#i would like more people to become as obsessed with miss princess princess as i am

[golvio]

Thinking about how one of the reasons I was so disappointed by TotK was because I’ve been spoiled by more narrative-driven indie games lately. Even if TotK Ganondorf was only played like a villain resembling the scariest versions of The Princess when he was threatening to break his seal, we still would’ve gotten a character with way more depth and opportunities for emotional attachment/sympathy.

Like…I don’t want Ganon to be a cute, cuddly, super-palatable and marketable same-aged bestie to the teenaged protagonists. I want to have that same pathos and emotional connection that I felt with his Wind Waker incarnation. That guy may have still been a child-punching jerk who was desperately trying to justify himself, but he was also lonely, maladaptive, and struggling with having lost everything partly by his own hands. Out of all the incarnations of this guy, he felt the most human, even if it was the more self-serving, self-pitying, self-destructive parts of humanity. If we must fight him, I want to feel that same uneasy emptiness where I’m left wondering if things could’ve been different and he didn’t have to die instead of a simpler, “Yay!!! U Beat Da Gaem!!!1!!” sendoff.

And if there’s anything Slay The Princess taught me, it’s that you don’t necessarily need a super complex motivation to tell a compelling story, or to start spinning more complex conflicts and narratives outward from that origin point. Sometimes “Let me outta this basement!” is enough. Especially when the character in question is so driven that they don’t care what they have to do or who they have to steamroll to finally reach freedom. Even if all the prisoner does is vindictively torture the player instead of auditioning for their sympathy in their attempts to escape, you can’t help but develop a strange sort of admiration for their tenacity and resourcefulness. Not to mention that, even in a purely antagonistic relationship, such a motive is an easy “in” for emotional connection to a character. Nobody likes being trapped against their will. Everyone forced into imprisonment would want to be free. Also, solitary confinement in particular sucks, and eons of that would be enough to make anyone ornery and desperate.

They didn’t even need to do much to reimagine Ganondorf for a new audience. Just give him a more realistic response to the archetypal Zelda Series situation that he was forced into like BotW’s Link and Zelda. The Holy Maiden is made to suffer, the Hero is made to grow up too fast and put through grueling challenges, and the Monster is made to be imprisoned and be cut down after he escapes because his mere existence threatens the Holy Maiden. (And even if he suffers just as much as the Maiden, it’s all his own fault because he’s Evil, so don’t you dare feel sorry for him!)

Calamity Ganon wanted out of that basement, just like Zelda wanted out of her role and the pressures that came with it. You’re really telling me Nintendo couldn’t have done something more compelling with that? It’s absolutely possible for a character whose history has expanded him to a near-eldritch multiplicity and timespan to still feel human and relatable. You just have to be willing to look at that character with genuine affection as a writer, even at his absolute worst.

[sweetnothingtm]

every man gets his wish // simon riley

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ "i learned how to make love from the movies" ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

pairing simon x fem!reader

content pure unadulterated smut, maybe a daddy kink?

summary the one where ghost is obsessed w a camgirl

note based off my drabble, thank you for the love ♡ lmk if you want a part twooo

There’s a special place in hell for people like Simon Riley.

He could’ve gone to heaven - but he won’t.

Simon has vices. He has anger issues, and he doesn’t like to share. He doesn’t take precautions, he’s cocky with his wallet and he most certainly doesn’t take orders from anyone.

He’s impulsive, abrasive, and most importantly - Simon Riley only thinks with his dick.

You’re the opposite of him. Careful, gentle and patient, you come across as bubbly and approachable. The sparkle in your eyes just never seemed to die, and an innocent smile is always playing at your lips. You seem to embody everything that Simon could never be.

Not that he would know - you’re just an eager camgirl with a big audience.

Every night, Simon Riley comes crawling to you like a stray dog. It wasn’t meant to be this way, so vile and naughty and delicious. He swore it would only happen once, and yet here he is, pining after the taste of you. He always finds himself with his cock in his hands, eyes rolling up to the ceiling and filthy curses slipping past his lips.

You’ve already started - much to his disappointment.

He’s usually so punctual. Never wasting your time. Always appreciative of the way your eyes sparkle with adoration when he joins the stream. Today was no different - he was just a little too eager and spent the last hour jerking off to the thought of you.

And he’s gonna do it again

The room is cast in a soft glow, your legs tucked beneath you and the soft hum of music playing in the background. Your soft skin is covered in red lingerie, pillowy tits covered by the lace that he bought.

It’s a damn shame - the way Simon can’t be there to take it off himself.

In contrast to the natural shine you give off, Simon is drowned out by the dark moonlight. His body casually leans back against the headboard, eyes trained on the illuminated screen that separates you from him. While he is adorned in shadows, you shine with the soft glow of your exposed skin.

Your lips, pulled into a little pout. Your delicate fingers, dipping between your plush thighs. The ebbs and flow of your body, curves and blemishes that he’s memorized like he owns you.

It’s quite pathetic, really - how infatuated he’s become with a camgirl. But he can’t help himself. He’s got all your videos saved in a folder that he opens at every opportunity.

He’s cum to you more times than he can count, always groaning as the hot ropes of white liquid splatter against his skin. He’d tip you relentlessly, always accompanied by a foreboding message that sent chills along your spine.

Missed you, princess. What a good girl. Finished so soon? What a beautiful little slut.

Your hands are wrapped around a little pink toy that you push between your thighs. It hums against your skin, causing Simon to angrily palm himself through his pants. The sickeningly sweet sound of your gasp has him reeling, cock already beginning to twitch and drip with precum.

His hand continues to palm at it, ignoring the little stain that starts to form on his pants as you continue to stimulate yourself. You gently part your thighs, hair framing your face as you give him - yes, him - a little preview of his deepest desires.

You’re already wet, and he curses himself for being late today. Simon is memorizing the little bow on your panties, the way you push the vibrator against the soft fabric and let your little plump lips part for a moan.

He’s got a toothy grin, rubbing at the tip of his cock and imagining that it’s your delicate hands struggling to wrap around him.

You’d blink up at him with full and eager eyes, lip pulled between your teeth. You’d gently unzip his pants, fingernails dragging against his skin and causing his dick to perk up. He’d rub the pad of his thumb against your cheek, a nasty smirk plastered across his face.

Simon imagines that your tongue would give gentle licks against his irritated tip, that you’d hollow out your cheeks and suck him off until his cum is coating your throat. He would continue to lazily fuck your mouth, tears gathering at the corner of your eyes as you hummed against his cock.

The sound of your little gasps pulls him from the daydream, eyes sharply trained on the screen as you pull your panties to the side and rub the vibrator against your clit. Your chest is pressed outwards, nipples hard against the red lace that separates him from you.

Before he can stop himself, with his cock twitching underneath his touch and thumb rubbing softly over his tip, he absently clicks on the keyboard. It’s a good thing he’s got his card number memorized.

$250 from Ghost_Stalker

-smile pretty for me, princess.

You pause your movement, vibrator stuck between your folds as you writhe and twitch against it. You squint your eyes, rolling over the message once. Twice. Three times before a smile is tugging at your lips. A hand comes up to squeeze your tit, fingernails dragging against the lace as you lean into the camera and smile sweetly.

“hi ghost - i missed you.”

His belt hits the floor before you finish your sentence.

Your voice is thick like honey, laced with desire that Simon is convinced was meant just for him. The vibrator begins to move again, pressing into your wet core with a little squelch as you mewl out in pleasure.

He follows your pace, eyes fixated on the pink toy that dips in and out of your little pussy. It stretches you, pushing against your folds and humming against you.

Simon is messily jerking himself off as you roll your hips against the vibrator, letting soft pleas fall from your lips. He spits on the tip of his cock, palm rubbing it against his shaft as he grunts happily. The slick and lazy strokes mirror the way you rub the vibrator greedily against your clit, thighs parting like the gates of heaven.

He wants in.

When you pull the toy away from you, the sound of your dripping cunt follows along with it. You wiggle closer to the camera, eyes blown out with pleasure as you press the pink toy into your mouth and lick. Tongue sloppy, eyes rolling in ecstasy and hips bucking against the pillow underneath you.

$300 from Ghost_Stalker

-i missed you more princess. missed your pretty little pussy.

“prove it,” you challenge.

His head slams against the back of the chair, cock covered in his spit as the sounds of your soft laughter that plays from his screen. He bucks his hips up with his movements, imagining that your body is curled around him and bouncing on his lap.

Your nails would drag against his skin, leaving harsh red lines in their wake as he’d let his hand fly to your ass with a sickening smack.

You’d jump, grinding your mound into him with desperation as your perky tits rub against his chest. Simon imagines himself nipping, licking and biting at them, his dick throbbing at the way you’d drool out his name.

In his dreams, you’re an obedient little slut. Ever a tease, you’d bounce on his dick one minute and beg for a kiss the next. He’d wrap his hand around your throat, choking you until you’re seeing stars and begging him for more.

You’re chatting away with sleazy men who can’t afford you, and it makes Simon enraged. It’s him who matters. It’s him who should have your attention. It’s him who you should open your legs for. His stroking gets aggressive, jaw set and hardened as you blow kisses and make false promises. Simon is rubbing himself raw, his free hand going to cup his balls and gently squeeze.

And then someone asks you where you got your cute little outfit. And like the vixen you are, you smile sweetly into the camera and push your tits together.

“Oh? these? they were a gift from someone special.”

And it’s true. He’s your favorite. He’s the one who you’re dreaming of - and it’s embarrassing to pine after a man you’ve never met. But it’s washed away by the burning desire to please him. Only him.

He’s trying so hard to hang on. To regain some sense of normalcy as his dick continues to twitch and warmth spreads throughout his body like an inferno. His eyes are trained on your curves, the way you’ve got a smile lighting your face up as your hips grind into the soft pillow below you. He’s slapping the tip of his dick against his abdomen, letting the beads of precum splat against his skin and forever stain him a sinner.

Here he goes again, thinking with his dick.

$500 from Ghost_Stalker

-put on a good show for daddy.

And you do. The red lace has been slipped off of you, tossed to the side as you reach over and off the screen to grab something. A perfect angle of your tits in full view. Simon follows every movement. He licks his lips in anticipation, stomach heavy with desire.

You sheepishly pull the dildo out, smacking it against your outstretched tongue and dipping a hand between your legs. Dripping, wet beyond comprehension and Simon is lucky enough to watch as you curl your fingers inside your pussy and mewl.

His hips are rutting up, hand fisting his cock in desperation as you suck on the dildo while fingerfucking yourself. His chest is tight, sweat glistening against his skin while he watches intensely. So fucking wet.

You hope he’s watching. You’re praying that he’s jerking off to the sight of you. That you’re both staring up at the ceiling, eyes searching for the constellations that brought you together when the stars aligned.

Is it wrong? To want something that you’ve never known?

Simon can tell you’re becoming undone. You always get riled up with his words, eyes full of excitement as he showers you with attention every stream. In his fantasy, Simon thinks you wished that your delicate fingers were his. That you wanted him to slowly rub at your bud of nerves and press his fingers into your cunt. And then he’d have you sit on his cock and make him watch as he licked his fingers clean.

He can’t help himself when you’re like this, messy and needy on screen with your wet pussy smearing against the pillow that he wishes was his face. You’re whining and panting, fingers dipping in and out of your core as Simon picks up the pace and lets the heat travel up his skin and light him ablaze. Your voice is music to his ears.

“i’m so close- fuck. please, i- gonna cum.”

When you climax, your chest is heaving and a layer of sweat has covered your soft skin. Your hands are dancing across your soft tits, twisting at your hardened nipples that all but scream bite me. He’s smearing more spit all over himself, breath coming out in short pants and eyes dark and heavy.

The dildo rests against your folds, almost as if it’s taunting him. And so what if he blows all him money in one night? It’s going to a good cause - at least, that’s what he’s convinced himself.

$2500 from Ghost_Stalker

-again.

You pull your bottom lip between your teeth at the message, ignoring the chat as it blows up at the extra show. You’re already eager, smacking the tip of the dildo against your folds and rolling your hips upwards.

“a little desperate tonight? i don’t mind - anything for daddy”

It takes everything in him not to cum right then and there. Simon feels like he’s died and been reborn. Like a siren has sung him to a peaceful sleep. Like the explanations for his bank statements are worth it. And when you press the tip of the toy into your dripping wet hole, it feels like Simon can practically smell your sickeningly sweet pussy.

He thinks it smells like candy.

You wince at every inch of silicone that slides into you. Your thighs are trembling, an arm propping yourself up as you whine and mewl like his favorite little kitten. The camera is shaking from your movements, head hung back in ecstasy as you bottom out the dildo and sigh happily.

Such a dirty slut, Simon muses. So nasty. At this point, his strokes are quick and methodical. Tugging at his tip that’s still producing precum, almost as if it’s desperate for release. His balls ache, his eyebrows are knitted in concentration and his abs are tight with anticipation.

“m’ so wet,” you gasp, the sounds of your pussy flitting against the dildo playing on repeat in Simon’s mind. Your thighs are spread fully, and your pillowy tits are jiggling with the movement of you fucking yourself. “are you watching?”

There’s a frenzy in the chat, a hundred eager men thinking that your words are meant for them. You raise yourself to your knees, angling to toy to press against your folds as you bite your lip. “i bet you are. guess what?” You breathe, eyes twinkling with mischief. “i wish you were here.”

Oh, how wrong they were.

He's close. The edge that he’s built is about to fall beneath him, collapse into a million pieces while you get drunk off the way the dildo slips in and out of you. Your eyes are squeezed shut and your chest is heaving, lungs struggling to take in air as you climb that high once more.

You whine and beg to yourself. Simon curses and lets his hips snap up against his stroking. His cock is unbearably hard, skin tingling with the sensation of pure lust that consumes him. You bounce and grind on the dildo with need, hair falling back against your bare shoulders as Simon drinks in every ounce of you.

Legs shaking, tits bouncing and hands coming up to play with your nipples, you look like a goddess. He’s never been so entranced, so enthralled and so obsessed. The way your nails dig into your skin, squeals of pleasure ripping through your stomach as you cum around the toy. You roll your hips greedily, savoring the orgasm and rubbing quick circles against your clit.

It’s all that it takes to have him squeezing the tip of his cock and shooting hot cum all over his stomach. It’s shameful, pathetic and downright heavenly. He promises that he’ll never cum to anyone but you.

The overstimulation has you reeling, chest heaving and eyes watering in excitement as a wave of pure bliss is crashing against you. The chat is singing praises to you, falling on deaf ears as you lazily still your hips and lean forward - dildo still firmly shoved in your pussy.

“are you satisfied?” You ask innocently. No, never. You don’t say his screen name, but it doesn’t matter, he knows it’s him you’re talking to. He knows by the way you slide off the toy, hair sticking to your skin as you slip on the red lace as a sign that the shows coming to an end. He knows by the way you dip your fingers between your wet folds, gathering the sticky cum around your digits - before you lick it off them like such a good girl.

He has to have you.

$5000 from Ghost_Stalker

-i’ll double it if you do it again

[kisseobie]

Can you rank P1harmony on who is most likely to get pussy drunk and why 👀👀

who in p1harmony is most likely to be pussy drunk

pairings: ot6 p1harmony x reader

warnings: nsfw obvi (mdni)

a/n: well yes! this is in mtl, so most to least! (although i can see all of piwon as munches that all get pussy drunk tbh..)

༘⋆₊˚ jongseob

might be a controversial take and might be spurred on by a seob work i am currently drafting out but.. fuck it i’m putting jongseob as the most likely to be pussy drunk! i’m just sooo fixated on the idea of him never experiencing anything before meeting you, and just becoming obsessed when his fingers, lips, and cock all make contact with your cunt for the first time.. so eager to please, and the fact that he’s able to draw out waves from you is enough for him to feel pleasure as well. definitely a service dom that can spend hours analyzing each reaction he can pull from you.. when he’s particularly stressed out in the midst of comeback preparations he’s spending his nights lapping at your pussy until all the worrying thoughts dissipate from his pretty head :3

༘⋆₊˚ intak

just a loser puppy bf obsessed with his girlfriend and her glistening cunt :(( he’s sooo desperate 24/7, is always pulling you away from whatever or whoever you’re currently occupied with, just so he can worship you and your pussy. he’s the typa bf to rut his hips against the bed whilst eating you out, eagerness evident in the way he groans into your cunny .. he’s def begging you afterwards to let him stuff you with his dick .. pleading with big eyes and nasty words like “just the tip? please angel, wanna feel you around me” and you’d never admit it to him, but his never-satiated desire to worship your pretty pussy drives you absolutely crazy :( please please rut your hips onto his face and pull his hair when he’s eating you out.. he deserves it!!

