not feasible.”

You shook your head. “Carlos, come on. I know you have access to the technical means that we need to do our surveillance. We can watch their route. We can track who does what nights and who might be the easiest to take down. I did that at the villa two weeks ago.” 

“Yes, and you nearly lost your life. I was shooting myself in the foot for putting you out there.”

You shook your head again. Part of you was thankful that Carlos had the decency to regret his decision of accepting that job, and feeling remorse once you reported back that one of the bodyguards had you in a near death chokehold before you managed to, by luck, weasel free. Even you were still haunted by that. But you would never let it slow you down, and would never tell Carlos, as he would surely put you in safer locations. Which meant less fun.

“I’m just saying, now that it’s been done, I can do it again. And be careful about it this time. I want to do this Carlos, I believe I can.”

Carlos was silent for a moment, thinking over your words. He sighed.

“I want our people staking out on the perimeter the whole time. I don’t want to hear objections. There will be a team this time, this is not just somebody’s home. This is government and city property, if you don’t die, you and I are as good as dead in the prison system.”

You quirked a small smile. “Come on Carlos.” He lazily held eye contact. “You think I’d rat you out like that?”

He sighed and rolled his eyes, but you could tell he was fighting the urge to smile as well. “Be back here tomorrow at 12. We’ll start our prep.”

–

You, Carlos, and two other men were huddled around a plethora of screens deep in the trenches of Carlos’ office. One of the monitors had split screen CCTV surveillance, six cameras watching the main galleries and two hallways, one was a datamine of the encrypted content regarding the people employed to stand guard at the museum, and the others were floor plans of each floor and wing of the gallery.

The size of the place didn’t scare you, in fact, it only brought more excitement to your job. As soon as Carlos brought up the blueprints and started mapping escape routes and how to avoid camera sightings, you memorized it instantly. This would be a breeze.

“Here’s who we need to look out for.” He drew up a site that had profiles of each of the seven guards that do night duty. Their employee photos looked like mugshots. “These three guys guard the east wing, these two rotate between west wing and foyer since that is the smallest wing and closer to the entrance, and these two are usually staked out by the rear gallery.”

“You seem to already have this down, Carlos.” You mumbled.

He snickered from in front of you. “I’ve been watching already.”

You sighed through your nose. “Going to turn down this job my ass.”

“We’re expecting these two to be in the west wing the night of the heist. I’ve been watching, and they tend to rotate, but there’s a pattern. I’m sure it will be them.” You nodded, listening closely to his words. Carlos might be a pain in the ass sometimes, but you knew he didn’t mess around with ensuring the best possible route. “One stands in the wing while the other stands in the foyer. They rotate at the same time, so there is a small window when no one is watching the far end of the gallery.”

“How am I getting in there? Hanging out overnight?” It was a partial joke, but you never knew with this team. 

Carlos shook his head, and diverted everyone’s attention to an isolated map, similar to the layout of the floor plan. “This is the duct system.” You stifled a laugh. You should have expected this. “Big enough for a person like you. The duct room is locked whenever no one is accessing them, and the only people that do are the janitorial team, and Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the only times they are sweeping the building.”

“Literally, sweeping.” 

Carlos sighed heavily at your remark. “The system that is connected to the electronic lock is also connected to what controls the cameras and the lights. I can get you in there, but only in a very small window of time. It needs to be during the day.”

“The day.” You echoed. “So, I’ll be camped out in there for a while, then?”

Carlos nodded. You knew what you were about to get yourself into. It came with the job description, and before the job actually launched into action, you knew that familiar feeling of anxiety blossoming in your chest. You had been in the gym consistently, trying to find someone to mock a chokehold with you in the case that it happened all over again. If it did, you decided Carlos didn't need to find out.

You knew you were physically ready. The odds of going against a huge man didn't look great from the outside, but you were flexible, and fast, and if you could bounce around their sights, you could steer clear of any sort of altercations.

“Yes, you’ll be in there for a while. It’s the only way.” You nodded again. You knew there was no such thing as comfort in this line of work. If you get too comfortable, you might as well get ready to be comfortable in a jail cell, or in the afterlife. “We move in Thursday night. Just to be sure that the cleaning happens Wednesday and we won't get any surprises. You’ll enter at 4 PM. I’ll be watching all morning to decide what you should wear to make the least waves possible and so you can disappear when they close at 6. Regular day employees stay until 7:30, then the guards move in, but we can’t make our moves until well after sunset.” Carlos was looking mostly at you, as the other teammates he rounded up were just going to stake out the perimeter. “You know the prep. Make sure you last while you wait.”

–

You spent the next week in the office watching everyone’s moves. The guards followed a monotonous routine in which areas they patrolled. Odd, considering they might want to watch for corners where people could stay hidden. 

They all stuck to their schedules, no employee stayed later than an hour and a half after closing, guards immediately did a sweep of the whole building for the lame thieves who attempted to hide in bathrooms, before they stuck to their positions, and that’s where they stayed for the night, until 5 AM. You were positive you had this down now, there was no way you could be wrong.

There was, of course, but you preferred to pretend otherwise.

The guards rotated as predicted, and with every step they took every passing day you grew more confident in this job. That person who was commissioning this should be well willing to tip generously considering the amount of prep taking place.

You swallowed the lump of anxious nerves, pushing yourself into your work mindset as you sat outside the museum, the breeze cooling down your heated skin. Carlos had been keeping watch of the patrons since opening, and he concluded the appropriate outfit for you to don would be a tan hoodie, light wash jeans, and you didn’t have many options in the way for shoes, a simple pair of white sneakers having to do the trick. You knew they would be watching at the door, a metal detector as well as bag checks were mandatory, so you couldn’t risk a bag, but you had all you needed strapped underneath your clothes to your second skin layer– a skintight bodysuit, equipped with maximum breathability and flexibility– and all of your weapons holstered as close as they could get.

With nothing else except your phone (which was off) and wallet (with a fake ID), you walked up the steps, blending in with the bustle, but knowing well enough to not look too suspicious. You knew the rest of your team was around the perimeter, out of your view, and you were going to hear from Carlos for the first time when it was necessary for you to hide. He was never on location, he was seated safely in his office, every screen lit up with hacked CCTV footage and an in-ear device to communicate directly to you.

You took yet another deep breath in. You got this. You had to.

You knew you had time to kill while you waited to hear from Carlos. It couldn’t be right away, that would look too unnatural if you made a beeline past too many priceless works of art. So, not begrudgingly, you strolled through the galleries, admiring the timeless art, feeling inspired, excited, the sun streaming in through the glass ceilings of some of the halls.

It was mostly quiet, the murmur of people surrounding you, discussing what they were looking at, the occasional kid running by. As much of an admirer you were, you could feel the adrenaline coursing through your arms and hands, dying to get started. But, as Carlos taught you well, patience was a virtue, and if you rushed things, it could get bad, and fast.

After a lap, which lasted close to an hour, you sat on a bench in the west wing. You knew this was close to where you needed to be, and it would be easier to stay close in case the window of opportunity arose when you weren’t expecting it, which was typical. 

You toyed around with a pamphlet you had picked up near the entrance, still keeping an eye out for any employee, or any guard, which would be out of place at this time. It was nearing 5:30 now, and they were going to be closing in 30 minutes. Your heart rate quickened at that thought, knowing they were going to be sending employees to do loops and tell people their time was being cut short. You slowly straightened your posture, trying not to look too alert, trying to calm down–

“--in, come in. Connected to base, CCTV footage overrode, stations manned.” You heard Carlos’ crackly voice through your in-ear, and you slumped backward, relieved.

“Copy.” You kept your voice low and mouth movements to a minimum. “I assume you know where I’m at.”

“Bench in the back left of the west wing. The duct room is also being watched. It has been looking clear for the last ten minutes, give me another five to make sure, then I will give you instructions.”

You gave a slight nod, knowing he could see you. You kept up your previous charades, reading the same script for the fifth time on the pamphlet, people watching, and employee watching. The next five minutes took way too long.

“Get up slowly and walk along the wall to the left. Someone is coming down the hallway telling people there is 20 minutes to closing. Let him pass you, acknowledge what he said, and let him get about 20 feet ahead.” You shifted in your seat, pushing yourself up. Taking another look at the paintings hung on the walls, you realized as you approached– this was the one you were meant to take. You were so tempted to stand here and look at it, but you didn’t want to draw a suspicious coincidence in the mind of the employee who would see you standing in front of it. One glance later, and you moved on.

“Excuse me,” A soft voice spoke from behind you. You turned around, and acted surprised. A short man with dark hair had a friendly smile on. “The gallery will be closing in 20 minutes, just a heads up.” You nodded a thank you, and promised to move on swiftly.

“Ten seconds, then when you walk through the aisle in between the columns, there’s a hallway to the left. You’ll have a really small window to duck into the door on the left side and wait while I override the door code.”

“Code?!” You whisper-shouted, taking care to keep your voice low. “This should have been something you told me earlier.” 

“Don’t worry, I have access to it and can let you in. It will only take one more second, but you have to be quick with this door, you know that.” You sighed, knowing he was right. Your steps were quiet, but firm, and you caught sight of the small hallway he was talking about. “There’s no one behind you, but we can’t guarantee that’s permanent.” Oh, yes, you knew that was the truth. You wanted to turn around, but fought against it, not wanting to catch anyone’s eye.

Step, breath, step… “Go, now, hurry.” You careened quickly to the left into the hallway, knowing anyone would notice you if they walked by. “Two seconds…” Carlos configured the software to the door’s electronic lock as you approached and stood there, heart hammering. You pulled your sleeve over your hand. You heard the click. “You’re in, move.” You pushed down on the door handle with your sleeved hand and creeped into the room, wasting no time in shutting the door. You waited for the command before you moved. “You made it blindly. No one noticed you.” You sighed gently. “To your left, there's a switch. Flip the one in the middle. It’s the nightlight.”

You did as told, relaxing slightly now that you could see. The room looked exactly as expected. It was more of a closet, really. There was an electric panel on the wall opposite the door, a rack of cleaning supplies to the right, and in the left corner across from you, a large duct sock extending from a fixture that was taller than you. You had no idea where it led to, as it disappeared up into the ceiling, but you had a feeling that’s where you were destined to spend the next handful of hours.

You took your time inspecting the room, knowing there was going to be nothing quick about this next step. Behind the large fixture that filtered the air and sent it through the duct, there was a small passageway blocked by a vent grate. Carlos had told you vis in-ear to unscrew the large grate and tuck yourself in there. At least it was right next to the cooling system, and you could shed some layers. It would get hot, and quickly, in there.

Time ticked by slower than ever as you were stretched out in the vent, now loose from your jeans and sweatshirt. Your bodysuit was keeping you cool, and you managed your breathing whenever you remembered so you would be able to keep your core temperature as stable as possible. You ran over the plan once, twice, a thousand times, and maybe even drifted off once or twice, by the time you heard Carlos’ voice again, sounding angelic after all this time.

“Hey, you awake in there?” His soft, crackled voice sounded through your brain.

“As ever. What’s the time?” You whispered back, shocked at how far the smallest vocal sound carried through the metal tube.

“Close to 11PM. We have to get moving soon.” You nodded, knowing he couldn’t see you.

“Can I push this thing open? Can someone hear me from here?”

“Give me two seconds, I need to make sure I can disable central control of the cameras so no one else watching security can see. We don’t need any unnecessary backup here.” You let Carlos do his thing from base, and tried your best to stretch your limbs getting ready to move. “Okay, this will take a few minutes, but in thirty seconds, the rotation from west wing to foyer is going to start. Countdown, then crawl out as carefully as possible.”

Breathing steadily, countdown rapidly ticking in your head, you started at thirty, gripping the grate as much as you could once you hit one, and pushed outwards. You had managed to click the metal back in place behind you once you crawled in, but it wasn’t the most subtle sound. Now, it counted even more that it was timed right.

With a solid shove and a louder than you expected click (and a wince), and shimmied your way out of the vent, placing the metal onto the ground with the slowness of a turtle. You had no idea if anyone was going to open the door to this right now, so you just had to trust that the silence from Carlos meant that nothing was about to go wrong.

You stood up, sighing deeply when you could finally stretch out before getting to move for the first time in nearly 6 hours. The spandex of your bodysuit contoured with your body, and you felt unrestrained as you stretched out, ready to be as light on your feet as possible. There was a small holster on your thigh, where a retractable baton was strapped in tight, and one around your waist, holding onto three tiny knives– stainless steel– the closest thing that would get you through the detectors without being flagged. Fingers crossed they wouldn't need to be used.

“The rotation just finished, so in about ten more minutes, our window will open for you to come out and stay hidden. Remember where all the sculptures are layed out?”

“Yeah, I do.” You continued to stretch through Carlos’ words. “I’m ducking out of here at your command, softly shutting the door. I come quietly to the opening of the hallway and duck out to the right, hide behind a column and stay low.” You recited again, and heard Carlos give a hum of approval. 

“Just hang tight for now, I’ll let you know when you need to start moving. Security override is almost done. Remember, they’re gonna try and reboot the system immediately, which will take another minimum five minutes, max ten. Be light on your feet, move fast.”

You steadied your breathing once again, flexing everything in your body to make sure you were adequately stretched out and ready for action. You had never felt more so. 

“Exit the room in twenty seconds. Start counting.”

You pounced on your feet at the sound of Carlos’ voice after a few minutes, gloves on your hands (which had also been hidden in a pocket of the bodysuit), and gripped the handle, counting just to the pace you had been trained to.

“Move.”

You and Carlos reached the countdown at the same time, and you pressed the metal handle down and inched the door open, swiftly, but not enough to cause the hinges to make noise. You slithered out, and once you had the door shut again without a sound, you dropped down onto your knees, walking in a crouch to the entrance of the gallery.

You were hidden immediately by a column. You peeked out, knowing there wouldn’t be a guard in the aisle but checking anyway, and waddled over to the next column, feeling your heart rate increase with every step. Peeking around, you spotted the guard, who was walking slowly towards the middle of the west wing. He had his hands by his sides, gun holstered on his hip. Not much more than an average cop’s bulletproof vest on his body.

You waited for him to reach the center and do a lazy turn, back towards you, to run to the next column. Time was ticking, but as long as he stayed right where he was, you would be able to secure this artwork and disappear.

You reached the next column, and the next, all the while the guard was still turned, and you ducked back whenever he did a mandatory sweep of the area behind him. You could see the painting you needed from your current position. If Carlos had it under control, he could stifle the alarm system at the very second you used one of the knives to cut the cords and rip it from his ceiling holsters. You could tell on your first walk by this afternoon that it was nothing more than a heavy fishing wire, and it could be done soundlessly.

One more column, and you could see the guard from your hunched over position. You were pretty well hidden behind the column itself and a sculpture sat in front, and slightly to the left of it. You heard him sniffle, and shift his weight again before turning around, and crouch-running to the column that sat just to the right of the painting. This was it.

You had your head parked solidly right behind the column, watching the guard. He was still facing you, looking up at the ceiling, down all the obvious passageways, and then he turned. It was now or never.

You creeped forward, hand over the knife on your holster, ready to slice through the cord on the wall. You were waiting for Carlos’ sign that the alarms had been disabled. Nothing, but you had no time to wait. You had to try it.

You pulled the knife from the holster and pushed the blade out, gloved hand gripping the frame, and in two swift movements, the wires giving a slight shing with the cut, it was loose, no alarms, and you dropped back to the ground and ran.

Taking the same caution on the way back as you did on the way over, you stopped at columns to watch the guards, and by the tell-tale sign of him stalking forward once, you knew the rotation was about to happen.

You grew closer and closer back to the duct room; through the vents as your only way out. 

Taking the opportunity of no guard in the hall, you went as fast as you could in a crouch, seeing the opening for the hallway mere feet away. It was home free. Another job done.

Still in the clear, your heart hammering, you dove forward into the hallway, not wasting anymore time. You reached the hallway, turned the corner, and found yourself staring straight into the barrel of a gun.

Stopping short, nearly screaming out, you could only stare as you tried to identify the person behind it. You couldn’t move, your limbs were frozen in place. You could not hear Carlos, you didn’t even know if he saw you cut the line. He had the alarms disabled, clearly, but where was he? And who was this man?

You couldn’t see the bottom half of his face. Behind the large gun he had pointed at you, he had  a black neck gaiter covering from his nose down. His eyes were hard, eyebrows deeply furrowed, they looked blue in the dim light. His blonde hair was pushed off his forehead, stiff with gel. He was covered neck to feet in gear, a large, bulletproof vest and cargo pants, not another inch of skin showing. He was crouching to your height. Clearly, he knew you would be coming back here. What the fuck was going on?

He tilted his head in a mocking gesture at you, making fun of your momentary stupidity. You wanted to fight, but you knew better. If you drew attention now, you would be vastly overpowered very quickly. 

“Looking for an easy escape?” His voice was deep and husky, and for a moment you thought this was someone on your team. But no, they were told strictly to stay outside under all circumstances. This was not someone trying to help you. He was trying to capture you.

“Who are you?” You whispered, praying that Carlos was listening, feeling more panicked that you couldn’t hear him.

He shook his head. He was not in the mood to be courteous. “Go to the door behind me to my left. If you make noise, I’ll kill you. If you fight, I’ll kill you. Go,”

Your breath hitched, you could fight him with a knife, but with the barrel aimed straight for your brain, it was no use trying right now. You needed a plan, and quick. But for now, you had to obey.

Your legs felt like jelly as you stayed low and walked over to the door, the stranger backing up and keeping his gun trained on you the whole time. When you approached it, you stood up, looking back at him. He nudged his gun forward in a go in gesture, and with a deep breath, you quietly pushed the handle downwards and walked in.

This was not the duct room, which was the door on the other side of the hallway. Why had you not seen this door, why did Carlos also not seem to know about this door? When you walked in, you for real almost choked this time, it was the goddamn control room. The very one that Carlos had overridden to let you get into the museum after hours in the first place. Oh, you were fucked.

“You thought you had it all planned, huh? I’ve been sitting here this whole goddamn time watching you. I saw you walk in, I saw you sit down, I saw you go into the hallway, I was waiting for you.” Your stomach ran cold, not knowing what to do now. Carlos was MIA. He surely must be frantic. Was he going to send the team in?

You were staring straight ahead at the vast array of monitors, way more than Carlos had. Every inch of the museum was being watched. You saw the screen with the duct room hallway. It was in the rightmost corner. The control room door was hidden from this angle. This room had been scrubbed from blueprints. You would have seen it, you know it.

The chair in front of you was pushed out, most likely from this man standing up to meet you when you returned. A coat, issued with the museum’s logo, was draped over the chair. You could see a nametag pinned to the front. Leon S. Kennedy. That name did not sound familiar.

You squeaked out when the barrel of the gun hit you square in between the shoulder blades. “Your buddies can’t save you now, you know. Next time they try to do this, they’ll have to do more than just some book research.”

You took a steady breath, urging yourself to sound more collected than you felt. “Don’t act so high and mighty, Leon Kennedy.”

He scoffed. “Don’t act so fucking smart because you know how to read.” He used his gun once more to push your shoulder so you could spin around and face him. You could only stare as he maintained his composure. His eyes were not softening up. “Did you think you could be in and out with this one? Just like all the others?” You tried to fight it, but you felt your face scrunch in confusion. How does he know about the others? He made another sound, like a laugh, and you could almost see the outline of his cocky smile underneath his mask. “Don’t act like you stayed off of anyone’s radar. Your little fence isn’t exactly a low profile criminal in the underground market.” Your stomach sank. He knew about Carlos. He knew about the whole ring, he had been watching you! 

“This was… Is this even a real job?” You spat out, feeling more and more of a struggle to breathe. 