༘⋆₊˚ jiung

another hot take but i think a serious little nerdy introvert like ji would have a crazyyyyy sex drive; and an even crazier need to constantly be inside of you. once the pair of you have sex for the first time, it literally alters jiung’s brain chemistry. he’s particularly obsessed with overstimulating you just to witness the familiar frothy white ring of his and your cum placed around his dick every time he lifts your pelvis up and pulls in and out.. literally takes pictures of your pussy like it’s the finest piece of art he’ll ever see, tucking said photos into a locked folder on his phone that he visits quite frequently. is not as vocal about just how pussy drunk he gets, but his actions and stares make it obvious :DD

༘⋆₊˚ theo

now now.. i know people are gonna say yangie should be higher on the list, but personally, i think theo—whilst very much obsessed with eating you out—would get more drunk off of receiving pillow princess treatment? i know most people write him as a service dom but this man is lowkey the brattiest sub to exist in my eyes lol. can see him being greedy as hell. being fourth on this list and leaning submissive doesn’t mean he’s never pussy drunk tho! but i do think it’s less of a trait during sex, and more of a feeling he gets when he’s needy and missing you. i can see taeyang sniffing your unwashed panties and getting off to that like a little perv hehe

༘⋆₊˚ soul

now this was a bit difficult.. and shota is an enigma so it took me awhile to properly place him where he belongs. kind of like theo, i feel like he isn’t really the type to get pussy drunk during sex or foreplay or anything like that. instead, i think he’s just more obsessed with your other body parts and processes, like the way your tits bounce when he’s rutting into your heat, how you clench around his cock when he’s more vocal with you, how your moans eventually morph into little broken gasps. i think my main impression of being pussy drunk is being so obsessed, dazed, and brainless, but i just think soul would be a lot more aware when intimate, and not so easily lost in the sauce as the others lol

༘⋆₊˚ keeho

i can already hear the disgruntled keeho truthers making their way but before yall kill me.. hear me out.. i think of kyo as a hard dom majority of the time, so i really don’t think he would make it aware to you even if he was pussy drunk. i also think making you feel good would be his priority, and he wouldn’t pay much mind to his own pleasure until his girl was satisfied, so i just don’t think he’s got the time and drive to be pussy drunk! he’s on a mission to have you trembling with want, and he can’t really achieve that if he’s drooling with lust for your cunt :/ maybe it’s just the way i characterize him.. but i just think he and shota are more focused on other things during intimacy

taglist: @woozixo @hearts4chanhee @kyokopi @astro-doll-the-star @soobiary @kyaaramello @t3ssamoodboard @angelcbf @idontknow-1s-world @vivienne-sim @elissasimp @imjustayapper @ihatewreckingballmains @sosaverse @seobing @www90kitsch @khfviq @barbiekh86t @bbyjjunie @taeyangi @fullsunstrawberry @jihnyah @intheemptymirror @watamotee33 @dreamer1299 @jixnnsie @wonootnoot @yukx-x047 @sundancearchives @chuuswifereal @seisyiss @fishsquishh @sunnyyangie

© kisseobie, please do not repost my writing!

༘⋆₊˚

[meshla-cyarika]

The Blonde Prince

Pairing: Prince!Rex x Mermaid!reader

Word count: 3,226

Tags/warnings: none

Summary: You're the princess of the seven seas and you've become obsessed with humans. Unfortunately, your mother, the queen, has long since forbidden mers to go up to the surface. Rex is a prince of Mandalore and today it's his birthday. His brothers thought it would be fun to plan a trip across the seas. You're both brought together when the royal ship passes above your kingdom.

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

"We aren't supposed to be this far from the palace."

You don't pay the young mermaid beside you much thought, as you inspect yet another odd human object. It's a long stick with glass either end, one end is narrow and the other is larger.

"Relax, Omega." You stare down the narrow end of the peculiar device and watch in awe, as it makes your surroundings seem closer than what they are. "Woah! How does that work?"

"Please!" Omega whines, clearly scared of being further away from the palace than usual. "My aunt will kill me, if she finds out!"

You roll your eyes at the mention of Nala Se, as you put the thing into your bag. Nala Se means well, but she's very strict on young Omega. The mer is only eight summers old and, for some reason, has imprinted on you since you first visited Nala Se's stall at the market.

"Who says she's going to find out?" You give her a mischievous grin, before swimming further out. Omega huffs from behind you and you smirk, as you catch a glimpse of her purple tail swimming towards you.

"Princess!" A voice calls out, making you halt and turn around. You find your royal bodyguard swimming up to you.

"Must you always spoil my fun?" You roll your eyes.

"Your mother has had the royal gaurd looking everywhere for you. You missed the ceremony." Your bodyguard, Corrin, tells you and you blanche at the news.

"I lost track of time." The ceremony is where all your relatives come together from across the seven seas to spend seven sunrises at the palace. It's partly a celebration of the royal family and partly just for the adults to discuss what's been happening across the seas.

"You have to come back, now, princess." Corrin tells you, but it's more like a plea for you to prevent your mother from punishing the gaurds.

"I guess, I don't have much of a choice." You sigh and Corrin gives you a sympathetic look. Your entire life is controlled by your mother. Just because she's the queen of the seven seas, she thinks she has the right to act like your life is her own. Omega and yourself wordlessly follow Corrin through the depths of the ocean.

+++

When you enter the palace hall, you're greeted by the sight of your entire family enjoying a feast at the long table. The gaurds stationed at the entrance announce your presence and everyone looks up at the sight of you. Most give you warm and welcoming smiles, while your mother gives you a pointed glare that she quickly covers up with a forced smile.

"My daughter, where have you been." Queen Satine innocently asks, knowing full well where you've been.

"I apologise for my absence. There was an incident with the royal gaurd that I wanted to see to myself." You lie easily, just to please your family.

"How noble." Your mother smiles, condescendingly. "Please, join us." She gestures to the long table and you take your place by your cousins. They soon indulge you in their conversations about the latest news, while eating bits and pieces of the mass of food that could feed the entire kingdom. Fish and other creatures have been brought from all across the seven seas, as gifts for everyone attending.

Your mind drifts slightly, while Myra, one of your cousins, starts talking about the pod of orcas her and her family had encountered on the way here. You do love your cousins. They're kind to you and always invite you to be involved in whatever they're doing. It's nice to have people around your age that live in the same conditions as you and complain about the same things. Since you're the only child of the queen, you don't get to express how you feel most of time and, admittedly, don't have alot of close friends.

The feast soon draws to a close and your extended family are finally allowed to do whatever they please, but most opt to go to their palace alcoves and rest. The mothers and fathers stay behind in the royal hall to discuss business.

You're one of the ones that decide to go to your alcove. You push a large stone infront of the entrance to give yourself privacy, before slumping down on a smooth large rock on the floor of your alcove. The bioluminescent coral and planets you have been growing bask the area in a light blue glow.

Your mother will make you stay at the palace for the next seven sunrises, just so she doesn't seem like an irresponsible mother by having you swim off to who knows where. You huff out a sigh and tuck your tail up to your chest, absentmindedly fidgeting with your fin. You always found your apperance to be a little odd. The human-like anatomy part of your body is perfectly ordinary among mers, but it's the colour of your scales and shape of your tail that you find to be a little abnormal.

Your mother's colours are gold and shimmer in the sunlight and her tail is built to be more regal and majestic, showing her beauty and her power. Mer that are royal by blood tend to have more sophisticated colours and tails, but yours are less so.

Your tail doesn't have the frilly embellishments of a creature like koi fish, it's more lean and your tail fin is sturdy and strong, unlike your mothers. Your scales are a pattern of white and dark blue, which do complement your features well, but it's a very ordinary combination of colours, in comparison to most royal scales. Then again, you have never met your father and your mother never wants to talk about him. Maybe your appearance is purely from him.

There's an old myth that dates back to the first ever mers that says the tail and scales of a mer are linked to their soulmate. The belief of soulmates has fizzled out through time among your people, but some of you still believe that there is a person made for everyone. You don't know what you think of the concept, but you'd like to believe that some day you'll find someone that clicks with you like the last piece of a puzzle.

You furrow your eyebrows, when you hear a dull thudding coming from outside. It's very distant and you doubt most would be able to hear it, but it's definitely there. The noise happens in random bursts that sometimes overlap each other. You swim over to the rock at the entrance to your cave and push it away, before quietly sneaking through the palace. You leave unnoticed and venture through the ocean, which is illuminating from some sort of lights from above.

You look up at the surface and see something huge cast a shadow over the area. The noise gets louder and louder, as you swim further and further upwards. Once you break through the water, you startle as the noise becomes incredibly loud and bits and pieces of something falls from the sky. It's hot, the polar opposite of the ocean. You watch as things sore up into the sky, before bursting apart into a million different pieces that are on fire. You force your gaze away from the scary, yet beautiful, sight and look forward at the massive ship sailing before you. Humans!

+++

"Having fun, Rex?" A man slings his arm over his brother's shoulders, a bottle of whiskey in his other hand.

"Sure, Cody." The brother sips his bottle of beer. The pair are both dressed in royal suits, with a cape handing from one shoulder and off the shoulder sashes to match. Rex's cape is royal blue, while Cody's is orange. Even when they are celebrating, they have to do everything by the book. Although, Cody's suit has began to crinkle and slant in some place from him throwing his weight about. If he wasn't wearing what he is, you probably wouldn't even think he's a prince.

"Oh, come on, Rex! It's your birthday!" Wolffe comes up behind the both of them, his plain grey cape sweeping below him, and pats Rex's shoulder with alot more force than necessary, nearly making the blonde stumble over.

Before Rex can say anything in response, the three brothers become distracted by the sight of the crew suddenly singing an old sea shanty. Cody quickly joins in and walks over to where the crew have congregated, nearly loud enough to drown out the last few fireworks going off and Rex shakes his head, with a fond smile. The blonde arches a brow, when Wolffe, the brother known to be the most stern and stoic, starts singing aswell, which causes a few to laugh.

Wolffe drags Rex over to the rest of the crew and nudges his shoulder. Rex rolls his eyes, before joining in, unable to conceal his smile. "To boost the moral of the crew." Rex tells himself. Although, he's sure alot of them don't need any more boosts, as Fives', Jesse's and Hardcase's voices drown out everyone else.

+++

The odd things flying up into the air have just stopped and you're trying to pull yourself up into one of the smaller boats on the side of the ship. Your mother would kill you, if she saw you now. For as long as you can remember, humans have been seen as dangerous beasts in your kingdom. No one is allowed to go up to the surface, by order of your mother. She thinks that just because there's one awful human it means they're all like that. Not all mer are horrible, so why should humans be? She doesn't understand. No one does.

You finally manage to pull your body into the small boat and peak inbetween the small holes in the hand railing on the side of the ship. You've never been this close to humans before. A few of them are using odd devices that make pleasant sounds, while others move around in rhythmic movements and some of them sing. Unlike mer singing, it's frankly terrible and out of tune, but they don't seem to care. They seem to find it amusing.

You observe the crowd. Most of them are wearing pretty shabby clothes that are well worn, but there are three men dressed in something more glamorous and regal. You tilt your head, as you observe the three laughing men. They share many identical features, so you assume that they are related in some way and their clothes indicate a higher rank of importance, maybe even royalty.

You startle, as a creature suddenly appears infront of you and you fall back into the bottom of the boat, with a dull thud. You tilt your head at the creature. It has a seemingly unnecessary amount of fur, it stands on four legs and has a thin long tail. It's face is mostly covered by the amount of fur, but it kind of reminds you of a seal.

You hesitantly reach and place your hand on the creatures head, surprised to find it soft. You jump back, when you hear the thudding sound of footsteps getting closer to your hiding spot. Someone grabs the creature and guides it back to the middle of the ship.

"Can't believe Waxer and Boil stowed away that damm dog."

Your breath catches in your throat, as the blonde man in the regal clothes leans over the railing. If he were to look down, he'd instantly see you hiding in the boat. You push yourself agaisnt the bottom of the boat as much as you can, in an attempt to try and hide yourself in the shadows.

You can't help but observe what you can see of the man. His hair is buzzed and his skinned is naturally tanned. He has a strong jawline and dark brown eyes. He's beautiful. For a human anyway...

You flinch, as some kind of liquid lands on your cheek. Then, slowly water starts falling the sky in small droplets. You notice the blonde looking upwards and an uneasy expression takes over his features. Within seconds, tons of water is crashing down and there's the distant sound of thunder drawing closer.

"Storm coming in fast! All hands on deck!" The blonde marches over to his crew and they quickly stand to attention. You take this as your signal to leave and dive back into the sea below.

+++

The men instantly sober up and race around the ship to tie down the sails, while rain continues to batter down and thunder and lightning draw closer. Within seconds, everyone is soaked to the bone. Fierce waves wash over the deck.

Rex notices that no one is at the wheel and, while his brothers are yelling orders, he races up the stairs to grab on to it. The wheel fights agaisnt him, as the current throws the ship in all sorts of directions, but the prince manages to keep it relatively still.

The ship lurches upwards, with the movement of a particularly tall wave, before crashing back downwards. Rex's eyes widen at the sight of jagged rocks spiking out the water. He spins the wheel to the side, as fast as he can, but it's no use. They inevitably collide with the rocks and the ship tips sideways. The crew yell, as they cling onto whatever they can to prevent being thrown into the dark water. Eventually, the ship evens back out and is longer tipped sideways, but the front of the ship is still embedded in the spiked rocks.

A lantern must have smashed onto the floor, because the ship is soon engulfed in flames. Rex races back to the main deck.

"Life boats! Abandon ship!" The blonde hollers over the sound of the harsh rain.

"Abandon ship!" Wolffe and Cody repeat his words. The crew barely hesitate to leap over the railing and into the depths below. They quickly loosen the ropes that are holding the life boats on the side of the ship and they splash into the water. They help each other out of the freezing water and into the boats.

The three princes wait to make sure everyone is off the ship, before going to jump out aswell. Suddenly, there's the sound of barking from the other side of the ship. That damn dog.

"Rex!" Cody urges his brother to jump.

"Go! I'm right behind you!" Rex shouts back, before running off through the flames. Wolffe and Cody don't get a chance to protest, as a particularly strong wave knocks them off their balance and over the side of the ship.

The blonde flinches back, when the fire on the stairs roars and grows. He shakes his head to try and tries to give himself confidence, before swiftly running up the stairs, wincing as the flames burn his clothes.

"I'm never letting Waxer and Boil on a ship again." Rex mutters to himself, while he picks up the dog and drops him over the side.

+++

You feel so useless, watching the events play out before you from the shadows, not being able to help. You observe the blonde man chuck the creature over the side of the ship and you swiftly submerge yourself back into the water. The creature isn't able to swim well with the current and you sneak underneath to guide the creature to one of the boats, where it's quickly pulled on board by the humans.

"Rex!" Both of the men in regal clothes yell and you turn back to face the ship, watching how the blonde goes to jump, but the ship suddenly lurches onto it's opposite side, flinging the man across the deck and presumably into the depths below.

You swim underneath the ship and scan the area for any sign of the blonde. Then, a flash of blue catches your eye and you see the human sinking lower and lower. You race downwards and wraps your arms securely across his chest, before swimming back up to the surface. You have it so his head is resting on your shoulder, to keep him from being completely submerged. His body remains lax, but you can vaguely hear the sound of his breathing and the puffs of air agaisnt your face.

He's alive.

You just saved a human's life and you pray to the sea Gods that your mother never finds out.

+++

It's been a long night. The storm eventually settled out and the sea became tame once again. Swimming while carrying another being that can't breath under water proved to be immensely difficult, but you couldn't just let him drown. You swam for hours in the direction that is known to have a human kingdom.

You drag the body of the human across the beach and settle him on the sand. The burning feeling of the hot sand combined with the sun rays themselves is almost unbearable, but you grit your teeth and try to ignore it. You blanche at the sight of the human's chest no longer rising up and down. When was the last time you heard him breathing?