Finally, Leon put down his gun. He knew he had you under his fingers. He crossed one more step to get in your face, looking down at you. “Like I said… Your buddies need to be more careful with what they decide to take on.” He muttered at you.

Something clicked inside of you. It was a life or death situation, and there were no more good outcomes. With the swiftness of air, you shot your right hand up, connecting your fist with the side of Leon’s jaw. It caught him off guard, but it did no more than knock him back a couple of steps. That was a hard jaw.

You used those two seconds to your advantage as you sprung forward, using the chair behind you as leverage as you kicked into his chest with both feet, sending him flying backwards, knocking the gun loose from his grip. He almost fully lost his balance, and you rocketed forward, finishing him off and wanting to send him straight to the floor.

It seems, though, you underestimated how well trained this man might be. He never hit the floor, and from the second you sent him reeling backwards, he was already connecting the distance between you two again, and he ducked when you sent another leg flying at him. He hooked your other leg in his grip, turning you over and forcing you to fall to the floor on your back, effectively rendering your lungs useless.

You gasped for air, finding the strength to fight back, and before he could unlatch himself from the leg he had a grip on, you tightened your other around his throat, tucking his neck right under your knee, and you squeezed hard. 

Finding air again, and still keeping Leon in a chokehold, you pushed yourself up, and rolled the both of you over, so you were now essentially sitting on top of him, pushing his body into the ground as you kept him senseless. The dominance didn’t last long, as he pushed himself up, slamming you, once again, into the ground, loosening your leg, and escaping.

Your attempts at punches were meek, and he gripped both of your wrists in his hands and pinned them down; it was useless. It was over. During the altercation, most likely while he was being choked out, his gaiter slipped down, now wrapped around his neck. The rest of his features match the top half, and god dammit why did you have to make enemies with a man who looks like he should be on display in this very place?

“You should stop trying to fight me.” He grumbled from over you. You knew he had the upper hand now, definitely physically, but you weren’t going to stop.

“And just accept defeat? Accept whatever is going to happen next?” Despite knowing it would be useless, you attempted to break free from Leon’s grip anyway. It resulted in a tighter grasp around your wrists, and you winced. “What do you want from me? You set this up just to catch me. But you’re on the inside, too. You can’t nail us without incriminating yourself.”

If it was even possible, his face hardened further. He lowered his body to bring his face inches from yours, and you found yourself not turning away from his gaze. 

“Maybe that’s just not what I’m after.”

The sentence brought your mind to a complete blank. What else could he be after? If he was employed by the museum you were currently trying to steal a painting from and sell it for thousands, shouldn’t he want to take you down to protect the art? Wouldn’t he want to put you and your team in jail for the crimes you all have committed? 

“So, what? You just wanted to take me down? Try and make me fail? To prove something to yourself?” You were desperate at this point to hear something from Carlos, and the more time went by, you were sure Leon must have done something to the connection. Since he already knows… “Why can’t I hear my team?” You barked at him.

He quirked a cocky grin once again. “I don’t need you calling for unnecessary help. I’ve got it taken care of.” With one harsh movement, he adjusted both of your wrists so they were being held by his left hand. He then used his right to rip the in-ear out, making you cry out when the tape was torn from behind your ear. He kept tugging the cord until the tiny transmitter, which was clipped to the inside of your bodysuit, just below your shoulder, was out in the open, and tossed it aside. He was putting increasing pressure on your wrists, and you couldn't help but writhe.

“Let me go, I don’t get why you’re doing this.” You started a struggle again, but he shut it down swiftly. “Why me, Leon, why us? Surely we can’t be the only underground heist group within the vicinity, surely someone else must have tried to break in here.” 

Leon stared at you for a moment from his place above you. His expression gave nothing away about his thoughts, and it was aggravating you endlessly. He thought he was all that. You were pissed off, because you also felt like that was true. He did manage to fumble your route and tackle you and cut you off from comms. Asshole.

He lifted himself off of you slowly, and you felt the pressure around your wrists disappear. He was straddling you now, his large legs encapsulating you on both sides, his arms looked massive from this angle. His vest was littered with utility pouches, and you weren't sure you wanted to find out what was in them. The gaiter was slack around his neck, and you felt so tiny, submissive, and rapidly heating up under his half lidded gaze. You can’t believe you went over his employee profile. You would have remembered a face like his.

“You’re right. You are not alone in this ring of underground syndicates, frankly, not even the first to have been here. I took on a few of them. I’m not actively working to destroy the network that you work out of, I’m just doing my job. Why should I let thieves get away with it just because they’re good at what they do?” You stared at him as he spoke. You couldn't believe how much information he truly had, and how much more he would surely not reveal to you. “I didn’t care about the other bunch, they were all dirty criminals doing it for the money with no real talent and no morals, so, fuck them, I’ll bust them when they step into my territory.” He lowered himself again, and now he was holding himself above you, arms on either side of your head. He was staring straight down into your eyes. “But then you appeared on my radar. I was surprised to see a woman in this line of business. That’s not common. I had to watch you closely. Maybe my own ignorance made me think that you would be out of play quicker than you even started, but when I discovered you had taken down two men larger than me and turned around a chokehold that surely would have killed you, I couldn't help but be impressed.”

You couldn't stop the scoff that escaped your lips. “Fuck you. You don’t know what I’m capable of. I worked my way up to where I am now.” Your sentence was cut short when he placed a rough hand on your chin, holding it in his palm.

“Shut up.” You ground your jaw, holding back snarky comments that would put you in a worse position. His demeaning command twisted your stomach in an unfamiliar way. “When I noticed your skill, as you needed to throw in there before I finished, I saw a challenge. I couldn’t just let it go.”

No words came out of your mouth right away, still trying to process his. You shook your head in confusion. “Challenge?”

“I like a woman that can put up a fight.” Leon said nothing more, daring you to stay something in retaliation. You kept your mouth shut, unsure of what kind of response you should even give. You squinted your eyes at him, but he didn't falter.

“What kind of job even is this?” His grin grew. The anger and frustration mixed with something foreign in your stomach. You curled your toes instinctively at this feeling. “Setting me up for failure just to wrestle me so you can get a workout?”

He shook his head slightly, that glint in his eyes not fading. “It’s not all about me, you know. You’re my challenge right now, yes, but I see something in you. I want you on my side.”

“Your side? Are there sides to be had here?” 

“Sure there is,” His voice dropped to a low whisper now. You realized in that moment how quiet the room was. After the altercation the two of you had, you concluded it must be soundproof. There would have been a guard here by now. “You can fight. You're a spy. You’re practically invisible. That would be so useful to me. With me. I can give you that, you won’t have to worry about the inevitable end of this.”

You finally brought your hands down by your sides, and he didn’t move to stop you. “Here? You want to offer me the occasional chance of action from the museum?”

“You said it yourself.” His gaze hardened once more, and you suddenly remembered how harsh he was towards you five minutes ago. “I’m on the inside. I’m just as dirty as you guys are.” You stared, fighting the urge to gape your mouth. Someone on the inside, working right under everyone’s nose? “With me, I can make sure you’ll never face the threat of being shut down. Thrown in jail for years, for life. Carlos can’t do that.” You felt a twist at the mention of Carlos’ name, hoping he was alright.

You hated yourself for even letting that thought flick across your mind momentarily. You and Carlos were a team, he taught you everything, yes, but he had no other ‘ins’ in the world to protect you from the law. You were on your own in the field. He just directed you.

Leon had the connections. Leon worked with them. There was a chance that he really could keep you safe. 

“What’s…” You grit your teeth, and swallowed hard, hating this position. “What’s in it for me? I’d be losing what I worked for the last few years. Just to be under your belt now.”

He shook his head. “You’re not losing. You’re gaining.” He came dangerously close to your face, yet again, you didn't move away. “Trust me.” 

With nothing left to say to him, your body only had one way to react. You quickly hooked your left arm around Leon's neck, holding him in close, and using all the weight you could muster to flip positions with him. You could see in his face he was almost expecting this from you, yet he let it happen, and didn’t fight it. 

He let out a grunt as his back hit the ground, knowing his vest took most of the impact. You were now successfully above him, in between his spread legs, his arms splayed out on the sides. The arm that had been used as leverage around his neck was now holding you up, the other was poised threateningly at his collarbone, as if you were going to choke him at any second. 

But now, over him, though you felt triumph, you were at a loss for words again, still so muddled about the situation. Leon let the arrogant smile take over his features.

“We’d make a great pair, don’t you think?” 

A million emotions surged through your veins, making it even harder to focus, to find the right thing to say or do. The way he was looking up at you, those eyes, that face, you wanted to collapse and give it to what he was saying, but you would be damned if you gave in to any sort of manipulation from him. The job was already fucked. There was no money. It was a setup just to get you into his lair… for a lack of better word. He seemed to know the ins and outs of this building, yet, he was working underground for the same reasons, presumably, as you were. 

Fuck it, it doesn’t matter. There’s no job. You wouldn’t leave Carlos behind, but couldn’t you pretend?

Your hand gripped the collar of his shirt. “What’s the negotiation?” You mumbled. You tried your best to keep the intimidating look in your eye, but you were afraid Leon never even saw it in the first place.

He breathed out a small laugh. It infuriated you, but sent a chill down your spine. “Can’t we worry about the price later?”

You sighed, and pushed yourself off of him using his body to boost you. He grunted. On your knees now, you said, “You did all of this to get me to work with you and you won’t even tell me what your prices are?”

He followed your lead, and pushed himself off the floor with ease. He was now sitting up, staring you directly in the eye. “I’ve got a different asking price right now.” His voice became low, and you stiffened. It wasn’t every day on the field that you were met with a master tempter. Leon knew what he was doing now, and it all started to make sense to you. Regardless of if he really wanted you on his team or not, he kept an eye on you for weeks, months potentially, he brought you in here for one reason, and maybe one reason only. 

“What makes you so sure I’ll accept?” You whispered, not able to find the courage anymore to speak properly. 

“I think I just know. Am I wrong?” He stared deep into your eyes, yet another challenge. The challenges never seemed to end with him.

And, despite everything, you knew he wasn’t. You could feel it inside of you, he was right. You were about to accept his not-so-professional asking price, and you wanted to hate yourself for even giving in, but you couldn’t. You just couldn’t feel anything except eagerness. 

You breathed in shakily, frozen in your spot, wanting him to do something first, but he was just letting you fall apart slowly under his gaze, most likely enjoying watching your reaction to a simple stare. You ground your jaw together, resorting to only shaking your head. “Cocky bastard.” 

He laughed out loud once. “You got that right.” 

It seemed he had it now, not giving you time to start anything that you couldn’t move to do. With a solid palm, he pushed backwards onto your chest, sending you into the floor again. You caught yourself with your forearms and could only stare up at him as he towered over you on his knees, looking more intimidating than he did with a gun pointed at your face.

Leon brought one of his hands down to raid your holders strapped around your waist, pulling the knives free and flipping one open. Your breath caught for a second when he brought it to your neck, but then released even more unsteadily when he gripped your collar in the other hand and tore the blade through the spandex fabric of your bodysuit.

You gasped when the air hit your skin, shielded by the temperature regulating fabric, feeling more exposed than you ever had on a mission before. Of course, you figured, you decided a long time ago that the most comfortable way to don the bodysuit was with as little resistance as possible, so as soon as Leon tore the fabric apart from the middle, yourbare chest was on display for him. You felt heat run through your body, from embarrassment and the arousal that you couldn’t stop.

If it was even possible, his eyes grew darker with emotion previously undetected, and his grip on the bodysuit fragments that he was holding onto tightened endlessly, still tugging them off your body as far as they could go. 

He let go, your sleeves still intact, nipples hardening, before continuing to tear it apart lower, until you felt the crotch seams rip right under you, and as shocked by his actions as you were, you were doing nothing to stop it. You tried to tell yourself you wanted to stop him, but you knew yourself better than that by now. He would have been on the ground before he could have even held the knife to your throat.

If he was a mind reader, it wouldn’t have shocked you to find that out anymore. “Just gonna lay there and let me do this to you? Maybe I overestimated your skill.”

It was one thing to be flayed out by someone you didn’t know, another to be held at gunpoint during a mission, but an entirely different field to be insulted by the person who performed all said acts. 

“You don’t know anything about my skill. I guess saying you’ve been watching me was a lie.” You pushed yourself up onto your elbows, not even caring about your physical state anymore. Using your left arm, you sat further up, pushing Leon backwards with your right, and delivered him right onto his ass. “You think I can’t take charge of a situation?”

He looked up at you, not ready to physically retaliate. “I think you can, only when the person is letting you do so.”

You grabbed a hold of the gaiter still slung around his neck, and suddenly you were inches away from him. “I’m not letting you make me think that you’re allowing me to do anything. If watching me wasn’t a lie, you’d know I’m a lot more capable than what I’ve just let you do.”

He tilted his head sideways, clearly liking the new lack of distance between the two of you. “Then prove it.”

You decided to make a bold move. Repositioning your legs so you were now on top of him, you dropped yourself to sit right in his lap, feeling exactly what you were expecting. He groaned, finally not expecting something from you, and with a victorious smile, you fell lower, grinding into his erection with all your body weight. His hands instinctively went to claw at your thighs, the grip so tight it almost stopped you from moving, and his breathing became ragged.

“You give this treatment to every criminal that breaks into here?”

Leon laughed through the breaths. “I never get to them first to do this.” As you continued to gyrate on his lap, his eyes fell shut and his head rolled back, thumping on the wall behind him. His hands snaked up your legs, fingers toying the edges of the ripped fabric of his doing, and he pulled it further, trying to unsheath you as much as he could.

“Then allow me to make sure the rest of your criminals are forgettable.” You snaked your arms around his torso, letting him pull you loose from the sleeves of your bodysuit. Now free, you kept your grip firmly on his biceps, your own body weakening at the realization of how strong they felt. 

As badly as you wanted to free them, as badly as you wanted to see him underneath his armor, you wanted to see it when he took you. You needed to look up at his gear and see his hardened face, the strong bodyguard who made you submit.

He continued with his deep groans the more you ground down on his hard cock, and you could feel it yourself through his pants. Leon’s efforts made it so you had barely anything protecting you, and all that stood in the way were his thick pants. You wanted to free him from his constraints, but you wanted to be a tease about it.

“I hope you had a plan for this, because I’m not obeying someone who wanted to kill me.” You had yourself steady by gripping his knees with your hands, leaning back, his eyes never peeled away from your breasts, out in the open.

He took a hand and placed it over your hip, large and warm, and it sent a wave of heat straight to your core, sure you were wet through your panties now.

“So now you want me to take charge, after going on about your own strengths, huh…” He squeezed his hand over your hip, and it made you squirm.

You basically hopped up and slammed yourself down on his lap, just wanting to make him suffer. “You’ll do what I say, and we’ll see who's listening to orders.” Your motion had made him whine as predicted, and you carefully studied his face as it was scrunched up, mostly in pleasure, probably some in pain.

“Then what?” He half whispered out at you. “Tell me what to do, then.” His hands made their way up to your chest, squeezing delicately, but enough to arch your back into his touch. His other was seated on your thigh, the pressure of his fingertips increasing by the second.

You leaned in close to him, inches away, enough to taste him if you so pleased, but you waited. “Why don’t you treat me like the criminal I am?”

A shudder visibly flowed through his body at your words, the back of his head hit the wall again. The hand on your thigh was now on your throat, not tightening just yet, but with enough sturdiness to keep you in your place. Your whole body was on the move now as Leon shifted his weight, and once again, you found yourself with your back on the floor, staring up at him towering over you. Though you had already been aware of it, your nakedness became prominent in this moment, realizing Leon’s neck and face were all you could see of his skin.

“Don’t think I’ll be gentle then,” He barked out at you, having shaken off the pleasure from you grinding down on him.

You smirked, watching him finally take his gloves off, having nothing to say, but only (oddly) excited about the new course of action. He stopped bothering with trying to get the rest of your clothes off, having opened up enough room for him to work in. You thought he was most definitely either going to push your panties aside for access or cut them off, and as turned on as you knew you would be if he did the latter, you still had to leave this place after this.

“Take my belt off.” He was rigid after flinging his gloves aside, giving you orders to obey. Keeping your back square on the ground, raising only your arms, your fingers worked swiftly to undo the belt buckle, pulling the leather through the metal and setting it free. You looked up into his eyes, which were boring holes into you, and when he made no other movement, you continued to his button and zipper.

When your hand made contact with the fabric you saw the jump his cock made at the friction, even barely there. He let out a soft, shaky breath at you working it open, never losing his composure. The rigid tent right in front of your face was long and thick, and you had to get your hands on it faster than yours could work themselves.

Finally undone, you pushed the opening aside and pulled down the elastic band of his underwear, his facial expression never changing, up until you wrapped your hand around the base of his dick, now out in the open, and he groaned. He wrapped one of his own hands around your wrist, a plea not to move it, but you ignored it, and brought yourself to a sitting position so his head was lined up with the tip of your tongue.

“You want to suck it too, like a whore?” Leon’s other hand found solace in the back of your head, fingers tangling up your hair to get a steady grip. The pull made you wince, but you silenced the feeling by running your flat tongue along the underside of his dick, swiping along the head and letting the precum sit in your mouth.

A deep sigh was the result of your actions, and everything he did only egged you on. You felt him adding force to your head to move, but again, moved at your own pace, letting your tongue trace the indents and veins, letting your hand massage the base while your other was on the floor, holding you upright.

The anticipation alone of this moment could have filled your mouth with saliva, and the throbbing cock in front of you only added to help it. You opened your wet mouth and seated your lips around the tip, feeling that push on the back of your head again. Your tongue swirled endlessly, dragging up and down the slit, pushing more of the precum to the back of your throat, and finally, when you decided you had had enough, you slid his length as far back as you could go, a heavy breath coming from above you when you bottomed out. 

His grip on your hair became shaky, and his breathing never righted again the more you took him into your mouth, bringing him closer to orgasm. The friction lightened up with your saliva around the base, your hand becoming covered in it, the sickening sucking noises sending sparks straight down to your pussy, which was begging to be touched, but you had to push Leon to the edge first. 

You could feel his legs starting to buckle, but you pushed on, knowing he would stop you before he could cum in your mouth. As much as you wanted to bring him to that, you wanted to be pleasured by him first.

With one more deepthroat, stifling a gag and feeling his hand lift from your hair, he pulled himself out of your mouth, strings of saliva connecting his head to your lips. 

He took a deep breath in, looking down at you, almost spent but so much more to give.

With no warning, his hand was back on your throat, pushing you backwards into the floor once more. This time, the pressure was enough to constrict your breathing slightly, and you wrapped a hand around his thick forearm. 

“You weren’t getting off the hook that easily,” Even with the breathiness he was speaking through, his face still showed all the authoritative attitude that he had in the first five minutes of your encounter. At this angle, the shadows on his face made him even scarier, but you felt nothing except turned on by him. Strands of gelled hair fell forward onto his forehead, a glisten of sweat decorated his skin.

“Maybe this was your plan the whole time,” He continued, the hand on your throat not allowing you to speak, but giving you enough air to be satisfied. Your breath hitched when you felt him pull your panties to the side, and deliver a rough sensation to your sensitive clit. “You knew the treatment you’d get by crossing me.”

One finger, then two, and surely your slick was in a pool on the floor by now. His appendages had no resistance as they slid in and out of you, hitting your soft walls, arching your hips to get more and more, but he had you at bay, and he knew it.

“You like this, huh?” Leon brought himself closer to your face, lips just a hair away from yours, but he wouldn’t kiss you. “You like being treated like a slut?” You took another restricted breath in when he returned to your clit, massaging it in circles, making your pussy ache even more. “Answer me.” 

A choked out sob came out of you before, “Yes, I do…” and you felt your face heating up at the force of making you degrade yourself. 