You lay your head agaisnt his chest and hear a very faint beating. You raise your hands to his chest and shake him, hoping to do something. Your worries continue to grow, until the blonde coughs up some of the sea water from his lungs. You sigh in relief and have to resist from resting agaisnt him. You haven't slept at all.

You tilt your head, as you observe the man. Humans are so different, yet so similar at the same time. A pained expression takes over his features and you place your hand on the side of his face. You think back to how your nanny had soothed you as child. She used to sing this song that always seemed to make you feel safe. So, that's exactly what you do. You sing.

Mer voices are naturally more beautiful than that of humans. Mers even have the abilities to reach notes that humans can't. Music and singing is a big part of mer culture, but humans twisted this into to some terrible myth about mers leading sailors to their death through their captivating voices. In reality, humans were probably just bad at sailing at that time.

Your voice wavers, when you see the blonde's eyes slowly flicker open. You stop singing all together, as you hear yelling coming from the distant cliffs at the far end of the beach. Your head perks up and you barely make out the sight of a pack of humans running down the cliffs. You pull away from the human and make quick work of gliding back out into the sea.

+++

"Rex!" Cody and Wolffe run towards the body of their brother and sit down next to him.

"You're going to be alright, Rex." Wolffe assures the blonde, after noticing he's conscious.

Rex isn't paying attention to any of them. Instead, his mind drifts to the vague image of a beautiful woman leaning over him and singing a tune he's never heard the likes of before. It feels like the song has cast some sort of spell over him.

"The woman..." Rex doesn't get to dwell on it much longer, since he falls into a deep slumber...

[clumsy-jiminie]

ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙʟʏ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱ | ᴘᴊᴍ | ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ

❝ ʙɪɢ ꜰᴀɴ ❞

↣ summary :: Kiara Smith had dreamed of true love for as long as she could remember. from being obsessed with the Disney princesses who found affection in the strangest situations to dressing up as a bride from kindergarten to fourth grade. it was the only thing she ever truly desired, so much so that a pleasant smile and kind eyes could have her smitten in seconds. right when she thought she found the one, a chance encounter with Park Jimin—the city’s famously perfect fuck boy with a smile so warm and a heart of ice—has her feeling quite the opposite. he knocks her off her axis and derails her life as she knows it, yet the universe seems to have another plan for the two.

↣ rating :: 18+

↣ genre :: fluff, angst, smut, e2l, slow burn

↣ pairing :: business owner!jimin x fem!artist!oc ft. taehyung

↣ word count :: 3.8k

↣ chapter warnings :: mature language, public displays of affection

↣ notes :: welcome to the first chapter! 💕 I hope you guys already for the rollercoaster between these two.

↣ next :: previous :: series m.list ↢

ᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴘᴏꜱᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀᴛᴛᴘᴀᴅ

if you have any questions, comments, or concerns PLEASE don't hesitate to message me or send me an ask! my inbox is always open. 💖

"you see my thick thighs, lost when you look into my brown eyes, see my little waist can make you switch sides. you've never seen the devil in disguise."

- be honest, jorja smith-

ｗｉｎｔｅｒ

A low hum of people chatting over the Lo-Fi beats filled the area. Glasses clinking, some munching, all sounds that Kiara Smith grew familiar with. Though the crowd was more significant than the last exhibition she attended, it was starting to become all the same. 

She could remember the very first exhibit she went to and all the nerves it brought. She was a bumbling mess—sweaty palms constantly being wiped on her dress that she may have also used as her prom dress while her stomach frequently threatened to release her breakfast all over the floor—as she watched the few people who also attended like hawks. So insecure about the words those people chose not to share. So insecure about their lips pressed into taught smiles. Were they being genuine or just keeping up appearances? Was her art worth anything, or was she going to flop and end up having to get a shitty job just to make ends meet? Those same nerves would never fade, holding onto her like some clingy child desperately needing attention. But they became less apparent whenever her boyfriend was around. The heaven-sent angel would always know the right thing to say and make the world melt away. Though he would never miss an event, it was very seldom that he was on time. She never stressed his whereabouts, knowing he'd arrive eventually.

The 24-year-old continued to walk around, partially eavesdropping as she passed couples and groups of people. Occasionally, she would take a sip of the bubbly gold in her glass to appease that child named Nerves tugging on her leg. She slowed to a stop once a particular piece caught her eye. It was two separate canvases placed at equal heights. One canvas had a bright figure colored in hues of pink and blue, while the other was dark. Shades of black and grey bled from one canvas to the other as if it was trying to overcome the figure itself. The darkness had enough space on their canvas, though, at least a third remaining untouched, but it wanted the colors. It wanted to possess them, spread its darkness to them.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" blurted a voice near her. Despite the voice being calm and inviting, it startled her. She quickly turned to the side, not realizing a man joined her. His side profile was magnificent — features that were immaculately sculpted from his eyebrows, down his straight nose bridge leading to a button tip, to where his rose-shaded lips took center stage, frozen in a pout. His light blonde hair with dark roots made his olive skin stand out. It looked natural on him. The man was attractive, and Kiara couldn't deny that. His aura alone was almost as intoxicating as the drink in her hand. It pulled her in and wrapped around her like a warm embrace. She nodded, humming in agreement with his question. She faced ahead again.

The man stole another glance at her, eyes slowly glazing over her features. "It's so rare nowadays to find someone who could capture so much without saying a word. It's almost godly."

The more he talked, the nicer his voice sounded. It had an excellent depth, low and appealing even in his hushed tone. Kiara was into what he was saying, continuing to nod until the last comment. She had to sip her drink to subdue the urge to giggle.

"But you know what you and this painting have in common?"

She turned to look at the man, their eyes meeting for the first time tonight. And boy, how he could get lost in those pools of amber. She raised an eyebrow curiously, her glass still resting on her lips as she silently urged him to continue.

"You both were crafted with the same care, holding a beauty one could only dream of containing."

Kiara almost spat out her drink, startling the man before her. She raised her hand to cover her mouth, holding back the remainder of the liquid behind her taut lips. The man's eyebrows drew together and his lips pursed slightly. His expression then dropped to a neutral state once he realized she was chuckling at what he said.

Once she swallowed the liquid, she turned to face him completely. She took a moment to graze over his appearance fully. He was well dressed, wearing a black blazer, white crew neck underneath, and dark-wash skinny jeans. Silver earrings dangled from his earlobes to match the silver chain around his neck and the wristwatch. 

"Damn," she commented, a grin growing on her full glossed lips, "you're really laying it on thick for someone you don't know." Her voice was nothing he expected. She seemed like one of those Hamptons girls, playing in New York City with daddy's money. Her voice was light and smooth like silk fabric, but her accent was hard like a concrete wall. She was either from Queens or Brooklyn, syllables being dropped or stretched at a whim. Something about the way her words blended was incredibly sexy. 

The man quirked a brow, intrigued as the corner of his lips pulled into a half smile. "You tryna say I'm out of practice?"

"Precisely." She answered quickly and confidently as she gazed up at him. "I expect that kind of line from someone twice your age."

"Well, ouch." He chuckled, tongue poking at the inside of his cheek as his eyes glanced downward at the girl. "My job requires me to be blunt, so I call it like I see it."

"And you're saying I'm as beautiful as this painting?"

He grabbed a glass off the tray of a passing waiter. "Your beauty surpasses it." It was true. She was absolutely breathtaking. Her golden honey skin practically glowed under the cool white fluorescent lights. Her hair was dark brown and long, pulled back into a sleek high ponytail with two strands framing her face. Her black satin dress hugged every curve in her body with grace, and there were plenty of them. The material looked soft to the touch, gently reflecting the light. He'd be lying if he said her looks weren't the reason why he approached. And on top of all the looks, she smelled phenomenal—warm and sweet, like a freshly baked sugar cookie with a dash of cinnamon on top, making him want to relive through the holiday season that just passed.

Kiara let out a soft scoff. "Thank you, but that's not as much of a compliment as you may think." She suddenly spun on her stiletto heels, turning her back to the man as she walked away.

He quickly followed, catching up in a few steps to join her by her side. "Do explain."

"Beauty has, and always will be, skin deep." She circled the champagne in her glass while looking out into the crowd. "Looks fade over time. Trends come and go faster than the seasons. So if you really wanna wow a girl…." She stopped at another painting that grabbed her attention before looking at him. "Compliment the things you can't see." The two stopped to gaze at the artwork in front of them. The man thought over her words while admiring the piece. The canvas before them had various hues of green splashed about, but shades of purple peeked through upon closer inspection. It mimicked little flowers blooming through a field of wild grass. She managed to lead him to the only painting that mirrored their conversation.

He nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "You're completely right. And to think I almost missed out on how intelligent you are."

She smiled, soft and genuine. "Thank you."

The man stayed by her side as Kiara floated, offering his opinions on whichever piece they stopped in front of. She really appreciated being able to receive unbiased feedback on her work. He didn't know he was chatting with the artist. No one in the room knew. The name signed at the bottom of each canvas was Luna, a faceless painter. It's been that way since the beginning, and she intended it to stay that way. Only her close friends, family, and people she hired knew of her secret.

"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to lunch tomorrow." The man asked at their fourth or so painting.

"I see you don't waste any time."

"Correct. Time is limited, after all."

She looked up at him, his perfect lips pulled into a soft smile. Maybe in another lifetime, she thought as she caught her lower lip between her teeth. "Flattered, but I can't."

His brows furrowed. He thought that the conversation they were having was great, so what was with the rejection? "May I ask why?"

"I have a boyfriend," she said with a wide smile.

He suddenly scoffed, causing her to tilt her head to the side slightly. "I haven't seen anyone on your arm the whole night." The first thing the man hated the most was being lied to.

Her brows then lowered while her eyes narrowed. "He's just late."

The second thing was excuses.

"Tsk," he shook his head before downing his drink. "Committed to a man with no time management? Red flag."

"And somehow that's better than a man who can't take rejection?" She shot back as she quickly matched his energy. They had a peaceful conversation only moments before, and now the energy between them had grown negative.

"Oh, I can take rejection," he stated with a chuckle as he put his glass down. "But only when I'm being told the truth."

"It is—"

"Hey, darling." And finally, the deep and butter-smooth voice appeared, melting away the anger that was bubbling inside Kiara. As he approached her side, he placed his large hand on the small of her back and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm sorry I'm late."

The blonde in front of them eyed the man from his tan skin and wavy ebony hair to his solid-colored turtle neck and long coat. Something about the dark-haired man seemed familiar to the blonde. Then it hit him like a freight train. "Well, isn't it Mr. Kim Taehyung?" He smiled widely, glancing up at the slightly taller man.

Taehyung's brows furrowed momentarily before grinning. "Holy shit, Park Jimin!" He stepped forward, leaving Kiara's side to wrap his arms around the blonde. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he pulled away from the man. "I never would've thought that you'd be into art."

He chuckled softly, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "It's just a little appreciation I picked up from Spain." He shrugged casually.

Taehyung's jaw clenched briefly, his smile slipping for a moment. For as long as he's known Jimin, he always had to slip in a way to brag about his accomplishments. It was sad that he still hasn't grown out of that trait yet. "Ah yeah," he responded, playing cool, "I forgot you traveled there. How was it?"

Jimin shrugged again. "It was Spain," he said, glazing over the topic. "But me and—shit, I'm sorry." His attention shifted from Taehyung to the woman. "I never asked for your name."

"I'm Kiara," she said softly. Her arms folded over her chest as she watched the two men converse. She didn't mind a bit since Taehyung was the most extroverted of the two.

"Kiara," Jimin repeated to himself, his eyes trailing down her appearance briefly. He tried to pin the name to the face, especially if she was Taehyung's. His eyes finally returned to the other man. "Kiara and I were discussing some of the pieces earlier. I've been a huge fan of Luna for years now." He tried to be calm about the subject of Luna, but it made excitement course through his veins. He was among the first few to learn about the mysterious artist who abruptly appeared on the scene. Everyone wanted one of their pieces overnight, and Jimin was obviously at the very top of that list. Every brushstroke left was a paragraph, speaking a language only artists could understand. 

"I don't even wanna talk about how hard it was to get in here," he chuckled, a faint flush spreading over his cheeks. A Luna Eclipse had a longer wait list than some Michelin-star restaurants. Luckily for him, he was able to pull a few strings. A few phone calls here, some embarrassing promises there, and he was in.

Kiara couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips as she eyed the man. The smirk on Taehyung's lips was full of pride, almost conceited, as he tilted his head slightly to the side. "Oh, you don't say?" For once in the pair's life, it felt like Taehyung had a one-up on Jimin. "How does it feel to—"

"My love," Kiara interjected, voice just as sweet, yet bitter, like honey as she placed her hand on Taehyung's chest. She looked up at him, and Jimin could see her pupils dilated, swirling with love. He chewed on his lower lip gently. He barely knew this woman, but why did he want her to look at him like that? "I have to talk to you about something."

Taehyung stared at his partner with furrowed brows before looking at Jimin. "Um, alright. I'll catch up with you later then."

She looked at Jimin, and that love dissipated instantly. Such a look was only reserved for Taehyung, making a heaviness grow in his abdomen. "If you would excuse us."

The blonde couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from Kiara. "Of course," he finally said, grinning at the man. "Don't be a stranger!"

The two waved at each other before Kiara led him away. Her arm wrapped around his, holding him close to her. She glanced back at Jimin one last time before pulling Taehyung to a quiet section of the event. He leaned against the pillar while Kiara stood before him, gazing up at him.

"Why did you cut me off?" Taehyung asked, keeping his voice calm.

"Because you almost name-dropped me," she said, her arms folding over her chest. 

The 26-year-old's lips turned into a small o shape before forming a sheepish smile. "You're right. I'm sorry. I completely forgot for a second. It's just so hard not to brag about you when you always look so good." He reached out and touched her waist, pulling her into him.

She couldn't stop her lips from forming a smile as he buried his face into her neck. She giggled quietly, her hands placed on his chest. "Stop it," she whined, not wanting him to do such a thing.

Taehyung inhaled deeply, the notes of her sweet perfume entering his nostrils. "Mm, and you're wearing my favorite perfume too?" He mumbled against her skin, placing gentle kisses randomly. "You just wanted me to be on you."

The girl laughed before gasping when she felt his large hand fully palm her ass. She pulled away from him just enough to slap him in the chest playfully. "We're in public!"

His eyes locked with hers, with a smirk playing on his lips. "So?" He questioned as he pulled her close again, resuming to litter her neck with kisses. "No one's looking anyway. They're too distracted by your beautiful art." 

He continued until he reached her favorite spot, a moan parting from her smiling lips. His hands couldn't get enough of her, feeling her up as if it was the first time. Kiara's eyes fluttered shut, biting back moans that wanted to escape her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Taehyung," she whined again, partially out of want. It started to feel so good that the world began to melt away. "Someone will see."

Someone cleared their throat. "That's true."

Kiara's eyes shot open, quickly pushing the man in the midst of giving her a hickey off of her. He groaned as his back hit the pillar wall while she turned around. Her cheeks flushed with heat, embarrassment promptly replacing the arousal. She saw familiar ice-blue eyes playfully glaring at her. The petite woman pushed her long, ginger hair off her shoulders as she cocked an eyebrow at the two—disapproval flooding her features.

Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Hello, Aimee," he said, greeting the woman for both of them.

Aimee huffed, glancing at the man. "Taehyung."

He stood up from the wall, kissing Kiara's temple. "Lemme get us something to drink." He shot one last glare to Aimee before walking off.

Aimee shook her head. "I don't know how you put up with him and all the PDA." She grumbled, her heavy New Jersey accent ringing through Kiara's ears while she glared a hole into the back of Taehyung's head.

Kiara straightened out the smooth material of her dress. "You get used to it," she smiled softly to herself. "Plus, I kinda like it."

"Ugh," Aimee rolled her eyes as she folded her arms over her chest. "Seems like he'd fuck ya right there with an audience." The girl pointed her index finger to her open mouth, making a gagging sound while Kiara laughed.

"You're so dramatic," Kiara smiled while shaking her head. "But what's up? Is everything going OK?" Aimee was at every event Kiara held. She was her art dealer, providing guests with the information needed to purchase a piece. She would only come up to the artist if something were awry.

"Oh! Everything is fucking fantastic, honestly." Her eyes lit up with excitement as she bounced on the balls of her heels. "I think this might be your best collection yet."