“Yeah, I can tell, you’re so wet I should’ve just fucked you the moment I caught you.” He was growling at you now, and it did nothing but send you into pure bliss at his treatment. “Maybe you’ll learn another lesson or two, one they could never teach you.”

Between the stimulation on your clit and the hand on your throat, a tear slipped out of your eye, but you were anything but dissatisfied. He raised himself, removed his hand (much to your displeasure), and readjusted himself, cock lined up square with your heat.

“Open your mouth.” You did as you were told, and he spit directly into your open mouth, and at the distraction of that, he slid into you.

Your jaw hung slack as he made his way in, you could feel the way his cock was stretching your walls wide, your pussy was so wet it made it easier than you were expecting it to be. Your eyes rolled back, not being able to help the way your eyelids fluttered closed, eyebrows furrowing, fingernails surely cutting Leon’s skin through his sleeves where you gripped him hard.

The stretch was immaculate, it burned and it felt like you were on fire, but none of it made you want to tell him to stop. Skin to skin contact was made on your clit when he was all the way in, you felt so full you could barely breathe, and your clit was sending rocket fire signals to your brain, it made you writhe with the sensations.

You gasped, the drag out feeling just as good as the shove in, and you cried out through the constriction around your throat, “Leon… fuck,”

Leon grunted at your appraisal, you felt the fingers over your neck twitch, knowing he was holding himself back from using all the strength he had in his one hand. You tried your hardest to pry your eyes open, you needed to see him.

“You’re such a slut, letting yourself get fucked to get out of trouble,” He spit out at you in between hard thrusts and heavy breathing. You practically felt the tip of his dick hit your stomach every time he thrust in, and from the sounds alone, you knew it had you soaked. You already knew he was a big man, but watching him in his bulletproof gear had you even weaker than you were before, this big heavy guard taking advantage of you, using you, and you loved it.

Your legs wrapped around his torso, hoisting your hips up to feel more, get him deeper, if it was even possible. 

You could barely even breathe, every move that Leon made inside of you made your head spin, every noise he made turned you to jelly, every thrust had you whining so hard you were sure you were going to lose your voice. 

The pressure on your throat lifted, and the sharp intake of cold air down your windpipes made you dizzy. Opening your eyes, Leon was now back to his position on his knees, still fully sheathed inside of you, and with a slick motion, and the wettest sounds you had ever heard from yourself, he slid out, leaving you empty.

You didn’t even have time to process the movement before Leon had his hand on your arms and was turning you over, bare chest to the cold floor, and you unintentionally shuddered. Using your arms to the best of your ability to hold yourself up, you felt them shake violently, and knew they would give out any time soon. 

Looking up, you saw Leon reach forward and pull his discarded jacket down from the back of the chair, sliding it under your head, and pressing you back down by the nape of your neck. You couldn’t help but moan.

Strong hands settled on your hips, and you had to bite the material under you to muffle the scream as Leon pushed himself back into you, every nerve on fire as he hit the deepest spots you didn’t know existed. This time, he was relentless, like he promised.

You could barely hear him through your own screaming and whining.

“Take it like a whore, I know you can…” A slap to your ass, more tears from your eyes. “Fuck, so good, you’ll learn now…” Hands in your hair, pulling your head up. “I’m gonna fill you up, like a fucking slut,” 

Barely processing anymore, your head a mess and eyes full of tears, you only registered the small change when you felt his arm around your waist, fingers teasing circles into your clit while still pounding into your pussy, still getting wetter by the second. The new feeling had your legs spreading wider for him, further weakening you, your thighs shaking with a strong timber you know no man had ever given you before.

“L-Leon…” It didn’t even sound like words anymore at this point, but Leon got the idea. He pressed harder into the soft nub, making you bite back into his jacket and moan loudly. 

“Come on, I know you can cum for me,” Two more thrusts had him in, and you felt the shaft of his cock pulsing erratically inside of you as he released his seed in you, not waiting for you to say he could or not, but knowing he was going to anyway. 

The feeling of being filled to the brink was what send you over the edge, his fingers still making work and his dick milking itself dry inside of your tight walls had you clenching around it, ragged breaths taking your body hostage as white flashed before your eyelids, and Leon knew he had made you finish, especially in the way your body crumpled underneath him.

Swallowing hard, your throat dry, you slowly came back to reality, and your vision cleared. You felt hands on your waist, slowly rolling you over to lay on your back.

Leon was positioned over you, edge in his eyes long gone, face shiny and slick from sweating, all his hair nearly limp over his face. He looked like a completely different person.

“Are you alright?” Still not knowing if you can speak, you nodded, letting your mouth re-salivate. He pinched your chin delicately between his forefinger and thumb, moving your head to the side to expose your neck. “If I bruised you, I didn’t mean to.”

You shook your head. “It will give me something to cover my disappearance with.” You had no idea how long it had been, but with no contact to Carlos back at base, you wouldn’t be surprised if your entire team flanked the building at this very second to rescue you. Now how to get out with an entirely ripped bodysuit…

“Consider my offer.” Leon mumbled, clear enough to hear, but low enough to hear his exertion. “I was serious.”

You blinked slowly at him, not seeing his expression change at his offer. “If I accept, I’m not a criminal you’ll have to put in place anymore.”

At this, he smiled, and dipped his head down to kiss you again, possibly one of the only times he had that night.

“Honey,” He pulled away. “You’ll always be a criminal.”

[hebuiltfive]

Penny In The Air…

I was inspired to do another prompt piece today, which can be found here. Again, this is rough around the edges and has only been read-through once, so I apologise if there are any mistakes or plot holes (definitely some of those). Might have overused the italics button too... Oops.

Mild violence in this, but nothing graphic.

AO3 here.

————————————————

Rigby was accustomed to close calls. It was part of the job, a sort of occupational hazard, but that didn’t mean he liked how his adrenaline spiked, how his heart hammered, how the lump in his throat simply wouldn’t budge no matter how many times he swallowed. He didn’t want to become so acquainted with almost losing people — his team, his superiors, his friends — so he held onto the uncomfortable feeling he was left with. He allowed his body to shake, his temper to rise.

He allowed himself to remember what he had lost and what he’d never lose again.

Carefully, he laid Kayo down. He gently rested her head atop his folded jacket. Thankfully she’d only received a bump and a scratch, nothing too substantial that required immediate medical attention, but he’d still make sure she’d see a medic the second they found a way out of the complex.

If they ever found a way out.

“Is she okay?”

The voice of Francois Lemaire lacked empathy. Rigby peered over his shoulder, his eyes narrow in a glare as he sized the man up.

Lemaire stood a few feet away from where he was crouching over an unconscious Kayo, hands clasped together in front of him with his fingers fidgeting anxiously as he awaited a response. Rigby knew he was only concerned for himself. The main reason he’d been so against taking Lemaire with them in the first place, no matter his connections to the business they were investigating, was that he couldn’t be trusted. Kayo hadn’t listened to him, deeming Lemaire worth the risk for the information he claimed to possess.

If he could have said I told you so, he would have done, but Kayo wasn’t currently awake. She was unconscious, yet another victim on Lemaire’s long list of collateral damage, only she was lucky enough to still be breathing.

Lemaire was lucky she was still breathing.

Rigby stood to his full height and turned on the man. He could have sworn Lemaire backed up a step or two, cowering slightly when he could see properly the anger that was evident on Rigby’s features. Rigby didn’t follow him, however. He remained rooted on the spot, next to Kayo.

“She’ll live.” He state bluntly, as though it was through no help from him. Technically speaking, it wasn’t. “Now you’re going to tell me what the hell you were thinking.”

“It wasn’t my idea!” Lemaire protested, his hands palm side down on his chest.

“What wasn’t? The ridiculous stunt you just pulled, or dragging us here in the first place. You were the one who said there was a lead, but all you’ve done is lead us into more and more danger!”

“I suggested that there might be something of interest to you both, for your investigation.”

That had Rigby’s ears perking up. Quizzically, his brows furrowed and he advanced towards Lemaire. “Speaking of our investigation, how did you even come to hear about it?”

“I keep tabs on things…”

Despite his attempts to sound confident, Rigby could tell Lemaire was in the deep end. He gulped visibly and, for every step Rigby took towards him, he backed up double. Rigby knew the man wasn’t as heroic as he’d like to show the world, that Lemaire hid behind his money and lived his life alongside the idea that someone was always going to come and rescue him as a rock-solid fact, but this behaviour he found interesting. Whatever this was, Lemaire was in over his head. The stubborn man was just too proud to admit it.

For now.

“You mean you spy on government agencies, on the GDF?”

“I wouldn’t say spy, not like that anyway. I think its a public service—”

“I’d be very careful how you proceed, Mister Lemaire, if you don’t want to end this day arrested and in a cell.”

Lemaire was taken back, affronted by the threat. Finding his lost confidence, he lifted his chin and, smugly commented, “I’d like to see what my lawyers think about that, Mister Rigby.”

“Captain.” Rigby corrected him with a growl.

“Excuse me?”

“You will address me as Captain Rigby, not ‘mister’.”

Lemaire waved him off as though the matter was unimportant. His lack of respect was astonishing, even to Rigby who had dealt with far worse than him in the past. Master criminals with nefarious intent were only a few leagues above this… imbecile, and that was saying something.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Rigby realised out loud.

“Which one?”

Quite, Rigby thought. Through gritted teeth and with fists curled into balls at his side, he calmly replied. “Both. What were you thinking and what exactly do you ‘keep tabs on’?”

“I wasn’t thinking.” Lemaire proudly proclaimed. “It had been her idea!”

A slender finger was pointed accusingly towards Kayo, who was still peaceful on the ground behind Rigby. The man’s attempt to absolve himself simply by claiming the idea wasn’t his had Rigby’s patience wearing thinner.

“You didn’t think to try and stop her?”

“Why would I? She said she thought she could find a way out of this place. I’d have been a fool to try and stop her.”

“You are a fool, Lemaire, because you let her almost fall to her death! You don’t even care and— Hold on a second! You said you knew the way out of here!”

Lemaire’s eyes suddenly glinted. “… Did I?”

“The whole reason we brought you along with us was because you said you knew the way out of this labryinth.” Rigby sized him up. “Were you lying?”

It didn’t make any sense. Lemaire wouldn’t have put himself in danger if he there wasn’t something he could gain from it. If he was the captain of a ship, Lemaire would be the first to jump overboard and then later proclaim that he’d been the hero all along, simply because he’d been there.

“No! No, no, no! I wasn’t lying. There must have been some sort of miscommunication… Perhaps my secretary sent you the wrong details… or something...”

Rigby was having none of it. He shook his head. “I spoke to you directly. When you told us you had the lead, you said to me that you knew this place like the back of your hand.”

Behind him, Kayo stirred. The first groan was so quiet, he almost missed it. Rigby abandoned his interrogation and crouched back down to help his friend.

She was trying to sit herself up, gripping her head. “Everything… spinning…”

“Take it easy, Kay. You had a nasty fall.”

“Fall… falling… I don’t…”

Again, she tried to move, and, again, Rigby cautioned her against it.

“Take it easy.”

Her eyes, which had been blinking painfully as she reorientated herself, suddenly flashed wide open, and that was the moment Rigby’s heart sunk. He’d seen Kayo scared before. Working with her so often, Rigby had picked up on certain tells. Normally she’d pretend, very convincingly, to be anything but terrified and he usually would have argued that she’d perfected that skill. But this time she wasn’t trying to hide her fear. The absolute terror that was shining from her amber hues sent a chilling shiver down Rigby’s spine.

“We have to get out.” Kayo whispered. Her words were sharp, crisp and she tried to move again.

“Yeah, we’ve been trying that. Don’t you remember?” Perhaps the fall had done more damage than Rignby had previously thought.

Adamant in her need to sit up, he stopped fighting her and aided her instead. Kayo pressed her back into the wall behind her and Rigby immediately set the medical scanner to work again.

As he hovered it over her body, Kayo peeked over his shoulder. “Where is he?”

“Who, Lemaire? He’s right…”

Rigby turned to point the man out, only he’d vanished. He couldn’t suppress his sigh. Now, of all moments, was the time Lemaire decided to bolt? Rigby guessed he shouldn’t have expected any less.

His attention was again returned to Kayo as she pulled on his jacket sleeves. She was shaking her head. “That wasn’t Lemaire.”

“What do you mean that wasn’t Lemaire? Of course it was.” He lifted up three fingers. “How many?”

Kayo batted them away forcefully. “I’m not playing around, Rigs. We need to get out. Now!”

“Kay, relax, alright? He’s probably just gone off for a wander. You know what Lemaire’s like.”

“That wasn’t Lemaire!”

“Then who—?”

The blood drained from Rigby’s face as the realisation sunk in. He felt the presence behind him before he’d had the chance to stand and face the man. Like the coward he was, he didn’t wait for Rigby to confront him.

The so-called Lemaire imposter kicked Rigby’s legs out from under him, knocking him off-balance and sending him to the floor. Polished brogues collided with his stomach. The breath was taken out of him.

Rigby glanced up in time to see Lemaire’s face morph into a more sinister appearance, one Rigby was unfortunately well acquainted with. Large, bushy brows and a thin, gaunt face. He was smiling down at Rigby, the same shoes as before kicking once again as he tried to upholster his weapon.

“And the penny drops.” The Hood’s taunt was accompanied by a condescending smile. “And they claim you are one of the GDF’s best and brightest? Pah!”

The Hood bent down and retrieved Rigby’s weapon. He aimed at the two of them, gesturing for Rigby to join Kayo by the wall.

With little power currently in his court, Rigby obeyed. He shuffled backwards and offered an apologetic look towards Kayo. She, however, had her eyes set on the man in front of them. She glared at her uncle.

“Come now, Tanusha, don’t be like that.” The Hood waved the weapon towards her communications device. “Do something more useful and call off your brothers’s rescue mission. We don’t want to be disturbed.”

He’d spat that word — brothers’s — with every ounce of disdain he could muster. Everyone knew if the Hood’s complete contempt for Kayo’s decision to join his enemies rather than stand with him. It ate away at him, bred more scorn towards the family Kayo chose to call her own.

Kayo did as she was told. Like Rigby, she understood the predicament.

As she typed away her message, he glowered up at the Hood. “What’s your endgame here anyway? I thought this complex was closed down? And why bother pretending to be Lemaire?”

“All in good time, soldier. For now, let us sit back and enjoy the fireworks.”

[thebluemoonjune]

New Beginnings (Richonne One-shot)

A pregnant Michonne is ready to welcome the new year with her family, Rick, Carl and Judith. She is thankful to where they have reached and hopeful for better days ahead. A New Year's Richonne oneshot. No saviour arc, no Negan.

A joyful new year always began with the sharing of meals and desserts that spoke to people's spirits. Additionally, we shared them with family and friends, demonstrating that our blessings were also theirs.

They called for a home to belong to a community, comfort, food, and safe water. They both required a secure haven for their well-being and for their existence to have meaning: a utopia rather than hell on earth. They owed it to each other and their precious children to fight back against an entity that could devastate everything, that turned friend against friend and separated them in innumerable ways. They were a family and a team that were prepared for the future and now that they had it, they'd protect it. A new year.

A new life does not begin with a gift wrapped in colourful bows and the promise of security, but rather as a path through the unknown with a degree of fog and frost. As a result, it requires a determined heart to seize it, daring feet to traverse it, and a brave sight to remain alert to its curves along with its peaks and valleys. If there were any other way, people would not live such lacking lives from birth to death. To achieve more, one must accept the feeling of danger and risk as one strives for the far distance. The world at large had been devastated and transformed. It had fewer people in it. So many people perished, yet it didn't stop life from going on. As she watched Judith play with Gracey, Michonne stroked her full-term stomach. One day at a time—that's how they took it.

“Did you get the black eye bean?”

“Yep. Now you ain’t gotta rip my head off for it.”

“I’m not that bad!” Michonne watched her husband tilt his head to the side, eyebrows raised to the sky. “Okay, maybe a little, but just a little… My mom used to cook on New Year's for good luck… I want us to start our new year right.”

“Carl always hated beans—beans of any kind.”

“Well, he eating it today. Judith too. No one and I mean no one, is getting off.”

“Yes, ma'am!” He chuckled at her. “You know, you never talked about your mom much, or both your folks for that matter.”

“I never realised…”

“Is it painful?” The couple stared at each other till Michonne broke the silence.

"No, not anymore… My mother was upbeat, opinionated, and the ultimate decider of everyone's life journey... Like any good army drill sergeant, she planned what to do, the schooling, and the fun that followed. Did I ever mention that I was homeschooled?"

"No."

“I was… till I was eleven years old.”

"I could see that. She was a drill sergeant?"

"No, but she acted like one." Michonne laughed, stoking her stomach, before cracking a weary smile. "She was actually a writer; children's books... Strange, huh?"

"Nah... makes perfect sense..." His eyes softened. "She made you."

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment, Rick…”

“It’s a compliment.” He couldn't take his sight off her.

"I hear you… My father did nothing but work: work at his job, work on the house and work on getting enough sleep so he didn't fall asleep on the way to his firm. He inspired me to become a lawyer. He would sometimes grin or laugh, and when he did, the world brightened for those brief minutes. Then he'd fall back into his whirlpool of worry."

“He sounded a lot like my old man.”

“He probably was… They were good parents—not perfect but good enough. That’s all they can hope—that we can hope.”

“We’re doin' fine and we’re gonna do a whole lot better.”

“Alright, whatever you say, old man. Don’t you have to help, Daryl? Don’t keep him waiting.”

“I can cancel, stay with you… Ain’t no big deal.” Pulling her closer, he planted a longing kiss on her lips, causing her to giggle when he finally broke away.

“No, you go. I just have the peas left. By that time, you should be all done and you can fetch Carl from Edith and Judy from terrorising Hershel and Gracey.”

“Soon she’ll have someone else to nag… You sure you’re right? You been out of it since yesterday.”

“I’m fine, Rick you worry too much… They’ll be here soon, any day now. It’s normal.”

“I never thought this would happen again, for us.”

“We deserve it, Rick... A new beginning, as you said… Now go.” Rick planted a kiss on her forehead, then her belly, before she turned from him to continue the preparation of their celebration meal.

“If anything happens, send for me. I’ll come to you as soon as possible, Okay?”

“Go! I send for you.”

Regardless of his wife's words, he couldn’t help but stall and linger at the kitchen exit. She was late in her pregnancy and he wanted to treasure every second till the baby arrived. He was thirsting to be by her side. They never expected to ever have this. He never thought she’d allow herself the chance after all that had happened in the past. However, she gave him one and gave their family one as well. After being hit with a side eye, he managed to make his way to Daryl. When they completed their duty at hand, he fetched Carl and Judith to go home.

…

The family of four placed themselves in their seats for lunch after Michonne snatched Carl to help her set the dining table. Rick took Judith into his lap, knowing that he’d have to feed her since she was even more picky than Carl.

“Since we're here, I think we should say what we’re thankful for… and our hope for the future.” Michonne’s eyes never left her boys for one second. “ Carl?”

“I just want things to be the same as always and I’m thankful we’re all here.”

“Me too, Son.” Grinning at Carl’s answer, Rick leaned over to rub his head.

“Did you say ‘me too’ to not come up with something different, Grimes?”

"Maybe, but I mean it. You know that.”

“Well, I know that… I’m thankful that I found you. I’m thankful for getting me out that day, even if you were an asshole afterwards.”

“In my defence, I didn’t know you well yet, and I still kept you around when I sent the others away. That’s gotta count for somethin', right? After all, we were the same.”

“You didn’t know or trust me, but that didn’t stop you from checking me out, did it?” 

“You noticed that?”

“Judith and I are still here, you know?” They both crackled at their son’s embarrassed distaste for the current topic but kept going.