Kiara sighed in relief, placing her hand on her chest as it fell. "Thank you. If we can get everything sold tonight, I'll be set." Aimee looked at the girl, her brows furrowing momentarily before releasing. "Taehyung and I have been looking for a bigger place."

Aimee's lips turned down into a slight frown. "A bigger house? Has he even talked about getting a ring yet?"

Kiara's shoulders dropped, her hand pinching and rubbing at her fingers. She sounded just like her best friends and every other friend in Kiara's life. "I know," she sighed. She glanced down at her left hand, where her ring finger was aching to be adorned with something. "It's so backward, but a one-bedroom isn't enough. He needs an office space for work. So, I'm hoping the ring will come soon after once we settle into a new place."

She looked at the girl, a sad smile replacing her frown. "Well, it's only been four years, right?"

Only. That word ran circles in Kiara's head. 

It's only been for years. 

You've only just moved in with each other. 

You've only just started dating.

The word was growing tiresome, especially in the conversations about Taehyung. Everyone had an opinion about her and her relationship, but no one dared to say anything straightforward about it. She was sick of only.

Kiara nodded slowly, which only caused Aimee to sigh. "He'll come around, doll, don't stress it." She assured with a soft smile, gently patting the woman's shoulder. "Lemme get back to my job so you can get that house." After Kiara gave Aimee a small smile, she walked off. She almost bumped into Taehyung on the way out, the two quietly cursing at each other before continuing their path.

He returned to Kiara with a smile, handing her a glass of champagne. "All good news?"

She grinned at the man, feeling warm despite not sipping her drink yet. "Amazing news."

As the night continued, the two walked around together. They always had a hand on each other somehow, whether it was Taehyung's on the small of her back or Kiara's hand being swallowed by his. She adored this. It made her feel safe—feel wanted. He had to let everyone know she was off the market and was his. As if a shiny diamond ring resting upon her left finger wouldn't have done the same. Taehyung struck up conversations with random people, small-talking them like the extrovert he was. During each conversation, she would glance around, finding something to fill her attention while they spoke of things that didn't matter. Every time, her gaze would meet the blonde.

Their eyes lingered for longer than what was appropriate. Why was he looking at me? She thought while she fidgeted with her fingers. Or was he staring at Taehyung?

"Love," she said as she turned her gaze to Taehyung. He has just finished up a conversation with an elderly couple. "How long have you known Jimin?"

"We grew up together, and were best friends."

The girl's eyes went wide. Despite four years together, Taehyung rarely talked about anything before his college years. It was optional to dwell on past things, even though Kiara would've loved to know everything, from how he scraped his knees while learning to ride a bike to his first love.

"We even went to college together, out here," he continued. "But our crowds were completely different. He got along with the nepo babies since he basically is one, and I got along with the art kids. I remember us bumping heads quite a bit." He let out an amused chuckle.

"Oh," she frowned slightly.

"Like he didn't have to brag about going to Spain," he blurted out. "Not all of us can drop our responsibilities and take off on vacation for a year."

"A year?!" She repeated as her jaw dropped.

"Mhm, basically had his parents pay for the whole trip." There was a fire behind his words. He's been tight-lipped about his friendship with Jimin, and finally, it felt amazing to let it out. "I'm surprised he's not rotting from the inside out."

Kiara pouted a bit, never hearing Taehyung speak so harshly about another. "Well, maybe it was a birthday gift?" The blonde couldn't be that bad, even if she got a taste of that quick-witted mouth earlier. He could've just been having a bad day after all.

"He left in March, babe, and his birthday is in October."

Her mouth formed a small o before she chewed on her lower lip gently. "So you're not gonna catch up with him?"

He looked ahead before glancing down at the girl. "I am," he said with a shrug, "I would rather hang out with a nepo baby than my coworkers." Kiara let out a half-hearted snicker as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "It would be a good opportunity to get out of the house since someone says I need to make friends."

"You do!" She looked at him, brows furrowed and nose slightly scrunched. "I feel bad leaving you home every girls' night. I want to know you're having fun and not rewatching the same three movies."

"They're good movies!" He argued with a smile as the girl shot him a glare. "But I hear you," she stretched out the last syllable as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "So I will try for you, OK?"

The girl smiled, leaning up to touch their lips together briefly. "Thank you." She hoped they could work past their differences and become friends. She knew the man wanted to go out and experience things, but he longed for a set group to do that with. Sometimes, rekindling a relationship was more manageable than starting a new one.

↣ next :: previous :: series m.list ↢

[slowlydifferentbluebird]

Ok i have quite the obsession over miss Kim Chaewon! So imagine reader is a famous actress (you can decide if she a Hollywood star or a k drama star or whatever you want). Back to what I was saying, so reader is a famous actress and she's doing some interviews and some stuffs like that to promote her new movie. And on one of these interviews, she met le sserafim cuz they are promoting unforgiven (imma villain) and Chaewon can't take her eyes off reader, she can't help but feel her pussy going wild and have the dirtiest thoughts about reader

I don't mind writing another Chaewon fic at all, especially when you give such interesting plots.

Chaewon X Fem!Reader

The easiest ways to become famous in Korea are two: being an Idol or being a drama star. And these are exactly the two paths our main characters chose: Chaewon and...you.

Even not having ever met you, Chaewon was a big fan of your works, how you can switch from being the most beautiful princess to a great spy, then again to a goofy girl in love. And if you add to your skills the fact you're gorgeous...well, the result is her having a big crush on you.

She was actually talking with Sakura, when her manager announced to them that you would have interviewed one of them for your personal YouTube Channel, something that you do out of passion to know new people. Obviously Chaewon was the chosen one, even because she menaced the other members of putting them in a box and sending them in the space otherwise.

The big day finally came and when she arrived at your house, the interview location, she was basically freaking out...and then she saw you: in her eyes you were stunning. Actually you were so beautiful, that her shyness reached a new level. Add to this the fact that there were no staff crew, because you simply put a couple of camera here and there and that was all settings needed.

Luckily you are very good with shy person and you know that the best way to making them at ease is making them drink. So, one shot, two shot, three shot and extrovert Chae was there. And she was more flirty than ever. If when she saw you, she felt something in her chest, after talking with you, she felt something leaking from her pussy.

You didn't miss the signals: her biting the lips, her looks full of lust...you knew it was a matter of time. And if fact when you moved to the kitchen to get something to eat, she practically ran after you and put her lips on yours. The making out sessions lasted quite some time, and now her pussy was on fire, it was basically clenching on the air. She needed your touch so badly.

"Ah, please, help me", she said, more thirsty than ever. And obviously you didn't refuse. You made her set on the table of the kitchen and took her skirt off, revealing her wet pussy. You teased her with a finger, but that was enough to making her moan. Adding another one, you finally started fingering her. Her hips were moving like crazy, her head hidden in your neck. Though you took away her support, because you started eating her pussy.

That was too much for her brain, now totally drunk on pleasure. She grabbed your hair, basically grinding on your mouth. Her moans were out of control and her pussy was basically a river. After few minutes of frenzy, she cummed, almost fainting on the table.

Thank you for the ask, Anon 💙

Zazá

[shoshanagrauer]

On Displays of Physical Intimacy

Welcome back to another episode of Shoshana Talks For Too Long About Why She Likes A Choice That Understandably Most People Are Kinda "Meh" About.

Namely the lack of physical displays of intimacy and affection between Kit and Jade in the finale, namely from Jade.

While watching episode 5, I remember being kinda baffled that Elora would say Kit couldn't love Jade back because SHE'S BASICALLY ALL OVER HER. Well, that's a gross exaggeration, but Kit's constantly touching Jade in this casual, comfortable way that's somewhere between "I need to reassure myself you're here" and "hey I'm here for you."

In short, I'm obsessed. In long, it was pretty obvious to me from the jump that while Kit is much more comfortable with physical affection both when they're alone and in front of people, Jade is most certainly not.

Jade's been repressing her feelings for probably at least a decade, of course she's gonna be reluctant to touch Kit pre-confession. Even post-Jade's confession, some of the few times we see Kit and Jade touch pre-kiss are the adorable hug, which is more mutual, and Jade touching Kit's arm post-daddy issues sword extravaganza (which we kinda get a repeat of in the finale).

We only really see Jade break and touch Kit in a more intimate way RIGHT after she almost drowns (I will forever be bitter we missed the moments right after Kit got launched outta wyrm lake). There's also the moments when Jade's helping out waterlogged Kit post-drowning, but those felt more like Jade could rationalize that away as continuing to do her duty to both Sorsha and Kit. The more distance Jade can put between herself and her feelings, the better lol.

I feel like even though Jade maybe feels more safe expressing herself with Kit physically one-on-one once their feelings are out there, she CLEARLY doesn't feel the same in front of the rest of the group (we really only see them physically touching in a more relaxed way in front of the others that one moment on the beach, which is ADORABLE). Jade's got a long way to go before she fully shakes off the whole "can't touch the princess I shall pine from afar" baggage.

So like even thought my little shipper heart was screaming "hug her" when Kit popped out of the dust pile after Allagash's possible sacrifice or in a million places during the finale, it really tracks for me that Jade wouldn't be in that place. Physically comforting Kit isn't her first thought like it seems to be with Kit for Jade (which we literally get as early as episode 1). Like even when Kit is a disaster because she thinks she's gonna have to off someone she loves, an experience Jade both has had and wanted to protect Kit from experiencing, she's standing back clenching her fists because she doesn't see herself as belonging in that moment. It was for the royals, not for her. That little voice will always be there in the back of her mind.

As much as I wanted All The Content in this first season, I also would like more seasons, which means this relationship needs somewhere to go. And aside from any potential external conflicts that may pop up, I love a potential growth area for Jade being her becoming more comfortable initialing physical affection. I'm usually one for slowburn in terms of when the characters get together, but I think a slowburn in terms of characters growing more comfortable and taking more ownership over what they want to be in their romantic relationships is also fun as hell.

I also deeply need some more Jade Gets Hurt content next season. It's all I want, I am a hurt/comfort girlie.

[zippidi-dooda]

Chapter: 1, 2, 3,

4 - I Wonder

It's been a few days since you went to the castle. And since you've gone to Briar Valley.

There wasn't a need for you to go, so you didn't.

Lucas did grumble about it though. He wanted to meet who he declared his 'bestest friend,' Sebek. He relented once you reminded him that he was a soldier. He would be busy helping others.

But he did so sadly. Dragged his feet when he walked, sighed loudly when you were working on something, saying things like, "I wish I had friends to play with." 

Or, "I did all my chores, Mom. Gee, I really would like to go play with my friends now."

Or, "Wow, this toy I got is really cool. I bet Sebek would like it. If only I could show him."

It was starting to get annoying to hear him moap about it, but at least he was more obsessed with Sebek than he was with his "dad."

You didn't want to drop by for a visit solely because you didn't want to run into Malleus, which would inevitably happen if you went. Which was the real reason why you hadn't gone yet.

Yes, Malleus didn't appear as ... malevolent as he was depicted to be. You didn't have to fear him (as much). But he was still a king. And one, you think, correctly- suspected you of being the missing queen. 

It would be beneficial to him to return you to your kingdom. That was something you absolutely could not afford to happen.

But, Sebek and Lucas did seem to get along. 

You wanted Lucas to hang out with him. He needed to. Needed to at least have someone other than you to talk to. And you trusted Sebek around him.

You slipped on a pair of light leather gloves, grabbed an old, full watering can, and started towards the backdoor.

Maybe you should start visiting Briar Valley more. Malleus did invite you to live there and regardless if it was just to better keep track of you, it was starting to sound like a good idea.

There was sure to be other kids around Lucas age he could play with. And if you needed anything, it would be all around you. Nearby.

Plus, your safety from Rias would be guaranteed within the Valley.

Getting the residents used to your presences would need to be your first step to moving in though. Best to get them somewhat used to having humans among them, right?

And if their reactions were negative towards you during those visits, you could save yourself the trouble of starting to live there then being harassed daily.

You hummed to yourself. 

Then, tomorrow you and Lucas would tour the Valley and see if you could manage living there. 

"Lucas!"

"Yes, Mom?"

"I'm going to be outside if you need anything, okay."

"Okay. I'll just sit here on the couch." He sighed. "I think Sebek would know a fun game we could play right now...."

You corner of your lips quirked up and you sighed.

Maybe, just maybe, if you had time, you could visit Sebek tomorrow as well.

Why he had become so attached to these people not even after a whole day was a mystery to you.

You turned the smooth doorknob and walked outside.

It was cool, a light breeze brushing your h/c locks out of your face the moment you were out. A lone bird was singing a song up in one of the many trees, waiting for someone to return his tune. 

"I wonder, why each little bird has a someone, to sing to, sweet things to," you sang softly recalling the words a famous, blonde princess once sang.

You knelt beside the little garden you made, still singing, "A gay little love melody."

It still wasn't much, but little green leaves were beginning to sprout. "I wonder," with more time and nurturing, they would grow big and resemble the vegetables they were meant to be.

"I wonder," you poured some water over them and pulled out some weeds that were also beginning to grow.

"If my heart keeps singing, will my song go winging."

You heard another bird join the first, twittering back the melody. You smiled, spotting them up in the trees finally.

Two little, brown sparrows. They nuzzled each other happily before one flew off and the other gave chase. 

Cute, you thought.

"To someone, who'll find me, and bring back a love song, to me." 

You hummed the tune, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere outdoors.

Until, "You have a lovely voice."

You jumped, knocking the watering can over and dousing the plants. "Shit!"

Amused laughter rang from behind you. "My apologies, I didn't expect you to be so jumpy."

"Why the hell are you here?" You questioned, quickly picking up the can to try and prevent overwatering the plants.

Malleus stood by the backdoor, an impish grin on his lips. 

"I visit here often. At least, I did until you arrived."

You stood and eyed him warily. "I told you this place isn't abandoned anymore. There's no need to come back to visit."

"Perhaps not. But I do enjoy the tranquility out here. You don't mind me coming back out of habit, do you?"

You doubted he came just cause of habit. But you didn't say anything.

"That song," He continued. "It's not a very popular one. Not many are out there who know it. Do you know how it came about?"

Was he baiting you? 

"Not a clue."

He hummed and walked towards you. He scrutinized you for a second, green eyes boring into your e/c ones.

He was handsome, you couldn't deny that.

The way he held himself, so sure and strong. His pointed horns gleamed, sitting upon his head like a twisted tiara. The way his dark hair curled perfectly around his cheeks and splayed neatly across his shoulders. His clothes, although perfectly fitted to his lean figure and clearly made of high quality material only royalty could afford, looked so plain and despite that he filled them so well.

Had he wore tattered rags you had no doubt he'd still pull it off.

His pale skin could have been considered a sign of unhealthiness but the contrast of his dark clothes and hair made him appear ethereally beautiful. His bright green eyes were shadowed by light black make up, it made you drawn to gaze into them. 

If you weren't careful you would get lost in them.

"... gorgeous...."

A smile worked itself onto his thin lips as he heard your subconscious words, revealing his pristine white fangs to you.

"A princess named Aroura liked that song," he began, breaking you out of your trance.

You took a step back and focused your attention anywhere that wasn't him.

"She was very lonely in her youth, often singing about her longings to the creatures of the forest. Her only companions."

"That's nice. If you'll excuse me I must be going now. And so should you." You walked towards the house.

"I have time to spare." He followed, his slender legs allowing him to catch up to you in half your steps.

"Won't your men be looking for you?"

"Indeed. But you needn't worry about it. I'm sure they won't mind. They've been wondering when you'll show up again. They'll be happy to learn you're alright."

You stopped just as your hand reached the doorknob.

"Draconia?"

"Hm?"

"You have told them that you and I have done nothing together and that Lucas isn't your son, haven't you?"

He smiled, his eyes squinting slightly. "I've never told them that was the case to begin with."

You turned to face him fully, setting down the watering can, and placed your hands on your hips.

"You do know the negative implications it will have on you, not to mention me, if rumors spread that you had a child out of wedlock? Regardless if they're true or not, it's your duty as king to knock down anything that can harm your position."

"I have many negative feelings towards me already. What's another little lie to add on the pile? Besides, you live alone, out here. What's it to you if people assume you've spent a night or two of ecstacy with a feared being?"