“You not kicking me out is part of the reason I put up with your behaviour.” Rick sighed at her pettiness. “Us being the same and me longing to stay with you guys is another part as well, though I didn’t realise that last part just yet... Carl?”

“Yeah?”

“You and Judybug saved me. You don’t know how much you two did. Thank you for making me one of you and thank you for being my best friend and not letting me chicken out… You gave me a second chance, all three of you and I love you so much for it… What I want is all of you safe and sound and happy, and by my side. The baby included, of course. Thank you for giving me back my family.”

Her eyes welled up with tears of unfathomable affection. The happiness dripped from her eyes and they were soon all overcome with shared emotion. It was such a warm, heart-gripping moment, only disrupted by Michonne's booming grunt of pain. At that moment, she came to face the fact that she’d been having contractions all day. Part of her was in denial, only being focused on celebrating New Year's the right way with her family. She stood up, grabbing the tablecloth, and Rick understood immediately. He knew she was acting weird.

"Carl, go grab Siddiq!”

“It’s happening now?”

“Yeah! Go!”

…

Childbirth has always been risky. It makes little difference that it is natural. It is also quite natural for a mother or baby to die. That is why they had made so much progress in medicine for safe childbirth. Michonne and the infant were in far more danger now that the world had changed. Rick became aware of a massive natural birth occurring at his feet. It had struck him, just now. Panicked and fearful, he still stayed by her side. It was his job as a father and a husband. No matter how hard it was on him mentally, she was having it a thousand times worse. She was the one in pain; she was the one in danger. He sat behind her and supported her back with every push, encouraging her whenever she began to falter.

“Rick!” She cried out in search of unconscious comfort for her partner-in-crime.

“I’m here, darlin'; I’m right here! You’re doing great!”

“Why did I think this would be easier the second time around?”

“Because you’re amazing; that’s why! You’re doin’ great!”

They traverse till the drawing of beautiful angel breath, serenaded by freedom. A sign of their baby's existence.

…

A happy new year was partly about starting again and partly about being grateful for all the blessings that had been granted the previous year. It was a warm welcome to new fortunes and the courage to confront problems gracefully and compassionately. Rick stared at his family as their attention fell to the newest member; his son from his departed first wife and his adopted daughter. They had fought so hard and lost so much to ensure they made it. reminding him of the bad, his mind ran to his dear, long gone friend Hershel, and his words to him,

 'Things break, but they can still grow. These little bristles, they'll take root,'.  

His wife was spent but she still held a peaceful smile on her face, gawking at their son swaddled in her arms, the first biological child between the two of them. Judith slipped her finger into his outstretched palm and watched as the tiny body curled around it. His gentle breath touched the back of her hand. Her playful day already slipping away as she observed her new brother.

Rick was going to speak again when Carl spoke first.

“We can’t use fireworks to celebrate but we do have the sparklers! It’ll be nice just to have something, right, Judy?”

“Yeahhh!”

“Alright, you two go now. I’ll keep Michonne and the baby company.”

Carl took Judith after she planted a kiss on her new baby brother and off they went. Michonne, feeling her husband’s eyes on her, allows their gazes to meet. They both knew this was what they struggled and fought so hard for. It wouldn’t be easy but year after year, he would make sure his children—all three of them—lived the best life, a full life. Michonne stretched out her hand.

“Rick…” Her words were weary and had a dream-like quality to them, as she seemed to crave the solace of rest, the enticement of the nice bed beckoned to her tired body.

“Darlin, what's wrong? Uncomfortable? Tell me, I’ll get it…” She shook her head, confusing him.

“His name; I have it.”

“Yeah?” His tone was gentle as he lowered his body next to her and she placed their newborn in his arms. “What is it?"

“RJ. Richard Daniel Grimes Junior... Do you like it?”

“I grateful…” Rick's eyes grew damp. He didn’t expect her to name their little boy after him. “You sure?”

“I’m sure… He’ll be as smart, sweet and determined just like his namesake… Just like his dad.”

“Thank you.” Bending over, as he kissed her forehead and whispered into her ear.

“No, thank you.” 

[co6kiesvr]

summary: namor isn’t so happy when he finds out the us has taken you to find out about the kingdom

namor stood by the shore, talking to queen ramonda, about their alliance and how it’s going to work. during that time, you were also outside of the kingdom, doing some undercover work, to find out what the us has been doing and if they’re even thinking about coming to the kingdom

namor has told you multiple times that he’s got this, and he’ll be the one to handle it. but ever since you became queen of talokan, all you do is just sit around. you wanted to feel useful for once

so you took the matter into your own hands, and snuck out of the kingdom, not really knowing what you’re getting yourself into, and got caught

“k’kul’kan!” a young lady yelled as she walked out of the ocean, namor turned to see one of his civilians there

“what are you doing here?” he asked

“le reina! (the queen) she’s gone!”

no no no no no, how could you be gone? did somebody take you? are you hurt? how could the love of his life be in danger! he’s a god, how could he let something like this happen

namor found himself sending all his people to go find you, this wasn’t an easy matter to handle, you were the queen!

one of them found out where you were, and trust me, when they told namor that his queen was in danger and taken by the us government, they saw a whole new side of him

meanwhile, you were truly in danger, they spent no time in harming you to get you to talk

“who sent you!” the man yelled in your face as another punch came your way

“nobody! i swear—nobody” you cried

the man sighed, before signaling something and leaving

you took a moment to breathe, before a knife was sliding along your face, you screamed in pain when a cut made its way on your face

“please! no!” you screamed as they cut your skin

they heard a loud thump outside, and stopped

they went outside to see what happened, before mysteriously falling to the ground, and there stood namor

once he found out where you were, he didn’t take anyone with him, he wanted to kill all of them with his bare hands

you looked up to see him running to you, his hands gently holding your face as he looked at you with such fear in his eyes

you were bruised and cut, you were hurt and your eyes looked puffy, he would never ever wish to see this sight

“in yakunaj—what did they do to you! what—how did they get you! what—how—no—“

“i’m sorry” you cried

“sorry? what—why are you sorry?”

“it’s my fault”

“what—no, no, no—of course not—“

“it is, it is” you said, making him go quiet, “i left the kingdom—to see what they’re up to, and—i just wanted to help” you sobbed

“you—you left the kingdom?” he said, you were quiet, and so was he.

he picked you up and took you home, the worry leaving his body, knowing that nobody saw him since they were all dead now

you two didn’t say a word, the people of the kingdom helped you, and fixed you up, while namor was on his own, he didn’t talk to you, he kept to himself

after a couple of hours, you went to see him, and saw him painting on his wall as usual. the room was filled with silence, as you stared at him, feeling the disappointment radiating

“i’m sorry” you cried, “please talk to me—“

“you risked the safety of this kingdom!” he yelled, the guards quickly picked up on what was about to happen, and left so they spare you some embarrassment

he turned to you, “you risked everything—just so you could see them? you are queen of talokan, your job is to sit here and stay here whether you like it or not! i told you i got it handled, and you were just so stupid to go and leave and almost get yourself killed! you know what would’ve happened to you if i wasn’t alerted? you’d be dead! dead! In kuxtal habría u Ts'o'okan. (my life would be over)”

you stood there, tears dwelling in your eyes, you walked away, not bothering to speak. he was right, you were stupid, stupid enough to go and try to get yourself killed, stupid enough to think you could help keep this kingdom safe, stupid enough to think you could handle a big responsibility.

you kept quiet for the rest of the day, you did your duties and stayed in the bedroom for a while

you sat on the couch in the room, you could hear footsteps approaching, but didn’t bother to get up and see

namor knocked on the door, “you didn’t show during dinner” he spoke, and you didn’t answer, he got closer to you, holding your hand

“i’m sorry for what i said, in yakunaj. i was just angry—and scared…” he said, and you frowned, “i was scared i was gonna lose you. i’m sorry i was so harsh, but i—when i saw you there, you looked…i just never wanted to see you like that. and i would do anything to make sure it stays that way, i know you get bored here, and you wish to do more. you will, but not right now. please be patient with me.” he said, he kissed your hand and held it tighter than before

“please talk to me” he said again

“im sorry for leaving—i just wanted to not feel useless for once”

“hey! don’t talk about my queen like that.” he said, and you lightly smiled

the two of you shared a kiss, and stared into each others eyes, you two loved each other, sure you fought sometimes, but who doesn’t?

[paingoes]

Destroyer is afk

(Masterlist)

another sherbet colored update. i really love simulating internet speech in writing i think its so fun

(Content: death mention, past trauma, self loathing, comfort??)

=======================

no posts in a month its over

they got him omg </3

Did indy fucking die?

RIP INDY

ndhakdvsnnd: can you guys stop saying that im dead  ndhakdvsnnd: also no more leaks until further notice. stop asking.

sunspot: Hey you don’t have to talk to us if you don’t want to but can you please give us some indication you’re still alive? 

sunspot: We’re really worried.

katkittykat: omg look at this video :3

katkittykat: have u ever seen a shark move like that in all ur life that shit is so crazy

katkittykat: hey where have u been lololol

katkittykat: are u mad at me :c

katkittykat: if its somethin i did can we talk abt it ??? 

katkittykat: okk ur making me nervous 

katkittykat: OH SHIT UR BACK

katkittykat: WTF

ndhakdvsnnd: hey sorry 

katkittykat: bro where did u go!!!! D:

ndhakdvsnnd: had to travel somewhere i couldnt bring my laptop

katkittykat: im rlly glad ur ok! 

ndhakdvsnnd: do you want me to send you the next batch

katkittykat: uhh yea only if ur up to it. whenever ur ready :3c

ndhakdvsnnd: i can do it now

katkittykat: ty sweetness

katkittykat: sunny wants u to answer him lol hes having an aneurysm xD

ndhakdvsnnd: okay

ndhakdvsnnd: hi

sunspot: Hey! 

ndhakdvsnnd: kitty said you wanted to talk to me

sunspot: Yes I wanted to know if you were okay because we hadn’t heard from you in a while

ndhakdvsnnd: obviously

sunspot: ?

sunspot: Why is that obvious?

ndhakdvsnnd: how would i be typing if i wasnt okay

sunspot: That doesn’t even make sense ?

sunspot: I assumed if you were offline for a month it was because you were either upset or in danger

ndhakdvsnnd: maybe i just have a day job to worry about

sunspot: In that case it would’ve been nice to receive some kind of warning so we wouldnt think you were hurt 

ndhakdvsnnd: i didnt have time

sunspot: You didn’t have time to type one sentence?

ndhakdvsnnd: okay im sorry

sunspot: Look I’m not trying to lecture you Im just saying we were concerned and I wanted to make sure you were alright.

ndhakdvsnnd: okay

sunspot: Everything’s really okay then? Nothing happened?

ndhakdvsnnd: i dont want to talk about it

sunspot: Alright.

sunspot: You know we care about you right?

ndhakdvsnnd: i didnt send a warning because i didnt know i was leaving until the last minute i didnt go by choice

ndhakdvsnnd: thanks for attacking me over it as soon as i got back though 

sunspot: Does it seem like I’m attacking you? 

ndhakdvsnnd: yes kind of

sunspot: I’m sorry then. I didn’t mean to.

ndhakdvsnnd: okay

sunspot: Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?

ndhakdvsnnd: i am just sad okay i am already getting yelled at all the time  i dont need to get it from you too 

ndhakdvsnnd: sorry this is stupid ill shut up

sunspot: No it’s okay! If you’re upset you can tell me that’s what I was messaging you about in the first place I had the feeling something was wrong

ndhakdvsnnd: are you sure

sunspot: Yes positive

ndhakdvsnnd: i just dont like feeling like everyone is disappointed or mad at me all the time i dont know 

ndhakdvsnnd: it would be one thing if i deserved it but i dont know i have been really really trying lately and it doesnt work and it makes me feel bad

ndhakdvsnnd: but i kind of deserve to feel bad so i dont know 

ndhakdvsnnd: im tired

sunspot: Why do you think you deserve to feel bad?

ndhakdvsnnd: a lot of reasons 

sunspot: I don’t think you deserve it.

ndhakdvsnnd: you dont know me though

ndhakdvsnnd: you wouldnt like me if you knew me 

sunspot: Well what I do know about you now is that you are risking your life and sanity to provide us information to help people.

sunspot: Just based on that I don’t think you deserve to feel so bad about yourself.

sunspot: I think the people you’re around are probably really hard on you and its affecting the way you see yourself.

ndhakdvsnnd: im sorry

sunspot: Why are you saying that?

ndhakdvsnnd: i dont know

ndhakdvsnnd: is it okay if i go to bed now 

sunspot: Goodnight! We can talk later if you’re up for it?

ndhakdvsnnd: okay gn

[your-ne1ghbor]

My problems with Magnifico and Amaya and how I would rewrite them (TKoRaT AU)

GOD DAMN IT NOW I WISH MAGNIFICO AND AMAYA IN MY VERSION WERE GOOD PEOPLE AHHHHHHHHH-

Ahem..sorry..what was I gonna say?

Oh yea! Feeling like a long rant again, so prepare your eyes!!!💀

Sooo, I kinda have been off putting stuff again since I had school work and a bunch of ideas like this one, so I decided to just share it so I don't loose the idea (ik I can write it down but idk I felt like sharing it). Plus the fact that I've been more chatty lately lol.

Idk how to transition to my problems with Amaya and Magnifico so here.

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

Magnifico and Amaya's Character in Wish 2023

Magnifico

Magnifico in the film is...well is a pretty stand up guy! Sure, he is paranoid most of the time and is pretty stubborn, but he is very selfless and a really generous person!

You can say he is more in line with the kings of original films that deeply care for their children, such as King Sefan from Sleeping Beauty, or King Frederic from Tangled.

In this case, he deeply cares for the people of Rosas. I mean yeah, it is weird that you forget what your goal is in life, but if I had nowhere to go and no roof over my head, of course I would go to Rosas to live there safely. Heck, in perspective, you have a chance of your wish getting granted, and don't have to pay rent to live there. It is a pretty fair deal, especially for families who want their kids to grow up out of harms way. Sure, he can't grant all of the wishes, but his reasoning is pretty valid. The only line I could get from the film that would support this would be when he commented on Asha's Grandfather's Wish (which is to inspire the next generation):

"To create what? A rebellious mob perhaps? Inspire them to...to do what? Uh, destroy Rosas, maybe?"

And a lot of people can argue that Saba's wish is very simple or isn't dangerous, but here is the thing. Simple things can have dangerous concequences no matter how small or big they are. Sure, you can start out small, like inspiring people, but it will cause a domino effect that can lead to something greater. Either for the better or worse. And example would actually be Walt Disney himself! He started out small, but without him, animation would not have gotten to where it is today. With his love and passion to art and story telling and taking risks, we WOULD NOT have gotten Puss in Boots, SpiderVerse, OR EVEN ANYTHING ANIMATION WISE. Walt Disney really pioneered animation and without those baby steps, there would not be an Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, ect. It would just be...well...live action I guess. Hate the Disney company or not, Walt helped get animation to where it is today, and it sucks that his company, even after death, wont try anymore to push the limits of animation except for companies that isn't Disney.

Plus, I don't even blame Magnifico for thinking this way! Although it is sort of annoying that his backstory was told instead of shown (not that there is nothing wrong with telling, but showing for me is a more effective way of story telling for me. You can take the little mermaid for example), I personally understood where he was coming from. In his backstory, his home was destroyed from thieves and barbarians, with his family and possibly everyone he knew being dead. Its honestly tragic, so him making a kingdom for people to not suffer that pain again is very selfless of him and just...feels good in a good way you know?

But as everything in this movie is, it takes the good things and beats it over with a 30 foot pole and leaves it to rot.

He is turned into the villain. And no, it isn't because of Asha not getting what she wanted, and no, it isn't because Amaya, his wife died (she never did btw)! OH NO IT IS MUCH WORSE.

He opens up a mAgIc bOoK oF dArK mAgIc and becomes the bad guy...

...What the fuck. Actually no, applauds to you Disney! This is such a effective way of telling a story. 10/10 forever and ever. Great job! :D

(I am being sarcastic, this is legit the worst way for a good guy becoming the villain, its so fucking stupid-)

He is just simply stripped of his good qualities and only lets his bad qualities shine through. It kind of feels like he was being held at gun point here.

"OH PLEASE BELIEVE THAT I AM ACTUALLY THE BAD GUY. OH PLEASE GOOD CIVILLAIN THEY ARE GOING TO PULL THE TRIGGER-"

Seriously, there was no other way of making him the bad guy? Like legit? Simply remove his backstory and make him evil at the begining. I guess it would be weird if he took the wishes without reasoning, but even then, why give him good qualities when he is supposed to be the bad guy? He became more of a tragic hero than a tragic "bad guy".

I will go more into my problems with him after I talk about Amaya for a bit since talking about her character is more shorter than Magnificos.

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

Amaya

The best I can say for her character is that she is like Jimmy Cricket but fell in love with Pinnocio (I know that sounds weird pls spare me).

She is like the voice of reason for Magnifico, and it is best shown when Magnifico FIRST concidered on using the book for "his evil deeds". This scene specifically:

Other than that, she wasn't really a character in the film AT ALL. It sort of sucks concidering what the original concept was (WE WILL GET TO THAT) and instead degraded her character to...well...nothing.

I can't really say anything about her since she just was "I am loyal to my husband" to "actually fuck you I will believe a 17 year old instead of the man I trusted for the amount of years it took to get the kingdom to it's feet." I want to, but I can't. SHE HAS NOTHING.

I wish I can say more about her character, but it would just be me ranting about how trash her is character and was handled. Speaking of that, lets get into why I dislike how they were handled.

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

Why does their character bother me so much?

Well it is sort of hard to explain, but I'll do my best.

Magnifico was supposed to be the return of the classic villains. You know, on the levels of Jafar, Ursala, Evil Queen, Malificant, ECT, he just...wasn't. Although he had a bunch of Evil Queen inspirations thrown into his character, it felt like more of refrences to a better film than being apart of his character. Plus, I feel like I sympathized with him way to much. I personally felt more emotion when he was on screen instead of the main character because I understood where he was coming from. Its honestly baffaling to me, since if he didn't have his backstory told to us, I still would not rooted against him. Even without his backstory, it just sounds like he was doing this at the bottom of his heart and empathizing with people who are doing far worse than what he is going through. Its honestly heartwarming seeing a person trying to do good in the world and provide a safe place for everyone to be free from the burden of this world. And want to know something? None of the classic villains had tragic backstories. They are evil for the sake of being evil. There probably was some with sympathetic traits, but from what I recall, there is none. So going with the sympathetic rout is not on par with classic villains.

However, there is nothing wrong with giving your villains sympathetic traits. It makes them feel more rounded as a person/character, and you can get a lot of emotion from that alone. I just think that Magnifico being the villain doesn't make sense since as I said, they made him so generous and kind in the begnining and only destroyed it since "oh wait, we need a villain, so why not make the good guy the villain" and threw in the dark magic book and called it a day. Not even that, but he is not threatening in any way. What I mean by that, is that his powers don't really get an upgrade at all. His magic just sort of turns green and thats it! I even bet that he can crush wishes even without the powers of the magic book.

Going off topic, but making plushie..COUGH... star...(plusie = wish 2023 star) less "stronger" to make the female lead stronger just makes Magnifico's reason for going after plushie's powers even more useless. Even with plushie's powers, HE IS JUST THE SAME. I guess he can now create vines? BUT IT JUST DOESNT WORK. It makes more sense for Magnifico going after plushie when it is powerful because he could see that power as a THREAT to his own powers and his kingdom.