Heat rushed to your face at his way of explaining things. "I-I I still have an image of modesty to uphold, Draconia. I'd appreciate if no weird looks were thrown my way if I were to move into Briar Valley as you suggested. Besides, Lucas has no magic at all to speak of. It'd bring even more shame to you if people assumed he was yours and see he's nothing like you."

Malleus' smile faded and his brows raised up. "You actually want to move in?"

"... why do you say it like that?"

Was he joking when he had mentioned it the last time?

"Oh, nothing. I just didn't think you'd consider it."

"Well. I guess I wo-"

"Mom! Can I get a cookie yet? Oof!" Lucas swung open the door and bumped into your back as he walked out. "Hey! What's the big ... Dad! You're here!"

Lucas threw his arms around Malleus' legs tightly.

"Dad, Mom won't take me to see Sebek again! Can you please take me to see him? Please, Dad, pretty please? I promise I'll behave and I did all my chores already. Honest."

"Lucas, quit that already."

Malleus reached a gloved hand down to ruffled your son's hair. "Perhaps another time."

"But ... Daddy?" He looked up at him, trying to appeal to his emotions by tearing up and pouting.

Malleus rolled his wrist and a toy figure that looked sort of like a pig in armor, appeared in his hand. The tears vanished from Lucas' e/c eyes, replaced by starry amazement.

He handed him the action figure.

"If you wish to see him, you need only walk into the palace. If you run into trouble just call for Lilia. Now then, perhaps I should get going and tell them you're alright."

Lucas nodded eagerly and squeezed him before letting go.

"Thanks, Dad!"

Your eyes met Malleus' one last time before he disappeared again, leaving green fireflies in his wake.

"In Ruins" Masterlist

[waterfall-ambience]

assorted strawberry shortcake headcanons where i imagine them as chronically online, gen z ish young adults, but the information i'm drawing on is from the wiki, my mother's interpretations of the characters, and my vague recollection of the cartoons and playing with my mother's dolls

strawberry shortcake runs a baking-focused social media account and is the proud owner of several dozen pinterest boards with an ungodly amount of pins. she crochets her own clothes and liked the lirika matoshi strawberry dress before it was cool (she cannot afford it and would not have a good opportunity to wear it, but she dreams nevertheless). she plays minecraft with all the mizuno 16 packs. actually goes outside.

blueberry muffin is a book smart 'honors student' type, and is well-versed in classic literature. she also stays up way too late on ao3. she got onto the internet when she was way too young and was the type to very innocently warn her friends not to search up whatever horrors she saw (only for them to search up the horrors). she's spent way too much money on gacha games, but she tends to her garden to 'touch grass' and balance that out. she also thinks about stealing her neighbour's fruit, but don't tell anyone about that.

orange blossom got into art because she was super obsessed with minecraft animations as a kid and learned how to draw in the hopes of becoming an animator one day. she holds very strong opinions about bevelled minecraft character rigs, and is mildly tired of people irl constantly referring to her art as 'anime'. she travelled around europe in her early childhood but remembers absolutely nothing of it (this makes her so sad. she wants to go back one day to appreciate the art museums and architecture). she taught strawberry how to crochet and is a huge fan of sustainable fashion. she dabbles in pottery.

angel cake comes across as a rather straight-laced and sensible young lady- she sleeps at a reasonable time, does yoga, balances her duties and social life, stays hydrated, and performs well academically (she likes math). however she is hopelessly addicted to online drama. she doesn't necessarily participate unless she's feeling particularly spicy, and while her heart is in the right place, she is often overcome with the very human desire to Dunk. she follows the conversation intensely and knows all the who-did-whats and who-you-should-avoids.

plum puddin is genderfluid (she/they/he) and a biochem/genetics/microbio stem girlie. she's mildly snarky and 100% down to play the part of the mad scientist with wildly flexible morals. she likes to dance and watch video essays about queer sociology and feminist theory. they're online friends with tn honey but when they talk about her irl they refer to her as their 'overseas colleague'. they taught blueberry how pirate stuff off the internet when they were younger and she used that power to make anime amvs. he could probably stand to pop a multivitamin.

lemon meringue is a mildly successful fashion blogger who uses her platform for political activism- queer rights, climate justice, decolonisation, etc. most of her clothes are thrifted or handmade and she is disgusted at quite a few of her private school peers who buy things from shein. she's dating her childhood friend raspberry torte and has the privilege of being passenger princess when she misses her train.

rapid fire headcanons go: lime chiffon is plays a lot of video games and is addicted to monster energy drinks. she's an absolute beast at rhythm games like taiko no tatsujin, project sekai, and ddr, as well as claw machines. between lemon and raspberry, lemon is more outwardly sweet and raspberry is a can come across as a little unfriendly at times, but lemon is the one who holds grudges while raspberry is more forgiving. huckleberry pie is trans and did taekwondo alongside raspberry and strawberry for a couple years. apple dumplin is in elementary school and is a big fan of a series of unfortunate events (blueberry is so proud), but has only read the ones the library had available. purple pieman and sour grapes bully eight year olds in minecraft in their spare time.

[bytedykes]

wip game!

tagged by @princess-of-purple-prose <33 ty for tagging me! :D

Rules: in a new post w/ rules attached, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIP’s; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to post!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write three sentences in that file. If the file name is one you can’t share (for example, an event fic), write three sentences on it anyway, and then write three more on another to share.

That’s it! You can invite others to join, or just post.

my five most recently edited docs are:

5 times vash needed some SUN

fabiniku…………… dies

edgeworth and his phoenix obsession acting insane

mfw my boyfriend ive been dating for 6 months thought we were just boy best friends (he is dumb and i love him)

edgeworth has to plan for phoenix not to swallow the proposal ring

i like to name my docs with at least a vague summary/idea of what im actually writing so i dont get confused looking thru my files so ummm. yeag. #2 is the only one that isn't actually a real fic idea and just a doc for fabiniku related snippets lol

would absolutely LOVE to share something from #1 because the fic is hilarious to me but unfortunately i only have a few lines written. so from #5 which is a proposal crackfic and exactly what is says on the tin:

On the third sheet, he forgoes proposal planning and dedicates a few lines to comparing the visual appeal of Miles Wright-Edgeworth and Miles Edgeworth-Wright. Then he remembers that they had already decided they wouldn’t hyphenate, seeing as they work in the same field and it would most likely become confusing or inconvenient or both, and crumples the paper with a sigh.

He misses the wastebasket again. 

I am a failure and Phoenix Wright is never going to marry me, briefly runs through his head, before he remembers that Phoenix is also a massive loser and they complete each other. Perfect. I am a failure and Phoenix Wright is obsessed with me and he will say yes and we will get married, he thinks. After so many years, this therapy shit is easy.

tagging @bi-demon-ium and @kar-krashew and idk who else to tag so if anyone wants to do this u can say i tagged u :) <3 once again TY FOR TAGGING ME !!! this was fun

[roseamongroses]

fantasy! shuriri ideas? (mostly using movie characterizations since i havent had the chance to brush up on lore bc finahells )

riri learning being a self taught blacksmith and creating her own armour after being rejected from magic/knight training '

but in doing so unlocks magic that was long since thought to be locked away so everyone and their mama is goin after her cause how did u do that???

coincidentally enough a traveling princess from a far nation encounters them and decides to join their travels as a way to better understand themselves and their place in the world after the death of their loved ones

shuri doesn't believe in magic or at least doesn't believe in doing it the traditional way. so she becomes obsessed with learning more about riri's invention and finding other ways to progress magic/technology combos

in the process she does build a better appreciation for her cultures traditions but she's stubborn and wont admit to that right away

side plot where okoye and the rest are trying to find shuri cause they love and miss her and also someone is def trying to kill her. ( but shuri always casually ends up getting around it bc of hijinks and her loved ones interfering in the background)

everything is modern but in a ella enchanted type way instead of 100% traditional fantasy but there is def beef between the traditionals and the hightechs

the big bad ends up forcing shuri to ultimately take on the black panther mantle but the aftermath isnt all roses and sunshine since it does change her physically, mentally, and spiritually. funnily enough leaving her more suceptible to big bads influence

perhaps that would cause conflict between the two??? shuri had been ignoring her grief up until this point, but now she CANT and its causing her to spiral. riri herself is going thru shit too since shes still fighting to be seen and the person who was there for it all is treating her differently (plus its bringing up her own issues regarding loss)

shuri sees herself as fundamentally Different now and stubborn girl doesnt realize that relationships can change and still hold love

maybe riri goes off to handle something by herself/ prove herself and ends up getting caught up in namors mess (hes not the big bad hes just a menace tbh)

so when shuri finally wakes up from her fog and realizes riri's gone she resolves to fix it and goes off as well. she has some back and forths with namor and sees herself, her rage and everything. but at the end of the story/ fight she realizes that ye they share anger, but they also share love. and the people they love? need their help and she wont give up on them after everything

meanwhile with riri in the prisons: she's got beef with everyone at first but over time they start coming to her to fix little stuff here and there. she eventually starts innovating for her captors (namor dont know yet) and comes across a breakthrough that rlly helps the people there. all of which reminds her of her own worth and why she does what she does

namor doesnt rlly apologize for the kidnapping/almost murder thing but he does let them go and allows for future diplomatic trips (hes jelly cause the kids rlly like their new aunties and their cool magic suits)

(btw their magic system is diff then the others and is just as complex. the innovation comes from combining knowledge and is more mutual then one sided)

still haven't decided if mommy panther is alive yet but if she they get the sappiest scene once shuri finally does go back home to visit

ill write more ideas later cause i rlly do need to do research

[x-authorship-x]

🫐 and 🍇 for the ask game!

Hey ✨

🫐 What’s your favorite underrated thing in your fandom? (A ship that only you seem to write for, a character there’s almost no fics about, a trope that criminally hasn’t been written yet, etc.)

I'm gonna be deliberately obtuse and answer this slightly sideways

Also, this is just me brainstorming and getting excited, I am in no way attacking my fellow writers, readers, and creators etc

For Naruto, it would be Canon Divergence that's not just about Team Seven (NaruSasuSaku or KakaObiRin) or the Warring Clans era, I really think it's such a shame that we don't have more obscure characters getting attention - where are my Tenzo is the Senju!Revival fics, where are my Zabuza Accidentally Becomes Leader of Wave Country, where are my Karin Revives Uzushio fics, my Temari is a Desert Princess fics, what ifs about Minato and Kushina centric, what about Asuma in the Capital, what about Hikaku having to lead the Uchiha after Madara goes missing, what about all these countless opportunities to play in the sandbox? I just think that there's a LOT that's still so fresh and exciting!

For other fandoms-

LotR/Hobbit/etc: why not more about interim years between the main character adventures? More focus on other characters and how they could've diverged canon! I want Eowyn to go fucking buckwild and do a Mulan and have a whole alter ego as Theodred's most trusted Rohirrim and save her cousin's life because 'that Eowyn is so hard to find in Edoras, if she's not up a roof thatching in her best white dress then she's missing for three days on a riding trip with supplies for the next settlement, there's no point keeping track' and the only one who really knows IS theodred, better yet if the Rohirrim occasionally meet with the Gondor Scouts and she's Faramir's bisexual crush in both names lmao

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime: I am BEGGING both my fellow fans and myself (be the change you wanna see in the world) to do some more canon divergence and rewrites because there is so much potential for shirayuki to be paired with others, to have lots of culture and world building between regions and countries, for different skills and combinations and... Urgh just, it's so intriguing

My Hero Academia:.... I think we can all see a trend here 🤡😂 because I desperately want character centric world building and more canon divergence... I've done a lot of brainstorming and my Tokoyami-centric fic is really just the tip of the iceberg, I have a lot of plans for Ochako, Momo, Amajiki, Mirko... There are some phenomenal works about AFO/OFA, Midoriya, Todoroki, Dabi, Hawks, Bakugou etc, so it would be incredible to see fics pick up more characters like that

TL;DR: more obscure character centric works, more obscure what-ifs, more alternative world building and more canon divergence

🍇 Is there a particular scene/episode/book/etc that you want to just write a million fics about, over and over? Which one?

Want to rewrite? Because I'm gonna come out and say it: I hate dealing with Danzo and the Uchiha Coup/Massacre. It's actually hilariously ironic that my favourite, Shisui, is always smack bang in the middle of that arc because I just hate it lol. Maybe that's why I fix it so furiously? But I am sick of it, I never read Itachi fics because I hate the arc so much, I rarely want to write it but it always feels so important to the stories that I do want to address so it's like... A self-enforced inevitability

Wanting to write a scene directly from canon.... For the angst train, I'm always obsessed with people's reactions to Shisui's death/near death (depending on if it's AU fix it or not etc) because it's very gratifying, writing desperate care and affirmation like that and it's also therapeutic as well. A more happier scene is generally AU 😂

I rambled a lot in this but 🤷 thanks for playing!

[skybristle]

I'm really interested to hear about your episode 11/12 CRK rewrite, do you mind explaining the plot? If it's too long to explain or smth, can you at least give some basic plot points/major changes?

[pls rb] It's a bit messy tbh since i never got into the nitty-gritty of the exact play by play events, but i had a lot of thoughts on how i would like to have restructured it / rewritten certain parts. its always bugged me how tonally distant the hb kingdom is from,,,, everything else in the main storyline, especially compared to pv and cacao's plotlines. one of the key things is that i took the mention pitaya burned down the kingdom at one point WAY more seriously than the plot does - as well as them 'taking over' the kingdom. i should note that they aren't nessacarily malicious, moreso trying to bait hollyberry out of hiding to fight them and going about it in the worst way possible. The timeline of cr is so messy and conflicting [esp now with the implication roguefort was very young when their family died in the ob christmas event and they died in my fanon BECAUSE of the pitaya attack but i had other stuff before that that said it was only like 6-7 years ago but. AUGH. WHATEVER]. TLDR the hollyberry kingdom has rebuilt but they're still kinda a mess and slowly losing faith in the royal family and turning to the great houses - leading to a setup similar to the princess contest [i think the 'princess contest' is stupid as hell, like, especially when princess herself shows up for it but it 'must go on'].

TO SUMMARIZE SOME THINGS. For my fanon in general i've kicked gingerbrave and co out of the main plotline - nothing against them, but persoanlly them being shoved into every plotline makes their narratives suffer drastically [at least in my fanon] . i've weighed the thought of either rasp or princess being the main protagonist but like . princess probably makes more sense im just HEAVILY biased towards rasp. Background stuff thats important to the characters -rasp has been staying in the cookie kingdom for a while and becoming dissalussioned with her house and hollyberry kingdom as she spends time away from the suffocating enviorment and begins falling in love with parfait - but cant commit because she can't be in love with a commoner under her house's watch. puts off going home until a carriage shows up asking her to come back to the kigndom for the contest. Is not havign a good time and only gets more and more upset as the plot goes on - batflower [oc of mine] was a heiress, but lost her manor in the pitaya attack. she's a power-obsessed asshole who does Not value people unless they contribute to her amusement or game. Is a literal fucking serial killer! - uhhhh i wanted to do more with tiger lily but the brainrot was never there. i think it would be sillly if part of the reason she went missing was related to hollyberry's dissapearance - i also kicked out the cookies of darkness not because they're irrelevant or completely gone i just liked using batflower and pitaya as the villians wayy more. they might be around but probably serving a more minor role - like how affogato is the main antagonist in chp 13/14 but theyre still around OKAY SO. It runs mostly the same but the one to poison their drinks is - suprise suprise - batflower ! nyx holds a lot of envy towards the remaining heiresses [especially rasp who is trying to walk away from the privlidge she'd been given that batflower so desprately wants back] and she spikes the heiresses' drinks with something similar as to what wizard/strawberry get in the original. And raspberry's already having her emotions run high and is pretty pissy and her and princess do Not Get Along so they start fighting before dueling [11-27 boss fight] - though it gets interupted by batflower showing herself, unfurling her wings and mocking them for falling right into her play. Yadda yadda drama stuff yadda yadda rasp falling even deeper into her want to leave her role because she sees the reflection of what it can do to people in batflower but also. THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING [batflower replaces the 11-30 boss - it fits nyx well since its in a garden and nyx has plant magic it uses to make its poisons]. Once batflower is beat she retreats. Probably shows up later at minimum as an observer but i havent figured that out. Rest proceeds mostly as normal, with hollyberry showing up having realized how badly she failed her kingdom and what pitaya has done to it as 'ruler', and promptly beats their ass into next week and probably makes them do community service /LH. i wanted to do more to hb's characer arc and i DID mostly but im trying not to get too deep into the psychology of the events [as i often tend to do] and just tell it as it is. i think it would be cute if wildberry was with her [since she took him in while she was in hiding] and when its revealed shes the queen he gets promoted to her personal bodyguard. just thought that though idk a lot of this is loose Rasp at this point is done, goes home, gets in a fight with mousse and leaves the kingdom for good - though that probably wouldnt be featured in the plot. what WOULD be featured is a tiger lily reuinion with her family - i havent thought abt it much but it annoys me to NO FUCKING END that she is completely written off despite being LITERALLY *the missing princess*. And they do nothing with her besides jungleberry offhandedly remarking "oh that might be her,,," like GIRL YOURE NOT GONNA ?? INVESTIGATE ??? i think thats it . i might be forgetting something but whatever.

[linawritesocs]

TEEHEE OKAY SO 16 and 7 for allen, 11 for roland, 13 and 14 for minnie, and 18 for angel >:D

THANK YOU SO MUCH SOL!! and yes, i read that ask about seth and i added him too!

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

16. "if your muse could say one thing to their childhood self, what would they say? would your muse want to meet their childhood self in the first place?"

allen: i doubt that allen would want to see his younger self. thinking about it makes him feel so.. sad, he had to go through a lot when he was a child even though his parents spoiled him. allen wouldn't want to raise his child self's expectations too high, but he also knows that love was his main motivation to keep living for a long time, so if he did meet his child self, then he would tell him to never stop believing that one day he will find someone special.

7. "did your muse have any enemies? playground rivalries? how did that turn out?"

allen: there were some kids who didn't like allen that much and were jealous of him because of how rich he was, so every time he tried to talk to them, they would tell him to go away or they would actually fight him. it's part of the reason why allen is so strong now, he eventually learned to fight back and he got used to dealing with them. also, you can kinda count riley as his enemy, i guess? though allen didn't really hate him back then, he just thought that he was a very weird kid and avoided him.

11. "what expectations were placed on your muse as a child? who had those expectations for your muse? how did your muse feel about them?"

roland: roland's parents are actually kinda similar to riley's parents because they let this guy do anything he wanted and that's why he was such a troublemaker in the past. they never had any expectations for him, they even would be okay with him becoming a bad person because they were just so happy to have a kid. and now roland kinda wishes his parents were at least a bit more strict with him, maybe he wouldn't grow up to become such a cruel and violent person if they tried to stop him. roland is a lot like his parents now, if you think about it, because now he's obsessed with making people like him and he's okay with doing anything they want from him, even if it hurts him and he knows that those people have bad intentions.

13. "what did your muse want to be when they grew up? did they have any childhood dreams, and have they achieved them?"

minnie: little minnie wanted to become a president!! >:D no, when people asked if she wanted to be a princess, she said that it would be too unrealistic because she's obviously not royalty and she's not planning to marry one, she would rather do everything without anyone's help. and about achieving her dreams.. well, uh, at least she becomes seth's vice prefect in the future.

14. "who was a mentor or a hero to your muse as a kid? why did your muse look up to them and what did your muse learn from them? how is that relationship now?"

minnie: the closest thing minnie had to a mentor/hero was her mom and she still respects her a lot. minnie says that her mom was a very admirable and hardworking person before her dad left and that's when her mom lost all hope and motivation. she still loves her mom, however, she's not sure if she wants to go back home, because even though she misses her, she has lost a big part of her life (and it was supposed to be the most fun part of her life, it's her childhood after all) because she was too busy taking care of her and trying to help her get better.. and she's too scared of it happening again. she can't go back home until she's absolutely sure that her mom is doing fine and her brother is okay with taking care of her if something goes wrong.

18. "what's one thing that instantly transports your muse back to their childhood? why?"

angel: it's sugar cookies! angel's older sister liked to bake them often and angel liked to steal them from her when she wasn't looking. also reading outdoors! again, it's because of their older sister, she enjoyed reading in their family's garden more than her room and angel liked to sit next to her while she was reading even though angel found her books boring since there weren't any pictures.

8. "what did your muse do in their free time? How did they entertain themself as a kid?"

seth: oh, he did A LOT of things. he read as many books as he could (mostly fiction and he believed all of it was real), he painted, he played games, he watched movies and videos, he also spent a lot of time online and that's how he learned to do so many things, he just found the info he needed and used it. his sister luna praised him for his work, but she also reminded him not to push himself too hard and she actually found some of his hobbies too dangerous, like there was a time when he accidentally broke his leg when he tried to learn how to dance. he also tried to cut his hair without luna's help once and he ended up injuring himself with scissors and that's why his hair stayed long for so many years, luna refused to let him do it himself and said that she's the only one who's allowed to cut his hair. and whenever seth asked her to help him, she simply said "you look better with long hair, so let's keep it"

[dumpster-lizard]

🖤💔🏳️‍🌈 For the ask game.

🖤: Which character is not as morally good as everyone else seems to think?

First thing that comes to mind is Rauru. The game itself treats him like he can do no wrong, but the guy is literally building an empire, and from what we can see, was pressuring the Gerudo to join.

He's dismissive to Zelda, and people treat him like he was a better "Dad" then her actual father, which I dont like at all. I have my own thoughts on Rhoam but wont get into them here.

Its also troubling that the sages wound up eternally bound to serve Hyrule upon receiving their stones... and even wear masks upon becoming Vassals. The loyalty Rauru demanded is insane, but this post delves into that idea better.

Mineru and Sonia are also applicable here.

Honestly the royal family in all games (including Zeldas tbh) aren't as morally good as much of the fandom treats them.

💔: If you had to remove one major character from the series, who would you choose?

This is tough cause a lot of major characters have significant plot relevance... but if I have to choose one it'd probably be the King of Hyrule. LOZ games have worked fine without kings, even though we'd be missing out from their loss in WW and BOTW.

🏳️‍🌈: Which character who is commonly headcanoned as queer doesn't seem queer to you?

Canonically? Zant.

Dont get me wrong I adore queer ships with him but his relationship with Ganondorf seems to be one of Divine Reverence, and he's just criminally out of character in the original Hyrule warriors.

What we get in Twilight Princess, however, is an obsessive desire for Midna. That scene after the Lakebed temple is *Haunting.* You can tell he didnt take rejection well, and had likely been rejected more than once. He's basically a dangerously violent and powerful incel.

[griffin-black]

‘My Ordinary Life’ (Chap. VI Part One)

Author’s Note: I recommend reading this on Ao3 or Quotev.

Chapter Six Part One

In The Afternoon

VI

'. . . When it's time to enter another phase. But you looked sad in a reassuring way, and I don't want to leave.'

Everyday she walked home from school. The bell rang, students filed out, and she began the thirty minute walk to 6224 Wellwood Circle. Headphones placed over her hood, she bit the inside of her sleeve as she shuffled through music on her MP3 player.

A group of students caught up to her from behind and laughed loudly. It was the same group that always trailed behind her, walking the same path as her for a few minutes, before turning right on Jefferson.         

A truck drove past, and a boy sitting in the backseat met her eyes. She looked at him and smiled ever so slightly.         

Her name was Sylvia. Sylvia Lola Frazier. She was sixteen. with fiery long hair, essentially orange, and deep brown eyes. She was the quiet Lo at school, Sylvia at home standing at five foot four, Miss Frazier to the neighbors, and Haunted according to her best friend Cassie Overbeck, the spunky girl with an obsession for the macabre, mystical, and undead. “You have the energy of them.” She had whispered to her during history. “Someone being loomed over by death.” Specks of rain landed gently onto her grey jacket and music flooded her ears. Calculus homework was due the next day, as well as an English paper. A personal narrative. She really didn’t like writing those.         

The sidewalk became a grey gradient as she trudged closer to home and black spots of chewed gum grew more frequent with every dividing crack of the cement.         

Lo had a babysitting job in an hour. The Watson’s just across the asphalt had a little girl, Josephine, who had grown quite fond of Lo after meeting her a few weeks prior. Josephine was bright and joyous, taking great pleasure in little things like most children. Always donning a light blue garment of some sort or extravagant princess dresses, the girl was an absolute angel, and Lo had no complaints looking over such a child. She always complimented her hair, calling her ‘Ariel’ while dragging her outside to play mermaids out by the pool even in winter, and was fond of combing through it, watching it luster and shine. Bonding with the girl was a treat. It made Lo a bit more attached to her then she thought she would be. After all, she was just the neighbor’s kid.         

But now, Josephine Watson had become something much more to her. Something like a sister. The sister she was supposed to, but never had. The door to 6224 Wellwood was a dusty purple, surrounded by grey walls. Unconsciously, Lo checked the wooded park next to her and the neighboring homes to her right. Something like a habit had formed in the past months, but it wasn’t a habit in need of being broken.         

Three months ago it started. A man was standing behind a tree near the park, completely black from the shade of the pine nettles. Lo thought nothing of it at first. Just someone from the neighborhood enjoying the park.         

Until it happened again.         

The next day the man was there, behind the same exact tree merely yards away from her home. Though shaken, Lo managed to contain her extravagant and free-spirited emotions. Plenty of people go on walks to the park. Maybe it’s someone else.         

Then the next day. Maybe he just likes going on daily walks. He just likes that spot. He’s not looking at you.

But the fourth time, Lo struggled to unlock her front door. Keys jangling, metal hitting metal, she fought against her shaking hands as she attempted miserably to insert the key into the lock. He was definitely looking. Lo tried to act normally. She was just heading home. She hadn’t noticed anything. Not anything at all.         

Finally, the key slipped into the lock and she exhaled, turning it quickly. The purple door swung open. Lo got as far as one foot inside the threshold, before noticing a slip of paper on the ground. She picked it up. I’ve been noticing a man hanging round by your house the past few days. He just lurks and watches you walk home, then leaves once you get inside. But last night I saw him when I was about to turn in. Around midnight. He was tugging at your door. Just thought you should know. Ethel Greene A hand clasped over her mouth. Ethel Greene was her next door neighbor. A sweet elderly woman with a tendency to stay up late writing short stories, a passion of hers. Of course she would’ve noticed something like this.         

Lola crumpled the paper in her hands and immediately slammed the door shut behind her, pressing her back against it, heart thumping so fast it hurt. A cough escaped her lips, accompanied by a rapid fire fit of wheezing as her eyes scanned the living room. Paranoia was a nasty fiend, and soon, Lola found herself checking every inch of her house, flipping over mattresses, checking broom closets, the garage, and locking all the doors.         

The next few days she spent in mania. Paralyzed by fear of the mysterious man sneaking around her house. Even though her parents had called the police, nothing came out of it. Nothing was found. And life moved on. But ever since, she always checked the park and the surrounding block. If that man reappeared, she was certain to catch him.         

Unlocking the door, Lola stepped inside to a clatter in the kitchen.         

“Oh, I find it just wonderful that Casey’s taken up tech! With those new smartphones and ‘i’ things coming out, I think he’d make it just fine. It’d be a wonderful opportunity, dear. Oh! Hi, Sylvia! The Ramsay’s are over!” Her mother bent backwards to peek through the doorframe of the kitchen, her poofy blonde hair falling back elegantly, and waved in a girlish manner to her daughter. She was wearing her favorite white and pink frilly apron and holding a tray of what smelled like cookies. The scent enticing Lola to the kitchen.         

Casey Leonard Ramsay, or as Lola called him ‘Leon,’ was sitting at the kitchen table next to his mother, looking positively miserable. Leon was her friend from school and she had known him since they were both children. She hadn’t seen him in a few months ever since his family went on a four month long vacation to Florida. The Ramsay’s liked to disappear. Routinely, Leon was plucked out of school for months on end to feed into his parents' apparent undying need to travel.         

A smile etched across Lo’s face as she looked at him, pulled off her headphones and turned off her player. He smiled back.         

“Hey.” He said softly.         

“Hey.” She said back at barely above a whisper. Her sleeve landed over her mouth, a shy habit of hers. Mrs. Ramsay and Lo’s Mother made knowing eye contact before making a grand scene of shoveling the pair out of the kitchen.        

 “Grown up things to talk about. Grown ups only.” Lo’s Mother chirped.        

 “Mhm! Only big people allowed here!” Mrs. Ramsay agreed. The kitchen door shut and the two mother’s excited banter sounded from the other side. Both of their Mothers liked to tease them, talking to them like they were still toddlers. Lo and Leon looked at each other and burst out laughing. Their Mothers were both nuts. Loving, fun, but just straight up crazy!         

“I was awkward turtling the whole time. I thought you were never gonna come home!” Leon laughed.         

“Awkward turtling?” She repeated, looking at him like he’d spoken another language.         

He shook his head. “Seriously. Are you ever on Facebook?” Lo didn’t have to answer, Leon knew she wasn’t tech-savvy in the slightest. With a sigh, he placed one hand on top of the other and stuck out both thumbs, rotating them in circles. Lola still didn’t really understand but she smiled politely.         

Both were silent for a moment, but that was why they got along in the first place. They were the two quiet kids in their class. Rarely ever did their voices raise above a soft murmur, but they were comfortable in each other’s silence. Lo was about to suggest heading up to her room to surf the web or draw some pictures with her art supplies, when she remembered.         

“I’ve got to babysit a girl next door. You want me to ask Mr. Watson if you can come too?” She suggested.         

Leon raised a hand. “No. My Mom and I only popped in to say hello. We’ve gotta get back.” Lola was a little disappointed.         

“Oh.” She sighed. “You going to be at school tomorrow then?”        

 Leon nodded.         

“Okay.” She smiled airily. “I’ll see you then . . . then.” Lola slipped her backpack off her shoulders and headed towards the door, but before opening it she looked over her shoulder and waved goodbye. Leon did the same. Josephine was a delight as always, this time wanting to sculpt cats and ‘doggies’ in rainbow play doh, and before Lola knew it the three hours were up.         

Her Mother, insisting Lo take Rocky, their rottweiler, for a walk before they ate, made a casserole for dinner, cookies for dessert, and nothing of note took place. Her Dad came back home from work, he was the manager of a local car repair shop, and told the tale of a customer he had that day, demanding a free oil change because of “unfriendly service.” Lo pretended to be interested.         

After a quick shower, Lo sat at her desk and opened the window before it, though only slightly. The crisp night air was fresh and welcomed and she stood there for a moment, eyes closed, breathing it all in. She pulled her hair out of the band it was tied in and shook it out, letting the cool breeze evaporate the water, then sat down to get to work.         

Calculus was the easy part. She finished the Problem Set in around twenty minutes. English, on the other hand, was a whole other issue.         

Personal Narrative.         

Yuck.

  ******

  “I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I can’t do it and you can’t make me. I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I CAN’T DO IT—”

“Quiet down, would you, Toby? . . . It’s not like you even have the choice.” Brian groaned, wiping down a large combat knife with an old cloth.         

“No. No. Please don’t make me, please don’t force me. I can’t do it.” Toby cried, knees tucked into his chest. The boy was sitting in the backseat, practically ripping his hair from its follicles as he rocked back and forth. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot and he whined with every heaving sob. Static was buzzing in his ears to the point where he could barely hear even his own cries . . . and the voices. The voices were shrieking like ghouls in his mind. Primal, ringing, shrieks.         

“Please, please, PLEASE!” His voice crescendoed to a scream. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. His throat was tightening, enclosing in on itself, tightening, tightening along with his chest. His heart suddenly jumped rapidly as he felt himself choke on nothing, nothing at all, and he was being strangled; he was being punched in the chest; he was shaking and he had no control over his limbs; and he was crying; and he was screaming; and he tasted blood; and he had no idea where he was, or who he is, or what he’s doing, or who’s around him or what time it is or what color his shoes were or what year it wasorwhathewasdoingtherewhathewasexpectedtodowhatthatmonsterwantedhimtodowhatthatmonsterwantedhimtodowhatthatmonsterwantedhimtodo—         

“TOBY!” Someone shouted. He looked up. But felt strange. Something had happened. Now it was quiet. No static. No voices. Only breathing. His breathing. Toby’s fist was through the now shattered right window of the backseat. Glass shards sprinkled across the leather seat and the floor mats and sharp edges of the destroyed window jutted out from its frame. Blood. Everywhere. Face blank, Toby blinked as he turned his hand over, examining it. Mouth slightly agape, he watched his bandaged hand open and close. The gauze was now torn and red.         