Now for Amaya, her turning against Magnifico is just stupid. Haven't you went through a lot with him? Why the hell did you give up after "oh he can't be saved"? I feel like she could have done a "true loves kiss" sennario which breaks the spell it has on him. Not only that, she barely contributes to the plot at all. The only thing she contributes to the plot is just "getting the teens into the castle so they can free the wishes" then disappears, then reappears at the finally when Magnifico got a little too silly with his drugs-I MEAN wishes haha... Then she becomes the ruler of Rosas. It feels weird and out of place, especially concidering her character MOST LIKELY went through so much with Magnifico only to turn on him when he gets a little mad. It is so stupid. Also, if you just remove her, nothing would really change except the first scene where Magnifico has the book, only this time, no one is there to stop him. And as I said, HER CHARACTER IS NOTHING. But here is the thing...

When concidering the concept version of Amaya, she would have been the villain along side Magnifico. Not as a selfish love relationship or they are together at ones expense (gaining something from one another for only themselves) no, THEY WERE MADLY IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. Something to note here is that there is barely ANY villain couple or ANY VILLAINS who are like this, let alone love each other for the sake of it instead of a "selfish love relationship and then one gets redeemed " situation (im looking at the mayor of paris from miraculous ladybug). So that, THAT RIGHT THERE, would have been a brilliant idea and brings something new and fresh to the table. Not only that, it is so brilliant that it would have respected all of the male/female antagonists we had for the past 100 years with the company. It is also A RISK. Walt was all about taking risks, even when his company would have floundered at the expense of making art. Snow White for example had a lot of money put into it that if it failed, well Disney would not exist in this timeline so to speak. So taking that risk is also RESPECTING Walt's legacy in a really good way.

I personally just see this as a fun way to explore their characters, especially when you can reflect their characters off of our main characters, Asha and Star (boy), if you want to of course. I can imagine Magnifico kinda be like Gaston from beauty and the beast with some Frollo flare to it (not the lust thing tho but yk what I'm getting at) and Amaya can be like Ursala or Gothal. Plus, it works as a power balance. In the original concept, Amaya was the potion maker while Magnifico does all of the magic. Its honestly a fun way to play with power set ups. Magnifico can just be for show and Amaya can just be a drug dealer (or basically Ursala).

But NOPE. WE HAD TO SHIT ON WALTS LEGACY TO GET THOSE SHINY DOLLAR SIGNS $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Here is the thing: I can get over Star Boy not being in the film, like I get it. We gotta have that girl power in Disney movies now, and they have to be emotionless people. But a Disney power couple? WHAT THE HELL??? LEGIT THE BEST IDEA YOU HAVE EVER HAD IN 100 YEARS. AND YOU GOT RID OF IT BECAUSE WE CAN'T TAKE RISKS ANYMORE??? BUT WALT WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT. YOU WANT TO RESPECT HIS LEGACY? THEN TAKE THE RISK TO DO SO YOU SELFISH, INSUFFERABLE, PIECES OF SHI-

(This section was removed because I went a little crazy there. Sorry about that. I'm not sure how I can transition into the rewrite section, again, soooooo here:)

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

How I would rewrite the characters

There is no wrong or right way of rewriting a character, especially when a lot of people interpret them in different ways, and that is completely fine!

This will also fall into somewhat Asha's character and she will be mentioned to fit what I am going for with the characters. I will also leave out what they both do to the wishes since I am making a whole reimagined scene and it is going to include what they do to the wishes there. It will leave out some stuff I had with it here, but I will do my best interpritation of the characters the best I can, even when I can't really say much about it :)

Magnifico:

🌟 For starters, right off the bat, he does not have any of that sort of backstory they gave him for the original. For what I am going for, his backstory will not fit his reasonings for what I am going for, especially for his character.

🌟 He is more on par with the original personality from the original storyboard, specifically this one:

(This also goes for Amaya too personality wise)

🌟 Something that is very different from a lot of villains is that he has sympathetic traits. Although he has more negative traits than positive, he has more of a caring side. Mainly to Amaya, but Asha as well. When Amaya found Asha at their door steps (they aren't holding me hostage as I write out this specific part guys, I swear) at first he saw her as an opportunity to boost his and his wife's popularity that would have other people come more to their kingdom (its more of like they are seeing their "generosity" side and dismiss the problems the kingdom has). But as she continued to live with her adoptive parents, Magnifico became pretty close to Asha. Its mainly because of her passion to what she strives to be, to be like him. Probably feeding into his ego, but you know, nice to know he cares.

🌟 Just because he treats Amaya and Asha well, doesn't mean that the kingdom gets that same treatment. He doesn't care about the people at all. He actually has enjoyment when he hurts or breaks people's dreams. He gets all excited about it and you guys can ask him why he finds enjoyment out of it cause idk it would be more fun that way and gives you guys the chance to interact with him :D

🌟 The wishes boost his powers temporarily. It fades away after either a few days or hours. When his powers are boosted, he has more control over the people. And, to who he consumes the wishes of, can see through their perspective for a little while. It also makes civilians more compliment with him and not question his authority. This does not work with people who have not given up their wishes though. Only to people who have already given up their wishes. He can also make people forget certain memories (that might be Amaya's thing though but I'm not too sure) and can put on much more longer "light shows" (think on the level of: Playing with the Big Boys, but more flashy and crazier). He can also manipulate his surroundings with images, but not at a physical level. (Like hallucinations so to speak)

🌟 His powers without the wishes are more of what he uses to do simple things or put on small light shows. Not as flashy than ones when he has his powers boosted, but he puts on the smaller ones to "gain more people to comply when they have to give up their wishes", one might say, inspire them to do so. He also uses it to help Asha practice with magic (She can't even do magic STFU I KNOW.) It also can be used to take desires that you have deep in your heart.

🌟 If hair jell were to exist in his time period, he would eat it with no regrets (Amaya would make it so he can eat it without getting hurt)🔥

🌟 When he consumes a stars powers, he legit goes insane and can shape shift like one, but more corrupt with no consistancy to what he turns into since he legit gone insane. With a star, a star can shapeshift to whatever it wants or to express it's emotions. With him, it is all over the place. He can't control it.

🌟 Like Frollo, he tortures anyone who is against him, and will not hesitate to take it to the extreme if needed too (or that he wants to, to please himself).

🌟 What his wife says or does, he will willingly go through with it. After all, he loves her with all his heart.

🌟 He can't let Asha out of the castle often to make sure that the people will not take advantage of her generosity (thats what he thinks though, in reality everyone is just scared of the royals.. most of them at least) or learn-

Magnifico then breaks the forth dimention and destroys my house.

Ah...right...

🌟 He is such a silly goober!!1!11!1!11!1 o(*￣▽￣*)o

(He told me to write that or else he will kill my dog and cat. HELP ME PLEASE-)

Amaya

🌟 For starters, she is much more involved in the story than she is in the original. She doesn't have a backstory like what Magnifico had in the original, nor does she need too. Not sure how they would meet at the moment, but I'd like to think that they met and then were like: love at first sight and became more silly as time went on...including their insanity <3

🌟 As I said for Magnifico, she is more on par with the concept version personality wise. But she is more of an Ursala and likes to put herself as the victim to get more people to feel bad for her (MANIPULATION AT ITS FINEST 😜)

🌟 Just like Magnifico, she has sympathetic traits. And she only has it, because of our main character Asha! She just found her one day at the castle doors. She didn't understand why, but like Magnifico, only let her stay for as long as she did to post her popularity with the commoners, and grew closer to her as she became more of a mother figure to Asha. (Ruh Ro, anyone sensing Mother Gothal vibes?) Unlike Magnifico though, she uses her sympathetic traits to get people to comply with their ways better. Her main trait she is good at looking at the person's situation and understand it well, or aka being empathetic. She uses that to her advantage when manipulating them to do whatever she pleases.

🌟 She is more of a witch than anything. I imagine her somewhat like Ursala (yes a heavy load of Ursala), Evil Queen, and Yzma (Emperor's New Groove) when in terms to what they make. She does make a lot of poisons to use if anyone is getting a little too close to the close and they gotta...TAKE THEM OUT without anyone knowing. She can also use it for like a form of medicine too.

🌟 Some potions, like turning people into animals or certain poisons, requires people's desire. More so with turning people into animals as a form of punishment. She can also use her craft at potion making to have her wield magic for a certain amount of time WHEN NEEDED. (Gee I wonder what she will use that for). It can also be used like a drug, or to get someone to comply with what they want a little better than Magnifico. She can put on pretty shows too, but more smoke themed and is better at manipulating her surroundings.

🌟 Although Amaya would teach Asha how to make potions, she worries that the people of Rosas would take advantage of her kindness and use the skills that she would teach Asha to their advantage and form a revolt to take them down. (Which really, with them ruling, who can blame them?)

🌟 I would say she is more of a planner than Magnifico. She plans ahead and makes sure everything is in line with what they want and makes plan Bs or Cs even Ds in case anything would go wrong. Asha actually gained that trait from her believe it or not!

🌟 Magnifico is more reckless than his wife. Amaya is more so less confronting and tries to keep up their image. She actually have certain gestures that Magnifico would take notice too. And since he trusts her a lot, he complies and lets Amaya take lead in certain situations.

🌟 Yes...she also finds enjoyment of seeing people getting tortured. They actually made up a game on how they would torture a certain civilian 💀

🌟 When it comes to how she treats the people of Rosas, she is as I said, less confronting and puts on more of a fake smile and gaslights everyone that their kingdom is fine or whatever (It is not gaslighting when it is telling the truth. I feel so offended right know! DUDE LADY CHILL I AM CREATING YOU RN AND YOU ARE ALREADY TRYING TO GASLIGHT ME WTF😭)

🌟 When she has a star's powers, I feel like it would let her create whatever the fuck she wants at an insanity level. Wishing stars create items that would help users on their journey, so with her, she can use it to her advantage. Also she becomes just as insane as her husband. It also gives a difference in terms to what they would do when they have a star's powers. Magnifico would be able to shapeshift at a corrupt level, and Amaya can manipulate her surroundings that would become reality so to speak at an insane level. I chose this one since it fits her not being more confrontant while Magnifico is more so on that. She be lurking in the shadows like a cat :3

🌟 How she knows so much about the people, is by her cat! I think the cat would be called Custos. Idk the name yet, might go with the concept version of the name.

🌟 I learn more about my prey before I strike at their weakest point. (Nah that's very catnap of you. Unless you want to fall asleep for 100 years, I suggest you choose your words carefully. Bruh alright lady💀) And yes she wrote that in...

🌟 She is such a silly lil guy...AMAYA STOP LET ME BE SILLY U SON OF A BI-😡

Erm anyways...(she tried to eat my dog and steal my cat. GRRRR)

I feel like it would be fun if it is just expanding their empire for their main goal or taking over the world. Kind of like this song as their modivation:

I want this to be their goal since it kind of feels like some of the old Disney Villains, for me at least :3 (And I am having WAYYYY to much fun with their characters already hehe)

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

Final Thoughts

On a final note, I will mention that there is a possibility that all of this wont make it into the final version. And in all honesty, I'm actually shocked I was able to compose all of this together without mentioning what they do with the wishes, like what- 😭

I also am still debating if Amaya and Magnifico made the kingdom or it was passed down through generations. Don't know yet tbh :^

Also, Amaya was sort of difficult for me to jot down since I didn't know how to get her into the story, and I think I am slowly, but surely getting there :D

I also really tried to make it different and fresh from the other versions and I am very excited to show that "I DECIDE WHAT EVERYONE DESERVES" when it is done (it is now We decide what everyone Deserves).

You can also ask both Amaya and Magnifico questions regarding the info you know about them now and about how they feel with the other versions of them if you want to of course (and I can show off their designs HEHHEH)

And yes...I had too much fun with writing out how they would interact with the post. DW, they wont interact here in the Final Thoughts section hehe ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I might also do a post on Asha since I have been pretty quiet on her character design/rewrite and another post about Star Boy since I wanna get more in depth with the ideas of Wishing Stars in my AU.

Speaking of Au...

what to call this AU of mine hmmmmm

I'll go with The Kingdom of Roses and Thorns, or TKoRaT. Feels fitting to me, at least for what I am going for story wise and character wise. Might change it since I can't stick with one thing, but rn it rolls off the tongue nicely.

Until then, I hope you have a great day and I hope Magnifico and Amaya don't steal your dreams 💀

@oh-shtars @annymation @chillwildwave @signed-sapphire

(They are thinking of working with your versions of Magnifico and Amaya oh boy not good 💀)

[emonaculate]

Neva Play

☀ AU: Modern!AU

☀ Genre: Modern!Street racing

☀ Rating: 16+ (This oneshot contains sexual content, read at your own risk

☀ Pairing: Street racer! Gojo x Street racer! Black! reader; motherly!Y/n x Yuji (PLATONIC)

☀ Warnings include: Profanity, Implied sexual content, slightly out of character gojo, Y/n is a mean bitch, illegal racing, Gojo is crazy, Y/n is crazy, yall I told yall i like toxic, evading the police (obey traffic laws yall), dom!Gojo, bratty!sub!y/n, slapping (receiving), WAS NOT PROOF READ

☀ Author's Note: Another little teaser before I start my offical Gojo series that is gonna take up my time. This one-shot was inspired by the fast and furious franchise and Neva Play by Meg the Stallion. I tried to do a good job of describing Y/n's y2k inspired outfits but I wanted to focus more on the racing instead. If this does well, I'll make a part ii strictly for smut. I really enjoy seeing how many people enjoy my content and I'm thinking of splitting my works so those who like the sfw content can enjoy one half, while my dirtier (degenerates like me) can enjoy the freakier parts as well.

The roar of engines pierced the night as neon lights flickered to life, casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the slick pavement. Crowds gathered along the narrow streets of Tokyo, their excitement palpable, each heartbeat synced with the thrum of racing cars. A sleek, midnight-blue coupe shot past, its headlights cutting through the darkness like a comet, leaving a trail of shimmering reflections in its wake.

As the cars lined up at the starting line, their polished surfaces gleamed under the vibrant glow of overhead signs, creating a breathtaking tapestry of chrome and color. The scent of high-octane fuel mixed with the salty breeze from the bay, electrifying the air. Every eye was fixed on the asphalt, where the promise of speed and danger danced tantalizingly close.

The crowd erupted as the signal changed; engines roared to life, tires screeched, and the world blurred into a rush of lights and motion. It was more than a race—it was a symphony of power and precision, set against the backdrop of Tokyo’s breathtaking skyline, a neon dream that pulsed with life and adrenaline.

Y/n rolled down her window, the cool night air flooding in as she parked alongside the row of gleaming cars. Her gaze fell on Yuji Itadori, the newcomer she had taken under her wing. His excitement was palpable, a wide grin spreading across his face as he bounced on the balls of his feet. She couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of him; the kid had a spark that was hard to resist.

“Ready to show them what you’ve got, Yuji?” she called out, her voice laced with playful confidence. His eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, a mix of nerves and exhilaration.

Yuji had been drawn to her after his older brother, Choso, introduced him to the world of street racing. Watching Y/n tear through the streets with a skill that left everyone else in awe had ignited a fire in him. From that moment, he was a kid on a mission, practically begging her to teach him the ins and outs of racing. Y/n, always a sucker for determination and charm, agreed to mentor him, ensuring it was a safe and fun experience.

Tonight’s race was meant to be light-hearted—just a chance for Yuji to feel the rush without the pressure. Y/n had mapped out the course, ensuring it was straightforward but filled with little challenges to push him just enough. She could see the other racers gathering, their cars idling, the vibrant lights reflecting off their polished surfaces.

“Remember, it’s all about feeling the car and finding your rhythm,” she advised, leaning slightly out of the window. “Trust your instincts, and have fun out there.”

With a final encouraging nod, Y/n settled back in her seat, watching as Yuji climbed into his own car, an eager look of determination replacing his earlier nervousness. As the signal to start flashed ahead, Y/n’s heart raced with anticipation. She knew this moment would be crucial for him. The thrill of the race was about to unfold, and she couldn’t wait to see Yuji embrace it all.

"I thought I recognized that green vomit mess of a car," Gojo Satoru's voice rang out, dripping with playful arrogance. Y/n’s light smile vanished as she turned to face him, her expression hardening. There he was—Tokyo's reigning king of the streets, striding toward her with that infuriating smirk plastered across his face.

His custom-built matte black Nissan GT-R gleamed under the neon lights, a striking contrast to her vibrant green ride. The way the neon blue accents wrapped around the curves of his car only amplified its aggressive elegance. It was like he had teleported to the finish line every time they raced, always just ahead, as if he was toying with her.

“What are you doing here?” Y/n snapped, hopping out of her car to face the towering figure of Gojo Satoru. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze, frustration boiling in her chest. Yuji, sitting behind his wheel, looked between them, bewildered by the sudden tension.

This race was supposed to be for beginners like Yuji and older timers looking for a thrill, not a playground for Tokyo's street king. If Satoru was here, trouble wasn’t far behind, and Y/n had promised Choso that she’d keep Yuji safe. The thought of Gojo ruining everything again sent a surge of anger through her.

“Wow, haven’t seen you in what felt like forever, and here you are being mean as usual,” Gojo replied, a teasing lilt in his voice. “I heard there was a race today and I was looking forward to seeing the newcomers and what they’re capable of. I want to see who could possibly replace me. I’m getting old, you know, Y/n.”

“That's bullshit, you overgrown chive built bitch! You don’t plan on letting anyone replace you. You’re just here to irritate me,” Y/n declared, jabbing her manicured French tip nail into Gojo’s chest. She ignored the firmness beneath her finger, focusing instead on the fire burning in her chest.

With her plump lips pressed together in a determined glare, she shot him a harsh look. Gojo, however, merely met her gaze with that infuriatingly demeaning smirk of his. Before she could retort, he grabbed her wrist tightly, leaning in so his face was just inches from hers.

“S'not my fault you look so cute when you’re angry. You make it too easy,” he murmured, his deep, raspy voice sending a shiver down her spine. The closeness was electric, and for a moment, she lost her train of thought, acutely aware of how vulnerable this moment made her feel.

The closeness between them heightened Y/n’s awareness of her outfit. She wore a black and green under-boob crop top, featuring a striking cobra design that hugged her curves, paired with a low-waisted black mini skirt that hung dangerously off her hips showing of the straps of the red thong she wore. The Chloe Maxime platform sandals on her feet, though stylish and secure, did little to bridge the height gap between her and Gojo.

As she stood there, their proximity felt charged, and she couldn’t help but notice how her outfit accentuated every movement. The night air was thick with tension, and despite her irritation, a part of her was acutely aware of how he looked at her, that teasing glint in his sapphire eyes only adding to the heat of the moment.

“Focus, Y/n,” she reminded herself, shaking off the distracting thoughts. She was here to race and mentor Yuji, not get sidetracked by Gojo’s infuriating charm. But the way he leaned in, that playful smirk still lingering, made it all the more challenging. She needed to stay sharp tonight, for herself and for Yuji, and she wouldn’t let anything—especially not Gojo—get in the way of that.

“Y'know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were afraid of racing me, like you know you’d lose… again.” Gojo mused, a playful glint in his sapphire eyes as he watched Y/n’s expression shift. She could feel her eye twitch in irritation, the bait of his taunt hard to ignore.

Despite the annoyance simmering within her, Y/n kept surprisingly calm as she snatched her hand away from his grasp, the spot still tingling from his touch. She turned on her heel and stalked back to her car, determined to shake off the tension and refocus.

“I bet your student is as sorry as you…” Gojo called out loudly, his voice ringing through the crowd, clearly intended for everyone to hear.

Y/n glanced back just in time to see Yuji’s face furrow in confusion, a hint of hurt crossing his features. Her heart sank at the sight. She hadn’t wanted Gojo’s taunts to spill over and affect Yuji. He was here to have fun, to find his own confidence, not to be caught in their rivalry.