Brian mumbled something, hands supporting his head as it fell back. Both front doors of the truck were open. Tim left the passenger seat and angrily opened the door to Toby’s seat while the other remained standing by the driver’s side. Toby was dragged out by his collar before being tossed to the dirt.         

“I’m sorry! I’m ss-sorry, I’m-muh sorry.” He cried, still sobbing and shaking like a newborn deer. The asphalt was hard and had a layer of rain that soaked him to the skin, he felt perfectly at home there. “Just leave me. Just leave me.” He was stuck in a loop, constantly repeating his words. Tim inspected the car and groaned. Brian hadn’t even turned to look, seeming like he was trying to suppress his rage by not viewing the damage, but was otherwise unreadable. “Leave me. Please just leave me here, I don’t wanna come a-anymore. I don’t want to d-do-oo this anymore . . . Please.” Toby breathed. “Please.”

 Tim watched the pathetic display, looking injured. Almost like he was on the verge of silent, bitter tears. He had gotten to know the young Proxy over the past week, and even with all his flaws and the atrocious scenario they were both tangled up in, he had grown a much mightier deal of affection for Toby than he ever thought was possible for a Proxy to feel. He was just a kid. Tim could see that now. A disturbed, messed up, beaten and abused kid. How he would react to his first job was a thought that hadn’t crossed Tim’s mind, but now, with the young man a whining mess on the ground, it was inescapably clear this was going to be a much bigger problem than he had originally thought.         

Though that wasn’t to say the situation wasn’t incredibly confusing.         

Tim had assumed right away that the kid was a psychopath. Knowing that he had stabbed his Dad over two hundred times in cold blood, then as if that wasn’t enough, proceeding to set his entire neighborhood and the surrounding forest aflame, how could he not? It wasn’t possible that the Operator would select someone as a Proxy . . . that wasn’t capable of killing outside of a one time crime of passion . . . was it?         

Toby was still crying, mumbling to himself. He assumed his usual fetal position, something Tim had already begun referring to as the Toby Pose, and Tim couldn’t bear to see him in that state.        

 Brian was still wiping off his knife even though it had been properly cleaned and polished long ago. He was the only one that remembered his first kill. Tim didn’t. So he had no idea what Toby was going through currently.         

Moving around the vehicle, Tim leaned against the driver side door, facing Brian and crossing his arms. “What do we do about him? The poor kid’s a mess.”         

“We ignore it.”         

Tim blinked. “Don’t be so cold.”         

“Oh, that’s rich. ‘Don’t be so cold,’ the serial killer says to the other serial killer.” Brian said softly. “What the hell else should we do? He’s a proxy now. The Master’s not going to cut him any slack, so why should we?” Brian sighed. “Being nice is only going to hurt him further. No . . . it’ll kill him. Not to mention the punk broke my window.” Brian set down the knife on the car seat along with the cloth. Tim was not amused.         

“Brian, this is shallow. Even for you.” He said.         

“Oh, yeah?” Brian scoffed, smirking. “Y’know. That’s really, really something. Funny. Almost comical. Aw, so the poor murderer doesn’t want to kill another person? Fine! Let’s just give him a big ol’ hug and a motivational speech, that’ll put the pep back in his step! That’ll make him forget the fact that a force stronger than the universe is out for his blood!         

“No, Tim. The fact that the kid is losing his fucking mind at the prospect of killing someone is a good thing. It means underneath all of his disorders and shitty past he’s still human. Let him feel something, truly experience emotion while he’s still capable. That way, he’ll be forced to learn fast how to lock up every scrap of humanity he has left. However he does it, I could care less. As long as he doesn’t screw us up like this the next time, or get us killed or worse . . . I really . . .” Brian got into the car, slamming the door shut in Tim’s face, refusing to finish his thought.         

Tim didn’t fully believe what Brian was saying. He could tell by his face that he did care, but in typical Proxy nature, he was apathetic and tense since they were about to carry out orders. Even so, Tim could see where he was coming from. If they all wanted to remain alive, Toby would have to get over this quickly. If not . . . Tim shuddered to think about it.         

Brian was probably right. Offering comfort was something they could still do, but not for this situation, jobs. There was no tiptoeing around it. The kid was about to kill someone. He had to face that fact with his fellow Proxies or face it with the Operator.         

Tim was set on that not happening.         

He walked back to where Toby still remained on the ground and hoisted him up, dusting off his jacket. He was shaking, eyes wide and unfocused and still mumbling. His hands were held in front of his chest, concave from his hunched shoulders, and his head twitched nervously. Toby wasn’t looking at Tim and he was starting to wonder whether or not the boy was actually present at the moment or if he was locked away within the recesses of his mind, protecting himself from the situation. Tim’s hands wrapped around his arms.         

“Toby.” He said. “Toby!”         

Toby snapped out of it with a jump, staring frantically at Tim, eyes darting around madly. Deja vu. How many times had he snapped the kid out of his own head?         

“C’mon. We’ve gotta go.” He said softly. Toby shook his head, looking like a toddler.         

“No . . . no . . . please don’t make me.” Toby whispered. Tim winced, so he looked away and began to pull Toby back to the truck.         

Toby fought back, digging his heels into the asphalt and grabbing at Tim’s arm, trying to free his own. “No, Tim! Please, please, please— Just leave me. Leave me here. Let me die. Let me.”         

Tim stopped, taking a moment. “You know I can’t do that, Tobs.” Toby continued to shake his head like a kid, gasping for air. The atmosphere had changed completely. The frenetic energy and anxiety of shattering the window had made way for a calm, deep-seated misery and desperation.         

“This wa-as a muh-mist-ta-ke. I never should’ve agreed, why did I do it? Why did I do it . . . Nuh-never wanted to be a damn Proxy.” Toby rambled. Tim began pulling him towards the truck again and though the boy fought, it wasn’t nearly as desperate as before. Toby let himself be placed in the truck, and the door to be closed. Tim remained outside.         

He desperately needed a smoke, but he knew Brian would never allow it. So he got inside the truck and slammed the door, shutting his eyes and resting his head in his hand.         

“Proxy’s life for me.” Brian sighed, starting the engine and speeding the truck away.

  Everything had become black. The sky was overcast and everything was death. Suddenly being back in civilization after all that had happened felt like some strange fever dream. Passing by the rows of houses in calm suburbia and seeing the faces of strangers walking past, burned something in Toby’s soul.         

A group of teenagers walking back from school on the sidewalk drew closer, and as the Proxy’s truck passed them by Toby met the eyes of a redheaded girl who weakly smiled at him. He felt crushed. Her grey jacket hood was pulled over her head, and he couldn’t help but feel she felt out of place too.  A few days ago, Toby was exactly where she was. A normal teen too focused on . . . human issues to truly see what he had. Then, he would’ve given anything to be where he was, what he thought this life would be. Free from his parents, out of his house, a supernatural being, demon or angel, watching over him. But now, the roles have reversed. He’d give anything to be back. Or so he thought.         

Toby kept his eyes on the girl until she was nothing but a dot in the distance, and even still he tried to look at her, but she was long gone now. He imagined this was what it must be like during the drive to a funeral. Paul’s death and his sister’s death were much too close in time for him to ever experience that, but he knew with certainty this was how it felt. Death surrounded him, shrouding him in darkness, and a reaper sat next to him, nothing more than a black figure of smoke, flipping through an obituary, waiting for Toby to do what he was expected to.         

Kill . . . again. His eyes clenched shut and he gasped for air, wrapping his arms around his middle. His head leaned against the window. He had switched sides so the cold air from the shattered window wouldn’t unknowingly freeze him, and he prayed. Though to whom, he had no idea. Toby wasn’t religious, he never had been. As a child his mother would take him to church, but he never once believed in any of it. He found it all to be one big fascinating story everyone participated in, never was it ever real to him. But . . . maybe there was a reason for all of this. Some kind of divine intervention. But what had he done? What did he do to deserve any of this? Eventually he did commit the worst sin one possibly could, but everything that came before? He was just a kid. A baby. Born with everything that ruined him. He had no control over that.         

Toby sighed bitterly.         

Original sin. Was that possible? Was his original sin that much worse than everyone else's? Or was it because God always knew what Toby would end up being, he cursed him from the very start?         

No. God didn’t work that way. Why didn’t he just curse Eve before she ate the apple?         

It was something else.

 Help me. Forgive me. Angel . . . of light. I need you. Take me back. I don’t want to do this.

 Toby had never prayed before. He didn’t know how to do it, but he was sure if there was something looking over him, something guarding him, it would forgive him for that.        

“Toby . . .”         

His eyes immediately shot open. The low and rumbling cadence of the Operator’s voice resounded within his mind. His breathing quickened, being rapidly struck by a bolt of fear.         

Tim and Brian remained unbothered, both staring at the road. They clearly hadn’t heard it, but Toby wouldn’t put it past them to ignore the Master for the express purpose of leaving him in the dark. Neither had helped him just a while before. They just forced him back into the car and kept going.         

Bastards.         

Slowly and hesitantly, Toby closed his eyes once again.         

Yes?         

Then it spoke. “Forgive Me, Child. You Do Not Deserve This Fate . . . But, I Am Afraid, This Is Necessary For You To Reach Greatness.”         

Toby could hardly believe he was talking with it again. Wh-why have you done this to me? That void with the voices and Lyra . . . The test with the pages? You didn’t even tell me about the other Proxies, a dream did. And now,  this?         

You . . . You’ve betrayed me.         

“No, Toby. I Would Never Betray You. You Are My Fledgling. My Child. My Proxy . . . I Warned You And Guided You Every Step Of The Way. I Have Been Here From The Start.”         

 The image of Paul storming up to Toby’s room appeared, hazy and grainy. He saw himself in his room, drawing a picture of a bird in a notepad. The Operator appeared in the woods beyond his window and something whispered in his ear. He looked up, and saw it outside.        

Instantly, he jumped up, throwing what was in his hands, and opened the window, climbing out of it and falling from the second story into the bushes below. He made no noise, and pressed his back against the wall of the house. The sound of Paul slamming open his door erupted from inside. “Toby!” He shouted. “Damn it, where is that boy? RACHEL—” The image withered and died.         

“Love Was Something You Hadn’t Felt Before Me. There Are Rules, Toby. Rules Not Spoken In Any Known Tongue Or Written In Any Known Language. Rules Beyond The Facilities Of Your Mindscape. Everything I Do, I Do For The Sake Of My Proxies.

“I Am Inside You, Just As You Are Inside Me. I Am Part Of You, Just As You Are A Part Of Me. My Proxies Are Connected To One Another. A Family.         

“That Is What We Are. Family Does Not Lie To One Another, Just As Family Does Not Betray One Another, Just As Family Is Devoted To One Another, I Am Devoted To You, As You Are To Me.” The Operator continued.         

“It Pains Me Beyond Mortal Comprehension Watching My Proxies Suffer, Argue And Live In Fear. But As Any Great Being, All Is Necessary. All Is Written To Be. Balance, My Child, Is The Mightiest Rule. Believe Me When I Say I Reprehend Any Harm That Comes Your Way. I Detest It. And I Grieve It. I Am Sorry That It Must Be.”         

It must be. Toby repeated.        

Silence.         

I think I understand. It’s just . . . hard to keep a level head about. All of this has been so awful. But you really were always looking after me. Like an Angel. A Guardian Angel, do you forgive me?         

“Always, My Child.”         

Are you an Angel?         

Silence again . . . Still silent.    

     Toby’s disappointment began to grow. After a minute of waiting, he opened his eyes again, feeling worse for wear, though the dread and darkness he felt before speaking to him seemed to have disappeared completely. He felt comfort and warmth in its place, even if demystified.         

Toby sniffed and went to pull his hood back over his head. At least it wasn’t for nothing. He felt better.

He raised his hand to tug on his hood when he noticed . . . the bandage . . . was white. He raised a brow and felt his hands, they were no longer wet with blood from breaking the window. Quickly, he undid the gauze and a knowing smile gleamed across his face. His hand was completely . . . fine. No cuts, no glass bits, no blood, nothing at all. It was like nothing had happened. Then, he undid his other hand’s gauze. Exactly the same. The mysterious cuts from the night he had forgotten were gone. He made an airy laugh and threw the gauze to the floor, staring at his hands that healed like magic . . . like the magic of an angel.         

Thank you, He thought. Angel!

  The truck had stopped, and not a grey house was in sight. Toby looked around and over his shoulder, but still, nothing.         

“Glad you’ve calmed down.” Tim sighed, rubbing his forehead. Toby’s upper lip pulled.         

“You’re not going to find the house, kid, we park at least three blocks away.” Brian said.         

Toby ‘hurl ticked’ as he glared at the pair and his leg jerked rapidly and struck the back of Brian’s seat. “HUHT!”         

Brian was pushed forward and glared at Tim while it happened. Tim just coughed. Toby thought he deserved it.         

“Okay, new game idea!” Brian turned around to face the backseat. “Toby!” He said in a sing-song voice. “How about you tell us what tics you have so when I beat you I know whether you deserved it or not!”         

“Bite me!” Toby grit his teeth, behaving unusually confident.         

“You sure you want to go there, Rogers?” Brian spat, slightly shocked by his rebuttal.        

Tim’s coughing suddenly became worse. Toby was prepared to ignore him and defend himself against whatever Brian was going to do, but to his surprise, Brian moved on instantly and shifted back to facing the windshield.         

Tim sounded like he was barely breathing. Toby moved forward.         

“I-is he alright?”         

“Quiet, Toby.”         

Tim continued to gag, but Brian was completely nonchalant, resting his head against his gloved fist. Toby stared on in horror.         

“Hey— Aren’t you going to help him?”         

Nothing.         

“What’s happening to him?”         

“Toby.”         

“H-he’s practi-practically choking!”         

“Toby, shut the hell up for once and listen to me, please.”         

“Listen To Him, Child.” Toby immediately shut his mouth and fell back into the backseat, crossing his arms. That one rebuttal was all he had in him, and his fear of the other Proxies had returned in a flash. Toby tried to ignore Tim’s fit as the Proxy opened the passenger door and stepped outside of the car. Brian followed and met up with him on the other side, leaving Toby alone in the vehicle.

        He didn’t want to follow. He was fuming and at the same time terrified of what the others might do. The last thing he wanted to do was cause a real fight. Who knew what Brian and Tim were capable of when really angry. The fighting, though, wasn’t that bad. At all. It wasn’t real fighting. Toby had plenty of experience with real fighting and the pure, vile ugly disdain that accompanied it. Something that wasn’t present in their arguments. Which he thanked his lucky stars for.         

Their fights were petty. Likely fueled by stress. Easily forgiven. Easily forgotten.

Brian looked back into the truck and the two met eyes. Toby bit his lip, preparing himself for the awful look he was certain to receive . . . that never came.         

Watching, the boy forgave Brian silently for the encounter and could tell he had understood, an echo of a smile creasing his eyes. It was a stressful situation. Of course they snapped at each other.         

Tim had stopped coughing and Brian was saying something to him, but even with the smashed window Toby couldn’t hear a thing.         

Tim was facing away from the car, so Toby couldn’t see his face, but he could tell something was different about him. The truck’s oxygen grew heavy on his shoulders and his heart was thumping out of his chest.         

Tim looked up and down the street. “Grey house? Finally?”         

“Yeah.” Brian said, sounding annoyed.         

“Rock and roll.” Tim grabbed a cigarette from his pack and lit it with a speed only an experienced smoker could. Toby’s mouth fell open. Brian didn’t respond to the cigarette, nor was he even looking at him, he merely checked his watch with a sigh. Toby crawled out of the truck.         

“Are you insane? Smoking after tha—” He stopped. Brian was giving him a weird look and he wasn’t quite sure what it meant.

Tim glared at the boy and he immediately went rigid. Apologetically, Toby took a few steps back, raising his hands, feeling as though he had alerted a hungry wolf to his location.         

“What happened to those bandages?” Brian asked, clearly making an attempt to cut through the danger that leaked from the air.         

“Uh-h. Um. I—” Tongue clicking and neck cracking aggressively, Toby really had to focus to get his words out.         