“Don’t listen to him, Yuji!” Y/n shouted, her voice firm, wanting to shield him from Gojo’s barbs. “You’ve got this!”

But as she settled into her car, a rush of determination surged within her. She wouldn’t let Gojo’s taunts get to her. Not now. Tonight was about proving herself—not just to him, but to everyone watching. She revved the engine, the powerful sound cutting through the tension in the air, ready to turn that energy into something fierce.

Y/n's car had been her constant companion since day one, modified after nearly every race, evolving alongside her from a punk teen eager to prove herself to a mature racer brimming with wisdom. The 1994 neon green Mazda RX-7 roared to life, its engine practically purring as Y/n teased the gas pedal, her eyes focused on her friend, Yuki Tsukumo, striding confidently to the starting line.

The vibrant glow of the streetlights bounced off the car’s slick surface, making it look even more striking. This was her pride and joy, a reflection of her journey and determination. Every dent, every scratch told a story—a battle fought, a lesson learned.

As Yuki approached, she raised a hand to rally the racers, her voice cutting through the excitement of the crowd. Y/n felt a rush of adrenaline as she prepared for the race ahead. She knew tonight was about more than just winning; it was about showing everyone—especially the newcomers—that she was a force to be reckoned with.

"Listen up, losers! You guys know the rules, no bumping. No dirty tricks. And try not to get caught by the police. I want a clean race, that means you Jogo and Mahito. I know how you guys like to get down, that shit isn't gonna cut it tonight we got kids out here racing too."

Mahito and Jogo were here too? Shit. Y/n felt a wave of concern wash over her. Maybe Yuji wasn’t ready for this kind of competition. But no, she quickly reminded herself; the boy had been working his ass off for months. She just had to trust him. After all, she was racing too, and she would make sure nothing happened to him.

The atmosphere was charged, excitement crackling in the air like electricity. She took a deep breath, shaking off any lingering doubts. This was her moment, and she was ready to defend not just her own reputation but also Yuji’s.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she felt the cool metal of her eyebrow piercing catch the light from her dashboard, reflecting the vibrant hues of neon that surrounded her. With her heart pounding, she placed her hand firmly on the stick shift, the familiar sensation grounding her as she listened carefully to Yuki.

“Let’s do this,” she murmured to herself, the engine humming beneath her as the countdown began.

Ready… set… GO!” Yuki shouted, her voice slicing through the tension in the air.

Y/n slammed her foot down on the gas, the RX-7 lunging forward with explosive power. The engine roared even louder than before, vibrating with adrenaline as the neon green car shot ahead, slicing through the night like a comet. The familiar rush filled her veins, the thrill of speed and competition igniting her spirit.

As she navigated the first turn, she kept her focus sharp, eyes scanning the road ahead. The streetlights blurred into streaks of color, but she felt every curve, every shift in momentum. Behind her, she knew Mahito and Jogo were hot on her tail, and she could almost hear their taunts echoing in her mind.

But tonight, she was racing for more than just herself. She was racing for Yuji, for every kid out there dreaming of making their mark. She’d make sure they all had a fair shot, no matter what tricks the pair tried to pull.

“Come on, Yuji!” she whispered under her breath, willing him to keep up as she pushed her limits. The streets of Tokyo were alive, and so was she—this was where she belonged.

Y/n watched as the yellow Camaro, piloted by Yuji, whipped past her, drifting effortlessly around the corner in a way that felt almost like slow motion. Her heart swelled with pride, and a wide smile broke across her face.

“Go, Yuji!” she cheered loudly, her voice cutting through the roar of engines and the thrill of the race. She followed closely behind, eager to support him but also keen to keep the competition alive. Sure, she intended to let him win, but there was no way in hell she’d make it that easy.

As she pushed the RX-7 to match his speed, Y/n felt the rush of adrenaline spike. She maneuvered with precision, feeling the connection between her and the car, ready to challenge him just enough to keep him on his toes. The neon lights blurred past, and the cheers from the crowd fueled her determination.

“Show me what you’ve got!” she called out, leaning into the turn as they raced side by side. This was more than just a race; it was a chance for Yuji to prove himself, and she was excited to be a part of his journey.

Y/n's maternal pride was cut short as she saw Mahito’s gray Hellcat bear down on Yuji’s Camaro, the aggressive growl of the engine filling the air. No way, Mahito was going to play dirty right from the start. Her heart raced as she watched the scene unfold, a mix of anger and concern bubbling inside her.

“Yuji, watch out!” she shouted, but the words barely escaped her lips before the moment escalated. Mahito swerved dangerously close, clearly intending to intimidate. Was the kid already trying to blow his pistons using the nitrous this early?

Yuji slammed on his brakes, skidding out of the way just in time as Mahito zoomed past with a wicked smirk, reveling in his reckless maneuver. Y/n’s instincts kicked in, and she quickly calculated her next move.

“Not on my watch!” she growled, determination flooding her veins. She accelerated, the RX-7 roaring as she aimed to get between Yuji and Mahito. This race was about more than just speed; it was about protecting the ones she cared for. She wouldn’t let Mahito ruin this moment for Yuji. With a fierce focus, she prepared to confront the reckless driver head-on.

Y/n pressed harder on the gas, feeling the power of her RX-7 surge as she maneuvered to cut Mahito off. Playing dirty was frowned upon in racing, but Mahito was a different breed; he thrived on chaos, and she knew the only way to get her message across was to confront him directly.

With a swift turn of the wheel, she flipped her car to face the oncoming Mahito, the neon green paint gleaming defiantly in the night. Her heart raced as she sped toward him, a fierce determination in her eyes. Mahito, clearly too excited by the challenge, seemed eager to engage in this dangerous game of chicken.

“Not this time!” she shouted, adrenaline coursing through her veins as the distance between them shrank. The crowd's cheers faded into a low roar, her focus sharpening on Mahito's hellcat. She wouldn’t let him intimidate Yuji or ruin this race.

As they hurtled toward each other, Y/n’s instincts kicked in. She could see Mahito’s smirk, and in that moment, she was ready to show him that she wasn’t just another racer to be toyed with. This was her territory, and she’d fight tooth and nail to protect it. The clash was inevitable, but she was determined to come out on top.

Just when it looked like the tips of their cars were about to connect in a metal kiss, Y/n shifted her gear into a mean reverse and swerved out of the way. Mahito’s confidence turned to panic as he scrambled to catch his bearings, but it was too late. With a sickening crunch, the reckless scarred man crashed into Jogo, who had been lurking to set a trap of his own.

Y/n couldn’t help but let out a laugh as she watched the chaos unfold. The two men stepped out of their cars, anger flashing in their eyes as they began to argue over the damage. Mahito waved his arms animatedly, clearly furious at the unexpected turn of events, while Jogo inspected his vehicle with an incredulous look.

“Nice teamwork, virgins!” Y/n called out, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. She could hardly contain her amusement as she watched them bicker like children caught in a scuffle. This was the chaos she had been hoping to avoid, but it was also a reminder that she could stand up to them when it mattered most.

Feeling a surge of pride for Yuji, who was still safely behind her, she took a moment to revel in the situation. She had sent a message, and as Mahito and Jogo continued to argue, she knew she’d successfully protected Yuji while keeping the race alive.

As if on cue, more racers zipped by, Yuji leading the pack with enthusiasm. Y/n couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride, but that mood quickly soured as she spotted the familiar blur of blue and black zooming past.

“Damn it,” she cursed under her breath. Everyone knew tonight was supposed to be Yuji’s moment, but would Satoru respect that?

With a surge of determination, Y/n slammed down on the gas, navigating through shortcuts with precision to catch up to Satoru. As she pulled up alongside him, she rolled her window down, adrenaline pumping.

“How may I help you, pretty?” Gojo called out, that infuriatingly smug grin plastered across his face as his white hair whipped wildly in the wind.

“This race is for Yuji to win—cut it out!” Y/n shot back, her voice firm, but she could feel her heart racing from the close proximity.

“Yeah, I thought about it,” he replied with a teasing lilt, amusement dancing in his sapphire eyes. “But I figured, nah. Why give the kid an easy win when he could really earn it, y’know?”

Her frustration bubbled over, but Y/n wasn’t about to back down. “You’re impossible!” she yelled, her determination igniting even further. She needed to protect Yuji’s chance to shine, and if that meant going head-to-head with Gojo, so be it. With a quick glance back at her friend, she steeled herself for the fight ahead. This race was far from over, and she wasn’t about to let Satoru take away Yuji’s moment.

That was the only reason Y/n decided to race the king of the streets—no other reason.

Small beads of sweat formed on Y/n’s forehead as she opted to keep pace alongside Satoru, both of them locked in a fierce duel on the asphalt. They zipped past the competition, including Yuji, who seemed to be gaining ground as well. It felt like they were evenly matched, their cars roaring in harmony as they pushed each other to the limits.

As Y/n zoomed ahead, she couldn’t help but wonder why Satoru hadn’t unleashed his nitrous to pull ahead. It dawned on her with a jolt: Satoru wanted her to slow down and fall behind him—to admit defeat.

“No way,” she muttered to herself, gripping the wheel tighter. With a determined surge, she pushed her RX-7 harder, the engine responding with a satisfying growl. The beaming lights of the oncoming cars reflected off her windshield, but she stayed focused, refusing to let his mind games shake her resolve.

“You think I’ll just give up?” she shouted into the wind, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Satoru might be the king of the streets, but tonight, she was here to prove herself—and she wouldn’t back down without a fight.

“What's your next move, pretty?” Gojo called out, a teasing edge in his voice as he tried to shake her resolve.

Y/n remained silent, focusing instead on the honking of an oncoming truck, warning her to move. Gritting her teeth, she locked in harder than ever before, swerving between the incoming cars like a knife cutting through butter. The roar of the engines and the chaos around her only fueled her determination, but it felt as if she could hear Gojo’s mocking laughter echoing in her mind.

Navigating carefully, she calculated her next move. Just when the moment felt right, she jerked the wheel hard, launching her RX-7 over the divider and landing perfectly in front of Satoru. The thrill of the maneuver sent a rush of adrenaline through her, and she shot off ahead of him, her heart racing with triumph.

“Get fucked, furby!” she shouted back, a grin spreading across her face as she put distance between them. She wasn’t just racing against him; she was racing for herself and for Yuji.

Gojo watched the blur of neon green and black slip beyond his vision, a wild grin spreading across his face. The spark for racing he had been chasing ignited all at once. This was what he craved—the thrill, the challenge, and the undeniable excitement that Y/n brought to the track.

She was a wild card, unpredictable, and it drove him crazy in the best way. Most racers would have slowed down after that maneuver, conceding their position, but not Y/n. She pushed forward with fierce determination, refusing to back down.

That only made him want her more. He wasn’t just racing against her; he was racing for her attention. He would not let her slip away this time. The night was still young, and he was more than ready to turn up the heat, both on the track and off. With a burst of speed, he took off after her, the challenge firmly set in his mind. Tonight was about to get a lot more interesting.

Y/n’s victory triumph was cut short as the unmistakable wail of police sirens pierced the air. Glancing at her rear-view mirror, she spotted those flashing lights, and her heart sank. Quickly, she pressed a button to cover her license plate, her instincts kicking in. Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and dialed Yuji’s number.

“Y/n, this is so much fun—”

“Yuji, baby, that’s nice, but I need you to go to the nest now,” she cut him off, her tone firm.

Silence followed. Yuji understood the urgency behind her words; if she was using their code-word, it meant trouble was brewing. He went quiet, sensing the tension in her voice, and she could almost picture him nodding, ready to follow her instructions.

“Get there fast. I’ll be right behind you, okay?” she added, trying to reassure him as she focused on the road ahead, her heart racing not just from the thrill of the race, but from the looming danger of being caught. The night was turning chaotic, and she needed to keep her mentee safe.

"Be safe, okay." He replied, before ending the call himself.

Y/n’s heart tugged in a maternal way as pride swelled within her. Yuji had done so well in his first race; she was certain he would have won even without her help. The thought of him thriving on the track made her chest swell with affection. He was like a little brother to her, and the idea of nurturing that bond was almost enough to make her contemplate settling down and having her own kids someday. But the reality hit her—she wasn’t ready for that yet.

Who would she even settle down with? Certainly not Choso. Mixing business with pleasure was a recipe for disaster in her mind. The thought of being with the stoic man, then having a falling out, sent a shiver down her spine. What if he decided to sabotage her? Like cutting the breaks to her car? She couldn’t bear to think of it—she had already experienced that betrayal once, and it was a lesson she never wanted to repeat.

Shaking her head to clear the thoughts, she focused back on the road, determined to keep Yuji safe and secure. He was her priority, and for now, that was enough. The future could wait.

Y/n’s heart raced as she gripped the wheel, adrenaline coursing through her veins. The flashing lights of the police cars reflected in her mirrors, turning the dark street into a surreal light show. She took a deep breath, focusing on the road ahead, her mind sharp and clear despite the chaos.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, she gauged the distance between herself and the pursuing officers. They were close, but she had an advantage: her car was lighter, more agile. Y/n pressed down on the gas, the engine roaring in response as she navigated through the winding streets of Tokyo. The neon lights blurred past her, a colorful backdrop to her escape.

She spotted a narrow alleyway up ahead, just wide enough for her RX-7. It was a risk, but it was the perfect opportunity to lose the cops. With a determined flick of the steering wheel, she veered into the alley, her tires squealing against the pavement. The sound echoed off the walls, but she didn’t look back.

As she zipped through the alley, she dodged trash cans and obstacles with precision, her instincts guiding her. The sirens faded slightly behind her, the officers unable to follow through the tight turns. Y/n's heart pounded with a mix of fear and exhilaration; this was what she lived for.

Emerging from the alley, she found herself on a quieter street. The lights were dimmer here, but she could see a glimmer of hope ahead.

Y/n felt a surge of relief as the sirens faded into the distance. The adrenaline rush of narrowly escaping the police made her heart race, but she knew she couldn’t let her guard down just yet. The neon lights of Tokyo still flashed by as she navigated the quieter streets, her mind racing with thoughts of Yuji’s safety.

Just as she began to relax, a familiar blur of black and blue shot into her peripheral vision. Y/n’s heart sank as she recognized Gojo’s custom GT-R pulling alongside her. He had been tailing her this whole time?

“Fancy seeing you again, pretty,” he called out, his voice teasing and smooth, cutting through the hum of her engine.

“Don’t you have a race to win?” she shot back, trying to keep her tone serious despite the flutter in her stomach.

“Winning is overrated,” he replied, smirking as he adjusted his grip on the wheel, leaning casually against the door. “Besides, I heard you needed a little help. Looks like you’re in a bit of a pickle, huh?”

Y/n shot him a glare, but she couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips. “I don’t need your help, Satoru. I can handle myself just fine.”

“Oh, I know you can,” he replied, his sapphire eyes sparkling with mischief. “But I thought you might want some company while you’re escaping the fuzz. It can get a little lonely out here.”

Y/n’s heart raced not just from the adrenaline of the chase, but also from the confrontation with Gojo. His presence was both infuriating and oddly exhilarating.

“I’d rather gargle on my own blood than need you for company,” she spat, irritation bubbling to the surface as she remembered how his taunts had always pushed her buttons.

“Just as cruel as ever, Black Mamba,” Gojo replied, shaking his head in amusement as he adjusted his shades, his playful demeanor unwavering.

“Maybe I wouldn’t have to be if you weren’t such a distraction,” she shot back, feeling the tension in the air thickening. Despite her annoyance, a part of her relished their banter.

“Distraction? I prefer to think of it as motivation,” he said, his smirk growing wider. “Besides, it’s not my fault you’re so easy to rile up.”

She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t suppress a grin. “You think you can keep up with me, huh?”

“Oh, I know I can,” he replied, his tone dripping with confidence. “Just try not to crash into anything while you’re at it.”

Before she could respond, the sound of sirens grew closer, pulling her back into the reality of the situation. “Focus, Satoru! We’ve got company!”

“Right,” he said, suddenly serious, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the road ahead. “Let’s show them how it’s done.”

With a determined flick of the wrist, he pressed down on the gas, his GT-R surging ahead. Y/n quickly followed suit, her RX-7 roaring to life as they raced side by side, weaving through the streets. The thrill of the chase ignited something within her—a blend of rivalry and camaraderie that made her pulse quicken.

As they barreled down the street, Gojo occasionally glanced over, his playful smile never fading. “You know, for someone who claims they don’t need my help, you sure seem to enjoy the chase.”

“Just stay out of my way, Satoru,” Y/n replied, though the lightness in her voice betrayed her. “And let me handle my own escape.”

“Whatever you say, pretty,” he teased, his laughter mixing with the roar of their engines as they pushed forward, determined to outrun the night and whatever came next.

As Y/n and Gojo raced through the streets of Tokyo, the thrill of the chase enveloped them like a high-octane rush. The sirens blared in the distance, a constant reminder that they were on borrowed time. Y/n’s RX-7 glided through the tight corners with precision, the engine growling in protest as she pushed it to the limit.

“Left!” Gojo shouted, pointing as they approached a sharp turn. Without hesitation, Y/n yanked the wheel, the car drifting smoothly around the corner as she expertly navigated the winding road. The city lights blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors, casting vibrant reflections against the glossy paint of her car.

“Nice move!” Gojo called out, his voice laced with admiration as he followed closely behind, his GT-R nearly kissing the rear bumper of her car. “But can you handle this?”

He hit the nitrous, the burst of speed sending him shooting past her for a brief moment. Y/n smirked, her competitive spirit igniting. “Oh, is that all you’ve got?”

With a fierce determination, she hit her own nitrous, the RX-7 launching forward with an exhilarating jolt. The two cars raced neck and neck, the wind whipping through their hair as they both laughed, adrenaline pumping through their veins.

Suddenly, a police cruiser appeared at the end of the block, lights flashing, blocking their escape route. Y/n’s heart dropped, but she quickly regained her composure. “We need to split up!”

“Agreed,” Gojo said, his expression turning serious again. “Follow my lead.”

He swerved sharply to the right, leading them into a narrow alleyway. Y/n followed, her instincts kicking in as she expertly maneuvered through the tight space. The sounds of the city faded into the background, replaced by the echo of their engines reverberating off the walls.

As they emerged from the alley, they found themselves on a quieter street, the police sirens fading behind them, once more. Y/n let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “That was too close.”

“Just another day in Tokyo,” Gojo said with a wink, the tension of the chase giving way to the thrill of victory. “You handled that like a pro, Y/n.”

"That's because I am, fuckwad. I need to get back to Yuji anyways, make sure he's safe." She huffed, stepping out of the car to peek outside of the alley to ensure that the coast was in fact clear.

Gojo stepped outside of the car as well walking towards the unsuspecting woman; grabbing her and moving her quickly against the brick wall of the small alley way.

"I'm not gonna let you keep talking to me like that, Mamba. You know better." His tone was serious as his glasses slide down revealing the cold demeaning look in his blue eyes.

Y/n looked into his eyes almost challenging Gojo to make a move, as if she thought he did have the balls to do whatever he was threatening her with. The defiance aura dripped off the smaller woman in waves; she had been racing for years and not one man who tried to "tame" or "break" her could. And she certainly worried about the loud mouth who seemed to be over compensating for something.

"Get off of me, Satoru. If you know what's good for you." Y/n warned, lowly.

Satoru smirked as his hand trailed from her shoulder up to her hair to grab a fistful of her onyx locks tightly, a beautiful contrast against his pale hands. He gave a warning tug to her hair watching her eyes narrow even harder at him.

"Or what?" He challenged back.

Y/n opened her mouth to speak but fell silent at the sound of her phone ringing, no doubt Yuji. It was like the sound of her phone broke the pair out of whatever moment was happenening; Gojo let go of her and stepped back with the usual calm and cool aura around him once more as he walked back to his car before calling back to the woman.

"Hosting a party, you should pull up. You know where." He mused as he hopped into his car speeding off before giving her a chance to respond.

Y/n watched as Gojo sped off, the taillights of his GT-R disappearing into the night. Her heart raced—not just from the thrill of the chase, but from the tension that had crackled between them moments before. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts as she fished her phone out of her pocket.

“Y/n!” Yuji’s voice came through, laced with excitement and a hint of worry. “Where are you? I saw the police lights!”

“I’m fine, Yuji. Just had a little detour,” she replied, her heart softening at the thought of the young racer waiting for her. “Are you safe? Did you make it back to the nest?”

“Yeah, I’m here! But I’m worried about you. What about Satoru? Is he with you?”

“Yeah, he is,” she said, glancing back down the street where Gojo had vanished. “But you don’t need to worry about him. Just stay put and I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay! I’ll be waiting!” Yuji hung up, and Y/n took a deep breath, refocusing her thoughts.

She slid back into her car, revving the engine. Heading back to her shop to meet Yuji. Y/n parked her RX-7 and hopped out, a smile creeping onto her face as she approached Yuji and Choso. The sight of the two brought a warmth to her chest. Yuji was animated, his hands flying as he recounted the race, while Choso listened patiently, a slight grin on his lips.

“Look who’s back!” Choso called out, his deep voice cutting through Yuji’s chatter. “Our fearless leader returns.”

“Hey, Cho! You’re not letting him get away with too much, are you?” Y/n teased, walking up to them.

Yuji turned, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. “Y/n! You missed it! I almost beat Megumi!”

Another newcomer who was being trained by his father, a known legend in the game. Toji didn't really race anymore opting to make up the time he missed raising his son and being there when the teen needed him most.

“Almost?” she said, feigning disappointment. “I expected you to leave him in the dust!”

“Next time, for sure!” Yuji beamed, his confidence shining through.

Choso chuckled, shaking his head. “He’s been talking about nothing but racing since he got here. I think you’ve got him hooked.”

“Good! He’s got the talent for it,” Y/n replied, pride swelling in her chest. “Just needs to keep working hard.”

“Speaking of hard work, what happened out there?” Choso asked, his expression turning serious. “I saw the police lights.”

“Just a little excitement,” Y/n shrugged, trying to downplay it. “But I handled it.”

“Of course you did,” Choso said, his tone sarcastic but reassuring. “You always do.”

Yuji leaned in, curiosity bubbling over. “Did Gojo help you? I saw him racing earlier.”

Y/n hesitated, the memory of their encounter fresh in her mind. “Let’s just say we had a… moment. But it’s fine. I took care of myself.”

“Sounds like there’s more to that story,” Choso noted, raising an eyebrow, showing off a piercing that mirrored the one that Y/n had in her own eyebrow.

“Not tonight,” Y/n laughed, shaking her head. “I've got somewhere to be tonight, so lets wrap up early. ”

Yuji pouted slightly, seeming upset that his night of thrill was over already. Y/n hated disappointing the teen but he had school and she was not in the mood to hear Choso chump her out because the boy missed first period again because he over slept.

"Y/n's right. It's a school night, kid. Let's go." Choso nodded in approve as he ushered Yuji to the simple looking crimson mustang.

Yuji huffed, crossing his arms but eventually relented. “Fine, but next time we’re racing until dawn!”

“Deal,” Y/n said with a wink, trying to lighten the mood. “You’ve got to keep your energy up for those early mornings, though.”

As Yuji climbed into the Mustang, Choso turned to Y/n, his expression more serious. “You sure you’re okay? About everything tonight?”

Y/n nodded, forcing a smile. “I can handle it. Just need some space to think.”

Choso studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Alright, but if you need anything—”

“I know, I know,” she interrupted, holding up her hand playfully. “Call the stoic handyman for backup.”

Choso chuckled softly. “You’re lucky I can take a joke.”

“Lucky indeed,” she replied, her tone lightening. As the Mustang’s engine roared to life, Yuji gave her a thumbs up, and she returned it with a grin.

“Get some rest, both of you!” Y/n called as they pulled away. Watching them go, she felt a mix of pride and protectiveness swell within her. Yuji was destined for greatness, and she would do everything in her power to ensure he stayed on the right path.

As the taillights disappeared into the night, Y/n turned back to her RX-7, the adrenaline from earlier still buzzing in her veins. She knew she had to clear her head and refocus. Tonight’s chaos with Gojo lingered in her thoughts, a mix of annoyance and excitement swirling together.

Y/n stepped out of her car, the thumping bass of the music resonating through her bones. She took a moment to soak in the vibrant atmosphere, the bright strobe lights casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the gathering. Laughter and cheers echoed from the balcony above, where a crowd was enjoying the party’s electric energy.

As she adjusted her sheer crop top, the fabric fluttered slightly in the cool night air, emphasizing her butterfly tattoos' delicate design as it peeked from beneath the sleeve. The baggy cargo pants hung low on her hips, giving her a relaxed but stylish edge. With the way the pants hung low on her hips it gave a great teasing show of the tattoo that was on her lower back. With every step towards the entrance, she felt the eyes of the partygoers on her, a mix of recognition and curiosity.

“Y/n! You made it!” A voice called out, cutting through the crowd. It was Shoko, one of the other racers, waving her over with a drink in hand.

Y/n smiled and made her way through the throng of bodies, weaving past clusters of people chatting and dancing. The vibrant energy of the party wrapped around her, making her momentarily forget the chaos of the earlier night.

As she approached Shoko, she noticed Gojo mingling nearby, his signature white hair catching the light as he laughed at something a friend said. He looked effortlessly charming, and despite her annoyance earlier, Y/n felt a familiar flutter in her stomach.

“Thought you’d bail on us after that wild night,” Shoko teased, handing Y/n a drink.

“Not a chance,” Y/n replied, taking a sip. “Besides, I wanted to see how the ‘king of the streets’ celebrates his victories.”

Shoko rolled her eyes, glancing over at Gojo. “He’s definitely the life of the party. Just try not to get pulled into his orbit too much.”

Y/n laughed, glancing back at Gojo, who had caught her eye and flashed that signature smirk. “No promises.”

"God, you two need to just fuck and get it out of your system." Shoko groaned in annoyance.

Y/n let the music wash over her, liquid courage no doubt, the bass vibrating through her body as she moved. She rolled her hips and twirled, losing herself in the energy of the crowd. Laughter and cheers echoed around her, and for a moment, all the stress of the night faded away.

She danced with strangers, each one a fleeting connection in this electric atmosphere. The strobe lights flickered, casting playful shadows that enhanced her movements. With every beat, she felt freer, more alive.

As she spun, she caught sight of Gojo leaning against the bar, a confident smirk on his face. His eyes locked onto hers, and the connection sparked something deeper. Y/n couldn’t help but return his smile, her heart racing as she danced closer to him.

“Having fun?” Gojo shouted over the music, leaning in slightly.

"I was until I saw you!” Y/n shot back, her playful tone matching his. The heat of the moment electrified the air around them, and she couldn’t resist the pull.

With a flick of her wrist, she gestured for him to join her, her body moving in rhythm as she danced with wild abandon. The drink still in her hand, she offered it to the man. But, Satoru shook his head and pushed the cup back in her direction.

“Don’t drink,” Gojo confessed, watching her with a keen eye. The vibrant green glitter of her eyeshadow shimmered under the strobe lights, creating a stunning contrast against her deep skin. He couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly she owned the room.

"You serious? I feel like you're fucking with me." Y/n questioned, leaning again the bar closer to the man to hear him better.

"As a heart attack. Don't like how that shit makes me feel. But I can make you a mean Shirley Temple."

Y/n raised an eyebrow, a scowl forming on her pretty face. “What, are you my babysitter now?”

“Just looking out for you,” he replied, his smirk growing wider. “Wouldn’t want you to lose your edge on the dance floor. Besides, you look too good tonight to be anything less than sharp.”

She rolled her eyes playfully, but the compliment made her heart race. “Oh please, I can handle myself just fine.”

“Sure you can,” he said, stepping closer, the heat between them palpable. “But let’s keep you at your best, yeah? How about I get you that Shirley Temple; my offer still stands.”

Y/n paused, the offer hanging in the air. “You think you can handle that?”

“Please,” he said, his tone mockingly confident. “I’m the king of the streets. I can handle anything.”

Y/n leaned against the bar, watching Gojo as he expertly mixed the drink, his movements smooth and practiced. The way he concentrated, his brows slightly furrowed, made her heart flutter. She couldn’t help but admire how he could switch from cocky racer to serious bartender in a heartbeat.

As he poured the bright red mixture into a glass, he glanced over his shoulder, catching her gaze. “You’re still watching, huh? Can’t blame you—I am pretty captivating.”

“Or maybe I’m just waiting for that Shirley Temple,” she retorted, a smirk playing on her lips.

He laughed, shaking his head as he finished garnishing the drink with a cherry. “Here you go, one non-alcoholic Shirley Temple, just for you.”

“Looks almost too good to drink,” she noted, taking the glass from him and savoring the fruity aroma.

“Almost,” he echoed, leaning against the bar beside her, his casual posture radiating confidence. “But you should definitely drink it. You’ll need the juice to sober up.”

Y/n rolled her eyes playfully but took a sip, letting the sweet flavor burst on her tongue. “Not bad, Gojo. Maybe you have more skills than just racing.”

He grinned, leaning in a bit closer, the heat between them intensifying. “Told you I’m full of surprises. Now, how about we hit the floor before I change my mind and start showing off my driving skills instead?”

“Lead the way, king,” she replied, raising her glass in a mock toast before following him back into the crowd, excitement bubbling inside her.

As they stepped onto the dance floor, the vibrant lights pulsed to the rhythm of the music, casting colorful shadows across the crowd. Y/n felt the bass thump in her chest, and the energy of the party enveloped her like a warm embrace.

Gojo moved in close, his presence radiating confidence as he found a spot where they could groove together. Y/n could feel the heat radiating off him, a stark contrast to the coolness of the drink she held. The music shifted to a catchy beat, and she lost herself in the rhythm, letting her body sway and roll to the sound.

Gojo matched her energy, moving with a fluid grace that made it hard for her to look away. He mirrored her movements, his smile playful and infectious. With each twist and turn, their bodies nearly brushed against each other, the proximity sending electric sparks through the air.

“See? Told you I could handle myself on the dance floor,” he called out over the music, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Maybe you can keep up after all,” Y/n shot back, a laugh escaping her lips as she spun away, letting the beat guide her. She could feel his gaze on her, and it only fueled her confidence.

With a quick glance back, she caught him watching her intently, a smirk playing on his lips. Emboldened, she danced closer, teasingly challenging him to match her moves. The two of them swayed and spun, the energy between them crackling as the music pumped through the crowd.

“Is this your secret weapon? Distracting everyone with your moves?” Gojo leaned in, his breath warm against her ear as they danced in sync.

“Maybe,” she replied, her heart racing. “But I think you’re the one with the secret moves.”

With a mischievous glint in his eye, he took her hand, leading her into a quick spin before pulling her back close. The world around them faded, the music becoming a backdrop to their playful banter and chemistry. Y/n felt alive, caught up in the moment, dancing like no one was watching.

As the song reached a crescendo, Gojo leaned down, his face inches from hers. “You’re really something, you know that?”

“And you’re not too shabby yourself, king,” she shot back, her heart racing not just from the dance but from the undeniable connection sparking between them.

Y/n wasn't sure how dancing with Gojo lead her into a room where her neck was being viciously devoured by the large white haired man who held his equally large palm over her mouth silencing any noises that could possibly escape the woman.

"You think I forgot about that little show you put on earlier? So big and bad, but now you're acting like a bitch in heat."

Gojo voiced against her neck, making to leave bruises that no one could deny. Y/n's head felt dizzy from the switch in personality from the man. One moment, he was kind and sobering her up and now he was rutting his knee against her clothed cunt and whispering degrading phrases into her ear as he branded her for all to see later.

"I'm talking to you, Mamba. Don't tell me your rude ass cant address me?" He mocked, stopping his assault to slap the woman gently.

Y/n felt a sting in her right cheek as she looked at the man, lost for words. She really didn't know what she started and just how badly she fucked with the wrong man. The crude manner in how she spoke to him but was kind to everyone else, the teasing during dancing on the floor while making eye contact, and of course the worst of all grinding on him just to get him hard before sauntering off as if she was going to leave him to take care of his own problem.

The woman had no idea she got under Satoru's skin just as much as he got under hers.

"I don't speak bitch," Y/n smirked, finally giving a response watching as the cool resolve Satoru usually had seem to crack. "Sorry."

Satoru looked at the woman; Y/n was pressed against the sink counter of one of his many bathrooms with no escape in sight for her and she was still talking. Maybe she got off to this? Maybe this is what she really wanted; a man to break that bitchy attitude in half and rearrange her guts.

"Nah," Gojo started as he wrapped his hand that was decorated with shiny silver rings. "I'm sorry for how sore you're about to be."

His words hung in the air as a promise as he connected his lips with hers in a fiery, hungry kiss. The pair eagered to explore one another.

.

.

.

.

Part II??

[evieismol]

Accidents - One Shot

A/n: another one shot featuring my oc Easton as well as the humans he previously befriended before going to work on Earth. Chronologically set a couple of years before the main story

Word count: 1041

Content warnings: language, fearplay (unintentional), angst, potentially dangerous situation (no one hurt)

“Hey,” Easton said as soon as the door to his room was closed. Larissa looked at the giant as he entered from her place on his table. He looked even more exhausted than he had that morning - his usually shiny, platinum blonde hair was more of a dull, limp mess, and dark circles were obvious under his eyes. Still, he offered the three small humans a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.

“How are you guys doing?” He asked. He looked over at Ruby, who was sitting up on the makeshift bed he’d made for her. “How’s your leg?”

“It’s doing a lot better,” Ruby said.

“I’m glad,” Easton said. “We should get the bandage changed again tonight. What do you guys want for dinner? I can see what’s in the fridge or go get something at the gas station - I know those aren’t super luxurious options, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, we’re just happy to have food at all,” Kyle said. “Seriously. Thanks for all of this…for helping us.”

Easton shrugged. “Of course. Helping people is kind of my job anyways.”

“Speaking of your job, how was your day?” Kyle asked. Easton sighed as he sat down on his bed, careful to not bump into the table the three humans were standing on that was next to it. “Long,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” Ruby offered.

“It’s fine. I’m just tired,” Easton said. Larissa felt a pang of guilt at that - she felt sure that her and her friend’s presence couldn’t be helping with that. Over the week they’d been staying with Easton since he’d found them after they’d gone through the portal, he’d gone out of his way to make sure they were as comfortable as possible. And Given that they were stranded in an alien world where they were comparatively only a few inches tall, that was quite the task. It had so far included not only making beds for them, but also figuring out a way they could “shower” safely in the sink, bringing them 3 meals a day, and even trying to find ways to keep them from getting bored while they were mostly confined to his desk. Among other things.

We really need to figure out how to get back through that portal, she thought. Of course, given who was looking for them back on Earth, that wouldn’t be without its risks either.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Larissa asked.

“I swear every entitled person in a hundred mile radius picked today to come to the park,” Easton sighed. “And then right when I was getting off work my dad called to tell me he’s marrying his fourth wife next month and I’m still a disappointment. So. That was fun.”

“He sounds lovely,” Larissa said. “That sounds like a shitty day.”

“Yeah, well, that’s life,” Easton said, annoyance faintly present his voice. Larissa wasn’t sure if it was at her or the general situation, and she shifted uncomfortably.

“Sorry,” she said.

“It’s fine,” Easton said, and for a moment, she thought she might have been wrong about him sounding annoyed. Maybe more sad. He looked away, and she was pretty sure she saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes.

“Are you sure? I’m really sorry if-“ she started. Easton cut her off, this time definitely sounding short.

“I’m sure,” he said, standing up abruptly. A little too abruptly, as this time he did hit into the table. Had he also been human - and human sized - the mistake would have been minor. He was decidedly neither of those things, though. Larissa lost her balance, letting out a sharp yelp as she fell forward - and off the table. In a split second, images of the cold impact of the floor below flashed through her mind. It had to be at least a 70 foot drop. It was easily high enough to severely hurt her, and likely kill her. Instead of the wood below, though, Larissa felt herself land on something soft and warm almost as soon as she’d realized she was falling.

“Holy shit, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, are you okay?” Easton sounded frantic as she realized he’d caught her. Still stunned, she gave an uncertain nod.

“Larissa!” Kyle had hurried over to the edge, looking as concerned as she felt. She looked from him to Easton, seeing the panic and guilt swirling through the giant’s eyes as he held her. He sounded close to tears when he continued.

“I-I’m so fucking sorry, I should have been more careful-I wasn’t thinking-oh my god, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Um it was just an accident, it’s fine,” Larissa said, wincing internally as she realized her voice was shaking. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Easton obviously hadn’t meant to scare her, let alone almost hurt her - his instant change from annoyed to worried and concerned seemed to make that much obvious. That still didn’t entirely help, though.

“Okay-I swear I didn’t mean to-I was just tired and I-I don’t know, frustrated with everything going on and my dad and-I could have hurt you. Or worse. Shit, I’m so, so sorry.”

“I get it,” Larissa said. “I’m just kind of freaked out still I think.”

“Yeah, of course. Um, here, holding you probably isn’t helping,” Easton said, lowering his hand back to the table. Larissa was a little surprised at how relieved she felt climbing off of his hand - she didn’t think he was going to hurt her at this point, but having her life literally in someone else’s hand was still a surreal feeling.

“Thanks,” she said. “And for catching me.”

Easton swallowed, guilt washing over his face again. “I shouldn’t have had to-I’m just really sorry. And probably not helping. I’m just going to go see what they have at the gas station, I’ll be right back. I- I’m sorry.”

Larissa felt Kyle’s hand on her shoulder as Easton quickly left.

“Seriously, are you okay?” Kyle asked.

“Yeah. Just shaken up,” Larissa said. “I’ll be fine, though.”

When Easton returned later with food for them, once again apologizing profusely, Larissa couldn’t help but notice how red his eyes were as well as the tears staining his cheeks.

[wordsbymae]

God now I want to play it bad. I am such a sucker for these games. Not the horror but the management style. Okay its downloading.

Fisherman giving gifts to his lady that he pulled from the sea after he makes a deal or just gets lucky. One of these is her mother's necklace who died at sea. In perfect condition. She knows he didn't buy at the store, and she knows this necklace should be lot more rusty?(I don't know what jewelry that has been in the ocean for a long time should look like)

Twist: Eldritch or fish people took her mother and others, and give it back with deals.

Twisty twist: Dad sacrificed mom for the power and food he now has. And the reason he was so cavalier about the fisherman with his daughter is that he has to make another deal. I imagine he is someone who could leave, but would never because he wants the power of mayor. And gets power or fixes problems by making deals he shouldnt.

Have you sent my down this path. Yes you have . Now I have yandere fisherman and farmer on my mind.

Yeah! The management side is so cool! Trying to fit all the fish and stuff into the boat and then also just the upgrading and building side is lots of fun too. The routine of doing something is lots of fun and gets a bit addictive.

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

I'm obsessed with the dad idea! No, but seriously it makes so much sense. Can you imagine the reader's town being the only one that isn't plagued by monsters routinely? That it's the only town not struggling while others among the isles are living in fear. The townspeople are well fed, no storms damage their homes, they are rich and your father tenfold. You have lived in luxury your whole life.

Which makes it much easier to forget your mother's last few days. Before your father was mayor. when he was just a lowly fisherman. when the town was cold and harsh and storms ragged at the shores. You don't like remembering your mother's pleas as your father took her down to the bay. The way she would scream and cry.