“Are your cuts healed?” Brian gawked, striding forward and seizing Toby’s wrist. This time, Toby let the Proxy examine his hands.         

“It was hhh-him!” He gasped. “They’re all fine now-w.”         

“Fine.” Brian hissed quietly, not believing him. Suddenly, Toby was pulled forward. “Keep yourself in check. You won’t be easily forgiven for mistakes.” He threatened in his ear.         

“What are you—”         

“I guess they are fine.” Brian interrupted, throwing Toby’s hands down. Tim eyed the two of them menacingly, smoke escaping through his nose.  Toby realized then he had no handle on the situation, no grasp of what was happening, but at this point, he was more than used to it. If there was one thing he’d learned over the past weeks, it was how to disappear when he needed to. Rolling his shoulders over, he stared at his Chuck Taylor’s and focused hard on keeping his tics to a minimum.         

“C’mon and get back in the truck. We’ve gotta park in the woods and give Rookie, here, a run down.”

  ******

 “See this gun?”         

“Yeah.”         

“We don’t use them.”         

“Great. Helpful. S-so what should I use?”         

“Whatever you want.”         

“My hatche—”         

“Except your hatchets. That’s extreme.”        

Too extreme for murder? “Okay.” Toby exhaled. “What should I u-use?”      

The Proxies were now standing about a mile deep into the Grey house neighborhood’s forest. The truck’s trunk was opened and the black sports bag was unzipped, its deadly contents spilling out. Tim leaned against the car, sharpening a hunting knife, chattering Toby’s teeth with every grating swipe. SHHHK!         

Brian thought for a moment, looking the Rookie up and down. “What are you good at?”         

Toby was starting to get sick of how vaguely Brian spoke. “Muh-meaning?”         

SHHHK!         

“Like, are you agile? Fast? Can you think quickly in stressful situations?”         

Now it was Toby’s turn to think. But only for a split second. “How the hell should I know?”         

“Toby . . .”         

“Give ‘im a knife.” Tim spoke rather loudly. Another SHHHK!         

Toby had only a flash of a moment to turn around, and when he did, he saw the hunting knife flying towards his head.     ��   

The boy swiftly dodged to the side, but not without stumbling. He fell to the dirt, the knife landing a yard away from him.         

Breathing.         

And then,         

“Are you out of your goddamn mind?!” Toby howled. Tim cackled gruffly and shrugged.         “

Well, you dodged it, didn’t you?”         

“BARELY.”         

“Oh, don’t get your panties in a twist.” Tossing the sharpener, Tim crossed his arms and made the same smug look from before when Toby scolded him for smoking. Brian hoisted Toby from the ground. He was sick of being pulled from the floor.         

“You’ve made your point.” Brian spat. “Quit doing that.”         

“He’s done that before?” Toby gasped.         

“Now you know he’s agile, and fast, and quick-witted. You’re welcome.” Tim added with a cocky wink. Now Toby couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself.         

“Brian, you need to tell me what’s happening.” He whispered furiously.         

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He replied lazily, grabbing the hunting knife from the ground by the flat side of its blade, handing it to Toby. He squinted. “Speaking of, how come you’re no longer . . . freaking out?”         

Toby gulped. He didn’t know whether to tell Brian about his encounter with the Operator or not. “I—”         

“Nevermind, I don’t even want to know. Don’t want to jinx it. We’re all psychopaths here. Take it, wouldya?” Toby took the knife, its blade glimmered.         

“TCH!” He ticked, “So . . . who are we . . .” He couldn’t say killing no matter how hard he tried. It was all so surreal, like some sick dream, a dream that refused to let him reference the monstrosity he was about to commit.         

“Mr. and Mrs. Frazier. Around forty, each. Mr. Frazier is a little out of shape, but big. The wife is small and thin, she’ll be easy.” Brian responded, matter-of-factly.         

Toby felt dizzy at the implication.         

“They have a daughter. We’re not touching her.”         

“ . . . But why?”         

“She’s sixteen.” Brian stated, as though that was obvious.         

“I’m seventeen.” Toby remarked.         

“Not the same. We’re not killing you, are we?” Brian said. Toby felt that was a threat. “And if we were, we wouldn’t lay a hand on you, either.”         

“Is that a rule? The Op-pe-perator says so?”         

“It’s . . . Tim’s rule. Speaking of . . .There’s a few more of them.”         

Toby frowned.         

“Don’t be seen. You cannot be recognized no matter what.”         

“That’s why you and Tim have those masks?”         

“Yeah, but we’re using different ones now. Those other ones are too . . . comical.” Brian continued. “Don’t use anyone’s real names. And no one escapes.”         

For whatever reason, Toby was expecting much more extreme rules. “That’s it?”         

Brian nodded.         

“Okay-y. But I don’t have a mas-sk.”         

Looking back to the truck, Brian grabbed something from a zipped hiking bag and handed it to Toby.         

“. . . Y-you’re joking.”         

“Nope.” Brian remarked, unbothered. “Maybe you can wear those goggles too. They’re in the same bag.”

In his hands, Toby held what appeared to be a broken, metal mask. The “mask” appeared more like a dog muzzle, being only a few rows of thick metal bars attached to a strap to secure it in place. The top half of it was completely missing leaving the bars jagged like it had sustained heavy damage, and when he held it up to his face, it barely even covered his nose. The sharp bits of metal were sure to be a hazard, and he had a hell of a time discerning if it was even worth wearing at all since it failed to hide anything, but decided he would anyway, not wanting to face the wrath of Brian or Tim.

  ******

  Brian had eventually wandered back to his truck and started talking with Tim about something Toby was apparently left out of, again. The boy found a tree to lean against and squatted down, dropping his head in his hands, daydreaming, coming up with anything his mind could create to get him out of where he was. Away from the woods. Away from death.

Air was being sucked out of him as he breathed. Every breath shallow, and every sigh long. Pinched throat, tight and taut from excess use and stressors choking him every hour. The sun had set. The tree’s spindly, bone-like leaves illuminated it seemed. Yellow spine striking the blue hue of the unending woods. Golden lights of another house far away blinked at him, mocking him. Warmth, comfort, light . . . all things he has not received. Not recently. Not ever. Not from humans, anyway . . . A harsh wind struck his exposed skin, cutting him. Eyes set forward, not sideways, not down, not up, Toby’s hands pressed together in a praying position up against his lip.         

At this time, the sky was brighter than the surroundings. It was a pale, dusty blue, yet every tree and rock melted together into one nearly black mess. The trees were tall, stretching as time crawled on, extending their branches and their reach atop the canopy they created. The moon was locked away with her stars. There were no birds, no frogs, no crickets, no people. Only silence and the eerie shaking of the bone-leaves. Shadows upon shadows shaded the ground to pitch nothingness, frightening him. What if he stepped and found the ground missing from beneath him?         

Stirred. Everything stirred. There was an unseen, unheard desperate rumbling of impending doom. Nerves shot, adrenaline drilling into his ribcage, his heart pumped fiercely, but he couldn’t feel it at all. He thought maybe he was calm, but everything pointed far and against that theory. He was almost shaking.         

Like nerves before the curtains rise, the darkness of the world at the time of the evening show, a familiar buzz and dread rattled the surroundings. Toby had begun to hate the color blue. When the world was shrouded in that blood curdling shade, bad things were barreling towards. Evening, twilight and night. Lustful in their attempts to frighten and perturb. Hate seeped from his fingertips, stars glittered in his eyes, his heart wrenched, for himself or someone else, unsure, teeth ground. His shoes against the dirt connecting himself to this world he had long since come to scorn with a bleeding, antagonistic venom, encompassing as lightning, obsessive as worship.         

The others were nothing but silhouettes like his first encounter with them, eyes glowing white. Groggily the wind came to a close, leaving them with nothing to soothe their ears but ominous ringing. Church bell? School bell? Something like a siren. Something chilling. Smoke danced upwards, shadowing the ice blue sky, before being put out. They looked at him, but he looked back only with his eyes. They hadn’t trained him in the slightest, or even disclosed the plan. It was a procedure he would have to improvise as it carried on.         

Yet he couldn’t help but discern a strange hint of familiarity . . . with all of this. The feeling, the way the world was painted through his eyes. Scenery generated stories, he knew as much, but this was different. Something deja vu.         

Death emerged, looming over them, overshadowing any and everything. Three reapers marched forwards, parading with nothing but apathy, sounding impassivity, and a resounding sense of mysticism. It was a job. Simply a job. What awaited them, calm and dangerous as a slimy snake should they refuse, was objectively worse. Each member of the lurid trinity donned a knife, in hand, pocket and sheath. Archangel, Seraph and Cherub equal in rank in their strides.       

   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.         

Chrome Archangel, head to toe wear as sallow as the skin stretched over his contused immortal soul, was outfitted with a Beretta M9 should things take a catastrophic turn, as well as a link of chain as long as 12 feet clipped by carabiner to a tactical belt he snagged from the sports bag and strapped on moments before. His expression was pulled downwards in a seething grimace, cruel and cold.

        With the intercession of Mary, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Blessed Archangel Michael, the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints,          

With an unmistakable empowered spring in his step, trenchant Seraph, gaze as sharp as his blade, stepped with haste, an unbearable hunger for what was to come. The bases of his fingers glinted over their leather gloves, a silver wink of brass knuckles, and dangling from his hands, a black, metal bat swung lazily back and forth, just grazing the dry grasses beneath their feet. Eyes as steely as an ascetic killer, he radiated energy, vicious, dangerous energy.        

 and entrusted with the authority of our sacred ministry, we proceed with an ax to repel the infestations of diabolical fraud.         

And Cherub, belial in nature, grasped a sense of inadmissibility. Every wrong action, premeditated or otherwise, was certain to reap a lashing, lash out or otherwise means of punishment. Outfitted with nothing but a hunting knife and duct tape, he felt overt, naked. The others hadn’t put much thought into him, his safety, or if his outfit was sufficient. Nonetheless the little Cherub strode beside them, not behind, falling into place, feeling the others remain beside him.    

     Per Aspera, Ad Inferi.

 The back porch of the house was in front of them. There was a swinging bench, a bird bath, and a row of flowers near the sliding glass door. The three Proxies positioned yards away all crouched behind a large bush, a strange mix of excitement and terror emanating from them. Toby’s back was against the plant and ducked down further than the others as he had been instructed.         

“Whatever happened to not-t being see-seen?” He whispered contentiously. Brian was stalking the house like a wildcat would a cardinal, even angling his head in a remarkably animalistic nature. Toby seemed to have snapped him out of it, however.         

“No one would recognize us if they tried. This is our first time in Colorado. Plus, we won’t be seen.” He said, eyes still plastered to the back porch.         

“But you can’t know that for sure.” Toby shot back.         

“We’re sure.” Tim suddenly spoke up, startling him.         

“Then why do I have to wear this stupid thing, it doesn’t eve-even cover muh-my face.”         

“Because you could still be recognized.” Brian said.         

A feeling of iniquity coursed through the boy’s veins, but he once again said nothing.         

“It’s more of an intimidation thing anyway. We’re never seen. And if we are, the witness doesn’t tend to remain alive for very long.”         

“You said their daughter is going to live, though. Won’t she see us?”         

“Boy, Toby, you sure ask a lot of questions.” Brian groaned.         

“Oh, excuse me. This is my first tim-me being forced to muh-murd-der for an entity, I apologize.” Toby snarked.         

“Just keep barking, dog.” Tim piped up.         

“Is my question that unreasonable.”         

Brian looked down. “No. It’s not. Here, we’ll give you a run through of the plan.” Toby perked up, straightening his shoulders. Finally.         

The chrome Proxy coughedt, ducking further behind the bush. “We decided you’re not going to lay a hand on anyone tonight.”         

“What?” Toby growled indignantly.          

“You’re just going to tag along.” Brian continued, ignoring him completely. “Just stay around us and watch.”         

“Spectate a murder.” Wouldn't sitting along the sidelines be disobeying the Operator?         

“Keep interrupting. No, please. Keep doing that. See where it gets you, Rogers.” Tim added.         

“I told you not to call me that.” Balling his fists, the young Proxy suddenly felt he was being dogpiled by the others.         

“And apparently I don’t give a shit. Just spectate. Stay out of trouble and stay out of the fight. Just sit in a corner or something and watch. Ain’t that hard, kid.” Tim said, adjusting his flight jacket. Squinting, Toby stared down at his shoes, feeling hurt by Tim’s unusually harsh words. Early on he had assumed Tim was the easy going one, the temperate one that he could count on to be somewhat reasonable in comparison to Brian, at least sometimes, but now that idea was crumbling before his eyes. “Okay, we ready?”         

“Wait!” Toby accidentally shouted. The two homicidal men glared at him. “I . . . Can I please get my hatchets?”         

They both groaned, rolling their eyes.         

“If you’re going to keep bitching? Fine.” Brian said after a while.         

Not wanting to keep them waiting, Toby sprinted back to the truck and returned in a matter of minutes.         

“You ran that distance . . . that fast?” Brian gawked. Toby’s two hatchets now dangled beside his thighs, edges facing behind him. He nodded. Brian made a face, something that meant he was impressed and Toby grinned. Finally, he’d managed to please at least one of them.         

He was much more relieved now that he had his hatchets beside him. Something about their handles and familiar weight felt comfortable in his grip. Even if he wasn’t going to hurt anyone as Brian said, he still liked having them there . . . just in case.         

“Nuh-now I’m r-ready.”         

“Muh me too.” Tim mocked with a raspy laugh. Another devastating blow. Toby’s face flushed, though he couldn’t feel it, and pulled his hood over his head, just wanting to disappear. Tim was on a roll tonight, crushing Toby completely. What had happened after that coughing fit? Toby wondered. It was like he was a different person.         

Brian shot Tim a look, reminding him to keep in line, and he responded by standing up and strolling nonchalantly to the back porch. Toby could see the change in Brian, the hair stood up on the back of his neck.         

“Tim! What the hell are you doing?” Brian scream-whispered, leaning around the bush on his hands and knees. Tim turned around, now walking backwards towards Grey house. Arrogantly, he shrugged with an imperious stretch of his lips.         

“What does it look like, Brian? Just walkin’.” With a small skip and a kick of a rock, Tim advanced to the porch and pulled at the handle to the sliding door. Loudly, the handle rattled and the door rebounded around the frame.         

CLUNK! CLUNK! CLUNK!         

Tim then became very interested in the ground.         

“Tim!” Brian shouted. His heart was racing. Looking at Toby, he decided right then that they had no choice but to go along with whatever the lunatic was doing. “C’mon.” he said. “It’s not like we had much of a plan to begin with.” He stood up from the ground, his knee cracked painfully from crouching for too long, but he shook it off. Toby trailed behind.         

CRASH!         

“Helloooo?” Tim shouted in a sing-song voice. Brian grimaced darkly, shoulders rising to his ears, and fists balling, he wanted to say something. Tim had picked up a rock, tossing it through the door and kicked at the remaining glass.         

‘Interesting all of this, very, very, very interesting.’         

“What?” Toby asked.         

“Don’t you think that’s a little risky?” Brian hissed.         

“No, what you just s-said.” Toby’s head fell to the side. Brian cocked a brow, a face he often made. He had no idea what Toby was talking about. He ignored him and stepped inside after Tim.         

‘I hated him. For what he had done. All of what he had done.’         

Toby collapsed to a crouch, hands cupping his ears once again. Now they were back, again. But why? What was it now? There was never any rhyme or reason to them appearing.         

Someone screamed and he winced.         

The cacophony of ghouls erupted in his ears again. Screaming, crying, cursing and pleading. Detailing gruesome crimes with bone chilling wails.         

“Kid! C’mon!” Brian shouted. Toby stumbled up and sprinted forwards, tripping over the sliding door frame and falling into Brian, gripping his hoodie. Reacting rather severely, Brian grabbed onto him to stop him from falling. Surprisingly, though, he said nothing after that, too focused on Tim who was now making his way through the house.         

“Damn Proxy.” Brian hissed, chasing after Tim.         

Even though he was already inside, Toby hesitated when stepping further in. This wasn’t his house. This wasn’t his stuff. This was intruding.         

He found all of this rather ironic. After all, the only reason he was intruding in the first place was for the sole purpose of ending the lives within the home. Still, he was distracted, his own thoughts didn’t remain in his head for very long. Hands still cupped over his ears, Toby followed in after Brian.