You were young, which made it easier for your father to explain your mother was sick and needed help. She never did come back. After that, the weather calmed and your father brought back a large fish, which once gutted was filled with gold, soon your father was elected mayor and since then the wealth and luxury never ended.

You knew better than to ask why every new fisherman would disappear soon after they arrived. Your father said they either couldn't handle it or just drowned at sea. A risk of the job.

However, this fisherman was different. He figured it out, the deals that were being made with the horrors below.

And after bringing this knowledge to the mayor, he made an offer your father couldn't refuse.

Let him have you, bound to him through holy matrimony, and he'll continue the deal made with the horrors below. There were other towns out there. Surely they wouldn't miss a few stray people every now and then. It was a dangerous business living by the sea.

This way, your father has one less mouth to feed, a thriving deal and no need to continuously cover up the strange disappearances of every fisherman he's ever hired.

Your father only smiled and waved, as your new husband carried you over his shoulder to his boat.

All you could do was scream and cry.

[lurafita]

Piece of dialoge that I would put in a reverse Malec au

As the title states, this is basically me writing down a kinda scene that's swimming around in my head.

it is definitely a story I want to write, but I'm not sure about my ability to write it. However, this one scene, though not fleshed out and pretty much just dialoge at the moment, made me want to type it up and share it with people who might enjoy it. Pairing: Magnus/Alec Lots of friendships and some background pairings that aren't depicted in this scene. Reverse!verse with Shadowhunter!Magnus and Warlock!Alec (as well as other known downworlders being shadowhunters and shadowhunters being downworlders.) I don't think any content warnings apply, as it is really just a scene with dialoge between Alec and Magnus, in which Magnus does most of the talking. Its main purpose is to portray the type of Shadowhunter I believe Magnus would be.

Alec: “You confuse me.”

Magnus, flirting: “In a good way, I hope.”

Alec, agitated: “You say you want to work your way up to a position of power in Idris. Become Inquisitor or Consul one day. Yet you act uncaring about the risk to your life that every new mission poses, and spit in the face of almost all of the Clave’s rules and regulations. I have lived for centuries, and in that time I have met many of your kind. You are… you confuse me.”

Magnus, smiling but contemplative: “I like being a Shadowhunter. Fighting against the forces of evil, protecting those that can’t protect themselves, helping those who need it. Working and training with Raphael and Catharina and Dot and Ragnor. Teaching Simon and watching him grow into his talents, though if you tell him I said that I will deny it. I truly, honestly, love these parts of my life. But I’m not blind to the Clave’s - and Shadowhunters’ as a whole, I guess - many shortcomings and failings. The Clave, our teachings and philosophies are far from perfect, and some are downright unjust. They are so very stuck in their ways and stagnant about the law, they carry prejudice and bigotry at their very center.

"Even after the circle, even after the uprising and the many little and big changes this whole world has gone through, Shadowhunters appear almost allergic to change. Non-heterosexual relationships still are discouraged and looked down upon by many, especially those of higher standings. Relationships with downworlders that aren’t purely professional are just one step above being forbidden, and if it weren’t for the accords, I have no doubt that the Clave would try to imprison anyone who engages in those. "I want to change this. As much as I can. But I won’t do it by playing by the very rules I wish to overthrow. I’m the son of a traitor, but I’m loyal to our mission. I’m openly bisexual, but I’m the best of my generation. I’m friends with more downworlders than most members of the Clave have met in their lifetime and have even dated some of them, and me and my team are still the ones other institutes call upon when they need back up.

"I don’t care about the obstacles the Clave will try to put into my way, or how much they turn up their noses. I will rise up the ranks one day and earn a position that enables me to make things better for the next generation, both Shadowhunters and Downworlders. And I will do it wearing fancy clothes and glittery make-up, proudly proclaiming any relationships I may have as loudly as I need to. I will prove to them that our world needs to change, and that it won’t collapse because a woman is leading an institute without a husband by her side, or because a male Shadowhunter is in a relationship with a male Downworlder. And while I may act a bit blasé about the dangers of my job, I’m not naive to the reason as to why many Shadowhunters die young. "But by the angel, as long as I live, I will walk this path towards change, and I won’t compromise who I am as I walk it.”

Then Alec looking at Magnus a little starstruck and awed.

And Magnus suddenly being a little uncomfortable going: “Phew, that was a lot of far too serious talk. What say you we go out for a drink? I know a great club in the city!”

[kiloude-city]

My interpretation/explanation of Arvens backstory.

SV leaves a LOT open. The story is so good and yet it leaves sooooo much to be desired like we need wayy more context and overall world building.

But thats not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about Arvens backstory and how I interpreted it.

First off lets start with his parents. I do not think they were married. I think that they were young researchers on their first field job and they were so happy about it. I think that they were happy to be exploring the rest of their lives and looked towards the future.

(Not to mention in game the prof refers to the other parent as "that person" aka not at all how you would refer to a romantic partner. Maybe they were mad they got left.)

One day they got together and Arven was born. Once Arven was born the parent that left didn't want to take care of a kid. They probably didn't want one, at least not within this part of their life and left so they could fufil their dreams without being held back.

(They also refer to Arven as the boy and not my kid. Not much attachment there, more like a variable in their current situation.)

On the other side of that I think that the professor was ecstatic to have a kid! I think that the professor was happy to move to this next step in life and truly did love Arven. That is, at first.

I think the professor viewpoint of all of this was that everything was fresh and new. That they wanted to live their life to its fullest and experience everything it had to offer.

And that is why I think they neglected Arven. Why they were always a terrible parent. I believe that they viewed him in a flawed way. That he was a simple step in life that once they had their fill and fun with it they would leave behind and discover something new.

They left Arven behind in pursuit of their happiness which just so happened to be Time Travel. They became so obsessed with it that they forgot about their kid altogether and strove to insane measures to protect their dream. Installing crazy defense protocols and even making a ROBOT AI version of themselves to not only help them out but live on forever.

And I think that making a second version of yourself to work on scientific discoveries (and pursuit of dreams) just makes you a mad scientist. They were so obsessed they probably went insane. Though not in like a big way, just and obsessive way.

Finally, they died in an accident. Not realizing the danger in merging the future/past with the present and blinded by their hubris they didn't see any risks. The AI took over and unintentionally avoided all of the original professors flaws.

The AI had common sense. A full worldwide database to utilize and with it understanding of the risks that the time machine made.

This part was what stood out to me the most about sv and its story. That the AI wasn't the bad guy, it wasn't evil. It understood what was wrong with its creator and understood what its role was. Yet for the greater good it became its own person. I believe that there is a distinct difference between the AI and the professor and they could classify as different people.

The AI Professor was the one we saw this whole game. Yet, it is different from Arvens original parent, and we may never know what they were actually like.

Basically, they were probably a narcissist and the most self centered person ever. With love for their son, albeit with a flawed thought process.

Note: This is just me filling in the gaps and polishing it to make sense. Obviously I went into the theorizing territory so don't yell at me for feeling like the AI we get is in fact not the original prof and a distinct person to a point. Thats just how I personally feel about them. (Also I haven't played Scarlet idk if the story differs much.)

[loserboyfriendrjl]

Dear Remus,

I do hope this letter gets to Hogwarts before you leave, before you, truly, become a man.

I want to preface this by saying I am so proud of you. You've gotten so far, despite the difficulties, and that is admirable. Your mother and I are so proud of you, you can't even imagine.

Now, as this is the last letter I will have sent you before ending your last chapter of Hogwarts, I ask you to be cautious. I ask you to be cautious because, despite the fact that your mother and I will always be on your side, now is the time to grow up and realize the effect you will have on the world. All of us do, all of us did, and all of us will make a change, even if insignificant. You have to think about what you want to do with your life, Remus.

And it seems like you've already made your decision. You want to fight. Albus Dumbledore himself as told me, and his eyes glistened with pride as he spoke those words.

Now, that's not to say I am not proud of you. I am; I would be whether you chose to fight, from the sidelines or headfirst in the danger, or to run. Because running, in this kind of situation, is its own braveness; the decision to leave a world you knew behind and start living a new life, with no help, that is brave, too. Run yourself, too, if you will feel like doing it. There is nothing holding you back from being safe, from being free.

You will know people who will decide to leave; do not pity them, Remus, and do not hate them for what they will do.

I know you won't, though; it is not in you to be hateful, and it never has been.

Be brave, Remus. Be strong. At some point, your mother and I will not be here, on your side, anymore. You will lose people in the battle; you will lose people that were dear to your heart. People who have been yours, and people who, to you, have been just soldiers. Mourn them, but do not let yourself fall into grief to the point where fighting will be impossible. Grief is inevitable, Remus. It is your choice whether you will dwell on it or not.

I have decided to not be directly involved in the war; working for both The Ministry and for Dumbledore is too much of a risk. I will help as much as I can, but I will not be there, for the meetings, for the formal stuff. I will keep you in my heart, though, and I will be there in happiness and mourning alike. Fleamont and Euphemia will be the ones who will guide you in your journey with the war, and so will Moody. He will need some time to warm up to you; he's a pretty vigilant person; he takes his job seriously.

Be strong, Remus. Do not let the insignificant things and obstacles get in your way. Do not be too trusting. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Do not let your guard down. That is one of the best pieces of advice I can give you. In war, you cannot be vulnerable.

With you moving to London, we will not see each other very much anymore. However, I hope you will not forget your old mother and father. Come visit us from time to time, if you want to; our home will always be opened for you, even though you, the bird of our feather, have spread your wings and flown away from your home. Bring Sirius if you want to, too. I hope he will be good to you. I hope he will love you right.

I love you, cariad. This is not very easy for me to say, as you might already know, but you deserve to know. I love you more than I imagined myself loving anyone else. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else, and I am so proud of you. You're a talented, smart and loving young man, and I am lucky to have you as my son.

Mam and I are waiting for you at home one last time before we part ways. Not forever, though, because we will always be by your side, and we will always keep you in our hearts and prayers.

Your father,

Lyall Lupin

[redjadethewriter]

Understanding One's Self to Figure Out Someone’s Character

I recently listened to the same ex-therapist speak about yet another intriguing topic: how to discern someone’s character. He mentioned some people focus on trivial methods such as eye movement, posture, hand or foot placement, and so on. While he acknowledged the potential effectiveness of these methods, he also introduced a much better way to truly understand the person in front of you. This idea resonated with me because it has helped me, although I never fully grasped why or how until I watched him talk about.

Furthermore, he revealed that he could see the goodness or quality in people, even beneath layers of insidious intentions. This ability has saved his life multiple times. I also came across another video of him discussing a survival mechanism called “people pleasing,” which hinders one’s sense of self. It made him and even me realize understanding oneself is crucial in deciphering someone’s character and possibly even their intentions.

This is not anything new or a secret. Even in certain spiritual practices, to fight a demon, you ask for the aid of another demon. In some games I played, to counter a higher dimensional entity, you summon or pay the price for an equal standing entity to oppose it. A monster can sense its own kind. How often to we see this used in entertainment? But I’m discussing real life.

Many of us have had challenging experiences in life. Some have even endured and survived narcissistic abuse, manipulation, and other horrible situations from parents or romantic partners. The list of the traumas one can endure is extensive. However, have you ever considered the insights that survivors gain once they have healed? Can you imagine the perspective of a recovering sociopath, psychopath, narcissist, or master manipulator? Can you imagine using that to help people? Who would know more about these individuals than the ones who have lived through it?

An ex-therapist shared his story of self-discovery while healing from parental neglect, abuse, and other painful experiences. By tapping into his own healing process, he developed a keen sense of discernment. Without even looking at someone, he could tell if they were being truthful, hiding something, or even manipulating others. Reflecting on his own survival strategies, he admitted that using people-pleasing as a coping mechanism was a form of manipulation. It involved saying what others wanted to hear in order to navigate or avoid difficult situations.

I can relate to this because manipulation was a learned behavior in my household, with my mother as my prime example. I don’t believe my mother is a bad person; rather, we both adopted these methods to minimize conflict and avoid devastating situations. Unfortunately, this caused us to lose touch with our true selves. I understand the necessity of wearing different masks for different situations, as it was a part of my trauma response. Because of my self-awareness, I can now recognize when someone is not revealing their true selves and how potentially dangerous they could be. In fact, I can often sense it without even hearing them speak. However, when they spoke, it further confirmed my initial impressions.

I do have a habit of seeing the good in people and recognizing qualities that could benefit others greatly. However, I understand now that if individuals don’t acknowledge their own issues or attempt to heal and change; it puts me at risk of encountering their underlying insidious intentions. It’s important for me to be cautious and protect myself from the brewing beast that lies beneath the surface, ready to attack if provoked.

However, I had these senses long before doing the inner work or acknowledging my traumas. Now, they have expanded their capability with the healing process. Even before, I would naturally peg out who was the one to worry about the most in a customer altercation at my jobs. In this particular incident, we had a customer, a Karen, who was raging about her drawing getting damaged in the frame shop. It was just a sketch she did in art class, not an expensive piece of work. Although she was going to get everything for free, she still raved on irrationally.

You would think I would be worried about the woman, right? However, it was actually the husband standing quietly behind her that caught my attention. I poked the manager on the arm and asked her to come with me to the back area. I told her, “If they ask, say nothing about who was handling the drawing. I have a bad feeling about him.” The manager cocked her head and peeked back out at the husband, not fully understanding what I was saying. After all, he appeared harmless and looked like a pushover, as it was the wife who was emotionally out-bursting.

Let me tell you, I hadn’t even heard the guy speak, but my alarm bells were going off. Something was giving me the notion that this dude could potentially harm someone or even kill them. So, when the manager went back out, the guy spoke and demanded to know who was handling the drawing. He wanted names and a face. Fortunately, the manager was smart enough to say that we aren’t permitted to provide that information.

There have been plenty of other situations where I had to turn up my people-pleasing ability and a bit of manipulative acting to de-escalate a situation. One such instance was when I had to manage a customer for my coworker, as no matter what he did, he couldn’t get the guy to calm down. The customer was in fury mode because the line was long, and we had a lot of orders to go through. With so much happening, it was especially difficult, considering this guy was 6 feet tall and built like a sumo wrestler who could easily put many people in the hospital. He was raising his voice right in front of us and let me paint a picture of how bad the situation looked. My coworker, who had asked me to assist him, was at the counter, holding a mallet ready in hand. Another male coworker, who was only 19, was in the next aisle over, standing right across from me. I could see him through the shelving, and he could see me, too. He kept his eye on me the whole time. Adding to the intensity, another male coworker from the neighboring department came over and stood at the corner of the aisle we were in, positioned behind me. That’s how bad it was, where three of my male coworkers needed to stand by and be ready. I don’t remember exactly how I did it, but somehow, I got that bulldozer of a man to calm down. He simmered down and started talking normally, acting all cool again. It’s like whatever I said and how I said it snapped him out of whatever he was feeling. I was grateful for that because not only would my life have been at risk, but my coworkers were ready to take down this man. So, I understood what the ex-therapist said about being manipulative has its benefits because it saved me plenty of times from potentially horrible situations.

Although I haven’t worked in retail for a long time, I believe my abilities in spotting someone’s character have improved because of the inner work I’ve done. While I am still a work in progress, these improvements have allowed me to view things from a different perspective. I can spot a person who’s ruled by arrogance much easier. Who’s power-hungry. Who’s a predator, a manipulator? I have to agree with the guy that so many people don’t recognize when they are being exploited by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. There are plenty of them on social media with massive followings and cult-like fans. It’s so scary to be honest. As a result, I can understand what the ex-therapist was referring to - the importance of knowing oneself first in order to better understand others. Perhaps even more effectively than someone who is solely trained in the field but lacks personal experiences or insights. Survivors of narcissism, for example, may possess a deeper understanding of narcissists compared to mental health professionals who have not been victims or narcissists themselves.

Alright, I will share some key indicators that can help you identify whether you’re dealing with a master manipulator who is power-hungry, arrogant, and only interested in exploiting you. First, it’s important to note that there is no relationship expert, especially when it comes to taking advice from someone of the opposite gender. This applies to both men and women because you never truly know who they are or their behind-the-scenes motivations. They could be hiding a dark side, such as being a domestic abuser, a narcissist, or even a sociopath, without even realizing it because many people are excellent at wearing masks. You can’t trust someone because they claim to be a love expert. In fact, following their guidance might put you in a dangerous situation without them giving it a second thought. These individuals may have a way with words and a charming smile, but they are more likely responsible for women settling for someone who could jeopardize their life or make it unbearable. It’s crucial to understand that they have no concern for your well-being.

Someone who genuinely cares about your well-being would point out the obvious: your trauma, your parental models regarding love, or witnessing a healthy or unhealthy relationship. Our environment teaches us almost everything, starting from childhood. There’s a reason they say you marry either your mother or father. It’s not for shits and giggles; it’s a fact. And now they know it shows in the brain, specifically in the regions in charge of novelty and familiarity. Our parents or caregivers and home dynamics are contributing factors to why it’s challenging to find a decent relationship, let alone deep love and companionship because of complex trauma. Someone would say it’s the construct and the cycle of bullshit that has put many people in their circumstances today. And a lot of it is not their fault, as they may not even be aware of it all. Ignorance is not bliss. We are trapped in toxic systems with a bunch of crazy man-made bullshit. However, it becomes your responsibility the moment you realize what’s the contributing factor to your situation and choose not to change it. This applies to everyone, not just a specific gender.

I have something to say: acclaimed thought-leaders often come across as ego-driven individuals who will never take accountability for being wrong. They will never admit they are wrong and made a mistake. They use vague and broad statements, talking excessively. You know the type - those professors who go on rants simply because they enjoy hearing themselves speak. They exude confidence in their voice and carefully choose their words. Let me tell you, the way words are strung together can hold more power than anything concrete or valid. Salespeople understand this concept well, using their communication skills to persuade people into buying things they don’t actually need. Acclaimed thought-leaders are no different. In fact, there are quite a few prominent names out there who exhibit sociopathic traits, and it genuinely frightens me that people haven’t realized it yet. I won’t mention any specific books or authors, but there is one book that essentially teaches you how to become a sociopath, albeit not explicitly titled as such. The advice it offers essentially guides you on adopting the traits of a sociopath.

Here are some words to be cautious of, as they may trigger your alarm bells. When you come across these words, it’s important to engage in critical thinking. Take everything that person says with a grain of salt and don’t consider it as absolute truth. Words like “master,” “guru,” and “expert” need to put you on high alert. If you encounter these words, detach yourself from your emotions and try to view it from a third-person perspective. Make a conscious effort to not get caught up in what they are saying. Nobody is a master or an expert. They can be more skilled in their field and have a bit more experience, but no one is a master or an expert. As human beings, our knowledge is limited. Information is constantly changing and evolving. Even monks cannot claim to be masters of enlightenment or beyond the human experience. Knowledge is infinite, and we have much to learn. It’s important to practice humility and acknowledge that we know very little. I, too, am just a student of life, so please approach what I say with discernment. Even as I write about all of this, continuously ask questions and engage in critical thinking, as I am a flawed human being with my own share of traumas to resolve.

The reason I write about trauma and its detrimental effects is because, like many others, I have a voice. However, because of my speech impediment, I may not sound as convincing as a suave speaker. Nonetheless, through my writing, I aim to provide some insight to whoever wants to read my blogs. I want to give them something to think about and perhaps highlight the possibility of healing and gaining wisdom from their traumas and experiences. Before: It never crossed my mind that my circumstances enable me to assess someone’s character so effectively. I’m still here, you know. Still alive by sheer damn luck. Learning about yourself, acknowledging and healing it might help you figure out someone’s insidious intentions, and may even save your life. Well, at least I hope.

Thank you.